Compaq 286 * Kaypro *Vienna PC Word Perfect . Mac music
Practical-Computing-1985-08-S-OCR AUGUST 1985 Volume 8 Issue 8
£1.00
Compaq 286 * Kaypro *Vienna PC SOFTWARE Word Perfect . Mac music
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Circle No. 101
COVER FEATURE
'PRACTICAL NEWS HARDWARE NEWS
Commodore's C-900 and
COMPUTING Amiga machines
15
PRINTERS
This month's special feature by
Ian Stobie looks at printers in
all their various incarnations. Starting on page 85 there is an
introduction to the available
technologies and current market trends. Then on page
88 Jack Schofield looks at
what's happening among the
dot-matrix printers: NLQ is
becoming an almost standard
feature to be found on, among
many others, Epson's new
LX -80. Finally, on page 92, we report on our hands-on
experience with the hottest of
hot technologies: lasers, in the
form of Apple's new
85
Laserwriter
INSIDE
Vienna PC Outstanding screen display - page 66.
Omni -Reader Cheap text input device - page 57.
AUGUST 1985 CONTENTS
TWO AT-ALIKES
The elegant, sophisticated Compaq Deskpro 286 and
the workmanlike Kaypro 286i are leading contenders
for the title of top PC/ AT clone.
47
Jack Schofield makes the comparison
mom
GEM DESKTOP
Is Digital Research's icon, mouse and window
environment the ultimate front end? Mike
Lewis assesses its chances of bringing Mac -
50
alike applications to each and every micro
OMN I -READER
57 Ian Stobie investigates a cheap text -scanning device
which enables your micro to read typewritten copy
CMS 6502 RACK SYSTEM
This crate machine lets you build up a totally open
BBC emulator to meet your specialised
58
requirements. Roger Cullis takes the lid off
VIENNA PC
Glyn Moody looks at this MS-DOS machine from
66 Northern Telecom, which has possibly the best
white -phosphor VDU produced so far
aim
WORD PERFECT
Is Word Perfect really so good that you should
throw -out WordStar and start again?
68
Susan Curran believes it might be
MAC MUSIC
70 Turn your Mac into a revolutionary music processor,
or use it as a synthesiser. Glyn Moody with two new programs
HOTLINES
Before you buy that micro Joia Shillingford gives 10
74 tips on what to ask the hotline services that go
with them
TOP 10 NON-IBMULATORS
You don't have to choose IBM. We give 10 good
reasons why you could be better off with something completely different
77
mmi
INTERVIEW - BILL GATES
Glyn Moody talks to the ever -youthful boss of
Microsoft, who gives his views on the Mac and the IBM PC
81
Flight Simulator on the AT.
IBM NEWS
Price cuts
19
SOFTWARE NEWS
How to match up
incompatible files
21
GENERAL NEWS
BTG's £100,000 academic
enterprise competition 23
OPEN FILE
CONTENTS
This month's details
99
IBM TO APRICOT Writing portable code 100
CALLS FROM MBASIC Calling machine code 102
BBC
ROM to disc transfer
108
APPLE Reset problems solved 1 12
IBM
How big are your files? 1 14
END OF FILE
Printing Russian, Greek and
Cyrillic text
116
REGULARS
EDITORIAL
Death of a nation
5
FEEDBACK
Your letters
ASK PC
You ask, we answer
8
NEXT MONTH
What's on the stocks . . . 13
CHIP -CHAT
Refreshing memories
29
S/W WORKSHOP
Basic style
31
COMMS LINK
Cellular radio
35
THE LEVY SERIES
Twixt
41
BOOK REVIEWS
Beesley on BBC books 121
LAST WORD
MS-DOS mysteries
125
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
3
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ELEPHANT NEVER FORGETS
Dennison Manufacturing Co. Ltd.
Colonial Way, Watford, Herts WD2 4JY, Tel: Watford (0923) 41244, Telex: 923321
France: Soroclass, 45, rue de l'Est - 92100, Boulogne. Tel. Reseau de Distribution: 605.98.99, Administration des Ventes: 605.70.78, Telex: EMS 206 436 F Germany: Marcom ComputerzubehOr GmbH, Podbielskistr, 321, 3000 Hannover 51, Tel: (0511) 647420, Telex: 923818
Italy: King Mec SPA, Via Regio Parco 108 BIS, 10036 Settimo, Torinese, Tel: (011) 800.93.93, Telex: 211467 KIN MEC-I Other Countries: Dennison International Company, 4006 Erkrath 1, Matthias-Claudius-Strasse 9, Telex: 858 6600
Circle No. 136
EDITORIAL
THE BRITISH WHAT?
Whatever happened to the British micro? A couple of years ago, European user base while trying to crack the American market.
we seemed to be dominating at least the home micro business Look what happened to Acorn . . . .
through Sinclair, Acorn, Dragon, Oric and Lynx, with the Jupiter There are two other major micro manufacturers active in the
Ace and Grundy Newbrain adding to the list. Since then five of U.K.: IBM and Commodore. IBM is continuing to expand its
these seven firms have gone into receivership, Acorn has had to be operations in Greenock, Scotland, where it makes vast quantities
bailed out by the Italians, and Sinclair Research by a subsidiary of of IBM PCs, almost all for export. No one thinks sales of IBM's
the Maxwell empire.
micros are going to stop.
British micros never had quite the same dominance of the busi- Commodore, however, offers more cause for concern. It is not
ness market, but the story is little different there. The arrival of the fault of the British workforce that Commodore's product
the IBM PC and its host of clones cut a swathe through the ranks planning appears to be a shambles, and that the company's
of British manufacturers, and the number of bankruptcies doesn't declining sales look like putting it into the red this year. However,
even bear thinking about. There are still many small firms success- the Corby factory appears to be churning out Commodore 64s in
fully making high -quality micros, but the only major manu- great quantities for Europe and Australasia. And when
facturer still flourishing seems to be ACT.
Commodore sorts out its product line, it should find itself selling
What are the prospects for the survivors? Sinclair Research, sad all the main industry -standard operating systems: PC -DOS on its
to say, needs new products. The Spectrum is a micro of little IBM PC clone, the Unix -like Coherent on the 900 and good old
merit, which sold on good marketing, patriotism and price. Now CP / M on the 128. The other products can presumably be junked.
that it is being undercut by superior machines only the existing If it works, Commodore might do quite well.
software base supports it. Every Spectrum program converted to The continuing success of IBM and ACT, and the possible
another machine is another nail in its coffin.
revival of Commodore's fortunes, show that it is possible to
As for the QL, this was spoiled by being released in a botched manufacture successful micros in the U.K. and to sell them
form. Again, a new version is desperately needed, with a built-in overseas. The real problems are getting both the design and
3.5in. disc and full Motorola 68000 instead of the cut -down marketing right, and Amstrad has shown we can do that too. If
68008. Otherwise it looks likely to lose out in the battle between the CPC -464 was actually made in the U.K., that would be a
the Amstrad CPC -664 and the Atari 520ST.
success worth bragging about.
Acorn's product line also looks weak, with the inept Electron
and ridiculously overpriced BBC B+ having limited appeal. The immediate hope is that Olivetti can flog them in the underdeveloped education markets overseas before an industry standard operating system catches on.
For the future, however, Acorn badly needs a BBC C. The only obvious option is to redesign the B to incorporate the existing
EIYEARS AGO...
Here at last - the 64K RAM chip is finally being shipped to European
dealers and developers and is now available for the general market. Manufactured by Motorola, it has, for some incomprehensible reason, been called the MCM6665L25.
National Semiconductor 32016 add-on. This would provide BBC It is a 65,536 -bit high-speed - 250 nanosecond access - dynamic
B compatibility with an extension of remarkable power and educational appeal.
ACT is in no desperate need of new products, which is all the
more reason why it ought to launch some soon. The requirement is an 80286 -based machine to compete with the IBM PC/ AT, allowing ACT to slide imperceptibly into proper IBM com-
RAM requiring eight address lines. Complete address decoding is
done on -chip with address latches incorporated. Operating from a single 5V power supply the chip dissipates less than 300mW. The only reservation about this great advance in chip development is the price. A quick calculation on our 16K RAM micro shows that the price per byte of -a 16K RAM is 0.3p whereas that of the 64K RAM works out more like 2p per byte. No doubt the price will eventually fall.
patibility. The only worry is that ACT will neglect its U.K. and
PC Volume 3 ssue 8
Cover feature: page 85. Photo: Tony Hutchings.
EDITORIAL 01-661 3609 Telecom Gold 81:JET727
Editor JACK SCHOFIELD
Deputy Editor GLYN MOODY Assistant Editor IAN STOBIE Art Editor HUGH ANDERSON Production Editor JOHN LIEBMANN Sub -editor CAROL HAMMOND Editorial Secretary SUE JORDAN
Consultants CHRIS BIDMEAD PETER LAURIE
ADVERTISING 01-661 3612
Advertisement Manager NITIN JOSHI 01-661 3021
Assistant Advertisement Manager NEIL MARCHANT 01-661 8626 Advertisement Executives JANET THORPE 01-661 3468 IAN WALKER 01-661 8425 Advertisement Secretary JOAN BORRELL Midlands office DAVID HARVETT 021-356 4838 Northern office GEOFF AIKIN 061-872 8861 Classified LUCY O'SULLIVAN 01-661 8163
Group Advertisement Manager SHOBHAN GAJJAR 01-661 8441
PUBLISHER GAVIN HOWE
PUBLISHED by Electrical -Electronic Press, Quadrant House, The Quadrant. Sutton, Surrey SM2 5AS. Tel: 01-661 3500. Telex/grams 892084 BISPRS G. DISTRIBUTED by Business Press International Ltd. Quadrant House, The Quadrant, Sutton, Surrey SM2 5AS. SUBSCRIPTIONS: U.K. f15.50 per annum; overseas f30 per annum annum; selling price in Eire subject to currency exchange fluctuations and VAT; airmail rates available on application to Subscriptions Manager, Business Press International Ltd. Oakfield House, Perrymount Road, Haywards Heath, Sussex RH16 3DH. Tel: (0444) 459188.
Printed in Great Britain for the proprietors Business Press International Ltd by Greenaway Harrison Web Offset Division, Southend-on-Sea. Typeset by Lithotype Design, London EC1. is Business Press International Ltd 1985 ISSN 0141-5433
Would-be authors are welcome to send articles to the Editor but PC cannot undertake to return them. Payment is at f35 per published page. Submissions should be typed or computer -printed and should include a tape or disc of any program. Every effort is made to check articles and listings but PC cannot guarantee that programs will run and can accept no responsibility for any errors.
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
5
Line Counter
I REFER to the program Line Counter in the Commodore section of Open File on page 138 of the May 1985 issue of Practical Computing.
May I first point out an error in the published program, said to be for the Commodore 64. In that machine, the address of the ROM subroutine which converts an integer in AX to a decimal string and prints the string is $BDCD, so the data in line 21 should be 205, 189.
I devised my own program for the same purpose to help me split up Basic programs into handy sections for printing. My version is shorter and more elegant. Instead of plodding through the business part of each line and counting the zeros which mark the end of the lines, it jumps straight from one line to the next using the next line address placed at the beginning of each line in Basic RAM, and counts the jumps. To convert the published program to be equivalent to mine, the following amendments are required:
13 substitute 1 for 0 or, perhaps better, 164, 43 for 160, 0.
14 DATA 72,200,208, 2,230, 89, 177, 88
15 DATA 240, 12,133, 89,104, 168, 230, 35
16 DATA 208, 2,230, 36, 208, 232, 104, 165
17 DATA 36, 166, 35, 32 delete 18 & 19
21 DATA 205, 189 (see above)
Consequentials are
7 891 instead of 905 23 118 instead of 132
For my own purposes I have added a routine which returns the number of the nth line, where n is first Poked into locations 251,252. For brevity and convenience, the first 14 bytes of the line counter routine are placed in a subroutine, which also opens the nth line routine. Then n is decremented by 1. The same technique is used, combined with a countdown, to find the address pointed to at the beginning of the (n - 1)th line. Then 2 is added to obtain the address of the line number bytes of the nth line, and the integer is printed as before.
HAROLD H BROWNE, Maidstone, Kent.
THE EDITOR REPLIES: You are quite correct. We left the wrong line 21 in place when making the listing. It should read
21 DATA 205,189
as you point out.
Our Feedback columns offer readers the opportunity of bringing their computing experience and problems to the attention of others, as well as to seek our advice or to make suggestions, which we are always happy to receive. Make sure you use Feedback - it is your chance to keep in touch.
Write to Feedback, Practical Computing, Quadrant House, The Quadrant,
Sutton, Surrey SM2 5AS
WANTED...
I HAVE BEEN waiting expectantly for some years, cash in hand, for a device which I really need to appear on the market. Because it seems so extraordinary that I have not come across anything of the kind, I appeal to your readership for a solution, which I feel very certain will be of widespread interest.
What I seek is: A standard QWERTY keyboard computer preferably CP/M, having both a word processor, preferably WordStar, and a Basic, preferably Microsoft, in on -board ROMs or ROM cartridges. A composite video interface for use with a monochrome monitor. Bubble memory or battery powered with CMOS circuitry. Sufficient free memory to hold a few pages of text, say, 5/10K. As third choice a built-in cassette system might be acceptable. A serial interface and facilities to dump text or a Basic program direct from memory to another micro having conventional discs.
The purpose? To enable me to draft at home the odd letter, brief report or small segment of program. Then to carry only a single small unit to the office next day, where either letter or program can be transferred to the office micro for further editing and/or printing. I feel certain that I cannot be the only person to whom such equipment would be of the tremendous value.
PETER GOODE, Hayes,
Middlesex.
THE EDITOR REPLIES: The Epson PX-8 and NEC -8401a both have WordStar in ROM and would seem nearest to filling the bill. The Epson is widely available, but the new NEC portable has only been launched in the U.S. Unless, of course you know different.
Matrices and complex numbers
IN YOUR March issue, page 59,
there appeared a letter enquiring about matrix and complex number handling. May I bring to your attention the Matrom, a sideways ROM for the BBC Micro, which adds matrix handling to BBC Basic? It has been used in teaching since October 1984, and can be bought for £25 from Matrom, c/o Mathematics Laboratory, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Sussex.
I have often been puzzled by the short-sightedness of designers of programming languages who
build a fixed number system into their languages. Perhaps it is because they have failed to distinguish between the syntax and the semantics of arithmetic. The rules of algebra concerning + , - ,*, but not / , are the same whether they refer to integers, complexes, elements of an algebraic number ring, or finite field, etc. All these number systems are useful.
The proper approach would be to restrict the programming
language specification to questions of syntax, and to leave details of implementation to a library module. The module, selectable by the user and perhaps held in ROM or on disc,
would deal with how numbers are to be represented in memory, how they are to be input, how
displayed on the screen, and how the primitive arithmetic operations are to be executed. Integers and/or floating-point numbers could form a default module.
Such a system is quite possible with Forth, where any word can be redefined. In Pascal you could get by if you are prepared to put up with clumsy prefix notations like plus (x,y) instead of x + y.
It is not necessary for a programming language to specify a number system, any more than it should specify the computer it runs on. It is even conceivable that one could lay down appropriate calling conventions for each processor to enable standard suites of machines -code programs to be used with any high-level language that has been designed to take advantage of them.
G C WRAITH, Reader in Mathematics,
University of Sussex, Falmer,
East Sussex BN1 9QH.
Finding out
the hard way
AS AN avid reader of your excellent publication I have always been disappointed by the
lack of in-depth review - or any review - of the various programming languages and associated compilers and development tools available. Perhaps you feel that this is too esoteric for most readers who seem to be content with Basic. As someone who specialises in instrument interfacing via IBM PCs to networks/mainframes, I had more or less despaired of being able to do such work in anything other than Basic assembler.
IBM's Basica is so incredibly powerful for interfacing and communications work that this, coupled with its interactive nature, makes development work simple. However, with complex programs of, say, 48K and over, the lack of global variables and associated subroutines makes less elegant coding than I would prefer. The failure of IBM to provide a version 2.00 compatible compiler in the U.K. is a further serious disadvantage; Basica is painfully slow. The major problem, as I see it, is that no other development systems on the IBM, such as Pascal, Fortran and C, have intrinsic communications / graphics / screen handling support and one is at the mercy of third -party suppliers for these items. To my cost I have
6
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
FEEDBACK
discovered that the quality of such offerings is rarely acceptable. Even when they are available, the endless compile/debug, run/debug cycle is painfully slow.
The latest version of Borland's Turbo Pascal seems to change all that, even more so with the about -to -be -released Graphics Toolbox. It is superb on all aspects of screenhandling/graphics/file-handling and I have just discoverd that an Asynch Manager is now available. This package essentially replicates
the communications power available in Basic. All this, coupled with the almost unbelievable speed of the one pass compiler, and the numerous handles thoughtfully proved into the BDOS/BIOS means that the full features of the IBM PC are available without need to recourse to assembly language.
The low start-up cost of Borland's package puts it within the reach of most programmers; its specification must be one of the most comprehensive available. For programs of medium complexity, where speed of development, and indeed of execution - use the 8087 version for maths -based packages - is vital, I doubt if it could be rivalled.
The point, however, is this: despite reading a whole host of
computing / IBM -related magazines I still had to find out most of this the hard way. Indeed I only discovered the Asynch package because I had more or less decided to invest in a complete C development system and the Borland version was mentioned in small print at the end of a flysheet. The resultant saving in time/effort/money was considerable. Publications, such as yours, which cater for the serious user, should perhaps think a little more along these lines and less along the games/business package approach. After all, there are only so many ways of watching a
business rise/fall, or solving the Towers of Hanoi problem, vital though it is that we understand these things. There are a whole host of areas where micros are not making any impact simply because the right questions are not being asked. Even if the correct tools are being provided for the job, who knows about them?
DR BARRY CLARK, Glasgow.
THE EDITOR REPLIES: Turbo Pascal looks outstanding, especially for the low price, but we are still waiting for our reviewer to produce his report.
Using Pip
instead of Typewrit
I WAS surprised to see the routine Typewrit.Com to turn a micro into a typewriter published in the May edition of Practical Computing. Has it been forgotten that this facility exists under Pip? Load a disc containing Pip, and on the A> prompt type
PIP LST: =CON:
press Return, and the job is done.
Different printers react in different ways. The Microline 82 only prints a line when Return is pressed. This is very helpful because it is possible to correct a line before printing. However, you must use the space bar to space across the paper as you would do in envelope addressing. The Tab key will not work. The Smith -Corona TP-I prints each letter as it is typed. In fact it behaves as described by the Lees.
A BILBROUGH, Callow End,
Worcestershire.
JOHN AND TIMOTHY LEE REPLY: If you redefine the devices with
PIP LST: =CON:
then the first line that you type appears on the screen. But when you press Return, the cursor moves to the beginning of the same line, so the second line you type overwrites the first, and so on.
Using two different daisywheel printers set up correctly for normal working with Basic or WordStar, we found that the lines overprinted one another as they did on the screen. This could be cured by changing the switch settings on the printer to Local Linefeed. An alternative is to type Control -J after every Return. This makes the printer advance a line without requiring switch changes.
The program Typewrit has the advantages that each line is shown on the screen, with no overwriting, the switch settings on the printer do not require changing, and no control characters need be typed.
Using Pip you have to use the space bar to move across the paper to the starting point for each line, which is a nuisance if you are doing several envelopes or a set of sticky labels. Typewrit remembers how far across the page you tabbed the first time. It is also a nuisance remembering that Ctrl -Z is needed to return to CP/M, rather than the usual Ctrl -C. Lastly, if you want tabs expanded under Pip, type
PIP PRN: =CON:
Comm +
WE READ with interest your piece
"Soft Options", page 105, in June's Practical Computing, regarding IBM PC software. Your list of British packages included only Unicom Rap and the Braid Mail Manager. You are clearly unaware of Lion Micro System's Comm + package.
Comm + offers facilities for uploading and downloading files from systems such as Telecom Gold; Viewdata access at 1,200/75 baud; error -checking
file transfer, which is better than Bstam in so far as we can transfer all eight bits of a file over seven bit datalines as well as offering XModem compatibility, and five other terminal emulations including ANSI. As far as we know, Comm + is the only package to include as standard an integral programming language of its own which isn't merely a script file processor, but is a genuine language written for communications. It does for communications what dBase II did for databases and offers bespoke performance at a fraction of the time and cost of writing from scratch. We also include integral text editing and formatting, including a telex formatter, as standard.
Comm + is available for 79 different CP/M-80, CP/M-86, MS-DOS, PC -DOS, MP/M and CCP/M systems, which is a range unrivalled at present.
Lastly, we'd like to point out that though Rap does error checking on Gold, our own algorithms for doing this are far more efficient - we've been asking Robin Oliphant to make them available since the end of 1982 with no luck. If Telecom
Gold let users have access to the language facilities that U.S. Dialcom users have as standard, such as the Prime Assemblers, Fortran and Basic compilers and so on, we could do it ourselves. So Rap being able to do error checking with Gold isn't a technical innovation but a marketing coup . . . we could do it better if they'd let us. And Comm + is a better package than Rap in all other respects - it's available on a far wider range of machines, and if Gold are genuinely interested in extending facilities for users, they really ought to let us put the other end of our error checker on their system.
ANDREW MARGOLIS, Lion Micro Systems, London WC1E.
THIS ONE'S AN
A BSOLUTE
GEM
TALK A sour
'USER-FRIENDLY -
ITS THE ONLY
COMPUTER IN THE ENTIRE
OF FI GE
TAAT YOU CAN
PROGRAM TO
6IVE. YOU A 4-30 ALARM- CALL
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
7
ASK PC
Q I use a CP / M machine for word processing with WordStar, and running Microsoft Basic programs. Please
can you tell me if it is possible to use WordStar as a screen editor to edit programs as I do on a mainframe. Some Basic programs stored on disc
do not seem to be the letters and numbers I would expect, so I can't edit these. Those programs that are stored correctly appear to edit OK with WordStar, but after such editing Microsoft Basic loads correctly but gives an error Direct Statement in File when I try to run the program.
MARTIN JOHNS
A WordStar is primarily used as a word-processing program, but it may also be used as a sophisticated full -
screen editor for writing and editing programs in Basic, Fortran, Pascal, machine code or any other language. Using an editor is much
better than altering a program under Basic, since only the part of a line that is wrong needs to be
changed. it is also possible to move a line from one place to another,
change the line number, make global changes throughout the program, and so on.
Basic programs are stored as a
series of ASCII characters. The Basic interpreter compacts the lines you type, by converting keywords such
as Input, Print, Goto, and so on
into a single character. Numbers are converted into binary. When you have finished typing the program, you generally save it on disc, and with Microsoft disc Basic the command is
SAVE "FILENAME. BAS"
This command writes the compacted form of the program on to
disc, and it is very difficult to use an editor to alter such a file, since the lines of program do not look like the text you typed in. It is possible to save the program on disc using ASCII characters rather than the compacted form with the command
SAVE "FILENAME.BAS",A
The file produced in this way looks just the same as the lines of program you typed in, so it is easy to edit the file using WordStar or any other text editor. If you would like to use the editor on a file you have stored in compacted form on disc you just first load the compacted file into memory under Basic and then save it on the disc in ASCII form before using the editor. To run WordStar you type the command WS, and after the sign -on message has been
displayed the No -File menu appears on the screen. If you want to edit a program you must enter the command N to edit a non document file. You can enter text,
SORTING
METHODS
Q I have a problem sorting numbers into order on a computer. I am using a bubble sort written in Basic and, while it works correctly, the computer is unbelievably slow. I have been told that there are much better ways of sorting a large number of
values. Please can you suggest reference books which describe these, and explain how they work. Is there anywhere I can get these better programs, either on disc or as listings which I can type in?
D OLDERSHAW
A There are quite a lot of different sorting methods available, and the bubble sort is the slowest. For general purposes, the Shell sort is among the best, and always works. Hoare's
Quickersort is often even better, but you may by chance get
pathological data - that is, data arranged in an unfortunate order
- which makes this very slow. If you have a special case such as
dealing with integer numbers which have a limited range, then an
address sort is the best choice.
Two articles on sorting appeared in Practical Computing, the first
in the March 1983 issue, pages 120 to 122, and the second the
following month, pages 136 to 138. Mike Lewis also wrote about sorts
in the February 1985 issue, page 53. The standard reference to
sorting methods is the book The Art of Computer Programming -
volume 3 sorting and searching by D E Knuth, published by
Addison-Wesley. The Shell algorithm is described -in an article "A
high speed sorting procedure" by D L Shell in the Communications
of the Association for Computing Machinery, July 1959. The last two
references are technical, and an easier explanation is given in our own
book, Statistics and Computer Methods in Basic published by Van
Nostrand Reinhold. It has a 17 -page chapter on sorting techniques,
together with tried and tested Basic programs for five methods.
Alternatively you can buy sorting programs on disc for £75 plus
VAT, or listings for £25 from Micro Logic Consultants Ltd of
Horsham, Sussex. Telephone: (0403) 731818.
Finally, remember that whichever method you use it will work
much faster if you use a Basic compiler, rather than an interpreter.
? ? ? ?
! .?
. ?
!
!
!
!
!
?
!
move the cursor, add, delete, alter and so on.
Programs are made up of lines of code which comprise letters and
numbers, which are part of the
ASCII set of characters which require only seven bits, so the eighth bit is never set. Thus the Microsoft Basic interpreter expects to find a program where only seven
bits have been set. If you edit a program in Document mode, you may accidentally set the eighth bit to some character in the program file. When MBasic finds the character with the eighth bit set it thinks that there is a mistake, and
gives the error message Direct Statement In File.
If you have always edited the program in Non Document mode
this can never happen and there is a very simple way to put the problem
right should you make this mistake.
Simply copy the file using the CP/M utility program Pip, and write it back on the disc with the
same file name, using the Z option to zero the eighth bit. For example:
PIP FILENAME.BAS= FILENAME. BAS[Z]
The file is now identical to the
original except that any eighth bits that were accidentally set have now been unset, and you can run MBasic without any problems.
Q Has there been an article in Practical Computing on the maintenance and repair of disc drives? I would like to know, for instance, whether there are any internal parts which need cleaning and/or lubricating. What disasters would be likely to ensue if I took the cover off to explore the working parts. Are there such things as maintenance kits, as there are for cassette recorders?
M J HOSKEN
A There has not been an article on this subject in Practical Computing, and we do not know of one anywhere else. We have not heard of maintenance kits for disc drives, though they are common enough for tape and cassette recorders. We usually go to a reputable
dealer to get disc drives fixed.
There are programs sold for
Apple, CP /M systems and the
IBM PC that test a variety of
things to do with your discs.
They may test the speed of the
drives, the pressure the discs, the
alignment of the read/write head,
and so on. We can see little point
in buying these programs, since
we lack the expertise and the
specialist equipment required to
fix the fault.
However, there are some things
we will do. A number of
suppliers sell special discs to clean
the read/write head. In time, the
head may become dirty because
of the build-up of dust or from
oxide which wears off the surface
of the disc. The special discs are
similar to a floppy disc, but are
abrasive. Usually you put a
special disc -cleaning fluid on the
disc and run it in the drive. It is
worth doing this periodically as
routine maintenance or when you
suspect trouble.
The disc cleaning fluid may be
expensive, and you could save
money by going to your local
chemist and buying some
isopropyl alcohol, otherwise
known as isopropanol; it is the
same as the cleaning fluid. I
know of people who soak cotton
buds, intended for cleaning
children's ears and noses, in
isopropyl alcohol and poke them
into the drive to clean the
read/write head. Be very careful
if you do this, lest you disturb
the alignment of the head. On
no account should you poke
round inside with anything rigid,
like a screwdriver or a pencil.
If you have disc -drive trouble,
it is worth checking the
connections where the ribbon
cable is plugged in. The plug
slides off the printed -circuit
board and reveals a set of gold-
plated contacts. If these look the
slightest bit black, oily, dirty, or
even dull, clean them using a
hard rubber. It is safest to rub
along the length of the gold
contact, rather than across them.
We once had a drive that
squeaked when it spun. After
checking that it was not just one
particular floppy disc causing the
problem, we unscrewed the
printer -circuit board from the
drive and used a pin to put a
single drop of very thin sewing -
machine oil on the ball race at
the centre. Too much oil would
be disastrous. If any gets on the
read/write head, it will not read
or write, and if any gets on a disc
that too will stop working -
permanently. Routine oiling is
not required, and in general you
will do more harm trying to oil it
than leaving it alone.
Oa
8
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
Computar Entarprinu
International ltd.
OLIVETTI OLIVETTI M21. OD. 128K RAM. OLIVETTI M24 128K. DD. Monocolour
OLIVETTI M24 1280, SD. 10MB HD Mono colour OLIVETTI M10 8K RAM,240 RAM
f1399 1399tC1850 £2995£3390
C350399
IBM IBM PC 256K Double doves Mono: colour IBM PC 256K 50. 10M0 HD Monomolour
C1900/C2150 C2990I3300
APRICOT APRICOT PC 2560. 2X720. Mono,12" Mono APRICOT XI 10MB. 1X720. 9' Mono/12" Mono APRICOT XIIOS 512K. 10MB HO APRICOT )(120S 1MB RAM. 20MB HD
APRICOT FUFIE
APRICOT Portable 512K. 720K. Colour. Mouse POINT 7 Cluster Controller With DOS
SIRIUSNICTOR
VICTOR 1 2648 2560)2 41M3 r 256K VICTOR 1086 HARD DISK 1 1 2MB Driver 256K VICKY (Portable) 2 4mb drives. 256K RAM VICTOR VI (SinumIBM Compatible) VICTOR VPC 15MB HO. SD. Mono PC Card (Makes Sirius IBM compatible)
L1499/E1550 (217012220 f2590C2630 £3395(4430
17500525 C1699 C425
£1695 C2050 C2790 C1950 23990 C2550 C950
SANYO
SANYO 775 Colour with tree software
NEW
£1795
SANYO MBC 2X720K DRIVES r monitor 1 Free Software
C990
SANYO MBC 10MB HARD DISK 1 Monitor , Free Software (1990
SANYO 555 With f1000 worth software
£790
SANYO 550-2/555.2 (1000 worth software
£799 01159
COLOMBIA COLOMBIA TwIn disks, mono, bundled software/Colour f 1799/1895
COLOMBIA 10mb 13206 disk £1000 softwaretolour C2850/2940 COLOMBIA VP PORTABLE 128K RANI,256k RAM Software E1299, 1350
MACINTOSH Macwnte. Macpaint Apple lie
f13992496799
COMPAQ COMPAO 2560 RAM. 2 DRIVESiSDOS COMPAQ 2560 RAM 10MB HARD DISK i DRIVE DESKPRO M0D2 DESKPRO MOD4
£1650 £2990 C2100,C4490
TELEVIDEO TELE-PC 1605
TELEVIDEO TPC.II PORTABLE
C1695 C1750
ZENITH
Desk Top Twin 320 360KB Doves IBM Comp Ponable C1795.1699
Desk Top 1 MB Hard Disk 8 Drive
£2790
COMMODORE
COMMODORE PC 2580 RAM.12' mono. Double drives.. COMMODORE 6296 £1030 worth Iree software
C1499
EPSON EPSON 0616 Taxi Free Software EPSON PX-8 64k. CPM. Basic. Wordstar 120k RAM PACK
C859
C1795 .C699
KAYPRO 2 Twin single sided 8 free Soft
KAYPRO 4 Twin double sided 8 free Soft KAYPRO 10 with 10Mb HD and Free software KAYPRO 286 (10114 AT Compatible)
-
£899 (I175 C1895
C4250
NEC NEC APC III Mono/colour NEC APC 1 NEC 2000 OW Printer i Software NEC PORTABLE PC8201 i C200 Free software
01850.2150 C1990 C290
CANNON A200M/A200C 256K RAM. Twin drives (1390,C1450
HEWLETT PACKARD HP 150
02195
HYPERION 25611 RAM disk, 2 drives, Free software
C1995
SINCLAIR OL DISK INTERFACE
(320(149
88C B with DFS C399 COMMMODORE 64
f450/C195
MULTI-USER COMPUTERS
NORTHSTAR DIMENSION 151A8 HD. 2 User -each user C49951C1295
TELEVIDEO PERSONAL MINI
£9750
ALTOS Xenia. MPM86. 1 to 8 users. Ethernet
OLIVETTI 3B2 unix V M r UNIX SOFTWARE
(RIPNGA
PRINTERS
DOT MATRIX
Smith Corona FT80 0100 0200 D300
New LOW PRICES Canon PW1080/0156A (NIS)
CHING £285,375
Canon PJ1080A (Ink Jet) Kaga Taxan KP810.910 (DLO) Panasonic NLO 80 136
C389
C289/099 (275,375
Fhteman II NLO MP165 NI0165CPS
Honeywell 32,34C0
£299
£279 (4991(850
Dataproducts 8050,8070 Dataproducts 8010/8020
CCALL (CALL
Brother EP44 KSKR,HR5 Brother M1009,TC600
£195,129 C1891E395
Brother 202N10 Panasonic 801132Co1 LO
.£850 (2651(399
Epson P40/P80
(951(150
Epson JX80 Colour
E499
Epson RX8OFT .
C219
Epson FX80 Epson RX100FT/FX100FT
. C350 f3592459
Epson 101500
C895
Fujitsu P1340,1351 (24pin) Shinwa CPA80/CPB800
CCALL C179 -C199
Shinwa CPB 136P NEC P2 P3
C350 C650 C795
Brother 20241 (190cPs) Brother 1009
0899 £179
Infoscribe 110011200
C1100,C1395
Mmroprism FT (SOP)
Mannesmann Tally MI135 86 M Tally 81780/180
C299 C299/C349 £175:£499
SeMosha GP700A (Colour)
C349
Seikosha GP250X
C199
Seikosha GP550A Sokosha GPI 00A
E219 C149
Sokosha BP5420 420CPS Microline 82A/92P Microline 83P,93P
C590 C239C360
£408,099
Microline 84P Microline 2410P Star Gemini 100,15)( Star Delta 10X.15X
£659 01590
C219/f299 C335,f429
Star Radix 108,159
£470,t595
Toshiba 2100H (.0) Texas Instruments 810/0 Texas Instruments 855/L0 Anadex DP9725 (240cPS)
f1349 C995 C695 C1195
Anadex WP6000 (330cps)
C1795
Anadex DP6500 (500cps) DRE-Newbury 081 8925 240cps
01990 C1445
Newbury Data 8931 240cps r LO
£1750
Newbury Data 8950 480cps Hermes 612B
C1990 (1690
Anadex DP9500 (180cps)
C850
Anadex DP9620 (240cps) Phelps Mullard GP300 from
C985 C1900
Siemens PT11138,PT89 link Mtl Diablo 150C Colour Ink let
1560 C890
Cannon Laser Printer HP Laser Printer
C2900 03195
DAISYWHEEL PRINTERS
Brother HRIMR15 Brother HR2635
C290/C349 £5952 799
Juki 6100,6300
E299/C650
Jul. 2200
C249
Ouen-Data.
C219
Damystep 2000
C269
SOME Letter-Pro20
C446
Mari 13Y450
t786
OUME 9,45-55
C1595 £2150
OUME 11/40.55
C1195 C1379
NEC 3510 (S or PI
C1015
NEC 2010 (S or P)
C539
NEC 2050 (tor IBM)
C699
Diablo 620 RO
C695
Diablo 630 API
C1299
Ricoh 1200/1300
(495,795
Ricoh 1600
C1375
TEC F10-40,50
f995,C1250
Smith Corona TP1,1.100
C189/C249
Silver Reed EXP. 'NEW'
(CALL
Brother EMI01 KSR
C799
HP 2225 THINKJET
0399
AUTO SHEET FEEDERS
Genesis (TeciNeuRicoh/Dablo)
Rutishauser Mechanical Rutishauser Electro Mechanical Tractor Feeds
Acoustic Hoods/with SSF Printer Stand for any printer.
0299 0395 C479 C159 f250/C375
£79
MONITOR
MONOCHROME Roland M8121 Green Amber Sanyo DM8112 CX (18m1u) Sanyo DM9112 12" 20mhz Philips 75027522
Kaga 12G (Green) Zenith Green Amber BMC 12' High Res Zenith 12" Green Amber Yanlen (Green.Amber lilt Ow) Swivel 8 Tilt Monitor Stand
E120
C89 E110 1791E85
(981110 f90 E99 f95
C99
E28
COLOUR
Roland CC -141 14' (640.2001
C395
Kaga Vision -PC
£399
Kaga KI2R1X RGB,PAL
C249
Sinclair Vision 01
C235
Novex 14" RGB
C239
Luxor 14" (Super Res. 800 dot) C495
Dyneer 14CMI 640x 200
(399
Dyneer 14CHI 720 x 350
£575
Sanyo CD3117M (620 DOT)
C295
Sanyo CD3115H (720 DOT)
f399
Fidelity C814 12mhz. ROB 8 COMP £185
Microwtec monitors
EPOA
Princeton HX-12,SR12
C490 C645
TERMINALS
Oume OVT 102
C455
Oume OVT 108
C590
Oume OVT 211GX (Tektronics)
C856
Oume OVT 103 (DEC VT100)
C595
Kokam ICL 12"
£350
Televideo 924125/950
Best Price
Zentec (Various Emulations)
E495
Hazeltines Esprit III
£450'£495
Hazlehne Esprit III (TV1950)
(655
Tatung 094200 Wyse WY50 WY75
£499 C595S699
PLOTTERS &
DIGITISERS
Roland OXY80018 Pen 631
f495
Roland DXY880 (HP Compatible) £795
Roland OXY980
E1150
HP 7470/7475
C89511390
Watanabe MP1000
0699
Watanabe W04636
C2165
MT Pixy Plotter (with SF)
(495
ACT Writer 80/81
C528/695
Epson 11180/Expansion RAM C365/C75
Gold Boons DP7
E1255
Houston DMP42 (A2)
C2990
Houston DMP52 (Al)
C3990
STROBE 8 Pen drum plotter
C655
Summagraphms
C595
Houston HI -Pad
C699
Sweet -P
MK)
PC -Pad Mower
0390
CalcomplIgt
CPOA
SOFTWARE
(Please call us for any
Software for best prices).
Wordstar 2000 (IBM Apncoi)
L295
Datallex (SingleMulti User) (595,£990
Lotus 123/Symphony
(2991(399
Open Access -2 (18M/Apricot)
(350
FrameworluEnday
f350/E175
Obese II/II
C2501E325
Sensible Solution
C600
PC-Painl with Mouse Exchange (4 Int Package) Card-boxflus
C180 (395 139/(295
Files 8 Folders/Off m
f250/C450
Volkswnter Deluxe
PCS Report deMrite Grai, File Transfer IBACApncotSinus
C190
£350 C95
AutocadADE11ADE2 C800t300/C300
Doodle (CAD Package for
IBM/Apricot) Cadplan (CAD with
C695
Autodimensioning)
(1 500
Smanwork (Circuit Board Design) £895
OED. Main Street Fier
f2901C1S0
Sage Accounts Plus
Easy Junior
(395
Sycerotrosstaik
C4991CI29
Pulsar/Pegasus )Each/
C2002230
Microsoft Project
Superproiect
C250/C295
Pertmaster/Miestone
C650,C295
Harward Protect Manager
Hornet
C379,C2150
Omnis1111)atamaster
E3991E425
EverymanKnowledgeman
L379 (395
Reflex/Ensemble (Mao)
C375,f250
Wordstar Professional
C119
Multi Tool Word w Mouse
0275
MultimateWordperfect
C250 (399
Wordcralt Samna i
(299:(500
Arabic Word Processor
Conversion Perfect II (WritertalcEder)
C5501500 C395
Filewsion (Mac) Maccash
Macledger
(140 (295
JawDesq Energraphics Helix Crosstalk,Sidekick
C395 C290 (290(290
(129(49
Human Edge Software
Each £195
Expertease,Mind Proper
C650/(39
R Base 5000
£399
Norton Utilities Xenocopy Supercalc 2.3
(55 f 135 (195(235
Multiplan Trigger
£1500450
Turbo Pascal Superkey
C46C60
Delta 4 Retrieve II
C350,C350
Smart WPTIBSS Micromodeller
Each 0295 f5952450
Copy IIPC Copywnteple
C39,C50
Think Tank TIC Solver
(125,£ 190
Jane (Apple) Spotlight
C179/C195
Sargon II :III
Millionaire (Stock market simulation) C39
Chess 3D Flogger Pinball
(95 C25 C29
Spotlight Management training series
Backgammon Checkersthess
C99
C350 (59
Flight Simulator
C59
Insurance Brokers System
£695
News Agent System
£500
Integrated Travel Agents System
£750
COMMUNICATION
Acoustic Couplers (CX21 01) £160 (130
Buzzbox Modem. V21
Auto Answer
L90.C139
Portman 02123/021239
f125C170
Telemod 021AM/2123M Minor Miracles V21/V22
(1302150 C120
Steebek SB1212N22A0
DI50E650
Micom Borer 84012/V22 (AA)
(600
Flicom Borer 1.430124/21023 (AA)
C250
Master Systems 02123,
2123AD
C235/C3(0
Dacom V21238121236T
f330/450
Braid Telex System
C1750
Telebox III/Mytelex
C1350,E1700
Communique (SinumApncon
0350
Telecom GokrVEasylinluone to one
CPOA
Sage Communication Pack
C350
IBM Internal Modem V2I23AD
0290
Pace Mulftlunction
£137
Add-Ons and Accessories
AST MPC 0000 Cards
for IBM PC. XT
(RING
Keytronics IBM Keyboard
(175/C250
Roland Synthesizers
(Juno -16,1X 3-P)
EPOA
Image Recording System
f1250
Cumana Disk for BBC at best prices RING
Each 646 RAM for 1881 or Comp
C76
IBM Joystick/Trackball
C45/C39
Appie/113M/C64/Atan mystick
C39
*use IMMIAaricat 9 4419.-
1195
Hercules GRF CARD
C250
Plus -5 10MB HD for 1681.
Sanyo. etc
f1125
Power Bank (for power cuts)
C590
Multi User PC Expansion
'tom C1050
Rodime hard disks for
IBM/Sanyo Apricot
108413201.16 30MB
C1000/C12951f1500
Cipher Tape Streamer 10MB
C850
Oberon Omni -Reader Tecmar 10mb HD,15mb
C350
(l100,(1790
Tecmar Graphics Master
C595
SPECIAL DEALS Complete 2D Colour Drafting
System
Circuit Board Desing System Macintosh with 15mb hard disk Televideo 1605 Hyperion Apple LIE (Lots xl software)
Smith Comm Femur 80 Smith Corona 0100..
C3950
C2900 C3500 C1490 C1550
(250 I125 1I70
COMPUTER ENTERPRISES INTERNATIONAL LTD. 01-543 6866%542 4850 TLX: 946240 CWEASY G (Quote: 19005565)
EASYLINK MAILBOX: 19005565 TELECOM GOLD MAILBOX:
SHOWROOMS (OPEN Mon -Sat 9 to 6) 85-85A QUICKS ROAD, WIMBLEDON, LONDON SW19 1EX UK
LESSINGSTRASSE 60, 5300 BONN 1 GERMANY Tel: 0228 220297
Export, Educational, Dealer, Governmental, Lease, Rent,
Consultant ENQUIRIES WELCOME. All items new and carry manufacturers guarantee. Prices exclusive of VAT, Installation, Training, Delivery and subject to change without notice. Delivery
£10 for each item in UK, £75.00 for Europe.
PAYMENT By Eurocheques, Credit Cards LC, IMO, Direct Transfer
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
Circle No. 137
The
Right
Software
r WHAT IS RIGHT FOR ...
/Accounting
/Mailing
('Catering
dm arketing
/Employment agency /Manufacturing
('Estate agency ('Farming
/Medical profession dPersonnel
"Insurance dStock control
d Printing
/Retailing
dJob costing
Legal profession
dTime recording
/Travel agency
THE ANSWER'S
MULTI-USER DATAFLEX
DataFlex. A data management system so versatile it can be adapted to most business needs. Plan the
future around DataFlex and you're never tied down to a single unalterable way of doing things.
Its powerful set of software building bricks lend themselves to just about all applications where fast efficient data retrieval and manipulation are of paramount importance. Add comprehensive calculating facilities and you've really got a system for all facets of business. And, of course, DataFlex is portable. So you can move your data from PC to PC, from PC network to multi user system, from 8 bit to 16 bit, without ever having to re -key.
It really is the software for business on the move.
CALL US NOW
i'.MO. IMM
//M/N'
w
milWe
`MIMI& AIIMMW
NMl. MEIMMIIIMI
MOMMI/
AM/111,
AIIIIIMMIIIk
,,.... Ino '''
(INFORMATION MANAGEMENT) SERVICES LTD
16 Arming Street, New Inn Yard, London EC2A 3HB
Telephone: 01-729 4460 Telex: 27341
All trademarks are acknowledged
Circle No. 120
9
A 1 I
jSO
I
1 III
i. :0 l0.a...0.4.4.
_.
( ) ; 4044 IMO* 00
.. 41
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Only the
Ealplisskooen pLtrhXiin-s8t.s0 The print on the left is certainly legible, which is quite good enough for most purposes.
But it's nothing to write home about. Or with.
That's why Epson have brought out the new LX -80.
The LX -80 is a dot matrix printer that can print in correspondence quality (like this) as well as in draft. Yet at only £255+VAT it's no more expensive than any of its less capable rivals.
This alone would make the LX -80 unique. But there's more.
Changing fonts on the LX -80 doesn't involve a complicated rigmarole as it does on other machines. By simply pressing a combination of buttons on the front, you can change from one font to another Lo another t()...th.,-. As easily as that.
The LX -80 will justify or centre type if you like. It will even print your own symbols
Alternatively, you can use the standard 1K buffer to free your computer for other tasks more quickly.
The LX -80 takes plain sheets as standard, though a variety of paper feed options are also available.
It should go without saying that the LX -80 is as reliable as Epson printers have always been. But there, we've said it anyway.
There's still more to tell, of course. But fill in the coupon in whatever style you like - and we'll fill you in completely.
EPSON
Please send me more information on the LX -80.
Name
Address
Tel No
To: Epson (UK) Ltd., Dorland House, 388 High Road, Wembley, Middlesex, HA9 6UH.
PC 8 Circle No. 138
-pIommoimmmwumwwwstwaarlmowmg:yew,
R.1111
1010101000101,01 MeOwWe 0111111 sfs
fl 11.- MI
MMMMMMMM 11611.116
111011* -111.1
- enmtoseespeeammmosuemmmiwtaiwmlit mle awft
1111,11.00010101,11111110*
-,1141111111.
RM NIMBUS
NETWORK
POWERFUL. FLEXIBLE. AFFORDABLE.
As a stand-alone machine, the brilliant RM Nimbus has already proved itself superior in performance/price terms to any comparable microcomputer.
As a network system, Nimbus is even more impressive. Because, unlike so many 'networkable' machines, Nimbus was designed from the beginning as a network workstation, as well as a stand-alone system.
TRUE 16 -BIT POWER
As a stand-alone machine, the RM Nimbus handles standard processing 2-3 times faster than the IBM or Apricot PC's, and its graphics are over ten times faster.
With the Nimbus network, this power can be brought simply and economically to as many as 64 users simultaneously. Each Nimbus station is a highly intelligent microcomputer in its own right, with stunning graphics and a high-speed network interface. So it is able to share expensive central resources such as printers, Winchesters and plotters.
SUIT -YOURSELF FLEXIBILITY
Whether you want a network to share software and data within a department, or a professional
12-
multi-user system across the organisation, the Nimbus system will do it.
Your Nimbus network server can provide up to 80 megabytes for sharing. And you can connect up numbers of peripherals simultaneously via Piconet, Research Machines' unique input/output system. Locally, your stations can be discless, single -disc, or twin -disc, with internal memory from 320K to one megabyte.
The Microsoft Network? operating system allows you to run MS-DOS* software, with the benefits of file and record locking, password security, and full professional multi-user software. All on a network which is easy to put together with a single run of cable and connectors.
UNBEATABLE VALUE
Because it was designed for networking, with Research Machines' experience of 1000 installed networks behind it, Nimbus becomes more economical the more you demand of it.
Considerable savings can be made by sharing software and peripherals, and these savings become greater as you increase the number of workstations.
On price to performance, the Nimbus network is unrivalled. A 320K network station costs £1123," and server prices start at £2635.**
To find out more about the RM Nimbus network, phone Research Machines on Oxford (0865) 249866, or use the coupon below.
'Minx:wok Networks and MS-DOS are trade marks of Microsoft Corporation. "Prices quoted exclude monitor and VAT.
To: Caroline Rawle, Research Machines Limited. Mill Street, Oxford OX2 OBW. Please send me details of RM Nimbus network E
NAME
POSITION
ADDRESS
TELEPHONE
POST CODE
RESEARCH MACHINES
\II(R(x(Alit i[K,,wl \l', PC 8
Circle No. 139
ADVERTISEMENT
WHAT IS MULTI-
PROCESSING?
Multi -processing is the best possible technique designed to achieve cost effective and high
performance multi-user computing. Very many
advantages accrue over the
networking of Personal
Computers or Timesharing micros. It is also, probably, the
most unknown and under-
estimated innovation of micro computer technology. BROMCOM are pioneers in multiprocessing technology.
MAIN BENEFITS
* Multi-access to a common database with record and file
locking.
* Sharing resources, e.g. printers, modems, telex line, etc.. .
* Speed far superior to conventional networking or timesharing micros.
* Cost much less than a net-
work of PCs and comparable to timesharing micros.
* Ease and low cost of
expansion. Up to 16 users and more by networking.
ESPECIAL SECTION
RAPHICS
Business graphics is a fast-growing field, to judge by the number of packages that incorporate or add graphics features. But how useful, and how cost-effective, are they? We look at the market, from simple pie charts to special presentation programs.
MI HARDWARE
ZENITH
Five new machines are due from Zenith, including a trendy transportable -a new implementation of the Morrow Pivot - an improved IBM PC compatible 150, and an AT alike. We hope to preview the most interesting of the bunch, the Z-200, to see whether Zenith can follow up its achievements in the U.S. market with success in the U.K.
16 -BIT MASTER PROCESSOR
MAIN FEATURES * Multi -processor system at its best. It is totally BRITISH designed and manufactured. * 16 -bit Master/slave-processor based on iAPX 186 running at 8MHz with up to 1Mbyte RAM. (8 -bit slaves are also available). * Winchester/Floppy drives operate in DMA -mode for fast response. * Choice of different operating system CP/M, MS-DOS and soon Concurrent DOS in slave processors.
* Integral Tape Back-up
option with up to 40 Mbyte
capacity.
INTEGRAL 1/4in CARTRIDGE TAPE BACKUP
SuperStar-16 must be one of the most powerful, flexible and complete systems available on the market. Contact:
BIMNICOM
417-421 Bromley Road Bromley, Kent BR1 4PJ Telephone: 01-697 8933
ARE
THAT JAZZ
Lotus has finally delivered Jazz, its much -hyped do -everything business package for the Apple Macintosh. Was it worth the wait, or are programs of this size just dinosaurs on the Mac?
TOP 10 SURVEY
TRANSPORTABLES
IBM has just slashed £500 off the Portable PC to compete with the rival Compaq and Olivetti M-21 transportables, while Osborne and Kaypro are also making an impact with both CP/M and IBMcompatible machines. We check out the offerings in this exciting market.
Don't miss the September issue of
" PRACTICAL COMPUTING
On sale at W H Smith and all good newsagents after August 14.
Contents may vary due to circumstances beyond our control and are subject to change \\ ithout noticc.
13
The world didn't need
another portable.
Just a better one.
The Bondwell 2 is a truly portable computer that offers
instant computing power when you're on the move.
And it offers some pretty remarkable features.
a,
Small, light, powerful.
The Bondwell 2 is a 64K RAM portable that is the size
of an attache case and weighs just 5.5 Kg. The fold -up LCD
screen offers 80 characters x 25 lines with a brilliant
resolution of 640 x 200. It also tilts 0° - 180° to offer the
best viewing angle in all light conditions.
There's also a built-in 31/2 " microfloppy disk drive with a 360K formatted capacity.
So you get maximum software flexibility without the limitations of built-in ROM programs
on most portables.
And because the Bondwell 2 has a CP/M 2.2 operating system you have access to
a huge library of business programs.
Five top programs are offered free with the Bondwell 2 - WordStar, Mailmerge,
DataStar, CalcStar and ReportStar. As well a "Scheduler Plus" program is yours, free, for
better organisation of executive time.
Features. Features. Features.
Other Bondwell 2 features include a full -stroke keyboard with 8 user -defined function keys; ports for data transmission. printer and a second disk drive; expansion slots for modem, ROM/RAM card: a built-in battery which gives 8 hours of continuous use with each recharge.
The Bondwell 2 Portable.
Heavy in features. Light in weight. And equally light on the pocket
AT £1575
Circle No. 140
I iarbatan Limited
35 - 38 High Street
Bristol BS1 2AW Tel: Bristol (0272) 213928
Attractive trade discounts are available. Dealer enquiries welcome.
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
HARDWARE NEWS
CBM'S Z-8000 AND AMIGA
ANNOUNCED
COMMODORE has announced some details of its unusual Zilog Z-8000
based machine, the Commodore 900. When it becomes available in the autumn, it will have 512K RAM as standard, upgradeable to 2Mbyte, and a 1.1Mbyte floppy; a second floppy will be optional. Ports include four RS -232s and a Centronics. The operating system will be Coherent, which is apparently a close relative of Unix. It has been acquired by Commodore from an outside firm.
There will be two main versions; the single -user as described, and the multi-user which has a
20Mbyte, 40Mbyte or 67Mbyte Winchester. Up to eight users can be supported. A notable feature will be its extremely high -resolution graphics: 1,024 by 800
pixels and 16 colours. This suggests
the machine will be targeted at CAD/CAM, scientific and busi-
ness -graphics applications.
The first rumours about the Amiga, Commodore's answer to
NEC APC III
THE JAPANESE electronics giant NEC
has launched what it believes to be a major new onslaught on European business -micro markets with
its APC III. Rather unadventurously this is just an MS-DOS
machine with 128K RAM, 640K floppies and a variety of hard -disc options. It does at least use the faster 8086-2.
There are RS -232 and Centronics ports and four expansion slots. A colour board is available. The high -resolution mode offers 640 by 400 pixels in up to eight colours, or in monochrome if you
prefer. More interesting is the bundled
software, rejoicing in the name of the NEC Foundation Package. This has been commissioned and written in the U.K. , and as well as the standard generic packages like word processing, spreadsheets and electronic mail, it also offers a Gem -like front end called, appropriately enough, Front End. A mouse is available.
