1237c9dd2706
tech



Hello Wayne - 

--8<--cut 

WC> I can't wait any longer, it's an economic decision too.
WC> Internet Junction is reliable and much cheaper local ISP
WC> and the only thing holdinmg me back is they don't support
WC> Win 3.1 though likely I could set it up. With a Win 98
WC> machine and 56K modem I've no excuse not to save the money
WC> and get a better user agreement as well! Unlimited online
WC> time but no server for the lowest rate of 9.95, structured
WC> graduated rates for the extras like running a server. 

'Support' of any OS amounts to a helpdesk that can only read
screens and if it isn't on their screen they are not willing to
even make an educated guess. 

CA>>> I have had good results using BooitNG's software to add a
CA>>> second partition and alter sizes of my W2K setup. No
CA>>> problems and it's been many months ago now. 

WC> Like I say I've got it but being shareware I'll wait until
WC> I can buy it to use it. I will unzip any docs and text
WC> files to familiarize myself with it ITMT. 

OK. 

WC>> I've got it here and shall examine it. Does it have a
WC>> chcken switch like FIPS where you type fips -t and it runs
WC>> through the procedure, created a copy of the boot sector
WC>> but alters nothing? Leave out the switch and you're
WC>> committed. Think where I messed up the one time was not
WC>> booting clean off the system disk with FIPS on it. 

CA>> To be honest my memory isn't too clear on all that. I only
CA>> had to use the repartioning functions the one time but it
CA>> has a mouseable user interface similar to MultiMail
CA>> (ncurses?). As I 

WC> Ncurses? Hear of it but don't know it. My DOS 32 bit
WC> MultiMail isn't mousable or I don't think it is, have to
WC> look and see. 

I hesitate to describe it as 'windows' since users expect a
GUI. Ncurses does 'boxes' onscreen and AFAIK MultiMail supports
limited mouse actions? 

CA>> remember it there were many steps involved, possibly one
CA>> to 'analyze' what could be done, with many opportunities
CA>> to cancel along the way. 

WC> This is good, these are things I like in software. 

I may be misremembering this. It's been awhile since I used the
repartitioning and it was only the one time. 

CA>> I will say it's documentation was a bit cryptic (for me)
CA>> and I had the documentation showing on one computer while
CA>> using it on the other. One reason I seldom print anything
CA>> anymore. :-) 

WC> I'll mail the the text and docs to the 486. 

Or use a laplink cable? ;-) 

--8<--cut 

CA>> I've not installed Dragon Linux here but based on my
CA>> experience with BLinux and GreyCat Linux I'd guess there
CA>> are no 'easy' Linux installs until _after_ you succeed.
CA>> Then it seems as though it _should've_ been easy if you
CA>> had completely grasped what it wanted you to do at each
CA>> step. 

WC> Dragon was so simple I messed it up being used to more
WC> complex installs though it still failed on "kernel panic"
WC> after rebooting. Like I said I think it's because Slackware
WC> 7.1 can't operate a boot beyond 1024 cylinders without some
WC> special utility I'd heard of that's an add-on 

Not sure that should affect a loopback system but maybe? 

WC>> Solid here so far, 98 FE with critical updates, 6.0 IE,
WC>> Netscape 7.1 (bleck) 7 was the last good one IMO, Free
WC>> Agent, AVG, ect. 

CA>> Haven't added FreeAgent on this machine as yet and don't
CA>> use it lately on the other machine either. 

WC> Got to have my cutie brunettes pics and with a 56k modem
WC> and being able to mark for retrieval I can do other stuff
WC> before I select for my naughty screen saver ;-) I need to
WC> select some tech and electronics groups too. Already have a
WC> number of Linux groups selected. 

Not sure how FreeAgent factors into what screensaver is in use
but if you say so. 

CA>> I seemed to be reading goofy nonsense in all the usenet
CA>> groups I was downloading and spent a great deal of time
CA>> deleting the messages. More deletion than reading.
CA>> Discouraged me after a couple months of nothing but goofy
CA>> drivel. 

WC> IMO the user interface on Agent is far superior to
WC> everything else and utterly intuitive. The 32 bit Agent has
WC> actually been improved but retains the same look and feel
WC> as the old version. 

