[UCS Trademark]

Magazine - October 98

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[Photo of Cliff] [Baton Bleu Image] By Cliff Millward, Editor

cliffm2@earthlink.net



User Groups: A Quick Definition

If this is your first contact with the Utah Computer Society (Utah Blue Chips) or with user groups in general, I hope the following definition put forth by Microsoft will clarify what we are and do:

We are the Utah Computer Society (Utah Blue Chips) made up of various individuals interested in computing. We want to keep current with rapidly breaking computer announcements, meet like minded people, learn how to better configure our computers, gain expertise on programs, obtain help with computer problems, take advantage of special offers, etc. We meet the second Wednesday of every month at the University of Utah Engineering & Mines Classroom Building, room 104, at 7:00pm. Admission is free. Usually everyone gets some small prize for attending. We encourage you to attend — we always have fun and always come away better informed.

Sports Wins Again (Temporarily)
I love sports, but I remember my youth when my favorite radio programs were pre-empted by the Cincinnati Reds baseball games. At that time, I did not appreciate "mere games" being more important than Terry and the Pirates or Captain Midnight.

In some way, I am now in the same situation. Our program, PC Solutions, has been pre-empted by the University of Utah Football Games (U of U fans don't chastise me yet — hear me out).

The U of U games have always been carried by KALL radio, but recently they have been switched to K-News 570. So much flak was received by Jacor (the owners of the stations) that they decided to simulcast the games. Why they shifted the U of U games to 570 is beyond my comprehension. I received a Masters Degree from the U of U and I appreciate the coverage, but the same coverage on two different AM stations, to say the least, is redundant!

There is, however, hope. They have recently informed me that regular broadcasting on KALL will resume October 3; that means we are back on the air! How long we will be on the air, however, is a matter of question. This leads to the next problem.

We Need a "DisneyLand" Perception
When you go to DisneyLand, you don't just go in the park and sit down; you go on the rides, buy lunch, souvenirs, etc. You BlueChippers need to be more active in this organization. Don't just read this magazine, come to the meetings; come to the SIGs — please tell people about us and the many advantages of membership.

Most importantly, listen to PC Solutions, call in, tell your friends about the program, patronize our advertisers; give us your support! If you like the prestige of Blue Chips having a radio show, you must spread the word, help us get sponsors, and tell these sponsors that you appreciate them sponsoring the program.

With your help, we will continue to have a program. Without your help, I am afraid we will wither on the vine. If you are a member you are in "BlueChipsLand." Don't just passively roam around, become active; join in the fun — believe me, you will enjoy it — and you might win some valuable prizes!!! Your participation can work wonders for you if you only let it!

Don't forget the Computer and Business Show TECH 20/20 on October 27 & 28 at the Salt Palace.

See You there!

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[President's Porch Image]. . . from the President's Porch

by James Alexander

I have been working for the last few years on projects which focused on repair or improvement of application software at my employment. One fact that worries me is the issue of Y2K (software which will fail or have problems because of the calendar year 2,000). Though it is mostly a main frame problem, several of the software vendors have in the last several month admitted to having Y2K problems with, in most cases, a fix now available.

TipWorld offered the following info. Even Microsoft has identified a few problems. For example, if you're running Windows 95 on your system, you may experience problems using the DATE and DIR commands. You'll find that the DIR command displays file dates using only two digits to represent the year, instead of four. You'll also receive an error message when you type the DATE command to set the current date and you enter the year as only two digits from 00 through 79. Microsoft recommends that you install the corrected version of the command.com file found in the Windows 95 OEM Service Release 2 (OSR2, or Windows 95 B), OSR 2.1, and OSR 2.5. You'll find the file you need at the following address: http://support.microsoft.com/download/support/mslfiles/WIN95Y2K.EXE

Are YOU Y2K compliant yet? Let's check your answer. You have a spreadsheet that has dates in it. Is the year 2 or 4 digit? If the display is 2 digit, then check to see if it is a calculated display with a 4 digit code or truly a 2 digit code. If the code is 2 digit, then there is a very high chance of being out of compliance.

SO??? You are the only one this hurts. Which is true as long as no one else shares the spreadsheet file with you. The problem comes when someone uses the date to make a calculation or sorts information. The answer you get may be off substantially. (Especially so if the recently reported recalculation bugs have not been patched.- see or the product support pages at ) Test this by putting in several dates using the a 2 digit year. Include some years 2,000, 2,003, etc. and 1990's. Then sort the dates. This only checks for the stuff we do to ourselves. What about what comes to us?

If you have hardware that is fairly (under 4 years) new, then you are most likely safe. However many 386 and older PC are likely to have hardware Y2K problems. There are a number of shareware/freeware solutions for testing your hardware. Find one and check out your hardware. Usually the testing, checks for how the BIOS tracks the calendar from 11:59 PM, December 31, 1999 to March 1, 2008. This is done to validate that time and leap year calculations are correct.

Next, check out the software. Most of the software vendor have posted (Internet or documentation) the products and versions which do handle the Y2K issues. Those products that do not have such statements (company is gone or you have an older uncertified version), you should either upgrade or check to determine that it will do what you expect. The most obvious check is for dates used or entered by the end user. Then there is the effect of the PC system date interaction with the application. This last is where you wish the vendor had done the checking and certified for you. The basic way to do this is to set your system clock to pre & post New Years' 2,000 and run the software. Check the program for each date function, including Feb. 28, 11:59 PM, 2,000 (a leap year), check to make sure the program does not crash or give you incorrect results.

There are some other approaches to solving Y2K. These solutions range from free to very expensive, and most can be found on the Internet. Some sites of interest for you are: http://y2kwatch.com/ http://y2k.comco.org/ and http://www.stylusy2k.com/. A word of caution, some sites are advocating the end of the world due to Y2K problems. I believe this is over reaching. There will be some companies who will not be ready for the Y2K problems. They may fail, cause delays, or really look dumb; but they were headed that way before the problem of Y2K occurred.

Some things change, and the way I did things under DOS do not appear to have been improved. Here is a simple DOS function, that Windows forgot about, with a solution for Windows. "How can I print out a listing of what is in a directory with Win95/98?" Under DOS, I issued a command to redirect the directory to a file (DIR > FILENAME) for editing, or sent it directly to the printer (DIR > LPT1).

TipWorld recently provided this Windows solution.

"Here's a batch file you can use to automate the job. To generate the batch file, run Notepad and type in the following exactly as shown—you must include the quotation marks.

Then choose File, Save As and name the file PrintIt.bat. Save the file in a folder of your choice. Now that you have the batch file ready, you need to tell Windows NT to use it for folder printing. Open My Computer and choose View, Options. When the Options dialog box opens, click the File Types tab. Locate and select File Folder. With File Folder selected, click Edit to open the Edit File Type dialog box, then click New. In the Action entry box, type Print Files, and then press Tab to get to the "Application used to perform action" entry box. Enter c:\PrintIt.bat where c:\ is the location of your new file. If you used some other folder, enter it in the path here. Click OK; back in the Edit File Type dialog box, click OK again. This gets you back to the Options dialog box. Click OK to close the dialog box and save your changes.

Now, run Windows NT Explorer and right-click a folder. When the menu opens, you'll see that your new choice—Print Files—has been added to it. Select Print Files and you'll get a printout of the files in the selected folder.

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[Corel/WordPerfect Watch Image]
Corel Wordperfect Watch

By James Alexander

The following is an editorial commentary by this columnist, and may not reflect the views of the Magazine's other staff, UCS' policy, or the position of the Utah State Government.

A current, but not proven, rumor is that certain State of Utah leaders/managers are saying because Corel pulled out of Utah, the State will drop Corel business products and go to the Microsoft Office Suite of products, unless there is a strong resistance to such a move. This approach, at best, is childish and at worst destructive. If Corel had gone out of business or had dropped the WordPerfect products, I would be the first to push instant change, but that is not the case. If the rumor is true, that management decided to drop WordPerfect Suite (or SmartSuite) because Corel made a cost saving decision, that decision is emotional and very costly. I know several Utah state agencies that have been Microsoft shops for a long time. There are also many agencies that are WordPerfect-Lotus shops, and have been so for over a decade. These non-Microsoft shops have heavy user investment in the macros and formats of their long used software. Changing to another product requires heavy training, support for conversion, and extended post conversion support. In those agencies with strong user investments, switching will incur very large expenses. The costs are extensive: licencing; training; lost production due to the normal delays in making an application platform switch; conversion; and post conversion training time in making the crossover. If such rumors are true about making the switch, I hope there was more thought given to the cost of making the changeover than just to satisfy an apparent knee-jerk reaction to a Corel cost cutting decision.

