-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 
|-=>CompuNotes<=-|
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Notes from The Cutting Edge of Personal Computing
April 60, 1997
Issue 72
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
Managing Editor: Patrick Grote -- mailto:pgrote@inlink.com
Assistant Editor: Writer Liaison: Doug Reed-- 
mailto:dr2web@sprynet.com
Graphics Editor, Webmaster: Judy Litt mailto:jlitt@aol.com
Archives: ftp://ftp.uu.net/published/compunotes/
LOOK *** NEW WEBSITE!!!!!
Website: http://www.geocities.com/~compunotes
email: mailto:notes@inlink.com
fax: (314) 909-1662
voice: (314) 909-1662
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
CONTENTS
My Notes:
1=> Link to Us!
2=> My Other Mailing Lists
3=> This Week's Winner!

Reviews:
4=> Product: Upgrading and Repairing PCs -Sixth Edition by Scott 
Mueller, Reviewed By: Don Hughes mailto:dhughes@wwdc.com
5=> Product: Diablo
Reviewed By: Bill Frazier mailto:wfrazier@techline.com
6=> Product: Internet Phone Connection. by Cheryl Kirk.
Reviewed By: Richard Malinski, mailto:richard@acs.ryerson.ca
7=> Product: Visual Cafe
Reviewed By: Doug Reed, mailto:dr2web@sprynet.com

+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
CompuNotes is: Available weekly via email and on-line. We cover the PC
computing world with comprehensive reviews, news, hot web sites, great
columns and interviews. We also give away one software package a week
to a lucky winner for just reading our fine publication! Never dull,
sometimes tardy, we are here to bring you the computing world the way
it is! Please tell every online friend you know about us!
CompuNotes
B440    
1315 Woodgate Drive
St. Louis, MO 63122
notes@inlink.com   
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
To subscribe, send an email to listserv@peach.ease.lsoft.com
   SUBSCRIBE COMPUNOTES-L FirstName LastName
To unsubscribe, send an email to listserv@peach.ease.lsoft.com
   SIGNOFF COMPUNOTES-L
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
Patrick's Notes
1=> Link to Us!
Well, we have a new website up and running! Please come visit us! We 
have a complete archive of all CompuNotes sites up and about 30% of 
the reviews we have done!

Our page: http://www.geocities.com/~compunotes

We would also like to offer a link on our LINKS page to you! All it 
takes is you putting a link of us on your page! We'll then add you to 
the list of CompuNotes supporters who have their own page! We even 
have a neat graphic for your to use if you would like!

Send the details of your page to Patrick Grote. 
mailto:pgrote@inlink.com.

2=> Just in case you don't know, I run three other mailing lists. They
are:

The Microsoft list I run is a daily list which features tidbits about
Microsoft such as press clippings or software update notices. This is
for people who are hard core Microsoft fans. To subscribe send a message
to MSOFT@INLINK.COM with the subject of SUBSCRIBE.

The SE list I run is for folks who work as systems engineers,
technicians, technical support or help desk folks. This is a daily list
with a resource that helps you do your job better. To subscribe send a
message to SE@INLINK.COM with the subject of SUBSCRIBE.

The SEIR list I run is for Simply Excellent Internet Resources. Everyday
you'll receive hot internet resource will end up in your mailbox. This
resource could be a website, mail list, ftp site or whatever. The common
aspect is that it is excellent and you can access it right away! To
subscribe send a mail message to SEIR@USA.NET with the subject of
SUBSCRIBE.

3=> Winner!
This week's winner is mailto:chris@ed-tech.com! Send them a
congrats message mailto:chris@ed-tech.com!

4=> Product: Upgrading and Repairing PCs -Sixth Edition by Scott 
Mueller
Reviewed By: Don Hughes mailto:dhughes@wwdc.com

Upgrading and Repairing PCs embodies over one thousand-four hundred 
and thirty-three pages and is a complete and extensive reference guide 
for older and current PC computers' models. Included with the book is 
a CD-ROM containing Ziff Davis PC benchmarking diagnostic tools. This 
encyclopedia guidepost to PC Repair, intended to be used by a service 
shop workbench, field service personnel, or by anyone interested in 
learning about their PC. 

