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Recent
Developments ..
by Roger Davies
Jun 1998
Soft Serve Direct
Box 389, Magrath,
Alberta, Canada T0K 1JO
Phone (403) 388-4332 Fax (403) 758-3505
Email comments to news@ssdirect.com
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indows 98 - 'Works Better, Plays Better'
Here comes Windows 98. Is Win98>Win95+IE4?
Just barely, according to most reviewers. Will Win98 ship on time? Without bugs? Just what
is new in Microsoft Windows 98? You can check out the hype direct from Mr. Gates at microsoft.com/windows98. They say, up to 50%
faster software loading, more efficient use of hard drive space, a new Tune-Up wizard,
updated DirectX 5.0 / MMX / AGP / USB /DVD support, and, of course, integration of the
internet browser into the operating system. Great! They don't say if will run any
faster than Win95 or work much different than Win95+IE4 or if the asking $100+US cost is
justifiable. Apparently most are taking a wait and see approach. You may wish to take a
look at some recent articles on Win98 from various other sources:
To gain some perspective, just last year at this time I was ranting against vaporware
and almost-there software and hardware (see June 1997). I am
regularily being asked about when to upgrade or how long to wait before upgrading. I have
some customers waiting on hardware purchases for the latest greatest Windows yet. My
answer? Just wait and see. I'll believe it when I see it. Maybe. I don't know. Hopefully
it will actually ship in 1998 .. and if they do - just what bugs did they leave unresolved
to make their deadline? Or did they delay shipping until now just to catch them all? Yeah,
right. So, be careful out there. Go in with your eyes open. Good luck!
avascript - Adding magic to the webpage.
Javascript for the masses. Did you ever program in BASIC?
Try your hand at a webpage? One more arrow to add to your quiver may be Javascript.
Assuming you have a fairly current mainstream browser, say version 3+ of Netscape
or MS IE Internet Explorer, you can add a little wow to your web pages and forms - and if
you don't have the right browser yet .. you do know they are giving them away, eh.
JavaScript is an object-based computer language. You describe data and procedures in terms
of objects, methods, and properties--not variables,
routines, and statements. Don't be scared .. you can do it. Checkout our recently
updated javascript Order and Upgrade webpages .. the idea here is that the
javascript adds up individual selection costs and updates fields on the form with
total price, tax, and lease amounts whenever the form selections change.
Although it is difficult to put your hands on a definitive source for all javascript
flavors available today, there is a lot of information out on the net. The first
thing to know - Java and Javascript are not the same animal (however .. Javascript was
originally called Livescript by Netscape and the Microsoft version is called Jscript).
Secondly - a given script may not work on every possible browser .. it can, however, be
programmed to run on most new browsers . And finally - it is a programming language .. you
have to speak computer to it. That said, you make wish to try your hand at some simple
javascripting.
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