Occasionally, a product comes along that transcends simple functionality and instills in its owners a special pride. Nowhere is this more evident than on HPHAND, The Palmtops' own Forum on CompuServe.
CompuServe's HPHAND Forum
Once you have logged onto CompuServe (as described later) you can reach the HP Handhelds Forum by typing GO HPHAND. This takes you to our New Member screen, if you have never visited us before. You'll be given a brief rundown of the mission of the Forum, and asked to join. Joining gives you access to all areas in HP Hand, but does not obligate or commit you in any way. So go ahead and join us inside!
The HP Handhelds Forum is a user run and supported forum. It is not managed or operated by HP. While there are many fine Vendor run Forums, we feel that our unique combination of independence and excellent access to HP resources provides a great combination of helpful advice, frankness, and creative solutions for our members.
Once on HPHAND you'll find that like other forums, it is divided into three areas: the Message Area, the Library Area, and the Conference Area. These areas are additionally sub-divided into Sections which help you locate a specific topic. (See the sidebar for the HPHAND Sections.)
The Message Area allows you to post questions, answers, comments, etc., under different Subject headings. Messages and their replies are organized by CompuServe in "threads," allowing any member to follow the entire exchange on one topic in sequence. While up to 10K of text can be posted in a message, the average is less than 1K. Our Forum is considered one of the more active ones with an average of 300 messages a day being posted. Fortunately, the Section arrangement coupled with the ability to download specific threads allow you to capture only those subjects that interest you.
The Library Area mirrors the Message Area's Section layout. It is where we keep Palmtop-related files that have been made available by HP and our members. These can be informational, such as 200LX.ANN <Available ON DISK>, which is the press release on the 200LX; free utilities, such as BAT100 .ZIP <Available ON DISK>, a battery information utility; shareware programs such as BUD100.ZIP <Available ON DISK>, a feature enhancement program for your 100LX; or a demo program of a commercial product such as MAGDEM.ZIP <Available ON DISK>, which demonstrates the features of Magnify!, a pop-up software magnifying lens.
The Conference Area is used occasionally to hold live discussions with a specific guest that is of interest to the Forum members. Some Forums use this as a 'chat' area as well. It allows members to exchange messages with others in real time. Guests can range from actual HP engineers to software and hardware third party vendors.
Besides having sections devoted to supporting the different HP calculators and Palmtops, we have two additional sections that you may be interested in. The FIRESIDE section, 13, is an informal area where the only requirement is an interest in HP handhelds. It is where members can discuss almost any topic. Recent threads have included a discussion of Microsoft's purchase of Intuit, notable restaurants in cities around the world, meeting bears in the wilderness and E-TEXTS, electronic books that you can read on your Palmtop.
For the more technically inclined we have Section 15: Programming. This area allows those members interested in programming on or for the Palmtops to get advice and help, whether they work in C, BASIC, Assembly or even the Lotus 1-2-3 Macro language. One very interesting project, HPCLIB, that is currently going on is the joint development of a C library that allows you to port or create a DOS application that has the look and feel of the built-in applications.
Ways to access CompuServe
Accessing CompuServe is quite easy thanks to the multiple modes that they maintain. This allows virtually any PC or Palmtop the ability to use the service.
ASCII or TEXT mode -This mode lets you log on with a simple terminal program such as DataComm on your HP Palmtop. HP makes this easier by providing a configuration file (C:\_DAT\COMPUSRV.DCF) on the HP 100/200LX which you can load from DataComm by pressing (MENU) Connect Settings Open, selecting COMPUSRV.DCF and pressing (F10). CompuServe has different access phone numbers dedicated to the speed of your modem (you're charged accordingly). Make sure you dial the number associated with your modem speed. You can call 800-848-8990 for the numbers in your area.
Key the phone number into DataComm and dial it by pressing (F10) (Connect). DataComm will report a successful CONNECT when CompuServe answers. At this point press (CTRL)-(C) and you will be prompted for your ID and Password. You receive these in the introductory kit that you can get by calling 800848-8199 (ask for operator 231) or purchasing at your local computer store.
Once these have been accepted you'll be given a Menu of selections.
Moving around CompuServe is as simple as either entering the menu selection or using the GO and FIND commands. To get to the HP Handhelds Forum, you enter GO HPHAND. By entering HELP at any prompt you get a listing of available commands and their functions. By pressing (F5) (Capture) you can enter a filename and re-direct everything that appears on your screen to a file to be saved and read later. You can also type GO PRACTICE to access CompuServe's free practice section. You can use this section to traverse CompuServe menus, ask for help about using CompuServe, and practice until you get up to speed.
