Info-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA (Info-IBMPC Digest) (12/28/85)
Info-IBMPC Digest Wednesday, 25 December 1985 Volume 4 : Issue 142
Guest Editor: Jim Celoni, S.J.
Today's Topics:
Video-7 EGA Board
Interleave factors and hard disk performance
Tandy 1000 Incompatibilities (2 msgs)
How to get PC-HACK
Turbo/Lightning Review
Waltz LISP (Franz-like)
PCUNIX by WENDIN (2 msgs)
Sorting DOS directory entries
Cheaper PC clones
IBM PC clones and work-a-likes
Navy DIF standard and WordPerfect <-> TROFF
Tango communication package
Fixing a Bug in the AT's ROM BIOS
IBM's new 32 bit machine (rumor)
Today's Queries:
LANs
AT head parking code?
Graphics Terminal Emulator for 6300 wanted
Curses help needed
PC charting/recommendation software?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: "Todd H. Ogasawara" <ogasawar@noscvax.uucp>
Subject: Video-7 EGA Board
Date: 21 Dec 85 17:55:37 GMT
I just saw an ad for the VEGA Video-7 Enhanced Graphics Adaptor board.
The ad says that it is a 256K board that supports the IBM EGA, IBM
Color Board (the old one), the IBM Monochrome Adaptor, and the
Hercules Board software.
No price was given in the full page ad in the 3 Dec 85 PC Week.
Has anyone tested this board? It is beginning to look like more and
more software that I am getting (Microsoft Windows, STSC APL*PLUS/PC,
etc.) is supporting the IBM EGA board. I am not exactly thrilled
by the EGA board, but it appears to be becoming a standard graphics
board to support. This VEGA board looks good. If you have any info
on it, I would appreciate it if you would pass it along.
Thanks..todd
Todd Ogasawara, Computer Sciences Corp.
NOSC-Hawaii Laboratories
UUCPmail: {akgua,allegra,decvax,ihnp4,ucbvax}!sdcsvax!noscvax!ogasawar
MILNET: OGASAWAR@NOSC
------------------------------
From: Timothy D Margeson <timothym@tekigm2.uucp>
Subject: Interleave Factors and Hard Disk Performance
Date: 21 Dec 85 11:53:06 GMT
In article <273@sdcarl.UUCP> andy@sdcarl.UUCP (Andrew Voelkel) writes:
>Is the most desirable interleave factor affected by cpu clock speed. I am sure
>those of us with 8 mhz machines would love to know.
Yes: I have a Compaq Deskpro running at 7.14 Mhz. I have tried four different
interleaves (yesterday on my machine, today on an ATT-6300).
I have WD WX2 controller, with the default interleave of 3. I have been living
with it for almost a year. Byte had an article saying 3 is slow, 7 is better,
so I tried it.
BYTE is right. To do a 112k file copy and load of a 272k program, the times
are listed below:
Operation Source Destination File Size Time in Seconds Interleave
Copy Goo/B Foo 112,276 10.89 3
Copy Goo/B+Goo/B Foo 224,552 19.48 3
Load Framework II Memory ~272,000 29.27 3
Copy Goo/B Foo 112,276 8.26 5
Copy Goo/B+Goo/B Bar 224,276 15.52 5
Load Framework II Memory ~272,000 25.91 5
Copy Goo/B Foo 112,276 4.66 6
Copy Goo/B+Goo/B Bar 224,276 8.28 6
Load Framework II Memory ~272,000 19.40 6
Copy Goo/B Foo 112,276 5.11 7
Copy Goo/B+Goo/B Bar 224,276 10.91 7
Load Framework II Memory ~272,000 21.45 7
Note that the /B switch causes PC/MS-DOS to copy the entire file as binary.
I have also tried these benchmarks on the ATT-6300 as noted above with similar
results. The ATT has an 8Mhz clock.
The BYTE article suggested 6 as an interleave for IBM PC-AT's and 7 for normal
IBM PC-XT's. Although the AT has a full 16 bit wide harddisk buss and the ATT
and Compaq's are only 8 bit busses, an interleave of 6 still seems best. This
is contradictory to WD and XEBEC ads. (Again, the Compaq Deskpro has the WD
1002-WX2 controller and a Seagate ST412 drive, the ATT has a XEBEC IBM work-
a-like, with a Green Mountain drive). The defaults for both these systems was
an interleave of 3, not 7, the value used by IBM.
For your information......Hope it helps you all!
Tim Margeson (206)253-5240
tektronix!tekigm2!timothym @@ 'Who said that?'
