   ______                            _   __      __
  / ____/___  ____ ___  ____  __  __/ | / /___  / /____  _____
 / /   / __ \/ __ `__ \/ __ \/ / / /  |/ / __ \/ __/ _ \/ ___/
/ /___/ /_/ / / / / / / /_/ / /_/ / /|  / /_/ / /_/  __(__  ) 
\____/\____/_/ /_/ /_/ .___/\__,_/_/ |_/\____/\__/\___/____/  
                    /_/                                       
                         This Week's Contents:

My Notes:
1) Notes on Subscribing/Unsubscribing.
2) Follow Up on distribution . . .
3) Sysops, please read here . . .

News:
1) The Two Bills Go High Tech with Schools!
2) Apple Looks to the Education Market Again!

Reviews:
1) SEGA PC Games for the PC -- Reviewed by Jeffrey Bloss
   (jbloss@meadville.com)
2) SciFi CDROM Collection from Activision -- Reviewed by Mark
   Borst (mrb@imagesys.com)
3) Book: The Computer User's Survival Guide -- Reviewed by Richard
   Malinski (richard@acs.ryerson.ca)

Web Sites:
1) The Rainbow Company Cable Channels (www.Rainbow-networks.com)
2) The Military Hits the Web (http://www.elpress.com)

FTP File:
1) Olympiad Testing Software

Interview:
1) Ray's Web Ramblings . . .

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date  : February 25, 1996 |CompuNotes is a weekly publication available
Issue : 37                |through email and many fine on-line networks.
--------------------------|We cover the IBM computing world with
CompuNotes is published by|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 for
Patrick Grote, Managing Editor            |people to write honest,
(pgrote@basic.net)                        |concise reviews for us. Send
Doug Reed, Games Editor                   |a message to notes@basic.net
(dreed@panda.uchc.edu)                    |with REVLIST in the subject.
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(jlitt@aol.com)                           |writer's guidelines and a
Raymond Hines, Web Rambler                |list of available software
(solari@gate.net)                         |to review. Follow the
Paul Ferrill, Languages Editor            |instructions for requesting
(ferrill@teas.eglin.af.mil)               |software to review.
Dennis MacPherson, Utilities Editor       |-----------------------------
(pctc@infi.net)                           |   Go St. Louis Cardinals!
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Every issue of CompuNotes ever published can be found at the following
      ftp site: ftp.uu.net:/published/compunotes. Thanks to UUNET!
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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------------------------------------------------------------------------
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------------------------------------------------------------------------
                           SYSOPS READ HERE!

    Wanting to make CompuNotes available on as many BBS as possible, we
can't afford to call everyone's BBS every week. What we would like to do
is send those interested sysops a UUENCODED version for posting on their
BBS. If you can volunteer to receive the UUENCODED version, turn it into
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    If you are interested, fill out the following lines and send them
back to notes@basic.net with SYSOPS.
    We'll list your BBS in our SYSOPS LIST which will be included in
each version of CompuNotes we ship out. If you have a WWW link we'll
throw that up on our page.

BBS NAME:
BBS SYSOP:
BBS POSTAL ADDRESS:
BBS NUMBER:
WILL COMPUNOTES BE AVAILABLE TO DOWNLOADERS ON THE 1ST CALL?:
URL:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                             Patrick's News
         Being The Publisher and Managing Editor Has Its Perks!
------------------------------------------------------------------------
SUBSCRIBING/UNSUBSCRIBING . . .|
--------------------------------
    OK, here is the final note on this, ok?

To subscribe to the weekly ASCII edition, send a message to
notes@basic.net with SUBSCRIBE COMPUNOTES in the subject. You will be
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To unsubscribe to CompuNotes, send a message to notes@basic.net with
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of what you have done to remove yourself.

--------------------
DISTRIBUTION . . . |
--------------------
    Last week sucked. Pretty many of you are just now getting issue #36.
You may even get 37 before 36 . . . I decided to try to follow the
experts advice about using Pegasus to send out to you all. What a joke.
Rather than sending a bad message and bouncing it back, it would croak
with an error message. I had to break the list down into 500 name
chunks, try to send them out, correct the problems, resend and go to
the next list. UGH!
    I am going to see if the Majordomo site I was using will let me
administer the list, add and remove names, and they could send it once a
week for me. The problem with Majordomo now is that I can't send a
message with the APPROVED line in the header of my message. Majordomo
requires this with a password to send CompuNotes out. Unfortunately, the
only reader that supports APPROVED in a Windows environment is Agent
.99D. No luck getting a review copy from them. They don't even seem to
be in business. So, now I have to send the message and the updated
CompuNotes so Allen, the Majordomo admin, can send the message out. Ugh!
Does anyone have a LISTSERV site I could use?

