Info-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA (Info-IBMPC Digest) (01/30/86)
Info-IBMPC Digest Thursday, 30 January 1986 Volume 5 : Issue 16 This Week's Editor: Richard Gillmann Today's Topics: PC RT (3 msgs) AT Speedup (3 msgs) PC Speedup TallTree JLASER Board (2 msgs) Tektronix 4010 Emulator (2 msgs) Anchor Modem Problems (2 msgs) DOS vs. Direct Screen Writes (2 msgs) 7 cents per Kb Procomm B for the IBM PC and compatibles under MS-DOS. Dos 3.1 Environment size patch Clarification on GREP.C LOTUS Specs Different versions of ARC PC Ltd. AT Query Battery backed up memory MS Compatible Driver Wanted for Logitech Mouse Bad Reset Disk Optimizers....not too good File I/O from resident programs More MIX "C" notes LS.LBR INT09 Side Effect ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 28 Jan 86 20:31:12 EST From: kevin@harvard.HARVARD.EDU (Kevin Crowston) To: info-ibmpc@usc-isib.arpa Subject: RT and XNS Does anyone know if the RT's version of BSD 4.2 includes support for the XNS protocols? Can anyone describe its networking capabilities in more detail? Kevin Crowston UUCP: {seismo,ut-sally}!harvard!kevin MIT Sloan School of Management ARPA: kevin@xv.mit.edu or kevin@harvard.arpa ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 27 Jan 86 15:55:19 pst From: amd!ubvax!skip@SUN.ARPA (Skip Addison Jr) To: amd!sun!ucbvax!info-ibmpc@usc-isib.arpa Subject: RT networking and my mistake Hopefully this will get out before too much damage is done. Apparently there were two operating system released for the RT PC. One that I was referring to in my submission is the Academic Information Systems. It is a 4.2 bsd derivative and is sold to academic units only. Someone mentioned CMU's Andrew software. This may be that. ACIS does support Ethernet and Token Ring networks. It does not support the PC Network Adapter from IBM. The other operating system I don't have information on, but apparently it was developed by those folks that brought us PC/IX. It is originally a Sys V derivative with enhancements. (I love Unix, I really do! I just can't figure what it is. :-) It does support the PC Network Adapter and apparently not the others. My incorrect statement was that the RT PC does not support the PC Network Adapter. It depends on which flavor of Unix you're running. Sorry for the confusion. -- Skip Addison {lll-crg, decwrl}!amdcad!cae780!ubvax!skip ------------------------------ Date: 29-Jan-1986 1340 From: mitton%olorin.DEC@decwrl.DEC.COM (Dave Mitton) To: info-ibmpc@usc-isib.ARPA Subject: IBM PC Network support on PC-RT RE: Skip Addison's comments on no support of the PC Network adapter. I beg to differ with him, but the information given in issue #9 is straight from the IBM announcement, section 186-006, page 6. Dave Mitton. ------------------------------ Date: 28 Jan 86 13:05:35 PST (Tuesday) Subject: Heat Sink for PC AT running at 9 MHz From: Burton.osbunorth@Xerox.COM To: info-ibmpc@usc-isib.Arpa cc: ibmpc^.ES@Xerox.COM I recently sped up my PC AT to 9.7 MHz, and I installed a heat sink, using heat sink compound to attach the heat sink to the CPU. I use my AT "tower" fashion, so that in theory the heat sink could slide off the CPU into the disk controller. Is the heat sink compound also an effective adhesive? If not, can you recommend an adhesive that can be removed without traces, in case I have to take the CPU back to the dealer for service? Phil Burton Xerox Corporation ------------------------------ Date: 28 Jan 86 13:06:07 PST (Tuesday) Subject: Ronsco 5 Speed Clock Switch for AT From: Burton.osbunorth@Xerox.COM To: info-ibmpc@usc-isib.Arpa I just received and installed the Ronsco "Five Speed" clock switch in my AT. The unit has a jack that plugs into the AT's crystal socket, which leads to a five position rotary switch that select the various crystals. The crystals and rotary switch mounted are on a flat plate that mounts in the AT's "maintenance panel" on the rear of the CPU, to the left, as viewed from the front. The crystals and switch are enclosed in a rubber jacket, which I have not removed. Installation was quick, less than fifteen minutes, not counting uncabling and recabling my system, with clear instructions. The actual speeds vary somewhat from the nominal speeds: Nominal Actual* 10 10.6 9 9.7 8 8.1 6 6.0 4 3.9 All speeds determined by the