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NI: \VS, V. 23(118 moN1).5N - s v YURI) \ Hiciptech LOAM-8PM DIRECTIONS ACROSS \V.\ 12\VICK I\ IA 1) hand me Cam r 112.0M \ WI' IN DFNBIGI I TEL: 757-872-0123 RENAISSANCE Owns• FAX: 757-872-0689 DON QUIXOTE: The Giant Killer Complete ass system $199,99 Monitor Included DESCARTES: I Compute, Therefore, I am! owl Used Multimedia 486DX33 System, 16MB RAM, 400MB HDD, CDROM, Sound Card, Speakers, 14.4 Modem, Windows 3.1 and PC Dos 7, 14" SVGA Color Monitor 399.9 MICHELANGELO: Used Multimedia 486DX100 (or Pentium 60), 16MB RAM, 270MB to 540MB HDD,CD-ROM, Sound Card,lnternet Ready,14" SVGA Monitor X32 '16M6 SIMM $29.99 O IFE 21164 32 MB SDRAM tons $69.99 'INN/ COPERNICUS IL $799.99 Rebirth of The Affordable System New Pentium 166 w/ Intel TX Chipset MB 16MB RAM, 1.2G HDD,Trident Video Card, 6XCDROM, 16 Bit Sound Card, 33.6 Voice D/F Modem, Win95 and Software Titles. Free 14" Refb SVGA Monitor. 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HOT DEAL SERVICE UPGRADE <Wily Computer Renaissance? 1:="" • National franchise System with Texas Instrument TM6030 Flat Rate Service and Upgrade 191+ Stores 24 Hours Tounaround Guaranteed P133/32MB RAM/1.35G HDD • National Warranty Program 6XCDROM/Sound Card/Spkers • Value ler Yeur Old System 28.8BPS Modem/12.1" TFT LCD • Great Price and Knowledgeable Staff 90 Day Same AS Cash Windows 95/1Year Warranty • Custom Cenflguration $1799.99 fiaaecifig Available Computer Connections March 1998 3 Hampton Roads, Virginia Publisher's 7 Connections www.computerconnections.com PUBLISHER Note Russ Salter EDITOR Nancy Salter One of my favorite cartoons when I was growing up was OFFICE MANAGER The Jetsons. I mean who wouldn't love to just stumble out of Carrie Nicole bed and onto a conveyor belt which would carry you throughgetting ADVERTISING the necessities (getting showered, dressed and fed) of Nancy Salter ready every day. Plus what a neat house with the greatest LAYOUT & DESIGN view imaginable. Beyond that, I could really go for zipping Media Productions my own space mobile through the cosmos. Unfortunatelyodem age quite I them DISTRIBUTION towards itl Hank Heighton don't think I'll live long enough to see inching Distributech as I envisioned it as a kid...but we are Jo's Delivery Service The Wending of technologies into one "all-purpose" s convergence. Jeff Evans (page FLORIDA PUBLISHING & DIST. Dan Harman multimedia26) investigates app "the current state of convergence and what still needs to be done". The day will come when the TV, Computer Connections magazine is VCR, phone, fax, stereo system, computer and more will be published monthly by Sunset Com- munications, Inc. All rights re- fully integrated into one unit; the closest thing we have to a served. Reproduction in whole or multi purpose media unit right now is, of course, a part without written permission from the publisher is prohibited. Pub- uter. 9) to get multimedia comp lisher does not assume any respon- Be sure to read "Talking to your Computer" (pageThe idea sibility for the claims of its commer- the latest dictation and voice command havingsoftware. something cial advertisers or the expressed onr computer and actually opinions of contributing writers. Pub- talking lisher is not associated with any of talking to you productive come outf ofits ireat; g computer I've been for years and it's other business with similar name or rts. purpose. (sometimes screaming) at my comp vocal effo for my Deadline for all advertising is the never given me anything in return 15th of each month and is subject to current rate card. Publisher re- serves the right not to accept an ad- vertiser's order. Be Safe & Well, Send all inquiries, subscription re- quests, editorial submissions to RussComments Salter to [email protected] Computer Connections, 1920 Cen- terville Tpke. #125, Virginia Beach, VA 23464. Not responsible for unso- licited material. For more informa- tion, call M-F, 10-5, (757) 548-3079 or FAX inquiries to (757) 548-3283. 