beckman@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu (02/26/88)
I have been using the new Procomm Plus and have not found any tech problems yet, but do find the user interface awkward, and no improvement over the original. There is no consistent way to select menu items. I use a mouse, and it should't be too hard for the menus to be curser/enter/esc driven. Some sub menus allow this (selecting terminal emulation) and at other points I must hit a character A through G. Also, if I don't quite move my mouse vertically, I get a right or left arrow, which causes beeeepbeepbep. Why can't a horizontal curser movement be accepted. On the dial menu, If you are doing a (R) for revise and you make a mistake, you can't move the curser back up to that entry, like every other menu, you must complete all the changes and then (R) again, looping through everything again. And furthermore at other menus, a space bar is used to toggle items. I wish just one menuing convention was used. Any others feel that way? -Pete
mvolo@ecsvax.UUCP (Michael R. Volow) (02/27/88)
[deleted stuff about dissatisfaction with menu structure and function] I miss redial (Alt-R) command, which allowed you to dial without accessing the dialing directory just by typing a simple number, e.g. 1 or 5 etc. Perhaps the multiplicity of protocols, emulations, and improved script language makes up for this. I'm about ready for a background comm program, so I can word process through an hour's worth of unsuccessful redials until I reach a busy number. Michael Volow, M.D. Dept of Psychiatry, Durham VA Medical Center, Durham, N.C. 27705 919 286 0411 mvolo@ecsvax.UUCP
syd@dsinc.UUCP (Syd Weinstein) (02/29/88)
We downloaded Procomm Plus Trial version to one of our PC's here and
find for us it has the same limitation as the older Procomm's. That is
its speed. The port config now goes wonderfully up to over 100k, but
I really wonder about those speeds.
We run our PC serial ports at 19200. I have noticed that Procomm Plus
in ansi emulation mode (I havent tried anything else) cannot even do
9600 bps, let alone 19200. It doesnt loose any of the data, just takes
longer to put it on the screen. I did a cat of a file to a Wyse 85
terminal at 19200 and timed it. Did the same to my PC-AT running
Procomm Plus and Procomm plus took over twice as long, almost three
times as long.
I didnt use Procomm 2.4 because it could not keep up with the screen
(speed not lost data), and I guess I wont use PCPlus either. BTW:
Crosstalk works fine and can update the display.
--
=====================================================================
Sydney S. Weinstein, CDP, CCP
Datacomp Systems, Inc. Voice: (215) 947-9900
{allegra,bellcore,bpa,vu-vlsi}!dsinc!syd FAX: (215) 938-0235jvc@prism.TMC.COM (03/01/88)
>/* Written 6:36 pm Feb 26, 1988 by mvolo@ecsvax.UUCP */ > >I miss redial (Alt-R) command, which allowed you to dial without >accessing the dialing directory just by typing a simple number, e.g. >1 or 5 etc. It's still there, it just requires another key press. ALT-D followed by D will get you to the same place as ALT-R did with procomm 2.4.2. It is a little more inconvienent if you already know which entry number you want to dial. With procomm 2.4.2 I found myself going to the dialing directory, looking up the entry number (or numbers) and then exiting and using alt-R. Of course, if you are only dialing one number it is not necessary to use D in the dialing directory, just move the cursor to the entry and press enter. jvc@mirror.tmc.com
rod@cpocd2.UUCP (Rod Rebello) (03/01/88)
In article <328@dsinc.UUCP> syd@dsinc.UUCP (Syd Weinstein) writes: ... >I didnt use Procomm 2.4 because it could not keep up with the screen >(speed not lost data), and I guess I wont use PCPlus either. BTW: >Crosstalk works fine and can update the display. >-- I noticed the same problem. I am using Smart-Term 220 which keeps up with the speed. I also do not want to give up VT220 emulation.
chris@lxn.UUCP (Christopher D. Orr) (03/02/88)
In article <328@dsinc.UUCP> syd@dsinc.UUCP (Syd Weinstein) writes: >We run our PC serial ports at 19200. I have noticed that Procomm Plus >in ansi emulation mode (I havent tried anything else) cannot even do >9600 bps, let alone 19200. It doesnt loose any of the data, just takes >longer to put it on the screen. I did a cat of a file to a Wyse 85 >terminal at 19200 and timed it. Did the same to my PC-AT running >Procomm Plus and Procomm plus took over twice as long, almost three >times as long. > Procomm's problem in this area is that in no longer does DMA by default. I'm not sure if it still supports it (may be a command line switch), but they changed the default to use the BIOS for any screen updates. Best bet is to stick with Procomm 2.4.2 ... overall it seems much more reliable. -- Christopher D. Orr | US MAIL: Alcyone Inc. UUCP: vu-vlsi\ | Lanark Building inhp4 - !lehi3b15!lxn!chris | Center Valley, PA 18034 c11ux / | Voice: (215) 282-4525
tmy6405@acf3.NYU.EDU (Ted M. Young) (03/08/88)
In article <236@lxn.UUCP> chris@lxn.UUCP (Christopher D. Orr) writes: >In article <328@dsinc.UUCP> syd@dsinc.UUCP (Syd Weinstein) writes: >>We run our PC serial ports at 19200. I have noticed that Procomm Plus >>in ansi emulation mode (I havent tried anything else) cannot even do >>9600 bps, let alone 19200. It doesnt loose any of the data, just takes >>longer to put it on the screen. I did a cat of a file to a Wyse 85 >>terminal at 19200 and timed it. Did the same to my PC-AT running >>Procomm Plus and Procomm plus took over twice as long, almost three >>times as long. >> > >Procomm's problem in this area is that in no longer does DMA by default. I'm >not sure if it still supports it (may be a command line switch), but they >changed the default to use the BIOS for any screen updates. Nope, Procomm + doesn't use BIOS, 2.4.2 had the option of Direct to screen or thru BIOS, but Procomm+ goes direct to the screen whether you like it or not. I don't like it because I use DoubleDos sometimes and direct to screen totally messes things up. I really don't see all that much of an improvement from 2.4.2 to Plus. The "chat" mode still seems like a last minute addition because none of the function keys (open log, see elapsed time, etc.) work when in "chat" mode (Alt-O). >Best bet is to stick with Procomm 2.4.2 ... overall it seems much more >reliable. My thoughts exactly. >-- >Christopher D. Orr | US MAIL: Alcyone Inc. >UUCP: vu-vlsi\ | Lanark Building > inhp4 - !lehi3b15!lxn!chris | Center Valley, PA 18034 > c11ux / | Voice: (215) 282-4525 -- Ted M. Young \ tmy6405@acf3.nyu.edu \ "..restless young romantic, 3801 Hudson Manor Terr.\ tmy6405@NYU-ACF3.ARPA \ wants to run the big machine" Riverdale, NY 10463-1111\ Compu$erve:76703,4343 \ yeah, my own Cray! 8-) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ "With Basic you just use a GOTO, with Pascal you have to indent 99% of the program halfway across the page!" -- Me (A Basic programmer for 12 years)