starr@shell.UUCP (Bob Starr) (07/04/84)
I just got my copy of the SIDEKICK program from Borland. It seems like a very nice program, but be warned that it is COPY PROTECTED! Since it is a resident utility, you want to install it when you boot. Their copy protection scheme requires that you have the original diskette in drive A! I have a $6500 XT which requires a $49 program to boot the way I want it to boot. My advice it to NOT BUY this program until this stupid restriction is lifted! RF Starr
cms%mit-pamela@sri-unix.UUCP (10/04/84)
From: Chris Schmandt <cms@mit-pamela> I tried to reply to the author of the Sidekick query, but my mail did not get through. Sidekick is a great idea, one of the new "concurrent" utilities. In the middle of doing anything, you hit Ctrl-Alt and up pops a menu with calculator, calendar, phone book & Hayes autodial code... It can even try to grab the phone number off the screen. But, alas, it does not work. Dos is not re-entrant, and that makes it very hard to write a concurrent utility that uses Dos! I have had files eaten, I have been unable to format floppies after using it, etc. I won't use a piece of code that threatens my file system, thanks! Maybe Spotlight (Software Arts' final gasp??) will be a win in this arena. chris schmandt (cms%pamela@mit-mc.arpa)
graves@west44.UUCP (Tim Graves) (10/25/84)
<Um... Munch Munch Munch... Yum... Urp! (Excuse ME)>
Sidekick is a useful package with a few faults.
The mail fault is that the program can only be called
up if you are WAITING FOR INPUT if you intend to keep
you P.C. running if you do call up Sidekick whilst a
program is running all hell will break lose.
The package is supplied on a copy protected disk
(For interest I think it uses the same scheme as Prokey)
which will allow you to copy the .com files but insists
on you placing the floppy in either drive A: or B:
so it is not wise to include it in AUTOEXEC.BAT
Final critisism. If you are using the Diary feature
the system loads the diary of a file on the disk (The
file and drive can be specified) each time you enter
the diary subprogram it loads the diary file and when
you exit the diary feature it saves the file. This
means that unless you have a hard disk or are willing
to keep the diary file disk in one drive (Therby losing
the use of that drive) the diary feature is not that
useful.
Just for info the full sidekick program (Assuming a
20 K notes file) occupies about 50-60k of memory so if
you use the 5250 terminal emulator, prokey, and sidekick
you are realy starting to reduce the ammount of memory
available for you programs and if you are using lotus 1-2-3tm
or Symphony tm that memory can make a lot of difference
--
Tim Graves
(ukc!west44!graves or ukc!west44!westf!graves)