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75 Summer 1993
Help
ware
Magazine
Team machines
How networks work
Making sense
of smell
Computers with a nose
for expensive perfume
LEXMARK
Speed comparisons based on independent testing. ® IBM is a registered trademark of International
3 HELPWAR E
MICROSOFT®
WINDOWS,.
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hat Is Quicken? keystroke or mouse click, you can 'zoom statement. Simply check through,
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lists on screen at once. £7.44 VAT) q
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• Includes 22 customisable reports. • Create and save your own desktop settings. Yes, please send me Quicken UK v.2.0 for
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• Tracks whole account§ and individual
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transactions in the foreign currencies that • Print Quicken's new 3-D colour graphs.
you select • QuickZoom into the detail behind any item PC disk format required:
• Categorises expenditure to give you a clear in a graph or report. Double-Click and By Phone: Call us now on 0800 585058 quoting
view of where your money goes. Use Quicken launches a new window showing a your credit card details
Quicken's built-in catgories, or invent By Fax: Fill in this coupon with your credit card
"Quicken is undoubtedly the computer budget program to
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go for....It is easy to use, with one of the best manuals I
• 25 graphs give an instant snapshot of By Post: Fill in this coupon and post it with a
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advanced features such as share price
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a
"Within an hour of installing Quicken I was astonished;
Postcode
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believe the functionality, ease of use — and the price!" Phone no
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- A. F. Evans, CEO. Expiry date
20 Calendar
What's happening when, and
where, this summer.
81 Think of a number
The impact of ancient Arabian
maths on modern technology.
22 Classroom revolution
Can PCs really replace traditional
teaching methods?
28 Picture this
FEEDBACK Inside IBM's POWER Visualization
8 Letters
System, a graphics computer that
can change your view of the world.
From goose quill to mouse — the
story of a septuagenarian PC user.
32 What's up, Doc?
Computerised cartooning takes
97 Next issue animation into a new dimension.
Meet a computer which has had
its paintings exhibited at the Tate
42 From A to B, by PC
Gallery to international acclaim. Taking to the road with the latest
Computer animation in
the cartoon industry on
page 32.
52 Metal miracles
Building robots in Japan can be a
spiritual experience.
62 Unreal city
The bizarre computer-generated
cityscapes of Carlos Urbina.
73 Not to be sniffed at
Do perfumers prefer the electronic
nose to the human sense of smell?
WORKSHOP New readers start here...
I 38 Get it together
Mastering mailmerge.
50 Upwardly mobile
OS/2 Version 2.1 can run Windows
programs faster than Windows.
In each issue of Helpware Magazine
you'll read about people and companies
who use computers creatively, to change
the way we live and work. Among these
LIFE stories are features on the arts, sport,
Turn to the REPORT pages for
revelations of the unusual, the inspired,
and the newly discovered. The section
also includes a calendar of events.
65 Only connect
A network of PCs can be much
more than the sum of its parts.
Psssst, wanna buy a back issue?
77 Start me up You can order back issues of Helpware Magazine (£12.50 for the
Investigating AUTOEXEC.BAT; our previous issues, or £3.50 per issue), by writing to: IBM
your guide to this versatile file. HelpClub, PO Box 599, Marlow, Bucks, SL7 1EZ. Make your
heque payable to HelpClub; please specify which issues you
82 Jargon buster vould like and the address they should be sent to.
Computerese translated.
HelpClub
You get Helpware Magazine sent to you four
times a year FREE if you join IBM's HelpClub.
As a member of the Club you also get a range
of other valuable services, many of which are
highlighted in our HelpClub pages.
HELPWARE
FEEDBACK
In each issue we will problems with diskettes was Just the way you are
intended to illustrate humorously Please do not make Workshops
offer the writer of the
the difficulties that anyone new to more advanced, as Herr Stadler
most interesting letter computer technology might have suggested in his letter (Helpware
a state-of-the-art – no matter what their age. We Magazine, winter 1992/93). I am
computer game... understand that it may have one of your more basic readers
caused offence. So, please accept and can only just manage as it is!
so PCs at the ready.
our apologies – and a copy of Can I buy the hack copies of
1992's Game of the Year, Wing your publication that contain
Prize-winning letter
Commander II (pictured below) your 'Jargon busters'? I am
From quill to computer from Origin Software, as your missing A, B and C and would
I am always interested in readers' prize for writing this month's top love to have the whole alphabet.
letters and the editorial response letter. We'd like to hear about Helpware Magazine is fascinating
to them. However, your the experiences of any other reading; I particularly enjoyed the
comments after Bernd P Stadler's readers who, like you, started out article on the queen's moustache!
letter ('Constructive criticism', with a quill and have ended up Miss M J Sloman, Woolwich
winter 1992/93) evoked more using a keyboard. Don't panic; we fully intend to
than mere interest – I was keep Workshops going along the
concerned that a senior citizen same lines, although we will
could not be expected to know occasionally include more
his way around a floppy disk. advanced ones. Even then,
I was an established Helpware Magazine's patented
septuagenarian when I acquired ski-run system means that there is
my PS/1. The company of which I something for everyone – no
was the chief executive was not Spot the difference matter what their level of PC
computerised prior to my After reading some of the ads for experience – in most Workshops.
retirement eight years ago, and so IBM, I wonder what the difference Back issues of the magazine
I had no previous experience of is between a PS/1, a PS/ValuePoint are available from the HelpClub;
this type of technology. What I and a PS/2? By the way, thanks see pages 7 and 96 for details.
did have was a desire to find out for a magnificent magazine!
how computers worked, and what Jan Erik Sandbak, Norway Game boys
could be done with them. The difference between PCs can Hi! We are from Forssa in
I have to report that I've found seem bewildering, but in the case Finland. We are both nine years
the task to be absorbing and of the IBM systems you mention, old. Could you please have more
instructive. My only other venture I think we can make it clear. The games reviews in your magazine?
into the world of electronics was PS/1 is for home users and small Thanks for the magazine. It's a
on the very early forms of businesses. You get everything great help in difficulties. We think
airborne ASV (air-to-surface you need to start work quickly – the best games are Commander
vessel) radar used in the Second monitor, system and keyboard, Keen 3 and Ski or Die.
World War. All terribly primitive with software preloaded – you V Halonen and L Sipilä, Finland
by today's standards. I am just plug it in and get started. Hi there! We always cover some
completely enthralled by the The PS/ValuePoint (PS/VP) area of PC entertainment in
magic of even relatively simple range is for the professional, for Helpware Magazine. In this issue
equipment, such as my now use either on its own or as part of we look at astrology, and in the
seemingly steam-age PS/1. So, a network of PCs. PS/VPs have previous one we examined
perhaps not all senior citizens Super VGA screens, and plenty of computer chess programs. We
are in their dotage. possibilities for expansion. As the hope to give more coverage to
I wonder how many of your name indicates, a ValuePoint new games in future issues.
readers can say that they started gives you value for money.
Write to: with a quill pen and finished with The PS/2 is the most Rohrer and Binnig
Letters page, a computer? As an office boy 60 sophisticated line. It has a SCSI We'd like to apologise to Heinrich
Helpware Magazine, years ago with a firm of solicitors, interface (allowing faster transfer Rohrer and Gerd Binnig for the
Forward Publishing, I used a goose-quill pen for the of data), the latest XG A-2 inaccuracies that crept into the
5 Great Pulteney St, engrossing and texting of hand- graphics and Micro Channel article 'Mapping the minuscule',
London W1R 3DF, written wills and conveyances. Architecture, which allows much Helpware Magazine, winter
or send us a fax on Mr W J Hope MBE, Beverley faster expansion cards than other 1992/93. In particular, we should
071-734 8935. You You've caught us being PCs. PS/2s are especially designed apologise for the caption to the
can also contact us unwittingly ageist there, Mr for use as powerful 'stand-alone' photograph on pages 44 to 45;
on CompuServe: Hope. The anecdote we cited machines, workstations in a the person shown in the
76004,3454. regarding a senior citizen's network or as network servers. laboratory is not Gerd Binnig.
HELPWAR 8
10 reasons why
Memory Solutions is
a leading name
in memory upgrades
THE TECHNICAL SUPPORT B THE 24 HOUR REPLACEMENT
Ring our Technical Support Hotline 0480 497785 Our no-quibble returns policy means that if a
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165
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touch of a button? Gold prospecting from The search for new drugs
involves screening thousands
What's
an ideal world you would
decide what you need the
drug to do, then go ahead
and design a molecule to
do it. 1BM and BioNumerik
HELPWAR 12
Clean machine
Do you ever get nostalgic
about your first model racing-
car kit? Remember the decals,
• •••••••••
the ace paint job, and not a • Kick the computer
smear of glue in sight? Software, according to
Now remember how you computer wags, is what goes
stuck the bodyshell together wrong, and hardware is what
before putting the wheels on, you kick when the software
so they had to be glued to the goes wrong. 1f it all gets too
wheel arches. And the much, but you shrink from the
instructions clearly indicated idea of smashing up your
that the cludging pin should computer, Computer Fun is
be inserted into the gobblit selling punch-ball effigies
assembly, but there wasn't a of PCs, called Smack Its,
single part on the plastic PC CD-ROM. Using a for you to abuse instead.
frame (called a sprue by kit database of three-dimensional Computer Fun is based in
techies) that looked anything animated kit parts, you can California; phone 010 1 619
like a cludging pin. And watch the car being assembled You can build a car on-screen 279 1919 for more details.
besides, the hole in the gobblit step-by-step, choose from a and then hit the race-track Smack Its are available from
assembly into which you were range of paint options and with a car-kit CD-ROM. HP Source on 0642 750225
meant to insert the darned get information about the for £6.95, plus VAT.
pin was completely blocked performance of the real buy similar disks later in the
with glue anyway. vehicle. What's more, once year. You can choose one kit • On the right track
All this may now change. you've put the model car free when you buy the disk Visiting Aunt Maud this
Revell has put instructions for together, you can race against (which costs £49.95); the weekend? British Rail's
four of its car kits (the Bugatti five other vehicles on the PC others are available separately Journey Planner asks you
EB100, Porsche 911 Slant in a five-lap simulation. for around £12. For more where you're travelling from,
Nose, BMW Nazca M12 and Fans of aircraft and information, contact Revell your destination, and the
Lamborghini LP500S) on to a dinosaur kits will be able to on 081-207 1552. time you want to leave. After
running through the six
million or so possible train
Craftsman's little helper services, it comes up with
A master craftsman who the quickest route – although
makes harpsichords, spinets it can't yet warn you about
and clavichords has trained leaves on the track or the
a computer to be his wrong kind of snow. Journey
apprentice. John Storrs Planner runs on your PC and
spent ten years developing costs £19.99 from British
precision engineering Rail (tel: 0800 5263060).
techniques for wooden
components. He now • Eyerobics
'teaches' his silent assistant Headaches? Eye strain?
by writing the software EyerCise could be the answer
needed to control the to your problem. This
computerised drills – no American program costs
small task when each $69.95, and uses on-screen
keyboard has around 400 exercises to help you stretch
holes. Each hole has to tight muscles and relieve
be precisely placed, and tired eyes. Every so often
a harpsichord can have two kit form for amateurs to (you define the interval
or more different keyboards assemble at home like a big, yourself) the system beeps to
ranged one above the other. very intricate Airfix model. recommend that you relax
He uses the PC to design Storrs oversees his pupil your eyes and shoulders,
more than 100 different parts, and checks its work before while animated stretching
ensuring that each one fits assembling and adding the exercises show you how.
perfectly. The computer then them during shaping and finishing touches. This, Contact RAN Enterprises,
gets on with the job of gluing. So precise is the fit of reassuringly, is still best left 1 Woodland Park Drive,
cutting, not just the parts, the components that the to the eye and judgment of Haverhill, Massachusetts
but also the jigs used to hold instruments can be sold in a human craftsman. 01830, USA.
HELPWARE
REPORT
More Perfect
WordPerfect for DOS is one of publishing. WordPerfect 6.0
the most widely used word for Windows and OS/2 should
processor programs on the be introduced at the end of
PC. It's very fast and has lots this year. For further details
of useful functions. At the contact WordPerfect (UK)
Artificial moons time of going to press, the on 0932 850505.
The Russians have successfully tested a solar mirror in space WordPerfect company was
that could light up the far-flung corners of Siberia during the planning to release its
long dark winters. Launched from the Mir space-station, a biggest set of improvements
satellite takes up position in orbit 350 kilometres above the to the program since 1988 in
earth, where it begins to spin on its axis. Centrifugal force the form of WordPerfect 6.0
then unfolds a fan of eight aluminised Kevlar sails, forming a for DOS. This version includes
circular mirror in space. Although the an optional graphical
mirror is only 20 metres across, it Windows-like system to help
reflects enough of the sun's rays you use the program more
back to earth to light up an area four easily, and improved page WordPerfect 6.0 for DOS with
kilometres in diameter with the layout features for desktop its Windows-like display.
brightness of three full moons.
Having proved that it works, the Robotic Rodin
Russians now plan to construct
around 100 solar mirrors that will be French sculptor Francois Desjours has abandoned his hammers
used to light up a much larger area and chisels for a robot laser. Described as looking like a cross
of Siberia. However, some experts between a huge hair-dryer and a time machine, the automated
consider the test to be a trial run for artist revolves around the subject's face and examines it by
a far more ambitious project. They passing a fine laser over his or her features. The machine then
believe that the same principle could sculpts the bust in plaster, wood or even solid gold (marble is too
be used to increase the amount of fragile) with a computer-controlled chisel. The initial scanning
sunshine on Mars, to prepare it for process takes only a minute and the completed masterpiece
eventual colonisation by humans. (ready after a few days, since the final polishing work is still done
by hand) is precise down to the last detail, warts and all.
A basic bust starts at £100. If you're vain enough to want
Pebble calling base, come in please yourself immortalised in gold, the price has to he negotiated with
Britain has more than 9,000 kilometres of coastline. With the artist. So far Monsieur Desjours' three-dimensional photo-me
global warming threatening to melt ice-caps, raise sea levels machine has sculpted more than 1,000 subjects.
and inundate coastal areas, it has never been more important
to protect it. Seventy per cent of beaches on the east coast
are being eroded and scientists are studying the effects of
tides and currents in order to combat the encroaching sea.
Initially researchers tried using shiny aluminium markers
scattered on the beaches, to see where wind and waves
would take them. There were two flaws to this method,
however. First, all wet pebbles are shiny, so the aluminium
ones scarcely stood out, and second, any markers which got
buried under other pebbles were lost for good.
The solution is the electronic pebble. Unlike its dumb
aluminium predecessors, the pebble contains a small radio
transmitter which emits a periodic signal. Like a rolling stone
it roams freely with the elements, but when it comes to rest
on some lonely, windswept shore it bleeps its little heart out
to let its inventors know exactly where it is. Surely the first
stone to call home.
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Our technology has the computer
OCTOBER 1.0 JULY 1991 world talking. More than ever.
© Hayes Microcomputer Products, Inc., Millennium House, Fleetwood Park, Barley Way, Hants GU13 8UT. Tel. 0252 775500 Fax 0252 775511 On-line with Hayes BBS 0252 775599.
All trade names refered are the trademarks or registered trademarks of thier respective manufacturers.
REPORT
Frisky Finns
Family farming was in danger relationships. In the largest
of dying out in Finland at the single run there were 5,000
beginning of the 1980s. participants, an astonishing
Farmers, it seems, were statistic considering that the
having difficulty finding country only has five million
Going for gold... in space someone to love. Then along inhabitants. The success of
Gold fever isn't what it used to be. Donning a checked shirt came the matchmaking the matchmaking program,
and sifting gravel in a perforated frying pan may have a computer program IEVA, which however, suggests there
certain backwoods charm, but today's prospectors are was introduced at the Oulu may soon be a lot more.
turning to computers and space satellites. A new satellite, Farming Fair in 1991. Around
called AVIRIS, is due to be launched in 2,700 visitors to the fair filled
1997. It won't see gold directly, but it out a questionnaire, which
should be able to detect some of the rocks was used in a computer-
usually associated with the precious metal assisted search to select
by looking for the characteristic way that suitable partners.
they reflect specific wavelengths of light. IEVA is now the best-known
A prototype of the AVIRIS sensor was piece of software in Finland.
tested recently from a high-flying U2 spy So far, some 42,000 people
plane. It worked well, but the real secret of have given their details, and
space-based prospecting is the computer the computer has cast an eye
software which will analyse the AVIRIS over 25 million possible
data and automatically map the deposits. Several rival
teams around the world are now racing to perfect their own Catwalk stalker
prospecting program. The most successful could, quite
literally, turn out to be a gold-mine.
Sex talk
What does a computer know about relationships? Quite a
lot, it would appear. At a competition in New York, a
program called Men vs. Women spoke on the subject so
convincingly that it fooled two out of eight interrogators
into thinking it was a real person.
The real challenge, though, is to produce a program that
can fool the whole panel of judges when talking about any
subject. This is the so-called Turing Test, devised by the
computer pioneer Alan Turing as the definitive test of
artificial intelligence. Whoever cracks it will collect
$100,000 from the Loebner Prize fund, which organised the
competition. Another round is scheduled for 21 September
1993. For more details, contact Dr Robert Epstein on 010 1
617 876 2716.
16 HELPWARE
Sounding out noise
Noise has long been identified as a major
Snippets
cause of stress at home and at work, and
companies are continually coming up with
••••••••••
new ways for us to enjoy peace and quiet. • History repeats itself
Here are two of our current favourites... The twentieth century is now
Sound is a pressure wave with crests available on a CD-ROM. The
and troughs, and noise is a lot of Time Almanac contains
different sound waves jumbled 15,000 articles, a million
together. You can block out noise by photos and digitised video
broadcasting sound waves whose clips complete with sound, so
crests and troughs fall at exactly those you can relive the speeches
points in space and time where your of Martin Luther King, the
bothersome noise has corresponding troughs rise of Hitler, or even the LA
and crests. Bose, the American loudspeaker riots. It costs £99 from
maker, has used this principle to develop a set Optech (tel: 0252 714340).
of antisound headphones to make life easier for Hear yourself think with a set of antisound
all sorts of people, from pilots to factory headphones (above), and cycle in peace with • Hotline to heaven
workers, whose jobs expose them to loud a pair of wind Silencers (below and left). Hard-pressed sinners can now
background noise. confess direct by fax. The
The headphones are equipped with a however, is the whoosh of the wind as you Catholic church unveiled its
microphone that picks up all outside sounds. speed along on your bicycle, you need not invest latest service, called
An electronic circuit then in antisound headphones. For a Confaxion, at a church fair
determines which sounds are mere $11.95, you can obtain a in Vicenza, Italy. And
noise (as opposed, say, to the boss pair of bicycle Silencers - Christianity is not alone in
shouting in your ear), and aerodynamic sections of hard bringing technology to the aid
immediately generates an antisound plastic designed to deflect of busy penitents. If taking a
signal that is fed into the speakers along onrushing wind, while trip to Jerusalem to worship
with the signal from the microphone. channelling directly to your at the Wailing Wall is too
The noise, or at least 20 decibels of it, is ears the sound of juggernauts expensive or time-consuming
cancelled before it reaches your ears. This bearing down on you. Silencers for you, then you can send
particular form of peace and quiet will cost are available in a variety of tasteful your prayers direct over a
you $995 and can be ordered from Bose colours, including Metallic Aqua and new telephone hotline.
