   ______                            _   __      __
  / ____/___  ____ ___  ____  __  __/ | / /___  / /____  _____
 / /   / __ \/ __ `__ \/ __ \/ / / /  |/ / __ \/ __/ _ \/ ___/
/ /___/ /_/ / / / / / / /_/ / /_/ / /|  / /_/ / /_/  __(__  ) 
\____/\____/_/ /_/ /_/ .___/\__,_/_/ |_/\____/\__/\___/____/  
                    /_/                                       
                         This Week's Contents:

My Notes:
1) Novell is Ripe for TakeOver . . .
2) Virginia Beach in June?

News:
1) AT+T to Provide LOCAL Service . . .
2) Microsoft Works with Organizations to Block the Internet . . .

Reviews:
1) Erotic Connections BBS Guide Reviewed by Thomas Lee (tfl@psp.co.uk)
2) Fantasy CDROM Collection by Mark Borst (mrb@imagesys.com)
3) SU27 Flanker by Doug Reed (dreed@panda.uchc.edu)

Web Sites:
1) Free Phone Service on the Web (http://www.pulver.com/fwd/)
2) Live Cable TV on the Web (http://www.scifi.com)

FTP File:
1) AsKey TimeSaver!

Interview:
1) Home Networks Tips . . .

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date  : March 2, 1996     |CompuNotes is a weekly publication available
Issue : 38                |through email and many fine on-line networks.
--------------------------|We cover the IBM computing world with
CompuNotes is published   |software/hardware reviews, news, hot web
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------------------------------------------------------------------------
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(pgrote@basic.net)                        |concise reviews for us. Send
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------------------------------------------------------------------------
                             Patrick's News
         Being The Publisher and Managing Editor Has Its Perks!
------------------------------------------------------------------------
NOVELL . . . |
-------------
    It is amazing how cyclical the computer industry is. Look at what is
happening with Novell for instance. Once the mighty kings of the
networking world, they are now trading below $12.00 a share and are
being perused as possible takeover targets by Sun and HP. Amazing. How
could a company that was once on top of the world in its market drop so
fast? If you look at the facts Novell still "owns" the IBM compatible
based server market. But that's not the perception. Statistics show that
for every Windows NT Advanced Server deployed, not just sold, there are
4 NetWare machines put into production.
    A recent article from the people at ZiffDavis pointed out that the
performance of Windows NT Advanced Server machines vs. NetWare Machines
was indistinguishable until you hit the 25 user level. Windows NT
Advanced Server's performance deteriorated, but NetWare's keep
consistent. These were systems that hadn't been tweaked or even
configured specially for the tests. Just out of the box.
    Let's talk naming services or lack of. NDS is heads and shoulders
above the domain service Microsoft offers. In fact, if Novell were smart
they'd port NDS over to NT. Banyan tried something similar with
StreetTalk, but it never took off. Maybe Novell can get it right. Could
you imagine if all you devices and systems were NDS compliant?
    So, with the technology lead and some of their reputation intact,
what is the problem? First off, you have the perception that Novell is
still the old, blood sucking company it used to be. People still think
that Novell products carry little value for their price. Have you looked
lately? Novell's prices are competitive with Microsoft on a per seat
basis and even beats them on some common network addons.
    I think the second problem, perception, is what is really at fault.
People perceive Microsoft as this dominate, ever winning company. In
fact, until recently, Microsoft had no luck in their networking software
efforts. Even the vaunted third release of a product which usually
spells success for Microsoft failed miserably. Microsoft then did two
tings to make the perception Novell dive into the garbage. 1) The almost
gave away their product and 2) They built the BackOffice system. With
these two pieces in place people began to forget about Novell and look
to Microsoft as a sole solution provider.
    If I had any extra money at all this month I would plow it into
Novell stock. I have a feeling that by the mid-summer time range they
will be someone else's company . . .

-----------------------------------------
VIRGINIA BEACH IS FOR THE GROTE'S . . . |
-----------------------------------------
    We've picked the date of our summer vacation this year and want to
bounce it off someone from Virginia Beach. We'll be going during the
middle of June and want to get a feel for the weather. Also, we want
some tips of places to go from the natives. Drop me a line if you know .
. .

