Info-IBMPC@C.ISI.EDU (Info-IBMPC Digest) (05/28/87)
Info-IBMPC Digest Wednesday, 27 May 1987 Volume 6 : Issue 39
This Week's Editor: Billy Brackenridge
Today's Topics:
EGA Wonder
286 Speedup Cards for XT Class Machines
Nota Bene address
5.25" Diskette Drive for IBM CONVERTABLE PC
Configuring 3.5" Floppy on AT
toadwhat.pas
SURFMODL 1.2 Now Available
Codeview EGA Problem (3 Msgs)
Codeview/EGA Fix
New Scientific Graphic/Word Processor ChemText
Scan Codes for F11 and F12 (2 Msgs)
ANSI.SYS Slowness
Corrupted TDEBUG.ARC Turbo Pascal Debugger on SIMTEL20 Replaced
Why do I have to write my own FIRMWARE to kludge around NEC V20
Information about COM_PKG2
REFORMAT v.1.2 Generic MSDOS Disk Defragmenter Available on SIMTEL20
REFORMAT v1.50 PCDOS Disk Defragmenter Available on SIMTEL20
QEdit135 Available on Simtel20
Accelerator Card for PC/XT
SORTS
FASTCARD IV INFO
Baytech Printmaster
Laserjet and A/B Box
Kermit vs UUENCODEd Files
STICKY.E New Version
Electronic Typewriter as IBM Convertible Output Device?
Redirected Standard I/O Doesn't Work
132 Columns
Benchmark Wars Round 2
ZEOS 386 Upgrade
DOS 3.30 Tech Reference Disk
Today's Queries:
High-res Monochrome Monitor for Compaq Portable
PC/AT and CDOS
Comments in CONFIG.SYS ?
Disk Cache Wanted
TURBO and QUICK Basic w/Hercules Card
COM1: in Turbo-Pascal
DOS 3.3 File Handles
Hard Disk Installation
Mail Order Houses
ASM F-P sources
DOS 3.20 PRINT and PROCOMM
RS-232 Communications using MS-QuickBASIC.
WordStar Professional 4.0
INFO-IBMPC BBS Phone Numbers: (213)827-2635 (213)827-2515
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 21 May 87 21:41:54 EDT
From: Russell Nelson <bh01%CLUTX.BITNET@wiscvm.wisc.edu>
Subject: EGA Wonder
I'm happy to report that version 1.08 of the EGA Wonder Bios passes EGATest
as published in Aug '86 PC Tech Journal. The original version was 1.06, and
it crashed halfway through EGATest. A friend bought one, and he got 1.06
also.
-russ
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 21 May 87 20:17:50 PDT
From: Bruce_A._Cowan@SFU.Mailnet
Subject: 286 Speedup Cards for XT Class Machines
Barry Archer asked about experiences with these boards, good or bad.
I have a Breakthru 286 from Personal Computer Support Group. I have the
original 8 MHz model, not the newer 12 MHz version. I am very happy with
it - everything I have tried works just fine. The result is slower than
my 8 MHz AT, but faster than a 6 MHz AT, except when it comes to disk
accesses. This board has a slot for a 80287, but I don't have one so
can't comment on how well that works. I'm satisfied enough that I'm
trying to sell my 8 MHz and buy a 12 MHz one for even more speed.
A bit of information on the board. It is a cache memory type - it has
16K bytes of cache on it and uses the normal PC memory for memory. You
can turn the cache off if you want it to run VERY SLOWLY - actually about
10% slower than the original 4.77 MHz 8088. There is no way to go back
to the 8088 except by unplugging the Breakthru board and plugging the
8088 back in. For speed-dependent software you just turn off the cache.
You can configure which parts of memory the board will cache, in 128K
blocks. You can also configure whether or not the board powers up with
the cache enabled or disabled. If you have a real IBM XT, you can't set
the board to power up with cache enabled and BIOS area cached, because
the POST routine will fail when executed at that speed. I run without
the BIOS cached because the vast majority of software I use doesn't use
BIOS much and I wanted to improve the hit ratio on the rest of memory.
The board even works in a XT 370 with the 370 processor, but you have to
turn off the cache (not because of a bug but because the 370 and 8088
communicate using memory and the cache means the 8088 doesn't see the
changes the 370 makes).
The board also comes with a disk cache program called Lightning. Don't
waste your time playing with it - every real test I've tried generated
either no or a very small improvement in disk speed. It makes some
artificial situations run very fast, like starting the same program
several times in a row without any other disk accesses, but how many
times do you actually do things like that? Lightning is worth what you
pay for it - $0! But then, since it didn't cost anything, I guess it
isn't fair to complain.
------------------------------
Date: Fri 22 May 87 12:26:20-EDT
From: Carlos A Albuerne <CU.ALBUERNE@CU20B.COLUMBIA.EDU>
Subject: Nota Bene address
The address of Dragonfly Software, distributors of Nota Bene, has changed.
The correct address is:
285 West Broadway, Suite 500
New York, NY 10013
and phone number
212-334-0445
I called them today and got this info.
--Carlos Albuerne
Information Technology Center
A division of the Academic Information Services Group
Columbia University
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 22 May 87 11:04:20 PDT
From: ferraro#robert%b.mfenet@nmfecc.arpa
Subject: 5.25" Diskette Drive for IBM CONVERTABLE PC
Hi,
Does anyone know if it is possible to attach an external 5.25" diskette
drive to the IBM Convertable PC? My brother wants a convertable (portable)
but would like to be able to use the old size diskettes as well. Has anyone
tried this, and if so, how?
R. Ferraro
UCLA Dept. of Physics
------------------------------
From: ashtate!cy@seismo.CSS.GOV (Cy Shuster)
Subject: Configuring 3.5" Floppy on AT
Date: 22 May 87 17:50:55 GMT
Organization: Ashton-Tate, Torrance, CA
>How do I configure 720K 3.5" floppies on an AT system under DOS 3.3?
I have an IBM AT 339, with external 3.5" IBM drive. I made no
changes for 3.3: the drive came with two drivers, which I installed
in config.sys as follows:
device=c:\exdskbio.drv
device=c:\driver.sys /d:2 /t:80 /s:9 /h:2 /c
I don't have the documentation for those switches at hand, but I
can get it. As above, you get 720K. Now I wish I had waited for
a 1.4M drive!
--Cy cy@ashtate.UUCP
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 22 May 87 14:23:24 EDT
From: David Kirschbaum <kirsch@braggvax.arpa>
Subject: toadwhat.pas
TOADWHAT - a simple, tight, memory-resident online Help utility. Full Turbo
Pascal source code, sample HELP.DAT data file. Uses the public domain
STAYRES procedures (edited).
File also includes a heavily hacked version of WHATIS.PAS, a command line
Help utility, which shares the same HELP.DAT data file.
Source files and documentation are in a plain ASCII text file (in shar format)
(approx 70Kb).
David Kirschbaum
Toad Hall
kirsch@braggvax.arpa
[TOADWHAT.SHA has been added to the info-ibmpc lending library. -wab]
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 22 May 87 15:09:03 EDT
From: Kenneth Van Camp -FSAC- <kvancamp@ARDEC.ARPA>
Subject: SURFMODL 1.2 Now Available
SURFMODL version 1.2 is now available from SIMTEL-20, INFO-IBMPC,
and on diskette. The major enhancements over version 1.1 are that it is
now fully functional on the Enhanced Graphics Adapter (EGA) and the
Heath/Zenith Z-100, thanks to Russ Nelson. Those versions now also compile
without the Turbo Graphix Toolbox. As before, SURFMODL also runs on the
standard CGA, Hercules (still not fully functional, though), Sanyo MBC-55x,
AT&T 6300 and IBM 3270. The files to get from SIMTEL-20 are:
PD:<MSDOS.SURFMODL>SURFMVS2.ARC CRC = BE 5C
PD:<MSDOS.SURFMODL>SURFMOD2.ARC CRC = B5 A5
These files contain all source files and executables, as well as sample
data files and documentation. Alternatively, you can get just the source,
documentation, and data files from C.ISI.EDU (USC-ISIB). I uploaded the
new files to:
<INFO-IBMPC>UNDIGEST.PAS
<INFO-IBMPC>SURFMODL.DIG
Version 1.2 is also (finally!) available on diskette, for those of
you who have trouble downloading electronically. For $11.50 (in the U.S.)
or $15.50 (foreign), you can order all three of the SURFMODL release disks
from: MicroCom Systems
P.O. Box 51657
Palo Alto, CA 94303
Ask for diskettes GRAPHICS-2a, b and c.