(tel: 010 1 508 879 7330, ext 2006). Violet, from the New York Design Studio Alternatively, you can fax
If the only noise that really bothers you, (tel: 010 1 718 868 2312). your prayer, which will then
be inserted into a crack in
HELPW ARE
REPORT
Rattle off a Van Gogh
Now a child can paint like a pro. Painter for watercolour effect and gives you a choice of
Windows will transform your daubs into the
style of various famous masters. Just click on a
acrylic or oil paints. It can also simulate the
grain of different papers.
•
button and your doodle is repainted in the Painter for Windows provides a host of • Slanging match
technique of Van Gogh, for example. more conventional graphics facilities as well, Thirty-three American pilots
The program lets you sketch in charcoal, and is available from Letraset (tel: 071-928 recently took on seven
crayon or chalk, lighten the colours to give a 3411) for £325. limeys in a game of Air
Warrior. This air combat
simulation is played over the
telephone line using a PC and
a modem connected to a
service called Online. Linked
by satellite, the Brits scraped
a victory, partly by superior
strategy, but mainly by
confusing their attackers with
incomprehensible expressions
such as 'tally-ho',
and 'cabbage crates over the
briny'. Call 081-558 6114 for
more information about the
Online service.
• A diamond is
forever... on disk
French and Belgian jewellers
have created a fingerprinting
system for valuable jewels.
Each item is identified using a
scanner and a video camera,
and its details are logged in a
software catalogue called
Keeping time with history Image Pals. Now customers
can choose the jewellery of
John Redfern pieces together magnifying glass, but with ensure that the on-screen their dreams from a screen,
the intricate mechanisms of three-dimensional design replicas are precise to the very while the stones themselves
long lost historical clocks, not software and a PC. An last cog. Then he puts the remain safely locked away.
with the traditional jewellers' authority in clockmaking, swing back into pendulums
tools of screwdrivers and a Redfern uses his knowledge to and sets the wheels in motion • Where's the Kilrathi?
with computer animation. Ultima VII is a colossal game,
Ticks and chimes can be taking up 21MB of hard disk
added to taste. space. In return, you get a
His latest project, for cinematic sound-track,
the National Maritime digitised speech, swords
Museum in Greenwich, is and sorcery, murders and
the recreation of the first mayhem. To gain the edge
chronometer accurate enough over fellow players, start by
to calculate longitude at sea, typing ULTIMA7 ABCD,
invented more than 200 years holding down the Alt key and
ago. 'I can draw two wheels typing 255 on the numeric
that would normally fit keypad. Once the game has
comfortably on a thumbnail, started, press F2 for the
and blow them up to full cheat menu and F3 for the
screen to watch them work,' teleport map. For more of
explains Redfern (left). the same, turn to our brand
Another great benefit of new 'Hot tips' section on
computerised chronometers is page 84. Ultima VII costs
that, once started, they need £39.99 from Electronic Arts
never be rewound again. (tel: 0753 549442).
18 HELPWARE
1000 Solutions to your
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REPORT
Calendar
July Augst September
Networks '93 The European Computer
Last day of an exhibition and a variety of Trade Show
conferences focusing on networks for The premier showcase for the best in
businesses in the 1990s. leisure PC software. It's a trade show, so
NEC, Birmingham. not really open to the public, but if you
Contact Blenheim Exhibitions: take a business card you should get in.
081-742 2828. Business Design Centre,
Islington, London.
Contact Blenheim Exhibitions:
Jurassic Park 081-742 2828.
Steven Spielberg's latest blockbuster
rumbles onto the screen, a thriller about Locusts (above) rub wings with stick
genetically-engineered dinosaurs running insects and dragonflies at Megabugs. Third International Virus
amok in a theme park. Despite an Bulletin Conference
impressive cast, the real stars of Jurassic Megabugs A two-day intensive programme of
Park are the dinosaurs. Full-size Following the success of the robotic presentations covering the prevention and
velociraptors — perhaps the most vicious dinosaurs gallery, the Megabugs cure of computer viruses, divided into
prehistoric killers of all — were built for exhibition of robotic insects goes on two streams: corporate and technical. The
the film and brought to life on screen by show from the end of July. Huge moving conference language will be English.
breathtaking special effects. praying mantis and mosquito heads will Krasnapolsky Hotel, Amsterdam.
be among the displays. Entomophobes Contact Petra Duffield: 0235 531889 (UK).
and the faint-hearted beware.
All Formats Computer Fairs The Geological Museum, London.
These highly successful shows pile 'em Telephone: 071-938 8765. Live '93
high and sell 'em cheap, with a range of All aspects of consumer electronics, from
computer products at bargain prices. Nanotechnology Exhibition car radios to CD-ROM drives, will
The Birmingham National Atomic or molecular technology, feature in this huge show. One of the
Motorcycle Museum. otherwise known as nanotechnology, is most interesting displays should be British
Contact Bruce Everiss: 0608 662212. the theme of a new exhibition at the Telecom's Time Tunnel, which takes you
Science Museum from mid-June until the through a short history
end of September. As part of the Science of communications.
Box series of exhibitions, which explore Olympia 2,
contemporary science, medicine and Kensington, London.
technology, it traces the development of Telephone: 071-603 3344.
nanotechnology and its application in
the world today.
The Science Museum, London. Business Computing
Telephone: 071-938 8000. An opportunity for the professional user
to see the very latest business software
and hardware, with plenty of leading
companies in attendance. Although it is
specifically intended to attract big buyers
with big money, the show is open to
everyone. It will incorporate network
Get ready for an epidemic systems and services and there will be a
of dinosaur fever as Jurassic specific area set aside for Windows
Park hits the big screen. applications as well.
Earls Court, London.
All dates and names correct at time of going to press. Contact Montbuild: 071-486 1951.
HELPWARE
onward
1: (0234) 327177.
MID istribution Fax: (0234) 216627.
The Image-In product range offer reliable, proven software for the Windows market
place. The scanning, painting, image enhancing and photo retouching software offers
the user a wide range of tools, filters, file types and support for over 50 scanners and
input devices from leading computer manufactures. Complemented by OCR,
vectorisation, and an image organiser, Image-In becomes the complete tool for image,
photo and document manipulation.
ageQ is a powerful Windows presentation tool for true colour image presentation and
:display of photographic quality images. ImageQ can replace the use of 35mm slides
th the use of your computer, and a 256 colour or higher monitor. It also has the ability
)roduce portable presentations without the need for ImageQ itself. The only thing the
rtable show requires to run is Windows. Slide show presentations are easy to setup,
I
offer a range of transitional effects. With the ability to import numerous file types,
supporting the Windows Clipboard, getting images into the presentation is simple.
ageQ allows you to effectively create interactive, multi-media supported presenta-
ns with your 24, 16 or 8-bit colour and photographic quality images.
SuperWorks is a complete Integrated Software Package for the IBM PC and compatibles.
SuperWorks combines Word Processor, Database, Spreadsheet, Communications and
Macros. With the SuperWorks program file being around 220K, and all of its work
performed in memory, SuperWorks becomes the ideal partner for Laptop and Notebook
computers. With the ability to read files prepared using AppleWorks, SuperWorks
becomes the ideal stepping stone for Apple uses migrating to the PC.
le TGL+TM Windows & DOS Graphics Toolkits provide the essential graphics
ocessing utilities required by virtually all PC's that are used for desktop publishing,
esentation graphics, paint, illustration or multi-media. Main features include: Graph-
; file conversion, Graphics file compression, Graphics Screen Capture, Text Screen
ipture, Image viewing, Image information, Enhanced Printing, Colour Conversion
th Reduction, Dithering, Colour Separations, and more..
All trademarks are hereby acknowledged.
LIFE
Crad
Children have fun repelling A NEW CULTURE is being born, populated by
computer-literate kids, enthusiastic teachers
and bemused parents. Technophobes may curse
invasions from distant computers, but children love them, and schools
are starting to use them across the curriculum. So why the
galaxies on the computer, but fear? And what really happens when you sit a child in front
of a computer screen?
do they really learn anything? Many adults mistrust the technology that is transforming
their children's education because they themselves have
Rebecca Cripps and never used it. This ignorance is compounded by scare stories
about computer games encouraging aggressive behaviour – a
sort of virtual violence. As the French sociologist, Pierre Lévi,
Xavier Thibert report on says: 'These days, with video games in most homes, where
zapping rules OK, computers are often seen as devils. Chil-
computers in the classroom. dren have become the new savages, while we adults think we
are the civilised ones, the upholders of true culture.'
2HELPWAR 2
However, educationalists believe that computer adventure by
computers and information technology Marshal Anderson.
(IT) can make learning more exciting and Pescod explains:
provide greater stimulation for children The project proved to be totally cross-
than orthodox teaching methods. The curricular. The idea of the earth being
experience of Di Pescod and her class of knocked out of its orbit presented all sorts
juniors at St Mary's school in Bodmin, of possibilities for looking at our own
Cornwall, bears this out. In the course of planet and various global issues, besides
saving the world from an orbit-displacing the obvious science attainment targets —
attack by a computer, the class discussed earth and the atmosphere, and the earth in
the ozone layer, the greenhouse effect, the space. The possibilities for creative work
press, dinosaurs, the ice age, the Black were boundless. Aliens leered from the
Death, Hiroshima, Chernobyl and vol- wall, stars and planets shone down from
canic eruptions in the Philippines. the ceiling, dinosaurs roamed from the
They designed and constructed their past and rockets zoomed to the future...
own model rocket-launchers and plan- while the children's imaginations drifted
etary landing crafts, experimented with into far distant places.'
magnetism, made musical instruments and Orbits combines an interactive Steve Davis, schools' IT inspector and
created visions of an ideal space colony. atlas of our solar system careers adviser in Camden, London, at-
All this activity was generated by Zillion (Mars is pictured above) with taches importance not just to the added
(see 'Educational software', page 26), a informative adventure games. stimulation provided by computers, but
also to the way that children learn: 'You
can provide children with more challeng-
ing situations using computers, and
Stephen Steadman, aged 11 'I'd like to have a computer to use in encourage more active and independent
Pictured below, left 'When we were every lesson; it's much more fun than learning.' He also thinks that computers
learning about the Saxons our teacher watching the teacher. It would be good to help children learn to work collaborative-
showed us a game where the Saxons have more games at school - it probably ly: 'As an aid to creative writing, for
fought the Normans. It was a very hard wouldn't help me learn more, but I'd enjoy instance, I believe that IT is second to
game, but exciting. playing them. I'd like to use computers in none. You can have two or three children
'We've used computers in English, to my work when I grow up. I'm going into working together on a piece of writing,
help us with writing and copying things the army, though, so I probably won't drafting and redrafting on screen. They
out, and drawing. It's much more fun than need to know how to use them. But it's can share their work more easily, and all
doing it without a computer. There's also good that I do know how to, in case I ever contribute to the work at the same time.'
a really good snooker game which we play have to use one in an emergency.'
in maths - we have to work out angles Group effort
and how to get the ball into the pocket, Daniel Gibbs, aged 11 One of the advantages of classroom tech-
which is great. Below, right 'We first started to use nology is that while working on a project
computers when we were seven. It was together, children are still able to study at
difficult at first, but now it's their own pace. With careful apportioning
quite easy. Today I've been of tasks, a teacher can draw contributions
playing Dev Tray (Developing from individuals at a variety of different
Tray), where you have to fill in levels, ultimately producing a collab-
missing words. If you get the orative final result. 'A multi-level project
words right, you score. If you get can be very good for the esteem of the
them wrong, you lose. You can class as a whole, and also individually,'
press F10 for help and you can says Robert Hunt, a primary school
buy words and letters, although teacher in the West Midlands. 'In an
then you lose all your points. It orthodox teaching environment, the learn-
helps you remember how to spell ing needs of certain individuals have to be
words. There are nine levels, and tailored to a class average. When the class
you can go at your own speed.' is divided into working groups, all aiming
Hearnville Primary school, towards a common goal, the children are
London SW12 more able to work to their own levels ►
23HELPWAR
LIFE
of ability. And they help one another.' to cater for individual pupils' needs more
The thinking Children with special needs can reap efficiently and he believes they increase
benefits from new technology, too. Those children's self-esteem. He also feels they
child's games
who find it difficult or painful to write put children on a far more equal footing
Criticism of the intrinsic violence and manually can use a word processing when it comes to presentation of their
addictive nature of certain commercial package to produce legible, well-presented work. 'Interestingly,' he says, 'as the quali-
computer games is widespread, and work. Software has been developed to ty of presentation rises, so does the quality
various studies have worked hard to help dyslexic children overcome their of the thinking.'
prove that children hooked on cult spelling difficulties, and there are special
games like Sonic the Hedgehog and laptops and paint programs for children Learning without limits
Streetfighter 11 show aggressive and with motor impairment. Touch-screen Whittaker believes it's important for every
anti-social tendencies to a far greater technology, where you interact with the pupil to have access to a PC: `If computers
degree than children who aren't. computer by touching designated areas of are to benefit children, then each indi-
However, teachers are finding that the screen, allows deaf children to vidual child must have access.' With this
certain games can be useful monitor their own speech. (See 'Comput- in mind he approached IBM for help in
educational tools in the classroom by ers for all abilities', Helpware Magazine, setting up a network, and 74 systems,
making learning fun. Maggie Driscol, autumn 1992.) mainly PS/2 Model 30s, were installed.
information technology (IT) adviser for Peter Whittaker, the head teacher at Teachers and children can use a whole
primary schools in Islington, London, Hall Green secondary school in Birming- range of programs with this system. 'Our
reckons that games developed ham, agrees that computers allow teachers computers are helping to remove limits to
specifically for educational purposes
can encourage children to
build models and investigate
and solve problems, while write something on the blackboard.
boosting their confidence in 'Some people might find it easier to
their ability to tackle IT. pick things up if they're watching them on
The French sociologist screen, but others find it easier to learn
Pierre Levi also feels that the by rote from a teacher. You can get bored
right games used in the right either way - with a teacher or with a
context are valuable to program that you're using over and over
children. He believes that again. With a teacher, you can't predict
children benefit from actively so much what they're going to do - you
participating in the on-screen don't always know how they're going to
action. 'This virtual reality world approach a subject, which could make
in which children advance with things more interesting. Computers could
pleasure and ease does not, never replace teachers.
fortunately, limit itself to "Mario 'A lot of the software could be improved
Land". It can be a landscape as upon - especially in the science subjects.
complex and loaded with ideas as Much of it is too basic. The programs
you like,' he adds. could be brought up to date.
Certain games are worth 'I don't think we need a computer each
getting for the home, especially if they Paul May, aged 16 because we like working together as a
equip children with the basic skills Pictured above, centre: 'Computers help group, where we can all help each other.
required for more erudite computer with making work neater and sorting out When you're on a computer you work at
use. Some games can also raise spelling problems. It's easier to correct your own pace, and there's nothing to
awareness; for instance, by having things on a computer than by hand, and stop you going on ahead and leaving the
environmental themes. As an when you print your work out it looks others behind, which is not necessarily a
alternative to blasting bandits, better. Now we've got computers in most good thing. It can make you a bit selfish.
children can play games such as of the maths and English rooms - 'Some of the kids buy magazines that
EcoQuest (see 'Educational software', wherever they are needed, basically. give a free demo game away with every
page 26). in which they save dolphins 'They make work easier to do. but they issue. Then they put them on a school
from tuna nets, sort out the ozone don't necessarily make it easier to learn. computer, someone else copies them and
layer and rescue the world. If only it However, a computer can provide a lot of they end up all around the school on the
were really that easy... visuals, whereas a teacher would have to computers which have hard drives.'
get in a video and television, or just Islington Green school, London N17
4HELPWAR 2
learning,' says Whittaker, adding, 'We across the principles of calculus; foreign- Julie Muguruza,
would rather use sophisticated software language teachers use a satellite dish to aged 16
on a basic level than simple, childlike download current affairs programmes Pictured below, left:
programs with built-in limits.' Hall from around the world; and English teach- `Computers make it easier to
Green's pupils have taken to computers ers use word processors to encourage writ- work quickly. And if you're not
enthusiastically, and many have begun to ing and revision. Older children can study particularly good at drawing, there are
spend more time at school than they did computer programming. packages that can help. You can create
before IT was introduced. all sorts of things on the screen.
Computers are having the same effect Lessons for life Everything's getting more competitive,
on the other side of the Atlantic, too. Peeling walls and cracked ceilings demon- so it's important to know how to work a
Brooklyn's High School of Telecommuni- strate the budget constraints TAT faces. new program, because that's bound to
cation Arts and Technology (TAT) in New The school's official annual software bud- be useful when you get a job. My parents
York ranks among the top five in the get is about £1 per student, and the com- don't know how to use computers, which
entire city for pupil attendance and the puter network includes 21 IBM PCs using is a bit of a problem, because they don't
drop-out rate is virtually zero. Children an XT as a server – not exactly the kind of have a lot of options for jobs.
and teachers go in early and stay late – a installation you would find in a top corpo- 'We all have access to a computer
phenomenon almost unheard of in Ameri- rate office. The 150 computers in the here, if we want it, which is good. Games
can inner-city schools – and enthusiasm building are mostly IBM PCs and compat- could be a good educational tool if they
for learning is apparent throughout TAT's ibles. The assistant principal of maths Bob were properly worked out. If the game
run-down buildings. Graham says that it makes sense for the involves problem-solving, it could be very
Although it is not classed as a vocat- kids to learn on the computers they are useful. They should link programs up so
ional school, TAT uses computers right most likely to encounter in the real world. that kids will be able to understand and
across the curriculum. Social science And, unusually, not one of the school's learn from them. I think they should have
teachers use simulation programs that machines has ever 'disappeared'. packages for music and art – not just to
show what it's like to grow up in Japan; Computer experience helps school- replace the manual work, but involving
maths teachers use spreadsheets to put leavers find work in a contracting job ► animation which helps you work with the
computer. It would be good to learn how
to animate and draw with a computer.
