phil@atom2.LHRL.OZ.AU (Phil Belbin) (02/06/91)
Has anybody used an Atari Portfolio or similar machine to run msdos exe or com files to run compiled spreadsheets. We are looking at purchacing a machine and would appreciate any help or advice. Thanks Phil Belbin
silvert@cs.dal.ca (Bill Silvert) (02/06/91)
In article <44@atom2.LHRL.OZ.AU> phil@atom2.LHRL.OZ.AU (Phil Belbin) writes: > > Has anybody used an Atari Portfolio or similar machine to run msdos >exe or com files to run compiled spreadsheets. We are looking at purchacing >a machine and would appreciate any help or advice. I only have the minimum memory configuration, but my Portfolio runs the few MS-DOS files I've tried. Mostly I use grep.com, but I understand from people who have ported larger programs that so long as your program doesn't address the screen or use special ROM/BIOS calls it should be OK. So unix-like *.exe and *.com files should be OK, but you may have trouble with spreadsheets. -- William Silvert, Habitat Ecology Division, Bedford Inst. of Oceanography P. O. Box 1006, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, CANADA B2Y 4A2. Tel. (902)426-1577 UUCP=..!{uunet|watmath}!dalcs!biomel!bill BITNET=bill%biomel%dalcs@dalac InterNet=bill%biomel@cs.dal.ca
davis@aurs01.uucp (Alan Davis) (02/08/91)
In article <44@atom2.LHRL.OZ.AU> phil@atom2.LHRL.OZ.AU (Phil Belbin) writes: > > Has anybody used an Atari Portfolio or similar machine to run msdos >exe or com files to run compiled spreadsheets. We are looking at purchacing >a machine and would appreciate any help or advice. I have been using my port for most of a year now and have found in general that the Messy-dos programs must conform to a 'tiny'memory profile : i8x86 'tiny' memory model = 64k i+d bios services only, no direct video write, no low level disk, serial or parallel port control doesn't check for 'known' bios signatures If you are interested in roll-your own port apps, the basic tech kit is only $60 from Atari, but doesn't include hotline support or CIS developer forum access. To get full support you have to shell out about $300. Well behaved programs may be written in C, Pascal, C++, Modula2, etc. There is a version of BASIC available (interpreted) that can be used with GWBASIC programs developed on the PC, with some restrictions. -- Alan Davis aur : davis@aurw87 Alcatel Network Systems BIX : adavis ...!mcnc!aurgate!aurfs1!davis CIS : 72317,3661 internet : 72317.3661@compuserve.com Alan Davis aur : davis@aurw87 Alcatel Network Systems BIX : adavis ..!mcnc!aurgate!aurfs1!davis CIS : 72317,3661 internet : 72317.3661@compuserve.com