News from the OS/2 World - by Ryan Dill

reetings all, and welcome again to OS/2 e-Zine! 's monthly news update. This column is designed to go over certain topics that e-Zine! 's own News Folder might have missed, or only glossed over.

We still believe our News Folder can't be beat when it comes to up-to-the-minute, accurate information, but it usually contains more "official" things like press releases and such. This column will include a bit more detail about things we think are of interest to OS/2 users everywhere. Grass roots support, off-the-record news and updates -- stuff that other sources may have missed -- you name it, we've got it!

First, some browser tidbits. Even though the Communicator for OS/2 team is no doubt still hard at work putting together the please-let-it-be-soon-and-let-it-be-slick beta of Netscape Communicator, it appears work is still going on on the older Netscape 2.02. In addition to the Java 1.1 'bridge' which had been floating around the past few weeks (which allows Navigator to use Java 1.1 instead of the 1.02 it used to be limited to), it seems a full version of Navigator which allows you to choose which Java to use has surfaced. As of this writing (early the 16th), it sits on Hobbes (FTP) and the OS/2 Supersite (WWW), but who knows how long it'll stay there? The most recent files in the package are dated the 11th of November, so this Navigator is even more recent than the various Navigator executables which have been floating around IBM's Testcase FTP site. (See daily archives of WarpCast and Loren Bandiera's News/Rumors page for details) This version of Navigator includes support for IBM's Workspace-on-Demand (WOD) environment, as well as Java v1.1. (The browser comes with Java 1.02, but allows you to select whether you want to use it or an existing Java 1.1 installation) IBM has only just recently updated their Java porting plans to reveal that Java version 1.1.4 for OS/2 is expected by the end of the 4th quarter, so these updates to Netscape are all no doubt followed close behind by OS/2's next version of Java.

Lastly, it seems that Opera Software's Project Magic for OS/2 is going well. Originally Opera had stated that they would develop an OS/2 version of their browser only if 3000 or more people requested it within a seven-week period. (Opera is gauging the same sort of support from other platforms, like the Macintosh and Linux). Three weeks into Project Magic, the number of e-mails from OS/2 users was hovering around one thousand, and a few OS/2 users took that to mean that the 3000 mark was not going to be reached, and declared the OS/2 Project Magic a failure. They may have spoken too soon, however -- Opera's public relations guy posted an update letter on their web site November 12th which declared:

...I mentioned 3000 orders per platform. This figure is not cast in concrete; it was just that I said to the guys in Norway: "if we get 3000 people paying $30 each, we will have about $100.000, enough to start and finish development." Norway then said to me hours before I got started, they wanted 1000 orders each until the end of November, so you see we're already there with Mac and OS/2 - only Linux and BeOS lagging behind. BeOS is a special case, because it's not really 'official', but personally I think it holds great promise, and there's a lot a cooperation between Be, Inc. and Opera Software AS can do to the market and you, the user.

"...we're already there with Mac and OS/2..." That sounds rather promising to me. If you're interested in the possibility of another browser for OS/2 and haven't gotten involved in Project Magic yet, download the Windows version of Opera and test it out in WinOS2. If you like it, write Opera and add your name to the hundreds of OS/2 users who have already pledged their support. Adding competition to the OS/2 browser market can only improve things for the consumers, OS/2 users. You can download a Windows test drive of the Opera browser from Opera Software's web site.

Phoenix Software, makers of the to-be-released object-oriented database and information manager, Think Tool Pro, have recently carved a niche on the World Wide Web. Now located at http://www.PhxSoft.com, anyone interested in Phoenix and their upcoming products can browse all information on upcoming releases. According to Phoenix' Robert Blake:

Though we are not shipping yet, we decided to make an announcement about our web site. We have had so many people requesting information about the Think Tool Pro object database and information manager that we thought it would be more convenient for people to get all the information off of our web site. Now that our web site is nearly complete, we can finally offer that service.

Think Tool Pro will be of use to any OS/2 user who works with databases and/or other information management. Object oriented, TTP will include a variety of features which take advantage of OS/2's architecture, including drag-and-drop and multithreading, as well as less OS-specific features such as multimedia, security, integration with other programs (FaxWorks, UltiMail/2, etc.) and much more. Once available, Think Tool Pro will retail for around US$249 (US$199 until December 31st), and will ship with a full two month money-back guarantee.

