fidonews -- 21 Jan 85 23:24:04 Page 1 Volume 2, Number 3 21 Jan 85 +----------------------------------------------------------+ | _ | | / \ | | - FidoNews - /|oo \ | | (_| /_) | | Fido and FidoNet _`@/_ \ _ | | Users Group | | \ \\ | | Newsletter | (*) | \ )) | | ______ |__U__| / \// | | / FIDO \ _//|| _\ / | | (________) (_/(_|(____/ | | (jm) | +----------------------------------------------------------+ Editor: Tom Jennings Publisher: Fido #1 Chief Procrastinator: Tom Jennings ......................................... Disclaimer or dont-blame-me: The contents of the articles contained here are not my responsibility, nor do I necessarily agree with them; everything here is subject to debate. I publish EVERYTHING received. You can take this to mean anything you want, but hopefully as an invitation to comment, make suggestions, or write articles of your own. ......................................... HOT NEWS Yet another week, another large newsletter. More general interest articles; maybe we need two newsletters, one for sysops one for users? Just an idea ... for now I'll leave things alone, no sense making work for myself. The newsletter now has a regular naming convention, so that you can keep old ones around, or for archiving. The name is: FIDONEWS.VNN Where V is the Volume (1 is 1984, 2 is 1985, etc( and NN is the issue Number; 01 is the first week in Jan, 02 is the second week, etc. HOWEVER, this presents a problem; when squeezed, there are name conflicts: both FIDONEWS.202 and FIDONEWS.212 when squeezed are named FIDONEWS.2Q2; anyone have an idea? Im stumped. The problem is that there are 52 issues a year, so there are lots of conflicts. fidonews -- 21 Jan 85 23:24:11 Page 2 One really gross way is to make the name strange, like: FIDONEWS.NVN Where the issue Number is split in two halfs, then the conflict would be only by year. However, this is so obnoxious, it's not very practical. Repeated from last week .... Bumper stickers are complete; they look pretty good. The artwork is a bit crude (the same doggie, about 4 times larger than the one on the manual cover) but it's simple and to the point. I have 500 stickers; they cost me about $95.00, so here's the deal: $1.00 three stickers $5.00 twenty stickers If I run out, it will take me another week or two to have more made; I'll inform you here if I do. My address is: Tom Jennings 2269 Market St. #118 San Francisco CA 94114 fidonews -- 21 Jan 85 23:24:13 Page 3 NEWS ARTICLE SUBMISSION The format of FidoNews is totally ad hoc; please make recomendations as to formats, sections needed, liked, or hated, columns you'd like to see, or see removed, anything at all. If you want to submit something regularly, we can start a column for you. You are ENCOURAGED to send things in for the newsletter. ANYTHING is fit for the newsletter, such as a description of your board, problems found, questions, jokes, fixes, horror stories about wrong FidoNet numbers, things for sale, etc etc etc. SUBMITTING AN ARTICLE An article should have your name, node number (if applicable), followed by the text. Text can be any ASCII derivative; WordStar, soft paragraphs, 8th bit set, etc are all OK. Articles can be uploaded at either Fido #1, #27 or #51, or by sending it by FidoNet. Make sure the file name is unique, especially if you send it by FidoNet, so you dont overwrite another article. Anchor Signalman Mk XII DTR fix ------------------------------- The Anchor Signalman MK XII does not support the RS-232 DTR (data terminal ready) signal. Too bad, since at $250 (discounted) this is probably the cheapest stand-alone 1200 bps modem available, and seems to work just fine otherwise. Unfortunately, quite a bit of software (BBSs especially) depend on DTR to hang up the phone. This file describes a hardware fix which will add DTR to the MK XII. Obviously, this voids your 2-year warranty. However, the same thing COULD be done with an external box. ---------------------- You will need: 1 - 2N4401 transistor 1 - 10K ohm 1/4 watt resistor a short piece of thin wire (#30 wirewrap wire suggested) shrink-wrap & tape (to do it right) an exacto knife solder, soldering iron, and the ability to use it ----------------------- fidonews -- 21 Jan 85 23:24:19 Page 4 1) Using a flat-blade screwdriver, open the Signalman case Try not to mangle it too badly. 2) Remove the circuit board and turn it so that the solder side is facing up, and the serial cable is at the bottom. 3) It should say "Anchor Automation Inc 00472 Rev A" in the upper right-hand corner. If it doesn't, this may not work, or may not make sense. 4) In the lower right-hand corner of the board, just to the left and above the right-hand phone connector, you will notice two vertical groups of three pads. The left group has no traces coming from it. The right group has traces coming from the bottom and top pads. 5) Cut the trace coming from the bottom right-hand pad. Try to do this near to the pad. 6) Position the 2N4401 transistor with the flat side toward the board, and the wires toward the top of the board. 7) Solder the RIGHT-hand wire of the transistor to the lower right-hand pad of the group of six that you located above. (The one that you cut the trace to.) 8) Solder the MIDDLE wire of the transistor to the cut trace, on the other side of the cut. 9) Solder one end of the 10K resistor to the remaining wire of the transistor. 10) Solder a 3" piece of wire to the other end of the 10K resistor. 11) Slip a piece of heat-shrink over the resistor, and shrink. 