Info-IBMPC@B.ISI.EDU (Info-IBMPC Digest) (08/30/86)
Info-IBMPC Digest Saturday, August 30, 1986 Volume 5 : Issue 80
This Week's Editor: Richard Nelson
Today's Topics:
Billy Going to Europe
Microsoft Mixed Language on Xenix: Beware of Problems
SNOBOL Benchmark Help Needed
DOS ditroff w/ LaserJet+ Evaluations
IBM Async CD Problem: Miswired Cable
Hard Disks That Don't Spin
Intermittent 1701 Error
DR PL/I for the IBM PC
DW3 Destroying FATs: Solution
Bernoulli Box and 3-Com
Today's Queries:
STB EGA+ Problem
Bulletin Board Software Query (2 msgs)
PC Nets and DbaseIII Query
Multinational Char Sets Query
DOS 2 - 3 Difference Using Serial Read Query
Drawing Program => Postscript Query
AT Hard Disk Drive Listing Query
Voice Interface Query
Turbo Code for uuen/decode Query
CAI for PC Query
Forms Generator for IBM-PC Query
Speech Digitizing / Phone Boards Query
PC-KAT Usage Query
Graphics Software Package Query
DOS Device Driver Query
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: 26 Aug 1986 16:45:22 PDT
Subject: Billy Going to Europe
From: Billy <BRACKENRIDGE@B.ISI.EDU>
To: info-ibmpc@B.ISI.EDU
I will be in Europe for the Month of September. Elmo will be taking over
my week as editor and Dick Gillmann will probably do much of the info-ibmpc
housekeeping I normaly do. As I have many transactions outstanding things
will just pile up while I am gone and I will eventually get to them when
I return.
------------------------------
Date: 27 Aug 1986 20:58-EDT
Subject: Microsoft Mixed Language on Xenix: Beware of Problems
From: MHARRIS@A.BBN.COM
To: Info_IBMPC@B.ISI.EDU
We have a large mixed-language program (C and Fortran) which we have been
trying to put up under Xenix -- it works fine on Vax Unix. [We have the
latest Microsoft Fortran (3.3) and (now) IBM Xenix 2.0]. Whatever we do,
the same segmentation crash recurs. BUT if the Fortran code is replaced
by the equivalent code in C, the problem disappears.
After wasting six person-months fruitlessly chasing this problem, and
getting absolutely NO useful help from Microsoft, we have concluded:
1. Under Xenix, mixed-language code is unreliable at best and
unrunnable at worst. Microsoft may DOCUMENT how to do it,
but they've apparently never tried any serious code.
2. Judging by their lack of response to our repeated requests
for assistance, we can only infer that Microsoft does not
care whether this product can perform a real application.
3. We must now inform our client (who is possibly the largest
single Xenix customer in the world) that, because Microsoft
Fortran is not supported, the project cannot be completed.
The warning is obvious: Beware of the Toy Software.
Needless to say, if anyone has any constructive suggestions, or if someone
at Microsoft would like to try saving their bacon, we'd appreciate hearing
from them.
-- Michael Harris MHarris @ BBNA 617-497-3794
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 27 Aug 86 18:56 EDT
From: "David S. Bakin" <Bakin@MIT-MULTICS.ARPA>
Subject: SNOBOL Benchmark Help Needed
To: info-ibmpc@B.ISI.EDU, info-micro@BRL-VGR.ARPA
Can someone help me benchmark a Snobol on an IBM PC (or preferably, AT)?
I have some routines I've written in Ada that do Snobol pattern matching,
and I want to compare them for speed against a real Snobol. I already have
a copy of MACRO SPITBOL, I'm looking for Minnesota or Catspaw or any other
that's available. (VAX and Apollo users with Snobol: I need timings there
too!)
If you have access to a SNOBOL please contact me! The test is about 50 lines
of SNOBOL, 50 lines of data, and should take 4-10 minutes to run. THANKS!
