Info-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA (Info-IBMPC Digest) (10/25/85)
Info-IBMPC Digest Friday, 25 October 1985 Volume 4 : Issue 125
This Week's Editor: Billy Brackenridge
Today's Topics:
Sidekick vs. Microsoft C Followup
VDI driver for Proprinter needed
Reliability of Compaq computers
Xenix printer query
Graphics Display in Enable
LU and SQ available on the Arpanet
Query: Two Monitors at Same Time
Quad density drive for the Z150?
Hard disk query
FinalWord II (2 Msgs)
dBase Compilers Query
Public Domain Prolog and Lisp Available
2400 Baud Modems with MNP "Protocol"
Product Announcement: AT&T PC 6300
ATT 6300 PLUS
Code Generator (IBM/AT)
Cheap Monitor Cables (and other accesories)
XINU
Graphics for Microsoft Fortran, Anyone?
Multitaskers
NEC V20 in Z-150
UUENCODE AND UUDECODE EXECUTABLE
Wordstar for Beginners Guide
Ram Resident Accessories
Programs Available
Last (?) Word on NEC V20
Basic Printer Reset Problem
X.25 for IBM PC?
EGA Documentation
Experience with PC NETWORK
Operating Environments (Integrators) Re:Topview
Leading Edge PC and Lotus 1-2-3
Ctrl-Alt-Del
Re: Ctrl-Alt-Del
Xenix UUCP Patch for Initial Timeout
Fast Number Crunching
PC/AT Programs with Massive Amounts of Data
V20 Incompatabilities
"Five Speed" Selectable Clock Speed for PC AT, Query
Reading DOS directories.
Info wanted on Titan Accelerator
Cheap RAM Upgrade
MS-DOS Beefs
Re:KAYPRO to TELEVIDEO
File Splitter/Combiner
Query: How to Generate Semicolon in DBASE II?
Translate Utility for MSDOS
Leading Edge Model "D"
TOPVIEW (LAST REQUEST)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Bruce White <sota@fluke.uucp>
Subject: Sidekick vs. Microsoft C Followup
Date: 18 Oct 85 21:28:47 GMT
Several people have responded to my initial query regarding Sidekick coming up
when the host program was executing a "gets()" function. The general opinion
was that lower level I/O calls should be used to allow Sidekick to come up.
Taking that advice, I then wrote a primitive version of gets() using putch(),
getch(), and kbhit(). This lower level I/O function seems to work just fine
with Sidekick.
As an added comment, "HOMEBASE", another memory resident desktop-type program
came up just fine through the original program.
The new gets, (getsraw), follows:
getsraw (string)
char *string;
{
int i = 0;
char ch;
while (1) {
if (!kbhit()) {
if ((ch = getch()) == '\r') {
string[i] = '\0';
putch ('\r');
putch ('\n');
return(0);
}
else if (ch == '\b') {
putch ('\b');
putch (' ');
putch ('\b');
i--;
}
else {
string[i++] = ch;
putch(ch);
}
}
}
}
--
Bruce T. White
John Fluke Mfg. Co., Inc.
{uw-beaver,decvax!microsof,ucbvax!lbl-csam,allegra,ssc-vax}!fluke!sota
------------------------------
From: Bradley Dickinson <bradley@princeton.uucp>
Subject: VDI driver for Proprinter needed
Date: 19 Oct 85 15:59:36 GMT
Apparently IBM has not released a vdi driver for the PROPRINTER. A
little experimenting indicates that the driver for the color printer
works `sort of` with problems arising in captions on graphs and on
sizing. (This using the professional graphics package.) Does
anyone know of a driver that works better? Thanks in advance for
any information you can provide.
------------------------------
From: Simcha-Yitzchak Lerner <talcott!sesame!slerner@harvard>
Subject: Reliability of Compaq computers
Date: 20 Oct 85 03:39:45 GMT
Compaq portable and Compaq Plus --
The power supplies on these machines is a little marginal in terms of
capacity. Too many option cards in the system can tax them. I know
of a lot of power supplies dieing, to the extent that one firm with a
lot of compaqs in use keeps a case of replacement power supplies on hand.
The deskpro, and both 286 machines have much larger power supplies, so
they should have no problem. Otherwise, I have never heard of any compaq
problems.
Opinions expressed are public domain, and do not belong to Lotus
Development Corp.
Simcha-Yitzchak Lerner
{genrad|ihnp4|ima}!wjh12!talcott!sesame!slerner
{cbosgd|harvard}!talcott!sesame!slerner
talcott!sesame!slerner@harvard.ARPA
------------------------------
Date: Sun 20 Oct 85 12:15:07-PDT
From: Carl Fussell <G.FUSSELL@SU-SCORE.ARPA>
Subject: Xenix printer query
Address: Santa Clara University
I have a question from a user at our site that I hope perhaps someone
on the list can help with...
This user been trying to get XENIX on his AT with the NROFF formatting
package to drive a pseudo-Epson printer. XENIX apparently only comes with
built-in conversion tables from the ATT unix system nad no info on how
to construct a new conversion table to print anything other than straight
text. Is there anyone who has figured out these conversion tables
(a fellow in Toronto if rumors are correct)?
Thanx in advance for any information.
Carl
------------------------------
Date: 20 Oct 1985 21:56:22 CDT
Subject: Graphics Display in Enable
From: HUNEYCUTT@GUNTER-ADAM.ARPA
The graphics displays of Enable can be displayed in the word processor if
you have a graphics card and set the mode to final, rather than draft. In
draft mode you get the grey block...in final mode it looks just like what
you saw under the spreadsheet.
I've worked with it a bit. Enable looks just like Lotus in the spreadsheet,
except that the graphics can be 'three-dimensional', at your option. You
display the graph, then open a text window, then import from the graphics
window into your text. You can then (if you'd want to ever do this) treat
the graph in text as normal text, deleting lines of it and all. This
generally screws things up royally, so I'd advise against it.
Enable's editor also supports alternate character sets, one of which lets
you draw boxes. Nice for org charts. I've been very pleased with Enable
driving an HP Laserjet. Prints the graphics with the text, without ever
slowing down. For those of you who've driven an HP with WordStar, you'd
never go back.
Doug
------------------------------
Date: 21 Oct 1985 06:40-EDT
Subject: LU and SQ available on the Arpanet
From: ABN.ISCAMS@USC-ISID.ARPA
The query was a request for someone to upload some files to ARPA.
The first two (PDPsomething and HOPE) I donno about, but..
LU.EXE (a library utility), NUSQ, and SQ are already available:
At SIMTEL20's PC-BLUE archives, available via ANONYMOUS ftp:
PD:<PC-BLUE.VOL112>MS-LU.LBR
MS-USQ.LBR
NUSQ.COM
PD:<PC-BLUE.VOL081>NUSQ.COM
SQ.EXE
LU and other LU-type utilities are also available at MARKET
in MSDOS:
I coulda sworn I saw the newer AUSQ somewhere out there, but
couldn't find it.
Hope this was a little help.
Regards,
David Kirschbaum
Toad Hall
ABN.ISCAMS@USC-ISID
------------------------------
Date: 21 Oct 1985 07:12:10-EDT
From: stars@NADC
Subject: Query: Two Monitors at Same Time
Is there any way to connect up and control two monitors (preferably color)
to update and display two different monitors with two different scenes
"simultaneously" on an IBM/PC XT ?