12) Now, find the group of pads coming from the RS-232 cable. Find the 4th pad from the left, and 2'nd from the bottom. There should be traces coming from the pads just above and below it. 13) Solder the other end of the wire to this pad. 14) Put a piece of tape over the whole shebang, just to keep it from moving. 15) That's it! The modem should now observe DTR. If the DTR signal is 0 or negative voltage, the telephone line (through the on-board relay) will be disconnected from the modem. If the DTR signal is above a couple of volts then everything works normally. fidonews -- 21 Jan 85 23:24:26 Page 5 16) Make sure that you connect DTR to your computer and that your computer asserts DTR! The modem will NOT operate without DTR asserted! 17) If DTR is dropped, the line to the modem will be dropped. The modem should notice it and drop carrier detect to your computer, as well as decide to hang up on it's very own. At this point, you can bring DTR back up, and the caller (or callee) should be gone. I have no idea what the timing should be - whatever it takes the relay to operate. 1/10 second should be more than ample. This works with FIDO - I can't tell you what other BBS software will do. [ Ed. Note: Fido drops DTR, waits 2 seconds, then raises it again. ] 18) You will soon discover why people with Hayes modems are constantly pulling the front off to operate the DIP switches. PC-Talk (and maybe other programs) insists on dropping DTR when you exit or change communication parameters. Oh well, you can't have everything! 19) Oh yeah - quit gawking and put the thing back together. 20) Pray. ------------------------------- Jon Tara 1300 E. Lafayette #2808 Detroit, Michigan 48207 ARPA: Jon_Tara%Wayne-MTS%UMIch-MTS.Mailnet@MTS- MULTICS.ARPA usenet: ihnp4!ucbvax!Jon_Tara%Wayne-MTS%UMich- MTS.Mailnet@MIT-MULTICS.ARPA BBS : (313) 393-0527 (Detroit PCUTILboard) FIDO: Jon Tara on FIDO92 ------------------------------- Dallas, Texas (FNM) - 1-12-1985 by Bridge Lindsay In November, Gil Hendrix, a service representive for Business Computer Network presented a new modem to the Southwest PC Users' Group. This is a review of that modem and the offer that was made. A company called Business Computer Network from Riverton, Wyoming has just announced that it would like to be the first modem manufactuer to bring the cost of modems fidonews -- 21 Jan 85 23:24:33 Page 6 down to earth. They are introducing the "SmartLink II", an external Hayes(tm) compatable smart modem that shifts from 1200 baud to 300 baud and back automatically. It features auto-answer, auto-dial (rotary and tone), works on any computer that has a standard RS232 port and runs on any communications software that a Hayes will. This includes Xtalk, Perfect Link, PC-Talk III, Minitel, QModem, 1-Ringy Dingy and many others. The modem has a 30-day money-back guarantee "FOR ANY REASON" and a 2-year warranty on all parts and labor and is available for: *** $199.95 *** The cable for the modem is available as follows: IBM and COMPATIBLES $9.95 DEC $9.95 Kaypro $9.95 Apple/MacIntosh $13.95 FREIGHT is $5.00 tax where applicable This is enough to make most people happy BUT, they don't stop! Purchases of 5 to 9 modems are at $189 each and 10 or more are $179 each. AH! There's more........... (1) You receive a year's subscription to BCN's Network Service, free. This is normally $5 a month or $50 a year. The Network Service offers access to over 15 mainframe databases and on-line information services. Some of these services are Dialog, Compuserve, Source, BRS, Western Union's Easylink and Commodity Data Information System. Membership is reserved so, you don't have to pay any additional sign-up fees or monthly minimum fees. You pay only for the actual hook-up time. Access is toll-free so there are no packet-carrier fees to Tymnet, Telenet or Uninet. To pay the individual start-up and minimum monthly fees for a year to these services would be in excess of $3000! (2) You receive the software to access BCN's service, free. This software called "SuperScout" is specifically designed for quick and easy menu-driven access to all services without you having to acquire passwords, I.D. numbers, telephone numbers or even sign-on protocals. In fact, you can even access point-to-point any other computer that has "SuperScout" e.g. office-to-office, home-to-home, home-to-office, home-to-school, etc. Each time you connect the service your software is automatically updated at no charge. (3) You receive a complete "SuperScout" operator's manual and a BCN Database Guide. (4) Finally, you receive a 3-month subscription to Link-Up fidonews -- 21 Jan 85 23:24:41 Page 7 Magazine. Anyone not wanting the modem can subscribe to the service for $5-month or a once-a-year fee of $50 and receive the four items above. If you pay the fee for a year ($50), BCN will give you a 300 baud modem free. The service currently communicates at 300 baud but, in order to promote the new 1200 modem, service will be upgraded before spring. You may purchase the modem or the service with your credit- card by calling BCN's 24 hour-a-day-every-day-of-the-year (includes Christmas Eve, etc.) Customer Service Toll-Free Number 800-446-6255 and tell them you heard about it from the /^^^^^^\ ___/|BRIDGE|\___ || || or you may send a check or money order to: Business Computer Network Attn. Gil Hendrix you can call Gil at (404)233-9089 Suite 500 Dept. BRIDGE and order by credit-card too. Seven Peidmont Center Atlanta, Georgia 30305 allow 30 days