                     On Disk Monthly's

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                          LETTERS
                          -------
How about a print option for "Program Information"? I have a
hard copy file of past issues that includes a listing of the
necessary files and program information that I use along
with ODM Indexer.

When I am looking for a program, I am able to read about it
and, if it is something I wish to use, I can copy all the
files to my hard drive. ODM Indexer gives a brief program
description, but does not list the files needed to run a
program. Maybe you should consider including "Files Needed"
in this index.
                                  G. Jerry Fadness
                                  Beaver Dam, WI

PRODUCT MANAGER RESPONSE: There are two ways to determine
which files go with which program. First, the Copy/Info
option in the On Disk Monthly shell will list all necessary
files as you scroll through the list of programs. At present
this information is not printable. Perhaps you will be able
to print it in a future issue. Second, if you do a "dir" on
the issue from DOS, you'll see that empty files separate
each .exe (plus its external files) from each other. Also,
your idea of adding a place for this info to ODM Indexer is
a good one. It's going in my program update ideas file.

                      *    *    *

What I am specifically looking for is the means to
import/incorporate the hundreds of hours of data from
Software Indexer (BBD #23) into the terrific new ODM
Indexer.

Thinking "ODM wouldn't do this to me," I reread all
documentation, tried to use the ODM Indexer merge function,
tried renaming my original Software Indexer "Software.dat"
file to a "Software.bid" file, and otherwise successfully
wasted my time to no avail. Please help.

                                  Mike Donovan
                                  Brookfield, WI

PRODUCT MANAGER RESPONSE: Unfortunately, these programs are
not compatible and weren't "related" to each other (ODM
Indexer isn't an "update" to Software Indexer). Also,
neither program has the ability to import/export other file
formats. Merge functions generally only merge files that
the program created.

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This is just to ask and/or suggest more Kroz games. They are
my favorites. I will renew my subscription if you are going
to have more adventures of the Kroz programs.

                                  Helen Cox
                                  Russellville, AR

PRODUCT MANAGER RESPONSE: Unfortunately, we won't be able to
publish any more Kroz games due to the fact that the the
Kroz author/programmer, Scott Miller, now heads a major
shareware game distribution company and is no longer a
Softdisk submitter. Stick around. We'll be publishing other
games that you'll enjoy!

                      *    *    *

On Big Blue Disk #52 you offered Print Shop Utility IV. I
really like the program and it makes my return labels, for
instance, look really distinctive. My suggestion is to
update the printer support for this program. I believe the
utility would be better if there were selections for not
only a 9-pin printer, but a 24-pin printer and color
capabilities as well.

I have had Big Blue Disk (former name of On Disk Monthly)
since 1987 and I do love the programs. I find it astonishing
that when I have a computer task to do, and I look for the
proper utility and/or program, I most often find a suitable
one in an issue. Keep up the good work.

                                  Sandra L. Duiker
                                  Charles Town, WV

PRODUCT MANAGER RESPONSE: Print Shop Utilities 5.0 will
prompt you to answer "yes" or "no" to the following
question: does your printer stretch the images? Answer "yes"
if you've printed and the image was stretched. This
sometimes happens when one printer is emulating another.
This problem, which was first discovered in Print Shop
Utilities IV published on issue #52, was corrected and the
utility was republished on issue #56 as Version 4 1.41. You
also mention color. This feature is not available in any
published versions of Softdisk's Print Shop Utilities,
including 5.0.

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I will not be renewing my subscription to On Disk Monthly.
Please don't think I do not like what you do. The quality of
your programs is top-notch. They just don't quite meet my
needs.

I am one of the growing number who have recently retired
from IBM. At this point, any program has to help make some
money or be useful in family projects. Another reason is
that most of your programs are written for CGA/EGA and
straight DOS. Even my current system is VGA and I am in the
process of buying a 486 with bells, whistles and (ugh)
Windows.

A word about the On Disk Monthly programs. You do a
fantastic job in function, interface and audience targeting.
The planning and quality are obvious. I can say this because
I was one of a very small group who developed what is now
software usability testing in IBM. Some of the design
approaches you use were being tested before IBM announced
the first PC. Please remember that a brief test by a couple
of people in your target profile can verify new design
approaches in function, interfaces, and even wording.
Listen to your users and you will surely enjoy continued
success.

                                  Ramon Autrey
                                  Marietta, GA


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          RECENT REPORT CARD REMARKS & QUESTIONS
          ------ ------ ---- ------- - ---------

This is the second program in my subscription which will not
display properly on my monitor. After selecting the icon, I
get a screen with only a dark blue stripe about 1" wide
along the top. --Mark Benson, Alton, MA

PRODUCT MANAGER RESPONSE: There are several simple things
that you and other subscribers can try when a program does
not seem to work properly. First, some programs need access
to practically all of the 640K of RAM that ODM requires its
subscribers to have. An easy way to disable TSRs, etc., and
free up more memory is to rename your autoexec.bat file (I
always use autoexec.old or autoexec.sav). Reboot your
computer and try the program again.

Second, our detection routines may be "misreading" your
system. This happens most often when a subscriber has a
graphics card that is higher than his monitor (for example,
an EGA card and a CGA monitor) and is trying to run a
graphics program. ODM tries to display all programs in the
best display mode your computer will handle. In these cases,
try running the issue from DOS with the applicable command
line parameter. To force CGA mode, type "GO /C" at the DOS
prompt; for EGA "GO /E"; and for monochrome "GO /M". Note:
MCGA subscribers must use CGA mode.