-------------------------
Buy My Booklet, Please! |
------------------------

    How is that for selfless self promotion? I have just finished a new
booklet called "10 Huge Mistakes Every SOHO Business Owner Should
Avoid". How's that for a title? They have been sent to the printer and
will be available in a day or two. This booklet details the ten huge
mistakes that every SOHO business owner could make and how to avoid
them! Instead of simply telling you to avoid the mistake, the booklet
details how to recover from each mistake if you happen to make it! Our
normal price for the booklet is $10.00, but since you are a CompuNotes
reader we'll sell it to you to for $8.00 plus $2.00 shipping and
handling. Just kidding. $8.00 gets your own copy of "10 Huge Mistakes
Every SOHO Business Owner Should Avoid" and a free trial subscription to
SOHO News, a new newsletter for the SOHO business owner. Send your check
or money order for $8.00 in US funds to: 4Point, Inc. 135 West Adams,
Suite G9 St. Louis, MO 63122 (314) 984-9691 Voice

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NEWS OF THE WEEK| This section is dedicated to verified news . . . All
News (C)opyright  Respective Owner - Will Only Reprint
------------------------------------------------------------------------
AT+T Goes Local . . .|
----------------------
    RALEIGH, N.C., Feb. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- AT&T announced today that it
has filed with the North Carolina Utilities Commission a request for
certification to provide local telephone service in North Carolina.
    The filing is an initial step by AT&T in its effort to provide local
service in competition with the local exchange monopolies.  AT&T has
said that by March 1 it will have taken the initial steps to provide
local service in all 50 states.
    "Today's action is just a first step,"  said Jim Carroll, AT&T vice
president for local service, Southern States.  "How, where and when we
will begin to offer local service as part of our broader service
offerings in North Carolina will largely depend on the outcome of
interconnection negotiation with the local exchange carriers."
    AT&T said it plans to offer customers innovative packages of local,
long-distance, wireless, on-line and entertainment services.
    "Our plan is to enter this expanded market with bundled offers like
the industry has never seen before," Carroll said.  "We will offer as
much or as little as our customers want."

