IHLS400@INDYCMS.BITNET.UUCP (05/22/87)
G'day... I have a fair number of questions that I would like to ask on
various unrelated topics, but in the interest of the network load, I will
combine them all into this same mail. Please extract whatever part
you feel necessary. Thanks.
1) I have version 1.12mmg of ProFortran 77. I understand that at least
version 1.15mmg is out. I bought my copy used but the registration
card was included and I sent it in. Does anyone know what Prospero's
policies are regarding upgrades? I haven't heard from them since I
only sent the card in about 3 weeks ago. (I only bought my ST about 4
weeks ago...also used.) Does 1.15mmg have its own editor??
2) Although Prospero has apparently okayed distribution of the resident
library on ProFortran, does anyone know a way in which the resident
library can be linked to a program so a user doesn't have to grab a
copy of the PRL.PRG in order to run a PD Fortran program if I write
anything I feel worthy of putting out on the net? It seems silly
to have to keep the PRL resident.
3) Given a write FORMAT statement with trailing blanks, either through
the X format code or by enclosing them as a literal value, ProFortran
seems to deny any knowledge of their existence thereby placing the
cursor directly after the last non-blank value in the format when it
gets to the next statement which is a READ. This even occurs when I
try to write out a dummy variable called BLANK (CHARACTER*1) in an A1
at the end of the statement. I am also having problems getting my
carriage controls to work, both ANSI standard and the / format code.
Can someone help or at least point me to the right place in the manual
where I might find out what I'm doing wrong (if anything)?
4) I bought Personal Pascal (and will probably buy version 2), but I don't
know Pascal yet. Can someone point me to a decent text in Pascal that
isn't too terribly expensive and is written in English rather than
hard core tech since I am not yet comfortable with micro hardware?
5) I have heard some talk of STadel here and have called one of the STadel
boards in Minnesota. I am considering running a BBS and may well like
to take on writing my own, but before I put that kind of effort into it,
I would like to see if the novelty of sysopping would wear off. The only
way I can think to do that is by finding a PD BBS and running it for a
bit. I don't want to spend a lot of money on something that I may never
use after the first 3 weeks. (I could conceivably run the BBS off my
800 rather than the ST...) I am open to any suggestions, hints, ideas,
etc. about PD BBSs (where I can obtain a copy), sysopping, running
from the 800 as opposed to the ST, what things should be considered in
a BBS, what people look for in a BBS, what the (dis)advantages are in
writing in a particular language (or compiler) and any other related
topics.
6) I have been having major problems getting files from the file server
at Houston and getting them to UUdecode properly on the ST. I realize
that part of it may be due to a translation error coming through the
links, but part of it is also quite probably "user error". I cannot
seem to get anything to work from the net. Is there someone out there
who has been kind enough to track all the problems people have mentioned
and the solutions they have found, and the steps I should take when
retrieving a file from the server (i.e. Download -> decode -> deARC?).
7) Being a fairly new ST owner, I have found the documentation and the
books available for the ST to be, well, quite frankly, miserable. It
seems that everything assumes NO knowledge whatsoever, or that I am
thoroughly familiar with the hardware structure of the ST (which I
am not). I am not computer illiterate, however, almost all my experience
is in mainframes and mainframe software, not hardware. I find technical
documentation to be tedious and would like to find something that explains
the internals of my ST. From that point, I can deal with the technical
material, but I have a problem fighting both the concepts and the text
at the same time. Any suggestions here?
8) What languages do people use most on their STs? Most of the examples
I see come across the net are in C. Since my education leaned more
towards Computer Information Systems rather than Computer Science,
I learned more business oriented applications rather than technical
applications. I don't regret this (especially since I didn't have to
take as much calculus! :-), but I now find myself a bit out of touch
with microcomputing. It would be interesting to learn what kinds of
things people are doing with their STs. I will be happy to share what
I learn if people are interested. Please tell me if you wish to keep
your information confidential.
Thank you for your indulgence. Please Email to me directly unless you feel
that your response might be of interest to the general public. Please include
your full return path in your response. I tend to get a lot of mail back from
Mailer D(a)emons.
-Holly
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Steady as a rock and twice as smart.
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| Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis |
| |
| Holly Lee Stowe IUPUI Computing Services |
| (317) 274-0756 or 0754 799 West Michigan Street |
| BITNET: IHLS400@INDYCMS Indianapolis, IN 46202 |
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