Finally, try using the same command line parameters after
the program .exe from DOS. For example, type "KLON2 /C" to
run Klondike2 in CGA mode, etc.

                      *    *    *

Is there a way to print out just the table of contents? I
don't need the User Guide every month and I'd like to save
two pages of paper! --Patrice S. Warren, Menlo Park, CA

Would it be possible to put the Contents & User Guide first?
I usually print every thing out and "take it to bed" and
read all the info, too busy to just sit at the computor and
play most of the time. I do not "understand" the graphics. I
copy it to Geoworks and can't get just one picture--all of
them show up at one time. They will not come up in my Print
Shop. Also, is there any way to get rid of the 3's, 2's and
D's and make lines in the Family Tree reports? --Sharene
Matsumoto, Pepeekeo, HI

PRODUCT MANAGER RESPONSE: We'll work on allowing you to
print only the Contents, and we'll consider moving that
option to the top.

Next, "graphics" can be difficult to understand. We offer
graphics of two different formats on ODM: Print Shop, and
.PCX. They are not compatible. Only Print Shop images can be
used with Print Shop or New Print Shop (there are some
Print Shop images on this disk). Many draw and desktop
publishing programs will import .PCX images--check your
program manuals.

Not intimately familiar with Geoworks, I have been told it
uses .GEM format graphics. Since you say you could see the
"page" of .PCX graphics, Geoworks may automatically convert
from .PCX to .GEM format. Use .PCX Rangler on issue #70 to
"clip" each image off the "page" of .PCX graphics (each will
be saved with its own file name). Then try importing one of
the "clipped" .PCX graphics into Geoworks. If this doesn't
work, don't worry. We plan to publish programs that utilize
.PCX graphics in future issues.

Finally, you can easily solve the 3's, 2's and D's problem
(just like I did), by consulting your printer's manual and
following its instructions on how to change the character
set that it uses when printing to the standard IBM character
set. Restart and you'll be in "line" heaven.

                      *    *    *

Do you have a BBS? --Graham Gristwood, Calgary, Canada

PRODUCT MANAGER RESPONSE: I'm sorry to report that we don't
have a public BBS that subscribers can use. However, we do
have a way for submitters to upload their programs. By the
way,if any of you have written programs that you think are
good enough for publication, send them in for evaluation.

                      *    *    *

How do you protect from viruses in the disks we receive?
--Madeline Perry, Orange Park, FL

PRODUCT MANAGER RESPONSE: We keep the very latest virus scan
programs on every computer in the building. Only brand new
disks are used for making "master" copies of the issue,
which are qualified in our Quality Assurance department,
then checked for viruses yet again just prior to mass
duplication. It is highly unlikely that a virus might be on
one of our disks. The one catch, of course, could be an "as
yet undiscovered virus" that the latest virus programs (ours
as well as yours) would not recognize. And even that is
highly unlikely. Do keep in mind that if YOUR computer is
infected and you run On Disk Monthly without its write
protect tab, you will infect it. Also, some subscribers have
reported problems running our issues while a virus protector
is active--particularly PC Tools 7.1 V-Defend program. We're
addressing the problem, but aren't sure of the outcome. The
problem apparently results from the fact that most .exe
files simply "run" something else. Our menu and several of
our programs, contain .exe files that actually open
themselves and read graphics or data. A few virus programs
don't seem to accurately detect and then ignore what's
happening.

                      *    *    *

Why not allow [the Report Card] to be filled out by keyboard
entry [on screen]--then print?  --Jim Knapp, Ventura, CA

PRODUCT MANAGER RESPONSE: Even a bare-bones text editor is
about 40K in size. We have not wanted to divert that much
space away from each issue's contents, and we haven't had it
to spare on some recent issues. Do a "DIR" on issue #70 for
an example. However, we're willing to add it to each issue
if enough of you want it. Tell us what you think.

                      *    *    *

Poker Square locks up my computer when Windows is loaded.
--R. Frantz, Portsmouth, OH

PRODUCT MANAGER RESPONSE: Though some of our programs will
run properly when booted from Windows or with Windows
running in the background, many won't. This is especially
true for games since they basically must take control of
your machine (and Windows doesn't "like" it). Also, some
graphics programs may need more memory than your computer
might have available when Windows is running. We don't bill
our programs as being Windows "compatible."

                      *    *    *

PCX 'Rangler. At last, now I can use your .PCX clip art. But
my mouse doesn't work with it. --Boyd Thomison, Guymon, OK

PRODUCT MANAGER RESPONSE: Your mouse will work just fine
when you run 'Rangler from outside our shell. We goofed! One
of our standard command line options is "/NOMOUSE." This is
necessary for those people who have computers with built in
mouse drivers but no mouse. If you have this configuration,
our programs detect a mouse when there really isn't one, so
the programs don't run properly. Suffice it to say that PCX
'Rangler and the ODM Interface aren't communicating properly
and 'Rangler thinks you typed "GO /NOMOUSE" when you really
didn't. 'Rangler is a real joy to use with a mouse.

                      *    *    *

PRODUCT MANAGER P.S.: Cliff Franklin, who reported a high
score of 17,450 on Nucleon in issue #70's Mailbag, now
reports a "nucleonic" high score of 38,990. Congratulations,
Cliff! ...Uh, has anybody topped him?

                      *    *    *

                   Mail your letters to:
                    Attn: Ronda Faries
     ODM Mailbag, 606 Common St., Shreveport, LA 71101

              Or fax them to: 1-318-424-0174

NOTE: Letters and Report Cards used in On Disk Monthly's
Mailbag may be edited for clarity and length.

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