-------------------------------------------
Microsoft Returns Control to Parents . . .|
-------------------------------------------
    REDMOND, Wash., Feb. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Microsoft Corp. and the
Recreational Software Advisory Council (RSAC) today announced they have
joined efforts to build technology to advance parental control over
Internet access and content.  Together, RSAC's rating system adapted for
the Internet (RSACi) and Microsoft's Content Advisor feature, to be
included in the next version of the Microsoft(R) Internet Explorer Web
browser, will make it possible for parents to easily monitor the content
viewed by their children on the World Wide Web.
    Microsoft and RSAC are working with industry leaders to develop a
solution based on the World Wide Web Consortium's (W3C's) Platform for
Internet Content Selection (PICS).  In particular, current parental
control software vendors Microsystems Software Inc. and SurfWatch
Software Inc. are adapting their products to be compatible with the PICS
specification and RSAC solutions.  The new RSACi rating system derives
from of a group of organizations that includes the World Wide Web
Consortium, AT&T Bell Laboratories, Bell Atlantic and Mediascope Inc.
    Microsoft is the first Internet browser vendor to integrate support
for parental control based on the PICS specification.  The feature,
dubbed Content Advisor, will ship in the next version of Microsoft
Internet Explorer for the Windows(R) 95 and Windows NT(TM) operating
systems, which is expected to enter beta testing this spring.  Soon
after, a version for Microsoft Internet Explorer for the Macintosh(R)
will also go to beta test.  Microsoft will openly publish the APIs for
the Content Advisor feature at the Internet Professional Developers
Conference in San Francisco on March 12 and will make the software
freely available to other companies to use in the creation of compatible
rating systems and browsers.
    Also today, RSAC announced the launch of the RSACi, or RSAC on the
Internet, an objective, PICS-compatible, content-labeling advisory
system that empowers parents and consumers to make informed choices
about what they and their children experience on the Internet.  RSACi
utilizes the nonprofit organization's experience in developing a content
rating system for the computer games industry.  The RSACi rating system
is a fully automated, paperless system that is completely Web-based and
relies on a quick, easy -to-use questionnaire. The adapted system will
appear on RSAC's Web site (http://www.rsac.org) in April and will be
fully supported by Microsoft Internet Explorer.  To encourage widespread
rating of Internet content, RSAC will make its rating application
available for no charge for the first year it is available on the
Internet.
    The PICS committee earlier this month released a new draft of its
specification, which is designed to enable content providers to label
voluntarily the content they create and distribute.  The PICS
specification establishes conventions for describing rating systems and
for label formats, so that PICS-compatible software can read labels from
any source.  Microsoft and RSAC, along with special-interest groups such
as the World Wide Web Consortium and the Center for Democracy and
Technology, are active members of PICS.
    "Microsoft's active cooperation with RSAC and our PICS effort, and
Microsoft Internet Explorer's new ability to support any PICS-compliant
ratings system, are clear examples of how the industry can come up with
voluntary and effective solutions to meet public policy concerns about
Internet access for children," said Tim Berners-Lee, director of the
World Wide Web Consortium.
    "Microsoft is excited to be one of the first vendors to deliver a
complete and open solution based on the PICS specification for parents
and educators," said Brad Silverberg, senior vice president of the
Internet platform and tools division at Microsoft.  "By teaming with
leading industry participants, we are able to offer the most complete
solution that allows everyone to choose the type of Internet content
that enters their homes."
    "Recent support for the telecommunications bill sent a clear message
to the Internet community -- that, in the face of transmissions deemed
'indecent,' the protection of free speech is subverted," said Stephen
Balkam, executive director of RSAC.  "The RSACi system provides
objective, detailed information about the content of an Internet site,
based on the levels of sex, nudity, violence and offensive language
located within that site.  In this way, the parent or consumer is then
left to decide what is objec tionable, or indecent."
    Parents can use the Content Advisor feature of Internet Explorer in
conjunction with existing parental-control software products, such as
Microsystems Software's CyberPatrol and SurfWatch Software's SurfWatch,
which restrict access based on a predefined list of Web sites that the
product developer decides may be objectionable to parents.  For maximum
security, the Content Advisor feature will also allow a combination of
methods to be used.  By the end of this month, Microsoft plans to make
available on its Web site (http://www.microsoft.com/ie/parents.htm) a
page describing available parental control software solutions so that
parents and educators have a single place to find the solution that best
meets their needs.
    "SurfWatch is pleased to be working with RSAC and Microsoft in
delivering a rating system that fulfills the promise of the PICS
platform," said Ann Duvall, president of SurfWatch Software.  "Our
experience as the first software in the marketplace to give parents and
teachers choice over what their children see shows that technology does
indeed provide an alternative to Internet censorship."
    "Earlier this year, Microsystems delivered the first PICS-compatible
server," said Nigel Spicer, president and COO of Microsystems Software.
"We are pleased to advance the PICS standard further by incorporating
full support for PICS labels and RSACi in a new version of Cyber Patrol.
This version of Cyber Patrol will be released on the same day as RSACi,
allowing parents to take advantage of the RSACi labels as soon as they
are available."
    Microsoft and other industry partners are assisting RSAC by donating
the server software, hardware and technical resources to power the RSAC
Web site.  The site will be powered by two dual-Pentium(R) Dell(R)
PowerEdge servers running the Microsoft BackOffice(TM) family and the
Microsoft Internet Information Server (IIS).  "We're excited about
offering customers a complete solution for Internet content viewing,"
said Lary Evans, vice president, Dell Server Group.  "With our powerful
industry-standard servers , we are donating the platform that enables
this important initiative."
    RSAC is an independent, nonprofit organization that empowers the
public, especially parents, to make informed decisions about electronic
media by means of an open, objective, content advisory system.  RSAC's
system provides information about the level of sex, nudity, violence and
offensive language (vulgar or hate-motivated) in software games and Web
sites.  As further evidence of their commitment to freedom of choice,
RSAC's rating system will allow users to make distinct choices, such as
allowing nudity i n the context of medical or classical works but not
sexually explicit nudity.  Its URL is http://www.rsac.org.
    PICS is a cross-industry working group whose goal is to facilitate
