Info-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA (Info-IBMPC Digest) (02/02/86)
Info-IBMPC Digest Saturday, 1 February 1986 Volume 5 : Issue 17
This Week's Editor: Richard Gillmann
Today's Topics:
PC RT is slow
Public Domain Emacs Wanted
MAX editor
Vertical Retrace Boogie (2 msgs)
AT XENIX vs Ungerman Bass
Adhesive for your heat sink
Re: Anchor modem
Experience with the Proprinter
PROCOMM and PIBTERM
Tall Tree Jlaser & Soft Craft Fancy Font
Differences between old and new AT BIOS
Re: PC-DOS 3.1 Environment Size
ARC versions: compatible downward but not upward
Calling EXEC from Turbo Pascal
Microsoft Assembler problem and solution
Review of Prolog_V+
Query: Interleave factors
WordPerfect and LaserJet Problem
8085 Cross-assembler Wanted
Query: GCLISP & PC/XT Extended Memory Boards
PCjr Expansion Query
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 31 Jan 86 10:35:03 est
From: Scott Guthery <sguthery%slb-doll.csnet@CSNET-RELAY.ARPA>
To: INFO-IBMPC@usc-isib.ARPA
Subject: PC RT is slow
I recently took the RT out for a spin and didn't feel any of the
speed that is claimed for the machine. In fact it felt down
right soggy. The 600K lines of code that Big Blue added
to make Unix idiot proof take a MIP off the top. Furthermore,
the mouse is handled in software BY EACH PROCESS so if you have
some stuff in the backgound the mouse cursor hops and jumps rather
than glides as you move the mouse. I.e. you see the Unix scheduler
on the screen! AIX should join PC/IX in the penalty box. How can
one get AIS?
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 30 Jan 86 19:44:23 EST
From: "Paul E. Hoffman" <PAULH@MC.LCS.MIT.EDU>
To: info-ibmpc-request@USC-ISIB.ARPA
Subject: Public Domain Emacs Wanted
I want to find out about two public domain EMACS' that are supposedly
available (mini-EMACS and SCAMI). Is there a direct way of getting
this information? Thanks, and if you want to communicate by analog
(speaking), my tele is 415/644-0433.
>>Paul Hoffman
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 1 Feb 86 03:09:38 PST
From: larry@Jpl-VLSI.ARPA
Subject: MAX editor
To: info-ibmpc@isib.arpa
About 8 months ago I got a binary copy of a freeware editor call MAX, a
micro-Emacs. I find myself using it more and more, because it provides 95% of
what I need outside of word processing. It's small (16K obj + 16K help file)
and absolutely the fastest software I've ever seen on a PC. It has problems
and limitations but the tradeoffs for me are on the plus side. For instance,
when I go to GNU Emacs on a Sun or Gosling Emacs on VMS I don't have to go to
Underthruster Drive.
Now I want to bite the bullet, pay up for what I've got, and buy the source as
well. Unfortunately...I don't know the phone or address of the author, Ivo
Welch, residing in New York state someplace. Anyone out there know?
Also, I'd appreciate any comments on the latest version. (Mine is 1.01 with
a 1984 copyright notice.)
Larry @ jpl-vlsi
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 31 Jan 86 18:42 CST
From: SMiller@HI-MULTICS.ARPA
Subject: Vertical Retrace Boogie Query
To: Gillmann@USC-ISIB.ARPA
ReSent-To: info-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA
I saw your message in the INFO-IBMPC digest that mentioned the
CGA and the ``Vertical retrace boogie'' that was required to avoid the
nasty snow on the monitor when accessing the hardware directly.
Could you elaborate on how to dance with the CGA, the steps
required (and maybe a code example?) etc. so I can get rid of the snow
and get on with my application...
