Info-IBMPC@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL (12/04/88)
Info-IBMPC Digest Sat, 3 Dec 88 Volume 7 : Issue 58
Today's Editor:
Gregory Hicks - Chinhae Korea <COMFLEACT@Taegu-EMH1.Army.Mil>
Today's Topics:
Administrivia
120 Mb floppy disks, and the like
4k clusters in DOS 3.3
OS/2 Kermit
Fast Copying
CRC Errors in archives
File Transfers
Grammar Checking Programs
Mice, and News (2 msgs)
MS DOS Hard disk cluster sizes
Obtaining INFO-IBMPC library files
Info on FTP to BITNET (2 msgs)
Today's Queries:
8086 Emulators
Automated news reading software for IBM-PC
dBase and the EXEC function
Dual monitors
Public Domain version of "Karel the Robot" wanted
Graphics Controller Boards
Stand-alone XMODEM wanted
New Programs Available:
TeX Programs for MS-DOS
XXU.c
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sat, 2 Dec 88 18:30:45 GMT
From: Gregory Hicks <GHICKS@WSMR-Simtel20.army.mil>
Subject: Administrivia
The previous issue of this digest was mistakenly labeled Volume 7, Number
68. It should have been labeled Volume 7, Number 57. I was debugging
the digest generating software and forgot to reset the issue counter.
Regret inconvience.
Gregory Hicks
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 30 Nov 88 16:47:04 EST
From: Tal Wyatt (HDL) <twyatt@BRL.MIL>
Subject: 120 Mb floppy disks, and the like.
Having read several items in the Digest about very-high-capacity floppies,
I was interested by an article on page 10 of the 21 Nov issue of "PC Week"
which I will try to summarize as follows:
Brier Technology, of San Jose, Calif., introduced at the Las Vegas
Comdex/Fall a 3.5 inch floppy drive that stores 43.2 Mb of data -- called
the Flextra II. It reads/writes standard disks that have servo
information imbedded by Brier before use. Brier plans to reduce power
consumption from 7 w to lower, compared to 1-2 w for a low-power drive.
The drive has average access time of 29 ms and has an embedded SCSI.
Flextra II is priced for OEMs at $300 to $400 and will be available in
production quan- tities middle of next year. Earlier this year Brier
announced a Flextra 3.5 inch floppy drive that stores 21.4 Mb using the
same servo technique.
You just have to wish for something, and it's there!
Tal Wyatt
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 30 Nov 88 10:41:21 PLT
From: Wim Bonner <27313853%WSUVM1.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>
Subject: 4k clusters in DOS 3.3
Probably the reason for getting 4k clusters under dos 3.3 is that the hard
disk is a small one. Right? I know that when I was running 3.3, I had my
40meg split into two logical partitions. When I had 2x20meg, I had 2k
clusters on both. When I re-arranged it so that I had a 32meg and an 8meg
partition, the 8meg dropped to 4k clusters. There seemed to be no way
around it. I am now using Dos 4.0, and have one 40 meg partition, and
have 2k clusters.
Wim Bonner Bitnet:27313853@WSUVM1 Compuserve:72561,3135 (King-Rat)
The Loft - (509)335-7407 - 300/1200/2400 - 24hrs/day - PCboard 12.1/d
Acknowledge-To: <27313853@WSUVM1>
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 10,000 Lemmings can't be wrong! -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 29 Nov 1988 14:18 EST
From: Dennis Caffi <CAFFI%UMDD.bitnet@cunyvm.cuny.edu>
Subject: OS/2 Kermit
Help! I'm trying to run Kermit under OS/2 and not having much luck. I
have pulled down the cko* files from the kermsrv at cuvma, moved them down
to my PS/2 Model 80 and decoded the ckoker.boo file. Kermit starts up and
connects ok. Then the problems start. We have some sort of AT&T switch so
all I have to do is to press the originate/disconnect button on my phone
and I should see "DIAL:" on the screen. What I do see is "DA:". I am
missing the I and L. There are various other characters missing also. It
doesn't appear to be anything like the high order bit getting stripped
off.
