Return-Path: Received: from asio.cia dot com (asio.cia dot com [209.197.145.101]) by mail. (Weasel v1.20) for ; 22 June 2001 01:00:00 From: "Digest" To: "OS/2GenAu Digest" Date: Fri, 22 Jun 2001 01:00:00 +1000 (EDT) Reply-To: "OS2GenAu" Priority: Normal X-Mailer: CASMailer 1.0 for OS/2 Warp PPC 1.05/G4 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Subject: No. 96 Message-ID: <200106220100.000029G6atmail.> Date:- 22 June 2001 1================================================ From: "John Angelico" Date: Thu, 21 Jun 2001 12:18:59 +0900 (EST) Subject: Re: [os2genau] Woody's OFFICE Watch #6.29 - Subscription purchase examined Woody Leonhard reports on some gotcha's with the new MS Office-XP licencing subscription. It has implications for anyone in a multi-OS environment, BUT ALSO for anyone buying a second-hand computer "with licenced MS software" [Ha, Ha!!] in about 12 months. I have forwarded only the relevant bit at the start of his newsletter. If you want the rest, I quote from the Administrivia section: "please encourage your correspondents to send e-mail to wowatwopr dot com to get their own FREE subscription. Everyone is welcome! Yes, even you 'Softies. Tell your friends, your boss, even that weird guy in the corner cubicle, about WOW! Woody's OFFICE Watch Copyright 2001 by Peter Deegan. All rights reserved. ISSN 1328-1674." Notice the header, folks! Best regards John Angelico OS/2 SIG talldadatmelbpc dot org dot au or talldadatkepl dot com dot au ____________________________________________ > --==>> WOW -- WOODY's OFFICE WATCH <<==-- > Weekly advice and commiseration from > Woody Leonhard, Certified Office Victim > 20 June 2001 Vol 6 No 29 > Advertising [chomp] ed > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > The latest issue of Woody's Windows Watch includes detailed > information on getting rid of those %$#at! pop-under windows > on the Web - the advertising windows that slip in > underneath the pages that you're viewing. Of course, the > newsletter's free, as are all the Woody's Watches. To > subscribe with the same address that received this issue of > WOW, click here: > http://woodyswatch dot com/windows/subscribe.asp?e=talldadatpobox dot com dot au > (or mailto:wwwatwoodyswatch dot com). > > 1. Why buy the subscription version? > 2. Outlook 2002 Command Line Switches > 3. No Bugs > 4. Where's WOPR? > 5. The Lounge - New Look 'n Feel > 6. Images Under Excel Charts > 7. Compuserve Mail and Outlook 2002 > 8. Excel Date Munging > 9. Administrivia > > >> Recover your IMPORTANT Office files at www.OfficeRecovery dot com << > Data recovery for Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Exchange files. > Modules available standalone and in handy OfficeRecovery suites. > Got Office? Get OfficeRecovery! Use yourself, tell a colleague. > *** Click http://www.OfficeRecovery dot com for a FREE demo *** > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > 1. WHY BUY THE SUBSCRIPTION VERSION? > Now that Office XP has been released we can finally look > through the important details of the subscription option > for buying Office XP which is available in some countries. > > With a subscription purchase you pay less but get the right > to use Office for 1 year only. At the end of a year you > have to pay another fee to renew your right to use Office > XP. If you don't renew the software will drop to a reduced > functionality mode where you can only view and print > documents. > > A close reading of the software license for subscriptions > reveals some hidden nasties that Microsoft hasn't talked > about. Most WOW readers we've talked to believe that the > rules for using the subscription and non-subscription > versions are the same except for the 12 month use > limitation. But that's definitely not the case. > > A subscription license is only for ONE computer - no more. > The usual license allows installation on one desktop and a > portable computer provided they are used by the same > person. You have to buy two subscriptions to replace your > existing dual-use license. > > In addition, a subscription license is NOT transferable. > Unlike the usual MS Office license you can't sell or > transfer it to someone else. If you want to know more > about the Office XP license check out > http://www.cheaperoffice dot com/html/EULArevealed.asp > > Microsoft's web site talks about a 'predicable annual fee', > but there's no information or warranty given about future > subscription prices so we can't see how it is 'predicable'. > There's no guarantee of the price in future years, it could > rise or fall in the future, you are effectively taking a > bet that it'll remain the same or go down. You'd be a > brave punter to believe that Microsoft will lower the price > of software where they have an overwhelming market share > and a largely captive audience. > > Subscriptions will get you future upgrades at no additional > cost - but there's no guarantee of the annual charges that > Microsoft will impose. The traditional license at least > fixes your cost with no unknowns in future years until you > choose to upgrade. That's important since many people > don't upgrade each version of Office, it's becoming more > and more common for people to 'skip' a version. ( At least > that's the theory, but we're suspicious enough to wonder > what tricky bundles or options Microsoft will come up with > to extract more money from subscribers at changeover time. > ) > > The full impact of the subscription prices and different > license is covered in an extended version of this article > that we've posted at our CheaperOffice dot com partners see > http://www.cheaperoffice dot com/html/Subscriptions_calc.asp > > On those numbers it looks like a no-brainer to us - the > usual purchase bundles (either Full purchase and especially > version upgrade) are generally better value with a known > cost base. That especially applies if you want to install > Office XP, quite legally, on two computers that you use. > Certainly it's hard to see how the subscription option is > 'a more affordable way to buy Office' as Microsoft > Australia alleges. > > The only people we think would benefit from the > subscription option are: > > - People or businesses operating a short-term project that > requires extra versions of Office XP for less than 12 > months. > > - Cash tight people or businesses who want a lower start-up > cost and are willing to take the risk of price rises in > future years. > > - People with a great concern for Microsoft's financial > position and have an overwhelming desire to contribute > extra money to the corporate coffers. > > We had thought that the subscription pricing would have > been much lower to encourage people to switch over to the > annual payment system. Instead the pricing and underlying > license is hardly compelling for anyone. > > See http://www.cheaperoffice dot com/html/Subscriptions_calc.asp > for an expanded version of this article. > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2============================================= Date: Thu, 21 Jun 2001 12:41:38 From: Voytek Eymont Subject: Re: [os2genau] Woody's OFFICE Watch #6.29 - Subscription purchase examined ** Reply to note from "John Angelico" Thu, 21 Jun 2001 12:18:59 +0900 (EST) > Woody Leonhard reports on some gotcha's with the new MS Office-XP > licencing subscription. John, I wasn't aware you can run Office under OS/2... ? Voytek Eymont SBT Information Systems Pty Ltd http://www.sbt dot net dot au/links/ phone +61-2 9310-1144 fax +61-2 9310-1118 3============================================= From: "Dr Graham Norton FRACP Neurologist" Date: Thu, 21 Jun 2001 15:19:10 +1100 (EDT) Subject: [os2genau] DOSCALL error I am attempting to install the IBM Software Choice Convenience pack V4.5 on a new PC - 6 G IDE drive with a 900Hz AMD CPU and 128Meg RAM, the install goes almost all the way through and indeed seems to get to the reboot and run point when it gives me an error on boot (not a trap as such - although the outcome is the same....!!!) and it mentions a DOSCALL error..... plus the usual info that one indeed sees with trap error. I have experienced this before and I seem to get it when I also attempted to install the same convenience pack on my 600X Thinkpad... I think it seems to be a problem with "fast" systems.... in my searches on the Internet I came across this posting.. is it relevant and can I apply it to my system in some way to overcome this bloody problem?? NEWCALLS for OS/2 by Carsten Arnold Version 1.04 eMail: C.ArnoldatTransnet.de