Chapter one presents the reader with an overview of the personal 
computer history, using the invention of the transistor in 1948 by 
Bell Laboratories as the starting point. In Chapter two, the PC is 
broken down into two classes, the 8-bit (PC/XT-class)systems and the 
16/32/64 (AT-class) systems of today. In chapter two of his book, 
Scott Mueller, explains to the reader the different bus systems of the 
PCs: 

16-bit ISA Bus.
16/32-bit Extended ISA (EISA) Bus.
16/32-bit PS/2 Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) Bus.
16-bit PC-Card (PCMCIA) Bus.
32/64-bit VESA Local (VL) Bus.
32/64-bit Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) Bus.
                                                     
Confusing as the varied bus designs may seem at first glance, the 
author performs an admirable task explaining each version of the PC 
bus and the differences between them. From the first page the reader 
is constantly guided and complex technical subject matter explained in 
plain English. The author Scott Mueller and the publisher Que books 
deserve high marks for producing this brilliant computer reference 
text for the common people. 

Que's "Up Upgrading and Repairing PCs, Sixth Edition" is filled to 
overflowing with advice and tips. The author states: "One of the 
biggest problems in troubleshooting, servicing, or upgrading a system 
is having proper documentation. There are several types of 
documentation available for a given system, from the basic manuals you 
normally get with the system, to extra cost technical reference or 
service manuals. Also, because most systems today are made up of 
components from many different companies, I often recommend obtaining 
documentation specific to these components from the component 
manufactures." 

Therein lies one the problems when repairing Personal Computers (PCs), 
and that is one of obtaining the necessary service information. Some 
customers misplace of lose the manuals that came with their system, or 
they were never given the documentation in the first place--which of 
course amplifies the problem. Furthermore, some component manufactures 
cease operation, and finding documentation then becomes near 
impossible. 

In Chapter three "System Teardown and Inspection" the reader is first 
given a summary of the hand tools and electronic test equipment 
required for proper PC repair or upgrading. 

The Author includes Internet web sites for various tool supply houses. 
Many of the suppliers mentioned provided field service tools for the 
electronic industry. Section three covers in detail how to use: proper 
test equipment, logic probes and logic pulsers, outlet testers, SIMM 
Testers, Chemicals, types of Hardware, and the differences between 
English and Metric. 

How to disassemble and reassemble of a PC are explained starting with 
the Case or cover, adapter boards, disk drives, power supply, 
motherboard, to the hard drive(s). The use of precautions, such as ESD 
(electrostatic discharge) protection of critical and delicate logic 
circuits and other components is mandatory. 

Scott Muller declares these words of caution when working on a 
computer system: Some people have recommended placing loose circuit 
boards and chips on sheets of aluminum foil. This procedure is 
absolutely not recommended and can actually result in an 
explosion....Many motherboards, adapter cards have built-in lithium or 
Ni-cad batteries....If the batteries are shorted out....They will 
quickly overheat and possibly explode like a large firecracker (with 
dangerous shrapnel)....The safest practice is to never place any board 
on any conductive metal surface such as foil. 

It is recommended that you unplug the PC from the power line before 
remove or installing memory chips or boards. If you intend to go into 
the field of computer repair or you just want to save money by 
upgrading your computer, take the authors warning to heart and work 
wisely and make safety first a priority. 

The author states: "While you are disassembling a system, it is a good 
idea to record all the physical settings and configurations within the 
system, including jumper and switch settings, cable orientations and 
placement, ground-wire locations, and even adapter-board placement. By 
writing down the information you will have a record, just in case when 
the computer is reassemble it does not work, due to a jumper or switch 
that was moved or misplaced." 

If you place a CMOS battery in backwards it can destroy or damage the 
CMOS ship, usually soldered on the motherboard, and you then may have 
to replace the whole motherboard. Like the old saying "A once of 
prevention is worth a pound of cure." Upgrading and Repairing PCs, is 
an abundant resource of information, contained within these 1433 pages 
are numerous diagrams and illustrations. These cover such things as: 
case removal, adapter screw placement and removal, power connectors, 
hard drives, floppy drives, mother boards, and adapter or daughter 
boards, and the power supply. 

Scott Muller and QUE books have left nothing to chance for the novice 
or the professional repair person. One chapter leads to another, 
building the reader's knowledge one step at a time. The best part is 
the text is written in plain English, no double talk, no fancy, 
unexplained technical terms. However, once a technical term is used 
the plain English translation and explanation is presented to the 
reader. 