Thank you,
Bruce Skwiersky (stars@nadc)
(215)-643-3800
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 21 Oct 85 11:58:03 edt
From: myers@nrl-csr (Philip A. Myers)
Subject: Quad density drive for the Z150?
Has anyone out there used a JDISKETTE controller board from Tall Tree
systems, in the Zenith Z150 machine? I called the company and got a
guy on the line that sounded like he was reading an offical statement
that disavows the use of there products with anything exept IBM-PC's.
He would not even speculate on the possibility of there products working
with anything else. I use the JRAM II board with no problems
(I have a 640K mod on the "motherboard")
I want to use a Quad density drive with my system. I
would like it to be able to load and back-up my 2 meg ramdisk. Does
any body know of a setup like I need that will work with the Z150?
Thanks in advance... Philip Myers (reply to: myers@nrl-csr)
------------------------------
Date: 21 Oct 1985 13:53:40-EDT
From: skip@mitre-bedford.ARPA
Subject: Hard disk query
Looking for an IBM PC/AT compatible hard disk drive with REMOVABLE
MEDIA. Minimum requirements are:
1. No patches required to DOS.
2. At least 20 MBytes.
3. As fast as the IBM PC/AT hard drives.
Desirable but not required:
1. Boot from hard disk.
2. Internally mounted.
Anyone with experience with or knowledge about such drives please
contact me at:
skip@mitre-bedford.
Thanks in advance.
------------------------------
Date: Monday, 21 October 1985 15:43:03 EDT
From: Joe.Newcomer@a.sei.cmu.edu
Subject: FinalWord II
I had heard about FinalWord II from a path slightly different than ibmpc
digest, and I called them a few days ago. Well, it is out, and it
appears to be everything I might want in a Scribe-like formatter for an
IBM PC, *BUT I CAN'T GET IT AND THEY WON'T TELL ME WHEN I CAN*. Pretty
disorganized; if I had owned FinalWord I would probably get an update
within the next month (for $95). Otherwise, well, they don't know when
it is going to be made available to end users. Several phone calls to
various parts of the organization were not much help. They think it is
going to be either $295 or $395 or perhaps some other price...
In exasperation when they told me that if I only had a copy of FinalWord I
that I could get it sometime in the indefinite Soon, I finally explained that
I not only didn't have FinalWord I but that I had had a chance to steal a copy
and it was so bad that I turned it down. FinalWord II was probably the
product I wanted, and I would send them money Right Now if they would only
sell me a copy. No luck.
Since it seems that it will do everything I want plus be compatible between
my mainframe Scribe and my PC it has a certain charm; I will try to keep
you posted as to when it becomes available to end users.
------------------------------
Date: 24 Oct 1985 17:19:19 PDT
Subject: FinalWord II
From: Info-IBMPC Digest <Info-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA>
My experience in dealing with Mark of the Unicorn products is that
you are better off buying from a dealer (or a distributer if you
are a dealer) rather than direct from the publisher. You will
get better prices and quicker delivery.
Dick Gillmann
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 21 Oct 85 09:25:47 EDT
From: D710016%UNIVSCVM.BITNET@WISCVM.ARPA
Subject: dBase Compilers Query
We are in the process of setting up a number of tracking programs for
various departments here at South Carolina. The decision has already
been made to use dBase III as the language. What I'd like to find
now is a decent (i.e. compatible) compiler for the code, to facilitate
program development as well as reduce memory requirements & hopefully
speed up execution speed.
Anyone out there have any experience w/dBase compilers? Are they
worth looking into at all? Can external routines be linked in to
'extend' the dBase language? Post replies directly to me, & I'll
share responses w/the digest.
Thanks in advance for any help.
Bill Douglass
University of South Carolina
d710016.univscvm@wiscvm.bitnet (wisconsin gateway between bitnet & arpa)
------------------------------
Date: 21 Oct 1985 1738-EST
From: Michael Grimes <MRG@PS1.CS.CMU.EDU>
Subject: Public Domain Prolog and Lisp Available
In response to someone's question about A.D.A. Prolog (the PD version), I
located it on a BBS at (603)623-1711/(603)623-1711... Also there is the
public domain version of XLISP (including sourcecode).
---m
------------------------------
From: Herm Fischer <HFischer@USC-ECLB.ARPA>
Subject: 2400 Baud Modems with MNP "Protocol"
Date: Mon Oct 21 16:17:36 1985
I looked (briefly) into the new 2400 baud modems for use with my Xenix
system. The dealers all push versions with a built-in protocol called
MNP. This protocol handles retries of bad characters, BUT (e.g., beware)
it is not really suitable for use on communications where the underlying
software already has a protocol.
With uucp, the MNP flow control will be incompatible, and thus one will
have to disable MNP.
With Kermit, MNP is likely to play havoc particularly where the end-to-end
flow control needs to be preserved (likely at 2400 baud on systems which
might become busy), because MNP only appears to support modem to computer
flow control.
For interactive computer access, if you need control-s or control-q,
e.g., if you use an editor like emacs ever, then again you might have
difficulties.
The people who produced the MNP protocol, and whose marketing has
caused the modem suppliers to energetically advertise its features
(without being knowledgable of its operation), ended up recommending
that I buy some other modem without the feature.
Finally, be aware that MNP is only a retry on error protocol; it is not
a forward error correction device with hamming codes (as I expected from
its sales literature).
------------------------------
From: "A.THANGARAJ" <xxajtxx@hou2d.uucp>
Subject; AT&T PC 6300 (Regular) Update
Date: 23 Oct 85 15:32:08 GMT
In article ihlpf.187 dated Oct 13, 1985, George Wilkin lists some of the
updates to the PC6300 and the software that comes with it. Here are some
of his observations and some of mine. I compared PC6300s a year apart.
> The second serial port which was unused on my pc, has been removed
> from the mother board altogether. (no connector)
Gee, I wish I had known that there was a second serial port; we went
out and bought an IBM (ugh, we had to get it from the competition
;-)) asynchronous communications card for our serial mouse systems
mouse, since our first serial port was tied up for communications.
> MS-DOS 2.11 Release 2.0 (note release ##)
Additional commands include SIZE, which lists the sizes of the files
mentioned, and CHMOD which changes the mode of a file (eg.
to"hidden")
> DOS now includes a ram disk!! and a 'ship' program??
The ramdisk program works fine. It allows you to specify only the
size of the ramdisk. A program called "Membrain" that I've seen on
bulletin boards lets you specify a whole lot of other parameters.
> Customer diagnostics seem more interactive?
> Anyone else notice this?
I can't vouch for this; perhaps the PC6300 team could fill us in.
> On another note, all 256k was soldered in, very tough to upgrade
> to 640K.
There are now (at least ;-))two models of dual floppy 6300's: Model
3703-E20 has 256K of soldered RAM; you need the expansion board to
upgrade to 640K (cost: several hundred dollars). Model 3703-E21 has
128K soldered in and 128K socketed, making it easy to upgrade to 640K
for under $60 (see page 2-14 of the PC6300 Service Manual). (Sigh! I
wish the hard disk PC 6300 also had a model with socketed RAM)
> A section on the enhanced video board in the gw basic users guide.
GWABSIC.EXE is now 70704 bytes long, and whaddya know, BASICA and
plain-vanilla BASIC are also on the disk, providing IBM-compatibility!
