Info-IBMPC@C.ISI.EDU.UUCP (04/30/87)
Info-IBMPC Digest Wednesday, 29 April 1987 Volume 6 : Issue 32
This Week's Editor: Billy Brackenridge
Today's Topics:
JOVE for MS-DOS
SUBST
Three HDLC Cards
PS2 Color Resolution Less than Mac II
Paths longer than 128 chars
Compare PC2s (10 MHz 1ws) with Zenith (8 MHz 0ws)
NEC Multisync
ansi.sys
ANSI Editor Wordprocessor
Scribe-Like Text Formatters
Survey of 68000 Cross Assemblers
ARC520.COM Current Version of the Archive Utility
Text-Base: Nota Bene
EGA 43 Lines
EGA 43 Lines IMS-286 AT-Compatible System
A Small ANSI Wordprocessor
Text Formatters
VP-Planner Help
Basic Compiler vs. Quickbasic External Routines
Today's Queries:
3277 Emulation Card
My wish/question list (mostly Z248)
Hercules Board 40/50 line mode
Two COLOR Monitors Simultaneously
Anyone Working on Gnu C Compiler?
HIGH DENSITY FLOPPY FOR PC/XT
RT/PC list
Ega Screen Blanker
123 over Networks
Keystroke recorder needed
Setting up FreEmacs
INFO-IBMPC BBS Phone Numbers: (213)827-2635 (213)827-2515
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 27 Apr 87 21:33:27 +0200
From: Tom Ivar Helbekkmo <helbekkmo%vax.runit.unit.uninett@NTA-VAX.ARPA>
Subject: JOVE for MS-DOS
Hi, all!
Someone asked about the use of a "jove.rc" file with the JOVE editor.
The correct file name is "joverc" without the dot - derived from the
".joverc" name used under UN*X.
As for JOVE itself, it at least used to be kept by Ken Mitchum,
km@cadre, but I've lately been unable to get in touch with him.
Anyone know if he's still out there?
Thing is, you see, I use JOVE pretty heavily, and I've debugged it a
lot and added a few functions. My (unofficial) version now runs
Make from the editor, parsing error messages, and also allows running
regions through filters and the like. Also, it has on-line documen-
tation and a few more little things.
Grateful for any info!
Tom.
BITNET address: <THELBEKK@NORUNIT>
[Ken is still out there and reports that he is working on the MAC version
of JOVE and hasn't touched the PC version for a long time. -wab]
------------------------------
Date: 28 Apr 87 08:39:00 EDT
From: "V703::S_DANIELS" <s_daniels%v703.decnet@nusc>
Subject: SUBST
I have been using SUBST under MSDOS 3.1 & PCDOS 3.1 for the past few months,
with no outstanding problems.
One thing I do notice, when my AUTOEXEC sets up the drive assignments on
boot-up, occasionally I will see an error message after a SUBST, e.g
when I try: SUBST F: C:\WP\PCW
to make my PC-Write directory look like drive F:, I might get an error msg:
"CAN'T SUBST a NETWORK DRIVE". This is kind of strange, since I am not hooked
up to any network. However, I found out that few extra spaces in the command
often helps, e.g, enter "SUBST F: C:\WP\PCW" vice that above, and all is
ok. By the way, when I do get the error msg, nothing else bad happens just
that particular SUBST is not accomplished.
Also, since I may re-run AUTOEXEC during the day (e.g to reset my path, etc),
I have added in the commands to reset the SUBST, just in case -
SUBST F:/d - deletes current setting for drive F:. If nothing has been set in
yet, you will see an error msg, but again no harm done.
In summary, this is the way I set my drives on boot up ...
FOR %f in (F G H I J) DO SUBST %f/d
SUBST F: C:\WP\PCW
SUBST G: C:\TEST
etc
----- SCOTT ----
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 28 Apr 87 11:08:08 EDT
From: "Robert J. Welsh" <rjwelsh@cct.bbn.com>
Subject: Three HDLC Cards
This is in response to mcgurrin@mitre's request for companies that supply
HDLC cards for the IBM PC/XT/AT.
There are several that I know of:
Gateway Communications Inc
16782 Red Hill Ave.,
Irvine, CA
(714) 261-0762
Scope Inc
somewhere in Reston, VA
Frontier Technologies Corp.
3510 North Oakland Ave.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
(414) 964-8689
All of these cards also have X.25 on the card with HDLC. These run on
the card itself, not in the host's processor. I think you can write
programs that talk directly to the level 2, HDLC interface and skip
the X.25 like you want to do. The Scope card comes complete with
HDLC/X.25/TCP-IP and Telnet/FTP are available if you want them (for a
modest fee). The Scope card is about $1800 and I'm not sure about
the other two.
I hope this helps.