---------------------------
SYSOPS, PLEASE READ . . . |
---------------------------
    If you are a sysop who has filled out a form for the UUENCODED
version, I must apologize. When moving from mail package to mail package
I lost your email addresses. All I ask is that you send me a message
with SYSOP VERSION in the subject. Send it to notes@basic.net. I'll send
out the UUENCODED version to you right away!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NEWS OF THE WEEK| This section is dedicated to verified news . . . All
News (C)opyright  Respective Owner - Will Only Reprint
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Two Bills Hit the Schools!|
-------------------------------
    SEATTLE, Wash., Feb. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Joining President Clinton
during his visit to Shoreline Community College on Saturday, Microsoft
Chairman and CEO Bill Gates will announce a more than $10 million
corporate donation to the Washington State Community Colleges to provide
software and technical assistance.  President Clinton and Gates will
meet with students and faculty at Shoreline this afternoon to discuss
the importance that public-private partnerships can play in training and
re-training American for jobs in a changing workplace.  Microsoft's gift
will benefit 32 community colleges across Washington State.
    "In the State of the Union, I challenged businesses to work with
government and communities to help all of our students become
technologically literate so that they can make the most of their lives.
I have challenged all Americans to join me in a national mission to
achieve this goal," said President Clinton.
    "I commend the actions Bill Gates and Microsoft are taking today to
provide substantial technological assistance to the Washington state
community and technical colleges.  This is a shining example of how the
private sector can help us meet this challenge.  The work of Microsoft
and other industry leaders across the country will help us truly put the
future at the fingertips of all our students.  We can do this --
communities, the private sector and government -- but only if we can do
it together."
    "The PC revolution, coupled with the phenomenal growth of the
Internet, have created great opportunities for students and for those
already in the workplace," said Gates.  "Our shared challenge in
business and in government is to ensure that access to these
technologies is available to everyone.  Community and technical colleges
will play an important role in training and re-training workers for the
Information Age.  Our vision must be for a connected, lifelong learning
community."
    "It's difficult to overstate the importance of this contribution to
our colleges,"  said Earl Hale, Director of the State Board for
Community and Technical Colleges.  "All of our customers - from students
to the businesses that hire them - expect us to have the latest
equipment and software.  Microsoft's effort represents a tremendous
boost for us."
    Hale said the timing of Microsoft's donation could not have been
better because the colleges spent much of last year upgrading their
campus educational technology systems with state funds.  "It's been
clear for several years that state resources alone won't allow us to
meet all of our costs so this contribution is especially timely," he
said.
    In a speech late last year at Georgetown University, Gates outlined
Microsoft's vision of a "connected learning community," one in which
teachers, students, parents and community institutions collaborate to
improve educational experiences at every age and promote lifelong
learning.  In addition to today's initiative with the Washington State
Community Colleges, Gates described a variety of educational initiatives
Microsoft has undertaken to help bring about the vision of a connected
learning community:

* Libraries Online! is a $3 million, one-year partnership with the
  American Library Association and local public libraries across the
  country to provide access to PCs and the Internet in economically
  disadvantaged communities.

* The Road Ahead Program is a $3 million partnership with the National
  Foundation for the Improvement of Education (NFIE) to fund efforts by
  schools across the country to foster innovative uses of technology in
  education.

* Microsoft this year donated $10 million in software, plus technical
  support, faculty training and internship opportunities for students at
  the 41 colleges that constitute the United Negro College Fund.

* Microsoft recently announced it would take the lead to help ensure
  that college students, working professionals and high school students
  have access to top-quality training needed to meet growing demand for
  trained experts to design, implement and support cutting-edge
  information systems through the Microsoft(R) Authorized Academic
  Training Program.

* Microsoft and MCI recently announced a program to enable every K- 12
  school to establish a presence on the World Wide Web.  In addition,
  Microsoft launched a powerful set of products and tools, available at
  no charge, to help K-12 schools explore and publish on the Internet.

* Microsoft and the national Parent Teacher Association (PTA) will
  partner to build a network to link local PTAs nationwide.