Throughout the book Internet references are provided for companies 
that supply software, shareware and other sources of information. The 
chapters cover PCs in depth starting with: System Components, 
Input/Output Hardware, Mass Storage Systems, Assembly and Maintenance, 
Troubleshooting and Appendixes. If you are involved in the field of PC 
repair or simply an end user who wants to learn more of what makes a 
PC tick, then Upgrading and Repairing PCs, Sixth Edition, is a 
necessity. 

The CD-ROM Utilities included can give you a detailed system 
inventory, and compare how well your computer compares when 
benchmarked. The CD-ROM supplied utilities are from Ziff-Davis, and 
contain, Winbench and Winstone 96, and Winstone 32 for both Windows 
3.X and Windows 95. Handy as these free utilities are, it is the 
wealth of technical computer information in plain English, that make 
"Upgrading and Repairing PCs" an excellent bargain. 

Publisher QUE Corporation
201 W. 103rd Street
Indianapolis, Indiana 46290
USA
<http://www.mpc.com/que>
Compuserve (type GO QUEBOOKS at any prompt)
$49.99 USA /$70.95 Canada

Ratings:
Install/ease of Use: Silver
User Friendliness: Gold
Quality: Gold
End User: Technicians, or anyone who wants to learn more about  how 
their PC works.

5=> Product: Diablo
Reviewed By: Bill Frazier mailto:wfrazier@techline.com
Requirements: 60 MHz Pentium, 8 MB RAM, 2X CD-ROM, SVGA, Windows 95.  
Multiplayer requires 16 MB RAM.
MSRP: $54.95

What does a company to do after producing a pair of games as 
successful as Warcraft and Warcraft II? Usually try to produce 
something else just as good, and fail miserably. Blizzard 
Entertainment is the company the proves the rule by being the 
exception. Their new role-playing-game (RPG), Diablo, is destined to 
become a number one seller and possibly Game of the Year in 1997. If 
youre already an RPG fan, theres no sense in reading any further, 
get the game now. 

The games premise is simple. You play the role of a young man or 
woman returning to your home town, Tristram. Unfortunately, nearly 
everyone, including your family, is dead. As you question the few 
inhabitants who remain, you discover that Diablo, the Lord of Terror 
lives under the cathedral. Protected by his dark minions, few dare to 
challenge the might of Diablo. You have the option of playing one of 
three character types, a Warrior, a Rogue, or a Sorcerer. Each type 
has its own strengths and weaknesses. 

One common problem with RPGs is after youve played the game through 
once, theres nothing new to discover. You know where everything is, 
know which weapons work best, and any subsequent play is a bore. 
Blizzard attacks this problem head on in Diablo. Every new game is 
produced by a random story generator, providing unique quests and 
mazes for the character to pursue and explore, while leaving intact 
the ultimate goal of finding and destroying Diablo. According to 
Blizzard Entertainment, there are about 40 major quests, with a player 
coming across about four in any one game. In addition to the major 
quests, minor quests abound. 

Like the Warcraft series, Diablo provides a number of ways to enable 
multi- player play. Two players can compete with or against each other 
via a modem connection. If you are connected to an IPX network or 
direct connect your computers, as many as four players can join a 
single game. Finally, Blizzard Entertainment maintains an on-line 
Internet gaming service called Battle.net. This service is currently 
provided at no charge, and is probably the most active site on the 
net. On Battle.net you can join or challenge players from around the 
world. In addition to games, you can participate in numerous chat 
channels devoted to Diablo and contact support personnel. 

Installation is easy, as long as you follow instructions. Perhaps most 
important is to install DirectX 3.0, provided on the Diablo CD-ROM, 
before you try to install the game. I did it the opposite way and 
concluded the game wouldn'tt run on my newest machine, a Pentium Pro 
200. I then loaded Diablo on a Pentium 100 computer and it ran 
flawlessly. Flushed with success, I removed Diablo from the Pentium 
Pro, installed DirectX, and then reinstalled the game. This time it 
worked. Like its predecessors Warcraft and Warcraft II, the graphics 
in Diablo are stunning SVGA. Your perspective is a three-quarters 
overhead view. Character movement throughout the town and in the 
underground is smooth and fluid. Battle sequences give you the feeling 
of being there. Meanwhile, in the background you here the clash of 
sword against shield, grunts of pain, and finally, the cry of death. 
Diablo is rated M (Mature), ages 17+, by the ESRB, and probably 
rightfully so. Monsters die in gruesome detail. Arms, heads, and 
torsos fly in all directions. As you venture through the catacombs and 
caves you find rooms filled with impaled corpses. 