There is also now the beginnings of a C version of SURFMODL, thanks
to Dave Forslund's efforts in converting it. Right now it only runs on the
SUN workstation under NEWS, so I am not really "releasing" it. However,
anybody who wants to tool around with it to try and make it run on other
systems is welcome to a copy. I have packaged it all up in 6 digests, just
like I did for the Pascal version, and I will e-mail the source to anyone
who requests it. (Total about 280K.)
And finally, for those of you who don't know what SURFMODL is, it is
a public domain surface modeler (some would call it a "solids modeler"),
written in Turbo Pascal, that does 3-D wireframe, hidden line, or shaded
image drawings from any perspective, with single or multiple light sources.
I have also started a small "routing list", so that people who are
interested in SURFMODL can keep abreast of the latest developments. Let me
know if you would like your name added to the list.
--Ken Van Camp <kvancamp@ARDEC.ARPA>
------------------------------
Date: 22 May 1987 16:24:49 CDT
From: U17199%UICVM@wiscvm.wisc.edu (Andrew J. Cohen 996-8205, 996-5723)
Subject: Codeview EGA problem
I had a similar problem with Codeview, so I filed a software problem report
with Microsoft. They (quickly) responded with a letter from which I quote:
"...We have had reports of problems on the QuadEGA+ and VEGA-7 EGA cards.
We ... have been informed of a ROM update which will fix the problem. "
I have been able to work around the problem by beginning a codeview session
by typing:
! MODE BW80
which in F or S mode (I forget which) complains about changing the screen mode
but works just fine in the other mode. I still get full color etc.
I have now a Sperry Micro-IT with someone elses EGA, which works with no
problems.
------------------------------
To: larry@Jpl-VLSI.arpa
Subject: Codeview EGA Problem
Date: Sat, 23 May 87 17:19:38 EDT
From: Joe Morris (jcmorris@mitre.arpa) <jcmorris@mitre.ARPA>
I have had similar problems with a Video-7 VEGA board. As an experiment I
used the same disk to load my system at home (an original verrry low serial
PC with an IBM EGA and monitor which works with Codeview with no problems)
and my IBM AT in the office (IBM Enhanced Color Display with the VEGA board)
where I encounter a problem similar to yours. The VEGA board is properly set
up, passes all its diagnostics, and has exactly *NO* problems with any other
software. If I used Codeview at the office I would probably want to call
the Microsoft help desk (are you reading this, usoft?) but right now I just
don't have the time to spare to chase it down.
Joe Morris (jcmorris@mitre.ARPA)
------------------------------
Date: 24 May 87 12:45 GMT
From: cnfk-seoul @ Walker-EMH.arpa
Subject: Codeview EGA Problem
I read the comments on the Codeview EGA Proglem by Larry at Jpl-VLSI.ARPA
in Digest 38 with interest. I have noted similar problems in trying to run
Codeview on my IMS-286 AT-compatible which is equipped with a Taiwan EGA
board and a Korean Samsung ECD. The program runs, but the screen stays
black when I run it in its windows mode, but it does show the display when
I run it in its sequential mode.
I can run the Codeview program without trouble on my Turbo XT-compatible
which is equipped with a Taiwan color/graphics card and an RGB monitor, and
have run it without trouble on a real IBM PC-AT equipped with a real IBM EGA
board and a real IBM ECD at my office, so I know that the program is checking
the system BIOS, EGA BIOS and dip switches and killing the display if results
don't exactly match what it is looking for.
I have spent a few hours using DEBUG on the CV.EXE program looking for the
part of the code that causes this problem, but am not enough of an assembly
language expert to isolate it ... yet. When I figure out the patch needed,
I will post it in case anyone else needs it.
If anyone else isolates the portion(s) of the CV.EXE code which checks the
display adapter/monitor information, please post it.
Regards, Jim Elder
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 26 May 87 19:02:34 PDT
From: larry@Jpl-VLSI.ARPA
Subject: Codeview/EGA Fix
Thanks for the many replies. Here is one solution, which worked for me.
FROM: Frankston@MIT-Multics.ARPA
For many boards, such as the Vega & the Qega, Codeview wreaks havoc on the
palette. To fix this
copy cv.exe cv.dat
debug cv.dat -- Note that SYMDEB cannot necessarily be used for this.
e 2f37
0 -- This changes a flag value in a move from 1 to 0.
e 2f6b
c3 -- This change a CALL to a RETURN. You can instead do
90 90 90 to nop the entire call and drop through to
the following return.
w
q
copy cv.exe cv.bak -- just for safety
copy cv.dat cv.exe
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 23 May 87 13:55:53 PDT
From: Todd Wipke <WIPKE@SUMEX-AIM.STANFORD.EDU>
Subject: New Scientific Graphic/Word Processor ChemText
There have been questions on this digest about word processing programs
that support laserJet and LaserWriter as well as dot-matrix printers.
ChemText(tm) by Molecular Design Limited, San Leandro CA, supports
HP LaserJet, Apple LaserWriter, ThinkJet, Epson, Toshiba, Proprinter
with text and graphics at resolution of printer; screen support is
EGA, CGA, Hercules and compatibles; computer: IBM-PC compatible with
640K, hard disk, mouse.
Fonts: Times, undersized(used automatically for sub and super-scripts),
script, european, Fraktur, Cyrillic, Greek, Math-A, Math-B,
oversize math, Large Roman, and Helvetica 6pt to 48pt.
2-window, 9 simultaneous open files, macros, pull down menus with
mnemonic keyboard equivalents.
WYSIWYG for text, all fonts, all emphasis (italics, bold, underline),
and for all graphics.
Drawing lines, arcs, ellipse, box, arrow, templates, forms, molecules
and math equations. Images may also be imported from RS/1, Lotus 1-2-3,
HPGL, AutoCad, Tek 4010, scientific instruments such as ir, nmr, uv,
ms, gc, hplc, and computational programs that support plotters. Images
may be scaled, and annotated and overlaid with text, formulas, drawings,
etc. Images inserted in text may float, be full page, rotated page,
or even in-line. Inserted images are displayed with the text as they
will appear. Math equations appear also as will print, parts may be
dragged and positioned with mouse. Images are "computable objects",
recipient of document via e-mail can pull out image, modify it,
reinsert it, or add to data base, or perform calculations on it.
Great for long-distance collaborations where communication involves
special symbols, equations, and graphics, plots, etc. Great for
examination preparation involving graphics.
Molecular Design Limited
2132 Farallon Drive
San Leandro CA
415-895-1313
Telex 470631
I am consultant on ChemText project and am very heavy user of
ChemText for academic course work and research publications. I like
the fact that the graphics are not character-oriented graphics, but
are true vector drawings.
Wipke@UCSCD.UCSC.EDU or @UCSCD.BITNET or @SUMEX-AIM.STANFORD.EDU
------------------------------
Subject: Scan Codes for F11 and F12
Date: Sat, 23 May 87 17:11:35 EDT
From: Joe Morris (jcmorris@mitre.arpa) <jcmorris@mitre.ARPA>
I did some experimentation and discovered that the scan codes for F11
and F12 are 87 and 88 (decimal) respectively. As far as I can discover
codes 85 and 86 are undefined (at least on the American keyboards); the
codes 1-84 are documented.