The dual -floppy model costs
£1,735 plus VAT, monitor
included; the top -of -the -range colour version with a 10Mbyte Winchester costs £3,058. For more details telephone 01-267 7000.
Atari's ST, suggest that it too will have high -resolution colour graphics of the sme order as the 900. Indications are that it will have a 68000 CPU and a 3.5in. floppy. The U.S. launch is scheduled for the middle of July; it is unlikely to appear over here before next year. There have been conflicting reports on the pricing, but it seems likely to be over £1,500.
Meanwhile, a novel scheme has been announced to boost sales of Commodore's old stalwart, the 64. Every Commodore 64 pack, which costs £199, will entitle the
purchaser to three nights' free accommodation for two people at
one of over 300 hotels. These range from four star to guest houses, and are located in France and Belgium as well as the U.K. At the time of
purchase you are provided with vouchers and a list of hotels. It will be interesting to see how the opposition responds.
Details on all Commodore products from local dealers.
The APC III: the Japanese threat?
HARDWARE
SHORTS
The Magnum portable from down under is to be distributed in this country by PM Professional Micros. Telephone: (0954) 81991.
In the U.S. Amstrad is launching the CPC -6128, a 128K version of the CPC -664. Price is in the range $600 to $700; and all sales will be through the U.S. distributor
Macenhancer
MICROSOFT has launched a hard-
ware expansion device that allows Mac applications to use a wide range of IBM-compatible printers. The Macenhancer provides four additional ports, giving access to a total of five different peripheral devices such as printers, modems
and general RS -232 equipment. In particular, it allows the Epson range of printers to be used.
Software is also provided that
enables the Mac to emulate VT -52 and VT -100 terminals, allowing it to be hooked up to mainframes. The Macenhancer is accessed through the Mac's menus; active devices can be changed without dismantling equipment or exiting from an application.
The price is £250 plus VAT. More details on (07535) 59951.
More Midases
SIRTON has added two new systems to its Midas range of micros. The Midas 286 has, unsurprisingly, an
80286 at its heart. Like the Jarogate Sprite, it uses Concurrent CP / M with PC -DOS emulation. Other operating systems include Xenix and CP/ M Plus. It is claimed that up to 18 users can run off the one processor. The one -chip version of Ethernet also comes as standard.
Options include an IBM PC
compatible graphics board, and an
eight -port I/O board. Prices for the Midas 286 start around £6,000.
The similarly priced Midas
68/XE is based on the 68000 processor. It runs Xenix, Unix, Idris and a CP / M emulating operating system. Unlike the Midas 286, which is aimed at business users, the 68/XE is geared more to the scientific community.
Details on both systems can be obtained on 01-640 6931.
(More news on next page)
Indescomp. A U.K. launch is
unlikely this year. The Q + 4 from CST is a multi -way expansion module. the price is £150. More on (0223) 323302. A miniature line driver from Picotech allows RS -232 equipment to be connected
over distances of several kilometres. Prices are from £59. Details on 01-502 0728.
An Amstrad light -pen is available from Dk'tronics for £24.95 including VAT. More
information on (0799) 26350. U -Microcomputers has
launched hard -disc versions of its U -Man series 1000 micros with 10Mbyte, 21Mbyte or 42Mbyte
Winchesters. Prices start at £3,800. More on (0925) 54117.
Husky Hunters can now be charged from vehicle batteries. The necessary power unit costs £95. More information on (0203)
668181.
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
15
HARDWARE NEWS
Honeywell
HCX-0940
THE unmemorably named
HCX-0940 from Honeywell is a 40Mbyte 8086 machine running under Concurrent DOS. It sits at the top of Honeywell's business micro range.
Prices in this series begin at a rather steep £3,245 plus VAT for a twin 640K floppy version, and the latest addition is £6,900. Subsequent releases are likely to include Gem software. Details on (0442) 212781.
Gold Octopus
LSI COMPUTERS of Woking has launched a top -end model to its Octopus range. The Octopus Gold
comes with 768K RAM as
standard, as well as the dual pro-
cessors of the earlier machine. Winchester drives of 10Mbyte,
20Mbyte or 40Mbyte are available. The entry-level Gold system starts
at £5,300 plus VAT. New ex-
pansion boards include an IBM PC emulator boards for £220. Details on (04862) 23411.
!vox the Scara robot
IVAX is a selective compliance
assembly robot arm - Scara for short - from Powertran Cyb-
ernetics. It is designed for educational and training purposes. In
industry, Scara precision -assembly
robots are becoming the norm. Ivax aims to teach the principles behind the work cells approach,
with its attendant high speed and
accuracy. The basic robot arm costs £980;
the Z-80 based controller costs
£801.50 and the power supply unit £136.50. Alternatively, it is possible to use a BBC Micro or Apple for control purposes. More information on (0264) 64455.
BBC B + Z-80 = ?
USERS who have connected up an Acorn Z-80 second processor unit to their shiny new BBC B+ may have experienced difficulties with
CP/ M software. This is due to a minor incompatibility between the 1770 DFS and the CP/ M BIOS. If it is any comfort, Acorn
has two solutions to the problem.
The first is a revised Disc 1 which
forms part of the bundled Z-80 software; the other is a modified DFS EPROM which is currently being developed. Availability and upgrade policies will be an-
nounced shortly.
Megabyte Apple card
RAMWORKS is a memory expansion card for the Apple IIe which allows
a desk top of up to 736K to be set up within the Appleworks
program. It includes an 80 -column display facility, and larger sizes of Ramworks will also simultaneously act as RAM discs for Appleworks. Prices range from £299 plus VAT for the 128K Ramworks card,
giving a desk top of 101K, to
£1,199 for the 1Mbyte card, which
allows a 736K desk top. More information from Bidmuthin
Technologies on 01-628 0898.
BBC's Good
Companion
THE GOOD COMPANION for the BBC
Micro from Bevan Technology adds a 100K 3.5in. floppy and the ability to link up to a videotape or videodisc machine. There are also extensive digital -to -analogue facilities which allow motorised units to be controlled via a Logo -like language. The cost is £347 plus VAT, and more information can be obtained on (0902) 23546. [a
RM NIMBUS
POWERFUL. FLEXIBLE AFFORDABLE
AVAILABLE
Research machines Nimbus: 16 bit super micro.
You've read the rave reviews - now try a demonstration. The new RM Nimbus can be seen and tested immediately.
Complete with full range of software, including: word processing, spread sheet, database, accounts and graphics.
* The fastest 16 bit business computer
* Built-in colour hi -resolution graphics * 80186 Main processor running at 8 MHz * RM graphics processor * 8051 peripherals processor running at 11 MHz
* 8910 sound processor running at 11 MHz
* MS DOS version 3.05 operating system
* 192 K standard RAM expandable to 1 megabyte * 2 x 720 K disk drives as standard * Hard disk option - 10, 20, 40 or 80 megabyte * Networking up to 64 stations
* Interfacing up to 30 peripherals devices can be attached, (printers, instruments, modem, etc)
* Full range of software now available
* MS WORD, Wordstar and professional word processors
* MULTIPLAN Supercalc spreadsheets * Superfile, D Base II, Datamaster databases * PEGASUS, SAGE, MULTIPAC, EASY JUNIOR accounts
* CAD packages, Colour screen dump * Mouse and joystick operated painting packages * Powerful RM basic, Logo and Pascal languages * And much, much more
Telephone straightaway for an instant trial
Regional Systems
2 Greenleaf Road, Walthamstow, London El7 6QQ Telephone: 01-521 7144
Circle No. 141
16
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
WordPerfect 4.0.
Our highest marks yet.
REPORT CARD
WORD PERFECT
MONO
Performance Documentation Ease of Use Error Handling Support
Aperfect report card. It
wait between
information, see your dealer.
wasn't necessarily our goal when
we added the most recent enhancements to WordPerfect. We were more interested in responding to
pages. No matter how fast you type, WordPerfect
new ilecvtersion_ by
Or call or write: t
the suggestions of our users and
won't slow you
dealers.
down.
InfoWorld
But a perfect report card is like icing on the cake. And it makes us more confident than ever that WordPerfect 4.0 is the most perfect WordPerfect, yet
Easier.
Most WordPerfect 4.0 functions require only one keystroke, a
Better.
WordPerfect 4.0 includes several features not found on many word processors. Like a 100,000 -word phonetic dictionary; multi -page footnoting capability; table of contents and index generation; automatic outlining and para-
SSOEFNTTWINAERLE
Wellington House New Zealand Avenue, Walton -on -Thames, Surrey KT12 1PY. Telephone: (0932) 231164. Telex: 916005. Fergus G.
simple press of a finger. And new
graph numbering
comprehensive documentation
and a 4.0 net-
makes learning a
work version.
breeze.
t 4.0 vecvese"ts 11Ce
Get the word
vi/or ea? rfeC
processor that
Faster.
ne xa
lives up to
Document ori-
InfoWorld
its name (and its report card):
entation means
WordPerfect 4.0. For more
WordPerfect 4.0 never makes you
Reaching for perfection.
Circle No. 142
UNBELIEVABLE
SAVINGS
COMPUTERS
APRICOT F1e 256K APRICOT F1 256K APRICOT POINT? APRICOT PORTABLE 256K 1x720K Drive APRICOT 256K 2x720K Drives & Monitor APRICOT Xi 256K 10MB & Monitor APRICOT Xi 512K 10MB & Monitor APRICOT Xi 512K 20MB & Monitor COMMODORE C16 STARTER PACK COMMODORE PLUS 4 COMPAQ 2 2x360K drives COMPAQ PLUS 10MB COMPAQ DESKPRO 640K 10MB ERICSSON 256K 10MB ERICSSON 256K 2 x 360K KAYPRO 286 OLIVETT M21 128K 2 x 360KB Drives OLIVETT M21 128K 10MB OLIVETT M21 640K 10MB OLIVETT M24 128K 2 x 360KB Drives OLIVETT M24 640K 10MB OLIVETT 3B UNIX Range SANYO MBC 555 128K 2 x 160K Drives SANYO 775 256K COLOUR PORTABLE VICTOR 128K 1.2MB VICTOR 256K 10MB VICTOR 256K 2.4MB VICTOR VPc 256K 15MB VICTOR VPc 256K 30MB ZENITH 128K 2 x 360K
Ex Vat. £535 £775
£2700 £845
£1525 £2175 £2595 £2995
£49 £79 £1795
£3195 £3275 £2695 £1645 £4195 £1450 £2195 £2345 £1475 £2650 P.O.A.
£745 £1645 £1645
£2475 £1875 £2395 £3495 £1675
MAYFAIR MICROS
BLENHEIM HOUSE, PODMORE ROAD, LONDON SW18 1AJ
TEL: 01-871 2555 / 870 3255
We accept official orders from UK Government and Educational Establishments. Mail Order and Export Enquiries welcome. Callers by appointment.
Ref: 2.01
MATRIX PRINTERS
ANADEX DP6500 500cps BROTHER HR5 BROTHER M1009 50cps (IBM) BROTHER 2024L (190 cps) NLQ CANON PW1080A 160cps (NLQ) CANON PW1156A 160cps (NLQ) CANON LBP Laser Printer DATAPRODUCTS 8070 400 cps EPSON RX 80T 100cps EPSON LX80 100cps EPSON FX 80 160cps EPSON FX 100 FIT 160cps EPSON LQ 1500 200cps (NLQ) HEWLETT PACKARD Laser Printer HONEYWELL From MANNESMANN MT80 + 100 cps MANNESMANN MT180 160cps (NLQ) MP.165 165cps + (NLQ) NEC PINWRITER P2(P)(NLQ) NEC PINWRITER P3(PXNLQ) OKI 84A 200cps OKI 92P 160cps OKI 182 (P or IBM) OKI 2410P 350cps OKI 2350 (P) OLIVETTI DM4100E 120cps OLIVETTI DM5300E (P) 220cps PANASONIC KX-P1091 (120cps) NLQ PANASONIC KX-P1092 (180cps) NLQ SHIN WA CPA 80 100 cps TOSHIBA 1351 136 Cols & Graphics TOSHIBA TH2100H 192cps TREND 930 200cps (NLQ) 80cps
Ex Vat. £2295 £139 £175 £895 £279 £355 £2750 £1600 £190 £214 £319 £420 £895 £2950 £375 £180 £529 £245 £535 £595 £629 £355 £245 £1495
£1435 £435 £815 £250 £375 £189
£1190 £1280 £1350
STORAGE AND BOARDS
Ex Vat.
Pc NET STARTER KIT
£795
PLUS 5 HARD DISK DRIVES FROM
£1045
512K MEMORY UPGRADES FROM
£150
20MB TAPE STREAMER
£895
AST, OUADRAM, HERCULES ALL AT HUGE SAVINGS
**VDU's & TERMINALS"
CIFER T4 HAZELTINE ESPRIT II QUME QVT 103 (VT100 VT131) TELEVIDEO 910
Ex Vat. £760 £495 £645 £489
DAISYWHEEL PRINTERS
BROTHER HR15 BROTHER HR15 Keyboard BROTHER H R25 COMMODORE DPS 1101 Daisywheel Printer DAISYSTEP 2000 20cps DIABLO 630 API -JUKI 6100 18cps JUKI 6300 NEC 2030 Parallel 120cps NEC 3550 Parallel 35cps NEC 8810 OLIVETTI DY450 45cps OUME 11/40 RO + I/Face QUME 11/90 90cps QUME LETTERPRO 12/20 RICOH RP1300S FLOWRITER 46K IBM PC RICOH RP1600S FLOWRITER 46K IBM PC TEC A.10-30 TEC STARWRITER F1040 40cps
Ex Vat. £310 £115 £595
£275 £219 POA £299 £749 £545 £955 £1375 £755 £1345 £1995 £445 £995 £1349 £490 £830
SOFTWARE
CAXTON CARDBOX DBASE II DBASE III DMS DELTA 4 FRAMEWORK
LOTUS 1 2 3 MICROSOFT FLIGHT SIMULATOR MICROSOFT WORD MULTIMATE V 3.2 OPEN ACCESS
PEGASUS LEDGER MODULE SAGE ACCOUNTS SMART SOFTWARE SYSTEM SMART WORDPROCESSING SYMPHONY
WORDSTAR WORDSTAR MAILMERGE WORDSTAR PROFESSIONAL
WORDSTAR 2000
Ex Vat £165 £240
£325 £350 f325 £299
£45 £240 £295
£325 £200 £250 £495 £210 £425 £190
£95 £245 £290
COMPLETE SYSTEMS SUPPORT AND
TRAINING AVAILABLE.
FULL MANUFACTURERS WARRANTY.
MOST ITEM EX STOCK.
Next day Insured delivery available.
Circle No. 148
"Accounting software above all others"
SKYMASTEK 11
SINGLE OR MULTI-USER ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE
FOR THE IBM PC AND COMPATIBLES
SKYMASTER sets the standard
Perhaps the first true multi-user accounting suite for the IBM PC and compatibles
available under standard PC DOS/MS DOS-SKYMASTER has been setting
the standard for affordable, top -of -the -range micro accounting software. Now
SKYMASTER II adds many more features with enhanced flexibility and reporting,
and with lower -price single -user versions.
Straightforward upgrade path
Start off with a single -user system and upgrade to multi-user when you're ready -
no re-entry of data or new software instructions to learn.
Powerful features
"...SKYMASTER is by far the most comprehensive accounts system I have reviewed to date': said a PC User magazine reviewer.
SKYMASTER II has many sophisticated built-in features such as:- foreign -currency
accounting, multi-company/department capability, depot stocks, stock code up to
20 characters, eight period account ageing, design your own invoices/orders/
statements, etc., report generator links etc.
Powerful reporting
The many standard parameter driven reports within
SKYMASTER II, have been enhanced with the introduc-
tion of SKYGEN -a powerful Report Generator
module. SKYGEN links with all SKYMASTER modules
to produce tailored reports, credit control letters,
output via standard formats to other software etc.
Multi -User Specialists
The unequalled experience of SKY's Team in five
years of working with Local Area Networks, means that SKYMASTER II packages will always run with
13 New Road
the latest in network technology. The need for the
Bromsgrove
true, record -locking skills of SKY are explained in our 'Layman's guide to multi-user micro soft-
Worcestershire
ware'
B60 2JG
Foreign -currency accounting Any company raising or receiving orders and invoices in foreign currencies will
benefit from the standard SKYMASTER ability to handle up to sixteen currencies. The system looks after currency rate fluctuation and automatically makes appropriate adjustments. Audit trails are in both sterling and foreign currency. See SKY's 'Layman's guide to foreign currency accounting on the micro.'
Flexible and easy to use A PC Business World review, said "(SKYMASTER) achieves the difficult itafeat of being both flexible and easy to use:
Features such as full integration, single -key menu selection, records accessed by number or name and clear screen layouts make SKYMASTER II a pleasure
4 to work with.
Wide range of users The experienced SKY team have been responsible for the successful installation of many hundreds of micro accounting systems in a wide spectrum of businesses.
Whether you are a first-time user, an expanding company or a corporate concern-SKY have a solution for you.
Laymans Guide Send for copies of SKY's Layman's guides to - 'multiuser micro software and 'foreign -currency accounting V' on the micro.'
Choose from the following interlinked SKYMASTER II modules:As,Sales Order Processing/Invoicing, Purchase Order Processing,
Sales Ledger, Purchase Ledger, Nominal Ledger, Stock Control -
.41W with Stock History option, Contract Costing, Payroll -with Absentee Records option, SKYGEN report generator.
For details of accounting software above all others, contact your local SKYMASTER II dealer, or send for our Information Pack (why not clip your business card to this advertisement).
Telephone (0527) 36299
18
Circle No. 143
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
IBM NEWS
IBM SLASHES PRICES
IBM has improved the attractiveness
of its Portable Personal Computer, the PPC, by slashing £470 off the price. A single -disc PPC with built-in screen now costs only £1,419 plus VAT. The market for IBM-compatible transportables is very competitive, with rival mod-
els from Compaq, Olivetti
and Kaypro putting IBM under
pressure.
Several other IBM products have had hundreds of pounds knocked off their prices. The 10Mbyte expansion unit for a PC is down from £1,954 to £1,275, and the one for
the XT down from £1,582 to
£1,071.
A new product is the fixed disc adaptor, which enables a PC to be upgraded by adding a hard disc. It
costs £298. The 10Mbyte hard discs
themselves now cost £782. The prices quoted are for IBM's
own retail outlets and exclude VAT. Local dealers may offer
different prices.
Three -speed PC printer
Flight
Simulator 2
THOSE unfortunate enough to have bought an IBM PC/ AT or corn
patible will have discovered the major drawback - it doesn't run the Microsoft Flight Simulator. Microsoft has now launched version 2, which runs on the AT
and also the PCjr.
The only major difference is that
the RPM readout has been
changed from dial to digital, though the single manual now
seems more accessible. Flight is the same, so if you've learned how to land you won't need to go back to
flying school.
IBM LOOKS SET to make an impact in
the dot-matrix printer market with the Proprinter, which offers several facilities that make it particularly attractive to users.
The Proprinter offers three operating speeds: 40cps for correspondence -quality work, 100cps for memos and reports, and 200cps for drafts and high -volume work. The printer also has a neat dual paper handling facility, which means it
has a slot through which you can slide single sheets of paper and envelopes for printing, without having to remove the normal con-
tinuous fan -fold paper.
The Proprinter has a buffer built in, and it can also print graphics.
It is being made by IBM in
Amsterdam. Priced at a fairly com-
petitive £499 plus VAT, it may even pick up sales from users of
non -IBM equipment too.
Micro Five's AT -alike
MICRO FIVE of California has
launched a low-priced Series 5000 IBM PC/ AT compatible micro with a specification very similar
to the Compaq Deskpro 286
reviewed on page 47 of this issue. The main features are an Intel
80286 chip which can be run at 6MHz or 8MHz, and a built-in hard disc with tape streamer backup. Micro Five offers a range
of hard discs from 27Mbyte
to 116Mbyte. The tape -streamer
capacity is 60Mbyte, compared to the Compaq's 10Mbyte.
Micro Five's name is not well known because it operates as a
supplier to OEMs and value-
added resellers (VARs) who put their own names on the machines
before selling on to end -users.
Contact Micro Five in Costa Mesa, California on (U.S. area
code 714) 957-1517.
Olivetti
OLITALK is a new communications
program for the M-21 and M-24 IBM-compatible computers. It allows them to emulate almost any asynchronous terminal, with DEC VT -100, IBM 3101 and TTY included as standard. It costs £99.
The M-21 transportable is now
available with a built-in selflocking 10Mbyte hard disc for £2,995 - which is claimed to be substantially below the price of competing products. The M-21 has an 8MHz Intel 8086 and can be configured with 640K of RAM.
Contact British Olivetti Ltd, PO Box 89, 86/88 Upper Richmond Road, London SW15 2UR. Telephone: 01-785 6666.
Plus 5 has launched versions of its hard -disc range in a case to match the Olivetti M-24. Capacities range from 5Mbyte to
110Mbyte, and prices from £1,195
to £6,350. Contact Plus 5, Crowborough
Hill, Crowborough, East Sussex TN6 2EG. Telephone: (08926)
63211.
w-=:_dow.......illik6.4mt !
3:70/PUORMSNAM PALACE itOO/WESTMI IISTER An' 1:00/HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT
PC graphics
THE Personal Presentation System, PPS, is a British graphics package offering icons and symbols which
can be recalled from memory.
Frames can be grabbed from other packages such as Lotus 1-2-3. Now a series of library -discs is being introduced to extend the range of symbols and icons available, including maps and flags.
- 2:00/TATS SALL ER'? .160,14ATI ONAL CALLER' 5:4:00/BRITISH MUSEUM
Contact The London Software Studio on 01-935 3033.
VCN Execuvision currently
offers the largest library of graphics images for the IBM PC. New subjects include maps (illustrated above), energy and utilities, and The Sports Collection.
Contact Visual Communi-
cations Network Inc., Greyhound House, 23-24 George Street, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1JY. Telephone: 01-948 8601.
File transfer
M -MASTER is a disc -to -disc file -
transfer utility that allows a PC to read, write and format discs in over 70 different CP/ M and MS-DOS formats. This enables files to be transferred from other machines without modems and cables.
M -Master runs in 128K RAM and a PC or compatible with two disc drives. The price is £65, including VAT and postage.
Contact C + G Consultant
Services, PO Box 100-A, Surbiton,
Surrey KT5 8HY. Telephone:
01-399 8530.
PC2PC
NCR has launched a local area network called PC2PC. It connects up to 64 PCs together for £449 per connection. The net is a version of the Corvus Omninet, and one PC must be designated as file server.
The NCR package comprises
interface boards, software, tap box, cable, and everything else you need, right down to wirestrippers.
It is claimed a network can be installed in less than two hours.
Contact NCR Ltd, 206
Marylebone Road, London NW1 6LY. Telephone: 01-725 8337.
IBM SHORTS
Prospero's Pro Pascal compiler has now been
validated Class A for the IBM PC and compatibles. Phone: 01-741 8531.
Cipher's 5210 25Mbyte quarter -inch floppy tape backup plugs straight into an
XT and costs only £995 plus VAT. Phone: (0276) 682912.
Quantec Executive Desktop, QED+, is now available in a multi-user version. Phone: 01-228 7507. Practicorp has launched an IBM version of Practibase. It is claimed to read and convert dBase II files and run dBase II programs. It costs
only £99.95, including VAT. Phone: (0473) 462721. Bonnie Blue is a £99.95 plus VAT word-processing program from Paperlogic. It offers advanced facilities, including mail merge, macros and multiple windows. Phone: 01-935 0480. Golden Common Lisp for the IBM PC supports more than 400 primitives and is described as an ideal Lisplearning/AI tool for novices. It costs £545 plus VAT.
Phone: (0923) 47707. 12
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
19
Why cant all our printers be like the JUKI 6100?
Because every business is different. Not everyone, for instance, needs the full sophistication of our remarkable 6100. (Though judging from the fad that its one of the best-selling printers in the UK, quite a few people do). And not everyone has an IBM* computer (though for those that have we've just introduced the brand-new, IBM* graphic printer compatible 6100-I). No, not for us the 'take it or leave it' approach,
but a sensible, sensitive appreciation of individual needs and requirements. So whatever you want from your printer, you'll find a JUKI that's just right for you. But just because you're concentrating on their differences, don't overlook the important fad that two things, at least, never change. Quality and value, for instance. In these respects, all JUKI printers are the same.
*IBM is a trade -mark of IBM Corporation.
JUKI 6100: one of the best-selling letter quality daisywheel printers in the UK. Graphic mode and full word processing support.
JUKI 2200: fully portable daisywheel
sh
printer with 2k buffer memory and full
word processing support. Ideal for
use at home.
-,2,-. =
....
.,.........
.-.-.--..-;-------"-.4-4-,""
JdUo,KvI
6300
high. r
*ee with
3k
bufPfer
memory
and.4 "" rd processing support.
JUKI 6000: letter quality daisywheel printer designed specifically for home mse.
JUKI 5520: low-cost, high quality dot matrix personal computer printer. High speed (180cps), graphic mode and optional 4 -colour mint function. NLQ
JUKI 6100-1: brand-new, IBM` -compatible version of the best-selling 6100. Graphic mode and full word processing support.
At.
RALIK'
Technology true to type
JUKI (EUROPE) GMBH Eiffestr. 74 2000 Hamburg 26 F. R. Germany
Tel.: (040) 2 51 20 71-73 Telex: 2163 061 (JKI D) Fax.: (040) 2 51 27 24.
Sole distributor: T.7.1 Mkro
Intec Unit 3, Hassocks Wood, Wade Road, Basingstoke, Hants, RG 24 ONE.
WA Peripherals lkd Tel.: (0256) 47 3232 (32 lines) Telex: 8 59669 MICRO PG, Facsimile (0256) 461570 Circle No. 144
SOFTWARE NEWS
DATA INTEGRATOR
TWENTY/TWENTY is designed to retrieve data from incompatible programs like Multiplan, Lotus and dBase II. You can then query the data on -screen or construct printed reports with it.
Available for the IBM PC, with an Apricot version on the way, Twenty -Twenty addresses the problem that much business information is locked up in completely incompatible files. Much of its
value is therefore lost, as it is not at all easy to spot how different pieces
of information relate together.
Twenty -Twenty consists of a file
integrator, a report generator and a menu -driven query system, and it also has facilities for setting up
regular jobs as simple -to -run tasks.
It can read data from a long list of well-known programs, including Delta, Framework, VisiCalc and Supercalc, as well as files in the common DIF and Sylk interchange formats. It does not allow you to
alter the data stored with any
source program.
tart a New Line mend a Line
ue a Line ancel Query
147ie1eFta? _me"
Moue Pointer
4 1
Run Query
Start a New Selection Cops a Line Save Query
Price less than or equal to me
8 68 time more than or equal to 15 Maximum Speed equal to 95
1{PC 75 mph more than or equal to 35 j t MK Urban Cycle more than or equal to 35 4
Twenty /Twenty can solve compatibility problems.
Twenty -Twenty costs £345 plus VAT and was developed by Interactive Software Products Ltd in St. Albans. It should not be confused
with the similarly named 20/20
from Access Technology Inc. in the
U.S. which is a very powerful
spreadsheet program also running on the IBM PC. More details on Twenty /Twenty from ISPL, 1-4 Lloyds Bank Chambers, The Maltings, St. Albans, Hertfordshire. Telephone: (0727)
36341.
Easy
database
CLASMA RECALL is a record -handling
and mailing package aimed at the first-time business user. It lets you design your own record layouts, and incorporates a diary which you can link to your database. The program runs on the Apricot and IBM PC and costs £395. Details from Clasma Systems Ltd, 10 Barley Mow Passage, London W4 4PH. Telephone: 01-994 4394.
Sage redesigns range
SAGESOFT has redesigned its entire
range of accounting software for 16 -bit machines. The new range starts with Bookkeeper, £295, a package aimed primarily at the cash trader operating under the Retailers Special VAT Scheme.
Next up is Sage Accountant,
£495, which is the replacement for the existing top -selling Sage Accounts program. Sage Accountant Plus, £695, is the same program
but with the addition of automatic invoicing and stock control.
Top of the range is Financial
Controller, £995, designed for companies with up to 10,000 accounts and requiring a hard disc. The programs run on most MSDOS machines including Apricot,
Sanyo and IBM PC, the first three are available now, while Financial Controller is due towards the end
of the year. Contact Sagesoft plc, NEI
House, Regent Centre, Gosforth, Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE3 3DS.
Telephone: 091-284 7077.
Macintosh roundup
Animation Toolkit lets you create continuous moving pictures on the Macintosh. The program costs £48.20 plus VAT and will run
on the single -drive 128K Mac.
Contact P&P Micro Distributors Ltd, New Hall Hey Road, Rossendale, Lancashire BB4 6JG. Telephone: (0706) 217744.
Maclion is a very powerful database package designed for creating complete business applications. It
can handle multiple files and
produce customised reports, and it helps you transfer data to it from other Mac applications. Maclion
requires at least 128K and two disc drives, and costs £379 plus VAT from P&P.
Mactype is a typing tutor which
will teach you either the con-
ventional QWERTY keyboard or the alternative Dvorak layout. Pro-
ponents claim that the Dvorak layout encourages faster typing,
and the Mac's completely soft key-
board can be redefined to work Dvorak -style with most applications. Mactype costs £49 plus
VAT from P&P.
Maclink and Mactransfer are two
communications programs for the Mac. Maclink lets you move IBM PC files to the Mac, and consists of
a set of converter programs to
translate between specific packages such as Lotus and Multiplan and
WordStar and Macwrite. Mac -
transfer is a similar program for the Apple II; it lets you move most Apple word-processing files, DIF
format files and also Applesoft source code across to the Mac.
Maclink costs £119 plus VAT, Mac -
transfer £45 plus VAT. Cabling is extra. Contact P&P.
Psion 3D chess
PSION CHESS for the Mac offers you a
choice of 2D or 3D display and has 28 levels of play. Price is £49.95 including VAT. Contact Psion Ltd
on 01-723 9408.
SOFTWARE SHORTS
Spellcheck II is an updated version of Beebugsoft's spelling checker for the BBC computer. Supplied on ROM it comes with a 6,000 -word
dictionary and works with both Wordwise and View. Price is £31 including VAT. Contact Beebugsoft on (0727) 60263. Tasman has released a disc based version of its excellent Tasword word-processing program for the Amstrad. Called Tasword 464D, the new program costs £24.95 including VAT and runs on the 664 as well as the 464 Amstrad machine. Contact Tasman Software on (0532) 438301. Statcalc runs on both the IBM PC and Apple II and provides a set of powerful tools for statistical analysis,
including regression. The Apple version costs £85 while the program is £150 on the IBM PC. Contact Dr Alan Lee, Department of Maths and
Statistics, University of Auckland, Private Bag, Auckland, New Zealand.
Mac colour plots
MACPLOT enables you to get high -
quality plotted output, in colour, from plotters connected to the Macintosh. Version 1.5 costs £99 and works with 15 different types of plotter. You transfer pictures to be plotted from programs such as Macdraw, Mac Chart or Jazz via the Mac's clipboard. More details from Microspot, 9 High Street, Lenham, Maidstone, Kent ME17 2QD. Telephone: (0622) 858753.
Free
software
THE Free Software Handbook des-
cribes 70 of the best American
public -domain programs for Z-80
based CP/ M systems. The book
costs £17.95. For another £10 you
can get the programs too, though
you have to send your own discs in
- enough to take 1.2Mbyte. Most
formats are supported, including
Apple and BBC CP/M.
Contact Davis Rubin Associates
Ltd, 1 Canonbourne, Weston sub
Edge, Chipping Campden,
Gloucestershire GL55 6QH. Tele-
phone: (0386) 841181.
PC
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
21
10 MB
HARD DISC
BUSINESS SYSTEMS LTD
230 Tottenham Court Road, London W1P 9AE Telephone: 01-636 7142/4102
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Features dual 360K disk drive, 256K Ram. Full IBM Colour Graphics
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(including IBM Compatible
Video Board and GW Basic).
MSDOS 2.11. Wordstar and Calcstar.
FREE Hi -Res Green Monitor
Runs Lotus 123 etc
£895 + VAT
Limited stock. Offer applicable only while stocks last.
1.4MB FLOPPY
SANYO 550
WITH 2 X 800KB
FLOPPY DISC
ONLY £795+VAT!
Includes 256K Ram and MSDOS 2.11 FREE Monitor (Philips V7001) FREE Wordprocessor (Wordstar)
FREE Spreadsheet(Calcstar)
Special Offer while stocks
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SANYO with 10MB
Winchester 360K floppy, 256K
Ram, MSDOS 2.11, Wordstar &
Calcstar and Monochrome Monitor
£1495 + VAT
SANYO 775/10MX
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The portable Sanyo with 10MB Winchester disk.
Twin 360K floppies, 256K Ram, MSDOS 2.11, Integral
PLUS FREE
INTEGRATED ACCOUNTS PACKAGE WITH THESE
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9 colour monitor, FREE
Software, FREE Colour Printer
£2495 + VAT
TRAINING CAN BE
PROVIDED ON ALL SYSTEMS
SUPPLIED
We also stock a wide range of Printers, Monitors, Disc Drives and Software Packages, plus many other
Circle No. 145 Computer Systems at bargain prices.
OPENING HOURS MON-SAT 9AM-6PM MAIL ORDERS TO West One Galaxy Business Systems Ltd,
230 Tottenham Court Road, London, W1 Cheques payable to: West One Galaxy Business Systems Ltd.
1 YEAR WARRANTY & MAINTENANCE CONTRACTS
AVAILABLE
GENERAL NEWS
e1 00K COMPETITION
THE British Technology Group has
announced its 1985 Academic Enterprise Competition with total prize money of £100,000. There
are two classes of entry: the first is
for academic researchers who have
set up, or intend to set up, a new business as a means of
commercialising their results. The
other is for all other methods
of transferring technology from academic institutions to industry. The closing date for entries is 30
August 1985.
The competition is open to members of staff of U.K.
universities and polytechnics, and
postgraduate students or postdoctoral workers. It is also eligible
to anyone who has left any of
these since 1 January 1980. Entries
must relate to commercial exploitation of work carried out in such institutions, and is designed
to encourage such transfers. Hardware and software products are eligible. First prizes in each class
are £25,000, with £10,000 and
£5,000 for runners-up. Details from 01-403 6666.
On-line
GAS
A WORLDWIDE consultancy and information publishing service is being launched purely as an on-
line service on Telecom Gold. Global Analysis Systems (GAS)
offers a three-tier service providing economic consequences of political and strategic events in 100 countries throughout the world. Systematic analysis of significant daily events is provided at 12.45p.m. every day, drawing on
consultants in London, Paris, Bonn and New York.
Such services do not come
cheap: the world is divided up into four regions, and the annual fee
for information on each varies from £2,000 to £3,000. The daily
analysis service costs £3,000. As a
small consolation prize you are given a Telecom Gold mailbox free. Details on 01-606 7060.
Second-hand micros
COMPUTERLINES is a new Prestel
service from Interlex which allows
used micros to be bought and sold. Starting on Prestel page 36,019, there are pages devoted to machines available or wanted. Anyone can access them. The cost for one of these pages is £10 per fortnight. There is also a charge of £15 for setting up the page. This is carried out by Interlex, which also advises on suitable asking prices. It is also possible to access a list of
used micros for sale via electronic mail. More details on 01-943 4366.
A more conventional alternative for selling your old and unwanted micro is provided by a new section
in Exchange & Mart. Called Micro Mart, it covers sales of hardware, software, peripherals, books and magazines. This is in addition to a computer category within the business section. More infor-
mation on both services from
(0202) 670011.
Booming BMMG
THE CREDIBILITY of the British Microcomputer Manufacturers'
Group's claim to be the voice of the British micro industry has been strengthened by the recent addition of ICL, Sinclair Research, Future Technology Systems and HM Systems to the group. This brings the membership to about 50 percent of all British micro manufacturers. The most glaring omission is ACT. Details on the BMMG from (0763) 71209.
Appleca rd
NOT ANOTHER expansion board for
the He, but a credit card which is claimed to have one of the highest instant credit limits. Up to £2,500 can be obtained on the spot after
fulfilling "certain criteria",
allowing you to walk away with a Macintosh if you so desire. Details on (0442) 60244.
Micro maintenance
GRANADA has launched a national micro maintenance service under the name of Microcare. Designed
for companies who require 24 hours a day, seven days a week technical support with hotline
facilities for emergencies, the
service is costed on an individual
basis.
There is a network of service centres around the country and a team of mobile technicians. More information can be obtained from (0296) 84321.
Typesetting from micros
THREE new services offer micro users the possibility of converting computer files into typeset documents. Type Club offers a do-
it-yourself mail order service: it claims that no special software is required. Micros for which the
service is available include the IBM
PC, Apple and many others.
Details from PO Box 186, Poole,
Dorset BH13 6DL.
Typeshare provides a phototypsetting service from financial documents. More on 01-485 9515.
The service offered by Textech
allows you to send text files
produced on IBM, Apricot and Apple computers to a typesetting machine. This can be done by telephone, by floppy disc or by a portable capture device. More information on (0580) 880421.
Golden oldies
THE FRENCH firm Eureka has bought Oric from its receivers, including all stocks and parts and the right to the company name and its trade names. Eureka Informatique is a Paris -based distributor of Sinclair, Amstrad and Enterprise micros. It also manufactures monitors. Although warranties have expired following receivership, existing owners will be able to apply for assistance to the French company. More from Eureka Informatique, 39 Rue Victor Masse, 75009 Paris. Telephone: Paris (010 331) 281
2002.
On the other hand, the Super brain is now officially dead. The last batch has been bought by Professional Micros from Intertec in the U.S. Professional Micros will continue to support existing users for up to five years. Details on (0954) 81991.
Microsoft education
discounts
MICROSOFT has joined the battle for
the minds of the U.K.'s youth with a 30 percent educational discount on a range of products.
The categories of end -user that will qualify for discounts include
primary and secondary schools, further education institutions, polytechnics and universities. Details on the range of hardware, software and books covered by the scheme can be obtained on (07535) 59951.
NCC
directories
on disc
THE NATIONAL COMPUTING CENTRE
is issuing its present paper -based directories of hardware, software and training courses, on discs. Each directory comes in the form of a pair of floppy discs, with menu driven file -searching programs. Updates are similarly issued on disc.
Formats available include the IBM PC, Apricot and ICL PC. The cost is £75 for single copies, and £450 for annual subscriptions comprising 10 copies. More on 01-353 0011.
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
23
APPLE COMPATIBLE
PERIPHERALS
NOTCHER disk capacity DOUBLER SATURN 128K RAM CARD for Ile 128K RAM Card with manual & disk SNAPSHOT (II & 11+1 - Dark Star SNAPSHOT Ile - Dark Star COPYKIT Software - Dark Star SHUTTLE MULTITASKING Software Dark Star Auto DiallAuto Answer MODEM Card COMMS software for above PRESTEL Graphics ROM far Modem Card Disk Drive Controller Card 13116 Sector Drive controller card 16K RAM (language) Card 80 Column Card (Video Compatible)11+ le 80 Col Card as above with Soft Control INVERSE Video ROM for above 80140 Column Hard Switch 80 Column Card for Ile 80 Column Card for Ile with 64K RAM Z80 CPIM Card for II+ Z80 PLUS Card with Manual for II+ CPIM 280-B (6MHz) Card with 64K RAM II+ Z80 Card for Ile CPIM Module for Ilc Parallel Printer Card (Centronics) Parallel Printer Card (Epson) SUPER Parallel Card with manual Printer Buffer Card (64K dump) Grappler+ Card Grappler + 16K Buffer CHAMPION Parallel Interface (with cable) CHAMPION + 16K Buffer (with cable) CHAMPION + 64K Buffer (with cable) CACHEBOX 64K Parallel inline Buffer Communications Card RS -232 Serial Interface Card SUPER Serial Card with manual 7710 Asynchronous Serial Interface NTSC to PAL Converter + UHF Mod NEW PAL Card with Sound RGB Card (TTL output) RGB Card (LINEAR output) IEEE 488 Controller, cabl, dsk & manual Eprom Blower Card 12716,2732,2764 MK2 Eprom Blower (2716,2732,2764,271281 NEW EPROM controller/Parallel IlFace EPROM Blower for 2716,32,32a,64,128,256 8748 Writer burns 8748,8749 AID Card 16th, 0-5.12v, 100 microsecs DIA Card 2ch 8bit, or 1ch16bit, 0-10v B BIT ADIDA 18 or 16th aid, lch dial 12 BIT ADIDA 116th aid, lch dial CLOCK CARO (TIME 111 Card MOUNTAIN Clock card Music Card Wild Card Wild Card Plus Four Port Twin 6522 Card 6809 Card Integer Basic Card LOGO Card Joystick (self centering) Joystick (deluxe version) Joystick extension cord Apple Compatible Power Supply 5A ASC II Encoded Keyboard with lic mod IBM STYLE keyboard for Apple AIC Cooling Fan (clip on) with supress Speech Card Replay Card Forth Card 8088 Card with 64K (capacity 128K1 Light Pen system Graphics Table IMAGE Processor (col/monoISSTV use) SATURNIT1TAN ACCELERATOR Card 11+ SATURNIT1TAN ACCELERATOR FOR Ile IC TEST Card TTL Version (send for info) IC TEST Card DISRAM, ROMIPROMIEPROM sware
f 3.99
f 199.00
f 139.95
f 52.00 f 99.00
f 19.95
f 19.95 f 125.00 f 25.00
f 19.95 f 34.95 f 39.95 f 39.95 f 44.95 f 59.95 f 5.00 f 6.95 f 44.95 f 84.95 f 39.95 f 49.95 f 169.95
f 44.95
f 86.00
f 34.95 f 34.95 f 89.95
f 129.95 f 84.95 f 149.95 f 45.00 f 89.00
1 125.00
f 125.00
f 32.95 f 34.95 f 89.95 f 79.95 f 44.95 f 49.95 f 49.95 f 49.95
f 149.95
f 49.95 f 59.95
1 32.00
f 53.00
E 149.95
f 79.95
1 98.00
f 59.95
f 119.95
f 44.95 f 179.95 f 44.95 f 69.95 f 99.95 f 34.95
f 119.95 f 32.95 f 59.95 f 14.95 f 19.95 f 3.99 f 49.95 f 54.95
f 89.95
f 24.95 f 79.95 f 79.95 f 89.95
f 365.00 f 159.00
f 89.00 f 199.00
f 269.00
f 299.00 f 119.95 f 169.95
APPLE STORAGE DEVICES
CUMANA full height drive for Apple CUMANA half height drive for Apple AFD-2 half ht. SSIDD 320K floppy drive
f 109.00 f 145.00 f 249.00
AF0.4 half ht. OSIDD 640K floppy drive AFD-4 drive controller card
f 289.00 f 59.00
INTEC 5MB Hard Drive for Apple
f 699.00
INTEC 10MB Hard Drive for Apple
f 950.00
INTEC 10MB Hard Drive KIT
f 875.00
5110 MB Hard Drive Controller Card
f 250.00
(Note: All INTEC drives are UK built and backed - Prices include
controller card, cables, power supply, utility and diagnostic software
for DOS, PASCAL & CPIM, together with 24 month service warranty.)
PRINTERS - DAISY WHEEL
BROTHER
HR. 15 Parallel 20cps HR 15 Serial 20cps HR -25 Parallel 25cps HR -25 Serial 25cps
HR -35 Parallel 35cps HR -35 Serial H9.15 Keyboard HR -15 Sheet Feeder HR. 15 Tractor Feed Unit HR 25/35 Sheet Feeder HR 25/35 Tractor Unit TOWA
tZs'teTa'201040e1113:p7rif2.1. P11
DIABLO 630 -API 40cps 630 -API Sheet Feeders, from
EPSON DX -100 Parallel 20cps
JUKI 6100 18cps 6300 2200 2100
NEC SPINWRITER 3510/30/15 Ser/P11/Diablo 35cps 7710/30/15 Ser/P11/Diablo 55cps 2000 Printer 20cps Ser/P11/Diablo Pf ace for 2000 8800 Printer Ser/P11/Diablo I/face for 8800 Accessories for NEC printers QUME 11/40 RO (without interface 9/45 RO full front panel 12/20 Letter Pro IS or PI 20cps 9/55 RO full front panel 55cps 11/55 RO (without interfacel QUEN DATA/UCHIDA
Daisy Wheel Parallel 1 Bcps UCHIDA DAISY WHEEL 20cps parallel
UCHIDA as above Serial version
RICOH RP.1200 Parallel/Serial 20cps
RP -13000 Parallel/Serial 30cps RP -16005 P11 or Ser 8K 60cps FLOWRITER 1600 46K Multi I/1 ace FLOWRITER 1300 46K Multi I/face Elec/Mech Sheet Feeder RP -1600 Tractor Unit for 1600 Models SILVER REED EXP.400 Parallel 10cps EXP.400 Serial 10cps EXP-500 Parallel 16cps EXP-500 Serial 16cps EXP-550 Parallel 19cps EXP-550 Serial 19cps EXP'770 Parallel 36cps EXP-770 Serial 36cps Tractor for 500 Tractor for 550/770 Cut Sheet Feeder for 500 Cut Sheet Feeder for 550/770 8K Buffer for 770
16K Buffer for 770 48K Buffer for 770 TEC STARWRITER F10/40 Parallel 40cps F10/55 Parallel 55cps Elec/Mech Single Sheet Feeder Tractor for F10 unit
E 311 E 349 E 549 E 599
Ef 767990
E 129 E 179 E 60
fE 185 75
E 199 E 219
f 1529 C 229
C 315
f 297 0 645 C 245 f 169
f 999 E1429 f 509 E 89 01299 C 99
CALL
E1165 E1525 E 445 £1895 E1359
E 215 E 199 C 239
f 489
E 789 01300 E1235
Ef 1424759 E 129
E 219 E 249 C 259 E 289 E 419 E 455 C 559 f 589 E 84 E 105 E 163 E 163
E 55 C 95
E 259
E 830 E1190 E 445 E 129
SOFTWARE
WORDSTAR
C 189
DBASE II
E 229
FRIDAY
C 129
FRAMEWORK
E 315
LOTUS 123
E 269
SYMPHONY
C 380
DMS-DELTA
E 369
MULTIMATE
C 255
OPEN ACCESS
E 310
D BASE III
C 315
SUPERCALC II SUPERCALC III
Cf
130 189
MULTIPLAN
E 125
PEACHTREE ACCOUNTS
POA
PFS FILE
E 75
PFS REPORT
f 75
SIDEKICK
f 42
CARD'BOX PLUS
E 285
CROSSTALK XVI
C 120
WORDSTAR PROFESSIONAL
E 245
SIDEWAYS
E 49
WORDSTAR 2000
C 289
FLIGHT SIMULATOR
E 39
NORTON UTILITIES
E 65
SPREADSHEET AUDITOR
E 75
TURBO PASCAL
f 49
NICEPRINT
C 69
PC PAL
C 29
WE OFFER EXCELLENT DISCOUNTS ON JUST ABOUT EVERY MAJOR
BRAND OF SOFTWARE - CALL FOR QUOTATION -
MONITORS
SANYO DM -2112 40co115MHz P31 DM-8112CX 80col 18MHz r P31 CD -3125 14' Normal Res. RGB CD -3117 14' Medium Res. RGB CD -3115 14" High Res. RGB DMC 7650 IBM/APRICOT Colour Monitor YAN JEN GN 1211 12" Green or Amber 20MHz with tilt & swivel base
ZENITH 122E 12" 15MHz AMBER 123E 12" 15MHz Green Tilt base for above ZVM.133 13" Colour Hi. Res (IBM-PC) Cable for ZVM-133/IBM-PC
PHILIPS 7513 12" Green, composite 20MHz 7502 12" Green IBM Compatible 20MHz CT 2007 Monitor/TV RF, COBS, RGB TAXAN KX 1201G 12" 20MHz, Green, P31 tube KX 1202G 12" 20MHz, Green, P39 tube KX 1212PC 12' 118M1 20MHz, Green P39 MONOCHROME CABLES Phono/Phono
BNC/Phono Videolink for Commodore 64 UNF/Phono
INDESIT
APRICOT Display 12" (beige or black)
E 63
Ef
83 155
C 275
Cf
379
319
E 83
C 84
C 79
E
8
E 329
C 15
C 69 C 94 E 199
C 89 C 99 E 119
E 3.75 f 3.75 E 3.75 E 9.00
C 159
PRINTERS - DOT MATRIX - NEW LOW PRICES!!!
ANADEX - 100% DUTY CYCLE ALL MODELS
BROTHER
HR -5 Portable thermal transfer IP or SI HR -5 for CMB64/VIC 20
EP.44 Thermal transfer (KSR) M.1009 Dual Interface M-1009 IIBMI 50cps 2024L NLQ 190cps draft TC 1300 Typewriter printer DISK DRIVE for TC 600 CANON - NEW LOW PRICES PW-1080 160cps INLE11 PW-1156 160cps INLQ1 F-60 BOcps Thermal DRAFT/NLQ/LQ/GR 110col PJ10804 Seven COLOUR 37cps
DATAPRODUCTS - PAPER TIGER 8010 BOcol 180cps draft NLQ both S&P 8011 as above but IBM COMPATIBLE 6020 132co1 180cps draft both S&P 8021 as above but IBM COMPATIBLE 8050 132COL 200CP5 SSF both S&P 8050 COLOUR as above but colour printing 8070 1 32col 400cps draft LQ both P&S 8070 COLOUR as above but colour printing
EPSON
NEW LX80 80col 100cps 116cps NLC/1 Tractor for LX80
Sheetfeeder for LX80 FX-80 BOcol 160cps F5.100 F/T 136co1 160cps LQ-1500 200cps INL014 to 16" paper width EPSON 8143 Serial I/Face OK EPSON 8145 Serial I/Face 2K buffered
EPSON 8148 Serial I/Face 3K buffered XON/XOFF Serial I/Face 2K buffer EPSON/COMMODORE I/Face 2K buffer EPSON 8165 PET IEEE 2K I/Face 2K buffer EPSON PET IEEE Cable 8260
EPSON APPLE Card 8132 EPSON APPLE Cable 8321
8K Buffered parallel or serial I/F
16K Buffered parallel or serial I/F
32K Buffered parallel or serial I/F 84K Buffered parallel or serial l/F
HONEYWELL ALL MODELS MANNESMANN TALLY MT -801- 100cps
MT -85 80c0l. 180cps. IBM (corr. qual 45cps1 MT.86 136co1, 180cps, IBM (corr. qual 45cps1 MT.160 160cps
MT -180 160cps INLE1/ MT -280 200cps, 132co1, IBM (corr. qual 50cps) MICRO PERIPHERALS CPA.80P Parallel 100cps, 80col CPA 80S Serial version of above CPA -80Q QL version of above
CPA.BOC Commodore version of above CPB-80P Parallel IBM COMPAT.130cps, BOcol CPB80S As above but Serial
CPB-136 Parallel IBM COMP. 130cps, 136co1 MP -165 165cps 136col NLQ MP -165Q QL version of above My. 1851 IBM version of above SERIAL Interface for 165 series
NEC
PINWRITER P2 BOcol PINWRITER P3 132co1 Parallel Interface for P3/P2
RS232 Interface for P3/P2 IBM PC Interface for P3/P2
Sheet Feeder for P3 Tractor Unit for P3 NEWBURY DATA - Heavy Duty DRE-8830 Parallel 180cps 132col DRE8840 Parallel 240cps 132co1 DRE8925 Parallel 240cps 132co1 DRE-8850 Parallel 300LPM OKI - MICROLINE 010.82A P&S 120cps 80col OKI-84A 200cps OKI-92P 160cps OKI-83A 120cps OKI-2350 Parallel line printer OKI.2410P 350cps line printer
PANASONIC 10(.1'1091 120 cps NLQ, IBM COMPATIBLE KX-P1092 180 cps NLQ. 7Kbuffer, IBM COMP RADIX 10 F/T 200cps
RITEMANN
PLUS - (MX -80 FT compatible/ 120cps 80col BLUE PLUS IRX-80 FT comp.) 140cps 80co1 II - IFX-80 compatible) 160cps BOcol. NLO 15 IFX-100 compatible) 160cps 136001 NEW BOcol 105cps FRONT LOADING, NLQ, 2K
SEIKOSHA GP -100 VIC 50cps
GP -100 Parallel or Serial GP -500a 50cps GP 250X 50cps STAR SG10 IF/T) 120cps, BOcol 150cps NLQ) SD. 10 IF/TI 160cps, 80coll65cps NLQ) SR.10 IF/TI 200cp5130col1130cps NLQ)
SG -15 IF/TI 120cps. 136co1 (50cps NLOI SD -15 IF/TI 160cps, 136co1 (65cps NU/11 SR -15 IF/T1200cps. 136col 180cps NLQI TAXAN
KP.810 140cps 80co1 NLO KP-0110 140cps 156col NU) KP-810PC IBM VERSION KP.910PC IBM VERSION
TEC
1550 Parallel 1550 Serial TOSHIBA - 24 Wire Head 2100H Parallel 100cps LQ 2100H Serial 100cps INLO) Auto Sheet Feeder for 2100 Bi-directional Tractor for 2100 P-1340 P11 or Serial. 80co1 s Graphics P.1351 P11 or Serial. 136co1 h Graphics
CALL
C 125
f 125 f 189 f 165 f 149 f 889
E 339 E 149
f 263 E 349
C 349
f 379
E 389 E 389 E 469
f 469
E1219 E1449 E1589 E1829
E 206
E 19
f 49 E 309 E 420 E 855
E 29 C 59 E 65 C 65 E 53
fE 65 20
f 59
C 20 C 79 C 95
f 125
E 159
ECALL
f 179 E 289 f 369 f 395 E 545 f825
f 179 C 195 E 219 f 195 E 199 E 209
C 289
f 235
E 311
f 249
E 55
f 349
C 479 E 99
f 129
C 99 C 289
f 119
01019 E1129 C1275 C 1959
f 239 E 645 C 315 f 385
E1492 C1 529
f 249 f 369
C 439
f 199
E 229 f 255 E 395 E 224
C 149
f 149
C 189 C 199
E 195 C 299 C 399 E 295 C 399 f 389
C 279 C 368 f 329 E 409
E 539 E 539
f 1339 f 1269
f 546 f 136 E 549 E 999
REMEMBER! Even if you don't see it advertised here we can probably supply it AND FOR LESS. Problems with limited space means that we are only able to advertise a limited range of products. Additional prices on application. Consumables, paper, ribbons etc. supplied at exceptional prices, 24 -HOUR DELIVERY on items ex stock. CARRIAGE WITHIN UK: Items which may be dispatched by POST leg peripheral cards etc.) add £2.00 per order for any order under £50.00. ORDERS EXCEEDING £50.00
CARRIAGE FREE.