When you reach level 13 in the caves, you encounter barely clad hoards 
of female demons intent on your destruction. Blizzard painted this 
dark setting fully aware that the program would probably earn the 
mature rating, but I think they achieved their purpose. You realize 
that true evil exists in the dungeon, and only you can exorcise it. 
Im three weeks and about fifty hours into this game. Im playing a 
single player game at home and compete multi-player on the Internet. I 
have no doubt that Blizzard has another winner on their hands. If you 
can find it, get Diablo. 

If youre still not sure that this is the game for you, download a 
shareware version of Diablo from Blizzard Entertainments WEB site at 
http://www.blizzard.com. This version includes all the detail of the 
retail version, but limits you to the Warrior class character and 
exploring levels 1 and 2 in the dungeons. 

Blizzard Entertainment
P.O. Box 18979
Irvine, CA 92713
800-953-7669
<http://www.blizzard.com>

Installation/Ease of Use: Silver Medal
User-Friendliness: Gold Medal
Quality: Gold Medal
Audience: All

6=> Product: Internet Phone Connection. by Cheryl Kirk.
Reviewed By: Richard Malinski, mailto:richard@acs.ryerson.ca
Requirements:	486/33mhz, Speakers, microphone, CD-ROM drive.  
MSRP:     	$29.99 US

Here is another Osborne publication that is jam packed full of more 
than enough information and software to get you up and running with an 
internet phone. This is written in a chatty style. You don't need to 
be a technician to understand and use the material. In fact, if you 
want to really be quick about using an internet phone, browse through 
the software descriptions, pick one that is on the cd-rom, read 
Appendix A and your off! 

When in doubt or if you hit a snag, the help files on the cd-rom and 
the informative chapters in the book are there to bail you out. Ms 
Kirk even offers to help you out. You can reach her at her web site 
noted at the end of this review. 

The book is divided into 10 chapters and one appendix. The first two 
chapters introduce you to internet phone, illustrate how it might be 
used and tell you a bit of the history to its development. Most of 
this material is not directly useful to getting up and running but it 
does show how rapidly the internet phone market has developed and what 
people are doing with it. The next three chapters cover more technical 
aspects of internet phone software and hardware. Here you'll learn 
about what initial equipment you'll need. This is basic information 
that you'd find in any good introduction to computers, to modems and 
to sound compression. If you are comfortable with computers and the 
internet you should be familiar with these first two chapters. The 
chapter on sound compression however, is valuable if you want to 
really get the most out of your internet phone. With the material in 
this chapter (Chapter 5) you'll be able to understand how to tweak 
your system to get the best voice quality and combination of 
parameters from your internet telephone. 

Chapter 6 provides you with insights into 20 different internet phone 
software products. Many of these items are on the cd-rom! Whether the 
software is on the cd-rom or not there is still an address, telephone, 
e-mail and home page noted for each product. Ms Kirk also sets out her 
ratings so that you can compare these products. She rates the software 
products on Voice quality, Ease of use, Overall product features and 
whether it worked the first time or not, is server-based or not, has 
text chat or not, permits file transfer, has voicemail or is linkable 
via a web page. She also lists the platforms that the software works 
on, what the minimum requirements are and what the cost is. If this 
isn't enough she also provides you with major features of each piece 
of software along with her personal opinions on its values, its 
problems and any idiosyncracies that she has found. This chapter is 
excellent for giving an overview of the software and enabling the 
reader to decide which software products would probably fit best. Even 
if you try one and it doesn't work for you, with the software on the 
cd-rom you can try several! 

While Chapter 6 outlines software, Chapter 7 covers the steps that you 
should go through to transfer, unzip and start your chosen software. 
You might find this chapter too basic for you but I'd suggest that you 
give it a try. Ms Kirk does not forgo suggesting once again the need 
to back up your hard disk drive. If you load some of this software and 
through no fault of the software there is a conflict and/or a crash, 
you have yourself to blame. BACKUP! Other comments and suggestions may 
seem maudlin but they are the key to success. 

