fsimmons@umn-d-ub.D.UMN.EDU (Frank Simmons) (04/16/88)
I would like to know if the Norton Commander program is the best of its kind and what version is current and what is the price and who is best to get it from. Frank Simmons .
hardin@hpindda.HP.COM (John Hardin) (04/19/88)
>I would like to know if the Norton Commander program is the best of its >kind and what version is current and what is the price and who is best >to get it from. > > Frank Simmons >---------- I don't use Norton Commander, but from the demo that came with Norton Utilities, it looks like a competitor to Xtree. Personally, I like Xtree Professional a lot and would recommend it over what I have seen of Norton Commander. (I'd enjoy hearing dissenting opinions, though...) John Hardin ---------------
gardner@kodak.UUCP (dick gardner) (04/20/88)
In article <4330055@hpindda.HP.COM> hardin@hpindda.HP.COM (John Hardin) writes: >>I would like to know if the Norton Commander program is the best of its > >I don't use Norton Commander, but from the demo that came with >Norton Utilities, it looks like a competitor to Xtree. Personally, >I like Xtree Professional a lot and would recommend it over what >I have seen of Norton Commander. (I'd enjoy hearing dissenting >opinions, though...) > I prefer 1DirPlus from Bourbaki. It is very friendly, powerful, and easy to use. You can personalize each sub-directory, using batch files to set up complex situations when you enter. You can easily hide files (or directories) and mask files so that only certain ones are visible. It has a built-in editor which is very fast and easy to use. Its most powerful features include an easy 'move' command which will re-organize files into other sub-directories, and group copys, deletes, etc. Directory presentation can be tailored to show stats w/help notes for new users, or extended stats (date, time and size), or wide display for those directories with LOTS of files, just to mention a few. Each sub-directory can present the file list differently. Directories can be password protected. Colors are all programmable, and some can be changed from directory to directory. 1DirPlus is available from Telemart, for example for about $47. All in all, a very useful product. Usual disclaimers apply, I am just a satisfied user. =#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=# Dick Gardner -- Eastman Kodak Co. Rochester, New York 14650 Phone: (716) 477-1002 UUCP: {allegra,rutgers}!rochester!kodak!gardner "Oh yeah?!? Well, MY computer is SOOOOO FAST, it executes an infinite loop in 6 seconds!!!" =#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#
vu0112@bingvaxu.cc.binghamton.edu (Cliff Joslyn) (04/20/88)
In article <4330055@hpindda.HP.COM> hardin@hpindda.HP.COM (John Hardin) writes: >I don't use Norton Commander, but from the demo that came with >Norton Utilities, it looks like a competitor to Xtree. Personally, >I like Xtree Professional a lot and would recommend it over what >I have seen of Norton Commander. (I'd enjoy hearing dissenting >opinions, though...) I found XTREE unusable, even though it has a superior interface, and better functionality. XTREE scans *all* the disk directories as it loads, which takes a *long* time on my turbo XT w/a 30 meg disk. Norton reads each directory as it goes there, which is much more efficient. >John Hardin -- O----------------------------------------------------------------------> | Cliff Joslyn, Cybernetician at Large | Systems Science, SUNY Binghamton, vu0112@bingvaxu.cc.binghamton.edu V All the world is biscuit shaped. . .
heflin@cod.NOSC.MIL (Greg R. Heflin) (04/20/88)
XtPro v1.0 'sees' hidden directories as a hidden file. Xtree v? 'sees' hidden directories, but is slower. -- -gregory Just my two cents which shouldn't make a flame, unless you rub them real hard.
dalegass@dalcsug.UUCP (Dale Gass) (04/22/88)
>I found XTREE unusable, even though it has a superior interface, and >better functionality. XTREE scans *all* the disk directories as it >loads, which takes a *long* time on my turbo XT w/a 30 meg disk. Norton >reads each directory as it goes there, which is much more efficient. > >>John Hardin I agree that the scanning of the directories can take quite a bit of time. I was surprised and happy to learn that this time can be quite easily cut from 30 seconds to 3 seconds with a minimal effort. Since every directory must be read to start XTREE, it's performance can be dramatically increased by moving all your directories to the beginning of the hard disk, so there are minimal seek times involved in scanning the directories. Optimizers such as DOG will allow you to move directories wherever you want them. I believe Norton's Speed-Disk puts directories at the beginning of the disk as well, although there has been some traffic on the net questioning SD's overall reliability. DOG works great for me; you can just move the directories if you want, not having to optimize the whole disk: this directory optimization can only take a minute or so...(on my 50 meg HD). My 50 meg now takes only 4 seconds to start XTREE (and it's been awhile since I optimized my directories). Another really nice side effect is that *any* program which scans the disk is dramatically speeded up; these include CHKDSK, WHEREIS, DU, among others. On a side note: I find PCTOOLS to really bad on scanning the disk, because it seems to scan the disk for *every* operation you choose (although this is speeded up by the optimization of directories). Also, I find PCTOOLS interfact to be quite awkward (although it does offer certain handy features that XTREE doesn't) PCTOOLS fans: no flames, Please. -dalegass@dalcsug.uucp
hardin@hpindda.HP.COM (John Hardin) (04/23/88)
>I found XTREE unusable, even though it has a superior interface, and >better functionality. XTREE scans *all* the disk directories as it >loads, which takes a *long* time on my turbo XT w/a 30 meg disk. Norton >reads each directory as it goes there, which is much more efficient. > > Cliff Joslyn, Cybernetician at Large >---------- I agree about the speed of the old XTREE on larger disks. I have a 40 Meg configured as 32 & 8. XTREE Professional works MUCH faster. Don't know if it would be fast enough on an XT, but I find it plenty fast on my 8 MHz AT clone. John Hardin
