[comp.os.cpm] Software for TAB1630 desired...

dickow@ui3.UUCP (02/03/87)

blug...
     I have a couple of TAB 1630 microcomputers that run CP/M 86 on 8
inch disks. The problem...no software to speak of. The machines were
donated to our institution without any applications software, although
I do have the system utilities, etc.
     If anyone knows the wherabouts of some cheap or free (pub domain)
languages, word processors/editors, that might run on our setup, please
let me know. I'd like to arrange to trade for disks. As far as format
goes, I can't even tell that, but I think it would be equivalent to
a DEC Rainbow. These TABs, which use 8086 CPUs, are so poorly supported
that not even the manufacturer knows how it is set up, nor does the
company seem to know where I can get a manual on it. (I called 'em up!).
     Your help would be MOST APPRECIATED. (P.S. I did find a big PD CP/M
catalog, but the CP/M 86 section listed very little, though I can get
Tiny C and a Forth from them.)

Bob Dickow (...egg-id!ui3!dickow)

mike@hpirs.UUCP (02/18/87)

> blug...
>      I have a couple of TAB 1630 microcomputers that run CP/M 86 on 8
> inch disks. The problem...no software to speak of. The machines were
> donated to our institution without any applications software, although
> I do have the system utilities, etc.

I will claim to have worked for this company on this product, but don't
hold it against me.

The format for the floppy's are the infamous IBM 3740 format.
This is also the standard CP/M 8 inch format.  You can (or at least
could 2-3 years ago) get software that this box understands.  Computer
Innovation's C compiler used to work on it.  We had MicroPro's Wordstar
up on it (There was a mod to remap ^S/^Q to ^] and ^\ repectively).

The biggest problem in getting s/w for this system is that it runs
CP/M-86 which virtually died due to MS-DOS.

>      If anyone knows the wherabouts of some cheap or free (pub domain)
> languages, word processors/editors, that might run on our setup, please
> let me know. I'd like to arrange to trade for disks. As far as format
> goes, I can't even tell that, but I think it would be equivalent to
> a DEC Rainbow. These TABs, which use 8086 CPUs, are so poorly supported
> that not even the manufacturer knows how it is set up, nor does the
> company seem to know where I can get a manual on it. (I called 'em up!).

The reason that there is no support, is because the division that made
that family basically folded.  When you call Tab support, ask for EOP
(or what is left of EOP), they made the box.

Mail me direct if you want more info.

Michael Saboff
ucbvax!hplabs!hpda!mike