Lotus articles from January 1990

Lotus archives from January 1990

Yes, sometimes we get off balance. (Lotus 1-2-3) (editorial)
January 1, 1990... YES, SOMETIMES WE GET OFF BALANCE Most of you passed the contents page to get here. You may have noticed that this issue has three features dealing with 1-2-3 Release 3. Depending on where you're coming from, that may either please you or...

A first look at 1-2-3/G, Lotus's spreadsheet for OS/2's Presentation Manager. (includes related article on data-capture tools for spreadsheets)
January 1, 1990... A FIRST LOOK AT 1-2-3/G, LOTUS'S SPREADSHEET FOR OS/2'S PRESENTATION MANAGER Although Lotus Development Corp. hasn't formally introduced it, 1-2-3/G went into beta testing in November and was demonstrated the same month at Comdex, the...

Sorting out graphical user interfaces; Microsoft and IBM unite behind OS/2, Presentation Manager.
January 1, 1990... SORTING OUT GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACES Under most circumstances, choice is a liberating element in the decision-making process. But in the business of setting standards for the future of personal computing, choice can be a confusing or even...

Products and politics at Comdex/Fall 1989.
January 1, 1990... PRODUCTS AND POLITICS AT COMDEX/FALL '89 No dividing wall crumbled nor government fell, but political drama was high in Las Vegas at November's Comdex/Fall '89. While a record number of showgoers trod the 21 miles of aisles, software and...

Software in 1990: what's hot and what's not; Industry analyst Jeffrey Tarter gazes into his crystal ball. (interview)
January 1, 1990... SOFTWARE IN 1990: WHAT'S HOT AND WHAT'S NOT Predicting the future is always a dicey business, and it is particularly risky in the volatile and fast-changing solfware industry. Nonetheless, we asked Jeffrey Tarter, a respected industry...

Redefining reality. (virtual-reality technology)
January 1, 1990... REDEFINING REALTY For years science-fiction writers have been predicting computer simultations so good that they would be virtually indistinguishable from reality. So-called virtual-reality technology is designed to give people the...

Books: spies and more. (Microcosm: The Quantum Revolution in Economics and Technology, The Cuckoo's Egg)
January 1, 1990... BOOKS: SPIES AND MORE Two books about computers are starting to attract wide relationship and inch their way up the best-seller charts. These aren't your typical how-to computer manuals, lightly disguised as books. Instead, Microcosm:...

Fax publishing.
January 1, 1990... FAX PUBLISHING With more than three million fax machines operating in the United States, faxes have become an integral part of business. Several companies are finding innovative ways to expand their use. Copia International (Wheaton,...

Lotus and WordPerfect unite under OS/2 PM. (OS/2 Presentation Manager)
January 1, 1990... LOTUS AND WORDPERFECT UNITE UNDER OS/2 PM In November, at Comdex/Fall '89, Lotus Development Corp. and WordPerfect Corp. (Orem, Utah) demonstrated the result of their year-long technology partnership: a common interface design for the two...

Lotus demos 1-2-3 for Digital's VAX/VMS.
January 1, 1990... LOTUS DEMOS 1-2-3 FOR DIGITAL'S VAX/VMS In October, at the Info '89 trade show in New York City, Lotus Development Corp. demonstrated 1-2-3 for VAX/VMS. The program is based on 1-2-3 Release 3 technology and runs on Digital Equipment...

Lotus ships network version of Release 2.2. (1-2-3 Release 2.2) (product announcement)
January 1, 1990... LOTUS SHIPS NETWORK VERSION OF RELEASE 2.2 Lotus expected to ship the network version of 1-2-3 Release 2.2 in December. The program is designed for use in networks compatible with DOS 3.1 and higher, including IBM PC LAN Programs 1.2 and...

Lotus announces (at)Factory add-in. (product announcement)
January 1, 1990... LOTUS ANNOUNCES @FACTORY ADD-IN In November Lotus Development Corp. announced Lotus @Factory, an add-in for 1-2-3 Releases 2.01 and 2.2. The program allows shop floor operators, engineers, and managers to access real-time factory-floor...

