[comp.sys.ibm.pc.digest] Info-IBMPC Digest V89 #48

Info-IBMPC@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL (05/01/89)

Info-IBMPC Digest           Sun, 30 Apr 89       Volume 89 : Issue  48

Today's Editor:
         Gregory Hicks - Chinhae Korea <COMFLEACT@Taegu-EMH1.army.mil>

Today's Topics:
                   Administrivia for Info-Ventura
                    256-Color .GIF files, anyone?
                  Turbo Debugger and '386 machines
                     Expansion Cabinet for a PC
                         Good math packages?
                        Hercules Mouse driver
                 High & low density 3.5 inch floppies
          MSDOS communication programs uploaded to Simtel20
                       Networked PC-compatable
                 PC-MAG Vol 7.4 and PK's ZIP program
                       PS/2 70 32/16 bit slots
             Textsearch utility for text within ZIP files
                      'Untar' Routine Available?
                    VM/CMS version of SIMCVT3.BAS?
                        WP to ASCII converters
                     Wssindex 4.0 now at Simtel20

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Tue, 25 Apr 1989  22:51 MDT
From: "Frank J. Wancho" <WANCHO@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL>
Subject: Administrivia for INFO-VENTURA

OOPS.  I forgot to add the -REQUEST to the administrative address...

Here's the corrected version:

If you wish to be added to the growing Xerox Ventura Publisher users
mailing list, please send a message to:

INFO-VENTURA-REQUEST@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL
            ^^^^^^^^
--Frank

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 26 Apr 89 21:37:23 EDT
From: The Time Traveler <HE891C%GWUVM.BITNET@CORNELLC.cit.cornell.edu>
Subject: 256-Color .GIF files, anyone?

I'm trying to start a collection of MCGA 256-color .GIF files.  I know
that CompuServe has the main collection, but I don't have access to
CompuServe.  Those that have any, could you please send them to me?  I
already have CLOWN and PARROT from Simtel-20.  I'd also be happy to send
any I have to anyone.  Thanx in advance.

------------------------------

Date:    Wed, 26 Apr 89 11:00:30 N
From:     molliet@elde.epfl.ch (Philippe Molliet, SIDE, int '3891)
Subject: Turbo Debugger and '386 machines

The final response about the Turbo Debugger (386 version) running on a
Hewlett-Packard RS/16 (or RS/20):

First of all, thanks to all for your help. The final solution came from
Borland Tech. Support.

The problem came in fact from the setup of the HP RS/16.

Here the steps you should follow to correct it:

- Enter the setup program

- Type YADA <return> instead of choosing any of the options listed

- You will enter in an other menu (not mentionned in the documentation of
course !!!).

- In this menu choose to disable the HP-IL interface, which will free
interrupt 06.

- Save the changes (you have the opportunity to save changes in a file,
which can be recalled in case of a problem, by using the SETUP/SAVE
command)

- You're done

- TD386 works perfectly, without any glitch.

Philippe Molliet
molliet@elde.epfl.ch

------------------------------

Date:     Thu, 27 Apr 89 15:22 EDT
From:     <BRUCEH@UTKVX3>
Subject:  Expansion Cabinet for a PC

Does anyone know where I can get an expansion cabinet for a plain ibm pc?
One of our users has all of the slots filled, and of course, needs to add
one or two more boards.

Thanks,

Bruce Harrison
Univ. of Tenn. at Martin
Computer Center
Martin, TN  38238

BRUCEH@UTKVX  (bitnet)

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 28 Apr 89 10:38:28 EDT
From: Ken Van Camp <kvancamp@ARDEC.ARPA>
Subject: Good math packages?

 >Does anyone know of a good general purpose math plotting/differential eqn
 >solver for the PC? I was looking at an advertisement for Math-CAD and
 >wondered if it is any good. Thanks in advance!

