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From: Sullivan@cup.portal.com (sullivan - segall)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: JrComm 1.0
Message-ID: <31705@cup.portal.com>
Date: 14 Jul 90 06:17:36 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
Lines: 74

For those interested in the new release of John Radigan's terminal 
program, it seems to have finally been released.  (I downloaded my
review copy from Jay Miner's BBS415-967-2021.)  

First off, JrComm is arguably the most buggy software ever released
on the Amiga market.  Ultracard came close, but would at least get 
past its title screen before crashing.  JrComm can't even seem to 
manage that much.  

Using a VT100 four color screen, an internal modem, and other such 
commonplace options, JrComm dies with a doubly freed structure 
(Guru 8100 0008 at 2BC7D0.)  In fact I haven't been able to find
a single default configuration other than the initial start up on 
the workbench that doesn't crash this program.

The review-copy limitation is designed to be a nuisance.  Actually 
it is quite effective.  After having to rebuild my default files 
several times (because although I could engage VT100 emulation mode,
I could not boot into it, thereby requiring that I rename the old 
defaults before trying to adjust them) the protection annoyed me 
enough to fall back to an earlier revision.  To describe it simply,
everytime you select something from the menu, there is a chance that
you will be greeted with a message.  Generally the messages point out
all of the great advantages of registering your copy of the program,
(except the first screen which is broken) and how these silly messages
will go away when you do.

JrComm 1.0 is also given to locking up.  Generally this is accomplished
by entering a state where the cursor is still flashing and the modem is
still communicating, but the menues are forever lost.  Not too bad if
all you wanted was a straight VT100 (or TTY, or SKYTERM, or Amiga) 
terminal, but a little shy of the downloads, dialing, palettes,
and reconfigurability I had hoped for.

On the brighter side, many bugs have been eliminated in this version.
JrComm 1.0 seems to be very stable changing from one screen format
to another.  And compared to version .94, a goodly number of options
have been added.  

Just to highlight a few:

	*	SkyTerm (if that's your bag)
	*	All sorts of filters, optimized scrolls, smooth scroll,
		VT-100 improvements, and general terminal configurability
	*	Exit without a query
	*	Split review
	*	Audible beep integrated into the Program
	*	Several new Zmodem options

What I'd still like to see:

	*	Something a little more robust
	*	Row and column counters on the status line
	*	Row and column limits (ie 80 x 25) also
	*	The ability to limit rows and columns (even if my
		workbench is morerowed, I don't neccessarily want
		my terminal to be non-standard.)
	*	The ability to reset the text to default output
		modes.  (There is a clearscreen option that does
		NOT do this correctly.)

And of course in my dream-land there is also ARexx support without
which I can't write scripts.


JRComm lives in a sort of unusual netherworld between the gratuitous
complexity of commercial communications packages, and the featureless
public domain.  JrComm 1.0 could easily be the finest terminal program
available for shareware for any machine, but is limited by its roughness,
and its lack of a defineable market niche.  

For all that JrComm has going for it, I truly hope that the rough
corners will be smoothed out.  I'll be waiting anxiously for 1.1.
-kls