And the ISDN Winner is...

by Thomas Calwell

My recommendation for PC users in Japan is the Motorola BitSurfer Pro. This was not a difficult choice, considering that the BitSurfer was selected as the top product in PC Magazine last year. However, the fact that it has been adapted to work in Japan, and the software drivers that come with it will work with either English or Japanese Windows 95, makes it a natural for a bilingual computing environment. The BitSurfer Pro also comes with drivers to enable it to work with a Japanese-language Macintosh. (The Mac drivers may also work with the English operating system but, not being a Mac user, I was unable to confirm this firsthand.)

Unlike some other units that require extensive installation procedures, the BitSurfer worked fine right out of the box. The two analog ports on the unit, enabling use of a phone or fax while online, required no special setup.

The BitSurfer comes with or without a built-in DSU (digital services unit: the magic gizmo that turns a two-strand copper wire into an eight-pin ISDN line). I opted for the NTT-supplied DSU since I have other ISDN-powered gear that requires it, but I would imagine the Motorola one works just fine.

The company that sells the Motorola BitSurfer Pro in Japan is an outfit called NextCom. I spoke to one of their marketing people and asked if an English-language manual was available (since the unit was manufactured in the United States). I was told that it was possible to get an English manual, but it might not be all that helpful since several new AT commands have been added to the Japanese model. However, NextCom indicated it is willing to put together a bilingual manual if there is enough demand from the marketplace.

This is your chance folks. If you think this is a good idea, drop them an e-mail message at mkt-web@nextcom.co.jp and say as much. Rarely do Japanese companies entertain providing such a service to the international computer market in Japan, so speak now or forever hold your peace.

From a personal point of view, ISDN is, in a word, wow! I strongly urge everyone to start converting if you haven't already done so. The prices for TAs (terminal adapters) are now the same as good modems. And the NTT phone rates are pretty much the same, except that the telejozu off-hour service monthly rate is slightly higher. There is no longer any reason to wait.

One important bit of information that I have discovered in my experiments: Touch-tone telephones not designed for use outside Japan will not always work with ISDN terminal adapters that are. The tones are different just enough to make dialing impossible. This may not be the case with all TAs and analog phones, but it seems to be the case with the more common ones. Be prepared to replace any foreign-market analog equipment if you convert.

"Tom, are you a Benedictine monk?"
No. I am not a monk. The closest I have ever come to those folks is watching the movie The Name of the Rose. But it seems someone saw me walking down a street in Tokyo with my hands folded prayer-style over my chest and e-mailed me the question.

I was not being holy, but was experimenting with a posture exercise for people who carry laptops over their shoulder, one that a business associate had told me about. I found folding my hands was more comfortable than keeping them in my pockets or at my sides. I have not been able to verify with a doctor yet as to its true effectiveness, so don't take this as medical advice; it may even be bad for you.

Walking around town with your hands folded in a pious fashion does attract some attention. However, the first thing foreign residents must learn in Japan is how not to be self-conscious. It's my body, and I'll keep it healthy any way I can. Who cares what others think?

I am currently experimenting with other ways of walking around with a laptop computer, among them a backpack sort of design that seems to be catching on in other parts of the world. This may not be "official" looking enough for Japan, but I for one do not believe this silly attitude of having to be formal with one's computer in a business environment will be around very much longer. Laptops and cellular phones are becoming as much a part of our business wardrobe as a suit and tie, so it is only natural that practicality will dictate fashion.

If it makes practical sense to wear a PC on your back to a business meeting, most of us eventually will. Just give it time, and the marketing finesse of the people who produce the stuff.

By the way, the best variety of laptop/notebook bags can be found at Laox, The Computer Kan, in Akihabara.

Why is it called the "Query Column?"
I used to be a Paradox database fan back in the days of MS-DOS. For those of you who remember (or even still use it), Paradox data was managed in column form. When one made a query for a certain type of data, the results were listed in a column on the screen.
Get it?


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