   ______                            _   __      __
  / ____/___  ____ ___  ____  __  __/ | / /___  / /____  _____
 / /   / __ \/ __ `__ \/ __ \/ / / /  |/ / __ \/ __/ _ \/ ___/
/ /___/ /_/ / / / / / / /_/ / /_/ / /|  / /_/ / /_/  __(__  ) 
\____/\____/_/ /_/ /_/ .___/\__,_/_/ |_/\____/\__/\___/____/  
                    /_/                                       
                         This Week's Contents:

My Notes:
1) Why We've Been Absent . . .
2) My Sister is Getting Married . . .

Columnists' Corner:
1) Article on Linux ... Do you want to see more?

News:
1) Microsoft Cracks Down on Pirates!

Reviews:
1) DacEasy for Windows 95
   Reviewed By Dennis Macpherson
2) Civilization II
   Reviewed By Gail B.C. Marsella (71551.3200@compuserve.com)
3) Kidsnet
   Reviewed By David Leininger (services@alanrand.com)

Web Sites:
1) Microsoft Opens Up StarTrek Web Site

Interview:
1) Success Online Creator

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date  : July 13, 1996     |CompuNotes is a weekly publication available
Issue : 49                |through email and many fine on-line networks.
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------------------------------------------------------------------------
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------------------------------------------------------------------------
                             Patrick's News
         Being The Publisher and Managing Editor Has Its Perks!
------------------------------------------------------------------------
What's Been Up ...|
-------------------
OK, I'm back from vacation, which went wonderfully! If you are a family
and want a great family place to vacation you cannot get more family
than Bethany Beach, Delaware. Bethany is devoted to families. There main
boardwalk closes at 10:00pm. The town center has no bars. There are no
singles nights, etc. The beaches are well patrolled and clean.

We had so much fun . . . It started with us encountering the Atlantic
for the first time. Egads! Cold water. The second day we were there we
encountered the rough seas of the Atlantic. After getting smashed,
nearly drowned and plastered face first in the sand three times I gave
up. Yes, the Atlantic kicked my ass.

The funniest thing that happened to us was dolphin watching. Sounds
funny, right? It is pretty funny when your wife drops the camera in the
Atlantic while taking pictures. Hundreds of years from now people will
find our camera and think of it as an antique.

We did get back about two weeks ago, but since then I have been promoted
at CompuCom, the computer reseller/integrator I work for. Instead of
being the Senior Systems Engineer in charge of Microsoft Solutions I'm
now the Systems Engineer Supervisor. This puts me into an almost total
management role instead of an almost total technical role. I'm relishing
the new challenge and have used the last week or so to get up to speed.

CompuNotes will now be published weekly again. Thanks for the break!

------------------------------
My Sis is Getting Married ...|
------------------------------
My baby sister is finally getting married! What makes this even better
is that I like who she is getting married to! Do me a favor and send a
quick email to her fiancee at jeff@softsolinc.com. His name is Jeff
Mullins and he is a WindowsNT/Lotus Notes expert.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Columnists' Corner - We bring you a different person each week!
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                            Linux and Tcl/Tk
                  Harry Baecker (hbaecker@island.net)

If there is enough interest (what is the measurement device?) this will
blossom into an occasional column on two of the most powerful
developments in PC space.

Linux is a free Unix clone for the PC available either for downloading
on the Internet or Fidonet or on CD-ROM distributions from Infomagic,
Walnut Creek, and a host of competitors. It has been certified as a true
Unix implementation.

Linux was started by Linus Torvalds, then a student at Helsinki, who
wanted to run Unix on his PC but could not afford a commercial version.
Many people are now involved in the development process, Linus himself
is still involved in the development for the Intel PC platform, the
ground zero of all the versions, and in the ports to the DEC Alpha.

A Linux distribution includes about 500MB of GNU and other free software
from the FSF, Free Software Foundation. Thus you get compilers (C, C++,
Pascal, Fortran), with Ada and Modula-3 available, a complete
Internet/Fidonet communications system, and enough utilities to do just
about anything from text editing to file compression to file management.
XWindows is included. All FSF software is distributed free, but is not
freeware in the normal sense. The copyright is held by FSF, and others,
and requires that if you modify the software in any way you publish the
new source code and distribute it without charge (except for the cost of
distribution). The simplest way to arrange such distribution is to let
the FSF do it.


