ts@uwasa.fi (Timo Salmi) (04/04/91)
An updated extract from my FAQ. Read on for Procomm Plus 2.0.
21. *****
Q: Which is better, Procomm Plus or Telix?
A: Procomm 1.1A vs Telix 3.12
--------------------------
Both are excellent telecommunications programs. I won't try to
answer in any absolute terms, but tell some of my subjective
observations, since I have used both quite a lot. I am first
speaking of Procomm+ version 1.1A and Telix 3.12 (on Procomm Plus
2.0 later).
Procomm+ is a fully commercial program while Telix is shareware.
(There is an earlier shareware Procomm [version 2.4.3]. Both the
shareware programs are available from garbo.uwasa.fi archives
/pc/termprog directory. The shareware Procomm is not in the same
league with Procomm+ and Telix).
Procomm+ comes with a manual, and there is literature on Procomm+
while Telix documents come as a file in the shareware distribution.
I have tried the user support of both, with slightly discouraging
results. In the case of Procomm+ I asked about the possibility of a
two-way translation table, but the response was a polite no without
any useful suggestions. In the case of Telix, I returned a faulty
shareware disk, and had no reaction at all. Didn't even get the disk
back. On the other hand, both are such good products, that I haven't
really needed the support.
Procomm+ and Telix both have a useful command language. Procomm's
is annoyingly sluggish since it is interpreter while Telix sports a
C-like Salt compiler. Procomm's aspect command language is easier to
use, while Telix's Salt command language is really powerful.
Procomm+ command files can be invoked from a menu. In Telix this
very convenient option is missing.
Under difficult conditions with a slow machine plus a fast modem
Telix behaves much better. I've even noted circumstances where Telix
is the only working choice of the two, because Procomm+ cannot
always cope with the load.
Admittedly, Telix has fewer file transfer protocols than
Procomm+, BUT this is more than amply compensated by the fact that
Telix has an inbuilt Zmodem protocol. Neither has a sliding Kermit.
The translation tables of both programs cause headaches to users
needing some 8-bit characters as we Finns do. Procomm+ does not have
an outgoing translation table at all. Telix does, but it gets
tangled in ansi graphics when A with double dots is translated.
Personally, I prefer Procomm's concise call logging to Telix's
fuller but incoherent call logging.
This is very subjective but of the two the "feel" of the user
interface in Telix is more user friendly than that of Procomm+. In
particular, Telix has an automatic starting of downloads.
Procomm+ has a superior host mode compared to Telix. Yes, I know
that there are external host modes for Telix, such as host44.zip,
but I've never managed to make it work even in a selftest.
Incidentally, the host mode of shareware Procomm is better left
alone. They frequently crash the machine. Another thing is that
Procomm+ host mode shell to dos option also does this.
If you use Procomm or Procomm+ you might be interested in more
information given in /pc/ts/tspfon29.arc.
At the moment I have settled to Telix for calling to BBSes, to
Procomm+ when I need the host mode (and MsKermit when I connect
remotely to garbo.uwasa.fi, because MsKermit has clearly the best
VT102 emulation of the three).
----------------
Procomm Plus 2.0
----------------
At the time I wrote this, Procomm Plus version 2.0 had just been
released. (Telix 3.15 just arrived when I write this, but I haven't
yet looked at it, but soon will). Commercial Procomm 2.0 is mostly
at par with shareware Telix 3.12. Much of Procomm 2.0's improvements
seem to have directly been adapted from Telix, but there is a touch
of TeleMate as well. The aspect language compiler is the foremost
example of emulating Telix strengths. (The old .asp files are not
compilable without changes). Furthermore, Procomm 2.0 now has an
unbuilt Z-modem with autodownload. This is a feature that was sorely
missing earlier. Procomm 2.0 has long kermit packets which is an
improvement over Telix. The installation phase of Procomm 2.0 is
impressive. Full points for that. The really frustrating feature of
Procomm 2.0 is the problems with non-US (at least the Finnish)
keyboard, which renders much of it inoperable, if not useless. And
there is still no outgoing translation table.
Over all, my first impressions on the Procomm Plus 2.0 update are
not enthusiastic. On the other hand what might make Procomm Plus
2.0 worth its while is its host mode. It has even more flexibility
than before, and can be considered a mini-BBS. This is a feature
that Telix practically lacks.
Interestingly, the outward appearance of Procomm Plus 2.0 has
reverted back to the Procomm shareware days.
--------
TeleMate
--------
There are other very good telecommunication and terminal
emulation programs besides Procomm+, Telix, and MsKermit. One of
them is TeleMate (/pc/comm/tm211-1.zip, tm211-2.zip, and
tm211-3.zip). It's speciality is that the file transfers can take
place in the background, which, for example, allows you to use
TeleMate's useful screen editor while the transfer is taking place.
Another nice feature is TeleMate's quote function. On the other hand
TeleMate's dialog box based user interface takes some getting used
to, and in this respect I feel that Procomm+ and Telix have a clear
advantage over TeleMate. Also TeleMate's online help screen is not
very coherent, and there is some incovenience in figuring out how to
load the translation tables on a regular basis. Shareware is a nice
concept. I was able to try TeleMate out for a period with a clear
conscience before making my decision of not adopting.
...................................................................
Prof. Timo Salmi
Moderating at garbo.uwasa.fi anonymous ftp archives 128.214.12.37
School of Business Studies, University of Vaasa, SF-65101, Finland
Internet: ts@chyde.uwasa.fi Funet: gado::salmi Bitnet: salmi@finfunbobmon@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu (RAMontante) (04/05/91)
A comment on PCP2.0 --- I *have* gotten it to operate in 132col-by-43row mode, from within DESQView, using a Paradise-clone sVGA card. (Also from outside DV...) Hmm, another comment --- the scrollback buffer can be set to 63K, lower "real" memory I think. If only I could get 256K of EMS, I'd like it more....