shipping Bridge Lindsay was not paid to write this review. --------------------------------- From: Jon Tara on FIDO92 Subject: Verbosity (an editorial) Try to keep your articles short. --------------------------------- Matt Gertner Sysop Node #210 I am writing this article in the hopes that I may receive some suggestions in regard to a bulletin board system that I am currently writing in Turbo Pascal under CP/M-86 for the DEC Rainbow. I previously completed a BBS in C, but it badly needed a rewriting, and I found some significant advantages in Turbo, most notable of which is its portability (Turbo is available on many systems other than the DEC). In writing this BBS I am borrowing many of my favorite BBSs, including Fido. If this goes as planned, my system should include the following unique features of Fido 1. The Net 2. Linked message replys (-,+) 3. Type-ahead (not unique, but still nice) In addition, I will attempt to add all or most of the fidonews -- 21 Jan 85 23:24:47 Page 8 following: 1. Auto-file squeezing. This requires some explanation: Squeezed files are files specially incoded using a strange (Huffman - ??) algorithm. Commonly, they are named with a Q in the center of their file extension (e.g. FILENAME.EQT instead of FILENAME.EXT). This compression saves anywhere from 0 to 60 percent (approx.), usually around 40%. Unfortunately, to use these files, you must have a special unsqueezing program. Also, when squeezed text files are placed on Fido they cannot be read with the (T)ype command. Therefore, many Sysops place both the squeezed and the unsqueezed version of a file onto their BBS. Although this reduces download time for those people with file unsqueezers, it eats disk space, and those of us with floppy-only systems want to save disk space with file squeezing, not lose it. For these reasons, I plan to implement the squeezing techniques into all the files of my BBS. System files (i.e. WELCOME, NEWUSER, etc.) would be squeezed automatically by the system the first time the system is run, although for technical reasons, messages and USER.BBS cannot be squeezed effectively. Uploads would be squeezed if not squeezed already. Files posted by the Sysop must be squeezed manually with the squeeze utility before being copied onto the files disk. A file is listed in the directory with its unsqueezed file name. When a file is downloaded, the user is asked "Squeezed (y/n)? ", and the file is unsqueezed as it is sent if (n)o is selected. I anticipate signifigant savings in disk space and download time with this technique. Comments are welcome. [Ed. Note: I couldnt resist a comment here ... it is an excellent idea; also, I think you can do it all painlessly. A squeezed file has Control-V as its first byte I think; just check that, then you can do either with no special files, etc ] 2. Rainbow specific screen handling: I can't remember who mentioned this in FIDONEWS volume 2, number 2, but I think this may be the answer to his complaint. After baud rate is detected, my BBS will send the VT100 terminal query code to the user, and if the appropriate code is returned it would assume full- screen menu and editing functions, and accept function keys. This will be low on my priority list, because of its complexity and Rainbow-specificy, maybe a later version... 3. Original user-interface: Every BBS I have ever logged onto has used essentially the same user- interface. It prints either a menu or a short list of valid letters (or either, in the case of Fido), and then prompts for a letter entry. I have seen a couple of variants on this theme, one being the way Fido allows multiple commands on a line (e.g. 'gn' instead fidonews -- 21 Jan 85 23:24:56 Page 9 of [g]oodbye followed by [n]o). The other, possibly the best, was on a Commodore 64 system (stop laughing). It printed a menu, in the same format (i.e. G Goodbye, R Read messages) at every prompt, but at any point the menu could be aborted by entering a valid command. This allows expert users to execute commands as fast as they can type them, while new users can see the possible commands and execute the correct one as soon as they see it on the menu. If my other idea doesn't work out, this will be the user-interface for my BBS. *My* idea is based on the philosophy that if Infocom can do it, so can I. A simple "artificial intelligence" (if I dare call it that) routine would allow users to enter commands such as 'read message 21' and 'enter a message and log off', and then execute them. With a healthy number of abbreviations for experts, and ALOT of synonyms (e.g. post a message, leave a message and enter message must all be understood) this would make using the BBS easy even for a total computer novice. I would especially like comment on this one. 4. External program execution: This would allow a user to select a program from a menu set up by the Sysop and run it while on line. Text games, short utilities (like a program that prints the calendar for any month of any year) and interpreted languages (not Basic, maybe LISP or APL) would all be perfect for this sort of thing, as long as there is not way to access system files from within the program (disable the BASIC LOAD and SAVE commands and make the user up and download their program right into BASIC as needed, or set up a special directory or user number only for the application). This would add endless expandibility to the BBS. 5. Source code availability: I would be happy, when finished, to supply anyone with the source code