PC/GEOS FAQ, Geos Software Information
Raymond Ancog
Posting-Frequency: monthly
Last-modified: November 12, 2000
URL: http://www.geocities.com/originalravinray/geos/faq/pcgeosfaq2.txt
The most recent version of this file can be found at any news.answers
archive site. One such site is rtfm.mit.edu, in the
/pub/usenet/comp.os.geos.misc subdirectory. The most recent version of the
FAQ is also available from my home page at
http://www.geocities.com/originalravinray/geos/faq/ in both HTML and ASCII
format.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
DISCLAIMER
I make no claims about the accuracy of this information. Use it at your own
risk. This file is compiled from various sources, including but not limited
to USENET, the Web, commercial networks, and electronic mail. The FAQ is
mostly targeted towards desktop Geos users, both Ensemble and NewDeal
Office. However, there are still many sections devoted to other topics and
Geos platforms.
This information may be freely distributed, in whole or in part, in any
form, provided that any distributor:
* Tells me, so that I can inform you of updates to the FAQ and tell the
USENET community (I will keep the information confidential, if you
desire)
* Makes every reasonable effort to keep this information current
* Releases myself and the rest of USENET from any liability.
If this file leaves the confines of USENET for any BBS's, web pages, user
groups, commercial networks, or other networks (FidoNet, GeoHolics Net,
etc.) or vendors, please let me know so that I can pass along the
information to others.
Please send submissions, comments, suggestions, or corrections to
raya...@pacific.net.ph.
CREDITS
I'd like to give the following folks my thanks:
* Steve Main (st...@newdealinc.com, http://www.newdealinc.com) Director
of Technical Services, NewDeal.
* Anne Page (anne...@psl-online.com) for reposting this FAQ to
FidoNet.
* Lynn Montelauro (GSMLynn@aol) for making this FAQ a part of GSMN.
* BlackEagle Services (blke...@dynasty.net,
http://dynasty.net/users/blkeagle/) for distributing copies of this
FAQ to its customers.
* Werni Grieder (Basel...@aol.com,
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/WerniGrieder) for being a
Geos deity.
* Doug Taylor (doug-t...@osu.edu) for a lot of the PDA information.
* All the people who have written great Geos software.
* All the people who mail me information and follow comp.os.geos.misc.
* And of course, James Bearden, the original author of this FAQ.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
INDEX
* 2 Geos Software Information
o 2.1 Desktop Software Products
+ 2.1.1 What desktop products are available for Geos?
o 2.2 Geos Development Products
+ 2.2.1 What development products are available for Geos?
+ 2.2.2 How can I order development products?
+ 2.2.3 What is IZL?
+ 2.2.4 What is Geos programming like?
+ 2.2.5 Are there any visual developement tools for Geos?
o 2.3 Shareware
+ 2.3.1 What shareware available for Geos?
+ 2.3.2 Are there any anonymous FTP sites for Geos software?
+ 2.3.3 Are there any Geos related BBS's?
+ 2.3.4 Are there any DOS programs written for Geos?
o 2.4 Communications Software
+ 2.4.1 Are there any communications programs available for
Geos?
+ 2.4.2 Does Geos do TCP/IP?
+ 2.4.3 What DOS based Internet software is available?
------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 Geos Software Information
2.1 Desktop Software Products
2.1.1 What desktop products are available for Geos?
There are many companies and individuals that sell Geos desktop software.
The most notable are NewDeal and Breadbox Computer, but there are many
more. Not only does this list keep changing, but the products offered by
these companies and the places and means to buy them continue to change.
NewDeal can be reached at:
NewDeal, Inc.
20 Holland St.
Somerville MA 02144
Sales and customer service
email: sa...@newdealinc.com
phone: 800-985-4263
Technical support
email: sup...@newdealinc.com
All other calls: (617)-625-1890
Fax: (617)-625-5299
Breadbox Computer (now part of MyTurn.com) can be reached at:
Breadbox Computer
PO Box 808
Port Richey, FL 34673-0808x
Tel/Fax (813) 847-6996
E-mail: Bbox...@aol.com
Web: http://www.breadbox.com
2.2 Geos Development Products
2.2.1 What development products are available for Geos?
Geoworks wrote several SDK's as Geos evolved. Version 2.0 supported the
desktop, Zoomer, and Sharp PT-9000 (a preview of a pen-based tablet
PC/PDA). Version 2.1 emulated the HP OmniGo 100/120. With the release of
the Nokia 9000, Geoworks created three versions of the Communicator SDK: a
DOS-based 9000 version, a DOS-based 9000i version (for the GSM model), and
an NT-based 9000i version. The latest version is an NT-based 9110 SDK. The
SDK's require Borland C/C++ 3.1 or higher (version 4.5 for the 9110 SDK).
Geoworks transfered the 2.x SDK's to NewDeal, and has discontinued the 9000
SDK's. The 9000i SDK is included in the 9110 SDK CD-ROM, though. The 9110
SDK is currently marketed by Nokia. It might sell off the remaining stock
of 9000 SDK's to those who are still interested; ask the Geoworks and Nokia
people.
* Geos 2.x SDK - For NDO, the Casio/Tandy/AST Zoomer, and HP OmniGo
100/120 (http://www.newdealinc.com/devrel)
* Geos 3.0 SDK - For the Nokia 9000i/9110 Communicator
* Geos 3.0 SDK - For the Nokia 9000i/9110 Communicator
(http://www.forum.nokia.com/developers/communicators/geossdk/geossdk.html)
NewDeal is selling off the 2.x SDK's and said that an NT-based version of
the NDO SDK will be available soon.
Geoworks Bindery is an application for creating electronic "books" that can
be read by a Book Reader on NDO or the OmniGo. It functions very much like
Adobe Acrobat or Corel (formerly WordPerfect, then Novell) Envoy, only it
is available exclusively on the Geos platform. As with the 2.x SDK's,
Geoworks has transfered the Bindery to NewDeal.