In fact Linux implementations are now  available for the Intel PC,
PowerMac, DEC Alpha, MIPS Machines, Sun SPARC, Motorola PowerPC, and
probably more.. All these are discussed in the Internet newsgroups
comp.os.linux.* (about 10 0f them) and in the Fidonet echo Linux. There
are thousands of apps now available on the Net free, and there is also a
fast growing number of commercial apps. Both DEC and Apple have
officially adopted Linux and will distribute versions for their
hardware, free. So you feel that non-Intel platforms are of no interest
to you? Remember that the lifespan of any architecture is limited and
that Intel have already begun development, together with H-P, of a
successor to the x86 chip. So you will shortly be having to explore new
vistas anyway.

Linux does not bomb the way MS-Windows does. Certainly individual
programs do, but they do not take the whole machine with them. But the
biggest advantage of Linux, apart from the cost, is the huge array of
support available on the net in the linux newsgroups. If you have a
problem there will be someone around who can tell you how to circumvent
it, if it is a bug then the original author of the program is probably
there to correct it in a matter of days without a wait of months for the
next release as is the case with commercial software. (But a word of
warning, that programmer spent much time making a program for you to use
for free, do not complain about such bugs as remain but give thanks for
what you have.)

Linux comes with the tools that enable you to install it so that it
cohabits on a half disk with MS-DOS/Windows (and OS/2 and.........
depending on how much disk space you have) and to boot any of them, and
to switch between MS-DOS and Linux when the other is running. So you
want to switch from the Megapoop operating system to Linux and there is
no software to do so? Write it, or get someone competent to do so to
help you. Dont whine, its all free, be glad of what there is.

If you have an Internet account the chances are good that your Internet
Service Provider is running Linux. So are the US Air Force, AT&T (the
parents of Unix), the Canadian Coastguard, and many other prominent
users. Currently distributors are reporting sales of Linux CD-ROMs at
40,000 a month, estimates of installations are difficult when any CD-ROM
can be freely used by many people, a million is a commonly heard
estimate.

One of the big hurdles prospective Linux users often face is a fear of
Unix, a fear that seems to fill the air like allergens. If you are
reading this you probably think computers are fun. So, give it a try, it
isnt difficult, it is no more difficult than     MS-DOS is when things
dont go quite the way the glossy manual says and the help file is empty
of relief. And apart from all the FAQs and HOWTOs in every distribution,
and the net help, there are a number of good and better books to be had.

Our other topic is Tcl/Tk, short for Tool Control Language and Toolkit.
Tcl is a scripting language, an interpreted language, based on C.
Suppress your immediate shudder at the mention of interpreters, their
reputation was blackened in the days of 1MHz machines with little
bandwidth on the buss. Today with 32-bit bandwidth at multi-megaherz the
story is different. Of course there are many apps for which an
interpreted language is unsuitable, controlling a nuclear reactor, say,
but there are as many for which it is a solution, particularly in an
interactive context. Real time is relative, the real time of a nuclear
reactor is very different from that of a physician examining a patient.
Tk is a windows system interface for Tcl, and other languages.

Tcl was started by John Ousterhout in 1985 for his graduate students in
the Dept. of Electrical Engineering at the University of California,
Berkeley, as a simple way of writing scripts to control experimental
apparatus. It has grown, and gained vast support when John moved to Sun
Microsystems recently.

Why bother with it? Its free. And by the end of the year the very
selfsame unedited script will run on any Unix system , MS-Windows (3.x,
95, and NT), the Mac, and there is now a move for an OS/2 interpreter.
The Unix implementation is rock solid, at this moment the MS-Windows
interpreter is in beta test out in the real world, the status of the Mac
interpreter remains undefined because the software status of the
PowerMac is somewhat fluid. OS/2 is yet but a dream.

A large number of contributed apps are archived at:
ftp.neosoft.com:/pub/tcl http://www.neosoft.com/tcl The discussion/help
newsgroup for Tcl/Tk on the net is comp.lang.tcl.