for this BBS, allowing them to modify it and see how it is done. This will spare other would-be communications authors the trouble I had to go to in order to find such goodies as pascal source for the squeezing algorithm and C source for Kermit and Xmodem (I still don't have the code for the Modem7 file name transfers -- if anyone could extract this from the Modem7 source and mail it to be, I would appreciate it). This would also allow conversion to other machines, meaning (brace yourself) FIDONET on an *Apple*, FIDONET on a *C64*, FIDONET on a *Timex Sinclair* (well, maybe not -- message sending would run out of the one hour window -- stick to uding yours as a doorstop). Fidonet could also be made into a stand alone program so that non-Sysops could send and receive mail (with suitable modifications to Fido -- I think that if a phone number could be entered in place of a node # in mail sending by priveleged users, this would become a much more feasible idea). Anyway, my parathesis key is wearing out, and you get the idea. fidonews -- 21 Jan 85 23:25:05 Page 10 *PLEASE* send all comments and (especially!) suggestions over the Net to Fido #210 or call Fido #210 at (203)-453-1089 from 10pm-6am 7 days a week Matt Gertner [Note from TJ: I'm more than willing to help with getting FIdoNet running in other non-Fido systems. There is a doc file around somewhere, FIDOMAIL.DOC, that explains part of the protocol, and I'll even help with some sources where I can for serious attempts such as this. Matt, let me know when you get to that point ... I would LOVE to see non-Fido FidoNet nodes!] I have been thinking about how it costs $30.00 per month in lost income to have my money tied up in a quality printer, and realize that everyone who wants a printer has the same problem. Since FIDO reaches perhaps 10,000 people (112 nodes, 100 users/node) and they all have modems, and computers, and *awareness*, it seems natural to have a cooperative effort to make a better quality printer available to everyone, at a much lower cost. Nobody has. However, I will instigate The Great FIDO Co-op Concept now with the specific instance of >Printer Coop 00% "These are respondent comments" USMail, daily 75% 7 day discount 15% other 5 "Make 8 copies,bind,mail direct" Signup Fee $20.00 Monthly Fee $00.00 "Never, as matter of principal" Job Cost $ 1.00 Pages/Job 50 "Compilations" 80% 5 "Correspondence" 20% Cost/Page $ 0.07 Jobs/Month 2 Name Aubrey McIntosh fidonews -- 21 Jan 85 23:25:19 Page 12 FIDO 75 References Required 3 Method of Payment preferences, scale of 0-7 VISA 7 invoice 1 prepay 1 American Express 0 I M P O R T A N T N O T E ! ! ! ! ! From: Michael Farren, SYSOP of SCI-FIdo To: All sysops and users Subject: Killer upload file I've been informed (by Michael Miller, the West Coast editor of Popular Computing), that a file called VIRDIR has been uploaded to several systems lately. This file purports to be a disk utility, but is actually a disk reformatter (involuntary). Several people have evidently had their hard disks wiped by this program. It appears to be a try at "getting to" sysops. Beware of this file! UNIQUE: YOUR INDEPENDENT UNIX/C ADVISOR Hot Stuff We've Heard A usually reliable source claims to have seen figures that indicate 63% of U.S. government RFPs (Request for Proposals) issued in 1983 mentioned UNIX, and that this has caused a dropoff in IBM's business with the government. Apparently, IBM hasn't taken a stance behind UNIX that is as strong as the government would like. This may be one of the reasons behind IBM's growing support of UNIX...Speaking of IBM, we have word from an internal source that the documentation for XENIX on the PC/AT will be completely redone to IBM standards; a hint that they'll be really pushing it heavily this time?...No matter what else happens, get a PC/AT if you're a software developer. We predict it will be the most popular UNIX (er, XENIX) microcomputer very quickly. This means that XENIX will surely be the most popular multiuser operating system by units sold, not UNIX itself...But other systems for the PC/AT are already available, including VENIX and PC/IX. VENIX runs on the iAPX286 processor (with only about a 45 KB kernel!), while PC/IX currently runs on the 8088 in PC compatibility mode...We've heard that IBM is working on a Macintosh-like interface for their next computer...Watch for Sperry to attempt to enter into the market now being carefully nurtured by Gould...Look for a floating point and math accelerator chip for the AT&T 3B2 by January, as well as a new machine from AT&T, to be bigger than the 3B5, with multiprocessor architecture. It will be binary compatible with the 3B2/3B5, and is intended to compete in the higher ranges. It is not certain what effect this will have on the current 3B20 series, although the 3B20, as we've mentioned, has never been marketed very aggressively and is based on older technology. Support will no doubt continue for the 3B20 line. UNIQUE: YOUR INDEPENDENT UNIX/C ADVISOR fidonews -- 21 Jan 85 23:25:27 Page 13 October 1984 Typesetting Without Troff SofTest, Inc. 555 Goffle Road Ridgewood, NJ 07450 (201) 447-3901 Ever wanted to be able to typeset documents but were too busy to learn troff? SofTest has recently incorporated its LEX word processor into a new software product called LEX-SET. It was designed to take finished documents produced using LEX and translate the formatting commands into those which troff uses to generate output for typesetters (LEX was covered