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November 16, 2002
 
"Dizzy" Deane Yamane is a Hawaii resident. You can find out more about him here.

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One hardware platform; three environments:  OS/2, Linux, Windows.  What more do you need?


Jasmine & PopCD!

Jasmine ($5) IS A DREAM FOR OS/2 WEBMASTERS

If you're a Webmaster, I suggest you try Jasmine v3.31 (15.Sep.2002) because it knows every change you make to every HTM/HTML/URL and will dutifully upload *every change in every webpage* to your website(s) with just one click.

The best news is Jasmine costs only $5 & is still supported by its programmer - Ken Kinoshita (KK). In my humble opinion, if every program worked half as well at twice the cost, it would be money well spent, like Peter Nielsen's (PN) PMView. Programmers like KK & PN are rare & deserve our support. Software that works is better than feature rich, bloatware with a pretty face that fails.


Features

(a) Automatically updates & synchronizes any changed website pages with just one click, (b) Allows FTP or COPY mode, (c) Maintains log files by day or month, (d) Can also remove obsolete files from the remote host, (e) Allows ASCII or Binary mode transfers, (f) Can specify file(s) to be excluded such as *.tmp or *.bak, (g) Comes with foreign language support: English, Japanese, Deutsch/German, Portugese and French as of v3.31, (f) Optionally changes all uppercase to lowercase filenames, (h) Can exclude specific files or directories, (i) HTML Keyword Exchange which appears to let you put codes into our webpages & it substitutes the uploaded date on the fly or checks the presence of required files, (j) Allows 'Sequential Run Mode' which will automatically synchronize multiple sites with the same or different webpages, (k) Excellent status msgs with sound (voice, not beeps or chirps) and (l) More.

Installation

Is easy. The full functioning shareware program comes in both WarpIN (*.wpi) & Zip versions. If you don't have VROBJ.DLL, you will need to download VROBJ.DLL. (KK provides a link on his website.) After downloading the shareware version, either run WarpIN or unzip it into a directory. Then run the install.cmd file which creates objects on the desktop. Click on the Jasmine icon and you'll see the following:

Setup

Is also simple. Press the 'New' button and fill in the blanks. I found the only confusing entries were the 'Address' entry (usually ftp.yourISP.net) and the 'Remote Dir' entry (often public_html). Or ask your ISP [grin]. Note: (a) Jasmine can handle multiple sites for multiple remote hosts or complex groups of webpages, and (b) 'Help' is in ReadMe files which keeps the program & memory usage as small as possible.

To customize the setup, press the 'Preferences' button and you'll see this:

Operation

Connect to your ISP, then press the 'Run' button. That's it! Jasmine will synchronize your remote host URLs with all your changed web page(s) with voice alert (with sound enabled) & complete status msgs.

If you already have website(s), Jasmine may use its first run to register the files. After the first run, using Jasmine is a dream come true. And did I tell you, the full registered version without the "nag/count-down" screen only costs $5!?? And (PSST!) the updates are *free* for the downloading!!

Support

Is directly by the programmer, Ken Kinoshita, who replies promptly to Email & is proactive -- in other words, he really improves Jasmine, even if I think it's great as is ... uhh ... was [grin]. Ken's website has some nice OS/2 links, too. Registration, aka paying the $5, is through BMTMicro, who also deserve our $upport. Once BMTMicro gets your payment, they will Email you a Key which gets rid of the nag/count-down/reminder.

Summary

Webmasters, GET JASMINE! And remember, you'll only pay $5 to register [VeryBigGrin]. Jasmine is what software should be, but rarely is -- focused on the main task (not bloated & too feature rich), easy to install, pay once with free upgrades (unless the new version is a real advance), considerate of my limited disk space & RAM, affordable (cheap!) and always works, which is, of course, the main goal. ... Can you tell that I LUV Jasmine?


PopCD! ($5) MAKES WINDOWS PLUG N'PLAY SMELL WIMPY

I have PopCD! v2.19 (10.Feb.2000) in my OS/2 StartUp folder, because it works. You may know the drill I suffer with Windows & CDs: (1) Pick one: RealOne, WinAmp, Windows Media Player or other(?). Then (2) Wade through the ...WAIT... of ads/bloatware/come-ons & menus just to hear the music or read the CD. PopCD! is a better answer.

Features

(a) Any CD inserted into a CD drive makes a pop up icon on your desktop, (b) Music CDs automatically play, (c) You can click on any Data CD icons and see the files, (d) PopCD! has all the normal VCR buttons, (e) Eject is clickable or drag & drop on the Shredder, like a Mac, (f) You can customize PopCD! and (g) It only costs $5 for a legal, registered version.

Installation

Is easy. The full shareware comes in both WarpIN (*.wpi) & *.zip versions. After downloading PopCD!, either run WarpIN or unzip it into a directory. Then run the install.cmd file which creates objects on the desktop and in the StartUp folder. You should then do a real, cold boot shutdown.

After your desktop comes back, click on PopCD! to see the following:

Setup

I remember this part being easy, but I could be wrong [sigh].

Operation

This is the best part. Because, once you've installed PopCD!, you're ready to rock'n roll. Just put in a CD. PopCD! will play it (music CD) or show a clickable icon (data CD) on your desktop. Is that KEWLest!?

Support

Is by Ken Kinoshita, who replies promptly to Email & upgrades PopCD! as needed.

Summary

If you use OS/2 with a CD drive, GET PopCD! because it's worth the free download time. Then pay the $5 registration fee to BMTMicro.

Last words: To me, Ken Kinoshita is like Peter Nielsen, Ray Gwinn and Daniela Engert, who, against all odds, continue to support & upgrade their OS/2 programs, and have earned our $upport. ... OS/2 LIVES!!


Programmer's website: www.prettypop.net
Register at: www.BMTMicro.com
Download webpage: www.prettypop.net/software

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