Thanks. Scott Miller
SMiller at HI-Multics
------------------------------
Date: 1 Feb 1986 11:34:44 PST
Subject: Re: Vertical Retrace Boogie
From: Richard Gillmann <GILLMANN@USC-ISIB.ARPA>
To: SMiller@HI-MULTICS.ARPA
cc: info-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA
If you just write directly to the regen buffers for the color/graphics
adaptor, you will get snow all over your display (snowy mode). The
snow can be avoided by the following means:
1. Do this only for the CGA, not the monochrome.
2. Vertical retrace occurs when the scanning electron beam of the
monitor reaches the bottom of the screen. It must then go back
to the top and this takes a small amount of time.
3. Wait for vertical retrace to begin.
4. Turn off video display (blank the screen).
5. Now do your direct writes to the regen buffers.
6. Turn the video display back on.
The exact code for this can be found in the Tech Ref Manual BIOS
listing for the video display function INT 10H. The above procedure
for avoiding snowy mode causes the screen to flicker somewhat, as it
does for example when you do a long "DIR" listing on a CGA equipped PC
-- but this is much preferable to snowy mode.
Dick Gillmann
------------------------------
Date: Thu 30 Jan 86 12:41:02-PST
From: William Pearson <PEARSON@SUMEX-AIM.ARPA>
Subject: AT XENIX vs Ungerman Bass
To: info-ibmpc@USC-ISIB.ARPA
I have recently started using XENIX on my IBM PC/AT. The two serial
ports are connected to a Hayes Smartmodem and a Ungerman-Bass Net/One
LAN port. The LAN port is configured for a terminal, since I often
use the PC as a smart terminal, but this seems to preclude its use as
a dial-in port under XENIX. When I enable the LAN port under XENIX
XENIX sends the "login:" message which the LAN echos and back and
forth forever, so the LAN port is always busy and cannot be dialed
into.
I would appreciate help from anyone who has solved this problem
without changing the LAN port to the host mode, where it cannot be
used to dial out.
Bill Pearson
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 30 Jan 86 17:10 PST
From: Dave Platt <Dave-Platt%LADC@CISL-SERVICE-MULTICS.ARPA>
To: INFO-IBMPC <INFO-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA>
Subject: Adhesive for your heat sink
I wouldn't trust the heatsink grease. Instead, I'd suggest laying a narrow
bead of silicon adhesive ("RTV") OVER the mounting feet of the heatsink...
don't put it between the heatsink and the chip (or whatever), but instead
lay a bead of it around the edges of the heatsink. There are some very
nice high-temperature silicon adhesives; they are goopy when applied,
become firm but flexible when they cure (1-12 hours), and can generally be
peeled away cleanly, leaving no residue. I've used off-the-shelf clear
RTV adhesive for mounting electronic components for years (any decent
hardware or auto-supply store will have a tube for less than five bucks);
if you're concerned about the heat, then you could try the silicon-based
"form-a-gasket" available at auto-supply shops... it'll handle temperatures
above the boiling point of water, and is made to peel away cleanly for
replacement.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 30 Jan 86 17:15 PST
From: Dave Platt <Dave-Platt%LADC@CISL-SERVICE-MULTICS.ARPA>
To: Info-IBMPC <Info-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA>
Subject: Re: Anchor modem
202 mode? Bleah. That's a half-duplex protocol, I believe... it's
completely incompatible with the Bell 212 protocol that most PCs and
networks support. I believe that the same may be true for one of the
V protocols that you mentioned... it looks to me as if your modem is
not capable of running full-duplex at any speed greater than 300 baud
(Bell 103).
Given the way that the prices for 212-compatible modem cards has come
down over the past couple of years, I'd strongly suggest that you
consider retiring your current card and buying one that has the
following characteristics: (1) It speaks both 103 [300 baud] and 212
[1200 bps] protocols; (2) it has good noise filtration [adaptive
equalization is VERY nice, if you can find it], and (3) it uses the
command set popularized by Hayes, and supported by LOTS of people.
You can almost certainly find a card of this variety for under $350
these days (and likely lots less), and it will give you much greater
satisfaction than the one you're using now.
