sixteen bits april 1997 1 · 4 april 1997 sixteen bits president’s letter ann byrne, president...
TRANSCRIPT
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 1
2 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Editorial Information
Deadlines ForMay lsquo97 Issue
Articles and Member Ads
Monday 28 April 1997Commercial Ads
Friday 2 May 1997
Advertising inSIXTEEN BITS
SIXTEEN BITS is a unique and powerfulmedium for reaching the thoughtful decisionmakers in the ACT area Our circulation exceeds3500 copies each month with multiplereadership exceeding 4800 Many copies areretained by members for future reference Theadvertising deadline is normally the first Fridayof the month of publication
Advertising options include
bull Cover ads
bull Display ads
bull Special inserts
bull One-off mailing listsRegular advertisers receive discount vouchersto pay for any future advertising with SIXTEENBITS (subject to account being in order) Every12th consecutive ad placed is free Please contactthe Advertising Manager Ken Livingston on(06) 282 2536 for further information
SIXTEEN BITS (ISSN 8017-0991)is published monthly by the
PC Users Group (ACT) IncPO Box 42
Belconnen ACT 2616Australia
We welcome submissions of articles from membersof the Group If you are interested in writing pleasecontact the Managing Editor and ask for a copy ofour lsquoSIXTEEN BITS - Guidelines for Authorsrsquo (alsoavailable on the BBS in General file area (1) asAUTHORSTXT)
Correspondence and material for review orpublication should be forwarded preferably as aplain text file with separate PCXBMP graphic filesby the deadline specified to the Editor as follows
middot By email to pcugeditorpcugorgaumiddot By BBS file - upload to the Articles for
16Bits file area (30) of the PCUG BulletinBoard on (06) 253 4933
middot By BBS mail - leave a message in the PCUGEditor message area
middot By fax to (06) 253 4922 (100 words or less)middot By mail to above address (100 words or less)
Anonymous contributions will not be publishedthough name and address can be withheld frompublication on request Disks are not returnedunless requested by the author
copy Copyright 1996 by the PC Users Group (ACT)Inc All rights reserved Permission for reproductionin whole or in part must be obtained from theManaging Editor and is generally given providedthe author also agrees and credit is given toSIXTEEN BITS and the author(s) of the reproducedmaterial All other reproduction without priorpermission of the PC Users Group (ACT) Inc isprohibited
Members of the PC Users Group (ACT) Inc receiveSIXTEEN BITS each month Registered byAustralia Post Print Post Publication NoPP22648000009
DisclaimerAlthough it is editorial policy to check all material inSIXTEEN BITS for accuracy usefulness and suitabilityno warranty either express or implied is offered for anylosses due to the use of the material in the journal Unlessspecifically stated otherwise the experiences andopinions expressed in any column or article are thoseof the author and do not represent an official positionof or endorsement by the PC Users Group (ACT) IncThe PC Users Group (ACT) Inc is not liable forinaccuracy in any advertisement and does not acceptresponsibility for any claims made by advertisers It isthe buyerrsquos responsibility to investigate the claims madeby advertisers Any material considered misleading orinappropriate will be withheld at editorial discretionNames of hardware software and other products offeredon a commercial basis may be registered names andtrademarks of the vendors concerned SIXTEEN BITSuses such names only in an editorial fashion and to thebenefit of the trademark owners with no intent ofinfringement of the trademark
Sixteen Bitsis produced with the
products and support of
AdobeCorel
Corporation
Editorial Information
Managing EditorDarrell Burkey
pcugeditorpcugorgau
Assistant EditorTamsin Sowden
tsowdenpcugorgau
Editorial TeamMike Burke Andrew ClaytonJim Hume Emil Joseph
Val Thomson
Cover DesignRussell Kerrison
Technical EditorMichael Phillips
Commercial Advertising ManagerKen Livingston (06) 282 2536 (bh)
(06) 253 4922 faxpcugadspcugorgau
ProductionPetra Dwyer and the Stuffing Team
Contributors for this issueMike Burke Iain Gould Jim Hume
Glenn Pure Malcolm Street Alan TebbNick Thomson Val Thomson
Nahn Tran Phil Trudinger
Authors and Advertisers please note
Articles from SIXTEEN BITS are alsopublished on the lsquonet as Sixteen Bits Online athttpwwwpcugorgaupcug16bits andextracts are read on Radio 1RPH (1125AM)Thursdays 1045am amp 945pm
Material published on the Web and broadcaston radio is subject to copyright law andreproduction in any form without permission ofthe editor and the author is prohibited Ifhowever you as an author object to publicationof your material on the Internet or on radio forany reason you must contact the Editor torequest that your articles be omitted from theonline version
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 3
PCUG News amp Services
This month in
Profi le
7 Membership NotesMike Burke with information for new members
27 Group NoticesOz User Groups The Stuffers and Sixteen Bits Online
28 Software Library NewsPhil Trudinger reviews a selection of software
36 The Internet ProjectIain Gould reports
38 Internet Project ApplicationGet connected with TIP
39 Member ServicesDetails of services available to members only
39 Notice of Special MeeitngChange is in the wind
42 Special Interest GroupsWhere the real action is
43 Training NewsLow cost training for members
44 Vendor DiscountsMembership has its privileges
46 Membersrsquo AdsCheck here first for bargains
46 PCUG MembershipThe official membership form
47 Help DirectoryStuck Call the experts
48 CalendarWhatrsquos on next month
Features
8 Computer CryptographyGlenn Pure tells how encryption works
14 CD ROM ColumnNick Thomson sets up shop on the WWW
17 Guinness Disc of RecordsAlan Tebb with all the facts
18 Corel Print and PhotoHouseJim Hume finds a winner at a great price
20 Wish You Were HereJohn Saxon shops lsquotill he drops
22 Confused About The InternetNahn Tran with advice for beginners
24 Big Day OutMacolm Street with live Rock lsquon Roll on the lsquonet
34 Qool URLsJim Hume selects the best of the web
40 Whatrsquos NewsJim Hume keeps up with the latest
2 Editorial InformationHow to contribute to Sixteen Bits
4 EditorialDarrell Burkey
4 Presidentrsquos LetterAnn Byrne
5 LettersFrom our readers
6 Contact InformationHow to contact us
Advertiser amp Product InformationInside Front Panther Publishing 1 Computech Computer Group 9 InterACT Technology Group11 Spirit Networks Software Shop12 Bettowynd Sustance
LampS Associates13 ABampT Systems Hi Micro16 Computer Mart44 Vendor Discount SchemeInside Back Aspect ComputingBack Cover The Logical Approach
4 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Presidentrsquos LetterAnn Byrne President
Editorrsquos Desk TopDarrell Burkey Managing Editor
Editorrsquos Desk Top
Presidentrsquos Letter
Many thanks to all the people who helpedout at ACT Alive on Canberra Day especiallyto Eddie and Sharon de Bear and GordonUrquhart who did all the transporting andmoving of things back and forth to the CentreIt was a very successful day for the group andvolunteers must have enjoyed themselves asno one seemed in a hurry to leave
It is interesting when you look around atthe Committee our volunteers and at the mainmeetings there is a predominance of malesvisible in the group I wonder if this is a factof life or an anomaly that the computer worldhas generated I for one would certainly liketo see more women involved in the groupPerhaps all you men will forgive me this onceas I indulge myself and make a call for womenwho would like to participate in the group toplease get in touch with me
The upgrade to a 256k link along with theadditional modems on TIP has certainly madea big improvement Is it really only just over
two years since we went into the projectwith lots of projections a 64k link about12 lines and a prayer for 500 subscribersin the first year
To all who have stuck by us throughthe times of not being able to log onbetween 6pm and midnight intermittentnewsfeeds and slow downloads thank youfor keeping the faith We now seem to beholding our own however no one canpredict the future Telecom needs to bewatched closely as anyone who subscribesto the relevant email and newsgroups willtell you There is a lot of small print in the900 page Telecommunications Bill thatwas passed through the Senate in lateMarch
February Committee MeetingThe Committee discussed legal advice thathad been sought on a Committee memberwho is directly involved with a commercialInternet service The member responded
that he saw no conflict of interest or breachof the ACTrsquos Associations Incorporated Actand would continue to serve on theCommittee Following the legal advice theCommittee has taken no further action
The draft of our submission to the SenateCommittee inquiry into the Telecom-munications Bill was tabled
The Committee has purchased a newlaptop computer to be used at various venuesthat we attend
Additional chairs have been approvedfor the meeting area
The Communication Policy Teamadvised that they were working with JohnDunn in preparing a comprehensive membersurvey
Ken Livingston was elected to the IPMCto replace Karl Auer
It was agreed to order the MicrosoftInternet Explorer Administration Kit As this
As mentioned here last month there area few changes occurring on the editorial teamThis month two of our very valuable teammembers Val Thomson and Jim Hume havedecided to wrap thing up As always a simplethank-you seems so inadequate in con-sideration of all the time and energy they havespent in making our journal the awardwinning production that it is They willcertainly be missed and I would like to statemy deepest appreciation for a job well doneand how much I will miss working with themBoth of these members have contributed tothe journal for years in many ways anddeserve a big Thank You from us all
It should be obvious to all members thatnow is the time for anyone who can donatesome effort to assist in producing the journalto contact the committee No volunteers nomagazine - itrsquos that simple As I stated last
month without member support thecommitteersquos options are extremely limitedregarding the production of our journalCombined with my departure as Editornext month it is vital that we address theneed for additional volunteers on theeditorial team as quickly as possible
If you havenrsquot had a look at the on-line version of Sixteen Bits at httppcugorgaupcug16bits I think you willbe surprised by what you find there Atlong last the software on our Internet sitesupports Adobe Acrobat version 3 Youwill find some interesting features such asa lsquoliversquo table of contents where you cansimply click on an article to view it Thereare also sound clips here and there In thenear future (possibly this month) all of thelinks to web sites will also be lsquoliversquo Soanywhere you see a reference to a web site
you will simply need to click on it toautomatically jump to that site Stay tunedfor more surprises as we discover and learnthe many features of this software
Unfortunately (depending on your pointof view) MicroSoftrsquos Internet Explorerversion 3 has a known bug that prevents itfrom working with online Acrobat PDF filesso the site is best viewed with Netscape fornow Just days before writing this NetscapeCommunicator 4 (preview) and MS InternetExplorer 4 (beta) were released hopefullythey will work better with Acrobat files
Meanwhile in spite of all the bells andwhistles of online publishing it appears thatnothing beats hard copy I think it will be along time before most of us are willing togive up our lsquodead treersquo versions for variousgood reasons So grab a cuppa and enjoy
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 5
LettersLetters
Meet The CommitteeCommittee members can be found at most PCUG functions but are also available thethird Saturday of each month from 2-4pm at the PCUG Centre This time has been setaside specifically for members to have an opportunity to meet committee members anddiscuss any issues or answer any questions members may have See you there
Last month Doug Gillies called for morekindness in the application of the lsquoUsers helpingusersrsquo principle He mentioned a member whoasked for help in one of the TIP newsgroupsand was told to RTFM I felt for this memberthe very first time I posted a message on theBulletin Board back in 1990 I was promptlytold to RTFM When I found out what it meantI was mortified at what seemed a rude andintolerant response and was very reluctant topost again
When I eventually met the writer of my RTFMmessage I was unsurprised to find him kindlyand mild-mannered By that time Irsquod figured outthat certain Real World conventions simplydidnrsquot apply online People write the rudestthings apparently without considering whotheyrsquore saying them to or about or the fact thattheyrsquore saying them in public They say themfurthermore without any expectation ofreproach lsquoItrsquos the Usenet culturersquo so Irsquom toldand out pop all the shibboleths about lsquomerepatterns in the phosphorrsquo and lsquosticks and stonesrsquo
Text carries a far heavier burden of meaningthan the spoken word Getting somethingacross in the absence of facial expressiontone of voice gesture and body language (letalone the opportunity to explain and elaborateon the spot) takes work and care Electronicmessages however are often dashed off inthe heat of the moment Posters seem to pridethemselves in writing as they speakndashor moreinformally (and impertinently) than theyspeak Furthermore jargon aboundsNewcomers are absolutely at liberty to sinkor swim in this exclusive and hostileambience
Our much-vaunted freedom to participaterests on the assumption that everyonersquostolerance and aptitude for verbal abuse is thesame Many peoplendashthose brought up in morecourteous times and those hamstrung byexpectations of lsquoladylikenessrsquo for examplendashmay find the atmosphere in public messageareas very uncomfortable Itrsquos a vain hopethat The Usenet Culture will change to takeaccount of these differences but Irsquom certainlywith Doug in wishing to see more kindnesson The Internet Project
Irsquom not suggesting there shouldnrsquot bevigorous debate among old acquaintances Iwould just like to see less sinking of the bootin response to innocent (or even dumb)questions Perhaps then the brawls would bebalanced by more exchanges between moreparticipants about more topics J
Val Thomson
Doug Gillies letter in the March 1997 SixteenBits amazed me I have found so manyhelpers who sacrificed their time as well astheir petrol to install programs for me I cannever thank them enoughThey even taughtme to make better use of my software (seemy first letter in the February Sixteen Bits)
Alois Tush came back a second time to tryand sort out the problem with WorksYesterday Gordon Urquart came during hisprecious holiday to delete the faulty Works
has to be ordered from the US it could takequite a while before it can be implemented
Financial Report forFebruary 1997
Opening Balance(incl TIP) $174929
IncomePCUG $ 20296TIP Subscriptions $ 55440
ExpendituresPCUG $ 17758TIP $ 11466PresentedUnpresented cheques $ 905
Closing Balance(incl TIP) $220536
and install Works 4oa for Windows 95 Heshowed me how to delete and to install and inaddition he gave me valuable tips aboutnaming files
Works 40a was sent to me by Mr Rob PriceMS analyst Senior Response Group in answerto my plea for help with Works
So you see I am really extremely lucky butsurely I cannot be the only one
Elizabeth Ward
Providing that they applied the samephilosophy to Committee membership I couldapplaud the Committeersquos official view ldquotheperiodic turnover in Editors as with othervolunteers is a postive thing for the group Inthis way we donrsquot get stuck with one point ofview or one approach for a long period of timeand the magazine remains freshrdquo
It is assumed that candidates offering for thenext Committee election will state their lengthof time on our Committee together with theirprofessional qualifications
After having served two editors as a memberof the editorial team and as an articlecontributor the message to me from thePresident is clear it is time to go and I will beresigning from the editorial team at the sametime that the current editor leaves I wish thenew team the best of luck
Jim Hume
6 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
PCUG CommitteePresident Ann Byrne 282 2536
pcugpresidentpcugorgau
Vice President Mike Gellard 258 2361mgellardpcugorgau
Secretary Hugh Bambrick 249 7667amp Public Officer pcugsecretarypcugorgau
Treasurer Hugh Alstonpcugtreasurerpcugorgau
Training Officer Paul Balnaves 241 4671pcugtrainingpcugorgau
Network Craig GibsonAdministrator pcuglanpcugorgau
BBS Sysop Michael Phillips 281 1980pcugsysoppcugorgau
General CommitteeAlan Mikkelsen 278 3164amikkelspcugorgau
General CommitteeDavid Schwabe 254 9086dschwabepcugorgau
General CommitteeKen Livingston 282 2536kenlivpcugorgau
General CommitteeRod Farr 286 1597rodfpcugorgau
General CommitteeIain Gould 255 2405iainpcugorgau
General CommitteeDarrell Burkeydburkeypcugorgau
Immediate Karl Auer 248 6607Past Presidentkauerpcugorgau
PCUG Committee email to pcugcommitteepcugorgau
Other ContactsExecutive SecretaryPetra Dwyer 258 2099
pcugexecsecpcugorgau
Membership Mike BurkeSecretary pcugmembershippcugorgau
The phone numbers listed above are home numbers unless otherwisespecified Please restrict calls to between 730pm and 900pm
New Members Information Night730pm first Monday of the month PC Users Group Centre NorthpointPlaza Belconnen
How To Make ContactPostal address
PO Box 42Belconnen ACT 2616(For ALL correspondence)
J PC Users Group CentreNorthpoint Plaza BelconnenOpen Mon Wed and Fri 10am-2pmSaturdays and Sundays 9am-5pm(closed long weekends)
The PCUG Centre is the venue for PCUG training some Special InterestGroup meetings and other activities There is no charge for using theCentre for PCUG activities Contact Petra Dwyer at the PCUG Centre on(06) 253 4911for bookings
(PCUG Main Phone number(06) 253 4911(Answering machine when Centre unattended)
2 Fax number(06) 253 4922
Emailpcugpcugorgau (or use addresses at left)
The INTERNET Project(06) 206 6200 helppcugorgau
World Wide Web pagehttpwwwpcugorgaupcug
Bulletin Board Service (BBS)(06) 253 4933 (5 lines 336k bbs)Fidonet address 3620243
(BBS Sysop voice number(06) 253 4966 (600pm - 900pm)
Main MeetingMain meetings are held 700pm for 730pm usually on the last Mondayof every month at Manning Clark Theatre 1 Crisp Building AustralianNational University
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 7
Next New Membersrsquo Night
5 May 1997730pm
PCUG CentreNorthpoint Plaza Belconnen
MembershipNotesBy Mike BurkeMembership Secretary
MembershipNotes
the PC Users Group Centre (see map page 6)These meetings are a chance for new andlsquoolderrsquo members (who are always welcometo attend) to meet with representatives ofthe Committee to put names to faces andto ask any questions that you may have aboutthe Group and its activities Tea and coffeeare available and the atmosphere is informaland friendly
Main MeetingsOur main meetings targeted at our generalmembership are normally held monthly onthe last Monday of the month The datevenue and topic of the meeting alwaysappear on the front cover of SIXTEEN BITSwhich is timed to arrive in your mail-box inthe middle of the week before the next mainmeeting Main meetings are also advertisedin the computing section of the CanberraTimes on the day of the meeting Anyone iswelcome to attend these meetings you donot need to be a member For main meetingswe arrange guest speakers on a variety oftopics throughout the year As an addedincentive there are usually a couple of doorprizes to be won Yoursquove got to be in it towin it There is no main meeting inDecember Special Events We also havesome special events such as the lsquoBring andBuy Nightrsquo at the Albert Hall in Novemberand an annual Quiz Night in April Youshould read SIXTEEN BITS thoroughly asspecial events are publicised mainly throughthe magazine
Annual General MeetingThe Annual General Meeting is held
in September each year Even ifyou are unable to attend MainMeetings regularly membersshould make every effort toattend this Meeting at which
office bearers for the ensuing 12months are elected
The Rules andOther Good Stuff
Some members have expressed concern thatthey have lost TIP access because theirmembership renewals were not processedquickly enough Please remember that TIPaccess is dependent on your continuingPCUG membership and that it takes timeto process your membership renewalcurrently up to two weeks We are lookingat ways to reduce this time but the bestsolution is for you to remember to renewearly From this issue onwards there willbe a reminder published in this column everymonth Members particularly TIP userswhose PCUG membership expires at the endof the month stated in the box should renewtheir PCUG membership immediately Donot delay because your TIP access willautomatically be cut off at midnight on thelast day of the month unless your renewalhas been processed
Welcome to new members readingSIXTEEN BITS for the first time andwelcome to the PC Users Group
Continuing members should alsocheck this column regularly becauseI am sure that there will be some littlesurprises from time to time even forthe most jaded of old hands
If your PCUGmembership expires atthe end of May 1997
RENEW NOW to avoidlosing TIP access
Membership CardYour membership card will be mailed to youas soon as possible after your applicationfor membership or renewal has beenprocessed This will normally occur withinone week of your receipt of your first issueof SIXTEEN BITS Please be patienthowever There is only one print run ofmailing and membership labels everymonth and this normally occurs over theweekend immediately before the SIXTEENBITS stuffing day (normally the thirdMonday in the month) Normallymembership cards and disks will bedispatched on the third Monday If you loseyour card please leave a message with theExecutive Secretary on 253 4911 or contactme directly via The Internet Project atpcugmembershippcugorgau
Information DiskNew members should also receive a diskcontaining information about the Group andits services Please read the inndashformation onthe disk carefully as you will find theanswers to most of your questions there
New Members Information Night New members are especially urged to attenda New Members Information Night whichis normally held at 730pm on the firstMonday of the month (except January) at
8 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
RYPTOGRAPHY
This is the second of a two part feature onthe technology of cryptography Last monthpublic key cryptosystems were explainedThis month secret key ciphers are explainedand the controversial US export controls oncryptographic technology are examined
Secret key cryptography is theclassic type and has been aroundfor thousands of years Itrsquossometimes called symmetric
cryptography because the same key is usedto encrypt and decrypt a message The keymust therefore be kept secret or it becomesuseless since anyone who has the key candecrypt messages created with it They canalso generate mischievous messages orimpersonate a legitimate user of the key
Because the two parties to a conversationshare the same key non-repudiation isimpossible with secret key cryptography Amessage created and signed by one partycould have easily been signed by the other
party because they are both using the samekey
Secret key systems are inherentlysimpler than public key systems so there arequite a few of them in existence forcomputing One of the first was DES (DataEncryption Standard) which was publishedway back in 1977 in the US and uses a 56bit key DES takes a 64 bit chunk of amessage and garbles this into 64 bits ofciphertext
Since DES processes blocks of themessage with a defined length it is called ablock cipher (The illustration shows howDES works) DES doesnrsquot involve anyspecial mathematics In fact it relies on afew simple operations including bitshuffling substitution and simple logicaloperations
DES is still in wide usage today and isconsidered sufficiently strong that the USgovernment until very recently had ablanket ban on export of products whichused it
The fact that a cipher almost 20 yearsold is still considered useful illustrates animportant point in cryptography Ciphersand wine share a common feature - bothnormally improve with age The reason issimple If after such a long time no-onehas been able to work out a quick way tobreak a cipher then it must be good Unlikea lot of software these days reliability andtrustworthiness are absolute essentials forcryptographic algorithms and software
The need to expose ciphers to widepublic use - and abuse - before there can beconfidence in them also means that do-it-yourself ciphers generally arenrsquot trusted There might be some obscure attack orbackdoor that the designer has missed or
even deliberately put in place Neverthelessthere are some incredibly simple cipherswhich anyone can implement and use Oneof these called the lsquoone time padrsquo consistsof nothing more than combining a messagebit by bit with a lsquokeyrsquo consisting of arandom string of bits of the same lengthusing the exclusive or (XOR) logicaloperation Decryption is performed bysimply XORing with the same key again Itmight sound surprising but the one time pad
is the most secure cipher known if doneproperly Doing it properly meansunfortunately using a fresh key of randombits every time and the key must be trulyrandom - not generated with a pseudo-random algorithm
Coming back to DES if you take a quicklook at the detail of how it works you mightask why it goes through such a complex setof steps There are two reasons An attackerwonrsquot get too far by reversing the processbefore being stopped by a step involving akey (these canrsquot be reversed without thekey) The second reason is to make itrelatively inefficient when implemented insoftware so anyone who tries guessing keysrandomly will take that much longer to testeach one In fact key guessing is about aseffective as any other method for breakingDES
How secure is DES With the computingpower available now it is consideredfeasible to crack a message encrypted witha key only 56 bits long Nevertheless itwouldnrsquot be a trivial exercise since there are2^54 possible keys or about 18 x 10^16 Ifeach key took one millisecond to check itwould take over half a million years to testevery possible key
ldquoIf each key took one millisecond to check it would takeover half a million years to test every possible keyrdquo
(continued on page 10)
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 9
TECHNOLOGY GROUPinteract
Are you sick of congestedlines and slow access to the
InternetInterACT offers a full range of Internet Services in the Canberra Region
hellip be it a WWW home page to a corporate network ndashInterACT will deliver
Access $ 3500 per month orFlat Rate $ 18000 for 6 months
Access Plus $ 1000 per month (10 prepaid hrs)
$ 250 each additional hour
No Connection Fee applies to any of our dialup modem services
23 Megabit link to the Internet
Wersquore just a phone call away and you can be online today
Interact Technology Group URL httpwwwinteractnetauGround Floor Phone 257 833325 Torrens Street Fax 257 8322Braddon ACT 2612 Email infointeractnetau
All Plans payable in advance
10 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
In reality a key can be tested in a lotless than a millisecond In a recent challengein the US by RSA Data Security a 40 bitsecret key cipher was broken in about twoand half hours by using a whole stack ofcomputers in parallel No-one has crackedthe 56 bit challenge issued at the same time(at least at the time of writing this whichwas several weeks after the challenge wasissued) A 56 bit key is roughly 2^16 timesmore difficult to break meaning it wouldtake over 18 years to break with the samecomputing power used for the 40 bit key
Even if a 56 bit key was too short foryour security needs there are also schemesfor encryption with DES using two differentkeys in an encrypt-decrypt-encrypt cycleThis system sometime called triple DESmore than doubles the effective key lengthand provides truly remarkable security
Other common secret key algorithmsinclude IDEA (International DataEncryption Algorithm) which is used inPretty Good Privacy RC4 and RC5 ThelsquoRCrsquo series ciphers (also proprietaryproducts of RSA Data Security) are used inNetscape Navigator
US Export ControlsAs in many other technology areas theUnited States has been one of the leaders inthe development of crytosystems Manypowerful ciphers are available commerciallyin US products But the US government hasuntil recently had an almost total ban on theexport of most such products
The US government even used to treatcommercial cryptosystems as munitions forexport purposes Cryptographic softwareexports would often receive scrutiny fromthe US national security agency
Recent promises by major US IT firmsto incorporate lsquokey recoveryrsquo in theirproducts has lead to a relaxation on exportcontrols A statement by the White Houseon 1 October last year said that firms thatbuilt key recovery into their products wouldbe able to export much more powerfulcryptosystems for a trial period of two years
The actual details of what was meant bykey recovery were released by the USadministration just before Christmas 1996For practical purposes they differ little fromanother controversial and widely criticisedpolicy called key escrow which involveslodging all keys with a governmentauthority
The US government justifies itsinsistence on key recovery systems so thatit can continue to eavesdrop on criminalelements or terrorists taking advantage of
powerful cryptographic processes to hidetheir activities from the law
This means that the real interest by USauthorities is in cryptographic techniquesused for secret conversations The US hasno concern about encryption software thatcan only be used for digital signatures andmessage authentication
So far so good But on closer exndashamination the logic becomes harder tofollow The US government is controllingexport of cryptosystems not access to themin the US US citizens including thoseabroad have unrestricted access to verystrong encryption technology US citizenswill not even be obliged to use software thatincludes the key recovery systems mandatedfor exports In fact the October 1996statement by the White House makes thepolicy pretty clear ldquodomestic use of keyrecovery will be voluntary and any
American will remain free to use anyencryption system domesticallyrdquo
So how will the inclusion of keyrecovery in lsquoexport onlyrsquo products help TheUS government seems to be hoping that itskey recovery idea will become a de factointernational standard and that the US firmsmaking this software simply will not botherproducing two versions - one with and onewithout key recovery Instead they willproduce one version with key recovery Untilthis happens (if it ever does) the USgovernment will only be able to decryptmessages originated from overseas usingexported US software They will only beable to decrypt where a foreign governmentobtains the keys and hands them over Therecent White House statement says ldquoaccessto keys would be provided in accordancewith (export) destination country policiesand bilateral understandingsrdquo
A major problem highlighted by thecritics of US policy is that much of theencryption technology is already availableoverseas Much of it can apparently be usedlegally outside the US and even importedinto the US - yet it still canrsquot be exported byUS software vendors
For example DES is a publishedstandard and is widely available in manyparts of the world but until recently waseffectively the subject of a US export banAustralia is a case in point DES islegitimately available from a number of ourspecialist IT security firms for exampleEracom on the Gold Coast
In the case of RSA this is protected bypatent in the US However that hasnrsquotstopped it being available in other countriesin non-US products
The US government is not alone inhaving controls on use or export of crypndashtography France bans use of cryptographyby its citizens completely Closer to homethe Australian government also has exportcontrols on cryptographic software andhardware - although not a stringent as thosein the US Many other countries have thesetypes of controls as well
In spite of the well-intentioned motivesbehind restrictions on cryptography it seemshard to imagine that crooks and terroristswill be more vulnerable They are likely togain access to all the cryptographic
(continued from page 8)
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 11
SPIRIT NETWORKSYOUR INTERNET BUSINESS SOLUTION
IN CANBERRA
Offering full commercial Internet Services to create theInternet Presence of your business including
middot World Wide Web Site optional Domain Nameregistration and high volume services
middot Multiple Email Mailboxes amp high-speed Dialup access
middot Free Internet technical support
middot No time charging
middot Accounts from $25 a month
middot Training Consultation and Support Services
middot Connections by ISDN or modem permanentconnections available
middot Other services included are Telnet WWW FileTransfer News IRC and Multimedia
middot On-site Internet Software Installation Configuration andDemonstration
Personal accounts available
Complete Office Solutions for your Internet Presence
Email salesspiritnetau
Phone 0419 609 704 06 281 3552 Fax 06 285 1987
PO Box 486 Curtin ACT 2605
technology they want - whether legally ornot
If yoursquore interested in finding out moreon cryptography there are some good booksand plenty of good material on the Web Aclassic book is Bruce Schneierrsquos AppliedCryptography (2nd edition 1996 Wiley)which also contains C code for manyciphers On the web have a look athttpwwwrsacom (see FAQ) or httptheory lcs mi t edu~r ives t c rypto-securityhtml (plenty of good links - a mustfor anyone with an interest in cryptography)
12 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
1297
1897
1987
1997
ph 06 297 1084fax 03 9221 3180sustanceibmnet
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 13
14 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Setting Up a Commercial Site onthe Internet with Web Graphics
At the beginning of March I launched a newcommercial site on the Internet - InfoRomSince I know virtually nothing about HTMLprogramming and since I am something of anovice at this game I thought you might beinterested in
a) My experience of setting up acommercial site
b) My evaluation of how suited CorelWeb Graphics is to this purpose
I was in fact involved in EdRev anunsuccessful Internet project that was up onthe Net for much of 1996 Hopefully I havelearned from the experience - as Peter Cookused to say ldquoI have learned from my mistakesand I can repeat every one of them perfectlyrdquo
Developing Your Site ConceptBefore setting up your site it is important tohave a clear idea in mind as to why the site isthere what services you wish to provide andwhat sort of clients you are aiming at WithEdRev my idea had been to provide in-depthreviews of CD-ROM educational softwareover the Internet - people would not be able toaccess the reviews until they had taken up asubscription - or at least trialled the servicefor a month People out there did not respondto this approach - and the big problem frommy point of view was that I was putting vastamounts of time into writing the reviews andgetting little return
With InfoRom I decided to write shortermuch tighter reviews make them available forfree but offer access to question and answersupport on any of the products reviewed for asmall fee That way I figured that I wouldnrsquothave to invest too much effort up front but Iwould be putting my time and energy intoanswering questions for paid up subscribers Ialso decided to start including selected gamesas well as educational software so as to widenthe appeal of the service
Corel Web Transit - Word to HTML
Having written the reviews (inWord 6 for Windows) the nextstep was to convert them intoHTML format This proved to besomewhat easier than I had expectedWeb Transit makes the process prettyautomatic and it carried over my formattingand styles without any problem The onlydifficulty I found was that occasionally itwould add a couple of unwanted line breaksat the top of the page and very occasionallyan unwanted bookmark to the text at the topWhere this happened I simply deleted the linebreaks and changed the formatting to removethe bookmark There was no logical reason forthese unwanted inclusions - I suspect that itwas just a bug in the program Diagram 1 iswhat the Transit screen looks like You set updestination and source then click translatethen click the Web Designer icon if you wantto format and modify the file or click thebrowser icon to see what it will look like onthe Web
Corel Web Designer - Formattingand Enhancing the Site Pages
Web Designer is another of the Corel WebGraphics package components and (with thehelp of my daughter Naomi) I used this to dothe following
middot Fancy up headings and the appearanceof the text
middot Add internal links eg from the bottomof the page to the top
middot Add external links to other files egSubject Index
By Nick Thomson
Diagram 1
cd romcd rom
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 15
middot Add external files to other sites eg thesites of the software suppliers
middot Add graphics
All of the above processes were easy andreliable and I was able to undertake all of themsuccessfully despite not having any knowledgeof HTML programming I only encounteredthree shortcomings
1 If I had names with a mixture of upper andlower case the links didnrsquot always workproperly I overcame this by ensuring thatall my filenames were in lower case onlyI am not sure if this was a Web Graphicsproblem or just a general HTML issue
HTML is certainly casesensitive so beware
2 It is not possible to define orsave your own templates in Web
Designer It would have been veryhandy if I could have set up a template
with all the standard headings and linkseg to the Home Page built in - notpossible at this stage but I understand thatthis facility will be available in the nextupgrade of Web Designer
3 The formatting options are a bit limitedand it is not possible to define your ownstyles (although there is quite a good rangeof pre-defined styles available)
For graphics Naomi created a series ofneat little icons - one for each subject categoryThus at the top of each page there were twosmall graphics representing one or two subjectcategories for that review These were createdfrom clip art in Corel Draw then convertedand pasted in as gif or jpeg images (the twographic formats that are supported by HTML)We had tried using screen clips in EdRev -
they took forever to load and were a pain towork with so I decided against using them inInfoRom One of the golden rules of Web sitesis not to slow things down with too manygraphics - I get very frustrated waiting forsome of the software supplier sites to load -and I donrsquot want my potential clients to feelthat way about my site Diagram 2 is anexample of one of our pages
Selecting a Supplier andUploading Pages
The next step was to find a commercial sitesupplier I had been happy with service andvalue for money that we got at Spirit Networks(an ACT supplier) so I decided to go to themIt cost me $275 to set the site up (includingthe registration of my domain name on theInternet) and it is costing me $50 per monthfor maintaining the site (that includes a goodlevel of storage email traffic and the right toupdate whenever I like) - so it really isnrsquot tooexpensive a service As part of the setup costsa rep from Spirit came and helped my set upTIP email and FTP connections on mymachine Because of my newness to thisprocess I fired lots of questions (includingquite a few dumb ones) at them by email orphone in the first couple of weeks - I have tosay that they have been very patient and mosthelpful
I uploaded all the files by means of FTPand eureka it is working What a satisfyingfeeling to log on load up your browser andperuse a site that is all your own work Apartfrom a few faulty links (the result of incorrectentry on my part) everything was working fineimmediately and I have already added threelots of updates without difficulty
Marketing and Indexing the SiteWhen I was involved in EdRev I sent outapprox 600 emails to schools educationalagencies etc in the hope of winning somesubscribers For all that effort we got 2subscribers
I believe that one of the keys to the Internetis harnessing the power of the various searchprograms or Web Indexes by listing your sitewith them and doing whatever you need to doto ensure that your site has a reasonably good
Diagram 2(continued next page)
16 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
chance of being detected What I want is thatif someone searches for a particular packageeg Encarta or NHL 97 then they will bedirected to my site Thus the key is for not justmy home page but for every separate reviewpage to be picked up by the various indexesMost users stick with the big ones - as far as Ican tell they are
Excite
Infoseek
Lycos
Alta Vista
Magellan (subset of Excite)
Yahoo
Hot Bot
Web Crawler
Web Surfer
If anyone out there can suggest any otherlsquopopular onesrsquo please tell me My experienceis that there are two categories of Index
1 Those that list your home page and thentrace all of the links to the home page and(over time) add all of the other pages inyour site This can take 3 or 4 weeks Theseinclude Alta Vista Lycos Yahoo and (Ithink) Excite and Yahoo
2 Those that will only list the URL you haveentered eg Infoseek and Web Crawler
Thus I have taken two approaches Withcategory 1 eg Excite I have added just thehome page to the index although each time Ido an update I add the URL of what I estimatewill be the most popular choice for that weekto Excite and Hot Bot - thus increasing thelikelihood of my site appearing on thesesindexes in the short term Alta Vista Yahooand Lycos all actively discourage this process- but I will see whether the review pages ofmy sites are being picked up before I passjudgement on this
In the case of Infoseek and Web Crawler Ientered every single URL for all the pages inmy site (about 130 to begin with) - and everytime I do an update I add the URLs for thenew pages to these indexes It is timeconsuming but I believe that it is worth it Iam starting to get traffic to the site from allover the world but it is too early to tell howsuccessful my efforts have been
WebSurfer required a payment of $350(US) to be included - I wonder how long itwill be before this trend catches on with theothers At the bank I discovered that it wouldcost me $10 - to get a cheque drawn in USdollars - so the process cost me about $15
dollars And they wonder why Australia is notcompetitive on the international scene WhileI am grizzling about banks let me alsocomment that for every client that pays me bycheque in US dollars or pounds sterling it willcost me $5 to convert that cheque to Australiandollars The trick is of course to encouragepayment by credit card but I have not foundany of the banks I have spoken to so far to beparticularly eager to allow a small untriedbusiness like this to offer credit card facilitiesAre there any banks out there that encourageAustralians to transact internationalbusiness
There are a number of providers that offer(for a fee) to list you with lsquo100 Web indexesrsquoetc but since I figure that most people onlyuse the most popular ones I havenrsquot botheredwith them
Final CommentBasically it is now a matter of wait and seewhat the response is as well as ensure that thesite is visible on the various Web indexes Thewhole process has certainly been much easierthan I expected and I can certainly recommendCorelrsquos Web Graphics suite as a good way forbeginners to get a page up on the Internet witha minimum of fuss and bother Letrsquos hope thatthe subscribers start rolling in
Nick Thomson is a management trainerconsultant and he is also the manager ofInfoRom a CD-ROM review and onlinesupport service on the Internet He can becontacted on 241 3239
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 17
A review by Alan Tebb
ldquoWhat is the name of the worldrsquos mosttattooed womanrdquo (See the answer at theend of this article)
I remember buying a copy of theGuinness Book of Records in 1979and thinking it contained the mostfascinating collection of trivial facts
and figures I had ever read Over the yearsthe book settled the occasional dinnerargument that strayed into the realm of ldquowhowas the tallest man everrdquo or ldquohow longwere the longest finger nails ever grownrdquoIt was like having the sideshow bearded ladyand the tattooed man between covers on thebookshelf every page was filled with thebizarre the freakish the unbelievable
But to be fair the Guinness Book ofRecords is more than a collection of thecurious or unusual In the month since Ibegan this review I have noticed the TV andthe newspapers have on three occasionscovered attempts to break Guinness records
Perhaps the Guinness record book fulfillsthat need in human beings to challenge theirenvironment do things that no other humanhas done before to better the incredible featsof others or to be just plain crazy Whateverthe motivation the drive to be a part ofGuinness historyndashif only for as long as arecord holdsndashis as popular now as when thewhole thing began in 1955
So naturally I was very interested to seewhat Grolier had done to make the GuinnessBook of Records a multimedia CD I wasnrsquotdisappointed Like its hardcover cousin theGuinness Multimedia Disc of Recordscontains the same extensive collection ofrecords plus a library of amazing film clipsand photographs you simply wonrsquot findanywhere else on CD
The opening interface looks like acollection of pub drink coasters It has eightpaths allowing the user to browse recordsgo straight to an index of all photographsview movie clips search by words search
1995 GuinnessMultimediaDisc of Records
by topics search by superlatives run theRandom Record Explorer or play the GuessWhat quiz
The record browser lists almost 15000records in alphabetical order and is the leasteffective way of finding your way aroundthe CD The Guinness Multimedia Disc ofRecords excels in its ability to search itsdatabase of records using some innovativeoptions The usual Boolean choices areavailable or you can have fun searching bysuperlatives such as ldquotallestrdquo or ldquoheaviestrdquoThe CD will then list all the records thatinclude the chosen adjective The otheralternative is to search through topic treesthat branch out from a few key subjects allthe way to individual records an approachoften seen in CD encyclopaedias
The disc contains over 1000photographs from the Guinness collectionincluding what must be considered some ofthe most unusual and fascinating picturesassembled in one publication The majorityof photos and videos are very high in qualityand in the case of the photos these can beprinted
My only disappointment with theGuinness Multimedia Disc of Records is thefact that it did not have a country specificsupplement The thing I liked most aboutmy 1979 hard copy version was the 30 pagesof Australia-only records at the back Evenso the multimedia version is every bit asentertaining interesting and informative asI had hoped it would be With the addedadvantage of film clips sound and greatsearch capabilities I think it is better thanthe hard copy version Now if I can onlyremember some of those unusual facts andfigures I might be a much better TrivialPursuit player
System RequirementsA 486DX processor running at 33MHz orfaster using Windows 31 or rsquo95 4 Mb ofRAM 6Mb hard disk space CD-ROMcapable of 300Kbsec or higher transfer rateand a sound card The video uses Quicktimefor Windows 20 (supplied with theproduct)
The worldrsquos most decorated woman is stripartiste Krystyne Kolorful born 5 December1952 in Alberta Canada Her body is 95percent covered and it took ten years tocomplete the work
18 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
T his comprehensive set ofpowerful drawing and photo-editing tools fills a niche for thehome or small business users
who are looking for an easy-to-use graphicspackage to create greeting cards certificatesbanners business forms signs and calendarsetc and at the same time have the capacityto scan their own photographs touch themup and add special effects or create bitmapimages using the painting tools
While both MS Publisher 97 (which Ireviewed in the March 1997 issue) and PrintHouse have some similarities and overlapin the production of greeting cards bannerscalendars menus etc this program con-centrates on the production of qualitygraphics and photographic enhancementwhile MS Publisher97 was more orientedtowards Desk Top Publishing and has nophotographic enhancement program
Corel Print amp Photo House lives up toits claim for simplicity with a friendlywizard-based interface that anyone can usewithout training It includes more than 1600ready-to-print sample files (700 of whichare cards 1000 photos 1000 phrases 150TrueType fonts 7000 clipart images 200backdrops and 70 intelligent borders andtemplates and a well-illustrated manualwhich includes a catalogue containingcollections of the clipart fonts bordersbackdrops phrases and photos on theCDROM At a loss for the appropriatewords to include The comprehensive listof phrases should meet almost everyconceivable need
Installation is simple and the programproved fully compatible with my LogitechColour scanner and DSV Graphics DisplayAccelerator
There is a key that opens a key page thatin turn displays help topics to assist withthe task in hand using cue cards The topicsopened by the key are determined by the toolin use or the object currently selected Eachcard contains an instruction and after eachstep is completed a new card displays
Wizards are available to walk usersthrough any task such as changing the colourof an object or adding shadows to text Thereis an on-screen Notebook to help guide usersthrough various operations such as how toapply effects choose a paint brush or accessthe photo collection It also provides easyand visible access to clipart bordersbackdrops and preset styles that can bedragged and dropped into designs
You can customise a project withpowerful drawing tools and flip rotate orscale any text or graphic
The vector graphics and text are fullyeditable and can be flipped rotated re-sizedungrouped and fully customised by bothcolour and shape
The Toolbars and layout will be familiarto Corel Draw users they are intuitive andperform similar functions Figure 3 showsthe Notebook to the left of the verticaltoolbar showing what you would like to donext This Notebook provides convenienton-screen context-sensitive help and guidesusers through various operations such ashow to apply effects choose a paint brushor access a photo collection It also provideseasy and visible access to clipart bordersbackdrops and preset styles that can bedragged and dropped into designs To add acatalogue item you can drag it from theNotebook and drop it into the appropriatepart of your design
One particularly neat feature is theability to save pieces of your own creationfor later use in a section called theScrapbook so that you can add it to futureprojects
Reviewed by Jim Hume
Figure 1
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 19
The Photo House was particularlyimpressive both for the ease of use and itsversatility It took just over ten minutes torepair the damage to the print in Figure 2with the result shown in Figure 3 It alsoincludes a Notebook that provides on screenhelp to guide users For touching upphotographs there are Tools for selectionRectangle Freehand Eyedropper EraserFlood Fill Paintbrush Spray Can and Clonetools There are seven different touch-upeffects including Sharpen BrightnessContrast Remove Dust and ScratchesReduce speckles Simplify colours removered-eyes and Change Colours which provide
users with everything they are likely to needto spruce up or enhance photographs
Finally they provide a touch of fun withspecial effects-Page Curl Emboss SwirlCustom Negative Vignette Motion blurAdd light source Psychedelic Ripple
texture Impress-ionist and SketchThe photo editingpossibilities arealmost endlessFigure 4 showsthe special effectspicture a crownconverted top s y c h e d e l i cformat
Figure 2
Figure 3
Apart from serious use this program willalso provide a lot of fun for all ages andsome may be carried away with over-use ofthe graphics If only to emphasise the needto keep the design simple so that readers getthe message immediately the manual wouldbenefit from a Chapter covering theprinciples of good design similar to that inthe Publisher97 Companion or at least a listof recommended reading
There is an uninstall feature whichallows the ready removal of the program
System RequirementsMinimum System requirements IBM PC486 DX or compatible Windows95 orWindows Nt 351 a CD-ROM drive a VGAcardmonitor and a mouse or tabletWindows users require 8MB of RAM andWindows NT 351 or later users will require12 MB or RAM Price - RRP $9900
Figure 4
20 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
So here we are - itrsquos about 930 amon a fine Sunday morning and Irsquomcruising along the 210 freewayeastbound from Pasadena on the
way to the computer marketplace atPomona The traffic is light moving freelydown the 6 lanes between 70 and 80 mph(forgive the non-metrics therersquos a lot ofcatching up to do here) The speed limit wasincreased from 55 to 65 mph after the oilcrisis was ldquooverrdquo and the highway patroltend to frown on anyone faster or slowerthan 65 to 80 The radio is tuned to K-Earth1011 ldquoOldiesrdquo radio (appropriate for me)the Big-O is extolling the virtues of PrettyWomen and all is right with the world
Irsquove done my homework the day beforeby visiting FRYrsquos Electronics in Burbank -a huge high-tech megastore with a computersection roughly the size of David JonesThey are generally in the lower range ofcomputer retail prices - so it is worth seeinghow they compare to values at the Pomonamarketplace
Some example of prices at FRYrsquos (forsome things I was thinking of buying) are
Tape Backup unitsIomega Ditto 2Gb - $150 (Aus $207 after825 CA sales tax and conversion at 1275)Connor 32Gb - $229 A$316HP Colorado 32Gb - $209 A$288
Parallel port TV camerasColour - $249 A$343 Greyscale- $110 A$151 [Saw them bymail order at $79 A$101 (notax)]
8Mb 72pin EDO SIMMs 70ns - $40 A$55 60ns (1 yearWarranty) - $35 A$48 60ns(Namebrand lifetime warranty) -$44 A$61
Sony Web TV(WWW + Email via your TV -No PC required) - $290 A$400
Back to Sunday and thehardest part of the trip is theU-turn into the LA County
fairgroundrsquos car park - there are 6 entrancelanes with only 2-3 cars in each so gettingto park is pretty painless except for the $5parking fee Ouch A dollar up since lasttime Then another shock to the wallet -entrance fee has increased from $7 to $8for adults (and no Seniors discount) So atotal of $13 A$18 before making it into thefirst hall A friend and I discussed theentrance price and concluded that it mightbe a cunning psychological plot - Itrsquos costso much to get this far that one should reallybuy plenty to make it all worthwhileEverybody wins organisers and dealers thatis But itrsquos certainly possible to recoup theentrance money with a purchase of aCDROM For example MS Encarta 97 wasgoing for $26 (A$36)
There is at least one and sometimes twocomputer shows somewhere in LA eachweekend but this I think this one is thebiggest It is held in two large halls(sometimes three) Each hall is capable ofeasily accommodating around 150 largishstands with 10-15 foot aisles Therersquos 4 or 5radio stations here - at least 2 broadcastingand the rest handing out various ldquofreebiesrdquowhile relaying their station overloudspeakers Add to that various spruikersshouting their wares (ldquoNo CDs over $5 onthis tablerdquo ldquoLowest motherboard prices atthe showrdquo) numerous ldquomultimediardquo demos
and a few thousand people trying to makethemselves heard It is pretty noisy
I checked with the organisers and theysaid that they average around 8000attendees per day - so up to 20000 over agood two day weekend show It surprisedme that is was that low as it can get reallycrowded (2 or 3 deep at some stands)
There were over 300 dealers that day -about average However every 2-3 monthsthe organisers run 20-30 short seminars inconjunction with the market at the Sheratonsuites on the fairground complex On thoseoccasions the attendance at the marketincreases by 30 or more
So why do people keep coming back tothese shows Are the prices so much betterHere are a few examples
Complete ldquobasicrdquo system166 Mhz 6x86 Triton VX MB PnP bios256 Kb Cache 16 Mb EDO RAM 16 GbEIDE HDD 8X EIDE CDROM PCISVGA 64 bit with 2 Mb MPEG Yamaha3D Wavetable sound card poweredspeakers 336 Fax modem with Voice
mail SVGA 15 Digital NI28 monitor mousekeyboard floppy drive etcWin95 Installed with manualamp CD $969 A$1337 for thelot
MotherboardsIntel VX chip set with all IO256 Kb Cache - $84 A$116Intel HX chip set 512K -$110 A$152 CheapestPentium MB I saw (Optichip set) - $65 A$90
Wish You Were HereSixteen Bits foriegn correspondent John Saxonchecks in from Pasadena California
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 21
Tyan Tomcat 3 with 512K - $145 (the oneI paid $220 for 4 months ago - Oh wellthatrsquos life at the bleeding edge)
RAM8Mb 60ns EDO - $35 A$48 (Brand name$2 more) 16Mb 60ns EDO - $74 A$102
CPUsPentium Pro 150 Mhz - $179 A$247Pentium MMX 200 Mhz - $538 A$742(prediction - $300 by Dec 97)
CDROM Drives6X - $55 A$76 (Untested - as is)X12 Acer - $100 A$138X2 7 disk changer - $50 A$69(Untested - as is)JVC X4 read X2 write - $259A$357X16 (LiteOn = no name Nicebox) - $108 A$149
HDDsWD Caviar 25 Gb - $225 A$311Maxstor 13 Gb - $170 A$234
ModemsUS Robotics Courier 56 Kbs +Voice - $163 A$225 No name 336Kbs + SVDS - $67 A$92 (and goingdown)
Odd stuff2 Mb VGA cards as low as $45 A$62Cheapest parallel port flatbed scanner -$203 A$280
Stocking stuffers 230 Watt powersupplies - $17 A$23IDE HDD mobile rack with lock - $12A$17 TEAC 144 MbFDD - $20 A$28
The only direct comparison with FRYrsquosprices was for the HP 32 Gb tape backupunit - $209 at FRYrsquos - $149 at the marketSo it can definitely be worth the trip BUTsome of the dealers may not be around toolong to honour warranties and there aresome definitely ldquoshonkyrdquo practices goingon An example is the almost universalpractice of breaking up CDROM ldquobundlesrdquoto sell separately a practice much frownedupon by OEMs Caveat Emptor
So what was hot or different at thismarketplace
Well the new ATX format motherboardsand cases seemed to be selling well Forthose who donrsquot know - ATX is the new
mechanical layout with some electricalimprovements agreed by the major man-ufacturers (the first major mechanicalchange since the original PC) The mostobvious difference in the new motherboardsis on-board connectors (including USB andIR) and externally removable panels on thecases (you need a new case and Powersupply with the new motherboards) Butthere are many more changes infunctionality including ldquogreenrdquo systemPower supply control - never turn the system
off (except by unplugging it) Boards were$150 A$207 and up and cases with PSUsaround $75 A$104
Recordable CDROM drives were sellingwell with media down to $8 A$11 Didnrsquotsee any of the new DVD CD-ROM drivesbut these shows are not generally ldquocuttingedgerdquo more concentration on lower (slightlytrailing edge) prices
But I tried on a great pair of LCD 3Dglasses with modified game software - veryimpressive results The glasses switch 48times per sec (some noticeable flicker) andcome with a CDROM which include driversand some modified ldquoshoot-em-uprdquo gamesDescent 3D Nukem Doom etc for a totalof $99 A$137 The same stand also sold a4MB 128 bit Video card with hardwareMPEG2 decompression for $159 A$219Terminator-2 at full screen and full ratelooking better than your average TV
I even saw a $999 A$1378 home-use2-axis VR - that is Virtual Reality - chaircontrolled by the joystick It is quite quiet(as far as I could tell in amongst the racket)and apparently air driven with 50 degreesmovement in pitch and 55 degrees in roll
The monitor mounts in front of your kneesand the keyboard (for an optional operator -or simulation controller) behind the seatback There were speakers and joystick builtin also It seemed to be very fast and wasquite nauseating to watch Combine thiswith the 3D glasses for a total experience(if your stomach could take it)
There are probably more software thanhardware stands with CDROMs from $199up to $199 A$275 for Office 97 Pro upgrade(probably another unbundling job) Also 3
or 4 book stores - selling at coverprice less 25 for one book to coverprice less 35 for 5 or more books
Not all the stands are totallycomputer oriented There are a fairsprinkling of chiropractors (on thespot diagnosis) ldquoself defenserdquostands (mace amp pepper sprayselectric stun guns and (strangely)large knives) Cell phones pagerscigars and jewelry etc - you nameit A pretty large curtained off area(over 21 only) had several dealersselling thousands of ldquoadultrdquoCDROMs and videos A nice
change from the ldquooldrdquo days when that stuffwas included on most stands One of theradio stations was giving out ldquoEarthquakepreparationrdquo leaflets - modern times in LA
What did I buy Well - very restrainedfor me Only 16 Mb (2 X 8 Mb EDOSIMMs) of RAM - name brand (Toshiba) at$38 (A$52) each Also an HP Deskjetprinter colour refill kit At $55 (A$76) it waspretty expensive but it is supposed to refillcolour cartridges up to 24 times and B ampW up to 6 times so it could well be worth it- came with a package of business card paper(my choice parchment) also Oh and a W95or 31 Wincheck Version 40 softwarepackage at $1495 A$21 - I couldnrsquot resist
So after 2 12 hours I had taken a quickcheck around all the stands with no repeatsand I was out of there - all computered out(at least for one day) Irsquove been to that showat least 6 to 8 times before plus othersaround LA and I still get a mild adrenalinerush when going in - calculated to causeshopping frenzy
22 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Confused aboutYoursquore not alone
By Nhan Tran
Getting onto the InternetYoursquove heard about the informationsuperhighway and you want to know moreYour kids want to get on the Internet butyou donrsquot know how to give them a driveYou have been using the Internet but whenyou asked for help you could not explainyour problems to the experts This article(or maybe a series of articles) gives you thewhole picture and some explanation on thevehicle you use to get on the superhighway
The SuperhighwayThe Internet is a complex (and sometimesconvoluted) network of superhighways Theroads may be a six-lane freeway a four-lanehighway a side street or even a narrow alleyThey may be on the ground above groundunderground at the bottom of the seas orflying high with the satellites in space
On top of that you donrsquot actually driveyour car It is driven by an automatic driverwhich is nearly blind and canrsquot see fartherthan the next turn It is weird It is unnaturalwhich may be the reason why it works andthe other ldquowell-designedrdquo networks failedThe whole network is based on the conceptof ldquobest effortsrdquo That is the robot driverswould try their best but not guarantee thatthey would take you to the destination
They try to find the best route for you Itmeans that if the road is too congested theymay make a U-turn get off the freeway andcrawl through a labyrinth of cat alleys Theroads are like the real ones sometimes thereis almost no traffic at all other times theylook like a huge car park The matter getsworse when you take into account of thedifferent timezones around the world Oneorsquoclock in Australia may be the rush hourin another country and if you want to getinformation from there you get caught inthe traffic
Because of these characteristicssomeone (I think it was Mitch Kapor thespreadsheet inventor) has made a comment
like ldquothe information superhighway is a ten-lane freeway in one direction and an ox-cart path in the otherrdquo
But if you can go to where you wantwould you care I donrsquot I treat the wholenetwork like a fuzzy cloud that magicallygives me the new freedom the newcommunity and the new set of problems
The Highway RampSo how do you get on this super highwayThere are places which are connected to thehighway network on one side and entrancesfor you to enter on the other They are calledservers Normally what you see on theInternet is what is stored at these serversbecause most people like you donrsquot wantstrangers to access your PC (I wouldnrsquot leta stranger into my house) Luckily there aremany servers with many goodies to look ator play with
Getting onto these servers is not easyYou use a modem connected to a phone lineto call the modem on the server When theserver modem answers the call they wouldstart the process of synchronisation Toomany standards and too many brands If youare unlucky your modem may refuse to talkto the other modem and you would spendhours of frustration and get a huge phonebill
The high pitch tone you hear from themodem is this process When both modemssatisfy that they can reliably talk to eachother the noise stops Then itrsquos the butlerrsquosturn
The ButlerThere is a very important program for yourInternet access It is a program that asks the
modem to make the call to the server andwhen connected requests a login on yourbehalf to the server
What is a login You come to a friendrsquosplace knock the door or ring the bellSomeone in the house would ask ldquowho isthererdquo and yoursquod say ldquoitrsquos just merdquo Yourfriend recognises your voice opens the doorand let you in If you work in a securedenvironment every morning when you enterthe building you would show your ID cardto the security guard
Your username (or user ID or login ID)and your password are equivalent to the IDcard If you get the dreaded ldquoaccess deniedrdquoit means (a) you (or the program that doeson your behalf) entered incorrect username(b) you entered wrong password or (c) youran out of access hours or the accessexpired or your PCUG membership
expiredThis program is
always there rendashgardless of how youstart your Internetsession Some
access the Internet by Eudora some byMicrosoft Internet Explorer some useNetscape They either have a built-inprogram to do this job or automatically callthis program to make the connection Evenif you donrsquot see it on the screen it is runningin the background The popular PC prondashgrams that can do this task are TrumpetWinsock (or TCPMAN) Shiva Chameleonor Dial-up Networking Connect etc
Once the connection is established thisprogram will take on the task of a butlerserving other programs Letrsquos look at thefollowing analogy
Letrsquos assume that you (or to be precisethe PC programs such as Eudora MSInternet Explorer Netscape etc) were aninvalid confined in a room You would needa butler to help you getting things outside
ldquoThe roads may be a six-lane freeway a four-lanehighway a side street or even a narrow alleyrdquo
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 23
the Internet
the room When you (Eudora InternetMail Netscape Mail) wanted to checkyour mail yoursquod ask the butler to checkthe letter box and bring letters to yourbed When you wanted to send lettersto friends or relative yoursquod ask thebutler to take it to the post office
When you (Free Agent InternetNews Netscape News) wanted to readnewspaper yoursquod ask the butler to goto the newsagent and buy newspaper foryou When you (Internet ExplorerNetscape Opera) wanted a book or avideo yoursquod ask the butler to buy suchand such books or videos for you
It is so important that without it youcanrsquot get anything f rom thesuperhighway So if you started yoursession from Trumpet Winsock whenthe connection has been made (ie whenyou see the message ldquoMy IP address is2031076xxxrdquo) donrsquot close or exit theprogram Minimise it and let it run inthe background so that it can serve otherprograms Otherwise you would getstrange and incomprehensible errormessage such as ldquowinsockdll missingrdquo(trust a programmer to tell you whatrsquoswrong in the program he or she wrote)
Thatrsquos enough for the boring stuffNext t ime wersquo l l ta lk about emai l(eletronic mail) news World Wide Web(if the Queen is doing it so why canrsquotwe) and other mysteries of the Internet
Internet Clinics are normally held at the PCUG Centre Northpoint PlazaBelconnen the first Saturday of each month 930am to 1pm There is nocost involved
So if you (or another PCUG member you know of) are having problemsyou (or they) will be welcome to attend It is suggested that you call thePCUG Centre on the day and check with the staffer that we are notoverloaded before coming along
To get a problem on your PC resolved it is essential that you bring all ofthe following items with you
bull PC and Monitor plus all interconnecting cables
bull Mouse
bull Keyboard
bull Modem
bull Modem power supply
bull Modem cables - from PC to modemand from modem to telephone socket
bull Modem and PC manuals amp documentation
bull All of your software disks -
ie Win31 or Windows95 disksCD
If you dont have a PC to fix but you want to get some guidance on someparticular aspect of using TIP please feel free to come along and simplytalk to us
Clinics are not a free softwaremodem installation service We do expectyou to have made a reasonable attempt at getting the software installed ampworking
David Schwabe dschwabepcugorgau
The Internet Clinic
24 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
A t the start of this year I startedto get interested again in an oldheroine from days of misspentyouth in the rsquo70s New York
underground poet-turned-singer Patti Smithldquothe Bob Dylan of the punk scenerdquoThought Irsquod see whether there was anythingon the Web and found anexcellent site at httpwwwoceanstarcompatti Tomy astonishment I found thatshe was in Australia on her firstmajor tour anywhere in years mainly for theBig Day Out outdoor concerts
I had heard of the Big Day Out tour viaTriple J but this was the first Irsquod heard ofher being on the bill After seeing other re-formed punk heroes Radio Birdman and theSex Pistols in 1996 was it possible I couldmake the trifecta Alas the Sydney eventhad been booked out for two weeks
Via the JJJ Web site httpwwwabcnetautriplejdefaulthtm I found theBig Day Out Web site httpstarbaitbdocomaustarbaitbdo and loand behold they were having live conndashnections to the Melbourne concert on the25th January via the Internet with the
assistance of a US-based organisation calledThe Campus (wwwthecampuscom) If Icouldnrsquot be there in Sydney to see Patti inperson this would be as close as I couldget In addition I had always seemed to findout about real-time events on the Web justafter theyrsquod occurred and here at least wasan opportunity to be in at the start it wouldbe an interesting technical exercise ifnothing else
First choice was browser InternetExplorer 3 or Netscape Navigator 3 I gatherIrsquom not unlike many in having been initiallybowled over with IE3 then finding that itwas less robust and in particular made fargreater demands on temporary storage thanNetscape With little free disk space and
being about to try all sortsof new things I decided toplay safe and use Navigator
The Big Day Out Website (figure 1) was well done
and looked great including animatedgraphics and good use of frames but wasif anything as the British say ldquotoo cleverby halfrdquo For example you selected optionsvia a Shockwave animation of ducks in ashooting gallery click the mouse on a duckwhen an alternative was highlighted yoursquodhear a BANG the duck would flop overbackwards and yoursquod be off to that optionVery cute very clever and very slow andfrustrating for actually going anywhere Inaddition it appeared that when you went tosome pages they called up some trick Javacode which brought up Netscape sessionsin what looked like Kiosk mode no menusLooked neat but again a nuisance The sitehad its own mascot a sort of anime-stylekick-boxing heroine called Miss Starbait (Iassume a risque in-joke try saying the namequickly)
Once you got to it the information wasthorough and well laid out A list of artistsincluded links for those who had Web pagesThere was a page on the Auckland concert(first in the series) with photos etc For eachcity on the tour the site had links to maps ofthe venues and also timetables I foundfrom this that in Melbourne Patti Smithwould be on Stage C 540 PM for an hour
There were two main components to theInternet part of the day a Real Audio feedwith both backstage comments and the
via the Internet or -the boy looked at PattiO
BDig
ayut
by Malcolm Street
Figure 1
This is the era where everybody createsPatti Smith - ldquoSo you want to be a Rock n Roll Starrdquo 1979
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 25
stage and a new form of conferencingsoftware called The Palace where artistswould come for QampA sessions with fansIrsquod experimented with Real Audio but notto any great depth and had never even heardof Palace and I had to get this all togetherin a day Fortunately there were direct linkson the Big Day Out Web site
While I had a Real Audio stand-aloneplayer one page on the site came up with ablank expecting a Real Audio plug-in Ontothe Net to the Real Audio page todownload Real Audio player version 3Install restart Navigator back to the pageand voila A Real Audio control in themiddle of a Web page Painless
Then to work out which ISP to useUnfortunately the weekend was the onebefore the ldquoearly birdrdquo credits expired forTIP and I presume because of this it wasalmost impossible to get on One time whenI did get on I tested the Real Audiobackstage feed from Melbourne and foundI was only getting a 144k stream and poorquality at that I had a second backupaccount with Access One with a higherspeed (and far more expensive) networkand found that I could get a stable 288kReal Audio stream so that was going to be
what Irsquod have to use Not to mention thatthe time Patti Smith would be on would bepeak time anyway
Next step was to find Palace again viaa direct link from the BDO page to httpwwwthepalacecom I had used forms of
3D interactive software but Palace wasdifferent much simpler just 2D backndashgrounds Really a sort of IRC withbackdrops and sound effects For the BigDay Out the organisers had produced theirown backgrounds and sounds and I had todownload those as well from their siteHowever there were no instructions on howto set them up so it ended up being trialand error until I got it to work puttingimages and sounds in separate subdirndashectories under the Palace directory
Finally I had Palace running with the BigDay Out backdrops and found myselfoutside a circus tent which included livelinks to the Big Day Out and Campus Webpages (figure 2) Moving ldquoinsiderdquo the tentgot me to an area where I could don aparticular costume however choices werelimited for non-registered users andappeared to reset so I had to be content withthe default avatar a soft of sphere with aface on it (figure 3)
Finally there was the conference tentitself guarded by a fearsome lookingdoorman who asked for a passwordClicking on his lady companion told you tolook in the log Once Irsquod figured out howto do that I found it ldquomama cazrdquo Typedthat in response to the doorman and whoafound myself in this psychedelic room whichwas to be the conference area (figure 4)
Figure 3
Figure 2
26 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
I knew when Patti Smith was going tobe on stage what I didnrsquot know was whenshersquod be in conference in the Palace I waslistening to the back stage chatter via RealAudio this time more organised as Campuswas acting as ldquoon line radio stationrdquobroadcasting to the USA ldquoAustraliarsquosLollapolloozardquo and in the middle of this Iheard them give times for different artistsbeing in the virtual tent with Patti Smithroughly 430 Problem solved
430 arrived Back on line into the tentanother band (Supergrass) being inndashterviewed The conference area is now fullof faces with a still photo of the band downthe bottom left-hand corner Irsquove had verylittle experience with IRC and this seemsvery similar hard to follow with variousthreads of conversation going on sindashmultaneously but I gradually tune in to itTherersquos a thread going about problemspeople are having with reliably picking upReal Audio - oh dear As well as a fewAustralians there are a couple of Americansin there and a South African Then see thatPatti Smith is about to come on And sureenough C 440 the picture changes and thereshe is
Unfortunately the session is a bit of ashambles Unlike the younger artists (sherecently turned 50) she does not appear tobe familiar with the technology andsomeone else is doing the typing for herslowing down and complicating exchangesSeems to be the passing of the torch - a bitof a fish out of water in the environment ofa younger generation The bass player ofher backing group had suffered concussion20 minutes before from a collision with arogue door hence her lateness Thingsfinally get under way (one person ldquoa fanfrom WAY backrdquo says ldquonot many questionsjust adorationrdquo I can relate to that) but justas itrsquos building up a head of steam she getsa long phone call (presumably about the bassplayer) and has to call it quits prematurely
Irsquoll just have to wait and see if theconcert is any better
Well the concert is indeed better In factwhen I can hear it clearly (see later) itrsquoswonderful She starts with an early poemroaring it out with authority then afterthanks to JJJ who are handling the broadcastto the Internet and to the absent bass player
launches into the concert proper a greatblend of old and new
The sound quality is to put it mildlyvariable It was much better in earlier gigsthat day with Australian bands but itappears to drop off markedly on this onePerhaps too many people on at onceAmerican fans connecting in to hear one ofher first big shows in years Checking withstatistics in Real Audio shows theconnection approaching 20 loss in someearly songs leaving a very jerky soundFortunately it improves later with lossesdown to around 4 and sound quiteacceptable (People dropping out infrustration) However later on a fewoccasions the sound drops out completelyand I have to wait while it restarts somendashtimes for a couple of minutes
Then just as the concert comes to ashattering climax heading into one of myfavourite songs of hers a demolition of VanMorisonrsquos Gloria the Real Audio feed goesfor me at least dead Stone cold dead It islike the other times when it has dropped outbut this time it wonrsquot recover BummerAfter several minutes I can get the feedagain but just get an empty stage waitingfor the next band
So that was it a frustrating end to afrustrating but fascinating day At best thesound quality was am radio standards Butthen again these are very early days and Ican remember worse am radio sounds ontransistor radios as a kid in the lsquo60rsquos Avideo feed would have been real nice butone thing that is obvious from this exerciseis that live audio let alone live video ispushing current Internet technology to itslimits and beyond with a large numbers ofsimultaneous users in a function like thisSo as with so much on the Net wersquore seeingthe first glimpses of something that will takeanother generation of technology to becomepractical But hey this is the world of theNet and another generation could be onlysix months away
Later that night I connect to the Palacesite again and find a note at the tent to sayit was all over and to check up next week Ido indeed and they reckon over 100000people worldwide connected to the site thatone day and that the live broadcast of PattiSmithrsquos complete concert was a world firstApart from catching up with an old idol Irsquodseen a glimpse of a communications futureof being part of an event shared interactivelylive world-wide yet another step towardsthe Global Village
Figure 4
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 27
Stuffed AgainThe following members and friendsare thanked for assisting with stuffingour journal for mailing
Andrew amp Bruce Bartlett
Bruce Black
Owen Cook
Eddie de Bear
John Dyer
Bob Ecclestone
Rufus Garcia
Sally Hammon
John Hempenstall
Joy Hewett
Sue amp Jim Hume
Jenny Laraman
Alan Lockett
David Meggs
Allan Mikkelsen
Don Nicol
Gloria Robbins
Keith Sayers
Rod Smith
John Starr
Bob Summersby
Michael Taylor
Gordon Urquhart
Anne WarrenerWe are always looking for volunteersto assist us with the lsquostuffingrsquo of ourjournal We start around 530pm(latecomers are welcome) usually on the2nd last Monday of every month andare generally finished by 800pmRefreshments are provided and any ofyour knotty computer problems can bedebated lsquoat the round tablersquo in congenialcompany If you would like to helpplease ring Petra Dwyer at the PCUGCentre on 253 4911 and she will fill youin on all the details
Next Stuffing530pm Monday 19 May 1997at Northpoint Plaza Belconnen
(see map page 6)
htt
p
ww
wp
cu
go
rga
up
cu
g1
6b
its
Now
in A
dobe
Acr
obat
form
at
Oz User GroupsAdelaide PC Users GroupPO Box 2541Kent Town SA 5071(08) 332-7021Margi McLeay (Sec)Meet 730pm 3rd Tuesday of themonth at Enterprise House 136Greenhill Road Unley Visitors $5
Brisbane PC Users Group(Brisbug)PO Box 985Toowong QLD 4066(07) 3273 7266 Info Line(07) 3281 6503Lloyd Smith (Pres)Meet 12 noon 3rd Sunday of themonth at Bardon Professional Cntr
Darwin ComputerUsers ClubGary Drake (Vice President)(089) 324 107 h(089) 450 091 wEmail acsntacslinknetau
Melbourne PC User Group2nd Floor 66 Albert RoadSouth Melbourne VIC 3205(03) 9699 6222 10am - 330pm(03) 9699 6499 FaxEmail officemelbpcorgauHome Page httpwwwmelbpcorgauMeet 6pm 1st Wednesday of themonth (except Jan) at PharmacyCollege 381 Royal Parade Parkville
Perth PC Users GroupPO Box 997West Perth WA 6872(09) 399 7264 Trevor Davis (Pres)Meet 600pm 1st Wednesday of themonth at Ross Lecture TheatrePhysics Building University of WANedlands
Sydney PC Users GroupPO Box A2162Sydney South NSW 2000(02) 972 2133 Michelle DonaldMeet 6pm 1st Tuesday of the monthat main auditorium TeachersFederation 300 Sussex StreetSydney
28 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Features include fun animation sound effectsand a high-score listing Reg Fee $15
COMET13Comet Busters 13 is an incredible high-speedarcade game for WIN31 You must clear thecolourful asteroids and occasional alienspacecraft from the screen before you canproceed to the next deadly level This gamefeatures beautiful 256-colour ray-tracedgraphics and digital sound effects Reg Fee $9
HMN32V11Hangman (BB) 111 is a word-guessing gamefor Win95 that can help grade school-agechildren improve their vocabulary andspelling Features include an editable wordlist the ability to include definitions with eachword mouse or keyboard input and moreRequires the 32-bit VB runtime files Reg Fee$5
PDHP97SUPrairie Dog Hunt PRO rsquo97is a shooting gamefor Windows that allows you to participate inthe wholesale slaughter of harmless mammalswithout all the mess Features include 360
LIBRARY Phil Trudinger
The files described in this article are on theMarch 1997 CD-ROM (PsL Vol 5 3) whichis currently on the Bulletin Board all are ZIPfiles Please quote the month or Vol whenordering files on disk
The text files CD1 to 7 inclusive in Area 1 ofthe Bulletin Board are the monthly CD-ROMfile lists
Reminder
Most CD-ROM programs are Shareware Areasonable time (generally one month) isallowed for evaluation but if you continue touse a program beyond this time you shouldcomply with the authorrsquos conditions thatusually require payment of a registration feeBear in mind that this is the only way by whichan author receives any reward for hisherefforts Unless otherwise stated registrationfees are in US dollars
NEW AND UPDATEDWINDOWS PROGRAMS
(An asterisk denotes Windows 95specificity or compatibility)
GAMES
AGNSETUPAGNS - A Game of Naval Strategy 162 is agame of naval warfare for Windows whereyour objective is to sink the computerrsquos unitsor capture his main base Each turn consistsof a plot movement phase air combat phasemovement and combat phase air strike returnphase and a repairbuild phase Thissequence is repeated until one side claimsvictory Reg Fee $15
BG17Backgammon by George 17 is an excellentgame of backgammon for Windows You canplay against the computer (with four differentskill levels) or against a human opponentOther features include the ability to saverecall games many unique customisingoptions computer-suggested moves andmore Reg Fee $15
BNW10ABuild lsquon Win 10a is an interesting strategicgame for Windows where two players buildtheir opponentrsquos game boards and try to makethem as difficult as possible to complete
degree scrolling scenery excellent animationdigitised sound effects multiple skill levelsand a high-score hall of fame Reg Fee $20
SANWHRTSSanDearsquos Hearts for Windows 100 allowsyou to play the classic card game Hearts inWindows Features include support for up to12 computer players modem play the abilityto create a hand an undo option the ability tosave and rotate a hand and more Reg Fee$10
TILES95BTiles and Tribulations 152 is a challenginggame for Win95 where you try to catch fallingcoloured tiles and drop them into bins in alogical manner Any three (or more) tiles ofthe same colour in bins going horizontallyvertically or diagonally will be removed andincrease your score Reg Fee $22
GRAPHICS
CPLAY2Childrsquos Play IIis a 256-colour paint programfor children It occupies the full screen to help
SOFTWARE
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 29
prevent the child from going to other applic-ations Features include unique graphicspecial effects rubber stamps various screenerasers fun sound effects the ability to loadsaveprint images and more This is anexcellent program with many creative optionsto keep the little ones busy for hours Reg Fee$20-$25
GIFCON32GIF Construction Set 95 109 is a powerfulcollection of tools to work with multiple-block GIF files in Win95 It will allow you toassemble GIF files containing image blocksplain text blocks comment blocks and controlblocks and provides facilities to managepalettes and merge multiple GIF files togetherRequires a minimum of 4MB RAM but 8MBis recommended Reg Fee $20
ICN95525Icons Control 95 525 displays up to 100icons at a time for quick viewing printingcopying renaming moving or deleting Apowerful icon editor is also providedRequires Win95 Reg Fee $25
SD95INSTSmartDraw 95 30 is a powerful drawingprogram for Win95 It allows you to easilycreate great looking flowcharts diagrams andbusiness graphics Features include drag anddrop drawing OLE support full compatibil-ity between 16 and 32-bit versions filesharing the ability to send drawings on mail-enabled systems and much moreSDINSTALis the Win31 version Reg Fee $49
FONTS
FLFontLister (32-bit) 15 displays all installedfonts in Win95 You can also print a completefont listing or just some sample text with aselected font Reg Fee $0
FONTSHOWFontShow (32-bit) 22 allows you easily toview the TrueType fonts installed in Win95NT Options are included to display user-specified sample text in place of the normalfont name and alphanumeric character setThe size and face of the currently selectedfont can be quickly changed and the resultsdisplayed automatically Reg Fee $0
FONTW11FontWindow 11 displays all your Windowsfonts on screen so you can quickly see whichfont you want to use It can be set to stay ontop so you can view fonts while running otherprograms Reg Fee $29-$39
SERIFRACSeriFractions is a TrueType font that has a fullset of diagonal and vertical fractions for 12through 89 and also 16ths and 32nds It alsohas a partial set of mathematical symbolsincluding the true multiplication (x) symbolReg Fee $10
SYMSELSymbol Selector 11 allows you to easilyselect and copy symbols from TrueType fonts
that are of the ldquosymbolrdquo variety (such asWingdings and Symbols) to the WindowsClipboard Reg Fee $0
INTERNET
ADZAP10AdZapper 10 is an add-on for NetscapeNavigator to ldquozaprdquo (eliminate) annoyingadvertisements Reg Fee $20
AWN95AutoWinNet95 10 lets you perform commonInternet tasks on a scheduled basis You cancreate an ldquoagendardquo with dozens of stepsincluding updownloading email retrievingand sending obtaining weather updates andmore Requires Win95 Reg Fee $30
GGI11Go-Get-It 110 performs exhaustive preciseand ultra-fast searches of the Internet using acombination of keyword search Usenetnewsgroups search and various searchengines Features include automatic retrievalof all found web pages and informationoptional storage in separate folders to be usedlater and more Reg Fee $40
MASNDW32MailSend (32-bit) 3x is an add-on forMicrosoft Mail and Win95 that allows you tosend messages from the command line orfrom batch files Reg Fee $49
ND276BNetDial 276b is an Internet dialler forWindows It will call your host log you inand automatically start your TCPIP packagefor you Features include support for up to 5separate configuration connections baud ratesupport to 256k redial up to 99 times WAVsound file support and more Reg Fee $20
PRO12Teleport Pro 120 is a multi-threaded file-retrieving offline-browsing webspider forWin95 It scans the Internet for files or sites ofinterest and downloads them to your harddrive for fast offline access Features includeadvanced file typesize matching keywordfilters the ability to handle proxy servers andpassword-protected sites automatic retriesand more Reg Fee $40
TRAW3215Trawler (32-BIT) 15 allows you to interact-ively browse and gather information from theWeb It automatically follows links andretrieves pages to your hard drive It can evenfollow links from different web databasessimultaneously Reg Fee $35
30 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
MISCELLANEOUS
CALC9534Calc95 34 is a scientificengineeringcalculator for Win95 with a wide range ofbuilt-in units conversions and physicalconstants Reg Fee $25
GL10DThe GL Store for Windows 10d is a completedouble-entry general ledger accountingprogram for Windows It maintains 10000 GLaccounts multiple companies budgets 3-Dcolour graphs recurring accounts multipledepartments and detailed reports Reg Fee $79
HBGHome Business Guide 30 is a Windows-based guide to starting a business from homeIt discusses selecting planning and startingyour own business and covers resourcestools and help available Reg Fee $0
TIMCLK13PC-TimeClock for Windows 13 keeps trackof time yoursquove spent on your computer Timeis charged to one or more projects from yourlist by ldquopunching inrdquo when you begin work oneach project Reg Fee $18
MUSIC
MT32_16A Musical Tutorial for Windows (32-bit) 160provides an excellent way to encouragemusical study using the graphically-orientedenvironment of Win95 This includes a chorddictionary musical games the ability to playview and print scales chords and triads a userlog and much more This is suitable for bothchildren and adults Reg Fee $25
SCALEIT4ScAleIt 40 is a musical scalecordeducational package for Windows It candisplay all the chords and scales with all rootsand all inversions Features include aneditable database the ability to play chordsscales through your sound card MIDIsupport a solving function and much more800x600 screen resolution is recommendedReg Fee $0
PHONEADDRESS BOOKS
AM_PB45Phone Book for Windows 45 is a nameaddress database for WIN31 Fields areprovided for name addresses two phonenumbers fax and comments Other featuresinclude phone dialling over a modemsearching capabilities printing options andmore Reg Fee $17
BAM211Burrilliant Address Manager 211 helpsorganise all of your phone numbers address-es birthdays account numbers and more inWin95 All personal or business informationcan be printed for your day planner in a cleanattractive format Reg Fee $15
CARDBASECardBase (32-bit) 23 is a combinationaddress book and phone dialler for Win95NT Along with the regular fields for namesaddresses and phone numbers it can alsostore email addresses FAX numbers and website URLs Cards can be quickly sorted byname or custom card groups Searching andsorting operations are fast and intuitive RegFee $0
PHNMKR18Phone Book Maker 18 allows you to createphone books in pocket 12 letter and lettersize Features include 30 useful fields perrecord standard envelope printing powerfulindexfiltersearch facilities importexportcapabilities in variety of formats virtuallyunlimited records and more Reg Fee $50
SCREEN SAVERS
ADRF3210Adrift Screensaver (32-bit) 100 displaysbeautiful floating line patterns on your Win95desktop Reg Fee $14
AURADEMOAurora Screen Savers is a screen savermodule for Windows that simulates a 3-Djourney through the Aurora Borealis Twelvedifferent colour patterns are available Thisversion displays a nag box in the upper leftcorner of the screen Requires 256-colourvideo Reg Fee $18
BLKBRD15Blackbird Screen Saver 15 is a Windowsscreen saver module that displays photos ofthe SR-71 spy plane in action Requires 256-colour video and 4MB RAM Reg Fee $15
BOMBER15Bombs Away 150 is a slideshow screensaver for Windows with 256-colour digitisedphotos of jet bombers in action Requires4MB memory Reg Fee $15
BOTANICABotanica Screen Savers is a screen savermodule for Windows that displays a virtualgarden of growing plants and flowers inbeautiful variations of colour and shape
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 31
Twelve different savers are provided eachwith their own unique patterns Requires 256-colour VGA and VBRUN300 Reg Fee $18
JEWELJewelBox 10 is a screen saver for Windowsthat displays colourful ldquojewelsrdquo that appear togrow on your screen Features includeinteractive options a variety of palettechoices and more Reg Fee $18
JOTREE15Joshua Tree Screen Saver 150 displays thestark beauty of the California desert capturedin stunning 24-bit colour images Requires a386+ 4MB RAM and 256-colour video RegFee $15
METALLIXMetallix is a screen saver module for Win-dows that displays metallic sculptures whichunfold in unique and unpredictable patternscreating a mesmerising transformative effectThere are twelve different savers to choosefrom each with its own distinct settingsRequires 256-colour VGA and VBRUN300Reg Fee $19
NIAGRA15Niagara Falls Screen Saver 150 is a screensaver module for Windows with photos of thefalls and immediate vicinity The photos rotateautomatically when activated Requires 256-colour video and 4MB memory Reg Fee $15
PICSHO32MyPictureShow32 is a Win95 screen saver inwhich the visual content is supplied by yourown collection of computer images There isno limit to the number of pictures you canuse and nine different display modes areavailable The slideshow mode allows achoice of 17 transition styles Other featuresinclude support for BMPJPGGIF graphicfiles password protection automatic scalingof large images to available screen size and
more This demo version will run 20 timesthen disables itself Reg Fee $16
SSCR8R21My Own Screen Saver 21 allows you tocreate your own screen saver using yourfavourite images and pictures You cancombine selected BMP DIB and WMF fileswith 32 different visual effects Reg Fee $20
TWIST151Twister Screen Saver 151 is a 32-bit screensaver for Win95 that transforms your desktopinto a windy landscape with one or moretwisters moving everything deforming yourdesktop making everything a mess You canconfigure the wind speed number of twistersthe twisterrsquos speed and more Reg Fee $8
VENIC12Venice Screen Saver 12 is a Windows screensaver module that displays graphics thatsimulate floating through the canals of Veniceon your gondola as Italian music and the
sound of splashing waves fills the air Reg Fee$29-$39
VIDSAVVidSaver 11 is a Windows screen saver thatplays video clips and animations while yourcomputer is idle Reg Fee $20
TEXT EDITING
EDT236PEM EdTex for Windows 95 236 is a 32-bittext editor for Win95 It can edit a maximumof 2000000 characters and 30000 linesOther features include macro support printingoptions word wrap multiple undoredoblock editing and more Reg Fee $35
GTE32R15GWD Text Editor (32-bit) 15 is a powerfultext editing package for Win95 Featuresinclude support for macros unlimited filesize print preview a built-in spell checker anautosave option support for DOSUNIXMactext file formats and much more Reg Fee$20
JW32T22CJ-Write for Windows (32-bit) 22 is a fullfeatured editor for general text files and emailFeatures include the ability to edit very largefiles support for any ANSI font configurabletab settings and four line wrap modes multi-level undoredo and more Reg Fee $30
QUIKDC11QuikDict Spelling Dictionary 11 is a pop updictionary accessible from the Win95 ToolTray Features include the ability to spellcheck all words as they are typed alphabeticand ldquosounds likerdquo word matching over91000 EnglishAmerican words in thedictionary the ability to automatically pastethe correct spelling back to the clipboard andmore Reg Fee $19
SCRATCH4Scratch Pad (32-bit) 21 is a text editor forWin95 Features include the ability toautomatically capture clipboard information aprint preview function undo facilities andmore Reg Fee $15
TXEDITTxEdit (32-bit) 25 is an easy-to-use texteditor that makes a nice replacement for theWin95 Notepad Features include the abilityto viewedit multiple documents search andreplace options drag-and-drop support MacUnix file support and more Reg Fee $0
32 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
TXP3223TextPad (32-bit) 23 is a text editor forWin95NT It can handle files with up to32000 lines of 4095 characters with multiplesimultan-eous edits and up to two views oneach document Other features include fullundoredo facilities print previewing atoolbar for frequently-used commands abuilt-in file manager support for Unix andMacintosh text file formats drag-and-dropsupport and much more TXP1223 is theWin31 version Reg Fee $27-$35
UTILITIES
ADDIT10ES Adding-Machine 10 is a unique calculatorfor Windows that is designed for adding upcolumns of figures Entered figures areretained on-screen and can be edited so youwonrsquot have to start again if you are interrupt-ed or make a mistake Reg Fee $40
CIDV09CIDview monitors a selected telephone lineand reports the Caller ID whenever there is anincoming call The details of incominginformation will be automatically displayedon your screen with the Caller ID informationstaying visible for 10 seconds Reg Fee $9
DLLCHK95DLL Check 95is a DLL management utilityfor Win95 Features include the ability tocreate a log of all modules that load or unloadin a session the ability to search for duplicatemodules and a detailed information displayfor selected modules Reg Fee $80
EASYZIPEasy Zip (32-bit) 10 makes it incredibly easyto archive files with PKZIP in Win95 Itallows you to use point-and-click operationsinstead of all the context-switching and messybatch files of manually using PKZIP fromDOS Reg Fee $1850
HDLED11Hard Disk LED 11 simulates a hard disk lightthat flashes every time there is disk activityAn icon appears on the Win95 task bar andflashes every time the system accesses yourhard drive Reg Fee $5
HYSNP278HyperSnap 278 allows you to capture thedesktop highlighted window areas or user-defined areas in Win95NT Features includehotkey support cropping facilities the ability
to save images in BMPGIFJPEG format andmuch more Reg Fee $20
LONGSAVELongSave 101 is used to save the list of longfile names and short names to a commadelimited ASCI text file The short names canthen be backed up or zipped or copied withutilities that are not long-file-name-awareAfter the files are transferred it uses theASCII file to restore the original long file
names This must be run from a DOS sessionunder Win95 Reg Fee $25-$95
REDH22Red Hand 22 tells you exactly what someonedid on your computer while you were awayexactly when they did it and how long it tookWindows can be discretely ldquolockedrdquo toprevent access and will simply close themimmediately or send an error message of yourchoice You can control exactly which areasof your computer that you do not want othersto have access to Reg Fee $25
RMVR32RemoveR 161 helps delete unneeded filesfrom your hard drive after you have installed aprogram in Win95 It will take a snapshot ofthe drive before an installation then you cancompare the current status of your files withthat last stored All files that have been addeddeleted will be shown on the results screenFrom this screen you can highlight certainfiles andor directories and delete them orsave the list for later deletion Reg Fee $5-$40
SENTRY95Sentry 95will prevent all unauthorised usersfrom accessing the Win95 desktop wheneveryour computer boots Reg Fee $14
SU96_402StepUprsquo96 402 contains a set of utilitieswhich make working with Win95NT easierand faster This includes a user-customisableStepUp Menu smart Folder Navigatorsophisticated Menu Designer and a powerful
File Handler It also provides handy taskbaricons for fast exit CD-ROM Autorun onoffand more Reg Fee $30
V95I208EVirusScan for Win95 253 is a native Win95application that detects and removes comp-uter viruses Reg Fee $65
YATS32Yet Another Time Synchroniser (32-bit) 30allows you to synchronise your system clockusing various time server types commonlyavailable on TCPIP networks such as theInternet Multiple servers can be specified andwill be tried sequentially until a valid time isobtained and your system time set Reg Fee$35
ZOOMER12Zoomer 12 provides a 2x or 4x magnificationof the area around the mouse cursor in Win95This is an excellent utility for the visionimpaired Reg Fee $0
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 33
NEW AND UPDATED DOSPROGRAMS
ANTIVIRUS
AVSCANAVScan 310 is a freeware scanner that candetect more than 4500 virus signatures RegFee $0
I_M311AIntegrity Master 311a is an anti-virus anddata integrity system The author says itdetects all known viruses It can detect anyform of file corruption including disk errorsor as yet unknown viruses Stacker Double-Space SuperStore and Bernoulli system filesare supported Identifies the new MS WordMacro viruses as well as over 640 additionalviruses It has an option to quickly disinfectdiskettes Reg Fee $50
SCN_253EVirusScan 253 scans diskettes or entiresystems and identifies any pre-existing PCvirus infection Reg Fee $65
GAMES
DRAK160Drak 160 is a falling blocks-style game withattractive graphics and several varieties ofblocks It includes blocks which melt blocksthat fall apart when they land and more Thegame includes 10 levels of increasingcomplex-ity joystick support and ability tosave games in progress (RegFee$33
DRUG12Drug Killers 12 is an action-packed shoot-em-up arcade game where you pilot atechnologically advanced aircraft in a battle tostop a futuristic drug cartel You must destroya wide variety of land and air-based enemieswhile gathering weapons and shields Otherfeatures include excellent scrolling graphicsgreat special effects a high score listing theability to save and restore games and a coolmusic soundtrack Reg Fee $25-$40
HAMSTER3D Hamsterrsquos Adventure is a fun 3Dadventure game where you assume the role ofa hamster in a colourful maze The object ofthe game is to eat all the fruit scattered aroundthe maze so the secret exit will appear Youwill encounter monsters along the way butyou can use your strawberry grenades or apowerful hamster kick for protection Theexcellent graphics sound effects and musicmake this an enjoyable game for the wholefamily Reg Fee $15
MISCELLANEOUS
COELI379Coeli Electric Planisphere 379 combinespractical ephemeris and planetarium with areal-time star chart to provide a Super VGAmodel of the skies as seen from Earth Youmay view the heavens from any place or timewith advanced starconstellation search insidea point and click interface A separate VESAdriver must be pre-installed Reg Fee pound12
JOCCALJOC-CALC 10 is an easy-to-use spreadsheetpackage for DOS Features include a pull-down menu system with mouse support aHyperText help system support for blockoperations built-in mathstrig functions andmore Reg Fee $25
MEDLIN97Medlin Accounting 1997 is a double-entrygeneral ledger program with accountsreceivable payroll and payables modules Allmodules are very easy to use PC-AR is theaccounts receivable module It allows amaximum of 2000 customers and 1500charges per accounting period PC-INV is amodule which works directly with theaccounts receivable module to generateinvoices and post them to PC-AR It willmultiply quantity times price and insert thetotal and calculate sales tax PC-PR thepayroll module allows up to 500 employeesand 1000 payroll cheques per accountingperiod PC-AP the accounts payable modulecan sort invoices by due date and will printcheques Mouse support has been added to allprograms Reg Fee $25-35
VDEVideo Display Editor 182 is a fast powerfultext editor Commands can be entered from amenu bar or with control keys Featuresinclude a proportional spacing modekeyboard macro recording MenuBar modethe ability to edit eight files at once acommand for proportional print Autosave toautomatically save your work at specifiedintervals simultaneous windows scrolling theability to align the platen for printing onvarious kinds of forms support for the fileformat of MS Word an envelope printer awide range of screen sizes (from 17 to 57lines) an integrated spell checker and muchmore Support is also provided for Ultra-Vision the HP95LX palmtop and the Tandykeyboard Reg Fee $35
UTILITIES
DNOTE420Disk Note Librarian 420 allows the user toadd descriptions and comments of up to 300characters to each file name on a disk up to1200 files Reg Fee $15
RCR01Rosenthal Conflict Resolver 100 is adiagnostic tool that helps corrects IRQ DMAand IO conflicts the major cause of systemcrashes Reg Fee $99
2 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Compiled by Jim Hume
The Monarchy
This site provides the history of the BritishMonarchy The Royal collection TodayrsquosRoyal family and includes The Queenrsquos rolein the Commonwealth This role articleshould be valuable to all those interested inthe Republic debate monarchist andrepublican alike It is a well presented siteand a useful resource as a school kithttpwwwroyalgovuk
Museums
The virtual Museum of Computing includesan ecletic collection of World Wide Webhyperlinks connected with the history ofcomputing and on-line computer basedexhibits available both locally and aroundthe world httpwwwcomlaboxacukarchiveothermuseumscomputinghtml
Airlines
Ansett provides information on their productand services and the places they fly to Youcan reserve flights and accommodationThere is a travel planner and screen saveravailable to download httpwwwansettcomauwebintrohtml
Qantas provides similar information on theirproducts and services with a brief history ofthe airline and also a screensaver which canbe downloaded httpwwwqantascomau80newsindexhtml
Books Magazines and Newspapers
The Canberra Times is now online withsections on News Sport Features OpinionWeather Real Estate Motors Classifiedsemail and services httpwwwcanberratimescomau
Readers Digest Interactive They ask you toldquoread it react and interactrdquo It containsDigest classics like Laugh Lines and WordPower and advice about how to do justabout anything featuring Home ProjectsCooking Gardening fitness and health httpwwwreadersdigestcom
National Geographic Online This is a greatcontribution with something for everyone inthe family Donrsquot miss these HOT SPOTShttpwwwnationalgeographiccomhotspotsindexhtml
Electronic Journals and Newsletters Thissite provides a complete internet list for newjournals and newsletters available on theInternet There is a search archive completealphabetical archive recent issues in reversechronological order and alphabetical list oftitles httpgort ucsdedunewjour
Amazon Bookstore offers not only 15million books in print but extremely hard-to-find out-of-print titles and discounts onsome of their book lists They claim 25million titles overall They include a searchfacility and provide a personal emailnotification service They list a Book of theday Titles in the News Monthly bookrecommendations and much morehttpwwwamazoncomexecobidossubstindex2html
Medical
)
Kodak have provided an interesting sitedealing with the latest digital cardiologyimaging and their cardiac review stationhttpwwwkodakcomhiHomecardioindexshtml
The American Cancer Society CaliforniaDivision on this site have an excellent articleon ldquoeating rightrdquo and research causeprevention detection and treatment httpwwwcacancerorg
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 3
The Department of Veteransrsquo Affairs haveupgraded their Web Site and it now providesthe latest information on health care forveterans In addition it contains rates andeligibility for pensions statements ofprinciple budgets and legislation It alsoincludes information about commemorativeactivities war graves war memorials andstudent oriented resourceshttpwwwdvagovau
HealthGate have redesigned their site withfaster search results with content organisedinto areas of interest such as medicinepatient education drug information etc It isan important source of biomedicalinformation httpwwwhealthgatecom
Football
The Australian Rugby League haveproduced an excellent site which includesdraws news links teams tipping results agallery and a soapbox httpdevarlorgaumainasp
Super League not to be outdone arepromoted by Foxtel in their sport sectionhttpwwwfoxtelcomauFoxtelhomejhtml
Tyres
I recently drew attention to Goodyearrsquos WebPage and commented on lack of Australiancontent Now they have an excellentAustralian site with an online school kit
dealing with the rubber revolution a tyreguide and a search engine to locate yournearest dealer It requires a frame-enabledweb browser httpwwwgoodyearcomau
Internet
URL Minder keeps track of web pages andother resources on the World Wide Weband sends you email whenever yourpersonally registered resources change Youcan have the minder keep track of any Webresource accessible via http ftp or Gopherand your email address will not be releasedto any third party It is a free servicesupported partially by advertising httpwwwnetmindcomURL-minderURL-minderhtml
People
Talk to the Angels The Vatican has namedtheir computers for the Web after angelsThe site was still under construction at theend of March httpwwwvaticanvaBut where else could you talk to theangelsIt requires a frame-enabled webbrowser
StarTrek This is a most interesting web sitefor Star Trek enthusiasts and also for thoseinterested in site construction for it is a realbobby dazzler httpwwwholodeck3comholodeck3html
Insert
It is an interesting concept which combinesan online magazine with discussion threadsresource lists and links It is dedicated toexploring masculinity and men in societyMen from all walks of life answer the 16 bigquestions about what it means being a mantoday httpwwwmanhoodcomnf
The
Super Site for Kids is a protectedenvironment specially for kids It is a wellorganised fun site httpwwwbonuscomindexclosehtmp
In early March a private Florida companythat hunts for historic shipwrecks announcedit had discovered a gem the ship oncecaptained by Blackbeard a man reputed tobe one of the more terrifying and disturbedpirates of all time This site includes thehistory of Blackbeardhttpeagleonlinediscoverycomcgi-binforums_viewdir
36 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
THE
INTERNETPROJECT
By Iain Gould
Welcome to TIP-TNG (The NextGeneration)
In case you hadnrsquot noticed yet TIP isnow connected to the rest of the world via ahigher speed (double what we had) link Weare now firing the electrons up and downthe pipe at 256k (thatrsquos 3 noughts -thousands in other words) bits every secondWhat this means in real terms is that ournewsgroups are updating more frequentlyweb pages and file transfers are much fasterand those of us that need to log in remotelycan do so with much less delay Boy are weimpressed
If you have not bothered to try TIP for awhile do so as we have seen a markedimprovement in the service provided afterthis upgrade and the installation of the extra12 modems in February (much less waitingto get on)
ANNOUNCEMENTSThe last two months has seen much goingson within the Internet Project ManagementCommittee For the uninitiated the IPMCis a caucus of techno-nerdygeeks tasked withthe onerous duty of ensuring that membersof the PCUG and AUUG have adequate andcomplete access to the wider resources ofthat part of the Information Super-highwayknown as simply The Internet Anyway wedecided on a lot of things recently Here theyare
1) Commercial Web Advertising Upuntil now TIP placed a restriction oncommercial advertising (that which wasobviously out to make money for the owner)- namely that only corporate members ofeither PCUG or AUUG could placeadvertising on their web pages We have
now opened up such commercial activitiesto general members of both organisationsFor the same fee that we currently charge tocorporate advertisers any individual cannow advertise on their web pages Refer tohttpwwwtipnetautipwebspacehtml fordetailed information and charging rates
2) Account Terminology The termslsquoAdvanced Accessrsquo and lsquoBasic Accessrsquoaccounts were deemed to be confusing (wehad too many requests for information onbasic Advanced access and training foradvanced Basic use) The accounts are nowreferred to as lsquoFull Accessrsquo and lsquoLimitedAccessrsquo respectively The use of the termsAdvanced Access hours and Basic Accesshours will continue for the time being untilwe sort out exactly what we want to callthem and where we need to changereferences to them The most obvious placethat this will change immediately is on theapplication form
3) Multiple Users of Accounts One ofthe regular lsquocomplaintsrsquo that we have beenreceiving has been on our policy to restrictaccount use to the account holder only Howmany of you out there realise that if youallowed your spousechildrenacquaintancesto have access to your password then youwere breaking our rules We donrsquot worrytoo much because we are now changing ourpolicy to open up account usage undercertain guidelines Namely
a) The primary account holder (the onewho originally applies for the account) willbe deemed ultimately responsible for anyuse of the account Heshe must still signthe Acceptable Use Policy and follow thoseterms and conditions and then ensure thataccount lsquodelegatesrsquo behave themselves too
b) The primary account holder mayallow use of hisher account by other familymembers The family members must benominated and lodged with TIP on a newlsquoAccount Delegationrsquo form
c) Only one login name and emailaddress is allocated (as currently) - ifadditional email addresses are required thenthey must be applied for as separateaccounts
d) Normal single user limits (accesshours disk quotas) still apply
We believe that this will allow familygroups some access to the Internet withoutneeding to sign up every members of thehousehold with TIP This policy will beelaborated on the web pages in the nearfuture for further information
4) We are still investigating methods ofproviding help guidance and assistance tousers who are new to TIP andor the InternetWe have been looking at newer lsquofool-proofrsquofirst time kits automated email helpresponses regularly published FAQs(frequently asked questions) and attractingmore volunteer helpers To achieve this lastgoal we are hoping that we can set up aregister of volunteers similar to the HelpDirectory published in Sixteen Bits forspecific areas of Internet use If you feltreluctant in the past to have your name listedfor fear of being asked questions outsideyour particular area of expertise interestthen let us know what you ARE willing tohelp with Are you a Netscape guru Or aWindows 95 Dial-Up Networking hotshotDo you think that you know a fair bit aboutIRC Then let us know
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 37
Nhan Tranrsquos Now OfficialTIP Web Help Pages
httpwwwtipnetautiphelp
bull Whats newHistory of changes to TIP help page
bull TIP Contact DetailsPhone numbers domain proxiesemail addresses
bull Useful TIP informationTime allocation usage statistics
bull TIP documentsAgreement Charging SchemeAcceptable Use Policy AccessApplication
bull InternetFAQAnswers to the Frequently AskedQuestions about the Internet what isthe Internet what you can donetiquette
bull TIP help FAQ
bull Answers to the Frequently AskedQuestions about various problemsother people may have had with TheInternet Project your problem maynot be a new one
bull lsquoHow-torsquo documentsHow to set up and use variousprograms needed to make the mostof your Internet account
bull GlossaryTranslating acronyms computerjargon netese and emoticons like -)in plain English
TIP Technical InformationDomain (PCUG) pcugorgauDomain (AUUG) auugorgau
DNS server 203107634Mail server mailhostDomain
News Server newshostDomainftp server ftpDomain
WWW server wwwDomainProxies proxytipnetau
port 8080
Iain Gould is one of the many volunteersthat keep TIP ticking He can becontacted by email - iainpcugorgau
As a note to those users who do needaccess to help take careful note of the timesthat people offer to be available There is areason that these times are listed ourvolunteers do like to have some personaltime Nothing causes a volunteer to lsquoresignrsquoquicker than having their efforts abused bypeople who ring at all hours and are rudeand obnoxious As a volunteer organisationwe cannot provide 24 hour-a-day instantsupport and we must rely on the genrosityof those that do offer to help Please beconsiderate of those who are willing to sticktheir necks out
As a footnote to all of the above itemsplease address any correspondance toipmctipnetau rather than me directly
Internet Joke of the MonthAnother engineer joke (apologies for thereferences to USA - insert your favouritelocal university as applicable)
Three men were vacationing in CentralAmerica They were arrested for minor illegalactivities and because the dictator of the countryhated foreigners the punishment was death
The three men were marched to thechopping block The dictator of the countryasked the first man if he had any last wordsbefore they chopped his head off The man saidldquoThe only thing I can think to say is that Irsquom analumni of Notre Dame and we have the bestfootball players in the worldrdquo The dictator thensaid ldquoOff with his headrdquo When they pulled therope the blade fell but it stopped inches abovethe manrsquos neck The dictator said ldquoThis is anomen from God we cannot execute you Youare free to gordquo
The dictator of the country asked the secondman if he had any last words before theychopped his head off The man said ldquoThe onlything I can think to say is that Irsquom an alumni ofIndiana University and we have the bestbasketball players in the worldrdquo The dictatorthen said ldquoOff with his headrdquo When they pulledthe rope the blade fell but it stopped inchesabove the manrsquos neck The dictator said ldquoThisis an omen from God we cannot execute youYou are free to gordquo
Finally the dictator of the country asked thethird man if he had any last words before theychopped his head off The man said ldquoThe onlything I can think to say is that Irsquom an alumni ofPurdue University and we have the bestEngineers in the world and if yoursquoll just tightenup that bolt up there this machine will workrdquo
Tips On Tip HelpPlease do not call on the Internet Projecthelp team for answers to general computingquestions or with questions like ldquohow do Ifind such-and-such softwarerdquo - the tiphelpnewsgroup is appropriate for these topicsDo call on us if you canrsquot get our kits towork or if you believe there is a problemwith the system Herersquos the right way to goabout it
1 Read the TIP Help Pages availablefrom the TIP World Wide Web siteat httpwwwtipnetautiphelp
2 Browse the newsgroup tiphelp tosee if someone else has solvedyour problem already Browsetipannounce and tipgeneral for anyrelevant announcements
3 If the problem is not urgent post arequest for assistance in tiphelp
4 If the problem is urgent send mailto ldquohelprdquo requesting advice
Please - describe your problem clearlyconcisely and completely
tell us WHEN it happened
tell us WHAT OPERATING SYSTEMyou are using
tell us WHAT SOFTWARE you are using(esp version)
tell us WHAT HARDWARE you are using(esp modem)
tell us any relevant SETUP DETAILS (egconnection speed)
tell us what TIP login name (eg mmouse)you are using
5 As a last resort (ie when email isnot possible) contact Iain Gould on255 2405 between 7pm and 8pmONLY
The TIP Help TeamThe methods of supplying TIP help and
support and the levels of help provided areunder almost constant review anddiscussion Your feedback on the existingsystems and constructive suggestions forimprovement particularly within theexisting resource constraints are welcome
This can be done in the tip newsgroupsif you would like general discussion of yourideas by email to the TIP Help Team athelptipnetau or by sending email toamikkelspcugorgau who will forward itto the appropriate people
38 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
The Internet Project
1 Access to The Internet Project is governed by the InternetProject Acceptable Use Policy copies of which can beobtained at the PCUG Centre or downloaded from the PCUGBBS or from The Internet Project
2 There is a limit of one Internet account per non-corporatemembership Corporate members may sponsor up to threeindividuals who are then personally responsible for theoperation of their accounts Please complete one applicationfor each person
3 Part of your email address will be determined by the principalorganisation If your membership of that organisation expiresso too does your membership of The Internet Project In thisevent no refunds for unused allocation will be made
4 The Internet Project reserves the right to alter prices andservices offered at any time Fees paid for Internet access arenon-refundable and non-transferable
5 Note Hours debited do not necessarily equate to real hourson-line time allocation will be debited in a non-linear fashiondepending on the amount of time spent on-line in any givenday The debit rate is set from time to time by the InternetProject Management Committee
6 Basic Accessa) Basic Access provides non PPP email and news onlyb) Basic Access is free on applicationc) In any calender year calculated from the date of
application Basic Access provides up to 100 lsquohoursrsquo usage
7 Advanced Accessa) Advanced Access includes full access to the Internet using
SLIPPPPb) Advanced Access is not free Current rates are $120 for
one calendar year of access with up to 300 lsquohoursrsquo usagec) When your Advanced Access subscription expires OR
you use 300 hours of access (whichever is earlier) youwill be required to purchase another subscription for onecalendar year from that date
d) Advanced Access users also receive a Basic Accessallocation - see above
8 All users joining The Internet Project receive a one-off freefive hour allocation of Advanced Access
Collecting Your Login Details9 A waiting period of two months applies to new members of
the PC Users Group (ACT) Inc
10 For existing members please allow up to two weeks for yourapplication to be processed
11 Login details can be collected - in person by the applicant - fromthe PC Users Group Centre We recommend that you phone theCentre first to check that the details are waiting for you
12 You (and your parentguardian if you are under 18 years ofage) will be required to sign an Acceptable Use PolicyDeclaration when you pick up your login detailsPhotographic proof of identity may be required at that time
Important Notes - Please Read
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 39
Disks amp TapesWe offer high quality disks and tape cartridgesin various formats at very reasonable pricesDisks amp tapes are available from the PCUGCentre Monday Wednesday amp Friday 10amto 2pm or between 9am and 5pm on weekends
BBS AccessNew members wishing to access the PC UsersGroup (ACT) InterActive Bulletin BoardService (BBS) should dial (06) 253 4933 andcreate an account on the system Once the mainmenu is presented select the lsquoGoodbyersquo optionfollowed by the lsquoYesrsquo option to leave a messageto the Sysop
In this message state your membership number(from your card or magazine address label) andrequest an access upgrade This will usuallyoccur within a few days
SharewareMembers have access to a huge selection ofldquosharewarerdquo software The PCUG subscribesto a CD-ROM which provides over 250 Mbof new and updated software titles on eachmonthly CD
Member ServicesThese special offers and services are only available to PCUG members Please bring your membership card with you when collecting orders
One complete section of the permanent libraryis also contained on each CD-ROM Inaddition there are many programs on thePCUG BBS which members have uploadedor which come from other sources
This software is provided as ldquosharewarerdquo Ifyou continue to use it you must register thesoftware with the author The Group does notldquosellrdquo the software - it charges a fee to coverthe cost of obtaining the software maintainingthe library and copying the software to themember
Computers are available at the Centre whichare connected to the BBS enabling membersto download software
Hardware amp Video LibraryThe hardware and video library is located atthe PC Users Group Centre Items may becollected and returned on Saturdays andSundays between 9am and 5pm (loans are forone week) Please bring your membership cardwith you
The library provides access to equipmentwhich members would not normally havereadily available Most items have instructionsmanuals and software where appropriateModems do not include software check theShareware Library for suitable packages Itemsmay be borrowed for one week There is nocharge but you must collect and return theitems yourself
Equipment available includesmiddot modemsmiddot soundblaster card
Videos includemiddot Developing Applications with Microsoft
Officemiddot Using Windows 95
NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETINGMonday 28 April 1997
(to be held at 730pm prior to the normal April main meeting)
The Special Meeting is to consider and vote upon the following changes to the rules of the PC Users Group
Rule 17(1)(b) - [Nomination of candidates for election as office-bearers of the Association or as ordinary Committee members]shall be delivered to the Secretary of the Association no later than the last Friday in the July before the date fixed for the annualgeneral meeting at which the election is to take place
Rule 17(2) - If insufficient nominations are received to fill all vacancies on the Committee the candidates nominated shall bedeemed to be elected
Rule 17(3) - A vacant position remaining on the Committee shall be deemed to be a vacancy for the purpose of Rule 16(4)
Explanatory notesThese changes will permit publication in Sixteen Bits of all valid nominations received to enable the membership to give seriousregard to the nominations received They will also permit all members nominating for the committee to have an opportunity toconsider and reflect upon their intended commitment to the committee and to the Group
Hugh BambrickSecretary PC Users Group (ACT) Inc
40 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Compiled by Jim Hume
Japanese-English Translators
Globalink produces some of the bestlanguage translation software TheLanguage Assistant Series quicklyproduce understandable translations fromEnglish into the foreign language or viceversa
The Australian Distributors Software EtcAustralia have now released Japanesetranslation and OCR Software TsunamiMT Typhoon MT and KanjiScan OCRsoftware for English Windows 95 and NTPCs It is claimed these products willmake communication between Japaneseand English speaking businesses mucheasier quicker and more effective
Tsunami MT translates English-to-Japanese and has features such as fullOLE 20 compatibility (drags text to andfrom Tsunami MT embedding theJapanese results into applications such asMS Word) an innovative Kani searchsystem and translation speed at over 3000words per minute
Typhoon MT translates Japanese-to-English and is the result of a two-yearproject to convert the best-sellingJapanese to English translation softwarein Japan to an MS Windows 32-bitformat
Typhoon MT has every element computerusers need to put Japanese computing ontheir personal computer - Japanese fontsKana and kanji text editing a completeFront End Processor and Japanese -to-English machine translation
KanjiScan is the first Japanese OCRsoftware to run on non-Japanese versionsof Windows and includes everythingneeded to scan printed Japanese text anddocuments allowing users to input
Japanese on their English Windowssystem All interfaces instructions anddocumentation are in English WithNeocorTechrsquos Kanji Search system noJapanese language skills are required tomake sure all the Japanese text is properlyrecognised
Tsunami MT $995 Typhoon MT $1195(Bundle $1795) and KanjiScan $795
Software Etc Australia are offeringevaluation versions of this software forloan to reviewers with a knowledge ofJapanese and the capability to conduct andprepare software reviews Enquiriesshould be directed to Peter Klanberck atsoftetcozemailcomauhttpwwwworldcorpcomau Phone (02) 9988-3455
Gene Chip Breakthrough
Affymetrix is developing amp commercial-ising GeneChip(tm) systems to acquireanalyse manage and use geneticinformation based on its propriety DNAarray technology
These systems are being developed forbroad fields including biomedicalresearch clinical diagnosis and theemerging field of genomics Affymetrixhas corporate alliances with Hewlett-Packard Company and Genetics Instituteand intends to pursue the clinicaldiagnostic and additional genomicsapplications with diagnostics andpharmaceutical companies
Their first product currently in externaltests sites will be the GeneChipHIVsystem which rapidly detects mutations inthe protease and reverse transcriptasegenes of HIV the virus which causesAIDS Detection of such mutations arecritical in understanding how HIV reactsto therapeutic agents as well as for
understanding the results of clinical trialsof new drugs The company also hasactive development programs for thespeciation of other infectious organismsas well as for human genes that areimportant in cancer and drug metabolism
Fortune Magazine in an article headedGene Chip Breakthrough by David Stippexplores the implications of thisbreakthrough and believes that whilemicroprocessors have reshaped oureconomy spawned vast fortunes andchanged the way we live Gene chipscould be bigger
TransAct BroadbandCommunications Network
The ACTEW Corporation has recentlyconducted a feasibility study into buildinga broadband communication network inthe ACT It is claimed it would enhanceACTEWrsquos core business and provide theACT region with an economically viablecommunications network
The network would be funded throughoutside financing As there would be nocross-subsidies between varioustelecommunication business and theelectricity and water businesses therewould be no impact on electricity andwater bills now or in the future Known asTransAct Communications the feasibilitystudy was to be completed by March1997 ACTEW Corporation Board willmake a decision on the business caseduring April A key component of thestudy was to be community consultationand market research If the results werefavourable construction should commencein July 1997
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 41
I was consulted in their telemarketingresearch and talks have been held with thePC Users Group Aurisa Institute ofEngineers Australia and the BusinessCouncil of Australia The network couldcarry voice(telephone) video(TV) and data(intenet) over a high range of frequenciesand the cost of services would bedependent on the service providers ieTelephone companies Pay TV companiesand internet service providers ACTEWexpected that prices would be similar tocurrent prices for these services andsuggest that a single broad-band networkwould offer competition between serviceproviders
The network could carryvoice(telephone) video(TV) and
data (intenet)
Two companies have been shortlisted andtheir solutions are being costed to get anaccurate picture of the total cost ofbuilding the network The two companiesare Philips which has offered a HybridCoax (HFC) system and BroadbandTechnologies which offered a switchedbroadband (SDB) solution
The HFC solution as offered by Philipswould differ from similar cable systemsbeing strung in other parts of Australia inthat it would take optic fibre down toserve 60-90 homes per node rather than500-1500 homes The SDB solutionwould be unique in Australia (In use inparts of USA Korea and France) it takesoptic fibre to serve 32-40 homes per nodeBoth solutions have the ability to runadvanced interactive services By the timeof publication a further update may beavailable atwwwactewcomautransactinterhtm
Treasure IslandFrom the Corel Thumbnail Theatre seriesnow being shipped Treasure Island is afun easy way to learn the complexities ofthis popular novel by Robert LouisStevenson It is an animated adaptiontargeted primarily at students aged 12 andupwards Users can choose from threedifferent ways of studying TreasureIsland For those unacquainted with thestory the Watch Me section presents awitty and entertaining nine-minuteanimation which summarises the novelrsquosstory The Guide Me section is designedfor users who wish to study the text indepth and learn more about the era inwhich the novel is set They will see theanimation once again but this time theywill have the chance to stop the animatedsummary in order to explore varioustopics related to the story These topics areaccessible by clicking on the icons whichappear throughout the animation Userswho want to read about different topicscan go directly to the Self Guide sectionThis section contains the entire text ofTreasure Island
It also contains a feature called Timelinewhich is a chronology of historical eventsfrom the time of Treasure Island to thepresent day
Minimum system requirements are 486DX66 8MB of RAM a 640x480256-colour graphics display 8-bit audiocapabilities and a double speed CD-ROMdrive Runs on both Windows 31x andWindows95RRP $Aus 6400
Corel WebMaster SuiteOn March 25 Corel announced the releaseCorel WebMaster Suite the latest additionto their line of Internet products Itcombines state-of-the-art Web siteauthoring with expert site managementfunctionality advanced database
publishing sophisticated graphic designprograms as well as animation authoring3D VRML world creation and over 8000Internet-ready images Included in thepackage is Netscape Navigator 301OrsquoReillyrsquos Website v11 and 30 days offree Web site hosting It is claimed thatthis suite provides a complete solution tohelp users advance beyond the traditionalWeb page to create and manage completeweb sites that are more interesting andinformative as well as easy to understand
Corel WebMaster is available for asuggested retail price of $Aus 399 Thesuite will require 16MB RAM an IBMcompatible PC 486 DX Windows NT orWindows 95 a CD_ROM and a VGAdisplay
SNIPPETS
IN AUSTRIA INTERNET SERVICEProviders banded together on March 25 tostage the countryrsquos first electronic walkoutin protest at their governmentrsquos attempt tocensor the Internet Hardly surprisingwhen UKrsquos Whatrsquos New on the Internetreports that sex and its related topics arethe most popular sections on the Internetby a long chalk
DUTCH HACKERS OFFERED USMilitary Secrets to Iraq A recent BBC TVprogramme claimed that hundreds ofmilitary secrets were stolen from USDefence computers ( including troopmovements and missile capabilities)offered for sale by Dutch hackers toSaddam Hussein but their offer was nottaken up because the Iraqi leader believedthat it was either a hoax or CIAmisinformation
ADVERTISING ON THE NETAccording to a survey by the InternetAdvertising Bureau total advertisingspending on the World Wide Web andInternet related content hit $US267
42 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
The Internet SIGThis a get together of those members of thePCUG who love to explore the Internet forinteresting sites new Internet tools andnovel applications It holds an informalmeeting once a month on the first Thursday(January excepted) at 730pm The meetinghas no set agenda but free flowing chat onvarious Internet related topics and eventsOn occasion we had presentations ofinteresting software Among topics that arediscussed from time to time are the upgradeof TIP cable and wireless access to theInternet and the regulation of the InternetThe web page for the SIG is at httpwwwpcugorgau~ejosephintsightm
BytesThe Bytes SIG is designed for those wholike to talk about computing over a meal Itmeets from 6 pm at the Asian BistroAustralian National University Union onthe PCUG meeting nights There are noBytes SIG meetings in NovemberDecember or January Contact personAndrew Freeman Phone 258 7411 Emailafreemanpcugorgau or WWW at httpwwwpcugorgau~afreemancvsightml
AutoCADGeoffrey May 295 5942 Monday-Fri 4-5pmPlease call for details
CC++Peter Corcoran petercpcugorgau 2ndTuesday 730pm PCUG Centre
GUI DevelopersPeter Harris 287 1484 pharrispcugorgauPlease call for details
The OS2 SIGAn enthusiastic forum for those operating orinterested in OS2 Warp Meetings includewide ranging discussion and interestinghands on demonstrations Meetings are heldon the third Thursday at 730pm for 730pmat the IBM Building 8 Brisbane Ave BartonContact David Thrum Phone 201-8806 (bh)
The Delphi SIGA lively forum for software developers whoare working with or interested in Delphi
Our meetings include wide ranging dis-cussion and interesting hands-on demon-strations Come and see why Delphi is RADSome of our recent meetings have discussedDelphi components best shareware toolsdatabase applications and HTML toolsMeeting 3rd Tuesday of each month 730pmat PCUG Centre Convenor Al Kabailaemail akabailapcugorgauYou arewelcome to also subscribe to the PCUGDelphi mailing list by sending messageldquosubscribe act-delphi-lpcugorgau [youremail address]rdquo to Majordomoauugorgau
Linux User GroupStephen Rothwell 291 6550 (ah) StephenRothwell canbauugorgau 4th Thursday730pm Room N101 Computer Science DeptANU
Networks Garry Thomson 241 2399gthomsonpcugorgau Thursday aftermain meeting Please call for venue
Computer and VegetarianismThis SIG is designed for those who have aninterest in both computers and vegetarian-ism It generally meets with the Bytes SIGNo meetings are held in NovemberDecember or January Contact personAndrew Freeman Phone 258 7411 Emailfreemanpcugorgau or WWW at httpwwwpcugorgau~afreemancvsightml
amp ChatThe Coffee and Chat Group meet at thePCUG Centre in Belconnen on alternateTuesdays from 1030am to 1130am withanother 30 minutes to 1200 for those whowant to stay The dates of these meetings areshown in the Calendar of Events On thealternate Tuesday a virtual Coffee and ChatMeeting is held on the Internet at 1030amusing Internet Relay Chat (IRC) addressirchostpcugorgau Port 6667 Full detailsabout the online meetings can be obtainedfrom httpwwwpcugorgau~ejosephvcchtm
Internet Daytime Demoand Discussion SIGMeets every second Monday at the PCUGCentre from 1000AM to noon We meet todiscuss internet issues software sites (andanything else of relevance) and demonstrateon Centre equipment selected software andtechniques The meeting starts with informaldiscussion and coffee followed by a more in-depth look at a particular topic of interestThere is also time for discussion (andhopefully solving) of members problems withthe internet A home page for the SIG is athttpwwwpcugorgau~amikkelsintdddhtmlEnquiries or suggestions for topics arewelcome at amikkelspcugorgau
NEW
Convenors are requested to email anychanges in contacts or venue and additionalinformation about the activities of theirgroup by the first Friday in the month ofpublication to pcugeditorpcugorgau
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 43
The training program for 1997 is settledsubject to ongoing adjustments in the lightof developments
Note the heavy emphasis on Internetcourses This reflects the clear demand ofmembers at the moment A number of daysare designated lsquoTBArsquo These days allow forthe introduction of Internet related coursesas discussed last month including homepages MS Internet ExplorerWeb tips andtricks and so on They also allow forpossible courses on the Web oriented MSOffice 97
Course content for Internet courses isstill under development and subject tomeetings of trainers
In addition to the weekend courses arange of short evening courses mainlyInternet related as above will be introducedThese are still in the planning stages
May Sat 3 Editorial day ContinuesSun 4 Programming - C and C++ ContinuesSat 10 Programming - Visual Basic Continues
Sun 11 Intro - Intro to computers ContinuesSat 17 Intro - Intro to Windows 95 Continues
Sun 18 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 24 Intro - PC Maintenance and
TroubleshootingContinues
Sun 25 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 31 Internet - HTML Intro Continues
June Sun 1 Intro - Using the BBS effectively Internet - Basic AccessSat 7 Centre closed Centre closed
Sun 8 Centre closed Centre closedSat 14 Editorial day Continues
Sun 15 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 21 Internet - HTML extended Continues
Sun 22 Internet - TBA Internet - TBASat 28 Internet - Advanced Access Intro Continues
Sun 29 Intro - Using the BBS effectively Internet - Basic AccessJuly Sat 5 Editorial day Continues
Sun 6 Internet - TBA Internet - TBASat 12 Internet - TBA Internet - TBA
Sun 13 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 19 Internet - TBA Internet - TBA
Sun 20 Internet - TBA Internet - TBASat 26 Internet - Advanced Access Intro Continues
Sun 27 Intro - Using the BBS effectively Internet - Basic Access
Our training courses are very popularUnfortunately some people book and thendonrsquot turn up for their course Someone onthe waiting list for the course could havefilled the spot left vacant To overcome thisproblem if you book for a course but donrsquotpay for it by the Monday before it is runthe spot will be offered to someone else
ContactsCourse bookings Petra Dwyer at thePCUG Centre on 253 4911
Training coordinator and courseinformation (not bookings) PaulBalnaves 241-4671 (h) 700pm to900pm 282-3488 (w)
Microsoft Product courses (notbookings) Michael Lane 242-9278 (h)700pm to 900pm
All courses are held at the PCUGCentre Northpoint Plaza Belconnen- maximum 8 people
Courses cost $35 unless otherwiseindicated Full day courses run from930am to approximately 300pmAM Courses commence at 930amPM courses commence at 130pm
Training Newsby Paul Balnaves
44 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
The following local vendors offer discounts to PCUG members
bull Present your PCUG membership card when making a purchasebull Benefits may not apply to some sale itemsbull The PCUG does not necessarily recommend or endorse the products being offered
If you offer a discount to PCUG members and are not in this list please contact our advertising manager listed on page 2
Vendor Discount SchemeVendor Discount Scheme
AustralianManagement Control
Suite 4 32 - 36 Colbee CourtPHILLIP285 4888
5 discount onRecordkeeping amp Payroll
courses
Capital SimulationsPO Box 329
Belconnen ACT 2616Faxmessage 258 0110
Free postage and handling(normally $4) amp 2 free modem
opponents lsquowantedrsquo notices(normally $10)
Clarion DatabaseSystems
bull Computing consultingbull Business applications developmentbull Software sale
041 108 775410 discount off RRP on
Microsoft amp other vendorsrsquo productsand consulting services
Amalgamated Business Machines
65 Kembla StreetFYSHWICK
280 4887
5 discount on repairsthrough this company
ANU Union Asian Bistro
Upstairs Union Building Union Court ANU
(next to main meeting venue)
Union member discounton PCUG main meeting
nights (ONLY)
Bettowynd ampTaltech Solutions
Unit 5 Centrecourt1 Pirie St FYSHWICK
239 1043
Prompt guaranteed fixed pricerepairs to monitors and terminals
5 discount to members
Nhan TranInternet Software Installationamp Configuration in your home
PH 254 5293
Fixed price 20 discountfor PCUG members
Lesley PikoCertified Practising Accountant
Registered Tax Agent
Suite 1 17 Trenerry StWeston ACT
288 8888
personal and business taxation servicesgeneral accounting services
15 discount off our quoted fee
ACT VALLEYCOMPUTER REPAIRSbull REPAIRSbull UPGRADESbull NEW SYSTEMSbull SOFTWARE INSTALLATIONbull LOW RATES l OPEN 7 DAYS
294 2592 or 019 32343510 DISCOUNT ON REPAIRS
AND UPGRADES TO MEMBERS
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 45
54 Marcus Clarke St Canberra CityPH 249 1844 l Fax 247 5753
10 Discount o f fRRP of Computer Books
Celebrating over 28 Years in Bookselling
N O 1 f o rC O M P U T E R amp B U S I N E S S
B O O K S
hi-micro Computers
5 Discount OnAccessories
ampUpgrade Installation
Ph 280 7520 Fax 280 7540618 Whyalla St Fyshwick
248 6656 (any time)bull World Wide Web Publishing
bull Windows Online Help amp Manuals
5 discount on Web publishing
The Cartridge Factory
Canberra Business Centre49 Wentworth Ave
KINGSTON295 5935
10 discount on remanufacturedlaser toner cartridges
10 discount on inkjet refill kitsNo discount available on
new ink or toner cartridges
Collins Booksellers
BELCONNEN MALLPhone 251 4813 Fax 251 3926
We carry a wide selection ofcomputer titles for the novice and
also advanced computer user
10 Discount off computerbook purchases only
LampS Associates
69 Paterson StreetAINSLIE257 7555
Special price on anyMicrosoft product
Dealer price plus 5
Aspect ComputingEducation Services
86 Northbourne AvenueBraddon ACT 2601
247 7608
10 Discount toPCUG members
Peng LEE BA BEc FCA
Chartered AccountantRegistered Tax Agent
A fee schedule will be forwarded upon request
6 McGuiness PlaceMcKELLAR ACT 2617
Phone 258 0156 Fax 258 0157
10 fee discount to PCUGmembers
Robrsquos Computer HelpDesk
292 3211 (24 hours 7 days)
For telephone and on-site help for ALL your computer and support
needs
5 discount on consulting services to PCUG members
The Software Shop
42 Townsend StreetPHILLIP285 4622
5 discount off our already low prices
46 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Title Given Name Surname
_______________________________________________________Position (if applicable) Phone (h) Phone (w)
_______________________________________________________Title Given Name Surname
_______________________________________________________Position (if applicable) Phone (h) Phone (w)
Annual Fees Applicable (thorn one)o General1 $ 50
o Concessional2 $ 25
o Corporate3 $130
o Additional Corporate4 $ 50
o International (Air Mail) $130
Notes1 General membership covers all members of a household except for BBS and
Internet access Two month waiting period applies to Internet access2 Concessions apply to full time students and pensioners3 Corporate Membership covers up to three nominees4 Additional Corporate nominees may be added at $50 each
I am paying by (thorn one)o Cash (if paying by person) o Cheque to PC Users Group (ACT) Inc
o Credit card
I would like to ( thorn one or more)
o Become a new member for ____ year(s)
o Renew for ____ year(s)
o Change my address details
o Change Corporate nominees
o Take my address off advertising list
o Access the Bulletin Board (BBS)
Reasons for Joining thorn (one or more)
o Sixteen Bits Magazine o Training Courses
o The Internet Project o Advice and help
Other ____________________________________
TOTAL PAYMENT DUE $ __________________
Please Post your application with payment toPC Users Group (ACT) IncPO Box 42 Belconnen ACT 2616
Additional Corporate Membership Nominees
Title Given Name Surname
Organisation (if applicable) PCUG Membership Number (if applicable)
Postal Address
Phone (h) Phone (w) Concession Type (if applicable)
Credit Card Type Number Expiry Date Signature
Membersrsquo AdsFOR SALE
PC Users Group Membership Application Renewal
Notebook TP 486 DX266 95in Dual scancolour 8mg 433 HDD External 2X CDROM Fax modem card Win rsquo95 Office rsquo95pro Microsoft Plus NAV Norton UtilitiesWinfax Pro Microsoft Publisher and muchmore $1500 email gjonespcugorgau orphone Gary Jones 2391771 (Bus hours)
Canon Bubble-jet Printer BJ10-SX BWVGC [bookletdisk] $145Maestro External Fax Modem SE-144 FM[BookletDiks] VGC $100Corel Draw V3 CD-ROM[Bookect] VGC $100 NEGScanFax 24 Bit Color Page ScannerPC[FaxScanCopy] VGC $ 360WebAuthor V2 for Windows $ 65LOGOS BIBLE Software V2for Windows CD-ROM $150Call 239 5451 or e-mailmszabopcugorgau
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 47
Subject Name Email Phone Days TimesAccess for Windows Graheme Fry 288 3138 All days 730pm - 830pm
Accounting -TAS+ Exogen Attache NewViews P Goerman 231 2304 All days 900am - 900pm
Advanced Revelation John Curby 286 5777 Mon - Fri 900am - 900pm
Assembly Language Thomas McCoy 294 2226 Mon - Fri 800pm - 1000pm
AutoCad Geoffrey May 295 5942 Mon - Fri 400pm - 500pm
AutoCAD Rel 12 13 and LT Neil Moffat 292 7108 All days Noon - 1000pm
BASIC + Machine Language George McLintock 295 6590 All days 830pm -1000pm
Basic hardware help Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
Bluewave Jorge Garcia 282 2681 All Days 700pm - 900pm
Batch Files TSRs Utilities Bill Ghysen 287 1234 Mon - Fri 800pm - 1000pm
Bulletin Board Service Michael Phillips 253 4966 All days 730pm - 830pm
Chinese Star for Windows Peng Lee 258 0156 All days 100pm - 900pm
Clipper Cedric Bear 258 3169 All days 730pm - 830pm
Corel Draw Fabian Stelco 241 1743 Mon - Fri 730pm - 900pm
Corel WordPerfect Suite 7 for Win95 Peter Tilbrook kermitdynamitecomau 242 8696 All days Anytime
DOS Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
Excel Graheme Fry 288 3138 All days 730pm - 830pm
Flight Simulation Roger Lowery lowerypcugorgau 258 1583 All days Anytime
Foxpro Greg Atkinson 241 7903 Mon - FriSat Sun
700pm - 900pmFrom 1100am
Free Agent Agent Newsreading Allan Mikkelsen 278 3164 All days Noon - 900pm
General Help Allan Miller (044) 711187 Mon - Fri 730pm - 830pm
General Help Brian Gosling 259 1116 All days 730pm - 830pm
GEOSGeoWorks Phil Jones 288 5288 All days 600pm - 1000pm
Hardware Anthony Glenn 288 8332 All days Anytime
HDK Lis Shelley lshelleypcugorgau 248 6656 Mon - Fri 730pm - 830pm
HDK Ivana Leonard 231 4169 Mon - Thu 700pm - 900pm
ISR CADDSMAN Modeller (Win) Neil Moffat 292 7108 All days Noon - 1000pm
LINUX PC Unix Andrew Tridgell 254 8209 All days 600pm - 800pm
Lotus 1-2-3 Doug Jenkins 286 2243 All days 730pm - 900pm
Lotus Ami Pro 3 W ord Pro 96 ed Peter Tilbrook kermitdynamitecomau 242 8696 All days Anytime
Microstation Cad Andrew Novinc 258 1907 All days 600pm - 1000pm
Modem Communications Michael Phillips 281 1980 or All days 730pm - 830pm
Networks Gary Thompson 241 2399 All days 730pm - 900pm
Online doc using Help Compiler (Win3) John Carroll jcarrollpcugorgau 248 0781 All days 730pm - 1000pm
OS2 v2 Mark Beileiter 283 2429 Mon - Fri 800am - 330pm
OS2 Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
OS2 Michael Lightfoot 258 8185 All days 730pm - 930pm
Project (Microsoft) Steve Ramsden 287 1500 Mon - Wed 800pm - 1000pm
SBT Accounting Greg Atkinson 241 7903 Mon - Fri 700pm - 900pm
Scream Tracker 3 (3SM) MOD Music Chris Collins 258 8276 Mon - Fri 730pm - 900pm
Small Business Computing Nick Thomson 241 3239 Mon - Thu 730pm - 930pm
SuperBase Paul Blair 288 3584 All days 730pm - 930pm
Telix Michael Phillips 281 1980 All days 730pm - 830pm
SCO Unix amp Xenix J Bishop 291 0478 All days 700pm - 900pm
Unix Michael Lightfoot 258 8185 All days 730pm - 930pm
Turbo Pascal Michael Phillips 281 1980 All days 730pm - 830pm
Vision Impaired Adam Morris 291 4522 All days 700pm - 900pm
Visual BASIC Ian Champ 254 0418 All days 700pm - 900pm
Windows 31x Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
Word for Windows Lis Shelley lshelleypcugorgau 248 6656 Mon - Fri 730pm - 830pm
WordPerfect 51 DOS 61 Win Gayle Scott gaylespcugorgau 254 1579 All days 730pm - 930pm
WordPerfect 61 7 for Win95 Peter Tilbrook kermitdynamitecom 242 8696 All days Anytime
WordStar Dave Hay 258 7310 All days 700pm - 900pm
The people in this directory are volunteers so please observe the times given The Help Directory is designed to helpindividual users and should not be used as a substitute for corporate support calls to vendors This service is provided formembers only Please quote your membership number to the helper For those helpers with an asterisk messages may beleft on the BBS in either the General message area or as a Netmail message on 3620243 Send updates topcugeditorpcugorgau or via post to the PCUG Centre
The Help Directory
May 1997Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
1
Internet SIG730pmPCUG Centre
2
SIXTEENBITSCommercialAd deadlinefor May
3
SIXTEEN BITSLayout Day 10am______________InternetConnection Clinic930am-1pmPCUG Centre(check withCentre Staffer on253 4911)
4
TRAININGDAYProgrammingC and C++930-430PCUG Centre
5
Internet DaytimeDemo andDiscussion10am-12 noonPCUG Centre______________New MembersNight730pmPCUG Centre
6
VirtualCoffee amp ChatTIP IRCServer1030-1130am
7 8 9 10
TRAININGDAYProgrammingVisual Basic930-430PCUG Centre
11
TRAININGDAYIntro tocomputers930-430PCUG Centre
12 13
Coffee amp Chat1030amPCUG Centre__________
C++ SIG730pmPCUG Centre
14
CommitteeMeeting730pmPCUG Centre
15
OS2 SIG7 for 730pmIBM Building8 BrisbaneAve Barton
16 17
TRAINING DAYIntro Windows 95930-430PCUG Centre______________
Meet theCommittee2-4pmPCUG Centre
18
TRAININGDAYInternetAdvancedAccess Intro930-430PCUG Centre
19
Internet DaytimeDemo andDiscussion 10am-12noon PCUG Centre______________
SIXTEEN BITSStuffing and Mailing530pm PCUGCentre
20
Virtual Coffee ampChatTIP IRC Server1030-1130am_____________
Delphi SIG730pm PCUGCentre
21 22
Linux UserGroup730pmRmN101ComputerScience DeptANU
23 24
TRAINING DAYPC Maintenanceamp Troubleshooting930-430PCUG Centre
25
TRAININGDAYInternetAdvancedAccess Intro930-430PCUG Centre
26
Main MeetingManningClark Theatre1 CrispBuilding ANU7 for 730pm
27
Coffee amp Chat1030amPCUG Centre
28 29
Networks SIGCall GarryThomson(241 2399) fordetails
30
SIXTEENBITS Articledeadline forJune
31
TRAININGDAYInternetHTML Intro930-430PCUG CentreBytes SIG 6pm
Asian Bistro ANU(before PCUGmeeting
2 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Editorial Information
Deadlines ForMay lsquo97 Issue
Articles and Member Ads
Monday 28 April 1997Commercial Ads
Friday 2 May 1997
Advertising inSIXTEEN BITS
SIXTEEN BITS is a unique and powerfulmedium for reaching the thoughtful decisionmakers in the ACT area Our circulation exceeds3500 copies each month with multiplereadership exceeding 4800 Many copies areretained by members for future reference Theadvertising deadline is normally the first Fridayof the month of publication
Advertising options include
bull Cover ads
bull Display ads
bull Special inserts
bull One-off mailing listsRegular advertisers receive discount vouchersto pay for any future advertising with SIXTEENBITS (subject to account being in order) Every12th consecutive ad placed is free Please contactthe Advertising Manager Ken Livingston on(06) 282 2536 for further information
SIXTEEN BITS (ISSN 8017-0991)is published monthly by the
PC Users Group (ACT) IncPO Box 42
Belconnen ACT 2616Australia
We welcome submissions of articles from membersof the Group If you are interested in writing pleasecontact the Managing Editor and ask for a copy ofour lsquoSIXTEEN BITS - Guidelines for Authorsrsquo (alsoavailable on the BBS in General file area (1) asAUTHORSTXT)
Correspondence and material for review orpublication should be forwarded preferably as aplain text file with separate PCXBMP graphic filesby the deadline specified to the Editor as follows
middot By email to pcugeditorpcugorgaumiddot By BBS file - upload to the Articles for
16Bits file area (30) of the PCUG BulletinBoard on (06) 253 4933
middot By BBS mail - leave a message in the PCUGEditor message area
middot By fax to (06) 253 4922 (100 words or less)middot By mail to above address (100 words or less)
Anonymous contributions will not be publishedthough name and address can be withheld frompublication on request Disks are not returnedunless requested by the author
copy Copyright 1996 by the PC Users Group (ACT)Inc All rights reserved Permission for reproductionin whole or in part must be obtained from theManaging Editor and is generally given providedthe author also agrees and credit is given toSIXTEEN BITS and the author(s) of the reproducedmaterial All other reproduction without priorpermission of the PC Users Group (ACT) Inc isprohibited
Members of the PC Users Group (ACT) Inc receiveSIXTEEN BITS each month Registered byAustralia Post Print Post Publication NoPP22648000009
DisclaimerAlthough it is editorial policy to check all material inSIXTEEN BITS for accuracy usefulness and suitabilityno warranty either express or implied is offered for anylosses due to the use of the material in the journal Unlessspecifically stated otherwise the experiences andopinions expressed in any column or article are thoseof the author and do not represent an official positionof or endorsement by the PC Users Group (ACT) IncThe PC Users Group (ACT) Inc is not liable forinaccuracy in any advertisement and does not acceptresponsibility for any claims made by advertisers It isthe buyerrsquos responsibility to investigate the claims madeby advertisers Any material considered misleading orinappropriate will be withheld at editorial discretionNames of hardware software and other products offeredon a commercial basis may be registered names andtrademarks of the vendors concerned SIXTEEN BITSuses such names only in an editorial fashion and to thebenefit of the trademark owners with no intent ofinfringement of the trademark
Sixteen Bitsis produced with the
products and support of
AdobeCorel
Corporation
Editorial Information
Managing EditorDarrell Burkey
pcugeditorpcugorgau
Assistant EditorTamsin Sowden
tsowdenpcugorgau
Editorial TeamMike Burke Andrew ClaytonJim Hume Emil Joseph
Val Thomson
Cover DesignRussell Kerrison
Technical EditorMichael Phillips
Commercial Advertising ManagerKen Livingston (06) 282 2536 (bh)
(06) 253 4922 faxpcugadspcugorgau
ProductionPetra Dwyer and the Stuffing Team
Contributors for this issueMike Burke Iain Gould Jim Hume
Glenn Pure Malcolm Street Alan TebbNick Thomson Val Thomson
Nahn Tran Phil Trudinger
Authors and Advertisers please note
Articles from SIXTEEN BITS are alsopublished on the lsquonet as Sixteen Bits Online athttpwwwpcugorgaupcug16bits andextracts are read on Radio 1RPH (1125AM)Thursdays 1045am amp 945pm
Material published on the Web and broadcaston radio is subject to copyright law andreproduction in any form without permission ofthe editor and the author is prohibited Ifhowever you as an author object to publicationof your material on the Internet or on radio forany reason you must contact the Editor torequest that your articles be omitted from theonline version
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 3
PCUG News amp Services
This month in
Profi le
7 Membership NotesMike Burke with information for new members
27 Group NoticesOz User Groups The Stuffers and Sixteen Bits Online
28 Software Library NewsPhil Trudinger reviews a selection of software
36 The Internet ProjectIain Gould reports
38 Internet Project ApplicationGet connected with TIP
39 Member ServicesDetails of services available to members only
39 Notice of Special MeeitngChange is in the wind
42 Special Interest GroupsWhere the real action is
43 Training NewsLow cost training for members
44 Vendor DiscountsMembership has its privileges
46 Membersrsquo AdsCheck here first for bargains
46 PCUG MembershipThe official membership form
47 Help DirectoryStuck Call the experts
48 CalendarWhatrsquos on next month
Features
8 Computer CryptographyGlenn Pure tells how encryption works
14 CD ROM ColumnNick Thomson sets up shop on the WWW
17 Guinness Disc of RecordsAlan Tebb with all the facts
18 Corel Print and PhotoHouseJim Hume finds a winner at a great price
20 Wish You Were HereJohn Saxon shops lsquotill he drops
22 Confused About The InternetNahn Tran with advice for beginners
24 Big Day OutMacolm Street with live Rock lsquon Roll on the lsquonet
34 Qool URLsJim Hume selects the best of the web
40 Whatrsquos NewsJim Hume keeps up with the latest
2 Editorial InformationHow to contribute to Sixteen Bits
4 EditorialDarrell Burkey
4 Presidentrsquos LetterAnn Byrne
5 LettersFrom our readers
6 Contact InformationHow to contact us
Advertiser amp Product InformationInside Front Panther Publishing 1 Computech Computer Group 9 InterACT Technology Group11 Spirit Networks Software Shop12 Bettowynd Sustance
LampS Associates13 ABampT Systems Hi Micro16 Computer Mart44 Vendor Discount SchemeInside Back Aspect ComputingBack Cover The Logical Approach
4 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Presidentrsquos LetterAnn Byrne President
Editorrsquos Desk TopDarrell Burkey Managing Editor
Editorrsquos Desk Top
Presidentrsquos Letter
Many thanks to all the people who helpedout at ACT Alive on Canberra Day especiallyto Eddie and Sharon de Bear and GordonUrquhart who did all the transporting andmoving of things back and forth to the CentreIt was a very successful day for the group andvolunteers must have enjoyed themselves asno one seemed in a hurry to leave
It is interesting when you look around atthe Committee our volunteers and at the mainmeetings there is a predominance of malesvisible in the group I wonder if this is a factof life or an anomaly that the computer worldhas generated I for one would certainly liketo see more women involved in the groupPerhaps all you men will forgive me this onceas I indulge myself and make a call for womenwho would like to participate in the group toplease get in touch with me
The upgrade to a 256k link along with theadditional modems on TIP has certainly madea big improvement Is it really only just over
two years since we went into the projectwith lots of projections a 64k link about12 lines and a prayer for 500 subscribersin the first year
To all who have stuck by us throughthe times of not being able to log onbetween 6pm and midnight intermittentnewsfeeds and slow downloads thank youfor keeping the faith We now seem to beholding our own however no one canpredict the future Telecom needs to bewatched closely as anyone who subscribesto the relevant email and newsgroups willtell you There is a lot of small print in the900 page Telecommunications Bill thatwas passed through the Senate in lateMarch
February Committee MeetingThe Committee discussed legal advice thathad been sought on a Committee memberwho is directly involved with a commercialInternet service The member responded
that he saw no conflict of interest or breachof the ACTrsquos Associations Incorporated Actand would continue to serve on theCommittee Following the legal advice theCommittee has taken no further action
The draft of our submission to the SenateCommittee inquiry into the Telecom-munications Bill was tabled
The Committee has purchased a newlaptop computer to be used at various venuesthat we attend
Additional chairs have been approvedfor the meeting area
The Communication Policy Teamadvised that they were working with JohnDunn in preparing a comprehensive membersurvey
Ken Livingston was elected to the IPMCto replace Karl Auer
It was agreed to order the MicrosoftInternet Explorer Administration Kit As this
As mentioned here last month there area few changes occurring on the editorial teamThis month two of our very valuable teammembers Val Thomson and Jim Hume havedecided to wrap thing up As always a simplethank-you seems so inadequate in con-sideration of all the time and energy they havespent in making our journal the awardwinning production that it is They willcertainly be missed and I would like to statemy deepest appreciation for a job well doneand how much I will miss working with themBoth of these members have contributed tothe journal for years in many ways anddeserve a big Thank You from us all
It should be obvious to all members thatnow is the time for anyone who can donatesome effort to assist in producing the journalto contact the committee No volunteers nomagazine - itrsquos that simple As I stated last
month without member support thecommitteersquos options are extremely limitedregarding the production of our journalCombined with my departure as Editornext month it is vital that we address theneed for additional volunteers on theeditorial team as quickly as possible
If you havenrsquot had a look at the on-line version of Sixteen Bits at httppcugorgaupcug16bits I think you willbe surprised by what you find there Atlong last the software on our Internet sitesupports Adobe Acrobat version 3 Youwill find some interesting features such asa lsquoliversquo table of contents where you cansimply click on an article to view it Thereare also sound clips here and there In thenear future (possibly this month) all of thelinks to web sites will also be lsquoliversquo Soanywhere you see a reference to a web site
you will simply need to click on it toautomatically jump to that site Stay tunedfor more surprises as we discover and learnthe many features of this software
Unfortunately (depending on your pointof view) MicroSoftrsquos Internet Explorerversion 3 has a known bug that prevents itfrom working with online Acrobat PDF filesso the site is best viewed with Netscape fornow Just days before writing this NetscapeCommunicator 4 (preview) and MS InternetExplorer 4 (beta) were released hopefullythey will work better with Acrobat files
Meanwhile in spite of all the bells andwhistles of online publishing it appears thatnothing beats hard copy I think it will be along time before most of us are willing togive up our lsquodead treersquo versions for variousgood reasons So grab a cuppa and enjoy
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 5
LettersLetters
Meet The CommitteeCommittee members can be found at most PCUG functions but are also available thethird Saturday of each month from 2-4pm at the PCUG Centre This time has been setaside specifically for members to have an opportunity to meet committee members anddiscuss any issues or answer any questions members may have See you there
Last month Doug Gillies called for morekindness in the application of the lsquoUsers helpingusersrsquo principle He mentioned a member whoasked for help in one of the TIP newsgroupsand was told to RTFM I felt for this memberthe very first time I posted a message on theBulletin Board back in 1990 I was promptlytold to RTFM When I found out what it meantI was mortified at what seemed a rude andintolerant response and was very reluctant topost again
When I eventually met the writer of my RTFMmessage I was unsurprised to find him kindlyand mild-mannered By that time Irsquod figured outthat certain Real World conventions simplydidnrsquot apply online People write the rudestthings apparently without considering whotheyrsquore saying them to or about or the fact thattheyrsquore saying them in public They say themfurthermore without any expectation ofreproach lsquoItrsquos the Usenet culturersquo so Irsquom toldand out pop all the shibboleths about lsquomerepatterns in the phosphorrsquo and lsquosticks and stonesrsquo
Text carries a far heavier burden of meaningthan the spoken word Getting somethingacross in the absence of facial expressiontone of voice gesture and body language (letalone the opportunity to explain and elaborateon the spot) takes work and care Electronicmessages however are often dashed off inthe heat of the moment Posters seem to pridethemselves in writing as they speakndashor moreinformally (and impertinently) than theyspeak Furthermore jargon aboundsNewcomers are absolutely at liberty to sinkor swim in this exclusive and hostileambience
Our much-vaunted freedom to participaterests on the assumption that everyonersquostolerance and aptitude for verbal abuse is thesame Many peoplendashthose brought up in morecourteous times and those hamstrung byexpectations of lsquoladylikenessrsquo for examplendashmay find the atmosphere in public messageareas very uncomfortable Itrsquos a vain hopethat The Usenet Culture will change to takeaccount of these differences but Irsquom certainlywith Doug in wishing to see more kindnesson The Internet Project
Irsquom not suggesting there shouldnrsquot bevigorous debate among old acquaintances Iwould just like to see less sinking of the bootin response to innocent (or even dumb)questions Perhaps then the brawls would bebalanced by more exchanges between moreparticipants about more topics J
Val Thomson
Doug Gillies letter in the March 1997 SixteenBits amazed me I have found so manyhelpers who sacrificed their time as well astheir petrol to install programs for me I cannever thank them enoughThey even taughtme to make better use of my software (seemy first letter in the February Sixteen Bits)
Alois Tush came back a second time to tryand sort out the problem with WorksYesterday Gordon Urquart came during hisprecious holiday to delete the faulty Works
has to be ordered from the US it could takequite a while before it can be implemented
Financial Report forFebruary 1997
Opening Balance(incl TIP) $174929
IncomePCUG $ 20296TIP Subscriptions $ 55440
ExpendituresPCUG $ 17758TIP $ 11466PresentedUnpresented cheques $ 905
Closing Balance(incl TIP) $220536
and install Works 4oa for Windows 95 Heshowed me how to delete and to install and inaddition he gave me valuable tips aboutnaming files
Works 40a was sent to me by Mr Rob PriceMS analyst Senior Response Group in answerto my plea for help with Works
So you see I am really extremely lucky butsurely I cannot be the only one
Elizabeth Ward
Providing that they applied the samephilosophy to Committee membership I couldapplaud the Committeersquos official view ldquotheperiodic turnover in Editors as with othervolunteers is a postive thing for the group Inthis way we donrsquot get stuck with one point ofview or one approach for a long period of timeand the magazine remains freshrdquo
It is assumed that candidates offering for thenext Committee election will state their lengthof time on our Committee together with theirprofessional qualifications
After having served two editors as a memberof the editorial team and as an articlecontributor the message to me from thePresident is clear it is time to go and I will beresigning from the editorial team at the sametime that the current editor leaves I wish thenew team the best of luck
Jim Hume
6 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
PCUG CommitteePresident Ann Byrne 282 2536
pcugpresidentpcugorgau
Vice President Mike Gellard 258 2361mgellardpcugorgau
Secretary Hugh Bambrick 249 7667amp Public Officer pcugsecretarypcugorgau
Treasurer Hugh Alstonpcugtreasurerpcugorgau
Training Officer Paul Balnaves 241 4671pcugtrainingpcugorgau
Network Craig GibsonAdministrator pcuglanpcugorgau
BBS Sysop Michael Phillips 281 1980pcugsysoppcugorgau
General CommitteeAlan Mikkelsen 278 3164amikkelspcugorgau
General CommitteeDavid Schwabe 254 9086dschwabepcugorgau
General CommitteeKen Livingston 282 2536kenlivpcugorgau
General CommitteeRod Farr 286 1597rodfpcugorgau
General CommitteeIain Gould 255 2405iainpcugorgau
General CommitteeDarrell Burkeydburkeypcugorgau
Immediate Karl Auer 248 6607Past Presidentkauerpcugorgau
PCUG Committee email to pcugcommitteepcugorgau
Other ContactsExecutive SecretaryPetra Dwyer 258 2099
pcugexecsecpcugorgau
Membership Mike BurkeSecretary pcugmembershippcugorgau
The phone numbers listed above are home numbers unless otherwisespecified Please restrict calls to between 730pm and 900pm
New Members Information Night730pm first Monday of the month PC Users Group Centre NorthpointPlaza Belconnen
How To Make ContactPostal address
PO Box 42Belconnen ACT 2616(For ALL correspondence)
J PC Users Group CentreNorthpoint Plaza BelconnenOpen Mon Wed and Fri 10am-2pmSaturdays and Sundays 9am-5pm(closed long weekends)
The PCUG Centre is the venue for PCUG training some Special InterestGroup meetings and other activities There is no charge for using theCentre for PCUG activities Contact Petra Dwyer at the PCUG Centre on(06) 253 4911for bookings
(PCUG Main Phone number(06) 253 4911(Answering machine when Centre unattended)
2 Fax number(06) 253 4922
Emailpcugpcugorgau (or use addresses at left)
The INTERNET Project(06) 206 6200 helppcugorgau
World Wide Web pagehttpwwwpcugorgaupcug
Bulletin Board Service (BBS)(06) 253 4933 (5 lines 336k bbs)Fidonet address 3620243
(BBS Sysop voice number(06) 253 4966 (600pm - 900pm)
Main MeetingMain meetings are held 700pm for 730pm usually on the last Mondayof every month at Manning Clark Theatre 1 Crisp Building AustralianNational University
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 7
Next New Membersrsquo Night
5 May 1997730pm
PCUG CentreNorthpoint Plaza Belconnen
MembershipNotesBy Mike BurkeMembership Secretary
MembershipNotes
the PC Users Group Centre (see map page 6)These meetings are a chance for new andlsquoolderrsquo members (who are always welcometo attend) to meet with representatives ofthe Committee to put names to faces andto ask any questions that you may have aboutthe Group and its activities Tea and coffeeare available and the atmosphere is informaland friendly
Main MeetingsOur main meetings targeted at our generalmembership are normally held monthly onthe last Monday of the month The datevenue and topic of the meeting alwaysappear on the front cover of SIXTEEN BITSwhich is timed to arrive in your mail-box inthe middle of the week before the next mainmeeting Main meetings are also advertisedin the computing section of the CanberraTimes on the day of the meeting Anyone iswelcome to attend these meetings you donot need to be a member For main meetingswe arrange guest speakers on a variety oftopics throughout the year As an addedincentive there are usually a couple of doorprizes to be won Yoursquove got to be in it towin it There is no main meeting inDecember Special Events We also havesome special events such as the lsquoBring andBuy Nightrsquo at the Albert Hall in Novemberand an annual Quiz Night in April Youshould read SIXTEEN BITS thoroughly asspecial events are publicised mainly throughthe magazine
Annual General MeetingThe Annual General Meeting is held
in September each year Even ifyou are unable to attend MainMeetings regularly membersshould make every effort toattend this Meeting at which
office bearers for the ensuing 12months are elected
The Rules andOther Good Stuff
Some members have expressed concern thatthey have lost TIP access because theirmembership renewals were not processedquickly enough Please remember that TIPaccess is dependent on your continuingPCUG membership and that it takes timeto process your membership renewalcurrently up to two weeks We are lookingat ways to reduce this time but the bestsolution is for you to remember to renewearly From this issue onwards there willbe a reminder published in this column everymonth Members particularly TIP userswhose PCUG membership expires at the endof the month stated in the box should renewtheir PCUG membership immediately Donot delay because your TIP access willautomatically be cut off at midnight on thelast day of the month unless your renewalhas been processed
Welcome to new members readingSIXTEEN BITS for the first time andwelcome to the PC Users Group
Continuing members should alsocheck this column regularly becauseI am sure that there will be some littlesurprises from time to time even forthe most jaded of old hands
If your PCUGmembership expires atthe end of May 1997
RENEW NOW to avoidlosing TIP access
Membership CardYour membership card will be mailed to youas soon as possible after your applicationfor membership or renewal has beenprocessed This will normally occur withinone week of your receipt of your first issueof SIXTEEN BITS Please be patienthowever There is only one print run ofmailing and membership labels everymonth and this normally occurs over theweekend immediately before the SIXTEENBITS stuffing day (normally the thirdMonday in the month) Normallymembership cards and disks will bedispatched on the third Monday If you loseyour card please leave a message with theExecutive Secretary on 253 4911 or contactme directly via The Internet Project atpcugmembershippcugorgau
Information DiskNew members should also receive a diskcontaining information about the Group andits services Please read the inndashformation onthe disk carefully as you will find theanswers to most of your questions there
New Members Information Night New members are especially urged to attenda New Members Information Night whichis normally held at 730pm on the firstMonday of the month (except January) at
8 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
RYPTOGRAPHY
This is the second of a two part feature onthe technology of cryptography Last monthpublic key cryptosystems were explainedThis month secret key ciphers are explainedand the controversial US export controls oncryptographic technology are examined
Secret key cryptography is theclassic type and has been aroundfor thousands of years Itrsquossometimes called symmetric
cryptography because the same key is usedto encrypt and decrypt a message The keymust therefore be kept secret or it becomesuseless since anyone who has the key candecrypt messages created with it They canalso generate mischievous messages orimpersonate a legitimate user of the key
Because the two parties to a conversationshare the same key non-repudiation isimpossible with secret key cryptography Amessage created and signed by one partycould have easily been signed by the other
party because they are both using the samekey
Secret key systems are inherentlysimpler than public key systems so there arequite a few of them in existence forcomputing One of the first was DES (DataEncryption Standard) which was publishedway back in 1977 in the US and uses a 56bit key DES takes a 64 bit chunk of amessage and garbles this into 64 bits ofciphertext
Since DES processes blocks of themessage with a defined length it is called ablock cipher (The illustration shows howDES works) DES doesnrsquot involve anyspecial mathematics In fact it relies on afew simple operations including bitshuffling substitution and simple logicaloperations
DES is still in wide usage today and isconsidered sufficiently strong that the USgovernment until very recently had ablanket ban on export of products whichused it
The fact that a cipher almost 20 yearsold is still considered useful illustrates animportant point in cryptography Ciphersand wine share a common feature - bothnormally improve with age The reason issimple If after such a long time no-onehas been able to work out a quick way tobreak a cipher then it must be good Unlikea lot of software these days reliability andtrustworthiness are absolute essentials forcryptographic algorithms and software
The need to expose ciphers to widepublic use - and abuse - before there can beconfidence in them also means that do-it-yourself ciphers generally arenrsquot trusted There might be some obscure attack orbackdoor that the designer has missed or
even deliberately put in place Neverthelessthere are some incredibly simple cipherswhich anyone can implement and use Oneof these called the lsquoone time padrsquo consistsof nothing more than combining a messagebit by bit with a lsquokeyrsquo consisting of arandom string of bits of the same lengthusing the exclusive or (XOR) logicaloperation Decryption is performed bysimply XORing with the same key again Itmight sound surprising but the one time pad
is the most secure cipher known if doneproperly Doing it properly meansunfortunately using a fresh key of randombits every time and the key must be trulyrandom - not generated with a pseudo-random algorithm
Coming back to DES if you take a quicklook at the detail of how it works you mightask why it goes through such a complex setof steps There are two reasons An attackerwonrsquot get too far by reversing the processbefore being stopped by a step involving akey (these canrsquot be reversed without thekey) The second reason is to make itrelatively inefficient when implemented insoftware so anyone who tries guessing keysrandomly will take that much longer to testeach one In fact key guessing is about aseffective as any other method for breakingDES
How secure is DES With the computingpower available now it is consideredfeasible to crack a message encrypted witha key only 56 bits long Nevertheless itwouldnrsquot be a trivial exercise since there are2^54 possible keys or about 18 x 10^16 Ifeach key took one millisecond to check itwould take over half a million years to testevery possible key
ldquoIf each key took one millisecond to check it would takeover half a million years to test every possible keyrdquo
(continued on page 10)
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 9
TECHNOLOGY GROUPinteract
Are you sick of congestedlines and slow access to the
InternetInterACT offers a full range of Internet Services in the Canberra Region
hellip be it a WWW home page to a corporate network ndashInterACT will deliver
Access $ 3500 per month orFlat Rate $ 18000 for 6 months
Access Plus $ 1000 per month (10 prepaid hrs)
$ 250 each additional hour
No Connection Fee applies to any of our dialup modem services
23 Megabit link to the Internet
Wersquore just a phone call away and you can be online today
Interact Technology Group URL httpwwwinteractnetauGround Floor Phone 257 833325 Torrens Street Fax 257 8322Braddon ACT 2612 Email infointeractnetau
All Plans payable in advance
10 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
In reality a key can be tested in a lotless than a millisecond In a recent challengein the US by RSA Data Security a 40 bitsecret key cipher was broken in about twoand half hours by using a whole stack ofcomputers in parallel No-one has crackedthe 56 bit challenge issued at the same time(at least at the time of writing this whichwas several weeks after the challenge wasissued) A 56 bit key is roughly 2^16 timesmore difficult to break meaning it wouldtake over 18 years to break with the samecomputing power used for the 40 bit key
Even if a 56 bit key was too short foryour security needs there are also schemesfor encryption with DES using two differentkeys in an encrypt-decrypt-encrypt cycleThis system sometime called triple DESmore than doubles the effective key lengthand provides truly remarkable security
Other common secret key algorithmsinclude IDEA (International DataEncryption Algorithm) which is used inPretty Good Privacy RC4 and RC5 ThelsquoRCrsquo series ciphers (also proprietaryproducts of RSA Data Security) are used inNetscape Navigator
US Export ControlsAs in many other technology areas theUnited States has been one of the leaders inthe development of crytosystems Manypowerful ciphers are available commerciallyin US products But the US government hasuntil recently had an almost total ban on theexport of most such products
The US government even used to treatcommercial cryptosystems as munitions forexport purposes Cryptographic softwareexports would often receive scrutiny fromthe US national security agency
Recent promises by major US IT firmsto incorporate lsquokey recoveryrsquo in theirproducts has lead to a relaxation on exportcontrols A statement by the White Houseon 1 October last year said that firms thatbuilt key recovery into their products wouldbe able to export much more powerfulcryptosystems for a trial period of two years
The actual details of what was meant bykey recovery were released by the USadministration just before Christmas 1996For practical purposes they differ little fromanother controversial and widely criticisedpolicy called key escrow which involveslodging all keys with a governmentauthority
The US government justifies itsinsistence on key recovery systems so thatit can continue to eavesdrop on criminalelements or terrorists taking advantage of
powerful cryptographic processes to hidetheir activities from the law
This means that the real interest by USauthorities is in cryptographic techniquesused for secret conversations The US hasno concern about encryption software thatcan only be used for digital signatures andmessage authentication
So far so good But on closer exndashamination the logic becomes harder tofollow The US government is controllingexport of cryptosystems not access to themin the US US citizens including thoseabroad have unrestricted access to verystrong encryption technology US citizenswill not even be obliged to use software thatincludes the key recovery systems mandatedfor exports In fact the October 1996statement by the White House makes thepolicy pretty clear ldquodomestic use of keyrecovery will be voluntary and any
American will remain free to use anyencryption system domesticallyrdquo
So how will the inclusion of keyrecovery in lsquoexport onlyrsquo products help TheUS government seems to be hoping that itskey recovery idea will become a de factointernational standard and that the US firmsmaking this software simply will not botherproducing two versions - one with and onewithout key recovery Instead they willproduce one version with key recovery Untilthis happens (if it ever does) the USgovernment will only be able to decryptmessages originated from overseas usingexported US software They will only beable to decrypt where a foreign governmentobtains the keys and hands them over Therecent White House statement says ldquoaccessto keys would be provided in accordancewith (export) destination country policiesand bilateral understandingsrdquo
A major problem highlighted by thecritics of US policy is that much of theencryption technology is already availableoverseas Much of it can apparently be usedlegally outside the US and even importedinto the US - yet it still canrsquot be exported byUS software vendors
For example DES is a publishedstandard and is widely available in manyparts of the world but until recently waseffectively the subject of a US export banAustralia is a case in point DES islegitimately available from a number of ourspecialist IT security firms for exampleEracom on the Gold Coast
In the case of RSA this is protected bypatent in the US However that hasnrsquotstopped it being available in other countriesin non-US products
The US government is not alone inhaving controls on use or export of crypndashtography France bans use of cryptographyby its citizens completely Closer to homethe Australian government also has exportcontrols on cryptographic software andhardware - although not a stringent as thosein the US Many other countries have thesetypes of controls as well
In spite of the well-intentioned motivesbehind restrictions on cryptography it seemshard to imagine that crooks and terroristswill be more vulnerable They are likely togain access to all the cryptographic
(continued from page 8)
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 11
SPIRIT NETWORKSYOUR INTERNET BUSINESS SOLUTION
IN CANBERRA
Offering full commercial Internet Services to create theInternet Presence of your business including
middot World Wide Web Site optional Domain Nameregistration and high volume services
middot Multiple Email Mailboxes amp high-speed Dialup access
middot Free Internet technical support
middot No time charging
middot Accounts from $25 a month
middot Training Consultation and Support Services
middot Connections by ISDN or modem permanentconnections available
middot Other services included are Telnet WWW FileTransfer News IRC and Multimedia
middot On-site Internet Software Installation Configuration andDemonstration
Personal accounts available
Complete Office Solutions for your Internet Presence
Email salesspiritnetau
Phone 0419 609 704 06 281 3552 Fax 06 285 1987
PO Box 486 Curtin ACT 2605
technology they want - whether legally ornot
If yoursquore interested in finding out moreon cryptography there are some good booksand plenty of good material on the Web Aclassic book is Bruce Schneierrsquos AppliedCryptography (2nd edition 1996 Wiley)which also contains C code for manyciphers On the web have a look athttpwwwrsacom (see FAQ) or httptheory lcs mi t edu~r ives t c rypto-securityhtml (plenty of good links - a mustfor anyone with an interest in cryptography)
12 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
1297
1897
1987
1997
ph 06 297 1084fax 03 9221 3180sustanceibmnet
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 13
14 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Setting Up a Commercial Site onthe Internet with Web Graphics
At the beginning of March I launched a newcommercial site on the Internet - InfoRomSince I know virtually nothing about HTMLprogramming and since I am something of anovice at this game I thought you might beinterested in
a) My experience of setting up acommercial site
b) My evaluation of how suited CorelWeb Graphics is to this purpose
I was in fact involved in EdRev anunsuccessful Internet project that was up onthe Net for much of 1996 Hopefully I havelearned from the experience - as Peter Cookused to say ldquoI have learned from my mistakesand I can repeat every one of them perfectlyrdquo
Developing Your Site ConceptBefore setting up your site it is important tohave a clear idea in mind as to why the site isthere what services you wish to provide andwhat sort of clients you are aiming at WithEdRev my idea had been to provide in-depthreviews of CD-ROM educational softwareover the Internet - people would not be able toaccess the reviews until they had taken up asubscription - or at least trialled the servicefor a month People out there did not respondto this approach - and the big problem frommy point of view was that I was putting vastamounts of time into writing the reviews andgetting little return
With InfoRom I decided to write shortermuch tighter reviews make them available forfree but offer access to question and answersupport on any of the products reviewed for asmall fee That way I figured that I wouldnrsquothave to invest too much effort up front but Iwould be putting my time and energy intoanswering questions for paid up subscribers Ialso decided to start including selected gamesas well as educational software so as to widenthe appeal of the service
Corel Web Transit - Word to HTML
Having written the reviews (inWord 6 for Windows) the nextstep was to convert them intoHTML format This proved to besomewhat easier than I had expectedWeb Transit makes the process prettyautomatic and it carried over my formattingand styles without any problem The onlydifficulty I found was that occasionally itwould add a couple of unwanted line breaksat the top of the page and very occasionallyan unwanted bookmark to the text at the topWhere this happened I simply deleted the linebreaks and changed the formatting to removethe bookmark There was no logical reason forthese unwanted inclusions - I suspect that itwas just a bug in the program Diagram 1 iswhat the Transit screen looks like You set updestination and source then click translatethen click the Web Designer icon if you wantto format and modify the file or click thebrowser icon to see what it will look like onthe Web
Corel Web Designer - Formattingand Enhancing the Site Pages
Web Designer is another of the Corel WebGraphics package components and (with thehelp of my daughter Naomi) I used this to dothe following
middot Fancy up headings and the appearanceof the text
middot Add internal links eg from the bottomof the page to the top
middot Add external links to other files egSubject Index
By Nick Thomson
Diagram 1
cd romcd rom
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 15
middot Add external files to other sites eg thesites of the software suppliers
middot Add graphics
All of the above processes were easy andreliable and I was able to undertake all of themsuccessfully despite not having any knowledgeof HTML programming I only encounteredthree shortcomings
1 If I had names with a mixture of upper andlower case the links didnrsquot always workproperly I overcame this by ensuring thatall my filenames were in lower case onlyI am not sure if this was a Web Graphicsproblem or just a general HTML issue
HTML is certainly casesensitive so beware
2 It is not possible to define orsave your own templates in Web
Designer It would have been veryhandy if I could have set up a template
with all the standard headings and linkseg to the Home Page built in - notpossible at this stage but I understand thatthis facility will be available in the nextupgrade of Web Designer
3 The formatting options are a bit limitedand it is not possible to define your ownstyles (although there is quite a good rangeof pre-defined styles available)
For graphics Naomi created a series ofneat little icons - one for each subject categoryThus at the top of each page there were twosmall graphics representing one or two subjectcategories for that review These were createdfrom clip art in Corel Draw then convertedand pasted in as gif or jpeg images (the twographic formats that are supported by HTML)We had tried using screen clips in EdRev -
they took forever to load and were a pain towork with so I decided against using them inInfoRom One of the golden rules of Web sitesis not to slow things down with too manygraphics - I get very frustrated waiting forsome of the software supplier sites to load -and I donrsquot want my potential clients to feelthat way about my site Diagram 2 is anexample of one of our pages
Selecting a Supplier andUploading Pages
The next step was to find a commercial sitesupplier I had been happy with service andvalue for money that we got at Spirit Networks(an ACT supplier) so I decided to go to themIt cost me $275 to set the site up (includingthe registration of my domain name on theInternet) and it is costing me $50 per monthfor maintaining the site (that includes a goodlevel of storage email traffic and the right toupdate whenever I like) - so it really isnrsquot tooexpensive a service As part of the setup costsa rep from Spirit came and helped my set upTIP email and FTP connections on mymachine Because of my newness to thisprocess I fired lots of questions (includingquite a few dumb ones) at them by email orphone in the first couple of weeks - I have tosay that they have been very patient and mosthelpful
I uploaded all the files by means of FTPand eureka it is working What a satisfyingfeeling to log on load up your browser andperuse a site that is all your own work Apartfrom a few faulty links (the result of incorrectentry on my part) everything was working fineimmediately and I have already added threelots of updates without difficulty
Marketing and Indexing the SiteWhen I was involved in EdRev I sent outapprox 600 emails to schools educationalagencies etc in the hope of winning somesubscribers For all that effort we got 2subscribers
I believe that one of the keys to the Internetis harnessing the power of the various searchprograms or Web Indexes by listing your sitewith them and doing whatever you need to doto ensure that your site has a reasonably good
Diagram 2(continued next page)
16 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
chance of being detected What I want is thatif someone searches for a particular packageeg Encarta or NHL 97 then they will bedirected to my site Thus the key is for not justmy home page but for every separate reviewpage to be picked up by the various indexesMost users stick with the big ones - as far as Ican tell they are
Excite
Infoseek
Lycos
Alta Vista
Magellan (subset of Excite)
Yahoo
Hot Bot
Web Crawler
Web Surfer
If anyone out there can suggest any otherlsquopopular onesrsquo please tell me My experienceis that there are two categories of Index
1 Those that list your home page and thentrace all of the links to the home page and(over time) add all of the other pages inyour site This can take 3 or 4 weeks Theseinclude Alta Vista Lycos Yahoo and (Ithink) Excite and Yahoo
2 Those that will only list the URL you haveentered eg Infoseek and Web Crawler
Thus I have taken two approaches Withcategory 1 eg Excite I have added just thehome page to the index although each time Ido an update I add the URL of what I estimatewill be the most popular choice for that weekto Excite and Hot Bot - thus increasing thelikelihood of my site appearing on thesesindexes in the short term Alta Vista Yahooand Lycos all actively discourage this process- but I will see whether the review pages ofmy sites are being picked up before I passjudgement on this
In the case of Infoseek and Web Crawler Ientered every single URL for all the pages inmy site (about 130 to begin with) - and everytime I do an update I add the URLs for thenew pages to these indexes It is timeconsuming but I believe that it is worth it Iam starting to get traffic to the site from allover the world but it is too early to tell howsuccessful my efforts have been
WebSurfer required a payment of $350(US) to be included - I wonder how long itwill be before this trend catches on with theothers At the bank I discovered that it wouldcost me $10 - to get a cheque drawn in USdollars - so the process cost me about $15
dollars And they wonder why Australia is notcompetitive on the international scene WhileI am grizzling about banks let me alsocomment that for every client that pays me bycheque in US dollars or pounds sterling it willcost me $5 to convert that cheque to Australiandollars The trick is of course to encouragepayment by credit card but I have not foundany of the banks I have spoken to so far to beparticularly eager to allow a small untriedbusiness like this to offer credit card facilitiesAre there any banks out there that encourageAustralians to transact internationalbusiness
There are a number of providers that offer(for a fee) to list you with lsquo100 Web indexesrsquoetc but since I figure that most people onlyuse the most popular ones I havenrsquot botheredwith them
Final CommentBasically it is now a matter of wait and seewhat the response is as well as ensure that thesite is visible on the various Web indexes Thewhole process has certainly been much easierthan I expected and I can certainly recommendCorelrsquos Web Graphics suite as a good way forbeginners to get a page up on the Internet witha minimum of fuss and bother Letrsquos hope thatthe subscribers start rolling in
Nick Thomson is a management trainerconsultant and he is also the manager ofInfoRom a CD-ROM review and onlinesupport service on the Internet He can becontacted on 241 3239
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 17
A review by Alan Tebb
ldquoWhat is the name of the worldrsquos mosttattooed womanrdquo (See the answer at theend of this article)
I remember buying a copy of theGuinness Book of Records in 1979and thinking it contained the mostfascinating collection of trivial facts
and figures I had ever read Over the yearsthe book settled the occasional dinnerargument that strayed into the realm of ldquowhowas the tallest man everrdquo or ldquohow longwere the longest finger nails ever grownrdquoIt was like having the sideshow bearded ladyand the tattooed man between covers on thebookshelf every page was filled with thebizarre the freakish the unbelievable
But to be fair the Guinness Book ofRecords is more than a collection of thecurious or unusual In the month since Ibegan this review I have noticed the TV andthe newspapers have on three occasionscovered attempts to break Guinness records
Perhaps the Guinness record book fulfillsthat need in human beings to challenge theirenvironment do things that no other humanhas done before to better the incredible featsof others or to be just plain crazy Whateverthe motivation the drive to be a part ofGuinness historyndashif only for as long as arecord holdsndashis as popular now as when thewhole thing began in 1955
So naturally I was very interested to seewhat Grolier had done to make the GuinnessBook of Records a multimedia CD I wasnrsquotdisappointed Like its hardcover cousin theGuinness Multimedia Disc of Recordscontains the same extensive collection ofrecords plus a library of amazing film clipsand photographs you simply wonrsquot findanywhere else on CD
The opening interface looks like acollection of pub drink coasters It has eightpaths allowing the user to browse recordsgo straight to an index of all photographsview movie clips search by words search
1995 GuinnessMultimediaDisc of Records
by topics search by superlatives run theRandom Record Explorer or play the GuessWhat quiz
The record browser lists almost 15000records in alphabetical order and is the leasteffective way of finding your way aroundthe CD The Guinness Multimedia Disc ofRecords excels in its ability to search itsdatabase of records using some innovativeoptions The usual Boolean choices areavailable or you can have fun searching bysuperlatives such as ldquotallestrdquo or ldquoheaviestrdquoThe CD will then list all the records thatinclude the chosen adjective The otheralternative is to search through topic treesthat branch out from a few key subjects allthe way to individual records an approachoften seen in CD encyclopaedias
The disc contains over 1000photographs from the Guinness collectionincluding what must be considered some ofthe most unusual and fascinating picturesassembled in one publication The majorityof photos and videos are very high in qualityand in the case of the photos these can beprinted
My only disappointment with theGuinness Multimedia Disc of Records is thefact that it did not have a country specificsupplement The thing I liked most aboutmy 1979 hard copy version was the 30 pagesof Australia-only records at the back Evenso the multimedia version is every bit asentertaining interesting and informative asI had hoped it would be With the addedadvantage of film clips sound and greatsearch capabilities I think it is better thanthe hard copy version Now if I can onlyremember some of those unusual facts andfigures I might be a much better TrivialPursuit player
System RequirementsA 486DX processor running at 33MHz orfaster using Windows 31 or rsquo95 4 Mb ofRAM 6Mb hard disk space CD-ROMcapable of 300Kbsec or higher transfer rateand a sound card The video uses Quicktimefor Windows 20 (supplied with theproduct)
The worldrsquos most decorated woman is stripartiste Krystyne Kolorful born 5 December1952 in Alberta Canada Her body is 95percent covered and it took ten years tocomplete the work
18 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
T his comprehensive set ofpowerful drawing and photo-editing tools fills a niche for thehome or small business users
who are looking for an easy-to-use graphicspackage to create greeting cards certificatesbanners business forms signs and calendarsetc and at the same time have the capacityto scan their own photographs touch themup and add special effects or create bitmapimages using the painting tools
While both MS Publisher 97 (which Ireviewed in the March 1997 issue) and PrintHouse have some similarities and overlapin the production of greeting cards bannerscalendars menus etc this program con-centrates on the production of qualitygraphics and photographic enhancementwhile MS Publisher97 was more orientedtowards Desk Top Publishing and has nophotographic enhancement program
Corel Print amp Photo House lives up toits claim for simplicity with a friendlywizard-based interface that anyone can usewithout training It includes more than 1600ready-to-print sample files (700 of whichare cards 1000 photos 1000 phrases 150TrueType fonts 7000 clipart images 200backdrops and 70 intelligent borders andtemplates and a well-illustrated manualwhich includes a catalogue containingcollections of the clipart fonts bordersbackdrops phrases and photos on theCDROM At a loss for the appropriatewords to include The comprehensive listof phrases should meet almost everyconceivable need
Installation is simple and the programproved fully compatible with my LogitechColour scanner and DSV Graphics DisplayAccelerator
There is a key that opens a key page thatin turn displays help topics to assist withthe task in hand using cue cards The topicsopened by the key are determined by the toolin use or the object currently selected Eachcard contains an instruction and after eachstep is completed a new card displays
Wizards are available to walk usersthrough any task such as changing the colourof an object or adding shadows to text Thereis an on-screen Notebook to help guide usersthrough various operations such as how toapply effects choose a paint brush or accessthe photo collection It also provides easyand visible access to clipart bordersbackdrops and preset styles that can bedragged and dropped into designs
You can customise a project withpowerful drawing tools and flip rotate orscale any text or graphic
The vector graphics and text are fullyeditable and can be flipped rotated re-sizedungrouped and fully customised by bothcolour and shape
The Toolbars and layout will be familiarto Corel Draw users they are intuitive andperform similar functions Figure 3 showsthe Notebook to the left of the verticaltoolbar showing what you would like to donext This Notebook provides convenienton-screen context-sensitive help and guidesusers through various operations such ashow to apply effects choose a paint brushor access a photo collection It also provideseasy and visible access to clipart bordersbackdrops and preset styles that can bedragged and dropped into designs To add acatalogue item you can drag it from theNotebook and drop it into the appropriatepart of your design
One particularly neat feature is theability to save pieces of your own creationfor later use in a section called theScrapbook so that you can add it to futureprojects
Reviewed by Jim Hume
Figure 1
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 19
The Photo House was particularlyimpressive both for the ease of use and itsversatility It took just over ten minutes torepair the damage to the print in Figure 2with the result shown in Figure 3 It alsoincludes a Notebook that provides on screenhelp to guide users For touching upphotographs there are Tools for selectionRectangle Freehand Eyedropper EraserFlood Fill Paintbrush Spray Can and Clonetools There are seven different touch-upeffects including Sharpen BrightnessContrast Remove Dust and ScratchesReduce speckles Simplify colours removered-eyes and Change Colours which provide
users with everything they are likely to needto spruce up or enhance photographs
Finally they provide a touch of fun withspecial effects-Page Curl Emboss SwirlCustom Negative Vignette Motion blurAdd light source Psychedelic Ripple
texture Impress-ionist and SketchThe photo editingpossibilities arealmost endlessFigure 4 showsthe special effectspicture a crownconverted top s y c h e d e l i cformat
Figure 2
Figure 3
Apart from serious use this program willalso provide a lot of fun for all ages andsome may be carried away with over-use ofthe graphics If only to emphasise the needto keep the design simple so that readers getthe message immediately the manual wouldbenefit from a Chapter covering theprinciples of good design similar to that inthe Publisher97 Companion or at least a listof recommended reading
There is an uninstall feature whichallows the ready removal of the program
System RequirementsMinimum System requirements IBM PC486 DX or compatible Windows95 orWindows Nt 351 a CD-ROM drive a VGAcardmonitor and a mouse or tabletWindows users require 8MB of RAM andWindows NT 351 or later users will require12 MB or RAM Price - RRP $9900
Figure 4
20 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
So here we are - itrsquos about 930 amon a fine Sunday morning and Irsquomcruising along the 210 freewayeastbound from Pasadena on the
way to the computer marketplace atPomona The traffic is light moving freelydown the 6 lanes between 70 and 80 mph(forgive the non-metrics therersquos a lot ofcatching up to do here) The speed limit wasincreased from 55 to 65 mph after the oilcrisis was ldquooverrdquo and the highway patroltend to frown on anyone faster or slowerthan 65 to 80 The radio is tuned to K-Earth1011 ldquoOldiesrdquo radio (appropriate for me)the Big-O is extolling the virtues of PrettyWomen and all is right with the world
Irsquove done my homework the day beforeby visiting FRYrsquos Electronics in Burbank -a huge high-tech megastore with a computersection roughly the size of David JonesThey are generally in the lower range ofcomputer retail prices - so it is worth seeinghow they compare to values at the Pomonamarketplace
Some example of prices at FRYrsquos (forsome things I was thinking of buying) are
Tape Backup unitsIomega Ditto 2Gb - $150 (Aus $207 after825 CA sales tax and conversion at 1275)Connor 32Gb - $229 A$316HP Colorado 32Gb - $209 A$288
Parallel port TV camerasColour - $249 A$343 Greyscale- $110 A$151 [Saw them bymail order at $79 A$101 (notax)]
8Mb 72pin EDO SIMMs 70ns - $40 A$55 60ns (1 yearWarranty) - $35 A$48 60ns(Namebrand lifetime warranty) -$44 A$61
Sony Web TV(WWW + Email via your TV -No PC required) - $290 A$400
Back to Sunday and thehardest part of the trip is theU-turn into the LA County
fairgroundrsquos car park - there are 6 entrancelanes with only 2-3 cars in each so gettingto park is pretty painless except for the $5parking fee Ouch A dollar up since lasttime Then another shock to the wallet -entrance fee has increased from $7 to $8for adults (and no Seniors discount) So atotal of $13 A$18 before making it into thefirst hall A friend and I discussed theentrance price and concluded that it mightbe a cunning psychological plot - Itrsquos costso much to get this far that one should reallybuy plenty to make it all worthwhileEverybody wins organisers and dealers thatis But itrsquos certainly possible to recoup theentrance money with a purchase of aCDROM For example MS Encarta 97 wasgoing for $26 (A$36)
There is at least one and sometimes twocomputer shows somewhere in LA eachweekend but this I think this one is thebiggest It is held in two large halls(sometimes three) Each hall is capable ofeasily accommodating around 150 largishstands with 10-15 foot aisles Therersquos 4 or 5radio stations here - at least 2 broadcastingand the rest handing out various ldquofreebiesrdquowhile relaying their station overloudspeakers Add to that various spruikersshouting their wares (ldquoNo CDs over $5 onthis tablerdquo ldquoLowest motherboard prices atthe showrdquo) numerous ldquomultimediardquo demos
and a few thousand people trying to makethemselves heard It is pretty noisy
I checked with the organisers and theysaid that they average around 8000attendees per day - so up to 20000 over agood two day weekend show It surprisedme that is was that low as it can get reallycrowded (2 or 3 deep at some stands)
There were over 300 dealers that day -about average However every 2-3 monthsthe organisers run 20-30 short seminars inconjunction with the market at the Sheratonsuites on the fairground complex On thoseoccasions the attendance at the marketincreases by 30 or more
So why do people keep coming back tothese shows Are the prices so much betterHere are a few examples
Complete ldquobasicrdquo system166 Mhz 6x86 Triton VX MB PnP bios256 Kb Cache 16 Mb EDO RAM 16 GbEIDE HDD 8X EIDE CDROM PCISVGA 64 bit with 2 Mb MPEG Yamaha3D Wavetable sound card poweredspeakers 336 Fax modem with Voice
mail SVGA 15 Digital NI28 monitor mousekeyboard floppy drive etcWin95 Installed with manualamp CD $969 A$1337 for thelot
MotherboardsIntel VX chip set with all IO256 Kb Cache - $84 A$116Intel HX chip set 512K -$110 A$152 CheapestPentium MB I saw (Optichip set) - $65 A$90
Wish You Were HereSixteen Bits foriegn correspondent John Saxonchecks in from Pasadena California
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 21
Tyan Tomcat 3 with 512K - $145 (the oneI paid $220 for 4 months ago - Oh wellthatrsquos life at the bleeding edge)
RAM8Mb 60ns EDO - $35 A$48 (Brand name$2 more) 16Mb 60ns EDO - $74 A$102
CPUsPentium Pro 150 Mhz - $179 A$247Pentium MMX 200 Mhz - $538 A$742(prediction - $300 by Dec 97)
CDROM Drives6X - $55 A$76 (Untested - as is)X12 Acer - $100 A$138X2 7 disk changer - $50 A$69(Untested - as is)JVC X4 read X2 write - $259A$357X16 (LiteOn = no name Nicebox) - $108 A$149
HDDsWD Caviar 25 Gb - $225 A$311Maxstor 13 Gb - $170 A$234
ModemsUS Robotics Courier 56 Kbs +Voice - $163 A$225 No name 336Kbs + SVDS - $67 A$92 (and goingdown)
Odd stuff2 Mb VGA cards as low as $45 A$62Cheapest parallel port flatbed scanner -$203 A$280
Stocking stuffers 230 Watt powersupplies - $17 A$23IDE HDD mobile rack with lock - $12A$17 TEAC 144 MbFDD - $20 A$28
The only direct comparison with FRYrsquosprices was for the HP 32 Gb tape backupunit - $209 at FRYrsquos - $149 at the marketSo it can definitely be worth the trip BUTsome of the dealers may not be around toolong to honour warranties and there aresome definitely ldquoshonkyrdquo practices goingon An example is the almost universalpractice of breaking up CDROM ldquobundlesrdquoto sell separately a practice much frownedupon by OEMs Caveat Emptor
So what was hot or different at thismarketplace
Well the new ATX format motherboardsand cases seemed to be selling well Forthose who donrsquot know - ATX is the new
mechanical layout with some electricalimprovements agreed by the major man-ufacturers (the first major mechanicalchange since the original PC) The mostobvious difference in the new motherboardsis on-board connectors (including USB andIR) and externally removable panels on thecases (you need a new case and Powersupply with the new motherboards) Butthere are many more changes infunctionality including ldquogreenrdquo systemPower supply control - never turn the system
off (except by unplugging it) Boards were$150 A$207 and up and cases with PSUsaround $75 A$104
Recordable CDROM drives were sellingwell with media down to $8 A$11 Didnrsquotsee any of the new DVD CD-ROM drivesbut these shows are not generally ldquocuttingedgerdquo more concentration on lower (slightlytrailing edge) prices
But I tried on a great pair of LCD 3Dglasses with modified game software - veryimpressive results The glasses switch 48times per sec (some noticeable flicker) andcome with a CDROM which include driversand some modified ldquoshoot-em-uprdquo gamesDescent 3D Nukem Doom etc for a totalof $99 A$137 The same stand also sold a4MB 128 bit Video card with hardwareMPEG2 decompression for $159 A$219Terminator-2 at full screen and full ratelooking better than your average TV
I even saw a $999 A$1378 home-use2-axis VR - that is Virtual Reality - chaircontrolled by the joystick It is quite quiet(as far as I could tell in amongst the racket)and apparently air driven with 50 degreesmovement in pitch and 55 degrees in roll
The monitor mounts in front of your kneesand the keyboard (for an optional operator -or simulation controller) behind the seatback There were speakers and joystick builtin also It seemed to be very fast and wasquite nauseating to watch Combine thiswith the 3D glasses for a total experience(if your stomach could take it)
There are probably more software thanhardware stands with CDROMs from $199up to $199 A$275 for Office 97 Pro upgrade(probably another unbundling job) Also 3
or 4 book stores - selling at coverprice less 25 for one book to coverprice less 35 for 5 or more books
Not all the stands are totallycomputer oriented There are a fairsprinkling of chiropractors (on thespot diagnosis) ldquoself defenserdquostands (mace amp pepper sprayselectric stun guns and (strangely)large knives) Cell phones pagerscigars and jewelry etc - you nameit A pretty large curtained off area(over 21 only) had several dealersselling thousands of ldquoadultrdquoCDROMs and videos A nice
change from the ldquooldrdquo days when that stuffwas included on most stands One of theradio stations was giving out ldquoEarthquakepreparationrdquo leaflets - modern times in LA
What did I buy Well - very restrainedfor me Only 16 Mb (2 X 8 Mb EDOSIMMs) of RAM - name brand (Toshiba) at$38 (A$52) each Also an HP Deskjetprinter colour refill kit At $55 (A$76) it waspretty expensive but it is supposed to refillcolour cartridges up to 24 times and B ampW up to 6 times so it could well be worth it- came with a package of business card paper(my choice parchment) also Oh and a W95or 31 Wincheck Version 40 softwarepackage at $1495 A$21 - I couldnrsquot resist
So after 2 12 hours I had taken a quickcheck around all the stands with no repeatsand I was out of there - all computered out(at least for one day) Irsquove been to that showat least 6 to 8 times before plus othersaround LA and I still get a mild adrenalinerush when going in - calculated to causeshopping frenzy
22 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Confused aboutYoursquore not alone
By Nhan Tran
Getting onto the InternetYoursquove heard about the informationsuperhighway and you want to know moreYour kids want to get on the Internet butyou donrsquot know how to give them a driveYou have been using the Internet but whenyou asked for help you could not explainyour problems to the experts This article(or maybe a series of articles) gives you thewhole picture and some explanation on thevehicle you use to get on the superhighway
The SuperhighwayThe Internet is a complex (and sometimesconvoluted) network of superhighways Theroads may be a six-lane freeway a four-lanehighway a side street or even a narrow alleyThey may be on the ground above groundunderground at the bottom of the seas orflying high with the satellites in space
On top of that you donrsquot actually driveyour car It is driven by an automatic driverwhich is nearly blind and canrsquot see fartherthan the next turn It is weird It is unnaturalwhich may be the reason why it works andthe other ldquowell-designedrdquo networks failedThe whole network is based on the conceptof ldquobest effortsrdquo That is the robot driverswould try their best but not guarantee thatthey would take you to the destination
They try to find the best route for you Itmeans that if the road is too congested theymay make a U-turn get off the freeway andcrawl through a labyrinth of cat alleys Theroads are like the real ones sometimes thereis almost no traffic at all other times theylook like a huge car park The matter getsworse when you take into account of thedifferent timezones around the world Oneorsquoclock in Australia may be the rush hourin another country and if you want to getinformation from there you get caught inthe traffic
Because of these characteristicssomeone (I think it was Mitch Kapor thespreadsheet inventor) has made a comment
like ldquothe information superhighway is a ten-lane freeway in one direction and an ox-cart path in the otherrdquo
But if you can go to where you wantwould you care I donrsquot I treat the wholenetwork like a fuzzy cloud that magicallygives me the new freedom the newcommunity and the new set of problems
The Highway RampSo how do you get on this super highwayThere are places which are connected to thehighway network on one side and entrancesfor you to enter on the other They are calledservers Normally what you see on theInternet is what is stored at these serversbecause most people like you donrsquot wantstrangers to access your PC (I wouldnrsquot leta stranger into my house) Luckily there aremany servers with many goodies to look ator play with
Getting onto these servers is not easyYou use a modem connected to a phone lineto call the modem on the server When theserver modem answers the call they wouldstart the process of synchronisation Toomany standards and too many brands If youare unlucky your modem may refuse to talkto the other modem and you would spendhours of frustration and get a huge phonebill
The high pitch tone you hear from themodem is this process When both modemssatisfy that they can reliably talk to eachother the noise stops Then itrsquos the butlerrsquosturn
The ButlerThere is a very important program for yourInternet access It is a program that asks the
modem to make the call to the server andwhen connected requests a login on yourbehalf to the server
What is a login You come to a friendrsquosplace knock the door or ring the bellSomeone in the house would ask ldquowho isthererdquo and yoursquod say ldquoitrsquos just merdquo Yourfriend recognises your voice opens the doorand let you in If you work in a securedenvironment every morning when you enterthe building you would show your ID cardto the security guard
Your username (or user ID or login ID)and your password are equivalent to the IDcard If you get the dreaded ldquoaccess deniedrdquoit means (a) you (or the program that doeson your behalf) entered incorrect username(b) you entered wrong password or (c) youran out of access hours or the accessexpired or your PCUG membership
expiredThis program is
always there rendashgardless of how youstart your Internetsession Some
access the Internet by Eudora some byMicrosoft Internet Explorer some useNetscape They either have a built-inprogram to do this job or automatically callthis program to make the connection Evenif you donrsquot see it on the screen it is runningin the background The popular PC prondashgrams that can do this task are TrumpetWinsock (or TCPMAN) Shiva Chameleonor Dial-up Networking Connect etc
Once the connection is established thisprogram will take on the task of a butlerserving other programs Letrsquos look at thefollowing analogy
Letrsquos assume that you (or to be precisethe PC programs such as Eudora MSInternet Explorer Netscape etc) were aninvalid confined in a room You would needa butler to help you getting things outside
ldquoThe roads may be a six-lane freeway a four-lanehighway a side street or even a narrow alleyrdquo
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 23
the Internet
the room When you (Eudora InternetMail Netscape Mail) wanted to checkyour mail yoursquod ask the butler to checkthe letter box and bring letters to yourbed When you wanted to send lettersto friends or relative yoursquod ask thebutler to take it to the post office
When you (Free Agent InternetNews Netscape News) wanted to readnewspaper yoursquod ask the butler to goto the newsagent and buy newspaper foryou When you (Internet ExplorerNetscape Opera) wanted a book or avideo yoursquod ask the butler to buy suchand such books or videos for you
It is so important that without it youcanrsquot get anything f rom thesuperhighway So if you started yoursession from Trumpet Winsock whenthe connection has been made (ie whenyou see the message ldquoMy IP address is2031076xxxrdquo) donrsquot close or exit theprogram Minimise it and let it run inthe background so that it can serve otherprograms Otherwise you would getstrange and incomprehensible errormessage such as ldquowinsockdll missingrdquo(trust a programmer to tell you whatrsquoswrong in the program he or she wrote)
Thatrsquos enough for the boring stuffNext t ime wersquo l l ta lk about emai l(eletronic mail) news World Wide Web(if the Queen is doing it so why canrsquotwe) and other mysteries of the Internet
Internet Clinics are normally held at the PCUG Centre Northpoint PlazaBelconnen the first Saturday of each month 930am to 1pm There is nocost involved
So if you (or another PCUG member you know of) are having problemsyou (or they) will be welcome to attend It is suggested that you call thePCUG Centre on the day and check with the staffer that we are notoverloaded before coming along
To get a problem on your PC resolved it is essential that you bring all ofthe following items with you
bull PC and Monitor plus all interconnecting cables
bull Mouse
bull Keyboard
bull Modem
bull Modem power supply
bull Modem cables - from PC to modemand from modem to telephone socket
bull Modem and PC manuals amp documentation
bull All of your software disks -
ie Win31 or Windows95 disksCD
If you dont have a PC to fix but you want to get some guidance on someparticular aspect of using TIP please feel free to come along and simplytalk to us
Clinics are not a free softwaremodem installation service We do expectyou to have made a reasonable attempt at getting the software installed ampworking
David Schwabe dschwabepcugorgau
The Internet Clinic
24 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
A t the start of this year I startedto get interested again in an oldheroine from days of misspentyouth in the rsquo70s New York
underground poet-turned-singer Patti Smithldquothe Bob Dylan of the punk scenerdquoThought Irsquod see whether there was anythingon the Web and found anexcellent site at httpwwwoceanstarcompatti Tomy astonishment I found thatshe was in Australia on her firstmajor tour anywhere in years mainly for theBig Day Out outdoor concerts
I had heard of the Big Day Out tour viaTriple J but this was the first Irsquod heard ofher being on the bill After seeing other re-formed punk heroes Radio Birdman and theSex Pistols in 1996 was it possible I couldmake the trifecta Alas the Sydney eventhad been booked out for two weeks
Via the JJJ Web site httpwwwabcnetautriplejdefaulthtm I found theBig Day Out Web site httpstarbaitbdocomaustarbaitbdo and loand behold they were having live conndashnections to the Melbourne concert on the25th January via the Internet with the
assistance of a US-based organisation calledThe Campus (wwwthecampuscom) If Icouldnrsquot be there in Sydney to see Patti inperson this would be as close as I couldget In addition I had always seemed to findout about real-time events on the Web justafter theyrsquod occurred and here at least wasan opportunity to be in at the start it wouldbe an interesting technical exercise ifnothing else
First choice was browser InternetExplorer 3 or Netscape Navigator 3 I gatherIrsquom not unlike many in having been initiallybowled over with IE3 then finding that itwas less robust and in particular made fargreater demands on temporary storage thanNetscape With little free disk space and
being about to try all sortsof new things I decided toplay safe and use Navigator
The Big Day Out Website (figure 1) was well done
and looked great including animatedgraphics and good use of frames but wasif anything as the British say ldquotoo cleverby halfrdquo For example you selected optionsvia a Shockwave animation of ducks in ashooting gallery click the mouse on a duckwhen an alternative was highlighted yoursquodhear a BANG the duck would flop overbackwards and yoursquod be off to that optionVery cute very clever and very slow andfrustrating for actually going anywhere Inaddition it appeared that when you went tosome pages they called up some trick Javacode which brought up Netscape sessionsin what looked like Kiosk mode no menusLooked neat but again a nuisance The sitehad its own mascot a sort of anime-stylekick-boxing heroine called Miss Starbait (Iassume a risque in-joke try saying the namequickly)
Once you got to it the information wasthorough and well laid out A list of artistsincluded links for those who had Web pagesThere was a page on the Auckland concert(first in the series) with photos etc For eachcity on the tour the site had links to maps ofthe venues and also timetables I foundfrom this that in Melbourne Patti Smithwould be on Stage C 540 PM for an hour
There were two main components to theInternet part of the day a Real Audio feedwith both backstage comments and the
via the Internet or -the boy looked at PattiO
BDig
ayut
by Malcolm Street
Figure 1
This is the era where everybody createsPatti Smith - ldquoSo you want to be a Rock n Roll Starrdquo 1979
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 25
stage and a new form of conferencingsoftware called The Palace where artistswould come for QampA sessions with fansIrsquod experimented with Real Audio but notto any great depth and had never even heardof Palace and I had to get this all togetherin a day Fortunately there were direct linkson the Big Day Out Web site
While I had a Real Audio stand-aloneplayer one page on the site came up with ablank expecting a Real Audio plug-in Ontothe Net to the Real Audio page todownload Real Audio player version 3Install restart Navigator back to the pageand voila A Real Audio control in themiddle of a Web page Painless
Then to work out which ISP to useUnfortunately the weekend was the onebefore the ldquoearly birdrdquo credits expired forTIP and I presume because of this it wasalmost impossible to get on One time whenI did get on I tested the Real Audiobackstage feed from Melbourne and foundI was only getting a 144k stream and poorquality at that I had a second backupaccount with Access One with a higherspeed (and far more expensive) networkand found that I could get a stable 288kReal Audio stream so that was going to be
what Irsquod have to use Not to mention thatthe time Patti Smith would be on would bepeak time anyway
Next step was to find Palace again viaa direct link from the BDO page to httpwwwthepalacecom I had used forms of
3D interactive software but Palace wasdifferent much simpler just 2D backndashgrounds Really a sort of IRC withbackdrops and sound effects For the BigDay Out the organisers had produced theirown backgrounds and sounds and I had todownload those as well from their siteHowever there were no instructions on howto set them up so it ended up being trialand error until I got it to work puttingimages and sounds in separate subdirndashectories under the Palace directory
Finally I had Palace running with the BigDay Out backdrops and found myselfoutside a circus tent which included livelinks to the Big Day Out and Campus Webpages (figure 2) Moving ldquoinsiderdquo the tentgot me to an area where I could don aparticular costume however choices werelimited for non-registered users andappeared to reset so I had to be content withthe default avatar a soft of sphere with aface on it (figure 3)
Finally there was the conference tentitself guarded by a fearsome lookingdoorman who asked for a passwordClicking on his lady companion told you tolook in the log Once Irsquod figured out howto do that I found it ldquomama cazrdquo Typedthat in response to the doorman and whoafound myself in this psychedelic room whichwas to be the conference area (figure 4)
Figure 3
Figure 2
26 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
I knew when Patti Smith was going tobe on stage what I didnrsquot know was whenshersquod be in conference in the Palace I waslistening to the back stage chatter via RealAudio this time more organised as Campuswas acting as ldquoon line radio stationrdquobroadcasting to the USA ldquoAustraliarsquosLollapolloozardquo and in the middle of this Iheard them give times for different artistsbeing in the virtual tent with Patti Smithroughly 430 Problem solved
430 arrived Back on line into the tentanother band (Supergrass) being inndashterviewed The conference area is now fullof faces with a still photo of the band downthe bottom left-hand corner Irsquove had verylittle experience with IRC and this seemsvery similar hard to follow with variousthreads of conversation going on sindashmultaneously but I gradually tune in to itTherersquos a thread going about problemspeople are having with reliably picking upReal Audio - oh dear As well as a fewAustralians there are a couple of Americansin there and a South African Then see thatPatti Smith is about to come on And sureenough C 440 the picture changes and thereshe is
Unfortunately the session is a bit of ashambles Unlike the younger artists (sherecently turned 50) she does not appear tobe familiar with the technology andsomeone else is doing the typing for herslowing down and complicating exchangesSeems to be the passing of the torch - a bitof a fish out of water in the environment ofa younger generation The bass player ofher backing group had suffered concussion20 minutes before from a collision with arogue door hence her lateness Thingsfinally get under way (one person ldquoa fanfrom WAY backrdquo says ldquonot many questionsjust adorationrdquo I can relate to that) but justas itrsquos building up a head of steam she getsa long phone call (presumably about the bassplayer) and has to call it quits prematurely
Irsquoll just have to wait and see if theconcert is any better
Well the concert is indeed better In factwhen I can hear it clearly (see later) itrsquoswonderful She starts with an early poemroaring it out with authority then afterthanks to JJJ who are handling the broadcastto the Internet and to the absent bass player
launches into the concert proper a greatblend of old and new
The sound quality is to put it mildlyvariable It was much better in earlier gigsthat day with Australian bands but itappears to drop off markedly on this onePerhaps too many people on at onceAmerican fans connecting in to hear one ofher first big shows in years Checking withstatistics in Real Audio shows theconnection approaching 20 loss in someearly songs leaving a very jerky soundFortunately it improves later with lossesdown to around 4 and sound quiteacceptable (People dropping out infrustration) However later on a fewoccasions the sound drops out completelyand I have to wait while it restarts somendashtimes for a couple of minutes
Then just as the concert comes to ashattering climax heading into one of myfavourite songs of hers a demolition of VanMorisonrsquos Gloria the Real Audio feed goesfor me at least dead Stone cold dead It islike the other times when it has dropped outbut this time it wonrsquot recover BummerAfter several minutes I can get the feedagain but just get an empty stage waitingfor the next band
So that was it a frustrating end to afrustrating but fascinating day At best thesound quality was am radio standards Butthen again these are very early days and Ican remember worse am radio sounds ontransistor radios as a kid in the lsquo60rsquos Avideo feed would have been real nice butone thing that is obvious from this exerciseis that live audio let alone live video ispushing current Internet technology to itslimits and beyond with a large numbers ofsimultaneous users in a function like thisSo as with so much on the Net wersquore seeingthe first glimpses of something that will takeanother generation of technology to becomepractical But hey this is the world of theNet and another generation could be onlysix months away
Later that night I connect to the Palacesite again and find a note at the tent to sayit was all over and to check up next week Ido indeed and they reckon over 100000people worldwide connected to the site thatone day and that the live broadcast of PattiSmithrsquos complete concert was a world firstApart from catching up with an old idol Irsquodseen a glimpse of a communications futureof being part of an event shared interactivelylive world-wide yet another step towardsthe Global Village
Figure 4
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 27
Stuffed AgainThe following members and friendsare thanked for assisting with stuffingour journal for mailing
Andrew amp Bruce Bartlett
Bruce Black
Owen Cook
Eddie de Bear
John Dyer
Bob Ecclestone
Rufus Garcia
Sally Hammon
John Hempenstall
Joy Hewett
Sue amp Jim Hume
Jenny Laraman
Alan Lockett
David Meggs
Allan Mikkelsen
Don Nicol
Gloria Robbins
Keith Sayers
Rod Smith
John Starr
Bob Summersby
Michael Taylor
Gordon Urquhart
Anne WarrenerWe are always looking for volunteersto assist us with the lsquostuffingrsquo of ourjournal We start around 530pm(latecomers are welcome) usually on the2nd last Monday of every month andare generally finished by 800pmRefreshments are provided and any ofyour knotty computer problems can bedebated lsquoat the round tablersquo in congenialcompany If you would like to helpplease ring Petra Dwyer at the PCUGCentre on 253 4911 and she will fill youin on all the details
Next Stuffing530pm Monday 19 May 1997at Northpoint Plaza Belconnen
(see map page 6)
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Oz User GroupsAdelaide PC Users GroupPO Box 2541Kent Town SA 5071(08) 332-7021Margi McLeay (Sec)Meet 730pm 3rd Tuesday of themonth at Enterprise House 136Greenhill Road Unley Visitors $5
Brisbane PC Users Group(Brisbug)PO Box 985Toowong QLD 4066(07) 3273 7266 Info Line(07) 3281 6503Lloyd Smith (Pres)Meet 12 noon 3rd Sunday of themonth at Bardon Professional Cntr
Darwin ComputerUsers ClubGary Drake (Vice President)(089) 324 107 h(089) 450 091 wEmail acsntacslinknetau
Melbourne PC User Group2nd Floor 66 Albert RoadSouth Melbourne VIC 3205(03) 9699 6222 10am - 330pm(03) 9699 6499 FaxEmail officemelbpcorgauHome Page httpwwwmelbpcorgauMeet 6pm 1st Wednesday of themonth (except Jan) at PharmacyCollege 381 Royal Parade Parkville