Disclaimer: I have no association with any of the above companies - etc, etc
Regards,
Rob
------------------------------
To: "Thomas_R._Moenter.rochX2"@XEROX.COM
Subject: PS2 Color Resolution Less than Mac II
Date: Tue, 28 Apr 87 11:04:17 EDT
From: Mark Colan <mtc@ATHENA.MIT.EDU>
> According to actual IBM-supplied announcement literature, the PS-2
> graphics are not as spectacular as your note indicates. In 640x480 mode
> only 16 colors are available. The 256 color mode is in a PC-compatible
> resolution of 320x200. This is markedly inferior to the Mac II ability
> of 256 colors at full resolution. (640x480 in standard Apple dress)
You should specify which products you are talking about, because there
are three ranges of color features for the PS/2's.
LOW RANGE - MCGA on PS/2 Model 30
For 640x480 mode, there are only two colors - i.e, monochrome operation.
MEDIUM RANGE - VGA on PS/2 Models 50, 60, 80
For 640x480 mode, there are 16 colors
HIGH RANGE - VGA on PS/2 Models 50, 60, 80 w/ Display Adapter 8514/A
installed, full memory
For 640x480 mode, there are 256 colors from a palette of 262,144 colors
A minimum configuration for getting the high range would be
PS/2 Model 50 $3595
8514/A Display Adapter $1290
8514 Memory Expansion Kit $ 270
Color Display 8512 $ 595
-----
$5750
Can someone publish the retail prices for a MAC 2 which supports the 640x480
mode with 256 colors, and has (at least) a 20Mb hard disk, and display,
1 Mb memory, for point of comparison? How much extra to run DOS applications
(i.e 286 coprocessor)?
Mark Colan
MIT Project Athena
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 28 Apr 87 13:08:31 EDT
From: Russell Nelson <bh01%CLUTX.BITNET@wiscvm.wisc.edu>
Subject: Paths longer than 128 chars
There was a discussion a while ago about having paths longer than 128 chars.
I believe that this program by Scott Mason will solve that problem.
I don't know what C compiler he used to compile his version.
[CHGPATH.C has been added to the info-ibmpc lending library. -wab]
------------------------------
Subject: Compare PC2s (10 MHz 1ws) with Zenith (8 MHz 0ws)
From: lowey@sask.UUCP (Kevin Lowey)
Date: 24 Apr 87 21:24:48 GMT
Organization: University of Saskatchewan
Summary: Some simple benchmark results for the new IBM computers
Hi there,
"jqj@gvax.UUCP" says:
> Please, does ANYONE who has played with these new machines have any hard
> performance data apart from the stupid Norton SI benchmark?
The following is a table of "benchmarks" I used to compare some of
the computers I have access to. (Sorry, but I have SI as well :-).
Other than the Norton benchmark, all benchmarks were done using
Turbo Pascal. The Sieve and Diskwrite benchmarks both called the
system clock at the start and end of the programs, so the times
should be accurate to 1/30 of a second. The compile benchmark was
done with my wristwatch and cat like reflexes (by cat I mean
Garfield).
The SIEVE benchmark strictly tests CPU power. There is no disk use.
It computes prime numbers.
The COMPILE benchmarks compiles a 6800 line Turbo Pascal program.
Most of the files came from include files, so the disk speed is
important in this benchmark, but the CPU speed also contributes.
This test was repeated for both floppy and hard disks.
The DISKWRITE benchmark timed how long it took to write 160K to a
disk, character by character (not block writes). This was repeated for
floppy and hard disks.
The SI benchmark is the result from the Norton Utility SYSINFO command.
It is supposed to return the speed of the computer relative to the IBM-PC,
but it greatly exaggerates results from the 80286 based machines.
Because of the limited time I had to do this, the table is incomplete
in places.
================ Fire Extinguisher (A grain of salt Dept.) ===============
I realize that everything but SI and SIEVE test DISK DRIVE speed rather
than CPU horsepower, so most of the benchmarks have to be taken with a
grain of salt. Please, no flames about my benchmark methodology. I plan
later to put together a full battery of tests of things such as screen speed,
Floating arithmetic, Integer arithmetic, Memory Access, etc. If there is
enough interest, I'll post some renewed benchmarks at my convenience (we
are currently moving our offices so you will just have to wait!!).