Several books about Tcl/Tk are in print, but I would advise against
investing in any of them until 1997 editions are available. The reason
is that Tcl/Tk has changed as it has become universal. Originally I/O
functions and other system calls were implemented as direct calls to
Unix, the diversity of I/O standards, of date/time functions, etc.,
across several operating systems has made it necessary to abstract the
functions and define Tcl/Tk standards, which are implemented in each
interpreter so as to provide a uniform cross-platform interface, changes
not addressed by the current editions of the books. Of course, if you
are going to run Tcl/Tk  under Linux, or any other Unix, then there are
interpreter versions available that correspond to the available books.

Tcl/Tk is a script language which is used raw, the source level script
text is fed to the interpreter untranslated. This means that copy
protection is almost impossible and most scripts are freely distributed.
Yet commercial scripts abound, one must conclude that there are indeed
honest users in the world. There are about six different projects to
build Tcl/Tk compilers.

If you feel that Tcl/Tk lacks some command or facility you need or
desire then the chances are you will find it in one of the dozen or so
extensions available. Look around. If you cannot satisfy your needs thus
then you can extend the interpreter yourself, the rules and outline
functions are published in a couple of books, all you need do is to fill
in the gaps with C functions crafted according to a few published rules.

As Tcl/Tk development proceeds more and more software developers will
embrace it, it solves that very expensive problem of maintaining
separate versions for different platforms, or, rather, throws the
problem back on Sun Microsystems who have promised a free flow of
interpreters. A Tcl/Tk interpreter may be in your future too. (Oh yes,
you pronounce it tickle-tick).

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NEWS OF THE WEEK| This section is dedicated to verified news . . . All
News (C)opyright  Respective Owner - Will Only Reprint
------------------------------------------------------------------------
RED LOBSTER WINS . . . |
------------------------
CHICAGO, June 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Red Lobster Inc., one of the world's
largest full-service seafood restaurant chains in North America, has
been nominated as a finalist in the Windows World Open technology
competition for its innovative use of Stac Inc.'s (Nasdaq: STAC)
ReachOut(R), the first Internet-enabled complete remote access software
package.  A competition designed to award developers and their companies
for innovative work in solving business problems using the Microsoft
Windows(R) platform, the Windows World Open competition took place at
Windows World '96 June 3-6 in Chicago.

Red Lobster of Orlando was nominated for the honor in the mobile/remote
worker access category - one of eight categories in which only 27 firms
were chosen to compete - for its implementation of Stac's ReachOut
software.  Red Lobster uses the product in its Home Agent program, which
allows guest relations workers, of which 75 percent are physically
challenged, to field calls from customers and vendors at home, rather
than at the office and access Red Lobster's Star2000 database system.

"We started the Home Agent program because we recognized the talents of
employees with disabilities and wanted to make their lives easier and
more productive," said Arlene Marcus, Red Lobster's manager of guest
relations.  "ReachOut is easy to use and eliminates the time-consuming
transportation problems that often face the physically challenged.
ReachOut has been great, and Red Lobster has a happier, more motivated
staff as a result."

The Home Agent program equips guest relations workers with a personal
computer, a telephone, a modem, a transcriber and ReachOut. Using
ReachOut, employees can transmit their data to a departmental server and
retrieve information with the same kind of performance and speed as if
they are working in Red Lobster's offices.

Bette Salem, a guest relations employee with cerebral palsy, said she's
benefited by using ReachOut because it saves her several hours a day in
driving and preparing for work in the morning. "ReachOut is my personal
highway to the office," she said.

In one single package ReachOut provides support for Windows 95, Windows
3.1 and DOS, with modem, network, host and viewer components all
included.  A free 30-day timed evaluation of ReachOut is also available
on Stac's home page at http://www.stac.com.  ReachOut for Windows 95,
Windows and DOS retails for approximately $99.

------------------------------------
STAR TREK WEARABLE COMPUTERS . . . |
------------------------------------
WASHINGTON, June 5 /PRNewswire/ - Today, Computing Devices International
formally launched its new product THE WEARABLE(TM) Computer, which
provides the user with information on demand - anytime, anywhere. A
press briefing and product demonstration were hosted in conjunction with
AFCEA's Technet '96.

This innovative technology is now available across a broad spectrum of
defense and aviation-related applications to provide hands-free digital
and voice communications. This 2-pound-computer provides the digital
processing power of today's PC, yet is so compact it can be worn as a
belt or in a vest.