Perth PC Users GroupPO Box 997West Perth WA 6872(09) 399 7264 Trevor Davis (Pres)Meet 600pm 1st Wednesday of themonth at Ross Lecture TheatrePhysics Building University of WANedlands
Sydney PC Users GroupPO Box A2162Sydney South NSW 2000(02) 972 2133 Michelle DonaldMeet 6pm 1st Tuesday of the monthat main auditorium TeachersFederation 300 Sussex StreetSydney
28 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Features include fun animation sound effectsand a high-score listing Reg Fee $15
COMET13Comet Busters 13 is an incredible high-speedarcade game for WIN31 You must clear thecolourful asteroids and occasional alienspacecraft from the screen before you canproceed to the next deadly level This gamefeatures beautiful 256-colour ray-tracedgraphics and digital sound effects Reg Fee $9
HMN32V11Hangman (BB) 111 is a word-guessing gamefor Win95 that can help grade school-agechildren improve their vocabulary andspelling Features include an editable wordlist the ability to include definitions with eachword mouse or keyboard input and moreRequires the 32-bit VB runtime files Reg Fee$5
PDHP97SUPrairie Dog Hunt PRO rsquo97is a shooting gamefor Windows that allows you to participate inthe wholesale slaughter of harmless mammalswithout all the mess Features include 360
LIBRARY Phil Trudinger
The files described in this article are on theMarch 1997 CD-ROM (PsL Vol 5 3) whichis currently on the Bulletin Board all are ZIPfiles Please quote the month or Vol whenordering files on disk
The text files CD1 to 7 inclusive in Area 1 ofthe Bulletin Board are the monthly CD-ROMfile lists
Reminder
Most CD-ROM programs are Shareware Areasonable time (generally one month) isallowed for evaluation but if you continue touse a program beyond this time you shouldcomply with the authorrsquos conditions thatusually require payment of a registration feeBear in mind that this is the only way by whichan author receives any reward for hisherefforts Unless otherwise stated registrationfees are in US dollars
NEW AND UPDATEDWINDOWS PROGRAMS
(An asterisk denotes Windows 95specificity or compatibility)
GAMES
AGNSETUPAGNS - A Game of Naval Strategy 162 is agame of naval warfare for Windows whereyour objective is to sink the computerrsquos unitsor capture his main base Each turn consistsof a plot movement phase air combat phasemovement and combat phase air strike returnphase and a repairbuild phase Thissequence is repeated until one side claimsvictory Reg Fee $15
BG17Backgammon by George 17 is an excellentgame of backgammon for Windows You canplay against the computer (with four differentskill levels) or against a human opponentOther features include the ability to saverecall games many unique customisingoptions computer-suggested moves andmore Reg Fee $15
BNW10ABuild lsquon Win 10a is an interesting strategicgame for Windows where two players buildtheir opponentrsquos game boards and try to makethem as difficult as possible to complete
degree scrolling scenery excellent animationdigitised sound effects multiple skill levelsand a high-score hall of fame Reg Fee $20
SANWHRTSSanDearsquos Hearts for Windows 100 allowsyou to play the classic card game Hearts inWindows Features include support for up to12 computer players modem play the abilityto create a hand an undo option the ability tosave and rotate a hand and more Reg Fee$10
TILES95BTiles and Tribulations 152 is a challenginggame for Win95 where you try to catch fallingcoloured tiles and drop them into bins in alogical manner Any three (or more) tiles ofthe same colour in bins going horizontallyvertically or diagonally will be removed andincrease your score Reg Fee $22
GRAPHICS
CPLAY2Childrsquos Play IIis a 256-colour paint programfor children It occupies the full screen to help
SOFTWARE
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 29
prevent the child from going to other applic-ations Features include unique graphicspecial effects rubber stamps various screenerasers fun sound effects the ability to loadsaveprint images and more This is anexcellent program with many creative optionsto keep the little ones busy for hours Reg Fee$20-$25
GIFCON32GIF Construction Set 95 109 is a powerfulcollection of tools to work with multiple-block GIF files in Win95 It will allow you toassemble GIF files containing image blocksplain text blocks comment blocks and controlblocks and provides facilities to managepalettes and merge multiple GIF files togetherRequires a minimum of 4MB RAM but 8MBis recommended Reg Fee $20
ICN95525Icons Control 95 525 displays up to 100icons at a time for quick viewing printingcopying renaming moving or deleting Apowerful icon editor is also providedRequires Win95 Reg Fee $25
SD95INSTSmartDraw 95 30 is a powerful drawingprogram for Win95 It allows you to easilycreate great looking flowcharts diagrams andbusiness graphics Features include drag anddrop drawing OLE support full compatibil-ity between 16 and 32-bit versions filesharing the ability to send drawings on mail-enabled systems and much moreSDINSTALis the Win31 version Reg Fee $49
FONTS
FLFontLister (32-bit) 15 displays all installedfonts in Win95 You can also print a completefont listing or just some sample text with aselected font Reg Fee $0
FONTSHOWFontShow (32-bit) 22 allows you easily toview the TrueType fonts installed in Win95NT Options are included to display user-specified sample text in place of the normalfont name and alphanumeric character setThe size and face of the currently selectedfont can be quickly changed and the resultsdisplayed automatically Reg Fee $0
FONTW11FontWindow 11 displays all your Windowsfonts on screen so you can quickly see whichfont you want to use It can be set to stay ontop so you can view fonts while running otherprograms Reg Fee $29-$39
SERIFRACSeriFractions is a TrueType font that has a fullset of diagonal and vertical fractions for 12through 89 and also 16ths and 32nds It alsohas a partial set of mathematical symbolsincluding the true multiplication (x) symbolReg Fee $10
SYMSELSymbol Selector 11 allows you to easilyselect and copy symbols from TrueType fonts
that are of the ldquosymbolrdquo variety (such asWingdings and Symbols) to the WindowsClipboard Reg Fee $0
INTERNET
ADZAP10AdZapper 10 is an add-on for NetscapeNavigator to ldquozaprdquo (eliminate) annoyingadvertisements Reg Fee $20
AWN95AutoWinNet95 10 lets you perform commonInternet tasks on a scheduled basis You cancreate an ldquoagendardquo with dozens of stepsincluding updownloading email retrievingand sending obtaining weather updates andmore Requires Win95 Reg Fee $30
GGI11Go-Get-It 110 performs exhaustive preciseand ultra-fast searches of the Internet using acombination of keyword search Usenetnewsgroups search and various searchengines Features include automatic retrievalof all found web pages and informationoptional storage in separate folders to be usedlater and more Reg Fee $40
MASNDW32MailSend (32-bit) 3x is an add-on forMicrosoft Mail and Win95 that allows you tosend messages from the command line orfrom batch files Reg Fee $49
ND276BNetDial 276b is an Internet dialler forWindows It will call your host log you inand automatically start your TCPIP packagefor you Features include support for up to 5separate configuration connections baud ratesupport to 256k redial up to 99 times WAVsound file support and more Reg Fee $20
PRO12Teleport Pro 120 is a multi-threaded file-retrieving offline-browsing webspider forWin95 It scans the Internet for files or sites ofinterest and downloads them to your harddrive for fast offline access Features includeadvanced file typesize matching keywordfilters the ability to handle proxy servers andpassword-protected sites automatic retriesand more Reg Fee $40
TRAW3215Trawler (32-BIT) 15 allows you to interact-ively browse and gather information from theWeb It automatically follows links andretrieves pages to your hard drive It can evenfollow links from different web databasessimultaneously Reg Fee $35
30 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
MISCELLANEOUS
CALC9534Calc95 34 is a scientificengineeringcalculator for Win95 with a wide range ofbuilt-in units conversions and physicalconstants Reg Fee $25
GL10DThe GL Store for Windows 10d is a completedouble-entry general ledger accountingprogram for Windows It maintains 10000 GLaccounts multiple companies budgets 3-Dcolour graphs recurring accounts multipledepartments and detailed reports Reg Fee $79
HBGHome Business Guide 30 is a Windows-based guide to starting a business from homeIt discusses selecting planning and startingyour own business and covers resourcestools and help available Reg Fee $0
TIMCLK13PC-TimeClock for Windows 13 keeps trackof time yoursquove spent on your computer Timeis charged to one or more projects from yourlist by ldquopunching inrdquo when you begin work oneach project Reg Fee $18
MUSIC
MT32_16A Musical Tutorial for Windows (32-bit) 160provides an excellent way to encouragemusical study using the graphically-orientedenvironment of Win95 This includes a chorddictionary musical games the ability to playview and print scales chords and triads a userlog and much more This is suitable for bothchildren and adults Reg Fee $25
SCALEIT4ScAleIt 40 is a musical scalecordeducational package for Windows It candisplay all the chords and scales with all rootsand all inversions Features include aneditable database the ability to play chordsscales through your sound card MIDIsupport a solving function and much more800x600 screen resolution is recommendedReg Fee $0
PHONEADDRESS BOOKS
AM_PB45Phone Book for Windows 45 is a nameaddress database for WIN31 Fields areprovided for name addresses two phonenumbers fax and comments Other featuresinclude phone dialling over a modemsearching capabilities printing options andmore Reg Fee $17
BAM211Burrilliant Address Manager 211 helpsorganise all of your phone numbers address-es birthdays account numbers and more inWin95 All personal or business informationcan be printed for your day planner in a cleanattractive format Reg Fee $15
CARDBASECardBase (32-bit) 23 is a combinationaddress book and phone dialler for Win95NT Along with the regular fields for namesaddresses and phone numbers it can alsostore email addresses FAX numbers and website URLs Cards can be quickly sorted byname or custom card groups Searching andsorting operations are fast and intuitive RegFee $0
PHNMKR18Phone Book Maker 18 allows you to createphone books in pocket 12 letter and lettersize Features include 30 useful fields perrecord standard envelope printing powerfulindexfiltersearch facilities importexportcapabilities in variety of formats virtuallyunlimited records and more Reg Fee $50
SCREEN SAVERS
ADRF3210Adrift Screensaver (32-bit) 100 displaysbeautiful floating line patterns on your Win95desktop Reg Fee $14
AURADEMOAurora Screen Savers is a screen savermodule for Windows that simulates a 3-Djourney through the Aurora Borealis Twelvedifferent colour patterns are available Thisversion displays a nag box in the upper leftcorner of the screen Requires 256-colourvideo Reg Fee $18
BLKBRD15Blackbird Screen Saver 15 is a Windowsscreen saver module that displays photos ofthe SR-71 spy plane in action Requires 256-colour video and 4MB RAM Reg Fee $15
BOMBER15Bombs Away 150 is a slideshow screensaver for Windows with 256-colour digitisedphotos of jet bombers in action Requires4MB memory Reg Fee $15
BOTANICABotanica Screen Savers is a screen savermodule for Windows that displays a virtualgarden of growing plants and flowers inbeautiful variations of colour and shape
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 31
Twelve different savers are provided eachwith their own unique patterns Requires 256-colour VGA and VBRUN300 Reg Fee $18
JEWELJewelBox 10 is a screen saver for Windowsthat displays colourful ldquojewelsrdquo that appear togrow on your screen Features includeinteractive options a variety of palettechoices and more Reg Fee $18
JOTREE15Joshua Tree Screen Saver 150 displays thestark beauty of the California desert capturedin stunning 24-bit colour images Requires a386+ 4MB RAM and 256-colour video RegFee $15
METALLIXMetallix is a screen saver module for Win-dows that displays metallic sculptures whichunfold in unique and unpredictable patternscreating a mesmerising transformative effectThere are twelve different savers to choosefrom each with its own distinct settingsRequires 256-colour VGA and VBRUN300Reg Fee $19
NIAGRA15Niagara Falls Screen Saver 150 is a screensaver module for Windows with photos of thefalls and immediate vicinity The photos rotateautomatically when activated Requires 256-colour video and 4MB memory Reg Fee $15
PICSHO32MyPictureShow32 is a Win95 screen saver inwhich the visual content is supplied by yourown collection of computer images There isno limit to the number of pictures you canuse and nine different display modes areavailable The slideshow mode allows achoice of 17 transition styles Other featuresinclude support for BMPJPGGIF graphicfiles password protection automatic scalingof large images to available screen size and
more This demo version will run 20 timesthen disables itself Reg Fee $16
SSCR8R21My Own Screen Saver 21 allows you tocreate your own screen saver using yourfavourite images and pictures You cancombine selected BMP DIB and WMF fileswith 32 different visual effects Reg Fee $20
TWIST151Twister Screen Saver 151 is a 32-bit screensaver for Win95 that transforms your desktopinto a windy landscape with one or moretwisters moving everything deforming yourdesktop making everything a mess You canconfigure the wind speed number of twistersthe twisterrsquos speed and more Reg Fee $8
VENIC12Venice Screen Saver 12 is a Windows screensaver module that displays graphics thatsimulate floating through the canals of Veniceon your gondola as Italian music and the
sound of splashing waves fills the air Reg Fee$29-$39
VIDSAVVidSaver 11 is a Windows screen saver thatplays video clips and animations while yourcomputer is idle Reg Fee $20
TEXT EDITING
EDT236PEM EdTex for Windows 95 236 is a 32-bittext editor for Win95 It can edit a maximumof 2000000 characters and 30000 linesOther features include macro support printingoptions word wrap multiple undoredoblock editing and more Reg Fee $35
GTE32R15GWD Text Editor (32-bit) 15 is a powerfultext editing package for Win95 Featuresinclude support for macros unlimited filesize print preview a built-in spell checker anautosave option support for DOSUNIXMactext file formats and much more Reg Fee$20
JW32T22CJ-Write for Windows (32-bit) 22 is a fullfeatured editor for general text files and emailFeatures include the ability to edit very largefiles support for any ANSI font configurabletab settings and four line wrap modes multi-level undoredo and more Reg Fee $30
QUIKDC11QuikDict Spelling Dictionary 11 is a pop updictionary accessible from the Win95 ToolTray Features include the ability to spellcheck all words as they are typed alphabeticand ldquosounds likerdquo word matching over91000 EnglishAmerican words in thedictionary the ability to automatically pastethe correct spelling back to the clipboard andmore Reg Fee $19
SCRATCH4Scratch Pad (32-bit) 21 is a text editor forWin95 Features include the ability toautomatically capture clipboard information aprint preview function undo facilities andmore Reg Fee $15
TXEDITTxEdit (32-bit) 25 is an easy-to-use texteditor that makes a nice replacement for theWin95 Notepad Features include the abilityto viewedit multiple documents search andreplace options drag-and-drop support MacUnix file support and more Reg Fee $0
32 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
TXP3223TextPad (32-bit) 23 is a text editor forWin95NT It can handle files with up to32000 lines of 4095 characters with multiplesimultan-eous edits and up to two views oneach document Other features include fullundoredo facilities print previewing atoolbar for frequently-used commands abuilt-in file manager support for Unix andMacintosh text file formats drag-and-dropsupport and much more TXP1223 is theWin31 version Reg Fee $27-$35
UTILITIES
ADDIT10ES Adding-Machine 10 is a unique calculatorfor Windows that is designed for adding upcolumns of figures Entered figures areretained on-screen and can be edited so youwonrsquot have to start again if you are interrupt-ed or make a mistake Reg Fee $40
CIDV09CIDview monitors a selected telephone lineand reports the Caller ID whenever there is anincoming call The details of incominginformation will be automatically displayedon your screen with the Caller ID informationstaying visible for 10 seconds Reg Fee $9
DLLCHK95DLL Check 95is a DLL management utilityfor Win95 Features include the ability tocreate a log of all modules that load or unloadin a session the ability to search for duplicatemodules and a detailed information displayfor selected modules Reg Fee $80
EASYZIPEasy Zip (32-bit) 10 makes it incredibly easyto archive files with PKZIP in Win95 Itallows you to use point-and-click operationsinstead of all the context-switching and messybatch files of manually using PKZIP fromDOS Reg Fee $1850
HDLED11Hard Disk LED 11 simulates a hard disk lightthat flashes every time there is disk activityAn icon appears on the Win95 task bar andflashes every time the system accesses yourhard drive Reg Fee $5
HYSNP278HyperSnap 278 allows you to capture thedesktop highlighted window areas or user-defined areas in Win95NT Features includehotkey support cropping facilities the ability
to save images in BMPGIFJPEG format andmuch more Reg Fee $20
LONGSAVELongSave 101 is used to save the list of longfile names and short names to a commadelimited ASCI text file The short names canthen be backed up or zipped or copied withutilities that are not long-file-name-awareAfter the files are transferred it uses theASCII file to restore the original long file
names This must be run from a DOS sessionunder Win95 Reg Fee $25-$95
REDH22Red Hand 22 tells you exactly what someonedid on your computer while you were awayexactly when they did it and how long it tookWindows can be discretely ldquolockedrdquo toprevent access and will simply close themimmediately or send an error message of yourchoice You can control exactly which areasof your computer that you do not want othersto have access to Reg Fee $25
RMVR32RemoveR 161 helps delete unneeded filesfrom your hard drive after you have installed aprogram in Win95 It will take a snapshot ofthe drive before an installation then you cancompare the current status of your files withthat last stored All files that have been addeddeleted will be shown on the results screenFrom this screen you can highlight certainfiles andor directories and delete them orsave the list for later deletion Reg Fee $5-$40
SENTRY95Sentry 95will prevent all unauthorised usersfrom accessing the Win95 desktop wheneveryour computer boots Reg Fee $14
SU96_402StepUprsquo96 402 contains a set of utilitieswhich make working with Win95NT easierand faster This includes a user-customisableStepUp Menu smart Folder Navigatorsophisticated Menu Designer and a powerful
File Handler It also provides handy taskbaricons for fast exit CD-ROM Autorun onoffand more Reg Fee $30
V95I208EVirusScan for Win95 253 is a native Win95application that detects and removes comp-uter viruses Reg Fee $65
YATS32Yet Another Time Synchroniser (32-bit) 30allows you to synchronise your system clockusing various time server types commonlyavailable on TCPIP networks such as theInternet Multiple servers can be specified andwill be tried sequentially until a valid time isobtained and your system time set Reg Fee$35
ZOOMER12Zoomer 12 provides a 2x or 4x magnificationof the area around the mouse cursor in Win95This is an excellent utility for the visionimpaired Reg Fee $0
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 33
NEW AND UPDATED DOSPROGRAMS
ANTIVIRUS
AVSCANAVScan 310 is a freeware scanner that candetect more than 4500 virus signatures RegFee $0
I_M311AIntegrity Master 311a is an anti-virus anddata integrity system The author says itdetects all known viruses It can detect anyform of file corruption including disk errorsor as yet unknown viruses Stacker Double-Space SuperStore and Bernoulli system filesare supported Identifies the new MS WordMacro viruses as well as over 640 additionalviruses It has an option to quickly disinfectdiskettes Reg Fee $50
SCN_253EVirusScan 253 scans diskettes or entiresystems and identifies any pre-existing PCvirus infection Reg Fee $65
GAMES
DRAK160Drak 160 is a falling blocks-style game withattractive graphics and several varieties ofblocks It includes blocks which melt blocksthat fall apart when they land and more Thegame includes 10 levels of increasingcomplex-ity joystick support and ability tosave games in progress (RegFee$33
DRUG12Drug Killers 12 is an action-packed shoot-em-up arcade game where you pilot atechnologically advanced aircraft in a battle tostop a futuristic drug cartel You must destroya wide variety of land and air-based enemieswhile gathering weapons and shields Otherfeatures include excellent scrolling graphicsgreat special effects a high score listing theability to save and restore games and a coolmusic soundtrack Reg Fee $25-$40
HAMSTER3D Hamsterrsquos Adventure is a fun 3Dadventure game where you assume the role ofa hamster in a colourful maze The object ofthe game is to eat all the fruit scattered aroundthe maze so the secret exit will appear Youwill encounter monsters along the way butyou can use your strawberry grenades or apowerful hamster kick for protection Theexcellent graphics sound effects and musicmake this an enjoyable game for the wholefamily Reg Fee $15
MISCELLANEOUS
COELI379Coeli Electric Planisphere 379 combinespractical ephemeris and planetarium with areal-time star chart to provide a Super VGAmodel of the skies as seen from Earth Youmay view the heavens from any place or timewith advanced starconstellation search insidea point and click interface A separate VESAdriver must be pre-installed Reg Fee pound12
JOCCALJOC-CALC 10 is an easy-to-use spreadsheetpackage for DOS Features include a pull-down menu system with mouse support aHyperText help system support for blockoperations built-in mathstrig functions andmore Reg Fee $25
MEDLIN97Medlin Accounting 1997 is a double-entrygeneral ledger program with accountsreceivable payroll and payables modules Allmodules are very easy to use PC-AR is theaccounts receivable module It allows amaximum of 2000 customers and 1500charges per accounting period PC-INV is amodule which works directly with theaccounts receivable module to generateinvoices and post them to PC-AR It willmultiply quantity times price and insert thetotal and calculate sales tax PC-PR thepayroll module allows up to 500 employeesand 1000 payroll cheques per accountingperiod PC-AP the accounts payable modulecan sort invoices by due date and will printcheques Mouse support has been added to allprograms Reg Fee $25-35
VDEVideo Display Editor 182 is a fast powerfultext editor Commands can be entered from amenu bar or with control keys Featuresinclude a proportional spacing modekeyboard macro recording MenuBar modethe ability to edit eight files at once acommand for proportional print Autosave toautomatically save your work at specifiedintervals simultaneous windows scrolling theability to align the platen for printing onvarious kinds of forms support for the fileformat of MS Word an envelope printer awide range of screen sizes (from 17 to 57lines) an integrated spell checker and muchmore Support is also provided for Ultra-Vision the HP95LX palmtop and the Tandykeyboard Reg Fee $35
UTILITIES
DNOTE420Disk Note Librarian 420 allows the user toadd descriptions and comments of up to 300characters to each file name on a disk up to1200 files Reg Fee $15
RCR01Rosenthal Conflict Resolver 100 is adiagnostic tool that helps corrects IRQ DMAand IO conflicts the major cause of systemcrashes Reg Fee $99
2 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Compiled by Jim Hume
The Monarchy
This site provides the history of the BritishMonarchy The Royal collection TodayrsquosRoyal family and includes The Queenrsquos rolein the Commonwealth This role articleshould be valuable to all those interested inthe Republic debate monarchist andrepublican alike It is a well presented siteand a useful resource as a school kithttpwwwroyalgovuk
Museums
The virtual Museum of Computing includesan ecletic collection of World Wide Webhyperlinks connected with the history ofcomputing and on-line computer basedexhibits available both locally and aroundthe world httpwwwcomlaboxacukarchiveothermuseumscomputinghtml
Airlines
Ansett provides information on their productand services and the places they fly to Youcan reserve flights and accommodationThere is a travel planner and screen saveravailable to download httpwwwansettcomauwebintrohtml
Qantas provides similar information on theirproducts and services with a brief history ofthe airline and also a screensaver which canbe downloaded httpwwwqantascomau80newsindexhtml
Books Magazines and Newspapers
The Canberra Times is now online withsections on News Sport Features OpinionWeather Real Estate Motors Classifiedsemail and services httpwwwcanberratimescomau
Readers Digest Interactive They ask you toldquoread it react and interactrdquo It containsDigest classics like Laugh Lines and WordPower and advice about how to do justabout anything featuring Home ProjectsCooking Gardening fitness and health httpwwwreadersdigestcom
National Geographic Online This is a greatcontribution with something for everyone inthe family Donrsquot miss these HOT SPOTShttpwwwnationalgeographiccomhotspotsindexhtml
Electronic Journals and Newsletters Thissite provides a complete internet list for newjournals and newsletters available on theInternet There is a search archive completealphabetical archive recent issues in reversechronological order and alphabetical list oftitles httpgort ucsdedunewjour
Amazon Bookstore offers not only 15million books in print but extremely hard-to-find out-of-print titles and discounts onsome of their book lists They claim 25million titles overall They include a searchfacility and provide a personal emailnotification service They list a Book of theday Titles in the News Monthly bookrecommendations and much morehttpwwwamazoncomexecobidossubstindex2html
Medical
)
Kodak have provided an interesting sitedealing with the latest digital cardiologyimaging and their cardiac review stationhttpwwwkodakcomhiHomecardioindexshtml
The American Cancer Society CaliforniaDivision on this site have an excellent articleon ldquoeating rightrdquo and research causeprevention detection and treatment httpwwwcacancerorg
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 3
The Department of Veteransrsquo Affairs haveupgraded their Web Site and it now providesthe latest information on health care forveterans In addition it contains rates andeligibility for pensions statements ofprinciple budgets and legislation It alsoincludes information about commemorativeactivities war graves war memorials andstudent oriented resourceshttpwwwdvagovau
HealthGate have redesigned their site withfaster search results with content organisedinto areas of interest such as medicinepatient education drug information etc It isan important source of biomedicalinformation httpwwwhealthgatecom
Football
The Australian Rugby League haveproduced an excellent site which includesdraws news links teams tipping results agallery and a soapbox httpdevarlorgaumainasp
Super League not to be outdone arepromoted by Foxtel in their sport sectionhttpwwwfoxtelcomauFoxtelhomejhtml
Tyres
I recently drew attention to Goodyearrsquos WebPage and commented on lack of Australiancontent Now they have an excellentAustralian site with an online school kit
dealing with the rubber revolution a tyreguide and a search engine to locate yournearest dealer It requires a frame-enabledweb browser httpwwwgoodyearcomau
Internet
URL Minder keeps track of web pages andother resources on the World Wide Weband sends you email whenever yourpersonally registered resources change Youcan have the minder keep track of any Webresource accessible via http ftp or Gopherand your email address will not be releasedto any third party It is a free servicesupported partially by advertising httpwwwnetmindcomURL-minderURL-minderhtml
People
Talk to the Angels The Vatican has namedtheir computers for the Web after angelsThe site was still under construction at theend of March httpwwwvaticanvaBut where else could you talk to theangelsIt requires a frame-enabled webbrowser
StarTrek This is a most interesting web sitefor Star Trek enthusiasts and also for thoseinterested in site construction for it is a realbobby dazzler httpwwwholodeck3comholodeck3html
Insert
It is an interesting concept which combinesan online magazine with discussion threadsresource lists and links It is dedicated toexploring masculinity and men in societyMen from all walks of life answer the 16 bigquestions about what it means being a mantoday httpwwwmanhoodcomnf
The
Super Site for Kids is a protectedenvironment specially for kids It is a wellorganised fun site httpwwwbonuscomindexclosehtmp
In early March a private Florida companythat hunts for historic shipwrecks announcedit had discovered a gem the ship oncecaptained by Blackbeard a man reputed tobe one of the more terrifying and disturbedpirates of all time This site includes thehistory of Blackbeardhttpeagleonlinediscoverycomcgi-binforums_viewdir
36 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
THE
INTERNETPROJECT
By Iain Gould
Welcome to TIP-TNG (The NextGeneration)
In case you hadnrsquot noticed yet TIP isnow connected to the rest of the world via ahigher speed (double what we had) link Weare now firing the electrons up and downthe pipe at 256k (thatrsquos 3 noughts -thousands in other words) bits every secondWhat this means in real terms is that ournewsgroups are updating more frequentlyweb pages and file transfers are much fasterand those of us that need to log in remotelycan do so with much less delay Boy are weimpressed
If you have not bothered to try TIP for awhile do so as we have seen a markedimprovement in the service provided afterthis upgrade and the installation of the extra12 modems in February (much less waitingto get on)
ANNOUNCEMENTSThe last two months has seen much goingson within the Internet Project ManagementCommittee For the uninitiated the IPMCis a caucus of techno-nerdygeeks tasked withthe onerous duty of ensuring that membersof the PCUG and AUUG have adequate andcomplete access to the wider resources ofthat part of the Information Super-highwayknown as simply The Internet Anyway wedecided on a lot of things recently Here theyare
1) Commercial Web Advertising Upuntil now TIP placed a restriction oncommercial advertising (that which wasobviously out to make money for the owner)- namely that only corporate members ofeither PCUG or AUUG could placeadvertising on their web pages We have
now opened up such commercial activitiesto general members of both organisationsFor the same fee that we currently charge tocorporate advertisers any individual cannow advertise on their web pages Refer tohttpwwwtipnetautipwebspacehtml fordetailed information and charging rates
2) Account Terminology The termslsquoAdvanced Accessrsquo and lsquoBasic Accessrsquoaccounts were deemed to be confusing (wehad too many requests for information onbasic Advanced access and training foradvanced Basic use) The accounts are nowreferred to as lsquoFull Accessrsquo and lsquoLimitedAccessrsquo respectively The use of the termsAdvanced Access hours and Basic Accesshours will continue for the time being untilwe sort out exactly what we want to callthem and where we need to changereferences to them The most obvious placethat this will change immediately is on theapplication form
3) Multiple Users of Accounts One ofthe regular lsquocomplaintsrsquo that we have beenreceiving has been on our policy to restrictaccount use to the account holder only Howmany of you out there realise that if youallowed your spousechildrenacquaintancesto have access to your password then youwere breaking our rules We donrsquot worrytoo much because we are now changing ourpolicy to open up account usage undercertain guidelines Namely
a) The primary account holder (the onewho originally applies for the account) willbe deemed ultimately responsible for anyuse of the account Heshe must still signthe Acceptable Use Policy and follow thoseterms and conditions and then ensure thataccount lsquodelegatesrsquo behave themselves too
b) The primary account holder mayallow use of hisher account by other familymembers The family members must benominated and lodged with TIP on a newlsquoAccount Delegationrsquo form
c) Only one login name and emailaddress is allocated (as currently) - ifadditional email addresses are required thenthey must be applied for as separateaccounts
d) Normal single user limits (accesshours disk quotas) still apply
We believe that this will allow familygroups some access to the Internet withoutneeding to sign up every members of thehousehold with TIP This policy will beelaborated on the web pages in the nearfuture for further information
4) We are still investigating methods ofproviding help guidance and assistance tousers who are new to TIP andor the InternetWe have been looking at newer lsquofool-proofrsquofirst time kits automated email helpresponses regularly published FAQs(frequently asked questions) and attractingmore volunteer helpers To achieve this lastgoal we are hoping that we can set up aregister of volunteers similar to the HelpDirectory published in Sixteen Bits forspecific areas of Internet use If you feltreluctant in the past to have your name listedfor fear of being asked questions outsideyour particular area of expertise interestthen let us know what you ARE willing tohelp with Are you a Netscape guru Or aWindows 95 Dial-Up Networking hotshotDo you think that you know a fair bit aboutIRC Then let us know
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 37
Nhan Tranrsquos Now OfficialTIP Web Help Pages
httpwwwtipnetautiphelp
bull Whats newHistory of changes to TIP help page
bull TIP Contact DetailsPhone numbers domain proxiesemail addresses
bull Useful TIP informationTime allocation usage statistics
bull TIP documentsAgreement Charging SchemeAcceptable Use Policy AccessApplication
bull InternetFAQAnswers to the Frequently AskedQuestions about the Internet what isthe Internet what you can donetiquette
bull TIP help FAQ
bull Answers to the Frequently AskedQuestions about various problemsother people may have had with TheInternet Project your problem maynot be a new one
bull lsquoHow-torsquo documentsHow to set up and use variousprograms needed to make the mostof your Internet account
bull GlossaryTranslating acronyms computerjargon netese and emoticons like -)in plain English
TIP Technical InformationDomain (PCUG) pcugorgauDomain (AUUG) auugorgau
DNS server 203107634Mail server mailhostDomain
News Server newshostDomainftp server ftpDomain
WWW server wwwDomainProxies proxytipnetau
port 8080
Iain Gould is one of the many volunteersthat keep TIP ticking He can becontacted by email - iainpcugorgau
As a note to those users who do needaccess to help take careful note of the timesthat people offer to be available There is areason that these times are listed ourvolunteers do like to have some personaltime Nothing causes a volunteer to lsquoresignrsquoquicker than having their efforts abused bypeople who ring at all hours and are rudeand obnoxious As a volunteer organisationwe cannot provide 24 hour-a-day instantsupport and we must rely on the genrosityof those that do offer to help Please beconsiderate of those who are willing to sticktheir necks out
As a footnote to all of the above itemsplease address any correspondance toipmctipnetau rather than me directly
Internet Joke of the MonthAnother engineer joke (apologies for thereferences to USA - insert your favouritelocal university as applicable)
Three men were vacationing in CentralAmerica They were arrested for minor illegalactivities and because the dictator of the countryhated foreigners the punishment was death
The three men were marched to thechopping block The dictator of the countryasked the first man if he had any last wordsbefore they chopped his head off The man saidldquoThe only thing I can think to say is that Irsquom analumni of Notre Dame and we have the bestfootball players in the worldrdquo The dictator thensaid ldquoOff with his headrdquo When they pulled therope the blade fell but it stopped inches abovethe manrsquos neck The dictator said ldquoThis is anomen from God we cannot execute you Youare free to gordquo
The dictator of the country asked the secondman if he had any last words before theychopped his head off The man said ldquoThe onlything I can think to say is that Irsquom an alumni ofIndiana University and we have the bestbasketball players in the worldrdquo The dictatorthen said ldquoOff with his headrdquo When they pulledthe rope the blade fell but it stopped inchesabove the manrsquos neck The dictator said ldquoThisis an omen from God we cannot execute youYou are free to gordquo
Finally the dictator of the country asked thethird man if he had any last words before theychopped his head off The man said ldquoThe onlything I can think to say is that Irsquom an alumni ofPurdue University and we have the bestEngineers in the world and if yoursquoll just tightenup that bolt up there this machine will workrdquo
Tips On Tip HelpPlease do not call on the Internet Projecthelp team for answers to general computingquestions or with questions like ldquohow do Ifind such-and-such softwarerdquo - the tiphelpnewsgroup is appropriate for these topicsDo call on us if you canrsquot get our kits towork or if you believe there is a problemwith the system Herersquos the right way to goabout it
1 Read the TIP Help Pages availablefrom the TIP World Wide Web siteat httpwwwtipnetautiphelp
2 Browse the newsgroup tiphelp tosee if someone else has solvedyour problem already Browsetipannounce and tipgeneral for anyrelevant announcements
3 If the problem is not urgent post arequest for assistance in tiphelp
4 If the problem is urgent send mailto ldquohelprdquo requesting advice
Please - describe your problem clearlyconcisely and completely
tell us WHEN it happened
tell us WHAT OPERATING SYSTEMyou are using
tell us WHAT SOFTWARE you are using(esp version)
tell us WHAT HARDWARE you are using(esp modem)
tell us any relevant SETUP DETAILS (egconnection speed)
tell us what TIP login name (eg mmouse)you are using
5 As a last resort (ie when email isnot possible) contact Iain Gould on255 2405 between 7pm and 8pmONLY
The TIP Help TeamThe methods of supplying TIP help and
support and the levels of help provided areunder almost constant review anddiscussion Your feedback on the existingsystems and constructive suggestions forimprovement particularly within theexisting resource constraints are welcome
This can be done in the tip newsgroupsif you would like general discussion of yourideas by email to the TIP Help Team athelptipnetau or by sending email toamikkelspcugorgau who will forward itto the appropriate people
38 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
The Internet Project
1 Access to The Internet Project is governed by the InternetProject Acceptable Use Policy copies of which can beobtained at the PCUG Centre or downloaded from the PCUGBBS or from The Internet Project
2 There is a limit of one Internet account per non-corporatemembership Corporate members may sponsor up to threeindividuals who are then personally responsible for theoperation of their accounts Please complete one applicationfor each person
3 Part of your email address will be determined by the principalorganisation If your membership of that organisation expiresso too does your membership of The Internet Project In thisevent no refunds for unused allocation will be made
4 The Internet Project reserves the right to alter prices andservices offered at any time Fees paid for Internet access arenon-refundable and non-transferable
5 Note Hours debited do not necessarily equate to real hourson-line time allocation will be debited in a non-linear fashiondepending on the amount of time spent on-line in any givenday The debit rate is set from time to time by the InternetProject Management Committee
6 Basic Accessa) Basic Access provides non PPP email and news onlyb) Basic Access is free on applicationc) In any calender year calculated from the date of
application Basic Access provides up to 100 lsquohoursrsquo usage
7 Advanced Accessa) Advanced Access includes full access to the Internet using
SLIPPPPb) Advanced Access is not free Current rates are $120 for
one calendar year of access with up to 300 lsquohoursrsquo usagec) When your Advanced Access subscription expires OR
you use 300 hours of access (whichever is earlier) youwill be required to purchase another subscription for onecalendar year from that date
d) Advanced Access users also receive a Basic Accessallocation - see above
8 All users joining The Internet Project receive a one-off freefive hour allocation of Advanced Access
Collecting Your Login Details9 A waiting period of two months applies to new members of
the PC Users Group (ACT) Inc
10 For existing members please allow up to two weeks for yourapplication to be processed
11 Login details can be collected - in person by the applicant - fromthe PC Users Group Centre We recommend that you phone theCentre first to check that the details are waiting for you
12 You (and your parentguardian if you are under 18 years ofage) will be required to sign an Acceptable Use PolicyDeclaration when you pick up your login detailsPhotographic proof of identity may be required at that time
Important Notes - Please Read
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 39
Disks amp TapesWe offer high quality disks and tape cartridgesin various formats at very reasonable pricesDisks amp tapes are available from the PCUGCentre Monday Wednesday amp Friday 10amto 2pm or between 9am and 5pm on weekends
BBS AccessNew members wishing to access the PC UsersGroup (ACT) InterActive Bulletin BoardService (BBS) should dial (06) 253 4933 andcreate an account on the system Once the mainmenu is presented select the lsquoGoodbyersquo optionfollowed by the lsquoYesrsquo option to leave a messageto the Sysop
In this message state your membership number(from your card or magazine address label) andrequest an access upgrade This will usuallyoccur within a few days
SharewareMembers have access to a huge selection ofldquosharewarerdquo software The PCUG subscribesto a CD-ROM which provides over 250 Mbof new and updated software titles on eachmonthly CD
Member ServicesThese special offers and services are only available to PCUG members Please bring your membership card with you when collecting orders
One complete section of the permanent libraryis also contained on each CD-ROM Inaddition there are many programs on thePCUG BBS which members have uploadedor which come from other sources
This software is provided as ldquosharewarerdquo Ifyou continue to use it you must register thesoftware with the author The Group does notldquosellrdquo the software - it charges a fee to coverthe cost of obtaining the software maintainingthe library and copying the software to themember
Computers are available at the Centre whichare connected to the BBS enabling membersto download software
Hardware amp Video LibraryThe hardware and video library is located atthe PC Users Group Centre Items may becollected and returned on Saturdays andSundays between 9am and 5pm (loans are forone week) Please bring your membership cardwith you
The library provides access to equipmentwhich members would not normally havereadily available Most items have instructionsmanuals and software where appropriateModems do not include software check theShareware Library for suitable packages Itemsmay be borrowed for one week There is nocharge but you must collect and return theitems yourself
Equipment available includesmiddot modemsmiddot soundblaster card
Videos includemiddot Developing Applications with Microsoft
Officemiddot Using Windows 95
NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETINGMonday 28 April 1997
(to be held at 730pm prior to the normal April main meeting)
The Special Meeting is to consider and vote upon the following changes to the rules of the PC Users Group
Rule 17(1)(b) - [Nomination of candidates for election as office-bearers of the Association or as ordinary Committee members]shall be delivered to the Secretary of the Association no later than the last Friday in the July before the date fixed for the annualgeneral meeting at which the election is to take place
Rule 17(2) - If insufficient nominations are received to fill all vacancies on the Committee the candidates nominated shall bedeemed to be elected
Rule 17(3) - A vacant position remaining on the Committee shall be deemed to be a vacancy for the purpose of Rule 16(4)
Explanatory notesThese changes will permit publication in Sixteen Bits of all valid nominations received to enable the membership to give seriousregard to the nominations received They will also permit all members nominating for the committee to have an opportunity toconsider and reflect upon their intended commitment to the committee and to the Group
Hugh BambrickSecretary PC Users Group (ACT) Inc
40 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Compiled by Jim Hume
Japanese-English Translators
Globalink produces some of the bestlanguage translation software TheLanguage Assistant Series quicklyproduce understandable translations fromEnglish into the foreign language or viceversa
The Australian Distributors Software EtcAustralia have now released Japanesetranslation and OCR Software TsunamiMT Typhoon MT and KanjiScan OCRsoftware for English Windows 95 and NTPCs It is claimed these products willmake communication between Japaneseand English speaking businesses mucheasier quicker and more effective
Tsunami MT translates English-to-Japanese and has features such as fullOLE 20 compatibility (drags text to andfrom Tsunami MT embedding theJapanese results into applications such asMS Word) an innovative Kani searchsystem and translation speed at over 3000words per minute
Typhoon MT translates Japanese-to-English and is the result of a two-yearproject to convert the best-sellingJapanese to English translation softwarein Japan to an MS Windows 32-bitformat
Typhoon MT has every element computerusers need to put Japanese computing ontheir personal computer - Japanese fontsKana and kanji text editing a completeFront End Processor and Japanese -to-English machine translation
KanjiScan is the first Japanese OCRsoftware to run on non-Japanese versionsof Windows and includes everythingneeded to scan printed Japanese text anddocuments allowing users to input
Japanese on their English Windowssystem All interfaces instructions anddocumentation are in English WithNeocorTechrsquos Kanji Search system noJapanese language skills are required tomake sure all the Japanese text is properlyrecognised
Tsunami MT $995 Typhoon MT $1195(Bundle $1795) and KanjiScan $795
Software Etc Australia are offeringevaluation versions of this software forloan to reviewers with a knowledge ofJapanese and the capability to conduct andprepare software reviews Enquiriesshould be directed to Peter Klanberck atsoftetcozemailcomauhttpwwwworldcorpcomau Phone (02) 9988-3455
Gene Chip Breakthrough
Affymetrix is developing amp commercial-ising GeneChip(tm) systems to acquireanalyse manage and use geneticinformation based on its propriety DNAarray technology
These systems are being developed forbroad fields including biomedicalresearch clinical diagnosis and theemerging field of genomics Affymetrixhas corporate alliances with Hewlett-Packard Company and Genetics Instituteand intends to pursue the clinicaldiagnostic and additional genomicsapplications with diagnostics andpharmaceutical companies
Their first product currently in externaltests sites will be the GeneChipHIVsystem which rapidly detects mutations inthe protease and reverse transcriptasegenes of HIV the virus which causesAIDS Detection of such mutations arecritical in understanding how HIV reactsto therapeutic agents as well as for
understanding the results of clinical trialsof new drugs The company also hasactive development programs for thespeciation of other infectious organismsas well as for human genes that areimportant in cancer and drug metabolism
Fortune Magazine in an article headedGene Chip Breakthrough by David Stippexplores the implications of thisbreakthrough and believes that whilemicroprocessors have reshaped oureconomy spawned vast fortunes andchanged the way we live Gene chipscould be bigger
TransAct BroadbandCommunications Network
The ACTEW Corporation has recentlyconducted a feasibility study into buildinga broadband communication network inthe ACT It is claimed it would enhanceACTEWrsquos core business and provide theACT region with an economically viablecommunications network
The network would be funded throughoutside financing As there would be nocross-subsidies between varioustelecommunication business and theelectricity and water businesses therewould be no impact on electricity andwater bills now or in the future Known asTransAct Communications the feasibilitystudy was to be completed by March1997 ACTEW Corporation Board willmake a decision on the business caseduring April A key component of thestudy was to be community consultationand market research If the results werefavourable construction should commencein July 1997
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 41
I was consulted in their telemarketingresearch and talks have been held with thePC Users Group Aurisa Institute ofEngineers Australia and the BusinessCouncil of Australia The network couldcarry voice(telephone) video(TV) and data(intenet) over a high range of frequenciesand the cost of services would bedependent on the service providers ieTelephone companies Pay TV companiesand internet service providers ACTEWexpected that prices would be similar tocurrent prices for these services andsuggest that a single broad-band networkwould offer competition between serviceproviders
The network could carryvoice(telephone) video(TV) and
data (intenet)
Two companies have been shortlisted andtheir solutions are being costed to get anaccurate picture of the total cost ofbuilding the network The two companiesare Philips which has offered a HybridCoax (HFC) system and BroadbandTechnologies which offered a switchedbroadband (SDB) solution
The HFC solution as offered by Philipswould differ from similar cable systemsbeing strung in other parts of Australia inthat it would take optic fibre down toserve 60-90 homes per node rather than500-1500 homes The SDB solutionwould be unique in Australia (In use inparts of USA Korea and France) it takesoptic fibre to serve 32-40 homes per nodeBoth solutions have the ability to runadvanced interactive services By the timeof publication a further update may beavailable atwwwactewcomautransactinterhtm
Treasure IslandFrom the Corel Thumbnail Theatre seriesnow being shipped Treasure Island is afun easy way to learn the complexities ofthis popular novel by Robert LouisStevenson It is an animated adaptiontargeted primarily at students aged 12 andupwards Users can choose from threedifferent ways of studying TreasureIsland For those unacquainted with thestory the Watch Me section presents awitty and entertaining nine-minuteanimation which summarises the novelrsquosstory The Guide Me section is designedfor users who wish to study the text indepth and learn more about the era inwhich the novel is set They will see theanimation once again but this time theywill have the chance to stop the animatedsummary in order to explore varioustopics related to the story These topics areaccessible by clicking on the icons whichappear throughout the animation Userswho want to read about different topicscan go directly to the Self Guide sectionThis section contains the entire text ofTreasure Island
It also contains a feature called Timelinewhich is a chronology of historical eventsfrom the time of Treasure Island to thepresent day
Minimum system requirements are 486DX66 8MB of RAM a 640x480256-colour graphics display 8-bit audiocapabilities and a double speed CD-ROMdrive Runs on both Windows 31x andWindows95RRP $Aus 6400
Corel WebMaster SuiteOn March 25 Corel announced the releaseCorel WebMaster Suite the latest additionto their line of Internet products Itcombines state-of-the-art Web siteauthoring with expert site managementfunctionality advanced database
publishing sophisticated graphic designprograms as well as animation authoring3D VRML world creation and over 8000Internet-ready images Included in thepackage is Netscape Navigator 301OrsquoReillyrsquos Website v11 and 30 days offree Web site hosting It is claimed thatthis suite provides a complete solution tohelp users advance beyond the traditionalWeb page to create and manage completeweb sites that are more interesting andinformative as well as easy to understand
Corel WebMaster is available for asuggested retail price of $Aus 399 Thesuite will require 16MB RAM an IBMcompatible PC 486 DX Windows NT orWindows 95 a CD_ROM and a VGAdisplay
SNIPPETS
IN AUSTRIA INTERNET SERVICEProviders banded together on March 25 tostage the countryrsquos first electronic walkoutin protest at their governmentrsquos attempt tocensor the Internet Hardly surprisingwhen UKrsquos Whatrsquos New on the Internetreports that sex and its related topics arethe most popular sections on the Internetby a long chalk
DUTCH HACKERS OFFERED USMilitary Secrets to Iraq A recent BBC TVprogramme claimed that hundreds ofmilitary secrets were stolen from USDefence computers ( including troopmovements and missile capabilities)offered for sale by Dutch hackers toSaddam Hussein but their offer was nottaken up because the Iraqi leader believedthat it was either a hoax or CIAmisinformation
ADVERTISING ON THE NETAccording to a survey by the InternetAdvertising Bureau total advertisingspending on the World Wide Web andInternet related content hit $US267
42 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
The Internet SIGThis a get together of those members of thePCUG who love to explore the Internet forinteresting sites new Internet tools andnovel applications It holds an informalmeeting once a month on the first Thursday(January excepted) at 730pm The meetinghas no set agenda but free flowing chat onvarious Internet related topics and eventsOn occasion we had presentations ofinteresting software Among topics that arediscussed from time to time are the upgradeof TIP cable and wireless access to theInternet and the regulation of the InternetThe web page for the SIG is at httpwwwpcugorgau~ejosephintsightm
BytesThe Bytes SIG is designed for those wholike to talk about computing over a meal Itmeets from 6 pm at the Asian BistroAustralian National University Union onthe PCUG meeting nights There are noBytes SIG meetings in NovemberDecember or January Contact personAndrew Freeman Phone 258 7411 Emailafreemanpcugorgau or WWW at httpwwwpcugorgau~afreemancvsightml
AutoCADGeoffrey May 295 5942 Monday-Fri 4-5pmPlease call for details
CC++Peter Corcoran petercpcugorgau 2ndTuesday 730pm PCUG Centre
GUI DevelopersPeter Harris 287 1484 pharrispcugorgauPlease call for details
The OS2 SIGAn enthusiastic forum for those operating orinterested in OS2 Warp Meetings includewide ranging discussion and interestinghands on demonstrations Meetings are heldon the third Thursday at 730pm for 730pmat the IBM Building 8 Brisbane Ave BartonContact David Thrum Phone 201-8806 (bh)
The Delphi SIGA lively forum for software developers whoare working with or interested in Delphi
Our meetings include wide ranging dis-cussion and interesting hands-on demon-strations Come and see why Delphi is RADSome of our recent meetings have discussedDelphi components best shareware toolsdatabase applications and HTML toolsMeeting 3rd Tuesday of each month 730pmat PCUG Centre Convenor Al Kabailaemail akabailapcugorgauYou arewelcome to also subscribe to the PCUGDelphi mailing list by sending messageldquosubscribe act-delphi-lpcugorgau [youremail address]rdquo to Majordomoauugorgau
Linux User GroupStephen Rothwell 291 6550 (ah) StephenRothwell canbauugorgau 4th Thursday730pm Room N101 Computer Science DeptANU
Networks Garry Thomson 241 2399gthomsonpcugorgau Thursday aftermain meeting Please call for venue
Computer and VegetarianismThis SIG is designed for those who have aninterest in both computers and vegetarian-ism It generally meets with the Bytes SIGNo meetings are held in NovemberDecember or January Contact personAndrew Freeman Phone 258 7411 Emailfreemanpcugorgau or WWW at httpwwwpcugorgau~afreemancvsightml
amp ChatThe Coffee and Chat Group meet at thePCUG Centre in Belconnen on alternateTuesdays from 1030am to 1130am withanother 30 minutes to 1200 for those whowant to stay The dates of these meetings areshown in the Calendar of Events On thealternate Tuesday a virtual Coffee and ChatMeeting is held on the Internet at 1030amusing Internet Relay Chat (IRC) addressirchostpcugorgau Port 6667 Full detailsabout the online meetings can be obtainedfrom httpwwwpcugorgau~ejosephvcchtm
Internet Daytime Demoand Discussion SIGMeets every second Monday at the PCUGCentre from 1000AM to noon We meet todiscuss internet issues software sites (andanything else of relevance) and demonstrateon Centre equipment selected software andtechniques The meeting starts with informaldiscussion and coffee followed by a more in-depth look at a particular topic of interestThere is also time for discussion (andhopefully solving) of members problems withthe internet A home page for the SIG is athttpwwwpcugorgau~amikkelsintdddhtmlEnquiries or suggestions for topics arewelcome at amikkelspcugorgau
NEW
Convenors are requested to email anychanges in contacts or venue and additionalinformation about the activities of theirgroup by the first Friday in the month ofpublication to pcugeditorpcugorgau
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 43
The training program for 1997 is settledsubject to ongoing adjustments in the lightof developments
Note the heavy emphasis on Internetcourses This reflects the clear demand ofmembers at the moment A number of daysare designated lsquoTBArsquo These days allow forthe introduction of Internet related coursesas discussed last month including homepages MS Internet ExplorerWeb tips andtricks and so on They also allow forpossible courses on the Web oriented MSOffice 97
Course content for Internet courses isstill under development and subject tomeetings of trainers
In addition to the weekend courses arange of short evening courses mainlyInternet related as above will be introducedThese are still in the planning stages
May Sat 3 Editorial day ContinuesSun 4 Programming - C and C++ ContinuesSat 10 Programming - Visual Basic Continues
Sun 11 Intro - Intro to computers ContinuesSat 17 Intro - Intro to Windows 95 Continues
Sun 18 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 24 Intro - PC Maintenance and
TroubleshootingContinues
Sun 25 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 31 Internet - HTML Intro Continues
June Sun 1 Intro - Using the BBS effectively Internet - Basic AccessSat 7 Centre closed Centre closed
Sun 8 Centre closed Centre closedSat 14 Editorial day Continues
Sun 15 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 21 Internet - HTML extended Continues
Sun 22 Internet - TBA Internet - TBASat 28 Internet - Advanced Access Intro Continues
Sun 29 Intro - Using the BBS effectively Internet - Basic AccessJuly Sat 5 Editorial day Continues
Sun 6 Internet - TBA Internet - TBASat 12 Internet - TBA Internet - TBA
Sun 13 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 19 Internet - TBA Internet - TBA
Sun 20 Internet - TBA Internet - TBASat 26 Internet - Advanced Access Intro Continues
Sun 27 Intro - Using the BBS effectively Internet - Basic Access
Our training courses are very popularUnfortunately some people book and thendonrsquot turn up for their course Someone onthe waiting list for the course could havefilled the spot left vacant To overcome thisproblem if you book for a course but donrsquotpay for it by the Monday before it is runthe spot will be offered to someone else
ContactsCourse bookings Petra Dwyer at thePCUG Centre on 253 4911
Training coordinator and courseinformation (not bookings) PaulBalnaves 241-4671 (h) 700pm to900pm 282-3488 (w)
Microsoft Product courses (notbookings) Michael Lane 242-9278 (h)700pm to 900pm
All courses are held at the PCUGCentre Northpoint Plaza Belconnen- maximum 8 people
Courses cost $35 unless otherwiseindicated Full day courses run from930am to approximately 300pmAM Courses commence at 930amPM courses commence at 130pm
Training Newsby Paul Balnaves
44 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
The following local vendors offer discounts to PCUG members
bull Present your PCUG membership card when making a purchasebull Benefits may not apply to some sale itemsbull The PCUG does not necessarily recommend or endorse the products being offered
If you offer a discount to PCUG members and are not in this list please contact our advertising manager listed on page 2
Vendor Discount SchemeVendor Discount Scheme
AustralianManagement Control
Suite 4 32 - 36 Colbee CourtPHILLIP285 4888
5 discount onRecordkeeping amp Payroll
courses
Capital SimulationsPO Box 329
Belconnen ACT 2616Faxmessage 258 0110
Free postage and handling(normally $4) amp 2 free modem
opponents lsquowantedrsquo notices(normally $10)
Clarion DatabaseSystems
bull Computing consultingbull Business applications developmentbull Software sale
041 108 775410 discount off RRP on
Microsoft amp other vendorsrsquo productsand consulting services
Amalgamated Business Machines
65 Kembla StreetFYSHWICK
280 4887
5 discount on repairsthrough this company
ANU Union Asian Bistro
Upstairs Union Building Union Court ANU
(next to main meeting venue)
Union member discounton PCUG main meeting
nights (ONLY)
Bettowynd ampTaltech Solutions
Unit 5 Centrecourt1 Pirie St FYSHWICK
239 1043
Prompt guaranteed fixed pricerepairs to monitors and terminals
5 discount to members
Nhan TranInternet Software Installationamp Configuration in your home
PH 254 5293
Fixed price 20 discountfor PCUG members
Lesley PikoCertified Practising Accountant
Registered Tax Agent
Suite 1 17 Trenerry StWeston ACT
288 8888
personal and business taxation servicesgeneral accounting services
15 discount off our quoted fee
ACT VALLEYCOMPUTER REPAIRSbull REPAIRSbull UPGRADESbull NEW SYSTEMSbull SOFTWARE INSTALLATIONbull LOW RATES l OPEN 7 DAYS
294 2592 or 019 32343510 DISCOUNT ON REPAIRS
AND UPGRADES TO MEMBERS
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 45
54 Marcus Clarke St Canberra CityPH 249 1844 l Fax 247 5753
10 Discount o f fRRP of Computer Books
Celebrating over 28 Years in Bookselling
N O 1 f o rC O M P U T E R amp B U S I N E S S
B O O K S
hi-micro Computers
5 Discount OnAccessories
ampUpgrade Installation
Ph 280 7520 Fax 280 7540618 Whyalla St Fyshwick
248 6656 (any time)bull World Wide Web Publishing
bull Windows Online Help amp Manuals
5 discount on Web publishing
The Cartridge Factory
Canberra Business Centre49 Wentworth Ave
KINGSTON295 5935
10 discount on remanufacturedlaser toner cartridges
10 discount on inkjet refill kitsNo discount available on
new ink or toner cartridges
Collins Booksellers
BELCONNEN MALLPhone 251 4813 Fax 251 3926
We carry a wide selection ofcomputer titles for the novice and
also advanced computer user
10 Discount off computerbook purchases only
LampS Associates
69 Paterson StreetAINSLIE257 7555
Special price on anyMicrosoft product
Dealer price plus 5
Aspect ComputingEducation Services
86 Northbourne AvenueBraddon ACT 2601
247 7608
10 Discount toPCUG members
Peng LEE BA BEc FCA
Chartered AccountantRegistered Tax Agent
A fee schedule will be forwarded upon request
6 McGuiness PlaceMcKELLAR ACT 2617
Phone 258 0156 Fax 258 0157
10 fee discount to PCUGmembers
Robrsquos Computer HelpDesk
292 3211 (24 hours 7 days)
For telephone and on-site help for ALL your computer and support
needs
5 discount on consulting services to PCUG members
The Software Shop
42 Townsend StreetPHILLIP285 4622
5 discount off our already low prices
46 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Title Given Name Surname
_______________________________________________________Position (if applicable) Phone (h) Phone (w)
_______________________________________________________Title Given Name Surname
_______________________________________________________Position (if applicable) Phone (h) Phone (w)
Annual Fees Applicable (thorn one)o General1 $ 50
o Concessional2 $ 25
o Corporate3 $130
o Additional Corporate4 $ 50
o International (Air Mail) $130
Notes1 General membership covers all members of a household except for BBS and
Internet access Two month waiting period applies to Internet access2 Concessions apply to full time students and pensioners3 Corporate Membership covers up to three nominees4 Additional Corporate nominees may be added at $50 each
I am paying by (thorn one)o Cash (if paying by person) o Cheque to PC Users Group (ACT) Inc
o Credit card
I would like to ( thorn one or more)
o Become a new member for ____ year(s)
o Renew for ____ year(s)
o Change my address details
o Change Corporate nominees
o Take my address off advertising list
o Access the Bulletin Board (BBS)
Reasons for Joining thorn (one or more)
o Sixteen Bits Magazine o Training Courses
o The Internet Project o Advice and help
Other ____________________________________
TOTAL PAYMENT DUE $ __________________
Please Post your application with payment toPC Users Group (ACT) IncPO Box 42 Belconnen ACT 2616
Additional Corporate Membership Nominees
Title Given Name Surname
Organisation (if applicable) PCUG Membership Number (if applicable)
Postal Address
Phone (h) Phone (w) Concession Type (if applicable)
Credit Card Type Number Expiry Date Signature
Membersrsquo AdsFOR SALE
PC Users Group Membership Application Renewal
Notebook TP 486 DX266 95in Dual scancolour 8mg 433 HDD External 2X CDROM Fax modem card Win rsquo95 Office rsquo95pro Microsoft Plus NAV Norton UtilitiesWinfax Pro Microsoft Publisher and muchmore $1500 email gjonespcugorgau orphone Gary Jones 2391771 (Bus hours)
Canon Bubble-jet Printer BJ10-SX BWVGC [bookletdisk] $145Maestro External Fax Modem SE-144 FM[BookletDiks] VGC $100Corel Draw V3 CD-ROM[Bookect] VGC $100 NEGScanFax 24 Bit Color Page ScannerPC[FaxScanCopy] VGC $ 360WebAuthor V2 for Windows $ 65LOGOS BIBLE Software V2for Windows CD-ROM $150Call 239 5451 or e-mailmszabopcugorgau
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 47
Subject Name Email Phone Days TimesAccess for Windows Graheme Fry 288 3138 All days 730pm - 830pm
Accounting -TAS+ Exogen Attache NewViews P Goerman 231 2304 All days 900am - 900pm
Advanced Revelation John Curby 286 5777 Mon - Fri 900am - 900pm
Assembly Language Thomas McCoy 294 2226 Mon - Fri 800pm - 1000pm
AutoCad Geoffrey May 295 5942 Mon - Fri 400pm - 500pm
AutoCAD Rel 12 13 and LT Neil Moffat 292 7108 All days Noon - 1000pm
BASIC + Machine Language George McLintock 295 6590 All days 830pm -1000pm
Basic hardware help Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
Bluewave Jorge Garcia 282 2681 All Days 700pm - 900pm
Batch Files TSRs Utilities Bill Ghysen 287 1234 Mon - Fri 800pm - 1000pm
Bulletin Board Service Michael Phillips 253 4966 All days 730pm - 830pm
Chinese Star for Windows Peng Lee 258 0156 All days 100pm - 900pm
Clipper Cedric Bear 258 3169 All days 730pm - 830pm
Corel Draw Fabian Stelco 241 1743 Mon - Fri 730pm - 900pm
Corel WordPerfect Suite 7 for Win95 Peter Tilbrook kermitdynamitecomau 242 8696 All days Anytime
DOS Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
Excel Graheme Fry 288 3138 All days 730pm - 830pm
Flight Simulation Roger Lowery lowerypcugorgau 258 1583 All days Anytime
Foxpro Greg Atkinson 241 7903 Mon - FriSat Sun
700pm - 900pmFrom 1100am
Free Agent Agent Newsreading Allan Mikkelsen 278 3164 All days Noon - 900pm
General Help Allan Miller (044) 711187 Mon - Fri 730pm - 830pm
General Help Brian Gosling 259 1116 All days 730pm - 830pm
GEOSGeoWorks Phil Jones 288 5288 All days 600pm - 1000pm
Hardware Anthony Glenn 288 8332 All days Anytime
HDK Lis Shelley lshelleypcugorgau 248 6656 Mon - Fri 730pm - 830pm
HDK Ivana Leonard 231 4169 Mon - Thu 700pm - 900pm
ISR CADDSMAN Modeller (Win) Neil Moffat 292 7108 All days Noon - 1000pm
LINUX PC Unix Andrew Tridgell 254 8209 All days 600pm - 800pm
Lotus 1-2-3 Doug Jenkins 286 2243 All days 730pm - 900pm
Lotus Ami Pro 3 W ord Pro 96 ed Peter Tilbrook kermitdynamitecomau 242 8696 All days Anytime
Microstation Cad Andrew Novinc 258 1907 All days 600pm - 1000pm
Modem Communications Michael Phillips 281 1980 or All days 730pm - 830pm
Networks Gary Thompson 241 2399 All days 730pm - 900pm
Online doc using Help Compiler (Win3) John Carroll jcarrollpcugorgau 248 0781 All days 730pm - 1000pm
OS2 v2 Mark Beileiter 283 2429 Mon - Fri 800am - 330pm
OS2 Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
OS2 Michael Lightfoot 258 8185 All days 730pm - 930pm
Project (Microsoft) Steve Ramsden 287 1500 Mon - Wed 800pm - 1000pm
SBT Accounting Greg Atkinson 241 7903 Mon - Fri 700pm - 900pm
Scream Tracker 3 (3SM) MOD Music Chris Collins 258 8276 Mon - Fri 730pm - 900pm
Small Business Computing Nick Thomson 241 3239 Mon - Thu 730pm - 930pm
SuperBase Paul Blair 288 3584 All days 730pm - 930pm
Telix Michael Phillips 281 1980 All days 730pm - 830pm
SCO Unix amp Xenix J Bishop 291 0478 All days 700pm - 900pm
Unix Michael Lightfoot 258 8185 All days 730pm - 930pm
Turbo Pascal Michael Phillips 281 1980 All days 730pm - 830pm
Vision Impaired Adam Morris 291 4522 All days 700pm - 900pm
Visual BASIC Ian Champ 254 0418 All days 700pm - 900pm
Windows 31x Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
Word for Windows Lis Shelley lshelleypcugorgau 248 6656 Mon - Fri 730pm - 830pm
WordPerfect 51 DOS 61 Win Gayle Scott gaylespcugorgau 254 1579 All days 730pm - 930pm
WordPerfect 61 7 for Win95 Peter Tilbrook kermitdynamitecom 242 8696 All days Anytime
WordStar Dave Hay 258 7310 All days 700pm - 900pm
The people in this directory are volunteers so please observe the times given The Help Directory is designed to helpindividual users and should not be used as a substitute for corporate support calls to vendors This service is provided formembers only Please quote your membership number to the helper For those helpers with an asterisk messages may beleft on the BBS in either the General message area or as a Netmail message on 3620243 Send updates topcugeditorpcugorgau or via post to the PCUG Centre
The Help Directory
May 1997Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
1
Internet SIG730pmPCUG Centre
2
SIXTEENBITSCommercialAd deadlinefor May
3
SIXTEEN BITSLayout Day 10am______________InternetConnection Clinic930am-1pmPCUG Centre(check withCentre Staffer on253 4911)
4
TRAININGDAYProgrammingC and C++930-430PCUG Centre
5
Internet DaytimeDemo andDiscussion10am-12 noonPCUG Centre______________New MembersNight730pmPCUG Centre
6
VirtualCoffee amp ChatTIP IRCServer1030-1130am
7 8 9 10
TRAININGDAYProgrammingVisual Basic930-430PCUG Centre
11
TRAININGDAYIntro tocomputers930-430PCUG Centre
12 13
Coffee amp Chat1030amPCUG Centre__________
C++ SIG730pmPCUG Centre
14
CommitteeMeeting730pmPCUG Centre
15
OS2 SIG7 for 730pmIBM Building8 BrisbaneAve Barton
16 17
TRAINING DAYIntro Windows 95930-430PCUG Centre______________
Meet theCommittee2-4pmPCUG Centre
18
TRAININGDAYInternetAdvancedAccess Intro930-430PCUG Centre
19
Internet DaytimeDemo andDiscussion 10am-12noon PCUG Centre______________
SIXTEEN BITSStuffing and Mailing530pm PCUGCentre
20
Virtual Coffee ampChatTIP IRC Server1030-1130am_____________
Delphi SIG730pm PCUGCentre
21 22
Linux UserGroup730pmRmN101ComputerScience DeptANU
23 24
TRAINING DAYPC Maintenanceamp Troubleshooting930-430PCUG Centre
25
TRAININGDAYInternetAdvancedAccess Intro930-430PCUG Centre
26
Main MeetingManningClark Theatre1 CrispBuilding ANU7 for 730pm
27
Coffee amp Chat1030amPCUG Centre
28 29
Networks SIGCall GarryThomson(241 2399) fordetails
30
SIXTEENBITS Articledeadline forJune
31
TRAININGDAYInternetHTML Intro930-430PCUG CentreBytes SIG 6pm
Asian Bistro ANU(before PCUGmeeting
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 3
PCUG News amp Services
This month in
Profi le
7 Membership NotesMike Burke with information for new members
27 Group NoticesOz User Groups The Stuffers and Sixteen Bits Online
28 Software Library NewsPhil Trudinger reviews a selection of software
36 The Internet ProjectIain Gould reports
38 Internet Project ApplicationGet connected with TIP
39 Member ServicesDetails of services available to members only
39 Notice of Special MeeitngChange is in the wind
42 Special Interest GroupsWhere the real action is
43 Training NewsLow cost training for members
44 Vendor DiscountsMembership has its privileges
46 Membersrsquo AdsCheck here first for bargains
46 PCUG MembershipThe official membership form
47 Help DirectoryStuck Call the experts
48 CalendarWhatrsquos on next month
Features
8 Computer CryptographyGlenn Pure tells how encryption works
14 CD ROM ColumnNick Thomson sets up shop on the WWW
17 Guinness Disc of RecordsAlan Tebb with all the facts
18 Corel Print and PhotoHouseJim Hume finds a winner at a great price
20 Wish You Were HereJohn Saxon shops lsquotill he drops
22 Confused About The InternetNahn Tran with advice for beginners
24 Big Day OutMacolm Street with live Rock lsquon Roll on the lsquonet
34 Qool URLsJim Hume selects the best of the web
40 Whatrsquos NewsJim Hume keeps up with the latest
2 Editorial InformationHow to contribute to Sixteen Bits
4 EditorialDarrell Burkey
4 Presidentrsquos LetterAnn Byrne
5 LettersFrom our readers
6 Contact InformationHow to contact us
Advertiser amp Product InformationInside Front Panther Publishing 1 Computech Computer Group 9 InterACT Technology Group11 Spirit Networks Software Shop12 Bettowynd Sustance
LampS Associates13 ABampT Systems Hi Micro16 Computer Mart44 Vendor Discount SchemeInside Back Aspect ComputingBack Cover The Logical Approach
4 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Presidentrsquos LetterAnn Byrne President
Editorrsquos Desk TopDarrell Burkey Managing Editor
Editorrsquos Desk Top
Presidentrsquos Letter
Many thanks to all the people who helpedout at ACT Alive on Canberra Day especiallyto Eddie and Sharon de Bear and GordonUrquhart who did all the transporting andmoving of things back and forth to the CentreIt was a very successful day for the group andvolunteers must have enjoyed themselves asno one seemed in a hurry to leave
It is interesting when you look around atthe Committee our volunteers and at the mainmeetings there is a predominance of malesvisible in the group I wonder if this is a factof life or an anomaly that the computer worldhas generated I for one would certainly liketo see more women involved in the groupPerhaps all you men will forgive me this onceas I indulge myself and make a call for womenwho would like to participate in the group toplease get in touch with me
The upgrade to a 256k link along with theadditional modems on TIP has certainly madea big improvement Is it really only just over
two years since we went into the projectwith lots of projections a 64k link about12 lines and a prayer for 500 subscribersin the first year
To all who have stuck by us throughthe times of not being able to log onbetween 6pm and midnight intermittentnewsfeeds and slow downloads thank youfor keeping the faith We now seem to beholding our own however no one canpredict the future Telecom needs to bewatched closely as anyone who subscribesto the relevant email and newsgroups willtell you There is a lot of small print in the900 page Telecommunications Bill thatwas passed through the Senate in lateMarch
February Committee MeetingThe Committee discussed legal advice thathad been sought on a Committee memberwho is directly involved with a commercialInternet service The member responded
that he saw no conflict of interest or breachof the ACTrsquos Associations Incorporated Actand would continue to serve on theCommittee Following the legal advice theCommittee has taken no further action
The draft of our submission to the SenateCommittee inquiry into the Telecom-munications Bill was tabled
The Committee has purchased a newlaptop computer to be used at various venuesthat we attend
Additional chairs have been approvedfor the meeting area
The Communication Policy Teamadvised that they were working with JohnDunn in preparing a comprehensive membersurvey
Ken Livingston was elected to the IPMCto replace Karl Auer
It was agreed to order the MicrosoftInternet Explorer Administration Kit As this
As mentioned here last month there area few changes occurring on the editorial teamThis month two of our very valuable teammembers Val Thomson and Jim Hume havedecided to wrap thing up As always a simplethank-you seems so inadequate in con-sideration of all the time and energy they havespent in making our journal the awardwinning production that it is They willcertainly be missed and I would like to statemy deepest appreciation for a job well doneand how much I will miss working with themBoth of these members have contributed tothe journal for years in many ways anddeserve a big Thank You from us all
It should be obvious to all members thatnow is the time for anyone who can donatesome effort to assist in producing the journalto contact the committee No volunteers nomagazine - itrsquos that simple As I stated last
month without member support thecommitteersquos options are extremely limitedregarding the production of our journalCombined with my departure as Editornext month it is vital that we address theneed for additional volunteers on theeditorial team as quickly as possible
If you havenrsquot had a look at the on-line version of Sixteen Bits at httppcugorgaupcug16bits I think you willbe surprised by what you find there Atlong last the software on our Internet sitesupports Adobe Acrobat version 3 Youwill find some interesting features such asa lsquoliversquo table of contents where you cansimply click on an article to view it Thereare also sound clips here and there In thenear future (possibly this month) all of thelinks to web sites will also be lsquoliversquo Soanywhere you see a reference to a web site
you will simply need to click on it toautomatically jump to that site Stay tunedfor more surprises as we discover and learnthe many features of this software
Unfortunately (depending on your pointof view) MicroSoftrsquos Internet Explorerversion 3 has a known bug that prevents itfrom working with online Acrobat PDF filesso the site is best viewed with Netscape fornow Just days before writing this NetscapeCommunicator 4 (preview) and MS InternetExplorer 4 (beta) were released hopefullythey will work better with Acrobat files
Meanwhile in spite of all the bells andwhistles of online publishing it appears thatnothing beats hard copy I think it will be along time before most of us are willing togive up our lsquodead treersquo versions for variousgood reasons So grab a cuppa and enjoy
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 5
LettersLetters
Meet The CommitteeCommittee members can be found at most PCUG functions but are also available thethird Saturday of each month from 2-4pm at the PCUG Centre This time has been setaside specifically for members to have an opportunity to meet committee members anddiscuss any issues or answer any questions members may have See you there
Last month Doug Gillies called for morekindness in the application of the lsquoUsers helpingusersrsquo principle He mentioned a member whoasked for help in one of the TIP newsgroupsand was told to RTFM I felt for this memberthe very first time I posted a message on theBulletin Board back in 1990 I was promptlytold to RTFM When I found out what it meantI was mortified at what seemed a rude andintolerant response and was very reluctant topost again
When I eventually met the writer of my RTFMmessage I was unsurprised to find him kindlyand mild-mannered By that time Irsquod figured outthat certain Real World conventions simplydidnrsquot apply online People write the rudestthings apparently without considering whotheyrsquore saying them to or about or the fact thattheyrsquore saying them in public They say themfurthermore without any expectation ofreproach lsquoItrsquos the Usenet culturersquo so Irsquom toldand out pop all the shibboleths about lsquomerepatterns in the phosphorrsquo and lsquosticks and stonesrsquo
Text carries a far heavier burden of meaningthan the spoken word Getting somethingacross in the absence of facial expressiontone of voice gesture and body language (letalone the opportunity to explain and elaborateon the spot) takes work and care Electronicmessages however are often dashed off inthe heat of the moment Posters seem to pridethemselves in writing as they speakndashor moreinformally (and impertinently) than theyspeak Furthermore jargon aboundsNewcomers are absolutely at liberty to sinkor swim in this exclusive and hostileambience
Our much-vaunted freedom to participaterests on the assumption that everyonersquostolerance and aptitude for verbal abuse is thesame Many peoplendashthose brought up in morecourteous times and those hamstrung byexpectations of lsquoladylikenessrsquo for examplendashmay find the atmosphere in public messageareas very uncomfortable Itrsquos a vain hopethat The Usenet Culture will change to takeaccount of these differences but Irsquom certainlywith Doug in wishing to see more kindnesson The Internet Project
Irsquom not suggesting there shouldnrsquot bevigorous debate among old acquaintances Iwould just like to see less sinking of the bootin response to innocent (or even dumb)questions Perhaps then the brawls would bebalanced by more exchanges between moreparticipants about more topics J
Val Thomson
Doug Gillies letter in the March 1997 SixteenBits amazed me I have found so manyhelpers who sacrificed their time as well astheir petrol to install programs for me I cannever thank them enoughThey even taughtme to make better use of my software (seemy first letter in the February Sixteen Bits)
Alois Tush came back a second time to tryand sort out the problem with WorksYesterday Gordon Urquart came during hisprecious holiday to delete the faulty Works
has to be ordered from the US it could takequite a while before it can be implemented
Financial Report forFebruary 1997
Opening Balance(incl TIP) $174929
IncomePCUG $ 20296TIP Subscriptions $ 55440
ExpendituresPCUG $ 17758TIP $ 11466PresentedUnpresented cheques $ 905
Closing Balance(incl TIP) $220536
and install Works 4oa for Windows 95 Heshowed me how to delete and to install and inaddition he gave me valuable tips aboutnaming files
Works 40a was sent to me by Mr Rob PriceMS analyst Senior Response Group in answerto my plea for help with Works
So you see I am really extremely lucky butsurely I cannot be the only one
Elizabeth Ward
Providing that they applied the samephilosophy to Committee membership I couldapplaud the Committeersquos official view ldquotheperiodic turnover in Editors as with othervolunteers is a postive thing for the group Inthis way we donrsquot get stuck with one point ofview or one approach for a long period of timeand the magazine remains freshrdquo
It is assumed that candidates offering for thenext Committee election will state their lengthof time on our Committee together with theirprofessional qualifications
After having served two editors as a memberof the editorial team and as an articlecontributor the message to me from thePresident is clear it is time to go and I will beresigning from the editorial team at the sametime that the current editor leaves I wish thenew team the best of luck
Jim Hume
6 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
PCUG CommitteePresident Ann Byrne 282 2536
pcugpresidentpcugorgau
Vice President Mike Gellard 258 2361mgellardpcugorgau
Secretary Hugh Bambrick 249 7667amp Public Officer pcugsecretarypcugorgau
Treasurer Hugh Alstonpcugtreasurerpcugorgau
Training Officer Paul Balnaves 241 4671pcugtrainingpcugorgau
Network Craig GibsonAdministrator pcuglanpcugorgau
BBS Sysop Michael Phillips 281 1980pcugsysoppcugorgau
General CommitteeAlan Mikkelsen 278 3164amikkelspcugorgau
General CommitteeDavid Schwabe 254 9086dschwabepcugorgau
General CommitteeKen Livingston 282 2536kenlivpcugorgau
General CommitteeRod Farr 286 1597rodfpcugorgau
General CommitteeIain Gould 255 2405iainpcugorgau
General CommitteeDarrell Burkeydburkeypcugorgau
Immediate Karl Auer 248 6607Past Presidentkauerpcugorgau
PCUG Committee email to pcugcommitteepcugorgau
Other ContactsExecutive SecretaryPetra Dwyer 258 2099
pcugexecsecpcugorgau
Membership Mike BurkeSecretary pcugmembershippcugorgau
The phone numbers listed above are home numbers unless otherwisespecified Please restrict calls to between 730pm and 900pm
New Members Information Night730pm first Monday of the month PC Users Group Centre NorthpointPlaza Belconnen
How To Make ContactPostal address
PO Box 42Belconnen ACT 2616(For ALL correspondence)
J PC Users Group CentreNorthpoint Plaza BelconnenOpen Mon Wed and Fri 10am-2pmSaturdays and Sundays 9am-5pm(closed long weekends)
The PCUG Centre is the venue for PCUG training some Special InterestGroup meetings and other activities There is no charge for using theCentre for PCUG activities Contact Petra Dwyer at the PCUG Centre on(06) 253 4911for bookings
(PCUG Main Phone number(06) 253 4911(Answering machine when Centre unattended)
2 Fax number(06) 253 4922
Emailpcugpcugorgau (or use addresses at left)
The INTERNET Project(06) 206 6200 helppcugorgau
World Wide Web pagehttpwwwpcugorgaupcug
Bulletin Board Service (BBS)(06) 253 4933 (5 lines 336k bbs)Fidonet address 3620243
(BBS Sysop voice number(06) 253 4966 (600pm - 900pm)
Main MeetingMain meetings are held 700pm for 730pm usually on the last Mondayof every month at Manning Clark Theatre 1 Crisp Building AustralianNational University
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 7
Next New Membersrsquo Night
5 May 1997730pm
PCUG CentreNorthpoint Plaza Belconnen
MembershipNotesBy Mike BurkeMembership Secretary
MembershipNotes
the PC Users Group Centre (see map page 6)These meetings are a chance for new andlsquoolderrsquo members (who are always welcometo attend) to meet with representatives ofthe Committee to put names to faces andto ask any questions that you may have aboutthe Group and its activities Tea and coffeeare available and the atmosphere is informaland friendly
Main MeetingsOur main meetings targeted at our generalmembership are normally held monthly onthe last Monday of the month The datevenue and topic of the meeting alwaysappear on the front cover of SIXTEEN BITSwhich is timed to arrive in your mail-box inthe middle of the week before the next mainmeeting Main meetings are also advertisedin the computing section of the CanberraTimes on the day of the meeting Anyone iswelcome to attend these meetings you donot need to be a member For main meetingswe arrange guest speakers on a variety oftopics throughout the year As an addedincentive there are usually a couple of doorprizes to be won Yoursquove got to be in it towin it There is no main meeting inDecember Special Events We also havesome special events such as the lsquoBring andBuy Nightrsquo at the Albert Hall in Novemberand an annual Quiz Night in April Youshould read SIXTEEN BITS thoroughly asspecial events are publicised mainly throughthe magazine
Annual General MeetingThe Annual General Meeting is held
in September each year Even ifyou are unable to attend MainMeetings regularly membersshould make every effort toattend this Meeting at which
office bearers for the ensuing 12months are elected
The Rules andOther Good Stuff
Some members have expressed concern thatthey have lost TIP access because theirmembership renewals were not processedquickly enough Please remember that TIPaccess is dependent on your continuingPCUG membership and that it takes timeto process your membership renewalcurrently up to two weeks We are lookingat ways to reduce this time but the bestsolution is for you to remember to renewearly From this issue onwards there willbe a reminder published in this column everymonth Members particularly TIP userswhose PCUG membership expires at the endof the month stated in the box should renewtheir PCUG membership immediately Donot delay because your TIP access willautomatically be cut off at midnight on thelast day of the month unless your renewalhas been processed
Welcome to new members readingSIXTEEN BITS for the first time andwelcome to the PC Users Group
Continuing members should alsocheck this column regularly becauseI am sure that there will be some littlesurprises from time to time even forthe most jaded of old hands
If your PCUGmembership expires atthe end of May 1997
RENEW NOW to avoidlosing TIP access
Membership CardYour membership card will be mailed to youas soon as possible after your applicationfor membership or renewal has beenprocessed This will normally occur withinone week of your receipt of your first issueof SIXTEEN BITS Please be patienthowever There is only one print run ofmailing and membership labels everymonth and this normally occurs over theweekend immediately before the SIXTEENBITS stuffing day (normally the thirdMonday in the month) Normallymembership cards and disks will bedispatched on the third Monday If you loseyour card please leave a message with theExecutive Secretary on 253 4911 or contactme directly via The Internet Project atpcugmembershippcugorgau
Information DiskNew members should also receive a diskcontaining information about the Group andits services Please read the inndashformation onthe disk carefully as you will find theanswers to most of your questions there
New Members Information Night New members are especially urged to attenda New Members Information Night whichis normally held at 730pm on the firstMonday of the month (except January) at
8 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
RYPTOGRAPHY
This is the second of a two part feature onthe technology of cryptography Last monthpublic key cryptosystems were explainedThis month secret key ciphers are explainedand the controversial US export controls oncryptographic technology are examined
Secret key cryptography is theclassic type and has been aroundfor thousands of years Itrsquossometimes called symmetric
cryptography because the same key is usedto encrypt and decrypt a message The keymust therefore be kept secret or it becomesuseless since anyone who has the key candecrypt messages created with it They canalso generate mischievous messages orimpersonate a legitimate user of the key
Because the two parties to a conversationshare the same key non-repudiation isimpossible with secret key cryptography Amessage created and signed by one partycould have easily been signed by the other
party because they are both using the samekey
Secret key systems are inherentlysimpler than public key systems so there arequite a few of them in existence forcomputing One of the first was DES (DataEncryption Standard) which was publishedway back in 1977 in the US and uses a 56bit key DES takes a 64 bit chunk of amessage and garbles this into 64 bits ofciphertext
Since DES processes blocks of themessage with a defined length it is called ablock cipher (The illustration shows howDES works) DES doesnrsquot involve anyspecial mathematics In fact it relies on afew simple operations including bitshuffling substitution and simple logicaloperations
DES is still in wide usage today and isconsidered sufficiently strong that the USgovernment until very recently had ablanket ban on export of products whichused it
The fact that a cipher almost 20 yearsold is still considered useful illustrates animportant point in cryptography Ciphersand wine share a common feature - bothnormally improve with age The reason issimple If after such a long time no-onehas been able to work out a quick way tobreak a cipher then it must be good Unlikea lot of software these days reliability andtrustworthiness are absolute essentials forcryptographic algorithms and software
The need to expose ciphers to widepublic use - and abuse - before there can beconfidence in them also means that do-it-yourself ciphers generally arenrsquot trusted There might be some obscure attack orbackdoor that the designer has missed or
even deliberately put in place Neverthelessthere are some incredibly simple cipherswhich anyone can implement and use Oneof these called the lsquoone time padrsquo consistsof nothing more than combining a messagebit by bit with a lsquokeyrsquo consisting of arandom string of bits of the same lengthusing the exclusive or (XOR) logicaloperation Decryption is performed bysimply XORing with the same key again Itmight sound surprising but the one time pad
is the most secure cipher known if doneproperly Doing it properly meansunfortunately using a fresh key of randombits every time and the key must be trulyrandom - not generated with a pseudo-random algorithm
Coming back to DES if you take a quicklook at the detail of how it works you mightask why it goes through such a complex setof steps There are two reasons An attackerwonrsquot get too far by reversing the processbefore being stopped by a step involving akey (these canrsquot be reversed without thekey) The second reason is to make itrelatively inefficient when implemented insoftware so anyone who tries guessing keysrandomly will take that much longer to testeach one In fact key guessing is about aseffective as any other method for breakingDES
How secure is DES With the computingpower available now it is consideredfeasible to crack a message encrypted witha key only 56 bits long Nevertheless itwouldnrsquot be a trivial exercise since there are2^54 possible keys or about 18 x 10^16 Ifeach key took one millisecond to check itwould take over half a million years to testevery possible key
ldquoIf each key took one millisecond to check it would takeover half a million years to test every possible keyrdquo
(continued on page 10)
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 9
TECHNOLOGY GROUPinteract
Are you sick of congestedlines and slow access to the
InternetInterACT offers a full range of Internet Services in the Canberra Region
hellip be it a WWW home page to a corporate network ndashInterACT will deliver
Access $ 3500 per month orFlat Rate $ 18000 for 6 months
Access Plus $ 1000 per month (10 prepaid hrs)
$ 250 each additional hour
No Connection Fee applies to any of our dialup modem services
23 Megabit link to the Internet
Wersquore just a phone call away and you can be online today
Interact Technology Group URL httpwwwinteractnetauGround Floor Phone 257 833325 Torrens Street Fax 257 8322Braddon ACT 2612 Email infointeractnetau
All Plans payable in advance
10 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
In reality a key can be tested in a lotless than a millisecond In a recent challengein the US by RSA Data Security a 40 bitsecret key cipher was broken in about twoand half hours by using a whole stack ofcomputers in parallel No-one has crackedthe 56 bit challenge issued at the same time(at least at the time of writing this whichwas several weeks after the challenge wasissued) A 56 bit key is roughly 2^16 timesmore difficult to break meaning it wouldtake over 18 years to break with the samecomputing power used for the 40 bit key
Even if a 56 bit key was too short foryour security needs there are also schemesfor encryption with DES using two differentkeys in an encrypt-decrypt-encrypt cycleThis system sometime called triple DESmore than doubles the effective key lengthand provides truly remarkable security
Other common secret key algorithmsinclude IDEA (International DataEncryption Algorithm) which is used inPretty Good Privacy RC4 and RC5 ThelsquoRCrsquo series ciphers (also proprietaryproducts of RSA Data Security) are used inNetscape Navigator
US Export ControlsAs in many other technology areas theUnited States has been one of the leaders inthe development of crytosystems Manypowerful ciphers are available commerciallyin US products But the US government hasuntil recently had an almost total ban on theexport of most such products
The US government even used to treatcommercial cryptosystems as munitions forexport purposes Cryptographic softwareexports would often receive scrutiny fromthe US national security agency
Recent promises by major US IT firmsto incorporate lsquokey recoveryrsquo in theirproducts has lead to a relaxation on exportcontrols A statement by the White Houseon 1 October last year said that firms thatbuilt key recovery into their products wouldbe able to export much more powerfulcryptosystems for a trial period of two years
The actual details of what was meant bykey recovery were released by the USadministration just before Christmas 1996For practical purposes they differ little fromanother controversial and widely criticisedpolicy called key escrow which involveslodging all keys with a governmentauthority
The US government justifies itsinsistence on key recovery systems so thatit can continue to eavesdrop on criminalelements or terrorists taking advantage of
powerful cryptographic processes to hidetheir activities from the law
This means that the real interest by USauthorities is in cryptographic techniquesused for secret conversations The US hasno concern about encryption software thatcan only be used for digital signatures andmessage authentication
So far so good But on closer exndashamination the logic becomes harder tofollow The US government is controllingexport of cryptosystems not access to themin the US US citizens including thoseabroad have unrestricted access to verystrong encryption technology US citizenswill not even be obliged to use software thatincludes the key recovery systems mandatedfor exports In fact the October 1996statement by the White House makes thepolicy pretty clear ldquodomestic use of keyrecovery will be voluntary and any
American will remain free to use anyencryption system domesticallyrdquo
So how will the inclusion of keyrecovery in lsquoexport onlyrsquo products help TheUS government seems to be hoping that itskey recovery idea will become a de factointernational standard and that the US firmsmaking this software simply will not botherproducing two versions - one with and onewithout key recovery Instead they willproduce one version with key recovery Untilthis happens (if it ever does) the USgovernment will only be able to decryptmessages originated from overseas usingexported US software They will only beable to decrypt where a foreign governmentobtains the keys and hands them over Therecent White House statement says ldquoaccessto keys would be provided in accordancewith (export) destination country policiesand bilateral understandingsrdquo
A major problem highlighted by thecritics of US policy is that much of theencryption technology is already availableoverseas Much of it can apparently be usedlegally outside the US and even importedinto the US - yet it still canrsquot be exported byUS software vendors
For example DES is a publishedstandard and is widely available in manyparts of the world but until recently waseffectively the subject of a US export banAustralia is a case in point DES islegitimately available from a number of ourspecialist IT security firms for exampleEracom on the Gold Coast
In the case of RSA this is protected bypatent in the US However that hasnrsquotstopped it being available in other countriesin non-US products
The US government is not alone inhaving controls on use or export of crypndashtography France bans use of cryptographyby its citizens completely Closer to homethe Australian government also has exportcontrols on cryptographic software andhardware - although not a stringent as thosein the US Many other countries have thesetypes of controls as well
In spite of the well-intentioned motivesbehind restrictions on cryptography it seemshard to imagine that crooks and terroristswill be more vulnerable They are likely togain access to all the cryptographic
(continued from page 8)
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 11
SPIRIT NETWORKSYOUR INTERNET BUSINESS SOLUTION
IN CANBERRA
Offering full commercial Internet Services to create theInternet Presence of your business including
middot World Wide Web Site optional Domain Nameregistration and high volume services
middot Multiple Email Mailboxes amp high-speed Dialup access
middot Free Internet technical support
middot No time charging
middot Accounts from $25 a month
middot Training Consultation and Support Services
middot Connections by ISDN or modem permanentconnections available
middot Other services included are Telnet WWW FileTransfer News IRC and Multimedia
middot On-site Internet Software Installation Configuration andDemonstration
Personal accounts available
Complete Office Solutions for your Internet Presence
Email salesspiritnetau
Phone 0419 609 704 06 281 3552 Fax 06 285 1987
PO Box 486 Curtin ACT 2605
technology they want - whether legally ornot
If yoursquore interested in finding out moreon cryptography there are some good booksand plenty of good material on the Web Aclassic book is Bruce Schneierrsquos AppliedCryptography (2nd edition 1996 Wiley)which also contains C code for manyciphers On the web have a look athttpwwwrsacom (see FAQ) or httptheory lcs mi t edu~r ives t c rypto-securityhtml (plenty of good links - a mustfor anyone with an interest in cryptography)
12 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
1297
1897
1987
1997
ph 06 297 1084fax 03 9221 3180sustanceibmnet
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 13
14 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Setting Up a Commercial Site onthe Internet with Web Graphics
At the beginning of March I launched a newcommercial site on the Internet - InfoRomSince I know virtually nothing about HTMLprogramming and since I am something of anovice at this game I thought you might beinterested in
a) My experience of setting up acommercial site
b) My evaluation of how suited CorelWeb Graphics is to this purpose
I was in fact involved in EdRev anunsuccessful Internet project that was up onthe Net for much of 1996 Hopefully I havelearned from the experience - as Peter Cookused to say ldquoI have learned from my mistakesand I can repeat every one of them perfectlyrdquo
Developing Your Site ConceptBefore setting up your site it is important tohave a clear idea in mind as to why the site isthere what services you wish to provide andwhat sort of clients you are aiming at WithEdRev my idea had been to provide in-depthreviews of CD-ROM educational softwareover the Internet - people would not be able toaccess the reviews until they had taken up asubscription - or at least trialled the servicefor a month People out there did not respondto this approach - and the big problem frommy point of view was that I was putting vastamounts of time into writing the reviews andgetting little return
With InfoRom I decided to write shortermuch tighter reviews make them available forfree but offer access to question and answersupport on any of the products reviewed for asmall fee That way I figured that I wouldnrsquothave to invest too much effort up front but Iwould be putting my time and energy intoanswering questions for paid up subscribers Ialso decided to start including selected gamesas well as educational software so as to widenthe appeal of the service
Corel Web Transit - Word to HTML
Having written the reviews (inWord 6 for Windows) the nextstep was to convert them intoHTML format This proved to besomewhat easier than I had expectedWeb Transit makes the process prettyautomatic and it carried over my formattingand styles without any problem The onlydifficulty I found was that occasionally itwould add a couple of unwanted line breaksat the top of the page and very occasionallyan unwanted bookmark to the text at the topWhere this happened I simply deleted the linebreaks and changed the formatting to removethe bookmark There was no logical reason forthese unwanted inclusions - I suspect that itwas just a bug in the program Diagram 1 iswhat the Transit screen looks like You set updestination and source then click translatethen click the Web Designer icon if you wantto format and modify the file or click thebrowser icon to see what it will look like onthe Web
Corel Web Designer - Formattingand Enhancing the Site Pages
Web Designer is another of the Corel WebGraphics package components and (with thehelp of my daughter Naomi) I used this to dothe following
middot Fancy up headings and the appearanceof the text
middot Add internal links eg from the bottomof the page to the top
middot Add external links to other files egSubject Index
By Nick Thomson
Diagram 1
cd romcd rom
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 15
middot Add external files to other sites eg thesites of the software suppliers
middot Add graphics
All of the above processes were easy andreliable and I was able to undertake all of themsuccessfully despite not having any knowledgeof HTML programming I only encounteredthree shortcomings
1 If I had names with a mixture of upper andlower case the links didnrsquot always workproperly I overcame this by ensuring thatall my filenames were in lower case onlyI am not sure if this was a Web Graphicsproblem or just a general HTML issue
HTML is certainly casesensitive so beware
2 It is not possible to define orsave your own templates in Web
Designer It would have been veryhandy if I could have set up a template
with all the standard headings and linkseg to the Home Page built in - notpossible at this stage but I understand thatthis facility will be available in the nextupgrade of Web Designer
3 The formatting options are a bit limitedand it is not possible to define your ownstyles (although there is quite a good rangeof pre-defined styles available)
For graphics Naomi created a series ofneat little icons - one for each subject categoryThus at the top of each page there were twosmall graphics representing one or two subjectcategories for that review These were createdfrom clip art in Corel Draw then convertedand pasted in as gif or jpeg images (the twographic formats that are supported by HTML)We had tried using screen clips in EdRev -
they took forever to load and were a pain towork with so I decided against using them inInfoRom One of the golden rules of Web sitesis not to slow things down with too manygraphics - I get very frustrated waiting forsome of the software supplier sites to load -and I donrsquot want my potential clients to feelthat way about my site Diagram 2 is anexample of one of our pages
Selecting a Supplier andUploading Pages
The next step was to find a commercial sitesupplier I had been happy with service andvalue for money that we got at Spirit Networks(an ACT supplier) so I decided to go to themIt cost me $275 to set the site up (includingthe registration of my domain name on theInternet) and it is costing me $50 per monthfor maintaining the site (that includes a goodlevel of storage email traffic and the right toupdate whenever I like) - so it really isnrsquot tooexpensive a service As part of the setup costsa rep from Spirit came and helped my set upTIP email and FTP connections on mymachine Because of my newness to thisprocess I fired lots of questions (includingquite a few dumb ones) at them by email orphone in the first couple of weeks - I have tosay that they have been very patient and mosthelpful
I uploaded all the files by means of FTPand eureka it is working What a satisfyingfeeling to log on load up your browser andperuse a site that is all your own work Apartfrom a few faulty links (the result of incorrectentry on my part) everything was working fineimmediately and I have already added threelots of updates without difficulty
Marketing and Indexing the SiteWhen I was involved in EdRev I sent outapprox 600 emails to schools educationalagencies etc in the hope of winning somesubscribers For all that effort we got 2subscribers
I believe that one of the keys to the Internetis harnessing the power of the various searchprograms or Web Indexes by listing your sitewith them and doing whatever you need to doto ensure that your site has a reasonably good
Diagram 2(continued next page)
16 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
chance of being detected What I want is thatif someone searches for a particular packageeg Encarta or NHL 97 then they will bedirected to my site Thus the key is for not justmy home page but for every separate reviewpage to be picked up by the various indexesMost users stick with the big ones - as far as Ican tell they are
Excite
Infoseek
Lycos
Alta Vista
Magellan (subset of Excite)
Yahoo
Hot Bot
Web Crawler
Web Surfer
If anyone out there can suggest any otherlsquopopular onesrsquo please tell me My experienceis that there are two categories of Index
1 Those that list your home page and thentrace all of the links to the home page and(over time) add all of the other pages inyour site This can take 3 or 4 weeks Theseinclude Alta Vista Lycos Yahoo and (Ithink) Excite and Yahoo
2 Those that will only list the URL you haveentered eg Infoseek and Web Crawler
Thus I have taken two approaches Withcategory 1 eg Excite I have added just thehome page to the index although each time Ido an update I add the URL of what I estimatewill be the most popular choice for that weekto Excite and Hot Bot - thus increasing thelikelihood of my site appearing on thesesindexes in the short term Alta Vista Yahooand Lycos all actively discourage this process- but I will see whether the review pages ofmy sites are being picked up before I passjudgement on this
In the case of Infoseek and Web Crawler Ientered every single URL for all the pages inmy site (about 130 to begin with) - and everytime I do an update I add the URLs for thenew pages to these indexes It is timeconsuming but I believe that it is worth it Iam starting to get traffic to the site from allover the world but it is too early to tell howsuccessful my efforts have been
WebSurfer required a payment of $350(US) to be included - I wonder how long itwill be before this trend catches on with theothers At the bank I discovered that it wouldcost me $10 - to get a cheque drawn in USdollars - so the process cost me about $15
dollars And they wonder why Australia is notcompetitive on the international scene WhileI am grizzling about banks let me alsocomment that for every client that pays me bycheque in US dollars or pounds sterling it willcost me $5 to convert that cheque to Australiandollars The trick is of course to encouragepayment by credit card but I have not foundany of the banks I have spoken to so far to beparticularly eager to allow a small untriedbusiness like this to offer credit card facilitiesAre there any banks out there that encourageAustralians to transact internationalbusiness
There are a number of providers that offer(for a fee) to list you with lsquo100 Web indexesrsquoetc but since I figure that most people onlyuse the most popular ones I havenrsquot botheredwith them
Final CommentBasically it is now a matter of wait and seewhat the response is as well as ensure that thesite is visible on the various Web indexes Thewhole process has certainly been much easierthan I expected and I can certainly recommendCorelrsquos Web Graphics suite as a good way forbeginners to get a page up on the Internet witha minimum of fuss and bother Letrsquos hope thatthe subscribers start rolling in
Nick Thomson is a management trainerconsultant and he is also the manager ofInfoRom a CD-ROM review and onlinesupport service on the Internet He can becontacted on 241 3239
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 17
A review by Alan Tebb
ldquoWhat is the name of the worldrsquos mosttattooed womanrdquo (See the answer at theend of this article)
I remember buying a copy of theGuinness Book of Records in 1979and thinking it contained the mostfascinating collection of trivial facts
and figures I had ever read Over the yearsthe book settled the occasional dinnerargument that strayed into the realm of ldquowhowas the tallest man everrdquo or ldquohow longwere the longest finger nails ever grownrdquoIt was like having the sideshow bearded ladyand the tattooed man between covers on thebookshelf every page was filled with thebizarre the freakish the unbelievable
But to be fair the Guinness Book ofRecords is more than a collection of thecurious or unusual In the month since Ibegan this review I have noticed the TV andthe newspapers have on three occasionscovered attempts to break Guinness records
Perhaps the Guinness record book fulfillsthat need in human beings to challenge theirenvironment do things that no other humanhas done before to better the incredible featsof others or to be just plain crazy Whateverthe motivation the drive to be a part ofGuinness historyndashif only for as long as arecord holdsndashis as popular now as when thewhole thing began in 1955
So naturally I was very interested to seewhat Grolier had done to make the GuinnessBook of Records a multimedia CD I wasnrsquotdisappointed Like its hardcover cousin theGuinness Multimedia Disc of Recordscontains the same extensive collection ofrecords plus a library of amazing film clipsand photographs you simply wonrsquot findanywhere else on CD
The opening interface looks like acollection of pub drink coasters It has eightpaths allowing the user to browse recordsgo straight to an index of all photographsview movie clips search by words search
1995 GuinnessMultimediaDisc of Records
by topics search by superlatives run theRandom Record Explorer or play the GuessWhat quiz
The record browser lists almost 15000records in alphabetical order and is the leasteffective way of finding your way aroundthe CD The Guinness Multimedia Disc ofRecords excels in its ability to search itsdatabase of records using some innovativeoptions The usual Boolean choices areavailable or you can have fun searching bysuperlatives such as ldquotallestrdquo or ldquoheaviestrdquoThe CD will then list all the records thatinclude the chosen adjective The otheralternative is to search through topic treesthat branch out from a few key subjects allthe way to individual records an approachoften seen in CD encyclopaedias
The disc contains over 1000photographs from the Guinness collectionincluding what must be considered some ofthe most unusual and fascinating picturesassembled in one publication The majorityof photos and videos are very high in qualityand in the case of the photos these can beprinted
My only disappointment with theGuinness Multimedia Disc of Records is thefact that it did not have a country specificsupplement The thing I liked most aboutmy 1979 hard copy version was the 30 pagesof Australia-only records at the back Evenso the multimedia version is every bit asentertaining interesting and informative asI had hoped it would be With the addedadvantage of film clips sound and greatsearch capabilities I think it is better thanthe hard copy version Now if I can onlyremember some of those unusual facts andfigures I might be a much better TrivialPursuit player
System RequirementsA 486DX processor running at 33MHz orfaster using Windows 31 or rsquo95 4 Mb ofRAM 6Mb hard disk space CD-ROMcapable of 300Kbsec or higher transfer rateand a sound card The video uses Quicktimefor Windows 20 (supplied with theproduct)
The worldrsquos most decorated woman is stripartiste Krystyne Kolorful born 5 December1952 in Alberta Canada Her body is 95percent covered and it took ten years tocomplete the work
18 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
T his comprehensive set ofpowerful drawing and photo-editing tools fills a niche for thehome or small business users
who are looking for an easy-to-use graphicspackage to create greeting cards certificatesbanners business forms signs and calendarsetc and at the same time have the capacityto scan their own photographs touch themup and add special effects or create bitmapimages using the painting tools
While both MS Publisher 97 (which Ireviewed in the March 1997 issue) and PrintHouse have some similarities and overlapin the production of greeting cards bannerscalendars menus etc this program con-centrates on the production of qualitygraphics and photographic enhancementwhile MS Publisher97 was more orientedtowards Desk Top Publishing and has nophotographic enhancement program
Corel Print amp Photo House lives up toits claim for simplicity with a friendlywizard-based interface that anyone can usewithout training It includes more than 1600ready-to-print sample files (700 of whichare cards 1000 photos 1000 phrases 150TrueType fonts 7000 clipart images 200backdrops and 70 intelligent borders andtemplates and a well-illustrated manualwhich includes a catalogue containingcollections of the clipart fonts bordersbackdrops phrases and photos on theCDROM At a loss for the appropriatewords to include The comprehensive listof phrases should meet almost everyconceivable need
Installation is simple and the programproved fully compatible with my LogitechColour scanner and DSV Graphics DisplayAccelerator
There is a key that opens a key page thatin turn displays help topics to assist withthe task in hand using cue cards The topicsopened by the key are determined by the toolin use or the object currently selected Eachcard contains an instruction and after eachstep is completed a new card displays
Wizards are available to walk usersthrough any task such as changing the colourof an object or adding shadows to text Thereis an on-screen Notebook to help guide usersthrough various operations such as how toapply effects choose a paint brush or accessthe photo collection It also provides easyand visible access to clipart bordersbackdrops and preset styles that can bedragged and dropped into designs
You can customise a project withpowerful drawing tools and flip rotate orscale any text or graphic
The vector graphics and text are fullyeditable and can be flipped rotated re-sizedungrouped and fully customised by bothcolour and shape
The Toolbars and layout will be familiarto Corel Draw users they are intuitive andperform similar functions Figure 3 showsthe Notebook to the left of the verticaltoolbar showing what you would like to donext This Notebook provides convenienton-screen context-sensitive help and guidesusers through various operations such ashow to apply effects choose a paint brushor access a photo collection It also provideseasy and visible access to clipart bordersbackdrops and preset styles that can bedragged and dropped into designs To add acatalogue item you can drag it from theNotebook and drop it into the appropriatepart of your design
One particularly neat feature is theability to save pieces of your own creationfor later use in a section called theScrapbook so that you can add it to futureprojects
Reviewed by Jim Hume
Figure 1
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 19
The Photo House was particularlyimpressive both for the ease of use and itsversatility It took just over ten minutes torepair the damage to the print in Figure 2with the result shown in Figure 3 It alsoincludes a Notebook that provides on screenhelp to guide users For touching upphotographs there are Tools for selectionRectangle Freehand Eyedropper EraserFlood Fill Paintbrush Spray Can and Clonetools There are seven different touch-upeffects including Sharpen BrightnessContrast Remove Dust and ScratchesReduce speckles Simplify colours removered-eyes and Change Colours which provide
users with everything they are likely to needto spruce up or enhance photographs
Finally they provide a touch of fun withspecial effects-Page Curl Emboss SwirlCustom Negative Vignette Motion blurAdd light source Psychedelic Ripple
texture Impress-ionist and SketchThe photo editingpossibilities arealmost endlessFigure 4 showsthe special effectspicture a crownconverted top s y c h e d e l i cformat
Figure 2
Figure 3
Apart from serious use this program willalso provide a lot of fun for all ages andsome may be carried away with over-use ofthe graphics If only to emphasise the needto keep the design simple so that readers getthe message immediately the manual wouldbenefit from a Chapter covering theprinciples of good design similar to that inthe Publisher97 Companion or at least a listof recommended reading
There is an uninstall feature whichallows the ready removal of the program
System RequirementsMinimum System requirements IBM PC486 DX or compatible Windows95 orWindows Nt 351 a CD-ROM drive a VGAcardmonitor and a mouse or tabletWindows users require 8MB of RAM andWindows NT 351 or later users will require12 MB or RAM Price - RRP $9900
Figure 4
20 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
So here we are - itrsquos about 930 amon a fine Sunday morning and Irsquomcruising along the 210 freewayeastbound from Pasadena on the
way to the computer marketplace atPomona The traffic is light moving freelydown the 6 lanes between 70 and 80 mph(forgive the non-metrics therersquos a lot ofcatching up to do here) The speed limit wasincreased from 55 to 65 mph after the oilcrisis was ldquooverrdquo and the highway patroltend to frown on anyone faster or slowerthan 65 to 80 The radio is tuned to K-Earth1011 ldquoOldiesrdquo radio (appropriate for me)the Big-O is extolling the virtues of PrettyWomen and all is right with the world
Irsquove done my homework the day beforeby visiting FRYrsquos Electronics in Burbank -a huge high-tech megastore with a computersection roughly the size of David JonesThey are generally in the lower range ofcomputer retail prices - so it is worth seeinghow they compare to values at the Pomonamarketplace
Some example of prices at FRYrsquos (forsome things I was thinking of buying) are
Tape Backup unitsIomega Ditto 2Gb - $150 (Aus $207 after825 CA sales tax and conversion at 1275)Connor 32Gb - $229 A$316HP Colorado 32Gb - $209 A$288
Parallel port TV camerasColour - $249 A$343 Greyscale- $110 A$151 [Saw them bymail order at $79 A$101 (notax)]
8Mb 72pin EDO SIMMs 70ns - $40 A$55 60ns (1 yearWarranty) - $35 A$48 60ns(Namebrand lifetime warranty) -$44 A$61
Sony Web TV(WWW + Email via your TV -No PC required) - $290 A$400
Back to Sunday and thehardest part of the trip is theU-turn into the LA County
fairgroundrsquos car park - there are 6 entrancelanes with only 2-3 cars in each so gettingto park is pretty painless except for the $5parking fee Ouch A dollar up since lasttime Then another shock to the wallet -entrance fee has increased from $7 to $8for adults (and no Seniors discount) So atotal of $13 A$18 before making it into thefirst hall A friend and I discussed theentrance price and concluded that it mightbe a cunning psychological plot - Itrsquos costso much to get this far that one should reallybuy plenty to make it all worthwhileEverybody wins organisers and dealers thatis But itrsquos certainly possible to recoup theentrance money with a purchase of aCDROM For example MS Encarta 97 wasgoing for $26 (A$36)
There is at least one and sometimes twocomputer shows somewhere in LA eachweekend but this I think this one is thebiggest It is held in two large halls(sometimes three) Each hall is capable ofeasily accommodating around 150 largishstands with 10-15 foot aisles Therersquos 4 or 5radio stations here - at least 2 broadcastingand the rest handing out various ldquofreebiesrdquowhile relaying their station overloudspeakers Add to that various spruikersshouting their wares (ldquoNo CDs over $5 onthis tablerdquo ldquoLowest motherboard prices atthe showrdquo) numerous ldquomultimediardquo demos
and a few thousand people trying to makethemselves heard It is pretty noisy
I checked with the organisers and theysaid that they average around 8000attendees per day - so up to 20000 over agood two day weekend show It surprisedme that is was that low as it can get reallycrowded (2 or 3 deep at some stands)
There were over 300 dealers that day -about average However every 2-3 monthsthe organisers run 20-30 short seminars inconjunction with the market at the Sheratonsuites on the fairground complex On thoseoccasions the attendance at the marketincreases by 30 or more
So why do people keep coming back tothese shows Are the prices so much betterHere are a few examples
Complete ldquobasicrdquo system166 Mhz 6x86 Triton VX MB PnP bios256 Kb Cache 16 Mb EDO RAM 16 GbEIDE HDD 8X EIDE CDROM PCISVGA 64 bit with 2 Mb MPEG Yamaha3D Wavetable sound card poweredspeakers 336 Fax modem with Voice
mail SVGA 15 Digital NI28 monitor mousekeyboard floppy drive etcWin95 Installed with manualamp CD $969 A$1337 for thelot
MotherboardsIntel VX chip set with all IO256 Kb Cache - $84 A$116Intel HX chip set 512K -$110 A$152 CheapestPentium MB I saw (Optichip set) - $65 A$90
Wish You Were HereSixteen Bits foriegn correspondent John Saxonchecks in from Pasadena California
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 21
Tyan Tomcat 3 with 512K - $145 (the oneI paid $220 for 4 months ago - Oh wellthatrsquos life at the bleeding edge)
RAM8Mb 60ns EDO - $35 A$48 (Brand name$2 more) 16Mb 60ns EDO - $74 A$102
CPUsPentium Pro 150 Mhz - $179 A$247Pentium MMX 200 Mhz - $538 A$742(prediction - $300 by Dec 97)
CDROM Drives6X - $55 A$76 (Untested - as is)X12 Acer - $100 A$138X2 7 disk changer - $50 A$69(Untested - as is)JVC X4 read X2 write - $259A$357X16 (LiteOn = no name Nicebox) - $108 A$149
HDDsWD Caviar 25 Gb - $225 A$311Maxstor 13 Gb - $170 A$234
ModemsUS Robotics Courier 56 Kbs +Voice - $163 A$225 No name 336Kbs + SVDS - $67 A$92 (and goingdown)
Odd stuff2 Mb VGA cards as low as $45 A$62Cheapest parallel port flatbed scanner -$203 A$280
Stocking stuffers 230 Watt powersupplies - $17 A$23IDE HDD mobile rack with lock - $12A$17 TEAC 144 MbFDD - $20 A$28
The only direct comparison with FRYrsquosprices was for the HP 32 Gb tape backupunit - $209 at FRYrsquos - $149 at the marketSo it can definitely be worth the trip BUTsome of the dealers may not be around toolong to honour warranties and there aresome definitely ldquoshonkyrdquo practices goingon An example is the almost universalpractice of breaking up CDROM ldquobundlesrdquoto sell separately a practice much frownedupon by OEMs Caveat Emptor
So what was hot or different at thismarketplace
Well the new ATX format motherboardsand cases seemed to be selling well Forthose who donrsquot know - ATX is the new
mechanical layout with some electricalimprovements agreed by the major man-ufacturers (the first major mechanicalchange since the original PC) The mostobvious difference in the new motherboardsis on-board connectors (including USB andIR) and externally removable panels on thecases (you need a new case and Powersupply with the new motherboards) Butthere are many more changes infunctionality including ldquogreenrdquo systemPower supply control - never turn the system
off (except by unplugging it) Boards were$150 A$207 and up and cases with PSUsaround $75 A$104
Recordable CDROM drives were sellingwell with media down to $8 A$11 Didnrsquotsee any of the new DVD CD-ROM drivesbut these shows are not generally ldquocuttingedgerdquo more concentration on lower (slightlytrailing edge) prices
But I tried on a great pair of LCD 3Dglasses with modified game software - veryimpressive results The glasses switch 48times per sec (some noticeable flicker) andcome with a CDROM which include driversand some modified ldquoshoot-em-uprdquo gamesDescent 3D Nukem Doom etc for a totalof $99 A$137 The same stand also sold a4MB 128 bit Video card with hardwareMPEG2 decompression for $159 A$219Terminator-2 at full screen and full ratelooking better than your average TV
I even saw a $999 A$1378 home-use2-axis VR - that is Virtual Reality - chaircontrolled by the joystick It is quite quiet(as far as I could tell in amongst the racket)and apparently air driven with 50 degreesmovement in pitch and 55 degrees in roll
The monitor mounts in front of your kneesand the keyboard (for an optional operator -or simulation controller) behind the seatback There were speakers and joystick builtin also It seemed to be very fast and wasquite nauseating to watch Combine thiswith the 3D glasses for a total experience(if your stomach could take it)
There are probably more software thanhardware stands with CDROMs from $199up to $199 A$275 for Office 97 Pro upgrade(probably another unbundling job) Also 3
or 4 book stores - selling at coverprice less 25 for one book to coverprice less 35 for 5 or more books
Not all the stands are totallycomputer oriented There are a fairsprinkling of chiropractors (on thespot diagnosis) ldquoself defenserdquostands (mace amp pepper sprayselectric stun guns and (strangely)large knives) Cell phones pagerscigars and jewelry etc - you nameit A pretty large curtained off area(over 21 only) had several dealersselling thousands of ldquoadultrdquoCDROMs and videos A nice
change from the ldquooldrdquo days when that stuffwas included on most stands One of theradio stations was giving out ldquoEarthquakepreparationrdquo leaflets - modern times in LA
What did I buy Well - very restrainedfor me Only 16 Mb (2 X 8 Mb EDOSIMMs) of RAM - name brand (Toshiba) at$38 (A$52) each Also an HP Deskjetprinter colour refill kit At $55 (A$76) it waspretty expensive but it is supposed to refillcolour cartridges up to 24 times and B ampW up to 6 times so it could well be worth it- came with a package of business card paper(my choice parchment) also Oh and a W95or 31 Wincheck Version 40 softwarepackage at $1495 A$21 - I couldnrsquot resist
So after 2 12 hours I had taken a quickcheck around all the stands with no repeatsand I was out of there - all computered out(at least for one day) Irsquove been to that showat least 6 to 8 times before plus othersaround LA and I still get a mild adrenalinerush when going in - calculated to causeshopping frenzy
22 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Confused aboutYoursquore not alone
By Nhan Tran
Getting onto the InternetYoursquove heard about the informationsuperhighway and you want to know moreYour kids want to get on the Internet butyou donrsquot know how to give them a driveYou have been using the Internet but whenyou asked for help you could not explainyour problems to the experts This article(or maybe a series of articles) gives you thewhole picture and some explanation on thevehicle you use to get on the superhighway
The SuperhighwayThe Internet is a complex (and sometimesconvoluted) network of superhighways Theroads may be a six-lane freeway a four-lanehighway a side street or even a narrow alleyThey may be on the ground above groundunderground at the bottom of the seas orflying high with the satellites in space
On top of that you donrsquot actually driveyour car It is driven by an automatic driverwhich is nearly blind and canrsquot see fartherthan the next turn It is weird It is unnaturalwhich may be the reason why it works andthe other ldquowell-designedrdquo networks failedThe whole network is based on the conceptof ldquobest effortsrdquo That is the robot driverswould try their best but not guarantee thatthey would take you to the destination
They try to find the best route for you Itmeans that if the road is too congested theymay make a U-turn get off the freeway andcrawl through a labyrinth of cat alleys Theroads are like the real ones sometimes thereis almost no traffic at all other times theylook like a huge car park The matter getsworse when you take into account of thedifferent timezones around the world Oneorsquoclock in Australia may be the rush hourin another country and if you want to getinformation from there you get caught inthe traffic
Because of these characteristicssomeone (I think it was Mitch Kapor thespreadsheet inventor) has made a comment
like ldquothe information superhighway is a ten-lane freeway in one direction and an ox-cart path in the otherrdquo
But if you can go to where you wantwould you care I donrsquot I treat the wholenetwork like a fuzzy cloud that magicallygives me the new freedom the newcommunity and the new set of problems
The Highway RampSo how do you get on this super highwayThere are places which are connected to thehighway network on one side and entrancesfor you to enter on the other They are calledservers Normally what you see on theInternet is what is stored at these serversbecause most people like you donrsquot wantstrangers to access your PC (I wouldnrsquot leta stranger into my house) Luckily there aremany servers with many goodies to look ator play with
Getting onto these servers is not easyYou use a modem connected to a phone lineto call the modem on the server When theserver modem answers the call they wouldstart the process of synchronisation Toomany standards and too many brands If youare unlucky your modem may refuse to talkto the other modem and you would spendhours of frustration and get a huge phonebill
The high pitch tone you hear from themodem is this process When both modemssatisfy that they can reliably talk to eachother the noise stops Then itrsquos the butlerrsquosturn
The ButlerThere is a very important program for yourInternet access It is a program that asks the
modem to make the call to the server andwhen connected requests a login on yourbehalf to the server
What is a login You come to a friendrsquosplace knock the door or ring the bellSomeone in the house would ask ldquowho isthererdquo and yoursquod say ldquoitrsquos just merdquo Yourfriend recognises your voice opens the doorand let you in If you work in a securedenvironment every morning when you enterthe building you would show your ID cardto the security guard
Your username (or user ID or login ID)and your password are equivalent to the IDcard If you get the dreaded ldquoaccess deniedrdquoit means (a) you (or the program that doeson your behalf) entered incorrect username(b) you entered wrong password or (c) youran out of access hours or the accessexpired or your PCUG membership
expiredThis program is
always there rendashgardless of how youstart your Internetsession Some
access the Internet by Eudora some byMicrosoft Internet Explorer some useNetscape They either have a built-inprogram to do this job or automatically callthis program to make the connection Evenif you donrsquot see it on the screen it is runningin the background The popular PC prondashgrams that can do this task are TrumpetWinsock (or TCPMAN) Shiva Chameleonor Dial-up Networking Connect etc
Once the connection is established thisprogram will take on the task of a butlerserving other programs Letrsquos look at thefollowing analogy
Letrsquos assume that you (or to be precisethe PC programs such as Eudora MSInternet Explorer Netscape etc) were aninvalid confined in a room You would needa butler to help you getting things outside
ldquoThe roads may be a six-lane freeway a four-lanehighway a side street or even a narrow alleyrdquo
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 23
the Internet
the room When you (Eudora InternetMail Netscape Mail) wanted to checkyour mail yoursquod ask the butler to checkthe letter box and bring letters to yourbed When you wanted to send lettersto friends or relative yoursquod ask thebutler to take it to the post office
When you (Free Agent InternetNews Netscape News) wanted to readnewspaper yoursquod ask the butler to goto the newsagent and buy newspaper foryou When you (Internet ExplorerNetscape Opera) wanted a book or avideo yoursquod ask the butler to buy suchand such books or videos for you
It is so important that without it youcanrsquot get anything f rom thesuperhighway So if you started yoursession from Trumpet Winsock whenthe connection has been made (ie whenyou see the message ldquoMy IP address is2031076xxxrdquo) donrsquot close or exit theprogram Minimise it and let it run inthe background so that it can serve otherprograms Otherwise you would getstrange and incomprehensible errormessage such as ldquowinsockdll missingrdquo(trust a programmer to tell you whatrsquoswrong in the program he or she wrote)
Thatrsquos enough for the boring stuffNext t ime wersquo l l ta lk about emai l(eletronic mail) news World Wide Web(if the Queen is doing it so why canrsquotwe) and other mysteries of the Internet
Internet Clinics are normally held at the PCUG Centre Northpoint PlazaBelconnen the first Saturday of each month 930am to 1pm There is nocost involved
So if you (or another PCUG member you know of) are having problemsyou (or they) will be welcome to attend It is suggested that you call thePCUG Centre on the day and check with the staffer that we are notoverloaded before coming along
To get a problem on your PC resolved it is essential that you bring all ofthe following items with you
bull PC and Monitor plus all interconnecting cables
bull Mouse
bull Keyboard
bull Modem
bull Modem power supply
bull Modem cables - from PC to modemand from modem to telephone socket
bull Modem and PC manuals amp documentation
bull All of your software disks -
ie Win31 or Windows95 disksCD
If you dont have a PC to fix but you want to get some guidance on someparticular aspect of using TIP please feel free to come along and simplytalk to us
Clinics are not a free softwaremodem installation service We do expectyou to have made a reasonable attempt at getting the software installed ampworking
David Schwabe dschwabepcugorgau
The Internet Clinic
24 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
A t the start of this year I startedto get interested again in an oldheroine from days of misspentyouth in the rsquo70s New York
underground poet-turned-singer Patti Smithldquothe Bob Dylan of the punk scenerdquoThought Irsquod see whether there was anythingon the Web and found anexcellent site at httpwwwoceanstarcompatti Tomy astonishment I found thatshe was in Australia on her firstmajor tour anywhere in years mainly for theBig Day Out outdoor concerts
I had heard of the Big Day Out tour viaTriple J but this was the first Irsquod heard ofher being on the bill After seeing other re-formed punk heroes Radio Birdman and theSex Pistols in 1996 was it possible I couldmake the trifecta Alas the Sydney eventhad been booked out for two weeks
Via the JJJ Web site httpwwwabcnetautriplejdefaulthtm I found theBig Day Out Web site httpstarbaitbdocomaustarbaitbdo and loand behold they were having live conndashnections to the Melbourne concert on the25th January via the Internet with the
assistance of a US-based organisation calledThe Campus (wwwthecampuscom) If Icouldnrsquot be there in Sydney to see Patti inperson this would be as close as I couldget In addition I had always seemed to findout about real-time events on the Web justafter theyrsquod occurred and here at least wasan opportunity to be in at the start it wouldbe an interesting technical exercise ifnothing else
First choice was browser InternetExplorer 3 or Netscape Navigator 3 I gatherIrsquom not unlike many in having been initiallybowled over with IE3 then finding that itwas less robust and in particular made fargreater demands on temporary storage thanNetscape With little free disk space and
being about to try all sortsof new things I decided toplay safe and use Navigator
The Big Day Out Website (figure 1) was well done
and looked great including animatedgraphics and good use of frames but wasif anything as the British say ldquotoo cleverby halfrdquo For example you selected optionsvia a Shockwave animation of ducks in ashooting gallery click the mouse on a duckwhen an alternative was highlighted yoursquodhear a BANG the duck would flop overbackwards and yoursquod be off to that optionVery cute very clever and very slow andfrustrating for actually going anywhere Inaddition it appeared that when you went tosome pages they called up some trick Javacode which brought up Netscape sessionsin what looked like Kiosk mode no menusLooked neat but again a nuisance The sitehad its own mascot a sort of anime-stylekick-boxing heroine called Miss Starbait (Iassume a risque in-joke try saying the namequickly)
Once you got to it the information wasthorough and well laid out A list of artistsincluded links for those who had Web pagesThere was a page on the Auckland concert(first in the series) with photos etc For eachcity on the tour the site had links to maps ofthe venues and also timetables I foundfrom this that in Melbourne Patti Smithwould be on Stage C 540 PM for an hour
There were two main components to theInternet part of the day a Real Audio feedwith both backstage comments and the
via the Internet or -the boy looked at PattiO
BDig
ayut
by Malcolm Street
Figure 1
This is the era where everybody createsPatti Smith - ldquoSo you want to be a Rock n Roll Starrdquo 1979
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 25
stage and a new form of conferencingsoftware called The Palace where artistswould come for QampA sessions with fansIrsquod experimented with Real Audio but notto any great depth and had never even heardof Palace and I had to get this all togetherin a day Fortunately there were direct linkson the Big Day Out Web site
While I had a Real Audio stand-aloneplayer one page on the site came up with ablank expecting a Real Audio plug-in Ontothe Net to the Real Audio page todownload Real Audio player version 3Install restart Navigator back to the pageand voila A Real Audio control in themiddle of a Web page Painless
Then to work out which ISP to useUnfortunately the weekend was the onebefore the ldquoearly birdrdquo credits expired forTIP and I presume because of this it wasalmost impossible to get on One time whenI did get on I tested the Real Audiobackstage feed from Melbourne and foundI was only getting a 144k stream and poorquality at that I had a second backupaccount with Access One with a higherspeed (and far more expensive) networkand found that I could get a stable 288kReal Audio stream so that was going to be
what Irsquod have to use Not to mention thatthe time Patti Smith would be on would bepeak time anyway
Next step was to find Palace again viaa direct link from the BDO page to httpwwwthepalacecom I had used forms of
3D interactive software but Palace wasdifferent much simpler just 2D backndashgrounds Really a sort of IRC withbackdrops and sound effects For the BigDay Out the organisers had produced theirown backgrounds and sounds and I had todownload those as well from their siteHowever there were no instructions on howto set them up so it ended up being trialand error until I got it to work puttingimages and sounds in separate subdirndashectories under the Palace directory
Finally I had Palace running with the BigDay Out backdrops and found myselfoutside a circus tent which included livelinks to the Big Day Out and Campus Webpages (figure 2) Moving ldquoinsiderdquo the tentgot me to an area where I could don aparticular costume however choices werelimited for non-registered users andappeared to reset so I had to be content withthe default avatar a soft of sphere with aface on it (figure 3)
Finally there was the conference tentitself guarded by a fearsome lookingdoorman who asked for a passwordClicking on his lady companion told you tolook in the log Once Irsquod figured out howto do that I found it ldquomama cazrdquo Typedthat in response to the doorman and whoafound myself in this psychedelic room whichwas to be the conference area (figure 4)
Figure 3
Figure 2
26 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
I knew when Patti Smith was going tobe on stage what I didnrsquot know was whenshersquod be in conference in the Palace I waslistening to the back stage chatter via RealAudio this time more organised as Campuswas acting as ldquoon line radio stationrdquobroadcasting to the USA ldquoAustraliarsquosLollapolloozardquo and in the middle of this Iheard them give times for different artistsbeing in the virtual tent with Patti Smithroughly 430 Problem solved
430 arrived Back on line into the tentanother band (Supergrass) being inndashterviewed The conference area is now fullof faces with a still photo of the band downthe bottom left-hand corner Irsquove had verylittle experience with IRC and this seemsvery similar hard to follow with variousthreads of conversation going on sindashmultaneously but I gradually tune in to itTherersquos a thread going about problemspeople are having with reliably picking upReal Audio - oh dear As well as a fewAustralians there are a couple of Americansin there and a South African Then see thatPatti Smith is about to come on And sureenough C 440 the picture changes and thereshe is
Unfortunately the session is a bit of ashambles Unlike the younger artists (sherecently turned 50) she does not appear tobe familiar with the technology andsomeone else is doing the typing for herslowing down and complicating exchangesSeems to be the passing of the torch - a bitof a fish out of water in the environment ofa younger generation The bass player ofher backing group had suffered concussion20 minutes before from a collision with arogue door hence her lateness Thingsfinally get under way (one person ldquoa fanfrom WAY backrdquo says ldquonot many questionsjust adorationrdquo I can relate to that) but justas itrsquos building up a head of steam she getsa long phone call (presumably about the bassplayer) and has to call it quits prematurely
Irsquoll just have to wait and see if theconcert is any better
Well the concert is indeed better In factwhen I can hear it clearly (see later) itrsquoswonderful She starts with an early poemroaring it out with authority then afterthanks to JJJ who are handling the broadcastto the Internet and to the absent bass player
launches into the concert proper a greatblend of old and new
The sound quality is to put it mildlyvariable It was much better in earlier gigsthat day with Australian bands but itappears to drop off markedly on this onePerhaps too many people on at onceAmerican fans connecting in to hear one ofher first big shows in years Checking withstatistics in Real Audio shows theconnection approaching 20 loss in someearly songs leaving a very jerky soundFortunately it improves later with lossesdown to around 4 and sound quiteacceptable (People dropping out infrustration) However later on a fewoccasions the sound drops out completelyand I have to wait while it restarts somendashtimes for a couple of minutes
Then just as the concert comes to ashattering climax heading into one of myfavourite songs of hers a demolition of VanMorisonrsquos Gloria the Real Audio feed goesfor me at least dead Stone cold dead It islike the other times when it has dropped outbut this time it wonrsquot recover BummerAfter several minutes I can get the feedagain but just get an empty stage waitingfor the next band
So that was it a frustrating end to afrustrating but fascinating day At best thesound quality was am radio standards Butthen again these are very early days and Ican remember worse am radio sounds ontransistor radios as a kid in the lsquo60rsquos Avideo feed would have been real nice butone thing that is obvious from this exerciseis that live audio let alone live video ispushing current Internet technology to itslimits and beyond with a large numbers ofsimultaneous users in a function like thisSo as with so much on the Net wersquore seeingthe first glimpses of something that will takeanother generation of technology to becomepractical But hey this is the world of theNet and another generation could be onlysix months away
Later that night I connect to the Palacesite again and find a note at the tent to sayit was all over and to check up next week Ido indeed and they reckon over 100000people worldwide connected to the site thatone day and that the live broadcast of PattiSmithrsquos complete concert was a world firstApart from catching up with an old idol Irsquodseen a glimpse of a communications futureof being part of an event shared interactivelylive world-wide yet another step towardsthe Global Village
Figure 4
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 27
Stuffed AgainThe following members and friendsare thanked for assisting with stuffingour journal for mailing
Andrew amp Bruce Bartlett
Bruce Black
Owen Cook
Eddie de Bear
John Dyer
Bob Ecclestone
Rufus Garcia
Sally Hammon
John Hempenstall
Joy Hewett
Sue amp Jim Hume
Jenny Laraman
Alan Lockett
David Meggs
Allan Mikkelsen
Don Nicol
Gloria Robbins
Keith Sayers
Rod Smith
John Starr
Bob Summersby
Michael Taylor
Gordon Urquhart
Anne WarrenerWe are always looking for volunteersto assist us with the lsquostuffingrsquo of ourjournal We start around 530pm(latecomers are welcome) usually on the2nd last Monday of every month andare generally finished by 800pmRefreshments are provided and any ofyour knotty computer problems can bedebated lsquoat the round tablersquo in congenialcompany If you would like to helpplease ring Petra Dwyer at the PCUGCentre on 253 4911 and she will fill youin on all the details
Next Stuffing530pm Monday 19 May 1997at Northpoint Plaza Belconnen
(see map page 6)
htt
p
ww
wp
cu
go
rga
up
cu
g1
6b
its
Now
in A
dobe
Acr
obat
form
at
Oz User GroupsAdelaide PC Users GroupPO Box 2541Kent Town SA 5071(08) 332-7021Margi McLeay (Sec)Meet 730pm 3rd Tuesday of themonth at Enterprise House 136Greenhill Road Unley Visitors $5
Brisbane PC Users Group(Brisbug)PO Box 985Toowong QLD 4066(07) 3273 7266 Info Line(07) 3281 6503Lloyd Smith (Pres)Meet 12 noon 3rd Sunday of themonth at Bardon Professional Cntr
Darwin ComputerUsers ClubGary Drake (Vice President)(089) 324 107 h(089) 450 091 wEmail acsntacslinknetau
Melbourne PC User Group2nd Floor 66 Albert RoadSouth Melbourne VIC 3205(03) 9699 6222 10am - 330pm(03) 9699 6499 FaxEmail officemelbpcorgauHome Page httpwwwmelbpcorgauMeet 6pm 1st Wednesday of themonth (except Jan) at PharmacyCollege 381 Royal Parade Parkville
Perth PC Users GroupPO Box 997West Perth WA 6872(09) 399 7264 Trevor Davis (Pres)Meet 600pm 1st Wednesday of themonth at Ross Lecture TheatrePhysics Building University of WANedlands
Sydney PC Users GroupPO Box A2162Sydney South NSW 2000(02) 972 2133 Michelle DonaldMeet 6pm 1st Tuesday of the monthat main auditorium TeachersFederation 300 Sussex StreetSydney
28 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Features include fun animation sound effectsand a high-score listing Reg Fee $15
COMET13Comet Busters 13 is an incredible high-speedarcade game for WIN31 You must clear thecolourful asteroids and occasional alienspacecraft from the screen before you canproceed to the next deadly level This gamefeatures beautiful 256-colour ray-tracedgraphics and digital sound effects Reg Fee $9
HMN32V11Hangman (BB) 111 is a word-guessing gamefor Win95 that can help grade school-agechildren improve their vocabulary andspelling Features include an editable wordlist the ability to include definitions with eachword mouse or keyboard input and moreRequires the 32-bit VB runtime files Reg Fee$5
PDHP97SUPrairie Dog Hunt PRO rsquo97is a shooting gamefor Windows that allows you to participate inthe wholesale slaughter of harmless mammalswithout all the mess Features include 360
LIBRARY Phil Trudinger
The files described in this article are on theMarch 1997 CD-ROM (PsL Vol 5 3) whichis currently on the Bulletin Board all are ZIPfiles Please quote the month or Vol whenordering files on disk
The text files CD1 to 7 inclusive in Area 1 ofthe Bulletin Board are the monthly CD-ROMfile lists
Reminder
Most CD-ROM programs are Shareware Areasonable time (generally one month) isallowed for evaluation but if you continue touse a program beyond this time you shouldcomply with the authorrsquos conditions thatusually require payment of a registration feeBear in mind that this is the only way by whichan author receives any reward for hisherefforts Unless otherwise stated registrationfees are in US dollars
NEW AND UPDATEDWINDOWS PROGRAMS
(An asterisk denotes Windows 95specificity or compatibility)
GAMES
AGNSETUPAGNS - A Game of Naval Strategy 162 is agame of naval warfare for Windows whereyour objective is to sink the computerrsquos unitsor capture his main base Each turn consistsof a plot movement phase air combat phasemovement and combat phase air strike returnphase and a repairbuild phase Thissequence is repeated until one side claimsvictory Reg Fee $15
BG17Backgammon by George 17 is an excellentgame of backgammon for Windows You canplay against the computer (with four differentskill levels) or against a human opponentOther features include the ability to saverecall games many unique customisingoptions computer-suggested moves andmore Reg Fee $15
BNW10ABuild lsquon Win 10a is an interesting strategicgame for Windows where two players buildtheir opponentrsquos game boards and try to makethem as difficult as possible to complete
degree scrolling scenery excellent animationdigitised sound effects multiple skill levelsand a high-score hall of fame Reg Fee $20
SANWHRTSSanDearsquos Hearts for Windows 100 allowsyou to play the classic card game Hearts inWindows Features include support for up to12 computer players modem play the abilityto create a hand an undo option the ability tosave and rotate a hand and more Reg Fee$10
TILES95BTiles and Tribulations 152 is a challenginggame for Win95 where you try to catch fallingcoloured tiles and drop them into bins in alogical manner Any three (or more) tiles ofthe same colour in bins going horizontallyvertically or diagonally will be removed andincrease your score Reg Fee $22
GRAPHICS
CPLAY2Childrsquos Play IIis a 256-colour paint programfor children It occupies the full screen to help
SOFTWARE
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 29
prevent the child from going to other applic-ations Features include unique graphicspecial effects rubber stamps various screenerasers fun sound effects the ability to loadsaveprint images and more This is anexcellent program with many creative optionsto keep the little ones busy for hours Reg Fee$20-$25
GIFCON32GIF Construction Set 95 109 is a powerfulcollection of tools to work with multiple-block GIF files in Win95 It will allow you toassemble GIF files containing image blocksplain text blocks comment blocks and controlblocks and provides facilities to managepalettes and merge multiple GIF files togetherRequires a minimum of 4MB RAM but 8MBis recommended Reg Fee $20
ICN95525Icons Control 95 525 displays up to 100icons at a time for quick viewing printingcopying renaming moving or deleting Apowerful icon editor is also providedRequires Win95 Reg Fee $25
SD95INSTSmartDraw 95 30 is a powerful drawingprogram for Win95 It allows you to easilycreate great looking flowcharts diagrams andbusiness graphics Features include drag anddrop drawing OLE support full compatibil-ity between 16 and 32-bit versions filesharing the ability to send drawings on mail-enabled systems and much moreSDINSTALis the Win31 version Reg Fee $49
FONTS
FLFontLister (32-bit) 15 displays all installedfonts in Win95 You can also print a completefont listing or just some sample text with aselected font Reg Fee $0
FONTSHOWFontShow (32-bit) 22 allows you easily toview the TrueType fonts installed in Win95NT Options are included to display user-specified sample text in place of the normalfont name and alphanumeric character setThe size and face of the currently selectedfont can be quickly changed and the resultsdisplayed automatically Reg Fee $0
FONTW11FontWindow 11 displays all your Windowsfonts on screen so you can quickly see whichfont you want to use It can be set to stay ontop so you can view fonts while running otherprograms Reg Fee $29-$39
SERIFRACSeriFractions is a TrueType font that has a fullset of diagonal and vertical fractions for 12through 89 and also 16ths and 32nds It alsohas a partial set of mathematical symbolsincluding the true multiplication (x) symbolReg Fee $10
SYMSELSymbol Selector 11 allows you to easilyselect and copy symbols from TrueType fonts
that are of the ldquosymbolrdquo variety (such asWingdings and Symbols) to the WindowsClipboard Reg Fee $0
INTERNET
ADZAP10AdZapper 10 is an add-on for NetscapeNavigator to ldquozaprdquo (eliminate) annoyingadvertisements Reg Fee $20
AWN95AutoWinNet95 10 lets you perform commonInternet tasks on a scheduled basis You cancreate an ldquoagendardquo with dozens of stepsincluding updownloading email retrievingand sending obtaining weather updates andmore Requires Win95 Reg Fee $30
GGI11Go-Get-It 110 performs exhaustive preciseand ultra-fast searches of the Internet using acombination of keyword search Usenetnewsgroups search and various searchengines Features include automatic retrievalof all found web pages and informationoptional storage in separate folders to be usedlater and more Reg Fee $40
MASNDW32MailSend (32-bit) 3x is an add-on forMicrosoft Mail and Win95 that allows you tosend messages from the command line orfrom batch files Reg Fee $49
ND276BNetDial 276b is an Internet dialler forWindows It will call your host log you inand automatically start your TCPIP packagefor you Features include support for up to 5separate configuration connections baud ratesupport to 256k redial up to 99 times WAVsound file support and more Reg Fee $20
PRO12Teleport Pro 120 is a multi-threaded file-retrieving offline-browsing webspider forWin95 It scans the Internet for files or sites ofinterest and downloads them to your harddrive for fast offline access Features includeadvanced file typesize matching keywordfilters the ability to handle proxy servers andpassword-protected sites automatic retriesand more Reg Fee $40
TRAW3215Trawler (32-BIT) 15 allows you to interact-ively browse and gather information from theWeb It automatically follows links andretrieves pages to your hard drive It can evenfollow links from different web databasessimultaneously Reg Fee $35
30 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
MISCELLANEOUS
CALC9534Calc95 34 is a scientificengineeringcalculator for Win95 with a wide range ofbuilt-in units conversions and physicalconstants Reg Fee $25
GL10DThe GL Store for Windows 10d is a completedouble-entry general ledger accountingprogram for Windows It maintains 10000 GLaccounts multiple companies budgets 3-Dcolour graphs recurring accounts multipledepartments and detailed reports Reg Fee $79
HBGHome Business Guide 30 is a Windows-based guide to starting a business from homeIt discusses selecting planning and startingyour own business and covers resourcestools and help available Reg Fee $0
TIMCLK13PC-TimeClock for Windows 13 keeps trackof time yoursquove spent on your computer Timeis charged to one or more projects from yourlist by ldquopunching inrdquo when you begin work oneach project Reg Fee $18
MUSIC
MT32_16A Musical Tutorial for Windows (32-bit) 160provides an excellent way to encouragemusical study using the graphically-orientedenvironment of Win95 This includes a chorddictionary musical games the ability to playview and print scales chords and triads a userlog and much more This is suitable for bothchildren and adults Reg Fee $25
SCALEIT4ScAleIt 40 is a musical scalecordeducational package for Windows It candisplay all the chords and scales with all rootsand all inversions Features include aneditable database the ability to play chordsscales through your sound card MIDIsupport a solving function and much more800x600 screen resolution is recommendedReg Fee $0
PHONEADDRESS BOOKS
AM_PB45Phone Book for Windows 45 is a nameaddress database for WIN31 Fields areprovided for name addresses two phonenumbers fax and comments Other featuresinclude phone dialling over a modemsearching capabilities printing options andmore Reg Fee $17
BAM211Burrilliant Address Manager 211 helpsorganise all of your phone numbers address-es birthdays account numbers and more inWin95 All personal or business informationcan be printed for your day planner in a cleanattractive format Reg Fee $15
CARDBASECardBase (32-bit) 23 is a combinationaddress book and phone dialler for Win95NT Along with the regular fields for namesaddresses and phone numbers it can alsostore email addresses FAX numbers and website URLs Cards can be quickly sorted byname or custom card groups Searching andsorting operations are fast and intuitive RegFee $0
PHNMKR18Phone Book Maker 18 allows you to createphone books in pocket 12 letter and lettersize Features include 30 useful fields perrecord standard envelope printing powerfulindexfiltersearch facilities importexportcapabilities in variety of formats virtuallyunlimited records and more Reg Fee $50
SCREEN SAVERS
ADRF3210Adrift Screensaver (32-bit) 100 displaysbeautiful floating line patterns on your Win95desktop Reg Fee $14
AURADEMOAurora Screen Savers is a screen savermodule for Windows that simulates a 3-Djourney through the Aurora Borealis Twelvedifferent colour patterns are available Thisversion displays a nag box in the upper leftcorner of the screen Requires 256-colourvideo Reg Fee $18
BLKBRD15Blackbird Screen Saver 15 is a Windowsscreen saver module that displays photos ofthe SR-71 spy plane in action Requires 256-colour video and 4MB RAM Reg Fee $15
BOMBER15Bombs Away 150 is a slideshow screensaver for Windows with 256-colour digitisedphotos of jet bombers in action Requires4MB memory Reg Fee $15
BOTANICABotanica Screen Savers is a screen savermodule for Windows that displays a virtualgarden of growing plants and flowers inbeautiful variations of colour and shape
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 31
Twelve different savers are provided eachwith their own unique patterns Requires 256-colour VGA and VBRUN300 Reg Fee $18
JEWELJewelBox 10 is a screen saver for Windowsthat displays colourful ldquojewelsrdquo that appear togrow on your screen Features includeinteractive options a variety of palettechoices and more Reg Fee $18
JOTREE15Joshua Tree Screen Saver 150 displays thestark beauty of the California desert capturedin stunning 24-bit colour images Requires a386+ 4MB RAM and 256-colour video RegFee $15
METALLIXMetallix is a screen saver module for Win-dows that displays metallic sculptures whichunfold in unique and unpredictable patternscreating a mesmerising transformative effectThere are twelve different savers to choosefrom each with its own distinct settingsRequires 256-colour VGA and VBRUN300Reg Fee $19
NIAGRA15Niagara Falls Screen Saver 150 is a screensaver module for Windows with photos of thefalls and immediate vicinity The photos rotateautomatically when activated Requires 256-colour video and 4MB memory Reg Fee $15
PICSHO32MyPictureShow32 is a Win95 screen saver inwhich the visual content is supplied by yourown collection of computer images There isno limit to the number of pictures you canuse and nine different display modes areavailable The slideshow mode allows achoice of 17 transition styles Other featuresinclude support for BMPJPGGIF graphicfiles password protection automatic scalingof large images to available screen size and
more This demo version will run 20 timesthen disables itself Reg Fee $16
SSCR8R21My Own Screen Saver 21 allows you tocreate your own screen saver using yourfavourite images and pictures You cancombine selected BMP DIB and WMF fileswith 32 different visual effects Reg Fee $20
TWIST151Twister Screen Saver 151 is a 32-bit screensaver for Win95 that transforms your desktopinto a windy landscape with one or moretwisters moving everything deforming yourdesktop making everything a mess You canconfigure the wind speed number of twistersthe twisterrsquos speed and more Reg Fee $8
VENIC12Venice Screen Saver 12 is a Windows screensaver module that displays graphics thatsimulate floating through the canals of Veniceon your gondola as Italian music and the
sound of splashing waves fills the air Reg Fee$29-$39
VIDSAVVidSaver 11 is a Windows screen saver thatplays video clips and animations while yourcomputer is idle Reg Fee $20
TEXT EDITING
EDT236PEM EdTex for Windows 95 236 is a 32-bittext editor for Win95 It can edit a maximumof 2000000 characters and 30000 linesOther features include macro support printingoptions word wrap multiple undoredoblock editing and more Reg Fee $35
GTE32R15GWD Text Editor (32-bit) 15 is a powerfultext editing package for Win95 Featuresinclude support for macros unlimited filesize print preview a built-in spell checker anautosave option support for DOSUNIXMactext file formats and much more Reg Fee$20
JW32T22CJ-Write for Windows (32-bit) 22 is a fullfeatured editor for general text files and emailFeatures include the ability to edit very largefiles support for any ANSI font configurabletab settings and four line wrap modes multi-level undoredo and more Reg Fee $30
QUIKDC11QuikDict Spelling Dictionary 11 is a pop updictionary accessible from the Win95 ToolTray Features include the ability to spellcheck all words as they are typed alphabeticand ldquosounds likerdquo word matching over91000 EnglishAmerican words in thedictionary the ability to automatically pastethe correct spelling back to the clipboard andmore Reg Fee $19
SCRATCH4Scratch Pad (32-bit) 21 is a text editor forWin95 Features include the ability toautomatically capture clipboard information aprint preview function undo facilities andmore Reg Fee $15
TXEDITTxEdit (32-bit) 25 is an easy-to-use texteditor that makes a nice replacement for theWin95 Notepad Features include the abilityto viewedit multiple documents search andreplace options drag-and-drop support MacUnix file support and more Reg Fee $0
32 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
TXP3223TextPad (32-bit) 23 is a text editor forWin95NT It can handle files with up to32000 lines of 4095 characters with multiplesimultan-eous edits and up to two views oneach document Other features include fullundoredo facilities print previewing atoolbar for frequently-used commands abuilt-in file manager support for Unix andMacintosh text file formats drag-and-dropsupport and much more TXP1223 is theWin31 version Reg Fee $27-$35
UTILITIES
ADDIT10ES Adding-Machine 10 is a unique calculatorfor Windows that is designed for adding upcolumns of figures Entered figures areretained on-screen and can be edited so youwonrsquot have to start again if you are interrupt-ed or make a mistake Reg Fee $40
CIDV09CIDview monitors a selected telephone lineand reports the Caller ID whenever there is anincoming call The details of incominginformation will be automatically displayedon your screen with the Caller ID informationstaying visible for 10 seconds Reg Fee $9
DLLCHK95DLL Check 95is a DLL management utilityfor Win95 Features include the ability tocreate a log of all modules that load or unloadin a session the ability to search for duplicatemodules and a detailed information displayfor selected modules Reg Fee $80
EASYZIPEasy Zip (32-bit) 10 makes it incredibly easyto archive files with PKZIP in Win95 Itallows you to use point-and-click operationsinstead of all the context-switching and messybatch files of manually using PKZIP fromDOS Reg Fee $1850
HDLED11Hard Disk LED 11 simulates a hard disk lightthat flashes every time there is disk activityAn icon appears on the Win95 task bar andflashes every time the system accesses yourhard drive Reg Fee $5
HYSNP278HyperSnap 278 allows you to capture thedesktop highlighted window areas or user-defined areas in Win95NT Features includehotkey support cropping facilities the ability
to save images in BMPGIFJPEG format andmuch more Reg Fee $20
LONGSAVELongSave 101 is used to save the list of longfile names and short names to a commadelimited ASCI text file The short names canthen be backed up or zipped or copied withutilities that are not long-file-name-awareAfter the files are transferred it uses theASCII file to restore the original long file
names This must be run from a DOS sessionunder Win95 Reg Fee $25-$95
REDH22Red Hand 22 tells you exactly what someonedid on your computer while you were awayexactly when they did it and how long it tookWindows can be discretely ldquolockedrdquo toprevent access and will simply close themimmediately or send an error message of yourchoice You can control exactly which areasof your computer that you do not want othersto have access to Reg Fee $25
RMVR32RemoveR 161 helps delete unneeded filesfrom your hard drive after you have installed aprogram in Win95 It will take a snapshot ofthe drive before an installation then you cancompare the current status of your files withthat last stored All files that have been addeddeleted will be shown on the results screenFrom this screen you can highlight certainfiles andor directories and delete them orsave the list for later deletion Reg Fee $5-$40
SENTRY95Sentry 95will prevent all unauthorised usersfrom accessing the Win95 desktop wheneveryour computer boots Reg Fee $14
SU96_402StepUprsquo96 402 contains a set of utilitieswhich make working with Win95NT easierand faster This includes a user-customisableStepUp Menu smart Folder Navigatorsophisticated Menu Designer and a powerful
File Handler It also provides handy taskbaricons for fast exit CD-ROM Autorun onoffand more Reg Fee $30
V95I208EVirusScan for Win95 253 is a native Win95application that detects and removes comp-uter viruses Reg Fee $65
YATS32Yet Another Time Synchroniser (32-bit) 30allows you to synchronise your system clockusing various time server types commonlyavailable on TCPIP networks such as theInternet Multiple servers can be specified andwill be tried sequentially until a valid time isobtained and your system time set Reg Fee$35
ZOOMER12Zoomer 12 provides a 2x or 4x magnificationof the area around the mouse cursor in Win95This is an excellent utility for the visionimpaired Reg Fee $0
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 33
NEW AND UPDATED DOSPROGRAMS
ANTIVIRUS
AVSCANAVScan 310 is a freeware scanner that candetect more than 4500 virus signatures RegFee $0
I_M311AIntegrity Master 311a is an anti-virus anddata integrity system The author says itdetects all known viruses It can detect anyform of file corruption including disk errorsor as yet unknown viruses Stacker Double-Space SuperStore and Bernoulli system filesare supported Identifies the new MS WordMacro viruses as well as over 640 additionalviruses It has an option to quickly disinfectdiskettes Reg Fee $50
SCN_253EVirusScan 253 scans diskettes or entiresystems and identifies any pre-existing PCvirus infection Reg Fee $65
GAMES
DRAK160Drak 160 is a falling blocks-style game withattractive graphics and several varieties ofblocks It includes blocks which melt blocksthat fall apart when they land and more Thegame includes 10 levels of increasingcomplex-ity joystick support and ability tosave games in progress (RegFee$33
DRUG12Drug Killers 12 is an action-packed shoot-em-up arcade game where you pilot atechnologically advanced aircraft in a battle tostop a futuristic drug cartel You must destroya wide variety of land and air-based enemieswhile gathering weapons and shields Otherfeatures include excellent scrolling graphicsgreat special effects a high score listing theability to save and restore games and a coolmusic soundtrack Reg Fee $25-$40
HAMSTER3D Hamsterrsquos Adventure is a fun 3Dadventure game where you assume the role ofa hamster in a colourful maze The object ofthe game is to eat all the fruit scattered aroundthe maze so the secret exit will appear Youwill encounter monsters along the way butyou can use your strawberry grenades or apowerful hamster kick for protection Theexcellent graphics sound effects and musicmake this an enjoyable game for the wholefamily Reg Fee $15
MISCELLANEOUS
COELI379Coeli Electric Planisphere 379 combinespractical ephemeris and planetarium with areal-time star chart to provide a Super VGAmodel of the skies as seen from Earth Youmay view the heavens from any place or timewith advanced starconstellation search insidea point and click interface A separate VESAdriver must be pre-installed Reg Fee pound12
JOCCALJOC-CALC 10 is an easy-to-use spreadsheetpackage for DOS Features include a pull-down menu system with mouse support aHyperText help system support for blockoperations built-in mathstrig functions andmore Reg Fee $25
MEDLIN97Medlin Accounting 1997 is a double-entrygeneral ledger program with accountsreceivable payroll and payables modules Allmodules are very easy to use PC-AR is theaccounts receivable module It allows amaximum of 2000 customers and 1500charges per accounting period PC-INV is amodule which works directly with theaccounts receivable module to generateinvoices and post them to PC-AR It willmultiply quantity times price and insert thetotal and calculate sales tax PC-PR thepayroll module allows up to 500 employeesand 1000 payroll cheques per accountingperiod PC-AP the accounts payable modulecan sort invoices by due date and will printcheques Mouse support has been added to allprograms Reg Fee $25-35
VDEVideo Display Editor 182 is a fast powerfultext editor Commands can be entered from amenu bar or with control keys Featuresinclude a proportional spacing modekeyboard macro recording MenuBar modethe ability to edit eight files at once acommand for proportional print Autosave toautomatically save your work at specifiedintervals simultaneous windows scrolling theability to align the platen for printing onvarious kinds of forms support for the fileformat of MS Word an envelope printer awide range of screen sizes (from 17 to 57lines) an integrated spell checker and muchmore Support is also provided for Ultra-Vision the HP95LX palmtop and the Tandykeyboard Reg Fee $35
UTILITIES
DNOTE420Disk Note Librarian 420 allows the user toadd descriptions and comments of up to 300characters to each file name on a disk up to1200 files Reg Fee $15
RCR01Rosenthal Conflict Resolver 100 is adiagnostic tool that helps corrects IRQ DMAand IO conflicts the major cause of systemcrashes Reg Fee $99
2 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Compiled by Jim Hume
The Monarchy
This site provides the history of the BritishMonarchy The Royal collection TodayrsquosRoyal family and includes The Queenrsquos rolein the Commonwealth This role articleshould be valuable to all those interested inthe Republic debate monarchist andrepublican alike It is a well presented siteand a useful resource as a school kithttpwwwroyalgovuk
Museums
The virtual Museum of Computing includesan ecletic collection of World Wide Webhyperlinks connected with the history ofcomputing and on-line computer basedexhibits available both locally and aroundthe world httpwwwcomlaboxacukarchiveothermuseumscomputinghtml
Airlines
Ansett provides information on their productand services and the places they fly to Youcan reserve flights and accommodationThere is a travel planner and screen saveravailable to download httpwwwansettcomauwebintrohtml
Qantas provides similar information on theirproducts and services with a brief history ofthe airline and also a screensaver which canbe downloaded httpwwwqantascomau80newsindexhtml
Books Magazines and Newspapers
The Canberra Times is now online withsections on News Sport Features OpinionWeather Real Estate Motors Classifiedsemail and services httpwwwcanberratimescomau
Readers Digest Interactive They ask you toldquoread it react and interactrdquo It containsDigest classics like Laugh Lines and WordPower and advice about how to do justabout anything featuring Home ProjectsCooking Gardening fitness and health httpwwwreadersdigestcom
National Geographic Online This is a greatcontribution with something for everyone inthe family Donrsquot miss these HOT SPOTShttpwwwnationalgeographiccomhotspotsindexhtml
Electronic Journals and Newsletters Thissite provides a complete internet list for newjournals and newsletters available on theInternet There is a search archive completealphabetical archive recent issues in reversechronological order and alphabetical list oftitles httpgort ucsdedunewjour
Amazon Bookstore offers not only 15million books in print but extremely hard-to-find out-of-print titles and discounts onsome of their book lists They claim 25million titles overall They include a searchfacility and provide a personal emailnotification service They list a Book of theday Titles in the News Monthly bookrecommendations and much morehttpwwwamazoncomexecobidossubstindex2html
Medical
)
Kodak have provided an interesting sitedealing with the latest digital cardiologyimaging and their cardiac review stationhttpwwwkodakcomhiHomecardioindexshtml
The American Cancer Society CaliforniaDivision on this site have an excellent articleon ldquoeating rightrdquo and research causeprevention detection and treatment httpwwwcacancerorg
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 3
The Department of Veteransrsquo Affairs haveupgraded their Web Site and it now providesthe latest information on health care forveterans In addition it contains rates andeligibility for pensions statements ofprinciple budgets and legislation It alsoincludes information about commemorativeactivities war graves war memorials andstudent oriented resourceshttpwwwdvagovau
HealthGate have redesigned their site withfaster search results with content organisedinto areas of interest such as medicinepatient education drug information etc It isan important source of biomedicalinformation httpwwwhealthgatecom
Football
The Australian Rugby League haveproduced an excellent site which includesdraws news links teams tipping results agallery and a soapbox httpdevarlorgaumainasp
Super League not to be outdone arepromoted by Foxtel in their sport sectionhttpwwwfoxtelcomauFoxtelhomejhtml
Tyres
I recently drew attention to Goodyearrsquos WebPage and commented on lack of Australiancontent Now they have an excellentAustralian site with an online school kit
dealing with the rubber revolution a tyreguide and a search engine to locate yournearest dealer It requires a frame-enabledweb browser httpwwwgoodyearcomau
Internet
URL Minder keeps track of web pages andother resources on the World Wide Weband sends you email whenever yourpersonally registered resources change Youcan have the minder keep track of any Webresource accessible via http ftp or Gopherand your email address will not be releasedto any third party It is a free servicesupported partially by advertising httpwwwnetmindcomURL-minderURL-minderhtml
People
Talk to the Angels The Vatican has namedtheir computers for the Web after angelsThe site was still under construction at theend of March httpwwwvaticanvaBut where else could you talk to theangelsIt requires a frame-enabled webbrowser
StarTrek This is a most interesting web sitefor Star Trek enthusiasts and also for thoseinterested in site construction for it is a realbobby dazzler httpwwwholodeck3comholodeck3html
Insert
It is an interesting concept which combinesan online magazine with discussion threadsresource lists and links It is dedicated toexploring masculinity and men in societyMen from all walks of life answer the 16 bigquestions about what it means being a mantoday httpwwwmanhoodcomnf
The
Super Site for Kids is a protectedenvironment specially for kids It is a wellorganised fun site httpwwwbonuscomindexclosehtmp
In early March a private Florida companythat hunts for historic shipwrecks announcedit had discovered a gem the ship oncecaptained by Blackbeard a man reputed tobe one of the more terrifying and disturbedpirates of all time This site includes thehistory of Blackbeardhttpeagleonlinediscoverycomcgi-binforums_viewdir
36 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
THE
INTERNETPROJECT
By Iain Gould
Welcome to TIP-TNG (The NextGeneration)
In case you hadnrsquot noticed yet TIP isnow connected to the rest of the world via ahigher speed (double what we had) link Weare now firing the electrons up and downthe pipe at 256k (thatrsquos 3 noughts -thousands in other words) bits every secondWhat this means in real terms is that ournewsgroups are updating more frequentlyweb pages and file transfers are much fasterand those of us that need to log in remotelycan do so with much less delay Boy are weimpressed
If you have not bothered to try TIP for awhile do so as we have seen a markedimprovement in the service provided afterthis upgrade and the installation of the extra12 modems in February (much less waitingto get on)
ANNOUNCEMENTSThe last two months has seen much goingson within the Internet Project ManagementCommittee For the uninitiated the IPMCis a caucus of techno-nerdygeeks tasked withthe onerous duty of ensuring that membersof the PCUG and AUUG have adequate andcomplete access to the wider resources ofthat part of the Information Super-highwayknown as simply The Internet Anyway wedecided on a lot of things recently Here theyare
1) Commercial Web Advertising Upuntil now TIP placed a restriction oncommercial advertising (that which wasobviously out to make money for the owner)- namely that only corporate members ofeither PCUG or AUUG could placeadvertising on their web pages We have
now opened up such commercial activitiesto general members of both organisationsFor the same fee that we currently charge tocorporate advertisers any individual cannow advertise on their web pages Refer tohttpwwwtipnetautipwebspacehtml fordetailed information and charging rates
2) Account Terminology The termslsquoAdvanced Accessrsquo and lsquoBasic Accessrsquoaccounts were deemed to be confusing (wehad too many requests for information onbasic Advanced access and training foradvanced Basic use) The accounts are nowreferred to as lsquoFull Accessrsquo and lsquoLimitedAccessrsquo respectively The use of the termsAdvanced Access hours and Basic Accesshours will continue for the time being untilwe sort out exactly what we want to callthem and where we need to changereferences to them The most obvious placethat this will change immediately is on theapplication form
3) Multiple Users of Accounts One ofthe regular lsquocomplaintsrsquo that we have beenreceiving has been on our policy to restrictaccount use to the account holder only Howmany of you out there realise that if youallowed your spousechildrenacquaintancesto have access to your password then youwere breaking our rules We donrsquot worrytoo much because we are now changing ourpolicy to open up account usage undercertain guidelines Namely
a) The primary account holder (the onewho originally applies for the account) willbe deemed ultimately responsible for anyuse of the account Heshe must still signthe Acceptable Use Policy and follow thoseterms and conditions and then ensure thataccount lsquodelegatesrsquo behave themselves too
b) The primary account holder mayallow use of hisher account by other familymembers The family members must benominated and lodged with TIP on a newlsquoAccount Delegationrsquo form
c) Only one login name and emailaddress is allocated (as currently) - ifadditional email addresses are required thenthey must be applied for as separateaccounts
d) Normal single user limits (accesshours disk quotas) still apply
We believe that this will allow familygroups some access to the Internet withoutneeding to sign up every members of thehousehold with TIP This policy will beelaborated on the web pages in the nearfuture for further information
4) We are still investigating methods ofproviding help guidance and assistance tousers who are new to TIP andor the InternetWe have been looking at newer lsquofool-proofrsquofirst time kits automated email helpresponses regularly published FAQs(frequently asked questions) and attractingmore volunteer helpers To achieve this lastgoal we are hoping that we can set up aregister of volunteers similar to the HelpDirectory published in Sixteen Bits forspecific areas of Internet use If you feltreluctant in the past to have your name listedfor fear of being asked questions outsideyour particular area of expertise interestthen let us know what you ARE willing tohelp with Are you a Netscape guru Or aWindows 95 Dial-Up Networking hotshotDo you think that you know a fair bit aboutIRC Then let us know
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 37
Nhan Tranrsquos Now OfficialTIP Web Help Pages
httpwwwtipnetautiphelp
bull Whats newHistory of changes to TIP help page
bull TIP Contact DetailsPhone numbers domain proxiesemail addresses
bull Useful TIP informationTime allocation usage statistics
bull TIP documentsAgreement Charging SchemeAcceptable Use Policy AccessApplication
bull InternetFAQAnswers to the Frequently AskedQuestions about the Internet what isthe Internet what you can donetiquette
bull TIP help FAQ
bull Answers to the Frequently AskedQuestions about various problemsother people may have had with TheInternet Project your problem maynot be a new one
bull lsquoHow-torsquo documentsHow to set up and use variousprograms needed to make the mostof your Internet account
bull GlossaryTranslating acronyms computerjargon netese and emoticons like -)in plain English
TIP Technical InformationDomain (PCUG) pcugorgauDomain (AUUG) auugorgau
DNS server 203107634Mail server mailhostDomain
News Server newshostDomainftp server ftpDomain
WWW server wwwDomainProxies proxytipnetau
port 8080
Iain Gould is one of the many volunteersthat keep TIP ticking He can becontacted by email - iainpcugorgau
As a note to those users who do needaccess to help take careful note of the timesthat people offer to be available There is areason that these times are listed ourvolunteers do like to have some personaltime Nothing causes a volunteer to lsquoresignrsquoquicker than having their efforts abused bypeople who ring at all hours and are rudeand obnoxious As a volunteer organisationwe cannot provide 24 hour-a-day instantsupport and we must rely on the genrosityof those that do offer to help Please beconsiderate of those who are willing to sticktheir necks out
As a footnote to all of the above itemsplease address any correspondance toipmctipnetau rather than me directly
Internet Joke of the MonthAnother engineer joke (apologies for thereferences to USA - insert your favouritelocal university as applicable)
Three men were vacationing in CentralAmerica They were arrested for minor illegalactivities and because the dictator of the countryhated foreigners the punishment was death
The three men were marched to thechopping block The dictator of the countryasked the first man if he had any last wordsbefore they chopped his head off The man saidldquoThe only thing I can think to say is that Irsquom analumni of Notre Dame and we have the bestfootball players in the worldrdquo The dictator thensaid ldquoOff with his headrdquo When they pulled therope the blade fell but it stopped inches abovethe manrsquos neck The dictator said ldquoThis is anomen from God we cannot execute you Youare free to gordquo
The dictator of the country asked the secondman if he had any last words before theychopped his head off The man said ldquoThe onlything I can think to say is that Irsquom an alumni ofIndiana University and we have the bestbasketball players in the worldrdquo The dictatorthen said ldquoOff with his headrdquo When they pulledthe rope the blade fell but it stopped inchesabove the manrsquos neck The dictator said ldquoThisis an omen from God we cannot execute youYou are free to gordquo
Finally the dictator of the country asked thethird man if he had any last words before theychopped his head off The man said ldquoThe onlything I can think to say is that Irsquom an alumni ofPurdue University and we have the bestEngineers in the world and if yoursquoll just tightenup that bolt up there this machine will workrdquo
Tips On Tip HelpPlease do not call on the Internet Projecthelp team for answers to general computingquestions or with questions like ldquohow do Ifind such-and-such softwarerdquo - the tiphelpnewsgroup is appropriate for these topicsDo call on us if you canrsquot get our kits towork or if you believe there is a problemwith the system Herersquos the right way to goabout it
1 Read the TIP Help Pages availablefrom the TIP World Wide Web siteat httpwwwtipnetautiphelp
2 Browse the newsgroup tiphelp tosee if someone else has solvedyour problem already Browsetipannounce and tipgeneral for anyrelevant announcements
3 If the problem is not urgent post arequest for assistance in tiphelp
4 If the problem is urgent send mailto ldquohelprdquo requesting advice
Please - describe your problem clearlyconcisely and completely
tell us WHEN it happened
tell us WHAT OPERATING SYSTEMyou are using
tell us WHAT SOFTWARE you are using(esp version)
tell us WHAT HARDWARE you are using(esp modem)
tell us any relevant SETUP DETAILS (egconnection speed)
tell us what TIP login name (eg mmouse)you are using
5 As a last resort (ie when email isnot possible) contact Iain Gould on255 2405 between 7pm and 8pmONLY
The TIP Help TeamThe methods of supplying TIP help and
support and the levels of help provided areunder almost constant review anddiscussion Your feedback on the existingsystems and constructive suggestions forimprovement particularly within theexisting resource constraints are welcome
This can be done in the tip newsgroupsif you would like general discussion of yourideas by email to the TIP Help Team athelptipnetau or by sending email toamikkelspcugorgau who will forward itto the appropriate people
38 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
The Internet Project
1 Access to The Internet Project is governed by the InternetProject Acceptable Use Policy copies of which can beobtained at the PCUG Centre or downloaded from the PCUGBBS or from The Internet Project
2 There is a limit of one Internet account per non-corporatemembership Corporate members may sponsor up to threeindividuals who are then personally responsible for theoperation of their accounts Please complete one applicationfor each person
3 Part of your email address will be determined by the principalorganisation If your membership of that organisation expiresso too does your membership of The Internet Project In thisevent no refunds for unused allocation will be made
4 The Internet Project reserves the right to alter prices andservices offered at any time Fees paid for Internet access arenon-refundable and non-transferable
5 Note Hours debited do not necessarily equate to real hourson-line time allocation will be debited in a non-linear fashiondepending on the amount of time spent on-line in any givenday The debit rate is set from time to time by the InternetProject Management Committee
6 Basic Accessa) Basic Access provides non PPP email and news onlyb) Basic Access is free on applicationc) In any calender year calculated from the date of
application Basic Access provides up to 100 lsquohoursrsquo usage
7 Advanced Accessa) Advanced Access includes full access to the Internet using
SLIPPPPb) Advanced Access is not free Current rates are $120 for
one calendar year of access with up to 300 lsquohoursrsquo usagec) When your Advanced Access subscription expires OR
you use 300 hours of access (whichever is earlier) youwill be required to purchase another subscription for onecalendar year from that date
d) Advanced Access users also receive a Basic Accessallocation - see above
8 All users joining The Internet Project receive a one-off freefive hour allocation of Advanced Access
Collecting Your Login Details9 A waiting period of two months applies to new members of
the PC Users Group (ACT) Inc
10 For existing members please allow up to two weeks for yourapplication to be processed
11 Login details can be collected - in person by the applicant - fromthe PC Users Group Centre We recommend that you phone theCentre first to check that the details are waiting for you
12 You (and your parentguardian if you are under 18 years ofage) will be required to sign an Acceptable Use PolicyDeclaration when you pick up your login detailsPhotographic proof of identity may be required at that time
Important Notes - Please Read
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 39
Disks amp TapesWe offer high quality disks and tape cartridgesin various formats at very reasonable pricesDisks amp tapes are available from the PCUGCentre Monday Wednesday amp Friday 10amto 2pm or between 9am and 5pm on weekends
BBS AccessNew members wishing to access the PC UsersGroup (ACT) InterActive Bulletin BoardService (BBS) should dial (06) 253 4933 andcreate an account on the system Once the mainmenu is presented select the lsquoGoodbyersquo optionfollowed by the lsquoYesrsquo option to leave a messageto the Sysop
In this message state your membership number(from your card or magazine address label) andrequest an access upgrade This will usuallyoccur within a few days
SharewareMembers have access to a huge selection ofldquosharewarerdquo software The PCUG subscribesto a CD-ROM which provides over 250 Mbof new and updated software titles on eachmonthly CD
Member ServicesThese special offers and services are only available to PCUG members Please bring your membership card with you when collecting orders
One complete section of the permanent libraryis also contained on each CD-ROM Inaddition there are many programs on thePCUG BBS which members have uploadedor which come from other sources
This software is provided as ldquosharewarerdquo Ifyou continue to use it you must register thesoftware with the author The Group does notldquosellrdquo the software - it charges a fee to coverthe cost of obtaining the software maintainingthe library and copying the software to themember
Computers are available at the Centre whichare connected to the BBS enabling membersto download software
Hardware amp Video LibraryThe hardware and video library is located atthe PC Users Group Centre Items may becollected and returned on Saturdays andSundays between 9am and 5pm (loans are forone week) Please bring your membership cardwith you
The library provides access to equipmentwhich members would not normally havereadily available Most items have instructionsmanuals and software where appropriateModems do not include software check theShareware Library for suitable packages Itemsmay be borrowed for one week There is nocharge but you must collect and return theitems yourself
Equipment available includesmiddot modemsmiddot soundblaster card
Videos includemiddot Developing Applications with Microsoft
Officemiddot Using Windows 95
NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETINGMonday 28 April 1997
(to be held at 730pm prior to the normal April main meeting)
The Special Meeting is to consider and vote upon the following changes to the rules of the PC Users Group
Rule 17(1)(b) - [Nomination of candidates for election as office-bearers of the Association or as ordinary Committee members]shall be delivered to the Secretary of the Association no later than the last Friday in the July before the date fixed for the annualgeneral meeting at which the election is to take place
Rule 17(2) - If insufficient nominations are received to fill all vacancies on the Committee the candidates nominated shall bedeemed to be elected
Rule 17(3) - A vacant position remaining on the Committee shall be deemed to be a vacancy for the purpose of Rule 16(4)
Explanatory notesThese changes will permit publication in Sixteen Bits of all valid nominations received to enable the membership to give seriousregard to the nominations received They will also permit all members nominating for the committee to have an opportunity toconsider and reflect upon their intended commitment to the committee and to the Group
Hugh BambrickSecretary PC Users Group (ACT) Inc
40 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Compiled by Jim Hume
Japanese-English Translators
Globalink produces some of the bestlanguage translation software TheLanguage Assistant Series quicklyproduce understandable translations fromEnglish into the foreign language or viceversa
The Australian Distributors Software EtcAustralia have now released Japanesetranslation and OCR Software TsunamiMT Typhoon MT and KanjiScan OCRsoftware for English Windows 95 and NTPCs It is claimed these products willmake communication between Japaneseand English speaking businesses mucheasier quicker and more effective
Tsunami MT translates English-to-Japanese and has features such as fullOLE 20 compatibility (drags text to andfrom Tsunami MT embedding theJapanese results into applications such asMS Word) an innovative Kani searchsystem and translation speed at over 3000words per minute
Typhoon MT translates Japanese-to-English and is the result of a two-yearproject to convert the best-sellingJapanese to English translation softwarein Japan to an MS Windows 32-bitformat
Typhoon MT has every element computerusers need to put Japanese computing ontheir personal computer - Japanese fontsKana and kanji text editing a completeFront End Processor and Japanese -to-English machine translation
KanjiScan is the first Japanese OCRsoftware to run on non-Japanese versionsof Windows and includes everythingneeded to scan printed Japanese text anddocuments allowing users to input
Japanese on their English Windowssystem All interfaces instructions anddocumentation are in English WithNeocorTechrsquos Kanji Search system noJapanese language skills are required tomake sure all the Japanese text is properlyrecognised
Tsunami MT $995 Typhoon MT $1195(Bundle $1795) and KanjiScan $795
Software Etc Australia are offeringevaluation versions of this software forloan to reviewers with a knowledge ofJapanese and the capability to conduct andprepare software reviews Enquiriesshould be directed to Peter Klanberck atsoftetcozemailcomauhttpwwwworldcorpcomau Phone (02) 9988-3455
Gene Chip Breakthrough
Affymetrix is developing amp commercial-ising GeneChip(tm) systems to acquireanalyse manage and use geneticinformation based on its propriety DNAarray technology
These systems are being developed forbroad fields including biomedicalresearch clinical diagnosis and theemerging field of genomics Affymetrixhas corporate alliances with Hewlett-Packard Company and Genetics Instituteand intends to pursue the clinicaldiagnostic and additional genomicsapplications with diagnostics andpharmaceutical companies
Their first product currently in externaltests sites will be the GeneChipHIVsystem which rapidly detects mutations inthe protease and reverse transcriptasegenes of HIV the virus which causesAIDS Detection of such mutations arecritical in understanding how HIV reactsto therapeutic agents as well as for
understanding the results of clinical trialsof new drugs The company also hasactive development programs for thespeciation of other infectious organismsas well as for human genes that areimportant in cancer and drug metabolism
Fortune Magazine in an article headedGene Chip Breakthrough by David Stippexplores the implications of thisbreakthrough and believes that whilemicroprocessors have reshaped oureconomy spawned vast fortunes andchanged the way we live Gene chipscould be bigger
TransAct BroadbandCommunications Network
The ACTEW Corporation has recentlyconducted a feasibility study into buildinga broadband communication network inthe ACT It is claimed it would enhanceACTEWrsquos core business and provide theACT region with an economically viablecommunications network
The network would be funded throughoutside financing As there would be nocross-subsidies between varioustelecommunication business and theelectricity and water businesses therewould be no impact on electricity andwater bills now or in the future Known asTransAct Communications the feasibilitystudy was to be completed by March1997 ACTEW Corporation Board willmake a decision on the business caseduring April A key component of thestudy was to be community consultationand market research If the results werefavourable construction should commencein July 1997
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 41
I was consulted in their telemarketingresearch and talks have been held with thePC Users Group Aurisa Institute ofEngineers Australia and the BusinessCouncil of Australia The network couldcarry voice(telephone) video(TV) and data(intenet) over a high range of frequenciesand the cost of services would bedependent on the service providers ieTelephone companies Pay TV companiesand internet service providers ACTEWexpected that prices would be similar tocurrent prices for these services andsuggest that a single broad-band networkwould offer competition between serviceproviders
The network could carryvoice(telephone) video(TV) and
data (intenet)
Two companies have been shortlisted andtheir solutions are being costed to get anaccurate picture of the total cost ofbuilding the network The two companiesare Philips which has offered a HybridCoax (HFC) system and BroadbandTechnologies which offered a switchedbroadband (SDB) solution
The HFC solution as offered by Philipswould differ from similar cable systemsbeing strung in other parts of Australia inthat it would take optic fibre down toserve 60-90 homes per node rather than500-1500 homes The SDB solutionwould be unique in Australia (In use inparts of USA Korea and France) it takesoptic fibre to serve 32-40 homes per nodeBoth solutions have the ability to runadvanced interactive services By the timeof publication a further update may beavailable atwwwactewcomautransactinterhtm
Treasure IslandFrom the Corel Thumbnail Theatre seriesnow being shipped Treasure Island is afun easy way to learn the complexities ofthis popular novel by Robert LouisStevenson It is an animated adaptiontargeted primarily at students aged 12 andupwards Users can choose from threedifferent ways of studying TreasureIsland For those unacquainted with thestory the Watch Me section presents awitty and entertaining nine-minuteanimation which summarises the novelrsquosstory The Guide Me section is designedfor users who wish to study the text indepth and learn more about the era inwhich the novel is set They will see theanimation once again but this time theywill have the chance to stop the animatedsummary in order to explore varioustopics related to the story These topics areaccessible by clicking on the icons whichappear throughout the animation Userswho want to read about different topicscan go directly to the Self Guide sectionThis section contains the entire text ofTreasure Island
It also contains a feature called Timelinewhich is a chronology of historical eventsfrom the time of Treasure Island to thepresent day
Minimum system requirements are 486DX66 8MB of RAM a 640x480256-colour graphics display 8-bit audiocapabilities and a double speed CD-ROMdrive Runs on both Windows 31x andWindows95RRP $Aus 6400
Corel WebMaster SuiteOn March 25 Corel announced the releaseCorel WebMaster Suite the latest additionto their line of Internet products Itcombines state-of-the-art Web siteauthoring with expert site managementfunctionality advanced database
publishing sophisticated graphic designprograms as well as animation authoring3D VRML world creation and over 8000Internet-ready images Included in thepackage is Netscape Navigator 301OrsquoReillyrsquos Website v11 and 30 days offree Web site hosting It is claimed thatthis suite provides a complete solution tohelp users advance beyond the traditionalWeb page to create and manage completeweb sites that are more interesting andinformative as well as easy to understand
Corel WebMaster is available for asuggested retail price of $Aus 399 Thesuite will require 16MB RAM an IBMcompatible PC 486 DX Windows NT orWindows 95 a CD_ROM and a VGAdisplay
SNIPPETS
IN AUSTRIA INTERNET SERVICEProviders banded together on March 25 tostage the countryrsquos first electronic walkoutin protest at their governmentrsquos attempt tocensor the Internet Hardly surprisingwhen UKrsquos Whatrsquos New on the Internetreports that sex and its related topics arethe most popular sections on the Internetby a long chalk
DUTCH HACKERS OFFERED USMilitary Secrets to Iraq A recent BBC TVprogramme claimed that hundreds ofmilitary secrets were stolen from USDefence computers ( including troopmovements and missile capabilities)offered for sale by Dutch hackers toSaddam Hussein but their offer was nottaken up because the Iraqi leader believedthat it was either a hoax or CIAmisinformation
ADVERTISING ON THE NETAccording to a survey by the InternetAdvertising Bureau total advertisingspending on the World Wide Web andInternet related content hit $US267
42 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
The Internet SIGThis a get together of those members of thePCUG who love to explore the Internet forinteresting sites new Internet tools andnovel applications It holds an informalmeeting once a month on the first Thursday(January excepted) at 730pm The meetinghas no set agenda but free flowing chat onvarious Internet related topics and eventsOn occasion we had presentations ofinteresting software Among topics that arediscussed from time to time are the upgradeof TIP cable and wireless access to theInternet and the regulation of the InternetThe web page for the SIG is at httpwwwpcugorgau~ejosephintsightm
BytesThe Bytes SIG is designed for those wholike to talk about computing over a meal Itmeets from 6 pm at the Asian BistroAustralian National University Union onthe PCUG meeting nights There are noBytes SIG meetings in NovemberDecember or January Contact personAndrew Freeman Phone 258 7411 Emailafreemanpcugorgau or WWW at httpwwwpcugorgau~afreemancvsightml
AutoCADGeoffrey May 295 5942 Monday-Fri 4-5pmPlease call for details
CC++Peter Corcoran petercpcugorgau 2ndTuesday 730pm PCUG Centre
GUI DevelopersPeter Harris 287 1484 pharrispcugorgauPlease call for details
The OS2 SIGAn enthusiastic forum for those operating orinterested in OS2 Warp Meetings includewide ranging discussion and interestinghands on demonstrations Meetings are heldon the third Thursday at 730pm for 730pmat the IBM Building 8 Brisbane Ave BartonContact David Thrum Phone 201-8806 (bh)
The Delphi SIGA lively forum for software developers whoare working with or interested in Delphi
Our meetings include wide ranging dis-cussion and interesting hands-on demon-strations Come and see why Delphi is RADSome of our recent meetings have discussedDelphi components best shareware toolsdatabase applications and HTML toolsMeeting 3rd Tuesday of each month 730pmat PCUG Centre Convenor Al Kabailaemail akabailapcugorgauYou arewelcome to also subscribe to the PCUGDelphi mailing list by sending messageldquosubscribe act-delphi-lpcugorgau [youremail address]rdquo to Majordomoauugorgau
Linux User GroupStephen Rothwell 291 6550 (ah) StephenRothwell canbauugorgau 4th Thursday730pm Room N101 Computer Science DeptANU
Networks Garry Thomson 241 2399gthomsonpcugorgau Thursday aftermain meeting Please call for venue
Computer and VegetarianismThis SIG is designed for those who have aninterest in both computers and vegetarian-ism It generally meets with the Bytes SIGNo meetings are held in NovemberDecember or January Contact personAndrew Freeman Phone 258 7411 Emailfreemanpcugorgau or WWW at httpwwwpcugorgau~afreemancvsightml
amp ChatThe Coffee and Chat Group meet at thePCUG Centre in Belconnen on alternateTuesdays from 1030am to 1130am withanother 30 minutes to 1200 for those whowant to stay The dates of these meetings areshown in the Calendar of Events On thealternate Tuesday a virtual Coffee and ChatMeeting is held on the Internet at 1030amusing Internet Relay Chat (IRC) addressirchostpcugorgau Port 6667 Full detailsabout the online meetings can be obtainedfrom httpwwwpcugorgau~ejosephvcchtm
Internet Daytime Demoand Discussion SIGMeets every second Monday at the PCUGCentre from 1000AM to noon We meet todiscuss internet issues software sites (andanything else of relevance) and demonstrateon Centre equipment selected software andtechniques The meeting starts with informaldiscussion and coffee followed by a more in-depth look at a particular topic of interestThere is also time for discussion (andhopefully solving) of members problems withthe internet A home page for the SIG is athttpwwwpcugorgau~amikkelsintdddhtmlEnquiries or suggestions for topics arewelcome at amikkelspcugorgau
NEW
Convenors are requested to email anychanges in contacts or venue and additionalinformation about the activities of theirgroup by the first Friday in the month ofpublication to pcugeditorpcugorgau
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 43
The training program for 1997 is settledsubject to ongoing adjustments in the lightof developments
Note the heavy emphasis on Internetcourses This reflects the clear demand ofmembers at the moment A number of daysare designated lsquoTBArsquo These days allow forthe introduction of Internet related coursesas discussed last month including homepages MS Internet ExplorerWeb tips andtricks and so on They also allow forpossible courses on the Web oriented MSOffice 97
Course content for Internet courses isstill under development and subject tomeetings of trainers
In addition to the weekend courses arange of short evening courses mainlyInternet related as above will be introducedThese are still in the planning stages
May Sat 3 Editorial day ContinuesSun 4 Programming - C and C++ ContinuesSat 10 Programming - Visual Basic Continues
Sun 11 Intro - Intro to computers ContinuesSat 17 Intro - Intro to Windows 95 Continues
Sun 18 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 24 Intro - PC Maintenance and
TroubleshootingContinues
Sun 25 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 31 Internet - HTML Intro Continues
June Sun 1 Intro - Using the BBS effectively Internet - Basic AccessSat 7 Centre closed Centre closed
Sun 8 Centre closed Centre closedSat 14 Editorial day Continues
Sun 15 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 21 Internet - HTML extended Continues
Sun 22 Internet - TBA Internet - TBASat 28 Internet - Advanced Access Intro Continues
Sun 29 Intro - Using the BBS effectively Internet - Basic AccessJuly Sat 5 Editorial day Continues
Sun 6 Internet - TBA Internet - TBASat 12 Internet - TBA Internet - TBA
Sun 13 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 19 Internet - TBA Internet - TBA
Sun 20 Internet - TBA Internet - TBASat 26 Internet - Advanced Access Intro Continues
Sun 27 Intro - Using the BBS effectively Internet - Basic Access
Our training courses are very popularUnfortunately some people book and thendonrsquot turn up for their course Someone onthe waiting list for the course could havefilled the spot left vacant To overcome thisproblem if you book for a course but donrsquotpay for it by the Monday before it is runthe spot will be offered to someone else
ContactsCourse bookings Petra Dwyer at thePCUG Centre on 253 4911
Training coordinator and courseinformation (not bookings) PaulBalnaves 241-4671 (h) 700pm to900pm 282-3488 (w)
Microsoft Product courses (notbookings) Michael Lane 242-9278 (h)700pm to 900pm
All courses are held at the PCUGCentre Northpoint Plaza Belconnen- maximum 8 people
Courses cost $35 unless otherwiseindicated Full day courses run from930am to approximately 300pmAM Courses commence at 930amPM courses commence at 130pm
Training Newsby Paul Balnaves
44 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
The following local vendors offer discounts to PCUG members
bull Present your PCUG membership card when making a purchasebull Benefits may not apply to some sale itemsbull The PCUG does not necessarily recommend or endorse the products being offered
If you offer a discount to PCUG members and are not in this list please contact our advertising manager listed on page 2
Vendor Discount SchemeVendor Discount Scheme
AustralianManagement Control
Suite 4 32 - 36 Colbee CourtPHILLIP285 4888
5 discount onRecordkeeping amp Payroll
courses
Capital SimulationsPO Box 329
Belconnen ACT 2616Faxmessage 258 0110
Free postage and handling(normally $4) amp 2 free modem
opponents lsquowantedrsquo notices(normally $10)
Clarion DatabaseSystems
bull Computing consultingbull Business applications developmentbull Software sale
041 108 775410 discount off RRP on
Microsoft amp other vendorsrsquo productsand consulting services
Amalgamated Business Machines
65 Kembla StreetFYSHWICK
280 4887
5 discount on repairsthrough this company
ANU Union Asian Bistro
Upstairs Union Building Union Court ANU
(next to main meeting venue)
Union member discounton PCUG main meeting
nights (ONLY)
Bettowynd ampTaltech Solutions
Unit 5 Centrecourt1 Pirie St FYSHWICK
239 1043
Prompt guaranteed fixed pricerepairs to monitors and terminals
5 discount to members
Nhan TranInternet Software Installationamp Configuration in your home
PH 254 5293
Fixed price 20 discountfor PCUG members
Lesley PikoCertified Practising Accountant
Registered Tax Agent
Suite 1 17 Trenerry StWeston ACT
288 8888
personal and business taxation servicesgeneral accounting services
15 discount off our quoted fee
ACT VALLEYCOMPUTER REPAIRSbull REPAIRSbull UPGRADESbull NEW SYSTEMSbull SOFTWARE INSTALLATIONbull LOW RATES l OPEN 7 DAYS
294 2592 or 019 32343510 DISCOUNT ON REPAIRS
AND UPGRADES TO MEMBERS
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 45
54 Marcus Clarke St Canberra CityPH 249 1844 l Fax 247 5753
10 Discount o f fRRP of Computer Books
Celebrating over 28 Years in Bookselling
N O 1 f o rC O M P U T E R amp B U S I N E S S
B O O K S
hi-micro Computers
5 Discount OnAccessories
ampUpgrade Installation
Ph 280 7520 Fax 280 7540618 Whyalla St Fyshwick
248 6656 (any time)bull World Wide Web Publishing
bull Windows Online Help amp Manuals
5 discount on Web publishing
The Cartridge Factory
Canberra Business Centre49 Wentworth Ave
KINGSTON295 5935
10 discount on remanufacturedlaser toner cartridges
10 discount on inkjet refill kitsNo discount available on
new ink or toner cartridges
Collins Booksellers
BELCONNEN MALLPhone 251 4813 Fax 251 3926
We carry a wide selection ofcomputer titles for the novice and
also advanced computer user
10 Discount off computerbook purchases only
LampS Associates
69 Paterson StreetAINSLIE257 7555
Special price on anyMicrosoft product
Dealer price plus 5
Aspect ComputingEducation Services
86 Northbourne AvenueBraddon ACT 2601
247 7608
10 Discount toPCUG members
Peng LEE BA BEc FCA
Chartered AccountantRegistered Tax Agent
A fee schedule will be forwarded upon request
6 McGuiness PlaceMcKELLAR ACT 2617
Phone 258 0156 Fax 258 0157
10 fee discount to PCUGmembers
Robrsquos Computer HelpDesk
292 3211 (24 hours 7 days)
For telephone and on-site help for ALL your computer and support
needs
5 discount on consulting services to PCUG members
The Software Shop
42 Townsend StreetPHILLIP285 4622
5 discount off our already low prices
46 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Title Given Name Surname
_______________________________________________________Position (if applicable) Phone (h) Phone (w)
_______________________________________________________Title Given Name Surname
_______________________________________________________Position (if applicable) Phone (h) Phone (w)
Annual Fees Applicable (thorn one)o General1 $ 50
o Concessional2 $ 25
o Corporate3 $130
o Additional Corporate4 $ 50
o International (Air Mail) $130
Notes1 General membership covers all members of a household except for BBS and
Internet access Two month waiting period applies to Internet access2 Concessions apply to full time students and pensioners3 Corporate Membership covers up to three nominees4 Additional Corporate nominees may be added at $50 each
I am paying by (thorn one)o Cash (if paying by person) o Cheque to PC Users Group (ACT) Inc
o Credit card
I would like to ( thorn one or more)
o Become a new member for ____ year(s)
o Renew for ____ year(s)
o Change my address details
o Change Corporate nominees
o Take my address off advertising list
o Access the Bulletin Board (BBS)
Reasons for Joining thorn (one or more)
o Sixteen Bits Magazine o Training Courses
o The Internet Project o Advice and help
Other ____________________________________
TOTAL PAYMENT DUE $ __________________
Please Post your application with payment toPC Users Group (ACT) IncPO Box 42 Belconnen ACT 2616
Additional Corporate Membership Nominees
Title Given Name Surname
Organisation (if applicable) PCUG Membership Number (if applicable)
Postal Address
Phone (h) Phone (w) Concession Type (if applicable)
Credit Card Type Number Expiry Date Signature
Membersrsquo AdsFOR SALE
PC Users Group Membership Application Renewal
Notebook TP 486 DX266 95in Dual scancolour 8mg 433 HDD External 2X CDROM Fax modem card Win rsquo95 Office rsquo95pro Microsoft Plus NAV Norton UtilitiesWinfax Pro Microsoft Publisher and muchmore $1500 email gjonespcugorgau orphone Gary Jones 2391771 (Bus hours)
Canon Bubble-jet Printer BJ10-SX BWVGC [bookletdisk] $145Maestro External Fax Modem SE-144 FM[BookletDiks] VGC $100Corel Draw V3 CD-ROM[Bookect] VGC $100 NEGScanFax 24 Bit Color Page ScannerPC[FaxScanCopy] VGC $ 360WebAuthor V2 for Windows $ 65LOGOS BIBLE Software V2for Windows CD-ROM $150Call 239 5451 or e-mailmszabopcugorgau
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 47
Subject Name Email Phone Days TimesAccess for Windows Graheme Fry 288 3138 All days 730pm - 830pm
Accounting -TAS+ Exogen Attache NewViews P Goerman 231 2304 All days 900am - 900pm
Advanced Revelation John Curby 286 5777 Mon - Fri 900am - 900pm
Assembly Language Thomas McCoy 294 2226 Mon - Fri 800pm - 1000pm
AutoCad Geoffrey May 295 5942 Mon - Fri 400pm - 500pm
AutoCAD Rel 12 13 and LT Neil Moffat 292 7108 All days Noon - 1000pm
BASIC + Machine Language George McLintock 295 6590 All days 830pm -1000pm
Basic hardware help Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
Bluewave Jorge Garcia 282 2681 All Days 700pm - 900pm
Batch Files TSRs Utilities Bill Ghysen 287 1234 Mon - Fri 800pm - 1000pm
Bulletin Board Service Michael Phillips 253 4966 All days 730pm - 830pm
Chinese Star for Windows Peng Lee 258 0156 All days 100pm - 900pm
Clipper Cedric Bear 258 3169 All days 730pm - 830pm
Corel Draw Fabian Stelco 241 1743 Mon - Fri 730pm - 900pm
Corel WordPerfect Suite 7 for Win95 Peter Tilbrook kermitdynamitecomau 242 8696 All days Anytime
DOS Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
Excel Graheme Fry 288 3138 All days 730pm - 830pm
Flight Simulation Roger Lowery lowerypcugorgau 258 1583 All days Anytime
Foxpro Greg Atkinson 241 7903 Mon - FriSat Sun
700pm - 900pmFrom 1100am
Free Agent Agent Newsreading Allan Mikkelsen 278 3164 All days Noon - 900pm
General Help Allan Miller (044) 711187 Mon - Fri 730pm - 830pm
General Help Brian Gosling 259 1116 All days 730pm - 830pm
GEOSGeoWorks Phil Jones 288 5288 All days 600pm - 1000pm
Hardware Anthony Glenn 288 8332 All days Anytime
HDK Lis Shelley lshelleypcugorgau 248 6656 Mon - Fri 730pm - 830pm
HDK Ivana Leonard 231 4169 Mon - Thu 700pm - 900pm
ISR CADDSMAN Modeller (Win) Neil Moffat 292 7108 All days Noon - 1000pm
LINUX PC Unix Andrew Tridgell 254 8209 All days 600pm - 800pm
Lotus 1-2-3 Doug Jenkins 286 2243 All days 730pm - 900pm
Lotus Ami Pro 3 W ord Pro 96 ed Peter Tilbrook kermitdynamitecomau 242 8696 All days Anytime
Microstation Cad Andrew Novinc 258 1907 All days 600pm - 1000pm
Modem Communications Michael Phillips 281 1980 or All days 730pm - 830pm
Networks Gary Thompson 241 2399 All days 730pm - 900pm
Online doc using Help Compiler (Win3) John Carroll jcarrollpcugorgau 248 0781 All days 730pm - 1000pm
OS2 v2 Mark Beileiter 283 2429 Mon - Fri 800am - 330pm
OS2 Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
OS2 Michael Lightfoot 258 8185 All days 730pm - 930pm
Project (Microsoft) Steve Ramsden 287 1500 Mon - Wed 800pm - 1000pm
SBT Accounting Greg Atkinson 241 7903 Mon - Fri 700pm - 900pm
Scream Tracker 3 (3SM) MOD Music Chris Collins 258 8276 Mon - Fri 730pm - 900pm
Small Business Computing Nick Thomson 241 3239 Mon - Thu 730pm - 930pm
SuperBase Paul Blair 288 3584 All days 730pm - 930pm
Telix Michael Phillips 281 1980 All days 730pm - 830pm
SCO Unix amp Xenix J Bishop 291 0478 All days 700pm - 900pm
Unix Michael Lightfoot 258 8185 All days 730pm - 930pm
Turbo Pascal Michael Phillips 281 1980 All days 730pm - 830pm
Vision Impaired Adam Morris 291 4522 All days 700pm - 900pm
Visual BASIC Ian Champ 254 0418 All days 700pm - 900pm
Windows 31x Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
Word for Windows Lis Shelley lshelleypcugorgau 248 6656 Mon - Fri 730pm - 830pm
WordPerfect 51 DOS 61 Win Gayle Scott gaylespcugorgau 254 1579 All days 730pm - 930pm
WordPerfect 61 7 for Win95 Peter Tilbrook kermitdynamitecom 242 8696 All days Anytime
WordStar Dave Hay 258 7310 All days 700pm - 900pm
The people in this directory are volunteers so please observe the times given The Help Directory is designed to helpindividual users and should not be used as a substitute for corporate support calls to vendors This service is provided formembers only Please quote your membership number to the helper For those helpers with an asterisk messages may beleft on the BBS in either the General message area or as a Netmail message on 3620243 Send updates topcugeditorpcugorgau or via post to the PCUG Centre
The Help Directory
May 1997Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
1
Internet SIG730pmPCUG Centre
2
SIXTEENBITSCommercialAd deadlinefor May
3
SIXTEEN BITSLayout Day 10am______________InternetConnection Clinic930am-1pmPCUG Centre(check withCentre Staffer on253 4911)
4
TRAININGDAYProgrammingC and C++930-430PCUG Centre
5
Internet DaytimeDemo andDiscussion10am-12 noonPCUG Centre______________New MembersNight730pmPCUG Centre
6
VirtualCoffee amp ChatTIP IRCServer1030-1130am
7 8 9 10
TRAININGDAYProgrammingVisual Basic930-430PCUG Centre
11
TRAININGDAYIntro tocomputers930-430PCUG Centre
12 13
Coffee amp Chat1030amPCUG Centre__________
C++ SIG730pmPCUG Centre
14
CommitteeMeeting730pmPCUG Centre
15
OS2 SIG7 for 730pmIBM Building8 BrisbaneAve Barton
16 17
TRAINING DAYIntro Windows 95930-430PCUG Centre______________
Meet theCommittee2-4pmPCUG Centre
18
TRAININGDAYInternetAdvancedAccess Intro930-430PCUG Centre
19
Internet DaytimeDemo andDiscussion 10am-12noon PCUG Centre______________
SIXTEEN BITSStuffing and Mailing530pm PCUGCentre
20
Virtual Coffee ampChatTIP IRC Server1030-1130am_____________
Delphi SIG730pm PCUGCentre
21 22
Linux UserGroup730pmRmN101ComputerScience DeptANU
23 24
TRAINING DAYPC Maintenanceamp Troubleshooting930-430PCUG Centre
25
TRAININGDAYInternetAdvancedAccess Intro930-430PCUG Centre
26
Main MeetingManningClark Theatre1 CrispBuilding ANU7 for 730pm
27
Coffee amp Chat1030amPCUG Centre
28 29
Networks SIGCall GarryThomson(241 2399) fordetails
30
SIXTEENBITS Articledeadline forJune
31
TRAININGDAYInternetHTML Intro930-430PCUG CentreBytes SIG 6pm
Asian Bistro ANU(before PCUGmeeting
4 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Presidentrsquos LetterAnn Byrne President
Editorrsquos Desk TopDarrell Burkey Managing Editor
Editorrsquos Desk Top
Presidentrsquos Letter
Many thanks to all the people who helpedout at ACT Alive on Canberra Day especiallyto Eddie and Sharon de Bear and GordonUrquhart who did all the transporting andmoving of things back and forth to the CentreIt was a very successful day for the group andvolunteers must have enjoyed themselves asno one seemed in a hurry to leave
It is interesting when you look around atthe Committee our volunteers and at the mainmeetings there is a predominance of malesvisible in the group I wonder if this is a factof life or an anomaly that the computer worldhas generated I for one would certainly liketo see more women involved in the groupPerhaps all you men will forgive me this onceas I indulge myself and make a call for womenwho would like to participate in the group toplease get in touch with me
The upgrade to a 256k link along with theadditional modems on TIP has certainly madea big improvement Is it really only just over
two years since we went into the projectwith lots of projections a 64k link about12 lines and a prayer for 500 subscribersin the first year
To all who have stuck by us throughthe times of not being able to log onbetween 6pm and midnight intermittentnewsfeeds and slow downloads thank youfor keeping the faith We now seem to beholding our own however no one canpredict the future Telecom needs to bewatched closely as anyone who subscribesto the relevant email and newsgroups willtell you There is a lot of small print in the900 page Telecommunications Bill thatwas passed through the Senate in lateMarch
February Committee MeetingThe Committee discussed legal advice thathad been sought on a Committee memberwho is directly involved with a commercialInternet service The member responded
that he saw no conflict of interest or breachof the ACTrsquos Associations Incorporated Actand would continue to serve on theCommittee Following the legal advice theCommittee has taken no further action
The draft of our submission to the SenateCommittee inquiry into the Telecom-munications Bill was tabled
The Committee has purchased a newlaptop computer to be used at various venuesthat we attend
Additional chairs have been approvedfor the meeting area
The Communication Policy Teamadvised that they were working with JohnDunn in preparing a comprehensive membersurvey
Ken Livingston was elected to the IPMCto replace Karl Auer
It was agreed to order the MicrosoftInternet Explorer Administration Kit As this
As mentioned here last month there area few changes occurring on the editorial teamThis month two of our very valuable teammembers Val Thomson and Jim Hume havedecided to wrap thing up As always a simplethank-you seems so inadequate in con-sideration of all the time and energy they havespent in making our journal the awardwinning production that it is They willcertainly be missed and I would like to statemy deepest appreciation for a job well doneand how much I will miss working with themBoth of these members have contributed tothe journal for years in many ways anddeserve a big Thank You from us all
It should be obvious to all members thatnow is the time for anyone who can donatesome effort to assist in producing the journalto contact the committee No volunteers nomagazine - itrsquos that simple As I stated last
month without member support thecommitteersquos options are extremely limitedregarding the production of our journalCombined with my departure as Editornext month it is vital that we address theneed for additional volunteers on theeditorial team as quickly as possible
If you havenrsquot had a look at the on-line version of Sixteen Bits at httppcugorgaupcug16bits I think you willbe surprised by what you find there Atlong last the software on our Internet sitesupports Adobe Acrobat version 3 Youwill find some interesting features such asa lsquoliversquo table of contents where you cansimply click on an article to view it Thereare also sound clips here and there In thenear future (possibly this month) all of thelinks to web sites will also be lsquoliversquo Soanywhere you see a reference to a web site
you will simply need to click on it toautomatically jump to that site Stay tunedfor more surprises as we discover and learnthe many features of this software
Unfortunately (depending on your pointof view) MicroSoftrsquos Internet Explorerversion 3 has a known bug that prevents itfrom working with online Acrobat PDF filesso the site is best viewed with Netscape fornow Just days before writing this NetscapeCommunicator 4 (preview) and MS InternetExplorer 4 (beta) were released hopefullythey will work better with Acrobat files
Meanwhile in spite of all the bells andwhistles of online publishing it appears thatnothing beats hard copy I think it will be along time before most of us are willing togive up our lsquodead treersquo versions for variousgood reasons So grab a cuppa and enjoy
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 5
LettersLetters
Meet The CommitteeCommittee members can be found at most PCUG functions but are also available thethird Saturday of each month from 2-4pm at the PCUG Centre This time has been setaside specifically for members to have an opportunity to meet committee members anddiscuss any issues or answer any questions members may have See you there
Last month Doug Gillies called for morekindness in the application of the lsquoUsers helpingusersrsquo principle He mentioned a member whoasked for help in one of the TIP newsgroupsand was told to RTFM I felt for this memberthe very first time I posted a message on theBulletin Board back in 1990 I was promptlytold to RTFM When I found out what it meantI was mortified at what seemed a rude andintolerant response and was very reluctant topost again
When I eventually met the writer of my RTFMmessage I was unsurprised to find him kindlyand mild-mannered By that time Irsquod figured outthat certain Real World conventions simplydidnrsquot apply online People write the rudestthings apparently without considering whotheyrsquore saying them to or about or the fact thattheyrsquore saying them in public They say themfurthermore without any expectation ofreproach lsquoItrsquos the Usenet culturersquo so Irsquom toldand out pop all the shibboleths about lsquomerepatterns in the phosphorrsquo and lsquosticks and stonesrsquo
Text carries a far heavier burden of meaningthan the spoken word Getting somethingacross in the absence of facial expressiontone of voice gesture and body language (letalone the opportunity to explain and elaborateon the spot) takes work and care Electronicmessages however are often dashed off inthe heat of the moment Posters seem to pridethemselves in writing as they speakndashor moreinformally (and impertinently) than theyspeak Furthermore jargon aboundsNewcomers are absolutely at liberty to sinkor swim in this exclusive and hostileambience
Our much-vaunted freedom to participaterests on the assumption that everyonersquostolerance and aptitude for verbal abuse is thesame Many peoplendashthose brought up in morecourteous times and those hamstrung byexpectations of lsquoladylikenessrsquo for examplendashmay find the atmosphere in public messageareas very uncomfortable Itrsquos a vain hopethat The Usenet Culture will change to takeaccount of these differences but Irsquom certainlywith Doug in wishing to see more kindnesson The Internet Project
Irsquom not suggesting there shouldnrsquot bevigorous debate among old acquaintances Iwould just like to see less sinking of the bootin response to innocent (or even dumb)questions Perhaps then the brawls would bebalanced by more exchanges between moreparticipants about more topics J
Val Thomson
Doug Gillies letter in the March 1997 SixteenBits amazed me I have found so manyhelpers who sacrificed their time as well astheir petrol to install programs for me I cannever thank them enoughThey even taughtme to make better use of my software (seemy first letter in the February Sixteen Bits)
Alois Tush came back a second time to tryand sort out the problem with WorksYesterday Gordon Urquart came during hisprecious holiday to delete the faulty Works
has to be ordered from the US it could takequite a while before it can be implemented
Financial Report forFebruary 1997
Opening Balance(incl TIP) $174929
IncomePCUG $ 20296TIP Subscriptions $ 55440
ExpendituresPCUG $ 17758TIP $ 11466PresentedUnpresented cheques $ 905
Closing Balance(incl TIP) $220536
and install Works 4oa for Windows 95 Heshowed me how to delete and to install and inaddition he gave me valuable tips aboutnaming files
Works 40a was sent to me by Mr Rob PriceMS analyst Senior Response Group in answerto my plea for help with Works
So you see I am really extremely lucky butsurely I cannot be the only one
Elizabeth Ward
Providing that they applied the samephilosophy to Committee membership I couldapplaud the Committeersquos official view ldquotheperiodic turnover in Editors as with othervolunteers is a postive thing for the group Inthis way we donrsquot get stuck with one point ofview or one approach for a long period of timeand the magazine remains freshrdquo
It is assumed that candidates offering for thenext Committee election will state their lengthof time on our Committee together with theirprofessional qualifications
After having served two editors as a memberof the editorial team and as an articlecontributor the message to me from thePresident is clear it is time to go and I will beresigning from the editorial team at the sametime that the current editor leaves I wish thenew team the best of luck
Jim Hume
6 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
PCUG CommitteePresident Ann Byrne 282 2536
pcugpresidentpcugorgau
Vice President Mike Gellard 258 2361mgellardpcugorgau
Secretary Hugh Bambrick 249 7667amp Public Officer pcugsecretarypcugorgau
Treasurer Hugh Alstonpcugtreasurerpcugorgau
Training Officer Paul Balnaves 241 4671pcugtrainingpcugorgau
Network Craig GibsonAdministrator pcuglanpcugorgau
BBS Sysop Michael Phillips 281 1980pcugsysoppcugorgau
General CommitteeAlan Mikkelsen 278 3164amikkelspcugorgau
General CommitteeDavid Schwabe 254 9086dschwabepcugorgau
General CommitteeKen Livingston 282 2536kenlivpcugorgau
General CommitteeRod Farr 286 1597rodfpcugorgau
General CommitteeIain Gould 255 2405iainpcugorgau
General CommitteeDarrell Burkeydburkeypcugorgau
Immediate Karl Auer 248 6607Past Presidentkauerpcugorgau
PCUG Committee email to pcugcommitteepcugorgau
Other ContactsExecutive SecretaryPetra Dwyer 258 2099
pcugexecsecpcugorgau
Membership Mike BurkeSecretary pcugmembershippcugorgau
The phone numbers listed above are home numbers unless otherwisespecified Please restrict calls to between 730pm and 900pm
New Members Information Night730pm first Monday of the month PC Users Group Centre NorthpointPlaza Belconnen
How To Make ContactPostal address
PO Box 42Belconnen ACT 2616(For ALL correspondence)
J PC Users Group CentreNorthpoint Plaza BelconnenOpen Mon Wed and Fri 10am-2pmSaturdays and Sundays 9am-5pm(closed long weekends)
The PCUG Centre is the venue for PCUG training some Special InterestGroup meetings and other activities There is no charge for using theCentre for PCUG activities Contact Petra Dwyer at the PCUG Centre on(06) 253 4911for bookings
(PCUG Main Phone number(06) 253 4911(Answering machine when Centre unattended)
2 Fax number(06) 253 4922
Emailpcugpcugorgau (or use addresses at left)
The INTERNET Project(06) 206 6200 helppcugorgau
World Wide Web pagehttpwwwpcugorgaupcug
Bulletin Board Service (BBS)(06) 253 4933 (5 lines 336k bbs)Fidonet address 3620243
(BBS Sysop voice number(06) 253 4966 (600pm - 900pm)
Main MeetingMain meetings are held 700pm for 730pm usually on the last Mondayof every month at Manning Clark Theatre 1 Crisp Building AustralianNational University
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 7
Next New Membersrsquo Night
5 May 1997730pm
PCUG CentreNorthpoint Plaza Belconnen
MembershipNotesBy Mike BurkeMembership Secretary
MembershipNotes
the PC Users Group Centre (see map page 6)These meetings are a chance for new andlsquoolderrsquo members (who are always welcometo attend) to meet with representatives ofthe Committee to put names to faces andto ask any questions that you may have aboutthe Group and its activities Tea and coffeeare available and the atmosphere is informaland friendly
Main MeetingsOur main meetings targeted at our generalmembership are normally held monthly onthe last Monday of the month The datevenue and topic of the meeting alwaysappear on the front cover of SIXTEEN BITSwhich is timed to arrive in your mail-box inthe middle of the week before the next mainmeeting Main meetings are also advertisedin the computing section of the CanberraTimes on the day of the meeting Anyone iswelcome to attend these meetings you donot need to be a member For main meetingswe arrange guest speakers on a variety oftopics throughout the year As an addedincentive there are usually a couple of doorprizes to be won Yoursquove got to be in it towin it There is no main meeting inDecember Special Events We also havesome special events such as the lsquoBring andBuy Nightrsquo at the Albert Hall in Novemberand an annual Quiz Night in April Youshould read SIXTEEN BITS thoroughly asspecial events are publicised mainly throughthe magazine
Annual General MeetingThe Annual General Meeting is held
in September each year Even ifyou are unable to attend MainMeetings regularly membersshould make every effort toattend this Meeting at which
office bearers for the ensuing 12months are elected
The Rules andOther Good Stuff
Some members have expressed concern thatthey have lost TIP access because theirmembership renewals were not processedquickly enough Please remember that TIPaccess is dependent on your continuingPCUG membership and that it takes timeto process your membership renewalcurrently up to two weeks We are lookingat ways to reduce this time but the bestsolution is for you to remember to renewearly From this issue onwards there willbe a reminder published in this column everymonth Members particularly TIP userswhose PCUG membership expires at the endof the month stated in the box should renewtheir PCUG membership immediately Donot delay because your TIP access willautomatically be cut off at midnight on thelast day of the month unless your renewalhas been processed
Welcome to new members readingSIXTEEN BITS for the first time andwelcome to the PC Users Group
Continuing members should alsocheck this column regularly becauseI am sure that there will be some littlesurprises from time to time even forthe most jaded of old hands