-- Dave Bakin (Bakin -at mit-multics.arpa)
home: 617-628-8127
work: 617-890-0030
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 26 Aug 86 09:26:37 edt
From: Jamey Maze (615)574-6355 [csd44!mazej] <csd44!y12vax1!ocu1!mazej@ORNL-MSR.ARPA>
Subject: DOS ditroff w/ LaserJet+ Evaluations
To: ornl-ms!info-ibmpc@USC-ISIB
My company is evaluating ditroff products for DOS that support the HP
LaserJet+. The products that we have looked at so far are:
EROFF
Elan Computer Group
260 Alta Vista Avenue
Los Altos, CA 94022
(415) 948-8193
XROFF
Image Network
448 E. Middlefield Road
Mountain View, CA 94043
(415) 967-0542
After finding out that EROFF does not work on DOS 2.1 (with the help
of Elan Product Support Hotline), we are relatively pleased with the
product. EROFF uses HP LaserJet font cartridge B or F or the HP
LaserJet+ soft fonts. We tried it with the soft fonts.
Image Network is still working on their DOS version of XROFF, so our
experiences have been with the VAX version. XROFF supports a wide
variety of laser printers (including the LaserJet+ and the DEC LN03)
and comes with its own soft fonts. The advantage of this strategy is
that a document printed on a HP LaserJet will look identical to the
same document printed on the LN03, etc. The disadvantage is that it
downloads the fonts that it needs with each job; so you see a good
delay at the beginning of each job, but then it moves on about as fast
as the printer can print.
Do you know of any other ditroff products for DOS? We are also
looking at some products that support XENIX, but would rather not buy
into another UNIX, if possible. We are supporting about 100 PC/IX
workstations now, but would like to find a better solution; one that
will enjoy better vendor support.
------------------------------
Date: Mon 25 Aug 86 14:40:18-PDT
From: Ted Shapin <BEC.SHAPIN@USC-ECL.ARPA>
Subject: IBM Async CD Problem: Miswired Cable
To: info-ibmpc@B.ISI.EDU
The CD problem I thought I had with the IBM async board was due to a
miswired cable. Thanks to Matt Weinstein for suggesting it.
------------------------------
To: krane%sfu.mailnet@mit-multix
Cc: info-ibmpc@isib
Subject: Hard Disks That Don't Spin
Date: Mon, 25 Aug 86 17:55:38 -0500
From: jcmorris@mitre.ARPA
> ...occasionally the [hard] disk does not spin on power-up
I had a similar problem last year when I bought a second hard disk to
go in the expansion chassis on a vintage PC-1. It turned out that
the trouble was the (IBM) power supply: it was putting out a spike
at power-up which froze the drive circuits and prevented the motor
from turning. Delaying either the +5 or +12 volt application to the
drive cured the problem.
My "fix" was to put a small relay in the line to delay the +12 long enough
to let the transient settle. Crude, but I've had no problems with it
(or with any of the other cards in the expansion box).
If you have the covers off and you find that the disk hasn't started
at power-on, try unplugging the nylon Molex connector from the power
supply and re-connecting it. If a spike is your trouble the disk
should spin immediately.
Joe Morris (jcmorris@mitre)
------------------------------
Date: 27-AUG-86 14:33 CET
To: INFO-IBMPC-REQUEST@USC-ISIB.ARPA (INFO-IBMPC, request address)
From: U320%CBEBDA3T.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU
Subject: Intermittent 1701 Error
We had this problem with a Seagate St-225 20 meg in a PC-1 with the
WD controller. In several attemps with fixed the problem - it seems
to be the temperature. Measurements showed up to 50 degrees Celsius
near the controller. After reformating the disk we installed a strong
ventilator which now cools the cards. This was two months ago - there
were no more problems since then. I am not totally sure if this was
the only reason for the error, but it looks like. Hope this will help
you.