My biggest disappointment this year was the Corel announcement to move WordPerfect out of Utah. Little known was the fact that the product support group was still operating there in Orem with the famous hold DJ, letting customers know where they were in the queue. That function has been moved and also the phone numbers have been changed. Here are a few of them, if you need more visit Corel Web site to get what you need.

Classic Service Telephone Numbers for Corel Business Applications Revised List as of Aug. 31, 1998! Please note that some Classic Support telephone numbers for Corel Business Applications have changed. Please note there are different numbers for Canada than for the US.

Corel® WordPerfect® Products for Windows® 95/98/NT

There are separate numbers for each Business application Corel produces. To obtain the complete listing go to http://www.corel.com/support/technical/tables/table14.htm

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Reprint from Connectivity, the journal of the PC User Group in London England

"Smilies"

Reprinted from the September 1997 issue

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Reprint from Tid Bits 'N Bytes, the Newsletter of the Winnipeg PC User Group

Scanners: Hints, Help & Horror Stories

Reprinted from August/September 1998 issue

by Ken Fennoyle

In my first article on scanners (Scanners Sizzle as Prices Plummet) I covered some of the basics. This one includes a synthesis of more research and handson experience, plus much valuable input from readers; call it Scanners 102.

One key point has emerged: scanner installation often is not a trivial matter. Most horror stories from readers, in fact, involved installation problems. (I can add one of my own.)

Scanners connect to computers either through a parallel port, or via a Small Computer System Interface (SCSI, pronounced "Scuzzy").

The parallel connection is usually used for lower end scanners because it is less expensive, usually simpler to install (though there can be complications), and doesn't' require an open slot in your computer's motherboard. It has a "passthrough" connector that allows one cable to run to the printer while another plugs into the parallel port (usually LPT1) on your computer. A SCSI setup typically is four times faster than a normal parallel port connection, twice as fast as with an EPP (Enhanced Parallel Port).

Most parallel port installation problems reported came from users who already had two devices (typically a printer and Iomega or Syquest external drive) connected to the parallel port, by driver problems, or because an IEEE 1294 cable was not used with an EPP. Otherwise, there was no discernible pattern which a specific fix might resolve; each problem had to be thrashed out individually. One note of caution: If you hang several devices on a EPP and try to use a switching device to select between them, make SURE the switch is IEEE 1294compatible. Many are not, no matter what the "sales associates" tell you.

A SCSI interface requires a special card that plugs into a slot in your computer s motherboard. The cable connecting the SCSI card and scanner may not be more than 6 feet long, and shorter is better. (I had trouble with data transfer using a 6foot cable, while a 3footer worked fine.) Experts tell me that the first place to look if you have trouble with any SCSI device is the cable; next, they say, check the interface card.

If you plan to daisy-hain other SCSI devices, the card that came with your scanner probably will work but you might be wise to upgrade to a better, faster SCSI card. Steve Bjork, Hardware Lab SIG leader for TUGNET, my home User Group and editor of ETech News & Review magazine, recommends the Adaptec 2940 UW (for Ultra Wide) or something comparable.

Many readers wrote to ask about the difference between very lowpriced scanners (some as low as $79) and more expensive models. "They have the same resolution," many pointed out. All 300x600 or 600x1200dpi (dots per inch) scanners are not created equal, however.

Light sources for lowerpriced models often are fluorescent bulbs, which don t provide consistent white light for long. They also emit heat, which can distort optical components. Better scanners use cold scan technology, in which a "cold cathode" bulb serves as a cool, more consistent light source. (One of the selling points for me in the Relisys Taurus scanner I bought last fall was that it uses a Xenon glow lamp, plus its modular design that accepts extra memory.)

Corners may also be cut by using poorer quality optics (lenses, prisms) or stepper motors. We all know how quality can vary widely in magnifying glasses; you can buy some for $1 or so, while others may run $15 or $20. Stepper motors move the optics and mirror assembly beneath the stationary material on the scanner s bed. The degree of precision the motors provide affects image quality. More expensive scanners my have better, lownoise circuitry and more sophisticated electronics.

In the end, if a scanner performs adequately for your purposes, that s what counts.

As to using a scanner most effectively after you buy and install it successfully, the best advice came from a reader who has become my scanner guru over the past eight months: Harry Pollison, of Spectrum Scanning Service in New Orleans (photopix@bellsouth.net). Harry has been working with scanners for more than 22 years, before most of us had even heard of scanners! He gave me advice on what to buy, then helped coach me through some installation problems (which I now think may have been caused simply by a faulty cable). Here are some rules of thumb he passed on to me.

  1. Novices should experiment with and learn to use brightness and contrast controls and the highlight. midtone and shadow control.
  2. You can t adjust tone much AFTER scanning; you get the greatest degree of adjustment in the PRESCANNED image.
  3. Flatbed scanners always darken images and flatten out the contrast when they scan, so you should lighten the picture and increase contrast a bit.
  4. Scanners tend to render an image softer than the original, so you have to sharpen the picture in whatever image editing software you use.
  5. Scanners lose detail in the shadows, so you must separate as much midtone detail from the shadow end of the tonal scale as possible.

Harry recommended Scanning The Professional Way by Sybil & Emil Ihrig (Osborne, $14.95) as the best book to help learn how to apply those rules of thumb and more. I also like Start with a Scan by Janet Ashford & John Odan (Peachpit Press, $34.95).

I also recommend the following Web sites as valuable resources, especially for scanning novices.fulton/scans) is one of the best for useful scanner information. Among the features is a series of scans of flowers, showing exactly how different control settings produced different effects in the same scanned image.

Jeff Bone provides how-to info for novices and covers intermediate and advanced scanning issues as well at www.infomedia.net/scan. You `ll find the Scanning Resolution Calculator useful.

Michael Sullivan' s site (www.hsdesign.com/scanning) offers a wealth of scanning tips & techniques, plus a scanning calculator that will help you determine dpi settings for different sizes and types of images.

The Rice University Advanced Visualization Lab offers an excellent explanation of dots per inch resolution, and how scanning and printing resolutions differ. It illustrates the explanation with a series of images scanned at varying resolutions (http://es.rice.edu/projects/ravl/lab/scanning/resolution.html).

Copyright 1998 by Ken Fermoyle. Fermoyle Publications. (reprinted by permission)

Ken Fermoyle has written some 2,500 articles for publications ranging from Playboy and Popular Science to Mac Week, Microtimes & PC Laptop. He was cohost/producer of a radio show on computers and a partner in a DTP service bureau during the 80's. Ken's Komer is a syndicated monthly column free to User Group newsletters. For permission to reprint this article, contact kfermoyle@earthlink.net.

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Reprint from Sacra Blue, Magazine of the Sacramento PC User Group

Search Engine Frenzy

Reprinted from the September, 1997 issue


by Jeri Pettengill-Foley

Once you get hooked up to the Internet (you have the hard ware and you have a Service Provider) the next step is navigating. There are so many places to go. One of the most commonly asked questions is "How do I find the information I need?"

The Internet is a large pool of information. You can dive in and flounder a bit, or you may end up in a "sink or swim" situation. 1 would like to make your first dip into the vast waters an easy transition. There are many places to go on the Internet. A few of these "places" (actually servers) are:

I am going to concentrate on the Web since that is the most frequently used area on the Internet. You can apply what you learn here to most of the other areas on the Internet. Jeri talks about using Internet search engines and the stuff you can find by using them

What Is A Search Engine?
One of the best ways to find the information you need on the World Wide Web is to use a search engine. A Web site with a good search engine listing may see an increase in traffic. Unfortunately, many web sites appear poorly in search engine rankings or may not be listed at all because they fail to consider how search engines work.

