Info-IBMPC@WSMR-Simtel20.Army.mil ("Info-IBMPC Digest") (04/09/91)
Info-IBMPC Digest Fri, 5 Apr 91 Volume 91 : Issue 84
Today's Editor:
Gregory Hicks - Rota Spain <GHICKS@WSMR-Simtel20.Army.Mil>
Today's Topics:
Apple to IBM
Disabling Ctrl-C
Fileserver for pc clone
PS/2 1.44Mb drives
bugs@borland.com address
Re: Big File Text Editor
Today's Queries:
Clock Speed toggle in Phoenix Bios
Graphics for Data Acquisition Software
PC Fax boards
SCO Xenix and DOS Programs
Zapping a NON DOS Partition
New Uploads:
BLX11.ZIP - Code from Borland Language Express Vol1 No1
DGBG100.ZIP - Windowed BBS bulletin maker, ASCII/ANSI/AVATAR
EXPIRE10.ZIP - Mathew's Expire utility (v1.0) for Waffle BBS
MATCH110.ZIP - *IX sh style regex parser (Wild Card Matcher)
PPP.ZIP - Pascal pretty printer (c't Mag), req. TP5.0
TCF91.ZIP - Info: Apr. 1991 Trenton (NJ) Computer Festival
ULTRA4.ZIP - Ultra utilities: Like Norton but more powerful
VOL10N07.ZIP - PcMag: Encore,Palette,Speedsav,TBook,Unique
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----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sun, 31 Mar 1991 17:14:00 -0500
From: George Nassas <GEORGE@LAUVAX01.BITNET>
Subject: Apple to IBM
>From: ROB LEGGETT <@ksuvxa.kent.edu:LEGGETT@ksuvxm>
> Does anyone know if there is an easy way to convert Apple Works
>files to ASCII and then convert them over to an IBM format using an
>Apple 2e. I have heard that it is possible on a MAC, but I am not
You didn't say what kind of Apple Works files you want to convert. If
they're word processing files then there is a "save as text" option.
If the files are spreadsheets or databases then you can save them as
DIF files and reconstruct them on the PC side using dBase or 1-2-3.
Either way you're not going to be able to preserve field names or
formatting information but the information should come across ok.
I'm assuming, of course, that you have an Apple ][ and a copy of Apple
Works with which to do this... If you don't then you'll probably have
to find a Macintosh that can read ProDOS disks for you.
- George Nassas
Laurentian University
------------------------------
Date: 30 Mar 91 16:38 -0800
From: Joseph Gil <yogi@cs.ubc.ca>
Subject: Disabling Ctrl-C
The solution for this problem is quite simple and elegant. In your
config.sys add a 'shell=' directive, specifieng the path to your
command.com. In the end of the parameters list add 'nul' Example:
SHELL=c:\command.com/p nul
*most* versions of DOS will start command.com reading and writing from
the nul device. Do not forget to issue
ctty con
at the end of your autoexec.bat.
-Yossi
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 30 Mar 91 14:46:02 CST
From: david@wubios.wustl.edu (David J. Camp)
Subject: Fileserver for pc clone
In Reply to this Note From: <S.M.SIDEEK>
> How does one go about writing a fileserver for a cluster of PCs.
>The problem is, there are number of PCs linked Via RS 232C ports. The
>idea is to make one bigdisk common to all. The file server should
>manage files on this disk which will be shared by users on different
>PCs. I am new to this list and am not sure whether this is the right
>forum to put this question? Any suggestions , comments will be
>appreciated.
There are lots of solutions, depending on your budget, so I will
concentrate on the cheapest.
You can connect PC's in a network via RS232 ports using the TCP/IP
protocol. There is a public domain FTP-Spec Packet Driver available
via anonymous ftp from sun.soe.clarkson.edu. This will allow you to
run a variety of programs. Another possibility is to outfit one PC as
an octopus running PC-Route or KA9Q, with the clients using the Packet
Drivers.
The Packet Drivers allow you to run a variety of free and commercial
software. These include MIT/PC-IP from husc6.harvard.edu, KA9Q from
thumper.bellcore.com, and NCSA_Telnet from zaphod.ncsa.uiuc.edu.