Norton Utility "si", with the standard 6 MHz showing a 5.7x rating relative to the PC. [The Norton "si" benchmark is notoriously deceptive! --Ed.] The rotary switch is not firm enough in its settings. It is apparently possible to get an intermediate speed setting if the switch contacts two crystals at the same time. At 10.7 MHz, the system would boot up only when it was cold. Otherwise, it failed the Power On Self Test before the keyboard test was complete. The memory tests were apparantly completed, but the keyboard LED's never lit. Once warm, the system would not accept keyboard input at 10.6 MHz. At 9.7 MHz, I was able to use all my input/output devices without any changes in operations. At 3.9 MHz, games are decently slow. However, the system bleeps several times during POST, and the "Press F1 to continue" message appears. Also, my EGA is apparently not initialized properly, and initially displays output in 40 column mode. (I use mode to restore co80.) Ronsco recommends against switching speeds while the system is running. My limited experience suggests it works between 6 and 8 MHz, otherwise not. I usually power down the system to change speeds. (Can anyone recommend a hardware reset switch that would be as effective?) My configuration consists of a model 068, my own third party hard disk and half-high 360 KB floppy disk, AST card with 1.128 MB, parallel port, two serial ports, and a game port. Also, an EGA with the EG Display. I have a Hayes modem, a serial Diablo printer running at 9600 baud (which share COM1 with a Y cable), a parallel Epson printer, and COM2 reserved for a serial mouse. Overall, I'd give this product a good minus, because of the mediocre quality of the rotary switch. If readers are interested in getting this product, they better hurry. Ronsco's real business is vertical market software, and they produced this device initially as an accommodation for the AT customers, then decided to market the product, then finally decided NOT to continue marketing it. Telephone support was very good. Ronsco is in Monee, IL, at 312 534 1303. I bought this switch, instead of simply installing a faster crystal, so that my kids could play games. At 6 MHz, the AT is too fast for any time-sensitive game written for the PC. Philip Burton Xerox Corporation ------------------------------ Date: 28 Jan 86 13:08:12 PST (Tuesday) Subject: Switching speeds on PC AT From: Burton.osbunorth@Xerox.COM To: info-ibmpc@usc-isib.Arpa cc: ibmpc^.ES@Xerox.COM I recently got a speed switch for my PC AT, and proper procedure for switching speeds is to power down the system. Would a hardware reset switch be as effective? Which one is recommended, and at what price? I don't need any extra features. Phil Burton Xerox Corporation ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 Jan 86 22:12:05 PST From: iverson%cory@BERKELEY.EDU (Tim Iverson) To: info-ibmpc@usc-isib.arpa Subject: Overthruster PC Speedup Query In the Feb. 1986 issue of PC Tech Journal, tucked way in the back, I found an add for a kit to increase the PC clock speed to 7.38Mhz. The product is called The Overthruster and is produced by Data Management Systems. Now, the question: How is this done? General answers and gueses are apreciated, but I would kill for a detailed explanation (with lots of big words and chip numbers). After all, I would like to do this myself without spending $300. Thanks, Tim Iverson. (iverson@cory.berkeley.edu) ------------------------------ From: <bang!root@nosc.ARPA> Date: Sat, 25 Jan 86 02:33:48 PST To: info-ibmpc@usc-isib Subject: Talltree JLASER board An add on board for the Talltree JRAM3 and JRAM-3AT 2mb RAM board, is their JLASER add on. This allows a PC or AT to send full page 300 dpi graphics at high speed to ANY Canon laser engine (Apple Laser Writer, HP LaserJet et al.) However, I'm looking for software to support it. Nothing actually seems available now. Rumors that a version of Fontrix and Printrix will work do not seem to be confirmed by local software dealers. Another rumor is that a company called Le Beau has a program that will take any DOS or WordStar text file and return a printed document in any of 32 fonts and any point size up to and including a single character per page at 300 dpi is encouraging, but I can't find the company. Sigh. The JLASER board concept is