[comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc] Crosstalk vs Procomm Plus

singer@uwovax.uwo.ca (07/27/90)

Would anybody who has had experience with both Crosstalk and Procomm Plus give
me the benefit of that experience? I am inquiring for my wife who hates
computers and who is a victim of Smartcom, the worst communications program of
which I know. She will not be doing anything fancy--just the usual contact with
professional databases and a little bit of downloading. Thanks.
.
-- 
-----------
Ben Singer                                      Department of Sociology      
                                                University of Western Ontario
Singer@uwo.ca                                   London, Ontario
Singer@uwovax.bitnet                            N6A 5C2
                                                (519) 660-0671  (home)
                                                (519) 679-2111   Ext 5137

dweissman@amarna.gsfc.nasa.gov (WiseGuy) (07/27/90)

In article <6546.26aff6fc@uwovax.uwo.ca>, singer@uwovax.uwo.ca writes...
|Would anybody who has had experience with both Crosstalk and Procomm Plus give
|me the benefit of that experience? I am inquiring for my wife who hates
|computers and who is a victim of Smartcom, the worst communications program of
|which I know. She will not be doing anything fancy--just the usual contact with
|professional databases and a little bit of downloading. Thanks.
|..
|-- 
Procomm Plus is BY FAR much more user friendly.  It is easy to use, with
windows opening on the screen for all utilities.  Easy to use the UPLOAD
and DOWNLOAD functions (not to mention you choice of protocols).  You can
configure all of the programs colors and install you own file viewer and
utilities accessible from PC Plus by a hot-key (ALT-J).  It's less expensive
and by far the better product.


                     DANGER: Really big .SIG file follows!!!!!

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*   Dave Weissman - Goddard Space Flight Center - Code 543.0                *
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RFM@psuvm.psu.edu (07/28/90)

I vote for PROCOMM PLUS. Wouldn't work with anything else. $50 from the
mail-order houses.
Bob M., PSU-Harrisburg.

danup@runxtsa.runx.oz.au (Daniel Upthegrove) (08/01/90)

G'day Ben!

I've had to prepare script files in both Crosstalk and Procomm Plus
for inexperienced PC users who want as little interaction with the
computer as possible, but want access to mail and data applications.

Crosstalk was better documented, and with the multiple examples provided,
I was able to prepare the necessary scripts quickly without too much
reading of the manuals.  Procomm Plus is simpler to use from the start,
and does not require as much setup as Crosstalk.  However, I find that
my Procomm Plus has some annoying terminal emulation bugs (which, honestly
could be the hosts that I am accessing) as well as it is necessary to
experiment with some of the script language commands to verify what they
actually do.

However, for the simple applications that you describe, Procomm Plus
should be more than sufficient.  The extra cost for Crosstalk would only
be for features that you don't seem to need (3270 emulation, key mappings,
etc.)

I also wrote some scripts for my wife to send and receive Internet mail
from the PC.  By using a batch file to call Procomm Plus, and using
script files to provide personalised menu windows from entry, my wife
doesn't have to contend with the program itself at all.



_________________________________________________
Daniel Upthegrove                danup@runxtsa.runx.oz.au
a.k.a. "Grover"                  Sydney Australia
Computer & Communications Consultant