INFO-PC@USC-ISIB (02/19/83)
From: Dick Gillmann <INFO-PC@USC-ISIB>
Info-PC Digest Friday, 18 February 1983 Volume 2 : Issue 10
Today's Topics:
PC Ethernet
Accounting Programs Query
20-bit Addresses in C
Lattice C (2 msgs)
MODEM7 in Assembler
New Keyboard (2 msgs)
Neutronics R&D Memory Board Query
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Date: 11 Feb 83 11:11:08-EST (Fri)
From: D. J. Farber <farber@udel-relay>
Subject: PC Ethernet
To: info-pc@isib
I have just brought up the 3Com Ethernet on two PCs. It came up well.
There is only one problem. 3Com tells you to set the switches on the
PCs so that it thinks it has four diskettes. That's fine but all the
ramdisk simulators I have then refuse to run. That's a big pain. I
will be talking with 3Com and others about this nit. All in all very
nice.
By the way, the 3Com manual is clearly written for a novice who knows
nothing. I wonder how many home computer types will have an
Etherneted system?
Dave
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Date: 15 February 1983 1205-PST (Tuesday)
From: overman at AEROSPACE (William T. Overman)
Subject: Accounting Programs Query
To: info-cpm at brl, info-pc at isi
Does anyone have any recommendations on accounting programs? I need
GL, AR, AP and possibly inventory and I have on the order of 50
transactions each day. In particular do all or any of the accounting
programs produce intermediate files that I can process with programs
that I write myself?
I thought I had seen a review of a set of such programs once, but in
looking through my past InfoWorlds and Bytes I don't see much.
Bill Overman
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Date: 18 Feb 1983 2118-PST
Subject: 20-bit Addresses in C
From: Dick Gillmann <INFO-PC@USC-ISIB>
To: Info-PC
I received a number of replies to my gripe about the 16-bit address
limits in the C compilers I've seen. I'm happy to report that 20-bit
addresses are on their way! Here's a summary:
=========================
Lattice is preparing a version of C that will also be able to handle
large address spaces by using 4-byte pointers. There will be two
versions of the libraries, one for the ordinary 16 bit pointers and
one for people who want the whole thing. When compiling, you specify
which flavor you want. (No, I don't know why 3 bytes aren't enough.)
VAX-UNIX uses 32-bit integers by default (short ints available on
request).
Jim Gillogly
jim@rand-unix
=========================
The latest version of the C86 compiler (from Computer Innovations) is
supposed to support 20-bit addressing. I don't think any other
currently available C compilers do, though. (The architecture of the
8086/8088 makes it a pain.)
Scott Stevens
npois!inuxd!stevens@berkeley
=========================
The author of the Lattice C compiler has told me that there will be an
additional version of the compiler and lib available that have 4 byte
pointers. The memory allocation and pointer sizes will all be 4 bytes
long. The user will have to choose either the small model (64k text
64k data) or the compact (64k text 1meg data) in the near term and
someday the large model (1 meg text and 1 meg data). There is a
problem with the PC's 8088 processor that the lib modules do not know
how they were called (long call or short call). This will require the
user to keep different lib files if they want some programs to be
compiled using the different 8088 models.
Steve Hersee
ihuxx!hersee
312 979-1872
------------------------------
Date: 15 Feb 83 9:07:43-PST (Tue)
To: info-pc@isib
From: npois!houxm!houxa!houxi!houxz!ihnp4!ihuxx!hersee@Berkeley.arpa
Subject: Lattice C Information Source
I have seen some interest in the Lattice C for the PC. I know the
author (Francis Lynch in Hoffman Estates) and he has told me some of
the things he has been doing.
1. The Lattice C compiler will be sold as the Microsoft C compiler
sometime in March.
2. Lifeboat in N.Y. has the Lattice C for CP/M-86 that uses the
PHOENIX software Plink86 overlay link editor. The Plink86 program
will produce CMD files for CP/M-86 or EXE files for MS-DOS/PC-DOS.
3. Francis tells me that he will be done this month with a version of
the C compiler that has large model pointers (32bit) that allow access
to all of the memory in the PC.
If you have any questions I can pass them on to Francis and answer
them on the net.
