piner@CSvax:Pucc-H:pur-phy.UUCP (07/29/83)
I have a couple of bits of information for LDOS users. First, I have found a bug in LDOS 5.1.3. In my copy, the SVC table has an error. All SVC calls with codes of 75 and above caused a crash. I called Logical Systems and got the location of the table in sys7/sys. It was an easy patch to do. If anyone out there has had trouble with the SVC calls in LDOS let me know and I will mail the patch. I have a later copy for my MAX-80 and it does not have the bug. So unless you have an older copy of Model I LDOS, I doubt you have a buggy copy. The easy way to fix it is to order an updated copy. They are after all only $10. And now some good news. Version 5.1.4 is slated for release at the end of August. Anyone getting ready to buy an update, may want to wait till then. There is also some bad news. Work on Version 6 has been suspended at Lobo's request. I called Lobo today to find out why. It seems that Lobo is in the middle of some changes in their incorporation status and did not wish to commit money to large projects till that was finished. They assured me that work on Version 6 of LDOS would be started again in a couple of months. Also please note that there have been some personel changes at Lobo and some orders have been lost. If you placed an order in the first half of June and you don't have it by mid August, it might be a good idea to give them a call and check on the order. There is some good news however, the MAX-80 is now being shipped with CP/M 3.0. So everyone who has been waiting for it, your wait is over. Finally a couple of side notes, Logical Systems user service phone number has been changed. It is now 414-355-5454. They also tell me that Version 6 will never be written to run on machines without 64K RAM. So if you have a Mod I or Mod II without mappers you will be stuck with Version 5.1.x. At least with the SVC calls, you can still write assembly programs that will run under Version 6. Rich Piner Purdue Physics Dept. LDOS is a trademark of Logical Systems Inc. MAX-80 is a trademark of Lobo Drives International Inc.
CSvax:Pucc-H:Physics:piner@pur-ee.UUCP (10/11/83)
I talked to the people at Logical Systems today and so I have a little news for LDOS users. Version 5.1.4 is now available. The update cost for those without an extended support contract is $10. They tell me that you can get updates to the MAX-80 version direct from Logical System too. I also ask them about version 6.0 and here is what they told me. I wanted to know if software written to run under 6.0 would run under 5.1.x if the SVC table was installed. They said that in general, it would not. The reason is, 6.0 is for RAM based machines only. It loads user programs starting at 2800 hex. while 5.1.x loads user programs at 5200 hex. So most programs written for 6.0 won't work with 5.1.x. You should be able to go in the other direction. If you write a program to use the SVC calls under 5.1.x, it should work under 6.0. They made it quite clear however, that 5.1.x software using the SVC calls may not work under 6.0 in some cases. As for the MAX-80 version of 6.0, they said they haven't heard anything from Lobo yet. They also said, that a third party is considering contracting the work for the MAX if Lobo decides not to. So I'm afraid that is still up in the air. Lobo claims they will have Logical Systems back at it soon, but any time a business changes hands, anything can happen. Rich Piner Purdue Physics Dept.