Info-IBMPC@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL (05/10/89)
Info-IBMPC Digest Wed, 10 May 89 Volume 89 : Issue 51
Today's Editor:
Gregory Hicks - Chinhae Korea <COMFLEACT@Taegu-EMH1.army.mil>
Today's Topics:
Beware of this vendor
Dos 4.01 failed on Heath/Zenith 8086 PC
Re: Calendar/Reminder Programs
Listserv foul-up
Problems with BYTE Magazine
SETENV Program Sent (2 msgs)
Today's Queries:
Virus
Using Low Density Disks in High Density Drives
Conversion Software
EBCDIC TO ASCII
FAXing
FEYNMAN graphs
CMS ARChive program available
Is there a Cyrillic WP?
Print Sharing Device
General DataComm model 212A modems
Is a CGA and Composite Monitor Possible?
Expansion Memory, Tandy 4000 and Windows '386
PC serial printer problem
Turbo Help file format
Clock Rate Switching when accessing Extended Memory
USA Map Graphics Coordinates
Use of 1.44 Mb 3.5 DRIVES ON PC/AT 6 MHZ - HELP
VTR Interface with Z248
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sun, 1989 May 7 19:00:53 EDT
From: Bob Babcock <PEPRBV%CFAAMP.BITNET@mitvma.mit.edu>
Subject: Beware of Micro 1 Vendor
Warning, if you value your time and money, avoid any dealings with Micro 1
(557 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA). In mid December, 1988, they took
my prepaid order for a '386 system, sent no written acknowledgement (but
after repeated inquiries did finally fax an invoice 2 months later), and
continually promised to ship "next week" until late April. At that time,
faced with complaints from my lawyer, and no doubt from other customers,
the owner, Rick McCabe, sold the company. The new owner immediately filed
for bankruptcy. Micro 1 continues to claim that they will eventually make
full refunds, but everything else they have told me was lies, so I have no
reason to believe this is true. These people made a mockery of the FTC
rules which are supposed to protect mail order customers.
Most likely these people will change their business name and resume
operations. If I hear of their new name, I will update this message
accordingly. My $7K is gone, but perhaps I can save someone else from the
same fate.
Robert W. Babcock
WSS Division of DDC
4 Reeves Road
Bedford, MA 01730
617-275-1183 or 9104
EMail to peprbv@cfaamp.bitnet or babcock@cfa
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 6 May 89 15:24:02 CDT
From: david@wubios.WUstl.EDU (David J. Camp)
Subject: Dos 4.01 failed on Heath/Zenith 8086 PC
I tried to install Dos 4.01 on a Heath/Zenith 8086 PC. During the
installation process, it halted in various spots, allowing no further
activity. If I pressed Ctrl+Break, it gave me corrupted prompts. I went
back to Dos 3.3 and it worked fine. Dos 4.01 installs fine on PS/2's.
-David-
Bitnet: david@wubios.wustl ^ Mr. David J. Camp
Internet: david%wubios@wucs1.wustl.edu < * > Box 8067, Biostatistics
uucp: uunet!wucs1!wubios!david v 660 South Euclid
Washington University (314) 36-23635 Saint Louis, MO 63110
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 07 May 89 21:29:48 CDT
From: Natalie Maynor <MAYNOR%MSSTATE.BITNET@CORNELLC.cit.cornell.edu>
Subject: FAXing
Alan Kaplan asked recently about the availability of hardware or software
to enable one to send or receive FAX messages with a PC. I'm sure that he
will hear from others about FAX-boards (about which I know little).
I wanted to add that another alternative for sending FAX messages from a
PC (but not receiving) is Compuserve. About the only thing I use
Compuserve for is sending FAXes to people not on Bitnet or a connecting
network who happen to have FAX machines. It costs something like 75 cents
for a Compuserve FAX in the U.S. The costs to other destinations vary.
I've sent several FAX messages to Spain via Compuserve for a few dollars
each -- certainly cheaper than phone calls, faster than mail (my FAXes to
Spain have all been received within an hour), and cheaper than buying
hardware (unless you plan on sending lots of FAX messages).
