Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!purdue!decwrl!ucbvax!hplabs!hp-pcd!hplsla!andyc
From: andyc@hplsla.HP.COM (Andy Cassino)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Neodesk 2.0
Message-ID: <5440029@hplsla.HP.COM>
Date: 30 May 89 19:28:55 GMT
Organization: HP Lake Stevens, WA
Lines: 52

Last Saturday I picked up a copy of Neodesk 2.0 at my dealer and promptly
went home to install it. Neodesk has an INSTALL.PRG on the disk that you have
to run BEFORE you can use Neodesk. It makes sure you understand the
licensing agreement and agree to it, and has you fill in your name and
address the same as on the registration card. This info is written to the
distribution disk and must be there if and when the time to upgrade arrives.
Other than this, the disk is NOT copy-protected.

Okay, per the instruction book I made sure the disk was writable and then ran
INSTALL.PRG. (In the process, I noted several folders and files were on the
disk). Everything went fine until I got done entering my name and address and
the INSTALL program tried to write the disk. Then I got dialog that said the
data on the disc was damaged, CANCEL or CONTINUE? I chose CANCEL after
re-checking that the disk was writable. (When in doubt, go easy, right?).
Well, then I got a nastygram saying the install had failed and to contact
Gribnif at some long distance phone number. When I returned to the desktop, 
the INSTALL.PRG was gone, and several files names were printed in "gray"
instead of black. What's *that* mean? I figured to undelete the install
program and try again, but when I closed the window on that disc an tried to
re-open, I got the damaged data dialog again.

Back to the dealer (25 mile drive). He copies his master disc onto my disc.
I run INSTALL.PRG no problem. My computer is a MEGA ST-2 and so is the
dealers. I don't know what happened but I not too happy about it. I'm glad I
didn't mail order Neodesk!

How do I like it? Quite well for having found three bugs in all:

1) The neocontrol.acc loses it's mouse settings every so often. Seems related
   to using G+Plus desk accessory.

2) The option for doing a disk copy by sector is buggy. Directories for both
   source and destination get messed up when using it to copy one disk 
   sector to another (identical) sector. It's fast, though :). (Rebooting
   fixes the directory problem. The copy seems to be done correctly, Neodesk
   and TOS just are lost afterwards).

3) Once, I wrapped 4 folders and copied them (having not enabled the move
   option). Well, Neo went ahead and moved them....


Seriously, I really DO like this program, combined with Universal Item
Selector TOS becomes quite delightful. But I've seen enough bugs to be
concerned.

    %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
    % Andy Cassino                                                  %
    % uucp: hplabs!hplsla!andyc  domain: andyc%hplsla@hplabs.hp.com %
    % Hewlett-Packard              Lake Stevens Instrument Division %
    % 8600 Soper Hill Road                   Everett, WA 98205-1298 %
    % (206) 335-2211                                                %
    %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%