Re: WinNews Vol. 2 No. 21, December 4, 1995
Microsoft(R) WinNews Electronic Newsletter
Vol. 2, #21, December 4, 1995
***********************************************************
One of the most interesting features of Windows 95 is that
it continues to have features constantly updated. One of
the more important ones is that the latest version of
Internet Explorer 2.0, Microsoft's World Wide Web browser
for Windows 95, is now available to for downloading for no
charge from our website (http://www.microsoft.com/windows).
Full details are provided below. You also might want to
check out how to make create your own customized web page
on the Microsoft Network home page at http://www.msn.com.
We will also have more information on Microsoft's Internet
plans in our next issue of WinNews.
Some other important news included is that Microsoft's
Product Support Services announced the hours it will be
open during the holidays for supporting Windows 95 and
Microsoft Home products. Also, we have information
about the SDK for Microsoft Speech.
Please note that due to the large amount of content in
this issue - the regular "Windows 95 Logoed Products" is
not in this issue. It will return in the Dec. 18 issue.
This issue of WinNews contains:
1. "WINDOWS 95 HINTS AND TIPS"
Our regular feature offering some helpful ways to
use Windows 95. Hints provided in this issue focus on
the Internet.
2. "MICROSOFT SHIPS INTERNET EXPLORER 2.0"
Find out all the details on the latest Microsoft
software now available for checking out World
Wide Web sites.
3. "MICROSOFT PRODUCT SUPPORT OFFERS TIDINGS OF COMFORT
AND JOY TO HOLIDAY CUSTOMERS"
A listing of hours that Product Support will be open
during the upcoming holiday season.
4. "FINAL RELEASE OF MICROSOFT SPEECH SDK"
Information on the SDK for speech recognition and
text-to-speech capabilities for Windows 95 and Windows NT.
5. "ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ON WINDOWS 95"
Our regular feature on various questions from users.
This issue includes some help on hardware peripherals.
6. "TECHNET OFFERS SINGLE-ISSUE CD SAMPLER"
TechNet is a CD-ROM subscription service for technical
professionals. If you are not a TechNet subscriber,
here is an offer to check out what it is all about.
7. "INFORMATION REGARDING SYNCRONYS SOFTRAM95"
There have been several questions regarding Syncronys'
improper use of the Windows 95 logo. Here are the
facts about this situation.
8. "POPULAR QUESTION REGARDING THE WINDOWS 95 LOGO"
We are including this to provide you with details on
how the logo program works, and what the advantages
of the program are.
9."NEW POSTINGS TO WINDOWS 95 WEB SITE AND FORUMS"
Our regular information of new postings to various
on-line servers locations - and how to access these files.
QUICK NOTES
A. Stocking stuffer ideas for the busy computer user?
Two of the most popular related items to Windows 95
has been Microsoft Plus! and the Windows 95 Resource
Kit. Microsoft Plus! provides compression, a system
agent, cool desktop themes and a great 32-bit game
of pinball. The Windows 95 Resource Kit (with
companion CD has been on the computer book
best-seller lists since August. The 1,300-page book
and companion CD provide leading-edge technical
information and tools to assist advanced users,
programmers, corporate developers and support
professionals who are planning on or considering
implementing Windows 95 operating system.
Jay Goldstein
WinNews Editor
***********************************************************
SUBSCRIPTIONS
If you know someone who might be interested in WinNews,
please instruct them to:
1. Send Internet e-mail to: ENEWS99@MICROSOFT.NWNET.COM
2. Send the message from the account that you wish
to subscribe (some people use more than one
e-mail account).
3. Subject line should be blank.
4. Body of message should ONLY have in the
text: SUBSCRIBE WINNEWS
You may also feel free to forward this document, provided
you forward it in its entirety, as per the copyright
notice below. If you wish to stop receiving WinNews,
send mail to enews@microsoft.nwnet.com with a blank
subject line and the body of the message should only
have in the text: UNSUBSCRIBE WINNEWS.
WinNews is published twice a month, on the first and
third Monday of each month. Special editions of WinNews
may also be sent out occasionally.