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Benchmark results for Various Microcomputers (All times in seconds) |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| | | Compile | Compile | Diskwrite | Diskwrite | SI |
| System | Sieve | Hard | Floppy | Hard | Floppy | |
|-----------------+-------+---------+---------+-----------+-----------+------|
| IBM-XT(3.5"disk)| 28.78 | -- | 3:17.31 | -- | 73.43 | 1.0 |
|-----------------+-------+---------+---------+-----------+-----------+------|
| IBM-XT(5.25") | 28.34 | 2:20.67 | 3:15.37 | 40.75 | 72.17 | 1.0 |
|-----------------+-------+---------+---------+-----------+-----------+------|
| Zenith-158(v20) | 26.92 | 2:18.68 | 3:12.94 | 41.30 | 71.79 | 1.7 |
|-----------------+-------+---------+---------+-----------+-----------+------|
| IBM Model 30 | 10.49 | 1:03.85 | 2:06.41 | 17.58 | 72.72 | 1.9 |
|-----------------+-------+---------+---------+-----------+-----------+------|
| IBM AT (6MHz) | 9.66 | 55.81 | 1:48.17 | 18.24 | 60.14 | 5.7 |
|-----------------+-------+---------+---------+-----------+-----------+------|
| IBM XT286 | 7.03 | -- | -- | 12.53 | 60.09 | 7.1 |
|-----------------+-------+---------+---------+-----------+-----------+------|
| DEC VAXmate | 7.00 | 43.84 | 1:48.93 | 11.89 | 72.61 | 7.7 |
|-----------------+-------+---------+---------+-----------+-----------+------|
| IBM Model 50 | 5.55 | 37.98 | 1:44.66 | 13.45 | 72.61 | 10.3 |
|-----------------+-------+---------+---------+-----------+-----------+------|
| IBM Model 60 | 5.55 | 33.35 | 1:44.43 | 11.36 | 72.61 | 10.3 |
|-----------------+-------+---------+---------+-----------+-----------+------|
| Zenith-248 | 4.99 | 33.17 | 1:48.74 | 12.19 | 60.36 | 9.2 |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
I guess "the quality goes in before the name goes on", Right IBM?
(Sorry, I couldn't resist)
______________________________________________________________________________
| 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|
|________________________________|___________________________________________|
[This goes to confirm our suspicions that an 8 Mhz 286 machine (Zenith-248)
with no wait states is better than a 10Mhz 1 wait state machine, particularly
if the disk is running at a reasonable interleave factor. When purchasing a
clone keep this in mind. -wab]
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 28 Apr 87 21:22 EDT
From: Hess@MIT-MULTICS.ARPA
Subject: NEC Multisync
Representatives from NEC said in today's InfoWorld that they would
have an adapter cable soon that made the monitor run with the PS/2.
In a separate but related announcement, representatives from AMP said
that they would soon be supplying that random 3-row connector. (So
NEC might be able to actually manufacture their cable...)
Someone with enough electronics experience ought to be able to tell us
where to plug the solder pins and where to put the alligator clips in
order to test it out today. Alas, I'm not that someone... I'll wait
for the "official" cable to arrive.
Brian
------------------------------
Subject: ansi.sys
From: oxy!bagpiper@csvax.caltech.edu (Michael Paul Hunter)
Date: 28 Apr 87 20:30:09 PST
Apparently-To: info-ibmpc-request@c.isi.edu
Can somebody put out a list of all of the control sequences in ansi.sys or
at least point me to a manual that has them ALL.
Michael Hunter
ARPA : oxy!bagpiper@csvax.caltech.edu
UUCP : ....{seismo, ruthers, ames}!cit-vax!oxy!bagpiper
usmail: box 241
Occidental College
Los Angeles, CA 90041
------------------------------
Date: Tue 28 Apr 87 20:34:42-PDT
From: Jim Celoni S.J. <Celoni@Score.Stanford.EDU>
Subject: ANSI Editor Wordprocessor
To: dmittman@JPL-VLSI.ARPA
If you can get by with a text editor sans formatter, MicroEmacs 3.8 comes in
both MSDOS ANSI and [faster] IBMPC-compatible versions. I've used the ANSI
version successfully in a DESQview window (I usually run FANSI-CONSOLE too;
one or the other was interpreting the ANSI sequences properly). There are
also commands to set display height and width.
MicroEmacs is available many places; I got a copy from SIMTEL20.ARPA's
PD:<MSDOS.MICRO-EMACS> directory. Unless you want source too, I think it's
all in one .ARC file; if you can't FTP it (binary/tenex), send a "send info"
message to archive-server@simtel20 to find out, in a week or so, how to get it
in uuencoded pieces. +j
P.S.: My wordprocessor of choice, FinalWord II, is easily configured to use
an MSDOS ANSI display--choose terminal ansi.sys or fansi.
------------------------------
Date: Tue 28 Apr 87 20:35:45-PDT
From: Jim Celoni S.J. <Celoni@Score.Stanford.EDU>
Subject: Scribe-Like Text Formatters
To: djh2%lehigh.bitnet@Forsythe.Stanford.EDU
Let me second Billy's suggestion to check out FW Corp.'s FinalWord
II. I use the current version daily; it combines a fast, extensible,
editor, a formatter any Scribe(TM) user already knows, and extensive,
configurable display and printer support. It beats the older
Scribe-like formatters in Perfect Software's Perfect Writer 1.x and
Mark of the Unicorn's Scribble and FinalWord 1.x. +j
[Brian Hess Hess@MIT-MULTICS.ARPA is associated with Mark of the Unicorn and
can answer questions on this subject. -wab]
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 28 Apr 1987 20:55 PDT
From: JAJZ801%CALSTATE.BITNET@wiscvm.wisc.edu
Subject: Survey of 68000 Cross Assemblers
I have not used any but have seen advertisements for at least 3:
2500AD Software Inc.