--------------------------
Apple Turns to Educators!|
--------------------------
    CUPERTINO, Calif., Feb. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 100 software
company executives and several industry and government luminaries are
expected to gather next week at Apple Computer, Inc. headquarters for
the fifth annual Education Developer Forum, a two-day conference
designed specifically for the creators of education products and
services.  This year's event, which takes place February 29 and March 1,
will address new models for learning beyond the classroom, how to
prepare for and navigate through rapid change and why developing
education products for the Macintosh platform makes good business sense.
    "For nearly 20 years, education customers have come to rely on Apple
and its partners to deliver the best learning solutions for the
classroom," said Dr. Terry Crane, senior vice president of Education,
Apple Americas.  "Today, the computer of choice for learning remains an
Apple. Now, thanks to advancements in multimedia and communications
technologies, the boundaries for how and where people use their computer
are virtually unlimited.  For developers, this opens a new era of
opportunity."
    Several social and economic forces are underway that will expand the
market for electronic learning materials in both the school and home.
    On the first day of the Forum, Dr. Linda Roberts, director of
educational technology for the U.S. Department of Education, will
address the goals set forth by the Clinton Administration regarding
school technology.  President Clinton has challenged educational
institutions to strive to create learning environments that both inspire
and prepare children for the workplace of the 21st Century.
    One fundamental change underway at the state level is the
redistribution of funding for learning tools. Increasingly, states
understand that to effectively integrate technology into the curriculum,
traditional textbook funding must be redefined to accommodate the
purchase, training and support of electronic learning tools.  Just two
years ago, the annual budget for textbooks in the U.S. was $2.16
billion.  Analysts now predict that state funding for electronic
learning materials could reach $4 billion a year by the end of the
decade.
    "Technology has earned its place in the classroom," said Dr. Geoff
Fletcher, associate commissioner of the Texas Education Agency and a
speaker at this year's Forum.  "In an era where access to information is
key, developers play an increasingly important role in tapping the power
of technology to deliver a new approach to learning."  Dr. Fletcher,
along with other state representatives, will report on the progress of
technology adoption as an integral component of instruction and
learning.
    Another industry that is expanding rapidly the market for learning
products is the home.  Today, computers have made their way into more
than one-third of homes, with the number even higher for families with
children.  Studies show that educational CD-ROM titles consistently rate
at or near the top of retail sales charts, with localization of products
for global markets on the increase.
    The annual Education Forum is presented free of charge to developers
who are members of Apple's Education Solution Provider (ESP) program,
one in a family of programs designed to meet the technical and marketing
needs of developers.  For non-members, the cost is $295 per person.  The
ESP program welcomes education developers of all types, curriculum
software developers, content providers, systems integrators, Internet
webmasters, textbook publishers, and telecommunications and media
experts.
    To register for the Education Forum, developers should call
415-327-1703.  To find out more about the opportunities and resources
available through the ESP program, call 800-469-9523.  To receive ESP
information electronically, write to <esp.program@applelink.apple.com>.
    To complement its market-specific developer programs like ESP, Apple
also hosts an annual Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) each spring.
This symposium, which drew more than 4,000 attendees last year, provides
developers with in-depth information about the direction of existing and
emerging Apple technologies.  WWDC is scheduled for May 13-17 at the San
Jose Convention Center.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
REVIEWS OF THE WEEK | Interesting software/hardware you may need . . .
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Product:    SEGA PC GAMES - Tomcat Alley and Comix Zone                |
Review by:  Jeffrey Bloss (jbloss@meadville.com)                       |
------------------------------------------------------------------------
    I was curious, so I dialed up the free SEGA "Technical" tech support
line looking for information concerning the specifics of why these two
games run only on Pentium platform machines.  Maybe if I had broken down
and called the 1-900, $1.25-per-minute-for-a-real-human "Game Play" line
I would have an answer, but I absolutely despise pay-as-you-go technical
support.  In any case, both these games list the following requirements,
with differences noted.
 
    * Windows 3.1x, or Windows 95
    * Pentium processor, 60Mhz+
    * 8 MB RAM
    * SVGA, 256 colors (at least 640x480 for Comix)
    * 2X CD-ROM
    * 10 MB hard drive space (5 for Comix)
    * 16-bit audio capability - Sound Blaster 16 compatible or better
    * Keyboard, joystick, game pad, or mouse (Keyboard or game pad for
      Comix)
 
    Saving the best for last, we'll examine Tomcat Alley first...
 
