   ______                            _   __      __
  / ____/___  ____ ___  ____  __  __/ | / /___  / /____  _____
 / /   / __ \/ __ `__ \/ __ \/ / / /  |/ / __ \/ __/ _ \/ ___/
/ /___/ /_/ / / / / / / /_/ / /_/ / /|  / /_/ / /_/  __(__  ) 
\____/\____/_/ /_/ /_/ .___/\__,_/_/ |_/\____/\__/\___/____/  
                    /_/                                       
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date  : December 8, 1995  |CompuNotes is a weekly publication available
Issue : 27                |through email and many fine on-line networks.
--------------------------|We cover the IBM computing world with
CompuNotes is published   |software/hardware reviews, news, hot web
4Point, Inc.,             |sites, cool FTP files and interviews. We also
135 W. Adams, Suite G9    |give away one software package a week to a
St. Louis, MO 63122       |lucky winner for just reading our fine
(314) 984-9691 voice      |publication! Never dull, sometimes tardy, we
(314) 984-9981 fax        |are here to bring you the way it is!
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Backroom Workers:                            |We are always looking
Patrick Grote, Managing Editor (pg@supportu.com) |for people to write
Doug Reed, Games Editor (dreed@panda.uchc.edu)   |honest reviews for us.
Judy Litt, WebMaster (jlitt@aol.com)             |Send a message to
                                                 |REVIEW_LIST@supportu.com
-------------------------------------------------|for guidelines and
Every issue of CompuNotes ever published can be  |current products.
found at ftp.uu.net:/published/compunotes.       |First come, first served.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Our Web Site is at http://users.aol.com/CompNote/
------------------------------------------------------------------------
To subscribe, send a message to majordomo@rust.net with the command
subscribe compunotes your email address.
Example: subscribe compunotes you@you.com
To unsubscribe, send a message to majordomo@rust.net with the command
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Example: unsubscribe compunotes you@you.com
------------------------------------------------------------------------
This Week's Contents:

My Notes:
1) Editor positions, first software winner of the week and our new
masthead!

News:
1) Vault on the Internet
2) Holiday Software for Kids

Reviews:
1) Apache Flight Simulator, Doug Reed (dreed@panda.uchc.edu)
2) C++ by Symantec, Doug Reed (dreed@panda.uchc.edu)
3) MagnaRAM2, Dennis MacPherson (pctc@infi.net)

Web Sites:
1) Belching Contest
2) O'Reilly Web Site
3) New Mail Software

FTP File:
1) Figlet for Characters

Interview:
1) Humorous Article

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                             Patrick's News
         Being The Publisher and Managing Editor Has Its Perks!
------------------------------------------------------------------------
EDITOR POSITIONS|
-----------------
    The response to our call for editors received seven responses with
five people seriously considering the offers. Next issue we will have
bios and the introductions to the new editors. Thanks to all who
responded.

----------------
SOFTWARE WINNER|
----------------
    Our first software prize, ESPN'S WINNING SOCCER CDROM, goes to the
following person:

                            Jodyi99@aol.com

-------------
NEW MASTHEAD|
-------------
    Thanks to all of you who understood what I was looking for!
Amazingly enough we found a program called FIGLET. FIGLET lets you take
any ASCII characters and turn them into cool looking logos. We liked it
so much we made it the FTP file of the week!

