[242] in comp.os.os2.announce archive
NEW RELEASE: MDesk version 1.00a
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (johnm@cs.mcgill.ca)
Wed Oct 18 23:48:00 1995
To: os2ann.DISCUSS@bloom-picayune.MIT.EDU
Date: Thu, 19 Oct 1995 02:02:54 GMT
From: johnm@cs.mcgill.ca
Reply-To: johnm@cs.mcgill.ca
Submitted by: John McCalla (johnm@cs.mcgill.ca)
Source: John McCalla (johnm@cs.mcgill.ca)
Date received: 1995 October 11
Date posted: 1995 October 18
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MDesk for OS/2, release 1.00a
Copyright (C) John McCalla Enr., 1995.
All Rights Reserved.
--
MDesk is a new OS/2 shareware package which provides an integrated set of
desktop tools designed to fill in some of the gaps left by IBM in OS/2.
Moreover, if the speed of OS/2 on your system is less than what you would
like it to be, or if excessive swapping is a problem, MDesk can
be run as a shell replacement without the Workplace Shell. This will free up
approximately 3 MB of RAM and run your system faster than ever before.
--
To MDesk 1.00 unregistered users:
The reason for this pseudo-release is that a serious bug was found in 1.00: If
you have been using 1.00 since it's release (20 september 1995), and are not
registered, MDesk will get stuck in an infinite loop on startup (the "MDesk is
unregistered" banner will re-appear forever).
To install this update, don't use MDSetup, simply copy the new MDESK.EXE over
the old one. There are no new features, or other fixes. A _real_ upgrade
(1.1) will be released in a few weeks.
To download the fix directly, enter this URL in WebExplorer:
http://www.ee.mcgill.ca/~jmccalla/mdesk/mdeskfix.zip
--
A Quick List of Features for New Users:
This list is not complete, and we hope you will try our software even if the
features you are looking for are not listed here.
o The MDesk InfoBar which is a status bar with a twist. Not only do you
get up to date information on your system, you may also open folders, launch
applications, or switch to any open task using menus which roll up from
the InfoBar (like Windows 95).
o The MDesk Command Line is small window which appear when you double click
the desktop. This window allows you to enter commands directly without
having to open an OS/2 Window. It allows command call back (history) also.
o The MDesk Rapid Switch windows allows to switch quickly and efficiently
between open windows (like Windows 3.1).
o MDesk Program Objects extend WPS ones by offering global system hot key
launching, and allow for changing between "open new" and "open existing"
window on the fly by holding the CTRL key. Select DOS Settings with
a popup menu which includes items for Windows, Games, and more.
o MDesk Folders fall short on features when compared to the Workplace Shell,
but they are better in one respect: speed. Expect big performance gains
on slower systems, or on systems where the swapfile activity is higher.
o MDesk Spooler enables you to manage all your printer objects from one place
using a easy-to-use interface.
o MDesk Process Killer will kill any application that has "jammed" or that
doesn't want to close.
o Information displayed on the InfoBar includes: date, day of week, time,
swapfile size, amount of space available on swapfile partition, and
number of tasks currently running.
o When MDesk is running, you can bring up the Window List by multi-clicking
anywhere (as opposed to only when over the desktop).
o Possibly most important of all, MDesk supports most operations of a full
fledged shell like the Workplace Shell while keeping memory usage very low.
This makes MDesk an ideal shell replacement for systems where memory
is relatively low (say less than 12 MB), or on slower systems given
its speed advantages as compared to the WPS.
You may download a copy of MDesk for OS/2 immediately from:
ftp://ftp-os2.nmsu.edu/incoming/mdesk10a.zip
Later, it will probably be moved to
ftp://ftp-os2.nmsu.edu/os2/wpsutil/mdesk10a.zip
For more information on this new OS/2 application, visit our World Wide Web
Support Center at:
http://www.ee.mcgill.ca/~jmccalla/mdesk.cgi
