PassMark Newsletter Issue #1
Nov 2001
Contents
- Overview
- Free upgrades to new Windows XP release software
- Installing upgrades
- New Products
- Integrated test environment
- CPU Review
- What's in the pipe line
- Feedback
- List removal
Overview
We produce this newsletter as a service to our customers whom have purchased our software. The aim of the newsletter is to inform our customers about:
- Free software updates and new products
- Special offers
- Hints and tips for the use of our software
- Products currently under development.
If you do not wish to receive this newsletter see removal instructions below. Over the last few months we have updated just about every part of our web site. All of our products have now been tested with Windows XP and as a result we have released new versions of some products (the upgrades are free). We have released six new testing utilities to test a variety of different hardware components such as sound cards, laptop batteries and modems and our list of benchmark baseline files has now grown to over 600. As you can see it has been a very busy few months for us and we have more new developments in the pipeline for early next year.
Free Windows XP upgrades
All of our software has now been tested with Windows XP. As well as ensuring compatibility with XP we have in many cases released new versions of our software to take advantage of the new XP look and feel. Windows XP provides a more rounded, modern look compared to previous versions of Windows and is the first real overhaul of the Windows interface since the introduction of Windows95. However, even though the look might be slightly different, the functionality of our XP version is identical to the Windows 2000 version.
In contrast to some other software companies, all of our upgrades
are currently free. Anyone who has purchased an earlier version of
a product can take advantage of these upgrades. Check out the downloads
page to get the latest version available.
Installing upgrades
You will need your original user name and license key in order to install
any upgrade. Thus, please ensure that you have your user name and key
available before installing any upgrade. If you are sure that you have
lost your key, mail us at
with details
of your order and we can re-send you your key. Note that these newsletters
tend to generate a large amount of E-mails so please be patient with any
request.
To install the a new version.
- Uninstall the previous version of the software
- Install the new version
- Re-enter your user name and key.
- If you have any problem entering the license key,see this help page
New products
Over the last few months we have released six new utility programs. These tools are all small, value for money utilities, tightly focused on a particular testing activity. In future newsletters, we may pick one or two of these tools and provide a more in depth review.
ModemTest: For testing your dial up modem and telephone line for errors and connection speed. Cost $15. [More...]
BatteryMon: Monitor and graph the battery charge level in your portable computer. Cost $15. [More...]
OSCheck: Check that operating system and application software has been installed correctly. Cost $15. [More...]
KeyboardTest: Check for stuck and broken keys on your keyboard. Measure key response times. Cost $15. [More...]
SoundCheck: Check the performance of your sound card, speakers and microphone. Cost $18. [More...]
MonitorTest: Investigate the quality and performance of computer monitors & flat panel screens. Cost $15. [More...]
As usual, there is significant discounts when multiple licenses are purchased. See our sales page for details.
Integrated testing environment
Given our growing catalogue of products, it rapidly became clear that there was a need to integrate these tools together. This was especially the case for computer repair centers and production line environments. These organisations needed to install and un-install multiple tools at the one time and tended to use a wide variety of different tools. To solve this problem we have come up with 'Central Control'. This utility provides a central interface for launching all of our tools and any other external tools that may already be used in the organisation. To find out more visit the Central Control page.
CPU Review
With the release of the Pentium 4 and new Athlon CPUs we have revised and updated our CPU review page, with new graphs and commentary. See the latest CPU comparison here.
What's
in the pipe line
The following products are in development for release early in the new year:
USB Loopback plugs: To complement our existing parallel
and serial loop back plugs we have been developing a low cost USB
device that can function as a loopback plug. The device, which is currently
in the prototype phase, will comply to the USB 1.1 standards but will
also function with the newer USB 2.0 port.
Improved user guide for BurnInTest: We are currently in the process
of converting the BurnInTest help file into a document that can be printed
out and read more easily. In addition to this, advanced users of BurnInTest
in a production line environment may also like to read our draft production
line implementation document.
Feedback
We want to know what features you think we should be adding to our products
and what new products we should be developing. If you have an idea that
you would like to share don't hesitate to mail us at