If your PCUGmembership expires atthe end of May 1997
RENEW NOW to avoidlosing TIP access
Membership CardYour membership card will be mailed to youas soon as possible after your applicationfor membership or renewal has beenprocessed This will normally occur withinone week of your receipt of your first issueof SIXTEEN BITS Please be patienthowever There is only one print run ofmailing and membership labels everymonth and this normally occurs over theweekend immediately before the SIXTEENBITS stuffing day (normally the thirdMonday in the month) Normallymembership cards and disks will bedispatched on the third Monday If you loseyour card please leave a message with theExecutive Secretary on 253 4911 or contactme directly via The Internet Project atpcugmembershippcugorgau
Information DiskNew members should also receive a diskcontaining information about the Group andits services Please read the inndashformation onthe disk carefully as you will find theanswers to most of your questions there
New Members Information Night New members are especially urged to attenda New Members Information Night whichis normally held at 730pm on the firstMonday of the month (except January) at
8 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
RYPTOGRAPHY
This is the second of a two part feature onthe technology of cryptography Last monthpublic key cryptosystems were explainedThis month secret key ciphers are explainedand the controversial US export controls oncryptographic technology are examined
Secret key cryptography is theclassic type and has been aroundfor thousands of years Itrsquossometimes called symmetric
cryptography because the same key is usedto encrypt and decrypt a message The keymust therefore be kept secret or it becomesuseless since anyone who has the key candecrypt messages created with it They canalso generate mischievous messages orimpersonate a legitimate user of the key
Because the two parties to a conversationshare the same key non-repudiation isimpossible with secret key cryptography Amessage created and signed by one partycould have easily been signed by the other
party because they are both using the samekey
Secret key systems are inherentlysimpler than public key systems so there arequite a few of them in existence forcomputing One of the first was DES (DataEncryption Standard) which was publishedway back in 1977 in the US and uses a 56bit key DES takes a 64 bit chunk of amessage and garbles this into 64 bits ofciphertext
Since DES processes blocks of themessage with a defined length it is called ablock cipher (The illustration shows howDES works) DES doesnrsquot involve anyspecial mathematics In fact it relies on afew simple operations including bitshuffling substitution and simple logicaloperations
DES is still in wide usage today and isconsidered sufficiently strong that the USgovernment until very recently had ablanket ban on export of products whichused it
The fact that a cipher almost 20 yearsold is still considered useful illustrates animportant point in cryptography Ciphersand wine share a common feature - bothnormally improve with age The reason issimple If after such a long time no-onehas been able to work out a quick way tobreak a cipher then it must be good Unlikea lot of software these days reliability andtrustworthiness are absolute essentials forcryptographic algorithms and software
The need to expose ciphers to widepublic use - and abuse - before there can beconfidence in them also means that do-it-yourself ciphers generally arenrsquot trusted There might be some obscure attack orbackdoor that the designer has missed or
even deliberately put in place Neverthelessthere are some incredibly simple cipherswhich anyone can implement and use Oneof these called the lsquoone time padrsquo consistsof nothing more than combining a messagebit by bit with a lsquokeyrsquo consisting of arandom string of bits of the same lengthusing the exclusive or (XOR) logicaloperation Decryption is performed bysimply XORing with the same key again Itmight sound surprising but the one time pad
is the most secure cipher known if doneproperly Doing it properly meansunfortunately using a fresh key of randombits every time and the key must be trulyrandom - not generated with a pseudo-random algorithm
Coming back to DES if you take a quicklook at the detail of how it works you mightask why it goes through such a complex setof steps There are two reasons An attackerwonrsquot get too far by reversing the processbefore being stopped by a step involving akey (these canrsquot be reversed without thekey) The second reason is to make itrelatively inefficient when implemented insoftware so anyone who tries guessing keysrandomly will take that much longer to testeach one In fact key guessing is about aseffective as any other method for breakingDES
How secure is DES With the computingpower available now it is consideredfeasible to crack a message encrypted witha key only 56 bits long Nevertheless itwouldnrsquot be a trivial exercise since there are2^54 possible keys or about 18 x 10^16 Ifeach key took one millisecond to check itwould take over half a million years to testevery possible key
ldquoIf each key took one millisecond to check it would takeover half a million years to test every possible keyrdquo
(continued on page 10)
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 9
TECHNOLOGY GROUPinteract
Are you sick of congestedlines and slow access to the
InternetInterACT offers a full range of Internet Services in the Canberra Region
hellip be it a WWW home page to a corporate network ndashInterACT will deliver
Access $ 3500 per month orFlat Rate $ 18000 for 6 months
Access Plus $ 1000 per month (10 prepaid hrs)
$ 250 each additional hour
No Connection Fee applies to any of our dialup modem services
23 Megabit link to the Internet
Wersquore just a phone call away and you can be online today
Interact Technology Group URL httpwwwinteractnetauGround Floor Phone 257 833325 Torrens Street Fax 257 8322Braddon ACT 2612 Email infointeractnetau
All Plans payable in advance
10 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
In reality a key can be tested in a lotless than a millisecond In a recent challengein the US by RSA Data Security a 40 bitsecret key cipher was broken in about twoand half hours by using a whole stack ofcomputers in parallel No-one has crackedthe 56 bit challenge issued at the same time(at least at the time of writing this whichwas several weeks after the challenge wasissued) A 56 bit key is roughly 2^16 timesmore difficult to break meaning it wouldtake over 18 years to break with the samecomputing power used for the 40 bit key
Even if a 56 bit key was too short foryour security needs there are also schemesfor encryption with DES using two differentkeys in an encrypt-decrypt-encrypt cycleThis system sometime called triple DESmore than doubles the effective key lengthand provides truly remarkable security
Other common secret key algorithmsinclude IDEA (International DataEncryption Algorithm) which is used inPretty Good Privacy RC4 and RC5 ThelsquoRCrsquo series ciphers (also proprietaryproducts of RSA Data Security) are used inNetscape Navigator
US Export ControlsAs in many other technology areas theUnited States has been one of the leaders inthe development of crytosystems Manypowerful ciphers are available commerciallyin US products But the US government hasuntil recently had an almost total ban on theexport of most such products
The US government even used to treatcommercial cryptosystems as munitions forexport purposes Cryptographic softwareexports would often receive scrutiny fromthe US national security agency
Recent promises by major US IT firmsto incorporate lsquokey recoveryrsquo in theirproducts has lead to a relaxation on exportcontrols A statement by the White Houseon 1 October last year said that firms thatbuilt key recovery into their products wouldbe able to export much more powerfulcryptosystems for a trial period of two years
The actual details of what was meant bykey recovery were released by the USadministration just before Christmas 1996For practical purposes they differ little fromanother controversial and widely criticisedpolicy called key escrow which involveslodging all keys with a governmentauthority
The US government justifies itsinsistence on key recovery systems so thatit can continue to eavesdrop on criminalelements or terrorists taking advantage of
powerful cryptographic processes to hidetheir activities from the law
This means that the real interest by USauthorities is in cryptographic techniquesused for secret conversations The US hasno concern about encryption software thatcan only be used for digital signatures andmessage authentication
So far so good But on closer exndashamination the logic becomes harder tofollow The US government is controllingexport of cryptosystems not access to themin the US US citizens including thoseabroad have unrestricted access to verystrong encryption technology US citizenswill not even be obliged to use software thatincludes the key recovery systems mandatedfor exports In fact the October 1996statement by the White House makes thepolicy pretty clear ldquodomestic use of keyrecovery will be voluntary and any
American will remain free to use anyencryption system domesticallyrdquo
So how will the inclusion of keyrecovery in lsquoexport onlyrsquo products help TheUS government seems to be hoping that itskey recovery idea will become a de factointernational standard and that the US firmsmaking this software simply will not botherproducing two versions - one with and onewithout key recovery Instead they willproduce one version with key recovery Untilthis happens (if it ever does) the USgovernment will only be able to decryptmessages originated from overseas usingexported US software They will only beable to decrypt where a foreign governmentobtains the keys and hands them over Therecent White House statement says ldquoaccessto keys would be provided in accordancewith (export) destination country policiesand bilateral understandingsrdquo
A major problem highlighted by thecritics of US policy is that much of theencryption technology is already availableoverseas Much of it can apparently be usedlegally outside the US and even importedinto the US - yet it still canrsquot be exported byUS software vendors
For example DES is a publishedstandard and is widely available in manyparts of the world but until recently waseffectively the subject of a US export banAustralia is a case in point DES islegitimately available from a number of ourspecialist IT security firms for exampleEracom on the Gold Coast
In the case of RSA this is protected bypatent in the US However that hasnrsquotstopped it being available in other countriesin non-US products
The US government is not alone inhaving controls on use or export of crypndashtography France bans use of cryptographyby its citizens completely Closer to homethe Australian government also has exportcontrols on cryptographic software andhardware - although not a stringent as thosein the US Many other countries have thesetypes of controls as well
In spite of the well-intentioned motivesbehind restrictions on cryptography it seemshard to imagine that crooks and terroristswill be more vulnerable They are likely togain access to all the cryptographic
(continued from page 8)
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 11
SPIRIT NETWORKSYOUR INTERNET BUSINESS SOLUTION
IN CANBERRA
Offering full commercial Internet Services to create theInternet Presence of your business including
middot World Wide Web Site optional Domain Nameregistration and high volume services
middot Multiple Email Mailboxes amp high-speed Dialup access
middot Free Internet technical support
middot No time charging
middot Accounts from $25 a month
middot Training Consultation and Support Services
middot Connections by ISDN or modem permanentconnections available
middot Other services included are Telnet WWW FileTransfer News IRC and Multimedia
middot On-site Internet Software Installation Configuration andDemonstration
Personal accounts available
Complete Office Solutions for your Internet Presence
Email salesspiritnetau
Phone 0419 609 704 06 281 3552 Fax 06 285 1987
PO Box 486 Curtin ACT 2605
technology they want - whether legally ornot
If yoursquore interested in finding out moreon cryptography there are some good booksand plenty of good material on the Web Aclassic book is Bruce Schneierrsquos AppliedCryptography (2nd edition 1996 Wiley)which also contains C code for manyciphers On the web have a look athttpwwwrsacom (see FAQ) or httptheory lcs mi t edu~r ives t c rypto-securityhtml (plenty of good links - a mustfor anyone with an interest in cryptography)
12 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
1297
1897
1987
1997
ph 06 297 1084fax 03 9221 3180sustanceibmnet
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 13
14 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Setting Up a Commercial Site onthe Internet with Web Graphics
At the beginning of March I launched a newcommercial site on the Internet - InfoRomSince I know virtually nothing about HTMLprogramming and since I am something of anovice at this game I thought you might beinterested in
a) My experience of setting up acommercial site
b) My evaluation of how suited CorelWeb Graphics is to this purpose
I was in fact involved in EdRev anunsuccessful Internet project that was up onthe Net for much of 1996 Hopefully I havelearned from the experience - as Peter Cookused to say ldquoI have learned from my mistakesand I can repeat every one of them perfectlyrdquo
Developing Your Site ConceptBefore setting up your site it is important tohave a clear idea in mind as to why the site isthere what services you wish to provide andwhat sort of clients you are aiming at WithEdRev my idea had been to provide in-depthreviews of CD-ROM educational softwareover the Internet - people would not be able toaccess the reviews until they had taken up asubscription - or at least trialled the servicefor a month People out there did not respondto this approach - and the big problem frommy point of view was that I was putting vastamounts of time into writing the reviews andgetting little return
With InfoRom I decided to write shortermuch tighter reviews make them available forfree but offer access to question and answersupport on any of the products reviewed for asmall fee That way I figured that I wouldnrsquothave to invest too much effort up front but Iwould be putting my time and energy intoanswering questions for paid up subscribers Ialso decided to start including selected gamesas well as educational software so as to widenthe appeal of the service
Corel Web Transit - Word to HTML
Having written the reviews (inWord 6 for Windows) the nextstep was to convert them intoHTML format This proved to besomewhat easier than I had expectedWeb Transit makes the process prettyautomatic and it carried over my formattingand styles without any problem The onlydifficulty I found was that occasionally itwould add a couple of unwanted line breaksat the top of the page and very occasionallyan unwanted bookmark to the text at the topWhere this happened I simply deleted the linebreaks and changed the formatting to removethe bookmark There was no logical reason forthese unwanted inclusions - I suspect that itwas just a bug in the program Diagram 1 iswhat the Transit screen looks like You set updestination and source then click translatethen click the Web Designer icon if you wantto format and modify the file or click thebrowser icon to see what it will look like onthe Web
Corel Web Designer - Formattingand Enhancing the Site Pages
Web Designer is another of the Corel WebGraphics package components and (with thehelp of my daughter Naomi) I used this to dothe following
middot Fancy up headings and the appearanceof the text
middot Add internal links eg from the bottomof the page to the top
middot Add external links to other files egSubject Index
By Nick Thomson
Diagram 1
cd romcd rom
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 15
middot Add external files to other sites eg thesites of the software suppliers
middot Add graphics
All of the above processes were easy andreliable and I was able to undertake all of themsuccessfully despite not having any knowledgeof HTML programming I only encounteredthree shortcomings
1 If I had names with a mixture of upper andlower case the links didnrsquot always workproperly I overcame this by ensuring thatall my filenames were in lower case onlyI am not sure if this was a Web Graphicsproblem or just a general HTML issue
HTML is certainly casesensitive so beware
2 It is not possible to define orsave your own templates in Web
Designer It would have been veryhandy if I could have set up a template
with all the standard headings and linkseg to the Home Page built in - notpossible at this stage but I understand thatthis facility will be available in the nextupgrade of Web Designer
3 The formatting options are a bit limitedand it is not possible to define your ownstyles (although there is quite a good rangeof pre-defined styles available)
For graphics Naomi created a series ofneat little icons - one for each subject categoryThus at the top of each page there were twosmall graphics representing one or two subjectcategories for that review These were createdfrom clip art in Corel Draw then convertedand pasted in as gif or jpeg images (the twographic formats that are supported by HTML)We had tried using screen clips in EdRev -
they took forever to load and were a pain towork with so I decided against using them inInfoRom One of the golden rules of Web sitesis not to slow things down with too manygraphics - I get very frustrated waiting forsome of the software supplier sites to load -and I donrsquot want my potential clients to feelthat way about my site Diagram 2 is anexample of one of our pages
Selecting a Supplier andUploading Pages
The next step was to find a commercial sitesupplier I had been happy with service andvalue for money that we got at Spirit Networks(an ACT supplier) so I decided to go to themIt cost me $275 to set the site up (includingthe registration of my domain name on theInternet) and it is costing me $50 per monthfor maintaining the site (that includes a goodlevel of storage email traffic and the right toupdate whenever I like) - so it really isnrsquot tooexpensive a service As part of the setup costsa rep from Spirit came and helped my set upTIP email and FTP connections on mymachine Because of my newness to thisprocess I fired lots of questions (includingquite a few dumb ones) at them by email orphone in the first couple of weeks - I have tosay that they have been very patient and mosthelpful
I uploaded all the files by means of FTPand eureka it is working What a satisfyingfeeling to log on load up your browser andperuse a site that is all your own work Apartfrom a few faulty links (the result of incorrectentry on my part) everything was working fineimmediately and I have already added threelots of updates without difficulty
Marketing and Indexing the SiteWhen I was involved in EdRev I sent outapprox 600 emails to schools educationalagencies etc in the hope of winning somesubscribers For all that effort we got 2subscribers
I believe that one of the keys to the Internetis harnessing the power of the various searchprograms or Web Indexes by listing your sitewith them and doing whatever you need to doto ensure that your site has a reasonably good
Diagram 2(continued next page)
16 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
chance of being detected What I want is thatif someone searches for a particular packageeg Encarta or NHL 97 then they will bedirected to my site Thus the key is for not justmy home page but for every separate reviewpage to be picked up by the various indexesMost users stick with the big ones - as far as Ican tell they are
Excite
Infoseek
Lycos
Alta Vista
Magellan (subset of Excite)
Yahoo
Hot Bot
Web Crawler
Web Surfer
If anyone out there can suggest any otherlsquopopular onesrsquo please tell me My experienceis that there are two categories of Index
1 Those that list your home page and thentrace all of the links to the home page and(over time) add all of the other pages inyour site This can take 3 or 4 weeks Theseinclude Alta Vista Lycos Yahoo and (Ithink) Excite and Yahoo
2 Those that will only list the URL you haveentered eg Infoseek and Web Crawler
Thus I have taken two approaches Withcategory 1 eg Excite I have added just thehome page to the index although each time Ido an update I add the URL of what I estimatewill be the most popular choice for that weekto Excite and Hot Bot - thus increasing thelikelihood of my site appearing on thesesindexes in the short term Alta Vista Yahooand Lycos all actively discourage this process- but I will see whether the review pages ofmy sites are being picked up before I passjudgement on this
In the case of Infoseek and Web Crawler Ientered every single URL for all the pages inmy site (about 130 to begin with) - and everytime I do an update I add the URLs for thenew pages to these indexes It is timeconsuming but I believe that it is worth it Iam starting to get traffic to the site from allover the world but it is too early to tell howsuccessful my efforts have been
WebSurfer required a payment of $350(US) to be included - I wonder how long itwill be before this trend catches on with theothers At the bank I discovered that it wouldcost me $10 - to get a cheque drawn in USdollars - so the process cost me about $15
dollars And they wonder why Australia is notcompetitive on the international scene WhileI am grizzling about banks let me alsocomment that for every client that pays me bycheque in US dollars or pounds sterling it willcost me $5 to convert that cheque to Australiandollars The trick is of course to encouragepayment by credit card but I have not foundany of the banks I have spoken to so far to beparticularly eager to allow a small untriedbusiness like this to offer credit card facilitiesAre there any banks out there that encourageAustralians to transact internationalbusiness
There are a number of providers that offer(for a fee) to list you with lsquo100 Web indexesrsquoetc but since I figure that most people onlyuse the most popular ones I havenrsquot botheredwith them
Final CommentBasically it is now a matter of wait and seewhat the response is as well as ensure that thesite is visible on the various Web indexes Thewhole process has certainly been much easierthan I expected and I can certainly recommendCorelrsquos Web Graphics suite as a good way forbeginners to get a page up on the Internet witha minimum of fuss and bother Letrsquos hope thatthe subscribers start rolling in
Nick Thomson is a management trainerconsultant and he is also the manager ofInfoRom a CD-ROM review and onlinesupport service on the Internet He can becontacted on 241 3239
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 17
A review by Alan Tebb
ldquoWhat is the name of the worldrsquos mosttattooed womanrdquo (See the answer at theend of this article)
I remember buying a copy of theGuinness Book of Records in 1979and thinking it contained the mostfascinating collection of trivial facts
and figures I had ever read Over the yearsthe book settled the occasional dinnerargument that strayed into the realm of ldquowhowas the tallest man everrdquo or ldquohow longwere the longest finger nails ever grownrdquoIt was like having the sideshow bearded ladyand the tattooed man between covers on thebookshelf every page was filled with thebizarre the freakish the unbelievable
But to be fair the Guinness Book ofRecords is more than a collection of thecurious or unusual In the month since Ibegan this review I have noticed the TV andthe newspapers have on three occasionscovered attempts to break Guinness records
Perhaps the Guinness record book fulfillsthat need in human beings to challenge theirenvironment do things that no other humanhas done before to better the incredible featsof others or to be just plain crazy Whateverthe motivation the drive to be a part ofGuinness historyndashif only for as long as arecord holdsndashis as popular now as when thewhole thing began in 1955
So naturally I was very interested to seewhat Grolier had done to make the GuinnessBook of Records a multimedia CD I wasnrsquotdisappointed Like its hardcover cousin theGuinness Multimedia Disc of Recordscontains the same extensive collection ofrecords plus a library of amazing film clipsand photographs you simply wonrsquot findanywhere else on CD
The opening interface looks like acollection of pub drink coasters It has eightpaths allowing the user to browse recordsgo straight to an index of all photographsview movie clips search by words search
1995 GuinnessMultimediaDisc of Records
by topics search by superlatives run theRandom Record Explorer or play the GuessWhat quiz
The record browser lists almost 15000records in alphabetical order and is the leasteffective way of finding your way aroundthe CD The Guinness Multimedia Disc ofRecords excels in its ability to search itsdatabase of records using some innovativeoptions The usual Boolean choices areavailable or you can have fun searching bysuperlatives such as ldquotallestrdquo or ldquoheaviestrdquoThe CD will then list all the records thatinclude the chosen adjective The otheralternative is to search through topic treesthat branch out from a few key subjects allthe way to individual records an approachoften seen in CD encyclopaedias
The disc contains over 1000photographs from the Guinness collectionincluding what must be considered some ofthe most unusual and fascinating picturesassembled in one publication The majorityof photos and videos are very high in qualityand in the case of the photos these can beprinted
My only disappointment with theGuinness Multimedia Disc of Records is thefact that it did not have a country specificsupplement The thing I liked most aboutmy 1979 hard copy version was the 30 pagesof Australia-only records at the back Evenso the multimedia version is every bit asentertaining interesting and informative asI had hoped it would be With the addedadvantage of film clips sound and greatsearch capabilities I think it is better thanthe hard copy version Now if I can onlyremember some of those unusual facts andfigures I might be a much better TrivialPursuit player
System RequirementsA 486DX processor running at 33MHz orfaster using Windows 31 or rsquo95 4 Mb ofRAM 6Mb hard disk space CD-ROMcapable of 300Kbsec or higher transfer rateand a sound card The video uses Quicktimefor Windows 20 (supplied with theproduct)
The worldrsquos most decorated woman is stripartiste Krystyne Kolorful born 5 December1952 in Alberta Canada Her body is 95percent covered and it took ten years tocomplete the work
18 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
T his comprehensive set ofpowerful drawing and photo-editing tools fills a niche for thehome or small business users
who are looking for an easy-to-use graphicspackage to create greeting cards certificatesbanners business forms signs and calendarsetc and at the same time have the capacityto scan their own photographs touch themup and add special effects or create bitmapimages using the painting tools
While both MS Publisher 97 (which Ireviewed in the March 1997 issue) and PrintHouse have some similarities and overlapin the production of greeting cards bannerscalendars menus etc this program con-centrates on the production of qualitygraphics and photographic enhancementwhile MS Publisher97 was more orientedtowards Desk Top Publishing and has nophotographic enhancement program
Corel Print amp Photo House lives up toits claim for simplicity with a friendlywizard-based interface that anyone can usewithout training It includes more than 1600ready-to-print sample files (700 of whichare cards 1000 photos 1000 phrases 150TrueType fonts 7000 clipart images 200backdrops and 70 intelligent borders andtemplates and a well-illustrated manualwhich includes a catalogue containingcollections of the clipart fonts bordersbackdrops phrases and photos on theCDROM At a loss for the appropriatewords to include The comprehensive listof phrases should meet almost everyconceivable need
Installation is simple and the programproved fully compatible with my LogitechColour scanner and DSV Graphics DisplayAccelerator
There is a key that opens a key page thatin turn displays help topics to assist withthe task in hand using cue cards The topicsopened by the key are determined by the toolin use or the object currently selected Eachcard contains an instruction and after eachstep is completed a new card displays
Wizards are available to walk usersthrough any task such as changing the colourof an object or adding shadows to text Thereis an on-screen Notebook to help guide usersthrough various operations such as how toapply effects choose a paint brush or accessthe photo collection It also provides easyand visible access to clipart bordersbackdrops and preset styles that can bedragged and dropped into designs
You can customise a project withpowerful drawing tools and flip rotate orscale any text or graphic
The vector graphics and text are fullyeditable and can be flipped rotated re-sizedungrouped and fully customised by bothcolour and shape
The Toolbars and layout will be familiarto Corel Draw users they are intuitive andperform similar functions Figure 3 showsthe Notebook to the left of the verticaltoolbar showing what you would like to donext This Notebook provides convenienton-screen context-sensitive help and guidesusers through various operations such ashow to apply effects choose a paint brushor access a photo collection It also provideseasy and visible access to clipart bordersbackdrops and preset styles that can bedragged and dropped into designs To add acatalogue item you can drag it from theNotebook and drop it into the appropriatepart of your design
One particularly neat feature is theability to save pieces of your own creationfor later use in a section called theScrapbook so that you can add it to futureprojects
Reviewed by Jim Hume
Figure 1
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 19
The Photo House was particularlyimpressive both for the ease of use and itsversatility It took just over ten minutes torepair the damage to the print in Figure 2with the result shown in Figure 3 It alsoincludes a Notebook that provides on screenhelp to guide users For touching upphotographs there are Tools for selectionRectangle Freehand Eyedropper EraserFlood Fill Paintbrush Spray Can and Clonetools There are seven different touch-upeffects including Sharpen BrightnessContrast Remove Dust and ScratchesReduce speckles Simplify colours removered-eyes and Change Colours which provide
users with everything they are likely to needto spruce up or enhance photographs
Finally they provide a touch of fun withspecial effects-Page Curl Emboss SwirlCustom Negative Vignette Motion blurAdd light source Psychedelic Ripple
texture Impress-ionist and SketchThe photo editingpossibilities arealmost endlessFigure 4 showsthe special effectspicture a crownconverted top s y c h e d e l i cformat
Figure 2
Figure 3
Apart from serious use this program willalso provide a lot of fun for all ages andsome may be carried away with over-use ofthe graphics If only to emphasise the needto keep the design simple so that readers getthe message immediately the manual wouldbenefit from a Chapter covering theprinciples of good design similar to that inthe Publisher97 Companion or at least a listof recommended reading
There is an uninstall feature whichallows the ready removal of the program
System RequirementsMinimum System requirements IBM PC486 DX or compatible Windows95 orWindows Nt 351 a CD-ROM drive a VGAcardmonitor and a mouse or tabletWindows users require 8MB of RAM andWindows NT 351 or later users will require12 MB or RAM Price - RRP $9900
Figure 4
20 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
So here we are - itrsquos about 930 amon a fine Sunday morning and Irsquomcruising along the 210 freewayeastbound from Pasadena on the
way to the computer marketplace atPomona The traffic is light moving freelydown the 6 lanes between 70 and 80 mph(forgive the non-metrics therersquos a lot ofcatching up to do here) The speed limit wasincreased from 55 to 65 mph after the oilcrisis was ldquooverrdquo and the highway patroltend to frown on anyone faster or slowerthan 65 to 80 The radio is tuned to K-Earth1011 ldquoOldiesrdquo radio (appropriate for me)the Big-O is extolling the virtues of PrettyWomen and all is right with the world
Irsquove done my homework the day beforeby visiting FRYrsquos Electronics in Burbank -a huge high-tech megastore with a computersection roughly the size of David JonesThey are generally in the lower range ofcomputer retail prices - so it is worth seeinghow they compare to values at the Pomonamarketplace
Some example of prices at FRYrsquos (forsome things I was thinking of buying) are
Tape Backup unitsIomega Ditto 2Gb - $150 (Aus $207 after825 CA sales tax and conversion at 1275)Connor 32Gb - $229 A$316HP Colorado 32Gb - $209 A$288
Parallel port TV camerasColour - $249 A$343 Greyscale- $110 A$151 [Saw them bymail order at $79 A$101 (notax)]
8Mb 72pin EDO SIMMs 70ns - $40 A$55 60ns (1 yearWarranty) - $35 A$48 60ns(Namebrand lifetime warranty) -$44 A$61
Sony Web TV(WWW + Email via your TV -No PC required) - $290 A$400
Back to Sunday and thehardest part of the trip is theU-turn into the LA County
fairgroundrsquos car park - there are 6 entrancelanes with only 2-3 cars in each so gettingto park is pretty painless except for the $5parking fee Ouch A dollar up since lasttime Then another shock to the wallet -entrance fee has increased from $7 to $8for adults (and no Seniors discount) So atotal of $13 A$18 before making it into thefirst hall A friend and I discussed theentrance price and concluded that it mightbe a cunning psychological plot - Itrsquos costso much to get this far that one should reallybuy plenty to make it all worthwhileEverybody wins organisers and dealers thatis But itrsquos certainly possible to recoup theentrance money with a purchase of aCDROM For example MS Encarta 97 wasgoing for $26 (A$36)
There is at least one and sometimes twocomputer shows somewhere in LA eachweekend but this I think this one is thebiggest It is held in two large halls(sometimes three) Each hall is capable ofeasily accommodating around 150 largishstands with 10-15 foot aisles Therersquos 4 or 5radio stations here - at least 2 broadcastingand the rest handing out various ldquofreebiesrdquowhile relaying their station overloudspeakers Add to that various spruikersshouting their wares (ldquoNo CDs over $5 onthis tablerdquo ldquoLowest motherboard prices atthe showrdquo) numerous ldquomultimediardquo demos
and a few thousand people trying to makethemselves heard It is pretty noisy
I checked with the organisers and theysaid that they average around 8000attendees per day - so up to 20000 over agood two day weekend show It surprisedme that is was that low as it can get reallycrowded (2 or 3 deep at some stands)
There were over 300 dealers that day -about average However every 2-3 monthsthe organisers run 20-30 short seminars inconjunction with the market at the Sheratonsuites on the fairground complex On thoseoccasions the attendance at the marketincreases by 30 or more
So why do people keep coming back tothese shows Are the prices so much betterHere are a few examples
Complete ldquobasicrdquo system166 Mhz 6x86 Triton VX MB PnP bios256 Kb Cache 16 Mb EDO RAM 16 GbEIDE HDD 8X EIDE CDROM PCISVGA 64 bit with 2 Mb MPEG Yamaha3D Wavetable sound card poweredspeakers 336 Fax modem with Voice
mail SVGA 15 Digital NI28 monitor mousekeyboard floppy drive etcWin95 Installed with manualamp CD $969 A$1337 for thelot
MotherboardsIntel VX chip set with all IO256 Kb Cache - $84 A$116Intel HX chip set 512K -$110 A$152 CheapestPentium MB I saw (Optichip set) - $65 A$90
Wish You Were HereSixteen Bits foriegn correspondent John Saxonchecks in from Pasadena California
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 21
Tyan Tomcat 3 with 512K - $145 (the oneI paid $220 for 4 months ago - Oh wellthatrsquos life at the bleeding edge)
RAM8Mb 60ns EDO - $35 A$48 (Brand name$2 more) 16Mb 60ns EDO - $74 A$102
CPUsPentium Pro 150 Mhz - $179 A$247Pentium MMX 200 Mhz - $538 A$742(prediction - $300 by Dec 97)
CDROM Drives6X - $55 A$76 (Untested - as is)X12 Acer - $100 A$138X2 7 disk changer - $50 A$69(Untested - as is)JVC X4 read X2 write - $259A$357X16 (LiteOn = no name Nicebox) - $108 A$149
HDDsWD Caviar 25 Gb - $225 A$311Maxstor 13 Gb - $170 A$234
ModemsUS Robotics Courier 56 Kbs +Voice - $163 A$225 No name 336Kbs + SVDS - $67 A$92 (and goingdown)
Odd stuff2 Mb VGA cards as low as $45 A$62Cheapest parallel port flatbed scanner -$203 A$280
Stocking stuffers 230 Watt powersupplies - $17 A$23IDE HDD mobile rack with lock - $12A$17 TEAC 144 MbFDD - $20 A$28
The only direct comparison with FRYrsquosprices was for the HP 32 Gb tape backupunit - $209 at FRYrsquos - $149 at the marketSo it can definitely be worth the trip BUTsome of the dealers may not be around toolong to honour warranties and there aresome definitely ldquoshonkyrdquo practices goingon An example is the almost universalpractice of breaking up CDROM ldquobundlesrdquoto sell separately a practice much frownedupon by OEMs Caveat Emptor
So what was hot or different at thismarketplace
Well the new ATX format motherboardsand cases seemed to be selling well Forthose who donrsquot know - ATX is the new
mechanical layout with some electricalimprovements agreed by the major man-ufacturers (the first major mechanicalchange since the original PC) The mostobvious difference in the new motherboardsis on-board connectors (including USB andIR) and externally removable panels on thecases (you need a new case and Powersupply with the new motherboards) Butthere are many more changes infunctionality including ldquogreenrdquo systemPower supply control - never turn the system
off (except by unplugging it) Boards were$150 A$207 and up and cases with PSUsaround $75 A$104
Recordable CDROM drives were sellingwell with media down to $8 A$11 Didnrsquotsee any of the new DVD CD-ROM drivesbut these shows are not generally ldquocuttingedgerdquo more concentration on lower (slightlytrailing edge) prices
But I tried on a great pair of LCD 3Dglasses with modified game software - veryimpressive results The glasses switch 48times per sec (some noticeable flicker) andcome with a CDROM which include driversand some modified ldquoshoot-em-uprdquo gamesDescent 3D Nukem Doom etc for a totalof $99 A$137 The same stand also sold a4MB 128 bit Video card with hardwareMPEG2 decompression for $159 A$219Terminator-2 at full screen and full ratelooking better than your average TV
I even saw a $999 A$1378 home-use2-axis VR - that is Virtual Reality - chaircontrolled by the joystick It is quite quiet(as far as I could tell in amongst the racket)and apparently air driven with 50 degreesmovement in pitch and 55 degrees in roll
The monitor mounts in front of your kneesand the keyboard (for an optional operator -or simulation controller) behind the seatback There were speakers and joystick builtin also It seemed to be very fast and wasquite nauseating to watch Combine thiswith the 3D glasses for a total experience(if your stomach could take it)
There are probably more software thanhardware stands with CDROMs from $199up to $199 A$275 for Office 97 Pro upgrade(probably another unbundling job) Also 3
or 4 book stores - selling at coverprice less 25 for one book to coverprice less 35 for 5 or more books
Not all the stands are totallycomputer oriented There are a fairsprinkling of chiropractors (on thespot diagnosis) ldquoself defenserdquostands (mace amp pepper sprayselectric stun guns and (strangely)large knives) Cell phones pagerscigars and jewelry etc - you nameit A pretty large curtained off area(over 21 only) had several dealersselling thousands of ldquoadultrdquoCDROMs and videos A nice
change from the ldquooldrdquo days when that stuffwas included on most stands One of theradio stations was giving out ldquoEarthquakepreparationrdquo leaflets - modern times in LA
What did I buy Well - very restrainedfor me Only 16 Mb (2 X 8 Mb EDOSIMMs) of RAM - name brand (Toshiba) at$38 (A$52) each Also an HP Deskjetprinter colour refill kit At $55 (A$76) it waspretty expensive but it is supposed to refillcolour cartridges up to 24 times and B ampW up to 6 times so it could well be worth it- came with a package of business card paper(my choice parchment) also Oh and a W95or 31 Wincheck Version 40 softwarepackage at $1495 A$21 - I couldnrsquot resist
So after 2 12 hours I had taken a quickcheck around all the stands with no repeatsand I was out of there - all computered out(at least for one day) Irsquove been to that showat least 6 to 8 times before plus othersaround LA and I still get a mild adrenalinerush when going in - calculated to causeshopping frenzy
22 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Confused aboutYoursquore not alone
By Nhan Tran
Getting onto the InternetYoursquove heard about the informationsuperhighway and you want to know moreYour kids want to get on the Internet butyou donrsquot know how to give them a driveYou have been using the Internet but whenyou asked for help you could not explainyour problems to the experts This article(or maybe a series of articles) gives you thewhole picture and some explanation on thevehicle you use to get on the superhighway
The SuperhighwayThe Internet is a complex (and sometimesconvoluted) network of superhighways Theroads may be a six-lane freeway a four-lanehighway a side street or even a narrow alleyThey may be on the ground above groundunderground at the bottom of the seas orflying high with the satellites in space
On top of that you donrsquot actually driveyour car It is driven by an automatic driverwhich is nearly blind and canrsquot see fartherthan the next turn It is weird It is unnaturalwhich may be the reason why it works andthe other ldquowell-designedrdquo networks failedThe whole network is based on the conceptof ldquobest effortsrdquo That is the robot driverswould try their best but not guarantee thatthey would take you to the destination
They try to find the best route for you Itmeans that if the road is too congested theymay make a U-turn get off the freeway andcrawl through a labyrinth of cat alleys Theroads are like the real ones sometimes thereis almost no traffic at all other times theylook like a huge car park The matter getsworse when you take into account of thedifferent timezones around the world Oneorsquoclock in Australia may be the rush hourin another country and if you want to getinformation from there you get caught inthe traffic
Because of these characteristicssomeone (I think it was Mitch Kapor thespreadsheet inventor) has made a comment
like ldquothe information superhighway is a ten-lane freeway in one direction and an ox-cart path in the otherrdquo
But if you can go to where you wantwould you care I donrsquot I treat the wholenetwork like a fuzzy cloud that magicallygives me the new freedom the newcommunity and the new set of problems
The Highway RampSo how do you get on this super highwayThere are places which are connected to thehighway network on one side and entrancesfor you to enter on the other They are calledservers Normally what you see on theInternet is what is stored at these serversbecause most people like you donrsquot wantstrangers to access your PC (I wouldnrsquot leta stranger into my house) Luckily there aremany servers with many goodies to look ator play with
Getting onto these servers is not easyYou use a modem connected to a phone lineto call the modem on the server When theserver modem answers the call they wouldstart the process of synchronisation Toomany standards and too many brands If youare unlucky your modem may refuse to talkto the other modem and you would spendhours of frustration and get a huge phonebill
The high pitch tone you hear from themodem is this process When both modemssatisfy that they can reliably talk to eachother the noise stops Then itrsquos the butlerrsquosturn
The ButlerThere is a very important program for yourInternet access It is a program that asks the
modem to make the call to the server andwhen connected requests a login on yourbehalf to the server
What is a login You come to a friendrsquosplace knock the door or ring the bellSomeone in the house would ask ldquowho isthererdquo and yoursquod say ldquoitrsquos just merdquo Yourfriend recognises your voice opens the doorand let you in If you work in a securedenvironment every morning when you enterthe building you would show your ID cardto the security guard
Your username (or user ID or login ID)and your password are equivalent to the IDcard If you get the dreaded ldquoaccess deniedrdquoit means (a) you (or the program that doeson your behalf) entered incorrect username(b) you entered wrong password or (c) youran out of access hours or the accessexpired or your PCUG membership
expiredThis program is
always there rendashgardless of how youstart your Internetsession Some
access the Internet by Eudora some byMicrosoft Internet Explorer some useNetscape They either have a built-inprogram to do this job or automatically callthis program to make the connection Evenif you donrsquot see it on the screen it is runningin the background The popular PC prondashgrams that can do this task are TrumpetWinsock (or TCPMAN) Shiva Chameleonor Dial-up Networking Connect etc
Once the connection is established thisprogram will take on the task of a butlerserving other programs Letrsquos look at thefollowing analogy
Letrsquos assume that you (or to be precisethe PC programs such as Eudora MSInternet Explorer Netscape etc) were aninvalid confined in a room You would needa butler to help you getting things outside
ldquoThe roads may be a six-lane freeway a four-lanehighway a side street or even a narrow alleyrdquo
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 23
the Internet
the room When you (Eudora InternetMail Netscape Mail) wanted to checkyour mail yoursquod ask the butler to checkthe letter box and bring letters to yourbed When you wanted to send lettersto friends or relative yoursquod ask thebutler to take it to the post office
When you (Free Agent InternetNews Netscape News) wanted to readnewspaper yoursquod ask the butler to goto the newsagent and buy newspaper foryou When you (Internet ExplorerNetscape Opera) wanted a book or avideo yoursquod ask the butler to buy suchand such books or videos for you
It is so important that without it youcanrsquot get anything f rom thesuperhighway So if you started yoursession from Trumpet Winsock whenthe connection has been made (ie whenyou see the message ldquoMy IP address is2031076xxxrdquo) donrsquot close or exit theprogram Minimise it and let it run inthe background so that it can serve otherprograms Otherwise you would getstrange and incomprehensible errormessage such as ldquowinsockdll missingrdquo(trust a programmer to tell you whatrsquoswrong in the program he or she wrote)
Thatrsquos enough for the boring stuffNext t ime wersquo l l ta lk about emai l(eletronic mail) news World Wide Web(if the Queen is doing it so why canrsquotwe) and other mysteries of the Internet
Internet Clinics are normally held at the PCUG Centre Northpoint PlazaBelconnen the first Saturday of each month 930am to 1pm There is nocost involved
So if you (or another PCUG member you know of) are having problemsyou (or they) will be welcome to attend It is suggested that you call thePCUG Centre on the day and check with the staffer that we are notoverloaded before coming along
To get a problem on your PC resolved it is essential that you bring all ofthe following items with you
bull PC and Monitor plus all interconnecting cables
bull Mouse
bull Keyboard
bull Modem
bull Modem power supply
bull Modem cables - from PC to modemand from modem to telephone socket
bull Modem and PC manuals amp documentation
bull All of your software disks -
ie Win31 or Windows95 disksCD
If you dont have a PC to fix but you want to get some guidance on someparticular aspect of using TIP please feel free to come along and simplytalk to us
Clinics are not a free softwaremodem installation service We do expectyou to have made a reasonable attempt at getting the software installed ampworking
David Schwabe dschwabepcugorgau
The Internet Clinic
24 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
A t the start of this year I startedto get interested again in an oldheroine from days of misspentyouth in the rsquo70s New York
underground poet-turned-singer Patti Smithldquothe Bob Dylan of the punk scenerdquoThought Irsquod see whether there was anythingon the Web and found anexcellent site at httpwwwoceanstarcompatti Tomy astonishment I found thatshe was in Australia on her firstmajor tour anywhere in years mainly for theBig Day Out outdoor concerts
I had heard of the Big Day Out tour viaTriple J but this was the first Irsquod heard ofher being on the bill After seeing other re-formed punk heroes Radio Birdman and theSex Pistols in 1996 was it possible I couldmake the trifecta Alas the Sydney eventhad been booked out for two weeks
Via the JJJ Web site httpwwwabcnetautriplejdefaulthtm I found theBig Day Out Web site httpstarbaitbdocomaustarbaitbdo and loand behold they were having live conndashnections to the Melbourne concert on the25th January via the Internet with the
assistance of a US-based organisation calledThe Campus (wwwthecampuscom) If Icouldnrsquot be there in Sydney to see Patti inperson this would be as close as I couldget In addition I had always seemed to findout about real-time events on the Web justafter theyrsquod occurred and here at least wasan opportunity to be in at the start it wouldbe an interesting technical exercise ifnothing else
First choice was browser InternetExplorer 3 or Netscape Navigator 3 I gatherIrsquom not unlike many in having been initiallybowled over with IE3 then finding that itwas less robust and in particular made fargreater demands on temporary storage thanNetscape With little free disk space and
being about to try all sortsof new things I decided toplay safe and use Navigator
The Big Day Out Website (figure 1) was well done
and looked great including animatedgraphics and good use of frames but wasif anything as the British say ldquotoo cleverby halfrdquo For example you selected optionsvia a Shockwave animation of ducks in ashooting gallery click the mouse on a duckwhen an alternative was highlighted yoursquodhear a BANG the duck would flop overbackwards and yoursquod be off to that optionVery cute very clever and very slow andfrustrating for actually going anywhere Inaddition it appeared that when you went tosome pages they called up some trick Javacode which brought up Netscape sessionsin what looked like Kiosk mode no menusLooked neat but again a nuisance The sitehad its own mascot a sort of anime-stylekick-boxing heroine called Miss Starbait (Iassume a risque in-joke try saying the namequickly)
Once you got to it the information wasthorough and well laid out A list of artistsincluded links for those who had Web pagesThere was a page on the Auckland concert(first in the series) with photos etc For eachcity on the tour the site had links to maps ofthe venues and also timetables I foundfrom this that in Melbourne Patti Smithwould be on Stage C 540 PM for an hour
There were two main components to theInternet part of the day a Real Audio feedwith both backstage comments and the
via the Internet or -the boy looked at PattiO
BDig
ayut
by Malcolm Street
Figure 1
This is the era where everybody createsPatti Smith - ldquoSo you want to be a Rock n Roll Starrdquo 1979
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 25
stage and a new form of conferencingsoftware called The Palace where artistswould come for QampA sessions with fansIrsquod experimented with Real Audio but notto any great depth and had never even heardof Palace and I had to get this all togetherin a day Fortunately there were direct linkson the Big Day Out Web site
While I had a Real Audio stand-aloneplayer one page on the site came up with ablank expecting a Real Audio plug-in Ontothe Net to the Real Audio page todownload Real Audio player version 3Install restart Navigator back to the pageand voila A Real Audio control in themiddle of a Web page Painless
Then to work out which ISP to useUnfortunately the weekend was the onebefore the ldquoearly birdrdquo credits expired forTIP and I presume because of this it wasalmost impossible to get on One time whenI did get on I tested the Real Audiobackstage feed from Melbourne and foundI was only getting a 144k stream and poorquality at that I had a second backupaccount with Access One with a higherspeed (and far more expensive) networkand found that I could get a stable 288kReal Audio stream so that was going to be
what Irsquod have to use Not to mention thatthe time Patti Smith would be on would bepeak time anyway
Next step was to find Palace again viaa direct link from the BDO page to httpwwwthepalacecom I had used forms of
3D interactive software but Palace wasdifferent much simpler just 2D backndashgrounds Really a sort of IRC withbackdrops and sound effects For the BigDay Out the organisers had produced theirown backgrounds and sounds and I had todownload those as well from their siteHowever there were no instructions on howto set them up so it ended up being trialand error until I got it to work puttingimages and sounds in separate subdirndashectories under the Palace directory
Finally I had Palace running with the BigDay Out backdrops and found myselfoutside a circus tent which included livelinks to the Big Day Out and Campus Webpages (figure 2) Moving ldquoinsiderdquo the tentgot me to an area where I could don aparticular costume however choices werelimited for non-registered users andappeared to reset so I had to be content withthe default avatar a soft of sphere with aface on it (figure 3)
Finally there was the conference tentitself guarded by a fearsome lookingdoorman who asked for a passwordClicking on his lady companion told you tolook in the log Once Irsquod figured out howto do that I found it ldquomama cazrdquo Typedthat in response to the doorman and whoafound myself in this psychedelic room whichwas to be the conference area (figure 4)
Figure 3
Figure 2
26 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
I knew when Patti Smith was going tobe on stage what I didnrsquot know was whenshersquod be in conference in the Palace I waslistening to the back stage chatter via RealAudio this time more organised as Campuswas acting as ldquoon line radio stationrdquobroadcasting to the USA ldquoAustraliarsquosLollapolloozardquo and in the middle of this Iheard them give times for different artistsbeing in the virtual tent with Patti Smithroughly 430 Problem solved
430 arrived Back on line into the tentanother band (Supergrass) being inndashterviewed The conference area is now fullof faces with a still photo of the band downthe bottom left-hand corner Irsquove had verylittle experience with IRC and this seemsvery similar hard to follow with variousthreads of conversation going on sindashmultaneously but I gradually tune in to itTherersquos a thread going about problemspeople are having with reliably picking upReal Audio - oh dear As well as a fewAustralians there are a couple of Americansin there and a South African Then see thatPatti Smith is about to come on And sureenough C 440 the picture changes and thereshe is
Unfortunately the session is a bit of ashambles Unlike the younger artists (sherecently turned 50) she does not appear tobe familiar with the technology andsomeone else is doing the typing for herslowing down and complicating exchangesSeems to be the passing of the torch - a bitof a fish out of water in the environment ofa younger generation The bass player ofher backing group had suffered concussion20 minutes before from a collision with arogue door hence her lateness Thingsfinally get under way (one person ldquoa fanfrom WAY backrdquo says ldquonot many questionsjust adorationrdquo I can relate to that) but justas itrsquos building up a head of steam she getsa long phone call (presumably about the bassplayer) and has to call it quits prematurely
Irsquoll just have to wait and see if theconcert is any better
Well the concert is indeed better In factwhen I can hear it clearly (see later) itrsquoswonderful She starts with an early poemroaring it out with authority then afterthanks to JJJ who are handling the broadcastto the Internet and to the absent bass player
launches into the concert proper a greatblend of old and new
The sound quality is to put it mildlyvariable It was much better in earlier gigsthat day with Australian bands but itappears to drop off markedly on this onePerhaps too many people on at onceAmerican fans connecting in to hear one ofher first big shows in years Checking withstatistics in Real Audio shows theconnection approaching 20 loss in someearly songs leaving a very jerky soundFortunately it improves later with lossesdown to around 4 and sound quiteacceptable (People dropping out infrustration) However later on a fewoccasions the sound drops out completelyand I have to wait while it restarts somendashtimes for a couple of minutes
Then just as the concert comes to ashattering climax heading into one of myfavourite songs of hers a demolition of VanMorisonrsquos Gloria the Real Audio feed goesfor me at least dead Stone cold dead It islike the other times when it has dropped outbut this time it wonrsquot recover BummerAfter several minutes I can get the feedagain but just get an empty stage waitingfor the next band
So that was it a frustrating end to afrustrating but fascinating day At best thesound quality was am radio standards Butthen again these are very early days and Ican remember worse am radio sounds ontransistor radios as a kid in the lsquo60rsquos Avideo feed would have been real nice butone thing that is obvious from this exerciseis that live audio let alone live video ispushing current Internet technology to itslimits and beyond with a large numbers ofsimultaneous users in a function like thisSo as with so much on the Net wersquore seeingthe first glimpses of something that will takeanother generation of technology to becomepractical But hey this is the world of theNet and another generation could be onlysix months away
Later that night I connect to the Palacesite again and find a note at the tent to sayit was all over and to check up next week Ido indeed and they reckon over 100000people worldwide connected to the site thatone day and that the live broadcast of PattiSmithrsquos complete concert was a world firstApart from catching up with an old idol Irsquodseen a glimpse of a communications futureof being part of an event shared interactivelylive world-wide yet another step towardsthe Global Village
Figure 4
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 27
Stuffed AgainThe following members and friendsare thanked for assisting with stuffingour journal for mailing
Andrew amp Bruce Bartlett
Bruce Black
Owen Cook
Eddie de Bear
John Dyer
Bob Ecclestone
Rufus Garcia
Sally Hammon
John Hempenstall
Joy Hewett
Sue amp Jim Hume
Jenny Laraman
Alan Lockett
David Meggs
Allan Mikkelsen
Don Nicol
Gloria Robbins
Keith Sayers
Rod Smith
John Starr
Bob Summersby
Michael Taylor
Gordon Urquhart
Anne WarrenerWe are always looking for volunteersto assist us with the lsquostuffingrsquo of ourjournal We start around 530pm(latecomers are welcome) usually on the2nd last Monday of every month andare generally finished by 800pmRefreshments are provided and any ofyour knotty computer problems can bedebated lsquoat the round tablersquo in congenialcompany If you would like to helpplease ring Petra Dwyer at the PCUGCentre on 253 4911 and she will fill youin on all the details
Next Stuffing530pm Monday 19 May 1997at Northpoint Plaza Belconnen
(see map page 6)
htt
p
ww
wp
cu
go
rga
up
cu
g1
6b
its
Now
in A
dobe
Acr
obat
form
at
Oz User GroupsAdelaide PC Users GroupPO Box 2541Kent Town SA 5071(08) 332-7021Margi McLeay (Sec)Meet 730pm 3rd Tuesday of themonth at Enterprise House 136Greenhill Road Unley Visitors $5
Brisbane PC Users Group(Brisbug)PO Box 985Toowong QLD 4066(07) 3273 7266 Info Line(07) 3281 6503Lloyd Smith (Pres)Meet 12 noon 3rd Sunday of themonth at Bardon Professional Cntr
Darwin ComputerUsers ClubGary Drake (Vice President)(089) 324 107 h(089) 450 091 wEmail acsntacslinknetau
Melbourne PC User Group2nd Floor 66 Albert RoadSouth Melbourne VIC 3205(03) 9699 6222 10am - 330pm(03) 9699 6499 FaxEmail officemelbpcorgauHome Page httpwwwmelbpcorgauMeet 6pm 1st Wednesday of themonth (except Jan) at PharmacyCollege 381 Royal Parade Parkville
Perth PC Users GroupPO Box 997West Perth WA 6872(09) 399 7264 Trevor Davis (Pres)Meet 600pm 1st Wednesday of themonth at Ross Lecture TheatrePhysics Building University of WANedlands
Sydney PC Users GroupPO Box A2162Sydney South NSW 2000(02) 972 2133 Michelle DonaldMeet 6pm 1st Tuesday of the monthat main auditorium TeachersFederation 300 Sussex StreetSydney
28 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Features include fun animation sound effectsand a high-score listing Reg Fee $15
COMET13Comet Busters 13 is an incredible high-speedarcade game for WIN31 You must clear thecolourful asteroids and occasional alienspacecraft from the screen before you canproceed to the next deadly level This gamefeatures beautiful 256-colour ray-tracedgraphics and digital sound effects Reg Fee $9
HMN32V11Hangman (BB) 111 is a word-guessing gamefor Win95 that can help grade school-agechildren improve their vocabulary andspelling Features include an editable wordlist the ability to include definitions with eachword mouse or keyboard input and moreRequires the 32-bit VB runtime files Reg Fee$5
PDHP97SUPrairie Dog Hunt PRO rsquo97is a shooting gamefor Windows that allows you to participate inthe wholesale slaughter of harmless mammalswithout all the mess Features include 360
LIBRARY Phil Trudinger
The files described in this article are on theMarch 1997 CD-ROM (PsL Vol 5 3) whichis currently on the Bulletin Board all are ZIPfiles Please quote the month or Vol whenordering files on disk
The text files CD1 to 7 inclusive in Area 1 ofthe Bulletin Board are the monthly CD-ROMfile lists
Reminder
Most CD-ROM programs are Shareware Areasonable time (generally one month) isallowed for evaluation but if you continue touse a program beyond this time you shouldcomply with the authorrsquos conditions thatusually require payment of a registration feeBear in mind that this is the only way by whichan author receives any reward for hisherefforts Unless otherwise stated registrationfees are in US dollars
NEW AND UPDATEDWINDOWS PROGRAMS
(An asterisk denotes Windows 95specificity or compatibility)
GAMES
AGNSETUPAGNS - A Game of Naval Strategy 162 is agame of naval warfare for Windows whereyour objective is to sink the computerrsquos unitsor capture his main base Each turn consistsof a plot movement phase air combat phasemovement and combat phase air strike returnphase and a repairbuild phase Thissequence is repeated until one side claimsvictory Reg Fee $15
BG17Backgammon by George 17 is an excellentgame of backgammon for Windows You canplay against the computer (with four differentskill levels) or against a human opponentOther features include the ability to saverecall games many unique customisingoptions computer-suggested moves andmore Reg Fee $15
BNW10ABuild lsquon Win 10a is an interesting strategicgame for Windows where two players buildtheir opponentrsquos game boards and try to makethem as difficult as possible to complete
degree scrolling scenery excellent animationdigitised sound effects multiple skill levelsand a high-score hall of fame Reg Fee $20
SANWHRTSSanDearsquos Hearts for Windows 100 allowsyou to play the classic card game Hearts inWindows Features include support for up to12 computer players modem play the abilityto create a hand an undo option the ability tosave and rotate a hand and more Reg Fee$10
TILES95BTiles and Tribulations 152 is a challenginggame for Win95 where you try to catch fallingcoloured tiles and drop them into bins in alogical manner Any three (or more) tiles ofthe same colour in bins going horizontallyvertically or diagonally will be removed andincrease your score Reg Fee $22
GRAPHICS
CPLAY2Childrsquos Play IIis a 256-colour paint programfor children It occupies the full screen to help
SOFTWARE
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 29
prevent the child from going to other applic-ations Features include unique graphicspecial effects rubber stamps various screenerasers fun sound effects the ability to loadsaveprint images and more This is anexcellent program with many creative optionsto keep the little ones busy for hours Reg Fee$20-$25
GIFCON32GIF Construction Set 95 109 is a powerfulcollection of tools to work with multiple-block GIF files in Win95 It will allow you toassemble GIF files containing image blocksplain text blocks comment blocks and controlblocks and provides facilities to managepalettes and merge multiple GIF files togetherRequires a minimum of 4MB RAM but 8MBis recommended Reg Fee $20
ICN95525Icons Control 95 525 displays up to 100icons at a time for quick viewing printingcopying renaming moving or deleting Apowerful icon editor is also providedRequires Win95 Reg Fee $25
SD95INSTSmartDraw 95 30 is a powerful drawingprogram for Win95 It allows you to easilycreate great looking flowcharts diagrams andbusiness graphics Features include drag anddrop drawing OLE support full compatibil-ity between 16 and 32-bit versions filesharing the ability to send drawings on mail-enabled systems and much moreSDINSTALis the Win31 version Reg Fee $49
FONTS
FLFontLister (32-bit) 15 displays all installedfonts in Win95 You can also print a completefont listing or just some sample text with aselected font Reg Fee $0
FONTSHOWFontShow (32-bit) 22 allows you easily toview the TrueType fonts installed in Win95NT Options are included to display user-specified sample text in place of the normalfont name and alphanumeric character setThe size and face of the currently selectedfont can be quickly changed and the resultsdisplayed automatically Reg Fee $0
FONTW11FontWindow 11 displays all your Windowsfonts on screen so you can quickly see whichfont you want to use It can be set to stay ontop so you can view fonts while running otherprograms Reg Fee $29-$39
SERIFRACSeriFractions is a TrueType font that has a fullset of diagonal and vertical fractions for 12through 89 and also 16ths and 32nds It alsohas a partial set of mathematical symbolsincluding the true multiplication (x) symbolReg Fee $10
SYMSELSymbol Selector 11 allows you to easilyselect and copy symbols from TrueType fonts
that are of the ldquosymbolrdquo variety (such asWingdings and Symbols) to the WindowsClipboard Reg Fee $0
INTERNET
ADZAP10AdZapper 10 is an add-on for NetscapeNavigator to ldquozaprdquo (eliminate) annoyingadvertisements Reg Fee $20
AWN95AutoWinNet95 10 lets you perform commonInternet tasks on a scheduled basis You cancreate an ldquoagendardquo with dozens of stepsincluding updownloading email retrievingand sending obtaining weather updates andmore Requires Win95 Reg Fee $30
GGI11Go-Get-It 110 performs exhaustive preciseand ultra-fast searches of the Internet using acombination of keyword search Usenetnewsgroups search and various searchengines Features include automatic retrievalof all found web pages and informationoptional storage in separate folders to be usedlater and more Reg Fee $40
MASNDW32MailSend (32-bit) 3x is an add-on forMicrosoft Mail and Win95 that allows you tosend messages from the command line orfrom batch files Reg Fee $49
ND276BNetDial 276b is an Internet dialler forWindows It will call your host log you inand automatically start your TCPIP packagefor you Features include support for up to 5separate configuration connections baud ratesupport to 256k redial up to 99 times WAVsound file support and more Reg Fee $20
PRO12Teleport Pro 120 is a multi-threaded file-retrieving offline-browsing webspider forWin95 It scans the Internet for files or sites ofinterest and downloads them to your harddrive for fast offline access Features includeadvanced file typesize matching keywordfilters the ability to handle proxy servers andpassword-protected sites automatic retriesand more Reg Fee $40
TRAW3215Trawler (32-BIT) 15 allows you to interact-ively browse and gather information from theWeb It automatically follows links andretrieves pages to your hard drive It can evenfollow links from different web databasessimultaneously Reg Fee $35
30 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
MISCELLANEOUS
CALC9534Calc95 34 is a scientificengineeringcalculator for Win95 with a wide range ofbuilt-in units conversions and physicalconstants Reg Fee $25
GL10DThe GL Store for Windows 10d is a completedouble-entry general ledger accountingprogram for Windows It maintains 10000 GLaccounts multiple companies budgets 3-Dcolour graphs recurring accounts multipledepartments and detailed reports Reg Fee $79
HBGHome Business Guide 30 is a Windows-based guide to starting a business from homeIt discusses selecting planning and startingyour own business and covers resourcestools and help available Reg Fee $0
TIMCLK13PC-TimeClock for Windows 13 keeps trackof time yoursquove spent on your computer Timeis charged to one or more projects from yourlist by ldquopunching inrdquo when you begin work oneach project Reg Fee $18
MUSIC
MT32_16A Musical Tutorial for Windows (32-bit) 160provides an excellent way to encouragemusical study using the graphically-orientedenvironment of Win95 This includes a chorddictionary musical games the ability to playview and print scales chords and triads a userlog and much more This is suitable for bothchildren and adults Reg Fee $25
SCALEIT4ScAleIt 40 is a musical scalecordeducational package for Windows It candisplay all the chords and scales with all rootsand all inversions Features include aneditable database the ability to play chordsscales through your sound card MIDIsupport a solving function and much more800x600 screen resolution is recommendedReg Fee $0
PHONEADDRESS BOOKS
AM_PB45Phone Book for Windows 45 is a nameaddress database for WIN31 Fields areprovided for name addresses two phonenumbers fax and comments Other featuresinclude phone dialling over a modemsearching capabilities printing options andmore Reg Fee $17
BAM211Burrilliant Address Manager 211 helpsorganise all of your phone numbers address-es birthdays account numbers and more inWin95 All personal or business informationcan be printed for your day planner in a cleanattractive format Reg Fee $15
CARDBASECardBase (32-bit) 23 is a combinationaddress book and phone dialler for Win95NT Along with the regular fields for namesaddresses and phone numbers it can alsostore email addresses FAX numbers and website URLs Cards can be quickly sorted byname or custom card groups Searching andsorting operations are fast and intuitive RegFee $0
PHNMKR18Phone Book Maker 18 allows you to createphone books in pocket 12 letter and lettersize Features include 30 useful fields perrecord standard envelope printing powerfulindexfiltersearch facilities importexportcapabilities in variety of formats virtuallyunlimited records and more Reg Fee $50
SCREEN SAVERS
ADRF3210Adrift Screensaver (32-bit) 100 displaysbeautiful floating line patterns on your Win95desktop Reg Fee $14
AURADEMOAurora Screen Savers is a screen savermodule for Windows that simulates a 3-Djourney through the Aurora Borealis Twelvedifferent colour patterns are available Thisversion displays a nag box in the upper leftcorner of the screen Requires 256-colourvideo Reg Fee $18
BLKBRD15Blackbird Screen Saver 15 is a Windowsscreen saver module that displays photos ofthe SR-71 spy plane in action Requires 256-colour video and 4MB RAM Reg Fee $15
BOMBER15Bombs Away 150 is a slideshow screensaver for Windows with 256-colour digitisedphotos of jet bombers in action Requires4MB memory Reg Fee $15
BOTANICABotanica Screen Savers is a screen savermodule for Windows that displays a virtualgarden of growing plants and flowers inbeautiful variations of colour and shape
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 31
Twelve different savers are provided eachwith their own unique patterns Requires 256-colour VGA and VBRUN300 Reg Fee $18
JEWELJewelBox 10 is a screen saver for Windowsthat displays colourful ldquojewelsrdquo that appear togrow on your screen Features includeinteractive options a variety of palettechoices and more Reg Fee $18
JOTREE15Joshua Tree Screen Saver 150 displays thestark beauty of the California desert capturedin stunning 24-bit colour images Requires a386+ 4MB RAM and 256-colour video RegFee $15
METALLIXMetallix is a screen saver module for Win-dows that displays metallic sculptures whichunfold in unique and unpredictable patternscreating a mesmerising transformative effectThere are twelve different savers to choosefrom each with its own distinct settingsRequires 256-colour VGA and VBRUN300Reg Fee $19
NIAGRA15Niagara Falls Screen Saver 150 is a screensaver module for Windows with photos of thefalls and immediate vicinity The photos rotateautomatically when activated Requires 256-colour video and 4MB memory Reg Fee $15
PICSHO32MyPictureShow32 is a Win95 screen saver inwhich the visual content is supplied by yourown collection of computer images There isno limit to the number of pictures you canuse and nine different display modes areavailable The slideshow mode allows achoice of 17 transition styles Other featuresinclude support for BMPJPGGIF graphicfiles password protection automatic scalingof large images to available screen size and
more This demo version will run 20 timesthen disables itself Reg Fee $16
SSCR8R21My Own Screen Saver 21 allows you tocreate your own screen saver using yourfavourite images and pictures You cancombine selected BMP DIB and WMF fileswith 32 different visual effects Reg Fee $20
TWIST151Twister Screen Saver 151 is a 32-bit screensaver for Win95 that transforms your desktopinto a windy landscape with one or moretwisters moving everything deforming yourdesktop making everything a mess You canconfigure the wind speed number of twistersthe twisterrsquos speed and more Reg Fee $8
VENIC12Venice Screen Saver 12 is a Windows screensaver module that displays graphics thatsimulate floating through the canals of Veniceon your gondola as Italian music and the
sound of splashing waves fills the air Reg Fee$29-$39
VIDSAVVidSaver 11 is a Windows screen saver thatplays video clips and animations while yourcomputer is idle Reg Fee $20
TEXT EDITING
EDT236PEM EdTex for Windows 95 236 is a 32-bittext editor for Win95 It can edit a maximumof 2000000 characters and 30000 linesOther features include macro support printingoptions word wrap multiple undoredoblock editing and more Reg Fee $35
GTE32R15GWD Text Editor (32-bit) 15 is a powerfultext editing package for Win95 Featuresinclude support for macros unlimited filesize print preview a built-in spell checker anautosave option support for DOSUNIXMactext file formats and much more Reg Fee$20
JW32T22CJ-Write for Windows (32-bit) 22 is a fullfeatured editor for general text files and emailFeatures include the ability to edit very largefiles support for any ANSI font configurabletab settings and four line wrap modes multi-level undoredo and more Reg Fee $30
QUIKDC11QuikDict Spelling Dictionary 11 is a pop updictionary accessible from the Win95 ToolTray Features include the ability to spellcheck all words as they are typed alphabeticand ldquosounds likerdquo word matching over91000 EnglishAmerican words in thedictionary the ability to automatically pastethe correct spelling back to the clipboard andmore Reg Fee $19
SCRATCH4Scratch Pad (32-bit) 21 is a text editor forWin95 Features include the ability toautomatically capture clipboard information aprint preview function undo facilities andmore Reg Fee $15
TXEDITTxEdit (32-bit) 25 is an easy-to-use texteditor that makes a nice replacement for theWin95 Notepad Features include the abilityto viewedit multiple documents search andreplace options drag-and-drop support MacUnix file support and more Reg Fee $0
32 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
TXP3223TextPad (32-bit) 23 is a text editor forWin95NT It can handle files with up to32000 lines of 4095 characters with multiplesimultan-eous edits and up to two views oneach document Other features include fullundoredo facilities print previewing atoolbar for frequently-used commands abuilt-in file manager support for Unix andMacintosh text file formats drag-and-dropsupport and much more TXP1223 is theWin31 version Reg Fee $27-$35
UTILITIES
ADDIT10ES Adding-Machine 10 is a unique calculatorfor Windows that is designed for adding upcolumns of figures Entered figures areretained on-screen and can be edited so youwonrsquot have to start again if you are interrupt-ed or make a mistake Reg Fee $40
CIDV09CIDview monitors a selected telephone lineand reports the Caller ID whenever there is anincoming call The details of incominginformation will be automatically displayedon your screen with the Caller ID informationstaying visible for 10 seconds Reg Fee $9
DLLCHK95DLL Check 95is a DLL management utilityfor Win95 Features include the ability tocreate a log of all modules that load or unloadin a session the ability to search for duplicatemodules and a detailed information displayfor selected modules Reg Fee $80
EASYZIPEasy Zip (32-bit) 10 makes it incredibly easyto archive files with PKZIP in Win95 Itallows you to use point-and-click operationsinstead of all the context-switching and messybatch files of manually using PKZIP fromDOS Reg Fee $1850
HDLED11Hard Disk LED 11 simulates a hard disk lightthat flashes every time there is disk activityAn icon appears on the Win95 task bar andflashes every time the system accesses yourhard drive Reg Fee $5
HYSNP278HyperSnap 278 allows you to capture thedesktop highlighted window areas or user-defined areas in Win95NT Features includehotkey support cropping facilities the ability
to save images in BMPGIFJPEG format andmuch more Reg Fee $20
LONGSAVELongSave 101 is used to save the list of longfile names and short names to a commadelimited ASCI text file The short names canthen be backed up or zipped or copied withutilities that are not long-file-name-awareAfter the files are transferred it uses theASCII file to restore the original long file
names This must be run from a DOS sessionunder Win95 Reg Fee $25-$95
REDH22Red Hand 22 tells you exactly what someonedid on your computer while you were awayexactly when they did it and how long it tookWindows can be discretely ldquolockedrdquo toprevent access and will simply close themimmediately or send an error message of yourchoice You can control exactly which areasof your computer that you do not want othersto have access to Reg Fee $25
RMVR32RemoveR 161 helps delete unneeded filesfrom your hard drive after you have installed aprogram in Win95 It will take a snapshot ofthe drive before an installation then you cancompare the current status of your files withthat last stored All files that have been addeddeleted will be shown on the results screenFrom this screen you can highlight certainfiles andor directories and delete them orsave the list for later deletion Reg Fee $5-$40
SENTRY95Sentry 95will prevent all unauthorised usersfrom accessing the Win95 desktop wheneveryour computer boots Reg Fee $14
SU96_402StepUprsquo96 402 contains a set of utilitieswhich make working with Win95NT easierand faster This includes a user-customisableStepUp Menu smart Folder Navigatorsophisticated Menu Designer and a powerful
File Handler It also provides handy taskbaricons for fast exit CD-ROM Autorun onoffand more Reg Fee $30
V95I208EVirusScan for Win95 253 is a native Win95application that detects and removes comp-uter viruses Reg Fee $65
YATS32Yet Another Time Synchroniser (32-bit) 30allows you to synchronise your system clockusing various time server types commonlyavailable on TCPIP networks such as theInternet Multiple servers can be specified andwill be tried sequentially until a valid time isobtained and your system time set Reg Fee$35
ZOOMER12Zoomer 12 provides a 2x or 4x magnificationof the area around the mouse cursor in Win95This is an excellent utility for the visionimpaired Reg Fee $0
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 33
NEW AND UPDATED DOSPROGRAMS
ANTIVIRUS
AVSCANAVScan 310 is a freeware scanner that candetect more than 4500 virus signatures RegFee $0
I_M311AIntegrity Master 311a is an anti-virus anddata integrity system The author says itdetects all known viruses It can detect anyform of file corruption including disk errorsor as yet unknown viruses Stacker Double-Space SuperStore and Bernoulli system filesare supported Identifies the new MS WordMacro viruses as well as over 640 additionalviruses It has an option to quickly disinfectdiskettes Reg Fee $50
SCN_253EVirusScan 253 scans diskettes or entiresystems and identifies any pre-existing PCvirus infection Reg Fee $65
GAMES
DRAK160Drak 160 is a falling blocks-style game withattractive graphics and several varieties ofblocks It includes blocks which melt blocksthat fall apart when they land and more Thegame includes 10 levels of increasingcomplex-ity joystick support and ability tosave games in progress (RegFee$33
DRUG12Drug Killers 12 is an action-packed shoot-em-up arcade game where you pilot atechnologically advanced aircraft in a battle tostop a futuristic drug cartel You must destroya wide variety of land and air-based enemieswhile gathering weapons and shields Otherfeatures include excellent scrolling graphicsgreat special effects a high score listing theability to save and restore games and a coolmusic soundtrack Reg Fee $25-$40
HAMSTER3D Hamsterrsquos Adventure is a fun 3Dadventure game where you assume the role ofa hamster in a colourful maze The object ofthe game is to eat all the fruit scattered aroundthe maze so the secret exit will appear Youwill encounter monsters along the way butyou can use your strawberry grenades or apowerful hamster kick for protection Theexcellent graphics sound effects and musicmake this an enjoyable game for the wholefamily Reg Fee $15
MISCELLANEOUS
COELI379Coeli Electric Planisphere 379 combinespractical ephemeris and planetarium with areal-time star chart to provide a Super VGAmodel of the skies as seen from Earth Youmay view the heavens from any place or timewith advanced starconstellation search insidea point and click interface A separate VESAdriver must be pre-installed Reg Fee pound12
JOCCALJOC-CALC 10 is an easy-to-use spreadsheetpackage for DOS Features include a pull-down menu system with mouse support aHyperText help system support for blockoperations built-in mathstrig functions andmore Reg Fee $25
MEDLIN97Medlin Accounting 1997 is a double-entrygeneral ledger program with accountsreceivable payroll and payables modules Allmodules are very easy to use PC-AR is theaccounts receivable module It allows amaximum of 2000 customers and 1500charges per accounting period PC-INV is amodule which works directly with theaccounts receivable module to generateinvoices and post them to PC-AR It willmultiply quantity times price and insert thetotal and calculate sales tax PC-PR thepayroll module allows up to 500 employeesand 1000 payroll cheques per accountingperiod PC-AP the accounts payable modulecan sort invoices by due date and will printcheques Mouse support has been added to allprograms Reg Fee $25-35
VDEVideo Display Editor 182 is a fast powerfultext editor Commands can be entered from amenu bar or with control keys Featuresinclude a proportional spacing modekeyboard macro recording MenuBar modethe ability to edit eight files at once acommand for proportional print Autosave toautomatically save your work at specifiedintervals simultaneous windows scrolling theability to align the platen for printing onvarious kinds of forms support for the fileformat of MS Word an envelope printer awide range of screen sizes (from 17 to 57lines) an integrated spell checker and muchmore Support is also provided for Ultra-Vision the HP95LX palmtop and the Tandykeyboard Reg Fee $35
UTILITIES
DNOTE420Disk Note Librarian 420 allows the user toadd descriptions and comments of up to 300characters to each file name on a disk up to1200 files Reg Fee $15
RCR01Rosenthal Conflict Resolver 100 is adiagnostic tool that helps corrects IRQ DMAand IO conflicts the major cause of systemcrashes Reg Fee $99
2 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Compiled by Jim Hume
The Monarchy
This site provides the history of the BritishMonarchy The Royal collection TodayrsquosRoyal family and includes The Queenrsquos rolein the Commonwealth This role articleshould be valuable to all those interested inthe Republic debate monarchist andrepublican alike It is a well presented siteand a useful resource as a school kithttpwwwroyalgovuk
Museums
The virtual Museum of Computing includesan ecletic collection of World Wide Webhyperlinks connected with the history ofcomputing and on-line computer basedexhibits available both locally and aroundthe world httpwwwcomlaboxacukarchiveothermuseumscomputinghtml
Airlines
Ansett provides information on their productand services and the places they fly to Youcan reserve flights and accommodationThere is a travel planner and screen saveravailable to download httpwwwansettcomauwebintrohtml
Qantas provides similar information on theirproducts and services with a brief history ofthe airline and also a screensaver which canbe downloaded httpwwwqantascomau80newsindexhtml
Books Magazines and Newspapers
The Canberra Times is now online withsections on News Sport Features OpinionWeather Real Estate Motors Classifiedsemail and services httpwwwcanberratimescomau
Readers Digest Interactive They ask you toldquoread it react and interactrdquo It containsDigest classics like Laugh Lines and WordPower and advice about how to do justabout anything featuring Home ProjectsCooking Gardening fitness and health httpwwwreadersdigestcom
National Geographic Online This is a greatcontribution with something for everyone inthe family Donrsquot miss these HOT SPOTShttpwwwnationalgeographiccomhotspotsindexhtml
Electronic Journals and Newsletters Thissite provides a complete internet list for newjournals and newsletters available on theInternet There is a search archive completealphabetical archive recent issues in reversechronological order and alphabetical list oftitles httpgort ucsdedunewjour
Amazon Bookstore offers not only 15million books in print but extremely hard-to-find out-of-print titles and discounts onsome of their book lists They claim 25million titles overall They include a searchfacility and provide a personal emailnotification service They list a Book of theday Titles in the News Monthly bookrecommendations and much morehttpwwwamazoncomexecobidossubstindex2html
Medical
)
Kodak have provided an interesting sitedealing with the latest digital cardiologyimaging and their cardiac review stationhttpwwwkodakcomhiHomecardioindexshtml
The American Cancer Society CaliforniaDivision on this site have an excellent articleon ldquoeating rightrdquo and research causeprevention detection and treatment httpwwwcacancerorg
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 3
The Department of Veteransrsquo Affairs haveupgraded their Web Site and it now providesthe latest information on health care forveterans In addition it contains rates andeligibility for pensions statements ofprinciple budgets and legislation It alsoincludes information about commemorativeactivities war graves war memorials andstudent oriented resourceshttpwwwdvagovau
HealthGate have redesigned their site withfaster search results with content organisedinto areas of interest such as medicinepatient education drug information etc It isan important source of biomedicalinformation httpwwwhealthgatecom
Football
The Australian Rugby League haveproduced an excellent site which includesdraws news links teams tipping results agallery and a soapbox httpdevarlorgaumainasp
Super League not to be outdone arepromoted by Foxtel in their sport sectionhttpwwwfoxtelcomauFoxtelhomejhtml
Tyres
I recently drew attention to Goodyearrsquos WebPage and commented on lack of Australiancontent Now they have an excellentAustralian site with an online school kit
dealing with the rubber revolution a tyreguide and a search engine to locate yournearest dealer It requires a frame-enabledweb browser httpwwwgoodyearcomau
Internet
URL Minder keeps track of web pages andother resources on the World Wide Weband sends you email whenever yourpersonally registered resources change Youcan have the minder keep track of any Webresource accessible via http ftp or Gopherand your email address will not be releasedto any third party It is a free servicesupported partially by advertising httpwwwnetmindcomURL-minderURL-minderhtml
People
Talk to the Angels The Vatican has namedtheir computers for the Web after angelsThe site was still under construction at theend of March httpwwwvaticanvaBut where else could you talk to theangelsIt requires a frame-enabled webbrowser
StarTrek This is a most interesting web sitefor Star Trek enthusiasts and also for thoseinterested in site construction for it is a realbobby dazzler httpwwwholodeck3comholodeck3html
Insert
It is an interesting concept which combinesan online magazine with discussion threadsresource lists and links It is dedicated toexploring masculinity and men in societyMen from all walks of life answer the 16 bigquestions about what it means being a mantoday httpwwwmanhoodcomnf
The
Super Site for Kids is a protectedenvironment specially for kids It is a wellorganised fun site httpwwwbonuscomindexclosehtmp
In early March a private Florida companythat hunts for historic shipwrecks announcedit had discovered a gem the ship oncecaptained by Blackbeard a man reputed tobe one of the more terrifying and disturbedpirates of all time This site includes thehistory of Blackbeardhttpeagleonlinediscoverycomcgi-binforums_viewdir
36 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
THE
INTERNETPROJECT
By Iain Gould
Welcome to TIP-TNG (The NextGeneration)
In case you hadnrsquot noticed yet TIP isnow connected to the rest of the world via ahigher speed (double what we had) link Weare now firing the electrons up and downthe pipe at 256k (thatrsquos 3 noughts -thousands in other words) bits every secondWhat this means in real terms is that ournewsgroups are updating more frequentlyweb pages and file transfers are much fasterand those of us that need to log in remotelycan do so with much less delay Boy are weimpressed
If you have not bothered to try TIP for awhile do so as we have seen a markedimprovement in the service provided afterthis upgrade and the installation of the extra12 modems in February (much less waitingto get on)
ANNOUNCEMENTSThe last two months has seen much goingson within the Internet Project ManagementCommittee For the uninitiated the IPMCis a caucus of techno-nerdygeeks tasked withthe onerous duty of ensuring that membersof the PCUG and AUUG have adequate andcomplete access to the wider resources ofthat part of the Information Super-highwayknown as simply The Internet Anyway wedecided on a lot of things recently Here theyare
1) Commercial Web Advertising Upuntil now TIP placed a restriction oncommercial advertising (that which wasobviously out to make money for the owner)- namely that only corporate members ofeither PCUG or AUUG could placeadvertising on their web pages We have
now opened up such commercial activitiesto general members of both organisationsFor the same fee that we currently charge tocorporate advertisers any individual cannow advertise on their web pages Refer tohttpwwwtipnetautipwebspacehtml fordetailed information and charging rates
2) Account Terminology The termslsquoAdvanced Accessrsquo and lsquoBasic Accessrsquoaccounts were deemed to be confusing (wehad too many requests for information onbasic Advanced access and training foradvanced Basic use) The accounts are nowreferred to as lsquoFull Accessrsquo and lsquoLimitedAccessrsquo respectively The use of the termsAdvanced Access hours and Basic Accesshours will continue for the time being untilwe sort out exactly what we want to callthem and where we need to changereferences to them The most obvious placethat this will change immediately is on theapplication form
3) Multiple Users of Accounts One ofthe regular lsquocomplaintsrsquo that we have beenreceiving has been on our policy to restrictaccount use to the account holder only Howmany of you out there realise that if youallowed your spousechildrenacquaintancesto have access to your password then youwere breaking our rules We donrsquot worrytoo much because we are now changing ourpolicy to open up account usage undercertain guidelines Namely
a) The primary account holder (the onewho originally applies for the account) willbe deemed ultimately responsible for anyuse of the account Heshe must still signthe Acceptable Use Policy and follow thoseterms and conditions and then ensure thataccount lsquodelegatesrsquo behave themselves too
b) The primary account holder mayallow use of hisher account by other familymembers The family members must benominated and lodged with TIP on a newlsquoAccount Delegationrsquo form
c) Only one login name and emailaddress is allocated (as currently) - ifadditional email addresses are required thenthey must be applied for as separateaccounts
d) Normal single user limits (accesshours disk quotas) still apply
We believe that this will allow familygroups some access to the Internet withoutneeding to sign up every members of thehousehold with TIP This policy will beelaborated on the web pages in the nearfuture for further information
4) We are still investigating methods ofproviding help guidance and assistance tousers who are new to TIP andor the InternetWe have been looking at newer lsquofool-proofrsquofirst time kits automated email helpresponses regularly published FAQs(frequently asked questions) and attractingmore volunteer helpers To achieve this lastgoal we are hoping that we can set up aregister of volunteers similar to the HelpDirectory published in Sixteen Bits forspecific areas of Internet use If you feltreluctant in the past to have your name listedfor fear of being asked questions outsideyour particular area of expertise interestthen let us know what you ARE willing tohelp with Are you a Netscape guru Or aWindows 95 Dial-Up Networking hotshotDo you think that you know a fair bit aboutIRC Then let us know
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 37
Nhan Tranrsquos Now OfficialTIP Web Help Pages
httpwwwtipnetautiphelp
bull Whats newHistory of changes to TIP help page
bull TIP Contact DetailsPhone numbers domain proxiesemail addresses
bull Useful TIP informationTime allocation usage statistics
bull TIP documentsAgreement Charging SchemeAcceptable Use Policy AccessApplication
bull InternetFAQAnswers to the Frequently AskedQuestions about the Internet what isthe Internet what you can donetiquette
bull TIP help FAQ
bull Answers to the Frequently AskedQuestions about various problemsother people may have had with TheInternet Project your problem maynot be a new one
bull lsquoHow-torsquo documentsHow to set up and use variousprograms needed to make the mostof your Internet account
bull GlossaryTranslating acronyms computerjargon netese and emoticons like -)in plain English
TIP Technical InformationDomain (PCUG) pcugorgauDomain (AUUG) auugorgau
DNS server 203107634Mail server mailhostDomain
News Server newshostDomainftp server ftpDomain
WWW server wwwDomainProxies proxytipnetau
port 8080
Iain Gould is one of the many volunteersthat keep TIP ticking He can becontacted by email - iainpcugorgau
As a note to those users who do needaccess to help take careful note of the timesthat people offer to be available There is areason that these times are listed ourvolunteers do like to have some personaltime Nothing causes a volunteer to lsquoresignrsquoquicker than having their efforts abused bypeople who ring at all hours and are rudeand obnoxious As a volunteer organisationwe cannot provide 24 hour-a-day instantsupport and we must rely on the genrosityof those that do offer to help Please beconsiderate of those who are willing to sticktheir necks out
As a footnote to all of the above itemsplease address any correspondance toipmctipnetau rather than me directly
Internet Joke of the MonthAnother engineer joke (apologies for thereferences to USA - insert your favouritelocal university as applicable)
Three men were vacationing in CentralAmerica They were arrested for minor illegalactivities and because the dictator of the countryhated foreigners the punishment was death
The three men were marched to thechopping block The dictator of the countryasked the first man if he had any last wordsbefore they chopped his head off The man saidldquoThe only thing I can think to say is that Irsquom analumni of Notre Dame and we have the bestfootball players in the worldrdquo The dictator thensaid ldquoOff with his headrdquo When they pulled therope the blade fell but it stopped inches abovethe manrsquos neck The dictator said ldquoThis is anomen from God we cannot execute you Youare free to gordquo
The dictator of the country asked the secondman if he had any last words before theychopped his head off The man said ldquoThe onlything I can think to say is that Irsquom an alumni ofIndiana University and we have the bestbasketball players in the worldrdquo The dictatorthen said ldquoOff with his headrdquo When they pulledthe rope the blade fell but it stopped inchesabove the manrsquos neck The dictator said ldquoThisis an omen from God we cannot execute youYou are free to gordquo
Finally the dictator of the country asked thethird man if he had any last words before theychopped his head off The man said ldquoThe onlything I can think to say is that Irsquom an alumni ofPurdue University and we have the bestEngineers in the world and if yoursquoll just tightenup that bolt up there this machine will workrdquo
Tips On Tip HelpPlease do not call on the Internet Projecthelp team for answers to general computingquestions or with questions like ldquohow do Ifind such-and-such softwarerdquo - the tiphelpnewsgroup is appropriate for these topicsDo call on us if you canrsquot get our kits towork or if you believe there is a problemwith the system Herersquos the right way to goabout it
1 Read the TIP Help Pages availablefrom the TIP World Wide Web siteat httpwwwtipnetautiphelp
2 Browse the newsgroup tiphelp tosee if someone else has solvedyour problem already Browsetipannounce and tipgeneral for anyrelevant announcements
3 If the problem is not urgent post arequest for assistance in tiphelp
4 If the problem is urgent send mailto ldquohelprdquo requesting advice
Please - describe your problem clearlyconcisely and completely
tell us WHEN it happened
tell us WHAT OPERATING SYSTEMyou are using
tell us WHAT SOFTWARE you are using(esp version)
tell us WHAT HARDWARE you are using(esp modem)
tell us any relevant SETUP DETAILS (egconnection speed)
tell us what TIP login name (eg mmouse)you are using
5 As a last resort (ie when email isnot possible) contact Iain Gould on255 2405 between 7pm and 8pmONLY
The TIP Help TeamThe methods of supplying TIP help and
support and the levels of help provided areunder almost constant review anddiscussion Your feedback on the existingsystems and constructive suggestions forimprovement particularly within theexisting resource constraints are welcome
This can be done in the tip newsgroupsif you would like general discussion of yourideas by email to the TIP Help Team athelptipnetau or by sending email toamikkelspcugorgau who will forward itto the appropriate people
38 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
The Internet Project
1 Access to The Internet Project is governed by the InternetProject Acceptable Use Policy copies of which can beobtained at the PCUG Centre or downloaded from the PCUGBBS or from The Internet Project
2 There is a limit of one Internet account per non-corporatemembership Corporate members may sponsor up to threeindividuals who are then personally responsible for theoperation of their accounts Please complete one applicationfor each person
3 Part of your email address will be determined by the principalorganisation If your membership of that organisation expiresso too does your membership of The Internet Project In thisevent no refunds for unused allocation will be made
4 The Internet Project reserves the right to alter prices andservices offered at any time Fees paid for Internet access arenon-refundable and non-transferable
5 Note Hours debited do not necessarily equate to real hourson-line time allocation will be debited in a non-linear fashiondepending on the amount of time spent on-line in any givenday The debit rate is set from time to time by the InternetProject Management Committee
6 Basic Accessa) Basic Access provides non PPP email and news onlyb) Basic Access is free on applicationc) In any calender year calculated from the date of
application Basic Access provides up to 100 lsquohoursrsquo usage
7 Advanced Accessa) Advanced Access includes full access to the Internet using
SLIPPPPb) Advanced Access is not free Current rates are $120 for
one calendar year of access with up to 300 lsquohoursrsquo usagec) When your Advanced Access subscription expires OR
you use 300 hours of access (whichever is earlier) youwill be required to purchase another subscription for onecalendar year from that date
d) Advanced Access users also receive a Basic Accessallocation - see above
8 All users joining The Internet Project receive a one-off freefive hour allocation of Advanced Access
Collecting Your Login Details9 A waiting period of two months applies to new members of
the PC Users Group (ACT) Inc
10 For existing members please allow up to two weeks for yourapplication to be processed
11 Login details can be collected - in person by the applicant - fromthe PC Users Group Centre We recommend that you phone theCentre first to check that the details are waiting for you
12 You (and your parentguardian if you are under 18 years ofage) will be required to sign an Acceptable Use PolicyDeclaration when you pick up your login detailsPhotographic proof of identity may be required at that time
Important Notes - Please Read
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 39
Disks amp TapesWe offer high quality disks and tape cartridgesin various formats at very reasonable pricesDisks amp tapes are available from the PCUGCentre Monday Wednesday amp Friday 10amto 2pm or between 9am and 5pm on weekends
BBS AccessNew members wishing to access the PC UsersGroup (ACT) InterActive Bulletin BoardService (BBS) should dial (06) 253 4933 andcreate an account on the system Once the mainmenu is presented select the lsquoGoodbyersquo optionfollowed by the lsquoYesrsquo option to leave a messageto the Sysop
In this message state your membership number(from your card or magazine address label) andrequest an access upgrade This will usuallyoccur within a few days
SharewareMembers have access to a huge selection ofldquosharewarerdquo software The PCUG subscribesto a CD-ROM which provides over 250 Mbof new and updated software titles on eachmonthly CD
Member ServicesThese special offers and services are only available to PCUG members Please bring your membership card with you when collecting orders
One complete section of the permanent libraryis also contained on each CD-ROM Inaddition there are many programs on thePCUG BBS which members have uploadedor which come from other sources
This software is provided as ldquosharewarerdquo Ifyou continue to use it you must register thesoftware with the author The Group does notldquosellrdquo the software - it charges a fee to coverthe cost of obtaining the software maintainingthe library and copying the software to themember
Computers are available at the Centre whichare connected to the BBS enabling membersto download software
Hardware amp Video LibraryThe hardware and video library is located atthe PC Users Group Centre Items may becollected and returned on Saturdays andSundays between 9am and 5pm (loans are forone week) Please bring your membership cardwith you
The library provides access to equipmentwhich members would not normally havereadily available Most items have instructionsmanuals and software where appropriateModems do not include software check theShareware Library for suitable packages Itemsmay be borrowed for one week There is nocharge but you must collect and return theitems yourself
Equipment available includesmiddot modemsmiddot soundblaster card
Videos includemiddot Developing Applications with Microsoft
Officemiddot Using Windows 95
NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETINGMonday 28 April 1997
(to be held at 730pm prior to the normal April main meeting)
The Special Meeting is to consider and vote upon the following changes to the rules of the PC Users Group
Rule 17(1)(b) - [Nomination of candidates for election as office-bearers of the Association or as ordinary Committee members]shall be delivered to the Secretary of the Association no later than the last Friday in the July before the date fixed for the annualgeneral meeting at which the election is to take place
Rule 17(2) - If insufficient nominations are received to fill all vacancies on the Committee the candidates nominated shall bedeemed to be elected
Rule 17(3) - A vacant position remaining on the Committee shall be deemed to be a vacancy for the purpose of Rule 16(4)
Explanatory notesThese changes will permit publication in Sixteen Bits of all valid nominations received to enable the membership to give seriousregard to the nominations received They will also permit all members nominating for the committee to have an opportunity toconsider and reflect upon their intended commitment to the committee and to the Group
Hugh BambrickSecretary PC Users Group (ACT) Inc
40 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Compiled by Jim Hume
Japanese-English Translators
Globalink produces some of the bestlanguage translation software TheLanguage Assistant Series quicklyproduce understandable translations fromEnglish into the foreign language or viceversa
The Australian Distributors Software EtcAustralia have now released Japanesetranslation and OCR Software TsunamiMT Typhoon MT and KanjiScan OCRsoftware for English Windows 95 and NTPCs It is claimed these products willmake communication between Japaneseand English speaking businesses mucheasier quicker and more effective
Tsunami MT translates English-to-Japanese and has features such as fullOLE 20 compatibility (drags text to andfrom Tsunami MT embedding theJapanese results into applications such asMS Word) an innovative Kani searchsystem and translation speed at over 3000words per minute
Typhoon MT translates Japanese-to-English and is the result of a two-yearproject to convert the best-sellingJapanese to English translation softwarein Japan to an MS Windows 32-bitformat
Typhoon MT has every element computerusers need to put Japanese computing ontheir personal computer - Japanese fontsKana and kanji text editing a completeFront End Processor and Japanese -to-English machine translation
KanjiScan is the first Japanese OCRsoftware to run on non-Japanese versionsof Windows and includes everythingneeded to scan printed Japanese text anddocuments allowing users to input
Japanese on their English Windowssystem All interfaces instructions anddocumentation are in English WithNeocorTechrsquos Kanji Search system noJapanese language skills are required tomake sure all the Japanese text is properlyrecognised
Tsunami MT $995 Typhoon MT $1195(Bundle $1795) and KanjiScan $795
Software Etc Australia are offeringevaluation versions of this software forloan to reviewers with a knowledge ofJapanese and the capability to conduct andprepare software reviews Enquiriesshould be directed to Peter Klanberck atsoftetcozemailcomauhttpwwwworldcorpcomau Phone (02) 9988-3455
Gene Chip Breakthrough
Affymetrix is developing amp commercial-ising GeneChip(tm) systems to acquireanalyse manage and use geneticinformation based on its propriety DNAarray technology
These systems are being developed forbroad fields including biomedicalresearch clinical diagnosis and theemerging field of genomics Affymetrixhas corporate alliances with Hewlett-Packard Company and Genetics Instituteand intends to pursue the clinicaldiagnostic and additional genomicsapplications with diagnostics andpharmaceutical companies
Their first product currently in externaltests sites will be the GeneChipHIVsystem which rapidly detects mutations inthe protease and reverse transcriptasegenes of HIV the virus which causesAIDS Detection of such mutations arecritical in understanding how HIV reactsto therapeutic agents as well as for
understanding the results of clinical trialsof new drugs The company also hasactive development programs for thespeciation of other infectious organismsas well as for human genes that areimportant in cancer and drug metabolism
Fortune Magazine in an article headedGene Chip Breakthrough by David Stippexplores the implications of thisbreakthrough and believes that whilemicroprocessors have reshaped oureconomy spawned vast fortunes andchanged the way we live Gene chipscould be bigger
TransAct BroadbandCommunications Network
The ACTEW Corporation has recentlyconducted a feasibility study into buildinga broadband communication network inthe ACT It is claimed it would enhanceACTEWrsquos core business and provide theACT region with an economically viablecommunications network
The network would be funded throughoutside financing As there would be nocross-subsidies between varioustelecommunication business and theelectricity and water businesses therewould be no impact on electricity andwater bills now or in the future Known asTransAct Communications the feasibilitystudy was to be completed by March1997 ACTEW Corporation Board willmake a decision on the business caseduring April A key component of thestudy was to be community consultationand market research If the results werefavourable construction should commencein July 1997
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 41
I was consulted in their telemarketingresearch and talks have been held with thePC Users Group Aurisa Institute ofEngineers Australia and the BusinessCouncil of Australia The network couldcarry voice(telephone) video(TV) and data(intenet) over a high range of frequenciesand the cost of services would bedependent on the service providers ieTelephone companies Pay TV companiesand internet service providers ACTEWexpected that prices would be similar tocurrent prices for these services andsuggest that a single broad-band networkwould offer competition between serviceproviders
The network could carryvoice(telephone) video(TV) and
data (intenet)
Two companies have been shortlisted andtheir solutions are being costed to get anaccurate picture of the total cost ofbuilding the network The two companiesare Philips which has offered a HybridCoax (HFC) system and BroadbandTechnologies which offered a switchedbroadband (SDB) solution
The HFC solution as offered by Philipswould differ from similar cable systemsbeing strung in other parts of Australia inthat it would take optic fibre down toserve 60-90 homes per node rather than500-1500 homes The SDB solutionwould be unique in Australia (In use inparts of USA Korea and France) it takesoptic fibre to serve 32-40 homes per nodeBoth solutions have the ability to runadvanced interactive services By the timeof publication a further update may beavailable atwwwactewcomautransactinterhtm
Treasure IslandFrom the Corel Thumbnail Theatre seriesnow being shipped Treasure Island is afun easy way to learn the complexities ofthis popular novel by Robert LouisStevenson It is an animated adaptiontargeted primarily at students aged 12 andupwards Users can choose from threedifferent ways of studying TreasureIsland For those unacquainted with thestory the Watch Me section presents awitty and entertaining nine-minuteanimation which summarises the novelrsquosstory The Guide Me section is designedfor users who wish to study the text indepth and learn more about the era inwhich the novel is set They will see theanimation once again but this time theywill have the chance to stop the animatedsummary in order to explore varioustopics related to the story These topics areaccessible by clicking on the icons whichappear throughout the animation Userswho want to read about different topicscan go directly to the Self Guide sectionThis section contains the entire text ofTreasure Island
It also contains a feature called Timelinewhich is a chronology of historical eventsfrom the time of Treasure Island to thepresent day
Minimum system requirements are 486DX66 8MB of RAM a 640x480256-colour graphics display 8-bit audiocapabilities and a double speed CD-ROMdrive Runs on both Windows 31x andWindows95RRP $Aus 6400
Corel WebMaster SuiteOn March 25 Corel announced the releaseCorel WebMaster Suite the latest additionto their line of Internet products Itcombines state-of-the-art Web siteauthoring with expert site managementfunctionality advanced database
publishing sophisticated graphic designprograms as well as animation authoring3D VRML world creation and over 8000Internet-ready images Included in thepackage is Netscape Navigator 301OrsquoReillyrsquos Website v11 and 30 days offree Web site hosting It is claimed thatthis suite provides a complete solution tohelp users advance beyond the traditionalWeb page to create and manage completeweb sites that are more interesting andinformative as well as easy to understand
Corel WebMaster is available for asuggested retail price of $Aus 399 Thesuite will require 16MB RAM an IBMcompatible PC 486 DX Windows NT orWindows 95 a CD_ROM and a VGAdisplay
SNIPPETS
IN AUSTRIA INTERNET SERVICEProviders banded together on March 25 tostage the countryrsquos first electronic walkoutin protest at their governmentrsquos attempt tocensor the Internet Hardly surprisingwhen UKrsquos Whatrsquos New on the Internetreports that sex and its related topics arethe most popular sections on the Internetby a long chalk
DUTCH HACKERS OFFERED USMilitary Secrets to Iraq A recent BBC TVprogramme claimed that hundreds ofmilitary secrets were stolen from USDefence computers ( including troopmovements and missile capabilities)offered for sale by Dutch hackers toSaddam Hussein but their offer was nottaken up because the Iraqi leader believedthat it was either a hoax or CIAmisinformation
ADVERTISING ON THE NETAccording to a survey by the InternetAdvertising Bureau total advertisingspending on the World Wide Web andInternet related content hit $US267
42 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
The Internet SIGThis a get together of those members of thePCUG who love to explore the Internet forinteresting sites new Internet tools andnovel applications It holds an informalmeeting once a month on the first Thursday(January excepted) at 730pm The meetinghas no set agenda but free flowing chat onvarious Internet related topics and eventsOn occasion we had presentations ofinteresting software Among topics that arediscussed from time to time are the upgradeof TIP cable and wireless access to theInternet and the regulation of the InternetThe web page for the SIG is at httpwwwpcugorgau~ejosephintsightm
BytesThe Bytes SIG is designed for those wholike to talk about computing over a meal Itmeets from 6 pm at the Asian BistroAustralian National University Union onthe PCUG meeting nights There are noBytes SIG meetings in NovemberDecember or January Contact personAndrew Freeman Phone 258 7411 Emailafreemanpcugorgau or WWW at httpwwwpcugorgau~afreemancvsightml
AutoCADGeoffrey May 295 5942 Monday-Fri 4-5pmPlease call for details
CC++Peter Corcoran petercpcugorgau 2ndTuesday 730pm PCUG Centre
GUI DevelopersPeter Harris 287 1484 pharrispcugorgauPlease call for details
The OS2 SIGAn enthusiastic forum for those operating orinterested in OS2 Warp Meetings includewide ranging discussion and interestinghands on demonstrations Meetings are heldon the third Thursday at 730pm for 730pmat the IBM Building 8 Brisbane Ave BartonContact David Thrum Phone 201-8806 (bh)
The Delphi SIGA lively forum for software developers whoare working with or interested in Delphi
Our meetings include wide ranging dis-cussion and interesting hands-on demon-strations Come and see why Delphi is RADSome of our recent meetings have discussedDelphi components best shareware toolsdatabase applications and HTML toolsMeeting 3rd Tuesday of each month 730pmat PCUG Centre Convenor Al Kabailaemail akabailapcugorgauYou arewelcome to also subscribe to the PCUGDelphi mailing list by sending messageldquosubscribe act-delphi-lpcugorgau [youremail address]rdquo to Majordomoauugorgau
Linux User GroupStephen Rothwell 291 6550 (ah) StephenRothwell canbauugorgau 4th Thursday730pm Room N101 Computer Science DeptANU
Networks Garry Thomson 241 2399gthomsonpcugorgau Thursday aftermain meeting Please call for venue
Computer and VegetarianismThis SIG is designed for those who have aninterest in both computers and vegetarian-ism It generally meets with the Bytes SIGNo meetings are held in NovemberDecember or January Contact personAndrew Freeman Phone 258 7411 Emailfreemanpcugorgau or WWW at httpwwwpcugorgau~afreemancvsightml
amp ChatThe Coffee and Chat Group meet at thePCUG Centre in Belconnen on alternateTuesdays from 1030am to 1130am withanother 30 minutes to 1200 for those whowant to stay The dates of these meetings areshown in the Calendar of Events On thealternate Tuesday a virtual Coffee and ChatMeeting is held on the Internet at 1030amusing Internet Relay Chat (IRC) addressirchostpcugorgau Port 6667 Full detailsabout the online meetings can be obtainedfrom httpwwwpcugorgau~ejosephvcchtm
Internet Daytime Demoand Discussion SIGMeets every second Monday at the PCUGCentre from 1000AM to noon We meet todiscuss internet issues software sites (andanything else of relevance) and demonstrateon Centre equipment selected software andtechniques The meeting starts with informaldiscussion and coffee followed by a more in-depth look at a particular topic of interestThere is also time for discussion (andhopefully solving) of members problems withthe internet A home page for the SIG is athttpwwwpcugorgau~amikkelsintdddhtmlEnquiries or suggestions for topics arewelcome at amikkelspcugorgau
NEW
Convenors are requested to email anychanges in contacts or venue and additionalinformation about the activities of theirgroup by the first Friday in the month ofpublication to pcugeditorpcugorgau
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 43
The training program for 1997 is settledsubject to ongoing adjustments in the lightof developments
Note the heavy emphasis on Internetcourses This reflects the clear demand ofmembers at the moment A number of daysare designated lsquoTBArsquo These days allow forthe introduction of Internet related coursesas discussed last month including homepages MS Internet ExplorerWeb tips andtricks and so on They also allow forpossible courses on the Web oriented MSOffice 97
Course content for Internet courses isstill under development and subject tomeetings of trainers
In addition to the weekend courses arange of short evening courses mainlyInternet related as above will be introducedThese are still in the planning stages
May Sat 3 Editorial day ContinuesSun 4 Programming - C and C++ ContinuesSat 10 Programming - Visual Basic Continues
Sun 11 Intro - Intro to computers ContinuesSat 17 Intro - Intro to Windows 95 Continues
Sun 18 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 24 Intro - PC Maintenance and
TroubleshootingContinues
Sun 25 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 31 Internet - HTML Intro Continues
June Sun 1 Intro - Using the BBS effectively Internet - Basic AccessSat 7 Centre closed Centre closed
Sun 8 Centre closed Centre closedSat 14 Editorial day Continues
Sun 15 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 21 Internet - HTML extended Continues
Sun 22 Internet - TBA Internet - TBASat 28 Internet - Advanced Access Intro Continues
Sun 29 Intro - Using the BBS effectively Internet - Basic AccessJuly Sat 5 Editorial day Continues
Sun 6 Internet - TBA Internet - TBASat 12 Internet - TBA Internet - TBA
Sun 13 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 19 Internet - TBA Internet - TBA
Sun 20 Internet - TBA Internet - TBASat 26 Internet - Advanced Access Intro Continues
Sun 27 Intro - Using the BBS effectively Internet - Basic Access
Our training courses are very popularUnfortunately some people book and thendonrsquot turn up for their course Someone onthe waiting list for the course could havefilled the spot left vacant To overcome thisproblem if you book for a course but donrsquotpay for it by the Monday before it is runthe spot will be offered to someone else
ContactsCourse bookings Petra Dwyer at thePCUG Centre on 253 4911
Training coordinator and courseinformation (not bookings) PaulBalnaves 241-4671 (h) 700pm to900pm 282-3488 (w)
Microsoft Product courses (notbookings) Michael Lane 242-9278 (h)700pm to 900pm
All courses are held at the PCUGCentre Northpoint Plaza Belconnen- maximum 8 people
Courses cost $35 unless otherwiseindicated Full day courses run from930am to approximately 300pmAM Courses commence at 930amPM courses commence at 130pm
Training Newsby Paul Balnaves
44 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
The following local vendors offer discounts to PCUG members
bull Present your PCUG membership card when making a purchasebull Benefits may not apply to some sale itemsbull The PCUG does not necessarily recommend or endorse the products being offered
If you offer a discount to PCUG members and are not in this list please contact our advertising manager listed on page 2
Vendor Discount SchemeVendor Discount Scheme
AustralianManagement Control
Suite 4 32 - 36 Colbee CourtPHILLIP285 4888
5 discount onRecordkeeping amp Payroll
courses
Capital SimulationsPO Box 329
Belconnen ACT 2616Faxmessage 258 0110
Free postage and handling(normally $4) amp 2 free modem
opponents lsquowantedrsquo notices(normally $10)
Clarion DatabaseSystems
bull Computing consultingbull Business applications developmentbull Software sale
041 108 775410 discount off RRP on
Microsoft amp other vendorsrsquo productsand consulting services
Amalgamated Business Machines
65 Kembla StreetFYSHWICK
280 4887
5 discount on repairsthrough this company
ANU Union Asian Bistro
Upstairs Union Building Union Court ANU
(next to main meeting venue)
Union member discounton PCUG main meeting
nights (ONLY)
Bettowynd ampTaltech Solutions
Unit 5 Centrecourt1 Pirie St FYSHWICK
239 1043
Prompt guaranteed fixed pricerepairs to monitors and terminals
5 discount to members
Nhan TranInternet Software Installationamp Configuration in your home
PH 254 5293
Fixed price 20 discountfor PCUG members
Lesley PikoCertified Practising Accountant
Registered Tax Agent
Suite 1 17 Trenerry StWeston ACT
288 8888
personal and business taxation servicesgeneral accounting services
15 discount off our quoted fee
ACT VALLEYCOMPUTER REPAIRSbull REPAIRSbull UPGRADESbull NEW SYSTEMSbull SOFTWARE INSTALLATIONbull LOW RATES l OPEN 7 DAYS
294 2592 or 019 32343510 DISCOUNT ON REPAIRS
AND UPGRADES TO MEMBERS
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 45
54 Marcus Clarke St Canberra CityPH 249 1844 l Fax 247 5753
10 Discount o f fRRP of Computer Books
Celebrating over 28 Years in Bookselling
N O 1 f o rC O M P U T E R amp B U S I N E S S
B O O K S
hi-micro Computers
5 Discount OnAccessories
ampUpgrade Installation
Ph 280 7520 Fax 280 7540618 Whyalla St Fyshwick
248 6656 (any time)bull World Wide Web Publishing
bull Windows Online Help amp Manuals
5 discount on Web publishing
The Cartridge Factory
Canberra Business Centre49 Wentworth Ave
KINGSTON295 5935
10 discount on remanufacturedlaser toner cartridges
10 discount on inkjet refill kitsNo discount available on
new ink or toner cartridges
Collins Booksellers
BELCONNEN MALLPhone 251 4813 Fax 251 3926
We carry a wide selection ofcomputer titles for the novice and
also advanced computer user
10 Discount off computerbook purchases only
LampS Associates
69 Paterson StreetAINSLIE257 7555
Special price on anyMicrosoft product
Dealer price plus 5
Aspect ComputingEducation Services
86 Northbourne AvenueBraddon ACT 2601
247 7608
10 Discount toPCUG members
Peng LEE BA BEc FCA
Chartered AccountantRegistered Tax Agent
A fee schedule will be forwarded upon request
6 McGuiness PlaceMcKELLAR ACT 2617
Phone 258 0156 Fax 258 0157
10 fee discount to PCUGmembers
Robrsquos Computer HelpDesk
292 3211 (24 hours 7 days)
For telephone and on-site help for ALL your computer and support
needs
5 discount on consulting services to PCUG members
The Software Shop
42 Townsend StreetPHILLIP285 4622
5 discount off our already low prices
46 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Title Given Name Surname
_______________________________________________________Position (if applicable) Phone (h) Phone (w)
_______________________________________________________Title Given Name Surname
_______________________________________________________Position (if applicable) Phone (h) Phone (w)
Annual Fees Applicable (thorn one)o General1 $ 50
o Concessional2 $ 25
o Corporate3 $130
o Additional Corporate4 $ 50
o International (Air Mail) $130
Notes1 General membership covers all members of a household except for BBS and
Internet access Two month waiting period applies to Internet access2 Concessions apply to full time students and pensioners3 Corporate Membership covers up to three nominees4 Additional Corporate nominees may be added at $50 each
I am paying by (thorn one)o Cash (if paying by person) o Cheque to PC Users Group (ACT) Inc
o Credit card
I would like to ( thorn one or more)
o Become a new member for ____ year(s)
o Renew for ____ year(s)
o Change my address details
o Change Corporate nominees
o Take my address off advertising list
o Access the Bulletin Board (BBS)
Reasons for Joining thorn (one or more)
o Sixteen Bits Magazine o Training Courses
o The Internet Project o Advice and help
Other ____________________________________
TOTAL PAYMENT DUE $ __________________
Please Post your application with payment toPC Users Group (ACT) IncPO Box 42 Belconnen ACT 2616
Additional Corporate Membership Nominees
Title Given Name Surname
Organisation (if applicable) PCUG Membership Number (if applicable)
Postal Address
Phone (h) Phone (w) Concession Type (if applicable)
Credit Card Type Number Expiry Date Signature
Membersrsquo AdsFOR SALE
PC Users Group Membership Application Renewal
Notebook TP 486 DX266 95in Dual scancolour 8mg 433 HDD External 2X CDROM Fax modem card Win rsquo95 Office rsquo95pro Microsoft Plus NAV Norton UtilitiesWinfax Pro Microsoft Publisher and muchmore $1500 email gjonespcugorgau orphone Gary Jones 2391771 (Bus hours)
Canon Bubble-jet Printer BJ10-SX BWVGC [bookletdisk] $145Maestro External Fax Modem SE-144 FM[BookletDiks] VGC $100Corel Draw V3 CD-ROM[Bookect] VGC $100 NEGScanFax 24 Bit Color Page ScannerPC[FaxScanCopy] VGC $ 360WebAuthor V2 for Windows $ 65LOGOS BIBLE Software V2for Windows CD-ROM $150Call 239 5451 or e-mailmszabopcugorgau
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 47
Subject Name Email Phone Days TimesAccess for Windows Graheme Fry 288 3138 All days 730pm - 830pm
Accounting -TAS+ Exogen Attache NewViews P Goerman 231 2304 All days 900am - 900pm
Advanced Revelation John Curby 286 5777 Mon - Fri 900am - 900pm
Assembly Language Thomas McCoy 294 2226 Mon - Fri 800pm - 1000pm
AutoCad Geoffrey May 295 5942 Mon - Fri 400pm - 500pm
AutoCAD Rel 12 13 and LT Neil Moffat 292 7108 All days Noon - 1000pm
BASIC + Machine Language George McLintock 295 6590 All days 830pm -1000pm
Basic hardware help Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
Bluewave Jorge Garcia 282 2681 All Days 700pm - 900pm
Batch Files TSRs Utilities Bill Ghysen 287 1234 Mon - Fri 800pm - 1000pm
Bulletin Board Service Michael Phillips 253 4966 All days 730pm - 830pm
Chinese Star for Windows Peng Lee 258 0156 All days 100pm - 900pm
Clipper Cedric Bear 258 3169 All days 730pm - 830pm
Corel Draw Fabian Stelco 241 1743 Mon - Fri 730pm - 900pm
Corel WordPerfect Suite 7 for Win95 Peter Tilbrook kermitdynamitecomau 242 8696 All days Anytime
DOS Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
Excel Graheme Fry 288 3138 All days 730pm - 830pm
Flight Simulation Roger Lowery lowerypcugorgau 258 1583 All days Anytime
Foxpro Greg Atkinson 241 7903 Mon - FriSat Sun
700pm - 900pmFrom 1100am
Free Agent Agent Newsreading Allan Mikkelsen 278 3164 All days Noon - 900pm
General Help Allan Miller (044) 711187 Mon - Fri 730pm - 830pm
General Help Brian Gosling 259 1116 All days 730pm - 830pm
GEOSGeoWorks Phil Jones 288 5288 All days 600pm - 1000pm
Hardware Anthony Glenn 288 8332 All days Anytime
HDK Lis Shelley lshelleypcugorgau 248 6656 Mon - Fri 730pm - 830pm
HDK Ivana Leonard 231 4169 Mon - Thu 700pm - 900pm
ISR CADDSMAN Modeller (Win) Neil Moffat 292 7108 All days Noon - 1000pm
LINUX PC Unix Andrew Tridgell 254 8209 All days 600pm - 800pm
Lotus 1-2-3 Doug Jenkins 286 2243 All days 730pm - 900pm
Lotus Ami Pro 3 W ord Pro 96 ed Peter Tilbrook kermitdynamitecomau 242 8696 All days Anytime
Microstation Cad Andrew Novinc 258 1907 All days 600pm - 1000pm
Modem Communications Michael Phillips 281 1980 or All days 730pm - 830pm
Networks Gary Thompson 241 2399 All days 730pm - 900pm
Online doc using Help Compiler (Win3) John Carroll jcarrollpcugorgau 248 0781 All days 730pm - 1000pm
OS2 v2 Mark Beileiter 283 2429 Mon - Fri 800am - 330pm
OS2 Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
OS2 Michael Lightfoot 258 8185 All days 730pm - 930pm
Project (Microsoft) Steve Ramsden 287 1500 Mon - Wed 800pm - 1000pm
SBT Accounting Greg Atkinson 241 7903 Mon - Fri 700pm - 900pm
Scream Tracker 3 (3SM) MOD Music Chris Collins 258 8276 Mon - Fri 730pm - 900pm
Small Business Computing Nick Thomson 241 3239 Mon - Thu 730pm - 930pm
SuperBase Paul Blair 288 3584 All days 730pm - 930pm
Telix Michael Phillips 281 1980 All days 730pm - 830pm
SCO Unix amp Xenix J Bishop 291 0478 All days 700pm - 900pm
Unix Michael Lightfoot 258 8185 All days 730pm - 930pm
Turbo Pascal Michael Phillips 281 1980 All days 730pm - 830pm
Vision Impaired Adam Morris 291 4522 All days 700pm - 900pm
Visual BASIC Ian Champ 254 0418 All days 700pm - 900pm
Windows 31x Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
Word for Windows Lis Shelley lshelleypcugorgau 248 6656 Mon - Fri 730pm - 830pm
WordPerfect 51 DOS 61 Win Gayle Scott gaylespcugorgau 254 1579 All days 730pm - 930pm
WordPerfect 61 7 for Win95 Peter Tilbrook kermitdynamitecom 242 8696 All days Anytime
WordStar Dave Hay 258 7310 All days 700pm - 900pm
The people in this directory are volunteers so please observe the times given The Help Directory is designed to helpindividual users and should not be used as a substitute for corporate support calls to vendors This service is provided formembers only Please quote your membership number to the helper For those helpers with an asterisk messages may beleft on the BBS in either the General message area or as a Netmail message on 3620243 Send updates topcugeditorpcugorgau or via post to the PCUG Centre
The Help Directory
May 1997Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
1
Internet SIG730pmPCUG Centre
2
SIXTEENBITSCommercialAd deadlinefor May
3
SIXTEEN BITSLayout Day 10am______________InternetConnection Clinic930am-1pmPCUG Centre(check withCentre Staffer on253 4911)
4
TRAININGDAYProgrammingC and C++930-430PCUG Centre
5
Internet DaytimeDemo andDiscussion10am-12 noonPCUG Centre______________New MembersNight730pmPCUG Centre
6
VirtualCoffee amp ChatTIP IRCServer1030-1130am
7 8 9 10
TRAININGDAYProgrammingVisual Basic930-430PCUG Centre
11
TRAININGDAYIntro tocomputers930-430PCUG Centre
12 13
Coffee amp Chat1030amPCUG Centre__________
C++ SIG730pmPCUG Centre
14
CommitteeMeeting730pmPCUG Centre
15
OS2 SIG7 for 730pmIBM Building8 BrisbaneAve Barton
16 17
TRAINING DAYIntro Windows 95930-430PCUG Centre______________
Meet theCommittee2-4pmPCUG Centre
18
TRAININGDAYInternetAdvancedAccess Intro930-430PCUG Centre
19
Internet DaytimeDemo andDiscussion 10am-12noon PCUG Centre______________
SIXTEEN BITSStuffing and Mailing530pm PCUGCentre
20
Virtual Coffee ampChatTIP IRC Server1030-1130am_____________
Delphi SIG730pm PCUGCentre
21 22
Linux UserGroup730pmRmN101ComputerScience DeptANU
23 24
TRAINING DAYPC Maintenanceamp Troubleshooting930-430PCUG Centre
25
TRAININGDAYInternetAdvancedAccess Intro930-430PCUG Centre
26
Main MeetingManningClark Theatre1 CrispBuilding ANU7 for 730pm
27
Coffee amp Chat1030amPCUG Centre
28 29
Networks SIGCall GarryThomson(241 2399) fordetails
30
SIXTEENBITS Articledeadline forJune
31
TRAININGDAYInternetHTML Intro930-430PCUG CentreBytes SIG 6pm
Asian Bistro ANU(before PCUGmeeting
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 5
LettersLetters
Meet The CommitteeCommittee members can be found at most PCUG functions but are also available thethird Saturday of each month from 2-4pm at the PCUG Centre This time has been setaside specifically for members to have an opportunity to meet committee members anddiscuss any issues or answer any questions members may have See you there
Last month Doug Gillies called for morekindness in the application of the lsquoUsers helpingusersrsquo principle He mentioned a member whoasked for help in one of the TIP newsgroupsand was told to RTFM I felt for this memberthe very first time I posted a message on theBulletin Board back in 1990 I was promptlytold to RTFM When I found out what it meantI was mortified at what seemed a rude andintolerant response and was very reluctant topost again
When I eventually met the writer of my RTFMmessage I was unsurprised to find him kindlyand mild-mannered By that time Irsquod figured outthat certain Real World conventions simplydidnrsquot apply online People write the rudestthings apparently without considering whotheyrsquore saying them to or about or the fact thattheyrsquore saying them in public They say themfurthermore without any expectation ofreproach lsquoItrsquos the Usenet culturersquo so Irsquom toldand out pop all the shibboleths about lsquomerepatterns in the phosphorrsquo and lsquosticks and stonesrsquo
Text carries a far heavier burden of meaningthan the spoken word Getting somethingacross in the absence of facial expressiontone of voice gesture and body language (letalone the opportunity to explain and elaborateon the spot) takes work and care Electronicmessages however are often dashed off inthe heat of the moment Posters seem to pridethemselves in writing as they speakndashor moreinformally (and impertinently) than theyspeak Furthermore jargon aboundsNewcomers are absolutely at liberty to sinkor swim in this exclusive and hostileambience
Our much-vaunted freedom to participaterests on the assumption that everyonersquostolerance and aptitude for verbal abuse is thesame Many peoplendashthose brought up in morecourteous times and those hamstrung byexpectations of lsquoladylikenessrsquo for examplendashmay find the atmosphere in public messageareas very uncomfortable Itrsquos a vain hopethat The Usenet Culture will change to takeaccount of these differences but Irsquom certainlywith Doug in wishing to see more kindnesson The Internet Project
Irsquom not suggesting there shouldnrsquot bevigorous debate among old acquaintances Iwould just like to see less sinking of the bootin response to innocent (or even dumb)questions Perhaps then the brawls would bebalanced by more exchanges between moreparticipants about more topics J
Val Thomson
Doug Gillies letter in the March 1997 SixteenBits amazed me I have found so manyhelpers who sacrificed their time as well astheir petrol to install programs for me I cannever thank them enoughThey even taughtme to make better use of my software (seemy first letter in the February Sixteen Bits)
Alois Tush came back a second time to tryand sort out the problem with WorksYesterday Gordon Urquart came during hisprecious holiday to delete the faulty Works
has to be ordered from the US it could takequite a while before it can be implemented
Financial Report forFebruary 1997
Opening Balance(incl TIP) $174929
IncomePCUG $ 20296TIP Subscriptions $ 55440
ExpendituresPCUG $ 17758TIP $ 11466PresentedUnpresented cheques $ 905
Closing Balance(incl TIP) $220536
and install Works 4oa for Windows 95 Heshowed me how to delete and to install and inaddition he gave me valuable tips aboutnaming files
Works 40a was sent to me by Mr Rob PriceMS analyst Senior Response Group in answerto my plea for help with Works
So you see I am really extremely lucky butsurely I cannot be the only one
Elizabeth Ward
Providing that they applied the samephilosophy to Committee membership I couldapplaud the Committeersquos official view ldquotheperiodic turnover in Editors as with othervolunteers is a postive thing for the group Inthis way we donrsquot get stuck with one point ofview or one approach for a long period of timeand the magazine remains freshrdquo
It is assumed that candidates offering for thenext Committee election will state their lengthof time on our Committee together with theirprofessional qualifications
After having served two editors as a memberof the editorial team and as an articlecontributor the message to me from thePresident is clear it is time to go and I will beresigning from the editorial team at the sametime that the current editor leaves I wish thenew team the best of luck
Jim Hume
6 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
PCUG CommitteePresident Ann Byrne 282 2536
pcugpresidentpcugorgau
Vice President Mike Gellard 258 2361mgellardpcugorgau
Secretary Hugh Bambrick 249 7667amp Public Officer pcugsecretarypcugorgau
Treasurer Hugh Alstonpcugtreasurerpcugorgau
Training Officer Paul Balnaves 241 4671pcugtrainingpcugorgau
Network Craig GibsonAdministrator pcuglanpcugorgau
BBS Sysop Michael Phillips 281 1980pcugsysoppcugorgau
General CommitteeAlan Mikkelsen 278 3164amikkelspcugorgau
General CommitteeDavid Schwabe 254 9086dschwabepcugorgau
General CommitteeKen Livingston 282 2536kenlivpcugorgau
General CommitteeRod Farr 286 1597rodfpcugorgau
General CommitteeIain Gould 255 2405iainpcugorgau
General CommitteeDarrell Burkeydburkeypcugorgau
Immediate Karl Auer 248 6607Past Presidentkauerpcugorgau
PCUG Committee email to pcugcommitteepcugorgau
Other ContactsExecutive SecretaryPetra Dwyer 258 2099
pcugexecsecpcugorgau
Membership Mike BurkeSecretary pcugmembershippcugorgau
The phone numbers listed above are home numbers unless otherwisespecified Please restrict calls to between 730pm and 900pm
New Members Information Night730pm first Monday of the month PC Users Group Centre NorthpointPlaza Belconnen
How To Make ContactPostal address
PO Box 42Belconnen ACT 2616(For ALL correspondence)
J PC Users Group CentreNorthpoint Plaza BelconnenOpen Mon Wed and Fri 10am-2pmSaturdays and Sundays 9am-5pm(closed long weekends)
The PCUG Centre is the venue for PCUG training some Special InterestGroup meetings and other activities There is no charge for using theCentre for PCUG activities Contact Petra Dwyer at the PCUG Centre on(06) 253 4911for bookings
(PCUG Main Phone number(06) 253 4911(Answering machine when Centre unattended)
2 Fax number(06) 253 4922
Emailpcugpcugorgau (or use addresses at left)
The INTERNET Project(06) 206 6200 helppcugorgau
World Wide Web pagehttpwwwpcugorgaupcug
Bulletin Board Service (BBS)(06) 253 4933 (5 lines 336k bbs)Fidonet address 3620243
(BBS Sysop voice number(06) 253 4966 (600pm - 900pm)
Main MeetingMain meetings are held 700pm for 730pm usually on the last Mondayof every month at Manning Clark Theatre 1 Crisp Building AustralianNational University
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 7
Next New Membersrsquo Night
5 May 1997730pm
PCUG CentreNorthpoint Plaza Belconnen
MembershipNotesBy Mike BurkeMembership Secretary
MembershipNotes
the PC Users Group Centre (see map page 6)These meetings are a chance for new andlsquoolderrsquo members (who are always welcometo attend) to meet with representatives ofthe Committee to put names to faces andto ask any questions that you may have aboutthe Group and its activities Tea and coffeeare available and the atmosphere is informaland friendly
Main MeetingsOur main meetings targeted at our generalmembership are normally held monthly onthe last Monday of the month The datevenue and topic of the meeting alwaysappear on the front cover of SIXTEEN BITSwhich is timed to arrive in your mail-box inthe middle of the week before the next mainmeeting Main meetings are also advertisedin the computing section of the CanberraTimes on the day of the meeting Anyone iswelcome to attend these meetings you donot need to be a member For main meetingswe arrange guest speakers on a variety oftopics throughout the year As an addedincentive there are usually a couple of doorprizes to be won Yoursquove got to be in it towin it There is no main meeting inDecember Special Events We also havesome special events such as the lsquoBring andBuy Nightrsquo at the Albert Hall in Novemberand an annual Quiz Night in April Youshould read SIXTEEN BITS thoroughly asspecial events are publicised mainly throughthe magazine
Annual General MeetingThe Annual General Meeting is held
in September each year Even ifyou are unable to attend MainMeetings regularly membersshould make every effort toattend this Meeting at which
office bearers for the ensuing 12months are elected
The Rules andOther Good Stuff
Some members have expressed concern thatthey have lost TIP access because theirmembership renewals were not processedquickly enough Please remember that TIPaccess is dependent on your continuingPCUG membership and that it takes timeto process your membership renewalcurrently up to two weeks We are lookingat ways to reduce this time but the bestsolution is for you to remember to renewearly From this issue onwards there willbe a reminder published in this column everymonth Members particularly TIP userswhose PCUG membership expires at the endof the month stated in the box should renewtheir PCUG membership immediately Donot delay because your TIP access willautomatically be cut off at midnight on thelast day of the month unless your renewalhas been processed
Welcome to new members readingSIXTEEN BITS for the first time andwelcome to the PC Users Group
Continuing members should alsocheck this column regularly becauseI am sure that there will be some littlesurprises from time to time even forthe most jaded of old hands
If your PCUGmembership expires atthe end of May 1997
RENEW NOW to avoidlosing TIP access
Membership CardYour membership card will be mailed to youas soon as possible after your applicationfor membership or renewal has beenprocessed This will normally occur withinone week of your receipt of your first issueof SIXTEEN BITS Please be patienthowever There is only one print run ofmailing and membership labels everymonth and this normally occurs over theweekend immediately before the SIXTEENBITS stuffing day (normally the thirdMonday in the month) Normallymembership cards and disks will bedispatched on the third Monday If you loseyour card please leave a message with theExecutive Secretary on 253 4911 or contactme directly via The Internet Project atpcugmembershippcugorgau
Information DiskNew members should also receive a diskcontaining information about the Group andits services Please read the inndashformation onthe disk carefully as you will find theanswers to most of your questions there
New Members Information Night New members are especially urged to attenda New Members Information Night whichis normally held at 730pm on the firstMonday of the month (except January) at
8 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
RYPTOGRAPHY
This is the second of a two part feature onthe technology of cryptography Last monthpublic key cryptosystems were explainedThis month secret key ciphers are explainedand the controversial US export controls oncryptographic technology are examined
Secret key cryptography is theclassic type and has been aroundfor thousands of years Itrsquossometimes called symmetric
cryptography because the same key is usedto encrypt and decrypt a message The keymust therefore be kept secret or it becomesuseless since anyone who has the key candecrypt messages created with it They canalso generate mischievous messages orimpersonate a legitimate user of the key
Because the two parties to a conversationshare the same key non-repudiation isimpossible with secret key cryptography Amessage created and signed by one partycould have easily been signed by the other
party because they are both using the samekey
Secret key systems are inherentlysimpler than public key systems so there arequite a few of them in existence forcomputing One of the first was DES (DataEncryption Standard) which was publishedway back in 1977 in the US and uses a 56bit key DES takes a 64 bit chunk of amessage and garbles this into 64 bits ofciphertext
Since DES processes blocks of themessage with a defined length it is called ablock cipher (The illustration shows howDES works) DES doesnrsquot involve anyspecial mathematics In fact it relies on afew simple operations including bitshuffling substitution and simple logicaloperations
DES is still in wide usage today and isconsidered sufficiently strong that the USgovernment until very recently had ablanket ban on export of products whichused it
The fact that a cipher almost 20 yearsold is still considered useful illustrates animportant point in cryptography Ciphersand wine share a common feature - bothnormally improve with age The reason issimple If after such a long time no-onehas been able to work out a quick way tobreak a cipher then it must be good Unlikea lot of software these days reliability andtrustworthiness are absolute essentials forcryptographic algorithms and software
The need to expose ciphers to widepublic use - and abuse - before there can beconfidence in them also means that do-it-yourself ciphers generally arenrsquot trusted There might be some obscure attack orbackdoor that the designer has missed or
even deliberately put in place Neverthelessthere are some incredibly simple cipherswhich anyone can implement and use Oneof these called the lsquoone time padrsquo consistsof nothing more than combining a messagebit by bit with a lsquokeyrsquo consisting of arandom string of bits of the same lengthusing the exclusive or (XOR) logicaloperation Decryption is performed bysimply XORing with the same key again Itmight sound surprising but the one time pad
is the most secure cipher known if doneproperly Doing it properly meansunfortunately using a fresh key of randombits every time and the key must be trulyrandom - not generated with a pseudo-random algorithm
Coming back to DES if you take a quicklook at the detail of how it works you mightask why it goes through such a complex setof steps There are two reasons An attackerwonrsquot get too far by reversing the processbefore being stopped by a step involving akey (these canrsquot be reversed without thekey) The second reason is to make itrelatively inefficient when implemented insoftware so anyone who tries guessing keysrandomly will take that much longer to testeach one In fact key guessing is about aseffective as any other method for breakingDES
How secure is DES With the computingpower available now it is consideredfeasible to crack a message encrypted witha key only 56 bits long Nevertheless itwouldnrsquot be a trivial exercise since there are2^54 possible keys or about 18 x 10^16 Ifeach key took one millisecond to check itwould take over half a million years to testevery possible key
ldquoIf each key took one millisecond to check it would takeover half a million years to test every possible keyrdquo
(continued on page 10)
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 9
TECHNOLOGY GROUPinteract
Are you sick of congestedlines and slow access to the
InternetInterACT offers a full range of Internet Services in the Canberra Region
hellip be it a WWW home page to a corporate network ndashInterACT will deliver
Access $ 3500 per month orFlat Rate $ 18000 for 6 months
Access Plus $ 1000 per month (10 prepaid hrs)
$ 250 each additional hour
No Connection Fee applies to any of our dialup modem services
23 Megabit link to the Internet
Wersquore just a phone call away and you can be online today
Interact Technology Group URL httpwwwinteractnetauGround Floor Phone 257 833325 Torrens Street Fax 257 8322Braddon ACT 2612 Email infointeractnetau
All Plans payable in advance
10 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
In reality a key can be tested in a lotless than a millisecond In a recent challengein the US by RSA Data Security a 40 bitsecret key cipher was broken in about twoand half hours by using a whole stack ofcomputers in parallel No-one has crackedthe 56 bit challenge issued at the same time(at least at the time of writing this whichwas several weeks after the challenge wasissued) A 56 bit key is roughly 2^16 timesmore difficult to break meaning it wouldtake over 18 years to break with the samecomputing power used for the 40 bit key
Even if a 56 bit key was too short foryour security needs there are also schemesfor encryption with DES using two differentkeys in an encrypt-decrypt-encrypt cycleThis system sometime called triple DESmore than doubles the effective key lengthand provides truly remarkable security
Other common secret key algorithmsinclude IDEA (International DataEncryption Algorithm) which is used inPretty Good Privacy RC4 and RC5 ThelsquoRCrsquo series ciphers (also proprietaryproducts of RSA Data Security) are used inNetscape Navigator
US Export ControlsAs in many other technology areas theUnited States has been one of the leaders inthe development of crytosystems Manypowerful ciphers are available commerciallyin US products But the US government hasuntil recently had an almost total ban on theexport of most such products
The US government even used to treatcommercial cryptosystems as munitions forexport purposes Cryptographic softwareexports would often receive scrutiny fromthe US national security agency
Recent promises by major US IT firmsto incorporate lsquokey recoveryrsquo in theirproducts has lead to a relaxation on exportcontrols A statement by the White Houseon 1 October last year said that firms thatbuilt key recovery into their products wouldbe able to export much more powerfulcryptosystems for a trial period of two years
The actual details of what was meant bykey recovery were released by the USadministration just before Christmas 1996For practical purposes they differ little fromanother controversial and widely criticisedpolicy called key escrow which involveslodging all keys with a governmentauthority
The US government justifies itsinsistence on key recovery systems so thatit can continue to eavesdrop on criminalelements or terrorists taking advantage of
powerful cryptographic processes to hidetheir activities from the law
This means that the real interest by USauthorities is in cryptographic techniquesused for secret conversations The US hasno concern about encryption software thatcan only be used for digital signatures andmessage authentication
So far so good But on closer exndashamination the logic becomes harder tofollow The US government is controllingexport of cryptosystems not access to themin the US US citizens including thoseabroad have unrestricted access to verystrong encryption technology US citizenswill not even be obliged to use software thatincludes the key recovery systems mandatedfor exports In fact the October 1996statement by the White House makes thepolicy pretty clear ldquodomestic use of keyrecovery will be voluntary and any
American will remain free to use anyencryption system domesticallyrdquo
So how will the inclusion of keyrecovery in lsquoexport onlyrsquo products help TheUS government seems to be hoping that itskey recovery idea will become a de factointernational standard and that the US firmsmaking this software simply will not botherproducing two versions - one with and onewithout key recovery Instead they willproduce one version with key recovery Untilthis happens (if it ever does) the USgovernment will only be able to decryptmessages originated from overseas usingexported US software They will only beable to decrypt where a foreign governmentobtains the keys and hands them over Therecent White House statement says ldquoaccessto keys would be provided in accordancewith (export) destination country policiesand bilateral understandingsrdquo
A major problem highlighted by thecritics of US policy is that much of theencryption technology is already availableoverseas Much of it can apparently be usedlegally outside the US and even importedinto the US - yet it still canrsquot be exported byUS software vendors
For example DES is a publishedstandard and is widely available in manyparts of the world but until recently waseffectively the subject of a US export banAustralia is a case in point DES islegitimately available from a number of ourspecialist IT security firms for exampleEracom on the Gold Coast
In the case of RSA this is protected bypatent in the US However that hasnrsquotstopped it being available in other countriesin non-US products
The US government is not alone inhaving controls on use or export of crypndashtography France bans use of cryptographyby its citizens completely Closer to homethe Australian government also has exportcontrols on cryptographic software andhardware - although not a stringent as thosein the US Many other countries have thesetypes of controls as well
In spite of the well-intentioned motivesbehind restrictions on cryptography it seemshard to imagine that crooks and terroristswill be more vulnerable They are likely togain access to all the cryptographic
(continued from page 8)
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 11
SPIRIT NETWORKSYOUR INTERNET BUSINESS SOLUTION
IN CANBERRA
Offering full commercial Internet Services to create theInternet Presence of your business including
middot World Wide Web Site optional Domain Nameregistration and high volume services
middot Multiple Email Mailboxes amp high-speed Dialup access
middot Free Internet technical support
middot No time charging
middot Accounts from $25 a month
middot Training Consultation and Support Services
middot Connections by ISDN or modem permanentconnections available
middot Other services included are Telnet WWW FileTransfer News IRC and Multimedia
middot On-site Internet Software Installation Configuration andDemonstration
Personal accounts available
Complete Office Solutions for your Internet Presence
Email salesspiritnetau
Phone 0419 609 704 06 281 3552 Fax 06 285 1987
PO Box 486 Curtin ACT 2605
technology they want - whether legally ornot
If yoursquore interested in finding out moreon cryptography there are some good booksand plenty of good material on the Web Aclassic book is Bruce Schneierrsquos AppliedCryptography (2nd edition 1996 Wiley)which also contains C code for manyciphers On the web have a look athttpwwwrsacom (see FAQ) or httptheory lcs mi t edu~r ives t c rypto-securityhtml (plenty of good links - a mustfor anyone with an interest in cryptography)
12 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
1297
1897
1987
1997
ph 06 297 1084fax 03 9221 3180sustanceibmnet
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 13
14 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Setting Up a Commercial Site onthe Internet with Web Graphics
At the beginning of March I launched a newcommercial site on the Internet - InfoRomSince I know virtually nothing about HTMLprogramming and since I am something of anovice at this game I thought you might beinterested in
a) My experience of setting up acommercial site
b) My evaluation of how suited CorelWeb Graphics is to this purpose
I was in fact involved in EdRev anunsuccessful Internet project that was up onthe Net for much of 1996 Hopefully I havelearned from the experience - as Peter Cookused to say ldquoI have learned from my mistakesand I can repeat every one of them perfectlyrdquo
Developing Your Site ConceptBefore setting up your site it is important tohave a clear idea in mind as to why the site isthere what services you wish to provide andwhat sort of clients you are aiming at WithEdRev my idea had been to provide in-depthreviews of CD-ROM educational softwareover the Internet - people would not be able toaccess the reviews until they had taken up asubscription - or at least trialled the servicefor a month People out there did not respondto this approach - and the big problem frommy point of view was that I was putting vastamounts of time into writing the reviews andgetting little return
With InfoRom I decided to write shortermuch tighter reviews make them available forfree but offer access to question and answersupport on any of the products reviewed for asmall fee That way I figured that I wouldnrsquothave to invest too much effort up front but Iwould be putting my time and energy intoanswering questions for paid up subscribers Ialso decided to start including selected gamesas well as educational software so as to widenthe appeal of the service
Corel Web Transit - Word to HTML
Having written the reviews (inWord 6 for Windows) the nextstep was to convert them intoHTML format This proved to besomewhat easier than I had expectedWeb Transit makes the process prettyautomatic and it carried over my formattingand styles without any problem The onlydifficulty I found was that occasionally itwould add a couple of unwanted line breaksat the top of the page and very occasionallyan unwanted bookmark to the text at the topWhere this happened I simply deleted the linebreaks and changed the formatting to removethe bookmark There was no logical reason forthese unwanted inclusions - I suspect that itwas just a bug in the program Diagram 1 iswhat the Transit screen looks like You set updestination and source then click translatethen click the Web Designer icon if you wantto format and modify the file or click thebrowser icon to see what it will look like onthe Web
Corel Web Designer - Formattingand Enhancing the Site Pages
Web Designer is another of the Corel WebGraphics package components and (with thehelp of my daughter Naomi) I used this to dothe following
middot Fancy up headings and the appearanceof the text
middot Add internal links eg from the bottomof the page to the top
middot Add external links to other files egSubject Index
By Nick Thomson
Diagram 1
cd romcd rom
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 15
middot Add external files to other sites eg thesites of the software suppliers
middot Add graphics
All of the above processes were easy andreliable and I was able to undertake all of themsuccessfully despite not having any knowledgeof HTML programming I only encounteredthree shortcomings
1 If I had names with a mixture of upper andlower case the links didnrsquot always workproperly I overcame this by ensuring thatall my filenames were in lower case onlyI am not sure if this was a Web Graphicsproblem or just a general HTML issue
HTML is certainly casesensitive so beware
2 It is not possible to define orsave your own templates in Web
Designer It would have been veryhandy if I could have set up a template
with all the standard headings and linkseg to the Home Page built in - notpossible at this stage but I understand thatthis facility will be available in the nextupgrade of Web Designer
3 The formatting options are a bit limitedand it is not possible to define your ownstyles (although there is quite a good rangeof pre-defined styles available)
For graphics Naomi created a series ofneat little icons - one for each subject categoryThus at the top of each page there were twosmall graphics representing one or two subjectcategories for that review These were createdfrom clip art in Corel Draw then convertedand pasted in as gif or jpeg images (the twographic formats that are supported by HTML)We had tried using screen clips in EdRev -
they took forever to load and were a pain towork with so I decided against using them inInfoRom One of the golden rules of Web sitesis not to slow things down with too manygraphics - I get very frustrated waiting forsome of the software supplier sites to load -and I donrsquot want my potential clients to feelthat way about my site Diagram 2 is anexample of one of our pages
Selecting a Supplier andUploading Pages
The next step was to find a commercial sitesupplier I had been happy with service andvalue for money that we got at Spirit Networks(an ACT supplier) so I decided to go to themIt cost me $275 to set the site up (includingthe registration of my domain name on theInternet) and it is costing me $50 per monthfor maintaining the site (that includes a goodlevel of storage email traffic and the right toupdate whenever I like) - so it really isnrsquot tooexpensive a service As part of the setup costsa rep from Spirit came and helped my set upTIP email and FTP connections on mymachine Because of my newness to thisprocess I fired lots of questions (includingquite a few dumb ones) at them by email orphone in the first couple of weeks - I have tosay that they have been very patient and mosthelpful
I uploaded all the files by means of FTPand eureka it is working What a satisfyingfeeling to log on load up your browser andperuse a site that is all your own work Apartfrom a few faulty links (the result of incorrectentry on my part) everything was working fineimmediately and I have already added threelots of updates without difficulty
Marketing and Indexing the SiteWhen I was involved in EdRev I sent outapprox 600 emails to schools educationalagencies etc in the hope of winning somesubscribers For all that effort we got 2subscribers
I believe that one of the keys to the Internetis harnessing the power of the various searchprograms or Web Indexes by listing your sitewith them and doing whatever you need to doto ensure that your site has a reasonably good
Diagram 2(continued next page)
16 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
chance of being detected What I want is thatif someone searches for a particular packageeg Encarta or NHL 97 then they will bedirected to my site Thus the key is for not justmy home page but for every separate reviewpage to be picked up by the various indexesMost users stick with the big ones - as far as Ican tell they are
Excite
Infoseek
Lycos
Alta Vista
Magellan (subset of Excite)
Yahoo
Hot Bot
Web Crawler
Web Surfer
If anyone out there can suggest any otherlsquopopular onesrsquo please tell me My experienceis that there are two categories of Index
1 Those that list your home page and thentrace all of the links to the home page and(over time) add all of the other pages inyour site This can take 3 or 4 weeks Theseinclude Alta Vista Lycos Yahoo and (Ithink) Excite and Yahoo
2 Those that will only list the URL you haveentered eg Infoseek and Web Crawler
Thus I have taken two approaches Withcategory 1 eg Excite I have added just thehome page to the index although each time Ido an update I add the URL of what I estimatewill be the most popular choice for that weekto Excite and Hot Bot - thus increasing thelikelihood of my site appearing on thesesindexes in the short term Alta Vista Yahooand Lycos all actively discourage this process- but I will see whether the review pages ofmy sites are being picked up before I passjudgement on this
In the case of Infoseek and Web Crawler Ientered every single URL for all the pages inmy site (about 130 to begin with) - and everytime I do an update I add the URLs for thenew pages to these indexes It is timeconsuming but I believe that it is worth it Iam starting to get traffic to the site from allover the world but it is too early to tell howsuccessful my efforts have been
WebSurfer required a payment of $350(US) to be included - I wonder how long itwill be before this trend catches on with theothers At the bank I discovered that it wouldcost me $10 - to get a cheque drawn in USdollars - so the process cost me about $15
dollars And they wonder why Australia is notcompetitive on the international scene WhileI am grizzling about banks let me alsocomment that for every client that pays me bycheque in US dollars or pounds sterling it willcost me $5 to convert that cheque to Australiandollars The trick is of course to encouragepayment by credit card but I have not foundany of the banks I have spoken to so far to beparticularly eager to allow a small untriedbusiness like this to offer credit card facilitiesAre there any banks out there that encourageAustralians to transact internationalbusiness
There are a number of providers that offer(for a fee) to list you with lsquo100 Web indexesrsquoetc but since I figure that most people onlyuse the most popular ones I havenrsquot botheredwith them
Final CommentBasically it is now a matter of wait and seewhat the response is as well as ensure that thesite is visible on the various Web indexes Thewhole process has certainly been much easierthan I expected and I can certainly recommendCorelrsquos Web Graphics suite as a good way forbeginners to get a page up on the Internet witha minimum of fuss and bother Letrsquos hope thatthe subscribers start rolling in
Nick Thomson is a management trainerconsultant and he is also the manager ofInfoRom a CD-ROM review and onlinesupport service on the Internet He can becontacted on 241 3239
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 17
A review by Alan Tebb
ldquoWhat is the name of the worldrsquos mosttattooed womanrdquo (See the answer at theend of this article)
I remember buying a copy of theGuinness Book of Records in 1979and thinking it contained the mostfascinating collection of trivial facts
and figures I had ever read Over the yearsthe book settled the occasional dinnerargument that strayed into the realm of ldquowhowas the tallest man everrdquo or ldquohow longwere the longest finger nails ever grownrdquoIt was like having the sideshow bearded ladyand the tattooed man between covers on thebookshelf every page was filled with thebizarre the freakish the unbelievable
But to be fair the Guinness Book ofRecords is more than a collection of thecurious or unusual In the month since Ibegan this review I have noticed the TV andthe newspapers have on three occasionscovered attempts to break Guinness records
Perhaps the Guinness record book fulfillsthat need in human beings to challenge theirenvironment do things that no other humanhas done before to better the incredible featsof others or to be just plain crazy Whateverthe motivation the drive to be a part ofGuinness historyndashif only for as long as arecord holdsndashis as popular now as when thewhole thing began in 1955
So naturally I was very interested to seewhat Grolier had done to make the GuinnessBook of Records a multimedia CD I wasnrsquotdisappointed Like its hardcover cousin theGuinness Multimedia Disc of Recordscontains the same extensive collection ofrecords plus a library of amazing film clipsand photographs you simply wonrsquot findanywhere else on CD
The opening interface looks like acollection of pub drink coasters It has eightpaths allowing the user to browse recordsgo straight to an index of all photographsview movie clips search by words search
1995 GuinnessMultimediaDisc of Records
by topics search by superlatives run theRandom Record Explorer or play the GuessWhat quiz
The record browser lists almost 15000records in alphabetical order and is the leasteffective way of finding your way aroundthe CD The Guinness Multimedia Disc ofRecords excels in its ability to search itsdatabase of records using some innovativeoptions The usual Boolean choices areavailable or you can have fun searching bysuperlatives such as ldquotallestrdquo or ldquoheaviestrdquoThe CD will then list all the records thatinclude the chosen adjective The otheralternative is to search through topic treesthat branch out from a few key subjects allthe way to individual records an approachoften seen in CD encyclopaedias
The disc contains over 1000photographs from the Guinness collectionincluding what must be considered some ofthe most unusual and fascinating picturesassembled in one publication The majorityof photos and videos are very high in qualityand in the case of the photos these can beprinted
My only disappointment with theGuinness Multimedia Disc of Records is thefact that it did not have a country specificsupplement The thing I liked most aboutmy 1979 hard copy version was the 30 pagesof Australia-only records at the back Evenso the multimedia version is every bit asentertaining interesting and informative asI had hoped it would be With the addedadvantage of film clips sound and greatsearch capabilities I think it is better thanthe hard copy version Now if I can onlyremember some of those unusual facts andfigures I might be a much better TrivialPursuit player
System RequirementsA 486DX processor running at 33MHz orfaster using Windows 31 or rsquo95 4 Mb ofRAM 6Mb hard disk space CD-ROMcapable of 300Kbsec or higher transfer rateand a sound card The video uses Quicktimefor Windows 20 (supplied with theproduct)
The worldrsquos most decorated woman is stripartiste Krystyne Kolorful born 5 December1952 in Alberta Canada Her body is 95percent covered and it took ten years tocomplete the work
18 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
T his comprehensive set ofpowerful drawing and photo-editing tools fills a niche for thehome or small business users
who are looking for an easy-to-use graphicspackage to create greeting cards certificatesbanners business forms signs and calendarsetc and at the same time have the capacityto scan their own photographs touch themup and add special effects or create bitmapimages using the painting tools
While both MS Publisher 97 (which Ireviewed in the March 1997 issue) and PrintHouse have some similarities and overlapin the production of greeting cards bannerscalendars menus etc this program con-centrates on the production of qualitygraphics and photographic enhancementwhile MS Publisher97 was more orientedtowards Desk Top Publishing and has nophotographic enhancement program
Corel Print amp Photo House lives up toits claim for simplicity with a friendlywizard-based interface that anyone can usewithout training It includes more than 1600ready-to-print sample files (700 of whichare cards 1000 photos 1000 phrases 150TrueType fonts 7000 clipart images 200backdrops and 70 intelligent borders andtemplates and a well-illustrated manualwhich includes a catalogue containingcollections of the clipart fonts bordersbackdrops phrases and photos on theCDROM At a loss for the appropriatewords to include The comprehensive listof phrases should meet almost everyconceivable need
Installation is simple and the programproved fully compatible with my LogitechColour scanner and DSV Graphics DisplayAccelerator
There is a key that opens a key page thatin turn displays help topics to assist withthe task in hand using cue cards The topicsopened by the key are determined by the toolin use or the object currently selected Eachcard contains an instruction and after eachstep is completed a new card displays
Wizards are available to walk usersthrough any task such as changing the colourof an object or adding shadows to text Thereis an on-screen Notebook to help guide usersthrough various operations such as how toapply effects choose a paint brush or accessthe photo collection It also provides easyand visible access to clipart bordersbackdrops and preset styles that can bedragged and dropped into designs
You can customise a project withpowerful drawing tools and flip rotate orscale any text or graphic
The vector graphics and text are fullyeditable and can be flipped rotated re-sizedungrouped and fully customised by bothcolour and shape
The Toolbars and layout will be familiarto Corel Draw users they are intuitive andperform similar functions Figure 3 showsthe Notebook to the left of the verticaltoolbar showing what you would like to donext This Notebook provides convenienton-screen context-sensitive help and guidesusers through various operations such ashow to apply effects choose a paint brushor access a photo collection It also provideseasy and visible access to clipart bordersbackdrops and preset styles that can bedragged and dropped into designs To add acatalogue item you can drag it from theNotebook and drop it into the appropriatepart of your design
One particularly neat feature is theability to save pieces of your own creationfor later use in a section called theScrapbook so that you can add it to futureprojects
Reviewed by Jim Hume
Figure 1
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 19
The Photo House was particularlyimpressive both for the ease of use and itsversatility It took just over ten minutes torepair the damage to the print in Figure 2with the result shown in Figure 3 It alsoincludes a Notebook that provides on screenhelp to guide users For touching upphotographs there are Tools for selectionRectangle Freehand Eyedropper EraserFlood Fill Paintbrush Spray Can and Clonetools There are seven different touch-upeffects including Sharpen BrightnessContrast Remove Dust and ScratchesReduce speckles Simplify colours removered-eyes and Change Colours which provide
users with everything they are likely to needto spruce up or enhance photographs
Finally they provide a touch of fun withspecial effects-Page Curl Emboss SwirlCustom Negative Vignette Motion blurAdd light source Psychedelic Ripple
texture Impress-ionist and SketchThe photo editingpossibilities arealmost endlessFigure 4 showsthe special effectspicture a crownconverted top s y c h e d e l i cformat
Figure 2
Figure 3
Apart from serious use this program willalso provide a lot of fun for all ages andsome may be carried away with over-use ofthe graphics If only to emphasise the needto keep the design simple so that readers getthe message immediately the manual wouldbenefit from a Chapter covering theprinciples of good design similar to that inthe Publisher97 Companion or at least a listof recommended reading
There is an uninstall feature whichallows the ready removal of the program
System RequirementsMinimum System requirements IBM PC486 DX or compatible Windows95 orWindows Nt 351 a CD-ROM drive a VGAcardmonitor and a mouse or tabletWindows users require 8MB of RAM andWindows NT 351 or later users will require12 MB or RAM Price - RRP $9900
Figure 4
20 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
So here we are - itrsquos about 930 amon a fine Sunday morning and Irsquomcruising along the 210 freewayeastbound from Pasadena on the
way to the computer marketplace atPomona The traffic is light moving freelydown the 6 lanes between 70 and 80 mph(forgive the non-metrics therersquos a lot ofcatching up to do here) The speed limit wasincreased from 55 to 65 mph after the oilcrisis was ldquooverrdquo and the highway patroltend to frown on anyone faster or slowerthan 65 to 80 The radio is tuned to K-Earth1011 ldquoOldiesrdquo radio (appropriate for me)the Big-O is extolling the virtues of PrettyWomen and all is right with the world
Irsquove done my homework the day beforeby visiting FRYrsquos Electronics in Burbank -a huge high-tech megastore with a computersection roughly the size of David JonesThey are generally in the lower range ofcomputer retail prices - so it is worth seeinghow they compare to values at the Pomonamarketplace
Some example of prices at FRYrsquos (forsome things I was thinking of buying) are
Tape Backup unitsIomega Ditto 2Gb - $150 (Aus $207 after825 CA sales tax and conversion at 1275)Connor 32Gb - $229 A$316HP Colorado 32Gb - $209 A$288
Parallel port TV camerasColour - $249 A$343 Greyscale- $110 A$151 [Saw them bymail order at $79 A$101 (notax)]
8Mb 72pin EDO SIMMs 70ns - $40 A$55 60ns (1 yearWarranty) - $35 A$48 60ns(Namebrand lifetime warranty) -$44 A$61
Sony Web TV(WWW + Email via your TV -No PC required) - $290 A$400
Back to Sunday and thehardest part of the trip is theU-turn into the LA County
fairgroundrsquos car park - there are 6 entrancelanes with only 2-3 cars in each so gettingto park is pretty painless except for the $5parking fee Ouch A dollar up since lasttime Then another shock to the wallet -entrance fee has increased from $7 to $8for adults (and no Seniors discount) So atotal of $13 A$18 before making it into thefirst hall A friend and I discussed theentrance price and concluded that it mightbe a cunning psychological plot - Itrsquos costso much to get this far that one should reallybuy plenty to make it all worthwhileEverybody wins organisers and dealers thatis But itrsquos certainly possible to recoup theentrance money with a purchase of aCDROM For example MS Encarta 97 wasgoing for $26 (A$36)
There is at least one and sometimes twocomputer shows somewhere in LA eachweekend but this I think this one is thebiggest It is held in two large halls(sometimes three) Each hall is capable ofeasily accommodating around 150 largishstands with 10-15 foot aisles Therersquos 4 or 5radio stations here - at least 2 broadcastingand the rest handing out various ldquofreebiesrdquowhile relaying their station overloudspeakers Add to that various spruikersshouting their wares (ldquoNo CDs over $5 onthis tablerdquo ldquoLowest motherboard prices atthe showrdquo) numerous ldquomultimediardquo demos
and a few thousand people trying to makethemselves heard It is pretty noisy
I checked with the organisers and theysaid that they average around 8000attendees per day - so up to 20000 over agood two day weekend show It surprisedme that is was that low as it can get reallycrowded (2 or 3 deep at some stands)
There were over 300 dealers that day -about average However every 2-3 monthsthe organisers run 20-30 short seminars inconjunction with the market at the Sheratonsuites on the fairground complex On thoseoccasions the attendance at the marketincreases by 30 or more
So why do people keep coming back tothese shows Are the prices so much betterHere are a few examples
Complete ldquobasicrdquo system166 Mhz 6x86 Triton VX MB PnP bios256 Kb Cache 16 Mb EDO RAM 16 GbEIDE HDD 8X EIDE CDROM PCISVGA 64 bit with 2 Mb MPEG Yamaha3D Wavetable sound card poweredspeakers 336 Fax modem with Voice
mail SVGA 15 Digital NI28 monitor mousekeyboard floppy drive etcWin95 Installed with manualamp CD $969 A$1337 for thelot
MotherboardsIntel VX chip set with all IO256 Kb Cache - $84 A$116Intel HX chip set 512K -$110 A$152 CheapestPentium MB I saw (Optichip set) - $65 A$90
Wish You Were HereSixteen Bits foriegn correspondent John Saxonchecks in from Pasadena California
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 21
Tyan Tomcat 3 with 512K - $145 (the oneI paid $220 for 4 months ago - Oh wellthatrsquos life at the bleeding edge)
RAM8Mb 60ns EDO - $35 A$48 (Brand name$2 more) 16Mb 60ns EDO - $74 A$102
CPUsPentium Pro 150 Mhz - $179 A$247Pentium MMX 200 Mhz - $538 A$742(prediction - $300 by Dec 97)
CDROM Drives6X - $55 A$76 (Untested - as is)X12 Acer - $100 A$138X2 7 disk changer - $50 A$69(Untested - as is)JVC X4 read X2 write - $259A$357X16 (LiteOn = no name Nicebox) - $108 A$149
HDDsWD Caviar 25 Gb - $225 A$311Maxstor 13 Gb - $170 A$234
ModemsUS Robotics Courier 56 Kbs +Voice - $163 A$225 No name 336Kbs + SVDS - $67 A$92 (and goingdown)
Odd stuff2 Mb VGA cards as low as $45 A$62Cheapest parallel port flatbed scanner -$203 A$280
Stocking stuffers 230 Watt powersupplies - $17 A$23IDE HDD mobile rack with lock - $12A$17 TEAC 144 MbFDD - $20 A$28
The only direct comparison with FRYrsquosprices was for the HP 32 Gb tape backupunit - $209 at FRYrsquos - $149 at the marketSo it can definitely be worth the trip BUTsome of the dealers may not be around toolong to honour warranties and there aresome definitely ldquoshonkyrdquo practices goingon An example is the almost universalpractice of breaking up CDROM ldquobundlesrdquoto sell separately a practice much frownedupon by OEMs Caveat Emptor
So what was hot or different at thismarketplace
Well the new ATX format motherboardsand cases seemed to be selling well Forthose who donrsquot know - ATX is the new
mechanical layout with some electricalimprovements agreed by the major man-ufacturers (the first major mechanicalchange since the original PC) The mostobvious difference in the new motherboardsis on-board connectors (including USB andIR) and externally removable panels on thecases (you need a new case and Powersupply with the new motherboards) Butthere are many more changes infunctionality including ldquogreenrdquo systemPower supply control - never turn the system
off (except by unplugging it) Boards were$150 A$207 and up and cases with PSUsaround $75 A$104
Recordable CDROM drives were sellingwell with media down to $8 A$11 Didnrsquotsee any of the new DVD CD-ROM drivesbut these shows are not generally ldquocuttingedgerdquo more concentration on lower (slightlytrailing edge) prices
But I tried on a great pair of LCD 3Dglasses with modified game software - veryimpressive results The glasses switch 48times per sec (some noticeable flicker) andcome with a CDROM which include driversand some modified ldquoshoot-em-uprdquo gamesDescent 3D Nukem Doom etc for a totalof $99 A$137 The same stand also sold a4MB 128 bit Video card with hardwareMPEG2 decompression for $159 A$219Terminator-2 at full screen and full ratelooking better than your average TV
I even saw a $999 A$1378 home-use2-axis VR - that is Virtual Reality - chaircontrolled by the joystick It is quite quiet(as far as I could tell in amongst the racket)and apparently air driven with 50 degreesmovement in pitch and 55 degrees in roll
The monitor mounts in front of your kneesand the keyboard (for an optional operator -or simulation controller) behind the seatback There were speakers and joystick builtin also It seemed to be very fast and wasquite nauseating to watch Combine thiswith the 3D glasses for a total experience(if your stomach could take it)
There are probably more software thanhardware stands with CDROMs from $199up to $199 A$275 for Office 97 Pro upgrade(probably another unbundling job) Also 3
or 4 book stores - selling at coverprice less 25 for one book to coverprice less 35 for 5 or more books
Not all the stands are totallycomputer oriented There are a fairsprinkling of chiropractors (on thespot diagnosis) ldquoself defenserdquostands (mace amp pepper sprayselectric stun guns and (strangely)large knives) Cell phones pagerscigars and jewelry etc - you nameit A pretty large curtained off area(over 21 only) had several dealersselling thousands of ldquoadultrdquoCDROMs and videos A nice
change from the ldquooldrdquo days when that stuffwas included on most stands One of theradio stations was giving out ldquoEarthquakepreparationrdquo leaflets - modern times in LA
What did I buy Well - very restrainedfor me Only 16 Mb (2 X 8 Mb EDOSIMMs) of RAM - name brand (Toshiba) at$38 (A$52) each Also an HP Deskjetprinter colour refill kit At $55 (A$76) it waspretty expensive but it is supposed to refillcolour cartridges up to 24 times and B ampW up to 6 times so it could well be worth it- came with a package of business card paper(my choice parchment) also Oh and a W95or 31 Wincheck Version 40 softwarepackage at $1495 A$21 - I couldnrsquot resist
So after 2 12 hours I had taken a quickcheck around all the stands with no repeatsand I was out of there - all computered out(at least for one day) Irsquove been to that showat least 6 to 8 times before plus othersaround LA and I still get a mild adrenalinerush when going in - calculated to causeshopping frenzy
22 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Confused aboutYoursquore not alone
By Nhan Tran
Getting onto the InternetYoursquove heard about the informationsuperhighway and you want to know moreYour kids want to get on the Internet butyou donrsquot know how to give them a driveYou have been using the Internet but whenyou asked for help you could not explainyour problems to the experts This article(or maybe a series of articles) gives you thewhole picture and some explanation on thevehicle you use to get on the superhighway
The SuperhighwayThe Internet is a complex (and sometimesconvoluted) network of superhighways Theroads may be a six-lane freeway a four-lanehighway a side street or even a narrow alleyThey may be on the ground above groundunderground at the bottom of the seas orflying high with the satellites in space
On top of that you donrsquot actually driveyour car It is driven by an automatic driverwhich is nearly blind and canrsquot see fartherthan the next turn It is weird It is unnaturalwhich may be the reason why it works andthe other ldquowell-designedrdquo networks failedThe whole network is based on the conceptof ldquobest effortsrdquo That is the robot driverswould try their best but not guarantee thatthey would take you to the destination
They try to find the best route for you Itmeans that if the road is too congested theymay make a U-turn get off the freeway andcrawl through a labyrinth of cat alleys Theroads are like the real ones sometimes thereis almost no traffic at all other times theylook like a huge car park The matter getsworse when you take into account of thedifferent timezones around the world Oneorsquoclock in Australia may be the rush hourin another country and if you want to getinformation from there you get caught inthe traffic
Because of these characteristicssomeone (I think it was Mitch Kapor thespreadsheet inventor) has made a comment
like ldquothe information superhighway is a ten-lane freeway in one direction and an ox-cart path in the otherrdquo
But if you can go to where you wantwould you care I donrsquot I treat the wholenetwork like a fuzzy cloud that magicallygives me the new freedom the newcommunity and the new set of problems
The Highway RampSo how do you get on this super highwayThere are places which are connected to thehighway network on one side and entrancesfor you to enter on the other They are calledservers Normally what you see on theInternet is what is stored at these serversbecause most people like you donrsquot wantstrangers to access your PC (I wouldnrsquot leta stranger into my house) Luckily there aremany servers with many goodies to look ator play with
Getting onto these servers is not easyYou use a modem connected to a phone lineto call the modem on the server When theserver modem answers the call they wouldstart the process of synchronisation Toomany standards and too many brands If youare unlucky your modem may refuse to talkto the other modem and you would spendhours of frustration and get a huge phonebill
The high pitch tone you hear from themodem is this process When both modemssatisfy that they can reliably talk to eachother the noise stops Then itrsquos the butlerrsquosturn
The ButlerThere is a very important program for yourInternet access It is a program that asks the
modem to make the call to the server andwhen connected requests a login on yourbehalf to the server
What is a login You come to a friendrsquosplace knock the door or ring the bellSomeone in the house would ask ldquowho isthererdquo and yoursquod say ldquoitrsquos just merdquo Yourfriend recognises your voice opens the doorand let you in If you work in a securedenvironment every morning when you enterthe building you would show your ID cardto the security guard
Your username (or user ID or login ID)and your password are equivalent to the IDcard If you get the dreaded ldquoaccess deniedrdquoit means (a) you (or the program that doeson your behalf) entered incorrect username(b) you entered wrong password or (c) youran out of access hours or the accessexpired or your PCUG membership
expiredThis program is
always there rendashgardless of how youstart your Internetsession Some
access the Internet by Eudora some byMicrosoft Internet Explorer some useNetscape They either have a built-inprogram to do this job or automatically callthis program to make the connection Evenif you donrsquot see it on the screen it is runningin the background The popular PC prondashgrams that can do this task are TrumpetWinsock (or TCPMAN) Shiva Chameleonor Dial-up Networking Connect etc
Once the connection is established thisprogram will take on the task of a butlerserving other programs Letrsquos look at thefollowing analogy
Letrsquos assume that you (or to be precisethe PC programs such as Eudora MSInternet Explorer Netscape etc) were aninvalid confined in a room You would needa butler to help you getting things outside
ldquoThe roads may be a six-lane freeway a four-lanehighway a side street or even a narrow alleyrdquo
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 23
the Internet
the room When you (Eudora InternetMail Netscape Mail) wanted to checkyour mail yoursquod ask the butler to checkthe letter box and bring letters to yourbed When you wanted to send lettersto friends or relative yoursquod ask thebutler to take it to the post office
When you (Free Agent InternetNews Netscape News) wanted to readnewspaper yoursquod ask the butler to goto the newsagent and buy newspaper foryou When you (Internet ExplorerNetscape Opera) wanted a book or avideo yoursquod ask the butler to buy suchand such books or videos for you
It is so important that without it youcanrsquot get anything f rom thesuperhighway So if you started yoursession from Trumpet Winsock whenthe connection has been made (ie whenyou see the message ldquoMy IP address is2031076xxxrdquo) donrsquot close or exit theprogram Minimise it and let it run inthe background so that it can serve otherprograms Otherwise you would getstrange and incomprehensible errormessage such as ldquowinsockdll missingrdquo(trust a programmer to tell you whatrsquoswrong in the program he or she wrote)
Thatrsquos enough for the boring stuffNext t ime wersquo l l ta lk about emai l(eletronic mail) news World Wide Web(if the Queen is doing it so why canrsquotwe) and other mysteries of the Internet
Internet Clinics are normally held at the PCUG Centre Northpoint PlazaBelconnen the first Saturday of each month 930am to 1pm There is nocost involved
So if you (or another PCUG member you know of) are having problemsyou (or they) will be welcome to attend It is suggested that you call thePCUG Centre on the day and check with the staffer that we are notoverloaded before coming along
To get a problem on your PC resolved it is essential that you bring all ofthe following items with you
bull PC and Monitor plus all interconnecting cables
bull Mouse
bull Keyboard
bull Modem
bull Modem power supply
bull Modem cables - from PC to modemand from modem to telephone socket
bull Modem and PC manuals amp documentation
bull All of your software disks -
ie Win31 or Windows95 disksCD
If you dont have a PC to fix but you want to get some guidance on someparticular aspect of using TIP please feel free to come along and simplytalk to us
Clinics are not a free softwaremodem installation service We do expectyou to have made a reasonable attempt at getting the software installed ampworking
David Schwabe dschwabepcugorgau
The Internet Clinic
24 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
A t the start of this year I startedto get interested again in an oldheroine from days of misspentyouth in the rsquo70s New York
underground poet-turned-singer Patti Smithldquothe Bob Dylan of the punk scenerdquoThought Irsquod see whether there was anythingon the Web and found anexcellent site at httpwwwoceanstarcompatti Tomy astonishment I found thatshe was in Australia on her firstmajor tour anywhere in years mainly for theBig Day Out outdoor concerts
I had heard of the Big Day Out tour viaTriple J but this was the first Irsquod heard ofher being on the bill After seeing other re-formed punk heroes Radio Birdman and theSex Pistols in 1996 was it possible I couldmake the trifecta Alas the Sydney eventhad been booked out for two weeks
Via the JJJ Web site httpwwwabcnetautriplejdefaulthtm I found theBig Day Out Web site httpstarbaitbdocomaustarbaitbdo and loand behold they were having live conndashnections to the Melbourne concert on the25th January via the Internet with the
assistance of a US-based organisation calledThe Campus (wwwthecampuscom) If Icouldnrsquot be there in Sydney to see Patti inperson this would be as close as I couldget In addition I had always seemed to findout about real-time events on the Web justafter theyrsquod occurred and here at least wasan opportunity to be in at the start it wouldbe an interesting technical exercise ifnothing else
First choice was browser InternetExplorer 3 or Netscape Navigator 3 I gatherIrsquom not unlike many in having been initiallybowled over with IE3 then finding that itwas less robust and in particular made fargreater demands on temporary storage thanNetscape With little free disk space and
being about to try all sortsof new things I decided toplay safe and use Navigator
The Big Day Out Website (figure 1) was well done
and looked great including animatedgraphics and good use of frames but wasif anything as the British say ldquotoo cleverby halfrdquo For example you selected optionsvia a Shockwave animation of ducks in ashooting gallery click the mouse on a duckwhen an alternative was highlighted yoursquodhear a BANG the duck would flop overbackwards and yoursquod be off to that optionVery cute very clever and very slow andfrustrating for actually going anywhere Inaddition it appeared that when you went tosome pages they called up some trick Javacode which brought up Netscape sessionsin what looked like Kiosk mode no menusLooked neat but again a nuisance The sitehad its own mascot a sort of anime-stylekick-boxing heroine called Miss Starbait (Iassume a risque in-joke try saying the namequickly)
Once you got to it the information wasthorough and well laid out A list of artistsincluded links for those who had Web pagesThere was a page on the Auckland concert(first in the series) with photos etc For eachcity on the tour the site had links to maps ofthe venues and also timetables I foundfrom this that in Melbourne Patti Smithwould be on Stage C 540 PM for an hour
There were two main components to theInternet part of the day a Real Audio feedwith both backstage comments and the
via the Internet or -the boy looked at PattiO
BDig
ayut
by Malcolm Street
Figure 1
This is the era where everybody createsPatti Smith - ldquoSo you want to be a Rock n Roll Starrdquo 1979
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 25
stage and a new form of conferencingsoftware called The Palace where artistswould come for QampA sessions with fansIrsquod experimented with Real Audio but notto any great depth and had never even heardof Palace and I had to get this all togetherin a day Fortunately there were direct linkson the Big Day Out Web site
While I had a Real Audio stand-aloneplayer one page on the site came up with ablank expecting a Real Audio plug-in Ontothe Net to the Real Audio page todownload Real Audio player version 3Install restart Navigator back to the pageand voila A Real Audio control in themiddle of a Web page Painless
Then to work out which ISP to useUnfortunately the weekend was the onebefore the ldquoearly birdrdquo credits expired forTIP and I presume because of this it wasalmost impossible to get on One time whenI did get on I tested the Real Audiobackstage feed from Melbourne and foundI was only getting a 144k stream and poorquality at that I had a second backupaccount with Access One with a higherspeed (and far more expensive) networkand found that I could get a stable 288kReal Audio stream so that was going to be
what Irsquod have to use Not to mention thatthe time Patti Smith would be on would bepeak time anyway
Next step was to find Palace again viaa direct link from the BDO page to httpwwwthepalacecom I had used forms of
3D interactive software but Palace wasdifferent much simpler just 2D backndashgrounds Really a sort of IRC withbackdrops and sound effects For the BigDay Out the organisers had produced theirown backgrounds and sounds and I had todownload those as well from their siteHowever there were no instructions on howto set them up so it ended up being trialand error until I got it to work puttingimages and sounds in separate subdirndashectories under the Palace directory
Finally I had Palace running with the BigDay Out backdrops and found myselfoutside a circus tent which included livelinks to the Big Day Out and Campus Webpages (figure 2) Moving ldquoinsiderdquo the tentgot me to an area where I could don aparticular costume however choices werelimited for non-registered users andappeared to reset so I had to be content withthe default avatar a soft of sphere with aface on it (figure 3)
Finally there was the conference tentitself guarded by a fearsome lookingdoorman who asked for a passwordClicking on his lady companion told you tolook in the log Once Irsquod figured out howto do that I found it ldquomama cazrdquo Typedthat in response to the doorman and whoafound myself in this psychedelic room whichwas to be the conference area (figure 4)
Figure 3
Figure 2
26 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
I knew when Patti Smith was going tobe on stage what I didnrsquot know was whenshersquod be in conference in the Palace I waslistening to the back stage chatter via RealAudio this time more organised as Campuswas acting as ldquoon line radio stationrdquobroadcasting to the USA ldquoAustraliarsquosLollapolloozardquo and in the middle of this Iheard them give times for different artistsbeing in the virtual tent with Patti Smithroughly 430 Problem solved
430 arrived Back on line into the tentanother band (Supergrass) being inndashterviewed The conference area is now fullof faces with a still photo of the band downthe bottom left-hand corner Irsquove had verylittle experience with IRC and this seemsvery similar hard to follow with variousthreads of conversation going on sindashmultaneously but I gradually tune in to itTherersquos a thread going about problemspeople are having with reliably picking upReal Audio - oh dear As well as a fewAustralians there are a couple of Americansin there and a South African Then see thatPatti Smith is about to come on And sureenough C 440 the picture changes and thereshe is
Unfortunately the session is a bit of ashambles Unlike the younger artists (sherecently turned 50) she does not appear tobe familiar with the technology andsomeone else is doing the typing for herslowing down and complicating exchangesSeems to be the passing of the torch - a bitof a fish out of water in the environment ofa younger generation The bass player ofher backing group had suffered concussion20 minutes before from a collision with arogue door hence her lateness Thingsfinally get under way (one person ldquoa fanfrom WAY backrdquo says ldquonot many questionsjust adorationrdquo I can relate to that) but justas itrsquos building up a head of steam she getsa long phone call (presumably about the bassplayer) and has to call it quits prematurely
Irsquoll just have to wait and see if theconcert is any better
Well the concert is indeed better In factwhen I can hear it clearly (see later) itrsquoswonderful She starts with an early poemroaring it out with authority then afterthanks to JJJ who are handling the broadcastto the Internet and to the absent bass player
launches into the concert proper a greatblend of old and new
The sound quality is to put it mildlyvariable It was much better in earlier gigsthat day with Australian bands but itappears to drop off markedly on this onePerhaps too many people on at onceAmerican fans connecting in to hear one ofher first big shows in years Checking withstatistics in Real Audio shows theconnection approaching 20 loss in someearly songs leaving a very jerky soundFortunately it improves later with lossesdown to around 4 and sound quiteacceptable (People dropping out infrustration) However later on a fewoccasions the sound drops out completelyand I have to wait while it restarts somendashtimes for a couple of minutes
Then just as the concert comes to ashattering climax heading into one of myfavourite songs of hers a demolition of VanMorisonrsquos Gloria the Real Audio feed goesfor me at least dead Stone cold dead It islike the other times when it has dropped outbut this time it wonrsquot recover BummerAfter several minutes I can get the feedagain but just get an empty stage waitingfor the next band
So that was it a frustrating end to afrustrating but fascinating day At best thesound quality was am radio standards Butthen again these are very early days and Ican remember worse am radio sounds ontransistor radios as a kid in the lsquo60rsquos Avideo feed would have been real nice butone thing that is obvious from this exerciseis that live audio let alone live video ispushing current Internet technology to itslimits and beyond with a large numbers ofsimultaneous users in a function like thisSo as with so much on the Net wersquore seeingthe first glimpses of something that will takeanother generation of technology to becomepractical But hey this is the world of theNet and another generation could be onlysix months away
Later that night I connect to the Palacesite again and find a note at the tent to sayit was all over and to check up next week Ido indeed and they reckon over 100000people worldwide connected to the site thatone day and that the live broadcast of PattiSmithrsquos complete concert was a world firstApart from catching up with an old idol Irsquodseen a glimpse of a communications futureof being part of an event shared interactivelylive world-wide yet another step towardsthe Global Village
Figure 4
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 27
Stuffed AgainThe following members and friendsare thanked for assisting with stuffingour journal for mailing
Andrew amp Bruce Bartlett
Bruce Black
Owen Cook
Eddie de Bear
John Dyer
Bob Ecclestone
Rufus Garcia
Sally Hammon
John Hempenstall
Joy Hewett
Sue amp Jim Hume
Jenny Laraman
Alan Lockett
David Meggs
Allan Mikkelsen
Don Nicol
Gloria Robbins
Keith Sayers
Rod Smith
John Starr
Bob Summersby
Michael Taylor
Gordon Urquhart
Anne WarrenerWe are always looking for volunteersto assist us with the lsquostuffingrsquo of ourjournal We start around 530pm(latecomers are welcome) usually on the2nd last Monday of every month andare generally finished by 800pmRefreshments are provided and any ofyour knotty computer problems can bedebated lsquoat the round tablersquo in congenialcompany If you would like to helpplease ring Petra Dwyer at the PCUGCentre on 253 4911 and she will fill youin on all the details
Next Stuffing530pm Monday 19 May 1997at Northpoint Plaza Belconnen
(see map page 6)
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Oz User GroupsAdelaide PC Users GroupPO Box 2541Kent Town SA 5071(08) 332-7021Margi McLeay (Sec)Meet 730pm 3rd Tuesday of themonth at Enterprise House 136Greenhill Road Unley Visitors $5
Brisbane PC Users Group(Brisbug)PO Box 985Toowong QLD 4066(07) 3273 7266 Info Line(07) 3281 6503Lloyd Smith (Pres)Meet 12 noon 3rd Sunday of themonth at Bardon Professional Cntr
Darwin ComputerUsers ClubGary Drake (Vice President)(089) 324 107 h(089) 450 091 wEmail acsntacslinknetau
Melbourne PC User Group2nd Floor 66 Albert RoadSouth Melbourne VIC 3205(03) 9699 6222 10am - 330pm(03) 9699 6499 FaxEmail officemelbpcorgauHome Page httpwwwmelbpcorgauMeet 6pm 1st Wednesday of themonth (except Jan) at PharmacyCollege 381 Royal Parade Parkville
Perth PC Users GroupPO Box 997West Perth WA 6872(09) 399 7264 Trevor Davis (Pres)Meet 600pm 1st Wednesday of themonth at Ross Lecture TheatrePhysics Building University of WANedlands
Sydney PC Users GroupPO Box A2162Sydney South NSW 2000(02) 972 2133 Michelle DonaldMeet 6pm 1st Tuesday of the monthat main auditorium TeachersFederation 300 Sussex StreetSydney
28 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Features include fun animation sound effectsand a high-score listing Reg Fee $15
COMET13Comet Busters 13 is an incredible high-speedarcade game for WIN31 You must clear thecolourful asteroids and occasional alienspacecraft from the screen before you canproceed to the next deadly level This gamefeatures beautiful 256-colour ray-tracedgraphics and digital sound effects Reg Fee $9
HMN32V11Hangman (BB) 111 is a word-guessing gamefor Win95 that can help grade school-agechildren improve their vocabulary andspelling Features include an editable wordlist the ability to include definitions with eachword mouse or keyboard input and moreRequires the 32-bit VB runtime files Reg Fee$5
PDHP97SUPrairie Dog Hunt PRO rsquo97is a shooting gamefor Windows that allows you to participate inthe wholesale slaughter of harmless mammalswithout all the mess Features include 360
LIBRARY Phil Trudinger
The files described in this article are on theMarch 1997 CD-ROM (PsL Vol 5 3) whichis currently on the Bulletin Board all are ZIPfiles Please quote the month or Vol whenordering files on disk
The text files CD1 to 7 inclusive in Area 1 ofthe Bulletin Board are the monthly CD-ROMfile lists
Reminder
Most CD-ROM programs are Shareware Areasonable time (generally one month) isallowed for evaluation but if you continue touse a program beyond this time you shouldcomply with the authorrsquos conditions thatusually require payment of a registration feeBear in mind that this is the only way by whichan author receives any reward for hisherefforts Unless otherwise stated registrationfees are in US dollars
NEW AND UPDATEDWINDOWS PROGRAMS
(An asterisk denotes Windows 95specificity or compatibility)
GAMES
AGNSETUPAGNS - A Game of Naval Strategy 162 is agame of naval warfare for Windows whereyour objective is to sink the computerrsquos unitsor capture his main base Each turn consistsof a plot movement phase air combat phasemovement and combat phase air strike returnphase and a repairbuild phase Thissequence is repeated until one side claimsvictory Reg Fee $15
BG17Backgammon by George 17 is an excellentgame of backgammon for Windows You canplay against the computer (with four differentskill levels) or against a human opponentOther features include the ability to saverecall games many unique customisingoptions computer-suggested moves andmore Reg Fee $15
BNW10ABuild lsquon Win 10a is an interesting strategicgame for Windows where two players buildtheir opponentrsquos game boards and try to makethem as difficult as possible to complete
degree scrolling scenery excellent animationdigitised sound effects multiple skill levelsand a high-score hall of fame Reg Fee $20
SANWHRTSSanDearsquos Hearts for Windows 100 allowsyou to play the classic card game Hearts inWindows Features include support for up to12 computer players modem play the abilityto create a hand an undo option the ability tosave and rotate a hand and more Reg Fee$10
TILES95BTiles and Tribulations 152 is a challenginggame for Win95 where you try to catch fallingcoloured tiles and drop them into bins in alogical manner Any three (or more) tiles ofthe same colour in bins going horizontallyvertically or diagonally will be removed andincrease your score Reg Fee $22
GRAPHICS
CPLAY2Childrsquos Play IIis a 256-colour paint programfor children It occupies the full screen to help
SOFTWARE
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 29
prevent the child from going to other applic-ations Features include unique graphicspecial effects rubber stamps various screenerasers fun sound effects the ability to loadsaveprint images and more This is anexcellent program with many creative optionsto keep the little ones busy for hours Reg Fee$20-$25
GIFCON32GIF Construction Set 95 109 is a powerfulcollection of tools to work with multiple-block GIF files in Win95 It will allow you toassemble GIF files containing image blocksplain text blocks comment blocks and controlblocks and provides facilities to managepalettes and merge multiple GIF files togetherRequires a minimum of 4MB RAM but 8MBis recommended Reg Fee $20
ICN95525Icons Control 95 525 displays up to 100icons at a time for quick viewing printingcopying renaming moving or deleting Apowerful icon editor is also providedRequires Win95 Reg Fee $25
SD95INSTSmartDraw 95 30 is a powerful drawingprogram for Win95 It allows you to easilycreate great looking flowcharts diagrams andbusiness graphics Features include drag anddrop drawing OLE support full compatibil-ity between 16 and 32-bit versions filesharing the ability to send drawings on mail-enabled systems and much moreSDINSTALis the Win31 version Reg Fee $49
FONTS
FLFontLister (32-bit) 15 displays all installedfonts in Win95 You can also print a completefont listing or just some sample text with aselected font Reg Fee $0
FONTSHOWFontShow (32-bit) 22 allows you easily toview the TrueType fonts installed in Win95NT Options are included to display user-specified sample text in place of the normalfont name and alphanumeric character setThe size and face of the currently selectedfont can be quickly changed and the resultsdisplayed automatically Reg Fee $0
FONTW11FontWindow 11 displays all your Windowsfonts on screen so you can quickly see whichfont you want to use It can be set to stay ontop so you can view fonts while running otherprograms Reg Fee $29-$39
SERIFRACSeriFractions is a TrueType font that has a fullset of diagonal and vertical fractions for 12through 89 and also 16ths and 32nds It alsohas a partial set of mathematical symbolsincluding the true multiplication (x) symbolReg Fee $10
SYMSELSymbol Selector 11 allows you to easilyselect and copy symbols from TrueType fonts
that are of the ldquosymbolrdquo variety (such asWingdings and Symbols) to the WindowsClipboard Reg Fee $0
INTERNET
ADZAP10AdZapper 10 is an add-on for NetscapeNavigator to ldquozaprdquo (eliminate) annoyingadvertisements Reg Fee $20
AWN95AutoWinNet95 10 lets you perform commonInternet tasks on a scheduled basis You cancreate an ldquoagendardquo with dozens of stepsincluding updownloading email retrievingand sending obtaining weather updates andmore Requires Win95 Reg Fee $30
GGI11Go-Get-It 110 performs exhaustive preciseand ultra-fast searches of the Internet using acombination of keyword search Usenetnewsgroups search and various searchengines Features include automatic retrievalof all found web pages and informationoptional storage in separate folders to be usedlater and more Reg Fee $40
MASNDW32MailSend (32-bit) 3x is an add-on forMicrosoft Mail and Win95 that allows you tosend messages from the command line orfrom batch files Reg Fee $49
ND276BNetDial 276b is an Internet dialler forWindows It will call your host log you inand automatically start your TCPIP packagefor you Features include support for up to 5separate configuration connections baud ratesupport to 256k redial up to 99 times WAVsound file support and more Reg Fee $20
PRO12Teleport Pro 120 is a multi-threaded file-retrieving offline-browsing webspider forWin95 It scans the Internet for files or sites ofinterest and downloads them to your harddrive for fast offline access Features includeadvanced file typesize matching keywordfilters the ability to handle proxy servers andpassword-protected sites automatic retriesand more Reg Fee $40
TRAW3215Trawler (32-BIT) 15 allows you to interact-ively browse and gather information from theWeb It automatically follows links andretrieves pages to your hard drive It can evenfollow links from different web databasessimultaneously Reg Fee $35
30 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
MISCELLANEOUS
CALC9534Calc95 34 is a scientificengineeringcalculator for Win95 with a wide range ofbuilt-in units conversions and physicalconstants Reg Fee $25
GL10DThe GL Store for Windows 10d is a completedouble-entry general ledger accountingprogram for Windows It maintains 10000 GLaccounts multiple companies budgets 3-Dcolour graphs recurring accounts multipledepartments and detailed reports Reg Fee $79
HBGHome Business Guide 30 is a Windows-based guide to starting a business from homeIt discusses selecting planning and startingyour own business and covers resourcestools and help available Reg Fee $0
TIMCLK13PC-TimeClock for Windows 13 keeps trackof time yoursquove spent on your computer Timeis charged to one or more projects from yourlist by ldquopunching inrdquo when you begin work oneach project Reg Fee $18
MUSIC
MT32_16A Musical Tutorial for Windows (32-bit) 160provides an excellent way to encouragemusical study using the graphically-orientedenvironment of Win95 This includes a chorddictionary musical games the ability to playview and print scales chords and triads a userlog and much more This is suitable for bothchildren and adults Reg Fee $25
SCALEIT4ScAleIt 40 is a musical scalecordeducational package for Windows It candisplay all the chords and scales with all rootsand all inversions Features include aneditable database the ability to play chordsscales through your sound card MIDIsupport a solving function and much more800x600 screen resolution is recommendedReg Fee $0
PHONEADDRESS BOOKS
AM_PB45Phone Book for Windows 45 is a nameaddress database for WIN31 Fields areprovided for name addresses two phonenumbers fax and comments Other featuresinclude phone dialling over a modemsearching capabilities printing options andmore Reg Fee $17
BAM211Burrilliant Address Manager 211 helpsorganise all of your phone numbers address-es birthdays account numbers and more inWin95 All personal or business informationcan be printed for your day planner in a cleanattractive format Reg Fee $15
CARDBASECardBase (32-bit) 23 is a combinationaddress book and phone dialler for Win95NT Along with the regular fields for namesaddresses and phone numbers it can alsostore email addresses FAX numbers and website URLs Cards can be quickly sorted byname or custom card groups Searching andsorting operations are fast and intuitive RegFee $0
PHNMKR18Phone Book Maker 18 allows you to createphone books in pocket 12 letter and lettersize Features include 30 useful fields perrecord standard envelope printing powerfulindexfiltersearch facilities importexportcapabilities in variety of formats virtuallyunlimited records and more Reg Fee $50
SCREEN SAVERS
ADRF3210Adrift Screensaver (32-bit) 100 displaysbeautiful floating line patterns on your Win95desktop Reg Fee $14
AURADEMOAurora Screen Savers is a screen savermodule for Windows that simulates a 3-Djourney through the Aurora Borealis Twelvedifferent colour patterns are available Thisversion displays a nag box in the upper leftcorner of the screen Requires 256-colourvideo Reg Fee $18
BLKBRD15Blackbird Screen Saver 15 is a Windowsscreen saver module that displays photos ofthe SR-71 spy plane in action Requires 256-colour video and 4MB RAM Reg Fee $15
BOMBER15Bombs Away 150 is a slideshow screensaver for Windows with 256-colour digitisedphotos of jet bombers in action Requires4MB memory Reg Fee $15
BOTANICABotanica Screen Savers is a screen savermodule for Windows that displays a virtualgarden of growing plants and flowers inbeautiful variations of colour and shape
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 31
Twelve different savers are provided eachwith their own unique patterns Requires 256-colour VGA and VBRUN300 Reg Fee $18
JEWELJewelBox 10 is a screen saver for Windowsthat displays colourful ldquojewelsrdquo that appear togrow on your screen Features includeinteractive options a variety of palettechoices and more Reg Fee $18
JOTREE15Joshua Tree Screen Saver 150 displays thestark beauty of the California desert capturedin stunning 24-bit colour images Requires a386+ 4MB RAM and 256-colour video RegFee $15
METALLIXMetallix is a screen saver module for Win-dows that displays metallic sculptures whichunfold in unique and unpredictable patternscreating a mesmerising transformative effectThere are twelve different savers to choosefrom each with its own distinct settingsRequires 256-colour VGA and VBRUN300Reg Fee $19
NIAGRA15Niagara Falls Screen Saver 150 is a screensaver module for Windows with photos of thefalls and immediate vicinity The photos rotateautomatically when activated Requires 256-colour video and 4MB memory Reg Fee $15
PICSHO32MyPictureShow32 is a Win95 screen saver inwhich the visual content is supplied by yourown collection of computer images There isno limit to the number of pictures you canuse and nine different display modes areavailable The slideshow mode allows achoice of 17 transition styles Other featuresinclude support for BMPJPGGIF graphicfiles password protection automatic scalingof large images to available screen size and
more This demo version will run 20 timesthen disables itself Reg Fee $16
SSCR8R21My Own Screen Saver 21 allows you tocreate your own screen saver using yourfavourite images and pictures You cancombine selected BMP DIB and WMF fileswith 32 different visual effects Reg Fee $20
TWIST151Twister Screen Saver 151 is a 32-bit screensaver for Win95 that transforms your desktopinto a windy landscape with one or moretwisters moving everything deforming yourdesktop making everything a mess You canconfigure the wind speed number of twistersthe twisterrsquos speed and more Reg Fee $8
VENIC12Venice Screen Saver 12 is a Windows screensaver module that displays graphics thatsimulate floating through the canals of Veniceon your gondola as Italian music and the
sound of splashing waves fills the air Reg Fee$29-$39
VIDSAVVidSaver 11 is a Windows screen saver thatplays video clips and animations while yourcomputer is idle Reg Fee $20
TEXT EDITING
EDT236PEM EdTex for Windows 95 236 is a 32-bittext editor for Win95 It can edit a maximumof 2000000 characters and 30000 linesOther features include macro support printingoptions word wrap multiple undoredoblock editing and more Reg Fee $35
GTE32R15GWD Text Editor (32-bit) 15 is a powerfultext editing package for Win95 Featuresinclude support for macros unlimited filesize print preview a built-in spell checker anautosave option support for DOSUNIXMactext file formats and much more Reg Fee$20
JW32T22CJ-Write for Windows (32-bit) 22 is a fullfeatured editor for general text files and emailFeatures include the ability to edit very largefiles support for any ANSI font configurabletab settings and four line wrap modes multi-level undoredo and more Reg Fee $30
QUIKDC11QuikDict Spelling Dictionary 11 is a pop updictionary accessible from the Win95 ToolTray Features include the ability to spellcheck all words as they are typed alphabeticand ldquosounds likerdquo word matching over91000 EnglishAmerican words in thedictionary the ability to automatically pastethe correct spelling back to the clipboard andmore Reg Fee $19
SCRATCH4Scratch Pad (32-bit) 21 is a text editor forWin95 Features include the ability toautomatically capture clipboard information aprint preview function undo facilities andmore Reg Fee $15
TXEDITTxEdit (32-bit) 25 is an easy-to-use texteditor that makes a nice replacement for theWin95 Notepad Features include the abilityto viewedit multiple documents search andreplace options drag-and-drop support MacUnix file support and more Reg Fee $0
32 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
TXP3223TextPad (32-bit) 23 is a text editor forWin95NT It can handle files with up to32000 lines of 4095 characters with multiplesimultan-eous edits and up to two views oneach document Other features include fullundoredo facilities print previewing atoolbar for frequently-used commands abuilt-in file manager support for Unix andMacintosh text file formats drag-and-dropsupport and much more TXP1223 is theWin31 version Reg Fee $27-$35
UTILITIES
ADDIT10ES Adding-Machine 10 is a unique calculatorfor Windows that is designed for adding upcolumns of figures Entered figures areretained on-screen and can be edited so youwonrsquot have to start again if you are interrupt-ed or make a mistake Reg Fee $40
CIDV09CIDview monitors a selected telephone lineand reports the Caller ID whenever there is anincoming call The details of incominginformation will be automatically displayedon your screen with the Caller ID informationstaying visible for 10 seconds Reg Fee $9
DLLCHK95DLL Check 95is a DLL management utilityfor Win95 Features include the ability tocreate a log of all modules that load or unloadin a session the ability to search for duplicatemodules and a detailed information displayfor selected modules Reg Fee $80
EASYZIPEasy Zip (32-bit) 10 makes it incredibly easyto archive files with PKZIP in Win95 Itallows you to use point-and-click operationsinstead of all the context-switching and messybatch files of manually using PKZIP fromDOS Reg Fee $1850
HDLED11Hard Disk LED 11 simulates a hard disk lightthat flashes every time there is disk activityAn icon appears on the Win95 task bar andflashes every time the system accesses yourhard drive Reg Fee $5
HYSNP278HyperSnap 278 allows you to capture thedesktop highlighted window areas or user-defined areas in Win95NT Features includehotkey support cropping facilities the ability
to save images in BMPGIFJPEG format andmuch more Reg Fee $20
LONGSAVELongSave 101 is used to save the list of longfile names and short names to a commadelimited ASCI text file The short names canthen be backed up or zipped or copied withutilities that are not long-file-name-awareAfter the files are transferred it uses theASCII file to restore the original long file
names This must be run from a DOS sessionunder Win95 Reg Fee $25-$95
REDH22Red Hand 22 tells you exactly what someonedid on your computer while you were awayexactly when they did it and how long it tookWindows can be discretely ldquolockedrdquo toprevent access and will simply close themimmediately or send an error message of yourchoice You can control exactly which areasof your computer that you do not want othersto have access to Reg Fee $25
RMVR32RemoveR 161 helps delete unneeded filesfrom your hard drive after you have installed aprogram in Win95 It will take a snapshot ofthe drive before an installation then you cancompare the current status of your files withthat last stored All files that have been addeddeleted will be shown on the results screenFrom this screen you can highlight certainfiles andor directories and delete them orsave the list for later deletion Reg Fee $5-$40
SENTRY95Sentry 95will prevent all unauthorised usersfrom accessing the Win95 desktop wheneveryour computer boots Reg Fee $14
SU96_402StepUprsquo96 402 contains a set of utilitieswhich make working with Win95NT easierand faster This includes a user-customisableStepUp Menu smart Folder Navigatorsophisticated Menu Designer and a powerful
File Handler It also provides handy taskbaricons for fast exit CD-ROM Autorun onoffand more Reg Fee $30
V95I208EVirusScan for Win95 253 is a native Win95application that detects and removes comp-uter viruses Reg Fee $65
YATS32Yet Another Time Synchroniser (32-bit) 30allows you to synchronise your system clockusing various time server types commonlyavailable on TCPIP networks such as theInternet Multiple servers can be specified andwill be tried sequentially until a valid time isobtained and your system time set Reg Fee$35
ZOOMER12Zoomer 12 provides a 2x or 4x magnificationof the area around the mouse cursor in Win95This is an excellent utility for the visionimpaired Reg Fee $0
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 33
NEW AND UPDATED DOSPROGRAMS
ANTIVIRUS
AVSCANAVScan 310 is a freeware scanner that candetect more than 4500 virus signatures RegFee $0
I_M311AIntegrity Master 311a is an anti-virus anddata integrity system The author says itdetects all known viruses It can detect anyform of file corruption including disk errorsor as yet unknown viruses Stacker Double-Space SuperStore and Bernoulli system filesare supported Identifies the new MS WordMacro viruses as well as over 640 additionalviruses It has an option to quickly disinfectdiskettes Reg Fee $50
SCN_253EVirusScan 253 scans diskettes or entiresystems and identifies any pre-existing PCvirus infection Reg Fee $65
GAMES
DRAK160Drak 160 is a falling blocks-style game withattractive graphics and several varieties ofblocks It includes blocks which melt blocksthat fall apart when they land and more Thegame includes 10 levels of increasingcomplex-ity joystick support and ability tosave games in progress (RegFee$33
DRUG12Drug Killers 12 is an action-packed shoot-em-up arcade game where you pilot atechnologically advanced aircraft in a battle tostop a futuristic drug cartel You must destroya wide variety of land and air-based enemieswhile gathering weapons and shields Otherfeatures include excellent scrolling graphicsgreat special effects a high score listing theability to save and restore games and a coolmusic soundtrack Reg Fee $25-$40
HAMSTER3D Hamsterrsquos Adventure is a fun 3Dadventure game where you assume the role ofa hamster in a colourful maze The object ofthe game is to eat all the fruit scattered aroundthe maze so the secret exit will appear Youwill encounter monsters along the way butyou can use your strawberry grenades or apowerful hamster kick for protection Theexcellent graphics sound effects and musicmake this an enjoyable game for the wholefamily Reg Fee $15
MISCELLANEOUS
COELI379Coeli Electric Planisphere 379 combinespractical ephemeris and planetarium with areal-time star chart to provide a Super VGAmodel of the skies as seen from Earth Youmay view the heavens from any place or timewith advanced starconstellation search insidea point and click interface A separate VESAdriver must be pre-installed Reg Fee pound12
JOCCALJOC-CALC 10 is an easy-to-use spreadsheetpackage for DOS Features include a pull-down menu system with mouse support aHyperText help system support for blockoperations built-in mathstrig functions andmore Reg Fee $25
MEDLIN97Medlin Accounting 1997 is a double-entrygeneral ledger program with accountsreceivable payroll and payables modules Allmodules are very easy to use PC-AR is theaccounts receivable module It allows amaximum of 2000 customers and 1500charges per accounting period PC-INV is amodule which works directly with theaccounts receivable module to generateinvoices and post them to PC-AR It willmultiply quantity times price and insert thetotal and calculate sales tax PC-PR thepayroll module allows up to 500 employeesand 1000 payroll cheques per accountingperiod PC-AP the accounts payable modulecan sort invoices by due date and will printcheques Mouse support has been added to allprograms Reg Fee $25-35
VDEVideo Display Editor 182 is a fast powerfultext editor Commands can be entered from amenu bar or with control keys Featuresinclude a proportional spacing modekeyboard macro recording MenuBar modethe ability to edit eight files at once acommand for proportional print Autosave toautomatically save your work at specifiedintervals simultaneous windows scrolling theability to align the platen for printing onvarious kinds of forms support for the fileformat of MS Word an envelope printer awide range of screen sizes (from 17 to 57lines) an integrated spell checker and muchmore Support is also provided for Ultra-Vision the HP95LX palmtop and the Tandykeyboard Reg Fee $35
UTILITIES
DNOTE420Disk Note Librarian 420 allows the user toadd descriptions and comments of up to 300characters to each file name on a disk up to1200 files Reg Fee $15
RCR01Rosenthal Conflict Resolver 100 is adiagnostic tool that helps corrects IRQ DMAand IO conflicts the major cause of systemcrashes Reg Fee $99
2 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Compiled by Jim Hume
The Monarchy
This site provides the history of the BritishMonarchy The Royal collection TodayrsquosRoyal family and includes The Queenrsquos rolein the Commonwealth This role articleshould be valuable to all those interested inthe Republic debate monarchist andrepublican alike It is a well presented siteand a useful resource as a school kithttpwwwroyalgovuk
Museums
The virtual Museum of Computing includesan ecletic collection of World Wide Webhyperlinks connected with the history ofcomputing and on-line computer basedexhibits available both locally and aroundthe world httpwwwcomlaboxacukarchiveothermuseumscomputinghtml
Airlines
Ansett provides information on their productand services and the places they fly to Youcan reserve flights and accommodationThere is a travel planner and screen saveravailable to download httpwwwansettcomauwebintrohtml
Qantas provides similar information on theirproducts and services with a brief history ofthe airline and also a screensaver which canbe downloaded httpwwwqantascomau80newsindexhtml
Books Magazines and Newspapers
The Canberra Times is now online withsections on News Sport Features OpinionWeather Real Estate Motors Classifiedsemail and services httpwwwcanberratimescomau
Readers Digest Interactive They ask you toldquoread it react and interactrdquo It containsDigest classics like Laugh Lines and WordPower and advice about how to do justabout anything featuring Home ProjectsCooking Gardening fitness and health httpwwwreadersdigestcom
National Geographic Online This is a greatcontribution with something for everyone inthe family Donrsquot miss these HOT SPOTShttpwwwnationalgeographiccomhotspotsindexhtml
Electronic Journals and Newsletters Thissite provides a complete internet list for newjournals and newsletters available on theInternet There is a search archive completealphabetical archive recent issues in reversechronological order and alphabetical list oftitles httpgort ucsdedunewjour
Amazon Bookstore offers not only 15million books in print but extremely hard-to-find out-of-print titles and discounts onsome of their book lists They claim 25million titles overall They include a searchfacility and provide a personal emailnotification service They list a Book of theday Titles in the News Monthly bookrecommendations and much morehttpwwwamazoncomexecobidossubstindex2html
Medical
)
Kodak have provided an interesting sitedealing with the latest digital cardiologyimaging and their cardiac review stationhttpwwwkodakcomhiHomecardioindexshtml
The American Cancer Society CaliforniaDivision on this site have an excellent articleon ldquoeating rightrdquo and research causeprevention detection and treatment httpwwwcacancerorg
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 3
The Department of Veteransrsquo Affairs haveupgraded their Web Site and it now providesthe latest information on health care forveterans In addition it contains rates andeligibility for pensions statements ofprinciple budgets and legislation It alsoincludes information about commemorativeactivities war graves war memorials andstudent oriented resourceshttpwwwdvagovau
HealthGate have redesigned their site withfaster search results with content organisedinto areas of interest such as medicinepatient education drug information etc It isan important source of biomedicalinformation httpwwwhealthgatecom
Football
The Australian Rugby League haveproduced an excellent site which includesdraws news links teams tipping results agallery and a soapbox httpdevarlorgaumainasp
Super League not to be outdone arepromoted by Foxtel in their sport sectionhttpwwwfoxtelcomauFoxtelhomejhtml
Tyres
I recently drew attention to Goodyearrsquos WebPage and commented on lack of Australiancontent Now they have an excellentAustralian site with an online school kit
dealing with the rubber revolution a tyreguide and a search engine to locate yournearest dealer It requires a frame-enabledweb browser httpwwwgoodyearcomau
Internet
URL Minder keeps track of web pages andother resources on the World Wide Weband sends you email whenever yourpersonally registered resources change Youcan have the minder keep track of any Webresource accessible via http ftp or Gopherand your email address will not be releasedto any third party It is a free servicesupported partially by advertising httpwwwnetmindcomURL-minderURL-minderhtml
People
Talk to the Angels The Vatican has namedtheir computers for the Web after angelsThe site was still under construction at theend of March httpwwwvaticanvaBut where else could you talk to theangelsIt requires a frame-enabled webbrowser
StarTrek This is a most interesting web sitefor Star Trek enthusiasts and also for thoseinterested in site construction for it is a realbobby dazzler httpwwwholodeck3comholodeck3html
Insert
It is an interesting concept which combinesan online magazine with discussion threadsresource lists and links It is dedicated toexploring masculinity and men in societyMen from all walks of life answer the 16 bigquestions about what it means being a mantoday httpwwwmanhoodcomnf
The
Super Site for Kids is a protectedenvironment specially for kids It is a wellorganised fun site httpwwwbonuscomindexclosehtmp
In early March a private Florida companythat hunts for historic shipwrecks announcedit had discovered a gem the ship oncecaptained by Blackbeard a man reputed tobe one of the more terrifying and disturbedpirates of all time This site includes thehistory of Blackbeardhttpeagleonlinediscoverycomcgi-binforums_viewdir
36 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
THE
INTERNETPROJECT
By Iain Gould
Welcome to TIP-TNG (The NextGeneration)
In case you hadnrsquot noticed yet TIP isnow connected to the rest of the world via ahigher speed (double what we had) link Weare now firing the electrons up and downthe pipe at 256k (thatrsquos 3 noughts -thousands in other words) bits every secondWhat this means in real terms is that ournewsgroups are updating more frequentlyweb pages and file transfers are much fasterand those of us that need to log in remotelycan do so with much less delay Boy are weimpressed
If you have not bothered to try TIP for awhile do so as we have seen a markedimprovement in the service provided afterthis upgrade and the installation of the extra12 modems in February (much less waitingto get on)
ANNOUNCEMENTSThe last two months has seen much goingson within the Internet Project ManagementCommittee For the uninitiated the IPMCis a caucus of techno-nerdygeeks tasked withthe onerous duty of ensuring that membersof the PCUG and AUUG have adequate andcomplete access to the wider resources ofthat part of the Information Super-highwayknown as simply The Internet Anyway wedecided on a lot of things recently Here theyare
1) Commercial Web Advertising Upuntil now TIP placed a restriction oncommercial advertising (that which wasobviously out to make money for the owner)- namely that only corporate members ofeither PCUG or AUUG could placeadvertising on their web pages We have
now opened up such commercial activitiesto general members of both organisationsFor the same fee that we currently charge tocorporate advertisers any individual cannow advertise on their web pages Refer tohttpwwwtipnetautipwebspacehtml fordetailed information and charging rates
2) Account Terminology The termslsquoAdvanced Accessrsquo and lsquoBasic Accessrsquoaccounts were deemed to be confusing (wehad too many requests for information onbasic Advanced access and training foradvanced Basic use) The accounts are nowreferred to as lsquoFull Accessrsquo and lsquoLimitedAccessrsquo respectively The use of the termsAdvanced Access hours and Basic Accesshours will continue for the time being untilwe sort out exactly what we want to callthem and where we need to changereferences to them The most obvious placethat this will change immediately is on theapplication form
3) Multiple Users of Accounts One ofthe regular lsquocomplaintsrsquo that we have beenreceiving has been on our policy to restrictaccount use to the account holder only Howmany of you out there realise that if youallowed your spousechildrenacquaintancesto have access to your password then youwere breaking our rules We donrsquot worrytoo much because we are now changing ourpolicy to open up account usage undercertain guidelines Namely
a) The primary account holder (the onewho originally applies for the account) willbe deemed ultimately responsible for anyuse of the account Heshe must still signthe Acceptable Use Policy and follow thoseterms and conditions and then ensure thataccount lsquodelegatesrsquo behave themselves too
b) The primary account holder mayallow use of hisher account by other familymembers The family members must benominated and lodged with TIP on a newlsquoAccount Delegationrsquo form
c) Only one login name and emailaddress is allocated (as currently) - ifadditional email addresses are required thenthey must be applied for as separateaccounts
d) Normal single user limits (accesshours disk quotas) still apply
We believe that this will allow familygroups some access to the Internet withoutneeding to sign up every members of thehousehold with TIP This policy will beelaborated on the web pages in the nearfuture for further information
