mraustad@infocenter.UUCP (Mike Raustad) (05/16/89)
I have some general questions for the Zenith z100 users. Please
pardon my ignorance, I am just learning to use the system.
1. Is the system IBM compatible?
2. Can I run DBASE software?
3. I have a Lotus123 package which prompts me that an MS-DOS version
of 2.0 is required, but I have version 3.1. After the installation
the system gave me an error message of "incompatible system size".
I know this results from installing 123 on version 3.1. Can I get
around this somehow, or must I purchase MS-DOS version 2.0?
4. Do you find the overall system to be useful for personnal computing
tasks? What about programming tasks?
5. What is the memory of the system and can it be expanded. If so where
can you purchase the additional boards.
6. What is the life expectancy of the system?
Thank you for your responses.
____________________________________________________________________________
| MIKE RAUSTAD - ENCORE COMPUTER SYSTEMS - FT. LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA 33313 |
| /\/\ | |/ |_ |_) /\ | | (_` | /\ | \ | PHONE: (305)-797-5621 |
|/ \| |\ |_ | \/--\|__| \_) |/--\|_/ | EMAIL: uunet!gould!mraustad |
|__ "Whoever said life was a beach, must have had sand in their swimsuit." __|
mac@harris.cis.ksu.edu (Myron A. Calhoun) (05/17/89)
In article <2319@infocenter.UUCP> mraustad@infocenter.UUCP (Mike Raustad) writes: > I have some general questions for the Zenith z100 users. Please >pardon my ignorance, I am just learning to use the system. >1. Is the system IBM compatible? Depends on how you define "compatible". Since the Z-100 came out BEFORE the IBM PC, the proper question would be "Is the IBM PC compatible?"! But to answer your question more directly, the Z-100 can run many "well- behaved" programs originally written for the IBM PC. ("Well-behaved" means they use the operating system to do I/O instead of doing it them- selves.) The Z-100 can be made MORE IBM PC compatible via a) software: ZPC, obtainable through HUG, the Heath Users' Group, b) hardware: the Gemini board, available somewhere; read Sextant or REMark magazines, or c) combined: ZPC with a small S-100 I/O board to increase compatability >2. Can I run DBASE software? My "ZPC Update Index" of October, 1988, has a DBase III entry. I have a Gemini board but don't know how DBase runs on it since I don't have DBase. >3. I have a Lotus123 package which prompts me that an MS-DOS version > of 2.0 is required, but I have version 3.1. After the installation > the system gave me an error message of "incompatible system size". > I know this results from installing 123 on version 3.1. Can I get > around this somehow, or must I purchase MS-DOS version 2.0? My "ZPC Update Index" has a Lotus 1-2-3 entry. I don't know how Lotus 1-2-3 runs on the Gemini board, since I don't have it; but I use MultiPlan, a very early spreadsheet. >4. Do you find the overall system to be useful for personal computing > tasks? What about programming tasks? The Z-100 is essentially equivalent to any other PC of that era; thus it is essentially as useful for personnal computing and/or programming tasks as any other PC of that era. Most Z-100 aficionados speak very highly of the keyboard, especially. The Z-100 can be improved by adding extra disk drives (the floppy disk controller and software supports two 5 1/4" (360K) AND two 8" or two more 5 1/4" (1.2M) drives. Speedup kits are available to increase the clock speed from its original ~4 MHz to 7.5 MHz or faster. And so on. >5. What is the memory of the system and can it be expanded. If so where > can you purchase the additional boards. Originally the Z-100 came with on-board capability of 192 K (three 64K banks) of RAM. For about $50 (plus 27 256K RAM chips!) you can upgrade to 768K on the mother board, without having to make any wiring changes (but you will have to open the machine and partially disassemble it to reach the mother board, where you will remove one (or two?) IC's, plug in a small adapter board, replace the IC's, remove the current RAM IC's, plug in an interesting looking gizmo, and install new RAM IC's. I've