This is our 10th Anniversary of providing microcomputer information to the public. Hey, we found one of the earlier editions, though still not the first:
From COMDEX
GeoWorks is here!
While I was at the COMDEX show in Las Vegas, I stopped by the GEOWORKS booth and watched a demonstration of their product, which is an operating environment similar to Windows, except that it will run on less expensive machines Additionally, it comes with more software than Windows. The product is not new, however, as it has been used for years on Apple and Commodore computers. The suggested retail price is $199.99, but it is available at discount stores for as little as $119.99.
GEOWORKS includes:
GeoWrite - a word processor and desktop publisher.
GeoDraw - a drawing program.
GeoManager - an easy-to-use DOS shell that makes disk and file manage ment Sniple.
GeoPlanner - a calendar, event minder, and personal planner.
GeoDex- a combination name and address file and phone dialer.
GeoComm - a communications program.
American Online - a program that provides simple access and navigation through a dial-up service of the same name. This service allows you to download software, ask questions of other GEOWORKS users, read newspapers and encyclopedias, get stock quotes, make trawl arrangements, and send or receive FAX messages.
For the price, GEOWORKS is much more complete than Windows. In fact, if you add a spreadsheet program you may have all the software you need at less than one eighth of the cost of a comparable Windows configuration. And that doesn’t include the additional hardware that you may need to buy in order to run Windows! GEOWORKS will run on practically any machine, all the way down to an original PC with only 512K of memory. GEOWORKS does have a couple of deficiencies, including the lack of a spelling checker and Thesaurus in GeoWrite, but the company says they are working on them and will send them free to registered users.
GeoWorks for the PC is available now at all of the usual places.
Those of you using minicomputers may be interested in the following Information I have recently come across:
IBM now has a smaller model AS/400, the 9402which sells for as little as $18,000 complete. It -would probably make a good entry level system, departmental processor in a network, or a network file server. It cannot be upgraded, and has a severe disk space limitation of 1.2 gigabytes.
At the same time, IBM has increased the disk capacity of the AS/400 9404 line (model C20 and up) of processors to 3.6 gigabytes (3,600 mb), making these machines much more viable to serious users.
Meanwhile, companies such as AI and EMC are selling 4 megabyte memory boards for the AS400 for as little as half of what IBM charges! According to recent magazine articles, some are even having two-for-one specials!
Did you know that there are companies that can recreate RPG programs from the object code if you have lost the source? It’s true! Expensive, but true. Call me if you want the details.
The competition is still hot and heavy in the PC software arena. The favored idea for marketing software these days appears to be offering ‘upgrades’ to people using competitive products. For example, if you own Lotus, Borland will sell you its spreadsheet, Quattro Pro 2.0 (list price $495), for $99. Owners of dBase can buy Paradox 3.0 (list price $725) for $175. Users of practically any word processing package can pick up Ami Professional for $129.95 (list $495). Ami is one of the most critically acclaimed desktop publisher/word processing programs on the market today. It was created by a company that has been bought by Lotus. You can also get Ami Professional FREE, if you own a copy of Lotus 1-2-3 and upgrade to version 2.2 or 3.1 ($150) before April.
Another popular marketing program is to sell ‘classic’ (really obsolete) versions of programs at discount prices. The DAK electronics catalog offers over $2000 worth of software at list prices for only $99. That package includes popular software such as Wordstar 5.5, Gem, and Grammatik. While some of the software is not the latest, it is probably more than adequate for the job, and the price is hard to resist. DAK now has a new offer of $1,492 worth of desktop publishing software for $99.90. Call 800-325-080
Other examples I have seen recently include dBase III for $29, and Word Perfect 4.2 for $99. CompuAdd super- stores are also offering some pretty good deals on the same kind of ‘classic’ software. Biz Pak l includes WordStar Version 5.5, Typing Tutor, Deluxe Paint II, and Definitions Plus (a dictionary and spelling checker) for just 79.95! Biz Pak II is just in time for tax season, with J.K. Lasser’s tax computation software and book, For The Record (a place to record all of your important information), WillMaker (write your own will package), DacEasy Light (a check book and light accounting package), and Millionaire II (a stock market learning game), all again just $79.95. CompuAdd also has sports, games and learning packs at similar savings. There are two stores in town, one on 88th in Westminster, and one on Mississippi in Aurora, or you can order by mail: 800-477-4717. Happy hunting!
At least something struck me. I spent practically the entire holiday season in bed with the flu or a cold that escalated to pneumonia. That is why I missed the last two issues of the newsletter. I know it’s a lousy excuse, but it’s the only one I’ve got. Anyway, I have recovered completely now and I don’t expect any further lapses. Next month’s issue will be created in the Windows Office suite of programs. See you then!