the development of technologies to give users of interactive media, such
as the Internet, control over the kinds of material to which they and
their children have access.  PICS members believe that individuals,
groups and businesses should have easy access to the widest possible
range of content-selection products and a diversity of voluntary rating
systems. Its URL is http://www.w3.org/pub/PICS.
    The W3C exists to develop common protocols and reference codes for
the evolution of the World Wide Web.  It is an industry consortium
hosted by MIT's Laboratory for Computer Science and INRIA.  Services
provided by the Consortium include a repository of information about the
World Wide Web for developers and users, a reference code implementation
to embody and promote protocols, and various prototype and sample
applications to demonstrate use of new technology.  Membership is open
to any organization.  To d ate, the Consortium comprises more than 130
organizations.
    Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) is the worldwide leader in
software for personal computers.  The company offers a wide range of
products and services for business and personal use, each designed with
the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take
advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
REVIEWS OF THE WEEK | Interesting software/hardware you may need . . .
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Book Review: Erotic Connections (Love and Lust on the Information Highway)
Reviewed:    Thomas Lee (tfl@psp.co.uk)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Sex and Porn on the Internet have been big news over recent months.
What with US Senator Exxon's recent bill and Compuserve's decision to
ban access to certain news groups, this issue has certainly had plenty
of column inches in virtually every publication in the world.
    Erotic Connections is a book aimed at helping those in search of
electronic love and lust to find it.  Unfortunately, it is not aimed at
the Internet but at the BBS side of the Information Highway. It is also
very US focused. These points may limit many peoples interest. It sure
did mine (but then, dialing US BBSs from Europe is never much fun at the
best of times).
    The first part of the book explains what is available out in
BBS-land and incudes a discussion of a number of practical matters
(which include a discussion on the legal issues). Like much in this
book, things have moved on since it was written and potential users of
any adult BBS should ensure they know what is legal and illegal as well
as what is acceptable and unacceptable.
    A key issue relating to BBSs (and most good erotic sites on the
internet for that matter) is one of cost.  Virtually all of the BBS I
tried accessing for this review wanted cash before you get access to the
more 'hard' end of the market. And the costs varied!  The author clearly
did a lot of research to discover the costs involved, but like
everything in the fast changing world of IT, these are constantly
changing, so I'm not going to quote any figures of my own.  Certainly
rates do vary, and as all of the BBSs noted in the book are dial up, you
could end up paying quite a lot if you do spend much time investigating.
    Virtually all the boards mentioned in this book require you to
subscribe and prove you are an adult before you are allowed access to
the adult material (chat forums, file areas, etc).  Many require you to
fill in a formal application and provide proof of age.  Some BBS will
only let you access adult material after the sysop has spoken to you
personally.
    Part 1  of the book also covers the key aspects of obtaining files,
chatting and general email decorum.  For the veteran Internet Surfer,
much of this is old hat. But since the BBS software is likely to be
different to normal FTP, even the most experienced might gain a few
things.
    The author also spends time in explaining what the new user should
understand and what they might expect. He notes the relatively low
percentage of females using thes BBSs.  He also reminds reader is
reminded that not every female who pokes her head around a chat room
door is a gagging nymphomaniac who is desperate for sex. Some folks just
want to make friends and talk. While this fact may be hard for some
jerks to understand, the author does try hard to set reasonable
expectations.
    Part 2 of Erotic Connections gives a more detailed look at 81 US
BBSs which feature Erotic content. The details include voice and modem
information, minimum age and cost.  Details of what you are likely to
find at each of these BBSs is also given.  The costs and content of the
reviewed BBSs do vary significantly.
    As an aside, I would love to have heard the author's discussion with
his editor explaining why he needed hundreds of dollars in 'expenses' to
write the book.  And think of the hard hours he must have spend dialing
up BBS after BBS.  My other half would never have let it get that far,
or so she claims.
    Some of the features BBSs, like Rusty and Eddys, will be well known
to many as a good general purpose BBS (albeit with some adult content).
Others are, er, more specialized and cater for a more narrowly focused
user. The list was gathered during the Summer of 1994, so some of the
details are likely to have changed.
    Section 3 of this book gives simple details about further BBSs
around the world.  This is a list of BBS and modem numbers around the
US. Also, phone numbers for 15 BBSs outside the US are given.
    So what do I think of this book?
    Well, frankly, I was a little disappointed. Focusing on dial up BBS
as it does, the book seems a little out of place in the new Internet
crazed world.  The lack of any Internet content was also unfortunate.
    I guess it was inevitable, but you will need to be careful with any
dialing details. I tried dialing both of the UK listed BBS and neither
phone number works (both have the old style UK dialing coded). Such is
the pace of change. But the book does give good advice on this point,
suggesting you call during the day - last thing you want is some old
dear fed up with all the late night phone calls using CLI to find out
YOUR phone number and pass it on to the authorities.
    With the growth of the big Internet Service Providers, the WWW and
general technology, the old style BBS is looking a little dated.  I
expect that some of the BBS have transformed themselves into Internet
sites although no mention is made of this). The potential is enormous.
Perhaps Billy Wildhack has another update coming and if not, perhaps he
should.
    My summary is that, unless you really want to go exploring dial up
BBSs, you might be best advised to not buy this book.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Product: Activision Fantasy CDROM Package                                                             |
Reviewed By:                                                         |
----------------------------------------------------------------------
    In this collection of text based games from INFOCOM, you find
yourself working through employment as a sorcerer, a brilliant
underwater inventor and a postal worker.  These games take you on many
different adventures to strange new places.  Warning!  These games have
no graphics, sound or Hollywood actors.  All of the action and adventure
in them is left up to your imagination.  If you feel up to the challenge
of some text based adventuring, then here is a list of the games
included in the pack, and a short description of each:

