atttl@homxb.UUCP (R.ARDIS) (01/10/86)
*** The header attributes this article to homxb!rba. T'aint so! Mr. Ardis
entrusts me to use his name in support of good things, - BUT - your
correspondent in reality is Wally Blake at gcuxc!gccwb.
* * * News of interest to all lovers of SpeedScript 3.0 * * *
(And if you're *not* a lover of SpeedScript for your word processing, it's
only because you haven't been exposed to it.)
Followers of this newsgroup may remember an upbeat review of COMPUTE!
magazine's little 6-kilobyte gem of a word processor, SpeedScript 3.0, that I
posted to the network last summer. I can now report to you that an
enhancement program is now available from UPSTART PUBLISHING - now *there* is
a name to conjure with! The enhancement program is called SPEEDPAK.
SPEEDPAK merges with SpeedScript 3.0, 3.1 or 3.2 without changing any of the
commands or features of the "parent" program, but adds a very nice list of new
capabilities. Whereas SpeedScript occupies 25 blocks, the combination takes
up 53, or about 13K of memory, leaving about 38K of "workspace" in the C-64.
(These numbers indicate that the program cannot be used with the VIC-20.)
Loading time is short: with my Epyx "Fastload" cartridge in place, the
combination loads and is ready for use in 7 seconds. Without the cartridge,
loading takes 34.8 seconds.
(By the way, "SpeedScript 3.2" is created by 16 'pokes' to SpeedScript 3.0 as
prescribed in "SpeedScript 3.0 Revisited", starting on page 90 of COMPUTE! for
December, 1985. Those pokes kill some bugs which I had not yet encountered in
eight months of use. One of the pokes changed 3.0 to 3.2)
As noted in my earlier review, SpeedScript 3.0 was published for users to
type in (COMPUTE!, March, 1985) and remains available on disk from COMPUTE!
Publications for those who would rather spend $15 than do all that typing.
I saw a note the other day indicating that back copies of COMPUTE! for
March, 1985 are still available for those who *would* just as soon do all
that typing.
SPEEDPAK, however is *only* available on disk and is *not* in the public
domain. Its current price, (in North America) however, is a mere $15,
including postage and handling, which strikes me as a real bargain!
Included among the enhancements to SpeedScript 3.x offered by SPEEDPAK are the
following:
- Optional file encryption, using keys of up to 32 characters
- The ability to load sequential files as well as Speed Script files
(provided they are written in PET ASCII)
- Code conversions between screen code and PET ASCII
- Extension of SpeedScript's letter-at-a-time conversion of upper case to
lower case, and vice-versa, to accomplish the job on entire files at
once
- Alternate screen capability. Text appearing (or "stored") in one
screen is not affected by manipulations of text in the other.
- Easy transfer of selected text blocks from one screen to the other -
leading to:
- 'Mail Merge' capability - Individualized words, sentences or paragraphs
stored in screen 2 automatically and sequentially called up and inserted
into a form letter stored in screen 1; with the option of skipping or
reusing such records
- Choice of four attractive type fonts (as seen on the screen)
- Option to convert the "qwerty" keyboard layout to the high-speed
"Dvorak" arrangement (with a relevant 'help' screen)
- Option to create up to 8 user-defined macros, each up to 31 characters
long, representing frequently needed phrases which become available for
insertion in your text with 2 keystrokes (e.g., ctrl+8)
- Automatically controlled printing of multiple copies of the same
document.
"SpeedScript" in all its versions was written by Charles Brannon, program
editor at COMPUTE! magazine. SPEEDPAK was written by J. Blake Lambert,
formerly an editor at COMPUTE! who left to create UPSTART Publishing. Brannon
and Lambert remain good friends, which accounts, at least in part, for the way
the two programs work together as one.
At different times in this past year both Brannon and Lambert have
demonstrated their programs for the Users' Group I belong to - which is how I
learned about the programs. I am not connected in any way with COMPUTE!
Publications, nor with UPSTART Publishing, but I *do* like to share a good
discovery (or two) with readers of this newsgroup when justified.
After hearing Lambert describe and demonstrate the SpeedScript/SPEEDPAK
combination, I quickly ordered SPEEDPAK and have had it in regular use with
SpeedScript for about three months. You can put me down as a satisfied
customer.
The best way at this time to acquire SPEEDPAK is to send your check or money
order for $15 (plus $5 if ordering from outside North America or plus $0.68
for the 4-1/2% NC sales tax if ordering from North Carolina) to:
UPSTART PUBLISHING - Dept. NN
Post Office Box 22022
Greensboro, NC 27420
together with your name and address, of course.
UPSTART is supposedly in process of getting a toll-free 800 number. The
number I have is (919) 379 0732 and it is not toll free.
(If you missed my review of SpeedScript, and you're looking for a cheap,
top-notch word processor, send me a note and I'll email a copy of my review to
you)
Wally Blake allegra!ihnp4!homxb!gcuxc!gccwb