    If you're looking for a next-generation "dog fight until 5:20am and
beg for more" air combat simulator, keep looking.  Tomcat Alley is more
of an interactive game of chance than anything else.  This isn't bad in
itself, but to be brutally honest Tomcat's "chances" just aren't much of
a challenge, and the sporadic few seconds of actual flight a player has
to endure during each phase of a mission are from the point of view of a
gunner rather than a pilot.  The entire game is no more complex than
moving a cursor over a target or icon and pressing a button.  If you're
attacked by another aircraft you have about a 50/50 chance of being shot
unless you click the chaff/radar-jam icon. If you're late with the
chaff, you have about a 70/30 chance of seeing your ship destroyed.
Maybe your character will bail out in time, may be not. In any case,
very little is left up to the player.
    Tomcat Alley's one redeeming feature is a full screen, full motion
video playing field.  The graphics are simply astounding. Sadly, this
only highlights the simplicity of the game itself.  An honorable mention
should go to the game's plot too.  It's mildly entertaining to see and
hear the characters interact, but you couldn't slap one of them across
the face if you had to.
    On to bigger and better things...
    Picture yourself as Sketch Turner, New York City's premier
cartoonist.  Your most evil creation, Mortus, has just reached up from
the page, grabbed you by the throat, and dragged your bewildered frame
into the world of the comic strip.  His plan is to let his own hand
drawn monsters have their way with you, and when you're finished, become
real and take his rightful place as ruler of the mortal world.
    Don't despair comic book fan, in the transformation from real to
imaginary you gain the power to fight like a true madman, and you have
help.  Your pet rat Roadkill is along for the ride, complete with a tail
that's become an electrified whip of death. Roadkill is real good at
sniffing out hidden items too.  Weapons, explosives, and of course, the
Ice Tea you'll need to refresh yourself along the way. Killing monsters
can be thirsty work you know.
    Game play is as close to real SEGA/Nintendo as you can get using a
keyboard.  With a gamepad, it's even closer.  As with "normal" Sega
games, different key combinations invoke special moves.  Up and left or
right together produce a high kick when you hit the action button once.
Tap the action button several times and you fire off a flurry of high
kicks. Keep on it and you finish with a beautiful spinning "Tornado"
kick.  The manual lists 12 different special moves, but I swear I did
one last night that isn't there.
    You move from one comic book frame to the next, page to page, you
fighting any number of about a dozen different Mortus creations,
collecting inventory items, solving puzzles with varying degrees of
complexity, and usually find your self fighting, solving, and collecting
all at the same time.  One of my favorite frames has a fire breathing
dragon hanging from the roof.  The neatest way to kill the beast is to
fight or roll your way past it, jump over the 55 gallon drum on the
other side, push it a little closer to the dragon so that his flaming
breath ignites it, and then push it directly underneath the critter so
he just burns up. Far more efficient than the usual combinations of
uppercuts and spinning back kicks, and very very cool.  The whole game
is like this.
    Oddly enough, Comix Zone's full screen graphics are nearly an
opposite to those of Tomcat Alley.  I'd call it a "retro" look somewhat
reminiscent of older CGA/EGA games like "Life and Death" but not so
grainy, and with very smooth character movements and background
scrolling.  In any case, however you describe it's appearance this game
is visually appealing and very playable.  My only problem is it's
length.  Three episodes of two pages each seems just a bit too short.
Simply not enough of a good thing. The flip side is that since there's
enough different ways to conquer each frame you'll find yourself happily
replaying this game from the beginning... over and over and over and
over.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Product: Activision SCI-FI CDROM Pack                                |
Reviewed By: Mark Borst (mrb@imagesys.com)                           |
----------------------------------------------------------------------
    If you remember spending tons of hours playing pong, or sitting in
front of a monochrome display, typing away at text based games, then the
Activision Sci-Fi collection CD-ROM is for you.  Inside, you will find 7
text based games to challenge your wits and your imagination.  All of
the games on this CD-ROM are text based, forcing you to use your
imagination to solve perilous puzzles and visualize the worlds you are
exploring.
 
A Mind Forever Voyaging:
    An INFOCOM original. AMFV takes place in a futuristic cold-war
setting where the economy has collapsed and the population has become
listless and intellectually weak.  The superpowers are laboring day and
night to develop superior nuclear weapons. One man has a vision of how
the world can become a paradise, if only they can help to prove his
theory.  This is where you come in. You are PRISM, a synthetic life form
with the mission of entering a simulation of his theory to see if it
will work.
 
The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy:
    Based on the best selling book by Douglas Adams, you are Arthur
Dent, a ape-descendant from the planet earth who is the victim of a
Thursday gone wrong.  First off, you wake up to find your house is being
demolished to make a motor-way bypass.  Next, you find that your best
friend is not a from earth after all, but from a small planet somewhere
in the vicinity of Beetlejuise .  He tears you away from your home to
tell you that the earth has been demolished to make way for a
hyper-Spacial bypass, and you have to leave earth. Quickly.  This all
happens before you get a chance to have your afternoon tea.
 
StarCross:
    The year is 2186, humanity has established colonies of the Moon,
Mars, and several of the larger asteroids.  Earth's sky is dotted with
space habitats and the spaceways are always busy.  As you may expect,
energy is in tremendous demand to power this advanced civilization.  One
of the of the primary sources of energy today are quantum black holes.
In STARCROSS, you are in command of the mining ship STARCROSS trying to
make your millions.  As you may expect, your life as a miner will yield
more than just money, on the way you will be caught up in a web of
political and extraterrestrial intrigue with the inevitable alien
encounter to help out your boredom.
 
StationFall:
    You are a native of Gallium, one of the most politically powerful
but culturally barren worlds of the galactic union.  You have been fated
to follow in your grandfathers footsteps of becoming an officer of the
galactic union, a position that you are failing at miserably.  One day
you happen to be stranded on a remote world and discover some
incredible technology that sends your career off in a direction that
you did not expect.  Up.  For the rest of the game you are struggling to
keep your personal life and your career on the rise with the usual
amount of trouble along the way that you just can't resist getting into.
 
Suspended
    You are the Central Mentality on an advanced semi-automatic planet.
You were supposed to sleep in limited cryogenic suspension for the next
500 years, 20 miles below the surface of the planet, while the great
filtering computers maintained all surface systems.  But the computers
have awakened you from your sleep because something has gone terribly
wrong:  the weather has become brutal, food production is dangerously
low, and the transportation system is malfunctioning.  The planet is in
chaos, and you cannot move.  You do however has 6 robots at your
disposal to aid you in getting the planet back in shape.  And you will
definitely need all of them, for through these robots you will have to
save the planet from certain destruction.
 