4) We are still investigating methods ofproviding help guidance and assistance tousers who are new to TIP andor the InternetWe have been looking at newer lsquofool-proofrsquofirst time kits automated email helpresponses regularly published FAQs(frequently asked questions) and attractingmore volunteer helpers To achieve this lastgoal we are hoping that we can set up aregister of volunteers similar to the HelpDirectory published in Sixteen Bits forspecific areas of Internet use If you feltreluctant in the past to have your name listedfor fear of being asked questions outsideyour particular area of expertise interestthen let us know what you ARE willing tohelp with Are you a Netscape guru Or aWindows 95 Dial-Up Networking hotshotDo you think that you know a fair bit aboutIRC Then let us know
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 37
Nhan Tranrsquos Now OfficialTIP Web Help Pages
httpwwwtipnetautiphelp
bull Whats newHistory of changes to TIP help page
bull TIP Contact DetailsPhone numbers domain proxiesemail addresses
bull Useful TIP informationTime allocation usage statistics
bull TIP documentsAgreement Charging SchemeAcceptable Use Policy AccessApplication
bull InternetFAQAnswers to the Frequently AskedQuestions about the Internet what isthe Internet what you can donetiquette
bull TIP help FAQ
bull Answers to the Frequently AskedQuestions about various problemsother people may have had with TheInternet Project your problem maynot be a new one
bull lsquoHow-torsquo documentsHow to set up and use variousprograms needed to make the mostof your Internet account
bull GlossaryTranslating acronyms computerjargon netese and emoticons like -)in plain English
TIP Technical InformationDomain (PCUG) pcugorgauDomain (AUUG) auugorgau
DNS server 203107634Mail server mailhostDomain
News Server newshostDomainftp server ftpDomain
WWW server wwwDomainProxies proxytipnetau
port 8080
Iain Gould is one of the many volunteersthat keep TIP ticking He can becontacted by email - iainpcugorgau
As a note to those users who do needaccess to help take careful note of the timesthat people offer to be available There is areason that these times are listed ourvolunteers do like to have some personaltime Nothing causes a volunteer to lsquoresignrsquoquicker than having their efforts abused bypeople who ring at all hours and are rudeand obnoxious As a volunteer organisationwe cannot provide 24 hour-a-day instantsupport and we must rely on the genrosityof those that do offer to help Please beconsiderate of those who are willing to sticktheir necks out
As a footnote to all of the above itemsplease address any correspondance toipmctipnetau rather than me directly
Internet Joke of the MonthAnother engineer joke (apologies for thereferences to USA - insert your favouritelocal university as applicable)
Three men were vacationing in CentralAmerica They were arrested for minor illegalactivities and because the dictator of the countryhated foreigners the punishment was death
The three men were marched to thechopping block The dictator of the countryasked the first man if he had any last wordsbefore they chopped his head off The man saidldquoThe only thing I can think to say is that Irsquom analumni of Notre Dame and we have the bestfootball players in the worldrdquo The dictator thensaid ldquoOff with his headrdquo When they pulled therope the blade fell but it stopped inches abovethe manrsquos neck The dictator said ldquoThis is anomen from God we cannot execute you Youare free to gordquo
The dictator of the country asked the secondman if he had any last words before theychopped his head off The man said ldquoThe onlything I can think to say is that Irsquom an alumni ofIndiana University and we have the bestbasketball players in the worldrdquo The dictatorthen said ldquoOff with his headrdquo When they pulledthe rope the blade fell but it stopped inchesabove the manrsquos neck The dictator said ldquoThisis an omen from God we cannot execute youYou are free to gordquo
Finally the dictator of the country asked thethird man if he had any last words before theychopped his head off The man said ldquoThe onlything I can think to say is that Irsquom an alumni ofPurdue University and we have the bestEngineers in the world and if yoursquoll just tightenup that bolt up there this machine will workrdquo
Tips On Tip HelpPlease do not call on the Internet Projecthelp team for answers to general computingquestions or with questions like ldquohow do Ifind such-and-such softwarerdquo - the tiphelpnewsgroup is appropriate for these topicsDo call on us if you canrsquot get our kits towork or if you believe there is a problemwith the system Herersquos the right way to goabout it
1 Read the TIP Help Pages availablefrom the TIP World Wide Web siteat httpwwwtipnetautiphelp
2 Browse the newsgroup tiphelp tosee if someone else has solvedyour problem already Browsetipannounce and tipgeneral for anyrelevant announcements
3 If the problem is not urgent post arequest for assistance in tiphelp
4 If the problem is urgent send mailto ldquohelprdquo requesting advice
Please - describe your problem clearlyconcisely and completely
tell us WHEN it happened
tell us WHAT OPERATING SYSTEMyou are using
tell us WHAT SOFTWARE you are using(esp version)
tell us WHAT HARDWARE you are using(esp modem)
tell us any relevant SETUP DETAILS (egconnection speed)
tell us what TIP login name (eg mmouse)you are using
5 As a last resort (ie when email isnot possible) contact Iain Gould on255 2405 between 7pm and 8pmONLY
The TIP Help TeamThe methods of supplying TIP help and
support and the levels of help provided areunder almost constant review anddiscussion Your feedback on the existingsystems and constructive suggestions forimprovement particularly within theexisting resource constraints are welcome
This can be done in the tip newsgroupsif you would like general discussion of yourideas by email to the TIP Help Team athelptipnetau or by sending email toamikkelspcugorgau who will forward itto the appropriate people
38 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
The Internet Project
1 Access to The Internet Project is governed by the InternetProject Acceptable Use Policy copies of which can beobtained at the PCUG Centre or downloaded from the PCUGBBS or from The Internet Project
2 There is a limit of one Internet account per non-corporatemembership Corporate members may sponsor up to threeindividuals who are then personally responsible for theoperation of their accounts Please complete one applicationfor each person
3 Part of your email address will be determined by the principalorganisation If your membership of that organisation expiresso too does your membership of The Internet Project In thisevent no refunds for unused allocation will be made
4 The Internet Project reserves the right to alter prices andservices offered at any time Fees paid for Internet access arenon-refundable and non-transferable
5 Note Hours debited do not necessarily equate to real hourson-line time allocation will be debited in a non-linear fashiondepending on the amount of time spent on-line in any givenday The debit rate is set from time to time by the InternetProject Management Committee
6 Basic Accessa) Basic Access provides non PPP email and news onlyb) Basic Access is free on applicationc) In any calender year calculated from the date of
application Basic Access provides up to 100 lsquohoursrsquo usage
7 Advanced Accessa) Advanced Access includes full access to the Internet using
SLIPPPPb) Advanced Access is not free Current rates are $120 for
one calendar year of access with up to 300 lsquohoursrsquo usagec) When your Advanced Access subscription expires OR
you use 300 hours of access (whichever is earlier) youwill be required to purchase another subscription for onecalendar year from that date
d) Advanced Access users also receive a Basic Accessallocation - see above
8 All users joining The Internet Project receive a one-off freefive hour allocation of Advanced Access
Collecting Your Login Details9 A waiting period of two months applies to new members of
the PC Users Group (ACT) Inc
10 For existing members please allow up to two weeks for yourapplication to be processed
11 Login details can be collected - in person by the applicant - fromthe PC Users Group Centre We recommend that you phone theCentre first to check that the details are waiting for you
12 You (and your parentguardian if you are under 18 years ofage) will be required to sign an Acceptable Use PolicyDeclaration when you pick up your login detailsPhotographic proof of identity may be required at that time
Important Notes - Please Read
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 39
Disks amp TapesWe offer high quality disks and tape cartridgesin various formats at very reasonable pricesDisks amp tapes are available from the PCUGCentre Monday Wednesday amp Friday 10amto 2pm or between 9am and 5pm on weekends
BBS AccessNew members wishing to access the PC UsersGroup (ACT) InterActive Bulletin BoardService (BBS) should dial (06) 253 4933 andcreate an account on the system Once the mainmenu is presented select the lsquoGoodbyersquo optionfollowed by the lsquoYesrsquo option to leave a messageto the Sysop
In this message state your membership number(from your card or magazine address label) andrequest an access upgrade This will usuallyoccur within a few days
SharewareMembers have access to a huge selection ofldquosharewarerdquo software The PCUG subscribesto a CD-ROM which provides over 250 Mbof new and updated software titles on eachmonthly CD
Member ServicesThese special offers and services are only available to PCUG members Please bring your membership card with you when collecting orders
One complete section of the permanent libraryis also contained on each CD-ROM Inaddition there are many programs on thePCUG BBS which members have uploadedor which come from other sources
This software is provided as ldquosharewarerdquo Ifyou continue to use it you must register thesoftware with the author The Group does notldquosellrdquo the software - it charges a fee to coverthe cost of obtaining the software maintainingthe library and copying the software to themember
Computers are available at the Centre whichare connected to the BBS enabling membersto download software
Hardware amp Video LibraryThe hardware and video library is located atthe PC Users Group Centre Items may becollected and returned on Saturdays andSundays between 9am and 5pm (loans are forone week) Please bring your membership cardwith you
The library provides access to equipmentwhich members would not normally havereadily available Most items have instructionsmanuals and software where appropriateModems do not include software check theShareware Library for suitable packages Itemsmay be borrowed for one week There is nocharge but you must collect and return theitems yourself
Equipment available includesmiddot modemsmiddot soundblaster card
Videos includemiddot Developing Applications with Microsoft
Officemiddot Using Windows 95
NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETINGMonday 28 April 1997
(to be held at 730pm prior to the normal April main meeting)
The Special Meeting is to consider and vote upon the following changes to the rules of the PC Users Group
Rule 17(1)(b) - [Nomination of candidates for election as office-bearers of the Association or as ordinary Committee members]shall be delivered to the Secretary of the Association no later than the last Friday in the July before the date fixed for the annualgeneral meeting at which the election is to take place
Rule 17(2) - If insufficient nominations are received to fill all vacancies on the Committee the candidates nominated shall bedeemed to be elected
Rule 17(3) - A vacant position remaining on the Committee shall be deemed to be a vacancy for the purpose of Rule 16(4)
Explanatory notesThese changes will permit publication in Sixteen Bits of all valid nominations received to enable the membership to give seriousregard to the nominations received They will also permit all members nominating for the committee to have an opportunity toconsider and reflect upon their intended commitment to the committee and to the Group
Hugh BambrickSecretary PC Users Group (ACT) Inc
40 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Compiled by Jim Hume
Japanese-English Translators
Globalink produces some of the bestlanguage translation software TheLanguage Assistant Series quicklyproduce understandable translations fromEnglish into the foreign language or viceversa
The Australian Distributors Software EtcAustralia have now released Japanesetranslation and OCR Software TsunamiMT Typhoon MT and KanjiScan OCRsoftware for English Windows 95 and NTPCs It is claimed these products willmake communication between Japaneseand English speaking businesses mucheasier quicker and more effective
Tsunami MT translates English-to-Japanese and has features such as fullOLE 20 compatibility (drags text to andfrom Tsunami MT embedding theJapanese results into applications such asMS Word) an innovative Kani searchsystem and translation speed at over 3000words per minute
Typhoon MT translates Japanese-to-English and is the result of a two-yearproject to convert the best-sellingJapanese to English translation softwarein Japan to an MS Windows 32-bitformat
Typhoon MT has every element computerusers need to put Japanese computing ontheir personal computer - Japanese fontsKana and kanji text editing a completeFront End Processor and Japanese -to-English machine translation
KanjiScan is the first Japanese OCRsoftware to run on non-Japanese versionsof Windows and includes everythingneeded to scan printed Japanese text anddocuments allowing users to input
Japanese on their English Windowssystem All interfaces instructions anddocumentation are in English WithNeocorTechrsquos Kanji Search system noJapanese language skills are required tomake sure all the Japanese text is properlyrecognised
Tsunami MT $995 Typhoon MT $1195(Bundle $1795) and KanjiScan $795
Software Etc Australia are offeringevaluation versions of this software forloan to reviewers with a knowledge ofJapanese and the capability to conduct andprepare software reviews Enquiriesshould be directed to Peter Klanberck atsoftetcozemailcomauhttpwwwworldcorpcomau Phone (02) 9988-3455
Gene Chip Breakthrough
Affymetrix is developing amp commercial-ising GeneChip(tm) systems to acquireanalyse manage and use geneticinformation based on its propriety DNAarray technology
These systems are being developed forbroad fields including biomedicalresearch clinical diagnosis and theemerging field of genomics Affymetrixhas corporate alliances with Hewlett-Packard Company and Genetics Instituteand intends to pursue the clinicaldiagnostic and additional genomicsapplications with diagnostics andpharmaceutical companies
Their first product currently in externaltests sites will be the GeneChipHIVsystem which rapidly detects mutations inthe protease and reverse transcriptasegenes of HIV the virus which causesAIDS Detection of such mutations arecritical in understanding how HIV reactsto therapeutic agents as well as for
understanding the results of clinical trialsof new drugs The company also hasactive development programs for thespeciation of other infectious organismsas well as for human genes that areimportant in cancer and drug metabolism
Fortune Magazine in an article headedGene Chip Breakthrough by David Stippexplores the implications of thisbreakthrough and believes that whilemicroprocessors have reshaped oureconomy spawned vast fortunes andchanged the way we live Gene chipscould be bigger
TransAct BroadbandCommunications Network
The ACTEW Corporation has recentlyconducted a feasibility study into buildinga broadband communication network inthe ACT It is claimed it would enhanceACTEWrsquos core business and provide theACT region with an economically viablecommunications network
The network would be funded throughoutside financing As there would be nocross-subsidies between varioustelecommunication business and theelectricity and water businesses therewould be no impact on electricity andwater bills now or in the future Known asTransAct Communications the feasibilitystudy was to be completed by March1997 ACTEW Corporation Board willmake a decision on the business caseduring April A key component of thestudy was to be community consultationand market research If the results werefavourable construction should commencein July 1997
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 41
I was consulted in their telemarketingresearch and talks have been held with thePC Users Group Aurisa Institute ofEngineers Australia and the BusinessCouncil of Australia The network couldcarry voice(telephone) video(TV) and data(intenet) over a high range of frequenciesand the cost of services would bedependent on the service providers ieTelephone companies Pay TV companiesand internet service providers ACTEWexpected that prices would be similar tocurrent prices for these services andsuggest that a single broad-band networkwould offer competition between serviceproviders
The network could carryvoice(telephone) video(TV) and
data (intenet)
Two companies have been shortlisted andtheir solutions are being costed to get anaccurate picture of the total cost ofbuilding the network The two companiesare Philips which has offered a HybridCoax (HFC) system and BroadbandTechnologies which offered a switchedbroadband (SDB) solution
The HFC solution as offered by Philipswould differ from similar cable systemsbeing strung in other parts of Australia inthat it would take optic fibre down toserve 60-90 homes per node rather than500-1500 homes The SDB solutionwould be unique in Australia (In use inparts of USA Korea and France) it takesoptic fibre to serve 32-40 homes per nodeBoth solutions have the ability to runadvanced interactive services By the timeof publication a further update may beavailable atwwwactewcomautransactinterhtm
Treasure IslandFrom the Corel Thumbnail Theatre seriesnow being shipped Treasure Island is afun easy way to learn the complexities ofthis popular novel by Robert LouisStevenson It is an animated adaptiontargeted primarily at students aged 12 andupwards Users can choose from threedifferent ways of studying TreasureIsland For those unacquainted with thestory the Watch Me section presents awitty and entertaining nine-minuteanimation which summarises the novelrsquosstory The Guide Me section is designedfor users who wish to study the text indepth and learn more about the era inwhich the novel is set They will see theanimation once again but this time theywill have the chance to stop the animatedsummary in order to explore varioustopics related to the story These topics areaccessible by clicking on the icons whichappear throughout the animation Userswho want to read about different topicscan go directly to the Self Guide sectionThis section contains the entire text ofTreasure Island
It also contains a feature called Timelinewhich is a chronology of historical eventsfrom the time of Treasure Island to thepresent day
Minimum system requirements are 486DX66 8MB of RAM a 640x480256-colour graphics display 8-bit audiocapabilities and a double speed CD-ROMdrive Runs on both Windows 31x andWindows95RRP $Aus 6400
Corel WebMaster SuiteOn March 25 Corel announced the releaseCorel WebMaster Suite the latest additionto their line of Internet products Itcombines state-of-the-art Web siteauthoring with expert site managementfunctionality advanced database
publishing sophisticated graphic designprograms as well as animation authoring3D VRML world creation and over 8000Internet-ready images Included in thepackage is Netscape Navigator 301OrsquoReillyrsquos Website v11 and 30 days offree Web site hosting It is claimed thatthis suite provides a complete solution tohelp users advance beyond the traditionalWeb page to create and manage completeweb sites that are more interesting andinformative as well as easy to understand
Corel WebMaster is available for asuggested retail price of $Aus 399 Thesuite will require 16MB RAM an IBMcompatible PC 486 DX Windows NT orWindows 95 a CD_ROM and a VGAdisplay
SNIPPETS
IN AUSTRIA INTERNET SERVICEProviders banded together on March 25 tostage the countryrsquos first electronic walkoutin protest at their governmentrsquos attempt tocensor the Internet Hardly surprisingwhen UKrsquos Whatrsquos New on the Internetreports that sex and its related topics arethe most popular sections on the Internetby a long chalk
DUTCH HACKERS OFFERED USMilitary Secrets to Iraq A recent BBC TVprogramme claimed that hundreds ofmilitary secrets were stolen from USDefence computers ( including troopmovements and missile capabilities)offered for sale by Dutch hackers toSaddam Hussein but their offer was nottaken up because the Iraqi leader believedthat it was either a hoax or CIAmisinformation
ADVERTISING ON THE NETAccording to a survey by the InternetAdvertising Bureau total advertisingspending on the World Wide Web andInternet related content hit $US267
42 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
The Internet SIGThis a get together of those members of thePCUG who love to explore the Internet forinteresting sites new Internet tools andnovel applications It holds an informalmeeting once a month on the first Thursday(January excepted) at 730pm The meetinghas no set agenda but free flowing chat onvarious Internet related topics and eventsOn occasion we had presentations ofinteresting software Among topics that arediscussed from time to time are the upgradeof TIP cable and wireless access to theInternet and the regulation of the InternetThe web page for the SIG is at httpwwwpcugorgau~ejosephintsightm
BytesThe Bytes SIG is designed for those wholike to talk about computing over a meal Itmeets from 6 pm at the Asian BistroAustralian National University Union onthe PCUG meeting nights There are noBytes SIG meetings in NovemberDecember or January Contact personAndrew Freeman Phone 258 7411 Emailafreemanpcugorgau or WWW at httpwwwpcugorgau~afreemancvsightml
AutoCADGeoffrey May 295 5942 Monday-Fri 4-5pmPlease call for details
CC++Peter Corcoran petercpcugorgau 2ndTuesday 730pm PCUG Centre
GUI DevelopersPeter Harris 287 1484 pharrispcugorgauPlease call for details
The OS2 SIGAn enthusiastic forum for those operating orinterested in OS2 Warp Meetings includewide ranging discussion and interestinghands on demonstrations Meetings are heldon the third Thursday at 730pm for 730pmat the IBM Building 8 Brisbane Ave BartonContact David Thrum Phone 201-8806 (bh)
The Delphi SIGA lively forum for software developers whoare working with or interested in Delphi
Our meetings include wide ranging dis-cussion and interesting hands-on demon-strations Come and see why Delphi is RADSome of our recent meetings have discussedDelphi components best shareware toolsdatabase applications and HTML toolsMeeting 3rd Tuesday of each month 730pmat PCUG Centre Convenor Al Kabailaemail akabailapcugorgauYou arewelcome to also subscribe to the PCUGDelphi mailing list by sending messageldquosubscribe act-delphi-lpcugorgau [youremail address]rdquo to Majordomoauugorgau
Linux User GroupStephen Rothwell 291 6550 (ah) StephenRothwell canbauugorgau 4th Thursday730pm Room N101 Computer Science DeptANU
Networks Garry Thomson 241 2399gthomsonpcugorgau Thursday aftermain meeting Please call for venue
Computer and VegetarianismThis SIG is designed for those who have aninterest in both computers and vegetarian-ism It generally meets with the Bytes SIGNo meetings are held in NovemberDecember or January Contact personAndrew Freeman Phone 258 7411 Emailfreemanpcugorgau or WWW at httpwwwpcugorgau~afreemancvsightml
amp ChatThe Coffee and Chat Group meet at thePCUG Centre in Belconnen on alternateTuesdays from 1030am to 1130am withanother 30 minutes to 1200 for those whowant to stay The dates of these meetings areshown in the Calendar of Events On thealternate Tuesday a virtual Coffee and ChatMeeting is held on the Internet at 1030amusing Internet Relay Chat (IRC) addressirchostpcugorgau Port 6667 Full detailsabout the online meetings can be obtainedfrom httpwwwpcugorgau~ejosephvcchtm
Internet Daytime Demoand Discussion SIGMeets every second Monday at the PCUGCentre from 1000AM to noon We meet todiscuss internet issues software sites (andanything else of relevance) and demonstrateon Centre equipment selected software andtechniques The meeting starts with informaldiscussion and coffee followed by a more in-depth look at a particular topic of interestThere is also time for discussion (andhopefully solving) of members problems withthe internet A home page for the SIG is athttpwwwpcugorgau~amikkelsintdddhtmlEnquiries or suggestions for topics arewelcome at amikkelspcugorgau
NEW
Convenors are requested to email anychanges in contacts or venue and additionalinformation about the activities of theirgroup by the first Friday in the month ofpublication to pcugeditorpcugorgau
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 43
The training program for 1997 is settledsubject to ongoing adjustments in the lightof developments
Note the heavy emphasis on Internetcourses This reflects the clear demand ofmembers at the moment A number of daysare designated lsquoTBArsquo These days allow forthe introduction of Internet related coursesas discussed last month including homepages MS Internet ExplorerWeb tips andtricks and so on They also allow forpossible courses on the Web oriented MSOffice 97
Course content for Internet courses isstill under development and subject tomeetings of trainers
In addition to the weekend courses arange of short evening courses mainlyInternet related as above will be introducedThese are still in the planning stages
May Sat 3 Editorial day ContinuesSun 4 Programming - C and C++ ContinuesSat 10 Programming - Visual Basic Continues
Sun 11 Intro - Intro to computers ContinuesSat 17 Intro - Intro to Windows 95 Continues
Sun 18 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 24 Intro - PC Maintenance and
TroubleshootingContinues
Sun 25 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 31 Internet - HTML Intro Continues
June Sun 1 Intro - Using the BBS effectively Internet - Basic AccessSat 7 Centre closed Centre closed
Sun 8 Centre closed Centre closedSat 14 Editorial day Continues
Sun 15 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 21 Internet - HTML extended Continues
Sun 22 Internet - TBA Internet - TBASat 28 Internet - Advanced Access Intro Continues
Sun 29 Intro - Using the BBS effectively Internet - Basic AccessJuly Sat 5 Editorial day Continues
Sun 6 Internet - TBA Internet - TBASat 12 Internet - TBA Internet - TBA
Sun 13 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 19 Internet - TBA Internet - TBA
Sun 20 Internet - TBA Internet - TBASat 26 Internet - Advanced Access Intro Continues
Sun 27 Intro - Using the BBS effectively Internet - Basic Access
Our training courses are very popularUnfortunately some people book and thendonrsquot turn up for their course Someone onthe waiting list for the course could havefilled the spot left vacant To overcome thisproblem if you book for a course but donrsquotpay for it by the Monday before it is runthe spot will be offered to someone else
ContactsCourse bookings Petra Dwyer at thePCUG Centre on 253 4911
Training coordinator and courseinformation (not bookings) PaulBalnaves 241-4671 (h) 700pm to900pm 282-3488 (w)
Microsoft Product courses (notbookings) Michael Lane 242-9278 (h)700pm to 900pm
All courses are held at the PCUGCentre Northpoint Plaza Belconnen- maximum 8 people
Courses cost $35 unless otherwiseindicated Full day courses run from930am to approximately 300pmAM Courses commence at 930amPM courses commence at 130pm
Training Newsby Paul Balnaves
44 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
The following local vendors offer discounts to PCUG members
bull Present your PCUG membership card when making a purchasebull Benefits may not apply to some sale itemsbull The PCUG does not necessarily recommend or endorse the products being offered
If you offer a discount to PCUG members and are not in this list please contact our advertising manager listed on page 2
Vendor Discount SchemeVendor Discount Scheme
AustralianManagement Control
Suite 4 32 - 36 Colbee CourtPHILLIP285 4888
5 discount onRecordkeeping amp Payroll
courses
Capital SimulationsPO Box 329
Belconnen ACT 2616Faxmessage 258 0110
Free postage and handling(normally $4) amp 2 free modem
opponents lsquowantedrsquo notices(normally $10)
Clarion DatabaseSystems
bull Computing consultingbull Business applications developmentbull Software sale
041 108 775410 discount off RRP on
Microsoft amp other vendorsrsquo productsand consulting services
Amalgamated Business Machines
65 Kembla StreetFYSHWICK
280 4887
5 discount on repairsthrough this company
ANU Union Asian Bistro
Upstairs Union Building Union Court ANU
(next to main meeting venue)
Union member discounton PCUG main meeting
nights (ONLY)
Bettowynd ampTaltech Solutions
Unit 5 Centrecourt1 Pirie St FYSHWICK
239 1043
Prompt guaranteed fixed pricerepairs to monitors and terminals
5 discount to members
Nhan TranInternet Software Installationamp Configuration in your home
PH 254 5293
Fixed price 20 discountfor PCUG members
Lesley PikoCertified Practising Accountant
Registered Tax Agent
Suite 1 17 Trenerry StWeston ACT
288 8888
personal and business taxation servicesgeneral accounting services
15 discount off our quoted fee
ACT VALLEYCOMPUTER REPAIRSbull REPAIRSbull UPGRADESbull NEW SYSTEMSbull SOFTWARE INSTALLATIONbull LOW RATES l OPEN 7 DAYS
294 2592 or 019 32343510 DISCOUNT ON REPAIRS
AND UPGRADES TO MEMBERS
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 45
54 Marcus Clarke St Canberra CityPH 249 1844 l Fax 247 5753
10 Discount o f fRRP of Computer Books
Celebrating over 28 Years in Bookselling
N O 1 f o rC O M P U T E R amp B U S I N E S S
B O O K S
hi-micro Computers
5 Discount OnAccessories
ampUpgrade Installation
Ph 280 7520 Fax 280 7540618 Whyalla St Fyshwick
248 6656 (any time)bull World Wide Web Publishing
bull Windows Online Help amp Manuals
5 discount on Web publishing
The Cartridge Factory
Canberra Business Centre49 Wentworth Ave
KINGSTON295 5935
10 discount on remanufacturedlaser toner cartridges
10 discount on inkjet refill kitsNo discount available on
new ink or toner cartridges
Collins Booksellers
BELCONNEN MALLPhone 251 4813 Fax 251 3926
We carry a wide selection ofcomputer titles for the novice and
also advanced computer user
10 Discount off computerbook purchases only
LampS Associates
69 Paterson StreetAINSLIE257 7555
Special price on anyMicrosoft product
Dealer price plus 5
Aspect ComputingEducation Services
86 Northbourne AvenueBraddon ACT 2601
247 7608
10 Discount toPCUG members
Peng LEE BA BEc FCA
Chartered AccountantRegistered Tax Agent
A fee schedule will be forwarded upon request
6 McGuiness PlaceMcKELLAR ACT 2617
Phone 258 0156 Fax 258 0157
10 fee discount to PCUGmembers
Robrsquos Computer HelpDesk
292 3211 (24 hours 7 days)
For telephone and on-site help for ALL your computer and support
needs
5 discount on consulting services to PCUG members
The Software Shop
42 Townsend StreetPHILLIP285 4622
5 discount off our already low prices
46 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Title Given Name Surname
_______________________________________________________Position (if applicable) Phone (h) Phone (w)
_______________________________________________________Title Given Name Surname
_______________________________________________________Position (if applicable) Phone (h) Phone (w)
Annual Fees Applicable (thorn one)o General1 $ 50
o Concessional2 $ 25
o Corporate3 $130
o Additional Corporate4 $ 50
o International (Air Mail) $130
Notes1 General membership covers all members of a household except for BBS and
Internet access Two month waiting period applies to Internet access2 Concessions apply to full time students and pensioners3 Corporate Membership covers up to three nominees4 Additional Corporate nominees may be added at $50 each
I am paying by (thorn one)o Cash (if paying by person) o Cheque to PC Users Group (ACT) Inc
o Credit card
I would like to ( thorn one or more)
o Become a new member for ____ year(s)
o Renew for ____ year(s)
o Change my address details
o Change Corporate nominees
o Take my address off advertising list
o Access the Bulletin Board (BBS)
Reasons for Joining thorn (one or more)
o Sixteen Bits Magazine o Training Courses
o The Internet Project o Advice and help
Other ____________________________________
TOTAL PAYMENT DUE $ __________________
Please Post your application with payment toPC Users Group (ACT) IncPO Box 42 Belconnen ACT 2616
Additional Corporate Membership Nominees
Title Given Name Surname
Organisation (if applicable) PCUG Membership Number (if applicable)
Postal Address
Phone (h) Phone (w) Concession Type (if applicable)
Credit Card Type Number Expiry Date Signature
Membersrsquo AdsFOR SALE
PC Users Group Membership Application Renewal
Notebook TP 486 DX266 95in Dual scancolour 8mg 433 HDD External 2X CDROM Fax modem card Win rsquo95 Office rsquo95pro Microsoft Plus NAV Norton UtilitiesWinfax Pro Microsoft Publisher and muchmore $1500 email gjonespcugorgau orphone Gary Jones 2391771 (Bus hours)
Canon Bubble-jet Printer BJ10-SX BWVGC [bookletdisk] $145Maestro External Fax Modem SE-144 FM[BookletDiks] VGC $100Corel Draw V3 CD-ROM[Bookect] VGC $100 NEGScanFax 24 Bit Color Page ScannerPC[FaxScanCopy] VGC $ 360WebAuthor V2 for Windows $ 65LOGOS BIBLE Software V2for Windows CD-ROM $150Call 239 5451 or e-mailmszabopcugorgau
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 47
Subject Name Email Phone Days TimesAccess for Windows Graheme Fry 288 3138 All days 730pm - 830pm
Accounting -TAS+ Exogen Attache NewViews P Goerman 231 2304 All days 900am - 900pm
Advanced Revelation John Curby 286 5777 Mon - Fri 900am - 900pm
Assembly Language Thomas McCoy 294 2226 Mon - Fri 800pm - 1000pm
AutoCad Geoffrey May 295 5942 Mon - Fri 400pm - 500pm
AutoCAD Rel 12 13 and LT Neil Moffat 292 7108 All days Noon - 1000pm
BASIC + Machine Language George McLintock 295 6590 All days 830pm -1000pm
Basic hardware help Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
Bluewave Jorge Garcia 282 2681 All Days 700pm - 900pm
Batch Files TSRs Utilities Bill Ghysen 287 1234 Mon - Fri 800pm - 1000pm
Bulletin Board Service Michael Phillips 253 4966 All days 730pm - 830pm
Chinese Star for Windows Peng Lee 258 0156 All days 100pm - 900pm
Clipper Cedric Bear 258 3169 All days 730pm - 830pm
Corel Draw Fabian Stelco 241 1743 Mon - Fri 730pm - 900pm
Corel WordPerfect Suite 7 for Win95 Peter Tilbrook kermitdynamitecomau 242 8696 All days Anytime
DOS Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
Excel Graheme Fry 288 3138 All days 730pm - 830pm
Flight Simulation Roger Lowery lowerypcugorgau 258 1583 All days Anytime
Foxpro Greg Atkinson 241 7903 Mon - FriSat Sun
700pm - 900pmFrom 1100am
Free Agent Agent Newsreading Allan Mikkelsen 278 3164 All days Noon - 900pm
General Help Allan Miller (044) 711187 Mon - Fri 730pm - 830pm
General Help Brian Gosling 259 1116 All days 730pm - 830pm
GEOSGeoWorks Phil Jones 288 5288 All days 600pm - 1000pm
Hardware Anthony Glenn 288 8332 All days Anytime
HDK Lis Shelley lshelleypcugorgau 248 6656 Mon - Fri 730pm - 830pm
HDK Ivana Leonard 231 4169 Mon - Thu 700pm - 900pm
ISR CADDSMAN Modeller (Win) Neil Moffat 292 7108 All days Noon - 1000pm
LINUX PC Unix Andrew Tridgell 254 8209 All days 600pm - 800pm
Lotus 1-2-3 Doug Jenkins 286 2243 All days 730pm - 900pm
Lotus Ami Pro 3 W ord Pro 96 ed Peter Tilbrook kermitdynamitecomau 242 8696 All days Anytime
Microstation Cad Andrew Novinc 258 1907 All days 600pm - 1000pm
Modem Communications Michael Phillips 281 1980 or All days 730pm - 830pm
Networks Gary Thompson 241 2399 All days 730pm - 900pm
Online doc using Help Compiler (Win3) John Carroll jcarrollpcugorgau 248 0781 All days 730pm - 1000pm
OS2 v2 Mark Beileiter 283 2429 Mon - Fri 800am - 330pm
OS2 Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
OS2 Michael Lightfoot 258 8185 All days 730pm - 930pm
Project (Microsoft) Steve Ramsden 287 1500 Mon - Wed 800pm - 1000pm
SBT Accounting Greg Atkinson 241 7903 Mon - Fri 700pm - 900pm
Scream Tracker 3 (3SM) MOD Music Chris Collins 258 8276 Mon - Fri 730pm - 900pm
Small Business Computing Nick Thomson 241 3239 Mon - Thu 730pm - 930pm
SuperBase Paul Blair 288 3584 All days 730pm - 930pm
Telix Michael Phillips 281 1980 All days 730pm - 830pm
SCO Unix amp Xenix J Bishop 291 0478 All days 700pm - 900pm
Unix Michael Lightfoot 258 8185 All days 730pm - 930pm
Turbo Pascal Michael Phillips 281 1980 All days 730pm - 830pm
Vision Impaired Adam Morris 291 4522 All days 700pm - 900pm
Visual BASIC Ian Champ 254 0418 All days 700pm - 900pm
Windows 31x Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
Word for Windows Lis Shelley lshelleypcugorgau 248 6656 Mon - Fri 730pm - 830pm
WordPerfect 51 DOS 61 Win Gayle Scott gaylespcugorgau 254 1579 All days 730pm - 930pm
WordPerfect 61 7 for Win95 Peter Tilbrook kermitdynamitecom 242 8696 All days Anytime
WordStar Dave Hay 258 7310 All days 700pm - 900pm
The people in this directory are volunteers so please observe the times given The Help Directory is designed to helpindividual users and should not be used as a substitute for corporate support calls to vendors This service is provided formembers only Please quote your membership number to the helper For those helpers with an asterisk messages may beleft on the BBS in either the General message area or as a Netmail message on 3620243 Send updates topcugeditorpcugorgau or via post to the PCUG Centre
The Help Directory
May 1997Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
1
Internet SIG730pmPCUG Centre
2
SIXTEENBITSCommercialAd deadlinefor May
3
SIXTEEN BITSLayout Day 10am______________InternetConnection Clinic930am-1pmPCUG Centre(check withCentre Staffer on253 4911)
4
TRAININGDAYProgrammingC and C++930-430PCUG Centre
5
Internet DaytimeDemo andDiscussion10am-12 noonPCUG Centre______________New MembersNight730pmPCUG Centre
6
VirtualCoffee amp ChatTIP IRCServer1030-1130am
7 8 9 10
TRAININGDAYProgrammingVisual Basic930-430PCUG Centre
11
TRAININGDAYIntro tocomputers930-430PCUG Centre
12 13
Coffee amp Chat1030amPCUG Centre__________
C++ SIG730pmPCUG Centre
14
CommitteeMeeting730pmPCUG Centre
15
OS2 SIG7 for 730pmIBM Building8 BrisbaneAve Barton
16 17
TRAINING DAYIntro Windows 95930-430PCUG Centre______________
Meet theCommittee2-4pmPCUG Centre
18
TRAININGDAYInternetAdvancedAccess Intro930-430PCUG Centre
19
Internet DaytimeDemo andDiscussion 10am-12noon PCUG Centre______________
SIXTEEN BITSStuffing and Mailing530pm PCUGCentre
20
Virtual Coffee ampChatTIP IRC Server1030-1130am_____________
Delphi SIG730pm PCUGCentre
21 22
Linux UserGroup730pmRmN101ComputerScience DeptANU
23 24
TRAINING DAYPC Maintenanceamp Troubleshooting930-430PCUG Centre
25
TRAININGDAYInternetAdvancedAccess Intro930-430PCUG Centre
26
Main MeetingManningClark Theatre1 CrispBuilding ANU7 for 730pm
27
Coffee amp Chat1030amPCUG Centre
28 29
Networks SIGCall GarryThomson(241 2399) fordetails
30
SIXTEENBITS Articledeadline forJune
31
TRAININGDAYInternetHTML Intro930-430PCUG CentreBytes SIG 6pm
Asian Bistro ANU(before PCUGmeeting
6 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
PCUG CommitteePresident Ann Byrne 282 2536
pcugpresidentpcugorgau
Vice President Mike Gellard 258 2361mgellardpcugorgau
Secretary Hugh Bambrick 249 7667amp Public Officer pcugsecretarypcugorgau
Treasurer Hugh Alstonpcugtreasurerpcugorgau
Training Officer Paul Balnaves 241 4671pcugtrainingpcugorgau
Network Craig GibsonAdministrator pcuglanpcugorgau
BBS Sysop Michael Phillips 281 1980pcugsysoppcugorgau
General CommitteeAlan Mikkelsen 278 3164amikkelspcugorgau
General CommitteeDavid Schwabe 254 9086dschwabepcugorgau
General CommitteeKen Livingston 282 2536kenlivpcugorgau
General CommitteeRod Farr 286 1597rodfpcugorgau
General CommitteeIain Gould 255 2405iainpcugorgau
General CommitteeDarrell Burkeydburkeypcugorgau
Immediate Karl Auer 248 6607Past Presidentkauerpcugorgau
PCUG Committee email to pcugcommitteepcugorgau
Other ContactsExecutive SecretaryPetra Dwyer 258 2099
pcugexecsecpcugorgau
Membership Mike BurkeSecretary pcugmembershippcugorgau
The phone numbers listed above are home numbers unless otherwisespecified Please restrict calls to between 730pm and 900pm
New Members Information Night730pm first Monday of the month PC Users Group Centre NorthpointPlaza Belconnen
How To Make ContactPostal address
PO Box 42Belconnen ACT 2616(For ALL correspondence)
J PC Users Group CentreNorthpoint Plaza BelconnenOpen Mon Wed and Fri 10am-2pmSaturdays and Sundays 9am-5pm(closed long weekends)
The PCUG Centre is the venue for PCUG training some Special InterestGroup meetings and other activities There is no charge for using theCentre for PCUG activities Contact Petra Dwyer at the PCUG Centre on(06) 253 4911for bookings
(PCUG Main Phone number(06) 253 4911(Answering machine when Centre unattended)
2 Fax number(06) 253 4922
Emailpcugpcugorgau (or use addresses at left)
The INTERNET Project(06) 206 6200 helppcugorgau
World Wide Web pagehttpwwwpcugorgaupcug
Bulletin Board Service (BBS)(06) 253 4933 (5 lines 336k bbs)Fidonet address 3620243
(BBS Sysop voice number(06) 253 4966 (600pm - 900pm)
Main MeetingMain meetings are held 700pm for 730pm usually on the last Mondayof every month at Manning Clark Theatre 1 Crisp Building AustralianNational University
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 7
Next New Membersrsquo Night
5 May 1997730pm
PCUG CentreNorthpoint Plaza Belconnen
MembershipNotesBy Mike BurkeMembership Secretary
MembershipNotes
the PC Users Group Centre (see map page 6)These meetings are a chance for new andlsquoolderrsquo members (who are always welcometo attend) to meet with representatives ofthe Committee to put names to faces andto ask any questions that you may have aboutthe Group and its activities Tea and coffeeare available and the atmosphere is informaland friendly
Main MeetingsOur main meetings targeted at our generalmembership are normally held monthly onthe last Monday of the month The datevenue and topic of the meeting alwaysappear on the front cover of SIXTEEN BITSwhich is timed to arrive in your mail-box inthe middle of the week before the next mainmeeting Main meetings are also advertisedin the computing section of the CanberraTimes on the day of the meeting Anyone iswelcome to attend these meetings you donot need to be a member For main meetingswe arrange guest speakers on a variety oftopics throughout the year As an addedincentive there are usually a couple of doorprizes to be won Yoursquove got to be in it towin it There is no main meeting inDecember Special Events We also havesome special events such as the lsquoBring andBuy Nightrsquo at the Albert Hall in Novemberand an annual Quiz Night in April Youshould read SIXTEEN BITS thoroughly asspecial events are publicised mainly throughthe magazine
Annual General MeetingThe Annual General Meeting is held
in September each year Even ifyou are unable to attend MainMeetings regularly membersshould make every effort toattend this Meeting at which
office bearers for the ensuing 12months are elected
The Rules andOther Good Stuff
Some members have expressed concern thatthey have lost TIP access because theirmembership renewals were not processedquickly enough Please remember that TIPaccess is dependent on your continuingPCUG membership and that it takes timeto process your membership renewalcurrently up to two weeks We are lookingat ways to reduce this time but the bestsolution is for you to remember to renewearly From this issue onwards there willbe a reminder published in this column everymonth Members particularly TIP userswhose PCUG membership expires at the endof the month stated in the box should renewtheir PCUG membership immediately Donot delay because your TIP access willautomatically be cut off at midnight on thelast day of the month unless your renewalhas been processed
Welcome to new members readingSIXTEEN BITS for the first time andwelcome to the PC Users Group
Continuing members should alsocheck this column regularly becauseI am sure that there will be some littlesurprises from time to time even forthe most jaded of old hands
If your PCUGmembership expires atthe end of May 1997
RENEW NOW to avoidlosing TIP access
Membership CardYour membership card will be mailed to youas soon as possible after your applicationfor membership or renewal has beenprocessed This will normally occur withinone week of your receipt of your first issueof SIXTEEN BITS Please be patienthowever There is only one print run ofmailing and membership labels everymonth and this normally occurs over theweekend immediately before the SIXTEENBITS stuffing day (normally the thirdMonday in the month) Normallymembership cards and disks will bedispatched on the third Monday If you loseyour card please leave a message with theExecutive Secretary on 253 4911 or contactme directly via The Internet Project atpcugmembershippcugorgau
Information DiskNew members should also receive a diskcontaining information about the Group andits services Please read the inndashformation onthe disk carefully as you will find theanswers to most of your questions there
New Members Information Night New members are especially urged to attenda New Members Information Night whichis normally held at 730pm on the firstMonday of the month (except January) at
8 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
RYPTOGRAPHY
This is the second of a two part feature onthe technology of cryptography Last monthpublic key cryptosystems were explainedThis month secret key ciphers are explainedand the controversial US export controls oncryptographic technology are examined
Secret key cryptography is theclassic type and has been aroundfor thousands of years Itrsquossometimes called symmetric
cryptography because the same key is usedto encrypt and decrypt a message The keymust therefore be kept secret or it becomesuseless since anyone who has the key candecrypt messages created with it They canalso generate mischievous messages orimpersonate a legitimate user of the key
Because the two parties to a conversationshare the same key non-repudiation isimpossible with secret key cryptography Amessage created and signed by one partycould have easily been signed by the other
party because they are both using the samekey
Secret key systems are inherentlysimpler than public key systems so there arequite a few of them in existence forcomputing One of the first was DES (DataEncryption Standard) which was publishedway back in 1977 in the US and uses a 56bit key DES takes a 64 bit chunk of amessage and garbles this into 64 bits ofciphertext
Since DES processes blocks of themessage with a defined length it is called ablock cipher (The illustration shows howDES works) DES doesnrsquot involve anyspecial mathematics In fact it relies on afew simple operations including bitshuffling substitution and simple logicaloperations
DES is still in wide usage today and isconsidered sufficiently strong that the USgovernment until very recently had ablanket ban on export of products whichused it
The fact that a cipher almost 20 yearsold is still considered useful illustrates animportant point in cryptography Ciphersand wine share a common feature - bothnormally improve with age The reason issimple If after such a long time no-onehas been able to work out a quick way tobreak a cipher then it must be good Unlikea lot of software these days reliability andtrustworthiness are absolute essentials forcryptographic algorithms and software
The need to expose ciphers to widepublic use - and abuse - before there can beconfidence in them also means that do-it-yourself ciphers generally arenrsquot trusted There might be some obscure attack orbackdoor that the designer has missed or
even deliberately put in place Neverthelessthere are some incredibly simple cipherswhich anyone can implement and use Oneof these called the lsquoone time padrsquo consistsof nothing more than combining a messagebit by bit with a lsquokeyrsquo consisting of arandom string of bits of the same lengthusing the exclusive or (XOR) logicaloperation Decryption is performed bysimply XORing with the same key again Itmight sound surprising but the one time pad
is the most secure cipher known if doneproperly Doing it properly meansunfortunately using a fresh key of randombits every time and the key must be trulyrandom - not generated with a pseudo-random algorithm
Coming back to DES if you take a quicklook at the detail of how it works you mightask why it goes through such a complex setof steps There are two reasons An attackerwonrsquot get too far by reversing the processbefore being stopped by a step involving akey (these canrsquot be reversed without thekey) The second reason is to make itrelatively inefficient when implemented insoftware so anyone who tries guessing keysrandomly will take that much longer to testeach one In fact key guessing is about aseffective as any other method for breakingDES
How secure is DES With the computingpower available now it is consideredfeasible to crack a message encrypted witha key only 56 bits long Nevertheless itwouldnrsquot be a trivial exercise since there are2^54 possible keys or about 18 x 10^16 Ifeach key took one millisecond to check itwould take over half a million years to testevery possible key
ldquoIf each key took one millisecond to check it would takeover half a million years to test every possible keyrdquo
(continued on page 10)
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 9
TECHNOLOGY GROUPinteract
Are you sick of congestedlines and slow access to the
InternetInterACT offers a full range of Internet Services in the Canberra Region
hellip be it a WWW home page to a corporate network ndashInterACT will deliver
Access $ 3500 per month orFlat Rate $ 18000 for 6 months
Access Plus $ 1000 per month (10 prepaid hrs)
$ 250 each additional hour
No Connection Fee applies to any of our dialup modem services
23 Megabit link to the Internet
Wersquore just a phone call away and you can be online today
Interact Technology Group URL httpwwwinteractnetauGround Floor Phone 257 833325 Torrens Street Fax 257 8322Braddon ACT 2612 Email infointeractnetau
All Plans payable in advance
10 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
In reality a key can be tested in a lotless than a millisecond In a recent challengein the US by RSA Data Security a 40 bitsecret key cipher was broken in about twoand half hours by using a whole stack ofcomputers in parallel No-one has crackedthe 56 bit challenge issued at the same time(at least at the time of writing this whichwas several weeks after the challenge wasissued) A 56 bit key is roughly 2^16 timesmore difficult to break meaning it wouldtake over 18 years to break with the samecomputing power used for the 40 bit key
Even if a 56 bit key was too short foryour security needs there are also schemesfor encryption with DES using two differentkeys in an encrypt-decrypt-encrypt cycleThis system sometime called triple DESmore than doubles the effective key lengthand provides truly remarkable security
Other common secret key algorithmsinclude IDEA (International DataEncryption Algorithm) which is used inPretty Good Privacy RC4 and RC5 ThelsquoRCrsquo series ciphers (also proprietaryproducts of RSA Data Security) are used inNetscape Navigator
US Export ControlsAs in many other technology areas theUnited States has been one of the leaders inthe development of crytosystems Manypowerful ciphers are available commerciallyin US products But the US government hasuntil recently had an almost total ban on theexport of most such products
The US government even used to treatcommercial cryptosystems as munitions forexport purposes Cryptographic softwareexports would often receive scrutiny fromthe US national security agency
Recent promises by major US IT firmsto incorporate lsquokey recoveryrsquo in theirproducts has lead to a relaxation on exportcontrols A statement by the White Houseon 1 October last year said that firms thatbuilt key recovery into their products wouldbe able to export much more powerfulcryptosystems for a trial period of two years
The actual details of what was meant bykey recovery were released by the USadministration just before Christmas 1996For practical purposes they differ little fromanother controversial and widely criticisedpolicy called key escrow which involveslodging all keys with a governmentauthority
The US government justifies itsinsistence on key recovery systems so thatit can continue to eavesdrop on criminalelements or terrorists taking advantage of
powerful cryptographic processes to hidetheir activities from the law
This means that the real interest by USauthorities is in cryptographic techniquesused for secret conversations The US hasno concern about encryption software thatcan only be used for digital signatures andmessage authentication
So far so good But on closer exndashamination the logic becomes harder tofollow The US government is controllingexport of cryptosystems not access to themin the US US citizens including thoseabroad have unrestricted access to verystrong encryption technology US citizenswill not even be obliged to use software thatincludes the key recovery systems mandatedfor exports In fact the October 1996statement by the White House makes thepolicy pretty clear ldquodomestic use of keyrecovery will be voluntary and any
American will remain free to use anyencryption system domesticallyrdquo
So how will the inclusion of keyrecovery in lsquoexport onlyrsquo products help TheUS government seems to be hoping that itskey recovery idea will become a de factointernational standard and that the US firmsmaking this software simply will not botherproducing two versions - one with and onewithout key recovery Instead they willproduce one version with key recovery Untilthis happens (if it ever does) the USgovernment will only be able to decryptmessages originated from overseas usingexported US software They will only beable to decrypt where a foreign governmentobtains the keys and hands them over Therecent White House statement says ldquoaccessto keys would be provided in accordancewith (export) destination country policiesand bilateral understandingsrdquo
A major problem highlighted by thecritics of US policy is that much of theencryption technology is already availableoverseas Much of it can apparently be usedlegally outside the US and even importedinto the US - yet it still canrsquot be exported byUS software vendors
For example DES is a publishedstandard and is widely available in manyparts of the world but until recently waseffectively the subject of a US export banAustralia is a case in point DES islegitimately available from a number of ourspecialist IT security firms for exampleEracom on the Gold Coast
In the case of RSA this is protected bypatent in the US However that hasnrsquotstopped it being available in other countriesin non-US products
The US government is not alone inhaving controls on use or export of crypndashtography France bans use of cryptographyby its citizens completely Closer to homethe Australian government also has exportcontrols on cryptographic software andhardware - although not a stringent as thosein the US Many other countries have thesetypes of controls as well
In spite of the well-intentioned motivesbehind restrictions on cryptography it seemshard to imagine that crooks and terroristswill be more vulnerable They are likely togain access to all the cryptographic
(continued from page 8)
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 11
SPIRIT NETWORKSYOUR INTERNET BUSINESS SOLUTION
IN CANBERRA
Offering full commercial Internet Services to create theInternet Presence of your business including
middot World Wide Web Site optional Domain Nameregistration and high volume services
middot Multiple Email Mailboxes amp high-speed Dialup access
middot Free Internet technical support
middot No time charging
middot Accounts from $25 a month
middot Training Consultation and Support Services
middot Connections by ISDN or modem permanentconnections available
middot Other services included are Telnet WWW FileTransfer News IRC and Multimedia
middot On-site Internet Software Installation Configuration andDemonstration
Personal accounts available
Complete Office Solutions for your Internet Presence
Email salesspiritnetau
Phone 0419 609 704 06 281 3552 Fax 06 285 1987
PO Box 486 Curtin ACT 2605
technology they want - whether legally ornot
If yoursquore interested in finding out moreon cryptography there are some good booksand plenty of good material on the Web Aclassic book is Bruce Schneierrsquos AppliedCryptography (2nd edition 1996 Wiley)which also contains C code for manyciphers On the web have a look athttpwwwrsacom (see FAQ) or httptheory lcs mi t edu~r ives t c rypto-securityhtml (plenty of good links - a mustfor anyone with an interest in cryptography)
12 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
1297
1897
1987
1997
ph 06 297 1084fax 03 9221 3180sustanceibmnet
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 13
14 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Setting Up a Commercial Site onthe Internet with Web Graphics
At the beginning of March I launched a newcommercial site on the Internet - InfoRomSince I know virtually nothing about HTMLprogramming and since I am something of anovice at this game I thought you might beinterested in
a) My experience of setting up acommercial site
b) My evaluation of how suited CorelWeb Graphics is to this purpose
I was in fact involved in EdRev anunsuccessful Internet project that was up onthe Net for much of 1996 Hopefully I havelearned from the experience - as Peter Cookused to say ldquoI have learned from my mistakesand I can repeat every one of them perfectlyrdquo
Developing Your Site ConceptBefore setting up your site it is important tohave a clear idea in mind as to why the site isthere what services you wish to provide andwhat sort of clients you are aiming at WithEdRev my idea had been to provide in-depthreviews of CD-ROM educational softwareover the Internet - people would not be able toaccess the reviews until they had taken up asubscription - or at least trialled the servicefor a month People out there did not respondto this approach - and the big problem frommy point of view was that I was putting vastamounts of time into writing the reviews andgetting little return
With InfoRom I decided to write shortermuch tighter reviews make them available forfree but offer access to question and answersupport on any of the products reviewed for asmall fee That way I figured that I wouldnrsquothave to invest too much effort up front but Iwould be putting my time and energy intoanswering questions for paid up subscribers Ialso decided to start including selected gamesas well as educational software so as to widenthe appeal of the service
Corel Web Transit - Word to HTML
Having written the reviews (inWord 6 for Windows) the nextstep was to convert them intoHTML format This proved to besomewhat easier than I had expectedWeb Transit makes the process prettyautomatic and it carried over my formattingand styles without any problem The onlydifficulty I found was that occasionally itwould add a couple of unwanted line breaksat the top of the page and very occasionallyan unwanted bookmark to the text at the topWhere this happened I simply deleted the linebreaks and changed the formatting to removethe bookmark There was no logical reason forthese unwanted inclusions - I suspect that itwas just a bug in the program Diagram 1 iswhat the Transit screen looks like You set updestination and source then click translatethen click the Web Designer icon if you wantto format and modify the file or click thebrowser icon to see what it will look like onthe Web
Corel Web Designer - Formattingand Enhancing the Site Pages
Web Designer is another of the Corel WebGraphics package components and (with thehelp of my daughter Naomi) I used this to dothe following
middot Fancy up headings and the appearanceof the text
middot Add internal links eg from the bottomof the page to the top
middot Add external links to other files egSubject Index
By Nick Thomson
Diagram 1
cd romcd rom
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 15
middot Add external files to other sites eg thesites of the software suppliers
middot Add graphics
All of the above processes were easy andreliable and I was able to undertake all of themsuccessfully despite not having any knowledgeof HTML programming I only encounteredthree shortcomings
1 If I had names with a mixture of upper andlower case the links didnrsquot always workproperly I overcame this by ensuring thatall my filenames were in lower case onlyI am not sure if this was a Web Graphicsproblem or just a general HTML issue
HTML is certainly casesensitive so beware
2 It is not possible to define orsave your own templates in Web
Designer It would have been veryhandy if I could have set up a template
with all the standard headings and linkseg to the Home Page built in - notpossible at this stage but I understand thatthis facility will be available in the nextupgrade of Web Designer
3 The formatting options are a bit limitedand it is not possible to define your ownstyles (although there is quite a good rangeof pre-defined styles available)
For graphics Naomi created a series ofneat little icons - one for each subject categoryThus at the top of each page there were twosmall graphics representing one or two subjectcategories for that review These were createdfrom clip art in Corel Draw then convertedand pasted in as gif or jpeg images (the twographic formats that are supported by HTML)We had tried using screen clips in EdRev -
they took forever to load and were a pain towork with so I decided against using them inInfoRom One of the golden rules of Web sitesis not to slow things down with too manygraphics - I get very frustrated waiting forsome of the software supplier sites to load -and I donrsquot want my potential clients to feelthat way about my site Diagram 2 is anexample of one of our pages
Selecting a Supplier andUploading Pages
The next step was to find a commercial sitesupplier I had been happy with service andvalue for money that we got at Spirit Networks(an ACT supplier) so I decided to go to themIt cost me $275 to set the site up (includingthe registration of my domain name on theInternet) and it is costing me $50 per monthfor maintaining the site (that includes a goodlevel of storage email traffic and the right toupdate whenever I like) - so it really isnrsquot tooexpensive a service As part of the setup costsa rep from Spirit came and helped my set upTIP email and FTP connections on mymachine Because of my newness to thisprocess I fired lots of questions (includingquite a few dumb ones) at them by email orphone in the first couple of weeks - I have tosay that they have been very patient and mosthelpful
I uploaded all the files by means of FTPand eureka it is working What a satisfyingfeeling to log on load up your browser andperuse a site that is all your own work Apartfrom a few faulty links (the result of incorrectentry on my part) everything was working fineimmediately and I have already added threelots of updates without difficulty
Marketing and Indexing the SiteWhen I was involved in EdRev I sent outapprox 600 emails to schools educationalagencies etc in the hope of winning somesubscribers For all that effort we got 2subscribers
I believe that one of the keys to the Internetis harnessing the power of the various searchprograms or Web Indexes by listing your sitewith them and doing whatever you need to doto ensure that your site has a reasonably good
Diagram 2(continued next page)
16 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
chance of being detected What I want is thatif someone searches for a particular packageeg Encarta or NHL 97 then they will bedirected to my site Thus the key is for not justmy home page but for every separate reviewpage to be picked up by the various indexesMost users stick with the big ones - as far as Ican tell they are
Excite
Infoseek
Lycos
Alta Vista
Magellan (subset of Excite)
Yahoo
Hot Bot
Web Crawler
Web Surfer
If anyone out there can suggest any otherlsquopopular onesrsquo please tell me My experienceis that there are two categories of Index
1 Those that list your home page and thentrace all of the links to the home page and(over time) add all of the other pages inyour site This can take 3 or 4 weeks Theseinclude Alta Vista Lycos Yahoo and (Ithink) Excite and Yahoo
2 Those that will only list the URL you haveentered eg Infoseek and Web Crawler
Thus I have taken two approaches Withcategory 1 eg Excite I have added just thehome page to the index although each time Ido an update I add the URL of what I estimatewill be the most popular choice for that weekto Excite and Hot Bot - thus increasing thelikelihood of my site appearing on thesesindexes in the short term Alta Vista Yahooand Lycos all actively discourage this process- but I will see whether the review pages ofmy sites are being picked up before I passjudgement on this
In the case of Infoseek and Web Crawler Ientered every single URL for all the pages inmy site (about 130 to begin with) - and everytime I do an update I add the URLs for thenew pages to these indexes It is timeconsuming but I believe that it is worth it Iam starting to get traffic to the site from allover the world but it is too early to tell howsuccessful my efforts have been
WebSurfer required a payment of $350(US) to be included - I wonder how long itwill be before this trend catches on with theothers At the bank I discovered that it wouldcost me $10 - to get a cheque drawn in USdollars - so the process cost me about $15
dollars And they wonder why Australia is notcompetitive on the international scene WhileI am grizzling about banks let me alsocomment that for every client that pays me bycheque in US dollars or pounds sterling it willcost me $5 to convert that cheque to Australiandollars The trick is of course to encouragepayment by credit card but I have not foundany of the banks I have spoken to so far to beparticularly eager to allow a small untriedbusiness like this to offer credit card facilitiesAre there any banks out there that encourageAustralians to transact internationalbusiness
There are a number of providers that offer(for a fee) to list you with lsquo100 Web indexesrsquoetc but since I figure that most people onlyuse the most popular ones I havenrsquot botheredwith them
Final CommentBasically it is now a matter of wait and seewhat the response is as well as ensure that thesite is visible on the various Web indexes Thewhole process has certainly been much easierthan I expected and I can certainly recommendCorelrsquos Web Graphics suite as a good way forbeginners to get a page up on the Internet witha minimum of fuss and bother Letrsquos hope thatthe subscribers start rolling in
Nick Thomson is a management trainerconsultant and he is also the manager ofInfoRom a CD-ROM review and onlinesupport service on the Internet He can becontacted on 241 3239
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 17
A review by Alan Tebb
ldquoWhat is the name of the worldrsquos mosttattooed womanrdquo (See the answer at theend of this article)
I remember buying a copy of theGuinness Book of Records in 1979and thinking it contained the mostfascinating collection of trivial facts
and figures I had ever read Over the yearsthe book settled the occasional dinnerargument that strayed into the realm of ldquowhowas the tallest man everrdquo or ldquohow longwere the longest finger nails ever grownrdquoIt was like having the sideshow bearded ladyand the tattooed man between covers on thebookshelf every page was filled with thebizarre the freakish the unbelievable
But to be fair the Guinness Book ofRecords is more than a collection of thecurious or unusual In the month since Ibegan this review I have noticed the TV andthe newspapers have on three occasionscovered attempts to break Guinness records
Perhaps the Guinness record book fulfillsthat need in human beings to challenge theirenvironment do things that no other humanhas done before to better the incredible featsof others or to be just plain crazy Whateverthe motivation the drive to be a part ofGuinness historyndashif only for as long as arecord holdsndashis as popular now as when thewhole thing began in 1955
So naturally I was very interested to seewhat Grolier had done to make the GuinnessBook of Records a multimedia CD I wasnrsquotdisappointed Like its hardcover cousin theGuinness Multimedia Disc of Recordscontains the same extensive collection ofrecords plus a library of amazing film clipsand photographs you simply wonrsquot findanywhere else on CD
The opening interface looks like acollection of pub drink coasters It has eightpaths allowing the user to browse recordsgo straight to an index of all photographsview movie clips search by words search
1995 GuinnessMultimediaDisc of Records
by topics search by superlatives run theRandom Record Explorer or play the GuessWhat quiz
The record browser lists almost 15000records in alphabetical order and is the leasteffective way of finding your way aroundthe CD The Guinness Multimedia Disc ofRecords excels in its ability to search itsdatabase of records using some innovativeoptions The usual Boolean choices areavailable or you can have fun searching bysuperlatives such as ldquotallestrdquo or ldquoheaviestrdquoThe CD will then list all the records thatinclude the chosen adjective The otheralternative is to search through topic treesthat branch out from a few key subjects allthe way to individual records an approachoften seen in CD encyclopaedias
The disc contains over 1000photographs from the Guinness collectionincluding what must be considered some ofthe most unusual and fascinating picturesassembled in one publication The majorityof photos and videos are very high in qualityand in the case of the photos these can beprinted
My only disappointment with theGuinness Multimedia Disc of Records is thefact that it did not have a country specificsupplement The thing I liked most aboutmy 1979 hard copy version was the 30 pagesof Australia-only records at the back Evenso the multimedia version is every bit asentertaining interesting and informative asI had hoped it would be With the addedadvantage of film clips sound and greatsearch capabilities I think it is better thanthe hard copy version Now if I can onlyremember some of those unusual facts andfigures I might be a much better TrivialPursuit player
System RequirementsA 486DX processor running at 33MHz orfaster using Windows 31 or rsquo95 4 Mb ofRAM 6Mb hard disk space CD-ROMcapable of 300Kbsec or higher transfer rateand a sound card The video uses Quicktimefor Windows 20 (supplied with theproduct)
The worldrsquos most decorated woman is stripartiste Krystyne Kolorful born 5 December1952 in Alberta Canada Her body is 95percent covered and it took ten years tocomplete the work
18 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
T his comprehensive set ofpowerful drawing and photo-editing tools fills a niche for thehome or small business users
who are looking for an easy-to-use graphicspackage to create greeting cards certificatesbanners business forms signs and calendarsetc and at the same time have the capacityto scan their own photographs touch themup and add special effects or create bitmapimages using the painting tools
While both MS Publisher 97 (which Ireviewed in the March 1997 issue) and PrintHouse have some similarities and overlapin the production of greeting cards bannerscalendars menus etc this program con-centrates on the production of qualitygraphics and photographic enhancementwhile MS Publisher97 was more orientedtowards Desk Top Publishing and has nophotographic enhancement program
Corel Print amp Photo House lives up toits claim for simplicity with a friendlywizard-based interface that anyone can usewithout training It includes more than 1600ready-to-print sample files (700 of whichare cards 1000 photos 1000 phrases 150TrueType fonts 7000 clipart images 200backdrops and 70 intelligent borders andtemplates and a well-illustrated manualwhich includes a catalogue containingcollections of the clipart fonts bordersbackdrops phrases and photos on theCDROM At a loss for the appropriatewords to include The comprehensive listof phrases should meet almost everyconceivable need
Installation is simple and the programproved fully compatible with my LogitechColour scanner and DSV Graphics DisplayAccelerator
There is a key that opens a key page thatin turn displays help topics to assist withthe task in hand using cue cards The topicsopened by the key are determined by the toolin use or the object currently selected Eachcard contains an instruction and after eachstep is completed a new card displays
Wizards are available to walk usersthrough any task such as changing the colourof an object or adding shadows to text Thereis an on-screen Notebook to help guide usersthrough various operations such as how toapply effects choose a paint brush or accessthe photo collection It also provides easyand visible access to clipart bordersbackdrops and preset styles that can bedragged and dropped into designs
You can customise a project withpowerful drawing tools and flip rotate orscale any text or graphic
The vector graphics and text are fullyeditable and can be flipped rotated re-sizedungrouped and fully customised by bothcolour and shape
The Toolbars and layout will be familiarto Corel Draw users they are intuitive andperform similar functions Figure 3 showsthe Notebook to the left of the verticaltoolbar showing what you would like to donext This Notebook provides convenienton-screen context-sensitive help and guidesusers through various operations such ashow to apply effects choose a paint brushor access a photo collection It also provideseasy and visible access to clipart bordersbackdrops and preset styles that can bedragged and dropped into designs To add acatalogue item you can drag it from theNotebook and drop it into the appropriatepart of your design
One particularly neat feature is theability to save pieces of your own creationfor later use in a section called theScrapbook so that you can add it to futureprojects
Reviewed by Jim Hume
Figure 1
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 19
The Photo House was particularlyimpressive both for the ease of use and itsversatility It took just over ten minutes torepair the damage to the print in Figure 2with the result shown in Figure 3 It alsoincludes a Notebook that provides on screenhelp to guide users For touching upphotographs there are Tools for selectionRectangle Freehand Eyedropper EraserFlood Fill Paintbrush Spray Can and Clonetools There are seven different touch-upeffects including Sharpen BrightnessContrast Remove Dust and ScratchesReduce speckles Simplify colours removered-eyes and Change Colours which provide
users with everything they are likely to needto spruce up or enhance photographs
Finally they provide a touch of fun withspecial effects-Page Curl Emboss SwirlCustom Negative Vignette Motion blurAdd light source Psychedelic Ripple
texture Impress-ionist and SketchThe photo editingpossibilities arealmost endlessFigure 4 showsthe special effectspicture a crownconverted top s y c h e d e l i cformat
Figure 2
Figure 3
Apart from serious use this program willalso provide a lot of fun for all ages andsome may be carried away with over-use ofthe graphics If only to emphasise the needto keep the design simple so that readers getthe message immediately the manual wouldbenefit from a Chapter covering theprinciples of good design similar to that inthe Publisher97 Companion or at least a listof recommended reading
There is an uninstall feature whichallows the ready removal of the program
System RequirementsMinimum System requirements IBM PC486 DX or compatible Windows95 orWindows Nt 351 a CD-ROM drive a VGAcardmonitor and a mouse or tabletWindows users require 8MB of RAM andWindows NT 351 or later users will require12 MB or RAM Price - RRP $9900
Figure 4
20 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
So here we are - itrsquos about 930 amon a fine Sunday morning and Irsquomcruising along the 210 freewayeastbound from Pasadena on the
way to the computer marketplace atPomona The traffic is light moving freelydown the 6 lanes between 70 and 80 mph(forgive the non-metrics therersquos a lot ofcatching up to do here) The speed limit wasincreased from 55 to 65 mph after the oilcrisis was ldquooverrdquo and the highway patroltend to frown on anyone faster or slowerthan 65 to 80 The radio is tuned to K-Earth1011 ldquoOldiesrdquo radio (appropriate for me)the Big-O is extolling the virtues of PrettyWomen and all is right with the world
Irsquove done my homework the day beforeby visiting FRYrsquos Electronics in Burbank -a huge high-tech megastore with a computersection roughly the size of David JonesThey are generally in the lower range ofcomputer retail prices - so it is worth seeinghow they compare to values at the Pomonamarketplace
Some example of prices at FRYrsquos (forsome things I was thinking of buying) are
Tape Backup unitsIomega Ditto 2Gb - $150 (Aus $207 after825 CA sales tax and conversion at 1275)Connor 32Gb - $229 A$316HP Colorado 32Gb - $209 A$288
Parallel port TV camerasColour - $249 A$343 Greyscale- $110 A$151 [Saw them bymail order at $79 A$101 (notax)]
8Mb 72pin EDO SIMMs 70ns - $40 A$55 60ns (1 yearWarranty) - $35 A$48 60ns(Namebrand lifetime warranty) -$44 A$61
Sony Web TV(WWW + Email via your TV -No PC required) - $290 A$400
Back to Sunday and thehardest part of the trip is theU-turn into the LA County
fairgroundrsquos car park - there are 6 entrancelanes with only 2-3 cars in each so gettingto park is pretty painless except for the $5parking fee Ouch A dollar up since lasttime Then another shock to the wallet -entrance fee has increased from $7 to $8for adults (and no Seniors discount) So atotal of $13 A$18 before making it into thefirst hall A friend and I discussed theentrance price and concluded that it mightbe a cunning psychological plot - Itrsquos costso much to get this far that one should reallybuy plenty to make it all worthwhileEverybody wins organisers and dealers thatis But itrsquos certainly possible to recoup theentrance money with a purchase of aCDROM For example MS Encarta 97 wasgoing for $26 (A$36)
There is at least one and sometimes twocomputer shows somewhere in LA eachweekend but this I think this one is thebiggest It is held in two large halls(sometimes three) Each hall is capable ofeasily accommodating around 150 largishstands with 10-15 foot aisles Therersquos 4 or 5radio stations here - at least 2 broadcastingand the rest handing out various ldquofreebiesrdquowhile relaying their station overloudspeakers Add to that various spruikersshouting their wares (ldquoNo CDs over $5 onthis tablerdquo ldquoLowest motherboard prices atthe showrdquo) numerous ldquomultimediardquo demos
and a few thousand people trying to makethemselves heard It is pretty noisy
I checked with the organisers and theysaid that they average around 8000attendees per day - so up to 20000 over agood two day weekend show It surprisedme that is was that low as it can get reallycrowded (2 or 3 deep at some stands)
There were over 300 dealers that day -about average However every 2-3 monthsthe organisers run 20-30 short seminars inconjunction with the market at the Sheratonsuites on the fairground complex On thoseoccasions the attendance at the marketincreases by 30 or more
So why do people keep coming back tothese shows Are the prices so much betterHere are a few examples
Complete ldquobasicrdquo system166 Mhz 6x86 Triton VX MB PnP bios256 Kb Cache 16 Mb EDO RAM 16 GbEIDE HDD 8X EIDE CDROM PCISVGA 64 bit with 2 Mb MPEG Yamaha3D Wavetable sound card poweredspeakers 336 Fax modem with Voice
mail SVGA 15 Digital NI28 monitor mousekeyboard floppy drive etcWin95 Installed with manualamp CD $969 A$1337 for thelot
MotherboardsIntel VX chip set with all IO256 Kb Cache - $84 A$116Intel HX chip set 512K -$110 A$152 CheapestPentium MB I saw (Optichip set) - $65 A$90
Wish You Were HereSixteen Bits foriegn correspondent John Saxonchecks in from Pasadena California
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 21
Tyan Tomcat 3 with 512K - $145 (the oneI paid $220 for 4 months ago - Oh wellthatrsquos life at the bleeding edge)
RAM8Mb 60ns EDO - $35 A$48 (Brand name$2 more) 16Mb 60ns EDO - $74 A$102
CPUsPentium Pro 150 Mhz - $179 A$247Pentium MMX 200 Mhz - $538 A$742(prediction - $300 by Dec 97)
CDROM Drives6X - $55 A$76 (Untested - as is)X12 Acer - $100 A$138X2 7 disk changer - $50 A$69(Untested - as is)JVC X4 read X2 write - $259A$357X16 (LiteOn = no name Nicebox) - $108 A$149
HDDsWD Caviar 25 Gb - $225 A$311Maxstor 13 Gb - $170 A$234
ModemsUS Robotics Courier 56 Kbs +Voice - $163 A$225 No name 336Kbs + SVDS - $67 A$92 (and goingdown)
Odd stuff2 Mb VGA cards as low as $45 A$62Cheapest parallel port flatbed scanner -$203 A$280
Stocking stuffers 230 Watt powersupplies - $17 A$23IDE HDD mobile rack with lock - $12A$17 TEAC 144 MbFDD - $20 A$28
The only direct comparison with FRYrsquosprices was for the HP 32 Gb tape backupunit - $209 at FRYrsquos - $149 at the marketSo it can definitely be worth the trip BUTsome of the dealers may not be around toolong to honour warranties and there aresome definitely ldquoshonkyrdquo practices goingon An example is the almost universalpractice of breaking up CDROM ldquobundlesrdquoto sell separately a practice much frownedupon by OEMs Caveat Emptor
So what was hot or different at thismarketplace
Well the new ATX format motherboardsand cases seemed to be selling well Forthose who donrsquot know - ATX is the new
mechanical layout with some electricalimprovements agreed by the major man-ufacturers (the first major mechanicalchange since the original PC) The mostobvious difference in the new motherboardsis on-board connectors (including USB andIR) and externally removable panels on thecases (you need a new case and Powersupply with the new motherboards) Butthere are many more changes infunctionality including ldquogreenrdquo systemPower supply control - never turn the system
off (except by unplugging it) Boards were$150 A$207 and up and cases with PSUsaround $75 A$104
Recordable CDROM drives were sellingwell with media down to $8 A$11 Didnrsquotsee any of the new DVD CD-ROM drivesbut these shows are not generally ldquocuttingedgerdquo more concentration on lower (slightlytrailing edge) prices
But I tried on a great pair of LCD 3Dglasses with modified game software - veryimpressive results The glasses switch 48times per sec (some noticeable flicker) andcome with a CDROM which include driversand some modified ldquoshoot-em-uprdquo gamesDescent 3D Nukem Doom etc for a totalof $99 A$137 The same stand also sold a4MB 128 bit Video card with hardwareMPEG2 decompression for $159 A$219Terminator-2 at full screen and full ratelooking better than your average TV
I even saw a $999 A$1378 home-use2-axis VR - that is Virtual Reality - chaircontrolled by the joystick It is quite quiet(as far as I could tell in amongst the racket)and apparently air driven with 50 degreesmovement in pitch and 55 degrees in roll
The monitor mounts in front of your kneesand the keyboard (for an optional operator -or simulation controller) behind the seatback There were speakers and joystick builtin also It seemed to be very fast and wasquite nauseating to watch Combine thiswith the 3D glasses for a total experience(if your stomach could take it)
There are probably more software thanhardware stands with CDROMs from $199up to $199 A$275 for Office 97 Pro upgrade(probably another unbundling job) Also 3
or 4 book stores - selling at coverprice less 25 for one book to coverprice less 35 for 5 or more books
Not all the stands are totallycomputer oriented There are a fairsprinkling of chiropractors (on thespot diagnosis) ldquoself defenserdquostands (mace amp pepper sprayselectric stun guns and (strangely)large knives) Cell phones pagerscigars and jewelry etc - you nameit A pretty large curtained off area(over 21 only) had several dealersselling thousands of ldquoadultrdquoCDROMs and videos A nice
change from the ldquooldrdquo days when that stuffwas included on most stands One of theradio stations was giving out ldquoEarthquakepreparationrdquo leaflets - modern times in LA
What did I buy Well - very restrainedfor me Only 16 Mb (2 X 8 Mb EDOSIMMs) of RAM - name brand (Toshiba) at$38 (A$52) each Also an HP Deskjetprinter colour refill kit At $55 (A$76) it waspretty expensive but it is supposed to refillcolour cartridges up to 24 times and B ampW up to 6 times so it could well be worth it- came with a package of business card paper(my choice parchment) also Oh and a W95or 31 Wincheck Version 40 softwarepackage at $1495 A$21 - I couldnrsquot resist
So after 2 12 hours I had taken a quickcheck around all the stands with no repeatsand I was out of there - all computered out(at least for one day) Irsquove been to that showat least 6 to 8 times before plus othersaround LA and I still get a mild adrenalinerush when going in - calculated to causeshopping frenzy
22 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Confused aboutYoursquore not alone
By Nhan Tran
Getting onto the InternetYoursquove heard about the informationsuperhighway and you want to know moreYour kids want to get on the Internet butyou donrsquot know how to give them a driveYou have been using the Internet but whenyou asked for help you could not explainyour problems to the experts This article(or maybe a series of articles) gives you thewhole picture and some explanation on thevehicle you use to get on the superhighway
The SuperhighwayThe Internet is a complex (and sometimesconvoluted) network of superhighways Theroads may be a six-lane freeway a four-lanehighway a side street or even a narrow alleyThey may be on the ground above groundunderground at the bottom of the seas orflying high with the satellites in space
On top of that you donrsquot actually driveyour car It is driven by an automatic driverwhich is nearly blind and canrsquot see fartherthan the next turn It is weird It is unnaturalwhich may be the reason why it works andthe other ldquowell-designedrdquo networks failedThe whole network is based on the conceptof ldquobest effortsrdquo That is the robot driverswould try their best but not guarantee thatthey would take you to the destination
They try to find the best route for you Itmeans that if the road is too congested theymay make a U-turn get off the freeway andcrawl through a labyrinth of cat alleys Theroads are like the real ones sometimes thereis almost no traffic at all other times theylook like a huge car park The matter getsworse when you take into account of thedifferent timezones around the world Oneorsquoclock in Australia may be the rush hourin another country and if you want to getinformation from there you get caught inthe traffic
Because of these characteristicssomeone (I think it was Mitch Kapor thespreadsheet inventor) has made a comment
like ldquothe information superhighway is a ten-lane freeway in one direction and an ox-cart path in the otherrdquo
But if you can go to where you wantwould you care I donrsquot I treat the wholenetwork like a fuzzy cloud that magicallygives me the new freedom the newcommunity and the new set of problems
The Highway RampSo how do you get on this super highwayThere are places which are connected to thehighway network on one side and entrancesfor you to enter on the other They are calledservers Normally what you see on theInternet is what is stored at these serversbecause most people like you donrsquot wantstrangers to access your PC (I wouldnrsquot leta stranger into my house) Luckily there aremany servers with many goodies to look ator play with
Getting onto these servers is not easyYou use a modem connected to a phone lineto call the modem on the server When theserver modem answers the call they wouldstart the process of synchronisation Toomany standards and too many brands If youare unlucky your modem may refuse to talkto the other modem and you would spendhours of frustration and get a huge phonebill
The high pitch tone you hear from themodem is this process When both modemssatisfy that they can reliably talk to eachother the noise stops Then itrsquos the butlerrsquosturn
The ButlerThere is a very important program for yourInternet access It is a program that asks the
modem to make the call to the server andwhen connected requests a login on yourbehalf to the server
What is a login You come to a friendrsquosplace knock the door or ring the bellSomeone in the house would ask ldquowho isthererdquo and yoursquod say ldquoitrsquos just merdquo Yourfriend recognises your voice opens the doorand let you in If you work in a securedenvironment every morning when you enterthe building you would show your ID cardto the security guard
Your username (or user ID or login ID)and your password are equivalent to the IDcard If you get the dreaded ldquoaccess deniedrdquoit means (a) you (or the program that doeson your behalf) entered incorrect username(b) you entered wrong password or (c) youran out of access hours or the accessexpired or your PCUG membership
expiredThis program is
always there rendashgardless of how youstart your Internetsession Some
access the Internet by Eudora some byMicrosoft Internet Explorer some useNetscape They either have a built-inprogram to do this job or automatically callthis program to make the connection Evenif you donrsquot see it on the screen it is runningin the background The popular PC prondashgrams that can do this task are TrumpetWinsock (or TCPMAN) Shiva Chameleonor Dial-up Networking Connect etc
Once the connection is established thisprogram will take on the task of a butlerserving other programs Letrsquos look at thefollowing analogy
Letrsquos assume that you (or to be precisethe PC programs such as Eudora MSInternet Explorer Netscape etc) were aninvalid confined in a room You would needa butler to help you getting things outside
ldquoThe roads may be a six-lane freeway a four-lanehighway a side street or even a narrow alleyrdquo
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 23
the Internet
the room When you (Eudora InternetMail Netscape Mail) wanted to checkyour mail yoursquod ask the butler to checkthe letter box and bring letters to yourbed When you wanted to send lettersto friends or relative yoursquod ask thebutler to take it to the post office
When you (Free Agent InternetNews Netscape News) wanted to readnewspaper yoursquod ask the butler to goto the newsagent and buy newspaper foryou When you (Internet ExplorerNetscape Opera) wanted a book or avideo yoursquod ask the butler to buy suchand such books or videos for you
It is so important that without it youcanrsquot get anything f rom thesuperhighway So if you started yoursession from Trumpet Winsock whenthe connection has been made (ie whenyou see the message ldquoMy IP address is2031076xxxrdquo) donrsquot close or exit theprogram Minimise it and let it run inthe background so that it can serve otherprograms Otherwise you would getstrange and incomprehensible errormessage such as ldquowinsockdll missingrdquo(trust a programmer to tell you whatrsquoswrong in the program he or she wrote)
Thatrsquos enough for the boring stuffNext t ime wersquo l l ta lk about emai l(eletronic mail) news World Wide Web(if the Queen is doing it so why canrsquotwe) and other mysteries of the Internet
Internet Clinics are normally held at the PCUG Centre Northpoint PlazaBelconnen the first Saturday of each month 930am to 1pm There is nocost involved
So if you (or another PCUG member you know of) are having problemsyou (or they) will be welcome to attend It is suggested that you call thePCUG Centre on the day and check with the staffer that we are notoverloaded before coming along
To get a problem on your PC resolved it is essential that you bring all ofthe following items with you
bull PC and Monitor plus all interconnecting cables
bull Mouse
bull Keyboard
bull Modem
bull Modem power supply
bull Modem cables - from PC to modemand from modem to telephone socket
bull Modem and PC manuals amp documentation
bull All of your software disks -
ie Win31 or Windows95 disksCD
If you dont have a PC to fix but you want to get some guidance on someparticular aspect of using TIP please feel free to come along and simplytalk to us
Clinics are not a free softwaremodem installation service We do expectyou to have made a reasonable attempt at getting the software installed ampworking
David Schwabe dschwabepcugorgau
The Internet Clinic
24 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
A t the start of this year I startedto get interested again in an oldheroine from days of misspentyouth in the rsquo70s New York
underground poet-turned-singer Patti Smithldquothe Bob Dylan of the punk scenerdquoThought Irsquod see whether there was anythingon the Web and found anexcellent site at httpwwwoceanstarcompatti Tomy astonishment I found thatshe was in Australia on her firstmajor tour anywhere in years mainly for theBig Day Out outdoor concerts
I had heard of the Big Day Out tour viaTriple J but this was the first Irsquod heard ofher being on the bill After seeing other re-formed punk heroes Radio Birdman and theSex Pistols in 1996 was it possible I couldmake the trifecta Alas the Sydney eventhad been booked out for two weeks
Via the JJJ Web site httpwwwabcnetautriplejdefaulthtm I found theBig Day Out Web site httpstarbaitbdocomaustarbaitbdo and loand behold they were having live conndashnections to the Melbourne concert on the25th January via the Internet with the
assistance of a US-based organisation calledThe Campus (wwwthecampuscom) If Icouldnrsquot be there in Sydney to see Patti inperson this would be as close as I couldget In addition I had always seemed to findout about real-time events on the Web justafter theyrsquod occurred and here at least wasan opportunity to be in at the start it wouldbe an interesting technical exercise ifnothing else
First choice was browser InternetExplorer 3 or Netscape Navigator 3 I gatherIrsquom not unlike many in having been initiallybowled over with IE3 then finding that itwas less robust and in particular made fargreater demands on temporary storage thanNetscape With little free disk space and
being about to try all sortsof new things I decided toplay safe and use Navigator
The Big Day Out Website (figure 1) was well done
and looked great including animatedgraphics and good use of frames but wasif anything as the British say ldquotoo cleverby halfrdquo For example you selected optionsvia a Shockwave animation of ducks in ashooting gallery click the mouse on a duckwhen an alternative was highlighted yoursquodhear a BANG the duck would flop overbackwards and yoursquod be off to that optionVery cute very clever and very slow andfrustrating for actually going anywhere Inaddition it appeared that when you went tosome pages they called up some trick Javacode which brought up Netscape sessionsin what looked like Kiosk mode no menusLooked neat but again a nuisance The sitehad its own mascot a sort of anime-stylekick-boxing heroine called Miss Starbait (Iassume a risque in-joke try saying the namequickly)
Once you got to it the information wasthorough and well laid out A list of artistsincluded links for those who had Web pagesThere was a page on the Auckland concert(first in the series) with photos etc For eachcity on the tour the site had links to maps ofthe venues and also timetables I foundfrom this that in Melbourne Patti Smithwould be on Stage C 540 PM for an hour
There were two main components to theInternet part of the day a Real Audio feedwith both backstage comments and the
via the Internet or -the boy looked at PattiO
BDig
ayut
by Malcolm Street
Figure 1
This is the era where everybody createsPatti Smith - ldquoSo you want to be a Rock n Roll Starrdquo 1979
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 25
stage and a new form of conferencingsoftware called The Palace where artistswould come for QampA sessions with fansIrsquod experimented with Real Audio but notto any great depth and had never even heardof Palace and I had to get this all togetherin a day Fortunately there were direct linkson the Big Day Out Web site
While I had a Real Audio stand-aloneplayer one page on the site came up with ablank expecting a Real Audio plug-in Ontothe Net to the Real Audio page todownload Real Audio player version 3Install restart Navigator back to the pageand voila A Real Audio control in themiddle of a Web page Painless
Then to work out which ISP to useUnfortunately the weekend was the onebefore the ldquoearly birdrdquo credits expired forTIP and I presume because of this it wasalmost impossible to get on One time whenI did get on I tested the Real Audiobackstage feed from Melbourne and foundI was only getting a 144k stream and poorquality at that I had a second backupaccount with Access One with a higherspeed (and far more expensive) networkand found that I could get a stable 288kReal Audio stream so that was going to be
what Irsquod have to use Not to mention thatthe time Patti Smith would be on would bepeak time anyway
Next step was to find Palace again viaa direct link from the BDO page to httpwwwthepalacecom I had used forms of
3D interactive software but Palace wasdifferent much simpler just 2D backndashgrounds Really a sort of IRC withbackdrops and sound effects For the BigDay Out the organisers had produced theirown backgrounds and sounds and I had todownload those as well from their siteHowever there were no instructions on howto set them up so it ended up being trialand error until I got it to work puttingimages and sounds in separate subdirndashectories under the Palace directory
Finally I had Palace running with the BigDay Out backdrops and found myselfoutside a circus tent which included livelinks to the Big Day Out and Campus Webpages (figure 2) Moving ldquoinsiderdquo the tentgot me to an area where I could don aparticular costume however choices werelimited for non-registered users andappeared to reset so I had to be content withthe default avatar a soft of sphere with aface on it (figure 3)
Finally there was the conference tentitself guarded by a fearsome lookingdoorman who asked for a passwordClicking on his lady companion told you tolook in the log Once Irsquod figured out howto do that I found it ldquomama cazrdquo Typedthat in response to the doorman and whoafound myself in this psychedelic room whichwas to be the conference area (figure 4)
Figure 3
Figure 2
26 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
I knew when Patti Smith was going tobe on stage what I didnrsquot know was whenshersquod be in conference in the Palace I waslistening to the back stage chatter via RealAudio this time more organised as Campuswas acting as ldquoon line radio stationrdquobroadcasting to the USA ldquoAustraliarsquosLollapolloozardquo and in the middle of this Iheard them give times for different artistsbeing in the virtual tent with Patti Smithroughly 430 Problem solved
430 arrived Back on line into the tentanother band (Supergrass) being inndashterviewed The conference area is now fullof faces with a still photo of the band downthe bottom left-hand corner Irsquove had verylittle experience with IRC and this seemsvery similar hard to follow with variousthreads of conversation going on sindashmultaneously but I gradually tune in to itTherersquos a thread going about problemspeople are having with reliably picking upReal Audio - oh dear As well as a fewAustralians there are a couple of Americansin there and a South African Then see thatPatti Smith is about to come on And sureenough C 440 the picture changes and thereshe is
Unfortunately the session is a bit of ashambles Unlike the younger artists (sherecently turned 50) she does not appear tobe familiar with the technology andsomeone else is doing the typing for herslowing down and complicating exchangesSeems to be the passing of the torch - a bitof a fish out of water in the environment ofa younger generation The bass player ofher backing group had suffered concussion20 minutes before from a collision with arogue door hence her lateness Thingsfinally get under way (one person ldquoa fanfrom WAY backrdquo says ldquonot many questionsjust adorationrdquo I can relate to that) but justas itrsquos building up a head of steam she getsa long phone call (presumably about the bassplayer) and has to call it quits prematurely
Irsquoll just have to wait and see if theconcert is any better
Well the concert is indeed better In factwhen I can hear it clearly (see later) itrsquoswonderful She starts with an early poemroaring it out with authority then afterthanks to JJJ who are handling the broadcastto the Internet and to the absent bass player
launches into the concert proper a greatblend of old and new
The sound quality is to put it mildlyvariable It was much better in earlier gigsthat day with Australian bands but itappears to drop off markedly on this onePerhaps too many people on at onceAmerican fans connecting in to hear one ofher first big shows in years Checking withstatistics in Real Audio shows theconnection approaching 20 loss in someearly songs leaving a very jerky soundFortunately it improves later with lossesdown to around 4 and sound quiteacceptable (People dropping out infrustration) However later on a fewoccasions the sound drops out completelyand I have to wait while it restarts somendashtimes for a couple of minutes
Then just as the concert comes to ashattering climax heading into one of myfavourite songs of hers a demolition of VanMorisonrsquos Gloria the Real Audio feed goesfor me at least dead Stone cold dead It islike the other times when it has dropped outbut this time it wonrsquot recover BummerAfter several minutes I can get the feedagain but just get an empty stage waitingfor the next band
So that was it a frustrating end to afrustrating but fascinating day At best thesound quality was am radio standards Butthen again these are very early days and Ican remember worse am radio sounds ontransistor radios as a kid in the lsquo60rsquos Avideo feed would have been real nice butone thing that is obvious from this exerciseis that live audio let alone live video ispushing current Internet technology to itslimits and beyond with a large numbers ofsimultaneous users in a function like thisSo as with so much on the Net wersquore seeingthe first glimpses of something that will takeanother generation of technology to becomepractical But hey this is the world of theNet and another generation could be onlysix months away
Later that night I connect to the Palacesite again and find a note at the tent to sayit was all over and to check up next week Ido indeed and they reckon over 100000people worldwide connected to the site thatone day and that the live broadcast of PattiSmithrsquos complete concert was a world firstApart from catching up with an old idol Irsquodseen a glimpse of a communications futureof being part of an event shared interactivelylive world-wide yet another step towardsthe Global Village
Figure 4
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 27
Stuffed AgainThe following members and friendsare thanked for assisting with stuffingour journal for mailing
Andrew amp Bruce Bartlett
Bruce Black
Owen Cook
Eddie de Bear
John Dyer
Bob Ecclestone
Rufus Garcia
Sally Hammon
John Hempenstall
Joy Hewett
Sue amp Jim Hume
Jenny Laraman
Alan Lockett
David Meggs
Allan Mikkelsen
Don Nicol
Gloria Robbins
Keith Sayers
Rod Smith
John Starr
Bob Summersby
Michael Taylor
Gordon Urquhart
Anne WarrenerWe are always looking for volunteersto assist us with the lsquostuffingrsquo of ourjournal We start around 530pm(latecomers are welcome) usually on the2nd last Monday of every month andare generally finished by 800pmRefreshments are provided and any ofyour knotty computer problems can bedebated lsquoat the round tablersquo in congenialcompany If you would like to helpplease ring Petra Dwyer at the PCUGCentre on 253 4911 and she will fill youin on all the details
Next Stuffing530pm Monday 19 May 1997at Northpoint Plaza Belconnen
(see map page 6)
htt
p
ww
wp
cu
go
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up
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6b
its
Now
in A
dobe
Acr
obat
form
at
Oz User GroupsAdelaide PC Users GroupPO Box 2541Kent Town SA 5071(08) 332-7021Margi McLeay (Sec)Meet 730pm 3rd Tuesday of themonth at Enterprise House 136Greenhill Road Unley Visitors $5
Brisbane PC Users Group(Brisbug)PO Box 985Toowong QLD 4066(07) 3273 7266 Info Line(07) 3281 6503Lloyd Smith (Pres)Meet 12 noon 3rd Sunday of themonth at Bardon Professional Cntr
Darwin ComputerUsers ClubGary Drake (Vice President)(089) 324 107 h(089) 450 091 wEmail acsntacslinknetau
Melbourne PC User Group2nd Floor 66 Albert RoadSouth Melbourne VIC 3205(03) 9699 6222 10am - 330pm(03) 9699 6499 FaxEmail officemelbpcorgauHome Page httpwwwmelbpcorgauMeet 6pm 1st Wednesday of themonth (except Jan) at PharmacyCollege 381 Royal Parade Parkville
Perth PC Users GroupPO Box 997West Perth WA 6872(09) 399 7264 Trevor Davis (Pres)Meet 600pm 1st Wednesday of themonth at Ross Lecture TheatrePhysics Building University of WANedlands
Sydney PC Users GroupPO Box A2162Sydney South NSW 2000(02) 972 2133 Michelle DonaldMeet 6pm 1st Tuesday of the monthat main auditorium TeachersFederation 300 Sussex StreetSydney
28 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Features include fun animation sound effectsand a high-score listing Reg Fee $15
COMET13Comet Busters 13 is an incredible high-speedarcade game for WIN31 You must clear thecolourful asteroids and occasional alienspacecraft from the screen before you canproceed to the next deadly level This gamefeatures beautiful 256-colour ray-tracedgraphics and digital sound effects Reg Fee $9
HMN32V11Hangman (BB) 111 is a word-guessing gamefor Win95 that can help grade school-agechildren improve their vocabulary andspelling Features include an editable wordlist the ability to include definitions with eachword mouse or keyboard input and moreRequires the 32-bit VB runtime files Reg Fee$5
PDHP97SUPrairie Dog Hunt PRO rsquo97is a shooting gamefor Windows that allows you to participate inthe wholesale slaughter of harmless mammalswithout all the mess Features include 360
LIBRARY Phil Trudinger
The files described in this article are on theMarch 1997 CD-ROM (PsL Vol 5 3) whichis currently on the Bulletin Board all are ZIPfiles Please quote the month or Vol whenordering files on disk
The text files CD1 to 7 inclusive in Area 1 ofthe Bulletin Board are the monthly CD-ROMfile lists
Reminder
Most CD-ROM programs are Shareware Areasonable time (generally one month) isallowed for evaluation but if you continue touse a program beyond this time you shouldcomply with the authorrsquos conditions thatusually require payment of a registration feeBear in mind that this is the only way by whichan author receives any reward for hisherefforts Unless otherwise stated registrationfees are in US dollars
NEW AND UPDATEDWINDOWS PROGRAMS
(An asterisk denotes Windows 95specificity or compatibility)
GAMES
AGNSETUPAGNS - A Game of Naval Strategy 162 is agame of naval warfare for Windows whereyour objective is to sink the computerrsquos unitsor capture his main base Each turn consistsof a plot movement phase air combat phasemovement and combat phase air strike returnphase and a repairbuild phase Thissequence is repeated until one side claimsvictory Reg Fee $15
BG17Backgammon by George 17 is an excellentgame of backgammon for Windows You canplay against the computer (with four differentskill levels) or against a human opponentOther features include the ability to saverecall games many unique customisingoptions computer-suggested moves andmore Reg Fee $15
BNW10ABuild lsquon Win 10a is an interesting strategicgame for Windows where two players buildtheir opponentrsquos game boards and try to makethem as difficult as possible to complete
degree scrolling scenery excellent animationdigitised sound effects multiple skill levelsand a high-score hall of fame Reg Fee $20
SANWHRTSSanDearsquos Hearts for Windows 100 allowsyou to play the classic card game Hearts inWindows Features include support for up to12 computer players modem play the abilityto create a hand an undo option the ability tosave and rotate a hand and more Reg Fee$10
TILES95BTiles and Tribulations 152 is a challenginggame for Win95 where you try to catch fallingcoloured tiles and drop them into bins in alogical manner Any three (or more) tiles ofthe same colour in bins going horizontallyvertically or diagonally will be removed andincrease your score Reg Fee $22
GRAPHICS
CPLAY2Childrsquos Play IIis a 256-colour paint programfor children It occupies the full screen to help
SOFTWARE
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 29
prevent the child from going to other applic-ations Features include unique graphicspecial effects rubber stamps various screenerasers fun sound effects the ability to loadsaveprint images and more This is anexcellent program with many creative optionsto keep the little ones busy for hours Reg Fee$20-$25
GIFCON32GIF Construction Set 95 109 is a powerfulcollection of tools to work with multiple-block GIF files in Win95 It will allow you toassemble GIF files containing image blocksplain text blocks comment blocks and controlblocks and provides facilities to managepalettes and merge multiple GIF files togetherRequires a minimum of 4MB RAM but 8MBis recommended Reg Fee $20
ICN95525Icons Control 95 525 displays up to 100icons at a time for quick viewing printingcopying renaming moving or deleting Apowerful icon editor is also providedRequires Win95 Reg Fee $25
SD95INSTSmartDraw 95 30 is a powerful drawingprogram for Win95 It allows you to easilycreate great looking flowcharts diagrams andbusiness graphics Features include drag anddrop drawing OLE support full compatibil-ity between 16 and 32-bit versions filesharing the ability to send drawings on mail-enabled systems and much moreSDINSTALis the Win31 version Reg Fee $49
FONTS
FLFontLister (32-bit) 15 displays all installedfonts in Win95 You can also print a completefont listing or just some sample text with aselected font Reg Fee $0
FONTSHOWFontShow (32-bit) 22 allows you easily toview the TrueType fonts installed in Win95NT Options are included to display user-specified sample text in place of the normalfont name and alphanumeric character setThe size and face of the currently selectedfont can be quickly changed and the resultsdisplayed automatically Reg Fee $0
FONTW11FontWindow 11 displays all your Windowsfonts on screen so you can quickly see whichfont you want to use It can be set to stay ontop so you can view fonts while running otherprograms Reg Fee $29-$39
SERIFRACSeriFractions is a TrueType font that has a fullset of diagonal and vertical fractions for 12through 89 and also 16ths and 32nds It alsohas a partial set of mathematical symbolsincluding the true multiplication (x) symbolReg Fee $10
SYMSELSymbol Selector 11 allows you to easilyselect and copy symbols from TrueType fonts
that are of the ldquosymbolrdquo variety (such asWingdings and Symbols) to the WindowsClipboard Reg Fee $0
INTERNET
ADZAP10AdZapper 10 is an add-on for NetscapeNavigator to ldquozaprdquo (eliminate) annoyingadvertisements Reg Fee $20
AWN95AutoWinNet95 10 lets you perform commonInternet tasks on a scheduled basis You cancreate an ldquoagendardquo with dozens of stepsincluding updownloading email retrievingand sending obtaining weather updates andmore Requires Win95 Reg Fee $30
GGI11Go-Get-It 110 performs exhaustive preciseand ultra-fast searches of the Internet using acombination of keyword search Usenetnewsgroups search and various searchengines Features include automatic retrievalof all found web pages and informationoptional storage in separate folders to be usedlater and more Reg Fee $40
MASNDW32MailSend (32-bit) 3x is an add-on forMicrosoft Mail and Win95 that allows you tosend messages from the command line orfrom batch files Reg Fee $49
ND276BNetDial 276b is an Internet dialler forWindows It will call your host log you inand automatically start your TCPIP packagefor you Features include support for up to 5separate configuration connections baud ratesupport to 256k redial up to 99 times WAVsound file support and more Reg Fee $20
PRO12Teleport Pro 120 is a multi-threaded file-retrieving offline-browsing webspider forWin95 It scans the Internet for files or sites ofinterest and downloads them to your harddrive for fast offline access Features includeadvanced file typesize matching keywordfilters the ability to handle proxy servers andpassword-protected sites automatic retriesand more Reg Fee $40
TRAW3215Trawler (32-BIT) 15 allows you to interact-ively browse and gather information from theWeb It automatically follows links andretrieves pages to your hard drive It can evenfollow links from different web databasessimultaneously Reg Fee $35
30 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
MISCELLANEOUS
CALC9534Calc95 34 is a scientificengineeringcalculator for Win95 with a wide range ofbuilt-in units conversions and physicalconstants Reg Fee $25
GL10DThe GL Store for Windows 10d is a completedouble-entry general ledger accountingprogram for Windows It maintains 10000 GLaccounts multiple companies budgets 3-Dcolour graphs recurring accounts multipledepartments and detailed reports Reg Fee $79
HBGHome Business Guide 30 is a Windows-based guide to starting a business from homeIt discusses selecting planning and startingyour own business and covers resourcestools and help available Reg Fee $0
TIMCLK13PC-TimeClock for Windows 13 keeps trackof time yoursquove spent on your computer Timeis charged to one or more projects from yourlist by ldquopunching inrdquo when you begin work oneach project Reg Fee $18
MUSIC
MT32_16A Musical Tutorial for Windows (32-bit) 160provides an excellent way to encouragemusical study using the graphically-orientedenvironment of Win95 This includes a chorddictionary musical games the ability to playview and print scales chords and triads a userlog and much more This is suitable for bothchildren and adults Reg Fee $25
SCALEIT4ScAleIt 40 is a musical scalecordeducational package for Windows It candisplay all the chords and scales with all rootsand all inversions Features include aneditable database the ability to play chordsscales through your sound card MIDIsupport a solving function and much more800x600 screen resolution is recommendedReg Fee $0
PHONEADDRESS BOOKS
AM_PB45Phone Book for Windows 45 is a nameaddress database for WIN31 Fields areprovided for name addresses two phonenumbers fax and comments Other featuresinclude phone dialling over a modemsearching capabilities printing options andmore Reg Fee $17
BAM211Burrilliant Address Manager 211 helpsorganise all of your phone numbers address-es birthdays account numbers and more inWin95 All personal or business informationcan be printed for your day planner in a cleanattractive format Reg Fee $15
CARDBASECardBase (32-bit) 23 is a combinationaddress book and phone dialler for Win95NT Along with the regular fields for namesaddresses and phone numbers it can alsostore email addresses FAX numbers and website URLs Cards can be quickly sorted byname or custom card groups Searching andsorting operations are fast and intuitive RegFee $0
PHNMKR18Phone Book Maker 18 allows you to createphone books in pocket 12 letter and lettersize Features include 30 useful fields perrecord standard envelope printing powerfulindexfiltersearch facilities importexportcapabilities in variety of formats virtuallyunlimited records and more Reg Fee $50
SCREEN SAVERS
ADRF3210Adrift Screensaver (32-bit) 100 displaysbeautiful floating line patterns on your Win95desktop Reg Fee $14
AURADEMOAurora Screen Savers is a screen savermodule for Windows that simulates a 3-Djourney through the Aurora Borealis Twelvedifferent colour patterns are available Thisversion displays a nag box in the upper leftcorner of the screen Requires 256-colourvideo Reg Fee $18
BLKBRD15Blackbird Screen Saver 15 is a Windowsscreen saver module that displays photos ofthe SR-71 spy plane in action Requires 256-colour video and 4MB RAM Reg Fee $15
BOMBER15Bombs Away 150 is a slideshow screensaver for Windows with 256-colour digitisedphotos of jet bombers in action Requires4MB memory Reg Fee $15
BOTANICABotanica Screen Savers is a screen savermodule for Windows that displays a virtualgarden of growing plants and flowers inbeautiful variations of colour and shape
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 31
Twelve different savers are provided eachwith their own unique patterns Requires 256-colour VGA and VBRUN300 Reg Fee $18
JEWELJewelBox 10 is a screen saver for Windowsthat displays colourful ldquojewelsrdquo that appear togrow on your screen Features includeinteractive options a variety of palettechoices and more Reg Fee $18
JOTREE15Joshua Tree Screen Saver 150 displays thestark beauty of the California desert capturedin stunning 24-bit colour images Requires a386+ 4MB RAM and 256-colour video RegFee $15
METALLIXMetallix is a screen saver module for Win-dows that displays metallic sculptures whichunfold in unique and unpredictable patternscreating a mesmerising transformative effectThere are twelve different savers to choosefrom each with its own distinct settingsRequires 256-colour VGA and VBRUN300Reg Fee $19
NIAGRA15Niagara Falls Screen Saver 150 is a screensaver module for Windows with photos of thefalls and immediate vicinity The photos rotateautomatically when activated Requires 256-colour video and 4MB memory Reg Fee $15
PICSHO32MyPictureShow32 is a Win95 screen saver inwhich the visual content is supplied by yourown collection of computer images There isno limit to the number of pictures you canuse and nine different display modes areavailable The slideshow mode allows achoice of 17 transition styles Other featuresinclude support for BMPJPGGIF graphicfiles password protection automatic scalingof large images to available screen size and
more This demo version will run 20 timesthen disables itself Reg Fee $16
SSCR8R21My Own Screen Saver 21 allows you tocreate your own screen saver using yourfavourite images and pictures You cancombine selected BMP DIB and WMF fileswith 32 different visual effects Reg Fee $20
TWIST151Twister Screen Saver 151 is a 32-bit screensaver for Win95 that transforms your desktopinto a windy landscape with one or moretwisters moving everything deforming yourdesktop making everything a mess You canconfigure the wind speed number of twistersthe twisterrsquos speed and more Reg Fee $8
VENIC12Venice Screen Saver 12 is a Windows screensaver module that displays graphics thatsimulate floating through the canals of Veniceon your gondola as Italian music and the
sound of splashing waves fills the air Reg Fee$29-$39
VIDSAVVidSaver 11 is a Windows screen saver thatplays video clips and animations while yourcomputer is idle Reg Fee $20
TEXT EDITING
EDT236PEM EdTex for Windows 95 236 is a 32-bittext editor for Win95 It can edit a maximumof 2000000 characters and 30000 linesOther features include macro support printingoptions word wrap multiple undoredoblock editing and more Reg Fee $35
GTE32R15GWD Text Editor (32-bit) 15 is a powerfultext editing package for Win95 Featuresinclude support for macros unlimited filesize print preview a built-in spell checker anautosave option support for DOSUNIXMactext file formats and much more Reg Fee$20
JW32T22CJ-Write for Windows (32-bit) 22 is a fullfeatured editor for general text files and emailFeatures include the ability to edit very largefiles support for any ANSI font configurabletab settings and four line wrap modes multi-level undoredo and more Reg Fee $30
QUIKDC11QuikDict Spelling Dictionary 11 is a pop updictionary accessible from the Win95 ToolTray Features include the ability to spellcheck all words as they are typed alphabeticand ldquosounds likerdquo word matching over91000 EnglishAmerican words in thedictionary the ability to automatically pastethe correct spelling back to the clipboard andmore Reg Fee $19
SCRATCH4Scratch Pad (32-bit) 21 is a text editor forWin95 Features include the ability toautomatically capture clipboard information aprint preview function undo facilities andmore Reg Fee $15
TXEDITTxEdit (32-bit) 25 is an easy-to-use texteditor that makes a nice replacement for theWin95 Notepad Features include the abilityto viewedit multiple documents search andreplace options drag-and-drop support MacUnix file support and more Reg Fee $0
32 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
TXP3223TextPad (32-bit) 23 is a text editor forWin95NT It can handle files with up to32000 lines of 4095 characters with multiplesimultan-eous edits and up to two views oneach document Other features include fullundoredo facilities print previewing atoolbar for frequently-used commands abuilt-in file manager support for Unix andMacintosh text file formats drag-and-dropsupport and much more TXP1223 is theWin31 version Reg Fee $27-$35
UTILITIES
ADDIT10ES Adding-Machine 10 is a unique calculatorfor Windows that is designed for adding upcolumns of figures Entered figures areretained on-screen and can be edited so youwonrsquot have to start again if you are interrupt-ed or make a mistake Reg Fee $40
CIDV09CIDview monitors a selected telephone lineand reports the Caller ID whenever there is anincoming call The details of incominginformation will be automatically displayedon your screen with the Caller ID informationstaying visible for 10 seconds Reg Fee $9
DLLCHK95DLL Check 95is a DLL management utilityfor Win95 Features include the ability tocreate a log of all modules that load or unloadin a session the ability to search for duplicatemodules and a detailed information displayfor selected modules Reg Fee $80
EASYZIPEasy Zip (32-bit) 10 makes it incredibly easyto archive files with PKZIP in Win95 Itallows you to use point-and-click operationsinstead of all the context-switching and messybatch files of manually using PKZIP fromDOS Reg Fee $1850
HDLED11Hard Disk LED 11 simulates a hard disk lightthat flashes every time there is disk activityAn icon appears on the Win95 task bar andflashes every time the system accesses yourhard drive Reg Fee $5
HYSNP278HyperSnap 278 allows you to capture thedesktop highlighted window areas or user-defined areas in Win95NT Features includehotkey support cropping facilities the ability
to save images in BMPGIFJPEG format andmuch more Reg Fee $20
LONGSAVELongSave 101 is used to save the list of longfile names and short names to a commadelimited ASCI text file The short names canthen be backed up or zipped or copied withutilities that are not long-file-name-awareAfter the files are transferred it uses theASCII file to restore the original long file
names This must be run from a DOS sessionunder Win95 Reg Fee $25-$95
REDH22Red Hand 22 tells you exactly what someonedid on your computer while you were awayexactly when they did it and how long it tookWindows can be discretely ldquolockedrdquo toprevent access and will simply close themimmediately or send an error message of yourchoice You can control exactly which areasof your computer that you do not want othersto have access to Reg Fee $25
RMVR32RemoveR 161 helps delete unneeded filesfrom your hard drive after you have installed aprogram in Win95 It will take a snapshot ofthe drive before an installation then you cancompare the current status of your files withthat last stored All files that have been addeddeleted will be shown on the results screenFrom this screen you can highlight certainfiles andor directories and delete them orsave the list for later deletion Reg Fee $5-$40
SENTRY95Sentry 95will prevent all unauthorised usersfrom accessing the Win95 desktop wheneveryour computer boots Reg Fee $14
SU96_402StepUprsquo96 402 contains a set of utilitieswhich make working with Win95NT easierand faster This includes a user-customisableStepUp Menu smart Folder Navigatorsophisticated Menu Designer and a powerful
File Handler It also provides handy taskbaricons for fast exit CD-ROM Autorun onoffand more Reg Fee $30
V95I208EVirusScan for Win95 253 is a native Win95application that detects and removes comp-uter viruses Reg Fee $65
YATS32Yet Another Time Synchroniser (32-bit) 30allows you to synchronise your system clockusing various time server types commonlyavailable on TCPIP networks such as theInternet Multiple servers can be specified andwill be tried sequentially until a valid time isobtained and your system time set Reg Fee$35
ZOOMER12Zoomer 12 provides a 2x or 4x magnificationof the area around the mouse cursor in Win95This is an excellent utility for the visionimpaired Reg Fee $0
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 33
NEW AND UPDATED DOSPROGRAMS
ANTIVIRUS
AVSCANAVScan 310 is a freeware scanner that candetect more than 4500 virus signatures RegFee $0
I_M311AIntegrity Master 311a is an anti-virus anddata integrity system The author says itdetects all known viruses It can detect anyform of file corruption including disk errorsor as yet unknown viruses Stacker Double-Space SuperStore and Bernoulli system filesare supported Identifies the new MS WordMacro viruses as well as over 640 additionalviruses It has an option to quickly disinfectdiskettes Reg Fee $50
SCN_253EVirusScan 253 scans diskettes or entiresystems and identifies any pre-existing PCvirus infection Reg Fee $65
GAMES
DRAK160Drak 160 is a falling blocks-style game withattractive graphics and several varieties ofblocks It includes blocks which melt blocksthat fall apart when they land and more Thegame includes 10 levels of increasingcomplex-ity joystick support and ability tosave games in progress (RegFee$33
DRUG12Drug Killers 12 is an action-packed shoot-em-up arcade game where you pilot atechnologically advanced aircraft in a battle tostop a futuristic drug cartel You must destroya wide variety of land and air-based enemieswhile gathering weapons and shields Otherfeatures include excellent scrolling graphicsgreat special effects a high score listing theability to save and restore games and a coolmusic soundtrack Reg Fee $25-$40
HAMSTER3D Hamsterrsquos Adventure is a fun 3Dadventure game where you assume the role ofa hamster in a colourful maze The object ofthe game is to eat all the fruit scattered aroundthe maze so the secret exit will appear Youwill encounter monsters along the way butyou can use your strawberry grenades or apowerful hamster kick for protection Theexcellent graphics sound effects and musicmake this an enjoyable game for the wholefamily Reg Fee $15
MISCELLANEOUS
COELI379Coeli Electric Planisphere 379 combinespractical ephemeris and planetarium with areal-time star chart to provide a Super VGAmodel of the skies as seen from Earth Youmay view the heavens from any place or timewith advanced starconstellation search insidea point and click interface A separate VESAdriver must be pre-installed Reg Fee pound12
JOCCALJOC-CALC 10 is an easy-to-use spreadsheetpackage for DOS Features include a pull-down menu system with mouse support aHyperText help system support for blockoperations built-in mathstrig functions andmore Reg Fee $25
MEDLIN97Medlin Accounting 1997 is a double-entrygeneral ledger program with accountsreceivable payroll and payables modules Allmodules are very easy to use PC-AR is theaccounts receivable module It allows amaximum of 2000 customers and 1500charges per accounting period PC-INV is amodule which works directly with theaccounts receivable module to generateinvoices and post them to PC-AR It willmultiply quantity times price and insert thetotal and calculate sales tax PC-PR thepayroll module allows up to 500 employeesand 1000 payroll cheques per accountingperiod PC-AP the accounts payable modulecan sort invoices by due date and will printcheques Mouse support has been added to allprograms Reg Fee $25-35
VDEVideo Display Editor 182 is a fast powerfultext editor Commands can be entered from amenu bar or with control keys Featuresinclude a proportional spacing modekeyboard macro recording MenuBar modethe ability to edit eight files at once acommand for proportional print Autosave toautomatically save your work at specifiedintervals simultaneous windows scrolling theability to align the platen for printing onvarious kinds of forms support for the fileformat of MS Word an envelope printer awide range of screen sizes (from 17 to 57lines) an integrated spell checker and muchmore Support is also provided for Ultra-Vision the HP95LX palmtop and the Tandykeyboard Reg Fee $35
UTILITIES
DNOTE420Disk Note Librarian 420 allows the user toadd descriptions and comments of up to 300characters to each file name on a disk up to1200 files Reg Fee $15
RCR01Rosenthal Conflict Resolver 100 is adiagnostic tool that helps corrects IRQ DMAand IO conflicts the major cause of systemcrashes Reg Fee $99
2 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Compiled by Jim Hume
The Monarchy
This site provides the history of the BritishMonarchy The Royal collection TodayrsquosRoyal family and includes The Queenrsquos rolein the Commonwealth This role articleshould be valuable to all those interested inthe Republic debate monarchist andrepublican alike It is a well presented siteand a useful resource as a school kithttpwwwroyalgovuk
Museums
The virtual Museum of Computing includesan ecletic collection of World Wide Webhyperlinks connected with the history ofcomputing and on-line computer basedexhibits available both locally and aroundthe world httpwwwcomlaboxacukarchiveothermuseumscomputinghtml
Airlines
Ansett provides information on their productand services and the places they fly to Youcan reserve flights and accommodationThere is a travel planner and screen saveravailable to download httpwwwansettcomauwebintrohtml
Qantas provides similar information on theirproducts and services with a brief history ofthe airline and also a screensaver which canbe downloaded httpwwwqantascomau80newsindexhtml
Books Magazines and Newspapers
The Canberra Times is now online withsections on News Sport Features OpinionWeather Real Estate Motors Classifiedsemail and services httpwwwcanberratimescomau
Readers Digest Interactive They ask you toldquoread it react and interactrdquo It containsDigest classics like Laugh Lines and WordPower and advice about how to do justabout anything featuring Home ProjectsCooking Gardening fitness and health httpwwwreadersdigestcom
National Geographic Online This is a greatcontribution with something for everyone inthe family Donrsquot miss these HOT SPOTShttpwwwnationalgeographiccomhotspotsindexhtml
Electronic Journals and Newsletters Thissite provides a complete internet list for newjournals and newsletters available on theInternet There is a search archive completealphabetical archive recent issues in reversechronological order and alphabetical list oftitles httpgort ucsdedunewjour
Amazon Bookstore offers not only 15million books in print but extremely hard-to-find out-of-print titles and discounts onsome of their book lists They claim 25million titles overall They include a searchfacility and provide a personal emailnotification service They list a Book of theday Titles in the News Monthly bookrecommendations and much morehttpwwwamazoncomexecobidossubstindex2html
Medical
)
Kodak have provided an interesting sitedealing with the latest digital cardiologyimaging and their cardiac review stationhttpwwwkodakcomhiHomecardioindexshtml
The American Cancer Society CaliforniaDivision on this site have an excellent articleon ldquoeating rightrdquo and research causeprevention detection and treatment httpwwwcacancerorg
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 3
The Department of Veteransrsquo Affairs haveupgraded their Web Site and it now providesthe latest information on health care forveterans In addition it contains rates andeligibility for pensions statements ofprinciple budgets and legislation It alsoincludes information about commemorativeactivities war graves war memorials andstudent oriented resourceshttpwwwdvagovau
HealthGate have redesigned their site withfaster search results with content organisedinto areas of interest such as medicinepatient education drug information etc It isan important source of biomedicalinformation httpwwwhealthgatecom
Football
The Australian Rugby League haveproduced an excellent site which includesdraws news links teams tipping results agallery and a soapbox httpdevarlorgaumainasp
Super League not to be outdone arepromoted by Foxtel in their sport sectionhttpwwwfoxtelcomauFoxtelhomejhtml
Tyres
I recently drew attention to Goodyearrsquos WebPage and commented on lack of Australiancontent Now they have an excellentAustralian site with an online school kit
dealing with the rubber revolution a tyreguide and a search engine to locate yournearest dealer It requires a frame-enabledweb browser httpwwwgoodyearcomau
Internet
URL Minder keeps track of web pages andother resources on the World Wide Weband sends you email whenever yourpersonally registered resources change Youcan have the minder keep track of any Webresource accessible via http ftp or Gopherand your email address will not be releasedto any third party It is a free servicesupported partially by advertising httpwwwnetmindcomURL-minderURL-minderhtml
People
Talk to the Angels The Vatican has namedtheir computers for the Web after angelsThe site was still under construction at theend of March httpwwwvaticanvaBut where else could you talk to theangelsIt requires a frame-enabled webbrowser
StarTrek This is a most interesting web sitefor Star Trek enthusiasts and also for thoseinterested in site construction for it is a realbobby dazzler httpwwwholodeck3comholodeck3html
Insert
It is an interesting concept which combinesan online magazine with discussion threadsresource lists and links It is dedicated toexploring masculinity and men in societyMen from all walks of life answer the 16 bigquestions about what it means being a mantoday httpwwwmanhoodcomnf
The
Super Site for Kids is a protectedenvironment specially for kids It is a wellorganised fun site httpwwwbonuscomindexclosehtmp
In early March a private Florida companythat hunts for historic shipwrecks announcedit had discovered a gem the ship oncecaptained by Blackbeard a man reputed tobe one of the more terrifying and disturbedpirates of all time This site includes thehistory of Blackbeardhttpeagleonlinediscoverycomcgi-binforums_viewdir
36 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
THE
INTERNETPROJECT
By Iain Gould
Welcome to TIP-TNG (The NextGeneration)
In case you hadnrsquot noticed yet TIP isnow connected to the rest of the world via ahigher speed (double what we had) link Weare now firing the electrons up and downthe pipe at 256k (thatrsquos 3 noughts -thousands in other words) bits every secondWhat this means in real terms is that ournewsgroups are updating more frequentlyweb pages and file transfers are much fasterand those of us that need to log in remotelycan do so with much less delay Boy are weimpressed
If you have not bothered to try TIP for awhile do so as we have seen a markedimprovement in the service provided afterthis upgrade and the installation of the extra12 modems in February (much less waitingto get on)
ANNOUNCEMENTSThe last two months has seen much goingson within the Internet Project ManagementCommittee For the uninitiated the IPMCis a caucus of techno-nerdygeeks tasked withthe onerous duty of ensuring that membersof the PCUG and AUUG have adequate andcomplete access to the wider resources ofthat part of the Information Super-highwayknown as simply The Internet Anyway wedecided on a lot of things recently Here theyare
1) Commercial Web Advertising Upuntil now TIP placed a restriction oncommercial advertising (that which wasobviously out to make money for the owner)- namely that only corporate members ofeither PCUG or AUUG could placeadvertising on their web pages We have
now opened up such commercial activitiesto general members of both organisationsFor the same fee that we currently charge tocorporate advertisers any individual cannow advertise on their web pages Refer tohttpwwwtipnetautipwebspacehtml fordetailed information and charging rates
2) Account Terminology The termslsquoAdvanced Accessrsquo and lsquoBasic Accessrsquoaccounts were deemed to be confusing (wehad too many requests for information onbasic Advanced access and training foradvanced Basic use) The accounts are nowreferred to as lsquoFull Accessrsquo and lsquoLimitedAccessrsquo respectively The use of the termsAdvanced Access hours and Basic Accesshours will continue for the time being untilwe sort out exactly what we want to callthem and where we need to changereferences to them The most obvious placethat this will change immediately is on theapplication form
3) Multiple Users of Accounts One ofthe regular lsquocomplaintsrsquo that we have beenreceiving has been on our policy to restrictaccount use to the account holder only Howmany of you out there realise that if youallowed your spousechildrenacquaintancesto have access to your password then youwere breaking our rules We donrsquot worrytoo much because we are now changing ourpolicy to open up account usage undercertain guidelines Namely
a) The primary account holder (the onewho originally applies for the account) willbe deemed ultimately responsible for anyuse of the account Heshe must still signthe Acceptable Use Policy and follow thoseterms and conditions and then ensure thataccount lsquodelegatesrsquo behave themselves too
b) The primary account holder mayallow use of hisher account by other familymembers The family members must benominated and lodged with TIP on a newlsquoAccount Delegationrsquo form
c) Only one login name and emailaddress is allocated (as currently) - ifadditional email addresses are required thenthey must be applied for as separateaccounts
d) Normal single user limits (accesshours disk quotas) still apply
We believe that this will allow familygroups some access to the Internet withoutneeding to sign up every members of thehousehold with TIP This policy will beelaborated on the web pages in the nearfuture for further information
4) We are still investigating methods ofproviding help guidance and assistance tousers who are new to TIP andor the InternetWe have been looking at newer lsquofool-proofrsquofirst time kits automated email helpresponses regularly published FAQs(frequently asked questions) and attractingmore volunteer helpers To achieve this lastgoal we are hoping that we can set up aregister of volunteers similar to the HelpDirectory published in Sixteen Bits forspecific areas of Internet use If you feltreluctant in the past to have your name listedfor fear of being asked questions outsideyour particular area of expertise interestthen let us know what you ARE willing tohelp with Are you a Netscape guru Or aWindows 95 Dial-Up Networking hotshotDo you think that you know a fair bit aboutIRC Then let us know
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 37
Nhan Tranrsquos Now OfficialTIP Web Help Pages
httpwwwtipnetautiphelp
bull Whats newHistory of changes to TIP help page
bull TIP Contact DetailsPhone numbers domain proxiesemail addresses
bull Useful TIP informationTime allocation usage statistics
bull TIP documentsAgreement Charging SchemeAcceptable Use Policy AccessApplication
bull InternetFAQAnswers to the Frequently AskedQuestions about the Internet what isthe Internet what you can donetiquette
bull TIP help FAQ
bull Answers to the Frequently AskedQuestions about various problemsother people may have had with TheInternet Project your problem maynot be a new one
bull lsquoHow-torsquo documentsHow to set up and use variousprograms needed to make the mostof your Internet account
bull GlossaryTranslating acronyms computerjargon netese and emoticons like -)in plain English
TIP Technical InformationDomain (PCUG) pcugorgauDomain (AUUG) auugorgau
DNS server 203107634Mail server mailhostDomain
News Server newshostDomainftp server ftpDomain
WWW server wwwDomainProxies proxytipnetau
port 8080
Iain Gould is one of the many volunteersthat keep TIP ticking He can becontacted by email - iainpcugorgau
As a note to those users who do needaccess to help take careful note of the timesthat people offer to be available There is areason that these times are listed ourvolunteers do like to have some personaltime Nothing causes a volunteer to lsquoresignrsquoquicker than having their efforts abused bypeople who ring at all hours and are rudeand obnoxious As a volunteer organisationwe cannot provide 24 hour-a-day instantsupport and we must rely on the genrosityof those that do offer to help Please beconsiderate of those who are willing to sticktheir necks out
As a footnote to all of the above itemsplease address any correspondance toipmctipnetau rather than me directly
Internet Joke of the MonthAnother engineer joke (apologies for thereferences to USA - insert your favouritelocal university as applicable)
Three men were vacationing in CentralAmerica They were arrested for minor illegalactivities and because the dictator of the countryhated foreigners the punishment was death
The three men were marched to thechopping block The dictator of the countryasked the first man if he had any last wordsbefore they chopped his head off The man saidldquoThe only thing I can think to say is that Irsquom analumni of Notre Dame and we have the bestfootball players in the worldrdquo The dictator thensaid ldquoOff with his headrdquo When they pulled therope the blade fell but it stopped inches abovethe manrsquos neck The dictator said ldquoThis is anomen from God we cannot execute you Youare free to gordquo
The dictator of the country asked the secondman if he had any last words before theychopped his head off The man said ldquoThe onlything I can think to say is that Irsquom an alumni ofIndiana University and we have the bestbasketball players in the worldrdquo The dictatorthen said ldquoOff with his headrdquo When they pulledthe rope the blade fell but it stopped inchesabove the manrsquos neck The dictator said ldquoThisis an omen from God we cannot execute youYou are free to gordquo
Finally the dictator of the country asked thethird man if he had any last words before theychopped his head off The man said ldquoThe onlything I can think to say is that Irsquom an alumni ofPurdue University and we have the bestEngineers in the world and if yoursquoll just tightenup that bolt up there this machine will workrdquo
Tips On Tip HelpPlease do not call on the Internet Projecthelp team for answers to general computingquestions or with questions like ldquohow do Ifind such-and-such softwarerdquo - the tiphelpnewsgroup is appropriate for these topicsDo call on us if you canrsquot get our kits towork or if you believe there is a problemwith the system Herersquos the right way to goabout it
1 Read the TIP Help Pages availablefrom the TIP World Wide Web siteat httpwwwtipnetautiphelp
2 Browse the newsgroup tiphelp tosee if someone else has solvedyour problem already Browsetipannounce and tipgeneral for anyrelevant announcements
3 If the problem is not urgent post arequest for assistance in tiphelp
4 If the problem is urgent send mailto ldquohelprdquo requesting advice
Please - describe your problem clearlyconcisely and completely
tell us WHEN it happened
tell us WHAT OPERATING SYSTEMyou are using
tell us WHAT SOFTWARE you are using(esp version)
tell us WHAT HARDWARE you are using(esp modem)
tell us any relevant SETUP DETAILS (egconnection speed)
tell us what TIP login name (eg mmouse)you are using
5 As a last resort (ie when email isnot possible) contact Iain Gould on255 2405 between 7pm and 8pmONLY
The TIP Help TeamThe methods of supplying TIP help and
support and the levels of help provided areunder almost constant review anddiscussion Your feedback on the existingsystems and constructive suggestions forimprovement particularly within theexisting resource constraints are welcome
This can be done in the tip newsgroupsif you would like general discussion of yourideas by email to the TIP Help Team athelptipnetau or by sending email toamikkelspcugorgau who will forward itto the appropriate people
38 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
The Internet Project
1 Access to The Internet Project is governed by the InternetProject Acceptable Use Policy copies of which can beobtained at the PCUG Centre or downloaded from the PCUGBBS or from The Internet Project
2 There is a limit of one Internet account per non-corporatemembership Corporate members may sponsor up to threeindividuals who are then personally responsible for theoperation of their accounts Please complete one applicationfor each person
3 Part of your email address will be determined by the principalorganisation If your membership of that organisation expiresso too does your membership of The Internet Project In thisevent no refunds for unused allocation will be made
4 The Internet Project reserves the right to alter prices andservices offered at any time Fees paid for Internet access arenon-refundable and non-transferable
5 Note Hours debited do not necessarily equate to real hourson-line time allocation will be debited in a non-linear fashiondepending on the amount of time spent on-line in any givenday The debit rate is set from time to time by the InternetProject Management Committee
6 Basic Accessa) Basic Access provides non PPP email and news onlyb) Basic Access is free on applicationc) In any calender year calculated from the date of
application Basic Access provides up to 100 lsquohoursrsquo usage
7 Advanced Accessa) Advanced Access includes full access to the Internet using
SLIPPPPb) Advanced Access is not free Current rates are $120 for
one calendar year of access with up to 300 lsquohoursrsquo usagec) When your Advanced Access subscription expires OR
you use 300 hours of access (whichever is earlier) youwill be required to purchase another subscription for onecalendar year from that date
d) Advanced Access users also receive a Basic Accessallocation - see above
8 All users joining The Internet Project receive a one-off freefive hour allocation of Advanced Access
Collecting Your Login Details9 A waiting period of two months applies to new members of
the PC Users Group (ACT) Inc
10 For existing members please allow up to two weeks for yourapplication to be processed
11 Login details can be collected - in person by the applicant - fromthe PC Users Group Centre We recommend that you phone theCentre first to check that the details are waiting for you
12 You (and your parentguardian if you are under 18 years ofage) will be required to sign an Acceptable Use PolicyDeclaration when you pick up your login detailsPhotographic proof of identity may be required at that time
Important Notes - Please Read
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 39
Disks amp TapesWe offer high quality disks and tape cartridgesin various formats at very reasonable pricesDisks amp tapes are available from the PCUGCentre Monday Wednesday amp Friday 10amto 2pm or between 9am and 5pm on weekends
BBS AccessNew members wishing to access the PC UsersGroup (ACT) InterActive Bulletin BoardService (BBS) should dial (06) 253 4933 andcreate an account on the system Once the mainmenu is presented select the lsquoGoodbyersquo optionfollowed by the lsquoYesrsquo option to leave a messageto the Sysop
In this message state your membership number(from your card or magazine address label) andrequest an access upgrade This will usuallyoccur within a few days
SharewareMembers have access to a huge selection ofldquosharewarerdquo software The PCUG subscribesto a CD-ROM which provides over 250 Mbof new and updated software titles on eachmonthly CD
Member ServicesThese special offers and services are only available to PCUG members Please bring your membership card with you when collecting orders
One complete section of the permanent libraryis also contained on each CD-ROM Inaddition there are many programs on thePCUG BBS which members have uploadedor which come from other sources
This software is provided as ldquosharewarerdquo Ifyou continue to use it you must register thesoftware with the author The Group does notldquosellrdquo the software - it charges a fee to coverthe cost of obtaining the software maintainingthe library and copying the software to themember
Computers are available at the Centre whichare connected to the BBS enabling membersto download software
Hardware amp Video LibraryThe hardware and video library is located atthe PC Users Group Centre Items may becollected and returned on Saturdays andSundays between 9am and 5pm (loans are forone week) Please bring your membership cardwith you
The library provides access to equipmentwhich members would not normally havereadily available Most items have instructionsmanuals and software where appropriateModems do not include software check theShareware Library for suitable packages Itemsmay be borrowed for one week There is nocharge but you must collect and return theitems yourself
Equipment available includesmiddot modemsmiddot soundblaster card
Videos includemiddot Developing Applications with Microsoft
Officemiddot Using Windows 95
NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETINGMonday 28 April 1997
(to be held at 730pm prior to the normal April main meeting)
The Special Meeting is to consider and vote upon the following changes to the rules of the PC Users Group
Rule 17(1)(b) - [Nomination of candidates for election as office-bearers of the Association or as ordinary Committee members]shall be delivered to the Secretary of the Association no later than the last Friday in the July before the date fixed for the annualgeneral meeting at which the election is to take place
Rule 17(2) - If insufficient nominations are received to fill all vacancies on the Committee the candidates nominated shall bedeemed to be elected
Rule 17(3) - A vacant position remaining on the Committee shall be deemed to be a vacancy for the purpose of Rule 16(4)
Explanatory notesThese changes will permit publication in Sixteen Bits of all valid nominations received to enable the membership to give seriousregard to the nominations received They will also permit all members nominating for the committee to have an opportunity toconsider and reflect upon their intended commitment to the committee and to the Group
Hugh BambrickSecretary PC Users Group (ACT) Inc
40 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Compiled by Jim Hume
Japanese-English Translators
Globalink produces some of the bestlanguage translation software TheLanguage Assistant Series quicklyproduce understandable translations fromEnglish into the foreign language or viceversa
The Australian Distributors Software EtcAustralia have now released Japanesetranslation and OCR Software TsunamiMT Typhoon MT and KanjiScan OCRsoftware for English Windows 95 and NTPCs It is claimed these products willmake communication between Japaneseand English speaking businesses mucheasier quicker and more effective
Tsunami MT translates English-to-Japanese and has features such as fullOLE 20 compatibility (drags text to andfrom Tsunami MT embedding theJapanese results into applications such asMS Word) an innovative Kani searchsystem and translation speed at over 3000words per minute
Typhoon MT translates Japanese-to-English and is the result of a two-yearproject to convert the best-sellingJapanese to English translation softwarein Japan to an MS Windows 32-bitformat
Typhoon MT has every element computerusers need to put Japanese computing ontheir personal computer - Japanese fontsKana and kanji text editing a completeFront End Processor and Japanese -to-English machine translation
KanjiScan is the first Japanese OCRsoftware to run on non-Japanese versionsof Windows and includes everythingneeded to scan printed Japanese text anddocuments allowing users to input
Japanese on their English Windowssystem All interfaces instructions anddocumentation are in English WithNeocorTechrsquos Kanji Search system noJapanese language skills are required tomake sure all the Japanese text is properlyrecognised
Tsunami MT $995 Typhoon MT $1195(Bundle $1795) and KanjiScan $795
Software Etc Australia are offeringevaluation versions of this software forloan to reviewers with a knowledge ofJapanese and the capability to conduct andprepare software reviews Enquiriesshould be directed to Peter Klanberck atsoftetcozemailcomauhttpwwwworldcorpcomau Phone (02) 9988-3455
Gene Chip Breakthrough
Affymetrix is developing amp commercial-ising GeneChip(tm) systems to acquireanalyse manage and use geneticinformation based on its propriety DNAarray technology
These systems are being developed forbroad fields including biomedicalresearch clinical diagnosis and theemerging field of genomics Affymetrixhas corporate alliances with Hewlett-Packard Company and Genetics Instituteand intends to pursue the clinicaldiagnostic and additional genomicsapplications with diagnostics andpharmaceutical companies
Their first product currently in externaltests sites will be the GeneChipHIVsystem which rapidly detects mutations inthe protease and reverse transcriptasegenes of HIV the virus which causesAIDS Detection of such mutations arecritical in understanding how HIV reactsto therapeutic agents as well as for
understanding the results of clinical trialsof new drugs The company also hasactive development programs for thespeciation of other infectious organismsas well as for human genes that areimportant in cancer and drug metabolism
Fortune Magazine in an article headedGene Chip Breakthrough by David Stippexplores the implications of thisbreakthrough and believes that whilemicroprocessors have reshaped oureconomy spawned vast fortunes andchanged the way we live Gene chipscould be bigger
TransAct BroadbandCommunications Network
The ACTEW Corporation has recentlyconducted a feasibility study into buildinga broadband communication network inthe ACT It is claimed it would enhanceACTEWrsquos core business and provide theACT region with an economically viablecommunications network
The network would be funded throughoutside financing As there would be nocross-subsidies between varioustelecommunication business and theelectricity and water businesses therewould be no impact on electricity andwater bills now or in the future Known asTransAct Communications the feasibilitystudy was to be completed by March1997 ACTEW Corporation Board willmake a decision on the business caseduring April A key component of thestudy was to be community consultationand market research If the results werefavourable construction should commencein July 1997
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 41
I was consulted in their telemarketingresearch and talks have been held with thePC Users Group Aurisa Institute ofEngineers Australia and the BusinessCouncil of Australia The network couldcarry voice(telephone) video(TV) and data(intenet) over a high range of frequenciesand the cost of services would bedependent on the service providers ieTelephone companies Pay TV companiesand internet service providers ACTEWexpected that prices would be similar tocurrent prices for these services andsuggest that a single broad-band networkwould offer competition between serviceproviders
The network could carryvoice(telephone) video(TV) and
data (intenet)
Two companies have been shortlisted andtheir solutions are being costed to get anaccurate picture of the total cost ofbuilding the network The two companiesare Philips which has offered a HybridCoax (HFC) system and BroadbandTechnologies which offered a switchedbroadband (SDB) solution
The HFC solution as offered by Philipswould differ from similar cable systemsbeing strung in other parts of Australia inthat it would take optic fibre down toserve 60-90 homes per node rather than500-1500 homes The SDB solutionwould be unique in Australia (In use inparts of USA Korea and France) it takesoptic fibre to serve 32-40 homes per nodeBoth solutions have the ability to runadvanced interactive services By the timeof publication a further update may beavailable atwwwactewcomautransactinterhtm
Treasure IslandFrom the Corel Thumbnail Theatre seriesnow being shipped Treasure Island is afun easy way to learn the complexities ofthis popular novel by Robert LouisStevenson It is an animated adaptiontargeted primarily at students aged 12 andupwards Users can choose from threedifferent ways of studying TreasureIsland For those unacquainted with thestory the Watch Me section presents awitty and entertaining nine-minuteanimation which summarises the novelrsquosstory The Guide Me section is designedfor users who wish to study the text indepth and learn more about the era inwhich the novel is set They will see theanimation once again but this time theywill have the chance to stop the animatedsummary in order to explore varioustopics related to the story These topics areaccessible by clicking on the icons whichappear throughout the animation Userswho want to read about different topicscan go directly to the Self Guide sectionThis section contains the entire text ofTreasure Island
It also contains a feature called Timelinewhich is a chronology of historical eventsfrom the time of Treasure Island to thepresent day
Minimum system requirements are 486DX66 8MB of RAM a 640x480256-colour graphics display 8-bit audiocapabilities and a double speed CD-ROMdrive Runs on both Windows 31x andWindows95RRP $Aus 6400
Corel WebMaster SuiteOn March 25 Corel announced the releaseCorel WebMaster Suite the latest additionto their line of Internet products Itcombines state-of-the-art Web siteauthoring with expert site managementfunctionality advanced database
publishing sophisticated graphic designprograms as well as animation authoring3D VRML world creation and over 8000Internet-ready images Included in thepackage is Netscape Navigator 301OrsquoReillyrsquos Website v11 and 30 days offree Web site hosting It is claimed thatthis suite provides a complete solution tohelp users advance beyond the traditionalWeb page to create and manage completeweb sites that are more interesting andinformative as well as easy to understand
Corel WebMaster is available for asuggested retail price of $Aus 399 Thesuite will require 16MB RAM an IBMcompatible PC 486 DX Windows NT orWindows 95 a CD_ROM and a VGAdisplay
SNIPPETS
IN AUSTRIA INTERNET SERVICEProviders banded together on March 25 tostage the countryrsquos first electronic walkoutin protest at their governmentrsquos attempt tocensor the Internet Hardly surprisingwhen UKrsquos Whatrsquos New on the Internetreports that sex and its related topics arethe most popular sections on the Internetby a long chalk
DUTCH HACKERS OFFERED USMilitary Secrets to Iraq A recent BBC TVprogramme claimed that hundreds ofmilitary secrets were stolen from USDefence computers ( including troopmovements and missile capabilities)offered for sale by Dutch hackers toSaddam Hussein but their offer was nottaken up because the Iraqi leader believedthat it was either a hoax or CIAmisinformation
ADVERTISING ON THE NETAccording to a survey by the InternetAdvertising Bureau total advertisingspending on the World Wide Web andInternet related content hit $US267
42 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
The Internet SIGThis a get together of those members of thePCUG who love to explore the Internet forinteresting sites new Internet tools andnovel applications It holds an informalmeeting once a month on the first Thursday(January excepted) at 730pm The meetinghas no set agenda but free flowing chat onvarious Internet related topics and eventsOn occasion we had presentations ofinteresting software Among topics that arediscussed from time to time are the upgradeof TIP cable and wireless access to theInternet and the regulation of the InternetThe web page for the SIG is at httpwwwpcugorgau~ejosephintsightm
BytesThe Bytes SIG is designed for those wholike to talk about computing over a meal Itmeets from 6 pm at the Asian BistroAustralian National University Union onthe PCUG meeting nights There are noBytes SIG meetings in NovemberDecember or January Contact personAndrew Freeman Phone 258 7411 Emailafreemanpcugorgau or WWW at httpwwwpcugorgau~afreemancvsightml
AutoCADGeoffrey May 295 5942 Monday-Fri 4-5pmPlease call for details
CC++Peter Corcoran petercpcugorgau 2ndTuesday 730pm PCUG Centre
GUI DevelopersPeter Harris 287 1484 pharrispcugorgauPlease call for details
The OS2 SIGAn enthusiastic forum for those operating orinterested in OS2 Warp Meetings includewide ranging discussion and interestinghands on demonstrations Meetings are heldon the third Thursday at 730pm for 730pmat the IBM Building 8 Brisbane Ave BartonContact David Thrum Phone 201-8806 (bh)
The Delphi SIGA lively forum for software developers whoare working with or interested in Delphi
Our meetings include wide ranging dis-cussion and interesting hands-on demon-strations Come and see why Delphi is RADSome of our recent meetings have discussedDelphi components best shareware toolsdatabase applications and HTML toolsMeeting 3rd Tuesday of each month 730pmat PCUG Centre Convenor Al Kabailaemail akabailapcugorgauYou arewelcome to also subscribe to the PCUGDelphi mailing list by sending messageldquosubscribe act-delphi-lpcugorgau [youremail address]rdquo to Majordomoauugorgau
Linux User GroupStephen Rothwell 291 6550 (ah) StephenRothwell canbauugorgau 4th Thursday730pm Room N101 Computer Science DeptANU
Networks Garry Thomson 241 2399gthomsonpcugorgau Thursday aftermain meeting Please call for venue
Computer and VegetarianismThis SIG is designed for those who have aninterest in both computers and vegetarian-ism It generally meets with the Bytes SIGNo meetings are held in NovemberDecember or January Contact personAndrew Freeman Phone 258 7411 Emailfreemanpcugorgau or WWW at httpwwwpcugorgau~afreemancvsightml
amp ChatThe Coffee and Chat Group meet at thePCUG Centre in Belconnen on alternateTuesdays from 1030am to 1130am withanother 30 minutes to 1200 for those whowant to stay The dates of these meetings areshown in the Calendar of Events On thealternate Tuesday a virtual Coffee and ChatMeeting is held on the Internet at 1030amusing Internet Relay Chat (IRC) addressirchostpcugorgau Port 6667 Full detailsabout the online meetings can be obtainedfrom httpwwwpcugorgau~ejosephvcchtm
Internet Daytime Demoand Discussion SIGMeets every second Monday at the PCUGCentre from 1000AM to noon We meet todiscuss internet issues software sites (andanything else of relevance) and demonstrateon Centre equipment selected software andtechniques The meeting starts with informaldiscussion and coffee followed by a more in-depth look at a particular topic of interestThere is also time for discussion (andhopefully solving) of members problems withthe internet A home page for the SIG is athttpwwwpcugorgau~amikkelsintdddhtmlEnquiries or suggestions for topics arewelcome at amikkelspcugorgau
NEW
Convenors are requested to email anychanges in contacts or venue and additionalinformation about the activities of theirgroup by the first Friday in the month ofpublication to pcugeditorpcugorgau
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 43
The training program for 1997 is settledsubject to ongoing adjustments in the lightof developments
Note the heavy emphasis on Internetcourses This reflects the clear demand ofmembers at the moment A number of daysare designated lsquoTBArsquo These days allow forthe introduction of Internet related coursesas discussed last month including homepages MS Internet ExplorerWeb tips andtricks and so on They also allow forpossible courses on the Web oriented MSOffice 97
Course content for Internet courses isstill under development and subject tomeetings of trainers
In addition to the weekend courses arange of short evening courses mainlyInternet related as above will be introducedThese are still in the planning stages
May Sat 3 Editorial day ContinuesSun 4 Programming - C and C++ ContinuesSat 10 Programming - Visual Basic Continues
Sun 11 Intro - Intro to computers ContinuesSat 17 Intro - Intro to Windows 95 Continues
Sun 18 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 24 Intro - PC Maintenance and
TroubleshootingContinues
Sun 25 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 31 Internet - HTML Intro Continues
June Sun 1 Intro - Using the BBS effectively Internet - Basic AccessSat 7 Centre closed Centre closed
Sun 8 Centre closed Centre closedSat 14 Editorial day Continues
Sun 15 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 21 Internet - HTML extended Continues
Sun 22 Internet - TBA Internet - TBASat 28 Internet - Advanced Access Intro Continues
Sun 29 Intro - Using the BBS effectively Internet - Basic AccessJuly Sat 5 Editorial day Continues
Sun 6 Internet - TBA Internet - TBASat 12 Internet - TBA Internet - TBA
Sun 13 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 19 Internet - TBA Internet - TBA
Sun 20 Internet - TBA Internet - TBASat 26 Internet - Advanced Access Intro Continues
Sun 27 Intro - Using the BBS effectively Internet - Basic Access
Our training courses are very popularUnfortunately some people book and thendonrsquot turn up for their course Someone onthe waiting list for the course could havefilled the spot left vacant To overcome thisproblem if you book for a course but donrsquotpay for it by the Monday before it is runthe spot will be offered to someone else
ContactsCourse bookings Petra Dwyer at thePCUG Centre on 253 4911
Training coordinator and courseinformation (not bookings) PaulBalnaves 241-4671 (h) 700pm to900pm 282-3488 (w)
Microsoft Product courses (notbookings) Michael Lane 242-9278 (h)700pm to 900pm
All courses are held at the PCUGCentre Northpoint Plaza Belconnen- maximum 8 people
Courses cost $35 unless otherwiseindicated Full day courses run from930am to approximately 300pmAM Courses commence at 930amPM courses commence at 130pm
Training Newsby Paul Balnaves
44 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
The following local vendors offer discounts to PCUG members
bull Present your PCUG membership card when making a purchasebull Benefits may not apply to some sale itemsbull The PCUG does not necessarily recommend or endorse the products being offered
If you offer a discount to PCUG members and are not in this list please contact our advertising manager listed on page 2
Vendor Discount SchemeVendor Discount Scheme
AustralianManagement Control
Suite 4 32 - 36 Colbee CourtPHILLIP285 4888
5 discount onRecordkeeping amp Payroll
courses
Capital SimulationsPO Box 329
Belconnen ACT 2616Faxmessage 258 0110
Free postage and handling(normally $4) amp 2 free modem
opponents lsquowantedrsquo notices(normally $10)
Clarion DatabaseSystems
bull Computing consultingbull Business applications developmentbull Software sale
041 108 775410 discount off RRP on
Microsoft amp other vendorsrsquo productsand consulting services
Amalgamated Business Machines
65 Kembla StreetFYSHWICK
280 4887
5 discount on repairsthrough this company
ANU Union Asian Bistro
Upstairs Union Building Union Court ANU
(next to main meeting venue)
Union member discounton PCUG main meeting
nights (ONLY)
Bettowynd ampTaltech Solutions
Unit 5 Centrecourt1 Pirie St FYSHWICK
239 1043
Prompt guaranteed fixed pricerepairs to monitors and terminals
5 discount to members
Nhan TranInternet Software Installationamp Configuration in your home
PH 254 5293
Fixed price 20 discountfor PCUG members
Lesley PikoCertified Practising Accountant
Registered Tax Agent
Suite 1 17 Trenerry StWeston ACT
288 8888
personal and business taxation servicesgeneral accounting services
15 discount off our quoted fee
ACT VALLEYCOMPUTER REPAIRSbull REPAIRSbull UPGRADESbull NEW SYSTEMSbull SOFTWARE INSTALLATIONbull LOW RATES l OPEN 7 DAYS
294 2592 or 019 32343510 DISCOUNT ON REPAIRS
AND UPGRADES TO MEMBERS
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 45
54 Marcus Clarke St Canberra CityPH 249 1844 l Fax 247 5753
10 Discount o f fRRP of Computer Books
Celebrating over 28 Years in Bookselling
N O 1 f o rC O M P U T E R amp B U S I N E S S
B O O K S
hi-micro Computers
5 Discount OnAccessories
ampUpgrade Installation
Ph 280 7520 Fax 280 7540618 Whyalla St Fyshwick
248 6656 (any time)bull World Wide Web Publishing
bull Windows Online Help amp Manuals
5 discount on Web publishing
The Cartridge Factory
Canberra Business Centre49 Wentworth Ave
KINGSTON295 5935
10 discount on remanufacturedlaser toner cartridges
10 discount on inkjet refill kitsNo discount available on
new ink or toner cartridges
Collins Booksellers
BELCONNEN MALLPhone 251 4813 Fax 251 3926
We carry a wide selection ofcomputer titles for the novice and
also advanced computer user
10 Discount off computerbook purchases only
LampS Associates
69 Paterson StreetAINSLIE257 7555
Special price on anyMicrosoft product
Dealer price plus 5
Aspect ComputingEducation Services
86 Northbourne AvenueBraddon ACT 2601
247 7608
10 Discount toPCUG members
Peng LEE BA BEc FCA
Chartered AccountantRegistered Tax Agent
A fee schedule will be forwarded upon request
6 McGuiness PlaceMcKELLAR ACT 2617
Phone 258 0156 Fax 258 0157
10 fee discount to PCUGmembers
Robrsquos Computer HelpDesk
292 3211 (24 hours 7 days)
For telephone and on-site help for ALL your computer and support
needs
5 discount on consulting services to PCUG members
The Software Shop
42 Townsend StreetPHILLIP285 4622
5 discount off our already low prices
46 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Title Given Name Surname
_______________________________________________________Position (if applicable) Phone (h) Phone (w)
_______________________________________________________Title Given Name Surname
_______________________________________________________Position (if applicable) Phone (h) Phone (w)
Annual Fees Applicable (thorn one)o General1 $ 50
o Concessional2 $ 25
o Corporate3 $130
o Additional Corporate4 $ 50
o International (Air Mail) $130
Notes1 General membership covers all members of a household except for BBS and
Internet access Two month waiting period applies to Internet access2 Concessions apply to full time students and pensioners3 Corporate Membership covers up to three nominees4 Additional Corporate nominees may be added at $50 each
I am paying by (thorn one)o Cash (if paying by person) o Cheque to PC Users Group (ACT) Inc
o Credit card
I would like to ( thorn one or more)
o Become a new member for ____ year(s)
o Renew for ____ year(s)
o Change my address details
o Change Corporate nominees
o Take my address off advertising list
o Access the Bulletin Board (BBS)
Reasons for Joining thorn (one or more)
o Sixteen Bits Magazine o Training Courses
o The Internet Project o Advice and help
Other ____________________________________
TOTAL PAYMENT DUE $ __________________
Please Post your application with payment toPC Users Group (ACT) IncPO Box 42 Belconnen ACT 2616
Additional Corporate Membership Nominees
Title Given Name Surname
Organisation (if applicable) PCUG Membership Number (if applicable)
Postal Address
Phone (h) Phone (w) Concession Type (if applicable)
Credit Card Type Number Expiry Date Signature
Membersrsquo AdsFOR SALE
PC Users Group Membership Application Renewal
Notebook TP 486 DX266 95in Dual scancolour 8mg 433 HDD External 2X CDROM Fax modem card Win rsquo95 Office rsquo95pro Microsoft Plus NAV Norton UtilitiesWinfax Pro Microsoft Publisher and muchmore $1500 email gjonespcugorgau orphone Gary Jones 2391771 (Bus hours)
Canon Bubble-jet Printer BJ10-SX BWVGC [bookletdisk] $145Maestro External Fax Modem SE-144 FM[BookletDiks] VGC $100Corel Draw V3 CD-ROM[Bookect] VGC $100 NEGScanFax 24 Bit Color Page ScannerPC[FaxScanCopy] VGC $ 360WebAuthor V2 for Windows $ 65LOGOS BIBLE Software V2for Windows CD-ROM $150Call 239 5451 or e-mailmszabopcugorgau
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 47
Subject Name Email Phone Days TimesAccess for Windows Graheme Fry 288 3138 All days 730pm - 830pm
Accounting -TAS+ Exogen Attache NewViews P Goerman 231 2304 All days 900am - 900pm
Advanced Revelation John Curby 286 5777 Mon - Fri 900am - 900pm
Assembly Language Thomas McCoy 294 2226 Mon - Fri 800pm - 1000pm
AutoCad Geoffrey May 295 5942 Mon - Fri 400pm - 500pm
AutoCAD Rel 12 13 and LT Neil Moffat 292 7108 All days Noon - 1000pm
BASIC + Machine Language George McLintock 295 6590 All days 830pm -1000pm
Basic hardware help Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
Bluewave Jorge Garcia 282 2681 All Days 700pm - 900pm
Batch Files TSRs Utilities Bill Ghysen 287 1234 Mon - Fri 800pm - 1000pm
Bulletin Board Service Michael Phillips 253 4966 All days 730pm - 830pm
Chinese Star for Windows Peng Lee 258 0156 All days 100pm - 900pm
Clipper Cedric Bear 258 3169 All days 730pm - 830pm
Corel Draw Fabian Stelco 241 1743 Mon - Fri 730pm - 900pm
Corel WordPerfect Suite 7 for Win95 Peter Tilbrook kermitdynamitecomau 242 8696 All days Anytime
DOS Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
Excel Graheme Fry 288 3138 All days 730pm - 830pm
Flight Simulation Roger Lowery lowerypcugorgau 258 1583 All days Anytime
Foxpro Greg Atkinson 241 7903 Mon - FriSat Sun
700pm - 900pmFrom 1100am
Free Agent Agent Newsreading Allan Mikkelsen 278 3164 All days Noon - 900pm
General Help Allan Miller (044) 711187 Mon - Fri 730pm - 830pm
General Help Brian Gosling 259 1116 All days 730pm - 830pm
GEOSGeoWorks Phil Jones 288 5288 All days 600pm - 1000pm
Hardware Anthony Glenn 288 8332 All days Anytime
HDK Lis Shelley lshelleypcugorgau 248 6656 Mon - Fri 730pm - 830pm
HDK Ivana Leonard 231 4169 Mon - Thu 700pm - 900pm
ISR CADDSMAN Modeller (Win) Neil Moffat 292 7108 All days Noon - 1000pm
LINUX PC Unix Andrew Tridgell 254 8209 All days 600pm - 800pm
Lotus 1-2-3 Doug Jenkins 286 2243 All days 730pm - 900pm
Lotus Ami Pro 3 W ord Pro 96 ed Peter Tilbrook kermitdynamitecomau 242 8696 All days Anytime
Microstation Cad Andrew Novinc 258 1907 All days 600pm - 1000pm
Modem Communications Michael Phillips 281 1980 or All days 730pm - 830pm
Networks Gary Thompson 241 2399 All days 730pm - 900pm
Online doc using Help Compiler (Win3) John Carroll jcarrollpcugorgau 248 0781 All days 730pm - 1000pm
OS2 v2 Mark Beileiter 283 2429 Mon - Fri 800am - 330pm
OS2 Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
OS2 Michael Lightfoot 258 8185 All days 730pm - 930pm
Project (Microsoft) Steve Ramsden 287 1500 Mon - Wed 800pm - 1000pm
SBT Accounting Greg Atkinson 241 7903 Mon - Fri 700pm - 900pm
Scream Tracker 3 (3SM) MOD Music Chris Collins 258 8276 Mon - Fri 730pm - 900pm
Small Business Computing Nick Thomson 241 3239 Mon - Thu 730pm - 930pm
SuperBase Paul Blair 288 3584 All days 730pm - 930pm
Telix Michael Phillips 281 1980 All days 730pm - 830pm
SCO Unix amp Xenix J Bishop 291 0478 All days 700pm - 900pm
Unix Michael Lightfoot 258 8185 All days 730pm - 930pm
Turbo Pascal Michael Phillips 281 1980 All days 730pm - 830pm
Vision Impaired Adam Morris 291 4522 All days 700pm - 900pm
Visual BASIC Ian Champ 254 0418 All days 700pm - 900pm
Windows 31x Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
Word for Windows Lis Shelley lshelleypcugorgau 248 6656 Mon - Fri 730pm - 830pm
WordPerfect 51 DOS 61 Win Gayle Scott gaylespcugorgau 254 1579 All days 730pm - 930pm
WordPerfect 61 7 for Win95 Peter Tilbrook kermitdynamitecom 242 8696 All days Anytime
WordStar Dave Hay 258 7310 All days 700pm - 900pm
The people in this directory are volunteers so please observe the times given The Help Directory is designed to helpindividual users and should not be used as a substitute for corporate support calls to vendors This service is provided formembers only Please quote your membership number to the helper For those helpers with an asterisk messages may beleft on the BBS in either the General message area or as a Netmail message on 3620243 Send updates topcugeditorpcugorgau or via post to the PCUG Centre
The Help Directory
May 1997Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
1
Internet SIG730pmPCUG Centre
2
SIXTEENBITSCommercialAd deadlinefor May
3
SIXTEEN BITSLayout Day 10am______________InternetConnection Clinic930am-1pmPCUG Centre(check withCentre Staffer on253 4911)
4
TRAININGDAYProgrammingC and C++930-430PCUG Centre
5
Internet DaytimeDemo andDiscussion10am-12 noonPCUG Centre______________New MembersNight730pmPCUG Centre
6
VirtualCoffee amp ChatTIP IRCServer1030-1130am
7 8 9 10
TRAININGDAYProgrammingVisual Basic930-430PCUG Centre
11
TRAININGDAYIntro tocomputers930-430PCUG Centre
12 13
Coffee amp Chat1030amPCUG Centre__________
C++ SIG730pmPCUG Centre
14
CommitteeMeeting730pmPCUG Centre
15
OS2 SIG7 for 730pmIBM Building8 BrisbaneAve Barton
16 17
TRAINING DAYIntro Windows 95930-430PCUG Centre______________
Meet theCommittee2-4pmPCUG Centre
18
TRAININGDAYInternetAdvancedAccess Intro930-430PCUG Centre
19
Internet DaytimeDemo andDiscussion 10am-12noon PCUG Centre______________
SIXTEEN BITSStuffing and Mailing530pm PCUGCentre
20
Virtual Coffee ampChatTIP IRC Server1030-1130am_____________
Delphi SIG730pm PCUGCentre
21 22
Linux UserGroup730pmRmN101ComputerScience DeptANU
23 24
TRAINING DAYPC Maintenanceamp Troubleshooting930-430PCUG Centre
25
TRAININGDAYInternetAdvancedAccess Intro930-430PCUG Centre
26
Main MeetingManningClark Theatre1 CrispBuilding ANU7 for 730pm
27
Coffee amp Chat1030amPCUG Centre
28 29
Networks SIGCall GarryThomson(241 2399) fordetails
30
SIXTEENBITS Articledeadline forJune
31
TRAININGDAYInternetHTML Intro930-430PCUG CentreBytes SIG 6pm
Asian Bistro ANU(before PCUGmeeting
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 7
Next New Membersrsquo Night
5 May 1997730pm
PCUG CentreNorthpoint Plaza Belconnen
MembershipNotesBy Mike BurkeMembership Secretary
MembershipNotes
the PC Users Group Centre (see map page 6)These meetings are a chance for new andlsquoolderrsquo members (who are always welcometo attend) to meet with representatives ofthe Committee to put names to faces andto ask any questions that you may have aboutthe Group and its activities Tea and coffeeare available and the atmosphere is informaland friendly
Main MeetingsOur main meetings targeted at our generalmembership are normally held monthly onthe last Monday of the month The datevenue and topic of the meeting alwaysappear on the front cover of SIXTEEN BITSwhich is timed to arrive in your mail-box inthe middle of the week before the next mainmeeting Main meetings are also advertisedin the computing section of the CanberraTimes on the day of the meeting Anyone iswelcome to attend these meetings you donot need to be a member For main meetingswe arrange guest speakers on a variety oftopics throughout the year As an addedincentive there are usually a couple of doorprizes to be won Yoursquove got to be in it towin it There is no main meeting inDecember Special Events We also havesome special events such as the lsquoBring andBuy Nightrsquo at the Albert Hall in Novemberand an annual Quiz Night in April Youshould read SIXTEEN BITS thoroughly asspecial events are publicised mainly throughthe magazine
Annual General MeetingThe Annual General Meeting is held
in September each year Even ifyou are unable to attend MainMeetings regularly membersshould make every effort toattend this Meeting at which
office bearers for the ensuing 12months are elected
The Rules andOther Good Stuff
Some members have expressed concern thatthey have lost TIP access because theirmembership renewals were not processedquickly enough Please remember that TIPaccess is dependent on your continuingPCUG membership and that it takes timeto process your membership renewalcurrently up to two weeks We are lookingat ways to reduce this time but the bestsolution is for you to remember to renewearly From this issue onwards there willbe a reminder published in this column everymonth Members particularly TIP userswhose PCUG membership expires at the endof the month stated in the box should renewtheir PCUG membership immediately Donot delay because your TIP access willautomatically be cut off at midnight on thelast day of the month unless your renewalhas been processed
Welcome to new members readingSIXTEEN BITS for the first time andwelcome to the PC Users Group
Continuing members should alsocheck this column regularly becauseI am sure that there will be some littlesurprises from time to time even forthe most jaded of old hands
If your PCUGmembership expires atthe end of May 1997
RENEW NOW to avoidlosing TIP access
Membership CardYour membership card will be mailed to youas soon as possible after your applicationfor membership or renewal has beenprocessed This will normally occur withinone week of your receipt of your first issueof SIXTEEN BITS Please be patienthowever There is only one print run ofmailing and membership labels everymonth and this normally occurs over theweekend immediately before the SIXTEENBITS stuffing day (normally the thirdMonday in the month) Normallymembership cards and disks will bedispatched on the third Monday If you loseyour card please leave a message with theExecutive Secretary on 253 4911 or contactme directly via The Internet Project atpcugmembershippcugorgau
Information DiskNew members should also receive a diskcontaining information about the Group andits services Please read the inndashformation onthe disk carefully as you will find theanswers to most of your questions there
New Members Information Night New members are especially urged to attenda New Members Information Night whichis normally held at 730pm on the firstMonday of the month (except January) at
8 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
RYPTOGRAPHY
This is the second of a two part feature onthe technology of cryptography Last monthpublic key cryptosystems were explainedThis month secret key ciphers are explainedand the controversial US export controls oncryptographic technology are examined
Secret key cryptography is theclassic type and has been aroundfor thousands of years Itrsquossometimes called symmetric
cryptography because the same key is usedto encrypt and decrypt a message The keymust therefore be kept secret or it becomesuseless since anyone who has the key candecrypt messages created with it They canalso generate mischievous messages orimpersonate a legitimate user of the key
Because the two parties to a conversationshare the same key non-repudiation isimpossible with secret key cryptography Amessage created and signed by one partycould have easily been signed by the other
party because they are both using the samekey
Secret key systems are inherentlysimpler than public key systems so there arequite a few of them in existence forcomputing One of the first was DES (DataEncryption Standard) which was publishedway back in 1977 in the US and uses a 56bit key DES takes a 64 bit chunk of amessage and garbles this into 64 bits ofciphertext
Since DES processes blocks of themessage with a defined length it is called ablock cipher (The illustration shows howDES works) DES doesnrsquot involve anyspecial mathematics In fact it relies on afew simple operations including bitshuffling substitution and simple logicaloperations
DES is still in wide usage today and isconsidered sufficiently strong that the USgovernment until very recently had ablanket ban on export of products whichused it
The fact that a cipher almost 20 yearsold is still considered useful illustrates animportant point in cryptography Ciphersand wine share a common feature - bothnormally improve with age The reason issimple If after such a long time no-onehas been able to work out a quick way tobreak a cipher then it must be good Unlikea lot of software these days reliability andtrustworthiness are absolute essentials forcryptographic algorithms and software
The need to expose ciphers to widepublic use - and abuse - before there can beconfidence in them also means that do-it-yourself ciphers generally arenrsquot trusted There might be some obscure attack orbackdoor that the designer has missed or
even deliberately put in place Neverthelessthere are some incredibly simple cipherswhich anyone can implement and use Oneof these called the lsquoone time padrsquo consistsof nothing more than combining a messagebit by bit with a lsquokeyrsquo consisting of arandom string of bits of the same lengthusing the exclusive or (XOR) logicaloperation Decryption is performed bysimply XORing with the same key again Itmight sound surprising but the one time pad
is the most secure cipher known if doneproperly Doing it properly meansunfortunately using a fresh key of randombits every time and the key must be trulyrandom - not generated with a pseudo-random algorithm
Coming back to DES if you take a quicklook at the detail of how it works you mightask why it goes through such a complex setof steps There are two reasons An attackerwonrsquot get too far by reversing the processbefore being stopped by a step involving akey (these canrsquot be reversed without thekey) The second reason is to make itrelatively inefficient when implemented insoftware so anyone who tries guessing keysrandomly will take that much longer to testeach one In fact key guessing is about aseffective as any other method for breakingDES
How secure is DES With the computingpower available now it is consideredfeasible to crack a message encrypted witha key only 56 bits long Nevertheless itwouldnrsquot be a trivial exercise since there are2^54 possible keys or about 18 x 10^16 Ifeach key took one millisecond to check itwould take over half a million years to testevery possible key
ldquoIf each key took one millisecond to check it would takeover half a million years to test every possible keyrdquo
(continued on page 10)
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 9
TECHNOLOGY GROUPinteract
Are you sick of congestedlines and slow access to the
InternetInterACT offers a full range of Internet Services in the Canberra Region
hellip be it a WWW home page to a corporate network ndashInterACT will deliver
Access $ 3500 per month orFlat Rate $ 18000 for 6 months
Access Plus $ 1000 per month (10 prepaid hrs)
$ 250 each additional hour
No Connection Fee applies to any of our dialup modem services
23 Megabit link to the Internet
Wersquore just a phone call away and you can be online today
Interact Technology Group URL httpwwwinteractnetauGround Floor Phone 257 833325 Torrens Street Fax 257 8322Braddon ACT 2612 Email infointeractnetau
All Plans payable in advance
10 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
In reality a key can be tested in a lotless than a millisecond In a recent challengein the US by RSA Data Security a 40 bitsecret key cipher was broken in about twoand half hours by using a whole stack ofcomputers in parallel No-one has crackedthe 56 bit challenge issued at the same time(at least at the time of writing this whichwas several weeks after the challenge wasissued) A 56 bit key is roughly 2^16 timesmore difficult to break meaning it wouldtake over 18 years to break with the samecomputing power used for the 40 bit key
Even if a 56 bit key was too short foryour security needs there are also schemesfor encryption with DES using two differentkeys in an encrypt-decrypt-encrypt cycleThis system sometime called triple DESmore than doubles the effective key lengthand provides truly remarkable security
Other common secret key algorithmsinclude IDEA (International DataEncryption Algorithm) which is used inPretty Good Privacy RC4 and RC5 ThelsquoRCrsquo series ciphers (also proprietaryproducts of RSA Data Security) are used inNetscape Navigator
US Export ControlsAs in many other technology areas theUnited States has been one of the leaders inthe development of crytosystems Manypowerful ciphers are available commerciallyin US products But the US government hasuntil recently had an almost total ban on theexport of most such products
The US government even used to treatcommercial cryptosystems as munitions forexport purposes Cryptographic softwareexports would often receive scrutiny fromthe US national security agency
Recent promises by major US IT firmsto incorporate lsquokey recoveryrsquo in theirproducts has lead to a relaxation on exportcontrols A statement by the White Houseon 1 October last year said that firms thatbuilt key recovery into their products wouldbe able to export much more powerfulcryptosystems for a trial period of two years
The actual details of what was meant bykey recovery were released by the USadministration just before Christmas 1996For practical purposes they differ little fromanother controversial and widely criticisedpolicy called key escrow which involveslodging all keys with a governmentauthority
The US government justifies itsinsistence on key recovery systems so thatit can continue to eavesdrop on criminalelements or terrorists taking advantage of
powerful cryptographic processes to hidetheir activities from the law
This means that the real interest by USauthorities is in cryptographic techniquesused for secret conversations The US hasno concern about encryption software thatcan only be used for digital signatures andmessage authentication
So far so good But on closer exndashamination the logic becomes harder tofollow The US government is controllingexport of cryptosystems not access to themin the US US citizens including thoseabroad have unrestricted access to verystrong encryption technology US citizenswill not even be obliged to use software thatincludes the key recovery systems mandatedfor exports In fact the October 1996statement by the White House makes thepolicy pretty clear ldquodomestic use of keyrecovery will be voluntary and any
American will remain free to use anyencryption system domesticallyrdquo
So how will the inclusion of keyrecovery in lsquoexport onlyrsquo products help TheUS government seems to be hoping that itskey recovery idea will become a de factointernational standard and that the US firmsmaking this software simply will not botherproducing two versions - one with and onewithout key recovery Instead they willproduce one version with key recovery Untilthis happens (if it ever does) the USgovernment will only be able to decryptmessages originated from overseas usingexported US software They will only beable to decrypt where a foreign governmentobtains the keys and hands them over Therecent White House statement says ldquoaccessto keys would be provided in accordancewith (export) destination country policiesand bilateral understandingsrdquo
A major problem highlighted by thecritics of US policy is that much of theencryption technology is already availableoverseas Much of it can apparently be usedlegally outside the US and even importedinto the US - yet it still canrsquot be exported byUS software vendors
For example DES is a publishedstandard and is widely available in manyparts of the world but until recently waseffectively the subject of a US export banAustralia is a case in point DES islegitimately available from a number of ourspecialist IT security firms for exampleEracom on the Gold Coast
In the case of RSA this is protected bypatent in the US However that hasnrsquotstopped it being available in other countriesin non-US products
The US government is not alone inhaving controls on use or export of crypndashtography France bans use of cryptographyby its citizens completely Closer to homethe Australian government also has exportcontrols on cryptographic software andhardware - although not a stringent as thosein the US Many other countries have thesetypes of controls as well
In spite of the well-intentioned motivesbehind restrictions on cryptography it seemshard to imagine that crooks and terroristswill be more vulnerable They are likely togain access to all the cryptographic
(continued from page 8)
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 11
SPIRIT NETWORKSYOUR INTERNET BUSINESS SOLUTION
IN CANBERRA
Offering full commercial Internet Services to create theInternet Presence of your business including
middot World Wide Web Site optional Domain Nameregistration and high volume services
middot Multiple Email Mailboxes amp high-speed Dialup access
middot Free Internet technical support
middot No time charging
middot Accounts from $25 a month
middot Training Consultation and Support Services
middot Connections by ISDN or modem permanentconnections available
middot Other services included are Telnet WWW FileTransfer News IRC and Multimedia
middot On-site Internet Software Installation Configuration andDemonstration
Personal accounts available
Complete Office Solutions for your Internet Presence
Email salesspiritnetau
Phone 0419 609 704 06 281 3552 Fax 06 285 1987
PO Box 486 Curtin ACT 2605
technology they want - whether legally ornot
If yoursquore interested in finding out moreon cryptography there are some good booksand plenty of good material on the Web Aclassic book is Bruce Schneierrsquos AppliedCryptography (2nd edition 1996 Wiley)which also contains C code for manyciphers On the web have a look athttpwwwrsacom (see FAQ) or httptheory lcs mi t edu~r ives t c rypto-securityhtml (plenty of good links - a mustfor anyone with an interest in cryptography)
12 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
1297
1897
1987
1997
ph 06 297 1084fax 03 9221 3180sustanceibmnet
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 13
14 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Setting Up a Commercial Site onthe Internet with Web Graphics
At the beginning of March I launched a newcommercial site on the Internet - InfoRomSince I know virtually nothing about HTMLprogramming and since I am something of anovice at this game I thought you might beinterested in
a) My experience of setting up acommercial site
b) My evaluation of how suited CorelWeb Graphics is to this purpose
I was in fact involved in EdRev anunsuccessful Internet project that was up onthe Net for much of 1996 Hopefully I havelearned from the experience - as Peter Cookused to say ldquoI have learned from my mistakesand I can repeat every one of them perfectlyrdquo
Developing Your Site ConceptBefore setting up your site it is important tohave a clear idea in mind as to why the site isthere what services you wish to provide andwhat sort of clients you are aiming at WithEdRev my idea had been to provide in-depthreviews of CD-ROM educational softwareover the Internet - people would not be able toaccess the reviews until they had taken up asubscription - or at least trialled the servicefor a month People out there did not respondto this approach - and the big problem frommy point of view was that I was putting vastamounts of time into writing the reviews andgetting little return
With InfoRom I decided to write shortermuch tighter reviews make them available forfree but offer access to question and answersupport on any of the products reviewed for asmall fee That way I figured that I wouldnrsquothave to invest too much effort up front but Iwould be putting my time and energy intoanswering questions for paid up subscribers Ialso decided to start including selected gamesas well as educational software so as to widenthe appeal of the service
Corel Web Transit - Word to HTML
Having written the reviews (inWord 6 for Windows) the nextstep was to convert them intoHTML format This proved to besomewhat easier than I had expectedWeb Transit makes the process prettyautomatic and it carried over my formattingand styles without any problem The onlydifficulty I found was that occasionally itwould add a couple of unwanted line breaksat the top of the page and very occasionallyan unwanted bookmark to the text at the topWhere this happened I simply deleted the linebreaks and changed the formatting to removethe bookmark There was no logical reason forthese unwanted inclusions - I suspect that itwas just a bug in the program Diagram 1 iswhat the Transit screen looks like You set updestination and source then click translatethen click the Web Designer icon if you wantto format and modify the file or click thebrowser icon to see what it will look like onthe Web
Corel Web Designer - Formattingand Enhancing the Site Pages
Web Designer is another of the Corel WebGraphics package components and (with thehelp of my daughter Naomi) I used this to dothe following
middot Fancy up headings and the appearanceof the text
middot Add internal links eg from the bottomof the page to the top
middot Add external links to other files egSubject Index
By Nick Thomson
Diagram 1
cd romcd rom
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 15
middot Add external files to other sites eg thesites of the software suppliers
middot Add graphics
All of the above processes were easy andreliable and I was able to undertake all of themsuccessfully despite not having any knowledgeof HTML programming I only encounteredthree shortcomings
1 If I had names with a mixture of upper andlower case the links didnrsquot always workproperly I overcame this by ensuring thatall my filenames were in lower case onlyI am not sure if this was a Web Graphicsproblem or just a general HTML issue
HTML is certainly casesensitive so beware
2 It is not possible to define orsave your own templates in Web
Designer It would have been veryhandy if I could have set up a template
with all the standard headings and linkseg to the Home Page built in - notpossible at this stage but I understand thatthis facility will be available in the nextupgrade of Web Designer
3 The formatting options are a bit limitedand it is not possible to define your ownstyles (although there is quite a good rangeof pre-defined styles available)
For graphics Naomi created a series ofneat little icons - one for each subject categoryThus at the top of each page there were twosmall graphics representing one or two subjectcategories for that review These were createdfrom clip art in Corel Draw then convertedand pasted in as gif or jpeg images (the twographic formats that are supported by HTML)We had tried using screen clips in EdRev -
they took forever to load and were a pain towork with so I decided against using them inInfoRom One of the golden rules of Web sitesis not to slow things down with too manygraphics - I get very frustrated waiting forsome of the software supplier sites to load -and I donrsquot want my potential clients to feelthat way about my site Diagram 2 is anexample of one of our pages
Selecting a Supplier andUploading Pages
The next step was to find a commercial sitesupplier I had been happy with service andvalue for money that we got at Spirit Networks(an ACT supplier) so I decided to go to themIt cost me $275 to set the site up (includingthe registration of my domain name on theInternet) and it is costing me $50 per monthfor maintaining the site (that includes a goodlevel of storage email traffic and the right toupdate whenever I like) - so it really isnrsquot tooexpensive a service As part of the setup costsa rep from Spirit came and helped my set upTIP email and FTP connections on mymachine Because of my newness to thisprocess I fired lots of questions (includingquite a few dumb ones) at them by email orphone in the first couple of weeks - I have tosay that they have been very patient and mosthelpful
I uploaded all the files by means of FTPand eureka it is working What a satisfyingfeeling to log on load up your browser andperuse a site that is all your own work Apartfrom a few faulty links (the result of incorrectentry on my part) everything was working fineimmediately and I have already added threelots of updates without difficulty
Marketing and Indexing the SiteWhen I was involved in EdRev I sent outapprox 600 emails to schools educationalagencies etc in the hope of winning somesubscribers For all that effort we got 2subscribers
I believe that one of the keys to the Internetis harnessing the power of the various searchprograms or Web Indexes by listing your sitewith them and doing whatever you need to doto ensure that your site has a reasonably good
Diagram 2(continued next page)
16 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
chance of being detected What I want is thatif someone searches for a particular packageeg Encarta or NHL 97 then they will bedirected to my site Thus the key is for not justmy home page but for every separate reviewpage to be picked up by the various indexesMost users stick with the big ones - as far as Ican tell they are
Excite
Infoseek
Lycos
Alta Vista
Magellan (subset of Excite)
Yahoo
Hot Bot
Web Crawler
Web Surfer
If anyone out there can suggest any otherlsquopopular onesrsquo please tell me My experienceis that there are two categories of Index
1 Those that list your home page and thentrace all of the links to the home page and(over time) add all of the other pages inyour site This can take 3 or 4 weeks Theseinclude Alta Vista Lycos Yahoo and (Ithink) Excite and Yahoo
2 Those that will only list the URL you haveentered eg Infoseek and Web Crawler
Thus I have taken two approaches Withcategory 1 eg Excite I have added just thehome page to the index although each time Ido an update I add the URL of what I estimatewill be the most popular choice for that weekto Excite and Hot Bot - thus increasing thelikelihood of my site appearing on thesesindexes in the short term Alta Vista Yahooand Lycos all actively discourage this process- but I will see whether the review pages ofmy sites are being picked up before I passjudgement on this
In the case of Infoseek and Web Crawler Ientered every single URL for all the pages inmy site (about 130 to begin with) - and everytime I do an update I add the URLs for thenew pages to these indexes It is timeconsuming but I believe that it is worth it Iam starting to get traffic to the site from allover the world but it is too early to tell howsuccessful my efforts have been
WebSurfer required a payment of $350(US) to be included - I wonder how long itwill be before this trend catches on with theothers At the bank I discovered that it wouldcost me $10 - to get a cheque drawn in USdollars - so the process cost me about $15
dollars And they wonder why Australia is notcompetitive on the international scene WhileI am grizzling about banks let me alsocomment that for every client that pays me bycheque in US dollars or pounds sterling it willcost me $5 to convert that cheque to Australiandollars The trick is of course to encouragepayment by credit card but I have not foundany of the banks I have spoken to so far to beparticularly eager to allow a small untriedbusiness like this to offer credit card facilitiesAre there any banks out there that encourageAustralians to transact internationalbusiness
There are a number of providers that offer(for a fee) to list you with lsquo100 Web indexesrsquoetc but since I figure that most people onlyuse the most popular ones I havenrsquot botheredwith them
Final CommentBasically it is now a matter of wait and seewhat the response is as well as ensure that thesite is visible on the various Web indexes Thewhole process has certainly been much easierthan I expected and I can certainly recommendCorelrsquos Web Graphics suite as a good way forbeginners to get a page up on the Internet witha minimum of fuss and bother Letrsquos hope thatthe subscribers start rolling in
Nick Thomson is a management trainerconsultant and he is also the manager ofInfoRom a CD-ROM review and onlinesupport service on the Internet He can becontacted on 241 3239
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 17
A review by Alan Tebb
ldquoWhat is the name of the worldrsquos mosttattooed womanrdquo (See the answer at theend of this article)
I remember buying a copy of theGuinness Book of Records in 1979and thinking it contained the mostfascinating collection of trivial facts
and figures I had ever read Over the yearsthe book settled the occasional dinnerargument that strayed into the realm of ldquowhowas the tallest man everrdquo or ldquohow longwere the longest finger nails ever grownrdquoIt was like having the sideshow bearded ladyand the tattooed man between covers on thebookshelf every page was filled with thebizarre the freakish the unbelievable
But to be fair the Guinness Book ofRecords is more than a collection of thecurious or unusual In the month since Ibegan this review I have noticed the TV andthe newspapers have on three occasionscovered attempts to break Guinness records
Perhaps the Guinness record book fulfillsthat need in human beings to challenge theirenvironment do things that no other humanhas done before to better the incredible featsof others or to be just plain crazy Whateverthe motivation the drive to be a part ofGuinness historyndashif only for as long as arecord holdsndashis as popular now as when thewhole thing began in 1955
So naturally I was very interested to seewhat Grolier had done to make the GuinnessBook of Records a multimedia CD I wasnrsquotdisappointed Like its hardcover cousin theGuinness Multimedia Disc of Recordscontains the same extensive collection ofrecords plus a library of amazing film clipsand photographs you simply wonrsquot findanywhere else on CD
The opening interface looks like acollection of pub drink coasters It has eightpaths allowing the user to browse recordsgo straight to an index of all photographsview movie clips search by words search
1995 GuinnessMultimediaDisc of Records
by topics search by superlatives run theRandom Record Explorer or play the GuessWhat quiz
The record browser lists almost 15000records in alphabetical order and is the leasteffective way of finding your way aroundthe CD The Guinness Multimedia Disc ofRecords excels in its ability to search itsdatabase of records using some innovativeoptions The usual Boolean choices areavailable or you can have fun searching bysuperlatives such as ldquotallestrdquo or ldquoheaviestrdquoThe CD will then list all the records thatinclude the chosen adjective The otheralternative is to search through topic treesthat branch out from a few key subjects allthe way to individual records an approachoften seen in CD encyclopaedias
The disc contains over 1000photographs from the Guinness collectionincluding what must be considered some ofthe most unusual and fascinating picturesassembled in one publication The majorityof photos and videos are very high in qualityand in the case of the photos these can beprinted
My only disappointment with theGuinness Multimedia Disc of Records is thefact that it did not have a country specificsupplement The thing I liked most aboutmy 1979 hard copy version was the 30 pagesof Australia-only records at the back Evenso the multimedia version is every bit asentertaining interesting and informative asI had hoped it would be With the addedadvantage of film clips sound and greatsearch capabilities I think it is better thanthe hard copy version Now if I can onlyremember some of those unusual facts andfigures I might be a much better TrivialPursuit player
System RequirementsA 486DX processor running at 33MHz orfaster using Windows 31 or rsquo95 4 Mb ofRAM 6Mb hard disk space CD-ROMcapable of 300Kbsec or higher transfer rateand a sound card The video uses Quicktimefor Windows 20 (supplied with theproduct)
The worldrsquos most decorated woman is stripartiste Krystyne Kolorful born 5 December1952 in Alberta Canada Her body is 95percent covered and it took ten years tocomplete the work
18 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
T his comprehensive set ofpowerful drawing and photo-editing tools fills a niche for thehome or small business users
who are looking for an easy-to-use graphicspackage to create greeting cards certificatesbanners business forms signs and calendarsetc and at the same time have the capacityto scan their own photographs touch themup and add special effects or create bitmapimages using the painting tools
While both MS Publisher 97 (which Ireviewed in the March 1997 issue) and PrintHouse have some similarities and overlapin the production of greeting cards bannerscalendars menus etc this program con-centrates on the production of qualitygraphics and photographic enhancementwhile MS Publisher97 was more orientedtowards Desk Top Publishing and has nophotographic enhancement program
Corel Print amp Photo House lives up toits claim for simplicity with a friendlywizard-based interface that anyone can usewithout training It includes more than 1600ready-to-print sample files (700 of whichare cards 1000 photos 1000 phrases 150TrueType fonts 7000 clipart images 200backdrops and 70 intelligent borders andtemplates and a well-illustrated manualwhich includes a catalogue containingcollections of the clipart fonts bordersbackdrops phrases and photos on theCDROM At a loss for the appropriatewords to include The comprehensive listof phrases should meet almost everyconceivable need
Installation is simple and the programproved fully compatible with my LogitechColour scanner and DSV Graphics DisplayAccelerator
There is a key that opens a key page thatin turn displays help topics to assist withthe task in hand using cue cards The topicsopened by the key are determined by the toolin use or the object currently selected Eachcard contains an instruction and after eachstep is completed a new card displays
Wizards are available to walk usersthrough any task such as changing the colourof an object or adding shadows to text Thereis an on-screen Notebook to help guide usersthrough various operations such as how toapply effects choose a paint brush or accessthe photo collection It also provides easyand visible access to clipart bordersbackdrops and preset styles that can bedragged and dropped into designs
You can customise a project withpowerful drawing tools and flip rotate orscale any text or graphic
The vector graphics and text are fullyeditable and can be flipped rotated re-sizedungrouped and fully customised by bothcolour and shape
The Toolbars and layout will be familiarto Corel Draw users they are intuitive andperform similar functions Figure 3 showsthe Notebook to the left of the verticaltoolbar showing what you would like to donext This Notebook provides convenienton-screen context-sensitive help and guidesusers through various operations such ashow to apply effects choose a paint brushor access a photo collection It also provideseasy and visible access to clipart bordersbackdrops and preset styles that can bedragged and dropped into designs To add acatalogue item you can drag it from theNotebook and drop it into the appropriatepart of your design
One particularly neat feature is theability to save pieces of your own creationfor later use in a section called theScrapbook so that you can add it to futureprojects
Reviewed by Jim Hume
Figure 1
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 19
The Photo House was particularlyimpressive both for the ease of use and itsversatility It took just over ten minutes torepair the damage to the print in Figure 2with the result shown in Figure 3 It alsoincludes a Notebook that provides on screenhelp to guide users For touching upphotographs there are Tools for selectionRectangle Freehand Eyedropper EraserFlood Fill Paintbrush Spray Can and Clonetools There are seven different touch-upeffects including Sharpen BrightnessContrast Remove Dust and ScratchesReduce speckles Simplify colours removered-eyes and Change Colours which provide
users with everything they are likely to needto spruce up or enhance photographs
Finally they provide a touch of fun withspecial effects-Page Curl Emboss SwirlCustom Negative Vignette Motion blurAdd light source Psychedelic Ripple
texture Impress-ionist and SketchThe photo editingpossibilities arealmost endlessFigure 4 showsthe special effectspicture a crownconverted top s y c h e d e l i cformat
Figure 2
Figure 3
Apart from serious use this program willalso provide a lot of fun for all ages andsome may be carried away with over-use ofthe graphics If only to emphasise the needto keep the design simple so that readers getthe message immediately the manual wouldbenefit from a Chapter covering theprinciples of good design similar to that inthe Publisher97 Companion or at least a listof recommended reading
There is an uninstall feature whichallows the ready removal of the program
System RequirementsMinimum System requirements IBM PC486 DX or compatible Windows95 orWindows Nt 351 a CD-ROM drive a VGAcardmonitor and a mouse or tabletWindows users require 8MB of RAM andWindows NT 351 or later users will require12 MB or RAM Price - RRP $9900
Figure 4
20 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
So here we are - itrsquos about 930 amon a fine Sunday morning and Irsquomcruising along the 210 freewayeastbound from Pasadena on the
way to the computer marketplace atPomona The traffic is light moving freelydown the 6 lanes between 70 and 80 mph(forgive the non-metrics therersquos a lot ofcatching up to do here) The speed limit wasincreased from 55 to 65 mph after the oilcrisis was ldquooverrdquo and the highway patroltend to frown on anyone faster or slowerthan 65 to 80 The radio is tuned to K-Earth1011 ldquoOldiesrdquo radio (appropriate for me)the Big-O is extolling the virtues of PrettyWomen and all is right with the world
Irsquove done my homework the day beforeby visiting FRYrsquos Electronics in Burbank -a huge high-tech megastore with a computersection roughly the size of David JonesThey are generally in the lower range ofcomputer retail prices - so it is worth seeinghow they compare to values at the Pomonamarketplace
Some example of prices at FRYrsquos (forsome things I was thinking of buying) are
Tape Backup unitsIomega Ditto 2Gb - $150 (Aus $207 after825 CA sales tax and conversion at 1275)Connor 32Gb - $229 A$316HP Colorado 32Gb - $209 A$288
Parallel port TV camerasColour - $249 A$343 Greyscale- $110 A$151 [Saw them bymail order at $79 A$101 (notax)]
8Mb 72pin EDO SIMMs 70ns - $40 A$55 60ns (1 yearWarranty) - $35 A$48 60ns(Namebrand lifetime warranty) -$44 A$61
Sony Web TV(WWW + Email via your TV -No PC required) - $290 A$400
Back to Sunday and thehardest part of the trip is theU-turn into the LA County
fairgroundrsquos car park - there are 6 entrancelanes with only 2-3 cars in each so gettingto park is pretty painless except for the $5parking fee Ouch A dollar up since lasttime Then another shock to the wallet -entrance fee has increased from $7 to $8for adults (and no Seniors discount) So atotal of $13 A$18 before making it into thefirst hall A friend and I discussed theentrance price and concluded that it mightbe a cunning psychological plot - Itrsquos costso much to get this far that one should reallybuy plenty to make it all worthwhileEverybody wins organisers and dealers thatis But itrsquos certainly possible to recoup theentrance money with a purchase of aCDROM For example MS Encarta 97 wasgoing for $26 (A$36)
There is at least one and sometimes twocomputer shows somewhere in LA eachweekend but this I think this one is thebiggest It is held in two large halls(sometimes three) Each hall is capable ofeasily accommodating around 150 largishstands with 10-15 foot aisles Therersquos 4 or 5radio stations here - at least 2 broadcastingand the rest handing out various ldquofreebiesrdquowhile relaying their station overloudspeakers Add to that various spruikersshouting their wares (ldquoNo CDs over $5 onthis tablerdquo ldquoLowest motherboard prices atthe showrdquo) numerous ldquomultimediardquo demos
and a few thousand people trying to makethemselves heard It is pretty noisy
I checked with the organisers and theysaid that they average around 8000attendees per day - so up to 20000 over agood two day weekend show It surprisedme that is was that low as it can get reallycrowded (2 or 3 deep at some stands)
There were over 300 dealers that day -about average However every 2-3 monthsthe organisers run 20-30 short seminars inconjunction with the market at the Sheratonsuites on the fairground complex On thoseoccasions the attendance at the marketincreases by 30 or more
So why do people keep coming back tothese shows Are the prices so much betterHere are a few examples
Complete ldquobasicrdquo system166 Mhz 6x86 Triton VX MB PnP bios256 Kb Cache 16 Mb EDO RAM 16 GbEIDE HDD 8X EIDE CDROM PCISVGA 64 bit with 2 Mb MPEG Yamaha3D Wavetable sound card poweredspeakers 336 Fax modem with Voice
mail SVGA 15 Digital NI28 monitor mousekeyboard floppy drive etcWin95 Installed with manualamp CD $969 A$1337 for thelot
MotherboardsIntel VX chip set with all IO256 Kb Cache - $84 A$116Intel HX chip set 512K -$110 A$152 CheapestPentium MB I saw (Optichip set) - $65 A$90
Wish You Were HereSixteen Bits foriegn correspondent John Saxonchecks in from Pasadena California
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 21
Tyan Tomcat 3 with 512K - $145 (the oneI paid $220 for 4 months ago - Oh wellthatrsquos life at the bleeding edge)
RAM8Mb 60ns EDO - $35 A$48 (Brand name$2 more) 16Mb 60ns EDO - $74 A$102
CPUsPentium Pro 150 Mhz - $179 A$247Pentium MMX 200 Mhz - $538 A$742(prediction - $300 by Dec 97)
CDROM Drives6X - $55 A$76 (Untested - as is)X12 Acer - $100 A$138X2 7 disk changer - $50 A$69(Untested - as is)JVC X4 read X2 write - $259A$357X16 (LiteOn = no name Nicebox) - $108 A$149
HDDsWD Caviar 25 Gb - $225 A$311Maxstor 13 Gb - $170 A$234
ModemsUS Robotics Courier 56 Kbs +Voice - $163 A$225 No name 336Kbs + SVDS - $67 A$92 (and goingdown)
Odd stuff2 Mb VGA cards as low as $45 A$62Cheapest parallel port flatbed scanner -$203 A$280
Stocking stuffers 230 Watt powersupplies - $17 A$23IDE HDD mobile rack with lock - $12A$17 TEAC 144 MbFDD - $20 A$28
The only direct comparison with FRYrsquosprices was for the HP 32 Gb tape backupunit - $209 at FRYrsquos - $149 at the marketSo it can definitely be worth the trip BUTsome of the dealers may not be around toolong to honour warranties and there aresome definitely ldquoshonkyrdquo practices goingon An example is the almost universalpractice of breaking up CDROM ldquobundlesrdquoto sell separately a practice much frownedupon by OEMs Caveat Emptor
So what was hot or different at thismarketplace
Well the new ATX format motherboardsand cases seemed to be selling well Forthose who donrsquot know - ATX is the new
mechanical layout with some electricalimprovements agreed by the major man-ufacturers (the first major mechanicalchange since the original PC) The mostobvious difference in the new motherboardsis on-board connectors (including USB andIR) and externally removable panels on thecases (you need a new case and Powersupply with the new motherboards) Butthere are many more changes infunctionality including ldquogreenrdquo systemPower supply control - never turn the system
off (except by unplugging it) Boards were$150 A$207 and up and cases with PSUsaround $75 A$104
Recordable CDROM drives were sellingwell with media down to $8 A$11 Didnrsquotsee any of the new DVD CD-ROM drivesbut these shows are not generally ldquocuttingedgerdquo more concentration on lower (slightlytrailing edge) prices
But I tried on a great pair of LCD 3Dglasses with modified game software - veryimpressive results The glasses switch 48times per sec (some noticeable flicker) andcome with a CDROM which include driversand some modified ldquoshoot-em-uprdquo gamesDescent 3D Nukem Doom etc for a totalof $99 A$137 The same stand also sold a4MB 128 bit Video card with hardwareMPEG2 decompression for $159 A$219Terminator-2 at full screen and full ratelooking better than your average TV
I even saw a $999 A$1378 home-use2-axis VR - that is Virtual Reality - chaircontrolled by the joystick It is quite quiet(as far as I could tell in amongst the racket)and apparently air driven with 50 degreesmovement in pitch and 55 degrees in roll
The monitor mounts in front of your kneesand the keyboard (for an optional operator -or simulation controller) behind the seatback There were speakers and joystick builtin also It seemed to be very fast and wasquite nauseating to watch Combine thiswith the 3D glasses for a total experience(if your stomach could take it)
There are probably more software thanhardware stands with CDROMs from $199up to $199 A$275 for Office 97 Pro upgrade(probably another unbundling job) Also 3
or 4 book stores - selling at coverprice less 25 for one book to coverprice less 35 for 5 or more books
Not all the stands are totallycomputer oriented There are a fairsprinkling of chiropractors (on thespot diagnosis) ldquoself defenserdquostands (mace amp pepper sprayselectric stun guns and (strangely)large knives) Cell phones pagerscigars and jewelry etc - you nameit A pretty large curtained off area(over 21 only) had several dealersselling thousands of ldquoadultrdquoCDROMs and videos A nice
change from the ldquooldrdquo days when that stuffwas included on most stands One of theradio stations was giving out ldquoEarthquakepreparationrdquo leaflets - modern times in LA
What did I buy Well - very restrainedfor me Only 16 Mb (2 X 8 Mb EDOSIMMs) of RAM - name brand (Toshiba) at$38 (A$52) each Also an HP Deskjetprinter colour refill kit At $55 (A$76) it waspretty expensive but it is supposed to refillcolour cartridges up to 24 times and B ampW up to 6 times so it could well be worth it- came with a package of business card paper(my choice parchment) also Oh and a W95or 31 Wincheck Version 40 softwarepackage at $1495 A$21 - I couldnrsquot resist
So after 2 12 hours I had taken a quickcheck around all the stands with no repeatsand I was out of there - all computered out(at least for one day) Irsquove been to that showat least 6 to 8 times before plus othersaround LA and I still get a mild adrenalinerush when going in - calculated to causeshopping frenzy
22 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Confused aboutYoursquore not alone
By Nhan Tran
Getting onto the InternetYoursquove heard about the informationsuperhighway and you want to know moreYour kids want to get on the Internet butyou donrsquot know how to give them a driveYou have been using the Internet but whenyou asked for help you could not explainyour problems to the experts This article(or maybe a series of articles) gives you thewhole picture and some explanation on thevehicle you use to get on the superhighway
The SuperhighwayThe Internet is a complex (and sometimesconvoluted) network of superhighways Theroads may be a six-lane freeway a four-lanehighway a side street or even a narrow alleyThey may be on the ground above groundunderground at the bottom of the seas orflying high with the satellites in space
On top of that you donrsquot actually driveyour car It is driven by an automatic driverwhich is nearly blind and canrsquot see fartherthan the next turn It is weird It is unnaturalwhich may be the reason why it works andthe other ldquowell-designedrdquo networks failedThe whole network is based on the conceptof ldquobest effortsrdquo That is the robot driverswould try their best but not guarantee thatthey would take you to the destination
They try to find the best route for you Itmeans that if the road is too congested theymay make a U-turn get off the freeway andcrawl through a labyrinth of cat alleys Theroads are like the real ones sometimes thereis almost no traffic at all other times theylook like a huge car park The matter getsworse when you take into account of thedifferent timezones around the world Oneorsquoclock in Australia may be the rush hourin another country and if you want to getinformation from there you get caught inthe traffic
Because of these characteristicssomeone (I think it was Mitch Kapor thespreadsheet inventor) has made a comment
like ldquothe information superhighway is a ten-lane freeway in one direction and an ox-cart path in the otherrdquo
But if you can go to where you wantwould you care I donrsquot I treat the wholenetwork like a fuzzy cloud that magicallygives me the new freedom the newcommunity and the new set of problems
The Highway RampSo how do you get on this super highwayThere are places which are connected to thehighway network on one side and entrancesfor you to enter on the other They are calledservers Normally what you see on theInternet is what is stored at these serversbecause most people like you donrsquot wantstrangers to access your PC (I wouldnrsquot leta stranger into my house) Luckily there aremany servers with many goodies to look ator play with
Getting onto these servers is not easyYou use a modem connected to a phone lineto call the modem on the server When theserver modem answers the call they wouldstart the process of synchronisation Toomany standards and too many brands If youare unlucky your modem may refuse to talkto the other modem and you would spendhours of frustration and get a huge phonebill
The high pitch tone you hear from themodem is this process When both modemssatisfy that they can reliably talk to eachother the noise stops Then itrsquos the butlerrsquosturn
The ButlerThere is a very important program for yourInternet access It is a program that asks the
modem to make the call to the server andwhen connected requests a login on yourbehalf to the server
What is a login You come to a friendrsquosplace knock the door or ring the bellSomeone in the house would ask ldquowho isthererdquo and yoursquod say ldquoitrsquos just merdquo Yourfriend recognises your voice opens the doorand let you in If you work in a securedenvironment every morning when you enterthe building you would show your ID cardto the security guard
Your username (or user ID or login ID)and your password are equivalent to the IDcard If you get the dreaded ldquoaccess deniedrdquoit means (a) you (or the program that doeson your behalf) entered incorrect username(b) you entered wrong password or (c) youran out of access hours or the accessexpired or your PCUG membership
expiredThis program is
always there rendashgardless of how youstart your Internetsession Some
access the Internet by Eudora some byMicrosoft Internet Explorer some useNetscape They either have a built-inprogram to do this job or automatically callthis program to make the connection Evenif you donrsquot see it on the screen it is runningin the background The popular PC prondashgrams that can do this task are TrumpetWinsock (or TCPMAN) Shiva Chameleonor Dial-up Networking Connect etc
Once the connection is established thisprogram will take on the task of a butlerserving other programs Letrsquos look at thefollowing analogy
Letrsquos assume that you (or to be precisethe PC programs such as Eudora MSInternet Explorer Netscape etc) were aninvalid confined in a room You would needa butler to help you getting things outside
ldquoThe roads may be a six-lane freeway a four-lanehighway a side street or even a narrow alleyrdquo
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 23
the Internet
the room When you (Eudora InternetMail Netscape Mail) wanted to checkyour mail yoursquod ask the butler to checkthe letter box and bring letters to yourbed When you wanted to send lettersto friends or relative yoursquod ask thebutler to take it to the post office
When you (Free Agent InternetNews Netscape News) wanted to readnewspaper yoursquod ask the butler to goto the newsagent and buy newspaper foryou When you (Internet ExplorerNetscape Opera) wanted a book or avideo yoursquod ask the butler to buy suchand such books or videos for you
It is so important that without it youcanrsquot get anything f rom thesuperhighway So if you started yoursession from Trumpet Winsock whenthe connection has been made (ie whenyou see the message ldquoMy IP address is2031076xxxrdquo) donrsquot close or exit theprogram Minimise it and let it run inthe background so that it can serve otherprograms Otherwise you would getstrange and incomprehensible errormessage such as ldquowinsockdll missingrdquo(trust a programmer to tell you whatrsquoswrong in the program he or she wrote)
Thatrsquos enough for the boring stuffNext t ime wersquo l l ta lk about emai l(eletronic mail) news World Wide Web(if the Queen is doing it so why canrsquotwe) and other mysteries of the Internet
Internet Clinics are normally held at the PCUG Centre Northpoint PlazaBelconnen the first Saturday of each month 930am to 1pm There is nocost involved
So if you (or another PCUG member you know of) are having problemsyou (or they) will be welcome to attend It is suggested that you call thePCUG Centre on the day and check with the staffer that we are notoverloaded before coming along
To get a problem on your PC resolved it is essential that you bring all ofthe following items with you
bull PC and Monitor plus all interconnecting cables
bull Mouse
bull Keyboard
bull Modem
bull Modem power supply
bull Modem cables - from PC to modemand from modem to telephone socket
bull Modem and PC manuals amp documentation
bull All of your software disks -
ie Win31 or Windows95 disksCD
If you dont have a PC to fix but you want to get some guidance on someparticular aspect of using TIP please feel free to come along and simplytalk to us
Clinics are not a free softwaremodem installation service We do expectyou to have made a reasonable attempt at getting the software installed ampworking
David Schwabe dschwabepcugorgau
The Internet Clinic
24 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
A t the start of this year I startedto get interested again in an oldheroine from days of misspentyouth in the rsquo70s New York
underground poet-turned-singer Patti Smithldquothe Bob Dylan of the punk scenerdquoThought Irsquod see whether there was anythingon the Web and found anexcellent site at httpwwwoceanstarcompatti Tomy astonishment I found thatshe was in Australia on her firstmajor tour anywhere in years mainly for theBig Day Out outdoor concerts
I had heard of the Big Day Out tour viaTriple J but this was the first Irsquod heard ofher being on the bill After seeing other re-formed punk heroes Radio Birdman and theSex Pistols in 1996 was it possible I couldmake the trifecta Alas the Sydney eventhad been booked out for two weeks
Via the JJJ Web site httpwwwabcnetautriplejdefaulthtm I found theBig Day Out Web site httpstarbaitbdocomaustarbaitbdo and loand behold they were having live conndashnections to the Melbourne concert on the25th January via the Internet with the
assistance of a US-based organisation calledThe Campus (wwwthecampuscom) If Icouldnrsquot be there in Sydney to see Patti inperson this would be as close as I couldget In addition I had always seemed to findout about real-time events on the Web justafter theyrsquod occurred and here at least wasan opportunity to be in at the start it wouldbe an interesting technical exercise ifnothing else
First choice was browser InternetExplorer 3 or Netscape Navigator 3 I gatherIrsquom not unlike many in having been initiallybowled over with IE3 then finding that itwas less robust and in particular made fargreater demands on temporary storage thanNetscape With little free disk space and
being about to try all sortsof new things I decided toplay safe and use Navigator
The Big Day Out Website (figure 1) was well done
and looked great including animatedgraphics and good use of frames but wasif anything as the British say ldquotoo cleverby halfrdquo For example you selected optionsvia a Shockwave animation of ducks in ashooting gallery click the mouse on a duckwhen an alternative was highlighted yoursquodhear a BANG the duck would flop overbackwards and yoursquod be off to that optionVery cute very clever and very slow andfrustrating for actually going anywhere Inaddition it appeared that when you went tosome pages they called up some trick Javacode which brought up Netscape sessionsin what looked like Kiosk mode no menusLooked neat but again a nuisance The sitehad its own mascot a sort of anime-stylekick-boxing heroine called Miss Starbait (Iassume a risque in-joke try saying the namequickly)
Once you got to it the information wasthorough and well laid out A list of artistsincluded links for those who had Web pagesThere was a page on the Auckland concert(first in the series) with photos etc For eachcity on the tour the site had links to maps ofthe venues and also timetables I foundfrom this that in Melbourne Patti Smithwould be on Stage C 540 PM for an hour
There were two main components to theInternet part of the day a Real Audio feedwith both backstage comments and the
via the Internet or -the boy looked at PattiO
BDig
ayut
by Malcolm Street
Figure 1
This is the era where everybody createsPatti Smith - ldquoSo you want to be a Rock n Roll Starrdquo 1979
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 25
stage and a new form of conferencingsoftware called The Palace where artistswould come for QampA sessions with fansIrsquod experimented with Real Audio but notto any great depth and had never even heardof Palace and I had to get this all togetherin a day Fortunately there were direct linkson the Big Day Out Web site
While I had a Real Audio stand-aloneplayer one page on the site came up with ablank expecting a Real Audio plug-in Ontothe Net to the Real Audio page todownload Real Audio player version 3Install restart Navigator back to the pageand voila A Real Audio control in themiddle of a Web page Painless
Then to work out which ISP to useUnfortunately the weekend was the onebefore the ldquoearly birdrdquo credits expired forTIP and I presume because of this it wasalmost impossible to get on One time whenI did get on I tested the Real Audiobackstage feed from Melbourne and foundI was only getting a 144k stream and poorquality at that I had a second backupaccount with Access One with a higherspeed (and far more expensive) networkand found that I could get a stable 288kReal Audio stream so that was going to be
what Irsquod have to use Not to mention thatthe time Patti Smith would be on would bepeak time anyway
Next step was to find Palace again viaa direct link from the BDO page to httpwwwthepalacecom I had used forms of
3D interactive software but Palace wasdifferent much simpler just 2D backndashgrounds Really a sort of IRC withbackdrops and sound effects For the BigDay Out the organisers had produced theirown backgrounds and sounds and I had todownload those as well from their siteHowever there were no instructions on howto set them up so it ended up being trialand error until I got it to work puttingimages and sounds in separate subdirndashectories under the Palace directory
Finally I had Palace running with the BigDay Out backdrops and found myselfoutside a circus tent which included livelinks to the Big Day Out and Campus Webpages (figure 2) Moving ldquoinsiderdquo the tentgot me to an area where I could don aparticular costume however choices werelimited for non-registered users andappeared to reset so I had to be content withthe default avatar a soft of sphere with aface on it (figure 3)
Finally there was the conference tentitself guarded by a fearsome lookingdoorman who asked for a passwordClicking on his lady companion told you tolook in the log Once Irsquod figured out howto do that I found it ldquomama cazrdquo Typedthat in response to the doorman and whoafound myself in this psychedelic room whichwas to be the conference area (figure 4)
Figure 3
Figure 2
26 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
I knew when Patti Smith was going tobe on stage what I didnrsquot know was whenshersquod be in conference in the Palace I waslistening to the back stage chatter via RealAudio this time more organised as Campuswas acting as ldquoon line radio stationrdquobroadcasting to the USA ldquoAustraliarsquosLollapolloozardquo and in the middle of this Iheard them give times for different artistsbeing in the virtual tent with Patti Smithroughly 430 Problem solved
430 arrived Back on line into the tentanother band (Supergrass) being inndashterviewed The conference area is now fullof faces with a still photo of the band downthe bottom left-hand corner Irsquove had verylittle experience with IRC and this seemsvery similar hard to follow with variousthreads of conversation going on sindashmultaneously but I gradually tune in to itTherersquos a thread going about problemspeople are having with reliably picking upReal Audio - oh dear As well as a fewAustralians there are a couple of Americansin there and a South African Then see thatPatti Smith is about to come on And sureenough C 440 the picture changes and thereshe is
Unfortunately the session is a bit of ashambles Unlike the younger artists (sherecently turned 50) she does not appear tobe familiar with the technology andsomeone else is doing the typing for herslowing down and complicating exchangesSeems to be the passing of the torch - a bitof a fish out of water in the environment ofa younger generation The bass player ofher backing group had suffered concussion20 minutes before from a collision with arogue door hence her lateness Thingsfinally get under way (one person ldquoa fanfrom WAY backrdquo says ldquonot many questionsjust adorationrdquo I can relate to that) but justas itrsquos building up a head of steam she getsa long phone call (presumably about the bassplayer) and has to call it quits prematurely