I held off on replying to your message because I just received my copy of
MathCAD about the same time you posted your query.  I have had a chance to
play around with it a little now, so I'll offer some comments:

(1) It's strong point relative to products of similar capability (like TK!
Solver or ACSL) is its ability to display in "real" notation, which is
certainly easier for non-programmers to read.  However, this creates some
problems because it takes a really good equation "editor" to make it work.
There are just too many complications in building equations.  Actually, I
think they did a pretty good job and they have some innovative approaches
to solving these problems.  However, they could probably take some lessons
from the Brief editor in how to make the commands more intuitive.  Moving
around the screen is clumsy, and correcting mistakes even more so.  On the
other hand, if you're a programmer already, you may not want to hassle
with this user interface and instead go with something that doesn't have
the fancy display, like TK!  Solver.  I like the way you can easily
intersperse text and equations in MathCAD (I don't think TK!  allows that
much flexibility, although it's been a while since I used it.)

(2) I haven't had enough time to put all the technical stuff to the test,
and I have just gone ahead and ordered the Advanced Math module (an extra
$55), to get the Runge Kutta solutions and things like that, but all in
all I find it quite adequate from a math standpoint.  There are adequate
bells and whistles to catch errors and infinite loops and what-not.

(3) A unit checker/converter is provided, and at first that seemed like a
good idea, but I have been finding it to be more trouble than it's worth.
Maybe I just haven't used it long enough, though.

All in all, not a bad package.

                            --Ken Van Camp 
ARPANET:  kvancamp@PICA.ARMY.MIL -or- kvancamp@ARDEC.ARPA
BITNET:   (use above through normal gateways, like UBVM.CC.BUFFALO.EDU)
USENET:   pica.army.mil!kvancamp@UUNET.UU.NET
UUCP:     ...!{uunet,rutgers}!pica.army.mil!kvancamp
               "Don't you hate it when your buggers freeze?"
                       -- Calvin (Calvin & Hobbes)

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 26 Apr 89 12:34:32 PDT
From: ROME%ATF.MFENET@CCC.MFECC.LLNL.GOV
Subject: Hercules Mouse driver

In reply to James Van Zandt's question about using a Hercules card with a
mouse...

The mouse drivers lock onto int10h and use it to determine whether the
mouse should be in text or graphics mode. Unfortunately, the Hercules card
doesn't use int10h to switch modes. For a Logitech mouse, the answer is
simple: do a dummy int10h to go into CGA graphics mode and then set the
mouse's horizontal and vertical resolutions to the Hercules screen size.
Finally, go into Hercules graphics mode. This procedure doesn't work for
Microsoft mice. They have a more complicated one which I don't remember
off-hand.

Microsoft mice also have the problem that it is pretty much impossible to
support extended VGA modes (like 800x600) and 132 column text. If one uses
an int10h to set the high resolution mode, the Microsoft mouse driver
doesn't ignore unknown int10h's... it just screws up. So, even if you set
the mouse to the correct resolution, you may find that in graphics mode,
the mouse jumps pixels, especially in the horizontal direction.

Microsoft promised to fix this a year ago, but I have not had any better
luck with their more recent mouse drivers. Come on MS, get your act
together.

By the way, Logitech has a very good programmer's manual which explains
how to make a mouse sit up and do tricks. The Microsoft manual is dense,
hard to read, hard to use, and obscure.

Unfortunately, Microsoft seems to make the market. To be sure that their
latest software works in obscure environments such as OS/2, it is safest
to get the MS mouse. Their drivers often have more interrupts and enhanced
features that are needed by some new programs.

Jim Rome

------------------------------

Date: Thu 20 Apr 89 17:17:16-PDT
From: Ted Shapin <BEC.SHAPIN@ECLA.USC.EDU>
Subject: High & low density 3.5 inch floppies

There are two kinds of 3.5 inch floppy disks. High density diskettes are
marked 2.0 MB capacity and format to 1.44 megabytes. The low density
diskettes format to 720 kilobytes.  The high density diskettes have a
second hole in the plastic opposite the file protect tab. The low density
diskettes do not have this hole. The magnetic material in a high density
diskette has a higher coercivity than that in the low density diskettes.
1.44 MB drives format a high density diskette with a higher write current
and 720 KB diskettes with a lower write current.