In Japan, Lotus ships Freelance Release 3J. (Japanese version of Lotus's business-graphics software package)
January 1, 1990... IN JAPAN, LOTUS SHIPS FREELANCE RELEASE 3J Lotus Development Japan Ltd., Lotus's Japanese subsidiary, shipped Freelance Release 3J, a Japanese version of Freelance Plus 3.01, Lotus's business-graphics software package. Freelance 3J is...

Say it with pictures. (using Lotus 1-2-3's graphing facility to show data graphically) (tutorial)
January 1, 1990... SAY IT WITH PICTURES The worksheet paradigm is easy to grasp. Laying out information in columns and rows simplifies almost any data. As a worksheet becomes more and more crowded, however, identifying important numbers and spotting trends...

Can your computer display graphs? (tutorial)
January 1, 1990... CAN YOUR COMPUTER DISPLAY GRAPHS? Computer monitors have two modes of operation: text mode and graphics mode. In text mode, a monitor displays only a limited set of predefined characters. Typically, a monitor in text mode has 80...

Macros can speed up your work with 1-2-3 add-ins; (macros automate procedures when using programs like Allways)
January 1, 1990... MACROS CAN SPEED UP YOUR WORK WITH 1-2-3 ADD-INNS Independent, third-party developers have created all sorts of software to work with your 1-2-3 spreadsheet--word processors, databases, graphics packages, and so on. With all the expanded...

Making the best use of resources. (using a linear programming worksheet to find the optimal product mix) (tutorial)
January 1, 1990... Making the Best Use of Resources Linear programming is a mathematical method of solving practical problems involving the optimal use of limited resources. It's not computer programming. The term programming here means that the problem...

Meet the multidimensional worksheet. (three-dimensional features in Lotus 1-2-3 Release 3 help organize and manage data effectively) (tutorial)
January 1, 1990... Meet the MULTIDIMENSIONAL Worksheet Early releases of 1-2-3, as well as 1-2-3 Release 2.2, provide two dimensions: height, measured in rows, and width, measured in columns. 1-2-3 Release 3 adds the third dimension of depth, which you...

Troubleshooting the installation of Release 3. (Lotus 1-2-3 Release 3)
January 1, 1990... TROUBLESHOOTING THE INSTALLATION OF RELEASE 3 If you have been unable to install or run 1-2-3 Release 3 in a DOS environment, the procedures outlined here should help you. You may also want to pass them on to a colleague who's having...

11 time trials. (a comparison of Lotus 1-2-3 Release 2.2 and 3 regarding to spreadsheet speeds)
January 1, 1990... 11 TIME TRIALS Last July's special report, The New Releases, introduced Lotus Development Corp.'s latest versions of 1-2-3. That report provided overviews of the new features in 1-2-3 Releases 2.2 and 3. But because only prerelease...

Calculate accelerated depreciation. (Modified Accelerated Cost-Recovery System depreciation) (tutorial)
January 1, 1990... Calculate Accelerated Depreciation The Modified Accelerated Cost-Recovery System (MACRS) is a set of rules and regulations for calculating asset depreciation for federal income taxes. MACRS calculations are complicated. However, 1-2-3...

How to predict seasonal patterns. (filter out effects of the yearly cycle to reveal sales trends) (tutorial)
January 1, 1990... HOW TO PREDICT SEASONAL PATTERNS Regular seasonal patterns appear in most business data. The weather affects sales of everything from snorkeling gear to snowmobiles. During the December holiday season there are increases in long-distance...

LOTUS models on CompuServe. (models published in 1988 and 1989 issues of LOTUS can be downloaded from CompuServe)
January 1, 1990... LOTUS Models on CompuServe The models we published in our 1989 and 1988 issues can now be downloaded from CompuServe. In case you missed our previous instructions, here's how to get the models you want. You must have a modem and a...