A search engine is a tool to help the user find information on the Internet. Search engines scan the contents of the Web to keep their large indexes of Web pages as current as possible. A well "search engine designed" Web page makes the pages more accessible to users. There are several different ways to search. Some search engines search titles or headers of documents,

The Pieces of a Search Engine
Search engines have three parts. First is the spider, also called the crawler. The spider visits a webpage, reads it, and then follows links to other pages within the site. The spider returns to the site on regular basis to look for changes.

What ever the spider finds goes into the index, which is the second part of a search engine. The index, or catalog, is like a giant book containing a copy of every web page that the spider finds. If a web page changes, then this book is updated.

The software is the third part of a search engine. This is the program that sifts through the millions of pages recorded in the index to find matches to a search and rank them in order of what it believes is most relevant.

The Way They Search

Search engines are conceptually the same but may use different methods to search. You will need to look at a search engines help page to find out the best way to get the most out of that engine. Get familiar with and use several different search engines for more indepth research just like you would look in several books of a library s reference section to research any topic for information. Some of the methods search engines use are:

Categorical Searches
Yahoo features a hierarchically organized subject tree of information resources. The Internet Sleuth is also a perfect example of a categorical search.

Keyword Searches
Web Crawler is very fast and returns a large list of links. It analyzes the full text of documents, allowing the searcher to locate keywords, which may have been buried deep within a document s text.

Title Searches
Lycos searches document titles, headings, links, and keywords, and returns the first 50 words of each page it indexes for your search.

Meta Searches
These searches tend to take a little longer.

All-in-one searches several search engines for information and returns the best results form all of them. Savvy Search allows you to specify the sources and types of information you want to retrieve.

Metacrawler is highly configurable and verifies and collates the results. Two features will probably influence your choice of a "favorite"

  1. Ease of use: It should allow you to customize your searches without offering so many options that using it is confusing.
  2. Accuracy: It will return a reasonable quantity of somewhat accurate results.

How To use Them Efficiently
Don`t let the animated User Interface fool you. Underneath the user friendly exterior lies a powerful search and retrieval technology that supports a full range of boolean search operators to keep expert searchers happy. Below is a chart to help you with a boolean Search (the search operators have been capitalized in this chart, but it s not necessary to do so when you type a search.) You can find charts or help about search engines in their help directories. The chart below was compiled with the help of Web Crawler and Yahoo.

What To Find
Search Engines can help you locate topics for research or interest. They can also help you locate email addresses, libraries for information covering specific topics such as education, maps and directions and more.

An easy way to locate several search engines is to open your Web browser, type www. "your favoriteengine" .com. Once you get there, type search engines on the search line and reap the results.

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Reprint from The Digital Viking, Newsletter of the Twin Cities PC User Group



Winning the RAM Name Game

Reprinted from the December 1997 issue.

By Lynn True

Most computer users are aware that the heart of their computer is the Central Processing Unit (CPU) and the system s main memory, the Random Access Memory (RAM). This is where all of the program instructions are carried out and also where calculation results and data are stored and processed. The other components, such as the hard disks, video and sound cards, other controllers, and various parts related to either the input or output of data, are considered peripheral to this core, hence the name peripherals.

The main system memory, one of many kinds of modern RAM, must handle the spiraling demands of faster CPUs, more complex programs (and operating systems), and all of the other components we put in our machines. Some tasks can now be off loaded to memory that is on your video card, sound card, or SCSI and other controllers.

Remember This:
Memory chips, which are made up of a transistor and a capacitor, store their data as electronic charges; the transistor turns that charge, which is actually stored in the capacitor, on or off. RAM memory allows the CPU to change the on or off state of the electronic charges, whereas a Read Only Memory (ROM) charge state is either permanently on or off.

The CPU (for most PCs and clones it's an Intel, AMD, or Cyrix) assigns and remembers what information goes where via the data bus, the connection that allows the actual data communication. When the CPU is ready to collect the stored instructions or data that it needs to do whatever it s doing, it searches in a particular order.

First, it looks in the very fast but very small amount of memory inside itself, called the L1 cache. Next, it tries the larger, slower (but still relatively fast) L2, or second level cache memory. If it still can t find what it wants, it searches in the even larger but definitely much slower main system memory. The last place the CPU will look is in a physical storage area such as a hard disk, which is considered extremely slow by CPU standards.

The Windows operating system also uses hard disk space to store data and instructions that overflows the amount of system RAM available (the "swap file"), but, of course, hard drives are much slower than RAM chips. The best way to make sure your Windows system runs as fast as it can is to make sure it has enough system RAM. The type of RAM you need depends on your hardware configuration.

How Fast Is Fast?
One of the most important measurements of memory performance is access time, the amount of time it takes for the CPU to request and receive a specific piece of data from the memory. The challenge the computer industry faces is creating faster and faster memory to keep pace with the everincreasing speed of CPUsand how to keep the cost of memory competitive at the same time. That's good for consumerswith RAM prices at an all time low, there s no excuse for crippling a computer because of lack of RAM.

Most modern system RAM chips have a 50 to 60 ns (nanosecond, one billionth of a second) access time; older RAM from just a few years ago had access times of 100 to120 ns.

Ideally, memory access time would be zero, but the only way that could happen would be if the CPU itself contained enough memory space to store all of its data.

Speed it Up
One of the ways a CPU can do its duties faster is by utilizing cache memory. Cache chips usually have a 20 ns access time or better but they are more expensive than the main system RAM so your system has a smaller amount of cache memory. Because of this size limitation, only specific data are put there.

The goal of a memory caching system is to process memory requests as close to the CPU s speed as possible by predictingand having ready to sendthe information your CPU is expected to use next. A separate, quite sophisticated cache controller directs this data prediction selection process.

The function of the L2 cache is to be between the CPU and the RAM and to provide data to meet the CPU s requests faster than the main memory. When the correct data is found waiting in the L2 cache, it is called a cache hit.

So, What Kind?
As you ve probably noticed recently, ads for computers have changed as computer configuration choices continue to increase exponentially. Instead of just listing the amount of RAM, nowadays the ads state exactly what kind of RAM it is with initials. The types of memory available have become a veritable alphabet soup of names.

Confused by all those acronyms? The most common types of RAM are listed next:

RAM
The initials stand for Random Access Memory, which is a general term that was originally applied to any memory that can be read/written in a random order (usually called nonlinear). Lately the term RAM has referred specifically to chipbased memory because all chipbased memory is randomaccess. Read Only Memory (ROM), like the name indicates, can be read but not written to; it is different than RAM but not its opposite.

SIMM & DIMM
Both Single In-line Memory Modules (SIMMs) and Dual In-line Memory Modules (DIMMs) are common types of modules in which RAM is packaged. SIMMs are older technology with a 32bit data path; they can be installed one at a time on most 486 or older machines but must be in pairs for Pentium computers because of the Pentium s wider data path.

DIMMs are newer and have a 64bit data patha better match for Pentium and other more recent CPUsso they are equivalent to two SIMMS. They can be installed one at a time in most Pentium machines, thereby making them more economical in the long run.

DRAM
Dynamic RAM is the standard type of main memory in modern computers. Its name comes from the way it works:

Information is stored in a capacitor as a series of electrical charges that build and discharge within one millisecond of each other; to retain the data the chip must be constantly being refreshedthe reason that it is called dynamic.

FPMRAM
Originally, all PC main memory was Fast PageMode RAM, but since there wasn' t any other kind there was no need to state the type. As memory technology progressed, its speed increased from 120 ns to 60 ns. But 60 ns became too slow when Pentium computers were able to run the bus at 66 MHz it couldn' t keep up! Actually, 60 n

SRAM does its data access at less than 30 MHz, which led to the invention of RAM caching.

EDORAM
A newer, improved type of FPMRAM, ExtendedDataOut RAM (EDO RAM) speeds up the data read/write cycle by being a little smarter; it knows that most of the time when the CPU requests to use a particular memory space it will probably want some more of what s nearby, so it "hangs around" instead of starting each new request from scratch.

Unfortunately, however, even though EDORAM can be up to 40% faster and can operate at a bus speed of 66 MHz, the latest processors can support even faster bus speeds.

BEDORAM
Another forward step in EDO memory technology is Burst ExtendedDataOut RAM (BEDORAM). The term `burst means that four requests at a time are sent by the CPU, with the memory location information for all four requests at the beginning of that block of data. The first request is processed at the regular (50 ns) speed because of the normal instructionrelated delays involved in the read! write process, but the next three requests already have their "overhead" information present by the time they are ready to be processed, so it only takes about 10 ns to fill those requests.