17200 East Ohio Drive
Aurora, Colorado 80017
(303) 369-5001, order 1-800-843-8144
Lists versions for 68000,68008,68010: $299.50
68020: $399.50
(from add in Feb 1987 BYTE, p. 75)
Quelo, Inc.
2464 33rd W. Suite #173
Seattle, WA 98199
(206) 285-2528 [Patrick Adams]
CPM86,MSDOS, and native versions
68020: $750
68000/60010: $595
(all a C cross-compiler: $1250/$1095 respectively)
(from add in Mar. 1987 Dr. Dobbs Journal, p. 91;
also listed in add for Programmers Shop on P. 125
at $539 and $750 respectively 1-800-421-8006
1-800-442-8070 in Mass (you are at MIT ?))
CHEAPEST:
DR. Dobbs Toolbook of 68000 programming:
60000 toolbook, item #040 $29.95
68000 toolbook+disk, item #041 $49.95
68000 crossassembler, item #042 $25.00
(discussed in above book, comes with source
code and documentation, CP/M 2.2 64k or
MSDOS 128k, disk formats: 8" ss/sd, osborne,
MSDOS [doesn't say sides])
To order:
M&T Books
501 Galveston Dr.
Redwood City, CA, 94063
(800) 533-4372 8am-5pm PDT, weekdays
Credit card or check, I guess.
(from March 1987 Dr. Dobbs, P. 119)
Jeff Sicherman
JAJZ801@CALSTATE.BITNET
------------------------------
From: <kubitron@ATHENA.MIT.EDU>
To: info-ibmpc@C.ISI.EDU
Subject: ARC520.COM Current Version of the Archive Utility
Date: Wed, 29 Apr 87 03:59:47 EDT
As the editor noted, all versions of the archive utility "ARC" by
System Enhancement Associates are upward compatible. The current
version, which is purportedly faster, is version 5.20. To get this
version of the archive utility with documentation, download the file
ARC520.COM from SIMTEL-20. It is in the directory PD:<MSDOS.ARC-LBR>.
When executed, this file unpacks itself into ARC.EXE and ARC.DOC.
I use this utility extensively and am more than satisfied.
Note that many of the ARC*.* files in the ARC-LBR directory are "faster"
versions of various functions performed by ARC.EXE. I place the word
faster in quotes because I am not sure of this. At any rate, these
programs are written by a third (fourth...?) party, i.e. someone different.
--KUBI--
John Kubiatowicz
KUBITRONICS information systems
kubitron@athena.mit.edu
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 29 Apr 87 14:07 IST
From: Itamar Even-Zohar <B10%TAUNIVM.BITNET@wiscvm.wisc.edu>
Subject: Text-Base: Nota Bene
I wholeheartedly join Richard L. Goerwitz's words about Nota Bene
(Info-IBMPC Digest, Volume 6 : Issue 30). I would like to add the
following: Nota Bene is not a word processor, but a heavy package of
softwares. Briefly, it contains 4 levels:
(1) An extremely sophisticated, yet easy and elegant, word processor.
It allows 9 windows, automatic numberings, 3 levels of
footnotes/endnotes, complete control of formatting and layout in the
file itself etc. Quick and powerful copying, moving, merging and
appending. Grammatically sensitive operations (word, phrase,
sentence, paragraph etc.)
(2) A package of applications: Automatic generation of bibliographies
(2 separate for each file and more), tables of contents and lists,
page indexes on various levels etc.
(3) A powerful TEXT-BASE with predefined as well as user-customized
formats. For instance, you can textbase your material according to
every WORD (plus or minus trivial words), just KEYWORDS, every
paragraph, larger units etc. A unit can be 8000KB long, a single
TEXT-BASE can hold 65000 units. With the KEYWORD only parameter -
2MB for a unit (if this is practical). Indexing works incredibly
fast: in a matter of minutes you can textbase Info-IBMPC for quick
retrieval). Retrievals are fully Boolean, 64 queries per case, speed
20-30 seconds for results. As a free-form database, this is a UNIQUE
achievement, especially designed for us mortals who have not got
slaves in the shape of assistants and secretaries to do all this hard
labor for us. Moreover, even the most powerful database cannot
handle the length of texts we normally work with.
(4) A versatile and incredibly useful proper PROGRAMMING language.
With it, you can automatize any routine or write incredibly useful
applications. I have written so far some 100 small and large
utilities for collecting material from files ("concordances"), for
extracting bibliographical items for checking before generating lists
etc. For those who want to have the best of both worlds -- a useful
database and a flexible textbsase (like myself), I have written
programs which transfers material from a free-form list to a DATAbase
format (N.B. offers you a useful database, too).
On top of all that, Nota Bene allows you to reassign the keyboardS
(you have 14 different keyboards simultaneously) according to your
personal needs. Thus, you can put French and other accented letters
where ever you like, move any sign, impose functions on keys (either
existing or ones invented by you). People who need Russian, Hebrew
or Greek can make full use of this feature (and on top of it N.B. has
announced it will shortly release versions for these languages). In
short, I don't think anything can equal this package, not even the so
loudly propagated Manuscript. Needless to say, I have no personal
interest in the matter: I am just a more than satisfied customer,
who would like to bring the good news to others.