in UNIQUE Volume 2 Number 7). LEX, and therefore LEX-SET, has a built-in dictionary and mass mailing features. In an exclusive early demonstration, we were shown a preliminary release of LEX-SET running on an Altos 186 hooked up to an HP LaserJetr typesetter. LEX was designed as a "what you see is what you get" word processor. The format of the completed document is plotted out through the rulers (which denote margins, tab stops and other features) that LEX uses. You can preview your document to a certain extent on the screen, as well as by using the daisywheel emulation capability of the HP LaserJet. A document is printed in one default point size (size of letters) unless you put changes in the file for such things as headings and subheadings. Leading (the distance between lines of text) can also be controlled by LEX-SET. The "official" Bell Laboratories math character set has been incorporated. A full screen of characters is the equivalent of 8 inches of printed text, which is meant to aid you in visualizing the placement of text on paper. LEX-SET is compatible with eqn, tbl, and pic. As part of the preliminary version, a special code was needed to precede any special lines that would be sent to these tools. This will be made easier in a later, final release. This powerful software package was made possible by cooperation between SofTest and Textware International (see story in this issue). SofTest wrote a filter that would process LEX output into troff instructions, and this was interfaced to tplus in just about two hours, according to Dave Schneider of SofTest. Working with LEX-SET proved to be easy, even with no prior experience in using LEX. We see products such as LEX-SET making a big difference in office automation under UNIX, since you can either decide to use the laser printer as a daisywheel emulator (fast but plain) or as a typesetter (fast but nicer to look at) and this can serve a whole office full of people. While the output quality of 300 dot-per-inch printers such as the LaserJet is not up to that of a true typesetter, we feel that it's more than adequate for letters, documentation, and almost everything except glossy magazines. The HP LaserJet currently is available with a 10 point Times Roman font with normal, bold and italics (for use in regular text), a 8 point light font (for small notes, captions, footnotes) and 14 point Helvetica bold (for headlines). Any other fonts and styles must be drawn in fidonews -- 21 Jan 85 23:25:36 Page 14 graphics mode as "custom" typefaces. As the HP LaserJet has only 59K of graphics memory, there is a limit (6 square inches) to how much customized typeface it can print at one time. In fact, you can easily run out of memory after printing just a few lines of custom type. Remember, this is a limit of the printer, not LEX-SET; we've already heard rumors about add-on memory for the printer that will overcome this problem. Another thing you should be aware of is that text printed in 7 to 12 point type will be in Times Roman font, while 14 point bold text magically becomes Helvetica. Again, HP is due to come out with new font cartridges that should substantially widen these choices. The HP LaserJet (based on the Canon personal copier technology) prints up to eight pages a minute, holds 100 sheets of paper, and can even print on manually-fed envelopes. The software will run on the Radio Shack Model 16, the Altos 186 and 586, and the IBM PC/AT (available in January), and will cost approximately $2,500. ACE, the originators of LEX, will be the distributor of LEX-SET outside the United States. SofTest is working on a French/Canadian version of the character set to be released next year. Pricing is $2,500 to $10,000, depending on whether you purchase a complete hardware/software package or just add LEX-SET to your LEX word processor and the type of machine you're using. One more thing: you can also hook LEX-SET up directly to any typesetter supported by tplus. UNIQUE: YOUR INDEPENDENT UNIX/C ADVISOR UX-Basic: The Product UX-Basic is clearly targeted at software developers (they won't even sell it to end users). The full development package includes an interpreter, compiler, and runtime module, so you can write programs under the interpreter and test the compiled version that your customer would get. We're very impressed by their aggressive pricing: the full system for machines such as the Altos 586, Tandy Model 16, and IBM PC/XT (and probably AT) costs just US$500! The price for typical "supermicros" such as the Callan, CRDS, Codata, IBC Ensign, NCR Tower, and Zilog Model 11 is US$1000. Even the development package for the largest machines supported at this writing (AT&T 3B5, Masscomp, Plexus P35, Sun, and Zilog 21 & 31) costs no more than US$1500. These are suggested end user LIST prices, not OEM discounted. The runtime module alone, which you would presumably make available with your compiled code, lists for between $150 and $450. OEM arrangements will be based on royalties of from 5% to 30% of the above prices, depending on volume. There are 22 machine ports now in progress, and we've been told they're doing about one per week. While the very mention of the BASIC language seems to put most C programmers into shock, BASIC remains a popular language for applications programs. Perhaps small business end users feel more comfortable with a language that comes with personal computers. In any case, the description of UX-Basic sounds like a BASIC programmer's wildest dream come