BEDORAM was developed to be a less expensive alternative to SDRAM (more about that below) and currently it operates at almost the same speed as SDRAM. But, again, even though BEDORAM is substantially faster than plain ol FPM RAM, it still can t function reliably at bus speeds faster than 66 MHz.

SDRAM
The new kid on the block is Synchronous Dynamic RAM (SDRAM), and you can only recently find this type of memory in PC ads. SDRAM allows two requests from the CPU to be processed at the same time and it can operate at bus speeds up to 100 MHz (and it won t be long until the rest of the computer catches up!). A major accomplishment, though, is that this type of memory is synchronized with the system clock. Intensive research and development is still going on SLDRAM

An improvement on SDRAM, SLDRAM can operate at even higher bus speeds and uses small packets of data (similar to networks) to synchronize with the bus and to communicate between the main memory and the CPU. This new technology is currently being proposed as a standard by the SCIzzL Association at California s Santa Clara University and various industry leaders.

SLDRAMs packet system of communication will decrease the need for trying to squeak more performance out of existing DRAM chip design. Ideally, SLDRAM should be high performance, lower cost memory. We ll just have to wait and see what happens....

Types of L2 Cache RAM:

SRAM
Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) is able to store data without needing an automatic refresh like Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) does. In fact it is called static because nothing changes in the SRAM unless it is written to. SRAM is both much faster than (1 2ns) and much more expensive than DRAM.

Async SRAM
Even though it was introduced in 386s, many PCs still use Asynchronous SRAM because it s faster than DRAM. Asynchronous refers to the fact that it is not in sync with the system clock, forcing the CPU to wait for its data requests.

Sync SRAM
Synchronous burst SRAM is faster (8.5ns) than Async SRAM, in part because it is synchronized with the system clock. Unfortunately, it can only synchronize with busses up to 66 MHz. For this reason, and also because its production has been very limited so its still expensive, this type of memory is nor likely to be around much longer.

PB SRAM
Newer Computers, especially those with bus speeds of 75 MHz or more, are the best match for Pipeline Burst SRAM (PB SRAM). Requests from the CPU are pipelined, or collected, so that the requests within the bursts of data are processed almost instantaneously. PB SRAM seems to lag slightly behind true synchronization speeds, but is still Faster than Sync SRAM. Types of Video RAM

VRAM
Video RAM (VRAM) is optimized for video performance, so it is used almost exclusively on video accelerator cards or on motherboards with onboard video. It stores the information (pixel values) for the graphical display. VRAM improves video performance by continually refreshing the display directly from this memory at the same time it reduces the main system CPU s load.

VRAM contains two access ports to the memory (dualported memory) which effectively doubles the data path; one set of memory is used for changing the data to be displayed and the other constantly refreshes the display. (DRAM and SRAM have only one memory access port)

WRAM
Windows RAM (WRAM) is used specifically for graphics performance. It is also dualported memory and operates similarly to VRAM, but is faster because it has about a 25% wider data path. In addition, several highperformance graphics features are available to programs that know what to do with them, such as a doublebuffering system that is several times faster than VRAM s buffer.

SG RAM
Synchronous Graphics RAM is only singleported memory, but it has a dualbank feature in which two data requests can be handled at a time, which functions like dualported memory. Used mostly on video accelerator cards, it is becoming even more popular for use on 3D because of its fast screen fills and memory clearing at the rate of about 3040 times per second.

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Reprint from The Bytes of Las Vegas, Newsletter of the Las Vegas PC User Group



GNOME TIPS & TRICKS

Reprinted from the August 1998 edition

by Chris Pirillo (chris@lockergnome.com)

Unless you're using a Macintosh, you ve probably got more than one button on your mouse. We use the left mouse button on a regular basis, but what about the right mouse button? Get in the habit of using it just as much as the otheryou could be saving time.

Right click on the Taskbar, you ll find all sorts of options available. Select "Properties" to find ways to optimize your Taskbar and Start Menu. NOTE: "Properties" is the magic word in just about any Right Click menu. If you see it, select it to find more information about a particular object (or group of objects).

While we re talking about the Taskbar, try right clicking on one of the open programs within it. You ll then find a nifty little menu which could help you close, maximize, & minimize that particular program. If you have many programs open which you want to close. this could be a quick way of doing it.

What about the Start button? Yep, you can right click on that, too. "Explore" and "Find" are the two options you'll find most helpful. If you want to edit what can be found in your Start Menu, choose "Explore" and delete! rename folders at will. Or, if you're looking for something you know is in your Start Menu (but you can't find it), select the "Find" option.

In just about any 32-bit application where you can enter text, you can also probably right click and bring up a very useful menu. In most instances, you should be able to cut, copy, paste, and delete! Try it in your email program, in Notepad, and even in the address line of your favorite web browser. And you thought you knew everything? :)

On the Desktop, you can right click on `My Computer to get your system s properties and empty the `Recycle Bin with the click of a button. Talk about a time saver! While you're at it, I'd remove any excess icons that might be cluttering up your Desktop. Do you REALLY need all of them?

Let s travel into the Windows Explorer for a brief moment. Double click on `My Computer' and then right click on any one of the disk drivesyou'll discover relatively extensive info by selecting the "Properties" option. Now open up a drive (like the C: drive) and right click on any given file or folder. You ll see so many options you probably never knew existed.

Fire up your favorite web browser... try right clicking on a web page background, link, or graphic. Wowmore functionality! I've seen many people right click in browsers to move back and forward (instead of using the arrow icons).

Remember, you can right click just about anywhere (and in just about any program). There are exceptions, of course, but it will seldom hurt to try! Now you know (and knowing is half the battle).

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Reprint from Bits and PC's, Newsletter of the Madison, Wisconsin, PC User Group



eMail of the Month

Reprinted from the July, 1998 edition

Subject: Virus Alert! Saturday, June 13, 1998 6:35 PM

Date: 11 Jun 1998 18:22:04 GMT Organization: ADViCOM Advanced Internet Communications

WARNING, CAUTION, DANGER, AND BEWARE! Gullibility Virus Spreading over the Internet!

WASHINGTON, D.C. The Institute for the Investigation of Irregular Internet Phenomena announced today that many Internet users are becoming infected by a new virus that causes them to believe without question every groundless story, legend, and dire warning that shows up in their Inbox or on their browser. The Gullibility Virus, as it is called, apparently makes people believe and forward copies of silly hoaxes relating to cookie recipes, E-Mail viruses, taxes on modems, and get-rich-quick schemes [perhaps conspiracy theories should be included here].

"These are not just readers of tabloids or people who buy lottery tickets based on fortune cookie numbers," a spokesman said. "Most are otherwise normal people, who would laugh at the same stories if told to them by a stranger on a street corner." However, once these same people become infected with the Gullibility Virus, they believe anything they read on the Internet.

"My immunity to tall tales and bizarre claims is all gone," reported one weeping victim. "I believe every warning message and sick child story my friends forward to me, even though most of the messages are anonymous."

Another victim, now in remission, added, "When I first heard about `Good Times, I just accepted it without question. After all, there were dozens of other recipients on the mail header, so I thought the virus must be true." It was a long time, the victim said, before she could stand up at a Hoaxees Anonymous meeting and state, "My name is Jane, and I `ve been hoaxed." Now, however, she is spreading the word. "Challenge and check whatever you read," she says.

Internet users are urged to examine themselves for symptoms of the virus, which include the following:

T. C. is an example of someone recently infected. He told one reporter, "I read on the Net that the major ingredient in almost all shampoos makes your hair fall out, so I ve stopped using shampoo." When told about the Gullibility Virus, T . C. said he would stop reading eMail, so that he would not become infected.

Anyone with symptoms like these is urged to seek help immediately. Experts recommend that at the first feelings of gullibility, Internet users rush to their favorite search engine and look up the item tempting them to thoughtless credence. Most hoaxes, legends, and tall tales have been widely discussed and exposed by the Internet community.