CompuServe Access Software
If you have a PC or Mac you can also access CompuServe with the CIM software. There is DOSCIM for DOS, WINCIM for Windows, and MACCIM for Macintoshes. This CIM programs are commercial software available from CompuServe. DOSCIM runs on the 100/200LX. The CIM software provides "Host Micro Interface" (HIM), which is graphical and lets you use buttons, icons and a mouse to move around the service. Many members use both ASCII and HMI software, depending on whether they are exploring or making regular forum stops to send and receive messages.
CIS Navigation Software
Since the Forum areas are charged at a per hour rate, it makes sense to be able to get in and out as quickly as possible. While you can read and post messages with the REA and COM commands online, we recommend that you use one of the "navigator" programs to do this offline. These programs automatically log onto your desired Forums, capture the Subjects and/or complete message threads for you to read and reply to offline. They also automatically send any messages you've composed off line.
Several popular navigators are TAPCIS <Available ON DISK>, ATO <Available ON DISK>, and ozCIS <Available ON DISK> for DOS, CSNAV and ozWIN for Windows, Golden Compass for OS/2, and Navigator for the Mac. These are all available on CompuServe online and can be found with the FIND command.
HP Palmtop owners also have the choice of acCIS, which will run on your HP Palmtop as a System-Compliant, Hotkey application. This program makes keeping up with all of the Forums and your E-mail quite easy because you can do it virtually anytime or anywhere (see acCIS review, page 27 this issue).
Getting the files in the Libraries
Once you have joined us in HPHAND you have access to over 1,200 files in our libraries. (As are the messages, our libraries are arranged in sections. You can get a listing by entering LIB at the Forum ! prompt or clicking on the Books Icon in the CIM software. (A complete listing of HPHAND files is found in .TXT and .GDB format in HPHLIBS.ZIP <Available ON DISK>.)
To facilitate your finding a file, Keywords, are attached to each file. Keywords describe the type and characteristics of a file. Examples are HP100LX, UTILITY, GAME, DATABASE, PHONE, etc. You can find files that have an associated keyword by entering BRO KEY:<keyword> at any library prompt. By adding LIB:ALL to the end of this command you get a listing of all files in the Forum with that keyword. Desktop CIM users can click on the Magnifying Glass/Books Icon and enter the word.
Once you see a file that you want, you can download it to your PC or Palmtop. Desktop CIM users can simply click on the file and select Retrieve. If you are on your Palmtop using the built-in DataComm program, you will need to enter DOW and follow the on-screen prompts. Make sure the file transfer protocol on the Palmtop matches the one CompuServe is using. In DataComm on the HP 100/200LX, press (MENU) File Protocol and select the desired protocol. On the 95LX press (MENU) Transfer and select the desired protocol.
Once you are prompted to begin the download, press (MENU) File Receive on the 100LX and enter the name of the file. (On the 95LX, the Send and Receive options are displayed after you select the protocol.)
Most files in our libraries have ZIP extensions. A "ZIPed" file has one or more files compressed into it. This saves space and makes downloading related files faster, easier and cheaper. Once you've downloaded such a file, you need to "unZIP" (decompress) it with PKUNZIP (archived in PKZIP <Available ON DISK>) or a similar utility.
Palmtop members have much more than the HPHAND Forum to attract them. Many users use CIS Mail as a gateway to their corporate E-mail systems. This is because they can usually call up a local CompuServe number (node) and sending and receiving messages wherever they are. Using CompuServe to get your business E-mail would make it possible to handle it on your morning commute, improving your productivity.
Services offered by CompuServe
CompuServe's Basic Service costs $8.95 per month and gives you unlimited access to News, Sports, Weather, E-mail, Reference Libraries, Shopping, some Financial Information, Travel & Leisure information, Entertainment & Games, and Membership Support Services.
The Extended Services option is used to connect to the HPHAND forum. The costs vary, depending on the speed of your modem and the amount of time you remain connected to the service ($4.80/hour for baud rates up to 2400, $9.60/hour for 9600 or 14400 baud). The Extended Services provides greater Communications abilities, access to Lifestyles & Graphics forums; Computer Support; and additional Reference, Financial, Travel & Leisure, News, and Entertainment & Games information.
The CompuServe Executive Membership Option provides the user with a personal storage area on CompuServe (GO PER) where you can store backups of vital files from your Palmtop that you can retrieve anytime or anywhere. The minimum cost for this service is $10 per month, and the $8.95 basic monthly membership fee applies to this minimum.
CompuServe is much more than can be explained in a single article. Whole books have been written on the service. I hope you will come visit us as we are a truly global community with members from all over the world brought together by our Palmtops.