THE WEARABLE consists of four major components: THE WEARABLE Computer,
configurable peripherals, the support environment and application
software.  The processor board is an Intel 486 DX4 with 75 MHz.  Memory
can range from 8-24 MB RAM, and included is 16-bit stereo sound on
board.

The operating system uses Microsoft DOS and Microsoft Windows to support
software applications.  IBM's Voice Type Applications Factory software
or other COTS speech recognition packages are used for the voice
recognition and recorded voice applications. Product functionality is
supported by up to four PCMCIA Type II or III card slot peripherals and
built-in capabilities on the mother board for keyboard, mouse, VGA
display, LCD display and voice processing.

The applications are vast for THE WEARABLE.  A few of these include:
intelligence data and imagery gathering, combat medical diagnosis and
treatment, maintenance, logistics, training and dictation/language
translation.

Currently, the U.S. Army is using a prototype of THE WEARABLE in Bosnia
for language translation by NATO peace keepers.  This technology is
being used to interview local Serbs and Croatians to obtain information
on location of mine fields.  THE WEARABLE translates the English phrase
into the local language using voice recognition technology and
broadcasts the phrase via a body-mounted speaker to the person being
interviewed.

Computing Devices International, a division of Ceridian Corporation, has
a track record of success that spans more than 45 years over hundreds of
programs and thousands of platforms. Computing Devices International is
dedicated to developing and integrating reliable, affordable electronic
information solutions for defense and civil government customers
worldwide.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
REVIEWS OF THE WEEK | Interesting software/hardware you may need . . .
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Product: DacEasy Accounting & Payroll 95
Reviewed By: Dennis MacPherson
Reviewed on: 486DX2/66, 16MB RAM, Windows 95
------------------------------------------------------------------------
DacEasy Accounting & Payroll 95 (hereafter referred to as DacEasy) was
specifically designed to run in Windows95. It is a feature-rich
accounting package for small to medium size businesses wishing to keep
their books on a PC in the Windows environment. If you already know how
to set up and maintain a general ledger and you know how to do payroll,
working with the program is easy. If you don't, you will need to learn
the basic principles of accounting before attempting to run your
business with this software e.

Features 
In addition to payroll and general ledger, DacEasy offers the following
features:

  * Billing for Services
  * Tracking Backorders
  * Selling Products not in Stock
  * Contact Management
  * Customer, vendor, and Products Lists
  * Financial Reports

The nature of your business will dictate which features, also called
modules, you will use. It is recommended that all modules be installed
during setup so that each module is configured properly. The default
setup automatically installs every module.

A powerful feature of most PC-related accounting programs is the
automatic posting of entries from subsidiary ledgers (e.g. accounts
receivable) to the general ledger. DacEasy automatically posts all
transactions when you save, with the exception of Invoicing and Purchase
Orders. You must use the Update Ledgers option and do a "batch update"
in order to post invoices and purchase orders. 

Setup
DacEasy comes on nine 31/2 inch diskettes and is very easy to install. A
series of Windows95-style welcome screens guide you through the process
of inserting the correct disks. Once installed, access to the program is
automatically set up in the Programs folder of the Start menu. Disk
three during installation was unreadable for me, but the program allowed
me to continue with the installation anyway. The final message said
setup was completed successfully and I did not encounter any problems
while testing t he software. I'm not sure if I need the contents of disk
three or not!?!

Anxious to set up a brand new company with the software, I decided to
refer to the small 132-page Quick Start Guide for assistance. I went to
Chapter 3, entitled Getting Started, and had no difficulty following the
directions.

After starting the software, I clicked on the word File on the menu and
selected New Company. Since I was a new user (vis--vis an owner of a
previous version) I had to register the software before I could use it.
A window opened up asking me to dial an 800 number to receive an
activation key. I simply needed to provide the serial number stamped on
the inside of the Quick Start Guide. Seemed simple enough.

Unfortunately, it took about thirty minutes to get the correct
activation key. The first call to the 800 number returned an activation
key that did not work; the serial number in the guide was "incorrect." A
second toll-free call confirmed the problem but they said they were
unable to help. They referred me to Technical Support, which I had to
call and which was not toll-free, and I was given a new serial number
and an activation key to match. It was a frustrating half hour to say
the least.