Some of you who have an interest in gadgets will like Chapter 8. Here 
there are a number of comments on peripherals that you might use to 
increase the versatility of your internet experience. There are 
headphones and headsets, multimedia keyboards, RFI eliminators, sound 
cards for laptops and cameras. While many are for 'gadget freaks', the 
introduction of cameras such as the CONNECTIX QuickCam moves you 
closer to full audio-video interactivity. For the novice computer buff 
or those of you new to internet phone this chapter opens up more 
interesting routes for you to travel. 

The last section gives more of the same. In Chapter 9 there are many 
tips and hints on improving your internet phone connection. Throughout 
this chapter and the others there are comments about web sites with 
free or shareware software that you can download to help with your 
system. In Chapter 10 there are comments on audio and video products 
that you might want to try. Here are specific audio-video products 
like Cu-SeeMe that links up with the cameras in an earlier chapter. As 
noted earlier, the Appendix gives you specific information on using 
the cd-rom. 

The cd-rom is easy to work with. There are directories and sub- 
directors for specific categories of software and particular internet 
phone programs for the PC and the MAC. Also included are versions of 
WinZip for both Windows 3.1 and Windows95. 

All in all this is a very useful book and cd-rom combination. I'd rate 
the installation as gold for its simplicity and stability. I'd give it 
a gold again for its usability and quantity of information. Strictly 
speaking it has a great deal more than you'd need to get started and 
some of it is repetitive but I found myself going back to it again and 
again to compare software, to check options and figure out the many 
internet phone features. GOLD!! 
 

Osborne/McGraw Hill
2600 Tenth Street
Berkeley
California 94710

Information on Osborne books -     http://www.osborne.com
Cheryl Kirk web site -        http://www.netphones.com

7=> Product: Visual Cafe
Reviewed By: Doug Reed, mailto:dr2web@sprynet.com
Requirements: 486, 16MB RAM, CDROM drive, Windows 95

Earlier this year Symantec released the first commercially developed 
GUI for Java programmers, Symantec Cafe. Cafe was a huge hit, quickly 
achieving market dominance even after the release of free betas of 
both Microsoft's J++ and Sun's own Java Workshop. Cafe came equipped 
with all the tools a programmer needed to design Java applets and 
applications, however, it was primarily designed for professional 
programmers. To embrace the need of "non-programmers" to create Java 
applets and applications quickly and easily, Symantec has now released 
Visual Cafe. Visual Cafe is not simply an enhanced version of Cafe; 
Visual Cafe was designed from the ground up for quick and easy program 
development, and the polish is considerable. Symantec may have 
achieved orbit with Cafe, however, Visual Cafe is set to take them out 
of the solar system. 

Visual Cafe has been specifically designed to be as much as possible a 
visual design and development tool (Symantec calls it a RAD, rapid 
application development tool, similar to Visual Basic or Delphi). In 
this context, it means that the user concentrates on designing the 
look and feel of the Java program as well as building the interactions 
between the various components of the applet or application, without 
having to touch the source code of the actually Java program. Visual 
Cafe was designed to make Java available "to the masses", non-
professional programmers looking to quickly and easily design 
applications. 

Thanks to autoplay Visual Cafe is easily installed from the CDROM; the 
CD also includes Windows 95 versions of Netscape Navigator 3.01 and 
the Adobe Acrobat reader, necessary to read the 104 page tutorial that 
comes on the CDROM and that is designed to help you learn how to use 
Visual Cafe. After the rather sparse documentation with Cafe (although 
Cafe version 1.5 did include the Cafe Companion), the large tutorial 
and extensive on-line help is very welcome. Symantec seems to have 
realized that the target audience (non-professional programmers) is 
probably going to need all the help it can get! 

Visual Cafe relies extensively on designing "forms". Forms in Visual 
Cafe are not what the typical web designer/Java programmer might be 
thinking of (interactive forms for acquiring feedback or input). In 
Visual Cafe, forms are a blank "page" upon which to build your Java 
applet/application. Visual Cafe comes with a number of components that 
the programmer can drag onto the page, using the components to 
assemble the look and feel of the applet/application as well as the 
functionality. Choices include basic fields such as buttons and 
textfields, multimedia components such as slide shows and 
firecrackers, as well as utility components, etc... In addition, 
Visual Cafe will work with any third party vendor components that are 
written to Sun's Java Beans API specification (get more information on 
Java Beans from Sun, http://www.sun.com). 