More tips on using Lotus products. (Good Ideas)
January 1, 1990... MORE TIPS ON USING LOTUS PRODUCTS 1-2-3/SYMPHONY LEAVE FOOTPRINTS IN @IF STATEMENTS I needed to develop formulas that would be computed only if several different conditions were met. The figure below contains sales...

Answers to your questions about Lotus products. (Q&A)
January 1, 1990... ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT LOTUS PRODUCTS 1-2-3/SYMPHONY WHERE ARE MY FOOTERS? Q. I can't print footers. I use the Print Printer Options Footer command to establish a footer. Then I print a file. The header and text...

Low-cost program swapping; AutoSwap and Dr. Switch let you load another application when you exit DOS. (Software Review) (Lambda Group Inc's AutoSwap, Version 1.2, Black and White International Inc's Dr. Switch, Version 1.6) (evaluation)
January 1, 1990... LOW-COST PROGRAM SWAPPING Many popular applications, such as 1-2-3, let you temporarily exit to DOS. But once there, you often lack the free memory to use anything other than DOS itself. Using another full-sized application is usually...

Use your PC to write checks; a new version of the venerable Quicken outdoes Checkwrite Plus. (Software Review) (Intuit Inc's Quicken 3.0, MECA Ventures Inc's Andrew Tobias' Checkwrite Plus) (evaluation)
January 1, 1990... USE YOUR PC TO WRITE CHECKS If you write lots of checks, Quicken 3.0 or Andrew Tobias' Checkwrite Plus can take the drudgery out of maintaining your checking account. They all but eliminate mathematical errors, print as many checks as you...

Goodbye to the File Combine command; Look&Link links your worksheet to data from any worksheet on your disk. (Software Review) (Personics Corps' program for linking worksheet data) (evaluation)
January 1, 1990... GOODBYE TO THE FILE COMBINE COMMAND If you consolidate worksheets with 1-2-3 Release 2/2.01, Look&Link can vastly simplify your work, increase the reliability of your results, and save you time. Suppose, for instance, that you are a...

The HP Laserjet IIP: a price breakthrough in laser printing. (Hardware Review) (evaluation)
January 1, 1990... The HP LaserJet IIP: A Price Breakthrough in Laser Printing Have you yearned for the crisp output, speed, and quiet operation of a laser printer but seem put off by the price? Hewlett-Packard's new LaserJet IIP printer may solve that...

IBM LaserPrinter: edging out the HP Laserjet II. (Hardware Review) (evaluation)
January 1, 1990... IBM LaserPrinter: Edging Out the HP LaserJet II The IBM LaserPrinter's name may be ho-hum, but the machine itself is anything but. Priced at $2,595, or $100 less than the HP LaserJet Series II, the LaserPrinter equals or betters the Series...

The eight most commonly used bond calculations. (Basic Bond Calculations, a Lotus 1-2-3 add-in) (product announcement)
January 1, 1990... The Eight Most Commonly Used Bond Calculations Basic Bond Calculations, a 1-2-3 add-in, provides the eight bond calculations most commonly required by analysts and traders, including yield, price, and duration calculations. It handles common...

1-2-3 add-in for price/yield calculations on junk bonds. (Intex Solutions Inc's PIK Bond Calculations) (product announcement)
January 1, 1990... 1-2-3 Add-In for Price/Yield Calculations on Junk Bonds PIK Bond Calculations, a 1-2-3 add-in, helps bond analysts and traders who work with high-yield and junk bonds to analyze those instruments. The program calculates price and yield on both...

Build forecasting models in English; create graphs. (RealWorld Corp's Business Forecasting) (product announcement)
January 1, 1990... Build Forecasting Models in English; Create Graphs Business Forecasting lets you build financial-forecasting models using English-like syntax. It lets you perform goal seeking, define custom reports, and create pie, bar, and line charts. It...

Alternative bond-yield calculations for 1-2-3. (Intex Solutions Corp's Horizon Return Calculations) (product announcement)
January 1, 1990... Alternative Bond-Yield Calculations for 1-2-3 Horizon Return Calculations, a 1-2-3 add-in, provides an alternative to the traditonal yield calculation, which assumes a fixed-coupon reinvestment rate. In contrast, it present a scenario in which...