No problems with FreeAgent just too much dreg from usenet users. 

CA>> Lots of "I need to download the WFWG install disks" or "I
CA>> need a free download of MSDOS v6.22" and I just got tired
CA>> of it. 

WC> Yeah, I deltree'd WFWG's from the drive when I rescued the
WC> other machine. 

I have a legal copy of WFWG. I just don't make copies for
others to use. 

WC>> No MSBLAST here, thought it targeted only 2k and XP? 

CA>> Actually it targets those _and_ WinNT v4 but since
CA>> Microsoft doesn't 'officially' support NT4 any longer they
CA>> don't offer a 'fix' for it either. 

WC> Nice :-( What the heck just do a find or dir/s
WC> \msblast.exe, delete it, create and rename a text file
WC> msblast.exe and make it read only wherever the offending
WC> file was found. Now some clown has created a version of
WC> MSBlast that plugs that security hole but how well written
WC> it is 

MSBLAST adds to the registry and must be removed from that as
well. 

The MSBLAST-D that attempts to plug the hole also automatically
downloads the patch from Microsoft. Something I do not like. 

WC> and how much it clogs the net propogating itself I don't
WC> know. 

I've read that adding yet another worm scanning for other
machines to infect is causing problems but mainly with
intranets. 

CA>> There are variations of MSBLAST out there now, one that
CA>> actually tries to reverse the effects of the first one. LOL 

WC> Just read about that one. 

WC>> Nothing flakey here yet but Ross Cassell's entry in
WC>> Hyperteminal P.E., the-estar.com, exit's his BBS with an
WC>> illegal operation and causes me to have to end task
WC>> manually. sole bug noticed so far. Eastern Star is a Linux
WC>> BBS 

CA>> You're trying to lure me back into that running gag that
CA>> didn't work the first time, right? 

WC> No idea what you're talking about but what I wrote above is
WC> true. 

There was a discussion of the BBBS software where, at some
point, you mentioned that you had not realized Ross was using
BBBS software. Some 'crazies' who also use BBBS software jumped
in with unasked for 'details' about versions etc. I reposted
what they added and encouraged even more detail (in jest). They
thought it was a serious reply and sent even _more_ detail. I
replied, again, asking for more detail ... so on and so on
until I realized I was the only one who realized I was just
kidding. :-\ 

WC> perhaps I'll alter the terminal type Hyperterminal is setup
WC> on. Some telnetable BBS's work fine with VT100 and others
WC> fail miserably with me unable to log on. 

--8<--cut 

Could be something like that. I use NetTerm and am not familiar
with Hyperterminal options. 

WC> BTW is there a way to bring up the "terminate current
WC> failed application" prompt other than CNTRL-ALT-DEL? No
WC> harm seems done and the terminate screen prompt merely
WC> appears and I close the app but I just don't like using
WC> that heystroke combination casually. 

It's called the taskmanager. I don't like using ctrl-alt-del
myself. I think if you push it twice you still get a reboot? On
W2K it is ctrl-shift-esc to bring up that same screen. 

I checked W2K 'start>settings>control panel' and see no icon
for the taskmanager but if I find an empty spot in my toolbar at
the bottom of the screen and right-click one of the options on
the menu that pops up is to display the taskmanager (this is W2K
here ymmv). 

WC> I'll Let you know if altering terminal type fixes my
WC> Eastern Star glitch. Well near time to walk the dog, no
WC> thunder boomers just now but more coming in from offshore
WC> so it's time to check out www.weatherunderground.com A
WC> great place to find reliable local weather radar using just
WC> your zip code and bookmarking the page when loaded. 

Good website but this reminds me of out-running the alligators.
In Michigan we say "If you don't like the Michigan weather just
wait a few minutes, it will change". ;-) 

>
>        ,                          ,
>      o/      Charles.Angelich      \o       ,
>       __o/
>     / >          USA, MI           < \   __\__
 

___ * ATP/16bit 2.31 * 
... DOS the Ghost in the Machine! http://www.undercoverdesign.com/dosghost/

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