***********************************************************
1. WINDOWS 95 HINTS AND TIPS
The following are a few useful hints and tips that will
result in a more productive work environment. We hope
these are tips you can pass on to the users you support.
A. Accessing Internet Resources Via the Run Command
Click the Start button and choose Run. Type the URL
address in the Run Command Line.
Example: http://www.microsoft.com.
Internet Explorer will launch and automatically initiate
a connection to the desired address.
B. Saving Images As Wallpaper Using Internet Explorer
>From Internet Explorer, right click on the desired image
and choose Set As Desktop Wallpaper.
***********************************************************
2. MICROSOFT SHIPS INTERNET EXPLORER 2.0
* Fastest-Growing Web Browser for Windows 95-Based PCs
* Logo-Licensing Program Implemented to Ensure Best-Possible
Viewing Experience
REDMOND, Wash. - Microsoft Corp. today released the final
version of Microsoft(R) Internet Explorer 2.0, the newest
version of the popular Internet browser for the
Windows(R) 95 operating system. Internet Explorer is the
fastest-growing browser software in the industry;
approximately one-third of licensed users of Windows 95 who
use an Internet browser obtained the browser within 90 days
of the release of version 1.0. In response to the fast
growth, Microsoft also announced the Internet Explorer
licensing program. Internet Explorer version 2.0 is widely
available for downloading at no charge to licensed users
of Windows 95 via the Internet. It is available on the
Windows home page at: http://www.microsoft.com/windows.
Internet Explorer 2.0 offers easy Internet access and use,
high performance, and advanced security. In addition, it
is the first browser to support advanced multimedia and
3-D graphics capabilities. "We're excited that customers
have made Internet Explorer the fastest-growing browser on
the market," said Brad Chase, general manager in the
personal systems division at Microsoft. "Customers
indicated they wanted a browser that was compatible with
existing standards, simple to use, fast and which provided
easy access to the Internet. Internet Explorer 2.0
provides that and also delivers state-of-the-art features
such as 3-D graphics and advanced security."
In less than three months, Internet Explorer has become one
of the most popular browsers on the market. Hundreds of
thousands of users of Windows 95 have downloaded Internet
Explorer since its initial availability in August.
Version 2.0 can be downloaded from the Microsoft Windows
World Wide Web home page (http://www.microsoft.com/windows)
at no charge (other than the cost, if applicable, of online
time while downloading). Developers and "webmasters" can
also download Internet Explorer as part of the Internet
Toolbox, an online Internet Software Development Kit that
is scheduled to be available in December.
Internet Explorer will be available in twelve additional
languages, most of which are scheduled to ship within
a month. The languages supported are Brazilian Portuguese,
Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Japanese,
Norwegian, Pan-European English, Spanish and Swedish.
Logo Program Assures Users of Richest-Possible Viewing Experience
Under the new Internet Explorer Logo Licensing Program, Web
publishers can display an authorized Microsoft logo on their
Web site, indicating the site works well with Internet
Explorer 2.0. The familiar Windows(R) logo assures users
that a Web site was specifically designed to provide them
with the richest-possible viewing experience and that it
contains some of the Internet's most advanced features and
technologies. Some of the cool new technologies that Web
authors can take advantage of include marquees (moving
text), inline AVIs, table colors, watermarks and background
sounds. Microsoft is also working with qualified
developers to provide an automated process that will
enable visitors to automatically download the most current
version of Internet Explorer directly from the developer's
Web site. Web publishers, developers and others can obtain
further information on the logo licensing program by
visiting the Microsoft home page.
With the release of Internet Explorer 2.0, Microsoft offers
full support for Web standards supported by other popular
browsers on the market, such as Netscape Navigator.
"Internet Explorer's compatibility with existing standards
is key," said Tom Hagopian, general manager of ESPNET at
ESPN. "Now all Internet Explorer 2.0 users can experience
the full richness of the ESPNET SportsZone site."
Internet Explorer 2.0 is the first browser to offer
enhanced Internet capabilities, including:
* Improved Web support. Internet Explorer 2.0 provides
superior integration with today's Web pages by supporting
Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) 3.0 tables, access to
Internet newsgroups, a toolbar for instant access to the
world's most powerful Web search engines, and the ability
to run animations using client-pull technology.