Enchanter
    In the first chapter of the Enchanter saga, you are a mere
apprentice to magic in a world ruled by wizards and Warlocks.  Up until
now, the forces of good have kept the land peaceful and prosperous.
However a dark warlock has seized control of some major communities and
the grand wizards entreat you to help them stop this madman.   Along
your journey, you will learn new spells and meet some well thought out
characters.

SeaStalker
    You are a bright young inventor who is urgently needed to help solve
the mystery of the entity that is attacking an underwater facility
called Aquadome.  Your first task is to make your way to the Aquadome in
a sub that you have created (no easy task.).  Once you have arrived, you
must interact with the surviving crew of the Aquadome to understand what
has been attacking the underwater lab.  Out of all of the games on the
CD, I liked this one the most.

Sorcerer
    The second chapter of the Enchanter saga.  In this story, you are
resting up after defeating the evil warlock while receiving tutelage
from the schools head master.  You have become a seasoned magician
thanks to his teachings.  Over the last few days however, you have
noticed that your master has undergone some radical changes and you
suspect the worst.  As it turns out your teacher has become possessed by
another being with plans for world domination and only you can prove it.
Again you alone are thrust into the face of fear to overcome
insurmountable odds and save the day.

SpellBreaker
    The Third and final chapter of the Enchanter saga.  You are once
again faced with the perilous task of saving your homeland from a
catastrophe. You are now leader of the enchanters guild and solely
responsible for determining why all the magic in your world is
disappearing.  Along the way you encounter the usual things, tons of
monsters, clever puzzles and a twisting plot that leaves you hanging.

WishBringer
    You are a postal worker caught up in a cosmic race for a magical
stone that is rumored to grant wishes.  You job is to find it, out wit
the forces of evil, and save an elderly woman's cat.  This game seemed
to be a little clichd.  Although the characters were good, the story
lacked a strong plot.

To buy or not to buy:
    This collection is not for everyone.  If you are more into flashy
graphics, neat interfaces and stereo sound, these games are not for you.
On the other hand, if you enjoy a reading a good book and wish that you
could tell the character what to do, then you will enjoy these games.
The story's are well written and downright tough in places.  Once you
get past the old text based interface, there is a lot of material to
explore.  Check it out.

                         The Fantasy Collection
                       CompuServe: GO ACTIVISION
                     URL: http://www.activision.com

