Direct PC to PC Communication

PC to PC comms should be simple...but of course with a Microsoft OS you know it will take 3hours and still not work....
Sorry this is no help...
_{(Yes I have tried it ages ago and gave up...it's easier to E-mail between the PCs)}
Del

At least through Windows XP a program called "Terminal" still existed. I assume your two computers have internal modems. Connect each computer to the land line via a normal telephone cable, and dial one from the other. You should be able to "chat" at this point, and exchange files. There are freeware programs out there that are better than Terminal, but if you can establish communications in Terminal, then you can later think about what you want to do and what communications program would best suit your needs.

CrossTalk used to do this, Terminal is available with the install now (now being XP).

There are some (not at hand) terminal programs out there, but web applications will be better supported.

Hello OlympiaWA:

I'm unfamiliar with terminal and the other program mentioned but it sounds like they would work for you.

The program I have used for this type of application is pcAnywhere. You can chat with the other operator, or take full control of the machine even if there is no one available on the other end. File transfers are reliable, and security can be set to an acceptable degree.

I know that you have specifically requested something that will work with a regular telephone line which pcAnywhere will, however if there happen to be an Internet connection available it can also be configured to connect through the web.

As far as replacing your 2400 baud modem it should be doable. You would probably want to investigate several different modems and check and see which model has drivers available for ME

WOW.......you have all that experience and still you ask?

No, I am not being sarcastic. I bet you have this problem because you are thinking you have to use programs dished out by Microsoft....stone me if I am wrong. This is especially a task even more easier with a LINUX distro, since you are using the old dial-up phone cable. With your experience, you could even whip up a quick DOS program using any flavour of BASIC to get your job done.

Use a LINUX distro and you will indeed be in familiar territory once again. It has me stuffed why you have this problem, considering your bakground. You could probably do a better job using your past knowledge than relying on some defunct program from Microsoft.

Oh bugger, you are using "ME" OS from Microsoft to get this job done? This is the worst distro release (followed by VISTA) that ever spewed out of the gates of Microsoft. If you still insist on using Microsoft products, use anything from below WIN 2000 as anything under that still works under a DOS shell.

CraziestOzzy-

You are absolutely right that a Linux distro would make this a no-brainer, and that ME is about as bad as it gets (98SE is my favorite of the Windows catastrophies). I suspect the experience the OP lists is pretty dated, meaning it is pretty faded in the memory and most likely is no longer applicable (I started on a Unix system, and would have to go back to school to relearn it if I decided to go with something like BSD. Linux is close, but it is not Unix). Anyway, I suspect the OP is looking for a quick solution. Once he gets that, then he can look at optimizing it. I once found a much better freeware program than Terminal which should still be around, but I need to switch to one of my Window boxes to find a reference to it. Also, using a laptop, I suspect the OP is also locked in to the modem that came with computer...

I have 98SE up there as one of the best myself, provided no service pack updates installed. Somewhat limited in the tweaking department and prone to crashes if one works beyond its design. Should one use programs that a poorly designed, the "blue screen of death" becomes your friend, otherwise found 98SE good to go.

WIN95 is in my view the best for tweaking and ideal for using in conjunction with DOS programs. The OP in my view would be wise to investigate some of those old DOS programs that have only a few lines of easy to read code required to just connect to another computer on the WWW and designed for WIN95.

Compared to other WIN OS's, there are literally thousands of old programs still stored on website "INDEX" folders readily available to download and use for the WIN95 OS.

Like you said, it is a "no brainer" with Linux distros to get something like this requested by the OP up and running. Just requires a trip to the local newsagent to get a Computer magazine that has a Linux flavour on DVD/CD.

The proposed problem with the inbulit modem in the (assumed) laptop should be circumvented (if using "old" OS's or programs), by setting up the modem as a basic 56k modem (no reference to any company). I believe the old WIN OS's had about four types of "standard" modems of varying speeds to choose from. This has generally worked for me some time back when I used to dabble with old DOS programs, WIN95 and the like.

It is my opinion that WINme is a tarted up GUI version of WIN98 and was/is fall of bugs. I liken ME to that of a bridge between WIN98 and XP. Avoid using ME. Vista is regarded by myself as a link between XP and ??? with Vista being a complete intrusive/spyware/anti this and anti that bungle designed for Microsoft (protection against piracy) and not the end user.

...and God forbid I should liken UNIX to a LINUX

Even i to required this for the same

Hello, OlympiaWA,

Would an old BBS (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulletin_board_system) be what you are looking for? These predate Windows and its kin but it's where a lot of us got our start in computers. Except for $300 phone bills (long distance charges, y'know), it was a great little hobby!

If you can find one of these types of programs that'll work with ME, maybe you can set up one computer as the host and dial-in with the other one. Whatever you end up doing, it'll be a pretty good science project.

Just a thought, hope it helps,

Logan

Good old modem and terminal still works. You can even set them up to communicate across internet. It depends on what and how you want to communicate. Software called PCAnywhere maybe what you need.

Greetings.

I thank one an all for their comments. Some most amusing.

Isn't it interesting that with all of the new whoopie ding things that come out we find that some older things just worked better.

Have 92 4 x4 Dodge Dakota. Didn't realize it had fuel pump in gas tank until it quit. Hey I didn't look. It worked great. If it ain't broke don't fix it.

Fuel pump is cooled by gas in tank. I said WHAT? Who ever heard of putting an electrical device inside a bath of volital gasoline? Over $500 later I was remembering the fuel pump in my old 68 Chev 3/4 ton farm truck that I could pick up in a junk yard for probably less than $20 and replace in less than 30 minutes. Is this better or just more complicated?

Thanks again.

There is software to due this but I can not remember the name right know try Google.