* Geoworks Bindery - Electronic publishing tool
(http://www.newdealinc.com/devrel/)
2.2.2 How can I order development products?
Geoworks has turned over Geos 3.0 development and support to Nokia. Go the
Nokia Communicator Forum (as listed above) where you can fill out a form
regarding your plans for developing Geos 3.0 applications.
The SDK's for Geos 2.0 and the OmniGo (v2.1) are still being sold (US$
99.50), while supplies last. You can e-mail directly to NewDeal's sales
department at sa...@newdealinc.com.
2.2.3 What is IZL?
John Feras' (jfe...@netaxs.com) Feras Information Technologies has written
an easy to use, powerful Geos scripting language with which you can write
entire Geos applications. IZL is available in the desktop version, Zoomer,
and OmniGo flavors. The files and documents, including an OmniGo IZL FAQ,
can be found at Geos maven Holger Laux's website,
http://my.genie.co.uk/holger.laux/izl/izlapps.htm. More information can
also be found in the Geos Programmer's FAQ.
2.2.4 What is Geos programming like?
While this topic is broad, this section will be brief since there is
another entire FAQ devoted to it which I will put up. For serious Geos
programming you need to buy a Geos SDK that is tailored to the Geos
platform that you want to write software for. However, you can probably get
by with one SDK, hopefully the latest, as long as you don't try to take
advantage of any unique features of your platform. The main point to using
an SDK is that it is DOS-based, although a multitasking environment is
recommended for task switching. A second computer is required to use the
debugger, and unless you like programming in assembly, you have to use a
Borland compiler. However, an NT-based SDK is available for the Nokia 9000
and 9110, which allows for single-machine debugging. Please refer to the
upcoming Geos programming FAQ for more information. The main support for
Geos development is through the Geoworks developer relations webpages
(http://www.geoworks.com/DevRel/), the usenet newsgroup
news:comp.os.geos.programmer, and e-mail to Geoworks.
2.2.5 Are there any visual development tools for Geos?
Yes. NewDeal released NewBASIC over two years ago. It has an easy-to-use
syntax, and is marketed much as Visual Basic is for Windows. David Given
(d...@tao.co.uk) is currently beta testing Metatalk, a Geos visual
developement system similar to Smalltalk. Along with other applications, it
can be downloaded at his GEOS downloads page.
2.3 Shareware
2.3.1 Is there any shareware available for Geos?
The list of Geos shareware is large and growing. Too much, in fact, to list
here.
2.3.2 Are there any anonymous FTP sites for Geos software?
For a more complete listing of Geos related FTP sites, check out
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/jbearden/gfiles.htm. Some of the
bigger ones are:
* ftp://ftp.newdealinc.com: NewDeal FTP Site
* ftp://ftp.dusers.drexel.edu/pub/geos: Arginine FTP Site
* ftp://ftp.gen.com/pub/argo-navis/ensemble/: Helmar's FTP Site
* ftp://ftp.datanetworks.ch/pub/GOCE: Geos Optimismus Crew Europe FTP
Site
2.3.3 Are there any Geos related BBS's?
The following BBS's are the only ones I know that have Geos related
content:
* The Police Academy (49-611-1860516) in Germany
* G-OS BBS ((03) 9803 6498) in Australia
* GeoZ Online Services - Home of GeoNet (03)9803-6498 (222:222/0)
* Ground Zero BBS, Ipswich, Queenslamd, Australia (07) 3812-0812
Fidonet: 3:640/812.4 Sysop: Frank Moran.
Current GeoNet main hub. Has Fidonet Geoworks echo, selection
of Geoworks files for versions 1.x.x and 2.xx.
* Past the Black Stump, Laidley, Queensland, Australia (074) 65-6667
Fidonet: 3:640/404 Sysop: Rhondda Cook.
Member GeoNet. Geoworks echo and selection of Geoworks files.
* Lake Cathie BBS, Lake Cathie, New South Wales, Australia (065) 86-3067
Fidonet: 3:711/475 Sysop: Glenn Pickford.
Member GeoNet. Geoworks echo and selection of Geoworks files.
Glenn is an Ensemble 2.01 user.
2.3.4 Are there any DOS programs written for Geos?
As usual, the list is always growing.
* PicLab V1.83 - Excellent for converting graphics to 16 color. Later
versions aren't as good at this
* BKGD2PCX - Converts PCX files to Geos backgrounds
* IconMake - Converts PCX files and Windows icons to Geos icons
* GeoDir - Lists the full Geos filenames at the DOS prompt
* EdFolder - Allows you to change the folder icons
* GeoKermit - An excellent general communications package
2.4 Communications Software
2.4.1 Are there any communications programs available for Geos?
For the desktop version there is GeoComm (aka NewComm), AOL, and CompuServe
software. Hwoever, AOL can no longer be accessed from a Geos client, since
AOL is no longer available from Sprint dial-up's. For the Zoomer there is
ZCommLite, AOL, and CompuServe software. For the OmniGo there is CompuServe
and OmniCom. The CompuServe software, CIM4GEOS, requires a patch for it to
work correctly for the desktop and the OmniGo. There are also several more
shareware Zoomer and OmniGo communications programs and connectivity packs
that work more or less on all Geos platforms. Check out the Zoomer homepage
(http://www.grot.com/zoomer/) for more details. A variety of file transfer
software is available for a variety of platforms (including UNIX and
Macintosh), and there are also several communications programs under
development. As far as the Internet is concerned, two browsers are
available. GeoBrowser is included in the GeoBook and BrotherWorks for the
desktop. A version named NewBrowser was available as part of a beta testing
program of NDOr3. Breadbox developed Skipper and Skipper Pro for NDOr3.
Future versions will support SSL and cookies. Breadbox also wrote the
Meeting Room IRC client software for the GeoBook and NDO. A more advanced
IRC app, WebChat, has been released, along with a newsreader and NewMail.