And, don't forget that the PC6300 (regular, not plus) team is listening to
your feedback at mtuxt!pc6300. Here's a good opportunity to say something
to someone who can actually do something in response to your feedback.
....arun.
_______ _______
Suite HR1K228 / * \ _ / * \ all views are
| * | / \ | * |
480 Red Hill Rd |* * H * *| <(GSP)> |* * R * *| my own, etc...
| * | \_/ | * |
Middletown NJ 07748 | * |Garden State | * |
+-------------+ Parkway +-------------+
hou2d!xxajtxx | R E D |Exit 114 | H I L L | ..the future
+-------------------------------------------+
201-949-9127 |R E Q U I E M B Y T H E P A R K W A Y| lies in PC's
+-------------------------------------------+
------------------------------
From: matt%mirror@cca
Subject: Product Announcement: AT&T PC 6300
Date: 22 Oct 85 15:51:00 GMT
If I'm not mistaken (and I may be), OS-Merge was developed for AT&T by
Locus, the California group that has also worked on a distributed Unix
system and a "bridge" between MS-DOS machines and Unix machines.
The bridge software looked interesting when I inquired about it a few
months ago. It runs on top of and Ethernet and allows each machine to see
another machine's file system as a hierarchical directory structure in a
format it can recognize. The PC end runs code that intercepts all the
"appropriate" DOS (and BIOS?) services to manipulate the filesystem and
decides whether they're supposed to operate on the local disks or on a
remote "virtual" directory. In the latter case, the requests are
forwarded on to a daemon running on the remote machine. File formats are
fixed up on the fly, so an application cannot tell the difference between
a file on a local (DOS) disk and a file on a remote (Unix) disk. All in
all, it looked like things were done the right way. If the Unix end had
been available on a Pyramid, we might have bought it at the time.
Locus is on the net (ucla-cs!locus!... ??), so I'm sure someone there can
correct any misstatements I've made.
Matt Landau ARPA: matt%mirror@cca
Mirror Systems, Inc. UUCP: {decvax!cca, ima!inmet, mit-eddie, wjh12}...
Cambridge, MA ...mirror!matt
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 21-Oct-85 20:43:11 PDT
From: vortex!lauren@rand-unix.ARPA (Lauren Weinstein)
Subject: ATT 6300 PLUS
I suspect you'll have trouble testing out what you really want to test
(performance aspects) since I don't think they're shipping the MSDOS/Unix
concurrency system yet. I believe that's been slated for
first quarter '86. So until then, I think you'll only be able to test
the more conventional operations of the two OS's separately, which
unfortunately won't prove very much at this stage of the game.
Real testing will have to wait until next year, apparently.
--Lauren--
------------------------------
From: carroll@uiucdcsb.cs.uiuc.edu
Subject: Code Generator (IBM/AT)
Date: 18 Oct 85 04:52:00 GMT
As part of a research project for the University of Illinois, I
would like a code-generator that accepts Portable C Intermediate Code
Representation (as used in the Berkely Pascal compiler), and outputs
machine code for the IBM AT (i.e. either 8086 or 80286). It would be used
to port a compiler system to the AT, as part of a Master's Thesis (mine).
The operating system will be either MS-DOS or Xenix.
Source would be nice, but we would probably accept binary. Any
help at all would be greatly appreciated. Many Thanks!
Alan M. Carroll
(Please send mail to carroll@uiucdcs. Thank you)
------------------------------
From: ihnp4!netisun!m-net!jtxenix!jon@UCB-VAX.Berkeley.EDU
To: m-net!netisun!ihnp4!ucbvax!USC-ISIB.ARPA!INFO-IBMPC@UCB-VAX.Berkeley.EDU
Subject: Cheap Monitor Cables (and other accesories)
Date: Mon Oct 21 19:59:12 1985
I recently moved my AT underneath my desk (horizontally) and
was faced with the problem of extending the monitor cable. Since
the AT has a long enough keyboard cable already, and my monitor
(a Roland 14" monochrome black-on-white) has a conventional power
cable (that doesn't plug into the back of the CPU) that already
reaches the wall socket, I didn't want to spend the $49.95 that
the local computer stores want for the complete extension cable kit.
(Besides they all either didn't carry them or were out of stock.)
The answer is a Radio Shack "Joystick Extension Cable", catalog
number 276-1978. List price is $3.99. It's 10 feet long, and
pursumably unshielded. It works fine with both my monochrome monitor
and the EGA/enhanced color monitor next door - no noticible degredation
of the screen image.
While you're at Radio Shack, check out the selection of nifty
adhesive cable ties. Catalog numers 278-1640 and 278-1639 are for
cables up to 3/8" and 1/2" respectively, and snap open and closed
to allow removing the cables. I stuck them on the bottom of the
desk surface to keep the cables off of the floor and out of sight.
They're packaged 10 to the bubble-pack for $1.99.
The local K-mart has an amusing little joystick Y-adaptor that
could probably ("don't blame me") be used to feed two monitors. The
point is, the PC monitor cable (DB-9) is the same kind of cable used
for many "toy" joysticks, so look for extension cables in unlikely
places.
We still have an XT that needs a keyboard extension, so I'm off
to find a place that still sells CB radios. (Microphone extension
cable - a lot of CBs use 5-pin DIN plugs on the mike.)
By the way, my under-desk horizontal stand consists of plastic
milk crates, which can be had for anywhere from free to $5
depending on your moral standards. It's just the right height for
reaching the disk drives when necessary. Works great for putting the
the machine under some kind of a stand/desk that doesn't have a bunch
of drawers in the way.
uucp: ihnp4!netisun!m-net!jtxenix!jon
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 22 Oct 85 09:28 EST
From: Mike Hickey <MHICKEY%UDCVM.BITNET@WISCVM.ARPA>
Subject: XINU
I haven't heard anything about XINU for quite some time though I've
been looking. I would appreciate any info you might have as I'm in-
terested in porting/running this on both a DEC-2065 and an IBM-PC/XT.
I'd also be interested in any work others may have done in similar
ports.
Thanks in advance,
Mike Hickey
Systems programmer
Univ. of DC
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 22 Oct 85 13:55 EST
From: Spiros Triantafyllopoulus <spiros%gmr.csnet@CSNET-RELAY.ARPA>
Subject: Graphics for Microsoft Fortran, Anyone?
Hello Out There,
A friend is doing some simple plot stuff in Microsoft Fortran and
is wondering if there is an XY-plot subroutine package available
that he can use, in either fortran or assembly. All he needs is
simple graphics, i.e. lines, circles, and xy plots.
Either public domain or reference to commercial products will be
highly appreciated.
Thanks Much!
Spiros Triantafyllopoulos
Computer Science Department
General Motors Research Labs
Warren, MI. 48090-9055
CSNET: spiros@gmr, USENET: /* we don't have usenet */
PS: The version of Microsoft is the 1982-1983 for the PC used on an AT with
the regular Graphics pieces. /* no fancy stuff */
------------------------------
Date: 22 Oct 85 09:14:41 PDT (Tuesday)
Subject: Multitaskers
From: Eldridge.es@Xerox.ARPA
I use the multitasking program DesqView, and I am very happy with it.
DesqView, from Quarterdeck Office Systems, is a multitasking program
that allows you to have up to nine windows on your PC, each running a
separate program. One of the windows is the "current" or "foreground"
window. The foreground task is the one that receives keyboard input.