Many PC's (including the ones from IBM) are being sold with BIOS keyboard
processing code which is unable to handle the new scan codes; in IBM's
case I have not been able to get anyone to listen to my request for
information on matching BIOS with keyboard versions.
You said you needed the scan codes for the new keys. Did you mean that
you need the actual hardware scan codes, or do you need the "extended"
codes (00h followed by a code) used to report the non-ASCII events like
the function keys? The hardware codes I've noted above; the extended
codes depend on the BIOS coding, so I can't predict them. If someone
with a tech reference manual for a PS2 can look at the BIOS assembly list
we might be able to solve this.
Joe
------------------------------
Date: Tue 26 May 87 21:07:40-PDT
From: Dan Davison <FOX.DAVISON@BIONET-20.ARPA>
Subject: Scan Codes for F11 and F12
In Vol. 6 No. 38 Kelvin Nilsen asked:
>Does anyone have access to a technical reference manual that
>describes the scan codes of F11 and F12? ....
The following comes from the XT 286 reference manual:
Key|Set |Key|Scan Code
* |No.|Make|Break
------------------------
F11 1 122 57 D7
2 122 78 F0 78
3 122 56 F0 56
F12 1 123 58 D8
2 123 07 F0 07
3 123 5E F0 5E
-----------------------
Extended Scan Codes:
Code Key
----- ---
000 135 Shift-F11
000 136 Shift-F12
000 137 Control-F11
000 138 Control-F12
000 139 Alt-F11
000 140 Alt-F12
* I don't understand the significance of the SET, but the manual
says set 2 is the default unless programmed otherwise. I didn't
see how to program the "otherwise".
Dan Davison
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 22 May 87 09:08:43 EDT
From: rochester!srs!dan@seismo.CSS.GOV (Dan Kegel)
Subject: ANSI.SYS Slowness
In reply to fac0069@uwf.bitnet:
Dick,
ANSI.SYS is slow because it calls BIOS and stacks the registers several
times for each character output. Microsoft clearly didn't give a hoot about
speed when they wrote it. A separate issue is the way DOS passes characters
to ANSI.SYS for output; in normal operation, they are sent one-at-a-time,
adding yet another layer of stacking the registers...
By replacing ANSI.SYS with the public domain NANSI.SYS, telling DOS to
pass thru batches of characters at-a-time, and making your application
program buffer its output, full screen updates can be done on a plain vanilla
PC in an eighth of a second, roughly a 32 times speedup.
- Dan Kegel (seismo!rochester!srs!dan) (dan@srs.UUCP)
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 24 May 1987 21:47 MDT
From: Keith Petersen <W8SDZ@SIMTEL20.ARPA>
Subject: Corrupted TDEBUG.ARC Turbo Pascal Debugger on SIMTEL20 Replaced
Thanks to Reuven Weiss for reporting a bad copy of the Turbo Pascal
debugger TDEBUG.ARC which resides in directory PD:<MSDOS.TURBO-PASCAL>
on SIMTEL20. The file has now been replaced with a good copy which just
happens to be a newer version.
--Keith Petersen
Arpa: W8SDZ@SIMTEL20.ARPA
Uucp: {bellcore,decwrl,harvard,lll-crg,ucbvax,uw-beaver}!simtel20.arpa!w8sdz
GEnie: W8SDZ
------------------------------
Date: 24 May 87 18:04 -0800
From: "Ya`akov N. Miles" <bd%dac.triumf.cdn%ubc.csnet@RELAY.CS.NET>
Subject: Why do I have to write my own FIRMWARE to kludge around NEC "V20" ?
The following code illustrates an interesting "feature" of the NEC "V20"
whereby references from CS=F000 (BIOS eprom space) fails to correctly
access the area of memory reserved for BASIC roms (F000:6000-DFFF).
Memory references from BIOS rom space to BASIC rom space appear to
always execute as if they fetched the instruction op-code value itself
from the BIOS instead of the BASIC rom value asked for. I cannot understand
why the following BIOS excerpt has to execute out of RAM stack space...
------------------------------------------------------------------------
ORG 0E1ADh ; Location for BASIC rom test
;
MOV AX,0F600h ; AX --> Rom basic segment
MOV DS,AX ; DS --> " " "
XOR BX,BX ; BX = Rom basic offset
MOV AH,4 ; Four basic roms to check
MOV BP,SP ; Save the stack pointer
PUSH CS ; ...push code segment
LEA DX,CS:SKIP ; Position Independent Return
PUSH DX ; ...for RAM_PATCH subroutine
MOV DX,0EA90h ; Mov DX,'NOP,JMP_FAR'
PUSH DX ; ...save it on stack
MOV DX,0178Bh ; Mov AX,'MOV DX,[BX]'
PUSH DX ; ...save it on stack
PUSH SS ; Save stack segment
MOV DX,SP ; ...get the stack offset
ADD DX,02h ; ...calculate xfer addr.
PUSH DX ; ...save it on the stack
;
db 0CBh ; Test for BASIC rom
;
SKIP: MOV SP,BP ; Restore the stack pointer
CMP DL,DH ; ...compare 1st and 2nd byte
JE kosher ; ...perfection. No piracy
B_ROM: CALL CHKSUM ; Scan for BASIC roms
JNZ kosher ; ...bad basic rom
DEC AH ; Continue
JNZ B_ROM ; ...yes, more
POP DS ; Else valid basic
MOV DI,60h ; ...install basic
XOR AX,AX ; ...zero BASIC interrupt
STOSW ; ...offset
MOV AX,0F600h ; ...F600h BASIC interrupt
STOSW ; ...segment
PUSH DS
kosher: ; Setup special low vectors
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Does the same universal kludge hold true for the Genuine Intel 8088. I will
not purchase any more defuncted electronic firmware? I write my own and
give it away...
[I can't say I could follow this code segment, but I doubt there is a firmware
bug in the V20. The fact that ROM Basic works at all on a standard PC with
a NEC V20 installed implies that the firmware is working. -wab]
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 25 May 87 18:18:11 GMT
From: A374%EMDUCM11.BITNET@wiscvm.wisc.edu
Subject: Information about COM_PKG2
What is COM_PKG2 ?
I'm very happy somebody uses MS Pascal. I thought that all Pascal
programmers use Turbo Pascal.
Roberto G. Bernal
U.C.M.
(SPAIN)
[There are many of us Microsoft Pascal Programmers out there. Unfortunately
for us Microsoft has given higher priority to C. I am looking forward to
a Pascal that can exploit the 286 extended address space.
COM_PKG2 is a buffered serial port I/O package. This allows the PC to overlap
computation with serial I/O. John Romkey wrote the original version at MIT at
a time when there was no accurate information published on the quirks of
the National 8530 uart chip. This package allowed him to run early versions
of the IP/TCP package over a serial line without doing busy wait I/O.
Among many commercial and non-commercial programs which use descendants of this
package is DLX the multi line BBS from Inner Loop Software (our own editor
and founder of Info-IBMPC: Dick Gillmann). DLX has expanded this driver to
support 9 simultaneous serial ports. It would not be possible to support
9 users at one time on a standard PC without this sort of serial I/O package.
I should also mention that DLX is written in Microsoft Pascal and is the BBS
we use in support of info-ibmpc.
COM_PKG2.ASM is one of the most popular programs in the info-ibmpc library.
I thought that since it is nearly 4 years old a little history might be
in order for some of the newer readers of the digest. -wab]
------------------------------
Date: Friday, 22 May 1987 11:19-MDT
From: David Kirschbaum <kirsch@BRAGGVAX.ARPA>
To: W8SDZ@SIMTEL20.ARPA
Subject: REFORMAT v.1.2 Generic MSDOS Disk Defragmenter Available on SIMTEL20
Now available from SIMTEL20...