* Advanced security. Internet Explorer 2.0 offers
comprehensive support for current Internet security
standards, including secure sockets layer (SSL) and RSA
encryption, which allows integration with secure sites;
private communication technology (PCT) and efficient and
secure upgrade to the SSL protocol; and secure transaction
technology (STT), an electronic-payment technology jointly
developed by Microsoft and Visa International.
* Multimedia support. Internet Explorer 2.0 provides new
features and HTML extensions to take full advantage of the
most sophisticated Web pages. New features include inline
AVIs for embedded videos, scrolling banners, background
audio, context-sensitive menus, and inline Virtual Reality
Markup Language for fast viewing of 3-D objects and animation.
Internet Explorer 2.0 has also been distributed to the
major on-line services for posting. If you subscribe to
one of these services, you may be able to download it
from your service.
***********************************************************
3. MICROSOFT PRODUCT SUPPORT OFFERS TIDINGS OF COMFORT
AND JOY TO HOLIDAY CUSTOMERS
REDMOND, Wash. - To accommodate the support needs of
holiday software purchasers, Microsoft Corp. will extend
its standard, no-charge technical-support hours in the
United States for the Microsoft Windows(R) 95 operating
system Microsoft Home products, as well as, during the
Christmas and New Year's holidays.
Customers will have access to standard support (no-charge
technical support via a toll line) for Windows 95 and Home
products during regularly scheduled hours as well as during
the following holiday hours:
Monday, Dec. 25 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. PST
Tuesday, Dec. 26 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. PST
Saturday, Dec. 30 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. PST
Sunday, Dec. 31 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. PST
Monday, Jan. 1 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. PST
All retail Windows 95 and Microsoft Home products provide
collateral explaining Microsoft support policies, as well
as the no-charge phone number customers can use to access
support during normal hours and the holiday season.
Windows 95 includes 90 days of no-charge support (not
including networking issues) from the time of the
customer's first support call. All Microsoft Home products
come with unlimited, no- charge support Monday through
Friday. 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pacific time. In addition,
Microsoft support offers fee-based support for all products
24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
***********************************************************
4. FINAL RELEASE OF MICROSOFT SPEECH SDK
REDMOND, Wash. - The Microsoft(R) Speech Software
Developers Kit (SDK) has been released to manufacturing and
will be made available on the January edition of the
Microsoft Developer Network CD-ROM, level II. In addition,
the SDK will be shipped to developers who participated in
the beta program.
The Microsoft Speech SDK enables developers to integrate
speech-recognition and text-to-speech capabilities in
applications for the Microsoft Windows(R) 95 and Microsoft
Windows NT(tm) operating systems. The SDK includes the
Microsoft Speech API for 32-bit applications, sample source
code, documentation, and information about speech
recognition and text-to-speech engine vendors supporting
the API.
For more information on MSDN subscription information (in
the US) call (800) 759-5474. Outside the U.S. contact your
local Microsoft office for more information.
***********************************************************
5. ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ON WINDOWS 95
This regular feature of WinNews provides help on
questions that are frequently asked to our Product Support
team. A complete list of these questions can be found at
Microsoft website at: http://www.microsoft.com/support/
products/windows95/windows95.htm.
Question 1: Why does Windows 95 not detect my SCSI
CD-ROM drive?
Windows 95 detects only proprietary CD-ROM drives (such as
Panasonic, Mitsumi, and Sony CD-ROM drives). Although
Windows 95 does not detect CD-ROM drives on SCSI
controllers, it does detect supported SCSI controllers.
Your SCSI CD-ROM drive is accessible because the enumerator
for the SCSI controller also enumerates the CD-ROM drive.
Question 2: Why doesn't Setup detect my CD-ROM drive?
Windows 95 may not detect your CD-ROM drive if it is
attached to a Media Vision sound card. Setup searches for
CD-ROM drives at several base I/O addresses, but a CD-ROM
drive attached to a Media Vision sound card is not in the
range of addresses that Setup checks. Setup retains the
existing real-mode drivers for the CD-ROM drive, but the
Windows 95 CD-ROM drivers may provide better performance.