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 5 May 89 08:59 EDT
From: G. A. Kuhlman <gkuhlman%BKLYN.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>
Subject: Re: Calendar/Reminder Programs
About the request for info on calendar-reminder programs: I have had good
results using Lotus Agenda for super to-do / calendar lists. I will sent
my template to anyone interested with access to Agenda.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 4 May 89 09:44:43 EST
From: "John S. Fisher" <FISHER%RPIECS.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>
Subject: Listserv foul-up
On Saturday 29 April 1989 at about 9:16 pm EDT, LISTSERV@RPIECS started
rejecting all mail from the mailer at RPICICGE. In actual fact, RPIECS
and RPICICGE are physically the same BITNET node--the RPICICGE name is
being phased out in favor of RPIECS--so the situation is somewhat
embarassing.
At any rate, the net effect was that all mail to LISTSERV@RPICICGE was
rejected while all mail to LISTSERV@RPIECS was processed per normal (even
though the two are one in the same server). The problem went unnoticed
until Wednesday morning. LISTSERV and the mailer were forced to
kiss-and-make-up, and a huge backlog of rejected mail was transferred back
to LISTSERV for processing.
...and now for the plea: If you are still sending requests to LISTSERV at
the RPICICGE address, please cease and desist. Use the RPIECS node name
instead. That way, your requests won't be delayed if the problem recurs,
and also you won't be left in the dark when the RPICICGE node name is
discontinued completely.
/JSFisher
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 5 May 89 08:31:07 EDT
From: dsill@relay.nswc.navy.mil
Subject: Problems with BYTE Magazine
>From: <PAAI%HTIKUB5.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU> Therefore I decided not to
>renew my subscription and i give my students the same advice.
Was this a recent decision? If so, you're in for a real treat. I decided
to let my subscription lapse when it become clear that BYTE had become
just another mainstream, PC-clone-review-with-token-Mac- coverage
magazine. I thought it would be easy to just not renew my subsciption,
but you wouldn't *believe* number of "OH NO!, YOU HAVEN'T RENEWED YOUR
BYTE SUBSCRIPTION!!" mailings I've received. My favorite was the hokey
one I got from their "computer" who, in scanning his files one night while
the "humans" were away, noticed I hadn't renewed yet. Give me a break,
McGraw-Hill, I'm a computer professional. In retrospect, I should have
kept track of these letters; I'm sure the cost of printing and mailing
them would easily have paid for another year of BYTE. I won't pay for it,
but I would read a free subscription.
>So if you have the same experience, just buy BYTE from the stands. They
>will not like that and perhaps they'll mend their ways...
They'll like it just fine because you'll be paying 43% more for each
issue. Better yet, don't buy it at all. It's just another adverzine, let
them give it away to "those with purchasing authority" like the rest of
the trade mags.
The opinions expressed above are mine.
dsill@relay.nswc.navy.mil "Without the wind, the grass does not move.
Dsill@DACTH01.BITNET Without software, hardware is useless." -Tao
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 17 Feb 89 13:53:44 CDT
From: david%wubios@wucs1.WUstl.EDU (David J. Camp)
Subject: SETENV Program Sent
I have sent the SETENV program. There have been a number of inquiries
which the code in this program may help satisfy. Some people wanted to
know how to generate longer paths. Although this program does not do so
directly, it could be modified to do so. A recent inquiry wanted to know
how in C he could access an environment variable in the parent
environment. This program does so, and can be used as a template for
further development. SETENV works just like SET with a somewhat more
relaxed syntax. My original reason for developing it was because the SET
command would not allow an '=' character in the environment string.
SETENV makes no such restriction. The original coding in the ENVVAR
module was done by "Jim Anderson" <bilbo.jta@SEAS.UCLA.EDU> and the rest
of the modifications and development was by me "David J. Camp"
<david%wubios@wucs1.wustl.edu> . Good Luck in your development! -David-
Bitnet: david@wubios.wustl ^ Mr. David J. Camp
Internet: david%wubios@wucs1.wustl.edu < * > Box 8067, Biostatistics
uucp: uunet!wucs1!wubios!david v 660 South Euclid
Washington University Medical School Saint Louis, MO 63110
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 19 Feb 1989 17:48 MST
From: Keith Petersen <w8sdz@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL>
Subject: SETENV Program Sent
I extracted the files and added CRLF end of lines. I then archived them
and this is what I ended up with:
Name Length Stowage SF Size now Date Time CRC
============ ======== ======== ==== ======== ========= ====== ====
ENVVAR.C 2089 Crunched 46% 1133 18 Oct 88 7:11p 83F3
SETENV.C 539 Crunched 33% 366 18 Oct 88 7:11p E512
SETENV.MAK 170 Crunched 27% 125 18 Oct 88 7:11p A2EA
==== ======== ==== ========
Total 3 2798 42% 1624
If that looks ok, I'll put it into the archives but we already have a
SETENV.ARC there. I'd suggest adding your initials to the filename,
makeing it DCSETENV.ARC.
