Bicer.ES%parc-maxc.arpa@csnet-relay.arpa (03/15/84)
As a user of Compupro Disk 1 controller for 1.5 years, I can wholehartedly recommend it to anybody (I also have very good things to say about some of their other boards and systems). My only critisism is the system software (BIOS) that comes with it. Being an ex-systems programmer, I can tell that such a good hardware deserves better software. Don't get me wrong, the BIOS is good and it works, but anybody who will use this board with Compupro CPU 88/85, should look at Tommy Lanier's software (Lanier Computer Systems, ALABAMA). Fully interrupt driven BIOS with 4 full track buffers really make a difference in the performance. Contact me for more information. As far as 5" floppies are concerned, I happen to have a slightly different opinion. My experience with 5" floppies have shown me that they are definitely not as reliable as 8" floppies and neither as fast. Therefore using them on Compuro equipment would be like putting a VW engine in a Porshe (Yes, I know their new multiuser machine Compupro-10 uses them, but if you think about it, that machine really needs a hard disk to be really useful. So, floppies, in my opinion, are just for backup). This problem of disk incompatability is nothing new. We had it for the 8 bit CP/M world for years, and solved it mostly by software (remember MODEM7 anyone?). Yes, the 8" IBM standard helped, but everybody had access to Modem7. As far as using MSDOS on Compuro, well, without the graphics and so many different terminals, I wonder how much of the IBM software is useful and not available for CP/M. Ofcourse, for a developement system, there is MSPRO to produce IBM software and diskettes. Jack
erh%virginia.csnet@csnet-relay.arpa (03/19/84)
.pa I have been using Disk 1 from Godbout for 2 years now without any trouble with 8" disks. Godbout/CompuPro has now a new model of Disk 1 which runs both 5" and 8" disks in combination. In view of IBM/MS-DOS popularity, I would advise anyone to think of this capability in any controller they intend to purchase. Another consideration is whether the controller can do DMA, which is much faster than programmed I/O (but wont work with some older dynamic memories).
POURNE%mit-mc@sri-unix.UUCP (03/23/84)
From: Jerry E. Pournelle <POURNE@mit-mc> 1. CompuPro is now distributing Tony Pietsch's HMX BIOS for CP/M 2.2 systems, and his TMX BIOS for CP/M 8/16; both are ENORMOUS improvements over the stuff that Compupro used to put out. (It was only recently that they discovered there was any such things as software...) 2. There is a wonderful machine called a Disk Maker that has an S-100 board, and will drive 5 1/4" drives; it can manage to convert almost anything to something that almost anything else can read. At $1500 it's the cat's meow for anyone who's got the problem of transferring stuff from one format to another. 3. Tony Pietsch has designed a new S-100 board that does all the IBM PC Graphics; it makes the CompuPro systems about 85-90% compatible with the IBM PC (and one whack of a lot faster). It should be for sale Real Soon Now (watch upcoming comlumns for more info). A brass board exists and works, so it's only a question of time.