edo@cbnews.ATT.COM (Eric D. Osborne) (02/02/89)
I am not sure this is the right newsgroup, so I apologize if this is the wrong place. Anyway, I have a desparate need to find out the directory structure and/or code set used on the 8" diskettes used by the Xerox 850 word processor. I need to get a bunch of files off these things, and Xerox has shut down the phone support for the product. I have used another machine to read the diskettes, and have figured out part of the organization, but I would feel a whole lot better if I knew for sure how the diskettes were layed out. If any Xerox folks are out there - I'd be perfectly happy to get this info through normal channels, if I knew what the normal channels were. The Columbus offices of Xerox didn't even know who I should call. Any help would be HUGELY appreciated. Eric Osborne (AGS CONTRACTOR) * Bell Labs Columbus * Any opinions contained herein are 6200 East Broad Street * strictly my own, and should not be Room 0B117 * construed to represent the opinions of Columbus, Ohio * Bell Laboratories, AT&T, or AGS OFFICE : (614) 860-2968 * Information Services !att!cblpn!edo * edo@cblpn.att.com
lee@rocksanne.UUCP (Lee Moore) (02/04/89)
To the person looking for the 850 format:
The only path I can think of is to call the Xerox Systems Institute.
They recently published the *860* document format. (Not the directory
format) Perhaps they can get you in contact with the right people.
The Xerox System Institute (mainly a clearinghouse for Xerox standards
documents) is located in Sunnyvale, CA. Fonda Lix (no joke!) is probably
a good starting person to talk to. The people you really want are
probably at Xerox's Dallas facility.
Lee
--
Lee Moore -- Xerox Webster Research Center
UUCP: {allegra, decvax, cmcl2, rutgers}!rochester!rocksanne!lee
Arpa Internet: Moore.Wbst128@Xerox.Com
DDN: +1 716 422 2496"Don_Winter.XSIS"@XEROX.COM (02/05/89)
The "Worm" was the Xerox 820, not the 850. THe 850 was a pure Word Processor with "firmware" program, but functionality identical to the software-loaded 860.
edo@cbnews.ATT.COM (Eric D. Osborne) (02/08/89)
In article <890206-040837-4184@Xerox> info-1100@cis.ohio-state.edu writes: >The "Worm" was the Xerox 820, not the 850. THe 850 was a pure Word >Processor with "firmware" program, but functionality identical to the >software-loaded 860. Does this mean that the 850 used the CP/M directory structure, and the same document format as the 860? I called the Xerox Systems Institute (Thanks for that tip, Lee!), and they are sending the 860 document format, but NO ONE I HAVE SPOKEN TO AT 5 XEROX LOCATIONS knows ANYTHING WHATSOEVER about the 850. In point of fact, I made about 20 phone calls, and several of them (about 6) ended up connecting to recorded messages telling me that there was no support for the 850. That's pretty obnoxious when you are calling long distance numbers given to you by Xerox employees. I mean, I know the thing is obsolete, but surely somebody has a manual somewhere. Well, I don't mean to flame. I really appreciate the help I have been given by the Xerox folks on the net. Without it, I would be completely in the dark. Eric Osborne (AGS CONTRACTOR) * Bell Labs Columbus * Any opinions contained herein are 6200 East Broad Street * strictly my own, and should not be Room 0B117 * construed to represent the opinions of Columbus, Ohio * Bell Laboratories, AT&T, or AGS OFFICE : (614) 860-2968 * Information Services !att!cblpn!edo * edo@cblpn.att.com
Winter.XSIS@XEROX.COM (02/10/89)
Re: "Does this mean that the 850 used the CP/M directory structure, and the same document format as the 860?" No. The 850 had nothing whatsoever to do with CP/M or the CP/M directory structure. The 850 document structure is very similar to that of the 860, if not quite identical. Both have been converted to other formats using the "Xerox 860 File Conversion" and other conversion facilities of the Xerox Star (now ViewPoint) software. The Xerox organizational component which developed the 850 has long since been disbanded and/or reorganized into another located halfway across the country, so it isn't surprising that no-one can tell you anything about the 850 anymore.