great, it entirely bypasses the intelligence (and limitations) of the various Canon engine laser printers allowing the PC (you) to create full page hi res pictures and text and then sending them directly to the engine at high speed. I don't know what the memory limitations of the Apple LaserWriter are, but the HP is capable of only 1/4 page of 300 dpi graphics (the laserJet+ can do 1/2 page) and it takes a while to print. The JLASER uses 1mb of the 2mb RAM board and includes a hi-speed parallel interface for the printer. The board and interface are co-resident with the original interface and do not interfere with normal use. A good start I hope. Now if I could only find software.. Bret Marquis (sdcsvax, ihnp4) bang!bam bam@NOSC.ARPA ------------------------------ Date: 29 Jan 1986 12:38:18 PST Subject: Re: Talltree JLASER board From: Billy Brackenridge <BRACKENRIDGE@USC-ISIB.ARPA> To: <bang!root@NOSC.ARPA> I spoke with Ed Thompson of Tall Tree. He informs me that Jlaser is selling well and many have joined the band wagon. He claims Jlaser memory isn't limited to 1MB as your article implies I think the limit is 8MB as you can run it from several JRAM boards. Here is the list they gave me of software companies with announced products. Le Beau makes Le Print 800-532-2844 Data Transforms makes Fontrix and Printrix The dragons in the Tall Tree ads seeen in PC week were made with this. (303)832-1501 Softcraft has a version of their popular Fancifont (619)944-0151 Financial decisions makes large scale (mainframe) corporate accounting systems. They are using Jlaser to print state and local corporate tax forms. They really don't make PC products per se (Their software costs around 10K). They digitise the forms rather than generate them from software. (818)706-2000 Personal Tex has a tex implementation (415) 388-8853 Jlaser only works with the JRAM-3 and JRAM-3-AT boards. These boards conform to the Intel expanded memory spec as well as Tall Tree's own memory scheme. While not printing the memory can be used for any of the normal purposes. I understand that the switches and jumpers are a real rats nest and Tall Tree's documentation has never been up to the standards of AST or IBM, but their technical help line have always been extremely competent. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29-JAN-1986 17:44 EST From: <LEONARDRG%VTVAX5.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU> To: <Info-IBMPC@USC-ISIB> Subject: Tektronix 4010 Emulation We've got a public domain Tektronix 4010 emulator here at Virginia Tech that was written in-house. It supports the full 4010 protocol including GIN mode. It features picture file capture, on-line help and keyboard maps, hardware break key, snoop mode, and many other things. It takes up 13KB disk space (that's 13KB) including the picture file manager. We have used it running all PLOT-10 software, SAS/Graph, etc. on our VM/CMS and VAX/VMS systems. A version that includes VT100 (ANSI) emulation and other features is available with documentation by mail for $39.95. If you are interested in either version of TekTERM, let me know. Greg Sherman ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29-JAN-1986 23:20 EST From: <LEONARDRG%VTVAX3.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU> To: <Info-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA> Subject: Re: Tektronix 4010 Emulation I'd like to release the source but the communication modules and 4010 parser are the basis for the commercial version (which includes VT100 emulation). Also, it's about 100KB of 8086/88 assembler. But because I know this type of program is highly useful in a university environment, I am making the 4010 package available for distribution with NO strings whatsoever.. no donations, etc. Our computing center here at VA Tech supports the program and provides documentation (which is also available on disk). Anyone who is interested can let me know and I'm happy to make arrangements. And in case anyone needs to know, the program requires a PC with 64KB, color/graphics monitor and adapter, an asynch card and modem, and at one disk drive. The AT is supported, but the PCJr is not. Most BIOS compatible machines (Compaq, Leading Edge) have been reported to do fine, as well as some compatible graphics cards (Paradise, Everex). I admit my