The PC-Kwik Power Pak (system enhancement utilities) Copyright 1989 David Batterson There are many utility programs out there, both commercial and shareware, to help speed up your system. All of them work approximately the same, with varying degrees of efficiency. Some can be a bit tricky to implement. Multisoft Corp. has put together an impressive package of integrated programs that not only provide high performance, but you don't have to be a "techie" to install them and get up to speed. That's what fun computing is all about--increased productivity with less hassles. The PC-Kwik Power Pak incorporates five utility programs, designed to be used with PCs, XTs, 286s and 386s. The main program is Super PC-Kwik Disk Accelerator, Version 3.08, a disk cache. This program (which can be purchased separately for $79.95 list price) features advanced disk reading/writing, and can support a RAM-based disk cache up to 16 MB! Along with the cache are a print spooler, RAM-disk, screen accelerator and keyboard accelerator. Whether you use just one, or more of these, you can achieve faster performance with your PC. A good indication this is a superior product is that top PC manufacturers use Super PC-Kwik and other Multisoft programs. I know that Art Lazere, president of Northgate Computer Systems, sets high standards and does not settle for anything less than excellence. Northgate, along with AST Research, ALR, Everex, Dell H-P, Iomega (Bernoulli boxes), Mitsubishi, Toshiba and many others bundle the PC-Kwik technology with their products. Super PC-Kwik has a "smart" installation program which automatically locates the cache in conventional, expanded or extended memory. Super PC-Kwik subsequently manages that RAM for the other Power Pak utilities. It serves as the RAM "director," parceling out RAM when and where needed. For instance, the PC-Kwik Print Spooler will borrow RAM while spooling print data. When printing is done, that RAM returns to the cache. The same process works with RAM disks. They use the cache memory dynamically, grabbing RAM as needed to store files; memory is returned to Super PC-Kwik when RAM files are zapped. The PC-Kwik RAM Disk program creates RAM disks up to 16 megabytes. A RAM disk is particularly useful with programs like Lotus 1-2-3 or dBASE III, where loading increased speed is desired. It's also good for programs that make use of a temporary file during processing, such as some DTP and graphics software. RAM disks and cache programs increase system quickness. However, after installing the PC-Kwik Screen Accelerator, you immediately get a visual reference of increased velocity. Do a DIR or TYPE, and watch the lines zip by! Included is a scroll-back buffer called ReView. ReView borrows RAM from Super PC-Kwik; the default is 16K (four screens) but this can be increased. Using the cache's memory, ReView lets you see up to 4,000 previous screens. Wow! Bear in mind that the Screen Accelerator affects text output only; it won't increase output to the screen in graphics video mode. Screen displays will increase 30 to 100%; this can be adjusted if you find it TOO fast. Another speeder-upper is the Keyboard Accelerator. It lets you set the acceleration rate and the repeat rate--up to 100 characters per second (cps), versus the usual DOS speed of nine cps. You can choose which keys you want to speed up. Most users want faster cursor keys, while using their word processor or spreadsheet programs. But you might also want to speed up the backspace, underline, delete and period, while leaving the other keys alone. Power Pak Keyboard Accelerator lets you do it. PC-Kwik Power Pak is designed for all users--from low-end, through intermediate, to power users. The latter will want to customize it for most efficient use, as the number of options is amazing. Now if we just had a PC-Kwik Power Pak to plug into our brains, we would really have something! Maybe Multisoft will it ready by the year 2000! Super PC-Kwik requires 64K memory; EMS or extended memory is recommended for top performance. It supports LIM EMS (Lotus/Intel/Microsoft Expanded Memory Specifications) 3.2 and 4.0. Suggested list price is $129.95. For more information, contact Multisoft Corporation, 15100 S.W. Koll Parkway, Suite L, Beaverton, OR 97006; 800-288-KWIK (sales), 503-644-5644, FAX: 503-646-8267. # David Batterson says that you CAN be "too rich or too thin" but a PC "can't be TOO quick." Contact him speedily via MCI Mail: DBATTERSON