Category : Alternate Operating Systems - Quarterdeck DesqView, CP/M, etc
Archive   : QWAUG92.ZIP
Filename : QEMM6.TEC

ID:Q6 QEMM 6.0 Pre-release Information
A Quarterdeck Office Systems Press Release
by Charles McHenry


QUARTERDECK INTRODUCES POWERFUL NEW QEMM-386
VERSION 6.0 ADDS UP TO 211 KILOBYTES ADDITIONAL MEMORY

DESQview, QRAM and QEMM 50/60 Users To Benefit From New Technology

SANTA MONICA, Calif., August 13, 1991 -- Quarterdeck Office Systems, Inc.
(NASDAQ: QDEK) today announced the industry's most powerful memory management
and processor control program, QEMM-386 version 6.0.

The Quarterdeck Expanded Memory Manager-386 (QEMM-386) is an intelligent,
high-performance expanded memory manager that allows automatic, or custom user-
configured management of all of a personal computer's memory: conventional,
expanded, extended and high memory. Version 6.0 brings additional power and
capabilities to QEMM-386's Optimize program -- which automatically configures
memory and loads terminate and stay resident (TSR) programs and device drivers
in high memory; adds new ROM detection and utilization technology to QEMM-386 -
- which will deliver many PC users up to 115 kilobytes additional high memory;
adds support for the "Suspend-Resume" feature common to many battery-powered
laptop PCs; adds support for the Chips & Technologies SCAT Shadow RAM memory;
and, gives Windows 3.0 enhanced mode users 8K - 24K more memory for DOS.
"The result is a more powerful, easier to use QEMM-386 that makes
available more memory than previously thought possible," said Therese Myers,
Quarterdeck's president and CEO. "Version 6.0 senses memory utilization
patterns and requirements and responds in a variety of new, more powerful
ways. The maximum memory gain to a power user could total an additional 211K
of high memory."

Features new to Optimize include:

o The ability to process embedded batch files in a
user's Autoexec.bat file. Previously, users wanting
Optimize to see and process TSR load statements were
required to include them directly into Autoexec.bat.
This is no longer true. Users who like to keep their
batch files small and organized by function will find
this feature helpful;

o "Squeeze," a new capability that can temporarily
increase the high RAM region in high memory during a
program's load and initialization. This feature is
helpful for programs that require more memory while
they are initializing than they do once they are
resident;

o Optimize now can automatically exclude portions of
high memory accessed by device drivers and TSRs.
This avoids conflicts with hardware that previous
versions failed to detect;
o Users can now create "response files" that QEMM-386's
LOADHI programs can use to get information about
where and how to load programs high. This feature is
valuable for network users who load TSRs from public
batch files on the network.

o Optimize now lets users view, browse and play with
the list of device drivers and TSRs that the program
has relocated to high-memory -- allowing users to
perform "What-if?" analyses with their memory
configuration.


STEALTH TECHNOLOGY

Additional high memory provided by QEMM-386 version 6.0 results from a
new feature called Stealth. Quarterdeck's new "Stealth" technology hides a
PC's ROM code, and makes its memory addresses mappable as High RAM, which is
then usable for other purposes.
"Stealth employs a number of strategies, applied selectively and
intelligently by QEMM-386, to generate additional mappable memory," said Gary
Pope, Quarterdeck's co-founder and executive vice president, development.
"This important new technology, unique to QEMM-386 version 6.0, is compatible
with Microsoft's Windows environment."
Stealth technology is dependent upon ROM design. ROM implementations by
hardware manufacturers may cause one or more of Stealth's strategies not to
work. Optimize will test a user's PC with all Stealth methods and recommend
which method to use. Optimize will only present Stealth options to users if
it cannot load all TSRs or drivers in high memory.
Quarterdeck's new Stealth technology works with microcomputers from IBM
and Compaq Computer, as well as with a majority of DOS-based PC clones.

BATTERY-POWERED LAPTOP SUPPORT

Many of today's battery-powered computers provide a Suspend-Resume
feature that allows the system to be powered up in the same state as when it
was turned off -- resuming an application in use just as if there had been no
interruption. QEMM-386 version 6.0 supports this feature for many popular
laptops. QEMM-386 will automatically try to detect this feature. If a laptop
system supports Suspend-Resume, but QEMM-386 does not detect it, users can
instruct QEMM-386 to do so.

ADDITIONAL SHADOW RAM SUPPORT

Earlier versions of QEMM-386 automatically detect Compaq-style Top Memory
and Chips & Technologies NEAT, LEAP and AT/386 shadow RAM and make it usable
as extended memory. QEMM-386 version 6.0 adds Chips & Technologies' SCAT
Shadow RAM to this list.

QEMM 50/60 FOR IBM PS/2 MODELS 50 AND 60

QEMM 50/60, for 80286-based IBM PS/2s, takes advantage of the hardware
capabilities of the IBM Personal System/2 80286 Memory Expansion Option,
Expanded Memory Adaptor/A, or compatible memory boards to transform extended
memory into expanded memory. QEMM 50/60 version 6.0 includes the increased
functionality of "Optimize," and is now compatible with popular expanded
memory boards from companies including but not limited to: AST Computer,
Quadram, Tecmar, Orchid, Kingston Technology and Intel Corporation.

Until December 31, 1991, registered QEMM-386 and QEMM 50/60 users may
upgrade, from any previous version, for a $30 fee. QEMM-386 version 6.0 will
ship in early September, 1991.

DESQview AND QRAM UPGRADED

Quarterdeck's new technology will also be reflected in upgrades to
DESQview-386 and QRAM. DESQview-386 version 2.4 will provide users with
access to more memory when running DOS or Windows 3.0 programs in DESQview
windows. "As a result, DESQview users will be able to open much larger
windows," explained Pope. "Version 2.4 will make memory easier to use while
extracting the maximum amount of memory available to DOS 5.0 users.
Additionally, network managers will find DESQview and QRAM to be easier to set-
up, with more powerful support for multiple network communications packages."
Included in DESQview 386 v2.4 are special NETBIOS and Novell IPX/SPX drivers,
to be used when running several network-specific programs via network gateways
or when running client/server network application programs.
DESQview users will be able to upgrade to DESQview 2.4 for a fee of $25,
until December 31, 1991. DESQview-386 users will be able to upgrade for a $50
fee. New versions of DESQview will ship in early September.
QRAM version 2.0 organizes and allocates memory resources on 808x and AT-
style 286 machines. QRAM provides users of this class of machine, when
equipped with EMS 4.0 or EEMS memory, the capacity to load programs into high
memory. New to QRAM version 2.0 are the appropriate features of the upgraded
"Optimize"; and, compatibility with the Chips and Technologies SCAT shadow RAM
chipset. Registered users of QRAM will be able to upgrade to QRAM 2.0, also
shipping in September, for a fee of $25. Users of any Quarterdeck product
included in this upgrade that purchased their copies after August 19, 1991,
will be able to upgrade at no charge.

Quarterdeck Office Systems, Inc. is located at 150 Pico Blvd., Santa
Monica, CA 90405. The company can be reached at (213) 392-9851.

************************************************************************
*This technical note may be copied and distributed freely as long as it*
*is distributed in its entirety and it is not distributed for profit. *
* Copyright (C) 1990-2 by Quarterdeck Office Systems *
************************ E N D O F F I L E *************************