Courses in critical thinking are also widely available, and there is on-line help from many sources, including

Those people who are still symptom free can help inoculate themselves against the Gullibility Virus by reading some good material on evaluating sources, such as

Lastly, as a public service, Internet users can help stamp out the Gullibility Virus by sending copies of this message to anyone who forwards them a hoax.

Forward this message to all your friends right away! Don't think about it! This is not a chain letter! This story is true!

Don t check it out! This story is so timely, there is no date on it! This story is so important, we re using lots of exclamation points!!! For every message you forward to sonic unsuspecting person, the Home for the Hopelessly Gullible will donate ten cents to itself. (If you wonder how the Home will know you are forwarding these messages all over creation, you re obviously thinking too much.)

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Reprint from PC+, Newsletter of the Central Texas PC User Group



Windows 98: What 95 Should have Been

Reprinted from the October 1998 edition

by Jerry Spoor

An evaluation of Windows 98 would best be accomplished by comparing it with Windows 95. You can determine the most significant difference with a calculator. Simply subtract 95 from 98 and you get 3. Now divide 3 by 95 and you have a 3.0158% difference. Wow!

There is more but not as much as expected. In general the operating system is more stable and perhaps that is the most important issue if you had problems with Windows 95. But the greater stability does not apply to everything.

The installation of Windows 98 over the top of Windows 95 is the first thing that will impress you. It does a good job of preserving your existing settings and it lives up to its credit of being more stable. This also applies to reinstallation. If you make a major blunder, and that is easy to do, Windows 98 will reinstall very well. Do not hesitate to reinstall 98 if you are having problems with the operating system. You may loose your video driver or a modem driver but that is not hard to reinstall. If you have an older version of Kensington mouse you will loose it for sure, but reinstallation is not too bad.

The most severe flaw I've found is the improper removal of certain items. The repercussions of not doing things by Microsoft's designated method can be disastrous. Do not go into Device Manager and delete drivers. I have deleted Comm2 without a problem, but everything else brought the computer down. Always remove programs from the Control Panel or update the driver from the Device Manager. Don't make the mistake of installing a sound card that uses 2 IRQs (microprocessor interrupt request) or any other device that exceeds the IRQs on your computer. If you install a non plug and play device be sure it is not walking on an IRQ that is owned by something that will not negotiate. Any problem in this area is a very serious problem and is less tolerant than Windows 95.

Another example of improper procedures would be to add or remove fonts by copying them directly into c:\windows\fonts. Don't DO IT. I moved fonts directly to the Fonts directory and the computer would not even boot into safe mode. Go to the Control Panel, Font manager and control your fonts from there. You can place fonts into a directory such as "\fonts2" and then let the Fonts manager access and move them to the \fonts directory. You will need to use a lot of common sense in Windows 98 since I'm only providing a few examples and there are probably thousands of ways you can destroy your operating system. The only compensation I can offer you is the ease and reliability of reinstallation.

With the Netscape threat, Microsoft has gone all out on the tight integration of Internet Explorer and Outlook Express. They did a good job of it too. I had no intentions of giving up Eudora e-mail, but Outlook Express offered to import my entire e-mail data and address book. It did it with perfection. The temptation to try Outlook was too great and one sampling was all I needed. I still think highly of Eudora, but Outlook Express is as good as you can get. You can hit a hot key and walk away while e-mail is downloaded automatically. Attachments are right there in your e-mail and you have the option of HTML (hypertext markup language) if your e-mail recipient is using a compatible program. The Internet Explorer has no bugs that I know of and works fine.

You have more options on the configuration of your Desktop and the Start menu appearance. You can change one menu and then have them all look alike. This saves a lot of configuration time.

Windows 98 has a built in Task Scheduler that works fine. It takes the place of System Agent that came with Plus! 95. You can schedule a variety of maintenance operations.

The Start menu is in the same location but when you click on it you will see an added feature called Windows Update. This is a good idea. You no longer have to guess what you need to update your system. The program takes you on-line and offers you the option of letting Microsoft examine your computer to see if there ,is anything you need. At the time of this writing you will need an update for Outlook Express and Accessibility features. You can also download some neat desktop themes, etc. While I'm always concerned about Microsoft or anyone else being overly intrusive I see no problem here.

The utilities with Windows 98 are okay, but as usual you can do better with other programs. Norton Utilities is better as before and it is an expected extra for most people. Norton 3.0 works with Windows 98 but does require an on-line update. This will take place during the normal installation if your browser is working properly. The Norton Disk Doctor and Speed Disk work OK but I gave Norton WinDoctor too much control and had to reinstall Windows 98 again.

In the Control Panel you will see a few more icons that deal with multimedia. Windows 98 is putting more emphasis into multimedia. DVD ROM plays perfectly with full screen video and comparable TV resolution if your computer and video card can handle it. The DVD ROM data can be transferred to the hard drive and you can play the movie from there also. You will have to see what appeals to you by touring the Control Panel.

PLUS! 95 is now in Windows 98. What you previously paid extra for is now free. We now have a PLUS! 98. What is in Plus! 98? You can get out your calculator and use the same formula as in the first paragraph. Plus! 98 has little to offer in my opinion. It has a good picture editor but this would mean you probably need a scanner. There are some fantastic desktop themes if this turns you on. It also includes McAfee virus scan. The new games are OK but nothing to write home about. I will warn you that the new solitaire game is not easy to beat. The Windows 3.1 Solitaire and the Windows 95 FreeCell could be beaten easily. The Windows 98 version called Spider Solitaire is too much of a challenge. If you are easily addicted to games this one could be your demise. Let me know if you can beat it. I managed to win one time but I had to use the next door neighbors teenager to help me do it. The graphical display upon completion is good as usual.

Would I advise Windows 98? Windows has become a standard and it is a matter of conforming or not. This may sound cold and unfair but it has really come to that. You don't need to upgrade now but eventually that will be the way you go if you don't want to be on your own private little island. While there does not seem to be a large change in Windows 98 there is more going on in the background you don't see. Windows 98 and Windows NT are moving in the same direction and will eventually probably be the same program. Networking features are a bit more advanced and integration into a network is a little better. Windows 98 is moving towards Integration into the Internet and you will be interacting with it more and more.

While I like to support the little guy, it simply is not possible with your operating system if you want to conform to a reasonable extent. The Microsoft operating system is as common as our English language. You can go around speaking French as much as you want but if you want to talk the universal language you will eventually have to support Microsoft unless the government takes action to change things. While a certain amount of intervention may be advisable I sure hope we don't go back to speaking many different languages with computers. The thing I like most about the present operating system and the thing I believe Bill Gates did better than anything else was to establish conformity. Everything about Windows 98 points in that direction and for that reason I like it.

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[Meeting Memoranda Image]


  

Access
to the Extreme!

Dave Pehrson Shows Us the Latest Improvements

by Erma Wheeler

James Alexander started the meeting by announcing the swap meet on Saturday Sept. 12 from 9 to 12 at Taylorsville Park. He urger all to attend.

As in years past, Blue Chips will have a booth at the Tech 20\20 convention. This convention will be held Oct 27th & 28th, 11am to 8pm, at the Salt Palace. More information can be found at www.tradeshowswest.com or see their ad on the last page.

The schedule for the next few months was announced and is as follows:

The huge COMDEX convention will be held in Las Vegas, November 16 to 20. The keynote address will feature Microsoft CEO Bill Gates Nov. 15.

Dave Pehrson from Access Software presented the Linx99 golf game. He talked about how the company, to assure authenticity and reality, goes to the golf course and takes numerous photos so that they can be replicated realistically in the program. They have updated the program each year to include new features actually performed on each golf course.

Links 99 is now in beta testing. He showed us some of the things that it does and how it does them. He also explained the ways that it is different from Links 98.

Then he showed us some things about Links Xtreme which will possibly be released for the Christmas season. Links Xtreme is not a real course. Winning at any cost is the theme of the game.

Six copies of Links Xtreme and 2 copies of Tex Murphy were donated for door prizes.

Dave Otterstrom presented Dave Pehrson with a beautiful new Blue Chips bag. Each presenter from now on will be given one of these bags. It is possible that this bag will be made available to members if there is enough demand. Contact James Alexander or Dave Otterstrom.

On a final note, James Alexander announced that the Saturday SIGs will be held the last Saturday of the month unless otherwise noted. When there is a conflict with that Saturday, the SIG will be held the first Saturday of the following month.