High density disks should only be formatted and used as 1.44 megabyte
diskettes.  Low density diskettes should only be formatted and used as low
density diskettes.  If you format a low density diskette as a 1.44
megabyte diskette, it may work, but it will be marginal. If you try to
reformat it later in a 720KB drive, it will have residual magnetism left
from the higher drive current. High density diskettes that are formatted
in a high density drive at 720KB will usually not be readable in a 720KB
drive because they were written with too weak a current.

Ted Shapin, BECKMAN Instruments.

------------------------------

Date:     Sat, 22 Apr 89 18:06 CDT
From:     <RAYMOND@AUDUCVAX>
Subject:  Public-key encryption algorithms/code needed.

Hi,

    I would like to get information on Public-key encryption algorithms,
but our library here is sadly lacking.  Could anyone help out with
references?  Source code with short description would also be
appreciated... But I would apreciate any help all. I will be comparing the
plus/minus of each algorithm.

 If anybody is interested, I will post my findings to the list when I am
done with my research. Which I hope will be in a few weeks. As I have very
little time to get this done.  [Please DO info the Digest...]

 Thanks in advance for a prompt response.

                                      Sincerely,
                                      Raymond M. A. Erdey
BitNet: Raymond@AuDucVAX
Phone (Office) : (205) 844-4330
Phone (Home)   :       821-8558

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 26 Apr 1989  13:40 MDT
From: Keith Petersen <w8sdz@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL>
Subject: MSDOS communication programs uploaded to Simtel20

The following files have been downloaded from Chuck Forsberg's BBS and are
now in the PD1:<MSDOS.ZMODEM> directory on Simtel20:

DSZ0424.ARC     X/Y/Zmodem protocol file transfer pgm 04/24/88
DSZ0424X.ARC    X/Y/Zmodem file transfer EXE version  04/24/89
YAMDEMO.ARC     Pro-YAM Communications SW demo
YAMHELP.ARC     Help files for YAM modem program demo
ZCOMMEXE.ARC    Comm prog w/AUTO Kermit, X,Y,Zmodem, SEAlink
ZCOMMHLP.ARC    On-line help files for ZCOMM

The last four are updates which replace existing files by the same name in
that directory.

--Keith Petersen
Maintainer of Simtel20's CP/M, MSDOS, and MISC archives
Internet: w8sdz@wsmr-simtel20.army.mil [26.2.0.74]
Uucp: {ames,decwrl,harvard,rutgers,ucbvax,uunet}!wsmr-simtel20.army.mil!w8sdz

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 26 Apr 89 18:19:29 EDT
From: "Michael J. Chinni, SMCAR-CCS-E" <mchinni@PICA.ARMY.MIL>
Subject: Networked PC-compatable

I am looking for any information on software/hardware needed to network a
PC/AT/XT type system as the main system and several dumb terminals as
remote access terminals.

Please respond direct to <mchinni@pica.army.mil> as I don't normally read
this list.

Thanks in advance,

			    Michael J. Chinni
      Chief Scientist, Simulation Techniques and Workplace Automation Team
	US Army Armament Research, Development, and Engineering Center
 User to skeleton sitting at cobweb    () Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey  
   and dust covered terminal and desk  () ARPA: mchinni@pica.army.mil
    "System been down long?"           () UUCP: ...!uunet!pica.army.mil!mchinni

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 27 Apr 89 01:09:56 EDT
From: The Time Traveler <HE891C%GWUVM.BITNET@CORNELLC.cit.cornell.edu>
Subject: PC-MAG Vol 7.4 and PK's ZIP program

Two questions:  

Does anyone have PC-Magazines VOL7N04.ARC?  It seems to be missing from
the SIMTEL-20 arcchives.

Secondly, what is the latest version of Phil Katz's ZIP program, the
supposed successor to PKPAK?  Is it 0.92 like SIMTEL-20 says, or is there
something better than a beta version out?  Does it unarc .ARC files too?

Thanx in advance.

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 26 Apr 89 14:28:28 EDT
From: The Time Traveler <HE891C%GWUVM.BITNET@CORNELLC.cit.cornell.edu>
Subject: PS/2 70 32/16 bit slots

How interchangable are the 16 and 32 bit slots on a PS/2 Model 70?  Will
16-bit cards work in a 32 bit slot, and vice versa?  Is there a difference
between 16 and 32 bit slots in the first place?  In addition, can I expand
the number of slots (only 3, unfortunately) if I need more?  Thanx in
advance.

