Amiga Format CD 39/Amiga Format CD39 (1999-04-13)(Future Publishing)(GB)[!][issue 1999-05].iso/-readerstuff-/chris_seward/data/ur1

Text File | 1999-03-05 | 7.3 KB | 215 lines

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{subhead} Directory Opus Megallan II{def}{p}
Review by Peter Hutchison
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{bold}PRODUCT NAME{nobold}
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  Directory Opus Megallan II
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{bold}BRIEF DESCRIPTION{nobold}
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  File management solution and Workench replacement.
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{bold}COMPANY INFORMATION{nobold}
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  GP Software{p}
  PO Box 570{p}
  Ashgrove{p}
  Australia 4060
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  Phone/fax [phone]
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  Web: {link http://www.gpsoft.com.au}http://www.gpsoft.com.au{end}{p}
  Email: [e-mail]
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{bold}PRICE{nobold}
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  £49.99 from Compute!{p}
  Upgrade from Dopus 5.6 £34.99{p}
  Upgrade from Dopus 5.5 £39.99{p}
  Upgrade from Dopus 4,5 or 5.11 £44.99{p}
  Opus Plus CD £24.99
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{bold}HARDWARE & SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS{nobold}
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  Amiga Workbench 2 or higher.{p}
  1Mb memory{p}
  Hard disk.
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{bold}MACHINE USED FOR TESTING{nobold}
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     Amiga 1200{p}
     Apollo 1240/40{p}
     32MB Fast RAM{p}
     1.1Gb Hard Disk{p}
     1 x DD/DS Floppy drive (DF1){p}
     1 x HD/DS Floppy drive (DF2){p}
     Kickstart/Workbench 3.1{p}
     SCSI CD ROM 12x
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{bold}DEMO VERSION{nobold}
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  There are no demo versions available.
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{bold}COPY PROTECTION{nobold}
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  No disk protection but each copy has its own unique serial number.
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{bold}SOFTWARE INSTALLATION{nobold}
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  Comes on one floppy disk.{p}
  Provided via standard Installer script. Needs at least Dopus 5.5 to be
installed first before Megallan II can be installed.
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{bold}REVIEW{nobold}
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  Megallan II is an update from Dopus 5.5 and Megallan and includes
hundreds of new features and changes since the last release many of which
were suggested to GPSoftware since the last release.{p}
  The new features added since Dopus Megallan I are as follows:
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* Enhanced Lister functions - commands which act on listers, popup menus,
space gauge, inline editing and drag and drop files into sub-directories.
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* Start Menus added (like Windows 95/98/NT)
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* A Desktop folder which all real files to dropped onto the desktop instead
of links to files.
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* New icon positioning system which allow user configurability to position
icons where you want them.
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* Improved icon draggind, icon label splitting over >1 line, and new Icon
command function and allow Opus or WB icon positioning.
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* Popup menus now have a shadow look.
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* Cybergraphics support for full24 bit backdrops using v43 picture datatype
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* NewICon support for all system images inc button banks and anim formats.
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* Custom Themes which allow you to customise backdrops, patterns, palette,
font and sounds for your desktop. You can also build your own themes as well!
(There are several themes already available from Aminet, you can also
convert Windows themes to be used on your Amiga and themes are provided on
the Dopus Plus CD).
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* Improved listers layout with prop. fonrs, resizable fields and better
inline editing
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* Options and Environment editors have been combined into one for better
Opus preferences.
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* Background pictures for button banks and start menus.
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* Outline and shadow fonts for desktop display.
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* Sound events added for opus and system events eg. opening/closing listers,
groups or buttons programs, inserting/removing disks, FTP events, startup,
shutdown etc.
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* Path list setting to change system path for programs.
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* Support for Long filenames upto 107 characters for latest filing systems
eg PFS, SFS.
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* Autoclose feature for button banks and start menus and active popups menu
for buttons.
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* Scripts enhanced with more events and internal commands and commands can
be replaced with user defined commands.
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* Improved filetype identification system plus new matching functions for
disks.
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* Snapshots split for listers and files.
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* Icon Information windows improved including the ability to change icon
type and edit icon images like SwazInfo.
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* New ARexx Commands
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* FTP enhanced with new Address book, options and Connect requestors.
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* Individual FTP site options can be customised.
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* Shortcuts to FTP sites can be added to desktop.
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* FTP supports copying recursive directory copying
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* Automatic reconnection to FTP site after a failure or disconnection
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* Site-to-site transfer is now possible over FTP without using the Amiga
as temporary storage.
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* Support for firewalls and IP Masking
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* Listers support standard URLs as well as amiga disk paths.
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and other minor improvements.
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  Installation of the new features was very quick and painless and after
a reboot you especially notice the new menus although I did lose my configured
user menus. This was fixed by renaming the user_menu.old file back to user_menu
in the Buttons directory in Dopus. I have now started using the new FTP
functions rather than AmFTP like I used to and I love it, you can now copy
files to other sites without having to load up another program to do it and
it just uses standard listers to display the contents of the FTP site. I do
have to remember to run FTPQuit or else Miami thinks that there is still a
connection open, closing the FTP lister does not auto close the FTP site. A
simple script could fix that.
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  If you have ever used Workbench but dislike its lack of multi-tasking and
limited user-configurability will be in heaven with Dopus 5 and Megallan II.
The busy pointer is used less often, so you can do other things while copying
or moving large groups of files and you can configure listers to open in
icon or name mode but have action buttons at hand to manage your files
very easily without having to move to the menus at the top of the screen
like on Workbench.
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  I have yet to use all the new functions of Dopus 5 MII but I am
discovering new things with it and unlike Workbench they are integrated
and not hacked on with more programs, patches or commodities like the old
Workbench. Workbench is no more on my machine, Dopus rules!
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{bold}SUPPORT{nobold}
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  GPSoftware do release updates, extra features and files via Aminet or
their website. New themes are also available from their web site. GP
Software are willing to listen to thier users and you can email them your
suggestions!
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{bold}BUGS{nobold}
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No bugs found as yet.
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{bold}GOOD POINTS{nobold}
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 Very powerful and useful file manager and Workbench replacement ever.
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{bold}BAD POINTS{nobold}
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 Requires a decent Amiga setup to get the best out of it despite the minimum
requirements supplied, can seem a bit slow in some cases esp. with a lot on
the screen. There is a steep learning curve to get the best out of Dopus
but it's well worth it once its configured to your liking!{p}
  Can seem just a bit expensive but if you look at it as an OS upgrade then
it very good value for money.
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{bold}ALTERNATIVES{nobold}
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 Scalos by Alien Design{p}
 MBench{p}
 Workbench 3.5 by Amiga Inc (1st Half 99){p}
 Various file manager programs{p}
 eg SID, Ordering, Filer etc
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{bold}CONCLUSION{nobold}
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 If you find Workbench too simplistic and limited as it is even with patches
and commdities and long for the look of Windows 95/98 and Macos 8 then
Dopus Megallen II is for you. Well worth it and Workbench will never grace
your screen again!