Once activated, I then entered the company's name and address, the first
month of the financial year, and the year the business would start.
Next, I chose my type of business (consulting) from a scrollable list
which includes a bakery, dressmaking, construction, dentistry, and many
others. The selection sets up a chart of accounts specific to the
business selected. There's also the option of creating a chart of
accounts from scratch. The final screen asked for a data directory
pathname and a password. The New Company Wizard displayed a summary of
my new company and I clicked on the Finish button. DacEasy then set up
all the appropriate company files in less than a minute.

After setting up the chart of accounts, the Guide describes the process
of setting up payroll. It is at this point that you need to know
accounting; in particular, how payroll affects the chart of accounts.
The first time you access the Payroll module, the Company Preferences
dialog box is displayed. Here is where you tell DacEasy which accounts
you want to affect when it updates payroll entries to the general
ledger. For example, which account is affected by FUTA and which by
FICA-OASDI? If you don't know the answers to questions like these, you
really shouldn't continue.

Working with DacEasy
The main screen consists of a menu and the following thirteen buttons
for quick access to the programs main modules:

* Customers
* Vendors
* Products
* General Ledger
* Bank
* Purchase Orders
* Invoices
* Fixed Assets
* Financial
* Report Generator
* Payroll
* Assistant (to-do)
* Layout Design

Selecting any button from this main button bar opens the appropriate
window, and each new window opens with an additional button bar for that
module. For example, when you click on Financial, the Financial window
opens with buttons for an Audit Trail, Trial Balance, Profit and Loss,
Balance Sheet, Budget Analysis, and Prior Year Analysis. The hierarchy
of button bars is logical and well laid out.

I was moderately disappointed by the lack of use of the right mouse
button. In view of the fact that DacEasy is promoted as a Windows95
application, I expected more '95' bells and whistles.

Getting Help
I liked the online help tools DacEasy provides for working with the
program. Tool tips identify the function of buttons when the mouse
passes over them; Field Facts give a short description of the
information you're suppose to enter when the cursor lands in a data
entry field; Flash cards explain the purpose of each main screen in a
module; and F1 Online Help and Wizards provide detailed steps of complex
procedures if you need them.

Off-line and telephone assistance includes 30 days free support to new
users (sans a toll free number, however); free automated support; 900
line support at $3 per minute; and credit card support with a $30
minimum.

The Quick Start Guide offers a feeble attempt at introducing the basic
principles of accounting. One chart, for example, is presented to show
the user when to issue a debit versus a credit to increase or decrease
the balance on a particular type of account. Unfortunately, the
credit-debit system in accounting is not that simple.

Summary
Overall, I liked DacEasy, but I don't believe it is the easiest
accounting software for small companies in the Windows environment. It
certainly doesn't take advantage of the many shortcuts Windows95 has to
offer as does other 32-bit applications. In my opinion, it's probably
easier than Peach Tree but more difficult than QuickBooks. Bottom line:
talk to your accountant before buying any software you believe  will
help you run your business.

DacEasy, Inc.
1750 Preston Road Suite 800
Dallas, Texas 75252
(214)-248-0205 WWW:
CompuServe: PCVenB
America Online: Keywords, DacEasy

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Product: Civilization II
Reviewed By: Gail B.C. Marsella 71551.3200@compuserve.com
Requirements: 486, Windows 3.1, 8 MB RAM
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The game designers have been staying up late. Remember those old text
role-playing games where you read scene descriptions off the screen and
worked out an environment in your mind as you moved around, picked up
things, and fended off enemies? Here's one of the highly evolved
descendants: Civilization II, an elaborate scenario design, exploration
and manipulation program, kind of a cross between Adventure, SimCity,
and the board game Diplomacy, with some world history thrown in for good
measure. Those of you who are familiar with advanced games have probably
already played the original Civilization, but I have not, so this review
takes the point of view of a beginner.

Let's get the problems and requirements out of the way first. Do you
have enough hard disk space for this monster? It takes up over 40 megs,
depending on the cluster size of the hard disk partitions, and requires
at least a 486-33MHz computer with 8 megs of RAM and Windows 95 or 3.1.
Civ2 also requires the very latest video drivers, and appears to be
pretty picky about which ones it will tolerate. Finally, it's a little
unstable. It doesn't close properly (the music stays on even after the
program exits), and I've had a couple spectacular GPFs when running it,
even under Windows 95.