------------------------------------------------------------------------
   NEWS OF THE WEEK| This section is dedicated to verified news . . .
       All News (C)opyright  Respective Owner - Will Only Reprint
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Like Having Your Own Vault On The Internet . . .|
-------------------------------------------------
    LOS ANGELES, Nov. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- NetBack, Inc. announces the
world's first internet-based Online Backup and Registration Service for
Computer Files.
    Customers access the NetBack servers through the Web and FTP to open
new accounts, save or register files, retrieve files, or check out the
directory of files they have saved.  Like having your own private vault
on the Internet, which only you can enter, where your files are waiting,
no matter when you need them, no matter what the emergency.
    NetBack's Online Registration also lets you register important files
so you can prove, if you have to, the time and date of their creation.
The registration system is the most convenient, most secure method for
protecting any copyrightable material, and for preserving time-and-date-
stamped proof of the contents of any file.  Invaluable for writers and
artists.  Also vital for businesses that may need to prove files have
not been altered since their creation -- for anyone who needs to prove
data authenticity.
    Designed to be used by millions of individuals, including SOHO
owners, who depend on uninterrupted access to the data in their
computers, NetBack's proprietary system allows users to back up their
files over the Internet, with a simple mouse-click.
    "In its most recent stage, the Internet's growth has been fueled by
its ability to entertain," says Fred Katz, NetBack's Co-founder and CEO.
"But people forget it was originally created as a secure means of moving
and storing information.  It was designed to withstand a nuclear attack.
It's time to tap the net's unique qualities to help people do essential
work.  Backup is essential for everyone who uses a computer.  The net
allows us to offer every computer user data protection that is more
useful, more user-friendly, and more secure, than that enjoyed by even
the largest companies, with the most extensive enterprise backup plans
in place.
    "Now, you can save your files, get them back whenever you want, 24
hours a day.  No matter what happens to your computer -- fire,
earthquake, damage, theft -- you'll have your files back instantly.
Just get to a computer that's linked to the Internet, and you're back in
business.  Not in days or hours, but in seconds."
    Katz, whose consulting company, Logic and Light, is one of the most
respected firms on Wall Street, has years of experience creating the
network architecture used by banks and brokerage houses to keep their
far-flung offices in touch with one another and with world markets.
    "NetBack's design empowers the individual," says Katz.  "Now,
everyone can have convenient, almost automatic data backup and
retrieval.  An executive can save files at the office, and retrieve them
at home, from a hotel room, even from a plane.  You encrypt your files
before sending them to us, so neither we nor anyone else can read them.
It's like having an offsite hard-disk, totally secure."
    How secure?  NetBack mirrors and duplexes every file it receives,
creating multiple copies instantly, on multiple servers, located miles
from one another.  Throughout the day, additional copies are taken to
bank vaults specially designed for data storage.  And, every file is
insured up to $100,000.
    For information about NetBack, Inc. is available at:
http://www.netback.com.

--------------------------------
Holiday Software for Kids . . .|
--------------------------------
    What's the savvy parent buying for kids this holiday season?
Software! CD-ROMs, interactive software and learning games are "in"
gifts for the little ones on your list. But how do you choose between
all the competing titles?
    Let Cathy Miranker and Alison Elliott help. They're the authors of
"The Computer Museum Guide to the Best Software for Kids," a new book
and companion web site with reviews of more than 200 products for
children age 2 - 12 (HarperPerennial, ISBN 0-06-273376-1, $16). Cathy
and Alison would be happy to share their top picks with your audience.
Don't miss this terrific holiday story.
    The authors have put together a tip sheet for holiday software
buyers which you'll find at ParentsPlace.com on the World Wide Web
(http://www.parentsplace.com).