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 28 Apr 89  8:51 CET
From: "Jelle Uenk" <LETTXN%HLERUL2.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>
Subject: Textsearch utility for text within ZIP files

I'm looking for a utility that allows me to search for a specific string
within a ZIP-archive file. I had such a tool for ARC files (written by
Vernon Buerg). Since there are already several tools available for
converting ARC's to ZIP's and for finding files within ZIP's, I suspect
someone else will have written someting like this.

Thanks in advance,
Jelle Uenk
Leiden University - The Netherlands

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 26 Apr 89 04:31:53 CDT
From: "Bryan Koen" <C484739@UMCVMB.MISSOURI.EDU>
Subject: 'Untar' Routine Available?

Does anyone know of a routine that will "untar" the UN*X TAR format on the
IBMPC?

Thanks,
 Bryan Koen
  BITNET: C484739 at UMCVMB

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 27 Apr 89 02:04:31 EDT
From: The Time Traveler <HE891C%GWUVM.BITNET@CORNELLC.cit.cornell.edu>
Subject: VM/CMS version of SIMCVT3.BAS?

Does anyone have a VM/CMS version of the IBM BASIC program SIMCVT3.BAS,
which combines and formats the SIMTEL-20 directory lists?  I don't want to
have to transfer the files to my PC, run a slow BASIC program, and the
transfer the result to the mainframe and print it out.  Thanx in advance.

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 28 Apr 89 16:59:47 GMT (Postman Pat ver 3.1)
From: Drew <SCR596%CYBER2.CENTRAL.BRADFORD.AC.UK@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>
Subject: WP to ASCII converters

Hi.

I am looking for a program (PD/SW pref.) which will convert files from
well-known Word Processing packages (MS Word, Wordstar etc) to normal
ASCII text split into 80 col max lines, stripping out all formatting bits.

If there are such program(s) on Simtel could anyone let me know the
filename?  Any help would be appreciated.

Drew Radtke

Janet:       Drew@uk.ac.bradford.central.cyber2
Internet:    Drew%cyber2.central.bradford.ac.uk@cunyvm.cuny.edu
Earn/Bitnet: Drew%cyber2.central.bradford.ac.uk@ukacrl
UUCP:        Drew%cyber2.central.bradford.ac.uk@ukc.uucp
Post:        Science & Society, University of Bradford, Bradford, UK, BD7 1DP.
Phone:       +44 274 733466 x6135
Fax:         +44 274 305340
Telex:       51309 UNIBFD G

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 1989 Apr 28   17:26:02 EDT
From: Bob Babcock   <PEPRBV%CFAAMP.BITNET@mitvma.mit.edu>
Subject: Wssindex 4.0 now at Simtel20

I have uploaded version 4.0 of my MS-DOS disk indexing package, Wssindex
to Simtel20.

Filename			Type	 Bytes	 CRC

Directory PD1:<MSDOS.CATALOG>
WSSI400A.ARC			BINARY	169241  BC5AH
WSSI400B.ARC			BINARY	177172  92F0H

This version adds support for most of the popular archiving formats: ARC,
LBR, ZIP and ZOO, as well as recognizing ARK, PAK and PKA as synonyms for
ARC.  LHARC is not yet supported, but probably will be in the next
release.  Comment information can now also be extracted from the archive
formats which support same.

This release is a partially crippled demo: it displays an opening
commercial and will not save a database of more than 1000 files, so
Simtel20 will be retaining version 3.38 in the archives.  I am working on
a scheme which will allow registered users to "unlock" the demo version by
defining an environment variable with a password derived from their name
and expect this to be ready for the next release.  For now, users who want
the complete package must order it from me directly.  See the
documentation for details.

In the documentation, I have an order form which says that I can supply
1.2 MB and 3.5" disks.  Unfortunately, this is not yet true.  I ordered a
'386 machine with this capability in December from a company in San
Francisco called Micro 1.  They have taken my $7K and gone into
bankruptcy, and it's not clear whether I'll get anything back.

------------------------------

End of Info-IBMPC Digest
************************
-------