--Keith Petersen
Maintainer of the CP/M & MSDOS archives at wsmr-simtel20.army.mil [26.0.0.74]
w8sdz@wsmr-simtel20.army.mil
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 6 May 89 16:08:59 CDT
From: david%wubios@wucs1.WUstl.EDU (David J. Camp)
Subject: Using Low Density Disks in High Density Drives
I just read Ted Shapin's discussion of high and low density disks. I do
not dispute his information. It sounds like he is basing his
recommendations on knowledge of how the disks actually work.
However, I know from experience that we are using low density disks in
high density drives all the time. We also use disks formatted for 720K in
high density drives in low density drives. It could be that we are
playing with fire, and our success will be marginal. We have, however,
been doing this for over a year without signifigant problems.
-David-
Bitnet: david@wubios.wustl ^ Mr. David J. Camp
Internet: david%wubios@wucs1.wustl.edu < * > Box 8067, Biostatistics
uucp: uunet!wucs1!wubios!david v 660 South Euclid
Washington University (314) 36-23635 Saint Louis, MO 63110
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 05 May 89 10:29:50 EDT
From: Anup Patel <patel@mwunix.mitre.org>
Subject: Virus
I'm tracking down info. on how viruses survive and spread in a PC
environment.. Sorry, if this has been discussed before.
If anyone can give me info on this subject, I'd greatly appreciate it.
E-Mail responses to: M20011@mwvm.mitre.org
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 4 May 89 14:39:02 EDT
From: kobus@NADC.ARPA (D. Kobus)
Subject: Conversion Software
I'm interested in knowing if any software exists to convert a Hewlett
Packard Scanjet scanner image into a symbol file usable by Harvard
Graphics? I'm not quite sure if this info group is the proper forum to
present this inquiry, so any responses citing possible alternate info
group avenues in lieu of a direct answer will also be appreciated.
Dave Kobus
Naval Air Development Center
kobus@NADC.ARPA
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 03 May 89 19:30:11 CDT
From: "Bill Ball" <C476721@UMCVMB.MISSOURI.EDU>
Subject: EBCDIC TO ASCII
I would like to produce SAS graphics output in the form of a plotter file
on my University's big computer, download it via Procomm (using Kermit)
and import it into WordPerfect files.
I have tried this on a PC using a 3270 emulator card and it worked. I have
tried it at home and it doesn't. As far as I can tell the problem is that
the EBCDIC file is being translated into ASCII with the emulator card
(using the ascii option) but not using the modem. Thus somewhere in the
modem-type file transfer process I need to have this translation done. It
could be done on the mini, in Procomm (or maybe Kermit)?, or on the PC. I
would prefer doing it in Procomm but haven't yet found a way.
Can someone be of assistance with instructions or information about the
appropriate software? Details of the machines follow:
IBM 4381-R14 |
VM/SP HPO R1.2 ==|======== Procomm ==== AT compatible PC
CMS | (Kermit)
|
7171 protocol
converter
Bill Ball BITNET: c476721@umcvmb
Dept Political Science INTERNET: c476721@umcvmb.MISSOURI.EDU
U. Missouri - Columbia
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 05 May 89 14:17:53 MES
From: PT151%DMSWWU1A.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU
Subject: FEYNMAN graphs
I need a graphics program for producing FEYNMAN diagramms. If anyone has
heard of such a beast let me know it!
H.-G. Reusch <PT151@DMSWWU1A.BITNET>
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 03 May 89 10:03:30 CDT
From: "Karl G. Hursey" <E305A2%TAMVM1.bitnet@cunyvm.cuny.edu>
Subject: CMS ARChive program available
Does anybody know of a PD ARChiving program (compatible with PKPAK v
3.61) that runs on VM/CMS? I have ARCUTIL which allows me to UNARC
archived files once they are on CMS. But I also need to download output
files sometimes (e.g., from stat packages) which can get rather large (and
hence time-consuming). I would love to be able to ARC a file on CMS and
download it to my micro where PKUNPAK can unarc it for me. If anybody
knows of such a critter, please send me a note at: E305A1@TAMVM1.BITNET
Thanks in advance! -Karl
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 3 May 89 16:51 EDT
From: <HALDANE%UFPINE.bitnet@cunyvm.cuny.edu>
Subject: Is there a Cyrillic WP?