------------------------------------------------------------------------
REVIEWS OF THE WEEK | Interesting software/hardware you may need . . .
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Product:        Apache                                               |
Reviewed By:    Doug Reed (dreed@panda.uchc.edu)                     |
----------------------------------------------------------------------
    It has been a long time since I've had access to a flight simulation
th at was fun.  In fact, the last one I remember being really fun was
Microprose's F-117 (also known as Stealth Fighter 2.0).  Oh sure, there
have been many simulations that have been released that were
considerably more accurate and/or graphically detailed, but they weren't
fun.  In my opinion, the simulations that were the most fun were
released by Microprose years ago, namely Gunship and the aforementioned
Stealth Fighter.  Until now, that is. Interactive Magic, a new software
company, has teamed up with Digital Integration, the guys who did
Tornado, to release a new simulation based on the AH-64 C/D Apache
Longbow helicopter. Should you be excited? Yes, you should.
    For those of you who don't know, Interactive Magic is headed up by
Wild Bill Stealey. Wild Bill used to own Microprose, back in the good
old days when they did Gunship and Stealth Fighter.  Wild Bill knows
what it means for a simulation to not only be accurate, but also to be
fun, so that it appeals not only to the hardcore flight buffs but also
to those of us who just want to climb into a cockpit and blast the bad
guys in a semi-realistic manner.  Although Microprose officially did a
sequel to Gunship, intitled Gunship 2000, Apache is the true son of the
original Gunship.
    Apache requires a minimum of a 486/33, a supported soundcard, and 8
megs of RAM. It is easily installed, even including instructions for
those with Windows 95 on how to install the program and set it up to run
in MS-DOS mode.  Once you start the program, the graphical detail can be
adjusted, as well as the resolution (from 320x200 to 640x480), sound
effects, music, joystick, etc...  Unlike most of the graphically
oriented programs released today,  Apache ran just fine on my 486DX250
with full graphical detail at the maximum resolution and all sound
effects on.  This is a tribute to the programmers; Apache is truly a
beauty to behold.  There are no bitmapped images in Apache, everything
is done in polygons, resulting in an environment that not only looks
reasonably realistic but does so at a speed that makes you feel as
though you are really doing 150 mph in an Apache helicopter.  All I can
say is: Wow.  I thought I was going to have to get a Pentium in order to
play a game that looked this good and moved this fast. I think I have to
say it again. Wow.  The sound you are hearing is my jaw dragging along
the floor.
    So how does it play, you ask?  Great.  Apache comes with two flight
modes, Arcade and Realistic, but I think most people will skip the
arcade mode after a few attempts when they realize just how easy the
Apache is to fly. Although helicopters sound like they are more
complicated to fly than airplanes,  it only takes a short while to
master the collective and cyclic controls before you are ready for
combat.  You can fly the helicopter from either the gunners or the
pilots seats, configuring the multifunction displays to show you the
critical information you need in the heat of battle.  In addition, you
can use either straight line of sight and helmet tracking systems to
spot your targets. The depth of detail in this game is amazing!  You can
also use the FLIR (Forward Looking InfraRed) during night or fog
missions.  Using authentic Apache tactics, you can approach from cover,
rise up and acquire your targets with radar, then lower back behind
cover and launch your radar guided Hellfires at up to ten different
targets. Once the missiles have almost reached their targets, you can
rise up from cover and use your radar to guide your missiles to their
targets.
    For those who prefer some training first, Apache offers several
tutorial missions which are performed around Fort Hood, Texas, which is
where real Apache pilots learn to fly.  Once you've mastered these,
there are three trouble spots based on areas thought to have potential
for future conflict: Yemen, Korea, and Cyprus.  Each increases in both
the difficulty of the opponents and the terrain that you fly in.  In
addition, Cyprus offers an additional challenge in that both sides use
Western equipment.  No easy targets here: is that M-113 a friendly or an
enemy?  Better make sure!  You can choose from a number of different
situations, including close support, search & destroy, recon, and escort
missions, or you can choose the campaign option.
    Finally, there is the ultimate challenge for flight jockeys
everywhere: the ability to go head to head with a live human opponent.
By linking two computers together by modem, direct cable link, or
network, you and a friend can duke it out; on a network, up to SIXTEEN
different players can play against one another.  Talk about your
dogfights!  You can also team up with your buddy, one of you taking the
position of pilot and the other of gunner, flying any of the single
missions in any of the combat areas.
    As you may have guessed, I really liked Apache.  This is definitely
the most exciting and fun simulation to come along in a quite awhile.
The graphics are beautiful, the flight is realistically modelled, and
the action is hot.  What more could you ask for?
 
                           Interactive Magic
                             P.O. Box 13491
                    Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
                             (919) 461-0948
                     A free demo can be downloaded
                     from http:\\www.happypuppy.com
 