All of the other tasks are in the background. Switching between windows
is done very easily using the DesqView hotkey <ALT>.
Up to nine windows can be active simultaneously, but usually you will
run out of memory before then. That is not really a problem if you have
a hard disk, since DesqView will swap out a task to make room for a new
one. The DesqView program itself requires about 128K of memory.
DesqView does time slicing so that all of the programs in memory can run
simultaneously. The amount of processing time allocated to the
foreground task and background tasks is programmable.
Each window can have a different combination of colors. DesqView
manages each window allowing you to change the size, color, and
position. To the application program the window appears to be like the
full screen.
To run an application under DesqView, you must provide information about
the application (program size, does direct writes to screen RAM,
swappable, etc.). DesqView will use TopView program information files,
or you can create your own information files. A number of information
files are provided for popular programs such as WordStar, Lotus-123,
etc. Creating program information files is probably the most critical
operation in DesqView.
In addition to multitasking, DesqView provides two other useful
functions. It allows you to create and use "scripts" (keyboard macros).
You can redefine a key to be a string of keystrokes, including nested
macros. It also lets you assign an unused drive letter to a
subdirectory. For example, you put all of your WordStar overlays in the
subdirectory WSOVR. Then you assign G: to be the subdirectory WSOVR.
You also install WordStar to get its overlays from drive G:. When
WordStar tries to access drive G: it actually is accessing the
subdirectory WSOVR. This solves the problem of having copies of the
WordStar overlays in every subdirectory.
It is possible to break DesqView. I broke it several times when I first
started using it. Every time it turned out that I had incorrectly
specified something in the program information file. You have to be
very careful when you create the program information files. You must be
careful running programs that directly access hardware or interrupt
vectors. The only real bug that I have found is that you can't shrink a
window that is in 40 character mode. Perhaps this is just a limitation
of the program that is not documented.
I use an RGB monitor on my system, which causes a problem since it
cannot display highlighting. Some of the DesqView programs use
highlighting, so I called Quarterdeck to see if they could do something
about it. Their support was fast and courteous. They sent me a patch
for users with RGB monitors so that highlighted characters are changed
to a different color. This patch to the window package converts the
highlighted characters from any application into characters of a
different color. This make it much easier to run WordStar and other
program that use highlighting for selection.
The cost is quite reasonable, too. I bought DesqView from Egg Head
Software for $75 (half the price of TopView). If nine windows are not
enough, then run it with SideKick. Yes, it does work with SideKick!
There is a package from Quarterdeck called simply "Desq". This is
apparently the big brother of DesqView. It sells for about twice the
price.
For more information contact:
Quarterdeck
Office Systems
1918 Main Street
Suite 240
Santa Monica, CA 90405
(213) 392-9851
George (Eldridge.es@Xerox.ARPA)
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 22 Oct 85 15:13 EDT
From: Elefante@RADC-MULTICS.ARPA
Subject: NEC V20 in Z-150
Installed a NEC V20 processor chip in my Winchesterized Z-150. After
running a host of before-and-after benchmarks, my findings are as
follows: speed improvements run entirely in the 3-6% range, not
astonishing by any means (and certainly not discernable in the
seat-of-the-pants). This is a far cry from the 10-40% claimed by
advertising. Has anyone see improvements in the 10-40% range?
Don Elefante
------------------------------
Date: Tue 22 Oct 85 16:59:06-EDT
From: Geoff Mulligan (USAFA) <Geoffm@AFSC-HQ.ARPA>
Subject: UUENCODE AND UUDECODE EXECUTABLE
To: INFO-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA
Does anyone have a copy of uuencode and uudecode for the ibm-pc in
executable form that I could download to my machine. I do not have a
c compiler to compile the sources on isib. Please reply
directly to me since I am not on this list.
geoff
------------------------------
From: Craig Werner <werner@aecom.uucp>
Subject: Wordstar for Beginners Guide
Date: 21 Oct 85 02:17:56 GMT
The following has been requested from me so often that I thought I
would post it. Feel free to use it yourself, give it to your Secretary, your
friend, your friend's secretary, etc. Just don't edit my name off of it.
It's not designed to be complete, just functional, but if you think I
made any egregious ommisions, let me know, and I'll rationalize them, and
possibly even correct them.
I have a similar summary for vi, which has been popular through the
years.
WSGUIDE
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wordstar made ridiculously simple.
c. 1984 by Craig Werner (some rights reserved)
(1935-14E Eastchester Rd. Bronx NY 10461, werner@aecom.UUCP)
One of the most common complaints about Wordstar is that
there are too many commands to learn. I have taught over a dozen
people how to use Wordstar by adhering to the dictum that it does not
make sense to learn all the commands before you start using the
program, just the ones you need. They were all using Wordstar within
10-15 minutes.
So here are the one's you need, or to paraphrase Hillel:
"This is the whole manual. The rest is commentary - with the possible
exception of the Appendix with the command summaries. Go and type
your paper."
To start:
Type 'ws' to the DOS prompt (the A> ), ie,
A> ws
In the main (No-file) menu:
D starts a Document. (That's what you want to edit.)
L changes the Logged disk drive, so you can see which files are there.
(LB changes to disk B, LA to disk A, etc - the colon is not needed)
--> make sure to hit [RETURN]
X eXits to DOS, so you can run other programs.
Within Wordstar:
^J^H2 (There is about 7 lines of help screen at the top. You get rid of them
with Control-JH2 - you can just hold down the control key and hit J and
H, then lift off the control key and hit 2.)
(I use 2 because the 2nd level menus are preserved, if you have to
search for something they still are there.)
Prefixes (IF you have to search for a command, it's going to begin with one
of the following prefixes.)
^Q for Quick (cursor movements of a large scale)
^O for stuff seen On-screen (like spacing, justification, centering)
^P for things seen only during Printout
^J Help screens
^K File commands + Block Moves +
[Note: the O (for open) and P (for print) make sense, but why J and K? Answer:
Look at your fingers. They are used by the other two keys of the right hand,
and U and I were taken. These two, and other Wordstar commands are ergonomic
(to minimize hand movement), not mnemonic (to minimize brain movement)]
Useful commands (in 11 groups)
1. All cursor keys work. Use them for motion, although control commands exist,
why bother with them. However, I'll mention a few of these in context.
2. ^Q^R - goto beginning of file (^R = Page Up)
^Q^C - goto end of file (^C = Page Down)
3. ^F - one word forward
^A - one word backwords
4. ^Q^S - beginning of line (^S = left arrow)
^Q^D - end of line (^D = right arrow)
Picture the keyboard R
It makes life simpler that way : /\
A S D F
<= <- -> \/ =>
C
5. Deletion:
^G - deletes the letter you are on. (This makes a lot more sense if you
know that ^G was a bell on old teletypes. It's not so arbitrary.)
^T - delete a word (the key above G)
^Y - delete a whole line (the key next to T)
6. ^B - reformats (rejustifies) a paragraph when its been edited. IMPORTANT.
7. ^P^S - UnderScore (the S for score, U was taken)
^P^B - Boldface (B for bold)
8. Onscreen Stuff
^O^Sn - line spacing. (^OS1 = single space, ^OS2 doublespace, etc)
^O^H - toggles Hyphen-help (Hyphen help can be an annoying feature when
using Control-B to reformat.)