PO Box 3500 d/s C1-465
Vancouver, WA. 98665
------------------------------
From: John Ruschmeyer <john@moncol.uucp>
Subject: Tandy 1000 Software Incompatibilities
Date: 23 Dec 85 01:40:21 GMT
>From: ins_asac@jhunix.UUCP (Stephan Alexa Cooper)
>Organization: Johns Hopkins Univ. Computing Ctr.
>
>Sorry to post this, but I got a query a while back asking for
>a list of IBM PC programs that Do NOT run on the Tandy 1000.
>Here is a summary: (note - this list was compiled from other
>sources, I did not write this, just put it together from other
>people's replies):
>Tandy 1000
>==========
>RE: its compatibily, It is quite compatible up to a point: I have
>found that several games fail to start up (the original version of the
>diskette) which indicates problems with the floppy disk controller. I
>looked at the schematic diagrams of the t1000 and the XT controller
>and they are quite different - the Tandy uses a couple of PAL's and
>large devices while the XT controller uses a lot of TTL MSI. Not
>having a hardware ref manual for t1000, I don't know if the t1000
>emulates the XT controller to a high degree but I doubt it.
The Tandy 1000 uses an Intel 8272A FDC. Doesn't the IBM use an NEC chip?
According to the specs, the 8272 can read/write single density as well as
double density. Anyone know of a program which could use this capability to
read TRS-80 Model I or old Osborne 1 disks? (Didn't I hear somewhere that
the controller in the IBM PC can not handle single density?)
>The machine is a cross between the PC and the jr. One BIG compat. problem
>has to do with DMA. The base machine has none, but the memory cards add
>DMA circuitry. The as a result, you can not use any add-in cards with
>memory unless you have first added a tandy memory card. since the machine
>only has 3 slots, this is a pain (tandy has no multi-function card for
>this beast last time I checked.)
Tandy now produces a card called the MEMORY PLUS card which will allow
expansion to 640k using only one board (it used to take two Tandy boards)
and will take a piggyback RS232 or clock/mouse card.
>The keyboard is a bit different. (BTW - they don't have a scroll lock key,
>which some packages want (like 1-2-3), but there is a key combo that emulate
>it, I forget which).
ALT-BREAK works on most packages (1-2-3, SideKick, etc.) The one major
exception is Framework v1.0 (I don't know about v2) which requires
installation of the KEYCNVRT.SYS device driver and still requires a two
keystroke sequence (HOLD followed by CTRL-HOLD) to emulate the use of the
PC's Scroll Lock key in switching between frames.
>As a guide to compatibility, Lotus 1-2-3's IBM version can be made to
>run on the machine (not well, but functional). However, the hassles/
>problems were significant enough that a migration for the tandy was
>done.
As I recall, this comment was made by a person from Lotus and I do wish he
would explain his comment. I have run IBM PC version 1A* and only saw a
couple of possible gotchas:
Scroll Lock is now ALT-BREAK
Tandy's original version of MS-DOS would not SYS to a disk it
didn't format (okay- so I ran it under PC-DOS).
New function key labels are needed since the keys run along
the top of the keyboard rather than the side
The PC version does not come with drivers for Tandy printers
(ARGH! Is it so hard for Lotus to add them to *all* 1-2-3
distributions?)
Personally, I think it runs better on the 1000 than the PC since you can
use the arrow keys and the keypad at the same time.
> A couple of weeks ago, I posted an inquiry to the net asking for what
>software people knew would not run on a Tandy 1000. At that time, I
>promised a summary of responses; well, this is it.
I origianlly posted this list. At the time, I had not had access to a few
of the programs which I have since had a chance to try. Therefore, I will
make a few notations as I go...
> Alphabet Zoo- IBM Version (Spinnaker)
> Buzzard Bait (Sirius)
> Mastertype (Scarborough Software)
> Math Blaster (Davidson & Associates)
> Murder by the Dozen (CBS Software)
> CopyIIpc
I don't remember who said this, but the copy I borrowed from a co-worker
ran with no problem.
> PCWRIT
I assume this was supposed to be PC-WRITE. The current version (2.55) runs
beautifully. As a matter of fact, it comes with a small file to
re-configure the keyboard for the 1000's eccentricities and drivers for
Tandy's printers.
> Prowriter utilities (C. Itoh)
> Telios (seems to talk to the modem, but won't let me in on
> the conversation.)
> PC-VT
Well, maybe the old version didn't, but the current(?) version (8.x, I
think) seems to run fine. (We don't have a VMS system so I cna't be sure
whether all the keypad mappings function with the 1000's keyboard, but the
basic terminal emulation, dialer, file transfers, etc. all work fine.)