If you prefer to use Windows 95 protected-mode drivers to
access your CD-ROM drive, you can set them up manually.
To do so, you need to know the CD-ROM drive's settings.
To set up the CD-ROM drive, follow these steps:
1. Click the Start button, point to Settings, and then
click Control Panel.
2. Double-click the Add New Hardware icon, and then
click the Next button.
3. Click the No option button, and then click Next.
4. Click CD-ROM controllers, and then click Next.
5. In the Manufacturers box, click your brand CD-ROM.
In the Models box, click the name of your CD-ROM
Controller, and then click Next.
6. Click Next, and then click Finish.
7. When you are prompted to restart your computer, click No.
8. Click the Start button, point to Settings, and then
click Control Panel.
9. Double-click the System icon.
10. On the Device Manager tab, double-click the CD-ROM
Controllers branch, and then double-click the CD-ROM's
Controller.
11. Click the Resources tab.
12. In the Settings Based On box, click Basic Configuration 0
13. Click the Use Automatic Settings check box to clear it.
14. Use the Change Settings button to modify the resources
to match the CD-ROM drive's settings.
15. Click OK.
16. When you are prompted to restart your computer, do so.
To verify that the CD-ROM drive is set up correctly, check
it in Device Manager to see that no problems are reported
in the Device Status box. Also, make sure that you can
read a CD-ROM in the CD-ROM drive.
If you have other questions about Windows 95, we encourage
you to get more information from our website at
http://www.windows.com/windows, or from the many online
forums and bulletin boards which support Windows 95.
***********************************************************
6. TECHNET OFFERS SINGLE-ISSUE CD SAMPLER
REDMOND, Wash. - For a limited time, customers of Microsoft
can purchase a sample issue of TechNet, the comprehensive
information resource for evaluating, implementing and
supporting Microsoft(R) business products. The TechNet
CD Sampler previews most of the content available through
an annual subscription for only one-tenth the subscription
price. Sample content includes product facts, white papers
and technical notes on Microsoft products, as well as the
resource kits for the Windows(R) 95 operating system and
Office for Windows 95. The CD also contains information on
products in the Microsoft BackOffice(tm) integrated family
of server software, such as the Windows NT(tm) operating
system and Microsoft Exchange Server.
The TechNet CD Sampler is available for US $29.95 by
calling 800-344-2121 (in the U. S. or Canada). Customers
who purchase the sampler will receive a US $30 ($40 Can.)
rebate coupon that can be applied toward an annual
subscription to TechNet purchased through an authorized
Microsoft reseller. A full year of TechNet costs
approximately $299 for a single user license or $699 for a
single server, unlimited user license. This offer expires
June 28, 1996; coupons must be received by July 12, 1996.
OUTSIDE THE US AND CANADA: For more information on
offers outside the US and Canada, please check the TechNet
website at http://www.microsoft.com/technet or contact your
local Microsoft office.
TechNet is a CD-ROM-based information subscription service
designed specifically for technical professionals who
evaluate and select new products, administer databases or
networks, integrate products and platforms, or support and
train users. TechNet provides ready-made solutions and
information on Microsoft products, allowing corporate help
desk managers to build a solid support infrastructure for
their users while reducing annual support costs.
***********************************************************
7. INFORMATION REGARDING SYNCRONYS SOFTRAM95
Recently, there have been questions regarding a third-
party utility from Syncronys Software called SoftRAM95.
The purpose of this document is to answer those questions
about SoftRAM95 and the 'Designed for Windows 95' logo.
Is SoftRAM95 an authorized 'Designed For Windows 95' logo
(the "Logo") licensee?
No. Syncronys is not authorized to use the Logo with
respect to any product, advertisement, or marketing
materials. They may also not claim to have the Logo.
Was Syncronys ever licensed to use the Logo on SoftRAM95
or any other product?
No. Syncronys failed to comply with the required terms
and conditions for licensing the Logo.