Irsquoll just have to wait and see if theconcert is any better
Well the concert is indeed better In factwhen I can hear it clearly (see later) itrsquoswonderful She starts with an early poemroaring it out with authority then afterthanks to JJJ who are handling the broadcastto the Internet and to the absent bass player
launches into the concert proper a greatblend of old and new
The sound quality is to put it mildlyvariable It was much better in earlier gigsthat day with Australian bands but itappears to drop off markedly on this onePerhaps too many people on at onceAmerican fans connecting in to hear one ofher first big shows in years Checking withstatistics in Real Audio shows theconnection approaching 20 loss in someearly songs leaving a very jerky soundFortunately it improves later with lossesdown to around 4 and sound quiteacceptable (People dropping out infrustration) However later on a fewoccasions the sound drops out completelyand I have to wait while it restarts somendashtimes for a couple of minutes
Then just as the concert comes to ashattering climax heading into one of myfavourite songs of hers a demolition of VanMorisonrsquos Gloria the Real Audio feed goesfor me at least dead Stone cold dead It islike the other times when it has dropped outbut this time it wonrsquot recover BummerAfter several minutes I can get the feedagain but just get an empty stage waitingfor the next band
So that was it a frustrating end to afrustrating but fascinating day At best thesound quality was am radio standards Butthen again these are very early days and Ican remember worse am radio sounds ontransistor radios as a kid in the lsquo60rsquos Avideo feed would have been real nice butone thing that is obvious from this exerciseis that live audio let alone live video ispushing current Internet technology to itslimits and beyond with a large numbers ofsimultaneous users in a function like thisSo as with so much on the Net wersquore seeingthe first glimpses of something that will takeanother generation of technology to becomepractical But hey this is the world of theNet and another generation could be onlysix months away
Later that night I connect to the Palacesite again and find a note at the tent to sayit was all over and to check up next week Ido indeed and they reckon over 100000people worldwide connected to the site thatone day and that the live broadcast of PattiSmithrsquos complete concert was a world firstApart from catching up with an old idol Irsquodseen a glimpse of a communications futureof being part of an event shared interactivelylive world-wide yet another step towardsthe Global Village
Figure 4
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 27
Stuffed AgainThe following members and friendsare thanked for assisting with stuffingour journal for mailing
Andrew amp Bruce Bartlett
Bruce Black
Owen Cook
Eddie de Bear
John Dyer
Bob Ecclestone
Rufus Garcia
Sally Hammon
John Hempenstall
Joy Hewett
Sue amp Jim Hume
Jenny Laraman
Alan Lockett
David Meggs
Allan Mikkelsen
Don Nicol
Gloria Robbins
Keith Sayers
Rod Smith
John Starr
Bob Summersby
Michael Taylor
Gordon Urquhart
Anne WarrenerWe are always looking for volunteersto assist us with the lsquostuffingrsquo of ourjournal We start around 530pm(latecomers are welcome) usually on the2nd last Monday of every month andare generally finished by 800pmRefreshments are provided and any ofyour knotty computer problems can bedebated lsquoat the round tablersquo in congenialcompany If you would like to helpplease ring Petra Dwyer at the PCUGCentre on 253 4911 and she will fill youin on all the details
Next Stuffing530pm Monday 19 May 1997at Northpoint Plaza Belconnen
(see map page 6)
htt
p
ww
wp
cu
go
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up
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6b
its
Now
in A
dobe
Acr
obat
form
at
Oz User GroupsAdelaide PC Users GroupPO Box 2541Kent Town SA 5071(08) 332-7021Margi McLeay (Sec)Meet 730pm 3rd Tuesday of themonth at Enterprise House 136Greenhill Road Unley Visitors $5
Brisbane PC Users Group(Brisbug)PO Box 985Toowong QLD 4066(07) 3273 7266 Info Line(07) 3281 6503Lloyd Smith (Pres)Meet 12 noon 3rd Sunday of themonth at Bardon Professional Cntr
Darwin ComputerUsers ClubGary Drake (Vice President)(089) 324 107 h(089) 450 091 wEmail acsntacslinknetau
Melbourne PC User Group2nd Floor 66 Albert RoadSouth Melbourne VIC 3205(03) 9699 6222 10am - 330pm(03) 9699 6499 FaxEmail officemelbpcorgauHome Page httpwwwmelbpcorgauMeet 6pm 1st Wednesday of themonth (except Jan) at PharmacyCollege 381 Royal Parade Parkville
Perth PC Users GroupPO Box 997West Perth WA 6872(09) 399 7264 Trevor Davis (Pres)Meet 600pm 1st Wednesday of themonth at Ross Lecture TheatrePhysics Building University of WANedlands
Sydney PC Users GroupPO Box A2162Sydney South NSW 2000(02) 972 2133 Michelle DonaldMeet 6pm 1st Tuesday of the monthat main auditorium TeachersFederation 300 Sussex StreetSydney
28 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Features include fun animation sound effectsand a high-score listing Reg Fee $15
COMET13Comet Busters 13 is an incredible high-speedarcade game for WIN31 You must clear thecolourful asteroids and occasional alienspacecraft from the screen before you canproceed to the next deadly level This gamefeatures beautiful 256-colour ray-tracedgraphics and digital sound effects Reg Fee $9
HMN32V11Hangman (BB) 111 is a word-guessing gamefor Win95 that can help grade school-agechildren improve their vocabulary andspelling Features include an editable wordlist the ability to include definitions with eachword mouse or keyboard input and moreRequires the 32-bit VB runtime files Reg Fee$5
PDHP97SUPrairie Dog Hunt PRO rsquo97is a shooting gamefor Windows that allows you to participate inthe wholesale slaughter of harmless mammalswithout all the mess Features include 360
LIBRARY Phil Trudinger
The files described in this article are on theMarch 1997 CD-ROM (PsL Vol 5 3) whichis currently on the Bulletin Board all are ZIPfiles Please quote the month or Vol whenordering files on disk
The text files CD1 to 7 inclusive in Area 1 ofthe Bulletin Board are the monthly CD-ROMfile lists
Reminder
Most CD-ROM programs are Shareware Areasonable time (generally one month) isallowed for evaluation but if you continue touse a program beyond this time you shouldcomply with the authorrsquos conditions thatusually require payment of a registration feeBear in mind that this is the only way by whichan author receives any reward for hisherefforts Unless otherwise stated registrationfees are in US dollars
NEW AND UPDATEDWINDOWS PROGRAMS
(An asterisk denotes Windows 95specificity or compatibility)
GAMES
AGNSETUPAGNS - A Game of Naval Strategy 162 is agame of naval warfare for Windows whereyour objective is to sink the computerrsquos unitsor capture his main base Each turn consistsof a plot movement phase air combat phasemovement and combat phase air strike returnphase and a repairbuild phase Thissequence is repeated until one side claimsvictory Reg Fee $15
BG17Backgammon by George 17 is an excellentgame of backgammon for Windows You canplay against the computer (with four differentskill levels) or against a human opponentOther features include the ability to saverecall games many unique customisingoptions computer-suggested moves andmore Reg Fee $15
BNW10ABuild lsquon Win 10a is an interesting strategicgame for Windows where two players buildtheir opponentrsquos game boards and try to makethem as difficult as possible to complete
degree scrolling scenery excellent animationdigitised sound effects multiple skill levelsand a high-score hall of fame Reg Fee $20
SANWHRTSSanDearsquos Hearts for Windows 100 allowsyou to play the classic card game Hearts inWindows Features include support for up to12 computer players modem play the abilityto create a hand an undo option the ability tosave and rotate a hand and more Reg Fee$10
TILES95BTiles and Tribulations 152 is a challenginggame for Win95 where you try to catch fallingcoloured tiles and drop them into bins in alogical manner Any three (or more) tiles ofthe same colour in bins going horizontallyvertically or diagonally will be removed andincrease your score Reg Fee $22
GRAPHICS
CPLAY2Childrsquos Play IIis a 256-colour paint programfor children It occupies the full screen to help
SOFTWARE
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 29
prevent the child from going to other applic-ations Features include unique graphicspecial effects rubber stamps various screenerasers fun sound effects the ability to loadsaveprint images and more This is anexcellent program with many creative optionsto keep the little ones busy for hours Reg Fee$20-$25
GIFCON32GIF Construction Set 95 109 is a powerfulcollection of tools to work with multiple-block GIF files in Win95 It will allow you toassemble GIF files containing image blocksplain text blocks comment blocks and controlblocks and provides facilities to managepalettes and merge multiple GIF files togetherRequires a minimum of 4MB RAM but 8MBis recommended Reg Fee $20
ICN95525Icons Control 95 525 displays up to 100icons at a time for quick viewing printingcopying renaming moving or deleting Apowerful icon editor is also providedRequires Win95 Reg Fee $25
SD95INSTSmartDraw 95 30 is a powerful drawingprogram for Win95 It allows you to easilycreate great looking flowcharts diagrams andbusiness graphics Features include drag anddrop drawing OLE support full compatibil-ity between 16 and 32-bit versions filesharing the ability to send drawings on mail-enabled systems and much moreSDINSTALis the Win31 version Reg Fee $49
FONTS
FLFontLister (32-bit) 15 displays all installedfonts in Win95 You can also print a completefont listing or just some sample text with aselected font Reg Fee $0
FONTSHOWFontShow (32-bit) 22 allows you easily toview the TrueType fonts installed in Win95NT Options are included to display user-specified sample text in place of the normalfont name and alphanumeric character setThe size and face of the currently selectedfont can be quickly changed and the resultsdisplayed automatically Reg Fee $0
FONTW11FontWindow 11 displays all your Windowsfonts on screen so you can quickly see whichfont you want to use It can be set to stay ontop so you can view fonts while running otherprograms Reg Fee $29-$39
SERIFRACSeriFractions is a TrueType font that has a fullset of diagonal and vertical fractions for 12through 89 and also 16ths and 32nds It alsohas a partial set of mathematical symbolsincluding the true multiplication (x) symbolReg Fee $10
SYMSELSymbol Selector 11 allows you to easilyselect and copy symbols from TrueType fonts
that are of the ldquosymbolrdquo variety (such asWingdings and Symbols) to the WindowsClipboard Reg Fee $0
INTERNET
ADZAP10AdZapper 10 is an add-on for NetscapeNavigator to ldquozaprdquo (eliminate) annoyingadvertisements Reg Fee $20
AWN95AutoWinNet95 10 lets you perform commonInternet tasks on a scheduled basis You cancreate an ldquoagendardquo with dozens of stepsincluding updownloading email retrievingand sending obtaining weather updates andmore Requires Win95 Reg Fee $30
GGI11Go-Get-It 110 performs exhaustive preciseand ultra-fast searches of the Internet using acombination of keyword search Usenetnewsgroups search and various searchengines Features include automatic retrievalof all found web pages and informationoptional storage in separate folders to be usedlater and more Reg Fee $40
MASNDW32MailSend (32-bit) 3x is an add-on forMicrosoft Mail and Win95 that allows you tosend messages from the command line orfrom batch files Reg Fee $49
ND276BNetDial 276b is an Internet dialler forWindows It will call your host log you inand automatically start your TCPIP packagefor you Features include support for up to 5separate configuration connections baud ratesupport to 256k redial up to 99 times WAVsound file support and more Reg Fee $20
PRO12Teleport Pro 120 is a multi-threaded file-retrieving offline-browsing webspider forWin95 It scans the Internet for files or sites ofinterest and downloads them to your harddrive for fast offline access Features includeadvanced file typesize matching keywordfilters the ability to handle proxy servers andpassword-protected sites automatic retriesand more Reg Fee $40
TRAW3215Trawler (32-BIT) 15 allows you to interact-ively browse and gather information from theWeb It automatically follows links andretrieves pages to your hard drive It can evenfollow links from different web databasessimultaneously Reg Fee $35
30 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
MISCELLANEOUS
CALC9534Calc95 34 is a scientificengineeringcalculator for Win95 with a wide range ofbuilt-in units conversions and physicalconstants Reg Fee $25
GL10DThe GL Store for Windows 10d is a completedouble-entry general ledger accountingprogram for Windows It maintains 10000 GLaccounts multiple companies budgets 3-Dcolour graphs recurring accounts multipledepartments and detailed reports Reg Fee $79
HBGHome Business Guide 30 is a Windows-based guide to starting a business from homeIt discusses selecting planning and startingyour own business and covers resourcestools and help available Reg Fee $0
TIMCLK13PC-TimeClock for Windows 13 keeps trackof time yoursquove spent on your computer Timeis charged to one or more projects from yourlist by ldquopunching inrdquo when you begin work oneach project Reg Fee $18
MUSIC
MT32_16A Musical Tutorial for Windows (32-bit) 160provides an excellent way to encouragemusical study using the graphically-orientedenvironment of Win95 This includes a chorddictionary musical games the ability to playview and print scales chords and triads a userlog and much more This is suitable for bothchildren and adults Reg Fee $25
SCALEIT4ScAleIt 40 is a musical scalecordeducational package for Windows It candisplay all the chords and scales with all rootsand all inversions Features include aneditable database the ability to play chordsscales through your sound card MIDIsupport a solving function and much more800x600 screen resolution is recommendedReg Fee $0
PHONEADDRESS BOOKS
AM_PB45Phone Book for Windows 45 is a nameaddress database for WIN31 Fields areprovided for name addresses two phonenumbers fax and comments Other featuresinclude phone dialling over a modemsearching capabilities printing options andmore Reg Fee $17
BAM211Burrilliant Address Manager 211 helpsorganise all of your phone numbers address-es birthdays account numbers and more inWin95 All personal or business informationcan be printed for your day planner in a cleanattractive format Reg Fee $15
CARDBASECardBase (32-bit) 23 is a combinationaddress book and phone dialler for Win95NT Along with the regular fields for namesaddresses and phone numbers it can alsostore email addresses FAX numbers and website URLs Cards can be quickly sorted byname or custom card groups Searching andsorting operations are fast and intuitive RegFee $0
PHNMKR18Phone Book Maker 18 allows you to createphone books in pocket 12 letter and lettersize Features include 30 useful fields perrecord standard envelope printing powerfulindexfiltersearch facilities importexportcapabilities in variety of formats virtuallyunlimited records and more Reg Fee $50
SCREEN SAVERS
ADRF3210Adrift Screensaver (32-bit) 100 displaysbeautiful floating line patterns on your Win95desktop Reg Fee $14
AURADEMOAurora Screen Savers is a screen savermodule for Windows that simulates a 3-Djourney through the Aurora Borealis Twelvedifferent colour patterns are available Thisversion displays a nag box in the upper leftcorner of the screen Requires 256-colourvideo Reg Fee $18
BLKBRD15Blackbird Screen Saver 15 is a Windowsscreen saver module that displays photos ofthe SR-71 spy plane in action Requires 256-colour video and 4MB RAM Reg Fee $15
BOMBER15Bombs Away 150 is a slideshow screensaver for Windows with 256-colour digitisedphotos of jet bombers in action Requires4MB memory Reg Fee $15
BOTANICABotanica Screen Savers is a screen savermodule for Windows that displays a virtualgarden of growing plants and flowers inbeautiful variations of colour and shape
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 31
Twelve different savers are provided eachwith their own unique patterns Requires 256-colour VGA and VBRUN300 Reg Fee $18
JEWELJewelBox 10 is a screen saver for Windowsthat displays colourful ldquojewelsrdquo that appear togrow on your screen Features includeinteractive options a variety of palettechoices and more Reg Fee $18
JOTREE15Joshua Tree Screen Saver 150 displays thestark beauty of the California desert capturedin stunning 24-bit colour images Requires a386+ 4MB RAM and 256-colour video RegFee $15
METALLIXMetallix is a screen saver module for Win-dows that displays metallic sculptures whichunfold in unique and unpredictable patternscreating a mesmerising transformative effectThere are twelve different savers to choosefrom each with its own distinct settingsRequires 256-colour VGA and VBRUN300Reg Fee $19
NIAGRA15Niagara Falls Screen Saver 150 is a screensaver module for Windows with photos of thefalls and immediate vicinity The photos rotateautomatically when activated Requires 256-colour video and 4MB memory Reg Fee $15
PICSHO32MyPictureShow32 is a Win95 screen saver inwhich the visual content is supplied by yourown collection of computer images There isno limit to the number of pictures you canuse and nine different display modes areavailable The slideshow mode allows achoice of 17 transition styles Other featuresinclude support for BMPJPGGIF graphicfiles password protection automatic scalingof large images to available screen size and
more This demo version will run 20 timesthen disables itself Reg Fee $16
SSCR8R21My Own Screen Saver 21 allows you tocreate your own screen saver using yourfavourite images and pictures You cancombine selected BMP DIB and WMF fileswith 32 different visual effects Reg Fee $20
TWIST151Twister Screen Saver 151 is a 32-bit screensaver for Win95 that transforms your desktopinto a windy landscape with one or moretwisters moving everything deforming yourdesktop making everything a mess You canconfigure the wind speed number of twistersthe twisterrsquos speed and more Reg Fee $8
VENIC12Venice Screen Saver 12 is a Windows screensaver module that displays graphics thatsimulate floating through the canals of Veniceon your gondola as Italian music and the
sound of splashing waves fills the air Reg Fee$29-$39
VIDSAVVidSaver 11 is a Windows screen saver thatplays video clips and animations while yourcomputer is idle Reg Fee $20
TEXT EDITING
EDT236PEM EdTex for Windows 95 236 is a 32-bittext editor for Win95 It can edit a maximumof 2000000 characters and 30000 linesOther features include macro support printingoptions word wrap multiple undoredoblock editing and more Reg Fee $35
GTE32R15GWD Text Editor (32-bit) 15 is a powerfultext editing package for Win95 Featuresinclude support for macros unlimited filesize print preview a built-in spell checker anautosave option support for DOSUNIXMactext file formats and much more Reg Fee$20
JW32T22CJ-Write for Windows (32-bit) 22 is a fullfeatured editor for general text files and emailFeatures include the ability to edit very largefiles support for any ANSI font configurabletab settings and four line wrap modes multi-level undoredo and more Reg Fee $30
QUIKDC11QuikDict Spelling Dictionary 11 is a pop updictionary accessible from the Win95 ToolTray Features include the ability to spellcheck all words as they are typed alphabeticand ldquosounds likerdquo word matching over91000 EnglishAmerican words in thedictionary the ability to automatically pastethe correct spelling back to the clipboard andmore Reg Fee $19
SCRATCH4Scratch Pad (32-bit) 21 is a text editor forWin95 Features include the ability toautomatically capture clipboard information aprint preview function undo facilities andmore Reg Fee $15
TXEDITTxEdit (32-bit) 25 is an easy-to-use texteditor that makes a nice replacement for theWin95 Notepad Features include the abilityto viewedit multiple documents search andreplace options drag-and-drop support MacUnix file support and more Reg Fee $0
32 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
TXP3223TextPad (32-bit) 23 is a text editor forWin95NT It can handle files with up to32000 lines of 4095 characters with multiplesimultan-eous edits and up to two views oneach document Other features include fullundoredo facilities print previewing atoolbar for frequently-used commands abuilt-in file manager support for Unix andMacintosh text file formats drag-and-dropsupport and much more TXP1223 is theWin31 version Reg Fee $27-$35
UTILITIES
ADDIT10ES Adding-Machine 10 is a unique calculatorfor Windows that is designed for adding upcolumns of figures Entered figures areretained on-screen and can be edited so youwonrsquot have to start again if you are interrupt-ed or make a mistake Reg Fee $40
CIDV09CIDview monitors a selected telephone lineand reports the Caller ID whenever there is anincoming call The details of incominginformation will be automatically displayedon your screen with the Caller ID informationstaying visible for 10 seconds Reg Fee $9
DLLCHK95DLL Check 95is a DLL management utilityfor Win95 Features include the ability tocreate a log of all modules that load or unloadin a session the ability to search for duplicatemodules and a detailed information displayfor selected modules Reg Fee $80
EASYZIPEasy Zip (32-bit) 10 makes it incredibly easyto archive files with PKZIP in Win95 Itallows you to use point-and-click operationsinstead of all the context-switching and messybatch files of manually using PKZIP fromDOS Reg Fee $1850
HDLED11Hard Disk LED 11 simulates a hard disk lightthat flashes every time there is disk activityAn icon appears on the Win95 task bar andflashes every time the system accesses yourhard drive Reg Fee $5
HYSNP278HyperSnap 278 allows you to capture thedesktop highlighted window areas or user-defined areas in Win95NT Features includehotkey support cropping facilities the ability
to save images in BMPGIFJPEG format andmuch more Reg Fee $20
LONGSAVELongSave 101 is used to save the list of longfile names and short names to a commadelimited ASCI text file The short names canthen be backed up or zipped or copied withutilities that are not long-file-name-awareAfter the files are transferred it uses theASCII file to restore the original long file
names This must be run from a DOS sessionunder Win95 Reg Fee $25-$95
REDH22Red Hand 22 tells you exactly what someonedid on your computer while you were awayexactly when they did it and how long it tookWindows can be discretely ldquolockedrdquo toprevent access and will simply close themimmediately or send an error message of yourchoice You can control exactly which areasof your computer that you do not want othersto have access to Reg Fee $25
RMVR32RemoveR 161 helps delete unneeded filesfrom your hard drive after you have installed aprogram in Win95 It will take a snapshot ofthe drive before an installation then you cancompare the current status of your files withthat last stored All files that have been addeddeleted will be shown on the results screenFrom this screen you can highlight certainfiles andor directories and delete them orsave the list for later deletion Reg Fee $5-$40
SENTRY95Sentry 95will prevent all unauthorised usersfrom accessing the Win95 desktop wheneveryour computer boots Reg Fee $14
SU96_402StepUprsquo96 402 contains a set of utilitieswhich make working with Win95NT easierand faster This includes a user-customisableStepUp Menu smart Folder Navigatorsophisticated Menu Designer and a powerful
File Handler It also provides handy taskbaricons for fast exit CD-ROM Autorun onoffand more Reg Fee $30
V95I208EVirusScan for Win95 253 is a native Win95application that detects and removes comp-uter viruses Reg Fee $65
YATS32Yet Another Time Synchroniser (32-bit) 30allows you to synchronise your system clockusing various time server types commonlyavailable on TCPIP networks such as theInternet Multiple servers can be specified andwill be tried sequentially until a valid time isobtained and your system time set Reg Fee$35
ZOOMER12Zoomer 12 provides a 2x or 4x magnificationof the area around the mouse cursor in Win95This is an excellent utility for the visionimpaired Reg Fee $0
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 33
NEW AND UPDATED DOSPROGRAMS
ANTIVIRUS
AVSCANAVScan 310 is a freeware scanner that candetect more than 4500 virus signatures RegFee $0
I_M311AIntegrity Master 311a is an anti-virus anddata integrity system The author says itdetects all known viruses It can detect anyform of file corruption including disk errorsor as yet unknown viruses Stacker Double-Space SuperStore and Bernoulli system filesare supported Identifies the new MS WordMacro viruses as well as over 640 additionalviruses It has an option to quickly disinfectdiskettes Reg Fee $50
SCN_253EVirusScan 253 scans diskettes or entiresystems and identifies any pre-existing PCvirus infection Reg Fee $65
GAMES
DRAK160Drak 160 is a falling blocks-style game withattractive graphics and several varieties ofblocks It includes blocks which melt blocksthat fall apart when they land and more Thegame includes 10 levels of increasingcomplex-ity joystick support and ability tosave games in progress (RegFee$33
DRUG12Drug Killers 12 is an action-packed shoot-em-up arcade game where you pilot atechnologically advanced aircraft in a battle tostop a futuristic drug cartel You must destroya wide variety of land and air-based enemieswhile gathering weapons and shields Otherfeatures include excellent scrolling graphicsgreat special effects a high score listing theability to save and restore games and a coolmusic soundtrack Reg Fee $25-$40
HAMSTER3D Hamsterrsquos Adventure is a fun 3Dadventure game where you assume the role ofa hamster in a colourful maze The object ofthe game is to eat all the fruit scattered aroundthe maze so the secret exit will appear Youwill encounter monsters along the way butyou can use your strawberry grenades or apowerful hamster kick for protection Theexcellent graphics sound effects and musicmake this an enjoyable game for the wholefamily Reg Fee $15
MISCELLANEOUS
COELI379Coeli Electric Planisphere 379 combinespractical ephemeris and planetarium with areal-time star chart to provide a Super VGAmodel of the skies as seen from Earth Youmay view the heavens from any place or timewith advanced starconstellation search insidea point and click interface A separate VESAdriver must be pre-installed Reg Fee pound12
JOCCALJOC-CALC 10 is an easy-to-use spreadsheetpackage for DOS Features include a pull-down menu system with mouse support aHyperText help system support for blockoperations built-in mathstrig functions andmore Reg Fee $25
MEDLIN97Medlin Accounting 1997 is a double-entrygeneral ledger program with accountsreceivable payroll and payables modules Allmodules are very easy to use PC-AR is theaccounts receivable module It allows amaximum of 2000 customers and 1500charges per accounting period PC-INV is amodule which works directly with theaccounts receivable module to generateinvoices and post them to PC-AR It willmultiply quantity times price and insert thetotal and calculate sales tax PC-PR thepayroll module allows up to 500 employeesand 1000 payroll cheques per accountingperiod PC-AP the accounts payable modulecan sort invoices by due date and will printcheques Mouse support has been added to allprograms Reg Fee $25-35
VDEVideo Display Editor 182 is a fast powerfultext editor Commands can be entered from amenu bar or with control keys Featuresinclude a proportional spacing modekeyboard macro recording MenuBar modethe ability to edit eight files at once acommand for proportional print Autosave toautomatically save your work at specifiedintervals simultaneous windows scrolling theability to align the platen for printing onvarious kinds of forms support for the fileformat of MS Word an envelope printer awide range of screen sizes (from 17 to 57lines) an integrated spell checker and muchmore Support is also provided for Ultra-Vision the HP95LX palmtop and the Tandykeyboard Reg Fee $35
UTILITIES
DNOTE420Disk Note Librarian 420 allows the user toadd descriptions and comments of up to 300characters to each file name on a disk up to1200 files Reg Fee $15
RCR01Rosenthal Conflict Resolver 100 is adiagnostic tool that helps corrects IRQ DMAand IO conflicts the major cause of systemcrashes Reg Fee $99
2 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Compiled by Jim Hume
The Monarchy
This site provides the history of the BritishMonarchy The Royal collection TodayrsquosRoyal family and includes The Queenrsquos rolein the Commonwealth This role articleshould be valuable to all those interested inthe Republic debate monarchist andrepublican alike It is a well presented siteand a useful resource as a school kithttpwwwroyalgovuk
Museums
The virtual Museum of Computing includesan ecletic collection of World Wide Webhyperlinks connected with the history ofcomputing and on-line computer basedexhibits available both locally and aroundthe world httpwwwcomlaboxacukarchiveothermuseumscomputinghtml
Airlines
Ansett provides information on their productand services and the places they fly to Youcan reserve flights and accommodationThere is a travel planner and screen saveravailable to download httpwwwansettcomauwebintrohtml
Qantas provides similar information on theirproducts and services with a brief history ofthe airline and also a screensaver which canbe downloaded httpwwwqantascomau80newsindexhtml
Books Magazines and Newspapers
The Canberra Times is now online withsections on News Sport Features OpinionWeather Real Estate Motors Classifiedsemail and services httpwwwcanberratimescomau
Readers Digest Interactive They ask you toldquoread it react and interactrdquo It containsDigest classics like Laugh Lines and WordPower and advice about how to do justabout anything featuring Home ProjectsCooking Gardening fitness and health httpwwwreadersdigestcom
National Geographic Online This is a greatcontribution with something for everyone inthe family Donrsquot miss these HOT SPOTShttpwwwnationalgeographiccomhotspotsindexhtml
Electronic Journals and Newsletters Thissite provides a complete internet list for newjournals and newsletters available on theInternet There is a search archive completealphabetical archive recent issues in reversechronological order and alphabetical list oftitles httpgort ucsdedunewjour
Amazon Bookstore offers not only 15million books in print but extremely hard-to-find out-of-print titles and discounts onsome of their book lists They claim 25million titles overall They include a searchfacility and provide a personal emailnotification service They list a Book of theday Titles in the News Monthly bookrecommendations and much morehttpwwwamazoncomexecobidossubstindex2html
Medical
)
Kodak have provided an interesting sitedealing with the latest digital cardiologyimaging and their cardiac review stationhttpwwwkodakcomhiHomecardioindexshtml
The American Cancer Society CaliforniaDivision on this site have an excellent articleon ldquoeating rightrdquo and research causeprevention detection and treatment httpwwwcacancerorg
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 3
The Department of Veteransrsquo Affairs haveupgraded their Web Site and it now providesthe latest information on health care forveterans In addition it contains rates andeligibility for pensions statements ofprinciple budgets and legislation It alsoincludes information about commemorativeactivities war graves war memorials andstudent oriented resourceshttpwwwdvagovau
HealthGate have redesigned their site withfaster search results with content organisedinto areas of interest such as medicinepatient education drug information etc It isan important source of biomedicalinformation httpwwwhealthgatecom
Football
The Australian Rugby League haveproduced an excellent site which includesdraws news links teams tipping results agallery and a soapbox httpdevarlorgaumainasp
Super League not to be outdone arepromoted by Foxtel in their sport sectionhttpwwwfoxtelcomauFoxtelhomejhtml
Tyres
I recently drew attention to Goodyearrsquos WebPage and commented on lack of Australiancontent Now they have an excellentAustralian site with an online school kit
dealing with the rubber revolution a tyreguide and a search engine to locate yournearest dealer It requires a frame-enabledweb browser httpwwwgoodyearcomau
Internet
URL Minder keeps track of web pages andother resources on the World Wide Weband sends you email whenever yourpersonally registered resources change Youcan have the minder keep track of any Webresource accessible via http ftp or Gopherand your email address will not be releasedto any third party It is a free servicesupported partially by advertising httpwwwnetmindcomURL-minderURL-minderhtml
People
Talk to the Angels The Vatican has namedtheir computers for the Web after angelsThe site was still under construction at theend of March httpwwwvaticanvaBut where else could you talk to theangelsIt requires a frame-enabled webbrowser
StarTrek This is a most interesting web sitefor Star Trek enthusiasts and also for thoseinterested in site construction for it is a realbobby dazzler httpwwwholodeck3comholodeck3html
Insert
It is an interesting concept which combinesan online magazine with discussion threadsresource lists and links It is dedicated toexploring masculinity and men in societyMen from all walks of life answer the 16 bigquestions about what it means being a mantoday httpwwwmanhoodcomnf
The
Super Site for Kids is a protectedenvironment specially for kids It is a wellorganised fun site httpwwwbonuscomindexclosehtmp
In early March a private Florida companythat hunts for historic shipwrecks announcedit had discovered a gem the ship oncecaptained by Blackbeard a man reputed tobe one of the more terrifying and disturbedpirates of all time This site includes thehistory of Blackbeardhttpeagleonlinediscoverycomcgi-binforums_viewdir
36 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
THE
INTERNETPROJECT
By Iain Gould
Welcome to TIP-TNG (The NextGeneration)
In case you hadnrsquot noticed yet TIP isnow connected to the rest of the world via ahigher speed (double what we had) link Weare now firing the electrons up and downthe pipe at 256k (thatrsquos 3 noughts -thousands in other words) bits every secondWhat this means in real terms is that ournewsgroups are updating more frequentlyweb pages and file transfers are much fasterand those of us that need to log in remotelycan do so with much less delay Boy are weimpressed
If you have not bothered to try TIP for awhile do so as we have seen a markedimprovement in the service provided afterthis upgrade and the installation of the extra12 modems in February (much less waitingto get on)
ANNOUNCEMENTSThe last two months has seen much goingson within the Internet Project ManagementCommittee For the uninitiated the IPMCis a caucus of techno-nerdygeeks tasked withthe onerous duty of ensuring that membersof the PCUG and AUUG have adequate andcomplete access to the wider resources ofthat part of the Information Super-highwayknown as simply The Internet Anyway wedecided on a lot of things recently Here theyare
1) Commercial Web Advertising Upuntil now TIP placed a restriction oncommercial advertising (that which wasobviously out to make money for the owner)- namely that only corporate members ofeither PCUG or AUUG could placeadvertising on their web pages We have
now opened up such commercial activitiesto general members of both organisationsFor the same fee that we currently charge tocorporate advertisers any individual cannow advertise on their web pages Refer tohttpwwwtipnetautipwebspacehtml fordetailed information and charging rates
2) Account Terminology The termslsquoAdvanced Accessrsquo and lsquoBasic Accessrsquoaccounts were deemed to be confusing (wehad too many requests for information onbasic Advanced access and training foradvanced Basic use) The accounts are nowreferred to as lsquoFull Accessrsquo and lsquoLimitedAccessrsquo respectively The use of the termsAdvanced Access hours and Basic Accesshours will continue for the time being untilwe sort out exactly what we want to callthem and where we need to changereferences to them The most obvious placethat this will change immediately is on theapplication form
3) Multiple Users of Accounts One ofthe regular lsquocomplaintsrsquo that we have beenreceiving has been on our policy to restrictaccount use to the account holder only Howmany of you out there realise that if youallowed your spousechildrenacquaintancesto have access to your password then youwere breaking our rules We donrsquot worrytoo much because we are now changing ourpolicy to open up account usage undercertain guidelines Namely
a) The primary account holder (the onewho originally applies for the account) willbe deemed ultimately responsible for anyuse of the account Heshe must still signthe Acceptable Use Policy and follow thoseterms and conditions and then ensure thataccount lsquodelegatesrsquo behave themselves too
b) The primary account holder mayallow use of hisher account by other familymembers The family members must benominated and lodged with TIP on a newlsquoAccount Delegationrsquo form
c) Only one login name and emailaddress is allocated (as currently) - ifadditional email addresses are required thenthey must be applied for as separateaccounts
d) Normal single user limits (accesshours disk quotas) still apply
We believe that this will allow familygroups some access to the Internet withoutneeding to sign up every members of thehousehold with TIP This policy will beelaborated on the web pages in the nearfuture for further information
4) We are still investigating methods ofproviding help guidance and assistance tousers who are new to TIP andor the InternetWe have been looking at newer lsquofool-proofrsquofirst time kits automated email helpresponses regularly published FAQs(frequently asked questions) and attractingmore volunteer helpers To achieve this lastgoal we are hoping that we can set up aregister of volunteers similar to the HelpDirectory published in Sixteen Bits forspecific areas of Internet use If you feltreluctant in the past to have your name listedfor fear of being asked questions outsideyour particular area of expertise interestthen let us know what you ARE willing tohelp with Are you a Netscape guru Or aWindows 95 Dial-Up Networking hotshotDo you think that you know a fair bit aboutIRC Then let us know
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 37
Nhan Tranrsquos Now OfficialTIP Web Help Pages
httpwwwtipnetautiphelp
bull Whats newHistory of changes to TIP help page
bull TIP Contact DetailsPhone numbers domain proxiesemail addresses
bull Useful TIP informationTime allocation usage statistics
bull TIP documentsAgreement Charging SchemeAcceptable Use Policy AccessApplication
bull InternetFAQAnswers to the Frequently AskedQuestions about the Internet what isthe Internet what you can donetiquette
bull TIP help FAQ
bull Answers to the Frequently AskedQuestions about various problemsother people may have had with TheInternet Project your problem maynot be a new one
bull lsquoHow-torsquo documentsHow to set up and use variousprograms needed to make the mostof your Internet account
bull GlossaryTranslating acronyms computerjargon netese and emoticons like -)in plain English
TIP Technical InformationDomain (PCUG) pcugorgauDomain (AUUG) auugorgau
DNS server 203107634Mail server mailhostDomain
News Server newshostDomainftp server ftpDomain
WWW server wwwDomainProxies proxytipnetau
port 8080
Iain Gould is one of the many volunteersthat keep TIP ticking He can becontacted by email - iainpcugorgau
As a note to those users who do needaccess to help take careful note of the timesthat people offer to be available There is areason that these times are listed ourvolunteers do like to have some personaltime Nothing causes a volunteer to lsquoresignrsquoquicker than having their efforts abused bypeople who ring at all hours and are rudeand obnoxious As a volunteer organisationwe cannot provide 24 hour-a-day instantsupport and we must rely on the genrosityof those that do offer to help Please beconsiderate of those who are willing to sticktheir necks out
As a footnote to all of the above itemsplease address any correspondance toipmctipnetau rather than me directly
Internet Joke of the MonthAnother engineer joke (apologies for thereferences to USA - insert your favouritelocal university as applicable)
Three men were vacationing in CentralAmerica They were arrested for minor illegalactivities and because the dictator of the countryhated foreigners the punishment was death
The three men were marched to thechopping block The dictator of the countryasked the first man if he had any last wordsbefore they chopped his head off The man saidldquoThe only thing I can think to say is that Irsquom analumni of Notre Dame and we have the bestfootball players in the worldrdquo The dictator thensaid ldquoOff with his headrdquo When they pulled therope the blade fell but it stopped inches abovethe manrsquos neck The dictator said ldquoThis is anomen from God we cannot execute you Youare free to gordquo
The dictator of the country asked the secondman if he had any last words before theychopped his head off The man said ldquoThe onlything I can think to say is that Irsquom an alumni ofIndiana University and we have the bestbasketball players in the worldrdquo The dictatorthen said ldquoOff with his headrdquo When they pulledthe rope the blade fell but it stopped inchesabove the manrsquos neck The dictator said ldquoThisis an omen from God we cannot execute youYou are free to gordquo
Finally the dictator of the country asked thethird man if he had any last words before theychopped his head off The man said ldquoThe onlything I can think to say is that Irsquom an alumni ofPurdue University and we have the bestEngineers in the world and if yoursquoll just tightenup that bolt up there this machine will workrdquo
Tips On Tip HelpPlease do not call on the Internet Projecthelp team for answers to general computingquestions or with questions like ldquohow do Ifind such-and-such softwarerdquo - the tiphelpnewsgroup is appropriate for these topicsDo call on us if you canrsquot get our kits towork or if you believe there is a problemwith the system Herersquos the right way to goabout it
1 Read the TIP Help Pages availablefrom the TIP World Wide Web siteat httpwwwtipnetautiphelp
2 Browse the newsgroup tiphelp tosee if someone else has solvedyour problem already Browsetipannounce and tipgeneral for anyrelevant announcements
3 If the problem is not urgent post arequest for assistance in tiphelp
4 If the problem is urgent send mailto ldquohelprdquo requesting advice
Please - describe your problem clearlyconcisely and completely
tell us WHEN it happened
tell us WHAT OPERATING SYSTEMyou are using
tell us WHAT SOFTWARE you are using(esp version)
tell us WHAT HARDWARE you are using(esp modem)
tell us any relevant SETUP DETAILS (egconnection speed)
tell us what TIP login name (eg mmouse)you are using
5 As a last resort (ie when email isnot possible) contact Iain Gould on255 2405 between 7pm and 8pmONLY
The TIP Help TeamThe methods of supplying TIP help and
support and the levels of help provided areunder almost constant review anddiscussion Your feedback on the existingsystems and constructive suggestions forimprovement particularly within theexisting resource constraints are welcome
This can be done in the tip newsgroupsif you would like general discussion of yourideas by email to the TIP Help Team athelptipnetau or by sending email toamikkelspcugorgau who will forward itto the appropriate people
38 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
The Internet Project
1 Access to The Internet Project is governed by the InternetProject Acceptable Use Policy copies of which can beobtained at the PCUG Centre or downloaded from the PCUGBBS or from The Internet Project
2 There is a limit of one Internet account per non-corporatemembership Corporate members may sponsor up to threeindividuals who are then personally responsible for theoperation of their accounts Please complete one applicationfor each person
3 Part of your email address will be determined by the principalorganisation If your membership of that organisation expiresso too does your membership of The Internet Project In thisevent no refunds for unused allocation will be made
4 The Internet Project reserves the right to alter prices andservices offered at any time Fees paid for Internet access arenon-refundable and non-transferable
5 Note Hours debited do not necessarily equate to real hourson-line time allocation will be debited in a non-linear fashiondepending on the amount of time spent on-line in any givenday The debit rate is set from time to time by the InternetProject Management Committee
6 Basic Accessa) Basic Access provides non PPP email and news onlyb) Basic Access is free on applicationc) In any calender year calculated from the date of
application Basic Access provides up to 100 lsquohoursrsquo usage
7 Advanced Accessa) Advanced Access includes full access to the Internet using
SLIPPPPb) Advanced Access is not free Current rates are $120 for
one calendar year of access with up to 300 lsquohoursrsquo usagec) When your Advanced Access subscription expires OR
you use 300 hours of access (whichever is earlier) youwill be required to purchase another subscription for onecalendar year from that date
d) Advanced Access users also receive a Basic Accessallocation - see above
8 All users joining The Internet Project receive a one-off freefive hour allocation of Advanced Access
Collecting Your Login Details9 A waiting period of two months applies to new members of
the PC Users Group (ACT) Inc
10 For existing members please allow up to two weeks for yourapplication to be processed
11 Login details can be collected - in person by the applicant - fromthe PC Users Group Centre We recommend that you phone theCentre first to check that the details are waiting for you
12 You (and your parentguardian if you are under 18 years ofage) will be required to sign an Acceptable Use PolicyDeclaration when you pick up your login detailsPhotographic proof of identity may be required at that time
Important Notes - Please Read
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 39
Disks amp TapesWe offer high quality disks and tape cartridgesin various formats at very reasonable pricesDisks amp tapes are available from the PCUGCentre Monday Wednesday amp Friday 10amto 2pm or between 9am and 5pm on weekends
BBS AccessNew members wishing to access the PC UsersGroup (ACT) InterActive Bulletin BoardService (BBS) should dial (06) 253 4933 andcreate an account on the system Once the mainmenu is presented select the lsquoGoodbyersquo optionfollowed by the lsquoYesrsquo option to leave a messageto the Sysop
In this message state your membership number(from your card or magazine address label) andrequest an access upgrade This will usuallyoccur within a few days
SharewareMembers have access to a huge selection ofldquosharewarerdquo software The PCUG subscribesto a CD-ROM which provides over 250 Mbof new and updated software titles on eachmonthly CD
Member ServicesThese special offers and services are only available to PCUG members Please bring your membership card with you when collecting orders
One complete section of the permanent libraryis also contained on each CD-ROM Inaddition there are many programs on thePCUG BBS which members have uploadedor which come from other sources
This software is provided as ldquosharewarerdquo Ifyou continue to use it you must register thesoftware with the author The Group does notldquosellrdquo the software - it charges a fee to coverthe cost of obtaining the software maintainingthe library and copying the software to themember
Computers are available at the Centre whichare connected to the BBS enabling membersto download software
Hardware amp Video LibraryThe hardware and video library is located atthe PC Users Group Centre Items may becollected and returned on Saturdays andSundays between 9am and 5pm (loans are forone week) Please bring your membership cardwith you
The library provides access to equipmentwhich members would not normally havereadily available Most items have instructionsmanuals and software where appropriateModems do not include software check theShareware Library for suitable packages Itemsmay be borrowed for one week There is nocharge but you must collect and return theitems yourself
Equipment available includesmiddot modemsmiddot soundblaster card
Videos includemiddot Developing Applications with Microsoft
Officemiddot Using Windows 95
NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETINGMonday 28 April 1997
(to be held at 730pm prior to the normal April main meeting)
The Special Meeting is to consider and vote upon the following changes to the rules of the PC Users Group
Rule 17(1)(b) - [Nomination of candidates for election as office-bearers of the Association or as ordinary Committee members]shall be delivered to the Secretary of the Association no later than the last Friday in the July before the date fixed for the annualgeneral meeting at which the election is to take place
Rule 17(2) - If insufficient nominations are received to fill all vacancies on the Committee the candidates nominated shall bedeemed to be elected
Rule 17(3) - A vacant position remaining on the Committee shall be deemed to be a vacancy for the purpose of Rule 16(4)
Explanatory notesThese changes will permit publication in Sixteen Bits of all valid nominations received to enable the membership to give seriousregard to the nominations received They will also permit all members nominating for the committee to have an opportunity toconsider and reflect upon their intended commitment to the committee and to the Group
Hugh BambrickSecretary PC Users Group (ACT) Inc
40 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Compiled by Jim Hume
Japanese-English Translators
Globalink produces some of the bestlanguage translation software TheLanguage Assistant Series quicklyproduce understandable translations fromEnglish into the foreign language or viceversa
The Australian Distributors Software EtcAustralia have now released Japanesetranslation and OCR Software TsunamiMT Typhoon MT and KanjiScan OCRsoftware for English Windows 95 and NTPCs It is claimed these products willmake communication between Japaneseand English speaking businesses mucheasier quicker and more effective
Tsunami MT translates English-to-Japanese and has features such as fullOLE 20 compatibility (drags text to andfrom Tsunami MT embedding theJapanese results into applications such asMS Word) an innovative Kani searchsystem and translation speed at over 3000words per minute
Typhoon MT translates Japanese-to-English and is the result of a two-yearproject to convert the best-sellingJapanese to English translation softwarein Japan to an MS Windows 32-bitformat
Typhoon MT has every element computerusers need to put Japanese computing ontheir personal computer - Japanese fontsKana and kanji text editing a completeFront End Processor and Japanese -to-English machine translation
KanjiScan is the first Japanese OCRsoftware to run on non-Japanese versionsof Windows and includes everythingneeded to scan printed Japanese text anddocuments allowing users to input
Japanese on their English Windowssystem All interfaces instructions anddocumentation are in English WithNeocorTechrsquos Kanji Search system noJapanese language skills are required tomake sure all the Japanese text is properlyrecognised
Tsunami MT $995 Typhoon MT $1195(Bundle $1795) and KanjiScan $795
Software Etc Australia are offeringevaluation versions of this software forloan to reviewers with a knowledge ofJapanese and the capability to conduct andprepare software reviews Enquiriesshould be directed to Peter Klanberck atsoftetcozemailcomauhttpwwwworldcorpcomau Phone (02) 9988-3455
Gene Chip Breakthrough
Affymetrix is developing amp commercial-ising GeneChip(tm) systems to acquireanalyse manage and use geneticinformation based on its propriety DNAarray technology
These systems are being developed forbroad fields including biomedicalresearch clinical diagnosis and theemerging field of genomics Affymetrixhas corporate alliances with Hewlett-Packard Company and Genetics Instituteand intends to pursue the clinicaldiagnostic and additional genomicsapplications with diagnostics andpharmaceutical companies
Their first product currently in externaltests sites will be the GeneChipHIVsystem which rapidly detects mutations inthe protease and reverse transcriptasegenes of HIV the virus which causesAIDS Detection of such mutations arecritical in understanding how HIV reactsto therapeutic agents as well as for
understanding the results of clinical trialsof new drugs The company also hasactive development programs for thespeciation of other infectious organismsas well as for human genes that areimportant in cancer and drug metabolism
Fortune Magazine in an article headedGene Chip Breakthrough by David Stippexplores the implications of thisbreakthrough and believes that whilemicroprocessors have reshaped oureconomy spawned vast fortunes andchanged the way we live Gene chipscould be bigger
TransAct BroadbandCommunications Network
The ACTEW Corporation has recentlyconducted a feasibility study into buildinga broadband communication network inthe ACT It is claimed it would enhanceACTEWrsquos core business and provide theACT region with an economically viablecommunications network
The network would be funded throughoutside financing As there would be nocross-subsidies between varioustelecommunication business and theelectricity and water businesses therewould be no impact on electricity andwater bills now or in the future Known asTransAct Communications the feasibilitystudy was to be completed by March1997 ACTEW Corporation Board willmake a decision on the business caseduring April A key component of thestudy was to be community consultationand market research If the results werefavourable construction should commencein July 1997
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 41
I was consulted in their telemarketingresearch and talks have been held with thePC Users Group Aurisa Institute ofEngineers Australia and the BusinessCouncil of Australia The network couldcarry voice(telephone) video(TV) and data(intenet) over a high range of frequenciesand the cost of services would bedependent on the service providers ieTelephone companies Pay TV companiesand internet service providers ACTEWexpected that prices would be similar tocurrent prices for these services andsuggest that a single broad-band networkwould offer competition between serviceproviders
The network could carryvoice(telephone) video(TV) and
data (intenet)
Two companies have been shortlisted andtheir solutions are being costed to get anaccurate picture of the total cost ofbuilding the network The two companiesare Philips which has offered a HybridCoax (HFC) system and BroadbandTechnologies which offered a switchedbroadband (SDB) solution
The HFC solution as offered by Philipswould differ from similar cable systemsbeing strung in other parts of Australia inthat it would take optic fibre down toserve 60-90 homes per node rather than500-1500 homes The SDB solutionwould be unique in Australia (In use inparts of USA Korea and France) it takesoptic fibre to serve 32-40 homes per nodeBoth solutions have the ability to runadvanced interactive services By the timeof publication a further update may beavailable atwwwactewcomautransactinterhtm
Treasure IslandFrom the Corel Thumbnail Theatre seriesnow being shipped Treasure Island is afun easy way to learn the complexities ofthis popular novel by Robert LouisStevenson It is an animated adaptiontargeted primarily at students aged 12 andupwards Users can choose from threedifferent ways of studying TreasureIsland For those unacquainted with thestory the Watch Me section presents awitty and entertaining nine-minuteanimation which summarises the novelrsquosstory The Guide Me section is designedfor users who wish to study the text indepth and learn more about the era inwhich the novel is set They will see theanimation once again but this time theywill have the chance to stop the animatedsummary in order to explore varioustopics related to the story These topics areaccessible by clicking on the icons whichappear throughout the animation Userswho want to read about different topicscan go directly to the Self Guide sectionThis section contains the entire text ofTreasure Island
It also contains a feature called Timelinewhich is a chronology of historical eventsfrom the time of Treasure Island to thepresent day
Minimum system requirements are 486DX66 8MB of RAM a 640x480256-colour graphics display 8-bit audiocapabilities and a double speed CD-ROMdrive Runs on both Windows 31x andWindows95RRP $Aus 6400
Corel WebMaster SuiteOn March 25 Corel announced the releaseCorel WebMaster Suite the latest additionto their line of Internet products Itcombines state-of-the-art Web siteauthoring with expert site managementfunctionality advanced database
publishing sophisticated graphic designprograms as well as animation authoring3D VRML world creation and over 8000Internet-ready images Included in thepackage is Netscape Navigator 301OrsquoReillyrsquos Website v11 and 30 days offree Web site hosting It is claimed thatthis suite provides a complete solution tohelp users advance beyond the traditionalWeb page to create and manage completeweb sites that are more interesting andinformative as well as easy to understand
Corel WebMaster is available for asuggested retail price of $Aus 399 Thesuite will require 16MB RAM an IBMcompatible PC 486 DX Windows NT orWindows 95 a CD_ROM and a VGAdisplay
SNIPPETS
IN AUSTRIA INTERNET SERVICEProviders banded together on March 25 tostage the countryrsquos first electronic walkoutin protest at their governmentrsquos attempt tocensor the Internet Hardly surprisingwhen UKrsquos Whatrsquos New on the Internetreports that sex and its related topics arethe most popular sections on the Internetby a long chalk
DUTCH HACKERS OFFERED USMilitary Secrets to Iraq A recent BBC TVprogramme claimed that hundreds ofmilitary secrets were stolen from USDefence computers ( including troopmovements and missile capabilities)offered for sale by Dutch hackers toSaddam Hussein but their offer was nottaken up because the Iraqi leader believedthat it was either a hoax or CIAmisinformation
ADVERTISING ON THE NETAccording to a survey by the InternetAdvertising Bureau total advertisingspending on the World Wide Web andInternet related content hit $US267
42 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
The Internet SIGThis a get together of those members of thePCUG who love to explore the Internet forinteresting sites new Internet tools andnovel applications It holds an informalmeeting once a month on the first Thursday(January excepted) at 730pm The meetinghas no set agenda but free flowing chat onvarious Internet related topics and eventsOn occasion we had presentations ofinteresting software Among topics that arediscussed from time to time are the upgradeof TIP cable and wireless access to theInternet and the regulation of the InternetThe web page for the SIG is at httpwwwpcugorgau~ejosephintsightm
BytesThe Bytes SIG is designed for those wholike to talk about computing over a meal Itmeets from 6 pm at the Asian BistroAustralian National University Union onthe PCUG meeting nights There are noBytes SIG meetings in NovemberDecember or January Contact personAndrew Freeman Phone 258 7411 Emailafreemanpcugorgau or WWW at httpwwwpcugorgau~afreemancvsightml
AutoCADGeoffrey May 295 5942 Monday-Fri 4-5pmPlease call for details
CC++Peter Corcoran petercpcugorgau 2ndTuesday 730pm PCUG Centre
GUI DevelopersPeter Harris 287 1484 pharrispcugorgauPlease call for details
The OS2 SIGAn enthusiastic forum for those operating orinterested in OS2 Warp Meetings includewide ranging discussion and interestinghands on demonstrations Meetings are heldon the third Thursday at 730pm for 730pmat the IBM Building 8 Brisbane Ave BartonContact David Thrum Phone 201-8806 (bh)
The Delphi SIGA lively forum for software developers whoare working with or interested in Delphi
Our meetings include wide ranging dis-cussion and interesting hands-on demon-strations Come and see why Delphi is RADSome of our recent meetings have discussedDelphi components best shareware toolsdatabase applications and HTML toolsMeeting 3rd Tuesday of each month 730pmat PCUG Centre Convenor Al Kabailaemail akabailapcugorgauYou arewelcome to also subscribe to the PCUGDelphi mailing list by sending messageldquosubscribe act-delphi-lpcugorgau [youremail address]rdquo to Majordomoauugorgau
Linux User GroupStephen Rothwell 291 6550 (ah) StephenRothwell canbauugorgau 4th Thursday730pm Room N101 Computer Science DeptANU
Networks Garry Thomson 241 2399gthomsonpcugorgau Thursday aftermain meeting Please call for venue
Computer and VegetarianismThis SIG is designed for those who have aninterest in both computers and vegetarian-ism It generally meets with the Bytes SIGNo meetings are held in NovemberDecember or January Contact personAndrew Freeman Phone 258 7411 Emailfreemanpcugorgau or WWW at httpwwwpcugorgau~afreemancvsightml
amp ChatThe Coffee and Chat Group meet at thePCUG Centre in Belconnen on alternateTuesdays from 1030am to 1130am withanother 30 minutes to 1200 for those whowant to stay The dates of these meetings areshown in the Calendar of Events On thealternate Tuesday a virtual Coffee and ChatMeeting is held on the Internet at 1030amusing Internet Relay Chat (IRC) addressirchostpcugorgau Port 6667 Full detailsabout the online meetings can be obtainedfrom httpwwwpcugorgau~ejosephvcchtm
Internet Daytime Demoand Discussion SIGMeets every second Monday at the PCUGCentre from 1000AM to noon We meet todiscuss internet issues software sites (andanything else of relevance) and demonstrateon Centre equipment selected software andtechniques The meeting starts with informaldiscussion and coffee followed by a more in-depth look at a particular topic of interestThere is also time for discussion (andhopefully solving) of members problems withthe internet A home page for the SIG is athttpwwwpcugorgau~amikkelsintdddhtmlEnquiries or suggestions for topics arewelcome at amikkelspcugorgau
NEW
Convenors are requested to email anychanges in contacts or venue and additionalinformation about the activities of theirgroup by the first Friday in the month ofpublication to pcugeditorpcugorgau
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 43
The training program for 1997 is settledsubject to ongoing adjustments in the lightof developments
Note the heavy emphasis on Internetcourses This reflects the clear demand ofmembers at the moment A number of daysare designated lsquoTBArsquo These days allow forthe introduction of Internet related coursesas discussed last month including homepages MS Internet ExplorerWeb tips andtricks and so on They also allow forpossible courses on the Web oriented MSOffice 97
Course content for Internet courses isstill under development and subject tomeetings of trainers
In addition to the weekend courses arange of short evening courses mainlyInternet related as above will be introducedThese are still in the planning stages
May Sat 3 Editorial day ContinuesSun 4 Programming - C and C++ ContinuesSat 10 Programming - Visual Basic Continues
Sun 11 Intro - Intro to computers ContinuesSat 17 Intro - Intro to Windows 95 Continues
Sun 18 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 24 Intro - PC Maintenance and
TroubleshootingContinues
Sun 25 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 31 Internet - HTML Intro Continues
June Sun 1 Intro - Using the BBS effectively Internet - Basic AccessSat 7 Centre closed Centre closed
Sun 8 Centre closed Centre closedSat 14 Editorial day Continues
Sun 15 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 21 Internet - HTML extended Continues
Sun 22 Internet - TBA Internet - TBASat 28 Internet - Advanced Access Intro Continues
Sun 29 Intro - Using the BBS effectively Internet - Basic AccessJuly Sat 5 Editorial day Continues
Sun 6 Internet - TBA Internet - TBASat 12 Internet - TBA Internet - TBA
Sun 13 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 19 Internet - TBA Internet - TBA
Sun 20 Internet - TBA Internet - TBASat 26 Internet - Advanced Access Intro Continues
Sun 27 Intro - Using the BBS effectively Internet - Basic Access
Our training courses are very popularUnfortunately some people book and thendonrsquot turn up for their course Someone onthe waiting list for the course could havefilled the spot left vacant To overcome thisproblem if you book for a course but donrsquotpay for it by the Monday before it is runthe spot will be offered to someone else
ContactsCourse bookings Petra Dwyer at thePCUG Centre on 253 4911
Training coordinator and courseinformation (not bookings) PaulBalnaves 241-4671 (h) 700pm to900pm 282-3488 (w)
Microsoft Product courses (notbookings) Michael Lane 242-9278 (h)700pm to 900pm
All courses are held at the PCUGCentre Northpoint Plaza Belconnen- maximum 8 people
Courses cost $35 unless otherwiseindicated Full day courses run from930am to approximately 300pmAM Courses commence at 930amPM courses commence at 130pm
Training Newsby Paul Balnaves
44 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
The following local vendors offer discounts to PCUG members
bull Present your PCUG membership card when making a purchasebull Benefits may not apply to some sale itemsbull The PCUG does not necessarily recommend or endorse the products being offered
If you offer a discount to PCUG members and are not in this list please contact our advertising manager listed on page 2
Vendor Discount SchemeVendor Discount Scheme
AustralianManagement Control
Suite 4 32 - 36 Colbee CourtPHILLIP285 4888
5 discount onRecordkeeping amp Payroll
courses
Capital SimulationsPO Box 329
Belconnen ACT 2616Faxmessage 258 0110
Free postage and handling(normally $4) amp 2 free modem
opponents lsquowantedrsquo notices(normally $10)
Clarion DatabaseSystems
bull Computing consultingbull Business applications developmentbull Software sale
041 108 775410 discount off RRP on
Microsoft amp other vendorsrsquo productsand consulting services
Amalgamated Business Machines
65 Kembla StreetFYSHWICK
280 4887
5 discount on repairsthrough this company
ANU Union Asian Bistro
Upstairs Union Building Union Court ANU
(next to main meeting venue)
Union member discounton PCUG main meeting
nights (ONLY)
Bettowynd ampTaltech Solutions
Unit 5 Centrecourt1 Pirie St FYSHWICK
239 1043
Prompt guaranteed fixed pricerepairs to monitors and terminals
5 discount to members
Nhan TranInternet Software Installationamp Configuration in your home
PH 254 5293
Fixed price 20 discountfor PCUG members
Lesley PikoCertified Practising Accountant
Registered Tax Agent
Suite 1 17 Trenerry StWeston ACT
288 8888
personal and business taxation servicesgeneral accounting services
15 discount off our quoted fee
ACT VALLEYCOMPUTER REPAIRSbull REPAIRSbull UPGRADESbull NEW SYSTEMSbull SOFTWARE INSTALLATIONbull LOW RATES l OPEN 7 DAYS
294 2592 or 019 32343510 DISCOUNT ON REPAIRS
AND UPGRADES TO MEMBERS
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 45
54 Marcus Clarke St Canberra CityPH 249 1844 l Fax 247 5753
10 Discount o f fRRP of Computer Books
Celebrating over 28 Years in Bookselling
N O 1 f o rC O M P U T E R amp B U S I N E S S
B O O K S
hi-micro Computers
5 Discount OnAccessories
ampUpgrade Installation
Ph 280 7520 Fax 280 7540618 Whyalla St Fyshwick
248 6656 (any time)bull World Wide Web Publishing
bull Windows Online Help amp Manuals
5 discount on Web publishing
The Cartridge Factory
Canberra Business Centre49 Wentworth Ave
KINGSTON295 5935
10 discount on remanufacturedlaser toner cartridges
10 discount on inkjet refill kitsNo discount available on
new ink or toner cartridges
Collins Booksellers
BELCONNEN MALLPhone 251 4813 Fax 251 3926
We carry a wide selection ofcomputer titles for the novice and
also advanced computer user
10 Discount off computerbook purchases only
LampS Associates
69 Paterson StreetAINSLIE257 7555
Special price on anyMicrosoft product
Dealer price plus 5
Aspect ComputingEducation Services
86 Northbourne AvenueBraddon ACT 2601
247 7608
10 Discount toPCUG members
Peng LEE BA BEc FCA
Chartered AccountantRegistered Tax Agent
A fee schedule will be forwarded upon request
6 McGuiness PlaceMcKELLAR ACT 2617
Phone 258 0156 Fax 258 0157
10 fee discount to PCUGmembers
Robrsquos Computer HelpDesk
292 3211 (24 hours 7 days)
For telephone and on-site help for ALL your computer and support
needs
5 discount on consulting services to PCUG members
The Software Shop
42 Townsend StreetPHILLIP285 4622
5 discount off our already low prices
46 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Title Given Name Surname
_______________________________________________________Position (if applicable) Phone (h) Phone (w)
_______________________________________________________Title Given Name Surname
_______________________________________________________Position (if applicable) Phone (h) Phone (w)
Annual Fees Applicable (thorn one)o General1 $ 50
o Concessional2 $ 25
o Corporate3 $130
o Additional Corporate4 $ 50
o International (Air Mail) $130
Notes1 General membership covers all members of a household except for BBS and
Internet access Two month waiting period applies to Internet access2 Concessions apply to full time students and pensioners3 Corporate Membership covers up to three nominees4 Additional Corporate nominees may be added at $50 each
I am paying by (thorn one)o Cash (if paying by person) o Cheque to PC Users Group (ACT) Inc
o Credit card
I would like to ( thorn one or more)
o Become a new member for ____ year(s)
o Renew for ____ year(s)
o Change my address details
o Change Corporate nominees
o Take my address off advertising list
o Access the Bulletin Board (BBS)
Reasons for Joining thorn (one or more)
o Sixteen Bits Magazine o Training Courses
o The Internet Project o Advice and help
Other ____________________________________
TOTAL PAYMENT DUE $ __________________
Please Post your application with payment toPC Users Group (ACT) IncPO Box 42 Belconnen ACT 2616
Additional Corporate Membership Nominees
Title Given Name Surname
Organisation (if applicable) PCUG Membership Number (if applicable)
Postal Address
Phone (h) Phone (w) Concession Type (if applicable)
Credit Card Type Number Expiry Date Signature
Membersrsquo AdsFOR SALE
PC Users Group Membership Application Renewal
Notebook TP 486 DX266 95in Dual scancolour 8mg 433 HDD External 2X CDROM Fax modem card Win rsquo95 Office rsquo95pro Microsoft Plus NAV Norton UtilitiesWinfax Pro Microsoft Publisher and muchmore $1500 email gjonespcugorgau orphone Gary Jones 2391771 (Bus hours)
Canon Bubble-jet Printer BJ10-SX BWVGC [bookletdisk] $145Maestro External Fax Modem SE-144 FM[BookletDiks] VGC $100Corel Draw V3 CD-ROM[Bookect] VGC $100 NEGScanFax 24 Bit Color Page ScannerPC[FaxScanCopy] VGC $ 360WebAuthor V2 for Windows $ 65LOGOS BIBLE Software V2for Windows CD-ROM $150Call 239 5451 or e-mailmszabopcugorgau
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 47
Subject Name Email Phone Days TimesAccess for Windows Graheme Fry 288 3138 All days 730pm - 830pm
Accounting -TAS+ Exogen Attache NewViews P Goerman 231 2304 All days 900am - 900pm
Advanced Revelation John Curby 286 5777 Mon - Fri 900am - 900pm
Assembly Language Thomas McCoy 294 2226 Mon - Fri 800pm - 1000pm
AutoCad Geoffrey May 295 5942 Mon - Fri 400pm - 500pm
AutoCAD Rel 12 13 and LT Neil Moffat 292 7108 All days Noon - 1000pm
BASIC + Machine Language George McLintock 295 6590 All days 830pm -1000pm
Basic hardware help Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
Bluewave Jorge Garcia 282 2681 All Days 700pm - 900pm
Batch Files TSRs Utilities Bill Ghysen 287 1234 Mon - Fri 800pm - 1000pm
Bulletin Board Service Michael Phillips 253 4966 All days 730pm - 830pm
Chinese Star for Windows Peng Lee 258 0156 All days 100pm - 900pm
Clipper Cedric Bear 258 3169 All days 730pm - 830pm
Corel Draw Fabian Stelco 241 1743 Mon - Fri 730pm - 900pm
Corel WordPerfect Suite 7 for Win95 Peter Tilbrook kermitdynamitecomau 242 8696 All days Anytime
DOS Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
Excel Graheme Fry 288 3138 All days 730pm - 830pm
Flight Simulation Roger Lowery lowerypcugorgau 258 1583 All days Anytime
Foxpro Greg Atkinson 241 7903 Mon - FriSat Sun
700pm - 900pmFrom 1100am
Free Agent Agent Newsreading Allan Mikkelsen 278 3164 All days Noon - 900pm
General Help Allan Miller (044) 711187 Mon - Fri 730pm - 830pm
General Help Brian Gosling 259 1116 All days 730pm - 830pm
GEOSGeoWorks Phil Jones 288 5288 All days 600pm - 1000pm
Hardware Anthony Glenn 288 8332 All days Anytime
HDK Lis Shelley lshelleypcugorgau 248 6656 Mon - Fri 730pm - 830pm
HDK Ivana Leonard 231 4169 Mon - Thu 700pm - 900pm
ISR CADDSMAN Modeller (Win) Neil Moffat 292 7108 All days Noon - 1000pm
LINUX PC Unix Andrew Tridgell 254 8209 All days 600pm - 800pm
Lotus 1-2-3 Doug Jenkins 286 2243 All days 730pm - 900pm
Lotus Ami Pro 3 W ord Pro 96 ed Peter Tilbrook kermitdynamitecomau 242 8696 All days Anytime
Microstation Cad Andrew Novinc 258 1907 All days 600pm - 1000pm
Modem Communications Michael Phillips 281 1980 or All days 730pm - 830pm
Networks Gary Thompson 241 2399 All days 730pm - 900pm
Online doc using Help Compiler (Win3) John Carroll jcarrollpcugorgau 248 0781 All days 730pm - 1000pm
OS2 v2 Mark Beileiter 283 2429 Mon - Fri 800am - 330pm
OS2 Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
OS2 Michael Lightfoot 258 8185 All days 730pm - 930pm
Project (Microsoft) Steve Ramsden 287 1500 Mon - Wed 800pm - 1000pm
SBT Accounting Greg Atkinson 241 7903 Mon - Fri 700pm - 900pm
Scream Tracker 3 (3SM) MOD Music Chris Collins 258 8276 Mon - Fri 730pm - 900pm
Small Business Computing Nick Thomson 241 3239 Mon - Thu 730pm - 930pm
SuperBase Paul Blair 288 3584 All days 730pm - 930pm
Telix Michael Phillips 281 1980 All days 730pm - 830pm
SCO Unix amp Xenix J Bishop 291 0478 All days 700pm - 900pm
Unix Michael Lightfoot 258 8185 All days 730pm - 930pm
Turbo Pascal Michael Phillips 281 1980 All days 730pm - 830pm
Vision Impaired Adam Morris 291 4522 All days 700pm - 900pm
Visual BASIC Ian Champ 254 0418 All days 700pm - 900pm
Windows 31x Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
Word for Windows Lis Shelley lshelleypcugorgau 248 6656 Mon - Fri 730pm - 830pm
WordPerfect 51 DOS 61 Win Gayle Scott gaylespcugorgau 254 1579 All days 730pm - 930pm
WordPerfect 61 7 for Win95 Peter Tilbrook kermitdynamitecom 242 8696 All days Anytime
WordStar Dave Hay 258 7310 All days 700pm - 900pm
The people in this directory are volunteers so please observe the times given The Help Directory is designed to helpindividual users and should not be used as a substitute for corporate support calls to vendors This service is provided formembers only Please quote your membership number to the helper For those helpers with an asterisk messages may beleft on the BBS in either the General message area or as a Netmail message on 3620243 Send updates topcugeditorpcugorgau or via post to the PCUG Centre
The Help Directory
May 1997Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
1
Internet SIG730pmPCUG Centre
2
SIXTEENBITSCommercialAd deadlinefor May
3
SIXTEEN BITSLayout Day 10am______________InternetConnection Clinic930am-1pmPCUG Centre(check withCentre Staffer on253 4911)
4
TRAININGDAYProgrammingC and C++930-430PCUG Centre
5
Internet DaytimeDemo andDiscussion10am-12 noonPCUG Centre______________New MembersNight730pmPCUG Centre
6
VirtualCoffee amp ChatTIP IRCServer1030-1130am
7 8 9 10
TRAININGDAYProgrammingVisual Basic930-430PCUG Centre
11
TRAININGDAYIntro tocomputers930-430PCUG Centre
12 13
Coffee amp Chat1030amPCUG Centre__________
C++ SIG730pmPCUG Centre
14
CommitteeMeeting730pmPCUG Centre
15
OS2 SIG7 for 730pmIBM Building8 BrisbaneAve Barton
16 17
TRAINING DAYIntro Windows 95930-430PCUG Centre______________
Meet theCommittee2-4pmPCUG Centre
18
TRAININGDAYInternetAdvancedAccess Intro930-430PCUG Centre
19
Internet DaytimeDemo andDiscussion 10am-12noon PCUG Centre______________
SIXTEEN BITSStuffing and Mailing530pm PCUGCentre
20
Virtual Coffee ampChatTIP IRC Server1030-1130am_____________
Delphi SIG730pm PCUGCentre
21 22
Linux UserGroup730pmRmN101ComputerScience DeptANU
23 24
TRAINING DAYPC Maintenanceamp Troubleshooting930-430PCUG Centre
25
TRAININGDAYInternetAdvancedAccess Intro930-430PCUG Centre
26
Main MeetingManningClark Theatre1 CrispBuilding ANU7 for 730pm
27
Coffee amp Chat1030amPCUG Centre
28 29
Networks SIGCall GarryThomson(241 2399) fordetails
30
SIXTEENBITS Articledeadline forJune
31
TRAININGDAYInternetHTML Intro930-430PCUG CentreBytes SIG 6pm
Asian Bistro ANU(before PCUGmeeting
8 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
RYPTOGRAPHY
This is the second of a two part feature onthe technology of cryptography Last monthpublic key cryptosystems were explainedThis month secret key ciphers are explainedand the controversial US export controls oncryptographic technology are examined
Secret key cryptography is theclassic type and has been aroundfor thousands of years Itrsquossometimes called symmetric
cryptography because the same key is usedto encrypt and decrypt a message The keymust therefore be kept secret or it becomesuseless since anyone who has the key candecrypt messages created with it They canalso generate mischievous messages orimpersonate a legitimate user of the key
Because the two parties to a conversationshare the same key non-repudiation isimpossible with secret key cryptography Amessage created and signed by one partycould have easily been signed by the other
party because they are both using the samekey
Secret key systems are inherentlysimpler than public key systems so there arequite a few of them in existence forcomputing One of the first was DES (DataEncryption Standard) which was publishedway back in 1977 in the US and uses a 56bit key DES takes a 64 bit chunk of amessage and garbles this into 64 bits ofciphertext
Since DES processes blocks of themessage with a defined length it is called ablock cipher (The illustration shows howDES works) DES doesnrsquot involve anyspecial mathematics In fact it relies on afew simple operations including bitshuffling substitution and simple logicaloperations
DES is still in wide usage today and isconsidered sufficiently strong that the USgovernment until very recently had ablanket ban on export of products whichused it
The fact that a cipher almost 20 yearsold is still considered useful illustrates animportant point in cryptography Ciphersand wine share a common feature - bothnormally improve with age The reason issimple If after such a long time no-onehas been able to work out a quick way tobreak a cipher then it must be good Unlikea lot of software these days reliability andtrustworthiness are absolute essentials forcryptographic algorithms and software
The need to expose ciphers to widepublic use - and abuse - before there can beconfidence in them also means that do-it-yourself ciphers generally arenrsquot trusted There might be some obscure attack orbackdoor that the designer has missed or
even deliberately put in place Neverthelessthere are some incredibly simple cipherswhich anyone can implement and use Oneof these called the lsquoone time padrsquo consistsof nothing more than combining a messagebit by bit with a lsquokeyrsquo consisting of arandom string of bits of the same lengthusing the exclusive or (XOR) logicaloperation Decryption is performed bysimply XORing with the same key again Itmight sound surprising but the one time pad
is the most secure cipher known if doneproperly Doing it properly meansunfortunately using a fresh key of randombits every time and the key must be trulyrandom - not generated with a pseudo-random algorithm
Coming back to DES if you take a quicklook at the detail of how it works you mightask why it goes through such a complex setof steps There are two reasons An attackerwonrsquot get too far by reversing the processbefore being stopped by a step involving akey (these canrsquot be reversed without thekey) The second reason is to make itrelatively inefficient when implemented insoftware so anyone who tries guessing keysrandomly will take that much longer to testeach one In fact key guessing is about aseffective as any other method for breakingDES
How secure is DES With the computingpower available now it is consideredfeasible to crack a message encrypted witha key only 56 bits long Nevertheless itwouldnrsquot be a trivial exercise since there are2^54 possible keys or about 18 x 10^16 Ifeach key took one millisecond to check itwould take over half a million years to testevery possible key
ldquoIf each key took one millisecond to check it would takeover half a million years to test every possible keyrdquo
(continued on page 10)
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 9
TECHNOLOGY GROUPinteract
Are you sick of congestedlines and slow access to the
InternetInterACT offers a full range of Internet Services in the Canberra Region
hellip be it a WWW home page to a corporate network ndashInterACT will deliver
Access $ 3500 per month orFlat Rate $ 18000 for 6 months
Access Plus $ 1000 per month (10 prepaid hrs)
$ 250 each additional hour
No Connection Fee applies to any of our dialup modem services
23 Megabit link to the Internet
Wersquore just a phone call away and you can be online today
Interact Technology Group URL httpwwwinteractnetauGround Floor Phone 257 833325 Torrens Street Fax 257 8322Braddon ACT 2612 Email infointeractnetau
All Plans payable in advance
10 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
In reality a key can be tested in a lotless than a millisecond In a recent challengein the US by RSA Data Security a 40 bitsecret key cipher was broken in about twoand half hours by using a whole stack ofcomputers in parallel No-one has crackedthe 56 bit challenge issued at the same time(at least at the time of writing this whichwas several weeks after the challenge wasissued) A 56 bit key is roughly 2^16 timesmore difficult to break meaning it wouldtake over 18 years to break with the samecomputing power used for the 40 bit key
Even if a 56 bit key was too short foryour security needs there are also schemesfor encryption with DES using two differentkeys in an encrypt-decrypt-encrypt cycleThis system sometime called triple DESmore than doubles the effective key lengthand provides truly remarkable security
Other common secret key algorithmsinclude IDEA (International DataEncryption Algorithm) which is used inPretty Good Privacy RC4 and RC5 ThelsquoRCrsquo series ciphers (also proprietaryproducts of RSA Data Security) are used inNetscape Navigator
US Export ControlsAs in many other technology areas theUnited States has been one of the leaders inthe development of crytosystems Manypowerful ciphers are available commerciallyin US products But the US government hasuntil recently had an almost total ban on theexport of most such products
The US government even used to treatcommercial cryptosystems as munitions forexport purposes Cryptographic softwareexports would often receive scrutiny fromthe US national security agency
Recent promises by major US IT firmsto incorporate lsquokey recoveryrsquo in theirproducts has lead to a relaxation on exportcontrols A statement by the White Houseon 1 October last year said that firms thatbuilt key recovery into their products wouldbe able to export much more powerfulcryptosystems for a trial period of two years
The actual details of what was meant bykey recovery were released by the USadministration just before Christmas 1996For practical purposes they differ little fromanother controversial and widely criticisedpolicy called key escrow which involveslodging all keys with a governmentauthority
The US government justifies itsinsistence on key recovery systems so thatit can continue to eavesdrop on criminalelements or terrorists taking advantage of
powerful cryptographic processes to hidetheir activities from the law
This means that the real interest by USauthorities is in cryptographic techniquesused for secret conversations The US hasno concern about encryption software thatcan only be used for digital signatures andmessage authentication
So far so good But on closer exndashamination the logic becomes harder tofollow The US government is controllingexport of cryptosystems not access to themin the US US citizens including thoseabroad have unrestricted access to verystrong encryption technology US citizenswill not even be obliged to use software thatincludes the key recovery systems mandatedfor exports In fact the October 1996statement by the White House makes thepolicy pretty clear ldquodomestic use of keyrecovery will be voluntary and any
American will remain free to use anyencryption system domesticallyrdquo
So how will the inclusion of keyrecovery in lsquoexport onlyrsquo products help TheUS government seems to be hoping that itskey recovery idea will become a de factointernational standard and that the US firmsmaking this software simply will not botherproducing two versions - one with and onewithout key recovery Instead they willproduce one version with key recovery Untilthis happens (if it ever does) the USgovernment will only be able to decryptmessages originated from overseas usingexported US software They will only beable to decrypt where a foreign governmentobtains the keys and hands them over Therecent White House statement says ldquoaccessto keys would be provided in accordancewith (export) destination country policiesand bilateral understandingsrdquo
A major problem highlighted by thecritics of US policy is that much of theencryption technology is already availableoverseas Much of it can apparently be usedlegally outside the US and even importedinto the US - yet it still canrsquot be exported byUS software vendors
For example DES is a publishedstandard and is widely available in manyparts of the world but until recently waseffectively the subject of a US export banAustralia is a case in point DES islegitimately available from a number of ourspecialist IT security firms for exampleEracom on the Gold Coast
In the case of RSA this is protected bypatent in the US However that hasnrsquotstopped it being available in other countriesin non-US products
The US government is not alone inhaving controls on use or export of crypndashtography France bans use of cryptographyby its citizens completely Closer to homethe Australian government also has exportcontrols on cryptographic software andhardware - although not a stringent as thosein the US Many other countries have thesetypes of controls as well
In spite of the well-intentioned motivesbehind restrictions on cryptography it seemshard to imagine that crooks and terroristswill be more vulnerable They are likely togain access to all the cryptographic
(continued from page 8)
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 11
SPIRIT NETWORKSYOUR INTERNET BUSINESS SOLUTION
IN CANBERRA
Offering full commercial Internet Services to create theInternet Presence of your business including
middot World Wide Web Site optional Domain Nameregistration and high volume services
middot Multiple Email Mailboxes amp high-speed Dialup access
middot Free Internet technical support
middot No time charging
middot Accounts from $25 a month
middot Training Consultation and Support Services
middot Connections by ISDN or modem permanentconnections available
middot Other services included are Telnet WWW FileTransfer News IRC and Multimedia
middot On-site Internet Software Installation Configuration andDemonstration
Personal accounts available
Complete Office Solutions for your Internet Presence
Email salesspiritnetau
Phone 0419 609 704 06 281 3552 Fax 06 285 1987
PO Box 486 Curtin ACT 2605
technology they want - whether legally ornot
If yoursquore interested in finding out moreon cryptography there are some good booksand plenty of good material on the Web Aclassic book is Bruce Schneierrsquos AppliedCryptography (2nd edition 1996 Wiley)which also contains C code for manyciphers On the web have a look athttpwwwrsacom (see FAQ) or httptheory lcs mi t edu~r ives t c rypto-securityhtml (plenty of good links - a mustfor anyone with an interest in cryptography)
12 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
1297
1897
1987
1997
ph 06 297 1084fax 03 9221 3180sustanceibmnet
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 13
14 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Setting Up a Commercial Site onthe Internet with Web Graphics
At the beginning of March I launched a newcommercial site on the Internet - InfoRomSince I know virtually nothing about HTMLprogramming and since I am something of anovice at this game I thought you might beinterested in
a) My experience of setting up acommercial site
b) My evaluation of how suited CorelWeb Graphics is to this purpose
I was in fact involved in EdRev anunsuccessful Internet project that was up onthe Net for much of 1996 Hopefully I havelearned from the experience - as Peter Cookused to say ldquoI have learned from my mistakesand I can repeat every one of them perfectlyrdquo
Developing Your Site ConceptBefore setting up your site it is important tohave a clear idea in mind as to why the site isthere what services you wish to provide andwhat sort of clients you are aiming at WithEdRev my idea had been to provide in-depthreviews of CD-ROM educational softwareover the Internet - people would not be able toaccess the reviews until they had taken up asubscription - or at least trialled the servicefor a month People out there did not respondto this approach - and the big problem frommy point of view was that I was putting vastamounts of time into writing the reviews andgetting little return
With InfoRom I decided to write shortermuch tighter reviews make them available forfree but offer access to question and answersupport on any of the products reviewed for asmall fee That way I figured that I wouldnrsquothave to invest too much effort up front but Iwould be putting my time and energy intoanswering questions for paid up subscribers Ialso decided to start including selected gamesas well as educational software so as to widenthe appeal of the service
Corel Web Transit - Word to HTML
Having written the reviews (inWord 6 for Windows) the nextstep was to convert them intoHTML format This proved to besomewhat easier than I had expectedWeb Transit makes the process prettyautomatic and it carried over my formattingand styles without any problem The onlydifficulty I found was that occasionally itwould add a couple of unwanted line breaksat the top of the page and very occasionallyan unwanted bookmark to the text at the topWhere this happened I simply deleted the linebreaks and changed the formatting to removethe bookmark There was no logical reason forthese unwanted inclusions - I suspect that itwas just a bug in the program Diagram 1 iswhat the Transit screen looks like You set updestination and source then click translatethen click the Web Designer icon if you wantto format and modify the file or click thebrowser icon to see what it will look like onthe Web
Corel Web Designer - Formattingand Enhancing the Site Pages
Web Designer is another of the Corel WebGraphics package components and (with thehelp of my daughter Naomi) I used this to dothe following
middot Fancy up headings and the appearanceof the text
middot Add internal links eg from the bottomof the page to the top
middot Add external links to other files egSubject Index
By Nick Thomson
Diagram 1
cd romcd rom
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 15
middot Add external files to other sites eg thesites of the software suppliers
middot Add graphics
All of the above processes were easy andreliable and I was able to undertake all of themsuccessfully despite not having any knowledgeof HTML programming I only encounteredthree shortcomings
1 If I had names with a mixture of upper andlower case the links didnrsquot always workproperly I overcame this by ensuring thatall my filenames were in lower case onlyI am not sure if this was a Web Graphicsproblem or just a general HTML issue
HTML is certainly casesensitive so beware
2 It is not possible to define orsave your own templates in Web
Designer It would have been veryhandy if I could have set up a template
with all the standard headings and linkseg to the Home Page built in - notpossible at this stage but I understand thatthis facility will be available in the nextupgrade of Web Designer
3 The formatting options are a bit limitedand it is not possible to define your ownstyles (although there is quite a good rangeof pre-defined styles available)
For graphics Naomi created a series ofneat little icons - one for each subject categoryThus at the top of each page there were twosmall graphics representing one or two subjectcategories for that review These were createdfrom clip art in Corel Draw then convertedand pasted in as gif or jpeg images (the twographic formats that are supported by HTML)We had tried using screen clips in EdRev -
they took forever to load and were a pain towork with so I decided against using them inInfoRom One of the golden rules of Web sitesis not to slow things down with too manygraphics - I get very frustrated waiting forsome of the software supplier sites to load -and I donrsquot want my potential clients to feelthat way about my site Diagram 2 is anexample of one of our pages
Selecting a Supplier andUploading Pages
The next step was to find a commercial sitesupplier I had been happy with service andvalue for money that we got at Spirit Networks(an ACT supplier) so I decided to go to themIt cost me $275 to set the site up (includingthe registration of my domain name on theInternet) and it is costing me $50 per monthfor maintaining the site (that includes a goodlevel of storage email traffic and the right toupdate whenever I like) - so it really isnrsquot tooexpensive a service As part of the setup costsa rep from Spirit came and helped my set upTIP email and FTP connections on mymachine Because of my newness to thisprocess I fired lots of questions (includingquite a few dumb ones) at them by email orphone in the first couple of weeks - I have tosay that they have been very patient and mosthelpful
I uploaded all the files by means of FTPand eureka it is working What a satisfyingfeeling to log on load up your browser andperuse a site that is all your own work Apartfrom a few faulty links (the result of incorrectentry on my part) everything was working fineimmediately and I have already added threelots of updates without difficulty
Marketing and Indexing the SiteWhen I was involved in EdRev I sent outapprox 600 emails to schools educationalagencies etc in the hope of winning somesubscribers For all that effort we got 2subscribers
I believe that one of the keys to the Internetis harnessing the power of the various searchprograms or Web Indexes by listing your sitewith them and doing whatever you need to doto ensure that your site has a reasonably good
Diagram 2(continued next page)
16 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
chance of being detected What I want is thatif someone searches for a particular packageeg Encarta or NHL 97 then they will bedirected to my site Thus the key is for not justmy home page but for every separate reviewpage to be picked up by the various indexesMost users stick with the big ones - as far as Ican tell they are
Excite
Infoseek
Lycos
Alta Vista
Magellan (subset of Excite)
Yahoo
Hot Bot
Web Crawler
Web Surfer
If anyone out there can suggest any otherlsquopopular onesrsquo please tell me My experienceis that there are two categories of Index
1 Those that list your home page and thentrace all of the links to the home page and(over time) add all of the other pages inyour site This can take 3 or 4 weeks Theseinclude Alta Vista Lycos Yahoo and (Ithink) Excite and Yahoo
2 Those that will only list the URL you haveentered eg Infoseek and Web Crawler
Thus I have taken two approaches Withcategory 1 eg Excite I have added just thehome page to the index although each time Ido an update I add the URL of what I estimatewill be the most popular choice for that weekto Excite and Hot Bot - thus increasing thelikelihood of my site appearing on thesesindexes in the short term Alta Vista Yahooand Lycos all actively discourage this process- but I will see whether the review pages ofmy sites are being picked up before I passjudgement on this
In the case of Infoseek and Web Crawler Ientered every single URL for all the pages inmy site (about 130 to begin with) - and everytime I do an update I add the URLs for thenew pages to these indexes It is timeconsuming but I believe that it is worth it Iam starting to get traffic to the site from allover the world but it is too early to tell howsuccessful my efforts have been
WebSurfer required a payment of $350(US) to be included - I wonder how long itwill be before this trend catches on with theothers At the bank I discovered that it wouldcost me $10 - to get a cheque drawn in USdollars - so the process cost me about $15
dollars And they wonder why Australia is notcompetitive on the international scene WhileI am grizzling about banks let me alsocomment that for every client that pays me bycheque in US dollars or pounds sterling it willcost me $5 to convert that cheque to Australiandollars The trick is of course to encouragepayment by credit card but I have not foundany of the banks I have spoken to so far to beparticularly eager to allow a small untriedbusiness like this to offer credit card facilitiesAre there any banks out there that encourageAustralians to transact internationalbusiness
There are a number of providers that offer(for a fee) to list you with lsquo100 Web indexesrsquoetc but since I figure that most people onlyuse the most popular ones I havenrsquot botheredwith them
Final CommentBasically it is now a matter of wait and seewhat the response is as well as ensure that thesite is visible on the various Web indexes Thewhole process has certainly been much easierthan I expected and I can certainly recommendCorelrsquos Web Graphics suite as a good way forbeginners to get a page up on the Internet witha minimum of fuss and bother Letrsquos hope thatthe subscribers start rolling in
Nick Thomson is a management trainerconsultant and he is also the manager ofInfoRom a CD-ROM review and onlinesupport service on the Internet He can becontacted on 241 3239
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 17
A review by Alan Tebb
ldquoWhat is the name of the worldrsquos mosttattooed womanrdquo (See the answer at theend of this article)
I remember buying a copy of theGuinness Book of Records in 1979and thinking it contained the mostfascinating collection of trivial facts
and figures I had ever read Over the yearsthe book settled the occasional dinnerargument that strayed into the realm of ldquowhowas the tallest man everrdquo or ldquohow longwere the longest finger nails ever grownrdquoIt was like having the sideshow bearded ladyand the tattooed man between covers on thebookshelf every page was filled with thebizarre the freakish the unbelievable
But to be fair the Guinness Book ofRecords is more than a collection of thecurious or unusual In the month since Ibegan this review I have noticed the TV andthe newspapers have on three occasionscovered attempts to break Guinness records
Perhaps the Guinness record book fulfillsthat need in human beings to challenge theirenvironment do things that no other humanhas done before to better the incredible featsof others or to be just plain crazy Whateverthe motivation the drive to be a part ofGuinness historyndashif only for as long as arecord holdsndashis as popular now as when thewhole thing began in 1955
So naturally I was very interested to seewhat Grolier had done to make the GuinnessBook of Records a multimedia CD I wasnrsquotdisappointed Like its hardcover cousin theGuinness Multimedia Disc of Recordscontains the same extensive collection ofrecords plus a library of amazing film clipsand photographs you simply wonrsquot findanywhere else on CD
The opening interface looks like acollection of pub drink coasters It has eightpaths allowing the user to browse recordsgo straight to an index of all photographsview movie clips search by words search
1995 GuinnessMultimediaDisc of Records
by topics search by superlatives run theRandom Record Explorer or play the GuessWhat quiz
The record browser lists almost 15000records in alphabetical order and is the leasteffective way of finding your way aroundthe CD The Guinness Multimedia Disc ofRecords excels in its ability to search itsdatabase of records using some innovativeoptions The usual Boolean choices areavailable or you can have fun searching bysuperlatives such as ldquotallestrdquo or ldquoheaviestrdquoThe CD will then list all the records thatinclude the chosen adjective The otheralternative is to search through topic treesthat branch out from a few key subjects allthe way to individual records an approachoften seen in CD encyclopaedias
The disc contains over 1000photographs from the Guinness collectionincluding what must be considered some ofthe most unusual and fascinating picturesassembled in one publication The majorityof photos and videos are very high in qualityand in the case of the photos these can beprinted
My only disappointment with theGuinness Multimedia Disc of Records is thefact that it did not have a country specificsupplement The thing I liked most aboutmy 1979 hard copy version was the 30 pagesof Australia-only records at the back Evenso the multimedia version is every bit asentertaining interesting and informative asI had hoped it would be With the addedadvantage of film clips sound and greatsearch capabilities I think it is better thanthe hard copy version Now if I can onlyremember some of those unusual facts andfigures I might be a much better TrivialPursuit player
System RequirementsA 486DX processor running at 33MHz orfaster using Windows 31 or rsquo95 4 Mb ofRAM 6Mb hard disk space CD-ROMcapable of 300Kbsec or higher transfer rateand a sound card The video uses Quicktimefor Windows 20 (supplied with theproduct)
The worldrsquos most decorated woman is stripartiste Krystyne Kolorful born 5 December1952 in Alberta Canada Her body is 95percent covered and it took ten years tocomplete the work
18 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
T his comprehensive set ofpowerful drawing and photo-editing tools fills a niche for thehome or small business users
who are looking for an easy-to-use graphicspackage to create greeting cards certificatesbanners business forms signs and calendarsetc and at the same time have the capacityto scan their own photographs touch themup and add special effects or create bitmapimages using the painting tools
While both MS Publisher 97 (which Ireviewed in the March 1997 issue) and PrintHouse have some similarities and overlapin the production of greeting cards bannerscalendars menus etc this program con-centrates on the production of qualitygraphics and photographic enhancementwhile MS Publisher97 was more orientedtowards Desk Top Publishing and has nophotographic enhancement program
Corel Print amp Photo House lives up toits claim for simplicity with a friendlywizard-based interface that anyone can usewithout training It includes more than 1600ready-to-print sample files (700 of whichare cards 1000 photos 1000 phrases 150TrueType fonts 7000 clipart images 200backdrops and 70 intelligent borders andtemplates and a well-illustrated manualwhich includes a catalogue containingcollections of the clipart fonts bordersbackdrops phrases and photos on theCDROM At a loss for the appropriatewords to include The comprehensive listof phrases should meet almost everyconceivable need
Installation is simple and the programproved fully compatible with my LogitechColour scanner and DSV Graphics DisplayAccelerator
There is a key that opens a key page thatin turn displays help topics to assist withthe task in hand using cue cards The topicsopened by the key are determined by the toolin use or the object currently selected Eachcard contains an instruction and after eachstep is completed a new card displays
Wizards are available to walk usersthrough any task such as changing the colourof an object or adding shadows to text Thereis an on-screen Notebook to help guide usersthrough various operations such as how toapply effects choose a paint brush or accessthe photo collection It also provides easyand visible access to clipart bordersbackdrops and preset styles that can bedragged and dropped into designs
You can customise a project withpowerful drawing tools and flip rotate orscale any text or graphic
The vector graphics and text are fullyeditable and can be flipped rotated re-sizedungrouped and fully customised by bothcolour and shape
The Toolbars and layout will be familiarto Corel Draw users they are intuitive andperform similar functions Figure 3 showsthe Notebook to the left of the verticaltoolbar showing what you would like to donext This Notebook provides convenienton-screen context-sensitive help and guidesusers through various operations such ashow to apply effects choose a paint brushor access a photo collection It also provideseasy and visible access to clipart bordersbackdrops and preset styles that can bedragged and dropped into designs To add acatalogue item you can drag it from theNotebook and drop it into the appropriatepart of your design
One particularly neat feature is theability to save pieces of your own creationfor later use in a section called theScrapbook so that you can add it to futureprojects
Reviewed by Jim Hume
Figure 1
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 19
The Photo House was particularlyimpressive both for the ease of use and itsversatility It took just over ten minutes torepair the damage to the print in Figure 2with the result shown in Figure 3 It alsoincludes a Notebook that provides on screenhelp to guide users For touching upphotographs there are Tools for selectionRectangle Freehand Eyedropper EraserFlood Fill Paintbrush Spray Can and Clonetools There are seven different touch-upeffects including Sharpen BrightnessContrast Remove Dust and ScratchesReduce speckles Simplify colours removered-eyes and Change Colours which provide
users with everything they are likely to needto spruce up or enhance photographs
Finally they provide a touch of fun withspecial effects-Page Curl Emboss SwirlCustom Negative Vignette Motion blurAdd light source Psychedelic Ripple
texture Impress-ionist and SketchThe photo editingpossibilities arealmost endlessFigure 4 showsthe special effectspicture a crownconverted top s y c h e d e l i cformat
Figure 2
Figure 3
Apart from serious use this program willalso provide a lot of fun for all ages andsome may be carried away with over-use ofthe graphics If only to emphasise the needto keep the design simple so that readers getthe message immediately the manual wouldbenefit from a Chapter covering theprinciples of good design similar to that inthe Publisher97 Companion or at least a listof recommended reading
There is an uninstall feature whichallows the ready removal of the program
System RequirementsMinimum System requirements IBM PC486 DX or compatible Windows95 orWindows Nt 351 a CD-ROM drive a VGAcardmonitor and a mouse or tabletWindows users require 8MB of RAM andWindows NT 351 or later users will require12 MB or RAM Price - RRP $9900
Figure 4
20 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
So here we are - itrsquos about 930 amon a fine Sunday morning and Irsquomcruising along the 210 freewayeastbound from Pasadena on the
way to the computer marketplace atPomona The traffic is light moving freelydown the 6 lanes between 70 and 80 mph(forgive the non-metrics therersquos a lot ofcatching up to do here) The speed limit wasincreased from 55 to 65 mph after the oilcrisis was ldquooverrdquo and the highway patroltend to frown on anyone faster or slowerthan 65 to 80 The radio is tuned to K-Earth1011 ldquoOldiesrdquo radio (appropriate for me)the Big-O is extolling the virtues of PrettyWomen and all is right with the world
Irsquove done my homework the day beforeby visiting FRYrsquos Electronics in Burbank -a huge high-tech megastore with a computersection roughly the size of David JonesThey are generally in the lower range ofcomputer retail prices - so it is worth seeinghow they compare to values at the Pomonamarketplace
Some example of prices at FRYrsquos (forsome things I was thinking of buying) are
Tape Backup unitsIomega Ditto 2Gb - $150 (Aus $207 after825 CA sales tax and conversion at 1275)Connor 32Gb - $229 A$316HP Colorado 32Gb - $209 A$288
Parallel port TV camerasColour - $249 A$343 Greyscale- $110 A$151 [Saw them bymail order at $79 A$101 (notax)]
8Mb 72pin EDO SIMMs 70ns - $40 A$55 60ns (1 yearWarranty) - $35 A$48 60ns(Namebrand lifetime warranty) -$44 A$61
Sony Web TV(WWW + Email via your TV -No PC required) - $290 A$400
Back to Sunday and thehardest part of the trip is theU-turn into the LA County
fairgroundrsquos car park - there are 6 entrancelanes with only 2-3 cars in each so gettingto park is pretty painless except for the $5parking fee Ouch A dollar up since lasttime Then another shock to the wallet -entrance fee has increased from $7 to $8for adults (and no Seniors discount) So atotal of $13 A$18 before making it into thefirst hall A friend and I discussed theentrance price and concluded that it mightbe a cunning psychological plot - Itrsquos costso much to get this far that one should reallybuy plenty to make it all worthwhileEverybody wins organisers and dealers thatis But itrsquos certainly possible to recoup theentrance money with a purchase of aCDROM For example MS Encarta 97 wasgoing for $26 (A$36)
There is at least one and sometimes twocomputer shows somewhere in LA eachweekend but this I think this one is thebiggest It is held in two large halls(sometimes three) Each hall is capable ofeasily accommodating around 150 largishstands with 10-15 foot aisles Therersquos 4 or 5radio stations here - at least 2 broadcastingand the rest handing out various ldquofreebiesrdquowhile relaying their station overloudspeakers Add to that various spruikersshouting their wares (ldquoNo CDs over $5 onthis tablerdquo ldquoLowest motherboard prices atthe showrdquo) numerous ldquomultimediardquo demos
and a few thousand people trying to makethemselves heard It is pretty noisy
I checked with the organisers and theysaid that they average around 8000attendees per day - so up to 20000 over agood two day weekend show It surprisedme that is was that low as it can get reallycrowded (2 or 3 deep at some stands)
There were over 300 dealers that day -about average However every 2-3 monthsthe organisers run 20-30 short seminars inconjunction with the market at the Sheratonsuites on the fairground complex On thoseoccasions the attendance at the marketincreases by 30 or more
So why do people keep coming back tothese shows Are the prices so much betterHere are a few examples
Complete ldquobasicrdquo system166 Mhz 6x86 Triton VX MB PnP bios256 Kb Cache 16 Mb EDO RAM 16 GbEIDE HDD 8X EIDE CDROM PCISVGA 64 bit with 2 Mb MPEG Yamaha3D Wavetable sound card poweredspeakers 336 Fax modem with Voice
mail SVGA 15 Digital NI28 monitor mousekeyboard floppy drive etcWin95 Installed with manualamp CD $969 A$1337 for thelot
MotherboardsIntel VX chip set with all IO256 Kb Cache - $84 A$116Intel HX chip set 512K -$110 A$152 CheapestPentium MB I saw (Optichip set) - $65 A$90
Wish You Were HereSixteen Bits foriegn correspondent John Saxonchecks in from Pasadena California
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 21
Tyan Tomcat 3 with 512K - $145 (the oneI paid $220 for 4 months ago - Oh wellthatrsquos life at the bleeding edge)
RAM8Mb 60ns EDO - $35 A$48 (Brand name$2 more) 16Mb 60ns EDO - $74 A$102
CPUsPentium Pro 150 Mhz - $179 A$247Pentium MMX 200 Mhz - $538 A$742(prediction - $300 by Dec 97)
CDROM Drives6X - $55 A$76 (Untested - as is)X12 Acer - $100 A$138X2 7 disk changer - $50 A$69(Untested - as is)JVC X4 read X2 write - $259A$357X16 (LiteOn = no name Nicebox) - $108 A$149
HDDsWD Caviar 25 Gb - $225 A$311Maxstor 13 Gb - $170 A$234
ModemsUS Robotics Courier 56 Kbs +Voice - $163 A$225 No name 336Kbs + SVDS - $67 A$92 (and goingdown)
Odd stuff2 Mb VGA cards as low as $45 A$62Cheapest parallel port flatbed scanner -$203 A$280
Stocking stuffers 230 Watt powersupplies - $17 A$23IDE HDD mobile rack with lock - $12A$17 TEAC 144 MbFDD - $20 A$28
The only direct comparison with FRYrsquosprices was for the HP 32 Gb tape backupunit - $209 at FRYrsquos - $149 at the marketSo it can definitely be worth the trip BUTsome of the dealers may not be around toolong to honour warranties and there aresome definitely ldquoshonkyrdquo practices goingon An example is the almost universalpractice of breaking up CDROM ldquobundlesrdquoto sell separately a practice much frownedupon by OEMs Caveat Emptor
So what was hot or different at thismarketplace
Well the new ATX format motherboardsand cases seemed to be selling well Forthose who donrsquot know - ATX is the new
mechanical layout with some electricalimprovements agreed by the major man-ufacturers (the first major mechanicalchange since the original PC) The mostobvious difference in the new motherboardsis on-board connectors (including USB andIR) and externally removable panels on thecases (you need a new case and Powersupply with the new motherboards) Butthere are many more changes infunctionality including ldquogreenrdquo systemPower supply control - never turn the system
off (except by unplugging it) Boards were$150 A$207 and up and cases with PSUsaround $75 A$104
Recordable CDROM drives were sellingwell with media down to $8 A$11 Didnrsquotsee any of the new DVD CD-ROM drivesbut these shows are not generally ldquocuttingedgerdquo more concentration on lower (slightlytrailing edge) prices
But I tried on a great pair of LCD 3Dglasses with modified game software - veryimpressive results The glasses switch 48times per sec (some noticeable flicker) andcome with a CDROM which include driversand some modified ldquoshoot-em-uprdquo gamesDescent 3D Nukem Doom etc for a totalof $99 A$137 The same stand also sold a4MB 128 bit Video card with hardwareMPEG2 decompression for $159 A$219Terminator-2 at full screen and full ratelooking better than your average TV
I even saw a $999 A$1378 home-use2-axis VR - that is Virtual Reality - chaircontrolled by the joystick It is quite quiet(as far as I could tell in amongst the racket)and apparently air driven with 50 degreesmovement in pitch and 55 degrees in roll
The monitor mounts in front of your kneesand the keyboard (for an optional operator -or simulation controller) behind the seatback There were speakers and joystick builtin also It seemed to be very fast and wasquite nauseating to watch Combine thiswith the 3D glasses for a total experience(if your stomach could take it)
There are probably more software thanhardware stands with CDROMs from $199up to $199 A$275 for Office 97 Pro upgrade(probably another unbundling job) Also 3
or 4 book stores - selling at coverprice less 25 for one book to coverprice less 35 for 5 or more books
Not all the stands are totallycomputer oriented There are a fairsprinkling of chiropractors (on thespot diagnosis) ldquoself defenserdquostands (mace amp pepper sprayselectric stun guns and (strangely)large knives) Cell phones pagerscigars and jewelry etc - you nameit A pretty large curtained off area(over 21 only) had several dealersselling thousands of ldquoadultrdquoCDROMs and videos A nice
change from the ldquooldrdquo days when that stuffwas included on most stands One of theradio stations was giving out ldquoEarthquakepreparationrdquo leaflets - modern times in LA
What did I buy Well - very restrainedfor me Only 16 Mb (2 X 8 Mb EDOSIMMs) of RAM - name brand (Toshiba) at$38 (A$52) each Also an HP Deskjetprinter colour refill kit At $55 (A$76) it waspretty expensive but it is supposed to refillcolour cartridges up to 24 times and B ampW up to 6 times so it could well be worth it- came with a package of business card paper(my choice parchment) also Oh and a W95or 31 Wincheck Version 40 softwarepackage at $1495 A$21 - I couldnrsquot resist
So after 2 12 hours I had taken a quickcheck around all the stands with no repeatsand I was out of there - all computered out(at least for one day) Irsquove been to that showat least 6 to 8 times before plus othersaround LA and I still get a mild adrenalinerush when going in - calculated to causeshopping frenzy
22 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Confused aboutYoursquore not alone
By Nhan Tran
Getting onto the InternetYoursquove heard about the informationsuperhighway and you want to know moreYour kids want to get on the Internet butyou donrsquot know how to give them a driveYou have been using the Internet but whenyou asked for help you could not explainyour problems to the experts This article(or maybe a series of articles) gives you thewhole picture and some explanation on thevehicle you use to get on the superhighway
The SuperhighwayThe Internet is a complex (and sometimesconvoluted) network of superhighways Theroads may be a six-lane freeway a four-lanehighway a side street or even a narrow alleyThey may be on the ground above groundunderground at the bottom of the seas orflying high with the satellites in space
On top of that you donrsquot actually driveyour car It is driven by an automatic driverwhich is nearly blind and canrsquot see fartherthan the next turn It is weird It is unnaturalwhich may be the reason why it works andthe other ldquowell-designedrdquo networks failedThe whole network is based on the conceptof ldquobest effortsrdquo That is the robot driverswould try their best but not guarantee thatthey would take you to the destination
They try to find the best route for you Itmeans that if the road is too congested theymay make a U-turn get off the freeway andcrawl through a labyrinth of cat alleys Theroads are like the real ones sometimes thereis almost no traffic at all other times theylook like a huge car park The matter getsworse when you take into account of thedifferent timezones around the world Oneorsquoclock in Australia may be the rush hourin another country and if you want to getinformation from there you get caught inthe traffic
Because of these characteristicssomeone (I think it was Mitch Kapor thespreadsheet inventor) has made a comment
like ldquothe information superhighway is a ten-lane freeway in one direction and an ox-cart path in the otherrdquo
But if you can go to where you wantwould you care I donrsquot I treat the wholenetwork like a fuzzy cloud that magicallygives me the new freedom the newcommunity and the new set of problems
The Highway RampSo how do you get on this super highwayThere are places which are connected to thehighway network on one side and entrancesfor you to enter on the other They are calledservers Normally what you see on theInternet is what is stored at these serversbecause most people like you donrsquot wantstrangers to access your PC (I wouldnrsquot leta stranger into my house) Luckily there aremany servers with many goodies to look ator play with
Getting onto these servers is not easyYou use a modem connected to a phone lineto call the modem on the server When theserver modem answers the call they wouldstart the process of synchronisation Toomany standards and too many brands If youare unlucky your modem may refuse to talkto the other modem and you would spendhours of frustration and get a huge phonebill
The high pitch tone you hear from themodem is this process When both modemssatisfy that they can reliably talk to eachother the noise stops Then itrsquos the butlerrsquosturn
The ButlerThere is a very important program for yourInternet access It is a program that asks the
modem to make the call to the server andwhen connected requests a login on yourbehalf to the server
What is a login You come to a friendrsquosplace knock the door or ring the bellSomeone in the house would ask ldquowho isthererdquo and yoursquod say ldquoitrsquos just merdquo Yourfriend recognises your voice opens the doorand let you in If you work in a securedenvironment every morning when you enterthe building you would show your ID cardto the security guard
Your username (or user ID or login ID)and your password are equivalent to the IDcard If you get the dreaded ldquoaccess deniedrdquoit means (a) you (or the program that doeson your behalf) entered incorrect username(b) you entered wrong password or (c) youran out of access hours or the accessexpired or your PCUG membership
expiredThis program is
always there rendashgardless of how youstart your Internetsession Some
access the Internet by Eudora some byMicrosoft Internet Explorer some useNetscape They either have a built-inprogram to do this job or automatically callthis program to make the connection Evenif you donrsquot see it on the screen it is runningin the background The popular PC prondashgrams that can do this task are TrumpetWinsock (or TCPMAN) Shiva Chameleonor Dial-up Networking Connect etc
Once the connection is established thisprogram will take on the task of a butlerserving other programs Letrsquos look at thefollowing analogy
Letrsquos assume that you (or to be precisethe PC programs such as Eudora MSInternet Explorer Netscape etc) were aninvalid confined in a room You would needa butler to help you getting things outside
ldquoThe roads may be a six-lane freeway a four-lanehighway a side street or even a narrow alleyrdquo
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 23
the Internet
the room When you (Eudora InternetMail Netscape Mail) wanted to checkyour mail yoursquod ask the butler to checkthe letter box and bring letters to yourbed When you wanted to send lettersto friends or relative yoursquod ask thebutler to take it to the post office
When you (Free Agent InternetNews Netscape News) wanted to readnewspaper yoursquod ask the butler to goto the newsagent and buy newspaper foryou When you (Internet ExplorerNetscape Opera) wanted a book or avideo yoursquod ask the butler to buy suchand such books or videos for you
It is so important that without it youcanrsquot get anything f rom thesuperhighway So if you started yoursession from Trumpet Winsock whenthe connection has been made (ie whenyou see the message ldquoMy IP address is2031076xxxrdquo) donrsquot close or exit theprogram Minimise it and let it run inthe background so that it can serve otherprograms Otherwise you would getstrange and incomprehensible errormessage such as ldquowinsockdll missingrdquo(trust a programmer to tell you whatrsquoswrong in the program he or she wrote)
Thatrsquos enough for the boring stuffNext t ime wersquo l l ta lk about emai l(eletronic mail) news World Wide Web(if the Queen is doing it so why canrsquotwe) and other mysteries of the Internet
Internet Clinics are normally held at the PCUG Centre Northpoint PlazaBelconnen the first Saturday of each month 930am to 1pm There is nocost involved
So if you (or another PCUG member you know of) are having problemsyou (or they) will be welcome to attend It is suggested that you call thePCUG Centre on the day and check with the staffer that we are notoverloaded before coming along
To get a problem on your PC resolved it is essential that you bring all ofthe following items with you
bull PC and Monitor plus all interconnecting cables
bull Mouse
bull Keyboard
bull Modem
bull Modem power supply
bull Modem cables - from PC to modemand from modem to telephone socket
bull Modem and PC manuals amp documentation
bull All of your software disks -
ie Win31 or Windows95 disksCD
If you dont have a PC to fix but you want to get some guidance on someparticular aspect of using TIP please feel free to come along and simplytalk to us
Clinics are not a free softwaremodem installation service We do expectyou to have made a reasonable attempt at getting the software installed ampworking
David Schwabe dschwabepcugorgau
The Internet Clinic
24 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
A t the start of this year I startedto get interested again in an oldheroine from days of misspentyouth in the rsquo70s New York
underground poet-turned-singer Patti Smithldquothe Bob Dylan of the punk scenerdquoThought Irsquod see whether there was anythingon the Web and found anexcellent site at httpwwwoceanstarcompatti Tomy astonishment I found thatshe was in Australia on her firstmajor tour anywhere in years mainly for theBig Day Out outdoor concerts
I had heard of the Big Day Out tour viaTriple J but this was the first Irsquod heard ofher being on the bill After seeing other re-formed punk heroes Radio Birdman and theSex Pistols in 1996 was it possible I couldmake the trifecta Alas the Sydney eventhad been booked out for two weeks
Via the JJJ Web site httpwwwabcnetautriplejdefaulthtm I found theBig Day Out Web site httpstarbaitbdocomaustarbaitbdo and loand behold they were having live conndashnections to the Melbourne concert on the25th January via the Internet with the
assistance of a US-based organisation calledThe Campus (wwwthecampuscom) If Icouldnrsquot be there in Sydney to see Patti inperson this would be as close as I couldget In addition I had always seemed to findout about real-time events on the Web justafter theyrsquod occurred and here at least wasan opportunity to be in at the start it wouldbe an interesting technical exercise ifnothing else
First choice was browser InternetExplorer 3 or Netscape Navigator 3 I gatherIrsquom not unlike many in having been initiallybowled over with IE3 then finding that itwas less robust and in particular made fargreater demands on temporary storage thanNetscape With little free disk space and
being about to try all sortsof new things I decided toplay safe and use Navigator
The Big Day Out Website (figure 1) was well done
and looked great including animatedgraphics and good use of frames but wasif anything as the British say ldquotoo cleverby halfrdquo For example you selected optionsvia a Shockwave animation of ducks in ashooting gallery click the mouse on a duckwhen an alternative was highlighted yoursquodhear a BANG the duck would flop overbackwards and yoursquod be off to that optionVery cute very clever and very slow andfrustrating for actually going anywhere Inaddition it appeared that when you went tosome pages they called up some trick Javacode which brought up Netscape sessionsin what looked like Kiosk mode no menusLooked neat but again a nuisance The sitehad its own mascot a sort of anime-stylekick-boxing heroine called Miss Starbait (Iassume a risque in-joke try saying the namequickly)
Once you got to it the information wasthorough and well laid out A list of artistsincluded links for those who had Web pagesThere was a page on the Auckland concert(first in the series) with photos etc For eachcity on the tour the site had links to maps ofthe venues and also timetables I foundfrom this that in Melbourne Patti Smithwould be on Stage C 540 PM for an hour
There were two main components to theInternet part of the day a Real Audio feedwith both backstage comments and the
via the Internet or -the boy looked at PattiO
BDig
ayut
by Malcolm Street
Figure 1
This is the era where everybody createsPatti Smith - ldquoSo you want to be a Rock n Roll Starrdquo 1979
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 25
stage and a new form of conferencingsoftware called The Palace where artistswould come for QampA sessions with fansIrsquod experimented with Real Audio but notto any great depth and had never even heardof Palace and I had to get this all togetherin a day Fortunately there were direct linkson the Big Day Out Web site
While I had a Real Audio stand-aloneplayer one page on the site came up with ablank expecting a Real Audio plug-in Ontothe Net to the Real Audio page todownload Real Audio player version 3Install restart Navigator back to the pageand voila A Real Audio control in themiddle of a Web page Painless
Then to work out which ISP to useUnfortunately the weekend was the onebefore the ldquoearly birdrdquo credits expired forTIP and I presume because of this it wasalmost impossible to get on One time whenI did get on I tested the Real Audiobackstage feed from Melbourne and foundI was only getting a 144k stream and poorquality at that I had a second backupaccount with Access One with a higherspeed (and far more expensive) networkand found that I could get a stable 288kReal Audio stream so that was going to be
what Irsquod have to use Not to mention thatthe time Patti Smith would be on would bepeak time anyway
Next step was to find Palace again viaa direct link from the BDO page to httpwwwthepalacecom I had used forms of
3D interactive software but Palace wasdifferent much simpler just 2D backndashgrounds Really a sort of IRC withbackdrops and sound effects For the BigDay Out the organisers had produced theirown backgrounds and sounds and I had todownload those as well from their siteHowever there were no instructions on howto set them up so it ended up being trialand error until I got it to work puttingimages and sounds in separate subdirndashectories under the Palace directory
Finally I had Palace running with the BigDay Out backdrops and found myselfoutside a circus tent which included livelinks to the Big Day Out and Campus Webpages (figure 2) Moving ldquoinsiderdquo the tentgot me to an area where I could don aparticular costume however choices werelimited for non-registered users andappeared to reset so I had to be content withthe default avatar a soft of sphere with aface on it (figure 3)
Finally there was the conference tentitself guarded by a fearsome lookingdoorman who asked for a passwordClicking on his lady companion told you tolook in the log Once Irsquod figured out howto do that I found it ldquomama cazrdquo Typedthat in response to the doorman and whoafound myself in this psychedelic room whichwas to be the conference area (figure 4)
Figure 3
Figure 2
26 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
I knew when Patti Smith was going tobe on stage what I didnrsquot know was whenshersquod be in conference in the Palace I waslistening to the back stage chatter via RealAudio this time more organised as Campuswas acting as ldquoon line radio stationrdquobroadcasting to the USA ldquoAustraliarsquosLollapolloozardquo and in the middle of this Iheard them give times for different artistsbeing in the virtual tent with Patti Smithroughly 430 Problem solved
430 arrived Back on line into the tentanother band (Supergrass) being inndashterviewed The conference area is now fullof faces with a still photo of the band downthe bottom left-hand corner Irsquove had verylittle experience with IRC and this seemsvery similar hard to follow with variousthreads of conversation going on sindashmultaneously but I gradually tune in to itTherersquos a thread going about problemspeople are having with reliably picking upReal Audio - oh dear As well as a fewAustralians there are a couple of Americansin there and a South African Then see thatPatti Smith is about to come on And sureenough C 440 the picture changes and thereshe is
Unfortunately the session is a bit of ashambles Unlike the younger artists (sherecently turned 50) she does not appear tobe familiar with the technology andsomeone else is doing the typing for herslowing down and complicating exchangesSeems to be the passing of the torch - a bitof a fish out of water in the environment ofa younger generation The bass player ofher backing group had suffered concussion20 minutes before from a collision with arogue door hence her lateness Thingsfinally get under way (one person ldquoa fanfrom WAY backrdquo says ldquonot many questionsjust adorationrdquo I can relate to that) but justas itrsquos building up a head of steam she getsa long phone call (presumably about the bassplayer) and has to call it quits prematurely
Irsquoll just have to wait and see if theconcert is any better
Well the concert is indeed better In factwhen I can hear it clearly (see later) itrsquoswonderful She starts with an early poemroaring it out with authority then afterthanks to JJJ who are handling the broadcastto the Internet and to the absent bass player
launches into the concert proper a greatblend of old and new
The sound quality is to put it mildlyvariable It was much better in earlier gigsthat day with Australian bands but itappears to drop off markedly on this onePerhaps too many people on at onceAmerican fans connecting in to hear one ofher first big shows in years Checking withstatistics in Real Audio shows theconnection approaching 20 loss in someearly songs leaving a very jerky soundFortunately it improves later with lossesdown to around 4 and sound quiteacceptable (People dropping out infrustration) However later on a fewoccasions the sound drops out completelyand I have to wait while it restarts somendashtimes for a couple of minutes
Then just as the concert comes to ashattering climax heading into one of myfavourite songs of hers a demolition of VanMorisonrsquos Gloria the Real Audio feed goesfor me at least dead Stone cold dead It islike the other times when it has dropped outbut this time it wonrsquot recover BummerAfter several minutes I can get the feedagain but just get an empty stage waitingfor the next band
So that was it a frustrating end to afrustrating but fascinating day At best thesound quality was am radio standards Butthen again these are very early days and Ican remember worse am radio sounds ontransistor radios as a kid in the lsquo60rsquos Avideo feed would have been real nice butone thing that is obvious from this exerciseis that live audio let alone live video ispushing current Internet technology to itslimits and beyond with a large numbers ofsimultaneous users in a function like thisSo as with so much on the Net wersquore seeingthe first glimpses of something that will takeanother generation of technology to becomepractical But hey this is the world of theNet and another generation could be onlysix months away
Later that night I connect to the Palacesite again and find a note at the tent to sayit was all over and to check up next week Ido indeed and they reckon over 100000people worldwide connected to the site thatone day and that the live broadcast of PattiSmithrsquos complete concert was a world firstApart from catching up with an old idol Irsquodseen a glimpse of a communications futureof being part of an event shared interactivelylive world-wide yet another step towardsthe Global Village
Figure 4
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 27
Stuffed AgainThe following members and friendsare thanked for assisting with stuffingour journal for mailing
Andrew amp Bruce Bartlett
Bruce Black
Owen Cook
Eddie de Bear
John Dyer
Bob Ecclestone
Rufus Garcia
Sally Hammon
John Hempenstall
Joy Hewett
Sue amp Jim Hume
Jenny Laraman
Alan Lockett
David Meggs
Allan Mikkelsen
Don Nicol
Gloria Robbins
Keith Sayers
Rod Smith
John Starr
Bob Summersby
Michael Taylor
Gordon Urquhart
Anne WarrenerWe are always looking for volunteersto assist us with the lsquostuffingrsquo of ourjournal We start around 530pm(latecomers are welcome) usually on the2nd last Monday of every month andare generally finished by 800pmRefreshments are provided and any ofyour knotty computer problems can bedebated lsquoat the round tablersquo in congenialcompany If you would like to helpplease ring Petra Dwyer at the PCUGCentre on 253 4911 and she will fill youin on all the details
Next Stuffing530pm Monday 19 May 1997at Northpoint Plaza Belconnen
(see map page 6)
htt
p
ww
wp
cu
go
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up
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6b
its
Now
in A
dobe
Acr
obat
form
at
Oz User GroupsAdelaide PC Users GroupPO Box 2541Kent Town SA 5071(08) 332-7021Margi McLeay (Sec)Meet 730pm 3rd Tuesday of themonth at Enterprise House 136Greenhill Road Unley Visitors $5
Brisbane PC Users Group(Brisbug)PO Box 985Toowong QLD 4066(07) 3273 7266 Info Line(07) 3281 6503Lloyd Smith (Pres)Meet 12 noon 3rd Sunday of themonth at Bardon Professional Cntr
Darwin ComputerUsers ClubGary Drake (Vice President)(089) 324 107 h(089) 450 091 wEmail acsntacslinknetau
Melbourne PC User Group2nd Floor 66 Albert RoadSouth Melbourne VIC 3205(03) 9699 6222 10am - 330pm(03) 9699 6499 FaxEmail officemelbpcorgauHome Page httpwwwmelbpcorgauMeet 6pm 1st Wednesday of themonth (except Jan) at PharmacyCollege 381 Royal Parade Parkville
Perth PC Users GroupPO Box 997West Perth WA 6872(09) 399 7264 Trevor Davis (Pres)Meet 600pm 1st Wednesday of themonth at Ross Lecture TheatrePhysics Building University of WANedlands
Sydney PC Users GroupPO Box A2162Sydney South NSW 2000(02) 972 2133 Michelle DonaldMeet 6pm 1st Tuesday of the monthat main auditorium TeachersFederation 300 Sussex StreetSydney
28 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Features include fun animation sound effectsand a high-score listing Reg Fee $15
COMET13Comet Busters 13 is an incredible high-speedarcade game for WIN31 You must clear thecolourful asteroids and occasional alienspacecraft from the screen before you canproceed to the next deadly level This gamefeatures beautiful 256-colour ray-tracedgraphics and digital sound effects Reg Fee $9
HMN32V11Hangman (BB) 111 is a word-guessing gamefor Win95 that can help grade school-agechildren improve their vocabulary andspelling Features include an editable wordlist the ability to include definitions with eachword mouse or keyboard input and moreRequires the 32-bit VB runtime files Reg Fee$5
PDHP97SUPrairie Dog Hunt PRO rsquo97is a shooting gamefor Windows that allows you to participate inthe wholesale slaughter of harmless mammalswithout all the mess Features include 360
LIBRARY Phil Trudinger
The files described in this article are on theMarch 1997 CD-ROM (PsL Vol 5 3) whichis currently on the Bulletin Board all are ZIPfiles Please quote the month or Vol whenordering files on disk
The text files CD1 to 7 inclusive in Area 1 ofthe Bulletin Board are the monthly CD-ROMfile lists
Reminder
Most CD-ROM programs are Shareware Areasonable time (generally one month) isallowed for evaluation but if you continue touse a program beyond this time you shouldcomply with the authorrsquos conditions thatusually require payment of a registration feeBear in mind that this is the only way by whichan author receives any reward for hisherefforts Unless otherwise stated registrationfees are in US dollars
NEW AND UPDATEDWINDOWS PROGRAMS
(An asterisk denotes Windows 95specificity or compatibility)
GAMES
AGNSETUPAGNS - A Game of Naval Strategy 162 is agame of naval warfare for Windows whereyour objective is to sink the computerrsquos unitsor capture his main base Each turn consistsof a plot movement phase air combat phasemovement and combat phase air strike returnphase and a repairbuild phase Thissequence is repeated until one side claimsvictory Reg Fee $15
BG17Backgammon by George 17 is an excellentgame of backgammon for Windows You canplay against the computer (with four differentskill levels) or against a human opponentOther features include the ability to saverecall games many unique customisingoptions computer-suggested moves andmore Reg Fee $15
BNW10ABuild lsquon Win 10a is an interesting strategicgame for Windows where two players buildtheir opponentrsquos game boards and try to makethem as difficult as possible to complete
degree scrolling scenery excellent animationdigitised sound effects multiple skill levelsand a high-score hall of fame Reg Fee $20
SANWHRTSSanDearsquos Hearts for Windows 100 allowsyou to play the classic card game Hearts inWindows Features include support for up to12 computer players modem play the abilityto create a hand an undo option the ability tosave and rotate a hand and more Reg Fee$10
TILES95BTiles and Tribulations 152 is a challenginggame for Win95 where you try to catch fallingcoloured tiles and drop them into bins in alogical manner Any three (or more) tiles ofthe same colour in bins going horizontallyvertically or diagonally will be removed andincrease your score Reg Fee $22
GRAPHICS
CPLAY2Childrsquos Play IIis a 256-colour paint programfor children It occupies the full screen to help
SOFTWARE
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 29
prevent the child from going to other applic-ations Features include unique graphicspecial effects rubber stamps various screenerasers fun sound effects the ability to loadsaveprint images and more This is anexcellent program with many creative optionsto keep the little ones busy for hours Reg Fee$20-$25
GIFCON32GIF Construction Set 95 109 is a powerfulcollection of tools to work with multiple-block GIF files in Win95 It will allow you toassemble GIF files containing image blocksplain text blocks comment blocks and controlblocks and provides facilities to managepalettes and merge multiple GIF files togetherRequires a minimum of 4MB RAM but 8MBis recommended Reg Fee $20
ICN95525Icons Control 95 525 displays up to 100icons at a time for quick viewing printingcopying renaming moving or deleting Apowerful icon editor is also providedRequires Win95 Reg Fee $25
SD95INSTSmartDraw 95 30 is a powerful drawingprogram for Win95 It allows you to easilycreate great looking flowcharts diagrams andbusiness graphics Features include drag anddrop drawing OLE support full compatibil-ity between 16 and 32-bit versions filesharing the ability to send drawings on mail-enabled systems and much moreSDINSTALis the Win31 version Reg Fee $49
FONTS
FLFontLister (32-bit) 15 displays all installedfonts in Win95 You can also print a completefont listing or just some sample text with aselected font Reg Fee $0
FONTSHOWFontShow (32-bit) 22 allows you easily toview the TrueType fonts installed in Win95NT Options are included to display user-specified sample text in place of the normalfont name and alphanumeric character setThe size and face of the currently selectedfont can be quickly changed and the resultsdisplayed automatically Reg Fee $0
FONTW11FontWindow 11 displays all your Windowsfonts on screen so you can quickly see whichfont you want to use It can be set to stay ontop so you can view fonts while running otherprograms Reg Fee $29-$39
SERIFRACSeriFractions is a TrueType font that has a fullset of diagonal and vertical fractions for 12through 89 and also 16ths and 32nds It alsohas a partial set of mathematical symbolsincluding the true multiplication (x) symbolReg Fee $10
SYMSELSymbol Selector 11 allows you to easilyselect and copy symbols from TrueType fonts
that are of the ldquosymbolrdquo variety (such asWingdings and Symbols) to the WindowsClipboard Reg Fee $0
INTERNET
ADZAP10AdZapper 10 is an add-on for NetscapeNavigator to ldquozaprdquo (eliminate) annoyingadvertisements Reg Fee $20
AWN95AutoWinNet95 10 lets you perform commonInternet tasks on a scheduled basis You cancreate an ldquoagendardquo with dozens of stepsincluding updownloading email retrievingand sending obtaining weather updates andmore Requires Win95 Reg Fee $30
GGI11Go-Get-It 110 performs exhaustive preciseand ultra-fast searches of the Internet using acombination of keyword search Usenetnewsgroups search and various searchengines Features include automatic retrievalof all found web pages and informationoptional storage in separate folders to be usedlater and more Reg Fee $40
MASNDW32MailSend (32-bit) 3x is an add-on forMicrosoft Mail and Win95 that allows you tosend messages from the command line orfrom batch files Reg Fee $49
ND276BNetDial 276b is an Internet dialler forWindows It will call your host log you inand automatically start your TCPIP packagefor you Features include support for up to 5separate configuration connections baud ratesupport to 256k redial up to 99 times WAVsound file support and more Reg Fee $20
PRO12Teleport Pro 120 is a multi-threaded file-retrieving offline-browsing webspider forWin95 It scans the Internet for files or sites ofinterest and downloads them to your harddrive for fast offline access Features includeadvanced file typesize matching keywordfilters the ability to handle proxy servers andpassword-protected sites automatic retriesand more Reg Fee $40
TRAW3215Trawler (32-BIT) 15 allows you to interact-ively browse and gather information from theWeb It automatically follows links andretrieves pages to your hard drive It can evenfollow links from different web databasessimultaneously Reg Fee $35
30 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
MISCELLANEOUS
CALC9534Calc95 34 is a scientificengineeringcalculator for Win95 with a wide range ofbuilt-in units conversions and physicalconstants Reg Fee $25
GL10DThe GL Store for Windows 10d is a completedouble-entry general ledger accountingprogram for Windows It maintains 10000 GLaccounts multiple companies budgets 3-Dcolour graphs recurring accounts multipledepartments and detailed reports Reg Fee $79
HBGHome Business Guide 30 is a Windows-based guide to starting a business from homeIt discusses selecting planning and startingyour own business and covers resourcestools and help available Reg Fee $0
TIMCLK13PC-TimeClock for Windows 13 keeps trackof time yoursquove spent on your computer Timeis charged to one or more projects from yourlist by ldquopunching inrdquo when you begin work oneach project Reg Fee $18
MUSIC
MT32_16A Musical Tutorial for Windows (32-bit) 160provides an excellent way to encouragemusical study using the graphically-orientedenvironment of Win95 This includes a chorddictionary musical games the ability to playview and print scales chords and triads a userlog and much more This is suitable for bothchildren and adults Reg Fee $25
SCALEIT4ScAleIt 40 is a musical scalecordeducational package for Windows It candisplay all the chords and scales with all rootsand all inversions Features include aneditable database the ability to play chordsscales through your sound card MIDIsupport a solving function and much more800x600 screen resolution is recommendedReg Fee $0
PHONEADDRESS BOOKS
AM_PB45Phone Book for Windows 45 is a nameaddress database for WIN31 Fields areprovided for name addresses two phonenumbers fax and comments Other featuresinclude phone dialling over a modemsearching capabilities printing options andmore Reg Fee $17
BAM211Burrilliant Address Manager 211 helpsorganise all of your phone numbers address-es birthdays account numbers and more inWin95 All personal or business informationcan be printed for your day planner in a cleanattractive format Reg Fee $15
CARDBASECardBase (32-bit) 23 is a combinationaddress book and phone dialler for Win95NT Along with the regular fields for namesaddresses and phone numbers it can alsostore email addresses FAX numbers and website URLs Cards can be quickly sorted byname or custom card groups Searching andsorting operations are fast and intuitive RegFee $0
PHNMKR18Phone Book Maker 18 allows you to createphone books in pocket 12 letter and lettersize Features include 30 useful fields perrecord standard envelope printing powerfulindexfiltersearch facilities importexportcapabilities in variety of formats virtuallyunlimited records and more Reg Fee $50
SCREEN SAVERS
ADRF3210Adrift Screensaver (32-bit) 100 displaysbeautiful floating line patterns on your Win95desktop Reg Fee $14
AURADEMOAurora Screen Savers is a screen savermodule for Windows that simulates a 3-Djourney through the Aurora Borealis Twelvedifferent colour patterns are available Thisversion displays a nag box in the upper leftcorner of the screen Requires 256-colourvideo Reg Fee $18
BLKBRD15Blackbird Screen Saver 15 is a Windowsscreen saver module that displays photos ofthe SR-71 spy plane in action Requires 256-colour video and 4MB RAM Reg Fee $15
BOMBER15Bombs Away 150 is a slideshow screensaver for Windows with 256-colour digitisedphotos of jet bombers in action Requires4MB memory Reg Fee $15
BOTANICABotanica Screen Savers is a screen savermodule for Windows that displays a virtualgarden of growing plants and flowers inbeautiful variations of colour and shape
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 31
Twelve different savers are provided eachwith their own unique patterns Requires 256-colour VGA and VBRUN300 Reg Fee $18
JEWELJewelBox 10 is a screen saver for Windowsthat displays colourful ldquojewelsrdquo that appear togrow on your screen Features includeinteractive options a variety of palettechoices and more Reg Fee $18
JOTREE15Joshua Tree Screen Saver 150 displays thestark beauty of the California desert capturedin stunning 24-bit colour images Requires a386+ 4MB RAM and 256-colour video RegFee $15
METALLIXMetallix is a screen saver module for Win-dows that displays metallic sculptures whichunfold in unique and unpredictable patternscreating a mesmerising transformative effectThere are twelve different savers to choosefrom each with its own distinct settingsRequires 256-colour VGA and VBRUN300Reg Fee $19
NIAGRA15Niagara Falls Screen Saver 150 is a screensaver module for Windows with photos of thefalls and immediate vicinity The photos rotateautomatically when activated Requires 256-colour video and 4MB memory Reg Fee $15
PICSHO32MyPictureShow32 is a Win95 screen saver inwhich the visual content is supplied by yourown collection of computer images There isno limit to the number of pictures you canuse and nine different display modes areavailable The slideshow mode allows achoice of 17 transition styles Other featuresinclude support for BMPJPGGIF graphicfiles password protection automatic scalingof large images to available screen size and
more This demo version will run 20 timesthen disables itself Reg Fee $16
SSCR8R21My Own Screen Saver 21 allows you tocreate your own screen saver using yourfavourite images and pictures You cancombine selected BMP DIB and WMF fileswith 32 different visual effects Reg Fee $20
TWIST151Twister Screen Saver 151 is a 32-bit screensaver for Win95 that transforms your desktopinto a windy landscape with one or moretwisters moving everything deforming yourdesktop making everything a mess You canconfigure the wind speed number of twistersthe twisterrsquos speed and more Reg Fee $8
VENIC12Venice Screen Saver 12 is a Windows screensaver module that displays graphics thatsimulate floating through the canals of Veniceon your gondola as Italian music and the
sound of splashing waves fills the air Reg Fee$29-$39
VIDSAVVidSaver 11 is a Windows screen saver thatplays video clips and animations while yourcomputer is idle Reg Fee $20
TEXT EDITING
EDT236PEM EdTex for Windows 95 236 is a 32-bittext editor for Win95 It can edit a maximumof 2000000 characters and 30000 linesOther features include macro support printingoptions word wrap multiple undoredoblock editing and more Reg Fee $35
GTE32R15GWD Text Editor (32-bit) 15 is a powerfultext editing package for Win95 Featuresinclude support for macros unlimited filesize print preview a built-in spell checker anautosave option support for DOSUNIXMactext file formats and much more Reg Fee$20
JW32T22CJ-Write for Windows (32-bit) 22 is a fullfeatured editor for general text files and emailFeatures include the ability to edit very largefiles support for any ANSI font configurabletab settings and four line wrap modes multi-level undoredo and more Reg Fee $30
QUIKDC11QuikDict Spelling Dictionary 11 is a pop updictionary accessible from the Win95 ToolTray Features include the ability to spellcheck all words as they are typed alphabeticand ldquosounds likerdquo word matching over91000 EnglishAmerican words in thedictionary the ability to automatically pastethe correct spelling back to the clipboard andmore Reg Fee $19
SCRATCH4Scratch Pad (32-bit) 21 is a text editor forWin95 Features include the ability toautomatically capture clipboard information aprint preview function undo facilities andmore Reg Fee $15
TXEDITTxEdit (32-bit) 25 is an easy-to-use texteditor that makes a nice replacement for theWin95 Notepad Features include the abilityto viewedit multiple documents search andreplace options drag-and-drop support MacUnix file support and more Reg Fee $0
32 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
TXP3223TextPad (32-bit) 23 is a text editor forWin95NT It can handle files with up to32000 lines of 4095 characters with multiplesimultan-eous edits and up to two views oneach document Other features include fullundoredo facilities print previewing atoolbar for frequently-used commands abuilt-in file manager support for Unix andMacintosh text file formats drag-and-dropsupport and much more TXP1223 is theWin31 version Reg Fee $27-$35
UTILITIES
ADDIT10ES Adding-Machine 10 is a unique calculatorfor Windows that is designed for adding upcolumns of figures Entered figures areretained on-screen and can be edited so youwonrsquot have to start again if you are interrupt-ed or make a mistake Reg Fee $40
CIDV09CIDview monitors a selected telephone lineand reports the Caller ID whenever there is anincoming call The details of incominginformation will be automatically displayedon your screen with the Caller ID informationstaying visible for 10 seconds Reg Fee $9
DLLCHK95DLL Check 95is a DLL management utilityfor Win95 Features include the ability tocreate a log of all modules that load or unloadin a session the ability to search for duplicatemodules and a detailed information displayfor selected modules Reg Fee $80
EASYZIPEasy Zip (32-bit) 10 makes it incredibly easyto archive files with PKZIP in Win95 Itallows you to use point-and-click operationsinstead of all the context-switching and messybatch files of manually using PKZIP fromDOS Reg Fee $1850
HDLED11Hard Disk LED 11 simulates a hard disk lightthat flashes every time there is disk activityAn icon appears on the Win95 task bar andflashes every time the system accesses yourhard drive Reg Fee $5
HYSNP278HyperSnap 278 allows you to capture thedesktop highlighted window areas or user-defined areas in Win95NT Features includehotkey support cropping facilities the ability
to save images in BMPGIFJPEG format andmuch more Reg Fee $20
LONGSAVELongSave 101 is used to save the list of longfile names and short names to a commadelimited ASCI text file The short names canthen be backed up or zipped or copied withutilities that are not long-file-name-awareAfter the files are transferred it uses theASCII file to restore the original long file
names This must be run from a DOS sessionunder Win95 Reg Fee $25-$95
REDH22Red Hand 22 tells you exactly what someonedid on your computer while you were awayexactly when they did it and how long it tookWindows can be discretely ldquolockedrdquo toprevent access and will simply close themimmediately or send an error message of yourchoice You can control exactly which areasof your computer that you do not want othersto have access to Reg Fee $25
RMVR32RemoveR 161 helps delete unneeded filesfrom your hard drive after you have installed aprogram in Win95 It will take a snapshot ofthe drive before an installation then you cancompare the current status of your files withthat last stored All files that have been addeddeleted will be shown on the results screenFrom this screen you can highlight certainfiles andor directories and delete them orsave the list for later deletion Reg Fee $5-$40
SENTRY95Sentry 95will prevent all unauthorised usersfrom accessing the Win95 desktop wheneveryour computer boots Reg Fee $14
SU96_402StepUprsquo96 402 contains a set of utilitieswhich make working with Win95NT easierand faster This includes a user-customisableStepUp Menu smart Folder Navigatorsophisticated Menu Designer and a powerful
File Handler It also provides handy taskbaricons for fast exit CD-ROM Autorun onoffand more Reg Fee $30
V95I208EVirusScan for Win95 253 is a native Win95application that detects and removes comp-uter viruses Reg Fee $65
YATS32Yet Another Time Synchroniser (32-bit) 30allows you to synchronise your system clockusing various time server types commonlyavailable on TCPIP networks such as theInternet Multiple servers can be specified andwill be tried sequentially until a valid time isobtained and your system time set Reg Fee$35
ZOOMER12Zoomer 12 provides a 2x or 4x magnificationof the area around the mouse cursor in Win95This is an excellent utility for the visionimpaired Reg Fee $0
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 33
NEW AND UPDATED DOSPROGRAMS
ANTIVIRUS
AVSCANAVScan 310 is a freeware scanner that candetect more than 4500 virus signatures RegFee $0
I_M311AIntegrity Master 311a is an anti-virus anddata integrity system The author says itdetects all known viruses It can detect anyform of file corruption including disk errorsor as yet unknown viruses Stacker Double-Space SuperStore and Bernoulli system filesare supported Identifies the new MS WordMacro viruses as well as over 640 additionalviruses It has an option to quickly disinfectdiskettes Reg Fee $50
SCN_253EVirusScan 253 scans diskettes or entiresystems and identifies any pre-existing PCvirus infection Reg Fee $65
GAMES
DRAK160Drak 160 is a falling blocks-style game withattractive graphics and several varieties ofblocks It includes blocks which melt blocksthat fall apart when they land and more Thegame includes 10 levels of increasingcomplex-ity joystick support and ability tosave games in progress (RegFee$33
DRUG12Drug Killers 12 is an action-packed shoot-em-up arcade game where you pilot atechnologically advanced aircraft in a battle tostop a futuristic drug cartel You must destroya wide variety of land and air-based enemieswhile gathering weapons and shields Otherfeatures include excellent scrolling graphicsgreat special effects a high score listing theability to save and restore games and a coolmusic soundtrack Reg Fee $25-$40
HAMSTER3D Hamsterrsquos Adventure is a fun 3Dadventure game where you assume the role ofa hamster in a colourful maze The object ofthe game is to eat all the fruit scattered aroundthe maze so the secret exit will appear Youwill encounter monsters along the way butyou can use your strawberry grenades or apowerful hamster kick for protection Theexcellent graphics sound effects and musicmake this an enjoyable game for the wholefamily Reg Fee $15
MISCELLANEOUS
COELI379Coeli Electric Planisphere 379 combinespractical ephemeris and planetarium with areal-time star chart to provide a Super VGAmodel of the skies as seen from Earth Youmay view the heavens from any place or timewith advanced starconstellation search insidea point and click interface A separate VESAdriver must be pre-installed Reg Fee pound12
JOCCALJOC-CALC 10 is an easy-to-use spreadsheetpackage for DOS Features include a pull-down menu system with mouse support aHyperText help system support for blockoperations built-in mathstrig functions andmore Reg Fee $25
MEDLIN97Medlin Accounting 1997 is a double-entrygeneral ledger program with accountsreceivable payroll and payables modules Allmodules are very easy to use PC-AR is theaccounts receivable module It allows amaximum of 2000 customers and 1500charges per accounting period PC-INV is amodule which works directly with theaccounts receivable module to generateinvoices and post them to PC-AR It willmultiply quantity times price and insert thetotal and calculate sales tax PC-PR thepayroll module allows up to 500 employeesand 1000 payroll cheques per accountingperiod PC-AP the accounts payable modulecan sort invoices by due date and will printcheques Mouse support has been added to allprograms Reg Fee $25-35
VDEVideo Display Editor 182 is a fast powerfultext editor Commands can be entered from amenu bar or with control keys Featuresinclude a proportional spacing modekeyboard macro recording MenuBar modethe ability to edit eight files at once acommand for proportional print Autosave toautomatically save your work at specifiedintervals simultaneous windows scrolling theability to align the platen for printing onvarious kinds of forms support for the fileformat of MS Word an envelope printer awide range of screen sizes (from 17 to 57lines) an integrated spell checker and muchmore Support is also provided for Ultra-Vision the HP95LX palmtop and the Tandykeyboard Reg Fee $35
UTILITIES
DNOTE420Disk Note Librarian 420 allows the user toadd descriptions and comments of up to 300characters to each file name on a disk up to1200 files Reg Fee $15
RCR01Rosenthal Conflict Resolver 100 is adiagnostic tool that helps corrects IRQ DMAand IO conflicts the major cause of systemcrashes Reg Fee $99
2 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Compiled by Jim Hume
The Monarchy
This site provides the history of the BritishMonarchy The Royal collection TodayrsquosRoyal family and includes The Queenrsquos rolein the Commonwealth This role articleshould be valuable to all those interested inthe Republic debate monarchist andrepublican alike It is a well presented siteand a useful resource as a school kithttpwwwroyalgovuk
Museums
The virtual Museum of Computing includesan ecletic collection of World Wide Webhyperlinks connected with the history ofcomputing and on-line computer basedexhibits available both locally and aroundthe world httpwwwcomlaboxacukarchiveothermuseumscomputinghtml
Airlines
Ansett provides information on their productand services and the places they fly to Youcan reserve flights and accommodationThere is a travel planner and screen saveravailable to download httpwwwansettcomauwebintrohtml
Qantas provides similar information on theirproducts and services with a brief history ofthe airline and also a screensaver which canbe downloaded httpwwwqantascomau80newsindexhtml
Books Magazines and Newspapers
The Canberra Times is now online withsections on News Sport Features OpinionWeather Real Estate Motors Classifiedsemail and services httpwwwcanberratimescomau
Readers Digest Interactive They ask you toldquoread it react and interactrdquo It containsDigest classics like Laugh Lines and WordPower and advice about how to do justabout anything featuring Home ProjectsCooking Gardening fitness and health httpwwwreadersdigestcom
National Geographic Online This is a greatcontribution with something for everyone inthe family Donrsquot miss these HOT SPOTShttpwwwnationalgeographiccomhotspotsindexhtml
Electronic Journals and Newsletters Thissite provides a complete internet list for newjournals and newsletters available on theInternet There is a search archive completealphabetical archive recent issues in reversechronological order and alphabetical list oftitles httpgort ucsdedunewjour
Amazon Bookstore offers not only 15million books in print but extremely hard-to-find out-of-print titles and discounts onsome of their book lists They claim 25million titles overall They include a searchfacility and provide a personal emailnotification service They list a Book of theday Titles in the News Monthly bookrecommendations and much morehttpwwwamazoncomexecobidossubstindex2html
Medical
)
Kodak have provided an interesting sitedealing with the latest digital cardiologyimaging and their cardiac review stationhttpwwwkodakcomhiHomecardioindexshtml
The American Cancer Society CaliforniaDivision on this site have an excellent articleon ldquoeating rightrdquo and research causeprevention detection and treatment httpwwwcacancerorg
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 3
The Department of Veteransrsquo Affairs haveupgraded their Web Site and it now providesthe latest information on health care forveterans In addition it contains rates andeligibility for pensions statements ofprinciple budgets and legislation It alsoincludes information about commemorativeactivities war graves war memorials andstudent oriented resourceshttpwwwdvagovau
HealthGate have redesigned their site withfaster search results with content organisedinto areas of interest such as medicinepatient education drug information etc It isan important source of biomedicalinformation httpwwwhealthgatecom
Football
The Australian Rugby League haveproduced an excellent site which includesdraws news links teams tipping results agallery and a soapbox httpdevarlorgaumainasp
Super League not to be outdone arepromoted by Foxtel in their sport sectionhttpwwwfoxtelcomauFoxtelhomejhtml
Tyres
I recently drew attention to Goodyearrsquos WebPage and commented on lack of Australiancontent Now they have an excellentAustralian site with an online school kit
dealing with the rubber revolution a tyreguide and a search engine to locate yournearest dealer It requires a frame-enabledweb browser httpwwwgoodyearcomau
Internet
URL Minder keeps track of web pages andother resources on the World Wide Weband sends you email whenever yourpersonally registered resources change Youcan have the minder keep track of any Webresource accessible via http ftp or Gopherand your email address will not be releasedto any third party It is a free servicesupported partially by advertising httpwwwnetmindcomURL-minderURL-minderhtml
People
Talk to the Angels The Vatican has namedtheir computers for the Web after angelsThe site was still under construction at theend of March httpwwwvaticanvaBut where else could you talk to theangelsIt requires a frame-enabled webbrowser
StarTrek This is a most interesting web sitefor Star Trek enthusiasts and also for thoseinterested in site construction for it is a realbobby dazzler httpwwwholodeck3comholodeck3html
Insert
It is an interesting concept which combinesan online magazine with discussion threadsresource lists and links It is dedicated toexploring masculinity and men in societyMen from all walks of life answer the 16 bigquestions about what it means being a mantoday httpwwwmanhoodcomnf
The
Super Site for Kids is a protectedenvironment specially for kids It is a wellorganised fun site httpwwwbonuscomindexclosehtmp
In early March a private Florida companythat hunts for historic shipwrecks announcedit had discovered a gem the ship oncecaptained by Blackbeard a man reputed tobe one of the more terrifying and disturbedpirates of all time This site includes thehistory of Blackbeardhttpeagleonlinediscoverycomcgi-binforums_viewdir
36 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
THE
INTERNETPROJECT
By Iain Gould
Welcome to TIP-TNG (The NextGeneration)
In case you hadnrsquot noticed yet TIP isnow connected to the rest of the world via ahigher speed (double what we had) link Weare now firing the electrons up and downthe pipe at 256k (thatrsquos 3 noughts -thousands in other words) bits every secondWhat this means in real terms is that ournewsgroups are updating more frequentlyweb pages and file transfers are much fasterand those of us that need to log in remotelycan do so with much less delay Boy are weimpressed
If you have not bothered to try TIP for awhile do so as we have seen a markedimprovement in the service provided afterthis upgrade and the installation of the extra12 modems in February (much less waitingto get on)
ANNOUNCEMENTSThe last two months has seen much goingson within the Internet Project ManagementCommittee For the uninitiated the IPMCis a caucus of techno-nerdygeeks tasked withthe onerous duty of ensuring that membersof the PCUG and AUUG have adequate andcomplete access to the wider resources ofthat part of the Information Super-highwayknown as simply The Internet Anyway wedecided on a lot of things recently Here theyare
1) Commercial Web Advertising Upuntil now TIP placed a restriction oncommercial advertising (that which wasobviously out to make money for the owner)- namely that only corporate members ofeither PCUG or AUUG could placeadvertising on their web pages We have
now opened up such commercial activitiesto general members of both organisationsFor the same fee that we currently charge tocorporate advertisers any individual cannow advertise on their web pages Refer tohttpwwwtipnetautipwebspacehtml fordetailed information and charging rates
2) Account Terminology The termslsquoAdvanced Accessrsquo and lsquoBasic Accessrsquoaccounts were deemed to be confusing (wehad too many requests for information onbasic Advanced access and training foradvanced Basic use) The accounts are nowreferred to as lsquoFull Accessrsquo and lsquoLimitedAccessrsquo respectively The use of the termsAdvanced Access hours and Basic Accesshours will continue for the time being untilwe sort out exactly what we want to callthem and where we need to changereferences to them The most obvious placethat this will change immediately is on theapplication form
3) Multiple Users of Accounts One ofthe regular lsquocomplaintsrsquo that we have beenreceiving has been on our policy to restrictaccount use to the account holder only Howmany of you out there realise that if youallowed your spousechildrenacquaintancesto have access to your password then youwere breaking our rules We donrsquot worrytoo much because we are now changing ourpolicy to open up account usage undercertain guidelines Namely
a) The primary account holder (the onewho originally applies for the account) willbe deemed ultimately responsible for anyuse of the account Heshe must still signthe Acceptable Use Policy and follow thoseterms and conditions and then ensure thataccount lsquodelegatesrsquo behave themselves too
b) The primary account holder mayallow use of hisher account by other familymembers The family members must benominated and lodged with TIP on a newlsquoAccount Delegationrsquo form
c) Only one login name and emailaddress is allocated (as currently) - ifadditional email addresses are required thenthey must be applied for as separateaccounts
d) Normal single user limits (accesshours disk quotas) still apply
We believe that this will allow familygroups some access to the Internet withoutneeding to sign up every members of thehousehold with TIP This policy will beelaborated on the web pages in the nearfuture for further information
4) We are still investigating methods ofproviding help guidance and assistance tousers who are new to TIP andor the InternetWe have been looking at newer lsquofool-proofrsquofirst time kits automated email helpresponses regularly published FAQs(frequently asked questions) and attractingmore volunteer helpers To achieve this lastgoal we are hoping that we can set up aregister of volunteers similar to the HelpDirectory published in Sixteen Bits forspecific areas of Internet use If you feltreluctant in the past to have your name listedfor fear of being asked questions outsideyour particular area of expertise interestthen let us know what you ARE willing tohelp with Are you a Netscape guru Or aWindows 95 Dial-Up Networking hotshotDo you think that you know a fair bit aboutIRC Then let us know
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 37
Nhan Tranrsquos Now OfficialTIP Web Help Pages
httpwwwtipnetautiphelp
bull Whats newHistory of changes to TIP help page
bull TIP Contact DetailsPhone numbers domain proxiesemail addresses
bull Useful TIP informationTime allocation usage statistics
bull TIP documentsAgreement Charging SchemeAcceptable Use Policy AccessApplication
bull InternetFAQAnswers to the Frequently AskedQuestions about the Internet what isthe Internet what you can donetiquette
bull TIP help FAQ
bull Answers to the Frequently AskedQuestions about various problemsother people may have had with TheInternet Project your problem maynot be a new one
bull lsquoHow-torsquo documentsHow to set up and use variousprograms needed to make the mostof your Internet account
bull GlossaryTranslating acronyms computerjargon netese and emoticons like -)in plain English
TIP Technical InformationDomain (PCUG) pcugorgauDomain (AUUG) auugorgau
DNS server 203107634Mail server mailhostDomain
News Server newshostDomainftp server ftpDomain
WWW server wwwDomainProxies proxytipnetau
port 8080
Iain Gould is one of the many volunteersthat keep TIP ticking He can becontacted by email - iainpcugorgau
As a note to those users who do needaccess to help take careful note of the timesthat people offer to be available There is areason that these times are listed ourvolunteers do like to have some personaltime Nothing causes a volunteer to lsquoresignrsquoquicker than having their efforts abused bypeople who ring at all hours and are rudeand obnoxious As a volunteer organisationwe cannot provide 24 hour-a-day instantsupport and we must rely on the genrosityof those that do offer to help Please beconsiderate of those who are willing to sticktheir necks out
As a footnote to all of the above itemsplease address any correspondance toipmctipnetau rather than me directly
Internet Joke of the MonthAnother engineer joke (apologies for thereferences to USA - insert your favouritelocal university as applicable)
Three men were vacationing in CentralAmerica They were arrested for minor illegalactivities and because the dictator of the countryhated foreigners the punishment was death
The three men were marched to thechopping block The dictator of the countryasked the first man if he had any last wordsbefore they chopped his head off The man saidldquoThe only thing I can think to say is that Irsquom analumni of Notre Dame and we have the bestfootball players in the worldrdquo The dictator thensaid ldquoOff with his headrdquo When they pulled therope the blade fell but it stopped inches abovethe manrsquos neck The dictator said ldquoThis is anomen from God we cannot execute you Youare free to gordquo
The dictator of the country asked the secondman if he had any last words before theychopped his head off The man said ldquoThe onlything I can think to say is that Irsquom an alumni ofIndiana University and we have the bestbasketball players in the worldrdquo The dictatorthen said ldquoOff with his headrdquo When they pulledthe rope the blade fell but it stopped inchesabove the manrsquos neck The dictator said ldquoThisis an omen from God we cannot execute youYou are free to gordquo
Finally the dictator of the country asked thethird man if he had any last words before theychopped his head off The man said ldquoThe onlything I can think to say is that Irsquom an alumni ofPurdue University and we have the bestEngineers in the world and if yoursquoll just tightenup that bolt up there this machine will workrdquo
Tips On Tip HelpPlease do not call on the Internet Projecthelp team for answers to general computingquestions or with questions like ldquohow do Ifind such-and-such softwarerdquo - the tiphelpnewsgroup is appropriate for these topicsDo call on us if you canrsquot get our kits towork or if you believe there is a problemwith the system Herersquos the right way to goabout it
1 Read the TIP Help Pages availablefrom the TIP World Wide Web siteat httpwwwtipnetautiphelp
2 Browse the newsgroup tiphelp tosee if someone else has solvedyour problem already Browsetipannounce and tipgeneral for anyrelevant announcements
3 If the problem is not urgent post arequest for assistance in tiphelp
4 If the problem is urgent send mailto ldquohelprdquo requesting advice
Please - describe your problem clearlyconcisely and completely
tell us WHEN it happened
tell us WHAT OPERATING SYSTEMyou are using
tell us WHAT SOFTWARE you are using(esp version)
tell us WHAT HARDWARE you are using(esp modem)
tell us any relevant SETUP DETAILS (egconnection speed)
tell us what TIP login name (eg mmouse)you are using
5 As a last resort (ie when email isnot possible) contact Iain Gould on255 2405 between 7pm and 8pmONLY
The TIP Help TeamThe methods of supplying TIP help and
support and the levels of help provided areunder almost constant review anddiscussion Your feedback on the existingsystems and constructive suggestions forimprovement particularly within theexisting resource constraints are welcome
This can be done in the tip newsgroupsif you would like general discussion of yourideas by email to the TIP Help Team athelptipnetau or by sending email toamikkelspcugorgau who will forward itto the appropriate people
38 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
The Internet Project
1 Access to The Internet Project is governed by the InternetProject Acceptable Use Policy copies of which can beobtained at the PCUG Centre or downloaded from the PCUGBBS or from The Internet Project
2 There is a limit of one Internet account per non-corporatemembership Corporate members may sponsor up to threeindividuals who are then personally responsible for theoperation of their accounts Please complete one applicationfor each person
3 Part of your email address will be determined by the principalorganisation If your membership of that organisation expiresso too does your membership of The Internet Project In thisevent no refunds for unused allocation will be made
4 The Internet Project reserves the right to alter prices andservices offered at any time Fees paid for Internet access arenon-refundable and non-transferable
5 Note Hours debited do not necessarily equate to real hourson-line time allocation will be debited in a non-linear fashiondepending on the amount of time spent on-line in any givenday The debit rate is set from time to time by the InternetProject Management Committee
6 Basic Accessa) Basic Access provides non PPP email and news onlyb) Basic Access is free on applicationc) In any calender year calculated from the date of
application Basic Access provides up to 100 lsquohoursrsquo usage
7 Advanced Accessa) Advanced Access includes full access to the Internet using
SLIPPPPb) Advanced Access is not free Current rates are $120 for
one calendar year of access with up to 300 lsquohoursrsquo usagec) When your Advanced Access subscription expires OR
you use 300 hours of access (whichever is earlier) youwill be required to purchase another subscription for onecalendar year from that date
d) Advanced Access users also receive a Basic Accessallocation - see above
8 All users joining The Internet Project receive a one-off freefive hour allocation of Advanced Access
Collecting Your Login Details9 A waiting period of two months applies to new members of
the PC Users Group (ACT) Inc
10 For existing members please allow up to two weeks for yourapplication to be processed
11 Login details can be collected - in person by the applicant - fromthe PC Users Group Centre We recommend that you phone theCentre first to check that the details are waiting for you
12 You (and your parentguardian if you are under 18 years ofage) will be required to sign an Acceptable Use PolicyDeclaration when you pick up your login detailsPhotographic proof of identity may be required at that time
Important Notes - Please Read
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 39
Disks amp TapesWe offer high quality disks and tape cartridgesin various formats at very reasonable pricesDisks amp tapes are available from the PCUGCentre Monday Wednesday amp Friday 10amto 2pm or between 9am and 5pm on weekends
BBS AccessNew members wishing to access the PC UsersGroup (ACT) InterActive Bulletin BoardService (BBS) should dial (06) 253 4933 andcreate an account on the system Once the mainmenu is presented select the lsquoGoodbyersquo optionfollowed by the lsquoYesrsquo option to leave a messageto the Sysop
In this message state your membership number(from your card or magazine address label) andrequest an access upgrade This will usuallyoccur within a few days
SharewareMembers have access to a huge selection ofldquosharewarerdquo software The PCUG subscribesto a CD-ROM which provides over 250 Mbof new and updated software titles on eachmonthly CD
Member ServicesThese special offers and services are only available to PCUG members Please bring your membership card with you when collecting orders
One complete section of the permanent libraryis also contained on each CD-ROM Inaddition there are many programs on thePCUG BBS which members have uploadedor which come from other sources
This software is provided as ldquosharewarerdquo Ifyou continue to use it you must register thesoftware with the author The Group does notldquosellrdquo the software - it charges a fee to coverthe cost of obtaining the software maintainingthe library and copying the software to themember
Computers are available at the Centre whichare connected to the BBS enabling membersto download software
Hardware amp Video LibraryThe hardware and video library is located atthe PC Users Group Centre Items may becollected and returned on Saturdays andSundays between 9am and 5pm (loans are forone week) Please bring your membership cardwith you
The library provides access to equipmentwhich members would not normally havereadily available Most items have instructionsmanuals and software where appropriateModems do not include software check theShareware Library for suitable packages Itemsmay be borrowed for one week There is nocharge but you must collect and return theitems yourself
Equipment available includesmiddot modemsmiddot soundblaster card
Videos includemiddot Developing Applications with Microsoft
Officemiddot Using Windows 95
NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETINGMonday 28 April 1997
(to be held at 730pm prior to the normal April main meeting)
The Special Meeting is to consider and vote upon the following changes to the rules of the PC Users Group
Rule 17(1)(b) - [Nomination of candidates for election as office-bearers of the Association or as ordinary Committee members]shall be delivered to the Secretary of the Association no later than the last Friday in the July before the date fixed for the annualgeneral meeting at which the election is to take place
Rule 17(2) - If insufficient nominations are received to fill all vacancies on the Committee the candidates nominated shall bedeemed to be elected
Rule 17(3) - A vacant position remaining on the Committee shall be deemed to be a vacancy for the purpose of Rule 16(4)
Explanatory notesThese changes will permit publication in Sixteen Bits of all valid nominations received to enable the membership to give seriousregard to the nominations received They will also permit all members nominating for the committee to have an opportunity toconsider and reflect upon their intended commitment to the committee and to the Group
Hugh BambrickSecretary PC Users Group (ACT) Inc
40 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Compiled by Jim Hume
Japanese-English Translators
Globalink produces some of the bestlanguage translation software TheLanguage Assistant Series quicklyproduce understandable translations fromEnglish into the foreign language or viceversa
The Australian Distributors Software EtcAustralia have now released Japanesetranslation and OCR Software TsunamiMT Typhoon MT and KanjiScan OCRsoftware for English Windows 95 and NTPCs It is claimed these products willmake communication between Japaneseand English speaking businesses mucheasier quicker and more effective
Tsunami MT translates English-to-Japanese and has features such as fullOLE 20 compatibility (drags text to andfrom Tsunami MT embedding theJapanese results into applications such asMS Word) an innovative Kani searchsystem and translation speed at over 3000words per minute
Typhoon MT translates Japanese-to-English and is the result of a two-yearproject to convert the best-sellingJapanese to English translation softwarein Japan to an MS Windows 32-bitformat
Typhoon MT has every element computerusers need to put Japanese computing ontheir personal computer - Japanese fontsKana and kanji text editing a completeFront End Processor and Japanese -to-English machine translation
KanjiScan is the first Japanese OCRsoftware to run on non-Japanese versionsof Windows and includes everythingneeded to scan printed Japanese text anddocuments allowing users to input
Japanese on their English Windowssystem All interfaces instructions anddocumentation are in English WithNeocorTechrsquos Kanji Search system noJapanese language skills are required tomake sure all the Japanese text is properlyrecognised
Tsunami MT $995 Typhoon MT $1195(Bundle $1795) and KanjiScan $795
Software Etc Australia are offeringevaluation versions of this software forloan to reviewers with a knowledge ofJapanese and the capability to conduct andprepare software reviews Enquiriesshould be directed to Peter Klanberck atsoftetcozemailcomauhttpwwwworldcorpcomau Phone (02) 9988-3455
Gene Chip Breakthrough
Affymetrix is developing amp commercial-ising GeneChip(tm) systems to acquireanalyse manage and use geneticinformation based on its propriety DNAarray technology
These systems are being developed forbroad fields including biomedicalresearch clinical diagnosis and theemerging field of genomics Affymetrixhas corporate alliances with Hewlett-Packard Company and Genetics Instituteand intends to pursue the clinicaldiagnostic and additional genomicsapplications with diagnostics andpharmaceutical companies
Their first product currently in externaltests sites will be the GeneChipHIVsystem which rapidly detects mutations inthe protease and reverse transcriptasegenes of HIV the virus which causesAIDS Detection of such mutations arecritical in understanding how HIV reactsto therapeutic agents as well as for
understanding the results of clinical trialsof new drugs The company also hasactive development programs for thespeciation of other infectious organismsas well as for human genes that areimportant in cancer and drug metabolism
Fortune Magazine in an article headedGene Chip Breakthrough by David Stippexplores the implications of thisbreakthrough and believes that whilemicroprocessors have reshaped oureconomy spawned vast fortunes andchanged the way we live Gene chipscould be bigger
TransAct BroadbandCommunications Network
The ACTEW Corporation has recentlyconducted a feasibility study into buildinga broadband communication network inthe ACT It is claimed it would enhanceACTEWrsquos core business and provide theACT region with an economically viablecommunications network
The network would be funded throughoutside financing As there would be nocross-subsidies between varioustelecommunication business and theelectricity and water businesses therewould be no impact on electricity andwater bills now or in the future Known asTransAct Communications the feasibilitystudy was to be completed by March1997 ACTEW Corporation Board willmake a decision on the business caseduring April A key component of thestudy was to be community consultationand market research If the results werefavourable construction should commencein July 1997
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 41
I was consulted in their telemarketingresearch and talks have been held with thePC Users Group Aurisa Institute ofEngineers Australia and the BusinessCouncil of Australia The network couldcarry voice(telephone) video(TV) and data(intenet) over a high range of frequenciesand the cost of services would bedependent on the service providers ieTelephone companies Pay TV companiesand internet service providers ACTEWexpected that prices would be similar tocurrent prices for these services andsuggest that a single broad-band networkwould offer competition between serviceproviders
The network could carryvoice(telephone) video(TV) and
data (intenet)
Two companies have been shortlisted andtheir solutions are being costed to get anaccurate picture of the total cost ofbuilding the network The two companiesare Philips which has offered a HybridCoax (HFC) system and BroadbandTechnologies which offered a switchedbroadband (SDB) solution
The HFC solution as offered by Philipswould differ from similar cable systemsbeing strung in other parts of Australia inthat it would take optic fibre down toserve 60-90 homes per node rather than500-1500 homes The SDB solutionwould be unique in Australia (In use inparts of USA Korea and France) it takesoptic fibre to serve 32-40 homes per nodeBoth solutions have the ability to runadvanced interactive services By the timeof publication a further update may beavailable atwwwactewcomautransactinterhtm
Treasure IslandFrom the Corel Thumbnail Theatre seriesnow being shipped Treasure Island is afun easy way to learn the complexities ofthis popular novel by Robert LouisStevenson It is an animated adaptiontargeted primarily at students aged 12 andupwards Users can choose from threedifferent ways of studying TreasureIsland For those unacquainted with thestory the Watch Me section presents awitty and entertaining nine-minuteanimation which summarises the novelrsquosstory The Guide Me section is designedfor users who wish to study the text indepth and learn more about the era inwhich the novel is set They will see theanimation once again but this time theywill have the chance to stop the animatedsummary in order to explore varioustopics related to the story These topics areaccessible by clicking on the icons whichappear throughout the animation Userswho want to read about different topicscan go directly to the Self Guide sectionThis section contains the entire text ofTreasure Island
It also contains a feature called Timelinewhich is a chronology of historical eventsfrom the time of Treasure Island to thepresent day
Minimum system requirements are 486DX66 8MB of RAM a 640x480256-colour graphics display 8-bit audiocapabilities and a double speed CD-ROMdrive Runs on both Windows 31x andWindows95RRP $Aus 6400
Corel WebMaster SuiteOn March 25 Corel announced the releaseCorel WebMaster Suite the latest additionto their line of Internet products Itcombines state-of-the-art Web siteauthoring with expert site managementfunctionality advanced database
publishing sophisticated graphic designprograms as well as animation authoring3D VRML world creation and over 8000Internet-ready images Included in thepackage is Netscape Navigator 301OrsquoReillyrsquos Website v11 and 30 days offree Web site hosting It is claimed thatthis suite provides a complete solution tohelp users advance beyond the traditionalWeb page to create and manage completeweb sites that are more interesting andinformative as well as easy to understand
Corel WebMaster is available for asuggested retail price of $Aus 399 Thesuite will require 16MB RAM an IBMcompatible PC 486 DX Windows NT orWindows 95 a CD_ROM and a VGAdisplay
SNIPPETS
IN AUSTRIA INTERNET SERVICEProviders banded together on March 25 tostage the countryrsquos first electronic walkoutin protest at their governmentrsquos attempt tocensor the Internet Hardly surprisingwhen UKrsquos Whatrsquos New on the Internetreports that sex and its related topics arethe most popular sections on the Internetby a long chalk
DUTCH HACKERS OFFERED USMilitary Secrets to Iraq A recent BBC TVprogramme claimed that hundreds ofmilitary secrets were stolen from USDefence computers ( including troopmovements and missile capabilities)offered for sale by Dutch hackers toSaddam Hussein but their offer was nottaken up because the Iraqi leader believedthat it was either a hoax or CIAmisinformation
ADVERTISING ON THE NETAccording to a survey by the InternetAdvertising Bureau total advertisingspending on the World Wide Web andInternet related content hit $US267
42 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
The Internet SIGThis a get together of those members of thePCUG who love to explore the Internet forinteresting sites new Internet tools andnovel applications It holds an informalmeeting once a month on the first Thursday(January excepted) at 730pm The meetinghas no set agenda but free flowing chat onvarious Internet related topics and eventsOn occasion we had presentations ofinteresting software Among topics that arediscussed from time to time are the upgradeof TIP cable and wireless access to theInternet and the regulation of the InternetThe web page for the SIG is at httpwwwpcugorgau~ejosephintsightm
BytesThe Bytes SIG is designed for those wholike to talk about computing over a meal Itmeets from 6 pm at the Asian BistroAustralian National University Union onthe PCUG meeting nights There are noBytes SIG meetings in NovemberDecember or January Contact personAndrew Freeman Phone 258 7411 Emailafreemanpcugorgau or WWW at httpwwwpcugorgau~afreemancvsightml
AutoCADGeoffrey May 295 5942 Monday-Fri 4-5pmPlease call for details
CC++Peter Corcoran petercpcugorgau 2ndTuesday 730pm PCUG Centre
GUI DevelopersPeter Harris 287 1484 pharrispcugorgauPlease call for details
The OS2 SIGAn enthusiastic forum for those operating orinterested in OS2 Warp Meetings includewide ranging discussion and interestinghands on demonstrations Meetings are heldon the third Thursday at 730pm for 730pmat the IBM Building 8 Brisbane Ave BartonContact David Thrum Phone 201-8806 (bh)
The Delphi SIGA lively forum for software developers whoare working with or interested in Delphi
Our meetings include wide ranging dis-cussion and interesting hands-on demon-strations Come and see why Delphi is RADSome of our recent meetings have discussedDelphi components best shareware toolsdatabase applications and HTML toolsMeeting 3rd Tuesday of each month 730pmat PCUG Centre Convenor Al Kabailaemail akabailapcugorgauYou arewelcome to also subscribe to the PCUGDelphi mailing list by sending messageldquosubscribe act-delphi-lpcugorgau [youremail address]rdquo to Majordomoauugorgau
Linux User GroupStephen Rothwell 291 6550 (ah) StephenRothwell canbauugorgau 4th Thursday730pm Room N101 Computer Science DeptANU
Networks Garry Thomson 241 2399gthomsonpcugorgau Thursday aftermain meeting Please call for venue
Computer and VegetarianismThis SIG is designed for those who have aninterest in both computers and vegetarian-ism It generally meets with the Bytes SIGNo meetings are held in NovemberDecember or January Contact personAndrew Freeman Phone 258 7411 Emailfreemanpcugorgau or WWW at httpwwwpcugorgau~afreemancvsightml
amp ChatThe Coffee and Chat Group meet at thePCUG Centre in Belconnen on alternateTuesdays from 1030am to 1130am withanother 30 minutes to 1200 for those whowant to stay The dates of these meetings areshown in the Calendar of Events On thealternate Tuesday a virtual Coffee and ChatMeeting is held on the Internet at 1030amusing Internet Relay Chat (IRC) addressirchostpcugorgau Port 6667 Full detailsabout the online meetings can be obtainedfrom httpwwwpcugorgau~ejosephvcchtm
Internet Daytime Demoand Discussion SIGMeets every second Monday at the PCUGCentre from 1000AM to noon We meet todiscuss internet issues software sites (andanything else of relevance) and demonstrateon Centre equipment selected software andtechniques The meeting starts with informaldiscussion and coffee followed by a more in-depth look at a particular topic of interestThere is also time for discussion (andhopefully solving) of members problems withthe internet A home page for the SIG is athttpwwwpcugorgau~amikkelsintdddhtmlEnquiries or suggestions for topics arewelcome at amikkelspcugorgau
NEW
Convenors are requested to email anychanges in contacts or venue and additionalinformation about the activities of theirgroup by the first Friday in the month ofpublication to pcugeditorpcugorgau
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 43
The training program for 1997 is settledsubject to ongoing adjustments in the lightof developments
Note the heavy emphasis on Internetcourses This reflects the clear demand ofmembers at the moment A number of daysare designated lsquoTBArsquo These days allow forthe introduction of Internet related coursesas discussed last month including homepages MS Internet ExplorerWeb tips andtricks and so on They also allow forpossible courses on the Web oriented MSOffice 97
Course content for Internet courses isstill under development and subject tomeetings of trainers
In addition to the weekend courses arange of short evening courses mainlyInternet related as above will be introducedThese are still in the planning stages
May Sat 3 Editorial day ContinuesSun 4 Programming - C and C++ ContinuesSat 10 Programming - Visual Basic Continues
Sun 11 Intro - Intro to computers ContinuesSat 17 Intro - Intro to Windows 95 Continues
Sun 18 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 24 Intro - PC Maintenance and
TroubleshootingContinues
Sun 25 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 31 Internet - HTML Intro Continues
June Sun 1 Intro - Using the BBS effectively Internet - Basic AccessSat 7 Centre closed Centre closed
Sun 8 Centre closed Centre closedSat 14 Editorial day Continues
Sun 15 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 21 Internet - HTML extended Continues
Sun 22 Internet - TBA Internet - TBASat 28 Internet - Advanced Access Intro Continues
Sun 29 Intro - Using the BBS effectively Internet - Basic AccessJuly Sat 5 Editorial day Continues
Sun 6 Internet - TBA Internet - TBASat 12 Internet - TBA Internet - TBA
Sun 13 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 19 Internet - TBA Internet - TBA
Sun 20 Internet - TBA Internet - TBASat 26 Internet - Advanced Access Intro Continues
Sun 27 Intro - Using the BBS effectively Internet - Basic Access
Our training courses are very popularUnfortunately some people book and thendonrsquot turn up for their course Someone onthe waiting list for the course could havefilled the spot left vacant To overcome thisproblem if you book for a course but donrsquotpay for it by the Monday before it is runthe spot will be offered to someone else
ContactsCourse bookings Petra Dwyer at thePCUG Centre on 253 4911
Training coordinator and courseinformation (not bookings) PaulBalnaves 241-4671 (h) 700pm to900pm 282-3488 (w)
Microsoft Product courses (notbookings) Michael Lane 242-9278 (h)700pm to 900pm
All courses are held at the PCUGCentre Northpoint Plaza Belconnen- maximum 8 people
Courses cost $35 unless otherwiseindicated Full day courses run from930am to approximately 300pmAM Courses commence at 930amPM courses commence at 130pm
Training Newsby Paul Balnaves
44 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
The following local vendors offer discounts to PCUG members
bull Present your PCUG membership card when making a purchasebull Benefits may not apply to some sale itemsbull The PCUG does not necessarily recommend or endorse the products being offered
If you offer a discount to PCUG members and are not in this list please contact our advertising manager listed on page 2
Vendor Discount SchemeVendor Discount Scheme
AustralianManagement Control
Suite 4 32 - 36 Colbee CourtPHILLIP285 4888
5 discount onRecordkeeping amp Payroll
courses
Capital SimulationsPO Box 329
Belconnen ACT 2616Faxmessage 258 0110
Free postage and handling(normally $4) amp 2 free modem
opponents lsquowantedrsquo notices(normally $10)
Clarion DatabaseSystems
bull Computing consultingbull Business applications developmentbull Software sale
041 108 775410 discount off RRP on
Microsoft amp other vendorsrsquo productsand consulting services
Amalgamated Business Machines
65 Kembla StreetFYSHWICK
280 4887
5 discount on repairsthrough this company
ANU Union Asian Bistro
Upstairs Union Building Union Court ANU
(next to main meeting venue)
Union member discounton PCUG main meeting
nights (ONLY)
Bettowynd ampTaltech Solutions
Unit 5 Centrecourt1 Pirie St FYSHWICK
239 1043
Prompt guaranteed fixed pricerepairs to monitors and terminals
5 discount to members
Nhan TranInternet Software Installationamp Configuration in your home
PH 254 5293
Fixed price 20 discountfor PCUG members
Lesley PikoCertified Practising Accountant
Registered Tax Agent
Suite 1 17 Trenerry StWeston ACT
288 8888
personal and business taxation servicesgeneral accounting services
15 discount off our quoted fee
ACT VALLEYCOMPUTER REPAIRSbull REPAIRSbull UPGRADESbull NEW SYSTEMSbull SOFTWARE INSTALLATIONbull LOW RATES l OPEN 7 DAYS
294 2592 or 019 32343510 DISCOUNT ON REPAIRS
AND UPGRADES TO MEMBERS
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 45
54 Marcus Clarke St Canberra CityPH 249 1844 l Fax 247 5753
10 Discount o f fRRP of Computer Books
Celebrating over 28 Years in Bookselling
N O 1 f o rC O M P U T E R amp B U S I N E S S
B O O K S
hi-micro Computers
5 Discount OnAccessories
ampUpgrade Installation
Ph 280 7520 Fax 280 7540618 Whyalla St Fyshwick
248 6656 (any time)bull World Wide Web Publishing
bull Windows Online Help amp Manuals
5 discount on Web publishing
The Cartridge Factory
Canberra Business Centre49 Wentworth Ave
KINGSTON295 5935
10 discount on remanufacturedlaser toner cartridges
10 discount on inkjet refill kitsNo discount available on
new ink or toner cartridges
Collins Booksellers
BELCONNEN MALLPhone 251 4813 Fax 251 3926
We carry a wide selection ofcomputer titles for the novice and
also advanced computer user
10 Discount off computerbook purchases only
LampS Associates
69 Paterson StreetAINSLIE257 7555
Special price on anyMicrosoft product
Dealer price plus 5
Aspect ComputingEducation Services
86 Northbourne AvenueBraddon ACT 2601
247 7608
10 Discount toPCUG members
Peng LEE BA BEc FCA
Chartered AccountantRegistered Tax Agent
A fee schedule will be forwarded upon request
6 McGuiness PlaceMcKELLAR ACT 2617
Phone 258 0156 Fax 258 0157
10 fee discount to PCUGmembers
Robrsquos Computer HelpDesk
292 3211 (24 hours 7 days)
For telephone and on-site help for ALL your computer and support
needs
5 discount on consulting services to PCUG members
The Software Shop
42 Townsend StreetPHILLIP285 4622
5 discount off our already low prices
46 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Title Given Name Surname
_______________________________________________________Position (if applicable) Phone (h) Phone (w)
_______________________________________________________Title Given Name Surname
_______________________________________________________Position (if applicable) Phone (h) Phone (w)
Annual Fees Applicable (thorn one)o General1 $ 50
o Concessional2 $ 25
o Corporate3 $130
o Additional Corporate4 $ 50
o International (Air Mail) $130
Notes1 General membership covers all members of a household except for BBS and
Internet access Two month waiting period applies to Internet access2 Concessions apply to full time students and pensioners3 Corporate Membership covers up to three nominees4 Additional Corporate nominees may be added at $50 each
I am paying by (thorn one)o Cash (if paying by person) o Cheque to PC Users Group (ACT) Inc
o Credit card
I would like to ( thorn one or more)
o Become a new member for ____ year(s)
o Renew for ____ year(s)
o Change my address details
o Change Corporate nominees
o Take my address off advertising list
o Access the Bulletin Board (BBS)
Reasons for Joining thorn (one or more)
o Sixteen Bits Magazine o Training Courses
o The Internet Project o Advice and help
Other ____________________________________
TOTAL PAYMENT DUE $ __________________
Please Post your application with payment toPC Users Group (ACT) IncPO Box 42 Belconnen ACT 2616
Additional Corporate Membership Nominees
Title Given Name Surname
Organisation (if applicable) PCUG Membership Number (if applicable)
Postal Address
Phone (h) Phone (w) Concession Type (if applicable)
Credit Card Type Number Expiry Date Signature
Membersrsquo AdsFOR SALE
PC Users Group Membership Application Renewal
Notebook TP 486 DX266 95in Dual scancolour 8mg 433 HDD External 2X CDROM Fax modem card Win rsquo95 Office rsquo95pro Microsoft Plus NAV Norton UtilitiesWinfax Pro Microsoft Publisher and muchmore $1500 email gjonespcugorgau orphone Gary Jones 2391771 (Bus hours)
Canon Bubble-jet Printer BJ10-SX BWVGC [bookletdisk] $145Maestro External Fax Modem SE-144 FM[BookletDiks] VGC $100Corel Draw V3 CD-ROM[Bookect] VGC $100 NEGScanFax 24 Bit Color Page ScannerPC[FaxScanCopy] VGC $ 360WebAuthor V2 for Windows $ 65LOGOS BIBLE Software V2for Windows CD-ROM $150Call 239 5451 or e-mailmszabopcugorgau
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 47
Subject Name Email Phone Days TimesAccess for Windows Graheme Fry 288 3138 All days 730pm - 830pm
Accounting -TAS+ Exogen Attache NewViews P Goerman 231 2304 All days 900am - 900pm
Advanced Revelation John Curby 286 5777 Mon - Fri 900am - 900pm
Assembly Language Thomas McCoy 294 2226 Mon - Fri 800pm - 1000pm
AutoCad Geoffrey May 295 5942 Mon - Fri 400pm - 500pm
AutoCAD Rel 12 13 and LT Neil Moffat 292 7108 All days Noon - 1000pm
BASIC + Machine Language George McLintock 295 6590 All days 830pm -1000pm
Basic hardware help Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
Bluewave Jorge Garcia 282 2681 All Days 700pm - 900pm
Batch Files TSRs Utilities Bill Ghysen 287 1234 Mon - Fri 800pm - 1000pm
Bulletin Board Service Michael Phillips 253 4966 All days 730pm - 830pm
Chinese Star for Windows Peng Lee 258 0156 All days 100pm - 900pm
Clipper Cedric Bear 258 3169 All days 730pm - 830pm
Corel Draw Fabian Stelco 241 1743 Mon - Fri 730pm - 900pm
Corel WordPerfect Suite 7 for Win95 Peter Tilbrook kermitdynamitecomau 242 8696 All days Anytime
DOS Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
Excel Graheme Fry 288 3138 All days 730pm - 830pm
Flight Simulation Roger Lowery lowerypcugorgau 258 1583 All days Anytime
Foxpro Greg Atkinson 241 7903 Mon - FriSat Sun
700pm - 900pmFrom 1100am
Free Agent Agent Newsreading Allan Mikkelsen 278 3164 All days Noon - 900pm
General Help Allan Miller (044) 711187 Mon - Fri 730pm - 830pm
General Help Brian Gosling 259 1116 All days 730pm - 830pm
GEOSGeoWorks Phil Jones 288 5288 All days 600pm - 1000pm
Hardware Anthony Glenn 288 8332 All days Anytime
HDK Lis Shelley lshelleypcugorgau 248 6656 Mon - Fri 730pm - 830pm
HDK Ivana Leonard 231 4169 Mon - Thu 700pm - 900pm
ISR CADDSMAN Modeller (Win) Neil Moffat 292 7108 All days Noon - 1000pm
LINUX PC Unix Andrew Tridgell 254 8209 All days 600pm - 800pm
Lotus 1-2-3 Doug Jenkins 286 2243 All days 730pm - 900pm
Lotus Ami Pro 3 W ord Pro 96 ed Peter Tilbrook kermitdynamitecomau 242 8696 All days Anytime
Microstation Cad Andrew Novinc 258 1907 All days 600pm - 1000pm
Modem Communications Michael Phillips 281 1980 or All days 730pm - 830pm
Networks Gary Thompson 241 2399 All days 730pm - 900pm
Online doc using Help Compiler (Win3) John Carroll jcarrollpcugorgau 248 0781 All days 730pm - 1000pm
OS2 v2 Mark Beileiter 283 2429 Mon - Fri 800am - 330pm
OS2 Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
OS2 Michael Lightfoot 258 8185 All days 730pm - 930pm
Project (Microsoft) Steve Ramsden 287 1500 Mon - Wed 800pm - 1000pm
SBT Accounting Greg Atkinson 241 7903 Mon - Fri 700pm - 900pm
Scream Tracker 3 (3SM) MOD Music Chris Collins 258 8276 Mon - Fri 730pm - 900pm
Small Business Computing Nick Thomson 241 3239 Mon - Thu 730pm - 930pm
SuperBase Paul Blair 288 3584 All days 730pm - 930pm
Telix Michael Phillips 281 1980 All days 730pm - 830pm
SCO Unix amp Xenix J Bishop 291 0478 All days 700pm - 900pm
Unix Michael Lightfoot 258 8185 All days 730pm - 930pm
Turbo Pascal Michael Phillips 281 1980 All days 730pm - 830pm
Vision Impaired Adam Morris 291 4522 All days 700pm - 900pm
Visual BASIC Ian Champ 254 0418 All days 700pm - 900pm
Windows 31x Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
Word for Windows Lis Shelley lshelleypcugorgau 248 6656 Mon - Fri 730pm - 830pm
WordPerfect 51 DOS 61 Win Gayle Scott gaylespcugorgau 254 1579 All days 730pm - 930pm
WordPerfect 61 7 for Win95 Peter Tilbrook kermitdynamitecom 242 8696 All days Anytime
WordStar Dave Hay 258 7310 All days 700pm - 900pm
The people in this directory are volunteers so please observe the times given The Help Directory is designed to helpindividual users and should not be used as a substitute for corporate support calls to vendors This service is provided formembers only Please quote your membership number to the helper For those helpers with an asterisk messages may beleft on the BBS in either the General message area or as a Netmail message on 3620243 Send updates topcugeditorpcugorgau or via post to the PCUG Centre
The Help Directory
May 1997Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
1
Internet SIG730pmPCUG Centre
2
SIXTEENBITSCommercialAd deadlinefor May
3
SIXTEEN BITSLayout Day 10am______________InternetConnection Clinic930am-1pmPCUG Centre(check withCentre Staffer on253 4911)
4
TRAININGDAYProgrammingC and C++930-430PCUG Centre
5
Internet DaytimeDemo andDiscussion10am-12 noonPCUG Centre______________New MembersNight730pmPCUG Centre
6
VirtualCoffee amp ChatTIP IRCServer1030-1130am
7 8 9 10
TRAININGDAYProgrammingVisual Basic930-430PCUG Centre
11
TRAININGDAYIntro tocomputers930-430PCUG Centre
12 13
Coffee amp Chat1030amPCUG Centre__________
C++ SIG730pmPCUG Centre
14
CommitteeMeeting730pmPCUG Centre
15
OS2 SIG7 for 730pmIBM Building8 BrisbaneAve Barton
16 17
TRAINING DAYIntro Windows 95930-430PCUG Centre______________
Meet theCommittee2-4pmPCUG Centre
18
TRAININGDAYInternetAdvancedAccess Intro930-430PCUG Centre
19
Internet DaytimeDemo andDiscussion 10am-12noon PCUG Centre______________
SIXTEEN BITSStuffing and Mailing530pm PCUGCentre
20
Virtual Coffee ampChatTIP IRC Server1030-1130am_____________
Delphi SIG730pm PCUGCentre
21 22
Linux UserGroup730pmRmN101ComputerScience DeptANU
23 24
TRAINING DAYPC Maintenanceamp Troubleshooting930-430PCUG Centre
25
TRAININGDAYInternetAdvancedAccess Intro930-430PCUG Centre
26
Main MeetingManningClark Theatre1 CrispBuilding ANU7 for 730pm
27
Coffee amp Chat1030amPCUG Centre
28 29
Networks SIGCall GarryThomson(241 2399) fordetails
30
SIXTEENBITS Articledeadline forJune
31
TRAININGDAYInternetHTML Intro930-430PCUG CentreBytes SIG 6pm
Asian Bistro ANU(before PCUGmeeting
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 9
TECHNOLOGY GROUPinteract
Are you sick of congestedlines and slow access to the
InternetInterACT offers a full range of Internet Services in the Canberra Region
hellip be it a WWW home page to a corporate network ndashInterACT will deliver
Access $ 3500 per month orFlat Rate $ 18000 for 6 months
Access Plus $ 1000 per month (10 prepaid hrs)
$ 250 each additional hour
No Connection Fee applies to any of our dialup modem services
23 Megabit link to the Internet
Wersquore just a phone call away and you can be online today
Interact Technology Group URL httpwwwinteractnetauGround Floor Phone 257 833325 Torrens Street Fax 257 8322Braddon ACT 2612 Email infointeractnetau
All Plans payable in advance
10 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
In reality a key can be tested in a lotless than a millisecond In a recent challengein the US by RSA Data Security a 40 bitsecret key cipher was broken in about twoand half hours by using a whole stack ofcomputers in parallel No-one has crackedthe 56 bit challenge issued at the same time(at least at the time of writing this whichwas several weeks after the challenge wasissued) A 56 bit key is roughly 2^16 timesmore difficult to break meaning it wouldtake over 18 years to break with the samecomputing power used for the 40 bit key
Even if a 56 bit key was too short foryour security needs there are also schemesfor encryption with DES using two differentkeys in an encrypt-decrypt-encrypt cycleThis system sometime called triple DESmore than doubles the effective key lengthand provides truly remarkable security
Other common secret key algorithmsinclude IDEA (International DataEncryption Algorithm) which is used inPretty Good Privacy RC4 and RC5 ThelsquoRCrsquo series ciphers (also proprietaryproducts of RSA Data Security) are used inNetscape Navigator
US Export ControlsAs in many other technology areas theUnited States has been one of the leaders inthe development of crytosystems Manypowerful ciphers are available commerciallyin US products But the US government hasuntil recently had an almost total ban on theexport of most such products
The US government even used to treatcommercial cryptosystems as munitions forexport purposes Cryptographic softwareexports would often receive scrutiny fromthe US national security agency
Recent promises by major US IT firmsto incorporate lsquokey recoveryrsquo in theirproducts has lead to a relaxation on exportcontrols A statement by the White Houseon 1 October last year said that firms thatbuilt key recovery into their products wouldbe able to export much more powerfulcryptosystems for a trial period of two years
The actual details of what was meant bykey recovery were released by the USadministration just before Christmas 1996For practical purposes they differ little fromanother controversial and widely criticisedpolicy called key escrow which involveslodging all keys with a governmentauthority
The US government justifies itsinsistence on key recovery systems so thatit can continue to eavesdrop on criminalelements or terrorists taking advantage of
powerful cryptographic processes to hidetheir activities from the law
This means that the real interest by USauthorities is in cryptographic techniquesused for secret conversations The US hasno concern about encryption software thatcan only be used for digital signatures andmessage authentication
So far so good But on closer exndashamination the logic becomes harder tofollow The US government is controllingexport of cryptosystems not access to themin the US US citizens including thoseabroad have unrestricted access to verystrong encryption technology US citizenswill not even be obliged to use software thatincludes the key recovery systems mandatedfor exports In fact the October 1996statement by the White House makes thepolicy pretty clear ldquodomestic use of keyrecovery will be voluntary and any
American will remain free to use anyencryption system domesticallyrdquo
So how will the inclusion of keyrecovery in lsquoexport onlyrsquo products help TheUS government seems to be hoping that itskey recovery idea will become a de factointernational standard and that the US firmsmaking this software simply will not botherproducing two versions - one with and onewithout key recovery Instead they willproduce one version with key recovery Untilthis happens (if it ever does) the USgovernment will only be able to decryptmessages originated from overseas usingexported US software They will only beable to decrypt where a foreign governmentobtains the keys and hands them over Therecent White House statement says ldquoaccessto keys would be provided in accordancewith (export) destination country policiesand bilateral understandingsrdquo
A major problem highlighted by thecritics of US policy is that much of theencryption technology is already availableoverseas Much of it can apparently be usedlegally outside the US and even importedinto the US - yet it still canrsquot be exported byUS software vendors
For example DES is a publishedstandard and is widely available in manyparts of the world but until recently waseffectively the subject of a US export banAustralia is a case in point DES islegitimately available from a number of ourspecialist IT security firms for exampleEracom on the Gold Coast
In the case of RSA this is protected bypatent in the US However that hasnrsquotstopped it being available in other countriesin non-US products
The US government is not alone inhaving controls on use or export of crypndashtography France bans use of cryptographyby its citizens completely Closer to homethe Australian government also has exportcontrols on cryptographic software andhardware - although not a stringent as thosein the US Many other countries have thesetypes of controls as well
In spite of the well-intentioned motivesbehind restrictions on cryptography it seemshard to imagine that crooks and terroristswill be more vulnerable They are likely togain access to all the cryptographic
(continued from page 8)
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 11
SPIRIT NETWORKSYOUR INTERNET BUSINESS SOLUTION
IN CANBERRA
Offering full commercial Internet Services to create theInternet Presence of your business including
middot World Wide Web Site optional Domain Nameregistration and high volume services
middot Multiple Email Mailboxes amp high-speed Dialup access
middot Free Internet technical support
middot No time charging
middot Accounts from $25 a month
middot Training Consultation and Support Services
middot Connections by ISDN or modem permanentconnections available
middot Other services included are Telnet WWW FileTransfer News IRC and Multimedia
middot On-site Internet Software Installation Configuration andDemonstration
Personal accounts available
Complete Office Solutions for your Internet Presence
Email salesspiritnetau
Phone 0419 609 704 06 281 3552 Fax 06 285 1987
PO Box 486 Curtin ACT 2605
technology they want - whether legally ornot
If yoursquore interested in finding out moreon cryptography there are some good booksand plenty of good material on the Web Aclassic book is Bruce Schneierrsquos AppliedCryptography (2nd edition 1996 Wiley)which also contains C code for manyciphers On the web have a look athttpwwwrsacom (see FAQ) or httptheory lcs mi t edu~r ives t c rypto-securityhtml (plenty of good links - a mustfor anyone with an interest in cryptography)
12 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
1297
1897
1987
1997
ph 06 297 1084fax 03 9221 3180sustanceibmnet
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 13
14 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Setting Up a Commercial Site onthe Internet with Web Graphics
At the beginning of March I launched a newcommercial site on the Internet - InfoRomSince I know virtually nothing about HTMLprogramming and since I am something of anovice at this game I thought you might beinterested in
a) My experience of setting up acommercial site
b) My evaluation of how suited CorelWeb Graphics is to this purpose
I was in fact involved in EdRev anunsuccessful Internet project that was up onthe Net for much of 1996 Hopefully I havelearned from the experience - as Peter Cookused to say ldquoI have learned from my mistakesand I can repeat every one of them perfectlyrdquo
Developing Your Site ConceptBefore setting up your site it is important tohave a clear idea in mind as to why the site isthere what services you wish to provide andwhat sort of clients you are aiming at WithEdRev my idea had been to provide in-depthreviews of CD-ROM educational softwareover the Internet - people would not be able toaccess the reviews until they had taken up asubscription - or at least trialled the servicefor a month People out there did not respondto this approach - and the big problem frommy point of view was that I was putting vastamounts of time into writing the reviews andgetting little return
With InfoRom I decided to write shortermuch tighter reviews make them available forfree but offer access to question and answersupport on any of the products reviewed for asmall fee That way I figured that I wouldnrsquothave to invest too much effort up front but Iwould be putting my time and energy intoanswering questions for paid up subscribers Ialso decided to start including selected gamesas well as educational software so as to widenthe appeal of the service
Corel Web Transit - Word to HTML
Having written the reviews (inWord 6 for Windows) the nextstep was to convert them intoHTML format This proved to besomewhat easier than I had expectedWeb Transit makes the process prettyautomatic and it carried over my formattingand styles without any problem The onlydifficulty I found was that occasionally itwould add a couple of unwanted line breaksat the top of the page and very occasionallyan unwanted bookmark to the text at the topWhere this happened I simply deleted the linebreaks and changed the formatting to removethe bookmark There was no logical reason forthese unwanted inclusions - I suspect that itwas just a bug in the program Diagram 1 iswhat the Transit screen looks like You set updestination and source then click translatethen click the Web Designer icon if you wantto format and modify the file or click thebrowser icon to see what it will look like onthe Web
Corel Web Designer - Formattingand Enhancing the Site Pages
Web Designer is another of the Corel WebGraphics package components and (with thehelp of my daughter Naomi) I used this to dothe following
middot Fancy up headings and the appearanceof the text
middot Add internal links eg from the bottomof the page to the top
middot Add external links to other files egSubject Index
By Nick Thomson
Diagram 1
cd romcd rom
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 15
middot Add external files to other sites eg thesites of the software suppliers
middot Add graphics
All of the above processes were easy andreliable and I was able to undertake all of themsuccessfully despite not having any knowledgeof HTML programming I only encounteredthree shortcomings
1 If I had names with a mixture of upper andlower case the links didnrsquot always workproperly I overcame this by ensuring thatall my filenames were in lower case onlyI am not sure if this was a Web Graphicsproblem or just a general HTML issue
HTML is certainly casesensitive so beware
2 It is not possible to define orsave your own templates in Web
Designer It would have been veryhandy if I could have set up a template
with all the standard headings and linkseg to the Home Page built in - notpossible at this stage but I understand thatthis facility will be available in the nextupgrade of Web Designer
3 The formatting options are a bit limitedand it is not possible to define your ownstyles (although there is quite a good rangeof pre-defined styles available)
For graphics Naomi created a series ofneat little icons - one for each subject categoryThus at the top of each page there were twosmall graphics representing one or two subjectcategories for that review These were createdfrom clip art in Corel Draw then convertedand pasted in as gif or jpeg images (the twographic formats that are supported by HTML)We had tried using screen clips in EdRev -
they took forever to load and were a pain towork with so I decided against using them inInfoRom One of the golden rules of Web sitesis not to slow things down with too manygraphics - I get very frustrated waiting forsome of the software supplier sites to load -and I donrsquot want my potential clients to feelthat way about my site Diagram 2 is anexample of one of our pages
Selecting a Supplier andUploading Pages
The next step was to find a commercial sitesupplier I had been happy with service andvalue for money that we got at Spirit Networks(an ACT supplier) so I decided to go to themIt cost me $275 to set the site up (includingthe registration of my domain name on theInternet) and it is costing me $50 per monthfor maintaining the site (that includes a goodlevel of storage email traffic and the right toupdate whenever I like) - so it really isnrsquot tooexpensive a service As part of the setup costsa rep from Spirit came and helped my set upTIP email and FTP connections on mymachine Because of my newness to thisprocess I fired lots of questions (includingquite a few dumb ones) at them by email orphone in the first couple of weeks - I have tosay that they have been very patient and mosthelpful
I uploaded all the files by means of FTPand eureka it is working What a satisfyingfeeling to log on load up your browser andperuse a site that is all your own work Apartfrom a few faulty links (the result of incorrectentry on my part) everything was working fineimmediately and I have already added threelots of updates without difficulty
Marketing and Indexing the SiteWhen I was involved in EdRev I sent outapprox 600 emails to schools educationalagencies etc in the hope of winning somesubscribers For all that effort we got 2subscribers
I believe that one of the keys to the Internetis harnessing the power of the various searchprograms or Web Indexes by listing your sitewith them and doing whatever you need to doto ensure that your site has a reasonably good
Diagram 2(continued next page)
16 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
chance of being detected What I want is thatif someone searches for a particular packageeg Encarta or NHL 97 then they will bedirected to my site Thus the key is for not justmy home page but for every separate reviewpage to be picked up by the various indexesMost users stick with the big ones - as far as Ican tell they are
Excite
Infoseek
Lycos
Alta Vista
Magellan (subset of Excite)
Yahoo
Hot Bot
Web Crawler
Web Surfer
If anyone out there can suggest any otherlsquopopular onesrsquo please tell me My experienceis that there are two categories of Index
1 Those that list your home page and thentrace all of the links to the home page and(over time) add all of the other pages inyour site This can take 3 or 4 weeks Theseinclude Alta Vista Lycos Yahoo and (Ithink) Excite and Yahoo
2 Those that will only list the URL you haveentered eg Infoseek and Web Crawler
Thus I have taken two approaches Withcategory 1 eg Excite I have added just thehome page to the index although each time Ido an update I add the URL of what I estimatewill be the most popular choice for that weekto Excite and Hot Bot - thus increasing thelikelihood of my site appearing on thesesindexes in the short term Alta Vista Yahooand Lycos all actively discourage this process- but I will see whether the review pages ofmy sites are being picked up before I passjudgement on this
In the case of Infoseek and Web Crawler Ientered every single URL for all the pages inmy site (about 130 to begin with) - and everytime I do an update I add the URLs for thenew pages to these indexes It is timeconsuming but I believe that it is worth it Iam starting to get traffic to the site from allover the world but it is too early to tell howsuccessful my efforts have been
WebSurfer required a payment of $350(US) to be included - I wonder how long itwill be before this trend catches on with theothers At the bank I discovered that it wouldcost me $10 - to get a cheque drawn in USdollars - so the process cost me about $15
dollars And they wonder why Australia is notcompetitive on the international scene WhileI am grizzling about banks let me alsocomment that for every client that pays me bycheque in US dollars or pounds sterling it willcost me $5 to convert that cheque to Australiandollars The trick is of course to encouragepayment by credit card but I have not foundany of the banks I have spoken to so far to beparticularly eager to allow a small untriedbusiness like this to offer credit card facilitiesAre there any banks out there that encourageAustralians to transact internationalbusiness
There are a number of providers that offer(for a fee) to list you with lsquo100 Web indexesrsquoetc but since I figure that most people onlyuse the most popular ones I havenrsquot botheredwith them
Final CommentBasically it is now a matter of wait and seewhat the response is as well as ensure that thesite is visible on the various Web indexes Thewhole process has certainly been much easierthan I expected and I can certainly recommendCorelrsquos Web Graphics suite as a good way forbeginners to get a page up on the Internet witha minimum of fuss and bother Letrsquos hope thatthe subscribers start rolling in
Nick Thomson is a management trainerconsultant and he is also the manager ofInfoRom a CD-ROM review and onlinesupport service on the Internet He can becontacted on 241 3239
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 17
A review by Alan Tebb
ldquoWhat is the name of the worldrsquos mosttattooed womanrdquo (See the answer at theend of this article)
I remember buying a copy of theGuinness Book of Records in 1979and thinking it contained the mostfascinating collection of trivial facts
and figures I had ever read Over the yearsthe book settled the occasional dinnerargument that strayed into the realm of ldquowhowas the tallest man everrdquo or ldquohow longwere the longest finger nails ever grownrdquoIt was like having the sideshow bearded ladyand the tattooed man between covers on thebookshelf every page was filled with thebizarre the freakish the unbelievable
But to be fair the Guinness Book ofRecords is more than a collection of thecurious or unusual In the month since Ibegan this review I have noticed the TV andthe newspapers have on three occasionscovered attempts to break Guinness records
Perhaps the Guinness record book fulfillsthat need in human beings to challenge theirenvironment do things that no other humanhas done before to better the incredible featsof others or to be just plain crazy Whateverthe motivation the drive to be a part ofGuinness historyndashif only for as long as arecord holdsndashis as popular now as when thewhole thing began in 1955
So naturally I was very interested to seewhat Grolier had done to make the GuinnessBook of Records a multimedia CD I wasnrsquotdisappointed Like its hardcover cousin theGuinness Multimedia Disc of Recordscontains the same extensive collection ofrecords plus a library of amazing film clipsand photographs you simply wonrsquot findanywhere else on CD
The opening interface looks like acollection of pub drink coasters It has eightpaths allowing the user to browse recordsgo straight to an index of all photographsview movie clips search by words search
1995 GuinnessMultimediaDisc of Records
by topics search by superlatives run theRandom Record Explorer or play the GuessWhat quiz
The record browser lists almost 15000records in alphabetical order and is the leasteffective way of finding your way aroundthe CD The Guinness Multimedia Disc ofRecords excels in its ability to search itsdatabase of records using some innovativeoptions The usual Boolean choices areavailable or you can have fun searching bysuperlatives such as ldquotallestrdquo or ldquoheaviestrdquoThe CD will then list all the records thatinclude the chosen adjective The otheralternative is to search through topic treesthat branch out from a few key subjects allthe way to individual records an approachoften seen in CD encyclopaedias
The disc contains over 1000photographs from the Guinness collectionincluding what must be considered some ofthe most unusual and fascinating picturesassembled in one publication The majorityof photos and videos are very high in qualityand in the case of the photos these can beprinted
My only disappointment with theGuinness Multimedia Disc of Records is thefact that it did not have a country specificsupplement The thing I liked most aboutmy 1979 hard copy version was the 30 pagesof Australia-only records at the back Evenso the multimedia version is every bit asentertaining interesting and informative asI had hoped it would be With the addedadvantage of film clips sound and greatsearch capabilities I think it is better thanthe hard copy version Now if I can onlyremember some of those unusual facts andfigures I might be a much better TrivialPursuit player
System RequirementsA 486DX processor running at 33MHz orfaster using Windows 31 or rsquo95 4 Mb ofRAM 6Mb hard disk space CD-ROMcapable of 300Kbsec or higher transfer rateand a sound card The video uses Quicktimefor Windows 20 (supplied with theproduct)
The worldrsquos most decorated woman is stripartiste Krystyne Kolorful born 5 December1952 in Alberta Canada Her body is 95percent covered and it took ten years tocomplete the work
18 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
T his comprehensive set ofpowerful drawing and photo-editing tools fills a niche for thehome or small business users
who are looking for an easy-to-use graphicspackage to create greeting cards certificatesbanners business forms signs and calendarsetc and at the same time have the capacityto scan their own photographs touch themup and add special effects or create bitmapimages using the painting tools
While both MS Publisher 97 (which Ireviewed in the March 1997 issue) and PrintHouse have some similarities and overlapin the production of greeting cards bannerscalendars menus etc this program con-centrates on the production of qualitygraphics and photographic enhancementwhile MS Publisher97 was more orientedtowards Desk Top Publishing and has nophotographic enhancement program
Corel Print amp Photo House lives up toits claim for simplicity with a friendlywizard-based interface that anyone can usewithout training It includes more than 1600ready-to-print sample files (700 of whichare cards 1000 photos 1000 phrases 150TrueType fonts 7000 clipart images 200backdrops and 70 intelligent borders andtemplates and a well-illustrated manualwhich includes a catalogue containingcollections of the clipart fonts bordersbackdrops phrases and photos on theCDROM At a loss for the appropriatewords to include The comprehensive listof phrases should meet almost everyconceivable need
Installation is simple and the programproved fully compatible with my LogitechColour scanner and DSV Graphics DisplayAccelerator
There is a key that opens a key page thatin turn displays help topics to assist withthe task in hand using cue cards The topicsopened by the key are determined by the toolin use or the object currently selected Eachcard contains an instruction and after eachstep is completed a new card displays
Wizards are available to walk usersthrough any task such as changing the colourof an object or adding shadows to text Thereis an on-screen Notebook to help guide usersthrough various operations such as how toapply effects choose a paint brush or accessthe photo collection It also provides easyand visible access to clipart bordersbackdrops and preset styles that can bedragged and dropped into designs
You can customise a project withpowerful drawing tools and flip rotate orscale any text or graphic
The vector graphics and text are fullyeditable and can be flipped rotated re-sizedungrouped and fully customised by bothcolour and shape
The Toolbars and layout will be familiarto Corel Draw users they are intuitive andperform similar functions Figure 3 showsthe Notebook to the left of the verticaltoolbar showing what you would like to donext This Notebook provides convenienton-screen context-sensitive help and guidesusers through various operations such ashow to apply effects choose a paint brushor access a photo collection It also provideseasy and visible access to clipart bordersbackdrops and preset styles that can bedragged and dropped into designs To add acatalogue item you can drag it from theNotebook and drop it into the appropriatepart of your design
One particularly neat feature is theability to save pieces of your own creationfor later use in a section called theScrapbook so that you can add it to futureprojects
Reviewed by Jim Hume
Figure 1
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 19
The Photo House was particularlyimpressive both for the ease of use and itsversatility It took just over ten minutes torepair the damage to the print in Figure 2with the result shown in Figure 3 It alsoincludes a Notebook that provides on screenhelp to guide users For touching upphotographs there are Tools for selectionRectangle Freehand Eyedropper EraserFlood Fill Paintbrush Spray Can and Clonetools There are seven different touch-upeffects including Sharpen BrightnessContrast Remove Dust and ScratchesReduce speckles Simplify colours removered-eyes and Change Colours which provide
users with everything they are likely to needto spruce up or enhance photographs
Finally they provide a touch of fun withspecial effects-Page Curl Emboss SwirlCustom Negative Vignette Motion blurAdd light source Psychedelic Ripple
texture Impress-ionist and SketchThe photo editingpossibilities arealmost endlessFigure 4 showsthe special effectspicture a crownconverted top s y c h e d e l i cformat
Figure 2
Figure 3
Apart from serious use this program willalso provide a lot of fun for all ages andsome may be carried away with over-use ofthe graphics If only to emphasise the needto keep the design simple so that readers getthe message immediately the manual wouldbenefit from a Chapter covering theprinciples of good design similar to that inthe Publisher97 Companion or at least a listof recommended reading
There is an uninstall feature whichallows the ready removal of the program
System RequirementsMinimum System requirements IBM PC486 DX or compatible Windows95 orWindows Nt 351 a CD-ROM drive a VGAcardmonitor and a mouse or tabletWindows users require 8MB of RAM andWindows NT 351 or later users will require12 MB or RAM Price - RRP $9900
Figure 4
20 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
So here we are - itrsquos about 930 amon a fine Sunday morning and Irsquomcruising along the 210 freewayeastbound from Pasadena on the
way to the computer marketplace atPomona The traffic is light moving freelydown the 6 lanes between 70 and 80 mph(forgive the non-metrics therersquos a lot ofcatching up to do here) The speed limit wasincreased from 55 to 65 mph after the oilcrisis was ldquooverrdquo and the highway patroltend to frown on anyone faster or slowerthan 65 to 80 The radio is tuned to K-Earth1011 ldquoOldiesrdquo radio (appropriate for me)the Big-O is extolling the virtues of PrettyWomen and all is right with the world
Irsquove done my homework the day beforeby visiting FRYrsquos Electronics in Burbank -a huge high-tech megastore with a computersection roughly the size of David JonesThey are generally in the lower range ofcomputer retail prices - so it is worth seeinghow they compare to values at the Pomonamarketplace
Some example of prices at FRYrsquos (forsome things I was thinking of buying) are