Now for the $640 question... assuming that there is no problem with the
power supply, will an IBM PC-compatable hard disk and controller work in
the 1000?
Since the 1000 is an IBM-compatable, one would think so. A note in the
current 80-Micro, however, seems to indicate that a special ROM on the
controller board would be needed.
Anybody know for sure?
Name: John Ruschmeyer
US Mail: Monmouth College, W. Long Branch, NJ 07764
Phone: (201) 571-3451 *** NEW NUMBER ***
UUCP: ...!vax135!petsd!moncol!john ...!princeton!moncol!john
...!pesnta!moncol!john
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 24 Dec 85 10:10:34 EST
From: William Milway AMSTE-TCI 3906 <wmilway@apg-4>
Subject: TANDY 1000 Software Information
As a well satisfied owner and user of a Tandy 1000 for more than a year, I
thought I would pass on the only 2 programs that I have not been able to run on
the system to date. They are Peachtree's Back to Basics Accounting Package
(GL, AP, AR) and Dollars and Sense, by Montagram (I think) which did not run on
my initial configuration with only 128k of RAM, and did not give me an error
message that they needed more memory (both are susposed to run with 64k).
Since I have added more memory, I have not had the opportunity to try them
again. I am now using the DAC Easy Accounting System, and you can't beat this
one for the price.
------------------------------
From: "David K. Purks" <dkp@hadron.uucp>
Subject: How to get PC-HACK
Date: 23 Dec 85 21:09:08 GMT
The newest generic version of hack version 1.0.3G and the sources for
1.0.3 are available on The Net Exchange at 703-689-3561. The hours are
17:00 - 08:00 and 24 hrs weekends.
David Purks
Sysop 109/603
------------------------------
From: Ed Skinner <edski@mot.uucp>
Subject: Turbo/Lightning Review
Date: 23 Dec 85 21:29:08 GMT
I purchased a copy of the Turbo/Lightning product from a local bookstore
a couple of days ago. I was a little surprised to see it there at all - I'd
>> (Lightning caught "surprized" in the previous line)
thought that Borland was direct-selling it only. Regardless, I paid $74.95
(a 25% discount) and so I was very pleased! (I have version 1.00A)
I installed it on my IBM-PC/XT (hard disk), and put it into the most
comprehensive mode it supports. Lightning uses two dictionaries - One is
RAM-resident, and is used on a keystroke-by-keystroke basis to check your
typing. Three versions of this dictionary are available. The second "kind"
of dictionary is disk resident, and there are two variants - One is for a
floppy-based system, and the other (larger) one is for hard-disk systems.
I configured my system for the largest RAM dictionary and the hard-disk
>> (Lightning says "configured" is not a word. A "made up" word in the
computer-arena, no doubt. I couldn't find "configured" in any good
dictionary either. Guess there ain't no such beast! Thanks, Lightning!)
(largest) disk resident dictionary.
I AM IMPRESSED!
The "as you type" spelling checker is pretty good. I do not notice any
added delay in my typing, and I'm a pretty good typist (40 WPM). However, I
suspect that I'm not typing at that rate when I make up things "on the fly"
such as I'm doing right now. Perhaps if I were transcribing something already
written, I might notice a delay. (I suspect not - But I could be wrong.)
The RAM-resident dictionary is not as comprehensive as the disk version.
Consequently, Lightning will often beep a misspelling as I type, but will
tell me the word is "correct" when I explicitly tell it to check the spelling.
Annoying, but survivable.
>> (Lightning says "survivable" isn't a word. I'll use it anyway.)
Sometimes, if I don't want to be bothered with spelling checks,
I'll turn off the "as you go" checking, and check a whole screen full later.
The nice part is the built-in Thesaurus. If I place the cursor on a
word and press AltF6, I get a list of possible synonyms. For example,
>> (Lightning says "AltF6" isn't a word. More made up words!)
Lightning lists synonyms for "computer" as "data processor, CPU, mainframe,
minicomputer, chip, microcomputer, and calculator." Sometimes a word will
not be in Lightning's vocabulary, and you will have to allow Lightning to find
"something close" first, and then try to find a synonym for that. Nice!
Lightning is pre-configured for several software programs, such as
WordStar, Lotus 123, Microsoft Word, Reflex, Turbo Pascal, and several
others. In these, if you "select" a synonym or an offered-word by the
spelling checker, Lightning knows which keystrokes to send in to change
your text. I.e., if you type in something and Lightning's speller beeps,
you press AltF9 to check the spelling. Lightning will offer a list of
words that it thinks you are trying to enter. If you select one of them,
Lightning will emit the necessary keystrokes to, for example, WordStar,
to erase the incorrectly spelled word, and insert the one you selected.