SOFTWARE PACKAGES: CHARGED SEPARATELY MINIMUM CHARGE £4.00. Items which must move by CARRIER (such as printers, monitors etc.) will be delivered within 24 hours for a charge of £10.00. VAT to all prices given. Remember, VAT is also
applicable on carriage 15%. Terms STRICTLY CWO. DEALER ENQUIRIES WELCOME. FOREIGN enquiries if possible by telex please. Favourable rates to most destinations. CALLERS BY APPOINTMENT ONLY
PLOTTERS
EPSON H180 Plotter ASTAR MCP -404 -Colour 80 character ASTAR MCP.80 4 -Colour full graphics SILVER REED E8-50 typewriter/plotter MANNESMAN TALLY Pinie.3
COLOUR PRINTERS
SEIKOSHA GP -700A EPSON JX-80 160cps Text DIABLO 150C ANADEX DP -9725B CPP-40 4Colour printer/plotter
ti 349 f 105 E 165
E 159
E 325
£ 345
f 469
C 799 C1299 E 99
24
AST: i SIX PACK PLUS with 64K & s/ ware from
MEGA PLUSH with 64K & s/ware from I/O PLUS II & software from 1/0 MINI & software MP MINI Ito 384K) with 64K ADVANTAGE (128K to 3MB) with 128K PREVIEW(PC/XT/AT) mono & s/ware MONOGRAPH PLUS (PC/XT/AT) & s/ware GRAPH PAK with 64K & s/ware AST -3780 AST-SNA PC
AST-BSC PC AST PC OX AST 5251 CC -232
£ 279 £ 279 £ 139 £ 139 £ 215 £ 439 £ 289 £ 365 £ 585 £ 669 £ 669
£ 519 £ 839 £ 585 E 239
HERCULES: HERCULES graphics card
£ 349
INTELLIGENCE UK: PC EXPRESS 128K PC EXPRESS 256K
£ 599 £ 699
LAB -MASTER: 12 BIT DATA ACQUISITION Above with 40KHz and prog. gain 8 BIT DATA ACQUISITION 64 CHANNEL data acquisition DATA Acquisition with 80KHz
ORCHID TECHNOLOGY
£ 445 £1374
£ 499 £1799 £1889 £ POA
QUADRAM: QUADL1NK (emulates Apple III QUADBOARDIlwith 64K EXPANDED QUADBOARD OK
OUADCOLOUR 1
£ 479 £ 274 £ 209
£ 199
SATURN/TITAN TECH: ACCELERATOR PC board ACCELERATOR PC Aux. board
£f 163859
TECMAR:
TECMAR RAM BOARDS - too numerous please CALL
20029 FIRST MATE with 64K
f 319
21044 CAPTAIN with 64K
f 329
20005 SPEECH MASTER voice synthesizer
£ 339
21005 AUXILIARY VOCABULARY for above
£ 99
20015 PROTOZOA prototyping board
£ 65
20017 Extender board for PC and compat
£ 89
20033 AMOEBA prototyping for baseboard
£ 159
COMPUTERS
APRICOT
F1
PC 256K + 2 x 315K + Monitor PC 256K + 2 x 720K + Monitor XI 256K + 10MB + Monitor XI 512K + 10MB + Monitor XI 512K + 20MB + Monitor SANYO MBC 550128K + 1 x 160K + software MBC 55128K + 2 x 160K + software MBC 550-2 as 550 but 360K Drive MBC 555-2 as 555 but dual 360K dr CRT 36 Hi Res 12" Green Monitor CRT 50 Med. Res. Colour monitor CRT 70 Hi Res. Colour Monitor MBC 232 - RS232 I/Face board 64K RAM Plug In Module
EPSON
PX-8 Portable Computer 120K RAM Disk for above PX8 + 120K RAM Disk QX-10 Desk Top Computer
£ 910 £1295 £1529 £2189 £2499
£2945
£ 595 f 789 £ 789
£1125
£ 110 £ 279
E f
419 49
f 79
£ 649 f 249
f 889
£1295
PCs AND COMPATIBLES
CANON
A -200M 256K + x 360K drives + mono display MS-DOS,
GW-Basic
£1449
A -200C as above but COLOUR
£1549
COMMODORE PC -10 256K + 2 x 360K drives + monitor
£1499
PC -20 256K + 1 x 360K + 10MB + Monitor £2439
COMPAQ PC -2 256K + 2 x 360K drives PLUS Portable DESKPRO 1 DESKPRO 2 DESKPRO 3
£1689 £3098 £1725 £2099 £3395
DESKPRO 4
£4525
IBM
Mono PC 256K + 2 x 360K drives + monitor Colour PC 256K + 2 x 360K + monitor Mono XT 256K + 1 x 360K + 10MB + monitor
£1575 £1845 £3100
OLIVETTI M24 128K + 1 x 360K drives Mono
£1365
M24 128K + 1 x 360K drives Col
£1799
M24 128K + 2 x 360K drives Mono M24 128K + 1 x 360K drives 10MB Mono M24 128K + 1 x 360K drives 20MB Col M21 128K + 1 x 360K drives M21 128K + 2 x 360K drives
£1539 £2895 £3195 £1399 £1534
SANYO
SANYO MBC 775 COLOUR PORTABLE IBM COMPATIBLE
256K RAM + 2 x 320K DRIVES, COLOUR MONITOR +
MS DOS and GW-BASIC
£1749
PC/XT PERIPHERALS
384K MULTIFUNCTION
CARD - SIX WAY!!!
* 64K to 383K RAM Memory * RS232C Serial Port * Real Time Clock/Calendar with Battery Backup * RAMDISK & PSPOOL Software * Optional Games Port
Built & Tested £289.00
7 -PLUS (TM) 7 -WAY BOARD!!!
* 2 x serial ports * 1 x parallel port * Games port * Clock/cal with backup * 4 drive floppy controller
£299.00
4 -LAYER PC/XT MAINBOARD
* 64K to 1 MB ON BOARD * 8 Fully Compatible Slots
Built & Tested £295.00
PC/XT CASE
* 8 -Slot * Hinged lid * Includes hardware
£99.00
XT CONVERSION KITS FOR IBM' AND COMPATIBLES
* NEW FAST CONTROLLER!!! WESTERN DIGITAL 1002 SWX-2 SEGATE ST -506 STANDARD... £249.00
* 10 MEGABYTE MR -521 51"
WINCHESTER HARD DRIVE, 2 -HEADS
AVERAGE ACCESS 85ms
£399.00
* 20 MEGABYTE MR -522 51"
WINCHESTER HARD DRIVE, 4 -HEADS
AVERAGE ACCESS 85ms
£579.00
* HARD DRIVE CABLE SET
£ 25.00
* UPGRADE 130WATT POWER
SUPPLY
£149.00
RAM CHIP SALE!!!
4164 64K DRAM 1 50Ns £1.99 each 4128 1 2 8K DRAM 150Ns £7.49 each
(for upgrade IBM AT)
41256 256K RAM 150Ns £5.99 each (for upgrade Olivetti -M24, Compaq
Deskpro, etc.)
MAINBOARD B-103 4 -Layer PC/XT MEGA Mainboard PC/XT SUPER Mainboard PC/XT 256K M/FUNCT. 1 par, 1 ser, cl/cal, OK 384K M/FUNCT. 6 -WAY OK 512K RAM EXPAND (2 DIP SWITCH), OK Parallel printer card Parallel card with 64K buffer (OK) Monochrome (text) display card
£295 £249 £249 £169 £289
£ 95 £ 39
£109 £119
COLOUR/GRAPHICS Card 12 layer)
640 x 200 b/w + 320 x 200 4 colour
160 x 100 16 colour + light pen I/face
text: 80 x 25 & 40 x 25
will drive TTL MONO/COMPOSITE MONO
COMPOSITE COLOUR/rgb Monitors
£149
SUPER COLOUR/GRAPHICS Card (4 layer)
64K Display Memory - TTL mono spec:
640 x 350 b/w with 2 pages
640x 350 single colour 16 intensities
80 col x 25 rows with 32 pages.
COLOUR/GRAPHICS specifications:
640 x 400 mono with 2 pages
640 x 200 16 colour 2 pages
640 x 400 16 colour
TEXT 40 col x 50 row
40 col x 50 row with 32 pages mono
PC, PC -XT, PC -AT COMPATIBLE
£399
MONOCHROME GRAPHIC CARD VERSION 11
720 x 348 graphic display, 2K static
RAM buffer eliminates scroll flicker
single parallel port standard
£229
MULTI I/O CARD - 5 WAY!!! Dual floppy controller interface Asynchronous RS232 serial comms port Parallel printer port, games adaptor Clock/Cal with battery backup
£249
EPROM WRITER CARD up to 128K
£175
MODEM CARD V21/V23 CCITT AA/AD £169
FLOPPY DRIVE CONTROLLLER (4 DR1VES) £ 75
TEAC FD -55B half ht 320K floppy dr
£175
RS232 SERIAL I/Face, 1 port 50-9600 £ 49
SERIAL Async RS232C, 2 port 50-9600 £ 69
GAMES ADAPTOR
f 39
AD/DA 12 bit 1 6ch-A/D, 1 ch-D/A
£139
TRANS -NET NETWORKING BOARD NetMAIL Software NetSPOOL Software NetDISK Disk Server Software NetDMS Data Management Software NET BOOT ROM for floppyless ops NET STARTER KIT
£450 £550 £250 £150 £175
£ 50
£975
DX45 lockable 100pc DISKETTE BOX DX50 lockable 50pc DISKETTE BOX
£ 17 £ 15
(NOTE: We can supply most of the above as UNPOPULATED boards for OEMs in quantity)
I 3 TISN
BUSINESS SYSTEMS LTD
TEL: (0342) 24631/313427
56 MAPLE DRIVE, EAST GRINSTEAD W. SUSSEX RH19 3UR. TLX: 957547
Circle No. 146
::
gm! gm IRE!! lig!
!HUY Oh.
DISKING FREEPOST, LIPHOOK, HAMPSHIRE GU30 7BR, UNITED KINGDOM
Telephone: (0428) 722563 (24 hours)
DISKING
customers
win
The
BEST GOODS
DISKING branded
diskettes qualify for double points
Here is the DISKING points system, remember Ten Diskettes = 1 Point
To receive your FREE GIFTS
All you have to do is buy any of our superb diskettes from the advertisement overleaf, and depending on the number of disks you buy, just tot up your points to see which prize you can claim. Ten disks = 1 point and pro rata.
Code
Description
Worth Points
a. Sanyo Dictation cassette recorder
£39.00 10
b. Lorus quartz Gents Gold plated analogue watch
£26.00 10
c. DISKING gold/blue cuff links in presentation case £10.00
5
d. LCD watch, calculator & pen set (mens or ladies)* £ 8.00
5
e. Polaroid 'All Seasons' Sports Sunglasses Red/White £ 6.95
3
f. Polaroid 'All Seasons' Sports Sunglasses Blue/White £ 6.95
3
g. DISKING 15" x 11" gussetted Burgundy Document case £ 5.00
3
h. DISKING 15" x 11" gussetted Gold Document case £ 5.00
3
j. LCD Credit card Memory calculator with wallet
£ 5.00 3
k. LCD Travelling Alarm or Car clock, with hourly chime £ 4.00
2
m. Silky smooth 'Satin gold' ballpoint pen
£ 3.00 2
n. DISKING leather & gold/blue key fob
£ 2.50
1
P. DISKING playing cards 2 -pack set red & blue
£ 2.00
1
Satin chrome 'Political' ballpen, writes red or blue £ 2.00
1
r. DISKING Ladies gold/blue stick pin
£ 1.00 0.5
s. Memorex dB series C-90 Cassette tape
£ 1.00 0.5
Just tell us which gift you want on the order form overleaf - and it's
*Very limited quantity in stock We reserve the right to substitute an alternative gift with the same points value. as gift stock becomes exhausted.
yours.
S781311. ER NEW LOWER PRICES
BEST DISKS
BEST DEALS
1 BEST SERVICE
DISKING FREEPOST, LIPHOOK, HAMPSHIRE GU30 7BR, UNITED KINGDOM
How to contact us:
General Enquiries & Sales 104281 722563; Trade/Government 10428) 722840; Telex 858623 Telbur G.
DISKETTES
STORAGE & ACCESSORIES
rDatalife
Prices exc VAT and quantities relate to Ten -Packs
5}"
1
2-4
5-9
525 SIS 48 tpi
20.90 18.90 17.90
550 D/S 48 tpi
23.90 21.90 20.90
577 S/S 96 tpi
23.90 21.90 20.90
557 D/S 96 tpi
28.90 26.90 25.90
10-19 16.90 19.90 19.90 24.90
High Density (IBM PC ATI
51" Diskettes
1
MDHD 1.6 MB
46.90
3i" Microdisks
1
MF350 5/5
40.90
MF360 DIS
50.90
2-4 44.90 2-4 38.90 48.90
5-9 43.90
5-9 37.90 47.90
10-19 42.90 10-19 36.90 46.90
Unlabelled 31 Microdisks
UL350 S/S
34.90 32.90 31.90 90.29
U1360 D/5
44.90 42.90 41.90 40.90
20+ 15.90 18.90 18.90 23.90
20+ 41.90 20+ 35.90 45.90
29.90 39.90
Verex
Prices exc VAT and quantities relate to Ten -Packs
51" Diskettes
1
2.4
5-9
150 SIS 5/0
14.90 12.90 12.40
200 SIS D/D
15.90 13.90 13.40
250 D/5 D/D
20.90 18.90 17.90
8" Diskettes - Call for prices
10-19 11.90 12.90 17.40
20+ 11.40 12.40 16.90
MEMOREX
Paces exc VAT and quantities relate to Ten -Packs
Si" Diskettes 1
2.4 5-9
3481 SIS 48tpi 20.90 18.90 17.90
3491 D/5 48tpi 23.90 21.90 20.90
3504 S/S 96tpi 24.90 22.90 21.90
3501 DIS 96tpi 28.90 26.90 25.90
10-19 16.90 19.90 20.90 90.23
High Density (IBM PC AT)
5}"9 Diskettes 1
2.4
5500 1.6MB
46.90 44.90
5.9 43.90
10.19 42.90
31"
6100 S/S 6120 D/S
1
40.90 50.90
2-4 38.90 48.90
5-9 37.90 47.90
10-19 36.90 46.90
20+ 15.90 18.90 19.90 23.90
20+ 41.90
20+ 35.90 45.90
Dylan
Paces exc VAT and quantities relate to Ten -Packs
5}" Diskettes
1
2-4
5-9
10-19
104/10S/S 48
22.90 20.90 19.90 18.90
10412D D/S 48
29.90 27.90 26.90 90.24
204/1D S/S 96 29.90 27.90 26.90 25.90
204/2D D/S 96 34.90 32.90 31.90 30.90
8" Diskettes - Call for prices.
20 + 17.90 24.90 24.90 29.90
HOW TO ORDER
Official Government Orders Welcome
We supply all Government bodies including schools, Universities, Colleges, Hospitals, the Utilities, Research Establishments, Armed Forces, the Ministries and Local Authorities world-wide. If ordering in quantities of fifty diskettes or more, please ask for our wholesale price list.
Credit Card Orders (0428) 722563 (24 hrs).
ACCESS & VISA welcome, call any time but please don't whisper. Just leave the following details: 1 Day -time phone number, 2 Cardholder name & address, 3 Your Credit Card Number, 4 What you want & how many, 5 Normal or first class post! Leave the REST to US!
Urgent Orders
If you are posting your order, leave out the word FREEPOST from our address, and use our normal post code GU30 7E1 and do not forget to stamp it First Class. If you are telephoning your order, please make it clear that you wish to pay for your goods to be sent to you by First Class Post.
DISKING
Prices exc VAT and quantities relate to Ten -Pocks
51"
2-4
2-4
5-9
10-19
DID S/S 48 tpi
15.90 13.90 13.40 12.90
D2D D/S 48 tpi
17.90 15.90 15.40 14.90
D1Q S/S 96 tpi
17.90 15.90 15.40 14.90
D2Q DIS 96 tpi 22.90 20.90 19.90 19.40
20+ 12.40 14.40 14.40 18.90
DISKING
COLOURED Disks
Prices exc VAT and quantities relate to Ten -Pocks
51"
1
2-4
5-9
10-19
ID S/5 48 tpi
20.90 18.90 17.90 16.90
20+ 15.90
2D D15 48 tpi
23.90 21.90 20.90 19.90 18.90
100 S/S 96 tpi 23.90 21.90 20.90 19.90 18.90
2DD DIS 96 tpi 28.90 26.90 25.90 24.90 23.90
To order the colour of your choice, just precede the type number with the appropriate letter, (R)RED, (OIORANGE, (Y)YELLOW, (G)GREEN, (BIBLUE.
DISKING
BULK DISKETTES
10-40 disks gets you a FREE Flip'n'File 10 withe very ten -pack, OR
buying fifty disks entitles you to a FREE BUDGET 50 storage box.
All Disking bulk diskettes are supplied with user & write protect labels. No
points with Bulk diskettes.
Prices exc VAT and quantities relate to Ten -Packs
maxell
51"
UL1D S/S 48 tpi UL2D D/S 48 tpi UL1DD S1S 96 tpi UL2DD D/S 96 tpi
10-40 10.00 12.00 12.00 14.00
50+ 8.58 10.58 10.58 12.58
Prices and quantities relate to Ten -Packs
51" Diskettes
1
2-4
5-9
M01 -D S/5
22.90 20.90 19.90
MD2-D D/S 48
29.90 27.90 26.90
MD1-DD S/5 96 29.90 27.90 26.90
MD2-DD 0/5
34.90 32.90 31.90
10.19 18.90 25.90 25.90 30.90
31" Microdisks
MF 1 -DD S15 MF2-DD D/S
1
40.90 53.90
2-4 38.90 51.90
5-9 37.90 50.90
10-19 36.90 49.90
3" Compact" 1
2.4
5-9
10-19
CF2 DIS
39.90 38.90 37.90 36.90
'FREE Memorex VDU Cleaning Kit per pack 8" Diskettes - Call for prices
20+ 17.90 24.90 24.90 29.90
20+ 35.90 48.90
20+ 35.90
U.K. P & P RATES
UK Shipping Rates exc VAT
5)" Disks or microdisks
1-2 pocks each pack @ 95p 3.5 packs each pock g 75p 6.9 packs cods pack S 60p 10. pocks POST FREE
All Cleaning Kits I off 60p each 2.7 off 40p each 8« off POST FREE
Disking Diskwriters 50.pack £1 .00 Disking Supermailers
£3.00
Diskette Storage M10, EFIO, FF15, SEE 10, SEE 10-3, SEE
10.8 1.4 off 40p each 5-9 off Ca 30p each 10+ off 5. 20p each
M25, MINI 100, KM25, FFSIO, KM50, JUMBO 1 off £2.00 each 2-7 off El .30 cods
off POST FREE
51" DISKETTE STORAGE (BUY 2 GET 1 FREE)
WITHOUT LOCKS
Part No:
Description
FF10
Flip'n'File 10 for 10 disks
FF15
Mini 50 Mini 100
Flip'n'File 15 for 15 disks Flip'n'File Box for 50 disks Flip'n'File box for 100 disks
B50
Budget 50 for 50 disks
WITH LOCK & KEYS
KM25
Flip'n'File lockable for 25 disks
KM50
Flip'n'File lockable for 50 disks
JUMBO
Our original box for 100 disks
Price exc VAT 3.90 5.90
16.90 32.90
8.90
25.90 36.90 18.90
3) MICRODISK STORAGE (BUY 2 GET 1 FREE)
M10
Flip'n'File box for 10 microdisks
M25
Flip'n'File box for 25 microdisks
M50
Flip'n'File Box for 50 microdisks
M40
Flip'n'File (latching) for 40
microdisks
4.90 10.90 19.90
31.90
Diskette Mailing and Computer Care Disking Supermailers
A clever copyright design, these immensly strong Supermailers offer full
protection for up to 4 diskettes.
Packed in 100's for convenience
Part No:
DSM
Description
100 Supermailers
Price exc VAT 24.90
Memorex Cleaning Kits
A really comprehensive range of kits containing everything you'll need for a sparkling computer.
Part No:
MKEY MTV MDD
Description Case/keyboard cleaning kit
VDU/screen cleaning kit Disk drive head cleaning kit
Price exc VAT 4.90 4.90 8.90
SAVE NEARLY £4.00 Just buy all three kits together FOR ONLY £14.90
A BARGAIN IF EVER WE SAW ONE!
3i" 5/5 Disk Drive Head Cleaning Kit
At last, a Microdrive head cleaning kit, for 3.5" drives.
Part No:
SDD
Description 3.5" Drive head cleaning kit
Price exc VAT 8.90
1,
r
If you are a government body or trader in computer supplies, and can always purchase in quantities of not less than 50 diskettes at any one time (any size or mix of configuration) please write or call for our wholesale prices on (04281 722840. All bona fide bulk diskette buyers will receive a FREE pack of Disking playing cards.
I`/h FREE( every ten -pack of diskettes, now comes the NEW FLIP'N'FILE 10, value 4.48 inc VAT.
fTo: DISKING, FREEPOST, Liphook, Hants, GU30 78R U.K. (0428) 722563
Elty
Description
Price exc VAT Qty
Find enclosed our order, we claim the following giftlsl:
Gift Code
Points
First Class Rates
Minidisks & Microdisks:First Ten -Pack Second and subsequent Ten -Pack
£2.00 £1.50
Total goods value exc VAT Total Delivery & Ins
Very Urgent Orders
If ordering by telephone, and by 3.00pm you may request Datapost which delivers the next morning at
Sub Total exc VAT VAT
or charge our AMESSIVISA
9.00am. Minimum cost is £10.00 for the first 5Kg please call.
Desperate Orders
Value of cheque to DISKING Number:
( Name
Just call and discuss your problem, and we will do
Address
whatever we can to help. If you are not too far we can
probably organised a taxi or courier.
Circle No. 147 \ PC 8'85
Total points Tel No -
2:7
;61
CAMEL PRODUCTS
NEW POLYPRINT for Spectrum
. . . The interface which likes to say . Ja
XN
and Oui and Si and of course YES! A
Spectrum Centronics interface with
multilingual chars in EPROM, as in
EPSON FX80 printer. Printer driver also
in EPROM. User notes show how to use
EPROM for UTILS or down loadable
chars.
POLYPRINT from Silicon City
£44.95
PRINT -SP
for Spectrum
Low cost Centr. I/F. with CABLE. S'ware on tape.
£31.25
EPROM PROGRAMMERS
BB -PROM for the BBC. With fast gpm'g, ZIF skt, Vpp generator & s'ware in
S.W.R. for 2764/128 EPROMS.
£29.95
Q -PROM for the QL. A powerful programmer with Fast and Smart pgm'g
s'ware in firmware. For 2764/128 & 'A' types, usable in ROM cartridge for your
own utilities, etc. CHECK, READ, CRC, BLOW & VERIFY part or all
EPROM.
£69.95
Q -CART ROM reader for QL. Takes 2764 or 27128
£5.95
PROM -64 for Commodore C-64. Fast pgm'g, ZIF skt, Vpp generator, s'ware on
tape for 2764/128 EPROMS. Full functions incl. C.R.C.
£34.75
64 -CART for 2 X 64K E PROM S for the Commodore 64.
£5.95
BLOPROM-SP
A uniquely
co oo
sophisticate
C)
EPROM
PROGRAMMER
Eprom programmer for the
2516/32/32A/64/64A/128/128A.
CHECK, READ PROGRAM &
VERIFY all or part of EPROM.
So immensely user friendly you'll
hardly need the manual. Designed for
the beginner but includes a single key
entry route for the professional.
Supplied as firmware, the m/c driver
rporuitcineeoalfoBneLisOwPoRrthOmMor-eSthPa.nNthoe
Personality Cards, or other additions,
just a Spectrum. Several inbuilt safety
features. Onboard Vpp generation. 28
pin ZIF socket. Cabled connector and
extender plug. ABS case.
£89.95
STATUS
NO OF SYSTEM -HEX EPROM TYPE -2712B
RAM START ADOR -4000
EPROM ST ADDR - SNOB JOB LENGTH - 4005 TASK - CHECK
WHICH TASK DO YOU WISH TO DO
W) CHECK THAT EPROM IS CLEAN
X) READ THE CONTENTS OF EPROM INTO
RAM
'I) BLOW AN EPROM WITH DATA FROM
RAM
Z) VERIFY THAT EPROM DATA IS THE SAME
AS IN RAM
0 TO QUIT
R TO RESTART'
FAST CODES AVAILABLE
0
H
POP
W)(YZ
N
AT LAST! For the Spectrum user. Put your
co
programs,o titotilitnisets,,inAtalsoezblreorms inteo
unique ROM -SP.
17
ROM -SP
for Spectrum
ngenious unit for Spectrum with 2X 28 pin sockets and a Reset Button allows up
o I6K of Basic or M/C program to RUN or LOAD instantly from EPROMs.
Cabled connector and full extender card. NOTE: Does not disable Sinclair ROM. £29.95
co co
PROMER-SP
for Spectrum C)
An economical Spectrum programmer for 2764/128. Zero insertion force socket &
software on tape.
£29.95
PROMER 81-S
The very popular ZX81 programmer for 2761/32 EPROMs has been adapted to
the Spectrum and the price is kept low.
£24.95
DHOBI 1
UV ERASER
CO
X
Compact. Mains powered. Safe. Fully cased. Up to 3 EPROMs.
N DHOBI 2 With automatic timer.
£18.95 £22.95
Only with a Camel Programmers & while stocks last. YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT! NEW 2764 or 27128.
£2.99 ea.
CRAMIC-SP
NEW
for Spectrum
Ingenious software paged 16K non-volatile CMOS RAM to co -exist in the same
area as Spectrum ROM. Easy storage and retrieval of BASIC, M/C or DATA on a
48K Spectrum.
£89.95
N
NIKE POWER BUFFERS
NiCd battery back-up for Spectrum ZX81/ATMOS.
£17.35 03
DREAM -81
ZX81
64K Rampack with link options to disable 0-8-16K. Plus a 28 pin EPROM socket
for 2716, 2732/2764 and 27128.
£59.95
MEMIC-81
for XZ81
4K CMOS RAM with lithium battery. Easy SAVEing, 10yr storage and instant
retrieval of programs.
£29.95
ttf
UK. VAT extra.
No VAT on exports
P+P UK Free
Europe+5%
Overseas+ 10%
TEL: (0223)314814
TLX81574 CML
One Milton Road
Cambridge CB4 lUY
CAMEL PRODUCTS
Circle No. 149
28
swAp MICRO TO MICRO 1 FILE TRANSFER Cn SYSTEM
N
"Get your microcomputers C2 talking to each other!" 11:1
SWAP allows you to transfer any programs and data between 2 computers of different manufacture. SWAP consists of 2 floppy disks and a cable configured for your 2 chosen computers. Here are some of the formats available:
IBM PC Apricot Televideo Sanyo 555
IBM Compatibles Apple (CP/M) Superbrain DEC Rainbow
Sirius HP150 BBC Kaypro
If your format is not in our extensive range we can usually produce it at little
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COMPUTERSYSTEMS
kSWAP-SWAP-SWAP-SWAP-SWAP)
Circle No. 154
The'Classie
Menu Generator.
rliminate all user contact with operating system
User Ltd. Selection Menu
commands. Use MENUGEN from Microft Technology to create menus to access all your regularly used programs.
1 ASPECT
2 Wordstar 3 Lotus 123 4 Disk formatting menu 5 Exit to operating system
MENUGEN is a utility which will create menus for
Please type in selection number
any activity. A menu selection
will run a program, call another menu, return to a
previous menu, run a basic program, execute operating
system commands, or exit to the operating system.
FACILITIES INCLUDE
UP TO 20 MENU OPTIONS PER MENU SCREEN UP TO 15 LEVELS OF NESTED MENU
ANY NUMBER OF LINES OF HEADINGS AND FOOTNOTES USE OF COLOUR FULLY USER DEFINABLE
'ARE YOU SURE?' MESSAGE OPTION AFTER ANYSELECTION PROMPTING FOR UP TO 16 PARAMETERS AFTER ANY SELECTION
OPTIONAL PASSWORD PROTECTION ON MENU SELECTIONS OPTIONAL LOGGING OF ALL SELECTIONS TAKEN
MENUGEN is available formostCP/M, MS DOS
or PC DOS micros including IBM PC/XT/ATand compatibles, Sirius, Apricot, HP150, DEC Rainbow, and manyZ80 machines. MENUGEN costs £48 + VAT (£55.20) fora single userlicence, or£1 20 + VAT (£138)
fora network licence, and is available from Microft
Technology Limited, The Old Powerhouse, Kew Gardens Station, Kew, Surrey1N93PS. To order, or for further
information, telephone 01-9488255.
MENUGEN
MENUGEN is a Trade Mar* of Microk Technology Ltd and isa British product.
Circle No. 155
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
CHIP -CHAT
uring the past few months I
D have devoted rather too much space to interesting
new microprocessors and their complex peripheral circuits, with the result that memory components have unfortunately been rather neglected.
This has not been due to a
deliberate policy of victimisation on my part. Each month, when limbering up in preparation for
setting pen to paper, I sort through a four -week hotchpotch of press
releases, data sheets and news
items. There are usually a number of glamour items which catch my eye, and I choose the one which appears to have sufficient depth and interest for me to then concoct
a distilled brew for this column.
Every month there are num-
erous items which by themselves are not adequate column fodder, even though they may be interesting in a somewhat limited
way. Now the pangs of guilt
presumably experienced by all
wielders of the censor's blue pencil have got to me, and as a penance I offer this month a bumper compendium of some of the smaller
items which were passed over.
MEMORY DEVICES
The theme - for there has to be one - is memory devices, because in recent months there have been
quite a number of interesting
developments. Memories last got star treatment when I covered the status of 256K dynamic RAMs. At
that juncture I predicted, I believe, that before too long the price per bit would drop below that of the
64K devices. That happy event has
now occurred, and as a result very few designers will be bothering with 64K RAM chips any more,
despite the fact that for some considerable period many more
64K chips than 256K chips will be sold for existing designs.
Surprisingly, some second generation 256K chips with improved features are now becoming available. One such chip is the Intel 51C256H, which offers ripple mode fast addressing of a random or sequential selection of
up to 512 bits within a row to give cycle times of less than 65
nanoseconds. It is fabricated using an advanced low -power CMOS process.
For some designers however, even 256Kbits per package are insufficient, and as a result memory suppliers have developed some interesting ways of producing tomorrow's memory size today, although unfortunately at a
premium price. Electronic Designs Europe, for example, is selling
1Mbit dynamic RAM devices
which are actually assembled from
four conventional 256K chips in leadless packages mounted on a
22 -pin single in -line ceramic substrate along with appropriate
decoupling capacitors. Two organisations are available, 256K
by 4 and 1M by 1, which cater for most types of memory architecture.
SQUEEZED CHIPS
Another way to get a bigger
device is to use one of the Micron Technology Inc. DRAM arrays which actually utilise older, but safer, unpackaged 64K chips squeezed into a single lin. square
68 -contact flat leadless chip carrier
package. The MT -8064 is organised as 64K by 8, the
MT -1512 as 512K by 1, and the MT -9064 as 64K by 9. In each case 10 64K chips are used to provide a redundancy factor. The 64K chips are squeezed together so tightly that it seems a shame that they all had to be sawn from their parent wafer in the first place. Perhaps this demonstrates that eventually the logic of wafer -scale integration will become inescapable.
All the devices mentioned so far are, of course, dynamic in operation. This means that they have to be refreshed continuously, or else they lose their data. The advantage
of dynamic RAMs is that they provide the highest memory density of all, so the penalty of having to provide special refresh
circuitry is usually acceptable.
But not always: the Hitachi HM-65256AP is a dynamic RAM device with on -chip refresh logic,
making it a so-called pseudo -static memory array organised as 32K by 8. For some small systems a single
28 -pin HM-65256AP package is all
the RAM needed, and there is therefore an important niche for
these designs. Better still would be a truly static 256K chip, and Mitsubishi has just announced that it will have a CMOS device available soon with this specification.
Not all new RAM devices are aimed at main -memory applica-
tions however. The CY-
7C401 /2 /3/4 series from Cypress Semiconductor are designed to act
as buffers between processors and peripheral functions operating at different speeds, and are therefore
organised as CMOS first -in -first -
out (FIFO) memories with
completely asynchronous read and write logic. The very high speed requirements and the need for on -
chip address logic means that memories of this type are small,
typically organised as 64 by 4 bits.
Giant strides have also been made in the other variety of main
memory, namely read-only
memory or ROM. Of course, ROM
has generally been used to hold
fixed system software such as a disc
operating system and a Basic interpreter, but today it is also being increasingly used to hold applications packages such as spreadsheet, word processor and database programs.
The current state of the art
seems to be about 1Mbit of masked program ROM in a 28 -pin dual in -line package, fabricated in either NMOS or CMOS technology. The MSM-531000P NMOS
device from Mitsubishi, organised
as 128K by 8, is typical. It offers an access time of 250 nanoseconds
and is ideal for the mass production of identical software more correctly called firmware for applications in personal computers and the like. It is not well suited for much else, however, because it is necessary to order many thousands of these devices
all containing the same code.
ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT
During development or field
trials it is often necessary to revise ROM -based code. This is an impossibility with masked devices,
so for this stage of design erasable, programmable read-only memories or EPROMs are used. In the EPROM field, developments have been spectacular in recent months, and examples of the latest state of
the art are the Intel 27512 and
27513 64K by 8 devices. They are both fabricated using an advanced
The Intel 27916 KEPROM: hacker -proof code at last?
BY RAY COLES
MEMORY
REFRESH
Developments in RAM, ROM and related devices are just as significant as new microprocessor technology.
NMOS process, and are erasable
using short-wave ultraviolet light.
The 27513 is particularly inter-
esting because it is organised as
four 16K by 8 pages, only one of
which occupies space in the micro-
processor memory map at any one
time. If the system software can be
organised to suit, the 27513 can
quadruple available code space
because the pages are not selected
by direct addressing, but are
instead selected by the generation
of a special page address sequence
on the control and data buses. It is
ideal for memory -limited eight -bit
systems.
Also from Intel, the world
leader in EPROM technology,
comes the 27916 KEPROM - an
unfamiliar acronym which stands
for keyed -access EPROM. This 16K
by 8 device is designed to dis-
courage hackers. It foils all
attempts to obtain improper access
by requiring the use of an
encrypted authentication hand-
shake sequence before the stored data can be read or used as
executable code. All KEPROMS
contain encryption circuitry to
implement a proprietary logic
combination of a random number
together with a confidential user -
defined 64 -bit key, which is
programmed into a special
location on the chip.
In the future there will no doubt
be many more developments.
Already I have seen press releases
detailing soon -to -be -available
1Mbit DRAMS; they are Japanese,
of course. And perhaps before long
we shall even see the incredible
Sinclair / Catt wafer -scale mass -
storage devices. Stranger things
have happened.
ua
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
29
COMPUTING TITLES
FROM CHAPMAN AND HALL
The BBC Basic Idea
THE BBC
BASIC IDEA
Richard Forsyth and Brian Morris
RICHARD FORSYTH AND BRIAN MORRIS This new version of one of the best ever introductory books on BASIC - The BASIC Idea- is aimed at BBC microcomputer users. The aim of this book is to turn a novice computer user into a competent computer programmer by showing readers how to use modern methods of problem analysis and design. With this expertise, readers will be able to use BBC BASIC to solve realistic problems, and have fun in doing so. July 1985 234 x 156 c.278 pages Paperback 0 412 24900 6 £6.95
Databases
How to manage information on your micro
PETER LAURIE
Information management is one of the things computers do well. Databases explains clearly how information is organised in microcomputers, how the software works and how to get hold of relevant data and keep it up to date. June 1985 176 pages Paperback 0 412 263807 7 £8.95
Which Peripherals?
How to choose them, how to use them
PIERS LETCHER
This book will help you to find out just what your needs are and how best to fulfil them. It will save you time and money spent in fruitless sifting through dealers lists. The book gives a comprehensive guide to what is available, which add-on works with which micro; what to look for and where to go when buying peripherals for your micro. February 1985 180 pages Paperback 0 412 26510 9 £5.95
C At A Glance
ADAM DENNING The computer language C is now regarded as one of the most important systems programming languages available, as it is compact, economical and relatively easy to use. This book aims to teach C to the beginner and assumes knowledge only of the host computer. The history of C, its basics and fundamentals and more advanced uses are all described with clarity and numerous examples are provided which demonstrate the techniques. September 1985 234 x 156 180 pages Illustrated Paperback 0 412 27140 0 £7.95
The Hitch -Hiker's Guide to Artificial Intelligence
RICHARD FORSYTH AND CHRIS NAYLOR This book is a practical, do-it-yourself guide for home micro users who want to delve into the exciting world of Al (Artificial Intelligence). It begins with a clear introduction to the principles of Al with an explanation of why its concepts are so important, how it can be fun to explore on micros. The book avoids the specialist Al programming languages and presents all programs in BASIC. August 1985 234 x 156 272 pages BBC BASIC edition: 0 412 26970 8 £8.95 Apple BASIC edition 0 412 27090 0 £8.95
Expert Systems
Principles and case studies
Edited by RICHARD FORSYTH This book explains the concepts behind expert systems readers who know about computing but are unfamiliar with the latest research and with what they can do themselves in building and using expert systems. An expert system is a software package which encapsulates specialist knowledge about a particular area of expertise and is capable of making intelligent decisions within that area. Areas in which real and working expert systems are now used include medical diagnosis, geology, organic chemistry and computer fault-finding. October 1984 234 x 156mm 244 pages Hardback 0 412 26270 3 £20.00 Paperback 0 412 26280 0 £9.95
Chapman and Hall
11 New Fetter Lane, London EC4P 4EE
30
Circle No. 150
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
ESOFTWARE
asic might be the world's
B best-known programming language but it has an awfully bad public image. How many times have we heard it
described as unstructured and spaghetti -like, with some critics even claiming that Basic has the same effect on your thinking ability as poorly fitted spectacles
have on your eyesight.
True, Basic has many faults, but
to call it unstructured is surely to
blame the tool for the short-
comings of the product. It is in the finished programs where you must
look for structure; the language is merely a means to that end. To criticise Basic for the mess that some programmers make of their coding is like blaming English for the trashy novels that some writers
churn out. In fact, Basic programs can be as well -structured as any, provided you are prepared to follow a few simple rules.
By far the most important of these is to avoid the Goto state-
ment like the plague. This is easier than you might think. Assuming
that you are using one of the many
implementations of the ever -
popular Microsoft Basic, you will
always be able to get by with three
control -flow constructs: If -Then -
Else, For -Next and While -Wend. Over the last few years, I must
have written nearly a quarter of a
million lines of Basic. If you looked
through all these programs, you would find scarcely half a dozen Gotos in the lot. If you do not believe me, just remember that
Pascal and C also support the Goto statement, yet how many users of these languages even know it is there, much less rely on it?
It is a different story, however, with the Goto's cousin, the Gosub. The essence of modular programming is to split large chunks of code into small pieces, so subroutines are pretty vital. The problem with Gosub is that it works with line numbers, and these have no logical connection with the job that the subroutine is
doing. If your Basic supports alpha labels, be thankful and use them.
Better still, take advantage of user -defined functions whenever
possible.
Make each Gosub routine a distinct piece of code. Give it a
name, if only in a Rem; surround it
by blank lines to make it stand out,
and be sure that it follows the ele-
mentary rules of modular programming. Each routine should
have just one entry and exit point, a well-defined interface with the
calling program, and no side
effects elsewhere.
Incidentally, putting a blank line around subroutines is not always possible, because standard
1000 ' Program: COUNTER
Counts the words in a text file.
1010
1020 '
1030
1035 ' 1040 ' 1050 1060 1070 2000
'
Written by M.Lewis, July 1985. Version 1.0.
The program displays the number of words in a specified file. The file is assumed to be ASCII, with lines delimited either by carriage-return/linefeed or just line -feed. For compatibility with WordStar, high -order bits are cleared and dot commands are ignored. A word is defined as a string of letters delimited by non -letters.
Variables used:
INFILES
Input file name
STARTLINE%
Start -of -line flag
INWORDI
Flag to say if current char is in a word
FOUNDS
Flag to say new word has been found
CHARS
The current character
Constants used:
DOTS
'Introduces a WordStar dot command
LINEFEEDS.CHRS(10)
'ASCII line -feed
TRUER= -1: FALSEX.NOT TRUE%
2010
2020
2030 2040
Main path of program
GOSH 4000
WHILE NOT EOF(1): GOSUB 5000
WEND
WORDSZ=WORDSP
'Initialisation; open files
'Get next word 'Count it
2050 2060 4000
GOSUB 6000 END
'Display count and closedown
4010
4020 4030 4040 4050 5000
Initialisation routine. Gets file name from user and opens file; initialises flags.
LINE INPUT 'Please enter file name ', WILES OPEN "1',I,INFILES PRINT: PRINT *Counting in progress' STARTLINES.TRUEZ: INWORMFALSEI RETURN
5010
Get next word. Reads one char. at a time until complete word processed; takes care of high -order bits and dot commands
FOUNIU:FALSES:
5020 5030
5040
5050
5060 5070
WHILE NOT FOUNDS AND NOT EOF(1):
CHAM,INPUT8(1,11)
'Get next character
CHARVCHRS(ASC(CHARS) AND I,H7F)
'Mask high -order bit
IF STARTLINE% AND CHARS:DOTS THEN
WHILE CHARSOLINEFEEDS AND NOT EOF(1):
CHARS.INPUTS(1,11):
WEND
'Skip dot command
IF CHARS=LINEFEEDS THEN
STARTLINEZ=TRUE%
ELSE
STARTLINES.FALSEZ
IF CHARSCA' OR (CHARU'r AND CHARS('a') OR CHARSre
INWORDZ:FALSEI
ELSE
IF INWORDI.FALSEZ THEN
INWORDS:TRUEZ: FOUNDS.TRUE%
WEND
RETURN
THEN
6000
6010
6020 6030
Display results and close down
PRINT: PRINT 'No. of words:', WORDS% CLOSE RETURN
Listing 1. A short Basic program, written according to the rules of style described in this article. The modular structure is emphasised by the broken lines separating the various subroutines.
Basic does not support such an obvious requirement. In Microsoft Basic, you can fake it by placing a Line feed character immediately after the line number. This gen-
erates a physical line break without
ending the numbered program
line. If your keyboard has no Line
feed key, use Control -J - or Control -Enter on the IBM PC.
Alternatively, press the Tab key until the cursor wraps to the next
line.
In fact, when it comes to program style, the Tab and Line feed keys are - pretty well in-
dispensable. By style, I mean the
way a program looks to a human reader rather than the computer.
A well -styled program is one that is easy to understand, and therefore easy to debug and modify. Using indentations and physical line breaks to emphasise the program's
structure is the first principle of good programming style.
This is most commonly done in the block statements like For -Next and While -Wend. Listing 1, a simple word -counting program,
has several examples. If -Then -Else constructs are handled similarly, with the If -Then and the Else each given a physical line to itself. This
O
BY MIKE LEWIS
THE BASIC RULES OF
STYLE
There is nothing wrong with programming in Basic, as long as you observe some simple ground rules.
arrangement can of course be
nested, as line 5030 shows.
Personally, I like to go one further by placing a Tab imme-
diately after the line number. Given that these numbers have nothing to do with the logic of the program, they ought to keep their distance from the actual code, and hitting the Tab key is the easiest
way to bring this about. I also make liberal use of tabs for lining
up comments. Another example of the use of this handy key is in Data statements.
Comments, of course, are de nkeur,even in the smallest programs. Just as a good book has an introduction, so every program should start with a comment block
which prepares the reader for what is to follow. As a minimum, this should contain the program name, date written, version number, programmer's name, and a short description of the program's function.
Some programmers also like to list all the variables in the introductory comment, and even the names of files, arrays, user functions and the like. This might sound like a lot of typing, but it could save you, or someone else, a good deal of time when you need to alter the program in years to come.
The next rule is to choose variable names with great care.
They should be readable as well as
meaningful. A good test of a
program's style is to see if you can
understand it when it is read
aloud, so avoid unpronounceable abbreviations. Virtually all mod -
(continued on next page)
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
31
cetu WORKSHOP
(continued from previous page)
em Basics offer more than the two-
0 character variables of the original standard, so take advantage of
them. Also, avoid using like-
111
sounding names for different
items : Total . Amount and
Totl.Amnt, for example.
It is a good idea to make
constants into variables. After all,
a variable does not have to vary.
Your program might test for a
page break with a statement like
IF LINE.COUNT%= 66 THEN (new -page routine)
But it would be better to hold the magic value of 66 in a variable, and to do the test as
IF LINE.COUNT%= PAGE.LENGTH% THEN (new -page routine)
Apart from making the workings of the program that tiny bit clearer, this approach would help you out if you ever decided to switch to 72 -line paper.
This rule should be followed
even if the constant is truly constant. Rather than sprinkling 3.14159 around your program, set up a variable called Pi and use that instead. Nobody expects this particular value to fluctuate, but coding it this way will lower the
risk of a hard -to -spot typing error.
Another good practice is to
initialise variables and constants close to where they are used. If your program does all its printing in just one module, it would be
better to set the line count to zero and the page length to 66 at the start of that routine, rather than at the very beginning of the program. This will help the reader to see what the initial values are, and also simplify the job of using the same module in another program.
Always type at least one space between each word in a statement. It's true that some interpreters allow keywords and variable names to run together, but the human eye is less tolerant. Many Basics also permit the same variable name
to be used for different data types.
Thus Count$ and Count% are completely different objects. But
again this might be confusing to a
human reader and is best avoided.
Using constants for flag settings
is something you might like to consider. In listing 1, the values
True % and False % are used in this
way, these being much more
obvious than their numeric values of - 1 and 0.
As another example, suppose
your program analyses a customer's payment record in order to set up a credit rating. You might have a field called Status% which
contains, say, 1 for bad risk, 2 for
unknown, 3 for OK, and so on. theses in complicated arithmetic
Instead of assigning and testing and relational expressions, even
these numbers directly, try re where the interpreter does not
storing them in fields called itself require them. I never feel
Bad.Risk% , Ok% , etc. You could completely at home with the
then use constructions like
ranking of operators, and I work
IF STATUS%=BAD.RISK% THEN (credit refusal routine)
on the assumption that anyone reading my coding might be
theBy which should be clear enough to
anyone. A similar technique can be used for an index into an array,
effect being a bit like Pascal's
equally uncertain. Brackets are a good way of breaking a complicated expression into simpler
units.
now you might be wondering
Incidentally,variable user -declared scalars.
what effect all these Rems, long
if all the variables
names, character strings,
in your program are integers, it is parentheses, etc., will have on your
worth putting
program's running time. Good
DEFINT A -Z
style is indeed the enemy of
at the head of the program to avoid the need for those irritating percent signs after every data name.
Flag settings, of course, do not have to be integers. Some programmers prefer to use character strings. So the credit status field in this example would be Status$, and it would hold actual words like "Unknown" and "Possible". This could give rise to
program efficiency. If your Basic is
interpreted rather than compiled, most of the principles set out here will result in bulkier source files
and slower programs; eliminating the Goto, on the other hand, will tend to speed things up.
If you are developing a highly
competitive mass -market package,
this could be a problem. But nobody would use interpreted
Basic for a product that is to rival Lotus 1-2-3. In most cases, the
WHILE STATUS$ = "Unknown" (perform status check)
additional running time of a well styled program will be tiny, especi-
This will serve just as well even if ally when compared to the savings
the strings are not intended to be in your own debugging and main -
seen by the program's users.
tenance time that these principles
One final tip: always use paren- will help you to achieve.
pc
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32
Circle No. 151
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
AL520 ST
MEMORY
512K RAM 1524288 bytes)
18K ROM expandable to 320K P00 for ads.) 128K plug-in ROM cartridges
2000 TOS operating system
VIDEO PORTS
Display Low Resat/Ion - 40 columns
Med/High Res -40/60 phis cola Medium res ROB (Red/Green/Blue) output High resolution monochrome (Black & White)
'MACINTOSH v Flo v 520ST'
"Imagine a Fat Mac - the 5120 App e Macintosh - but with a bigger screen. a tar tugger keyboard with numeric keyp d, cursor and unction keys, and colour. That gives you some idea of what the Atar 520ST is like, xcept for two important things.
First the Atari seems taster. Second the Atari system is about one th rd of the price.' June 1885 - Jack Schofield PRACTICAL COMPUTING
GRAPHICS
individually addressable 32K la -mapped scr.n . 3 screen Welch. modes
3205200 pixels in 18 colours now resolution) 640x200 pixels in 4 colours toed resdution) 6405400 pixels in monochrome (high reel
18 shades of grey in low res mode 512 colours available in low/seed ium res
COMMUNICATIONScntronics
&directional
parallel interface for
printers, or modems capable of inputioutput
RS232C serial modem/printer interface
VT52 Terminal Emulation Software
Maximum Baud Rate up to 19.200
High VOW hard disk interlace
Floppy disk controller (Western Digital)
8 levels of each in red, green and blue
ARCHITECTURE
4 custom designed chips: GLUE Chip- MMU Memory Mogrnnt Unit DMA Controller - Graphics Processing Unit
16/32 bit Motorola 88000 processor at 61)41-12 eight 32 bit data registers eight 31 bit address registers 16 bit dale bus/24 bit address bus 7 levels of Interrupts/56 instructions 14 addressing rn.es/5 data types
DATA STORAGE
High speed hard disk interface
2 joystick pons (one for 2 button mouse) MIDI interface for external music synthesizers
GEM WIMP ENVIRONMENT
WiMP - Window Icon Mouse Pop -down menus Two button mouse controller Icons/Pull down menus/Wm/lows GEM EDI - Virtual Device Interface GEM AES - Application Environment Senecas GEM BST - Bit Block Transfer Real time clock & calendar
SOFTWARE
GEM environment with user friendly Macintosh style operation
Direct memory access 1.33 Mbytes per second CD (Compact Disc) Marta.
&nit in cartridge access
Dedicated floppy disk controller
TOS' - Tramiel Operating System Marrs own system based on CP/M 886 with
hierarchical directory & Ma 'truce,* plus a host of MS DOS 6 UNIX command structures
DISK DRIVE
500K (unformatted) 1/Sided
floppy adrive
3490 (formatted) storage capacity
'BOB' - Business Operating System lo run any standard cos business programs
GEM desktop with GEM PAINT graphics mgml system
SOUND AND MUSIC
Sound Generator Preq.ncy control from 30Hz to above audible 300,001 rthannela way. ehePing sound in addition to a noise generator
Separate frequency and volume controls Dynamic enve10. cOMmia
AMR (Attack . Decay. Sustain, Release) No. generator
MIDI interface for external music synthesizers
and GEM WRITE word processor
Personal BASIC and DR Logo anomiey waren by Dreffal Research (Of it Very much elm those on other machines except for the retensee use of pun down menus, mouse control and windows
VARIOUS
Dimensions 170mmx2SOmmx60mm Replaceable external power supplies Expansion 30,. floppy ask drives 503K/1.0000
KEYBOARD
Separate keyboard micrOProna.bir Standard °WERT./ typewriter styli,
Ergonomic angle and height
95 keys including 10 function keys Numeric keypad - 8 keys including ENTER O. touch cursor control keypad
(.0 Onvea can be connect.)
3i 7' 15Mb hard disk
CD (compact Meer disc)
Dot matrix 8
pmtrs (black)
Thermal da matrix tcolourl
RGB 8 monochrome monitors
LANGUAGES
MONITOR
12" screen - high res monochrome monitor
640x480 monochrome resatkon
BASIC 8 LOGO suppii. Many others mil soon be available. including
Assembler. BCPL. C. Cobol. Compiled Basic Lisp. Modular -2 and Pascal
Lao. Some 0 the above apenficanons are preneaase and may therefon be subsea . chernAlf
WINES SF UM SYSTEM Price Includes 8"W Monitor Keyboard size mm (LaDsH) Keyboard size ins (LaDafi) 31/2" D/Drive (Unformatted) 302" D/Drive (Formatted) WIMP (Window. Icon, Mouse...) Peal -time Clock Polyphonic Sound Generator RS232 Serial Port Centronics Parallel Printer Pon Dedicated Floppy Disk Controller Hard Disk DMA Interlace Full stroke keyboard Number of keys on keyboard Numeric Keypad Cursor Control Keypad Function keys 18 -bit processor Processor running speed
RAM size Number of graphics modes Number of colours Max Screen Resolution (pixele) Mouse included Replaceable External Power Pack Cartridge Socket Joystick Ports MIDI Synthesiser Interface Monitor Size RG8 Video Output
APPLE
1114111M11 YES
3300147050 13"59.x2
5110K 399K
Apple YES YES YES NO NO NO YES 59 NO NO NO 68000 8MHz 5120
1
Monochrome 512 x 342
Single Button NO NO NO NO
9 NO
APRICOT
HS NO - extra 1200 4508187x28
171/2881/2" 1 500K 315K
ACT - Activity YES NO YES YES YES YES YES 92
YES (16 Keys) YES to
Intel 8096 0 77MHz
2560 4
16 640 a 258
NO -extra £95 NO NO NO NO
9" - extra F200 YES
ATARI
SNIT YES 4708240:80 1111/2x9,2" 2Vf
SOOK 349K GEM YES YES YES YES YES YES YES
95 YES (18 key.)
YES 10
SHOO MAN. 512K
3 512 840 x 400
Two Button YES YES
YES (two) YES 12" YES
System Cost with: Mouse - Monochrome Monitor - 512K RAM- BOOK Disk Drive
Price of basic system text VAT) Mouse
52595.VAT Included
5.595VAT E95 -VAT
ES52-VAT Included
Monochrome Monitor
Included
5200. VAT
Included
Expansion to 5126 RAM
Included
5295. VAT
Included
Price of complete system (sac VAT) E25950VAT
L11135. VAT
£852 -VAT
PRICE =7,,1741r 12.9841£1.362
POWER WITHOUT THE PRICE
THE NEW ATARI 520ST
Under the new leadership of Jack Tramiel (former boss and founder of Commodore Business Machines), Atari Corporation have marked their entry into the world of business/personal computers with a machine which leaves the competition standing. Tramiel's slogan 'Power Without the Price' has been implemented in the manufacture of the new 512K Atari 520ST colour computer which offers the user amazingly high
performance at an incredibly low price. Launched as a work -station, this new system
incorporates seven software packages as well as the 520ST computer with 512K RAM. mouse controller, high resolution monochrome monitor (8400400), 95 key keyboard
(with 18 key numeric keypad), MIDI interface, GEM and a 500K 3Va Inch disk drive, all for the package price of only £651.30 (*VAT = £749). Dubbed the 'Mac beater' and the 'Jackintosh' (after Atari's Chief, Jack Tramiel). Atari's new machine has been directly compared with the Apple Macintosh RRP £2595 (vVAT = E2985) which offers simper features and capabilities but at a much higher price. Favourably reviewed by the UK's
highly critical specialist cqmputer press, the 520ST is likely to make a greet impact in this country as a sophisticated alternative to an IBM PC, APRICOT or APPLE MACINTOSH. Unlike Its overpriced competitors, the Atari 520ST can be linked up to a colour monitor to unleash a choice of up to 512 colours. The addition of colour brings
out the full potential of graphics packages such as GEM.
