knutsen@aramis.rutgers.edu (Mark Knutsen) (10/11/87)
I got the MicroPro offer for WordStar 4.0 in the mail the
other day; and I must say, for $89 I will seriously consider. My CP/M
machine is an ATR-8000 (anyone ever hear of THAT?), which normally
functions as a smart drive/modem/printer interface for my Atari 800XL.
It has 64K, so I'm wondering if WordStar will fit. I've got CP/M ver.
2.2 (same as CP/M 80? I dunno). Can anyone answer the size question
based on this admittedly limited system info?
--Mark K.
--
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"Yow! I'm the ONLY Atari 8-bit user at Rutgers University!"bobc@killer.UUCP (Bob Calbridge) (10/11/87)
In article <1833@aramis.rutgers.edu>, knutsen@aramis.rutgers.edu (Mark Knutsen) writes: > > I got the MicroPro offer for WordStar 4.0 in the mail the > other day; and I must say, for $89 I will seriously consider. My CP/M > machine is an ATR-8000 (anyone ever hear of THAT?), which normally > functions as a smart drive/modem/printer interface for my Atari 800XL. > It has 64K, so I'm wondering if WordStar will fit. I've got CP/M ver. > 2.2 (same as CP/M 80? I dunno). Can anyone answer the size question > based on this admittedly limited system info? > First of all, unless a version of CP/M for the 64180 is the only one that the Wordstar 4.0 will run on, you shouldn't have any problem and even then it would still be working as a banked system. In gerneral, all versions of CP/M through 3.0 (CPM/80 or CPM Plus) are limited to 64K. Unless Wordstar is itself close to 64K in size there should be ample TPA to hold the Wordstar program and a significant amount of text. Wordstar will shuffle text between disk and memory as necessary to be able to handle whatever size file your disk can handle. And your ver. 2.2 is not CP/M 80. CP/M 80 is version 3.0 or CP/M Plus which is designed to run on a Z-80 machine. This is not to say that you can't run CP/M 80 on your ATR-8000 but it would have to have a Z-80 processor running it. Best, Bob
samlb@well.UUCP (Samuel B. Bassett) (10/11/87)
In article <1833@aramis.rutgers.edu> knutsen@aramis.rutgers.edu (Mark Knutsen) writes: >It has 64K, so I'm wondering if WordStar will fit. I've got CP/M ver. >2.2 (same as CP/M 80? I dunno). Can anyone answer the size question >based on this admittedly limited system info? Yes -- 64k (actually 52+ free memory) is plenty enough. "CP/M 2.2" = CP/M-80, Version 2.2. WS 4.0 is a little slower in some ways than 3.0/3.3, and you can't edit one file while printing another, but the bells and whistles are very nice. -- Sam'l Bassett -- Semantic Engineering for fun & profit. 34 Oakland Ave., San Anselmo CA 94960; DDD: (415) 454-7282 UUCP: {hplabs,ptsfa,lll-crg}!well!samlb; Internet: samlb@well.uucp Compuserve: 71735,1776; WU Easylink ESL 6284-3034; MCI SBassett
XBQ@PSUVM.BITNET (Ed Winograd) (10/12/87)
WS 4.0 may or may not work. The important figure isn't how much memory
your computer has -- almost all CP/M computers have 64K total memory.
What's important is the size of the Transient Program Area (TPA), which
is the amount of memory available to application programs after the
amount taken up by the operating system (yes, CP/M 2.2 is the same as
CP/M-80 -- the newer version, CP/M 3.0, is usually called CP/M Plus).
Here's what the READ.ME file on Disk 4 of my CP/M WS 4.0 disks says:
"WordStar requires a minimum TPA size of 50 kbytes to run
using the factory defaults. The TPA is the amount of memory
available in your computer for use by programs that have a
file type of COM. To see how big the TPA is in your computer,
press the question mark key (?) at the Opening Menu.
The amount of memory required by WordStar can be reduced by
approximately 3 kbytes if necessary. Use the WSCHANGE program
to select the minimum memory configuration option. The menu
will show you what capabilities are being reduced.
WordStar uses a general-purpose buffer for a variety of
tasks. WordStar allocates memory to this buffer for editing,
for merge printing, and at the Opening Menu (see BFSIZE in
PATCH.LST). The buffer used for editing is usually the most
sensitive to a reduced TPA size. (You may be able to use the
Opening Menu and print, but there may be insufficient memory
for editing.)
The merge print buffer is used only to hold merge print
variable names and data. Increase it if you run out of memory
while merge printing."
The file goes on to say that you can save 2.5K by not using merge-
print. You can also patch WS to use less memory for the buffer
mentioned above, using the information in the file PATCH.LST.
I don't know whether your very unusual hardware configuration will
influence the size of your TPA or how CP/M works in any quirky way.
Either of those could keep WS from running properly. Another problem
could arise if WS doesn't directly support either the terminal screen
codes or printer interface/protocol setup that your system has. If
your system emulates one of the common terminals, such as the ADM-3A,
Hazeltine 1500, Televideo 950, Osborne 1, Soroc IQ 120, etc., you
could just install WS for that terminal. Otherwise, you'll have to
enter the cursor positioning codes, codes for inserting/deleting a
line, etc., one by one when you run the install program. The other
possibility is that you may have a hard time getting your printer
to work properly, especially if it is a serial, rather than parallel,
printer.