Group-insurance sales tool. (Successware Inc's Easy Group Pricing Comparisons) (product announcement)
January 1, 1990... Group-Insurance Sales Tool Easy Group Pricing Comparisons enables insurance agents to compare the current cost of a client company's group health insurance coverage to as many as five alternatives. The program is designed to assist you in...

Tax planning for 'C' corporations and their owners. (Research Press' Vernon K. Jacobs Tax Planner for Closely-Held Corporations) (product announcement)
January 1, 1990... Tax Planning for 'C' Corporations and Their Owners Vernon K. Jacob's Tax Planner for Closely-Held Corporations allows the owners of an IRS-Subchapter C corporation (a category of corporations that pays taxes and is held by a small number of...

Preview your printout before the laser prints it. (Bloc Publishing Corp's PrintVision) (product announcement)
January 1, 1990... Preview Your Printout Before the Laser Prints It PrintVision allows you to intercept the print output from any application that works with an HP-compatible laser printer. It causes a full-page preview of the printout to appear on the screen,...

Format repetitive print jobs for your laser printer. (Software Garden Inc's Dan Bricklin's PageGarden Program) (product announcement)
January 1, 1990... Format Repetitive Print Jobs for Your Laser Printer Dan Bricklin's PageGarden Program lets you produce laser-printed reports, forms, and labels from a Lotus database. You can define a format once and use that format for repetitious print jobs....

Transfer data into Timeslips. (North Edge Software Corp's Timeslips III Import Manager) (product announcement)
January 1, 1990... Transfer Data into Timeslips With Timeslips III Import Manager (TIM), you can import and export data to and from Timeslips III from any application that generates ASCII files. Timeslips III performs billing and expense functions. If your...

On-line microcomputer and software directory. (Ziff Communications Corp's The Computer Directory)
January 1, 1990... On-Line Microcomputer and Software Directory The Computer Directory provides basic specifications about more than 55,000 hardware and software products sold in North America and includes profiles of the 9,500 manufacturers of those products....

Disk and audiotape training for 1-2-3 Releases 2.01, 2.2, 3. (Prestige Technologies' disk-based tutorials and manuals) (product announcement)
January 1, 1990... Disk and Audiotape Training for 1-2-3 Releases 2.01, 2.2, 3 Let's Get Started With Lotus 1-2-3 ($49.95) is a disk-based tutorial and a user guide for beginning to intermediate users. Listen and Learn ($69.95) consists of four audiotapes and a...

High-speed memory board for IBM Micro Channel PC's. (Newer Technology Inc's Memoryzation) (product announcement)
January 1, 1990... High-Speed Memory Board for IBM Micro Channel PCs Memoryzation allows you to add up to 8 megabytes of extended or expanded memory per board to all IBM PS/2 Models 50 or higher. You can allocate the board's memory into any proportion of...

Speed up your IBM PC XT by at least fourfold. (Veritek's VT286-12 accelerator card) (product announcement)
January 1, 1990... Speed up Your IBM PC XT by at Least Fourfold The VT286-12 is an accelerator card that speeds up your PC XT to the speed of a '286-based PC. The accelerator card contains an Intel 80286 processor with 8K of 55-nanosecond cache RAM. A switch...

Rechargeable, sealed lead-acid battery for the IBM PC AT. (Rupp Corp's bATPac) (product announcement)
January 1, 1990... Rechargeable, Sealed Lead-Acid Battery for the IBM PC AT The BATPac is a battery that can be used for the PC AT and compatible computers and that recharges continuously while your PC AT operates. It is designed to eliminate service calls when...

Lotus-related upgrades: Symphony Release 2.0 Plus. (product announcement)
January 1, 1990... LOTUS-RELATED UPGRADES Symphony Release 2.0 Plus, the integrated software program from Lotus, now includes the Allways printing add-in from Funk Software. The documentation for Allways has been integrated into the Symphony documentation. ...