Tape Backup unitsIomega Ditto 2Gb - $150 (Aus $207 after825 CA sales tax and conversion at 1275)Connor 32Gb - $229 A$316HP Colorado 32Gb - $209 A$288
Parallel port TV camerasColour - $249 A$343 Greyscale- $110 A$151 [Saw them bymail order at $79 A$101 (notax)]
8Mb 72pin EDO SIMMs 70ns - $40 A$55 60ns (1 yearWarranty) - $35 A$48 60ns(Namebrand lifetime warranty) -$44 A$61
Sony Web TV(WWW + Email via your TV -No PC required) - $290 A$400
Back to Sunday and thehardest part of the trip is theU-turn into the LA County
fairgroundrsquos car park - there are 6 entrancelanes with only 2-3 cars in each so gettingto park is pretty painless except for the $5parking fee Ouch A dollar up since lasttime Then another shock to the wallet -entrance fee has increased from $7 to $8for adults (and no Seniors discount) So atotal of $13 A$18 before making it into thefirst hall A friend and I discussed theentrance price and concluded that it mightbe a cunning psychological plot - Itrsquos costso much to get this far that one should reallybuy plenty to make it all worthwhileEverybody wins organisers and dealers thatis But itrsquos certainly possible to recoup theentrance money with a purchase of aCDROM For example MS Encarta 97 wasgoing for $26 (A$36)
There is at least one and sometimes twocomputer shows somewhere in LA eachweekend but this I think this one is thebiggest It is held in two large halls(sometimes three) Each hall is capable ofeasily accommodating around 150 largishstands with 10-15 foot aisles Therersquos 4 or 5radio stations here - at least 2 broadcastingand the rest handing out various ldquofreebiesrdquowhile relaying their station overloudspeakers Add to that various spruikersshouting their wares (ldquoNo CDs over $5 onthis tablerdquo ldquoLowest motherboard prices atthe showrdquo) numerous ldquomultimediardquo demos
and a few thousand people trying to makethemselves heard It is pretty noisy
I checked with the organisers and theysaid that they average around 8000attendees per day - so up to 20000 over agood two day weekend show It surprisedme that is was that low as it can get reallycrowded (2 or 3 deep at some stands)
There were over 300 dealers that day -about average However every 2-3 monthsthe organisers run 20-30 short seminars inconjunction with the market at the Sheratonsuites on the fairground complex On thoseoccasions the attendance at the marketincreases by 30 or more
So why do people keep coming back tothese shows Are the prices so much betterHere are a few examples
Complete ldquobasicrdquo system166 Mhz 6x86 Triton VX MB PnP bios256 Kb Cache 16 Mb EDO RAM 16 GbEIDE HDD 8X EIDE CDROM PCISVGA 64 bit with 2 Mb MPEG Yamaha3D Wavetable sound card poweredspeakers 336 Fax modem with Voice
mail SVGA 15 Digital NI28 monitor mousekeyboard floppy drive etcWin95 Installed with manualamp CD $969 A$1337 for thelot
MotherboardsIntel VX chip set with all IO256 Kb Cache - $84 A$116Intel HX chip set 512K -$110 A$152 CheapestPentium MB I saw (Optichip set) - $65 A$90
Wish You Were HereSixteen Bits foriegn correspondent John Saxonchecks in from Pasadena California
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 21
Tyan Tomcat 3 with 512K - $145 (the oneI paid $220 for 4 months ago - Oh wellthatrsquos life at the bleeding edge)
RAM8Mb 60ns EDO - $35 A$48 (Brand name$2 more) 16Mb 60ns EDO - $74 A$102
CPUsPentium Pro 150 Mhz - $179 A$247Pentium MMX 200 Mhz - $538 A$742(prediction - $300 by Dec 97)
CDROM Drives6X - $55 A$76 (Untested - as is)X12 Acer - $100 A$138X2 7 disk changer - $50 A$69(Untested - as is)JVC X4 read X2 write - $259A$357X16 (LiteOn = no name Nicebox) - $108 A$149
HDDsWD Caviar 25 Gb - $225 A$311Maxstor 13 Gb - $170 A$234
ModemsUS Robotics Courier 56 Kbs +Voice - $163 A$225 No name 336Kbs + SVDS - $67 A$92 (and goingdown)
Odd stuff2 Mb VGA cards as low as $45 A$62Cheapest parallel port flatbed scanner -$203 A$280
Stocking stuffers 230 Watt powersupplies - $17 A$23IDE HDD mobile rack with lock - $12A$17 TEAC 144 MbFDD - $20 A$28
The only direct comparison with FRYrsquosprices was for the HP 32 Gb tape backupunit - $209 at FRYrsquos - $149 at the marketSo it can definitely be worth the trip BUTsome of the dealers may not be around toolong to honour warranties and there aresome definitely ldquoshonkyrdquo practices goingon An example is the almost universalpractice of breaking up CDROM ldquobundlesrdquoto sell separately a practice much frownedupon by OEMs Caveat Emptor
So what was hot or different at thismarketplace
Well the new ATX format motherboardsand cases seemed to be selling well Forthose who donrsquot know - ATX is the new
mechanical layout with some electricalimprovements agreed by the major man-ufacturers (the first major mechanicalchange since the original PC) The mostobvious difference in the new motherboardsis on-board connectors (including USB andIR) and externally removable panels on thecases (you need a new case and Powersupply with the new motherboards) Butthere are many more changes infunctionality including ldquogreenrdquo systemPower supply control - never turn the system
off (except by unplugging it) Boards were$150 A$207 and up and cases with PSUsaround $75 A$104
Recordable CDROM drives were sellingwell with media down to $8 A$11 Didnrsquotsee any of the new DVD CD-ROM drivesbut these shows are not generally ldquocuttingedgerdquo more concentration on lower (slightlytrailing edge) prices
But I tried on a great pair of LCD 3Dglasses with modified game software - veryimpressive results The glasses switch 48times per sec (some noticeable flicker) andcome with a CDROM which include driversand some modified ldquoshoot-em-uprdquo gamesDescent 3D Nukem Doom etc for a totalof $99 A$137 The same stand also sold a4MB 128 bit Video card with hardwareMPEG2 decompression for $159 A$219Terminator-2 at full screen and full ratelooking better than your average TV
I even saw a $999 A$1378 home-use2-axis VR - that is Virtual Reality - chaircontrolled by the joystick It is quite quiet(as far as I could tell in amongst the racket)and apparently air driven with 50 degreesmovement in pitch and 55 degrees in roll
The monitor mounts in front of your kneesand the keyboard (for an optional operator -or simulation controller) behind the seatback There were speakers and joystick builtin also It seemed to be very fast and wasquite nauseating to watch Combine thiswith the 3D glasses for a total experience(if your stomach could take it)
There are probably more software thanhardware stands with CDROMs from $199up to $199 A$275 for Office 97 Pro upgrade(probably another unbundling job) Also 3
or 4 book stores - selling at coverprice less 25 for one book to coverprice less 35 for 5 or more books
Not all the stands are totallycomputer oriented There are a fairsprinkling of chiropractors (on thespot diagnosis) ldquoself defenserdquostands (mace amp pepper sprayselectric stun guns and (strangely)large knives) Cell phones pagerscigars and jewelry etc - you nameit A pretty large curtained off area(over 21 only) had several dealersselling thousands of ldquoadultrdquoCDROMs and videos A nice
change from the ldquooldrdquo days when that stuffwas included on most stands One of theradio stations was giving out ldquoEarthquakepreparationrdquo leaflets - modern times in LA
What did I buy Well - very restrainedfor me Only 16 Mb (2 X 8 Mb EDOSIMMs) of RAM - name brand (Toshiba) at$38 (A$52) each Also an HP Deskjetprinter colour refill kit At $55 (A$76) it waspretty expensive but it is supposed to refillcolour cartridges up to 24 times and B ampW up to 6 times so it could well be worth it- came with a package of business card paper(my choice parchment) also Oh and a W95or 31 Wincheck Version 40 softwarepackage at $1495 A$21 - I couldnrsquot resist
So after 2 12 hours I had taken a quickcheck around all the stands with no repeatsand I was out of there - all computered out(at least for one day) Irsquove been to that showat least 6 to 8 times before plus othersaround LA and I still get a mild adrenalinerush when going in - calculated to causeshopping frenzy
22 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Confused aboutYoursquore not alone
By Nhan Tran
Getting onto the InternetYoursquove heard about the informationsuperhighway and you want to know moreYour kids want to get on the Internet butyou donrsquot know how to give them a driveYou have been using the Internet but whenyou asked for help you could not explainyour problems to the experts This article(or maybe a series of articles) gives you thewhole picture and some explanation on thevehicle you use to get on the superhighway
The SuperhighwayThe Internet is a complex (and sometimesconvoluted) network of superhighways Theroads may be a six-lane freeway a four-lanehighway a side street or even a narrow alleyThey may be on the ground above groundunderground at the bottom of the seas orflying high with the satellites in space
On top of that you donrsquot actually driveyour car It is driven by an automatic driverwhich is nearly blind and canrsquot see fartherthan the next turn It is weird It is unnaturalwhich may be the reason why it works andthe other ldquowell-designedrdquo networks failedThe whole network is based on the conceptof ldquobest effortsrdquo That is the robot driverswould try their best but not guarantee thatthey would take you to the destination
They try to find the best route for you Itmeans that if the road is too congested theymay make a U-turn get off the freeway andcrawl through a labyrinth of cat alleys Theroads are like the real ones sometimes thereis almost no traffic at all other times theylook like a huge car park The matter getsworse when you take into account of thedifferent timezones around the world Oneorsquoclock in Australia may be the rush hourin another country and if you want to getinformation from there you get caught inthe traffic
Because of these characteristicssomeone (I think it was Mitch Kapor thespreadsheet inventor) has made a comment
like ldquothe information superhighway is a ten-lane freeway in one direction and an ox-cart path in the otherrdquo
But if you can go to where you wantwould you care I donrsquot I treat the wholenetwork like a fuzzy cloud that magicallygives me the new freedom the newcommunity and the new set of problems
The Highway RampSo how do you get on this super highwayThere are places which are connected to thehighway network on one side and entrancesfor you to enter on the other They are calledservers Normally what you see on theInternet is what is stored at these serversbecause most people like you donrsquot wantstrangers to access your PC (I wouldnrsquot leta stranger into my house) Luckily there aremany servers with many goodies to look ator play with
Getting onto these servers is not easyYou use a modem connected to a phone lineto call the modem on the server When theserver modem answers the call they wouldstart the process of synchronisation Toomany standards and too many brands If youare unlucky your modem may refuse to talkto the other modem and you would spendhours of frustration and get a huge phonebill
The high pitch tone you hear from themodem is this process When both modemssatisfy that they can reliably talk to eachother the noise stops Then itrsquos the butlerrsquosturn
The ButlerThere is a very important program for yourInternet access It is a program that asks the
modem to make the call to the server andwhen connected requests a login on yourbehalf to the server
What is a login You come to a friendrsquosplace knock the door or ring the bellSomeone in the house would ask ldquowho isthererdquo and yoursquod say ldquoitrsquos just merdquo Yourfriend recognises your voice opens the doorand let you in If you work in a securedenvironment every morning when you enterthe building you would show your ID cardto the security guard
Your username (or user ID or login ID)and your password are equivalent to the IDcard If you get the dreaded ldquoaccess deniedrdquoit means (a) you (or the program that doeson your behalf) entered incorrect username(b) you entered wrong password or (c) youran out of access hours or the accessexpired or your PCUG membership
expiredThis program is
always there rendashgardless of how youstart your Internetsession Some
access the Internet by Eudora some byMicrosoft Internet Explorer some useNetscape They either have a built-inprogram to do this job or automatically callthis program to make the connection Evenif you donrsquot see it on the screen it is runningin the background The popular PC prondashgrams that can do this task are TrumpetWinsock (or TCPMAN) Shiva Chameleonor Dial-up Networking Connect etc
Once the connection is established thisprogram will take on the task of a butlerserving other programs Letrsquos look at thefollowing analogy
Letrsquos assume that you (or to be precisethe PC programs such as Eudora MSInternet Explorer Netscape etc) were aninvalid confined in a room You would needa butler to help you getting things outside
ldquoThe roads may be a six-lane freeway a four-lanehighway a side street or even a narrow alleyrdquo
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 23
the Internet
the room When you (Eudora InternetMail Netscape Mail) wanted to checkyour mail yoursquod ask the butler to checkthe letter box and bring letters to yourbed When you wanted to send lettersto friends or relative yoursquod ask thebutler to take it to the post office
When you (Free Agent InternetNews Netscape News) wanted to readnewspaper yoursquod ask the butler to goto the newsagent and buy newspaper foryou When you (Internet ExplorerNetscape Opera) wanted a book or avideo yoursquod ask the butler to buy suchand such books or videos for you
It is so important that without it youcanrsquot get anything f rom thesuperhighway So if you started yoursession from Trumpet Winsock whenthe connection has been made (ie whenyou see the message ldquoMy IP address is2031076xxxrdquo) donrsquot close or exit theprogram Minimise it and let it run inthe background so that it can serve otherprograms Otherwise you would getstrange and incomprehensible errormessage such as ldquowinsockdll missingrdquo(trust a programmer to tell you whatrsquoswrong in the program he or she wrote)
Thatrsquos enough for the boring stuffNext t ime wersquo l l ta lk about emai l(eletronic mail) news World Wide Web(if the Queen is doing it so why canrsquotwe) and other mysteries of the Internet
Internet Clinics are normally held at the PCUG Centre Northpoint PlazaBelconnen the first Saturday of each month 930am to 1pm There is nocost involved
So if you (or another PCUG member you know of) are having problemsyou (or they) will be welcome to attend It is suggested that you call thePCUG Centre on the day and check with the staffer that we are notoverloaded before coming along
To get a problem on your PC resolved it is essential that you bring all ofthe following items with you
bull PC and Monitor plus all interconnecting cables
bull Mouse
bull Keyboard
bull Modem
bull Modem power supply
bull Modem cables - from PC to modemand from modem to telephone socket
bull Modem and PC manuals amp documentation
bull All of your software disks -
ie Win31 or Windows95 disksCD
If you dont have a PC to fix but you want to get some guidance on someparticular aspect of using TIP please feel free to come along and simplytalk to us
Clinics are not a free softwaremodem installation service We do expectyou to have made a reasonable attempt at getting the software installed ampworking
David Schwabe dschwabepcugorgau
The Internet Clinic
24 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
A t the start of this year I startedto get interested again in an oldheroine from days of misspentyouth in the rsquo70s New York
underground poet-turned-singer Patti Smithldquothe Bob Dylan of the punk scenerdquoThought Irsquod see whether there was anythingon the Web and found anexcellent site at httpwwwoceanstarcompatti Tomy astonishment I found thatshe was in Australia on her firstmajor tour anywhere in years mainly for theBig Day Out outdoor concerts
I had heard of the Big Day Out tour viaTriple J but this was the first Irsquod heard ofher being on the bill After seeing other re-formed punk heroes Radio Birdman and theSex Pistols in 1996 was it possible I couldmake the trifecta Alas the Sydney eventhad been booked out for two weeks
Via the JJJ Web site httpwwwabcnetautriplejdefaulthtm I found theBig Day Out Web site httpstarbaitbdocomaustarbaitbdo and loand behold they were having live conndashnections to the Melbourne concert on the25th January via the Internet with the
assistance of a US-based organisation calledThe Campus (wwwthecampuscom) If Icouldnrsquot be there in Sydney to see Patti inperson this would be as close as I couldget In addition I had always seemed to findout about real-time events on the Web justafter theyrsquod occurred and here at least wasan opportunity to be in at the start it wouldbe an interesting technical exercise ifnothing else
First choice was browser InternetExplorer 3 or Netscape Navigator 3 I gatherIrsquom not unlike many in having been initiallybowled over with IE3 then finding that itwas less robust and in particular made fargreater demands on temporary storage thanNetscape With little free disk space and
being about to try all sortsof new things I decided toplay safe and use Navigator
The Big Day Out Website (figure 1) was well done
and looked great including animatedgraphics and good use of frames but wasif anything as the British say ldquotoo cleverby halfrdquo For example you selected optionsvia a Shockwave animation of ducks in ashooting gallery click the mouse on a duckwhen an alternative was highlighted yoursquodhear a BANG the duck would flop overbackwards and yoursquod be off to that optionVery cute very clever and very slow andfrustrating for actually going anywhere Inaddition it appeared that when you went tosome pages they called up some trick Javacode which brought up Netscape sessionsin what looked like Kiosk mode no menusLooked neat but again a nuisance The sitehad its own mascot a sort of anime-stylekick-boxing heroine called Miss Starbait (Iassume a risque in-joke try saying the namequickly)
Once you got to it the information wasthorough and well laid out A list of artistsincluded links for those who had Web pagesThere was a page on the Auckland concert(first in the series) with photos etc For eachcity on the tour the site had links to maps ofthe venues and also timetables I foundfrom this that in Melbourne Patti Smithwould be on Stage C 540 PM for an hour
There were two main components to theInternet part of the day a Real Audio feedwith both backstage comments and the
via the Internet or -the boy looked at PattiO
BDig
ayut
by Malcolm Street
Figure 1
This is the era where everybody createsPatti Smith - ldquoSo you want to be a Rock n Roll Starrdquo 1979
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 25
stage and a new form of conferencingsoftware called The Palace where artistswould come for QampA sessions with fansIrsquod experimented with Real Audio but notto any great depth and had never even heardof Palace and I had to get this all togetherin a day Fortunately there were direct linkson the Big Day Out Web site
While I had a Real Audio stand-aloneplayer one page on the site came up with ablank expecting a Real Audio plug-in Ontothe Net to the Real Audio page todownload Real Audio player version 3Install restart Navigator back to the pageand voila A Real Audio control in themiddle of a Web page Painless
Then to work out which ISP to useUnfortunately the weekend was the onebefore the ldquoearly birdrdquo credits expired forTIP and I presume because of this it wasalmost impossible to get on One time whenI did get on I tested the Real Audiobackstage feed from Melbourne and foundI was only getting a 144k stream and poorquality at that I had a second backupaccount with Access One with a higherspeed (and far more expensive) networkand found that I could get a stable 288kReal Audio stream so that was going to be
what Irsquod have to use Not to mention thatthe time Patti Smith would be on would bepeak time anyway
Next step was to find Palace again viaa direct link from the BDO page to httpwwwthepalacecom I had used forms of
3D interactive software but Palace wasdifferent much simpler just 2D backndashgrounds Really a sort of IRC withbackdrops and sound effects For the BigDay Out the organisers had produced theirown backgrounds and sounds and I had todownload those as well from their siteHowever there were no instructions on howto set them up so it ended up being trialand error until I got it to work puttingimages and sounds in separate subdirndashectories under the Palace directory
Finally I had Palace running with the BigDay Out backdrops and found myselfoutside a circus tent which included livelinks to the Big Day Out and Campus Webpages (figure 2) Moving ldquoinsiderdquo the tentgot me to an area where I could don aparticular costume however choices werelimited for non-registered users andappeared to reset so I had to be content withthe default avatar a soft of sphere with aface on it (figure 3)
Finally there was the conference tentitself guarded by a fearsome lookingdoorman who asked for a passwordClicking on his lady companion told you tolook in the log Once Irsquod figured out howto do that I found it ldquomama cazrdquo Typedthat in response to the doorman and whoafound myself in this psychedelic room whichwas to be the conference area (figure 4)
Figure 3
Figure 2
26 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
I knew when Patti Smith was going tobe on stage what I didnrsquot know was whenshersquod be in conference in the Palace I waslistening to the back stage chatter via RealAudio this time more organised as Campuswas acting as ldquoon line radio stationrdquobroadcasting to the USA ldquoAustraliarsquosLollapolloozardquo and in the middle of this Iheard them give times for different artistsbeing in the virtual tent with Patti Smithroughly 430 Problem solved
430 arrived Back on line into the tentanother band (Supergrass) being inndashterviewed The conference area is now fullof faces with a still photo of the band downthe bottom left-hand corner Irsquove had verylittle experience with IRC and this seemsvery similar hard to follow with variousthreads of conversation going on sindashmultaneously but I gradually tune in to itTherersquos a thread going about problemspeople are having with reliably picking upReal Audio - oh dear As well as a fewAustralians there are a couple of Americansin there and a South African Then see thatPatti Smith is about to come on And sureenough C 440 the picture changes and thereshe is
Unfortunately the session is a bit of ashambles Unlike the younger artists (sherecently turned 50) she does not appear tobe familiar with the technology andsomeone else is doing the typing for herslowing down and complicating exchangesSeems to be the passing of the torch - a bitof a fish out of water in the environment ofa younger generation The bass player ofher backing group had suffered concussion20 minutes before from a collision with arogue door hence her lateness Thingsfinally get under way (one person ldquoa fanfrom WAY backrdquo says ldquonot many questionsjust adorationrdquo I can relate to that) but justas itrsquos building up a head of steam she getsa long phone call (presumably about the bassplayer) and has to call it quits prematurely
Irsquoll just have to wait and see if theconcert is any better
Well the concert is indeed better In factwhen I can hear it clearly (see later) itrsquoswonderful She starts with an early poemroaring it out with authority then afterthanks to JJJ who are handling the broadcastto the Internet and to the absent bass player
launches into the concert proper a greatblend of old and new
The sound quality is to put it mildlyvariable It was much better in earlier gigsthat day with Australian bands but itappears to drop off markedly on this onePerhaps too many people on at onceAmerican fans connecting in to hear one ofher first big shows in years Checking withstatistics in Real Audio shows theconnection approaching 20 loss in someearly songs leaving a very jerky soundFortunately it improves later with lossesdown to around 4 and sound quiteacceptable (People dropping out infrustration) However later on a fewoccasions the sound drops out completelyand I have to wait while it restarts somendashtimes for a couple of minutes
Then just as the concert comes to ashattering climax heading into one of myfavourite songs of hers a demolition of VanMorisonrsquos Gloria the Real Audio feed goesfor me at least dead Stone cold dead It islike the other times when it has dropped outbut this time it wonrsquot recover BummerAfter several minutes I can get the feedagain but just get an empty stage waitingfor the next band
So that was it a frustrating end to afrustrating but fascinating day At best thesound quality was am radio standards Butthen again these are very early days and Ican remember worse am radio sounds ontransistor radios as a kid in the lsquo60rsquos Avideo feed would have been real nice butone thing that is obvious from this exerciseis that live audio let alone live video ispushing current Internet technology to itslimits and beyond with a large numbers ofsimultaneous users in a function like thisSo as with so much on the Net wersquore seeingthe first glimpses of something that will takeanother generation of technology to becomepractical But hey this is the world of theNet and another generation could be onlysix months away
Later that night I connect to the Palacesite again and find a note at the tent to sayit was all over and to check up next week Ido indeed and they reckon over 100000people worldwide connected to the site thatone day and that the live broadcast of PattiSmithrsquos complete concert was a world firstApart from catching up with an old idol Irsquodseen a glimpse of a communications futureof being part of an event shared interactivelylive world-wide yet another step towardsthe Global Village
Figure 4
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 27
Stuffed AgainThe following members and friendsare thanked for assisting with stuffingour journal for mailing
Andrew amp Bruce Bartlett
Bruce Black
Owen Cook
Eddie de Bear
John Dyer
Bob Ecclestone
Rufus Garcia
Sally Hammon
John Hempenstall
Joy Hewett
Sue amp Jim Hume
Jenny Laraman
Alan Lockett
David Meggs
Allan Mikkelsen
Don Nicol
Gloria Robbins
Keith Sayers
Rod Smith
John Starr
Bob Summersby
Michael Taylor
Gordon Urquhart
Anne WarrenerWe are always looking for volunteersto assist us with the lsquostuffingrsquo of ourjournal We start around 530pm(latecomers are welcome) usually on the2nd last Monday of every month andare generally finished by 800pmRefreshments are provided and any ofyour knotty computer problems can bedebated lsquoat the round tablersquo in congenialcompany If you would like to helpplease ring Petra Dwyer at the PCUGCentre on 253 4911 and she will fill youin on all the details
Next Stuffing530pm Monday 19 May 1997at Northpoint Plaza Belconnen
(see map page 6)
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Oz User GroupsAdelaide PC Users GroupPO Box 2541Kent Town SA 5071(08) 332-7021Margi McLeay (Sec)Meet 730pm 3rd Tuesday of themonth at Enterprise House 136Greenhill Road Unley Visitors $5
Brisbane PC Users Group(Brisbug)PO Box 985Toowong QLD 4066(07) 3273 7266 Info Line(07) 3281 6503Lloyd Smith (Pres)Meet 12 noon 3rd Sunday of themonth at Bardon Professional Cntr
Darwin ComputerUsers ClubGary Drake (Vice President)(089) 324 107 h(089) 450 091 wEmail acsntacslinknetau
Melbourne PC User Group2nd Floor 66 Albert RoadSouth Melbourne VIC 3205(03) 9699 6222 10am - 330pm(03) 9699 6499 FaxEmail officemelbpcorgauHome Page httpwwwmelbpcorgauMeet 6pm 1st Wednesday of themonth (except Jan) at PharmacyCollege 381 Royal Parade Parkville
Perth PC Users GroupPO Box 997West Perth WA 6872(09) 399 7264 Trevor Davis (Pres)Meet 600pm 1st Wednesday of themonth at Ross Lecture TheatrePhysics Building University of WANedlands
Sydney PC Users GroupPO Box A2162Sydney South NSW 2000(02) 972 2133 Michelle DonaldMeet 6pm 1st Tuesday of the monthat main auditorium TeachersFederation 300 Sussex StreetSydney
28 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Features include fun animation sound effectsand a high-score listing Reg Fee $15
COMET13Comet Busters 13 is an incredible high-speedarcade game for WIN31 You must clear thecolourful asteroids and occasional alienspacecraft from the screen before you canproceed to the next deadly level This gamefeatures beautiful 256-colour ray-tracedgraphics and digital sound effects Reg Fee $9
HMN32V11Hangman (BB) 111 is a word-guessing gamefor Win95 that can help grade school-agechildren improve their vocabulary andspelling Features include an editable wordlist the ability to include definitions with eachword mouse or keyboard input and moreRequires the 32-bit VB runtime files Reg Fee$5
PDHP97SUPrairie Dog Hunt PRO rsquo97is a shooting gamefor Windows that allows you to participate inthe wholesale slaughter of harmless mammalswithout all the mess Features include 360
LIBRARY Phil Trudinger
The files described in this article are on theMarch 1997 CD-ROM (PsL Vol 5 3) whichis currently on the Bulletin Board all are ZIPfiles Please quote the month or Vol whenordering files on disk
The text files CD1 to 7 inclusive in Area 1 ofthe Bulletin Board are the monthly CD-ROMfile lists
Reminder
Most CD-ROM programs are Shareware Areasonable time (generally one month) isallowed for evaluation but if you continue touse a program beyond this time you shouldcomply with the authorrsquos conditions thatusually require payment of a registration feeBear in mind that this is the only way by whichan author receives any reward for hisherefforts Unless otherwise stated registrationfees are in US dollars
NEW AND UPDATEDWINDOWS PROGRAMS
(An asterisk denotes Windows 95specificity or compatibility)
GAMES
AGNSETUPAGNS - A Game of Naval Strategy 162 is agame of naval warfare for Windows whereyour objective is to sink the computerrsquos unitsor capture his main base Each turn consistsof a plot movement phase air combat phasemovement and combat phase air strike returnphase and a repairbuild phase Thissequence is repeated until one side claimsvictory Reg Fee $15
BG17Backgammon by George 17 is an excellentgame of backgammon for Windows You canplay against the computer (with four differentskill levels) or against a human opponentOther features include the ability to saverecall games many unique customisingoptions computer-suggested moves andmore Reg Fee $15
BNW10ABuild lsquon Win 10a is an interesting strategicgame for Windows where two players buildtheir opponentrsquos game boards and try to makethem as difficult as possible to complete
degree scrolling scenery excellent animationdigitised sound effects multiple skill levelsand a high-score hall of fame Reg Fee $20
SANWHRTSSanDearsquos Hearts for Windows 100 allowsyou to play the classic card game Hearts inWindows Features include support for up to12 computer players modem play the abilityto create a hand an undo option the ability tosave and rotate a hand and more Reg Fee$10
TILES95BTiles and Tribulations 152 is a challenginggame for Win95 where you try to catch fallingcoloured tiles and drop them into bins in alogical manner Any three (or more) tiles ofthe same colour in bins going horizontallyvertically or diagonally will be removed andincrease your score Reg Fee $22
GRAPHICS
CPLAY2Childrsquos Play IIis a 256-colour paint programfor children It occupies the full screen to help
SOFTWARE
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 29
prevent the child from going to other applic-ations Features include unique graphicspecial effects rubber stamps various screenerasers fun sound effects the ability to loadsaveprint images and more This is anexcellent program with many creative optionsto keep the little ones busy for hours Reg Fee$20-$25
GIFCON32GIF Construction Set 95 109 is a powerfulcollection of tools to work with multiple-block GIF files in Win95 It will allow you toassemble GIF files containing image blocksplain text blocks comment blocks and controlblocks and provides facilities to managepalettes and merge multiple GIF files togetherRequires a minimum of 4MB RAM but 8MBis recommended Reg Fee $20
ICN95525Icons Control 95 525 displays up to 100icons at a time for quick viewing printingcopying renaming moving or deleting Apowerful icon editor is also providedRequires Win95 Reg Fee $25
SD95INSTSmartDraw 95 30 is a powerful drawingprogram for Win95 It allows you to easilycreate great looking flowcharts diagrams andbusiness graphics Features include drag anddrop drawing OLE support full compatibil-ity between 16 and 32-bit versions filesharing the ability to send drawings on mail-enabled systems and much moreSDINSTALis the Win31 version Reg Fee $49
FONTS
FLFontLister (32-bit) 15 displays all installedfonts in Win95 You can also print a completefont listing or just some sample text with aselected font Reg Fee $0
FONTSHOWFontShow (32-bit) 22 allows you easily toview the TrueType fonts installed in Win95NT Options are included to display user-specified sample text in place of the normalfont name and alphanumeric character setThe size and face of the currently selectedfont can be quickly changed and the resultsdisplayed automatically Reg Fee $0
FONTW11FontWindow 11 displays all your Windowsfonts on screen so you can quickly see whichfont you want to use It can be set to stay ontop so you can view fonts while running otherprograms Reg Fee $29-$39
SERIFRACSeriFractions is a TrueType font that has a fullset of diagonal and vertical fractions for 12through 89 and also 16ths and 32nds It alsohas a partial set of mathematical symbolsincluding the true multiplication (x) symbolReg Fee $10
SYMSELSymbol Selector 11 allows you to easilyselect and copy symbols from TrueType fonts
that are of the ldquosymbolrdquo variety (such asWingdings and Symbols) to the WindowsClipboard Reg Fee $0
INTERNET
ADZAP10AdZapper 10 is an add-on for NetscapeNavigator to ldquozaprdquo (eliminate) annoyingadvertisements Reg Fee $20
AWN95AutoWinNet95 10 lets you perform commonInternet tasks on a scheduled basis You cancreate an ldquoagendardquo with dozens of stepsincluding updownloading email retrievingand sending obtaining weather updates andmore Requires Win95 Reg Fee $30
GGI11Go-Get-It 110 performs exhaustive preciseand ultra-fast searches of the Internet using acombination of keyword search Usenetnewsgroups search and various searchengines Features include automatic retrievalof all found web pages and informationoptional storage in separate folders to be usedlater and more Reg Fee $40
MASNDW32MailSend (32-bit) 3x is an add-on forMicrosoft Mail and Win95 that allows you tosend messages from the command line orfrom batch files Reg Fee $49
ND276BNetDial 276b is an Internet dialler forWindows It will call your host log you inand automatically start your TCPIP packagefor you Features include support for up to 5separate configuration connections baud ratesupport to 256k redial up to 99 times WAVsound file support and more Reg Fee $20
PRO12Teleport Pro 120 is a multi-threaded file-retrieving offline-browsing webspider forWin95 It scans the Internet for files or sites ofinterest and downloads them to your harddrive for fast offline access Features includeadvanced file typesize matching keywordfilters the ability to handle proxy servers andpassword-protected sites automatic retriesand more Reg Fee $40
TRAW3215Trawler (32-BIT) 15 allows you to interact-ively browse and gather information from theWeb It automatically follows links andretrieves pages to your hard drive It can evenfollow links from different web databasessimultaneously Reg Fee $35
30 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
MISCELLANEOUS
CALC9534Calc95 34 is a scientificengineeringcalculator for Win95 with a wide range ofbuilt-in units conversions and physicalconstants Reg Fee $25
GL10DThe GL Store for Windows 10d is a completedouble-entry general ledger accountingprogram for Windows It maintains 10000 GLaccounts multiple companies budgets 3-Dcolour graphs recurring accounts multipledepartments and detailed reports Reg Fee $79
HBGHome Business Guide 30 is a Windows-based guide to starting a business from homeIt discusses selecting planning and startingyour own business and covers resourcestools and help available Reg Fee $0
TIMCLK13PC-TimeClock for Windows 13 keeps trackof time yoursquove spent on your computer Timeis charged to one or more projects from yourlist by ldquopunching inrdquo when you begin work oneach project Reg Fee $18
MUSIC
MT32_16A Musical Tutorial for Windows (32-bit) 160provides an excellent way to encouragemusical study using the graphically-orientedenvironment of Win95 This includes a chorddictionary musical games the ability to playview and print scales chords and triads a userlog and much more This is suitable for bothchildren and adults Reg Fee $25
SCALEIT4ScAleIt 40 is a musical scalecordeducational package for Windows It candisplay all the chords and scales with all rootsand all inversions Features include aneditable database the ability to play chordsscales through your sound card MIDIsupport a solving function and much more800x600 screen resolution is recommendedReg Fee $0
PHONEADDRESS BOOKS
AM_PB45Phone Book for Windows 45 is a nameaddress database for WIN31 Fields areprovided for name addresses two phonenumbers fax and comments Other featuresinclude phone dialling over a modemsearching capabilities printing options andmore Reg Fee $17
BAM211Burrilliant Address Manager 211 helpsorganise all of your phone numbers address-es birthdays account numbers and more inWin95 All personal or business informationcan be printed for your day planner in a cleanattractive format Reg Fee $15
CARDBASECardBase (32-bit) 23 is a combinationaddress book and phone dialler for Win95NT Along with the regular fields for namesaddresses and phone numbers it can alsostore email addresses FAX numbers and website URLs Cards can be quickly sorted byname or custom card groups Searching andsorting operations are fast and intuitive RegFee $0
PHNMKR18Phone Book Maker 18 allows you to createphone books in pocket 12 letter and lettersize Features include 30 useful fields perrecord standard envelope printing powerfulindexfiltersearch facilities importexportcapabilities in variety of formats virtuallyunlimited records and more Reg Fee $50
SCREEN SAVERS
ADRF3210Adrift Screensaver (32-bit) 100 displaysbeautiful floating line patterns on your Win95desktop Reg Fee $14
AURADEMOAurora Screen Savers is a screen savermodule for Windows that simulates a 3-Djourney through the Aurora Borealis Twelvedifferent colour patterns are available Thisversion displays a nag box in the upper leftcorner of the screen Requires 256-colourvideo Reg Fee $18
BLKBRD15Blackbird Screen Saver 15 is a Windowsscreen saver module that displays photos ofthe SR-71 spy plane in action Requires 256-colour video and 4MB RAM Reg Fee $15
BOMBER15Bombs Away 150 is a slideshow screensaver for Windows with 256-colour digitisedphotos of jet bombers in action Requires4MB memory Reg Fee $15
BOTANICABotanica Screen Savers is a screen savermodule for Windows that displays a virtualgarden of growing plants and flowers inbeautiful variations of colour and shape
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 31
Twelve different savers are provided eachwith their own unique patterns Requires 256-colour VGA and VBRUN300 Reg Fee $18
JEWELJewelBox 10 is a screen saver for Windowsthat displays colourful ldquojewelsrdquo that appear togrow on your screen Features includeinteractive options a variety of palettechoices and more Reg Fee $18
JOTREE15Joshua Tree Screen Saver 150 displays thestark beauty of the California desert capturedin stunning 24-bit colour images Requires a386+ 4MB RAM and 256-colour video RegFee $15
METALLIXMetallix is a screen saver module for Win-dows that displays metallic sculptures whichunfold in unique and unpredictable patternscreating a mesmerising transformative effectThere are twelve different savers to choosefrom each with its own distinct settingsRequires 256-colour VGA and VBRUN300Reg Fee $19
NIAGRA15Niagara Falls Screen Saver 150 is a screensaver module for Windows with photos of thefalls and immediate vicinity The photos rotateautomatically when activated Requires 256-colour video and 4MB memory Reg Fee $15
PICSHO32MyPictureShow32 is a Win95 screen saver inwhich the visual content is supplied by yourown collection of computer images There isno limit to the number of pictures you canuse and nine different display modes areavailable The slideshow mode allows achoice of 17 transition styles Other featuresinclude support for BMPJPGGIF graphicfiles password protection automatic scalingof large images to available screen size and
more This demo version will run 20 timesthen disables itself Reg Fee $16
SSCR8R21My Own Screen Saver 21 allows you tocreate your own screen saver using yourfavourite images and pictures You cancombine selected BMP DIB and WMF fileswith 32 different visual effects Reg Fee $20
TWIST151Twister Screen Saver 151 is a 32-bit screensaver for Win95 that transforms your desktopinto a windy landscape with one or moretwisters moving everything deforming yourdesktop making everything a mess You canconfigure the wind speed number of twistersthe twisterrsquos speed and more Reg Fee $8
VENIC12Venice Screen Saver 12 is a Windows screensaver module that displays graphics thatsimulate floating through the canals of Veniceon your gondola as Italian music and the
sound of splashing waves fills the air Reg Fee$29-$39
VIDSAVVidSaver 11 is a Windows screen saver thatplays video clips and animations while yourcomputer is idle Reg Fee $20
TEXT EDITING
EDT236PEM EdTex for Windows 95 236 is a 32-bittext editor for Win95 It can edit a maximumof 2000000 characters and 30000 linesOther features include macro support printingoptions word wrap multiple undoredoblock editing and more Reg Fee $35
GTE32R15GWD Text Editor (32-bit) 15 is a powerfultext editing package for Win95 Featuresinclude support for macros unlimited filesize print preview a built-in spell checker anautosave option support for DOSUNIXMactext file formats and much more Reg Fee$20
JW32T22CJ-Write for Windows (32-bit) 22 is a fullfeatured editor for general text files and emailFeatures include the ability to edit very largefiles support for any ANSI font configurabletab settings and four line wrap modes multi-level undoredo and more Reg Fee $30
QUIKDC11QuikDict Spelling Dictionary 11 is a pop updictionary accessible from the Win95 ToolTray Features include the ability to spellcheck all words as they are typed alphabeticand ldquosounds likerdquo word matching over91000 EnglishAmerican words in thedictionary the ability to automatically pastethe correct spelling back to the clipboard andmore Reg Fee $19
SCRATCH4Scratch Pad (32-bit) 21 is a text editor forWin95 Features include the ability toautomatically capture clipboard information aprint preview function undo facilities andmore Reg Fee $15
TXEDITTxEdit (32-bit) 25 is an easy-to-use texteditor that makes a nice replacement for theWin95 Notepad Features include the abilityto viewedit multiple documents search andreplace options drag-and-drop support MacUnix file support and more Reg Fee $0
32 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
TXP3223TextPad (32-bit) 23 is a text editor forWin95NT It can handle files with up to32000 lines of 4095 characters with multiplesimultan-eous edits and up to two views oneach document Other features include fullundoredo facilities print previewing atoolbar for frequently-used commands abuilt-in file manager support for Unix andMacintosh text file formats drag-and-dropsupport and much more TXP1223 is theWin31 version Reg Fee $27-$35
UTILITIES
ADDIT10ES Adding-Machine 10 is a unique calculatorfor Windows that is designed for adding upcolumns of figures Entered figures areretained on-screen and can be edited so youwonrsquot have to start again if you are interrupt-ed or make a mistake Reg Fee $40
CIDV09CIDview monitors a selected telephone lineand reports the Caller ID whenever there is anincoming call The details of incominginformation will be automatically displayedon your screen with the Caller ID informationstaying visible for 10 seconds Reg Fee $9
DLLCHK95DLL Check 95is a DLL management utilityfor Win95 Features include the ability tocreate a log of all modules that load or unloadin a session the ability to search for duplicatemodules and a detailed information displayfor selected modules Reg Fee $80
EASYZIPEasy Zip (32-bit) 10 makes it incredibly easyto archive files with PKZIP in Win95 Itallows you to use point-and-click operationsinstead of all the context-switching and messybatch files of manually using PKZIP fromDOS Reg Fee $1850
HDLED11Hard Disk LED 11 simulates a hard disk lightthat flashes every time there is disk activityAn icon appears on the Win95 task bar andflashes every time the system accesses yourhard drive Reg Fee $5
HYSNP278HyperSnap 278 allows you to capture thedesktop highlighted window areas or user-defined areas in Win95NT Features includehotkey support cropping facilities the ability
to save images in BMPGIFJPEG format andmuch more Reg Fee $20
LONGSAVELongSave 101 is used to save the list of longfile names and short names to a commadelimited ASCI text file The short names canthen be backed up or zipped or copied withutilities that are not long-file-name-awareAfter the files are transferred it uses theASCII file to restore the original long file
names This must be run from a DOS sessionunder Win95 Reg Fee $25-$95
REDH22Red Hand 22 tells you exactly what someonedid on your computer while you were awayexactly when they did it and how long it tookWindows can be discretely ldquolockedrdquo toprevent access and will simply close themimmediately or send an error message of yourchoice You can control exactly which areasof your computer that you do not want othersto have access to Reg Fee $25
RMVR32RemoveR 161 helps delete unneeded filesfrom your hard drive after you have installed aprogram in Win95 It will take a snapshot ofthe drive before an installation then you cancompare the current status of your files withthat last stored All files that have been addeddeleted will be shown on the results screenFrom this screen you can highlight certainfiles andor directories and delete them orsave the list for later deletion Reg Fee $5-$40
SENTRY95Sentry 95will prevent all unauthorised usersfrom accessing the Win95 desktop wheneveryour computer boots Reg Fee $14
SU96_402StepUprsquo96 402 contains a set of utilitieswhich make working with Win95NT easierand faster This includes a user-customisableStepUp Menu smart Folder Navigatorsophisticated Menu Designer and a powerful
File Handler It also provides handy taskbaricons for fast exit CD-ROM Autorun onoffand more Reg Fee $30
V95I208EVirusScan for Win95 253 is a native Win95application that detects and removes comp-uter viruses Reg Fee $65
YATS32Yet Another Time Synchroniser (32-bit) 30allows you to synchronise your system clockusing various time server types commonlyavailable on TCPIP networks such as theInternet Multiple servers can be specified andwill be tried sequentially until a valid time isobtained and your system time set Reg Fee$35
ZOOMER12Zoomer 12 provides a 2x or 4x magnificationof the area around the mouse cursor in Win95This is an excellent utility for the visionimpaired Reg Fee $0
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 33
NEW AND UPDATED DOSPROGRAMS
ANTIVIRUS
AVSCANAVScan 310 is a freeware scanner that candetect more than 4500 virus signatures RegFee $0
I_M311AIntegrity Master 311a is an anti-virus anddata integrity system The author says itdetects all known viruses It can detect anyform of file corruption including disk errorsor as yet unknown viruses Stacker Double-Space SuperStore and Bernoulli system filesare supported Identifies the new MS WordMacro viruses as well as over 640 additionalviruses It has an option to quickly disinfectdiskettes Reg Fee $50
SCN_253EVirusScan 253 scans diskettes or entiresystems and identifies any pre-existing PCvirus infection Reg Fee $65
GAMES
DRAK160Drak 160 is a falling blocks-style game withattractive graphics and several varieties ofblocks It includes blocks which melt blocksthat fall apart when they land and more Thegame includes 10 levels of increasingcomplex-ity joystick support and ability tosave games in progress (RegFee$33
DRUG12Drug Killers 12 is an action-packed shoot-em-up arcade game where you pilot atechnologically advanced aircraft in a battle tostop a futuristic drug cartel You must destroya wide variety of land and air-based enemieswhile gathering weapons and shields Otherfeatures include excellent scrolling graphicsgreat special effects a high score listing theability to save and restore games and a coolmusic soundtrack Reg Fee $25-$40
HAMSTER3D Hamsterrsquos Adventure is a fun 3Dadventure game where you assume the role ofa hamster in a colourful maze The object ofthe game is to eat all the fruit scattered aroundthe maze so the secret exit will appear Youwill encounter monsters along the way butyou can use your strawberry grenades or apowerful hamster kick for protection Theexcellent graphics sound effects and musicmake this an enjoyable game for the wholefamily Reg Fee $15
MISCELLANEOUS
COELI379Coeli Electric Planisphere 379 combinespractical ephemeris and planetarium with areal-time star chart to provide a Super VGAmodel of the skies as seen from Earth Youmay view the heavens from any place or timewith advanced starconstellation search insidea point and click interface A separate VESAdriver must be pre-installed Reg Fee pound12
JOCCALJOC-CALC 10 is an easy-to-use spreadsheetpackage for DOS Features include a pull-down menu system with mouse support aHyperText help system support for blockoperations built-in mathstrig functions andmore Reg Fee $25
MEDLIN97Medlin Accounting 1997 is a double-entrygeneral ledger program with accountsreceivable payroll and payables modules Allmodules are very easy to use PC-AR is theaccounts receivable module It allows amaximum of 2000 customers and 1500charges per accounting period PC-INV is amodule which works directly with theaccounts receivable module to generateinvoices and post them to PC-AR It willmultiply quantity times price and insert thetotal and calculate sales tax PC-PR thepayroll module allows up to 500 employeesand 1000 payroll cheques per accountingperiod PC-AP the accounts payable modulecan sort invoices by due date and will printcheques Mouse support has been added to allprograms Reg Fee $25-35
VDEVideo Display Editor 182 is a fast powerfultext editor Commands can be entered from amenu bar or with control keys Featuresinclude a proportional spacing modekeyboard macro recording MenuBar modethe ability to edit eight files at once acommand for proportional print Autosave toautomatically save your work at specifiedintervals simultaneous windows scrolling theability to align the platen for printing onvarious kinds of forms support for the fileformat of MS Word an envelope printer awide range of screen sizes (from 17 to 57lines) an integrated spell checker and muchmore Support is also provided for Ultra-Vision the HP95LX palmtop and the Tandykeyboard Reg Fee $35
UTILITIES
DNOTE420Disk Note Librarian 420 allows the user toadd descriptions and comments of up to 300characters to each file name on a disk up to1200 files Reg Fee $15
RCR01Rosenthal Conflict Resolver 100 is adiagnostic tool that helps corrects IRQ DMAand IO conflicts the major cause of systemcrashes Reg Fee $99
2 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Compiled by Jim Hume
The Monarchy
This site provides the history of the BritishMonarchy The Royal collection TodayrsquosRoyal family and includes The Queenrsquos rolein the Commonwealth This role articleshould be valuable to all those interested inthe Republic debate monarchist andrepublican alike It is a well presented siteand a useful resource as a school kithttpwwwroyalgovuk
Museums
The virtual Museum of Computing includesan ecletic collection of World Wide Webhyperlinks connected with the history ofcomputing and on-line computer basedexhibits available both locally and aroundthe world httpwwwcomlaboxacukarchiveothermuseumscomputinghtml
Airlines
Ansett provides information on their productand services and the places they fly to Youcan reserve flights and accommodationThere is a travel planner and screen saveravailable to download httpwwwansettcomauwebintrohtml
Qantas provides similar information on theirproducts and services with a brief history ofthe airline and also a screensaver which canbe downloaded httpwwwqantascomau80newsindexhtml
Books Magazines and Newspapers
The Canberra Times is now online withsections on News Sport Features OpinionWeather Real Estate Motors Classifiedsemail and services httpwwwcanberratimescomau
Readers Digest Interactive They ask you toldquoread it react and interactrdquo It containsDigest classics like Laugh Lines and WordPower and advice about how to do justabout anything featuring Home ProjectsCooking Gardening fitness and health httpwwwreadersdigestcom
National Geographic Online This is a greatcontribution with something for everyone inthe family Donrsquot miss these HOT SPOTShttpwwwnationalgeographiccomhotspotsindexhtml
Electronic Journals and Newsletters Thissite provides a complete internet list for newjournals and newsletters available on theInternet There is a search archive completealphabetical archive recent issues in reversechronological order and alphabetical list oftitles httpgort ucsdedunewjour
Amazon Bookstore offers not only 15million books in print but extremely hard-to-find out-of-print titles and discounts onsome of their book lists They claim 25million titles overall They include a searchfacility and provide a personal emailnotification service They list a Book of theday Titles in the News Monthly bookrecommendations and much morehttpwwwamazoncomexecobidossubstindex2html
Medical
)
Kodak have provided an interesting sitedealing with the latest digital cardiologyimaging and their cardiac review stationhttpwwwkodakcomhiHomecardioindexshtml
The American Cancer Society CaliforniaDivision on this site have an excellent articleon ldquoeating rightrdquo and research causeprevention detection and treatment httpwwwcacancerorg
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 3
The Department of Veteransrsquo Affairs haveupgraded their Web Site and it now providesthe latest information on health care forveterans In addition it contains rates andeligibility for pensions statements ofprinciple budgets and legislation It alsoincludes information about commemorativeactivities war graves war memorials andstudent oriented resourceshttpwwwdvagovau
HealthGate have redesigned their site withfaster search results with content organisedinto areas of interest such as medicinepatient education drug information etc It isan important source of biomedicalinformation httpwwwhealthgatecom
Football
The Australian Rugby League haveproduced an excellent site which includesdraws news links teams tipping results agallery and a soapbox httpdevarlorgaumainasp
Super League not to be outdone arepromoted by Foxtel in their sport sectionhttpwwwfoxtelcomauFoxtelhomejhtml
Tyres
I recently drew attention to Goodyearrsquos WebPage and commented on lack of Australiancontent Now they have an excellentAustralian site with an online school kit
dealing with the rubber revolution a tyreguide and a search engine to locate yournearest dealer It requires a frame-enabledweb browser httpwwwgoodyearcomau
Internet
URL Minder keeps track of web pages andother resources on the World Wide Weband sends you email whenever yourpersonally registered resources change Youcan have the minder keep track of any Webresource accessible via http ftp or Gopherand your email address will not be releasedto any third party It is a free servicesupported partially by advertising httpwwwnetmindcomURL-minderURL-minderhtml
People
Talk to the Angels The Vatican has namedtheir computers for the Web after angelsThe site was still under construction at theend of March httpwwwvaticanvaBut where else could you talk to theangelsIt requires a frame-enabled webbrowser
StarTrek This is a most interesting web sitefor Star Trek enthusiasts and also for thoseinterested in site construction for it is a realbobby dazzler httpwwwholodeck3comholodeck3html
Insert
It is an interesting concept which combinesan online magazine with discussion threadsresource lists and links It is dedicated toexploring masculinity and men in societyMen from all walks of life answer the 16 bigquestions about what it means being a mantoday httpwwwmanhoodcomnf
The
Super Site for Kids is a protectedenvironment specially for kids It is a wellorganised fun site httpwwwbonuscomindexclosehtmp
In early March a private Florida companythat hunts for historic shipwrecks announcedit had discovered a gem the ship oncecaptained by Blackbeard a man reputed tobe one of the more terrifying and disturbedpirates of all time This site includes thehistory of Blackbeardhttpeagleonlinediscoverycomcgi-binforums_viewdir
36 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
THE
INTERNETPROJECT
By Iain Gould
Welcome to TIP-TNG (The NextGeneration)
In case you hadnrsquot noticed yet TIP isnow connected to the rest of the world via ahigher speed (double what we had) link Weare now firing the electrons up and downthe pipe at 256k (thatrsquos 3 noughts -thousands in other words) bits every secondWhat this means in real terms is that ournewsgroups are updating more frequentlyweb pages and file transfers are much fasterand those of us that need to log in remotelycan do so with much less delay Boy are weimpressed
If you have not bothered to try TIP for awhile do so as we have seen a markedimprovement in the service provided afterthis upgrade and the installation of the extra12 modems in February (much less waitingto get on)
ANNOUNCEMENTSThe last two months has seen much goingson within the Internet Project ManagementCommittee For the uninitiated the IPMCis a caucus of techno-nerdygeeks tasked withthe onerous duty of ensuring that membersof the PCUG and AUUG have adequate andcomplete access to the wider resources ofthat part of the Information Super-highwayknown as simply The Internet Anyway wedecided on a lot of things recently Here theyare
1) Commercial Web Advertising Upuntil now TIP placed a restriction oncommercial advertising (that which wasobviously out to make money for the owner)- namely that only corporate members ofeither PCUG or AUUG could placeadvertising on their web pages We have
now opened up such commercial activitiesto general members of both organisationsFor the same fee that we currently charge tocorporate advertisers any individual cannow advertise on their web pages Refer tohttpwwwtipnetautipwebspacehtml fordetailed information and charging rates
2) Account Terminology The termslsquoAdvanced Accessrsquo and lsquoBasic Accessrsquoaccounts were deemed to be confusing (wehad too many requests for information onbasic Advanced access and training foradvanced Basic use) The accounts are nowreferred to as lsquoFull Accessrsquo and lsquoLimitedAccessrsquo respectively The use of the termsAdvanced Access hours and Basic Accesshours will continue for the time being untilwe sort out exactly what we want to callthem and where we need to changereferences to them The most obvious placethat this will change immediately is on theapplication form
3) Multiple Users of Accounts One ofthe regular lsquocomplaintsrsquo that we have beenreceiving has been on our policy to restrictaccount use to the account holder only Howmany of you out there realise that if youallowed your spousechildrenacquaintancesto have access to your password then youwere breaking our rules We donrsquot worrytoo much because we are now changing ourpolicy to open up account usage undercertain guidelines Namely
a) The primary account holder (the onewho originally applies for the account) willbe deemed ultimately responsible for anyuse of the account Heshe must still signthe Acceptable Use Policy and follow thoseterms and conditions and then ensure thataccount lsquodelegatesrsquo behave themselves too
b) The primary account holder mayallow use of hisher account by other familymembers The family members must benominated and lodged with TIP on a newlsquoAccount Delegationrsquo form
c) Only one login name and emailaddress is allocated (as currently) - ifadditional email addresses are required thenthey must be applied for as separateaccounts
d) Normal single user limits (accesshours disk quotas) still apply
We believe that this will allow familygroups some access to the Internet withoutneeding to sign up every members of thehousehold with TIP This policy will beelaborated on the web pages in the nearfuture for further information
4) We are still investigating methods ofproviding help guidance and assistance tousers who are new to TIP andor the InternetWe have been looking at newer lsquofool-proofrsquofirst time kits automated email helpresponses regularly published FAQs(frequently asked questions) and attractingmore volunteer helpers To achieve this lastgoal we are hoping that we can set up aregister of volunteers similar to the HelpDirectory published in Sixteen Bits forspecific areas of Internet use If you feltreluctant in the past to have your name listedfor fear of being asked questions outsideyour particular area of expertise interestthen let us know what you ARE willing tohelp with Are you a Netscape guru Or aWindows 95 Dial-Up Networking hotshotDo you think that you know a fair bit aboutIRC Then let us know
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 37
Nhan Tranrsquos Now OfficialTIP Web Help Pages
httpwwwtipnetautiphelp
bull Whats newHistory of changes to TIP help page
bull TIP Contact DetailsPhone numbers domain proxiesemail addresses
bull Useful TIP informationTime allocation usage statistics
bull TIP documentsAgreement Charging SchemeAcceptable Use Policy AccessApplication
bull InternetFAQAnswers to the Frequently AskedQuestions about the Internet what isthe Internet what you can donetiquette
bull TIP help FAQ
bull Answers to the Frequently AskedQuestions about various problemsother people may have had with TheInternet Project your problem maynot be a new one
bull lsquoHow-torsquo documentsHow to set up and use variousprograms needed to make the mostof your Internet account
bull GlossaryTranslating acronyms computerjargon netese and emoticons like -)in plain English
TIP Technical InformationDomain (PCUG) pcugorgauDomain (AUUG) auugorgau
DNS server 203107634Mail server mailhostDomain
News Server newshostDomainftp server ftpDomain
WWW server wwwDomainProxies proxytipnetau
port 8080
Iain Gould is one of the many volunteersthat keep TIP ticking He can becontacted by email - iainpcugorgau
As a note to those users who do needaccess to help take careful note of the timesthat people offer to be available There is areason that these times are listed ourvolunteers do like to have some personaltime Nothing causes a volunteer to lsquoresignrsquoquicker than having their efforts abused bypeople who ring at all hours and are rudeand obnoxious As a volunteer organisationwe cannot provide 24 hour-a-day instantsupport and we must rely on the genrosityof those that do offer to help Please beconsiderate of those who are willing to sticktheir necks out
As a footnote to all of the above itemsplease address any correspondance toipmctipnetau rather than me directly
Internet Joke of the MonthAnother engineer joke (apologies for thereferences to USA - insert your favouritelocal university as applicable)
Three men were vacationing in CentralAmerica They were arrested for minor illegalactivities and because the dictator of the countryhated foreigners the punishment was death
The three men were marched to thechopping block The dictator of the countryasked the first man if he had any last wordsbefore they chopped his head off The man saidldquoThe only thing I can think to say is that Irsquom analumni of Notre Dame and we have the bestfootball players in the worldrdquo The dictator thensaid ldquoOff with his headrdquo When they pulled therope the blade fell but it stopped inches abovethe manrsquos neck The dictator said ldquoThis is anomen from God we cannot execute you Youare free to gordquo
The dictator of the country asked the secondman if he had any last words before theychopped his head off The man said ldquoThe onlything I can think to say is that Irsquom an alumni ofIndiana University and we have the bestbasketball players in the worldrdquo The dictatorthen said ldquoOff with his headrdquo When they pulledthe rope the blade fell but it stopped inchesabove the manrsquos neck The dictator said ldquoThisis an omen from God we cannot execute youYou are free to gordquo
Finally the dictator of the country asked thethird man if he had any last words before theychopped his head off The man said ldquoThe onlything I can think to say is that Irsquom an alumni ofPurdue University and we have the bestEngineers in the world and if yoursquoll just tightenup that bolt up there this machine will workrdquo
Tips On Tip HelpPlease do not call on the Internet Projecthelp team for answers to general computingquestions or with questions like ldquohow do Ifind such-and-such softwarerdquo - the tiphelpnewsgroup is appropriate for these topicsDo call on us if you canrsquot get our kits towork or if you believe there is a problemwith the system Herersquos the right way to goabout it
1 Read the TIP Help Pages availablefrom the TIP World Wide Web siteat httpwwwtipnetautiphelp
2 Browse the newsgroup tiphelp tosee if someone else has solvedyour problem already Browsetipannounce and tipgeneral for anyrelevant announcements
3 If the problem is not urgent post arequest for assistance in tiphelp
4 If the problem is urgent send mailto ldquohelprdquo requesting advice
Please - describe your problem clearlyconcisely and completely
tell us WHEN it happened
tell us WHAT OPERATING SYSTEMyou are using
tell us WHAT SOFTWARE you are using(esp version)
tell us WHAT HARDWARE you are using(esp modem)
tell us any relevant SETUP DETAILS (egconnection speed)
tell us what TIP login name (eg mmouse)you are using
5 As a last resort (ie when email isnot possible) contact Iain Gould on255 2405 between 7pm and 8pmONLY
The TIP Help TeamThe methods of supplying TIP help and
support and the levels of help provided areunder almost constant review anddiscussion Your feedback on the existingsystems and constructive suggestions forimprovement particularly within theexisting resource constraints are welcome
This can be done in the tip newsgroupsif you would like general discussion of yourideas by email to the TIP Help Team athelptipnetau or by sending email toamikkelspcugorgau who will forward itto the appropriate people
38 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
The Internet Project
1 Access to The Internet Project is governed by the InternetProject Acceptable Use Policy copies of which can beobtained at the PCUG Centre or downloaded from the PCUGBBS or from The Internet Project
2 There is a limit of one Internet account per non-corporatemembership Corporate members may sponsor up to threeindividuals who are then personally responsible for theoperation of their accounts Please complete one applicationfor each person
3 Part of your email address will be determined by the principalorganisation If your membership of that organisation expiresso too does your membership of The Internet Project In thisevent no refunds for unused allocation will be made
4 The Internet Project reserves the right to alter prices andservices offered at any time Fees paid for Internet access arenon-refundable and non-transferable
5 Note Hours debited do not necessarily equate to real hourson-line time allocation will be debited in a non-linear fashiondepending on the amount of time spent on-line in any givenday The debit rate is set from time to time by the InternetProject Management Committee
6 Basic Accessa) Basic Access provides non PPP email and news onlyb) Basic Access is free on applicationc) In any calender year calculated from the date of
application Basic Access provides up to 100 lsquohoursrsquo usage
7 Advanced Accessa) Advanced Access includes full access to the Internet using
SLIPPPPb) Advanced Access is not free Current rates are $120 for
one calendar year of access with up to 300 lsquohoursrsquo usagec) When your Advanced Access subscription expires OR
you use 300 hours of access (whichever is earlier) youwill be required to purchase another subscription for onecalendar year from that date
d) Advanced Access users also receive a Basic Accessallocation - see above
8 All users joining The Internet Project receive a one-off freefive hour allocation of Advanced Access
Collecting Your Login Details9 A waiting period of two months applies to new members of
the PC Users Group (ACT) Inc
10 For existing members please allow up to two weeks for yourapplication to be processed
11 Login details can be collected - in person by the applicant - fromthe PC Users Group Centre We recommend that you phone theCentre first to check that the details are waiting for you
12 You (and your parentguardian if you are under 18 years ofage) will be required to sign an Acceptable Use PolicyDeclaration when you pick up your login detailsPhotographic proof of identity may be required at that time
Important Notes - Please Read
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 39
Disks amp TapesWe offer high quality disks and tape cartridgesin various formats at very reasonable pricesDisks amp tapes are available from the PCUGCentre Monday Wednesday amp Friday 10amto 2pm or between 9am and 5pm on weekends
BBS AccessNew members wishing to access the PC UsersGroup (ACT) InterActive Bulletin BoardService (BBS) should dial (06) 253 4933 andcreate an account on the system Once the mainmenu is presented select the lsquoGoodbyersquo optionfollowed by the lsquoYesrsquo option to leave a messageto the Sysop
In this message state your membership number(from your card or magazine address label) andrequest an access upgrade This will usuallyoccur within a few days
SharewareMembers have access to a huge selection ofldquosharewarerdquo software The PCUG subscribesto a CD-ROM which provides over 250 Mbof new and updated software titles on eachmonthly CD
Member ServicesThese special offers and services are only available to PCUG members Please bring your membership card with you when collecting orders
One complete section of the permanent libraryis also contained on each CD-ROM Inaddition there are many programs on thePCUG BBS which members have uploadedor which come from other sources
This software is provided as ldquosharewarerdquo Ifyou continue to use it you must register thesoftware with the author The Group does notldquosellrdquo the software - it charges a fee to coverthe cost of obtaining the software maintainingthe library and copying the software to themember
Computers are available at the Centre whichare connected to the BBS enabling membersto download software
Hardware amp Video LibraryThe hardware and video library is located atthe PC Users Group Centre Items may becollected and returned on Saturdays andSundays between 9am and 5pm (loans are forone week) Please bring your membership cardwith you
The library provides access to equipmentwhich members would not normally havereadily available Most items have instructionsmanuals and software where appropriateModems do not include software check theShareware Library for suitable packages Itemsmay be borrowed for one week There is nocharge but you must collect and return theitems yourself
Equipment available includesmiddot modemsmiddot soundblaster card
Videos includemiddot Developing Applications with Microsoft
Officemiddot Using Windows 95
NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETINGMonday 28 April 1997
(to be held at 730pm prior to the normal April main meeting)
The Special Meeting is to consider and vote upon the following changes to the rules of the PC Users Group
Rule 17(1)(b) - [Nomination of candidates for election as office-bearers of the Association or as ordinary Committee members]shall be delivered to the Secretary of the Association no later than the last Friday in the July before the date fixed for the annualgeneral meeting at which the election is to take place
Rule 17(2) - If insufficient nominations are received to fill all vacancies on the Committee the candidates nominated shall bedeemed to be elected
Rule 17(3) - A vacant position remaining on the Committee shall be deemed to be a vacancy for the purpose of Rule 16(4)
Explanatory notesThese changes will permit publication in Sixteen Bits of all valid nominations received to enable the membership to give seriousregard to the nominations received They will also permit all members nominating for the committee to have an opportunity toconsider and reflect upon their intended commitment to the committee and to the Group
Hugh BambrickSecretary PC Users Group (ACT) Inc
40 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Compiled by Jim Hume
Japanese-English Translators
Globalink produces some of the bestlanguage translation software TheLanguage Assistant Series quicklyproduce understandable translations fromEnglish into the foreign language or viceversa
The Australian Distributors Software EtcAustralia have now released Japanesetranslation and OCR Software TsunamiMT Typhoon MT and KanjiScan OCRsoftware for English Windows 95 and NTPCs It is claimed these products willmake communication between Japaneseand English speaking businesses mucheasier quicker and more effective
Tsunami MT translates English-to-Japanese and has features such as fullOLE 20 compatibility (drags text to andfrom Tsunami MT embedding theJapanese results into applications such asMS Word) an innovative Kani searchsystem and translation speed at over 3000words per minute
Typhoon MT translates Japanese-to-English and is the result of a two-yearproject to convert the best-sellingJapanese to English translation softwarein Japan to an MS Windows 32-bitformat
Typhoon MT has every element computerusers need to put Japanese computing ontheir personal computer - Japanese fontsKana and kanji text editing a completeFront End Processor and Japanese -to-English machine translation
KanjiScan is the first Japanese OCRsoftware to run on non-Japanese versionsof Windows and includes everythingneeded to scan printed Japanese text anddocuments allowing users to input
Japanese on their English Windowssystem All interfaces instructions anddocumentation are in English WithNeocorTechrsquos Kanji Search system noJapanese language skills are required tomake sure all the Japanese text is properlyrecognised
Tsunami MT $995 Typhoon MT $1195(Bundle $1795) and KanjiScan $795
Software Etc Australia are offeringevaluation versions of this software forloan to reviewers with a knowledge ofJapanese and the capability to conduct andprepare software reviews Enquiriesshould be directed to Peter Klanberck atsoftetcozemailcomauhttpwwwworldcorpcomau Phone (02) 9988-3455
Gene Chip Breakthrough
Affymetrix is developing amp commercial-ising GeneChip(tm) systems to acquireanalyse manage and use geneticinformation based on its propriety DNAarray technology
These systems are being developed forbroad fields including biomedicalresearch clinical diagnosis and theemerging field of genomics Affymetrixhas corporate alliances with Hewlett-Packard Company and Genetics Instituteand intends to pursue the clinicaldiagnostic and additional genomicsapplications with diagnostics andpharmaceutical companies
Their first product currently in externaltests sites will be the GeneChipHIVsystem which rapidly detects mutations inthe protease and reverse transcriptasegenes of HIV the virus which causesAIDS Detection of such mutations arecritical in understanding how HIV reactsto therapeutic agents as well as for
understanding the results of clinical trialsof new drugs The company also hasactive development programs for thespeciation of other infectious organismsas well as for human genes that areimportant in cancer and drug metabolism
Fortune Magazine in an article headedGene Chip Breakthrough by David Stippexplores the implications of thisbreakthrough and believes that whilemicroprocessors have reshaped oureconomy spawned vast fortunes andchanged the way we live Gene chipscould be bigger
TransAct BroadbandCommunications Network
The ACTEW Corporation has recentlyconducted a feasibility study into buildinga broadband communication network inthe ACT It is claimed it would enhanceACTEWrsquos core business and provide theACT region with an economically viablecommunications network
The network would be funded throughoutside financing As there would be nocross-subsidies between varioustelecommunication business and theelectricity and water businesses therewould be no impact on electricity andwater bills now or in the future Known asTransAct Communications the feasibilitystudy was to be completed by March1997 ACTEW Corporation Board willmake a decision on the business caseduring April A key component of thestudy was to be community consultationand market research If the results werefavourable construction should commencein July 1997
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 41
I was consulted in their telemarketingresearch and talks have been held with thePC Users Group Aurisa Institute ofEngineers Australia and the BusinessCouncil of Australia The network couldcarry voice(telephone) video(TV) and data(intenet) over a high range of frequenciesand the cost of services would bedependent on the service providers ieTelephone companies Pay TV companiesand internet service providers ACTEWexpected that prices would be similar tocurrent prices for these services andsuggest that a single broad-band networkwould offer competition between serviceproviders
The network could carryvoice(telephone) video(TV) and
data (intenet)
Two companies have been shortlisted andtheir solutions are being costed to get anaccurate picture of the total cost ofbuilding the network The two companiesare Philips which has offered a HybridCoax (HFC) system and BroadbandTechnologies which offered a switchedbroadband (SDB) solution
The HFC solution as offered by Philipswould differ from similar cable systemsbeing strung in other parts of Australia inthat it would take optic fibre down toserve 60-90 homes per node rather than500-1500 homes The SDB solutionwould be unique in Australia (In use inparts of USA Korea and France) it takesoptic fibre to serve 32-40 homes per nodeBoth solutions have the ability to runadvanced interactive services By the timeof publication a further update may beavailable atwwwactewcomautransactinterhtm
Treasure IslandFrom the Corel Thumbnail Theatre seriesnow being shipped Treasure Island is afun easy way to learn the complexities ofthis popular novel by Robert LouisStevenson It is an animated adaptiontargeted primarily at students aged 12 andupwards Users can choose from threedifferent ways of studying TreasureIsland For those unacquainted with thestory the Watch Me section presents awitty and entertaining nine-minuteanimation which summarises the novelrsquosstory The Guide Me section is designedfor users who wish to study the text indepth and learn more about the era inwhich the novel is set They will see theanimation once again but this time theywill have the chance to stop the animatedsummary in order to explore varioustopics related to the story These topics areaccessible by clicking on the icons whichappear throughout the animation Userswho want to read about different topicscan go directly to the Self Guide sectionThis section contains the entire text ofTreasure Island
It also contains a feature called Timelinewhich is a chronology of historical eventsfrom the time of Treasure Island to thepresent day
Minimum system requirements are 486DX66 8MB of RAM a 640x480256-colour graphics display 8-bit audiocapabilities and a double speed CD-ROMdrive Runs on both Windows 31x andWindows95RRP $Aus 6400
Corel WebMaster SuiteOn March 25 Corel announced the releaseCorel WebMaster Suite the latest additionto their line of Internet products Itcombines state-of-the-art Web siteauthoring with expert site managementfunctionality advanced database
publishing sophisticated graphic designprograms as well as animation authoring3D VRML world creation and over 8000Internet-ready images Included in thepackage is Netscape Navigator 301OrsquoReillyrsquos Website v11 and 30 days offree Web site hosting It is claimed thatthis suite provides a complete solution tohelp users advance beyond the traditionalWeb page to create and manage completeweb sites that are more interesting andinformative as well as easy to understand
Corel WebMaster is available for asuggested retail price of $Aus 399 Thesuite will require 16MB RAM an IBMcompatible PC 486 DX Windows NT orWindows 95 a CD_ROM and a VGAdisplay
SNIPPETS
IN AUSTRIA INTERNET SERVICEProviders banded together on March 25 tostage the countryrsquos first electronic walkoutin protest at their governmentrsquos attempt tocensor the Internet Hardly surprisingwhen UKrsquos Whatrsquos New on the Internetreports that sex and its related topics arethe most popular sections on the Internetby a long chalk
DUTCH HACKERS OFFERED USMilitary Secrets to Iraq A recent BBC TVprogramme claimed that hundreds ofmilitary secrets were stolen from USDefence computers ( including troopmovements and missile capabilities)offered for sale by Dutch hackers toSaddam Hussein but their offer was nottaken up because the Iraqi leader believedthat it was either a hoax or CIAmisinformation
ADVERTISING ON THE NETAccording to a survey by the InternetAdvertising Bureau total advertisingspending on the World Wide Web andInternet related content hit $US267
42 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
The Internet SIGThis a get together of those members of thePCUG who love to explore the Internet forinteresting sites new Internet tools andnovel applications It holds an informalmeeting once a month on the first Thursday(January excepted) at 730pm The meetinghas no set agenda but free flowing chat onvarious Internet related topics and eventsOn occasion we had presentations ofinteresting software Among topics that arediscussed from time to time are the upgradeof TIP cable and wireless access to theInternet and the regulation of the InternetThe web page for the SIG is at httpwwwpcugorgau~ejosephintsightm
BytesThe Bytes SIG is designed for those wholike to talk about computing over a meal Itmeets from 6 pm at the Asian BistroAustralian National University Union onthe PCUG meeting nights There are noBytes SIG meetings in NovemberDecember or January Contact personAndrew Freeman Phone 258 7411 Emailafreemanpcugorgau or WWW at httpwwwpcugorgau~afreemancvsightml
AutoCADGeoffrey May 295 5942 Monday-Fri 4-5pmPlease call for details
CC++Peter Corcoran petercpcugorgau 2ndTuesday 730pm PCUG Centre
GUI DevelopersPeter Harris 287 1484 pharrispcugorgauPlease call for details
The OS2 SIGAn enthusiastic forum for those operating orinterested in OS2 Warp Meetings includewide ranging discussion and interestinghands on demonstrations Meetings are heldon the third Thursday at 730pm for 730pmat the IBM Building 8 Brisbane Ave BartonContact David Thrum Phone 201-8806 (bh)
The Delphi SIGA lively forum for software developers whoare working with or interested in Delphi
Our meetings include wide ranging dis-cussion and interesting hands-on demon-strations Come and see why Delphi is RADSome of our recent meetings have discussedDelphi components best shareware toolsdatabase applications and HTML toolsMeeting 3rd Tuesday of each month 730pmat PCUG Centre Convenor Al Kabailaemail akabailapcugorgauYou arewelcome to also subscribe to the PCUGDelphi mailing list by sending messageldquosubscribe act-delphi-lpcugorgau [youremail address]rdquo to Majordomoauugorgau
Linux User GroupStephen Rothwell 291 6550 (ah) StephenRothwell canbauugorgau 4th Thursday730pm Room N101 Computer Science DeptANU
Networks Garry Thomson 241 2399gthomsonpcugorgau Thursday aftermain meeting Please call for venue
Computer and VegetarianismThis SIG is designed for those who have aninterest in both computers and vegetarian-ism It generally meets with the Bytes SIGNo meetings are held in NovemberDecember or January Contact personAndrew Freeman Phone 258 7411 Emailfreemanpcugorgau or WWW at httpwwwpcugorgau~afreemancvsightml
amp ChatThe Coffee and Chat Group meet at thePCUG Centre in Belconnen on alternateTuesdays from 1030am to 1130am withanother 30 minutes to 1200 for those whowant to stay The dates of these meetings areshown in the Calendar of Events On thealternate Tuesday a virtual Coffee and ChatMeeting is held on the Internet at 1030amusing Internet Relay Chat (IRC) addressirchostpcugorgau Port 6667 Full detailsabout the online meetings can be obtainedfrom httpwwwpcugorgau~ejosephvcchtm
Internet Daytime Demoand Discussion SIGMeets every second Monday at the PCUGCentre from 1000AM to noon We meet todiscuss internet issues software sites (andanything else of relevance) and demonstrateon Centre equipment selected software andtechniques The meeting starts with informaldiscussion and coffee followed by a more in-depth look at a particular topic of interestThere is also time for discussion (andhopefully solving) of members problems withthe internet A home page for the SIG is athttpwwwpcugorgau~amikkelsintdddhtmlEnquiries or suggestions for topics arewelcome at amikkelspcugorgau
NEW
Convenors are requested to email anychanges in contacts or venue and additionalinformation about the activities of theirgroup by the first Friday in the month ofpublication to pcugeditorpcugorgau
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 43
The training program for 1997 is settledsubject to ongoing adjustments in the lightof developments
Note the heavy emphasis on Internetcourses This reflects the clear demand ofmembers at the moment A number of daysare designated lsquoTBArsquo These days allow forthe introduction of Internet related coursesas discussed last month including homepages MS Internet ExplorerWeb tips andtricks and so on They also allow forpossible courses on the Web oriented MSOffice 97
Course content for Internet courses isstill under development and subject tomeetings of trainers
In addition to the weekend courses arange of short evening courses mainlyInternet related as above will be introducedThese are still in the planning stages
May Sat 3 Editorial day ContinuesSun 4 Programming - C and C++ ContinuesSat 10 Programming - Visual Basic Continues
Sun 11 Intro - Intro to computers ContinuesSat 17 Intro - Intro to Windows 95 Continues
Sun 18 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 24 Intro - PC Maintenance and
TroubleshootingContinues
Sun 25 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 31 Internet - HTML Intro Continues
June Sun 1 Intro - Using the BBS effectively Internet - Basic AccessSat 7 Centre closed Centre closed
Sun 8 Centre closed Centre closedSat 14 Editorial day Continues
Sun 15 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 21 Internet - HTML extended Continues
Sun 22 Internet - TBA Internet - TBASat 28 Internet - Advanced Access Intro Continues
Sun 29 Intro - Using the BBS effectively Internet - Basic AccessJuly Sat 5 Editorial day Continues
Sun 6 Internet - TBA Internet - TBASat 12 Internet - TBA Internet - TBA
Sun 13 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 19 Internet - TBA Internet - TBA
Sun 20 Internet - TBA Internet - TBASat 26 Internet - Advanced Access Intro Continues
Sun 27 Intro - Using the BBS effectively Internet - Basic Access
Our training courses are very popularUnfortunately some people book and thendonrsquot turn up for their course Someone onthe waiting list for the course could havefilled the spot left vacant To overcome thisproblem if you book for a course but donrsquotpay for it by the Monday before it is runthe spot will be offered to someone else
ContactsCourse bookings Petra Dwyer at thePCUG Centre on 253 4911
Training coordinator and courseinformation (not bookings) PaulBalnaves 241-4671 (h) 700pm to900pm 282-3488 (w)
Microsoft Product courses (notbookings) Michael Lane 242-9278 (h)700pm to 900pm
All courses are held at the PCUGCentre Northpoint Plaza Belconnen- maximum 8 people
Courses cost $35 unless otherwiseindicated Full day courses run from930am to approximately 300pmAM Courses commence at 930amPM courses commence at 130pm
Training Newsby Paul Balnaves
44 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
The following local vendors offer discounts to PCUG members
bull Present your PCUG membership card when making a purchasebull Benefits may not apply to some sale itemsbull The PCUG does not necessarily recommend or endorse the products being offered
If you offer a discount to PCUG members and are not in this list please contact our advertising manager listed on page 2
Vendor Discount SchemeVendor Discount Scheme
AustralianManagement Control
Suite 4 32 - 36 Colbee CourtPHILLIP285 4888
5 discount onRecordkeeping amp Payroll
courses
Capital SimulationsPO Box 329
Belconnen ACT 2616Faxmessage 258 0110
Free postage and handling(normally $4) amp 2 free modem
opponents lsquowantedrsquo notices(normally $10)
Clarion DatabaseSystems
bull Computing consultingbull Business applications developmentbull Software sale
041 108 775410 discount off RRP on
Microsoft amp other vendorsrsquo productsand consulting services
Amalgamated Business Machines
65 Kembla StreetFYSHWICK
280 4887
5 discount on repairsthrough this company
ANU Union Asian Bistro
Upstairs Union Building Union Court ANU
(next to main meeting venue)
Union member discounton PCUG main meeting
nights (ONLY)
Bettowynd ampTaltech Solutions
Unit 5 Centrecourt1 Pirie St FYSHWICK
239 1043
Prompt guaranteed fixed pricerepairs to monitors and terminals
5 discount to members
Nhan TranInternet Software Installationamp Configuration in your home
PH 254 5293
Fixed price 20 discountfor PCUG members
Lesley PikoCertified Practising Accountant
Registered Tax Agent
Suite 1 17 Trenerry StWeston ACT
288 8888
personal and business taxation servicesgeneral accounting services
15 discount off our quoted fee
ACT VALLEYCOMPUTER REPAIRSbull REPAIRSbull UPGRADESbull NEW SYSTEMSbull SOFTWARE INSTALLATIONbull LOW RATES l OPEN 7 DAYS
294 2592 or 019 32343510 DISCOUNT ON REPAIRS
AND UPGRADES TO MEMBERS
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 45
54 Marcus Clarke St Canberra CityPH 249 1844 l Fax 247 5753
10 Discount o f fRRP of Computer Books
Celebrating over 28 Years in Bookselling
N O 1 f o rC O M P U T E R amp B U S I N E S S
B O O K S
hi-micro Computers
5 Discount OnAccessories
ampUpgrade Installation
Ph 280 7520 Fax 280 7540618 Whyalla St Fyshwick
248 6656 (any time)bull World Wide Web Publishing
bull Windows Online Help amp Manuals
5 discount on Web publishing
The Cartridge Factory
Canberra Business Centre49 Wentworth Ave
KINGSTON295 5935
10 discount on remanufacturedlaser toner cartridges
10 discount on inkjet refill kitsNo discount available on
new ink or toner cartridges
Collins Booksellers
BELCONNEN MALLPhone 251 4813 Fax 251 3926
We carry a wide selection ofcomputer titles for the novice and
also advanced computer user
10 Discount off computerbook purchases only
LampS Associates
69 Paterson StreetAINSLIE257 7555
Special price on anyMicrosoft product
Dealer price plus 5
Aspect ComputingEducation Services
86 Northbourne AvenueBraddon ACT 2601
247 7608
10 Discount toPCUG members
Peng LEE BA BEc FCA
Chartered AccountantRegistered Tax Agent
A fee schedule will be forwarded upon request
6 McGuiness PlaceMcKELLAR ACT 2617
Phone 258 0156 Fax 258 0157
10 fee discount to PCUGmembers
Robrsquos Computer HelpDesk
292 3211 (24 hours 7 days)
For telephone and on-site help for ALL your computer and support
needs
5 discount on consulting services to PCUG members
The Software Shop
42 Townsend StreetPHILLIP285 4622
5 discount off our already low prices
46 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Title Given Name Surname
_______________________________________________________Position (if applicable) Phone (h) Phone (w)
_______________________________________________________Title Given Name Surname
_______________________________________________________Position (if applicable) Phone (h) Phone (w)
Annual Fees Applicable (thorn one)o General1 $ 50
o Concessional2 $ 25
o Corporate3 $130
o Additional Corporate4 $ 50
o International (Air Mail) $130
Notes1 General membership covers all members of a household except for BBS and
Internet access Two month waiting period applies to Internet access2 Concessions apply to full time students and pensioners3 Corporate Membership covers up to three nominees4 Additional Corporate nominees may be added at $50 each
I am paying by (thorn one)o Cash (if paying by person) o Cheque to PC Users Group (ACT) Inc
o Credit card
I would like to ( thorn one or more)
o Become a new member for ____ year(s)
o Renew for ____ year(s)
o Change my address details
o Change Corporate nominees
o Take my address off advertising list
o Access the Bulletin Board (BBS)
Reasons for Joining thorn (one or more)
o Sixteen Bits Magazine o Training Courses
o The Internet Project o Advice and help
Other ____________________________________
TOTAL PAYMENT DUE $ __________________
Please Post your application with payment toPC Users Group (ACT) IncPO Box 42 Belconnen ACT 2616
Additional Corporate Membership Nominees
Title Given Name Surname
Organisation (if applicable) PCUG Membership Number (if applicable)
Postal Address
Phone (h) Phone (w) Concession Type (if applicable)
Credit Card Type Number Expiry Date Signature
Membersrsquo AdsFOR SALE
PC Users Group Membership Application Renewal
Notebook TP 486 DX266 95in Dual scancolour 8mg 433 HDD External 2X CDROM Fax modem card Win rsquo95 Office rsquo95pro Microsoft Plus NAV Norton UtilitiesWinfax Pro Microsoft Publisher and muchmore $1500 email gjonespcugorgau orphone Gary Jones 2391771 (Bus hours)
Canon Bubble-jet Printer BJ10-SX BWVGC [bookletdisk] $145Maestro External Fax Modem SE-144 FM[BookletDiks] VGC $100Corel Draw V3 CD-ROM[Bookect] VGC $100 NEGScanFax 24 Bit Color Page ScannerPC[FaxScanCopy] VGC $ 360WebAuthor V2 for Windows $ 65LOGOS BIBLE Software V2for Windows CD-ROM $150Call 239 5451 or e-mailmszabopcugorgau
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 47
Subject Name Email Phone Days TimesAccess for Windows Graheme Fry 288 3138 All days 730pm - 830pm
Accounting -TAS+ Exogen Attache NewViews P Goerman 231 2304 All days 900am - 900pm
Advanced Revelation John Curby 286 5777 Mon - Fri 900am - 900pm
Assembly Language Thomas McCoy 294 2226 Mon - Fri 800pm - 1000pm
AutoCad Geoffrey May 295 5942 Mon - Fri 400pm - 500pm
AutoCAD Rel 12 13 and LT Neil Moffat 292 7108 All days Noon - 1000pm
BASIC + Machine Language George McLintock 295 6590 All days 830pm -1000pm
Basic hardware help Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
Bluewave Jorge Garcia 282 2681 All Days 700pm - 900pm
Batch Files TSRs Utilities Bill Ghysen 287 1234 Mon - Fri 800pm - 1000pm
Bulletin Board Service Michael Phillips 253 4966 All days 730pm - 830pm
Chinese Star for Windows Peng Lee 258 0156 All days 100pm - 900pm
Clipper Cedric Bear 258 3169 All days 730pm - 830pm
Corel Draw Fabian Stelco 241 1743 Mon - Fri 730pm - 900pm
Corel WordPerfect Suite 7 for Win95 Peter Tilbrook kermitdynamitecomau 242 8696 All days Anytime
DOS Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
Excel Graheme Fry 288 3138 All days 730pm - 830pm
Flight Simulation Roger Lowery lowerypcugorgau 258 1583 All days Anytime
Foxpro Greg Atkinson 241 7903 Mon - FriSat Sun
700pm - 900pmFrom 1100am
Free Agent Agent Newsreading Allan Mikkelsen 278 3164 All days Noon - 900pm
General Help Allan Miller (044) 711187 Mon - Fri 730pm - 830pm
General Help Brian Gosling 259 1116 All days 730pm - 830pm
GEOSGeoWorks Phil Jones 288 5288 All days 600pm - 1000pm
Hardware Anthony Glenn 288 8332 All days Anytime
HDK Lis Shelley lshelleypcugorgau 248 6656 Mon - Fri 730pm - 830pm
HDK Ivana Leonard 231 4169 Mon - Thu 700pm - 900pm
ISR CADDSMAN Modeller (Win) Neil Moffat 292 7108 All days Noon - 1000pm
LINUX PC Unix Andrew Tridgell 254 8209 All days 600pm - 800pm
Lotus 1-2-3 Doug Jenkins 286 2243 All days 730pm - 900pm
Lotus Ami Pro 3 W ord Pro 96 ed Peter Tilbrook kermitdynamitecomau 242 8696 All days Anytime
Microstation Cad Andrew Novinc 258 1907 All days 600pm - 1000pm
Modem Communications Michael Phillips 281 1980 or All days 730pm - 830pm
Networks Gary Thompson 241 2399 All days 730pm - 900pm
Online doc using Help Compiler (Win3) John Carroll jcarrollpcugorgau 248 0781 All days 730pm - 1000pm
OS2 v2 Mark Beileiter 283 2429 Mon - Fri 800am - 330pm
OS2 Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
OS2 Michael Lightfoot 258 8185 All days 730pm - 930pm
Project (Microsoft) Steve Ramsden 287 1500 Mon - Wed 800pm - 1000pm
SBT Accounting Greg Atkinson 241 7903 Mon - Fri 700pm - 900pm
Scream Tracker 3 (3SM) MOD Music Chris Collins 258 8276 Mon - Fri 730pm - 900pm
Small Business Computing Nick Thomson 241 3239 Mon - Thu 730pm - 930pm
SuperBase Paul Blair 288 3584 All days 730pm - 930pm
Telix Michael Phillips 281 1980 All days 730pm - 830pm
SCO Unix amp Xenix J Bishop 291 0478 All days 700pm - 900pm
Unix Michael Lightfoot 258 8185 All days 730pm - 930pm
Turbo Pascal Michael Phillips 281 1980 All days 730pm - 830pm
Vision Impaired Adam Morris 291 4522 All days 700pm - 900pm
Visual BASIC Ian Champ 254 0418 All days 700pm - 900pm
Windows 31x Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
Word for Windows Lis Shelley lshelleypcugorgau 248 6656 Mon - Fri 730pm - 830pm
WordPerfect 51 DOS 61 Win Gayle Scott gaylespcugorgau 254 1579 All days 730pm - 930pm
WordPerfect 61 7 for Win95 Peter Tilbrook kermitdynamitecom 242 8696 All days Anytime
WordStar Dave Hay 258 7310 All days 700pm - 900pm
The people in this directory are volunteers so please observe the times given The Help Directory is designed to helpindividual users and should not be used as a substitute for corporate support calls to vendors This service is provided formembers only Please quote your membership number to the helper For those helpers with an asterisk messages may beleft on the BBS in either the General message area or as a Netmail message on 3620243 Send updates topcugeditorpcugorgau or via post to the PCUG Centre
The Help Directory
May 1997Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
1
Internet SIG730pmPCUG Centre
2
SIXTEENBITSCommercialAd deadlinefor May
3
SIXTEEN BITSLayout Day 10am______________InternetConnection Clinic930am-1pmPCUG Centre(check withCentre Staffer on253 4911)
4
TRAININGDAYProgrammingC and C++930-430PCUG Centre
5
Internet DaytimeDemo andDiscussion10am-12 noonPCUG Centre______________New MembersNight730pmPCUG Centre
6
VirtualCoffee amp ChatTIP IRCServer1030-1130am
7 8 9 10
TRAININGDAYProgrammingVisual Basic930-430PCUG Centre
11
TRAININGDAYIntro tocomputers930-430PCUG Centre
12 13
Coffee amp Chat1030amPCUG Centre__________
C++ SIG730pmPCUG Centre
14
CommitteeMeeting730pmPCUG Centre
15
OS2 SIG7 for 730pmIBM Building8 BrisbaneAve Barton
16 17
TRAINING DAYIntro Windows 95930-430PCUG Centre______________
Meet theCommittee2-4pmPCUG Centre
18
TRAININGDAYInternetAdvancedAccess Intro930-430PCUG Centre
19
Internet DaytimeDemo andDiscussion 10am-12noon PCUG Centre______________
SIXTEEN BITSStuffing and Mailing530pm PCUGCentre
20
Virtual Coffee ampChatTIP IRC Server1030-1130am_____________
Delphi SIG730pm PCUGCentre
21 22
Linux UserGroup730pmRmN101ComputerScience DeptANU
23 24
TRAINING DAYPC Maintenanceamp Troubleshooting930-430PCUG Centre
25
TRAININGDAYInternetAdvancedAccess Intro930-430PCUG Centre
26
Main MeetingManningClark Theatre1 CrispBuilding ANU7 for 730pm
27
Coffee amp Chat1030amPCUG Centre
28 29
Networks SIGCall GarryThomson(241 2399) fordetails
30
SIXTEENBITS Articledeadline forJune
31
TRAININGDAYInternetHTML Intro930-430PCUG CentreBytes SIG 6pm
Asian Bistro ANU(before PCUGmeeting
10 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
In reality a key can be tested in a lotless than a millisecond In a recent challengein the US by RSA Data Security a 40 bitsecret key cipher was broken in about twoand half hours by using a whole stack ofcomputers in parallel No-one has crackedthe 56 bit challenge issued at the same time(at least at the time of writing this whichwas several weeks after the challenge wasissued) A 56 bit key is roughly 2^16 timesmore difficult to break meaning it wouldtake over 18 years to break with the samecomputing power used for the 40 bit key
Even if a 56 bit key was too short foryour security needs there are also schemesfor encryption with DES using two differentkeys in an encrypt-decrypt-encrypt cycleThis system sometime called triple DESmore than doubles the effective key lengthand provides truly remarkable security
Other common secret key algorithmsinclude IDEA (International DataEncryption Algorithm) which is used inPretty Good Privacy RC4 and RC5 ThelsquoRCrsquo series ciphers (also proprietaryproducts of RSA Data Security) are used inNetscape Navigator
US Export ControlsAs in many other technology areas theUnited States has been one of the leaders inthe development of crytosystems Manypowerful ciphers are available commerciallyin US products But the US government hasuntil recently had an almost total ban on theexport of most such products
The US government even used to treatcommercial cryptosystems as munitions forexport purposes Cryptographic softwareexports would often receive scrutiny fromthe US national security agency
Recent promises by major US IT firmsto incorporate lsquokey recoveryrsquo in theirproducts has lead to a relaxation on exportcontrols A statement by the White Houseon 1 October last year said that firms thatbuilt key recovery into their products wouldbe able to export much more powerfulcryptosystems for a trial period of two years
The actual details of what was meant bykey recovery were released by the USadministration just before Christmas 1996For practical purposes they differ little fromanother controversial and widely criticisedpolicy called key escrow which involveslodging all keys with a governmentauthority
The US government justifies itsinsistence on key recovery systems so thatit can continue to eavesdrop on criminalelements or terrorists taking advantage of
powerful cryptographic processes to hidetheir activities from the law
This means that the real interest by USauthorities is in cryptographic techniquesused for secret conversations The US hasno concern about encryption software thatcan only be used for digital signatures andmessage authentication
So far so good But on closer exndashamination the logic becomes harder tofollow The US government is controllingexport of cryptosystems not access to themin the US US citizens including thoseabroad have unrestricted access to verystrong encryption technology US citizenswill not even be obliged to use software thatincludes the key recovery systems mandatedfor exports In fact the October 1996statement by the White House makes thepolicy pretty clear ldquodomestic use of keyrecovery will be voluntary and any
American will remain free to use anyencryption system domesticallyrdquo
So how will the inclusion of keyrecovery in lsquoexport onlyrsquo products help TheUS government seems to be hoping that itskey recovery idea will become a de factointernational standard and that the US firmsmaking this software simply will not botherproducing two versions - one with and onewithout key recovery Instead they willproduce one version with key recovery Untilthis happens (if it ever does) the USgovernment will only be able to decryptmessages originated from overseas usingexported US software They will only beable to decrypt where a foreign governmentobtains the keys and hands them over Therecent White House statement says ldquoaccessto keys would be provided in accordancewith (export) destination country policiesand bilateral understandingsrdquo
A major problem highlighted by thecritics of US policy is that much of theencryption technology is already availableoverseas Much of it can apparently be usedlegally outside the US and even importedinto the US - yet it still canrsquot be exported byUS software vendors
For example DES is a publishedstandard and is widely available in manyparts of the world but until recently waseffectively the subject of a US export banAustralia is a case in point DES islegitimately available from a number of ourspecialist IT security firms for exampleEracom on the Gold Coast
In the case of RSA this is protected bypatent in the US However that hasnrsquotstopped it being available in other countriesin non-US products
The US government is not alone inhaving controls on use or export of crypndashtography France bans use of cryptographyby its citizens completely Closer to homethe Australian government also has exportcontrols on cryptographic software andhardware - although not a stringent as thosein the US Many other countries have thesetypes of controls as well
In spite of the well-intentioned motivesbehind restrictions on cryptography it seemshard to imagine that crooks and terroristswill be more vulnerable They are likely togain access to all the cryptographic
(continued from page 8)
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 11
SPIRIT NETWORKSYOUR INTERNET BUSINESS SOLUTION
IN CANBERRA
Offering full commercial Internet Services to create theInternet Presence of your business including
middot World Wide Web Site optional Domain Nameregistration and high volume services
middot Multiple Email Mailboxes amp high-speed Dialup access
middot Free Internet technical support
middot No time charging
middot Accounts from $25 a month
middot Training Consultation and Support Services
middot Connections by ISDN or modem permanentconnections available
middot Other services included are Telnet WWW FileTransfer News IRC and Multimedia
middot On-site Internet Software Installation Configuration andDemonstration
Personal accounts available
Complete Office Solutions for your Internet Presence
Email salesspiritnetau
Phone 0419 609 704 06 281 3552 Fax 06 285 1987
PO Box 486 Curtin ACT 2605
technology they want - whether legally ornot
If yoursquore interested in finding out moreon cryptography there are some good booksand plenty of good material on the Web Aclassic book is Bruce Schneierrsquos AppliedCryptography (2nd edition 1996 Wiley)which also contains C code for manyciphers On the web have a look athttpwwwrsacom (see FAQ) or httptheory lcs mi t edu~r ives t c rypto-securityhtml (plenty of good links - a mustfor anyone with an interest in cryptography)
12 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
1297
1897
1987
1997
ph 06 297 1084fax 03 9221 3180sustanceibmnet
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 13
14 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Setting Up a Commercial Site onthe Internet with Web Graphics
At the beginning of March I launched a newcommercial site on the Internet - InfoRomSince I know virtually nothing about HTMLprogramming and since I am something of anovice at this game I thought you might beinterested in
a) My experience of setting up acommercial site
b) My evaluation of how suited CorelWeb Graphics is to this purpose
I was in fact involved in EdRev anunsuccessful Internet project that was up onthe Net for much of 1996 Hopefully I havelearned from the experience - as Peter Cookused to say ldquoI have learned from my mistakesand I can repeat every one of them perfectlyrdquo
Developing Your Site ConceptBefore setting up your site it is important tohave a clear idea in mind as to why the site isthere what services you wish to provide andwhat sort of clients you are aiming at WithEdRev my idea had been to provide in-depthreviews of CD-ROM educational softwareover the Internet - people would not be able toaccess the reviews until they had taken up asubscription - or at least trialled the servicefor a month People out there did not respondto this approach - and the big problem frommy point of view was that I was putting vastamounts of time into writing the reviews andgetting little return
With InfoRom I decided to write shortermuch tighter reviews make them available forfree but offer access to question and answersupport on any of the products reviewed for asmall fee That way I figured that I wouldnrsquothave to invest too much effort up front but Iwould be putting my time and energy intoanswering questions for paid up subscribers Ialso decided to start including selected gamesas well as educational software so as to widenthe appeal of the service
Corel Web Transit - Word to HTML
Having written the reviews (inWord 6 for Windows) the nextstep was to convert them intoHTML format This proved to besomewhat easier than I had expectedWeb Transit makes the process prettyautomatic and it carried over my formattingand styles without any problem The onlydifficulty I found was that occasionally itwould add a couple of unwanted line breaksat the top of the page and very occasionallyan unwanted bookmark to the text at the topWhere this happened I simply deleted the linebreaks and changed the formatting to removethe bookmark There was no logical reason forthese unwanted inclusions - I suspect that itwas just a bug in the program Diagram 1 iswhat the Transit screen looks like You set updestination and source then click translatethen click the Web Designer icon if you wantto format and modify the file or click thebrowser icon to see what it will look like onthe Web
Corel Web Designer - Formattingand Enhancing the Site Pages
Web Designer is another of the Corel WebGraphics package components and (with thehelp of my daughter Naomi) I used this to dothe following
middot Fancy up headings and the appearanceof the text
middot Add internal links eg from the bottomof the page to the top
middot Add external links to other files egSubject Index
By Nick Thomson
Diagram 1
cd romcd rom
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 15
middot Add external files to other sites eg thesites of the software suppliers
middot Add graphics
All of the above processes were easy andreliable and I was able to undertake all of themsuccessfully despite not having any knowledgeof HTML programming I only encounteredthree shortcomings
1 If I had names with a mixture of upper andlower case the links didnrsquot always workproperly I overcame this by ensuring thatall my filenames were in lower case onlyI am not sure if this was a Web Graphicsproblem or just a general HTML issue
HTML is certainly casesensitive so beware
2 It is not possible to define orsave your own templates in Web
Designer It would have been veryhandy if I could have set up a template
with all the standard headings and linkseg to the Home Page built in - notpossible at this stage but I understand thatthis facility will be available in the nextupgrade of Web Designer
3 The formatting options are a bit limitedand it is not possible to define your ownstyles (although there is quite a good rangeof pre-defined styles available)
For graphics Naomi created a series ofneat little icons - one for each subject categoryThus at the top of each page there were twosmall graphics representing one or two subjectcategories for that review These were createdfrom clip art in Corel Draw then convertedand pasted in as gif or jpeg images (the twographic formats that are supported by HTML)We had tried using screen clips in EdRev -
they took forever to load and were a pain towork with so I decided against using them inInfoRom One of the golden rules of Web sitesis not to slow things down with too manygraphics - I get very frustrated waiting forsome of the software supplier sites to load -and I donrsquot want my potential clients to feelthat way about my site Diagram 2 is anexample of one of our pages
Selecting a Supplier andUploading Pages
The next step was to find a commercial sitesupplier I had been happy with service andvalue for money that we got at Spirit Networks(an ACT supplier) so I decided to go to themIt cost me $275 to set the site up (includingthe registration of my domain name on theInternet) and it is costing me $50 per monthfor maintaining the site (that includes a goodlevel of storage email traffic and the right toupdate whenever I like) - so it really isnrsquot tooexpensive a service As part of the setup costsa rep from Spirit came and helped my set upTIP email and FTP connections on mymachine Because of my newness to thisprocess I fired lots of questions (includingquite a few dumb ones) at them by email orphone in the first couple of weeks - I have tosay that they have been very patient and mosthelpful
I uploaded all the files by means of FTPand eureka it is working What a satisfyingfeeling to log on load up your browser andperuse a site that is all your own work Apartfrom a few faulty links (the result of incorrectentry on my part) everything was working fineimmediately and I have already added threelots of updates without difficulty
Marketing and Indexing the SiteWhen I was involved in EdRev I sent outapprox 600 emails to schools educationalagencies etc in the hope of winning somesubscribers For all that effort we got 2subscribers
I believe that one of the keys to the Internetis harnessing the power of the various searchprograms or Web Indexes by listing your sitewith them and doing whatever you need to doto ensure that your site has a reasonably good
Diagram 2(continued next page)
16 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
chance of being detected What I want is thatif someone searches for a particular packageeg Encarta or NHL 97 then they will bedirected to my site Thus the key is for not justmy home page but for every separate reviewpage to be picked up by the various indexesMost users stick with the big ones - as far as Ican tell they are
Excite
Infoseek
Lycos
Alta Vista
Magellan (subset of Excite)
Yahoo
Hot Bot
Web Crawler
Web Surfer
If anyone out there can suggest any otherlsquopopular onesrsquo please tell me My experienceis that there are two categories of Index
1 Those that list your home page and thentrace all of the links to the home page and(over time) add all of the other pages inyour site This can take 3 or 4 weeks Theseinclude Alta Vista Lycos Yahoo and (Ithink) Excite and Yahoo
2 Those that will only list the URL you haveentered eg Infoseek and Web Crawler
Thus I have taken two approaches Withcategory 1 eg Excite I have added just thehome page to the index although each time Ido an update I add the URL of what I estimatewill be the most popular choice for that weekto Excite and Hot Bot - thus increasing thelikelihood of my site appearing on thesesindexes in the short term Alta Vista Yahooand Lycos all actively discourage this process- but I will see whether the review pages ofmy sites are being picked up before I passjudgement on this
In the case of Infoseek and Web Crawler Ientered every single URL for all the pages inmy site (about 130 to begin with) - and everytime I do an update I add the URLs for thenew pages to these indexes It is timeconsuming but I believe that it is worth it Iam starting to get traffic to the site from allover the world but it is too early to tell howsuccessful my efforts have been
WebSurfer required a payment of $350(US) to be included - I wonder how long itwill be before this trend catches on with theothers At the bank I discovered that it wouldcost me $10 - to get a cheque drawn in USdollars - so the process cost me about $15
dollars And they wonder why Australia is notcompetitive on the international scene WhileI am grizzling about banks let me alsocomment that for every client that pays me bycheque in US dollars or pounds sterling it willcost me $5 to convert that cheque to Australiandollars The trick is of course to encouragepayment by credit card but I have not foundany of the banks I have spoken to so far to beparticularly eager to allow a small untriedbusiness like this to offer credit card facilitiesAre there any banks out there that encourageAustralians to transact internationalbusiness
There are a number of providers that offer(for a fee) to list you with lsquo100 Web indexesrsquoetc but since I figure that most people onlyuse the most popular ones I havenrsquot botheredwith them
Final CommentBasically it is now a matter of wait and seewhat the response is as well as ensure that thesite is visible on the various Web indexes Thewhole process has certainly been much easierthan I expected and I can certainly recommendCorelrsquos Web Graphics suite as a good way forbeginners to get a page up on the Internet witha minimum of fuss and bother Letrsquos hope thatthe subscribers start rolling in
Nick Thomson is a management trainerconsultant and he is also the manager ofInfoRom a CD-ROM review and onlinesupport service on the Internet He can becontacted on 241 3239
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 17
A review by Alan Tebb
ldquoWhat is the name of the worldrsquos mosttattooed womanrdquo (See the answer at theend of this article)
I remember buying a copy of theGuinness Book of Records in 1979and thinking it contained the mostfascinating collection of trivial facts
and figures I had ever read Over the yearsthe book settled the occasional dinnerargument that strayed into the realm of ldquowhowas the tallest man everrdquo or ldquohow longwere the longest finger nails ever grownrdquoIt was like having the sideshow bearded ladyand the tattooed man between covers on thebookshelf every page was filled with thebizarre the freakish the unbelievable
But to be fair the Guinness Book ofRecords is more than a collection of thecurious or unusual In the month since Ibegan this review I have noticed the TV andthe newspapers have on three occasionscovered attempts to break Guinness records
Perhaps the Guinness record book fulfillsthat need in human beings to challenge theirenvironment do things that no other humanhas done before to better the incredible featsof others or to be just plain crazy Whateverthe motivation the drive to be a part ofGuinness historyndashif only for as long as arecord holdsndashis as popular now as when thewhole thing began in 1955
So naturally I was very interested to seewhat Grolier had done to make the GuinnessBook of Records a multimedia CD I wasnrsquotdisappointed Like its hardcover cousin theGuinness Multimedia Disc of Recordscontains the same extensive collection ofrecords plus a library of amazing film clipsand photographs you simply wonrsquot findanywhere else on CD
The opening interface looks like acollection of pub drink coasters It has eightpaths allowing the user to browse recordsgo straight to an index of all photographsview movie clips search by words search
1995 GuinnessMultimediaDisc of Records
by topics search by superlatives run theRandom Record Explorer or play the GuessWhat quiz
The record browser lists almost 15000records in alphabetical order and is the leasteffective way of finding your way aroundthe CD The Guinness Multimedia Disc ofRecords excels in its ability to search itsdatabase of records using some innovativeoptions The usual Boolean choices areavailable or you can have fun searching bysuperlatives such as ldquotallestrdquo or ldquoheaviestrdquoThe CD will then list all the records thatinclude the chosen adjective The otheralternative is to search through topic treesthat branch out from a few key subjects allthe way to individual records an approachoften seen in CD encyclopaedias
The disc contains over 1000photographs from the Guinness collectionincluding what must be considered some ofthe most unusual and fascinating picturesassembled in one publication The majorityof photos and videos are very high in qualityand in the case of the photos these can beprinted
My only disappointment with theGuinness Multimedia Disc of Records is thefact that it did not have a country specificsupplement The thing I liked most aboutmy 1979 hard copy version was the 30 pagesof Australia-only records at the back Evenso the multimedia version is every bit asentertaining interesting and informative asI had hoped it would be With the addedadvantage of film clips sound and greatsearch capabilities I think it is better thanthe hard copy version Now if I can onlyremember some of those unusual facts andfigures I might be a much better TrivialPursuit player
System RequirementsA 486DX processor running at 33MHz orfaster using Windows 31 or rsquo95 4 Mb ofRAM 6Mb hard disk space CD-ROMcapable of 300Kbsec or higher transfer rateand a sound card The video uses Quicktimefor Windows 20 (supplied with theproduct)
The worldrsquos most decorated woman is stripartiste Krystyne Kolorful born 5 December1952 in Alberta Canada Her body is 95percent covered and it took ten years tocomplete the work
18 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
T his comprehensive set ofpowerful drawing and photo-editing tools fills a niche for thehome or small business users
who are looking for an easy-to-use graphicspackage to create greeting cards certificatesbanners business forms signs and calendarsetc and at the same time have the capacityto scan their own photographs touch themup and add special effects or create bitmapimages using the painting tools
While both MS Publisher 97 (which Ireviewed in the March 1997 issue) and PrintHouse have some similarities and overlapin the production of greeting cards bannerscalendars menus etc this program con-centrates on the production of qualitygraphics and photographic enhancementwhile MS Publisher97 was more orientedtowards Desk Top Publishing and has nophotographic enhancement program
Corel Print amp Photo House lives up toits claim for simplicity with a friendlywizard-based interface that anyone can usewithout training It includes more than 1600ready-to-print sample files (700 of whichare cards 1000 photos 1000 phrases 150TrueType fonts 7000 clipart images 200backdrops and 70 intelligent borders andtemplates and a well-illustrated manualwhich includes a catalogue containingcollections of the clipart fonts bordersbackdrops phrases and photos on theCDROM At a loss for the appropriatewords to include The comprehensive listof phrases should meet almost everyconceivable need
Installation is simple and the programproved fully compatible with my LogitechColour scanner and DSV Graphics DisplayAccelerator
There is a key that opens a key page thatin turn displays help topics to assist withthe task in hand using cue cards The topicsopened by the key are determined by the toolin use or the object currently selected Eachcard contains an instruction and after eachstep is completed a new card displays
Wizards are available to walk usersthrough any task such as changing the colourof an object or adding shadows to text Thereis an on-screen Notebook to help guide usersthrough various operations such as how toapply effects choose a paint brush or accessthe photo collection It also provides easyand visible access to clipart bordersbackdrops and preset styles that can bedragged and dropped into designs
You can customise a project withpowerful drawing tools and flip rotate orscale any text or graphic
The vector graphics and text are fullyeditable and can be flipped rotated re-sizedungrouped and fully customised by bothcolour and shape
The Toolbars and layout will be familiarto Corel Draw users they are intuitive andperform similar functions Figure 3 showsthe Notebook to the left of the verticaltoolbar showing what you would like to donext This Notebook provides convenienton-screen context-sensitive help and guidesusers through various operations such ashow to apply effects choose a paint brushor access a photo collection It also provideseasy and visible access to clipart bordersbackdrops and preset styles that can bedragged and dropped into designs To add acatalogue item you can drag it from theNotebook and drop it into the appropriatepart of your design
One particularly neat feature is theability to save pieces of your own creationfor later use in a section called theScrapbook so that you can add it to futureprojects
Reviewed by Jim Hume
Figure 1
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 19
The Photo House was particularlyimpressive both for the ease of use and itsversatility It took just over ten minutes torepair the damage to the print in Figure 2with the result shown in Figure 3 It alsoincludes a Notebook that provides on screenhelp to guide users For touching upphotographs there are Tools for selectionRectangle Freehand Eyedropper EraserFlood Fill Paintbrush Spray Can and Clonetools There are seven different touch-upeffects including Sharpen BrightnessContrast Remove Dust and ScratchesReduce speckles Simplify colours removered-eyes and Change Colours which provide
users with everything they are likely to needto spruce up or enhance photographs
Finally they provide a touch of fun withspecial effects-Page Curl Emboss SwirlCustom Negative Vignette Motion blurAdd light source Psychedelic Ripple
texture Impress-ionist and SketchThe photo editingpossibilities arealmost endlessFigure 4 showsthe special effectspicture a crownconverted top s y c h e d e l i cformat
Figure 2
Figure 3
Apart from serious use this program willalso provide a lot of fun for all ages andsome may be carried away with over-use ofthe graphics If only to emphasise the needto keep the design simple so that readers getthe message immediately the manual wouldbenefit from a Chapter covering theprinciples of good design similar to that inthe Publisher97 Companion or at least a listof recommended reading
There is an uninstall feature whichallows the ready removal of the program
System RequirementsMinimum System requirements IBM PC486 DX or compatible Windows95 orWindows Nt 351 a CD-ROM drive a VGAcardmonitor and a mouse or tabletWindows users require 8MB of RAM andWindows NT 351 or later users will require12 MB or RAM Price - RRP $9900
Figure 4
20 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
So here we are - itrsquos about 930 amon a fine Sunday morning and Irsquomcruising along the 210 freewayeastbound from Pasadena on the
way to the computer marketplace atPomona The traffic is light moving freelydown the 6 lanes between 70 and 80 mph(forgive the non-metrics therersquos a lot ofcatching up to do here) The speed limit wasincreased from 55 to 65 mph after the oilcrisis was ldquooverrdquo and the highway patroltend to frown on anyone faster or slowerthan 65 to 80 The radio is tuned to K-Earth1011 ldquoOldiesrdquo radio (appropriate for me)the Big-O is extolling the virtues of PrettyWomen and all is right with the world
Irsquove done my homework the day beforeby visiting FRYrsquos Electronics in Burbank -a huge high-tech megastore with a computersection roughly the size of David JonesThey are generally in the lower range ofcomputer retail prices - so it is worth seeinghow they compare to values at the Pomonamarketplace
Some example of prices at FRYrsquos (forsome things I was thinking of buying) are
Tape Backup unitsIomega Ditto 2Gb - $150 (Aus $207 after825 CA sales tax and conversion at 1275)Connor 32Gb - $229 A$316HP Colorado 32Gb - $209 A$288
Parallel port TV camerasColour - $249 A$343 Greyscale- $110 A$151 [Saw them bymail order at $79 A$101 (notax)]
8Mb 72pin EDO SIMMs 70ns - $40 A$55 60ns (1 yearWarranty) - $35 A$48 60ns(Namebrand lifetime warranty) -$44 A$61
Sony Web TV(WWW + Email via your TV -No PC required) - $290 A$400
Back to Sunday and thehardest part of the trip is theU-turn into the LA County
fairgroundrsquos car park - there are 6 entrancelanes with only 2-3 cars in each so gettingto park is pretty painless except for the $5parking fee Ouch A dollar up since lasttime Then another shock to the wallet -entrance fee has increased from $7 to $8for adults (and no Seniors discount) So atotal of $13 A$18 before making it into thefirst hall A friend and I discussed theentrance price and concluded that it mightbe a cunning psychological plot - Itrsquos costso much to get this far that one should reallybuy plenty to make it all worthwhileEverybody wins organisers and dealers thatis But itrsquos certainly possible to recoup theentrance money with a purchase of aCDROM For example MS Encarta 97 wasgoing for $26 (A$36)
There is at least one and sometimes twocomputer shows somewhere in LA eachweekend but this I think this one is thebiggest It is held in two large halls(sometimes three) Each hall is capable ofeasily accommodating around 150 largishstands with 10-15 foot aisles Therersquos 4 or 5radio stations here - at least 2 broadcastingand the rest handing out various ldquofreebiesrdquowhile relaying their station overloudspeakers Add to that various spruikersshouting their wares (ldquoNo CDs over $5 onthis tablerdquo ldquoLowest motherboard prices atthe showrdquo) numerous ldquomultimediardquo demos
and a few thousand people trying to makethemselves heard It is pretty noisy
I checked with the organisers and theysaid that they average around 8000attendees per day - so up to 20000 over agood two day weekend show It surprisedme that is was that low as it can get reallycrowded (2 or 3 deep at some stands)
There were over 300 dealers that day -about average However every 2-3 monthsthe organisers run 20-30 short seminars inconjunction with the market at the Sheratonsuites on the fairground complex On thoseoccasions the attendance at the marketincreases by 30 or more
So why do people keep coming back tothese shows Are the prices so much betterHere are a few examples
Complete ldquobasicrdquo system166 Mhz 6x86 Triton VX MB PnP bios256 Kb Cache 16 Mb EDO RAM 16 GbEIDE HDD 8X EIDE CDROM PCISVGA 64 bit with 2 Mb MPEG Yamaha3D Wavetable sound card poweredspeakers 336 Fax modem with Voice
mail SVGA 15 Digital NI28 monitor mousekeyboard floppy drive etcWin95 Installed with manualamp CD $969 A$1337 for thelot
MotherboardsIntel VX chip set with all IO256 Kb Cache - $84 A$116Intel HX chip set 512K -$110 A$152 CheapestPentium MB I saw (Optichip set) - $65 A$90
Wish You Were HereSixteen Bits foriegn correspondent John Saxonchecks in from Pasadena California
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 21
Tyan Tomcat 3 with 512K - $145 (the oneI paid $220 for 4 months ago - Oh wellthatrsquos life at the bleeding edge)
RAM8Mb 60ns EDO - $35 A$48 (Brand name$2 more) 16Mb 60ns EDO - $74 A$102
CPUsPentium Pro 150 Mhz - $179 A$247Pentium MMX 200 Mhz - $538 A$742(prediction - $300 by Dec 97)
CDROM Drives6X - $55 A$76 (Untested - as is)X12 Acer - $100 A$138X2 7 disk changer - $50 A$69(Untested - as is)JVC X4 read X2 write - $259A$357X16 (LiteOn = no name Nicebox) - $108 A$149
HDDsWD Caviar 25 Gb - $225 A$311Maxstor 13 Gb - $170 A$234
ModemsUS Robotics Courier 56 Kbs +Voice - $163 A$225 No name 336Kbs + SVDS - $67 A$92 (and goingdown)
Odd stuff2 Mb VGA cards as low as $45 A$62Cheapest parallel port flatbed scanner -$203 A$280
Stocking stuffers 230 Watt powersupplies - $17 A$23IDE HDD mobile rack with lock - $12A$17 TEAC 144 MbFDD - $20 A$28
The only direct comparison with FRYrsquosprices was for the HP 32 Gb tape backupunit - $209 at FRYrsquos - $149 at the marketSo it can definitely be worth the trip BUTsome of the dealers may not be around toolong to honour warranties and there aresome definitely ldquoshonkyrdquo practices goingon An example is the almost universalpractice of breaking up CDROM ldquobundlesrdquoto sell separately a practice much frownedupon by OEMs Caveat Emptor
So what was hot or different at thismarketplace
Well the new ATX format motherboardsand cases seemed to be selling well Forthose who donrsquot know - ATX is the new
mechanical layout with some electricalimprovements agreed by the major man-ufacturers (the first major mechanicalchange since the original PC) The mostobvious difference in the new motherboardsis on-board connectors (including USB andIR) and externally removable panels on thecases (you need a new case and Powersupply with the new motherboards) Butthere are many more changes infunctionality including ldquogreenrdquo systemPower supply control - never turn the system
off (except by unplugging it) Boards were$150 A$207 and up and cases with PSUsaround $75 A$104
Recordable CDROM drives were sellingwell with media down to $8 A$11 Didnrsquotsee any of the new DVD CD-ROM drivesbut these shows are not generally ldquocuttingedgerdquo more concentration on lower (slightlytrailing edge) prices
But I tried on a great pair of LCD 3Dglasses with modified game software - veryimpressive results The glasses switch 48times per sec (some noticeable flicker) andcome with a CDROM which include driversand some modified ldquoshoot-em-uprdquo gamesDescent 3D Nukem Doom etc for a totalof $99 A$137 The same stand also sold a4MB 128 bit Video card with hardwareMPEG2 decompression for $159 A$219Terminator-2 at full screen and full ratelooking better than your average TV
I even saw a $999 A$1378 home-use2-axis VR - that is Virtual Reality - chaircontrolled by the joystick It is quite quiet(as far as I could tell in amongst the racket)and apparently air driven with 50 degreesmovement in pitch and 55 degrees in roll
The monitor mounts in front of your kneesand the keyboard (for an optional operator -or simulation controller) behind the seatback There were speakers and joystick builtin also It seemed to be very fast and wasquite nauseating to watch Combine thiswith the 3D glasses for a total experience(if your stomach could take it)
There are probably more software thanhardware stands with CDROMs from $199up to $199 A$275 for Office 97 Pro upgrade(probably another unbundling job) Also 3
or 4 book stores - selling at coverprice less 25 for one book to coverprice less 35 for 5 or more books
Not all the stands are totallycomputer oriented There are a fairsprinkling of chiropractors (on thespot diagnosis) ldquoself defenserdquostands (mace amp pepper sprayselectric stun guns and (strangely)large knives) Cell phones pagerscigars and jewelry etc - you nameit A pretty large curtained off area(over 21 only) had several dealersselling thousands of ldquoadultrdquoCDROMs and videos A nice
change from the ldquooldrdquo days when that stuffwas included on most stands One of theradio stations was giving out ldquoEarthquakepreparationrdquo leaflets - modern times in LA
What did I buy Well - very restrainedfor me Only 16 Mb (2 X 8 Mb EDOSIMMs) of RAM - name brand (Toshiba) at$38 (A$52) each Also an HP Deskjetprinter colour refill kit At $55 (A$76) it waspretty expensive but it is supposed to refillcolour cartridges up to 24 times and B ampW up to 6 times so it could well be worth it- came with a package of business card paper(my choice parchment) also Oh and a W95or 31 Wincheck Version 40 softwarepackage at $1495 A$21 - I couldnrsquot resist
So after 2 12 hours I had taken a quickcheck around all the stands with no repeatsand I was out of there - all computered out(at least for one day) Irsquove been to that showat least 6 to 8 times before plus othersaround LA and I still get a mild adrenalinerush when going in - calculated to causeshopping frenzy
22 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Confused aboutYoursquore not alone
By Nhan Tran
Getting onto the InternetYoursquove heard about the informationsuperhighway and you want to know moreYour kids want to get on the Internet butyou donrsquot know how to give them a driveYou have been using the Internet but whenyou asked for help you could not explainyour problems to the experts This article(or maybe a series of articles) gives you thewhole picture and some explanation on thevehicle you use to get on the superhighway
The SuperhighwayThe Internet is a complex (and sometimesconvoluted) network of superhighways Theroads may be a six-lane freeway a four-lanehighway a side street or even a narrow alleyThey may be on the ground above groundunderground at the bottom of the seas orflying high with the satellites in space
On top of that you donrsquot actually driveyour car It is driven by an automatic driverwhich is nearly blind and canrsquot see fartherthan the next turn It is weird It is unnaturalwhich may be the reason why it works andthe other ldquowell-designedrdquo networks failedThe whole network is based on the conceptof ldquobest effortsrdquo That is the robot driverswould try their best but not guarantee thatthey would take you to the destination
They try to find the best route for you Itmeans that if the road is too congested theymay make a U-turn get off the freeway andcrawl through a labyrinth of cat alleys Theroads are like the real ones sometimes thereis almost no traffic at all other times theylook like a huge car park The matter getsworse when you take into account of thedifferent timezones around the world Oneorsquoclock in Australia may be the rush hourin another country and if you want to getinformation from there you get caught inthe traffic
Because of these characteristicssomeone (I think it was Mitch Kapor thespreadsheet inventor) has made a comment
like ldquothe information superhighway is a ten-lane freeway in one direction and an ox-cart path in the otherrdquo
But if you can go to where you wantwould you care I donrsquot I treat the wholenetwork like a fuzzy cloud that magicallygives me the new freedom the newcommunity and the new set of problems
The Highway RampSo how do you get on this super highwayThere are places which are connected to thehighway network on one side and entrancesfor you to enter on the other They are calledservers Normally what you see on theInternet is what is stored at these serversbecause most people like you donrsquot wantstrangers to access your PC (I wouldnrsquot leta stranger into my house) Luckily there aremany servers with many goodies to look ator play with
Getting onto these servers is not easyYou use a modem connected to a phone lineto call the modem on the server When theserver modem answers the call they wouldstart the process of synchronisation Toomany standards and too many brands If youare unlucky your modem may refuse to talkto the other modem and you would spendhours of frustration and get a huge phonebill
The high pitch tone you hear from themodem is this process When both modemssatisfy that they can reliably talk to eachother the noise stops Then itrsquos the butlerrsquosturn
The ButlerThere is a very important program for yourInternet access It is a program that asks the
modem to make the call to the server andwhen connected requests a login on yourbehalf to the server
What is a login You come to a friendrsquosplace knock the door or ring the bellSomeone in the house would ask ldquowho isthererdquo and yoursquod say ldquoitrsquos just merdquo Yourfriend recognises your voice opens the doorand let you in If you work in a securedenvironment every morning when you enterthe building you would show your ID cardto the security guard
Your username (or user ID or login ID)and your password are equivalent to the IDcard If you get the dreaded ldquoaccess deniedrdquoit means (a) you (or the program that doeson your behalf) entered incorrect username(b) you entered wrong password or (c) youran out of access hours or the accessexpired or your PCUG membership
expiredThis program is
always there rendashgardless of how youstart your Internetsession Some
access the Internet by Eudora some byMicrosoft Internet Explorer some useNetscape They either have a built-inprogram to do this job or automatically callthis program to make the connection Evenif you donrsquot see it on the screen it is runningin the background The popular PC prondashgrams that can do this task are TrumpetWinsock (or TCPMAN) Shiva Chameleonor Dial-up Networking Connect etc
Once the connection is established thisprogram will take on the task of a butlerserving other programs Letrsquos look at thefollowing analogy
Letrsquos assume that you (or to be precisethe PC programs such as Eudora MSInternet Explorer Netscape etc) were aninvalid confined in a room You would needa butler to help you getting things outside
ldquoThe roads may be a six-lane freeway a four-lanehighway a side street or even a narrow alleyrdquo
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 23
the Internet
the room When you (Eudora InternetMail Netscape Mail) wanted to checkyour mail yoursquod ask the butler to checkthe letter box and bring letters to yourbed When you wanted to send lettersto friends or relative yoursquod ask thebutler to take it to the post office
When you (Free Agent InternetNews Netscape News) wanted to readnewspaper yoursquod ask the butler to goto the newsagent and buy newspaper foryou When you (Internet ExplorerNetscape Opera) wanted a book or avideo yoursquod ask the butler to buy suchand such books or videos for you
It is so important that without it youcanrsquot get anything f rom thesuperhighway So if you started yoursession from Trumpet Winsock whenthe connection has been made (ie whenyou see the message ldquoMy IP address is2031076xxxrdquo) donrsquot close or exit theprogram Minimise it and let it run inthe background so that it can serve otherprograms Otherwise you would getstrange and incomprehensible errormessage such as ldquowinsockdll missingrdquo(trust a programmer to tell you whatrsquoswrong in the program he or she wrote)
Thatrsquos enough for the boring stuffNext t ime wersquo l l ta lk about emai l(eletronic mail) news World Wide Web(if the Queen is doing it so why canrsquotwe) and other mysteries of the Internet
Internet Clinics are normally held at the PCUG Centre Northpoint PlazaBelconnen the first Saturday of each month 930am to 1pm There is nocost involved
So if you (or another PCUG member you know of) are having problemsyou (or they) will be welcome to attend It is suggested that you call thePCUG Centre on the day and check with the staffer that we are notoverloaded before coming along
To get a problem on your PC resolved it is essential that you bring all ofthe following items with you
bull PC and Monitor plus all interconnecting cables
bull Mouse
bull Keyboard
bull Modem
bull Modem power supply
bull Modem cables - from PC to modemand from modem to telephone socket
bull Modem and PC manuals amp documentation
bull All of your software disks -
ie Win31 or Windows95 disksCD
If you dont have a PC to fix but you want to get some guidance on someparticular aspect of using TIP please feel free to come along and simplytalk to us
Clinics are not a free softwaremodem installation service We do expectyou to have made a reasonable attempt at getting the software installed ampworking
David Schwabe dschwabepcugorgau
The Internet Clinic
24 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
A t the start of this year I startedto get interested again in an oldheroine from days of misspentyouth in the rsquo70s New York
underground poet-turned-singer Patti Smithldquothe Bob Dylan of the punk scenerdquoThought Irsquod see whether there was anythingon the Web and found anexcellent site at httpwwwoceanstarcompatti Tomy astonishment I found thatshe was in Australia on her firstmajor tour anywhere in years mainly for theBig Day Out outdoor concerts
I had heard of the Big Day Out tour viaTriple J but this was the first Irsquod heard ofher being on the bill After seeing other re-formed punk heroes Radio Birdman and theSex Pistols in 1996 was it possible I couldmake the trifecta Alas the Sydney eventhad been booked out for two weeks
Via the JJJ Web site httpwwwabcnetautriplejdefaulthtm I found theBig Day Out Web site httpstarbaitbdocomaustarbaitbdo and loand behold they were having live conndashnections to the Melbourne concert on the25th January via the Internet with the
assistance of a US-based organisation calledThe Campus (wwwthecampuscom) If Icouldnrsquot be there in Sydney to see Patti inperson this would be as close as I couldget In addition I had always seemed to findout about real-time events on the Web justafter theyrsquod occurred and here at least wasan opportunity to be in at the start it wouldbe an interesting technical exercise ifnothing else
First choice was browser InternetExplorer 3 or Netscape Navigator 3 I gatherIrsquom not unlike many in having been initiallybowled over with IE3 then finding that itwas less robust and in particular made fargreater demands on temporary storage thanNetscape With little free disk space and
being about to try all sortsof new things I decided toplay safe and use Navigator
The Big Day Out Website (figure 1) was well done
and looked great including animatedgraphics and good use of frames but wasif anything as the British say ldquotoo cleverby halfrdquo For example you selected optionsvia a Shockwave animation of ducks in ashooting gallery click the mouse on a duckwhen an alternative was highlighted yoursquodhear a BANG the duck would flop overbackwards and yoursquod be off to that optionVery cute very clever and very slow andfrustrating for actually going anywhere Inaddition it appeared that when you went tosome pages they called up some trick Javacode which brought up Netscape sessionsin what looked like Kiosk mode no menusLooked neat but again a nuisance The sitehad its own mascot a sort of anime-stylekick-boxing heroine called Miss Starbait (Iassume a risque in-joke try saying the namequickly)
Once you got to it the information wasthorough and well laid out A list of artistsincluded links for those who had Web pagesThere was a page on the Auckland concert(first in the series) with photos etc For eachcity on the tour the site had links to maps ofthe venues and also timetables I foundfrom this that in Melbourne Patti Smithwould be on Stage C 540 PM for an hour
There were two main components to theInternet part of the day a Real Audio feedwith both backstage comments and the
via the Internet or -the boy looked at PattiO
BDig
ayut
by Malcolm Street
Figure 1
This is the era where everybody createsPatti Smith - ldquoSo you want to be a Rock n Roll Starrdquo 1979
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 25
stage and a new form of conferencingsoftware called The Palace where artistswould come for QampA sessions with fansIrsquod experimented with Real Audio but notto any great depth and had never even heardof Palace and I had to get this all togetherin a day Fortunately there were direct linkson the Big Day Out Web site
While I had a Real Audio stand-aloneplayer one page on the site came up with ablank expecting a Real Audio plug-in Ontothe Net to the Real Audio page todownload Real Audio player version 3Install restart Navigator back to the pageand voila A Real Audio control in themiddle of a Web page Painless
Then to work out which ISP to useUnfortunately the weekend was the onebefore the ldquoearly birdrdquo credits expired forTIP and I presume because of this it wasalmost impossible to get on One time whenI did get on I tested the Real Audiobackstage feed from Melbourne and foundI was only getting a 144k stream and poorquality at that I had a second backupaccount with Access One with a higherspeed (and far more expensive) networkand found that I could get a stable 288kReal Audio stream so that was going to be
what Irsquod have to use Not to mention thatthe time Patti Smith would be on would bepeak time anyway
Next step was to find Palace again viaa direct link from the BDO page to httpwwwthepalacecom I had used forms of
3D interactive software but Palace wasdifferent much simpler just 2D backndashgrounds Really a sort of IRC withbackdrops and sound effects For the BigDay Out the organisers had produced theirown backgrounds and sounds and I had todownload those as well from their siteHowever there were no instructions on howto set them up so it ended up being trialand error until I got it to work puttingimages and sounds in separate subdirndashectories under the Palace directory
Finally I had Palace running with the BigDay Out backdrops and found myselfoutside a circus tent which included livelinks to the Big Day Out and Campus Webpages (figure 2) Moving ldquoinsiderdquo the tentgot me to an area where I could don aparticular costume however choices werelimited for non-registered users andappeared to reset so I had to be content withthe default avatar a soft of sphere with aface on it (figure 3)
Finally there was the conference tentitself guarded by a fearsome lookingdoorman who asked for a passwordClicking on his lady companion told you tolook in the log Once Irsquod figured out howto do that I found it ldquomama cazrdquo Typedthat in response to the doorman and whoafound myself in this psychedelic room whichwas to be the conference area (figure 4)
Figure 3
Figure 2
26 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
I knew when Patti Smith was going tobe on stage what I didnrsquot know was whenshersquod be in conference in the Palace I waslistening to the back stage chatter via RealAudio this time more organised as Campuswas acting as ldquoon line radio stationrdquobroadcasting to the USA ldquoAustraliarsquosLollapolloozardquo and in the middle of this Iheard them give times for different artistsbeing in the virtual tent with Patti Smithroughly 430 Problem solved
430 arrived Back on line into the tentanother band (Supergrass) being inndashterviewed The conference area is now fullof faces with a still photo of the band downthe bottom left-hand corner Irsquove had verylittle experience with IRC and this seemsvery similar hard to follow with variousthreads of conversation going on sindashmultaneously but I gradually tune in to itTherersquos a thread going about problemspeople are having with reliably picking upReal Audio - oh dear As well as a fewAustralians there are a couple of Americansin there and a South African Then see thatPatti Smith is about to come on And sureenough C 440 the picture changes and thereshe is
Unfortunately the session is a bit of ashambles Unlike the younger artists (sherecently turned 50) she does not appear tobe familiar with the technology andsomeone else is doing the typing for herslowing down and complicating exchangesSeems to be the passing of the torch - a bitof a fish out of water in the environment ofa younger generation The bass player ofher backing group had suffered concussion20 minutes before from a collision with arogue door hence her lateness Thingsfinally get under way (one person ldquoa fanfrom WAY backrdquo says ldquonot many questionsjust adorationrdquo I can relate to that) but justas itrsquos building up a head of steam she getsa long phone call (presumably about the bassplayer) and has to call it quits prematurely
Irsquoll just have to wait and see if theconcert is any better
Well the concert is indeed better In factwhen I can hear it clearly (see later) itrsquoswonderful She starts with an early poemroaring it out with authority then afterthanks to JJJ who are handling the broadcastto the Internet and to the absent bass player
launches into the concert proper a greatblend of old and new
The sound quality is to put it mildlyvariable It was much better in earlier gigsthat day with Australian bands but itappears to drop off markedly on this onePerhaps too many people on at onceAmerican fans connecting in to hear one ofher first big shows in years Checking withstatistics in Real Audio shows theconnection approaching 20 loss in someearly songs leaving a very jerky soundFortunately it improves later with lossesdown to around 4 and sound quiteacceptable (People dropping out infrustration) However later on a fewoccasions the sound drops out completelyand I have to wait while it restarts somendashtimes for a couple of minutes
Then just as the concert comes to ashattering climax heading into one of myfavourite songs of hers a demolition of VanMorisonrsquos Gloria the Real Audio feed goesfor me at least dead Stone cold dead It islike the other times when it has dropped outbut this time it wonrsquot recover BummerAfter several minutes I can get the feedagain but just get an empty stage waitingfor the next band
So that was it a frustrating end to afrustrating but fascinating day At best thesound quality was am radio standards Butthen again these are very early days and Ican remember worse am radio sounds ontransistor radios as a kid in the lsquo60rsquos Avideo feed would have been real nice butone thing that is obvious from this exerciseis that live audio let alone live video ispushing current Internet technology to itslimits and beyond with a large numbers ofsimultaneous users in a function like thisSo as with so much on the Net wersquore seeingthe first glimpses of something that will takeanother generation of technology to becomepractical But hey this is the world of theNet and another generation could be onlysix months away
Later that night I connect to the Palacesite again and find a note at the tent to sayit was all over and to check up next week Ido indeed and they reckon over 100000people worldwide connected to the site thatone day and that the live broadcast of PattiSmithrsquos complete concert was a world firstApart from catching up with an old idol Irsquodseen a glimpse of a communications futureof being part of an event shared interactivelylive world-wide yet another step towardsthe Global Village
Figure 4
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 27
Stuffed AgainThe following members and friendsare thanked for assisting with stuffingour journal for mailing
Andrew amp Bruce Bartlett
Bruce Black
Owen Cook
Eddie de Bear
John Dyer
Bob Ecclestone
Rufus Garcia
Sally Hammon
John Hempenstall
Joy Hewett
Sue amp Jim Hume
Jenny Laraman
Alan Lockett
David Meggs
Allan Mikkelsen
Don Nicol
Gloria Robbins
Keith Sayers
Rod Smith
John Starr
Bob Summersby
Michael Taylor
Gordon Urquhart
Anne WarrenerWe are always looking for volunteersto assist us with the lsquostuffingrsquo of ourjournal We start around 530pm(latecomers are welcome) usually on the2nd last Monday of every month andare generally finished by 800pmRefreshments are provided and any ofyour knotty computer problems can bedebated lsquoat the round tablersquo in congenialcompany If you would like to helpplease ring Petra Dwyer at the PCUGCentre on 253 4911 and she will fill youin on all the details
Next Stuffing530pm Monday 19 May 1997at Northpoint Plaza Belconnen
(see map page 6)
htt
p
ww
wp
cu
go
rga
up
cu
g1
6b
its
Now
in A
dobe
Acr
obat
form
at
Oz User GroupsAdelaide PC Users GroupPO Box 2541Kent Town SA 5071(08) 332-7021Margi McLeay (Sec)Meet 730pm 3rd Tuesday of themonth at Enterprise House 136Greenhill Road Unley Visitors $5
Brisbane PC Users Group(Brisbug)PO Box 985Toowong QLD 4066(07) 3273 7266 Info Line(07) 3281 6503Lloyd Smith (Pres)Meet 12 noon 3rd Sunday of themonth at Bardon Professional Cntr
Darwin ComputerUsers ClubGary Drake (Vice President)(089) 324 107 h(089) 450 091 wEmail acsntacslinknetau
Melbourne PC User Group2nd Floor 66 Albert RoadSouth Melbourne VIC 3205(03) 9699 6222 10am - 330pm(03) 9699 6499 FaxEmail officemelbpcorgauHome Page httpwwwmelbpcorgauMeet 6pm 1st Wednesday of themonth (except Jan) at PharmacyCollege 381 Royal Parade Parkville
Perth PC Users GroupPO Box 997West Perth WA 6872(09) 399 7264 Trevor Davis (Pres)Meet 600pm 1st Wednesday of themonth at Ross Lecture TheatrePhysics Building University of WANedlands
Sydney PC Users GroupPO Box A2162Sydney South NSW 2000(02) 972 2133 Michelle DonaldMeet 6pm 1st Tuesday of the monthat main auditorium TeachersFederation 300 Sussex StreetSydney
28 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Features include fun animation sound effectsand a high-score listing Reg Fee $15
COMET13Comet Busters 13 is an incredible high-speedarcade game for WIN31 You must clear thecolourful asteroids and occasional alienspacecraft from the screen before you canproceed to the next deadly level This gamefeatures beautiful 256-colour ray-tracedgraphics and digital sound effects Reg Fee $9
HMN32V11Hangman (BB) 111 is a word-guessing gamefor Win95 that can help grade school-agechildren improve their vocabulary andspelling Features include an editable wordlist the ability to include definitions with eachword mouse or keyboard input and moreRequires the 32-bit VB runtime files Reg Fee$5
PDHP97SUPrairie Dog Hunt PRO rsquo97is a shooting gamefor Windows that allows you to participate inthe wholesale slaughter of harmless mammalswithout all the mess Features include 360
LIBRARY Phil Trudinger
The files described in this article are on theMarch 1997 CD-ROM (PsL Vol 5 3) whichis currently on the Bulletin Board all are ZIPfiles Please quote the month or Vol whenordering files on disk
The text files CD1 to 7 inclusive in Area 1 ofthe Bulletin Board are the monthly CD-ROMfile lists
Reminder
Most CD-ROM programs are Shareware Areasonable time (generally one month) isallowed for evaluation but if you continue touse a program beyond this time you shouldcomply with the authorrsquos conditions thatusually require payment of a registration feeBear in mind that this is the only way by whichan author receives any reward for hisherefforts Unless otherwise stated registrationfees are in US dollars
NEW AND UPDATEDWINDOWS PROGRAMS
(An asterisk denotes Windows 95specificity or compatibility)
GAMES
AGNSETUPAGNS - A Game of Naval Strategy 162 is agame of naval warfare for Windows whereyour objective is to sink the computerrsquos unitsor capture his main base Each turn consistsof a plot movement phase air combat phasemovement and combat phase air strike returnphase and a repairbuild phase Thissequence is repeated until one side claimsvictory Reg Fee $15
BG17Backgammon by George 17 is an excellentgame of backgammon for Windows You canplay against the computer (with four differentskill levels) or against a human opponentOther features include the ability to saverecall games many unique customisingoptions computer-suggested moves andmore Reg Fee $15
BNW10ABuild lsquon Win 10a is an interesting strategicgame for Windows where two players buildtheir opponentrsquos game boards and try to makethem as difficult as possible to complete
degree scrolling scenery excellent animationdigitised sound effects multiple skill levelsand a high-score hall of fame Reg Fee $20
SANWHRTSSanDearsquos Hearts for Windows 100 allowsyou to play the classic card game Hearts inWindows Features include support for up to12 computer players modem play the abilityto create a hand an undo option the ability tosave and rotate a hand and more Reg Fee$10
TILES95BTiles and Tribulations 152 is a challenginggame for Win95 where you try to catch fallingcoloured tiles and drop them into bins in alogical manner Any three (or more) tiles ofthe same colour in bins going horizontallyvertically or diagonally will be removed andincrease your score Reg Fee $22
GRAPHICS
CPLAY2Childrsquos Play IIis a 256-colour paint programfor children It occupies the full screen to help
SOFTWARE
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 29
prevent the child from going to other applic-ations Features include unique graphicspecial effects rubber stamps various screenerasers fun sound effects the ability to loadsaveprint images and more This is anexcellent program with many creative optionsto keep the little ones busy for hours Reg Fee$20-$25
GIFCON32GIF Construction Set 95 109 is a powerfulcollection of tools to work with multiple-block GIF files in Win95 It will allow you toassemble GIF files containing image blocksplain text blocks comment blocks and controlblocks and provides facilities to managepalettes and merge multiple GIF files togetherRequires a minimum of 4MB RAM but 8MBis recommended Reg Fee $20
ICN95525Icons Control 95 525 displays up to 100icons at a time for quick viewing printingcopying renaming moving or deleting Apowerful icon editor is also providedRequires Win95 Reg Fee $25
SD95INSTSmartDraw 95 30 is a powerful drawingprogram for Win95 It allows you to easilycreate great looking flowcharts diagrams andbusiness graphics Features include drag anddrop drawing OLE support full compatibil-ity between 16 and 32-bit versions filesharing the ability to send drawings on mail-enabled systems and much moreSDINSTALis the Win31 version Reg Fee $49
FONTS
FLFontLister (32-bit) 15 displays all installedfonts in Win95 You can also print a completefont listing or just some sample text with aselected font Reg Fee $0
FONTSHOWFontShow (32-bit) 22 allows you easily toview the TrueType fonts installed in Win95NT Options are included to display user-specified sample text in place of the normalfont name and alphanumeric character setThe size and face of the currently selectedfont can be quickly changed and the resultsdisplayed automatically Reg Fee $0
FONTW11FontWindow 11 displays all your Windowsfonts on screen so you can quickly see whichfont you want to use It can be set to stay ontop so you can view fonts while running otherprograms Reg Fee $29-$39
SERIFRACSeriFractions is a TrueType font that has a fullset of diagonal and vertical fractions for 12through 89 and also 16ths and 32nds It alsohas a partial set of mathematical symbolsincluding the true multiplication (x) symbolReg Fee $10
SYMSELSymbol Selector 11 allows you to easilyselect and copy symbols from TrueType fonts
that are of the ldquosymbolrdquo variety (such asWingdings and Symbols) to the WindowsClipboard Reg Fee $0
INTERNET
ADZAP10AdZapper 10 is an add-on for NetscapeNavigator to ldquozaprdquo (eliminate) annoyingadvertisements Reg Fee $20
AWN95AutoWinNet95 10 lets you perform commonInternet tasks on a scheduled basis You cancreate an ldquoagendardquo with dozens of stepsincluding updownloading email retrievingand sending obtaining weather updates andmore Requires Win95 Reg Fee $30
GGI11Go-Get-It 110 performs exhaustive preciseand ultra-fast searches of the Internet using acombination of keyword search Usenetnewsgroups search and various searchengines Features include automatic retrievalof all found web pages and informationoptional storage in separate folders to be usedlater and more Reg Fee $40
MASNDW32MailSend (32-bit) 3x is an add-on forMicrosoft Mail and Win95 that allows you tosend messages from the command line orfrom batch files Reg Fee $49
ND276BNetDial 276b is an Internet dialler forWindows It will call your host log you inand automatically start your TCPIP packagefor you Features include support for up to 5separate configuration connections baud ratesupport to 256k redial up to 99 times WAVsound file support and more Reg Fee $20
PRO12Teleport Pro 120 is a multi-threaded file-retrieving offline-browsing webspider forWin95 It scans the Internet for files or sites ofinterest and downloads them to your harddrive for fast offline access Features includeadvanced file typesize matching keywordfilters the ability to handle proxy servers andpassword-protected sites automatic retriesand more Reg Fee $40
TRAW3215Trawler (32-BIT) 15 allows you to interact-ively browse and gather information from theWeb It automatically follows links andretrieves pages to your hard drive It can evenfollow links from different web databasessimultaneously Reg Fee $35
30 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
MISCELLANEOUS
CALC9534Calc95 34 is a scientificengineeringcalculator for Win95 with a wide range ofbuilt-in units conversions and physicalconstants Reg Fee $25
GL10DThe GL Store for Windows 10d is a completedouble-entry general ledger accountingprogram for Windows It maintains 10000 GLaccounts multiple companies budgets 3-Dcolour graphs recurring accounts multipledepartments and detailed reports Reg Fee $79
HBGHome Business Guide 30 is a Windows-based guide to starting a business from homeIt discusses selecting planning and startingyour own business and covers resourcestools and help available Reg Fee $0
TIMCLK13PC-TimeClock for Windows 13 keeps trackof time yoursquove spent on your computer Timeis charged to one or more projects from yourlist by ldquopunching inrdquo when you begin work oneach project Reg Fee $18
MUSIC
MT32_16A Musical Tutorial for Windows (32-bit) 160provides an excellent way to encouragemusical study using the graphically-orientedenvironment of Win95 This includes a chorddictionary musical games the ability to playview and print scales chords and triads a userlog and much more This is suitable for bothchildren and adults Reg Fee $25
SCALEIT4ScAleIt 40 is a musical scalecordeducational package for Windows It candisplay all the chords and scales with all rootsand all inversions Features include aneditable database the ability to play chordsscales through your sound card MIDIsupport a solving function and much more800x600 screen resolution is recommendedReg Fee $0
PHONEADDRESS BOOKS
AM_PB45Phone Book for Windows 45 is a nameaddress database for WIN31 Fields areprovided for name addresses two phonenumbers fax and comments Other featuresinclude phone dialling over a modemsearching capabilities printing options andmore Reg Fee $17
BAM211Burrilliant Address Manager 211 helpsorganise all of your phone numbers address-es birthdays account numbers and more inWin95 All personal or business informationcan be printed for your day planner in a cleanattractive format Reg Fee $15
CARDBASECardBase (32-bit) 23 is a combinationaddress book and phone dialler for Win95NT Along with the regular fields for namesaddresses and phone numbers it can alsostore email addresses FAX numbers and website URLs Cards can be quickly sorted byname or custom card groups Searching andsorting operations are fast and intuitive RegFee $0
PHNMKR18Phone Book Maker 18 allows you to createphone books in pocket 12 letter and lettersize Features include 30 useful fields perrecord standard envelope printing powerfulindexfiltersearch facilities importexportcapabilities in variety of formats virtuallyunlimited records and more Reg Fee $50
SCREEN SAVERS
ADRF3210Adrift Screensaver (32-bit) 100 displaysbeautiful floating line patterns on your Win95desktop Reg Fee $14
AURADEMOAurora Screen Savers is a screen savermodule for Windows that simulates a 3-Djourney through the Aurora Borealis Twelvedifferent colour patterns are available Thisversion displays a nag box in the upper leftcorner of the screen Requires 256-colourvideo Reg Fee $18
BLKBRD15Blackbird Screen Saver 15 is a Windowsscreen saver module that displays photos ofthe SR-71 spy plane in action Requires 256-colour video and 4MB RAM Reg Fee $15
BOMBER15Bombs Away 150 is a slideshow screensaver for Windows with 256-colour digitisedphotos of jet bombers in action Requires4MB memory Reg Fee $15
BOTANICABotanica Screen Savers is a screen savermodule for Windows that displays a virtualgarden of growing plants and flowers inbeautiful variations of colour and shape
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 31
Twelve different savers are provided eachwith their own unique patterns Requires 256-colour VGA and VBRUN300 Reg Fee $18
JEWELJewelBox 10 is a screen saver for Windowsthat displays colourful ldquojewelsrdquo that appear togrow on your screen Features includeinteractive options a variety of palettechoices and more Reg Fee $18
JOTREE15Joshua Tree Screen Saver 150 displays thestark beauty of the California desert capturedin stunning 24-bit colour images Requires a386+ 4MB RAM and 256-colour video RegFee $15
METALLIXMetallix is a screen saver module for Win-dows that displays metallic sculptures whichunfold in unique and unpredictable patternscreating a mesmerising transformative effectThere are twelve different savers to choosefrom each with its own distinct settingsRequires 256-colour VGA and VBRUN300Reg Fee $19
NIAGRA15Niagara Falls Screen Saver 150 is a screensaver module for Windows with photos of thefalls and immediate vicinity The photos rotateautomatically when activated Requires 256-colour video and 4MB memory Reg Fee $15
PICSHO32MyPictureShow32 is a Win95 screen saver inwhich the visual content is supplied by yourown collection of computer images There isno limit to the number of pictures you canuse and nine different display modes areavailable The slideshow mode allows achoice of 17 transition styles Other featuresinclude support for BMPJPGGIF graphicfiles password protection automatic scalingof large images to available screen size and
more This demo version will run 20 timesthen disables itself Reg Fee $16
SSCR8R21My Own Screen Saver 21 allows you tocreate your own screen saver using yourfavourite images and pictures You cancombine selected BMP DIB and WMF fileswith 32 different visual effects Reg Fee $20
TWIST151Twister Screen Saver 151 is a 32-bit screensaver for Win95 that transforms your desktopinto a windy landscape with one or moretwisters moving everything deforming yourdesktop making everything a mess You canconfigure the wind speed number of twistersthe twisterrsquos speed and more Reg Fee $8
VENIC12Venice Screen Saver 12 is a Windows screensaver module that displays graphics thatsimulate floating through the canals of Veniceon your gondola as Italian music and the
sound of splashing waves fills the air Reg Fee$29-$39
VIDSAVVidSaver 11 is a Windows screen saver thatplays video clips and animations while yourcomputer is idle Reg Fee $20
TEXT EDITING
EDT236PEM EdTex for Windows 95 236 is a 32-bittext editor for Win95 It can edit a maximumof 2000000 characters and 30000 linesOther features include macro support printingoptions word wrap multiple undoredoblock editing and more Reg Fee $35
GTE32R15GWD Text Editor (32-bit) 15 is a powerfultext editing package for Win95 Featuresinclude support for macros unlimited filesize print preview a built-in spell checker anautosave option support for DOSUNIXMactext file formats and much more Reg Fee$20
JW32T22CJ-Write for Windows (32-bit) 22 is a fullfeatured editor for general text files and emailFeatures include the ability to edit very largefiles support for any ANSI font configurabletab settings and four line wrap modes multi-level undoredo and more Reg Fee $30
QUIKDC11QuikDict Spelling Dictionary 11 is a pop updictionary accessible from the Win95 ToolTray Features include the ability to spellcheck all words as they are typed alphabeticand ldquosounds likerdquo word matching over91000 EnglishAmerican words in thedictionary the ability to automatically pastethe correct spelling back to the clipboard andmore Reg Fee $19
SCRATCH4Scratch Pad (32-bit) 21 is a text editor forWin95 Features include the ability toautomatically capture clipboard information aprint preview function undo facilities andmore Reg Fee $15
TXEDITTxEdit (32-bit) 25 is an easy-to-use texteditor that makes a nice replacement for theWin95 Notepad Features include the abilityto viewedit multiple documents search andreplace options drag-and-drop support MacUnix file support and more Reg Fee $0
32 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
TXP3223TextPad (32-bit) 23 is a text editor forWin95NT It can handle files with up to32000 lines of 4095 characters with multiplesimultan-eous edits and up to two views oneach document Other features include fullundoredo facilities print previewing atoolbar for frequently-used commands abuilt-in file manager support for Unix andMacintosh text file formats drag-and-dropsupport and much more TXP1223 is theWin31 version Reg Fee $27-$35
UTILITIES
ADDIT10ES Adding-Machine 10 is a unique calculatorfor Windows that is designed for adding upcolumns of figures Entered figures areretained on-screen and can be edited so youwonrsquot have to start again if you are interrupt-ed or make a mistake Reg Fee $40
CIDV09CIDview monitors a selected telephone lineand reports the Caller ID whenever there is anincoming call The details of incominginformation will be automatically displayedon your screen with the Caller ID informationstaying visible for 10 seconds Reg Fee $9
DLLCHK95DLL Check 95is a DLL management utilityfor Win95 Features include the ability tocreate a log of all modules that load or unloadin a session the ability to search for duplicatemodules and a detailed information displayfor selected modules Reg Fee $80
EASYZIPEasy Zip (32-bit) 10 makes it incredibly easyto archive files with PKZIP in Win95 Itallows you to use point-and-click operationsinstead of all the context-switching and messybatch files of manually using PKZIP fromDOS Reg Fee $1850
HDLED11Hard Disk LED 11 simulates a hard disk lightthat flashes every time there is disk activityAn icon appears on the Win95 task bar andflashes every time the system accesses yourhard drive Reg Fee $5
HYSNP278HyperSnap 278 allows you to capture thedesktop highlighted window areas or user-defined areas in Win95NT Features includehotkey support cropping facilities the ability
to save images in BMPGIFJPEG format andmuch more Reg Fee $20
LONGSAVELongSave 101 is used to save the list of longfile names and short names to a commadelimited ASCI text file The short names canthen be backed up or zipped or copied withutilities that are not long-file-name-awareAfter the files are transferred it uses theASCII file to restore the original long file
names This must be run from a DOS sessionunder Win95 Reg Fee $25-$95
REDH22Red Hand 22 tells you exactly what someonedid on your computer while you were awayexactly when they did it and how long it tookWindows can be discretely ldquolockedrdquo toprevent access and will simply close themimmediately or send an error message of yourchoice You can control exactly which areasof your computer that you do not want othersto have access to Reg Fee $25
RMVR32RemoveR 161 helps delete unneeded filesfrom your hard drive after you have installed aprogram in Win95 It will take a snapshot ofthe drive before an installation then you cancompare the current status of your files withthat last stored All files that have been addeddeleted will be shown on the results screenFrom this screen you can highlight certainfiles andor directories and delete them orsave the list for later deletion Reg Fee $5-$40
SENTRY95Sentry 95will prevent all unauthorised usersfrom accessing the Win95 desktop wheneveryour computer boots Reg Fee $14
SU96_402StepUprsquo96 402 contains a set of utilitieswhich make working with Win95NT easierand faster This includes a user-customisableStepUp Menu smart Folder Navigatorsophisticated Menu Designer and a powerful
File Handler It also provides handy taskbaricons for fast exit CD-ROM Autorun onoffand more Reg Fee $30
V95I208EVirusScan for Win95 253 is a native Win95application that detects and removes comp-uter viruses Reg Fee $65
YATS32Yet Another Time Synchroniser (32-bit) 30allows you to synchronise your system clockusing various time server types commonlyavailable on TCPIP networks such as theInternet Multiple servers can be specified andwill be tried sequentially until a valid time isobtained and your system time set Reg Fee$35
ZOOMER12Zoomer 12 provides a 2x or 4x magnificationof the area around the mouse cursor in Win95This is an excellent utility for the visionimpaired Reg Fee $0
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 33
NEW AND UPDATED DOSPROGRAMS
ANTIVIRUS
AVSCANAVScan 310 is a freeware scanner that candetect more than 4500 virus signatures RegFee $0
I_M311AIntegrity Master 311a is an anti-virus anddata integrity system The author says itdetects all known viruses It can detect anyform of file corruption including disk errorsor as yet unknown viruses Stacker Double-Space SuperStore and Bernoulli system filesare supported Identifies the new MS WordMacro viruses as well as over 640 additionalviruses It has an option to quickly disinfectdiskettes Reg Fee $50
SCN_253EVirusScan 253 scans diskettes or entiresystems and identifies any pre-existing PCvirus infection Reg Fee $65
GAMES
DRAK160Drak 160 is a falling blocks-style game withattractive graphics and several varieties ofblocks It includes blocks which melt blocksthat fall apart when they land and more Thegame includes 10 levels of increasingcomplex-ity joystick support and ability tosave games in progress (RegFee$33
DRUG12Drug Killers 12 is an action-packed shoot-em-up arcade game where you pilot atechnologically advanced aircraft in a battle tostop a futuristic drug cartel You must destroya wide variety of land and air-based enemieswhile gathering weapons and shields Otherfeatures include excellent scrolling graphicsgreat special effects a high score listing theability to save and restore games and a coolmusic soundtrack Reg Fee $25-$40
HAMSTER3D Hamsterrsquos Adventure is a fun 3Dadventure game where you assume the role ofa hamster in a colourful maze The object ofthe game is to eat all the fruit scattered aroundthe maze so the secret exit will appear Youwill encounter monsters along the way butyou can use your strawberry grenades or apowerful hamster kick for protection Theexcellent graphics sound effects and musicmake this an enjoyable game for the wholefamily Reg Fee $15
MISCELLANEOUS
COELI379Coeli Electric Planisphere 379 combinespractical ephemeris and planetarium with areal-time star chart to provide a Super VGAmodel of the skies as seen from Earth Youmay view the heavens from any place or timewith advanced starconstellation search insidea point and click interface A separate VESAdriver must be pre-installed Reg Fee pound12
JOCCALJOC-CALC 10 is an easy-to-use spreadsheetpackage for DOS Features include a pull-down menu system with mouse support aHyperText help system support for blockoperations built-in mathstrig functions andmore Reg Fee $25
MEDLIN97Medlin Accounting 1997 is a double-entrygeneral ledger program with accountsreceivable payroll and payables modules Allmodules are very easy to use PC-AR is theaccounts receivable module It allows amaximum of 2000 customers and 1500charges per accounting period PC-INV is amodule which works directly with theaccounts receivable module to generateinvoices and post them to PC-AR It willmultiply quantity times price and insert thetotal and calculate sales tax PC-PR thepayroll module allows up to 500 employeesand 1000 payroll cheques per accountingperiod PC-AP the accounts payable modulecan sort invoices by due date and will printcheques Mouse support has been added to allprograms Reg Fee $25-35
VDEVideo Display Editor 182 is a fast powerfultext editor Commands can be entered from amenu bar or with control keys Featuresinclude a proportional spacing modekeyboard macro recording MenuBar modethe ability to edit eight files at once acommand for proportional print Autosave toautomatically save your work at specifiedintervals simultaneous windows scrolling theability to align the platen for printing onvarious kinds of forms support for the fileformat of MS Word an envelope printer awide range of screen sizes (from 17 to 57lines) an integrated spell checker and muchmore Support is also provided for Ultra-Vision the HP95LX palmtop and the Tandykeyboard Reg Fee $35
UTILITIES
DNOTE420Disk Note Librarian 420 allows the user toadd descriptions and comments of up to 300characters to each file name on a disk up to1200 files Reg Fee $15
RCR01Rosenthal Conflict Resolver 100 is adiagnostic tool that helps corrects IRQ DMAand IO conflicts the major cause of systemcrashes Reg Fee $99
2 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Compiled by Jim Hume
The Monarchy
This site provides the history of the BritishMonarchy The Royal collection TodayrsquosRoyal family and includes The Queenrsquos rolein the Commonwealth This role articleshould be valuable to all those interested inthe Republic debate monarchist andrepublican alike It is a well presented siteand a useful resource as a school kithttpwwwroyalgovuk
Museums
The virtual Museum of Computing includesan ecletic collection of World Wide Webhyperlinks connected with the history ofcomputing and on-line computer basedexhibits available both locally and aroundthe world httpwwwcomlaboxacukarchiveothermuseumscomputinghtml
Airlines
Ansett provides information on their productand services and the places they fly to Youcan reserve flights and accommodationThere is a travel planner and screen saveravailable to download httpwwwansettcomauwebintrohtml
Qantas provides similar information on theirproducts and services with a brief history ofthe airline and also a screensaver which canbe downloaded httpwwwqantascomau80newsindexhtml
Books Magazines and Newspapers
The Canberra Times is now online withsections on News Sport Features OpinionWeather Real Estate Motors Classifiedsemail and services httpwwwcanberratimescomau
Readers Digest Interactive They ask you toldquoread it react and interactrdquo It containsDigest classics like Laugh Lines and WordPower and advice about how to do justabout anything featuring Home ProjectsCooking Gardening fitness and health httpwwwreadersdigestcom
National Geographic Online This is a greatcontribution with something for everyone inthe family Donrsquot miss these HOT SPOTShttpwwwnationalgeographiccomhotspotsindexhtml
Electronic Journals and Newsletters Thissite provides a complete internet list for newjournals and newsletters available on theInternet There is a search archive completealphabetical archive recent issues in reversechronological order and alphabetical list oftitles httpgort ucsdedunewjour
Amazon Bookstore offers not only 15million books in print but extremely hard-to-find out-of-print titles and discounts onsome of their book lists They claim 25million titles overall They include a searchfacility and provide a personal emailnotification service They list a Book of theday Titles in the News Monthly bookrecommendations and much morehttpwwwamazoncomexecobidossubstindex2html
Medical
)
Kodak have provided an interesting sitedealing with the latest digital cardiologyimaging and their cardiac review stationhttpwwwkodakcomhiHomecardioindexshtml
The American Cancer Society CaliforniaDivision on this site have an excellent articleon ldquoeating rightrdquo and research causeprevention detection and treatment httpwwwcacancerorg
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 3
The Department of Veteransrsquo Affairs haveupgraded their Web Site and it now providesthe latest information on health care forveterans In addition it contains rates andeligibility for pensions statements ofprinciple budgets and legislation It alsoincludes information about commemorativeactivities war graves war memorials andstudent oriented resourceshttpwwwdvagovau
HealthGate have redesigned their site withfaster search results with content organisedinto areas of interest such as medicinepatient education drug information etc It isan important source of biomedicalinformation httpwwwhealthgatecom
Football
The Australian Rugby League haveproduced an excellent site which includesdraws news links teams tipping results agallery and a soapbox httpdevarlorgaumainasp
Super League not to be outdone arepromoted by Foxtel in their sport sectionhttpwwwfoxtelcomauFoxtelhomejhtml
Tyres
I recently drew attention to Goodyearrsquos WebPage and commented on lack of Australiancontent Now they have an excellentAustralian site with an online school kit
dealing with the rubber revolution a tyreguide and a search engine to locate yournearest dealer It requires a frame-enabledweb browser httpwwwgoodyearcomau
Internet
URL Minder keeps track of web pages andother resources on the World Wide Weband sends you email whenever yourpersonally registered resources change Youcan have the minder keep track of any Webresource accessible via http ftp or Gopherand your email address will not be releasedto any third party It is a free servicesupported partially by advertising httpwwwnetmindcomURL-minderURL-minderhtml
People
Talk to the Angels The Vatican has namedtheir computers for the Web after angelsThe site was still under construction at theend of March httpwwwvaticanvaBut where else could you talk to theangelsIt requires a frame-enabled webbrowser
StarTrek This is a most interesting web sitefor Star Trek enthusiasts and also for thoseinterested in site construction for it is a realbobby dazzler httpwwwholodeck3comholodeck3html
Insert
It is an interesting concept which combinesan online magazine with discussion threadsresource lists and links It is dedicated toexploring masculinity and men in societyMen from all walks of life answer the 16 bigquestions about what it means being a mantoday httpwwwmanhoodcomnf
The
Super Site for Kids is a protectedenvironment specially for kids It is a wellorganised fun site httpwwwbonuscomindexclosehtmp
In early March a private Florida companythat hunts for historic shipwrecks announcedit had discovered a gem the ship oncecaptained by Blackbeard a man reputed tobe one of the more terrifying and disturbedpirates of all time This site includes thehistory of Blackbeardhttpeagleonlinediscoverycomcgi-binforums_viewdir
36 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
THE
INTERNETPROJECT
By Iain Gould
Welcome to TIP-TNG (The NextGeneration)
In case you hadnrsquot noticed yet TIP isnow connected to the rest of the world via ahigher speed (double what we had) link Weare now firing the electrons up and downthe pipe at 256k (thatrsquos 3 noughts -thousands in other words) bits every secondWhat this means in real terms is that ournewsgroups are updating more frequentlyweb pages and file transfers are much fasterand those of us that need to log in remotelycan do so with much less delay Boy are weimpressed
If you have not bothered to try TIP for awhile do so as we have seen a markedimprovement in the service provided afterthis upgrade and the installation of the extra12 modems in February (much less waitingto get on)
ANNOUNCEMENTSThe last two months has seen much goingson within the Internet Project ManagementCommittee For the uninitiated the IPMCis a caucus of techno-nerdygeeks tasked withthe onerous duty of ensuring that membersof the PCUG and AUUG have adequate andcomplete access to the wider resources ofthat part of the Information Super-highwayknown as simply The Internet Anyway wedecided on a lot of things recently Here theyare
1) Commercial Web Advertising Upuntil now TIP placed a restriction oncommercial advertising (that which wasobviously out to make money for the owner)- namely that only corporate members ofeither PCUG or AUUG could placeadvertising on their web pages We have
now opened up such commercial activitiesto general members of both organisationsFor the same fee that we currently charge tocorporate advertisers any individual cannow advertise on their web pages Refer tohttpwwwtipnetautipwebspacehtml fordetailed information and charging rates
2) Account Terminology The termslsquoAdvanced Accessrsquo and lsquoBasic Accessrsquoaccounts were deemed to be confusing (wehad too many requests for information onbasic Advanced access and training foradvanced Basic use) The accounts are nowreferred to as lsquoFull Accessrsquo and lsquoLimitedAccessrsquo respectively The use of the termsAdvanced Access hours and Basic Accesshours will continue for the time being untilwe sort out exactly what we want to callthem and where we need to changereferences to them The most obvious placethat this will change immediately is on theapplication form
3) Multiple Users of Accounts One ofthe regular lsquocomplaintsrsquo that we have beenreceiving has been on our policy to restrictaccount use to the account holder only Howmany of you out there realise that if youallowed your spousechildrenacquaintancesto have access to your password then youwere breaking our rules We donrsquot worrytoo much because we are now changing ourpolicy to open up account usage undercertain guidelines Namely
a) The primary account holder (the onewho originally applies for the account) willbe deemed ultimately responsible for anyuse of the account Heshe must still signthe Acceptable Use Policy and follow thoseterms and conditions and then ensure thataccount lsquodelegatesrsquo behave themselves too
b) The primary account holder mayallow use of hisher account by other familymembers The family members must benominated and lodged with TIP on a newlsquoAccount Delegationrsquo form
c) Only one login name and emailaddress is allocated (as currently) - ifadditional email addresses are required thenthey must be applied for as separateaccounts
d) Normal single user limits (accesshours disk quotas) still apply
We believe that this will allow familygroups some access to the Internet withoutneeding to sign up every members of thehousehold with TIP This policy will beelaborated on the web pages in the nearfuture for further information
4) We are still investigating methods ofproviding help guidance and assistance tousers who are new to TIP andor the InternetWe have been looking at newer lsquofool-proofrsquofirst time kits automated email helpresponses regularly published FAQs(frequently asked questions) and attractingmore volunteer helpers To achieve this lastgoal we are hoping that we can set up aregister of volunteers similar to the HelpDirectory published in Sixteen Bits forspecific areas of Internet use If you feltreluctant in the past to have your name listedfor fear of being asked questions outsideyour particular area of expertise interestthen let us know what you ARE willing tohelp with Are you a Netscape guru Or aWindows 95 Dial-Up Networking hotshotDo you think that you know a fair bit aboutIRC Then let us know
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 37
Nhan Tranrsquos Now OfficialTIP Web Help Pages
httpwwwtipnetautiphelp
bull Whats newHistory of changes to TIP help page
bull TIP Contact DetailsPhone numbers domain proxiesemail addresses
bull Useful TIP informationTime allocation usage statistics
bull TIP documentsAgreement Charging SchemeAcceptable Use Policy AccessApplication
bull InternetFAQAnswers to the Frequently AskedQuestions about the Internet what isthe Internet what you can donetiquette
bull TIP help FAQ
bull Answers to the Frequently AskedQuestions about various problemsother people may have had with TheInternet Project your problem maynot be a new one
bull lsquoHow-torsquo documentsHow to set up and use variousprograms needed to make the mostof your Internet account
bull GlossaryTranslating acronyms computerjargon netese and emoticons like -)in plain English
TIP Technical InformationDomain (PCUG) pcugorgauDomain (AUUG) auugorgau
DNS server 203107634Mail server mailhostDomain
News Server newshostDomainftp server ftpDomain
WWW server wwwDomainProxies proxytipnetau
port 8080
Iain Gould is one of the many volunteersthat keep TIP ticking He can becontacted by email - iainpcugorgau
As a note to those users who do needaccess to help take careful note of the timesthat people offer to be available There is areason that these times are listed ourvolunteers do like to have some personaltime Nothing causes a volunteer to lsquoresignrsquoquicker than having their efforts abused bypeople who ring at all hours and are rudeand obnoxious As a volunteer organisationwe cannot provide 24 hour-a-day instantsupport and we must rely on the genrosityof those that do offer to help Please beconsiderate of those who are willing to sticktheir necks out
As a footnote to all of the above itemsplease address any correspondance toipmctipnetau rather than me directly
Internet Joke of the MonthAnother engineer joke (apologies for thereferences to USA - insert your favouritelocal university as applicable)
Three men were vacationing in CentralAmerica They were arrested for minor illegalactivities and because the dictator of the countryhated foreigners the punishment was death
The three men were marched to thechopping block The dictator of the countryasked the first man if he had any last wordsbefore they chopped his head off The man saidldquoThe only thing I can think to say is that Irsquom analumni of Notre Dame and we have the bestfootball players in the worldrdquo The dictator thensaid ldquoOff with his headrdquo When they pulled therope the blade fell but it stopped inches abovethe manrsquos neck The dictator said ldquoThis is anomen from God we cannot execute you Youare free to gordquo
The dictator of the country asked the secondman if he had any last words before theychopped his head off The man said ldquoThe onlything I can think to say is that Irsquom an alumni ofIndiana University and we have the bestbasketball players in the worldrdquo The dictatorthen said ldquoOff with his headrdquo When they pulledthe rope the blade fell but it stopped inchesabove the manrsquos neck The dictator said ldquoThisis an omen from God we cannot execute youYou are free to gordquo
Finally the dictator of the country asked thethird man if he had any last words before theychopped his head off The man said ldquoThe onlything I can think to say is that Irsquom an alumni ofPurdue University and we have the bestEngineers in the world and if yoursquoll just tightenup that bolt up there this machine will workrdquo
Tips On Tip HelpPlease do not call on the Internet Projecthelp team for answers to general computingquestions or with questions like ldquohow do Ifind such-and-such softwarerdquo - the tiphelpnewsgroup is appropriate for these topicsDo call on us if you canrsquot get our kits towork or if you believe there is a problemwith the system Herersquos the right way to goabout it
1 Read the TIP Help Pages availablefrom the TIP World Wide Web siteat httpwwwtipnetautiphelp
2 Browse the newsgroup tiphelp tosee if someone else has solvedyour problem already Browsetipannounce and tipgeneral for anyrelevant announcements
3 If the problem is not urgent post arequest for assistance in tiphelp
4 If the problem is urgent send mailto ldquohelprdquo requesting advice
Please - describe your problem clearlyconcisely and completely
tell us WHEN it happened
tell us WHAT OPERATING SYSTEMyou are using
tell us WHAT SOFTWARE you are using(esp version)
tell us WHAT HARDWARE you are using(esp modem)
tell us any relevant SETUP DETAILS (egconnection speed)
tell us what TIP login name (eg mmouse)you are using
5 As a last resort (ie when email isnot possible) contact Iain Gould on255 2405 between 7pm and 8pmONLY
The TIP Help TeamThe methods of supplying TIP help and
support and the levels of help provided areunder almost constant review anddiscussion Your feedback on the existingsystems and constructive suggestions forimprovement particularly within theexisting resource constraints are welcome
This can be done in the tip newsgroupsif you would like general discussion of yourideas by email to the TIP Help Team athelptipnetau or by sending email toamikkelspcugorgau who will forward itto the appropriate people
38 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
The Internet Project
1 Access to The Internet Project is governed by the InternetProject Acceptable Use Policy copies of which can beobtained at the PCUG Centre or downloaded from the PCUGBBS or from The Internet Project
2 There is a limit of one Internet account per non-corporatemembership Corporate members may sponsor up to threeindividuals who are then personally responsible for theoperation of their accounts Please complete one applicationfor each person
3 Part of your email address will be determined by the principalorganisation If your membership of that organisation expiresso too does your membership of The Internet Project In thisevent no refunds for unused allocation will be made
4 The Internet Project reserves the right to alter prices andservices offered at any time Fees paid for Internet access arenon-refundable and non-transferable
5 Note Hours debited do not necessarily equate to real hourson-line time allocation will be debited in a non-linear fashiondepending on the amount of time spent on-line in any givenday The debit rate is set from time to time by the InternetProject Management Committee
6 Basic Accessa) Basic Access provides non PPP email and news onlyb) Basic Access is free on applicationc) In any calender year calculated from the date of
application Basic Access provides up to 100 lsquohoursrsquo usage
7 Advanced Accessa) Advanced Access includes full access to the Internet using
SLIPPPPb) Advanced Access is not free Current rates are $120 for
one calendar year of access with up to 300 lsquohoursrsquo usagec) When your Advanced Access subscription expires OR
you use 300 hours of access (whichever is earlier) youwill be required to purchase another subscription for onecalendar year from that date
d) Advanced Access users also receive a Basic Accessallocation - see above
8 All users joining The Internet Project receive a one-off freefive hour allocation of Advanced Access
Collecting Your Login Details9 A waiting period of two months applies to new members of
the PC Users Group (ACT) Inc
10 For existing members please allow up to two weeks for yourapplication to be processed
11 Login details can be collected - in person by the applicant - fromthe PC Users Group Centre We recommend that you phone theCentre first to check that the details are waiting for you
12 You (and your parentguardian if you are under 18 years ofage) will be required to sign an Acceptable Use PolicyDeclaration when you pick up your login detailsPhotographic proof of identity may be required at that time
Important Notes - Please Read
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 39
Disks amp TapesWe offer high quality disks and tape cartridgesin various formats at very reasonable pricesDisks amp tapes are available from the PCUGCentre Monday Wednesday amp Friday 10amto 2pm or between 9am and 5pm on weekends
BBS AccessNew members wishing to access the PC UsersGroup (ACT) InterActive Bulletin BoardService (BBS) should dial (06) 253 4933 andcreate an account on the system Once the mainmenu is presented select the lsquoGoodbyersquo optionfollowed by the lsquoYesrsquo option to leave a messageto the Sysop
In this message state your membership number(from your card or magazine address label) andrequest an access upgrade This will usuallyoccur within a few days
SharewareMembers have access to a huge selection ofldquosharewarerdquo software The PCUG subscribesto a CD-ROM which provides over 250 Mbof new and updated software titles on eachmonthly CD
Member ServicesThese special offers and services are only available to PCUG members Please bring your membership card with you when collecting orders
One complete section of the permanent libraryis also contained on each CD-ROM Inaddition there are many programs on thePCUG BBS which members have uploadedor which come from other sources
This software is provided as ldquosharewarerdquo Ifyou continue to use it you must register thesoftware with the author The Group does notldquosellrdquo the software - it charges a fee to coverthe cost of obtaining the software maintainingthe library and copying the software to themember
Computers are available at the Centre whichare connected to the BBS enabling membersto download software
Hardware amp Video LibraryThe hardware and video library is located atthe PC Users Group Centre Items may becollected and returned on Saturdays andSundays between 9am and 5pm (loans are forone week) Please bring your membership cardwith you
The library provides access to equipmentwhich members would not normally havereadily available Most items have instructionsmanuals and software where appropriateModems do not include software check theShareware Library for suitable packages Itemsmay be borrowed for one week There is nocharge but you must collect and return theitems yourself
Equipment available includesmiddot modemsmiddot soundblaster card
Videos includemiddot Developing Applications with Microsoft
Officemiddot Using Windows 95
NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETINGMonday 28 April 1997
(to be held at 730pm prior to the normal April main meeting)
The Special Meeting is to consider and vote upon the following changes to the rules of the PC Users Group
Rule 17(1)(b) - [Nomination of candidates for election as office-bearers of the Association or as ordinary Committee members]shall be delivered to the Secretary of the Association no later than the last Friday in the July before the date fixed for the annualgeneral meeting at which the election is to take place
Rule 17(2) - If insufficient nominations are received to fill all vacancies on the Committee the candidates nominated shall bedeemed to be elected
Rule 17(3) - A vacant position remaining on the Committee shall be deemed to be a vacancy for the purpose of Rule 16(4)
Explanatory notesThese changes will permit publication in Sixteen Bits of all valid nominations received to enable the membership to give seriousregard to the nominations received They will also permit all members nominating for the committee to have an opportunity toconsider and reflect upon their intended commitment to the committee and to the Group
Hugh BambrickSecretary PC Users Group (ACT) Inc
40 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Compiled by Jim Hume
Japanese-English Translators
Globalink produces some of the bestlanguage translation software TheLanguage Assistant Series quicklyproduce understandable translations fromEnglish into the foreign language or viceversa
The Australian Distributors Software EtcAustralia have now released Japanesetranslation and OCR Software TsunamiMT Typhoon MT and KanjiScan OCRsoftware for English Windows 95 and NTPCs It is claimed these products willmake communication between Japaneseand English speaking businesses mucheasier quicker and more effective
Tsunami MT translates English-to-Japanese and has features such as fullOLE 20 compatibility (drags text to andfrom Tsunami MT embedding theJapanese results into applications such asMS Word) an innovative Kani searchsystem and translation speed at over 3000words per minute
Typhoon MT translates Japanese-to-English and is the result of a two-yearproject to convert the best-sellingJapanese to English translation softwarein Japan to an MS Windows 32-bitformat
Typhoon MT has every element computerusers need to put Japanese computing ontheir personal computer - Japanese fontsKana and kanji text editing a completeFront End Processor and Japanese -to-English machine translation
KanjiScan is the first Japanese OCRsoftware to run on non-Japanese versionsof Windows and includes everythingneeded to scan printed Japanese text anddocuments allowing users to input
Japanese on their English Windowssystem All interfaces instructions anddocumentation are in English WithNeocorTechrsquos Kanji Search system noJapanese language skills are required tomake sure all the Japanese text is properlyrecognised
Tsunami MT $995 Typhoon MT $1195(Bundle $1795) and KanjiScan $795
Software Etc Australia are offeringevaluation versions of this software forloan to reviewers with a knowledge ofJapanese and the capability to conduct andprepare software reviews Enquiriesshould be directed to Peter Klanberck atsoftetcozemailcomauhttpwwwworldcorpcomau Phone (02) 9988-3455
Gene Chip Breakthrough
Affymetrix is developing amp commercial-ising GeneChip(tm) systems to acquireanalyse manage and use geneticinformation based on its propriety DNAarray technology
These systems are being developed forbroad fields including biomedicalresearch clinical diagnosis and theemerging field of genomics Affymetrixhas corporate alliances with Hewlett-Packard Company and Genetics Instituteand intends to pursue the clinicaldiagnostic and additional genomicsapplications with diagnostics andpharmaceutical companies
Their first product currently in externaltests sites will be the GeneChipHIVsystem which rapidly detects mutations inthe protease and reverse transcriptasegenes of HIV the virus which causesAIDS Detection of such mutations arecritical in understanding how HIV reactsto therapeutic agents as well as for
understanding the results of clinical trialsof new drugs The company also hasactive development programs for thespeciation of other infectious organismsas well as for human genes that areimportant in cancer and drug metabolism
Fortune Magazine in an article headedGene Chip Breakthrough by David Stippexplores the implications of thisbreakthrough and believes that whilemicroprocessors have reshaped oureconomy spawned vast fortunes andchanged the way we live Gene chipscould be bigger
TransAct BroadbandCommunications Network
The ACTEW Corporation has recentlyconducted a feasibility study into buildinga broadband communication network inthe ACT It is claimed it would enhanceACTEWrsquos core business and provide theACT region with an economically viablecommunications network
The network would be funded throughoutside financing As there would be nocross-subsidies between varioustelecommunication business and theelectricity and water businesses therewould be no impact on electricity andwater bills now or in the future Known asTransAct Communications the feasibilitystudy was to be completed by March1997 ACTEW Corporation Board willmake a decision on the business caseduring April A key component of thestudy was to be community consultationand market research If the results werefavourable construction should commencein July 1997
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 41
I was consulted in their telemarketingresearch and talks have been held with thePC Users Group Aurisa Institute ofEngineers Australia and the BusinessCouncil of Australia The network couldcarry voice(telephone) video(TV) and data(intenet) over a high range of frequenciesand the cost of services would bedependent on the service providers ieTelephone companies Pay TV companiesand internet service providers ACTEWexpected that prices would be similar tocurrent prices for these services andsuggest that a single broad-band networkwould offer competition between serviceproviders
The network could carryvoice(telephone) video(TV) and
data (intenet)
Two companies have been shortlisted andtheir solutions are being costed to get anaccurate picture of the total cost ofbuilding the network The two companiesare Philips which has offered a HybridCoax (HFC) system and BroadbandTechnologies which offered a switchedbroadband (SDB) solution
The HFC solution as offered by Philipswould differ from similar cable systemsbeing strung in other parts of Australia inthat it would take optic fibre down toserve 60-90 homes per node rather than500-1500 homes The SDB solutionwould be unique in Australia (In use inparts of USA Korea and France) it takesoptic fibre to serve 32-40 homes per nodeBoth solutions have the ability to runadvanced interactive services By the timeof publication a further update may beavailable atwwwactewcomautransactinterhtm
Treasure IslandFrom the Corel Thumbnail Theatre seriesnow being shipped Treasure Island is afun easy way to learn the complexities ofthis popular novel by Robert LouisStevenson It is an animated adaptiontargeted primarily at students aged 12 andupwards Users can choose from threedifferent ways of studying TreasureIsland For those unacquainted with thestory the Watch Me section presents awitty and entertaining nine-minuteanimation which summarises the novelrsquosstory The Guide Me section is designedfor users who wish to study the text indepth and learn more about the era inwhich the novel is set They will see theanimation once again but this time theywill have the chance to stop the animatedsummary in order to explore varioustopics related to the story These topics areaccessible by clicking on the icons whichappear throughout the animation Userswho want to read about different topicscan go directly to the Self Guide sectionThis section contains the entire text ofTreasure Island
It also contains a feature called Timelinewhich is a chronology of historical eventsfrom the time of Treasure Island to thepresent day
Minimum system requirements are 486DX66 8MB of RAM a 640x480256-colour graphics display 8-bit audiocapabilities and a double speed CD-ROMdrive Runs on both Windows 31x andWindows95RRP $Aus 6400
Corel WebMaster SuiteOn March 25 Corel announced the releaseCorel WebMaster Suite the latest additionto their line of Internet products Itcombines state-of-the-art Web siteauthoring with expert site managementfunctionality advanced database
publishing sophisticated graphic designprograms as well as animation authoring3D VRML world creation and over 8000Internet-ready images Included in thepackage is Netscape Navigator 301OrsquoReillyrsquos Website v11 and 30 days offree Web site hosting It is claimed thatthis suite provides a complete solution tohelp users advance beyond the traditionalWeb page to create and manage completeweb sites that are more interesting andinformative as well as easy to understand
Corel WebMaster is available for asuggested retail price of $Aus 399 Thesuite will require 16MB RAM an IBMcompatible PC 486 DX Windows NT orWindows 95 a CD_ROM and a VGAdisplay
SNIPPETS
IN AUSTRIA INTERNET SERVICEProviders banded together on March 25 tostage the countryrsquos first electronic walkoutin protest at their governmentrsquos attempt tocensor the Internet Hardly surprisingwhen UKrsquos Whatrsquos New on the Internetreports that sex and its related topics arethe most popular sections on the Internetby a long chalk
DUTCH HACKERS OFFERED USMilitary Secrets to Iraq A recent BBC TVprogramme claimed that hundreds ofmilitary secrets were stolen from USDefence computers ( including troopmovements and missile capabilities)offered for sale by Dutch hackers toSaddam Hussein but their offer was nottaken up because the Iraqi leader believedthat it was either a hoax or CIAmisinformation
ADVERTISING ON THE NETAccording to a survey by the InternetAdvertising Bureau total advertisingspending on the World Wide Web andInternet related content hit $US267
42 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
The Internet SIGThis a get together of those members of thePCUG who love to explore the Internet forinteresting sites new Internet tools andnovel applications It holds an informalmeeting once a month on the first Thursday(January excepted) at 730pm The meetinghas no set agenda but free flowing chat onvarious Internet related topics and eventsOn occasion we had presentations ofinteresting software Among topics that arediscussed from time to time are the upgradeof TIP cable and wireless access to theInternet and the regulation of the InternetThe web page for the SIG is at httpwwwpcugorgau~ejosephintsightm
BytesThe Bytes SIG is designed for those wholike to talk about computing over a meal Itmeets from 6 pm at the Asian BistroAustralian National University Union onthe PCUG meeting nights There are noBytes SIG meetings in NovemberDecember or January Contact personAndrew Freeman Phone 258 7411 Emailafreemanpcugorgau or WWW at httpwwwpcugorgau~afreemancvsightml
AutoCADGeoffrey May 295 5942 Monday-Fri 4-5pmPlease call for details
CC++Peter Corcoran petercpcugorgau 2ndTuesday 730pm PCUG Centre
GUI DevelopersPeter Harris 287 1484 pharrispcugorgauPlease call for details
The OS2 SIGAn enthusiastic forum for those operating orinterested in OS2 Warp Meetings includewide ranging discussion and interestinghands on demonstrations Meetings are heldon the third Thursday at 730pm for 730pmat the IBM Building 8 Brisbane Ave BartonContact David Thrum Phone 201-8806 (bh)
The Delphi SIGA lively forum for software developers whoare working with or interested in Delphi
Our meetings include wide ranging dis-cussion and interesting hands-on demon-strations Come and see why Delphi is RADSome of our recent meetings have discussedDelphi components best shareware toolsdatabase applications and HTML toolsMeeting 3rd Tuesday of each month 730pmat PCUG Centre Convenor Al Kabailaemail akabailapcugorgauYou arewelcome to also subscribe to the PCUGDelphi mailing list by sending messageldquosubscribe act-delphi-lpcugorgau [youremail address]rdquo to Majordomoauugorgau
Linux User GroupStephen Rothwell 291 6550 (ah) StephenRothwell canbauugorgau 4th Thursday730pm Room N101 Computer Science DeptANU
Networks Garry Thomson 241 2399gthomsonpcugorgau Thursday aftermain meeting Please call for venue
Computer and VegetarianismThis SIG is designed for those who have aninterest in both computers and vegetarian-ism It generally meets with the Bytes SIGNo meetings are held in NovemberDecember or January Contact personAndrew Freeman Phone 258 7411 Emailfreemanpcugorgau or WWW at httpwwwpcugorgau~afreemancvsightml
amp ChatThe Coffee and Chat Group meet at thePCUG Centre in Belconnen on alternateTuesdays from 1030am to 1130am withanother 30 minutes to 1200 for those whowant to stay The dates of these meetings areshown in the Calendar of Events On thealternate Tuesday a virtual Coffee and ChatMeeting is held on the Internet at 1030amusing Internet Relay Chat (IRC) addressirchostpcugorgau Port 6667 Full detailsabout the online meetings can be obtainedfrom httpwwwpcugorgau~ejosephvcchtm
Internet Daytime Demoand Discussion SIGMeets every second Monday at the PCUGCentre from 1000AM to noon We meet todiscuss internet issues software sites (andanything else of relevance) and demonstrateon Centre equipment selected software andtechniques The meeting starts with informaldiscussion and coffee followed by a more in-depth look at a particular topic of interestThere is also time for discussion (andhopefully solving) of members problems withthe internet A home page for the SIG is athttpwwwpcugorgau~amikkelsintdddhtmlEnquiries or suggestions for topics arewelcome at amikkelspcugorgau
NEW
Convenors are requested to email anychanges in contacts or venue and additionalinformation about the activities of theirgroup by the first Friday in the month ofpublication to pcugeditorpcugorgau
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 43
The training program for 1997 is settledsubject to ongoing adjustments in the lightof developments
Note the heavy emphasis on Internetcourses This reflects the clear demand ofmembers at the moment A number of daysare designated lsquoTBArsquo These days allow forthe introduction of Internet related coursesas discussed last month including homepages MS Internet ExplorerWeb tips andtricks and so on They also allow forpossible courses on the Web oriented MSOffice 97
Course content for Internet courses isstill under development and subject tomeetings of trainers
In addition to the weekend courses arange of short evening courses mainlyInternet related as above will be introducedThese are still in the planning stages
May Sat 3 Editorial day ContinuesSun 4 Programming - C and C++ ContinuesSat 10 Programming - Visual Basic Continues
Sun 11 Intro - Intro to computers ContinuesSat 17 Intro - Intro to Windows 95 Continues
Sun 18 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 24 Intro - PC Maintenance and
TroubleshootingContinues
Sun 25 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 31 Internet - HTML Intro Continues
June Sun 1 Intro - Using the BBS effectively Internet - Basic AccessSat 7 Centre closed Centre closed
Sun 8 Centre closed Centre closedSat 14 Editorial day Continues
Sun 15 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 21 Internet - HTML extended Continues
Sun 22 Internet - TBA Internet - TBASat 28 Internet - Advanced Access Intro Continues
Sun 29 Intro - Using the BBS effectively Internet - Basic AccessJuly Sat 5 Editorial day Continues
Sun 6 Internet - TBA Internet - TBASat 12 Internet - TBA Internet - TBA
Sun 13 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 19 Internet - TBA Internet - TBA
Sun 20 Internet - TBA Internet - TBASat 26 Internet - Advanced Access Intro Continues
Sun 27 Intro - Using the BBS effectively Internet - Basic Access
Our training courses are very popularUnfortunately some people book and thendonrsquot turn up for their course Someone onthe waiting list for the course could havefilled the spot left vacant To overcome thisproblem if you book for a course but donrsquotpay for it by the Monday before it is runthe spot will be offered to someone else
ContactsCourse bookings Petra Dwyer at thePCUG Centre on 253 4911
Training coordinator and courseinformation (not bookings) PaulBalnaves 241-4671 (h) 700pm to900pm 282-3488 (w)
Microsoft Product courses (notbookings) Michael Lane 242-9278 (h)700pm to 900pm
All courses are held at the PCUGCentre Northpoint Plaza Belconnen- maximum 8 people
Courses cost $35 unless otherwiseindicated Full day courses run from930am to approximately 300pmAM Courses commence at 930amPM courses commence at 130pm
Training Newsby Paul Balnaves
44 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
The following local vendors offer discounts to PCUG members
bull Present your PCUG membership card when making a purchasebull Benefits may not apply to some sale itemsbull The PCUG does not necessarily recommend or endorse the products being offered
If you offer a discount to PCUG members and are not in this list please contact our advertising manager listed on page 2
Vendor Discount SchemeVendor Discount Scheme
AustralianManagement Control
Suite 4 32 - 36 Colbee CourtPHILLIP285 4888
5 discount onRecordkeeping amp Payroll
courses
Capital SimulationsPO Box 329
Belconnen ACT 2616Faxmessage 258 0110
Free postage and handling(normally $4) amp 2 free modem
opponents lsquowantedrsquo notices(normally $10)
Clarion DatabaseSystems
bull Computing consultingbull Business applications developmentbull Software sale
041 108 775410 discount off RRP on
Microsoft amp other vendorsrsquo productsand consulting services
Amalgamated Business Machines
65 Kembla StreetFYSHWICK
280 4887
5 discount on repairsthrough this company
ANU Union Asian Bistro
Upstairs Union Building Union Court ANU
(next to main meeting venue)
Union member discounton PCUG main meeting
nights (ONLY)
Bettowynd ampTaltech Solutions
Unit 5 Centrecourt1 Pirie St FYSHWICK
239 1043
Prompt guaranteed fixed pricerepairs to monitors and terminals
5 discount to members
Nhan TranInternet Software Installationamp Configuration in your home
PH 254 5293
Fixed price 20 discountfor PCUG members
Lesley PikoCertified Practising Accountant
Registered Tax Agent
Suite 1 17 Trenerry StWeston ACT
288 8888
personal and business taxation servicesgeneral accounting services
15 discount off our quoted fee
ACT VALLEYCOMPUTER REPAIRSbull REPAIRSbull UPGRADESbull NEW SYSTEMSbull SOFTWARE INSTALLATIONbull LOW RATES l OPEN 7 DAYS
294 2592 or 019 32343510 DISCOUNT ON REPAIRS
AND UPGRADES TO MEMBERS
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 45
54 Marcus Clarke St Canberra CityPH 249 1844 l Fax 247 5753
10 Discount o f fRRP of Computer Books
Celebrating over 28 Years in Bookselling
N O 1 f o rC O M P U T E R amp B U S I N E S S
B O O K S
hi-micro Computers
5 Discount OnAccessories
ampUpgrade Installation
Ph 280 7520 Fax 280 7540618 Whyalla St Fyshwick
248 6656 (any time)bull World Wide Web Publishing
bull Windows Online Help amp Manuals
5 discount on Web publishing
The Cartridge Factory
Canberra Business Centre49 Wentworth Ave
KINGSTON295 5935
10 discount on remanufacturedlaser toner cartridges
10 discount on inkjet refill kitsNo discount available on
new ink or toner cartridges
Collins Booksellers
BELCONNEN MALLPhone 251 4813 Fax 251 3926
We carry a wide selection ofcomputer titles for the novice and
also advanced computer user
10 Discount off computerbook purchases only
LampS Associates
69 Paterson StreetAINSLIE257 7555
Special price on anyMicrosoft product
Dealer price plus 5
Aspect ComputingEducation Services
86 Northbourne AvenueBraddon ACT 2601
247 7608
10 Discount toPCUG members
Peng LEE BA BEc FCA
Chartered AccountantRegistered Tax Agent
A fee schedule will be forwarded upon request
6 McGuiness PlaceMcKELLAR ACT 2617
Phone 258 0156 Fax 258 0157
10 fee discount to PCUGmembers
Robrsquos Computer HelpDesk
292 3211 (24 hours 7 days)
For telephone and on-site help for ALL your computer and support
needs
5 discount on consulting services to PCUG members
The Software Shop
42 Townsend StreetPHILLIP285 4622
5 discount off our already low prices
46 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Title Given Name Surname
_______________________________________________________Position (if applicable) Phone (h) Phone (w)
_______________________________________________________Title Given Name Surname
_______________________________________________________Position (if applicable) Phone (h) Phone (w)
Annual Fees Applicable (thorn one)o General1 $ 50
o Concessional2 $ 25
o Corporate3 $130
o Additional Corporate4 $ 50
o International (Air Mail) $130
Notes1 General membership covers all members of a household except for BBS and
Internet access Two month waiting period applies to Internet access2 Concessions apply to full time students and pensioners3 Corporate Membership covers up to three nominees4 Additional Corporate nominees may be added at $50 each
I am paying by (thorn one)o Cash (if paying by person) o Cheque to PC Users Group (ACT) Inc
o Credit card
I would like to ( thorn one or more)
o Become a new member for ____ year(s)
o Renew for ____ year(s)
o Change my address details
o Change Corporate nominees
o Take my address off advertising list
o Access the Bulletin Board (BBS)
Reasons for Joining thorn (one or more)
o Sixteen Bits Magazine o Training Courses
o The Internet Project o Advice and help
Other ____________________________________
TOTAL PAYMENT DUE $ __________________
Please Post your application with payment toPC Users Group (ACT) IncPO Box 42 Belconnen ACT 2616
Additional Corporate Membership Nominees
Title Given Name Surname
Organisation (if applicable) PCUG Membership Number (if applicable)
Postal Address
Phone (h) Phone (w) Concession Type (if applicable)
Credit Card Type Number Expiry Date Signature
Membersrsquo AdsFOR SALE
PC Users Group Membership Application Renewal
Notebook TP 486 DX266 95in Dual scancolour 8mg 433 HDD External 2X CDROM Fax modem card Win rsquo95 Office rsquo95pro Microsoft Plus NAV Norton UtilitiesWinfax Pro Microsoft Publisher and muchmore $1500 email gjonespcugorgau orphone Gary Jones 2391771 (Bus hours)
Canon Bubble-jet Printer BJ10-SX BWVGC [bookletdisk] $145Maestro External Fax Modem SE-144 FM[BookletDiks] VGC $100Corel Draw V3 CD-ROM[Bookect] VGC $100 NEGScanFax 24 Bit Color Page ScannerPC[FaxScanCopy] VGC $ 360WebAuthor V2 for Windows $ 65LOGOS BIBLE Software V2for Windows CD-ROM $150Call 239 5451 or e-mailmszabopcugorgau
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 47
Subject Name Email Phone Days TimesAccess for Windows Graheme Fry 288 3138 All days 730pm - 830pm
Accounting -TAS+ Exogen Attache NewViews P Goerman 231 2304 All days 900am - 900pm
Advanced Revelation John Curby 286 5777 Mon - Fri 900am - 900pm
Assembly Language Thomas McCoy 294 2226 Mon - Fri 800pm - 1000pm
AutoCad Geoffrey May 295 5942 Mon - Fri 400pm - 500pm
AutoCAD Rel 12 13 and LT Neil Moffat 292 7108 All days Noon - 1000pm
BASIC + Machine Language George McLintock 295 6590 All days 830pm -1000pm
Basic hardware help Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
Bluewave Jorge Garcia 282 2681 All Days 700pm - 900pm
Batch Files TSRs Utilities Bill Ghysen 287 1234 Mon - Fri 800pm - 1000pm
Bulletin Board Service Michael Phillips 253 4966 All days 730pm - 830pm
Chinese Star for Windows Peng Lee 258 0156 All days 100pm - 900pm
Clipper Cedric Bear 258 3169 All days 730pm - 830pm
Corel Draw Fabian Stelco 241 1743 Mon - Fri 730pm - 900pm
Corel WordPerfect Suite 7 for Win95 Peter Tilbrook kermitdynamitecomau 242 8696 All days Anytime
DOS Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
Excel Graheme Fry 288 3138 All days 730pm - 830pm
Flight Simulation Roger Lowery lowerypcugorgau 258 1583 All days Anytime
Foxpro Greg Atkinson 241 7903 Mon - FriSat Sun
700pm - 900pmFrom 1100am
Free Agent Agent Newsreading Allan Mikkelsen 278 3164 All days Noon - 900pm
General Help Allan Miller (044) 711187 Mon - Fri 730pm - 830pm
General Help Brian Gosling 259 1116 All days 730pm - 830pm
GEOSGeoWorks Phil Jones 288 5288 All days 600pm - 1000pm
Hardware Anthony Glenn 288 8332 All days Anytime
HDK Lis Shelley lshelleypcugorgau 248 6656 Mon - Fri 730pm - 830pm
HDK Ivana Leonard 231 4169 Mon - Thu 700pm - 900pm
ISR CADDSMAN Modeller (Win) Neil Moffat 292 7108 All days Noon - 1000pm
LINUX PC Unix Andrew Tridgell 254 8209 All days 600pm - 800pm
Lotus 1-2-3 Doug Jenkins 286 2243 All days 730pm - 900pm
Lotus Ami Pro 3 W ord Pro 96 ed Peter Tilbrook kermitdynamitecomau 242 8696 All days Anytime
Microstation Cad Andrew Novinc 258 1907 All days 600pm - 1000pm
Modem Communications Michael Phillips 281 1980 or All days 730pm - 830pm
Networks Gary Thompson 241 2399 All days 730pm - 900pm
Online doc using Help Compiler (Win3) John Carroll jcarrollpcugorgau 248 0781 All days 730pm - 1000pm
OS2 v2 Mark Beileiter 283 2429 Mon - Fri 800am - 330pm
OS2 Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
OS2 Michael Lightfoot 258 8185 All days 730pm - 930pm
Project (Microsoft) Steve Ramsden 287 1500 Mon - Wed 800pm - 1000pm
SBT Accounting Greg Atkinson 241 7903 Mon - Fri 700pm - 900pm
Scream Tracker 3 (3SM) MOD Music Chris Collins 258 8276 Mon - Fri 730pm - 900pm
Small Business Computing Nick Thomson 241 3239 Mon - Thu 730pm - 930pm
SuperBase Paul Blair 288 3584 All days 730pm - 930pm
Telix Michael Phillips 281 1980 All days 730pm - 830pm
SCO Unix amp Xenix J Bishop 291 0478 All days 700pm - 900pm
Unix Michael Lightfoot 258 8185 All days 730pm - 930pm
Turbo Pascal Michael Phillips 281 1980 All days 730pm - 830pm
Vision Impaired Adam Morris 291 4522 All days 700pm - 900pm
Visual BASIC Ian Champ 254 0418 All days 700pm - 900pm
Windows 31x Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
Word for Windows Lis Shelley lshelleypcugorgau 248 6656 Mon - Fri 730pm - 830pm
WordPerfect 51 DOS 61 Win Gayle Scott gaylespcugorgau 254 1579 All days 730pm - 930pm
WordPerfect 61 7 for Win95 Peter Tilbrook kermitdynamitecom 242 8696 All days Anytime
WordStar Dave Hay 258 7310 All days 700pm - 900pm
The people in this directory are volunteers so please observe the times given The Help Directory is designed to helpindividual users and should not be used as a substitute for corporate support calls to vendors This service is provided formembers only Please quote your membership number to the helper For those helpers with an asterisk messages may beleft on the BBS in either the General message area or as a Netmail message on 3620243 Send updates topcugeditorpcugorgau or via post to the PCUG Centre
The Help Directory
May 1997Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
1
Internet SIG730pmPCUG Centre
2
SIXTEENBITSCommercialAd deadlinefor May
3
SIXTEEN BITSLayout Day 10am______________InternetConnection Clinic930am-1pmPCUG Centre(check withCentre Staffer on253 4911)
4
TRAININGDAYProgrammingC and C++930-430PCUG Centre
5
Internet DaytimeDemo andDiscussion10am-12 noonPCUG Centre______________New MembersNight730pmPCUG Centre
6
VirtualCoffee amp ChatTIP IRCServer1030-1130am
7 8 9 10
TRAININGDAYProgrammingVisual Basic930-430PCUG Centre
11
TRAININGDAYIntro tocomputers930-430PCUG Centre
12 13
Coffee amp Chat1030amPCUG Centre__________
C++ SIG730pmPCUG Centre
14
CommitteeMeeting730pmPCUG Centre
15
OS2 SIG7 for 730pmIBM Building8 BrisbaneAve Barton
16 17
TRAINING DAYIntro Windows 95930-430PCUG Centre______________
Meet theCommittee2-4pmPCUG Centre
18
TRAININGDAYInternetAdvancedAccess Intro930-430PCUG Centre
19
Internet DaytimeDemo andDiscussion 10am-12noon PCUG Centre______________
SIXTEEN BITSStuffing and Mailing530pm PCUGCentre
20
Virtual Coffee ampChatTIP IRC Server1030-1130am_____________
Delphi SIG730pm PCUGCentre
21 22
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23 24
TRAINING DAYPC Maintenanceamp Troubleshooting930-430PCUG Centre
25
TRAININGDAYInternetAdvancedAccess Intro930-430PCUG Centre
26
Main MeetingManningClark Theatre1 CrispBuilding ANU7 for 730pm
27
Coffee amp Chat1030amPCUG Centre
28 29
Networks SIGCall GarryThomson(241 2399) fordetails
30
SIXTEENBITS Articledeadline forJune
31
TRAININGDAYInternetHTML Intro930-430PCUG CentreBytes SIG 6pm
Asian Bistro ANU(before PCUGmeeting
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 11
SPIRIT NETWORKSYOUR INTERNET BUSINESS SOLUTION
IN CANBERRA
Offering full commercial Internet Services to create theInternet Presence of your business including
middot World Wide Web Site optional Domain Nameregistration and high volume services
middot Multiple Email Mailboxes amp high-speed Dialup access
middot Free Internet technical support
middot No time charging
middot Accounts from $25 a month
middot Training Consultation and Support Services
middot Connections by ISDN or modem permanentconnections available
middot Other services included are Telnet WWW FileTransfer News IRC and Multimedia
middot On-site Internet Software Installation Configuration andDemonstration
Personal accounts available
Complete Office Solutions for your Internet Presence
Email salesspiritnetau
Phone 0419 609 704 06 281 3552 Fax 06 285 1987
PO Box 486 Curtin ACT 2605
technology they want - whether legally ornot
If yoursquore interested in finding out moreon cryptography there are some good booksand plenty of good material on the Web Aclassic book is Bruce Schneierrsquos AppliedCryptography (2nd edition 1996 Wiley)which also contains C code for manyciphers On the web have a look athttpwwwrsacom (see FAQ) or httptheory lcs mi t edu~r ives t c rypto-securityhtml (plenty of good links - a mustfor anyone with an interest in cryptography)
12 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
1297
1897
1987
1997
ph 06 297 1084fax 03 9221 3180sustanceibmnet
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 13
14 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Setting Up a Commercial Site onthe Internet with Web Graphics
At the beginning of March I launched a newcommercial site on the Internet - InfoRomSince I know virtually nothing about HTMLprogramming and since I am something of anovice at this game I thought you might beinterested in
a) My experience of setting up acommercial site
b) My evaluation of how suited CorelWeb Graphics is to this purpose
I was in fact involved in EdRev anunsuccessful Internet project that was up onthe Net for much of 1996 Hopefully I havelearned from the experience - as Peter Cookused to say ldquoI have learned from my mistakesand I can repeat every one of them perfectlyrdquo
Developing Your Site ConceptBefore setting up your site it is important tohave a clear idea in mind as to why the site isthere what services you wish to provide andwhat sort of clients you are aiming at WithEdRev my idea had been to provide in-depthreviews of CD-ROM educational softwareover the Internet - people would not be able toaccess the reviews until they had taken up asubscription - or at least trialled the servicefor a month People out there did not respondto this approach - and the big problem frommy point of view was that I was putting vastamounts of time into writing the reviews andgetting little return
With InfoRom I decided to write shortermuch tighter reviews make them available forfree but offer access to question and answersupport on any of the products reviewed for asmall fee That way I figured that I wouldnrsquothave to invest too much effort up front but Iwould be putting my time and energy intoanswering questions for paid up subscribers Ialso decided to start including selected gamesas well as educational software so as to widenthe appeal of the service
Corel Web Transit - Word to HTML
Having written the reviews (inWord 6 for Windows) the nextstep was to convert them intoHTML format This proved to besomewhat easier than I had expectedWeb Transit makes the process prettyautomatic and it carried over my formattingand styles without any problem The onlydifficulty I found was that occasionally itwould add a couple of unwanted line breaksat the top of the page and very occasionallyan unwanted bookmark to the text at the topWhere this happened I simply deleted the linebreaks and changed the formatting to removethe bookmark There was no logical reason forthese unwanted inclusions - I suspect that itwas just a bug in the program Diagram 1 iswhat the Transit screen looks like You set updestination and source then click translatethen click the Web Designer icon if you wantto format and modify the file or click thebrowser icon to see what it will look like onthe Web
Corel Web Designer - Formattingand Enhancing the Site Pages
Web Designer is another of the Corel WebGraphics package components and (with thehelp of my daughter Naomi) I used this to dothe following
middot Fancy up headings and the appearanceof the text
middot Add internal links eg from the bottomof the page to the top
middot Add external links to other files egSubject Index
By Nick Thomson
Diagram 1
cd romcd rom
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 15
middot Add external files to other sites eg thesites of the software suppliers
middot Add graphics
All of the above processes were easy andreliable and I was able to undertake all of themsuccessfully despite not having any knowledgeof HTML programming I only encounteredthree shortcomings
1 If I had names with a mixture of upper andlower case the links didnrsquot always workproperly I overcame this by ensuring thatall my filenames were in lower case onlyI am not sure if this was a Web Graphicsproblem or just a general HTML issue
HTML is certainly casesensitive so beware
2 It is not possible to define orsave your own templates in Web
Designer It would have been veryhandy if I could have set up a template
with all the standard headings and linkseg to the Home Page built in - notpossible at this stage but I understand thatthis facility will be available in the nextupgrade of Web Designer
3 The formatting options are a bit limitedand it is not possible to define your ownstyles (although there is quite a good rangeof pre-defined styles available)
For graphics Naomi created a series ofneat little icons - one for each subject categoryThus at the top of each page there were twosmall graphics representing one or two subjectcategories for that review These were createdfrom clip art in Corel Draw then convertedand pasted in as gif or jpeg images (the twographic formats that are supported by HTML)We had tried using screen clips in EdRev -
they took forever to load and were a pain towork with so I decided against using them inInfoRom One of the golden rules of Web sitesis not to slow things down with too manygraphics - I get very frustrated waiting forsome of the software supplier sites to load -and I donrsquot want my potential clients to feelthat way about my site Diagram 2 is anexample of one of our pages
Selecting a Supplier andUploading Pages
The next step was to find a commercial sitesupplier I had been happy with service andvalue for money that we got at Spirit Networks(an ACT supplier) so I decided to go to themIt cost me $275 to set the site up (includingthe registration of my domain name on theInternet) and it is costing me $50 per monthfor maintaining the site (that includes a goodlevel of storage email traffic and the right toupdate whenever I like) - so it really isnrsquot tooexpensive a service As part of the setup costsa rep from Spirit came and helped my set upTIP email and FTP connections on mymachine Because of my newness to thisprocess I fired lots of questions (includingquite a few dumb ones) at them by email orphone in the first couple of weeks - I have tosay that they have been very patient and mosthelpful
I uploaded all the files by means of FTPand eureka it is working What a satisfyingfeeling to log on load up your browser andperuse a site that is all your own work Apartfrom a few faulty links (the result of incorrectentry on my part) everything was working fineimmediately and I have already added threelots of updates without difficulty
Marketing and Indexing the SiteWhen I was involved in EdRev I sent outapprox 600 emails to schools educationalagencies etc in the hope of winning somesubscribers For all that effort we got 2subscribers
I believe that one of the keys to the Internetis harnessing the power of the various searchprograms or Web Indexes by listing your sitewith them and doing whatever you need to doto ensure that your site has a reasonably good
Diagram 2(continued next page)
16 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
chance of being detected What I want is thatif someone searches for a particular packageeg Encarta or NHL 97 then they will bedirected to my site Thus the key is for not justmy home page but for every separate reviewpage to be picked up by the various indexesMost users stick with the big ones - as far as Ican tell they are
Excite
Infoseek
Lycos
Alta Vista
Magellan (subset of Excite)
Yahoo
Hot Bot
Web Crawler
Web Surfer
If anyone out there can suggest any otherlsquopopular onesrsquo please tell me My experienceis that there are two categories of Index
1 Those that list your home page and thentrace all of the links to the home page and(over time) add all of the other pages inyour site This can take 3 or 4 weeks Theseinclude Alta Vista Lycos Yahoo and (Ithink) Excite and Yahoo
2 Those that will only list the URL you haveentered eg Infoseek and Web Crawler
Thus I have taken two approaches Withcategory 1 eg Excite I have added just thehome page to the index although each time Ido an update I add the URL of what I estimatewill be the most popular choice for that weekto Excite and Hot Bot - thus increasing thelikelihood of my site appearing on thesesindexes in the short term Alta Vista Yahooand Lycos all actively discourage this process- but I will see whether the review pages ofmy sites are being picked up before I passjudgement on this
