SHOW ME THE CONVENIENCE PAKS!

According to IBM's OS/2 Software Choice web page, the planned availability date of the new Convenience Packages (or Paks; aka v4.51) was November 30, 2000. As of this writing, I have yet to see any formal announcement of the new release from IBM. However, I have been told by my sources at IBM that the Convenience Paks actually did become generally available as planned on 11/30. Customers who have active or purchase new subscriptions (including new licenses and upgrades) will receive the CD(s) along with access to Software Choice. As my contacts at IBM have said, it has been a rather low-key event, to say the least. Regardless, it appears demand has exceeded IBM's expectations, hence, the delay. IBM hopes to update the IBM's OS/2 Software Choice and OS/2 Warp web pages shortly with pertinent announcements. With any luck, I might be able to have a review of the Convenience Pak in my next column.

VYPERHELP

I recently took a look at version 1.11 of the VyperHelp visual Help/HTML authoring tool by MekTek (Mat Kramer). The product is intended to provide a convenient means to either author INF, HLP or HTM files, or to migrate such files from one format to another. This particularly piqued my interest since I use to convert such files manually, including OS/2 CONNECT (some of you may remember the INF version of the newsletter in the early days) and can readily see the need for such a product. I downloaded the fully-functional 30 day trial version of VyperHelp from the company's web site and played with it awhile.

If you are in the business of writing technical documentation or simply want a convenient way to write Help text, VyperHelp is definitely worth a look. As the vendor's web page mentions, the product "is a visual outliner and editor for creating on-line help for OS/2-based systems. It generates IPF files, which can be compiled into OS/2-based HLP and INF files. It also generates WinHelp, RTF, HTML, and HTMLHelp files. VyperHelp has the following features:

• WYSIWYG text editing with codes revealed
• Powerful outline tree controls
• Keyword/index support
• Full symbol support
• IPF import and export
• WinHelp (HPJ, CNT, RTF, HH) import and export
• HTML (single file or framed) export
• HTMLHelp export
• RTF document-style export
• C header file export
• ASCII text import and export
• Command-line conversion program

• Convert OS/2 IPF help to Windows help.
• Convert Windows help to OS/2 help.
• Convert OS/2 IPF or Windows help into printable RTF.
• Convert OS/2 IPF or Windows help into HTML or HTMLHelp.
• Import or export plain text."

1. The product has trouble importing large files (approximately 1,000 lines of text or more). When you try, you get a message: "The editor is not designed for large sections. Performance may be unacceptable." Followed by an Error: ERROR 4370 (Presentation System) detected. GpiCreateBitmap: UNK 1112E .

   Although 1,000 lines of text may sound like a lot, it is not unusual to find sections of help text or web pages with more than that, particularly tutorials.

2. Currently, you can import IPF, WinHelp, or plain ASCII Text files into VyperHelp. It would also be nice to be able to import HTML files. This may seem unusual but I have had occasion to convert files from HTML to IPF or HTML to WinHelp. Since the product currently provides the ability to go from IPF to HTML, the necessary translation filter should already be in place.

3. I noticed there was no "drag and drop" capabilities to move sections around; further, there was no use of the right mouse button, particularly for the "properties" of sections and text (e.g., setting font, size, alignment, style, etc.). Such a feature would be incredibly useful and intuitive to OS/2 users. I found this feature sorely lacking, particularly having used other OS/2 based products, such as Lotus.

4. VyperHelp currently allows the use of the following graphical file formats: BMP, GIF, PCX, TIF, TGA, IFF, XBM, PSE. However, it doesn't provide for the use of JPG or animated GIF files. Although such files are uncommon for Help files, they are commonly used in web pages which the product is intended to support.

5. The "converter" program accompanying the product converts file formats in a batch process as opposed to a GUI front end. The Help button didn't provide much insight into how it works and it would have been nice if it included a button for a file assignment path (for both inputs and outputs). Regardless, it does a nice job converting file formats.

6. It would be nice to have the IPF compiler attached or linked to the VyperHelp editor to make it a convenient developer's workbench. Further, add the "converter" to the editor as well to make it appear as a single unified product.

7. VyperHelp only shows your document with the markup tags, which is useful for editing, but it would be nice to also have a "Preview" option to view your document for format.

8. I noticed that Select+PageUp and Select+PageDown doesn't work (Select+arrows works fine).

9. I could not find a way to set text alignment, e.g., flush left/right, center, justified. Again, a right-button "properties" selection would be very useful.

AND FINALLY...

After five excruciating weeks, it looks like we've finally elected a President in this country. As I indicated in my December Editorial, Florida became the butt of many jokes even though our electoral process is essentially no different than any other state. Florida fell into the spotlight only because it was a close race which included the decisive electoral votes. Had it been any other state, the media and the Democratic Party would have surely turned it into a battleground and would have unearthed any frailties in its electoral process.

Following the election, the nation will inevitably be embroiled in election reform where we will erroneously spend billions of dollars upgrading voting equipment. Had it not been for the fact that this was a close and savagely fought election, we would still believe our voting machines are in fine shape. Regardless of what Jesse Jackson says, we don't have a machine problem, we have a people problem. As the U.S. Supreme Court argues, we should define consistent electoral standards, particularly for ballot construction and recounting votes. I would also recommend:

1. A complete media blackout of voting results until 100% of the votes are initially counted in each state and the precincts are closed in the western states, thereby eliminating the projection snafus the press has become infamous for.

2. Give competency tests prior to Election Day to determine if the voter has the proper mental and physical faculties to vote.

3. Have each registered candidate for federal or state office sign an sworn affidavit that they have read and understand the U.S. Constitution.

Boy am I glad this one is over. It should make an interesting chapter for my next book.

Have a good holiday season.

Keep the Faith!