Filename Type Bytes CRC
Directory PD:<MSDOS.DISK-UTIL>
REFORM12.ARC.1 BINARY 24244 9191H
Directory for REFORM12.ARC:
Name Length Stowage SF Size now Date Time CRC
============ ======== ======== ==== ======== ========= ====== ====
REFORM12.DOC 7464 Crunched 49% 3848 23 May 87 11:02p 3EA5
REFORM12.PAS 42347 Crunched 57% 18388 23 May 87 11:03p 98C0
REFORMAT.INC 3408 Crunched 44% 1919 23 May 87 11:04p 415D
==== ======== ==== ========
Total 3 53219 55% 24155
REFORM12 is my final tweak to the "generic" MS-DOS version of Jos
Wennmacker's REFORMAT disk defragmenter (the corrected version he sent
on 2 May 86).
This works just fine on my PC Clone (PC-DOS 3.1 with a 10 megger).
Reportedly it works fine on many PC clones and near-clones. Its main
constraint is the size of the hard disk (it only computes "small"
FATs, not the big ones with the bigger drives).
Several people commented that this version won't handle their (LARGE)
partitioned hard drives. Ayup, that's absolutely right! And it's
gonna stay that way (unless Jos or someone else does something about
it) because I don't understand the low-level drive processes and FATs
well enough to hack this sucker to work! (Plus I don't have a big
partitioned Winchester!)
If your system needs BIG drive defragmenting, and it won't run the
most recent PC-specific version of REFORMAT (v1.50TH) (with its
undocumented DOS calls and 30+ Mb capacity) ... you'll have to go buy
something.
Full honor and glory to the original author:
Jos Wennmacker
Universitair Rekencentrum
Geert Grooteplein Zuid 41
NL-6525 GA Nijmegen
The Netherlands
David P Kirschbaum
Toad Hall
kirsch@braggvax.arpa
(919) 868-3471 voice/modem
------------------------------
Date: Friday, 22 May 1987 11:19-MDT
From: David Kirschbaum <kirsch@BRAGGVAX.ARPA>
To: W8SDZ@SIMTEL20.ARPA
Subject: REFORMAT v1.50 PCDOS Disk Defragmenter Available on SIMTEL20
Now available from SIMTEL20...
Filename Type Bytes CRC
Directory PD:<MSDOS.DISK-UTIL>
REFORM15.ARC.1 BINARY 44972 AAA4H
Directory for REFORM15.ARC:
Name Length Stowage SF Size now Date Time CRC
============ ======== ======== ==== ======== ========= ====== ====
REFORMAT.DOC 8882 Crunched 49% 4590 23 May 87 11:08p A8C7
REFORMAT.IN1 6436 Crunched 64% 2363 23 May 87 11:08p 9920
REFORMAT.IN2 2687 Crunched 48% 1419 23 May 87 11:08p 80DB
REFORMAT.IN3 6870 Crunched 59% 2885 23 May 87 11:09p 6FBE
REFORMAT.IN4 11923 Crunched 62% 4626 23 May 87 11:09p 534F
REFORMAT.IN5 44983 Crunched 59% 18831 23 May 87 11:09p 1140
REFORMAT.PAS 21885 Crunched 55% 10053 23 May 87 11:10p 7F33
==== ======== ==== ========
Total 7 103666 57% 44767
REFORM15 is my latest tweak to the PCDOS-specific version of Jos
Wennmacker's REFORMAT disk defragmenter. This expands capability
beyond the earlier v1.21 to include large (30+ Mb) winchesters.
Incompatibilities could come from (1) use of several undocumented DOS
calls, and (2) direct video memory write.
Full honor and glory to the original author:
Jos Wennmacker
Universitair Rekencentrum
Geert Grooteplein Zuid 41
NL-6525 GA Nijmegen
The Netherlands
Released to public domain, with the author's original constraints against
commercial sales. (See REFORMAT.DOC.)
David P Kirschbaum
Toad Hall
kirsch@braggvax.arpa
(919) 868-3471 voice/modem
------------------------------
Date: 25 May 1987 17:38-CDT
Subject: QEdit135 Available on Simtel20
From: SAC.940AREFG-SE@E.ISI.EDU
Filename Type Bytes Sectors CRC
QEDIT135.ARC.1 BINARY 103424 808 = 328H 3581H
QEDIT135.ARC is now available from Simtel20.ARPA, in
PD:<MSDOS.TEXT-EDITOR>. QEdit is a compact, yet fast shareware
text processor.
One of the files contained in the archive file is UPDATE.DOC,
which describes the new version of QEDIT. It is divided into 4
sections.
1) operational changes
2) new commands
3) bug fixes
4) miscellaneous notes
Pete Brown
Mather AFB, CA
------------------------------
From: rjb@mitre-bedford.ARPA
Subject: Accelerator Card for PC/XT
Date: Tue, 26 May 87 07:47:40 EDT
I bought a Victor SpeedPak 286 accelerator card about a year ago and
have been very happy with it and with the Victor people. When it
malfunctioned in the presence of a new EGA board that I'd installed, I
called the Victor technical support people and was told to ship it
back to them for a replacement. Both the original and the replacement
arrived within a couple of days by UPS. Their card has a slot for an
80287 math co-processor chip, and can be set to run at 5MHz or 8MHz
by setting a jumper switch.
I don't know what they're offering these days (a year's time in this field is
nigh unto eternity, as we all know), but I'd check them out. Look for
their ads in the popular PC magazines.
I disclaim any and all pecuniary or other interest in the
aforementioned product, save that I am a satisfied, hard-to-please
customer.
ross bettinger (rjb@MITRE-bedford.arpa)
------------------------------
Date: 26 May 87 09:29:00 EDT
From: "V703::S_DANIELS" <s_daniels%v703.decnet@nusc.arpa>
Subject: SORTS
James H. Coombs asked about SORT programs for the PC, especially fast ones
that will work on large files. I have used 2 public domain sorts quite
successfully:
1) SORTS - by William C. Parke - ver 1.4, "1986"
Will do multiple level sort, e.g can designate several columns as keys.
Says it works on very large files (3 MB, 8 MB ??). Runs quick, too.
2) SORTF - by Vern Buerg - ver 2.14, "1985"
Very fast sort, works on big files too. Only allows one key (e.g cols
9-22).
Both of these sorts are much quicker than DOS SORT. I have used and am
very pleased with both.
Both are available at our UUG BBS: (203) 886-5265. Call and leave a
msg if you don't find what you want.
As for the commercial sorts, I too recall seeing reviews, but can't remember
just where right now.
Oh, yes... searching the Annual PC Tech Journal Index, I have come up with
1) QISORT - Quantumm Information Systems - works with RM Cobol. Ref
PCTJ May 86, pg 201.
2) OP TECH SORT- PC MAG (not TJ) - vol 5, no 5, pg 279
Hope this helps. SCOTT
------------------------------
Date: 26 May 87 10:37:00 EDT
From: "V703::S_DANIELS" <s_daniels%v703.decnet@nusc.arpa>
Subject: FASTCARD IV INFO
J.L.PAtton wanted info on the FASTCARD IV being marketed by PMI. For
$295 you get a 2MB EMS multifunction card, with serial, parallel and
game ports, battery-backed clock calendar, and software. The software
includes an EMS ramdisk driver, an ems parallel printer spooler,
menu program for setting up the card, and cache software. Also a
docs file. printed manual included.
I bought the 0K version a few months ago from BCE, the big
advertiser in COMPUTER SHOPPER - they sell a lot of "leftovers" etc
at very low prices. For $99 plus $8 shipping I got the complete
setup, and added my own chips. By the way, you get 2 MB of EMS ram
on this board by putting 1 MB (4 rows) on the board itself, then
another 1 MB on a daughter board (Included in my kit) that plugs onto
the main board. Together, the 2 may take up 2 slots but on my Turbo
XT, the adjacent slot is filled with a half-card, and the filled
daughter board does not interfere.