If you've got the hardware and the time to get hooked, however, try it.
This is a fascinating product. The object is to start with a small band
of wandering settlers on a particular terrain, and build a lasting
civilization by making scientific, military, and political decisions.
Your first job is to begin building a permanent settlement, and then to
start exploring the world. You meet various other tribes - some
friendly, some hostile - make discoveries, and encounter various
problems. An excellent tutorial takes you through several centuries of
an example civilization and then you can build your own. (You don't have
to run the tutorial, of course, but I recommend it - I got lost building
my own civilization cold, and ended up exiting the game with the
ignominious title "Diana the Worthless.")

What makes this game so interesting is the level of detail built into
it. You not only build cities, you must also manage them, right down to
monitoring happiness and quelling civil disorder. Each city has an
elaborate summary screen that you can call up to see how much food is in
storage, what technology has been discovered, and so on. You collect
taxes, build roads, and monitor pollution. You not only meet other
tribes and civilizations, you also negotiate with them, establish trade
routes with them, and spy on them. One of the ways to win the game is to
advance your technology to the point where you can build and launch a
spaceship. The software manual is 200 pages long, but contains a wealth
of information on the background concepts that went into creating the
game, and the strategies that can be used to play it. (It also has an
excellent index, rare for computer manuals.)

Unlike the original adventure games, of course, you see a picture of
your surroundings on-screen, with background music. I did find the music
a distraction and turned it off after awhile; unlike Myst, for example,
where the sound effects depend on the surroundings, the music in Civ2 is
just for show. That's a minor point, though. This is an excellent,
thought- provoking - not to mention addictive - program.

Microprose Software, Inc.
180 Lakefront Drive
Hunt Valley, MD 21030-2245
410-771-1151
http://www.microprose.com

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Product: Kidnet: The Kid's Guide to Surfing Through Cyberspace
Reviewed By: David Leininger, services@alanrand.com, http://www.alanrand.com
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kidnet is a book of 14 chapters and 286 pages to guide parents of 9-14
year old children through the wonders of Cyberspace. It was published in
1995 and, like any publication on Cyberspace, is somewhat dated in
several areas. The book covers sites and services on the Internet,
America Online, CompuServe, Prodigy, and the secondary tier of
ImagiNation Networks, Delphi, GEnie and eWorld.

The book starts with 35 pages of very brief narratives on the commercial
services, including sections describing their strengths, weaknesses, and
what's ahead for each of them. Pricing options are mentioned in passing.
The computer components necessary to get online are mentioned, along
with such gems as "... be sure to bargain for the best price. It is
possible to do this." I suppose this kind of advice, peppered throughout
the book, is valuable to the most novice computer owner. Yet, it seems
rather condescending to anyone who's had a machine for more than six
months.

Two valuable elements of the book are the Ten Rules for Staying Safe
Online and Netiquette for Kids. Both sections should be required reading
before anyone attempts online communications.

The balance of the book references addresses on each service and the
Internet for general resource categories , including help with homework,
TV and movies, music, hobbies, sports, ecology, pets, international
cultures, humor, and games. Brief mentions are made of the major search
engines and starting places. Due to the state of the Internet at the
time the book was written, key search engines such as Infoseek, Alta
Vista, and Excite are unlisted. Yahoo is the only starting point in the
book. With the ever increasing content coming on the Internet, a deeper
discussion of how to find new sites related to topics would be valuable.

A World Wide Web site supporting the book seems to have been forgotten.
The Internet address listed in the book is a CompuServe address. With
the kind of exposure HarperCollins is able to give a book, it is a shame
that a KIDNET.COM site was not created. KIDNET.COM has been a registered
domain name since 1994, but is not an operational site at this writing
(3/1/96).

The book is worth $14.00 to parents whose children will be making their first electronic forays this year. If 
you've been online with for even a month with any of the commercial services or the Internet, put the money 
toward your next month's billing.