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Product:        C++ 7.0 from Symantec                               |
Reviewed By:    Doug Reed (dreed@panda.uchc.edu)                    |
---------------------------------------------------------------------
    Symantec has released a new version of their C++ compiler, 7.0, with
all new bells and whistles to make it not just compete with the "big
boys" (Microsoft and Borland) but to surpass them. Version 7.0 allows
for programming in DOS, extended DOS, Windows 3.1, Windows NT, and even
Windows 95.  The new version includes OPTLINK, Symantec's  linker
program that has been converted into a 32-bit program and, as a result,
is significantly faster than Microsoft's and Borland's build programs.
To rapidly create Windows-based applications, four new Express Agents
have been added, the Project Express, AppExpress, ClassExpress, and
VBXExpress.  All in all, this is one very powerful program.
    Symantec's C++ 7.0 has an all-new environment, based on source-level
parsing technology, to create the first true object-oriented environment
for C++.  Symantec has included two tools for working with the
information provided by this system, Class Editor and Hierarchy Editor.
The Class Editor provides you with a repository of classes and methods
and a work area in which methods can be examined and edited.  Using
Query Implementors, you can instantly find an implementation of the
class in question. The Hierarchy Editor gives you a visual demonstration
of the architecture of your application.  In addition, the Hierarchy
Editor is not simply a representation of your creation; you can directly
alter the structure of your application by dragging and dropping from
one class to another. The source code is changed instantly.
    Also new to version 7.0 is a Resource Studio.  The resource studio
is a OLE 2.0-based integrated suite of resource editors that allow you
to rapidly create user interfaces. Resource Studio offers direct .RES
and .EXE support, as well as a visual font editor and graphical version
editor.  By specifying what numerical ranges you prefer to the resource
editors, the resource management system can create interface IDs
automatically.
    As mentioned above, four Express Agents have been added to speed
creation of your Windows-based applications.  ProjectExpress asks a
series of questions and then generates a complete project setup for you.
AppExpress asks a number of questions relating to the type of
application you would like to create and then from this information can
create an application for you.  ClassExpress speeds the creation of
Windows-based applications by allowing you to rapidly add capabilities to
an application that uses Microsoft Foundation Classes.  Finally,
VBXExpress allows for easy access and manipulation of VBXs.
    The most revolutionary feature of Symantec's C++ 7.0, however, is
NetBuild. NetBuild allows you to use C++ over a network to build
applications. NetBuild intelligently shares resources between
developers, allowing for multiple developers to work on individual
applications or on the same application simultaneously. Using servers
for compilation and linking over a network allows for much faster build
times. NetBuild even works in a heterogeneous environment (for example,
machines running different OSs, such as Windows 3.11, NT, or 95, can all
be part of one NetBuild system). NetBuild alone should allow for
significantly faster creation of applications in a group environment.
    Keep in mind that I am still relatively new to the programming game.
Although I have extensive knowledge of BASIC and some PASCAL, I have
only recently begun to tackle C/C++.  But this package seems to me to be
a very powerful one.  It includes on the CD the entire documentation for
the Microsoft Foundation Classes, as well as the documentation for
Symantec C++ 7.0. This documentation appears to be very comprehensive,
although it fails to include a tutorial for us beginners.  What I can
comment on, though, is that the entire package appears to work
seamlessly and very efficiently. The editor works very well, doing a
good job of coloring and indenting syntax for easy identification. Find
features both in the editor and toolbox worked very well for locating
troublesome bits of code. The ExpressAgents do wonders for speeding up
creation of Windows-based applications. The graphical interface of
version 7.0 is also very pleasing to eye and easy to follow; finding
what I needed in order to edit, debug, or test programs was very easy to
find and customize to my needs.
    The bottom line: I think that if you are in the market for a
application development tool, this is what you are looking for. If you
aren't in the market but you work in a company where application
development is a must and you have a network of computers, version 7.0
is worth getting any way because of NetBuild.  I think NetBuild alone
will make Symantec C++ 7.0 a big seller, although I would imagine that
Microsoft and Borland will be hurrying to play catch up. For those of
you with Windows 95, be sure to send in your registration card when you
buy 7.0 because Symantec is offering a free upgrade of 7.0 to 7.2 for
Windows 95. Version 7.2 has been certified fully Windows 95-compliant by
Microsoft, and will include support for the all new Windows 95 controls
and the Windows 95 SDK.  Congratulations to Symantec, for releasing a
quality piece of software that will be a developer's must-have!
 