^O^J - toggles justification (between rough-edge and Right-justify)
^O^G - Paragraph indent (left side only)
^O^R/^O^L - sets Right/Left Margin repectively.
(Note: WS automatically puts the left margin in, so Column 1 is really
already an inch from the left. The margins are all relative to this
Page offset.)
9. File Access
^K^D - Save file and leave [Done] IMPORTANT.
^K^R - Read another file into the one you are currently editing.
[See below for Writing]
10. Searching
^Q^F - Find: search for a pattern/word.
^Q^A - Search and replace.
(These have options, like 'G' for Global, that are explained within
the command.)
11. Block moves (Blocks/Passages/Excerpts of text)
#1 Mark it. Go the beginning and type ^K^B (Begin), then go to the
end and hit ^K^K. It should change color or highlight status.
Again: ^K^B begins / ^K^K ends.
#2 Move cursor to where you want the text to go.
^K^C - copies the marked text to where you are now.
^K^V - moves (copy and deletion) text to where you are.
(C and V are next to one another)
Other block commands worth knowing:
^K^W - writes the block to a file for disk (which can be later read
into another file by ^K^R)
^K^Y - deletes the marked text (remember ^Y deletes a line)
^K^H - Unmarks/Hides a piece of marked text.
(^K^H if you goof or when you are done with it)
Dot Commands:
.OP Omit Page numbers (good for one page letters)
.PA Insert a Page Break / Pagination.
.MT # / .MB # Margins top and bottom (# of blank lines inserted per page)
.PO # Page offset (See above note on margins)
(The help screen ^J^D will give you the rest.)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My copy of Microsoft Word gathers dust while I use Wordstar exclusively.
Craig Werner
!philabs!aecom!werner
"The end. 94. 95. The very, very, very end."
------------------------------
From: Keith Vetter <kvetter@dartvax.uucp>
Subject: Ram Resident Accessories
Date: 21 Oct 85 22:44:02 GMT
After reading the article in the special BYTE issue about the PC on making
your own desk accessories via an interrupt handler, I decided to write one
myself. I ran into a problem with DOS that hopefully someone out there can
shed some light on:
If the interrupt handler uses the stack segment and pointer it
receives from the interrupt, it works fine.
However, if it changes the stack segment and pointer (and restores them
upon leaving) some times, but not always, I get the error message upon
leaving an application "Memory allocation error. Can't load COMMAND.COM"
Since my handler doesn't use DOS's allocation facilities and it only
happens occasionally, it seems like a interrupt problem.
Can anyone explain what could be going on here? Thanks.
Keith Vetter
Dartmouth College
Hanover, NH 03755
------------------------------
Date: Tue 22 Oct 85 18:37:42-CDT
From: Pete Galvin <CC.GALVIN@R20.UTEXAS.EDU>
Subject: Programs Available
To: info-ibmpc@R20.UTEXAS.EDU
The following is a new, updated list of the new, updated programs available
over the arpanet from the directory [R20.UTEXAS.EDU]<CC.GALVIN.PUBLIC>.
The new programs of interest include:
DOSAMATIC - the DOS multitasking shell of recent net fame (version 2.04)
CED - a resident program allowing command editing and much more
ARC - a file library maintainer, with automatic file compression
(a new version - 4.3)
QMODEM - a full function communications program (no terminal emulation
though) (version 1.11)
Enjoy, and remember, I'm always interested in adding to this collection...send
me your suggestions (and even better, the programs themselves).
--Pete
Public domain and shareware programs at TOPS20-site
R20.UTEXAS.EDU (UTEXAS-20):
Updated 10/22/85
Several of these programs have been newly uploaded or upgraded...check
the write dates listed to determine their ages.
Ps:<Cc.Galvin.Public>
Pgs Bytes(SZ) Write
Alusq.Com 5 8704(8) 23-May-85 Unsqueeze files with .xQx extension.
Arc.Exe 16 31360(8) 22-Oct-85 Manipulate .ARC files,
.Man 9 21120(7) 22-Oct-85 combine and squeeze files.
Catutil.Com 25 50688(8) 8-Sep-85 Catalog hard and floppy disk files
Ced.Arc 16 31616(8) 20-Oct-85 Great keyboard editor
Dialer.Com 5 9347(8) 24-May-85 Background autodialer
.Man 1 2304(7) 10-Jul-85 and manual
Dosamatc.Arc 46 93354(8) 22-Oct-85 DOSAMATIC multitasking DOS shell (2.04)
Dpath.Lbr 5 9216(8) 20-Oct-85 Paths for files AND programs (3.0)
Files.Dir 2 3683(7) 22-Sep-85 This file list
Lu.Exe 12 22656(8) 29-Mar-85 Manipulate .LBR files, combine files
Max.Lbr 86 175488(8) 27-Apr-85 Emacs like editor (pretty basic)
Pcdisk.Pas 18 46013(7) 8-Sep-85 Disk catalog program in Turbo
Pcwrite.Arc 114 232641(8) 20-Oct-85 Pcwrite word processor (2.5)
Printdir.Pas 10 20237(8) 3-Apr-85 Turbo directory routines
Qmodem.Arc 47 95232(8) 20-Oct-85 Great communications program (1.11)
Tfiler.Com 17 33024(8) 24-May-85 File manipulations
Thelp.Man 1 2432(7) 26-Jul-85 Ram resident Turbo help with sources!
.Pas 13 32384(7) 24-Jul-85
Transfer.Txt 7 15706(7) 21-Apr-85 Some help in transfering these programs
Turbo.Lbr 13 25344(8) 28-Mar-85 Some general Turbo DOS routines
Turbobbs.Lbr 30 60800(8) 20-Oct-85 BBoard program in Turbo with sources
Vf150.Arc 7 13696(8) 19-Oct-85 File display
Vintro.Arc 26 51840(8) 19-Oct-85 V20 and 30 tutorial in Turbo
Ps:<CC.GALVIN.PUBLIC.FANSI> is a subdirectory which contains the FANSI-
CONSOLE ANSI.SYS replacement. This is not
public domain or shareware, but essentially
a complete version for use only on a trial
basis. If you use it, you are required
to pay the fees listed in the DOC file.
I think it's well worth the money.
This is a fairly old version..new one shortly.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 23 Oct 85 10:21:17 PDT
From: walton%Deimos@CIT-Hamlet.ARPA
Subject: Last (?) Word on NEC V20
If I may presume to try a summary of the debate on the V20: It seems fair
to say that, at least in its 5 MHz incarnation, the V20 speeds up by a
little those things which the 8088 already does reasonably fast, and
speeds up by a lot those things at which the 8088 is relatively slow
(witness the 1.7 rating by the Norton Utility SI). As the chips are
inexpensive and add the 80186 instructions to your machine's instruction
set, I don't see any reason not to make the swap. (I got mine for $10.15
from IEC, 3 Vanderbilt, Suite A, Irvine, CA 92718, phone 714-837-9960 and
ask for Steve in Sales. Usual disclaimer--I have no connection with this
company, other than as a satisfied customer.)
I have not installed the 8 MHz version in the Z-158 we have around here,
but examination of its system board shows no sign of an Intel 8284 or
equivalent. Instead, there is a large square leadless package to which
the crystals (yes, there is one for each clock speed) are closest, though
I have not traced the leads to see if the crystals are connected to that
chip. In either the 151 or 158, it would be inadvisable to try the swap
of the NEC for the Intel clock chip and the accompanying crystal change,
because the crystals are soldered in, not socketed, and soldering on a
multilayer circuit board is not a job for the home hobbyist!
