1989 15.12 1991

Vol.15 n°12 november 1990

Vol.15 n°12 november 1990

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p.4 Contents

p.4 Contents

COVER STORY

COVER STORY

p.140 FIRST IMPRESSIONS Compaq Notebook Ups the Ante

p.140 FIRST IMPRESSIONS Compaq Notebook Ups the Ante

The LTE 386s/20 is the high-performance notebook PC to beat.

NEWS

NEWS

p.19 MICROBYTES

p.19 MICROBYTES

"MISC," a new minimalist microprocessor architecture, promises faster systems that can emulate other processor architectures.

p.46 WHAT'S NEW

p.46 WHAT'S NEW

This month's product selections include GRiD's Isopoint laptop, entry-level multimedia software from MacroMind, a Mac scanner from HSD, and more.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

p.132 Ventura Publisher, Macintosh Edition 1.0, for a mixed-machine environment ScanMan 256, Logitech's scanner for Windows 3.0 NewWave 3.0, an updated version from Hewlett-Packard WinSleuth, Dariana's new diagnostics package WordPerfect Rhymer, for the student of the sound of language

p.132 Ventura Publisher, Macintosh Edition 1.0, for a mixed-machine environment ScanMan 256, Logitech's scanner for Windows 3.0 NewWave 3.0, an updated version from Hewlett-Packard WinSleuth, Dariana's new diagnostics package WordPerfect Rhymer, for the student of the sound of language

p.146 The New Macs on the Block

p.146 The New Macs on the Block

At last, lower prices-and a new design.

p.156 A New Status Quo for Quattro

p.156 A New Status Quo for Quattro

Borland adds 3-D graphics to its spreadsheet.

p.162 The ALR MPS: Modular Micro Channel

p.162 The ALR MPS: Modular Micro Channel

ALR gambles that it can take a bite out of the True Blue market.

p.165 Fast New Systems from NeXT

p.165 Fast New Systems from NeXT

Faster machines with lower prices and the long-sought floppy disk drive have arrived.

REVIEWS

REVIEWS

p.172 PRODUCT FOCUS: Massive Storage for Multiple Platforms

p.172 PRODUCT FOCUS: Massive Storage for Multiple Platforms

The BYTE Lab puts 15 high-capacity hard disk drives to the test across four operating systems: DOS, Unix, NetWare 386, and the Mac OS.

p.190 High-Performance 486 ATs

p.190 High-Performance 486 ATs

The great performance of three 33-MHz 486s shows there's still life in the old AT bus.

p.194 FPU Face-Off

p.194 FPU Face-Off

Not all FPUs are created equal. The BYTE Lab shows performance differences among FPUs from AMD, Cyrix, IIT, Intel, and Weitek.

p.205 New Controller Makes SCSI Palatable to PCs

p.205 New Controller Makes SCSI Palatable to PCs

Distributed Processing Technology's SmartConnex/ISA hides SCSI's incompatibility from PCs.

p.221 Windows Takes On WingZ

p.221 Windows Takes On WingZ

Informix's graphical spreadsheet puts Windows 3.0 through its paces.

p.227 Mac-ish Interfaces for Unix

p.227 Mac-ish Interfaces for Unix

Looking Glass and X.desktop provide point-and-click ease of use to Unix.

p.235 New Bubble-Jet Outpaces Portable Printers

p.235 New Bubble-Jet Outpaces Portable Printers

Canon's new portable printer bubbles over with sharp resolution and flexibility.

p.239 A Poqet Full of Power

p.239 A Poqet Full of Power

It's small. It's innovative. But is it practical? Wayne Rash Jr. takes the Poqet PC on the road.

p.245 One-Size-Fits-All Code with Lattice C

p.245 One-Size-Fits-All Code with Lattice C

A royalty-free DOS extender is standard with Lattice's new C compiler.

p.251 Document Management on Networked PCs

p.251 Document Management on Networked PCs

Imara and ProFound offer two approaches to keeping track of documents.

p.258 Small, Low-Cost UPSes

p.258 Small, Low-Cost UPSes

Small and inexpensive backup power systems make reliable power an individual choice.

p.262 TravelMate 2000 Lives Up to Its Name

p.262 TravelMate 2000 Lives Up to Its Name

Texas Instruments puts AT-class power in a 4-pound package.

p.266 Pricey Hard Disk Drive Portability

p.266 Pricey Hard Disk Drive Portability

The Disctec 20 provides floppy disk convenience with hard disk storage in a very small package.

p.268 Reviewer's Notebook

p.268 Reviewer's Notebook

A new ALR PowerFlex model, and hard disk confusion at Micro Express.