motivation in giving away TekTERM 4010 is to sell the VT100 version, but in no way is TekTERM 4010 an incomplete or poorly featured program. Let me know if you want any more information. Greg Sherman ------------------------------ Date: 30 Jan 86 10:39 GMT From: ghicks @ KOREA-EMH Subject: Anchor modem problems To: info-ibmpc @ usc-isib I am the proud owner (not so proud??) of an Anchor Communications Mark VI (it might be a 300B ) internal modem. I really don't know since it was given to me. Supposedly, the modem is capable of the following protocols: Bell 103 and 202, CCITT V21 and V23. One BASIC program was included. This program has the following problems: a. I can't filter characters (ie. nulls) nor can I program function keys. b. If I want to use a capture buffer, it must be initialized prior to making a connection. If the number I want to dial is busy (and here in Korea, the IMP/TAC numbers are usually quite busy during the daytime) I must re-initialize the buffer before each attempt to dial the number. c. The program uses timing loops in INTERPRETED basic to determine pulse or tone spacing/duration. This means that I had best not compile the program or the timing loops are messed up. I know the following things about the modem: a. Ports are at 03F8H - 03FFH (IRQ 4) for COM1: and 02F8H - 02FFH for COM2: (normal, I believe); b. Since the program is poorly documented, I think the registers are named as follows: TXB (Transmit buffer) - 03FBh MCR (Modem Control Register) - 03FCh, LSR (????? status register) - 03FDh, MSR (Modem Status Register) - 03FEh, TDR (Transmit Data Register??) - 03FFh c. I believe the MODEM chip is a WD8250PL-00 (a 40 pin DIP). It might be an 8519 (a 28 pin DIP). d. The COMx: port is opened as "COM2:BAUD,PARITY,BITS,STOP,CD" (a normal DOS port request.) Modem input/output is via this handle. My request: Does anyone know of a better program that will work with this modem?? Or does anyone know where I can get more documentation for the modem? Thanks in advance. Gregory Hicks GHICKS@KOREA-EMH (or JUSMAG-DT@KOREA-EMH) PS. I can't seem to get the 202 mode working. Any ideas? Or is the problem that interpreted Basic isn't fast enough? ------------------------------ Date: 30 Jan 1986 10:21:27 PST Subject: Re: Anchor modem problems From: Richard Gillmann <GILLMANN@USC-ISIB.ARPA> To: ghicks@KOREA-EMH.ARPA cc: info-ibmpc@USC-ISIB.ARPA Sounds to me like a standard PC internal modem, in terms of the registers, etc. I've got an Anchor Automation (is this the same?) Volksmodem 1200 which works fine with VDTE. I would imagine it would work also with most other terminal emulation or comm programs. You might try some of the free comm programs in the Info-IBMPC library. As to the 202 modem, do you have a host computer to talk to which does 202? Bell 202 is very rare these days (212 is the standard) and the only use I've seen of it recently is in amateur packet radio. Dick Gillmann ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 28 Jan 86 22:32:12 pst From: minshall%ucbopal@BERKELEY.EDU (Greg Minshall) To: info-ibmpc@usc-isib.arpa Subject: DOS vs. direct screen writes Cc: gts%ucbopal@BERKELEY.EDU Hi. I'm a novice in the PC arena, but I am sorely tempted to complain about the so-called "write_string" sub-code of the INT 10H BIOS entry point (I don't even know how to call things, sigh). This routine generates at least one, if not two, INT 10H's per character being moved into the video ram. I haven't measured how fast this is really running on my AT, but I doubt it goes more than about 19K bits per second. If I just do a REPZ MOVSW, the update is essentially instantaneous. (So, I just measured the rates. INT 10H runs at about 59 Kilobits/second; REPZ MOVSW runs at about 5.12 Megabits/second.) Am I right? Given that I need instantaneous updates (not 19K bits), what do I do? Can I just copy some of the BIOS code (for locking out things - as in the scroll_up function, which seems to do things right), and run that, and assume that it will run everywhere? Thanks. Greg Minshall ------------------------------ Date: 29 Jan 1986 14:46:45 PST To: minshall%ucbopal@BERKELEY.EDU (Greg Minshall) Subject: DOS vs. direct screen writes From: Richard Gillmann <GILLMANN@USC-ISIB.ARPA> Cc: info-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA Yes, your analysis of the