Itamar Even-Zohar, Porter Institute for Semiotics
Artzt Chair of History of Literature.
(B10 at Taunivm)
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 28 Apr 87 21:22 EDT
From: Hess@MIT-MULTICS.ARPA
Subject: EGA 43 Lines
Try assembling this code (I got it from DEBUG, so it's not pretty):
PUSH ES
XOR AX,AX
PUSH AX
MOV AX,0040
MOV DS,AX
MOV AX,1112
MOV BL,00
INT 10
MOV AX,0100
MOV BH,00
MOV CX,000C
INT 10
MOV DX,[00EB]
MOV AL,14
OUT DX,AL
INC DX
MOV AL,07
OUT DX,AL
MOV AX,1200
MOV BL,20
INT 10
RET
This code will set the EGA into 43-line mode, and will also set
the VGA into 50 line mode. Tested on EGA mono and color, and VGA
mono only.
Brian
------------------------------
Date: 29 Apr 87 11:44 GMT
From: cnfk-seoul @ Walker-EMH.arpa
Subject: EGA 43 Lines IMS-286 AT-Compatible System
To: dschultz @ belvoir-mail1.arpa
In response to your question about EGA 43 lines, PC Magazine
published a two-part article entitled "Exploring the EGA" by Charles
Petzold. Part 1 of the article appeared in PC Magazine, Volume 5,
Number 14, dated August 1986, and Part 2 appeared in PC Magazine,
Volume 5, Number 15, dated September 16, 1986. Part 2 also featured
a do-it-yourself EGA feature connector to allow a 120-column display
on the Enhanced Color Display.
I am running a new machine, an IMS-286 10Mhz AT-compatible with
1MB RAM on the motherboard, a 1.2MB floppy drive, and a 44MB
MicroScience hard disk, an EGA card with a BIOS statement that tricks
programs into believing it is "IBM" and a Samsung CD-1452M ECD. This
sucker flies ... registers a neat 10.3 on Norton's system information
program ... and has a hardware switch to knock the speed back down to
6MHz, as well as a hardware reset switch. I am running most of the
popular software available and have encountered NO problems at 10MHz.
The SpeedStor software provided to set up the hard disk creates a
22MB "C:" drive and a 22MB "D:" drive; the hard disk has a 28ms
average seek time, so there is PLENTY of data storage and NO wait
when you ask for it. Unfortunately, the EGA card came sans
documentation, so I have been having fun trying to figure out how to
tap its potential.
The IMS-286 is produced by Intelligent Micro Systems of San
Antonio, TX, whose only fault I have seen is a DUMB shipping policy
... they refuse to use the U. S. mail to send a system to an APO/FPO
address because "APO/FPO mail is not considered reliable enough and,
besides, we cannot provide the proper level of customer support to
customers located outside of the Continental United States ..."
Hogwash! Although I had to put up with the extra delay and have a
friend in CONUS take delivery of the system from UPS, then tape the
boxes to meet Registered U. S. mail requirements, it arrived fine and
I had it up and running about an hour after mail call. I forgot to
mention that it has the PHOENIX BIOS to insure compatibility. This
system offers the most bang for the buck of any I have spied in any
advertisements anywhere.
The "Exploring the EGA" articles referred to above have been a
great help and the programs were a snap to type in using DEBUG. PC
Magazine has set up an "Interactive Reader Service" dial-up bulletin
board since these two articles appeared, but I would bet that they
are on the board for downloading in the event you can't find those
issues of PC Magazine.
Good luck!
Jim Elder
cnfk-seoul "at" WALKER-EMH.ARPA (in sunny Seoul, Korea)
P. S. If anyone else has any helpful hints on how to exploit the EGA
card/ECD monitor, especially in getting the 640x350 color to show using
BASIC, I certainly would like to hear from you.
------------------------------
From: mcdchg!heiby@seismo.CSS.GOV (Ron Heiby)
Date: 29 Apr 87 18:58:58 GMT
Organization: Motorola Microcomputer, Schaumburg, IL
Subject: A Small ANSI Wordprocessor
Except for the requirement that the software be PD/Shareware, I'd recommend
PC/VI. It's pretty reasonably priced, with multiple CPU licenses available.
It uses a termcap file and is a very accurate copy of the UNIX "vi" editor.
(Yes, a "text editor", not a "Wordprocessor". Better than nothing, or EDLIN!)
------------------------------
From: mcdchg!heiby@seismo.CSS.GOV (Ron Heiby)
Date: 29 Apr 87 18:58:58 GMT
Organization: Motorola Microcomputer, Schaumburg, IL
To: "Dave Heiland" <DJH2%LEHIGH.BITNET@wiscvm.wisc.edu>
Subject: Text Formatters
You mentioned FinalWord. I bought a copy and use it quite a bit. It's
probably worth mentioning, though, that as delivered, it does not have
the keyboard mappings for EMACS. That must be done by the user. It is
not very difficult, but you have to read the manual and spend some time
with it. I did. I haven't tried their FinalWord II, so can't comment on it.