Loading Visual Cafe brings up a Toolbar that covers a large portion of 
the upper third of the screen along with a "Form Designer" window, a 
Project window, and a Properties window. A series of tabs across the 
toolbar provides ready access to the aforementioned wide assortment of 
Java components - from form components like textfields and buttons to 
animation effects like fireworks and slide shows. To put one into your 
Java program, you simply click on the desired component, drag it onto 
the Form Designer window, and then size it to meet your needs. Visual 
Cafe automatically inserts the component into the source code for the 
applet - which you can confirm by double- clicking on the component 
and calling up the Source Code window. From either the Source Code 
window or the Properties window you can modify the name and attributes 
of the component, further customizing it to fit your needs. The source 
code is changed dynamically, as you type, so that you can 
automatically see any changes you make. Once you have two or more 
elements in the form you can click on the Interaction button and 
create an interaction between the various elements. This brings up a 
wizard which allows you to select from a range of possible events 
(like onClick) and resultant actions (like clear the textfield in the 
form). Very slick, and incredibly user friendly! About the only 
problem with the various components was with the fireworks - when you 
drag them onto the applet they immediately start going off, a neat 
effect but it bogs down the system especially if you are at the low 
end of the system requirements. I've sent a message to Symantec's 
technical support team to find out if there is a way to shut off the 
animation but haven't received a reply. Given the normally very 
excellent support for both Cafe and Visual Cafe on the Internet, I 
have to assume that probably there is no work around and is simply 
something you must live with if your applet or application just has to 
have animation (or simply buy a faster computer :^) ). 

Symantec provides no less than three tutorials to help you get up and 
running. Two are available from their website at cafe.symantec.com and 
are designed to show to easily create Java applets for the Internet 
(creating the fireworks display mentioned above is one of the two). In 
addition a third tutorial is available on the CD in Acrobat format, a 
104 page monster designed to teach how to create a Java application 
with Visual Cafe. This tutorial is by far the most informative of the 
lot, providing considerable in-depth information by leading you 
through the steps to creating an application for a fictitious travel 
agency, one that can create sample itineraries, process surveys, and 
interact with prospective customers. 

Visual Cafe also includes a number of tools that will be very familiar 
to Cafe users; the Class Browser and the Hierarchy Editor. The Class 
Browser lists all the classes of your program, including all methods 
and data members that belong to the class, while the Hierarchy Editor 
visually displays the relationship amongst classes in your program and 
allows you to dynamically create, move, and edit classes. Visual Cafe 
also includes a visual debugger, written in C++ to insure (according 
to Symantec) "the fastest performance and to prevent conflicts in Java 
source code execution". I'm still fairly new at programming, but the 
debugger included in Visual Cafe is easy to use, flexible, and appears 
to work very well in helping catch the bugs that seem to creep into 
almost any program. In addition to debugging applets/applications on a 
local machine, Visual Cafe does allow for "remote debugging" - i.e., 
debugging an applet or application running on a different machine than 
the one you are currently using. I haven't yet tried this, but the 
possibility of running your applet on a remote web server and 
debugging it from your local machine seems quite intriguing. 

Visual Cafe also comes with the same tremendous technical support as 
Cafe, since it was designed by the same team. Symantec's tools 
programmers are very vocal and responsive on the various Java 
newsgroups. Once you've purchased Visual Cafe you gain access to the 
member's only portions of cafe.symantec.com, which includes the 
ability to download Visual Cafe from their site, download patches or 
new components, and gain access to newsgroups set up by Symantec and 
devoted to Visual Cafe. 

Symantec has really brought out the fine silver with Visual Cafe; the 
program runs quite well and the chrome and polish really shows. Visual 
Cafe is not perfect; it is not always easy to determine how to do 
certain elements of programming in Java, especially networking 
components. The information is there - it just isn't as easy to find 
as one might like. At times you will still have to create your own 
code to do some things in Visual Cafe, however, as more components 
become available this will likely decrease considerably. The press 
evaluation guide included with the software contains considerable 
information about how Symantec's Java JIT (Just-In-Time) compiler is 
faster than anyone else's, a fairly important consideration especially 
when creating those large applications. But even without the faster 
JIT, Symantec's Visual Cafe is a terrific tool for quickly and easily 
creating Java programs. Thumbs up for Visual Cafe! 

Symantec, Inc.
10201 Torre Ave.
Cupertino, CA 95014
(800) 441-7234
Web: 	http://www.symantec.com
	http://cafe.symantec.com (for all of Symantec's Java-related 
offerings)

--END OF ISSUE