In the case of Infoseek and Web Crawler Ientered every single URL for all the pages inmy site (about 130 to begin with) - and everytime I do an update I add the URLs for thenew pages to these indexes It is timeconsuming but I believe that it is worth it Iam starting to get traffic to the site from allover the world but it is too early to tell howsuccessful my efforts have been
WebSurfer required a payment of $350(US) to be included - I wonder how long itwill be before this trend catches on with theothers At the bank I discovered that it wouldcost me $10 - to get a cheque drawn in USdollars - so the process cost me about $15
dollars And they wonder why Australia is notcompetitive on the international scene WhileI am grizzling about banks let me alsocomment that for every client that pays me bycheque in US dollars or pounds sterling it willcost me $5 to convert that cheque to Australiandollars The trick is of course to encouragepayment by credit card but I have not foundany of the banks I have spoken to so far to beparticularly eager to allow a small untriedbusiness like this to offer credit card facilitiesAre there any banks out there that encourageAustralians to transact internationalbusiness
There are a number of providers that offer(for a fee) to list you with lsquo100 Web indexesrsquoetc but since I figure that most people onlyuse the most popular ones I havenrsquot botheredwith them
Final CommentBasically it is now a matter of wait and seewhat the response is as well as ensure that thesite is visible on the various Web indexes Thewhole process has certainly been much easierthan I expected and I can certainly recommendCorelrsquos Web Graphics suite as a good way forbeginners to get a page up on the Internet witha minimum of fuss and bother Letrsquos hope thatthe subscribers start rolling in
Nick Thomson is a management trainerconsultant and he is also the manager ofInfoRom a CD-ROM review and onlinesupport service on the Internet He can becontacted on 241 3239
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 17
A review by Alan Tebb
ldquoWhat is the name of the worldrsquos mosttattooed womanrdquo (See the answer at theend of this article)
I remember buying a copy of theGuinness Book of Records in 1979and thinking it contained the mostfascinating collection of trivial facts
and figures I had ever read Over the yearsthe book settled the occasional dinnerargument that strayed into the realm of ldquowhowas the tallest man everrdquo or ldquohow longwere the longest finger nails ever grownrdquoIt was like having the sideshow bearded ladyand the tattooed man between covers on thebookshelf every page was filled with thebizarre the freakish the unbelievable
But to be fair the Guinness Book ofRecords is more than a collection of thecurious or unusual In the month since Ibegan this review I have noticed the TV andthe newspapers have on three occasionscovered attempts to break Guinness records
Perhaps the Guinness record book fulfillsthat need in human beings to challenge theirenvironment do things that no other humanhas done before to better the incredible featsof others or to be just plain crazy Whateverthe motivation the drive to be a part ofGuinness historyndashif only for as long as arecord holdsndashis as popular now as when thewhole thing began in 1955
So naturally I was very interested to seewhat Grolier had done to make the GuinnessBook of Records a multimedia CD I wasnrsquotdisappointed Like its hardcover cousin theGuinness Multimedia Disc of Recordscontains the same extensive collection ofrecords plus a library of amazing film clipsand photographs you simply wonrsquot findanywhere else on CD
The opening interface looks like acollection of pub drink coasters It has eightpaths allowing the user to browse recordsgo straight to an index of all photographsview movie clips search by words search
1995 GuinnessMultimediaDisc of Records
by topics search by superlatives run theRandom Record Explorer or play the GuessWhat quiz
The record browser lists almost 15000records in alphabetical order and is the leasteffective way of finding your way aroundthe CD The Guinness Multimedia Disc ofRecords excels in its ability to search itsdatabase of records using some innovativeoptions The usual Boolean choices areavailable or you can have fun searching bysuperlatives such as ldquotallestrdquo or ldquoheaviestrdquoThe CD will then list all the records thatinclude the chosen adjective The otheralternative is to search through topic treesthat branch out from a few key subjects allthe way to individual records an approachoften seen in CD encyclopaedias
The disc contains over 1000photographs from the Guinness collectionincluding what must be considered some ofthe most unusual and fascinating picturesassembled in one publication The majorityof photos and videos are very high in qualityand in the case of the photos these can beprinted
My only disappointment with theGuinness Multimedia Disc of Records is thefact that it did not have a country specificsupplement The thing I liked most aboutmy 1979 hard copy version was the 30 pagesof Australia-only records at the back Evenso the multimedia version is every bit asentertaining interesting and informative asI had hoped it would be With the addedadvantage of film clips sound and greatsearch capabilities I think it is better thanthe hard copy version Now if I can onlyremember some of those unusual facts andfigures I might be a much better TrivialPursuit player
System RequirementsA 486DX processor running at 33MHz orfaster using Windows 31 or rsquo95 4 Mb ofRAM 6Mb hard disk space CD-ROMcapable of 300Kbsec or higher transfer rateand a sound card The video uses Quicktimefor Windows 20 (supplied with theproduct)
The worldrsquos most decorated woman is stripartiste Krystyne Kolorful born 5 December1952 in Alberta Canada Her body is 95percent covered and it took ten years tocomplete the work
18 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
T his comprehensive set ofpowerful drawing and photo-editing tools fills a niche for thehome or small business users
who are looking for an easy-to-use graphicspackage to create greeting cards certificatesbanners business forms signs and calendarsetc and at the same time have the capacityto scan their own photographs touch themup and add special effects or create bitmapimages using the painting tools
While both MS Publisher 97 (which Ireviewed in the March 1997 issue) and PrintHouse have some similarities and overlapin the production of greeting cards bannerscalendars menus etc this program con-centrates on the production of qualitygraphics and photographic enhancementwhile MS Publisher97 was more orientedtowards Desk Top Publishing and has nophotographic enhancement program
Corel Print amp Photo House lives up toits claim for simplicity with a friendlywizard-based interface that anyone can usewithout training It includes more than 1600ready-to-print sample files (700 of whichare cards 1000 photos 1000 phrases 150TrueType fonts 7000 clipart images 200backdrops and 70 intelligent borders andtemplates and a well-illustrated manualwhich includes a catalogue containingcollections of the clipart fonts bordersbackdrops phrases and photos on theCDROM At a loss for the appropriatewords to include The comprehensive listof phrases should meet almost everyconceivable need
Installation is simple and the programproved fully compatible with my LogitechColour scanner and DSV Graphics DisplayAccelerator
There is a key that opens a key page thatin turn displays help topics to assist withthe task in hand using cue cards The topicsopened by the key are determined by the toolin use or the object currently selected Eachcard contains an instruction and after eachstep is completed a new card displays
Wizards are available to walk usersthrough any task such as changing the colourof an object or adding shadows to text Thereis an on-screen Notebook to help guide usersthrough various operations such as how toapply effects choose a paint brush or accessthe photo collection It also provides easyand visible access to clipart bordersbackdrops and preset styles that can bedragged and dropped into designs
You can customise a project withpowerful drawing tools and flip rotate orscale any text or graphic
The vector graphics and text are fullyeditable and can be flipped rotated re-sizedungrouped and fully customised by bothcolour and shape
The Toolbars and layout will be familiarto Corel Draw users they are intuitive andperform similar functions Figure 3 showsthe Notebook to the left of the verticaltoolbar showing what you would like to donext This Notebook provides convenienton-screen context-sensitive help and guidesusers through various operations such ashow to apply effects choose a paint brushor access a photo collection It also provideseasy and visible access to clipart bordersbackdrops and preset styles that can bedragged and dropped into designs To add acatalogue item you can drag it from theNotebook and drop it into the appropriatepart of your design
One particularly neat feature is theability to save pieces of your own creationfor later use in a section called theScrapbook so that you can add it to futureprojects
Reviewed by Jim Hume
Figure 1
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 19
The Photo House was particularlyimpressive both for the ease of use and itsversatility It took just over ten minutes torepair the damage to the print in Figure 2with the result shown in Figure 3 It alsoincludes a Notebook that provides on screenhelp to guide users For touching upphotographs there are Tools for selectionRectangle Freehand Eyedropper EraserFlood Fill Paintbrush Spray Can and Clonetools There are seven different touch-upeffects including Sharpen BrightnessContrast Remove Dust and ScratchesReduce speckles Simplify colours removered-eyes and Change Colours which provide
users with everything they are likely to needto spruce up or enhance photographs
Finally they provide a touch of fun withspecial effects-Page Curl Emboss SwirlCustom Negative Vignette Motion blurAdd light source Psychedelic Ripple
texture Impress-ionist and SketchThe photo editingpossibilities arealmost endlessFigure 4 showsthe special effectspicture a crownconverted top s y c h e d e l i cformat
Figure 2
Figure 3
Apart from serious use this program willalso provide a lot of fun for all ages andsome may be carried away with over-use ofthe graphics If only to emphasise the needto keep the design simple so that readers getthe message immediately the manual wouldbenefit from a Chapter covering theprinciples of good design similar to that inthe Publisher97 Companion or at least a listof recommended reading
There is an uninstall feature whichallows the ready removal of the program
System RequirementsMinimum System requirements IBM PC486 DX or compatible Windows95 orWindows Nt 351 a CD-ROM drive a VGAcardmonitor and a mouse or tabletWindows users require 8MB of RAM andWindows NT 351 or later users will require12 MB or RAM Price - RRP $9900
Figure 4
20 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
So here we are - itrsquos about 930 amon a fine Sunday morning and Irsquomcruising along the 210 freewayeastbound from Pasadena on the
way to the computer marketplace atPomona The traffic is light moving freelydown the 6 lanes between 70 and 80 mph(forgive the non-metrics therersquos a lot ofcatching up to do here) The speed limit wasincreased from 55 to 65 mph after the oilcrisis was ldquooverrdquo and the highway patroltend to frown on anyone faster or slowerthan 65 to 80 The radio is tuned to K-Earth1011 ldquoOldiesrdquo radio (appropriate for me)the Big-O is extolling the virtues of PrettyWomen and all is right with the world
Irsquove done my homework the day beforeby visiting FRYrsquos Electronics in Burbank -a huge high-tech megastore with a computersection roughly the size of David JonesThey are generally in the lower range ofcomputer retail prices - so it is worth seeinghow they compare to values at the Pomonamarketplace
Some example of prices at FRYrsquos (forsome things I was thinking of buying) are
Tape Backup unitsIomega Ditto 2Gb - $150 (Aus $207 after825 CA sales tax and conversion at 1275)Connor 32Gb - $229 A$316HP Colorado 32Gb - $209 A$288
Parallel port TV camerasColour - $249 A$343 Greyscale- $110 A$151 [Saw them bymail order at $79 A$101 (notax)]
8Mb 72pin EDO SIMMs 70ns - $40 A$55 60ns (1 yearWarranty) - $35 A$48 60ns(Namebrand lifetime warranty) -$44 A$61
Sony Web TV(WWW + Email via your TV -No PC required) - $290 A$400
Back to Sunday and thehardest part of the trip is theU-turn into the LA County
fairgroundrsquos car park - there are 6 entrancelanes with only 2-3 cars in each so gettingto park is pretty painless except for the $5parking fee Ouch A dollar up since lasttime Then another shock to the wallet -entrance fee has increased from $7 to $8for adults (and no Seniors discount) So atotal of $13 A$18 before making it into thefirst hall A friend and I discussed theentrance price and concluded that it mightbe a cunning psychological plot - Itrsquos costso much to get this far that one should reallybuy plenty to make it all worthwhileEverybody wins organisers and dealers thatis But itrsquos certainly possible to recoup theentrance money with a purchase of aCDROM For example MS Encarta 97 wasgoing for $26 (A$36)
There is at least one and sometimes twocomputer shows somewhere in LA eachweekend but this I think this one is thebiggest It is held in two large halls(sometimes three) Each hall is capable ofeasily accommodating around 150 largishstands with 10-15 foot aisles Therersquos 4 or 5radio stations here - at least 2 broadcastingand the rest handing out various ldquofreebiesrdquowhile relaying their station overloudspeakers Add to that various spruikersshouting their wares (ldquoNo CDs over $5 onthis tablerdquo ldquoLowest motherboard prices atthe showrdquo) numerous ldquomultimediardquo demos
and a few thousand people trying to makethemselves heard It is pretty noisy
I checked with the organisers and theysaid that they average around 8000attendees per day - so up to 20000 over agood two day weekend show It surprisedme that is was that low as it can get reallycrowded (2 or 3 deep at some stands)
There were over 300 dealers that day -about average However every 2-3 monthsthe organisers run 20-30 short seminars inconjunction with the market at the Sheratonsuites on the fairground complex On thoseoccasions the attendance at the marketincreases by 30 or more
So why do people keep coming back tothese shows Are the prices so much betterHere are a few examples
Complete ldquobasicrdquo system166 Mhz 6x86 Triton VX MB PnP bios256 Kb Cache 16 Mb EDO RAM 16 GbEIDE HDD 8X EIDE CDROM PCISVGA 64 bit with 2 Mb MPEG Yamaha3D Wavetable sound card poweredspeakers 336 Fax modem with Voice
mail SVGA 15 Digital NI28 monitor mousekeyboard floppy drive etcWin95 Installed with manualamp CD $969 A$1337 for thelot
MotherboardsIntel VX chip set with all IO256 Kb Cache - $84 A$116Intel HX chip set 512K -$110 A$152 CheapestPentium MB I saw (Optichip set) - $65 A$90
Wish You Were HereSixteen Bits foriegn correspondent John Saxonchecks in from Pasadena California
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 21
Tyan Tomcat 3 with 512K - $145 (the oneI paid $220 for 4 months ago - Oh wellthatrsquos life at the bleeding edge)
RAM8Mb 60ns EDO - $35 A$48 (Brand name$2 more) 16Mb 60ns EDO - $74 A$102
CPUsPentium Pro 150 Mhz - $179 A$247Pentium MMX 200 Mhz - $538 A$742(prediction - $300 by Dec 97)
CDROM Drives6X - $55 A$76 (Untested - as is)X12 Acer - $100 A$138X2 7 disk changer - $50 A$69(Untested - as is)JVC X4 read X2 write - $259A$357X16 (LiteOn = no name Nicebox) - $108 A$149
HDDsWD Caviar 25 Gb - $225 A$311Maxstor 13 Gb - $170 A$234
ModemsUS Robotics Courier 56 Kbs +Voice - $163 A$225 No name 336Kbs + SVDS - $67 A$92 (and goingdown)
Odd stuff2 Mb VGA cards as low as $45 A$62Cheapest parallel port flatbed scanner -$203 A$280
Stocking stuffers 230 Watt powersupplies - $17 A$23IDE HDD mobile rack with lock - $12A$17 TEAC 144 MbFDD - $20 A$28
The only direct comparison with FRYrsquosprices was for the HP 32 Gb tape backupunit - $209 at FRYrsquos - $149 at the marketSo it can definitely be worth the trip BUTsome of the dealers may not be around toolong to honour warranties and there aresome definitely ldquoshonkyrdquo practices goingon An example is the almost universalpractice of breaking up CDROM ldquobundlesrdquoto sell separately a practice much frownedupon by OEMs Caveat Emptor
So what was hot or different at thismarketplace
Well the new ATX format motherboardsand cases seemed to be selling well Forthose who donrsquot know - ATX is the new
mechanical layout with some electricalimprovements agreed by the major man-ufacturers (the first major mechanicalchange since the original PC) The mostobvious difference in the new motherboardsis on-board connectors (including USB andIR) and externally removable panels on thecases (you need a new case and Powersupply with the new motherboards) Butthere are many more changes infunctionality including ldquogreenrdquo systemPower supply control - never turn the system
off (except by unplugging it) Boards were$150 A$207 and up and cases with PSUsaround $75 A$104
Recordable CDROM drives were sellingwell with media down to $8 A$11 Didnrsquotsee any of the new DVD CD-ROM drivesbut these shows are not generally ldquocuttingedgerdquo more concentration on lower (slightlytrailing edge) prices
But I tried on a great pair of LCD 3Dglasses with modified game software - veryimpressive results The glasses switch 48times per sec (some noticeable flicker) andcome with a CDROM which include driversand some modified ldquoshoot-em-uprdquo gamesDescent 3D Nukem Doom etc for a totalof $99 A$137 The same stand also sold a4MB 128 bit Video card with hardwareMPEG2 decompression for $159 A$219Terminator-2 at full screen and full ratelooking better than your average TV
I even saw a $999 A$1378 home-use2-axis VR - that is Virtual Reality - chaircontrolled by the joystick It is quite quiet(as far as I could tell in amongst the racket)and apparently air driven with 50 degreesmovement in pitch and 55 degrees in roll
The monitor mounts in front of your kneesand the keyboard (for an optional operator -or simulation controller) behind the seatback There were speakers and joystick builtin also It seemed to be very fast and wasquite nauseating to watch Combine thiswith the 3D glasses for a total experience(if your stomach could take it)
There are probably more software thanhardware stands with CDROMs from $199up to $199 A$275 for Office 97 Pro upgrade(probably another unbundling job) Also 3
or 4 book stores - selling at coverprice less 25 for one book to coverprice less 35 for 5 or more books
Not all the stands are totallycomputer oriented There are a fairsprinkling of chiropractors (on thespot diagnosis) ldquoself defenserdquostands (mace amp pepper sprayselectric stun guns and (strangely)large knives) Cell phones pagerscigars and jewelry etc - you nameit A pretty large curtained off area(over 21 only) had several dealersselling thousands of ldquoadultrdquoCDROMs and videos A nice
change from the ldquooldrdquo days when that stuffwas included on most stands One of theradio stations was giving out ldquoEarthquakepreparationrdquo leaflets - modern times in LA
What did I buy Well - very restrainedfor me Only 16 Mb (2 X 8 Mb EDOSIMMs) of RAM - name brand (Toshiba) at$38 (A$52) each Also an HP Deskjetprinter colour refill kit At $55 (A$76) it waspretty expensive but it is supposed to refillcolour cartridges up to 24 times and B ampW up to 6 times so it could well be worth it- came with a package of business card paper(my choice parchment) also Oh and a W95or 31 Wincheck Version 40 softwarepackage at $1495 A$21 - I couldnrsquot resist
So after 2 12 hours I had taken a quickcheck around all the stands with no repeatsand I was out of there - all computered out(at least for one day) Irsquove been to that showat least 6 to 8 times before plus othersaround LA and I still get a mild adrenalinerush when going in - calculated to causeshopping frenzy
22 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Confused aboutYoursquore not alone
By Nhan Tran
Getting onto the InternetYoursquove heard about the informationsuperhighway and you want to know moreYour kids want to get on the Internet butyou donrsquot know how to give them a driveYou have been using the Internet but whenyou asked for help you could not explainyour problems to the experts This article(or maybe a series of articles) gives you thewhole picture and some explanation on thevehicle you use to get on the superhighway
The SuperhighwayThe Internet is a complex (and sometimesconvoluted) network of superhighways Theroads may be a six-lane freeway a four-lanehighway a side street or even a narrow alleyThey may be on the ground above groundunderground at the bottom of the seas orflying high with the satellites in space
On top of that you donrsquot actually driveyour car It is driven by an automatic driverwhich is nearly blind and canrsquot see fartherthan the next turn It is weird It is unnaturalwhich may be the reason why it works andthe other ldquowell-designedrdquo networks failedThe whole network is based on the conceptof ldquobest effortsrdquo That is the robot driverswould try their best but not guarantee thatthey would take you to the destination
They try to find the best route for you Itmeans that if the road is too congested theymay make a U-turn get off the freeway andcrawl through a labyrinth of cat alleys Theroads are like the real ones sometimes thereis almost no traffic at all other times theylook like a huge car park The matter getsworse when you take into account of thedifferent timezones around the world Oneorsquoclock in Australia may be the rush hourin another country and if you want to getinformation from there you get caught inthe traffic
Because of these characteristicssomeone (I think it was Mitch Kapor thespreadsheet inventor) has made a comment
like ldquothe information superhighway is a ten-lane freeway in one direction and an ox-cart path in the otherrdquo
But if you can go to where you wantwould you care I donrsquot I treat the wholenetwork like a fuzzy cloud that magicallygives me the new freedom the newcommunity and the new set of problems
The Highway RampSo how do you get on this super highwayThere are places which are connected to thehighway network on one side and entrancesfor you to enter on the other They are calledservers Normally what you see on theInternet is what is stored at these serversbecause most people like you donrsquot wantstrangers to access your PC (I wouldnrsquot leta stranger into my house) Luckily there aremany servers with many goodies to look ator play with
Getting onto these servers is not easyYou use a modem connected to a phone lineto call the modem on the server When theserver modem answers the call they wouldstart the process of synchronisation Toomany standards and too many brands If youare unlucky your modem may refuse to talkto the other modem and you would spendhours of frustration and get a huge phonebill
The high pitch tone you hear from themodem is this process When both modemssatisfy that they can reliably talk to eachother the noise stops Then itrsquos the butlerrsquosturn
The ButlerThere is a very important program for yourInternet access It is a program that asks the
modem to make the call to the server andwhen connected requests a login on yourbehalf to the server
What is a login You come to a friendrsquosplace knock the door or ring the bellSomeone in the house would ask ldquowho isthererdquo and yoursquod say ldquoitrsquos just merdquo Yourfriend recognises your voice opens the doorand let you in If you work in a securedenvironment every morning when you enterthe building you would show your ID cardto the security guard
Your username (or user ID or login ID)and your password are equivalent to the IDcard If you get the dreaded ldquoaccess deniedrdquoit means (a) you (or the program that doeson your behalf) entered incorrect username(b) you entered wrong password or (c) youran out of access hours or the accessexpired or your PCUG membership
expiredThis program is
always there rendashgardless of how youstart your Internetsession Some
access the Internet by Eudora some byMicrosoft Internet Explorer some useNetscape They either have a built-inprogram to do this job or automatically callthis program to make the connection Evenif you donrsquot see it on the screen it is runningin the background The popular PC prondashgrams that can do this task are TrumpetWinsock (or TCPMAN) Shiva Chameleonor Dial-up Networking Connect etc
Once the connection is established thisprogram will take on the task of a butlerserving other programs Letrsquos look at thefollowing analogy
Letrsquos assume that you (or to be precisethe PC programs such as Eudora MSInternet Explorer Netscape etc) were aninvalid confined in a room You would needa butler to help you getting things outside
ldquoThe roads may be a six-lane freeway a four-lanehighway a side street or even a narrow alleyrdquo
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 23
the Internet
the room When you (Eudora InternetMail Netscape Mail) wanted to checkyour mail yoursquod ask the butler to checkthe letter box and bring letters to yourbed When you wanted to send lettersto friends or relative yoursquod ask thebutler to take it to the post office
When you (Free Agent InternetNews Netscape News) wanted to readnewspaper yoursquod ask the butler to goto the newsagent and buy newspaper foryou When you (Internet ExplorerNetscape Opera) wanted a book or avideo yoursquod ask the butler to buy suchand such books or videos for you
It is so important that without it youcanrsquot get anything f rom thesuperhighway So if you started yoursession from Trumpet Winsock whenthe connection has been made (ie whenyou see the message ldquoMy IP address is2031076xxxrdquo) donrsquot close or exit theprogram Minimise it and let it run inthe background so that it can serve otherprograms Otherwise you would getstrange and incomprehensible errormessage such as ldquowinsockdll missingrdquo(trust a programmer to tell you whatrsquoswrong in the program he or she wrote)
Thatrsquos enough for the boring stuffNext t ime wersquo l l ta lk about emai l(eletronic mail) news World Wide Web(if the Queen is doing it so why canrsquotwe) and other mysteries of the Internet
Internet Clinics are normally held at the PCUG Centre Northpoint PlazaBelconnen the first Saturday of each month 930am to 1pm There is nocost involved
So if you (or another PCUG member you know of) are having problemsyou (or they) will be welcome to attend It is suggested that you call thePCUG Centre on the day and check with the staffer that we are notoverloaded before coming along
To get a problem on your PC resolved it is essential that you bring all ofthe following items with you
bull PC and Monitor plus all interconnecting cables
bull Mouse
bull Keyboard
bull Modem
bull Modem power supply
bull Modem cables - from PC to modemand from modem to telephone socket
bull Modem and PC manuals amp documentation
bull All of your software disks -
ie Win31 or Windows95 disksCD
If you dont have a PC to fix but you want to get some guidance on someparticular aspect of using TIP please feel free to come along and simplytalk to us
Clinics are not a free softwaremodem installation service We do expectyou to have made a reasonable attempt at getting the software installed ampworking
David Schwabe dschwabepcugorgau
The Internet Clinic
24 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
A t the start of this year I startedto get interested again in an oldheroine from days of misspentyouth in the rsquo70s New York
underground poet-turned-singer Patti Smithldquothe Bob Dylan of the punk scenerdquoThought Irsquod see whether there was anythingon the Web and found anexcellent site at httpwwwoceanstarcompatti Tomy astonishment I found thatshe was in Australia on her firstmajor tour anywhere in years mainly for theBig Day Out outdoor concerts
I had heard of the Big Day Out tour viaTriple J but this was the first Irsquod heard ofher being on the bill After seeing other re-formed punk heroes Radio Birdman and theSex Pistols in 1996 was it possible I couldmake the trifecta Alas the Sydney eventhad been booked out for two weeks
Via the JJJ Web site httpwwwabcnetautriplejdefaulthtm I found theBig Day Out Web site httpstarbaitbdocomaustarbaitbdo and loand behold they were having live conndashnections to the Melbourne concert on the25th January via the Internet with the
assistance of a US-based organisation calledThe Campus (wwwthecampuscom) If Icouldnrsquot be there in Sydney to see Patti inperson this would be as close as I couldget In addition I had always seemed to findout about real-time events on the Web justafter theyrsquod occurred and here at least wasan opportunity to be in at the start it wouldbe an interesting technical exercise ifnothing else
First choice was browser InternetExplorer 3 or Netscape Navigator 3 I gatherIrsquom not unlike many in having been initiallybowled over with IE3 then finding that itwas less robust and in particular made fargreater demands on temporary storage thanNetscape With little free disk space and
being about to try all sortsof new things I decided toplay safe and use Navigator
The Big Day Out Website (figure 1) was well done
and looked great including animatedgraphics and good use of frames but wasif anything as the British say ldquotoo cleverby halfrdquo For example you selected optionsvia a Shockwave animation of ducks in ashooting gallery click the mouse on a duckwhen an alternative was highlighted yoursquodhear a BANG the duck would flop overbackwards and yoursquod be off to that optionVery cute very clever and very slow andfrustrating for actually going anywhere Inaddition it appeared that when you went tosome pages they called up some trick Javacode which brought up Netscape sessionsin what looked like Kiosk mode no menusLooked neat but again a nuisance The sitehad its own mascot a sort of anime-stylekick-boxing heroine called Miss Starbait (Iassume a risque in-joke try saying the namequickly)
Once you got to it the information wasthorough and well laid out A list of artistsincluded links for those who had Web pagesThere was a page on the Auckland concert(first in the series) with photos etc For eachcity on the tour the site had links to maps ofthe venues and also timetables I foundfrom this that in Melbourne Patti Smithwould be on Stage C 540 PM for an hour
There were two main components to theInternet part of the day a Real Audio feedwith both backstage comments and the
via the Internet or -the boy looked at PattiO
BDig
ayut
by Malcolm Street
Figure 1
This is the era where everybody createsPatti Smith - ldquoSo you want to be a Rock n Roll Starrdquo 1979
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 25
stage and a new form of conferencingsoftware called The Palace where artistswould come for QampA sessions with fansIrsquod experimented with Real Audio but notto any great depth and had never even heardof Palace and I had to get this all togetherin a day Fortunately there were direct linkson the Big Day Out Web site
While I had a Real Audio stand-aloneplayer one page on the site came up with ablank expecting a Real Audio plug-in Ontothe Net to the Real Audio page todownload Real Audio player version 3Install restart Navigator back to the pageand voila A Real Audio control in themiddle of a Web page Painless
Then to work out which ISP to useUnfortunately the weekend was the onebefore the ldquoearly birdrdquo credits expired forTIP and I presume because of this it wasalmost impossible to get on One time whenI did get on I tested the Real Audiobackstage feed from Melbourne and foundI was only getting a 144k stream and poorquality at that I had a second backupaccount with Access One with a higherspeed (and far more expensive) networkand found that I could get a stable 288kReal Audio stream so that was going to be
what Irsquod have to use Not to mention thatthe time Patti Smith would be on would bepeak time anyway
Next step was to find Palace again viaa direct link from the BDO page to httpwwwthepalacecom I had used forms of
3D interactive software but Palace wasdifferent much simpler just 2D backndashgrounds Really a sort of IRC withbackdrops and sound effects For the BigDay Out the organisers had produced theirown backgrounds and sounds and I had todownload those as well from their siteHowever there were no instructions on howto set them up so it ended up being trialand error until I got it to work puttingimages and sounds in separate subdirndashectories under the Palace directory
Finally I had Palace running with the BigDay Out backdrops and found myselfoutside a circus tent which included livelinks to the Big Day Out and Campus Webpages (figure 2) Moving ldquoinsiderdquo the tentgot me to an area where I could don aparticular costume however choices werelimited for non-registered users andappeared to reset so I had to be content withthe default avatar a soft of sphere with aface on it (figure 3)
Finally there was the conference tentitself guarded by a fearsome lookingdoorman who asked for a passwordClicking on his lady companion told you tolook in the log Once Irsquod figured out howto do that I found it ldquomama cazrdquo Typedthat in response to the doorman and whoafound myself in this psychedelic room whichwas to be the conference area (figure 4)
Figure 3
Figure 2
26 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
I knew when Patti Smith was going tobe on stage what I didnrsquot know was whenshersquod be in conference in the Palace I waslistening to the back stage chatter via RealAudio this time more organised as Campuswas acting as ldquoon line radio stationrdquobroadcasting to the USA ldquoAustraliarsquosLollapolloozardquo and in the middle of this Iheard them give times for different artistsbeing in the virtual tent with Patti Smithroughly 430 Problem solved
430 arrived Back on line into the tentanother band (Supergrass) being inndashterviewed The conference area is now fullof faces with a still photo of the band downthe bottom left-hand corner Irsquove had verylittle experience with IRC and this seemsvery similar hard to follow with variousthreads of conversation going on sindashmultaneously but I gradually tune in to itTherersquos a thread going about problemspeople are having with reliably picking upReal Audio - oh dear As well as a fewAustralians there are a couple of Americansin there and a South African Then see thatPatti Smith is about to come on And sureenough C 440 the picture changes and thereshe is
Unfortunately the session is a bit of ashambles Unlike the younger artists (sherecently turned 50) she does not appear tobe familiar with the technology andsomeone else is doing the typing for herslowing down and complicating exchangesSeems to be the passing of the torch - a bitof a fish out of water in the environment ofa younger generation The bass player ofher backing group had suffered concussion20 minutes before from a collision with arogue door hence her lateness Thingsfinally get under way (one person ldquoa fanfrom WAY backrdquo says ldquonot many questionsjust adorationrdquo I can relate to that) but justas itrsquos building up a head of steam she getsa long phone call (presumably about the bassplayer) and has to call it quits prematurely
Irsquoll just have to wait and see if theconcert is any better
Well the concert is indeed better In factwhen I can hear it clearly (see later) itrsquoswonderful She starts with an early poemroaring it out with authority then afterthanks to JJJ who are handling the broadcastto the Internet and to the absent bass player
launches into the concert proper a greatblend of old and new
The sound quality is to put it mildlyvariable It was much better in earlier gigsthat day with Australian bands but itappears to drop off markedly on this onePerhaps too many people on at onceAmerican fans connecting in to hear one ofher first big shows in years Checking withstatistics in Real Audio shows theconnection approaching 20 loss in someearly songs leaving a very jerky soundFortunately it improves later with lossesdown to around 4 and sound quiteacceptable (People dropping out infrustration) However later on a fewoccasions the sound drops out completelyand I have to wait while it restarts somendashtimes for a couple of minutes
Then just as the concert comes to ashattering climax heading into one of myfavourite songs of hers a demolition of VanMorisonrsquos Gloria the Real Audio feed goesfor me at least dead Stone cold dead It islike the other times when it has dropped outbut this time it wonrsquot recover BummerAfter several minutes I can get the feedagain but just get an empty stage waitingfor the next band
So that was it a frustrating end to afrustrating but fascinating day At best thesound quality was am radio standards Butthen again these are very early days and Ican remember worse am radio sounds ontransistor radios as a kid in the lsquo60rsquos Avideo feed would have been real nice butone thing that is obvious from this exerciseis that live audio let alone live video ispushing current Internet technology to itslimits and beyond with a large numbers ofsimultaneous users in a function like thisSo as with so much on the Net wersquore seeingthe first glimpses of something that will takeanother generation of technology to becomepractical But hey this is the world of theNet and another generation could be onlysix months away
Later that night I connect to the Palacesite again and find a note at the tent to sayit was all over and to check up next week Ido indeed and they reckon over 100000people worldwide connected to the site thatone day and that the live broadcast of PattiSmithrsquos complete concert was a world firstApart from catching up with an old idol Irsquodseen a glimpse of a communications futureof being part of an event shared interactivelylive world-wide yet another step towardsthe Global Village
Figure 4
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 27
Stuffed AgainThe following members and friendsare thanked for assisting with stuffingour journal for mailing
Andrew amp Bruce Bartlett
Bruce Black
Owen Cook
Eddie de Bear
John Dyer
Bob Ecclestone
Rufus Garcia
Sally Hammon
John Hempenstall
Joy Hewett
Sue amp Jim Hume
Jenny Laraman
Alan Lockett
David Meggs
Allan Mikkelsen
Don Nicol
Gloria Robbins
Keith Sayers
Rod Smith
John Starr
Bob Summersby
Michael Taylor
Gordon Urquhart
Anne WarrenerWe are always looking for volunteersto assist us with the lsquostuffingrsquo of ourjournal We start around 530pm(latecomers are welcome) usually on the2nd last Monday of every month andare generally finished by 800pmRefreshments are provided and any ofyour knotty computer problems can bedebated lsquoat the round tablersquo in congenialcompany If you would like to helpplease ring Petra Dwyer at the PCUGCentre on 253 4911 and she will fill youin on all the details
Next Stuffing530pm Monday 19 May 1997at Northpoint Plaza Belconnen
(see map page 6)
htt
p
ww
wp
cu
go
rga
up
cu
g1
6b
its
Now
in A
dobe
Acr
obat
form
at
Oz User GroupsAdelaide PC Users GroupPO Box 2541Kent Town SA 5071(08) 332-7021Margi McLeay (Sec)Meet 730pm 3rd Tuesday of themonth at Enterprise House 136Greenhill Road Unley Visitors $5
Brisbane PC Users Group(Brisbug)PO Box 985Toowong QLD 4066(07) 3273 7266 Info Line(07) 3281 6503Lloyd Smith (Pres)Meet 12 noon 3rd Sunday of themonth at Bardon Professional Cntr
Darwin ComputerUsers ClubGary Drake (Vice President)(089) 324 107 h(089) 450 091 wEmail acsntacslinknetau
Melbourne PC User Group2nd Floor 66 Albert RoadSouth Melbourne VIC 3205(03) 9699 6222 10am - 330pm(03) 9699 6499 FaxEmail officemelbpcorgauHome Page httpwwwmelbpcorgauMeet 6pm 1st Wednesday of themonth (except Jan) at PharmacyCollege 381 Royal Parade Parkville
Perth PC Users GroupPO Box 997West Perth WA 6872(09) 399 7264 Trevor Davis (Pres)Meet 600pm 1st Wednesday of themonth at Ross Lecture TheatrePhysics Building University of WANedlands
Sydney PC Users GroupPO Box A2162Sydney South NSW 2000(02) 972 2133 Michelle DonaldMeet 6pm 1st Tuesday of the monthat main auditorium TeachersFederation 300 Sussex StreetSydney
28 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Features include fun animation sound effectsand a high-score listing Reg Fee $15
COMET13Comet Busters 13 is an incredible high-speedarcade game for WIN31 You must clear thecolourful asteroids and occasional alienspacecraft from the screen before you canproceed to the next deadly level This gamefeatures beautiful 256-colour ray-tracedgraphics and digital sound effects Reg Fee $9
HMN32V11Hangman (BB) 111 is a word-guessing gamefor Win95 that can help grade school-agechildren improve their vocabulary andspelling Features include an editable wordlist the ability to include definitions with eachword mouse or keyboard input and moreRequires the 32-bit VB runtime files Reg Fee$5
PDHP97SUPrairie Dog Hunt PRO rsquo97is a shooting gamefor Windows that allows you to participate inthe wholesale slaughter of harmless mammalswithout all the mess Features include 360
LIBRARY Phil Trudinger
The files described in this article are on theMarch 1997 CD-ROM (PsL Vol 5 3) whichis currently on the Bulletin Board all are ZIPfiles Please quote the month or Vol whenordering files on disk
The text files CD1 to 7 inclusive in Area 1 ofthe Bulletin Board are the monthly CD-ROMfile lists
Reminder
Most CD-ROM programs are Shareware Areasonable time (generally one month) isallowed for evaluation but if you continue touse a program beyond this time you shouldcomply with the authorrsquos conditions thatusually require payment of a registration feeBear in mind that this is the only way by whichan author receives any reward for hisherefforts Unless otherwise stated registrationfees are in US dollars
NEW AND UPDATEDWINDOWS PROGRAMS
(An asterisk denotes Windows 95specificity or compatibility)
GAMES
AGNSETUPAGNS - A Game of Naval Strategy 162 is agame of naval warfare for Windows whereyour objective is to sink the computerrsquos unitsor capture his main base Each turn consistsof a plot movement phase air combat phasemovement and combat phase air strike returnphase and a repairbuild phase Thissequence is repeated until one side claimsvictory Reg Fee $15
BG17Backgammon by George 17 is an excellentgame of backgammon for Windows You canplay against the computer (with four differentskill levels) or against a human opponentOther features include the ability to saverecall games many unique customisingoptions computer-suggested moves andmore Reg Fee $15
BNW10ABuild lsquon Win 10a is an interesting strategicgame for Windows where two players buildtheir opponentrsquos game boards and try to makethem as difficult as possible to complete
degree scrolling scenery excellent animationdigitised sound effects multiple skill levelsand a high-score hall of fame Reg Fee $20
SANWHRTSSanDearsquos Hearts for Windows 100 allowsyou to play the classic card game Hearts inWindows Features include support for up to12 computer players modem play the abilityto create a hand an undo option the ability tosave and rotate a hand and more Reg Fee$10
TILES95BTiles and Tribulations 152 is a challenginggame for Win95 where you try to catch fallingcoloured tiles and drop them into bins in alogical manner Any three (or more) tiles ofthe same colour in bins going horizontallyvertically or diagonally will be removed andincrease your score Reg Fee $22
GRAPHICS
CPLAY2Childrsquos Play IIis a 256-colour paint programfor children It occupies the full screen to help
SOFTWARE
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 29
prevent the child from going to other applic-ations Features include unique graphicspecial effects rubber stamps various screenerasers fun sound effects the ability to loadsaveprint images and more This is anexcellent program with many creative optionsto keep the little ones busy for hours Reg Fee$20-$25
GIFCON32GIF Construction Set 95 109 is a powerfulcollection of tools to work with multiple-block GIF files in Win95 It will allow you toassemble GIF files containing image blocksplain text blocks comment blocks and controlblocks and provides facilities to managepalettes and merge multiple GIF files togetherRequires a minimum of 4MB RAM but 8MBis recommended Reg Fee $20
ICN95525Icons Control 95 525 displays up to 100icons at a time for quick viewing printingcopying renaming moving or deleting Apowerful icon editor is also providedRequires Win95 Reg Fee $25
SD95INSTSmartDraw 95 30 is a powerful drawingprogram for Win95 It allows you to easilycreate great looking flowcharts diagrams andbusiness graphics Features include drag anddrop drawing OLE support full compatibil-ity between 16 and 32-bit versions filesharing the ability to send drawings on mail-enabled systems and much moreSDINSTALis the Win31 version Reg Fee $49
FONTS
FLFontLister (32-bit) 15 displays all installedfonts in Win95 You can also print a completefont listing or just some sample text with aselected font Reg Fee $0
FONTSHOWFontShow (32-bit) 22 allows you easily toview the TrueType fonts installed in Win95NT Options are included to display user-specified sample text in place of the normalfont name and alphanumeric character setThe size and face of the currently selectedfont can be quickly changed and the resultsdisplayed automatically Reg Fee $0
FONTW11FontWindow 11 displays all your Windowsfonts on screen so you can quickly see whichfont you want to use It can be set to stay ontop so you can view fonts while running otherprograms Reg Fee $29-$39
SERIFRACSeriFractions is a TrueType font that has a fullset of diagonal and vertical fractions for 12through 89 and also 16ths and 32nds It alsohas a partial set of mathematical symbolsincluding the true multiplication (x) symbolReg Fee $10
SYMSELSymbol Selector 11 allows you to easilyselect and copy symbols from TrueType fonts
that are of the ldquosymbolrdquo variety (such asWingdings and Symbols) to the WindowsClipboard Reg Fee $0
INTERNET
ADZAP10AdZapper 10 is an add-on for NetscapeNavigator to ldquozaprdquo (eliminate) annoyingadvertisements Reg Fee $20
AWN95AutoWinNet95 10 lets you perform commonInternet tasks on a scheduled basis You cancreate an ldquoagendardquo with dozens of stepsincluding updownloading email retrievingand sending obtaining weather updates andmore Requires Win95 Reg Fee $30
GGI11Go-Get-It 110 performs exhaustive preciseand ultra-fast searches of the Internet using acombination of keyword search Usenetnewsgroups search and various searchengines Features include automatic retrievalof all found web pages and informationoptional storage in separate folders to be usedlater and more Reg Fee $40
MASNDW32MailSend (32-bit) 3x is an add-on forMicrosoft Mail and Win95 that allows you tosend messages from the command line orfrom batch files Reg Fee $49
ND276BNetDial 276b is an Internet dialler forWindows It will call your host log you inand automatically start your TCPIP packagefor you Features include support for up to 5separate configuration connections baud ratesupport to 256k redial up to 99 times WAVsound file support and more Reg Fee $20
PRO12Teleport Pro 120 is a multi-threaded file-retrieving offline-browsing webspider forWin95 It scans the Internet for files or sites ofinterest and downloads them to your harddrive for fast offline access Features includeadvanced file typesize matching keywordfilters the ability to handle proxy servers andpassword-protected sites automatic retriesand more Reg Fee $40
TRAW3215Trawler (32-BIT) 15 allows you to interact-ively browse and gather information from theWeb It automatically follows links andretrieves pages to your hard drive It can evenfollow links from different web databasessimultaneously Reg Fee $35
30 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
MISCELLANEOUS
CALC9534Calc95 34 is a scientificengineeringcalculator for Win95 with a wide range ofbuilt-in units conversions and physicalconstants Reg Fee $25
GL10DThe GL Store for Windows 10d is a completedouble-entry general ledger accountingprogram for Windows It maintains 10000 GLaccounts multiple companies budgets 3-Dcolour graphs recurring accounts multipledepartments and detailed reports Reg Fee $79
HBGHome Business Guide 30 is a Windows-based guide to starting a business from homeIt discusses selecting planning and startingyour own business and covers resourcestools and help available Reg Fee $0
TIMCLK13PC-TimeClock for Windows 13 keeps trackof time yoursquove spent on your computer Timeis charged to one or more projects from yourlist by ldquopunching inrdquo when you begin work oneach project Reg Fee $18
MUSIC
MT32_16A Musical Tutorial for Windows (32-bit) 160provides an excellent way to encouragemusical study using the graphically-orientedenvironment of Win95 This includes a chorddictionary musical games the ability to playview and print scales chords and triads a userlog and much more This is suitable for bothchildren and adults Reg Fee $25
SCALEIT4ScAleIt 40 is a musical scalecordeducational package for Windows It candisplay all the chords and scales with all rootsand all inversions Features include aneditable database the ability to play chordsscales through your sound card MIDIsupport a solving function and much more800x600 screen resolution is recommendedReg Fee $0
PHONEADDRESS BOOKS
AM_PB45Phone Book for Windows 45 is a nameaddress database for WIN31 Fields areprovided for name addresses two phonenumbers fax and comments Other featuresinclude phone dialling over a modemsearching capabilities printing options andmore Reg Fee $17
BAM211Burrilliant Address Manager 211 helpsorganise all of your phone numbers address-es birthdays account numbers and more inWin95 All personal or business informationcan be printed for your day planner in a cleanattractive format Reg Fee $15
CARDBASECardBase (32-bit) 23 is a combinationaddress book and phone dialler for Win95NT Along with the regular fields for namesaddresses and phone numbers it can alsostore email addresses FAX numbers and website URLs Cards can be quickly sorted byname or custom card groups Searching andsorting operations are fast and intuitive RegFee $0
PHNMKR18Phone Book Maker 18 allows you to createphone books in pocket 12 letter and lettersize Features include 30 useful fields perrecord standard envelope printing powerfulindexfiltersearch facilities importexportcapabilities in variety of formats virtuallyunlimited records and more Reg Fee $50
SCREEN SAVERS
ADRF3210Adrift Screensaver (32-bit) 100 displaysbeautiful floating line patterns on your Win95desktop Reg Fee $14
AURADEMOAurora Screen Savers is a screen savermodule for Windows that simulates a 3-Djourney through the Aurora Borealis Twelvedifferent colour patterns are available Thisversion displays a nag box in the upper leftcorner of the screen Requires 256-colourvideo Reg Fee $18
BLKBRD15Blackbird Screen Saver 15 is a Windowsscreen saver module that displays photos ofthe SR-71 spy plane in action Requires 256-colour video and 4MB RAM Reg Fee $15
BOMBER15Bombs Away 150 is a slideshow screensaver for Windows with 256-colour digitisedphotos of jet bombers in action Requires4MB memory Reg Fee $15
BOTANICABotanica Screen Savers is a screen savermodule for Windows that displays a virtualgarden of growing plants and flowers inbeautiful variations of colour and shape
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 31
Twelve different savers are provided eachwith their own unique patterns Requires 256-colour VGA and VBRUN300 Reg Fee $18
JEWELJewelBox 10 is a screen saver for Windowsthat displays colourful ldquojewelsrdquo that appear togrow on your screen Features includeinteractive options a variety of palettechoices and more Reg Fee $18
JOTREE15Joshua Tree Screen Saver 150 displays thestark beauty of the California desert capturedin stunning 24-bit colour images Requires a386+ 4MB RAM and 256-colour video RegFee $15
METALLIXMetallix is a screen saver module for Win-dows that displays metallic sculptures whichunfold in unique and unpredictable patternscreating a mesmerising transformative effectThere are twelve different savers to choosefrom each with its own distinct settingsRequires 256-colour VGA and VBRUN300Reg Fee $19
NIAGRA15Niagara Falls Screen Saver 150 is a screensaver module for Windows with photos of thefalls and immediate vicinity The photos rotateautomatically when activated Requires 256-colour video and 4MB memory Reg Fee $15
PICSHO32MyPictureShow32 is a Win95 screen saver inwhich the visual content is supplied by yourown collection of computer images There isno limit to the number of pictures you canuse and nine different display modes areavailable The slideshow mode allows achoice of 17 transition styles Other featuresinclude support for BMPJPGGIF graphicfiles password protection automatic scalingof large images to available screen size and
more This demo version will run 20 timesthen disables itself Reg Fee $16
SSCR8R21My Own Screen Saver 21 allows you tocreate your own screen saver using yourfavourite images and pictures You cancombine selected BMP DIB and WMF fileswith 32 different visual effects Reg Fee $20
TWIST151Twister Screen Saver 151 is a 32-bit screensaver for Win95 that transforms your desktopinto a windy landscape with one or moretwisters moving everything deforming yourdesktop making everything a mess You canconfigure the wind speed number of twistersthe twisterrsquos speed and more Reg Fee $8
VENIC12Venice Screen Saver 12 is a Windows screensaver module that displays graphics thatsimulate floating through the canals of Veniceon your gondola as Italian music and the
sound of splashing waves fills the air Reg Fee$29-$39
VIDSAVVidSaver 11 is a Windows screen saver thatplays video clips and animations while yourcomputer is idle Reg Fee $20
TEXT EDITING
EDT236PEM EdTex for Windows 95 236 is a 32-bittext editor for Win95 It can edit a maximumof 2000000 characters and 30000 linesOther features include macro support printingoptions word wrap multiple undoredoblock editing and more Reg Fee $35
GTE32R15GWD Text Editor (32-bit) 15 is a powerfultext editing package for Win95 Featuresinclude support for macros unlimited filesize print preview a built-in spell checker anautosave option support for DOSUNIXMactext file formats and much more Reg Fee$20
JW32T22CJ-Write for Windows (32-bit) 22 is a fullfeatured editor for general text files and emailFeatures include the ability to edit very largefiles support for any ANSI font configurabletab settings and four line wrap modes multi-level undoredo and more Reg Fee $30
QUIKDC11QuikDict Spelling Dictionary 11 is a pop updictionary accessible from the Win95 ToolTray Features include the ability to spellcheck all words as they are typed alphabeticand ldquosounds likerdquo word matching over91000 EnglishAmerican words in thedictionary the ability to automatically pastethe correct spelling back to the clipboard andmore Reg Fee $19
SCRATCH4Scratch Pad (32-bit) 21 is a text editor forWin95 Features include the ability toautomatically capture clipboard information aprint preview function undo facilities andmore Reg Fee $15
TXEDITTxEdit (32-bit) 25 is an easy-to-use texteditor that makes a nice replacement for theWin95 Notepad Features include the abilityto viewedit multiple documents search andreplace options drag-and-drop support MacUnix file support and more Reg Fee $0
32 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
TXP3223TextPad (32-bit) 23 is a text editor forWin95NT It can handle files with up to32000 lines of 4095 characters with multiplesimultan-eous edits and up to two views oneach document Other features include fullundoredo facilities print previewing atoolbar for frequently-used commands abuilt-in file manager support for Unix andMacintosh text file formats drag-and-dropsupport and much more TXP1223 is theWin31 version Reg Fee $27-$35
UTILITIES
ADDIT10ES Adding-Machine 10 is a unique calculatorfor Windows that is designed for adding upcolumns of figures Entered figures areretained on-screen and can be edited so youwonrsquot have to start again if you are interrupt-ed or make a mistake Reg Fee $40
CIDV09CIDview monitors a selected telephone lineand reports the Caller ID whenever there is anincoming call The details of incominginformation will be automatically displayedon your screen with the Caller ID informationstaying visible for 10 seconds Reg Fee $9
DLLCHK95DLL Check 95is a DLL management utilityfor Win95 Features include the ability tocreate a log of all modules that load or unloadin a session the ability to search for duplicatemodules and a detailed information displayfor selected modules Reg Fee $80
EASYZIPEasy Zip (32-bit) 10 makes it incredibly easyto archive files with PKZIP in Win95 Itallows you to use point-and-click operationsinstead of all the context-switching and messybatch files of manually using PKZIP fromDOS Reg Fee $1850
HDLED11Hard Disk LED 11 simulates a hard disk lightthat flashes every time there is disk activityAn icon appears on the Win95 task bar andflashes every time the system accesses yourhard drive Reg Fee $5
HYSNP278HyperSnap 278 allows you to capture thedesktop highlighted window areas or user-defined areas in Win95NT Features includehotkey support cropping facilities the ability
to save images in BMPGIFJPEG format andmuch more Reg Fee $20
LONGSAVELongSave 101 is used to save the list of longfile names and short names to a commadelimited ASCI text file The short names canthen be backed up or zipped or copied withutilities that are not long-file-name-awareAfter the files are transferred it uses theASCII file to restore the original long file
names This must be run from a DOS sessionunder Win95 Reg Fee $25-$95
REDH22Red Hand 22 tells you exactly what someonedid on your computer while you were awayexactly when they did it and how long it tookWindows can be discretely ldquolockedrdquo toprevent access and will simply close themimmediately or send an error message of yourchoice You can control exactly which areasof your computer that you do not want othersto have access to Reg Fee $25
RMVR32RemoveR 161 helps delete unneeded filesfrom your hard drive after you have installed aprogram in Win95 It will take a snapshot ofthe drive before an installation then you cancompare the current status of your files withthat last stored All files that have been addeddeleted will be shown on the results screenFrom this screen you can highlight certainfiles andor directories and delete them orsave the list for later deletion Reg Fee $5-$40
SENTRY95Sentry 95will prevent all unauthorised usersfrom accessing the Win95 desktop wheneveryour computer boots Reg Fee $14
SU96_402StepUprsquo96 402 contains a set of utilitieswhich make working with Win95NT easierand faster This includes a user-customisableStepUp Menu smart Folder Navigatorsophisticated Menu Designer and a powerful
File Handler It also provides handy taskbaricons for fast exit CD-ROM Autorun onoffand more Reg Fee $30
V95I208EVirusScan for Win95 253 is a native Win95application that detects and removes comp-uter viruses Reg Fee $65
YATS32Yet Another Time Synchroniser (32-bit) 30allows you to synchronise your system clockusing various time server types commonlyavailable on TCPIP networks such as theInternet Multiple servers can be specified andwill be tried sequentially until a valid time isobtained and your system time set Reg Fee$35
ZOOMER12Zoomer 12 provides a 2x or 4x magnificationof the area around the mouse cursor in Win95This is an excellent utility for the visionimpaired Reg Fee $0
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 33
NEW AND UPDATED DOSPROGRAMS
ANTIVIRUS
AVSCANAVScan 310 is a freeware scanner that candetect more than 4500 virus signatures RegFee $0
I_M311AIntegrity Master 311a is an anti-virus anddata integrity system The author says itdetects all known viruses It can detect anyform of file corruption including disk errorsor as yet unknown viruses Stacker Double-Space SuperStore and Bernoulli system filesare supported Identifies the new MS WordMacro viruses as well as over 640 additionalviruses It has an option to quickly disinfectdiskettes Reg Fee $50
SCN_253EVirusScan 253 scans diskettes or entiresystems and identifies any pre-existing PCvirus infection Reg Fee $65
GAMES
DRAK160Drak 160 is a falling blocks-style game withattractive graphics and several varieties ofblocks It includes blocks which melt blocksthat fall apart when they land and more Thegame includes 10 levels of increasingcomplex-ity joystick support and ability tosave games in progress (RegFee$33
DRUG12Drug Killers 12 is an action-packed shoot-em-up arcade game where you pilot atechnologically advanced aircraft in a battle tostop a futuristic drug cartel You must destroya wide variety of land and air-based enemieswhile gathering weapons and shields Otherfeatures include excellent scrolling graphicsgreat special effects a high score listing theability to save and restore games and a coolmusic soundtrack Reg Fee $25-$40
HAMSTER3D Hamsterrsquos Adventure is a fun 3Dadventure game where you assume the role ofa hamster in a colourful maze The object ofthe game is to eat all the fruit scattered aroundthe maze so the secret exit will appear Youwill encounter monsters along the way butyou can use your strawberry grenades or apowerful hamster kick for protection Theexcellent graphics sound effects and musicmake this an enjoyable game for the wholefamily Reg Fee $15
MISCELLANEOUS
COELI379Coeli Electric Planisphere 379 combinespractical ephemeris and planetarium with areal-time star chart to provide a Super VGAmodel of the skies as seen from Earth Youmay view the heavens from any place or timewith advanced starconstellation search insidea point and click interface A separate VESAdriver must be pre-installed Reg Fee pound12
JOCCALJOC-CALC 10 is an easy-to-use spreadsheetpackage for DOS Features include a pull-down menu system with mouse support aHyperText help system support for blockoperations built-in mathstrig functions andmore Reg Fee $25
MEDLIN97Medlin Accounting 1997 is a double-entrygeneral ledger program with accountsreceivable payroll and payables modules Allmodules are very easy to use PC-AR is theaccounts receivable module It allows amaximum of 2000 customers and 1500charges per accounting period PC-INV is amodule which works directly with theaccounts receivable module to generateinvoices and post them to PC-AR It willmultiply quantity times price and insert thetotal and calculate sales tax PC-PR thepayroll module allows up to 500 employeesand 1000 payroll cheques per accountingperiod PC-AP the accounts payable modulecan sort invoices by due date and will printcheques Mouse support has been added to allprograms Reg Fee $25-35
VDEVideo Display Editor 182 is a fast powerfultext editor Commands can be entered from amenu bar or with control keys Featuresinclude a proportional spacing modekeyboard macro recording MenuBar modethe ability to edit eight files at once acommand for proportional print Autosave toautomatically save your work at specifiedintervals simultaneous windows scrolling theability to align the platen for printing onvarious kinds of forms support for the fileformat of MS Word an envelope printer awide range of screen sizes (from 17 to 57lines) an integrated spell checker and muchmore Support is also provided for Ultra-Vision the HP95LX palmtop and the Tandykeyboard Reg Fee $35
UTILITIES
DNOTE420Disk Note Librarian 420 allows the user toadd descriptions and comments of up to 300characters to each file name on a disk up to1200 files Reg Fee $15
RCR01Rosenthal Conflict Resolver 100 is adiagnostic tool that helps corrects IRQ DMAand IO conflicts the major cause of systemcrashes Reg Fee $99
2 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Compiled by Jim Hume
The Monarchy
This site provides the history of the BritishMonarchy The Royal collection TodayrsquosRoyal family and includes The Queenrsquos rolein the Commonwealth This role articleshould be valuable to all those interested inthe Republic debate monarchist andrepublican alike It is a well presented siteand a useful resource as a school kithttpwwwroyalgovuk
Museums
The virtual Museum of Computing includesan ecletic collection of World Wide Webhyperlinks connected with the history ofcomputing and on-line computer basedexhibits available both locally and aroundthe world httpwwwcomlaboxacukarchiveothermuseumscomputinghtml
Airlines
Ansett provides information on their productand services and the places they fly to Youcan reserve flights and accommodationThere is a travel planner and screen saveravailable to download httpwwwansettcomauwebintrohtml
Qantas provides similar information on theirproducts and services with a brief history ofthe airline and also a screensaver which canbe downloaded httpwwwqantascomau80newsindexhtml
Books Magazines and Newspapers
The Canberra Times is now online withsections on News Sport Features OpinionWeather Real Estate Motors Classifiedsemail and services httpwwwcanberratimescomau
Readers Digest Interactive They ask you toldquoread it react and interactrdquo It containsDigest classics like Laugh Lines and WordPower and advice about how to do justabout anything featuring Home ProjectsCooking Gardening fitness and health httpwwwreadersdigestcom
National Geographic Online This is a greatcontribution with something for everyone inthe family Donrsquot miss these HOT SPOTShttpwwwnationalgeographiccomhotspotsindexhtml
Electronic Journals and Newsletters Thissite provides a complete internet list for newjournals and newsletters available on theInternet There is a search archive completealphabetical archive recent issues in reversechronological order and alphabetical list oftitles httpgort ucsdedunewjour
Amazon Bookstore offers not only 15million books in print but extremely hard-to-find out-of-print titles and discounts onsome of their book lists They claim 25million titles overall They include a searchfacility and provide a personal emailnotification service They list a Book of theday Titles in the News Monthly bookrecommendations and much morehttpwwwamazoncomexecobidossubstindex2html
Medical
)
Kodak have provided an interesting sitedealing with the latest digital cardiologyimaging and their cardiac review stationhttpwwwkodakcomhiHomecardioindexshtml
The American Cancer Society CaliforniaDivision on this site have an excellent articleon ldquoeating rightrdquo and research causeprevention detection and treatment httpwwwcacancerorg
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 3
The Department of Veteransrsquo Affairs haveupgraded their Web Site and it now providesthe latest information on health care forveterans In addition it contains rates andeligibility for pensions statements ofprinciple budgets and legislation It alsoincludes information about commemorativeactivities war graves war memorials andstudent oriented resourceshttpwwwdvagovau
HealthGate have redesigned their site withfaster search results with content organisedinto areas of interest such as medicinepatient education drug information etc It isan important source of biomedicalinformation httpwwwhealthgatecom
Football
The Australian Rugby League haveproduced an excellent site which includesdraws news links teams tipping results agallery and a soapbox httpdevarlorgaumainasp
Super League not to be outdone arepromoted by Foxtel in their sport sectionhttpwwwfoxtelcomauFoxtelhomejhtml
Tyres
I recently drew attention to Goodyearrsquos WebPage and commented on lack of Australiancontent Now they have an excellentAustralian site with an online school kit
dealing with the rubber revolution a tyreguide and a search engine to locate yournearest dealer It requires a frame-enabledweb browser httpwwwgoodyearcomau
Internet
URL Minder keeps track of web pages andother resources on the World Wide Weband sends you email whenever yourpersonally registered resources change Youcan have the minder keep track of any Webresource accessible via http ftp or Gopherand your email address will not be releasedto any third party It is a free servicesupported partially by advertising httpwwwnetmindcomURL-minderURL-minderhtml
People
Talk to the Angels The Vatican has namedtheir computers for the Web after angelsThe site was still under construction at theend of March httpwwwvaticanvaBut where else could you talk to theangelsIt requires a frame-enabled webbrowser
StarTrek This is a most interesting web sitefor Star Trek enthusiasts and also for thoseinterested in site construction for it is a realbobby dazzler httpwwwholodeck3comholodeck3html
Insert
It is an interesting concept which combinesan online magazine with discussion threadsresource lists and links It is dedicated toexploring masculinity and men in societyMen from all walks of life answer the 16 bigquestions about what it means being a mantoday httpwwwmanhoodcomnf
The
Super Site for Kids is a protectedenvironment specially for kids It is a wellorganised fun site httpwwwbonuscomindexclosehtmp
In early March a private Florida companythat hunts for historic shipwrecks announcedit had discovered a gem the ship oncecaptained by Blackbeard a man reputed tobe one of the more terrifying and disturbedpirates of all time This site includes thehistory of Blackbeardhttpeagleonlinediscoverycomcgi-binforums_viewdir
36 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
THE
INTERNETPROJECT
By Iain Gould
Welcome to TIP-TNG (The NextGeneration)
In case you hadnrsquot noticed yet TIP isnow connected to the rest of the world via ahigher speed (double what we had) link Weare now firing the electrons up and downthe pipe at 256k (thatrsquos 3 noughts -thousands in other words) bits every secondWhat this means in real terms is that ournewsgroups are updating more frequentlyweb pages and file transfers are much fasterand those of us that need to log in remotelycan do so with much less delay Boy are weimpressed
If you have not bothered to try TIP for awhile do so as we have seen a markedimprovement in the service provided afterthis upgrade and the installation of the extra12 modems in February (much less waitingto get on)
ANNOUNCEMENTSThe last two months has seen much goingson within the Internet Project ManagementCommittee For the uninitiated the IPMCis a caucus of techno-nerdygeeks tasked withthe onerous duty of ensuring that membersof the PCUG and AUUG have adequate andcomplete access to the wider resources ofthat part of the Information Super-highwayknown as simply The Internet Anyway wedecided on a lot of things recently Here theyare
1) Commercial Web Advertising Upuntil now TIP placed a restriction oncommercial advertising (that which wasobviously out to make money for the owner)- namely that only corporate members ofeither PCUG or AUUG could placeadvertising on their web pages We have
now opened up such commercial activitiesto general members of both organisationsFor the same fee that we currently charge tocorporate advertisers any individual cannow advertise on their web pages Refer tohttpwwwtipnetautipwebspacehtml fordetailed information and charging rates
2) Account Terminology The termslsquoAdvanced Accessrsquo and lsquoBasic Accessrsquoaccounts were deemed to be confusing (wehad too many requests for information onbasic Advanced access and training foradvanced Basic use) The accounts are nowreferred to as lsquoFull Accessrsquo and lsquoLimitedAccessrsquo respectively The use of the termsAdvanced Access hours and Basic Accesshours will continue for the time being untilwe sort out exactly what we want to callthem and where we need to changereferences to them The most obvious placethat this will change immediately is on theapplication form
3) Multiple Users of Accounts One ofthe regular lsquocomplaintsrsquo that we have beenreceiving has been on our policy to restrictaccount use to the account holder only Howmany of you out there realise that if youallowed your spousechildrenacquaintancesto have access to your password then youwere breaking our rules We donrsquot worrytoo much because we are now changing ourpolicy to open up account usage undercertain guidelines Namely
a) The primary account holder (the onewho originally applies for the account) willbe deemed ultimately responsible for anyuse of the account Heshe must still signthe Acceptable Use Policy and follow thoseterms and conditions and then ensure thataccount lsquodelegatesrsquo behave themselves too
b) The primary account holder mayallow use of hisher account by other familymembers The family members must benominated and lodged with TIP on a newlsquoAccount Delegationrsquo form
c) Only one login name and emailaddress is allocated (as currently) - ifadditional email addresses are required thenthey must be applied for as separateaccounts
d) Normal single user limits (accesshours disk quotas) still apply
We believe that this will allow familygroups some access to the Internet withoutneeding to sign up every members of thehousehold with TIP This policy will beelaborated on the web pages in the nearfuture for further information
4) We are still investigating methods ofproviding help guidance and assistance tousers who are new to TIP andor the InternetWe have been looking at newer lsquofool-proofrsquofirst time kits automated email helpresponses regularly published FAQs(frequently asked questions) and attractingmore volunteer helpers To achieve this lastgoal we are hoping that we can set up aregister of volunteers similar to the HelpDirectory published in Sixteen Bits forspecific areas of Internet use If you feltreluctant in the past to have your name listedfor fear of being asked questions outsideyour particular area of expertise interestthen let us know what you ARE willing tohelp with Are you a Netscape guru Or aWindows 95 Dial-Up Networking hotshotDo you think that you know a fair bit aboutIRC Then let us know
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 37
Nhan Tranrsquos Now OfficialTIP Web Help Pages
httpwwwtipnetautiphelp
bull Whats newHistory of changes to TIP help page
bull TIP Contact DetailsPhone numbers domain proxiesemail addresses
bull Useful TIP informationTime allocation usage statistics
bull TIP documentsAgreement Charging SchemeAcceptable Use Policy AccessApplication
bull InternetFAQAnswers to the Frequently AskedQuestions about the Internet what isthe Internet what you can donetiquette
bull TIP help FAQ
bull Answers to the Frequently AskedQuestions about various problemsother people may have had with TheInternet Project your problem maynot be a new one
bull lsquoHow-torsquo documentsHow to set up and use variousprograms needed to make the mostof your Internet account
bull GlossaryTranslating acronyms computerjargon netese and emoticons like -)in plain English
TIP Technical InformationDomain (PCUG) pcugorgauDomain (AUUG) auugorgau
DNS server 203107634Mail server mailhostDomain
News Server newshostDomainftp server ftpDomain
WWW server wwwDomainProxies proxytipnetau
port 8080
Iain Gould is one of the many volunteersthat keep TIP ticking He can becontacted by email - iainpcugorgau
As a note to those users who do needaccess to help take careful note of the timesthat people offer to be available There is areason that these times are listed ourvolunteers do like to have some personaltime Nothing causes a volunteer to lsquoresignrsquoquicker than having their efforts abused bypeople who ring at all hours and are rudeand obnoxious As a volunteer organisationwe cannot provide 24 hour-a-day instantsupport and we must rely on the genrosityof those that do offer to help Please beconsiderate of those who are willing to sticktheir necks out
As a footnote to all of the above itemsplease address any correspondance toipmctipnetau rather than me directly
Internet Joke of the MonthAnother engineer joke (apologies for thereferences to USA - insert your favouritelocal university as applicable)
Three men were vacationing in CentralAmerica They were arrested for minor illegalactivities and because the dictator of the countryhated foreigners the punishment was death
The three men were marched to thechopping block The dictator of the countryasked the first man if he had any last wordsbefore they chopped his head off The man saidldquoThe only thing I can think to say is that Irsquom analumni of Notre Dame and we have the bestfootball players in the worldrdquo The dictator thensaid ldquoOff with his headrdquo When they pulled therope the blade fell but it stopped inches abovethe manrsquos neck The dictator said ldquoThis is anomen from God we cannot execute you Youare free to gordquo
The dictator of the country asked the secondman if he had any last words before theychopped his head off The man said ldquoThe onlything I can think to say is that Irsquom an alumni ofIndiana University and we have the bestbasketball players in the worldrdquo The dictatorthen said ldquoOff with his headrdquo When they pulledthe rope the blade fell but it stopped inchesabove the manrsquos neck The dictator said ldquoThisis an omen from God we cannot execute youYou are free to gordquo
Finally the dictator of the country asked thethird man if he had any last words before theychopped his head off The man said ldquoThe onlything I can think to say is that Irsquom an alumni ofPurdue University and we have the bestEngineers in the world and if yoursquoll just tightenup that bolt up there this machine will workrdquo
Tips On Tip HelpPlease do not call on the Internet Projecthelp team for answers to general computingquestions or with questions like ldquohow do Ifind such-and-such softwarerdquo - the tiphelpnewsgroup is appropriate for these topicsDo call on us if you canrsquot get our kits towork or if you believe there is a problemwith the system Herersquos the right way to goabout it
1 Read the TIP Help Pages availablefrom the TIP World Wide Web siteat httpwwwtipnetautiphelp
2 Browse the newsgroup tiphelp tosee if someone else has solvedyour problem already Browsetipannounce and tipgeneral for anyrelevant announcements
3 If the problem is not urgent post arequest for assistance in tiphelp
4 If the problem is urgent send mailto ldquohelprdquo requesting advice
Please - describe your problem clearlyconcisely and completely
tell us WHEN it happened
tell us WHAT OPERATING SYSTEMyou are using
tell us WHAT SOFTWARE you are using(esp version)
tell us WHAT HARDWARE you are using(esp modem)
tell us any relevant SETUP DETAILS (egconnection speed)
tell us what TIP login name (eg mmouse)you are using
5 As a last resort (ie when email isnot possible) contact Iain Gould on255 2405 between 7pm and 8pmONLY
The TIP Help TeamThe methods of supplying TIP help and
support and the levels of help provided areunder almost constant review anddiscussion Your feedback on the existingsystems and constructive suggestions forimprovement particularly within theexisting resource constraints are welcome
This can be done in the tip newsgroupsif you would like general discussion of yourideas by email to the TIP Help Team athelptipnetau or by sending email toamikkelspcugorgau who will forward itto the appropriate people
38 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
The Internet Project
1 Access to The Internet Project is governed by the InternetProject Acceptable Use Policy copies of which can beobtained at the PCUG Centre or downloaded from the PCUGBBS or from The Internet Project
2 There is a limit of one Internet account per non-corporatemembership Corporate members may sponsor up to threeindividuals who are then personally responsible for theoperation of their accounts Please complete one applicationfor each person
3 Part of your email address will be determined by the principalorganisation If your membership of that organisation expiresso too does your membership of The Internet Project In thisevent no refunds for unused allocation will be made
4 The Internet Project reserves the right to alter prices andservices offered at any time Fees paid for Internet access arenon-refundable and non-transferable
5 Note Hours debited do not necessarily equate to real hourson-line time allocation will be debited in a non-linear fashiondepending on the amount of time spent on-line in any givenday The debit rate is set from time to time by the InternetProject Management Committee
6 Basic Accessa) Basic Access provides non PPP email and news onlyb) Basic Access is free on applicationc) In any calender year calculated from the date of
application Basic Access provides up to 100 lsquohoursrsquo usage
7 Advanced Accessa) Advanced Access includes full access to the Internet using
SLIPPPPb) Advanced Access is not free Current rates are $120 for
one calendar year of access with up to 300 lsquohoursrsquo usagec) When your Advanced Access subscription expires OR
you use 300 hours of access (whichever is earlier) youwill be required to purchase another subscription for onecalendar year from that date
d) Advanced Access users also receive a Basic Accessallocation - see above
8 All users joining The Internet Project receive a one-off freefive hour allocation of Advanced Access
Collecting Your Login Details9 A waiting period of two months applies to new members of
the PC Users Group (ACT) Inc
10 For existing members please allow up to two weeks for yourapplication to be processed
11 Login details can be collected - in person by the applicant - fromthe PC Users Group Centre We recommend that you phone theCentre first to check that the details are waiting for you
12 You (and your parentguardian if you are under 18 years ofage) will be required to sign an Acceptable Use PolicyDeclaration when you pick up your login detailsPhotographic proof of identity may be required at that time
Important Notes - Please Read
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 39
Disks amp TapesWe offer high quality disks and tape cartridgesin various formats at very reasonable pricesDisks amp tapes are available from the PCUGCentre Monday Wednesday amp Friday 10amto 2pm or between 9am and 5pm on weekends
BBS AccessNew members wishing to access the PC UsersGroup (ACT) InterActive Bulletin BoardService (BBS) should dial (06) 253 4933 andcreate an account on the system Once the mainmenu is presented select the lsquoGoodbyersquo optionfollowed by the lsquoYesrsquo option to leave a messageto the Sysop
In this message state your membership number(from your card or magazine address label) andrequest an access upgrade This will usuallyoccur within a few days
SharewareMembers have access to a huge selection ofldquosharewarerdquo software The PCUG subscribesto a CD-ROM which provides over 250 Mbof new and updated software titles on eachmonthly CD
Member ServicesThese special offers and services are only available to PCUG members Please bring your membership card with you when collecting orders
One complete section of the permanent libraryis also contained on each CD-ROM Inaddition there are many programs on thePCUG BBS which members have uploadedor which come from other sources
This software is provided as ldquosharewarerdquo Ifyou continue to use it you must register thesoftware with the author The Group does notldquosellrdquo the software - it charges a fee to coverthe cost of obtaining the software maintainingthe library and copying the software to themember
Computers are available at the Centre whichare connected to the BBS enabling membersto download software
Hardware amp Video LibraryThe hardware and video library is located atthe PC Users Group Centre Items may becollected and returned on Saturdays andSundays between 9am and 5pm (loans are forone week) Please bring your membership cardwith you
The library provides access to equipmentwhich members would not normally havereadily available Most items have instructionsmanuals and software where appropriateModems do not include software check theShareware Library for suitable packages Itemsmay be borrowed for one week There is nocharge but you must collect and return theitems yourself
Equipment available includesmiddot modemsmiddot soundblaster card
Videos includemiddot Developing Applications with Microsoft
Officemiddot Using Windows 95
NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETINGMonday 28 April 1997
(to be held at 730pm prior to the normal April main meeting)
The Special Meeting is to consider and vote upon the following changes to the rules of the PC Users Group
Rule 17(1)(b) - [Nomination of candidates for election as office-bearers of the Association or as ordinary Committee members]shall be delivered to the Secretary of the Association no later than the last Friday in the July before the date fixed for the annualgeneral meeting at which the election is to take place
Rule 17(2) - If insufficient nominations are received to fill all vacancies on the Committee the candidates nominated shall bedeemed to be elected
Rule 17(3) - A vacant position remaining on the Committee shall be deemed to be a vacancy for the purpose of Rule 16(4)
Explanatory notesThese changes will permit publication in Sixteen Bits of all valid nominations received to enable the membership to give seriousregard to the nominations received They will also permit all members nominating for the committee to have an opportunity toconsider and reflect upon their intended commitment to the committee and to the Group
Hugh BambrickSecretary PC Users Group (ACT) Inc
40 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Compiled by Jim Hume
Japanese-English Translators
Globalink produces some of the bestlanguage translation software TheLanguage Assistant Series quicklyproduce understandable translations fromEnglish into the foreign language or viceversa
The Australian Distributors Software EtcAustralia have now released Japanesetranslation and OCR Software TsunamiMT Typhoon MT and KanjiScan OCRsoftware for English Windows 95 and NTPCs It is claimed these products willmake communication between Japaneseand English speaking businesses mucheasier quicker and more effective
Tsunami MT translates English-to-Japanese and has features such as fullOLE 20 compatibility (drags text to andfrom Tsunami MT embedding theJapanese results into applications such asMS Word) an innovative Kani searchsystem and translation speed at over 3000words per minute
Typhoon MT translates Japanese-to-English and is the result of a two-yearproject to convert the best-sellingJapanese to English translation softwarein Japan to an MS Windows 32-bitformat
Typhoon MT has every element computerusers need to put Japanese computing ontheir personal computer - Japanese fontsKana and kanji text editing a completeFront End Processor and Japanese -to-English machine translation
KanjiScan is the first Japanese OCRsoftware to run on non-Japanese versionsof Windows and includes everythingneeded to scan printed Japanese text anddocuments allowing users to input
Japanese on their English Windowssystem All interfaces instructions anddocumentation are in English WithNeocorTechrsquos Kanji Search system noJapanese language skills are required tomake sure all the Japanese text is properlyrecognised
Tsunami MT $995 Typhoon MT $1195(Bundle $1795) and KanjiScan $795
Software Etc Australia are offeringevaluation versions of this software forloan to reviewers with a knowledge ofJapanese and the capability to conduct andprepare software reviews Enquiriesshould be directed to Peter Klanberck atsoftetcozemailcomauhttpwwwworldcorpcomau Phone (02) 9988-3455
Gene Chip Breakthrough
Affymetrix is developing amp commercial-ising GeneChip(tm) systems to acquireanalyse manage and use geneticinformation based on its propriety DNAarray technology
These systems are being developed forbroad fields including biomedicalresearch clinical diagnosis and theemerging field of genomics Affymetrixhas corporate alliances with Hewlett-Packard Company and Genetics Instituteand intends to pursue the clinicaldiagnostic and additional genomicsapplications with diagnostics andpharmaceutical companies
Their first product currently in externaltests sites will be the GeneChipHIVsystem which rapidly detects mutations inthe protease and reverse transcriptasegenes of HIV the virus which causesAIDS Detection of such mutations arecritical in understanding how HIV reactsto therapeutic agents as well as for
understanding the results of clinical trialsof new drugs The company also hasactive development programs for thespeciation of other infectious organismsas well as for human genes that areimportant in cancer and drug metabolism
Fortune Magazine in an article headedGene Chip Breakthrough by David Stippexplores the implications of thisbreakthrough and believes that whilemicroprocessors have reshaped oureconomy spawned vast fortunes andchanged the way we live Gene chipscould be bigger
TransAct BroadbandCommunications Network
The ACTEW Corporation has recentlyconducted a feasibility study into buildinga broadband communication network inthe ACT It is claimed it would enhanceACTEWrsquos core business and provide theACT region with an economically viablecommunications network
The network would be funded throughoutside financing As there would be nocross-subsidies between varioustelecommunication business and theelectricity and water businesses therewould be no impact on electricity andwater bills now or in the future Known asTransAct Communications the feasibilitystudy was to be completed by March1997 ACTEW Corporation Board willmake a decision on the business caseduring April A key component of thestudy was to be community consultationand market research If the results werefavourable construction should commencein July 1997
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 41
I was consulted in their telemarketingresearch and talks have been held with thePC Users Group Aurisa Institute ofEngineers Australia and the BusinessCouncil of Australia The network couldcarry voice(telephone) video(TV) and data(intenet) over a high range of frequenciesand the cost of services would bedependent on the service providers ieTelephone companies Pay TV companiesand internet service providers ACTEWexpected that prices would be similar tocurrent prices for these services andsuggest that a single broad-band networkwould offer competition between serviceproviders
The network could carryvoice(telephone) video(TV) and
data (intenet)
Two companies have been shortlisted andtheir solutions are being costed to get anaccurate picture of the total cost ofbuilding the network The two companiesare Philips which has offered a HybridCoax (HFC) system and BroadbandTechnologies which offered a switchedbroadband (SDB) solution
The HFC solution as offered by Philipswould differ from similar cable systemsbeing strung in other parts of Australia inthat it would take optic fibre down toserve 60-90 homes per node rather than500-1500 homes The SDB solutionwould be unique in Australia (In use inparts of USA Korea and France) it takesoptic fibre to serve 32-40 homes per nodeBoth solutions have the ability to runadvanced interactive services By the timeof publication a further update may beavailable atwwwactewcomautransactinterhtm
Treasure IslandFrom the Corel Thumbnail Theatre seriesnow being shipped Treasure Island is afun easy way to learn the complexities ofthis popular novel by Robert LouisStevenson It is an animated adaptiontargeted primarily at students aged 12 andupwards Users can choose from threedifferent ways of studying TreasureIsland For those unacquainted with thestory the Watch Me section presents awitty and entertaining nine-minuteanimation which summarises the novelrsquosstory The Guide Me section is designedfor users who wish to study the text indepth and learn more about the era inwhich the novel is set They will see theanimation once again but this time theywill have the chance to stop the animatedsummary in order to explore varioustopics related to the story These topics areaccessible by clicking on the icons whichappear throughout the animation Userswho want to read about different topicscan go directly to the Self Guide sectionThis section contains the entire text ofTreasure Island
It also contains a feature called Timelinewhich is a chronology of historical eventsfrom the time of Treasure Island to thepresent day
Minimum system requirements are 486DX66 8MB of RAM a 640x480256-colour graphics display 8-bit audiocapabilities and a double speed CD-ROMdrive Runs on both Windows 31x andWindows95RRP $Aus 6400
Corel WebMaster SuiteOn March 25 Corel announced the releaseCorel WebMaster Suite the latest additionto their line of Internet products Itcombines state-of-the-art Web siteauthoring with expert site managementfunctionality advanced database
publishing sophisticated graphic designprograms as well as animation authoring3D VRML world creation and over 8000Internet-ready images Included in thepackage is Netscape Navigator 301OrsquoReillyrsquos Website v11 and 30 days offree Web site hosting It is claimed thatthis suite provides a complete solution tohelp users advance beyond the traditionalWeb page to create and manage completeweb sites that are more interesting andinformative as well as easy to understand
Corel WebMaster is available for asuggested retail price of $Aus 399 Thesuite will require 16MB RAM an IBMcompatible PC 486 DX Windows NT orWindows 95 a CD_ROM and a VGAdisplay
SNIPPETS
IN AUSTRIA INTERNET SERVICEProviders banded together on March 25 tostage the countryrsquos first electronic walkoutin protest at their governmentrsquos attempt tocensor the Internet Hardly surprisingwhen UKrsquos Whatrsquos New on the Internetreports that sex and its related topics arethe most popular sections on the Internetby a long chalk
DUTCH HACKERS OFFERED USMilitary Secrets to Iraq A recent BBC TVprogramme claimed that hundreds ofmilitary secrets were stolen from USDefence computers ( including troopmovements and missile capabilities)offered for sale by Dutch hackers toSaddam Hussein but their offer was nottaken up because the Iraqi leader believedthat it was either a hoax or CIAmisinformation
ADVERTISING ON THE NETAccording to a survey by the InternetAdvertising Bureau total advertisingspending on the World Wide Web andInternet related content hit $US267
42 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
The Internet SIGThis a get together of those members of thePCUG who love to explore the Internet forinteresting sites new Internet tools andnovel applications It holds an informalmeeting once a month on the first Thursday(January excepted) at 730pm The meetinghas no set agenda but free flowing chat onvarious Internet related topics and eventsOn occasion we had presentations ofinteresting software Among topics that arediscussed from time to time are the upgradeof TIP cable and wireless access to theInternet and the regulation of the InternetThe web page for the SIG is at httpwwwpcugorgau~ejosephintsightm
BytesThe Bytes SIG is designed for those wholike to talk about computing over a meal Itmeets from 6 pm at the Asian BistroAustralian National University Union onthe PCUG meeting nights There are noBytes SIG meetings in NovemberDecember or January Contact personAndrew Freeman Phone 258 7411 Emailafreemanpcugorgau or WWW at httpwwwpcugorgau~afreemancvsightml
AutoCADGeoffrey May 295 5942 Monday-Fri 4-5pmPlease call for details
CC++Peter Corcoran petercpcugorgau 2ndTuesday 730pm PCUG Centre
GUI DevelopersPeter Harris 287 1484 pharrispcugorgauPlease call for details
The OS2 SIGAn enthusiastic forum for those operating orinterested in OS2 Warp Meetings includewide ranging discussion and interestinghands on demonstrations Meetings are heldon the third Thursday at 730pm for 730pmat the IBM Building 8 Brisbane Ave BartonContact David Thrum Phone 201-8806 (bh)
The Delphi SIGA lively forum for software developers whoare working with or interested in Delphi
Our meetings include wide ranging dis-cussion and interesting hands-on demon-strations Come and see why Delphi is RADSome of our recent meetings have discussedDelphi components best shareware toolsdatabase applications and HTML toolsMeeting 3rd Tuesday of each month 730pmat PCUG Centre Convenor Al Kabailaemail akabailapcugorgauYou arewelcome to also subscribe to the PCUGDelphi mailing list by sending messageldquosubscribe act-delphi-lpcugorgau [youremail address]rdquo to Majordomoauugorgau
Linux User GroupStephen Rothwell 291 6550 (ah) StephenRothwell canbauugorgau 4th Thursday730pm Room N101 Computer Science DeptANU
Networks Garry Thomson 241 2399gthomsonpcugorgau Thursday aftermain meeting Please call for venue
Computer and VegetarianismThis SIG is designed for those who have aninterest in both computers and vegetarian-ism It generally meets with the Bytes SIGNo meetings are held in NovemberDecember or January Contact personAndrew Freeman Phone 258 7411 Emailfreemanpcugorgau or WWW at httpwwwpcugorgau~afreemancvsightml
amp ChatThe Coffee and Chat Group meet at thePCUG Centre in Belconnen on alternateTuesdays from 1030am to 1130am withanother 30 minutes to 1200 for those whowant to stay The dates of these meetings areshown in the Calendar of Events On thealternate Tuesday a virtual Coffee and ChatMeeting is held on the Internet at 1030amusing Internet Relay Chat (IRC) addressirchostpcugorgau Port 6667 Full detailsabout the online meetings can be obtainedfrom httpwwwpcugorgau~ejosephvcchtm
Internet Daytime Demoand Discussion SIGMeets every second Monday at the PCUGCentre from 1000AM to noon We meet todiscuss internet issues software sites (andanything else of relevance) and demonstrateon Centre equipment selected software andtechniques The meeting starts with informaldiscussion and coffee followed by a more in-depth look at a particular topic of interestThere is also time for discussion (andhopefully solving) of members problems withthe internet A home page for the SIG is athttpwwwpcugorgau~amikkelsintdddhtmlEnquiries or suggestions for topics arewelcome at amikkelspcugorgau
NEW
Convenors are requested to email anychanges in contacts or venue and additionalinformation about the activities of theirgroup by the first Friday in the month ofpublication to pcugeditorpcugorgau
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 43
The training program for 1997 is settledsubject to ongoing adjustments in the lightof developments
Note the heavy emphasis on Internetcourses This reflects the clear demand ofmembers at the moment A number of daysare designated lsquoTBArsquo These days allow forthe introduction of Internet related coursesas discussed last month including homepages MS Internet ExplorerWeb tips andtricks and so on They also allow forpossible courses on the Web oriented MSOffice 97
Course content for Internet courses isstill under development and subject tomeetings of trainers
In addition to the weekend courses arange of short evening courses mainlyInternet related as above will be introducedThese are still in the planning stages
May Sat 3 Editorial day ContinuesSun 4 Programming - C and C++ ContinuesSat 10 Programming - Visual Basic Continues
Sun 11 Intro - Intro to computers ContinuesSat 17 Intro - Intro to Windows 95 Continues
Sun 18 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 24 Intro - PC Maintenance and
TroubleshootingContinues
Sun 25 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 31 Internet - HTML Intro Continues
June Sun 1 Intro - Using the BBS effectively Internet - Basic AccessSat 7 Centre closed Centre closed
Sun 8 Centre closed Centre closedSat 14 Editorial day Continues
Sun 15 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 21 Internet - HTML extended Continues
Sun 22 Internet - TBA Internet - TBASat 28 Internet - Advanced Access Intro Continues
Sun 29 Intro - Using the BBS effectively Internet - Basic AccessJuly Sat 5 Editorial day Continues
Sun 6 Internet - TBA Internet - TBASat 12 Internet - TBA Internet - TBA
Sun 13 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 19 Internet - TBA Internet - TBA
Sun 20 Internet - TBA Internet - TBASat 26 Internet - Advanced Access Intro Continues
Sun 27 Intro - Using the BBS effectively Internet - Basic Access
Our training courses are very popularUnfortunately some people book and thendonrsquot turn up for their course Someone onthe waiting list for the course could havefilled the spot left vacant To overcome thisproblem if you book for a course but donrsquotpay for it by the Monday before it is runthe spot will be offered to someone else
ContactsCourse bookings Petra Dwyer at thePCUG Centre on 253 4911
Training coordinator and courseinformation (not bookings) PaulBalnaves 241-4671 (h) 700pm to900pm 282-3488 (w)
Microsoft Product courses (notbookings) Michael Lane 242-9278 (h)700pm to 900pm
All courses are held at the PCUGCentre Northpoint Plaza Belconnen- maximum 8 people
Courses cost $35 unless otherwiseindicated Full day courses run from930am to approximately 300pmAM Courses commence at 930amPM courses commence at 130pm
Training Newsby Paul Balnaves
44 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
The following local vendors offer discounts to PCUG members
bull Present your PCUG membership card when making a purchasebull Benefits may not apply to some sale itemsbull The PCUG does not necessarily recommend or endorse the products being offered
If you offer a discount to PCUG members and are not in this list please contact our advertising manager listed on page 2
Vendor Discount SchemeVendor Discount Scheme
AustralianManagement Control
Suite 4 32 - 36 Colbee CourtPHILLIP285 4888
5 discount onRecordkeeping amp Payroll
courses
Capital SimulationsPO Box 329
Belconnen ACT 2616Faxmessage 258 0110
Free postage and handling(normally $4) amp 2 free modem
opponents lsquowantedrsquo notices(normally $10)
Clarion DatabaseSystems
bull Computing consultingbull Business applications developmentbull Software sale
041 108 775410 discount off RRP on
Microsoft amp other vendorsrsquo productsand consulting services
Amalgamated Business Machines
65 Kembla StreetFYSHWICK
280 4887
5 discount on repairsthrough this company
ANU Union Asian Bistro
Upstairs Union Building Union Court ANU
(next to main meeting venue)
Union member discounton PCUG main meeting
nights (ONLY)
Bettowynd ampTaltech Solutions
Unit 5 Centrecourt1 Pirie St FYSHWICK
239 1043
Prompt guaranteed fixed pricerepairs to monitors and terminals
5 discount to members
Nhan TranInternet Software Installationamp Configuration in your home
PH 254 5293
Fixed price 20 discountfor PCUG members
Lesley PikoCertified Practising Accountant
Registered Tax Agent
Suite 1 17 Trenerry StWeston ACT
288 8888
personal and business taxation servicesgeneral accounting services
15 discount off our quoted fee
ACT VALLEYCOMPUTER REPAIRSbull REPAIRSbull UPGRADESbull NEW SYSTEMSbull SOFTWARE INSTALLATIONbull LOW RATES l OPEN 7 DAYS
294 2592 or 019 32343510 DISCOUNT ON REPAIRS
AND UPGRADES TO MEMBERS
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 45
54 Marcus Clarke St Canberra CityPH 249 1844 l Fax 247 5753
10 Discount o f fRRP of Computer Books
Celebrating over 28 Years in Bookselling
N O 1 f o rC O M P U T E R amp B U S I N E S S
B O O K S
hi-micro Computers
5 Discount OnAccessories
ampUpgrade Installation
Ph 280 7520 Fax 280 7540618 Whyalla St Fyshwick
248 6656 (any time)bull World Wide Web Publishing
bull Windows Online Help amp Manuals
5 discount on Web publishing
The Cartridge Factory
Canberra Business Centre49 Wentworth Ave
KINGSTON295 5935
10 discount on remanufacturedlaser toner cartridges
10 discount on inkjet refill kitsNo discount available on
new ink or toner cartridges
Collins Booksellers
BELCONNEN MALLPhone 251 4813 Fax 251 3926
We carry a wide selection ofcomputer titles for the novice and
also advanced computer user
10 Discount off computerbook purchases only
LampS Associates
69 Paterson StreetAINSLIE257 7555
Special price on anyMicrosoft product
Dealer price plus 5
Aspect ComputingEducation Services
86 Northbourne AvenueBraddon ACT 2601
247 7608
10 Discount toPCUG members
Peng LEE BA BEc FCA
Chartered AccountantRegistered Tax Agent
A fee schedule will be forwarded upon request
6 McGuiness PlaceMcKELLAR ACT 2617
Phone 258 0156 Fax 258 0157
10 fee discount to PCUGmembers
Robrsquos Computer HelpDesk
292 3211 (24 hours 7 days)
For telephone and on-site help for ALL your computer and support
needs
5 discount on consulting services to PCUG members
The Software Shop
42 Townsend StreetPHILLIP285 4622
5 discount off our already low prices
46 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Title Given Name Surname
_______________________________________________________Position (if applicable) Phone (h) Phone (w)
_______________________________________________________Title Given Name Surname
_______________________________________________________Position (if applicable) Phone (h) Phone (w)
Annual Fees Applicable (thorn one)o General1 $ 50
o Concessional2 $ 25
o Corporate3 $130
o Additional Corporate4 $ 50
o International (Air Mail) $130
Notes1 General membership covers all members of a household except for BBS and
Internet access Two month waiting period applies to Internet access2 Concessions apply to full time students and pensioners3 Corporate Membership covers up to three nominees4 Additional Corporate nominees may be added at $50 each
I am paying by (thorn one)o Cash (if paying by person) o Cheque to PC Users Group (ACT) Inc
o Credit card
I would like to ( thorn one or more)
o Become a new member for ____ year(s)
o Renew for ____ year(s)
o Change my address details
o Change Corporate nominees
o Take my address off advertising list
o Access the Bulletin Board (BBS)
Reasons for Joining thorn (one or more)
o Sixteen Bits Magazine o Training Courses
o The Internet Project o Advice and help
Other ____________________________________
TOTAL PAYMENT DUE $ __________________
Please Post your application with payment toPC Users Group (ACT) IncPO Box 42 Belconnen ACT 2616
Additional Corporate Membership Nominees
Title Given Name Surname
Organisation (if applicable) PCUG Membership Number (if applicable)
Postal Address
Phone (h) Phone (w) Concession Type (if applicable)
Credit Card Type Number Expiry Date Signature
Membersrsquo AdsFOR SALE
PC Users Group Membership Application Renewal
Notebook TP 486 DX266 95in Dual scancolour 8mg 433 HDD External 2X CDROM Fax modem card Win rsquo95 Office rsquo95pro Microsoft Plus NAV Norton UtilitiesWinfax Pro Microsoft Publisher and muchmore $1500 email gjonespcugorgau orphone Gary Jones 2391771 (Bus hours)
Canon Bubble-jet Printer BJ10-SX BWVGC [bookletdisk] $145Maestro External Fax Modem SE-144 FM[BookletDiks] VGC $100Corel Draw V3 CD-ROM[Bookect] VGC $100 NEGScanFax 24 Bit Color Page ScannerPC[FaxScanCopy] VGC $ 360WebAuthor V2 for Windows $ 65LOGOS BIBLE Software V2for Windows CD-ROM $150Call 239 5451 or e-mailmszabopcugorgau
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 47
Subject Name Email Phone Days TimesAccess for Windows Graheme Fry 288 3138 All days 730pm - 830pm
Accounting -TAS+ Exogen Attache NewViews P Goerman 231 2304 All days 900am - 900pm
Advanced Revelation John Curby 286 5777 Mon - Fri 900am - 900pm
Assembly Language Thomas McCoy 294 2226 Mon - Fri 800pm - 1000pm
AutoCad Geoffrey May 295 5942 Mon - Fri 400pm - 500pm
AutoCAD Rel 12 13 and LT Neil Moffat 292 7108 All days Noon - 1000pm
BASIC + Machine Language George McLintock 295 6590 All days 830pm -1000pm
Basic hardware help Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
Bluewave Jorge Garcia 282 2681 All Days 700pm - 900pm
Batch Files TSRs Utilities Bill Ghysen 287 1234 Mon - Fri 800pm - 1000pm
Bulletin Board Service Michael Phillips 253 4966 All days 730pm - 830pm
Chinese Star for Windows Peng Lee 258 0156 All days 100pm - 900pm
Clipper Cedric Bear 258 3169 All days 730pm - 830pm
Corel Draw Fabian Stelco 241 1743 Mon - Fri 730pm - 900pm
Corel WordPerfect Suite 7 for Win95 Peter Tilbrook kermitdynamitecomau 242 8696 All days Anytime
DOS Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
Excel Graheme Fry 288 3138 All days 730pm - 830pm
Flight Simulation Roger Lowery lowerypcugorgau 258 1583 All days Anytime
Foxpro Greg Atkinson 241 7903 Mon - FriSat Sun
700pm - 900pmFrom 1100am
Free Agent Agent Newsreading Allan Mikkelsen 278 3164 All days Noon - 900pm
General Help Allan Miller (044) 711187 Mon - Fri 730pm - 830pm
General Help Brian Gosling 259 1116 All days 730pm - 830pm
GEOSGeoWorks Phil Jones 288 5288 All days 600pm - 1000pm
Hardware Anthony Glenn 288 8332 All days Anytime
HDK Lis Shelley lshelleypcugorgau 248 6656 Mon - Fri 730pm - 830pm
HDK Ivana Leonard 231 4169 Mon - Thu 700pm - 900pm
ISR CADDSMAN Modeller (Win) Neil Moffat 292 7108 All days Noon - 1000pm
LINUX PC Unix Andrew Tridgell 254 8209 All days 600pm - 800pm
Lotus 1-2-3 Doug Jenkins 286 2243 All days 730pm - 900pm
Lotus Ami Pro 3 W ord Pro 96 ed Peter Tilbrook kermitdynamitecomau 242 8696 All days Anytime
Microstation Cad Andrew Novinc 258 1907 All days 600pm - 1000pm
Modem Communications Michael Phillips 281 1980 or All days 730pm - 830pm
Networks Gary Thompson 241 2399 All days 730pm - 900pm
Online doc using Help Compiler (Win3) John Carroll jcarrollpcugorgau 248 0781 All days 730pm - 1000pm
OS2 v2 Mark Beileiter 283 2429 Mon - Fri 800am - 330pm
OS2 Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
OS2 Michael Lightfoot 258 8185 All days 730pm - 930pm
Project (Microsoft) Steve Ramsden 287 1500 Mon - Wed 800pm - 1000pm
SBT Accounting Greg Atkinson 241 7903 Mon - Fri 700pm - 900pm
Scream Tracker 3 (3SM) MOD Music Chris Collins 258 8276 Mon - Fri 730pm - 900pm
Small Business Computing Nick Thomson 241 3239 Mon - Thu 730pm - 930pm
SuperBase Paul Blair 288 3584 All days 730pm - 930pm
Telix Michael Phillips 281 1980 All days 730pm - 830pm
SCO Unix amp Xenix J Bishop 291 0478 All days 700pm - 900pm
Unix Michael Lightfoot 258 8185 All days 730pm - 930pm
Turbo Pascal Michael Phillips 281 1980 All days 730pm - 830pm
Vision Impaired Adam Morris 291 4522 All days 700pm - 900pm
Visual BASIC Ian Champ 254 0418 All days 700pm - 900pm
Windows 31x Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
Word for Windows Lis Shelley lshelleypcugorgau 248 6656 Mon - Fri 730pm - 830pm
WordPerfect 51 DOS 61 Win Gayle Scott gaylespcugorgau 254 1579 All days 730pm - 930pm
WordPerfect 61 7 for Win95 Peter Tilbrook kermitdynamitecom 242 8696 All days Anytime
WordStar Dave Hay 258 7310 All days 700pm - 900pm
The people in this directory are volunteers so please observe the times given The Help Directory is designed to helpindividual users and should not be used as a substitute for corporate support calls to vendors This service is provided formembers only Please quote your membership number to the helper For those helpers with an asterisk messages may beleft on the BBS in either the General message area or as a Netmail message on 3620243 Send updates topcugeditorpcugorgau or via post to the PCUG Centre
The Help Directory
May 1997Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
1
Internet SIG730pmPCUG Centre
2
SIXTEENBITSCommercialAd deadlinefor May
3
SIXTEEN BITSLayout Day 10am______________InternetConnection Clinic930am-1pmPCUG Centre(check withCentre Staffer on253 4911)
4
TRAININGDAYProgrammingC and C++930-430PCUG Centre
5
Internet DaytimeDemo andDiscussion10am-12 noonPCUG Centre______________New MembersNight730pmPCUG Centre
6
VirtualCoffee amp ChatTIP IRCServer1030-1130am
7 8 9 10
TRAININGDAYProgrammingVisual Basic930-430PCUG Centre
11
TRAININGDAYIntro tocomputers930-430PCUG Centre
12 13
Coffee amp Chat1030amPCUG Centre__________
C++ SIG730pmPCUG Centre
14
CommitteeMeeting730pmPCUG Centre
15
OS2 SIG7 for 730pmIBM Building8 BrisbaneAve Barton
16 17
TRAINING DAYIntro Windows 95930-430PCUG Centre______________
Meet theCommittee2-4pmPCUG Centre
18
TRAININGDAYInternetAdvancedAccess Intro930-430PCUG Centre
19
Internet DaytimeDemo andDiscussion 10am-12noon PCUG Centre______________
SIXTEEN BITSStuffing and Mailing530pm PCUGCentre
20
Virtual Coffee ampChatTIP IRC Server1030-1130am_____________
Delphi SIG730pm PCUGCentre
21 22
Linux UserGroup730pmRmN101ComputerScience DeptANU
23 24
TRAINING DAYPC Maintenanceamp Troubleshooting930-430PCUG Centre
25
TRAININGDAYInternetAdvancedAccess Intro930-430PCUG Centre
26
Main MeetingManningClark Theatre1 CrispBuilding ANU7 for 730pm
27
Coffee amp Chat1030amPCUG Centre
28 29
Networks SIGCall GarryThomson(241 2399) fordetails
30
SIXTEENBITS Articledeadline forJune
31
TRAININGDAYInternetHTML Intro930-430PCUG CentreBytes SIG 6pm
Asian Bistro ANU(before PCUGmeeting
12 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
1297
1897
1987
1997
ph 06 297 1084fax 03 9221 3180sustanceibmnet
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 13
14 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Setting Up a Commercial Site onthe Internet with Web Graphics
At the beginning of March I launched a newcommercial site on the Internet - InfoRomSince I know virtually nothing about HTMLprogramming and since I am something of anovice at this game I thought you might beinterested in
a) My experience of setting up acommercial site
b) My evaluation of how suited CorelWeb Graphics is to this purpose
I was in fact involved in EdRev anunsuccessful Internet project that was up onthe Net for much of 1996 Hopefully I havelearned from the experience - as Peter Cookused to say ldquoI have learned from my mistakesand I can repeat every one of them perfectlyrdquo
Developing Your Site ConceptBefore setting up your site it is important tohave a clear idea in mind as to why the site isthere what services you wish to provide andwhat sort of clients you are aiming at WithEdRev my idea had been to provide in-depthreviews of CD-ROM educational softwareover the Internet - people would not be able toaccess the reviews until they had taken up asubscription - or at least trialled the servicefor a month People out there did not respondto this approach - and the big problem frommy point of view was that I was putting vastamounts of time into writing the reviews andgetting little return
With InfoRom I decided to write shortermuch tighter reviews make them available forfree but offer access to question and answersupport on any of the products reviewed for asmall fee That way I figured that I wouldnrsquothave to invest too much effort up front but Iwould be putting my time and energy intoanswering questions for paid up subscribers Ialso decided to start including selected gamesas well as educational software so as to widenthe appeal of the service
Corel Web Transit - Word to HTML
Having written the reviews (inWord 6 for Windows) the nextstep was to convert them intoHTML format This proved to besomewhat easier than I had expectedWeb Transit makes the process prettyautomatic and it carried over my formattingand styles without any problem The onlydifficulty I found was that occasionally itwould add a couple of unwanted line breaksat the top of the page and very occasionallyan unwanted bookmark to the text at the topWhere this happened I simply deleted the linebreaks and changed the formatting to removethe bookmark There was no logical reason forthese unwanted inclusions - I suspect that itwas just a bug in the program Diagram 1 iswhat the Transit screen looks like You set updestination and source then click translatethen click the Web Designer icon if you wantto format and modify the file or click thebrowser icon to see what it will look like onthe Web
Corel Web Designer - Formattingand Enhancing the Site Pages
Web Designer is another of the Corel WebGraphics package components and (with thehelp of my daughter Naomi) I used this to dothe following
middot Fancy up headings and the appearanceof the text
middot Add internal links eg from the bottomof the page to the top
middot Add external links to other files egSubject Index
By Nick Thomson
Diagram 1
cd romcd rom
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 15
middot Add external files to other sites eg thesites of the software suppliers
middot Add graphics
All of the above processes were easy andreliable and I was able to undertake all of themsuccessfully despite not having any knowledgeof HTML programming I only encounteredthree shortcomings
1 If I had names with a mixture of upper andlower case the links didnrsquot always workproperly I overcame this by ensuring thatall my filenames were in lower case onlyI am not sure if this was a Web Graphicsproblem or just a general HTML issue
HTML is certainly casesensitive so beware
2 It is not possible to define orsave your own templates in Web
Designer It would have been veryhandy if I could have set up a template
with all the standard headings and linkseg to the Home Page built in - notpossible at this stage but I understand thatthis facility will be available in the nextupgrade of Web Designer
3 The formatting options are a bit limitedand it is not possible to define your ownstyles (although there is quite a good rangeof pre-defined styles available)
For graphics Naomi created a series ofneat little icons - one for each subject categoryThus at the top of each page there were twosmall graphics representing one or two subjectcategories for that review These were createdfrom clip art in Corel Draw then convertedand pasted in as gif or jpeg images (the twographic formats that are supported by HTML)We had tried using screen clips in EdRev -
they took forever to load and were a pain towork with so I decided against using them inInfoRom One of the golden rules of Web sitesis not to slow things down with too manygraphics - I get very frustrated waiting forsome of the software supplier sites to load -and I donrsquot want my potential clients to feelthat way about my site Diagram 2 is anexample of one of our pages
Selecting a Supplier andUploading Pages
The next step was to find a commercial sitesupplier I had been happy with service andvalue for money that we got at Spirit Networks(an ACT supplier) so I decided to go to themIt cost me $275 to set the site up (includingthe registration of my domain name on theInternet) and it is costing me $50 per monthfor maintaining the site (that includes a goodlevel of storage email traffic and the right toupdate whenever I like) - so it really isnrsquot tooexpensive a service As part of the setup costsa rep from Spirit came and helped my set upTIP email and FTP connections on mymachine Because of my newness to thisprocess I fired lots of questions (includingquite a few dumb ones) at them by email orphone in the first couple of weeks - I have tosay that they have been very patient and mosthelpful
I uploaded all the files by means of FTPand eureka it is working What a satisfyingfeeling to log on load up your browser andperuse a site that is all your own work Apartfrom a few faulty links (the result of incorrectentry on my part) everything was working fineimmediately and I have already added threelots of updates without difficulty
Marketing and Indexing the SiteWhen I was involved in EdRev I sent outapprox 600 emails to schools educationalagencies etc in the hope of winning somesubscribers For all that effort we got 2subscribers
I believe that one of the keys to the Internetis harnessing the power of the various searchprograms or Web Indexes by listing your sitewith them and doing whatever you need to doto ensure that your site has a reasonably good
Diagram 2(continued next page)
16 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
chance of being detected What I want is thatif someone searches for a particular packageeg Encarta or NHL 97 then they will bedirected to my site Thus the key is for not justmy home page but for every separate reviewpage to be picked up by the various indexesMost users stick with the big ones - as far as Ican tell they are
Excite
Infoseek
Lycos
Alta Vista
Magellan (subset of Excite)
Yahoo
Hot Bot
Web Crawler
Web Surfer
If anyone out there can suggest any otherlsquopopular onesrsquo please tell me My experienceis that there are two categories of Index
1 Those that list your home page and thentrace all of the links to the home page and(over time) add all of the other pages inyour site This can take 3 or 4 weeks Theseinclude Alta Vista Lycos Yahoo and (Ithink) Excite and Yahoo
2 Those that will only list the URL you haveentered eg Infoseek and Web Crawler
Thus I have taken two approaches Withcategory 1 eg Excite I have added just thehome page to the index although each time Ido an update I add the URL of what I estimatewill be the most popular choice for that weekto Excite and Hot Bot - thus increasing thelikelihood of my site appearing on thesesindexes in the short term Alta Vista Yahooand Lycos all actively discourage this process- but I will see whether the review pages ofmy sites are being picked up before I passjudgement on this
In the case of Infoseek and Web Crawler Ientered every single URL for all the pages inmy site (about 130 to begin with) - and everytime I do an update I add the URLs for thenew pages to these indexes It is timeconsuming but I believe that it is worth it Iam starting to get traffic to the site from allover the world but it is too early to tell howsuccessful my efforts have been
WebSurfer required a payment of $350(US) to be included - I wonder how long itwill be before this trend catches on with theothers At the bank I discovered that it wouldcost me $10 - to get a cheque drawn in USdollars - so the process cost me about $15
dollars And they wonder why Australia is notcompetitive on the international scene WhileI am grizzling about banks let me alsocomment that for every client that pays me bycheque in US dollars or pounds sterling it willcost me $5 to convert that cheque to Australiandollars The trick is of course to encouragepayment by credit card but I have not foundany of the banks I have spoken to so far to beparticularly eager to allow a small untriedbusiness like this to offer credit card facilitiesAre there any banks out there that encourageAustralians to transact internationalbusiness
There are a number of providers that offer(for a fee) to list you with lsquo100 Web indexesrsquoetc but since I figure that most people onlyuse the most popular ones I havenrsquot botheredwith them
Final CommentBasically it is now a matter of wait and seewhat the response is as well as ensure that thesite is visible on the various Web indexes Thewhole process has certainly been much easierthan I expected and I can certainly recommendCorelrsquos Web Graphics suite as a good way forbeginners to get a page up on the Internet witha minimum of fuss and bother Letrsquos hope thatthe subscribers start rolling in
Nick Thomson is a management trainerconsultant and he is also the manager ofInfoRom a CD-ROM review and onlinesupport service on the Internet He can becontacted on 241 3239
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 17
A review by Alan Tebb
ldquoWhat is the name of the worldrsquos mosttattooed womanrdquo (See the answer at theend of this article)
I remember buying a copy of theGuinness Book of Records in 1979and thinking it contained the mostfascinating collection of trivial facts
and figures I had ever read Over the yearsthe book settled the occasional dinnerargument that strayed into the realm of ldquowhowas the tallest man everrdquo or ldquohow longwere the longest finger nails ever grownrdquoIt was like having the sideshow bearded ladyand the tattooed man between covers on thebookshelf every page was filled with thebizarre the freakish the unbelievable
But to be fair the Guinness Book ofRecords is more than a collection of thecurious or unusual In the month since Ibegan this review I have noticed the TV andthe newspapers have on three occasionscovered attempts to break Guinness records
Perhaps the Guinness record book fulfillsthat need in human beings to challenge theirenvironment do things that no other humanhas done before to better the incredible featsof others or to be just plain crazy Whateverthe motivation the drive to be a part ofGuinness historyndashif only for as long as arecord holdsndashis as popular now as when thewhole thing began in 1955
So naturally I was very interested to seewhat Grolier had done to make the GuinnessBook of Records a multimedia CD I wasnrsquotdisappointed Like its hardcover cousin theGuinness Multimedia Disc of Recordscontains the same extensive collection ofrecords plus a library of amazing film clipsand photographs you simply wonrsquot findanywhere else on CD
The opening interface looks like acollection of pub drink coasters It has eightpaths allowing the user to browse recordsgo straight to an index of all photographsview movie clips search by words search
1995 GuinnessMultimediaDisc of Records
by topics search by superlatives run theRandom Record Explorer or play the GuessWhat quiz
The record browser lists almost 15000records in alphabetical order and is the leasteffective way of finding your way aroundthe CD The Guinness Multimedia Disc ofRecords excels in its ability to search itsdatabase of records using some innovativeoptions The usual Boolean choices areavailable or you can have fun searching bysuperlatives such as ldquotallestrdquo or ldquoheaviestrdquoThe CD will then list all the records thatinclude the chosen adjective The otheralternative is to search through topic treesthat branch out from a few key subjects allthe way to individual records an approachoften seen in CD encyclopaedias
The disc contains over 1000photographs from the Guinness collectionincluding what must be considered some ofthe most unusual and fascinating picturesassembled in one publication The majorityof photos and videos are very high in qualityand in the case of the photos these can beprinted
My only disappointment with theGuinness Multimedia Disc of Records is thefact that it did not have a country specificsupplement The thing I liked most aboutmy 1979 hard copy version was the 30 pagesof Australia-only records at the back Evenso the multimedia version is every bit asentertaining interesting and informative asI had hoped it would be With the addedadvantage of film clips sound and greatsearch capabilities I think it is better thanthe hard copy version Now if I can onlyremember some of those unusual facts andfigures I might be a much better TrivialPursuit player
System RequirementsA 486DX processor running at 33MHz orfaster using Windows 31 or rsquo95 4 Mb ofRAM 6Mb hard disk space CD-ROMcapable of 300Kbsec or higher transfer rateand a sound card The video uses Quicktimefor Windows 20 (supplied with theproduct)
The worldrsquos most decorated woman is stripartiste Krystyne Kolorful born 5 December1952 in Alberta Canada Her body is 95percent covered and it took ten years tocomplete the work
18 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
T his comprehensive set ofpowerful drawing and photo-editing tools fills a niche for thehome or small business users
who are looking for an easy-to-use graphicspackage to create greeting cards certificatesbanners business forms signs and calendarsetc and at the same time have the capacityto scan their own photographs touch themup and add special effects or create bitmapimages using the painting tools
While both MS Publisher 97 (which Ireviewed in the March 1997 issue) and PrintHouse have some similarities and overlapin the production of greeting cards bannerscalendars menus etc this program con-centrates on the production of qualitygraphics and photographic enhancementwhile MS Publisher97 was more orientedtowards Desk Top Publishing and has nophotographic enhancement program
Corel Print amp Photo House lives up toits claim for simplicity with a friendlywizard-based interface that anyone can usewithout training It includes more than 1600ready-to-print sample files (700 of whichare cards 1000 photos 1000 phrases 150TrueType fonts 7000 clipart images 200backdrops and 70 intelligent borders andtemplates and a well-illustrated manualwhich includes a catalogue containingcollections of the clipart fonts bordersbackdrops phrases and photos on theCDROM At a loss for the appropriatewords to include The comprehensive listof phrases should meet almost everyconceivable need
Installation is simple and the programproved fully compatible with my LogitechColour scanner and DSV Graphics DisplayAccelerator
There is a key that opens a key page thatin turn displays help topics to assist withthe task in hand using cue cards The topicsopened by the key are determined by the toolin use or the object currently selected Eachcard contains an instruction and after eachstep is completed a new card displays
Wizards are available to walk usersthrough any task such as changing the colourof an object or adding shadows to text Thereis an on-screen Notebook to help guide usersthrough various operations such as how toapply effects choose a paint brush or accessthe photo collection It also provides easyand visible access to clipart bordersbackdrops and preset styles that can bedragged and dropped into designs
You can customise a project withpowerful drawing tools and flip rotate orscale any text or graphic
The vector graphics and text are fullyeditable and can be flipped rotated re-sizedungrouped and fully customised by bothcolour and shape
The Toolbars and layout will be familiarto Corel Draw users they are intuitive andperform similar functions Figure 3 showsthe Notebook to the left of the verticaltoolbar showing what you would like to donext This Notebook provides convenienton-screen context-sensitive help and guidesusers through various operations such ashow to apply effects choose a paint brushor access a photo collection It also provideseasy and visible access to clipart bordersbackdrops and preset styles that can bedragged and dropped into designs To add acatalogue item you can drag it from theNotebook and drop it into the appropriatepart of your design
One particularly neat feature is theability to save pieces of your own creationfor later use in a section called theScrapbook so that you can add it to futureprojects
Reviewed by Jim Hume
Figure 1
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 19
The Photo House was particularlyimpressive both for the ease of use and itsversatility It took just over ten minutes torepair the damage to the print in Figure 2with the result shown in Figure 3 It alsoincludes a Notebook that provides on screenhelp to guide users For touching upphotographs there are Tools for selectionRectangle Freehand Eyedropper EraserFlood Fill Paintbrush Spray Can and Clonetools There are seven different touch-upeffects including Sharpen BrightnessContrast Remove Dust and ScratchesReduce speckles Simplify colours removered-eyes and Change Colours which provide
users with everything they are likely to needto spruce up or enhance photographs
Finally they provide a touch of fun withspecial effects-Page Curl Emboss SwirlCustom Negative Vignette Motion blurAdd light source Psychedelic Ripple
texture Impress-ionist and SketchThe photo editingpossibilities arealmost endlessFigure 4 showsthe special effectspicture a crownconverted top s y c h e d e l i cformat
Figure 2
Figure 3
Apart from serious use this program willalso provide a lot of fun for all ages andsome may be carried away with over-use ofthe graphics If only to emphasise the needto keep the design simple so that readers getthe message immediately the manual wouldbenefit from a Chapter covering theprinciples of good design similar to that inthe Publisher97 Companion or at least a listof recommended reading
There is an uninstall feature whichallows the ready removal of the program
System RequirementsMinimum System requirements IBM PC486 DX or compatible Windows95 orWindows Nt 351 a CD-ROM drive a VGAcardmonitor and a mouse or tabletWindows users require 8MB of RAM andWindows NT 351 or later users will require12 MB or RAM Price - RRP $9900
Figure 4
20 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
So here we are - itrsquos about 930 amon a fine Sunday morning and Irsquomcruising along the 210 freewayeastbound from Pasadena on the
way to the computer marketplace atPomona The traffic is light moving freelydown the 6 lanes between 70 and 80 mph(forgive the non-metrics therersquos a lot ofcatching up to do here) The speed limit wasincreased from 55 to 65 mph after the oilcrisis was ldquooverrdquo and the highway patroltend to frown on anyone faster or slowerthan 65 to 80 The radio is tuned to K-Earth1011 ldquoOldiesrdquo radio (appropriate for me)the Big-O is extolling the virtues of PrettyWomen and all is right with the world
Irsquove done my homework the day beforeby visiting FRYrsquos Electronics in Burbank -a huge high-tech megastore with a computersection roughly the size of David JonesThey are generally in the lower range ofcomputer retail prices - so it is worth seeinghow they compare to values at the Pomonamarketplace
Some example of prices at FRYrsquos (forsome things I was thinking of buying) are
Tape Backup unitsIomega Ditto 2Gb - $150 (Aus $207 after825 CA sales tax and conversion at 1275)Connor 32Gb - $229 A$316HP Colorado 32Gb - $209 A$288
Parallel port TV camerasColour - $249 A$343 Greyscale- $110 A$151 [Saw them bymail order at $79 A$101 (notax)]
8Mb 72pin EDO SIMMs 70ns - $40 A$55 60ns (1 yearWarranty) - $35 A$48 60ns(Namebrand lifetime warranty) -$44 A$61
Sony Web TV(WWW + Email via your TV -No PC required) - $290 A$400
Back to Sunday and thehardest part of the trip is theU-turn into the LA County
fairgroundrsquos car park - there are 6 entrancelanes with only 2-3 cars in each so gettingto park is pretty painless except for the $5parking fee Ouch A dollar up since lasttime Then another shock to the wallet -entrance fee has increased from $7 to $8for adults (and no Seniors discount) So atotal of $13 A$18 before making it into thefirst hall A friend and I discussed theentrance price and concluded that it mightbe a cunning psychological plot - Itrsquos costso much to get this far that one should reallybuy plenty to make it all worthwhileEverybody wins organisers and dealers thatis But itrsquos certainly possible to recoup theentrance money with a purchase of aCDROM For example MS Encarta 97 wasgoing for $26 (A$36)
There is at least one and sometimes twocomputer shows somewhere in LA eachweekend but this I think this one is thebiggest It is held in two large halls(sometimes three) Each hall is capable ofeasily accommodating around 150 largishstands with 10-15 foot aisles Therersquos 4 or 5radio stations here - at least 2 broadcastingand the rest handing out various ldquofreebiesrdquowhile relaying their station overloudspeakers Add to that various spruikersshouting their wares (ldquoNo CDs over $5 onthis tablerdquo ldquoLowest motherboard prices atthe showrdquo) numerous ldquomultimediardquo demos
and a few thousand people trying to makethemselves heard It is pretty noisy
I checked with the organisers and theysaid that they average around 8000attendees per day - so up to 20000 over agood two day weekend show It surprisedme that is was that low as it can get reallycrowded (2 or 3 deep at some stands)
There were over 300 dealers that day -about average However every 2-3 monthsthe organisers run 20-30 short seminars inconjunction with the market at the Sheratonsuites on the fairground complex On thoseoccasions the attendance at the marketincreases by 30 or more
So why do people keep coming back tothese shows Are the prices so much betterHere are a few examples
Complete ldquobasicrdquo system166 Mhz 6x86 Triton VX MB PnP bios256 Kb Cache 16 Mb EDO RAM 16 GbEIDE HDD 8X EIDE CDROM PCISVGA 64 bit with 2 Mb MPEG Yamaha3D Wavetable sound card poweredspeakers 336 Fax modem with Voice
mail SVGA 15 Digital NI28 monitor mousekeyboard floppy drive etcWin95 Installed with manualamp CD $969 A$1337 for thelot
MotherboardsIntel VX chip set with all IO256 Kb Cache - $84 A$116Intel HX chip set 512K -$110 A$152 CheapestPentium MB I saw (Optichip set) - $65 A$90
Wish You Were HereSixteen Bits foriegn correspondent John Saxonchecks in from Pasadena California
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 21
Tyan Tomcat 3 with 512K - $145 (the oneI paid $220 for 4 months ago - Oh wellthatrsquos life at the bleeding edge)
RAM8Mb 60ns EDO - $35 A$48 (Brand name$2 more) 16Mb 60ns EDO - $74 A$102
CPUsPentium Pro 150 Mhz - $179 A$247Pentium MMX 200 Mhz - $538 A$742(prediction - $300 by Dec 97)
CDROM Drives6X - $55 A$76 (Untested - as is)X12 Acer - $100 A$138X2 7 disk changer - $50 A$69(Untested - as is)JVC X4 read X2 write - $259A$357X16 (LiteOn = no name Nicebox) - $108 A$149
HDDsWD Caviar 25 Gb - $225 A$311Maxstor 13 Gb - $170 A$234
ModemsUS Robotics Courier 56 Kbs +Voice - $163 A$225 No name 336Kbs + SVDS - $67 A$92 (and goingdown)
Odd stuff2 Mb VGA cards as low as $45 A$62Cheapest parallel port flatbed scanner -$203 A$280
Stocking stuffers 230 Watt powersupplies - $17 A$23IDE HDD mobile rack with lock - $12A$17 TEAC 144 MbFDD - $20 A$28
The only direct comparison with FRYrsquosprices was for the HP 32 Gb tape backupunit - $209 at FRYrsquos - $149 at the marketSo it can definitely be worth the trip BUTsome of the dealers may not be around toolong to honour warranties and there aresome definitely ldquoshonkyrdquo practices goingon An example is the almost universalpractice of breaking up CDROM ldquobundlesrdquoto sell separately a practice much frownedupon by OEMs Caveat Emptor
So what was hot or different at thismarketplace
Well the new ATX format motherboardsand cases seemed to be selling well Forthose who donrsquot know - ATX is the new
mechanical layout with some electricalimprovements agreed by the major man-ufacturers (the first major mechanicalchange since the original PC) The mostobvious difference in the new motherboardsis on-board connectors (including USB andIR) and externally removable panels on thecases (you need a new case and Powersupply with the new motherboards) Butthere are many more changes infunctionality including ldquogreenrdquo systemPower supply control - never turn the system
off (except by unplugging it) Boards were$150 A$207 and up and cases with PSUsaround $75 A$104
Recordable CDROM drives were sellingwell with media down to $8 A$11 Didnrsquotsee any of the new DVD CD-ROM drivesbut these shows are not generally ldquocuttingedgerdquo more concentration on lower (slightlytrailing edge) prices
But I tried on a great pair of LCD 3Dglasses with modified game software - veryimpressive results The glasses switch 48times per sec (some noticeable flicker) andcome with a CDROM which include driversand some modified ldquoshoot-em-uprdquo gamesDescent 3D Nukem Doom etc for a totalof $99 A$137 The same stand also sold a4MB 128 bit Video card with hardwareMPEG2 decompression for $159 A$219Terminator-2 at full screen and full ratelooking better than your average TV
I even saw a $999 A$1378 home-use2-axis VR - that is Virtual Reality - chaircontrolled by the joystick It is quite quiet(as far as I could tell in amongst the racket)and apparently air driven with 50 degreesmovement in pitch and 55 degrees in roll
The monitor mounts in front of your kneesand the keyboard (for an optional operator -or simulation controller) behind the seatback There were speakers and joystick builtin also It seemed to be very fast and wasquite nauseating to watch Combine thiswith the 3D glasses for a total experience(if your stomach could take it)
There are probably more software thanhardware stands with CDROMs from $199up to $199 A$275 for Office 97 Pro upgrade(probably another unbundling job) Also 3
or 4 book stores - selling at coverprice less 25 for one book to coverprice less 35 for 5 or more books
Not all the stands are totallycomputer oriented There are a fairsprinkling of chiropractors (on thespot diagnosis) ldquoself defenserdquostands (mace amp pepper sprayselectric stun guns and (strangely)large knives) Cell phones pagerscigars and jewelry etc - you nameit A pretty large curtained off area(over 21 only) had several dealersselling thousands of ldquoadultrdquoCDROMs and videos A nice
change from the ldquooldrdquo days when that stuffwas included on most stands One of theradio stations was giving out ldquoEarthquakepreparationrdquo leaflets - modern times in LA
What did I buy Well - very restrainedfor me Only 16 Mb (2 X 8 Mb EDOSIMMs) of RAM - name brand (Toshiba) at$38 (A$52) each Also an HP Deskjetprinter colour refill kit At $55 (A$76) it waspretty expensive but it is supposed to refillcolour cartridges up to 24 times and B ampW up to 6 times so it could well be worth it- came with a package of business card paper(my choice parchment) also Oh and a W95or 31 Wincheck Version 40 softwarepackage at $1495 A$21 - I couldnrsquot resist
So after 2 12 hours I had taken a quickcheck around all the stands with no repeatsand I was out of there - all computered out(at least for one day) Irsquove been to that showat least 6 to 8 times before plus othersaround LA and I still get a mild adrenalinerush when going in - calculated to causeshopping frenzy
22 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Confused aboutYoursquore not alone
By Nhan Tran
Getting onto the InternetYoursquove heard about the informationsuperhighway and you want to know moreYour kids want to get on the Internet butyou donrsquot know how to give them a driveYou have been using the Internet but whenyou asked for help you could not explainyour problems to the experts This article(or maybe a series of articles) gives you thewhole picture and some explanation on thevehicle you use to get on the superhighway
The SuperhighwayThe Internet is a complex (and sometimesconvoluted) network of superhighways Theroads may be a six-lane freeway a four-lanehighway a side street or even a narrow alleyThey may be on the ground above groundunderground at the bottom of the seas orflying high with the satellites in space
On top of that you donrsquot actually driveyour car It is driven by an automatic driverwhich is nearly blind and canrsquot see fartherthan the next turn It is weird It is unnaturalwhich may be the reason why it works andthe other ldquowell-designedrdquo networks failedThe whole network is based on the conceptof ldquobest effortsrdquo That is the robot driverswould try their best but not guarantee thatthey would take you to the destination
They try to find the best route for you Itmeans that if the road is too congested theymay make a U-turn get off the freeway andcrawl through a labyrinth of cat alleys Theroads are like the real ones sometimes thereis almost no traffic at all other times theylook like a huge car park The matter getsworse when you take into account of thedifferent timezones around the world Oneorsquoclock in Australia may be the rush hourin another country and if you want to getinformation from there you get caught inthe traffic
Because of these characteristicssomeone (I think it was Mitch Kapor thespreadsheet inventor) has made a comment
like ldquothe information superhighway is a ten-lane freeway in one direction and an ox-cart path in the otherrdquo
But if you can go to where you wantwould you care I donrsquot I treat the wholenetwork like a fuzzy cloud that magicallygives me the new freedom the newcommunity and the new set of problems
The Highway RampSo how do you get on this super highwayThere are places which are connected to thehighway network on one side and entrancesfor you to enter on the other They are calledservers Normally what you see on theInternet is what is stored at these serversbecause most people like you donrsquot wantstrangers to access your PC (I wouldnrsquot leta stranger into my house) Luckily there aremany servers with many goodies to look ator play with
Getting onto these servers is not easyYou use a modem connected to a phone lineto call the modem on the server When theserver modem answers the call they wouldstart the process of synchronisation Toomany standards and too many brands If youare unlucky your modem may refuse to talkto the other modem and you would spendhours of frustration and get a huge phonebill
The high pitch tone you hear from themodem is this process When both modemssatisfy that they can reliably talk to eachother the noise stops Then itrsquos the butlerrsquosturn
The ButlerThere is a very important program for yourInternet access It is a program that asks the
modem to make the call to the server andwhen connected requests a login on yourbehalf to the server
What is a login You come to a friendrsquosplace knock the door or ring the bellSomeone in the house would ask ldquowho isthererdquo and yoursquod say ldquoitrsquos just merdquo Yourfriend recognises your voice opens the doorand let you in If you work in a securedenvironment every morning when you enterthe building you would show your ID cardto the security guard
Your username (or user ID or login ID)and your password are equivalent to the IDcard If you get the dreaded ldquoaccess deniedrdquoit means (a) you (or the program that doeson your behalf) entered incorrect username(b) you entered wrong password or (c) youran out of access hours or the accessexpired or your PCUG membership
expiredThis program is
always there rendashgardless of how youstart your Internetsession Some
access the Internet by Eudora some byMicrosoft Internet Explorer some useNetscape They either have a built-inprogram to do this job or automatically callthis program to make the connection Evenif you donrsquot see it on the screen it is runningin the background The popular PC prondashgrams that can do this task are TrumpetWinsock (or TCPMAN) Shiva Chameleonor Dial-up Networking Connect etc
Once the connection is established thisprogram will take on the task of a butlerserving other programs Letrsquos look at thefollowing analogy
Letrsquos assume that you (or to be precisethe PC programs such as Eudora MSInternet Explorer Netscape etc) were aninvalid confined in a room You would needa butler to help you getting things outside
ldquoThe roads may be a six-lane freeway a four-lanehighway a side street or even a narrow alleyrdquo
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 23
the Internet
the room When you (Eudora InternetMail Netscape Mail) wanted to checkyour mail yoursquod ask the butler to checkthe letter box and bring letters to yourbed When you wanted to send lettersto friends or relative yoursquod ask thebutler to take it to the post office
When you (Free Agent InternetNews Netscape News) wanted to readnewspaper yoursquod ask the butler to goto the newsagent and buy newspaper foryou When you (Internet ExplorerNetscape Opera) wanted a book or avideo yoursquod ask the butler to buy suchand such books or videos for you
It is so important that without it youcanrsquot get anything f rom thesuperhighway So if you started yoursession from Trumpet Winsock whenthe connection has been made (ie whenyou see the message ldquoMy IP address is2031076xxxrdquo) donrsquot close or exit theprogram Minimise it and let it run inthe background so that it can serve otherprograms Otherwise you would getstrange and incomprehensible errormessage such as ldquowinsockdll missingrdquo(trust a programmer to tell you whatrsquoswrong in the program he or she wrote)
Thatrsquos enough for the boring stuffNext t ime wersquo l l ta lk about emai l(eletronic mail) news World Wide Web(if the Queen is doing it so why canrsquotwe) and other mysteries of the Internet
Internet Clinics are normally held at the PCUG Centre Northpoint PlazaBelconnen the first Saturday of each month 930am to 1pm There is nocost involved
So if you (or another PCUG member you know of) are having problemsyou (or they) will be welcome to attend It is suggested that you call thePCUG Centre on the day and check with the staffer that we are notoverloaded before coming along
To get a problem on your PC resolved it is essential that you bring all ofthe following items with you
bull PC and Monitor plus all interconnecting cables
bull Mouse
bull Keyboard
bull Modem
bull Modem power supply
bull Modem cables - from PC to modemand from modem to telephone socket
bull Modem and PC manuals amp documentation
bull All of your software disks -
ie Win31 or Windows95 disksCD
If you dont have a PC to fix but you want to get some guidance on someparticular aspect of using TIP please feel free to come along and simplytalk to us
Clinics are not a free softwaremodem installation service We do expectyou to have made a reasonable attempt at getting the software installed ampworking
David Schwabe dschwabepcugorgau
The Internet Clinic
24 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
A t the start of this year I startedto get interested again in an oldheroine from days of misspentyouth in the rsquo70s New York
underground poet-turned-singer Patti Smithldquothe Bob Dylan of the punk scenerdquoThought Irsquod see whether there was anythingon the Web and found anexcellent site at httpwwwoceanstarcompatti Tomy astonishment I found thatshe was in Australia on her firstmajor tour anywhere in years mainly for theBig Day Out outdoor concerts
I had heard of the Big Day Out tour viaTriple J but this was the first Irsquod heard ofher being on the bill After seeing other re-formed punk heroes Radio Birdman and theSex Pistols in 1996 was it possible I couldmake the trifecta Alas the Sydney eventhad been booked out for two weeks
Via the JJJ Web site httpwwwabcnetautriplejdefaulthtm I found theBig Day Out Web site httpstarbaitbdocomaustarbaitbdo and loand behold they were having live conndashnections to the Melbourne concert on the25th January via the Internet with the
assistance of a US-based organisation calledThe Campus (wwwthecampuscom) If Icouldnrsquot be there in Sydney to see Patti inperson this would be as close as I couldget In addition I had always seemed to findout about real-time events on the Web justafter theyrsquod occurred and here at least wasan opportunity to be in at the start it wouldbe an interesting technical exercise ifnothing else
First choice was browser InternetExplorer 3 or Netscape Navigator 3 I gatherIrsquom not unlike many in having been initiallybowled over with IE3 then finding that itwas less robust and in particular made fargreater demands on temporary storage thanNetscape With little free disk space and
being about to try all sortsof new things I decided toplay safe and use Navigator
The Big Day Out Website (figure 1) was well done
and looked great including animatedgraphics and good use of frames but wasif anything as the British say ldquotoo cleverby halfrdquo For example you selected optionsvia a Shockwave animation of ducks in ashooting gallery click the mouse on a duckwhen an alternative was highlighted yoursquodhear a BANG the duck would flop overbackwards and yoursquod be off to that optionVery cute very clever and very slow andfrustrating for actually going anywhere Inaddition it appeared that when you went tosome pages they called up some trick Javacode which brought up Netscape sessionsin what looked like Kiosk mode no menusLooked neat but again a nuisance The sitehad its own mascot a sort of anime-stylekick-boxing heroine called Miss Starbait (Iassume a risque in-joke try saying the namequickly)
Once you got to it the information wasthorough and well laid out A list of artistsincluded links for those who had Web pagesThere was a page on the Auckland concert(first in the series) with photos etc For eachcity on the tour the site had links to maps ofthe venues and also timetables I foundfrom this that in Melbourne Patti Smithwould be on Stage C 540 PM for an hour
There were two main components to theInternet part of the day a Real Audio feedwith both backstage comments and the
via the Internet or -the boy looked at PattiO
BDig
ayut
by Malcolm Street
Figure 1
This is the era where everybody createsPatti Smith - ldquoSo you want to be a Rock n Roll Starrdquo 1979
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 25
stage and a new form of conferencingsoftware called The Palace where artistswould come for QampA sessions with fansIrsquod experimented with Real Audio but notto any great depth and had never even heardof Palace and I had to get this all togetherin a day Fortunately there were direct linkson the Big Day Out Web site
While I had a Real Audio stand-aloneplayer one page on the site came up with ablank expecting a Real Audio plug-in Ontothe Net to the Real Audio page todownload Real Audio player version 3Install restart Navigator back to the pageand voila A Real Audio control in themiddle of a Web page Painless
Then to work out which ISP to useUnfortunately the weekend was the onebefore the ldquoearly birdrdquo credits expired forTIP and I presume because of this it wasalmost impossible to get on One time whenI did get on I tested the Real Audiobackstage feed from Melbourne and foundI was only getting a 144k stream and poorquality at that I had a second backupaccount with Access One with a higherspeed (and far more expensive) networkand found that I could get a stable 288kReal Audio stream so that was going to be
what Irsquod have to use Not to mention thatthe time Patti Smith would be on would bepeak time anyway
Next step was to find Palace again viaa direct link from the BDO page to httpwwwthepalacecom I had used forms of
3D interactive software but Palace wasdifferent much simpler just 2D backndashgrounds Really a sort of IRC withbackdrops and sound effects For the BigDay Out the organisers had produced theirown backgrounds and sounds and I had todownload those as well from their siteHowever there were no instructions on howto set them up so it ended up being trialand error until I got it to work puttingimages and sounds in separate subdirndashectories under the Palace directory
Finally I had Palace running with the BigDay Out backdrops and found myselfoutside a circus tent which included livelinks to the Big Day Out and Campus Webpages (figure 2) Moving ldquoinsiderdquo the tentgot me to an area where I could don aparticular costume however choices werelimited for non-registered users andappeared to reset so I had to be content withthe default avatar a soft of sphere with aface on it (figure 3)
Finally there was the conference tentitself guarded by a fearsome lookingdoorman who asked for a passwordClicking on his lady companion told you tolook in the log Once Irsquod figured out howto do that I found it ldquomama cazrdquo Typedthat in response to the doorman and whoafound myself in this psychedelic room whichwas to be the conference area (figure 4)
Figure 3
Figure 2
26 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
I knew when Patti Smith was going tobe on stage what I didnrsquot know was whenshersquod be in conference in the Palace I waslistening to the back stage chatter via RealAudio this time more organised as Campuswas acting as ldquoon line radio stationrdquobroadcasting to the USA ldquoAustraliarsquosLollapolloozardquo and in the middle of this Iheard them give times for different artistsbeing in the virtual tent with Patti Smithroughly 430 Problem solved
430 arrived Back on line into the tentanother band (Supergrass) being inndashterviewed The conference area is now fullof faces with a still photo of the band downthe bottom left-hand corner Irsquove had verylittle experience with IRC and this seemsvery similar hard to follow with variousthreads of conversation going on sindashmultaneously but I gradually tune in to itTherersquos a thread going about problemspeople are having with reliably picking upReal Audio - oh dear As well as a fewAustralians there are a couple of Americansin there and a South African Then see thatPatti Smith is about to come on And sureenough C 440 the picture changes and thereshe is
Unfortunately the session is a bit of ashambles Unlike the younger artists (sherecently turned 50) she does not appear tobe familiar with the technology andsomeone else is doing the typing for herslowing down and complicating exchangesSeems to be the passing of the torch - a bitof a fish out of water in the environment ofa younger generation The bass player ofher backing group had suffered concussion20 minutes before from a collision with arogue door hence her lateness Thingsfinally get under way (one person ldquoa fanfrom WAY backrdquo says ldquonot many questionsjust adorationrdquo I can relate to that) but justas itrsquos building up a head of steam she getsa long phone call (presumably about the bassplayer) and has to call it quits prematurely
Irsquoll just have to wait and see if theconcert is any better
Well the concert is indeed better In factwhen I can hear it clearly (see later) itrsquoswonderful She starts with an early poemroaring it out with authority then afterthanks to JJJ who are handling the broadcastto the Internet and to the absent bass player
launches into the concert proper a greatblend of old and new
The sound quality is to put it mildlyvariable It was much better in earlier gigsthat day with Australian bands but itappears to drop off markedly on this onePerhaps too many people on at onceAmerican fans connecting in to hear one ofher first big shows in years Checking withstatistics in Real Audio shows theconnection approaching 20 loss in someearly songs leaving a very jerky soundFortunately it improves later with lossesdown to around 4 and sound quiteacceptable (People dropping out infrustration) However later on a fewoccasions the sound drops out completelyand I have to wait while it restarts somendashtimes for a couple of minutes
Then just as the concert comes to ashattering climax heading into one of myfavourite songs of hers a demolition of VanMorisonrsquos Gloria the Real Audio feed goesfor me at least dead Stone cold dead It islike the other times when it has dropped outbut this time it wonrsquot recover BummerAfter several minutes I can get the feedagain but just get an empty stage waitingfor the next band
So that was it a frustrating end to afrustrating but fascinating day At best thesound quality was am radio standards Butthen again these are very early days and Ican remember worse am radio sounds ontransistor radios as a kid in the lsquo60rsquos Avideo feed would have been real nice butone thing that is obvious from this exerciseis that live audio let alone live video ispushing current Internet technology to itslimits and beyond with a large numbers ofsimultaneous users in a function like thisSo as with so much on the Net wersquore seeingthe first glimpses of something that will takeanother generation of technology to becomepractical But hey this is the world of theNet and another generation could be onlysix months away
Later that night I connect to the Palacesite again and find a note at the tent to sayit was all over and to check up next week Ido indeed and they reckon over 100000people worldwide connected to the site thatone day and that the live broadcast of PattiSmithrsquos complete concert was a world firstApart from catching up with an old idol Irsquodseen a glimpse of a communications futureof being part of an event shared interactivelylive world-wide yet another step towardsthe Global Village
Figure 4
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 27
Stuffed AgainThe following members and friendsare thanked for assisting with stuffingour journal for mailing
Andrew amp Bruce Bartlett
Bruce Black
Owen Cook
Eddie de Bear
John Dyer
Bob Ecclestone
Rufus Garcia
Sally Hammon
John Hempenstall
Joy Hewett
Sue amp Jim Hume
Jenny Laraman
Alan Lockett
David Meggs
Allan Mikkelsen
Don Nicol
Gloria Robbins
Keith Sayers
Rod Smith
John Starr
Bob Summersby
Michael Taylor
Gordon Urquhart
Anne WarrenerWe are always looking for volunteersto assist us with the lsquostuffingrsquo of ourjournal We start around 530pm(latecomers are welcome) usually on the2nd last Monday of every month andare generally finished by 800pmRefreshments are provided and any ofyour knotty computer problems can bedebated lsquoat the round tablersquo in congenialcompany If you would like to helpplease ring Petra Dwyer at the PCUGCentre on 253 4911 and she will fill youin on all the details
Next Stuffing530pm Monday 19 May 1997at Northpoint Plaza Belconnen
(see map page 6)
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at
Oz User GroupsAdelaide PC Users GroupPO Box 2541Kent Town SA 5071(08) 332-7021Margi McLeay (Sec)Meet 730pm 3rd Tuesday of themonth at Enterprise House 136Greenhill Road Unley Visitors $5
Brisbane PC Users Group(Brisbug)PO Box 985Toowong QLD 4066(07) 3273 7266 Info Line(07) 3281 6503Lloyd Smith (Pres)Meet 12 noon 3rd Sunday of themonth at Bardon Professional Cntr
Darwin ComputerUsers ClubGary Drake (Vice President)(089) 324 107 h(089) 450 091 wEmail acsntacslinknetau
Melbourne PC User Group2nd Floor 66 Albert RoadSouth Melbourne VIC 3205(03) 9699 6222 10am - 330pm(03) 9699 6499 FaxEmail officemelbpcorgauHome Page httpwwwmelbpcorgauMeet 6pm 1st Wednesday of themonth (except Jan) at PharmacyCollege 381 Royal Parade Parkville
Perth PC Users GroupPO Box 997West Perth WA 6872(09) 399 7264 Trevor Davis (Pres)Meet 600pm 1st Wednesday of themonth at Ross Lecture TheatrePhysics Building University of WANedlands
Sydney PC Users GroupPO Box A2162Sydney South NSW 2000(02) 972 2133 Michelle DonaldMeet 6pm 1st Tuesday of the monthat main auditorium TeachersFederation 300 Sussex StreetSydney
28 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Features include fun animation sound effectsand a high-score listing Reg Fee $15
COMET13Comet Busters 13 is an incredible high-speedarcade game for WIN31 You must clear thecolourful asteroids and occasional alienspacecraft from the screen before you canproceed to the next deadly level This gamefeatures beautiful 256-colour ray-tracedgraphics and digital sound effects Reg Fee $9
HMN32V11Hangman (BB) 111 is a word-guessing gamefor Win95 that can help grade school-agechildren improve their vocabulary andspelling Features include an editable wordlist the ability to include definitions with eachword mouse or keyboard input and moreRequires the 32-bit VB runtime files Reg Fee$5
PDHP97SUPrairie Dog Hunt PRO rsquo97is a shooting gamefor Windows that allows you to participate inthe wholesale slaughter of harmless mammalswithout all the mess Features include 360
LIBRARY Phil Trudinger
The files described in this article are on theMarch 1997 CD-ROM (PsL Vol 5 3) whichis currently on the Bulletin Board all are ZIPfiles Please quote the month or Vol whenordering files on disk
The text files CD1 to 7 inclusive in Area 1 ofthe Bulletin Board are the monthly CD-ROMfile lists
Reminder
Most CD-ROM programs are Shareware Areasonable time (generally one month) isallowed for evaluation but if you continue touse a program beyond this time you shouldcomply with the authorrsquos conditions thatusually require payment of a registration feeBear in mind that this is the only way by whichan author receives any reward for hisherefforts Unless otherwise stated registrationfees are in US dollars
NEW AND UPDATEDWINDOWS PROGRAMS
(An asterisk denotes Windows 95specificity or compatibility)
GAMES
AGNSETUPAGNS - A Game of Naval Strategy 162 is agame of naval warfare for Windows whereyour objective is to sink the computerrsquos unitsor capture his main base Each turn consistsof a plot movement phase air combat phasemovement and combat phase air strike returnphase and a repairbuild phase Thissequence is repeated until one side claimsvictory Reg Fee $15
BG17Backgammon by George 17 is an excellentgame of backgammon for Windows You canplay against the computer (with four differentskill levels) or against a human opponentOther features include the ability to saverecall games many unique customisingoptions computer-suggested moves andmore Reg Fee $15
BNW10ABuild lsquon Win 10a is an interesting strategicgame for Windows where two players buildtheir opponentrsquos game boards and try to makethem as difficult as possible to complete
degree scrolling scenery excellent animationdigitised sound effects multiple skill levelsand a high-score hall of fame Reg Fee $20
SANWHRTSSanDearsquos Hearts for Windows 100 allowsyou to play the classic card game Hearts inWindows Features include support for up to12 computer players modem play the abilityto create a hand an undo option the ability tosave and rotate a hand and more Reg Fee$10
TILES95BTiles and Tribulations 152 is a challenginggame for Win95 where you try to catch fallingcoloured tiles and drop them into bins in alogical manner Any three (or more) tiles ofthe same colour in bins going horizontallyvertically or diagonally will be removed andincrease your score Reg Fee $22
GRAPHICS
CPLAY2Childrsquos Play IIis a 256-colour paint programfor children It occupies the full screen to help
SOFTWARE
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 29
prevent the child from going to other applic-ations Features include unique graphicspecial effects rubber stamps various screenerasers fun sound effects the ability to loadsaveprint images and more This is anexcellent program with many creative optionsto keep the little ones busy for hours Reg Fee$20-$25
GIFCON32GIF Construction Set 95 109 is a powerfulcollection of tools to work with multiple-block GIF files in Win95 It will allow you toassemble GIF files containing image blocksplain text blocks comment blocks and controlblocks and provides facilities to managepalettes and merge multiple GIF files togetherRequires a minimum of 4MB RAM but 8MBis recommended Reg Fee $20
ICN95525Icons Control 95 525 displays up to 100icons at a time for quick viewing printingcopying renaming moving or deleting Apowerful icon editor is also providedRequires Win95 Reg Fee $25
SD95INSTSmartDraw 95 30 is a powerful drawingprogram for Win95 It allows you to easilycreate great looking flowcharts diagrams andbusiness graphics Features include drag anddrop drawing OLE support full compatibil-ity between 16 and 32-bit versions filesharing the ability to send drawings on mail-enabled systems and much moreSDINSTALis the Win31 version Reg Fee $49
FONTS
FLFontLister (32-bit) 15 displays all installedfonts in Win95 You can also print a completefont listing or just some sample text with aselected font Reg Fee $0
FONTSHOWFontShow (32-bit) 22 allows you easily toview the TrueType fonts installed in Win95NT Options are included to display user-specified sample text in place of the normalfont name and alphanumeric character setThe size and face of the currently selectedfont can be quickly changed and the resultsdisplayed automatically Reg Fee $0
FONTW11FontWindow 11 displays all your Windowsfonts on screen so you can quickly see whichfont you want to use It can be set to stay ontop so you can view fonts while running otherprograms Reg Fee $29-$39
SERIFRACSeriFractions is a TrueType font that has a fullset of diagonal and vertical fractions for 12through 89 and also 16ths and 32nds It alsohas a partial set of mathematical symbolsincluding the true multiplication (x) symbolReg Fee $10
SYMSELSymbol Selector 11 allows you to easilyselect and copy symbols from TrueType fonts
that are of the ldquosymbolrdquo variety (such asWingdings and Symbols) to the WindowsClipboard Reg Fee $0
INTERNET
ADZAP10AdZapper 10 is an add-on for NetscapeNavigator to ldquozaprdquo (eliminate) annoyingadvertisements Reg Fee $20
AWN95AutoWinNet95 10 lets you perform commonInternet tasks on a scheduled basis You cancreate an ldquoagendardquo with dozens of stepsincluding updownloading email retrievingand sending obtaining weather updates andmore Requires Win95 Reg Fee $30
GGI11Go-Get-It 110 performs exhaustive preciseand ultra-fast searches of the Internet using acombination of keyword search Usenetnewsgroups search and various searchengines Features include automatic retrievalof all found web pages and informationoptional storage in separate folders to be usedlater and more Reg Fee $40
MASNDW32MailSend (32-bit) 3x is an add-on forMicrosoft Mail and Win95 that allows you tosend messages from the command line orfrom batch files Reg Fee $49
ND276BNetDial 276b is an Internet dialler forWindows It will call your host log you inand automatically start your TCPIP packagefor you Features include support for up to 5separate configuration connections baud ratesupport to 256k redial up to 99 times WAVsound file support and more Reg Fee $20
PRO12Teleport Pro 120 is a multi-threaded file-retrieving offline-browsing webspider forWin95 It scans the Internet for files or sites ofinterest and downloads them to your harddrive for fast offline access Features includeadvanced file typesize matching keywordfilters the ability to handle proxy servers andpassword-protected sites automatic retriesand more Reg Fee $40
TRAW3215Trawler (32-BIT) 15 allows you to interact-ively browse and gather information from theWeb It automatically follows links andretrieves pages to your hard drive It can evenfollow links from different web databasessimultaneously Reg Fee $35
30 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
MISCELLANEOUS
CALC9534Calc95 34 is a scientificengineeringcalculator for Win95 with a wide range ofbuilt-in units conversions and physicalconstants Reg Fee $25
GL10DThe GL Store for Windows 10d is a completedouble-entry general ledger accountingprogram for Windows It maintains 10000 GLaccounts multiple companies budgets 3-Dcolour graphs recurring accounts multipledepartments and detailed reports Reg Fee $79
HBGHome Business Guide 30 is a Windows-based guide to starting a business from homeIt discusses selecting planning and startingyour own business and covers resourcestools and help available Reg Fee $0
TIMCLK13PC-TimeClock for Windows 13 keeps trackof time yoursquove spent on your computer Timeis charged to one or more projects from yourlist by ldquopunching inrdquo when you begin work oneach project Reg Fee $18
MUSIC
MT32_16A Musical Tutorial for Windows (32-bit) 160provides an excellent way to encouragemusical study using the graphically-orientedenvironment of Win95 This includes a chorddictionary musical games the ability to playview and print scales chords and triads a userlog and much more This is suitable for bothchildren and adults Reg Fee $25
SCALEIT4ScAleIt 40 is a musical scalecordeducational package for Windows It candisplay all the chords and scales with all rootsand all inversions Features include aneditable database the ability to play chordsscales through your sound card MIDIsupport a solving function and much more800x600 screen resolution is recommendedReg Fee $0
PHONEADDRESS BOOKS
AM_PB45Phone Book for Windows 45 is a nameaddress database for WIN31 Fields areprovided for name addresses two phonenumbers fax and comments Other featuresinclude phone dialling over a modemsearching capabilities printing options andmore Reg Fee $17
BAM211Burrilliant Address Manager 211 helpsorganise all of your phone numbers address-es birthdays account numbers and more inWin95 All personal or business informationcan be printed for your day planner in a cleanattractive format Reg Fee $15
CARDBASECardBase (32-bit) 23 is a combinationaddress book and phone dialler for Win95NT Along with the regular fields for namesaddresses and phone numbers it can alsostore email addresses FAX numbers and website URLs Cards can be quickly sorted byname or custom card groups Searching andsorting operations are fast and intuitive RegFee $0
PHNMKR18Phone Book Maker 18 allows you to createphone books in pocket 12 letter and lettersize Features include 30 useful fields perrecord standard envelope printing powerfulindexfiltersearch facilities importexportcapabilities in variety of formats virtuallyunlimited records and more Reg Fee $50
SCREEN SAVERS
ADRF3210Adrift Screensaver (32-bit) 100 displaysbeautiful floating line patterns on your Win95desktop Reg Fee $14
AURADEMOAurora Screen Savers is a screen savermodule for Windows that simulates a 3-Djourney through the Aurora Borealis Twelvedifferent colour patterns are available Thisversion displays a nag box in the upper leftcorner of the screen Requires 256-colourvideo Reg Fee $18
BLKBRD15Blackbird Screen Saver 15 is a Windowsscreen saver module that displays photos ofthe SR-71 spy plane in action Requires 256-colour video and 4MB RAM Reg Fee $15
BOMBER15Bombs Away 150 is a slideshow screensaver for Windows with 256-colour digitisedphotos of jet bombers in action Requires4MB memory Reg Fee $15
BOTANICABotanica Screen Savers is a screen savermodule for Windows that displays a virtualgarden of growing plants and flowers inbeautiful variations of colour and shape
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 31
Twelve different savers are provided eachwith their own unique patterns Requires 256-colour VGA and VBRUN300 Reg Fee $18
JEWELJewelBox 10 is a screen saver for Windowsthat displays colourful ldquojewelsrdquo that appear togrow on your screen Features includeinteractive options a variety of palettechoices and more Reg Fee $18
JOTREE15Joshua Tree Screen Saver 150 displays thestark beauty of the California desert capturedin stunning 24-bit colour images Requires a386+ 4MB RAM and 256-colour video RegFee $15
METALLIXMetallix is a screen saver module for Win-dows that displays metallic sculptures whichunfold in unique and unpredictable patternscreating a mesmerising transformative effectThere are twelve different savers to choosefrom each with its own distinct settingsRequires 256-colour VGA and VBRUN300Reg Fee $19
NIAGRA15Niagara Falls Screen Saver 150 is a screensaver module for Windows with photos of thefalls and immediate vicinity The photos rotateautomatically when activated Requires 256-colour video and 4MB memory Reg Fee $15
PICSHO32MyPictureShow32 is a Win95 screen saver inwhich the visual content is supplied by yourown collection of computer images There isno limit to the number of pictures you canuse and nine different display modes areavailable The slideshow mode allows achoice of 17 transition styles Other featuresinclude support for BMPJPGGIF graphicfiles password protection automatic scalingof large images to available screen size and
more This demo version will run 20 timesthen disables itself Reg Fee $16
SSCR8R21My Own Screen Saver 21 allows you tocreate your own screen saver using yourfavourite images and pictures You cancombine selected BMP DIB and WMF fileswith 32 different visual effects Reg Fee $20
TWIST151Twister Screen Saver 151 is a 32-bit screensaver for Win95 that transforms your desktopinto a windy landscape with one or moretwisters moving everything deforming yourdesktop making everything a mess You canconfigure the wind speed number of twistersthe twisterrsquos speed and more Reg Fee $8
VENIC12Venice Screen Saver 12 is a Windows screensaver module that displays graphics thatsimulate floating through the canals of Veniceon your gondola as Italian music and the
sound of splashing waves fills the air Reg Fee$29-$39
VIDSAVVidSaver 11 is a Windows screen saver thatplays video clips and animations while yourcomputer is idle Reg Fee $20
TEXT EDITING
EDT236PEM EdTex for Windows 95 236 is a 32-bittext editor for Win95 It can edit a maximumof 2000000 characters and 30000 linesOther features include macro support printingoptions word wrap multiple undoredoblock editing and more Reg Fee $35
GTE32R15GWD Text Editor (32-bit) 15 is a powerfultext editing package for Win95 Featuresinclude support for macros unlimited filesize print preview a built-in spell checker anautosave option support for DOSUNIXMactext file formats and much more Reg Fee$20
JW32T22CJ-Write for Windows (32-bit) 22 is a fullfeatured editor for general text files and emailFeatures include the ability to edit very largefiles support for any ANSI font configurabletab settings and four line wrap modes multi-level undoredo and more Reg Fee $30
QUIKDC11QuikDict Spelling Dictionary 11 is a pop updictionary accessible from the Win95 ToolTray Features include the ability to spellcheck all words as they are typed alphabeticand ldquosounds likerdquo word matching over91000 EnglishAmerican words in thedictionary the ability to automatically pastethe correct spelling back to the clipboard andmore Reg Fee $19
SCRATCH4Scratch Pad (32-bit) 21 is a text editor forWin95 Features include the ability toautomatically capture clipboard information aprint preview function undo facilities andmore Reg Fee $15
TXEDITTxEdit (32-bit) 25 is an easy-to-use texteditor that makes a nice replacement for theWin95 Notepad Features include the abilityto viewedit multiple documents search andreplace options drag-and-drop support MacUnix file support and more Reg Fee $0
32 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
TXP3223TextPad (32-bit) 23 is a text editor forWin95NT It can handle files with up to32000 lines of 4095 characters with multiplesimultan-eous edits and up to two views oneach document Other features include fullundoredo facilities print previewing atoolbar for frequently-used commands abuilt-in file manager support for Unix andMacintosh text file formats drag-and-dropsupport and much more TXP1223 is theWin31 version Reg Fee $27-$35
UTILITIES
ADDIT10ES Adding-Machine 10 is a unique calculatorfor Windows that is designed for adding upcolumns of figures Entered figures areretained on-screen and can be edited so youwonrsquot have to start again if you are interrupt-ed or make a mistake Reg Fee $40
CIDV09CIDview monitors a selected telephone lineand reports the Caller ID whenever there is anincoming call The details of incominginformation will be automatically displayedon your screen with the Caller ID informationstaying visible for 10 seconds Reg Fee $9
DLLCHK95DLL Check 95is a DLL management utilityfor Win95 Features include the ability tocreate a log of all modules that load or unloadin a session the ability to search for duplicatemodules and a detailed information displayfor selected modules Reg Fee $80
EASYZIPEasy Zip (32-bit) 10 makes it incredibly easyto archive files with PKZIP in Win95 Itallows you to use point-and-click operationsinstead of all the context-switching and messybatch files of manually using PKZIP fromDOS Reg Fee $1850
HDLED11Hard Disk LED 11 simulates a hard disk lightthat flashes every time there is disk activityAn icon appears on the Win95 task bar andflashes every time the system accesses yourhard drive Reg Fee $5
HYSNP278HyperSnap 278 allows you to capture thedesktop highlighted window areas or user-defined areas in Win95NT Features includehotkey support cropping facilities the ability
to save images in BMPGIFJPEG format andmuch more Reg Fee $20
LONGSAVELongSave 101 is used to save the list of longfile names and short names to a commadelimited ASCI text file The short names canthen be backed up or zipped or copied withutilities that are not long-file-name-awareAfter the files are transferred it uses theASCII file to restore the original long file
names This must be run from a DOS sessionunder Win95 Reg Fee $25-$95
REDH22Red Hand 22 tells you exactly what someonedid on your computer while you were awayexactly when they did it and how long it tookWindows can be discretely ldquolockedrdquo toprevent access and will simply close themimmediately or send an error message of yourchoice You can control exactly which areasof your computer that you do not want othersto have access to Reg Fee $25
RMVR32RemoveR 161 helps delete unneeded filesfrom your hard drive after you have installed aprogram in Win95 It will take a snapshot ofthe drive before an installation then you cancompare the current status of your files withthat last stored All files that have been addeddeleted will be shown on the results screenFrom this screen you can highlight certainfiles andor directories and delete them orsave the list for later deletion Reg Fee $5-$40
SENTRY95Sentry 95will prevent all unauthorised usersfrom accessing the Win95 desktop wheneveryour computer boots Reg Fee $14
SU96_402StepUprsquo96 402 contains a set of utilitieswhich make working with Win95NT easierand faster This includes a user-customisableStepUp Menu smart Folder Navigatorsophisticated Menu Designer and a powerful
File Handler It also provides handy taskbaricons for fast exit CD-ROM Autorun onoffand more Reg Fee $30
V95I208EVirusScan for Win95 253 is a native Win95application that detects and removes comp-uter viruses Reg Fee $65
YATS32Yet Another Time Synchroniser (32-bit) 30allows you to synchronise your system clockusing various time server types commonlyavailable on TCPIP networks such as theInternet Multiple servers can be specified andwill be tried sequentially until a valid time isobtained and your system time set Reg Fee$35
ZOOMER12Zoomer 12 provides a 2x or 4x magnificationof the area around the mouse cursor in Win95This is an excellent utility for the visionimpaired Reg Fee $0
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 33
NEW AND UPDATED DOSPROGRAMS
ANTIVIRUS
AVSCANAVScan 310 is a freeware scanner that candetect more than 4500 virus signatures RegFee $0
I_M311AIntegrity Master 311a is an anti-virus anddata integrity system The author says itdetects all known viruses It can detect anyform of file corruption including disk errorsor as yet unknown viruses Stacker Double-Space SuperStore and Bernoulli system filesare supported Identifies the new MS WordMacro viruses as well as over 640 additionalviruses It has an option to quickly disinfectdiskettes Reg Fee $50
SCN_253EVirusScan 253 scans diskettes or entiresystems and identifies any pre-existing PCvirus infection Reg Fee $65
GAMES
DRAK160Drak 160 is a falling blocks-style game withattractive graphics and several varieties ofblocks It includes blocks which melt blocksthat fall apart when they land and more Thegame includes 10 levels of increasingcomplex-ity joystick support and ability tosave games in progress (RegFee$33
DRUG12Drug Killers 12 is an action-packed shoot-em-up arcade game where you pilot atechnologically advanced aircraft in a battle tostop a futuristic drug cartel You must destroya wide variety of land and air-based enemieswhile gathering weapons and shields Otherfeatures include excellent scrolling graphicsgreat special effects a high score listing theability to save and restore games and a coolmusic soundtrack Reg Fee $25-$40
HAMSTER3D Hamsterrsquos Adventure is a fun 3Dadventure game where you assume the role ofa hamster in a colourful maze The object ofthe game is to eat all the fruit scattered aroundthe maze so the secret exit will appear Youwill encounter monsters along the way butyou can use your strawberry grenades or apowerful hamster kick for protection Theexcellent graphics sound effects and musicmake this an enjoyable game for the wholefamily Reg Fee $15
MISCELLANEOUS
COELI379Coeli Electric Planisphere 379 combinespractical ephemeris and planetarium with areal-time star chart to provide a Super VGAmodel of the skies as seen from Earth Youmay view the heavens from any place or timewith advanced starconstellation search insidea point and click interface A separate VESAdriver must be pre-installed Reg Fee pound12
JOCCALJOC-CALC 10 is an easy-to-use spreadsheetpackage for DOS Features include a pull-down menu system with mouse support aHyperText help system support for blockoperations built-in mathstrig functions andmore Reg Fee $25
MEDLIN97Medlin Accounting 1997 is a double-entrygeneral ledger program with accountsreceivable payroll and payables modules Allmodules are very easy to use PC-AR is theaccounts receivable module It allows amaximum of 2000 customers and 1500charges per accounting period PC-INV is amodule which works directly with theaccounts receivable module to generateinvoices and post them to PC-AR It willmultiply quantity times price and insert thetotal and calculate sales tax PC-PR thepayroll module allows up to 500 employeesand 1000 payroll cheques per accountingperiod PC-AP the accounts payable modulecan sort invoices by due date and will printcheques Mouse support has been added to allprograms Reg Fee $25-35
VDEVideo Display Editor 182 is a fast powerfultext editor Commands can be entered from amenu bar or with control keys Featuresinclude a proportional spacing modekeyboard macro recording MenuBar modethe ability to edit eight files at once acommand for proportional print Autosave toautomatically save your work at specifiedintervals simultaneous windows scrolling theability to align the platen for printing onvarious kinds of forms support for the fileformat of MS Word an envelope printer awide range of screen sizes (from 17 to 57lines) an integrated spell checker and muchmore Support is also provided for Ultra-Vision the HP95LX palmtop and the Tandykeyboard Reg Fee $35
UTILITIES
DNOTE420Disk Note Librarian 420 allows the user toadd descriptions and comments of up to 300characters to each file name on a disk up to1200 files Reg Fee $15
RCR01Rosenthal Conflict Resolver 100 is adiagnostic tool that helps corrects IRQ DMAand IO conflicts the major cause of systemcrashes Reg Fee $99
2 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Compiled by Jim Hume
The Monarchy
This site provides the history of the BritishMonarchy The Royal collection TodayrsquosRoyal family and includes The Queenrsquos rolein the Commonwealth This role articleshould be valuable to all those interested inthe Republic debate monarchist andrepublican alike It is a well presented siteand a useful resource as a school kithttpwwwroyalgovuk
Museums
The virtual Museum of Computing includesan ecletic collection of World Wide Webhyperlinks connected with the history ofcomputing and on-line computer basedexhibits available both locally and aroundthe world httpwwwcomlaboxacukarchiveothermuseumscomputinghtml
Airlines
Ansett provides information on their productand services and the places they fly to Youcan reserve flights and accommodationThere is a travel planner and screen saveravailable to download httpwwwansettcomauwebintrohtml
Qantas provides similar information on theirproducts and services with a brief history ofthe airline and also a screensaver which canbe downloaded httpwwwqantascomau80newsindexhtml
Books Magazines and Newspapers
The Canberra Times is now online withsections on News Sport Features OpinionWeather Real Estate Motors Classifiedsemail and services httpwwwcanberratimescomau
Readers Digest Interactive They ask you toldquoread it react and interactrdquo It containsDigest classics like Laugh Lines and WordPower and advice about how to do justabout anything featuring Home ProjectsCooking Gardening fitness and health httpwwwreadersdigestcom
National Geographic Online This is a greatcontribution with something for everyone inthe family Donrsquot miss these HOT SPOTShttpwwwnationalgeographiccomhotspotsindexhtml
Electronic Journals and Newsletters Thissite provides a complete internet list for newjournals and newsletters available on theInternet There is a search archive completealphabetical archive recent issues in reversechronological order and alphabetical list oftitles httpgort ucsdedunewjour
Amazon Bookstore offers not only 15million books in print but extremely hard-to-find out-of-print titles and discounts onsome of their book lists They claim 25million titles overall They include a searchfacility and provide a personal emailnotification service They list a Book of theday Titles in the News Monthly bookrecommendations and much morehttpwwwamazoncomexecobidossubstindex2html
Medical
)
Kodak have provided an interesting sitedealing with the latest digital cardiologyimaging and their cardiac review stationhttpwwwkodakcomhiHomecardioindexshtml
The American Cancer Society CaliforniaDivision on this site have an excellent articleon ldquoeating rightrdquo and research causeprevention detection and treatment httpwwwcacancerorg
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 3
The Department of Veteransrsquo Affairs haveupgraded their Web Site and it now providesthe latest information on health care forveterans In addition it contains rates andeligibility for pensions statements ofprinciple budgets and legislation It alsoincludes information about commemorativeactivities war graves war memorials andstudent oriented resourceshttpwwwdvagovau
HealthGate have redesigned their site withfaster search results with content organisedinto areas of interest such as medicinepatient education drug information etc It isan important source of biomedicalinformation httpwwwhealthgatecom
Football
The Australian Rugby League haveproduced an excellent site which includesdraws news links teams tipping results agallery and a soapbox httpdevarlorgaumainasp
Super League not to be outdone arepromoted by Foxtel in their sport sectionhttpwwwfoxtelcomauFoxtelhomejhtml
Tyres
I recently drew attention to Goodyearrsquos WebPage and commented on lack of Australiancontent Now they have an excellentAustralian site with an online school kit
dealing with the rubber revolution a tyreguide and a search engine to locate yournearest dealer It requires a frame-enabledweb browser httpwwwgoodyearcomau
Internet
URL Minder keeps track of web pages andother resources on the World Wide Weband sends you email whenever yourpersonally registered resources change Youcan have the minder keep track of any Webresource accessible via http ftp or Gopherand your email address will not be releasedto any third party It is a free servicesupported partially by advertising httpwwwnetmindcomURL-minderURL-minderhtml
People
Talk to the Angels The Vatican has namedtheir computers for the Web after angelsThe site was still under construction at theend of March httpwwwvaticanvaBut where else could you talk to theangelsIt requires a frame-enabled webbrowser
StarTrek This is a most interesting web sitefor Star Trek enthusiasts and also for thoseinterested in site construction for it is a realbobby dazzler httpwwwholodeck3comholodeck3html
Insert
It is an interesting concept which combinesan online magazine with discussion threadsresource lists and links It is dedicated toexploring masculinity and men in societyMen from all walks of life answer the 16 bigquestions about what it means being a mantoday httpwwwmanhoodcomnf
The
Super Site for Kids is a protectedenvironment specially for kids It is a wellorganised fun site httpwwwbonuscomindexclosehtmp
In early March a private Florida companythat hunts for historic shipwrecks announcedit had discovered a gem the ship oncecaptained by Blackbeard a man reputed tobe one of the more terrifying and disturbedpirates of all time This site includes thehistory of Blackbeardhttpeagleonlinediscoverycomcgi-binforums_viewdir
36 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
THE
INTERNETPROJECT
By Iain Gould
Welcome to TIP-TNG (The NextGeneration)
In case you hadnrsquot noticed yet TIP isnow connected to the rest of the world via ahigher speed (double what we had) link Weare now firing the electrons up and downthe pipe at 256k (thatrsquos 3 noughts -thousands in other words) bits every secondWhat this means in real terms is that ournewsgroups are updating more frequentlyweb pages and file transfers are much fasterand those of us that need to log in remotelycan do so with much less delay Boy are weimpressed
If you have not bothered to try TIP for awhile do so as we have seen a markedimprovement in the service provided afterthis upgrade and the installation of the extra12 modems in February (much less waitingto get on)
ANNOUNCEMENTSThe last two months has seen much goingson within the Internet Project ManagementCommittee For the uninitiated the IPMCis a caucus of techno-nerdygeeks tasked withthe onerous duty of ensuring that membersof the PCUG and AUUG have adequate andcomplete access to the wider resources ofthat part of the Information Super-highwayknown as simply The Internet Anyway wedecided on a lot of things recently Here theyare
1) Commercial Web Advertising Upuntil now TIP placed a restriction oncommercial advertising (that which wasobviously out to make money for the owner)- namely that only corporate members ofeither PCUG or AUUG could placeadvertising on their web pages We have
now opened up such commercial activitiesto general members of both organisationsFor the same fee that we currently charge tocorporate advertisers any individual cannow advertise on their web pages Refer tohttpwwwtipnetautipwebspacehtml fordetailed information and charging rates
2) Account Terminology The termslsquoAdvanced Accessrsquo and lsquoBasic Accessrsquoaccounts were deemed to be confusing (wehad too many requests for information onbasic Advanced access and training foradvanced Basic use) The accounts are nowreferred to as lsquoFull Accessrsquo and lsquoLimitedAccessrsquo respectively The use of the termsAdvanced Access hours and Basic Accesshours will continue for the time being untilwe sort out exactly what we want to callthem and where we need to changereferences to them The most obvious placethat this will change immediately is on theapplication form
3) Multiple Users of Accounts One ofthe regular lsquocomplaintsrsquo that we have beenreceiving has been on our policy to restrictaccount use to the account holder only Howmany of you out there realise that if youallowed your spousechildrenacquaintancesto have access to your password then youwere breaking our rules We donrsquot worrytoo much because we are now changing ourpolicy to open up account usage undercertain guidelines Namely
a) The primary account holder (the onewho originally applies for the account) willbe deemed ultimately responsible for anyuse of the account Heshe must still signthe Acceptable Use Policy and follow thoseterms and conditions and then ensure thataccount lsquodelegatesrsquo behave themselves too
b) The primary account holder mayallow use of hisher account by other familymembers The family members must benominated and lodged with TIP on a newlsquoAccount Delegationrsquo form
c) Only one login name and emailaddress is allocated (as currently) - ifadditional email addresses are required thenthey must be applied for as separateaccounts
d) Normal single user limits (accesshours disk quotas) still apply
We believe that this will allow familygroups some access to the Internet withoutneeding to sign up every members of thehousehold with TIP This policy will beelaborated on the web pages in the nearfuture for further information
4) We are still investigating methods ofproviding help guidance and assistance tousers who are new to TIP andor the InternetWe have been looking at newer lsquofool-proofrsquofirst time kits automated email helpresponses regularly published FAQs(frequently asked questions) and attractingmore volunteer helpers To achieve this lastgoal we are hoping that we can set up aregister of volunteers similar to the HelpDirectory published in Sixteen Bits forspecific areas of Internet use If you feltreluctant in the past to have your name listedfor fear of being asked questions outsideyour particular area of expertise interestthen let us know what you ARE willing tohelp with Are you a Netscape guru Or aWindows 95 Dial-Up Networking hotshotDo you think that you know a fair bit aboutIRC Then let us know
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 37
Nhan Tranrsquos Now OfficialTIP Web Help Pages
httpwwwtipnetautiphelp
bull Whats newHistory of changes to TIP help page
bull TIP Contact DetailsPhone numbers domain proxiesemail addresses
bull Useful TIP informationTime allocation usage statistics
bull TIP documentsAgreement Charging SchemeAcceptable Use Policy AccessApplication
bull InternetFAQAnswers to the Frequently AskedQuestions about the Internet what isthe Internet what you can donetiquette
bull TIP help FAQ
bull Answers to the Frequently AskedQuestions about various problemsother people may have had with TheInternet Project your problem maynot be a new one
bull lsquoHow-torsquo documentsHow to set up and use variousprograms needed to make the mostof your Internet account
bull GlossaryTranslating acronyms computerjargon netese and emoticons like -)in plain English
TIP Technical InformationDomain (PCUG) pcugorgauDomain (AUUG) auugorgau
DNS server 203107634Mail server mailhostDomain
News Server newshostDomainftp server ftpDomain
WWW server wwwDomainProxies proxytipnetau
port 8080
Iain Gould is one of the many volunteersthat keep TIP ticking He can becontacted by email - iainpcugorgau
As a note to those users who do needaccess to help take careful note of the timesthat people offer to be available There is areason that these times are listed ourvolunteers do like to have some personaltime Nothing causes a volunteer to lsquoresignrsquoquicker than having their efforts abused bypeople who ring at all hours and are rudeand obnoxious As a volunteer organisationwe cannot provide 24 hour-a-day instantsupport and we must rely on the genrosityof those that do offer to help Please beconsiderate of those who are willing to sticktheir necks out
As a footnote to all of the above itemsplease address any correspondance toipmctipnetau rather than me directly
Internet Joke of the MonthAnother engineer joke (apologies for thereferences to USA - insert your favouritelocal university as applicable)
Three men were vacationing in CentralAmerica They were arrested for minor illegalactivities and because the dictator of the countryhated foreigners the punishment was death
The three men were marched to thechopping block The dictator of the countryasked the first man if he had any last wordsbefore they chopped his head off The man saidldquoThe only thing I can think to say is that Irsquom analumni of Notre Dame and we have the bestfootball players in the worldrdquo The dictator thensaid ldquoOff with his headrdquo When they pulled therope the blade fell but it stopped inches abovethe manrsquos neck The dictator said ldquoThis is anomen from God we cannot execute you Youare free to gordquo
The dictator of the country asked the secondman if he had any last words before theychopped his head off The man said ldquoThe onlything I can think to say is that Irsquom an alumni ofIndiana University and we have the bestbasketball players in the worldrdquo The dictatorthen said ldquoOff with his headrdquo When they pulledthe rope the blade fell but it stopped inchesabove the manrsquos neck The dictator said ldquoThisis an omen from God we cannot execute youYou are free to gordquo
Finally the dictator of the country asked thethird man if he had any last words before theychopped his head off The man said ldquoThe onlything I can think to say is that Irsquom an alumni ofPurdue University and we have the bestEngineers in the world and if yoursquoll just tightenup that bolt up there this machine will workrdquo
Tips On Tip HelpPlease do not call on the Internet Projecthelp team for answers to general computingquestions or with questions like ldquohow do Ifind such-and-such softwarerdquo - the tiphelpnewsgroup is appropriate for these topicsDo call on us if you canrsquot get our kits towork or if you believe there is a problemwith the system Herersquos the right way to goabout it
1 Read the TIP Help Pages availablefrom the TIP World Wide Web siteat httpwwwtipnetautiphelp
2 Browse the newsgroup tiphelp tosee if someone else has solvedyour problem already Browsetipannounce and tipgeneral for anyrelevant announcements
3 If the problem is not urgent post arequest for assistance in tiphelp
4 If the problem is urgent send mailto ldquohelprdquo requesting advice
Please - describe your problem clearlyconcisely and completely
tell us WHEN it happened
tell us WHAT OPERATING SYSTEMyou are using
tell us WHAT SOFTWARE you are using(esp version)
tell us WHAT HARDWARE you are using(esp modem)
tell us any relevant SETUP DETAILS (egconnection speed)
tell us what TIP login name (eg mmouse)you are using
5 As a last resort (ie when email isnot possible) contact Iain Gould on255 2405 between 7pm and 8pmONLY
The TIP Help TeamThe methods of supplying TIP help and
support and the levels of help provided areunder almost constant review anddiscussion Your feedback on the existingsystems and constructive suggestions forimprovement particularly within theexisting resource constraints are welcome
This can be done in the tip newsgroupsif you would like general discussion of yourideas by email to the TIP Help Team athelptipnetau or by sending email toamikkelspcugorgau who will forward itto the appropriate people
38 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
The Internet Project
1 Access to The Internet Project is governed by the InternetProject Acceptable Use Policy copies of which can beobtained at the PCUG Centre or downloaded from the PCUGBBS or from The Internet Project
2 There is a limit of one Internet account per non-corporatemembership Corporate members may sponsor up to threeindividuals who are then personally responsible for theoperation of their accounts Please complete one applicationfor each person
3 Part of your email address will be determined by the principalorganisation If your membership of that organisation expiresso too does your membership of The Internet Project In thisevent no refunds for unused allocation will be made
4 The Internet Project reserves the right to alter prices andservices offered at any time Fees paid for Internet access arenon-refundable and non-transferable
5 Note Hours debited do not necessarily equate to real hourson-line time allocation will be debited in a non-linear fashiondepending on the amount of time spent on-line in any givenday The debit rate is set from time to time by the InternetProject Management Committee
6 Basic Accessa) Basic Access provides non PPP email and news onlyb) Basic Access is free on applicationc) In any calender year calculated from the date of
application Basic Access provides up to 100 lsquohoursrsquo usage
7 Advanced Accessa) Advanced Access includes full access to the Internet using
SLIPPPPb) Advanced Access is not free Current rates are $120 for
one calendar year of access with up to 300 lsquohoursrsquo usagec) When your Advanced Access subscription expires OR
you use 300 hours of access (whichever is earlier) youwill be required to purchase another subscription for onecalendar year from that date
d) Advanced Access users also receive a Basic Accessallocation - see above
8 All users joining The Internet Project receive a one-off freefive hour allocation of Advanced Access
Collecting Your Login Details9 A waiting period of two months applies to new members of
the PC Users Group (ACT) Inc
10 For existing members please allow up to two weeks for yourapplication to be processed
11 Login details can be collected - in person by the applicant - fromthe PC Users Group Centre We recommend that you phone theCentre first to check that the details are waiting for you
12 You (and your parentguardian if you are under 18 years ofage) will be required to sign an Acceptable Use PolicyDeclaration when you pick up your login detailsPhotographic proof of identity may be required at that time
Important Notes - Please Read
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 39
Disks amp TapesWe offer high quality disks and tape cartridgesin various formats at very reasonable pricesDisks amp tapes are available from the PCUGCentre Monday Wednesday amp Friday 10amto 2pm or between 9am and 5pm on weekends
BBS AccessNew members wishing to access the PC UsersGroup (ACT) InterActive Bulletin BoardService (BBS) should dial (06) 253 4933 andcreate an account on the system Once the mainmenu is presented select the lsquoGoodbyersquo optionfollowed by the lsquoYesrsquo option to leave a messageto the Sysop
In this message state your membership number(from your card or magazine address label) andrequest an access upgrade This will usuallyoccur within a few days
SharewareMembers have access to a huge selection ofldquosharewarerdquo software The PCUG subscribesto a CD-ROM which provides over 250 Mbof new and updated software titles on eachmonthly CD
Member ServicesThese special offers and services are only available to PCUG members Please bring your membership card with you when collecting orders
One complete section of the permanent libraryis also contained on each CD-ROM Inaddition there are many programs on thePCUG BBS which members have uploadedor which come from other sources
This software is provided as ldquosharewarerdquo Ifyou continue to use it you must register thesoftware with the author The Group does notldquosellrdquo the software - it charges a fee to coverthe cost of obtaining the software maintainingthe library and copying the software to themember
Computers are available at the Centre whichare connected to the BBS enabling membersto download software
Hardware amp Video LibraryThe hardware and video library is located atthe PC Users Group Centre Items may becollected and returned on Saturdays andSundays between 9am and 5pm (loans are forone week) Please bring your membership cardwith you
The library provides access to equipmentwhich members would not normally havereadily available Most items have instructionsmanuals and software where appropriateModems do not include software check theShareware Library for suitable packages Itemsmay be borrowed for one week There is nocharge but you must collect and return theitems yourself
Equipment available includesmiddot modemsmiddot soundblaster card
Videos includemiddot Developing Applications with Microsoft
Officemiddot Using Windows 95
NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETINGMonday 28 April 1997
(to be held at 730pm prior to the normal April main meeting)
The Special Meeting is to consider and vote upon the following changes to the rules of the PC Users Group
Rule 17(1)(b) - [Nomination of candidates for election as office-bearers of the Association or as ordinary Committee members]shall be delivered to the Secretary of the Association no later than the last Friday in the July before the date fixed for the annualgeneral meeting at which the election is to take place
Rule 17(2) - If insufficient nominations are received to fill all vacancies on the Committee the candidates nominated shall bedeemed to be elected
Rule 17(3) - A vacant position remaining on the Committee shall be deemed to be a vacancy for the purpose of Rule 16(4)
Explanatory notesThese changes will permit publication in Sixteen Bits of all valid nominations received to enable the membership to give seriousregard to the nominations received They will also permit all members nominating for the committee to have an opportunity toconsider and reflect upon their intended commitment to the committee and to the Group
Hugh BambrickSecretary PC Users Group (ACT) Inc
40 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Compiled by Jim Hume
Japanese-English Translators
Globalink produces some of the bestlanguage translation software TheLanguage Assistant Series quicklyproduce understandable translations fromEnglish into the foreign language or viceversa
The Australian Distributors Software EtcAustralia have now released Japanesetranslation and OCR Software TsunamiMT Typhoon MT and KanjiScan OCRsoftware for English Windows 95 and NTPCs It is claimed these products willmake communication between Japaneseand English speaking businesses mucheasier quicker and more effective
Tsunami MT translates English-to-Japanese and has features such as fullOLE 20 compatibility (drags text to andfrom Tsunami MT embedding theJapanese results into applications such asMS Word) an innovative Kani searchsystem and translation speed at over 3000words per minute
Typhoon MT translates Japanese-to-English and is the result of a two-yearproject to convert the best-sellingJapanese to English translation softwarein Japan to an MS Windows 32-bitformat
Typhoon MT has every element computerusers need to put Japanese computing ontheir personal computer - Japanese fontsKana and kanji text editing a completeFront End Processor and Japanese -to-English machine translation
KanjiScan is the first Japanese OCRsoftware to run on non-Japanese versionsof Windows and includes everythingneeded to scan printed Japanese text anddocuments allowing users to input
Japanese on their English Windowssystem All interfaces instructions anddocumentation are in English WithNeocorTechrsquos Kanji Search system noJapanese language skills are required tomake sure all the Japanese text is properlyrecognised
Tsunami MT $995 Typhoon MT $1195(Bundle $1795) and KanjiScan $795
Software Etc Australia are offeringevaluation versions of this software forloan to reviewers with a knowledge ofJapanese and the capability to conduct andprepare software reviews Enquiriesshould be directed to Peter Klanberck atsoftetcozemailcomauhttpwwwworldcorpcomau Phone (02) 9988-3455
Gene Chip Breakthrough
Affymetrix is developing amp commercial-ising GeneChip(tm) systems to acquireanalyse manage and use geneticinformation based on its propriety DNAarray technology
These systems are being developed forbroad fields including biomedicalresearch clinical diagnosis and theemerging field of genomics Affymetrixhas corporate alliances with Hewlett-Packard Company and Genetics Instituteand intends to pursue the clinicaldiagnostic and additional genomicsapplications with diagnostics andpharmaceutical companies
Their first product currently in externaltests sites will be the GeneChipHIVsystem which rapidly detects mutations inthe protease and reverse transcriptasegenes of HIV the virus which causesAIDS Detection of such mutations arecritical in understanding how HIV reactsto therapeutic agents as well as for
understanding the results of clinical trialsof new drugs The company also hasactive development programs for thespeciation of other infectious organismsas well as for human genes that areimportant in cancer and drug metabolism
Fortune Magazine in an article headedGene Chip Breakthrough by David Stippexplores the implications of thisbreakthrough and believes that whilemicroprocessors have reshaped oureconomy spawned vast fortunes andchanged the way we live Gene chipscould be bigger
TransAct BroadbandCommunications Network
The ACTEW Corporation has recentlyconducted a feasibility study into buildinga broadband communication network inthe ACT It is claimed it would enhanceACTEWrsquos core business and provide theACT region with an economically viablecommunications network
The network would be funded throughoutside financing As there would be nocross-subsidies between varioustelecommunication business and theelectricity and water businesses therewould be no impact on electricity andwater bills now or in the future Known asTransAct Communications the feasibilitystudy was to be completed by March1997 ACTEW Corporation Board willmake a decision on the business caseduring April A key component of thestudy was to be community consultationand market research If the results werefavourable construction should commencein July 1997
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 41
I was consulted in their telemarketingresearch and talks have been held with thePC Users Group Aurisa Institute ofEngineers Australia and the BusinessCouncil of Australia The network couldcarry voice(telephone) video(TV) and data(intenet) over a high range of frequenciesand the cost of services would bedependent on the service providers ieTelephone companies Pay TV companiesand internet service providers ACTEWexpected that prices would be similar tocurrent prices for these services andsuggest that a single broad-band networkwould offer competition between serviceproviders
The network could carryvoice(telephone) video(TV) and
data (intenet)
Two companies have been shortlisted andtheir solutions are being costed to get anaccurate picture of the total cost ofbuilding the network The two companiesare Philips which has offered a HybridCoax (HFC) system and BroadbandTechnologies which offered a switchedbroadband (SDB) solution
The HFC solution as offered by Philipswould differ from similar cable systemsbeing strung in other parts of Australia inthat it would take optic fibre down toserve 60-90 homes per node rather than500-1500 homes The SDB solutionwould be unique in Australia (In use inparts of USA Korea and France) it takesoptic fibre to serve 32-40 homes per nodeBoth solutions have the ability to runadvanced interactive services By the timeof publication a further update may beavailable atwwwactewcomautransactinterhtm
Treasure IslandFrom the Corel Thumbnail Theatre seriesnow being shipped Treasure Island is afun easy way to learn the complexities ofthis popular novel by Robert LouisStevenson It is an animated adaptiontargeted primarily at students aged 12 andupwards Users can choose from threedifferent ways of studying TreasureIsland For those unacquainted with thestory the Watch Me section presents awitty and entertaining nine-minuteanimation which summarises the novelrsquosstory The Guide Me section is designedfor users who wish to study the text indepth and learn more about the era inwhich the novel is set They will see theanimation once again but this time theywill have the chance to stop the animatedsummary in order to explore varioustopics related to the story These topics areaccessible by clicking on the icons whichappear throughout the animation Userswho want to read about different topicscan go directly to the Self Guide sectionThis section contains the entire text ofTreasure Island
It also contains a feature called Timelinewhich is a chronology of historical eventsfrom the time of Treasure Island to thepresent day
Minimum system requirements are 486DX66 8MB of RAM a 640x480256-colour graphics display 8-bit audiocapabilities and a double speed CD-ROMdrive Runs on both Windows 31x andWindows95RRP $Aus 6400
Corel WebMaster SuiteOn March 25 Corel announced the releaseCorel WebMaster Suite the latest additionto their line of Internet products Itcombines state-of-the-art Web siteauthoring with expert site managementfunctionality advanced database
publishing sophisticated graphic designprograms as well as animation authoring3D VRML world creation and over 8000Internet-ready images Included in thepackage is Netscape Navigator 301OrsquoReillyrsquos Website v11 and 30 days offree Web site hosting It is claimed thatthis suite provides a complete solution tohelp users advance beyond the traditionalWeb page to create and manage completeweb sites that are more interesting andinformative as well as easy to understand
Corel WebMaster is available for asuggested retail price of $Aus 399 Thesuite will require 16MB RAM an IBMcompatible PC 486 DX Windows NT orWindows 95 a CD_ROM and a VGAdisplay
SNIPPETS
IN AUSTRIA INTERNET SERVICEProviders banded together on March 25 tostage the countryrsquos first electronic walkoutin protest at their governmentrsquos attempt tocensor the Internet Hardly surprisingwhen UKrsquos Whatrsquos New on the Internetreports that sex and its related topics arethe most popular sections on the Internetby a long chalk
DUTCH HACKERS OFFERED USMilitary Secrets to Iraq A recent BBC TVprogramme claimed that hundreds ofmilitary secrets were stolen from USDefence computers ( including troopmovements and missile capabilities)offered for sale by Dutch hackers toSaddam Hussein but their offer was nottaken up because the Iraqi leader believedthat it was either a hoax or CIAmisinformation
ADVERTISING ON THE NETAccording to a survey by the InternetAdvertising Bureau total advertisingspending on the World Wide Web andInternet related content hit $US267
42 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
The Internet SIGThis a get together of those members of thePCUG who love to explore the Internet forinteresting sites new Internet tools andnovel applications It holds an informalmeeting once a month on the first Thursday(January excepted) at 730pm The meetinghas no set agenda but free flowing chat onvarious Internet related topics and eventsOn occasion we had presentations ofinteresting software Among topics that arediscussed from time to time are the upgradeof TIP cable and wireless access to theInternet and the regulation of the InternetThe web page for the SIG is at httpwwwpcugorgau~ejosephintsightm
BytesThe Bytes SIG is designed for those wholike to talk about computing over a meal Itmeets from 6 pm at the Asian BistroAustralian National University Union onthe PCUG meeting nights There are noBytes SIG meetings in NovemberDecember or January Contact personAndrew Freeman Phone 258 7411 Emailafreemanpcugorgau or WWW at httpwwwpcugorgau~afreemancvsightml
AutoCADGeoffrey May 295 5942 Monday-Fri 4-5pmPlease call for details
CC++Peter Corcoran petercpcugorgau 2ndTuesday 730pm PCUG Centre
GUI DevelopersPeter Harris 287 1484 pharrispcugorgauPlease call for details
The OS2 SIGAn enthusiastic forum for those operating orinterested in OS2 Warp Meetings includewide ranging discussion and interestinghands on demonstrations Meetings are heldon the third Thursday at 730pm for 730pmat the IBM Building 8 Brisbane Ave BartonContact David Thrum Phone 201-8806 (bh)
The Delphi SIGA lively forum for software developers whoare working with or interested in Delphi
Our meetings include wide ranging dis-cussion and interesting hands-on demon-strations Come and see why Delphi is RADSome of our recent meetings have discussedDelphi components best shareware toolsdatabase applications and HTML toolsMeeting 3rd Tuesday of each month 730pmat PCUG Centre Convenor Al Kabailaemail akabailapcugorgauYou arewelcome to also subscribe to the PCUGDelphi mailing list by sending messageldquosubscribe act-delphi-lpcugorgau [youremail address]rdquo to Majordomoauugorgau
Linux User GroupStephen Rothwell 291 6550 (ah) StephenRothwell canbauugorgau 4th Thursday730pm Room N101 Computer Science DeptANU
Networks Garry Thomson 241 2399gthomsonpcugorgau Thursday aftermain meeting Please call for venue
Computer and VegetarianismThis SIG is designed for those who have aninterest in both computers and vegetarian-ism It generally meets with the Bytes SIGNo meetings are held in NovemberDecember or January Contact personAndrew Freeman Phone 258 7411 Emailfreemanpcugorgau or WWW at httpwwwpcugorgau~afreemancvsightml
amp ChatThe Coffee and Chat Group meet at thePCUG Centre in Belconnen on alternateTuesdays from 1030am to 1130am withanother 30 minutes to 1200 for those whowant to stay The dates of these meetings areshown in the Calendar of Events On thealternate Tuesday a virtual Coffee and ChatMeeting is held on the Internet at 1030amusing Internet Relay Chat (IRC) addressirchostpcugorgau Port 6667 Full detailsabout the online meetings can be obtainedfrom httpwwwpcugorgau~ejosephvcchtm
Internet Daytime Demoand Discussion SIGMeets every second Monday at the PCUGCentre from 1000AM to noon We meet todiscuss internet issues software sites (andanything else of relevance) and demonstrateon Centre equipment selected software andtechniques The meeting starts with informaldiscussion and coffee followed by a more in-depth look at a particular topic of interestThere is also time for discussion (andhopefully solving) of members problems withthe internet A home page for the SIG is athttpwwwpcugorgau~amikkelsintdddhtmlEnquiries or suggestions for topics arewelcome at amikkelspcugorgau
NEW
Convenors are requested to email anychanges in contacts or venue and additionalinformation about the activities of theirgroup by the first Friday in the month ofpublication to pcugeditorpcugorgau
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 43
The training program for 1997 is settledsubject to ongoing adjustments in the lightof developments
Note the heavy emphasis on Internetcourses This reflects the clear demand ofmembers at the moment A number of daysare designated lsquoTBArsquo These days allow forthe introduction of Internet related coursesas discussed last month including homepages MS Internet ExplorerWeb tips andtricks and so on They also allow forpossible courses on the Web oriented MSOffice 97
Course content for Internet courses isstill under development and subject tomeetings of trainers
In addition to the weekend courses arange of short evening courses mainlyInternet related as above will be introducedThese are still in the planning stages
May Sat 3 Editorial day ContinuesSun 4 Programming - C and C++ ContinuesSat 10 Programming - Visual Basic Continues
Sun 11 Intro - Intro to computers ContinuesSat 17 Intro - Intro to Windows 95 Continues
Sun 18 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 24 Intro - PC Maintenance and
TroubleshootingContinues
Sun 25 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 31 Internet - HTML Intro Continues
June Sun 1 Intro - Using the BBS effectively Internet - Basic AccessSat 7 Centre closed Centre closed
Sun 8 Centre closed Centre closedSat 14 Editorial day Continues
Sun 15 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 21 Internet - HTML extended Continues
Sun 22 Internet - TBA Internet - TBASat 28 Internet - Advanced Access Intro Continues
Sun 29 Intro - Using the BBS effectively Internet - Basic AccessJuly Sat 5 Editorial day Continues
Sun 6 Internet - TBA Internet - TBASat 12 Internet - TBA Internet - TBA
Sun 13 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 19 Internet - TBA Internet - TBA
Sun 20 Internet - TBA Internet - TBASat 26 Internet - Advanced Access Intro Continues
Sun 27 Intro - Using the BBS effectively Internet - Basic Access
Our training courses are very popularUnfortunately some people book and thendonrsquot turn up for their course Someone onthe waiting list for the course could havefilled the spot left vacant To overcome thisproblem if you book for a course but donrsquotpay for it by the Monday before it is runthe spot will be offered to someone else
ContactsCourse bookings Petra Dwyer at thePCUG Centre on 253 4911
Training coordinator and courseinformation (not bookings) PaulBalnaves 241-4671 (h) 700pm to900pm 282-3488 (w)
Microsoft Product courses (notbookings) Michael Lane 242-9278 (h)700pm to 900pm
All courses are held at the PCUGCentre Northpoint Plaza Belconnen- maximum 8 people
Courses cost $35 unless otherwiseindicated Full day courses run from930am to approximately 300pmAM Courses commence at 930amPM courses commence at 130pm
Training Newsby Paul Balnaves
44 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
The following local vendors offer discounts to PCUG members
bull Present your PCUG membership card when making a purchasebull Benefits may not apply to some sale itemsbull The PCUG does not necessarily recommend or endorse the products being offered
If you offer a discount to PCUG members and are not in this list please contact our advertising manager listed on page 2
Vendor Discount SchemeVendor Discount Scheme
AustralianManagement Control
Suite 4 32 - 36 Colbee CourtPHILLIP285 4888
5 discount onRecordkeeping amp Payroll
courses
Capital SimulationsPO Box 329
Belconnen ACT 2616Faxmessage 258 0110
Free postage and handling(normally $4) amp 2 free modem
opponents lsquowantedrsquo notices(normally $10)
Clarion DatabaseSystems
bull Computing consultingbull Business applications developmentbull Software sale
041 108 775410 discount off RRP on
Microsoft amp other vendorsrsquo productsand consulting services
Amalgamated Business Machines
65 Kembla StreetFYSHWICK
280 4887
5 discount on repairsthrough this company
ANU Union Asian Bistro
Upstairs Union Building Union Court ANU
(next to main meeting venue)
Union member discounton PCUG main meeting
nights (ONLY)
Bettowynd ampTaltech Solutions
Unit 5 Centrecourt1 Pirie St FYSHWICK
239 1043
Prompt guaranteed fixed pricerepairs to monitors and terminals
5 discount to members
Nhan TranInternet Software Installationamp Configuration in your home
PH 254 5293
Fixed price 20 discountfor PCUG members
Lesley PikoCertified Practising Accountant
Registered Tax Agent
Suite 1 17 Trenerry StWeston ACT
288 8888
personal and business taxation servicesgeneral accounting services
15 discount off our quoted fee
ACT VALLEYCOMPUTER REPAIRSbull REPAIRSbull UPGRADESbull NEW SYSTEMSbull SOFTWARE INSTALLATIONbull LOW RATES l OPEN 7 DAYS
294 2592 or 019 32343510 DISCOUNT ON REPAIRS
AND UPGRADES TO MEMBERS
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 45
54 Marcus Clarke St Canberra CityPH 249 1844 l Fax 247 5753
10 Discount o f fRRP of Computer Books
Celebrating over 28 Years in Bookselling
N O 1 f o rC O M P U T E R amp B U S I N E S S
B O O K S
hi-micro Computers
5 Discount OnAccessories
ampUpgrade Installation
Ph 280 7520 Fax 280 7540618 Whyalla St Fyshwick
248 6656 (any time)bull World Wide Web Publishing
bull Windows Online Help amp Manuals
5 discount on Web publishing
The Cartridge Factory
Canberra Business Centre49 Wentworth Ave
KINGSTON295 5935
10 discount on remanufacturedlaser toner cartridges
10 discount on inkjet refill kitsNo discount available on
new ink or toner cartridges
Collins Booksellers
BELCONNEN MALLPhone 251 4813 Fax 251 3926
We carry a wide selection ofcomputer titles for the novice and
also advanced computer user
10 Discount off computerbook purchases only
LampS Associates
69 Paterson StreetAINSLIE257 7555
Special price on anyMicrosoft product
Dealer price plus 5
Aspect ComputingEducation Services
86 Northbourne AvenueBraddon ACT 2601
247 7608
10 Discount toPCUG members
Peng LEE BA BEc FCA
Chartered AccountantRegistered Tax Agent
A fee schedule will be forwarded upon request
6 McGuiness PlaceMcKELLAR ACT 2617
Phone 258 0156 Fax 258 0157
10 fee discount to PCUGmembers
Robrsquos Computer HelpDesk
292 3211 (24 hours 7 days)
For telephone and on-site help for ALL your computer and support
needs
5 discount on consulting services to PCUG members
The Software Shop
42 Townsend StreetPHILLIP285 4622
5 discount off our already low prices
46 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
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_______________________________________________________Position (if applicable) Phone (h) Phone (w)
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Annual Fees Applicable (thorn one)o General1 $ 50
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o Corporate3 $130
o Additional Corporate4 $ 50
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Notes1 General membership covers all members of a household except for BBS and
Internet access Two month waiting period applies to Internet access2 Concessions apply to full time students and pensioners3 Corporate Membership covers up to three nominees4 Additional Corporate nominees may be added at $50 each
I am paying by (thorn one)o Cash (if paying by person) o Cheque to PC Users Group (ACT) Inc
o Credit card
I would like to ( thorn one or more)
o Become a new member for ____ year(s)
o Renew for ____ year(s)
o Change my address details
o Change Corporate nominees
o Take my address off advertising list
o Access the Bulletin Board (BBS)
Reasons for Joining thorn (one or more)
o Sixteen Bits Magazine o Training Courses
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Other ____________________________________
TOTAL PAYMENT DUE $ __________________
Please Post your application with payment toPC Users Group (ACT) IncPO Box 42 Belconnen ACT 2616
Additional Corporate Membership Nominees
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Organisation (if applicable) PCUG Membership Number (if applicable)
Postal Address
Phone (h) Phone (w) Concession Type (if applicable)
Credit Card Type Number Expiry Date Signature
Membersrsquo AdsFOR SALE
PC Users Group Membership Application Renewal
Notebook TP 486 DX266 95in Dual scancolour 8mg 433 HDD External 2X CDROM Fax modem card Win rsquo95 Office rsquo95pro Microsoft Plus NAV Norton UtilitiesWinfax Pro Microsoft Publisher and muchmore $1500 email gjonespcugorgau orphone Gary Jones 2391771 (Bus hours)
Canon Bubble-jet Printer BJ10-SX BWVGC [bookletdisk] $145Maestro External Fax Modem SE-144 FM[BookletDiks] VGC $100Corel Draw V3 CD-ROM[Bookect] VGC $100 NEGScanFax 24 Bit Color Page ScannerPC[FaxScanCopy] VGC $ 360WebAuthor V2 for Windows $ 65LOGOS BIBLE Software V2for Windows CD-ROM $150Call 239 5451 or e-mailmszabopcugorgau
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 47
Subject Name Email Phone Days TimesAccess for Windows Graheme Fry 288 3138 All days 730pm - 830pm
Accounting -TAS+ Exogen Attache NewViews P Goerman 231 2304 All days 900am - 900pm
Advanced Revelation John Curby 286 5777 Mon - Fri 900am - 900pm
Assembly Language Thomas McCoy 294 2226 Mon - Fri 800pm - 1000pm
AutoCad Geoffrey May 295 5942 Mon - Fri 400pm - 500pm
AutoCAD Rel 12 13 and LT Neil Moffat 292 7108 All days Noon - 1000pm
BASIC + Machine Language George McLintock 295 6590 All days 830pm -1000pm
Basic hardware help Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
Bluewave Jorge Garcia 282 2681 All Days 700pm - 900pm
Batch Files TSRs Utilities Bill Ghysen 287 1234 Mon - Fri 800pm - 1000pm
Bulletin Board Service Michael Phillips 253 4966 All days 730pm - 830pm
Chinese Star for Windows Peng Lee 258 0156 All days 100pm - 900pm
Clipper Cedric Bear 258 3169 All days 730pm - 830pm
Corel Draw Fabian Stelco 241 1743 Mon - Fri 730pm - 900pm
Corel WordPerfect Suite 7 for Win95 Peter Tilbrook kermitdynamitecomau 242 8696 All days Anytime
DOS Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
Excel Graheme Fry 288 3138 All days 730pm - 830pm
Flight Simulation Roger Lowery lowerypcugorgau 258 1583 All days Anytime
Foxpro Greg Atkinson 241 7903 Mon - FriSat Sun
700pm - 900pmFrom 1100am
Free Agent Agent Newsreading Allan Mikkelsen 278 3164 All days Noon - 900pm
General Help Allan Miller (044) 711187 Mon - Fri 730pm - 830pm
General Help Brian Gosling 259 1116 All days 730pm - 830pm
GEOSGeoWorks Phil Jones 288 5288 All days 600pm - 1000pm
Hardware Anthony Glenn 288 8332 All days Anytime
HDK Lis Shelley lshelleypcugorgau 248 6656 Mon - Fri 730pm - 830pm
HDK Ivana Leonard 231 4169 Mon - Thu 700pm - 900pm
ISR CADDSMAN Modeller (Win) Neil Moffat 292 7108 All days Noon - 1000pm
LINUX PC Unix Andrew Tridgell 254 8209 All days 600pm - 800pm
Lotus 1-2-3 Doug Jenkins 286 2243 All days 730pm - 900pm
Lotus Ami Pro 3 W ord Pro 96 ed Peter Tilbrook kermitdynamitecomau 242 8696 All days Anytime
Microstation Cad Andrew Novinc 258 1907 All days 600pm - 1000pm
Modem Communications Michael Phillips 281 1980 or All days 730pm - 830pm
Networks Gary Thompson 241 2399 All days 730pm - 900pm
Online doc using Help Compiler (Win3) John Carroll jcarrollpcugorgau 248 0781 All days 730pm - 1000pm
OS2 v2 Mark Beileiter 283 2429 Mon - Fri 800am - 330pm
OS2 Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
OS2 Michael Lightfoot 258 8185 All days 730pm - 930pm
Project (Microsoft) Steve Ramsden 287 1500 Mon - Wed 800pm - 1000pm
SBT Accounting Greg Atkinson 241 7903 Mon - Fri 700pm - 900pm
Scream Tracker 3 (3SM) MOD Music Chris Collins 258 8276 Mon - Fri 730pm - 900pm
Small Business Computing Nick Thomson 241 3239 Mon - Thu 730pm - 930pm
SuperBase Paul Blair 288 3584 All days 730pm - 930pm
Telix Michael Phillips 281 1980 All days 730pm - 830pm
SCO Unix amp Xenix J Bishop 291 0478 All days 700pm - 900pm
Unix Michael Lightfoot 258 8185 All days 730pm - 930pm
Turbo Pascal Michael Phillips 281 1980 All days 730pm - 830pm
Vision Impaired Adam Morris 291 4522 All days 700pm - 900pm
Visual BASIC Ian Champ 254 0418 All days 700pm - 900pm
Windows 31x Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
Word for Windows Lis Shelley lshelleypcugorgau 248 6656 Mon - Fri 730pm - 830pm
WordPerfect 51 DOS 61 Win Gayle Scott gaylespcugorgau 254 1579 All days 730pm - 930pm
WordPerfect 61 7 for Win95 Peter Tilbrook kermitdynamitecom 242 8696 All days Anytime
WordStar Dave Hay 258 7310 All days 700pm - 900pm
The people in this directory are volunteers so please observe the times given The Help Directory is designed to helpindividual users and should not be used as a substitute for corporate support calls to vendors This service is provided formembers only Please quote your membership number to the helper For those helpers with an asterisk messages may beleft on the BBS in either the General message area or as a Netmail message on 3620243 Send updates topcugeditorpcugorgau or via post to the PCUG Centre
The Help Directory
May 1997Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
1
Internet SIG730pmPCUG Centre
2
SIXTEENBITSCommercialAd deadlinefor May
3
SIXTEEN BITSLayout Day 10am______________InternetConnection Clinic930am-1pmPCUG Centre(check withCentre Staffer on253 4911)
4
TRAININGDAYProgrammingC and C++930-430PCUG Centre
5
Internet DaytimeDemo andDiscussion10am-12 noonPCUG Centre______________New MembersNight730pmPCUG Centre
6
VirtualCoffee amp ChatTIP IRCServer1030-1130am
7 8 9 10
TRAININGDAYProgrammingVisual Basic930-430PCUG Centre
11
TRAININGDAYIntro tocomputers930-430PCUG Centre
12 13
Coffee amp Chat1030amPCUG Centre__________
C++ SIG730pmPCUG Centre
14
CommitteeMeeting730pmPCUG Centre
15
OS2 SIG7 for 730pmIBM Building8 BrisbaneAve Barton
16 17
TRAINING DAYIntro Windows 95930-430PCUG Centre______________
Meet theCommittee2-4pmPCUG Centre
18
TRAININGDAYInternetAdvancedAccess Intro930-430PCUG Centre
19
Internet DaytimeDemo andDiscussion 10am-12noon PCUG Centre______________
SIXTEEN BITSStuffing and Mailing530pm PCUGCentre
20
Virtual Coffee ampChatTIP IRC Server1030-1130am_____________
Delphi SIG730pm PCUGCentre
21 22
Linux UserGroup730pmRmN101ComputerScience DeptANU
23 24
TRAINING DAYPC Maintenanceamp Troubleshooting930-430PCUG Centre
25
TRAININGDAYInternetAdvancedAccess Intro930-430PCUG Centre
26
Main MeetingManningClark Theatre1 CrispBuilding ANU7 for 730pm
27
Coffee amp Chat1030amPCUG Centre
28 29
Networks SIGCall GarryThomson(241 2399) fordetails
30
SIXTEENBITS Articledeadline forJune
31
TRAININGDAYInternetHTML Intro930-430PCUG CentreBytes SIG 6pm
Asian Bistro ANU(before PCUGmeeting
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 13
14 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Setting Up a Commercial Site onthe Internet with Web Graphics
At the beginning of March I launched a newcommercial site on the Internet - InfoRomSince I know virtually nothing about HTMLprogramming and since I am something of anovice at this game I thought you might beinterested in
a) My experience of setting up acommercial site
b) My evaluation of how suited CorelWeb Graphics is to this purpose
I was in fact involved in EdRev anunsuccessful Internet project that was up onthe Net for much of 1996 Hopefully I havelearned from the experience - as Peter Cookused to say ldquoI have learned from my mistakesand I can repeat every one of them perfectlyrdquo
Developing Your Site ConceptBefore setting up your site it is important tohave a clear idea in mind as to why the site isthere what services you wish to provide andwhat sort of clients you are aiming at WithEdRev my idea had been to provide in-depthreviews of CD-ROM educational softwareover the Internet - people would not be able toaccess the reviews until they had taken up asubscription - or at least trialled the servicefor a month People out there did not respondto this approach - and the big problem frommy point of view was that I was putting vastamounts of time into writing the reviews andgetting little return
With InfoRom I decided to write shortermuch tighter reviews make them available forfree but offer access to question and answersupport on any of the products reviewed for asmall fee That way I figured that I wouldnrsquothave to invest too much effort up front but Iwould be putting my time and energy intoanswering questions for paid up subscribers Ialso decided to start including selected gamesas well as educational software so as to widenthe appeal of the service
Corel Web Transit - Word to HTML
Having written the reviews (inWord 6 for Windows) the nextstep was to convert them intoHTML format This proved to besomewhat easier than I had expectedWeb Transit makes the process prettyautomatic and it carried over my formattingand styles without any problem The onlydifficulty I found was that occasionally itwould add a couple of unwanted line breaksat the top of the page and very occasionallyan unwanted bookmark to the text at the topWhere this happened I simply deleted the linebreaks and changed the formatting to removethe bookmark There was no logical reason forthese unwanted inclusions - I suspect that itwas just a bug in the program Diagram 1 iswhat the Transit screen looks like You set updestination and source then click translatethen click the Web Designer icon if you wantto format and modify the file or click thebrowser icon to see what it will look like onthe Web
Corel Web Designer - Formattingand Enhancing the Site Pages
Web Designer is another of the Corel WebGraphics package components and (with thehelp of my daughter Naomi) I used this to dothe following
middot Fancy up headings and the appearanceof the text
middot Add internal links eg from the bottomof the page to the top
middot Add external links to other files egSubject Index
By Nick Thomson
Diagram 1
cd romcd rom
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 15
middot Add external files to other sites eg thesites of the software suppliers
middot Add graphics
All of the above processes were easy andreliable and I was able to undertake all of themsuccessfully despite not having any knowledgeof HTML programming I only encounteredthree shortcomings
1 If I had names with a mixture of upper andlower case the links didnrsquot always workproperly I overcame this by ensuring thatall my filenames were in lower case onlyI am not sure if this was a Web Graphicsproblem or just a general HTML issue
HTML is certainly casesensitive so beware
2 It is not possible to define orsave your own templates in Web