'We use the mailmerge quite a lot. You
Facts and figures can write to everybody on the computer,
In 1981, the Government launched a funding programme which provided a because everyone in the school has a file
microcomputer for every maintained secondary school and, in 1982, for every name, and you can leave a message for
primary school. According to the Department For Education (DFE), a typical them on their file. So we write letters to
secondary school now spends an average of £12,350 per year on information each other, and put things on the school
technology (IT) and provides one micro for every 13 pupils; in primary schools the bulletin board, which is brilliant.'
comparable figures are £2,250 and a ratio of one micro to 27 pupils. Teachers Islington Green school, London N17
generally receive a one-day course on how to use the new technology, which
most agree is not nearly enough for them to explore fully the teaching potential
of IT. Many say they are almost entirely self-taught as a result.
Maggie Driscol, primary school IT adviser for the London Borough of Islington,
and the only IT specialist for 58 schools in the borough, believes that the
biggest problem with the teaching of IT is the teachers themselves. 'If you
can't read yourself, how can you be expected to teach reading to others?' she
asks. 'There's money available for equipment, but funding for training is on the
wane. The situation won't really get better until the children currently being
taught become the teachers.'
As part of the Technology Curriculum, introduced within the National
Curriculum in 1989, children are first assessed in IT at the age of seven. They
are tested on communicating and handling information, measurement and
control, modelling (simulations), and the applications and effects of 1T.
Assessments take place throughout primary and secondary schools, and are
graded in ten levels. Graphics, word processing, database work, games and
programming are all covered in IT lessons. IT is also incorporated into other
subjects, such as history, English, maths and foreign languages.
HELPWARE
Educational software • market, which partly explains TAT's
success. The same is true in Britain, as
• Allwrite 2 is word processing Camden's IT inspector Steve Davis says:
software which can handle more than 'On leaving school, knowledge of IT
20 languages, including several (eg makes children more marketable in terms
Arabic, Bengali and Russian) with of employment. It also helps to increase
different scripts. The instruction their self-confidence, which is vital if they
manual only uses a small amount of are going to try and compete for work.'
written English, and instead contains a
lot of illustrations. Allwrite 2 is used in Starting early
primary schools for its multi-lingual Primary and secondary school teachers
facilities and as an English word appear united in their belief that comput-
processor. It is also used in secondary ers are a highly productive teaching aid.
schools, special schools, colleges and But would pre-school children benefit
community centres. Allwrite 2 costs from an introduction to IT? Up until the
from £40 (additional fonts are mid-1980s, educationalists felt that com-
available for £10 each), from ILECC, puters would detract from real-life experi-
tel: 071-735 9123. ence, isolate young children and hamper
• Bodyworks: An Adventure in their social and emotional development.
Anatomy turns the human body into a However, more recent studies reveal
biological map. You can highlight any that computers can enhance learning in
part of the body, or select internal the early years and facilitate cooperative
systems, such as the skeletal or behaviour such as turn-taking and group
N nervous system. Bodyworks also play. Helen Carmichael, who works at the
includes short animated clips, such as Westminster Education Psychology Ser-
the circulation of a pumping heart, and vice, believes that computers can help
has a health section with information young children develop basic learning con-
on first aid, general fitness and cepts, such as counting, reading and writ-
common illness. The software is for ing. A computer, she feels, can be the next
secondary education onwards. tool after fingers and bricks in the process
Bodyworks is just one of a variety of of learning to count, and the colour and
programs available from Children's variety it provides enhance a child's enjoy-
Computing Ltd (tel: 0869 322007) at ment of such lessons.
a discount to HelpClub members. It The French sociologist Pierre Levi
costs £44.90 plus £2 post and agrees, and points to psychological studies
packing (RRP: £59.95). See also which indicate that children are predis-
'Offers', pages 88 to 90. posed towards picking up computer lan-
• Paint and Create is designed to guage (as they are any language),
complement children's school-work particularly if introduced to the computer
and encourage their creativity. It through games. Whereas adults will try to
includes: an Activity Menu – a understand before having a go, children
landscape which comes to life when are not afraid to experiment.
you click on various items; a drawing Levi can even imagine the development
program; and programs which help you of an Esperanto-style visual language.
create greeting cards, jigsaws, 'With its icon images and interactive simu-
monsters, and pop-groups. Paint and lations, the computer is creating a new
Create costs £25.99, from Europress, visual language for thought,' he says. 'This
tel: 0625 859333. new culture has immense potential. It
• The Miracle Piano Teaching System could be a new kind of Esperanto based on
includes a 49-key keyboard alongside images, rather than words. For the child it
music software. There are 250 lessons covering a range of musical skills, from could he an additional instrument of
keyboard fundamentals to classical or jazz music. The system also teaches rhythm, thought. And the more we multiply our
timing and note reading, and contains prerecorded songs, achievement certificates, instruments of thought, the better we find
an adjustable metronome and full-orchestral accompaniment. It has a built-in MIDI our way in this complex world.' ■
(Musical Instrument Digital Interface) which means it can be used with any other
MIDI-compatible instrument. For age six onwards, the Miracle Piano Teaching
System costs £299, from Mindscape, tel: 0444 246333.
• EcoQuest costs £34.99, from Sierra On-Line, tel: 0734 303171.
• Zillion costs £23, from Sherston Software, tel: 0666 840433.
• Orbits costs £58.75, from Wirral Metropolitan College, tel: 051-653 5285.
• For all kinds of educational software, call Kosmos Software, tel: 0525 873942.
GST 1st Design is easily the best GST 1st Press is DTP as it should be - a really
drawing package in its class. Developed simple yet flexible tool allowing 1st-time users
with beginners in mind, you'll quickly be to produce impressive-looking pages.
creating stunning image
29 HELPWARE
TO BE THIS GOO
TAKES EUROPRESS EDUCATIONAL SOFTWAR
These days, more and more mums and dads are questioning the
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Not all children will grow up to be brilliant and balding, but if yours
happens to mutter E=MC' over the rice crispies, you'll know who to
Wimbledon Championships.
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Most businesses have standard
letters they need to send to all their
customers. At the same time they
want to make people feel that they
are being treated like individuals.
Barry Smith explains how
mailmerge brings a personal touch
to business correspondence.
THERE IS something sinister
yet seductive about person-
alised junk mail. Things like
`Dear MR JONES, our com-
puter scoured the whole of BRIGHTON
and came up with BRADDON STREET.
Then it selected NUMBER 34. It was you,
MR JONES, that it singled out to receive
news of our special offer! And so, JAMES
(you don't mind if we call you JAMES, do
you?), we would like to...' etc etc. All this,
and a lot more, is done using mailmerge.
It's a simple technique, available using
almost any word processor program. It
is certainly not limited to generating sacks
of junk mail. It can make producing small
runs, or even single copies of any standard
format document, much easier. Almost all
businesses that use word processing — and
many individuals as well — could save a lot
of time and effort by mastering mailmerge.
At root, mailmerge is just the capability
of a word processing program to combine
a single formatted document — called the
main or primary document — with
variable information from elsewhere, to
produce one or more merged final
copies. It's a useful way to create
contracts, invoices, standard letters,
memos, faxes or telephone lists.
The primary document in
a mailmerge always con-
tains three types of infor-
mation. First, it will include
the standard body text that is
to be common to all the docu-
ments you want to produce:
the date, perhaps, or your sign-off. Sec-
ond, it contains embedded instructions to
control the way in which the merge opera-
tion is carried out, identifying files where
additional information, which you may want included in some letters, can be In the case of a customer address list,
found. These instructions can carry out the data file would have a consistent struc-
quite complicated operations, such as halt- ture made up of identically arranged
A data file is made up of identically ing the process and asking you whether entries called records, each containing
arranged records, in which separate fields you want to insert a special price for a name and address information about a
each contain a single item of information. particular customer. particular individual or organisation. The
Finally, the primary document includes items of information in each record are
what are called merge field codes. These called fields, and each field is known by a
act as placeholders for pieces of informa- field name. For example, records in a
tion which will replace them at print time simple address list could contain fields
(customers' addresses, for example). The for surname and first names, title, address
bits of information can come from a vari- and postcode. The whole thing can be
ety of different sources: they can be thought of as a table.
prompted for and entered by the user at Let us suppose that the diagram (left)
merge time; they can be calculated or sup- represents part of our customer list, and
plied by the word processing program that we want to put together a letter to
itself; but by far the most important source advertise our latest, greatest widget. To
of merge data is another disk file, usually test the market, we are going to write to
called a data file or secondary document. our customers in Brighton. Since we are ►
• in the habit of promoting sales by mail- name of the data file or secondary file
shot, we already have a library of standard which supplies the variable information
paragraphs stored as separate documents, for each customer. This file begins with an
each one containing a short description of entry (the 'header') telling us the names of
one of our products. The other considera- the fields in each record, for example: title,
tion is price. This is unpredictable: it Look before you print first names, surname, addrl, and so on.
depends on the prices charged by our sup- Consult your word processor's manual for
pliers, on the prices charged by our com- Getting a mailmerge to work exactly the exact structure required for data files.
petitors and on how desperate we are for as you planned is sometimes tricky. We use the field names in the data file
business. We therefore decide to set up the Most word processors let you merge a header to identify the information we need
mailmerge so that it asks us for the price at specified number of documents to in our merged document, for example,
merge time. We'll also need the date, but produce a new merged document that Dear (MERGE title) (MERGE surname).
the word processor supplies that directly. can be viewed on screen before We need to skip data records unless the
The fixed part of the primary document printing. Usually, all the copies to be town is "Brighton", so we use the code
is easy: we can type and format it in the printed are collected in a single (SKIP IF NOT addr2="Brighton"). The
normal way, as if we were writing a single `output' document, with (depending on date of the letter is inserted automatically
letter to one customer. Having first creat- how you set the merge up) hard page at print time using a (DATE) code. Anoth-
ed the text and the basic layout, we then break codes at the end of each copy. er code, (ASK ONCE "Price?"), prompts
need to add the merge codes. You can check the results of merging us for the price at the start of the merge,
The format of the embedded codes used a few copies on screen, and if your and then uses the same price for each cus-
in mailmerge documents varies widely, word processor has a graphical tomer. (We might have a code like (ASK
but essentially the same ideas are at work preview screen, you can then verify the EACH "Price?") to prompt us for a differ-
in all the main word processing programs. layout and formatting visually. ent price for each customer, but think how
In our example, we'll use representative If the mailmerge is a short one - say tedious that would get on a long merge.)
codes derived from no particular word 30 or 40 pages at the most - it is a The product description for this
processor. To reproduce the same effect, good idea to run the complete merge promotion is a paragraph stored as
substitute the equivalent codes for your to an output document, check the WIDGET.PRD, so we merge this into each
word processor. In WordPerfect for whole document quickly and then print letter using (INSERT widget.prd). Finally,
DOS, for example, you use the (FIELD) it. Don't fall into the trap of correcting at the end of the page, we need to indicate
merge code to include information the merged copy repeatedly; go back that the merge should move on to the next
taken from the data file; we've used to your original primary document, record in the data file, force a page break,
(MERGE). Remember, in modern make the necessary corrections and print the whole letter out again, and so on
word processing software you can't repeat the merge process. for each customer. For this we use
usually type the codes in literally; (NEXT) and (PAGE BREAK)
instead you enter them using menus. In codes. Note that (NEXT} belongs
WordPerfect, you insert embedded codes at the end of the letter only in this
using the Merge Codes command; in example; in a telephone list, we
Microsoft Word, you use Insert-Field. would probably have a {NEXT)
The first code, (DATA custlist.dat) in code at the end of each line, so that
our example (see opposite), indicates the each customer's name and telephone
number would appear on a single line,
and the next line in the document would
be based on the next record in the data file.
To avoid the intricacies of laying out a
laser-label merge, we'll use window en-
velopes and merge the name and address
information into the top left-hand corner
of the letter. The prepared document
can he seen in the illustration above right.
This type of merge is perfect for produc- control processing to cut down on
ing long runs of almost identical letters duplicated information. For example,
based on a single file of names and address- Designing the structure of data files you could have a field called FAMILIAR
es. But don't overlook other possible appli- can be tiresome. Take names, for which causes the mailmerge to use the
cations of this technique. Suppose you instance. You might use John Smith's first name as the greeting if it is set to
need to print out a few contracts each day record in an address list to generate: 'Y' (for yes), or the title plus the
for new clients. You could prepare a stan- 'Mr J Smith' on the outside of an surname otherwise. You could leave the
dard outline contract as the primary file. envelope or on a mailing label; 'John field blank in most cases, and set it to
Clauses that might vary from contract Smith' within a contract; 'Smith, John' Y only where you need the familiar
to contract could be stored as separate in a telephone list; and either 'Dear greeting. In the primary document, a d
paragraph documents ready for inclusion John' or 'Dear Mr Smith' at the conditional merge code can then be
using an {INSERT} merge code. Your beginning of a letter. (Which format used to create the greeting text
word processor should also have a merge you use could vary from one record in automatically from the title, first name
command which will let you select differ- the data file to another.) and surname fields. Depending on
ent combinations of paragraphs for indi- It is obvious that you cannot achieve which word processing package you -4
vidual letters. all these results without breaking down use, the merge instruction to produce
Modern word processors can easily be the name into several different fields. In such an effect could look something
programmed to make mailmerging simple. this admittedly extreme example you like this: {IF FAMILIAR = "Y", "Dear" +
For instance, you can set up an easy-to- could need as many as five fields: first Firstname, "Dear" + Title + Surname}.
follow merge automatically by program- name 'John' (for the contract and In some word processing packages,
ming the word processor to keep prompt- telephone list); surname 'Smith' (for you can extract an initial from the first
ing you with step-by-step instructions. labels, contracts and telephone lists); name field without having to enter it
Besides taking all the slog out of your title 'Mr' for labels; initial 'J' for labels; separately in a field of its own. In
business correspondence, mastering a few and either 'John' or `Mr Smith' for the WordPerfect for Windows you would use
merge codes has another benefit: once you greeting in letters. {MID}-IFIELDIFirstname-0-1 to
know how it's been produced, person- The trick here is to include a field to extract the first letter of the first name.
alised junk mail loses its mystique. ■
manipulate it and use it in different ways.
It comes in a number of different versions
covering the UK and Europe. (See also
`Offers', pages 88 to 90). Other programs
(Mapinfo 2.0 from the Mapinfo Corpora-
tion, for example) will gobble up your cus-
tomer name and address file, then spit it
out in the form of a map, complete with
information tailored to your needs of the
moment: how many of my customers are
there within a 20-mile radius of Manches-
ter, for instance? Or where can I find deal-
ers in East Anglia who are selling more
Your PC may not be able to keep you entertained on a than 40 of my widgets every month?
If you want to travel outside Europe,
boring drive, but it will select the most scenic route, via your you could try World Atlas, which does its
best to cram the whole planet on to a
favourite roadside cafe, without ever yelling that you should diskette. As you can imagine, there are
have turned left three traffic-lights ago. Steve Cooke reports. some omissions, but you can spin the
world on your monitor and plonk your
Biro down on Guam (population 130,400,
capital Agafla). Then you could dial up
CompuServe with your modem and find
IN THE OLD DAYS all roads work out the best way of getting to the out how much it costs to fly there.
led to Rome, so no one got lost. area shown on your scribbled sheet. The computer hasn't got everything
Nowadays, all roads are either Not any more. Now, your PC can flash worked out, however. There's one prob-
one-way (the wrong way, of course), up a map of any European location, take lem which it still can't solve easily: the
blocked by road works, or signposted to two points on it, and print out a selection `travelling sales rep' puzzle. Apparently
somewhere you've never heard of. That, of optimum routes between them. The very simple, this conundrum can tie the
at least, is how it seems when you're late print-outs include detailed travelling in- biggest computers up in knots.
for an important meeting in Stickney structions (`At Saarmund turn left on the Suppose you want to visit people in
Marshes, which just happens to be off the E51 for ten miles towards Michendorf'), Hull, Sudbury, Penzance, and Reading.
boundary of your local map. estimated travelling times and a host of What's the shortest, most efficient route to
The fax has been one of the biggest other information. Instead of poring over take? Simple, you reply. After all, there are
boons to business travellers. When you a map at the traffic-lights, you can get only 24 possible permutations (you arrive
make an appointment with someone everything on paper before you leave, at this figure by multiplying 4 x 3 x 2 x 1;
who's driving down (or up) from Rugby, using AutoRoute Express from NextBase. for five destinations, you would multiply
you can fax them a map pinpointing the AutoRoute is just one of several recent 5x4 x3x2 x 1, and so on). So you get
position of your home or office. Very use- products that combine cartographic infor- out your map and combine your acute
ful. The only problem is that they have to mation with the computer's power to visual sense with a spot of trial and error
billion years ago). Your computer would
still be chuntering away happily at the
problem today, and would be kept busy
for several billion years to come. Clearly
this is not a commercial proposition.
Mathematicians have been searching
for a possible short cut to a solution to this
problem for decades. There have been
some conspicuous successes (the most
recent involved calculating routes with
more than 3,000 stop-off points using 30
massive computers), but even today's most
efficient travelling sales rep algorithms
can't come up with the best route for more
than a few destinations.
In the time-honoured tradition of ama-
teur mathematicians, there's always a
chance that you might hit on a more ele-
gant solution while soaking in the bath-
tub. Answers on a postcard to the new
`Hot tips' section on page 84, please... In
the meantime, we suggest you decide on
the appropriate route yourself, basing it
on the restaurants you would like to eat at
AutoRoute Express (above and below to find the answer. When you get more along the way. In this case, AutoRoute
right) plots the quickest and the places to visit, however, this minor niggle Plus can give you an answer on the spot. ■
shortest routes between given places. mutates into a monstrous challenge. With
It allows you to plan a journey via up to 50 destinations to visit, for instance, the
four different stop-off points and number of possible routes is a staggering
supplies information on local features 10" (one followed by 64 noughts). • AutoRoute Express, £99.95 for
of historic interest, national parks and To give you an idea of the sort of num- the DOS version and £149.95, for the
football grounds. A more expensive bers we're dealing with, suppose you were Windows version, and AutoRoute Plus,
version, AutoRoute Plus, also includes able to build an incredibly hunky comput- £395, DOS version only, from NextBase,
details on AA-listed restaurants. er capable of doing in one millionth of a tel: 0784 421422.
second what the most powerful supercom- • MapInfo 2.0, £750 each for the DOS
puter could do in a million years. Now and Windows versions, from the Mapinfo
imagine it had started trying to find the Corporation, tel: 0753 552530.
optimum route between 50 destinations at • World Atlas, from £59.95 to £89.95,
the same time as the Big Bang at the begin- depending on the version, from
ning of the universe (a mere ten to 20 Mindscape, tel: 0444 246333.
The Romans used gods as
well as zodiacal signs in
their astrological system
(main picture). Zodiacal
signs remained virtually
unchanged in medieval
Germany (left). The
relationship between days
of the week and their
corresponding planets
(right) was celebrated in
sixteenth-century England.