done this once and have two more to do Real Soon Now). Or you can buy an S-100 RAM board (the Z-205) from Zenith, which holds 256K. (And that board can be modified to 1M! I have this modification kit but haven't installed it yet.) One can also purchase a 2-M board; I have one of them, too; a LARGE RAM disk runs circles around a hard disk (which I do NOT have.) >6. What is the life expectancy of the system? Well, I have three of them (two at home and one at work) and I've had them since 1984. Like most equipment, the electronics may last practically forever, and the moving parts (disk drives) may fail tomorrow. So far, I've had absolutely no failures. I use them a lot. If you want/need true-blue IBM PC compatibility, then BUY IBM (or clone). If you already have a Z-100, it is a good-enough machine for a whole LOT of things. But it is NOT an IBM "clone". It came first and was BETTER (builtin graphics and text at the same time, for example). I'm not at home, so I can't give addresses for some of the products mentioned above. But if you need more information, please do not hesitate to contact me directly. -- Myron A. Calhoun, PhD EE, W0PBV, (913) 532-6350 (work), 539-4448 (home). INTERNET: mac@ksuvax1.cis.ksu.edu BITNET: mac@ksuvax1.bitnet UUCP: ...{rutgers, texbell}!ksuvax1!harry!mac
djo7613@blake.acs.washington.edu (Dick O'Connor) (05/17/89)
*** Sorry, Mike, but my mail to you bounced. Here's a response...
Mike:
Congratulations on becoming a Z100 owner! There are a few tricks, but
you've joined an avid group of diehards, now. One of my first
recommendations is to spend the $30 or so to join the H/Z User's Group
and get REMark magazine. There are still Z100 programming and general
use articles published there, along with a new monthly column just for
the Z100.
Use your internet access to FTP files from the PD1:<HZ100> directory on
SIMTEL20. There are 70 or so ARC files there with Z100-specific PD or
shareware packages. Check out RHM (RightHandMan) for a nifty SideKick
clone that works on Z100's as well as PC's. You can also FTP the most
recent version (yes, someone is actually working on it currently, with
improvements!) of Z100 Kermit directly from Columbia University. I have
the Internet addresses if you need them.
Your questions...
1) No, the Z100 is not truly PC-compatible. Screen displays are handled
differently in that the Z100 is always in graphics mode: there is no
"text" mode. Full-screen displays are not compatible between the two
types of machines without extra hardware like Gemini boards or the
UCI PC emulator. But is *is* a true MSDOS machine that supports a 768K
memory space instead of 640 K!
2) I have dBase II on my machine, but I don't know if there's a Z-100
version of dBIII.
3) I have Lotus 123 Version 1A on my machine; again, I assume a Z-100
version is required, and maybe that's the problem.
4) Is it useful?? YES!! I use WatchWord as my word processor and
programming editor, Microsoft Fortran, Turbo Pascal Version 3, and Kermit
for 9600 baud communications with the mainframes (like this one) I use
for large programming tasks and Internet access <grin!>.
5) I have 768K memory, and use around 300-400K for a RAM disk, depending
on my needs. You can add a lot more, but I'm not sure how much. I would
check with Paul Herman, Inc. at 3620 Amazon Drive, New Port Richey, FL
34655 (813-376-5457) for information about prices and availability. Chips
used are standard RAM DIP chips...no SIMM availability that I know of.
6) Well, we built mine from a HeathKit in 1983 and nothing has been replaced
yet. Of the three machines I'm resposible for, we've only lost a single
5.25-inch drive (an old fullheight Tandon) and a single no-name (not H/Z)
8-inch drive. I expect these things to last forever. And why not?
Best of luck to you with your machine. Questions? Keep asking!!
--
"Moby" Dick O'Connor
Washington Department of Fisheries
Olympia, Washington 98504
Internet Mail: djo7613@blake.acs.washington.edu
****************************************************************************
DISCLAIMER: I speak only for myself, not for the Department. Here, anyway!
