 The magazine of the Melbourne PC User Group Communications programs compared Anthony Caruana |
I've been using my modem for about two years now and tried a number of different communications programs. One is the DOS version of Telix, which works very easily and has only a negligible learning curve. I've also looked at two Windows programs: Unicom 3.1c and Winramp Lite 1.01.
Telix 3.22
Telix is an extremely easy program to use. It is available as shareware and commercial registration is available in Australia for a very reasonable price.
If you start the program without going through the configuration stage you are directed to configure Telix for your modem. This is done through a config program (MODEMCFG.EXE) that has a wide variety of modem brands and models to choose from. If yours is not there then you can simply select the Generic Hayes Compatible option and then answer a few simple questions such as the port your modem is connected to (generally COM2).
After the setup stage you are ready to start the program (TELIX.EXE). After the nag screen delay (for the shareware version) you are greeted with the terminal screen. To dial a number you press Alt+D to bring up your dialling directory and then select a number from your directory. As a new user you can add entries to your directory very easily by selecting "Add" from the menu at the bottom of the screen and filling in the prompts on the screen.
The interface is not overly configurable with only colors being changeable. However this is not a negative point as the interface is easy to use. Most of the things you need to do are accessible by pressing the Alt key in combination with another letter. To get a listing of all the commands press Alt+Z.
Telix is very easy to use and is ideal for the beginner or experienced comms user.
Unicom 3.1c
Unicom is a Windows program. Most experts say that comms under Windows can be quite unstable and difficult to set up. This may be true with modems faster than 9600 bps but with my 2400 bps (slow) modem this is not the case. Setup is quite straightforward. All you need to know is which port the modem is connected to and the make (or compatiblity) of your modem.
The interface is a typical Windows affair with pulldown menus and a tool bar. There is also a row of buttons across the bottom of the screen that enable you to configure the function keys (F1, F2, etc.) of your keyboard to carry out specific functions.
The dialling directory is easy to set up but limited to ten entries in the shareware release. The baud rate is also limited to 9600 bps for unregistered users.
Unicom is easy to use. My only complaint is that there are no less than three nag screens when starting the program and another two on exit. If you try to quit Windows while Unicom is still "nagging" the nag screens come up until you click on the appropriate places. Overall, a good program.
Winramp Lite 1.01
Like Unicom, Winramp is a Windows program. It has a similar interface to Unicom with the pulldown menus and the button bars. However it supports multiple dialling directories (if more than one user uses the computer) and has a nicer look.
Setup was fairly easy but required a little more experience in dealing with comms. Using the program is quite straight-forward. You simply select an entry from your directory and double click on it to dial. A dialog box with animated icons telling you of the modem's status comes up, and away you go.
I found that Winramp struggled if I had been using another comms program before starting Winramp. This may not seem like a problem that you will encounter often but this came up even if I used my fax program or my Internet access software. I could not find a way around this problem.
All of these programs give you an estimate of how long a file transfer will take. Winramp's estimates fluctuated wildly. A small file (2 KB) gave estimates of between 10 seconds (close to correct) to 45 minutes (wild). Neither Unicom nor Telix did this.
One definite advantage of Winramp over Unicom and Telix is its support of the RIPScrip terminal. The majority of bulletin boards and comms programs use the ANSI terminal. However, some BBSs are now using the RIPScrip terminal. This provides a point-and-click graphical interface rather than the traditional text-based interface. Unfortunately I could not get this to work with a RIPScrip BBS that I use. This may be an incompatibility between the terminal type and my graphics system, a fault at the BBS or a corrupt file. I was unable to get it to work.
Overall I felt that the Windows programs were easier to use but I never feel confident when I give Windows something difficult to do. On the other hand Telix has had a long pedigree and is used by lots of people all over the world. I will keep Telix on my hard drive and probably delete Unicom and Winramp. While they both work, Telix seems to be the more stable product.
Reprinted from the July 1995 issue of PC Update, the magazine of Melbourne PC User Group, Australia