2.4.2 Does Geos do TCP/IP?
With version 3.0, it does. A BYTE article (1995) reported that the TCP/IP
stack is derived from BSD Unix. Version 3.0 includes much better
communications support, bug fixes, and new features like the system
mailbox.
2.4.3 What DOS based Internet software is available?
Before the advent of Geos 3.0, people were using five DOS-based Internet
suites under Geos: Minuet, Net-Tamer, Terminate, DosLynx, and Arachne.
After listening to more than a few people, it seems that Net-Tamer provides
the best Internet access, although Arachne is also popular.
End of the PC/GEOS FAQ Part 2
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright =A9 199?-1999 James Bearden. All rights reserved.
Copyright =A9 1999-2000 Raymond Thaddeus C. Ancog. All rights reserved.
Raymond Ancog
Posting-Frequency: monthly
Last-modified: November 12, 2000
------------------------------------------------------------------------
DISCLAIMER
CREDITS
INDEX
* 3 Geos Compatibility Information
o 3.1 Where to find more compatibility information
+ 3.1.1 Where can I find more information about running Geos
with my software and hardware?
o 3.2 DOS Compatibility
+ 3.2.1 What versions of DOS are compatible with Geos?
o 3.3 DR-DOS
+ 3.3.1 I switched from MS-DOS/PC-DOS to DR-DOS and Geos won't
load, even after I run SETUP. What am I doing wrong?
+ 3.3.2 Does the desktop version support DR-DOS 6.0
task-switching?
+ 3.3.3 Can I run Windows 3.1 on DR-DOS?
+ 3.3.4 DR-DOS is kind of old. Are there any updates?
+ 3.3.5 Will ZIP drives work with DR-DOS 6.0?
o 3.4 Novell DOS
+ 3.4.1 What about the Task Switcher/Multitasker in Novell's
NW-DOS 7?
o 3.5 Linux
+ 3.5.1 How can I get Geos to run under Linux?
o 3.6 Macintosh
+ 3.6.1 How can I get Geos to run on my Macintosh?
+ 3.6.2 How can I exchange files between my Mac and my Geos
platform?
+ 3.6.3 Will Geos work with a DOS Compatibility Card?
o 3.7 Network
+ 3.7.1 How can I use one document directory for different
drives?
+ 3.7.2 Are there any versions of Geos made specifically for
networks?
o 3.8 Windows NT/2000
+ 3.8.1 Is Geos compatible with Windows NT?
o 3.9 HP 200LX and OmniGo 700
+ 3.9.1 Will the desktop version run on my Hewlett Packard
200-LX or OmniGo 700 palmtop computer?
o 3.10 Iomega Zip Drives
+ 3.10.1 Does the Iomega Zip drive or removable drives work
with Geos?
o 3.11 Windows 95/98/Millennium Edition
+ 3.11.1 Can I run Ensemble/ NewDeal under Windows 95/98?
o 3.12 Y2K Compliance
+ 3.12.1 Is Geos fully Y2K compliant?
------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 Geos Compatibility Information
3.1 Where to find more compatibility information
3.1.1 Where can I find more information about running Geos with my software
and hardware?
The GeoInfo database is an excellent source of compatibility information,
and much of that information is now being updated and integrated into the
Technical Support Documents and Hot Tips on NewDeal's web site.
3.2 DOS Compatibility
3.2.1 What versions of DOS are compatible with Geos?
Geos will run on the following DOS'es:
* MS-DOS 3.x or higher (including Win9x MS-DOS mode); see below
* Windows 9x/ME DOS window; see below
* PC DOS 3.x or higher
* OS/2 DOS window
* Windows NT/2000 DOS window (NDO 98 and higher only); see below
* DR DOS 5.0 or higher (including Novell DOS 7.0)
* Datalight ROM-DOS 6.22 (used in several PDA's)
* PTS-DOS
* General Software Embedded DOS-ROM (used in the Nokia 9110)
* PocketDOS for Windows CE and Psion EPOC32 units (CGA display only)
* XT-CE with CEDOS for WinCE (CGA display only)
It will not run on the following DOS'es:
* FreeDOS
* multiuser DOS'es, such as DR Multiuser DOS, Concurrent DOS, Real/32
* PC-MOS
3.3 DR-DOS
3.3.1 I switched from MS-DOS/PC DOS to DR-DOS and Geos won't load, even
after I run SETUP. What am I doing wrong?
Make sure that you have FILES=3D120 or more for DR-DOS 6.0. Novell DOS 7.0=
as
well as higher versions of DR-DOS need only FILES=3D30.
3.3.2 Does the desktop version support DR-DOS 6.0 task-switching?
The desktop versions currently supports the task-switching of DR-DOS 6.0
TaskMax and Novell DOS 7.0 & DR-DOS 7.x Task Manager. Dormant tasks will
appear in the Express Menu to be picked. Switching is nearly instantaneous.
3.3.3 Can I run Windows 3.1 on DR-DOS?
Pensey (pen...@bigfoot.com) says:
"Windows 3.1 can be installed on DR-DOS, but you will need the DR-DOS
upgrade patches. Also, don't let Windows modify your CONFIG.SYS and
AUTOEXEC.BAT. Do it yourself. Otherwise it will try and put in
HIMEM.SYS, change your EMM386.SYS and add SMARTDRV."
3.3.4 DR-DOS is kind of old. Are there any updates?
Yes. Caldera purchased DR-DOS and the rest of the Digital Research
technology from Novell. The current versions, 7.03, can be found at
http://www.lineo.com/, the website of its Lineo subsidiary.
3.3.4 Will ZIP drives work with DR-DOS 6.0?
Pensey (pen...@bigfoot.com) says:
Nope! Try Novell DOS 7.0. Patches are also available for Novell DOS. The
newer versions of Caldera's DR-DOS include all the patches.