To buy or not to buy:
    This depends largely about what you like most about computer games.
Are you into flashy graphics and user interfaces, or do you care more
about plot?  If your answer is plot, then these games are for you.
Although some of the plots may seem to have been done before, these
games are classic and are very well written.  Once I got past the
"manual" interface I found them to be extremely enjoyable.

                               Activision
                          11601 Wilshire Blvd.
                               Suite 1000
                         Los Angeles, CA 90025
                         Voice: (310) 473-9200
                    URL: http://www.activision.com/
                       CompuServe: GO ACTIVISION

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Product: The Computer User's Survival Guide - Book                   |
Reviewed By: Richard Maliniski                                       |
----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
The Computer user's survival guide.
By Joan Stigliani.
O'Reilly & Associates, Sebastopol, CA, 1995.
 
    After reading this book and realizing all the things that can go
wrong with my body, I think I'll stop using my computer!  ...
    Well, on second thought, maybe I'll try to correct some of my bad
habits. Are you in a dither too about what are the right ways to use
your computer or what are the best ways to avoid the strains and
stresses of computer use?  This book is a good first step towards
avoiding the pitfalls!  The author is clear on the importance of
visiting your health professional if you have severe or persistent
problems.  Certainly be aware of your problems, try to resolve them but
don't go overboard in trying to cure yourself!
    This book is useful to a wide variety of computer users.  It is a
well written, well organized and a straight forward work which
incorporates materials from many researchers and health professionals.
The language is not technical but there is a great deal of useful data
and numerous references for further reading.  There are even some web
sites that the reader can access for the technical information and
current research.
    There are six main sections in the book.  For those of you who would
like to learn more about the pitfalls of computer use but don't have any
injuries, the section on 'The Basics' is worth reading.  This first
section introduces several key concepts t hat run throughout the book.
These cover the taking of a holistic view of your work environment and
of your body; the meaning of neutral body position and its importance in
sitting, working and relaxing; and the acceptance by each of us of the
responsibility for our own well being.  I've adjusted my work desk, chair
and habits as a result of some of the reasoned and practical
suggestions.
    For those of us with some specific minor problem such as, stiff
necks, sore wrists or tired eyes, the next four sections offer insights
and solutions.  The largest section is on repetitive strain injury
(RSI).  It details what RSI is exactly, how you c an recognize it and
what remedies you can employ.  Of the many RSI complications and impacts
described, I found the overall positive style comforting in the face of
the injuries described.  Yes, there are problems and negative aspects of
computer use but there are also solutions once we become aware of the
nature of the injuries, how they develop and how they are rectified.
    The next three sections deal with eyestrain, stress and the
potential risks of electromagnetic fields(EMF).  They are written with
the same clarity and useful insights.  The section on EMFs was
particularly good because of its objectivity.  The author does note that
the mechanism and consequences of our interaction with EMFs are still
matters of ongoing controversy, study and debate.  Nevertheless, it is
important that we be aware of the issues and make our own decision based
on our assessment of the facts.  This chapter gives a broad basis for
making our own choices.
    To finish up, the author also includes two appendixes.  One of these
comments on equipment and furniture that you might use.  It doesn't give
manufacturers but describes characteristics that you should consider
when you're looking for screens, keyboards, laptops or various pieces of
furniture.  The second appendix notes resources that might be useful,
such as RSI newsletters and online groups or EMF organizations and
publications.
    The author has certainly contributed another in the line of O'Reilly
and Associates useful books.  I'd recommend it for anyone wanting to
survive the physical and mental trauma of interacting with computers in
this information age!

                        O'Reilly and Associates
                           103A Morris Street
                          Sebastopol, CA 95472
                         Voice: (800) 889-8969
                        URL: http://www.ora.com/