USER FRIENDLY GEM OPERATING SYSTEM
The power of the ST is harnessed and made user friendly by the new operating
system 'GEM' from Digital Research. GEM stands for Graphics Environment Manager and allows a user friendly colour or B/W graphics interface which closely resembles that of the Macintosh. This similarity extends to the use of moveable resizeable windows, icons to represent objects such as disks and disk drives, and the use of pull down menus and a mouse. The advantage of all this is that the computer becomes extremely easy to use. GEM has now been implemented for the Acorn, ACT. Atari.
IBM, ICL, and Olivetti. Software written for GEM on one computer should also run under GEM on another computer. This will enable the market to quickly produce a large library of standard interchangeable software.
FREE SOFTWARE AND FUTURE EXPANSION
The Atari 520ST comes supplied with seven free software packages as listed below.
1) TOS -Tramiel Operating System based on CPM 686. 2) GEM Graphics Environment Manager by Digital Research (DR) giving a WIMP (Window, Icon, Mouse, Pull down menu) environment. 3) DR GEM Paint for creating graphics masterpiece. 4) DR GEM Write for word processing. 5) Logo learning language to enable you to write your own
programs easily using turtle graphics. 8) DR Personal Basic a powerful user friendly version of the Basic programming language. 7) BOS operating system giving you access to dozens of business applications packages already available on the market. Designed with future expansion in mind, the ST also features a host of different interfaces to the outside world and an impressive hat of accessories is planned. Atari will soon be releasing a 10000 (1MB) V, inch disk drive, and a 15MB herd disk storage system as well as a mass storage compact disk (CD) player capable of storing an entire 20 volume encyclopedia on one disk. A full range of Inexpensive printers are planned including dot matrix, daisywheel and thermal colour printers. With its unbeatable graphics, speed and software at a price which is far below that of any
comparable personal computer currently on the market. the ST is all set to do battle with the competition. To receive further details of the ST from Silica Shop. lust fill in the coupon below with your name and address details and poet it to us.
Silica Shop Price: £651.30 o E97.70 VAT = £749.00 This price Includes:
* 512K RAM *B/W MONITOR
*MOUSE
*500K 3.5" DISK DRIVE
*GEM
*KEYBOARD (95 KEYS)
o pater maker is likely to mirror (het 01 Commodore where Mr Tratmaibelliesshed the max. that 'Business is war','
August 2110 1984 FINANCIAL TIMES
Thee is the only personal computer know of that comes with a Mid) interface as standard." Peter Bright March 1985 PERSONAL COMPUTER WORLD
-The (GEM) version running on the Atari 68000 machines will have the additional advantage of leaving Me PC version standing." April 6th 1985 PERSONAL COMPUTER NEWS
"it would seem that GEM offers the ideal operating system." March 7th 1985 POPULAR COMPUTING WEEKLY
found it (GEM) extremely may to use and was very :pressed with me way in which 6 disguises the unfriendly hardware and operating systems lurking under the surface."
Peter Bright Feb 1985 PERSONAL COMPUTER WORLD
PRESS COMMENT
The electronics in the machine ere a work of art The her,art, of the 520ST is a Motorol WOOS one of the most powe u 113 -bit processors around and In many respects it is close to being e 32 -bit chip.. when Me machine appears in the shops. MI be at the front end of the queue to buy one"
Peter Bright June 1985 PERSONAL COMPUTER WORLD
-This machine is significantly more powerful than en IBM PC
.. If possible to design a sure -Otte winning machine, this is
it"
May 11th 1985 PERSONAL COMPUTER NEWS
... the use of GEM makes the new range of Atari computers so similar to the Macintosh (with the added attraction of coiouff, that they are already being called 'Jackintoshee"
May 2nd 1985 COMPUTING
"The new Alan ST computers truly represent to the consumel
what Jack Tramiel is saying - easy -to -use computing power
without the price"
March 1985 ANALOG COMPUTING
5t (the ST) uses the most modern technology that is eflordable. in a package that gives a professional impression"
May 23rd 1985 POPULAR COMPUTING WEEKLY
"The Atari ST is one of the most elegant designs I have seen Atari has used an original and elegant method of memory management which should make the ST faster than any other PC on the market - in any price bracket ... The 840 dollar question is would I go out and spend money for one? To which the only answer is 'Try and stop nue "
John Lambert July 1985 ELECTRONICS COMPUTING
-The 520ST a technically excellent ... The 52001 hardware is the new standard by which others will be judged."
July 1985 YOUR COMPUTER ,
SILICA SHOP LTD, 1-4 The Mews, Hatherley Road, Sidcup, Kent, DA14 4DX
AL
AL SEND FOR FREE ATARI ST LITERATURE OM =I =I MI
ATARI WE ARE THE UK'S NO1 ATARI SPECIALISTS ATARI
To: Silica Shop Ltd, Dept PC 0885, 1-4 The Mews, Hetherley Road, Sideup, Kent, DAM 4DX
At Silica we have been successfully dedicated to Atari ever since their products first appeared on the UK market. We can attribute our success largely to the Atari specialisation which we practice and to the user back-up we provide. Rest assured that when you buy a piece of Atari hardware at Silica you will be fully supported. Our mailings giving news of software releases and developments will keep you up to date with the Atari market and our technical support team and sales staff are at the end of the telephone line to
MIL PLEASE
PHI LITERATURE
I 5F2
COMPUTER
deal with your problems and supply your every need. With our specialist bias, we aim to keep stocks of
all the available Atari hardware, software, peripherals and accessories. We also stock a wide range of
Mr/Mrs/Ms:
Initials:
Surname:
Atari dedicated books and through us, the owners on our list can subscribe to several American Atari
dedicated magazines. We can provide a full service to all Atari owners and are now firmly established as the UK's NUMBER ONE Atari specialists. Here are just some of the things we can offer to our customers.
Address:
6 FREE POST & PACKING ON MAIL ORDERS If you would like to be registered on our mailing
* FREE NEXT DAY SECURICOR DELIVERY Hsi as an Atari computer owner. or as a person
* INFORMATION MAILING SERVICE
interested In buying an Atari machine. let us
* TECHNICAL SUPPORT TEAM
know. We will be pleased to keep you up to date
* HIGHLY COMPETITIVE PRICES
with new Atari developments free of charge. So,
* AFTER SALES SUPPORT SERVICE
return the coupon today and begin experiencing
* REPAIR SERVICE ON ATARI PRODUCTS a specialist Atari service that is second to none.
SILICA
HOTLINE
I3, you alreadyo,,e own n computeru which
Postcode:
mi>siAPEI0
Circle No. 152
SYSTEM1
APRICOT XI
Hard Disk + Free Printer + Free Integrated Accounts Software including Payroll Training & Installation
S YSTEM
COMMODORE
PC -10
(IBM Compatible) .256K ram Free Accounting Suite including payroll
APRICOT Fl
720K Disk 256K Memory includes Free Integrated Accounts
Software
APRICOT
TWIN DISK
+ Free Word Processor + Free Printer
ALSO AVAILABLE AT 720K Drive version
P.O.A.
ZENITH 2150
(IBM Compatible) twin floppy + free accounts software ALSO AVAILABLE 10 Megabyte Hard Disk
f2,845 + VAT Circle No. 153
OLIVE I i I M24
Twin Floppy + Free Accounts Software
ALSO AVAILABLE 10 Megabyte Hard Disk £2895 + VAT
S YSTEM6
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250K ram 2315K 5 " Drives + Free Accounting Software + Free Printer
S YSTEM8
EVALUATION
SYSTEMS
AVAILABLE FROM £100 per week ALSO AVAILABLE RENTAL SYSTEMS FROM £40 per week
COMPUTER DISCOUNT STORE
58 Mount Stuart Square, Cardiff CF1 6DR
Tel: (0222)-488650/488641
COMMS
2 ellular radio has been operating in this country for almost half a year. For those of you who have been on the moon, in a coma or staying at Her Majesty's pleasure I will give a quick rundown on what cellular
radio is.
Many years ago someone had the
bright idea of making the telephone into a compact, selfcontained, portable unit. The only way for this to be done is, of
course, by using radio waves
instead of wires. The main
problem about this method is that
each telephone needs to use a
different frequency to communicate. Otherwise, two telephones working on the same frequency would interfere with each other. Yet separate radio frequencies cannot be allocated to each and every telephone because there are not enough to go around.
SAME FREQUENCIES
The cellular radio system was devised to overcome this problem. By using low -power transmitters
on the telephones and at the base stations where the radio system links to the normal telephone network, the same frequencies can be used several times over - so long as telephones which use the same frequencies remain outside the radio range of each other. The range covered by each low -power base station is called a cell. Each cell handles a set of frequencies; the number of frequencies defines how many people can be using
telephones in that area at any one time. Adjacent cells handle
different sets of frequencies.
Problems inevitably arise when a telephone moves from one cell to another while it is being used. If a
telephone is being used in cell A at
a frequency understood by that
cell, when it moves to cell B it will be ignored because it is not using
one of the frequencies used by cell B. This flaw is overcome by incorporating the appropriate electronics into the base stations and telephones in order to change the frequencies as the user moves from one cell to another. The
changeover takes approximately 300 milliseconds.
While changeover - or hand-
off, as it is called in technical circles - takes place, the line drops. This is imperceptible to the caller and the called person, as the gap produced is extremely small compared to the number and length of gaps
in human speech. I once heard
that well over 50 percent of human
speech is actually made up of
silence.
That then, is more or less how the cellular radio system works. The result is that an almost limit-
less number of people can have telephones which they can carry in
their pocket or car. Recently, while working on an
item for Thames TV's Database,
the director of the programme bor-
rowed two Vodafones from Racal
to review. Racal is one of the
companies running a cellular radio
network in Britain; the other is
British Telecom / Securicor and their system is called Cellnet.
Shortly before, I had placed an order for a rather nifty looking
Cellnet pocket phone. Anyway, the models we had
from Racal were called Trans -
portables. I have been slightly wary of the word "transportable" describing a piece of equipment, ever since the time I got on a train at Charing Cross station and almost
left my arm on the platform
attached to an Osborne 1 microcomputer. My fears were not wholly unfounded: after carrying the Vodafone around for two weeks I was absolutely positive my
right shoulder was perceptibly
lower than my left. Each telephone came in a neat
looking designer shoulder bag, with "Vodafone" emblazoned in
nice, big red letters across the side.
If you unzip the bag, you can
remove the phone and see it in all
its glory. Naked, the Vodafone is a pretty unimpressive sight. I suspect more design effort was put into the bag than the phone. It is made up of three parts: handset, aerial unit and battery. The aerial unit and battery are just slabs of black plastic which lock together. When linked, they are about the size of a full -height disc drive and about 20 times as heavy. The handset is grey and has a mouth-
piece and earpiece in the same
positions as on a normal telephone handset. On the back is a matrix of 16 buttons, marked: 0-9, Snd, Sto,
Rcl, End, * and . Above the
buttons is a two-line liquid crystal display. The handset is connected to the aerial unit by means of a short, curly cable.
CALL PROCEDURE
The Vodafone is fairly easy to
use. To make a call, you type in the
number you want to dial. Each
digit is displayed on the LCD when you press it. To dial the number
press the Snd button. If you are
calling another Vodafone, you will be connected in a few seconds. It takes up to a minute to connect to numbers which are on the normal
telephone network. When you
have finished your call, press End and you are disconnected. There are 99 memories which can be utilised with the Sto and Rd (Store and Recall) buttons.
Additional features are con-
trolled at the Vodafone base station. These include outgoing
call barring, call diversion, automatic alarm call, conference calls, and hold for enquiry. These
functions are activated by sending a string of numbers, interspersed
with * and f symbols, to the
exchange. So much for the use of cellular
radio for voice calls. The computer
will be interested in the possibilities of data communications over the system. Sadly, cellular radio has a number of characteristics which make it an unsuitable medium for data transmission. There are four separate phenomena which may contribute for data corruption. Their effects are magnified many times when data transmission is attempted while actually on the move.
The first is known as Rayleigh fading, or sometimes as multi -
path fading. The effect of this phenomenon is unpredictable variations in the signal strength
when it is received. Rayleigh
fading is caused by the simul-
taneous reception of signals which
have travelled by different paths, having been reflected off either moving or stationary objects. If
different parts of a signal are
received at the antenna at the same time, the signal can cancel itself out. If you know about sine waves, think of a trough and a peak being received at the same time. While Raleigh fading is not particularly noticeable to voice users, modems are extremely sensitive to varia-
tions in signal strength.
HAND-OFF
Hand-off, the second problem, I have described already. The 300ms. break in transmission is
detectable by a modem. The number of times that hand-off
occurs during a call depends on whether the telephone is moving, how fast it is going and in which direction.
The third problem arises be-
cause it is sometimes necessary for
the base station and cellular telephone to communicate with each other. In voice calls, this signalling takes place in the gaps in
speech. When modems are communicating, there are no gaps. The
number of times that this signalling will occur during a call
cannot be predicted.
Finally, there is interference. All
types of radio interference are covered under this heading, but
the type which is come across most of all is co -channel interference. This occurs when different signals using the same radio frequencies
interfere with each other. Remembering that with cellular radio, the
same frequencies are reused as
CELLULAR
RADIO
DROPS YOUR BITS
Thinking of hooking up your micro and acoustic coupler through the cellular radio phone network? Then think again: life is not that simple.
often as possible, you can see that under certain conditions this type
of interference can be a major
problem. For data transmission to be
possible over the cellular network a system of error detection and correction must be introduced. Racal data transmission division, Vo-
data, has come up with the
Cellular Data Link Control (CDLC), which goes through a number of contortions to provide uncorrupted data.
To correct errors, CDLC uses a technique known as forward error correction. Simply, this means that data is sent twice and the receiving equipment selects parts of each of the two pieces to reconstruct the original data. If necessary, another system called block retransmission can be invoked. The receiving equipment can request that a block of data be retransmitted if too many errors were detected in the first transmission.
Other features of the CDLC
include resistance to hand-off and blanking, asynchronous working, 1,200 baud data transfer rate, full duplex, and RS -232 compatibility. All in all, the CDLC system does seem to have solved the problems of transferring data over the cellular radio system. All that needs to happen now is for someone to convince British Telecom to use CDLC on Cellnet, instead of developing its own, incompatible system.
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
35
I lusincss Computcr Ccntrc Ltd.
MAIN LONDON W I DEALER FOR FUTURE COMPUTERS
The future computer is the only 16 -bit processor supplied with concurrent CPM/86 as standard allowing one terminal to run more than one task at the same time and with the addition of DR -NET software provides a true multi-user environment for up to 256 user stations. The machine is also supplied with a word processor, spread sheet and a 100 cps 80 column dot-matrix printer which are included F.O.C. built in LAN and full modem communication ports.
FUTURE FX-15 128 1 x 800K FLOPPY DRIVE FUTURE FX-20 128K 2 x 800K FLOPPY DRIVES FUTURE FX-30 128K 10MB HD + 800KB FLOPPY FUTURE FX-30 128K 20MB HD + 800KB FLOPPY
£1575 £1875 £3200 £3800
OPTIONS
EXPANSION RAMS UP TO 1MBYTE All Single + Multi user software available from stock.
FROM £184 for 128K TO £995 FOR 1MBYTE
OFFICIAL ERICSSON DEALERS
ERICSSON 128K 2 x 360K DRIVES ERICSSON 256K 2 x 360K DRIVES ERICSSON 128K 2 x 360K DRIVES (COLOUR) ERICSSON 256K 2 x 360K DRIVES (COLOUR) ERICSSON 128K LOMB H/D x 360K DRIVE ERICSSON 256K LOMB H/D x 360K DRIVE ERICSSON 128K LOMB H/D x 360K DRIVE (COLOUR) ERICSSON 256K LOMB H/D x 360K DRIVE (COLOUR)
All Ericsson Computers come complete with graphic cards as standards.
£1550 £1640 £1945 £2030 £2550 £2690 £2995 £3280
1 00% IBM COMPATIBILITY. All PC Software available from stock.
MEMORY BOARDS
128K MEMORY EXPANSION 256K MEMORY EXPANSION 512K MEMORY EXPANSION `PC NET STARTER KIT 'Used in conjunction with Plus 5 Subsystems.
EXTERNAL STORAGE DEVICES FOR ERICSSON
PLUS 5 5MB + 5MB CARTRIDGE (REMOVABLE) PLUS 5 LOMB + 5MBCARTRIDGE (REMOVABLE) PLUS 5 15MB + 5MBCARTRIDGE (REMOVABLE) PLUS 5 20MB + 5MB CARTRIDGE (REMOVABLE) PLUS 5 30MB + 5MB CARTRIDGE (REMOVABLE) PLUS 5 40MB + 5MB CARTRIDGE (REMOVABLE)
Complete with al: necessary software and connectors. We accept official orders from Government and educational establishments. (Special discounts apply).
TELEVIDEO (SPECIAL OFFER)
TS -804 MULTI-USER 10MB HD TS -8066 USER SYSTEM 10MB TS -800 SATELITES TS -802H 14MB HD TS -816 16 USER SYSTEM 40MB HD TS-TPC1 TELE PORTER TWIN FLOPPY TS -1603 16 -BIT TWIN FLOPPY TS -914 WORK STATIONS TS -924 WORK STATIONS
£ 149 £ 210 £ 450 £ 350
£2445 £2545 £2695 £2795 £3395 £3645
£3750 £2750 £ 750 £3000 £6750 £1000 £1750 £ 450 £ 550
PRINTERS
A large selection of Daisy Wheel and Dot Matrix Printers are available from stock. All equipment carries a 12 month guarantee for parts and labour.
SOFTWARE
We can supply all PC Software single, Multi -User and Multi -Tasking. We write software for customers in twenty countries including General Motors, Fiat Motor Company and National Airline where we are currently writing Software for the computerising of their ticketing operation and installing hardware in 40 of their worldwide offices which will all be online to the mainframe computer. Installation are carried out by our own engineers. Finance and training available. Kindly telephone for demonstration at our W 1 showroom for any of the above equipment by our professional staff who will be glad to discuss your requirements with you.
Business Computer Centre Ltd.
66 WELLS STREET, LONDON WIP 3RP. 01-637 5666/7/8
36
Circle No. 104
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
I ABS
Business Centres
At TABS Business Centres you'll.get everything you need to run a small business system.
TABS Business Centres provide a complete range of computer products to help you run your business more efficiently.
Whether you need a simple business computer to run your sales ledger and handle your correspondence or a multi-user system with an integrated accountancy package, you
will find everything you need - all in one place. You will get free expert advice from people who understand the business world,
and who have a thorough knowledge of accountancy and microcomputers. You will also get expert training on how to use your system, a professional installation
service and full support for the hardware and the software.
OLIVETTI PERSONAL COMPUTER
TABS
PDQ
TABS Rental Systems
*IBM IBM PC 64, Monitor, Keyboard, Mono Display Printer Adaptor, DOS 2.0 + Tandon Drive.
£21.76 per week + VAT Over 36 months rental period
IBM XT. Monitor, Keyboard, DOS 2.0, Mono Display Printer Adaptor.
£37.38 per week + VAT Over 36 months rental period
ACT APRICOT PC, 2 Disk Drives (Double Sided), 720K + 9" High Resolution MonitorMono,
£21.30 per week + VAT
Over 36 months rental period
APRICOT Xi 10.1 Disk Drive + Winchester 10Mb + 9" High Resolution MonitorMono
£31.97 per week + VAT
Over 36 months rental period
OLIVETTI M24 (Typical System), Mono Display, Keyboard + MSDOS, 2 Disk Drives 360.720Kb.
£20.69 per week + VAT Over 36 months rental period
M24 (Hard Disk System), Mono Display, Keyboard + MSDOS,
Disk Drive 360.720Kb, Winchester 10Mb
£41.62 per week + VAT t Over 36 months
rental period
TABS PDC) 1.2, Mono Display, Keyboard + MSDOS, 2 Disk Drives 800K
[F24.44 per week + VAT Over 36 months rental period
PDG 10, Mono Display. Keyboard + MSDOS, 1 Disk Drive 800K + 1 Winchester 10Mb
£41.20 per week + VAT
Over 36 months rental period
TABS Business Centres offer a Rental
Plan which is ideal for companies preferring to keep their capital intact for use within the business rather than tying it up in depreciating assets. The plan allows for the system to be upgraded at regular intervals without high cancellation penalties and includes maintenance and insurance.
For your nearest one stop Business Centre 'phone:
0722-338668
*The IBM PC and XT are only available from TABS Business Centre, Salisbury and those TABS Business Centres who are IBM authorised PC dealers.
FROM f 10,000 CREDIT 0000000...
Simply fill in the coupon and return it to: TABS Ltd, Dolphin House, New Street, Salisbury,Wilts. Please allow 14 days for reply. The TABS RENTAL CARD is valid at all TABS Business Centres.
I WISH TO -APPLY FOR RENTAL CREDIT FACILITY. Name
Circle No. 105
Address
Tel No
Company Business Name
Nature of Business Bankers
Position Branch
37
Account No
Signature
PC 8 85
THE NEW AMSTRAD CPC 664 WITH BUILT-IN DISC DRIVE
...JnieurrramTvirrormH1
10
13
1418 1
1903 110i
5100 5553 7155 2150 MO 7920 7250 7050 7955 10721 10565 99930
5058 2409 1031 2200 1355 2700 3025 1750 1955 1212 .5450 2300
THE NEW AMSTRAD CPC 664
- AVAILABLE AT BOOTS COMET CURRYS DIXONS GREENS JOHN MENZIES RUMBELOWS
38
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
THE LOW COST COMPUTER FOR HOME AND BUSINESS
If you know anything
famous -name software
about computers you'll
houses. Few will cost
know that disc drives are
you more than £49 and
up to fifty times faster
most will cost you con-
than cassette when you're
loading and saving
programs. In fact, a disc drive makes
siderably less.
AN EXPANDING
- SYSTEM
computing faster,
There is a com-
more reliable, more
plete range of
efficient and more
WITH COLOUR MONITOR AROUND
WITH GIU I N ~GREEN AROUND
peripherals avail-
fun. But up till now the only way to gain these
.£449.
.£339.
able to CPC 664 users which plug directly into
advantages for a home
the built-in interfaces.
computer was to buy a separate disc drive
attachment. Now Amstrad
THE HOME
These include a joy-
stick, additional disc drive
(to double your on-line
are pleased to announce the first complete home computer with built-in
COMPUTER
storage) and the Amstrad DMP-1 dot-matrix printer. (There's also a cassette
disc drive: The Amstrad
CPC 664.
And when you buy a
THAT MEANS
interface so that you can use CPC 464 programs on tape). And there are
CPC 664 you'll find it's not
just the disc drive that's
built-in.
BUSINESS.
many more peripherals from
Amstrad and other manu-
facturers which can be used
You'll get every-
to enhance the CPC 664.
thing you need, including a monitor
HIGH PERFORMANCE
AMSTRAD USER CLUB -
even give you a free CPM and Logo
disc, so all you do is plug in and you're in business.
BUSINESS OR PLEASURE
LOW COST
The one thing you won't need a computer to work out is that the
Amstrad CPC 664 represents outstanding value for money.
Join the optional Amstrad User Club
and we'll keep
you informed
with our
monthly user
Although a disc drive will make games more fun
You only have to magazine,
check the cost of
and infor-
(and there are loads of
buying all the ele-
them to choose from) it
ments separately (64K
also makes the CPC 664
computer, disc -drive,
a serious proposition for the business user.
Wordprocessing with Amsword can improye the productivity of everyone from unskilled
monitor) to realise that the Amstrad
mation on all
software as it
Figure analysis made easy with Microspread. An easy to
is introduced. use spreadsheet with pull -
Your member-
down menus and a wide range of mathematical options.
ship details Around £49.
There are accounting, typist to trained secretary. word- Around £2 3.95.
package is very hard to beat.
will be recorded on your personal club card, which
processing, With a green screen
entitles members to various
spread -sheet monitor the cost is
privileges and offers.
and data-
base pro-
just £339. With a full colour screen it
7
grams (to
name but
Amsoft Business Control, is a a few).
complete suite of programs
The CPC
664 is also for integrated sales invoicing,
stock control and sales ledger
for around £99. (Requires an supplied with
additional FD -1 disc drive around £159 and DL -2 cable
CP/M* to help
around £7).
make your
business more efficient and effec-
tive by providing access to the
famous range of CP/M* software.
costs £449. And after you've saved money on the price of the computer itself, you go on saving on the price of software.
There are hundreds
of programs for business or pleasure available on disc (and cassette) to
CPC 664 users. Many from
Amsoft, others from other
Please s nd me more information Name Address
Amstrad CPC 664
Amstrad, PO. Box 462, Brentwood, Essex CM14 4EE
PC/6E413_1
CrNlisatraclettimikolDigitalliesearchInc.
SPECTRUM W.H. SMITH WIGFALLS AND GOOD INDEPENDENT COMPUTER STORES
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
Circle No. 106
39
FIRST CLASS PERIPHERALS CREATE A NEW QUALITY/COST DIMENSION
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Circle No. 107
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
IIIINTELLIGENT
wbct is another delightful and the opponent then decides to
game invented by Alex Ran- which player that peg belongs.
dolph, whose brick -dropping According to the inventor, a good
game Pferdeappel appeared in PC in first move in Twixt is m6 because it is
March. The game is marketed in the not so fantastic that the opponent
U.S. by Avalon Hill, and it sells so will certainly take it, but it is good
well in Germany that there are even enough so that if the opponent does
Twixt tournaments for the really not take it the peg on m6 will play an
serious players and Twixt experts important part in the game.
sometimes give simultaneous exhibitions against a number of weaker
RAPID BRANCHING
players. But for some reason the When programming games which
game cannot be found in shops in have a very large branching factor,
the U.K., which is a great pity that is, number of legal moves, a
because Twixt is great fun and intel- sensible philosophy to adopt is to be
lectually challenging.
highly selective in the analysis. In a
The game is played on a 24- by chess program. where the average
24 -peg board. The two players, Red branching factor is around 37, some
and Black, take turns to put a peg strong programs written for micro-
into one of the vacant holes. If a processors can analyse the full -width
player's peg which has just been tree to a depth of seven -ply or more.
played is then a knight's move away A Twixt program analysing a full -
from one or more existing pegs of the width tree to the same depth, would
same colour, that player joins the encounter around 50,000 times as
adjacent pegs with a horizontal many terminal nodes. It might be
bridge, provided that this bridge possible to write a Twixt program to
does not cross an existing bridge search fully to a depth of three- or
belonging to either player.
four -ply when playing at the rate of
Figure 1 represents the lower left- three minutes per move, but I do not
hand corner of the board. Red has believe that player would be happy
created a bridge for d4 to e2, since waiting so long for a response and I
these two holes are a knight's move am suspicious as to the resulting
apart. Black could form a bridge strength of the program.
between c3 and di, but it would be By being selective in the search
illegal to make a bridge by playing in process, a game -playing program can
e4 because the line from c3 to e4 discard many of the obviously
crosses Red's bridge from d4 to e2. A bad moves, thereby reducing the
player is allowed to remove any branching factor substantially. At
number of his own bridges as part of each ply in the tree the program says
a move, but this rule can be ignored to itself: "Which moves look worth-
when programming the game to while and which ones should I
avoid making the task unnecessarily ignore?". If its selectivity criteria are
complex.
accurate it will be able to discard a
LINE OF BRIDGES
large proportion of the legal moves without any detriment to the final
The object of the game is to create result. You could also adopt this
an unbroken line of your own approach in chess or any other two -
bridges twixt opposite edges of the person game, for example, by not
board. For example, Red might be allowing the program to examine
playing from north to south, in moves which give away pieces for
which case Black will be trying to nothing. What you gain is the ability
create a bridge from east to west. to search the game tree to a more
Once a section of bridge is in place it useful depth. However, there will be
may never be moved by the
opponeht, and a player may not
place a bridge so that it intersects
with any bridge already placed by his
opponent.
Since the Twixt board is even
larger than a Go board, the number
of legal moves at any stage will be
enormous in comparison with board
games such as chess, draughts and
Othello. Twixt is a good example of
the problems of searching large game
trees. Just how do you deal with a Figure 2.
game in which the branching factor
is so large that a full -width tree -
4
search would be impossible to any
substantial depth?
3
R
Consider the very first move of the
2
game. You might think that playing
a peg in one of the four central holes
is a very strong move, and in fact this
is true. But to take care of this situ-
a
ation one player places the first peg
occasions when a superficially useless or bad move actually turns out to be the right thing to do but the program ignores it.
One way to select the moves which
are to be examined further is to apply the terminal evaluation function to positions at every stage of the tree search. First the program generates all the legal moves from a position, and then it evaluates these moves with the same evaluation function that it applies to terminal positions. The moves are then sorted, which has the beneficial side effect of speeding up the alpha -beta search. An arbitrary cut off is applied so that the program discards all but the best n moves, or all moves whose evaluation is more than a certain amount below that of the seemingly best move.
This approach was employed in one of the earliest chess programs, written in the late 1950s for the IBM 704 mainframe. The program selected the seven best moves in the root position, then the seven best replies to each of these moves, and so on, to a depth of four -ply. Its search process, with 2401 terminal nodes on
the tree, took around three minutes, in which time today's leading microcomputer chess programs can examine trees with around one million terminal evaluations.
QUICKER EVALUATION
Another method of selectivity is to apply a different evaluation function, usually one which is more sophisticated than that used for evaluating terminal positions. The reason for this approach is that there are many more evaluations carried out at the terminal positions. Consequently the terminal evaluator should be quicker and less sophisticated than the evaluation function used to select which moves are to be analysed further.
A third approach to the problem of selectivity, and one which is best used for Twixt, is to use very simple
ef
g
h
i
I -4
rn
BY DAVID LEVY
TWIXT
A peg -board game for two players.
heuristics to select those moves which, without the benefit of evaluative heuristics, look as though they might be worthy of further analysis. This makes the selectivity process much quicker.
One simple heuristic which often serves this purpose is to look at moves which appeared to be quite good two-ply earlier in the tree. If the program applies its full evaluation function to each of the moves in the root position and then produces a sorted list, the moves which feature in, say, the top 10 places in the list will, in many games, have a high correlation with the top 10 list twoply further on into the game. For most strategy games approximately half of the moves on the most likely to succeed list normally reappear on the list two-ply later.
Another heuristic useful in Twixt is to look at all moves which create bridges immediately. &less obvious concept is to examine forking moves. If in figure 2 Red were to place a peg in g3, he would be creating a two -
pronged attack - hence the term fork - on the holes at e2 and e4.
Placing a subsequent peg in either of those holes would immediately create two bridges, from c3 to the new peg and from the new peg to g3. Black would have no way to stop both possibilities.
Another heuristic which seems to work quite well is to look at moves which are within a certain distance of your opponent's previous move. This distance might be two rows and columns either side of the previously occupied hole, in which case there would be a maximum of 24 legal moves to examine as a result of this particular heuristic. Extending the distance to three rows or columns on either side would increase this maximum from 24 to 48, which is already making the tree too bushy.
Having created the basis for a selective search program, you must
consider how to evaluate positions on (continued on next page)
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
41
SOFTWARE
0 (continued from previous page)
bridges minus opponent's bridges.
A count of the number of forward- n of these moves - you should
the game tree. The evaluation Potential Bridges. The number of looking bridges might also be a choose n to be in the range 20 to 30 LU function can be used in two different different moves available which will useful measure to be included in the - and discards the rest. Your level 1
ways: it should be applied to all create one or more bridges for the
Attack Strength feature. Score one search should now play the move at
positions at one -ply so that the root player whose turn it is to move
point for a forward -looking bridge, the top of the list. For a higher level
moves may be sorted, thereby next. Count one extra move for
provided that the row which it crosses of skill, the program should perform
speeding up the search process each bridge in excess of one that
has not already been crossed by a search to the appropriate ply
because of the substantial number of can be created by a move.
another forward -looking bridge of depth, selecting which moves to
cut offs created by the alpha -beta Forks. The number of vacant holes the same colour. Score 0.5 for a examine further on the basis of the
algorithm, and the evaluation on the board that are a knight's
forward -looking bridge if the row criteria already described. In the
function is also applied to all move away from two or more of a
that it crosses has already been terminal positions the program
terminal positions. It might be player's existing pegs, with no
crossed once by a forward -looking applies the evaluation function, in
worthwhile to use it to sort the moves intervening bridge: score own forks bridge of its own colour. Score which the weightings for each
selected at ply 1, but experience from minus opponent's forks.
1 /(n - 1) if the row crossed by a feature have been arrived at largely
chess suggests that this is only useful Attack Strength. Some sort of
forward -looking bridge has already by experimentation.
for the replies to that root move measure is needed for the extent to which is sorted to the top of the list. which a player's bridges are
been crossed by n forward -looking bridges of the same colour. This eval-
LOOK FOR A WIN
It is worth using four features in working towards the ultimate goal, uation will encourage the creation of One thing about the evaluation
the evaluation function. An im- that of creating an unbroken line
all forward -looking bridges, but will function seems obvious: a fork
portant aspect of playing Twixt well between the appropriate opposite
put greater emphasis on moves that should be valued at something
is that wherever possible, moves edges of the board. If the
extend over rows that have not yet between one bridge and two bridges.
should not only help to make individual bridges are well
been crossed.
For searches of five-ply and deeper,
progress towards your own goal but connected to each other there will should also impede the progress of be a relatively small number of lazy
COMBINATION
apply the evaluation function at
four -ply, and extend the search only
your opponent.
pegs - that is, ones which are
You could combine the two to determine whether or not there
This is not accounted for in the attached to fewer than two bridges. aspects of Attack Strength into one exists a simple forced win. The same
evaluation function itself, but will be But this concept in itself is insuff- feature: for example, forward- selection criteria are used to deter -
a by-product of the look -ahead icient because a ring of bridges
looking score divided by number of mine which moves should be
search. As a result, on level 1, - that would have no lazy pegs but would lazy pegs, but it is simpler to treat examined beyond four -ply, but the
is, a one -ply search - the program be of no real use to the player.
each of these two aspects as separate terminal evaluation should consist
may play aggressively but it will over- Another aspect of attacking
features, in which case the evaluation only of Win, Loss and Neither
look attacking possibilities by the strength is the extent to which
function will have five features values. This approach should ensure
user.
bridges are forward looking, say,
altogether.
that the program plays sensible strat-
The features in the evaluation from b1 to c3 for the player moving The program will then perform egic moves, while leaving sufficient
function are as follows:
north to south, rather than
the tree search. It generates, eval- computation time to detect straight -
Bridges. The number of bridges
sideways looking from, say, b1 to
uates and sorts all the moves in the forward races towards the edges of
already in place on the board; own d2.
root position. It then selects the best the board.
Pi
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Circle No. 108
42
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
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PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
Circle No. 109 43
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Circle No. 110
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MultiMate
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
Multimate? Out of the question Miss Snodgrass.
At Faucetts Bathroom Fittings Ltd, office modernization was a taboo subject. Chester Faucett the M.D. would sink into a deep depression at the very thought of spending money.
OVERFLOWING WITH FEATURES
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A PLUG FOR MULTIMATE
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Circle No. 112
45
Intelpost delivers messages
around the world-
direct from your computer.
IF AVM
'k\
SUL
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fervent please report on the folkoto, anticipated
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Plus evcecterf snort falls in stock poseorts due
trx c urrent Or. et curerncy leeelsagainst bra!
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Reprots to include Projection against conpsertive qu aoonsatthe fight., level of ear., closure
Meese respond ientediately Intelpost first IMP ,P551,1 at earner close
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Circle No. 113
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
P C ESKPRO 286
KAYPRO 2861
AT -EMULATORS: LUXURY v. UTILITY
Back Schofield
PREVIEW
IBM's 80286 -based PC/AT has set a new standard for personal computers. Two new arrivals both subscribe to it, but are radically
different in other ways.
Il
BASIC BENCHMARKS
Deskpro 286 - 80286 Kaypro 286i - 80286
IBM PCIAT - 80286
Olivetti M-24 - 8086
Headstart ATS - 80286
BM1 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.5 0.6
BM2 1.2
1.7 1.9 2.0 2.5
BM3 2.8 3.8 4.6 4.6 5.5
BM4 2.9 4.0 4.7 4.7 5.7
BM5 3.2 4.3 5.2 5.2 6.2
BM6 5.7 7.9
9.1 9.4 11.2
BM7
9.1 12.3 14.6 14.8 17.6
BM8 Av.
9.2 4.3 12.5 5.9 13.5 6.8 16.1 7.2 18.2 8.4
tiggrUl &mart 11.0.11111
1111110111111
Y Y 1,/,1
tit f f t
f
t
t(
II tf f( tt 11
11c_
,(,1gtot 4)1 Uu 111J1
.
threw all the major IBM-compatible manufacturers
into a frenzy of activity. A dozen of them have since
announced new machines which emulate the PC/AT,
and samples are now starting to come through. The
first to arrive was the Intertec Headstart ATS, which
offered very small size and network capabilities, plus a low prices.
The two latest releases from Kaypro and Compaq, are reviewed
separately on the following pages. In terms of raw
performance, however, both micros are very similar to the IBM
PC/AT.
The standard eight Basic Benchmarks were run on all the
available AT-alikes, plus the Olivetti M-24. On this basis, the
Compaq Deskpro 286 emerged a .tear winner, being significantly faster than the IBM PC/AT. The Kaypro and Olivetti micros ran at roughly the same speed as the IBM, with the Intertec Headstart slightly slower.
The Compaq's advantage is that it runs the 80286 chip at a slightly faster clock speed of 8MHz, compared with the 6MHz of the PC/AT. It can also be run at 6MHz if this is necessary to ensure software compatibility.
The Compaq is the only one of the 286 -based machines to offer significantly better performance than the 8086 -based Olivetti M-24. This is because the 80286 actually runs the PC -DOS operating system in a compatible mode where the chip emulates
(continued on next page)
BAGSHAW BENCHMARKS
BMO BMI BM2
Deskpro 286 - floppy
10.5
4
4
Deskpro 286 - 30Mbyte hard 6.2
1.8
2.5
Deskpro 286 - RAM disc
6
1.5
2
Kaypro- floppy
12
12
11
Headstart ATS- floppy
16
11
10
Apricot XI- 10Mbyte hard
16
6
7
BM3 12.5
2.3 1.5 23 14
11
BM4
15
2.8
1
11
14 7
BM5 16.4 3.6
1
24 38 26
BM6
5 1.2 0.7 4 12
1
BM7
17.5 3.8
1
26 65 27
BM8
5.3
1.1
0.7 14 18
2
BM9
8
0.8 0.3 8 8 4
BM10 BMII
13.4 75
1.6
11
1
9
16
89
17
70
9
50
BM 12 45.5 5.9 5.5 57 48 20
BM 13 Total
18.2 250.3
3.2
47.8
0.7 31.9
21
328
52
393
6
192
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
47
PREVIEW
(continued from previous page)
an 8086. The enhanced Protect mode, where the full power of the 286's architecture is unleashed, is not currently accessible from PC -DOS.
The second major advance offered by the PC / AT standard, compared with the PC standard, is much faster disc operation. In most businesses, the extra disc speed is far more useful than the extra processing power.
The standard Disc Benchmarks devised by Eric Bagshaw of the National Computing Centre - see Practical Computing, July 1984 page 99 - were run on the Compaq, Kaypro and Headstart models. Unfortunately, samples of the IBM PC/AT and Olivetti M-24 were not to hand for these Benchmarks to be run. Again, however, the Compaq Deskpro emerged as a clear winner.
One of the problems withPC-DOS and, of course, the highly similar MS-DOS, is that it cannot address more than 640K of RAM. This is now seen as a major limitation for three reasons. First, the 8086 and 80286 can address 1Mbyte of RAM, and the 80286 can address 16Mbyte in Protect mode. Second, memory prices have dropped so rapidly that large amounts of memory - over 1Mbyte - are now affordable. Third, many software houses now seem to be incapable of writing programs that are smaller than about 400K.
The Compaq Deskpro 286 supplied for review actually had 2.2Mbyte of RAM installed, which is 1,536K more than could be accessed via PC -DOS. PC -DOS version 3.0 has a useful way of handling this. The VDisk command in DOS 3 enables virtual
discs - also called RAM discs or silicon discs - to be set up very easily. The Compaq's extra memory could therefore be used to provide the maximum 640K of RAM to DOS, plus the 512K RAM discs addressed as D:, E: and F:. As an experiment, both of IBM's PC -DOS discs, induding the supplementary programs, were copied into the virtual disc D:. This comprises 50 files and a total of 450.5K of code. Copying all this from D: to E: using *.* took all of four seconds. With DOS or other large programs run entirely from RAM, the performance of a micro is electrifying. For anyone with a suitable micro and DOS 3, and who can afford it, this must look like an attractive way to go.
Future versions of PC -DOS will inevitably be obliged to expand their memory address capability above 640K, and eventually provide proper multitasking facilities using the Protect mode of the 80286. Whether these enhancements will arrive later this year with DOS 4, or next year with DOS 5, is open to speculation and doubt. Until they do, in our view the Olivetti M-24 still offers the best price/performance ratio in the IBM -alike universe. However, 80286 -based machines are clearly where most of the business micro market is headed, and the progress being made is exciting.
48
COMPAQ
DESKPRO
286-2
Compaq has made a fortune out of
making IBM-compatible micros better than IBM. The Deskpro 286 model 2 is the latest in what is now an extensive line-up and, true
to form, it beats the IBM PC/ AT in almost every department. And as with the Compaq portable, the Deskpro offers better IBM compatibility than IBM's own micro.
Microsoft's Flight Simulator was one of the first guides to IBM compatibility, because of the direct use it makes of the IBM PC ROM. Nowadays all true IBM compatibles are capable of running it. However, in launching the PC/ AT, IBM changed the standard somewhat, and the Flight Simulator, FS -1, would not run. Therefore
Microsoft has produced version 2, or FS -2, to run on PC/ ATs and on the PCjr.
The clever thing about the Deskpro 286 is that while it obviously runs FS -2, as an AT -
alike should, it also runs FS -1, like a real PC -
compatible micro. This is something that the Kaypro 286i, Headstart ATS and the PC/ AT itself cannot do.
In other departments, too, the Deskpro 286 offers more and better facilities than the PC/ AT. One problem with IBM's micros is that the monochrome and graphics displays
IST7 " _ .. 1 A
SPECIFICATION
CPU: Intel 80286 running at 8MHz RAM: 512K, expandable to 8.2Mbyte Storage: 1.2Mbyte floppy disc, 30Mbyte hard disc, 10Mbyte tape streamer; optional 70Mbyte hard disc and 360K floppy discs Display: 12in. dual -mode amber monitor showing 80 characters by 25 lines and IBM-compatible graphics Ports: parallel printer port, RS -232C serial port, RGB and composite -video ports
Availability: autumn 1985 Price: not known Supplier: Compaq Computer Ltd,
Ambassador House, Paradise Road, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1SQ. Telephone: 01-940 8860 The Deskpro 286 model 1 is similar but comes without the hard disc and tape backup. Transportable versions will also be available.
KAYPRO
286i
Those who have used Andrew Kay's transportable micros will find the new 286i, a desk -top IBM PC/AT-alike, very familiar.
Like other Kaypros it appears to be made of industrial -grade sheet metal. The finish is black and utilitarian, with mpulded rubber edgings and cork discs to protect the desk top.
The system box is huge: it takes up about 360sq.in. of desk top. This machine would look perfect on a factory floor. Anyone who wants a svelte, luxury micro like the IBM PC/AT, or the almost equally stylish Compaq Deskpro, should look elsewhere. However, the Kaypro 286i does its job,
which is to emulate the IBM PC/AT. It delivers a great deal of computing power,
including an excellent bundle of software, at a quite attractive price.
Where the Compaq 286 and Olivetti M-24 micros compete by offering significantly better performance than the
equivalent IBM micros, the Kaypro is simply a clone. The board design is very similar to
that of the PC/AT, and the ROM BIOS, supplied by Phoenix Software, emulates IBM's. The colour graphics appears to be driven by a Hercules Color Card, and this
leaves five of the eight expansion slots free.
In sum, the hardware is all pretty standard stuff. As with the Kaypro transportables, the
I. - ,!z!L'
SPECIFICATION
CPU: Intel 80286 running at 6MHz RAM: 512K, expandable to 15Mbyte Storage: 286i B with two 1.2Mbyte 5.25in. floppy discs, 286i A with one floppy disc only Display: 13in. RGB colour monitor showing 80 characters by 25 lines and IBM-compatible graphics Ports: parallel printer port, RS -232C serial port, RGB port: no ports supplied with 286i A model
Availability: now
Price: model B, £4,136 plus VAT; model A, £2,674
Supplier: Kaypro (U.K.) Ltd.
Telephone: (06286) 67547
"unique selling proposition" of the 286i is a bundle of Micropro software: WordStar and Mailmerge, Calcstar, Infostar and Statburst. The one important piece of software that you have to buy is a copy of IBM's own PC -
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
COMPAQ DESKPRO 286
PC VERDICT
200
Performance
Ease of use
III
Documentation NI
Value for money MI
0k
.,
T--,
00°
M
M
III II
, 6<<,
4t1
M
Far superior to anything else in its
class. If reasonably priced, this machine
should be a huge success.
are provided as separate systems, using separate cards as drivers and separate screens. Either you have the excellent monochrome character set and no graphics, or the
colour -graphics facilities and low -resolution text. Like other Compaqs, the Deskpro 286 combines them so you get both.
The Deskpro 286 also runs much faster than the IBM PC/ AT, thanks to its 8MHz 80286, where the IBM uses a 6MHz version. The Compaq chip will run at 6MHz, if the software requires 6MHz for compatibility. The Deskpro 286 runs the standard Basic Benchmark routines in an average of 4.3 seconds, compared with the 6.8 seconds of the PC/AT.
The Deskpro 286 is also a snappy performer of the Bagshaw Benchmarks, which measure the speed of disc operations. The Deskpro 286's floppy disc ran the 14
routines in a total time of 250 seconds faster than the IBM PC/XT's hard disc, which takes 254 seconds. When the same
routines were run from Deskpro 286's builtin hard disc, the time of 47.8 seconds was nearly twice as fast as any other machine we have tested, with the runners-up being the Jarogate Sprite at 91 seconds, and the Wyse
PC at 178 seconds. In terms of raw specification, the Deskpro
286 supplied for review offered considerably more than a PC/ AT. Where the PC/ AT has a built-in 20Mbyte hard disc, the Deskpro
286-2 offers a 30Mbyte model; 20Mbyte and 70Mbyte options are also available. Where IBM offers no means of backing -up
important data - except on to a mass of floppy discs - the Deskpro 286 has a built-
in tape streamer with a capacity of 10Mbyte per tape.
On test the Deskpro 286's performance was sparkling. The legibility of the amber dual -mode screen was outstanding, all operations were very fast, and the machine ran virtually all software thrown at it. It did not run the IBM diagnostics disc, but that is only to be expected. There were no problems reading 360K discs written by or
for other IBM-compatible machines. The keyboard has the same layout as the
PC/ AT, including the unimplemented Sys Req key, but with LED indicators actually built into the tops of keys like Caps Lock, etc. The PC/ AT layout is superior to that of the standard IBM PC, though it takes some getting used to.
Two drawbacks to the Deskpro 286
emerge when you try to move it about. Like the PC/ AT itself, the Deskpro 286 is very heavy. But a 2.2Mbyte micro with a 30Mbyte hard disc, built-in tape streamer and massive power supply could hardly be expected to be light. Also, before you lift the machine you have to release three screws and slide the lid off, to lever a locking prong for a hard disc into the Park position.
Another drawback may turn out to be the price, which had not been divulged at the
time of writing. Compaq is not known for being noticeably cheaper than IBM. However, you do tend to get more for your money, and frankly the Deskpro 286 is worth a premium over the IBM PC/ AT. Unless you have a ridiculous attachment to the three little letters I, B and M, the
Deskpro 286 is a far better machine to buy.
CONCLUSIONS
The Deskpro 286 offers a high level of compatibility with the IBM PC and PC/AT micros, to the extent that it could even be more IBM compatible than IBM's own machines. This enables it to utilse the large PC and PC/AT software
base.
II1The extra convenience of the dual -mode screen display, built-in tape backup and greater expandability make the Deskpro 286 model 2 clearly preferable to the IBM PC/AT.
For single -user desk -top computing, the
Deskpro 286 is, in terms of specification, facilities, speed and performance, the best micro ever reviewed by Practical Computing. For applications where the power is required, it should sell like hot cakes, almost regardless of price.
KAYPRO 286i
PC VERDICT ,
0
k,'.'
crAo P
0
<ti
Performance
III
Ease of use
III
Documentation
Value for money
Ill IN
II
. Little more than an IBM PC/AT clone.
1
Its bundled software may not quite compensate for its lack of finesse and finish.
DOS version 3. Unlike Compaq and Olivetti, Kaypro does not supply its own
version of DOS. The system supplied for review had an
Intel 80286 chip running at 6MHz, 512K of RAM and two 1.2Mbyte half -height 5.25in.
floppy -disc drives. There is a battery -backed
clock/calendar, and space for an 80287
maths co -processor. RAM can be expanded to 640K on the main board using 18 64Kbit RAM chips and, it is claimed, to I5Mbyte using expansion cards. The review sample was set up to include an optional hard disc, which can be added as an upgrade. There is
also a single -floppy version with no colour board and no ports. In fact, on power -up the hard dics's red access light winked and we thought one might be inside, but this was not the case.
The system was run using the 13in. RGB
colour monitor supplied. This required a separate mains lead, unlike the Compaq monitor which plugs into the back of the Deskpro. The Kaypro also lacks a composite
video port. While it was nice to have colour,
as many of the newest IBM PC packages use
it extensively, the IBM's sharp, high resolution monochrome character set was sadly missed.
On test, the Kaypro performed impeccably. For reasons unknown it ran the eight standard Basic Benchmark routines slightly faster than the IBM PC/ AT: the
Kaypro's average was 5.9 seconds, compared
to the PC /AT's 6.8 seconds. As the chip and DOS are identical, this presumably means that Microsoft's GWBasic is just slightly faster than its Basica.
The Bagshaw Benchmarks, which
measure the speed of disc operations, produced curious results, in that times varied a great deal between tests. The total time of
314 seconds seems reasonable, though both faster and slower results were obtained, which could have something to do with the
buffering.
Another feature of the drives was that they made embarrassingly loud scrunching noises when the first few tracks of a 360K
disc were read, before they settled down into
quiet operation. The drives themselves were
efficient and reliable, and there were no
problems reading 360K IBM PC discs.
The Kaypro's keyboard is laid out like the
PC/ AT, and feels quite good for typing. It does have the same metallic construction as the rest of the machine and, indeed, the rest
of the Kaypro range. You get serviceability with little cosmetic finish and no finesse at all. Not everyone will like it.
No problems were experienced with
standard software packages, though the 286i would not run the IBM PC diagnostics disc nor Microsoft's original Flight Simulator. It did, however, happily run the new version 2, designed for the PC/ AT. In these respects
the Kaypro performed like the Intertec Headstart, reviewed last month. Also like the Headstart, the Kaypro is badly documented, with only preliminary notes supplied.
There is little else to say about the 286i. It does perform as an IBM PC/ AT clone, it has useful free software. At a lower price than the PC/ AT, the 286i should also appeal to those whose needs are for utility rather than glamour.
CONCLUSIONS
E The Kaypro 286i is an IBM PC/AT clone, and imitates its rival about as closely as is legally advisable. This makes it a machine of huge raw power. E The Kaypro differs from the PC/AT in also having a huge raw appearance. That it is utilitarian is about the nicest thing one can say about a micro that is prettier than only the Advance 86B. E The bundled Micropro software is of known quality and is an attractive extra. IN If the price is aggressive it should appeal to those who value functionality over glamour. The quoted price is around 10 percent less than the PC/AT. Even with the free software, this may not be quite competitive enough.®
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
49
III SOFTWARE REVIEW
GEM DESKTOP
WIMPS FOR ALL
By Mike Lewis
Digital Research's Gem brings a uniform Mac -style graphics interface to a wide range of personal computers, including the IBM PC.
Desk File View Options
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The arrival of Gem marks the most realistic attempt yet to bring the
marvels of overlapping windows, pull down menus and multiple founts to a wide
range of personal computers. It is a strategically important product, for both
programmers and end -users. If it succeeds it will do for graphical interfaces what CP/ M did for operating systems.
The comparison is an apt one because,
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above all, Gem is to do with portability. Just as CP/ M allowed software houses to write
a program for one computer in the ex-
pectations that it would run on many others, so Gem gives them the world of Wimps -
windows, icons, mice and pointers -
without having to worry about the details of
widely differing graphics hardware.
Desktop provides a separate scrollable window for each sub -directory. Each icon in the window represents either a file or another sub -directory. The user is able to move windows to anywhere on the screen, change their size and make them overlap.
lap Desk
Viev Options
Gem is not itself an operating system, but rather a layer of software that lives between
the OS and an application program. The hardware -dependent parts are provided by
Gem's licensees - that is computer
manufacturers and OEMs - while writers of application software gain access by means of a programmer's toolkit.