I am running OS/2 Standard Edition 1.0 with COM02.SYS device driver.
Everything else is how OS/2 is set up when installed. In Kermit I have
tried even, odd, and no parity. Also changed modem type and terminal
bytesize. I am always missing the same characters.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Also does anyone know
where I can get my hands on the source?
[Take a look in the Info-IBMPC Digest V7 #53. It discusses how to get
the sources for Kermit. --gph]
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 30 Nov 88 14:07 EDT
From: <HGOLDSTE%UDCVAX.bitnet@cunyvm.cuny.edu>
Subject: Fast Copying
re: Beverly Ross query of 20 Nov for software to facilitate copying ...
in the Nov. 1987 issue of Compute's PC Magazine is a program FASTCOPY. it
uses RAM to speed up copying of entire disks ... it is very fast for
multiple copies and, in fact, can format 5 1/4" 360K floppies in less than
5 seconds ... seems to do the job.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 1 Dec 88 14:54:35 GMT
From: u87rpb%PRG.OXFORD.AC.UKrelay.mod.uk
Subject: CRC Errors in archives.
I noticed in a previous InfoPC that someone was having trouble with CRC
errors on unpacking archives. I had this same problem myself and have
found that the problem is caused by something in the network transposing
the caret ( ~ ) and tilde ( ^ ) characters. If the two characters I just
typed in are the wrong way round, then you know why.
Hope this solves some of the problems,
Ray Bellis
(JANET) <u87rpb@uk.ac.oxford.prg>
(INTER/ARPANET) <u87rpb%prg.oxford.ac.uk@edu.cuny.cunyvm>
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 30 Nov 88 07:30:56 EST
From: Stan McQueen <sem@mbunix.mitre.org>
Subject: File Transfers
[ In response to a query on why files could be down-loaded but not ]
[ un-archived properly, I suggested that he try TYPE TENEX or TYPE LOCAL 8]
[ as the mode for the transfer... gph ]
Our local documentation of ftp didn't mention TYPE TENEX, only BINARY. I
tried the TENEX and it worked perfectly.
Thanks again.
Stan McQueen
ARPANET: sem@mbunix.mitre.org
LOCAL: sem@mbunix
------------------------------
Date: 29 Nov 88 13:00:41 GMT
From: bgsuvax!maner@cis.ohio-state.edu (Walter Maner)
Subject: Grammar Checking Programs
>>From: Donalee Flaningam <3RLRB2U%CMUVM.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>
>
>>I think I am interested in getting a grammar checking package. I know of
>>two that are available: Right Writer and Grammatica 3. Has anyone used
>>these packages?
I have both, use both and recommend both. Neither will help much if you
are not already a good technical writer. My sentiments about the two ap-
plications are expressed pretty well in a head-to-head comparision in the
current issue of POPULAR COMPUTING, which is must reading if you plan to
buy either. Note that Grammatica III will soon release a follow-on
package at extra cost which will allow editing of the rule base. There
still does not exist any analyzer which will provide significant help for
the fiction writer.
I wish one of these packages calculated the standard deviation of sentence
lengths. It's not so much long or short that we strive for but rather
pace and variety. To bad I can't use one of these packages to critique
this posting before it escapes to the ether.
CSNet : maner@research1.bgsu.edu | (419) 372-2337
InterNet: maner@research1.bgsu.edu (129.1.1.2) | Computer Science Dept.
UUCP : ... !osu-cis!bgsuvax!maner | BGSU
Generic : maner%research1.bgsu.edu@relay.cs.net | Bowling Green, OH 43403
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 30 Nov 88 6:16:54 GMT
From: MITRE-KOREA@SEOUL-EMH1.ARMY.MIL
Subject: mice, and news
Could someone explain the differences between bus, serial, and system mice?