Designer It would have been veryhandy if I could have set up a template
with all the standard headings and linkseg to the Home Page built in - notpossible at this stage but I understand thatthis facility will be available in the nextupgrade of Web Designer
3 The formatting options are a bit limitedand it is not possible to define your ownstyles (although there is quite a good rangeof pre-defined styles available)
For graphics Naomi created a series ofneat little icons - one for each subject categoryThus at the top of each page there were twosmall graphics representing one or two subjectcategories for that review These were createdfrom clip art in Corel Draw then convertedand pasted in as gif or jpeg images (the twographic formats that are supported by HTML)We had tried using screen clips in EdRev -
they took forever to load and were a pain towork with so I decided against using them inInfoRom One of the golden rules of Web sitesis not to slow things down with too manygraphics - I get very frustrated waiting forsome of the software supplier sites to load -and I donrsquot want my potential clients to feelthat way about my site Diagram 2 is anexample of one of our pages
Selecting a Supplier andUploading Pages
The next step was to find a commercial sitesupplier I had been happy with service andvalue for money that we got at Spirit Networks(an ACT supplier) so I decided to go to themIt cost me $275 to set the site up (includingthe registration of my domain name on theInternet) and it is costing me $50 per monthfor maintaining the site (that includes a goodlevel of storage email traffic and the right toupdate whenever I like) - so it really isnrsquot tooexpensive a service As part of the setup costsa rep from Spirit came and helped my set upTIP email and FTP connections on mymachine Because of my newness to thisprocess I fired lots of questions (includingquite a few dumb ones) at them by email orphone in the first couple of weeks - I have tosay that they have been very patient and mosthelpful
I uploaded all the files by means of FTPand eureka it is working What a satisfyingfeeling to log on load up your browser andperuse a site that is all your own work Apartfrom a few faulty links (the result of incorrectentry on my part) everything was working fineimmediately and I have already added threelots of updates without difficulty
Marketing and Indexing the SiteWhen I was involved in EdRev I sent outapprox 600 emails to schools educationalagencies etc in the hope of winning somesubscribers For all that effort we got 2subscribers
I believe that one of the keys to the Internetis harnessing the power of the various searchprograms or Web Indexes by listing your sitewith them and doing whatever you need to doto ensure that your site has a reasonably good
Diagram 2(continued next page)
16 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
chance of being detected What I want is thatif someone searches for a particular packageeg Encarta or NHL 97 then they will bedirected to my site Thus the key is for not justmy home page but for every separate reviewpage to be picked up by the various indexesMost users stick with the big ones - as far as Ican tell they are
Excite
Infoseek
Lycos
Alta Vista
Magellan (subset of Excite)
Yahoo
Hot Bot
Web Crawler
Web Surfer
If anyone out there can suggest any otherlsquopopular onesrsquo please tell me My experienceis that there are two categories of Index
1 Those that list your home page and thentrace all of the links to the home page and(over time) add all of the other pages inyour site This can take 3 or 4 weeks Theseinclude Alta Vista Lycos Yahoo and (Ithink) Excite and Yahoo
2 Those that will only list the URL you haveentered eg Infoseek and Web Crawler
Thus I have taken two approaches Withcategory 1 eg Excite I have added just thehome page to the index although each time Ido an update I add the URL of what I estimatewill be the most popular choice for that weekto Excite and Hot Bot - thus increasing thelikelihood of my site appearing on thesesindexes in the short term Alta Vista Yahooand Lycos all actively discourage this process- but I will see whether the review pages ofmy sites are being picked up before I passjudgement on this
In the case of Infoseek and Web Crawler Ientered every single URL for all the pages inmy site (about 130 to begin with) - and everytime I do an update I add the URLs for thenew pages to these indexes It is timeconsuming but I believe that it is worth it Iam starting to get traffic to the site from allover the world but it is too early to tell howsuccessful my efforts have been
WebSurfer required a payment of $350(US) to be included - I wonder how long itwill be before this trend catches on with theothers At the bank I discovered that it wouldcost me $10 - to get a cheque drawn in USdollars - so the process cost me about $15
dollars And they wonder why Australia is notcompetitive on the international scene WhileI am grizzling about banks let me alsocomment that for every client that pays me bycheque in US dollars or pounds sterling it willcost me $5 to convert that cheque to Australiandollars The trick is of course to encouragepayment by credit card but I have not foundany of the banks I have spoken to so far to beparticularly eager to allow a small untriedbusiness like this to offer credit card facilitiesAre there any banks out there that encourageAustralians to transact internationalbusiness
There are a number of providers that offer(for a fee) to list you with lsquo100 Web indexesrsquoetc but since I figure that most people onlyuse the most popular ones I havenrsquot botheredwith them
Final CommentBasically it is now a matter of wait and seewhat the response is as well as ensure that thesite is visible on the various Web indexes Thewhole process has certainly been much easierthan I expected and I can certainly recommendCorelrsquos Web Graphics suite as a good way forbeginners to get a page up on the Internet witha minimum of fuss and bother Letrsquos hope thatthe subscribers start rolling in
Nick Thomson is a management trainerconsultant and he is also the manager ofInfoRom a CD-ROM review and onlinesupport service on the Internet He can becontacted on 241 3239
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 17
A review by Alan Tebb
ldquoWhat is the name of the worldrsquos mosttattooed womanrdquo (See the answer at theend of this article)
I remember buying a copy of theGuinness Book of Records in 1979and thinking it contained the mostfascinating collection of trivial facts
and figures I had ever read Over the yearsthe book settled the occasional dinnerargument that strayed into the realm of ldquowhowas the tallest man everrdquo or ldquohow longwere the longest finger nails ever grownrdquoIt was like having the sideshow bearded ladyand the tattooed man between covers on thebookshelf every page was filled with thebizarre the freakish the unbelievable
But to be fair the Guinness Book ofRecords is more than a collection of thecurious or unusual In the month since Ibegan this review I have noticed the TV andthe newspapers have on three occasionscovered attempts to break Guinness records
Perhaps the Guinness record book fulfillsthat need in human beings to challenge theirenvironment do things that no other humanhas done before to better the incredible featsof others or to be just plain crazy Whateverthe motivation the drive to be a part ofGuinness historyndashif only for as long as arecord holdsndashis as popular now as when thewhole thing began in 1955
So naturally I was very interested to seewhat Grolier had done to make the GuinnessBook of Records a multimedia CD I wasnrsquotdisappointed Like its hardcover cousin theGuinness Multimedia Disc of Recordscontains the same extensive collection ofrecords plus a library of amazing film clipsand photographs you simply wonrsquot findanywhere else on CD
The opening interface looks like acollection of pub drink coasters It has eightpaths allowing the user to browse recordsgo straight to an index of all photographsview movie clips search by words search
1995 GuinnessMultimediaDisc of Records
by topics search by superlatives run theRandom Record Explorer or play the GuessWhat quiz
The record browser lists almost 15000records in alphabetical order and is the leasteffective way of finding your way aroundthe CD The Guinness Multimedia Disc ofRecords excels in its ability to search itsdatabase of records using some innovativeoptions The usual Boolean choices areavailable or you can have fun searching bysuperlatives such as ldquotallestrdquo or ldquoheaviestrdquoThe CD will then list all the records thatinclude the chosen adjective The otheralternative is to search through topic treesthat branch out from a few key subjects allthe way to individual records an approachoften seen in CD encyclopaedias
The disc contains over 1000photographs from the Guinness collectionincluding what must be considered some ofthe most unusual and fascinating picturesassembled in one publication The majorityof photos and videos are very high in qualityand in the case of the photos these can beprinted
My only disappointment with theGuinness Multimedia Disc of Records is thefact that it did not have a country specificsupplement The thing I liked most aboutmy 1979 hard copy version was the 30 pagesof Australia-only records at the back Evenso the multimedia version is every bit asentertaining interesting and informative asI had hoped it would be With the addedadvantage of film clips sound and greatsearch capabilities I think it is better thanthe hard copy version Now if I can onlyremember some of those unusual facts andfigures I might be a much better TrivialPursuit player
System RequirementsA 486DX processor running at 33MHz orfaster using Windows 31 or rsquo95 4 Mb ofRAM 6Mb hard disk space CD-ROMcapable of 300Kbsec or higher transfer rateand a sound card The video uses Quicktimefor Windows 20 (supplied with theproduct)
The worldrsquos most decorated woman is stripartiste Krystyne Kolorful born 5 December1952 in Alberta Canada Her body is 95percent covered and it took ten years tocomplete the work
18 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
T his comprehensive set ofpowerful drawing and photo-editing tools fills a niche for thehome or small business users
who are looking for an easy-to-use graphicspackage to create greeting cards certificatesbanners business forms signs and calendarsetc and at the same time have the capacityto scan their own photographs touch themup and add special effects or create bitmapimages using the painting tools
While both MS Publisher 97 (which Ireviewed in the March 1997 issue) and PrintHouse have some similarities and overlapin the production of greeting cards bannerscalendars menus etc this program con-centrates on the production of qualitygraphics and photographic enhancementwhile MS Publisher97 was more orientedtowards Desk Top Publishing and has nophotographic enhancement program
Corel Print amp Photo House lives up toits claim for simplicity with a friendlywizard-based interface that anyone can usewithout training It includes more than 1600ready-to-print sample files (700 of whichare cards 1000 photos 1000 phrases 150TrueType fonts 7000 clipart images 200backdrops and 70 intelligent borders andtemplates and a well-illustrated manualwhich includes a catalogue containingcollections of the clipart fonts bordersbackdrops phrases and photos on theCDROM At a loss for the appropriatewords to include The comprehensive listof phrases should meet almost everyconceivable need
Installation is simple and the programproved fully compatible with my LogitechColour scanner and DSV Graphics DisplayAccelerator
There is a key that opens a key page thatin turn displays help topics to assist withthe task in hand using cue cards The topicsopened by the key are determined by the toolin use or the object currently selected Eachcard contains an instruction and after eachstep is completed a new card displays
Wizards are available to walk usersthrough any task such as changing the colourof an object or adding shadows to text Thereis an on-screen Notebook to help guide usersthrough various operations such as how toapply effects choose a paint brush or accessthe photo collection It also provides easyand visible access to clipart bordersbackdrops and preset styles that can bedragged and dropped into designs
You can customise a project withpowerful drawing tools and flip rotate orscale any text or graphic
The vector graphics and text are fullyeditable and can be flipped rotated re-sizedungrouped and fully customised by bothcolour and shape
The Toolbars and layout will be familiarto Corel Draw users they are intuitive andperform similar functions Figure 3 showsthe Notebook to the left of the verticaltoolbar showing what you would like to donext This Notebook provides convenienton-screen context-sensitive help and guidesusers through various operations such ashow to apply effects choose a paint brushor access a photo collection It also provideseasy and visible access to clipart bordersbackdrops and preset styles that can bedragged and dropped into designs To add acatalogue item you can drag it from theNotebook and drop it into the appropriatepart of your design
One particularly neat feature is theability to save pieces of your own creationfor later use in a section called theScrapbook so that you can add it to futureprojects
Reviewed by Jim Hume
Figure 1
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 19
The Photo House was particularlyimpressive both for the ease of use and itsversatility It took just over ten minutes torepair the damage to the print in Figure 2with the result shown in Figure 3 It alsoincludes a Notebook that provides on screenhelp to guide users For touching upphotographs there are Tools for selectionRectangle Freehand Eyedropper EraserFlood Fill Paintbrush Spray Can and Clonetools There are seven different touch-upeffects including Sharpen BrightnessContrast Remove Dust and ScratchesReduce speckles Simplify colours removered-eyes and Change Colours which provide
users with everything they are likely to needto spruce up or enhance photographs
Finally they provide a touch of fun withspecial effects-Page Curl Emboss SwirlCustom Negative Vignette Motion blurAdd light source Psychedelic Ripple
texture Impress-ionist and SketchThe photo editingpossibilities arealmost endlessFigure 4 showsthe special effectspicture a crownconverted top s y c h e d e l i cformat
Figure 2
Figure 3
Apart from serious use this program willalso provide a lot of fun for all ages andsome may be carried away with over-use ofthe graphics If only to emphasise the needto keep the design simple so that readers getthe message immediately the manual wouldbenefit from a Chapter covering theprinciples of good design similar to that inthe Publisher97 Companion or at least a listof recommended reading
There is an uninstall feature whichallows the ready removal of the program
System RequirementsMinimum System requirements IBM PC486 DX or compatible Windows95 orWindows Nt 351 a CD-ROM drive a VGAcardmonitor and a mouse or tabletWindows users require 8MB of RAM andWindows NT 351 or later users will require12 MB or RAM Price - RRP $9900
Figure 4
20 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
So here we are - itrsquos about 930 amon a fine Sunday morning and Irsquomcruising along the 210 freewayeastbound from Pasadena on the
way to the computer marketplace atPomona The traffic is light moving freelydown the 6 lanes between 70 and 80 mph(forgive the non-metrics therersquos a lot ofcatching up to do here) The speed limit wasincreased from 55 to 65 mph after the oilcrisis was ldquooverrdquo and the highway patroltend to frown on anyone faster or slowerthan 65 to 80 The radio is tuned to K-Earth1011 ldquoOldiesrdquo radio (appropriate for me)the Big-O is extolling the virtues of PrettyWomen and all is right with the world
Irsquove done my homework the day beforeby visiting FRYrsquos Electronics in Burbank -a huge high-tech megastore with a computersection roughly the size of David JonesThey are generally in the lower range ofcomputer retail prices - so it is worth seeinghow they compare to values at the Pomonamarketplace
Some example of prices at FRYrsquos (forsome things I was thinking of buying) are
Tape Backup unitsIomega Ditto 2Gb - $150 (Aus $207 after825 CA sales tax and conversion at 1275)Connor 32Gb - $229 A$316HP Colorado 32Gb - $209 A$288
Parallel port TV camerasColour - $249 A$343 Greyscale- $110 A$151 [Saw them bymail order at $79 A$101 (notax)]
8Mb 72pin EDO SIMMs 70ns - $40 A$55 60ns (1 yearWarranty) - $35 A$48 60ns(Namebrand lifetime warranty) -$44 A$61
Sony Web TV(WWW + Email via your TV -No PC required) - $290 A$400
Back to Sunday and thehardest part of the trip is theU-turn into the LA County
fairgroundrsquos car park - there are 6 entrancelanes with only 2-3 cars in each so gettingto park is pretty painless except for the $5parking fee Ouch A dollar up since lasttime Then another shock to the wallet -entrance fee has increased from $7 to $8for adults (and no Seniors discount) So atotal of $13 A$18 before making it into thefirst hall A friend and I discussed theentrance price and concluded that it mightbe a cunning psychological plot - Itrsquos costso much to get this far that one should reallybuy plenty to make it all worthwhileEverybody wins organisers and dealers thatis But itrsquos certainly possible to recoup theentrance money with a purchase of aCDROM For example MS Encarta 97 wasgoing for $26 (A$36)
There is at least one and sometimes twocomputer shows somewhere in LA eachweekend but this I think this one is thebiggest It is held in two large halls(sometimes three) Each hall is capable ofeasily accommodating around 150 largishstands with 10-15 foot aisles Therersquos 4 or 5radio stations here - at least 2 broadcastingand the rest handing out various ldquofreebiesrdquowhile relaying their station overloudspeakers Add to that various spruikersshouting their wares (ldquoNo CDs over $5 onthis tablerdquo ldquoLowest motherboard prices atthe showrdquo) numerous ldquomultimediardquo demos
and a few thousand people trying to makethemselves heard It is pretty noisy
I checked with the organisers and theysaid that they average around 8000attendees per day - so up to 20000 over agood two day weekend show It surprisedme that is was that low as it can get reallycrowded (2 or 3 deep at some stands)
There were over 300 dealers that day -about average However every 2-3 monthsthe organisers run 20-30 short seminars inconjunction with the market at the Sheratonsuites on the fairground complex On thoseoccasions the attendance at the marketincreases by 30 or more
So why do people keep coming back tothese shows Are the prices so much betterHere are a few examples
Complete ldquobasicrdquo system166 Mhz 6x86 Triton VX MB PnP bios256 Kb Cache 16 Mb EDO RAM 16 GbEIDE HDD 8X EIDE CDROM PCISVGA 64 bit with 2 Mb MPEG Yamaha3D Wavetable sound card poweredspeakers 336 Fax modem with Voice
mail SVGA 15 Digital NI28 monitor mousekeyboard floppy drive etcWin95 Installed with manualamp CD $969 A$1337 for thelot
MotherboardsIntel VX chip set with all IO256 Kb Cache - $84 A$116Intel HX chip set 512K -$110 A$152 CheapestPentium MB I saw (Optichip set) - $65 A$90
Wish You Were HereSixteen Bits foriegn correspondent John Saxonchecks in from Pasadena California
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 21
Tyan Tomcat 3 with 512K - $145 (the oneI paid $220 for 4 months ago - Oh wellthatrsquos life at the bleeding edge)
RAM8Mb 60ns EDO - $35 A$48 (Brand name$2 more) 16Mb 60ns EDO - $74 A$102
CPUsPentium Pro 150 Mhz - $179 A$247Pentium MMX 200 Mhz - $538 A$742(prediction - $300 by Dec 97)
CDROM Drives6X - $55 A$76 (Untested - as is)X12 Acer - $100 A$138X2 7 disk changer - $50 A$69(Untested - as is)JVC X4 read X2 write - $259A$357X16 (LiteOn = no name Nicebox) - $108 A$149
HDDsWD Caviar 25 Gb - $225 A$311Maxstor 13 Gb - $170 A$234
ModemsUS Robotics Courier 56 Kbs +Voice - $163 A$225 No name 336Kbs + SVDS - $67 A$92 (and goingdown)
Odd stuff2 Mb VGA cards as low as $45 A$62Cheapest parallel port flatbed scanner -$203 A$280
Stocking stuffers 230 Watt powersupplies - $17 A$23IDE HDD mobile rack with lock - $12A$17 TEAC 144 MbFDD - $20 A$28
The only direct comparison with FRYrsquosprices was for the HP 32 Gb tape backupunit - $209 at FRYrsquos - $149 at the marketSo it can definitely be worth the trip BUTsome of the dealers may not be around toolong to honour warranties and there aresome definitely ldquoshonkyrdquo practices goingon An example is the almost universalpractice of breaking up CDROM ldquobundlesrdquoto sell separately a practice much frownedupon by OEMs Caveat Emptor
So what was hot or different at thismarketplace
Well the new ATX format motherboardsand cases seemed to be selling well Forthose who donrsquot know - ATX is the new
mechanical layout with some electricalimprovements agreed by the major man-ufacturers (the first major mechanicalchange since the original PC) The mostobvious difference in the new motherboardsis on-board connectors (including USB andIR) and externally removable panels on thecases (you need a new case and Powersupply with the new motherboards) Butthere are many more changes infunctionality including ldquogreenrdquo systemPower supply control - never turn the system
off (except by unplugging it) Boards were$150 A$207 and up and cases with PSUsaround $75 A$104
Recordable CDROM drives were sellingwell with media down to $8 A$11 Didnrsquotsee any of the new DVD CD-ROM drivesbut these shows are not generally ldquocuttingedgerdquo more concentration on lower (slightlytrailing edge) prices
But I tried on a great pair of LCD 3Dglasses with modified game software - veryimpressive results The glasses switch 48times per sec (some noticeable flicker) andcome with a CDROM which include driversand some modified ldquoshoot-em-uprdquo gamesDescent 3D Nukem Doom etc for a totalof $99 A$137 The same stand also sold a4MB 128 bit Video card with hardwareMPEG2 decompression for $159 A$219Terminator-2 at full screen and full ratelooking better than your average TV
I even saw a $999 A$1378 home-use2-axis VR - that is Virtual Reality - chaircontrolled by the joystick It is quite quiet(as far as I could tell in amongst the racket)and apparently air driven with 50 degreesmovement in pitch and 55 degrees in roll
The monitor mounts in front of your kneesand the keyboard (for an optional operator -or simulation controller) behind the seatback There were speakers and joystick builtin also It seemed to be very fast and wasquite nauseating to watch Combine thiswith the 3D glasses for a total experience(if your stomach could take it)
There are probably more software thanhardware stands with CDROMs from $199up to $199 A$275 for Office 97 Pro upgrade(probably another unbundling job) Also 3
or 4 book stores - selling at coverprice less 25 for one book to coverprice less 35 for 5 or more books
Not all the stands are totallycomputer oriented There are a fairsprinkling of chiropractors (on thespot diagnosis) ldquoself defenserdquostands (mace amp pepper sprayselectric stun guns and (strangely)large knives) Cell phones pagerscigars and jewelry etc - you nameit A pretty large curtained off area(over 21 only) had several dealersselling thousands of ldquoadultrdquoCDROMs and videos A nice
change from the ldquooldrdquo days when that stuffwas included on most stands One of theradio stations was giving out ldquoEarthquakepreparationrdquo leaflets - modern times in LA
What did I buy Well - very restrainedfor me Only 16 Mb (2 X 8 Mb EDOSIMMs) of RAM - name brand (Toshiba) at$38 (A$52) each Also an HP Deskjetprinter colour refill kit At $55 (A$76) it waspretty expensive but it is supposed to refillcolour cartridges up to 24 times and B ampW up to 6 times so it could well be worth it- came with a package of business card paper(my choice parchment) also Oh and a W95or 31 Wincheck Version 40 softwarepackage at $1495 A$21 - I couldnrsquot resist
So after 2 12 hours I had taken a quickcheck around all the stands with no repeatsand I was out of there - all computered out(at least for one day) Irsquove been to that showat least 6 to 8 times before plus othersaround LA and I still get a mild adrenalinerush when going in - calculated to causeshopping frenzy
22 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Confused aboutYoursquore not alone
By Nhan Tran
Getting onto the InternetYoursquove heard about the informationsuperhighway and you want to know moreYour kids want to get on the Internet butyou donrsquot know how to give them a driveYou have been using the Internet but whenyou asked for help you could not explainyour problems to the experts This article(or maybe a series of articles) gives you thewhole picture and some explanation on thevehicle you use to get on the superhighway
The SuperhighwayThe Internet is a complex (and sometimesconvoluted) network of superhighways Theroads may be a six-lane freeway a four-lanehighway a side street or even a narrow alleyThey may be on the ground above groundunderground at the bottom of the seas orflying high with the satellites in space
On top of that you donrsquot actually driveyour car It is driven by an automatic driverwhich is nearly blind and canrsquot see fartherthan the next turn It is weird It is unnaturalwhich may be the reason why it works andthe other ldquowell-designedrdquo networks failedThe whole network is based on the conceptof ldquobest effortsrdquo That is the robot driverswould try their best but not guarantee thatthey would take you to the destination
They try to find the best route for you Itmeans that if the road is too congested theymay make a U-turn get off the freeway andcrawl through a labyrinth of cat alleys Theroads are like the real ones sometimes thereis almost no traffic at all other times theylook like a huge car park The matter getsworse when you take into account of thedifferent timezones around the world Oneorsquoclock in Australia may be the rush hourin another country and if you want to getinformation from there you get caught inthe traffic
Because of these characteristicssomeone (I think it was Mitch Kapor thespreadsheet inventor) has made a comment
like ldquothe information superhighway is a ten-lane freeway in one direction and an ox-cart path in the otherrdquo
But if you can go to where you wantwould you care I donrsquot I treat the wholenetwork like a fuzzy cloud that magicallygives me the new freedom the newcommunity and the new set of problems
The Highway RampSo how do you get on this super highwayThere are places which are connected to thehighway network on one side and entrancesfor you to enter on the other They are calledservers Normally what you see on theInternet is what is stored at these serversbecause most people like you donrsquot wantstrangers to access your PC (I wouldnrsquot leta stranger into my house) Luckily there aremany servers with many goodies to look ator play with
Getting onto these servers is not easyYou use a modem connected to a phone lineto call the modem on the server When theserver modem answers the call they wouldstart the process of synchronisation Toomany standards and too many brands If youare unlucky your modem may refuse to talkto the other modem and you would spendhours of frustration and get a huge phonebill
The high pitch tone you hear from themodem is this process When both modemssatisfy that they can reliably talk to eachother the noise stops Then itrsquos the butlerrsquosturn
The ButlerThere is a very important program for yourInternet access It is a program that asks the
modem to make the call to the server andwhen connected requests a login on yourbehalf to the server
What is a login You come to a friendrsquosplace knock the door or ring the bellSomeone in the house would ask ldquowho isthererdquo and yoursquod say ldquoitrsquos just merdquo Yourfriend recognises your voice opens the doorand let you in If you work in a securedenvironment every morning when you enterthe building you would show your ID cardto the security guard
Your username (or user ID or login ID)and your password are equivalent to the IDcard If you get the dreaded ldquoaccess deniedrdquoit means (a) you (or the program that doeson your behalf) entered incorrect username(b) you entered wrong password or (c) youran out of access hours or the accessexpired or your PCUG membership
expiredThis program is
always there rendashgardless of how youstart your Internetsession Some
access the Internet by Eudora some byMicrosoft Internet Explorer some useNetscape They either have a built-inprogram to do this job or automatically callthis program to make the connection Evenif you donrsquot see it on the screen it is runningin the background The popular PC prondashgrams that can do this task are TrumpetWinsock (or TCPMAN) Shiva Chameleonor Dial-up Networking Connect etc
Once the connection is established thisprogram will take on the task of a butlerserving other programs Letrsquos look at thefollowing analogy
Letrsquos assume that you (or to be precisethe PC programs such as Eudora MSInternet Explorer Netscape etc) were aninvalid confined in a room You would needa butler to help you getting things outside
ldquoThe roads may be a six-lane freeway a four-lanehighway a side street or even a narrow alleyrdquo
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 23
the Internet
the room When you (Eudora InternetMail Netscape Mail) wanted to checkyour mail yoursquod ask the butler to checkthe letter box and bring letters to yourbed When you wanted to send lettersto friends or relative yoursquod ask thebutler to take it to the post office
When you (Free Agent InternetNews Netscape News) wanted to readnewspaper yoursquod ask the butler to goto the newsagent and buy newspaper foryou When you (Internet ExplorerNetscape Opera) wanted a book or avideo yoursquod ask the butler to buy suchand such books or videos for you
It is so important that without it youcanrsquot get anything f rom thesuperhighway So if you started yoursession from Trumpet Winsock whenthe connection has been made (ie whenyou see the message ldquoMy IP address is2031076xxxrdquo) donrsquot close or exit theprogram Minimise it and let it run inthe background so that it can serve otherprograms Otherwise you would getstrange and incomprehensible errormessage such as ldquowinsockdll missingrdquo(trust a programmer to tell you whatrsquoswrong in the program he or she wrote)
Thatrsquos enough for the boring stuffNext t ime wersquo l l ta lk about emai l(eletronic mail) news World Wide Web(if the Queen is doing it so why canrsquotwe) and other mysteries of the Internet
Internet Clinics are normally held at the PCUG Centre Northpoint PlazaBelconnen the first Saturday of each month 930am to 1pm There is nocost involved
So if you (or another PCUG member you know of) are having problemsyou (or they) will be welcome to attend It is suggested that you call thePCUG Centre on the day and check with the staffer that we are notoverloaded before coming along
To get a problem on your PC resolved it is essential that you bring all ofthe following items with you
bull PC and Monitor plus all interconnecting cables
bull Mouse
bull Keyboard
bull Modem
bull Modem power supply
bull Modem cables - from PC to modemand from modem to telephone socket
bull Modem and PC manuals amp documentation
bull All of your software disks -
ie Win31 or Windows95 disksCD
If you dont have a PC to fix but you want to get some guidance on someparticular aspect of using TIP please feel free to come along and simplytalk to us
Clinics are not a free softwaremodem installation service We do expectyou to have made a reasonable attempt at getting the software installed ampworking
David Schwabe dschwabepcugorgau
The Internet Clinic
24 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
A t the start of this year I startedto get interested again in an oldheroine from days of misspentyouth in the rsquo70s New York
underground poet-turned-singer Patti Smithldquothe Bob Dylan of the punk scenerdquoThought Irsquod see whether there was anythingon the Web and found anexcellent site at httpwwwoceanstarcompatti Tomy astonishment I found thatshe was in Australia on her firstmajor tour anywhere in years mainly for theBig Day Out outdoor concerts
I had heard of the Big Day Out tour viaTriple J but this was the first Irsquod heard ofher being on the bill After seeing other re-formed punk heroes Radio Birdman and theSex Pistols in 1996 was it possible I couldmake the trifecta Alas the Sydney eventhad been booked out for two weeks
Via the JJJ Web site httpwwwabcnetautriplejdefaulthtm I found theBig Day Out Web site httpstarbaitbdocomaustarbaitbdo and loand behold they were having live conndashnections to the Melbourne concert on the25th January via the Internet with the
assistance of a US-based organisation calledThe Campus (wwwthecampuscom) If Icouldnrsquot be there in Sydney to see Patti inperson this would be as close as I couldget In addition I had always seemed to findout about real-time events on the Web justafter theyrsquod occurred and here at least wasan opportunity to be in at the start it wouldbe an interesting technical exercise ifnothing else
First choice was browser InternetExplorer 3 or Netscape Navigator 3 I gatherIrsquom not unlike many in having been initiallybowled over with IE3 then finding that itwas less robust and in particular made fargreater demands on temporary storage thanNetscape With little free disk space and
being about to try all sortsof new things I decided toplay safe and use Navigator
The Big Day Out Website (figure 1) was well done
and looked great including animatedgraphics and good use of frames but wasif anything as the British say ldquotoo cleverby halfrdquo For example you selected optionsvia a Shockwave animation of ducks in ashooting gallery click the mouse on a duckwhen an alternative was highlighted yoursquodhear a BANG the duck would flop overbackwards and yoursquod be off to that optionVery cute very clever and very slow andfrustrating for actually going anywhere Inaddition it appeared that when you went tosome pages they called up some trick Javacode which brought up Netscape sessionsin what looked like Kiosk mode no menusLooked neat but again a nuisance The sitehad its own mascot a sort of anime-stylekick-boxing heroine called Miss Starbait (Iassume a risque in-joke try saying the namequickly)
Once you got to it the information wasthorough and well laid out A list of artistsincluded links for those who had Web pagesThere was a page on the Auckland concert(first in the series) with photos etc For eachcity on the tour the site had links to maps ofthe venues and also timetables I foundfrom this that in Melbourne Patti Smithwould be on Stage C 540 PM for an hour
There were two main components to theInternet part of the day a Real Audio feedwith both backstage comments and the
via the Internet or -the boy looked at PattiO
BDig
ayut
by Malcolm Street
Figure 1
This is the era where everybody createsPatti Smith - ldquoSo you want to be a Rock n Roll Starrdquo 1979
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 25
stage and a new form of conferencingsoftware called The Palace where artistswould come for QampA sessions with fansIrsquod experimented with Real Audio but notto any great depth and had never even heardof Palace and I had to get this all togetherin a day Fortunately there were direct linkson the Big Day Out Web site
While I had a Real Audio stand-aloneplayer one page on the site came up with ablank expecting a Real Audio plug-in Ontothe Net to the Real Audio page todownload Real Audio player version 3Install restart Navigator back to the pageand voila A Real Audio control in themiddle of a Web page Painless
Then to work out which ISP to useUnfortunately the weekend was the onebefore the ldquoearly birdrdquo credits expired forTIP and I presume because of this it wasalmost impossible to get on One time whenI did get on I tested the Real Audiobackstage feed from Melbourne and foundI was only getting a 144k stream and poorquality at that I had a second backupaccount with Access One with a higherspeed (and far more expensive) networkand found that I could get a stable 288kReal Audio stream so that was going to be
what Irsquod have to use Not to mention thatthe time Patti Smith would be on would bepeak time anyway
Next step was to find Palace again viaa direct link from the BDO page to httpwwwthepalacecom I had used forms of
3D interactive software but Palace wasdifferent much simpler just 2D backndashgrounds Really a sort of IRC withbackdrops and sound effects For the BigDay Out the organisers had produced theirown backgrounds and sounds and I had todownload those as well from their siteHowever there were no instructions on howto set them up so it ended up being trialand error until I got it to work puttingimages and sounds in separate subdirndashectories under the Palace directory
Finally I had Palace running with the BigDay Out backdrops and found myselfoutside a circus tent which included livelinks to the Big Day Out and Campus Webpages (figure 2) Moving ldquoinsiderdquo the tentgot me to an area where I could don aparticular costume however choices werelimited for non-registered users andappeared to reset so I had to be content withthe default avatar a soft of sphere with aface on it (figure 3)
Finally there was the conference tentitself guarded by a fearsome lookingdoorman who asked for a passwordClicking on his lady companion told you tolook in the log Once Irsquod figured out howto do that I found it ldquomama cazrdquo Typedthat in response to the doorman and whoafound myself in this psychedelic room whichwas to be the conference area (figure 4)
Figure 3
Figure 2
26 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
I knew when Patti Smith was going tobe on stage what I didnrsquot know was whenshersquod be in conference in the Palace I waslistening to the back stage chatter via RealAudio this time more organised as Campuswas acting as ldquoon line radio stationrdquobroadcasting to the USA ldquoAustraliarsquosLollapolloozardquo and in the middle of this Iheard them give times for different artistsbeing in the virtual tent with Patti Smithroughly 430 Problem solved
430 arrived Back on line into the tentanother band (Supergrass) being inndashterviewed The conference area is now fullof faces with a still photo of the band downthe bottom left-hand corner Irsquove had verylittle experience with IRC and this seemsvery similar hard to follow with variousthreads of conversation going on sindashmultaneously but I gradually tune in to itTherersquos a thread going about problemspeople are having with reliably picking upReal Audio - oh dear As well as a fewAustralians there are a couple of Americansin there and a South African Then see thatPatti Smith is about to come on And sureenough C 440 the picture changes and thereshe is
Unfortunately the session is a bit of ashambles Unlike the younger artists (sherecently turned 50) she does not appear tobe familiar with the technology andsomeone else is doing the typing for herslowing down and complicating exchangesSeems to be the passing of the torch - a bitof a fish out of water in the environment ofa younger generation The bass player ofher backing group had suffered concussion20 minutes before from a collision with arogue door hence her lateness Thingsfinally get under way (one person ldquoa fanfrom WAY backrdquo says ldquonot many questionsjust adorationrdquo I can relate to that) but justas itrsquos building up a head of steam she getsa long phone call (presumably about the bassplayer) and has to call it quits prematurely
Irsquoll just have to wait and see if theconcert is any better
Well the concert is indeed better In factwhen I can hear it clearly (see later) itrsquoswonderful She starts with an early poemroaring it out with authority then afterthanks to JJJ who are handling the broadcastto the Internet and to the absent bass player
launches into the concert proper a greatblend of old and new
The sound quality is to put it mildlyvariable It was much better in earlier gigsthat day with Australian bands but itappears to drop off markedly on this onePerhaps too many people on at onceAmerican fans connecting in to hear one ofher first big shows in years Checking withstatistics in Real Audio shows theconnection approaching 20 loss in someearly songs leaving a very jerky soundFortunately it improves later with lossesdown to around 4 and sound quiteacceptable (People dropping out infrustration) However later on a fewoccasions the sound drops out completelyand I have to wait while it restarts somendashtimes for a couple of minutes
Then just as the concert comes to ashattering climax heading into one of myfavourite songs of hers a demolition of VanMorisonrsquos Gloria the Real Audio feed goesfor me at least dead Stone cold dead It islike the other times when it has dropped outbut this time it wonrsquot recover BummerAfter several minutes I can get the feedagain but just get an empty stage waitingfor the next band
So that was it a frustrating end to afrustrating but fascinating day At best thesound quality was am radio standards Butthen again these are very early days and Ican remember worse am radio sounds ontransistor radios as a kid in the lsquo60rsquos Avideo feed would have been real nice butone thing that is obvious from this exerciseis that live audio let alone live video ispushing current Internet technology to itslimits and beyond with a large numbers ofsimultaneous users in a function like thisSo as with so much on the Net wersquore seeingthe first glimpses of something that will takeanother generation of technology to becomepractical But hey this is the world of theNet and another generation could be onlysix months away
Later that night I connect to the Palacesite again and find a note at the tent to sayit was all over and to check up next week Ido indeed and they reckon over 100000people worldwide connected to the site thatone day and that the live broadcast of PattiSmithrsquos complete concert was a world firstApart from catching up with an old idol Irsquodseen a glimpse of a communications futureof being part of an event shared interactivelylive world-wide yet another step towardsthe Global Village
Figure 4
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 27
Stuffed AgainThe following members and friendsare thanked for assisting with stuffingour journal for mailing
Andrew amp Bruce Bartlett
Bruce Black
Owen Cook
Eddie de Bear
John Dyer
Bob Ecclestone
Rufus Garcia
Sally Hammon
John Hempenstall
Joy Hewett
Sue amp Jim Hume
Jenny Laraman
Alan Lockett
David Meggs
Allan Mikkelsen
Don Nicol
Gloria Robbins
Keith Sayers
Rod Smith
John Starr
Bob Summersby
Michael Taylor
Gordon Urquhart
Anne WarrenerWe are always looking for volunteersto assist us with the lsquostuffingrsquo of ourjournal We start around 530pm(latecomers are welcome) usually on the2nd last Monday of every month andare generally finished by 800pmRefreshments are provided and any ofyour knotty computer problems can bedebated lsquoat the round tablersquo in congenialcompany If you would like to helpplease ring Petra Dwyer at the PCUGCentre on 253 4911 and she will fill youin on all the details
Next Stuffing530pm Monday 19 May 1997at Northpoint Plaza Belconnen
(see map page 6)
htt
p
ww
wp
cu
go
rga
up
cu
g1
6b
its
Now
in A
dobe
Acr
obat
form
at
Oz User GroupsAdelaide PC Users GroupPO Box 2541Kent Town SA 5071(08) 332-7021Margi McLeay (Sec)Meet 730pm 3rd Tuesday of themonth at Enterprise House 136Greenhill Road Unley Visitors $5
Brisbane PC Users Group(Brisbug)PO Box 985Toowong QLD 4066(07) 3273 7266 Info Line(07) 3281 6503Lloyd Smith (Pres)Meet 12 noon 3rd Sunday of themonth at Bardon Professional Cntr
Darwin ComputerUsers ClubGary Drake (Vice President)(089) 324 107 h(089) 450 091 wEmail acsntacslinknetau
Melbourne PC User Group2nd Floor 66 Albert RoadSouth Melbourne VIC 3205(03) 9699 6222 10am - 330pm(03) 9699 6499 FaxEmail officemelbpcorgauHome Page httpwwwmelbpcorgauMeet 6pm 1st Wednesday of themonth (except Jan) at PharmacyCollege 381 Royal Parade Parkville
Perth PC Users GroupPO Box 997West Perth WA 6872(09) 399 7264 Trevor Davis (Pres)Meet 600pm 1st Wednesday of themonth at Ross Lecture TheatrePhysics Building University of WANedlands
Sydney PC Users GroupPO Box A2162Sydney South NSW 2000(02) 972 2133 Michelle DonaldMeet 6pm 1st Tuesday of the monthat main auditorium TeachersFederation 300 Sussex StreetSydney
28 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Features include fun animation sound effectsand a high-score listing Reg Fee $15
COMET13Comet Busters 13 is an incredible high-speedarcade game for WIN31 You must clear thecolourful asteroids and occasional alienspacecraft from the screen before you canproceed to the next deadly level This gamefeatures beautiful 256-colour ray-tracedgraphics and digital sound effects Reg Fee $9
HMN32V11Hangman (BB) 111 is a word-guessing gamefor Win95 that can help grade school-agechildren improve their vocabulary andspelling Features include an editable wordlist the ability to include definitions with eachword mouse or keyboard input and moreRequires the 32-bit VB runtime files Reg Fee$5
PDHP97SUPrairie Dog Hunt PRO rsquo97is a shooting gamefor Windows that allows you to participate inthe wholesale slaughter of harmless mammalswithout all the mess Features include 360
LIBRARY Phil Trudinger
The files described in this article are on theMarch 1997 CD-ROM (PsL Vol 5 3) whichis currently on the Bulletin Board all are ZIPfiles Please quote the month or Vol whenordering files on disk
The text files CD1 to 7 inclusive in Area 1 ofthe Bulletin Board are the monthly CD-ROMfile lists
Reminder
Most CD-ROM programs are Shareware Areasonable time (generally one month) isallowed for evaluation but if you continue touse a program beyond this time you shouldcomply with the authorrsquos conditions thatusually require payment of a registration feeBear in mind that this is the only way by whichan author receives any reward for hisherefforts Unless otherwise stated registrationfees are in US dollars
NEW AND UPDATEDWINDOWS PROGRAMS
(An asterisk denotes Windows 95specificity or compatibility)
GAMES
AGNSETUPAGNS - A Game of Naval Strategy 162 is agame of naval warfare for Windows whereyour objective is to sink the computerrsquos unitsor capture his main base Each turn consistsof a plot movement phase air combat phasemovement and combat phase air strike returnphase and a repairbuild phase Thissequence is repeated until one side claimsvictory Reg Fee $15
BG17Backgammon by George 17 is an excellentgame of backgammon for Windows You canplay against the computer (with four differentskill levels) or against a human opponentOther features include the ability to saverecall games many unique customisingoptions computer-suggested moves andmore Reg Fee $15
BNW10ABuild lsquon Win 10a is an interesting strategicgame for Windows where two players buildtheir opponentrsquos game boards and try to makethem as difficult as possible to complete
degree scrolling scenery excellent animationdigitised sound effects multiple skill levelsand a high-score hall of fame Reg Fee $20
SANWHRTSSanDearsquos Hearts for Windows 100 allowsyou to play the classic card game Hearts inWindows Features include support for up to12 computer players modem play the abilityto create a hand an undo option the ability tosave and rotate a hand and more Reg Fee$10
TILES95BTiles and Tribulations 152 is a challenginggame for Win95 where you try to catch fallingcoloured tiles and drop them into bins in alogical manner Any three (or more) tiles ofthe same colour in bins going horizontallyvertically or diagonally will be removed andincrease your score Reg Fee $22
GRAPHICS
CPLAY2Childrsquos Play IIis a 256-colour paint programfor children It occupies the full screen to help
SOFTWARE
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 29
prevent the child from going to other applic-ations Features include unique graphicspecial effects rubber stamps various screenerasers fun sound effects the ability to loadsaveprint images and more This is anexcellent program with many creative optionsto keep the little ones busy for hours Reg Fee$20-$25
GIFCON32GIF Construction Set 95 109 is a powerfulcollection of tools to work with multiple-block GIF files in Win95 It will allow you toassemble GIF files containing image blocksplain text blocks comment blocks and controlblocks and provides facilities to managepalettes and merge multiple GIF files togetherRequires a minimum of 4MB RAM but 8MBis recommended Reg Fee $20
ICN95525Icons Control 95 525 displays up to 100icons at a time for quick viewing printingcopying renaming moving or deleting Apowerful icon editor is also providedRequires Win95 Reg Fee $25
SD95INSTSmartDraw 95 30 is a powerful drawingprogram for Win95 It allows you to easilycreate great looking flowcharts diagrams andbusiness graphics Features include drag anddrop drawing OLE support full compatibil-ity between 16 and 32-bit versions filesharing the ability to send drawings on mail-enabled systems and much moreSDINSTALis the Win31 version Reg Fee $49
FONTS
FLFontLister (32-bit) 15 displays all installedfonts in Win95 You can also print a completefont listing or just some sample text with aselected font Reg Fee $0
FONTSHOWFontShow (32-bit) 22 allows you easily toview the TrueType fonts installed in Win95NT Options are included to display user-specified sample text in place of the normalfont name and alphanumeric character setThe size and face of the currently selectedfont can be quickly changed and the resultsdisplayed automatically Reg Fee $0
FONTW11FontWindow 11 displays all your Windowsfonts on screen so you can quickly see whichfont you want to use It can be set to stay ontop so you can view fonts while running otherprograms Reg Fee $29-$39
SERIFRACSeriFractions is a TrueType font that has a fullset of diagonal and vertical fractions for 12through 89 and also 16ths and 32nds It alsohas a partial set of mathematical symbolsincluding the true multiplication (x) symbolReg Fee $10
SYMSELSymbol Selector 11 allows you to easilyselect and copy symbols from TrueType fonts
that are of the ldquosymbolrdquo variety (such asWingdings and Symbols) to the WindowsClipboard Reg Fee $0
INTERNET
ADZAP10AdZapper 10 is an add-on for NetscapeNavigator to ldquozaprdquo (eliminate) annoyingadvertisements Reg Fee $20
AWN95AutoWinNet95 10 lets you perform commonInternet tasks on a scheduled basis You cancreate an ldquoagendardquo with dozens of stepsincluding updownloading email retrievingand sending obtaining weather updates andmore Requires Win95 Reg Fee $30
GGI11Go-Get-It 110 performs exhaustive preciseand ultra-fast searches of the Internet using acombination of keyword search Usenetnewsgroups search and various searchengines Features include automatic retrievalof all found web pages and informationoptional storage in separate folders to be usedlater and more Reg Fee $40
MASNDW32MailSend (32-bit) 3x is an add-on forMicrosoft Mail and Win95 that allows you tosend messages from the command line orfrom batch files Reg Fee $49
ND276BNetDial 276b is an Internet dialler forWindows It will call your host log you inand automatically start your TCPIP packagefor you Features include support for up to 5separate configuration connections baud ratesupport to 256k redial up to 99 times WAVsound file support and more Reg Fee $20
PRO12Teleport Pro 120 is a multi-threaded file-retrieving offline-browsing webspider forWin95 It scans the Internet for files or sites ofinterest and downloads them to your harddrive for fast offline access Features includeadvanced file typesize matching keywordfilters the ability to handle proxy servers andpassword-protected sites automatic retriesand more Reg Fee $40
TRAW3215Trawler (32-BIT) 15 allows you to interact-ively browse and gather information from theWeb It automatically follows links andretrieves pages to your hard drive It can evenfollow links from different web databasessimultaneously Reg Fee $35
30 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
MISCELLANEOUS
CALC9534Calc95 34 is a scientificengineeringcalculator for Win95 with a wide range ofbuilt-in units conversions and physicalconstants Reg Fee $25
GL10DThe GL Store for Windows 10d is a completedouble-entry general ledger accountingprogram for Windows It maintains 10000 GLaccounts multiple companies budgets 3-Dcolour graphs recurring accounts multipledepartments and detailed reports Reg Fee $79
HBGHome Business Guide 30 is a Windows-based guide to starting a business from homeIt discusses selecting planning and startingyour own business and covers resourcestools and help available Reg Fee $0
TIMCLK13PC-TimeClock for Windows 13 keeps trackof time yoursquove spent on your computer Timeis charged to one or more projects from yourlist by ldquopunching inrdquo when you begin work oneach project Reg Fee $18
MUSIC
MT32_16A Musical Tutorial for Windows (32-bit) 160provides an excellent way to encouragemusical study using the graphically-orientedenvironment of Win95 This includes a chorddictionary musical games the ability to playview and print scales chords and triads a userlog and much more This is suitable for bothchildren and adults Reg Fee $25
SCALEIT4ScAleIt 40 is a musical scalecordeducational package for Windows It candisplay all the chords and scales with all rootsand all inversions Features include aneditable database the ability to play chordsscales through your sound card MIDIsupport a solving function and much more800x600 screen resolution is recommendedReg Fee $0
PHONEADDRESS BOOKS
AM_PB45Phone Book for Windows 45 is a nameaddress database for WIN31 Fields areprovided for name addresses two phonenumbers fax and comments Other featuresinclude phone dialling over a modemsearching capabilities printing options andmore Reg Fee $17
BAM211Burrilliant Address Manager 211 helpsorganise all of your phone numbers address-es birthdays account numbers and more inWin95 All personal or business informationcan be printed for your day planner in a cleanattractive format Reg Fee $15
CARDBASECardBase (32-bit) 23 is a combinationaddress book and phone dialler for Win95NT Along with the regular fields for namesaddresses and phone numbers it can alsostore email addresses FAX numbers and website URLs Cards can be quickly sorted byname or custom card groups Searching andsorting operations are fast and intuitive RegFee $0
PHNMKR18Phone Book Maker 18 allows you to createphone books in pocket 12 letter and lettersize Features include 30 useful fields perrecord standard envelope printing powerfulindexfiltersearch facilities importexportcapabilities in variety of formats virtuallyunlimited records and more Reg Fee $50
SCREEN SAVERS
ADRF3210Adrift Screensaver (32-bit) 100 displaysbeautiful floating line patterns on your Win95desktop Reg Fee $14
AURADEMOAurora Screen Savers is a screen savermodule for Windows that simulates a 3-Djourney through the Aurora Borealis Twelvedifferent colour patterns are available Thisversion displays a nag box in the upper leftcorner of the screen Requires 256-colourvideo Reg Fee $18
BLKBRD15Blackbird Screen Saver 15 is a Windowsscreen saver module that displays photos ofthe SR-71 spy plane in action Requires 256-colour video and 4MB RAM Reg Fee $15
BOMBER15Bombs Away 150 is a slideshow screensaver for Windows with 256-colour digitisedphotos of jet bombers in action Requires4MB memory Reg Fee $15
BOTANICABotanica Screen Savers is a screen savermodule for Windows that displays a virtualgarden of growing plants and flowers inbeautiful variations of colour and shape
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 31
Twelve different savers are provided eachwith their own unique patterns Requires 256-colour VGA and VBRUN300 Reg Fee $18
JEWELJewelBox 10 is a screen saver for Windowsthat displays colourful ldquojewelsrdquo that appear togrow on your screen Features includeinteractive options a variety of palettechoices and more Reg Fee $18
JOTREE15Joshua Tree Screen Saver 150 displays thestark beauty of the California desert capturedin stunning 24-bit colour images Requires a386+ 4MB RAM and 256-colour video RegFee $15
METALLIXMetallix is a screen saver module for Win-dows that displays metallic sculptures whichunfold in unique and unpredictable patternscreating a mesmerising transformative effectThere are twelve different savers to choosefrom each with its own distinct settingsRequires 256-colour VGA and VBRUN300Reg Fee $19
NIAGRA15Niagara Falls Screen Saver 150 is a screensaver module for Windows with photos of thefalls and immediate vicinity The photos rotateautomatically when activated Requires 256-colour video and 4MB memory Reg Fee $15
PICSHO32MyPictureShow32 is a Win95 screen saver inwhich the visual content is supplied by yourown collection of computer images There isno limit to the number of pictures you canuse and nine different display modes areavailable The slideshow mode allows achoice of 17 transition styles Other featuresinclude support for BMPJPGGIF graphicfiles password protection automatic scalingof large images to available screen size and
more This demo version will run 20 timesthen disables itself Reg Fee $16
SSCR8R21My Own Screen Saver 21 allows you tocreate your own screen saver using yourfavourite images and pictures You cancombine selected BMP DIB and WMF fileswith 32 different visual effects Reg Fee $20
TWIST151Twister Screen Saver 151 is a 32-bit screensaver for Win95 that transforms your desktopinto a windy landscape with one or moretwisters moving everything deforming yourdesktop making everything a mess You canconfigure the wind speed number of twistersthe twisterrsquos speed and more Reg Fee $8
VENIC12Venice Screen Saver 12 is a Windows screensaver module that displays graphics thatsimulate floating through the canals of Veniceon your gondola as Italian music and the
sound of splashing waves fills the air Reg Fee$29-$39
VIDSAVVidSaver 11 is a Windows screen saver thatplays video clips and animations while yourcomputer is idle Reg Fee $20
TEXT EDITING
EDT236PEM EdTex for Windows 95 236 is a 32-bittext editor for Win95 It can edit a maximumof 2000000 characters and 30000 linesOther features include macro support printingoptions word wrap multiple undoredoblock editing and more Reg Fee $35
GTE32R15GWD Text Editor (32-bit) 15 is a powerfultext editing package for Win95 Featuresinclude support for macros unlimited filesize print preview a built-in spell checker anautosave option support for DOSUNIXMactext file formats and much more Reg Fee$20
JW32T22CJ-Write for Windows (32-bit) 22 is a fullfeatured editor for general text files and emailFeatures include the ability to edit very largefiles support for any ANSI font configurabletab settings and four line wrap modes multi-level undoredo and more Reg Fee $30
QUIKDC11QuikDict Spelling Dictionary 11 is a pop updictionary accessible from the Win95 ToolTray Features include the ability to spellcheck all words as they are typed alphabeticand ldquosounds likerdquo word matching over91000 EnglishAmerican words in thedictionary the ability to automatically pastethe correct spelling back to the clipboard andmore Reg Fee $19
SCRATCH4Scratch Pad (32-bit) 21 is a text editor forWin95 Features include the ability toautomatically capture clipboard information aprint preview function undo facilities andmore Reg Fee $15
TXEDITTxEdit (32-bit) 25 is an easy-to-use texteditor that makes a nice replacement for theWin95 Notepad Features include the abilityto viewedit multiple documents search andreplace options drag-and-drop support MacUnix file support and more Reg Fee $0
32 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
TXP3223TextPad (32-bit) 23 is a text editor forWin95NT It can handle files with up to32000 lines of 4095 characters with multiplesimultan-eous edits and up to two views oneach document Other features include fullundoredo facilities print previewing atoolbar for frequently-used commands abuilt-in file manager support for Unix andMacintosh text file formats drag-and-dropsupport and much more TXP1223 is theWin31 version Reg Fee $27-$35
UTILITIES
ADDIT10ES Adding-Machine 10 is a unique calculatorfor Windows that is designed for adding upcolumns of figures Entered figures areretained on-screen and can be edited so youwonrsquot have to start again if you are interrupt-ed or make a mistake Reg Fee $40
CIDV09CIDview monitors a selected telephone lineand reports the Caller ID whenever there is anincoming call The details of incominginformation will be automatically displayedon your screen with the Caller ID informationstaying visible for 10 seconds Reg Fee $9
DLLCHK95DLL Check 95is a DLL management utilityfor Win95 Features include the ability tocreate a log of all modules that load or unloadin a session the ability to search for duplicatemodules and a detailed information displayfor selected modules Reg Fee $80
EASYZIPEasy Zip (32-bit) 10 makes it incredibly easyto archive files with PKZIP in Win95 Itallows you to use point-and-click operationsinstead of all the context-switching and messybatch files of manually using PKZIP fromDOS Reg Fee $1850
HDLED11Hard Disk LED 11 simulates a hard disk lightthat flashes every time there is disk activityAn icon appears on the Win95 task bar andflashes every time the system accesses yourhard drive Reg Fee $5
HYSNP278HyperSnap 278 allows you to capture thedesktop highlighted window areas or user-defined areas in Win95NT Features includehotkey support cropping facilities the ability
to save images in BMPGIFJPEG format andmuch more Reg Fee $20
LONGSAVELongSave 101 is used to save the list of longfile names and short names to a commadelimited ASCI text file The short names canthen be backed up or zipped or copied withutilities that are not long-file-name-awareAfter the files are transferred it uses theASCII file to restore the original long file
names This must be run from a DOS sessionunder Win95 Reg Fee $25-$95
REDH22Red Hand 22 tells you exactly what someonedid on your computer while you were awayexactly when they did it and how long it tookWindows can be discretely ldquolockedrdquo toprevent access and will simply close themimmediately or send an error message of yourchoice You can control exactly which areasof your computer that you do not want othersto have access to Reg Fee $25
RMVR32RemoveR 161 helps delete unneeded filesfrom your hard drive after you have installed aprogram in Win95 It will take a snapshot ofthe drive before an installation then you cancompare the current status of your files withthat last stored All files that have been addeddeleted will be shown on the results screenFrom this screen you can highlight certainfiles andor directories and delete them orsave the list for later deletion Reg Fee $5-$40
SENTRY95Sentry 95will prevent all unauthorised usersfrom accessing the Win95 desktop wheneveryour computer boots Reg Fee $14
SU96_402StepUprsquo96 402 contains a set of utilitieswhich make working with Win95NT easierand faster This includes a user-customisableStepUp Menu smart Folder Navigatorsophisticated Menu Designer and a powerful
File Handler It also provides handy taskbaricons for fast exit CD-ROM Autorun onoffand more Reg Fee $30
V95I208EVirusScan for Win95 253 is a native Win95application that detects and removes comp-uter viruses Reg Fee $65
YATS32Yet Another Time Synchroniser (32-bit) 30allows you to synchronise your system clockusing various time server types commonlyavailable on TCPIP networks such as theInternet Multiple servers can be specified andwill be tried sequentially until a valid time isobtained and your system time set Reg Fee$35
ZOOMER12Zoomer 12 provides a 2x or 4x magnificationof the area around the mouse cursor in Win95This is an excellent utility for the visionimpaired Reg Fee $0
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 33
NEW AND UPDATED DOSPROGRAMS
ANTIVIRUS
AVSCANAVScan 310 is a freeware scanner that candetect more than 4500 virus signatures RegFee $0
I_M311AIntegrity Master 311a is an anti-virus anddata integrity system The author says itdetects all known viruses It can detect anyform of file corruption including disk errorsor as yet unknown viruses Stacker Double-Space SuperStore and Bernoulli system filesare supported Identifies the new MS WordMacro viruses as well as over 640 additionalviruses It has an option to quickly disinfectdiskettes Reg Fee $50
SCN_253EVirusScan 253 scans diskettes or entiresystems and identifies any pre-existing PCvirus infection Reg Fee $65
GAMES
DRAK160Drak 160 is a falling blocks-style game withattractive graphics and several varieties ofblocks It includes blocks which melt blocksthat fall apart when they land and more Thegame includes 10 levels of increasingcomplex-ity joystick support and ability tosave games in progress (RegFee$33
DRUG12Drug Killers 12 is an action-packed shoot-em-up arcade game where you pilot atechnologically advanced aircraft in a battle tostop a futuristic drug cartel You must destroya wide variety of land and air-based enemieswhile gathering weapons and shields Otherfeatures include excellent scrolling graphicsgreat special effects a high score listing theability to save and restore games and a coolmusic soundtrack Reg Fee $25-$40
HAMSTER3D Hamsterrsquos Adventure is a fun 3Dadventure game where you assume the role ofa hamster in a colourful maze The object ofthe game is to eat all the fruit scattered aroundthe maze so the secret exit will appear Youwill encounter monsters along the way butyou can use your strawberry grenades or apowerful hamster kick for protection Theexcellent graphics sound effects and musicmake this an enjoyable game for the wholefamily Reg Fee $15
MISCELLANEOUS
COELI379Coeli Electric Planisphere 379 combinespractical ephemeris and planetarium with areal-time star chart to provide a Super VGAmodel of the skies as seen from Earth Youmay view the heavens from any place or timewith advanced starconstellation search insidea point and click interface A separate VESAdriver must be pre-installed Reg Fee pound12
JOCCALJOC-CALC 10 is an easy-to-use spreadsheetpackage for DOS Features include a pull-down menu system with mouse support aHyperText help system support for blockoperations built-in mathstrig functions andmore Reg Fee $25
MEDLIN97Medlin Accounting 1997 is a double-entrygeneral ledger program with accountsreceivable payroll and payables modules Allmodules are very easy to use PC-AR is theaccounts receivable module It allows amaximum of 2000 customers and 1500charges per accounting period PC-INV is amodule which works directly with theaccounts receivable module to generateinvoices and post them to PC-AR It willmultiply quantity times price and insert thetotal and calculate sales tax PC-PR thepayroll module allows up to 500 employeesand 1000 payroll cheques per accountingperiod PC-AP the accounts payable modulecan sort invoices by due date and will printcheques Mouse support has been added to allprograms Reg Fee $25-35
VDEVideo Display Editor 182 is a fast powerfultext editor Commands can be entered from amenu bar or with control keys Featuresinclude a proportional spacing modekeyboard macro recording MenuBar modethe ability to edit eight files at once acommand for proportional print Autosave toautomatically save your work at specifiedintervals simultaneous windows scrolling theability to align the platen for printing onvarious kinds of forms support for the fileformat of MS Word an envelope printer awide range of screen sizes (from 17 to 57lines) an integrated spell checker and muchmore Support is also provided for Ultra-Vision the HP95LX palmtop and the Tandykeyboard Reg Fee $35
UTILITIES
DNOTE420Disk Note Librarian 420 allows the user toadd descriptions and comments of up to 300characters to each file name on a disk up to1200 files Reg Fee $15
RCR01Rosenthal Conflict Resolver 100 is adiagnostic tool that helps corrects IRQ DMAand IO conflicts the major cause of systemcrashes Reg Fee $99
2 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Compiled by Jim Hume
The Monarchy
This site provides the history of the BritishMonarchy The Royal collection TodayrsquosRoyal family and includes The Queenrsquos rolein the Commonwealth This role articleshould be valuable to all those interested inthe Republic debate monarchist andrepublican alike It is a well presented siteand a useful resource as a school kithttpwwwroyalgovuk
Museums
The virtual Museum of Computing includesan ecletic collection of World Wide Webhyperlinks connected with the history ofcomputing and on-line computer basedexhibits available both locally and aroundthe world httpwwwcomlaboxacukarchiveothermuseumscomputinghtml
Airlines
Ansett provides information on their productand services and the places they fly to Youcan reserve flights and accommodationThere is a travel planner and screen saveravailable to download httpwwwansettcomauwebintrohtml
Qantas provides similar information on theirproducts and services with a brief history ofthe airline and also a screensaver which canbe downloaded httpwwwqantascomau80newsindexhtml
Books Magazines and Newspapers
The Canberra Times is now online withsections on News Sport Features OpinionWeather Real Estate Motors Classifiedsemail and services httpwwwcanberratimescomau
Readers Digest Interactive They ask you toldquoread it react and interactrdquo It containsDigest classics like Laugh Lines and WordPower and advice about how to do justabout anything featuring Home ProjectsCooking Gardening fitness and health httpwwwreadersdigestcom
National Geographic Online This is a greatcontribution with something for everyone inthe family Donrsquot miss these HOT SPOTShttpwwwnationalgeographiccomhotspotsindexhtml
Electronic Journals and Newsletters Thissite provides a complete internet list for newjournals and newsletters available on theInternet There is a search archive completealphabetical archive recent issues in reversechronological order and alphabetical list oftitles httpgort ucsdedunewjour
Amazon Bookstore offers not only 15million books in print but extremely hard-to-find out-of-print titles and discounts onsome of their book lists They claim 25million titles overall They include a searchfacility and provide a personal emailnotification service They list a Book of theday Titles in the News Monthly bookrecommendations and much morehttpwwwamazoncomexecobidossubstindex2html
Medical
)
Kodak have provided an interesting sitedealing with the latest digital cardiologyimaging and their cardiac review stationhttpwwwkodakcomhiHomecardioindexshtml
The American Cancer Society CaliforniaDivision on this site have an excellent articleon ldquoeating rightrdquo and research causeprevention detection and treatment httpwwwcacancerorg
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 3
The Department of Veteransrsquo Affairs haveupgraded their Web Site and it now providesthe latest information on health care forveterans In addition it contains rates andeligibility for pensions statements ofprinciple budgets and legislation It alsoincludes information about commemorativeactivities war graves war memorials andstudent oriented resourceshttpwwwdvagovau
HealthGate have redesigned their site withfaster search results with content organisedinto areas of interest such as medicinepatient education drug information etc It isan important source of biomedicalinformation httpwwwhealthgatecom
Football
The Australian Rugby League haveproduced an excellent site which includesdraws news links teams tipping results agallery and a soapbox httpdevarlorgaumainasp
Super League not to be outdone arepromoted by Foxtel in their sport sectionhttpwwwfoxtelcomauFoxtelhomejhtml
Tyres
I recently drew attention to Goodyearrsquos WebPage and commented on lack of Australiancontent Now they have an excellentAustralian site with an online school kit
dealing with the rubber revolution a tyreguide and a search engine to locate yournearest dealer It requires a frame-enabledweb browser httpwwwgoodyearcomau
Internet
URL Minder keeps track of web pages andother resources on the World Wide Weband sends you email whenever yourpersonally registered resources change Youcan have the minder keep track of any Webresource accessible via http ftp or Gopherand your email address will not be releasedto any third party It is a free servicesupported partially by advertising httpwwwnetmindcomURL-minderURL-minderhtml
People
Talk to the Angels The Vatican has namedtheir computers for the Web after angelsThe site was still under construction at theend of March httpwwwvaticanvaBut where else could you talk to theangelsIt requires a frame-enabled webbrowser
StarTrek This is a most interesting web sitefor Star Trek enthusiasts and also for thoseinterested in site construction for it is a realbobby dazzler httpwwwholodeck3comholodeck3html
Insert
It is an interesting concept which combinesan online magazine with discussion threadsresource lists and links It is dedicated toexploring masculinity and men in societyMen from all walks of life answer the 16 bigquestions about what it means being a mantoday httpwwwmanhoodcomnf
The
Super Site for Kids is a protectedenvironment specially for kids It is a wellorganised fun site httpwwwbonuscomindexclosehtmp
In early March a private Florida companythat hunts for historic shipwrecks announcedit had discovered a gem the ship oncecaptained by Blackbeard a man reputed tobe one of the more terrifying and disturbedpirates of all time This site includes thehistory of Blackbeardhttpeagleonlinediscoverycomcgi-binforums_viewdir
36 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
THE
INTERNETPROJECT
By Iain Gould
Welcome to TIP-TNG (The NextGeneration)
In case you hadnrsquot noticed yet TIP isnow connected to the rest of the world via ahigher speed (double what we had) link Weare now firing the electrons up and downthe pipe at 256k (thatrsquos 3 noughts -thousands in other words) bits every secondWhat this means in real terms is that ournewsgroups are updating more frequentlyweb pages and file transfers are much fasterand those of us that need to log in remotelycan do so with much less delay Boy are weimpressed
If you have not bothered to try TIP for awhile do so as we have seen a markedimprovement in the service provided afterthis upgrade and the installation of the extra12 modems in February (much less waitingto get on)
ANNOUNCEMENTSThe last two months has seen much goingson within the Internet Project ManagementCommittee For the uninitiated the IPMCis a caucus of techno-nerdygeeks tasked withthe onerous duty of ensuring that membersof the PCUG and AUUG have adequate andcomplete access to the wider resources ofthat part of the Information Super-highwayknown as simply The Internet Anyway wedecided on a lot of things recently Here theyare
1) Commercial Web Advertising Upuntil now TIP placed a restriction oncommercial advertising (that which wasobviously out to make money for the owner)- namely that only corporate members ofeither PCUG or AUUG could placeadvertising on their web pages We have
now opened up such commercial activitiesto general members of both organisationsFor the same fee that we currently charge tocorporate advertisers any individual cannow advertise on their web pages Refer tohttpwwwtipnetautipwebspacehtml fordetailed information and charging rates
2) Account Terminology The termslsquoAdvanced Accessrsquo and lsquoBasic Accessrsquoaccounts were deemed to be confusing (wehad too many requests for information onbasic Advanced access and training foradvanced Basic use) The accounts are nowreferred to as lsquoFull Accessrsquo and lsquoLimitedAccessrsquo respectively The use of the termsAdvanced Access hours and Basic Accesshours will continue for the time being untilwe sort out exactly what we want to callthem and where we need to changereferences to them The most obvious placethat this will change immediately is on theapplication form
3) Multiple Users of Accounts One ofthe regular lsquocomplaintsrsquo that we have beenreceiving has been on our policy to restrictaccount use to the account holder only Howmany of you out there realise that if youallowed your spousechildrenacquaintancesto have access to your password then youwere breaking our rules We donrsquot worrytoo much because we are now changing ourpolicy to open up account usage undercertain guidelines Namely
a) The primary account holder (the onewho originally applies for the account) willbe deemed ultimately responsible for anyuse of the account Heshe must still signthe Acceptable Use Policy and follow thoseterms and conditions and then ensure thataccount lsquodelegatesrsquo behave themselves too
b) The primary account holder mayallow use of hisher account by other familymembers The family members must benominated and lodged with TIP on a newlsquoAccount Delegationrsquo form
c) Only one login name and emailaddress is allocated (as currently) - ifadditional email addresses are required thenthey must be applied for as separateaccounts
d) Normal single user limits (accesshours disk quotas) still apply
We believe that this will allow familygroups some access to the Internet withoutneeding to sign up every members of thehousehold with TIP This policy will beelaborated on the web pages in the nearfuture for further information
4) We are still investigating methods ofproviding help guidance and assistance tousers who are new to TIP andor the InternetWe have been looking at newer lsquofool-proofrsquofirst time kits automated email helpresponses regularly published FAQs(frequently asked questions) and attractingmore volunteer helpers To achieve this lastgoal we are hoping that we can set up aregister of volunteers similar to the HelpDirectory published in Sixteen Bits forspecific areas of Internet use If you feltreluctant in the past to have your name listedfor fear of being asked questions outsideyour particular area of expertise interestthen let us know what you ARE willing tohelp with Are you a Netscape guru Or aWindows 95 Dial-Up Networking hotshotDo you think that you know a fair bit aboutIRC Then let us know
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 37
Nhan Tranrsquos Now OfficialTIP Web Help Pages
httpwwwtipnetautiphelp
bull Whats newHistory of changes to TIP help page
bull TIP Contact DetailsPhone numbers domain proxiesemail addresses
bull Useful TIP informationTime allocation usage statistics
bull TIP documentsAgreement Charging SchemeAcceptable Use Policy AccessApplication
bull InternetFAQAnswers to the Frequently AskedQuestions about the Internet what isthe Internet what you can donetiquette
bull TIP help FAQ
bull Answers to the Frequently AskedQuestions about various problemsother people may have had with TheInternet Project your problem maynot be a new one
bull lsquoHow-torsquo documentsHow to set up and use variousprograms needed to make the mostof your Internet account
bull GlossaryTranslating acronyms computerjargon netese and emoticons like -)in plain English
TIP Technical InformationDomain (PCUG) pcugorgauDomain (AUUG) auugorgau
DNS server 203107634Mail server mailhostDomain
News Server newshostDomainftp server ftpDomain
WWW server wwwDomainProxies proxytipnetau
port 8080
Iain Gould is one of the many volunteersthat keep TIP ticking He can becontacted by email - iainpcugorgau
As a note to those users who do needaccess to help take careful note of the timesthat people offer to be available There is areason that these times are listed ourvolunteers do like to have some personaltime Nothing causes a volunteer to lsquoresignrsquoquicker than having their efforts abused bypeople who ring at all hours and are rudeand obnoxious As a volunteer organisationwe cannot provide 24 hour-a-day instantsupport and we must rely on the genrosityof those that do offer to help Please beconsiderate of those who are willing to sticktheir necks out
As a footnote to all of the above itemsplease address any correspondance toipmctipnetau rather than me directly
Internet Joke of the MonthAnother engineer joke (apologies for thereferences to USA - insert your favouritelocal university as applicable)
Three men were vacationing in CentralAmerica They were arrested for minor illegalactivities and because the dictator of the countryhated foreigners the punishment was death
The three men were marched to thechopping block The dictator of the countryasked the first man if he had any last wordsbefore they chopped his head off The man saidldquoThe only thing I can think to say is that Irsquom analumni of Notre Dame and we have the bestfootball players in the worldrdquo The dictator thensaid ldquoOff with his headrdquo When they pulled therope the blade fell but it stopped inches abovethe manrsquos neck The dictator said ldquoThis is anomen from God we cannot execute you Youare free to gordquo
The dictator of the country asked the secondman if he had any last words before theychopped his head off The man said ldquoThe onlything I can think to say is that Irsquom an alumni ofIndiana University and we have the bestbasketball players in the worldrdquo The dictatorthen said ldquoOff with his headrdquo When they pulledthe rope the blade fell but it stopped inchesabove the manrsquos neck The dictator said ldquoThisis an omen from God we cannot execute youYou are free to gordquo
Finally the dictator of the country asked thethird man if he had any last words before theychopped his head off The man said ldquoThe onlything I can think to say is that Irsquom an alumni ofPurdue University and we have the bestEngineers in the world and if yoursquoll just tightenup that bolt up there this machine will workrdquo
Tips On Tip HelpPlease do not call on the Internet Projecthelp team for answers to general computingquestions or with questions like ldquohow do Ifind such-and-such softwarerdquo - the tiphelpnewsgroup is appropriate for these topicsDo call on us if you canrsquot get our kits towork or if you believe there is a problemwith the system Herersquos the right way to goabout it
1 Read the TIP Help Pages availablefrom the TIP World Wide Web siteat httpwwwtipnetautiphelp
2 Browse the newsgroup tiphelp tosee if someone else has solvedyour problem already Browsetipannounce and tipgeneral for anyrelevant announcements
3 If the problem is not urgent post arequest for assistance in tiphelp
4 If the problem is urgent send mailto ldquohelprdquo requesting advice
Please - describe your problem clearlyconcisely and completely
tell us WHEN it happened
tell us WHAT OPERATING SYSTEMyou are using
tell us WHAT SOFTWARE you are using(esp version)
tell us WHAT HARDWARE you are using(esp modem)
tell us any relevant SETUP DETAILS (egconnection speed)
tell us what TIP login name (eg mmouse)you are using
5 As a last resort (ie when email isnot possible) contact Iain Gould on255 2405 between 7pm and 8pmONLY
The TIP Help TeamThe methods of supplying TIP help and
support and the levels of help provided areunder almost constant review anddiscussion Your feedback on the existingsystems and constructive suggestions forimprovement particularly within theexisting resource constraints are welcome
This can be done in the tip newsgroupsif you would like general discussion of yourideas by email to the TIP Help Team athelptipnetau or by sending email toamikkelspcugorgau who will forward itto the appropriate people
38 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
The Internet Project
1 Access to The Internet Project is governed by the InternetProject Acceptable Use Policy copies of which can beobtained at the PCUG Centre or downloaded from the PCUGBBS or from The Internet Project
2 There is a limit of one Internet account per non-corporatemembership Corporate members may sponsor up to threeindividuals who are then personally responsible for theoperation of their accounts Please complete one applicationfor each person
3 Part of your email address will be determined by the principalorganisation If your membership of that organisation expiresso too does your membership of The Internet Project In thisevent no refunds for unused allocation will be made
4 The Internet Project reserves the right to alter prices andservices offered at any time Fees paid for Internet access arenon-refundable and non-transferable
5 Note Hours debited do not necessarily equate to real hourson-line time allocation will be debited in a non-linear fashiondepending on the amount of time spent on-line in any givenday The debit rate is set from time to time by the InternetProject Management Committee
6 Basic Accessa) Basic Access provides non PPP email and news onlyb) Basic Access is free on applicationc) In any calender year calculated from the date of
application Basic Access provides up to 100 lsquohoursrsquo usage
7 Advanced Accessa) Advanced Access includes full access to the Internet using
SLIPPPPb) Advanced Access is not free Current rates are $120 for
one calendar year of access with up to 300 lsquohoursrsquo usagec) When your Advanced Access subscription expires OR
you use 300 hours of access (whichever is earlier) youwill be required to purchase another subscription for onecalendar year from that date
d) Advanced Access users also receive a Basic Accessallocation - see above
8 All users joining The Internet Project receive a one-off freefive hour allocation of Advanced Access
Collecting Your Login Details9 A waiting period of two months applies to new members of
the PC Users Group (ACT) Inc
10 For existing members please allow up to two weeks for yourapplication to be processed
11 Login details can be collected - in person by the applicant - fromthe PC Users Group Centre We recommend that you phone theCentre first to check that the details are waiting for you
12 You (and your parentguardian if you are under 18 years ofage) will be required to sign an Acceptable Use PolicyDeclaration when you pick up your login detailsPhotographic proof of identity may be required at that time
Important Notes - Please Read
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 39
Disks amp TapesWe offer high quality disks and tape cartridgesin various formats at very reasonable pricesDisks amp tapes are available from the PCUGCentre Monday Wednesday amp Friday 10amto 2pm or between 9am and 5pm on weekends
BBS AccessNew members wishing to access the PC UsersGroup (ACT) InterActive Bulletin BoardService (BBS) should dial (06) 253 4933 andcreate an account on the system Once the mainmenu is presented select the lsquoGoodbyersquo optionfollowed by the lsquoYesrsquo option to leave a messageto the Sysop
In this message state your membership number(from your card or magazine address label) andrequest an access upgrade This will usuallyoccur within a few days
SharewareMembers have access to a huge selection ofldquosharewarerdquo software The PCUG subscribesto a CD-ROM which provides over 250 Mbof new and updated software titles on eachmonthly CD
Member ServicesThese special offers and services are only available to PCUG members Please bring your membership card with you when collecting orders
One complete section of the permanent libraryis also contained on each CD-ROM Inaddition there are many programs on thePCUG BBS which members have uploadedor which come from other sources
This software is provided as ldquosharewarerdquo Ifyou continue to use it you must register thesoftware with the author The Group does notldquosellrdquo the software - it charges a fee to coverthe cost of obtaining the software maintainingthe library and copying the software to themember
Computers are available at the Centre whichare connected to the BBS enabling membersto download software
Hardware amp Video LibraryThe hardware and video library is located atthe PC Users Group Centre Items may becollected and returned on Saturdays andSundays between 9am and 5pm (loans are forone week) Please bring your membership cardwith you
The library provides access to equipmentwhich members would not normally havereadily available Most items have instructionsmanuals and software where appropriateModems do not include software check theShareware Library for suitable packages Itemsmay be borrowed for one week There is nocharge but you must collect and return theitems yourself
Equipment available includesmiddot modemsmiddot soundblaster card
Videos includemiddot Developing Applications with Microsoft
Officemiddot Using Windows 95
NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETINGMonday 28 April 1997
(to be held at 730pm prior to the normal April main meeting)
The Special Meeting is to consider and vote upon the following changes to the rules of the PC Users Group
Rule 17(1)(b) - [Nomination of candidates for election as office-bearers of the Association or as ordinary Committee members]shall be delivered to the Secretary of the Association no later than the last Friday in the July before the date fixed for the annualgeneral meeting at which the election is to take place
Rule 17(2) - If insufficient nominations are received to fill all vacancies on the Committee the candidates nominated shall bedeemed to be elected
Rule 17(3) - A vacant position remaining on the Committee shall be deemed to be a vacancy for the purpose of Rule 16(4)
Explanatory notesThese changes will permit publication in Sixteen Bits of all valid nominations received to enable the membership to give seriousregard to the nominations received They will also permit all members nominating for the committee to have an opportunity toconsider and reflect upon their intended commitment to the committee and to the Group
Hugh BambrickSecretary PC Users Group (ACT) Inc
40 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Compiled by Jim Hume
Japanese-English Translators
Globalink produces some of the bestlanguage translation software TheLanguage Assistant Series quicklyproduce understandable translations fromEnglish into the foreign language or viceversa
The Australian Distributors Software EtcAustralia have now released Japanesetranslation and OCR Software TsunamiMT Typhoon MT and KanjiScan OCRsoftware for English Windows 95 and NTPCs It is claimed these products willmake communication between Japaneseand English speaking businesses mucheasier quicker and more effective
Tsunami MT translates English-to-Japanese and has features such as fullOLE 20 compatibility (drags text to andfrom Tsunami MT embedding theJapanese results into applications such asMS Word) an innovative Kani searchsystem and translation speed at over 3000words per minute
Typhoon MT translates Japanese-to-English and is the result of a two-yearproject to convert the best-sellingJapanese to English translation softwarein Japan to an MS Windows 32-bitformat
Typhoon MT has every element computerusers need to put Japanese computing ontheir personal computer - Japanese fontsKana and kanji text editing a completeFront End Processor and Japanese -to-English machine translation
KanjiScan is the first Japanese OCRsoftware to run on non-Japanese versionsof Windows and includes everythingneeded to scan printed Japanese text anddocuments allowing users to input
Japanese on their English Windowssystem All interfaces instructions anddocumentation are in English WithNeocorTechrsquos Kanji Search system noJapanese language skills are required tomake sure all the Japanese text is properlyrecognised
Tsunami MT $995 Typhoon MT $1195(Bundle $1795) and KanjiScan $795
Software Etc Australia are offeringevaluation versions of this software forloan to reviewers with a knowledge ofJapanese and the capability to conduct andprepare software reviews Enquiriesshould be directed to Peter Klanberck atsoftetcozemailcomauhttpwwwworldcorpcomau Phone (02) 9988-3455
Gene Chip Breakthrough
Affymetrix is developing amp commercial-ising GeneChip(tm) systems to acquireanalyse manage and use geneticinformation based on its propriety DNAarray technology
These systems are being developed forbroad fields including biomedicalresearch clinical diagnosis and theemerging field of genomics Affymetrixhas corporate alliances with Hewlett-Packard Company and Genetics Instituteand intends to pursue the clinicaldiagnostic and additional genomicsapplications with diagnostics andpharmaceutical companies
Their first product currently in externaltests sites will be the GeneChipHIVsystem which rapidly detects mutations inthe protease and reverse transcriptasegenes of HIV the virus which causesAIDS Detection of such mutations arecritical in understanding how HIV reactsto therapeutic agents as well as for
understanding the results of clinical trialsof new drugs The company also hasactive development programs for thespeciation of other infectious organismsas well as for human genes that areimportant in cancer and drug metabolism
Fortune Magazine in an article headedGene Chip Breakthrough by David Stippexplores the implications of thisbreakthrough and believes that whilemicroprocessors have reshaped oureconomy spawned vast fortunes andchanged the way we live Gene chipscould be bigger
TransAct BroadbandCommunications Network
The ACTEW Corporation has recentlyconducted a feasibility study into buildinga broadband communication network inthe ACT It is claimed it would enhanceACTEWrsquos core business and provide theACT region with an economically viablecommunications network
The network would be funded throughoutside financing As there would be nocross-subsidies between varioustelecommunication business and theelectricity and water businesses therewould be no impact on electricity andwater bills now or in the future Known asTransAct Communications the feasibilitystudy was to be completed by March1997 ACTEW Corporation Board willmake a decision on the business caseduring April A key component of thestudy was to be community consultationand market research If the results werefavourable construction should commencein July 1997
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 41
I was consulted in their telemarketingresearch and talks have been held with thePC Users Group Aurisa Institute ofEngineers Australia and the BusinessCouncil of Australia The network couldcarry voice(telephone) video(TV) and data(intenet) over a high range of frequenciesand the cost of services would bedependent on the service providers ieTelephone companies Pay TV companiesand internet service providers ACTEWexpected that prices would be similar tocurrent prices for these services andsuggest that a single broad-band networkwould offer competition between serviceproviders
The network could carryvoice(telephone) video(TV) and
data (intenet)
Two companies have been shortlisted andtheir solutions are being costed to get anaccurate picture of the total cost ofbuilding the network The two companiesare Philips which has offered a HybridCoax (HFC) system and BroadbandTechnologies which offered a switchedbroadband (SDB) solution
The HFC solution as offered by Philipswould differ from similar cable systemsbeing strung in other parts of Australia inthat it would take optic fibre down toserve 60-90 homes per node rather than500-1500 homes The SDB solutionwould be unique in Australia (In use inparts of USA Korea and France) it takesoptic fibre to serve 32-40 homes per nodeBoth solutions have the ability to runadvanced interactive services By the timeof publication a further update may beavailable atwwwactewcomautransactinterhtm
Treasure IslandFrom the Corel Thumbnail Theatre seriesnow being shipped Treasure Island is afun easy way to learn the complexities ofthis popular novel by Robert LouisStevenson It is an animated adaptiontargeted primarily at students aged 12 andupwards Users can choose from threedifferent ways of studying TreasureIsland For those unacquainted with thestory the Watch Me section presents awitty and entertaining nine-minuteanimation which summarises the novelrsquosstory The Guide Me section is designedfor users who wish to study the text indepth and learn more about the era inwhich the novel is set They will see theanimation once again but this time theywill have the chance to stop the animatedsummary in order to explore varioustopics related to the story These topics areaccessible by clicking on the icons whichappear throughout the animation Userswho want to read about different topicscan go directly to the Self Guide sectionThis section contains the entire text ofTreasure Island
It also contains a feature called Timelinewhich is a chronology of historical eventsfrom the time of Treasure Island to thepresent day
Minimum system requirements are 486DX66 8MB of RAM a 640x480256-colour graphics display 8-bit audiocapabilities and a double speed CD-ROMdrive Runs on both Windows 31x andWindows95RRP $Aus 6400
Corel WebMaster SuiteOn March 25 Corel announced the releaseCorel WebMaster Suite the latest additionto their line of Internet products Itcombines state-of-the-art Web siteauthoring with expert site managementfunctionality advanced database
publishing sophisticated graphic designprograms as well as animation authoring3D VRML world creation and over 8000Internet-ready images Included in thepackage is Netscape Navigator 301OrsquoReillyrsquos Website v11 and 30 days offree Web site hosting It is claimed thatthis suite provides a complete solution tohelp users advance beyond the traditionalWeb page to create and manage completeweb sites that are more interesting andinformative as well as easy to understand
Corel WebMaster is available for asuggested retail price of $Aus 399 Thesuite will require 16MB RAM an IBMcompatible PC 486 DX Windows NT orWindows 95 a CD_ROM and a VGAdisplay
SNIPPETS
IN AUSTRIA INTERNET SERVICEProviders banded together on March 25 tostage the countryrsquos first electronic walkoutin protest at their governmentrsquos attempt tocensor the Internet Hardly surprisingwhen UKrsquos Whatrsquos New on the Internetreports that sex and its related topics arethe most popular sections on the Internetby a long chalk
DUTCH HACKERS OFFERED USMilitary Secrets to Iraq A recent BBC TVprogramme claimed that hundreds ofmilitary secrets were stolen from USDefence computers ( including troopmovements and missile capabilities)offered for sale by Dutch hackers toSaddam Hussein but their offer was nottaken up because the Iraqi leader believedthat it was either a hoax or CIAmisinformation
ADVERTISING ON THE NETAccording to a survey by the InternetAdvertising Bureau total advertisingspending on the World Wide Web andInternet related content hit $US267
42 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
The Internet SIGThis a get together of those members of thePCUG who love to explore the Internet forinteresting sites new Internet tools andnovel applications It holds an informalmeeting once a month on the first Thursday(January excepted) at 730pm The meetinghas no set agenda but free flowing chat onvarious Internet related topics and eventsOn occasion we had presentations ofinteresting software Among topics that arediscussed from time to time are the upgradeof TIP cable and wireless access to theInternet and the regulation of the InternetThe web page for the SIG is at httpwwwpcugorgau~ejosephintsightm
BytesThe Bytes SIG is designed for those wholike to talk about computing over a meal Itmeets from 6 pm at the Asian BistroAustralian National University Union onthe PCUG meeting nights There are noBytes SIG meetings in NovemberDecember or January Contact personAndrew Freeman Phone 258 7411 Emailafreemanpcugorgau or WWW at httpwwwpcugorgau~afreemancvsightml
AutoCADGeoffrey May 295 5942 Monday-Fri 4-5pmPlease call for details
CC++Peter Corcoran petercpcugorgau 2ndTuesday 730pm PCUG Centre
GUI DevelopersPeter Harris 287 1484 pharrispcugorgauPlease call for details
The OS2 SIGAn enthusiastic forum for those operating orinterested in OS2 Warp Meetings includewide ranging discussion and interestinghands on demonstrations Meetings are heldon the third Thursday at 730pm for 730pmat the IBM Building 8 Brisbane Ave BartonContact David Thrum Phone 201-8806 (bh)
The Delphi SIGA lively forum for software developers whoare working with or interested in Delphi
Our meetings include wide ranging dis-cussion and interesting hands-on demon-strations Come and see why Delphi is RADSome of our recent meetings have discussedDelphi components best shareware toolsdatabase applications and HTML toolsMeeting 3rd Tuesday of each month 730pmat PCUG Centre Convenor Al Kabailaemail akabailapcugorgauYou arewelcome to also subscribe to the PCUGDelphi mailing list by sending messageldquosubscribe act-delphi-lpcugorgau [youremail address]rdquo to Majordomoauugorgau
Linux User GroupStephen Rothwell 291 6550 (ah) StephenRothwell canbauugorgau 4th Thursday730pm Room N101 Computer Science DeptANU
Networks Garry Thomson 241 2399gthomsonpcugorgau Thursday aftermain meeting Please call for venue
Computer and VegetarianismThis SIG is designed for those who have aninterest in both computers and vegetarian-ism It generally meets with the Bytes SIGNo meetings are held in NovemberDecember or January Contact personAndrew Freeman Phone 258 7411 Emailfreemanpcugorgau or WWW at httpwwwpcugorgau~afreemancvsightml
amp ChatThe Coffee and Chat Group meet at thePCUG Centre in Belconnen on alternateTuesdays from 1030am to 1130am withanother 30 minutes to 1200 for those whowant to stay The dates of these meetings areshown in the Calendar of Events On thealternate Tuesday a virtual Coffee and ChatMeeting is held on the Internet at 1030amusing Internet Relay Chat (IRC) addressirchostpcugorgau Port 6667 Full detailsabout the online meetings can be obtainedfrom httpwwwpcugorgau~ejosephvcchtm
Internet Daytime Demoand Discussion SIGMeets every second Monday at the PCUGCentre from 1000AM to noon We meet todiscuss internet issues software sites (andanything else of relevance) and demonstrateon Centre equipment selected software andtechniques The meeting starts with informaldiscussion and coffee followed by a more in-depth look at a particular topic of interestThere is also time for discussion (andhopefully solving) of members problems withthe internet A home page for the SIG is athttpwwwpcugorgau~amikkelsintdddhtmlEnquiries or suggestions for topics arewelcome at amikkelspcugorgau
NEW
Convenors are requested to email anychanges in contacts or venue and additionalinformation about the activities of theirgroup by the first Friday in the month ofpublication to pcugeditorpcugorgau
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 43
The training program for 1997 is settledsubject to ongoing adjustments in the lightof developments
Note the heavy emphasis on Internetcourses This reflects the clear demand ofmembers at the moment A number of daysare designated lsquoTBArsquo These days allow forthe introduction of Internet related coursesas discussed last month including homepages MS Internet ExplorerWeb tips andtricks and so on They also allow forpossible courses on the Web oriented MSOffice 97
Course content for Internet courses isstill under development and subject tomeetings of trainers
In addition to the weekend courses arange of short evening courses mainlyInternet related as above will be introducedThese are still in the planning stages
May Sat 3 Editorial day ContinuesSun 4 Programming - C and C++ ContinuesSat 10 Programming - Visual Basic Continues
Sun 11 Intro - Intro to computers ContinuesSat 17 Intro - Intro to Windows 95 Continues
Sun 18 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 24 Intro - PC Maintenance and
TroubleshootingContinues
Sun 25 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 31 Internet - HTML Intro Continues
June Sun 1 Intro - Using the BBS effectively Internet - Basic AccessSat 7 Centre closed Centre closed
Sun 8 Centre closed Centre closedSat 14 Editorial day Continues
Sun 15 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 21 Internet - HTML extended Continues
Sun 22 Internet - TBA Internet - TBASat 28 Internet - Advanced Access Intro Continues
Sun 29 Intro - Using the BBS effectively Internet - Basic AccessJuly Sat 5 Editorial day Continues
Sun 6 Internet - TBA Internet - TBASat 12 Internet - TBA Internet - TBA
Sun 13 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 19 Internet - TBA Internet - TBA
Sun 20 Internet - TBA Internet - TBASat 26 Internet - Advanced Access Intro Continues
Sun 27 Intro - Using the BBS effectively Internet - Basic Access
Our training courses are very popularUnfortunately some people book and thendonrsquot turn up for their course Someone onthe waiting list for the course could havefilled the spot left vacant To overcome thisproblem if you book for a course but donrsquotpay for it by the Monday before it is runthe spot will be offered to someone else
ContactsCourse bookings Petra Dwyer at thePCUG Centre on 253 4911
Training coordinator and courseinformation (not bookings) PaulBalnaves 241-4671 (h) 700pm to900pm 282-3488 (w)
Microsoft Product courses (notbookings) Michael Lane 242-9278 (h)700pm to 900pm
All courses are held at the PCUGCentre Northpoint Plaza Belconnen- maximum 8 people
Courses cost $35 unless otherwiseindicated Full day courses run from930am to approximately 300pmAM Courses commence at 930amPM courses commence at 130pm
Training Newsby Paul Balnaves
44 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
The following local vendors offer discounts to PCUG members
bull Present your PCUG membership card when making a purchasebull Benefits may not apply to some sale itemsbull The PCUG does not necessarily recommend or endorse the products being offered
If you offer a discount to PCUG members and are not in this list please contact our advertising manager listed on page 2
Vendor Discount SchemeVendor Discount Scheme
AustralianManagement Control
Suite 4 32 - 36 Colbee CourtPHILLIP285 4888
5 discount onRecordkeeping amp Payroll
courses
Capital SimulationsPO Box 329
Belconnen ACT 2616Faxmessage 258 0110
Free postage and handling(normally $4) amp 2 free modem
opponents lsquowantedrsquo notices(normally $10)
Clarion DatabaseSystems
bull Computing consultingbull Business applications developmentbull Software sale
041 108 775410 discount off RRP on
Microsoft amp other vendorsrsquo productsand consulting services
Amalgamated Business Machines
65 Kembla StreetFYSHWICK
280 4887
5 discount on repairsthrough this company
ANU Union Asian Bistro
Upstairs Union Building Union Court ANU
(next to main meeting venue)
Union member discounton PCUG main meeting
nights (ONLY)
Bettowynd ampTaltech Solutions
Unit 5 Centrecourt1 Pirie St FYSHWICK
239 1043
Prompt guaranteed fixed pricerepairs to monitors and terminals
5 discount to members
Nhan TranInternet Software Installationamp Configuration in your home
PH 254 5293
Fixed price 20 discountfor PCUG members
Lesley PikoCertified Practising Accountant
Registered Tax Agent
Suite 1 17 Trenerry StWeston ACT
288 8888
personal and business taxation servicesgeneral accounting services
15 discount off our quoted fee
ACT VALLEYCOMPUTER REPAIRSbull REPAIRSbull UPGRADESbull NEW SYSTEMSbull SOFTWARE INSTALLATIONbull LOW RATES l OPEN 7 DAYS
294 2592 or 019 32343510 DISCOUNT ON REPAIRS
AND UPGRADES TO MEMBERS
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 45
54 Marcus Clarke St Canberra CityPH 249 1844 l Fax 247 5753
10 Discount o f fRRP of Computer Books
Celebrating over 28 Years in Bookselling
N O 1 f o rC O M P U T E R amp B U S I N E S S
B O O K S
hi-micro Computers
5 Discount OnAccessories
ampUpgrade Installation
Ph 280 7520 Fax 280 7540618 Whyalla St Fyshwick
248 6656 (any time)bull World Wide Web Publishing
bull Windows Online Help amp Manuals
5 discount on Web publishing
The Cartridge Factory
Canberra Business Centre49 Wentworth Ave
KINGSTON295 5935
10 discount on remanufacturedlaser toner cartridges
10 discount on inkjet refill kitsNo discount available on
new ink or toner cartridges
Collins Booksellers
BELCONNEN MALLPhone 251 4813 Fax 251 3926
We carry a wide selection ofcomputer titles for the novice and
also advanced computer user
10 Discount off computerbook purchases only
LampS Associates
69 Paterson StreetAINSLIE257 7555
Special price on anyMicrosoft product
Dealer price plus 5
Aspect ComputingEducation Services
86 Northbourne AvenueBraddon ACT 2601
247 7608
10 Discount toPCUG members
Peng LEE BA BEc FCA
Chartered AccountantRegistered Tax Agent
A fee schedule will be forwarded upon request
6 McGuiness PlaceMcKELLAR ACT 2617
Phone 258 0156 Fax 258 0157
10 fee discount to PCUGmembers
Robrsquos Computer HelpDesk
292 3211 (24 hours 7 days)
For telephone and on-site help for ALL your computer and support
needs
5 discount on consulting services to PCUG members
The Software Shop
42 Townsend StreetPHILLIP285 4622
5 discount off our already low prices
46 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Title Given Name Surname
_______________________________________________________Position (if applicable) Phone (h) Phone (w)
_______________________________________________________Title Given Name Surname
_______________________________________________________Position (if applicable) Phone (h) Phone (w)
Annual Fees Applicable (thorn one)o General1 $ 50
o Concessional2 $ 25
o Corporate3 $130
o Additional Corporate4 $ 50
o International (Air Mail) $130
Notes1 General membership covers all members of a household except for BBS and
Internet access Two month waiting period applies to Internet access2 Concessions apply to full time students and pensioners3 Corporate Membership covers up to three nominees4 Additional Corporate nominees may be added at $50 each
I am paying by (thorn one)o Cash (if paying by person) o Cheque to PC Users Group (ACT) Inc
o Credit card
I would like to ( thorn one or more)
o Become a new member for ____ year(s)
o Renew for ____ year(s)
o Change my address details
o Change Corporate nominees
o Take my address off advertising list
o Access the Bulletin Board (BBS)
Reasons for Joining thorn (one or more)
o Sixteen Bits Magazine o Training Courses
o The Internet Project o Advice and help
Other ____________________________________
TOTAL PAYMENT DUE $ __________________
Please Post your application with payment toPC Users Group (ACT) IncPO Box 42 Belconnen ACT 2616
Additional Corporate Membership Nominees
Title Given Name Surname
Organisation (if applicable) PCUG Membership Number (if applicable)
Postal Address
Phone (h) Phone (w) Concession Type (if applicable)
Credit Card Type Number Expiry Date Signature
Membersrsquo AdsFOR SALE
PC Users Group Membership Application Renewal
Notebook TP 486 DX266 95in Dual scancolour 8mg 433 HDD External 2X CDROM Fax modem card Win rsquo95 Office rsquo95pro Microsoft Plus NAV Norton UtilitiesWinfax Pro Microsoft Publisher and muchmore $1500 email gjonespcugorgau orphone Gary Jones 2391771 (Bus hours)
Canon Bubble-jet Printer BJ10-SX BWVGC [bookletdisk] $145Maestro External Fax Modem SE-144 FM[BookletDiks] VGC $100Corel Draw V3 CD-ROM[Bookect] VGC $100 NEGScanFax 24 Bit Color Page ScannerPC[FaxScanCopy] VGC $ 360WebAuthor V2 for Windows $ 65LOGOS BIBLE Software V2for Windows CD-ROM $150Call 239 5451 or e-mailmszabopcugorgau
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 47
Subject Name Email Phone Days TimesAccess for Windows Graheme Fry 288 3138 All days 730pm - 830pm
Accounting -TAS+ Exogen Attache NewViews P Goerman 231 2304 All days 900am - 900pm
Advanced Revelation John Curby 286 5777 Mon - Fri 900am - 900pm
Assembly Language Thomas McCoy 294 2226 Mon - Fri 800pm - 1000pm
AutoCad Geoffrey May 295 5942 Mon - Fri 400pm - 500pm
AutoCAD Rel 12 13 and LT Neil Moffat 292 7108 All days Noon - 1000pm
BASIC + Machine Language George McLintock 295 6590 All days 830pm -1000pm
Basic hardware help Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
Bluewave Jorge Garcia 282 2681 All Days 700pm - 900pm
Batch Files TSRs Utilities Bill Ghysen 287 1234 Mon - Fri 800pm - 1000pm
Bulletin Board Service Michael Phillips 253 4966 All days 730pm - 830pm
Chinese Star for Windows Peng Lee 258 0156 All days 100pm - 900pm
Clipper Cedric Bear 258 3169 All days 730pm - 830pm
Corel Draw Fabian Stelco 241 1743 Mon - Fri 730pm - 900pm
Corel WordPerfect Suite 7 for Win95 Peter Tilbrook kermitdynamitecomau 242 8696 All days Anytime
DOS Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
Excel Graheme Fry 288 3138 All days 730pm - 830pm
Flight Simulation Roger Lowery lowerypcugorgau 258 1583 All days Anytime
Foxpro Greg Atkinson 241 7903 Mon - FriSat Sun
700pm - 900pmFrom 1100am
Free Agent Agent Newsreading Allan Mikkelsen 278 3164 All days Noon - 900pm
General Help Allan Miller (044) 711187 Mon - Fri 730pm - 830pm
General Help Brian Gosling 259 1116 All days 730pm - 830pm
GEOSGeoWorks Phil Jones 288 5288 All days 600pm - 1000pm
Hardware Anthony Glenn 288 8332 All days Anytime
HDK Lis Shelley lshelleypcugorgau 248 6656 Mon - Fri 730pm - 830pm
HDK Ivana Leonard 231 4169 Mon - Thu 700pm - 900pm
ISR CADDSMAN Modeller (Win) Neil Moffat 292 7108 All days Noon - 1000pm
LINUX PC Unix Andrew Tridgell 254 8209 All days 600pm - 800pm
Lotus 1-2-3 Doug Jenkins 286 2243 All days 730pm - 900pm
Lotus Ami Pro 3 W ord Pro 96 ed Peter Tilbrook kermitdynamitecomau 242 8696 All days Anytime
Microstation Cad Andrew Novinc 258 1907 All days 600pm - 1000pm
Modem Communications Michael Phillips 281 1980 or All days 730pm - 830pm
Networks Gary Thompson 241 2399 All days 730pm - 900pm
Online doc using Help Compiler (Win3) John Carroll jcarrollpcugorgau 248 0781 All days 730pm - 1000pm
OS2 v2 Mark Beileiter 283 2429 Mon - Fri 800am - 330pm
OS2 Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
OS2 Michael Lightfoot 258 8185 All days 730pm - 930pm
Project (Microsoft) Steve Ramsden 287 1500 Mon - Wed 800pm - 1000pm
SBT Accounting Greg Atkinson 241 7903 Mon - Fri 700pm - 900pm
Scream Tracker 3 (3SM) MOD Music Chris Collins 258 8276 Mon - Fri 730pm - 900pm
Small Business Computing Nick Thomson 241 3239 Mon - Thu 730pm - 930pm
SuperBase Paul Blair 288 3584 All days 730pm - 930pm
Telix Michael Phillips 281 1980 All days 730pm - 830pm
SCO Unix amp Xenix J Bishop 291 0478 All days 700pm - 900pm
Unix Michael Lightfoot 258 8185 All days 730pm - 930pm
Turbo Pascal Michael Phillips 281 1980 All days 730pm - 830pm
Vision Impaired Adam Morris 291 4522 All days 700pm - 900pm
Visual BASIC Ian Champ 254 0418 All days 700pm - 900pm
Windows 31x Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
Word for Windows Lis Shelley lshelleypcugorgau 248 6656 Mon - Fri 730pm - 830pm
WordPerfect 51 DOS 61 Win Gayle Scott gaylespcugorgau 254 1579 All days 730pm - 930pm
WordPerfect 61 7 for Win95 Peter Tilbrook kermitdynamitecom 242 8696 All days Anytime
WordStar Dave Hay 258 7310 All days 700pm - 900pm
The people in this directory are volunteers so please observe the times given The Help Directory is designed to helpindividual users and should not be used as a substitute for corporate support calls to vendors This service is provided formembers only Please quote your membership number to the helper For those helpers with an asterisk messages may beleft on the BBS in either the General message area or as a Netmail message on 3620243 Send updates topcugeditorpcugorgau or via post to the PCUG Centre
The Help Directory
May 1997Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
1
Internet SIG730pmPCUG Centre
2
SIXTEENBITSCommercialAd deadlinefor May
3
SIXTEEN BITSLayout Day 10am______________InternetConnection Clinic930am-1pmPCUG Centre(check withCentre Staffer on253 4911)
4
TRAININGDAYProgrammingC and C++930-430PCUG Centre
5
Internet DaytimeDemo andDiscussion10am-12 noonPCUG Centre______________New MembersNight730pmPCUG Centre
6
VirtualCoffee amp ChatTIP IRCServer1030-1130am
7 8 9 10
TRAININGDAYProgrammingVisual Basic930-430PCUG Centre
11
TRAININGDAYIntro tocomputers930-430PCUG Centre
12 13
Coffee amp Chat1030amPCUG Centre__________
C++ SIG730pmPCUG Centre
14
CommitteeMeeting730pmPCUG Centre
15
OS2 SIG7 for 730pmIBM Building8 BrisbaneAve Barton
16 17
TRAINING DAYIntro Windows 95930-430PCUG Centre______________
Meet theCommittee2-4pmPCUG Centre
18
TRAININGDAYInternetAdvancedAccess Intro930-430PCUG Centre
19
Internet DaytimeDemo andDiscussion 10am-12noon PCUG Centre______________
SIXTEEN BITSStuffing and Mailing530pm PCUGCentre
20
Virtual Coffee ampChatTIP IRC Server1030-1130am_____________
Delphi SIG730pm PCUGCentre
21 22
Linux UserGroup730pmRmN101ComputerScience DeptANU
23 24
TRAINING DAYPC Maintenanceamp Troubleshooting930-430PCUG Centre
25
TRAININGDAYInternetAdvancedAccess Intro930-430PCUG Centre
26
Main MeetingManningClark Theatre1 CrispBuilding ANU7 for 730pm
27
Coffee amp Chat1030amPCUG Centre
28 29
Networks SIGCall GarryThomson(241 2399) fordetails
30
SIXTEENBITS Articledeadline forJune
31
TRAININGDAYInternetHTML Intro930-430PCUG CentreBytes SIG 6pm
Asian Bistro ANU(before PCUGmeeting
14 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Setting Up a Commercial Site onthe Internet with Web Graphics
At the beginning of March I launched a newcommercial site on the Internet - InfoRomSince I know virtually nothing about HTMLprogramming and since I am something of anovice at this game I thought you might beinterested in
a) My experience of setting up acommercial site
b) My evaluation of how suited CorelWeb Graphics is to this purpose
I was in fact involved in EdRev anunsuccessful Internet project that was up onthe Net for much of 1996 Hopefully I havelearned from the experience - as Peter Cookused to say ldquoI have learned from my mistakesand I can repeat every one of them perfectlyrdquo
Developing Your Site ConceptBefore setting up your site it is important tohave a clear idea in mind as to why the site isthere what services you wish to provide andwhat sort of clients you are aiming at WithEdRev my idea had been to provide in-depthreviews of CD-ROM educational softwareover the Internet - people would not be able toaccess the reviews until they had taken up asubscription - or at least trialled the servicefor a month People out there did not respondto this approach - and the big problem frommy point of view was that I was putting vastamounts of time into writing the reviews andgetting little return
With InfoRom I decided to write shortermuch tighter reviews make them available forfree but offer access to question and answersupport on any of the products reviewed for asmall fee That way I figured that I wouldnrsquothave to invest too much effort up front but Iwould be putting my time and energy intoanswering questions for paid up subscribers Ialso decided to start including selected gamesas well as educational software so as to widenthe appeal of the service
Corel Web Transit - Word to HTML
Having written the reviews (inWord 6 for Windows) the nextstep was to convert them intoHTML format This proved to besomewhat easier than I had expectedWeb Transit makes the process prettyautomatic and it carried over my formattingand styles without any problem The onlydifficulty I found was that occasionally itwould add a couple of unwanted line breaksat the top of the page and very occasionallyan unwanted bookmark to the text at the topWhere this happened I simply deleted the linebreaks and changed the formatting to removethe bookmark There was no logical reason forthese unwanted inclusions - I suspect that itwas just a bug in the program Diagram 1 iswhat the Transit screen looks like You set updestination and source then click translatethen click the Web Designer icon if you wantto format and modify the file or click thebrowser icon to see what it will look like onthe Web
Corel Web Designer - Formattingand Enhancing the Site Pages
Web Designer is another of the Corel WebGraphics package components and (with thehelp of my daughter Naomi) I used this to dothe following
middot Fancy up headings and the appearanceof the text
middot Add internal links eg from the bottomof the page to the top
middot Add external links to other files egSubject Index
By Nick Thomson
Diagram 1
cd romcd rom
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 15
middot Add external files to other sites eg thesites of the software suppliers
middot Add graphics
All of the above processes were easy andreliable and I was able to undertake all of themsuccessfully despite not having any knowledgeof HTML programming I only encounteredthree shortcomings
1 If I had names with a mixture of upper andlower case the links didnrsquot always workproperly I overcame this by ensuring thatall my filenames were in lower case onlyI am not sure if this was a Web Graphicsproblem or just a general HTML issue
HTML is certainly casesensitive so beware
2 It is not possible to define orsave your own templates in Web
Designer It would have been veryhandy if I could have set up a template
with all the standard headings and linkseg to the Home Page built in - notpossible at this stage but I understand thatthis facility will be available in the nextupgrade of Web Designer
3 The formatting options are a bit limitedand it is not possible to define your ownstyles (although there is quite a good rangeof pre-defined styles available)
For graphics Naomi created a series ofneat little icons - one for each subject categoryThus at the top of each page there were twosmall graphics representing one or two subjectcategories for that review These were createdfrom clip art in Corel Draw then convertedand pasted in as gif or jpeg images (the twographic formats that are supported by HTML)We had tried using screen clips in EdRev -
they took forever to load and were a pain towork with so I decided against using them inInfoRom One of the golden rules of Web sitesis not to slow things down with too manygraphics - I get very frustrated waiting forsome of the software supplier sites to load -and I donrsquot want my potential clients to feelthat way about my site Diagram 2 is anexample of one of our pages
Selecting a Supplier andUploading Pages
The next step was to find a commercial sitesupplier I had been happy with service andvalue for money that we got at Spirit Networks(an ACT supplier) so I decided to go to themIt cost me $275 to set the site up (includingthe registration of my domain name on theInternet) and it is costing me $50 per monthfor maintaining the site (that includes a goodlevel of storage email traffic and the right toupdate whenever I like) - so it really isnrsquot tooexpensive a service As part of the setup costsa rep from Spirit came and helped my set upTIP email and FTP connections on mymachine Because of my newness to thisprocess I fired lots of questions (includingquite a few dumb ones) at them by email orphone in the first couple of weeks - I have tosay that they have been very patient and mosthelpful
I uploaded all the files by means of FTPand eureka it is working What a satisfyingfeeling to log on load up your browser andperuse a site that is all your own work Apartfrom a few faulty links (the result of incorrectentry on my part) everything was working fineimmediately and I have already added threelots of updates without difficulty
Marketing and Indexing the SiteWhen I was involved in EdRev I sent outapprox 600 emails to schools educationalagencies etc in the hope of winning somesubscribers For all that effort we got 2subscribers
I believe that one of the keys to the Internetis harnessing the power of the various searchprograms or Web Indexes by listing your sitewith them and doing whatever you need to doto ensure that your site has a reasonably good
Diagram 2(continued next page)
16 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
chance of being detected What I want is thatif someone searches for a particular packageeg Encarta or NHL 97 then they will bedirected to my site Thus the key is for not justmy home page but for every separate reviewpage to be picked up by the various indexesMost users stick with the big ones - as far as Ican tell they are
Excite
Infoseek
Lycos
Alta Vista
Magellan (subset of Excite)
Yahoo
Hot Bot
Web Crawler
Web Surfer
If anyone out there can suggest any otherlsquopopular onesrsquo please tell me My experienceis that there are two categories of Index
1 Those that list your home page and thentrace all of the links to the home page and(over time) add all of the other pages inyour site This can take 3 or 4 weeks Theseinclude Alta Vista Lycos Yahoo and (Ithink) Excite and Yahoo
2 Those that will only list the URL you haveentered eg Infoseek and Web Crawler
Thus I have taken two approaches Withcategory 1 eg Excite I have added just thehome page to the index although each time Ido an update I add the URL of what I estimatewill be the most popular choice for that weekto Excite and Hot Bot - thus increasing thelikelihood of my site appearing on thesesindexes in the short term Alta Vista Yahooand Lycos all actively discourage this process- but I will see whether the review pages ofmy sites are being picked up before I passjudgement on this
In the case of Infoseek and Web Crawler Ientered every single URL for all the pages inmy site (about 130 to begin with) - and everytime I do an update I add the URLs for thenew pages to these indexes It is timeconsuming but I believe that it is worth it Iam starting to get traffic to the site from allover the world but it is too early to tell howsuccessful my efforts have been
WebSurfer required a payment of $350(US) to be included - I wonder how long itwill be before this trend catches on with theothers At the bank I discovered that it wouldcost me $10 - to get a cheque drawn in USdollars - so the process cost me about $15
dollars And they wonder why Australia is notcompetitive on the international scene WhileI am grizzling about banks let me alsocomment that for every client that pays me bycheque in US dollars or pounds sterling it willcost me $5 to convert that cheque to Australiandollars The trick is of course to encouragepayment by credit card but I have not foundany of the banks I have spoken to so far to beparticularly eager to allow a small untriedbusiness like this to offer credit card facilitiesAre there any banks out there that encourageAustralians to transact internationalbusiness
There are a number of providers that offer(for a fee) to list you with lsquo100 Web indexesrsquoetc but since I figure that most people onlyuse the most popular ones I havenrsquot botheredwith them
Final CommentBasically it is now a matter of wait and seewhat the response is as well as ensure that thesite is visible on the various Web indexes Thewhole process has certainly been much easierthan I expected and I can certainly recommendCorelrsquos Web Graphics suite as a good way forbeginners to get a page up on the Internet witha minimum of fuss and bother Letrsquos hope thatthe subscribers start rolling in
Nick Thomson is a management trainerconsultant and he is also the manager ofInfoRom a CD-ROM review and onlinesupport service on the Internet He can becontacted on 241 3239
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 17
A review by Alan Tebb
ldquoWhat is the name of the worldrsquos mosttattooed womanrdquo (See the answer at theend of this article)
I remember buying a copy of theGuinness Book of Records in 1979and thinking it contained the mostfascinating collection of trivial facts
and figures I had ever read Over the yearsthe book settled the occasional dinnerargument that strayed into the realm of ldquowhowas the tallest man everrdquo or ldquohow longwere the longest finger nails ever grownrdquoIt was like having the sideshow bearded ladyand the tattooed man between covers on thebookshelf every page was filled with thebizarre the freakish the unbelievable
But to be fair the Guinness Book ofRecords is more than a collection of thecurious or unusual In the month since Ibegan this review I have noticed the TV andthe newspapers have on three occasionscovered attempts to break Guinness records
Perhaps the Guinness record book fulfillsthat need in human beings to challenge theirenvironment do things that no other humanhas done before to better the incredible featsof others or to be just plain crazy Whateverthe motivation the drive to be a part ofGuinness historyndashif only for as long as arecord holdsndashis as popular now as when thewhole thing began in 1955
So naturally I was very interested to seewhat Grolier had done to make the GuinnessBook of Records a multimedia CD I wasnrsquotdisappointed Like its hardcover cousin theGuinness Multimedia Disc of Recordscontains the same extensive collection ofrecords plus a library of amazing film clipsand photographs you simply wonrsquot findanywhere else on CD
The opening interface looks like acollection of pub drink coasters It has eightpaths allowing the user to browse recordsgo straight to an index of all photographsview movie clips search by words search
1995 GuinnessMultimediaDisc of Records
by topics search by superlatives run theRandom Record Explorer or play the GuessWhat quiz
The record browser lists almost 15000records in alphabetical order and is the leasteffective way of finding your way aroundthe CD The Guinness Multimedia Disc ofRecords excels in its ability to search itsdatabase of records using some innovativeoptions The usual Boolean choices areavailable or you can have fun searching bysuperlatives such as ldquotallestrdquo or ldquoheaviestrdquoThe CD will then list all the records thatinclude the chosen adjective The otheralternative is to search through topic treesthat branch out from a few key subjects allthe way to individual records an approachoften seen in CD encyclopaedias
The disc contains over 1000photographs from the Guinness collectionincluding what must be considered some ofthe most unusual and fascinating picturesassembled in one publication The majorityof photos and videos are very high in qualityand in the case of the photos these can beprinted
My only disappointment with theGuinness Multimedia Disc of Records is thefact that it did not have a country specificsupplement The thing I liked most aboutmy 1979 hard copy version was the 30 pagesof Australia-only records at the back Evenso the multimedia version is every bit asentertaining interesting and informative asI had hoped it would be With the addedadvantage of film clips sound and greatsearch capabilities I think it is better thanthe hard copy version Now if I can onlyremember some of those unusual facts andfigures I might be a much better TrivialPursuit player
System RequirementsA 486DX processor running at 33MHz orfaster using Windows 31 or rsquo95 4 Mb ofRAM 6Mb hard disk space CD-ROMcapable of 300Kbsec or higher transfer rateand a sound card The video uses Quicktimefor Windows 20 (supplied with theproduct)
The worldrsquos most decorated woman is stripartiste Krystyne Kolorful born 5 December1952 in Alberta Canada Her body is 95percent covered and it took ten years tocomplete the work
18 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
T his comprehensive set ofpowerful drawing and photo-editing tools fills a niche for thehome or small business users
who are looking for an easy-to-use graphicspackage to create greeting cards certificatesbanners business forms signs and calendarsetc and at the same time have the capacityto scan their own photographs touch themup and add special effects or create bitmapimages using the painting tools
While both MS Publisher 97 (which Ireviewed in the March 1997 issue) and PrintHouse have some similarities and overlapin the production of greeting cards bannerscalendars menus etc this program con-centrates on the production of qualitygraphics and photographic enhancementwhile MS Publisher97 was more orientedtowards Desk Top Publishing and has nophotographic enhancement program
Corel Print amp Photo House lives up toits claim for simplicity with a friendlywizard-based interface that anyone can usewithout training It includes more than 1600ready-to-print sample files (700 of whichare cards 1000 photos 1000 phrases 150TrueType fonts 7000 clipart images 200backdrops and 70 intelligent borders andtemplates and a well-illustrated manualwhich includes a catalogue containingcollections of the clipart fonts bordersbackdrops phrases and photos on theCDROM At a loss for the appropriatewords to include The comprehensive listof phrases should meet almost everyconceivable need
Installation is simple and the programproved fully compatible with my LogitechColour scanner and DSV Graphics DisplayAccelerator
There is a key that opens a key page thatin turn displays help topics to assist withthe task in hand using cue cards The topicsopened by the key are determined by the toolin use or the object currently selected Eachcard contains an instruction and after eachstep is completed a new card displays
Wizards are available to walk usersthrough any task such as changing the colourof an object or adding shadows to text Thereis an on-screen Notebook to help guide usersthrough various operations such as how toapply effects choose a paint brush or accessthe photo collection It also provides easyand visible access to clipart bordersbackdrops and preset styles that can bedragged and dropped into designs
You can customise a project withpowerful drawing tools and flip rotate orscale any text or graphic
The vector graphics and text are fullyeditable and can be flipped rotated re-sizedungrouped and fully customised by bothcolour and shape
The Toolbars and layout will be familiarto Corel Draw users they are intuitive andperform similar functions Figure 3 showsthe Notebook to the left of the verticaltoolbar showing what you would like to donext This Notebook provides convenienton-screen context-sensitive help and guidesusers through various operations such ashow to apply effects choose a paint brushor access a photo collection It also provideseasy and visible access to clipart bordersbackdrops and preset styles that can bedragged and dropped into designs To add acatalogue item you can drag it from theNotebook and drop it into the appropriatepart of your design
One particularly neat feature is theability to save pieces of your own creationfor later use in a section called theScrapbook so that you can add it to futureprojects
Reviewed by Jim Hume
Figure 1
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 19
The Photo House was particularlyimpressive both for the ease of use and itsversatility It took just over ten minutes torepair the damage to the print in Figure 2with the result shown in Figure 3 It alsoincludes a Notebook that provides on screenhelp to guide users For touching upphotographs there are Tools for selectionRectangle Freehand Eyedropper EraserFlood Fill Paintbrush Spray Can and Clonetools There are seven different touch-upeffects including Sharpen BrightnessContrast Remove Dust and ScratchesReduce speckles Simplify colours removered-eyes and Change Colours which provide
users with everything they are likely to needto spruce up or enhance photographs
Finally they provide a touch of fun withspecial effects-Page Curl Emboss SwirlCustom Negative Vignette Motion blurAdd light source Psychedelic Ripple
texture Impress-ionist and SketchThe photo editingpossibilities arealmost endlessFigure 4 showsthe special effectspicture a crownconverted top s y c h e d e l i cformat
Figure 2
Figure 3
Apart from serious use this program willalso provide a lot of fun for all ages andsome may be carried away with over-use ofthe graphics If only to emphasise the needto keep the design simple so that readers getthe message immediately the manual wouldbenefit from a Chapter covering theprinciples of good design similar to that inthe Publisher97 Companion or at least a listof recommended reading
There is an uninstall feature whichallows the ready removal of the program
System RequirementsMinimum System requirements IBM PC486 DX or compatible Windows95 orWindows Nt 351 a CD-ROM drive a VGAcardmonitor and a mouse or tabletWindows users require 8MB of RAM andWindows NT 351 or later users will require12 MB or RAM Price - RRP $9900
Figure 4
20 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
So here we are - itrsquos about 930 amon a fine Sunday morning and Irsquomcruising along the 210 freewayeastbound from Pasadena on the
way to the computer marketplace atPomona The traffic is light moving freelydown the 6 lanes between 70 and 80 mph(forgive the non-metrics therersquos a lot ofcatching up to do here) The speed limit wasincreased from 55 to 65 mph after the oilcrisis was ldquooverrdquo and the highway patroltend to frown on anyone faster or slowerthan 65 to 80 The radio is tuned to K-Earth1011 ldquoOldiesrdquo radio (appropriate for me)the Big-O is extolling the virtues of PrettyWomen and all is right with the world
Irsquove done my homework the day beforeby visiting FRYrsquos Electronics in Burbank -a huge high-tech megastore with a computersection roughly the size of David JonesThey are generally in the lower range ofcomputer retail prices - so it is worth seeinghow they compare to values at the Pomonamarketplace
Some example of prices at FRYrsquos (forsome things I was thinking of buying) are
Tape Backup unitsIomega Ditto 2Gb - $150 (Aus $207 after825 CA sales tax and conversion at 1275)Connor 32Gb - $229 A$316HP Colorado 32Gb - $209 A$288
Parallel port TV camerasColour - $249 A$343 Greyscale- $110 A$151 [Saw them bymail order at $79 A$101 (notax)]
8Mb 72pin EDO SIMMs 70ns - $40 A$55 60ns (1 yearWarranty) - $35 A$48 60ns(Namebrand lifetime warranty) -$44 A$61
Sony Web TV(WWW + Email via your TV -No PC required) - $290 A$400
Back to Sunday and thehardest part of the trip is theU-turn into the LA County
fairgroundrsquos car park - there are 6 entrancelanes with only 2-3 cars in each so gettingto park is pretty painless except for the $5parking fee Ouch A dollar up since lasttime Then another shock to the wallet -entrance fee has increased from $7 to $8for adults (and no Seniors discount) So atotal of $13 A$18 before making it into thefirst hall A friend and I discussed theentrance price and concluded that it mightbe a cunning psychological plot - Itrsquos costso much to get this far that one should reallybuy plenty to make it all worthwhileEverybody wins organisers and dealers thatis But itrsquos certainly possible to recoup theentrance money with a purchase of aCDROM For example MS Encarta 97 wasgoing for $26 (A$36)
There is at least one and sometimes twocomputer shows somewhere in LA eachweekend but this I think this one is thebiggest It is held in two large halls(sometimes three) Each hall is capable ofeasily accommodating around 150 largishstands with 10-15 foot aisles Therersquos 4 or 5radio stations here - at least 2 broadcastingand the rest handing out various ldquofreebiesrdquowhile relaying their station overloudspeakers Add to that various spruikersshouting their wares (ldquoNo CDs over $5 onthis tablerdquo ldquoLowest motherboard prices atthe showrdquo) numerous ldquomultimediardquo demos
and a few thousand people trying to makethemselves heard It is pretty noisy
I checked with the organisers and theysaid that they average around 8000attendees per day - so up to 20000 over agood two day weekend show It surprisedme that is was that low as it can get reallycrowded (2 or 3 deep at some stands)
There were over 300 dealers that day -about average However every 2-3 monthsthe organisers run 20-30 short seminars inconjunction with the market at the Sheratonsuites on the fairground complex On thoseoccasions the attendance at the marketincreases by 30 or more
So why do people keep coming back tothese shows Are the prices so much betterHere are a few examples
Complete ldquobasicrdquo system166 Mhz 6x86 Triton VX MB PnP bios256 Kb Cache 16 Mb EDO RAM 16 GbEIDE HDD 8X EIDE CDROM PCISVGA 64 bit with 2 Mb MPEG Yamaha3D Wavetable sound card poweredspeakers 336 Fax modem with Voice
mail SVGA 15 Digital NI28 monitor mousekeyboard floppy drive etcWin95 Installed with manualamp CD $969 A$1337 for thelot
MotherboardsIntel VX chip set with all IO256 Kb Cache - $84 A$116Intel HX chip set 512K -$110 A$152 CheapestPentium MB I saw (Optichip set) - $65 A$90
Wish You Were HereSixteen Bits foriegn correspondent John Saxonchecks in from Pasadena California
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 21
Tyan Tomcat 3 with 512K - $145 (the oneI paid $220 for 4 months ago - Oh wellthatrsquos life at the bleeding edge)
RAM8Mb 60ns EDO - $35 A$48 (Brand name$2 more) 16Mb 60ns EDO - $74 A$102
CPUsPentium Pro 150 Mhz - $179 A$247Pentium MMX 200 Mhz - $538 A$742(prediction - $300 by Dec 97)
CDROM Drives6X - $55 A$76 (Untested - as is)X12 Acer - $100 A$138X2 7 disk changer - $50 A$69(Untested - as is)JVC X4 read X2 write - $259A$357X16 (LiteOn = no name Nicebox) - $108 A$149
HDDsWD Caviar 25 Gb - $225 A$311Maxstor 13 Gb - $170 A$234
ModemsUS Robotics Courier 56 Kbs +Voice - $163 A$225 No name 336Kbs + SVDS - $67 A$92 (and goingdown)
Odd stuff2 Mb VGA cards as low as $45 A$62Cheapest parallel port flatbed scanner -$203 A$280
Stocking stuffers 230 Watt powersupplies - $17 A$23IDE HDD mobile rack with lock - $12A$17 TEAC 144 MbFDD - $20 A$28
The only direct comparison with FRYrsquosprices was for the HP 32 Gb tape backupunit - $209 at FRYrsquos - $149 at the marketSo it can definitely be worth the trip BUTsome of the dealers may not be around toolong to honour warranties and there aresome definitely ldquoshonkyrdquo practices goingon An example is the almost universalpractice of breaking up CDROM ldquobundlesrdquoto sell separately a practice much frownedupon by OEMs Caveat Emptor
So what was hot or different at thismarketplace
Well the new ATX format motherboardsand cases seemed to be selling well Forthose who donrsquot know - ATX is the new
mechanical layout with some electricalimprovements agreed by the major man-ufacturers (the first major mechanicalchange since the original PC) The mostobvious difference in the new motherboardsis on-board connectors (including USB andIR) and externally removable panels on thecases (you need a new case and Powersupply with the new motherboards) Butthere are many more changes infunctionality including ldquogreenrdquo systemPower supply control - never turn the system
off (except by unplugging it) Boards were$150 A$207 and up and cases with PSUsaround $75 A$104
Recordable CDROM drives were sellingwell with media down to $8 A$11 Didnrsquotsee any of the new DVD CD-ROM drivesbut these shows are not generally ldquocuttingedgerdquo more concentration on lower (slightlytrailing edge) prices
But I tried on a great pair of LCD 3Dglasses with modified game software - veryimpressive results The glasses switch 48times per sec (some noticeable flicker) andcome with a CDROM which include driversand some modified ldquoshoot-em-uprdquo gamesDescent 3D Nukem Doom etc for a totalof $99 A$137 The same stand also sold a4MB 128 bit Video card with hardwareMPEG2 decompression for $159 A$219Terminator-2 at full screen and full ratelooking better than your average TV
I even saw a $999 A$1378 home-use2-axis VR - that is Virtual Reality - chaircontrolled by the joystick It is quite quiet(as far as I could tell in amongst the racket)and apparently air driven with 50 degreesmovement in pitch and 55 degrees in roll
The monitor mounts in front of your kneesand the keyboard (for an optional operator -or simulation controller) behind the seatback There were speakers and joystick builtin also It seemed to be very fast and wasquite nauseating to watch Combine thiswith the 3D glasses for a total experience(if your stomach could take it)
There are probably more software thanhardware stands with CDROMs from $199up to $199 A$275 for Office 97 Pro upgrade(probably another unbundling job) Also 3
or 4 book stores - selling at coverprice less 25 for one book to coverprice less 35 for 5 or more books
Not all the stands are totallycomputer oriented There are a fairsprinkling of chiropractors (on thespot diagnosis) ldquoself defenserdquostands (mace amp pepper sprayselectric stun guns and (strangely)large knives) Cell phones pagerscigars and jewelry etc - you nameit A pretty large curtained off area(over 21 only) had several dealersselling thousands of ldquoadultrdquoCDROMs and videos A nice
change from the ldquooldrdquo days when that stuffwas included on most stands One of theradio stations was giving out ldquoEarthquakepreparationrdquo leaflets - modern times in LA
What did I buy Well - very restrainedfor me Only 16 Mb (2 X 8 Mb EDOSIMMs) of RAM - name brand (Toshiba) at$38 (A$52) each Also an HP Deskjetprinter colour refill kit At $55 (A$76) it waspretty expensive but it is supposed to refillcolour cartridges up to 24 times and B ampW up to 6 times so it could well be worth it- came with a package of business card paper(my choice parchment) also Oh and a W95or 31 Wincheck Version 40 softwarepackage at $1495 A$21 - I couldnrsquot resist
So after 2 12 hours I had taken a quickcheck around all the stands with no repeatsand I was out of there - all computered out(at least for one day) Irsquove been to that showat least 6 to 8 times before plus othersaround LA and I still get a mild adrenalinerush when going in - calculated to causeshopping frenzy
22 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Confused aboutYoursquore not alone
By Nhan Tran
Getting onto the InternetYoursquove heard about the informationsuperhighway and you want to know moreYour kids want to get on the Internet butyou donrsquot know how to give them a driveYou have been using the Internet but whenyou asked for help you could not explainyour problems to the experts This article(or maybe a series of articles) gives you thewhole picture and some explanation on thevehicle you use to get on the superhighway
The SuperhighwayThe Internet is a complex (and sometimesconvoluted) network of superhighways Theroads may be a six-lane freeway a four-lanehighway a side street or even a narrow alleyThey may be on the ground above groundunderground at the bottom of the seas orflying high with the satellites in space
On top of that you donrsquot actually driveyour car It is driven by an automatic driverwhich is nearly blind and canrsquot see fartherthan the next turn It is weird It is unnaturalwhich may be the reason why it works andthe other ldquowell-designedrdquo networks failedThe whole network is based on the conceptof ldquobest effortsrdquo That is the robot driverswould try their best but not guarantee thatthey would take you to the destination
They try to find the best route for you Itmeans that if the road is too congested theymay make a U-turn get off the freeway andcrawl through a labyrinth of cat alleys Theroads are like the real ones sometimes thereis almost no traffic at all other times theylook like a huge car park The matter getsworse when you take into account of thedifferent timezones around the world Oneorsquoclock in Australia may be the rush hourin another country and if you want to getinformation from there you get caught inthe traffic
Because of these characteristicssomeone (I think it was Mitch Kapor thespreadsheet inventor) has made a comment
like ldquothe information superhighway is a ten-lane freeway in one direction and an ox-cart path in the otherrdquo
But if you can go to where you wantwould you care I donrsquot I treat the wholenetwork like a fuzzy cloud that magicallygives me the new freedom the newcommunity and the new set of problems
The Highway RampSo how do you get on this super highwayThere are places which are connected to thehighway network on one side and entrancesfor you to enter on the other They are calledservers Normally what you see on theInternet is what is stored at these serversbecause most people like you donrsquot wantstrangers to access your PC (I wouldnrsquot leta stranger into my house) Luckily there aremany servers with many goodies to look ator play with
Getting onto these servers is not easyYou use a modem connected to a phone lineto call the modem on the server When theserver modem answers the call they wouldstart the process of synchronisation Toomany standards and too many brands If youare unlucky your modem may refuse to talkto the other modem and you would spendhours of frustration and get a huge phonebill
The high pitch tone you hear from themodem is this process When both modemssatisfy that they can reliably talk to eachother the noise stops Then itrsquos the butlerrsquosturn
The ButlerThere is a very important program for yourInternet access It is a program that asks the
modem to make the call to the server andwhen connected requests a login on yourbehalf to the server
What is a login You come to a friendrsquosplace knock the door or ring the bellSomeone in the house would ask ldquowho isthererdquo and yoursquod say ldquoitrsquos just merdquo Yourfriend recognises your voice opens the doorand let you in If you work in a securedenvironment every morning when you enterthe building you would show your ID cardto the security guard
Your username (or user ID or login ID)and your password are equivalent to the IDcard If you get the dreaded ldquoaccess deniedrdquoit means (a) you (or the program that doeson your behalf) entered incorrect username(b) you entered wrong password or (c) youran out of access hours or the accessexpired or your PCUG membership
expiredThis program is
always there rendashgardless of how youstart your Internetsession Some
access the Internet by Eudora some byMicrosoft Internet Explorer some useNetscape They either have a built-inprogram to do this job or automatically callthis program to make the connection Evenif you donrsquot see it on the screen it is runningin the background The popular PC prondashgrams that can do this task are TrumpetWinsock (or TCPMAN) Shiva Chameleonor Dial-up Networking Connect etc
Once the connection is established thisprogram will take on the task of a butlerserving other programs Letrsquos look at thefollowing analogy
Letrsquos assume that you (or to be precisethe PC programs such as Eudora MSInternet Explorer Netscape etc) were aninvalid confined in a room You would needa butler to help you getting things outside
ldquoThe roads may be a six-lane freeway a four-lanehighway a side street or even a narrow alleyrdquo
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 23
the Internet
the room When you (Eudora InternetMail Netscape Mail) wanted to checkyour mail yoursquod ask the butler to checkthe letter box and bring letters to yourbed When you wanted to send lettersto friends or relative yoursquod ask thebutler to take it to the post office
When you (Free Agent InternetNews Netscape News) wanted to readnewspaper yoursquod ask the butler to goto the newsagent and buy newspaper foryou When you (Internet ExplorerNetscape Opera) wanted a book or avideo yoursquod ask the butler to buy suchand such books or videos for you
It is so important that without it youcanrsquot get anything f rom thesuperhighway So if you started yoursession from Trumpet Winsock whenthe connection has been made (ie whenyou see the message ldquoMy IP address is2031076xxxrdquo) donrsquot close or exit theprogram Minimise it and let it run inthe background so that it can serve otherprograms Otherwise you would getstrange and incomprehensible errormessage such as ldquowinsockdll missingrdquo(trust a programmer to tell you whatrsquoswrong in the program he or she wrote)
Thatrsquos enough for the boring stuffNext t ime wersquo l l ta lk about emai l(eletronic mail) news World Wide Web(if the Queen is doing it so why canrsquotwe) and other mysteries of the Internet
Internet Clinics are normally held at the PCUG Centre Northpoint PlazaBelconnen the first Saturday of each month 930am to 1pm There is nocost involved
So if you (or another PCUG member you know of) are having problemsyou (or they) will be welcome to attend It is suggested that you call thePCUG Centre on the day and check with the staffer that we are notoverloaded before coming along
To get a problem on your PC resolved it is essential that you bring all ofthe following items with you
bull PC and Monitor plus all interconnecting cables
bull Mouse
bull Keyboard
bull Modem
bull Modem power supply
bull Modem cables - from PC to modemand from modem to telephone socket
bull Modem and PC manuals amp documentation
bull All of your software disks -
ie Win31 or Windows95 disksCD
If you dont have a PC to fix but you want to get some guidance on someparticular aspect of using TIP please feel free to come along and simplytalk to us
Clinics are not a free softwaremodem installation service We do expectyou to have made a reasonable attempt at getting the software installed ampworking
David Schwabe dschwabepcugorgau
The Internet Clinic
24 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
A t the start of this year I startedto get interested again in an oldheroine from days of misspentyouth in the rsquo70s New York
underground poet-turned-singer Patti Smithldquothe Bob Dylan of the punk scenerdquoThought Irsquod see whether there was anythingon the Web and found anexcellent site at httpwwwoceanstarcompatti Tomy astonishment I found thatshe was in Australia on her firstmajor tour anywhere in years mainly for theBig Day Out outdoor concerts
I had heard of the Big Day Out tour viaTriple J but this was the first Irsquod heard ofher being on the bill After seeing other re-formed punk heroes Radio Birdman and theSex Pistols in 1996 was it possible I couldmake the trifecta Alas the Sydney eventhad been booked out for two weeks
Via the JJJ Web site httpwwwabcnetautriplejdefaulthtm I found theBig Day Out Web site httpstarbaitbdocomaustarbaitbdo and loand behold they were having live conndashnections to the Melbourne concert on the25th January via the Internet with the
assistance of a US-based organisation calledThe Campus (wwwthecampuscom) If Icouldnrsquot be there in Sydney to see Patti inperson this would be as close as I couldget In addition I had always seemed to findout about real-time events on the Web justafter theyrsquod occurred and here at least wasan opportunity to be in at the start it wouldbe an interesting technical exercise ifnothing else
First choice was browser InternetExplorer 3 or Netscape Navigator 3 I gatherIrsquom not unlike many in having been initiallybowled over with IE3 then finding that itwas less robust and in particular made fargreater demands on temporary storage thanNetscape With little free disk space and
being about to try all sortsof new things I decided toplay safe and use Navigator
The Big Day Out Website (figure 1) was well done
and looked great including animatedgraphics and good use of frames but wasif anything as the British say ldquotoo cleverby halfrdquo For example you selected optionsvia a Shockwave animation of ducks in ashooting gallery click the mouse on a duckwhen an alternative was highlighted yoursquodhear a BANG the duck would flop overbackwards and yoursquod be off to that optionVery cute very clever and very slow andfrustrating for actually going anywhere Inaddition it appeared that when you went tosome pages they called up some trick Javacode which brought up Netscape sessionsin what looked like Kiosk mode no menusLooked neat but again a nuisance The sitehad its own mascot a sort of anime-stylekick-boxing heroine called Miss Starbait (Iassume a risque in-joke try saying the namequickly)
Once you got to it the information wasthorough and well laid out A list of artistsincluded links for those who had Web pagesThere was a page on the Auckland concert(first in the series) with photos etc For eachcity on the tour the site had links to maps ofthe venues and also timetables I foundfrom this that in Melbourne Patti Smithwould be on Stage C 540 PM for an hour
There were two main components to theInternet part of the day a Real Audio feedwith both backstage comments and the
via the Internet or -the boy looked at PattiO
BDig
ayut
by Malcolm Street
Figure 1
This is the era where everybody createsPatti Smith - ldquoSo you want to be a Rock n Roll Starrdquo 1979
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 25
stage and a new form of conferencingsoftware called The Palace where artistswould come for QampA sessions with fansIrsquod experimented with Real Audio but notto any great depth and had never even heardof Palace and I had to get this all togetherin a day Fortunately there were direct linkson the Big Day Out Web site
While I had a Real Audio stand-aloneplayer one page on the site came up with ablank expecting a Real Audio plug-in Ontothe Net to the Real Audio page todownload Real Audio player version 3Install restart Navigator back to the pageand voila A Real Audio control in themiddle of a Web page Painless
Then to work out which ISP to useUnfortunately the weekend was the onebefore the ldquoearly birdrdquo credits expired forTIP and I presume because of this it wasalmost impossible to get on One time whenI did get on I tested the Real Audiobackstage feed from Melbourne and foundI was only getting a 144k stream and poorquality at that I had a second backupaccount with Access One with a higherspeed (and far more expensive) networkand found that I could get a stable 288kReal Audio stream so that was going to be
what Irsquod have to use Not to mention thatthe time Patti Smith would be on would bepeak time anyway
Next step was to find Palace again viaa direct link from the BDO page to httpwwwthepalacecom I had used forms of
3D interactive software but Palace wasdifferent much simpler just 2D backndashgrounds Really a sort of IRC withbackdrops and sound effects For the BigDay Out the organisers had produced theirown backgrounds and sounds and I had todownload those as well from their siteHowever there were no instructions on howto set them up so it ended up being trialand error until I got it to work puttingimages and sounds in separate subdirndashectories under the Palace directory
Finally I had Palace running with the BigDay Out backdrops and found myselfoutside a circus tent which included livelinks to the Big Day Out and Campus Webpages (figure 2) Moving ldquoinsiderdquo the tentgot me to an area where I could don aparticular costume however choices werelimited for non-registered users andappeared to reset so I had to be content withthe default avatar a soft of sphere with aface on it (figure 3)
Finally there was the conference tentitself guarded by a fearsome lookingdoorman who asked for a passwordClicking on his lady companion told you tolook in the log Once Irsquod figured out howto do that I found it ldquomama cazrdquo Typedthat in response to the doorman and whoafound myself in this psychedelic room whichwas to be the conference area (figure 4)
Figure 3
Figure 2
26 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
I knew when Patti Smith was going tobe on stage what I didnrsquot know was whenshersquod be in conference in the Palace I waslistening to the back stage chatter via RealAudio this time more organised as Campuswas acting as ldquoon line radio stationrdquobroadcasting to the USA ldquoAustraliarsquosLollapolloozardquo and in the middle of this Iheard them give times for different artistsbeing in the virtual tent with Patti Smithroughly 430 Problem solved
430 arrived Back on line into the tentanother band (Supergrass) being inndashterviewed The conference area is now fullof faces with a still photo of the band downthe bottom left-hand corner Irsquove had verylittle experience with IRC and this seemsvery similar hard to follow with variousthreads of conversation going on sindashmultaneously but I gradually tune in to itTherersquos a thread going about problemspeople are having with reliably picking upReal Audio - oh dear As well as a fewAustralians there are a couple of Americansin there and a South African Then see thatPatti Smith is about to come on And sureenough C 440 the picture changes and thereshe is
Unfortunately the session is a bit of ashambles Unlike the younger artists (sherecently turned 50) she does not appear tobe familiar with the technology andsomeone else is doing the typing for herslowing down and complicating exchangesSeems to be the passing of the torch - a bitof a fish out of water in the environment ofa younger generation The bass player ofher backing group had suffered concussion20 minutes before from a collision with arogue door hence her lateness Thingsfinally get under way (one person ldquoa fanfrom WAY backrdquo says ldquonot many questionsjust adorationrdquo I can relate to that) but justas itrsquos building up a head of steam she getsa long phone call (presumably about the bassplayer) and has to call it quits prematurely
Irsquoll just have to wait and see if theconcert is any better
Well the concert is indeed better In factwhen I can hear it clearly (see later) itrsquoswonderful She starts with an early poemroaring it out with authority then afterthanks to JJJ who are handling the broadcastto the Internet and to the absent bass player
launches into the concert proper a greatblend of old and new
The sound quality is to put it mildlyvariable It was much better in earlier gigsthat day with Australian bands but itappears to drop off markedly on this onePerhaps too many people on at onceAmerican fans connecting in to hear one ofher first big shows in years Checking withstatistics in Real Audio shows theconnection approaching 20 loss in someearly songs leaving a very jerky soundFortunately it improves later with lossesdown to around 4 and sound quiteacceptable (People dropping out infrustration) However later on a fewoccasions the sound drops out completelyand I have to wait while it restarts somendashtimes for a couple of minutes
Then just as the concert comes to ashattering climax heading into one of myfavourite songs of hers a demolition of VanMorisonrsquos Gloria the Real Audio feed goesfor me at least dead Stone cold dead It islike the other times when it has dropped outbut this time it wonrsquot recover BummerAfter several minutes I can get the feedagain but just get an empty stage waitingfor the next band
So that was it a frustrating end to afrustrating but fascinating day At best thesound quality was am radio standards Butthen again these are very early days and Ican remember worse am radio sounds ontransistor radios as a kid in the lsquo60rsquos Avideo feed would have been real nice butone thing that is obvious from this exerciseis that live audio let alone live video ispushing current Internet technology to itslimits and beyond with a large numbers ofsimultaneous users in a function like thisSo as with so much on the Net wersquore seeingthe first glimpses of something that will takeanother generation of technology to becomepractical But hey this is the world of theNet and another generation could be onlysix months away
Later that night I connect to the Palacesite again and find a note at the tent to sayit was all over and to check up next week Ido indeed and they reckon over 100000people worldwide connected to the site thatone day and that the live broadcast of PattiSmithrsquos complete concert was a world firstApart from catching up with an old idol Irsquodseen a glimpse of a communications futureof being part of an event shared interactivelylive world-wide yet another step towardsthe Global Village
Figure 4
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 27
Stuffed AgainThe following members and friendsare thanked for assisting with stuffingour journal for mailing
Andrew amp Bruce Bartlett
Bruce Black
Owen Cook
Eddie de Bear
John Dyer
Bob Ecclestone
Rufus Garcia
Sally Hammon
John Hempenstall
Joy Hewett
Sue amp Jim Hume
Jenny Laraman
Alan Lockett
David Meggs
Allan Mikkelsen
Don Nicol
Gloria Robbins
Keith Sayers
Rod Smith
John Starr
Bob Summersby
Michael Taylor
Gordon Urquhart
Anne WarrenerWe are always looking for volunteersto assist us with the lsquostuffingrsquo of ourjournal We start around 530pm(latecomers are welcome) usually on the2nd last Monday of every month andare generally finished by 800pmRefreshments are provided and any ofyour knotty computer problems can bedebated lsquoat the round tablersquo in congenialcompany If you would like to helpplease ring Petra Dwyer at the PCUGCentre on 253 4911 and she will fill youin on all the details
Next Stuffing530pm Monday 19 May 1997at Northpoint Plaza Belconnen
(see map page 6)
htt
p
ww
wp
cu
go
rga
up
cu
g1
6b
its
Now
in A
dobe
Acr
obat
form
at
Oz User GroupsAdelaide PC Users GroupPO Box 2541Kent Town SA 5071(08) 332-7021Margi McLeay (Sec)Meet 730pm 3rd Tuesday of themonth at Enterprise House 136Greenhill Road Unley Visitors $5
Brisbane PC Users Group(Brisbug)PO Box 985Toowong QLD 4066(07) 3273 7266 Info Line(07) 3281 6503Lloyd Smith (Pres)Meet 12 noon 3rd Sunday of themonth at Bardon Professional Cntr
Darwin ComputerUsers ClubGary Drake (Vice President)(089) 324 107 h(089) 450 091 wEmail acsntacslinknetau
Melbourne PC User Group2nd Floor 66 Albert RoadSouth Melbourne VIC 3205(03) 9699 6222 10am - 330pm(03) 9699 6499 FaxEmail officemelbpcorgauHome Page httpwwwmelbpcorgauMeet 6pm 1st Wednesday of themonth (except Jan) at PharmacyCollege 381 Royal Parade Parkville
Perth PC Users GroupPO Box 997West Perth WA 6872(09) 399 7264 Trevor Davis (Pres)Meet 600pm 1st Wednesday of themonth at Ross Lecture TheatrePhysics Building University of WANedlands
Sydney PC Users GroupPO Box A2162Sydney South NSW 2000(02) 972 2133 Michelle DonaldMeet 6pm 1st Tuesday of the monthat main auditorium TeachersFederation 300 Sussex StreetSydney
28 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Features include fun animation sound effectsand a high-score listing Reg Fee $15
COMET13Comet Busters 13 is an incredible high-speedarcade game for WIN31 You must clear thecolourful asteroids and occasional alienspacecraft from the screen before you canproceed to the next deadly level This gamefeatures beautiful 256-colour ray-tracedgraphics and digital sound effects Reg Fee $9
HMN32V11Hangman (BB) 111 is a word-guessing gamefor Win95 that can help grade school-agechildren improve their vocabulary andspelling Features include an editable wordlist the ability to include definitions with eachword mouse or keyboard input and moreRequires the 32-bit VB runtime files Reg Fee$5
PDHP97SUPrairie Dog Hunt PRO rsquo97is a shooting gamefor Windows that allows you to participate inthe wholesale slaughter of harmless mammalswithout all the mess Features include 360
LIBRARY Phil Trudinger
The files described in this article are on theMarch 1997 CD-ROM (PsL Vol 5 3) whichis currently on the Bulletin Board all are ZIPfiles Please quote the month or Vol whenordering files on disk
The text files CD1 to 7 inclusive in Area 1 ofthe Bulletin Board are the monthly CD-ROMfile lists
Reminder
Most CD-ROM programs are Shareware Areasonable time (generally one month) isallowed for evaluation but if you continue touse a program beyond this time you shouldcomply with the authorrsquos conditions thatusually require payment of a registration feeBear in mind that this is the only way by whichan author receives any reward for hisherefforts Unless otherwise stated registrationfees are in US dollars
NEW AND UPDATEDWINDOWS PROGRAMS
(An asterisk denotes Windows 95specificity or compatibility)
GAMES
AGNSETUPAGNS - A Game of Naval Strategy 162 is agame of naval warfare for Windows whereyour objective is to sink the computerrsquos unitsor capture his main base Each turn consistsof a plot movement phase air combat phasemovement and combat phase air strike returnphase and a repairbuild phase Thissequence is repeated until one side claimsvictory Reg Fee $15
BG17Backgammon by George 17 is an excellentgame of backgammon for Windows You canplay against the computer (with four differentskill levels) or against a human opponentOther features include the ability to saverecall games many unique customisingoptions computer-suggested moves andmore Reg Fee $15
BNW10ABuild lsquon Win 10a is an interesting strategicgame for Windows where two players buildtheir opponentrsquos game boards and try to makethem as difficult as possible to complete
degree scrolling scenery excellent animationdigitised sound effects multiple skill levelsand a high-score hall of fame Reg Fee $20
SANWHRTSSanDearsquos Hearts for Windows 100 allowsyou to play the classic card game Hearts inWindows Features include support for up to12 computer players modem play the abilityto create a hand an undo option the ability tosave and rotate a hand and more Reg Fee$10
TILES95BTiles and Tribulations 152 is a challenginggame for Win95 where you try to catch fallingcoloured tiles and drop them into bins in alogical manner Any three (or more) tiles ofthe same colour in bins going horizontallyvertically or diagonally will be removed andincrease your score Reg Fee $22
GRAPHICS
CPLAY2Childrsquos Play IIis a 256-colour paint programfor children It occupies the full screen to help
SOFTWARE
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 29
prevent the child from going to other applic-ations Features include unique graphicspecial effects rubber stamps various screenerasers fun sound effects the ability to loadsaveprint images and more This is anexcellent program with many creative optionsto keep the little ones busy for hours Reg Fee$20-$25
GIFCON32GIF Construction Set 95 109 is a powerfulcollection of tools to work with multiple-block GIF files in Win95 It will allow you toassemble GIF files containing image blocksplain text blocks comment blocks and controlblocks and provides facilities to managepalettes and merge multiple GIF files togetherRequires a minimum of 4MB RAM but 8MBis recommended Reg Fee $20
ICN95525Icons Control 95 525 displays up to 100icons at a time for quick viewing printingcopying renaming moving or deleting Apowerful icon editor is also providedRequires Win95 Reg Fee $25
SD95INSTSmartDraw 95 30 is a powerful drawingprogram for Win95 It allows you to easilycreate great looking flowcharts diagrams andbusiness graphics Features include drag anddrop drawing OLE support full compatibil-ity between 16 and 32-bit versions filesharing the ability to send drawings on mail-enabled systems and much moreSDINSTALis the Win31 version Reg Fee $49
FONTS
FLFontLister (32-bit) 15 displays all installedfonts in Win95 You can also print a completefont listing or just some sample text with aselected font Reg Fee $0
FONTSHOWFontShow (32-bit) 22 allows you easily toview the TrueType fonts installed in Win95NT Options are included to display user-specified sample text in place of the normalfont name and alphanumeric character setThe size and face of the currently selectedfont can be quickly changed and the resultsdisplayed automatically Reg Fee $0
FONTW11FontWindow 11 displays all your Windowsfonts on screen so you can quickly see whichfont you want to use It can be set to stay ontop so you can view fonts while running otherprograms Reg Fee $29-$39
SERIFRACSeriFractions is a TrueType font that has a fullset of diagonal and vertical fractions for 12through 89 and also 16ths and 32nds It alsohas a partial set of mathematical symbolsincluding the true multiplication (x) symbolReg Fee $10
SYMSELSymbol Selector 11 allows you to easilyselect and copy symbols from TrueType fonts
that are of the ldquosymbolrdquo variety (such asWingdings and Symbols) to the WindowsClipboard Reg Fee $0
INTERNET
ADZAP10AdZapper 10 is an add-on for NetscapeNavigator to ldquozaprdquo (eliminate) annoyingadvertisements Reg Fee $20
AWN95AutoWinNet95 10 lets you perform commonInternet tasks on a scheduled basis You cancreate an ldquoagendardquo with dozens of stepsincluding updownloading email retrievingand sending obtaining weather updates andmore Requires Win95 Reg Fee $30
GGI11Go-Get-It 110 performs exhaustive preciseand ultra-fast searches of the Internet using acombination of keyword search Usenetnewsgroups search and various searchengines Features include automatic retrievalof all found web pages and informationoptional storage in separate folders to be usedlater and more Reg Fee $40
MASNDW32MailSend (32-bit) 3x is an add-on forMicrosoft Mail and Win95 that allows you tosend messages from the command line orfrom batch files Reg Fee $49
ND276BNetDial 276b is an Internet dialler forWindows It will call your host log you inand automatically start your TCPIP packagefor you Features include support for up to 5separate configuration connections baud ratesupport to 256k redial up to 99 times WAVsound file support and more Reg Fee $20
PRO12Teleport Pro 120 is a multi-threaded file-retrieving offline-browsing webspider forWin95 It scans the Internet for files or sites ofinterest and downloads them to your harddrive for fast offline access Features includeadvanced file typesize matching keywordfilters the ability to handle proxy servers andpassword-protected sites automatic retriesand more Reg Fee $40
TRAW3215Trawler (32-BIT) 15 allows you to interact-ively browse and gather information from theWeb It automatically follows links andretrieves pages to your hard drive It can evenfollow links from different web databasessimultaneously Reg Fee $35
30 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
MISCELLANEOUS
CALC9534Calc95 34 is a scientificengineeringcalculator for Win95 with a wide range ofbuilt-in units conversions and physicalconstants Reg Fee $25
GL10DThe GL Store for Windows 10d is a completedouble-entry general ledger accountingprogram for Windows It maintains 10000 GLaccounts multiple companies budgets 3-Dcolour graphs recurring accounts multipledepartments and detailed reports Reg Fee $79
HBGHome Business Guide 30 is a Windows-based guide to starting a business from homeIt discusses selecting planning and startingyour own business and covers resourcestools and help available Reg Fee $0
TIMCLK13PC-TimeClock for Windows 13 keeps trackof time yoursquove spent on your computer Timeis charged to one or more projects from yourlist by ldquopunching inrdquo when you begin work oneach project Reg Fee $18
MUSIC
MT32_16A Musical Tutorial for Windows (32-bit) 160provides an excellent way to encouragemusical study using the graphically-orientedenvironment of Win95 This includes a chorddictionary musical games the ability to playview and print scales chords and triads a userlog and much more This is suitable for bothchildren and adults Reg Fee $25
SCALEIT4ScAleIt 40 is a musical scalecordeducational package for Windows It candisplay all the chords and scales with all rootsand all inversions Features include aneditable database the ability to play chordsscales through your sound card MIDIsupport a solving function and much more800x600 screen resolution is recommendedReg Fee $0
PHONEADDRESS BOOKS
AM_PB45Phone Book for Windows 45 is a nameaddress database for WIN31 Fields areprovided for name addresses two phonenumbers fax and comments Other featuresinclude phone dialling over a modemsearching capabilities printing options andmore Reg Fee $17
BAM211Burrilliant Address Manager 211 helpsorganise all of your phone numbers address-es birthdays account numbers and more inWin95 All personal or business informationcan be printed for your day planner in a cleanattractive format Reg Fee $15
CARDBASECardBase (32-bit) 23 is a combinationaddress book and phone dialler for Win95NT Along with the regular fields for namesaddresses and phone numbers it can alsostore email addresses FAX numbers and website URLs Cards can be quickly sorted byname or custom card groups Searching andsorting operations are fast and intuitive RegFee $0
PHNMKR18Phone Book Maker 18 allows you to createphone books in pocket 12 letter and lettersize Features include 30 useful fields perrecord standard envelope printing powerfulindexfiltersearch facilities importexportcapabilities in variety of formats virtuallyunlimited records and more Reg Fee $50
SCREEN SAVERS
ADRF3210Adrift Screensaver (32-bit) 100 displaysbeautiful floating line patterns on your Win95desktop Reg Fee $14
AURADEMOAurora Screen Savers is a screen savermodule for Windows that simulates a 3-Djourney through the Aurora Borealis Twelvedifferent colour patterns are available Thisversion displays a nag box in the upper leftcorner of the screen Requires 256-colourvideo Reg Fee $18
BLKBRD15Blackbird Screen Saver 15 is a Windowsscreen saver module that displays photos ofthe SR-71 spy plane in action Requires 256-colour video and 4MB RAM Reg Fee $15
BOMBER15Bombs Away 150 is a slideshow screensaver for Windows with 256-colour digitisedphotos of jet bombers in action Requires4MB memory Reg Fee $15
BOTANICABotanica Screen Savers is a screen savermodule for Windows that displays a virtualgarden of growing plants and flowers inbeautiful variations of colour and shape
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 31
Twelve different savers are provided eachwith their own unique patterns Requires 256-colour VGA and VBRUN300 Reg Fee $18
JEWELJewelBox 10 is a screen saver for Windowsthat displays colourful ldquojewelsrdquo that appear togrow on your screen Features includeinteractive options a variety of palettechoices and more Reg Fee $18
JOTREE15Joshua Tree Screen Saver 150 displays thestark beauty of the California desert capturedin stunning 24-bit colour images Requires a386+ 4MB RAM and 256-colour video RegFee $15
METALLIXMetallix is a screen saver module for Win-dows that displays metallic sculptures whichunfold in unique and unpredictable patternscreating a mesmerising transformative effectThere are twelve different savers to choosefrom each with its own distinct settingsRequires 256-colour VGA and VBRUN300Reg Fee $19
NIAGRA15Niagara Falls Screen Saver 150 is a screensaver module for Windows with photos of thefalls and immediate vicinity The photos rotateautomatically when activated Requires 256-colour video and 4MB memory Reg Fee $15
PICSHO32MyPictureShow32 is a Win95 screen saver inwhich the visual content is supplied by yourown collection of computer images There isno limit to the number of pictures you canuse and nine different display modes areavailable The slideshow mode allows achoice of 17 transition styles Other featuresinclude support for BMPJPGGIF graphicfiles password protection automatic scalingof large images to available screen size and
more This demo version will run 20 timesthen disables itself Reg Fee $16
SSCR8R21My Own Screen Saver 21 allows you tocreate your own screen saver using yourfavourite images and pictures You cancombine selected BMP DIB and WMF fileswith 32 different visual effects Reg Fee $20
TWIST151Twister Screen Saver 151 is a 32-bit screensaver for Win95 that transforms your desktopinto a windy landscape with one or moretwisters moving everything deforming yourdesktop making everything a mess You canconfigure the wind speed number of twistersthe twisterrsquos speed and more Reg Fee $8
VENIC12Venice Screen Saver 12 is a Windows screensaver module that displays graphics thatsimulate floating through the canals of Veniceon your gondola as Italian music and the
sound of splashing waves fills the air Reg Fee$29-$39
VIDSAVVidSaver 11 is a Windows screen saver thatplays video clips and animations while yourcomputer is idle Reg Fee $20
TEXT EDITING
EDT236PEM EdTex for Windows 95 236 is a 32-bittext editor for Win95 It can edit a maximumof 2000000 characters and 30000 linesOther features include macro support printingoptions word wrap multiple undoredoblock editing and more Reg Fee $35
GTE32R15GWD Text Editor (32-bit) 15 is a powerfultext editing package for Win95 Featuresinclude support for macros unlimited filesize print preview a built-in spell checker anautosave option support for DOSUNIXMactext file formats and much more Reg Fee$20
JW32T22CJ-Write for Windows (32-bit) 22 is a fullfeatured editor for general text files and emailFeatures include the ability to edit very largefiles support for any ANSI font configurabletab settings and four line wrap modes multi-level undoredo and more Reg Fee $30
QUIKDC11QuikDict Spelling Dictionary 11 is a pop updictionary accessible from the Win95 ToolTray Features include the ability to spellcheck all words as they are typed alphabeticand ldquosounds likerdquo word matching over91000 EnglishAmerican words in thedictionary the ability to automatically pastethe correct spelling back to the clipboard andmore Reg Fee $19
SCRATCH4Scratch Pad (32-bit) 21 is a text editor forWin95 Features include the ability toautomatically capture clipboard information aprint preview function undo facilities andmore Reg Fee $15
TXEDITTxEdit (32-bit) 25 is an easy-to-use texteditor that makes a nice replacement for theWin95 Notepad Features include the abilityto viewedit multiple documents search andreplace options drag-and-drop support MacUnix file support and more Reg Fee $0
32 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
TXP3223TextPad (32-bit) 23 is a text editor forWin95NT It can handle files with up to32000 lines of 4095 characters with multiplesimultan-eous edits and up to two views oneach document Other features include fullundoredo facilities print previewing atoolbar for frequently-used commands abuilt-in file manager support for Unix andMacintosh text file formats drag-and-dropsupport and much more TXP1223 is theWin31 version Reg Fee $27-$35
UTILITIES
ADDIT10ES Adding-Machine 10 is a unique calculatorfor Windows that is designed for adding upcolumns of figures Entered figures areretained on-screen and can be edited so youwonrsquot have to start again if you are interrupt-ed or make a mistake Reg Fee $40
CIDV09CIDview monitors a selected telephone lineand reports the Caller ID whenever there is anincoming call The details of incominginformation will be automatically displayedon your screen with the Caller ID informationstaying visible for 10 seconds Reg Fee $9
DLLCHK95DLL Check 95is a DLL management utilityfor Win95 Features include the ability tocreate a log of all modules that load or unloadin a session the ability to search for duplicatemodules and a detailed information displayfor selected modules Reg Fee $80
EASYZIPEasy Zip (32-bit) 10 makes it incredibly easyto archive files with PKZIP in Win95 Itallows you to use point-and-click operationsinstead of all the context-switching and messybatch files of manually using PKZIP fromDOS Reg Fee $1850
HDLED11Hard Disk LED 11 simulates a hard disk lightthat flashes every time there is disk activityAn icon appears on the Win95 task bar andflashes every time the system accesses yourhard drive Reg Fee $5
HYSNP278HyperSnap 278 allows you to capture thedesktop highlighted window areas or user-defined areas in Win95NT Features includehotkey support cropping facilities the ability
to save images in BMPGIFJPEG format andmuch more Reg Fee $20
LONGSAVELongSave 101 is used to save the list of longfile names and short names to a commadelimited ASCI text file The short names canthen be backed up or zipped or copied withutilities that are not long-file-name-awareAfter the files are transferred it uses theASCII file to restore the original long file
names This must be run from a DOS sessionunder Win95 Reg Fee $25-$95
REDH22Red Hand 22 tells you exactly what someonedid on your computer while you were awayexactly when they did it and how long it tookWindows can be discretely ldquolockedrdquo toprevent access and will simply close themimmediately or send an error message of yourchoice You can control exactly which areasof your computer that you do not want othersto have access to Reg Fee $25
RMVR32RemoveR 161 helps delete unneeded filesfrom your hard drive after you have installed aprogram in Win95 It will take a snapshot ofthe drive before an installation then you cancompare the current status of your files withthat last stored All files that have been addeddeleted will be shown on the results screenFrom this screen you can highlight certainfiles andor directories and delete them orsave the list for later deletion Reg Fee $5-$40
SENTRY95Sentry 95will prevent all unauthorised usersfrom accessing the Win95 desktop wheneveryour computer boots Reg Fee $14
SU96_402StepUprsquo96 402 contains a set of utilitieswhich make working with Win95NT easierand faster This includes a user-customisableStepUp Menu smart Folder Navigatorsophisticated Menu Designer and a powerful
File Handler It also provides handy taskbaricons for fast exit CD-ROM Autorun onoffand more Reg Fee $30
V95I208EVirusScan for Win95 253 is a native Win95application that detects and removes comp-uter viruses Reg Fee $65
YATS32Yet Another Time Synchroniser (32-bit) 30allows you to synchronise your system clockusing various time server types commonlyavailable on TCPIP networks such as theInternet Multiple servers can be specified andwill be tried sequentially until a valid time isobtained and your system time set Reg Fee$35
ZOOMER12Zoomer 12 provides a 2x or 4x magnificationof the area around the mouse cursor in Win95This is an excellent utility for the visionimpaired Reg Fee $0
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 33
NEW AND UPDATED DOSPROGRAMS
ANTIVIRUS
AVSCANAVScan 310 is a freeware scanner that candetect more than 4500 virus signatures RegFee $0
I_M311AIntegrity Master 311a is an anti-virus anddata integrity system The author says itdetects all known viruses It can detect anyform of file corruption including disk errorsor as yet unknown viruses Stacker Double-Space SuperStore and Bernoulli system filesare supported Identifies the new MS WordMacro viruses as well as over 640 additionalviruses It has an option to quickly disinfectdiskettes Reg Fee $50
SCN_253EVirusScan 253 scans diskettes or entiresystems and identifies any pre-existing PCvirus infection Reg Fee $65
GAMES
DRAK160Drak 160 is a falling blocks-style game withattractive graphics and several varieties ofblocks It includes blocks which melt blocksthat fall apart when they land and more Thegame includes 10 levels of increasingcomplex-ity joystick support and ability tosave games in progress (RegFee$33
DRUG12Drug Killers 12 is an action-packed shoot-em-up arcade game where you pilot atechnologically advanced aircraft in a battle tostop a futuristic drug cartel You must destroya wide variety of land and air-based enemieswhile gathering weapons and shields Otherfeatures include excellent scrolling graphicsgreat special effects a high score listing theability to save and restore games and a coolmusic soundtrack Reg Fee $25-$40
HAMSTER3D Hamsterrsquos Adventure is a fun 3Dadventure game where you assume the role ofa hamster in a colourful maze The object ofthe game is to eat all the fruit scattered aroundthe maze so the secret exit will appear Youwill encounter monsters along the way butyou can use your strawberry grenades or apowerful hamster kick for protection Theexcellent graphics sound effects and musicmake this an enjoyable game for the wholefamily Reg Fee $15
MISCELLANEOUS
COELI379Coeli Electric Planisphere 379 combinespractical ephemeris and planetarium with areal-time star chart to provide a Super VGAmodel of the skies as seen from Earth Youmay view the heavens from any place or timewith advanced starconstellation search insidea point and click interface A separate VESAdriver must be pre-installed Reg Fee pound12
JOCCALJOC-CALC 10 is an easy-to-use spreadsheetpackage for DOS Features include a pull-down menu system with mouse support aHyperText help system support for blockoperations built-in mathstrig functions andmore Reg Fee $25
MEDLIN97Medlin Accounting 1997 is a double-entrygeneral ledger program with accountsreceivable payroll and payables modules Allmodules are very easy to use PC-AR is theaccounts receivable module It allows amaximum of 2000 customers and 1500charges per accounting period PC-INV is amodule which works directly with theaccounts receivable module to generateinvoices and post them to PC-AR It willmultiply quantity times price and insert thetotal and calculate sales tax PC-PR thepayroll module allows up to 500 employeesand 1000 payroll cheques per accountingperiod PC-AP the accounts payable modulecan sort invoices by due date and will printcheques Mouse support has been added to allprograms Reg Fee $25-35
VDEVideo Display Editor 182 is a fast powerfultext editor Commands can be entered from amenu bar or with control keys Featuresinclude a proportional spacing modekeyboard macro recording MenuBar modethe ability to edit eight files at once acommand for proportional print Autosave toautomatically save your work at specifiedintervals simultaneous windows scrolling theability to align the platen for printing onvarious kinds of forms support for the fileformat of MS Word an envelope printer awide range of screen sizes (from 17 to 57lines) an integrated spell checker and muchmore Support is also provided for Ultra-Vision the HP95LX palmtop and the Tandykeyboard Reg Fee $35
UTILITIES
DNOTE420Disk Note Librarian 420 allows the user toadd descriptions and comments of up to 300characters to each file name on a disk up to1200 files Reg Fee $15
RCR01Rosenthal Conflict Resolver 100 is adiagnostic tool that helps corrects IRQ DMAand IO conflicts the major cause of systemcrashes Reg Fee $99
2 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Compiled by Jim Hume
The Monarchy
This site provides the history of the BritishMonarchy The Royal collection TodayrsquosRoyal family and includes The Queenrsquos rolein the Commonwealth This role articleshould be valuable to all those interested inthe Republic debate monarchist andrepublican alike It is a well presented siteand a useful resource as a school kithttpwwwroyalgovuk
Museums
The virtual Museum of Computing includesan ecletic collection of World Wide Webhyperlinks connected with the history ofcomputing and on-line computer basedexhibits available both locally and aroundthe world httpwwwcomlaboxacukarchiveothermuseumscomputinghtml
Airlines
Ansett provides information on their productand services and the places they fly to Youcan reserve flights and accommodationThere is a travel planner and screen saveravailable to download httpwwwansettcomauwebintrohtml
Qantas provides similar information on theirproducts and services with a brief history ofthe airline and also a screensaver which canbe downloaded httpwwwqantascomau80newsindexhtml
Books Magazines and Newspapers
The Canberra Times is now online withsections on News Sport Features OpinionWeather Real Estate Motors Classifiedsemail and services httpwwwcanberratimescomau
Readers Digest Interactive They ask you toldquoread it react and interactrdquo It containsDigest classics like Laugh Lines and WordPower and advice about how to do justabout anything featuring Home ProjectsCooking Gardening fitness and health httpwwwreadersdigestcom
National Geographic Online This is a greatcontribution with something for everyone inthe family Donrsquot miss these HOT SPOTShttpwwwnationalgeographiccomhotspotsindexhtml
Electronic Journals and Newsletters Thissite provides a complete internet list for newjournals and newsletters available on theInternet There is a search archive completealphabetical archive recent issues in reversechronological order and alphabetical list oftitles httpgort ucsdedunewjour
Amazon Bookstore offers not only 15million books in print but extremely hard-to-find out-of-print titles and discounts onsome of their book lists They claim 25million titles overall They include a searchfacility and provide a personal emailnotification service They list a Book of theday Titles in the News Monthly bookrecommendations and much morehttpwwwamazoncomexecobidossubstindex2html
Medical
)
Kodak have provided an interesting sitedealing with the latest digital cardiologyimaging and their cardiac review stationhttpwwwkodakcomhiHomecardioindexshtml
The American Cancer Society CaliforniaDivision on this site have an excellent articleon ldquoeating rightrdquo and research causeprevention detection and treatment httpwwwcacancerorg
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 3
The Department of Veteransrsquo Affairs haveupgraded their Web Site and it now providesthe latest information on health care forveterans In addition it contains rates andeligibility for pensions statements ofprinciple budgets and legislation It alsoincludes information about commemorativeactivities war graves war memorials andstudent oriented resourceshttpwwwdvagovau
HealthGate have redesigned their site withfaster search results with content organisedinto areas of interest such as medicinepatient education drug information etc It isan important source of biomedicalinformation httpwwwhealthgatecom
Football
The Australian Rugby League haveproduced an excellent site which includesdraws news links teams tipping results agallery and a soapbox httpdevarlorgaumainasp
Super League not to be outdone arepromoted by Foxtel in their sport sectionhttpwwwfoxtelcomauFoxtelhomejhtml
Tyres
I recently drew attention to Goodyearrsquos WebPage and commented on lack of Australiancontent Now they have an excellentAustralian site with an online school kit
dealing with the rubber revolution a tyreguide and a search engine to locate yournearest dealer It requires a frame-enabledweb browser httpwwwgoodyearcomau
Internet
URL Minder keeps track of web pages andother resources on the World Wide Weband sends you email whenever yourpersonally registered resources change Youcan have the minder keep track of any Webresource accessible via http ftp or Gopherand your email address will not be releasedto any third party It is a free servicesupported partially by advertising httpwwwnetmindcomURL-minderURL-minderhtml
People
Talk to the Angels The Vatican has namedtheir computers for the Web after angelsThe site was still under construction at theend of March httpwwwvaticanvaBut where else could you talk to theangelsIt requires a frame-enabled webbrowser
StarTrek This is a most interesting web sitefor Star Trek enthusiasts and also for thoseinterested in site construction for it is a realbobby dazzler httpwwwholodeck3comholodeck3html
Insert
It is an interesting concept which combinesan online magazine with discussion threadsresource lists and links It is dedicated toexploring masculinity and men in societyMen from all walks of life answer the 16 bigquestions about what it means being a mantoday httpwwwmanhoodcomnf
The
Super Site for Kids is a protectedenvironment specially for kids It is a wellorganised fun site httpwwwbonuscomindexclosehtmp
In early March a private Florida companythat hunts for historic shipwrecks announcedit had discovered a gem the ship oncecaptained by Blackbeard a man reputed tobe one of the more terrifying and disturbedpirates of all time This site includes thehistory of Blackbeardhttpeagleonlinediscoverycomcgi-binforums_viewdir
36 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
THE
INTERNETPROJECT
By Iain Gould
Welcome to TIP-TNG (The NextGeneration)
In case you hadnrsquot noticed yet TIP isnow connected to the rest of the world via ahigher speed (double what we had) link Weare now firing the electrons up and downthe pipe at 256k (thatrsquos 3 noughts -thousands in other words) bits every secondWhat this means in real terms is that ournewsgroups are updating more frequentlyweb pages and file transfers are much fasterand those of us that need to log in remotelycan do so with much less delay Boy are weimpressed
If you have not bothered to try TIP for awhile do so as we have seen a markedimprovement in the service provided afterthis upgrade and the installation of the extra12 modems in February (much less waitingto get on)
ANNOUNCEMENTSThe last two months has seen much goingson within the Internet Project ManagementCommittee For the uninitiated the IPMCis a caucus of techno-nerdygeeks tasked withthe onerous duty of ensuring that membersof the PCUG and AUUG have adequate andcomplete access to the wider resources ofthat part of the Information Super-highwayknown as simply The Internet Anyway wedecided on a lot of things recently Here theyare
1) Commercial Web Advertising Upuntil now TIP placed a restriction oncommercial advertising (that which wasobviously out to make money for the owner)- namely that only corporate members ofeither PCUG or AUUG could placeadvertising on their web pages We have
now opened up such commercial activitiesto general members of both organisationsFor the same fee that we currently charge tocorporate advertisers any individual cannow advertise on their web pages Refer tohttpwwwtipnetautipwebspacehtml fordetailed information and charging rates
2) Account Terminology The termslsquoAdvanced Accessrsquo and lsquoBasic Accessrsquoaccounts were deemed to be confusing (wehad too many requests for information onbasic Advanced access and training foradvanced Basic use) The accounts are nowreferred to as lsquoFull Accessrsquo and lsquoLimitedAccessrsquo respectively The use of the termsAdvanced Access hours and Basic Accesshours will continue for the time being untilwe sort out exactly what we want to callthem and where we need to changereferences to them The most obvious placethat this will change immediately is on theapplication form
3) Multiple Users of Accounts One ofthe regular lsquocomplaintsrsquo that we have beenreceiving has been on our policy to restrictaccount use to the account holder only Howmany of you out there realise that if youallowed your spousechildrenacquaintancesto have access to your password then youwere breaking our rules We donrsquot worrytoo much because we are now changing ourpolicy to open up account usage undercertain guidelines Namely
a) The primary account holder (the onewho originally applies for the account) willbe deemed ultimately responsible for anyuse of the account Heshe must still signthe Acceptable Use Policy and follow thoseterms and conditions and then ensure thataccount lsquodelegatesrsquo behave themselves too
b) The primary account holder mayallow use of hisher account by other familymembers The family members must benominated and lodged with TIP on a newlsquoAccount Delegationrsquo form
c) Only one login name and emailaddress is allocated (as currently) - ifadditional email addresses are required thenthey must be applied for as separateaccounts
d) Normal single user limits (accesshours disk quotas) still apply
We believe that this will allow familygroups some access to the Internet withoutneeding to sign up every members of thehousehold with TIP This policy will beelaborated on the web pages in the nearfuture for further information
4) We are still investigating methods ofproviding help guidance and assistance tousers who are new to TIP andor the InternetWe have been looking at newer lsquofool-proofrsquofirst time kits automated email helpresponses regularly published FAQs(frequently asked questions) and attractingmore volunteer helpers To achieve this lastgoal we are hoping that we can set up aregister of volunteers similar to the HelpDirectory published in Sixteen Bits forspecific areas of Internet use If you feltreluctant in the past to have your name listedfor fear of being asked questions outsideyour particular area of expertise interestthen let us know what you ARE willing tohelp with Are you a Netscape guru Or aWindows 95 Dial-Up Networking hotshotDo you think that you know a fair bit aboutIRC Then let us know
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 37
Nhan Tranrsquos Now OfficialTIP Web Help Pages
httpwwwtipnetautiphelp
bull Whats newHistory of changes to TIP help page
bull TIP Contact DetailsPhone numbers domain proxiesemail addresses
bull Useful TIP informationTime allocation usage statistics
bull TIP documentsAgreement Charging SchemeAcceptable Use Policy AccessApplication
bull InternetFAQAnswers to the Frequently AskedQuestions about the Internet what isthe Internet what you can donetiquette
bull TIP help FAQ
bull Answers to the Frequently AskedQuestions about various problemsother people may have had with TheInternet Project your problem maynot be a new one
bull lsquoHow-torsquo documentsHow to set up and use variousprograms needed to make the mostof your Internet account
bull GlossaryTranslating acronyms computerjargon netese and emoticons like -)in plain English
TIP Technical InformationDomain (PCUG) pcugorgauDomain (AUUG) auugorgau
DNS server 203107634Mail server mailhostDomain
News Server newshostDomainftp server ftpDomain
WWW server wwwDomainProxies proxytipnetau
port 8080
Iain Gould is one of the many volunteersthat keep TIP ticking He can becontacted by email - iainpcugorgau
As a note to those users who do needaccess to help take careful note of the timesthat people offer to be available There is areason that these times are listed ourvolunteers do like to have some personaltime Nothing causes a volunteer to lsquoresignrsquoquicker than having their efforts abused bypeople who ring at all hours and are rudeand obnoxious As a volunteer organisationwe cannot provide 24 hour-a-day instantsupport and we must rely on the genrosityof those that do offer to help Please beconsiderate of those who are willing to sticktheir necks out
As a footnote to all of the above itemsplease address any correspondance toipmctipnetau rather than me directly
Internet Joke of the MonthAnother engineer joke (apologies for thereferences to USA - insert your favouritelocal university as applicable)
Three men were vacationing in CentralAmerica They were arrested for minor illegalactivities and because the dictator of the countryhated foreigners the punishment was death
The three men were marched to thechopping block The dictator of the countryasked the first man if he had any last wordsbefore they chopped his head off The man saidldquoThe only thing I can think to say is that Irsquom analumni of Notre Dame and we have the bestfootball players in the worldrdquo The dictator thensaid ldquoOff with his headrdquo When they pulled therope the blade fell but it stopped inches abovethe manrsquos neck The dictator said ldquoThis is anomen from God we cannot execute you Youare free to gordquo
The dictator of the country asked the secondman if he had any last words before theychopped his head off The man said ldquoThe onlything I can think to say is that Irsquom an alumni ofIndiana University and we have the bestbasketball players in the worldrdquo The dictatorthen said ldquoOff with his headrdquo When they pulledthe rope the blade fell but it stopped inchesabove the manrsquos neck The dictator said ldquoThisis an omen from God we cannot execute youYou are free to gordquo
Finally the dictator of the country asked thethird man if he had any last words before theychopped his head off The man said ldquoThe onlything I can think to say is that Irsquom an alumni ofPurdue University and we have the bestEngineers in the world and if yoursquoll just tightenup that bolt up there this machine will workrdquo
Tips On Tip HelpPlease do not call on the Internet Projecthelp team for answers to general computingquestions or with questions like ldquohow do Ifind such-and-such softwarerdquo - the tiphelpnewsgroup is appropriate for these topicsDo call on us if you canrsquot get our kits towork or if you believe there is a problemwith the system Herersquos the right way to goabout it
1 Read the TIP Help Pages availablefrom the TIP World Wide Web siteat httpwwwtipnetautiphelp
2 Browse the newsgroup tiphelp tosee if someone else has solvedyour problem already Browsetipannounce and tipgeneral for anyrelevant announcements
3 If the problem is not urgent post arequest for assistance in tiphelp
4 If the problem is urgent send mailto ldquohelprdquo requesting advice
Please - describe your problem clearlyconcisely and completely
tell us WHEN it happened
tell us WHAT OPERATING SYSTEMyou are using
tell us WHAT SOFTWARE you are using(esp version)
tell us WHAT HARDWARE you are using(esp modem)
tell us any relevant SETUP DETAILS (egconnection speed)
tell us what TIP login name (eg mmouse)you are using
5 As a last resort (ie when email isnot possible) contact Iain Gould on255 2405 between 7pm and 8pmONLY
The TIP Help TeamThe methods of supplying TIP help and
support and the levels of help provided areunder almost constant review anddiscussion Your feedback on the existingsystems and constructive suggestions forimprovement particularly within theexisting resource constraints are welcome
This can be done in the tip newsgroupsif you would like general discussion of yourideas by email to the TIP Help Team athelptipnetau or by sending email toamikkelspcugorgau who will forward itto the appropriate people
38 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
The Internet Project
1 Access to The Internet Project is governed by the InternetProject Acceptable Use Policy copies of which can beobtained at the PCUG Centre or downloaded from the PCUGBBS or from The Internet Project
2 There is a limit of one Internet account per non-corporatemembership Corporate members may sponsor up to threeindividuals who are then personally responsible for theoperation of their accounts Please complete one applicationfor each person
3 Part of your email address will be determined by the principalorganisation If your membership of that organisation expiresso too does your membership of The Internet Project In thisevent no refunds for unused allocation will be made
4 The Internet Project reserves the right to alter prices andservices offered at any time Fees paid for Internet access arenon-refundable and non-transferable
5 Note Hours debited do not necessarily equate to real hourson-line time allocation will be debited in a non-linear fashiondepending on the amount of time spent on-line in any givenday The debit rate is set from time to time by the InternetProject Management Committee
6 Basic Accessa) Basic Access provides non PPP email and news onlyb) Basic Access is free on applicationc) In any calender year calculated from the date of
application Basic Access provides up to 100 lsquohoursrsquo usage
7 Advanced Accessa) Advanced Access includes full access to the Internet using
SLIPPPPb) Advanced Access is not free Current rates are $120 for
one calendar year of access with up to 300 lsquohoursrsquo usagec) When your Advanced Access subscription expires OR
you use 300 hours of access (whichever is earlier) youwill be required to purchase another subscription for onecalendar year from that date
d) Advanced Access users also receive a Basic Accessallocation - see above
8 All users joining The Internet Project receive a one-off freefive hour allocation of Advanced Access
Collecting Your Login Details9 A waiting period of two months applies to new members of
the PC Users Group (ACT) Inc
10 For existing members please allow up to two weeks for yourapplication to be processed
11 Login details can be collected - in person by the applicant - fromthe PC Users Group Centre We recommend that you phone theCentre first to check that the details are waiting for you
12 You (and your parentguardian if you are under 18 years ofage) will be required to sign an Acceptable Use PolicyDeclaration when you pick up your login detailsPhotographic proof of identity may be required at that time
Important Notes - Please Read
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 39
Disks amp TapesWe offer high quality disks and tape cartridgesin various formats at very reasonable pricesDisks amp tapes are available from the PCUGCentre Monday Wednesday amp Friday 10amto 2pm or between 9am and 5pm on weekends
BBS AccessNew members wishing to access the PC UsersGroup (ACT) InterActive Bulletin BoardService (BBS) should dial (06) 253 4933 andcreate an account on the system Once the mainmenu is presented select the lsquoGoodbyersquo optionfollowed by the lsquoYesrsquo option to leave a messageto the Sysop
In this message state your membership number(from your card or magazine address label) andrequest an access upgrade This will usuallyoccur within a few days
SharewareMembers have access to a huge selection ofldquosharewarerdquo software The PCUG subscribesto a CD-ROM which provides over 250 Mbof new and updated software titles on eachmonthly CD
Member ServicesThese special offers and services are only available to PCUG members Please bring your membership card with you when collecting orders
One complete section of the permanent libraryis also contained on each CD-ROM Inaddition there are many programs on thePCUG BBS which members have uploadedor which come from other sources
This software is provided as ldquosharewarerdquo Ifyou continue to use it you must register thesoftware with the author The Group does notldquosellrdquo the software - it charges a fee to coverthe cost of obtaining the software maintainingthe library and copying the software to themember
Computers are available at the Centre whichare connected to the BBS enabling membersto download software
Hardware amp Video LibraryThe hardware and video library is located atthe PC Users Group Centre Items may becollected and returned on Saturdays andSundays between 9am and 5pm (loans are forone week) Please bring your membership cardwith you
The library provides access to equipmentwhich members would not normally havereadily available Most items have instructionsmanuals and software where appropriateModems do not include software check theShareware Library for suitable packages Itemsmay be borrowed for one week There is nocharge but you must collect and return theitems yourself
Equipment available includesmiddot modemsmiddot soundblaster card
Videos includemiddot Developing Applications with Microsoft
Officemiddot Using Windows 95
NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETINGMonday 28 April 1997
(to be held at 730pm prior to the normal April main meeting)
The Special Meeting is to consider and vote upon the following changes to the rules of the PC Users Group
Rule 17(1)(b) - [Nomination of candidates for election as office-bearers of the Association or as ordinary Committee members]shall be delivered to the Secretary of the Association no later than the last Friday in the July before the date fixed for the annualgeneral meeting at which the election is to take place
Rule 17(2) - If insufficient nominations are received to fill all vacancies on the Committee the candidates nominated shall bedeemed to be elected
Rule 17(3) - A vacant position remaining on the Committee shall be deemed to be a vacancy for the purpose of Rule 16(4)
Explanatory notesThese changes will permit publication in Sixteen Bits of all valid nominations received to enable the membership to give seriousregard to the nominations received They will also permit all members nominating for the committee to have an opportunity toconsider and reflect upon their intended commitment to the committee and to the Group
Hugh BambrickSecretary PC Users Group (ACT) Inc
40 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Compiled by Jim Hume
Japanese-English Translators
Globalink produces some of the bestlanguage translation software TheLanguage Assistant Series quicklyproduce understandable translations fromEnglish into the foreign language or viceversa
The Australian Distributors Software EtcAustralia have now released Japanesetranslation and OCR Software TsunamiMT Typhoon MT and KanjiScan OCRsoftware for English Windows 95 and NTPCs It is claimed these products willmake communication between Japaneseand English speaking businesses mucheasier quicker and more effective
Tsunami MT translates English-to-Japanese and has features such as fullOLE 20 compatibility (drags text to andfrom Tsunami MT embedding theJapanese results into applications such asMS Word) an innovative Kani searchsystem and translation speed at over 3000words per minute
Typhoon MT translates Japanese-to-English and is the result of a two-yearproject to convert the best-sellingJapanese to English translation softwarein Japan to an MS Windows 32-bitformat
Typhoon MT has every element computerusers need to put Japanese computing ontheir personal computer - Japanese fontsKana and kanji text editing a completeFront End Processor and Japanese -to-English machine translation
KanjiScan is the first Japanese OCRsoftware to run on non-Japanese versionsof Windows and includes everythingneeded to scan printed Japanese text anddocuments allowing users to input
Japanese on their English Windowssystem All interfaces instructions anddocumentation are in English WithNeocorTechrsquos Kanji Search system noJapanese language skills are required tomake sure all the Japanese text is properlyrecognised
Tsunami MT $995 Typhoon MT $1195(Bundle $1795) and KanjiScan $795
Software Etc Australia are offeringevaluation versions of this software forloan to reviewers with a knowledge ofJapanese and the capability to conduct andprepare software reviews Enquiriesshould be directed to Peter Klanberck atsoftetcozemailcomauhttpwwwworldcorpcomau Phone (02) 9988-3455
Gene Chip Breakthrough
Affymetrix is developing amp commercial-ising GeneChip(tm) systems to acquireanalyse manage and use geneticinformation based on its propriety DNAarray technology
These systems are being developed forbroad fields including biomedicalresearch clinical diagnosis and theemerging field of genomics Affymetrixhas corporate alliances with Hewlett-Packard Company and Genetics Instituteand intends to pursue the clinicaldiagnostic and additional genomicsapplications with diagnostics andpharmaceutical companies
Their first product currently in externaltests sites will be the GeneChipHIVsystem which rapidly detects mutations inthe protease and reverse transcriptasegenes of HIV the virus which causesAIDS Detection of such mutations arecritical in understanding how HIV reactsto therapeutic agents as well as for
understanding the results of clinical trialsof new drugs The company also hasactive development programs for thespeciation of other infectious organismsas well as for human genes that areimportant in cancer and drug metabolism
Fortune Magazine in an article headedGene Chip Breakthrough by David Stippexplores the implications of thisbreakthrough and believes that whilemicroprocessors have reshaped oureconomy spawned vast fortunes andchanged the way we live Gene chipscould be bigger
TransAct BroadbandCommunications Network
The ACTEW Corporation has recentlyconducted a feasibility study into buildinga broadband communication network inthe ACT It is claimed it would enhanceACTEWrsquos core business and provide theACT region with an economically viablecommunications network
The network would be funded throughoutside financing As there would be nocross-subsidies between varioustelecommunication business and theelectricity and water businesses therewould be no impact on electricity andwater bills now or in the future Known asTransAct Communications the feasibilitystudy was to be completed by March1997 ACTEW Corporation Board willmake a decision on the business caseduring April A key component of thestudy was to be community consultationand market research If the results werefavourable construction should commencein July 1997
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 41
I was consulted in their telemarketingresearch and talks have been held with thePC Users Group Aurisa Institute ofEngineers Australia and the BusinessCouncil of Australia The network couldcarry voice(telephone) video(TV) and data(intenet) over a high range of frequenciesand the cost of services would bedependent on the service providers ieTelephone companies Pay TV companiesand internet service providers ACTEWexpected that prices would be similar tocurrent prices for these services andsuggest that a single broad-band networkwould offer competition between serviceproviders
The network could carryvoice(telephone) video(TV) and
data (intenet)
Two companies have been shortlisted andtheir solutions are being costed to get anaccurate picture of the total cost ofbuilding the network The two companiesare Philips which has offered a HybridCoax (HFC) system and BroadbandTechnologies which offered a switchedbroadband (SDB) solution
The HFC solution as offered by Philipswould differ from similar cable systemsbeing strung in other parts of Australia inthat it would take optic fibre down toserve 60-90 homes per node rather than500-1500 homes The SDB solutionwould be unique in Australia (In use inparts of USA Korea and France) it takesoptic fibre to serve 32-40 homes per nodeBoth solutions have the ability to runadvanced interactive services By the timeof publication a further update may beavailable atwwwactewcomautransactinterhtm
Treasure IslandFrom the Corel Thumbnail Theatre seriesnow being shipped Treasure Island is afun easy way to learn the complexities ofthis popular novel by Robert LouisStevenson It is an animated adaptiontargeted primarily at students aged 12 andupwards Users can choose from threedifferent ways of studying TreasureIsland For those unacquainted with thestory the Watch Me section presents awitty and entertaining nine-minuteanimation which summarises the novelrsquosstory The Guide Me section is designedfor users who wish to study the text indepth and learn more about the era inwhich the novel is set They will see theanimation once again but this time theywill have the chance to stop the animatedsummary in order to explore varioustopics related to the story These topics areaccessible by clicking on the icons whichappear throughout the animation Userswho want to read about different topicscan go directly to the Self Guide sectionThis section contains the entire text ofTreasure Island
It also contains a feature called Timelinewhich is a chronology of historical eventsfrom the time of Treasure Island to thepresent day
Minimum system requirements are 486DX66 8MB of RAM a 640x480256-colour graphics display 8-bit audiocapabilities and a double speed CD-ROMdrive Runs on both Windows 31x andWindows95RRP $Aus 6400
Corel WebMaster SuiteOn March 25 Corel announced the releaseCorel WebMaster Suite the latest additionto their line of Internet products Itcombines state-of-the-art Web siteauthoring with expert site managementfunctionality advanced database
publishing sophisticated graphic designprograms as well as animation authoring3D VRML world creation and over 8000Internet-ready images Included in thepackage is Netscape Navigator 301OrsquoReillyrsquos Website v11 and 30 days offree Web site hosting It is claimed thatthis suite provides a complete solution tohelp users advance beyond the traditionalWeb page to create and manage completeweb sites that are more interesting andinformative as well as easy to understand
Corel WebMaster is available for asuggested retail price of $Aus 399 Thesuite will require 16MB RAM an IBMcompatible PC 486 DX Windows NT orWindows 95 a CD_ROM and a VGAdisplay
SNIPPETS
IN AUSTRIA INTERNET SERVICEProviders banded together on March 25 tostage the countryrsquos first electronic walkoutin protest at their governmentrsquos attempt tocensor the Internet Hardly surprisingwhen UKrsquos Whatrsquos New on the Internetreports that sex and its related topics arethe most popular sections on the Internetby a long chalk
DUTCH HACKERS OFFERED USMilitary Secrets to Iraq A recent BBC TVprogramme claimed that hundreds ofmilitary secrets were stolen from USDefence computers ( including troopmovements and missile capabilities)offered for sale by Dutch hackers toSaddam Hussein but their offer was nottaken up because the Iraqi leader believedthat it was either a hoax or CIAmisinformation
ADVERTISING ON THE NETAccording to a survey by the InternetAdvertising Bureau total advertisingspending on the World Wide Web andInternet related content hit $US267
42 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
The Internet SIGThis a get together of those members of thePCUG who love to explore the Internet forinteresting sites new Internet tools andnovel applications It holds an informalmeeting once a month on the first Thursday(January excepted) at 730pm The meetinghas no set agenda but free flowing chat onvarious Internet related topics and eventsOn occasion we had presentations ofinteresting software Among topics that arediscussed from time to time are the upgradeof TIP cable and wireless access to theInternet and the regulation of the InternetThe web page for the SIG is at httpwwwpcugorgau~ejosephintsightm
BytesThe Bytes SIG is designed for those wholike to talk about computing over a meal Itmeets from 6 pm at the Asian BistroAustralian National University Union onthe PCUG meeting nights There are noBytes SIG meetings in NovemberDecember or January Contact personAndrew Freeman Phone 258 7411 Emailafreemanpcugorgau or WWW at httpwwwpcugorgau~afreemancvsightml
AutoCADGeoffrey May 295 5942 Monday-Fri 4-5pmPlease call for details
CC++Peter Corcoran petercpcugorgau 2ndTuesday 730pm PCUG Centre
GUI DevelopersPeter Harris 287 1484 pharrispcugorgauPlease call for details
The OS2 SIGAn enthusiastic forum for those operating orinterested in OS2 Warp Meetings includewide ranging discussion and interestinghands on demonstrations Meetings are heldon the third Thursday at 730pm for 730pmat the IBM Building 8 Brisbane Ave BartonContact David Thrum Phone 201-8806 (bh)
The Delphi SIGA lively forum for software developers whoare working with or interested in Delphi
Our meetings include wide ranging dis-cussion and interesting hands-on demon-strations Come and see why Delphi is RADSome of our recent meetings have discussedDelphi components best shareware toolsdatabase applications and HTML toolsMeeting 3rd Tuesday of each month 730pmat PCUG Centre Convenor Al Kabailaemail akabailapcugorgauYou arewelcome to also subscribe to the PCUGDelphi mailing list by sending messageldquosubscribe act-delphi-lpcugorgau [youremail address]rdquo to Majordomoauugorgau
Linux User GroupStephen Rothwell 291 6550 (ah) StephenRothwell canbauugorgau 4th Thursday730pm Room N101 Computer Science DeptANU
Networks Garry Thomson 241 2399gthomsonpcugorgau Thursday aftermain meeting Please call for venue
Computer and VegetarianismThis SIG is designed for those who have aninterest in both computers and vegetarian-ism It generally meets with the Bytes SIGNo meetings are held in NovemberDecember or January Contact personAndrew Freeman Phone 258 7411 Emailfreemanpcugorgau or WWW at httpwwwpcugorgau~afreemancvsightml
amp ChatThe Coffee and Chat Group meet at thePCUG Centre in Belconnen on alternateTuesdays from 1030am to 1130am withanother 30 minutes to 1200 for those whowant to stay The dates of these meetings areshown in the Calendar of Events On thealternate Tuesday a virtual Coffee and ChatMeeting is held on the Internet at 1030amusing Internet Relay Chat (IRC) addressirchostpcugorgau Port 6667 Full detailsabout the online meetings can be obtainedfrom httpwwwpcugorgau~ejosephvcchtm
Internet Daytime Demoand Discussion SIGMeets every second Monday at the PCUGCentre from 1000AM to noon We meet todiscuss internet issues software sites (andanything else of relevance) and demonstrateon Centre equipment selected software andtechniques The meeting starts with informaldiscussion and coffee followed by a more in-depth look at a particular topic of interestThere is also time for discussion (andhopefully solving) of members problems withthe internet A home page for the SIG is athttpwwwpcugorgau~amikkelsintdddhtmlEnquiries or suggestions for topics arewelcome at amikkelspcugorgau
NEW
Convenors are requested to email anychanges in contacts or venue and additionalinformation about the activities of theirgroup by the first Friday in the month ofpublication to pcugeditorpcugorgau
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 43
The training program for 1997 is settledsubject to ongoing adjustments in the lightof developments
Note the heavy emphasis on Internetcourses This reflects the clear demand ofmembers at the moment A number of daysare designated lsquoTBArsquo These days allow forthe introduction of Internet related coursesas discussed last month including homepages MS Internet ExplorerWeb tips andtricks and so on They also allow forpossible courses on the Web oriented MSOffice 97
Course content for Internet courses isstill under development and subject tomeetings of trainers
In addition to the weekend courses arange of short evening courses mainlyInternet related as above will be introducedThese are still in the planning stages
May Sat 3 Editorial day ContinuesSun 4 Programming - C and C++ ContinuesSat 10 Programming - Visual Basic Continues
Sun 11 Intro - Intro to computers ContinuesSat 17 Intro - Intro to Windows 95 Continues
Sun 18 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 24 Intro - PC Maintenance and
TroubleshootingContinues
Sun 25 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 31 Internet - HTML Intro Continues
June Sun 1 Intro - Using the BBS effectively Internet - Basic AccessSat 7 Centre closed Centre closed
Sun 8 Centre closed Centre closedSat 14 Editorial day Continues
Sun 15 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 21 Internet - HTML extended Continues
Sun 22 Internet - TBA Internet - TBASat 28 Internet - Advanced Access Intro Continues
Sun 29 Intro - Using the BBS effectively Internet - Basic AccessJuly Sat 5 Editorial day Continues
Sun 6 Internet - TBA Internet - TBASat 12 Internet - TBA Internet - TBA
Sun 13 Internet - Advanced Access Intro ContinuesSat 19 Internet - TBA Internet - TBA
Sun 20 Internet - TBA Internet - TBASat 26 Internet - Advanced Access Intro Continues
Sun 27 Intro - Using the BBS effectively Internet - Basic Access
Our training courses are very popularUnfortunately some people book and thendonrsquot turn up for their course Someone onthe waiting list for the course could havefilled the spot left vacant To overcome thisproblem if you book for a course but donrsquotpay for it by the Monday before it is runthe spot will be offered to someone else
ContactsCourse bookings Petra Dwyer at thePCUG Centre on 253 4911
Training coordinator and courseinformation (not bookings) PaulBalnaves 241-4671 (h) 700pm to900pm 282-3488 (w)
Microsoft Product courses (notbookings) Michael Lane 242-9278 (h)700pm to 900pm
All courses are held at the PCUGCentre Northpoint Plaza Belconnen- maximum 8 people
Courses cost $35 unless otherwiseindicated Full day courses run from930am to approximately 300pmAM Courses commence at 930amPM courses commence at 130pm
Training Newsby Paul Balnaves
44 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
The following local vendors offer discounts to PCUG members
bull Present your PCUG membership card when making a purchasebull Benefits may not apply to some sale itemsbull The PCUG does not necessarily recommend or endorse the products being offered
If you offer a discount to PCUG members and are not in this list please contact our advertising manager listed on page 2
Vendor Discount SchemeVendor Discount Scheme
AustralianManagement Control
Suite 4 32 - 36 Colbee CourtPHILLIP285 4888
5 discount onRecordkeeping amp Payroll
courses
Capital SimulationsPO Box 329
Belconnen ACT 2616Faxmessage 258 0110
Free postage and handling(normally $4) amp 2 free modem
opponents lsquowantedrsquo notices(normally $10)
Clarion DatabaseSystems
bull Computing consultingbull Business applications developmentbull Software sale
041 108 775410 discount off RRP on
Microsoft amp other vendorsrsquo productsand consulting services
Amalgamated Business Machines
65 Kembla StreetFYSHWICK
280 4887
5 discount on repairsthrough this company
ANU Union Asian Bistro
Upstairs Union Building Union Court ANU
(next to main meeting venue)
Union member discounton PCUG main meeting
nights (ONLY)
Bettowynd ampTaltech Solutions
Unit 5 Centrecourt1 Pirie St FYSHWICK
239 1043
Prompt guaranteed fixed pricerepairs to monitors and terminals
5 discount to members
Nhan TranInternet Software Installationamp Configuration in your home
PH 254 5293
Fixed price 20 discountfor PCUG members
Lesley PikoCertified Practising Accountant
Registered Tax Agent
Suite 1 17 Trenerry StWeston ACT
288 8888
personal and business taxation servicesgeneral accounting services
15 discount off our quoted fee
ACT VALLEYCOMPUTER REPAIRSbull REPAIRSbull UPGRADESbull NEW SYSTEMSbull SOFTWARE INSTALLATIONbull LOW RATES l OPEN 7 DAYS
294 2592 or 019 32343510 DISCOUNT ON REPAIRS
AND UPGRADES TO MEMBERS
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 45
54 Marcus Clarke St Canberra CityPH 249 1844 l Fax 247 5753
10 Discount o f fRRP of Computer Books
Celebrating over 28 Years in Bookselling
N O 1 f o rC O M P U T E R amp B U S I N E S S
B O O K S
hi-micro Computers
5 Discount OnAccessories
ampUpgrade Installation
Ph 280 7520 Fax 280 7540618 Whyalla St Fyshwick
248 6656 (any time)bull World Wide Web Publishing
bull Windows Online Help amp Manuals
5 discount on Web publishing
The Cartridge Factory
Canberra Business Centre49 Wentworth Ave
KINGSTON295 5935
10 discount on remanufacturedlaser toner cartridges
10 discount on inkjet refill kitsNo discount available on
new ink or toner cartridges
Collins Booksellers
BELCONNEN MALLPhone 251 4813 Fax 251 3926
We carry a wide selection ofcomputer titles for the novice and
also advanced computer user
10 Discount off computerbook purchases only
LampS Associates
69 Paterson StreetAINSLIE257 7555
Special price on anyMicrosoft product
Dealer price plus 5
Aspect ComputingEducation Services
86 Northbourne AvenueBraddon ACT 2601
247 7608
10 Discount toPCUG members
Peng LEE BA BEc FCA
Chartered AccountantRegistered Tax Agent
A fee schedule will be forwarded upon request
6 McGuiness PlaceMcKELLAR ACT 2617
Phone 258 0156 Fax 258 0157
10 fee discount to PCUGmembers
Robrsquos Computer HelpDesk
292 3211 (24 hours 7 days)
For telephone and on-site help for ALL your computer and support
needs
5 discount on consulting services to PCUG members
The Software Shop
42 Townsend StreetPHILLIP285 4622
5 discount off our already low prices
46 April 1997 SIXTEEN BITS
Title Given Name Surname
_______________________________________________________Position (if applicable) Phone (h) Phone (w)
_______________________________________________________Title Given Name Surname
_______________________________________________________Position (if applicable) Phone (h) Phone (w)
Annual Fees Applicable (thorn one)o General1 $ 50
o Concessional2 $ 25
o Corporate3 $130
o Additional Corporate4 $ 50
o International (Air Mail) $130
Notes1 General membership covers all members of a household except for BBS and
Internet access Two month waiting period applies to Internet access2 Concessions apply to full time students and pensioners3 Corporate Membership covers up to three nominees4 Additional Corporate nominees may be added at $50 each
I am paying by (thorn one)o Cash (if paying by person) o Cheque to PC Users Group (ACT) Inc
o Credit card
I would like to ( thorn one or more)
o Become a new member for ____ year(s)
o Renew for ____ year(s)
o Change my address details
o Change Corporate nominees
o Take my address off advertising list
o Access the Bulletin Board (BBS)
Reasons for Joining thorn (one or more)
o Sixteen Bits Magazine o Training Courses
o The Internet Project o Advice and help
Other ____________________________________
TOTAL PAYMENT DUE $ __________________
Please Post your application with payment toPC Users Group (ACT) IncPO Box 42 Belconnen ACT 2616
Additional Corporate Membership Nominees
Title Given Name Surname
Organisation (if applicable) PCUG Membership Number (if applicable)
Postal Address
Phone (h) Phone (w) Concession Type (if applicable)
Credit Card Type Number Expiry Date Signature
Membersrsquo AdsFOR SALE
PC Users Group Membership Application Renewal
Notebook TP 486 DX266 95in Dual scancolour 8mg 433 HDD External 2X CDROM Fax modem card Win rsquo95 Office rsquo95pro Microsoft Plus NAV Norton UtilitiesWinfax Pro Microsoft Publisher and muchmore $1500 email gjonespcugorgau orphone Gary Jones 2391771 (Bus hours)
Canon Bubble-jet Printer BJ10-SX BWVGC [bookletdisk] $145Maestro External Fax Modem SE-144 FM[BookletDiks] VGC $100Corel Draw V3 CD-ROM[Bookect] VGC $100 NEGScanFax 24 Bit Color Page ScannerPC[FaxScanCopy] VGC $ 360WebAuthor V2 for Windows $ 65LOGOS BIBLE Software V2for Windows CD-ROM $150Call 239 5451 or e-mailmszabopcugorgau
SIXTEEN BITS April 1997 47
Subject Name Email Phone Days TimesAccess for Windows Graheme Fry 288 3138 All days 730pm - 830pm
Accounting -TAS+ Exogen Attache NewViews P Goerman 231 2304 All days 900am - 900pm
Advanced Revelation John Curby 286 5777 Mon - Fri 900am - 900pm
Assembly Language Thomas McCoy 294 2226 Mon - Fri 800pm - 1000pm
AutoCad Geoffrey May 295 5942 Mon - Fri 400pm - 500pm
AutoCAD Rel 12 13 and LT Neil Moffat 292 7108 All days Noon - 1000pm
BASIC + Machine Language George McLintock 295 6590 All days 830pm -1000pm
Basic hardware help Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
Bluewave Jorge Garcia 282 2681 All Days 700pm - 900pm
Batch Files TSRs Utilities Bill Ghysen 287 1234 Mon - Fri 800pm - 1000pm
Bulletin Board Service Michael Phillips 253 4966 All days 730pm - 830pm
Chinese Star for Windows Peng Lee 258 0156 All days 100pm - 900pm
Clipper Cedric Bear 258 3169 All days 730pm - 830pm
Corel Draw Fabian Stelco 241 1743 Mon - Fri 730pm - 900pm
Corel WordPerfect Suite 7 for Win95 Peter Tilbrook kermitdynamitecomau 242 8696 All days Anytime
DOS Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
Excel Graheme Fry 288 3138 All days 730pm - 830pm
Flight Simulation Roger Lowery lowerypcugorgau 258 1583 All days Anytime
Foxpro Greg Atkinson 241 7903 Mon - FriSat Sun
700pm - 900pmFrom 1100am
Free Agent Agent Newsreading Allan Mikkelsen 278 3164 All days Noon - 900pm
General Help Allan Miller (044) 711187 Mon - Fri 730pm - 830pm
General Help Brian Gosling 259 1116 All days 730pm - 830pm
GEOSGeoWorks Phil Jones 288 5288 All days 600pm - 1000pm
Hardware Anthony Glenn 288 8332 All days Anytime
HDK Lis Shelley lshelleypcugorgau 248 6656 Mon - Fri 730pm - 830pm
HDK Ivana Leonard 231 4169 Mon - Thu 700pm - 900pm
ISR CADDSMAN Modeller (Win) Neil Moffat 292 7108 All days Noon - 1000pm
LINUX PC Unix Andrew Tridgell 254 8209 All days 600pm - 800pm
Lotus 1-2-3 Doug Jenkins 286 2243 All days 730pm - 900pm
Lotus Ami Pro 3 W ord Pro 96 ed Peter Tilbrook kermitdynamitecomau 242 8696 All days Anytime
Microstation Cad Andrew Novinc 258 1907 All days 600pm - 1000pm
Modem Communications Michael Phillips 281 1980 or All days 730pm - 830pm
Networks Gary Thompson 241 2399 All days 730pm - 900pm
Online doc using Help Compiler (Win3) John Carroll jcarrollpcugorgau 248 0781 All days 730pm - 1000pm
OS2 v2 Mark Beileiter 283 2429 Mon - Fri 800am - 330pm
OS2 Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
OS2 Michael Lightfoot 258 8185 All days 730pm - 930pm
Project (Microsoft) Steve Ramsden 287 1500 Mon - Wed 800pm - 1000pm
SBT Accounting Greg Atkinson 241 7903 Mon - Fri 700pm - 900pm
Scream Tracker 3 (3SM) MOD Music Chris Collins 258 8276 Mon - Fri 730pm - 900pm
Small Business Computing Nick Thomson 241 3239 Mon - Thu 730pm - 930pm
SuperBase Paul Blair 288 3584 All days 730pm - 930pm
Telix Michael Phillips 281 1980 All days 730pm - 830pm
SCO Unix amp Xenix J Bishop 291 0478 All days 700pm - 900pm
Unix Michael Lightfoot 258 8185 All days 730pm - 930pm
Turbo Pascal Michael Phillips 281 1980 All days 730pm - 830pm
Vision Impaired Adam Morris 291 4522 All days 700pm - 900pm
Visual BASIC Ian Champ 254 0418 All days 700pm - 900pm
Windows 31x Mick Howe (044) 729812 All days Noon - Midnight
Word for Windows Lis Shelley lshelleypcugorgau 248 6656 Mon - Fri 730pm - 830pm
WordPerfect 51 DOS 61 Win Gayle Scott gaylespcugorgau 254 1579 All days 730pm - 930pm
WordPerfect 61 7 for Win95 Peter Tilbrook kermitdynamitecom 242 8696 All days Anytime
WordStar Dave Hay 258 7310 All days 700pm - 900pm
The people in this directory are volunteers so please observe the times given The Help Directory is designed to helpindividual users and should not be used as a substitute for corporate support calls to vendors This service is provided formembers only Please quote your membership number to the helper For those helpers with an asterisk messages may beleft on the BBS in either the General message area or as a Netmail message on 3620243 Send updates topcugeditorpcugorgau or via post to the PCUG Centre
The Help Directory
May 1997Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
1
Internet SIG730pmPCUG Centre
2
SIXTEENBITSCommercialAd deadlinefor May
3
SIXTEEN BITSLayout Day 10am______________InternetConnection Clinic930am-1pmPCUG Centre(check withCentre Staffer on253 4911)
4
TRAININGDAYProgrammingC and C++930-430PCUG Centre
5
Internet DaytimeDemo andDiscussion10am-12 noonPCUG Centre______________New MembersNight730pmPCUG Centre
6
VirtualCoffee amp ChatTIP IRCServer1030-1130am
7 8 9 10
TRAININGDAYProgrammingVisual Basic930-430PCUG Centre
11
TRAININGDAYIntro tocomputers930-430PCUG Centre
12 13
Coffee amp Chat1030amPCUG Centre__________
C++ SIG730pmPCUG Centre
14
CommitteeMeeting730pmPCUG Centre
15
OS2 SIG7 for 730pmIBM Building8 BrisbaneAve Barton
16 17
TRAINING DAYIntro Windows 95930-430PCUG Centre______________
Meet theCommittee2-4pmPCUG Centre
18
TRAININGDAYInternetAdvancedAccess Intro930-430PCUG Centre
19
Internet DaytimeDemo andDiscussion 10am-12noon PCUG Centre______________
SIXTEEN BITSStuffing and Mailing530pm PCUGCentre
20
Virtual Coffee ampChatTIP IRC Server1030-1130am_____________
Delphi SIG730pm PCUGCentre
21 22
Linux UserGroup730pmRmN101ComputerScience DeptANU
23 24
TRAINING DAYPC Maintenanceamp Troubleshooting930-430PCUG Centre
25
TRAININGDAYInternetAdvancedAccess Intro930-430PCUG Centre
26
Main MeetingManningClark Theatre1 CrispBuilding ANU7 for 730pm
27
Coffee amp Chat1030amPCUG Centre
28 29
Networks SIGCall GarryThomson(241 2399) fordetails
30
SIXTEENBITS Articledeadline forJune
31
TRAININGDAYInternetHTML Intro930-430PCUG CentreBytes SIG 6pm
Asian Bistro ANU(before PCUGmeeting