Steve Hersee
ihuxx!hersee
312 979-1872
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Date: 16 Feb 83 05:54:22 PST (Wed)
From: npois!inuxd!stevens@Berkeley
Subject: Lattice C Compiler Survey
To: INFO-PC@ISIB
A while back I posted a request for people's comments on the C86 C
compiler from Computer Innovations. Now, for comparison, I would like
to ask for your comments on the Lattice C compiler. Specifically,
- How's the documentation?
- Does it implement the full C language (K & R)?
- How good is the code it generates?
- Found any bugs?
Please mail responses to me; I'll post a summary to INFO-PC.
-- Scott Stevens
-- npois!inuxd!stevens@berkeley
------------------------------
Date: 16 February 1983 22:58 est
From: Hess.Unicorn at MIT-MULTICS
Subject: MODEM7 in Assembler
To: info-pc at USC-ISIB
An 8086/8088 assembler version is available. It is an original Ward
Christiansen translation of his 8080 MODEM program. It's slow --
doesn't work well (i.e. retries every time or worse) at above 1200
baud. Someone on the INFO-CPM list has said that they will bring it
up from a computer BBS system. If you're impatient, try the IBM BBS
in Chicago (312)259-8086. You can use your 8080 version of MODEM to
download MODEM.ASM or MODEM.COM.
Brian
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Date: 16 Feb 83 16:24:18-PST (Wed)
To: info-pc@isib
From: decvax!utzoo!henry@Berkeley.arpa
Subject: New Keyboard
An interesting development: Key Tronic is now building and advertising
(full-page ads in Byte) a new keyboard for the IBM PC. The size,
shape, and style match the IBM one, but the RETURN and SHIFT keys are
in the right places and some other minor improvements have been made.
It's about time! Cost $200-$240 depending on who you buy from.
Down with keys between Z and SHIFT!
Henry Spencer
U of Toronto
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Date: 17 Feb 83 10:44:55-PST (Thu)
To: info-pc@isib
From: npois!cbosgd!djb@Berkeley.arpa
Subject: Re: New Keyboard
An outfit called Qubie also makes a PC-compatible keyboard with
basically the same improvements (reasonable key lay-out, LED
indicators on "caps lock" and "num lock", "return" in the usual spot,
"enter" key over by the numeric key pad instead of the gargantuan "+"
key, and familiar key labels instead of bizarre symbols). Qubie wants
$199 for their keyboard.
I don't know about the Qubie, but the Key Tronic unit (called the
KB5150, since 5150 is the official IBM product number for the PC) also
has some internal differences. The space bar lacks the stubborn
resistance of the IBM's space bar. Also, the KB5150 has a different
tactile feel, since it uses much lighter springs under the key cap,
lowering the key resistance to 1.5 ounces (vs. 3 ounces for the IBM
keyboard). The KB5150 doesn't click like the IBM PC keyboard. And
the KB5150 uses a positive force tactile feel which maintains a
constant resistance until the moment of contact (the IBM keyboard uses
breakover tactile feel, in which the pressure builds up as the key is
depressed, drops at the operation-threshold point, and then decreases
at the end). The word is a skilled touch typist can pick up a few
extra strokes by using the KB5150 instead of the IBM keyboard.
Now if we can just get IBM to sell us a PC without their keyboard as
part of the package...
David Bryant Bell Labs Columbus, OH (614) 860-4516
(cbosg!djb)
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Date: 17 Feb 83 23:44:56-PST (Thu)
To: info-pc@isib
From: hplabs!hpda!fortune!guzis (Chuck Guzis)@Berkeley.arpa
Subject: Neutronics R&D Memory Board Query
Just got the March issue of Computers & Electronics and found the
plans for construction of an PC-compatible machine for quite a
reasonable price. What interests me though, is the offer of a bare PC
board for 256K memory expansion with async I/O for only $30.00! I
live in the middle of Silicon Valley and so have little trouble
getting chips, so this is very attractive to me. When I called
Neutronics R&D, they could tell me little about availability. Does
anyone out there know anything about this deal?
Chuck Guzis
fortune!guzis
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End of Info-PC Digest
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