Also... you might want to consider shelling out the additional couple
of hundred $$ for a modem that has 300, 1200 and 2400 full-duplex
support. You'll have the option of operating at 2400 baud (and thus
cutting file-transfer time, phone bills, and sometimes your
CompuServe bill also). In addition, 2400-baud modems always have
adaptive equalization (I *think* all of them do), which works much
better than fixed equalization... so, a 2400-baud modem operating at
1200 baud (in Bell 212 mode) will generally work better than a
1200-baud-only modem operating in the same mode... since most 1200-baud
modems have fixed equalization.
------------------------------
Date: 30 Jan 1986 18:42:59 PST
Subject: Experience with the Proprinter
From: Bill Mann <MANN@USC-ISIB.ARPA>
To: info-ibmpc@USC-ISIB.ARPA
I've seen the Byte magazine review of the Proprinter by Rich Malloy. I agree
with most of his reactions, which are rather lukewarm, but after using my
Proprinter for a while I give it much worse grades than Rich does. The
machine is simply underdesigned.
For one thing the whole paper-drive mechanism is aligned by two little plastic
clips gripping a shiny metal rod. With all the noise and vibration, they
drift, and the printer goes into paper-crunching mode. It seems to happen
about every 10 pages. It's silly to walk out of the room with the thing
printing, because before you get back it will be stuffing little shreds into
its guts.
Another piece of underdesign is the lack of ribbon guides. Quite frequently
the paper drags the ribbon up on top of the print head, making it necessary to
handle the ribbon and mess the current page before reprinting. Inserting a
page of letterhead or an envelope will generally throw the ribbon up as well.
(The lack of ribbon guides also allows the ribbon to rest on the paper when
not printing. And it always leaves a spot overnight.)
It's also annoying that even though the machine has been out for many months,
new software that I buy can't handle it. (Malloy's article seems to suggest
that using Epson MX-80 settings will work, but it hasn't worked for me with
Sideways or Lotus123. Local PC experts suggest ordering upgrades for
everything.) As an Epson look-alike, it's hard to justify.
Malloy says "If you will not be using the (front) slot much, I suggest you
look around at other dot-matrix printers." I suggest you look around even if
you really wanted to use the slot a lot.
Bill Mann
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 30 Jan 86 18:10 EST
From: "George Barbanis, Heldenprogrammer" <BARBANIS%umass-cs.csnet@CSNET-RELAY.ARPA>
To: info-ibmpc@usc-isib.arpa
Subject: PROCOMM and PIBTERM
The PROCOMM package can be found on many PC bulletin boards
(I got it from the local BBS - (413)549-1501 - for free).
From the same BBS I got another communications package called
PIBTERM which had a MUCH better VT100 emulation mode (PROCOMM's
VT100 emulation, for instance, couldn't get EMACS right, whereas
PIBTERM worked fine).
Hope that helps,
George Barbanis
UMass - Amherst
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 31 Jan 86 09:59:14 CST
From: fenchel@rsch.wisc.edu (Bob Fenchel)
To: brackenridge@isib
Subject: Tall Tree Jlaser & Soft Craft Fancy Font
ReSent-To: info-ibmpc@USC-ISIB.ARPA
The Jlaser is pretty good with Canon engines. We have adapted both
Fancy Font and Fancy Word to use the Jlaser and Jram and can print a
full page with multiple fonts etc. is just under 1 minute using an
IBM AT and JRAM-AT. (it can take MUCH longer to use the graphics mode
on the HP w/o jlaser).
Please note that our phone number is 800 351-0400 (608 257-3300).
Bob
[Fancy Font is a troff like program which allows any normal word processor
or editor to print documents using fonts. Fancy Word adds their font library
as an extention to Microsoft Word. I guess that with the addition of
the Fancy Word, Microsoft Word can support the Jlaser interface. -WAB]
------------------------------
Date: 31 Jan 86 09:15:21 PST (Friday)
Subject: Differences between old and new AT BIOS
From: Burton.osbunorth@Xerox.COM
To: info-ibmpc@usc-isib.Arpa
Has anyone done a comparison of the old and new AT BIOS to see if
there are any other changes besides the infamous speed check and
support for additional drive type via the CMOS configuration
memory?