IN 1950, the French scientist Michel Gauquelin found
that doctors were more likely to be born when Mars and
Saturn had just risen or reached their highest point in the
sky than at any other time. Further investigation seemed
to indicate that soldiers and politicians were frequently born under the
influence of Jupiter rising, but that scientists tended not to be. Painstak-
ingly, he trawled through the birth records of Europeans and began to
calculate an extensive correlation between planetary position at the time
of a person's birth and their likely career. His conclusion, that there was
a clear relationship between the behaviour of heavenly and not-so-
heavenly bodies, added fuel to an age-old debate.
Before you die laughing, check who you're sitting next to, for other Helpware Magazine gave Dublin-based
twentieth-century cultures are far less dismissive of this sort of thing than astrologer John Little the date, time and
we are. Divining the future by astrological and other means is perfectly place of birth of a famous person and
acceptable in India, for example, where politicians educated at Oxford or asked him to read his or her stars. He
Jaipur may seek guidance from the stars about the state of the nation. had no idea who his subject was, but
University students readily consult high-street diviners regarding their produced a startlingly accurate profile.
examination results. The whole affair is more business-like than esoteric; The subject's natal chart suggested
if the diviner gets it right, a long-term professional relationship can devel- 'a fascinating person with the power to
op. If the diviner gets it wrong, it's time to ask for a rebate. In China, the influence the masses', with a 'naive,
influence of the divinatory system presented in the I Ching (the Book of childlike personality'. Little saw
Changes, one of the world's oldest extant works of literature) still 'disappointment in love and a chronic
appears in current affairs, although it's probably true that the book's inability to successfully bring together
influence is as much one of philosophy as of far-sight. the emotional and physical needs of
Even here in the West there have been serious attempts to link stock- the personality'.
market activity with planetary cycles. 'The most remarkable change tak- The horoscope also mentioned
ing place in astrology,' says Nick Campion, astrologer for the Daily Mail, `nervous exhaustion, hypersensitivity,
`is its growing use in business and finance.' Astrologers can buy databases chaotic emotions and nervous
of stock-market prices and use computers to compare them with astro- weakness', with possible 'drug
logical charts, looking for any correspondence between the movement of dependency, insanity, alcoholism, or
prices and the movement of sun, moon and planets against the sky. The total moral/financial collapse'. All this
number of variables involved is so immense that such analysis would be in a person seeming 'outwardly
out of the question without computers. gregarious, happy and popular'.
Today's growing popular interest in astrology has its roots in a Little thought it might be Walt Disney
continued on page 47► or Al Capone, although to be fair, he
hadn't been told the gender of the
mystery person. Once he found out
Like flared trousers, astrology has been that the subject was a woman, he
guessed who it was immediately -
alternately revered and reviled depending Marilyn Monroe.
Loaded with the same information
on the trends of the day. You don't have to that was given to Little, the program
Visions - The Complete Astrology
believe in it to draw your birth chart on a System (see overleaf), made somewhat
less salient points. It described a
PC, say Luca Serafini and Rebecca Cripps. person 'marked by mental agility and
activity who likes to think and act
quickly and decisively'. (Mental agility
and decisiveness are not the most
obvious traits of Monroe.)
In matters of the heart, Visions
remained ambiguous. 'Venus in Aries
denotes those who are passionate in
love,' followed by, 'natives may gain
emotionally or financially through
partnerships and marriage.'
However, Visions does have the
advantage of being able to produce an
accurate birth chart within seconds; the
same process would take a human
astrologer several hours.
Star-gazing by PC (including VAT). Trial versions can be
In order to read the skies with any found in many shareware libraries.
degree of accuracy, you need to find out This program for the more
the precise positions of the sun, the sophisticated star-gazer caters for
moon, the constellations of the zodiac several methods of interpretation (house
and each of the planets as seen at the systems) and will display or print charts
time and place of birth. Regardless of according to both conventional 'tropical'
any mystic connotations, the astrology and sidereal astrology, where
construction of an astrological chart is the 12 signs of the zodiac are realigned
a purely mathematical exercise. to correspond with the current positions
The starting point is the exact time of the constellations. Other technical
and place of birth. This needs to be titbits include transits, solar returns and
converted from the normal time progressions. Astral Windows is
system (Greenwich Mean Time, or currently available in both DOS and
Windows versions.
whatever) into the slightly different
system employed by astrologers
Looking to the heavens
(sidereal time - see the glossary on • Personal Computer Astrology from The natal chart is a map of the heavens
page 47 for a definition of this and other Electric Ephemeris, tel: 071-700 0666. as seen at the time and place of birth.
specialist terms used in this article). It costs from £125 to £500 (excluding The important thing to remember is that
Once the time has been converted you VAT), depending on which add-on extras it is drawn as though the earth is the
can construct the basic chart and begin are included. centre of the universe around which
to search for the significant This more expensive program can everything else rotates clockwise.
relationships between the various display and print very detailed charts. The starting point is the ascendant,
planets. The good news is that there's As well as showing the relationships which is the point on the eastern horizon
a wide selection of astrological between planets (aspects), Personal from which the stars appear to rise.
software programs which can do Computer Astrology lists planetary Everything in the top half of the chart
these calculations for you. positions and produces useful colourful would have been in the sky at the time,
bargraphs showing transits and in this case we can see from the
throughout the year. It sun's position that this chart relates to
supports six house systems the early afternoon.
as well as a range of The sky is divided into 12 houses,
progressions and solar and starting from the ascendant and working
lunar returns. It is not a round. The position of each planet is
Windows program, but it entered here. Computers often vary the
does have a reputation for distance between each planetary symbol
being fairly easy to use and and the centre of the chart (see left),
works with a range of because of the difficulty in displaying two
printers, including laser or more symbols close together. Human
and colour models. astrologers tend to line up the planets on
Personal Computer an invisible circle, making it easier to see
Astrology takes a number of the angles they make to each other.
add-on modules, such as The outer band represents the stars
the Attractometer for themselves which are divided into the 12
• Visions - The Complete Astrology analysing compatibility between two zodiacal signs. These roughly correspond
System from Mindscape International, charts, or the Interpretation Toolkit, to 12 constellations in the night sky.
tel: 0444 246333. It costs £34.99 for which lets you build interpretation texts
the DOS version and £39.99 for the using your own set of astrological rules.
Windows version. For general astrological advice,
The Windows package (shown contact the Urania Trust on 071-700
above) is easy to use and colourful, 0639 which operates from the same
allowing you to enter latitude and address as Electric Ephemeris.
longitude by clicking on a map of There are also two areas on the
the world, and printing out flowery international conference system
predictions complete with pictures CompuServe which cover astrology.
depicting each aspect of life. One is a forum for the exchange of
information, the other provides an on-line
• Astral Windows by Mike Magee from program, Astrology Calculator, which
the Public Domain and Shareware helps you to draw up a pretty accurate
Library, tel: 0892 663298. A registered birth chart. Telephone CompuServe on
copy of Astral Windows costs £24.99 0800 289378 for more details.
grand tradition. Originally astrology was
indistinguishable from the science of
astronomy (determining the physical prop-
erties and positions of celestial bodies).
Awareness of the movements of the plan-
ets can be traced back to the building of
the first pyramid, 4,500 years ago, meticu-
lously aligned with the constellations in a
calculated union of earth and stars.
The ancient Babylonians were the first
to give names to the splashes of stars
which make up constellations, but a pre- The 12 images of
occupation with the heavens goes even the Arabic zodiac
further back. In the 1970s, a 30,000-year- (above); the Chinese
old bone was unearthed which appears zodiacal circle, with
to be marked with a record of the the 12 animals of the
moon's cycles, raising the possibility that Chinese astrological
humankind noticed the stirrings of stars system (right); a
and planets as far back as the last ice age. seventeenth-century
Since then, every civilisation has revealed a zodiacal belt in
preoccupation with the cosmos and its the schema of the
influence on our lives. heavens devised by
This is not to say that attitudes towards Copernicus (below);
astrology have remained constant. Like the zodiac as it was
most things, star-gazing is a toy of fashion, depicted in medieval
and it has fallen into decline as often as it France (below,
has been celebrated. In the second century opposite page).
AD, Claudius Ptolemy wrote a spirited
and influential defence of the art, but after
the fall of the Roman Empire it virtually able to convince various world leaders planets at the time of birth, and is the
disappeared from the Latin west, only to (Ronald Reagan, Tsar Nicholas II) and basis for all astrological interpretation)
flourish in the Eastern Empire. celebrities (Prince, Kim Basinger) that they used to require several painstaking hours
It hit another high in twelfth-century hold the key to the future. of calculation and draughtsmanship. Your
western Europe, but by the end of the sev- The best test, of course, is to judge for PC can now do it in the blink of a
enteenth century it was considered a yourself. The task of constructing a natal Romany's eye, and can give you a fascin-
pseudo-science by everyone except those chart (which shows the position of the ating glimpse into an ancient art. ■
who dared contradict the Christian doc-
trines of divine intervention and human
free will. The idea that anything or anyone
other than God had influence on human Aspect: the angle between one planet and of the planets and the sun at the time and
destiny was a dangerous blasphemy. another as measured from the centre of place of birth.
These days mystics abound, most taken the chart. Angles of zero degrees (a Progression: in a progression planetary
with a pinch of salt, although a handful of conjunction) or 120 degrees are regarded movements are traced from their starting
astrologers throughout history have been as particularly harmonious, while 90 point on a natal chart and used to make
degrees or 180 degrees (opposition) predictions about the future.
create tension. Sidereal time: we normally measure a day
Birth chart: see Natal chart. as the time it takes the sun to rotate
Ephemeris: a booklet published annually around the earth. A sidereal day is the
showing the positions of the sun, moon time it takes the stars to rotate around
and planets at noon Greenwich Mean Time the earth, and is not quite the same
for every day of the year. thing. It is used to place the signs of the
Greenwich Mean Time: the time as zodiac on an astrological chart.
measured from Greenwich in London; a Solar return: a calculation of the planetary
world standard measure still widely used, positions when the sun returns to the
even though it was superseded in 1986 by precise position it appeared in at an
Coordinated Universal Time. individual's birth.
Houses: a way of dividing the sky into 12 Transit: in constructing a progression (see
sections (houses), each supposed to above), a transit occurs when the predicted
relate to a particular sphere of life. trajectory of a planet passes its original
Natal chart: a chart showing the position position on the natal chart.
MEMORY DIREC
MEMORY
SELECTOR
GUIDE
YOU MAY SPEND most of your time
tapping away with your word processing
or spreadsheet package, but every second
that you spend with your PC is also a
second spent with its operating system —
the program that looks after your file
storage system, disk drives, monitor, key-
board, mouse and so on.
While you're using your word proces-
sor, the operating system hides away in the
background. But every so often it rears its
head: for example, if you want to print the
file you're working on, or copy files from
one disk to another, or if you want to find
out where a lost file has got to. The sim-
pler the operating system is to use, the
more time you save.
For this reason, most people nowadays
use graphical operating systems. With
these, you use a mouse to select graphic
You spend a lot of time with your symbols (icons on the screen) which then
trigger other actions (running a program,
operating system, so it's worth using one copying files and so on), so you don't have
to type in obscure commands. The two
Steel
sou I S
Japan's fascination with humanoid robots stems
from the eighteenth-century automated dolls which
ran on sand or mercury and performed at Shinto
festivals. Nicholas Bornoff reports on a craft which
blends tackiness with artistic genius.
Shobe Tamaya the Eighth, opposite, whose family has made automated dolls for 250 years.
Two of Tamaya's clockwork tea-carrying dolls, below, which are based on a 1796 design.
LIFE
renowned as the country's leading special-
ist in biomechanisms, but also as a devout
Buddhist, who insists that robots and each
of their components are, like us, one with
the cosmic whole. The pre-eminent roboti-
cist Ichiro Kato, known for his servo-
mechanisms based on human hands and
for advanced medical robotics, seems
equally proud of his wire-tangled, box-
headed Wasubot, which is programmed to
play Bach on an electronic organ. Kato's
concepts, like Mori's, veer towards the
metaphysical; he believes in a connection
between Japan's ancient animistic Shinto
religion and robotics. He is probably right.
Robots in nirvana
The profound national infatuation with
robots has precedents centuries older than
Karel Capek's RUR. Most technological-
ly-oriented Japanese assert that it all goes
back to the karakuri ningyo, the automat-
ed dolls performing during some Shinto
festivals. Although more primitive than
reactors, level the seabed for off-shore Shunichi Mizuno, top, whose Tybots' go their western counterparts, these eigh-
construction and reproduce themselves. against the stylised grain of Japanese teenth-century Japanese automata were
But although technology has overtaken robotics by looking very real indeed. One works of genius considering their limita-
the tin toy, the Japanese passion for whim- of his latest can smile and wink, above, tions. As in the West, they tended to be
sical robots still outshines the industrial and can mime to 500 tunes on the piano. made by clock makers, but their only
clank and file. metal parts were governors. Wheels, gears
Japan is very partial to humanising its and ratchets were made of wood. Since
machines, as instruction manuals com- screws did not exist, the dolls were assem-
monly presenting domestic appliances
Craft from the past
bled with wooden pegs. Delicate balance
with cutesy faces imply. Cartoons of Following a 250-year-old ancestral was achieved using mercury or trickling
female bank clerks prompt transactions tradition in his workshop in Nagoya, sand; winding springs were made of
with a graceful bow and thank you on the 43-year-old Shobe Tamaya the Eighth baleen (whalebone) not steel. Karakuri
screens of automatic teller machines; still makes automated dolls. In fact, remain the star attraction at Shinto festi-
vending machines chirp tinny gratitude on although they have been karakuri vals in Nagoya and Takayama, perform-
city streets. Midway between toyland and craftsmen since the early eighteenth ing atop towering floats, turning
high tech is a zone in which Japan excels. century, the Tamayas latterly came to somersaults, climbing ladders and writing
`In other advanced nations,' writer carve only Noh masks and fine wooden characters with deft brush strokes.
Frederik Schodt observed in Inside the dolls, occasionally repairing karakuri The karakuri tradition exerts an influ-
Robotic Kingdom, a book about Japanese from Shinto shrines. In 1970, however, ence that goes far beyond the world of arts
robotics, 'serious attempts to build Tamaya's late father became the first and crafts. Their importance as the fore-
humanoids are rare and regarded as highly to make them in more than 100 years. runners of Japanese robotics and comput-
eccentric.' Eccentric or not, Japanese Using the Karakurizui, a manual er technology is well established enough
roboticists frequently mimic human or printed in 1796, Tamaya the Seventh for IBM Japan to have featured karakuri
animal shapes. Walking and/or grasping built a doll which, after bringing a cup maker Tamaya the Eighth (see box, left,
machines have been devised for a variety of tea to its recipient, nods, turns round and pictures, previous page) in a video
of applications both serious and other- when the cup is replaced and goes documentary last year. The company has
wise. Meitec, a prominent Nagoya firm back to its starting place. The science also put together a prototype robot,
specialising in computer-assisted industri- professor Shoji Tatsukawa of Tokyo's resembling R2D2 in the film Star Wars,
al design, recently developed a 'riding sim- Waseda University used the same which can move autonomously.
ulator' — a robot horse. Information manual to make a tea-carrier in 1967 The notion of robotics and technology
compiled from the minute study of real- and was awed by it: 'Since karakuri running hand in hand is epitomised by
life equine movement gives this mechani- represented the pinnacle of precision Hisashige Tanaka, a nineteenth-century
cal dobbin a digital memory of horsy mechanisms in Japan at the time, it is maker of clocks and karakuri who, turn-
manoeuvres and it is now employed in only a slight exaggeration to say that ing to modern industrial machinery,
some Japanese riding schools. today's equivalent to the manual founded Toshiba. Tamaya the Eighth, for
Masahiro Mori favours modelling his would be a blueprint for a computer.' his part, is typical of a generation who
machines after life-forms. He is not only remain staunchly true to their craft,
M HELPWARE
though he has replaced the baleen springs
Muttoni's magical worlds of automata
in his karakuri with steel ones. Some mod-
els are used in electronic displays and are At the Tin Toy Museum in Yokohama, Japan, nostalgia reigns over a
operated by hydraulics and computers. century of metal playthings. Among the thousands seeking a shot of déjà
Similar technology drives the very dif- vu, some dazzled recent western visitors were singers Graham Nash (of
ferent dolls of Shunichi Mizuno, a self- Crosby, Stills and Nash) and Peter, Paul and Mary, and British pop art
professed renegade on the Japanese pioneer Peter Blake.
android scene and the roboticist's answer What enchanted them most was a creation by Muttoni, which is kept
to hyper realism. 'Japanese taste is tradi- in museum owner Teruhisa Kitahara's private collection and is only rarely
tionally towards stylisation,' he laments. displayed. Revealing unrivalled genius for creating fantasy worlds with
`Being simply too realistic, my robots are automated models, Muttoni's Planet Theatre also bewitched the visitors
more popular abroad.' Mizuno's life-size at an exhibition in Tokyo last year.
Cybots, emerging steadily from his sub- Presenting the works himself, Muttoni is masked
urban Tokyo workshop and used in in dark glasses, a pale, gaunt young man in
acclaimed commercial displays, have nev- designer-black from his fedora downwards.
ertheless caused a national sensation. Ten Italianising his name for a hint of mystery after
years ago, his amazing Marilyn Monroe a trip to Rome, he is 34-year-old Masahiko
put him in the media spotlight as a cyber- Mutoh, an elusive artist who shyly
netic Dr Frankenstein. She stood strum- dismisses effusive praise with a modest
ming a guitar, pouted, blinked, winked, smile — and vanishes.
tilted her head and mouthed the words to Mutoh's works deploy moving
the song, I Wanna be Loved by You. figurines in cabinets about four feet
Marilyn has been superseded by more high, like the penny-in-the-slot
recent Cybots driven by oil instead of working models popular in bygone
compressed air. The extensive data that fairgrounds. Lit by optical fibres,
mobilised her had to be stored on tape; they enter and exit through opening
current models store their data on cards and closing doors or. ingeniously
and hard disks. One of Mizuno's latest reflected in mirrors, loom as
creations is a beautiful pianist which can apparitions. In what is a tribute to
mime to 500 pieces of music on the key- Billie Holiday, an aging black
boards of Yamaha player pianos. sweeper sits alone in a crumbling
Mizuno is proud of being 'the world's theatre watching his young self
only specialist in female robots', maintain- playing in a ghostly jazz combo with
ing that the future is towards 'soft' robots Billie on-stage. Another cameo
like his, which have a super-real vinyl skin. finds the lonely in rented rooms —
Striving to make his world of make-believe the melancholy caretaker, lovelorn
come alive, he hopes soon to combine his woman and secret drinker —
computer technology with virtual reality. transfigured by angelic
'My dream,' he says, toying with the head visitations. Unfolding to a musical backing, each tale is spellbinding.
of Yomiuri Giants' baseball team pitcher Here, recalling both Frankenstein and Fritz Lang's Metropolis, is a lab
Suguru Egawa, 'is to stage shows combin- in which a weird scientist and his assistant command radiating consoles
ing robots with humans in such a way that to give a robot life. There, a wax museum shows a tourist uneasily
you can't tell them apart.' ■ turning his head, wondering whether he really saw Dracula and Napoleon
move and flash tiny eyes as we did, before he is eerily transformed into a
A trainee at a Japanese riding-school figure of wax. Another cabinet (one of many spinning tales of the future)
trots her robot horse down a video road. finds a scientist presenting his son with a metal dome glowing with
diodes. As it opens, a miniature rocket ship soars slowly up to the
ceiling, and the back wall parts to reveal a glittering futuristic city
beneath a canopy of twinkling stars.