Also, I have been told about several usenet news groups that sound
interesting, such as comp.sys.ibm.pc, comp.windows.x, comp.protocols.tcp-
ip, etc. Can I access these over the milnet? If so, how?
Please reply to djones@mitre.org. Many thanks.
Dan Jones
[Your mice question is discussed in the following message. News info fol-
lows directly:
USENET news is available via internet mailing lists. As an alternative to
living on a Unix system, you can subscribe to the internet mailing list.
<USENET@ucbvax.berkeley.edu> controls the News/Mail interface. The
following are available:
Group: Moderator:
comp.binaries.ibm.pc bsu-cs!ibmpc-binaries@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu
comp.binaries.ibm.pc.d USENET Only (??)
comp.protocols.tcp-ip.ibmpc pcip-request@twg.com
comp.sys.ibm.pc Info-IBMPC@wsmr-simtel20.army.mil
comp.sys.ibm.pc.digest Info-IBMPC@wsmr-simtel20.army.mil
comp.sys.ibm.pc.net appears to be gateway'd at oac.ucla.edu
comp.sys.ibm.pc.rt info-ibmrt-request@polya.stanford.edu (??)
You can also check the file NETINFO:INTEREST-GROUPS-XX.TXT at SRI-NIC.ARPA.
(XX is a number from 1 to 6... Be adivsed! These files are BIG.
Hope that helps. gph]
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 30 Nov 88 08:18:43 MST
From: Gregory Hicks <GHICKS@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL>
Subject: Mice, and News ...
I've looked in several publications regarding your question on mice, and
can find only two types defined: Bus, and Serial.
Bus mouse -> takes up one half slot, does not require you to give up one of
your two COM ports, uses IRQ's 2-4 (Your choice) and can work in
the short slot (with appropriate jumpers) ...
Serial mouse -> requires you to give up one of your serial ports, but works
the same as the bus mouse. There does not seem to be any gain in
speed/resolution by choosing one over the other
The deciding factor in selecting a mouse is
a) are you short of slots? (If so, don't choose a bus model) or
b) are both your COM ports taken already? (Mine are, so I'd choose a
bus mouse) ...
System Mouse -> Only reference to this I could find is to a company called
Mouse Systems, Inc. (They make mice...)
Hope this helps.
Regards,
Gregory Hicks
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 30 Nov 88 18:00 EST
From: <ATUNG%AMHERST.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>
Subject: MS DOS Hard disk cluster sizes
I have a Seagate ST4096 that I have partitioned into a boot parti-
tion of 5M, two of 32M and one of 7.5M. The two 32M partitions have a
cluster size of 4 sectors, with each sector as 512 bytes, or 2K per
cluster. The two other smaller partitions have clusters made up of 8 sec-
tors which are also 512 bytes, or 4K per cluster. Even a small batch file
of 10k takes up one whole 4k cluster!
Why should I bother with all this nonsense? Well, the first
parti- tion only has 28k left, but when I first got my new box, I made the
first, bootable partition 5M, knowing that I had *4M* worth of DOS, batch
files, and various utilities(Mace, Norton, PD,...) that I wanted together.
However, I forgot about the large slack in hard disks, and the tiny size
of most of these files, ex. batch files and .COM files. Consequently, I
have 4,012,061 bytes of files occupying 5,017,600 bytes of disk space (28k
free). This means that I have lost a potentially usable 1M in this parti-
tion. By the way, the other partitions waste from 1M to 1.5M, but I can
live with that.
I just want to change the cluster size of the small "backup-able"
boot partition, so that I can add to it all the new utilities that I have
acquired. If I could back up all ~65M, I would and then partition the
primary DOS to 8 or 10M and restore, but don't have enough floppies, a
tape drive, or the patience.
In an old issue of PC World (mid '87 I think), the "*.*" section
had a way of decreasing the cluster size of hard disks smaller than 20M,
to *increase* the amount of usable space using debug and a ref. I tried
this out on my original IBM XT which had a 10M disk and worked great. I
never had any problems.