4 March 1998 Computer Connections Your Local Guide to Computers and Communications Since 1994 March 1998 Keeping http://www.computerconnections.com FEATURES UP 9 Talking to Your Computer Graeme Bennett In The 12 Information Overload William Van Winkle 17 The Stop Bit Leon Schwarzbaum 22 PC Tuneup Lawrence J. Magid C=0 26 All Together Now...Convergence Jeff Evans 30 New 56K Modem Standard Jonathon Marshall 41 How I Learned to Stop Worrying Charles Arnold DEPARTMENTS 7 CyberSpuSpuSputters 21 The Computer Guy 32 RAndY's RumOR RaG 32 Local User Groups 35 Essential Shareware 38 Local Web Links & BBS List Age 40 CyberCruzin 43 Classifieds Computer Connections March 1998 5 Internet Communications $16 monthly Full Service Unlimited $138 annually $45 quarterly As Low As $10.75 / Mo $258 two years E-mail, News & Personal Web Page Included Local to Hampton Roads & Williamsburg 14.4k, 28.8k, 33.6k, 56k & ISDN Dial-Up Dual T1 / T3 Redundant Gateways 300+ Incoming Lines & Growing Fiber-Optic Digital Connections Low 6-To-1 User-To-Modem Ratio BBS Style Terminal Access Available Dedicated Connectivity - 56k, ISDN & T1 Corporate Web Hosting As Low As $18 / Mo http://www.sybercom.net 420-2356 Sign-Up By Phone, Web or BBS 420-7827 Customer Service No Additional Soft ware BBS / Data Sign-Up Required With Win95 Sybercom, Inc. - P.O. Box 64141 - Virginia Beach, VA 23467 - Credit Cards & Personal Checks Accepted CyberStar Technologies is now Sybercom, Inc. Locally Owned and Operated since May 1995 6 March 1998 Computer Connections PC Life.... CyberSpuSpuSputters JUST FOR LAUGHS But the spokesman told Jack that he shouldn't get excited; someone important wanted to speak to him. Suddenly a wall-sized The Year 2000 projection screen displayed the image of a man that looked very There was once a COBOL programmer in the mid to late 1990s. much like Bill Gates. This man was Prime Minister of Earth. He For the sake of this story, we'll call him Jack. After years of being told Jack not to be upset, that this was a wonderful time to be alive. taken for granted and There was world peace and no more starvation. The space program treated as a techno- had been reinstated and there were colonies on the moon and on logical dinosaur by Mars. He said technology had advanced to such a degree that all the UNIX pro- everyone had virtual reality interfaces which allowed them to con- grammers and Cli- tact anyone else on the planet, to watch any entertainment, or to hear ent /S ery er any music recorded anywhere. programmers and "That sounds terrific," said Jack. "But I'm curious. Why is website developers, everybody so interested in me?" The Prime Minister said, "Well, Jack was finally get- the year 10000 is just around the corner, and it says in your files that ting some respect. you know COBOL". He'd become a pri- The "Down-Home" Guide to Computer Lingo vate consultant spe- by Rick LeBlanc & friends cializing in Year Modem: What you did to the lawn 2000 conversions. Keyboard: Where you hang your keys Jack was working Windows: What to shut when it's 30 Below short-term assign- Logon: Makes the wood stove hotter ments for prestigious Hard Drive: Getting home during rush hour companies, traveling Microchips: what are left in the bag after you ate all the big chips all over the world on different assignments.