(A seperate message went to KRANE@FSU, who asked about it)
Martin Egger, Inst of org Chemistry, Univ of Berne, Switzerland
(U320@CBEBDA3T.BITNET)
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 25 Aug 1986 21:36 EDT
From: Prof. Yedidyah Langsam
<YDLBC%CUNYVM.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU>
Subject: DR PL/I for the IBM PC
To: <Info-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA>
In answer to the individual requesting information on PL/I. We at Brooklyn
College have had extensive experience with the DR PL/I. Unfortunately,
most of it has been bad. First of all, it only supports subset G, which in
itslef is not too bad. Subset G, does place many resrictions on PL/I,
such as no operation on arrays as a whole, severe limitations on structures,
and no * declarations for arrays when used as parameters. This implimentation
is full(!) of bugs, and Digital Research, does not support the product,
in any way. At one time they supplied us with a list of known bugs, and
we were suprised to find that the intersection of their list and our
list was the empty set!!. Sometimes, a program will compile only when
the order of statements is arbirarily, rearrainged. (I have heard that the CPM
version is much better. Unless you are willing to put up with a lot of
headaches or your programs are trivially small, I would strongly, reccomend
you stay away from this product. If you are interested in a comparison
between PL/I subset G and full PL/I let me know and I will mail you a
several page writeup which I have prepared. An article describing our
experience with the DR product should appear in the next issue of
the SIGCSE bulletin. Incidentally, we took very strong issue with a
review which appeared some months back in PC TECH Journal. We
believe that the author of that review was really only describing
PL/I subset G as claimed by DR, with haveing extensively used the
the product. I might add that our experience consisted of using
this compiler to teach introductory programming to approx 2000
students over a period of about 2 years. Finally, as much as
we liked PL/I, we were no longer able to put up with the only PL/I
compiler available to our knowledge for the PC, and switched to Pascal.
If you have further questions you may also contact me by voice.
CIS Department - Brooklyn College
718-780-4161
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 25 Aug 86 18:01:29 edt
From: ANDERSEN <sigurd@vax1.ACS.UDEL.EDU>
To: Info-IBMPC%b.isi.edu@louie.udel.EDU, ciaraldi@rochester.ARPA,
sigurd@vax1.ACS.UDEL.EDU
Subject: DW3 Destroying FATs: Solution
DisplayWrite 3 can clobber a diskette's File Allocation Table (FAT) if
diskettes are switched before all files are closed. After encountering
this problem with DisplayWrite and other programs, a member of the PC
Professional Users Group (Wilmington, DE vicinity) decided to develop
a program to protect the user from clobbering the FAT by mistake.
The result, "Write-Guard," is a resident program which won't let DOS
write a FAT to the wrong disk. I think it does this by comparing
disk labels (making arbitrary ones where none exist). If anyone is
interested, they can contact the author for ordering information:
Andy Hopkins
Swarthmore Software Systems
526 Walnut Lane
Swarthmore, PA. 19801
(215) 543-5085
I have no interest in this enterprise other than seeing a fellow PUG
member's efforts rewarded.
------------------------------
From: lotto%lhasa.UUCP@harvard.HARVARD.EDU
Date: 27 Aug 86 08:29 EDT
To: endor!coleman@sask.bitnet, endor!info-ibmpc@usc-isib.arpa
Subject: Bernoulli Box and 3-Com
>One of the people here (University of Saskatchewan) managed to get
>3+ to use the Bernoulli box on his network. As I remember he said the
>documentation was wrong...
Thanks for the offer, but I realized that I did the net a disservice
claiming that the Bernoulli box did not work on 3-com nets. This is not
the case.
My problem is that on a 640K machine, (extended memory does not yet help
here), one can install the File/Print server, the Name server (both
pre-req) and the Remote Access package (optional) and STILL have 23K
left over for applications :-). Forget about being a "concurrent-user"
(server and workstation on 1 box).
Installation of the Bernoulli driver does not even leave enough room to
network second device. Furthermore, you have to bypass device checking
in the installation phase since the Bernoulli is rejected as a removable
media device. This is pretty trivial and involves editing the startup
batch file.