These packages will allow you to transfer files between the PC's using
ftp. This is not as convenient as mounting the remote disks, since it
requires a special protocol to transfer the file before it is used. I
am not sure how advanced KA9Q is these days, but it may do this.
I am not sure that any of these will allow you to mount files from a
central server via NFS. It is likely that you must buy a commercial
product for that purpose. Some examples are PC-NFS from Sun
MicroSystems, and PC-TCP from FTP, Inc. These programs allow you to
mount an NFS partition on a PC, but do not allow you to perform the
server function on a PC. There is a free program called SOS that will
provide NFS service when used with PC-NFS.
The best way to provide NFS service is with a Unix system. There are a
couple of inexpensive Unix clones, including Minix and Coherent. I do
not know if either of these supports the NFS server, but the NFS
software is available free on the network.
It is unfortunate that there is not a cheaper solution, such as a free
NFS server for MsDos. You might find it easier to use a commercial
product like Lantastic, but that may require an Ethernet. There are
certainly a variety of NetBios products available, but most require a
fee for each PC on your network, and use non-standard protocols.
There are some hardware solutions that allow you to connect your PC's
to some standalone boxes. These have their own protocol and software,
and tend to be expensive.
If I were doing this, I would consider getting some WD8003E Ethernet
cards. The price of these is low and falling, and provides a huge
speed improvement over RS232. There are numerous software packages
that support this board, probably more than any other Ethernet board.
-David-
# david@wubios.wustl.edu ^ Mr. David J. Camp #
# david%wubios@wugate.wustl.edu < * > +1 314 382 0584 #
# ...!uunet!wugate!wubios!david v "God loves material things." #
# abs (investment#1 - investment#2) << abs (anyinvestment - anydebt) #
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 30 Mar 91 19:01:22 +0100
From: Bjorn Fahller <d89-bfr@sm.luth.se>
Subject: PS/2 1.44Mb drives
In comp.sys.ibm.pc.digest you write:
>What, exactly, makes PS/2s' drives capable of formatting double-density
>disks (ie. 720K) as high-density ones (ie. 1.44M) whilst other machines
>can't format or read such disks. Is simply that it does not look for a
>second hole and the others do, or is it more profound than that?
It seems to me like it doesn't bother to look for the second hole. If
you format a 720K diskette, without specifying it's size, it will
format it as 1.44M without ever questioning if it's correct.
/Bjorn.
------------------------------
Date: 30 Mar 91 03:03:52 GMT
From: sidney@borland.com (Sidney Markowitz)
Subject: There is now a bugs@borland.com address
Summary: Reposted by Keith Petersen
I have established an email address, bugs@borland.com, to which people
can send reports of bugs in any Borland language product. Mail sent to
bugs@borland.com will end up in the hands of a QA person who will
verify the bug and if it is a previously unknown one make sure that it
is tracked and given to R&D to be fixed in a patch, maintenance release
or future version.
Please note that we do not yet have Tech Support or Customer Service
hooked in to our Internet connection, so this is not an address for
asking questions or asking for help with your program. It is for
reporting what you are reasonably sure are bugs in a Borland language
product so that they can get fixed. Reports should contain enough
detail so that anyone could follow the steps to reproduce the problem,
and you should fix all warning messages, remove all device drivers and
TSRs and eliminate as much code as you can while still demonstrating
the problem before you report it.
In most cases, bugs@borland.com will not send confirmation, fixes or
workarounds in response to problem reports. This is a first step in
providing services on the Internet, and other tech support and customer
services will still have to be obtained via other channels.
You should include a working email address in case QA needs to reach
you for clarification. Do not rely on the mail header providing a
return path back to you: With all the contortions it will take to get
the message to QA (who are also not on the Internet yet), the header
may not survive in a useable form.
I have crossposted this message to a number of newsgroups where bug
reports often appear even though they may not be exactly on the topic
of the newsgroup. I hope that at least some of those reports could be
sent to bugs@borland.com where they will do more good. Please be
considerate of net traffic and don't unthinkingly followup this message
to all those groups.