(Of course, Lightning must be told which program is currently in use.)
Lightning can be configured for programs other than the ones in its
built-in list. However, it cannot be configured to work 100% with all
editors. I use PCWrite (version 2.55, I think) and I must remember to
>> ("PCWrite" is "not a word" - By the way, if I used "PCWrite" in my writing
a lot, I'd add it to my own "auxiliary" dictionary which Lightning will
allow me to create.)
have PCWrite in insert mode when I ask Lightning to substitute a word.
>> (Lightning caught "hve" instead of "have".)
(PCWrite uses the ScrollLock key to switch between Insert and Overstrike
modes, and Lightning apparently can't handle that key.)
Similarly, the Unix editor "vi" also presents a problem in that it
is so different that I have no idea how to set it up. (At the moment,
I am using ProComm on my XT to dial-in to our VAX running System V.
Our "postnews" cranks up "vi," and it is "vi" that I am using to create
this review. Occasionally, Lightning will beep at me as it watches me
typing to vi. (Oddly, it seems to think all sorts of words are wrong.
Perhaps Procomm/VI/et all is just too much for the speller!) However,
even though Lightning can't substitute words, I can still call up
alternative spellings and synonyms while I'm dialed in. I just
have to change the word myself instead of having Lightning do it.)
>> (Strange. Lightning knows how to spell "Unix" and "XT," but not
"Lightning's" - possessive case of Lightning.)
Lightning will also allow you to turn off the "as you go" spelling
checker, and to check a whole page (screen) full of text at a time. With
"vi" I tend to use this mode of operation.
I haven't tried Lightning on a floppy-disk based system. The disk
look up is fairly fast on a Winchester disk - Perhaps five or ten seconds to
find twenty synonyms.
My gut feel is that on a floppy-based system, the amount of disk
accessing would be unacceptable. But perhaps a smaller dictionary would
be acceptable to many, and so the product would be OK in that situation.
>> (Lightning takes about 24 seconds to "spell check" a full display of words.
It appears to be using the disk resident dictionary for this. During the
scan, a "marker" shows you where Lightning is working. Any words which
are apparently misspelled are highlighted. When you press another key,
all low/highlighting returns to what it was before.)
Lightning won't catch semantic errors, such as using "there" for "their."
Nor is it a substitute for a dictionary. Lightning is a (damn good) spelling
checker and synonym finder which is THE MOST USEFUL TOOL I HAVE for writing.
In conjunction with a good editor, such as WordStar or PCWrite, Lightning
allows me to stay out of my hard-copy dictionary, and concentrate on what I'm
trying to say.
Lightning is NOT copy protected. The license agreement says, in part,
"this software may be used by any number of people and may be freely moved
from one computer location to another - so long as there is NO POSSIBILITY
of it being used at one location while it's being used at another." Now that's
clear to me, and for the price I think (and hope) that people will respect
Borland's rights. It's cheap, does what it claims, provides real value,
and doesn't brow-beat you with copyright notices and protection schemes
that scare the hell out of your hard-disk which you should have backed up
six weeks ago, but you still haven't!
Bravo, Borland! You've done it again!
ihnp4!allegra!seismo!terak!mot!edski --or-- motsj1!mot!edski
Ed Skinner, Motorola, 2900 S Diablo Way, Tempe Az 85282, (602)438-3064
------------------------------
Date: 24 Dec 85 10:03 PST
From: Ghenis.pasa@Xerox.ARPA
Subject: Waltz LISP (Franz-like)
Waltz LISP has a Franz-like syntax, and probably the fastest disk file
access of any LISP for micros (see benchmarks in Dr. Dobbs or Computer
Language). I don't know about its memory addressing in MS-DOS, since I
have only used the CP/M version for some toy programs.
------------------------------
Date: 24 Dec 85 10:28 PST
From: Ghenis.pasa@Xerox.ARPA
Subject: PCUNIX by WENDIN
I saw Wendin's PC-VMS at Comdex/Las Vegas. It is a limited but
expandable subset of VMS; they had a demo set up with an AT running
PC-VMS and two dumb terminals hooked up to it to show its multi-user
capabilities, which was real (I don't know if it was "safe").
PC-UNIX is still VAPORWARE. I ordered the OS toolbox and both PC-VMS and
PC-UNIX and was told that they would ship the real stuff right away and
PC-UNIX would follow "real soon now".