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The Gateway - Blue Chip School Essays


The following are more entries in the recent Blue Chips—Gateway Essay Contest,
WHAT A GATEWAY COMPUTER CAN DO FOR MY SCHOOL?

By Eldin Diglisic
Granite High School

By Heather Beasley
Cottonwood High School

By Ashley Peterson
Wasatch Middle School, Heber, Utah

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[Review Image]

DemoShield 5.3

"Create Interactive Multimedia Demos"

by Reynold Wells 

Manufacturer: 
  InstallShield Corporation 
  900 National Parkway   Suite 125 
  Schaumburg, IL 60173 USA 

InstallShield Corp. Sales: 
  Phone: 800-809-5659 x8437 
         847-517-8437 
  Fax:   847-619-0788 
  E-mail: info@demoshield.com 

System Requirements for Generating Demos: 
  16 & 32 Bit: 8Mb RAM, Mouse or other pointing 
  device, AVI Drivers if playing AVI files, Sound Card 
   (optional; demo will still play without sound if not available) 
  16 Bit: Windows 3.1 or higher, 33 Mhz 486 CPU, 
  256 Color VGA 
  32 Bit: Windows95/NT, 66 Mhz 486 CPU, SVGA 

System Requirements to Play Demos: 
  33Mhz 486, 4Mb RAM, VGA, Mouse or other pointing 
  device, Sound Card (optional; demo will still play without sound if not available)

DemoShield, a product from InstallShield Corporation, is a demo authoring application that can be used for creating interactive multimedia demonstrations. These demos can be generated to be quite simple, or all the way to quite complicated. The person creating the demo can decide.

After checking out the web site, I discovered that several commercial software companies use DemoShield to create, for example, demos of their software. DemoShield can be used to play a sound or video file, display an object, and/or launch an application.

DemoShield consists of several files, and each file has a specific function to be used when creating or running demos. There is a "Designer" program which is used when creating and editing the demo. There is also a player utility for playing the demos. There is a player program for both 16 and 32 bit demos. Another item that is included with this version of DemoShield is a Lotus product, ScreenCam97. ScreenCam can be used to capture a Windows screen as a screen movie(SCM) file. This capture is full motion, so you can capture the process of a Windows application while it is running, including any mouse movement and sounds. These SCM files can be used in your demo created using DemoShield.

The Setup Wizard that comes with DemoShield is used when you are ready to distribute your demo on disk or CD. There are also a multitude of WAV files for use when creating a demo, along with a collection of backgrounds, clip art, and buttons.

There is on-line help, and a Getting Started Guide to help the user to get up and running.

I believe seeing some of what can be done with this product can say much more than me attempting to describe them in this forum. A good place to actually see some of what can be done with this product is on their web site. Several companies have provided demos of how they use DemoShield in conjunction with their products. I downloaded several and what was done was quite impressive. I especially liked the demo for Monte Python's Meaning Of Life.

Check them out.

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A.N.A.R.C.H.Y. is Upon Us!

(Another Nasty Acronym Resolves to Confound and Hound You)

by Craig S. Mullins

Platinum Technology
cmullins@platinum.com

Do you ever get that feeling that the walls are crushing in around you? In our business (Information Technology) this feeling is probably more common than in most. It seems that every time we finally catch up with the latest industry acronyms and buzzwords, another unruly batch rear their ugly heads.

I was contemplating this late one night as I watched Alfred Hitchcock's masterpiece "The Birds" on late night cable. But, I wasn't really paying attention. My mind was on OOPS and GUI and RAID and. . . then all of a sudden there I was at work.

My terminal sat in front of me looking like nothing I had ever seen. It was clearly labeled SPARROW 2000. I was lost. But I quickly clicked the "Help" icon and a window appeared which trumpeted that my SPARROW 2000 was "...the latest in Sequential Partitioned Asynchronous Reduced Rate Workstation technology. The GOOSE (Graphical Object Oriented Software Engineering) paradigm was used to facilitate easy access to all components of the system conveniently and constantly available through SPARROW."

My head was spinning, but I was enthralled. Here was a brand new system where every new acronym was defined. My heart leaped in my chest. "I must be dreaming," I thought. My fingers trembled as I maneuvered the mouse over the screen to request more information.

"All DUCK (Diagramming Universe for Conceptual Knowledge) concepts are easily composed using the CHICKEN (Completely Heterogeneous Integrated Conduit for Knowledge Engineering Naturally) framework to create BIRD (Basic Integrated Resource Diagram) diagrams. The keyboard can be used as easy as a mouse with HAWK (Hierarchical Advanced Windowing Keyboard) and all files are no more than a click away with DOVE (Deductive Operational Volume Entry)."

Wow! What a workstation environment. It did all the work for me. But, could I get to the network using my SPARROW? Hmmm, let's see. A quick tap on the HAWK and I was bringing up network information...

"With RAVEN (Reduced Architecture Virtual Event Network), nevermore will access to your company's network be a problem. Using only this and nothing more, network downtime will be a thing of the past. RAVEN uses the latest in STARLING (Structured Topology And Resource Layout for Increasing Node Growth) technology to rocket networking to a new degree of performance!"

Oh, that project that was taking forever would be a snap now. I transferred out of help and created a BIRD using a template I retrieved using DOVE over the RAVEN. My heart fluttered as I tapped on the HAWK and the GOOSE displayed my BIRD on the SPARROW. But, suddenly, I was stuck. How could I turn this into code? I had to cry for help once more!

"Upon completing your BIRD, the GOOSE will create an application using any language available in FOWL (Fairly Organized World of Languages). Simply choose the "fly" option from GOOSE and you will enter the world of FOWL."

I flew into FOWL and chose a language from the many displayed. It was a difficult decision but I finally decided to use CROW (Common Repository Of Words) with the ORIOLE (Objective Reactive Integrated Orienting Language Extension) addon. Voila! My application was complete. I clicked on the Save icon, and I couldn't believe my eyes. It was a VULTURE (Vulgar Ugly Limiting Terse UserResponsible Error)!

But it could not be my fault. I accessed DODO (Deductive On-line Debugger of Objects) and the problem appeared in a microsecond there was a limited amount of WORM (Write Once Read Many) space available and there was no room to store my BIRD. I hadn't acted quickly enough. You see, the early BIRD gets the WORM!

All of a sudden I felt confused and disoriented. There was a ringing in my ears and I jumped up to find that I was still at home in bed. The TV set was on in the background but the movie was over long ago. I guess that high-pitched television sign-off had interrupted my wonderful dream. Waking up was a mixed blessing. My project wouldn't be done when I went to work the next day, but at least I didn't have to learn all of those new acronyms. I mean, let's face it, all of these acronyms are for the birds!

(c) 1998, Craig S. Mullins

(reprinted with permission)

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E-Mail Blues?

Use Your Blue Chips E-mail Account

by Bob Beaudoin

Does your E-Mail provider not allow attached files? Have you had to change your E-Mail address when changing providers? Then maybe to should consider using your own BBS. With your membership to BlueChips, you have access to an Internet E-Mail address. This E-Mail account will accept file attachments, also. If you change providers occasionally, you can use the BlueChip's E-Mail address and have the BBS forward your E-Mail to your current provider's address. It is still possible to use a Mail reader program with the BBS so you can do all your mail reading and composing off-line, call the BBS upload your new messages and download messages waiting for you.

The mail reading programs do not have any provisions for file attachments directly. To use the file attachment to an E-mail message, you should have the person sending the message encode the file using "uuencode" method of encoding. BlueChips' BBS understands this method and decodes the file back so it can be downloaded. If the message is encoded using the MIME encoding, the file will come as multiple messages which look like a Dick Tracy-coded messages. You then must edit the individuals messages into one file, strip out the message headers and then use a MIME un-code program. To do all this you must use the command line and DOS commands. (Do you remember using these?). The Internet E-Mail is only an ASCII base system. Any program file must be encoded to this format to be sent with an E-Mail message.

If you use a Mail reader program, you can encode and decode these attached files using the MIME encoding program, but this does take extra steps. If the attached file is all ready on the BBS, you will have call back to the BBS, find the message that has the attached file, and then download the file.