------------------------------------------------------------------------
WEBSITES OF THE WEEK! | This section is devoted to cool WebSites . . .
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rainbow Cable Channels|
-----------------------
    WOODBURY, N.Y., Feb. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Rainbow Programming
Holdings, Inc. today extended its programming mission with the
announcement of interconnected sites for Rainbow and each of its eight
networks on the World Wide Web, the Internet's interactive medium.
Rainbow's unprecedented launch of eight web sites linked through an
internal navigational system will allow users to move effortlessly from
site to site.  This Internet initiative builds on Rainbow's fifteen year
history of serving distinct audiences with quality niche programming,
and further delivers on Rainbow's goal to best define and reflect
targeted interest areas.
    Rainbow will roll out its web sites over several weeks.  Rainbow's
corporate site (www.Rainbow-networks.com) and its entertainment division
sites including American Movie Classics (www.amctv.com), Bravo
(www.bravotv.com), The Independent Film Channel (www.ifctv.com) and
MuchMusic USA (www.muchmusic-usa.com) will be available to Web users on
February 19.  The news division (www.news12.com) consisting of News 12
Long Island, Westchester, New Jersey and Connecticut will be available
February 27.  The sports division including SPORTSCHANNEL Regional
Network (www.sportschannel.com), NewSport (www.newsport-tv.com), Prime
(www.prime-tv.com) and Prism (www.prism-tv.com) are scheduled for debut
on March 12.  Users can begin accessing the advertising sales division
area representing CNI, Sports Sales, News 12, Local and the New York
Interconnect on March 26.
    Rainbow also announced the launch of News 12 Interactive, available
on February 27, to provide tailored, local news and weather on demand
via both the cable modem and the World Wide Web.  News 12 Interactive
was developed in conjunction with VideoSoft Solutions, Inc. of Nashua,
New Hampshire, an innovative provider of software for interactive
service platforms.  The software developed by VideoSoft employs cutting-
edge cross-platform technology allowing the unprecedented rapid delivery
of multi-media news over the Web, in a manner similar to that provided
by the latest in cable modem technology.
    Just as it redefined cable television programming and broadened the
spectrum of television entertainment with its unique niche programming,
Rainbow is bringing its own brand of innovation and creativity to the
Internet through sites configured for the Netscape 2.0 format.  Each of
the network sites are accessible directly, through Rainbow's corporate
site or through hot-links to each other.  They feature original
programming and an interactive environment that deepens Rainbow's
involvement in the worlds its networks have come to represent:  classic
film, arts and culture, independent film, music, regional news, regional
sports and sports news.  Rainbow's use of the World Wide Web will deepen
its connection with the viewer and extend the passion and loyalty
audiences feel for Rainbow's networks.  Rainbow's corporate site will
offer business to business information including historical, financial
and advertising data, and access to Rainbow Advertising Sales
Corporation.
    "Rainbow Programming has a long and successful history of creating
environments with a point-of-view, a time and a place, developing strong
and affectionate relationships between the networks and their
audiences," said Josh Sapan, Rainbow President and CEO.  "We are now
extending the concept of niche programming onto the evolving Web
platform, offering traditional viewers as well as active and potential
Internet users the same quality entertainment and information for which
Rainbow has become known."
    "Each site is specifically designed to bring viewers deeper into the
worlds with which they most closely identify, providing a familiar
environment as well as useful and necessary tools and resources," said
Lauri Giddins, who as Rainbow's senior vice president of marketing and
business development, directed the construction of the sites.  "Through
the Web, Rainbow will take the filmmaker and the film aficionado, the
musician and music lover, the athlete and sports fan into a new
dimension of their interest and a new way of communicating with others
who share their passion."
    Rainbow's sites, developed by or in consultation with new media
development specialists Shadowfax, offer functions utilizing the most
cutting-edge Web browser technology available today.  Each network
homepage contains multiple windows ("frames") offering network
information, daily programming highlights and schedules and navigational
functions allowing the user to travel to other Rainbow sites at the
click of a button.
    Rainbow Programming Holdings, Inc. a wholly owned subsidiary of
Cablevision Systems Corporation, is at the forefront of niche cable
programming.  For more than 15 years, Rainbow has been delivering high-
quality sports, entertainment and news to millions of subscribers.
Rainbow manages the operations of American Movie Classics, Bravo, The
Independent Film Channel, MuchMusic USA, Prime Network, NewSport,
SPORTSCHANNEL Regional Network, and News 12 in addition to Rainbow
Advertising Sales Corporation and Rainbow Network Communications.

---------------------------
The Military Hits the Web!|
---------------------------
    RESTON, Va., Feb. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Electric Press(R), Inc., the
premier Web site developer and manager in the United States, announces
the completion of five separate sites on the World Wide Web for the Army
Times Publishing Company, the leading publisher for the military,
defense and space industries.  Army Times Publishing Company, an
independent firm established in 1940, publishes Army Times, Navy Times,
Navy Times Marine Corps edition, Air Force Times, Federal Times, Defense
News, Space News, and Military Market.  The company also operates
Military City Online, an interactive information and communication
service on America Online.
    "Electric Press is proud to have been selected by Army Times
Publishing to develop and manage these important Web sites," says Duffy
Mazan, president of Electric Press.  "The sites are easy to use and give
military people and their families, federal employees and defense and
aerospace industry leaders worldwide access to a broad range of
information on the U.S. military, including locating active personnel,
military events, military memorials, photographs, interviews with
leading military leaders and much more."
    The five sites are:

-- Army Times Publishing Company (http://www.armytimes.com)
This site offers information on the company; a feature story from each
publication; photographs from current issues, military books; products
from an online store; bulletin boards. 

-- Military City Online Web Outpost (http://www.militarycity.com)   
This Web site is vast resource for anyone interested in the military.
It includes a large searchable database of over 3 million U.S. military
people (active, reserve and recently separated); over 300 searchable
databases of military installations worldwide; a virtual tour of the
Vietnam Veterans Memorial; a daily Early Bird Brief, an abstract of the
Pentagon's daily Early Bird clipping service; downloadable photographs
and other files; bulletin boards; an online store and links to top
military-related Web sites.

