What to do amid the dizzying changes in the PC world<\/p>\n
By Zatni Arbi<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Life in the personal computer world is getting
\nmore dizzying every day. The rate of change is fantastic.<\/p>\n
Just a year ago, for instance, we looked at the VESA Local Bus
\n(VL-Bus) standard in awe. Today, it's nothing but dead
\ntechnology. Not only that. The dust left by the spectacular
\nlaunch of Windows 95 has not completely settled yet, and I am
\nalready reading unofficial reports on Windows 96!<\/p>\n
All these changes, all the new technologies that the research
\nand development centers, special interest groups (SIGs), as well
\nas international standard groups and consortia bring forward
\nevery day makes it increasingly impossible for most of us to keep
\nup.<\/p>\n
Therefore, my advice to those who want to jump onto the PC
\nbandwagon is that the most important consideration in buying new
\ntechnology -- a Pentium or a new storage device or whatever --
\nshould always be what we will do with it. We should justify our
\npurchase with the manner in which these new technologies can
\nincrease our productivity.<\/p>\n
Boost<\/p>\n
This time we'll have a look at just two products that might
\nhelp boost productivity. Both have just become available on the
\nlocal market: OS\/2 Warp Server and Kingston CD Anywhere. One is
\nan upgraded operating system, the other is a kit that will enable
\nsystem administrators to install new CD-ROM based software on
\ntheir machines without the costly upgrade of adding an internal
\nCD-ROM to each of these machines.<\/p>\n
No doubt about it, OS\/2 got lost in the midst of the uproar
\nthat the release of Windows 95 created last year. However, those
\nwho did not have so much faith in Microsoft, as well as those who
\ndid not have enough patience to wait for the final release of
\nWindows 95, must have discovered the robustness of OS\/2. This
\noperating software, although not very aggressively marketed by
\nBig Blue, still commands a small but significant number of
\nfollowers, including banks and other financial institutions.<\/p>\n
Also a descendant of IBM LAN Server, the new updates, OS\/2
\nWarp Server Version 4.0 and OS\/2 Warp Server Advanced Version
\n4.0, are targeted at enterprise users. Key features include
\nsimultaneous access to files, applications, printers and modems
\n-- all from a single LAN server -- flexible and selectable
\ninstallation process, compatibility with other network software,
\nincluding Netware and Windows NT, and multitasking.<\/p>\n
The first can support approximately 120 users for file and
\nprint sharing and 1,000 users for application serving. The latter
\nadds fault tolerance (disk mirroring) for two disk drives and
\ndisk duplexing for two controllers.<\/p>\n
DSS<\/p>\n
Later this year, IBM will announce its Directory and Security
\nServer (DSS), which administrators can add onto OS\/2 Warp Server
\nto gain a global directory service. This will facilitate
\nmanagement of complex networks and security services. What I
\nstill do not know at this point is whether the new OS\/2s already
\nprovide support for Win32 applications. With the avalanche of
\nWindows 95-compatible 32-bit applications, IBM may have no choice
\nbut to include it in its next upgrade of OS\/2.<\/p>\n
Kingston is not a new name in memory modules. That much we all
\nknow. But when I saw this external, Quad speed CD-ROM drive, I
\nbegan to wonder. Wasn't it a big jump from memory modules to CD-
\nROM drive. But then I realized that Kingston also produces
\ncasings for external SCSI drives. With its Data Silos, for
\ninstance, you can add external SCSI hard disks to your systems.
\nKingston doesn't provide the hard disks, but it provides the
\nhousing for them, complete with the necessary power supply and
\nSCSI connectors.<\/p>\n
The same is true with CD-Anywhere. The casing is made by
\nKingston, but the CD-ROM drive is made by Mitsumi. It's not a
\nSCSI peripheral, it connects to your PC or notebook through the
\nparallel port.<\/p>\n
In order to achieve the highest average transfer rate (600
\nKBps), your PC has to have a parallel port that support Enhanced
\nParallel Port mode. If your PC has only an Extended Capabilities
\nPort (ECP) or Bi-directional Parallel Port (BPP, the highest
\naverage transfer rate will be 365 KBps.<\/p>\n
If your PC has a standard parallel port, you're almost totally
\nout of luck, as the performance of the CD-ROM drive will be the
\nsame as that of the already extinct single-speed one, i.e., 150
\nKBps. If you happen to have a standard parallel port, however,
\ntake heart. You can buy a new I\/O card with EPP for Rp 35,000 at
\nthe most. This I\/O card is available everywhere.<\/p>\n
At the back of the unit there is the power switch, a pair of
\nRCA connectors for audio connection, and two parallel ports. The
\ndrive plays audio CDs, too. The included parallel cable connects
\nthe CD-ROM drive to the PC, while the printer is connected to the
\nother port on the unit. In order to enable pass-through printing,
\nthe drive should be turned on before the PC is booted up.<\/p>\n
The single diskette ATA software driver installs easily into
\nthe hard disk. In addition to drivers for DOS and Windows 3.x,
\nthere are versions for OS\/2 and Windows 95.<\/p>\n
Suitable for office<\/p>\n
As I have repeatedly mentioned in my previous articles, the
\nmajority of today's PCs and notebooks come with a built-in CD-
\nROM. This can be a waste, particularly when the machines are to
\nbe used in the office. Unlike home PCs, on which users spin CD-
\nROM based computer games and encyclopedias, the office PCs
\nrequire CD-ROM drives only when new software or update versions
\nare to be installed. This is the reason why I think an external
\nCD-ROM drive with a simple parallel port connection an
\ninteresting proposition.<\/p>\n
It's also a boon for those who are stuck with their present
\nnotebook that has no built-in CD-ROM drive and cannot justify the
\nacquisition of a new notebook. The unit is light and small enough
\nto be toted along with a notebook.<\/p>\n
I have two complaints: First, Kingston still did not put the
\npower adaptor inside the casing. Second, the power switch should
\nbe placed in the front panel rather than at the back.<\/p>\n
Kingston is not the only vendor that makes such a CD-ROM
\ndrive. Back-Pack from MicroSolutions has been around for a long
\ntime. I discovered one thing that makes Kingston CD Anywhere a
\nvery good upgrade component for office environment: While it has
\nno problem reading original CDs, it won't read pirated ones. So,
\nif you have one in your office, you can rest assured that your
\nemployees will not start spending their time playing pirated
\ncomputer games.<\/p>",
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