This newest version of QCTerm (Version 0.90p, June 21, 2001) corrects several
minor problems, almost all of which we either put into the last version or
were due to our misunderstandings. While I would always recommend downloading
the newest version, you can decide for yourself if it's worth your time:

Items that were corrected:

     o In the last version, we purposefully began stripping nulls out of
escape sequences. It occurs that that was a mistake. Some programs depend on
the presence of the nulls.

     o We have for some time confused the HP "start column" (which apparently
virtually no one uses anymore) and logical start-of-text pointer on a
terminal's screen row. We have corrected this confusion, and in the process
now allow some programs that use the start-of-text pointer to operate
correctly.

     o We are now returning the proper number of rows and columns that you
have on the screen when the host computer asks. While this problem did not
seem to affect many (if any) HP3000 programs, apparently it caused difficulty
with a fair number of UNIX-based programs.

     o We also screwed up a few versions back the behavior of escape-sequence
driven remote printing when in the RECORD MODE. This too has been corrected.

     o This version also contains a requested enhancement: you may now cut
and paste items into a forms mode page, such as you find in NMMGR or VPLUS
forms. We have this cut-and-paste behavior defined in a particular manner,
but should you find that you would like to see it act otherwise, please tell
us your ideas. We've probably considered them already, but we would very much
appreciate hearing them anyway.


SUPPORT:

We have also recently changed our support model, although it probably means
no real change to you at all. As QCTerm becomes more popular, and I can only
guess that we are approaching 10,000 users now, we're getting more and more
questions that are a repeat of: "How do I sign onto my computer?" from
ordinary, widely distributed users, users who are often within a single
company but are some distance from their home base.

Unfortunately, that's the one question we have less idea about than the
person calling. That's really a local question that should be asked of the
local system manager.

Because the problems we're seeing in QCTerm are now becoming not only rarer
and rarer but also more and more obscure, we're going to start disallowing
support phone calls. But don't take that to mean that we aren't extremely
interested in making QCTerm perfect. If you find something that isn't working
properly, please by all means report it.

How can you tell a bug from just a simple misunderstanding? If your program
works with a real HP terminal (which we consider to be the gold standard) and
it doesn't with QCTerm, then you've found a bug. The same is only slightly
less true for Reflection. It too has had all of its bugs well wringed out
over its fifteen years of use and it is probably only slightly less valuable
as a standard than a real HP terminal.

However, most of the time nowadays, if we're going to fix whatever is wrong
with your particular situation, we're almost certainly going to need to sign
onto your machine, into at least a dummy account that recreates the problem.
The problems that are being reported with QCTerm now are third-order
tall-grass problems and are generally quite obscure. Simple descriptions of
the problems no longer appear to be sufficient. Of late, we've found that we
have to see the problem in order to understand it.

If you do find a problem, please also develop a way so that you can
demonstrate it to us. If you do, we will be truly appreciative.

This level of support continues for free, without charge, and it always will.
We want to get every possible bug out of QCTerm. On the other hand, we've
also received a number of comments such as this one, which we just received
yesterday:

"I tried to get our company to use QCterm on a mass basis, their response was
"we want to pay for [Brand X] because we have a license agreement for support
in case we should have anything go wrong, and are guaranteed to get service."

To ameliorate these concerns, we're implementing a support program earlier
than we anticipated. We had planned to introduce simultaneously with the
coming van Gogh forms mode for QCTerm full, unlimited phone-in support that
may be purchased for US$1500 per annum. Under this support agreement, one
person will be designated as the contact person through which all
QCTerm-related questions are funnelled. Additional people may be added to
this support list for $100 per person per annum. If you wish, please contact
us for more information.

This support option does not affect the price of QCTerm nor of its van Gogh
mode. These products will always be free and distributable to as many people
as you wish. It's just that some organizations seem to feel more comfortable
if they can pay for the guarantee of support, and we're pleased to offer that
level of service. But there will never be any charge for finding and
reporting bugs. Perfection is all we're looking for.

To download the newest version, please go to:

     http://aics-research.com/qcterm

Wirt Atmar

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