Some possibilities:
Burn your own BIOS chips to bypass the speed check, if you have a
new AT.
Burn your own BIOS chips, to add non-standard drive types, if you
have an old AT.
Phil Burton
Xerox Corp.
------------------------------
From: connery%bnrmtv.UUCP@BRL
Subject: Re: PC-DOS 3.1 Environment size
Date: Mon, 27-Jan-86 09:45:13 PST
Actually the line in CONFIG.SYS should look something like:
SHELL=C:\DOS\COMMAND.COM C:\DOS /P /E:20
where the options are respectively:
1) Where to load the initial copy of COMMAND.COM
2) Where to get subsequent copies
3) Make these changes permanent
4) Environment size, in number of paragraphs. The default is 10 but
anything between 10 and 62 will work. values outside that are ignored.
Also, there's apparently (I got this info off compuserve) another switch
/D which causes AUTOEXEC.BAT not to be executed, if you care.
Glenn
------------------------------
To: info-ibmpc%usc-isib.csnet-relay@CSNET-RELAY.ARPA
From: kwan%mhuxa.btl.csnet@CSNET-RELAY.ARPA
Date: Fri, 31 Jan EST 1986 13:13
Subject: Bar code readers
Does anyone have experience with bar code readers (hard- and soft-ware)
on IBM PC? We have a few TimeWand's from Videx for reading bar codes.
However, they are not for *interactive* processing, i.e., bar codes are
read offline first into a wand, then the data are fed into the PC
later. Pointers to where to find bar code readers will be useful.
Choi Kwan
ATT Bell Labs
(201) 582-5727
"mhuxa!kwan"@btl.csnet
ihnp4!mhuxa!kwan
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 31 Jan 86 19:22:58 EST
From: James H. Coombs <JAZBO%BROWNVM.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU>
To: info-ibmpc@usc-isib.ARPA
Subject: ARC versions: compatible downward but not upward
Koji Okazaki points out that there are incompatibility problems with ARC
files. The best source for information is the documentation that System
Enhancement Associates provides with the program. In general, however,
they have been guaranteeing upward compatibility but have not been able
to maintain downward compatibility. In their own words,
ARC 5.0 can still read archives created by earlier versions of ARC,
but once again it creates archives which older versions cannot read.
Since every version brings considerable enhancements, developers are
understandably anxious to use the newest versions immediately. This
creates problems for those who do not have the latest version. To
reduce the confusion, we should do two things:
1) Developers should specify the version of ARC that they have used.
2) Everyone should avail him/her/selves of the latest version as
soon as possible.
The first step is straightforward as long as there is some medium
external to the ARC file for expressing requirements. Unfortunately,
many bulletin boards allow for only 40 character descriptions, and there
is not enough room for a description of requirements. Since ARC is
rapidly becoming a standard, we might consider a convention of ending
program descriptions with strings such as "ARC5.0". In any case,
developers must find some means of letting people know how to unpackage
their products.
The second step--getting the latest version--is a little more
complicated. Still, if people know what version of ARC they need, they
will at least know that they cannot unwrap the package until the proper
version appears. Developers might consider delaying the use of a
version until it has had some time to circulate.
Hope this helps. Let me know if you need ARC 5.0. The documentation
contains a detailed version history, so I will not repeat it here.
--Jim
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 31 Jan 86 17:50:50 PST
From: David_T._Price%UBC.MAILNET@MIT-MULTICS.ARPA
To: Info-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA
Subject: Calling EXEC from Turbo Pascal
I have been working on a Turbo Pascal routine to call the
DOS function 4B (Load and Execute Program) from within a Turbo
program. After a fair amount of fiddling around, and cursing
Microsoft documentation, I've almost got it working.
