Virtual OS/2 International Consumer Education
For more information on VOICE meetings, IRC and WEBBnet please go to http://www.os2voice.org/meetinginfo.html
The rumors about Opera/2, Opera Software's OS/2 version of their popular web browser,
being Open32-based were true. The following is from Opera's "Project Magic"
web page, http://www.operasoftware.com/alt_os.html:
"OS/2: first of all, we will soon have an official announcement but I'd like
to give you some 'bytes' right now. A British Columbia-based company called Binary
Concepts, Inc. will be writing the port for OS/2. I spoke to Arthur Lee, of Binary
Concepts, last night, and he said that the first stage is to provide an Open32-based
version of Opera, which will be replaced/converted over time into a solid and native
OS/2 version, and I believe that this is the right way to do it anyway. Quick results
but with better prospects as the program evolves."
'Open32' is IBM's Open32 programming library, which is designed to make the job
of porting a program from Windows to OS/2 much easier by providing over 700 OS/2
APIs compatible with some of the most common in Windows. Open32 has been criticized
in the past for producing large and slow software (The first version of OS/2's Netscape
and Lotus SmartSuite were developed using Open32), but many OS/2 developers say
things have improved since then.
An organization, the Openscape Group, has formed to serve as a central point for
independent Netscape development.
From their website (http://www.openscape.org/):
The Openscape Group is an organization of people and resources who will be working
on the freely released Netscape client code when it is released on March 31st. Today
we are in the process of setting up resources, including mailing lists, this web
page, and eventually, FTP space.
I have been talking to one credit card processing software vendor who is open about
having their product ported to OS/2 (by me), if there are at least a couple OS/2
web masters other than me interested in it.
The product consists of an API that would let you write your own CGI payment program
in C for OS/2 - as well as a "one size fits all" already compiled OS/2
CGI program if you don't program.
Here is a short description of what the product does that I got from a representative
of that vendor, with the pricing that they have on the platforms they currently
support (4 flavors of Unix). If we decide to go for the OS/2 port - and that depends
on how many people are interested -, the pricing for the OS/2 version of the API
& CGI will be the same.
The <name removed> API is basically a gateway to a transaction server. The
merchant passes packets that would include name, address, phone number, etc. credit
card number and expiration date. They would provide the automated internet based
processing of those transactions. Additionally, they would provide a complete reporting
system for each site. The cost is either a one time license fee of $995 or they
charge $65 a month as an on-going lease situation. Their transaction fees are as
follows (note that this is in addition to the bank fees) :
0-50 transactions per month $.99 each
51-200 $.75
201-500 $.50
501-1500 $.25
1500+ $.14
Some less informative marketing info I got from them :
"Our code is very robust and extremely easy to integrate with existing or custom
made front end situations (unlike CyberCash and others which can be difficult to
implement). We have a world class, 150 point fraud detection module that comes with
a <> API license.
Fraud rates on sites using our service is less than 1%, which is considerably lower
than any other service out there, we have a very comprehensive reporting system,
that can be tied into existing systems rather than being stand alone. And our transaction
fees, especially on the higher volume sites are much lower than average.
Finally, in answer to your question, our system is compatible with ALL banks and
merchant accounts in the U.S. Our transaction server is tied into and we have working
relationships with ALL the credit card clearinghouses in the U.S. So, any existing
merchant account can be plugged into our system. For customers without merchant
accounts, we have a division that deals directly with that and in getting customers
set up with merchant accounts. What this all amounts to is what we feel, and all
of our customers feel, is an incredibly good value. There are certainly lower cost
solutions, but none that provide everything we do."
As a disclaimer, I'll say I haven't used their product, but at least from the specifications
I can say it answers my needs.
If you run a web site on a native OS/2 server and are interested in this, please
drop me an e-mail.
When our beloved president, Steven Grim, moved to Texas to support a gazillion Warp
Servers and Warp Clients, we all were concerned that the MAOS2UG BBS that he SysOp'd
would be gone forever.
Not so!
Joshua Ecklund, SysOp of Digital, Inc. Has agreed to become the official BBS of
MAOS2UG. Joshua already carries plenty of OS/2 related files and lots of game info.
You can use echomail to ask and answer questions, make your statement or just 'lurk.'
He's in the process of adding even more OS/2 echoes and info. For instance, the
Hobbes CD-ROM with thousands of OS/2 programs and info. is already online.
Here's Digital, Inc.'s description right from the SysOp himself:
"Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We feature FidoNet, RaceNet, VANet, RPGNet,
XpresitNet, JustaNet, MirageNet, STN, FishNet, IPNet, Sn00kNet, BlueNet, AdvNet,
and local areas. We also feature over 100 online games to play, and over 2 gigs
of files to download."
So, set your terminal emulator such as HyperAccess to dial up the new Mid-Atlantic
OS/2 User Group BBS. It's at 757-480-0949. Joshua, Digital, Inc. and the MAOS2UG
are waiting for you to call.
Rich Jacox
President, Mid-Atlantic OS/2 UG
http://www.mindspring.com/~reaper/maos2ug.html