jeff@eng.umd.edu (Jeffrey Frey) (05/11/91)
It's too bad it took Zenith so long to find the right price for the MiniSport (i.e., $300-500 as opposed to the original $2K); they might have sold a lot more a couple of years ago. In my oipnion the 2MB MS at $299 (zenith's last closeout price) is a far better buy than DAK's Ultralite at $699, even though the UL has a much better screen. Unfortunately Zenith has sold them all out. Zenith does, however, have 2" disks. If you have trouble getting them, get your supplier (probably more a stationery or supply store than a computer dealer) to contact Zenith. Or maybe do it yourself. The MS manual tells you how to deal wiht a Config.Sys or Autoexec.Bat file ehil while using DOS in ROM. If you format all or part of the memory you have above 640K as a RAMdisk (you HAVE to specify in SETUP that you want RAMdisk, and how much; ) (and you HAVE to format it by using the FORMAT command while in C:>) ....then put your autoexec and config files on the RAMdisk, D:; ....then specify in SETUP that you want the machine to boot up off the ROM (C:)....then it will FIRST read the autoexec andconfig files from D:, and boot up from DOS in the ROM. My MS had apparently been sitting in the warehouse so long its lithium backup batteries had gone flat. I got my replacements at Radio Shack. Incidentally the manual says these batteries last 3 DAYS if the main battery is dead or removed, and RAMdisk backup is set "on". Has anybody confirmed this? I dread the thought of carrying pocketsful of lithium batteries around if they really last such a short time. Finally, I don't think you can include all of WP5 on 720K, but maybe you can omit the spellchecker and some printer files, etc. WP4.2 will certainly fit with room to spare. However, I use WordStar 5 which fits into 720K with spell check, page preview, and four printer definition files, or so. Of course the preview is virtually worthless on the MS with its CGTA and small screen.... Jeff
ignatz@chinet.chi.il.us (Dave Ihnat) (05/15/91)
In article <1991May11.124740.11838@eng.umd.edu> jeff@eng.umd.edu (Jeffrey Frey) writes: >It's too bad it took Zenith so long to find the right price for the >MiniSport (i.e., $300-500 as opposed to the original $2K); they might >have sold a lot more a couple of years ago. In my oipnion the 2MB MS >at $299 (zenith's last closeout price) is a far better buy than DAK's >Ultralite at $699, even though the UL has a much better screen. Yeh, but Zenith has *never* sold at a reasonable price. I know; I've had three Zenith "portables"--Z-171, Z-181, and Z-183--and all have been horribly overpriced. I've loved the reliability, screen, and keyboard; and their software has generally been solid. BUT--their predatory pricing, and generally unresponsive customer service, has led me to decide my next portable may be anything but a Zenith. And this goes for my recommendations to clients, too. >Zenith does, however, have 2" disks. If you have trouble getting them, >get your supplier (probably more a stationery or supply store than a >computer dealer) to contact Zenith. Or maybe do it yourself. >Incidentally the manual says these batteries last 3 DAYS if the main >battery is dead or removed, and RAMdisk backup is set "on". Has >anybody confirmed this? I dread the thought of carrying pocketsful >of lithium batteries around if they really last such a short time. Don't worry about it. If your main is dead, you can't change the lithiums. And if it's live, then your lithiums should last the shelf life. In closing, it's a shame. Zenith has turned out so many DECENT products, and screwed them with marketing and pricing--kinda like AT&T, to think of it... Dave Ihnat ignatz@homebru.chi.il.us (preferred return address) ignatz@chinet.chi.il.us