I could move the Name server to another machine, but I have been told to
expect the next version to be a little less memory grubbing. Since the
user sofware is already 150K or more, sharing Name server functions will
take out another PC. Our main function on these machines is running SAS
which requires a few hundred K itself. Of course, 3-servers can handle
all this... but I already have Suns and Vaxen galore and ~4 gig. disk
space. If I wanted this stored on a non-PC, I could always run NFS.
____________
Gerald Lotto - Harvard Chemistry Dept.
UUCP: {seismo,harpo,ihnp4,linus,allegra,ut-sally}!harvard!endor!lhasa!lotto
ARPA: lotto@harvard.ARPA
CSNET: lotto%harvard@csnet-relay
------------------------------
Date: 29 Aug 1986 15:57-EDT
Subject: STB EGA+ Problem
From: David Owens <dowens@a.bbn.com>
To: info-ibmpc@B.ISI.EDU
Cc: dowens@A.BBN.COM
Does anyone have problems with a STB EGA+ card installed in a
Compaq 286 Deskpro? I have terrible problems with color pixel
washout especially when moving the cursor across the screen with
a mouse. Apparently, the salesman initially said it was a noise
problem caused by the power supply. I have swapped slots to no
avail.
Has anyone engineered their own solution? This problem is
especially bad when using programs like GEM and PCPAINT.
Any advice appreciated,
David Owens
BBN Labs Inc.
(617) 497-2603
<dowens@a.bbn.com.arpa>
------------------------------
Date: 26 Aug 86 07:28 CDT
From: SCTC.AFCC@AFCC-3.ARPA
Subject: Bulletin Board Software Query
To: INFO-IBMPC@B.ISI.EDU
Cc: DAS2.AFCC@AFCC-3.ARPA, DASO.AFCC@AFCC-3.ARPA
I want to establish a bulletin board for our organization. The file server
would be PC/AT connected to a INX4000 switch with a baud rate of 9600.
What I need are sources for both public domain and off-the-shelf software which
will act as a bulletin board of sorts on the PC/AT.
I would also appreciate any words of wisdom that anyone on the net can offer on
this type of project.
Thanks in advance, and if possible, you can reply directly to me
======>GWM@AFCC.
Jerry Misik HQ AFCC/DASO SCOTT AFB ILL
------------------------------
Date: 26 August 86 15:40-EDT
From: H156004%NJECNVM.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU
Subject: Colossus BBS Software Query
I Have Been Using FIDO as a BBS here at this college but am not
satisfied due to lack of support. I've been thinking of changing
to some other BBS software and I remember a brief discussion here
on INFO-IBMPC about other BBS packages. Colossus was mentioned as good
but going through upgrading. Does anyone have experience with it and/or
what is its current availability? Other comments about BBS in a
college context are welcomed. Please reply directly and I will
summarize for the rest of the net.
KEN TOMPKINS ---- STOCKTON STATE COLLEGE
H156004@NJECNVM
------------------------------
Date: Tue 26 Aug 86 01:50:33-EDT
From: Geoff Mulligan (USAFA) <Geoffm@AFSC-HQ.ARPA>
Subject: PC Nets and DbaseIII Query
To: info-ibmpc@USC-ISIB.ARPA
Does anyone have any experience with the various networks available for
PCs and how they work with dbaseIII? I would be interested in anyones
experiences with any of the PC networks! If there are enough responses,
I will summaries back to the list.
Please respond directly to me as I am not on this list.
Thank you,
geoff
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 25 Aug 86 09:48 EST
From: STANKULI%cs.umass.edu@CSNET-RELAY.ARPA
To: INFO-IBMPC@B.ISI.EDU
Subject: Multinational Char Sets Query
i am writing a grant proposal which involves natural language processing
in different languages. could someone send me information on what is
required to display foreign character sets in IBM pc/xt/at and use them
under program control? i read Infoworld and PC Week, but do not remember
seeing any information on use of multinational character sets.
i do not read this conference, so reply to my home address please.
thanks,
stan
STANKULI@UMASS-CS.CSNET
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 26 Aug 86 12:31:46 SET
To: info-ibmpc@usc-isib.ARPA
From: ESC1111%DDAESA10.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU
Subject: DOS 2 - 3 Difference Using Serial Read Query
DOS 2.X VS DOS 3.X :
While playing with the PCLIB KOMM.SYS serial driver package recently I
noticed some strange behaviour which appears to be the result of using
DOS3 instead of 2 (that is to say things do what I want with 2.x but
not with 3.).