Phoenix Software expects to start shipping Think Tool Pro in the next three or four weeks, so screen shots and a demo version of the program will be available some time before then, both downloadable from the new web site. After TTP, Phoenix will work towards release of Think Tool Groupware, a network version of their product. For the latest and greatest info on Phoenix Software and Think Tool Pro, keep an eye on the company web site. Since their intro offer of $199 is only available until the end of December, the product should be available very soon. Any questions that the web site doesn't answer can be sent via e-mail to info@PhxSoft.com.

The WarpCast news service, brought to you by the OS/2 Supersite and our own OS/2 e-Zine!, moved to its own web domain on November 12th. Complete information, subscription and submission forms may be found at the new site. "The incredibly positive response that WarpCast has received prompted the move to the new domain and a minor reorganization of the web site," said Trevor Smith, President of Haligonian Media, one of the companies responsible for producing WarpCast. "This move is just part of the ongoing effort we are making to ensure WarpCast is the best source of OS/2 news, rumours, and announcements for everyone."

Smith reports that there are a number of ideas for future enhancement of WarpCast being discussed by staff, with the first to be implemented likely to be a full searching feature, so that OS/2 users can immediately see if a subject they're interested in has ever been mentioned on the service. As always, the service delivers either real-time OS/2 news right to your mailbox, a daily digest of news items, or a Web-browseable collection of the current days news along with all of WarpCast's archives at http://www.warpcast.com/. If you'd like more information on WarpCast in general, like to subscribe or to submit news or rumors, see the new web site for further details.

A few recent updates to OS/2 you might be interested in: For those of you unaware, the 16-bit TCP/IP stack shipped with OS/2 Warp 4 has been updated again, this time to version 4.02m. It can be installed over the Internet with IBM's RSU (Remote Services Update) if you use Netscape or have already enhanced your copy of WebExplorer (see instructions) Or you can download and install it manually if so desired.

IBM has also released an update to OS/2's DOS TCP/IP support (which is said to, among other things, fix a few problems with running RealAudio and RealPlayer in WinOS2), an update for OS/2's REXEC support (if you don't know what it is, you don't need it), spooler FixPaks for both Warp 3 and Warp 4 printer spoolers (Currently US English versions only), and an update to OS/2's I2O drivers (see http://www.i2osig.org/ for more information on I2O) . All of these updates and more can be found at the Master OS/2 Warp Update list.

Rumors report that FixPak 5 for Warp 4 is currently in a controlled release stage (internal beta), and includes support for various accelerated video drivers. According to Steve Wendt, "...Specifically listed are: ATI Rage II/Mach 64 (PCI only), Chips & Technology 6555X, Matrox Millennium/Mystique, S3 864/TRIO, and S3 Virge/Virge VX. Also included are generic VGA and SVGA support. The generic SVGA driver "will work with most adapters that implement a VESA compliant BIOS." (Eugen Kuleshov)..." It's also possible that this FixPak contains the Lotus SmartSuite Open32 add-ins that are currently only available in FixPak 3 SE (and the internal FP 4 SE); last thing I heard from a Lotus representative was that these fixes were going to be integrated into regular FixPaks in the near future, so even if they don't show up in FP5, I'd expect them to make an appearance in FixPak 6.

In addition to Stardock hosting its Entrepreneur gaming tournament this month (see Gaming News this month), it's also announced the release of a new product -- Sort of. Stardock has decided to begin offering parts of its popular OS/2 enhancement Object Desktop for sale separately in addition to as an entire suite of enhancements. This move is good for any OS/2 users who might had previously decided not to buy the whole Object Desktop package because they only would have used one or two of its features, so felt it wouldn't have been worth the price. Titled the Object Desktop Solution Series, the new initiative allows you to buy useful add-ons like the OD Control Center and Keyboard Launchpad and use them without having to purchase the entire OD package. For more information about what parts of Object Desktop are available (and in development) for purchase, see the Object Desktop Solution Series page at Stardock.

That's it for this month. If you have a tip that you want followed up or a news item you think should be reported, don't hesitate to let us know!

Ryan Dill is a student in Computer Science at Acadia University in Wolfville, NS and e-Zine! 's technical editor. He is reported to be relieved that, with the advent of Warp 4, talking to your computer is no longer considered a sign of mental instability.