Since I have since thrown out the issue of PC World. Does anyone
have that back issue handy and has anyone tried this on a single partition
rather than an entire disk?
PS. I forgot to mention that with the software supplied by the company that
sold me the ST4096, I initially formatted the whole thing as a single
monstrous 80M partition, but started over, when I realized how huge the
clusters were. It was 8K!
As they say, "Thanks in advance."
Austin Tung
ATUNG@AMHERST
Amherst College
Amherst, MA
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 1 Dec 88 20:14 PST
From: CARL FUSSELL <CARL%SCU.BITNET@jade.berkeley.edu>
Subject: Please send Info on FTP to BITNETP
I wonder if someone can help me out. We are on Bitnet running a VAX with
the VMS operating system. Our Bitnet software is the Jnet package. My
question is this: Is there someone else out there running a similar con-
figuration that has successfully managed to get files from LISTSERV at
RPICICGE (Binary files -- ie. .ARC -- in particular, but ASCII too).
If so, would you mind sending me a sample of the command you type to
retrieve them. I have tried 2-3 times now and the requested file does get
sent. But when I try to de-arc it to obtain the contents, the arc
programs tell me there are problems with the file.
I have tried ARC (V5.21) and PKXARC (V3.5) with similar results. I tried
UUDECODE but it doesn't understand the format either. My conclusion is
that the file is getting "munged" somehow in transmission... most like
due to me issuing the wrong form of the command. My latest effort was:
$ SEND/REM RPICICGE LISTSERV "/PDGET PD1:<MSDOS.EGA>RAX.ARC"
with the results described. (I also tried specifying NETDATA format with
no luck). File is always not de-arc'able.
Thanx for any help or suggestions.
Carl Fussell
Santa Clara Univ.
CARL@SCU.BITNET
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 28 Nov 88 13:39:28 est
From: decvax!savax!mervax!jesmith@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU
Subject: Please send Info on FTP to BITNET
Now that I know the correct commands to get at bitnet sw without direct
connecting to bitnet I have 2 more questions.
1)how does one direct connect to bitnet?
2)if you're not directly connected to bitnet, how does one issue the com-
mands you sent me. Via a mail message? I'm connecting from a company vax
as you can see from my address. If I use vms mail, does the pd1:<msdos>
/command go in the mail message area or the subject area. If not by vms
mail, how does one issue this command from the vax?
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 29 Nov 88 20:01:15 MST
From: Gregory Hicks <GHICKS@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL>
Subject: Please send Info on FTP to BITNET
Ok... One does not 'direct connect' to Bitnet. You have to be at a
Bitnet host or have access to a bitnet host. Most universities (with a
computer center) are Bitnet hosts. You could try your local university
and see if you can get an account there...
Re: issuing the commands... Try sending a normal 'mail' message. I have
not tried it, but anyone with a standard RFC822 return address (such as
the one you have) can issue the commands.
You can try the following procedure (copied from the Bitnet Welcome.doc):
A VMS example:
At the $ prompt type
$ create pclib.req
<files you want go here>
^Z (Control-Z)
Then back at the $ prompt, type
$ send/file pclib.req listserv@rpicicge.bitnet
and the file should be on its way to RPICICGE ...
If you have a normal <send-message> facility, you can use that instead of
the above procedure.
If you have an FTP (File Transfer Protocol program), the best way is to
connect directly to WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL address [10.0.0.74] and grab
the files that way. Use LOGin ANONYMOUS PASSword <your-name@your-host> as
the password. Commands go thusly:
<system-prompt> ftp wsmr-simtel20.army.mil
TCP trying... Connection established.
WSMR-Simtel20.Army.Mil FTP server process........
ftp> log anonymous
< 200 User name OK. Password please.
ftp> pass <your-name@your-host>
< 220 Anonymous milnet user logged in at....
ftp> type local
< 200 Type Binary, byte size 8 ok. (or whatever your local default is...)
ftp> get <disk-name>:<directory.subdirectory>file-name.ext <to local file name>
< 200 Binary retrieve of PD!:<MSDOS.starter>uuencode.c started...