-- sidney markowitz <sidney@borland.com>
Borland International (Languages - R&D)
------------------------------
From: spel@hippo.ru.ac.za (Dr. E.W. Lisse)
Subject: Re: Big File Text Editor
In digest <910324175818.V91N69@WSMR-Simtel20.Army.Mil>
Info-IBMPC@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.mil writes:
>Gary Bisaga in Issue 52 asks about editing large files (1/2Meg).
[...]
SEDT from simtel somewhere does up to 1MB easily. One can even increase
the filesize with a switch, though this does not work very well. (But
who has such big files anyway :-)-O) 800KB no problem, searching,
forward and backward not even slow.
For my usual work I prefer uEmacs (got it on more or less all boxes I
work on) but I have sedt on line. Deleted all other editors.
regards, el
Dr. Eberhard W. Lisse (spel@hippo.ru.ac.ZA)
Katatura State Hospital (formerly extel@quagga.ru.ac.za)
Private Bag 13215 (Real Soon Now ... el@lisse.NA)
Windhoek, Namibia (no FTP yet. [This is Africa :-)-O])
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 30 Mar 1991 14:17:00 -0500
From: <MULTI@TRIUMFER.BITNET>
Subject: Clock Speed toggle in Phoenix Bios
Can anyone tell me the instructions necessary to toggle the speed on a
turbo CPU. This particular CPU has Phoenix bios, and the regular
sequence of READ port 61h, XOR with 0Ch, then write port 61h does not
work with my motherboard. To toggle speed, you have to hit ALT +
Ideas?
Y.N. Miles,
<MULTI@TRIUMFcl.bitnet>
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 31 Mar 91 14:41 IST
From: "S.M.SIDEEK" <SMS%tifrvax.bitnet@pucc.PRINCETON.EDU>
Subject: Graphics for Data Acquisition Software
I have developed a Data Acquisition System which communicates with
PC via parallel ports and am now developing the acquisition software
which will drive the system. The software is able to collect, display
and store data from various channels selected by the user from menus.
Data acquisition is done using hardware interrupt and the program can
do some otherjob in between.Now I want to add graphics capabilities to
this system. Before setting out to write on my own I want to know
whether there are any public domain software available to do the
following.
1. To plot data vs time from a buffer which gets filled at a
specified rate by the data coming from the channel.
2. To plot the spectrum of data by computing the FFT(Fast Fourier
Transform).
The actual data rate for any given channel is slow (in order of
seconds) eventhough the sytem is capable of collecting at 50 msec rate.
The data acquisition software is developed using Microsoft C
running under MSDOS.
Thanks in advance for any help suggestions.
S.M.Sideek
Tata Institute of Fundamental Research
Bombay-400 077
INDIA.
------------------------------
Date: 31 Mar 91 01:28:23 GMT
From: Rob Kling <kling@ICS.UCI.EDU>
Subject: PC Fax boards
I'm considering getting a PC fax board (perhaps with an integrated
modem) like the "Complete Communicator". I'd be interested in people's
experiences pro & con w/these products.
(I like the idea of a Fax board because I can use my laser printer as a
plain paper Fax printer. but I realize that I lose the flexibility of
easily faxing a menu crosstown or map to a colleague).
Please send notes to me and I'll summarize interesting stuff for the
net.
Thanks
Rob KLing
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 30 Mar 91 10:09:18 -0800
From: cdp!crosenberg@SGI.COM
Subject: SCO Xenix and DOS Programs
We are running a BBS under SCO Xenix and would like to be able to allow
our users that access the system via modem to be able to run some
MS-DOS programs that are not available in Xenix versions.
We are considering possibilities including using VP/ix, DOS Merge, or
using a DOS machine as the equivilent of a file server to the Xenix
box. We are open to other possibilities as well. The main criteria is
that the DOS programs run reliably without threatening to crash the
Xenix box, a problem that I understand occurs occasionally with VP/ix.