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Product: SU27 Flanker                                                |
Reviewed By:  Doug Reed                                              |
----------------------------------------------------------------------
    One great trend in computer games in recent years has been the
opportunity ity to play games from the 'bad guys' point of view.  This
trend reached the penultimate last year when LucasArts gave us the
ability to fight for the Dark side of the Force in Tie Fighter; now SSI
has upped the ante with SU-27 Flanker.  Some people will point out that
the Russians are no longer our enemies, but nevertheless, the aircraft
modelled in this flight simulator was created as an opponent for our own
F-15 Eagle.  In fact, several of the missions in this game are performed
against US troops and equipment.
    For those who aren't familiar with Russian aircraft, the SU-27 is
air superiority fighter designed by the Sukhoi design bureau (most
people are more familiar with aircraft designed by the MiG bureau).  The
SU-27 has set all kinds of speed and performance records, and was the
first to perform the Cobra maneuver in 1989. Along with the MiG-29, the
Flanker was chosen as one of the cornerstones of the Soviet air force.
With the breakup of the USSR, the Flanker has become the fighter of
choice for most of former Eastern block countries.  In this game, the
Ukraine and Russia are attempting to solve militarily their dispute over
ownership of the Crimea.
    The Crimea is notable for containing Sevastopol, the home of the
Russian Black Sea Fleet.  Without Sevastopol, the Russians have no
access to the Mediterranean and no warm water port.  However, during the
days of USSR the Kremlin officially designated the Crimea as a part of
the Ukraine.  The potential for conflict is very real.
    SU-27 has been released as a Windows 95-only product (at least as
far a s PC compatibles are concerned).  This is an unusual choice for a
flight simulator (the previous Windows-only flight simulator was the
Flight Sim ToolKit) but gives Windows 95 a chance to show its enhanced
graphics ability and gameplay.  The game is easily installed (Thank you,
Autoplay!) and runs smoothly even on my 486DX250 (even though the
minimum requirements specify a DX266).  Immediately, however, you run
into this games biggest problems: the manual and the interface.  The
manual is a problem in that while it does a fantastic job of telling you
how to fly the SU-27 it tells you absolutely nothing about how to
actually get started in the game!  The game boots up and then prompts
you to pick a mission file which you want to play.  These vary from
tutorial missions to pilot, squadron leader, or general missions. This
is very different from most flight simulators, which usually prompt you
for a pilots name, etc..., which is then saved and used to build a
history for the pilot which shows how well you've done.  At no time does
SU-27 save any of that information, so there is no real means for
comparison or bragging rights.
    Okay, so how does it fly?  Pretty good.  The graphics are good; the
designers have made the wise choice of polygons over bitmaps, resulting
in a game that is not as pretty as some but can spend a considerable
more horsepower on flight dynamics.  The look is fairly similar to
Falcon 3.0 although the graphics are definitely upgraded from that
classic sim.  As with Falcon 3.0, the designers of SU-27 have opted to
attempt to produce the ultimate in realistic flight simulators.  SU-27
is so accurate that differences in temperature will affect the flight
performance of the aircraft!  In general, however, the Flanker seems to
be reasonably easy to fly although the Russian instrumentation does take
some getting use to. SU-27 invokes a lot of combat realism, requiring
the player to first acquire and then lock-on to their target (as well as
additional requirements depending on the weapon chosen) before being
able to splash that bogey.  Until the various keys are learned, this
involves a lot of frantic key searching and (at least in my case) a lot
of pilot deaths either to being shot down by the bogey or (worse!)
running into the ground while frantically looking up the right key to
hit.  Herein lies another fault of the game: the tutorial missions.
While the basic flight missions are easy enough, the combat missions
seem brutal and very short-lived.  It seems to me that tutorial missions
should be considerably easier than the real thing; the designers at SSI
have taken a much more brutal sink or swim approach.  I have a suspicion
that this will turn off many novice pilots.
    Beyond the tutorial missions, one can choose missions as either a
pilot, squadron leader, or a general.  The pilot missions are fairly
set, with defined objectives and waypoints, while the squadron leader
missions involve considerably more input from the player.  The general
missions are the ultimate, providing the player with an objective (such
as defend a SAM site) and then allowing the player to use the equipment
at their disposal however they see fit.  While this allows for the
ultimate in player input, it also requires considerable time
involvement; be prepared to give up all vestiges of a life if you want
to conquer all of the general missions.
    One of the great strengths of Flanker is that it comes with a
mission editor.  This is a very unique feature for flight simulators.
While you are limited to the Crimean area, the possibilities for
missions are practically limitless.  Even better, you can share these
missions with friends who own the game.  Given the popularity for such
things on the web, I would imagine that people are designing even now
web sites where anxious pilots can find new missions to fly in their
trusty old Flankers.
    Unfortunately, Flanker is not to flight simulators what Tie Fighter
was to space combat.  I'm a big fan of flight simulators, but they tend
to fall into one of two categories: either they are an arcade game or
they are so 'realistic' that they appeal only to hardcore pilots and
aren't much fun for the rest of us.  The truly great simulators fall
between the two categories, providing a great mix of both fun and
realism.  SU-27 actually does a good job of this, providing a variety of
missions and levels of involvement to interest anyone from beginners to
aspiring Yeagers.  Where the game falls flat is aforementioned problems
with the interface and manual, as well as the poorly designed tutorial
missions which will exasperate many novice pilots.  Although in general
I did like SU-27 Flanker, I would have a hard time recommending it to
anyone other than a hardcore flight sim. fan.

                      Strategic Simulations, Inc.
                     675 Almanor Avenue, Suite 201
                        Sunnyvale, CA 94086-2901