true: automatic backup of source programs, 32K long strings, fidonews -- 21 Jan 85 23:25:46 Page 15 automatic ISAM files, full matrix operations, multi-tasking programs (with assignable priority!), record and file locking for multiple users, 32 character statement labels, 16-dimension arrays, full support of termcap, commands to generate a cross-reference or "prettyprint" the program, recursive and multiline subroutines, command expansion and syntax checking at source entry time, WHILE/WEND, CASE/SELECT/OTHERWISE, and IF/THEN/ELSE constructs, BCD math with 13 digit precision (no roundoff errors!), and even a built-in HELP command. Intel took it in to evaluate as an in-house product on their 286/310 machine (which we've heard is IBM-PC/AT object code compatible) and seem to love it. A well-known software outfit is doing internal work with UX-Basic to help define the use of internal tokens: since they use 2 bytes per token, 65,535 functions can be built into the language. Of course, UX-Basic is written in C, and both the interpreter and run-time module are fully re-entrant. The ISAM has been implemented using the RDS product C-ISAM, and reportedly only added 2% extra code to UX-Basic. Even so, this current 2.0 version is already slated to be dropped eventually in favor of their newer product, which they call UX-Basic+. UX-Basic+ adds the ability to make direct UNIX system and C-ISAM calls from BASIC. COMPUTER BOOK REVIEW Monday December 24, 1984 ** Copy II PC. Central Point Software (9700 SW Capitol Hwy., Suite 100, Portland, OR 97219). $39.95 Copy II PC belongs beside every IBM PC. This disk copy program lets you backup most of the popular, copy- protected, commercial software. If you're the normal consumer who hates copy-protection schemes, Copy II PC lets you fight back. Naturally, its producer, Central Point Software, warns that Copy II PC is to be used only to create archival backups. U.S. Copyright Law allows one duplication of a software program for personal use only. The copying process is completed in two simple steps: bulk-erasing a blank diskette, and then reading from the target diskette and writing to the blank diskette. Instructions are also given for hard disk systems. Copy II PC works cleanly and effectively. Documentation is clear, succinct, and complete. Copy II PC is updated regularly to reflect changes in copy- protection schemes. A list of the commercial software that can be backed up is available from Central Point Software. And a pleasant twist, Copy II PC practices what it preaches- -it's NOT copy protected! A jewel that belongs in every IBM PC user's bag of tricks. THE BUSINESS COMPUTER Sunday December 30, 1984 COMPUTER INDUSTRY ACADEMY AWARDS: Since the computer industry is more show biz than computer biz, here are the authors' annual awards for the biggest, bestest, biggest-bucked bunches of bull for 1984. fidonews -- 21 Jan 85 23:25:54 Page 16 ============================================================ By Franklynn Peterson & Judi K-Turkel ============================================================ Since the computer industry is six parts show biz and one part technology, our annual tradition has been to recognize in print the best playacting of the year by computer makers. This year, as last, after you read about our favorite villains and heroes we'd like to hear about yours. Winners of this year's awards will receive our companion to the Oscar statue, the Lady Ada, named for the first computer programmer. The envelopes please! ============================================================ Winner for Flashiest Marketing Gimmick of 1984, Hewlett-Packard. H-P sent clever toy `laser' guns to thousands of computer dealers (and computer publications) along with a message to zap the competition with H-P's LaserJet printers. We estimate H-P needs to sell a couple hundred printers just to cover the cost of the guns, their 59-cent Radio Shack batteries, the fancy packaging, and the $2.18 postage. People in our office nearly made war to possess this child's marvel of flashing lights and noisemakers, and suggest that H-P could see faster returns on its investment if it forgets new-tech printers and sells the new-tech toy guns -- or turns its talents to keeping the jets unclogged in its cute little Thinkjet inkjet printer. ============================================================ Winner for Quietest Marketing Gimmick of 1984, Personal Software, makers of pfs:products, for mailing out handsome mugs emblazoned with the slogan, `The rebellion is coming.' It took five minutes of searching to find the scrap of identifying paper that told us who our benefactor was and that the rebellion's leader was their new spreadsheet program, pfs:plan. The pfs:folks, too modest to use capital letters in their product names, even market with too much modesty -- which may explain why it's often tough to find lots-for-the-money pfs:programs in stores. ============================================================ Center Ring Performance of the Year, Apple Computers. This company, which got its start in a leaky California garage, spent more millions of dollars than they'll admit to us showing prime-time TV ads during 1984, buying all the ad space in Time magazine's post-election special issue, and then -- the biggest spectacular of them all -- hiring halls, rock bands, light shows, fancy hotel dining rooms, and tuxedos to stage the slickest introduction of any product -- its IIc portable -- since P.T. Barnum died. Despite its