One other consideration is that Micropro may or may not be able to send
you WS on a disk that your computer can read. If I were you, I'd find
out (if you don't know already) what disk format your machine uses. If
it's something common, like Kaypro 2, Kaypro 10, Xerox 120, or Osborne,
you're O.K. Otherwise, you'll have to have the program sent in a
"foreign" disk format and then get it translated to a format that your
machine can read. If you have any problems, I'd be glad to transfer it
for you if you send the disks to me. So, if necessary, send me a note
telling me what format your machine uses. If they send WS to you in
Kaypro 2 or Kaypro 10 format, I can probably transfer it to the format
that you need.
Please don't take the above to mean that I don't think WS will work for
you. I just mean to say that you may have some technical issues to
resolve. If any of the above is too technical, or if I've written it
murkily, please send me a note and I'll try to elaborate further. Good
luck.
knutsen@aramis.rutgers.edu (Mark Knutsen) (10/14/87)
In article <1787@killer.UUCP> bobc@killer.UUCP (Bob Calbridge) writes: > And your ver. 2.2 is not CP/M 80. CP/M 80 is version 3.0 or CP/M Plus > which is designed to run on a Z-80 machine. This is not to say that you > can't run CP/M 80 on your ATR-8000 but it would have to have a Z-80 processor > running it. Gee, I _think_ the ATR has a Z80 in it. What are the other possibilities? -- _________________________________ Jersey ||| _____________________________ ARPA: knutsen@rutgers.edu | Atari / | \ | GEnie GE Mail: M.KNUTSEN UUCP: {...}!rutgers.edu!knutsen | ||| Computer | The JACG BBS: (201)298-0161 --------------------------------- / | \ Group ----------------------------- "Yow! I'm the ONLY Atari 8-bit user at Rutgers University!"
knutsen@aramis.rutgers.edu (Mark Knutsen) (10/14/87)
In article <22115XBQ@PSUVM> XBQ@PSUVM.BITNET (Ed Winograd) writes: > WS 4.0 may or may not work. The important figure isn't how much memory > your computer has -- almost all CP/M computers have 64K total memory. > What's important is the size of the Transient Program Area (TPA), which > is the amount of memory available to application programs after the > amount taken up by the operating system (yes, CP/M 2.2 is the same as > CP/M-80 -- the newer version, CP/M 3.0, is usually called CP/M Plus). A big "thank you" to you and the others who replied to my query. The ATR is not such a non-standard machine, so I assume WordStar will fit. Also, it can read many popular disk formats, incl. Kaypro and Osborne, so no problem there, either. I have two more questions: a) Is WordStar's screen-updating tolerable when used with an ADM-3A terminal (which is what the Atari emulates when talking to the ATR)? b) What is the reasoning behind the two-drive requirement? Why can't you get along with only one drive? This question asked for the benefit of a friend with a Commodore 128, and only one 1571 drive. Actually, any comments from C128 users running WordStar 4.0 would be appreciated. Thanks, --Mark Knutsen -- _________________________________ Jersey ||| _____________________________ ARPA: knutsen@rutgers.edu | Atari / | \ | GEnie GE Mail: M.KNUTSEN UUCP: {...}!rutgers.edu!knutsen | ||| Computer | The JACG BBS: (201)298-0161 --------------------------------- / | \ Group ----------------------------- "Yow! I'm the ONLY Atari 8-bit user at Rutgers University!"
zemon@felix.UUCP (Art Zemon) (10/14/87)
Keywords: In article <1833@aramis.rutgers.edu> knutsen@aramis.rutgers.edu (Mark Knutsen) writes: > >It has 64K, so I'm wondering if WordStar will fit. I've got CP/M ver. >2.2 (same as CP/M 80? I dunno). WordStar v4 will fit just fine within 64K. Especially since this is the maximum amount of memory that CP/M 2.2 will support. -- -- Art Zemon By Computer: ...!hplabs!felix!zemon By Air: Archer N33565 By Golly: moderator of co peosonaeta====
dg@wrs.UUCP (David Goodenough) (10/15/87)
In article <1833@aramis.rutgers.edu> knutsen@aramis.rutgers.edu (Mark Knutsen) writes: > I got the MicroPro offer for WordStar 4.0 in the mail the >other day; and I must say, for $89 I will seriously consider. My CP/M >machine is an ATR-8000 (anyone ever hear of THAT?), which normally >functions as a smart drive/modem/printer interface for my Atari 800XL. >It has 64K, so I'm wondering if WordStar will fit. I've got CP/M ver. >2.2 (same as CP/M 80? I dunno). Can anyone answer the size question >based on this admittedly limited system info? If you've got 64K (less overhead for BIOS / BDOS == about 6-8K) leaving about 56 - 58K TPA, then a CP/M version of WS will fit. Just make sure that it is definitely a CP/M 2.2 Version, and not something that runs under MS DOS, check with the place you get it from: they can tell you. You will find that on a 64K system ANY CP/M 2.2 software will run, as 64K is as much as you can use in a CP/M 2.2 system - CP/M 3.0 supports bank switching, but 2.2 does not, so everything MUST fit in 64K. CP/M 2.2 is CP/M 80. The 2.2 is the version number, the other ones out there are CP/M 1.4 (largely replaced by 2.2) and CP/M 3.0 (aka CP/M PLUS). The 80 refers to the fact that it runs on the Intel 8080 (ugh) or more likely the Zilog Z80. There exists a CP/M 86 for 8086 machines, and CP/M 68K for 68000 systems as well. -- dg@wrs.UUCP - David Goodenough ..... !rtech!--\ >--!wrs!dg ..... !sun!--/ +---+ | +-+-+ +-+-+ | +---+