------------------------------------------------------------------------
WEBSITES OF THE WEEK! | This section is devoted to cool WebSites . . .
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Free Phone Service . . . |
--------------------------
    NEW YORK, Feb. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- The Free World Dialup Global
Server Network (FWD) publicly launches today, Thursday, February 29,
1996.  The FWD 2.0 beta project is an entirely volunteer-supported
effort coordinated in cyberspace using Internet telephony, email and
chat software with true World-Wide participation.
    This remarkable public service offers FREE telephone calls via the
Internet to ANY TELEPHONE (internet connected or not) in participating
cities throughout the world!  There are currently 42 (forty-two)
committed community servers in over 40 (forty) countries with over 375
(three hundred seventy-five) enthusiastic volunteers.
    Windows (PC) based, FWD merges the Internet, Internet telephone
software, such as IPhone, and conventional telephone service.
    Jeff Pulver, Project Manager, announced, "The FWD Project has been a
global effort from the start -- and it is a great representation of
'Net' Team Work.  The project team spans several places:  Jakarta,
Tokyo, London, Seattle, and New York.
    "We are looking forward to being able to provide a Free service open
to the Internet Community -- for non-commercial communication between
friends and family members from around the world.
    "With the advent of AT&T's new internet venture and association with
Netscape, we are confident there will be additional FWD Server sites
going online throughout the United States as a direct result.  We admire
AT&T's business partner, BBN (http://www.bbn.com/) for their dedication
to the FWD project.  BBN has recently setup a FWD Server which is
servicing the Cambridge, MA (Boston) area."
    From now until April 30th the FWD Project strongly encourages those
who wish to participate and run a FWD Server to come forward at this time
and join the experiment.
    The FWD HOMEPAGE (http://www.pulver.com/fwd/) fully details the
project. The FWD WORLDWIDE SERVER HOMEPAGE
(http://www.bekkoame.or.jp/~brandon/fwd/fwd.html) provides information
to potential volunteer servers and supplies our present servers with
up-to-date information on the project.
    If you want to know which servers are on-line RIGHT NOW, visit the
FWD Server Realtime Homepage (http://gsn.pulver.com/gsn/gsn.htm).
    FWD Project Team members are: Jeff Pulver<jeff@pulver.com>, Project
Manager; Izak Jenie <izjenie@rad.net.id>, Director of Development;
Brandon Lucas <brandon@ppp.bekkoame.or.jp>, Global Server Coordinator;
Lynda Meyer <lmeyer@nette.com>, Legal Coordinator; and Sandy Combs
<scombs@together.net>, Global Media Coordinator.

--------------------
Live TV n the Web !|
--------------------
    FAIRFAX, Va., Feb. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- UUNET Technologies, Inc.
(Nasdaq: UUNT), the leading provider of commercial Internet services for
business, today announced a partnership with USA Networks to provide the
first simultaneous broadcast of entertainment programming over both
cable television and the Internet.  Viewers will be able to see clips of
actual Sci-Fi Channel programming on the network's Web site, "The
Dominion."  The Sci-Fi Channel Web site is hosted by UUNET at its
state-of-the-art hosting facility.
    This breakthrough convergence of cable TV and Web technology will
debut today at the dx.com Internet Business Center, in New York City.
    Using innovative digital video compression and broadcast technology
known as CuSeeMe, UUNET and USA Networks are able to simulcast, or
reflect, Sci-Fi Channel television programming to a user's personal
computer via the World Wide Web.  Viewers simply log on to the Sci-Fi
Channel Web site at http://www.scifi.com, and click on the reflector
icon.
    "This convergence of voice, video and data technologies is another
example of our commitment to introducing ground-breaking developments
both on the air and on the Internet," said Ellen Kaye, Vice President
Enterprises, USA Networks.  "The audience for the Sci-Fi Channel and the
Internet are very savvy and interested in science fiction and
technology.  We will continue to work with UUNET to explore further
applications of this, as well as other convergence technologies."
    The launch of the Sci-Fi Channel's Internet Simulcasting coincides
with The Dominion's one-year anniversary on March 1, 1996.  The Dominion
Web site is noted as one of the most popular Web sites available, and
has been selected as "cool site of the day" on multiple occasions. UUNET
has hosted the site since its inception.
    The Dominion's new video simulcast capability will significantly
impact the Internet bandwidth the Web site requires.  UUNET Technologies
has worked closely with the Sci-Fi Channel to address these new
requirements, and is providing a complete Web hosting service on their
in-house, secure high-speed servers.  Because the UUNET Web servers are
connected directly to the company's robust Internet backbone, UUNET is
able to provide the Sci-Fi Channel with the high-speed connectivity it
needs for information transfer.
    "UUNET is unique in its ability to provide the high-speed Web
hosting services required for a challenging application such as this,"
said John Sidgmore, President and CEO of UUNET Technologies.  "We are
pleased to have played a key role in helping make an innovative service
such as Internet Simulcasting a reality."
    The Sci-Fi Channel, a USA Network, is a 24-hour entertainment
channel dedicated to science fiction, fantasy and classic horror
stories.  The Dominion (http://www.scifi.com) is a comprehensive service
on the World Wide Web which serves as the home as well as the central
link for science fiction fans to all information and services pertaining
to the genre.
    Headquartered in Fairfax, Va., UUNET Technologies Inc. (Nasdaq:
UUNT), is a leading provider of a comprehensive range of Internet access
options, applications, World Wide Web hosting services, security
products, and consulting services to businesses, professionals, and
on-line service providers.  The company's network is comprised of points
of presence throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, and the
Asia-Pacific region, as well as connections to Internet service
providers around the world.  Founded in 1987, UUNET is recognized as the
first commercial Internet service provider.
    IBC (http://www.dx.com) is a cutting-edge facility with
high-performance workstations that provides businesses and individuals a
unique, hands-on opportunity to sample the very latest Internet
browsers, connectivity speeds, software applications, computing
platforms and really hip, innovative Web sites, some of which were
developed by IBC.