The Mail-reader and MIME programs are available for downloading from the BBS. In my own tests, attached files larger than about 60K sent to the BBS are normally converted to the MIME format, even if you use the uuencode on the sending end. Also, there is no size or message limit to your BBS account.

To use the E-Mail forwarding, just send a message to with the message of where you would like the mail forward to. The BBS E-Mail address is < .

There are also 100 UseNet conferences carried. By using a Mail Reader program, you can download the conference of interest, and read off-line. If there is a conference not carried, just leave a message to the sysop.

To access the BBS from Windows 95, use the HyperTerminal program in the Accessories group, create a new session for BlueChips BBS, use the phone number 581-8339, and use the ANSI protocol. The BBS can be access from 6:00 - 8:30 A.M. for BlueChips members and from 6:00 - Midnight for anyone. (Do Not use the Dial-Up Networking for accessing the BBS. This is only used for your ISP provider.)

If you have never called before, just follow the on-line prompts. Verify yourself by using the callback program. You can even verify your BlueChips membership by using the membership verification program. All you need is your Membership number. If you have problems, just leave a message to the sysop to be manually verified.

These services are available as part of your BlueChips membership. Please take advantage of them.

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[Save a Penny image]
This column features special offers to Blue Chip members.

Proof of paid up membership is required.

PowerQuest Corporation
Partition Magic new Version 4 - $30;
Drive Image ver 2 - $30; and
DriveCopy ver. 2 - $15
Special order forms available at general meeting.

Vertigo Technology 1.888.4.VERTIGO,
email info@vertigo3d.com,
Web www.vertigo3d.com
Vertigo 3D HotTEXT for Adobe Photoshop
$69(srp $199)
Vertigo 3D Words for Adobe Illustrator
$49(srp $119) both at once for $99

Yeah Write for Windows.
The standard pricing is $19 for the Internet version (no media or manual),
and $29 + $5 shipping and handling for the boxed version.
Mention the August Blue Chip Magazine User Group review when you call to order,
and Word Place won't charge you for shipping.
We're also offering two copies for $34 (shipping included) to user group members from now until the end of September.
Order number is 1-800-549-5682.

PC Hardware Diagnostics
TuffTEST self booting automatic desktop testing, down load for $9.95
TuffTEST Pro Professional level testing, down load for $29.95
product info & download info at:
http://ezgate.com/w/t?4

Adobe User Group Offers
1-800-888-6293, offer # 35701
PhotoDeluxe 2.0 $39
Type Twister 1.0 $19
PhotoDeluxe Business Edition $69
PageMill 3.0 $69

Xerox's Pagis Pro 97 $99,
scanning software suite includes TextBridge Pro(OCR),
product info at Order through PC Connection 1-800-800-5555 reference SKU # 36151(double check pricing)

PLANET ART LIQUIDATION SALE
$10/CD many titles available order on-line at or call
1-800-200-3405

ChromaGraphics' MagicMask for $79.95 +s/h $6,
a mask and selection tool compatible with Photoshop 3.0 plug-in API or later.
Product information on form or Order via the WEB
FAX 1-415-375-1118, or call 1-888-8CHROMA

ATTENTION MEMBERS

Want to Put yourself in front of perspective employers,
but you do not want your present employer to know if you are looking?

Or, do you want to see if there is some technology job out there you might be interested in?

If so, Blue Chips members can submit a resume to a technology recruiting specialist who will present it to the appropriate employers who are actively (but privately) recruiting in the Wasatch Front. As a service to our members, resumes will be sent to the recruiter with your choice of how it will be handled.

No matter the option chosen, anything you submit will be treated confidentially.

Please send your resume either as part of the e-mail or as an attached file to resume@ucs.org

Information needed for us to handle this for you:

  1. Your Name, address, telephone, and e-mail address
  2. How you want to be treated Confidential or Normal
  3. Your current salary, and desired salary
  4. If you can commute or relocate - how far/where to
  5. Resume should include Skills, Education, and Experience (detail is very useful)

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[Software Review Image]

By Donna Nendell, Review Program Manager and Don Nendell, Editor

Items Available For Review

To sign up to review an article, call Donna Nendell at 565-9594 or E-mail me at donna.nendell@aros.net .

Hexen II Mission Pack from Activision - After the fall of Edolon, a brutal winter smothers the land - the work of the nefarious wizard, Praevus, who now schemes to harness the darkest powers of the Serpent Riders. Who will dare impede him? Be you the Necromancer, the Assassin, the Paladin, or the scornful Demoness - former minion of Eidolon with a lust for revenge - you must wreak havoc against the wizard and defeat his evil vision. Lest you be numbered among the dead at his wretched victory. Full version of Hexen II required to operate.

LiveArt 98 from Viewpoint - Clipart you can move! Flexible art for Desktop Publishing, Advertisements, Business Cards, Presentations, Web Pages, Invitations, Reports, Flyers and more... Thousands of digital objects you can re-size, relight, spin around and automatically draw in many familiar artistic and graphic styles for all documents. You don't have to be an artist to create beautiful illustrations in seconds.

Mechwarrior 2 - The Titanium Trilogy from Activision - Introducing the ultimate collector's edition of the #1-selling 3-D combat simulator series - Now equipped with an enhanced 3-D graphics engine. The Titanium trilogy includes the all-new hardware accelerated and original versions of the award-winning series. Unleash and arsenal of gameplay advantages: Boosted frame-rates, stunning texture-mapped graphics, dazzling 16-bit color and Windows 95-native multi player mayhem.

MerriamWebster's Collegiate Dictionary and Thesaurus, Network Edition Release 1.0 - Windows network users can now access two products in one powerful program the full text of MerriamWebster's Collegiate® Dictionary and MerriamWebster's Collegiate® Thesaurus.*

Microsoft FrontPage 98 At a Glance from Microsoft Press (Book) - {mspress.microsoft.com} - Microsoft FrontPage 98 At a Glance is for anyone who wants to begin web publishing with Microsoft FrontPage 98. You'll find this book to be a straightforward, easy-to-read reference tool. With the premise that web publishing isn't something only the experts can (or should) do, this book's purpose is to help you get your work done quickly and efficiently so that you can focus your web publishing efforts on the most important and more enjoyable parts of web publishing: finding, packaging, and presenting interesting or useful information.

No Computerese! Let's face it - when there's a task you don't know how to do but you need to get it done in a hurry or when you're stuck in the middle of a task and can't figure out what to do next, there's nothing more frustrating than having to read page after page of technical background material. You want the information you need - nothing more, nothing less - and you want it now! And it should be easy to find and understand.

Microsoft Internet Explorer Resource Kit from Microsoft Press (Book) - {mspress.microsoft.com} - The professional's companion to Microsoft Internet Explorer 4. This exclusive Microsoft collection provides complete technical information on Microsoft Internet Explorer version 4 for the network administrator, the support professional, and the Internet service provider. The Microsoft Internet Explorer Resource Kit gives you a technical resource guide packed with authoritative information and an indispensable CD-ROM containing Microsoft Explorer and Microsoft Internet Explorer Administration Kit . The CD also offers valuable utilities, accessory programs and source code that help you save time and accomplish more.

Microsoft Widows 95 Step by Step from Microsoft Press (Book) - {mspress.microsoft.com} - Microsoft Widows 95 Step by Step helps you quickly and efficiently learn how to use Microsoft Windows 95. The easy-to-follow lessons include clear objectives and real-world business examples so you can learn exactly what you need to know, at your own speed. With Microsoft Widows 95 Step by Step, you'll learn how to: Rapidly master the Windows 95 environment using the mouse and desktop tools, Start programs and create documents and files, Find answers quickly with Windows 95 Help, Set up, organize, and easily locate files and folders, Customize your menus and create shortcuts to programs and files, Manage multiple open programs and share information between different programs, Create graphics with Paint, Work with your computer on a network, Use Windows 95-based programs individually and together and Exchange information with other computers using telecommunication features. Practice Files Disk included.

Quake II Mission pack The Reckoning from Activision - You are part of an elite commando force that must infiltrate a hostile alien city. Once inside, you must scour industrial landscapes, crawl through waterways and air ducts, navigate treacherous canyons teeming with vicious mutants, stow away on an alien space craft, navigate treacherous canyons teeming with vicious mutants, stow away on an alien spacecraft, and destroy the enemy's moon base. Full version of Quake II required to operate.