Steve Walton
Caltech Solar Astronomy
walton%deimos@cit-hamlet.arpa
walton@citdeimo.bitnet
...!psuvax1!walton@citdeimo.bitnet
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 23 Oct 85 12:11:32 CDT
From: CCRJW%UMCVMB.BITNET@WISCVM.ARPA (Richard Winkel UMC
Computing Services)
Subject: Basic Printer Reset Problem
Paul Schauble wanted patches to the basic compiler to keep it from reseting
his printer each time a program was chained.
I ran into the same problem with basic (and other programs) several years
ago. The solution I came up with was a routine to intercept the printer
i/o int and filter out reset commands.
I'm not sure I could find this routine in my pile of floppies, but I
incorporated the idea into a printer spooler I wrote around that time,
which is still on some of the PC bulletin boards.
It's called MSPOOL (for multi-spooler). If you want, I could send you the
source (or send it to Info-IBMPC if there's interest).
Rich
------------------------------
From: Brian Bertan <brb@philabs.uucp>
Subject: X.25 for IBM PC?
Date: 21 Oct 85 14:18:04 GMT
Western Digital has a board level product implementing X.25 through level 3,
avialble for the IBM-PC family. It is based on their WD2511 X.25
microcontroller. I have not seen the board level product, but from what I've
seen of the WD2511 it should meet your needs. Their address is:
Western Digital
2445 McCabe Way
Irivine, CA 92714
(714) 863-0102
Brian Bertan
Philips Labs
Briarcliff Manor, NY
{allegra | decvax | seismo}!philabs!brb (914) 945-6309
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 23 Oct 85 12:52:29 CDT
From: CCRJW%UMCVMB.BITNET@WISCVM (Richard Winkel UMC Computing Services)
Subject: EGA Documentation
I recently came across a copy of the 'IBM PC Seminiar Proceedings' Vol2N11-1,
in which IBM describes the EGA. If there is interest here, I can upload
some of the more interesting portions from time to time.
Rich
------------------------------
From: Erik Bailey <ejb@THINK.ARPA>
Subject: Experience with PC NETWORK
Date: 23 Oct 85 23:11:56 GMT
I am a member of PC-NETWORK, and so far have been quite satisfied.
Although I have not yet bought any major products, I ordered 2 boxes of
disks from them (back when they were $14/box, now they are ~9$), and
they came in a few days. And the greatest part was when I decided to
expand my Compaq Deskpro to 640 from 256. I ordered 512k of 256k chips,
and it came out to * $65 postpaid (incl. credit card surcharge) *. Not
bad... I plan to get a little I/O card (serial, parralel, game, clock,
etc. ) for $69. Right now, hard drives go for $330 (10meg), $420
(20meg), and they are selling the tape backup used in the Deskpro (a
fine machine) for about $450. I am quite satisfied in the comany, and
plan to renew my membership next year. However - I am very dissatisfied
with the game rental stuff - they have not had a single game I've
queried about (AtariSoft, Electronic Arts, and a couple SSI). That I'm
NOT renewing.
has anyone else had any other experiences? Remeber - I ahve not ordered
anything big, but they seem to be nice enough (particularly the person I
talked to wehn ordering the RAM). Well, hope that helps (and maybe
starts up a discussion). --Erik
------------------------------
From: "Curtis J. Braun" <cjb@ccice2.uucp>
Subject: Operating Environments (Integrators) Re:Topview
Date: 23 Oct 85 13:49:21 GMT
I am posting this summary for Software "Integrators" as per
request from the mail I received. This is from the Oct 8, 1985
issue of PC WEEK.
The article says that the integrators may/will have a boost with
the new extended memory boards, due to the fact that the memory
boards will offset the large memory requirements for the programs.
Quarterback Office Systems (Desq) plans on bundling Desqview with
the rampage card. The extra memory would allow instantaneous program
swap out, since disk access would not be required.
Integrators such as Topview and Desqview are also called operating
environments and typically allow several stand-alone packages to
run under a common interface. Software packages that are not compatible
can exchange data under the integrator.
The software must be written to look at the config.sys file for a
device driver. Without the driver, the memory above 640K bytes cannot
be addressed. To date only Windows and Desqview are written to use EMS.
IBM has made no annoucements regarding an EMS version of Topview.
Hope this helps,
Curtis (!rochester!ccice5!ccice2!cjb)
Summary
-------
Vendor Product Memory used Announce Ship
Application APX Core 43k June,83 April,84
Executive Corp.
Computer Associates Easy Plus 245K May,85 May,85
Micro Products
Dynamical Research Inc Panorama 70k March,85 ---
IBM Topview 175K Aug,84 Aug,84
Indian Ridge Window Master 50K Nov,83 Feb,84
Enterprises
Microsoft Windows 100K Nov,83 ---
North American Memory/shift 31K Sept,83 Sept,83
Business Systems
Quarterdeck Office Desq 256K April,83 May,84
Systems Desqview 130K May,85 July,85
There's nothing to disclaim if ther's nothing said.
------------------------------
Date: Thu 24 Oct 85 10:19:11-PDT
From: Jackie <Burhans%ECLD@ECLA>
Subject: Leading Edge PC and Lotus 1-2-3
A friend of mine is having a problem with his Leading Edge trying to
run 1-2-3. He has 640k, mono screen, hercules card, 1 floppy drive
and a 10MB harddisk. While running 1-2-3 from the A drive he tries
to save a worksheet onto the C drive (hard disk) and gets a DISK
ERROR message.
The question then: has anybody else had this problem? found a solution?
have any good suggestions on how to make this work?
By the way, a friend of his has a Leading Edge with 2 floppies and lotus
runs fine. He also tried running lotus from the hard disk and got similar
problems.
I am in a bit of a rush for this info, so if you have any, send to me
direct--you can also send to the bulletin board if you think others have
interest. Thanks.
Burhans%ecld@usc-ecl.arpa
------------------------------
Date: 24 Oct 85 14:35:00 EDT
From: "DESILVA, ERIC" <desilva@nbs-vms.ARPA>
Subject: Ctrl-Alt-Del
Does anyone know how to alter what Ctrl-Alt-Del does? It can be done,
since the PCNet program alters it, but I can't find any documentation
on changing it...
------------------------------
Date: 24 Oct 1985 14:49:07 PDT
Subject: Re: Ctrl-Alt-Del
From: Info-IBMPC Digest <Info-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA>
To: "DESILVA, ERIC" <desilva@NBS-VMS.ARPA>
Documentation on Control-Alt-Del is in the Technical Reference Manual.
Basically you can write your own handler for either the BIOS c.a.d.
interrupt or the DOS equivalent (or both, I suppose).
Dick Gillmann
------------------------------
From: Herm Fischer <hermix!fischer@rand-unix.ARPA>
Reply-To: HFischer@USC-ECLB
To: info-ibmpc%ISIB@ECLB
Subject: Xenix UUCP Patch for Initial Timeout
Date: Thu Oct 24 11:26:59 1985
Some uucp sites are notoriously slow at getting the uucp caller logged on.