-- Defense News Online (http://www.defensenews.com)   
Entry into this site requires registration by members of the worldwide
defense community and includes:  featured stories from Defense News, an
independent weekly for the international defense community, as well as
photographs; downloadable files; bulletin boards; an online store; a
calendar of upcoming defense-related events and links to the best
defense sites on the Web. 

-- Space News Online (http://www.spacenews.com)   
Space News, an independent weekly for the international space community,
includes news stories; one-on-one interviews with industry leaders;
photographs; downloadable files; bulletin boards; an online store and
links to selected space-related Web sites. 

-- Federal Times (http://www.federaltimes.com)   
The Federal Times site is a news weekly for U.S. federal employees and
includes a searchable database for 1996 pay rates for all 33 regions;
news stories; photographs; legislative updates; current job listings;
bulletin boards; an online store and links to selected related Web
sites. 

    Electric Press, Inc. is the nation's premier Web site developer and
manager, whose nearly 100 clients include global corporations, federal
agencies, small high-tech companies and organizations.  The company
provides the total solution for doing business on the World Wide Web:
graphics development, sophisticated programming, interactive
communications, and a range of hosting facilities suited to the client's
needs.
    Based in Virginia, with offices in San Francisco, London and Buenos
Aires, Electric Press is also the largest turnkey Web site developer in
the world.  The company's richly designed Web sites integrate the highly
interactive and visual capabilities of the World Wide Web with the
fundamental keys to doing business electronically -- continuous up-time,
up-to-the-minute product information, direct sales vehicles and a strong
customer service component.  With its superior technical infrastructure,
continuous refinement of content and immediate access to account reps
and technical staff, Electric Press produces Web sites that actively
support clients' business objectives.
    You can find Electric Press at http://www.elpress.com.  For
additional information, call Brad Wills at 301-530-3711.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
COOL FTP FILE OF THE WEEK | You may need this file . . .
------------------------------------------------------------------------
    OLYMPIAD Version 1.6 <ASP> - Contest test scoring ranks contestants
and teams by knowledge and judgment. Maximum of 500 contestants, 100
questions,and 100 schools or groups. Ranks individuals, teams of three,
and school orgroup winners. Instructions and sample data are built in.
The top three scoring students from a school are selected as the school
team. Output includes individual and school or group team rankings.
Analyses include an item analysis, histogram, and graphs of individual
scores. Students select questions to report what in their own judgment
they know orcan reason. This requires the same preparation and levels of
thinking needed to answer good essay questions.
    Existing machine scoreable tests questions can be used. Non-scored
informational items can be inserted at any point in the test. OLYMPIAD
was used from 1986 to 1994 to award scholarships at Northwest Missouri
State University. Selecting winners by quantity and quality makes the
program unique. Winners are confident in their knowledge and judgment.

      You can find this as OLYMPI16.ZIP on the following FTP site:
           ftp.asp-shareware.org/pub/asp/programs/education/

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ray's Web Ramblings . .
------------------------------------------------------------------------
NETBLURBS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:
 
ZEN GENERATOR:
www.wrldpwr.com/zen.generator.fcgi
   Ping here often for the latest Zen quote of the hit.
 
SUPER SIMPLE SEARCH PAGE:
http://www.surf-ici.com/gt/search.htm
   Are those search pages getting too complicated for you?  Just ramble
   on over to the "Super Simple Search Page" and use dozens of search
   engines on the Internet through an easy to use interface.
 
COOL PERSONAL PAGES:
Got any?  Send your URLs to me at: solari@gate.net.
 
----
 
WEB REVIEWS
 
    "But I don't understand.  I love your mom very much.  She just wants
to be alone for whatever reason."
    At the moment, unfortunately, my parents are struggling through the
painful throes of separation for various fuzzy reasons.  They've been
married for over 31 years so it's sort of a shock to our family to see
this happen.  As disconcerting as it is, sometimes these things happen
for the better; perhaps to build stronger relationships or to recycle
old, stagnant ones.
    "I just need some space -- I've never really had a chance to lead a
life of my own."
    Nonetheless, I'm optimistic things can work out, but if they don't,
I want to be prepared to help them and myself as much as I can.
    So, I've turned to the world's largest resource for information and
solace: The World Wide Web. In this issue, I've gone rambling over some
web sites devoted to relationship issues.  I hope you don't mind joining
me.

----

JOE'S AMAZING RELATIONSHIP PROBLEM SOLVER
http://studsys.mscs.mu.edu/~carpent1/probsolv/rltprob0.html
 
    If you've got some relationship problems and you need a serious
injection of humor into it, then you should mosey on over to "Carpenter"
Joe's homepage.  His humorous artificial intelligence relationship
expert will attempt to tackle any problem no matter how deep it may be.
    It presents you with a series of questions about your significant
other and your relationship. You have to answer as truthfully as you
can, otherwise it'll get smart and slap you with some witty remark and
make you start over again.
    Of course, it's all in good humor and there's the unusual disclaimer
warning you that the Problem Solver is to be taken with a "major" grain
of salt.
 
