OS/2 eZine - The Best OS/2 Reading Anywhere!

16 June 2001

Robert Basler is the president of Aurora Systems, Inc. and a dedicated OS/2 user since he tired of rebooting Windows 3.1 twenty times a day.

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From The Editor

PPWizard is Back in Action

Starting with this issue, the OS/2 eZine is once again produced using PPWizard. Contrary to what it might sound like, PP stands for PreProcessing. PPWizard is an HTML preprocessing tool designed to make producing websites a whole lot easier by allowing you to separate your content from your layout. It is also programmable using easy to learn REXX syntax so you can make scripts to do tasks as complicated as you like.

Once the articles are edited, producing a new issue of the OS/2 eZine including ZIPs and printer-friendly versions now takes just a single command and about 30 seconds. To set up the eZine to do this took a little more time, but no more than it would have taken to lay the issue out by hand, so overall I'm a long way ahead.

If you have a site where you have to change 20 files every time you change your layout, PPWizard is for you. Figuring out how to use it wasn't too difficult, in fact, the new OS/2 eZine is based on one sample from the documentation: Importing fields into 3 HTML documents. plus there are some articles in the back issues of the OS/2 eZine that cover some of the basics.

To say I'm spectacularly amazed at how well this works is an understatement. Now I just have to figure out how to automatically edit the articles and upload them to the OS/2 eZine servers.

OS/2 Warp 4 in Virtual PC

Connectix has released Virtual PC Technology Preview 2 for Windows, the interesting thing about it is that it will run OS/2 Warp. You can print, network, cruise the web, even watch videos and run WinOS/2. Ed Deans is talking about this on Stardock's News Server Note that VPC is not yet compatible with FP15 or any Warp 4.5 version due to a bug in VPC which has been fixed but not yet released. This is good news for the folks that were disappointed when vmware dropped development of OS/2 as a guest OS in their product.

[Thanks to Ed Deans for the screenshot. Click image to view full size.]

A Tip for SMP Users

If you're a user of an SMP version of OS/2, you might be interested in the utility P6K7MTRR_V006.ZIP. If you have ever noticed that DIVE runs fast, then slow then fast and so on, this is because write combining is only enabled for one CPU. This driver allows you to enable write combining for all CPU's and makes DIVE fast and silky smooth.

Stellar Frontier 1.0 Released

Stardock's last OS/2 project, Stellar Frontier 1.0 has finally been released. Stellar Frontier is an online multiplayer 2D scrolling space shooter with some very attractive graphics. There are two versions: a free version, or if you prefer to support the game's development, you can join the Admiral's club and get instant access to better ships and weapons. If you purchased the CD version of Stellar Frontier back in 1997-98 and want a CD, please update your contact information at Stardock's website.

[Thanks to Stardock for the screenshot. Click to view full size.]

Cool Website of the Month

If you've ever felt confused about the myriad of fixes, updates and new features available for OS/2 and its many components, Oliver Rick's WarpUpdates site is the solution you've been looking for. Maybe one day IBM will combine the TCPIP and networking updates, fixpacks, device driver fixpacks and more to make one easy to apply super-fixpack but until then, this is the place to go to figure out what you need.

Into Java

Unfortunately there won't be an Into Java column this month. Simon has been quite sick, but he's feeling better and will be back next month.

Please Support the OS/2 eZine

Thanks to our sponsors Sundial Systems and Link Guard Solutions last month, R. Bret Walker got a copy of the Mesa/2 spreadsheet and Doug Clark got a copy of Safefire PPP. Please support the eZine by clicking through and examining our sponsors products. It really does help, and you never know, you might find something you really need.

Have We Got a Deal for Advertisers

If you are interested in advertising in the OS/2 eZine, take a look at our Advertising page. We've got an offer we think you'll find hard to refuse.

Make Your Mark on the OS/2 eZine

The summer is always a slow season so we're looking for writers. If you're inclined to make your mark on the OS/2 eZine, visit the OS/2 eZine Pressroom for article ideas and submission guidelines. If you have any questions, let me know at editor@aurora-systems.com And don't worry if you're not an experienced writer, we have a crack team of editors to make you look good in print.

OS/2 e-Zine is committed to serving the OS/2 community by providing accurate, useful, and timely information every month. We will deliver user-oriented hardware and software reviews, thoughtful editorial comment, and 'how-to' articles which will include useful tips for both the novice and the experienced OS/2 user.

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