From the detailed doll's house decors to the figurines of painted balsa
wood, Mutoh makes everything himself, including the metal gadgets and
computers depicting yesterday's dreams of tomorrow. In the workshop-
home where he lives with his wife in a quiet Tokyo suburb, the reclusive
Mutoh frequently works a 16-hour day. His fantastic preparatory
sketches and paintings are executed with the precision of a Dutch
primitive. Since each cabinet tells a story, the phasing is intricate — the
digital technology involved must be highly sophisticated. How, I asked
the museum owner Kitahara, were the computers programmed to
sequence the action? He seems surprised. 'His gadgetry often reflects
them, but Muttoni never uses computers. The Planet Theatre is only
ij electric motors and gears — in short, clockwork.'
En HELPWARE
WORKSHOP
111 7\j! It
your bearings. It'll be worth the effort:
mastering the basics of macro program-
ming is the key to getting the best out of
ft]
almost all today's most popular word
processors, spreadsheets and databases.
Back to the task in hand. One thing
your word processor program won't do is
. .by
automatically generate a fax cover panel
for a document. This article tells you how
you can program WordPerfect to create a
fax cover panel at the start of a document,
learning to speak the same language as identifying the recipient and supplying
other cover information. By combining the
your computer. Steve Cooke talks macros. cover details with the document, and not
sending them on a separate sheet, you save
on transmission costs and make it less like-
ly that the information gets separated
from the rest of the fax after receipt. The
program will also set up a new header for
SCIENTISTS DELIGHT in codes. The good news is that there could each subsequent page, allowing you to
telling us that we only use ten well be something you can do about it. enter a fax reference number, a filename,
per cent of our brains. The Most top-of-the-range word processors, or other message.
same is probably true of our such as Word or WordPerfect, have their The key to programming this feature
word processors. Modern word process- own programming language which allows lies in WordPerfect's macro-programming
ing programs come with an awesome you to teach the program new tricks. In language (if you're unfamiliar with macros
range of features. WordPerfect, for exam- this article we concentrate on WordPerfect or programming, read the 'What is a
ple, will not only generate automatic 5.1 for DOS, but the same principles macro?' panel on the opposite page).
indexes, footnotes, headers and so on, but apply to a great extent to WordPerfect 5.2
will even take two versions of the same for Windows (both these programs can be First things first
document, compare them and tell you run with OS/2 Version 2 and 2.1). If you Macro program listings are written using
where and how they differ. Most of us will use different software, you could still get the Macro Editor. They consist of a series
only ever use a fraction of such features, an insight into how to use your own word of keystroke codes (which will cause the
but it's nice to know that they're there processor's programming facility (if it has keystrokes to be entered into a document
should we need them. one: see 'Clever word processors', page 59). when the macro is run) and commands
Despite this, there always seems to be Some of the concepts introduced in this (that determine how the program works).
some niggling omission. Maybe you can't article may be difficult for absolute begin- You'll find the commands listed in your
print page numbers exactly where you ners to grasp at first sight. If you're a WordPerfect Reference Manual (Appen-
want them. Or perhaps the program won't novice user, persevere and be prepared to dix K), or, if you are using WordPerfect
allow you to search for and replace font go back over parts of the text if you lose 5.2 for Windows, in the on-line help.
EIHELPWARE
What is a macro?
Instead of repeatedly typing your name
and address at the top of your letters,
most word processors allow you to
`record' the keystrokes and store them in
a file called a macro. Next time you write
a letter you can call up the macro and it
will 'replay' your keystrokes, entering the
codes for a bold font, say, followed by
your name and address (or whatever other
keystrokes you have stored) at the
current cursor position. This is called a
'keystroke' macro; it's ideal for
automating common tasks, such as letter
headings.
Keystroke macros are simple to create
in WordPerfect. Turn on the Record mode
by pressing Ctrl-F10 and WordPerfect will
record the keystrokes as you type them.
To terminate the recording, press Ctrl-F10
again. When you first create a macro,
you're asked to give it a name. You could
However, you shouldn't need to refer Oops, there's a problem here. Instead of call it ADDRESS, for example, in which
to these during the following exercise. inserting a series of codes, you've moved case you would 'replay' it by typing Alt-
Call up the Editor by pressing Home, your cursor to the head of the macro file F10 followed by that name. Alternatively,
then Ctrl-F10. You will be asked to enter a you're currently creating. You need a way you could specify an Alt-key combination
name for your macro. Type FAX (the of distinguishing between using the editing and replay the macro simply by pressing
.WPM extension will be added automati- keys to move around within the macro, that combination.
cally when the macro is saved) and press and using them to enter codes that will be Keystroke macros are limited to
Enter. Now type in a description of the carried out when you run the program. recording sequences of keystrokes, but
macro, for example, 'Fax Panel'. Press most powerful word processors also allow
Enter again and the main macro editing Commands under control you to program more complex macros
screen appears. Reposition the cursor underneath (DIS- yourself. These use special instructions
When you start programming a macro, PLAY OFF) and press Ctrl-V. This tells that cause the word processor to carry
the command {DISPLAY OFF} is automat- WordPerfect that you're about to press an out particular actions in a particular
ically inserted in the first line. This com- editing key which should be inserted as a sequence. Such a macro consists of a
mand freezes your screen display during code in the macro program. Press the series of commands and codes: you can
the execution of the macro and flashes up Home key, then Ctrl-V again, followed by see an annotated example of this kind of
a Please Wait message, making the macro Home, and then Ctrl-V and the up arrow. document, 'Your fax macro listing', on
run faster. There may be times where you You've now entered the codes to move the page 60.
want to see the display changing as the cursor to the start of the document to be A macro program is stored as a
macro executes. For example, if something faxed. Press Enter (without pressing Ctrl-V separate file. When you want to `run' the
goes wrong, it's easier to trace the error if first) to move on to the next line. program, you tell the word processor. It
you can see what your macro is up to. You'll notice that the codes you have will locate the program file and carry out
For the moment, however, you can stick inserted are enclosed in curly brackets. the instructions it finds there. These
with the (DISPLAY OFF} command. Press Also, they are, apart from the first letter, in instructions can be complex, involving the
End to move the cursor to the end of the lower case. Upper-case commands (such creation of a complete document, with
line and Enter to move down one line. You as {DISPLAY OFF)) are inserted in a dif- formatting commands and information
can use the normal editing keys (cursor ferent way, as you'll see shortly. that you enter via prompts during the
movements, backspace/delete, Enter and The next commands you insert will process.
Shift keys) to move around your program make the macro prompt you to enter some A macro program listing cannot be
document and edit it where necessary. information: who the fax is for, their fax typed into WordPerfect in the same way
number, and so on. Then it will store that as you would type a document. You first
Hitting the right key information to be inserted later in the have to tell the word processor that you
The first thing we will want our fax macro appropriate part of the fax cover. are about to create a macro program.
program to do when we run it is position When a macro program stores informa- WordPerfect will then call up the Macro
the cursor at the head of the document we tion, it does so in what is called a variable. Editor which you can use to create the
wish to fax, ready to add the relevant A variable is, effectively, an area of memo- macro program, a process we describe in
information. To insert the appropriate ry which you can name. You can then use the body of this article.
keystroke codes, hit the Home key twice its name to refer to whatever is contained
followed by the up arrow key. in that area of memory. Filling the area ►
/31HELPWARE
WORKSHOP
• of memory with information is known lowed by the required variable's name. So, Filling the gaps
as assigning a value to a variable. The in our example, WARIABLE)firstname- You should now refer to the program list-
value may be either a number or a would 'return' (for use in a calculation in ing on page 60 to assist you in typing in
sequence of letters (a 'string', which must the program, perhaps, or for printing on the rest of the program. We have just
be enclosed in double inverted commas). the screen) the word Fred. entered line three (the numbers in the list-
There are a number of WordPerfect The (TEXT) command displays a mes- ing and the comments on the right are for
programming commands that deal with sage on the status line of your document your convenience only and do not appear
variables. For example, {ASSIGN}, fol- and waits for you to type something fol- in the Macro Editor). Press Ctrl-PgUp to
lowed by a variable name and either a lowed by the Enter key. When you hit activate the Commands menu as above,
numerical expression or a string, will cre- Enter, whatever you typed will be assigned and enter lines four, five, and six, which
ate an area of memory under that name to the appropriate variable for later use. will cause the macro to get the rest of the
and store the expression or string inside it. details required for the cover sheet.
{ASSIGNIfirstname-8— would store the Command performance When you're writing a macro program,
number 8 as a variable called firstname. The (TEXT) command is one of the special it helps to include notes for future refer-
1ASSIGN)firstname—"Fred"-- would then upper-case commands referred to earlier: ence. Use the (;}comment— command: any
cancel the old value of 8 and insert the you can't type these in straight from the text preceded by the {;} code and terminat-
name Fred instead. The tildes (— symbols) keyboard. Instead, you should press Ctrl- ed with a tilde will be ignored when the
are used as separators to distinguish one PgUp to call up the Commands menu, and program is running.
part of the command from another. The hit the letter T. The menu will jump to Press Enter twice to leave a blank line,
tilde is normally a shifted character to the (TEXTIvar—message— (you can also use the then use Ctrl-PgUp to enter the 1;1 code,
right of your keyboard. arrow keys to select commands). Press followed by the comment in line eight of
Once you've stored the information, Enter to insert the command. the listing, and a tilde. Finally, press Enter
you'll need to get it back. You do this by The commands menu remains in view again twice (to keep the listing tidy and
using the (VARIABLE) command fol- to remind you of the 'syntax' of the com- easy to read).
mand (in this case, the command code
tro: elm ilMamentl ummodlie
Wenstmeor needs to be followed by a name for the El• V(1* tie*
file fOSSIGN)ear'expr'
IBM) variable and the text for the message to be
Bescrtelloo Coo leader (Block append/
(Block Coppl
OFF)
displayed). After the (TEXT) command,
Ime/(Rome/(110
type: company—Fax to which company?—
TEST/company'fax.to.wih.cominser,
TEIDettolor.the.ottertlion.of, and press Enter to move on to the next
TEIT/faxnum'Fax.00mber:,
(TECl/from'from:,
Olosert.srollIcs.11ne.and.00ner-peoel.toot'
line. Don't forget the tildes.
(Groplics)51411.1(Estorlifater)iftter)(Eater) When you run the macro later, the ao Adom
ft**
*O.
(Cestraffnmt/14(Beld)Fon.lraosmossett(loldl a.. bism gfinsill.• 142•E
(Etter/aeler)(Fmst/3(femt)15 q EOM q Mow. 11.*1 50-
(C eeeee /fron•foo•ttd(Ester)amter/ (TEXT) command will display the mes-
((mall iwr Q Loh FT
Irl-B to Insert nerI kep 4S comnsod;
sage 'Fax to which company?' at the bot- It..n a"' I Inw.1
11
lrl-PlOp for mere commends; Press Emit Wm done WanrstloolEnrolor 27TIit £r
tom of the screen, prompting the user to
In the WordPerfect for DOS Macro Editor type in a reply and press Enter. The reply The WordPerfect for Windows Macro
the macro commands appear in bold, will be stored in the variable 'company'. Editor allows you to produce complicated
while the plain text represents additional Later the program will insert the informa- on-screen displays, such as this Envelope
information typed in by the user. tion in the fax cover panel. Editor, which include easy-to-use icons.
M HELPWARE
through each line of commands until it
reaches the end. However, you can make
the program jump from one part to anoth-
er using the {GO) and {LABEL) command.
{LABEL) identifies a section of your pro-
gram with a name, as in line 27 of our list-
ing, and (GO) causes the program to jump
to whatever label is specified. The logic of
this part of the program is explained in the
annotations to the listing, but see if you
can work it out for yourself first.
HELPWARE
RKSHOP
15 HELPWARE
INFORMATION IS
NOTHING IF IT
ISN'T SHARED
Lotus Notes
The need to stay ahead in business has never been greater — with many
organisations now recognising that Information Technology is the key to
achieving a competitive advantage.
Lotus Notes is the answer — software designed for the enterprise. As
networks connect workstations, Lotus Notes connects people. Lotus Notes adds
value to your organisation by harvesting the richest resource of information it
has — the knowledge of the people within it. It increases productivity through
the sharing of information, which is the lifeblood of any company.
If you would like to give your organisation an unfair advantage simply
contact Rockliff on one of the numbers below.
= _rte
1111111116.1111,111111
COMPUTERS LIMITED
• •
hide vacant interiors behind ostentatious
• •
facades. 'Everything is a facade,' he says. • IN
• Of
`Like the society we live in.'
Urbina says that only the Japanese have
had enough vision to create blueprints for
the city of the future. In these plans, the
city soars up into the clouds and sinks
below sea-level, and transport runs many
metres above the ground. Urbina could
have conceived them himself... ■
e§HELPWARE
The Spanish artist Carlos Urbina's vision of
utopia is manic and hallucinatory, and echoes
urban plans already drawn up in Japan.
M HELPWARE
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••••••••
4:••••41
trouble unless you upgrade. Memory powerful computer (called a server). In In a Token Ring network, information
(reckon on at least 4MB of RAM) and fact, you can have more than one server passes 'around the ring' from one PC
processor power (a good 486 machine (you might have a printer server, a file to the next via the Media Access
should suffice) are both important. server, and so on) but the general principle Unit (MAU). The flow of information in
• There is no centralised security or back- remains the same: people work on their such a network is essentially circular.
up provision. PCs and each person is connected to the Although Ethernet networks can be set
• Resource availability depends on the server, which provides centralised file stor- up in a variety of ways, they usually
relevant machines all being switched on. age as well as other software and hard- have a linear structure.
• Interpersonal relationships become very ware resources.
important. If your work group is nursing a Server-based LANs offer a number of
nest of emotional vipers, expect some different advantages and disadvantages. In system to tolerate network users with a
explosions on a peer-to-peer network. their favour are the following points: host of different operating systems. If
There is inevitably some trade-off between • Because the server provides all some of your colleagues have Apple Macs
personal productivity and sharing what resources, Janet isn't going to find her and some have PCs, a server-based system
you have with others. word processor slowing down when John is probably your only option.
As a general rule, peer-to-peer LANs are uses the laser printer (as might have hap- As you may have guessed, installing a
at their most useful with work groups of pened in our peer-to-peer example above). server-based LAN is a big undertaking. It
ten or less. Once you get into double fig- • Centralised file storage helps with secu- will certainly involve changing the way
ures, it starts to make sense to consider a rity. Not only can you have regular back- you think about your computer system
server-based LAN. ups of everybody's work, but you can and will require a lot of careful planning.
establish password systems to allow or It may also involve upgrading your soft-
Bigger steps deny access to information. ware, hiring new staff (to maintain the
If peer-to-peer LANs are all about sharing, • In some cases you can save on software network), and investing either in a special-
the idea of server-based LANs is that costs, buying a single multi-user licence ly configured server, or in a computer
everyone should be able to have their cake for, say, your word processor, and which can be configured to act as a server.
and eat it, too. In other words, you take all installing it on the server for everyone to If you choose a server-based network,
the resources you currently use — software, use. This is usually cheaper than having a your staff will need to adapt. For instance,
printers, modems and so on — and plonk separate copy installed on every PC. a certain amount of discipline and on-
them all in one big heap, looked after by a • It is generally easier for a server-based screen tidiness becomes important. ►
WORKSHOP
Bayonet node connectors (BNCs) are Ethernet uses different sizes of coaxial An inexpensive option, unshielded
often used to attach Ethernet cables and (see glossary) cabling; the thicker, and twisted-pair (UTP) consists of two or
can be simply twisted on and off. Bayonet more expensive, type allows longer more single strands of wire inside a
node connectors are also commonly used networks. Coaxial cabling is used to plastic sleeve. UTP is also used to
to connect video equipment. connect your TV to your aerial. connect up telephones.
• Everyone needs to stick to the same sys- networks aren't the easiest things to set The physical connection involves two
tem because everyone needs to access files up, but a good server-based system makes separate elements: the actual cable you use
on the server. People can find this hard to the whole thing worthwhile. Indeed, and the system that determines how infor-
get used to. And if the server breaks down, the benefits of added security and disci- mation is sent over that cable. We'll deal
tempers sometimes fly. plined working habits can make server- with the latter first, because although the
All these pros and cons stem from the based LANs a good choice even for type of cable will affect your network, the
basic principle of server-based LANs: cen- smaller work groups. choice of data transmission system has
tralisation. If everything's in one place, it's more serious implications.
got to work properly. On a peer-to-peer Physical considerations There are essentially four technologies
LAN, if Janet's PC breaks down, there Once you've decided between a peer-to- for sending information over a network:
may be a way round it. But if the server peer and a server-based network, you've RS232, Ethernet, Token Ring, and Arcnet.
fails, everybody is in trouble. In some cases got to take into account two other vital Of these, we are only going to consider
— where, for example, your company's considerations. The first is how you are Ethernet and Token Ring. RS232 (which
telephone system is wired into the network physically going to link the PCs together; involves linking up your PCs using their
(as it can be, allowing you to benefit from the second is what software you are going serial ports) is desperately slow and is
special telephone services) — a network to use to make the whole thing work. continued on page 70 ►
failure can be a pretty serious problem.
For this reason, any company that has a
server-based network should consider ap- In practice
pointing a network manager, who needs
to be either trained or recruited. Time to think
All this may sound like something out of
Dante's Inferno. It's true that server-based Ever since his travel business installed a
local area network, Tony R has been
getting more work done in less time and
can now think about expanding his
business. 'Telephones are an essential
business tool but they can be your enemy
as well.' says Tony. The firm uses its LAN
for company-wide electronic mail (e-mail),
which cuts down on non-essential
telephone calls, and increases the has been received which is not the case
accuracy of communications between if the person that you are trying to reach
the individual offices. is away from their desk when you
'A lot of one- or two-minute phone calls telephone them.
have turned into ten-second e-mail 'When you need to get some
messages,' explains Tony. 'With e-mail information to someone else,' he adds,
you have a record of exactly what you 'you can waste a lot of time calling back
said and when. Telephone calls are if they aren't there. No one stays at their
ephemeral at worst and at best breed a desks all day long, but the network never
pile of pink message slips that get lost sleeps – it can deliver essential
just when you need them,' he continues. messages regardless of lunch breaks,
'You can also be sure that your message trips to the loo, time off or late trains.'