                          Symantec Corporation
                           10201 Torre Avenue
                          Cupertino, CA 95014
                             (800) 441-7234
                        http://www.symantec.com

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Product:        MagnaRAM2                                            |
Reviewed By:    Dennis MacPherson (pctc@infi.net)                    |
----------------------------------------------------------------------
    MagnaRAM2 is classified as a "memory doubler" program. It works by
constantly compressing data, both in RAM and on the hard disk, thus
providing significant amounts of additional Windows memory for your
programs. Let me quickly say up front, it doesn't "double" your RAM. At
least it didn't double mine. But it did improve the performance of
Windows95 as well as Windows 3.1. I ran some tests that proved it for
me.
    I conducted several experiments on two totally different systems.
System A was a late model '386 with 4 megs of RAM and an old Seagate
120M hard drive. A chugger running Windows 3.1 and Norton's Desktop.
Great DOS machine. System B was a newer '486 with 16 megs, 500+ hard
drive, and Windows95. No Norton (yet). State of the art, quick, and
fully loaded.
    Installation, as expected, was very easy on both machines. The only
difference was the addition of an 'uninstaller' utility on System A and
not on System B. Windows95 takes care of uninstalling applications if
they are true Windows95 compliant, as MagnaRAM2 indeed is.
    On the '386 I used 'About Program Manager' to get an idea of what
was going on while running MagnaRAM. First, with MagnaRAM disabled, old
System A showed 3,818K Free and 80% free resources (for this review,
designated as 3818/80). That gave me a starting point, even though the
affects of MagnaRAM aren't really seen until you do something! So I
proceeded to open things up: first, WordPerfect 5.1 in DOS (3148/78);
next WordPerfect 6.0 in DOS (2221/60); then WordPerfect 6.0 in Windows
(1460/60); then I tried to open Paint Brush but ran out of memory.
    Using MagnaRAM's button bar, I enabled the program by clicking on a
button for "default" settings. I was prompted to restart Windows, which
I did. With MagnaRAM enabled, my starting position was 5722/78; more RAM
but slightly fewer resources. Repeating the procedure described above I
got 4983/77 with WP5.1, 3788/60 with WPWIN60, and 3253/60 with WP6.0.
Opening Paint Brush at that point was a piece of cake.
    Result: definitely more RAM on System A with MagnaRAM enabled.
Statistically significant more RAM? Who knows? But, the old '386 seemed
to be able to handle more programs at the same time with Quarterdeck's
software than without.
    With System B, I had a real life experiment to perform. If MagnaRAM
helped this situation, I would be elated. A client has an application in
Quattro Pro that loads a 13.7M file. With 16M of RAM, my '486 refused to
even load the thing. There just wasn't enough virtual memory to go
around. With MagnaRAM enabled, the massive spreadsheet loaded easily
with room to spare. Quarterdeck came through again. Further informal
experimentation on System B consisted of opening several applications
like Word, WordPerfect's Presentations, and PaintShop Pro, and cutting
and pasting large graphic images between and among the open apps.
Without MagnaRAM's help, I always managed to lock up the system. It
still locks up, but I really have to push it. When I boot up and check
Windows95's general system screen, it thinks I have 20M of RAM
installed. Hardly doubled. But I'm satisfied with MagnaRAM's overall
performance none the less.
    One negative observation while using MagnaRAM: small, almost
imperceptible delays, sometimes, when moving from screen to screen or
window to window. I suspect the pause is due to MagnaRAM's constant
compression of memory headed for the hard drive. On the plus side, it
means fewer swap file hits and overall faster performance.
    The reviews I've seen of Quaterdeck's competitors, SoftRAM and
RAMDoubler, have all been negative. I'm not even going to try them. I'll
keep MagnaRAM on my system until something better comes along.
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
WEBSITES OF THE WEEK! | This section is devoted to cool WebSites . . .
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Most Disgusting Site . . . |
--------------------------------
                Just in time for the upcoming holidays!
         Vent competitively in any language.  No restrictions!

    Unlimited age classes and non-gender biased.  ABSOLUTELY FREE.
Healthy and EVERYBODY KNOWS JUST HOW REFRESHING IT REALLY IS,..........
 
                IT'S THE WORLD WIDE B-B-BELCH CONTEST!!
 
