Updates from last month's column:

SciTech Display Doctor is now at beta 27 (05/09/2000). Download it at ftp://ftp.scitechsoft.com/sdd/beta/os2/; their web page is at http://www.scitechsoft.com/sdd_os2.html.

CDR/RW Wizard is at version 0.99 beta 14; it's a GUI interface to CDRecord/2. This updated beta was released on 05/12/2000. You'll find it at http://www.quasarbbs.com/rocco/.

InCharge has been updated on 05/13/2000 to version 1.02.65. Go to http://www.spitfiresoftware.com/.

A new test version of GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program), billed as THE PhotoShop for Linux, was released on 05/22/2000. Test version 1.1.22 is at http://birdy.hpage.net. It now includes extras like Gimpressionist, xscanimage, and the HTML manual. The HelpBrowser also works, if you get gnomelibs. The stable version 1.0.2 is at http://www.netlabs.org/gimp/.

Maul Publisher version 1.23 has been released on 05/20/2000. It is billed as the "world's first professional desktop publisher for OS/2". Go to http://www.manglais.com/, or use search key maul on Hobbes.

Zip Control version 2.67 has been released as of 05/17/2000. This is a PM front-end to Zip/UnZip/PKZip. Archive functions supported include: viewing, deleting, printing, unzipping, create new, encryption/ decryption, test-run, and virus scanning. It now supports Norton Antivirus 5.02.41 and UnZip 5.40 (not sure about UnZip 5.41, but I would think so). It is at http://www.RPFSoftware.com.

Java Pilot Desktop, a Java program for interfacing with the PalmPilot, is now at version 0.9461 as of 05/04/2000. It includes an address book, to-do list, memo pad, expense management, and a datebook. It is at http://www.ctag.de/projects/jpd/. (Note: I had a slightly incorrect URL last month; my apologies).

This month's new listings - Drivers:

Matrox has released on 05/19/2000 version 1.09 of their video card BIOS updates for the G200 & G400 series. This puts the G200 cards at version 2.7, and the G400 at version 1.6. This reportedly fixes problems running high resolution VESA programs in DOS sessions. Also available as of 04/09/1999 is the 3.51 version of the Unified BIOS updates, which puts the G100 AGP at 1.6, G100 PCI at 1.2, Millenium II PCI at 1.5, Millenium II AGP at 1.4, Mystique at 1.8, and Millenium at 3.0. Go to http://www.matrox.com/mga/drivers/bios/home2.htm.

IBM has updated on 04/25/2000 the drivers for CardBus support (PC Card Standard 5.0) for laptops with the Cirrus Logic CL-PD6729 or CL-PD6832, or the Texas Instruments PCI1131 or PCI1131 Socket Controller chip. This is a complete replacement for the PCMCIA subsystem in OS/2. It is designed to provide PCMCIA 5.0 level support, except for multi- function PC Cards. It is at ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/ps/products/os2/os2ddpak/cardbus.exe.

IBM has updated on 05/19/2000 their Laserjet, Postscript, Omni, and plotter printer drivers. Go to ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/ps/products/os2/printpak/.

Abbottsbury Software, in conjunction with Hauppage Computer Works, Inc. has released version 1.42A of the WinCast TV driver set. Go to http://www.os2tv.com/downloads.phtml. Download WCAST.ZIP; use MINSTALL to do a full install. This version of the driver should solve problems associated with mapping audio inputs to proper video inputs. In addition, a new test application called DiveTV is included. Further info is on the WarpCast archives for May 26.

This month's new listings - Applications:

IBM has released (05/22/2000) fixpak IP08413 for File & Print Client (i.e. OS/2 Peer). Go to ftp://service.boulder.ibm.com/ps/products/lan/fixes/ibm.peer/english-us/ip08413.

IBM has released (04/27/2000) fixpak UN_2101 for TCP/IP 4.21 (included with Warp Server for e-Business). It should be included with MPTS 8621. Go to ftp://service.boulder.ibm.com/ps/products/tcpip/fixes/v4.2os2/un_2101.

PMView 2000, the indispensable graphics viewer, has been updated as of 05/21/2000 to version 2.10. This version adds support for WBMP and PIC, and fixes some bugs. Go to ftp://ftp.blueprintsoftware.com/pub/kickoff/.

UniMaint has been updated on 05/21/2000 to version 5.10.15. It does desktop backup, WPS and INI file repairs and cleanup, and includes an uninstaller to uninstall other programs. Go to http://www.filestar.com/pages/download.html.

A program called cdupd version 0.2 was released on 05/21/2000. It can be used to update the base Warp 4 installation files with FixPaks, and supports the creation of updated installation floppies. You can use the updated OS/2 image in combination with these floppies to create new installations of OS/2 which already incorporates the FixPak. Use search key updcd on Hobbes.

WarpZip was updated on 05/15/2000 to version 3.0. This program will for now search for, list, view, extract and do "near seamless" installations from Zip, Arj, Rar, Lzh, Tgz, Gz and OS/2 "packed" file formats. It also features a Download PreProcessor that will selectively move your downloaded zip files to any directory you choose, test them for integrity, scan for viruses, and queue them up for later review. Go to http://www.pillarsoft.net/warpzip.html.

LAME version 3.80 has been ported on 05/12/2000 to OS/2. LAME is an MP3 encoder, and includes a graphical frame analyzer. Use search key lame on Hobbes.

EMX 0.9d fix 03 was released on 05/07/2000. This is a complete package for programmers; users will only need emxrt.zip. These Unix-compatability libraries are required for XFree86/OS2, Quake for OS/2, and countless OS/2 utilities. As Steve Wendt says, "You're going to need this library sooner or later". Go to ftp://ftp.leo.org/pub/comp/os/os2/leo/gnu/emx+gcc/.

The Digital Camera Image Transfer Utility (DCITU) is now on beta version 1.8i as of 05/07/2000. This utility supports cameras from Kodak, Agfa, Epson, Olympus, Sanyo, Sierra, Nikon, Minolta, and Toshiba. More info is at http://charette.dyn.tj/dcitu/. Use search key dcitu on Hobbes.

CFM TWAIN version 5.20 is now available. This software adds support for many scanners to OS/2, in programs such as PMView 2000. Go to http://www.cfm.de/En/eprodukte_twain_all.htm.

YADTV/2 now includes a Media Control device driver for MMOS2. YADTV/2 is a TV application for the Wincast/TV card. Beta 3 (05/05/2000) is available on Hobbes using search key yadtv. More information is at http://www.mts.net/~lsunley/.

Apache version 1.3.12 is now available as of 02/23/2000. Go to http://apache.org/dist/binaries/os2/. Also available as of 04/21/2000 is an "in-development" version of Apache 2.0 for those who want to try out the new features. It offers big performance improvements due to multi-threading and elimination of some emx dependencies. That version is at http://silk.apana.org.au/apache/apache_v2.shtml.