I also understand that if you buy the 2MB version, the daughter board chips
are soldered on, vice plug in for the 0K version. I got this info from
THESYS, the original mfr.
HOW DOES IT WORK (HOW WELL?) - ram disk, spooler, ems all worked
fine, no glitches. I had a problem early on - large ram disks kept
crashing, as did use of large (> 1 MB) ems memory. Turned out to be 1
leg on 1 chip hadn't been inserted into socket (my fault).
Repositioned chip-ok. But I was a little surprised that the card's
"autotest" sw didn't tell me I had a bad chip. Some day I'll have to
try that again just to make sure. The CACHE sw also disappointed me.
Saw no improvement in a number of disk tests, so I don't use it. But
their own test sw tells you it works great (e.g, purports to compare
disk performance with and without this cache sw, and shows a big
improvement). One thing I liked was that even with the cache
engaged, you still could use the ems memory. It got itself out of
the way automatically when not needed - so, e.g running Lotus
still showed a large ems ram space available. Thesys claims works
in "8 MHZ AT's". Latest ad from BCE says "no work in 0 wait state
systems." Seemed to work ok on my 8 MHz Turbo XT. Waiting for my new
10 MHZ AT to try it out. EVALUATION? For the money, a great buy.
$295 for 2 MB, multifunction is a great deal. Performance - fine, few
complaints. SW works fine - but have no use for the cache sw. PS I
heard from one user here on the NET that it wouldn't work with his
ADaptec RLL controller. By the way, BCE was ok as a seller - though they
lost my 1st order for the board. But dumb for technical info. So I
called Thesys direct. (602) 991-7356. I am beginning to see more of
these low-priced EMS boards - most ram only (vice multifn). You might
consider a ram only board ($125 or so), plus an io board if you need
it (add'l $75) - that would make the 2 functions independent in case
one craps out on you. But so far, that combination is costing more
than the FC. Oh yes- Thesys says you can add more than 2MB to your
system - e.g up to the 8 MB EMS limit- but only if you use the FC III,
which is ram only (no ports). Good luck, SCOTT.
------------------------------
Date: 26 May 87 07:28:54 EDT
From: dicke @ belvoir-mail1.arpa
Subject: Baytech Printmaster
I have two of the fully buffered (1M byte) Baytech Printmaster controllers
in operation and am very happy with them. They are not connected to a
Laserjet, but I know of no reason why there should be a problem. They are
quite easy to setup and have many options for speed matching and flow
control.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 26 May 87 11:43 EDT
From: OPER013%UMUC.bitnet@BERKELEY.EDU
Subject: Laserjet and A/B Box
While talking to our HP service rep I found out
two things....
1) Do not hook up a laserjet to a a/b box. changing
over can send a surge that will fry the main system
board. (he says it is true. luckily I don't have any
proof).
2) He also didn't recommend using of the many laserjet
EP recharging firms. HE claims poor quality and
cheap toner that causes problems in the long run.
nick
------------------------------
Date: Tue 26 May 87 12:45:54-EDT
From: Frank da Cruz <SY.FDC@CU20B.COLUMBIA.EDU>
Subject: Kermit vs UUENCODEd Files
To: CHADM1@UCONNVM
As you point out, Kermit can transfer files with an IBM mainframe just fine.
But when UUENCODEd files have been transferred over BITNET, trailing blanks
may have been stripped off. You can't depend on a file having been encoded by
a special version of UUENCODE that puts a junk character at the end of each
line, but you can depend on UUENCODE's length field that appears at the
beginning of each packet. If a line is shorter than the length field says
it should be, you can assume that trailing blanks have been removed, and
then restore the appropriate number of them. Here's a simple program in
SNOBOL to do the job:
* Restore trimmed trailing blanks to a uuencoded file.
* Must be run on an ASCII system (because of &ALPHABET).
*
* F. da Cruz, CUCCA, July 86
&TRIM = 1
* Look for beginning
BEGIN LINE = INPUT :F(NOBEGIN)
LINE POS(0) 'begin ' :S(GO):F(BEGIN)
NOBEGIN TTY = 'No begin line' :(ERR)
GO OUTPUT = LINE
* Read encoded lines, get length, pad to that length.
LOOP LINE = INPUT :F(DONE)
OUTPUT = IDENT(LINE,NULL) :S(LAST)
LINE POS(0) LEN(1) . X :F(ERR)
&ALPHABET @P X :F(ERR)
OUTPUT = RPAD(LINE,(((P - 32) / 3) * 4) + 1) :S(LOOP)
* Blank line and 'end' line at end.
LAST LINE = INPUT :F(LAST2)
OUTPUT = IDENT(LINE,'end') LINE :S(DONE)
LAST2 TTY = 'No end line'
* Error and regular exit.
ERR TTY = 'Fatal error' :(END)
DONE TTY = 'Done'
END
As to Kermit initialization files for IBM 3270 protocol converters,
there's no such file that will please everybody. Usually, each site
cooks up its own version, so that the key assignments will agree with
the local conventions and documentation.
Snobol is available for DEC-20s from Stevens Institute of Technology (for
TOPS-10, really, but TOPS-20-ized at Columbia). I'm not sure if they care any
more if people license it. I don't think they've touched it in many years.
Will check into this. For Unix & VMS, it's available from Dewar Information
Systems, 221 West Lake Street, Oak Park, IL 60302 for $$$$.
[Anybody know of a SNOBOL for the PC -wab]
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 25 May 87 19:47:16 pdt
From: Robert Lenoil <lenoil%apple.csnet@RELAY.CS.NET>
Subject: STICKY.E New Version
The STICKY.E that I sent in last week had a bug which under certain
conditions causes file completion to not work properly. Enclosed is
a new version. Also, I forgot to mention another feature the package
provides: completion "goes all the way", i.e. if completion yields a
directory with only one entry, then that entry is returned. If that
entry also is a directory with one entry, then it's entry is
returned, et al. For instance, if your disk contains a directory
\language\c and \language was otherwise empty, then completion on
\lang would yield \language\c; if \language\c contained only one
entry, the file hello.c, then completion on \lang would "go all the
way" to \language\c\hello.c.
Enjoy,
Robert Lenoil
[The library has been updated <info-ibmpc.eel>sticky.e contains the updated
version. Several people correctly pointed out that the file previously
only contained the header and no code. That has been fixed. -wab]
------------------------------
Date: Tue 26 May 87 21:06:39-PDT
From: Dan Davison <FOX.DAVISON@BIONET-20.ARPA>
Subject: Electronic Typewriter as IBM Convertible Output Device?
For a friend that is NOTN (not on the net):
I have a PC Convertable that I'd like to attach to an
electronic typewriter for letter quality output. Does anyone
have any suggestions as to which typewriters work well?
Please e-mail to me, and I'll summarize to the net if there is
sufficient interest.
Thanks,
dan davison
DAVISON @ BIONET-20.ARPA
DAVISON @ SUMEX-AIM.STANFORD.EDU
BCHS6@UHUPVM1.BITNET
...rice!soma!acad!uhnix1!uhnix2!bchso (very flaky!)
[Almost all the newest generation of IBM typewriters work with PCs. -wab]
------------------------------
Subject: Redirected Standard I/O Doesn't Work
Date: Wed, 27 May 87 07:48:48 EDT
From: jfjr@mitre-bedford.ARPA
About a month ago I wrote to the digest about problems with
using standard I/O with turbo Pascal, Micro-soft C an MASM. In
particular I have been having problems redirecting and inheriting
same and experience spurious and random gotos when I use functions that read standard input in C (getche for instance).
Nobody replied etc. Am I the only one who has had these problems
or have they been beaten to death so that no one wants to bother?