Xenix has a 90 second timeout for uucico's slave end to load up; to change
this, patch location 63:2131 of /usr/lib/uucp/uucico. This timer starts
after the logon and password are successfully completed, and expires if
the initial message from the remote end is not received.
------------------------------
Date: Thursday, 24 October 1985 15:05:24 EDT
From: Joe.Newcomer@a.sei.cmu.edu
Subject: Fast Number Crunching
I'm asking this for someone else...
Assume I have an IBMPC/AT, a Fortran compiler, and a HUMONGOUS amount
of floating point data to process. What is the absolutely top fastest
board (cost only moderately an object) or chip I can add to the PC
to do this. Coprocessor solutions involving 68xxx or 32xxx chips
running Unixoids are not likely to be acceptable. Ideally, the board
should have the property that it could run ordinary 80x87-based
software, but a special board with an accompanying math library compatible
with Fortran [and here I don't know which one...probably Microsoft]
would be acceptable. An FFT coprocessor board would be even better.
Hacks such as crystal upgrades and special 80x87 chips are quite acceptable.
Can any of you number crunchers out there help?
thanks
joe
------------------------------
Date: Thursday, 24 October 1985 15:28:25 EDT
From: Joe.Newcomer@a.sei.cmu.edu
To: info-ibmpc@usc-isib.arpa
Subject: PC/AT Programs with Massive Amounts of Data
Here's one for 80286/MSDOS wizards...
I've got a situation in which I want to run a C (Lattice 2.14) program to
manipulate a truly massive memory-resident database. I have 3Mb on my
PC/AT. During the time this is being manipulated, I occasionally have to
do DOS calls, but I'm willing to do this in a "switch to real memory"/"switch
back to virtual memory" mode.
Is it possible at all on the 80286?
One scenario is to remap all of physical memory to locations 0..1M of
virtual memory, and start my data heap at the 1M boundary. using some
call other than malloc() to allocate. Now all I have to deal with
are DOS interrupts from my code and external interrupts from devices.
If I go back to "real mode" before calling some I/O routine, normal
malloc usage in the libraries will generate data in the real memory
space. If things like keyboard interrupts continue to work then I
shouldn't have any problems. An interesting property is that it
looks like in the remapping (if I have to map the OS into my space at
all) I can write-protect DOS so that bogus long pointers don't damage
me.
General view I have is something like a D or L Lattice model behaving
as follows:
main{}
{
... stuff
virtual(); /* We go virtual, with phsyical addresses==virtual
addresses */
/* Write the data out... this used to be just an fprintf... */
sprintf(buffer,....);
real();
fprintf(...,buffer);
virtual();
...
real(); /* about to exit */
}
Yes, it involves lots of work, but the piece of code I'm interested in assumed
a Vax and consumes about 2Mb of virtual address, and rewriting it to fit a
512K data space (what's left in the PC after the program is loaded) appears be
harder than some small kludges to get me a virtual space. Besides, once I've
solved this I'm out of the 640K limit. Thus, I'm willing to invest both time
and real $ (like buying the Lattice runtime sources) to see that this works.
Also, if anyone knows of better documentation for the extended memory BIOS
calls (PC Tech?) than the BIOS listings I'd appreciate hearing about it.
I've done similar things in the past with operating systems and architectures
even more bizarre than the 80286, so it isn't like I'm trying it for the
first time; I know some of the problems and pitfalls in general but if anyone
knows of any real killers in the '286/PC-DOS architecture I'd like to hear
of them before I start.
thanks
joe
------------------------------
Date: 24 Oct 85 21:16:50 GMT
From: Bob Stine (stine@edn-unix)
To: Info-IBMPC (Info-IBMPC@usc-isib.arpa)
Subject: V20 Incompatabilities
The V20 does not seem to work with Easy-Flow Plus;
the tech rep at HavenTree Software claimed that the
problem is due to the multiplication of two eight-bit
quantities causing a multiplication overflow condition,
even though the target register is a sixteen-bit register.
This boo-boo seems more insidious than the clock-cycle
mismatch.
- Bob Stine
------------------------------
Date: 24 Oct 85 23:12:58 PDT (Thursday)
Subject: "Five Speed" Selectable Clock Speed for PC AT, Query
From: Burton.osbunorth@Xerox.ARPA
The latest issue of PC Week has a Classified ad for "Five Speed", which
is depicted as a 5 position rotary selection switch for the clock speed:
4, 6, 8, 9, and 10 MHz. The switch has leads that plug into the AT's
crystal socket. The vendor is Ronsco Systems, Monee, IL, 312 534-1303.
The product costs $125.
The claimed benefits are that 4 MHz is useful to slow down games to
"proper" speed, 6 MHz is needed to install copy-protected SW, and 8 - 10
MHz are for speedup.
The usual questions apply:
Does anyone know this company? Is anyone using this product? Is it
really necessary? Are the claimed benefits real? When you switch clock
speeds, do you have to reboot? Would you let your sister use one in her
AT?
Please reply to me directly. If I get any responses, I'll post a
summary to the net.
Phil Burton
burton.osbunorth@Xerox.ARPA
------------------------------
From: Timothy Lange <langet@ecn-pc.uucp>
Subject: Reading DOS directories.
Date: 23 Oct 85 19:37:35 GMT
Hi! I am trying to get an assembler program running that will
read the entries in a sub-directory. I am running on an IBM
PC/XT that is using DOS 2.1. I have set up an extended FCB with
the attribute byte set for system+readonly+directory permission.
The DOS Technical manual says this will allow directories to be
accessed. I am using function 0F to open the directory FCB after
I stick the directory name in the name field. After opening, it
gets the date of the directory stored and no errors are returned.
I set the record size to 32 bytes and the current block and
record to zero, I then try to read the directory file with function
14 but get error code for no data read.
Anybody got any suggestions or pointers to help me figure out
what I am doing wrong? Thanks in advance for all help.
--
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: Peter Lee <pete@umich.uucp>
Subject: Info wanted on Titan Accelerator
Date: 23 Oct 85 20:40:44 GMT
Does anyone out there have a Titan Technologies PC accelerator
board installed in a PC-1? How well does it work? I've heard
great things about it, but I'm a bit suspicious because it is
so much cheaper than the competition (about $600), and was not
mentioned in the accelerator board review in the last issue of
PC Magazine.
Thanks in advance from a pc user who needs a bit more horsepower...
Peter Lee
------------------------------
From: "A.THANGARAJ" <xxajtxx@hou2d.uucp>
Subject: Cheap RAM Upgrade
Date: 23 Oct 85 22:13:49 GMT
640K bytes of RAM is becoming more and more desirable on PC's today.
The extra RAM can be used as a RAMDISK, especially for floppy-disk PC
models. (You can zip along faster than a hard disk in some
applications). Many programs these days are memory-hungry and can use
(or may need) a lot more than 256K bytes RAM. Now that cheap RAM
upgrades on the motherboard using high-density 256K chips have become
commonplace, it would be interesting to find out on just which models
of which computers it is feasible to do so. I would think that at
least two conditions need to be satisfied:
The motherboard should have sockets into which the high-density chips
can be inserted. For example, the motherboard might have 128K bytes
of soldered memory and eighteen empty sockets for additional RAM. If
you insert 18 low-density (ie. 64K-bit) chips, you will get another
128K bytes of RAM (2 of the 18 chips store parity bits; the remaining
16 chips make up 16X64/8 = 128K bytes of RAM). If, on the other hand,
you insert 18 high-density (256K-bit) chips, you get another 16X256/8
= 512K bytes of RAM. If the motherboard comes with low density chips
in the sockets, you can pull them out and replace them with
high-density chips for under $60 total cost. If all the RAM in the
motherboard is soldered, and there are no empty sockets for
additional RAM, that particular model of that PC cannot be cheaply
expanded - you will need an expansion board.