Kidnet: The Kid's Guide to Surfing Through Cyberspace
By Debra and Brad Schepp
Published by HarperCollins Publishers
ISBN 0-06-273380-X
$14.00

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WEBSITES OF THE WEEK! | This section is devoted to cool WebSites . . .
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Microsoft Opens New StarTrek Web|
---------------------------------
LOS ANGELES/REDMOND, Wash. - July 10, 1996 - Paramount Digital
Entertainment (PDE), a unit of Viacom Inc., and Microsoft Corp. today
announced the availability of STAR TREK: CONTINUUM, the official
interactive site dedicated to all "Star Trek" incarnations, to be hosted
exclusively on MSN, The Microsoft Network, Microsoft's Internet online
service. STAR TREK: CONTINUUM features comprehensive archives and
activities surrounding all "Star Trek" properties and is designed to be
the place where people can exp lore strange new worlds and engage new
life forms online. STAR TREK: CONTINUUM is the most extensive online
source of information about "Star Trek." It is available to MSN members
at http://startrek.msn.com/ and is based on the open standards of the
Internet. "STAR TREK: CONTINUUM is a prime example of our goal to extend
our entertainment properties to the digital medium and deliver them in
an engaging way," said David Wertheimer, president of PDE. "Microsoft
has provided us with the platform to showcase one of our most valuable
franchises." "We're very excited to be working closely with Paramount in
delivering the official 'Star Trek' interactive site and creating new
experiences exclusively for our MSN members," said Jeff Sanderson,
director of marketing for The Microsoft Network division at Microsoft.
"We hope to attract and engage the franchise's many loyal fans by
offering content under the 'Star Trek' brand that is interactive and
compelling."

STAR TREK: CONTINUUM is designed to take users into a new dimension
online where they can find out everything they want to know about "Star
Trek." STAR TREK: CONTINUUM includes episodic, character and
behind-the-scenes information on the seven Paramount motion pictures and
the four Paramount TV series: "Star Trek," "Star Trek: The Next
Generation," "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" and "Star Trek: Voyager."
Other services include interactive multimedia content that immerses
subscribers in the "Star Trek" experie nce; the Klingon Compendium, a
comprehensive source of information on the Klingon Empire; forums for
"Star Trek" fans to gather and interact; detailed historical information
on "Star Trek" episodes, characters, actors, aliens, technology and
other exciting material; and advance information on television shows and
motion pictures. In addition, fans can participate in 3-D chats in which
they can choose to become a "Star Trek" avatar in Quark's Bar, an
environment created from "Deep Space Nine." Here they may also chat with
other costumed "Trek" visitors. Also incorporated in the engaging
environment of STAR TREK: CONTINUUM are full-screen graphical menus,
audio clips, video clips, animation and multiple chat rooms. The site
was designed and developed by PDE with the assistance of The Digital
Foundry Inc. of Tiburon, Calif.

"Star Trek" is one of the entertainment industry's most enduring and
broad-based properties. The original 79 "Star Trek" episodes aired on
television between 1966 and 1969, making this September the 30-year
anniversary of "Star Trek." Since then, other "Star Trek" series have
appeared on television, including "Star Trek: The Next Generation,"
"Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" and "Star Trek: Voyager." In addition,
seven hit "Star Trek" motion pictures have been released, all of which
went on to become enormously successful in the home video market. The
eighth "Star Trek" motion picture is in development. A powerhouse in the
publishing, toy, collectible gift and consumer electronic areas, "Star
Trek" merchandise has totaled nearly $2 billion in retail sales since
its television debut. Currently, there are more than 250 official
licensees worldwide.

In June, PDE and Microsoft launched ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT ONLINE
(http://et.msn.com/), the official Web site companion to America's most
popular entertainment news series. The dynamic online show incorporates
the energy and excitement of the daily broadcasts with the unique
interactive opportunities of the Internet.

Formed in May 1995, Paramount Digital Entertainment draws upon
Paramount's rich history in motion pictures and television programming
by channeling Paramount's creative resources into the promotion of
Paramount properties, the creation of original online products, and the
development of a new breed of promotional vehicles for its advertising
partners. With direct access to the Paramount Television Group, PDE is
able to carry the studio's 83-year tradition of entertainment excellence
into cyberspace. PDE is headquartered in Hollywood.

MSN offers a variety of services that include access to hundreds of
special-interest bulletin boards; offerings from more than 200 content
providers; multimedia reference information; full Internet access
including e-mail accounts, thousands of newsgroups and the World Wide
Web (Web access where available); and up-to-date news and information
from the service's news package, MSN News.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
INTERVIEW WITH ????? | Weekly Interviews with the Movers and Shakers!
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Interviews will be back next week! Instead, I decided to run a piece on
the history of the Internet.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
As you know, the Internet offers many wonderful mailing lists you can
subscribe to. CompuNotes is one of just thousands of lists you have
access to!