ReachOut® Enterprise from Stac - ReachOut® Enterprise is the remote control solution designed for today's business needs. The only remote control product specifically designed for the enterprise, ReachOut Enterprise delivers superior compatibility, reliability, and ease of use, so it can be seamlessly integrated into enterprise environments with little or no impact on existing operations. Use ReachOut for remote control and file transfer on your company's network, or with just about any other convenient connection type. ReachOut Enterprise is the ideal solution for... helpdesk environments, can support multiple users from a single workstation. Whether your helpdesk customers are on-site or at remote locations, you can quickly and easily take control of their machines and solve their problems. ReachOut can even run automatically as a service on any desktop, requiring no intervention from remote users. ReachOut Enterprise provides after-hours workers, telecommuters, and business travelers with easy access to the office. Remote access users can connect to their office computers from anywhere and work as if they were actually there. File synchronization. ReachOut RapidSyncTM technology updates folder contents for you, so synchronizing your files couldn't be easier. Use ReachOut Enterprise to update files on remote computers and make sure that your users have access to the information they need. Intranet management. ReachOut PassportTM plugs into any Web browser, giving you quick access to remote computers from anywhere on the corporate Intranet. With ReachOut Passport, your helpdesk travels with you.

Replica Single Server Edition from Stac - Fast, Easy Server Recovery for Windows NT server 3.51 & 4.0. Features complete, secure disaster recovery and tape backup, Object replication Technology for live, ultra fast replication, Recover individual files from any desktop, Full 7/24 availability eliminates business interruptions, Instant volume replication protects against data changes during backup, Live web server protection and more. Stac - the worldwide leader in reliable data protection.

Replica Intranetwork Edition from Stac - Stac's Replica Intranetwork Edition offers complete, secure disaster recovery and tape backup protection for businesses or branch offices running high performance or multi-server NetWare environments. Compared to legacy file-by-file backup programs, Replica is a superior solution allowing you to store and protect data more reliably, efficiently and economically than ever before. Replica is the fastest data protection software available today. Plus, it's exceptionally easy to use. And you'll find Replica's time and money saving opportunities to be extraordinary!

RemoveIt 98 by Quarterdeck - DID YOU KNOW your hard drive is being bombarded with garbage? Every time you install an application, surf the Internet, download files, receive e-mail, or install a CD-ROM, electronic debris gets dumped and scattered all over your hard drive. All this junk quickly builds up, wasting valuable disk space and slowing down your PC's performance. And worst of all, you never know where to look or how to find all of this stuff. That's why you need RemoveIt 98, to easily find and clean up the garbage, so you can get back all that lost disk space! It's Easy! Who wants to waste tons of time rummaging through a hard drive, when RemoveIt 98 will quickly and easily do it for you?

SearchPad for Win95/Win NT Version 1.1 from Technocratix Inc. - The first in a family of products from Satyam Spark Solutions, SearchPad searches, gathers, organizes, analyzes and presents on-line information in an easy to understand format. SearchPad is the first tool of its kind to support interactive user feedback to filter and deliver organized information. With SearchPad you gain more control over the information explosion occurring on the Net.

Spell Catcher by Casady & Greene - Spell Catcher is the Universal, Interactive Spell Checker, Thesaurus & Shorthand Glossary. Write anywhere with confidence! Spell Catcher works seamlessly with all PC applications - including e-mail. Interactive Spelling "watches" while you type, alerting you when a spelling error, double word, or capitalization error occurs. It makes alternate spelling suggestions on the spot. Batch spell-checking will check an entire document for errors, then paste all the corrections in at once. Speed up your typing by using shorthand macros for your commonly used phrases. Spell Catcher automatically expands your shorthand notes. Type "vty" and it immediately becomes "Very truly yours." Automate your signature line! "Js" becomes John Smith, Sales Associate." It's so convenient!

Wedding Kit from MGI Software - Create wedding memories with your photos and computer! Make your own invitations, album covers, wine labels and more. Comes complete with 5 free "Photos-To-Disk Coupons", MGI PhotoSuite SE Software and MGI PC Wedding Kit Idea Guide. Share your memories with friends and family.

To review ANY OF THE ABOVE listed products:
Phone: Donna Nendell 565-9594
E-Mail: donna.nendell@aros.net
Fee: $5.00 S/H

3rd URGENT NOTICE!
The following product reviews are overdue. Please turn them in immediately or return the product. Blue Chips may not receive future releases if a review is not published. Our review program depends on released product reviews appearing in this magazine. Please give us your cooperation! 

Age of Empires     Justin Hatch 
Squiggle           Mike Lewis 
EZ PhotoReader     Joe Brame 
On Target 2.0      Lauryn Wingate 
PaperBridge 3.0    Max Holloway 
Presto! PhotoAlbum Gena Roe 
J Builder Pro V1.0 Bill Harris 
Let's Pretend Volume 5      Mariam Hatch 
Legal Collection for Win95  Charles Stepheson 
Crash Course Win95/NT 4.0   Robert Wyss

If you know any of the above mentioned members, please contact them and ask them to either submit a review or return the product. You will be helping yourself and Blue Chips by taking this action!

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Protecting Algorithms With Patents

by John Ogilvie

Under U.S. patent law, an invention is patentable only if it is "statutory subject matter." It must also be novel, useful, not obvious, and properly described in a patent application. The Patent Act and related judicial opinions provide extensive guidance on the meaning of each of these requirements. In this column, we focus on the statutory subject matter requirement.

The Patent Act lists four categories of patentable subject matter: processes, machines, manufactures, and compositions of matter. The United States Supreme Court has identified three categories of subject matter which are not patentable: laws of nature, natural phenomena, and abstract ideas. For instance, a process for using gravity to create electric power would be statutory subject matter (and hence patentable if it is also new, useful, not obvious, and properly described) but the law of gravity itself is not patentable. Nor can one patent an abstract mathematical description of the law of gravity.

The prohibition on patents for abstract ideas has been applied to software inventions in the form of a prohibition against patenting "mathematical algorithms." Unfortunately, the law initially gave little guidance to inventors and patent attorneys who needed a practical definition of the term "mathematical algorithm." Some ignored the "mathematical" limitation altogether, or viewed any numeric computation as mathematical, thereby treating "mathematical algorithm" as equivalent to "algorithm." This was not proper. Algorithms are processes, and processes are clearly patentable. As the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit noted, "every stepbystep process, be it electronic or chemical or mechanical, involves an algorithm in the broad sense of the term."

Other courts treated "mathematical" as the opposite of "physical" and refused patent protection for inventions involving software unless the software used hardware to produce physical results. This provided protection for industrial control algorithms and the like, but denied protection to innovative algorithms that transformed data in useful ways. Protection was denied in spite of the fact that a piece of specialpurpose hardware designed to do the same processing could have been patented.

Happily, the Federal Circuit has moved away from the view that anything which is not "physical" is necessarily "mathematical" and hence an unpatentable abstract idea. In a recent case involving software for allocating pooled mutual fund assets to set share prices, the Court recognizes that an algorithm may be patentable subject matter if it produces "a useful, concrete and tangible result." As examples of such results, the Court cites a smooth waveform produced by mathematical calculations, an analysis of electrocardiograph signals, and, in the case at hand, a final mutual fund share price that is momentarily fixed for recording and reporting purposes. The claims in the mutual fund share price case involved a computer configured with software to perform the algorithm, but the same analysis should apply to process claims for the algorithm itself.

In short, the patentability of an algorithm now depends on its practical utility, not on questions such as whether it controls industrial machinery or performs numeric calculations. Of course, the requirements of novelty, nonobviousness, and proper description must also be satisfied. But the time when algorithms were unpatentable in the U.S. simply because they were implemented in software appears, at last, to be behind us.

John W. L. Ogilvie is a Registered Patent Attorney and founder of the Computer Law++ law firm. He can be reached at (801) 355- 0828 or email jwlo@LawPlusPlus.com.More information is available at http://www.lawplusplus.com. LAWPLUSPLUS is mark, and Law++ and COMPUTER LAW++ are federally registered marks of John Ogilvie. Copyright 1998 John Ogilvie. All Rights Reserved.

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