prindle@nadc (07/15/86)
From: prindle@NADC Ok, I downloaded the new C1571.COM from Compuserve and, sure enough, it now behaves well, and works as advertised. This still leaves me with two questions: 1. I downloaded my original, buggy copy of C1571.COM from the public domain CP/M repository at White Sands Missile Range. As I understand it, this new copy I got from Compuserve is copyrighted by Compuserve, and is not public domain. Is this true, or is permission from Commodore sufficient to distribute it to others and/or to send it to Mr. Wancho to update the bad version in the CP/M repository? 2. If C1571.COM is executed without options, it prints a screen of instructions which specifically state that a verification after write is disabled, but it has been stated in this forum that the speedup is attained by *eliminating retry after error* processing. These are quite different things. It would seem quite an unsafe practice to write to a disk sector with *no* check whatever to ensure that the sector was written correctly. On the other hand, I would not expect *retry after error* processing to have any substantial effect on write speed, since typically there are no errors. So is this program safe to use, or not? Sincerely, Frank Prindle Prindle@NADC.arpa
fred@cbmvax.cbm.UUCP (Fred Bowen) (07/17/86)
> From: prindle@NADC > As I understand it, this new copy > I got from Compuserve is copyrighted by Compuserve, and is not public domain. > Is this true, or is permission from Commodore sufficient to distribute it... Ugh. This has been thrown around on the net from time to time. I can only speak for myself... C1571 was written for Commodore and posted seeking unrestrained distribution, and Compuserve gets paid for the upload as well as the downloads. We have not given away the rights to our program- we simply wish to use their services to distribute it as widely as possible. I look upon it as a symbiotic relationship, but they apparently want the upper hand. I hope someone can burst this bubble. In the meantime, *I* would appreciate your help in distributing *our* nifty little program far and wide! > which specifically state that a verification after write is disabled, but > it has been stated in this forum that the speedup is attained by *eliminating > retry after error* processing. These are quite different things. Indeed they are. In the case of GCR formatted disks, both are true- the retrys are nil and there is no verification after write. Obviously this is not very safe. In the case of MFM formatted disks, retrys are also nil, but verification after write is still performed. A much better scenario. -- Fred Bowen uucp: {ihnp4|seismo|caip}!cbmvax!fred arpa: cbmvax!fred@seismo.CSS.GOV tele: 215 431-9100 Commodore Electronics, Ltd., 1200 Wilson Drive, West Chester, PA, 19380