How did Syncronys get the artwork for the logo for their
box?
We don't know. The artwork they used does not abide by
the logo usage terms.
Doesn't this situation with Syncronys question the validity
and usefulness of the Windows 95 logo?
Microsoft never granted Syncronys the Logo for SoftRAM95.
Also, the Logo is designed to indicate a certain level of
architectural compatibility. It is up to vendors to produce
quality products.
There have been allegations that Syncronys copied Microsoft
beta code. Is this true?
This is true. Syncronys used, without permission, beta
code from a Microsoft virtual device driver- DYNAPAGE.VXD -
in their product. This virtual device driver was delivered
by Microsoft in the beta of the Windows 95 Software
Developers Kit.
What actions has Microsoft taken for these issues?
Microsoft issued Syncronys a cease and desist letter
demanding that Syncronys stop shipping the copied code
and stop using the Windows 95 logo. Syncronys agreed to
take the corrective actions demanded in the letter.
Will Syncronys be licensed to use the Logo with respect to
SoftRAM95 in the future?
This depends largely upon Syncronys' cooperation with
respect to their infringement of Microsoft intellectual
property rights. Microsoft is working with Syncronys to
resolve the issues and will reconsider allowing Syncronys
to use the Logo when the issues are resolved to Microsoft's
satisfaction.
What will happen if/when Syncronys releases an updated
version?
Syncronys may submit their new product for logo testing
and compliance at that time.
***********************************************************
8. POPULAR QUESTION REGARDING THE WINDOWS 95 LOGO
What is the 'Designed for Windows 95' logo?
It is the symbol that products will work well with
Windows 95 and take advantage of features specific to
Windows 95.
Why should customers look for the logo?
We put products through a rigorous battery of tests before
granting them the logo. This ensures that customers will
be able to buy products which take advantage of special
features in Windows 95 and will work well on Windows 95.
What makes 'Designed for Windows 95' products so special?
Hardware Products. For hardware products, including PC
systems and subsystems, the baseline criteria include
supporting Plug and Play in Windows 95. Historically,
installing new hardware devices has required substantial
technical expertise to configure and load hardware and
software. Plug and Play in Windows 95 provides a mechanism
for all this configuration to happen automatically.
Computers, add-on boards and peripheral devices supporting
Plug and Play bring true ease of use to customers of
Windows 95. The Logo is an easy-to-remember way to
identify products which incorporate the Plug and Play
benefits of the Windows 95 operating system.
Software Products. Software products must be 32-bit
Windows-based applications, providing better multitasking
and application robustness. Applications with the
Windows 95 Logo will also feature the enhanced user
interface of Windows 95, test on Windows NT, provide
support for long filenames, automated installation, and
uninstall capability. Many applications, especially
typical productivity applications, will also support OLE
component technology, providing better cross-application
interoperability and efficiency through features such as
OLE Drag and Drop.
What's the difference between products which have the
'Designed for Windows 95' logo and products with the
'Windows Compatible' logo?
The Windows Compatible logo was used for those 16-bit
products which ran on Windows 3.1. The 'Designed for
Windows 95 logo' is used for products which take advantages
of the Windows 95 features listed in the previous questions
and have passed our Windows 95 logo testing. Application
vendors can not "roll over" their existing compatible logo
to the 'Designed for Windows 95' logo. They must pass the
logo tests just like everyone else.
But on the Windows 95 WebSite and elsewhere, people are
referring to products as "compatible" with Windows 95.
What does that mean compared with 'Designed for Windows 95'?
We're aware that most customers have Win 3.1 and MS-DOS
applications and/or existing non-Plug and Play pieces of
hardware which do not have the 'Designed for Windows 95'
logo. Therefore, we tested thousands of existing products
on Windows 95 that were not 'Designed for Windows 95'.
The list of products we've tested for compatibility with
Windows 95 is up on the Windows 95 web page -
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/thirdparty.htm. Not all
of these products have the old "Windows Compatible" logo
for Win 3.1. However, they have all been tested and work
with Windows 95.
What about the term "Runs Best on Windows 95" for products
that also run on Windows 3.1?