SOFTWARE YET TO COME
A:\ 88876 bytes used in 3 items,
Fr4
DISK INFORMATION
EXE
OPAM.F;
Drive Identifier: A:
-0-- Disk Label:
Number of Folders:
Number of Items:
3
Bytes Used:
00076
Bytes Available: --77l360
What Gem will do for the end -user
depends on the extent to which developers
of databases, spreadsheets, accounting
packages, etc. make use of the goodies that it offers. So far, Gem -based packages have
mar;
WO4
0401.S05 PUTOUEC.Elj
come in a trickle rather than a flood, but it's
early days yet. In fact, the only Gem offerings to date
have originated, not surprisingly, from Digital Research. These include Gem Draw,
T he Get Info option in the File menu brings up an information box for the currently selected object, which may be a disc, folder, application or document. In this case, it is the floppy disc in drive A which is selected, as indicated by the reversed disc icon.
Gem Paint, Gem Graph and Gem
Wordchart, all of which should be available
by the time you read this. At the moment, systems will be supplied by the hardware two -button Microsoft mouse, only the left-
the only established product is Gem manufacturers - they already exist for the hand button being operative in Gem. In the
Desktop, which is in many ways the hub of Atari ST series and the entire Apricot range IBM version you can get by with the cursor
the system.
- but the IBM version is sold by Digital keys instead of a mouse, but it is a slow and
To run Gem, you will need 256K of RAM Research itself.
clumsy alternative.
and a graphics display. A hard disc is Of course you will also need a mouse. In Installing Gem is simple, the whole
advisable, but not vital. The version we tried fact, Gem can be made to work with various operation being carried out by a batch file
was for the IBM PC, but it ran quite happily pointing devices, such as joysticks and called GemPrep. If you are using floppies,
on the closely compatible Compaq Deskpro touch -screens, provided the manufacturer you end up with two discs: a startup disc and
and Olivetti M-24. Versions for other supplies the necessary drivers. We used the the disc containing the Desktop program.
50
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
ESOFTWARE REVIEW
SPECIFICATION
Description: Gem is an operating
system extension that lets programmers use overlapping windows, icons, mouse support, pull -down menus and multiple founts; Desktop uses Gem to perform the
common DOS utility functions
Hardware required: IBM PC family
or compatibles, Atari ST or Apricot, other versions available soon; bit -mapped graphics display, 256K RAM, mouse or other pointing device Publisher: Digital Research, Oxford House, Oxford Street, Newbury, Berkshire. Telephone: (0635) 35304 Price: Desktop costs £49.95 plus VAT
Available: now
Desk File View Options C:\
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Digital Research's version of Gem
runs on the IBM PC and compatibles. Versions for other systems
will be supplied by hardware manufacturers.
Desk accessories may be invoked from Desktop or within a Gem application. The clock and the calculator are supplied with the package.
Programmers who have the Gem Toolkit may add their own accessory programs.
To start Gem itself, you place the startup disc in Drive A and type GemRun. You are then prompted to swap discs, after which Desktop takes over the screen. Drive B remains free for other programs and data. You can also start Gem from a hard disc.
The aim of Desktop, in a nutshell, is to replace the DOS command line. It does not replace DOS itself or even Command.Com, but it does provide an easy way of carrying
out basic housekeeping tasks without having to remember unfamiliar commands. Experienced users might prefer the oldfashioned A> prompt, but a newcomer should find Desktop less intimidating and easier to learn.
The initial Desktop screen shows an icon
for each floppy or hard disc and a trash can. There is also a menu bar with four choices:
Desk, File, View and Options. To do
anything useful, you have to select a disc by moving the mouse pointer to the icon and
clicking the button. This switches the icon to a dark picture on a light background, Gem's
standard way of highlighting a selected
object. To see what's on the disc you open the
drive, either by double-clicking the icon or by selecting Open from the File menu. Gem responds by displaying the disc's root directory in a window, with an icon for each file. These so-called directory icons come in three varieties: folders, which are DOS sub directories; applications - Bat, Com and Exe files; and documents, which are meant to cover text and data files, but are in fact anything that is not a folder or an application.
BRANCHING
Since a folder is a sub -directory, it can itself be opened to display a further window of icons. Folders may contain other folders, reflecting DOS's tree -like structure. There is a New Folder option in the File menu which serves the same purpose as the DOS MkDir command, and you can copy files between folders, root directories and other discs.
Copying a file is simply a matter of
selecting the icon, then dragging it with the mouse button held down to where you want it to go. Gem warns you if the file already exists at the destination, and also gives you a chance to rename the copy. You can copy entire discs in this way, just by dragging one disc icon on to another. If you drag an icon to the trash can, it is deleted after a suitable warning message.
The most important operation that you normally carry out at the DOS command line is to invoke an application program. In Gem, this is done simply by opening the application's icon. Before handing over to the program, Desktop invites you to enter a parameter, the name given to a command line tail, for passing to the program. Although the application takes complete control of the screen, when it finishes the Desktop reappears exactly as you left it.
The other type of icon which you can open is a document. The aim here is merely to see what is in it, via the DOS Type
command. Bear in mind that a Gem
document is not necessarily text, so trying to
(continued on next page)
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
51
IISOFTWARE REVIEW
(continued from previous page)
open a binary file will result in a screenful of rubbish.
Opening a document in this way reveals one of the main weaknesses of Desktop, something which is also evident when you wish to format a floppy or carry out a disc -to disc copy. In each case, Desktop steps aside and allows the equivalent DOS command Type, Format or DiskCopy - to take over, exposing the user to precisely the sort of cryptic dialogue that Desktop is designed to avoid.
Having opened a document, it is a trifle disconcerting to see your attractive Desktop display disappear, albeit temporarily, to be replaced by a monochrome text screen, with the contents of the file flashing past and only the Control -S key to stop the scrolling. Would it have been so difficult for Digital Research to have displayed the file in a Gem style window and to have given the user a little more control over the scrolling? As it is, relinquishing control to DOS in this way gives Desktop a decidedly unpolished appearance.
Fortunately, these are the only occasions on which Desktop's dealings with the user are open to criticism. In general, you are never left wondering what is going on and most of the system's messages are polite, clear and to the point. When you start an operation that might be either timeconsuming or destructive, such as copying or deleting a file, Desktop issues an
unambiguous warning and gives you a
chance to back out. More confident users can switch off this feature.
A particularly interesting aspect of
Desktop is the way in which documents with
the same file type can be linked to a specific application. Once this is done, opening a document of the relevant type will have the same effect as invoking the application, with the document's name as a parameter.
For example, you could assign all documents of type Txt to WordStar. Then
when you double click on a file named Report.Txt, Desktop will load WordStar
which will in turn open Report.Txt ready for
editing. To help you remember which
documents work with which programs, you can superimpose special icons on the normal application and document icons. Thus there is a typewriter icon which would be suitable for a WP program, and one resembling a sheet of paper for word -processed text.
RESUME LATER
Normally, this link -up between applications and documents survives only for the current Gem session. The same is true of the various toggles and switches which you can set to disable the warning message before file deletions, for instance. However, if you use the Save Desktop function in the Options menu, all these settings are written to disc. The next time you invoke Desktop, the system will be just as you left it.
In any discussion of Gem, there is a strong temptation to make comparisons with the systems that has most furthered the Wimp cause: the Macintosh. Certainly, Gem has a
great deal in common with the Mac, at least from the user's viewpoint. This is no bad thing, because once you have learned how to operate one of these, you will know the other too.
Windows have a near identical anatomy in both systems. By manipulating the various controls around the edge of the window, you can scroll it any direction,
move it, alter its size or close it altogether. The only difference is that Gem's windows also have a Full box: you click this once to make the window fill the screen and click it again to return the window to its previous size. This would be a useful addition to the
Mac.
Another small difference is in the use of pull -down menus. On the Mac, you pull down a menu by pointing to it and holding down the mouse button. You may then drag
the mouse to the option you want and
release the button. In Gem, the menu drops
GEM DESKTOP
PC VERDICT k.,
0°
,:t
0 -t(' 0° C''''
,t-
4tr
Performance
M
Ease of use
M III M
Documentation
Value for money
E Desktop provides a more natural way
of using DOS and its utilities than the A> prompt. This way of doing things is likely to become the norm.
down as soon as you point to it, and the
option is selected by a single click. Desk accessories are also common to both
systems. These are mini -applications which can be invoked from their own menu, either from the desk top or within other programs. Gem has just two of them, a clock and a
calculator, while the Mac sports seven,
including the indispensible scrapbook.
Gem also lacks the equivalent of the Macintosh clipboard, a handy means of
cutting and pasting between programs. But it is from the programmer's point of
view that the real differences between Gem
and the Macintosh emerge. When you
program the Mac, you are locked into a fairly fixed configuration. Access to the graphical interface involves working closely with the hardware and with the Mac's ROM -based service routines, and this can be quite an undertaking. You can do a lot of Mac tricks in certain high-level languages like Micro-
soft Basic and Mac Pascal, but these are interpreted rather than compiled and so do
not appeal to software vendors. The Macintosh is controlled by a piece of
software called the finder. This, together
with the ROM routines, serves as operating system, Wimp manager, and desk top. It is highly machine specific, and adding non Apple hardware like third -party hard discs generally involves obtaining a modified version of finder.
By contrast, Gem works in co-operation
with existing operating systems, its role being confined to servicing programs that want to use the graphics interface. The programmer can communicate with DOS as
before, and can continue to use all his or her favourite tools like keyboard enhancers and RAM discs. And you can use any language that permits calls to compiled library routines - although the calling sequence is particularly geared to C.
HIGHLY PORTABLE APPLICATIONS
Because all interaction with graphics devices is routed through a set of drivers, Gem programs can be highly portable. This does not mean that you can port Gem itself from an IBM to an Apricot and expect it to work. But once you have Gem on both systems, your application code can be successfully transferred, which is more than can be said for packages that try to do their own clever displays by directly accessing the computer's screen -mapped memory.
This approach also means that appli-
cations written for non -Gem environments can be used in a Gem system without change. Familiar programs like WordStar and dBase will run quite happily whether
they were invoked from Desktop or the DOS command line, and they will not be put off
by any Gem routines that happen to be resident in RAM. What is more, the user is not tied to Gem and can return to normal
DOS operation whenever he or she feels like
it.
But although these are important advantages, Gem will not succeed if it merely provides a standard, intuitive mechanism for invoking non-standard, non intuitive applications. The future of Gem
depends critically on how readily the likes of Micropro and Ashton-Tate incorporate the
Gem brand of Wimps into their mass -
market products.
So far the prospects are good, with around
a dozen major houses promising Gem
adaptations of their packages. The products include Thorn EMI's Perfect range, the Pegasus accounting system, Lifetree's Volkswriter, Plan from Chang Labs, SPI's Open Access, Compsoft's Delta, and the Prospect Graphics Library.
It is true that all these represent just
announcements rather than actual discs and manuals on dealers' shelves. But with this sort of muscle behind it, Gem certainly looks like being off to a good start.
CONCLUSIONS
with its Mac -like user interface, its
availability on a range of business micros, and its ability to work with existing applications software, Gem certainly looks like being a winner. MAt first sight the Gem environment is nice and friendly to programmers, especially those who do not want to work too closely with the graphics hardware. In spite of a few rough edges, Desktop is a highly acceptable alternative to the DOS command line. It can be mastered very quickly and so should appeal strongly to computer novices.
52
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
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WE'RE NOT JUST SAYING THEY'RE 100% RELIABLE.
54
WE GUARANTEE IT
Not everything that claims to be totally reliable lives up to its promise.
But when you're choosing floppy disks, you have to b* sure of 100% reliability.
Anything less can be expensive and damaging.
That's why every SKC disk goes through the most rigorous quality
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SKC is one of the world's leading chemical companies and all our disks
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SKC disks can withstand up to 5 million passes of continuous
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SKC disks meet ANSI, DIN, ECMA, IBM, JIS and SHUGART specifications and are
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For more information contact Bridie Sumsion, Computermate Data
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SK (Sunkyong) Europe Corporation Limited, Sunkyong House, Springfield
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*Circle No. 115
SKC FLOPPY DISKS
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SUPERFILE
DATABASE MANAGEMENT
For full details, phone or write to: Southdata Ltd, 166 Portobello Road, London W11 2EB. Tel 01-229 2724 & 01-727 7564
Circle No.116
PC8
PREVIEW
OMNI-READER
AUTOMATED TEXT INPUT
By Ian Stobie
By far the cheapest optical character reader so far -
but one with severe limitations.
0 mni-Reader is a very cheap optical character reader, designed for use with machines like the Apricot, Macintosh and IBM PC. It lets you read the information on typewritten pieces of paper directly into the computer, without the need to retype it. At £399 Omni -Reader is far cheaper than any competing product, but it does have significant limitations: for some jobs it turns out to be genuinely useful, but for others it is useless.
The problem Omni -Reader sets out to address is an important one. Many tasks such as maintaining membership lists or keeping catalogues up-to-date are highly suitable for computerisation but involve typing substantial quantities of data into the system in the first place. Since most of this data already exists on paper, a cheap way of inputting it directly would save the cost of retyping.
Optical character recognition (OCR)
systems designed to do this have in fact existed for some time, but are expensive in the £6,000 to £15,000 price range. These prices place them outside the reach of the
individual user. Since Omni -Reader is intended for users
with comparatively small volumes of data to
SPECIFICATION
Description: input device which optically reads typewritten text off pieces of paper into a suitable computer Hardware required: IBM PC, Macintosh, or ACT Apricot; also will work with any machine equipped with a
suitable RS -232 interface
Typefaces recognised: Courier 10 -
and 12 -pitch, Letter Gothic 12, and Prestige Elite 12 Reading speed: 150wpm claimed by the manufacturer
Manufacturer: Oberon International
Ltd; made in U.K. Price: £399 plus VAT; optional software to support IBM, Mac and Apricot is £40; available now
U.K. distributor: Oberon
International Ltd, 2 Hall Road, Maylands Wood Estate, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire HP7 7BH. Telephone: (0491) 34838
Mr. K. Spring 15 Monhose tjattlens Lunduden Dumfries
Dear Mr. Spring
Thank you for sending the enclosed story for possible publication, but after careful consideration unfortunately we are Arable to use it.
Yours sincerely
Jack Schofield EDITOR
air. K. Spring ISNIontrose Gardens Lunduden Dumfries
DearAlr Sprink
Thankyou for sending The enclosed story for possible
publication, hul after careful are unable to use ii.
ronsideintion unforYunatelv
we
Touts sincerely Jack Schofield EDITt
The Omni -Reader is much better at reading some typefaces than others. With an original typed in Letter Gothic results were almost perfect (left), but Eletto, the typeface most of our documents are written in, confused it (right).
enter, Oberon, who manufacturers it, is probably justified in making it slower and less flexible to get the price down. Reading
proceeds line by line, and is almost a manual process in that the user has to physically move the read head over each line of text by hand.
Omni -Reader's other obvious limitation
is in the range of material it can handle. You
are restricted to reading the output from typewriters, and only the more common
electric ones at that, but not printed
documents or poor -quality typescript. Physically Omni -Reader has a flat base-
board on which you place the document you wish to copy. A transparent ruler is free to
move up and down the document but is kept strictly parallel to the lines of text.
Slotted losely on to the ruler, so that it is free
to move in a left to right axis, is a black plastic box which contains the optical read
head. At the top of the baseboard are a set of indicator lights, four of which show the preprogrammed typefaces Omni -Reader is set up to recognise: Courier 10- and 12 -pitch,
Letter Gothic and Prestige Elite. Connecting the Omni -Reader up to the
Mac we used for this review proved simple enough: it just plugged into the Mac's serial port. We also had Oberon's optional Omni Reader software, available for an extra £40, which makes the installation process
relatively straightforward. All the typewritten text in our office has
either been typed on old manual machines or an Olivetti ET 111 electric typewriter with carbon ribbon and Eletto 12 -pitch printwheel. A look in the Omni -Reader manual showed that Eletto is somewhat similar to
Prestige Elite 12, so setting the Omni -Reader
to this fount we tried reading several
documents. It takes a while to get the hang of gliding the read head across the text at the right speed. If you get it right the Omni Reader beeps once and the text appears
magically at your current cursor position on
the screen. However, we never got 100
percent accuracy with Eletto, more like 90 to
95 percent. Text typed with an Olivetti Letter Gothic
printwheel was much better - near 99
percent most of the time. But this was still not much use to us as none of our existing documents are typed in this face.
Oberon quotes a reading speed of 150 wpm, although we got nowhere near this. I expect a few days practice would speed you up, but I am not convinced that even then I
could achieve 150wpm. Generally, Oberon is realistic about the
limitations of its device. Previous claims that
the Omni -Reader would be able to read ordinary printed text have been abandoned. Such a task seems to be technically beyond the device, as printed founts are generally a good deal smaller than typewriter founts at typically 16 to 20 characters per inch as against the typewriter's 10 or 12.
OMNI-READER'
GU/ VERDICT
0
tcr
Performance Ease of use Documentation m
Value for money M
0',
5- 0.0
MI II N
IN
, 5'
(4,
MI
[]Brilliant value if you happen to be one of the few people who wants to do what Omni -Reader can do.
CONCLUSIONS
MOmni-Reader is too restricted in what it
offers to be of practical use to most people.
However, some users may have masses of
beautifully typed Courier documents which
they are dying to get into a computer:system,
and for them Omni -Reader is worth a look.
MOmni-Reader is a cheap product and shows
the way technology is evolving.
PC
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
57
PREVIEW
CMS 6502 RACK SYSTEM
NOT THE BBC MICRO
By Roger Cullis
This modular, rack -based system from Cambridge Microcomputer Systems allows technical and industrial users to build up a BBC -like micro tailored to their specific needs.
As an input /output device, the BBC Micro offer a wealth of facilities. It has parallel and serial outputs for printers, cassette, disc and LAN interfaces
for data storage, sound and speech for aural communication and RGB, composite and
modulated UHF for visual display. There is, however, a lack of flexibility
about the implementation. Regardless of whether you need all the functions, they are part of the package. You get the cassette interface, for example, even though you may always save your files to disc. Four channel sound is there, despite the fact that your only application may be instrument control. Should you require more than one identical interface - to drive a serial printer and a modem, for example - then you would have to think again. There is no easy way of adding such I/O controllers. Hitherto, if you wanted to run BBC software
on a 6502 machine you had nowhere to turn,
unless you possessed your own manu-
facturing plant.
Now Cambridge Microprocessor Systems
(CMS) has come up with a modular system
which permits users to tailor the computer to their specific needs. The CMS system is based on a series of Eurocards, each one performing a particular function or group of
functions. The cards are linked together by a
backplane which is either a simple pcb or a mini -rack with its own power supply.
The heart of the system is a 6502 processor
card. Unlike the Acorn 6502 second pro-
cessor, which is simply a 6502 CPU with 64K
of RAM, the CMS controller has a much mote flexible memory arrangement, with the 64K bank being divided into separate
blocks. The operating system is held in ROM at the highest memory addresses, while the lower addresses can be populated by read/write or read-only memory, or simply left empty.
The card has five 28 -pin sockets which serve as memory carriers. To accommodate different types, each socket is provided with two banks of wire -wrap connector pins which can be linked in the appropriate configuration to suit the pin -out of individual devices. The manual shows arrangements for most popular byte -wide ROM, EPROM and RAM chips. A preprogrammed bipolar ROM controls the addresses at which the memory devices will be located in the memory map.
The CMS 6502 may be used as a second processor to the BBC Micro or it may have its own keyboard attached to a 40/80 -column terminal card.
The system can be further extended by using additional controller cards which function simply as memory carriers when their processor chip is removed. In this manner, over 500K of memory can be directly addressed by using a software paging register to look after bank switching
control.
Memory socket 5 has been mapped to support a 16K EPROM. The upper half is
devoted to the operating system and monitor while the lower half is available for CMS special applications packages. One such package is a communications module to permit networking of a number of 6502 systems. Other packages control specific CMS I/OEurocards.
If an application requires a host language,
this is mapped into &8000-BFFF. BBC Basic is one language which is available.
CMS supplies a sideways ROM for use when a BBC Micro model B or B+ is employed as the base processor. The controller card is initialised with either a Control -Shift or a *CMS command, and responds with the message
BASIC present (if it is installed at &8000-BFFF)
CMS (1.X) Ram at XXXX - XXXX
SPECIFICATION
CPU: eight -bit 6502, clocked at 1MHz Video: high-performance colour graphics card; low-cost 40/80 -column pixel graphics with teletex Interfaces: comprehensive range of I/O facilities including A/D, D/A, serial, parallel, IEEE
Manufacturer: Cambridge
Microprocessor Systems Limited, 44a Hobson Street, Cambridge CB1 1NL Prices: 6502 card with memory chips
and BBC Basic, £199 plus VAT; low-cost 6502 controller £119; BBC Tube interface and cables, £79; digital I/O, serial and parallel, £119; memory carrier, £79; high-performance graphics card, £299;
40/80 -column teletext card, £149; 13 -bit data acquisition, £189; high-performance analogue card, from £205; keyboard, £139; 8in. rack with power supply and backplane, £299
58
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
REVIEW
EXPANSION CARDS
The High Performance Colour Graphics Card is based on the Thompson EF-9366 graphics processor chip and has a DIN connector for an RGB-drive monitor. It offers 512- by 256 -pixel resolution and is capable of drawing 1.5 million dots per second. In monochrome there are 16 grey levels, while the colour mode will support eight colours per pixel, eight flashing colours or eight colours with intensity control. The ROM holds 96 ASCII characters which may be displayed in a high -density text mode of 85 characters by 32 rows in any colour combination. Character size and style - vertical, horizontal or italic - are fully user programmable. A hardware zoom capability allows characters to be magnified in the X and Y directions by up to 16 times.
The 40/80 -column Video Terminal is a low-cost alternative to the graphics processor card. In combination with the processor the video terminal card offers a convenient terminal emulator. It includes a Centronics parallel interface and an RS -422/423 serial interface. It has an 8K dedicated video memory expandable to 16K, full colour for foreground, background, border and palette, pixel graphics, and user -definable and teletext characters. It supports underlining, and reverse and flashing video.
On the Versatile Interface Board four 6522 versatile interface
adaptors (VIAs) provide 80 independent digital I/O and control lines. A 6551 Asynchronous Communications Interface Adaptor (ACIA) controls a serial interface in RS -422/423 configuration. One half of a VIA drives a fully buffered Centronics printer port. Serial transmit and receive rates and data format may be set under software control.
The 12-bit/Analogue Interface Card is designed for fast realtime data acquisition. It has eight multiplexed ADC input channels with true 12 -bit accuracy and stability. There are also up to four DAC output channels, each having an op -amp current -to -voltage converter followed by an inverting amplifier with potentiometer -controlled gain to provide an output voltage of 0-10V at 10mA. There are seven TTL channels available for external control.
The high-performance Analogue/Digital Interface Board offers 16 analogue input channels with 13 -bit resolution and 16 digital output lines capable of switching up to 50V at up to 0.5A. Each line has an individual LED status indicator.
Based on the MC -68488 General Purpose Interface Adaptor, the IEEE Talker/Listener Controller CMS IEEE card can act as a talker, listener or bus controller. The card meets all of the
IEEE -488 1978 electrical specifications. As a bus controller it can control up to 14 devices on the instrumentation bus.
Unlike the Acorn 6502 second processor, the
CMS device is endowed with a monitor
which will perform useful operations such as memory dumps, priming CPU registers, cyclic redundancy checks, memory moves
and verification, and screen mode changes. The operating system implements standard Acorn OS calls at the expected locations and, in addition, has an extra call Osmon, with a corresponding indirection vector Monv, at &FFC5 and &022E respectively. These locations correspond to those of the Acorn GSRead call and CNPV indirection vector which are not required for a second processor.
Another feature of the CMS card is a realtime clock with battery backup. The clock serves simultaneously as a watch/calendar, alarm and timer. Each function may be read or set and enabled or disabled individually by a defined monitor call.
The battery backup serves another purpose. In conjunction with CMOS RAM it
may be used to preserve a transient program. For example, it is quite feasible to load in a
BENCHMARKS
The standard Basic Benchmarks were run - see Practical Computing January 1984, page 102. The differences between the three systems are due in large part to differences in the clock speeds.
CMS 6502 Acorn 6502 second processor BBC model B - 6502
BM1 1.21 0.42
BM2 6.00 2.10
BM3 BM4 BM5 BM6 BM7 15.67 17.04 19.89 29.44 44.51 5.49 5.98 6.96 10.30 15.55
BM8 Av.
95.11 28.61 35.37 10.27
0.65 3.16 8.20 8.93 10.42 15.41 23.26 52.55 15.32
program using a BBC Micro base processor, remove the Tube connection, unplug the CMS 6502 card from the rack and power
supply and then replace it to continue running the program. This also provides a stunning demonstration of the ruggedness of the CMS system, breaking all of the
accepted rules about powering down before
making a disconnection.
Another indication that the CMS system
is intended for industrial control rather than data processing is its performance in the standard Benchmark tests. It is slower than
the standard BBC model B by a factor of 2, and than the Acorn 6502 second processor
by a factor of 3. The reason for this is that it is clocked at 1MHz, rather than the 2MHz and 3MHz of the Acorns. The slower clock
rate greatly simplifies the timing problems associated with the connection of peripherals and makes the system less susceptible to electrical noise, something likely to be important in an industrial
environment. There is a good selection of expansion
cards for use in conjunction with the 6502 processor. Some of those available are described in the box above.
Hitherto, control applications have fallen strictly within the province of the assembly language programmer. This restriction has now been swept away with the launch of
Multi -Basic 85, an extension of BBC Basic
designed for the control of input/output devices in the CMS system. Whereas previously it was necessary to spend several months becoming familiar with the techniques of low-level languages, now an
engineer with a knowledge of Basic and the characteristics of the I /0 devices can cobble together a suitable program in a matter of hours.
Multi -Basic is supplied in two forms,
either as a sideways ROM located at &8000 or as a normally mapped ROM at &4000. The ROMs are initialised respectively with the * Multi command or a Basic Call to
&4400. The language adds a block of
(continued on next page)
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
59
REVIEW
(continued from previous page)
commands suitable for particular peripheral
devices. Up to 100 CMS systems equipped with a
Versatile Interface Board may be linked together in an RS -422 network using the Supervisor. RS -422 was chosen because it uses balanced lines and will operate more satisfactorily in the noisy environments expected in industrial control applications. The Supervisor applications software is supplied with two powerful tools - a screen -driven utility SNet to assist in the installation and testing of a network, and a
subset of Multi -Basic commands, functions and procedures for remote station access.
Seven procedures are provided for the read /write of the system versatile interface adaptors (VIAs). Typical of these is Con -
CMS 6502 RACK SYSTEM
EZIIVERDICT p°
04.,
`2"
, ?4''-
0°0
.
4, ....'
_,,,6"
Performance
Ease of use
MI
M
I. Documentation
Value for money
Ill
M
EGreatly simplifies design problems in industrial control by combining flexible hardware with an enhanced control Basic extension.
figure which has the syntax
CONFIGURE [<register name >; <device address>; <bit pattern>)
and is used to set up a 6522 VIA register. A complementary command, Fetch, will read
a VIA bit pattern and save it to memory. There are three procedures which init-
ialise, read from and write to analogue devices. As there are two digital/ analogue cards in the CMS system, it is necessary to
indentify which type is to be serviced. There are six procedures by means of
which the time as HH/ MM/ SS, date as
YY/MM/DD, and period as week
number/day number, may be set or read.
Multi -Basic also provide six test functions for
comparing the date, time and period with
preset values, The CMS system has five timers. Two of
them correspond to the five -byte timers in the BBC Micro and the remaining three have
four -byte accuracy. Each timer may be
serviced by means of the commands RD_Timer or Set_Timer accompanied by the appropriate parameters.
A CMS system equipped with Multi -Basic
can perform a number of background operations or tasks while it is running a program in the foreground. This is made possible by interrupting the foreground program at intervals to perform the back-
ground task or tasks.
There may be any number of tasks, defined in a manner similar to the pro-
cedures of BBC Basic, between the Task and
Exit keywords. A trivial example is 10 * EVE NTSON :REM keyword to enable
EVENTS 20 TASK fred
30 I%= I%+ 1: PRINT I% 40 EXIT Up to eight tasks may be active at any time.
They are set in action by the Enable command and this may be at regular inter-
vals or conditional on the pre -occurrence of a particular event.
CONCLUSIONS
II Although it will run BBC Basic programs, the CMS 6502 system is not a substitute for the BBC Micro.
Its main strengths are its flexibility and
Itexpansion capability. opens a new dimension in the development of industrial control since it is no longer necessary for the engineer to be an assembly -language programmer.
K
T
at unbeatable prices
nascom-2
OLYMPICgistiNns COMPUTER MEDIA SPECIALISTS
LOW LOW PRICES 51/4 DISKETTES
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and Accessories. Write, phone or telex
OLYMPIC
BOSTON ROAD. BEAUMONT LEYS, LEICESTER, LE4 1AA Telephone: (0533) 358399 - Telex- 342208 RYMPIC G)
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Please Supply
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I Name
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Circle No. 117
Still the most outstanding, single board computer with thousands of satisfied users in industry and the home. Full range of extensions and add-ons also available. 'Phone or write for further details now!
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Telephone: 0926 497733. Telex: 312333.
Circle No. 118
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
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aisywheel Printers from the Sprint 12/20 for Home and Personal Computer applications to the Sprint 11/90 "the world's fastest Daisywheel Printer", ideal for clustered systems and data processing applications.
a company serving British computer users directly and through a Nationwide network of appointed Distributors.
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Circle No. 119
If you want it tomorrow . . call us today 01-455 9823
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Pixy Plotter (A4 3 Pen 8 Colour) £399.00
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Epson H180 Plotter
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SHARP PC 1 500A (P/Computer with 8K
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PL 5000 Portable Computer £1190.00
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CE 159 8K Add on mem with BATE79.00
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Casio PB 750 New Computer
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EXP 500 (12CPS)
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EXP 770 131CPS-2K Buffer) E850.00
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MT EXP 500 ( 19 CPS)
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S/C L100 (12 CPS-cmulats Diablo 630
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Flowriter (8K) PR 1600
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DOT MATRIX PRINTERS
OKI M82A (120CPS) M92P (160CPS) M83A (12CPS) M84P (200CPS)
£240.00
£360.00
£389.00 £625.00
ANADEX DP -9000 B/1180 CPS)
DP -950013/11180 CPS) DP -9625 B/(240 CPS)
£850.00 £893.00 £1155.00
BROTHER
EP44 (16CPS)
£189.00
Brother M1009 IBM 150LPS)
159.00
STAR range from
£156.00
CANON PW1080A (160CPS) E274.00
CANON PW1156A (160CPS) 1355.00
NEC Pinwriter 1132 cols) P3 £595.00
SHINWA CP80/11/FT
£165.00
SMITH CORONA
0100 (120CPS) SEIKOSHA from
£249.00 £99.00
MODEMS (Dacom/Master/Epson/ Interlekt/Steebek/Answercall etc.) from
£79.00
MANNESMAN TALLY MT80 (80CPS) MT160 (F/T) (160CPS)
£177.00 £495.00
MT180 (160CPS 32 Col)
£549.00
EPSON
Epson RX8OT Plus (1 OOCPS) £190.00
Epson FX80 Plus (160CPS) £320.00
Epson RX8OFT Plus
£215.00
Epson FX 100FT Plus (160CPS) £425.00
Epson RX100FT Plus 100CPS) £340.00
Epson LQ1 500 Plus (200CPS) £875.00
Epson DX100 (Daisywheel) £433.00
TEC 15501180CPS1
£575.00
TECHNICAL ADVICE
01-455 9824
This is only part of our range, a telephone call will save you time and
money
SOFTWARE
This is only a selection of programmes available - telephone us for your specific requirements.
APPLE 11/e
IBM/COMPAQ
Mailmerge V.3.3
£125.00 Wordstar
Wordstar V.3.31
f27000 Mailmerge V.3.24
Wordstar/Mailmerge/Spellstar £406.00 Lotus 1-2-3
ACT -APRICOT
Pulsar-Wordstar Mail Merge Superwriter
I-
7 £250.00.
£75.00 £250.00
Symphony dBasell(CP/M86) Wordstar 2000
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ie 1
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== =4=1
Circle No. 121
BETTER SERVICE BETTER PRICES WIDER CHOICE
COMPUTERS SANYO (now including IBM compatible and 2 v 800k versions), APRICOT & OLIVETTI plus widest choice of IBM COMPATIBLES. Tailored systems from under NOW
PLUS NETWORK SYSTEM for any combination of these computers (up to 64) at E250 per station. PLUS tree on -site warranty. Hard disk systems, extra RAM (e.g. Apricot 128K £1391. Multifunction boards, etc. all at discount prices.
SOFTWARE Full range of WP, spreadsheet and database software, etc., plus Accounts, Payroll, CAD, Communications packages, etc. All at very special prices. - eg. Wordstar 2000 E299 Sage Accounts E249 Supercalc II E145.
PRINTERS All the leading printers supplied. We specialise in Near Letter Quality Matrix Printers from under £2001 and Daisywheels.
PLOTTERS We supply a full range of plotters from A4 - E169 (MCP -80 and SILVER REED EB501. A3 - £275 (ROLAND) Al - (2995 (HOUSTON). Use independently or as part of a CAD system.
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VOLUME DISCOUNTS. TOP amity UNLABELLED DISKS - EVEN LOWER PRICES
FANFOLD PAPER 11" 9.5" £9.75 A4 Clean Edge E11.69 2000 sheets per box. All sizes
08010' e. very
(fixed) + £1 per box. LABELS from E1.70 per 1,000. RIBBONS All types
available at low prices e.g. Juki 6100 - 99p. Shinwa CPIC0A80 E3.79 Epson EXIMXIRX 80 £2.49.
flume MS £2.65 KagalCanon E5.25. PRINTWHEELS from £3.79. Delivery 95p (any quantity
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Please add 15% VAT to all prices (inc. carriage). limited space precludes listing of our full range of
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A.M.A. COMPUTER SYSTEMS & SUPPLIES Dept. B, 8 Glebe St., Beeston
NOTTINGHAM NG9 1BZ. Tel. 0602 255415
Circle No. 122
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
ModewmhyWS 2000 Youdon'tneedtobe it's told about the information
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PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
Circle No. 123
63
NO TEETHING
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years of customer feedback. We've made computer operation even easier and incorporated colourful graphic displays, yet each program still uses only one disk! It's Sage ingenuity at its best. At a price that won't stunt your growth!
SAGE BOOKKEEPER £295 + VAT The computer program which keeps books for
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SAGE ACCOUNTANT £495 + VAT
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SAGE ACCOUNTANT PLUS £695 + VAT
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SAGE FINANCIAL CONTROLLER* £995 + VAT Top of the Sage range of computer accounting
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BE [TER SAGE T1 IAN S01111Y1 PC1
Circle No. 124
REVIEW
VIENNA PC
WHITER THAN WHITE?
By Glyn Moody
Designed as part of an integrated office automation system, this stylish 80186 -based micro with superb graphics can function equally well as a stand-alone machine.
SPECIFICATION
CPU: 80186 running at 8MHz; a second 80186 is dedicated to graphics handling RAM: 256K as standard, expandable up to 768K ROM: 16K self -test and bootstrap Dimensions: main unit box 13.7in. (350mm.) wide by 16.5in. (420mm.) deep by 8.5in. (216mm.) high VDU: 15in. white phosphor, 80 columns by 27 lines, nine by 13 pixels character matrix; overall resolution 800 by 420 pixels; refresh rate 71Hz Keyboard: full QWERTY with numeric keypad, 10 function keys, cursor keys, IBM 3270 terminal -emulation keys Mass storage: 1.2Mbyte floppies, 10Mbyte or 20Mbyte Winchester Hardware options: optical mouse, ink -jet, dot-matrix or daisywheel printers Interfaces: two RS -232s, with optional further two
Software in price: none Software options: MS-DOS 2.11,
Gem, Level II Cobol, MSBasic, GWBasic, Vienna family of software including word, diary, plan, chart and paint options Price: double floppy, 256K RAM £3,100; 10Mbyte Winchester £3,760; 20Mbyte Winchester £4,563; VDU and keyboard £446; MS-DOS about £58, Gem and optical mouse about £300 Manufacturer: Northern Telecom Data Systems Ltd, Maylands Avenue, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire HP2 7LD. Telephone: (0442) 41141
The Vienna PC is a stylish premium product from the international telecommunications company Northern Telecom. Conceived principally as part of the Vienna Office, a complete medium -size integrated office -automation system, the Vienna PC can nonetheless function as a stand-alone 80186 -based MS-DOS micro. It
is notable chiefly for the fast high -resolution graphics capabilities of its white phosphor
screen. The cost for a system with 256K RAM and a 20Mbyte Winchester is about
£5,000.
The Vienna Office represents a major
assault on the European market by Northern Telecom, which is the second-largest
manufacturer of telecommunications equipment in North America, with total
revenues of $4.4 billion in 1984, and 47,000 employees worldwide. The Vienna system,
The screen phosphor has been chosen to be as easy on the eye as possible so that prolonged use is less stressful.
66
PREVIEW
including the PC, has been designed specifically for the European market, and initially is only being sold there.
Apart from its name and the various
national keyboards and character sets available, the European slant is also evident in the concern for neat good looks, and in fact it won the European 1984 Ergodesign Award. The overall look of the three-piece setup is smart, and only marginally spoilt by the bulk of the main system box.
At the front of the main unit is the on/off switch and disc drive. The model reviewed
here had one 1.2Mbyte floppy and a
20Mbyte Winchester. There are also dual floppy versions and a 10Mbyte hard -disc model. Apart from the cable which goes to the power supply on the right-hand side next to the fan, the rear panel sports only a couple of RS -232 sockets and the main cabling for the terminal.
The terminal port occupies one of five expansion slots. Options available include extra RAM cards, taking the basic 256K up to a maximum of 768K, and two more serial ports. No parallel ports for printers are offered since Northern Telecom tends to sell its own varieties of serial printers, which can handle the full range of international
character sets. For example, it sells an ink -jet printer from Siemens for about £600. There
is no Reset button, which can be inconvenient.
The keyboard plugs into the VDU rather than the main systems box. It is ultra -thin, with keys that are nicely sprung but which may rock slightly too much for some. The keyboard layout is generous to a fault. In addition to standard QWERTY keys, numeric keypad and 10 function keys, there is also a facility for emulating an IBM 3270 terminal. To this end there are extra
markings inscribed on the sides of many keys as well as additional keys. There are extensive soft -key definition facilities.
PAPER -WHITE SCREEN
Perhaps the chief point of interest of the new system, and certainly its chief glory, is the screen and graphics facilities. Northern Telecom has made efforts to procure a very high -quality display unit suitable for intensive office work, the visual properties of which match those of paper as closely as
possible. The unit chosen has a white
phosphor of a creaminess which makes even the Mac's white screen look garish. Easiness on the eye is enhanced by the 71Hz refresh rate for the screen, which makes for a rock steady picture. The overall resolution is an
impressive 800 by 420 pixels, with a nine by 13 matrix for alphanumeric characters. To save power and the precious phosphor, the screen automatically goes blank after several
minutes' non-use. Pressing the Shift key
reactivates it.
BENCHMARKS
The figures below show the time in seconds taken to run the standard Basic Benchmarks - see the January 1984 issue of Practical Computing for details. The Vienna emerges as a respectably fast machine, marginally slower than the RML Nimbus, also an 80186 MSDOS machine, and even closer to the IBM PC / AT.
Vienna - 80186 Sprite - 80286 Nimbus - 80186
IBM PCIAT - 80286
BM I BM2 BM3 BM4 BM5 BM6 BM7 BM8 Av.
0.6 2.2 4.8 5.0 5.2 10.0 15.6 16.6 7.4 0.5 1.6 3.5 3.5 4.2 7.8 11.6 9.3 5.3 0.5 1.8 3.9 4.0 4.6 8.5 13.2 13 6.2 0.5 1.9 4.6 4.7 5.2 9.1 14.6 13.5 6.8
Wisely, Northern Telecom has capitalised on this high performance by allocating a second 80186 purely for screen graphics handling. The results are impressive, and nowhere is this more apparent than in the implementation of Digital Research's Gem.
This is available for about £300, which includes the cost of an optical mouse. Like the keyboard, the mouse plugs into the base of the VDU.
OPTICAL TRACKING
Instead of using the trackerball principle of measuring the movement of the mouse by detecting how much a small ball in the base has rolled, the optical mouse employs a reflective sheet to work out the change in position. On the plus side, problems of dirt
and slipping are avoided, but you are restricted in movement to the mirror pad,
which may be useful on a crowded desk.
Gem is discussed in greater detail on page 50 of this issue. Whatever your feelings on the wisdom or otherwise of this approach,
there is no denying that on the Vienna it looks very plausible. In particular, Gem graphics features, such as zooming, show Northern Telecom's micro to tremendous advantage. The images are drawn very fast, with excellent Infill routines and clean
curved edges.
As a part of the Vienna Office, the Vienna
PC is able to tun most of the constituent application packages. These include all the usual options like word processing, spreadsheets, graphing and databases. Function-
ing as async terminals, Vienna PCs can also communicate with the Vienna Office central controller. Eventually it will be able to communicate via Ethernet and Cheapernet.
Paying the extra for MS-DOS, which is not included in the price of the hardware, opens up access to the large number of programs written to run under the operating system. Although the Vienna PC is not an IBM compatible, Northern Telecom claims it is possible to swap some data discs between them.
Northern Telecom has recognised that there is at least one PC -DOS product that many Vienna PC users could well want to use: Lotus 1-2-3. Therefore, it has adapted the program so that the low -resolution colour graphics will work on the Vienna's high -resolution monochrome monitor.
There is a uniform set of manuals for each of the component parts of the system. The user manual for the Vienna PC itself is well produced and comes complete with tasteful illustrations of Viennese sights but, regret-
tably, without an index. If it seems rather thin, this reflects Northern Telecom's desire to keep the user firmly outside the systems box. Even taking the cover off is awkward
and for this review we decided not to violate the delicately textured paintwork. Installation procedures are normally carried out by an engineer from the company.
This whole approach reflects the fact that the Vienna PC is conceived of as very much
an integral part of the whole office -
automation strategy of Northern Telecom. That said, the PC exists in its own right as a serious and viable business system. Its
overall design, its speed, and above all its superb graphics facilities are strong
recommendations for it.
VIENNA PC
14 VERDICT
c0t 0
Performance
n
0k., 00 .,
T--\
.-A..
, 5,
*
(c.,
Ease of use
Documentation III
Value for money MI NI
OThe Vienna PC is an up-market MSDOS machine with an up-market price tag. The graphics on its white phosphor display are superlative.
CONCLUSIONS
IIThe Vienna PC is stylish up-market MS-DOS micro, originally designed as part of a larger office system but quite able to stand on its own feet.
liThe high -resolution white screen is one of the best we have ever reviewed. It could well overcome the continuing reluctance on some people's part to come to terms with the dreaded VDU.
IMAs befits such a classy system, the price is not
cheap at around £4,000. Similarly, the size of the system box means that it is no retiring wallflower. IIIAlthough it lacks IBM compatibility, the Vienna PC is well enough served by MS-DOS programs and the packages which form the Vienna Office. Provided you are content with functional rather than fancy software, being locked out of the IBM -clone world should prove no desperate problem.
Anyone impressed by the Mac approach to micro life but wishing to remain within the MSDOS fold may well find the fast and effective implementation of Gem very tempting on the Vienna.
Minor grouses include the closed box
approach and the lack of a Reset button. [01
67
IIISOFTWARE REVIEW
WORD PERFECT 4.0
TISHECurrALL ROUNDER
This word processor for the IBM PC and compatibles is good enough to challenge WordStar as the standard general-purpose package.
word Perfect is one of the many U.S.-produced word processors
for the IBM PC and compatibles. This review is of version 4.0, which I tested on an IBM PC/XT with 256K of RAM. On most compatibles, the program will work with a minimum of 192K. It requires two disc drives and will handle colour if you have a colour monitor.
This is a general-purpose word processor,
with a great deal of power and a corres-
pondingly high price tag. The normal cost is
k425, though it may still be available through lower -priced launch offers. The
producer, Satellite Software International, is also offering a special trade-in price of k250 for those who have a copy of various other
well -rated IBM word-processing packages, including WordStar, Multimate and Samna Word.
The version which I reviewed was not anglicised. However, as we go to press SSI has released the U.K. spelling dictionary, along with a database and spreadsheet package which link to Word Perfect.
Word Perfect is a clean screen word processor: it comes straight up with an editing screen, which includes nothing but a brief note of the document number, page, line and cursor column position. It is possible to swap between documents 1 and 2, but not to
window both at once. There is no ruler
marking tabs and margins, and there are no on -screen control codes - not even for hard Returns. As far as possible, text is laid out on -screen exactly as it will be printed. Line spacing is echoed correctly on -screen, though justification is not reproduced.
SPECIAL CODES FOR FORMATTING FEATURES
Almost all the formatting features are handled by special codes. The Tab key produces a special Tab code, for example, rather than a row of spaces; the Indent key an Indent code. These codes are incorporated into the document, and have an
effect upon its format either immediately, or when it is printed. The effect of many of the codes, including header and footer codes, page positioning and page numbering, is
not obvious on -screen. In order to revise such features it is necessary to inspect the codes, and delete them if necessary before
entering new ones, on a special Reveal Codes
screen.
This should not be confused with the sort of toggled Codes On/Codes Off arrange-
ment that programs such as WordStar
employ. The Reveal Codes mode is cumbersome in the extreme, and cannot be used for normal editing. Only a few lines are displayed at once, with the text often dwarfed by a mass of lengthy narrative code des-
criptions. The cursor can be moved, but
haltingly, and with much screen flicker. It is not possible to insert text or carry out other commands in this mode, only to delete.
Almost all commands in the program are handled via the function keys. The 10 keys
WORD PERFECT 4.0
IT VERDICT
0
S
Performance
Ease of use Documentation
.
Value for money IN
P0
II
III
,
6k,
(Zr
Elf I were using Samna Word or
WordStar on a PC, I'd be inclined to
make the swap to Word Perfect.
are each given four different functions, used alone and with Shift, Control and Alt. A four-colour template is provided with the program, which explains as clearly as is possible which combination does which. All
the same, I do not like this arrangement. It is inevitably confusing when, for example, f7 is used for Exit, Print, Math/Column mode
select, and Footnote select. Fortunately, there is a Cancel key which enables you to undo the effect of mistakenly chosen selections. There is also an Undelete buffer.
These provisions ensure that with familiarity
the program operation is not as horrendous as it appears at first sight.
Like so many IBM word processors, Word
Perfect does not automatically reformat text
on -screen when amendments are made to it. It is possible to reformat either by giving a Rewrite command, or by scrolling the cursor line by line down the text. Reformatting in
either case is moderately fast, but tends to be a little hit-and-miss. If lines are shortened
by deletions, sufficient words are not always
brought up from the next line to straighten the right-hand margin, and it is necessary to fiddle around deleting spaces in order to format adequately. I also found disconcerting the program's tendency to keep reformatting while blocks are being defined. There is no way of switching off the reformatting during this type of operation.
One other formatting failing is the
tendency of Word Perfect to leave occasional spaces at the start of lines in mid -paragraph, producing a jumpy left-hand margin. Again, it is possible to edit them out, but they should not be there in the first place.
The program scrolls very smoothly in all directions, and the cursor commands are clear and effective, though not as copious as
in some programs. Word Perfect shows page breaks on -screen, but it is not particularly
page -orientated, and text can be moved
across pages at will. Page breaks are adjusted dynamically as editing progresses.
The program defaults to right justifica-
tion, which is not echoed on -screen, and to a very energetic hyphenation routine, which perpetually requests hyphenation decisions, not all of them sensible. I was relieved to
find that these and other defaults can be altered in the setup program. The hyphenation zone can be abolished or set to different widths. Word Perfect defaults to a push -forward Insert mode, but it is possible to toggle between this and an Overwrite mode. Among other defaults which can be selected are widow /orphan protection to keep paragraphs neat, underline style, and page number position.
It is difficult to think of any command that is missing, or that is not handled well. There are all the usual block moves, copies
SPECIFICATION
Description: word-processing package with built-in mail merge, indexing and spelling checker Hardware required: IBM PC with at least 192K of RAM - graphics card is optional; also available for various MSDOS machines including the ACT Apricot, and some brands of local area network Publisher: Satellite Software International Inc., Orem, Utah, U.S.A. Price: £425 plus VAT; £250 when traded for existing word processors U.K. supplier: Sentinel Software Ltd, Wellington House, New Zealand Avenue, Walton -on -Thames, Surrey KT12 12 PY. Telephone: (0932) 231164. Available now
68
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
SOFTWARE REVIEW
This
is
Word
Perfect's
newspaper -style
columns
feature. It is possible to
define up to five text columns
across the page,
and the
program helps in calculating
suitable spacing for evenly or
unevenly sized columns. Here,
I am using two even columns
with a three -character spacing
in between, and justification
to even up the effect. Column 2
appears on screen beneath
column 1,
but on paper
the two will of course print
out side by side. It is easy
to move text from column to
column following edits.
Multi -column printing: up to five columns are possible.
I. This is an automatically -numbered outline.
II. It provides for up to seven levels of A. indentation, and the entire B. outline can be revised and C. renumbered again and again.
III. Though this outline is generated directly on the keyboard, it is also possible to produce tables of contents automatically from documents which contain numbered subheadings.
Flexible formatting outlines can be generated automatically or from the keyboard.
Ihis is how Word Perfect text. looks after light
editing. I have made several insertions into this
paragraph in order to show the failings I mention in the
text. You can see that there is an occasional ragged-.
ness to be seen in the left margin, and that the right
margin (though the text has been reformatted after
the edit) still misses some short words that would have
fitted from previous sentences.
Though these imper-
fections can be dealt with manually (through deletions
and insertions) they are an annoyance when editing
lengthy passages. 'The' a few lines above is an
example of what 1. mean.
For this sample I have switched on the 'hyphena-
tion zone' with its default size. I find the hyphena-
tion excessive during my normal work, so my version of
the program omits hyphenation in its default settings.
lie program asks for hyphenation decisions during text.
entry, as well as in subsequent reformats. The zone
Size can be varied to suit individual requirements.
Edited text sometimes ends up looking decidedly ragged.
and deletes, and no annoying restrictions on
their use. Search and replace has many options, and works efficiently. There is a handy Indent command, which will indent either or both margins. Tab and margin changes are easily handled, and there is a
Binding Width command allowing for alternate left and right wide margins. There are headers and footers - up to three of each, which will work on an odd/even basis - a footnote or endnote system, provision for producing tables of contents, a newspaper style columns feature, and a maths mode
which will handle simple calculations. It is a pleasure to find a program with a
simple to use macro feature. Macros can be used to automatically call up often -used words, saving repetitive typing. For
instance, I used Alt -W as a macro name for Word Perfect, in writing this review. More complex macros can include command
sequences, and could, for example, streamline an elaborate form -letter operation. All macro definitions are automatically stored
on disc.
File handling is sensible, and there is a
neat List Files menu from which it is possible to edit, delete, rename or prepare outside
files for editing using Word Perfect. The program will automatically back up files during editing sessions, and you can select
the backup interval for yourself.
The merge feature seems easy to use, though I did not attempt to push it to its
limits. Text can be retrieved from a secondary record file, or entered from the keyboard. Fields in the secondary merge file can be used in the primary document in any order. Merged documents can be saved in their merged form, or printed straight out. It is not possible to select or sort records for merging without using the additional database package, which I did not test.
PRINT TIME
The program is very good on printer
support, and its printer section can be edited to cater for special needs. It will queue files for background printing, and there is full support for queue handling. It is possible to print blocks, pages or full documents without first saving them. Special printer commands, such as Escape sequences, can be sent to the printer from within the program.
The spelling checker works fast and efficiently, and all checking is done in context. The program claims to have a 100,000 -word dictionary, but it seemed to offer a lot of common words for confirmation, not all of them obviously because the version 1 used was unanglicised. It is possible to add to the dictionary, edit it, or create subsidiary dictionaries. There is a wild -card lookup, to enable you to check the spelling of words
when typing them. It is only possible to obtain a word count as a side -effect of a
spelling check.
My only major difficulty with the various commands came with the page formatting. Endless attempts failed to position the text properly on the paper in my FX-80, and I
sometimes could not induce the Top Margin
command to work properly, or the conditional End of Page command. As the program seemed so reliable otherwise, I blame this on my own blindness to some special requirement.
DOCUMENTATION
It seems to be obligatory now for word processors to have fat manuals. Word Perfect's is at least well arranged, and the reference section is cut down to a well -filled 112 pages. The tutorial section is much more
expansive, and I found it to be a little
exasperating. It takes you key press by key press through a fairly random selection of program features, with the emphasis on rote following rather than comprehension. However, I did not find the program difficult to learn.
There are special training -orientated manual sections to cover the more complex
features of the program, including the merge facility and the maths feature. The
help features on disc are comprehensive and
context -sensitive.
The program comes on unprotected discs,
unless you buy the special educational
version. I had no difficulty in installing it on my computer, or in adapting the defaults. I have used it almost full-time for a month, and carried out some very heavy editing of
long - up to 20 pages, single spaced documents on it. In that time, I have not
succeeded in hanging the program, or losing more than a couple of words of text unintentionally. In my opinion, it does a very good job of sustaining reliability without hedging
users around with too many restrictions and confirmations of commands.
CONCLUSIONS
MOn first acquaintance, I found Word Perfect a rather unattractive program, with confusing key assignments and appalling, clumsy code handling. With experience these prove to be less of a drawback. E The formatting imperfections are exasperating. Otherwise the program is
extremely usable, very reliable and very
powerful. At £425 plus VAT it is expensive, and its lack of U.K. support is a failing.
Overall, I have not seen a better all-round
PC word processor.
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
69
111 SOFTWARE REVIEW
MAC MUSIC
PROGRAMS OF NOTE
By Glyn Moody
Two music packages which apply the Macintosh's
visual interface to good effect.
writing music on present-day micros is a laborious process. Either you have to specify each note as a pitch and a duration, or else there is some complicated system using a reconfigured computer keyboard. Furthermore, limitations in the character sets available mean that, at the end of the day, the results
are crude and of little practical use to a musician. What is needed is a high -
resolution system that can cope with the very special characters and layout logic of notes
and staves, and which also has a way of placing notes on the staves that is natural to
the user. The Mac is an obvious contender. To start
with, its graphics -based icon system parallels the representation of music by an array of functional symbols. Equally, the mouse is ideal for placing notes on staves. To harness these capabilities for music processing, all that is needed is software that handles the logic of note groupings, key signatures, time signatures and so on.
TRUE MUSIC PROCESSOR
Professional Composer is a package offering just such facilities. It has been written by Mark of the Unicorn Inc. for the Fat Mac. It should be emphasised that this is not just another music synthesiser package, though it does have limited playback facilities. It is a true music processor which allows you to enter and manipulate musical notation as easily as spreadsheets and word processors handle numbers and words.