                           FOR INSTRUCTIONS:
             http://www.seanet.com/Users/tberry/belch.html
 
---------------------------
O'Reilly's Web Site . . . |
---------------------------
    November 8, 1995, Sebastopol, CA - O'Reilly & Associates announced
today the upcoming release of their 1.1 upgrade to the award-winning
WebSite(TM), a 32-bit multi-threaded World Wide Web server for Windows
NT and 95. WebSite 1.1 will ship in January, 1996.
    WebSite 1.1 is the first upgrade to WebSite 1.0, winner of the
Dvorak award for Outstanding Web Server Software. It includes numerous
new features such the HotDog HTML editor; multiple search indexes;
HTML-3 support; Server Side Includes (SSI); easy Windows 95-type
installation; and Visual Basic 4 framework for Common Gateway Interface
(CGI). WebSite 1.1 also includes a detailed 400-page book, "Building
Your Own WebSite," with complete documentation of the new features.
    The WebSite development team of independent developer Bob Denny and
Enterprise Integration Technologies (EIT), Inc. / VeriFone has created
new features and made significant improvements to many existing WebSite
features. "Our users asked for power and simplicity," said Gina Blaber,
Director of the Software Products Group for O'Reilly & Associates. "The
new wizards, the HotDog editor, and the completely graphical interface
please our novice users. Advanced users appreciate the CGI Visual Basic
4 framework, integrated support for virtual servers, and automated
access control."

                            UPGRADE PROGRAM
 
    O'Reilly & Associates has announced a special upgrade program for
current users. The list price of WebSite 1.1 is $499, the same price as
WebSite 1.0.
    For customers who have purchased WebSite 1.0 before October 1: the
upgrade price for WebSite 1.1 is $55 (shipping is free in U.S. only). If
customers register and order the WebSite 1.1 upgrade by November 20,
they will receive a pre-release version of the WebSite 1.1 software on
CD-ROM by mid-December. They will receive the WebSite 1.1 upgrade kit,
including disks and book, when WebSite 1.1 ships in January.
    For customers who purchase and register as WebSite 1.0 users on or
after October 1, 1995: the upgrade to WebSite 1.1 is free (shipping is
free in U.S. only). Note: these customers will not receive the
pre-release CD. Proof of date of purchase is required.
 
                              NEW FEATURES
 
    WebSite 1.1 includes several outstanding new features. HotDog
Standard is an HTML editor that supports text formatting, linkbuilding,
tables, and forms. It contains an online tutorial covering all its main
features.  With Server Side Includes (SSI), the user can combine static
and programmed documents on-the-fly, so common document components are
easier to maintain.  Users can create multiple indexes for their web.
WebFind's new wizard lets the user specify Find options available to
people searching the site.  Users can print a schematic view of their
web contents and links using WebView.
    WebSite 1.1 builds upon WebSite's well-known CGI. The upgraded
product supports a Visual Basic 4 framework (CGI32.BAS) with sample
applications. This full 32-bit CGI program capability significantly
improves the speed and efficiency of working with spreadsheets,
databases, and other programs. WebSite 1.1 also supports server-push
applications.  The product has a new graphical interface for creating
virtual servers (also known as multihoming or creating multiple home
pages). This makes it easy for users to set multiple IP addresses,
assign hostnames and URL prefixes, and keep track of each identity.
    Other WebSite 1.1 improvements include expanded logging
capabilities, support for HTML-2, -3, and Netscape extensions, and the
new Mosaic 2.1 Web browser.
 