Some products are able to have a certain amount of
functionality on Windows 3.1 but have a majority of 32-bit
code and contain incremental functionality when run on
Windows 95. Some of these products have the logo - in
which case they've passed the testing requirements for the
'Designed for Windows 95' logo, and some don't. We only
guarantee the 32-bit functionality and other logo features
for those products with the 'Designed for Windows 95' logo.
What about products which say they are 32-bit and are
compatible with Windows 95 or that they run on Windows 95
but don't have the 'Designed for Windows 95' logo?
These vendors may have products which take advantage of the
features within Windows 95 32-bit architecture, however,
they have not been through Veritest - the third party
testing lab who tests for logo compliance, have not been
certified that they abide by the terms of the logo license,
and have not been certified that they meet the logo criteria.
Who has the logo?
As of Nov. 29 over 750 products have passed logo testing
and received the 'Designed for Windows 95' logo. For the
list of these vendors, please check our web site:
www.microsoft.com/windows/thirdparty.htm. Since new
products are continually passing testing, we continually
update the list of logoed vendors there.
What about Windows NT? Do products that are 'Designed for
Windows 95' run on Windows NT?
Part of the logo requirements are that a product be tested
on Windows NT. However, a handful of APIs are supported
on one platform that are not available in the other. An
example of products and APIS are: games using DirectX and
utilities using TAPI. At this time, these two APIs are not
supported in Windows NT. The idea is that if an
application uses Windows 95-specific application programming
interfaces (APIs), then the Windows 95-only functionality
must degrade gracefully [meaning, just "stub" that
functionality, as opposed to allowing the system to crash]
on Windows NT 3.5 or later. Conversely, if it uses
Windows NT-specific APIs, then the Windows NT-only
functionality must degrade gracefully on Windows 95. The
bottom line is that the product must run successfully on
both Windows 95 and Windows NT, unless architectural
differences between the 2 OSs prevents it. Additionally,
while products may pass testing on Windows NT, it is up to
the vendors themselves whether they want to support their
product(s) on Windows NT.
The requirement to test on Windows NT is a testing
requirement, designed to identify and address bugs, which
has the side benefit of enlarging the potential market for
an ISV's product as Windows NT takes hold over the next
couple years. About 90% of Win32-based applications run
without incident on both Windows 95 and Windows NT.
***********************************************************
9. NEW POSTINGS TO WINDOWS 95 WEB SITE AND FORUMS
Locations given for these files are for the Windows 95
Home Page on the World Wide Web which can be found at:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows
Online information on other sites (listed below) may be
organized in a slightly different manner.
Internet Products
------------------------------------------------
"Frequent Asked Questions" - an updated document on
FAQs for Internet Explorer 2.0
YOU CAN FIND THE ARTICLES LISTED ABOVE,
AND OTHER WINDOWS 95 INFORMATION:
On the World Wide Web at:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows
On the Internet:
ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/PerOpSys/Win_News
On The Microsoft Network:
Main Page(MSN Central)\Edit Menu\Go To\
Other Location\Windows
On America OnLine: Use keyword WINNEWS
On CompuServe: GO WINNEWS.
On GEnie: MOVE TO PAGE 95
On Prodigy: JUMP WINNEWS.
***********************************************************
This document is provided for informational purposes
only. The information contained in this document
represents the current view of Microsoft Corporation
on the issues discussed as of the date of publication.
Because Microsoft must respond to change in market
conditions, it should not be interpreted to be a
commitment on the part of Microsoft and Microsoft
cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information
presented after the date of publication.
INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THIS DOCUMENT IS PROVIDED
"AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER
EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO
THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS
FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND FREEDOM FROM
INFRINGEMENT.
The user assumes the entire risk as to the
accuracy and the use of this document. This
document may be copied and distributed subject to
the following conditions: 1) All text must be
copied without modification and all pages must
be included; 2) All copies must contain Microsoft's
copyright notice and any other notices provided
therein; and 3) This document may not be
distributed for profit.
[
3pco Guides ] [
3pco Home ] [
What's New ]