Professional Composer can cope with up to four single staves, a double piano stave, or a single stave combined with a piano stave. As a default, single staves bear a treble clef; you can change a clef by pulling down the Symbols menu. Selecting Clefs causes a palette bar to appear on the left-hand side of the screen on which can be found alternatives like bass, tenor, alto and unpitched percussion clefs.
Time and key signatures are called up from the Basics menu, which is pulled down in the same way. On selecting them, windows appear -which allow standard time signatures to be chosen, or more unusual ones to be entered by hand. Another
window allows you to scroll through the keys
- both major and relative minor - and
select the appropriate key signature. The method of entering notes is similarly
mouse -orientated. A small cursor is moved
around the stave and clicked to select a particular pitch. Notes of various duration
can be placed at this pitch by pulling down a Symbols menu, and selecting Notes. This causes a palette bar to appear on the left-
hand side of the screen on which can be
found the musical symbols for notes ranging in duration from a breve to a hemidemisemiquaver. Accidentals including double sharps and double flats are also obtained from here.
Other palette bars allow rests, dynamics, ornaments and articulations to be added in precisely the same way. Ornaments and dynamics appear over and under the notes
respectively.
In addition to this visual, two-stroke
system of entering notes, it is also possible to speed up the process by using the mouse in conjunction with the keyboard. Pitches are still chosen using the on -screen cursor, but note -durations are determined by the key which is depressed at the same time: D is
a crotchet and C a quaver, for example.
Holding down the Shift key as well gives you rests instead,
A line of music can be built up relatively easily and quickly. Errors can be corrected by
placing the cursor to the right of the
offending note and pressing the Backspace. One problem with this is that deleting a whole string of notes requires you to move the cursor several times, unlike word processing where Backspace/Delete moves the cursor back for you.
SPECIFICATION
PROFESSIONAL COMPOSER
Description: A music processor which allows you to enter and edit music on a conventional stave, play it back and gen-
erate high -quality printed output
Hardware required: 512K Apple
Macintosh Price: £429 plus VAT
U.K. distribution: P&P Micro
distributors Ltd. Telephone: (0706) 217744
MUSIC WORKS
Description: Synthesiser with printout
facilities
Hardware: 128K Apple Macintosh
Price: £68.30 plus VAT
U.K. distribution: Softsel Computer
Products Ltd. Telephone: 01-844 2040
PROFESSIONAL COMPOSER
P( VERDICT
,:,-oz- 00
(k
,
-,,
00
u
Performance Ease of use Documentation
1.
1111
Value for money U
A genuine innovation that could do for composers what the word processor
has done for authors - if only it were cheaper.
As well as the host speed and metronome markings brought in from the Basics menu,
it is possible to place text in a variety of styles on the staves. This allows expression marks and lyrics to be added.
The Edit menu allows you to cut and paste or copy and paste just as with text systems. Sections are first selected by dragging the cursor over them. Transpositions by key or by interval are available from the Variations menu. Music can be saved at any time with a single mouse operation.
INTELLIGENT ATTEMPTS
Chords can be built up on each stave, but it is not possible to have simultaneous notes of different duration in a chord on the same stave. The program is sufficiently intelligent to space out notes in an attempt to align main beats. Initially no check is made as to whether there are too many or too few notes in a bar, though an option on the Extras menu will carry one out. Bar lines must be entered by hand.
On their own the features mentioned so far would produce output that was functional, but hardly exceptional or indeed practical for the performer. Professional Composer does, however, have many more refining features that enable music entries to be brought to printed music quality.
Most of the more advanced features are called up from the Groupings menu. As its name suggests, this is primarily concerned with functions of groups of notes. For example, the raw input of notes results in a rather ragged row of separate heads and tails. By selecting a group and then using the Beam option from Groupings, the tails of notes are neatly joined up. Triplets and ntuplets can be specified if required; you can mark five notes to be played in the time of
(continued on page 72)
70
PRACTICAL COMPU TING July 1985
ESOFTWARE REVIEW
ROFESSIONAL COMPOSER
tE File Edit
Symbols Variations Extras Groupings
FIFISIef,
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5
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professional Composer allows you to select musical notes and
1 signs from palette bars called up from the Symbols menu. The Basics menu handles keys, tempo and metres.
4 File Edit Basics Symbols Variations [afros Groupings Fugue in I minor
7
9
L_r
r
After a group of notes has been selected, the Beam command on the Groupings menu joins them up. Similarly, slurs, ties and crescendos can be formed.
4 File Edit Basics Symbols Variations EtOras Groupings
.:11
HIP I:I
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,...7. ii.i.
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Insert Teat
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Check Rhythm
Check Range
'
9 41
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Professional Composer's version of Bach's fugue in C minor
from The Well -tempered Clavier. The beams of note groups have been joined using the Groupings menu.
The Extras pull -down menu allows text to be inserted, and
rehearsal marks set up. You move within the score by using the scroll bars at the bottom of the screen.
MUSIC WORKS
1 4 File Edit Options Windows 11isl.iiiii,3; ' i i.r, .i.z,
,.i. .1.
Fugue In C Min. Overview
J.
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Fugue in C Min. Staff
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The same Bach piece produced by Music Works. The tempo
and volume can be altered using the cursor by sliding them along. The musical Overview is in the top left-hand corner.
I
.._.
File Edit Options Windows Fugue in C Min. Overview
..
'..._
Instruments Variations
Panel
PI_FIS'i STOP REPEHT J also
4o Ig11111111111113 NIIIIIIIIINSI 40
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Volume
Fugue in C Min. Staff
il 411 '' $i '`
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Fugue in C Min. Grid
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A s an alternative to conventional musical notation, it is ..nlpossible to use a piano keyboard to place notes by daubing them on a grid. Different voices use different shadings.
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
71
MSOFTWARE REVIEW
(continued from previous page)
four, and so on. Other features available from the Groupings menu include crescendos, 8va/ 8vb, rolls and slurs.
It is details of this kind that make Professional Composer such a considerable advance. They allow you to cope with most types of music likely to be encountered in the ordinary run of things, though some of the more adventurous experiments of contemporary music are beyond the program's capabilities. Another limitation is that only a maximum of four staves can be used. Within those limitations, the quality of the final printed output is excellent, and certainly good enough to be played from. Both full scores and parts can be produced. In combination with, say, a laser printer it is probably good enough to use as commercial
artwork. Before initiating the printing process you
may invoke a Preview facility. This allows you to view on -screen a reduced image of the page as it will appear on the printer.
Although Professional Composer is not intended as a synthethiser, it does have a very useful though limited playback feature. It is not possible to change the speed or the timbre, nor does the playthrough pay any attention to markings on the score. But it does provide a very simple and quick aural check on the notes you are feeding in. In particular, it is very easy - and enjoyable just to throw in a few notes, see what they sound like, and then edit them as required. To this extent, Professional Composer opens up whole new vistas in composition.
As befits a top-notch product, the manual is excellent. After a short introduction enough to get you up and playing - with plenty of screen dumps and white space, there is a comprehensive run-through of the facilities. A short reference guide to the various menus follows, then a glossary and list of symbols used, and their meaning. There is a good index.
BEYOND THE REACH OF MOST MUSICIANS
The main problem with the whole package is the price; £429 plus VAT is quite unrealistic. No composer short of Andrew Lloyd -Webber is going to be able to afford both a 512K Mac and this program. Music copyists, for whom potentially it also represents a breakthrough, will find it way beyond their means. It is probably only viable for music publishers and fat cats on the rock and commerical music scene. Nonetheless, Professional Composer gives a glimpse of features which the next generation of music processors could well offer for a more affordable price.
In comparison, the price of Music Works
from Hayden Software is something to sing about: £68.30 plus VAT. But it should be said at the outset that not only is it not in the same class as Professional Composer, it is not
strictly speaking competing.
Music Works does offer extensive facilities
for entering music, but it is geared much more to making the Mac into a easy -to -use synthesiser. As a rough indication, it can be
said that Music Works produces output at about the first level of Professional Composer - that is, without the subtleties
of note groupings and so on. Music Works does, however, offer some interesting additional features.
The main screen for note entry has two
staves, with fixed treble and bass clefs; up to four voices can be added, all of which are displayed on the two staves. As on Professional Composer, a mouse -driven cursor
is used to place a note on the stave and to select the duration from a small palette bar. One refinement over the other package is that the cursor rather neatly turns into the symbol selected. Notes are removed from the stave by selecting the Eraser symbol, which in practice is more exact than the backspace technique of Professional Composer.
The range of symbols is more restricted: the longest note is a semibreve and the
MUSIC WORKS
PC VERDICT
0
g Performance
-.44' N-
00
II
,
,.,
,,,'
4-,
<4,
Ease of use
M
Documentation
Value for money
A cheap way of turning the Mac into an easy -to -use synthesiser.
shortest a semiquaver. There are no double sharps or flats. In some other respects, though, Music Works is more sophisticated.
For example, after you have chosen a time
signature from the Windows menu, any notes you enter are automatically apport-
ioned within bar lines, taking account of any notes already present. Similarly, bars are filled out with rests where necessary. One problem is that no matter where the other notes in the bar are positioned, rests tend to
float upwards, which can make for a slightly confusing layout.
Music Works also caters for those who cannot read or write music. From the Windows menu, selecting Grid causes a small piano keyboard to appear at the left of the screen. Notes are then entered by daubing small blobs opposite the relevant position on the keyboard. Durations are determined by the length of the blob, and the grid is used to set the temporal position
in the bar. The vertical and horizontal scroll bars are used to move to different parts of the keyboard or grid. An indication is given
of the current octave and note.
As with Professional Composer, there is a range of cut, copy and paste facilities for speeding entry of music. It is also possible to
transpose sections. One innovative feature is the window dubbed Overview. Using dots and lines it present a scaled -down version of
your score, giving you an interestingly global
view of a piece. Compositions are limited to
1,024 crotchet beats, that is 64 bars of 4/4 time or 128 of 2/4, which precludes the possibility of setting up longer pieces on Music Works.
Music Works comes into its own as a music synthesiser. In playback, you can alter the
loudness and speed. If you are really
enamoured of your masterpiece you can loop it indefinitely. As the score is played, a vertical line moves across the Overview window as an indication of relative position. Double-clicking the Overview window during playback causes the relevant bar to appear in the main stave.
It is also possible to assign a number of
instruments to voices. These show up on the grid version of the music by small letters that appear within the heads of the blobs themselves. The range is rather limited: a piano, organ, trumpet, chime and kazoo. Changes can be made to the sound envelopes using the Variations menu.
More interesting is the possibility of setting up two synthesisers. The first starts from a basic sine wave, and the second from a square wave. Using the cursor it is possible to modify these on the screen to produce weird and wonderful waveforms which can be tried out and modified if necessary in another effective application of the Mac's visual approach.
A GOOD FIRST STEP FOR NOVICES
All in all, Music Works is well suited to anyone who wants to experiment with music on their Mac. It would also form quite a useful introduction to the whole world of musical notation for someone with little or no previous experience.
Instead of the grand ring -bound manual of Professional Composer, there is a useful down-to-earth stapled booklet which includes a quick run-through of basic musical terms and ideas. There are also numerous examples included on the disc, which should provide food and background music for thought.
CONCLUSIONS
Professional Composer offers a simple and
effective way of entering and editing music. Its
range of facilities allow both full scores and
parts to be printed out to high quality.
"'Music Works uses similar techniques to turn
the Mac into a limited but eminently usable
synthesiser. There is also a printout feature.
Professional Composer is overpriced for its
likely end -market of musicians. Later products
of this type will probably be progressively
cheaper.
By contrast, Music Works seems very
reasonably priced at just under £80 including
VAT.
Limitations of Professional Composer include only allowing a maximum of four
staves, and restrictions on how chords can be
built up.
MMusic Works is also limited to four voices,
which correspond to the four internal voices of
the Mac.
E The manual accompanying Professional
Composer is superlative. That for Music Works
is workmanlike and quite adequate.
aal
72
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
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PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
rI'd like to know more about Sprite: (tick as appropriate)
Please arrange a demonstration 0 Please send me more information 0
Please send me your dealer pack 0
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Name
Title:
I Company
I Address
I
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Tel:
I
Return to Jarogate Ltd., 197-213 Lyham Road, Brixton, London SW2 5PY
Tel: 01 671 6321 Telex: 8950094
I
-=f- .F .1' ::7 :::::- :=-
J
.Computiny a1v2ad
tuna
All software products described are covered by trademarks of the companies of origin.
Circle No. 156
73
T-771.1,7111
COQMUPESTIOO1S401101-1A1S4ES
JOIP" SvttliNGFC)"
HOW CAN you tell if a computer hotline is hot or just lukewarm? Whether you are thinking of buying a computer or already own one, it's in your interest to find out. The service you phone for advice on your
computer may come in many different guises. It may be called a hotline, helpline, customer service
line or simply technical support. But beneath the different titles these services all have the potential to help you get the most out of your hardware and software.
A wise computer buyer will you are not being palmed off
est the temperature of the
with someone who will just
hotline before purchasing the feed you the company line.
product, and the 10 questions
Computer companies usually
posed in this article should help opt for one of two approaches
you to do so. Some of them
in providing telephone support.
should be asked of a company Some, like Digital and Tandy,
representative. Answers to
provide a hotline directly to
others can sometimes be
end -users, though Tandy
gleaned by phoning the hotline customers can also ring their
itself and asking a few
local store. Others such as
questions.
ACT, IBM and Apple have a
The best way to find out
hotline for their dealers, who in
whether reality matches up to turn provide telephone support
the claims made by a company to customers.
about its telephone support is,
With effective dealer
of course, to track down an
communications both
existing user. A good company approaches can be made to
will help to introduce you to
work . All things being equal,
some other users before you
direct support of the end -user
buy, though arranging this
will tend to have the edge in
yourself obviously makes sure terms of speed of problem
resolution and up-to-the-minute
product knowledge. However,
getting to know your local
dealer can also have its
advantages as you may be
able to pop in with your
computer and explain face to
face what the problem is.
At the moment the trend is
towards computer hotlines. As
computers become easier to
use, and manuals, training
discs and help files become
more straightforward, some
companies are hoping that
their hotlines may become the
primary means of customer
support. If it does happen a
number of computer firms
should start to rethink the way
that their hotlines are
organised.
How quickly is the phone
answered?
You would be
1
surprised how
often customers
are kept waiting. Digital is one
company which has taken steps
to avoid these delays. Its PC
hotline staff pace themselves
using a traffic -light system. A
red light flashing indicates that
a call has been kept on hold
for more than 20 seconds.
Amber shows that a call is
waiting and a green light is the
all clear signal which means
that all calls are being
answered without delay.
A number of computer
hotlines have their own
switchboard. This means that
enquiries can reach the
appropriate person more
quickly than if they have to go
through the main company
switchboard. Apple has
installed a new switchboard to
improve the speed with which
calls to its dealer hotline are
answered during peak periods.
Do the hotline staff know what they are talking about?
It should not take you long to find out if they don't, but there are also some pointers to look for in advance. The background of the hotline staff is important. Typically this will be in computer support or engineering. Familiarity with common customer applications
is also useful. Perhaps even more
important is the aptitude for acquiring new technical
knowledge, and the training provided by the company. This should be a combination of structured coikses and time for
the support person to experiment with the company's
74
products on their own. They should also have had a chance to work through 'the manuals and the records of common ' problem solutions, and spend some time answering calls on the hotline while under supervision.
Staff should be on the hotline phones regularly, not just as a
fill-in between other tasks. This will enable them to consolidate their knowledge. Hotlines which are answered by whoever happens to be near the phone when it rings are unlikely to provide the user with satisfactory support.
Will you get called back if your problem can't be
solved on the spot?
3
Though most computer hotlines
say that they will
call back if a problem can't be
solved immediately, the less
efficient ones sometimes forget.
It is time wasting and annoying
to have to keep ringing back to
get an answer. Talk to other
users to find out what a
particular company actually
does.
If the hotline staff can't resolve a tricky problem, do they have access to other technical staff who can?
A good hotline will Jbe able to answer most people's questions most of the time.
However, problems will occasionally arise which require a fix from the development team. This means that there must be clear escalation procedures for problems that have been reported to hotline but cannot be solved by the hotline staff.
Tandy's hotline telexes the firm's Texas headquarters when it needs further assistance. Apple U.K. uses the phone or electronic mail to
contact its technical specialists in the U.S. Digital has brought a large number of its technical specialists - including those who operate the hotline under one roof. Previously they had been scattered among
several locations up and down the country. Customers benefit from this policy of pooled
expertise because some
support staff of Digital's PC products will be close at hand.
At what times is the hotline open?
There nofoproint
payingis
hotline support if it 's not there when you need it. Apple offers an 8.30a.m. to 6.30p.m. helpline. Digital's customers can have the support of a 24 -hour helpline if they are willing to pay extra for cover outside office hours.
ACT and Tandy operate hotlines during office hours, but say that calls will often be answered at other times. IBM's dealer hotline is staffed from 9a.m. to 5p.m. Messages call be left with an answering service at other times.
Are the caller's details logged and analysed?
[' 6 --lhA n ycommapkuet hotlinesa note of the
customer's or dealer's name, company name, phone number, problem and the date of the call. Fewer make good use of the information they have gathered. Efficiently managed customer records mean that when you phone a hotline twice in one day perhaps your problem wasn't solved the first time - you won't have to explain yourself all over again.
Any computer company interested in making improvements to its product or service should not overlook the importance of the feedback provided by callers to its hotline. Persistent calls about a particular piece of software may point to a bug, or an inaccurate or misleading passage in the manuals or help files. They may even indicate a need for simpler software or new software that can cope with a commonly required application.
IBM, Digital and ACT analyse hotline calls regularly, breaking the calls down into specific areas. Digital also gains useful feedback from an annual survey of how its customers have fared.
ACT looks 'at three main areas; applications and software, communications and networking, and languages and operating systems. Tandy has plans to analyse its log of calls, but does not yet do so. Apple analyses its call records from time to time.
Are the solutions to common problems recorded for reference
7 p,urposes? Both Apple and j Digital log the ' answers to common questions in electronic databases. Users benefit because their questions can be
answered quickly, and the company also saves money in the long run.
Apple has recently added a technical bulletin board to its
older problem database to keep dealers informed of new solutions to technical problems. Apple's bulletin board runs on
an Apple II and contains recent problem solutions. In the last year, Apple has also added technical agony aunt pages to
its dealer magazine Appletalk.
Is the hotline supplied with all the necessary
manuals and
equipment?
[ 8 ,c--
' The last thing you
[
want to do when
J you ring a hotline
's to wait while someone tracks
down the appropriate manual.
If you are the first person to
explain that every time you hit
the circumflex key a light
comes on but nothing prints up
on the screen, the hotline
person should be able to copy
your actions on a terminal just
like the one you are using -
preferably without moving
away from a phone. In this
way, finding out the solution to
your problem should only take
minutes.
The customer service line at
Tandy has at its disposal every
piece of equipment and
software Tandy has ever sold
in the U.K. ACT equipment is
also on order in anticipation of
the merger of ACT and Tandy
telephone support
departments.
Is there a charge for
using the hotline?
x-
"-Telephone
assistance from
dealers is usually
free of charge. So is the hotline
service they contact when a
customer asks them something
out of the ordinary. It is worth
checking whether there is any
charge for a user hotline.
Tandy's hotline is free of
charge, Digital's is free for the
first 12 months; subsequently
customers can get hotline
support if they have opted for
an after -sales support contract.
The Fixed Fee service is the
cheapest of these and costs
£25.
The benefits of a good
hotline in terms of reduced
down time and perhaps more
efficient use of your system are
likely to be well worth the charges you will have to pay.
What is the attitude of the hotline staff?
10 If you feel patronised by the hotline staff or
blinded by computer science then their attitude is wrong. Pitching an explanation at the right level is a difficult skill to
acquire, but experienced hotline people should have a feel for the type of user they are talking to. They should be able to differentiate between the boffin and the beginner, and provide anyone with an albpropriate explanation.
The hotline person should avoid jargon unless he or she is sure that the enquirer will be able to follow it. A competent hotline person should have a friendly manner so that users feel at ease with them. Staff
should not just be picked for their technical agility, but also for their ability to communicate well.
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SOLID STATE DESK TOP SWITCHING
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THE PRINTERSHARERS
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£65-(b) £129-(c)
CENTRONICS: 2 WAY 3 WAY
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£95-(c) E105 -(c)
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RS423 3 WAY - £40-(b)
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THE PRINTCHANGERS
I MICRO TO SEVERAL PRINTERS)
PARALLEL - 26 PIN
3 WAY - £70-(b)
CENTRONICS - 36 PIN
2 WAY - E95 -(c)
2 WAY - E105 -(c)
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THE PRINTERCROSSOVERS
(2 MICROS TO 2 PRINTERS)
PARALLEL - 26 PIN £75-(c)
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SERIAL RS232
£70-(b)
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Circle No. 159
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
NON-IBMULATORS TOP 10
As the business micro world turns a deeper shade of Big Blue every day, you might wonder if there are any reasons left for buying other than IBM. Does
the adage "Nobody ever got fired for choosing IBM" mean you have to be a
masochist to do otherwise? The Apple Mac for one, shows you don't.
There may have been a time when cynics and that includes the odd journalist - were sceptical. Technically superb, the Mac was a closed system and perversely incompatible with the Apple II. Hence there were very few programs available for it - generally the kiss of death for a machine - and none of the third -party add-ons which made the Apple II so versatile and popular. It all looked a little too like the sad and sorry tale of the now -defunct Lisa.
But the biggest problem, software starvation, seems to have been fixed. A glance at the Spring issue of the Macintosh's Buyer's Guide reveals some 550 packages, not bad going for a machine that is less than two years old. Another small indication of the Mac's coming -of -age is Bill Gates's enthusiasm for the machine. Coming from the supplier of IBM's PC -DOS, this seems to pass beyond simple prudence in backing both horses in a two -horse race - see this month's Interview on page 81.
What is emerging in the Mac is an innovative and stylish machine that is also viable in a business context. If desk -top
....._
o
HOW TO AVOID
THE BLUES
Compatibility is not everything. Glyn Moody introduces our selection of 10 micros from those you could dare to buy instead of an IBM clone.
metaphors, mice and icons appeal, the Mac has very definite advantages over the stuffed -shirt approach of IBM.
Ironically, the biggest threat to the Mac is unlikely to be the Big Blue bully, but Jack
Tramiel's Mac -like Atari 520ST. Some uncertainty still surrounds this product: for example, can it possibly be that good at that price, and will there be any software? If it can, and there will, it could well be a very serious business proposition. And at £700, even the most hardened of IBM addicts might well be tempted.
Even sticking with boring old MS-DOS
can have its advantages. If you make clones,
then you have succeeded if you are as near to
IBM as copyright laws allow - hardly a recipe for innovation or excitement. But
without the Holy Grail of compatibility, you
are forced to offer a little extra to
compensate.
Most of the MS-DOS machines listed overleaf have a more than a soupcon of
specialness. For example, there is the touch screen option from Hewlett-Packard, the speech -recognition system from Texas Instruments, the advanced graphics from
RML and Northern Telecom, the dual processor system from Epson, and the fully integrated, upgradeable family from ACT. Each of these are particular virtues not offered by the IBM PC, yet which may in
specific applications prove perfect.
Specialisation is the keynote of survival in the world outside the IBM fold. A case in
point is the Pinnacle from TDI. Running
under the powerful - but in business circles relatively obscure -p -System, this very fast machine is almost indifferent to the concerns of clonedom. If you want a p System engine, perhaps for in-house development, or just a system with little degradation when supporting up to seven users, you can concentrate on specifics such as "Does it do what I want?" rather than generalities like "How compatible is it?"
Of course heterodoxy has its price. It is true you are likely to be cut off from the hottest mainstream developments, which almost certainly will come through on the IBM first. You will not be the first on your street with the latest colour integrated package complete with icons, pull -down windows, built-in expert system, and bells and whistles requiring the special 80386 board with 4Mbyte RAM expansion. But then are you buying a computer to use now or to be trendy with tomorrow?
SUPPLIERS
Apple Macintosh: Apple Computer
(U.K.) Ltd, Eastman Way, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire HP2 7HQ. Telephone: (0442) 60244. Circle no. 361.
Apricot: Apricot U.K. Ltd, Shenstone
House, Dudley Road, Halesowen, West Midlands B63 3NT. Telephone: 021-501 2284. Circle no. 362.
Atari ST: Atari Corporation (U.K.), Ltd, Atari House, Railway Terrace, Slough,
Berkshire SL2 5BZ. Telephone: (0753) 33344. Circle no. 363.
Epson OX -16: Epson (U.K.) Ltd, Dorland House, 388 High Road, Wembley, Middlsex HA9 6U H. Telephone: 01-902 8892. Circle no. 364. HP -150 II: HP Ltd, PC Group, King Street Lane, Winnersh, Wokingham,
Berkshire RG11 5AR. Telephone: (0734) 784774. Circle no. 365. Pinnacle: TDI Ltd, 29 Alma Vale Road, Bristol BS8 2H L. Telephone: (0272) 742796. Circle no. 366. RML Nimbus: Research Machines Ltd, Mill Street, Botley Road, Oxford OX2 OBQ. Telephone: (0865) 249866. Circle no. 367. Sprite: Jarogate Ltd, 197-213 Lyham Road, London SW2 SPY. Telephone: 01-671 6321. Circle no. 368. TI Professional: Texas Instruments Ltd, International Data System Division, Manton Lane, Bedford MK41 7PA. Telephone: (0234) 67466. Circle no. 369. Vienna PC: Northern Telecom Data Systems Ltd, Maylands Avenue, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire HP2 7LD. Telephone: (0442) 41141. Circle no. 370.
77
NON-IBMULATORS TOP 10
78
APPLE MACINTOSH
£1,795
The Mac represents the ne plus ultra of the non-IBMulators. Most other machines run under MS-DOS - which is at least an approximation to IBM's PC -DOS - but Apple gives you idiosyncrasies all the way. The processor is a 68000, and the operating system quite different from the staid approach of practically all other machines. Even if the Mac did not pioneer the use of icons and the desk -top metaphor, it is certainly responsible for its popularisation. If you like this approach, or just want to be different, the Mac could be for you. The earlier problems of software starvation seem to have been largely overcome, with new and exciting packages every month. The only disadvantage is the price.
FOR Innovative and genuinely new. Sleek in looks and use. AGAINST Limited expansion possibilities. Low disc capacities.
APRICOT PC
£1,595
ACT'S Apricot is the U.K.'s one great hope among micro manufacturers. This Birmingham -based company has progressed from selling the Sirius to designing and building a very reasonably priced range of micros. At the bottom is the Apricot Fl,
costing just under £895 excluding a monitor, and offering a very cheap MS-DOS entrylevel system. The mainstays of the family are the semi -transportable PC and XI, dual 3.5in. floppies and Winchester versions respectively. More recently 40Mbyte file servers have been introduced for the 32 -user network which ACT also offers. More gimmicky and more fun is the Apricot FP, the transportable with built-in limited voice -recognition facilities. The fact that there is a complete compatible family is a tremendous strength.
FOR Compatible family. Large U.K. user base. AGAINST Poor keyboard on F series.
ATARI 520ST
£699.99
The Atari ST is the joker in the micro pack at the moment. Its spec is amazing: for a mere copper under £700, VAT included, you get a 512K micro with a 720K 3.5in. floppy, monochrome screen and a bundle of Digital Research's software including the innovative
Gem package - reviewed on page 50 of this issue. Gem provides a Mac -clone front end, with all the paraphernalia of icons and a mouse. The question is: can Tramiel bring it off?
With memories of another wonder machine - the Sinclair QL - and its attendant problems still fresh in the memory, a little scepticism would probably be advisable.
Another factor to bear in mind is that there will be relatively little software available for the first year. But if the ST is still around after that, it could be unbeatable.
FOR Excellent spec. Cheap. Versatile.
AGAINST Limited availability. Lack of software.
EPSON QX-16
£2,100
The QX-16 is something of a hybrid system. While it certainly goes well beyond mere MSDOS compatibility, it stops short of trying to ape the IBM PC even in simple matters like the keyboard layout or accepting expansion cards. The Epson further hedges its bets by including a Z-80 which eventually will allow you to, tun CP/ M. But perhaps the chief interest of this system is its front end, called Taxi. Once again, this is modelled on flavour of the month, the Mac. What is special about it is that it simply sits on top of MS-DOS and lets you run unmodified files from it directly. This can provide a very soft and comfortable interface.
FOR Icon -based front end to MS-DOS. CP/M capability.
AGAINST Price. Hybrid system.
HEWLETT-PACKARD 15011
£3,300
The HP 150 began life as a machine based around a truly innovative concept. Instead of using an unfriendly keyboard - which many executives seem unwilling to do anyway and rather than opting for trendy mice, Hewlett-Packard went for a touch -screen. This allows you to select the option you require, simply by touching the appropriate area on the screen. A grid of infrared beams detects the precise position. This seemed a nice idea in theory, but it has failed to win the hearts or the corporate desk tops of the world. As a result, HP has downgraded the touch -screen to add-on status. Nonetheless, if this
approach appeals to you, the HP 150 II which includes the touch -screen is a solid machine with useful bundled software.
FOR Fast processing. Built-in printer option.
AGAINST Price. No parallel port.
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
PINNACLE
£6,690
The Pinnacle is a thoroughbred machine produced as a joint venture between the British firm TDI, which is based in Bristol, and Pinnacle Systems Incorporated of Dallas. It uses the increasingly popular 68000, and is one of the first machines to push it to something
like its limits. For example, the processor runs at a cool 12MHz with no wait states, which adds up to the fastest machine we have benchmarked. However, it is not a general business machine like the others in this Top Ten. In particular it is conceived of as a p -System engine, and it is not possible to run standard MS-DOS software. However, more standard operating systems like CP/ M -68K and BOS are available, granting access to a number of ready -written packages.
FOR Speed. Multi-user capability. AGAI NST Mainly a p -System engine. Not totally user-friendly.
RML NIMBUS
£1,695
Hitherto Research Machines has been better known as a purveyor of high -quality specialist machines to the educational market at an equally high price. But with the Nimbus it has produced an impressively fast and powerful general-purpose machine that could well appeal to a wide range of users because of its MS-DOS standard operating system and its exceptional graphics. These are largely due to an 80186 running at 8MHz in conjunction with a custom graphics chip designed by RML. The price is also very attractive: about £1,700 for a system with two 3.5in. discs, colour monitor and IBM -type keyboard. The machine is built to RML's customary high standard.
FOR Price. Speed. Graphics.
AGAINST Limited software on 3.5in. floppies.
SPRITE
£5,630
Like the IBM PC/AT, Jarogate's Sprite is based on the latest chip from Intel, the 80286. Taken together with its 21Mbyte Winchester as standard, it provides a passable hardware imitation of Big Blue's next blockbuster, although it is not intended as a clone of any kind. The Sprite does have a PC mode under its operating system, Concurrent CP/ M. During review, the operating system proved one of the few weak points in a generally impressive and solidly built machine. Later releases of Concurrent DOS will presumably have ironed out some of the bumps. A big plus is the built-in Ethernet interface, which in conjunction with the fast multi-user capabilities of the machine, means that the Sprite could well be a good buy for small- and medium-sized offices which are likely to expand.
FOR Speed. Built-in Ethernet. Expandability. AGAI NST Concurrent DOS is wobbly.
TI PROFESSIONAL
£3,795
The TI Professional stands out from the crowd of MS-DOS machines by virtue of an addon feature, its speech recognition. Using special circuitry you can train the micro to recognise groups of up to 50 words and short phrases, each one of which is assigned to a string of ASCII characters. Particular applications might be setting all the common functions like Block Move, Save, etc. in WordStar to be voice activated. In this way you can keep your hands permanently on the keyboard. It is also possible to store chunks of continuous speech, though this is currently very memory intensive. The main drawback is the price, which is a hefty £1,250 for the speech unit alone. ACT's FP machine has some of these voice facilities and costs about the same for the whole machine.
FOR Several voice input and output features.
AGAINST Cost of voice system. Memory -hungry.
VIENNA PC
£3,100
The Vienna PC forms part of an office -automation system from the North American telecommunications firm Northern Telecom. It is reviewed in greater detail on page 66 of this issue. Apart from its 80186 main processor, its chief claim to fame is the very high graphics resolution of 800 pixels by 420 pixels, available on its white phosphor screen. A further 80186 processor is dedicated to handling the bit -mapped graphics. These facilities are put to good use working with Digital Research's Gem, which provides a mouse -driven front end. The Vienna PC is unusual in that it offers a customised version of Lotus 1-2-3 which will run on its monochrome screen. There is a range of standard software applications available as part of the Vienna Office system.
FOR High -quality screen. Good graphics.
AGAINST Price. Bulk of systems box.
79
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80
Circle No. 160
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
NTERVIEW
BILL GATES founder and President of Microsoft
INTERVIEWED BY GLYN MOODY
Programming has always been central to Bill Gates's life. He took a programming job after leaving school and before going up to Harvard. He left university after only two years in order to set up Microsoft in 1974. Gates was also actively involved in the writing of code for Windows and adapting MS-DOS for the IBM PC. Today, looking
even younger than his mere 29 years, Gates presides over a company whose latest turnover is expected to top $140 million. He and his cofounder Paul Allen remain the majority shareholders.
How are things going to pan out
itself but the development tools that go with
between the Mac and the IBM PC? it. We underestimated the process.
I THINK that's very clear: the Mac will be number 2. The Mac plus Excel is a far superior solution to the IBM plus 1-2-3. And
How important for Microsoft is networking?
until you have serious software, a machine is WE HAVE two real thrusts. One is graphics,
not a serious machine, despite the power and the other is networking. Networking has gone
ease of use the Mac has brought. A year ago so smoothly and we've gotten so much
they had no software, now they've got a ton support that it's probably gotten a little less
of software and that's helping a lot. But they attention. But it is one of our greatest
need a few milestone packages which push it successes to have people like IBM, ACT and
to the point where a guy who works with
HP - almost everyone is behind MS -Net -
numbers says, "Look, get me a Mac, because and therefore having all the software
the Mac with a Laserwriter lets me do my job developers using the MS -Net protocols. It's
in a far better way than I could do in the
gone super well for us. The key market right
past."
now that DOS machines sell into is the office
In what way do you think Excel moves beyond the previous
market, and in the office market, all the machines will be networked eventually.
generation of packages?
How do you see that squaring with
OUR CLAIM is very simple: it's the world's the multi-user capacity?
greatest spreadsheet, it's the best way of
THERE IS obviously some trade-off when
working with numbers. And that was our very you're solving a particular problem. In the
straightforward goal in doing the thing.
long run, as people want to use graphical
How do Topview and Windows sit together?
applications we think that a single user, networked, will be the dominant approach. But we see a very significant role for multi-
TOPVIEW is a very nice utility that allows you user systems like 286 -based systems running
to run multiple applications. I don't know of a Xenix where the cost per terminal is much
single software company that's writing
lower, and the ease of setting things up and
applications that require Topview because
controlling the data is far greater today than
there's really nothing Topview lets you do
it is in the network case. So that's a market
that's unique. It's not compatible with the
that will flourish. Because the 286 chip is
network, it uses up a lot of memory, it doesn't really great: it's the first inexpensive
use batch files: there are some limitations.
microprocessor that has the performance,
Windows happens to run multiple
and the memory management. Coupled with
applications, but Windows is a sub -system
a 20Mbyte hard disc it's the first popular
that supports graphics, and a graphics user machine that's adequate for Xenix and Unix -
interface. So unless you like the graphics
type applications. Because we got IBM to
applications we'll be including in with
announce Xenix we're going to get
Windows, then you shouldn't buy Windows. applications momentum behind Xenix. It'll get
it to critical mass.
What has been the problem with the
release dates of Windows?
Do you think Xenix will take off
WHEN you're building the foundation you're now?
telling everyone to put their application on
OVER 70 percent of the Unix systems in the
top of, it's a very significant responsibility to world today are Xenix so we've done very
get the thing small and fast and good. We
well with customers like Intel, Radio Shack
underestimated how tough that was going to and Altos. But even so it's fallen short of
be to get it exactly right. We've had good
market predictions. I think the 286 will help
feedback from software developers in terms that, and IBM's involvement will help that.
of what they really want, and speed and
We need to get up to like 400,000 systems in
things like that. Also there were some things the next year -and -a -half to make sure that
about "should we work with old
the software companies involved make a
applications?" and we decided
good living in Xenix applications.
we should; "should we work without
a mouse?" and we decided we should. That's one of the more
How do you see PC -DOS developing in the future?
fantastic features we've put in. I'VE TALKED about multi -tasking, and I've
In our case it's a graphical user talked about Windows being on top of that,
interface that doesn't require and there are some extensions we can do in
the mouse to use the menus
the network area. Another key thing is to
although it supports it very
track the Intel chip developments, the 286,
fully. And it's a very substantial and then the 386. That, in whole, is a full set
system, not only Windows
of activities for the next three years.
81
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5 King's Ride Park, AscoC Berks. SL5 8BP Tel: 0990 28921 Telex: 846303 DD LTD G.
THE NEW FORCE IN DISTRIBUTION
Circle No. 125
On the quiet ...
Less than 55 dba, 180 cps Epson or IBM PC
compatible. Near -letterquality, multi -font character set, friction and tractor feed, high
resolution bit image
graphics, 136 or 80 column models.
All this and more at a price you will not believe. Call now for full details.
SAKATA SP5500
datafax Datafax House Bounty Road Basingstoke Hants RG21 3B2 Tel: (0256) 464187 Telex: 268048
dotofox sole UK distributor for Sakata peripherals. Datafax acknowledge all trade marks shown
Circle No. 126
Daisywheel and dot-matrix printers have captured the upper and lower ends of the printer market. Now they are being threatened by other types of printer which are quiet, cheap, fast and can produce high -quality output. Ian Stobie looks at the kinds of printer available.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
PR ISITER?
For a long time daisywheel printers have dominated the market for high -quality personal computer printing, while dot-matrix printers have taken the lower -quality high-speed end. This picture is now changing. Daisywheel printers are under attack from two directions: at the top of the price range by laser printers costing little over £3,000 and at the bottom by a new generation of much improved matrix printers with prices starting below f300. Noise is a fundamental attribute of daisywheel printers, as they work by impact - banging fully formed embossed characters through a ribbon on to the paper. It is not unusual for an unenclosed daisywheel to put out around 65db(A) or more, making it too noisy to sustain a telephone conversation in the same room. The only thing you can do to overcome the problem is to put the whole printer in an acoustic enclosure or a different room, which adds to the expense and inconvenience. Daisywheel printers are slow because they work in basically the same way as electric typewriters, spinning a single character into position in turn and printing one character at a time. The top speed attainable with this technique is 90cps, but the more typical office machines range between about 20cps and 55cps. In fact, quoting speed in the industry -standard fashion of characters per second tends to overrate the amount of actual printing you can get through because cps figures make no allowance for things like the time wasted at the end of each line. Despite their high-tech name laser printers are really little more than photocopiers with the electronics to allow computers to drive them. They print a page at a time and are capable of producing letter -quality output at high speed - from about the equivalent of 300cps. Because they are based on photocopier parts they are quite civilised for the office environment. They are very quiet compared
to a daisywheel, coming in below the 55db(A) level, and sounding about a quarter as noisy. However, despite dramatic reductions in the price of the technology laser printers are still quite expensive: the cheapest, like the Canon LBP-8 and Hewlett-Packard Laserjet, still cost over £3,000. These machines really make most sense for the higher -volume daisywheel user, printing between 400 and 4,000 pages a month.
Dot-matrix printers have the reputation for being almost as noisy as daisywheels while giving lower quality.
But they do print quickly, at speeds between 100cps and 500cps. Matrix printers mark the paper in a number of different ways, but all build up the character from a
-printed look. Yet far from becoming obsolescent, matrix printers are going from strength to strength.
The latest machines have dramatically reduced noise levels and offer much better print quality. The previous generation of machines generally formed each character from a seven by five or a rather more readable nine by nine pattern of dots. The latest machines use nine by nine for printing at high speeds, but also let you print using an 18 by 18 matrix giving near letter quality, although admittedly at a slower speed. Characters formed on an 18 by 18 matrix still do not look as good as those produced on a daisywheel, but more expensive machines get closer using more complicated print heads containing 18 or 24 pins to mark the paper.
In this survey on printers we assess these two challengers to the daisywheel, until now the workhorse of word processing and other high -quality business printing. On page 92 we look at laser printers, including the new and very powerful Apple Laserwriter, while on page 89 we look at what the latest low-cost dot-matrix printer from market leader Epson is capable of doing for its price of £255.
(t onlinued an next page)
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Dot-matrix graphics.
Epson LX -80: NLQ at low cost.
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
Apple Laserwriter: top quality and speed.
85
®®@®®®®®
DIFFERENT TYPES OF PRINTER COMPARED
(,continued from pre V1OUS page)
Apart from price, the most important factors to consider when comparing different types of printer are print quality, noise, paper choice and running cost.
The high-speed Qume 11/90 Plus.
Daisywheel
These printers work by
banging embossed plastic
or metal characters through an inked or
carbon ribbon on to paper. The characters
are mounted on the end of a multi -stemmed
disc which looks vaguely like a daisy, hence
the name. Print quality is excellent and in-
distinguishable from a good -quality office
typewriter. You can change the typeface by
changing the daisywheel and almost all
daisywheel printers offer proportional
spacing which makes the output look better
and saves space. Other advantages are the
ability to print on normal office stationery
and produce simultaneous copies with
multi -part stationery. However, daisywheels
are dreadfully noisy and slow. Speed is
related fairly directly to price. For example,
a cheap one like the £249 Uchida DWX-350
goes at 20cps while the faster £799 Juki 630
goes at 40cps. The Qume Sprint 11 / 90 Plus,
which is probably the fastest daisywheel on
the market at 90cps, costs £2,398.
Oki Microline 192: much quieter.
Dot matrix
The most common type of matrix printer is the
impact dot matrix, which works by banging
a set of metal pins through inked or carbon
ribbon on to the paper. The print head con-
sists of a vertical line of pins which are
moved horizontally over the paper, selected
needles firing at each position to build up
the pattern of each character and eventually
an entire line. Print quality depends mainly
on how many pins there are in the head,
usually nine, 18 or 24. A modern nine -pin
head produces readable output, forming
characters on a nine by nine matrix, which is
quite acceptable but not really good enough
for business correspondence.
Many of these machines offer a near letter quality (NLQ) mode. Here print quality is improved by making a second, third or even
fourth pass over characters already printed, filling in the dot pattern but incurring a speed penalty in the process. A more expensive way of getting better quality without speed loss is to have more pins in the
print head, 18- and 24 -pin heads being the most common. Such heads produce much better print quality but it is still not up to
daisywheel standard.
Like daisywheels, matrix printers can print on ordinary paper and can be used
with multi -part stationery to produce simultaneous copies, and running costs are low.
Most people use special continuous fan -fold
paper rather than standard office stationery, which means their printer has to be equipped with a tractor paper -feed mechanism, as this allows the machine to print unattended.
Normal print speed Near Letter Quality hes - 10,12,17 & 5, E
NLQ output is more presentable.
N
IP040.01"114444446141,
r Pi:7-47 'ill r
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Graphics printout from Honeywell M-34.
Matrix printers are noisy, but the better modern ones such as the Oki Microline 192
at £399 are getting close to 55db(A). This machine has a nine -pin head and runs at 160cps normally, with a 40cps in NLQ mode available. A faster printer is Honeywell's M-34CQ, which also has a nine -pin head but runs at 265cps normally and 70cps in NLQ mode, and costs £945. One of the fastest matrix printers is the Anadex DP -6500 which runs at 540cps and costs
£2,730.
Inkjet
These work by shooting a fine stream of ink directly on to the
paper without using a ribbon. In the most
common design, ink emerges from a vertical
bank of nozzles in a way analogous to an
impact dot-matrix printer. The technique
used to actually propel the ink varies;
Hewlett-Packard machines use tiny heaters
to literally boil it out, while Epsons squelch
it out under mechanical pressure exerted by
a set of piezo-electric crystals.
The great advantage of ink -jet printing is
that it is quiet; the loudest noise usually
comes from the paper transport mechanism
rather than the printing itself. As most ink -
jet printers build up characters in exactly the
same way as a matrix printer the print
quality is little different. In the long term
ink -jet printers have greater potential as you
Nozzle
Piezo crystal Ink from reservoir
Chamber empty
Paper
Ink flows into chamber
3
Ink ejected
The piezo-electric ink -jet element.
can pack more tiny ink nozzles into a print
head than metal needles. The big problem with ink -jet printers is
that they work best with very absorbent paper, which means you probably have to end up buying a special stock of ink -jet. paper, which pushes up running costs. Most ink -jet models will print on ordinary computer paper or letterheads, but if the paper is at all shiny the ink tends to stay on the surface, making your output easy to
smudge. Also it does not look so good when it does dry because the dots do not tend to spread out in the way that they should.
In speed terms most ink -jet printers are quite good, at least up to comparably priced impact dot-matrix printers. The HewlettPackard Thinkjet, which costs £399, prints at 150cps, using a 12 -nozzle print head; HP claims a noise level of only 50db(A) for this machine. Epson's new SQ-2000 prints at 176cps using a 24 -nozzle print head and costs £1,825.
Thermal transfer Epson P-80.
Thermal transfer
Works by melting dye from a
special ribbon on to paper. Like impact
matrix and most ink -jet printers the
characters are formed from a matrix of dots.
Thermal -transfer printers are quite and very
cheap to manufacture; the problem is the
running costs are high and there is a lack of
paper flexibility. The thermal ribbons can
only be used once and are relatively
expensive. Output quality tends to be best
on smooth papers.
However, thermal -transfer technology is
improving, and the best machines now offer
good results on the right paper. Another
advantage is that the technology does not
on pu,jt,
86
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
KEY PRINT QUALITY
QUIETNESS
SPEED
PAPER CHOICE CHEAPNESS IN USE
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
87
The lowest cost, most versatile high
speed Dot Matrix Printer yet.
You told us what you wanted so we went ahead and did it.
Features include:
* Automatic paper loading * Epson
* compatibility
Range of languages
* Normal, condensed and double width
characters * Full graphics * Interchange-
able plug-in interfaces to suit all micros
* IBM PC Compatible version * Com-
bined friction and adjustable pin feed
* Suitable for all commercial and busi-
ness applications * Can connect to
* most computers
Robust construction
* Latest technology * Ribbon cartridge
or spools.
Specification:
Speed: 120 cps, bi-directional, short line
seeking. Columns: 80 to 136, (at 17 cpi).
Matrix: 9 x 9. Character set: Full 96 ch ASCII
with 11 language variants. Graphics: Uni-
directional, bit image. Forms handling:
Forward/reverse with programmable line spacing.
spacing. Interfaces: Centronics parallel, RS 232 serial,
Commodore. Size: Width 370mm, Depth 280mm, Height
130mm, Weight 6kg.
Suitable for direct connection
to all leading PCs and Business micros using plug-in
interface cartridge.
Someone had to do it...
UK MANUFACTURED
SMIllg3E I-111
9 Fairacres Ind. Est., Dedworth Road, Windsor, Berks SL4 4LE, England. Tel: Windsor (07535) 54717/8. Telex: 838791.
Circle No. 127
® 10 0 0 0 0 ®
fr
require much power, so many battery powered printers use a thermal -transfer
mechanism. The Epson P -80X, for instance, has a 24 -element head, is battery powered and costs £250. One of the most impressive thermal -transfer printers is IBM's Quiet -
writer for the IBM PC, which at £1,316 offers excellent print quality at 60cps.
Lase
These machines work exactly like
photocopiers but with a lot of
heavy computing power and a laser imaging
system. Laser printers offer very good print
quality, fast speed and quiet operation.
Running costs are low since you can print on
to ordinary copier paper, as well as letter-
heads and transparency foils. The price
depends partly on speed, which ranges
between eight and 12 pages a minute, but
rather more significantly on how good the
machine is at handling graphics and exotic
type founts.
The lowest -cost approach is adopted by
the Canon LPB-8, which at £3,195 produces
print which looks much the same as that
from a good daisywheel. Apple goes to the
other extreme with the Laserwriter, which at
nearly £7,000 lets you produce near typeset -
quality material. For the ordinary office user
Hewlett-Packard's middle way may be the
most appropriate. Its £3,595 Laserjet prints
like an IBM typewriter but has optional
plug-in type founts and prints whole -page
graphics at a lower resolution than the
Apple offering - 75 dots to the inch, which
is similar to a typical matrix printer.
Impact dot-matrix printers are already unbeatable for high print speeds at a modest price. Now their type styles are being smartened up as well.
THE NEW
DOT-MATRIX
STANDARD
By Jack Schofield
when Juki and Silver Reed launched their low-cost daisywheel printers, it looked for a while as though the dot-matrix manufacturers were in for hard times. Suddenly daisies approached dots in terms of price and convenience, while the image quality was far superior. However, the dot-matrix market rapidly saw a dramatic improvement in quality with the launch of the Canon PW-1080 and Taxan KP-810/KP-910 printers offering a near letter quality (NLQ) option. As well as printing in ordinary dot-matrix type, these printers are able to print more carefully defined characters in a slower mode. Epson's entry into this market was the LQ-1500, with a 24 -pin matrix able to print draft quality at 200 characters per second (cps) or near letter quality at 67cps. It is to take nothing away from the quality of the LQ-1500 to observe that it is not in everyone's price range.
EPSON LX -80
Camera systems
These work by
photographing the
screen. No comparison of printers would be
complete without mentioning the option of
photographing a display. This approach
may make sense for preparing slides of
graphics screens for graphics slides to be
used in business presentations. If you know
what you are doing the results can be of
excellent quality, but the technique is only
suitable for special use. Apart from simply
using an ordinary camera, as most mag-
azines do, there are a number of purpose -
designed camera systems on the market.
Best known is the Polaroid Palette, which
costs £1,395 and works with Polaroid print
or colour -slide film to avoid processing
delays.
[la
SUPPLIERS
Anadex: (025672) 3401 Canon: 01-773 3173 Epson: 01-902 8892 Hewlett-Packard: (0344) 773100 Honeywell: (0442) 42291 IBM: 01-578 4399
Juki: Micro Peripherals Ltd, (0256)
473232 Oki: X -Data Ltd, (0753) 72331 Polaroid: Sintrom, (0734) 875464
Oume: (0635) 31400
Uchida: CPU Peripherals, (0932) 246433
Epson's new NLQ dot-matrix printer, the LX -80, is about one -quarter of the price of the LQ-1500. It has a nine-
pin matrix, and the printing speeds are
100cps for draft quality, and 16cps for near letter quality. The base price of this printer, £255 plus VAT, should ensure it has a wide appeal.
Unlike previous Epson printers, the LX -80 has low, sleek lines - somewhat like a sports car, compared to the boxy look of the previous models. The footprint is very slightly larger. There is some fluting on both sides, which is presumably there as much for
its cosmetic value as to dissipate heat.
The front right of the LX -80 has the usual
array of three buttons and four indicator
lights. Again they have been restyled to look
racy. They also have new functions, in that they can be used to select the type style when
the printer is on. Pressing the top two
buttons at the same time makes the Ready light go out and the On Line light start to flash. This is the Selectype mode. The On Line button can then be pressed up to six times to select the print mode. The options are: Reset, NLQ, Emphasised, Double strike, Condensed and Elite.
It is possible to combine more than one of these options to get a grand total of 12 different styles, including double strike / condensed / elite, though actually trying to do this gets very confusing. If you try for a style that is not allowed, however,
irit11-111
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 7985
89
®®10®®®®®
ovI vurd from VIOUS page)
the LX -80 simply ignored the incorrect
entries. Of course, these styles can also be set by transmitting codes to the printer in the usual way, including codes embedded in
text.
The LX -80's ROM has 96 ASCII characters in standard, italic and NLQ
forms, plus 32 graphics characters and 11 international character sets. The international sets include the usual European languages with two sets to cover Danish and Japanese. They can be selected via software or by using the DIL switches.
In NLQ mode, the printer also offers four methods of justifcation. Text can be ranged
left or right, centred or filled - which is Epson's term for justifying or aligning at both sides. For justification by the printer,
text has to be sent to the buffer one
paragraph at a time. Underlining, sub-
scripts, superscripts, user -defined character sets and dot graphics are also possible, and the usual paper -spacing commands are available.
Lifting the lid at the front of the LX -80 reveals the very small, new ribbon cartridge. It is carried on the platform with the print head, instead of being a separate carriage length ribbon of the usual Epson type. At £3.95 it costs about half as much, and it is easier to install. Sales of the LX -80 will undoubtedly be such that the ribbon is easy to obtain. However, there are already a couple of dozen similar and incompatible ribbons on the market. It seems a shame to have added yet another.
The nine -pin print head prints bi-directionally at 10, 12 or 17 characters per inch. In NLQ mode, the print head makes two passes per line, and prints in one direction only. The NLQ typeface has a total of 18 dots vert-
ically, with the two rows of nine dots
interlaced.
The back of the printer has a power socket, an I/O port, and - wonder of
wonders - two small panels through which you can change the two DIL switches SW1
SPECIFICATION
Type: impact dot-matrix printer with nine -needle print head Speeds: 100cps draft, 16cps in near letter quality mode Typefaces: Pica and Elite with expanded, compressed and emphasised
modes
Features: roman and italic printing, superscripts, subscripts, underlining, dot addressable graphics Paper: single -sheet friction feed, up to 8in. wide; tractor option Ports: Centronics eight -bit parallel port; serial option; Commodore and Atari options to follow Dimensions: 85mm.(3.3in.) x 420mm.(16.6in.) x 310mm.(12.4in.); weight 5.2kg. (11.51b.) Price: £255 plus VAT; tractor feed £20; cut -sheet feeder £55; ribbons £3.95 Supplier: Epson (U.K.) Ltd, Dorland House, 388 High Road, Wembley, Middlesex HA9 6U H. Telephone: 01-902 8892
NLQ FOR OTHER EPSONS
While the LX -80 replaces the current RX-80 model, tne rest of the range has been upgraded, with a + added to the model number. The RX-80F/T + , RX-100 + , FX-80 + and FX-100 + all now offer touch -selectable type styles as standard and an NLQ option. The 8647 serial and 8177 parallel boards can be retrofitted to existing FX-80 and FX-100 printers. The 8190 board offers a choice of two NLQ faces: roman and sans serif. During NLQ printing, the paper is advanced by half a dot between passes.
ci (Dr
lazy dog.