video display choices is valid. If you go thru DOS, it will be compatible with all MS-DOS computers, but relatively slow, especially if you're doing full screen updates. If you go direct to the regen buffers, it will be fast but compatible only with IBM PC clones. Don't forget to do the vertical retrace boogie with the color/graphics adaptor or you'll wind up in "snowy mode". Dick Gillmann ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 28 Jan 86 16:38:06 PST From: walton%Deimos@Hamlet.Caltech.Edu Subject: 7 cents per Kb To: info-ibmpc%Deimos@Hamlet.Caltech.Edu cc: caltech%Deimos@Hamlet.Caltech.Edu From the February 1986 issue of PC Tech Journal: "The shocker of the show [COMDEX] was the announcement from TheSys of an add-in memory board holding 8 Mb of RAM. Actually, the board has 12 Mb on it; 4 Mb are used for ECC [error correction--NOT just detection]. Fully populated, this board costs $800. And it is EMS-compatible. Want more? It is CMOS. Not content? TheSys also introduced a 16MB solid-state hard disk--a box full of RAM with your choice of disk interface. Buy the unit, plug it into your hard- disk controller, and away you go with a hard disk that boasts an average access time of 10 microseconds (about 8,000 times faster than the XT hard disk). Again, it is CMOS and can be backed up with batteries." As a side note, it would cost us a minimum of $16,000 to upgrade our 5-year-old VAX 780 from 4 to 8 Mb of memory--40 times more per megabyte. Steve Walton Caltech Solar Astronomy walton%deimos@hamlet.caltech.edu swalton@caltech.bitnet ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 Jan 86 02:36:13 EST From: James H. Coombs <JAZBO%BROWNVM.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU> To: info-ibmpc@usc-isib.ARPA Subject: Procomm Inno Frencken asks about Procomm. I don't use it but I do have the latest version. Let me know if you want it for the INFO-IBMPC library. --Jim [Yes! Please send the source code. --Ed.] ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 Jan 1986 11:39:37 -0100 From: mcvax!steven@seismo.CSS.GOV (Steven Pemberton) To: info-ibmpc-request@usc-isib.arpa Subject: B for the IBM PC and compatibles under MS-DOS. B FOR THE IBM PC AND COMPATIBLES UNDER MS-DOS. (This B is unrelated to the predecessor of C: B is a working title. The language will get its final name, ABC, when the language is frozen.) Summary There is now a first implementation of B available for the IBM PC and compatibles under MS-DOS, alongside the existing implementation for Unix. It is available for the cost of the media: $35 US, or Dfl. 100. Details of the implementation and an order form are at the end of this article. What is B? B is a new interactive programming language and environment that is as simple as Basic to learn, offers the structure of C and Pascal, but thanks to its high-level data-types is very powerful and convenient to use. DATA-TYPES It has 2 basic data-types: numbers and texts (=strings), and 3 composite data-types: compounds, lists and tables. o Numbers are unbounded, like all data-types in B, and are kept exact if possible (even with division); o Texts can be joined, repeated, trimmed; o Compounds are like records, or structures, but without field-names; o Lists are sorted sequences of values of any one type (numbers, texts, lists...); o Tables are generalised arrays: both indexes and elements may be of any type. COMMANDS The usual structured commands are available: IF, WHILE, etc. You can define your own commands and functions. Functions can return values of any type. ENVIRONMENT B is both a language and an environment. There is a structured editor that knows about B which you use the whole time that you are using B. It suggests possible command completions, so for instance, if you type a W, it suggests the command WRITE, which you can accept by typing a tab. It also supplies such things as closing brackets automatically. EXAMPLES The best way to appreciate the power and simplicity of B is to see some examples, and 2 are given below. For more details see "An Overview of the B programming Language" by Leo Geurts, in SIGPLAN December 1982, and "Description of B" by Lambert Meertens and Steven Pemberton, SIGPLAN February 1985.) Imagine you want to maintain a list of phone numbers. You start off with an empty list (>>> is the prompt