The only problem occurs when I attempt to load the DOS
COMMAND processor from my invoking program. Assuming it is
on the boot drive (A:), and the default drive is the boot
drive, then I get a mysterious error message:
Specified COMMAND search directory bad
but COMMAND is loaded correctly and works. If I attempt to load
it from a logged drive other than the boot drive, then I get the
same error message, but (not very surprisingly) COMMAND is not
loaded. This error message is not mentioned in my copy of the
DOS 2.11 user's manual, and it's not in the Programmer's Reference
Manual either as far as I know. Could anyone explain what the
error message means (maybe someone in the vicinity of Bellvue WA?)
and what I should do about it, if anything. Thanks, Dave.
------------------------------
From: frank%sagan.UUCP@BRL
Subject: Microsoft Assembler problem and solution
Date: Tue, 28-Jan-86 17:17:07 PST
phil@kcl-cs.UUCP writes:
>I think that the following should assemble without problems:
>PUBLIC foo
>foo PROC NEAR
> mov [si],OFFSET bar
>foo ENDP
>
>bar PROC NEAR
>bar ENDP
>All of this being in the code segment of course. The error message from MASM
>is:
> error 35: Operand must have size
>This happens with both V3.0 and V4.0 of MASM. Is this a bug and how do I get
>around it?
The assembler first converts the "OFFSET bar" into a (relative)
constant, thus forgetting its type (size). This confuses the opcode
generator, which doesn't know if SI is pointing to a byte- or
word-sized data. Thus MASM complains.
The only work-around I found was:
mov [si],Word Ptr (OFFSET bar)
which looks funny, but assembles correctly. The parentheses are
necessary, as:
mov [si],Word Ptr OFFSET bar
again confuses the assembler. The fact that the compiler outputs this
code is probably a case of premature optimization (the coder missed one
of the cases). I usually see compilers output something like:
mov ax,OFFSET bar
mov [si],ax
which is one more byte but one less clock (on an 8088).
...Frank Whaley, MicroPro Product Development
UUCP: {decvax!decwrl | ucbvax}!dual!
{hplabs | glacier}!well!
seismo!lll-crg!
ihnp4!ptsfa!
pyramid!micropro!sagan!frank
ARPA: micropro!sagan!frank@lll-crg.ARPA
"I'm told there are better programs [than WordStar],
but I'm also told there are better alphabets."
--William F. Buckley Jr.
------------------------------
From: dcgoricanec%watnot.UUCP@BRL
Subject: Review of Prolog_V+
Date: Tue, 28-Jan-86 14:18:39 PST
I have used prolog_v+ (plvp) for 4 months in a professional evaluation sense
for a major Canadian employer.
For 99.95 US Chalcedony Software will mail a box containing :
one (1) handsome red-clad professional-looking manual;
one (1) 360-kb diskette containing an AMAZING prolog interpreter
one (1) licensing agreement;
Plvp supplies IBM PC (and clone) dependent graphics predicates such as :
setdot, getdot, drwln and scrnrl (for rolling screen window), exciting
predicates for any prolog,
as well as comprehensive dos calls from within plvp,
as well as ability to load c, pascal, dbase3, etc. stuff below plvp as a
coresident routine,
as well as 8087 support (as coresident routine),
as well as 64-bit floating point reals,
as well as editor support for user's choice,
as well as 90% Clocksin + Mellish compatibility, with full comp. availiable
by simply adding some predicates to the plvp library (prolog.lib) file,
as well as ample demo routines on disk,
as well as the best and most descriptive prolog manual i have ever seen,
allowing anybody over 16 years old to learn prolog in a single day.
bug report : all of the 100+ predicates that I have tested work .
PLVP is an interpreter,a compiler would be nice.
There are 2 bugs :
1. Division by a real number in interval [0.0,.999999)
will not work. (Divide by zero error ?)
My patch involved inserting the following predicate
for multiplicative inverse in prolog.lib :
inv(X,Y) :- A = 1000000,
Y is A / (X * A).