------------------------------
From: mcdchg!heiby@seismo.CSS.GOV (Ron Heiby)
Date: 29 Apr 87 18:58:58 GMT
Organization: Motorola Microcomputer, Schaumburg, IL
To: rpeschke@afit-ab.arpa (Richard E. Peschke)
Subject: VP-Planner Help
You might try using Fansi-Console. There is a switch that claims to eliminate
color display for monochrome monitors on color adapters.
------------------------------
From: mcdchg!heiby@seismo.CSS.GOV (Ron Heiby)
Date: 29 Apr 87 18:58:58 GMT
Organization: Motorola Microcomputer, Schaumburg, IL
To: JAJZ801%CALSTATE.BITNET@wiscvm.wisc.edu
Subject: Basic Compiler vs. Quickbasic External Routines
If you are writing in assembler, then you are compatible with anything
you want to be compatible with. Just write your interface code to match
what Quickbasic says it wants.
Ron Heiby, heiby@mcdchg.UUCP Moderator: comp.newprod & comp.unix
Motorola Microcomputer Division (MCD), Schaumburg, IL
"I am not elsewhere."
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 28 Apr 87 17:32 ITA
From: Marco Lumachi <POLICDC%IMICLVM.BITNET@wiscvm.wisc.edu>
Subject: 3277 Emulation Card
In our department we have a lot of unused IBM 3277 emulation cards.
Anyone has or knows where to search for a program that use 3277 cards for
simple terminal emulation ??
Marco Lumachi
MLUMA at IMIPOLI.EARNET
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 29 Apr 87 16:22:04 EDT
From: Robert Bloom AMSTE-TEI 3775 <rbloom@apg-1.ARPA>
Subject: My wish/question list (mostly Z248)
So far my office has migrated from a single-user CP/M-80 box, to
two multi-user CP/M-like architectures, to the current multi-
processor 8-user system (TurboDOS.) We started 6 years ago,
expanded 6 times, and still use the same basic software
(WordStar, dBase, SuperCalc). Now we're moving to the Z248s and
still trying to maintain applications compatibility. So far so
good, but I see some potholes ahead.
To set the stage: 8 Z248's (all 1 Meg RAM, 20 Meg HD, w/287,
EGA, color monitor, 1 360k FD) attached via COM1 to 8-user
TurboDOS box (8 TurboSlave I's [8mHz z80, 128k] in a NorthStar
Horizon) talking at 38.4k baud, 2 printers and 2 9600 baud modems
hung off the Master, and 2 18M HD's (14 inchers - big, noisy
mothers). 95% of the time the Z's are used as color terminals to
the TurboDOS machine.
Obviously we are not using the Z's anywhere near their full
capability. But without an easy way to share the two printers,
commo ports, and files - there is no reason to push use of the
248s and several reasons not to. There is no MS-DOS software
that we 'have to have.' (The SW for the TurboDOS machine is
actually better than the MS-DOS offerings - especially in the
utility area.) So:
1. (The big one first) With the total of 9 Z248s available, I
want to net them together so that we could share files, printers,
and communication ports. Right now all our common stuff is
attached to the TurboDOS box. I want a LAN which: (in order of
priority)
a. as far as user goes, functionally identical to single-
user machine with extensions (multi-user "transparency"). Net
software should require no different actions to run applications,
access files, print, and communicate than is required on single-
user machines. (sorry ViaNet)
b. no dedicated disk servers (sorry Novell) - I want all
nine HDs accessible to all machines. Shared files are a must -
simultaneous r/w access to a single file is not. (I wrote all my
CP/M dBase II applications to avoid multi-access files. It's
come in handy at times.)
c. shared printers - simultaneous spooling to at least two
printers on the net. The system should sort out the jobs.
d. shared access, though not simultaneous (!), to multiple
communications ports. (autodial modems, dedicated lines to other
computers, and [maybe] dail-in modems.)
e. free connection/detachment from LAN. To access the LAN
and use other machines attached, boot one way. To operate
standalone, boot another. Network is 'up' if one machine is
attached.
f. Prefer 'smart' connection cards w/own processors so
performance of basic machine doesn't suffer (too much) while
attached to the net.
g. not too expensive. (Taxpayer dollars and all that.)
(sorry ethernet) I'd like to keep it down to under $4k for
connecting the 8 248s. But that's not a absolute limit. (This
is the DOD after all. :-)
When you get right down to it, the above is no more than I
have right now. But it's not "IBM-compatible." (Slight
digression: called up a mail-order vendor to get a copy of
TurboPascal for CP/M-80. Salesperson asked whether CP/M-80 was
IBM-compatible.) I'm already pretty far from the mainstream
with the NorthStar hard sectored floppy disk controller.