Jerry Freedman,Jr
jfjr@mitre-bedford.ARPA
------------------------------
Date: Wed 27 May 87 07:43:07-PDT
From: SATELLITE1@ECLA.USC.EDU
Subject: 132 Columns
Has anyone tried the EGA modification described in PC Mag. (Vol. 5
#15) which contained the article that explained how to program and make the
necessary hardware changes for 120 columns? I have been successful in making
the 120 columns but now what I'd really like to have is 132 columns. Making
the hardware is a cinch but can anyone out there explain what values need to
be changed in the 120COLS.COM program listing? The article mentions that
merely by changing Xtals and the values in the program, one should be able to
obtain almost any number of columns. I even went so far as to purchase the
options and adapters ref manual from IBM to help me with the EGA programming,
but unfortunately my attempts at changing register values have left me with
shifted, skewed or blank displays. Any reply providing info as to which
values to change would be greatly appreciated.
(Mark W. c/o Satellite2%Ecla%Usc-Ecl.Arpa - an general acct. for the LANs)
[Please send the source to this 120COLS program. Perhaps someone can figure
out what it does. Your mail address won't accept mail. -wab]
------------------------------
From: lowey@sask.UUCP (Kevin Lowey)
Subject: Benchmark Wars Round 2
Date: 26 May 87 01:29:20 GMT
Organization: University of Saskatchewan
Hi,
Back by Popular Demand . . .
Here are the results of my more "scientific" benchmark tests. I did the
tests on 13 different machines covering a wide variety of configurations.
I'll be posting the program used to do these tests in another message, so that
you can pick apart my methodology at your leisure.
Before I get started, please, no flames about not enough information about
clock speed, graphics card used, manufacturer of the disk drives, or other
equipment information. Most of these were done in a computer store just
before closing, with sales people who didn't even know what MHz stands for.
The results are shown in two tables. The first table shows mainly the
computational intensive tasks. These tests could be run on all machines
tested so they form a good basis for comparison. The second table compares
disk speed and graphics speed, which vary a lot between machines. For
example, one machine used a Monochrome card, so the graphics tests could not
be done. The second table also gives more info on the Whetstone results.
Some Notes on Accuracy:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The timer routine I used is only accurate to .03 seconds. Since I call
it twice for each test (once at the beginning and once at the end) each
result is only accurate to .06 seconds. In addition, since the total in
the first table is calculated from 8 values, the overall error for the
total is 8 * 0.06= 0.48 seconds. These are all worst case figures. I could
have averaged 5 runs on each machine, but my beard would be quite grey by
the time it was finished!
The Systems Tested:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Each system is numbered for reference in the tables. Numbers with a "*"
beside them in the tables indicates that the 80287 Numeric co-processor
was present.
The systems are numbered in order of increasing speed when the Math
Coprocessor is not included. All systems have an IBM-CGA compatible card,
produced by the same manufacturer as the computer. The exception is
the IBM-XT computer, which has an IBM Monochrome card.
============================================================================
# | Model | CPU | NDP | Clock | Notes
============================================================================
1 | Compaq 386 (Model 2570) | 80386 | 80287 | |
2 | IBM Model 60 (8560) | 80286 | --- | | White Mono Display
3 | IBM Model 50 (8550) | 80286 | --- | | White Mono Display
4 | IBM AT (5170) | 80286 | 80287 | 8 |
5 | DEC VAXMATE | 80286 | 80287 | 8 |
6 | TANDY 3000 HD | 80286 | --- | 8 |
7 | IBM MODEL 30 (8530) | 8086 | --- | |
8 | AT&T 6300 | 8086 | --- | | AT&T Mono Graphics
9 | TANDY 1000 SX | 8088 | --- | 7.16 | 20M Hardcard
10 | ZENITH ZM-151-52 | V20 | --- | 4.77 | Identical to unit 13
11 | IBM-XT (5160) | 8088 | --- | 4.77 | IBM Mono
12 | AMIGA 100 + Sidecar | 8088 | --- | 4.77 | Dysan 20M Filecard
13 | ZENITH ZM-151-22 | 8088 | --- | 4.77 | Identical to unit 10
============================================================================
Notes:
- There are no 80387 chips out yet, so the Compaq 386 uses the 80286 chip
- Units 10 and 13 are identical except for the V20 chip
- All new IBM machines used the "paper white" monitor.
- I'm not sure how accurate the clock speeds are
- The Amiga tests were done emulating a Colour PC with 16 colours. The
speed can be improved if less colours or the mono PC emulator is used.
- The AMIGA had a 20M Dysan filecard partitioned for 10M for the amiga and
10M for the sidecar.
- Unit 9 had a 20M hardcard for a hard disk.
- All the 286 machines had 1.2M floppy disks, but all my tests were done
using a 360K floppy.
Benchmark Tests:
All the tests were performed by booting my test diskette. This removed the
problems encountered with memory resident programs, etc. The disks had
no autoexec.bat or config.sys files. I used PC-DOS 3.2 on all disks requiring
a 5.25 inch disk. I used PC-DOS 3.3 on disks booting from a 3.5" disk.
PC-DOS probably gives an unfair advantage to IBM machines.
The test program is written in Turbo Pascal. I compiled it under Turbo
version 3.01A for PC-DOS. I did two versions, one for 8087 machines and
another one for normal machines. The source code used was identical.
All tests on floppy diskettes were done on either a 360K formatted 5.25" or
720K formatted 3.5" diskette.
I performed 11 tests. The following is a short description of each:
TEXT:
Tested the time required to display 100 79 column lines in text mode.
MEMORY:
Moved a 4000 byte array from the data segment to the heap segment and
back 2000 times.
Sieve:
Calculated prime numbers up to 16383 ten times
Adapted from C program in byte magazine, November 1985 page 322
fibonacci
Calculate 24th fibonacci number, from BYTE mag, Nov. 1985, p.280
Whetstone
Do one iteration of the Whetstone test.
Times are recorded for the entire test in the first table.
Timer for the first and second pass, as well as whetstone Instructions
per Second (WIPS) are stored in the second table.
Intmath
integer mathematics test, adapted from BYTE mag. Nov. 1985 p. 292
Float
Test multiply and divide operations, from BYTE mag, Nov. 1985, p.284
transcendental
Do tan(arctan(exp(ln(sqrt(i*1.0*i))))) 2500 times
Disk Test
Times how long it takes to write 160K to the disk. The possibility of
buffering was not taken into account.
Graphic Text:
Same as the TEXT test above, except done in 640 by 200 Graphics mode
Points test:
plot all the points on the screen, in 640 by 200 graphics mode,
starting from the bottom and working towards the top.