center-ring spectaculars, the real action was out on the midway where the tickets are sold. Apple dealers were slipping out, not in, under the tent flaps, angry that Apple was competing with them by selling computers at near- fidonews -- 21 Jan 85 23:26:03 Page 17 zero profits through college discount centers. If Apple collapses, it'll be Apple's doing, not IBM's. ============================================================ Best Actor of 1984, IBM. It settled out of court almost every one of the kicking-and-screaming nuisance lawsuits it started against IBM compatible makers. Best Supporting Actor of all time, the U.S. Justice Department, for dropping its antitrust suit against IBM. ============================================================ Best Foreign Star, Radio Shack. Its network of outside-the-USA plants makes it about the largest importer of electronic equipment. In 1984 it brought about $200 million in computers and another $650 million worth of other electronic paraphernalia into the USA. ============================================================ Best Mystery Starlet of 1984, Lisa2. Has anybody seen her? Has anybody bought her? Does Apple still sell her? We've been unable to confirm rumors that she was eaten by her own mouse (or that Apple's renaming its black-and-white version `Mono Lisa'). ============================================================ Winner for Most Unbelievable Ghost Story, Osborne Computer Company. Even though the company was bankrupt and counted among the dead by computer consumers, it followed through with plans to print stock certificates and sell them to the public. If you bought any, they should make dandy wallpaper. ============================================================ Best Comedy, Berke Breathed's `Bloom County' comic strip. Computer hackers, who don't miss an episode, believe that Breathed draws his funnies on a computer. Breathed says that he used to but the keyboard kept wrinkling his paper. He tossed away the computer and now has room again to draw on his desk. ============================================================ Best Animal Performance, Diablo, our office cat who's trained to sniff at all our incoming packages. Most Improved Performers of 1984, programmers of computer games. They've finally brought this subindustry out of the dark ages of clumsy graphics and dull plot lines into an era of sophisticated utilization of current computer technology. What we need is for these talents to start writing our business software! S. KLEIN NEWSLETTER ON COMPUTER GRAPHICS December 31, 1984 AN INTERACTIVE VIDEO PRODUCT FAMILY FROM VISAGE INC. TIES INTO THE IBM PC A comprehensive family of interactive video products that encompasses systems, upgrade kits, conversion boards, and fidonews -- 21 Jan 85 23:26:11 Page 18 options -- all tied into the IBM PC -- become available from Visage Inc., an 18-month old company, whose $1.75 million venture funding came from Venture Founders, First Chicago, and two other investment firms. "We offer the broadest interactive video product line based on the PC," exclaims Visage President and co-founder Philip V.W. Dodds. Dodds positions his product line for use in industrial training, computer-aided-instruction, visual information archives, point-of-purchase advertising, and visual expert systems applied to equipment maintenance and repair. They address such applications, Dodds explains, by combining motion video, sound, computer-generated graphics, and digital data in a multi-media communications approach. Visage's system-level products, the V:Station 2000, constituting five models, incorporates color monitors offering 256 x 192 resolution and 16 colors or 320 x 200 and 4 colors; a PC-compatible computer with video disk controller; and V:Exec proprietary software that integrates the graphics with the video disk player commands and provides I/O device support. System price: Approx. $12,000. Software tools encompass graphics development, high- level systems software, and an "authoring environment." V:Paint development software enables program developers to produce still-frame and animated graphics to be displayed separately or overlayed on the video images. A V:Draw software subset supports menus, titles, drawings and other graphics, draws circles, eclipses, lines and freehand curves. Contact: Philip Dodds, President, Visage Inc., 12 Michigan Dr., Natick, MA 01760. (617/655-1503). PLUMB January, 1985 BBS NEWS ROUND-UP > Trade-80, the toast of Albany, GA, is back online with some new software tracks. Say hello to sysop Richie Dervan (70365,1012) 24 hours at 912-439-7440. > Televideo users now have their own BBS, sponsored by the Televideo company. It's open from 5-10 pm at 408-244-0261. > Paul McLear's IBM board near Indianapolis, IN, is stocked with lots of application and utility files for MS- DOS and PC-DOS computers. McLear (BBY232) says the system's available "almost 24 hours." The number is 317-845-6288. > Electric Magazine, a BBS program for the Commodore 64 written by Bob Shannon (BCM549), is now available for the Kaypro and other CP/M computers. For a free demonstration, call 707-964-7114. The Kaypro version will be online during evenings and nights with the C64 version running during the day. > CompuServe has begun selling Apple IIc and IIe versions of its Vidtex telecommunications software package. The package requires an RS232 modem and Apple ProDOS, plus a Super Serial card for the IIe. CompuServe users can request the program through