allanon@ucrmath.UUCP (Kenneth Leung) (04/24/88)
I have used both norton commander and Xtree and they have
thier pros and cons :
Nortron Commander : DOS prompt available at all times
Built-in editor and viewer
User-definable windows and function
Allows you to delete files or any attributes
Xtree : Allows you to see entire directory structure
No built-in editor
Built in attribute changer
I generally prefer to use Xtree for end users while I prefer personally
to use Norton Commander because it is easier to call up other programs
by DOS command prompt and the built in editor for changing BAT files
Hope this helps
-ken
"Stand by, sir. Miracle worker at work." STIV
Computer Consultant, Graduate School of Management,
University of California, Riverside. CA 92507
UUCP: {ucbvax!ucdavis,sdcsvax,ucivax}!ucrmath!allanon
BITNET: JANE@UCRVMS
ARPA: ucrmath!hope!allanon@sdcsvax.ucsd.edu maddoxt@novavax.UUCP (Thomas Maddox) (04/24/88)
In article <4330055@hpindda.HP.COM> hardin@hpindda.HP.COM (John Hardin) writes: > >I don't use Norton Commander, but from the demo that came with >Norton Utilities, it looks like a competitor to Xtree. Personally, >I like Xtree Professional a lot and would recommend it over what >I have seen of Norton Commander. (I'd enjoy hearing dissenting >opinions, though...) > Okay, here's a strongly dissenting opinion. For simplicity, ease and power in a DOS shell, try Nat Martino's Directory Scanner (currently in version 3.10a, I believe), available as shareware on BBSes nationwide. Like programs such as XTree, it presents a full screen of the sub-directory tree and programs contained in the logged sub-directory. It allows tagging, individually or mass, and subsequent copying, moving, deleting, etc. It finds files about as quickly as can be imagined, it allows renaming and hiding of directories, it has macros, it even has its own backup program. Though its documentation is excellent, its help screens, quick and extended, make the docs largely irrelevant. In addition, use of the program almost instantly becomes intuitive. In short, it is one of the best and most useful utility programs ever written for MS-DOS. It costs--fully registered--$15. Never mind Norton Commander or XTree; save your money for something where a big-time commercial program is the only thing that will fill your needs.
hardin@hpindda.HP.COM (John Hardin) (04/25/88)
>I have used both norton commander and Xtree and they have >thier pros and cons : > >Nortron Commander : DOS prompt available at all times > Built-in editor and viewer > User-definable windows and function > Allows you to delete files or any attributes > >Xtree : Allows you to see entire directory structure > No built-in editor > Built in attribute changer > >-ken >---------- Xtree Professional has new features not included in the original Xtree, such as: much greater speed the ability to keep track of the directories of multiple discs a built-in editor DOS shell which keeps a command history (a la CED) Even the old Xtree, however, had the viewer and ability of delete files and change file attributes (which are listed above as advantages of Norton Commander). XTPRO is available for a $45 upgrade fee if you have XTREE already. It's worth it, especially if you have a large hard disk that you've had to partition. John Hardin ------
pjh@mccc.UUCP (Peter J. Holsberg) (04/25/88)
In article <200@ucrmath.UUCP> allanon@ucrmath.UUCP (Kenneth Leung) writes:
== I have used both norton commander and Xtree and they have
== thier pros and cons :
==
== Nortron Commander : DOS prompt available at all times
== Built-in editor and viewer
== User-definable windows and function
== Allows you to delete files or any attributes
==
== Xtree : Allows you to see entire directory structure
== No built-in editor
== Built in attribute changer
==
== I generally prefer to use Xtree for end users while I prefer personally
== to use Norton Commander because it is easier to call up other programs
== by DOS command prompt and the built in editor for changing BAT files
==
== Hope this helps
==
Have you tried Disk Scanner (or is it called Directory Scanner?), a
shareware product by Nate Martino of the USNavy? It lets you specify
the "built-in viewer" (I use LIST) AND the "built-in" editor (I use
PMATE on my machine, and have set up my wife's to use WordPerfect).
Does everything I can think of.zifrony@TAURUS.BITNET (05/05/88)
In article <449@dalcsug.UUCP>, dalegass@dalcsug.BITNET writes: > >I found XTREE unusable, even though it has a superior interface, and > >better functionality. XTREE scans *all* the disk directories as it > >loads, which takes a *long* time on my turbo XT w/a 30 meg disk. Norton > >reads each directory as it goes there, which is much more efficient. > > > >>John Hardin To that article, dalegass@dalcsug.uucp answered (Main comments): > > I agree that the scanning of the directories can take quite a bit of time. > I was surprised and happy to learn that this time can be quite easily cut > from 30 seconds to 3 seconds with a minimal effort. > > Since every directory must be read to start XTREE, it's performance can > be dramatically increased by moving all your directories to the beginning > of the hard disk, so there are minimal seek times involved in scanning > the directories. Why don't you guys try QUICK DOS 2.0. This program does not scan the directories each time you enter it; rather, a disk log file, containing all the necessary directory information is stored in the root directory. This allows the operation of QD2 to be very efficient and quick (at the price of about 3000 bytes of disk space). The only flaw in this arrangement, is that you have to create/remove your directories using QD2, or rescan the disk after such changes are done outside it. I don't consider is as a serious flaw, as directory creation/removal is not done too frequently. Another important feature of QUICK DOS, available in version 1.0 as well, is that upon return from execution of external programs (such as the DOS shell), the directory information is not lost. This feature does not exist in XTREE, which forces the user to wait while a rescanning of the directories is made. Doron Zifrony --- zifrony@MATH.Tau.Ac.IL