EI HELPWARE
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WORKSHOP
Finally, you need some software – the
network operating system (NOS) – to
make the whole thing work. There are a
number of programs on the market for a
range of prices. Your choice of NOS is
determined by whether you have a server-
based or a peer-to-peer network. Almost
all popular NOSs will work with both
Ethernet and Token Ring.
Decisions, decisions
Choosing a NOS is largely a matter of
compatibility (do you want a DOS-based
system, or are you using Windows or
OS/2?), future plans (Novell Lite would be
a wise choice if you thought you might one
day want to upgrade from a peer-to-peer
to a server-based system), and the features
The IBM HelpLine (pictured above) stores dealer – you just need to choose the actual provided by the NOS.
membership details and enquiries on a cable that's going to join it all together. As a general rule, any NOS will give you
file server which allows all members of basic networking features like printer
the team to share the information. They Cable talk sharing and passwords for users. Not all
use a Token Ring network with an IBM The cable area is a mine-field of jargon of them will include electronic mail or
PS/2 Model 95 as the file server. and there are several different types of backup features. Once you've decided on
cable. Not all of them will work with both an NOS, you will need to choose the addi-
Token Ring and Ethernet, so you may find tional, or 'bolt-on', features that you'll
• continued from page 68 that your choice is constrained for that have to buy separately (Lotus Notes, for
therefore not best suited to modern reason. The other significant things to bear example, or WordPerfect Office). In some
work-group situations. Arcnet, although in mind are cost and connectivity (for cases, you may find that it's the compati-
useful in its day, is now somewhat out- example, you may want to look at a cable bility of a particular bolt-on program that
dated; it's slower than Ethernet and is that would allow you to incorporate your makes up your mind as to which NOS to
no longer so widely supported by net- telephone system into the network). choose in the first place.
working software. Unless you're a lunatic, a billionaire, or Typical NOSs for server-based net-
When network boffins discuss Ether- British Telecom, you're unlikely to consid- works include Novell NetWare, a popular
net and Token Ring, they often refer to er linking up your PCs using infra-red system, and IBM's Lan Server for OS/2.
`network topology'. That's because these beams or fibre-optic cables, though both It's worth mentioning at this point that if
two systems actually dictate the structure these options exist. You're much more you're going to follow the server route, a
of your network. The best way to under- likely to consider one of the options pic- 32-bit system like OS/2 can make a huge
stand this is by looking at a diagram, so tured at the top of page 68. difference. Novell has recognised this and
take time out now to ponder over the
two diagrams on page 67. Deciding
WordPerfect Office 4.0
which system to use usually boils down
to some straightforward considerations. David Norwood - In Box
File Edit View Send Action Tools Window Help
Ethernet tends to be slightly cheaper, David Notwoo Me: :.5T7'. T ., or: 110fi
Token Ring is faster and can handle a r- ■ appointments
Pit - •
I
12722)9
-
wgent [lead
greater capacity of users. Ethernet is pop- 1:17j
, L'_-j message stan
ITSCIL
Info rt 1 1=0417:
17:
Ha, 3: 11 CO
ular where VAX or UNIX-based systems mapi Accept
ek-a:c 2. 0 01/29;9 0' 31;
or T
are in use (see glossary), Token Ring is Reject 02/1.0/9 0' 50:
Save...
favoured by users of IBM machines. Delete
Once you've decided which kind of 13■ Filter...
I* Total 0
network you need – with the help of pro- Help
fessional advice from your consultant or David Norwood - Out Box
File Edit View Jcn d Action Tools Window Help
2_1 David Norwood Type
rt-1 appointments
WordPerfect Office for Windows (right) is > mes sage stan f Ft.
EIHELPWARE
In practice
Remote control
Local area networks are all well and
good, but they're not exactly mobile.
However, if you sometimes need to work
at home or if you travel a lot, there are
ways to extend LAN capabilities outside
the four walls of your office.
SBA, a corporate communications
business, bought a PS/2 specifically to
act as a gateway (see glossary) between
its server-based Novell NetWare network
and staff working on portable PCs in the
field. The company had to install a
special card in the server to control the
communication flow and provide extra
serial ports (sockets) to accommodate
additional communications hardware.
With this set-up, as many as 16 users
can access the LAN remotely at the
same time, but for now SBA has installed
only three telephone lines, connected to
three fast 9,600-baud modems.
For what it's worth
'Our only complaint is that loading Network prices can vary greatly - the most important factor is how easily the
applications over the phone is much network can be adapted to your work set-up. To give you some idea, you could pay
slower than if we were in the office. We as little as £100 to link two PCs via their serial ports, but this wouldn't be very
are coping by keeping our applications on useful for most people. Installing Novell NetWare for five users on a server-based
our portables and only using the network network would cost around £2,500. This price includes an interface card for each
for smaller data files,' explains Doug M. of the five PCs and the software, but excludes consultancy, cabling, and the server
PC. Some PS/1 models are particularly suitable for low-cost networks. Otherwise,
you could try the ValuePoint range of PCs, which accepts many industry-standard
has implemented a number of useful links network cards, including Ethernet and Token Ring - see your IBM dealer for more
between NetWare and OS/2, allowing you details. Nowadays some PCs come with networking capability built-in, which can
to control your networking activities using save time and money. IBM's PS/2 series is a good example: see picture, page 66.
friendly graphical symbols (icons) rather
than tortuous commands.
A number of systems are available for Glossar
peer-to-peer networks, starting with the
cheap and cheerful LANtastic, moving on 10BaseT An inexpensive Ethernet local area network which works on UTP (short for
to Windows for Workgroups (lots of built- unshielded twisted-pair). UTP is a cable for connecting PCs on a network, consisting of
in or 'bundled' software) and Novell Lite two or more twisted wires inside a plastic sleeve (see top-right picture, page 68).
(a very flexible system with good opportu- Arcnet Attached Resource Computer NETwork. An early and popular local area network.
nities for upgrading). Choosing between Although it is supported by many vendors, Arcnet is losing out in the popularity stakes to
these different systems is not always easy – Ethernet and Token Ring on performance and price.
you can find more information in future Cheapernet Thin coaxial cable (see below) for Ethernet that uses BNC connectors (see
issues of Helpware Magazine. pictures, top centre and top left, page 68).
Now you know something about net- Coaxial cable Cable which contains an insulated wire surrounded by a second wire made
works. Before you decide whether to get of solid or mesh metal.
one, you probably want to know more Ethernet A networking standard that works over unshielded wire as well as coaxial cable.
about what you could do with it. Don't It performs at up to 10 megabits per second and is very popular.
miss future articles, which introduce elec- FDDI Fibre Distributed Data Interface. FDDI is a new standard for a fibre-optic LAN that
tronic mail and work-group computing as transmits data at 100 megabits per second. Very fast but very expensive.
well as network operating software. The Gateway A gateway connects one type of network to another, allowing, for instance, a
0 end result of installing a network should personal computer network to communicate with a mainframe network.
be enhanced productivity, but the installa- Thickernet Thick, and expensive, coaxial Ethernet (see picture, top centre, page 68).
tion process itself needs time and thought. Token Ring A local area network developed by IBM and adopted by many manufacturers.
It's well worth seeking expert advice from Each station transmits its information or requests when it receives a token telling it to do
a consultant (your supplier should be able so (see diagram, page 67).
to recommend one), and it's not worth UNIX An operating system developed by Bell Laboratories.
being stingy about his or her fee. ■ VAX A large minicomputer system manufactured by DEC.
ARE
LPWA
Small, but
perfectly formed. The red keyboard button lets you find your wa
around the largest colour screen currently available cm
a notebook PC. IBM's unique ThinkPad 720C features
486 processor capable of performing at 50MHz. Am
PCMCIA technology. Using credit card size adapters, yoi
can now carry your modem and LAN cards in your walle
The new IBM ThinkPad 720C. Perfectly amazing.
Postcode Tel
=== =
= =
6•Helpware Trade-Up: a low-cost way to upgrade to IBM. ,4901'S
Pe,r0444
LIFE
My dear,
NOBODY LOVED him. He
grew up alone in eighteenth-
century Paris, without the
advantages of birth, wealth
what is
or beauty. But he had one extraordinary
gift; a supernatural sense of smell. He
could pick out any odour, no matter how
faint, and memorise it perfectly.
This is Grenouille, the hero of Patrick
that perfume
Siiskind's 1986 bestselling novel, Perfume.
Grenouille is an olfactory magician. He
hordes scents; he sniffs them, breaks down
■ their formulae in his head, and refines them
in his quest to produce the perfect perfume.
Strangely enough, this isn't so very dif-
ferent from the modern perfume industry.
Ambergris, ylang-ylang, rose de mai, bergamot — Although perfume now is produced in
perfumers choose their blend of ingredients from industrial quantities, its creators still work
in much the same way as the perfumers of
an array of 60,000. Fortunately, the human nose hundreds of years ago.
Such creators are known in the trade as
has an electronic ally. Maude Merisi reports on noses. There are only a few hundred in the
world, of whom no more than a few dozen
machines with a highly developed sense of smell. really count. And of those few dozen, a
mere handful are geniuses, capable of
bringing to life a perfume that will truly
endure. Some scents become legendary,
like Chanel No.5, created in 1921 by cou-
turiere Coco Chanel's nose, Ernest Beaux,
and still going strong today. But to grasp
the role of a nose, you first need to under-
stand what a perfume is.
HELPWAR E
LIFE
4 be combined to create great perfumes. to the cheapest air fresheners, have thou-
A nose will only have intimate knowledge sands of ingredients researched and logged
of 500 or 600 of them. This is where a on their databases.
computer can help, by allowing noses to
draw on far more fragrances than they Technological sensitivities
could hope to know themselves. But there is more to being a perfumer than
Computers also play a role in creating simply being aware of thousands of smells;
the particular blend of scents a nose is it is equally important to know how to
triving for. Normally, the creator has to blend them, which is an art in itself. To
perform numerous tests, varying the vol- create a perfume is, fundamentally, to
umes and combination of ingredients. For transform a feeling or a vision into an
each test the precise formula must be odour. Here the computer is unlikely to be
recorded, a task that would have to be of much help.
done manually were it not for the power Gabriel Fau is in charge of quality con-
of the PC. Since the perfumer may go trol and the purchase of ingredients at
through as many as 300 formulae to create L'Oreal in Paris, the world's largest per-
a single perfume, computer technology fume and cosmetics company. He says:
can be a god-send. `How can a computer replace the brain,
Most perfumers use a PC spreadsheet the sense of smell... feelings? To do this
for this purpose. Such software is easy to you would have to recreate human intelli-
use and means that formulae can be gence, with all that implies about subjec-
displayed in a table (see 'Big ideas for tivity, emotions and taste.'
little boxes', Helpware Magazine, autumn However, Fau doesn't deny the benefits
1992). Spreadsheets can also help the per- that computer technology can bring to the
fumer juggle with the constraints of raw perfume business. As L'Oreal's buyer, Fau
material costs, health legislation and the has to control the quality of raw materials,
chemical stability of the finished product which requires a precise analysis of the
in a wide variety of conditions. chemical constituents. 'In the last 30 years
4' The PC and spreadsheet are invaluable computers have allowed us to make enor-
tools in playing 'what if..?' games at very mous progress in chemical analysis, which
high speed, with such complex variables plays a crucial role in perfume manufac-
as: 'What effect on my costs follows from ture,' he says. 'Technology helps us to
•
increasing the percentage of sandalwood remain competitive and to innovate.'
that I use and reducing the amount of petit Francis Bocris, who has been involved
grain? What effect does this have on the in the creation of more than 300 products,
rate of evaporation of the perfume in including celebrity perfumes such as Cher
tropical climates?' and Paloma Picasso, shares this view. 'You
Large firms, which manufacture frag- can't create a perfume unless you have a
rances from the most expensive perfumes fine sensibility and, above all, are a truly
.
F I • ' A
;.(1
40°P' 4
I1
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.00°
oue pue
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AUTO At
Don't start up without it
ORKSHOP
Your AUTOEXEC.BAT file can save you typing boring old DOS
commands, help you recover that urgent report you just trashed
and wish you good morning. Ian Tresman shows you how.
YOU SWITCH ON your C:>_), type in DIR C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT searches for it automatically when you
computer only to be greeted and press Enter. The filename is displayed start your machine. Once found, DOS
by the message 'I think, (without the dot) followed by its size, and processes and runs (executes) whatever
therefore IBM'. Puzzled, you the date and time it was last changed. If no commands it contains. By adding the right
wonder who could he responsible for the filename appears, make sure that you commands to your AUTOEXEC.BAT file,
witticism. If you had known about the typed the `\ ' part of the command. you can customise your startup procedure
potential of your AUTOEXEC.BAT file, AUTOEXEC.BAT is an example of to include a variety of useful functions:
the witticism could have been yours. what is known as a hatch file, so called you can clear the screen, display your own
AUTOEXEC.BAT is a PC-DOS file because it consists of a series, or batch, of message, open up your favourite word
which should always be present on your DOS commands which are carried out in processor and automatically run programs
hard disk. To find it, make sure you are at sequence. AUTOEXEC.BAT differs from such as virus detection software.
the DOS prompt (the screen should read other batch files, however, in that DOS (Batch files can do much more than just
A uto e xt34ctit ? ?
run a series of programs. A simple pro-
gramming language lets you design your
own commands; see the black ski-run on
page 80 for an example. We will cover
batch files in more detail in a later issue.)
Your AUTOEXEC.BAT file is first cre-
ated when DOS is installed by your dealer
and it will include some basic DOS com-
mands. For example, the KEYB command
ensures that your keyboard is configured
correctly, rather than always defaulting to
the US keyboard layout, which, for exam-
ple, has the # symbol in place of the £.
If you have ever installed a new pro-
gram onto your hard disk, you might have
been confronted with a message telling
you that changes are required to your
AUTOEXEC.BAT file. One change may
be to include a reference as to where on
your hard disk the new program has been
stored. Such a reference would be kept
within the PATH command, which speci-
fies which directories should be searched
---- in order to find a program.
To display your AUTOEXEC.BAT file
on screen, go to the DOS prompt, enter
TYPE \AUTOEXEC.BAT and then press
Enter. There will be one command to each
line, unless the command is longer than
the width of your screen, in which case it
will continue on a new line.
If you intend to make changes to your
AUTOEXEC.BAT file, always make a ►
HELPWARE
WORKSHOP
EIHELPWARE
automatically (if it isn't already) enter the
I
(Anil otei-eite
DOSSHELL command at the end of your
AUTOEXEC.BAT file.
Mouse nous
If your computer needs a command before
a/but-ewe
you can use a mouse, put the command in
your AUTOEXEC.BAT file. For example,
if you need to type in VMOUSE each time
you start your computer, put VMOUSE on
a new line in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file.
Echo location
The ECHO command is used to show
your own messages on screen. For exam-
ple, ECHO HELLO will flash up HELLO
on screen. Any messages entered into your
AUTOEXEC.BAT file will be displayed
automatically at startup time. ECHO has
another use, too. As DOS reads through a
batch file, it displays, or 'echoes', each
command on screen. The command
ECHO OFF turns off this feature, and all
commands after it are not displayed.
Alternatively, if you have DOS 3.3, or a
later version, any command preceded by
@ will also not he displayed.
MUM
Quirky Qwerty
If you intend to use a non-US keyboard, Luckily, when DOS is first installed, the
your AUTOEXEC.BAT file has to include command is automatically placed in your
the KEYB command followed by a lan- AUTOEXEC.BAT file for you.
guage-specific code. KEYB UK, for exam-
ple, has the two-letter code UK, which Thanks for the memory
indicates that a UK keyboard layout is Since memory-resident programs reside in A file for
selected. (Versions of DOS prior to 3.3 memory, they leave less memory available every occasion
have no space between the command and for other programs. LOADHIGH places
code: KEYBUK.) To discover which key- memory-resident programs (for example, Although your system has only one
board layout is currently active, just enter PRINT, DOSKEY and FASTOPEN) into AUTOEXEC.BAT file and one
KEYB at the DOS prompt. To discover what is known as high memory, leaving CONFIG.SYS file, there may be times
which additional layouts are available, more conventional memory available for when you want them set up differently.
look up KEYB in your DOS manual. For your programs. (Your PC will only have For example, if you need some extra
example, to change your UK keyboard high memory if it has more than 1MB of available memory, you may not want to
layout to French, enter KEYB FR. RAM.) To move DOSKEY into high mem- install all your DOS utility programs. Or
ory, enter LOADHIGH DOSKEY.COM you may want to use a RAM drive
Pause for thought in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file. Also ensure during one session, but not another.
If your AUTOEXEC.BAT file contains that your CONFIG.SYS file includes the One solution is to have several
commands which display so many mes- commands DEVICE=EMM386.EXE and versions of these files. For example,
sages that they scroll off the screen, you DOS=HIGH,UMB (see your DOS manual you may have a version for use with a
may wish to halt the process temporarily. for details). The EMM386.EXE command particular game, AUTOEXEC.GAM; a
The command PAUSE does this and dis- requires at least a 386 processor. version to provide extra memory,
plays on screen 'Press any key to continue'. AUTOEXEC.RAM; and a master,
Mirror crack'd AUTOEXEC.MST. To use the
In the mode DOS 5's UNDELETE command can appropriate version, you would enter,
The MODE command sets up your key- recover files that have been accidentally for example:
board, screen display and printer. It is one deleted, and the UNFORMAT command COPY AUTOEXEC.GAM AUTOEXEC.BAT
of the more complicated commands, and can restore disks that have been acciden- and then restart your computer.
is described in your DOS manual. Outside tally formatted. The likelihood of either You could also make a menu of
the US, this command selects country- utility being successful is increased if the different AUTOEXEC.BAT files (see
specific character sets called code pages. MIRROR command is added to your ► black ski-run, page 80).