The Results:
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Main Tests (Computers with a * are the 80x87 versions)
==============================================================================
# | text | mem | sieve | fib | whet | int | float | trans | total
==============================================================================
1*| 3.46 | 8.35 | 1.49 | 7.36 | 12.58 | 2.58 | 15.60 | 5.93 | 57.35
4*| 4.72 | 12.97 | 3.46 | 18.18 | 15.55 | 5.71 | 18.78 | 5.54 | 84.91
5*| 4.45 | 12.96 | 3.51 | 18.29 | 16.70 | 5.71 | 20.10 | 5.88 | 87.60
1 | 3.46 | 8.35 | 1.38 | 7.31 | 20.33 | 2.59 | 26.96 | 22.69 | 93.07
2 | 3.13 | 10.27 | 2.80 | 14.50 | 37.67 | 4.51 | 48.55 | 42.34 | 163.77
3 | 3.14 | 10.30 | 2.80 | 14.61 | 38.01 | 4.55 | 48.67 | 42.68 | 164.84
4 | 4.67 | 12.91 | 3.52 | 18.18 | 47.40 | 5.66 | 60.81 | 53.06 | 206.21
5 | 4.45 | 12.96 | 3.52 | 18.23 | 47.67 | 5.66 | 60.91 | 53.22 | 206.62
6 | 6.26 | 12.96 | 3.51 | 18.18 | 47.68 | 5.66 | 60.75 | 53.11 | 208.11
7 | 5.49 | 34.72 | 6.21 | 29.22 | 68.60 | 17.30 | 88.21 | 74.59 | 324.34
8 | 7.41 | 39.44 | 6.87 | 32.40 | 77.17 | 18.68 | 99.69 | 83.98 | 365.64
9 | 10.77 | 48.72 | 13.51 | 69.81 | 153.79 | 30.26 | 191.25 | 165.54 | 683.65
10 | 10.28 | 29.39 | 13.40 | 68.93 | 169.78 | 25.76 | 212.78 | 187.35 | 717.67
11 | 9.83 | 60.91 | 13.68 | 72.62 | 175.37 | 34.38 | 220.42 | 192.89 | 780.10
12 | 10.76 | 60.91 | 13.62 | 72.67 | 175.60 | 34.44 | 220.48 | 192.89 | 781.37
13 | 10.44 | 60.97 | 13.62 | 72.72 | 175.65 | 34.44 | 220.69 | 193.06 | 781.59
==============================================================================
Other Tests (Disk speed and Graphics):
==============================================================================
| Floppy Disk | Fixed Disk | Graphics || Whetstone test
# | Time | Size | Time | Size | graph | points || Pass 1 | Pass 2 | WIPS
==============================================================================
1*| 57.56 | 360K | 6.15 | 20M | 8.02 | 5.77 || 1.26 | 11.32 | 99.40
4*| 60.47 | 360K | 11.70 | 32M | 6.16 | 11.64 || 1.54 | 13.95 | 80.58
5*| 72.61 | 360K | 11.59 | 20M | 9.33 | 17.79 || 1.65 | 14.94 | 75.24
1 | 56.18 | 360K | 6.26 | 20M | 8.02 | 5.77 || 1.82 | 18.51 | 59.92
2 | 71.46 | 720K | 11.04 | 44M | 6.54 | 10.21 || 3.29 | 34.38 | 32.16
3 | 71.40 | 720K | 14.61 | 20M | 6.53 | 10.27 || 3.30 | 34.66 | 31.89
4 | 59.32 | 360K | 11.76 | 32M | 6.16 | 11.70 || 4.18 | 43.17 | 25.65
5 | 71.23 | 360K | 12.85 | 20M | 9.29 | 17.80 || 4.23 | 43.34 | 25.57
6 | 59.38 | 360K | -- | -- | 7.91 | 13.01 || 4.29 | 43.34 | 25.61
7 | 71.90 | 720K | -- | -- | 9.67 | 19.05 || 6.04 | 62.51 | 17.71
8 | 73.11 | 360K | 33.01 | 10M | 12.63 | 25.92 || 6.81 | 70.36 | 15.74
9 | 71.07 | 360K | 60.86 | 20M H| 20.11 | 62.67 || 13.51 | 140.22 | 7.89
10 | 70.86 | 360K | 45.92 | 10M | 24.00 | 66.73 || 14.78 | 154.89 | 7.14
11 | 71.07 | 360K | 49.60 | 10M | -- | -- || 15.21 | 160.06 | 6.90
12 | 74.92 | 360K | 38.39 | 20M | 18.67 | 49.44 || 15.33 | 160.22 | 6.90
13 | 70.63 | 360K | 46.96 | 10M | 17.69 | 49.59 || 15.27 | 160.27 | 6.90
=============================================================================
Conclusions:
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Compare unit 10 with unit 13. These are identical machines except for the
NEC V20 chip in one and the 8088 chip in the other. The tests show how the
V20 is much faster at memory moves and mathematic calculations.
Compare the results for the 80287 version of a machine versus the
Non 80287 machine. It looks like the 80287 greatly increases floating math,
especially in Transcendental functions. It is interesting though that it
consistently slows down disk speeds. I don't know if this is the chip or
the 8087 version of Turbo Pascal.
It looks like IBM's new bios does speed up the machines a bit.
If anyone else runs the benchmarks, I'd appreciate getting the results.
Happy Trails . . .
______________________________________________________________________________
| Kevin Lowey |The above is the personal opinion of Kevin |
| University of Saskatchewan |Lowey. It does not reflect the position of|
| Computing Services |the University of Saskatchewan in any way. |
| SaskTel: (306) 966-4826 | |
| Bitnet:LOWEY@SASK. (preferred) |I am in no way affiliated with any of the |
| UUCP: ihnp4!sask!lowey.uucp |above mentioned companies other than U of S|
|________________________________|___________________________________________|
[BENCH.PAS has been added to the info-ibmpc lending library. -wab]
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 27 May 87 13:29:44 EDT
From: George R Famini <grfamini@crdec-vax2>
Subject: ZEOS 386 Upgrade
I recently saw an advertisement for ZEOS' "ULTIMATE UPGRADE" for the
PC/XT and clones. What this amounts to is a complete new
motherboard/daughter board combination for the XT, giving an XT owner a 386
for a little over $2500. Needless to say, this sounds tremendously tempting.
I would be interested in hearing any comments from the folks out there on
a) the 386 in general (haven't heard a lot about it here); b) ZEOS; and c)
the upgrade kit.
George Famini
Life is like a ferrari, it goes too fast. Of course, you probably
couldn't afford it anyway-- Garfield.
------------------------------
Subject: DOS 3.30 Tech Reference Disk
Date: Wed, 27 May 87 13:41:36 EDT
From: Joe Morris (jcmorris@mitre.arpa) <jcmorris@mitre.arpa>
In an earlier INFO-IBMPC digest Mark Colan noted that the update to the
DOS Technical Reference Manual actually includes machine-readable media:
both a 5-1/4" floppy and a 3.5" whatever-you-want-to-call-it. I looked
at mine and found that it includes a new copy of LINK, LIB, EXE2BIN
and one or two others I don't recall. In each case I found that the
IBM-provided code was apparently down-level compared to the files I got
on my most recent Microsoft package (MSC V4).
One other thing: Norton Utilities barfs on the directory of the diskette:
using NU to display the directory I get "NOT A VALID DIRECTORY ENTRY" for
each file. Looking at the hex dump I found that the directory time
stamps all show 24:00:00 (an illegal time). Patching the directory
time stamp to make it legal allowed NU to properly display the data.
Joe Morris (jcmorris@mitre.arpa)
------------------------------
Date: 21 May 87 16:20:48 PDT (Thursday)
Subject: High-res Monochrome Monitor for Compaq Portable
From: "Hamid_Khoshnevis.ElSegundo"@Xerox.COM
Is there any way to put a monochrome graphics card in a Compaq Portable
in order to connect to an external high-res monitor?
Thanks
Hamid
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 22 May 87 10:36:55 +0200
From: KJELL EIDEM <eidem%regtek.unit.uninett@NTA-VAX.ARPA>
Subject: PC/AT and CDOS
Does anyone have some experience with Digital Research' Concurrent DOS
(CDOS) and graphics?
I am for the moment running CDOS on a IBM PC/AT mod. 2 with 640 Kb,
EGA and Enhanced Graphics Display. I can't get graphics at all on the
display when running a CYPROS program system under CDOS.
Doing the same thing in PC-DOS gives me the graphics I want.
My CDOS is version 4.1 and the AT is a 1985 model.
Any ideas/hints would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.
I am not on the IBMPC mailing list so please reply to:
eidem%regtek.unit.uninett@nta-vax.arpa
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 22 May 87 11:05:26 ECT
From: ACHRISTE%NORUNIT.BITNET@wiscvm.wisc.edu
Subject: Comments in CONFIG.SYS ?
Does anyone know if it is possible to have comments in CONFIG.SYS ?