As soon as I receive my OS toolbox and PC-VMS and get a chance to really
play with them I will post a review
-- Pablo Ghenis
------------------------------
From: John Lowry <jlowry@bbnccv.uucp>
Subject: PCUNIX from Wendin
Date: 24 Dec 85 14:40:55 GMT
I have ordered PCUNIX and the "Operating Systems Toolbox" from
WENDIN. You have probably seen the ads in various computer magazines.
I ordered them in late November and they haven't arrived yet, but here is
the story so far ...
When I placed my order, I learned that PCUNIX runs under DOS 2.1 or
higher, and that the module is approximately 95Kb in size. It does DOS
interrupt scheduling, so I assume that most if not all DOS programs will
run under it and that badly behaved programs will become a royal pain to
use. By "badly behaved" I mean those programs that replace DOS interrupts,
do direct writes to the screen, etc. Memory requirements will be the module
plus DOS, plus the programs and overhead. So, the more memory, the better.
The UNIX style utilities number about 45, although I could not get a list
from the person I talked to. Most of the simple-to-implement UNIX utilities
seem to be there, like "more", "cat", "df", and so on.
At the time of my order, I was told to expect the Operating Systems
Toolbox in about a week (still hasn't arrived) and that they were backlogged
on PCUNIX which would arrive in mid January. After calling to find out where
my order was, I was told that the manuals were being rewritten and that
some enhancements were being made. I was told to expect delivery before
Christmas. It is now December 24, do you know where your order is ?
Additionally, I was assured that my VISA card would not be billed until the
time of shipment. I haven't gotten my bill yet, so we'll see...
When my order arrives, I will post a review.
John Lowry
jlowry@bbnz.arpa
jlowry@bbnccv.arpa
jlowry@bbnccv.UUCP
BTW: Wendin is on the net ...
well!wendin@lll-crg.arpa
is Stephen Jones who is the author is the Operating Systems Toolbox
------------------------------
From: Timothy Lange <langet@ecn-pc.uucp>
Subject: Sorting DOS directory entries
Date: 23 Dec 85 13:23:17 GMT
I am posting an article to net.sources which contains the source to a
Macro assembly program which will sort sub-directories in DOS by name of
file. It will also free up any unused clusters from the directory file.
I have used it on my floppies and hard disk with no ill effects, but
suggest you do a backup before using, better safe than sorry.
Tim Lange Engineering Business Offices
317-494-5338 Rm 120 Engineering Administration Bldg.
Purdue University West Lafayette, IN 47907
{decvax|harpo|ihnp4|inuxc|seismo|ucbvax}!pur-ee!langet
------------------------------
From: James R. Celoni, S.J. (Celoni@su-score)
Subject: Cheaper PC clones
Thanks to Ross Greenberg for his offer in the last digest to set up
group buys on Fountain PCs at dealer prices. As you shop around, also
consider Antex Data Systems (415/ 941-7914; 2630 California, Mountain
View, CA 94040). They've beat the best prices I've found (compare
them on the same 640K 20MB 2-drive XT/Hercules/AST system--their clone
has 640K on the motherboard, and their multifunction card includes the
floppy controller), they sell in-person or ship, are especially good
to schools, and stand behind their products.
Their ADS 2000 printer (reviewed in a Sept '85 PCmag) is an FX-85
clone with the best 17x17 NLQ pica/PS I've seen. They also
manufacture AT clones, printer buffers, and cables.
I'm just a satisfied customer. Tell Ken or Vince I sent you... +j
------------------------------
From: "d.m.tutelman" <dmt@mtgzz.uucp>
Subject: IBM PC clones and work-a-likes
Date: 23 Dec 85 22:46:03 GMT
I've built two clones over the last three years. One experience was a
healthy education, ending with a machine I still use (I'm sending this
from it). The other was a disaster, and I welcome this opportunity
to vent a little spleen.
1. Good experience - MicroMint MPX-16 not-quite-compatible. Yup, the
company that turns Steve Ciarcia's BYTE articles into kits; remember the
IBM bus-compatible (that really ran CP/M-86). Well, they never claimed
it would be completely compatible, and it ain't. Since one of my objectives
for the project was to learn about PC software compatibility, this was
a major success -- my machine contains every subtle way for a program
to be incompatible. However, I generally know what won't work and why,
and can sometimes patch around the problem. And enough stuff works
"right out of the box" that it's a damn useful machine. But I wouldn't
recommend it today. Anyone buying a clone can get more compatibility
for less money. (Remember that this was almost the first clone; COMPAQ
may have beaten them. It was certainly the first clone KIT.)