3.4 Novell DOS
3.4.1 What about the Task Switcher/Multitasker in Novell's NW-DOS 7?
Novell DOS has been purchased by Caldera (http://www.lineo.com) and renamed
back to DR-DOS. The Multitasker and Geos don't work together at all on most
systems, although a few people have had good luck with it. You can get the
task switcher to work with Geos by making sure that it uses the correct key
combination. Select the DR-DOS TaskMax switcher in Geos preferences and it
should work, although cutting and pasting between DOS and Geos will not
work.
3.5 Linux
3.5.1 How can I get Geos to run under Linux?
Obtain and figure out the shareware DOS emulator DosEmu. Michael Hirsch
(hir...@mathcs.emory.edu) writes:
"Geos can run quite well under the Linux DOS emulator but you
need to set up the /etc/dosemu.conf file correctly. The important
thing is that DOSEMU must have full partition access (or even
full disk access) to whatever partition contains Geos. You can't
give partition access to a mounted partition, so you may have to
unmount the DOS partition before running DOSEMU. Of course, you
could write a script that does this automatically."
Ross J. Reedstrom (ro...@repressor.pharmacy.wisc.edu)writes:
"I got Geos to recognize my lredired \\linux\dos drive as drive
C: and start up off of it. This allows me to leave my DOS
partition mounted, and access files safely from both Geos and
Linux. I can even access all my Linux files (with mangled names,
however, if they're not 8.3). The trick was to grep though my SDK
documentation and discover the msnet.geo file system driver, and
how to force Geos to recognize a net drive. The key is the
following lines in GEOS.INI:
[system]
fs =3D {
msnet.geo
cdrom.geo
}
"According to the SDK documentation, this section loads
'secondary file system drivers' if they are not automatically
recognized properly. I load both the msnet.geo, described as
being for generic drive redirectors, and the cdrom.geo, for
mscdex CD-ROM access, of course, since I have a CD-ROM and use
the DOSEMU CD-ROM driver."
3.6 Macintosh
3.6.1 How can I get Geos to run on my Macintosh?
Some folks tried running Geos on a Macintosh using SoftPC, a DOS emulation
program, and SoftWindows, a Windows emulator. (Insignia Solutions, the
creator of SoftPC and SoftWindows, has since sold its emulation software to
FWB Software.) Another FWB emulator, RealPC goes one step further by
emulating an entire PC. Two other PC emulators are BlueLabel Power Emulator
and VirtualPC. William Ove reports that Geos runs successfully on the FWB
and BlueLabel emulators.
3.6.2 How can I exchange files between my Mac and my Geos platform?
Creative Digital Publishing has released a shareware program called
MacPCCOM=99 available at:
* Creative Digital's Newton vendor forum on CompuServe - GO NEWTVENS
* Max Mansour's OmniGo page:
http://www.ziplink.net/~maxm/omnigo/utilities.html
* American Online (Computing/PDAs/New Files and Free Uploading)
Look for the Stuffit archive MacPCCOM.sit.
MacPCCOM lets Macintosh users upload and download files to and from Geos
devices, like the HP OmniGo and the Casio Zoomer, and navigate the Geos
file system from the Mac. It requires a serial cable connecting the Geos
device to the Mac's modem port.
MacPCCOM has been tested with an OmniGo and a Centris 610 running System
7.3d0. Although it should work with other Macs, Mac OS versions, and Geos
devices, it has not been tested on other configurations.
3.6.3 Will Geos work with a DOS Compatibility Card?
Edward Di Geronimo Jr. (edw...@bergen.gov) reports success getting this to
work , once he set the mouse to PS/2.
3.7 Network
3.7.1 How can I use one document directory for different drives?
Pensey (pen...@bigfoot.com) says:
"You can change the default document directory Geoworks uses for
one directory for all copies of Geoworks running to keep a common
pool of letters or databases etc. Set up an identical directory
structure on the server where you want to store documents and add
a paths section to GEOS.INI
[paths]
top =3D n:\geos20 (where n: is the network drive)
"Alternatively specify an additional document directory:
[paths]
document =3D n:\docs
"Geos will add the two directories together. Documents on the
network drive will appear with their names underlined."
Note that this is only for Geos 2.0 or higher; it doesn't work with Geos
1.x.
3.7.2 Are there any versions of Geos made specifically for networks?
NewDeal offers a network version that can be run from the network server.
Novell, LANtastic, and LanManager networks are officially supported and
reports from the field indicate that Windows NT/2000 and Windows 95/98/ME
also work, along with many lesser-known networks. The stand-alone version
of NewDeal is network aware and will recognize and interact with drives and
printers on most networks. SchoolView was written to support Novell
NetWare.
3.8 Windows NT/2000
3.8.1 Is Geos compatible with Windows NT/2000?
With a bit of tinkering, Geos 3.0 runs under Windows NT/2000. Two versions
of the Nokia SDK also come with versions of Geos 3.0 that require Windows
NT/2000 to run.
3.9 HP 200LX and OmniGo 700LX
3.9.1 Will the desktop version run on my Hewlett Packard 200LX or OmniGo
700LX palmtop computer?
Yes, people have reported good performance running the desktop version on
these computers. However, there are some problems. First of all this
requires a flash disk. Geos is a GUI OS, so a mouse is highly recommended.
The ALPS Glidepoint has been reported to work with these computers and
Geos. Perhaps the worst problem running Geos on these computers is that
Geos takes over the keyboard and prevents the use of the suspend feature
until exiting from Geos.
3.10 Does the Iomega Zip drive or removable drives work with Geos?
3.10.1 Does the Iomega Zip drive or removable drives work with Geoworks?
The Iomega Zip drive will work well with all versions of Geoworks/NewDeal.
When using GeoManager or NewManager, the Zip drive appears as a 3.5" floppy
drive, but does contain its own drive letter. The earlier Bernoulli Box
drives made by Iomega as well as Syquest removable drives like the EZFlyer
will also work with all versions of Geoworks/NewDeal. Those drives are
iconed with 5.25" drives. NewManager in NDOr3 and later now has separate
icons for Zip drives and removable drives, which can be displayed by
editing the drive values of the [system] section of GEOS.INI. It is
possible to run entire versions of Geoworks Ensemble from these drives, but
be careful when doing this because you're only supposed to use Geoworks /
NewDeal on one machine at a time.