The fine serifs of the LX -80's NLQ type help to improve readability.
and SW2. For those who have struggled for years with old MX -80s and the like, it is a boon to be able to change these switches without unscrewing four screws on the base of the printer and lifting the lid off.
The back of the LX -80 also has a parallel interface, which peeps through a rather large
hole. This is to allow room for an extra printed circuit board to be piggybacked on top, if this is required to provide a serial port. We tried fitting the Hanzon serial
board, which provides full Apple Macintosh emulation, and it worked fine. Either of the
Epson serial boards for the FX printers should fit. Epson also plans to provide boards for use with Commodore and Atari printers, which are currently non-standard
in design. These boards should be available later this year.
One tradition which has, regrettably, been followed is that the ports are sited on
the back, where the printer cables may interfere with the paper feed. Epson's only concession is a flimsy pull-out plastic paper guide to hold fan -fold paper away. This is
marked "no handle" to discourage you from using it to carry the printer.
The LX -80 also features a 1K print buffer,
which is very handy as it means you get back control of the micro more quickly, so you
can start the next task. Epson also offers optional 32K and 128K buffer boards, but
we did not have one to try inside the LX -80.
The manual is spiral bound, clearly printed, and vastly better written than some previous Epson handbooks. It has nine
appendices, a good index and a useful Quick Reference card.
In use, the printer works fast and
efficiently, as you would expect of an Epson. There is nothing special about the 100cps draft mode, and the italic fount is, as usual, slightly gappy. However, the NLQ mode produces a very attractive typeface, which is made even more readable by the fine serifs. The end result looks to be of a much higher
quality than you would normally expect from a printer of this price.
There is only one major drawback to the
LX -80: it is noisy. In draft mode the sound is somewhat high-pitched and penetrating; in
NLQ mode it has more of a rasp to it.
Standing the printer on a foam pad helps a little. In many situations the noise will not matter, but it is not ideal for a quiet office.
EPSON LX -80
VC VERDICT
04k-
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0Q
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00
,
4,,,
4-
44,
Performance
Ease of use
Documentation U U
Value for money
E Very good all-round performance and extra versatility at an attractive price. It sets a new standard for low-
priced dot-matrix printers.
CONCLUSIONS
E The Epson LX -80 is versatile, thanks to its fast
100cps draft mode and l6cps near letter quality mode. The NLQ face is attractive and very readable, though not really suitable for
business letters. IIIIThe design shows several improvements over previous Epson models, and only the high noise level lets it down slightly. The availability of a low-cost cut -sheet feeder is a welcome feature, and unusual at this price level. E The LX -80 is good value for money at £255 plus VAT, though the tractor feed adds £20 to
the price for heavy users of continuous
stationery.
90
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
The New
MT 85/86 printers are as quiet as a...
ake a listen to the new MT85 and MT86 serial matrix printers. They're amazingly quiet. Which makes their performance definitely something
to shout about. The MT85 is a compact 80 column
printer, while the MT86 offers a full 136 column width. Both print high speed
draft output at 180 cps. And high quality
correspondence at 45 cps in various typestyles. Then there's compressed, expanded and bold print for even more
variety. And of course graphics. Flexibility doesn't stop there either.
Both printers take continuous fan fold and single sheet stationery in their
stride. A nd they're totally compatible via plug-in interface modules-IBM PC
and Apple Macintosh included. The new MT85 and MT86 from
Mannesmann Tally: Europe's leading matrix printer manufacturer.
The quiet revolution in print. Contact us now for our literature pack.
MANNESMANN
\WI TALLY
MANNESMANN TALLY LIMITED, MOLLY MILLARS LANE, WOKINGHAM, BERKSHIRE, RG11 20T TELEPHONE (0734) 788711 IBM PC and Apple Macintosh are registered trademarks
Circle No. 128
00000000
LASER PRINTERS:
PHOTOCOPIERS WITH BRAINS
By Ian Stobie
Speed, flexibility and outstanding resolution are what you get for the substantial asking price of these units.
vv. ith prices starting at around the cost of many complete computer systems, laser printers need more than just the glamour of the word "laser" to justify them. In fact the
machines are from the outside rather unglamorous, looking like small office photocopiers. However, inside
they are packed with electronics and they have unequalled power to beautify documents sent to them for printing.
Laser printers are now cheap enough to compete with the daisywheel for the top end of the high -quality word-
processing market. To the user, the laser holds out the promise of greater speed and much reduced office noise levels, as well as a great deal of choice in the final appearance of the printed output. Laser printers are inherently well suited to producing mixed text and graphics, which is an increasingly important requirement
among business users. Most laser printers have no difficulty producing overhead -projector transparencies, and the more expensive machines like the Apple Laserwriter can produce near typeset -quality artwork suitable for later high -volume reprinting on a litho press.
Interestingly, the laser printer's flexibility in handling
graphics and typography has little to do with the laser printing method itself, which is just a way of marking the paper. The key thing is that a laser printer prints a whole page at a time and holds a complete image at full resolution of the page it will print in its own internal buffer. With this complete dot -for -dot page image held in its memory it makes sense to give the printer its own local processing power to manipulate it. Most laser printers can print in a range of different type sizes and styles, and reduce, enlarge and rotate the printed image.
Laser printers are therefore quite intelligent. But as memory and processor components are continuously falling in price, what laser printers can do today many other sorts of printer may be able to do tomorrow. Laser printers just happen to be first to make full use of the possibilities offered by the whole -page bit -mapped buffer.
Expensive laser printers have been around for the last 10 years, and it is still possible to spend several thousand pounds on a laser printer. Such machines are used for high -volume high-speed applications such as producing
mass mailings of personalised letters complete with handwritten signature and company logo. Here we are only interested in the new generation of low-cost office laser printers, which all cost under £10,000.
One of the reasons laser printers have fallen in price, apart from the falling price of the necessary electronic components, is that photocopying technology itself is getting cheaper. Canon has pioneered the throwaway photosensitive drum, previously one of the most expensive parts of a machine. To get good -quality copies you must either have a really expensive drum which will last for
The Ricoh LP -4120 laser printer.
years, or else one which is so cheap you can throw it away before it starts to deteriorate. The Canon -built printer mechanism used by both Apple and Hewlett-Packard uses a throwaway drum built into the same unit as the toner, which you have to renew periodically anyway. You replace the dual toner/drum cartridge every 3,000 or so pages. A new one costs just under £100.
Compared to a good daisywheel printer using carbon ribbons, laser printer running costs are not excessive, working out around 3p or 4p a sheet. The main difference is in the initial outlay, which is obviously higher. Even so, the comparison is more favourable to the laser than it looks at first sight. You do not need to buy an acoustic hood as the laser printer is inherently quieter, and a single -sheet feeder is already built-in.
The greater speed of the laser printer means you can do the work of several daisywheels. Assuming a full page of text and eight pages per minute, a laser printer is going at about 300cps, as against an absolute top speed of 80cps for the very best daisywheel. Taking these considerations into account the laser printer looks a good bet for anyone with a fairly heavy print workload - from say 500 pages a month upwards. At lower volumes a daisywheel printer will still be the more cost-effective solution.
LOW-COST LASER PRINTERS
Speed (pages per minutes)
Graphics Mechanism Price
Apple Laserwriter
8
Canon LBP-8
8
Hewlett-Packard Laserjet 8
Ricoh LP -4120
12
excellent poor good average
Canon Canon Canon Ricoh
£6,995 £3,195 £3,595 £8,500
Suppliers: Apple, (0442) 60244; Canon, 01-773 3173; Hewlett-Packard, (0344) 773100; Ricoh from Nexel Ltd., (084421) 3151
92
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
®®@®®®®®
HOW LASER PRINTERS WORK
Laser printing involves three stages - preparing a page image in memory, drawing it with light and finally transferring it to paper. Stage 1. This starts with the arrival of a string of characters at the printer. In addition to the text itself this string might contain
information about the type styles to be used, and graphics encoded in some form. The printer uses this information to build up a bit
map of the complete page in memory. Stage 2. The bit -map image is transferred to a light-
sensitive drum. The drum is first given a uniform electrostatic charge. As the
drum rotates it is scanned with a laser light which flickers on or off under the control of the bit map held in memory. Where the beam strikes the drum, charge is destroyed. Stage 3. This stage employs
exactly the same technology as many photocopiers. A strongly coloured plastic based powder, called the toner, is brought into contact with the rotating drum. Toner can be given an electrostatic charge, and charged powder sticks to the parts of the drum which correspond to dark
parts of the image. The toner image is then transferred to a sheet of paper, and finally melted on to it by hot rollers.
Different brands of laser printer adopt slightly different approaches at each stage. Printers with good graphics capability need much larger areas of memory. The Apple Laserwriter uses nearly 1Mbyte of RAM just for the page map.
Different manufacturers use different light sources at the laser imaging stage. Canon uses a semiconductor laser while Ricoh uses a more powerful gas laser which allows faster drawing on the drum. Laser printers used purely for typesetting may take special papers to get higher resolution, and so the second and third phases may be different.
Appearances can be deceptive - inside and out the Laserwriter resembles a photocopier.
APPLE LASERWRITER
Like several other new laser printers, Apple's Laserwriter is built around a
basic printing mechanism supplied by Canon. But Apple's printer is at £6,995
about double the price of most other Canon based machines. What accounts for the diff-
erence is the massive processing power which
Apple has added, making the Laserwriter itself a more powerful computer than the Macintosh it connects to.
The Laserwriter is designed for use both as a dedicated printer for a single Macintosh,
and as a printer attaching to a local area network, and thus shared between several machines. It comes equipped with an
RS -232C interface so it can also be used with other brands of computer, such as the IBM
PC. However, in this case you lose the
Macintosh's graphics ability, and the Laser -
writer then functions more as a faster,
quieter daisywheel printer. Used with Apple equipment the Laser -
writer offers the ability to incorporate
drawings into documents and to print
anything you can display on the Macintosh screen. In addition you can print using the
same typefaces that traditional typesetters use, such as Helvetica and Times.
Physically the Laserwriter looks like a small photocopier. It takes up a similar amount of desk space too, and weighs 771b., but considering what it contains it is quite compact. It prints on to single -sheet paper, either ordinary A4 copier paper or letterheads, and comes with a 100 -sheet input tray. You can also feed in envelopes and overhead -projector transparencies singly through a manual feed on the other side of the machine.
The Laserwriter connects to the Macintosh
through an Appletalk connector box and cable. You need one box for the printer and
one for each Macintosh you wish to connect to it; they cost £50 each. We were in fact using Appletalk as no more than a printer cable, as we only tried the Laserwriter with
one Macintosh. According to Apple the
system will still work with the printer placed up to 1,000 feet away from the machines it
serves.
The way the Laserwriter and Appletalk work are fundamentally related. At £50 a
SPECIFICATION
Printing technique: laser
xerography; uses Canon LBP-CX mechanism
Print processing: Motorola 68000
processor running at 12MHz, 1.5Mbyte of RAM, 0.5Mbyte of ROM containing Postscript interpreter and founts Print quality: 90,000 dots per square inch; supports full -page graphics Built-in founts: Times, Helvetica and Courier plus a set of special symbols; bold, italic, outline, etc. available for each fount; minimum fount size 4 point; other Mac founts can be printed at slightly lower resolution Speed: eight pages a minute once printing commences; takes from a couple of seconds to several minutes to start up, depending on the complexity of the image Noise: same as quiet photocopier, under 55dB(A) Paper: A4 or foolscap photocopier paper, letterheads or overhead -projector transparency film; envelopes and labels can also be used via manual feed Consumables: replacement drum and toner cartridge costs £99, last a claimed 3,000 pages Interfaces: Appletalk and RS -232C Compatibility: supports full Mac graphics through Appletalk; supports Diablo 630 daisywheel commands through RS -232C Size: 715mm.(28.2in.) x 470mm.(18.5in.) x 410mm.(16.2in.); weighs 37kg.(771b.) Price: £6,995 plus VAT, available now Manufacturer: Apple Computer Inc.; made in the U.S. Supplier: Apple Computer (U.K.) Ltd, Eastman Way, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire HP2 7HQ. Telephone: (0442) 60244
connection Appletalk is a very cheap network, which reflects Apple's belief that the real network market lies in ordinary costconscious offices. But keeping the cost down means accepting lower transmission speeds. Appletalk is slow by network standards, sending no more than 29Kbyte of data a second.
The Laserwriter hardware can print at
90,000 dots per square inch, and at a full resolution this requires a bit map of almost a megabyte for each page. To assemble the bit map in the Macintosh itself would therefore make no sense, as transmitting each page
lil
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
93
00000000
across the network to the printer would take
over half a minute. Instead, the Mac sends a compressed description of the page written in a language called Postscript. Typically it
occupies less than 8K and transmits
across Appletalk in less than a second. Inside the Laserwriter is a 68000 processor,
1.5Mbyte of RAM and 500K of ROM containing some pre -defined founts and a
Postscript interpreter. The Laserwriter runs
the Postscript program to generate the page image bit map it needs to print from.
To use the Laserwriter with Mac software
you need first to install the Laserwriter
printer driver which generates the Postscript
page descriptions. The driver must be
present on every start-up disc you want to
use with Laserwriter. The installation process is quite simple but it takes up a lot of disc
space - usually around 98K. You can
reduce this by throwing away founts you do not want to use.
Postscript is actually a proper programming language, like Logo or Forth, and
the printer driver is really a program generator. Postscript describes a page in terms of the mathematical properties of the shapes on it rather than as a bit map or any
other static data description. The significance of Postscript is that it is
completely independent of the hardware used, and a description in Postscript remains the same whatever the resolution of the system, unlike a bit map. Postscript is being
APPLE LASERWRITER
, im VERDICT 04c,
0* c0t
'T-- .
0
'2'
<
Performance
Ease of use Documentation MI IN Illi
Value for money
OA wonderful, creative tool from Apple, but unless you can share the cost among several users in a network it is
expensive.
adopted by a number of different companies, and has some chance of becoming an industry standard. It was
developed independently of Apple by
Adobe Systems Inc., a company formed by a
number of people from Xerox's Palo
Alto Research Centre. Parc is widely recognised as the source of many of the best ideas in the computer industry, including
the windows, icons and mouse interface
adopted by Apple for the Macintosh itself. This gives the Laserwriter good prospects
for broader compatibility outside the Apple universe. After all, the Laserwriter just
expects a page to arrive in Postscript, it does not matter where from. If, for example, you have access to a proper typesetting machine which runs Postscript, it may be possible to
typeset directly from Mac print files.
We used the Laserwriter with several
One advantage to using a fount originally designed for typesetting is that it lets you put more text on a page. This is because founts such as Times and Helvetica are proportionally spaced. By contrast Courier, originally a typewriter fount, is monospaced - each character takes up the same width on the
page.
Helvetica
One advantage to using a fount originally designed for typesetting is that it lets you put more text on a page. This is because founts such as Times and Helvetica are proportionally spaced. By contrast Courier, originally a typewriter fount, is monospaced - each character takes up the same width on the
page.
Courier
Laserwriter's output: using founts designed for typesetting saves space and looks neat.
packages, including Macwrite and Mac paint, and there is no doubt that the output
quality is impressive. The resolution of 300 dots per inch horizontally and vertically compares very favourably with the 80 by 80 offered by the Imagewriter, Apple's conventional dot-matrix printer for the Mac. The output generally looks like a very good photocopy of typeset material, without the random splodges found on many photo-
copiers. We did not have time to print
enough copies to see whether quality degrades as the drum nears the end of its life
after a claimed 3,000 pages. While the Laserwriter's resolution looks
good to the untrained eye, professional typesetting systems generally start at reso-
lutions of 400 dots per inch. The difference is noticeable, especially at the small type sizes, but the Laserwriter is probably good
enough to allow companies to produce more price lists, catalogues and reports in-house.
There are some definite drawbacks to using the Laserwriter. Before printing each
new page there is a delay of about 30 seconds
on most of the text pages we printed, and up to 10 minutes on some complex graphics
pages. Apple quotes a speed of eight pages a minute, but this refers to subsequent copies of the same page once the Laserwriter has figured out how to print the image.
None of this would matter if you could do something else on you Mac while waiting for the Laserwriter to print, but on our setup we
could not. We understand that spooling software to allow this is still being written.
Obviously, on a network several people have
to be able to send jobs to the printer and get on with productive work while their jobs
wait to be printed. At the moment, this problem restricts the Laserwriter to producing multiple copies of fairly short
documents. With text, best results are obtained from
the Laserwriter when you print in Helvetica, Courier or Times, its built-in founts. You
can print in other Mac founts such as Venice
or Geneva, but these are not much
improved in resolution terms over the Imagewriter. Normally the printer converts any Mac fount, such as New York or Geneva, to the nearest good Laserwriter fount, unless you override this function.
The Laserwriter lets you scale the printed image to make it either bigger or smaller, or turn it sideways. This is particularly useful for making overhead transparencies, which we found came out very well. For producing graphics, the Laserwriter works best with Macdraw. The printer driver can easily convert Macdraw images into Postscript commands, producing very fine lines and good resolution. The Laserwriter cannot do much to enhance Macpaint pictures, as they already consist of bit maps at about the resolution of the Mac's screen; they come out crisp and clear but still consisting of big, discernable dots.
It is likely that we will be seeing a new crop of graphics packages that make full use of the Laserwriter. One obvious application area is page makeup for people who want to produce professional -looking newsletters and brochures for volume printing at a proper print shop. We hope to review several such packages soon.
CONCLUSIONS
MUndoubtedly a superb printer, the Laser writer, has speed, quietness, stunning graphics and professional -quality typefaces going for it. II1These spectacular features probably double the price. Many Apple users might have preferred a more modest machine like the HP Laserjet, at a price closer to a top -line daisywheel printer. OlOnce it gets going the Laserwriter is quick, but you may have to wait some minutes before the machine starts to print a new page, especially with graphics. It would help if the machine let you get on with something during the wait, but it does not. Print spooling is definitely a necessity. III1Apple's documentation for the Laserwriter is
superb. It is full of helpful, illustrations and suggestions, and is written in clear English. a)]
94
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
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Circle No. 129
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PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
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Circle No. 135
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PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
OPEN FILE
In Open File we offer programming tips and free software to key in - from demonstration routines to ready -to -use business programs. As well as major
feature programs, every month we publish a selection of software written by our readers.
We welcome serious software for any of the micro systems listed opposite, especially short routines and utilities. Programs can be in machine code, Basic or any other language.
Submissions should include a brief description which explains what your program does, and how it does it. If possible it should be typed, with lines double-spaced. We need a printed program, which should be listed from a fully debugged, working program. Hand-written listings cannot be accepted. A tape or disc of the program helps if it is in a standard format.
When printing listings, please remember to use a new ribbon or double -intensity printing - faint listings reproduce badly. Use plain paper only, and try to list the program across either a 35 -character or a 70 -character width. Also, make sure all special graphics, inverse video characters or any other non-standard symbols are either
listed correctly or else include Rem statements to explain them fully.
Each program listing, tape or disc must have your name and address on it, or we cannot promise its safe return. A stamped addressed envelope is appreciated.
If you write in with a comment, correction or enquiry please state the machine and the program title.
We pay at least £10 for any programs used, or £35 per page and pro rata for part pages.
OPEN FILE MONITORS
Amstrad Apple
BBC
Commodore
CPIM IBM PC Tandy Research Machines Sharp Sinclair QL
Ian Stobie Bill Hill
Nicholas McCutcheon Mike Todd
Jack Schofield Jack Schofield John Wellsman
Ian Stobie John Hooper Glyn Moody
FEATURES
100
PROGRAM PORTABILITY
Writing programs on an IBM PC to transfer to an Apricot
102
MACHINE -CODE SUBROUTINES
How to link a machine -code subroutine to an MBasic program running under CPIM
BBC
108
ROM DISC: Transferring paged ROMs to disc
APPLE
112
ON RESET GOTO: A routine to disable the Reset key
IBM
114
DIR BYTE -SUM: A program to tell you how many free bytes there are on disc KEY UTILITY: Work out when the special keys have been pressed DOS PROMPT: Change the system prompt in PC -DOS SYSTEM CHECK: Check the facilities of an IBM PC
END OF FILE
116
PRINTING FOREIGN TEXT: Extra characters for the Epson FX-80
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
APRICOT
PROGRAM PORTABILITY
Kenneth Haynes explains how IBM PC programs can be written with an eye to transferring them on to Apricot micros.
PORTABILITY is not simply a
question of choosing the right lan-
guage and the right compiler. What matters most is program-
ming technique. When using Basic, machine -
specific code should be avoided. This is because this type of pro-
gramming in Basic tends to use a surprisingly large amount of code and leads to the inevitable path of two separate program source
codes. It is a practice which should be avoided as it can lead to a host of problems when the time comes to modify or update your program
code. If machine -specific code is to
be used, it would be advisable to use a library -orientated language
such C.
There is surprisingly little incompatibility between IBM Basic (Basica) and the Microsoft Basic supplied with the Apricot, MSBasic, with the exception of some display, communication and initialisation functions. First, we will look at the two functions
which are the basis for most program incompatibility prob-
lems; the Clear Screen and the cursor positioning screen ad-
dressing functions. As you can see from table 1, the
Basic formats for the IBM and
Apricot are quite different. This is
because Basica is MSBasic which has been adapted especially for the IBM PC, whereas the version of
Basic supplied with the Apricot has not been modified. At first sight this may seem unfair. After all, if
IBM can do it, why not ACT? While ACT has not modified the supplied Basic it has, however, supplied the programmer with a staggering number of Escape sequences, some of which are so powerful that the IBM equivalent
would take up 10 times the amount of program code.
An example of this is Escape
" " , which copies the entire screen display into the keyboard buffer, which is 2K in size. Although this is rather an obscure example, it
does illustrate the sheer power and ease with which the Escape sequences can be utilised. However, a full listing of the Escape
sequences is not supplied with the Apricot's documentation, thus making the purchase of the
Apricot Technical Reference Manual, which retails for around
£25, a necessity for the serious pro-
grammer. The main problem is to be able
to utilise either of the formats
TABLE 1.
IBM Clear Screen 10 C LS
Position Cursor 20 LOCATE (ROW,COL)
Apricot 10 PRINT CHR$(&H1B)+CHR$(&H45);
20 PRINT CHRS(&H1B) + CH R$ (&H 59) + CH R$ (ROW + 32) + CHR$(COL +32)
TABLE 2.
10 REM Program code.
20 ROW = 10 : COL = 10 : GOSUB 1000
999 $include: Stdi/o.inc
Using the Include technique. The file Stdi/o.inc should contain one of the machine -specific formats shown in table 1.
TABLE 3.
push bp
push ax
ISave register contents
push dx
mov bp,sp
Copy stack pointer into bp
mov ah,06h
Set up ah for function 6
mov dl,lbh
Escape code
int
21h
Send code to VDU
mov d1,59h
ASCII for "Y"
int
21h
Send code to VDU
mov al,byte ptr 6 [bp) Move row co-ordinate into al
add a1,20h
add 32 decimal to row co-ordinate
mov dl,al
int
21h
Send code to VDU
mov al,byte ptr 4 [bp] Move column co-ordinate into al
add a1,20h
Add 32 decimal to column co-ordinate
mov dl,al
int
21h
Send code to VDU
pop bp
pop ax
IRestore register contents to entry values
pop dx
ret
4
; Number of arguments * 2
How the row and column co-ordinates can be picked up by the cursor position function. The row and column arguments are
passed via their addresses.
11020 11030
GAOlS%U(B1)=109000
11040 RETUR*N***** OPEN WK. ****** 12000 REM 12010 Al% (
12020 A1%(1)=0
12030' 12040
FAOllR((I3=)0=10TO
9:A2WJI)=1:NEXT
12050 GOSUB 19000
12060 13000
RREETMUR*N*****
INPUT
LOC
******
13010 Al%(0)=28
13020 A1V1)=1
12.030 A2%(0)=1
13040 A3%(0)=16883
13050 1,060
A31(1)=16333 GOSUB 19000
13070 18000
RREETMUR*SNE*G*=4*1*4.*6V1:ACG1ASVXL%0L=)9,0GA10S2X0
****** V0),A3X(0),A4
1,010 GCAALLLL GSX
19020 DEF SEG :RETURN
0).05)(0))
Machine -specific code should be avoided at all costs.
shown in table 1, in such a manner that we may still utilise the same program code. Table 2 shows the most commonly used solution for such a problem: the Include statement.
This method is fine for most
programs, but large programs with tight memory constraints or programs with which the execution speed is paramount should utilise an assembly subroutine. The reason for this is that the Include method involves the constant reassignment of the row and column
co-ordinates prior to the cursor addressing routine being called.
Having utilised a cursor addressing assembly routine, the routine would no longer be placed in the
Stdi/o.inc file - see table 2 -
and the call would remain resident in the program code.
The call would now read
nnnn CALL LOCATE%(10,10)
where Locate% is an integer variable which contains the offset to the assembly routine address. The segment to the address is set using the Def Seg statement prior
to the call. Clearly, some assembly knowledge is required and great care should be taken to observe the Call statement's conventions. Table 3 shows one way of passing the row and column co-ordinates to the assembly routine and sending the appropriate codes to
the VDU.
Manuals of previous releases of Basic have been less than helpful when it comes to explaining assembly language interfacing with Basic, and the Basica and MSBasic manuals supplied with the IBM and Apricot computers appear to be no exception. However, if you can lay your hands on a
copy of the Sirius 1 Basic -86
manual you will find that it covers the subject admirably, and is
useful even to the less experienced assembly programmer. You will find all the information you will need to utilise the technique des-
cribed on pages 16 and 104 to 107
of the manual. Table 4 lists the compiler
compatible functions - that is,
those functions which the compiler
will accept - which differ between Basica and MSBasic. It is those
100
PRACTICAL COMPUTINGAugust 1985
APRICOT
functions which were added to Basica to enable the programmer to access some screen- and communication- handling routines which are the ones to avoid.
The Apricot functions in table 4 which have no Basic equivalent in
MSBasic should not be used. IBM's
Pos function will return the current
column position of the cursor. On the Apricot it will return a value between 1 and 2,000, depending
on the position of the cursor,
relevant to the entire screen where
the screen display is 25 lines by 80 columns.
A similar problem occurs with IBM's CrsLin function which returns the cursor's current line number. Again, the nearest to this in MSBasic is Pos. If the cursor position needs to be calculated, the best method to use would be to place the appropriate code in the Include file Stdi/o.inc as in table
5. Then Gosub 2000 will place the
screen relative position of the cursor into the integer variable
Position% , and we can work out the row and column co-ordinates from this value.
However, care should be taken
so as not to use the variable
Position% for any other purpose. The function Width can be utilised in much the same way as Pos(X) except no returned value is required. If the program is to be used with either a monochrome or colour monitor, Basic is not the best language to use as, depending on the number of monitor dependent functions, a global variable will need to be intialised and a conditional call made to whichever routine is needed, depending on the type of monitor indicated by the global variable. This produces far more program code than would normally be acceptable and the program execution speed would be reduced. Again, this problem could be overcome by using assembly -language routines, but this calls for a far greater level of expertise and would dramatically increase the
LISTING I.
main()
development time and costs. In this case, a library -orientated language should be used.
As any C programmer will
know, a program written in the C language is nothing more than a series of functions. So, in the case of our incompatible functions, no
provision would have to be made in the program code for them.
The Clear Screen function in
listing 1 is programmed to clear the
Apricot's screen. So in order to make it flexible we must remove the function Clear_Scr and place it in a separate source file. In this case, we would put all the VDU related functions - Clear Screen, cursor positioning, direct screen
addressing, etc. - in libraries
called, for example, vdu_apr and vdu_ibm. We would link in the appropriate file at link time, that is
A > In myprog vdu_apr Bearing in mind that we may be using machine -specific code,
thought should be given to the other areas in which creating
libraries would be advisable. For example, input/output functions
and, if possible, grouping together other machine -specific functions
which fall into neither of the categories mentioned.
To the programmer unfamiliar with libraries it may seem a little confusing at first, but all we are
doing is following the basic C programming conventions, which can
be picked up in very little time by those familiar with another programming language. As I mentioned earlier, the colour monitor does add a further com-
plication to our task but using the C language the solution is quite simple.
For example, suppose that we wanted the program to leave the
screen blue every time we used the Clear Screen function, we could just add the statement Color 10,1 prior to clearing the screen. But this statement would not be valid on a monochrome monitor, so in order to overcome this problem we use a global variable, the status of
TABLE 4.
IBM Beep
Circle Cls Color Corn CrsLin Draw Key Line Locate
LOf MkDir On Corn On Key On Pen On Strig Open "Corn... Paint Pen Play Point Pos PSet PreSet Screen Sound Stick Strig VarPtr$ Width
Apricot PRINT CHR$(7);
PRINT CH- R$(&H1B)+"E";
Comments Apricot format should be used on both machines.
See table 1.
Pos
Format difference.
PRINT CH- R$(8,1-11B)+
See table 1.
CHR$(&H59)+ CHR$(ROW +
32) + CHR$(COL + 32);
Format difference. Format difference.
The compiler -compatible functions which must be avoided in order to maintain machine -independency. Many IBM commands have no equivalent on the Apricot.
TABLE 5.
IBM 2000 POSITION%=POS(DUMMY%)+
CRSLIN(DUMMY%) 2010 RETURN
Apricot 2000 POSITION%=
POS(DUMMY%) 2010 RETURN
which indicates whether we have a colour or monochrome monitor
attached to the computer. This basic principle will work with all the monitor related functions as shown in listing 2, where
col__mon is the global variable.
It is possible to place all the
machine -specific functions in one library, but this is bad programming practice as it tends to
LISTING 2.
function_na me()
make finding a particular function
difficult.
When using C you must care-
fully plan the use of such functions
prior to their implementation,
otherwise you may well end up
with a program full of functions
which call another function which
in turn calls another function and
so on, just to perform the simplest
of operations.
ria
{
printf("text text text"); */ When a key is pressed, the next function
(clear_scr) will clear the screen. /* clear_scr();
exit();
}
clear_scr()
{
if (! col_mon)
{
*/ monochrome function code */
}
else
{
putchar(27); putchar ("E");
*/ Clears the Apricot's screen /*
*/ colour function code /*
}
}
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
101
MBASIC
MACHINE -CODE
SUBROUTINES
David Dawe details the techniques required to link a machine code subroutine to an MBasic program running under CP/M, with examples for 8080 and Z-80 systems.
MACHINE -CODE subroutines can often provide a solution to special
requirements which are not catered for directly in MBasic. In addition, when certain processing tasks are proving annoyingly slow,
a machine -code subroutine may be the answer. The code so produced
is often faster in operation than that obtained by compiling pure
MBasic source code.
Before you rush in to coding you
must first decide where to put the machine code in memory. MBasic itself loads under CP / M at 100hex and stretches up to a little beyond 6000hex. Your Basic program and
variables go above this and use the space up to CP / M's FDOS.
MBasic can be loaded using the /M: switch to free a space, but at
this point you might not know
what value to specify for the top of MBasic. So proceed by loading
your Basic as normal and then
type: PRINT HEX$((PEEK(7)*256)
Location 7 contains the high byte
for the starting address of the
CP/ M FDOS. On my 56K North Star using CP / M 2.2 I obtain the value C500hex. This now gives some idea of where code may be
placed. If in future I boot up
MBasic using:
A> MBASIC /M:&HC000
then I have 500hex bytes free for my machine code.
Alternatively MBasic 5 can resize
itself using the Clear command:
CLEAR,&HC000
Now you might think that an
MBasic program which Peeks location 7 and then resizes itself automatically using Clear would run with the same free space for machine code, whatever the size of RAM available. However, this approach is not without its draw -
LISTING 1.
10 REM MAKE AN AREA FOR THE CODE 20 CLEAR,&HC000 30 MLOC=&HC000
40 REM PUT CODE INTO MEMORY 50 FOR J=0 TO 16 60 READ N 70 POKE MLOC+J,N 80 NEXT J
90 REM CALL IT WHEN EVER I WANT IT 100 CALL MLOC 110 END
120 DATA 14,9,17,9,192,205,5,0,201 130 DATA 72,69,76,76,79,10,13,36
backs, since the code you need to use will probably have its origin fixed. Z-80 freaks hold your horses! I know you have relative jumps, but you don't have any relative Calls and any useful subroutine will contain Calls and so cannot be considered relocatable
unless it contains some very clever
stack manipulations. The link between MBasic and
machine code is via one of the two
statements USR and Call. The former exists in MBasic 5 only to achieve compatibility with earlier versions. Use of Call is much
better, and it is this technique that is covered here. Call provides the
ability to use a machine -code subroutine, and in addition allows a
number of parameters to be passed
to the subroutine and also to
collect the returned values.
As an example of Calling a machine -code program without parameter passing, let us write a
routine to print "Hello" - a
common introduction to many computing techniques. The procedure to print a string under CP/ M is to write code that Calls
the BDOS function number 9. A 9
must be placed in the C register, and the DE register pair must contain the address of the message
to be printed. This message must
terminate with a $ sign.
MBasic protects itself by saving all registers before responding to
your Call, but if parameters are
passed then the registers are
required and you may have to save
FIGURE 2.
Hex OE 09 11 09 CO CD 05 00 C9 48 45 4C 4C 4F OA OC 24
Decimal
14 09 17 09 192 205 05 00
201
72 69 76 76 79 10 13 36
FIGURE 1.
MVI C,9
LXI D,MESS
CALL 5
RET
MESS:
DB 'HELL0',10,13,'$'
MESS:
LD C,9 LD DE,MESS CALL 5 RET DEFM 'HELLO' DEFB 10,13,36
;BDOS function 9 ;address locator ;call cpm ;return to MBASIC ;the message + CRLF & $
them in a local area or on the stack.
It is unlikely that you will need to
allocate a separate stack area since MBasic's is quite big enough. The source code is shown in figure 1.
The source code must be assem-
bled to determine the object code.
We also have to decide how MBasic is to place this code in memory at the location allocated. The process
of assembly may use ASM or ZASM, etc., or it may be done manually by looking up the hex
codes and calculating the decimal equivalents using an origin of C000. The manual method is just as quick for small routines and gives the results shown in figure 2.
Placing these values in Basic
Data statements gives listing 1, our first program with a machine -code subroutine.
The next step is to write a
program that passes a value to be processed by the subroutine. At this point it is important to realise
the difference between the types of variable that MBasic uses, and the
way in which they are stored. There are four types of variable:
integer variables, such as A%, use
two bytes; single -precision vari-
ables, such as A or A!, use four bytes; double -precision variables, such as A # , use eight bytes; and string variables, such as A$, use up to 255 bytes. Integer variables are stored low byte then high byte in the same way that machine code deals with 16 -bit values. This means that providing the value you want to process lies in the range - 32,768 to 32,767 then you should always use integers as par-
ameters to be passed. Single -precision variables use a
three -byte mantissa and a one -byte exponent, while double -precision values have a seven -byte mantissa plus one -byte exponent. The
format is similar to the normal
representation. String variables are as long as you make them, subject to the 255 -character maximum,
but there is a three -byte overhead which gives the length of the string and the address where it is stored.
The next example, which passes a parameter to the subroutine, is again chosen for its simplicity. It passes a value of A% , where A % is less than 128, and doubles it. This restriction ensures that the result can be contained in a single byte. The MBasic part of the program is simply to clear space as before, Input the value of A%, Call the subroutine, and print out the new value of A%. The Call is simply
written as
CALL M LOCI A%)
but the hurdle we now have to overcome is how to locate where
A% is stored in memory so that we
can double it.
Having Called the machine code
102
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
MBASIC
the HL register pair contains the
address of the location where
MBasic is storing the value of A %
FIGURE 3.
INTEL
ZILOG
HL does not contain the value of A % . We must now pick up the value from the address pointed to
by HL. This will give the low byte
of A% - which is all that is needed since A % is small -
doubles it and replaces it where it
came from. The necessary code is shown in table 1. The calling program might be as shown in listing 2.
If the subroutine needs HL,
then the present contents must be
stored for later. The code in figure 3 does much the same as before but deals with larger numbers, as
ORG OCHOOH
SHLD KEEP
MOV E,M
INX H
MOV D,M
LXI H,0
DAD D
DAD D
XCHG
LHLD KEEP
MOV M,E
INX H
MOV D,M
RET
KEEP:DS 2
KEEP:
ORG OCO0OH LD (KEEP),HL LD E,(HL) INC HL LD D,(HL) LD H,0 ADD HL,DE ADD HL,DE EX HL,DE LD HL,(KEEP) LD (HL)DE INC HL LD (HL)DD RET DEFS 2
;origin of free space ;;sxafveer vpaor itnoterDE
;zero HL ;add DE to HL ;twice ;xfer result to DE ;restore pointer ;replace var in memory
both bytes of the integer are con
sidered in the doubling code. If LISTING Al.
you use Zilog code then the C000
ORG OCOOOH
routine may be simplified by using some of the Zilog-only instructions.
The calling program is much the
same as before but uses the follow-
ing Data lines. Change the limit of
the For statement in line 50 to 20:
1000 DATA 34,19,192,94,35,86, 33,0,0,25,25 1010 DATA 235,42,19,192,115, 35,114,201,0,0
Another example of passing a
C000 46 C001 23 C002 5E C003 23 C004 56 C005 lA C006 EE20 C008 12 C009 13 CODA 05 COOB C205C0 C00E C9
MOV B,M INX H MOV E,M INX H MOV D,M MORE:LDAX D XRI 20H STAX D INX D DCR B JNZ MORE RET
;xfer length to B ;xfer str addr to DE
;get char from string ;modify the ASCII pattern ;put it back ;bump pointer ;decrement count ;done 7
single parameter is given in the
following very useful program. It is
FIGURE 4.
gram will pass a string of upper case letters and the subroutine will
used to change the currently INTEL
ZILOG
change the string into lower case
logged disc drive from within MBasic without going down to
operating -system level. CP/ M
function number 14 is used by simply using the machine code
MOV E,M MVI C,14 CALL 5
RET
LD E,(HL) LD C,14 CALL 5
RET
;get passed var ;BDOS fn 14 ;go set drive ;return to MBASIC
The program also works for the opposite conversion.
The technique relies upon the similarity of the ASCII codes used for the upper- and lower-case
shown in figure 4. Since this code change the least -significant nybble the four- or eight -byte representa- letters. XOring the pattern for A
is totally relocatable it can be of location 4, where CP/ M keeps a tion of the variable. Handling of with 20hex gives the pattern for a,
placed anywhere in RAM. The note of the currently logged drive, these bytes by your subroutine will and vice versa. The subroutine in
MBasic program given in listing 3 if you want to return to the newly be much more complicated than 8080 code is shown in listing 4,
Peeks CP / M to determine its size selected drive after a System using two -byte integer values.
and the calling program is shown
and places the subroutine at the command.
String variables are handled in listing 5.
top of RAM, having Cleared a When passing single- and similarly, but this time HL If more than one variable is to be
space for it. This calling activity double -precision variables you contains the address where you processed then the Call takes the
only changes the logged disc drive should proceed as before. But be find the three -byte descriptor for form
temporarily, until MBasic is careful, since the address passed in the actual string. The first byte CALL(varl , var2
varN)
exited. It is also necessary to HL is the address of where to find pointed to is the string length, and and, having Called, the register
TABLE 1.
the next two are the string address. contents are as follows: HL the
As an example, the calling pro-
(continued on next page)
Intel
Zilog
Hex
Dec
MOV M,L
LD (HL),L
7E
126
ADD A
ADD A,A
87
135
MOV L,M
LD L,(HL)
77
119
RET
RET
C9
201
LISTING 2.
10 REM MAKE AN AREA FOR THE CODE 20 CLEAR,&HC000 30 MLOC=EMC000
LISTING 3.
100 110
*************** ************ ******* *********** *
*************
XDISK
***************
120
130 ' 140 'Program to change logged disk drive from MBASIC
150 ' 160 'PROGRAM BY D F DAWE
170 'CORNWALL MICROELECTRONICS CENTRE
180 '
190 CLEAR ,PEEK(7)*256+PEEK(6)-10
40 REM PUT CODE INTO MEMORY 50 FOR J=0 TO 3 60 READ N 70 POKE MLOC+J,N
200 INPUT "WHICH DRIVE IS REQUIRED 210 DIS=ASC(DRIVE$)-65 220 IF D%=0 OR D%=1 THEN 240 ELSE 200 230 RESET 240 POKE 4,(PEEK(4) AND &HF0)+D%
" DRIVE$
80 NEXT J
250 DEST=PEEK(7)*256+PEEK(6)-10
260 FOR J=0 TO 6
90 INPUT "WHAT VALUE TO DOUBLE";A%
270 READ N 280 POKE DEST+J,N
100 REM CALL IT WHEN I WANT IT 110 CALL MLOC(Ait) 120 PRINT "THE DOUBLED VALUE IS ";A% 130 END 140 DATA 126,135,119,201
290 NEXT J 300 CALL DEST(D%) 310 CLEAR,PEEK(7)*256+PEEK(6)-2 320 END 330 DATA 94,14,14,195,5,0,201
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
103
MBASIC
LISTING 5.
10 REM MAKE AN AREA FOR THE CODE 20 CLEAR,E.HC000 30 MLOC=E.HC000 40 REM PUT CODE INTO MEMORY 50 FOR J=0 TO 14 60 READ N 70 POKE MLOC+J,N 80 NEXT J 90 INPUT "WHAT IS YOUR STRING";A$ 100 REM CALL IT WHEN I WANT IT 110 CALL MLOC(A$) 120 PRINT A$ 130 END 1000 DATA 70,35,94,35,86,26,238,32,18,19 1010 DATA 5,194,5,192,201
LISTING 6.
MORE:
ORG OCOOOH NUM EQU 8 SHLD API XCHG SHLD AP2 MVI A,NUM-2 LXI D,AP3 MOV H,B MOV L,C MOV C,M INX H MOV B, M INX H XCHG MOV M,C INX H MOV M, B INX H XCHG DCR JNZ MORE
;total number of vars ;save addr of varl ;xchg DE with HL ;save addr of var2 ;count of remainder ;addr of local store ;xfer table addr to BC
;point HL to local store ;save addr of var locally
;restore table pointer ;decrement count ;done 7
< < your subroutine fits in here >>
RET API DS 2
AP2 DS 2 AP3 DS (NUM-2)*2
;store for addr of varl ;store for addr of var2 ;store for var 3-8
LISTING 7.
ORG
OCOOOH
;FIRST STORE PASSED PARAMETERS...HL & DE IN USE
PUSH HL
PUSH
DE
;NOW MULT FN NUMBER IN A BY 2
LD
A,(HL)
;get function number
CP
4
;valid functions are 0 to 3
JR
NC, ERROR
;invalid so return
ADD
A,A
;double it
LD
C,A
;and put in creg
LD
B4O
;zero breg
LD
HL, TABLE
;get table addr
ADD
HL, BC
;and offset to reqd jump
;HL NOW POINTS TO REQUIRED JUMP TABLE ENTRY
JP
(HL)
;go there
ERROR: POP
DE
POP
HL
RET
;restore stack & return to basic ;and return to MBASIC
TABLE: JR
FNO
JR
FN1
JR
FN2
JR
FN3
;FUNCTION 0 TO TRANSLATE TO LOWER CASE
FNO:
POP
DE
;restore parms
POP
HL
CALL COLLECT
;reposition parms
MOREO: LD
A,(HL)
;get character
CALL
FIXO
INC
HL
;;LMp iMemory pointer
DEC
B
;decrement char count
JR
NZ,MOREO
;more 7
RET
;done
FIXO: CP
'Z'+1
;is it above letter 'Z' 7
RET
NC
;skip it
CP
'A'
;is it below letter
7
RET
C
;skip it
ADD
A,20H
;upper case bias
LD
(HL),A
;replace
RET
;FUNCTION 1 TO TRANSLATE TO UPPER CASE
FN1:
POP
DE
;restore addrs
POP
HL
CALL COLLECT
;reposition addrs
MORE': LD
A,(HL)
;get character
CALL FIX1
;fix it
INC
HL
;bump memory pointer
DEC
B
;decrement count
continued from previous page)
address of varl; DE, the address of
var2; and BC the address of an area of memory where MBasic is storing
a table of two -byte addresses which
indicate where the remaining
variables may be found. When dealing with string variables the contents of HL, DE or the table address, as appropriate, will give the string descriptor location.
Your subroutine must know
exactly the type and number of the
variables to be passed. Having Called the subroutine we are
immediately faced with the problem of unloading the registers of the vital information that they contain before we can use them ourselves. Thus we must set up a local storage area to accept them or use the stack. For a total of eight variables we might proceed using a local storage area, as in listing 6.
Listing 7 is a working example,
coded in Z-80 mnemonics, of passing two variables. It uses the
stack for noting the contents of DE and HL. The subroutine call takes
the form
CALL MLOC(F%,A$)
where A$ is a string which is to be processed and F% controls what is
to be done with it. Only alphabetic
LISTING 8.
100 CLEAR,&HC000 110 MLOC=&HC000 120 PRINT "DEMONSTRATION OF PARAMETER PASSING" 130 FOR J=0 TO 128 140 READ N 150 POKE MLOC+J,N 160 NEXT J 170 INPUT "Message required";A$ 180 FOR F%=0 TO 3 190 CALL MLOC(F%,A$) 200 PRINT A$ 210 NEXT F% 220 END 230 DATA 229,213,126 ,254,4,48,9,135,79,6 240 DATA 0,33,19,192 ,9,233,209,225,201,24 250 DATA 6,24,28,24, 50,24,69,209,225,205 260 DATA 121,192,126 ,205,41,192,35,5,32,248 270 DATA 201,254,91, 208,254,65,216,198,32,119 280 DATA 201,209,225 ,205,121,192,126,205,65,192 290 DATA 35,5,32,248 ,201,254,123,208,254,97 300 DATA 216,214,32, 119,201,209,225,205,121,192 310 DATA 126,205,65, 192,35,5,200,126,205,41 320 DATA 192,35,5,32 ,248,201,209,225,205,121 330 DATA 192,126,205 ,65,192,35,5,200,126,205 340 DATA 41,192,35,5 ,200,254,32,40,238,24 350 DATA 243,235,70, 35,94,35,86,235,201,129
104
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
MBASIC
LISTING 10.
JR
NZ,MORE1
;more ?
10 PRINT " DEMOSTRATION OF MACHINE CODE CALL"
RET
;done
20 PRINT
FIX1: CP
RET CP RET SUB
'z'+1 NC 'a'
20H
;is it above letter 'z' 7
;skip it ;is it below letter 'a' ? ;skip.it ;subtract bias
30 PRINT "Each time you hit a key I will" 40 PRINT "print a message using a m/c subroutine" 50 PRINT "Hit ESC to finish"
60 PRINT:PRINT 70 X$=INPUT$(1)
LD
(HL),A
;replace
80 IF X$=CHR$(27) THEN END
RET
90 CALL CODE
;FUNCTION 1 TRANSLATE FIRST CHAR TO UC & REMAINDER TO LC
100 GOTO 70
FN2:
POP
DE
;restore stack
POP CALL
HL COLLECT
LISTING 11.
LD CALL
A,(HL) FIX1
;first char ;force upper case
PUBLIC CODE
MORE2:
INC
DEC RET LD CALL
HL B
Z
A,(HL) FIXO
;bump memory pointer ;decrement count ;done 7 ;get next char ;force remaining chars to lc
BDOS
EQU
PRSTR EQU
CODE: MVI
LXI
5
9
C,PRSTR D,MESS
INC
HL
;bump memory pointer
CALL
BDOS
DEC
B
;decrement count
RET
JR
NZ,MORE2
RET
;more chars 7 ;done
MESS: DB DB
'This message was printed',10,13 'by a machine code subroutine',10,13
;FUNCTION 3 FIRST LETTER OF ALL WORDS UC REST LC
DB
'of a MBASIC program',10,13,'$'
FN3:
POP
DE
;restore stack
END
POP
HL
CALL
COLLECT
;reposition addrs
LOOP:
LD CALL INC DEC
A,(HL) FIX1 HL
;first char ;fix it ;bump memory pointer ;decrement count
This figure is helpful since it gives part of the program as before, but the looping total for Poking the this need now only contain the data into memory. The looping Call statement. Since there are no
MORE3:
RET LD CALL INC
A,(HL) FIXO HL
;done ? ;get next char ;fix it ;bump memory pointer
figure should be one less than the Data, Pokes or even an address of last item in the Data. The .Dat file the machine code, the interpreted may be loaded or even merged as version will not run as before.
DEC
RET
CP
JR
Z,LOOP
;decrement count ;done ? ;was last char a space ? ;yes ..so treat next as first
required, since it is an ASCII - Secondly, write the subroutine. format file. I have been using this This should have a label which is program for some time, and so far referenced by the Call in the
JR
MORE3
;no ...treat for lc
it seems to cope with all I have MBasic statement, and is defined
;SUBROUTINE TO COLLECT PARMS AS REQD
COLLECT:EX
DE,HL
;swop de & hl
LD
B, (11W
;put length in b
INC
HL
demanded of it.
as a Public or Global variable. Use
If you have Bascom, the Micro- Bascom to compile the MBasic part
soft Compiler, then any programs and presumably M-80, as this is
LD
EE(HL)
INC
HL
LD
D,(HL)
;low byte of string address ;high byte of string address
saved in ASCII can be compiled part of the compiler package, to
directly using the sequence:
assemble the machine -code part
EX
DE,HL
RET
;swop back again ;done
A> BASCOM= PROGNAME
and then linked with
without an origin. Note that M-80
assumes a .Mac extension. Finally, link the two together.
characters are affected by this. If F% is set to 0 then all trans-
lation is to lower case. If F% is set
to 1 then all translation is to upper
case. If F% is set to 2 then only the first character is translated to upper case; the rest will be lower case. If
F% is set to 3 then the first character of each word is translated to upper case; the rest will be lower case. This is an excellent example since it shows how much faster
and then assemble it to produce
the Intel standard .Hex file using
ASM or ZASM /Link, etc. Having
obtained the .Hex file I simply run the program shown in listing 9,
which reads the .Hex file and writes a .Dat file which contains
the MBasic Data lines as required.
The lines start from any line number and increment by 10.
They have 10 items of data on each line. In addition, a final value is
A> L80 PROGNAME/N,
PROGNAME/E
This is the standard use of the
compiler. Watch out for the common pitfalls of using some form of coding that is acceptable for interpreted Basic but which is not supported by Bascom.
The more professional approach
is to write your subroutine and MBasic program separately and combine them at link time. This
The linker will decide where to place the subroutine in memory
and arrange for the MBasic part to find it correctly, which is why you
must not specify the absolute
address of the subroutine in your
program.
The MBasic in listing 10 makes a
simple Call to a subroutine that prints a message. This program I have called MBDemo.Bas and saved it in ASCII format using
strings can be processed by added to the data which gives the avoids all the awful Poking and
SAVE"MBDEMO",A
machine code, rather than by total number of items preceding it. Data statements. Write the MBasic
(continued on next page
using MBasic's string -handling functions.
The demonstration Calling program is shown in listing 8. If you need to pass a number of values which are in the range 0 to 255, it might be easier to Poke them into the free memory area directly and let your subroutine take them up from there. You may even place results back into such locations and
LISTING 9.
10 PRINT . *******************.
20 30
PRINT PRINT
"*u********H**E*X**2*D*A*T************".
40 PRINT
50 PRINT "Program to convert a .HEX file into"
60 PRINT "a .DAT file which may be merged intoa MBASIC program" 70 PRINT "ready for POKEing into memoryas a M/C subroutine."
80 PRINT
90 PRINT "THE LAST ITEM IN THE DATA IS THE NUMBER OF PRECEDING BYTES"
100 PRINT
on returning to MBasic pick them 110 INPUT"STATE FILENAME TO CONVERT";N$
up again by Peeking them.
120 DIM B%(500)
On a practical note, the biggest 130 OPEN "I",#1,N$+".HEX"
problem you will face in using the ideas presented in this article is converting the machine code into
the MBasic Data statements. The method I use is to write the source code using any standard editor,
140 LINE INPUT #1,A$
150 GOSUB 440:FB=NB
160 CLOSE
170 OPEN "1",#1,N$+".HEX"
180 WHILE NOT EOF(1)
190
LINE INPUT #1,A$
(listing continued on page 106)
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
105
MBASIC
(continued from previous page)
Having returned to CP / M using
the System command you can now
invoke the compiler to produce a
.Rel file from the MBasic source
code with
A > BASCOM =MBDEMO
The machine -code routine I
have called MCDemo.Mac simply
prints the message. Note the
Public declaration of the label
Code, which will be searched for
during link time. This subroutine,
shown in listing 11, must now be
assembled using M-80 to produce
another .Rel file. To do this
A > M80= MCDEMO
You must now use the L-80
linker to link together the .Rel files
which were obtained from the
MBasic program and the sub-
routine. You must also specify that
the library file Baslib is to satisfy
any references to code required by
the linker. The command line
A > L80= MBDEMO, MCDEMO/S,
BASLIB/S, DEMO/N/E
does this and also outputs the
resulting code to a file called
Demo.Com. This is the alternative
compile and link procedure,
invoking Obslib. The switches
used in the link command are as
follows: /S means search this file
for undefined globals; /N means
this is the name of the file to be
saved; and /E means exit L-80 and
return to CP/ M.
PC
LISTING 9.
(listing continued from page 105)
200
GOSUB 440
210
IF NB=FB+I THEN 250
220
FOR K=1 TO NB- ( FB+ I )
230
I=I+1:13$ (I )=0
240
NEXT K
250
FOR J=10 TO LEN(A$)-2 STEP 2
260
X$=MID$(A$,J,1):GOSUB 500:L=Z
270
X$=MIB$(A$,J+1,1):GOSUB 500:R=Z
280
I=I+1:B%(I)=L*16+R
290
NEXT J
300 WEND
310 INPUT "STATE NUMBER OF FIRST DATA LINE"; LN
320 N= I
330 OPEN "0" ,#2,N$+" .DAT"
340 I=0
350 PRINT #2 ,LN; "DATA ";360
FOR J=1 TO 10
370
I=I+1
380
IF
J
<
>10
THEN
PRINT
#2,
RIGHT$
(STR$
(B%
(1
)
),
LEN(
STR$
(B%
(1
)
)
)-1
)
" ;
1
390
IF J= 10 THEN PRINT #2,RIGHTS(STR$(BUI)),LEN(STR$(WI)))-1)
400
IF I=N THEN 540
410 NEXT J
420 LN=LN+10
440 REM Find address for the bytes in A$
450 NB=0
460 FOR J=4 TO 7
470
X$=MID$(A$,J,1):GOSUB 800:NB=NB+Z*16"(7-J)
480 NEXT J
490 RETURN 500 REM CONVERSION SUBROUTINE
510 IF ASC(X$)>64 THEN Z=ASC(X$)-55 520 IF ASC(X$)<64 THEN Z=VAL(X$)
530 RETURN
540 PRINT #2, RIGHTS (STR$ ( I ) , LEN( STR$ (1 ) )-1)
550 CLOSE 560 END
Unicorn 1
Business 6ystem. (7,
:.)