I am asking this for a friend of mine who has a PC:
Is there a word processor out there that can display and print Cyrillic
script? He has a strong interest in Russian, and would like a wp that can
help him with it.
Please respond directly, as I do not subscibe to this list.
Bob Slaughter
Haldane@UFPine <-- Bitnet
Haldane@Pine.circa.ufl.edu <-- Internet
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 04 May 89 10:15:23 EST
From: Rusty <JRW100S@ODUVM>
Subject: Print Sharing Device
I am looking for a print sharing device to share two printers among three
PCs. It must be software controlled and be able to handle parallel
printers. Thanks....
Rusty Waterfield
Network Systems Engineer
Old Dominion University
JRW100T@ODUVM.BITNET
water_r@xanth.cs.odu.edu
804-440-3189
------------------------------
Date: SUN 07 MAY 1989 14:45:00 EDT
From: "Richard J. Reiner (s9)" <S9RR999@MCGILLB>
Subject: General DataComm model 212A modems
I am the lucky purchaser of a pair of General DataComm model 212A modems.
These are (clearly) Bell 212A compatible, so they can communicate with
Hayes-type modems at 1200 baud, but they are not Hayes command-set
compatible. Still, they are smart modems: they are each built around a
pair of 6802s, and they do have dialer relays. My problem is that I do
not know anything about their command set (I got them at a government
surplus sale without any docs). It may be based on commands in the data
stream, like a Hayes, or it may involve signals on vrious RS-232 lines.
So: does anyone have, in order of preference, any of the following:
- full docs on the GDC 212A, including schematics, etc.
- a user's manual for the GDC 212A
- something describing its command set
- an address for General Datacomm
Thanks,
--RjR
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 06 May 89 16:34:02 EDT
From: Mitch Feinstein <MHF%SBCCVM.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>
Subject: Is a CGA and Composite Monitor Possible?
Is it possible to set up a color graphics card (with composite color
output) up to a composite color monitor (my composite color monitor was
from my atari 800 w/ a rca jack on the back). All I can get out of the
card is b/w, the monitor shows no color at all. (I know the monitor is
good since I have it hooked up to my atari). Note: All I really want
color in is the 40 col mode and the 320x200 mode.
Any help would be appreciated. -Mitch
[It is possible. A TV Receiver is a 'composite' monitor, albiet one with
low bandwith. I used one in 40 col mode before I actually received my
monitor. There should not be any necessary 'setup' that has to be done
except the switch from 80x25 (default) to the 40 col mode. gph]
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 07 May 89 11:42:56 CDT
From: Chris Daft <CDAFT@vmd.cso.uiuc.edu>
Subject: Expansion Memory, Tandy 4000 and Windows '386
I am running a Tandy 4000, and have recently got the cash to buy 4 Meg of
expansion memory for it. I need to multitask badly, and also to run DOS
programs. I am considering Windows 386 for this. What do you folks out
there in Netland think of this software? Are there any wierd things I
should be aware of, and are the alternatives (e.g. PC-MOS) better? Thanks
for any hints. . .
* Chris M.W. Daft cdaft@vmd.cso.uiuc.edu *
* Dept. of Electrical & Computer Engineering Tel: 217/333-9573 *
* University of Illinois 217/333-1640 *
* 1406 West Green Street Fax: 217/244-0105 *
* Urbana, IL 61801 *
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 7 May 89 00:19:00 CDT
From: David Lacey <dlacey@umaxc.weeg.uiowa.edu>
Subject: PC serial printer problem
I have an IBM PS/2 80-041 computer. I'd like to use a serial printer on
it, but I'm having problems with handshaking. With other IBMs and clones,
I've used pin 6 (DSR) of the serial port to do hardware handshaking.
Unfortunately, this doesn't seem to do anything on my PS/2 - the data just
keeps on coming. I don't think the port is bad - I've been through four
motherboards (at least service is good!) and this hasn't changed. So, is
the problem with the BIOS, or is the port really bad? Or, does anyone
have some sort of device driver I could use?
