[comp.sys.zenith.z100] Z100 IBM compatibility

paula@bcsaic.UUCP (Paul Allen) (05/01/91)

Boy, it's sure lonely here!  Are there any of you left?

My trusty old Z100 fell into disuse over a year ago after I bought
a new 386 clone to run Minix on.  Now my parents are saying they
could use a computer for investment tracking, mailing-list, word
processing, and spreadsheet.  I'd like to give them my old Zenith,
but the only application software I ever acquired for the thing
(other than several compilers) was Multiplan and Wordstar.  I'd
really like to put something like Managing Your Money on it, but
I'm certain it requires at least an IBM-compatible BIOS interface
to the display and keyboard.  I remember there used to be something
called "zpc" that provided software emulation of enough of the
IBM BIOS to allow running some IBM software on the Z100.  I've
grepped around in my archives, but I am unable to dredge up any
details that would enable me to get my hands on it.  I seem to
recall that it was available through HUG, but I don't know how
to get in touch with them.

Can anybody get me pointed in the right direction?  If HUG is the
place to go, has anybody got a phone number, postal address, or
email address?  If zpc is available for ftp (I checked archie,
and didn't find it.), can anyone point me at the appropriate host?
If zpc isn't the answer, can you suggest an alternate?  Is there
any money-management software that runs native on the Z100?

Help me breath new life into this aging workhorse!

Thanks!

Paul Allen
pallen@atc.boeing.com
..!us-beaver!bcsaic!pallen
-- 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Paul L. Allen                       | pallen@atc.boeing.com
Boeing Advanced Technology Center   | ...!uw-beaver!bcsaic!pallen

ruderman@sbgrad2.cs.sunysb.edu (David Ruderman - Racquetball Commissioner) (05/05/91)

If you are looking to make use of your Z100, then note:

HUG did have a software PC emulator that ran several IBM PC
programs very well.  I think that is the ZPC you are looking for.
There are some hardware emulators, but I wouldnt spend the money
unless it cost $50 or less, used from one of the other readers of 
this newsgroup.

A good software package that had a good wordprocessor, a spreadsheet,
and a reasonable database was PeachText which was available from
PeachTree software  in Georgia (still in business) and not copy protected,
if you cant buy it, you just select Z100 when you install it.

I believe that Wordperfect 4.0 is still available, maybe some of those
other perfect's fit the Z100?

My Z100 is still running at my friend's house with a 40meg and 2meg'o ram.

Good luck
-dave
  

--
David Ruderman                            ruderman@sbcs.sunysb.edu
Department of Computer Science                      (516) 632-7675
SUNY at Stony Brook                "The price of freedom is
Stony Brook, NY  11794-4400                    eternal vigilance."