Four add-in utilities.... (Lotus-related upgrades) (Spreadsheet utility programs from Goldata Computer Services)
January 1, 1990... Four add-in utilities Four add-in utilities that come from Goldata Computer Services have been updated to run with 1-2-3 Release 2.2. D.A.V.A. (Data Addition, Verification, and Editing) allows you to customize a data form for 1-2-3, uses 64K of...

1099Mag printer and Magnetic Media Filer. (Lotus-related upgrades) (Coopersoft's IRS form preparation software)
January 1, 1990... 1099Mag Printer and Magnetic Media Filer 1099Mag Printer and Magnetic Medial Filer lets you prepare disk files for IRS forms 1098, 1099 A, B, DIV, INT, MISC, OID, PATR, R, and S, and 5498 and produce the associated returns and transmittals....

FinCalc for Release 3. (Lotus-related upgrades) (financial software from Spreadsheet Solutions) (product announcement)
January 1, 1990... FinCalc for Release 3 FinCalc for Release 3 provides a template that helps you calculate time-value-of-money calculations, produces amortization schedules, and performs discounted cash flow analysis. It also provides an add-in that enhances...

All three versions of The (at)Library.... (Lotus-related upgrades) (IRG Information Systems' business and spreadsheet software) (product announcement)
January 1, 1990... All three versions of The @Library All three versions of The @Library, which include @functions related to general business, statistics, and science and engineering, are available as 1-2-3 Release 3 add-ins. TableTalk lets you perform matrix...

What'sBest! for Release 3. (Lotus-related upgrades) (General Optimization Inc's software for optimizing worksheet-based variables) (product announcement)
January 1, 1990... What'sBest! for Release What'sBest! for Release 3 optimizes from 400 to 16,000 worksheet-based variables, depending on which version you buy. all versions require 1-2-3 Release 3. The Personal Version requires 256K; $149; upgrade, $50. The...

Other upgrades: The Norton Commander. (Peter Norton Computing Inc's utility program) (product announcement)
January 1, 1990... OTHER UPGRADES The Norton Commander version 3.0 lets you invoke DOS commands with a single key. The new version allows you to view files that were saved with any of more than 20 major applications, including 1-2-3, Symphony, WordPerfect, and...

Aldus Pagemaker 3.0 for OS/2 Presentation Manager. (Other upgrades) (product announcement)
January 1, 1990... Aldus PageMaker 3.0 for OS/2 Presentation Manager Aldus PageMaker 3.0 for OS/2 Presentation Manager can do everything PageMaker 3.0 can do, plus perform operations in the background and keep multiple documents and multiple applications running...

MAI 4.10 One to Five Year Forecasting Model. (Other upgrades) (Munier Associates financial software) (product announcement)
January 1, 1990... MAI 4.10 One To Five Year Forecasting Model MAI 4.10 One To Five Year Forecasting Model helps you prepare balance sheets and statements of profit and loss, cash flow, and inventory. It also calculates 31 financial ratios. The new version lets...

Lotus 1-2-3: Module 1. (Other upgrades) (courseware for instructors)
January 1, 1990... Lotus 1-2-3 Simplified Lotus 1-2-3 Simplified, Release 2.2, by David Bolocan. Covers all of Release 2.2's features and describes C-language libraries with which to create add-ins. Published October 1989, 272 pages, $16.95 (paperback), from...

Books.
January 1, 1990... BOOKS Expert Advisor: 1-2-3 Release 2.2, by Mark M. Williams. Alphabetical reference to all features and functions of Release 2.2. Includes a detachable 100-page quick-reference guide. Published January 1990, 550 pages, $22.95 (paperback),...

Multitasking at Comdex. (utilizing OS/2's multitasking capability)
January 1, 1990... MULTITASKING AT COMDEX Six months ago I left the Spring Comdex show thinking that OS/2 with Presentation Manager (PM) was nothing more than the world's most expensive printer utility. At the time, few OS/2 applications were actually...