---
 
DIVORCE ONLINE
http://www.divorce-online.com/
 
    I'm not jumping to any conclusions, but I thought I'd may as well
check out a site or two that's about divorces and perhaps learn
something.
    Divorce Online is professionally designed and it shows.  It's
pleasant to look at, even vaguely reassuring, perhaps due to the color
scheme used.
    There's quite a few resources:  Legal, Psychological, and Financial.
New at the time I visited the page was a "Domestic Violence Handbook."
    This site is hosted by two enterprising and caring individuals:
Harry S. Gornbein, the legal dude, and Dessa Stone Rosman, the resident
psychologist. She's for real as she sports a PhD in Clinical Psychology.
    I went roaming about and found a FAQ about divorce where folks
actually ask questions and Dessa gives comforting answers.  I saw
something about separations that solidified my own views about my
parent's relationship:
    "Separations, more frequently than not, end in divorce. This doesn't
have to be the case, however. Separation can also be an opportunity for
closer examination of the marital problems, particularly within the
context of marriage counseling. Time alone, albeit painful, can also
force individuals to take a hard look inward to evaluate your personal
and relationship goals."
    It's always nice to find an expert that knows what she's talking
about and knows exactly where you are coming from.
    There's lots of other resources within the site such as a listing of
professional referrals, information about American Divorce Information
Network (the folks sponsoring the site), and how to handle financial
matters during a divorce, to name a few.
    In short, Divorce Online was a pleasing site to visit and check out
some expert advice about what I should expect should my parents end up
getting divorced.
 
---
 
MARRIAGE AND RELATIONSHIPS
http://www.webcom.com/pleasant/sarah/marriage/marriage.html
 
    While this isn't about people breaking up, it's still an excellent
plain vanilla resource for those of you that are married, considering
it, or are in any sort of relationship.
    It's got lots of text files ranging from "Rules to Fair Fighting",
"Conflict in Marriage", "Co-Dependency", to "Friendship."
    The information in the text files is usually very concise and to the
point. It's also refreshing because it's written from an "ordinary"
point of view rather than from some psychologist peering down at you.
    For example, I browsed the "Conflict in Marriage" text file and
found out that the top ten areas of conflict are:
 
1. Money
2. In-Laws
3. Sex
4. Children
5. Religion-ultimate values
6. Recreation
7. Drinking
8. Laziness
9. Irresponsibility
10. Infidelity (unfaithfulness)
 
    You can also read about compatibility within your relationship and
ask yourself some questions as to how compatible you are with your
significant other.
    Think co-dependency is encroaching into your relationship?  There's
lots of information to help you figure it out.
    Planning a wedding?  Get all the advice you need here, too.  As a
matter of fact, I'm getting married May 18th of this year and I'm
shopping for a ring for my beloved -- this site had just what I was
looking for:  information on how to pick out the best ring.
    All in all, this is one of the best resources on the Internet for
reading about relationships.  Even if you're not experiencing any
problems with your relationship, you'll still gain valuable knowledge by
peeking in here.
 
---
 
And finally,
 
LOVE AND ROMANCE MASTER PAGE
http://www.autonomy.com/luv.htm
 
    I thought it would be best to top this off by pointing you to a site
that's got extensive links to everything related to love, relationships,
and sex.  Whatever you're into, there's something to ramble to.
    There's the African American Singles Page all the way down to the
World Wide Web Profile Registry where you can meet other people on the
web seeking unrequited love.
    If you're that type of romantic nut, the "Love and Romance Master
Page" will keep you occupied for hours (perhaps much to the
consternation of your S.O.?? ;)
 
---
 
    That's all folks!  I promise to present web reviews of a much
lighter nature in the next issue. In the meantime, thanks for bearing
with me.
 
 
-Ramblin' Ray

-------------------------
Buy My Booklet, Please! |
-------------------------
    How is that for selfless self promotion? I have just finished a new
booklet called "10 Huge Mistakes Every SOHO Business Owner Should
Avoid". How's that for a title? They have been sent to the printer and
will be available in a day or two.
    This booklet details the ten huge mistakes that every SOHO business
owner could make and how to avoid them! Instead of simply telling you to
avoid the mistake, the booklet details how to recover from each mistake
if you happen to make it!
    Our normal price for the booklet is $10.00, but since you are a
CompuNotes reader we'll sell it to you to for $8.00 plus $2.00 shipping
and handling. Just kidding. $8.00 gets your own copy of "10 Huge
Mistakes Every SOHO Business Owner Should Avoid" and a free trial
subscription to SOHO News, a new newsletter for the SOHO business owner.
    Send your check or money order for $8.00 in US funds to:
                              4Point, Inc.
                        135 West Adams, Suite G9
                          St. Louis, MO 63122
                          (314) 984-9691 Voice


                            --END OF ISSUE--

