1/21/2004 - PCAUSA is developing the next release of Rawether for Windows.
Version 5.5 is a major update to Rawether and addresses these issues:


RUNTIME COMPONENT INSTALLATION CONFLICTS
========================================

As Microsoft stated during WinHEC 2003 and DevCon 2003:

"There is a crisis associated with installing drivers on Windows
platforms."

This is a broad problem that concerns all Windows device drivers. Microsoft
is addressing this problem in the Longhorn timeframe with the "Driver
Install Framework" (DIFx) tools. However, DIFx will not be available in the
near or medium timeframe, and improvement is needed now.

At this time Rawether for Windows is licensed to a large number of OEMs.
And, with the current product, there are increasing instances of runtime
component conflicts when two (or more) PCAUSA customers install incompatible
versions of the Rawether support DLL or drivers.

Rawether V5.5 will address this issue by providing a simple way for PCAUSA
customers to make side-by-side installs of their own Rawether runtime
components without conflict. The key new features of the new Rawether
runtime component installation method includes:

1.) Support DLL located in vendor's \Program Files\Product folder instead of
\Windows\System32.
2.) Drivers located in \Window\System32\Drivers folder instead of
\Windows\System32
3.) PCAUSA to provide an "OEM Adaptation Kit" (OAK) that provides a simple
(and REQUIRED) way for OEMs to rename Rawether driver components without
requiring recompiling the drivers.

If the new installation rules are followed, then this approach should
eliminate runtime component conflicts going forward.


Although the V5.5 OAK provides a simple way to eliminate runtime component
conflicts, the preferred way remains to have an OEM version (recompiled) of
the runtime components. PCAUSA will continue to provide OEM build services
for customers who have more demanding distribution requirements. For these
customers PCAUSA will monitor errors reported via the Windows Error
Reporting services.



64-BIT HOST SUPPORT
===================

Well, it's finally time to seriously support 64-bit Windows. AMD-64 systems
(including desktops and notebooks) have broken the US$1,500.00 barrier in
January, 2004. Within the next few months you may be able to buy one at the
same store that sells TV's and Boom-Boxes.

The next release of Rawether will include preliminary support for 64-Bit
Windows.

Rawether for Windows 64-Bit Edition will support both 64-bit applications
and 32-bit applications (running under WOW).



NEED TESTERS FOR RAWETHER V5.5
==============================
PCAUSA needs a few testers who are interested in either of these two major
issues. If you are interested in testing the next Rawether for Windows
release, please contact:

mailto:beta5_5@...

Only customers with unexpired Rawether product update period or
subscriptions will be accepted for the V5.5 testing program.

Please include your Rawether for Windows or Universal Bundle Serial Number
when inquiring about testing V5.5.



Warm regards,

Thomas F. Divine