2. I *hate* (and most of the users in the office agree) a
blinking cursor. At least it is not a blinking block. But I
would prefer a non-blinking block cursor. How do I get one?
Sigi (good HW hacker and ex-TurboDOSer) has a note on simtel20 on
how to do it by cutting traces but I'm hesitant to deface
government property. But I have faith in Heath stuff - isn't
there a way to deblink the cursor in software for the *Z248*?
[Look at BIOS Command 10H sub function 1 Set Cursor Type. You
can't stop it blinking but you can turn it off. -wab]
3. There are times when a system is not be used for extended
periods during a day. I would like an screen saver that would
turn the screen off if there was no activity for 'x' minutes
(most terminals use 20 minutes.) Those public domain programs
that are supposed to blank the screen don't work on the 248. (Or
at least not while running ZSTEM - lots of ram resident stuff
doesn't work right while ZSTEM is running.)
4. The normal 80-col text mode is fine. The color display is
almost as good as the TVI terminals we used to have, certainly
better than compatibles CGA. But I would have hoped that the EGA
card would have a 132-col mode. I found the 'egasmall' files in
the library and do use it for Wordstar. (Though nothing is
provided to return to normal 24x80 - 'mode 80' does go back to
24x80 but the cursor is now a flashing hyphen. Talk about
maddening cursors!) Is there a 132 by anything mode?
5. ZSTEM (Zenith Smart Terminal EMulator) pushes COM1 to 38,400
baud (and COM3 to 19,200). Works just fine as a fast vt100
terminal to the TurboDOS system. But I would also like to print
at those speeds. However the mode command only likes 9600 or
slower. How can I set up the serial port driver to higher
speeds?
6. I am interested in getting one of the Z248 for my own. (No,
I'm not going to ask how.) But I would like to be able to run
some of the neater games on my home machine. Trying to run games
at work (just experimenting, just experimenting) often run too
fast. Is here a 'slow-down' program that closer emulates the
vanilla PCs?
7. Configur doesn't recognize COM3. Apparently COM3 is only
usable if one runs ZSTEM or ENABLE. There is a parallel port on
the same card as COM3. Is that LPT2 or 3?
8. There are two RCA-type jacks on the monitor card. The
documentation says simply "for future use". What use?
9. Excess memory above 640k is apparently usable only for vdisk
(ram-disk) a printer spooler (fspool?) or a swap disk under
Windows (or Enable?). Is the extra memory good for anything
else? (2 of our 9 machines have the extra 2 Meg RAM - total of
3.3 Meg!)
All-in-all, the 248 is a great machine. Wish I knew enough to
make it really fly.
Bob Bloom (rbloom@apg-1)
------------------------------
Date: 29 Apr 87 13:26:16 PDT (Wednesday)
From: Bicer.ES@Xerox.COM
Subject: Hercules Board 40/50 line mode
Does anyone have any software (preferably PD) to put a Hercules
monochrome adapter board (clone) in a mode where it displays 40 or 50
lines? Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Jack Bicer
Bicer.ES@Xerox.COM
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 27 Apr 87 14:18:51 EDT
From: John Salter <TS5598%OHSTVMA.BITNET@wiscvm.wisc.edu>
Subject: Two COLOR Monitors Simultaneously
The computing staff here at OSU's College of Medicine is
developing Computer assisted instruction programs for an
IBM PC connected to a VIDEODISC player. We are controlling
the player (play, search, etc) via the pc's serial port.
The complete student work station consists of a PC with
a color display and a videodisc player with a SONY monitor.
A student session on this system may include questions
displayed on the computer monitor about an image on the
sony monitor.
The two color monitor question came about with the need to
overlay (superimpose) graphics/text on the video image and AST's new product, titled, EGA Overlay (price $495).
The EGA overlay is a unique, graphics daughter-board that
superimposes computer-generated text and graphics onto an
NTSC (television) signal. This new daughter-board works
with various EGAs and monitor types.
Tis the reason for CGA with EGA. We would like to continue
to display questions in color on the pc monitor via the CGA
and have the EGA overlay in conjunction with an EGA perform
the graphics overlay onto the sony monitor.
We are beginning the steps necessary to do the hand programming
suggested by of the some of the respondents. (looking for articles
on programming the EGA, pricing IBM's EGA technical reference
manual - $125)
We have had some success with setting-up a two color monitor
work station using a card from Online Systems (GL-512) with the
CGA. However, the 2k price tag and its incompatibility (pixel
resolution 512 x 512) sent us looking for an alternative.
I would like to thank all who responded to my original two monitor
question.
Are there any other low cost methods to accomplish what we want?
Is there an alternative to IBM's EGA technical reference manual?
What are some of the disadvantages of hand programming the EGA?
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 29 Apr 87 18:26:22 EDT
From: Brent W Baccala <baccala@USNA.ARPA>
Subject: Anyone Working on Gnu C Compiler?