Has anyone had success in running such a set-up, especially one that
involves dial-up access to the SCO system?
Charlie Rosenberg
Internet: cdp!crosenberg@igc.org
Bitnet: cdp!crosenberg%labrea@stanford
UUCP: uunet!pyramid!cdp!crosenberg
DASNet: [DE3MIR]crosenberg
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 30 Mar 91 08:14:53 -0800
From: cdp!crosenberg@SGI.COM
Subject: Zapping a NON DOS Partition
Somehow we've gotten a huge non-dos partition on our hard drive. FDISK
and Norton refuse to delete it. I've tried to mess up the partition
table with DEBUG but am either missing it, or there is an extra copy I
don't know about...anyway FDISK still keeps seeing that non-dos
partition.
Is there a program that will zap it? Does anyone know how to totally
munge the partition table and all copies so that nothing can recognize
them? (we are beyond caring about the data).
Any help would be most appreciated
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 26 Mar 1991 15:40:23 GMT
From: sidney@borland.com (Sidney Markowitz)
Subject: BLX11.ZIP - Code from Borland Language Express Vol1 No1
Summary: Reposted by Keith Petersen
I have uploaded to SIMTEL20:
pd1:<msdos.borland>
BLX11.ZIP Code from Borland Language Express Vol1 No1
Source code from example programs in Borland Language Express, Winter
1991, Volume 1, Number 1.
Sidney Markowitz
sidney@borland.com
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 30 Mar 91 03:14 CST
From: hbj@ENGR.UARK.EDU (Bernard Johnson)
Subject: DGBG100.ZIP - Windowed BBS bulletin maker, ASCII/ANSI/AVATAR
Summary: Reposted by Keith Petersen
I have uploaded to SIMTEL20:
pd1:<msdos.bbs>
DGBG100.ZIP Windowed BBS bulletin maker, ASCII/ANSI/AVATAR
DGBG was designed for the purpose of compiling a visually appealing
news bulletin for use on BBS's. DGBG is only one of many such
programs, but it supports more useful features and is more visually
appealing than any similar program this author has seen. Among the
features that DGBG supports:
* DGBG creates ANSI (.ANS), ASCII (.ASC), and AVATAR (.AVT) files.
* Each news item is displayed in a window of its own.
* Input text is automatically line wrapped for an optimal fit
within display windows.
* Each window can be independently positioned, and will overlap
previously drawn windows.
* The background color, text color, frame color, frame style,
highlight color, and title can be set individually for each window.
* Sequential display of windows with overlap is supported in ASCII,
ANSI, and AVATAR output files.
Bernard Johnson hbj@engr.uark.edu
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 25 Mar 91 08:25:21 EST
From: "Stuart L Labovitz" <stu%valinor.uucp@Dayton.SAIC.COM>
Subject: EXPIRE10.ZIP - Mathew's Expire utility (v1.0) for Waffle BBS
Summary: Reposted by Keith Petersen
I have uploaded to SIMTEL20:
pd1:<msdos.bbs>
EXPIRE10.ZIP Mathew's Expire utility (v1.0) for Waffle BBS
This is Mathew's Expire for DOS Waffle BBS, shareware release 1.0.
This program provides a fast time-based expire facility for users of
the Waffle BBS system running under MS-DOS. Expiry times can be set on
a per-newsgroup basis. The program is Shareware, with the registered
version greatly enhanced. Release 1.0 fixes a serious bug concerning
large article numbers. Expire will now cope with larger article numbers
than Waffle will :-) This program was written by mathew@mantis.co.uk
(mathew).