The problem is as follows:
When a timeout occurs on a serial port read (using dos interrupt 3fh
with handle 3) DOS3.1 returns me a character count of 1(!) and a null
character (0x00) whereas DOS 2.1 returns a character count of 0 as
expected.
Can anyone clarify whether this is an error in 3.x or an error in my
brain!
.......................................................................
snail : n. head,
european space operations centre
robertboschstr. 5
6100 darmstadt
federal rep. germany
bitnet/earn : esc1111 at ddaesa10
bix : nhead
------------------------------
Date: Tue 26 Aug 86 10:35:08-PDT
From: Richard Pattis <PATTIS@WASHINGTON.ARPA>
Subject: Drawing Program => Postscript Query
To: info-ibmpc@B.ISI.EDU
I would like to merge drawings into TeX documents, as my DVI -> PS conversion
program says I can do. My question is, are there any drawing utilities out
there that produce postscript? I am running an AT under DOS 3.1, with a
Hercules (clone) card. I don't yet have a mouse, but would purchase one for
such an application.
Rich Pattis
------------------------------
Date: Tue 26 Aug 86 11:22:20-PDT
From: David John Buerger <D.Buerger%SCU%PANDA@SUMEX-AIM.ARPA>
Subject: AT Hard Disk Drive Listing Query
To: info-ibmpc@USC-ISIB.ARPA
cc: dave%SCU%PANDA@SUMEX-AIM.ARPA, m.zomlefer%SCU%PANDA@SUMEX-AIM.ARPA
Need table listing of hard disk drive 'numbers' for installing various
hard disks on ibm AT. HELP please...tnx...mrz
Dave Buerger
Santa Clara University PC Center
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 26 Aug 86 17:36:18 pdt
From: fortune!fortune!vishwa@sri-tsc.arpa (N. Vishwanath)
Subject: Voice Interface Query
To: sri-tsc!info-ibmpc@usc-isib.arpa
Could someone please mail me any information or references
pertaining to "voice interface to application programs" ?
Thanks in advance vishwa
------------------------------
Date: 27-Aug-1986 1106
From: fulton%comet.DEC@decwrl.DEC.COM (Cathy Fulton -- CXO Technical Training)
To: info-ibmpc-request@usc-isib.ARPA (Distribution list @IBM)
Subject: Turbo Code for uuen/decode Query
About a month ago, in response to several requests, I mailed to the net
Turbo Pascal source code for uuencode and uudecode. As part of a recent
cleaning-up of my hard disk, I accidentally erased the one and only copy of
that code I had. Would some kind soul do me a big favor and mail that code
back to me? Thanks a lot.
- Cathy
uucp: ...decvax!decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-comet!fulton
ARPA: fulton%comet.DEC@decwrl
[how about mailing it to Info-IBMPC also? Thanks -rn]
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 28 Aug 86 08:43:42 GMT
From: <mcvax!dutesta!erikjan@seismo.CSS.GOV>
To: info-ibmpc@b.isi.edu
Subject: CAI for PC Query
I'm considering purchasing a Computer Assisted Instruction system, but
before I do, I want to look around. So, I'm looking for pointers to
commercial software packages concerning CAI for the IBM-PC and
compatibles (MS-DOS).
I'm interested in:
- the name of the package,
- the name of the software house, which made it,
- your experience with the package (if you're already using it) and
- the price.
When I get enough response, I'll summarise to INFO-IBMPC.