< 500 transfer completed.
ftp> bye
<200 Quit command received. Goodby.
<system-prompt>
<disk-name> usually this is PD1, but could be PD2
<directory> usually this is MSDOS, but could be a variety of other names
(for example, ADA, Unix, 68000,...)
<sub-dir> look at a recent Digest for a complete list of names here
As a default, you can just use <msdos> without sub-directory..
<file-name.ext> follows the normal DEC TOPS-20 file naming conventions.
after you find out what directory you're interested in,
you can send a LIST PD1:<MSDOS>*.* (to local file name) and
see what files are available.
Hope that helps.
Gregory Hicks
Editor, Info-IMBPC Digest
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 01 Dec 88 13:09:59 TST
From: Sedat ALIS <SEDAT@TRYILDIZ>
Subject: 8086 Emulators
Hello,
We have IBM 4361 system running VM/SP. We need a 8086 emulator program
which will run on our system. If there is an emulator for 8086, please
contact to me. We want to get or buy this program.
Sedat ALIS
YILDIZ University
Research Assistant
------------------------------
Date: 29 Nov 88 17:37:37 GMT
From: dmocsny@uceng.uc.edu (daniel mocsny)
Subject: Automated news reading software for IBM-PC
The latest issue of CompuServe's _Online Today_ has an article about
TAPCIS, a program that assists PC-based CompuServe subscribers. TAPCIS
minimizes on-line time by offloading much of the news reading burden from
the host computer. The TAPCIS user tells TAPCIS to get the article titles
in the ``forum'' (CompuSpeak for newsgroup) of interest. TAPCIS logs into
the CompuServe host, grabs the titles, and then logs off. The user then
marks the titles (s)he wants to read, then TAPCIS logs back in, downloads
them, and logs off again. The user reads them at leisure, replying or
following up as desired, and when (s)he is done, TAPCIS logs in a last
time and uploads all the replies.
Now I don't know what anybody else thinks, but to me this seems like it
would be a big improvement over the ordinary way I read usenet news. Even
over a 9600-baud line, our poor HP-9000 can't update the screen as fast as
my Compaq could if it was running locally. Especially when 32 other people
are trying to compile. A TAPCIS analog to assist usenet readers cut down
the amount of time news readers spend tying up terminal lines. And what is
the sense of editing replies on the host when I've got perfectly good (and
noticeably faster) editors right on the box in front of me?
So...the big question. Does anybody know of a news-reading program for the
IBM PC and compatibles? If not, would anybody like to write such a
program? Pleeeeease? :-)
Thank you.
Dan Mocsny
dmocsny@uceng.uc.edu
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 1 Dec 88 17:13:06 EST
From: David Kirschbaum <kirsch@braggvax.arpa>
Subject: dBase and the EXEC function
NetLandians,
I've been experimenting with a system usage utility (LOG from PC Magazine
Issue 21, available in the SIMTEL20 archives).
Got a wee little problem .. dBase III does NOT like to have the EXEC func-
tion (service 4BH, Interrupt 21H) tampered with! Everything else I have
that has the ability of "shelling" out to DOS (e.g., running another
COMMAND.COM or somehow running programs from within itself .. Kermit,
Lotus 123, ProComm, various menu programs) have NO problems at all .. LOG
just sits there recording. BUT .. dBase III locks up, goes wild, etc.
AFTER it executes a program. Most strange.
Does anyone have any reports about dBase and its 'RUN' command having
problems with TSR programs that intercept the Int 21H Svc 4BH EXEC func-
tion?