2. Bad experience - MBE-XT board from Computer Parts Galore. A year or
so ago, A friend and I built a couple of XT-clone motherboards from
bare boards. One was a SUPER-XT and the other an MBE-XT. The SUPER came
up fairly easily, but the MBE doesn't work to this day. After debugging
it with pretty sophisticated tools (Biomation with 8088 disassembler),
I still saw flaky memory performance anytime I put over 128K into it.
Sent it back to Computer Parts Galore for repairs; they changed a lot of chips
(including all the memory chips), but it doesn't work any better (that
is to say, not well enough to boot). I've heard from a tech who sounds
knowledgeable that the MBE is a known problem. The circuit design is much
the same as the SUPER-XT, but the board layout was screwed up. I BELIEVE
IT!
What do I use and really like? On my desk at work I have an AT&T PC6300.
It's the fastest clone I've used (8MHz 8086 with full 16-bit memory
access), and I haven't used any software that wouldn't run on it. Best
of all, it has good (as in monochrome) alphanumerics and IBM-compatible
graphics -- best of both worlds. (Hercules graphics aren't compatible
with most existing software, and CGA alpha gives me a headache.) If I
didn't have so much hardware around the house already, I'd buy one for
home.
(Yes, I do work for AT&T, so I'm probably biased, but I'm being as candid
as I can.)
Dave Tutelman
Physical - AT&T Information Systems
Room 3P432
200 Laurel Avenue
Middletown, NJ 07748
Logical - ...ihnp4!mtuxo!mtgzz!dmt
Audible - (201) 957 5535
------------------------------
From: Ted Holden <ted@imsvax.uucp>
Subject: Navy DIF standard and WordPerfect <-> TROFF
Date: 24 Dec 85 23:17:45 GMT
Christine King of Intermetrics writes:
>We need a way to exchange WordPerfect files and nroff files.
>We'd like to preserve formatting info, "hard" pagination and RETURN,
>but put off line wrapping, word spacing, page numbering, etc..
>WordPerfect already has a convert program for DCA and DIF.
I.M.S. (Integrated MicroComputer Systems of Rockville, Md.) has the
primary contract with DONOACS (Dept. of Navy Office Automation and
Communications) laboratory, and hence also of the Navy DIF project. I
personally wrote the Navy's testbed set of DIF programs (for the Fortune
32:16 micro) and directed the efforts of the programming groups from
the original group of minicomputer and OA firms which developed DIF
software, now required for bidding many kinds of military contracts. We
at IMS have also written several other DIF conversion routines for other
word-processing vendors.
The DIF turned out to be a far more difficult kind of programming
task than envisioned; DIF translation routines often end up translating
meaning and intent rather than simple structure, much as one would when
translating human languages one to another. Especially, tabs, decimal
tabs, and indents are handled in radically different ways by varying
types of word processors. Documents translated by routines which
regarded DIF (Navy DIF, not Visicorp DIF) or DCA/DISOSS either one as a
look-up table kind of thing would look mangled on the other side. The
Navy DIF routine in SSI's little "Convert" routine, unfortunately,
amounts to such a look-up table kind of approach and has never been
through the Navy's validation process. I.M.S. has a set of DIF
conversion routines for WordPerfect which actually DO work and which
sells for $100/copy. This package is being used by Xerox and several
other organizations in bidding federal contracts.
For a cheap, software oriented system for passing documents around,
the only two games in town are the Navy DIF and IBM's DCA/DISOSS
standard. The two differ fundamentally in their approach. The DIF
represents a workable solution hammered out in actual development
between consenting adults from several firms; it resembles the file
structure of a very reasonable 1985 word processor, with functionality
chosen as a maximal common subset of the products of the Navy's major OA
vendors, and structure most easily "reachable" by translation programs
from the file structures of those vendors. DCA represents another IBM
standard handed down to the masses from on high; its functionality and
structure are essentially those of a 1965 typewriter. In the DIF or any
1985 word processor, boldfacing the name "John" amounts to a code
meaning "boldface-on" followed by "John" and then a code for
"boldface-off". In DCA, you see "John" followed by a code meaning
"back-space 4" and then "John" again, exactly what you would do on a
typewriter. Needless to say, DCA translations don't work as well as DIF
translations.
In the case of TROFF, however, neither DIF nor DCA would help very
much; there are several features of TROFF which preclude writing
accurate DIF or (reasonably) accurate DCA conversions to it. Most
notably, proportional spacing and thinking in fractions of an inch
rather than in columns are natural enemies of any such conversion
process. Here is what I would advise: Troff was written for masochists
in the 1970's... get rid of it. Xerox's latest version of their 8010
star, which they call the 6085, is the creature you want. It can be
bought for around $6000, and has cheap laser printers available for it.