Thanks in advance,
+--------------------------------------+
| Erik J. Bos |
| Delft University of Technology (DUT) |
| The Netherlands |
| UUCP: ..!mcvax!dutesta!erikjan |
+--------------------------------------+
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 28 Aug 86 17:50 AST
From: <IUS%DACTH51.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU> (Eberhard W. Lisse)
Subject: Forms Generator for IBM-PC Query
To: info-ibmpc@b.isi.edu
Hi,
One of the residents of the department of forensic medicine has asked me to
inquire if there is something like a Forms Generator for the IBM-PC.
They are going to get an AT and are used to the FMS package on the VAX. It
works like this: One creates the masks, menues with the normal editor and
calls procdures from the library to display them and input/output the
variables.
They would like to be able to transfer some of their Fortran sources to the
AT without too much hassle.
So we would look for something which can be linked to Microsoft products,
public domaine or commercial.
Any help would be appreciated.
el
------------------------------
Date: Thu 28 Aug 86 12:07:28-EDT
From: Thomas S. Wanuga <WANUGA@XX.LCS.MIT.EDU>
Subject: Speech Digitizing / Phone Boards Query
To: info-ibmpc@B.ISI.EDU
Has anyone out there used one of the speech digitizing boards that
plug into the IBM PC and interface to the phone lines? I know of two
companies that have such products - VYNET Corporation and Natural
Microsystems. I am interested in anyone's experience with these (or
any other similar) boards. Thanks.
Tom Wanuga
wanuga@xx.lcs.mit.edu
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 28 Aug 86 12:25:41 EDT
From: John Shaver STEEP-TMAC 879-7602 <jshaver@apg-3.ARPA>
Subject: PC-KAT Usage Query
To: info-ibmpc@d.isi.edu
Cc: jshaver@apg-3.arpa
Has anyone figured out how to use the PC-Kat in PD:<pc-blue.vol197> at
simtel20? Would anyone have any suggestions. I can't seem to get
the system to pudate the files and then let me look at the lists.
John
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 29 Aug 86 13:28:55 EDT
From: Clif Sothoron <cbsoth@BRL>
To: info-ibmpc@usc-isi.ARPA
Subject: Graphics Software Package Query
I need to find a graphics software package similar in function to Dr.
Halo. It has to be able to be included into Computer Innovations C
code and support a wide array of devices. In particular it has to
support the IBM Enhanced Graphics Adapter/Enhanced Color Display combo
and the Zenith Z-100. The reason Dr. Halo is not acceptable is the
obscene royalties they want for every program using Halo graphics
in an EXE file ($10,000+ for a vertical licence). By the way I have the
latest version of MultiHalo and it is very good. The documentation and
sheer number of devices supported is impressive. It is a shame they are
so unreasonable about their pricing.
Thanks in advance,
Clifton B. Sothoron Jr.
Ballistic Resarch Laboratory
Aberdeen Proving Grounds Md.
cbsoth@brl
------------------------------
Date: 29 Aug 86 14:49 EDT
From: Shoots.wbst@Xerox.COM
Subject: DOS Device Driver Query
To: INFO-IBMPC@B.ISI.EDU
I have a RAM disk program which can be run by the user at any time, and
creates a virtual disk in RAM. (The program came with a multifunction
card I bought)
Given that all of the documentation I have seen so far indicates that
device drivers must be "installed" by including their filespec in the
file "config.sys" in the form "device = xxxxxx", so that DOS will load
and start this code AS A DEVICE DRIVER...
My question is:
How can a program which I run after DOS has booted seemingly INSTALL
ITSELF as a device driver? Is there a DOS internal table of device
driver information which someone has figured out how to access in order
to install a driver without the help of DOS? Can anyone give me, or
point me towards, more detailed information on how DOS handles devices
(and device drivers) than is contained in the IBM DOS Technical
Reference Manual?
I would like to write a bona fide DOS device driver which can be run
interractively AFTER DOS is finished booting.
Thanks,
Jim Shoots
------------------------------
End of Info-IBMPC Digest
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