Having put the extra memory in, you have to be able to tell the
computer that it now has that extra memory. This usually involves
changing the settings of dipswitches on the motherboard. You have to
know which dipswitches to set and how to set them. If the PC manual
doesn't tell you that, you have to experiment, or ask a friend, etc.,
and it still may not work.
I would like to hear from the net regarding which PC's (and which models)
have socketed RAM and support cheap RAM upgrades, and whether the dipswitch
(or other) settings required are mentioned anywhere. I will summarize and post
to the net.
------------------------------
From: Walter Bright <bright@dataiodataio.uucp>
Subject: MS-DOS Beefs
Date: 23 Oct 85 21:40:11 GMT
I have been watching the evolution of MS-DOS for some time, and
never see some fundamental problems being corrected. These corrections
I believe are simple to implement, and would ease a lot of difficulty
for us implementors. I am posting this in the hope that Microsoft/IBM
will see it, and maybe feel some pressure to correct them.
1) Provide an MS-DOS 'configuration' call that would return
the following information:
a. What is the CPU? (8088, 80286, etc.)
b. What is the clock rate?
c. What display is connected? is it color?
d. Is there an 8087 or 80287 connected?
e. What is the manufacturer and model # of the machine?
f. Is ANSI.SYS installed? What other device drivers
are installed?
g. Is 'Windows' or 'Topview' active?
h. How many serial ports are connected?
Many of these are discernable by examining the BIOS. But in
order to do that, the program becomes 'misbehaved' and non-
portable. Having such calls would make it possible for programs
to write directly to the screen for machines it knows are safe,
and to automatically revert to more 'well-behaved' but slower
methods when these are necessary. Programs could also become
largely self-configuring.
2) Rewrite the serial I/O BDOS calls so they are interrupt driven
internally to MS-DOS, and have a choice of XON/XOFF protocol or
handshaking to handle flow control. Every communications program
I know of has to directly manipulate the hardware to do this, and
therefore becomes hopelessly non-portable.
Until MS-DOS provides these services, Microsoft and IBM will have to
continually struggle with misbehaved programs.
------------------------------
Date: 25 Oct 1985 09:43:28-EDT
From: mlsmith@NADC
To: compusci@aecom.uucp, @, BRL@NADC
Subject: Re:KAYPRO to TELEVIDEO
I know of two programs that should help:
WSTOVX - Volkswriter utility to change WS files.
UNDOWS - Changes WS files to ASCII.
Volkswriter is a word processor which uses near-ASCII files. Although
some special symbols used for underline, paragraph, etc. It is very readable.
UNDOWS should be perfect, but I believe it is bundled with Wordstar.
good luck,
mlsmith@NADC
------------------------------
Date: Fri 25 Oct 85 08:58:35-MDT
From: Larry Armijo <COLSA@SIMTEL20.ARPA>
Subject: File Splitter/Combiner
I am looking for a program which will enable me to backup a very large
single file on a hard disk to several floppies and then restore them
to the hard disk in case of hard disk failure or other damage to the
large file.
I've already looked through the entire PC-BLUE archives here at SIMTEL20
but have been unable to find anything suitable. It may be there and I
may have missed it. What I think I need is a file splitter/combiner.
Any leads would be greatly appreciated.
Larry Armijo
COLSA@SIMTEL20
[Try Jet from Tall Tree it comes free with their hardware -wab]
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 25 Oct 85 17:15:40 -0100
From: hans@oslo-vax (Hans A. ]lien)
Subject: Query: How to Generate Semicolon in DBASE II?
A colleague wants to do some screen control from a routine in DBASE II
on his Rainbow. He has attempted all kinds of quoting, but he has failed
completely in creating an escape sequence containing the ';'.
Is there an (undocumented) trick somewhere?
Thanks in advance.
hans@oslo-vax.arpa (Hans A. ]lien, Univ. of Oslo, Norway)
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 25 Oct 85 13:17:21 EDT
From: Kenneth E. Van_Camp (LCWSL) <kvancamp@Pica-Lca.ARPA>
Subject: Translate Utility for MSDOS
I am looking for an msdos utility similar to the UNIX tr command, which
copies the standard input to the standard output with substitution or
deletion of selected characters. I envision this as a general-purpose
filter to do things like remove tab characters, or convert special
characters into other forms. I could easily write such a utility in C,
but am looking for the compactness of a machine language routine. If you
know of such a routine, your help in locating it would be appreciated.
Otherwise, I am willing to undertake writing such a routine myself. I have
experience in assembly language, but all Motorola and I have little idea
where to begin in msdos. In the interests of saving a great amount of time,
if someone could supply me with a short assembly listing that demonstrates
how to (1) read from standard input, (2) write to standard output, and
(3) read command line inputs, I would appreciate this as well. Thanks in
advance for all your help.
--Ken Van Camp
------------------------------
Date: 25 Oct 85 13:38 EST
From: CFMucken @ DDN2.ARPA
Subject: Leading Edge Model "D"
CC: jordan @ noscvax
It appears that the problem described by Martin Jordan arises from
confusion about the nature of a "Hercules Card". The LE comes with a
Hercules graphics emulator as well as an IBM Color Graphics Adapter
emulator. The "Hercules Color Card" is an IBM Color Graphics Adapter
emulator. The COMPAQ is different still, it provides emulation of the
IBM Monochrome Display Adapter, which is alpha-numeric only, and the
IBM Color Graphics Adapter on a special dual-mode screen.
The Hercules monochrome graphics driver is a high resolution,
720x348, graphics driver for monochrome displays. The Hercules color
graphics card is a medium resolution, 640x200, graphics driver for
color displays. Most graphics software, such as produced by Turbo
Pascal, is written for the IBM CGA and its clones this software will
run on a LE Model "D" with a color monitor but not on a LE with a
monochrome monitor.
To see a LE operating with monochrome graphics boot MS Word with
the /h option, it works. We are getting ready to take delivery of a
large number of LEs for our office and chose the LE because of
everything which is standard, such as 640K on the motherboard,
monochrome and color graphics, clock /calender, dual half height
floppies, four real expansion slots, 130 watt power supply, and one
year warrantee, all for $1231. We are adding an internal modem, $179,
printer, $249, and upgrading to 640K, $43.20. Our entire system is
only $1702.20, and we didn't even have to pay extra for the DOS.
The LE is a good machine at a price no one can beat, at least not
yet, so it is unfair to attribute "problems" to the machine which are
truly "human errors".
Carl F. Muckenhirn
SPARTA, INC.
------------------------------
Date: 25 Oct 85 15:10 EDT
From: Jim Moore <moore@ncsc>
Subject: TOPVIEW (LAST REQUEST)
This is the last time I'll post this question: I've asked it twice so far with
no response:
I need to communicate with TopView users who have successfully loaded any
non-trivial software package (esp. dBASE III). Does anyone out there know how
to use TopView w/ dBASE???
Jim
------------------------------
End of Info-IBMPC Digest
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