                          WEBSITE PROFESSIONAL
 
    WebSite Professional, shipping in Q1, 96, includes all WebSite 1.1
features, along the two major Web cryptographic security systems, Secure
Hypertext Transfer Protocol (S-HTTP) and Secure Sockets Layer (SSL).
This complete Web server security solution includes digital signatures
and privacy for the exchange of payment information, personal
identification, and intellectual property. WebSite Professional also
includes a new WebSite Application Programming Interface (API) and other
features.
    The price for WebSite Professional has not yet been set.
                            #  #  #
    WebSite is a trademark of O'Reilly & Associates. WebView and WebFind
are trademarks of Enterprise Integration Technologies, Inc. / Verifone.
HotDog is a trademark of Sausage Software. Mosaic is a trademark of the
University of Illinois. Spyglass is a trademark of Spyglass, Inc. All
other brands are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective
holders.
                   Sales/product information contact:
                            Customer Service
                              707/829-0515
------------------------
New Email System . . . |
------------------------
    Software.com, Inc. Announces First Web Administered Server-based
E-mail Product With Unprecedented Ease of Use, Security Innovation
    Santa Barbara, Calif., October 30, 1995-Software.com(tm), a pioneer
in Internet infrastructure development tools, today announced
post.office(tm), an easy-to-use and secure electronic mail (e-mail)
software package ideal for users and administrators in small to large
businesses.  The new product reduces and simplifies the administrative
demands found in other server-based e-mail packages, and provides
uncompromised security for system and mail operations.
    post.office utilizes no legacy mail system technologies, which gives
it a significant competitive edge over other e-mail solutions that are
based on the old and unreliable code.  After 15 months of rigorous beta
testing, more than 1,000 organizations ranging from companies to
Internet service providers to universities have successfully integrated
and adopted the solution into their day-to-day operation for worldwide
Internet communications.
    "When we first conceived post.office in 1993, our belief was that
the Internet would be the main vehicle for e-mail communications in the
future, and proprietary solutions would quickly become the Achilles'
heel for those wishing to leverage the Internet for their business,"
said John MacFarlane, president of Software.com.  "post.office addresses
the needs of the systems administrator, whether in a five person
start-up or a multi-site operation, who is faced with the challenge of
managing e-mail on a global scale.  We have the solution that addresses
their biggest requirements:  ease-of-use, remote administration, high
performance, and most of all, security."
    In addition, post.office is platform independent and utilizes open
standards based on Internet protocols.  By avoiding slow and cumbersome
gateways, post.office achieves higher performance levels including a
faster message transfer rate.  It's available on Microsoft Windows NT
(Intel, MIPS) and the UNIX (Solaris 2, SunOS4) operating systems and
incorporates simple mail transfer protocol (SMTP), post office protocol
(POP3) and finger servers.
    Designed for worldwide Internet use, post.office will support
multiple languages including those of Europe and Asia.  In the future,
the company plans to port to other Windows NT platforms, such as Alpha
and PowerPC, and other operating systems, such as UNIX BSD, HP/UX, IBM
AIX and SGI IRIX.
 
                             User Response
    Numerous companies are using post.office as their preferred e-mail
package.
    "post-office is by far the most feature rich and easily configured
e-mail solution I've seen," said Bill Landry, Manager of Information
Systems, Questar Microsystems, an Internet Service provider.  "The
system is flexible, yet powerful.  It is obvious that building security
into the system was a priority."
 
                Ease of Use for Administrators and Users
    post.office is the first e-mail system to offer remote management
capability from any computer.  By utilizing "fill-in-the-blank" e-mail
or world wide web forms for managing user accounts and configuring the
system, the administrator has access to the system from anywhere on the
Internet.  For example, when a form is completed, the administrator
simply submits it to the system using any popular web browser, and
post.office automatically executes the changes.  Users can also benefit
from the ease of Web forms management to change certain aspects of their
e-mail account, such as vacation messages and directory information.
This feature gives more control to the user and reduces the work load of
the administrator.
 
  Security Advances Lock Out Trespassers at the System and Mail Levels
    post.office is designed with a collection of security rich features
never before found on a server-based e-mail product. First, it operates
independently of the host computer system which makes it virtually
impossible for outsiders to infiltrate the main system via the
electronic mail program.
    In addition, the program does not require a login account for the
host computer, and does not run with root or administrator privileges.
Second, it combines several preventative features to deter access,
reverify and match information, and warn administrators of users
attempting to trespass into private computing systems.  Preventative
features include:  varied password protections for administrative tasks;
limited set of forms per users; user and administrator access
restriction to specific domains or hosts; and user form requests
compared to an account database for validation.
 
                   Pricing, Availability and Support
    post.office can be purchased immediately and is sold direct from
Software.com.  The product comes on disk or can be downloaded via file
transfer protocol (ftp) from Software.com's web site.  The product is
priced at $500 per server; there is no per client access fee.  The
manual is available online in hypertext or in the traditional hard copy
form.  Service and support is free from Software.com for the first 30
days; additional support can be obtained at a fee.  The company is
currently offering a 45 day free product trial.  It can be downloaded
from the company's web site at
 
                        http://www.software.com.
 
