Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!sunybcs!boulder!seri!wind55!marshall
From: marshall@wind55.seri.gov (Marshall L. Buhl)
Newsgroups: comp.windows.ms
Subject: Re: Windows comm programs
Message-ID: <1990Feb26.203941.2975@seri.gov>
Date: 26 Feb 90 20:39:41 GMT
References: <27246@cup.portal.com>
Sender: news@seri.gov (news [NO CHARGE])
Organization: Solar Energy Research Institute
Lines: 45

MJB@cup.portal.com (Martin J Brown-Jr) writes:

>I bought Crosstalk for Windows last weekend. I'm NOT impressed!

>I would say that it is not very user friendly

>The phonebook, which I consider to be the gateway, is, IMHO, poorly
>designed. Details upon request.

I've had it for a few weeks now.  I intended to use it for reading
news articles on UseNet.  I wanted to capture an article that I wanted
to followup, edit it using Word for Windows and paste the article back
into vi (I HATE vi).  The only problem is that Crosstalk can only display
data at about 4800 baud (at least on my Dell 325). I normally log in at
19200.  When I paste the revised article into vi, I get millions of bells
as the Unix host echos back the incoming text.  Crosstalk can't keep up
with it, so it beeps when the buffer is full.  I have enabled both hardware
handshaking and XON/XOFF.  A data scope told me that it was the PC that
was originating the bells - not the Unix system.  Microstuf figured it was
the remote host.  If I slow down to 9600, it still happens, but not as
badly.  If I slow down to 4800, it goes away.

I also timed how long it took to fill the screen.  It's the same for 4800
as it is for 9600 and 19200.  There must be too much graphics overhead
to draw the screen quickly.  I guess I need that 100 MHz 80686.  Alas,
maybe someday, the hardware will catch up with the software - but I
doubt it.  I'll just want to run more powerful software.

I also notice that when I'm editing with vi, I loose cursor positioning
information.  Text gets inserted at a place different from where the
cursor is displayed.  I don't have this problem at 19200 with Crosstalk
XVI or Mark 4.

Anyway, I've gone back to using Crosstalk Mark 4.  Crosstalk for Windows
just doesn't work well.  It's too bad, cause after I figured out how to 
set things up (not obvious), it seemed like a decent program.  I wonder 
if Windows/386 v. 3.0 will help any.

Now, I guess I'm looking for a good Windows comm program that runs at 19200
and can reliably cut and paste to/from WinWord.  Anybody seen one?
--
Marshall L. Buhl, Jr.                   EMAIL: marshall@wind55.seri.gov
Senior Computer Engineer                VOICE: (303)231-1014
Wind Research Branch                    1617 Cole Blvd., Golden, CO  80401-3393
Solar Energy Research Institute         Solar - safe energy for a healthy future