Anders Christensen +47 7 59 3004 ACHRISTE at NORUNIT
------------------------------
From: Yossi Gil <yogi%humus.huji.ac.il@RELAY.CS.NET>
Date: Fri, 22 May 87 12:48:50 jdt
Subject: Disk Cache Wanted
I am looking for a good caching program for my Z-200 AT compatible.
I use the machine mostly for software development using MicroSoft windows
development toolkit. The COMPILE-LINK-GO cycle takes now more than 5 Min even for a change in the smallest source file.
The machine has 640K of regular memory and 2.5M on extended AT memory.
The only use I have for this huge extended memory is RAM disk.
However, copying all the software I need to the hard disk makes the boot
process very slow. I tried using PolyBoost (Keyboard/screen/Disk enhancers
set) but the set of disk clusters I use during a single EDIT-COMPILE-LINK-GO
round is probably bigger than 2.5M. The round takes more time using cache
than without it at all.
What I need is a disk cache program that
1) Occupy very little space in regular memory.
2) Can use AT extended memory.
3) Can share extended memory with VDISK.SYS.
4) Work SELECTIVELY by file name, and not by disk clusters.
5) Can get names of preferred files to cache.
6) Reasonable price (Up to 200$) or PD.
Thanks
Yossi Gil. (yogi)
{{
Prof. Larry Rudolph from the Hebrew University says that
Computer Science has made only two achievements during all
these years: Hashing & Caching.
}}
------------------------------
Date: Fri 22 May 87 12:43:03-EDT
From: C. P. Yeske <CY13@TE.CC.CMU.EDU>
Subject: TURBO and QUICK Basic w/Hercules Card
Home-Phone: (412)422-4667 (422-GOOP, -IONS, -HOOP)
Organization: Carnegie Mellon Computing Center, Hardware Systems
Staff-Assistant: Cathy Hays, 621-0216, CH1G@te.cc.cmu.edu
I am looking for a way of getting HBASIC's capability using a
compiler such as TURBO Basic, or QUICK Basic.
A brief history of why I am in this problem. A client of mine
was using four different machines and had a turn-around time of four
weeks to run one experiment. Because of the unique I/O, graphics,
standardization, (and no compilers out on the market), we had to
standardize on BASICA, and when necessary HBASIC. The cumbersome
experiment apparatus came down to one, cheap, fast, machine with
a total turnaround time of 30 Minutes (Three Orders of Magnitude less time.)
I can make minor modifications to my programs, but no major
rewrite into a newer, supported, language. I would consider upgrading
to a new graphics standard, but the lack of a utility to take pixels from
the screen and print them into an Epson portrait print, is holding me back.
From my phone calls, Hercules, Borland, and MicroSoft will not
support Hercules graphics in compilers.
Can anyone offer any help? I will summarize and post a follow up.
Curt Yeske
Technical Administrator
Carnegie Mellon Computing Services
CY13@te.cc.cmu.edu
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed are my own and are not Carnegie Mellon's.
The facts are figments of my imagination anyway.
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 22 May 87 11:38 P
From: "Gershon Kunin" <P82041%BARILAN.BITNET@BERKELEY.EDU>
Subject: COM1: in Turbo-Pascal
I am using Turbo-Pascal Ver. 3.00B. The documentation states
that in order to access the RS232 port (COM1:), you write to the
device AUX. (I presume that this is a hangover from CP/M days!)
I have written programs in strict accordance with the documentation,
but I receive no response. Can someone out there send me more info
on just how this works? (File definition, record definition, passing
communication parameters, baud, parity, etc).
Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Replies can be to
this digest or directly via Bitnet.
Amir Kahani and Gershon Kunin
Bitnet: P82041@BARILAN
------------------------------
Date: Fri 22 May 87 17:42:12-CDT
From: T1.MEDICINE@chip.uchicago
Subject: DOS 3.3 File Handles
I have a question about DOS 3.3: How many file handles per process does the
new version support ?
Thanks,
RMM
[This isn't an answer but DOS 3.3 has a system call that allows one to extend
the number of file handles above the default. I don't know if there is a
maximum. As some versions of Microsoft C (and probably other languages) impose
their own limits you may still have problems. See EXTNDH.ASM in the lending
library for an example of how to extend the number of file handles under
earlier versions of DOS.
If someone who has DOS 3.3 would extend this program to exploit the new
DOS call it would be appreciated. -wab]
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 22 May 87 23:44 EDT
From: <MONTAN1%BRANDEIS.BITNET@wiscvm.wisc.edu>
Subject: Hard Disk Installation
I am thinking of adding another hard disk to my IBM XT. The disk I have now
is a 10 meg half height CMS which is getting full to capacity. I have checked
that the controller can support another hard disk, and I am wondering how
difficult it is to install it. I have heard that in the process I can lose
all the data on the old one (I am going to back it up before doing anything
anyway), and that in general installing a hard disk requires a substantial
amount of skill.
Can someone give me an idea of what kind of problems I will have to face?
Also, I will have to install a disk which accepts the encoding scheme of the
controller I have. Does anyone know what scheme is used by the 10 meg CMS
(Complete Management Systems) disk? (I have no idea of the kind of controller
I have).
Any suggestion (and/or pointers to the literature) will be appreciated.
Thanks.
Daniele
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 22 May 87 08:23 EDT
From: HAINES%cs.umass.edu@RELAY.CS.NET
Subject: Mail Order Houses
Hello:
Has anybody dealt with the following mail order houses? I'd be glad
to hear about any good (or bad) experiences.
S & J Alpha Omega Computer Products INC. Tarzana CA.
Shamrock Thousand Oaks CA.
Compuadd Austin TX.
Thanks
Dave Haines
csnet : Haines@umass.edu
------------------------------
From: Andrew J Cole <ajcole%ai.leeds.ac.uk@Cs.Ucl.AC.UK>
Date: Sun, 24 May 87 13:15:19 GMT
Subject: ASM F-P sources
Hi,
I am trying to find some 'public domain' floating point sources to
incorporate into a PC authoring system (written in BCPL and already
ported to a number of systems). I am not too concerned about
trig/math (or I/O) but rather the basic operations. Compatibility
with 8087 format would be a bonus (I am currently using a 8087).
Thanks,
Andrew
ps. I am not (yet!) on this list - I will collate (any?) personal replies
for submission to the list.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 26 May 87 17:08:41 SET
From: Alun Saunders <ESC1319%DDAESA10.BITNET@wiscvm.wisc.edu>
Subject: DOS 3.20 PRINT and PROCOMM
Having upgraded from DOS 3.10 to 3.20 I now notice that I am getting
garbled and/or lost characters running PROCOMM V2.42 at 19200 baud. A
process of elimination has led to the conclusion that PRINT is to blame.
Does anyone know why the behavior of the V 3.20 PRINT should be any
different to the 3.10 version ? I would suspect that playing around with
the various parameters to do with time slice size etc may help but I'm not
sure. All suggestions appreciated.
Alun Saunders
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 27 May 87 17:25 N
From: <BARNEVEL%HWALHW50.BITNET@wiscvm.wisc.edu>
Subject: RS-232 Communications using MS-QuickBASIC.
When I use the QuickBASIC command
open "com1:1200,N,7,1,ASC" as 1
I get the run-time error "Device time-out" suggesting that the communication
channel isn't initialized.
How can I do that from within QuickBasic?
I'm using an AT under MSDOS 3.1 and QuickBASIC V2.0.
Peter Barneveld,
Lab. for Physical and Colloid Chemistry,
Wageningen, Holland.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 27 May 87 12:24:43 EDT
From: "Loren L. Dickerson" <lorend@ARDEC.ARPA>
Subject: WordStar Professional 4.0
I am having difficulties with WordStar Professional 4.0 and would
greatly appreciate anyone's comments on how to solve or bypass the following
problem:
Whenever I attempt to find and replace, I get the message,
"! Not a Valid Option."
Loren L. Dickerson
------------------------------
End of Info-IBMPC Digest
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