David Lacey
Internet: dlacey@umaxc.weeg.uiowa.edu
Bitnet: astzdlpa@uiamvs
AT&Tnet: (319) 337-6175
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 8 May 89 12:19 N
From: <OGIGUCHT%HLERUL52.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>
Subject: Turbo Help file format
Does any one know anything about the helpfile format used by the Turbo
languages from Borland International ?
This is because their THELP is a wonderful program for your own help
libraries and I want to make a few libraries for myself.
Things I'm very much interested in are :
- the indexing system
- the encoding/decoding method
- how to interconnect help-pages.
If anyone cpuld help me with it, I would really appriciate it.
By the way, one of the first files I would convert is 'interrup.lis' from
Ralf Brown. This is a vey good list about (almost) all (un)documented
interrupts and subfunctions in your PC. You can find this file in
PD1:<MSDOS.SYSUTL>INTER189.ARC
Jeroen W. Pluimers
Gorlaeus Laboratories | e-Mail ogiguchte@hlerul52.bitnet
Leiden University | phone +31-2522-11809
The Netherlands | p-Mail Kagertuinen 65
| 2172 XK Sassenheim
| The Netherlands
Time goes, you say ? Ah, no! Alas, time stays, we go. (A. Dobson)
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 07 May 89 18:17:03 MES
From: PT151%DMSWWU1A.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU
Subject: Clock Rate Switching when accessing Extended Memory
I have a problem with my AT-clone equipped with a Chaintech ELT 286 B
motherboard with the Chips and Technologies NEAT chip set and 1 MB ram
(640 kB low memory + 384 kB extended memory).
With a turbo key I can choose between two processor speeds (12 MHz and 16
MHz). As long as I choose the 12 MHz clock rate, it all works fine. But
with the 16 MHz switch when I load programs which use the extended memory
(for example the MS-DOS ram-disk driver RAMDRIVE with the option /E or
DESQview with the QEXT.SYS driver for extended memory use or the shareware
multitasking program VMIX) the clock rate is automatically reduced to the
slower 12 MHz.
Has anyone noticed a similiar speed reducing side effect? (I think it
happens when the 80286 is switched to the protected mode). If you have
any ideas how to circumvent this effect please let me know.
Thanks in advance
Hans-Georg Reusch <PT151@DMSWWU1A.BITNET>
------------------------------
Date: 5 May 89 04:35:47 GMT
From: igielski@mmm.serc.mmm.com (Tom Igielski)
Subject: USA Map Graphics Coordinates
I am looking for the coordinates for a USA map. I would like to use these
coordinates in a pascal program to draw a picture of the USA in CGA mode.
Any suggestions on where I could get them?
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 5 May 89 16:27 NZST
From: Special 3B2 file transfer account <SRWM3B2@wnv.dsir.govt.nz>
Subject: Use of 1.44 Mb 3.5 DRIVES ON PC/AT 6 MHZ - HELP
Assistance please - we have an old IBM PC/AT (6 MHz) with first revision
BIOS, and we have added a 3.5" 1.44 Mb drive with a special controller.
Using PC-DOS 3.3, we tried to use the DRIVER.SYS command, e.g.
DEVICE=C:\DOS\DRIVER.SYS /D:1 /T:80 /S:18 /H:2 /C /F:7
Needless to say, it doesn't work correctly - using 2.0 Mb media, the
format command says "Invalid media or Track 0 bad - disk unusable". The
best we can get seems to be 1.2 Mb - but no-one *WE* know uses 1.2 Mb on
3.5" diskettes. Does anyone have any experiences with this approach?
Hints? Thanks very muchly,
Paul Gillingwater, Computer Sciences of New Zealand Limited
Bang: ..!uunet!dsiramd!csnz!paul Domain: paul@csnz.co.nz
Call Magic Tower BBS V21/23/22/22bis 24 hrs +0064 4 767 326
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 4 May 89 14:42:40 MDT
From: Css6168a0@TAEGU-EMH1.ARMY.MIL
Subject: VTR Interface with Z248
I am looking for a cheap/easy way to record Harvard Graphics slide shows
from a Z248 to standard VHS tapes. I am aware of the $1000+ hardware
interfaces but can't help but wonder if there is a better (cheaper) way.
Thanks from a novice user.
Jack Eggers
------------------------------
End of Info-IBMPC Digest
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