Do you know if anyone (other than me) is working on the
GNU C Compiler - it particular porting it to a PC? I want
to produce code for the 8087, and since the GCC register
abstraction is file- and not stack-oriented, it looks like
quite a bit of code has to be changed. So produce a more
flexible compiler when it's all done, though.
------------------------------
Date: 28 Apr 87 16:18:00 EDT
From: "V703::S_DANIELS" <s_daniels%v703.decnet@nusc.arpa>
Subject: HIGH DENSITY FLOPPY FOR PC/XT
I am looking for a 1.2MB high density floppy drive for use on the PC or
XT. I have a brochure from WELTEC that claims that with their sw driver,
their 1.2 MB drive can read/write diskettes compatibility with the drive
on an AT. Total system price (drive & sw) is $150.
Has anybody had any experience with this equipment? Know of any other
sources for this set up?
Any help would be appreciated. Will summarize if I get sufficient
info. Thanks.SCOTT
[Tall Tree makes a controller card that acts as piggy back to their 2MB
JRAM cards. It acts as a floppy controller and 1.2 MB floppy controller.
We bought it just to save a card slot on a PC and have never plugged in
a 1.2 MB drive. -wab]
------------------------------
Date: 28 Apr 87 13:56 PST
From: KJBSF%SLACVM.BITNET@wiscvm.wisc.edu
Subject: RT/PC list
Does anyone know of a mailing list specific to the IBM RT PC? Any help would
be appreciated. Thanks.
------------------------------
Subject: Ega Screen Blanker
Date: Wed, 29 Apr 87 12:27:10 EDT
From: Terry Woodhouse <tjw@mitre-bedford.ARPA>
I am looking for a screen blanker that will work with the EGA card
(Blue and clones). Can anyone help? If possible, the time should
be settable on the command line, but byte-twiddling is OK if necessary.
Thanx in advance...
Terry Woodhouse
(tjw at MITRE-Bedford)
------------------------------
Date: 27 Apr 87 09:28 EDT
From: (Gary Chapman) <CHAPMAN@NYU-ACF1.ARPA>
Subject: 123 over Networks
Organization: New York University/Academic Computing Facility Systems Group
Office: Rm 318, Warren Weaver Hall, Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences
Address: 251 Mercer Street, NY, NY 10012
Work-Phone: (212) 460-7160 or (212) 460-7181
At NYU we are thinking of setting up a local area network with between 30 and
100 PCs for student use. The initial application used will be Lotus 1-2-3
for individual student projects.
(1) I understand that Lotus does not support the use of 1-2-3 over a network,
but that the software does work; also I have heard there can be problems,
specifically with regard to attempting to share access to data files on
the server. Anyone know more?
(2) Mcgraw-Hill / Lotus have announced a student version of 1-2-3, which will
be copy-protected, distributed as far as I can find out only on 5 1/4"
disks, and will sell for ~$50. Can anyone verify these facts? Will
this version of 1-2-3 act the same over a network as the full 1-2-3?
(3) I am considering an Ungermann-Bass ethernet; anyone had experience with
this product? In particular, can Novell software be used? What are
reasonable ratios for servers/workstations assuming relatively light
load? Is Macintosh connectivity possible (e.g. via Kinetics box)?
Comments concerning 3Com versus UB?
(4) We are also considering using the new IBM model 30 for workstations on
the network. I have not aware of any compatibility problems between
this machine and existing hardware/software. Comments?
Any information will be much appreciated.
Reply to CHAPMAN@NYU-ACF7.ARPA
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 29 Apr 87 15:49:37 EDT
From: Dean Carpenter <ST701979%BROWNVM.BITNET@wiscvm.wisc.edu>
Subject: Keystroke recorder needed
Does anyone know of a (preferably PD) keystroke recorder and optionally
playback program ? I need something that will take over the keyboard
INT 9 and record every keystroke for a session on an IBM XT or an AT,
recording the data in a file for later perusal. Ideally, there would
also be a playback program to replay the whole session later from the
data file, but I could write that myself if I had to.
We want to use this for a demo system, to show exactly what is necessary
to use a particular program and what the screen would look like as the
various commands were entered.
I suppose I could write the TSR myself too, but I really don't need the
hassle, especially if someone has already done the job ... Source code
would be very nice, as I would probably have to make a few modifications.
(some of the programs we need to demo are ill-behaved)
Thanks,
Dean Carpenter
ST701979%BROWNVM.BITNET
------------------------------
Date: 29 Apr 87 16:01:00 EST
From: "NRL::HERMAN" <herman%nrl.decnet@nrl.arpa>
Subject: Setting up FreEmacs
I downloaded freemacs.arc and fremcsrc.arc form simtel20 using FTP. I have
the following questions:
* what should I do to make these programs usable
* what is an .ARC file
* First you state that freemacs is written in 8086 assembly, then you
state it is written in MINT, which is it
* what are MINT and TRAC
* what are the differences between freemacs, bigemacs, and uemacs
Thank you in advance for answering all these questions.
------------------------------
End of Info-IBMPC Digest
************************
-------