Thanks in advance,
David Kirschbaum
Toad Hall
kirsch@braggvax.ARPA
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 30 Nov 88 15:45:23 PST
From: TONY%SLACVM.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU
Subject: Dual monitors
I want to attach another monochrome monitor, which will carry the same
display as the one I have on my XTclone with Hercules-like card. The idea
is to have two people look at the same display at the same time; the
distance between the two monitors would not exceed 10 feet. Any ideas,
suggestions welcome, either through direct mail or through info-ibmpc.
------------------------------
Date: 30 November 88, 15:10:29 EST
From: <MTSJMC%GSUVM1.bitnet@cunyvm.cuny.edu>
Subject: Public Domain version of "Karel the Robot" wanted
Does anyone have a public domain version of KAREL THE ROBOT. It is an
educational program that teaches neophyte programmers analytical and
diagnostic thought. There is this robot (named Karel) who has to get
through a maze but only knows how to turn to the right (or left, I don't
remember) and go forward. That's really all I know about it. If any one
of you has a version of this program, please send executable or source or
whatever you have to MTSJMC at GSUVM1.
Jeff Clough
Programmer
Georgia State University Computer Center
MTSJMC at GSUVM1
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 30 Nov 88 18:33:30 est
From: martinea@crc.skl.dnd.ca (Mike Martineau)
Subject: Graphics Controller Boards
Is anyone aware of a graphics controller board for PC/AT or compatible
which has 1600x1200 pixel resolution in at least 8 colors?
Thanks for the help.
Michael P. Martineau
Software Kinetics Ltd.
martinea@crc.skl.dnd.ca (192.5.204.1)
(613) 831-0888
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 1 Dec 88 14:42:10 EST
From: kobus@NADC.ARPA (D. Kobus)
Subject: Stand-alone XMODEM wanted
I know XMODEM is included in a variety of communication packages, but can
it be executed by itself without a peripheral package like say the KERMIT
protocol?
If it can, do you know where I can secure this "pure" version. I have
scanned the simtel20 directories without success.
David B. Kobus
Naval Air Development Center
------------------------------
Date: Wednesday, 30 November 1988 06:19-MST
From: Ted Nieland - SRL <TNIELAND%FALCON@WPAFB-AAMRL.ARPA>
Subject: TeX programs for MSDOS
The following files are now available from WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL:
pd1:<msdos.tex>DOSTEX1.ARC
pd1:<msdos.tex>DOSTEX2.ARC
pd1:<msdos.tex>DOSTEX3.ARC
pd1:<msdos.tex>DOSTEX4.ARC
pd1:<msdos.tex>DOSTEX5.ARC
pd1:<msdos.tex>DOSTEX6.ARC
pd1:<msdos.tex>SBTEX.ARC
The programs contained within are copyrighted by the authors, but are free
for distribution as noted in the included copyright information.
Here is the info on the programs:
DOSTEX - Extracted from GENERAL.DOC
DosTeX is a complete and true implementation of TeX, version 2.7, having
passed the `trip' verification suite. This distribution contains versions
of TeX, LaTeX (Leslie Lamport's macro package) and AmSTeX (American
Mathematical Society's macro package). System requirements are 640K
memory and 4.5Mb disk space.
Also included is a .dvi file-reading program to postprocess DosTeX output.
It is intended to drive an Epson printer at 240 dots per inch horizontal
resolution and 216 dots per inch vertical resolution. It is an
experimental version adapted from the public domain family of .dvi driver
programs written by Nelson Beebe at the University of Utah.
SBTEX
This adaptation of D.E. Knuth's TeX using Turbo Pascal 4.0 was developed
by Wayne G. Sullivan with assistance of Peter Breitenlohner.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 30 Nov 1988 10:42 MST
From: Keith Petersen <W8SDZ@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL>
Subject: XXU.c
The XXU.C program referred to in Info-IBMPC Digest Volume 7 : Issue 56 is
in file:
Filename Type Bytes CRC
Directory PD2:<UNIX-C.UTILS>
XXU.SHAR.1 ASCII 6743 A5A7H
--Keith
------------------------------
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End of Info-IBMPC Digest
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