If Geos is loaded in a DOS window from Windows 95/98, and the Windows
version of Guest is used for mounting Iomega drives, then the Zip or Jaz
drive will be recognized. However, running Geos from MS-DOS mode requires
the DOS version of Guest for Iomega drives to be loaded.
3.11 Windows 95/98/Millennium Edition
3.11.1 Can I run Ensemble / NewDeal under Windows 95/98/ME?
Yes! PC/GEOS provides an excellent integrated software package for Windows
95/98/ME. However, versions before 2.5 require a bit of tweaking before
they will seamlessly integrate. Please consult the GeoInfo Database for
more information on this topic. In a few cases where a lot of errors are
encountered, running LOADER.EXE with the /s switch is the solution.
3.12 Y2K Compliance
3.12.1 Is Geos fully Y2K compliant?
Steve Main said that Geos was Y2K compliant since its inception, and will
recognize dates beyond December 31, 1999. In fact, since we are now well
into Y2K, Geos has been behaving normally.
End of the PC/GEOS FAQ Part 3
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright =A9 199?-1999 James Bearden. All rights reserved.
Copyright =A9 1999 Raymond Thaddeus C. Ancog. All rights reserved.
Raymond Ancog
Posting-Frequency: monthly
Last-modified: November 12, 2000
------------------------------------------------------------------------
DISCLAIMER
CREDITS
INDEX
* 4 Where to Get More Information
o 4.1 On-line Services
+ 4.1.1 What kind of support is there for Geos on CompuServe?
o 4.2 BBS Networks
+ 4.2.1 Is there much Geos activity on FidoNet?
o 4.3 USENET Newsgroups
+ 4.3.1 Is there a USENET newsgroup for Geos?
+ 4.3.2 Is it OK to post binaries to comp.os.geos.misc?
+ 4.3.3 I don't have access to comp.binaries.geos at my site.
How can I get the files posted there?
o 4.4 GeoInfo Database
+ 4.4.1 What is the GeoInfo Database, and why should I care?
o 4.5 FOD Files
+ 4.5.1 What are FOD files, and why should I care?
o 4.6 Publications
+ 4.6.1 Are there any Geos related publications available?
o 4.7 The World Wide Web
+ 4.7.1 What are some good Geos related URL's?
o 4.8 More Zoomer and HP OmniGo Information
+ 4.8.1 Is there an HP OmniGo FAQ? Where can I find it?
+ 4.8.2 Is there a Zoomer FAQ?
o 4.9 Geos User Groups
+ 4.9.1 What is Geos User Groups are out there?
------------------------------------------------------------------------
4 Where to Get More Information
4.1 On-line Services
4.1.1 What kind of support is there for Geos on CompuServe?
It is still being verified whether Geoworks is still active in the PALMB
forum. Peer support for the desktop version is available in the PCAPP
forum. As HP has discontinued the OmniGo 100/120 in favor of Windows
CE-based HPC's, it is unlikely that the OmniGo is supported by Team HP in
the HPHAND forum.
4.2 BBS Networks
4.2.1 Is there much Geos activity on FidoNet?
There is an active FidoNet Echo for Geos. Bug your local FidoNet SysOp.
4.3 USENET Newsgroups
4.3.1 Is there a USENET newsgroup for Geos?
Yes, it is named comp.os.geos.misc. There is also a moderated newsgroup for
binaries called comp.binaries.geos. A newsgroup called
comp.os.geos.programmer for Geos development discussions is also on line.
4.3.2 Is it OK to post binaries to comp.os.geos.misc?
No. There's a special group for Geos binaries called comp.binaries.geos.
It's moderated, though, so don't expect your postings to show up right
away. Send submissions to comp-bina...@pilot.njin.net. The moderator
is Dan "Shag" Birchall (sh...@emanon.net). If your site isn't carrying
comp.binaries.geos, don't worry too much. Some sites refuse to carry binary
groups.
4.3.3 I don't have access to comp.binaries.geos at my site. How can I get
the files posted there?
First, check with your system news administrator or USENET news supplier to
find out why you're not getting the group. If they won't or can't supply
it, you can try ftp://ftp.lab.kdd.co.jp/Usenet/comp.binaries.geos/. If all
else fails, you can search through the many Geos FTP sites, or post a
request to news:comp.os.geos.misc.
4.4 GeoInfo Database
4.4.1 What is the GeoInfo Database, and why should I care?
The Geos Information Database started out in life as a FAQ similar to this
one many years ago. It eventually grew too large to properly maintain, so
it was converted to an on-line AOL database. It currently has over a
thousand entries detailing every Geos related problem, hint, and tip
imaginable. Occasionally plain text versions of the GeoInfo Database are
made available to the general public. Recently Steve Main made an E-book
version, and Jon Frisby (log...@ix.netcom.com) has made a copy available
via several VBBS networks. James Berden, the previous author of this FAQ,
had made a WWW version available at
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/jbearden/gidindex.htm, and both
the text and E-book versions are available via FTP at
ftp://members.aol.com/geoinfo. With the demise of the Geoworks Forum on
AOL, the GeoInfo is now assimilated into the NewDeal website.
4.5 FOD Files
4.5.1 What are FOD files, and why should I care?
The Geoworks text Fax-On-Demand files contain a lot of Geos information.
The original versions are current as of "March 7, 1994", (which is circa
v2.0), and are available via FTP in both text and GeoWrite versions from
ftp://ftp.geoworks.com/pub/fod/, and previously from
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/jbearden/geosinfo.htm. The FOD
files are now maintained by NewDeal. As usual, they have renamed them and
are now known as Technical Support Documents, and are available on the
Support section of their website at http://www.newdealinc.com. They are
also available for sale on floppy disk.