Stuart L Labovitz
home: stu%valinor.uucp@udcps3.cps.udayton.edu
or stu@valinor.uucp
or dayvb!valinor!stu
work: slabovit@blackbird.afit.af.mil
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 25 Mar 91 13:22:39 pst
From: johnk@WRQ.COM (John Kercheval)
Subject: MATCH110.ZIP - *IX sh style regex parser (Wild Card Matcher)
Summary: Reposted by Keith Petersen
I have uploaded to SIMTEL20:
pd1:<msdos.c>
MATCH110.ZIP *IX sh style regex parser (Wild Card Matcher)
REGEX Globber (Wild Card Matching):
This is a sh style pattern matcher which allows constructs such as
"*t.[a-rzy]?" or "[a-e]*". This is used primarily for pattern searches
and filename wildcard parsing. Written, uploaded and dedicated to the
Public Domain by the author, J.Kercheval.
jbk
johnk@wrq.com
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 29 Mar 91 16:46:50 PST
From: raymond@math.berkeley.edu (Raymond Chen)
Subject: PPP.ZIP - Pascal pretty printer (c't Mag), req. TP5.0
Summary: Reposted by Keith Petersen
I have uploaded to SIMTEL20:
pd1:<msdos.turbopas>
PPP.ZIP Pascal pretty printer (c't Mag), req. TP5.0
From c't Magazin fuer Computer & Technik, Sep 89; comments and writeln
statements translated from German into English by Michael Keukert.
Requires Turbo Pascal 5.0 to compile.
Raymond Chen
raymond@math.berkeley.edu
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 31 Mar 1991 02:46 MST
From: Keith Petersen <w8sdz@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL>
Subject: TCF91.ZIP - Info: Apr. 1991 Trenton (NJ) Computer Festival
I have uploaded to SIMTEL20:
pd1:<msdos.info>
TCF91.ZIP Info: Apr. 1991 Trenton (NJ) Computer Festival
The Trenton Computer Festival 1991 will be held on Saturday and Sunday,
the 2Oth and 2lst of April, 1991, at Mercer County Community College,
West Windsor, New Jersey. This is about two miles east of U.S. 1, and
about 5 miles north of Trenton, New Jersey.
Included in this ZIP are instructions on how to get there, background
information on the festival and a copy of the speakers' schedule.
Keith Petersen
Maintainer of SIMTEL20's MSDOS, MISC & CP/M archives [IP address 26.2.0.74]
Internet: w8sdz@WSMR-SIMTEL20.Army.Mil or w8sdz@vela.acs.oakland.edu
Uucp: uunet!wsmr-simtel20.army.mil!w8sdz BITNET: w8sdz@OAKLAND
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 28 Mar 91 15:00 MET
From: "Jim Groeneveld, NIPG TNO." <GROENEVELD%TNO.NL@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>
Subject: ULTRA4.ZIP - Ultra utilities: Like Norton but more powerful
Summary: Reposted by Keith Petersen
I have uploaded to SIMTEL20:
pd1:<msdos.sysutl>
ULTRA4.ZIP Ultra utilities: Like Norton but more powerful
This set of programs (not by me) a.o. allows for formatting, reading
and writing extra tracks on 360k floppies.
This replaces ULTRA.ARC, an earlier version which was previously
available from SIMTEL20.
I hope this may help the one(s) looking for such facilities.
Regards - Jim Groeneveld.
E-mail: GROENEVELD@NIPG.TNO.NL (RFC-822/internet-type Bitnet address)
GROENEVELD%NIPG.TNO.NL@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU (from Internet)
File xfer: GROENEVELD@HDETNO51.BITNET (EARN address)
NIPG-TNO [postal/visiting address] | Y. Groeneveld
P.O.Box 124 | Wassenaarseweg 56 | Schoolweg 14
2300 AC Leiden | 2333 AL Leiden | 8071 BC Nunspeet
Nederland (NL) | (+31|0)71-181810 | 03412-60413
[office] Fax (+31|0)71-176382 | [home]
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 30 Mar 1991 15:06 EST
From: "William G. Guethlein" <WGUETHLEIN@ccmail.sunysb.edu>
Subject: VOL10N07.ZIP - PcMag: Encore,Palette,Speedsav,TBook,Unique
Summary: Reposted by Keith Petersen
I have uploaded to SIMTEL20:
pd1:<msdos.pcmag>
VOL10N07.ZIP PcMag: Encore,Palette,Speedsav,TBook,Unique
..bill
wguethlein@ccnova.sunysb.edu
------------------------------
End of Info-IBMPC Digest V91 #84
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