HELPWARE
WORKSHOP
• AUTOEXEC.BAT file. However, suc- that program in the current directory first.
cess isn't guaranteed: much depends on If it can't find it, it searches those directo-
how the 'accident' happened and how ries specified by the PATH command. To
much the disk has been used since. see what your current path is, enter PATH
at the DOS prompt. Note that the DOS
Customised menus Prompt response directory is included in the path so that
The DOS prompt shows that DOS is ready DOS can find all its files. If you have Win-
It's easy to make your AUTOEXEC.BAT to accept new commands, and shows you dows installed, there will be an entry for
display a menu which allows you to where on your screen to enter them. It is that as well. If you delete the PATH com-
choose at startup which programs you typically displayed as the current drive, mand in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file by
want to run. For each menu item we'll followed by the greater-than sign, and a mistake, DOS will be unable to find its
write a batch file which will run the flashing cursor: `C:>_'. If it does not, add commands, and it will display the error
selected program. In this example, we the command PROMPT $p$g to your message 'Bad command or file name'. It is
will have just two menu items: one to AUTOEXEC.BAT file. The significance a good idea, therefore, to note your PATH
run QuickBasic, which comes with of $p and $g, and other options which command, so that if you delete it you can
DOS, and the second to run a word include displaying time and date as part of type it back into your AUTOEXEC.BAT
processor called WP. You can add your the prompt, are more fully explained in file (see green ski-run).
own items in the same way. Note that your DOS manual, or, if you have DOS 5
if you place the batch files in their own or a later version, enter PROMPT /? Ready, set, go
directory, you must append the At startup, DOS reserves a section of
directory to the PATH in your Shrewd remark memory called the environment, where it
AUTOEXEC.BAT file. The REM command lets you leave a com- stores system information such as the
At the end of your AUTOEXEC.BAT ment or remark in your AUTOEXEC.BAT PATH and DOS prompt. To display these
file, add the command MENU. This will file (as with your CONFIG.SYS file: see settings, enter SET on a new line in your
run a batch file MENU.BAT. Now use `Confounded? Confused? CONFIG.SYS!', AUTOEXEC.BAT file. Other programs
the DOS EDIT program (see your DOS Helpware Magazine, spring 1993). By may store their own information in this
manual for further details) to create preceding an AUTOEXEC.BAT file com- space by using the SET command. For
the batch file called MENU.BAT: mand with REM, you can temporarily dis- example, if you have a sound card, your
ECHO MY MENU able that command when you next restart AUTOEXEC.BAT file may include the
ECHO (1) QuickBasic your computer. This may be useful to save line SET SOUND A220 A7 D1 T3
ECHO (2) WP memory if you do not need the features of which specifies technical data. (The word-
ECHO To select, press 1-2 and Enter. that command for a particular session. ing of the command depends on which
This will display a menu on screen sound card you are using: our example is
much as it appears on the page above Pathfinder for a SoundBlaster card.) The sound soft-
(but without the ECHO commands on When you run a program by entering its ware reads and, if necessary, changes these
the left), offering you the choice name at the DOS prompt, DOS looks for settings when it runs. ■
between pressing '1', for QuickBasic,
2.BAT:
@ECHO OFF
ECHO Running WP
CD \ WP
WP
REM When finished, rerun MENU.BAT
CD \
MENU
EIIHELPWARE
REPORT
Arabian
baiancui Where would we be without algorithms or
algebra? We wouldn't have satellites, air travel
act
or the Sydney Opera House. We might not
even have computers. It all began with a ninth-
century inventor. Cristina Manzano explains.
HELPWARE
WORKSHOP
Jargon buster
Your phrasebook for the land of gobbledegook.
O
conventional disk). the file you want to copy. Other
OS/2 acr. Operating System/2. Designed parameters may be optional: the DOS
by IBM as the successor to DOS and COPY command can be followed by a
first supplied with IBM's PS/2 systems second filename with which the copied
(see below). Instead of controlling your file will be renamed.
Operating system ir. Software supplied computer by typing mysterious system Parent directory n. Any directory which
with your PC that enables you to commands, OS/2 uses graphical contains one or more subdirectories.
perform everyday tasks such as copying symbols – known as icons – which you For example, if the directory WORK
disks and deleting files. The operating select with a mouse-controlled on- contains the subdirectory LETTERS,
system (PC-DOS and OS/2 are typical screen pointer (see below). For then WORK is said to be the parent
examples: see below) also performs less example, to delete all files in a directory directory of LETTERS.
obvious, but essential, duties; managing using PC-DOS, you would have to type PATH n. A command which tells the
your keyboard, computer memory, in the appropriate command (DEL operating system which directories, in
display and other functions. PCs *.*). Using OS/2 you would simply addition to the current directory, it
cannot run without an operating select the file icons and drag them should search for commands and
system. Every time your PC starts up, it across the screen and onto the shredder programs. In PC-DOS, the command
loads the operating system (either from icon. OS/2 is also a more powerful is used in the form:
the hard disk or from a diskette if system than the older PC-DOS – it can SET PATH.CADOS;CAUTILS. In
required) before it does anything else. make more memory available for your this instance the operating system will
Some PS/1 models (see below) also software and lets you run a number of search in the current directory and the
keep a copy of the operating system programs at the same time. directories DOS and UTILS when it is
in ROM (see below). looking for a program.
P
Optical disk n. A disk for storing and PC acr. Personal Computer. A stand-
retrieving information using a laser alone microcomputer designed for
beam. The most common type of home or business use, which includes
optical disk is called a CD-ROM its own disk storage, display, keyboard
(Compact Disc Read Only Memory). It and, usually, connections for input and
looks exactly like an audio CD and Palette n. The set of colours available to output to printers and other equipment.
uses similar technology. Information is either a computer system or a PC-DOS acr. Personal Computer Disk
stored on the disk as a series of pits particular program. For example, if Operating System. The operating
burned by a laser. The information is you have the new IBM XGA-2 Display system supplied with IBM PCs, either
retrieved using another laser to bounce Adaptor and compatible software, you as a part of OS/2 or as an alternative.
light off the disk's surface on to a can display up to 65,536 colours on See operating system.
photoelectric cell. Optical disks can your monitor at once, chosen from a Peripheral n. A device connected to and
store very large amounts of palette of 16.7 million colours. controlled by the computer. Examples
information (a CD-ROM can hold Parallel port n. A socket on the back of include printer, mouse and modem.
around 600MB), and although the your PC, usually used for sending Pixel acr. PICture ELement. The smallest
drive systems are more expensive than information to a printer. It's called a element of a computer display that can
the older magnetic types, the cost per parallel port because it sends eight bits be individually manipulated. On most
megabyte can be cheaper. CD-ROM, as of information at once – as opposed to graphics displays this is a single dot.
the name suggests, is a read-only a serial, or RS232 port (see below), The resolution (see below) of a display
medium; you cannot store more which sends one bit at a time. Parallel is expressed in terms of pixels.
information on it or erase information ports can therefore move information Platform n. A designated computer system
put there by the manufacturer. More about much faster than serial ports. standard. The IBM PC, for example, is
EAHELPWARE
one type of computer platform; the hard disks than previous models, and
R
on to a normal diskette or hard disk.
Apple Macintosh is another. Software the new standard for plug-in cards, RD, REMDIR v. Remove Directory. RD is
is often said to be designed for a Micro Channel Architecture bus. The a shortened form of the DOS command
particular platform. emphasis on expandability helps lower REMDIR. Both can be used to
Pointer n. A small on-screen graphics costs: you can replace individual out- remove a specified empty directory. If,
symbol, usually shaped like an arrow, dated parts instead of buying a whole for example, OLDFILES is an empty
which can he moved about with a new system. New systems also have directory that is no longer required,
mouse or the cursor keys, and is used enhanced security and networking entering RD OLDFILES will remove it.
to point at and identify an item (an capabilities and meet ISO standards. RISC acr. Reduced Instruction Set
icon representing a program, for PS/ValuePoint (PS/VP) pn. IBM's latest Computing. A computer designed
example) or a menu option. system, using 386 and 486 processors, around a microprocessor which only
Port n. A socket on your PC used for is designed for those needing needs a small number of instructions.
sending and receiving information. See high-performance from an industry- By reducing the number of available
parallel port and RS232. standard machine. Uses the traditional commands to the bare essentials, the
Portable PC n. A PC designed to be easily AT bus standard for plug-in cards. decoding circuitry within the chip is
carried around which, in most cases, Public domain n. & adj. Graphics, music, simplified, allowing it to run faster.
can be powered by a rechargeable software and ideas which are not Resolution n. A measure of the amount of
battery pack as well as mains power. subject to copyright constraints, and detail in an image. The higher the
Processor 11. Another name for the which may be freely copied or used, resolution, the greater the detail. The
central processing unit (CPU). are said to be in the public domain. resolution of a computer's display is
Program n. A series of instructions created Public domain software libraries based on the number of pixels (see
by a programmer which, when supply such software, charging only a above) it can create on the screen. For
interpreted by the computer, causes it nominal fee to cover copying costs. example, an old low-resolution CGA
to perform a task. A program can be PC displays 320 x 200 pixels. The new
R
anything from a short sequence of high-resolution XGA-2 system displays
instructions that will display 'Hello up to 1,280 x 1,024 pixels. Printers
there!' on the screen, to the millions of express their resolution as the number
instructions needed for a spreadsheet or of dots per inch (dpi). The latest laser
word processing package. printers typically print 600 dpi.
Prompt n. 1. A visual indication that the RAM acr. Random Access Memory. A ROM acr. Read Only Memory. Storage
computer is ready to receive way for computers to store and for information which is not intended
commands. For example, the DOS retrieve information randomly, by to be updated. Most PCs contain ROM
prompt typically appears as C:>_ means of an indexing system that chips that are preprogrammed by
indicating that drive C is the default allows rapid access to any piece of the manufacturer and hold their
drive for information and program information stored, regardless of its information permanently, even when
storage. The greater-than symbol `>' location. This is in contrast to other the machine is switched off. They are
highlights the position of the cursor `_'. storage media (magnetic tape, for normally used for storing information
2. The PROMPT command in PC-DOS instance) that provide sequential rather which the computer needs when first
can be used to change the appearance than random access. RAM usually switched on — before it has had a
of the DOS prompt. For example, to refers to the memory chips in your PC chance to load the operating system.
display the name of the current which temporarily store programs and See also RAM.
directory as well as the current drive, other information. See also ROM. RS232 adj. An industry standard for
type PROMPT $p$g at the existing RAM disk n. An area of RAM which is sending and receiving information in
DOS prompt and press Enter. set up by the operating system to serial, as opposed to parallel, format.
PS/1 pn. IBM's family of PCs designed behave like a disk drive, thereby Consequently, the serial port on your
for both home and business use. Each allowing any information on the RAM PC is sometimes referred to as the
PC is complete, ready to plug in and disk to be accessed much faster than if RS232 port. It's usually used for
go, and includes word processing, it were on a diskette or hard disk. The communicating with modems, but
spreadsheet and database packages. disadvantage is that a RAM disk will may also be connected to a joystick
PS/2 pn. IBM's premier range of only retain its contents while the or, occasionally, a printer.
microcomputers featuring upgradable machine is switched on, so any files or
processors, better graphics and larger information to be kept must be copied Continued next issue
HELPWARE
Where's my file gone? Windows has an option to disable graphics (in
A hard disk drive can store thousands of files in the File menu), and can also display text in
hundreds of directories, so it can be annoyingly draft quality. Both options will let you move
ot
difficult to track down a lost file. To make life through, and edit, your document more quickly.
easier, use a variation of the DOS 5 DIR
command to search for it. For example, to look Information service
1p
for the file MYFILE, enter DIR \MYFILE /S How much expanded memory do you have?
(the 'V tells DOS to start the search in the root What type of video card? This sort of system
directory and the 'IS' tells it to continue looking information is sometimes required by customer
in all the subdirectories). support technicians if you run into problems. It
s.
is available through the Microsoft diagnostics
A friend in need program which is included with Windows 3.1.
If you're having PC problems, a little difficulty MSD.EXE is in your Windows directory. To
mastering a tricky software package say, then run it, type MSD at the DOS prompt.
you may find it reassuring to check that you
have sufficient documentation at hand. Do you copy?
Make friends and Computer Manuals Ltd stocks over 3,000 If you need to copy a directory of files on to
computer book titles, which should cover just diskette, the usual DOS COPY *." command
influence people about everything you might need. For a free is a little clumsy if the files won't fit on a single
with our collection catalogue, telephone 021-706 6000. diskette. The command works fine for the first
diskette, but you'll need to copy the remaining
of PC short cuts, Blanket term files individually since COPY *.* will copy the
handy telephone You will almost certainly have used *." with same files. A better method is to use XCOPY.
commands such as COPY and DEL to refer to Enter XCOPY *.* A: /M to copy the first
numbers and ways all files in a directory. For the ultimate in diskette. When you use the command a second
to cheat at efficiency, use a full stop instead. For example, time, it will copy the remaining files.
COPY A:. will copy all files from drive A to So how does it work? Each file has an
computer games. the drive you are currently logged on to. archive 'flag' called an attribute associated with
it. This flag is set if the file hasn't been copied
All relatives together (archived). You can check and change the
The Drives option in the OS/2 2.1 system status of this flag using the DOS ATTRIB
folder is much faster than the 2.0 version, and command (see your DOS manual for details).
provides an easy way to create a folder of
related files. For example, suppose you wanted Quick eject
a folder of all *.DOC files on drive C:. From If you need to eject the current page in your
the OS/2 system folder, open Drives, then open printer, here's a quick way to do it without
Drive C:. Open the System menu (that's the leaving your computer. At the DOS prompt,
box in the top left-hand corner) and select Find. enter ECHO AL>PRN (` A L' is obtained by
In the Name box, type *.DOC, click on Search pressing Ctrl-L). To create a batch file that
All Subfolders, and click on Find. does the same, enter at the DOS prompt:
Although it will take a minute or two to COPY CON \EJ.BAT
create the folder with matching files, afterwards ECHO AL>PRN
you'll just need to open the resulting folder. AZ
(` A Z' is obtained by pressing Ctrl-Z.) The
Ganging up batch file is called EJ; to run it, type EJ at the
Many Windows and OS/2 programs have DOS prompt.
hidden screens – called gang screens – crediting
the program authors. To see the Windows gang When in doubt, cheat
screen from the Presentation Manager, select To get infinite lives in Batman (from Ocean),
About Presentation Manager. Hold down the type JAMMMM at the title screen. You can
Ctrl, Alt and Shift keys, and double-click on the also skip levels by pressing F10. To become
Windows icon. Select OK to leave. Now repeat invincible in Fantasy World Dizzy (from
the process, and one of several gang screens Codemasters), type IMMORTAL at the high-
will appear. To see the OS/2 gang screen, press score table. In RoboCop (from Ocean), pause
Ctrl, Alt, Shift and the letter 0 key together. the game and then type BEST KEPT SECRET.
In Wing Commander, start the game by
Turbo boost entering WC Origin -k (WC2 Origin -k for
If you find that your Windows word processor Wing Commander II) and you will get
is slow, it may be possible to speed things up by permanent full shields. Pressing Alt and Del
not displaying illustrations. WordPerfect for together destroys the currently targeted ship.
rIA HELPWARE
HELPCLUB •
Help
ware
View
WHAT'S NEW AT IBM? Pinkness, for a start. your PC will probably be part of that hi-fi
Anyone who's spotted IBM's adverts over the stack. But there will still be offices and there'll
from
last few months will have noticed the presence still be PCs, so IBM is making sure that it's
of that well-known MGM/UA cartoon producing the PCs that people will want to buy.
character, the Pink Panther. What is IBM up
I In each issue
to? Well, it wants to make computers, and
particularly IBM computers, seem less
daunting. Computers should play an increasing
role in our lives and the technology that IBM
will be bringing out in the next couple of years
reflects this. It's no good if people think of PCs
as complicated business machines, and the Pink
Panther campaign is designed to emphasise the
The sort of developments that I mentioned
for the PC/2 are already visible on more
conventional PCs: add-on cards (for which
the Personal Computer Memory Card
International Association, or PCMCIA, defines
the standards); notebook PCs that take their
input from a pen rather than a keyboard;
power management technology to make those
Michael Fox, friendly aspect of IBM computers. batteries last a little bit longer; and direct
connection into the cellular telephone network
your HelpClub What sort of technology are we talking for you to transmit information while on the
manager, lets Club about? And what sort of effect will it have on move. The PC/2 merely fuses these functions
our lives? This January IBM published a report into a single portable package.
members in on the called New Horizons — the second decade of
latest news from the personal computer. It discusses the impact Multimedia is another area in which IBM is
that personal computers have had on our lives heavily involved. Multimedia on the PC means
IBM. In this since the launch of the IBM PC ten years ago, much more than just storing and retrieving
instalment, find and speculates about how future developments words; it means linking the words with stored
might affect our business, and home, lives. If sound and images. That PC in your hi-fi rack
out why IBM's you're interested in a copy of the report, could be used for listening to the latest CDs as
turned pink. contact IBM on 0256 841818. well as for running the household accounts; the
screen could be used for viewing the latest TV
The march of technology towards new soaps as well as for catalogue shopping or
horizons is inexorable, and one trend that's playing video games.
bound to continue is the cramming of
increasing amounts of jiggery-pokery into ever Two factors will make multimedia play a
decreasing spaces. For instance, at last year's bigger role in our lives: the decreasing cost of
giant US computer exhibition, Comdex, IBM the machinery, and the increasing availability
demonstrated a prototype of the Personal of software. To this end, IBM has recently
Communicator/2 (PC/2). What is it? It's a launched the IBM PS/1 Multimedia System.
mobile phone; it's a fax; it's a diary; it's a The PS/1 comes with a CD-ROM tutorial
personal organiser; it's a computer. Amazingly, which uses live video, pictures and voice. It has
the whole caboodle is the size of a chunky realistic graphics and hi-fi-quality sound. The
portable phone and weighs less than a pound. pack also includes educational software titles
It should be available at a realistic high-street and entertainment CDs, such as the Photo
price within months rather than years. Gallery which reads Kodak PhotoCD images.
One of the many remarkable things about MORI research, commissioned by IBM last
the PC/2 is that you'll be able to make it do year, showed that there was still a surprising
more or less anything you want, by plugging degree of technophobia around when it came
into it credit card-sized add-on cards. So, you to PCs. This underlined the need to make them
could add a card that would locate your as easy to use as possible. Helpware leads that
position using satellites, and draw maps of effort, as does the magazine you're reading
where you are; you could make the machine right now. Emerging technology will also help.
into a camera to store pictures in memory; you Developments that are currently underway will
could even turn it into a portable radio or TV. change the PC and the way we use it, until it's
The possibilities are endless. as much a part of the household as the TV
and as much a part of business as the word
At this rate you're probably wondering processor or typewriter. If we hardly notice
whether in five years' time we'll all have thrown that we're using it, then we can't be worried
out our home or office PCs and be carrying about it, can we?
portables around with us instead. Somehow,
I don't see it that way. I think it likely that the
PC will simply become a more accepted part of
life, just like your video or hi-fi stack. In fact,
EIHELPWA RE
Wdrive
If you caught the all cle on multimedia in the spring/1993
issue of Helpware Magazine, y • vrifirow,cw what delights await
you once you connect a CD- • your PC. Well, in
the issue we're gkcing you t hance q do precisely that.