( if I remember correctly. )
2. Operators are handled inconsistently sometimes,
but there are obvious solutions avoiding problems.
ie. *,/ are treated differently than
+,- "
user-defined.
typically,
op(50,yfx,^)?
These are inconsequential difficulties since I have a plvp+ symdiff program
similar to C + M but with the full CRC table of differentiation formulae
which runs v-e-r-y smoothly .
In summary, PLVP is a usefully feature-packed ,C + M standard, well-documented
language with only two bugs which you can patch easily.
There is no telephone support, but you can always mail me. :-)
The major advantage of plvp is the price : 99.95 US .
Don't buy the stripped down plv for 69.95 because $ 30 is cheap for
all the bells and whistles provided in plvp.
PLVP works on clones very well also. :-)
BUY IT !
It remains to be seen if MPROLOG Compiler for PC (mega-expensive)
conquers the business market, but plvp may be destined for a
significant educational role due to its cheap price and superior
primary and tertiary documentation.
The author is in no way affiliated with Chalcedony Software nor MPROLOG,
and will only accept positive liability for this review .
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 30 Jan 86 21:58:16 est
From: Chris Schmandt <geek@MEDIA-LAB.MIT.EDU>
To: INFO-IBMPC@ISIB.ARPA
Subject: Query: Interleave factors
I have read with interest many references to interleave factors lately.
Now it is my turn to deal with it, and I am confused. I am replacing
a fried 10Mb disk from an XT with a 20 Mb disk. I suspect I want to
use a different interleave factor, but have no idea where one even
specifies an interleave factor to Dos (I am using 2.0). Or is it
something that gets stuck in the new Rom for the disk controller?
Thanks a lot if anyone can clarify this for me.
chris
------------------------------
Date: Thu 30 Jan 86 20:08:49-PST
From: HOWALD%ECLD@USC-ECL.ARPA
Subject: WordPerfect and LaserJet Problem
To: info-ibmpc@USC-ISIB.ARPA
We are experiencing difficulties trying to get WordPerfect (4.1)
and the Hewlett-Packard LaserJet printer to print in boldface.
The printer prints boldface correctly when we use the cartridge
fonts, but not when we use the internal "courier" font (under-
lining is o.k.). The setup string *IS+ correct according to the
printer manual.
It looks like a bug in the software. Has anyone else had this
difficulty and can provide a solution? Thanks in advance!
James Howald
howald@usc-ecld
------------------------------
Date: 31 January 86 09:13-PST
From: DEP%SLACVM.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU
To: INFO-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA
Subject: 8085 Cross-assembler Wanted
We're looking for an 8085 assembler that runs on an IBM PC. Has anyone
heard of such a thing?
Don Pelton, Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, Stanford, Calif.
Bitnet: DEP@SLACVM Arpa: DEP%SLACVM.BITNET@wiscvm.ARPA
Usenet: ihnp4!ptsfa!well!dep
415-856-8032 (home) 415-854-3300 ext. 2901 (work)
------------------------------
Date: Fri 31 Jan 86 13:17:25-PST
From: Ted Markowitz <G.TJM@SU-SCORE.ARPA>
Subject: Query: GCLISP & PC/XT Extended Memory Boards
To: INFO-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA
Excuse me if this has has been asked before, but has anyone been able
to get GCLISP (Golden Common) to use extended memory on an XT? I seem
to remember a message about it. Any pointers would be appreciated.
--ted
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 31 Jan 86 13:48:57 EST
From: Michael Camilletti (CSD) <cptcam@AMSAA.ARPA>
To: info-ibmpc@usc-isib.ARPA
Subject: PCjr Expansion Query
I have the same questions as jim@maryland.arpa.
1. Identify the pin-out of the 16 pin connector on the serial connector.
2. Any recommended add-on drive kits? I've only found J&M Systems@ $295.
3. 128k RAM expansion hidden costs? What do I need besides the board?
What do I need to know to install it? Microsoft offers a board at $145.
Is it any good?
Many thanks!
CPTCAM@AMSAA.ARPA
------------------------------
End of Info-IBMPC Digest
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