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Copyright 1986 Bon Erreur Logiciel, S.A.
by Tim Conner, Jr.
Hello and welcome to Beta Bits! This *** CONTINUED FROM LEFT COLUMN ****
area of PC GAZETTE will cover the world Item Compaq IBM IBM Modified
of software. This includes what is now Name PC-Plus PC/XT AT IBM AT
available and what is coming out in the ---------------------------------------
future. I will be writing about Standards:
software program being beta tested and
those programs that are coming out. Disk Size 10 M. 10 M. 20 M. 20 M.
Mem Chip 4.77 4.77 6.22 10
As a beta tester for five major
software companies, I have the dubious
honor of really testing the new Ver. 1.3:
software releases before it is released
to the general public. Mem Test N/A N/A N/A N/A
Disk Dir 1'22" 1'52" 58.0" 45.7"
You are probably wondering what a Beta Opt 5'32" 16'12" 22'23" 14'12"
Tester does. Well, it is a group of
dedicated users that a software company
picks to have test every possible Ver. 2.0:
aspect of their products. This includes
testing of software, read the manual(s) Mem Test 6.0" 7.2" 3.1" 2.6"
for clarity and ease of use. Also, to Disk Dir 1'34" 2'12" 1'2" 58.0"
test each and every item that the Opt 13'42" 13'56" 15'22" 9'42"
software company claims to have fixed,
added, or changed. All of this is very
important to the company as that the As you can see from the above chart,
final software product will either be that this new version 2.0 will take a
profitable or a bust! bit more time to optimize. However, I
have not optimize my hard disk on any
In this premier column, I will be of the machines in over three weeks!
addressing several new items that I am When I was using the 1.3 version, I
currently beta testing and somewhere usually had to optimize the hard drive
else in this issue is a review of a San every other day. Thus, you now see the
Francisco company's two entries into savings in doing an optimization every
the software market. so often.
One last note, I am not being paid and To order release 2.0, call or write to
I am not endorsing any products the address below:
appearing in Beta Bits or Quicksilver's
Review. All of these reviews and Softlogic Solutions, Inc.
articles appearing in PC GAZETTE are 530 Chestnut Street
strictly for informing you, the public, Manchester, New Hampshire 03101
of any new items that you might Toll Free Order Number: (800) 272-9900.
purchase in the near future.
Now that all of the above is over with, Expected release of Disk Optimizer
let's take a look of what is happening version 2.0 will be in two months.
out in the world of software.
Beta Testing #2:
Quicksilver's Snap Judgments: ----------------
------------------------------
In the Snap Judgments Department, you This beta testing is actually a
may want to wait on your purchase of preliminary report on Borland's Turbo
Microsoft's QuickBasic version 2.0. Pascal version 4.0.
The reason is that the company is going
into hi-gear fixing several bugs and So far, I have been beta testing for
including a debugger called CodeView over two months on the new release of
into the package. The estimated time Turbo Pascal and I have been really
table for release 3.0 of QuickBasic impressed by this release. The many new
will be within the next four months. features includes the following:
In other news, those fun loving folks 1) Ability to connect with other
at Ashton-Tate are hurrying to put out Borland products such as Turbo
a newer version of dBase III Plus. I Prolog and Turbo Lightning.
will bet that even with the new 2) End of the 64k code barrier.
release, that there will be more bugs 3) A new quick compiler which speeds
with the software due to the hurried up the compiling time.
pace.
Within the next month, Microsoft will As of now, the beta testing is going
be releasing the new 'C' language rather slowly. Several beta testers
version 4.0. If you are a registered have found many bugs with this test
user of Microsoft's C or Lattice 'C', version. Borland is trying to fix all
you might want to get in touch with of the problems with another test
Microsoft for their newer version! version due for release to the beta
Version 4.0, is very compatible to testers shortly.
either UNIX or XENIX. This version will
include the new CodeView(R) for I will be giving you a full detailed
debugging. Microsoft's phone number report on Turbo Pascal Version 4.0 in a
is:(206) 882-8080. future column.
Beta Testing #1:
---------------- Quicksilver's Pet Pieves:
I am currently beta testing a newer -------------------------
release of Disk Optimizer from
SoftLogic Solutions. This section is where you get a chance
to blow off some steam against software
This version (2.0), is a major companies. If you have any complaints,
enhancement from the old release 1.0 or questions, tid-bits, or comments,
1.3. Many of these enhancements please leave E-MAIL (address to Tim
includes the following items: Conner) at either Polaris BBS or
InfoLink Network. The author reserves
1) A preliminary memory test the right to edit any mail that I use
2) Verifies DMA to disk transfer in this column. Please when you leave
from all memory mail, leave your full address as I am
3) Performs READ AFTER WRITE planning to send any comments (good or
verification bad) to the software company for their
4) Displays visual feedback of the responses.
process
5) Sub-directories are no longer Let's start off this section with one
sorted of my pet pieces.
6) Does NOT alter any file/directory
with an attribute of Hidden or To Ashton-Tate: Where is the dBRUN
System program that you have promised to all
7) For DOS 3.x users: Allocates all of those buyers of dBase III Plus
directories as close to the File package?? Originally, the dBRUN
Allocation Table as possible program was due out by May 1986 and it
8) Allocates COM, EXE, SYS, OVL and has been delayed over four times!! Get
Read Only files to the beginning on the ball, folks!!
of the disk, following the
directory clusters. The Final Word:
9) Allow up to 40 levels of sub- ---------------
directory nesting
10) Allow up to 1000 directories I hope that you enjoy Beta Bits. Since
11) Tolerates file names that begin this is the first column, I will
with a period promise to make this column much better
12) Displays the full disk statistics in the future. All comments are greatly
at the end welcome. Please send your comments to
13) Displays file names and parent either Polaris BBS or InfoLink Network.
directory or directory name The board's phone numbers are listed
when a read error occurs. elsewhere in this issue.
14) Recovers unused clusters caused
by deleting files from sub- Within the next few months, I will be
directories. beta testing several software packages
from Microsoft and several software
So far, the beta testing is currently packages from Europe. Europe??
in it's fifth test. It is about 85-90%
completed. Some minor bugs have been Yes, I said Europe. I will be going
found and I expect that this will be over to Europe to visit and to
remedied within the next test. interview the president of the French
version of Philipe Kahn's Borland
Here are some test timing information International. I will also report on
utilizing version 1.3 and the new the software industry and the
version 2.0 (test #5). Remember, this availability of American software and
test is being conducted on 3 different magazines. Who knows, I might get an
machines with different set-ups. exclusive for PC GAZETTE. I think that
this will be a first for this