HELPWARE
minimum.
Bay f 1S -
-Tg Eler7Gral
Eleva tion
How to join? feet
13,090
6,500
meters
4,000
2,000
g6.
ETIHELPWARE
• Talking Jungle Safari, RRP: £43,
CP: £32.25. Explore natural habitats.
• Mario Teaches Typing, RRP: £29.99,
CP: £22.50. Mario teaches kids to type.
• Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing, DOS and
Windows RRP: £35.99, CP: £26.99.
CD-ROM RRP: £44.99, CP: £33.75.
Highly respected computer typing tutor.
• World Atlas, DOS and Windows, RRP:
£70.44, CP: £52.85. CD-ROM for DOS,
RRP: £99.92, CP: £74.95. CD-ROM for
Windows, RRP: £105.69, CP: £79.30.
The program includes 280 detailed maps HelpClub members can get
and a vast database of facts on climate, nearly £50 off the Pocket
13IN
environment and trade. Gem modem from Dataflex.
You can order these products from Children's
Computing by post or fax, or by telephone on a
Smarten yourself up special HelpClub order line. Post and packing is
£2, regardless of how many items you order.
In conjunction with Children's Computing, the Children's Computing, Unit D3A, Telford
HelpClub is offering big discounts on a range of Road, Bicester, Oxfordshire OX6 OTZ. Tel:
educational software for your PC. We haven't 0869 322007; fax: 0869 325000.
got enough space to list all the programs, but
you can ring Children's Computing for further Immunise your PC
information on other titles. Screen filters improve the
• Talking Classic Tales, RRP: £99.99, Club Prevention is always better than cure, and Dr sharpness of images and text
price (CP): £74.99. Animated CD-ROM Solomon's Anti-Virus Toolkit is one of the best on your monitor while cutting
story-book containing five well-known fairy ways to stop your PC from catching a nasty out annoying glare.
tales. Children can explore the story at their computer virus. It offers protection from all
own pace and listen to pronunciations of known viruses, while monthly upgrades keep
individual words. you a step ahead of the infections. Order details
• Telling the Time, RRP: £14.99, CP: £11.25. are the same as for the educational software
Bobby the Clown helps younger children get offer above. DOS RRP: £99, Club price: £82.
used to the idea of telling the time. Clear and Windows version RRP: £147, Club price: £103.
colourful graphics and a cute character make
the learning process painless. Tidy those disks
• The Playroom, RRP: £25.99, CP: £19.50.
Inside the playroom children can select from Why not keep all your diskettes safe and sound
one of six modules covering a range of skills with a lockable Lexmark Diskette Caddy? And Prevention is better than cure
including maths, spelling and reading. Comes why not keep 50 formatted Lexmark 2MB disks - so why not take advantage
with a book and colouring crayons. in it as well? Normally the two items together of the HelpClub offer on
• Bodyworks, RRP: £59.95, CP: £44.99. would cost you £119.65, but HelpClub mem- anti-virus software.
Discover the human machine with this bers can get them for only £59.83.
exciting anatomical exploration program. Send your orders (cheques only) to Lexmark
• Designasaurus RRP: £24.99, CP: £18.75. International Ltd, Diskette and Caddy Offer,
Shows how dinosaurs lived. Westhorpe House, Little Marlow Road, Marlow,
• Reading Magic Library, RRP: £39.95, Buckinghamshire SL7 3RQ.
CP: £29.99. A series of interactive stories for
younger children. Sound explosion
• Jigsaw!, RRP: £24.99, CP: £18.75. Improves
shape recognition and memory skills. Soup up the sound capabilities of your PC by
• Print Shop Deluxe, RRP: £54.99, taking advantage of a discount on Sound Blaster
CP: £41.25. Make full-colour banners, signs, 2.0 and Sound Blaster Pro expansion cards.
and posters using 1,000 preloaded images. Both cards slot in to your PC and allow you to
• Spellbound, RRP: £34.99, CP: £26.25. link up your computer to external speakers or
Develops logic, spelling and memory.
• Grandmaster Chess, RRP: £34.99,
headphones. The Sound Blaster Pro contains
additional advanced features for those with a
Remember
CP: £26.25. Clear graphics, champion play. more professional interest in PC sound. Sound always to quote
• Mickey's Memory Challenge, RRP: £25.99,
CP: £19.50. Disney characters help to
Blaster expansion cards are suitable for PS/1 and
PSNP machines. Sound Blaster 2.0, RRP: £105,
your membership
improve memory. Club price: £84 (plus £5 post and packing). ► number
eh HELPWARE
HELPCLUB OFFERS
• Sound Blaster Pro, RRP: £165, Club price: Training
£130 (plus £5 post and packing). Order details
as for educational software offer, page 89. Continuing our most popular offer, Ditec Inter-
national is offering up to 40 per cent off its PC
The long and winding road courses. Prices start at £99 plus VAT per day.
For details of dates and locations of the courses,
Plotting your journey from A to B is simple with call Mary Ham at Ditec on 0272 273304.
AutoRoute Express from NextBase (see 'Ditch
the back-seat driver', pages 42 to 43). The pro- Easy PC
gram is available in seven versions covering UK
Don't get lost - get AutoRoute. and Eire, France, the Benelux countries, Italy, Banish technofear with a range of education
The HelpClub is offering 30 Germany, the US, or the whole of Europe. packages designed to build computer confidence
per cent discounts on route- HelpClub members can get the Windows ver- rapidly throughout the family. Learn to type,
planning software. sion for £99.95, a 30 per cent saving on the RRP add up, spell, speak French and, amongst other
of £149.95. The DOS version costs £69.95, a 30 things, play chess, at a saving of at least £20.
per cent saving on the RRP of £99.95. The price for the Famipack, Discover & Learn I
Orders by fax, telephone or in writing, giving (for ages five to eight) and Discover & Learn II
daytime telephone number and quoting refer- (for ages eight to 12) is £34.99.
ence HW693, from NextBase Ltd, FREEPOST Telephone Action Computers (0800 3333),
(TK 995), Headline House, Chaucer Road, Ash- Hi Voltage (081-686 6362) or Byte Direct (021-
ford, Middlesex TW15 2BR. Tel: 0784 421422; 766 5559).
fax: 0784 420072. Don't forget to specify the
version you require. Visa and Access cards are
accepted. Cheques should be made payable to
Golf 4
NextBase Ltd. Allow 28 days for delivery. Turbocharge your golf by signing on at the Golf
Make your own cartoons with Improvement Clinic in the heart of the City of
Disney's Animation Studio Get animated London and get your first session free. Contact
from Infogrames. Katherine Stewart at City Golf, 35 Farringdon
Disney's Animation Studio gives you the chance Road, London EC1M 3JB, tel: 071-404 6060.
to do virtually everything that animators in film
studios can do, and comes supplied with a num- Insurance
ber of figures you can adapt (see 'Quick on the
draw', pages 32 to 35). The program will run on National Vulcan is offering a 15 per cent dis-
any PS/1 or PS/2, provided you have at least count on cover for your IBM PC and Sun
6MB of free disk space and a minimum of 640K Alliance is offering reduced premiums on Home
of RAM. Although the price is usually £99, Cover, its domestic insurance package. Sun
Animation Studio is available to HelpClub Alliance has also developed Helpcare, which
Fantastic voyages: HelpClub members at the special price of £75 (which provides cover for private medical treatment for
members can get tempting includes post and packing). Please make cheques members and their families. For PC cover
discounts on Hilton hotel payable to Infogrames and send them to Lucinda details, write to Contingency Department,
breaks in Europe and the UK. Bingham at 18a Old Town, Clapham, London National Vulcan Engineering Group Ltd, St
SW4 OLB. Tel: 071-738 8199 for more details. Mary's Parsonage, Manchester M60 9AP. For
Home Cover details, write to FREEPOST, Sun
Existing offers
Alliance UK, King's Orchard, 1 Queen's Street,
St Philips, Bristol BS99 5BR. For Helpcare
details, call 0202 292464.
Holiday offers
Hertz
Get one overnight stay in a double room in the
Brussels Hilton, with breakfast, dinner and a Get a 25 per cent discount on Hertz car rental
range of tourist discounts, for just £119 per per- in Europe; ten per cent in the United States
son. The offer is valid until 31 October (subject and Asia Pacific; and five per cent in Australia
to availability). For details and reservations call and New Zealand. For more details, call the
0800 289303. We can also offer a ten per cent HelpClub on 0628 895222.
discount on Hilton special discount weekends.
Call the special events department on 0923 Printers
246464. Discounts of up to 50 per cent are
available at UK Hilton hotels; call 0235 865656 Lexmark is cutting 35 per cent off the prices of
quoting IB92 for details. Rank Hotels are offer- IBM 4072 Execjets, the IBM 23xx range of
All prices are correct at time of
going to press and are inclusive of ing 15 per cent off weekend breaks all over Matrix Printers and the IBM 4029 Laser Print-
VAT unless otherwise stated. Britain. Call 081-569 7222 for details. ers. Call Tessa Black on 0628 899088.
riNHELPWARE
HELPCLUBI
Question§3(
Answers
The HelpLine provides HelpClub members with friendly
technical advice whether you phone during office hours,
at the weekend or at four o'clock on Christmas morning.
The following pages feature a selection of recent queries.
O Using the Disney Pack Brring, brring. `... Er hello. HelpLine? Can you tell me if a petrol-driven
Sound Source lawn-mower will interfere with my IBM PS/1?' Of the thousands of
Creating a new
questions the IBM HelpLine receives each week, the staff recall the
Bookmark for Windows question on lawn-mowers as one of the more unusual examples.
The team mans the phones 24 hours a day, all year long, even on Christmas day.
• How to use your lunch-times are the busiest,' says Grahame Mackenzie, who was with HelpLine
password effectively
when the project went live in April 1992. 'Many people think that lunch-times are
Restoring a deleted the quietest times, so they tend to call then. In fact we're very busy from 9am to
group window 9.30pm, with a lull between 6pm and 7pm.'
The release of IBM OS/2 Version 2.1 is a significant event for the HelpLine
Recalling the Works for team. Most major hardware and software releases increase the quantity of calls by
Windows Option menu
up to half again as eager new owners discover how to use all the new features in
Installing PC Globe the shortest possible time. Although calls can vary widely in length, 90 per cent of
all queries are resolved in under eight minutes.
to Upgrading OS/2 to What if no one in the HelpLine office knows the answer to a question? The
install TrueType fonts
HelpLine team will probably know somebody who does, either IBM technical
O Running Paintbrush in support staff or a leading software vendor, and refer you to them. So will a lawn-
black and white or colour mower interfere with a PS/1? The answer is that provided you're not computing
on the lawn, there should be no problem. ►
e Why and when to park
your hard disk
COI HELPWARE
HELPCLUB
• way that the needle (and the arm) is placed CONFIG.SYS file. At the OS/2 prompt, enter
in a holder for safety when changing a record, E CONFIG.SYS (E is the OS/2 editor). Look
the hard disk head is also placed in a safe area for the entry REM SET KEYS=ON, and
when not in use. If your computer is then remove the REM command. Select Save from
moved, the head cannot damage the hard disk the File menu. When you next run DOS, you
and your valuable data. The process of moving will be able to use DOSKEY-like features.
the hard disk head to the safety area is called
parking. Older disk drives required you to enter
a special command such as PARK. Newer fixed Sorting out support
disks, such as the ones used in IBM Personal I understand that as an owner of OS/2, I
Systems, do this automatically when you turn
`Most major hardware off the computer, so there is no need for you to
qualify for 60 days of telephone assistance
from the HelpLine. When does the 60-day
and software releases issue a command. period begin: when I purchase OS/2; when I
increase the quantity first install OS/2 on my machine; when
of calls by up to I send off my registration; or when you receive
half again' Game plan my registration?
HelpLine I want to run a game on my PS/1, but each
time I try, I get the message 'Not enough
memory to run the game'. Is there anything I You qualify from when you purchase OS/2.
can do to get it running? Make sure that you send in your registration
now so that you appear on our membership
database as a registered customer.
There may be. When you start your
computer, the first program that is loaded into
memory is DOS, meaning less memory is Read all about it
available for your game. DOS then examines What is the IBM OS/2 Bulletin Board?
your CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT
files, which contain instructions to configure The IBM OS/2 Bulletin Board is an
your system. Some of these instructions also information exchange forum which you can
take up memory, leaving less for your game. dial into using your computer, a modem, and
You therefore need to prevent DOS from the OS/2 PM Terminal program (this is also
examining your CONFIG.SYS and called Softerm). The bulletin board's telephone
AUTOEXEC.BAT files. You can do this by number is 0256 336655, and the recommended
formatting a blank diskette (enter protocol is 8-bits, No Parity, 1 Stop bit (for
FORMAT A: /S), and then restarting your details refer to the PM Terminal program in
machine with the disk in drive A. There should your OS/2 manual). If you need to buy a
now be from 10KB to 100KB of additional modem, contact your dealer for advice.
fr memory available to your game. If this is still The OS/2 Bulletin Board System (BBS)
not enough, you may need to enquire about a includes a section which lists information and
`I want to run a game memory upgrade from your dealer. programs: 1. IBM: Announcement Details; 2.
on my PS/1 but IBM: Software Fixes; 3. IBM: Hints & Tips etc;
each time I try I get 4. IBM: Education & Training; 5. Progs: OS/2
the message, "Not The easy life 2.0 Specific; 6. Progs: Announcements &
Before I upgraded to OS/2, I used DOSKEY to
enough memory to make the entering of commands easier. How
Demos; 7. Progs: Apps & Others; 8. Progs:
Compressors etc; 9. Progs: OS/2 Drivers; 10.
run the game"' can I get the benefits of DOSKEY when I run Progs: Editors & Browsers; 11. Progs: File &
Caller
DOS under OS/2? Directory Utils; 12. Progs: OS/2 Fonts; 13.
Progs: Games; 14. Progs: from Magazines &
Journals; 15. Progs: Network Utilities etc; 16.
Readers who are not familiar with DOSKEY Progs: OS/2 – Recent Files; 17. Progs: Picture
should see the article on AUTOEXEC.BAT Utilities; 18. Progs: Programming Samples; 19.
(pages 77 to 80). OS/2 has its own version of Progs: Rexx; 20. Progs: System Utilities; 21.
DOSKEY, but it is disabled when OS/2 is Progs: Other Utilities; 22. Progs: UK Uploads;
installed. To make it work, you will need to 23. Progs: Comms & BBS; and 24. IBM
introduce a small change to your OS/2 Employee Written Software.
Club between 8.30am and 5.00pm, Monday to Friday, or complete the details on this
LIT
page and over in block capitals; we will automatically register you for:
24-hour HelpLine Original IBM Warranty
HelpClub Special Offers Helpware Magazine
Club membership is free for 12 months if you use an IBM Personal System bought since 01/01/92.
Your details
Surname I I I I 1 1 I I I I I I 1 I I I I I I I I I I 1
Computer details
Ci3
Machine type e.g.I 21/1 21/1 –1 61 8 I2 Serial number e.g.1Z1R1515101014141F1/1Y
I I I I I II IIIIIIII
Please note: the machine type and serial number are printed on a small label on the main system unit
(normally with a diskette drive slot) - not on the screen.
CN1
Which operating system do you use? (Please specify version eg. 2.0)
DOS q OS/2 Windows q q Other q
Was the computer a personal purchase? Date of purchase DD – MM – YY
41)
Yes No 71-1 ►
19 qq
Where did you buy your computer?
Supplier's name Town
N
Summer 1992
Using modems
Autumn 1992
Design a logo
Winter 1992/3
Mobile computing
Spring 1993
Graphics bureaux
N
N
Operating systems Spreadsheets Database problems Common PC problems
Letterhead design Printer pitfalls Presentation graphics Project management
Swapping disks and files OS/2 Version 2.0 Upgrading your PC CONFIG.SYS files
Disk drives Addressing window envelopes
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QEMM 3 86 •
•
Tried, Tested, Approved
& Acknowledged.
For DOS 3,4,5 & 6. Compatible with Windows 3.0, 3.1 & WFW.
ROMs: System,
KWEEK
1111 PC/CONP11/1116
Video, Disk, etc.
i
DOS =high DOS =high ! ;
1024K
{item ROM Available High ANALYST'S CHOICE 1 Ng !
El OD
INFO
WORLD MAGAZINE IIST PC PRODUCTS,
EDn OR'S W■E■WER
n4123 9567 113163 CDR, - Mappable
Network Adapter MR XOCI XXXX XICtX 70001 a - Remade PRODUCT
144 Page Pram CHOICE ATEA 0 11
4
. High RAM
Or ill
YEAR
100 0=1;er■re,
:
WINNER
Mou.t. = ?lapped ROI
X = Excluded 1 9
= video
A= Adapter RAC
506K 618K E = ROM
Split 11011
Available Available MR WIN WOO ww IAI1N
for for MN
Gee°
U1.1Un
E EIVTE
Programs Programs
FAN
Exactly what QEMM could be doing foryou now, Quarterdeck Manifest—FREE with every copy of QOM has won more awards and accolades than all
618K of precious conventional memory! -386. Seejs t what's going on inside your PC the other memory managers put together.
QEMM-386 Version 6 can give your 386 or QEMM-386 is more than just a memory before. And that's all possible with virtually
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flexibility, even more speed and even more area bigger by relocating network drivers,
productivity. mouse drivers, disk caches etc., from the 640K Easier than you think.
QEMM-386 manages your computer's conventional memory into free space above. QEMM-386 Version 6 requires
memory, by converting Extended memory
into Expanded memory.
Version 6 gives you More. even less effort to install than ever
before, all thanks to the new 'Optimize'
QEMM-386 sorts out all your memory As well as creating and filling space in program that configures QEMM to
requirements dynamically. Whatever type of the region above 640K, Version 6 will reclaim your own particular system—
memory your Windows" (versions 3.0, 3.1 memory formerly occupied by ROMs on all automatically.
and Windows for Workgroups) or DOS IBM, Compaq and all 100% compatible All this from a program that's Computer
Shopper
software needs, QEMM will deliver the right machines. This can mean as much as 211K won more awards than all other 1991 Award
memory, in the right quantity. extra of uninterrupted High RAM than ever memory managers put together. Winner
DOS 6
We make DOS a better place to work in, whatever your software.
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Quarterdeck Office Systems UK Limited: Widford Hall, Widford Hall Lane, Chelmsford, Essex CM2 8TD Tel: (0245) 496699 Fax: (0245) 495284
Registered Users of International English Editions: for after-sales technical support, voice contact (071) 973-0663 Fax: (071) 973-0664 9a.m. to 1.30a.m.
QEMM•386 v.6 RRP 09.95 Ex V.A.T. Price includes Quarterdeck Manifest. Trademarks are the property of their respective owners. E&OE. ©1992 Quarterdeck Office Systems