HFISCHER%USC-ECLB@sri-unix.UUCP (11/01/83)
It is interesting that you can buy a bare bones model from IBM and then add the memory chips and diskette later. I expect the resellers to do brisk business in aftermarket add-on memory and accessories. There is a new IBM printer for $175, and a color ribbon printer. No new color boards for the PC and XT yet, but more colors per mode in jr than others. Compatibility of software between PCjr, regular PC, and XT: Spreadsheets compatible: Multiplan 1.1, Visicalc 1.2 Spreadsheets incompatible: Lotus 1A, Business Forecasting Model, Visicorp Stretchcalc Finance compatible: DJ Reporter, Home accountant plus, Home Budget jr, Tax mgr. Finance incompatible: DJ Market Analyzer and Manager, Home Budget, Personal Investor, Real Estate Property Management Wordprocessing compatible: Easywriter 1.15, Peachtext (with reservations), Word proof 1.0, Personal Editor, Professional Editor Wordprocessing incompatible: Easyspeller, Homeword, Mail list mgr, Mailmerge, Spellstar, Starindex, Visispell, Visiword, Wordstar Data Base Management Compatible: PFS: File-1.05 and Report-1.05 Data Base Management Incompatible: dBase II Languages compatible: Basic pro dev sys 1.05, Basic compiler, Micro assem, Logo (new one) Languages incompatible: APL (IBM's), Cobol, Fortran, Pascal, UCSD compilers, Fortran-77 The only commmunications package which is in the PCjr list is the Personal Communications Manager. There is no note of KERMIT compatibility or lack thereof. A good number of the home entertainment software items, such as Spinnaker's stuff which is Forth-based, is incompatible. OS-wise, PC DOS 2.10 works across the entire line. It is said to be the same functionality as 2.00 with some bugs fixed and jr compatible drivers. To get 2.10 for your PC or XT you will have to pay the full price; there is currently no trade in mechanism to upgrade. PC DOS < 2.10 does not work on the jr. Neither CPM/86 or UCSD P-System work on the jr.