    Founded in 1993, Software.com is an Internet infrastructure tools
developer with a mission to create easy-to-use, feature rich and secure
software solutions for system administrators. The company is
privately-held and is located in Santa Barbara, Calif.  The company can
be reached at (805) 882-2470
 
      Software.com and post.office are trademarks of Software.com.

                           Contact - Art Rice
                              805-882-2470
                         art.rice@software.com

------------------------------------------------------------------------
COOL FTP FILE OF THE WEEK | You may need this file . . .
------------------------------------------------------------------------
       _____                  _  ,
      () |_ o  _, |\  __|_   / )/|
        /| || / | |/ |/ |     /  |
       (/   |/\/|/|_/|_/|_/  /__o|
               (|
Figlet  produces  big letters using  the 
ASCII character set,  like above.  Great 
for  sigs  and text file  headings.   16 
fonts and a font browser included. Free! 

      You can find this as FIGLET21.ZIP on the following FTP site:

              ftp.crl.com:/users/su/supportu/figlet21.zip

------------------------------------------------------------------------
INTERVIEW OF THE WEEK | Interesting people you should know about . . .
------------------------------------------------------------------------
    No interview this week. Just some humor . . .

                            Computer Trivia
                              Release 1.0
 
1. GW-BASIC stands for Gee Whiz BASIC.  So named because version 1.0
   actually worked on the 8080 processor.
 
2. The MZ header of .EXE files is the initials of one Mark Zbikowski,
   one of the principle architects of MS-DOS 2.0.
 
3. Intel didn't start with the 8086 and 8088 chips.  There was also a
   4004, 8008, 8080, and 8085 before those two.  And after the 8086 and
   8088, Intel made a 80186 and a 80188.
 
4. QDOS, an early operating system, stands for "Quick and Dirty Operating
   System".  This is because it was really small.
 
5. Apple didn't stop making the Apple computer after the Apple //C's and
   //E's and //GS's.  They also made an Apple 3 and had plans for an Apple
   4, which was possibly made.  However, the introduction of the Macintosh
   put these to rest.  Incidentaly, the C stands for Color, the E stands
   for Enhanced, and the GS stands for Graphics System(?).  The //E was
   released before the //C(?).
 
6. The language C evolved from a language call B, which evolved from a
   language called BCPL (Basic CPL), which evolved from CPL (Computer
   Programming Language).  Will C evolve into P, or maybe D?  Who knows.
 
7. Floppy disks come in many sizes.  When the PC was first being developed,
   12 inch disks were considered for a while, but were soon forgotten with
   the development of the 5 1/4 inch disks.
 
8. 5 1/4 inch floppies didn't always store 360kb or 1.2Mb of data.  The
   first 3 1/2's held 160kb.  This was then raised to 180kb, then 320kb,
   then 360kb, then 1.2Mb.  3 1/2's only hold 720kb, 1.44Mb, or 2.88Mb.
 
9. There are many different modem speed rates.  The valid ones are:
   50, 62.5, 75, 110, 134.5, 150, 200, 300, 600, 1200, 1275, 1800, 2000,
   2400, 3600, 4800, 7200, 9600, 12000, 14400, 19200, 28800, 38400, 56000,
   57600, 78600, 115200, and 330400 baud.
 
10. Lot's of computer illiterates roam the earth. (Take the author of this
    list for example!)  A keyboard company has started to make keyboards
    with a key labeled "ANY".  This key is for the idiots who call tech
    support asking: "It says 'Press any key to continue...' but I can't
    find the 'ANY' key!"  The key does nothing except issue a keypress.
 
11. Many of the odd and interesting low ASCII characters (0 - 31) date
    back to the old Wang computers which had those exact same arrows and
    smile faces.  ASCII 7 being the beep dates back all the way to the
    beginning of TTY's when Control G was the key combination to ring
    the bell.  Notice G is the 7th letter of the alphabet.  Control Z
    (EOF, End Of File), Control H (ASCII 8, Backspace), and Control M
    (ASCII 13, Carrige Return) also go back that far.  Who knows why
    those were picked for those specific functions....
 
12. CP/M-86 (Control Program for Microcomputers), a operating system
    first made for the 8080 and then the 8086/8088, has since evolved
    into DR-DOS (Digital Research-DOS) 6.x.
 
                            --END OF ISSUE--
