 The magazine of the Melbourne PC User Group CPU (Club President's Update) Stan Johnstone stanj@melbpc.org.au |
 |
When many things are about to happen, it is very hard to write about them at a time before they have started but in all probabilitly will have occurred when you read this!
Last month I wrote about the offer from CyberMedia and mentioned a letter that "you should have received in the mail". As it turned out delays at their end meant that you received PC Update first, and you may have wondered what you had missed out on. This is just one of the risks I have to take in writing this column.
By the way, over a thousand copies of the CyberMedia products were sold at the special "give-away" cost price to Melb PC members, and I hope many of you took the advantage of the special discount offered by CyberMedia for the upgraded versions. These products have all been reviewed in PC Update in recent months and the advantages of the later versions are significant.
Internet configuration program
Another of those things about to happen is the introduction of a program to configure Internet software correctly for the Melb PC Internet Service. Initially we had the SLIPKIT adapted for Melb PC by Gary Taig using a selection of programs collected by Rich Schinnel of Capital User Group in the US. It is surprising that many of our users still use this package despite many of the programs now being more than five years old!
When Microsoft initially produced a kit to enable us to pre-configure its Internet Explorer browser, Lynn Pollock did an excellent job creating both Win 3.x and Win 95 kits for Melb PC subscribers. Initially it was for MSIE v2, then Lynn updated it following the introduction of v3. Unfortunately these programs have grown so much that it is impractical to repeat the exercise with the introduction of MSIE v4. The Win 95 version would have extended over 22 diskettes, and as such it is practically impossible to distribute and install.
These days un-configured copies of Internet Explorer and Netscape Communicator are freely available from CD-ROMs stuck to the front of just about every commercial computer magazine, in addition to being available for download from our BBS, etc. Members buying new machines with Windows 95 or 98 installed will find Internet Explorer v4 is already installed, and this has caused a problem with members trying to install the Melb PC kit as it was an earlier version.
By the time your read this (dare I say that again?) this new program will be available from the Shareware library (Melb 9192), the BBS, and direct from the Internet via Melb PC Online. Currently a number of members are testing all aspects of the program to ensure that it will make life a lot easier for our Internet subscribers.
It has taken a long time to find this program, and although it is only suitable for Win 95/98 users, we will try to find a similar package for Win 3.x users.
Age shall not weary them
We are most fortunate to have many members in their 80s, who too often feel the need to apologise for not understanding a concept as easily as they once could. If I am still able to use a computer at that age I will be more than happy, just as our volunteers are happy to work with them. Best wishes to them.
However I did receive a complaint from a member who found registering on the BBS an invasion of privacy when it asked for date of birth when registering as a BBS user. I must admit I had forgotten this question was still there, and hasten to add that nowhere else in the Melb PC records is that information kept, as it is of no interest to us.
Many years ago when the BBS was being set up, the team thought it would a nice thought to give increased access time on the member's birthday, and an additional hour is still granted annually on the date. Whenever I am helping a member connect to the BBS and I come to this question, to save any embarrassment to the member I usually suggest using today's date instead. At the same time I make a mental note to speak to the sysops about changing the questionnaire, but by the time I see them it has slipped my memory once again.
Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience to any member who has experienced this, and please feel free to set any date you like when you come across it. Come to think of it, I suppose sooner or later someone will try a date in 2000 and bring the whole system crashing down around our ears. That might be the final straw!
A woman's place?
While in an apologetic mode, another letter I received this month was from a women member who wished to share one of her experiences which might explain why fewer women than men join Melb PC.
In an effort to seek more information on how she could put her computer to wider use, she attended one of the SIG meetings at Dorcas Street. "The presenter was late and arrived looking very dishevelled - not a professional appearance at all." There were only three members present, two men and herself.
Later one of the men added to her embarrassment by making unsuitable remarks about her lack of knowledge in a number of ways. Naturally she came away feeling rejected and not friendly towards Melb PC. I don't blame her.
Some SIGs attract large, regular audiences, are very well run and I believe can be recommended without reservation. On the other hand a couple of SIGs have declined and attract only a handful of regulars whose only interest appears to be a social gathering that could be well spent elsewhere. We have a policy whereby a declining SIG can be closed, and I have asked Joe Henry, our SIG co-ordinator, to follow this up.
At the same time we believe there are openings to provide new SIGs for interests such as Software for Children (both fun and educational), students of all ages, games and other hobbies, and hopefully introduce the opportunity for some professional networks to share experiences in computer use. It takes only 12 signatures from members to start a new SIG and if anyone has an interest in any of these (or others), we would be pleased to help get it started.
My apologies once again to the member concerned. We hope you and anyone else who has had a similar experience will give us another try.
V.90 - what does it mean?
Last month I mentioned increasing the number of Internet lines, however it was fortunate I included the phrase "await the installation by Telstra". Just as well, as a couple of deadlines have passed already due to strikes in the industry! Enough said!
The release of the V.90 protocol was also expected in September but manufacturers are still beta-testing. The 60 additional Internet lines we are waiting for will be coupled with equipment set for the V.90 protocol and, as our users gradually convert. we will change-over the existing k56flex lines.
In readiness for the new lines I have already obtained the flash upgrade from the manufacturer for the 56K modem I am using - after all, someone has to be the bunny to first try out anything that is new. However these are changing times, and I am watching out for anything later that is released. For those frightened by the mention of a "flash upgrade", let me assure you that it is simply a matter of obtaining the appropriate program from your modem manufacturer, which, as it runs, simply writes upgraded settings and information to your modem's memory.
I have had three upgrades to my 56K modem in the past 12 months, and yet another to change it to V.90 presents no fears at all.
The excellent article by Alan Fowler in last month's PC Update on high-speed modems was very well received by our members and I am sure they have a much better understanding of the problems involved. Following a request by one of our members for Telstra to attempt to explain the difference in connect speeds, a senior Telstra engineer visited my home to make tests on my phone line, and to discuss various aspects of members' problems.
We did find there is quite a variation in line performance, although whether the difference is really significant is still arguable. As Alan said in his article, telephone lines were never designed for the demands we now place on them.
As the Telstra engineer left I gave him a copy of PC Update, which had arrived the same day. Three hours later he called, asking whether he could distribute it to other members of Telstra's engineering staff. A few days later I was speaking to one of our members, who is an Internet Service Provider. He asked whether we would be posting the article on the Web - if so, he would immediately direct a link from his own service for the benefit of his users.
It's great to think, and it is due to the experience of members such as Alan Fowler, that Melb PC can teach users elsewhere a thing or two. We get many complaints from members who are fobbed off with uninformed answers from public utilities and vendors - we make every effort to ensure that we only provide correct answers to problems.
What about V.90? Well, after my incorrect statements of last month I think I would be better placed to just sit here and wait and see what happens!
Spring cleaning - it's hell!
While waiting for those planned efforts to be implemented, I have been using the time to have a clean up of my computer - and with a bit of luck I will also clear some of the stuff on my desk to see what it is made of.
These days it seems well worthwhile re-installing your complete system about every six months, particularly if, like me, you are involved in experimenting and evaluating software.
Probably mid-winter would be the best time to do this, spending a wet weekend on the job, however that was a pretty busy time too!
Reprinted from the October 1998 issue of PC Update, the magazine of Melbourne PC User Group, Australia