It comes with a very high-res screen (I believe 1024x1024), all kinds of
typesetting and graphics features which are WYSWYG, all kinds of fonts,
and DIF routines which work reasonably well in conjunction with the
(IMS) WordPerfect DIF routines, at least going from the PC TO the 6085.
The idea is this: using WordPerfect on PCs in conjunction with one
or two 6085s via DIF in an office effectively magnifies the power of the
one or two 6085s tenfold by taking the input load off of them. The 6085
can be used for adding finishing graphic or typesetting touches to
documents created on PCs, and then for printing them, so that a great
many professional looking documents could be produced in an office with,
say, 20 PCs, and two 6085s.
------------------------------
From: Geoff Leach <leach@tolerant.uucp>
Subject: Tango Communication Package
Date: 24 Dec 85 01:09:03 GMT
In article <529@micomvax.UUCP> steve@micomva.UUCP (Steve Grice) writes:
>Does anyone know of a communications package that would allow me to
> Download/upload a file structure from a mini (Vax 11/780, unix 4.1)
> TO/FROM A PC (MS-DOS) of the same file structure
The Tango package from COSI, Inc., 313 N. First Street, Ann Arbor MI 48103,
(313)665-8778, should do the job well. It does not provide fully
automatic transfer, but is very nicely programmable. Writing a script
to do a recursive transfer ought to pose few problems.
I evaluated this package and found it to be robust.
Geoffrey Leach
!ucbvax!tolerant!leach
------------------------------
From: David Farber <farber@pcpond.PC.UDEL.EDU>
Date: Tue, 24-Dec-85 19:51:20 EDT
Subject: Fixing a Bug in the AT's ROM BIOS
For those who have tried 18 mhz crystals:
Fixing a Bug in the AT's ROM BIOS
Michael J. Markowitz
Department of Math. Sciences
Loyola Univ. of Chicago
Chicago, IL 60615
(312) 508-3567
After installing an 18MHz crystal in my AT, it scored between 8.4 and 9.4
on Peter Norton's SYSINFO (SI) benchmark, i.e., it clocked in at roughly
8.5 times the speed of an IBM PC. That's 50% faster than a standard
factory-shipped AT! But I had one problem--approximately 1 out of every
10 floppy disk accesses would result in a "Disk Read Error" and I'd see
the familiar "Abort, Retry, Ignore?" prompt. While the retry option
always worked, the interruption of long batch commands began to drive me
crazy. (I had had absolutely no trouble with the floppy drive prior to
installing the new crystal.)
Checking with a friend at a major software house, I found that this
problem is quite common in speeded-up AT's and that most users have just
learned to live with it. I considered reinstalling the original crys-
tal, but having become accustomed to "real" speed, could not quite bring
myself to do it. So suspecting that the problem was in the software--
not the hardware--I began poking around in the ROM BIOS listing in the
Technical Reference Manual and found what I believe is the cause of the
errors.
In the handling of disk I/O requests, the INT 13h service routine goes
into several timing loops while waiting for a response from the NEC
floppy disk controller. If the NEC fails to respond (via a hardware
interrupt) within a certain time period, the routine "times out" and
returns an error code. One of these loops (in the WAIT_INT routine)
repeats at most 256K times and would require 25 clock cycles per iter-
ation if executed on an Intel 8088. On an IBM PC running at 4.77 MHz,
where each clock cycle takes 210 nanoseconds, this would represent a
maximum delay of 2.09 seconds. A comment in the AT ROM BIOS states that
this loop provides a delay of 2 seconds. It seems that the folks at IBM
forgot that they were writing code for an 80286 running at 6MHz!
Although incorrectly coded, this timing loop seems barely adequate for
the proper functioning of a standard AT. Install a faster crystal,
however, and it executes much more quickly, providing a delay which
is often too short for the detection of a response from the (inde-
pendently clocked) floppy disk controller.
It seemed to me that the simplest solution was to write a short routine
which attaches itself permanently to DOS and intercepts all disk I/O
requests through INT 13h (SEE *). When activated, this routine simulates the
original software interrupt, then checks to see if the BIOS routine has
returned an error code. If so, and it's a timeout error, the INT 13h (SEE *)
request is repeated, otherwise control returns to the caller. By the
second request the NEC controller should have issued the expected ack-
nowledgement.
Placing FIXDSK in your autoexec.bat file should completely eliminate
disk access errors. It has been tested and found to work on three
different AT's, with their original ROMs and crystals ranging in speed
from 16 to 18MHz. It has not been tested with the BIOS in the new 30MB
AT.