------------------------------------------------------------------------
COOL FTP FILE OF THE WEEK | You may need this file . . .
------------------------------------------------------------------------
    ASKEY is a powerful yet easy to use keyboard recorder\replayer By
Hananya Yinnone. Records key-strokes (Macros) into a file. Replays Macro
by a hotkey whenever you need. You can Record key-words, personal data
etc. Add new functions to your applications. Auto-Login to your BBS.
Handle your E-mail. Pop up file manger. Loadable at High memory. TSR.
Occupies only 15K. Configurable. Pause. Loop macros. 5 replay speeds.
On-line help. ASKEY is a powerful - yet easy to use - keyboard
recorder\replayer By Hananya Yinnone (ASP member). It is a fully
functioning Shareware program. ASKEY is intended to speed up your tasks,
and save your time, by eliminating repetitive work on your keyboard.

       You can find this as ASKEY3.ZIP on the following FTP site:
            ftp.asp-shareware.org/pub/asp/programs/utilities/

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Interview or Article . . .
------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Here's my rough draft of a response to somebody's questions about
home networking. Please respond by email or post if you disagree or have
something to add. I'm always open to refining these perspectives. :)
 
SOME TIPS ABOUT SETTING HOME PC NETWORKS          Brad Taplin 12/30/95
 
    Plan the foundation first: the cabling. I'd suggest that whatever
NOS (network operating system) you use, stick with a 10BaseT scheme.
Then if any user's connection breaks (somebody trips over a cable) the
other computers remain connected. 10BaseT relies on a star layout where
every computer connects to a hub. Hubs can be as small as modem or much
more. In big nets, hubs interconnect in many ways (router, concentrator)
and may even be "intelligent" about traffic. For home use, stupid will
do.
    Whatever NIC (network interface card) you prefer, stick with one
brand. Then each fix you find to that brand's idiosyncracies will apply
to all your NICs. Intel and 3Com NICs are both great, but no
manufacturer can test every configuration. NICs differ; be sure yours
supports 10BaseT.
    Mail order 4-port hubs cost little more than a NIC - under $100. You
might avoid a hub by using coax (10Base2) in a chain layout, but coax
connectors are a pain to fix, and any break in the chain affects other
users. Hubs isolate such breaks, and 10BaseT cable is easy to build and
route. If you buy by the foot, CAT5 cable is best, though CAT3 will do.
10BaseT uses RJ45 ends (like phone cable ends but twice as wide). Build
or buy all RJ45s in your net with identical left-to-right wire coloring.
    Running through the cable like trucks in a tunnel are transports.
You can run many transports on the same line, even simultaneously.
Netware runs on IPX/SPX, Unix and the Internet favor TCP/IP, and Windows
uses NetBeui. NT Server can talk all three, plus AppleTalk. Your choice
of NOS should determine your primary protocol. One advantage of IPX/SPX
is automatic addressing; Identical machines can use identical setups.
    Next up is the NOS itself: If you plan to sell your services someday
as a networking wiz you'll better consider which to specialize in.
Netware, Windows NT, and Unix all pay, but each takes time to learn. I
favor the latter two but make my living, like most in this biz, in
Netware. Apple and IBM also have their own networking solutions, and
both retain small but loyal followings. Then again, if you just need
cheap file and print sharing for a small net, Lantastic is good (but it
won't make you rich).
    One final note - Microsoft is pushing DOS out the Window (sorry),
and lots of older DOS-based software runs poorly in an all-Windows
world. It is possible to make a Windows-based network support DOS stuff,
but kind of a pain, whereas Netware and Lantastic remain mostly
DOS-based at core and handle the older software well. Netware and
Lantastic also support users without hard drives, though net-based
Windows is slow.
    If I keep my current job (as I hope to) Netware will probably become
my primary home NOS for file and print services, but Windows NT &/or
Unix may later handle database and Internet stuff. I mean to emulate
what many big companies do, but if cash gets tight Lantastic will do.

                            --END OF ISSUE--


