 The magazine of the Melbourne PC User Group Nybbles and bytes Ron Wilby |
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MS Disaster?
Just after the June PC Update arrived in our letter box, a reader rang regarding Beginners' Bytes Part 19. About the paragraph headed "The Battery Problem."
Therein I suggested that the best and easiest way to find and record the CMOS settings for your computer's BIOS was to use MSD. No, not Microsoft Disaster, Microsoft Diagnostics, a utility that comes with DOS 6.xx. The reader said that with his hard disk(s), many of MSD's figures were guesses, and bad ones at that. He couldn't possibly use MSD to reconstruct his BIOS CMOS settings, he would never have the same settings twice running.
My answer. I've used MSD and found it successful every time. The difference between the reader's software and mine I know not. All of you other readers would be well advised to check MSD's performance before depending on it. You can always write down the figures from your Setup program and stick them inside your computer.
Break up Bill
The Australian Trade Practices Commission is reportedly investigating Microsoft's involvement with Telecom's On Australia development, which includes a major Internet gateway. There's conflict of interest, they say. Sure is, yours and mine versus Mr Gates.
Did you know about the "Committee to Fight Microsoft?" This is a US group which describes itself as a consumer lobby. It proposes that Congress should pass a "Microsoft Breakup Bill," which would empower the Federal Trade Commission to prevent the sale of software which fails to meet operating expectations. The bill would also prevent "monopolistic practices" by Microsoft and others.
To heap more onto poor old Bill, MS Network is now under fire from the US antitrust officials. When they get their teeth into a company they never let go and their teethmarks are deep!
BBS barter
If you log on to Permaculture 1 - (03) 9482 2942 - we are told, you'll find some interesting files. Some subjects are permaculture, gardening, alternative energy and LETS. What's that? It originally meant Local Exchange Trading Systems, but has been variously altered over a few years now. The sysop, Greg Newton, says it's all about trading labour without the encumbrances of traditional money. That sounds like barter, to me. Try the number.
Reprinted from the July 1995 issue of PC Update, the magazine of Melbourne PC User Group, Australia