****************************************************************************
So long, and thanks from all the fish...alpope@token.Sun.COM (Alan Pope) (05/18/89)
I saw another response to this that was not correct so I thought I should pitch in my $0.02. My authority is that I was at Zenith Data Systems during the advent of the Z-100. Basically, I wrote most of the MS-DOS manuals for the initial release of the Z-100. However, this was 1981 and my memory is not real good. First, though the Z-100 was in design phase before word of the IBM PC leaked to the press, it did not make it to market prior to the PC. In its early form the product was known as the Z-Machine and even had a three voice synthesizer (read music chip). With word of the IBM unit, it was decided to redesign the box away from what might be misconstrued as a "game" machine so the synth got dumped as well as some other features. Some minor attempts were made to make it more IBM like but it was not foreseen that success required total IBM compatability. The Z-100 was not released until at least 3 to 6 months after the PC was on the market. [They were waiting for me to finish the F manuals! ;^) ]. By day you can call me at 415-336-1267 if you have questions. My references are at home so I might not know the answer right away. I do have the hardware techincal reference for the original box, including ROM listing (three binders 8 1/2 by 11). On May 16, 2:03pm, sun-barr!apple!rutgers!mailrus!uflorida!novavax!in wrote: /* * Subject: General questions for Zenith users * * I have some general questions for the Zenith z100 users. Please * pardon my ignorance, I am just learning to use the system. * * 1. Is the system IBM compatible? It is to the degree that it runs MS-DOS, uses similarly formatted 5 1/4 inch disk formats, and has an 8088. After that the similarities stop. It will run generic MSDOS programs, assuming they do not do IBM PC graphics. * 2. Can I run DBASE software? dBase was a product that was initally available for the Z-100. When Zenith more or less dropped their support, no further dBase upgrades were ported. If you want to run an old dBase you might find one available by asking on this net or inquiring to some of the z100 support vendors. Otherwise, you can attempt emmulation via ZPC, Geminii, or UCI's product. * 3. I have a Lotus123 package which prompts me that an MS-DOS version * of 2.0 is required, but I have version 3.1. After the installation * the system gave me an error message of "incompatible system size". * I know this results from installing 123 on version 3.1. Can I get * around this somehow, or must I purchase MS-DOS version 2.0? Whose version of Lotus is it? Zenith had a 1-2-3 port initially (needed to fill some government contract, I beleive (probably the initial Air Force contract). Any body elses version probably means you need to go the emmulation route above. As for versions, I don't know I put my 1-2-3 in the box years ago and only used Multiplan. * 4. Do you find the overall system to be useful for personnal computing * tasks? What about programming tasks? As a programmer, I use my box all the time. What gets used most is my vi, C compiler, Assembler, Microsoft Windows 1.4, and my wife uses WordStar and Multiplan. Once and awhile I'll play some Zenith specific games. I'm always acquiring some of the Z-100 public domain software and even generic MS-DOS public domain (some of this is share-ware). Oh, and I have some comm programs so that I can dial BBS's and into my box at work. * 5. What is the memory of the system and can it be expanded. If so where * can you purchase the additional boards. The Z100, if it supports 256K chips, can have a base of 768K memory (1 Meg really, but the overflow is extended memory) on the mother board. UCI sold (sells?) a two meg card that is fairly cheap (no experience with it so I can't comment) and Zenith had a 256K (?) card that someone came out with some expansion for so that it used higher density memory, I believe. * 6. What is the life