STATE OF THE ART

STATE OF THE ART

p.272 MAGNETIC VS. OPTICAL Introduction

p.272 MAGNETIC VS. OPTICAL Introduction

p.275 State of the Media

p.275 State of the Media

A look at the conflict between traditional magnetic mass storage devices and optical technologies.

p.283 Crystal Clear Storage

p.283 Crystal Clear Storage

The holostore, a new mass storage device with supercomputer performance, could eliminate the I/O bottleneck.

p.289 Entering a New Phase

p.289 Entering a New Phase

Optical and magnetic are at opposite ends of the spectrum. Can phase-change technology bridge the gap?

p.301 The Once and Future King

p.301 The Once and Future King

Hard disk technology will be your primary computer storage medium for years to come.

p.304 Side by Side

p.304 Side by Side

You can store more data on a floppy disk if you can get the bits to stand up straight.

p.311 Store Data in a Flash

p.311 Store Data in a Flash

The flash-memory disk offers a fast and rugged replacement for both hard and floppy disk drives.

p.323 DAT's a Solution

p.323 DAT's a Solution

Digital-audiotape technology comes of age.

p.331 Getting Your Byte's Worth

p.331 Getting Your Byte's Worth

Hardware-based data compression gives you more bang for your QIC, DAT, and hard disk buck.

p.338 Masses of Storage

p.338 Masses of Storage

A guide to companies that provide mass storage solutions.

FEATURES

FEATURES

p.342 Chips for the Nineties and Beyond

p.342 Chips for the Nineties and Beyond

New chips may make for higherperformance and unconventional ways of computing.

p.353 Modem Business

p.353 Modem Business

Confused by modem standards like 212A, V.22, and V.32bis? Here's help.

p.364 A Knowledge Engineering Toolkit, Part 2

p.364 A Knowledge Engineering Toolkit, Part 2

The discussion continues, with a look at backward and forward chaining.

p.373 Hot Links to Go

p.373 Hot Links to Go

A look at Windows' and OS/2's Dynamic Data Exchange facility.

Alternative Operating Systems, Part 4: Pick: OS or DBMS?

What do you get when you build an operating system around a database?

p.385 Modula-3

p.385 Modula-3

An introduction to the OOP language that grew from Pascal and Modula-2.

HANDS ON

HANDS ON

p.395 UNDER THE HOOD The Mouse that Roared

p.395 UNDER THE HOOD The Mouse that Roared

The history, anatomy, and physiology of the desktop mouse.

p.403 SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED Talking Tasks, Part 2

p.403 SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED Talking Tasks, Part 2

Introducing the most common methods of interprocess communications for Unix and OS/2.

DEPARTMENTS

DEPARTMENTS

p.6 Spotlight

p.6 Spotlight

Jerry Pournelle: 10 years with BYTE and counting

p.10 Editorial: Laptop Troubles and Triumphs

p.10 Editorial: Laptop Troubles and Triumphs

p.33 Letters, Ask BYTE, and Fixes

p.33 Letters, Ask BYTE, and Fixes

Readers find self-realization.

PERSPECTIVES

PERSPECTIVES

p.465 CHAOS MANOR MAIL

p.465 CHAOS MANOR MAIL

p.466 PRINT QUEUE Stomping the Nasties

p.466 PRINT QUEUE Stomping the Nasties

Professor Kenner examines a new volume by computer virus hunter John McAfee.

p.468 STOP BIT Promises, Promises

p.468 STOP BIT Promises, Promises

A lawyer looks at the warranties-real and implied-that come with computer equipment.

EXPERT ADVICE

EXPERT ADVICE

p.73 COMPUTING AT CHAOS MANOR Multimedia Video

p.73 COMPUTING AT CHAOS MANOR Multimedia Video

Jerry looks at multimedia video boards, a new Modula-2, and assorted gadgets.

[author : Jerry Poumelle]

p.89 DOWN TO BUSINESS The Growth of Groupware

p.89 DOWN TO BUSINESS The Growth of Groupware

Wayne addresses groupware and how to determine what capabilities your company needs.

[author : Wayne Rash Jr.]

p.97 NETWORKS Hard Choices for Network Managers

p.97 NETWORKS Hard Choices for Network Managers

You can't always wait for the perfect network management solution.

[author : Mark L. Van Name and Bill Catchings]

p.107 MACINATIONS Working with Windows 3.0 and a Mac

p.107 MACINATIONS Working with Windows 3.0 and a Mac

Don presents the Mac/Windows 3.0 user's interoperability survival guide.

[author : Don Crabb]

p.119 THE UNIX /bin Not Quite Unix

p.119 THE UNIX /bin Not Quite Unix

The tribulations and treats of using a $100 Unix clone.

[author : David Fiedler]

p.127 BEYOND DOS: WINDOWS AND OS/2 Tales from the Trenches

p.127 BEYOND DOS: WINDOWS AND OS/2 Tales from the Trenches

An OS/2 device-driver specialist talks shop.

[author : Steve Mastrianni]

READER SERVICE

READER SERVICE

p.454 Editorial Index by Company

p.454 Editorial Index by Company

p.456 Alphabetical Index to Advertisers

p.456 Alphabetical Index to Advertisers

p.458 Index to Advertisers by Product Category

p.458 Index to Advertisers by Product Category

Inquiry Reply Cards: after 460

Inquiry Reply Cards: after 460

PROGRAM LISTINGS

PROGRAM LISTINGS

From BYTEnet: Call (617) 861-9764

From BYTEnet: Call (617) 861-9764