[FIXDSK.ASM has been added to the Info-IBMPC program library. +j]
------------------------------
From: John Krist <jk@utastro.uucp>
Subject: IBM's new 32 bit machine
Date: 25 Dec 85 17:56:53 GMT
Keywords: January 21 introduction
I have been told by someone at IBM that they will introduce their
32 bit computer January 21. It is suppose to be compatible with
the PC software (hardware?) and is *suppose* to be a price/performance
leader. Obviously, it must use the INTEL 80386. I believe it is to
be made right here in Austin and is meant as a scientific/engineering
micro. It was supposedly in the design stage three years ago and in
prototyping two years ago. Let's see what IBM can do to slow this thing
down like it did the AT (maybe a 6 MHz 80386 with a 4 MHz 80387?).
John Krist
------------------------------
From: Ira Feldman <ifeldman@muddcs.uucp>
Subject: LANs
Date: 21 Dec 85 00:54:37 GMT
Has anyone had any experience with L(ocal) A(rea) N(etworks) for the
IBM pc? I need to link up several pc's to an AT and use it as a file
server and to run an inhouse database.
Please let me know what you know about LAN software, hardware, and
locking capabilities. If there is enough interest I will summarize
and post.
Ira Feldman
uucp: allegra!scgvaxd!muddcs!ifeldman
BITNET: IFELDMAN@FOURCC
USnail: Platt Campus Center
Harvey Mudd College
Claremont, CA 91711
------------------------------
Date: Tue 24 Dec 85 11:01:36-PST
From: IEEE CS Students <IEEE-CS@SU-SIERRA.ARPA>
Subject: AT head parking code?
I am working on a database system that must remain up 24 hours a day, 7 days
a week. To minimize the potential damage done by power failures, I would like
to have the software move the AT's disk heads to a safe landing zone whenever
the disk is inactive. Does anyone out there in Netland know how to do this?
Does the technique vary for different drive sizes/configurations?
Any help in this area would be GREATLY appreciated. Please send responses
to this address, as well as to INFO-IBMPC, as I am not currently on the
mailing list.
Regards, Brett Glass
------------------------------
From: "H.LANG" <zappo@hou2e.uucp>
Subject: Graphics Terminal Emulator for 6300 wanted....
Date: 23 Dec 85 20:14:41 GMT
I'm looking for a graphics terminal emulator package for use
on an AT&T PC6300. Many of those that I've tried will only provide
320 x 200 resolution, and are therefore unacceptable. I'm looking for
a package that supports the PC6300's 640 x 400 resolution, and
emulates some standard graphics terminal. If you are using, or know
of such a software package, please let me know.
Respond directly to me, and I will summarize responses to the net.
Thanks,
Howard Lang
...ihnp4!hou2e!zappo
(201) 949-6686
------------------------------
From: Desperatly seeking happiness <jlh@loral.uucp>
Subject: Curses help needed
Date: 23 Dec 85 18:10:58 GMT
I'm looking for pointers on some decent curses documentation. The
'Screen Updateing and cursor movement optimization' document is a real piece of
crap. Also, anybody out there know of a curses for the pc that closely
resembles that on 4.2BSD? Note I'm not asking for the best, just the one
most like the BSD version. Thanks.
Jim Harkins
Loral Instrumentation, San Diego
{ucbvax, ittvax!dcdwest, akgua, decvax, ihnp4}!sdcsvax!sdcc6!loral!jlh
------------------------------
From: Guy Finney <guy@anasazi.uucp>
Subject: PC charting/recommendation software?
Date: 24 Dec 85 19:39:14 GMT
Having played around with my own homebrew charting programs, I get
curious when I see ads in places like Barrons or Investors Daily for
PC-based charting packages. Some even purport to make recommendations
based on canned indicators, or allow you to create your own. I've
sent away for a couple of demo disks to see what they look like, but
I'll be surprised if they tell me much.
Do any of you currently use a commercially available package? What do
you feel are its best and worst points? In what format does it like
its data? Where do you retrieve yours from and how hard is it to
massage into what the program wants? What sorts of recommendations
does it make (uh, besides buy/sell/hold; e.g. confidence percentage,
advice on hedges with options, etc). Do you use your own homebrew
programs instead of or in addition to the commercially available
package? Why? Are the packages aimed more at traders or long
term'ers (i.e. when does it make a recommendation and how fast does it
change its mind)?
Guy Finney
{decvax|ihnp4}!terak!anasazi!guy
End of Info-IBMPC Digest
************************
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