4.6 Publications
4.6.1 Are there any Geos related publications available?
Yes, there are several Geos related publications.
* Mobilis - Check it out at http://www.volksware.com/mobilis. John
Jerney (jer...@mobilis.volksware.com) says:
"Mobilis: The mobile computing lifestyle magazine. Mobilis is a
free monthly magazine available exclusively on the web in its
entirety featuring interviews, tutorials, reviews, and opinion
concerning all aspects of Pads, wireless communication, and
mobile peripherals."
* GeoBytes - A sporadically released newsletter written by the AOL
GeoReps. GeoBytes is no longer being produced, but existing GeoBytes
are packed with information that still applies to most version of
Geos.
* GSMN Newsletter - The newsletter included with the monthly GSMN
distribution.
* GeigacounteR Digest - Included with the GSMN distribution.
* NewDeal will be starting a newsletter soon.
4.7 The World Wide Web
4.7.1 What are some good Geos related URL's?
There are many WWW pages dedicated to Geos. A few good places to start are:
* BreadBox website at http://www.breadbox.com
* NewDeal website at http://www.newdealinc.com
* GEOS/NewDeal WebRing at
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Platform/4373
* GlobalPC website at http://www.globalpc.com
4.8 More Zoomer and HP OmniGo Information
4.8.1 Is there an HP OmniGo FAQ? Where can I find it?
Yes, and the most current version can be found on Ronald Pike's WWW page
below. Also below are a few of the excellent WWW pages devoted to the
Hewlett Packard OmniGo:
* The OmniGo (http://www.geoworks.com/omnigo)
* The Grot OmniGo Page (http://www.grot.com:80/zoomer/omnigo.html)
* Ronald Pike's HP OmniGo Page
(http://www.aa.net/~desmoine/omnigo/omnistrt.htm)
* Blue Marsh OmniGo Page (http://members.aol.com/nfiedler/)
* Mike Fine's excellent page (http://www.axxis.com/~mfine/finebind.html)
* The OmniGo FAQ (http://omnigofaq.home.ml.org)
* OmniGo Online
(http://www.fortunecity.com/skyscraper/online/795/ogo/panel.htm)
4.8.2 Is there a Zoomer FAQ?
No, but there are several great WWW pages devoted to it:
* The Zoomer Homepage (http://www.grot.com/zoomer/)
* The Zoomer Mailing List (http://www.grot.com/zoomer/resources.html)
* The Biostat Zoomer Page
(http://www.biostat.washington.edu/zoomer.html)
* Chris De Herrera's Zoomer Page (http://members.aol.com/pdcchrisd/)
* Biostat Zoomer FTP Site (ftp://ftp.biostat.washington.edu/pub/zoomer)
4.9 Geos User Groups
4.9.1 What is Geos User Groups are out there?
Geos has a strong following in Europe. A notable user group there is
Switzerland-based Geos Optimismus Crew Europe, which sponsors contests/
meetings and chat sessions. Visit it at http://www.geoscreweurope.ch/
Another Swiss user group is the Swiss Geos User Club at
http://www.gug-ch.ch. There are also two Germany-based user groups, the
GeoClub at http://www.pegnitz.baynet.de/geoclub/, and the NewGEOS
Informationssysteme at http://www.newgeos.de/.
For English speakers, user groups Australia and the US are present. From
Down Under comes GEIGA, at http://www.ozemail.com.au/~wlogan/geiga.htm. And
in the US, a good start-off point is GEOS Users International at
http://members.aol.com/GUIUSA/GUI_USA.html.
4.10 Geos Mailing Lists
4.10.1 Are there mailing lists available for Geos?
The NewDeal Mailing List has just come up on-line. It is maintained by
Byron Collins (NewDea...@egroups.com). The purpose of the list, as
written by Collins, is as follows:
"This mail list is a forum for Users of NewDeal's Office 98,
SchoolView 98, Geoworks Ensemble, Geoworks Bindery, GeoPublish,
NewPublish, BrotherWorks 98, Brother GEOS based Word Processors,
Brother GeoBook, Canon StarWriter. Discussions of the Operating
System behind them known as NewDOS / GEOS and the products
developed for NewDeal by Breadbox Computer and others Vendors is
also welcome. Discussion of programming for NewDeal should be
carry else where."
It is hosted by eGroups, a service for creating free mailing lists. To
subscribe to the list, send a message to NewDeal-...@egroups.com,
leaving the body of the message empty.
Another mailing list is the GEOS-to-go mailing list, from the Zoomer PDA
Resources. This focuses on Geos- and GEOS SC-based PDA's such as the Zoomer
and OmniGo. To subscribe, send a message to majo...@grot.com with the
command subscribe geos-to-go in the body of the message.
Finally there is the OGO mailing list specific to the OmniGo. To subscribe,
send a message to majo...@lifelike.com with the command subscribe ogo in
the body of the message.
End of the PC/GEOS FAQ Part 4
Raymond Ancog
Posting-Frequency: monthly
Last-modified: October 15, 2000
URL: http://www.geocities.com/originalravinray/geos/faq/pcgeosfaq5.txt
------------------------------------------------------------------------
DISCLAIMER
CREDITS
INDEX
* 5 Customizing Geos
o 5.1 The Standard User Interface
+ 5.1.1 I don't like the interface. Can I customize it?
+ 5.1.2 Which character set does Geos use? Most European
languages need the special characters above CHR (127)...
+ 5.1.3 When I install other fonts, they are displayed in the
fonts menu in the order they were installed. Is there a way
to have them in alphabetical order?
+ 5.1.4 I want to make a graphics file into a Geos background.
How do I do that?
+ 5.1.5 How can I keep the splash screen from showing up?
o 5.2 The GEOS.INI File
+ 5.2.1 What is the GEOS.INI file, and why would I want to
mess with it?
+ 5.2.2 Is there an easy way to tweak the GEOS.INI?
+ 5.2.3 How do I associate DOS files with programs?