product ordering. > The latest release of RBBS-PC, a public domain BBS program for IBM-compatible computers, is available from the Capital PC Software Exchange. The program comes on a double-sided, double-density diskette in DOS 1.1 format, fidonews -- 21 Jan 85 23:26:20 Page 19 including all the files you need to start your own RBBS. For a copy, send $8 and a mailing label to Capital PC Software Exchange, P.O. Box 6128, Silver Spring, MD, 20906. > How are you at Space Shuttle history? Florida's Space Shuttle BBS will give callers a quiz tough enough to make an astronaut sweat. But if the quiz causes you too much trouble, check in with the ship's resident psychiatrist. Blast off at 305-777-4714. MicroPro released a new version of WordStar last year that should prove most useful to programmers and others who need a heavy-duty text cruncher - if you can find someone who sells it! This new version has many features absent from earlier versions, including full support of DOS 2.0 pathnames - all file operations (edit, print, copy, rename, etc) are global across directory paths! There are no more overlays; it is one big EXE file. You can remove your program disk once it starts, and there is no wait for overlays to be shuffled. The sucker runs much faster than version 3.3, has context- sensitive function keys, and fully supports most "smart" dot-matrix printers. Plus, the documentation is quite well done. Only a few gotchas - first of all, it runs only on a PCjr! The patch below should let you run it on a regular PC. Also, there are no MailMerge or spelling corrector, but it works great if all you do is edit and print. Lastly, it is hard to find! I've seen a few discount places advertising it, and some local dealers stock it. To make it run on a PC, use the following commands: 1) Make a copy of your program disk! 2) Put it in A:, REN A:WSU.EXE W 3) DEBUG A:W 4) E 3CB2 EB (should have had a 74 there) 5) W (write file back to disk) 6) Q (quit DEBUG) 7) REN A:W WSU.EXE 8) Run the install program and enjoy! NOTICES As a matter of brief introduction, I am Bill Macneill, SYSOP of FIDO node #202 in Boston, Massachusetts (1-617-721-1688). Recently, one of the members of my Board (DEC-Line -- a DEC Micro oriented board) uploaded a game file known as fidonews -- 21 Jan 85 23:26:27 Page 20 JETSET.BAS...a jet plane simulator, and one of the great classic public domain games. The problem with JETSET, however, is that it is SOOOOOOO SLOWWWWWWW! I would very much like the readers of this newsletter to advise me as to whether JETSET has been compiled to operate directly as an 'executable' under the MSDOS operating environment. If one of you is familiar with such a file, please advise me where I can obtain a copy...or even better, why don't you just call and upload to DEC- Line?? Again, we are at 1-617-721-1688 in Boston.... Bill Macneill, SYSOP DEC-Line FIDO#202 FOR SALE I HAVE 2 NEW 20 MEG HARD DRIVES WHICH ARE EXTERNAL WITH CASE AND POWER SUPPLY, CABLES AND CONTROLLER CARDS. COVERED BY ONE YEAR WARRANTY. DRIVES MADE BY CMI. CONTROLLER-DTC CARD. EACH UNTIL IS SELLING FOR $1375.00 ALL ARE BRAND NEW IN THE BOX WITH FULL DOC'S CONTACT RICHARD LEVEY VIA FIDO 79. I HAVE THE FOLLOWING FOR SALE AT THIS TIME. 1 D.S.D.D. DRIVE BRAND NEW NEVER USED 2 S.S.D.D. DRIVES BRAND NEW NEVER USED ALL COVERED BY MANUFACTURERS WARRANTY. PACKAGE PRICE IS $200 (AMERICAN) CONTACT ME VIA NODE 79 UNTIL I GET MY NODE NUMBER.....RICHARD LEVEY Introducing: *** The Modem *** A monthly magazine for the IBM PC BBSer. This magazine comes with a diskette holding a massive collection of BBS numbers from around the country. With each monthly issue, you recieve a diskette holding even more numbers. This comes with a program that will merge the updates into your main list. Some features include: * Articles by SYSOPS and users. * A forum for asking and answering BBS related questions. * BBS of the month - information about the system, why it was chosen, the phone number and schedule. * A column written by a SYSOP that will give advice and ideas or anyone running or wanting to run their own Bulletin Board. * Lots of ads for computers, modems, and BBS software. If you've got some new software, or equipment, or maybe you want to buy some, then this is the place to look. The main goal of The Modem is to unite the BBS Community of fidonews -- 21 Jan 85 23:26:34 Page 21 America. We hope to soon have a complete listing of every BBS in the country. Once the boards are united, we will be able to better fight any problems presented to us by either the government, the phone companies, or system hackers. Subscribe now to the magazine that you've been waiting for. If you want to receive valuable information each month concerning computers and communications and what you can do with them, then send now for your membership in the modem society. Rates are $60 per year. This includes 13 diskettes. Your first month you will recieve the BBS list diskette along with the current month's edition of The Modem. Each month after that, you will recieve the next edition. Don't wait any longer, you might miss something good. Send check or money order to: Wordlab Co. 7289 Petursdale Boulder, CO 80301 The Modem is also available at a three month trial basis for $15. This does include the BBS list diskette. WANTED WANTED TO BUY: One used Gavilan computer. Send details (accessories, condition and price) to: Andy Meyer, FidoNet, Fido #317 - or contact Sysop of SMC-70 Citadel: (201) 930-6483 [24 hours, 300 baud]