from B): >>> PUT {} IN tel and add a few numbers >>> PUT 4138 IN tel["Frank"] >>> PUT 4071 IN tel["Leo"] >>> PUT 4141 IN tel["Lambert"] Now you can look up individual numbers: >>> WRITE tel["Leo"] 4071 or even write the whole table: >>> WRITE tel {["Frank"]: 4138; ["Lambert"]: 4141; ["Leo"]: 4071} (note they're sorted on the names). You can access the list of 'keys' (the indexes): >>> WRITE keys tel {"Frank"; "Lambert"; "Leo"} and so you can write the table neatly: >>> FOR name IN keys tel: WRITE name, ":", tel[name] / Frank: 4138 Lambert: 4141 Leo: 4071 It is easy to discover who has a particular number: >>> IF SOME name IN keys tel HAS tel[name]=4141: WRITE name Lambert But if you do this often it is easier to create the inverse table: >>> PUT {} IN let >>> FOR name IN keys tel: PUT name IN let[tel[name]] >>> WRITE let[4141] Lambert >>> WRITE let {[4071]: "Leo"; [4138]: "Frank"; [4141]: "Lambert} Example 2: a cross reference generator. (This example would need more than 100 lines of Pascal or C.) HOW'TO INDEX text: PUT {} IN xtab FOR line'no IN keys text: TREAT'LINE OUTPUT TREAT'LINE: PUT text[line'no] IN line WHILE line>"": TREAT'WORD TREAT'WORD: GET'WORD IF word>"": SAVE'WORD GET'WORD: PUT "" IN word WHILE line>"" AND NOT alpha: PUT line@2 IN line WHILE line>"" AND alpha: PUT word^line|1, line@2 IN word, line alpha: REPORT line|1 in {"a".."z"} OR line|1 in {"A".."Z"} SAVE'WORD: IF word not'in keys xtab: PUT {} IN xtab[word] INSERT line'no IN xtab[word] OUTPUT: FOR word IN keys xtab: WRITE word<<10 FOR line IN xtab[word]: WRITE line>>4, " " WRITE / THE IMPLEMENTATION o Requires at least 384K bytes to run, though there is a restricted version without the built-in editor that runs in 256K. o Runs under MS-DOS 2.0 or higher. o Configurable for different size screens, or to use the ANSI screen driver, for compatibles with incompatible BIOS. o Editing operations can be bound to the keys of your choice. o Comes on a single 5.25" or 3.5" diskette. Apricot format also available. o It is not copy protected. But: o It is not a production version: it is not fast, but it is fun! WHAT YOU GET Apart from the floppy, you get a book introducing B, how to use the system, and giving a complete description of the language, and a quick reference guide. HOW TO ORDER Fill in the details below, and send them with a cheque or money order for $35 US or Dfl. 100 (to cover cost of media, postage, etc.) payable to Stichting Mathematisch Centrum, Amsterdam to: B Group, PC Distribution Informatics/AA CWI POB 4079 1009 AB Amsterdam The Netherlands Name: Organisation: Address: Country: Telephone: Network address: Type of machine(s): Required media [ ] 5.25" double-sided, double density floppy [ ] 3.5" double-sided floppy Required version [ ] Full implementation (at least 384K bytes) [ ] Small version (256K bytes) Signature and date: ------------------------------ Date: Wed 29 Jan 86 09:01:41-CST From: Pete Galvin <CC.GALVIN@R20.UTEXAS.EDU> Subject: Dos 3.1 Environment size patch To: info-ibmpc@USC-ISIB.ARPA Here it is, snarfed from a recent issue of the Boston Computer Society's PC REPORT: Debug Command.Com: xxxx:0D11 0A change the 0A to 1E for a 544 byte environment or 3C for a 1K size. Then of course do a 'W' command to save the new version. --Pete ------------------------------ Date: Wednesday, 29 January 1986 11:32:56 EST From: Joe.Newcomer@a.sei.cmu.edu To: info-ibmpc@usc-isib.arpa Subject: Clarification on GREP.C The version of GREP.C I submitted contains, as I indicated, calls on the Blaise Computing CTOOLS library. This includes the use of the <direct.h> file which is part of their library. Anyone who wants to expand the code to "run native" using some DOS gate may do so; the problem is that most DOS gate code is not portable across C compilers. Since I felt no loss in generality by using the Blaise package, and most of the necessary logic changes I made in this area are necessary, I felt this to be an improvement over the no-wildcards version that was there. The dsrfirst and dsrnext calls are translations of the DOS calls, and the struct used is based on the DOS documentation. Ideally, someone will now build on my contribution and produce a fully-native version, or produce a <direct.h> and dsrfirst/dsrnext package. I cannot, because I have already read the Blaise copyrighted code