expectancy of the system? The box has been obsolete for the last five years. There are still people supporting it. I got mine in 1983 (I was no longer at Zenith by then). Since then I had one floppy die, and my monitor (Zenith's original color monitor) lost its green gun (except when the monitor gets real hot, then green comes back). I also had an old style box that did not support 256k chips and about three years ago (maybe four) my wife bought me a new style motherboard for my birthday. I also changed the CPU to a NEC V-20, had to squeeze every last drop out of the buss. * * Thank you for your responses. * * ____________________________________________________________________________ * | MIKE RAUSTAD - ENCORE COMPUTER SYSTEMS - FT. LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA 33313 | * | /\/\ | |/ |_ |_) /\ | | (_` | /\ | \ | PHONE: (305)-797-5621 | * |/ \| |\ |_ | \/--\|__| \_) |/--\|_/ | EMAIL: uunet!gould!mraustad | * |__ "Whoever said life was a beach, must have had sand in their swimsuit." __| * * * --End of excerpt from sun-barr!apple!rutgers!mailrus!uflorida!novavax!in */ Alan L. Pope alpope@sun.com
GUBBINS@TOPS20.RADC.AF.MIL (Gern) (05/18/89)
>1. Is the system IBM compatible? No. It is an 8088/8085 S-100 System. It can run MS-DOS tailored to to its hardware just like the IBM-PC runs MS-DOS tailored to its hardware. The Z-100 can also run 5 other OSes. >2. Can I run DBASE software? Yes. You can run DBASE II from Zenith that has support for the Z-100. I do not know if DBASE III or higher have Z-100 support from Zenith, but I am told the non-copy protected versions will run using the ZPCV2 Patch. >3. I have a Lotus123 package which prompts me that an MS-DOS version > of 2.0 is required, but I have version 3.1. After the installation > the system gave me an error message of "incompatible system size". > I know this results from installing 123 on version 3.1. Can I get > around this somehow, or must I purchase MS-DOS version 2.0? Are you running IBM-PC version of Lotus 123 or the much improved Z-100 Version? >4. Do you find the overall system to be useful for personnal computing > tasks? What about programming tasks? Yes, It can be expanded well beyond the PC & Clones limits. The PCs have limited hardware and kludge for system software. >5. What is the memory of the system and can it be expanded. If so where > can you purchase the additional boards. The normal max RAM is 768K on the motherboard. If you tell me what the System command from the Boot Monitor says, I can tell you how easy it is (hit [DELETE] on turn on without any floppies in the drives). However, My systems have 768K or program RAM, 192K of color video RAM, and 256K of RAMDISK RAM (will expand when 256K chip prices go down). No cards required for 768K. >6. What is the life expectancy of the system? 7 years starting from 1-JAN-87 when Heath will drop parts support. However, they rarely fail, and are trivial to repair ('cept for the power supply!) There is a large wealth of PD software and upgrade info in the PD1:<HZ100> @ SIMTEL20.ARPA Directory. Cheers, Gern -------
alpope@token.Sun.COM (Alan Pope) (05/19/89)
In article <12494995240.15.GUBBINS@TOPS20.RADC.AF.MIL>, GUBBINS@TOPS20.RADC.AF.MIL (Gern) writes: > > > > >1. Is the system IBM compatible? > No. It is an 8088/8085 S-100 System. It can run MS-DOS tailored to > to its hardware just like the IBM-PC runs MS-DOS tailored to its hardware. > The Z-100 can also run 5 other OSes. MS-DOS, CP/M-85 (8085 version), CP/M-86 (8088 version), UCSD Pascal, and what??? Z-DOS? Is there an HDOS (Minix?)? What 6 OS's? Alan L. Pope alpope@sun.com
GUBBINS@TOPS20.RADC.AF.MIL (Gern) (05/20/89)
MS-DOS V1-3, CP/M-85, CP/M-86, MP/M, Concurrent CP/M-86 all official from ZDS. I never think of UCSD Pascal as an OS, though I probably should. The Z-100 has out for it that UNIX like OS that was posted here a while ago. I also heard that that HDOS was released by HUG for the Z-100 (8085 side). Anyone port MIMIX to the Z-100 yet? Anyone have code? Cheers, Gern -------