+ 5.2.4 How do I get rid of drives in GeoManager?
+ 5.2.5 How do I get rid of the link button?
+ 5.2.6 How do I enable the floating keyboard?
------------------------------------------------------------------------
5 Customizing Geos
5.1 The Standard User Interface
5.1.1 I don't like the interface. Can I customize it?
The desktop version offers four levels of interface complexity, and fine
tuning options within each level, so you can customize each application to
present you with as few or as many functions as you desire. Look for this
feature in the Option Menu of applications that support it.
Geos also supports a Generic/Specific UI concept. This means that
applications are written for a very powerful dynamically bound object
oriented generic user interface. At runtime the system 'binds' the Generic
UI to a Specific UI, and all output is presented through that Specific UI.
A CUA-based Specific UI surfaced briefly for the desktop version 1.x (it
was part of America Online's now-defunct Promenade service), but due to
legal questions, it was voluntarily removed from most FTP sites. Eduquest,
a division of IBM, released a program called SchoolView that uses Geos 2.01
with a Presentation Manager (PM) interface and a different file manager
(WorkPlace Shell). It's intended primarily for network use and is not
available for stand-alone systems. It has since been discontinued by IBM.
The SDK does have the PM interface for testing purposes. Copy PM.GEO to
your system directory and add the line "specific =3D pm.geo" to the [UI]
section of your GEOS.INI. Note that, due to UI extensions developed by
Breadbox and incorporated by NewDeal into the 3.0 kernel, the PM UI can no
longer be used with NDOr3.
With NewDeal Release 3, NewDeal has created an alternative Specific UI. The
Industry Standard UI (ISUI) is intended to provide a more familiar user
interface, so users of other software would feel more immediately at home.
It looks similar to Windows 95/98, with a taskbar that allows easy
switching between running applications, and the Express menu (bearing the
NewDeal logo) has been moved to the left of the taskbar and given
Documents, Help, Run, and Shut Down items. It works in conjunction with the
new NewDesk file manager. During installation, the user is given a choice
of user interfaces and file managers. The user can change the UI and file
manager anytime by selecting "Change UI" from Preferences.
5.1.2 Which character set does Geos use? Most European languages need the
special characters above CHR(127)...
Geos has quite a large available character set. For instance, all the
vowels can be given acute, dieresis, grave, and circumflex accents in both
upper- and lower-case. You can also use the Spanish =F1 (as in se=F1or),=
Danish
=E6, the German =DF (double s), and many other special language characters.=
You
also have a choice of various typographical, punctuation, currency, and
mathematical symbols. These are all documented in the manual, or you can
bring up a floating keyboard if you are willing to modify your GEOS.INI
file. With New Deal Office 98 and higher, you can use the Character Map to
view the entire character set in different fonts. Geoworks produced a
double-byte character set (DBCS) version based on Unicode in late 1994,
along with front-end text processors to support Japanese and Korean
languages. This is known as Geos-J, but unfortunately no products that I
know of have been developed to use it.
As of this writing, the euro symbol (it looks like a lower-case c with an =
=3D
sign through it), the new monetary standard of 11 states of the European
Union, has not yet been included as a standard character.
5.1.3 When I install other fonts, they are displayed in the fonts menu in
the order they were installed. Is there a way to have them in alphabetical
order?
The Preferences application in the desktop versions 2.0 and greater allows
you to select which fonts you wish to have appear in your font menu, and
their order. Alternatively you can use a disk defragger which sorts files.
5.1.4 I want to make a graphics file into a Geos background. How do I do
that?
Enter Geos and start up GeoDraw or the Scrapbook. Use the Import option (on
the File menu) to import your file into GeoDraw. Make sure that the
imported image is selected and then use the Edit menu to either Cut or Copy
it to the clipboard. Next, start up Preferences and select the Background
option. Once there, click on the "Get background from clipboard" button,
give it a name, and your image magically appears as a background.
5.1.5 How can I keep the splash screen from showing up?
Steve Main (st...@newdealinc.com) writes:
"You can keep it from showing by:"
* Use the /log parameter when starting NewDeal Office 97, or
* Use the individual file tool to install LOADERHG.EXE, then rename
LOADERHG.EXE to LOADER.EXE. This only works if you have a VGA
monitor.
5.2 The GEOS.INI File
5.2.1 What is the GEOS.INI file, and why would I want to mess with it?
The GEOS.INI file is a plain text file residing in your home Geos
directory, and it specifies to a large degree how your system behaves.
Geoworks and NewDeal do not recommend modifying the GEOS.INI file. It's
generally a bad idea to change your GEOS.INI file unless you know what
you're doing. However, if you do try to edit it, do it in DOS before you
load Geos and make a backup copy in case something goes wrong. There is
relatively extensive information about the GEOS.INI keys in the Hot Tips on
NewDeal's Web site.
5.2.2 Is there an easy way to tweak the GEOS.INI?
Yes. There is a utility called GeoCon v2.0 that automatically adjusts your
GEOS.INI file for you. GeoCon enables you to easily change the color scheme
and behavior of the Express Menu. Preference 4 Pack also allows you to
change certain system characteristics. It was added to the desktop in
NDO98, and was redone as a Preferences module for the most part for Release
3.
5.2.3 How do I associate DOS files with programs?
Kenda Gee (kend...@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca) writes about his ZIP example:
"The pkunzip is not a problem at all--just use a dosAssociation
line in your GEOS.INI file and a double-click on your zip
files...it is a breeze... :-) For pkzipping, there is a way to
make sure you don't zip up your @DIRNAME.000 and PKZIP.EXE files.