and any such effort could be construed as releasing proprietary information. joe ------------------------------ Date: 29 Jan 86 09:46:00 PST From: ALEX WOO <wu@ames-aero> Subject: LOTUS Specs To: info-ibmpc-request <info-ibmpc-request@isib> Dennis Korbel here at NASA Ames called LOTUS and checked on those LOTUS internal specs that I sent you. They are released to the public domain, but they are copyrighted so that you don't modify them. Basically if the documents are released without modification then LOTUS OK's it. Alex. [OK, this is now available in the file [ISIB]<INFO-IBMPC>LOTUS123.FILE-FORMAT -- ed.] ------------------------------ Date: 29 Jan 1986 11:55:24 PST Subject: Different versions of ARC From: Koji Okazaki <swg.Koji@USC-ISIB.ARPA> To: Info-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA Hello. It has recently come to my attention that there may be some incompatibilities between some versions of the public domain archiver program called ARC. The specific versions in question are ARC430.COM, ARC450.COM, and ARC500.COM. As we are starting to get more program submissions in ARC format, it is important that we know what the differences are between the three aforementioned versions, and the degrees of compatibility between them. Some users have already said that they couldn't successfully de-archive the programs they ftp'ed from us, perhaps due to the possibility that they were archived in one version and de-archived in another. Help will be appreciated! ------------------------------ Date: Wed 29 Jan 86 15:48:35-PST From: Steve Dennett <DENNETT@SRI-NIC.ARPA> Subject: PC Ltd. AT Query To: INFO-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA There have been several messages over the last few months requesting info on the PC's Limited AT clone. I'd like to know if anyone has at this point actually bought and used one, and what their experience with it has been. Thanks mucho! Steve Dennett dennett@sri-nic.arpa ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 Jan 86 15:48:14 PST From: Matthew J Weinstein <matt@LOCUS.UCLA.EDU> To: info-ibmpc-request@isib Subject: Battery backed up memory A company called ``SEMIDISK'' makes battery backed up memory. $595/512k. It's in some of the mags. - Matt ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 Jan 86 19:09:55 PST From: mccluskey@Jpl-VLSI.ARPA Subject: Microsoft Compatible Driver Wanted for Logitech Mouse To: info-ibmpc@usc-isib.arpa I'm using a couple of AT's equipped with Logitech mice that came with the $6000 Futurenet Schematic capture system, and I'd like to use these same mice with Microsoft software such as PC-Paintbrush, etc... Could someone post me the phone number of Logitech so I can call them up and beg them for a driver? Futurenet is no help at all, and I seriously doubt we will ever buy anything from them again. I've ordered a schematic drawing package from Omation, in Texas, and it looks like a very nice system for a reasonable (relative to Futurenet) $495. A review will follow when it arrives. P.S. I went to the L.A. computer swap meet and what they say is true! An 8 slot motherboard with a V-20, boot rom, and 640K capable (0K installed) for a mere $115 !!! Still, the supply of EGA compatible graphics boards is not yet comparable to the plethora of color and hercules boards displayed. John McCluskey @ JPL-VLSI.ARPA ( or is it JPLLSI ??? ) ------------------------------ Date: 30 Jan 1986 10:47:05-EST From: mlsmith@NADC To: info-ibmpc@usc-isib Subject: Bad Reset Recently I have been unable to reset the IBM-PC/AT I have with a <ctrl> <alt> <del>. I have to power down to get it running again. The symptoms I get are "Invalid drive specification" when it seeks the autoexec file and ANSI.SYS on the hard disk. I also used to load the mouse driver, but have removed it from the config.sys file. I load from A: the following files: CONFIG.SYS: break = on device = c:\dos\ansi.sys buffers = 50 files = 15 AUTOEXEC.BAT: [The contents of this are saved in [ISIB]<INFO-IBMPC>AUTOEXEC.BIG -- by the way, this is by far the longest autoexec file I have ever seen, over 200 lines! --Ed.] Does anyone have a clue of what is going on? {DOS is 3.1} ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Jan 86 08:34:48 est From: allegra!phri!greenber@seismo.CSS.GOV (Ross Greenberg) Subject: Disk