Greg Hill
Editor
Personal computer prices have come down at a rate exceeding that of the prime rates. Right now you can buy the ultimate PC for $3,000! By ultimate, I mean a 486-33 CPU, 8 MB of memory, a 200 MB hard disk and a Super VGA Color monitor. This machine would have cost $10,000 in 1990. It is at least as powerful as 30 of the original IBM PC-XTs! And the display quality is unbelievable. As a bonus, most mail order companies are including a free mouse, MS-DOS and Windows and killer applications such as Lotus 123 and Ami Pro. Most warranties are now at least one year and many are closer to 2 years. Free technical support is universal, a few even have 1-800 numbers available 24 hours a day. It's a great time to buy.
By now you have certainly come into contact with the hype waves emanating from IBM, Apple, Sun, Digital Research, and Microsoft, among others. Why? Because they all have new personal computer operating systems they would like you to buy at prices ranging from $50 to $1000. Of course, all are touted as being vast improvements over anything that preceded with new innovative features that will make work seem like child's play. Perhaps the claims are exaggerated, but in any case, when programs and support dry up for existing operating systems, you will be forced to choose one of the new versions. We have found MS-DOS version 5.0 might be a good choice, as it is simpler to use than any previous DOS, with its improved HELP facility. It also frees up more memory. DR-DOS version 6.0 has an interesting feature - it can double of triple the size of your disk drive with a program called SuperStor. However, there are some problems with the product that make it inferior to MS-DOS. IBM keeps threatening to release its "operating system to end all operating systems", OS/2 version 2.0, due out in April after endless delays. If rumors are correct, it may be the best operating system value ever. The computer press has been saying that all sorts of wonderful software will come free with OS/2, maybe even Windows -- all at the $99 list price! Better yet, version 2.0 will be shipped free to all registered users of previous versions. My advice is to adopt a wait and see attitude, however; we have heard this kind of thing from IBM before.
What is the point of getting a better operating system? Most of you are painfully aware that the personal computer has never lived up to its promise. When IBM introduced its PC ten years ago, people jumped on the band wagon with the notion that computers would be everywhere and the tediousness and uncertainty of every job would disappear. Computers would do all of the repetitive tasks as if by magic while instantly providing all of the information that could previously only be devised at the point of a pencil covered with sweat and midnight oil. But it hasn't happened, has it? Probably the greatest crime committed by the high priest and priestesses of the microcomputer was tantalizing us with the magnificent potential of the machines. Potential that is largely unrealized. But are we making progress? Unfortunately, all too slowly. While we are surrounded by computers in our homes and workplaces, we don't seem to be able to use them individually or collectively. Think about it... how well are you able to control that computer in your VCR, coffee maker, microwave oven, TV remote control, stereo receiver, etc.? Well, now we are bringing you the MULTI-MEDIA PC. One personal computer in your living room will run your entire personal and business life, from turning on the furnace to paying the gas bill, from taping your favorite sitcom to sending your report to the boss in another state, complete with photos, music, and animation. Are you ready for it? Computer software needs to make a quantum leap in the area of ease-of-use before the computer revolution is successful. In my experience, the only computers that are being used efficiently are those that are loaded with custom-written software. Canned software is written for the mass market and is seldom the best solution for a specific task. Custom programs let you do it your way with no wasted effort. Think about it the next time you spend days writing a macro for your spreadsheet that takes 20 minutes to calculate and is accurate about half of the time. While the initial cost of custom programming may appear to be higher than an off-the-shelf package, it may save you time and money in the long run. Explore the possibility the next time you are considering a canned package. Call for an estimate.
As you may recall, we published this newsletter by keying the text into WordPerfect and then loading it into Xerox Ventura to create the page layout. At the time, there were few alternatives, it was an expensive way to as well, with Ventura selling for about $1000. As new products arrived on the scene, we tested GeoWorks Ensemble, Gem Publishing, Word For Windows 1.0, and various other word processing packages, including WordPerfect 5.1, but we found them all difficult to use and not powerful enough to satisfy our needs. Word For Windows 2.0 has solved practically all of our problems. We don't have to import the text from another program. Art is simply inserted and manipulated with the built-in conversions and drawing program. Special text, like headings, are easily created with the new WordArt facility. Spelling and Grammar checkers are included, along with automatic conversion of documents from many other word processors and a Thesaurus. It also creates envelopes and inserts graphs and tables automatically. To top it off, you can get it for $129 until March 31, 1992 if you are the registered user of another word processor. If you are not using Windows, it will cost you an additional $149, and we recommend Adobe Type Manager for a vast improvement in text appearance, both on the screen and the printer, at $99. All prices are suggested list, so the goods can be acquired for substantially less in some cases by shopping for discounts. Call me for information. Oh, by the way, Ventura has now rolled out a new version of their publishing program with an upgrade price of $129. We think it might be too little, too late.
Some remarkable progress was made in the PC software arena in 1991. Here are some of my favorite new packages or upgrades from last year.