Create a folder, say "Zipper" in your \DOCUMENT directory... toss
two files into it--your PKZIP.EXE and another file, called
PKLIST. In PKLIST, type the files you don't want zipped up each
time: PKZIP.EXE and DIRNAME.000. Then create a launcher for the
PKZIP.EXE in your DOSROOM, or WORLD directory, and add the
following command:
-X@PKLIST C:\GEOS20\DOCUMENT\ZIPPER\1.ZIP
"The only shortcoming of this recipe is that you will have to
rename your output zipped file from 1.ZIP to whatever you want (I
chose 1.ZIP, so that it will, generally appear on the top left
hand corner of the \ZIPPER screen, but you could easily call it
0.ZIP, or whatever you want...). Just make sure you don't
accidentally delete the PKLIST, or PKZIP.EXE file from your
\ZIPPER folder.
"To use the PKZIP, throw your files in the \ZIPPER folder, and
use the Launcher to zip up your files in that folder."
5.2.4 How do I get rid of drives in GeoManager?
This tip works only for Geos 2.x or higher. Add or edit the system section
of your GEOS.INI file like so:
[system]
drive x =3D 0
where x is the drive you want to make disappear.
5.2.5 How do I get rid of the link button in GeoManager?
Lee Bailey (off...@crl.com) writes:
"To get rid of the link button in GeoManager, comment out the
features line in the FileManager section of your GEOS.INI, like
this:"
[fileManager]
;features =3D 32768
5.2.6 How do I enable the floating keyboard?
GWRepMark (gwre...@aol.com) writes:
"In order to use the Floating Keyboard you must insert two lines
into your INI file: "
[input]
noKeyboard =3D true
[expressMenuControl]
floatingKeyboard =3D true
End of the PC/GEOS FAQ Part 5
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright (c) 199?-1999 James Bearden. All rights reserved.
Copyright (c) 1999-2000 Raymond Thaddeus C. Ancog. All rights reserved.
Raymond Ancog
Posting-Frequency: monthly
Last-modified: November 12, 2000
------------------------------------------------------------------------
DISCLAIMER
CREDITS
INDEX
* 6 Common Problems
o 6.1 It's broke!
+ 6.1.1 When I try to start Geos, I get a message saying that
unable to find /userdata/fonts! What's the problem?
+ 6.1.2 I installed Geos on my zippy new computer, but it
won't load up. What's the problem? It dies with a KR-01
error (divide by zero).
+ 6.1.3 I keep getting SHARE or File Lock errors when I run
Geos. What's going on?
+ 6.1.4 I'm running the desktop version with Stacker
installed. Drive C is my Stacker volume. For some reason
GeoManager insists on looking at drive E for the
/geoworks/world directory, even though when I exit Geos I'm
on drive C. Any ideas?
+ 6.1.5 I keep having problems with Geos 2.0 and
DoubleSpace/SuperStor/Stacker. What can I do?
------------------------------------------------------------------------
6 Common Problems
6.1 It's broke!
6.1.1 When I try to start Geos, I get a message saying that Geos is unable
to find /userdata/fonts! What's the problem?
This could be any of several things, but it usually means that Geos is
unable to find a suitable file system driver. Geos interacts with the
hardware at a very low level, and doesn't work well with anything that
redirects the drives. Specifically:
* WFW 32-bit file access sometimes causes problems, in which case you
should disable it.
* Windows NT is not compatible with Geos (v1.x and 2.x). Version 3.0
works with NT.
* Multiuser versions of DOS (DR Multiuser DOS, Concurrent DOS, Real/32,
PC MOS) are not compatible with all versions of Geos.
* Geos does not recognize the Win95 (aka MS-DOS 7.0) file system. This
can be fixed with SETVER (v1.x and v2.x) or by adding the line 'fs =3D
ms4.geo' to the [system] section of the GEOS.INI file (v2.x only.)
Geos versions 2.5 and higher don't suffer from this problem.
* PC DOS 7, PC DOS 2000 and DR-DOS 7.03 no longer need SETVER loaded for
Geos 3.0 to operate.
* Some networked drives cause problems for Geos system files, although
you can usually save data to a networked drive.
* DOS emulation under Linux or Macintosh causes problems because Geos
tries to directly interact with hardware that just isn't there.
6.1.2 I installed Geos on my zippy new computer, but it won't load up.
What's the problem? It dies with a KR-01 error (divide by zero).
This is known as the fast CPU bug, and afflicts only Geoworks Ensemble 2.x.
This has been eliminated in all versions of NDO. The best fix is to edit
your GEOS.INI file and change the line
continueSetup =3D true
to
continueSetup =3D false
6.1.3 I keep getting SHARE or File Lock errors when I run Geos. What's
going on?
Geos needs a lot of files open at once. If you're using SHARE, try adding
the switch /f:4096 or /f:6144. On some systems, /L:40 seems to help. If you
are not on a network, you might not need SHARE at all.
6.1.4 I'm running the desktop version with Stacker installed. Drive C is my
Stacker volume. For some reason GeoManager insists on looking at drive E
for the /Geoworks/world directory, even though when I exit Geos I'm on
drive C. Any ideas?
Check the volume labels for drives C, D, and E. If they're identical, then
use GeoManager to edit the volume labels so that each drive has its own
distinct label. On some computers, you may have to exit to DOS to change
the drive label (use the LABEL command).
6.1.5 I keep having problems with Geos 2.0 and
DoubleSpace/SuperStor/Stacker. What can I do?
Geos 2.0 normally works fine on compressed drives, although there is
sometimes a decrease in performance if the swap file is on the compressed
drive, particularly if you are using DoubleSpace (the compression included
with MS-DOS 6.0 and 6.2.) Geos 1.x frequently had problems if the swap file
was on a compressed drive, and users of these versions should make sure
(through Preferences) that their swap file is on an uncompressed drive.
Problems with Stacker not recognizing your compressed HD(s) correctly can
usually be solved by adding lines to the [system] section of your GEOS.INI
file to specifically define the drives as fixed disks:
drive c =3D 65536
where c is your compressed Stacker drive.
End of the PC/Geos FAQ Part 6
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright =A9 199?-1999 James Bearden. All rights reserved.
Copyright =A9 1999 Raymond Thaddeus C. Ancog. All rights reserved.