Optimizers....not too good To: allegra!seismo!usc-isib.arpa!info-ibmpc In respose to a request regarding information regarding Disk Optimizers: I'm not too impressed. They perform exactly as advertised, but with the following (important) caveat: They all seem to throw the empty disk space in one large chunk at the end of the (physical) disk. Soft Logic's program also alphabetizes the directory, and throws all of a directory's clusters together. So, when I do a "COPY /c/myprog.c /c/myprog.old, the poor disk has a lot of work to do, going from the directory and FAT, to the the actual data area, to the empty space at the *other* end of the disk, and back. Lots of seek time. Reads are pretty quick, but writes actually become slower. Fix-by: create a huge file in your most commonly used directory, run the optimizer, then delete the huge file, leaving a gorgeous chunk of contigious space right where you need it. I think the disk optimizer companies should re-release their products when it puts all the empty space in the center of the disk. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Jan 86 08:47:51 est From: allegra!phri!greenber@seismo.CSS.GOV (Ross Greenberg) Subject: File I/O from resident programs To: allegra!seismo!usc-isib.arpa!info-ibmpc Regarding opening up a file when you are terminate-and-stay-resident: WARNING PROFESSOR ROBINSON! WARNING! Be very careful when you attempt this. Many an FAT has been eaten for lunch when I first tried doing it. Two ways that work like a charm: 1) Take over interrupt 0x28. This interrupt gets called by DOS while its waiting for a key to be hit. Whenever it does get called (your program should not be time critical, btw, as this routine is never called from CPU intensive tasks), it is safe to do with DOS what you will. (Except for certain interruptions, such as Search First and Search Next, which either you'll screw-up for the foreground task, or they'll screw-up for you.) 2) Get the Critical Section Flag by issuing an int 21, with ah=0x34. This returns a pointer to a flag in ES:BX. When this flag is NULL, *and interrupts on on!*, it is safe to play DOS games. Unless you are the last program to take over the interrupt, don't trust the flag word: many "fine" programs like SideKick do not give you a true copy of the flag word on the stack, but rather give a simple "pushf" *after* interrupts are turned off. (Grumble...jeez!) Happy Hackin' ------------------------------ Date: Thu 30 Jan 86 09:35:52-PST From: Jackie <Burhans%ECLD@USC-ECL.ARPA> Subject: More MIX "C" notes To: info-ibmpc@USC-ISIB.ARPA cc: howald%ECLD@USC-ECL.ARPA Two more notes on the MIX C compiler: There is indeed a #define MACRO feature and a /*$LISTMACRO*/ compiler option to expand macros during compilation. The linker creates very small .COM files, but they must be used with a runtime support file called RUNTIME.OVY, which has to reside on the same disk or in the same directory as the .COM file. You can, however, patch the linker to look for the overlay file on another drive or directory, in which case all linked files will share the path direction to RUNTIME.OVY. You can also use the linker to "build" an executable file with the runtime support in it. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Jan 86 10:07:57 PST From: prandt!reynolds@AMES-NAS.ARPA (Don Reynolds) To: amelia!EB%OZ.AI.MIT.EDU%XX.LCS.MIT@EDU.ARPA, reynolds@AMES-NAS.ARPA Subject: Re: LS.LBR Cc: amelia!info-ibmpc-request@usc-isib.ARPA I will put a copy of it in our public directory on our ARPA node, ames-nas.arpa. It is a 4.2 bsd VAX which supports ftp login anonymous with any (non-null) password. I will put it in two subdirectories with Kermit, using image mode (kermit -is) for the executable in subdirectory /bin; and ascii mode for the documentation and source listings (for the folks at Info-IBMPC). Happy snarfing! Best, Don ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Jan 86 14:10 EST From: Elefante@RADC-MULTICS.ARPA Subject: INT09 Side Effect To: info-ibmpc@USC-ISIB.ARPA Anybody know if the keyboard interrupt routine (INT09) leaves the byte value sent to the I/O port in tact after using it, i.e., can it be read again by subsequent code if another kb interrupt hasn't arrived to clobber it? ------------------------------ End of Info-IBMPC Digest ************************ -------