URL: http://home.t-online.de/home/C.Arnold patch for pmmerge.dll The file PMMERGE.DLL opens the INI files with the flag OPEN_FLAGS_WRITE_THROUGH which has the consequence that these files are written uncached to the HD, so that the WPS is blocked partially quite a long while. IBM made for exaggerated safety reasons, in my opinion that is not necessary. This Tool goes back on an idea from Peter Fitzsimmons. At this the module entry DOSCALLS will replaced in pmmerge.dll by NEWCALLS. The NEWCALLS.DLL contains so-called Forwarder on all functions in DOSCALLS except DOS32OPEN, this function its by own _DOS32OPEN replaced. If opening files, _DOS32OPEN removes the flag OPEN_FLAGS_WRITE_THROUGH and calls then DOS32OPEN in DOSCALLS. I wrote now a Installer and shortened the file NEWCALLS.DLL somewhat (no, there now nothing is missing;-)). Supplementary product like DLLRNAME are more necessary. Installation: Start the Install.exe without parameter. The Installer checks the file PMMERGE.DLL and looks for the entry DOSCALLS. Then it copies file NEWCALLS.DLL into the directory X:\OS2\DLL, whereby X is the boot drive. Since the file PMMERGE.DLL normally in use and thus to write is locked, the installer unlock the DLL. Now the entry is replaced DOSCALLS by NEW CALLS. So that the modification becomes effective, a Reboot is necessary. It is not enough to start the WPS again. If against expect it to disturbances comes, you can deinstall NEWCALLS also again. Start InstNC.exe with the parameter /DeInst. The module entry NEWCALLS is replaced again through DOSCALLS and the file NEWCALL.DLL is deleted. A restart of the system becomes also here necessarily. This program is freeware. Graham Norton President OS2 Users Group SA 4============================================= Date: Thu, 21 Jun 2001 20:52:25 +1000 From: Ed Durrant Subject: Re: [os2genau] DOSCALL error The DOSCALL error, usually points to a driver error of some sort. I have used Newcall under Warp 4 but not under CP1. I would rather suspect the processor (AMD) rather than the DLL file. I have seen various postings suggesting the faster AMD processors may not be 100% Intel compatible - in fact they try to do things more efficiently, which is OK for some OSes but the likes of *nix, Novell and OS/2 tend to be more fussy. Unfortunately you can't try the install simply with an Intel chip as AMD use a different socket. What you could try, is to turn off all cache and reduce the amount of memory to under (or equal to) 64 MB. This would only be until you complete the Install process, then you could turn everything back on. Regards, Ed. Dr Graham Norton FRACP Neurologist wrote: > > I am attempting to install the IBM Software Choice Convenience pack V4.5 on a new PC - 6 G IDE drive with a 900Hz > AMD CPU and 128Meg RAM, the install goes almost all the way through and indeed seems to get to the reboot and run > point when it gives me an error on boot (not a trap as such - although the outcome is the same....!!!) and it mentions a > DOSCALL error..... plus the usual info that one indeed sees with trap error. 5============================================= From: "John Angelico" Date: Thu, 21 Jun 2001 21:49:48 +0900 (EST) Subject: Re: [os2genau] Woody's OFFICE Watch #6.29 - Subscription purchase examined On Thu, 21 Jun 2001 12:41:38, Voytek Eymont wrote: >** Reply to note from "John Angelico" Thu, 21 Jun 2001 12:18:59 +0900 (EST) > > >> Woody Leonhard reports on some gotcha's with the new MS Office-XP >> licencing subscription. > >John, > >I wasn't aware you can run Office under OS/2... ? Read what I said, Voytek: two scenarios. Multi-OS (Office-XP on a Win partition) and buying something secondhand in 12 month's time (when those wimpy "licences" will be expired and useless). But now that you mention it, Odin could make the scenario even more present tense (pun very deliberately intended). Best regards John Angelico OS/2 SIG talldadatmelbpc dot org dot au or talldadatkepl dot com dot au -------------------------------------------- PMTagline v1.50 - Copyright, 1996-1997, Stephen Berg and John Angelico .... Microsoft does nothing carelessly - except code! 6============================================= From: "Dr Graham Norton FRACP Neurologist" Date: Thu, 21 Jun 2001 21:53:05 +1100 (EDT) Subject: Re: [os2genau] DOSCALL error Hi ed the thing is that I am using a HD with WSeb already installed on the C Drive and I am trying to install Warp 4.5 on the D Drive.... the WSeb partition boots OK!! Perhaps I should cwap the HD into one of the WS PC at Work and load the OS and then put the HD back in the New machine?? On Thu, 21 Jun 2001 20:52:25 +1000, Ed Durrant wrote: >The DOSCALL error, usually points to a driver error of >some sort. > >I have used Newcall under Warp 4 but not under CP1. I would >rather suspect the processor (AMD) rather than the DLL file. > >I have seen various postings suggesting the faster AMD processors >may not be 100% Intel compatible - in fact they try to do things >more efficiently, which is OK for some OSes but the likes of *nix, >Novell and OS/2 tend to be more fussy. > >Unfortunately you can't try the install simply with an Intel chip >as AMD use a different socket. > >What you could try, is to turn off all cache and reduce the amount >of memory to under (or equal to) 64 MB. This would only be until >you complete the Install process, then you could turn everything >back on. > >Regards, > >Ed. > > > >Dr Graham Norton FRACP Neurologist wrote: >> >> I am attempting to install the IBM Software Choice Convenience pack V4.5 on a new PC - 6 G IDE drive with a 900Hz >> AMD CPU and 128Meg RAM, the install goes almost all the way through and indeed seems to get to the reboot and run >> point when it gives me an error on boot (not a trap as such - although the outcome is the same....!!!) and it mentions a >> DOSCALL error..... plus the usual info that one indeed sees with trap error. Graham Norton President OS2 Users Group SA 7============================================= Date: Thu, 21 Jun 2001 22:00:36 +0830 From: Leigh Bunting Subject: [os2genau] OS/2UGSA - June Meeting Advice Hi All, Again, sorry to those who get a double-post of this. Well, it looks as if the regular meeting of OS/2UGSA will proceed according to schedule next Tuesday night. ARPA have given the OK to have this last one at the old fee. Our committee member, Alan, got that out of them, at least, so we'll hear a bit more about it at the meeting. However, we are obliged not to use the heater, wear warm clothes!! The demo will be by Brian on RAMDrive. Tuesday 26th June, 7pm for 7.30 at ARPA, 84 Archer St, North Adelaide. See you there, Leigh Bunting Secretary OS/2UGSA 8============================================= From: "Dr Graham Norton FRACP Neurologist" Date: Thu, 21 Jun 2001 23:18:34 +1100 (EDT) Subject: Re: [os2genau] DOSCALL error Hi ed well I turned OFF anything in the BIOS that looked as though it was designed to "speed up" the system and left things tunred OFF if I had an option.. and bingo the installation went OK!! now I am faced with installing the 2 NIC cards and trying to set up the MPTN for the separate PC that will act as the Internet 'gateway' and firewall... On Thu, 21 Jun 2001 20:52:25 +1000, Ed Durrant wrote: >The DOSCALL error, usually points to a driver error of >some sort. > >I have used Newcall under Warp 4 but not under CP1. I would >rather suspect the processor (AMD) rather than the DLL file. > >I have seen various postings suggesting the faster AMD processors >may not be 100% Intel compatible - in fact they try to do things >more efficiently, which is OK for some OSes but the likes of *nix, >Novell and OS/2 tend to be more fussy. > >Unfortunately you can't try the install simply with an Intel chip >as AMD use a different socket. > >What you could try, is to turn off all cache and reduce the amount >of memory to under (or equal to) 64 MB. This would only be until >you complete the Install process, then you could turn everything >back on. > >Regards, > >Ed. > > > >Dr Graham Norton FRACP Neurologist wrote: >> >> I am attempting to install the IBM Software Choice Convenience pack V4.5 on a new PC - 6 G IDE drive with a 900Hz >> AMD CPU and 128Meg RAM, the install goes almost all the way through and indeed seems to get to the reboot and run >> point when it gives me an error on boot (not a trap as such - although the outcome is the same....!!!) and it mentions a >> DOSCALL error..... plus the usual info that one indeed sees with trap error. Graham Norton President OS2 Users Group SA