Path: utzoo!mnetor!tmsoft!torsqnt!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!wuarchive!mit-eddie!uw-beaver!sumax!thebes!camco!bill From: bill@camco.Celestial.COM (Bill Campbell) Newsgroups: comp.dcom.modems Subject: Re: New Modems, Telebit Fails under impairments in PC Magazine tests Message-ID: <552@camco.Celestial.COM> Date: 14 Dec 90 17:59:49 GMT References: <1990Nov21.221114.11850@unixland.uucp> <1990Nov23.185029.2663@nstar <5791@holston.UUCP> <405@beagle.UUCP> Organization: Celestial Software, Mercer Island, WA Lines: 53 In <405@beagle.UUCP> chandler@beagle.UUCP (Jim Chandler) writes: >In article <5791@holston.UUCP>, barton@holston.UUCP (Barton A. Fisk) writes: >> In article bob@MorningStar.Com (Bob Sutterfield) writes: >> >The modem comparison article in the December 11 1990 issue of PC >> >Magazine has stimulated some interesting discussion, particularly >> [a bunch of stuff about PCmags tests on Telebits deleted] >> >> Moral of the Story: Don't base your purchasing decisions >> entirely on PC Mag. You could find yourself burned beyond >> recognition. >Here here. Many times they are inaccurate about what features the equipment >has. Having to compare 50 PCs for example, they may miss a few things. Also >I noticed that they compare these systems with a business person in mind. >While this is OK and I understand that they are tailoring to their readership, >most power users will not find the info that they want. Overall, use common >sense and research a purchase prior. >-- >Jim Chandler >asuvax!xroads!beagle!chandler >chandler@beagle.uucp I find it difficult to believe anything I believe in the PC mags where the editors think DOS is an operating system and BASIC a programming language. That should get your attention and start a flame war! The problem is that these people have limited experience and little knowledge of anything outside of the PC world. This is going to show up more in a group dealing with communications since DOS isn't very good at communications and communication implies dealing with a multitude of systems and protocols. Examples of this is the old 'Wordstar diamond' which used ctrl-s for cursor control not realizing that this was x-off, and DOS conventions of using a single ESC to cancel something where the ESC character is generally the beginning of a sequence. This is OK so long as one stays withing the PC environment, but causes problems when dealing with the rest of the world. If I'm the only person around I can do anything I want, but if I live in a community I need to get along with my neighbors. The PC magazines and users need to be educated and learn that there is a big world out there that isn't afflicted with 640K memory barriers, 32Meg disk limits, or any of the other idiocy foisted on the world by IBM. -- INTERNET: bill@Celestial.COM Bill Campbell; Celestial Software UUCP: ...!thebes!camco!bill 6641 East Mercer Way uunet!camco!bill Mercer Island, WA 98040; (206) 947-5591