Patrick Lavelle <patlav@epix.net> has come up with a list you need to
subscribe to called Success Online. Success Online sends you a success
building thought or anecdote every week. The following is our
conversation with Patrick:

1) Success Online is, well, a success. Where did the idea come from to
do this?

Success Online grew out of Rob Gilbert's daily phone message called
"Success Hotline".  I was (and still am) a daily caller and one day he
gave out his email address, so I wrote him a letter and suggested that
we start the on-line service.  He thought it was a great idea so we
started doing it.


2) Where do you find the information you pass on? How do you decide what
to send out and what to keep?

About half the messages are stories/idea's that we've complied from our
personal readings and life experiences.  However, the other half, and
most of the time the better half, are submitted to us by our
subscribers.

Although we don't have a "formal" policy on message content, we tend to
send out stories based on what is going on in the United States or based
on the time of year.  We have some super stories coming up with the 96
Olympics!


3) What are some comments or feedback you have gotten from users? Any
weird or unique stories?

We have gotten feedback from teachers(grade school through college) who
use our messages to start out their classes.  One subscribers starting
sharing the messages with his ex-wife and they got back together.   The
most touching story was from a subscriber in Bosnia who told us that our
messages gave her the courage to believe that peace was possible.


4) What do you do for a living? How does that mesh with Success Online?

As I mentioned, Rob Gilbert is a Ph.D. at Montclair State University and
teaches sports psychology.  I'm a Operations Manager for Waste
Management of Northeast Pa.  (Yes, I run a refuse and recycling
company!)    But regardless if your profession is teaching or trash,
it's important to remember that your dealing with people and people need
to be motivated, need leadership and need to be treated fairly.

Much of success online is dedicated to helping our subscribers develop
and rekindle these ideals in their life.

5) What is your personal computer setup? What piece of equipment or
software would you add if you could?

I use a Compaq Presario 9549.  If I had to do it over, I'd jack up the
RAM a little more from the 8 meg that it has to 16 or 24.   In terms of
the list server, we use a commercial firm called Cuenet.
(support@cue.com)   The cost is nominal (15.00/month) and the system and
support is tremendous.

If I had to add something to my personal set up, I'd add a photo/
document scanner.   I'm in the process of writing my first book and it
would come in handy.


6) Explain why you think having a positive outlook on life is so
important . . .

It has been said that "We're not what we think we are, but what we
                       think....we are."


I've met people undergoing chemotherapy treatment who consider
themselves the luckiest people alive.  I've also met perfectly healthy
people who consider their life to be in ruins because the car isn't the
latest model or can't buy a new suit.

It's all in one's attitude and perspective in life.  Life isn't a dress
rehearsal, this is the real thing.   Having a positive attitude, people
will find the best that life has to offer and not was time on the non
productive things.

7) What do you do for fun when you aren't working?

I pretend to be a good golfer, I enjoy reading biography's, I'm writing
a book on the history of minor league baseball in Scranton Pa and enjoy
swimming/working out.

8) Where do you see the future of Success Online going?

One of the goals that Rob and I have set is to one day meet each other.
It's interesting that we have created such an impact on people's lives
and that we never have meet.

After that, at some point in time we see ourselves running "mini
seminar's" on line on what ever subject's the subscribers would like to
cover.

But most importantly, Success On Line will NEVER become a commercial
site and NEVER try to sell the subscribers ANYTHING.  We are dedicated
to providing these messages to our subscribers with absolutely no
strings attached.

9) What other mailing lists are you a member of?

I'm a member of CNET's Digital Dispatch. Yahoo's Pick of the Week
(yahoo-picks-request@yahoo.com) George Osners Quote of the Day
(gosner@ainet.com) Success Express Journal (sej@success.ie)

If anyone is interested, send a email with "subscribe" in the body of
the letter to join.

10) Who's going to win the presidential election in November?

I'm a dedicated Republican, so Bob Dole will be our next presidnet.


To subscribe, send an email to patlav@epix.net and in the body of the
letter type "subscribe success"

The archives can be found at
http://www.bae.uga.edu/other/david/david.html


                                --END OF ISSUE--