DWP-1120
£299
NOW REDUCED TO:
£225 Daisy Wheel Printer
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COMPUTERS
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£ 900 £1385 £1525 £ 590 £ 675
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0283 212442/0530 412333
Ob
Circle No. 162
Printing speed: 20CPS
13" paper capacity
96 -character printwheel Spacings: 10 -12 -15 -PS Printwheel & ribbon: Qume compatible
curzon systems td.
38 STANLEY AVENUE
U ST ALBANS HERTS AL2 3AZ
0727 50674
Circle No. 163
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
PLEASE NOTE OUR NEW ADDRESS VISIT OUR NEW SHOW ROOM
micronix
mg computers Ltd
MICRONIX ESB-1 32 BIT MULTIUSER COMPUTER
NOW AVAILABLE ESB-MATE
EXPANSION BOARD
THE ERICSSON PC
INCREDIBLE OFFER - COMPARE OUR PRICES BEFORE YOU BUY
ELSEWHERE
FREE 640K RAM UPGRADE WITH ANY ERICSSON SYSTEM
20MB, 1 DRIVE, MONO, 640K RAM SYSTEM
ONLY E2200 + VAT
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ONLY £2500 + VAT
640K RAM,
FULL
upgrades ESB-1 to 4 user! 512K RAM, 2 serial ports, parallel port SASI Hard Disk interface, clock/calendar
£399 + VAT
MONO TWO DRIVE
SYSTEM
12 MONTH
ON -SITE WARRANTY
* 68008 8 MHz CPU * 128 RAM (expandable to 256K) * Up to 64K EPROM 1Floppy disk controller for 51/4", 3", 31/2" drives *2 RS232 serial ports * Mounts directly on 53/4" drive * 2 x 8 bit parallel ports * Full debug monitor with single line assembler and disk loader * Expansion bus * Power requirement: +5V/1.5A, +12V/100mA, -12V/100mA. Available as a Bareboard with Monitor ROM and IFL Chip Set £199 + VAT =
£228.85 or completely assembled £499 + VAT = £573.85 128K Expansion
Board (recommended for 0S9/68000) £199 +VAT= £228.85 - 0S9/68000 real time, multitasking, multiuser Operating System (similar to UNIX) £300+ VAT= £345 C Compiler, BASIC 09, PASCAL and FORTRAN available. ESB-MATE with 512K RAM, 2 serial, parallel, clock £399 + VAT
IBM PC/XT COMPATIBLE SYSTEMS
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640K RAM, TWIN 360K DRIVES, COLOURIMONO CARD, 83 KEY KEYBOARD with green monitor with 14 inch hi-res colour monitor 640K RAM, SINGLE FLOPPY, 20MB HARD DISK, 83 KEY KEYBOARD with green monitor with 14 inch hi-res colour monitor
f 1300+ VAT f1600+ VAT
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The following boards and peripherals are available to build a system of your choice:
1. IBM PCIXT compatible motherboard (same as MEGABOARD)
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E135 +VAT= f 155.25 £140+VAT=E161.00 £160+VAT=f184.00
8. Metal system Box -flip top cover
E100 +VAT =E115.00
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CARRIAGE: system f20, system box £15, kbldrivelPSUlboard f5
ADD-ONS FOR IBM PC/COMPATIBLES
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KAGA 810 80 column, 160 CPS/27 CPS NLQ QUEN DATA daisy wheel 18 CPS FUJITSU DPMG 91 IBM compatible
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£240 +VAT= £276 E260 + VAT = £299.00
£360 +VAT -£414
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DRIVES FOR APPLE 11,11e,11c &
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5.25" SSDD 48 TPI, single sided (10) 51" DSDD 48 TPI, double sided (10) 51" DSQD 96 TPI double sided 110) 51" high density 77 track for IBM AT (10) 3.5" single sided (10) 3.5" double sided (10)
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E39+ VAT= £44.85 £49+ VAT= £56.35
METAL ENCLOSURES FOR SYSTEMS & DRIVES
Single drive box
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" Visit our brand new Showroom - off-street parking, nearest tube Kilburn
(Jubilee Line) OPEN MON-FRI: 9.30am - 5.30pm
micronix
computers Ltd
1 Grangeway, Kilburn, London NW6 2BW Tel: 01-625 0295/9 (5 lines) Telex: 295173 MICROX G
Circle No. 164
N NIGH ROAD
1o7
BBC
BY NICHOLAS McCUTCHEON
ROM DISC
GAVIN CRADLE has submitted a
program that enables paged ROMs to be transferred on to disc so that they can be loaded into and run
from sideways RAM. The program operation can be
divided into five main actions.
First list all the paged ROMs in the
machine. Then you enter the number of the ROM to be saved,
activate the selected paged ROM, and copy the ROM from &8000 to
RAM at &3000. Finally you save 16K of RAM, starting at &3000.
The file name used for saving the ROM is its title. If the ROM's
title is more than seven characters long the first seven characters are used. Any spaces embedded in the name are replaced with a - character, so Disc Doctor becomes Discdo-. All ROMs are saved under the R. directory.
The program is written in Basic
1, and because line 270 sets P% to
&1900 the program should be typed in, then saved. It can then
be reloaded with Page set to &3000
to Run. This utility is most useful for
looking at any of the paged ROMs other than the DFS as the OS does not allow access to other ROMs while one is being executed. The object code can be saved and *Run
later to save another ROM for inspection and/or running in
sideways RAM.
ROM DISC
10 REM M/C routine to copy a spe
cified paged rom down
20 REM from &8000 to &3000 then
save it onto disc.
30 REM 40 REM Written by : Gavin J. Cra
dle. 50 REM Started
: 8th February
'85
60 REM Finished : 13th Februar
y '85
70 REM BASIC 1 version.
80
90 MODE7:VDU23;8202;0;0;0;:PRINT
"Assembling in progress."
100 oswrch=&FFEE
110 osrdch=&FFE0
120 osnewl=&FFE7
130 osbyte=&FFF4
140 oscli=&FFF7
150 osword=&FFF1
160 roml=&70
170 romh=&71
180 current=&72
190 romno=&73
200 froml=&74
210 fromh=&75
220 tol=&76
230 toh=&77
240 svl=&78
250 svh=&79
260
270 FOR pass=0 TO 1
280 P%=&1900
290 C
300 OPT pass*2
310 .romdisc
320
JSR init
\Initialisation section.
330
JSR proms
\List all paged roms.
340
JSR selrom
\Select the rom.
350
JSR move
\Move the rom.
360
JSR save
\Save the rom.
370
LDX #0
380 .pf 390
LDA fini,X
400
BEQ opf
410
JSR oswrch
420
INX
430
JMP pf
\Inform the user that the
440 .opf
\rom has been saved onto
450
JSR osrdch
\disc and ask whether any
460
CMP #78
\more are to be moved.
470
BEQ exit
480
CMP #89
490
BEQ romdisc
500
JMP pf
510 .exit
520
LDA #0
\Switch the escape key
530
STA &258
\back on.
540
LDA #26
550
JSR oswrch
560
LDA #12
570
JSR oswrch
580
JSR osnewl
\Clear the screen and
590
RTS
\return to BASIC.
600 .init
610
LDA #1
\Switch the escape key
620
STA &258
\off.
630
LDA #0
640
STA froml
650
STA tol
660
LDA #&80
\State where the rom is
670
STA fromh
\to be moved from and
680
LDA #&30
\where it is to be moved
690
STA toh
\to.
700
LDA #&7C
710
STA &7
\Set HIMEM to its correct
720
LDA #0
\value for MODE 7.
730
STA &6
740
LDX #0
750 .p1
760
LDA title,X
770
BEQ op1
\Print out the title
780
JSR oswrch
\screen for the utility.
790
INX
800
JMP p1
810 .0p1
820
JSR osnewl
830
LDA #28
840
JSR oswrch
850
LDA #0
860
JSR oswrch
870
LDA #23
880
JSR oswrch
\Set up a text window
890
LDA #39
\that will leave the top
900
JSR oswrch
\four lines of the screen
910
LDA #4
\displayed. 920
JSR oswrch
930
LDA #170
940
LDX #0
950
LDY #255
\Find out the high & low
960
JSR osbyte
\bytes of a table holding
970
STX roml
\details of the types of
980
STY romh
\roms in the machine.
990
LDA &F4
\Save the number of the
1000
STA current
\currently selected rom.
1010
RTS
1020 .proms
1030
LDX #0
1040 .p2
1050
LDA roms,X
1060
BEQ op2
1070
JSR oswrch
1080
INX
1090
JMP p2
1100 .op2
1110
JSR osnewL
1120
LDY #15
1130 .list
1140
STY &FE30
\Patch in a rom.
1150
STY &F4
1160
LDA (roml),Y
\Is there a rom in this
1170
BEQ nsock
\socket?
1180
LDX #9
1190
LDA #32
1200 .p3
1210
JSR oswrch
1220
DEX
1230
BNE p3
1240
TYA
1250
CMP #10
1260
BMI less
1270
LDA #49
\Print out the rom
1280
JSR oswrch
\number.
1290
TYA
1300
CLC
1310
ADC #38
1320
JSR oswrch
1330
JMP ptitle
1340 .less
1350
LDA #32
1360
JSR oswrch
1370
TYA
1380
CLC
1390
ADC #48
1400
JSR oswrch
1410 .ptitle
1420
LDX #15
1430
LDA #32
1440 .pspaces
1450
JSR oswrch
1460
DEX
1470
BNE pspaces
1480
TYA
1490
PHA
1500
LDY #0
1510 .pit
1520
LDA &8009,Y
\Print out the title
1530
BEQ opit
\of the paged rom.
1540
JSR oswrch
1550
INY
1560
CPY #7
1570
BNE pit
1580 .opit
1590
JSR osnewl
(continued on page 110)
108
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
Epson's new '15 -seconds -to -draftan- A4- page'
printer at 200 cps.
rtrerrimmgasmaltammt,t4
-4-41:4fi&
BBC
ROM DISC
(continued from page 108)
1600
PLA
1610
TAY
1620 .nsock
1630 1640
DEY CPY #0
1650 1660
BPL list LDA current
\Patch the rom in use
1670
STA &FE30
\before this routine
1680
STA &F4
\was called.
1690
RTS
1700 .selrom
1710 1720 1730 .p4
JSR osnewl LDX #0
1740 1750 1760 1770
LDA selprt,X BEQ op4 JSR oswrch INX
1780 1790 .0p4
JMP p4
1800
LDA #0
1810 1820
STA romno STA &80
1830 1840
STA &81 STA &82
1850 1860
LDX #block MOD 256 LDY #block DIV 256
1870 1880
JSR osword LDA &80
\Work out what the
1890
CMP #13
\number is of the rom
1900
BEQ error
\that is to be copied
1910
LDA &81
\onto disc. 1920 1930 1940 1950
CMP #13 BEQ lessten LDY &80 CPY #50
1960 1970
BCS error LDY &80
1980
CPY #48
1990
BEQ switch
2000
LDA #10
2010
STA romno
2020 2030 2040
LDA &81 SEC SBC #48
2050 2060
CLC ADC romno
2070
STA romno
2080
JMP check
2090 .switch 2100 2110
LDA &81 STA 880
2120 .lessten 2130 2140 2150 2160 2170 .check
LDA &80
SEC SBC #48 STA romno
2180
LDY romno
2190 2200 2210
CPY #16 BCS error LDY romno
\Ensure that there is
2220
LDA (roml),Y
\actually a rom in
2230
BEQ error
\this socket.
2240
RTS
2250 .error
2260
LDA #7
2270 2280
JSR oswrch LDA #12
\Errors cause the routine
2290
JSR oswrch
\to clear the screen,
2300
JSR proms
\print out the rom titles
2310
JMP selrom
\& ask you to reselect.
2320 .move
2330
LDA romno
2340
STA &FE30
235"
STA &F4
2360
LDX #840
2370
LDY #0
2380 .downl
2390
LDA (froml),Y
2400
STA (tol),Y
\Move the specified
2410
INY
\paged rom down from
2420
BNE downl
\&8000 to 83000.
2430
INC fromh
2440
INC toh
2450
DEX
2 460
BNE downl
2 470
LDA current
2480
STA &FE30
2490
STA &F4
2500
RTS
2510 .save
2520
LDX #sblock MOD 256
2530 2540
LDY #sblock DIV 256 STX svl
2550
STY svh
2560
INC svl
2570
INC svl
2580
INC svl
2590
INC svl
2600 2610
LDA romno STA &FE30
\Save the specified
2620
STA &F4
\paged rom in the R
2630
LDY #0
\directory on the
2640 .name
\disc using the roms
2650
LDA &8009,Y
\name as the filename.
2660
BEQ ename
2670
CMP #32
2680
BEQ cspace
2690 .notspc
2700
STA (svl),Y
2710
INY
2720
CPY #7
2730
BNE name
2740 .ename
2750
LDA current
2760
STA &FE30
2770
STA 8F4
2780 2790 2800
LDX #sblock MOD 256 LDY #sblock DIV 256 JSR oscli
2810
LDA #32
2820
LDY #7
2830 .cname
2840
STA (svl),Y
2850
DEY
2860
BNE cname
2870
RTS
2880 .cspace
2890
LDA #ASC"-"
2900
JMP notspc
2910 .title
2920
2930 2940
!P%=&20200716 PV4=828839D84
2950
PV8.847202943
2960
PV12=86E697661
2970
PV16=8202E4A20
2980
PV20=864617243
2990
PV247.8202E656C
3000
S(P%+28)=" 10/2/85. "
+CHR$156
3010
PV40=88D0D0A0A
3020
PV44=820202020
3030
P%!48=820202020
3040
S(P%+52)=" ROM to disc
utility."
3050
PV72=8,208DODOA
3060
PV76.820202020
3070
PV80=820202020
3080
$(P%+84)="ROM to disc
utility."+CHRSO
3090
P%=P%+105
3100 C
3110 OPT pass*2
3120 .roms
3130 ]
3140
!PZ=112020200C
3150
S(P%+4)=" Rom number.
3160 3170
PV17=820202020 PV21=U0202020
3180 3190 3200 3210
$(P%+25)=" Rom title." PV36=420200A0D
PV40=85F202020 PV44=0F5F5F5F
3 220 3 230
PX!48=&5F5F5F5F PV52=&20205F5F
3 240
3250 3260
PV56=820202020 PV60=85F202020 PV64=15F5F5F5F
3 270
3280 3290 3300 3310
PV68=85F5F5F5F P%?72=85F PX?73=0 P%=n+74
3320 OPT pass*2
3330 .selprt
3340 3
3350
SPX="What no. rom do y
ou want to copy ?"+CHRSO
3360
PX=P%+35
3370 C 3380 OPT pass*2 3390 .block
3400 3 3410 3420 3430
!P%=830020080 P%?4=439 PX=P%+5
3 440 C
3450 OPT pass*2
3460 .sblock
3470 J
3480
SPZ="S.R.
6FFF 8000 8000"+CHRS13
3000
3490 3500 C
PX=P%+32
3510 OPT pass*2
3520 .fini
3530 3
3540
!P%=80A0A0A0C
3550
PV4.120202020
3560
P%'8=&20202020
3570
S(n+12)="ROM successf
ully copied."
3580
PV36=8.0A0A0A0D
3590
PV40=NA202020
3600
PX?44=&20
3610
P%?45=820
3620
S(P%+46)="Do you want
to copy any more ?"
3630
PV76=80A0A0A0D
3640
PX?80=&20
3650
PX?81=&20
3660
S(P%+82)=" Press 'Y' f
or yes and 'N' for no."+CHRSO
3670
P%=n+120
3680 NEXT pass
3690 PRINT:PRINT"Use *SAVE ROMDISC
1900 ";"1:1;" 1900 to savethe objec
t code."
3700 END
ki-rk
110
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
Epson's new
'widest -ever -spreadsheet':
ff
printer
APPLE
BY BILL HILL
ON RESET
GOTO
ON OLDER versions of the Apple
II + it was possible to accidentally press the Reset key instead of the Return key because of their proximity. Later versions of the
II + , and the He, solved this
problem by only allowing a Reset when the Ctrl and Reset keys are
pressed simultaneously. Sometimes it would be nice to disable
the Reset key so as to make a program idiot -proof. Jason Smith has sent in a routine to do just this.
When Reset is pressed, the Autostart ROM causes a branch to the address specified by the
contents of addresses 1010 ($3F2)
and 1011 ($3F3). The default
values stores at these locations after
DOS has been booted at power -up
are the DOS Restart address.
Decimal Addr. Contents
1010 191
1011 157
1012 56
Hex Addr. Contents
$3F2 $BF
$3F3 $9D $3F4 $38
The value stored at address $3F4 is the result of an EOr of the value
stored in $3F3 with the value $A5. If you put a different address in
these locations then you can force the Apple to jump to your own routine. The short machine -code routine starting at $300 in listing 1 will branch to a line number in a
Basic program each time Reset is
pressed.
Listing 2 is a Basic program that demonstrates how the machine -
code routine can be used. The Basic
program changes the Reset vectors to point to the machine -code at
$300. To define which line the
machine -code routine will jump to
when you press Reset, set the Basic
variable LI to the required line number and call the subroutine starting at line 200. Replace the Reset vectors with the original values when you have finished using the program.
LISTING 1.
ASSEMBLER
DRG $300
JSR $03EA
JSR $DAFB
LDA £$00
STA
$51
LDA £$00
STA $50
JSR $D941
JSR $D7D2
;Make sure DOS is connected ;Print a <CR> ;Hi -byte of BASIC line no. ;Store in Page Zero ;Lo -byte of BASIC.line no. ;Store in Page Zero ;Find line in BASIC program ;and start execution there
MACHINE CODE
0300: 20 EA 03 20 FB DA A9 00 0308: 85 51 A9 00 85 50 20 41 0310: D9 20 D2 D7
LISTING 2.
10 REM ON RESET GOTO DEMO
13 REM SET UP RESET VECTORS
15 POKE 1010,0: POKE 1011,3: POKE 1012,166
16
20 LI = 100: GOSUB 200 25 30 PRINT : PRINT "PRESS 'RESET',
OR ANY OTHER KEY TO END" 40 IF PEEK ( 16384) > 128 THEN
250 45 FOR J = 1 TO 100: NEXT J 50 GOTO 30 60 : 70 : 99 REM RESET WILL BRANCH TO LIN
E 100
100 PRINT : PRINT : INVERSE 110 PRINT "YOU PRESSED IT!!":
NORMAL 120 PRINT PRINT 130 GOTO 30 140 :
150 :
199 REM CHANGE LINE NUMBER 200 Z = INT (LI / 256): POKE 775
,Z
210 POKE 779, LI - Z * 256 220 RETURN 230 240 250 REM DEACTIVATE RESET VECTOR
S
260 POKE 1010,191 270 POKE 1011,157 280 POKE 1012556 290 END
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
1 12
Epson's new near -as -makes -no -
difference -to -
typewriter -quality' printer
i EPSON Lo-lsoo
IBM PC
BY JACK SCHOFIELD
LU DIR BYTE -SUM
LL JOHN PALMER of Maidenhead program finally returns you to the
z doesn't like the fact that Dir only system level. tells you how many bytes there are The variable parameter %1
0LU free on a disc, but not how many enables you to specify the files bytes your files add up to. He has required in normal syntax. For
therefore written a small Basic example, to list all the Basic files
program, Dir.Bas, to do this.
starting with Fred you would enter
To use it, you first type in the
BYTES FR E D????. BAS
four -line batch file listed here, and it would tell you the space
using the command
consumed.
COPY CON BYTES.BAT
The program works with both
and press F6 or Ctrl -Z to end.
floppy and hard discs, and could
Bytes.Bat creates a disc file, be enhanced by including, say,
Dir.Lst, which contains an image Tree in the batch file, then of the normal screen output. It modifying Dir.Bas to print a
then runs the Basic program summary of the bytes in each
Dir.Bas to list the specified files directory and sub -directory. For
and print the number of bytes of hard -disc users, that would be
disc space taken up. This Basic really useful.
DIR BYTE -SUM
BASIC PROGRAM
100 REM PROGRAM = DIR.BAS 110 REM 120 REM AS = INPUT RECORD CONTAINING D IR LINE 130 REM B = INSTR TARGET VARIABLE 140 REM C = FILE COUNTER 150 REM D = BYTE COUNTER 160 REM E = BYTE TOTAL COUNTER 170 REM 180 CLS:OPEN "DIR.LST" FOR INPUT AS al 190 WHILE NOT EOF(1) 200 INPUT al,A$ 210 B = INSTR(A$,"Volume");IF B <> 0 TH EN 270 220 B = INSTR(AS,"Directory"):IF B <> 0
THEN PRINT AS:PRINT:00TO 270 230 B = INSTR(A$,"bytes free"):IF B <> 0 THEN 270 240 B = INSTR(A$,"<DIR>"):IF B .0. 0 THE
KEY UTILITY
N PRINT AS:00TO 270 250 IF A$ = " " OR AS = "" THEN 270
10 REM TEST FOR SHIFTS, CONTROL, ALT, IN S AND LOCK KEYS 20 DEF SEG=64 30 CLS 40 LOCATE 8,11:PRINT "INS CPLK NMLK SCL
260 C = C + liD = VAL(MIDS(A$03,9))2E = E + DsPRINT At 270 WEND 280 PRINT:PRINT C "files found, totallin
K ALT CTRL LEFT RSHFT" 50 X=PEEK(23)
g" E "bytes.":PRINTICLOSEISYSTEM
60 LOCATE 10,10 70 FOR 1=7 TO 0 STEP -1 80 PRINT SGN(X AND 2.-1);SPC(2);
BATCH FILE ECHO OFF
90 NEXT I 100 GOTO 50
DIR 7.1 >DIR.LST BASICA DIR.BAS
ECHO ON
DOS PROMPT
PATH=C:\;DOS21UK KEYBUK WTDATIM ECHO OFF CLS PROMPT Jack St$h$h$h$h$h$h$_$n$g TYPE MENU.TXT
KEY UTILITY
ONE OF THE problems with the IBM
keyboard is that you can't tell
when any of the special keys have 'been pressed to set Insert, Caps Lock, Num Lock, Scroll Lock, Alt or Ctrl - or, indeed, the left and
Especially useful for people with
hard discs is $p, which makes the
prompt into the name of the
directory you are in at the time -
such as C: /SALES / MPLAN or
whatever. $p$g will include the
>. If you want to change the
right Shift keys. If you want to prompt, include a line in an Auto-
SYSTEM CHECK
10 REM System Features 20 GOSUB 1000 ' Check system 30 CLS 40 SCREEN 0,0,0 50 WIDTH 80 60 PRINT "This IBM PC has :" 70 PRINT 80 PRINT RAM;"k Memory" 90 PRINT DISKS;"Floppy disk drive(s)" 100 PRINT HDISKS;"Hard disk drive(s)" 110 PRINT RS232;"Serial port(s)" 120 PRINT PPORTS;"Parallel port(s)"
write a user-friendly program, this
is something you can take care of.
Mike Curtis points out that there is a simple way to tell by
Peeking location 23, and his Key
utility shows how it's done. If you
run the program, this shows 0 when each of these keys is not
pressed, and 1 when it is. It is also possible to force the
Control key on by
10 DEF SEG= 64 20 POKE 23,4
exec.Bat file so that this is done whenever the machine is restarted or turned on. An example is given
above left.
In this case the time, $t, is reduced to show only hours and minutes by the use of repeated
destructive backspaces, $h. .The underline character, $_, starts a new line, and then $n$g provides the standard prompt, such as C> . The result is a two-line prompt of the form
130 PRINT GA;"Games adapter(s)" 140 PRINT " ";MON$(CM);" monitor"
DOS PROMPT
Jack 15:17
C>
150 PRINT " is the current display" 160 END 1000 REM SYSTEM 1010 DEF SEG=64 1020 RAM=PEEK(19)+PEEK(20)#256 1030 DISKS=1+(PEEK(16) AND 192)/64 1040 HDISKS=PEEK(117) 1050 PPORTS=(PEEK(17) AND 192)/64 1060 RS232=(PEEK(17) AND 14)/2 1070 GA=(PEEK(17) AND 16)/16 1080 MON$(0)="Monochrome" 1090 MON$(1)="Colour" 1100 DEF SEG=0 1110 CM=ABS((PEEK(1040)=157)) 1120 RETURN
IT Is supremely easy to change the system prompt in PC -DOS. All you have to do is type the word "prompt", and then whatever you want the prompt to be, such as
PROMPT System crash
and press Return. There are also some special
features, described on pages 10 to
18 of the DOS manual, which enable you to get non -ASCII characters into it. Each must be
preceded by the $ character.
For example, $d will set the date
as the prompt, and $t the time.
at 3.17pm. Resist the temptation to construct very fancy prompts. They become tedious if you see
them often.
SYSTEM CHECK
ANOTHER small utility from Mike
Curtis provides a simple way to
check the facilities of an IBM PC,
just as the IBM diagnostics disc
does.
In line 1110, CM returns 0 if a
monochrome monitor is fitted,
and 1 if it is colour.
111
114
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
Epson's new
adhesive label printer.
Epson's new
END OF FILE
PRINTING FOREIGN TEXT
A PROGRAM from Alan Mackay defines Russian, Greek and Turkish characters for the Epson FX-80 printer. It is written in
Microsoft Basic avoiding machine specific commands, and so should run with little alteration on most machines.
As many characters as possible are designed to correspond to similar characters in the familiar Latin alphabet, which makes it
easier to find characters on the keyboard and recognise them on the screen. When the program is run,
the appropriate character set is
downloaded into the printer's
memory and remains there until
the printer is reinitialised or turned ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPORSTUVWXYZIC?/
off. You can then go ahead and ABLOEXI-XVIJK.71MH01110PCTYBWW1.3Wt1433
run other programs normally, but abcdef9hijklionopqrstuvwxyz=-_)*
whenever a file is printed the characters will come out as the
a64,1300rx1AKnmHonwpcTylaw*m3gyfiqb
foreign equivalent.
English to Russian.
The program should be of use in
schools and other places where Russian, Greek or Turkish text is required but a special printer is
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ ABCAEOrXIHKAHNOM9PITOVfEYZ
not available. Labels can be stuck abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
on the computer's keyboard if apcSo07XLnKXiivoneporwytegv;
necessary to help with character
identification_
English to Greek.
FOREIGN TEXT. RUSSIAN.
10 REM change type font 20 REM program nom RUSSIAN
30 REM copyright A.L.Mackay
40 REM Birkbeck College, London
50 REM Microsoft Basic for Nascom II micro
60 REM and EPSON FX-80 matrix printer
70 REM set infinite line width
80 WIDTH LPRINT 253
90 REM initialise printer
100 LPRINT CHRS(27)1"6";
110 REM type style condensed enlarged
120 LPRINT CHRA;(27)1"!";CHRS(52);
130 REM set left margin
140 LPRINT CHRS(27);"1"1CHR$(8)1
150 REM copy original characters
160 LPRINT CHRS(27)1":"1CHRS(0)1CHRS(0)1CHR$(0);
170 REM select download set
180 LPRINT CHRS(27)1"%"ICHRS(1)1CHRS(0);
190 DEFINT I -N
200 DIM Lill)
210 REM number of characters to be re -defined
220 1,451
230 DIM ASiN>
240 REM N characters to be replaced
250 DATA W,w,\,C,C,c,X,x,?,/
260 DATA 0,g,D,d,y,L,1,Y,,-
270 DATA _,1U,u,B,b,8,g,H,h
280 DATA I,i,j,k,N,n,P,p,R,r
290 DATA 8,s,t,V,v,Z,z,k,F,f
300 DATA m
310 FOR I- 1 TO N
320 READ AS(Y)
330 NEXT I
340 LPRINT
350 REM if there ar descenders in new chars.
360 REM then attribute is 11, otherwise 139
370 REM list of attribute chars.
380 DIM M(N)
390 FOR Iwl TO N
400 READ M(I)
410 NEXT I
420 DATA 139,139,11,11,11,11,139,139,139,139
430 DATA 139,139,139,139,139,139,139,139,139,139
440 DATA 139,139,139,11,139,139,139,139,139,139
450 DATA 139,139,139,139,139,139,139,139,139,139
460 DATA 139,139,139,139,139,139,139,139,139
470 DATA 139,139
480 REM redefine characters
490 FOR Il TO N
500 LPRINT CHRS(27);"&"pCHRS(0);
510 LPRINT CHRS(ASC(Ali(I)));CHRSCASC(Al(I))),
520 LPRINT CHRS(M(I));
530
TO 11
540 READ L(J)
550 LPRINT CHRS(L(J));
560 NEXT J
570 NEXT I 380 REM data for N characters
590 REM 11 items for each
600 REM data for RUSSIAN
610 LPRINT
620 DATA 0,254,0,2,0,254,0,2,0,254,0
630 DATA 0,62,0,2,0,62,0,2,0,62,0
640 DATA 0,252,0,4,0,252,0,4,0,252,3
650 DATA 0,124,0,4,0,124,0,4,0,124,3
660 DATA 0,0,252,0,4,0,4,0,252,3,0
670 DATA 0,0,124,0,4,0,4,0,124,3,0
680 DATA 0,130,108,16,0,254,0,16,108,130,0
690 DATA 0,34,20,8,0,62,0,8,20,34,0
700 DATA 0,68,0,130,0,146,0,146,68,56,0
710 DATA 0,36,0,66,16,66,16,66,36,24,0
720 REM 730 DATA 0,254,0,16,0,124,130,0,130,124,0 740 DATA 0,62,0,8,0,28,34,0,34,28,0 750 DATA 0,3,4,250, 0,130,0,130,0,255,0 760 DATA 0,3,0,62,0,34,0,34,0,63,0 770 DATA 0,62,0,18,12,0,0,62,0,0,0 780 DATA 0,4,0,194,60,128,0,128,0,254,0
790 DATA 0,0,50,12,32,0,32,0,62,0,0 800 DATA 0,48,0,32,0,62,0,18,0,12,0 810 DATA 0,240,0,8,0,8,0,8,0,254,0 820 DATA 0,0,56,0,4,0,4,0,63,0,0
830 REM 840 DATA 0,98,4,152,0,144,0,144,254,0,0 850 DATA 0,0,27,0,36,0,36,0,63,0,0
860 DATA 0 , 1 29 , 64 , 33 , 1 8 , 1 2 , 1 6 , 32 , 64 , 1 28 , 0 870 DATA 0,1,64,33,18,12,16,32,64,0,0 880 DATA 0,254,0,146,0,146,0,146,12,0,0 890 DATA 0,0,108,18,128,18,128,18,140,0,0 900 DATA 0,254,0,128,0,128,0,128,0,128,0 910 DATA 0,0,62,0,32,0,32,0,32,0,0 920 DATA 0,0,130,68,40,16,40,68,130,0,0 930 DATA 0,0,34,20,0,8,0,20,34,0,0 940 REM 950 DATA 0,254,0,4,8,16,32,64,0,254,0 960 DATA 0,0,62,0,4,8,16,0,62,0,0 970 DATA 0,0,62,128,4,72,16,128,62,0,0 980 DATA 0,0,62,0,8,0,20,0,34,0,0 990 DATA 0,254,0,16,0,16,0,16,0,254,0 1000 DATA 0,0,62,0,8,0,8,0,62,0,0 1010 DATA 0,254,0,128,0,128,0,128,0,254,0 1020 DATA 0,0,62,0,32,0,32,0,62,0,0 1030 DATA 0,254,0,144,0,144,0,144,0,96,0 1040 DATA 0,0,63,0,36,0,36,0,24,0,0
1050 REM 1060 DATA 0,124,130,0,130,0,130,0,130,68,0 1070 DATA 0,28,34,0,34,0,34,0,34,0,0 1080 DATA 0,32,0,32,0,62,0,32,0,32,0 1090 DATA 0,130,124,130,16,130,16,130,16,108,0 1100 DATA 0,0,62,0,42,0,42,16,6,0,0 1110 DATA 0,0,68,130,0,146,0,146,108,0,0 1120 DATA 0,0,20,34,0,34,0,42,20,0,0 1130 DATA 0,0,62,0,18,0,18,12,0,0,0 1140 DATA 0,130,16,170,0,124,0,170,16,130,0 1150 DATA 0,28,34,0,34,93,34,0,34,28,0
1160 REM 1170 DATA 0,62,0,16,8,4,8,16,0,62,0 1180 REM test data 1190 LPRINT 1200 LPRINT CHRA;(27)1"4"1 1210 LPRINT "English to Russian" 1220 LPRINT 1230 LPRINT CHRA;(27);"5"1 1240 LPRINT CHRS(27)1"4"; 1250 LPRINT "ABCDEFOHIJKLMNOPORSTUV
WXYZ\C?/-- ]*" 1260 LPRINT CHRS(27)1"5"; 1270 LPRINT "ABCDEFOHIJKLMNOPQRSTUV
WXYZ\[?/...-
1280 LPRINT CHRS(27)1"4"1 1290 LPRINT "abcdafghijklmnoporstuvwxyz" 1300 LPRINT CHRS(27)1"5"; 1310 LPRINT "abcdefghiJklmnoporstuvwxyz" 1320 LPRINT 1330 LPRINT CHR$(27);"4"; 1340 LPRINT "Russian to Englishi" 1350 LPRINT CHRS(27);"5"; 1360 LPRINT 1370 LPRINT "ABV8DEXZIKLMNOPSTUFHCW\Y*70_"
(continued on page 118)
116
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
If you haven't guessed by now Epson's new printer is the
LQ 15IZ0. It's everything in one.
And this is the coupon to send off for details.
Or tel: EPSON FREEPHONE
Name
Position
Company
Address
To: Epson (U.K.) Ltd.,
Dorland House. 388 High Road, Wembley Middlesex, HA9 6UH.
EPSON mica-isoo
24 pin impact dot matrix, 200 cps, 67 cps NLQ mode, 101-406 mm paper width, up to 272 characters per line. Options: single or double sheet feeder, tractor, parallel and serial 2K or 32K, IEEE 2K.
EPSON
Circle No. 165
END OF FILE
FOREIGN TEXT. RUSSIAN.
(continued from page 116)
1380 LPRINT CHRS(27)1"4"; 1390 LPRINT "ABVGDEXZIKLMNOPSTUFHC=WV(*?Q2 1400 LPRINT CHRS(27);"5"1 1410 LPRINT "abygdwxziklmnopstufhc-wEy*/q1" 1420 LPRINT CHRS(27);"4"; 1430 LPRINT "abygdexziklmnopstufhc-w[y*/q3" 1440 LPRINT CHR$(27)1"5";
GREEK
10 REM change type font 20 REM program name GREEK 30 REM copyright A.L.Mackay, 40 REM Birkbeck College, London 50 REM Microsoft Basic for Nascom II micro 60 REM and Epson FX-80 matrix printer 70 REM set infinite line width 80 WIDTH LPRINT 255 90 REM put Greek characters into Italic set 100 REM initialise printer 110 LPRINT CHR*(27)p"4"; 120 REM type style condensed enlarged 130 LPRINT CHRS(27)1"!";CHRS(52); 140 REM sot left margin 150 LPRINT CHR*(27)1"1";CHR$(8); 160 REM copy original characters 170 LPRINT CHRS(27);",";CHRS(0);CHRIO(0);
CHRS(0); 180 REM select download set 190 LPRINT CHRS(27)4"%";CHRS(1);CHRS(0); 200 DEFINT I -N 210 DIM L(11) 220 REM number of characters to be re -defined 230 N-37 240 DIM Af(N) 250 DATA a,L,X,F,g,G,1,x,f,D 260 DATA d,m,P,h,e,z ,n,p,W, J. 270 DATA 0,g,r,w,i,k,y,t,u,U 280 DATA c,b,J,R,8,H,s 290 FOR I- 1 TO N 300 READ ASCII 310 NEXT I 320 LPRINT 330 REM if there are descenders in new chars. 340 REM then attribute is 11, otherwise 139 350 REM list of attribute chars. 360 DIM MIN) 370 FOR I=1 TO N 380 READ M(I) 390 NEXT I 400 DATA 139,139,139,139,11,139,139,139,11,139 410 DATA 139,11,139,139,139,11,139,139,139,11 420 DATA 139,139,11,11,139,139,139,139,139,139 430 DATA 11,11,139,139,139,139,139 440 REM redefine characters 450 FOR I=1 TO N 460 LPRINT CHRS(27);"&";CHRS(0)4 470 LPRINT CHRI;(128+ASC(AS(I)));CHR$1128+
ASC(Ali(I))); 480 LPRINT CHR$(M(I)); 490 FOR J=1 TO 11 500 READ L(J) 510 NEXT J 520 FOR J=1 TO ll:LPRINT CHRit(L(J))1INEXT J 530 NEXT I 540 REM data for N characters 350 REM 11 items for each 560 REM data for GREEK 570 LPRINT 580 DATA 0,28,0,34,0,34,20,8,20,34,0 590 DATA 0,2,4,8,16,32,64,128,112,14,0 600 DATA 0,2,0,146,0,146,0,146,0,128,0 610 DATA 0,24,36,2,76,16,100,128,72,48,0 620 DATA 0,32,64,135,0,138,84,40,64,128,0 630 DATA 0,6,24,96,128,0,128,0,128,0,128 640 DATA 0,130,0,132,64,40,16,8,4,2,0 650 DATA 0,40,85,128,85,0,85,34,64,32,0 660 DATA 0,16,41,2,86,16,100,128,40,16,0 670 DATA 0,2,4,10,16,34,64,130,112,14,0 680 REM 690 DATA 0,0,76,162,16,130,16,130,76,0,0 700 DATA 0,3,12,48,68,0,4,8,52,64,0 710 DATA 0,6,24,96,128,0,128,6,152,96,128 720 DATA 0,34,0,34,20,8,20,34,64,2,0 730 DATA 0,0,20,42,0,42,0,34,20,0,0 740 DATA 0,1,0,177,8,66,136,66,140,64,0 750 DATA 0,32,18,12,2,0,4,8,16,48,0 760 DATA 0,34,4,56,0,32,0,32,28,34,0 770 DATA 0,128,120,5,128,127,128,5,120,128,0 780 DATA 0,0,64,60,0,64,0,64,63,0,0 790 REM 800 DATA 0,28,34,80,130,16,130,20,136,112,0 810 DATA 0,12,18,8,34,8,34,8,36,24,0 B20 DATA 0,7,24,32,4,64,4,64,8,48,0 830 DATA 0,96,16,0,11,20,104,128,16,96,0
840 DATA 0,0,0,0,0,60,2,0,2,0,0 850 DATA 0,0,62,0,8,16,36,0,2,0,0 860 DATA 0,32,12,48,2,0,2,4,56,0,0 870 DATA 0,32,0,60,2,32,2,32,0,32,0 880 DATA 0,28,34,0,2,28,2,0,34,28,0 890 DATA 0,50,72,2,132,0,132,2,72,50,0 900 REM 910 DATA 0,48,72,1,68,1,68,1,70,32,0 920 DATA 0,127,128,4,160,4,160,4,88,0,0 930 DATA 0,6,56,192,16,0,16,6,56,192,0 940 DATA 0,6,24,96,144,0,144,0,144,96,0 950 DATA 0,2,0,134,64,170,0,146,0,128,0 960 DATA 0,2,132,72,32,24,36,2,64,128,0 970 DATA 0,12,16,34,0,34,0,52,8,32,0 980 LPRINT "English to Greeks" 990 LPRINT 1000 LPRINT "ABCDEFOHIJKLMNOPORSTUVWXYZ" 1010 LPRINT CHRS(27)1"4"; 1020 LPRINT "ABCDEFOHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ" 1030 LPRINT CHRS(27);"5"; 1040 LPRINT "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz" 1050 LPRINT CHR*(27)p"4"1 1060 LPRINT "abcdefghiiklmnopqrstuvwxyz" 1070 LPRINT CHRS(27);"5", 1080 LPRINT 1090 LPRINT "Greek to Englishi" 1100 LPRINT 1110 LPRINT CHRS(27/1"4"; 1120 LPRINT "ABGDEZJQIKLMNXOPRSTYFHWU" 1130 LPRINT CHRA;(27);"5"; 1140 LPRINTI"ABODEZJOIKLMNXOPREITYFHWU" 1150 LPRINT CHRS(27)1"4", 1160 LPRINT "abgdezjqiklmnmoprstyfhwuc" 1170 LPRINT CHRS(27);"5"1 1180 LPRINT "abgdezJciiklmnmoprstyfhwuc"
TURKISH
10 REM change type font 20 REM initialise Printer 30 LPRINT CHR$(27);"@"; 32 REM type style condensed enlarged 34 LPRINT CHR$(27);"'";CHR$(52); 40 REM copy original characters 50 LPRINT CHR$(27);":";CHR$(0);CHR$(0);CHRS(0); 60 REM select download set 70 LPRINT CHR$(27);"%";CHR$(1);CHRS(0);
80 DEFINT I -N 90 DIM L(11) 100 REM number of characters to be re -defined
110 N=10 120 DIM AS(N) 130 REM N characters to be replaced
140 DATA [,w,/,!,W,g,),x,X,13 150 FOR I= 1 TO N
160 READ A$(1) 170 LPRINT AS(I); 180 NEXT I 190 LPRINT 200 REM if there are descenders in new chars. 210 REM then attribute is 11, otherwise 139 220 REM list of attribute chars.
230 DIM M(N) 240 FOR I=1 TO N
250 READ M(I) 260 NEXT I
270 DATA 139,139,139,139,139,11,11,11,11,11 280 REM redefine characters
290 FOR 1=1 TO N 300 LPRINT CHRS(27);"&";CHRS(0); 310 LPRINT CHRS(ASC(Fa(I)));CHRS(ASC(AS(I))); 320 REM attribute "a" 330 LPRINT CHR$(M(I)); 340 FOR J=1 TO 11 350 READ L(J) 360 LPRINT CHRS(L(J)); 370 NEXT J 380 NEXT I 390 REM data for N characters 400 REM II items for each 410 REM data for TURKISH 420 LPRINT "TURKISH" 430 DATA 0,0,28,162,0,34,0,162,28,0,0 440 DATA 0,0,60,128,2,0,2.128,60,2,0 450 DATA 0,0,34,0,62,0,2,0,0,0,0 460 DATA 0,0,0,66,0,254,0,6600,0,0 470 DATA 0,60,64,130,64,2,64,130,64,60,0 480 DATA 0,56,68,1,68,1,70,0,36,0,0 490 DATA 0,25,128,37,64,37,64,37,128,30,0 500 DATA 0,32,84,1,84,1,86,0,84,8,0 510 DATA 0,72,132,33,132,33,134,32,132,24,0 520 DATA 0,120,132,1,132,1,134,0,132,72,0 530 REM test characters 540 FOR 1=1 TO N 550 LPRINT (ISM;
560 NEXT I
118
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
111 MicroSight
NIMBUS VISION
A complete image capture system including an
80186 based microcomputer with high resolution
graphics, mouse, a high quality vidicon camera and
a video digitiser with up to 512 x 512 pixel resolution.
Applications include video displays, image analysis,
object counting etc. Complete systems from
MICROSIGHT
£2950 + VAT
For connection to a range of microcomputers,
MicroSight systems can provide a low cost image
capture facility up to 512 x 512 resolution either
by scanning or frame grabbing. Packages including
camera, interface, software for disk storage, hard
copy and display are available for IBM PC, Apricot,
Hewlett Packard, BBC Model B etc from
MICROEYE
£900 + VAT
Video interface with 512 x 512 x 8 resolution
£495 + VAT
MicroScale image analysis software to run with
MicroSight Systems * Particle sizing and Orientation
* User definable scaling
* Hard copy and disk file dumping of results
* Dimensioning
* User definable windows
Available for IBM PC, AT, XT, RML Nimbus,
Hewlett Packard 9816, Apricot, BBC Model B etc
from For further details contact: -
£950 + VAT
The image analysis people
Digithurst Ltd.
Leaden Hill, Orwell, Royston,
Herts. SG8 50H
Telephone (0223) 208926
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
Circle No. 166
NEW from NEC...
APC III dual 1.4MB floppy
from £1499
1 1MB hard disc
+floppy
from £2399
STANDARD FEATURES
SPEED: full 8MHz 8086-2 16 bit processor (true 16 bit data). CAPACITY: two 51 inch disk drives (640K each formatted). MEMORY: 128K user ram + 64K graphics + 8K text video. OPERATING SYSTEM: MSDOS 2.11 standard. Full screen ICON
graphic display menu. (Needs 256K RAMI. HIGH RESOLUTION: 8 x 16 dot screen character definition (25 lines
of 80 characters). 14 inch high speed screen with tilt and turn base. AWARD WINNING NEC 7220 graphic controller. 256 standard
character set includes maths/Greek and graphic symbols. ADDITIONAL 256 user -programmable shape character set. DETACHABLE KEYBOARD: fast buffered top quality keyboard, numeric keypad, 12 function keys enabling 60 functions to be programmed, with template. * SERIAL RS -232: to 9600 baud synchronous/asynchronous. PARALLEL printer port. TOP VALUE from Japan's top micro company. GW BASIC Microsoft language standard, full graphic commands. * PRICE; top value for money from:* FREE SOFTWARE: Communications, Text Editor, Typwriter.
OPTIONAL EXTRAS
EXPANDABLE USER MEMORY: in 1 28K units to maximum 640K RAM.
* 10MB HARD DISKS: INTERNAL OR EXTERNAL. 8 COLOUR MONITOR SCREEN. VERY HIGH RESOLUTION GRAPHICS: 640 x 400 x 8 colour or
mono graphic screen, up to 192K RAM additional to user memory. " 32 BIT HARDWARE ARITHMETIC PROCESSOR: 8087-2 at 8MHz -
fast!
OTHER NEC BARGAINS
NEC Spinwriter 20 chars/second, quality printer: E425 NEC PC -8201 16K battery portable computer: £299
SOFTWARE
ALL GENERAL MSDOS SOFTWARE. AUTOCAD: CAD GRAPHIC DESIGN PACKAGE now available, best value
hardware. ACCOUNTS: Pegasus, Sage, Multisoft, etc. WORD PROCESSING: Wordstar, Spellbinder, Lex, etc. LANGUAGES: C, CB -86, CBASIC-86, Microsoft BASIC, COBOL,
FORTRAN, PASCAL, PI/1, etc. DATABASE: DBASE II, Rescue, Friday!, DataStar, Delta, etc. SPREADSHEETS: Supercalc 2 and 3, etc. COMMUNICATIONS: Asynch, SDLC.
(prices exclude 15% VAT)
Brighton Computer
Centre
130 Lewes Road, Brighton BN2 3LG
(0273) 673114 Mon -Sat 10am-6pm
Please send me further details of the NEC APC III Name Company Address
Tel
1plicati on
PC 8/8_5,
Circle No. 167
boother CE -59
Dual role-
typewriter - printer
Host of added features -10,12,
15, proportional, red/black, bold, centring, underline etc.
ONLY
£399 Accepts - Std.,
ASCII and Symbol daisywheels
Ribbons - Correctable, Multistrike, Fabric and Coloured
Integral parallel interface-direct connections to home and business computers
Logic seeking, bi-directional printing - faster than Brother HR -15!!
VAT
Without doubt - the most affordable printer ever offered
Dataplus- UK Distributor, Brother CE -50 Super
Efl
Access Barclaycard
Li
S.
i2
rei
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Circle No. 170
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
BABBLING BOOKS
With the machine itself settling into maturity, Simon Beesley finds that books on the BBC Micro are waning in number but improving in quality.
BBC OWNERS who fear that the
machine will soon pass into obsolescence can take heart from the continuing flow of new BBC
books. Admittedly it is not as great
as it was: no longer the raging
torrent of yesteryear, more a babbling brook. But the quality of these books is generally much
higher now. Instead of being
directed at an imaginary beginner who is perpetually baffled, most of them take a more practical and detailed stance.
The BBC Micro Add -On Guide is a good example. Without assiduously reading four or five computer magazines every month
it is impossible to keep up with the range of new BBC products. This
guide does it for you.
Naturally books of this sort soon
become outdated. The prices given are already too high, particularly for disc drives which a few months
later are almost 25 percent cheaper. There is also no mention of Acorn's Music 500 or the
excellent AMX mouse and its icon -
based software. Both products were released after publication. But the book manages to cover
most of the add-ons currently
available and, more importantly, gives a fair appraisal of each.
On the software front, Business
Applications on the BBC Micro by Susan Curran and Margaret
Norman provides a similar service.
First the authors give a good
account of what to expect from the
various types of business programs
- including specialised appli-
cations such as accounting and stock control. Then they supply reviews of most of the leading products. A pity, though, they
they could not get hold of a copy of View to round off their survey of
word processors.
Hardware buffs who are prepared to wield a soldering iron are catered for by Interfacing the BBC
Microcomputer by Colin Opie and BBC Hardware Projects by Don
Thomasson. Of the two, Colin Opie's book is stronger on
explaining the principles involved in interfacing. It gives more detail on how to program the hardware, including a useful section on
programming the VIA. Hardware
Projects is more for those who want
ready-made projects to go to work on. Along with construction details it provides diagrams of circuits, boards, and connectors for
Creative Sound
on the BBC Microcomputer Model B DAVID ELLIS
and CHRIS JORDAN
a variety of devices - light pens, hex keypads, 255 -way controllers, and such like.
Disk Programming Techniques for the BBC Microcomputer by Michael Coleman is one of a series
of personal computer books published by Prentice -Hall
International. In common with the
THE BSC MACHINE CODE
PORTFOLIO
5 EXPERT ROUTINES
rest of the series it is attractively produced and has the look of a high -quality textbook. But although it includes a very useful section on creating serial and random access files its treatment of the subject is not quite as advanced as one might hope.
A rather curious feature of the book is the author's practice of heading each chapter with irrelevant quotes - a bad habit probably caught from Boris Allan. His intention is humorous and after quoting Hamlet, "in form, in moving, how express and
admirable", he comments:
"Hamlet . . . had probably just succeded in formatting his first ever disc".
Another book in the Prentice Hall series is Applied Assembly Language on the BBC Microcomputer by Edward Ball. He says in the preface that books on assembly language are often dry texts on computer science: this one
BOOK REVIEWS
is meant to be more attractive to beginners. In fact almost every book on BBC assembly language makes the same claim. So, as you might expect, there is not much new material here. The two most interesting chapters are on animation and writing a word processor in machine code.
People who submit machine -
code programs to magazines often apologise for the quality of their programming. What they need is not another course on assembly
language but advice on how to write more efficient code. I have
only seen one book that sets out to do this: 6502 Machine Code for
Humans by Alan Tootill and David Barrow. It tries to find the most effective code for a number of common tasks. While not specifically aimed at the BBC Micro its routines are easily
modified.
However, you do not have to be fluent in machine code to write adequate programs. Rather you can simply cobble together routines that are already available. Bruce Smith's The BBC Micro
Machine Code Portfolio is
designed for just that purpose, and supplies 75 procedures ready to
be incorporated in your own
programs. Creative Assembler can also be
treated in the same spirit, as a library of routines, hints and tips.
But coming from Jonathan
Griffiths - the author of
Acornsoft's superb Pacman game, Snapper - the book is something of a disappointment. There is too much on an elementary level, and
not enough on the art of designing
an arcade game.
The Advanced User Guide has
become an essential reference work
for BBC owners. Adder Publishing
has followed it up with the Basic
ROM User Guide by Mark Plumbley, which gives a com-
prehensive description of the workings of the Basic interpreter. Although it contains a number of handy example programs and a section on adding new commands
it has less practical application
(continued on next page)
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
121
BOOK
REVI EWS
(continued from previous page)
than the ealier book; but it is of considerable interest nonetheless.
The two books stand as a model for how to produce a microcomputer reference guide: they are clearly
written, well presented, and are largely free of padding.
Computer book titles often bear only a tenuous relation to their contents. Jeremy Ruston's Advanced Programming Guide to the BBC Micro is a case in point. Inside the cover it calls itself the
BBC Micro Compendium and this is a better description for it. The
author hops about from topic
to topic - from recursive
programming to floating-point
arithmetic - until he finally
settles down and hatches out
listings for two compilers, Froth and Slug. Froth is a threaded language similar to Forth, while
Slug is a structured language which generates assembly language statements. Since Jeremy Ruston
is a talented programmer this approach is quite fruitful. The
book has some interesting snippets
of information and a number of entertaining diversions such as a
program for writing text on a tube.
Of all the books under review by far the best buy is Creative Sound by David Ellis and Chris Jordan.
The authors are particularly well
qualified for their subject matter:
David Ellis is a musician, composer and programmer, while Chris
Jordan designed the BBC's Sound and Envelope commands. Their
approach is to talk about the field of computer music in general and
then show what is possible on the BBC Micro. The result, over 300 pages, is a book that is full of fascinating digressions and jam-
packed with information. It ranges
over such topics as the history of synthesisers, psychoacoustics,
computer assisted composition, sound effects, and using micros
as musical trainers. Equally
impressive is the accompanying
software - over 200K's worth of
Basic and machine -code programs
given as listings and also available
on tape or disc.
Creative Sound is probably not
for the complete beginner, who
may find it a little heavy going
in places. Anyone else with just
a smattering of musical or
programming knowledge will
certainly enjoy it. Indeed I can
think of few computing books that
I have read with as much interest as
this one.
Pt
BABBLING BOOKS
The BBC Micro Add -On Guide by Allan Scott, Mike
Disk Programming Techniques for the BBC
Creative Assembler by
Jonathan Griffiths. Published by
Rohan and Philip Gardner.
Microcomputer by Michael
Penguin, £5.95. ISBN 0 14 00
Published by Collins, £6.95. ISBN 0 00 383008 8
Business Applications for the BBC Micro by Susan Curran and Margaret Norman.
AppliedMark Coleman. Published by Prentice-
Hall, £7.95. ISBN 0 13 215930 9 Assembly
Language on the BBC
Microcomputer by Edward
7809 0
Basic ROM User Guide by Plumbley. Published by
Adder Publishing, £9.95. ISBN 0 97929 04 5
Published 24b6y 1GG2r5raa3nn0aada, , £7.95.
Ball. Published by Prentice -Hall, £7.95. ISBN 0 13 039389 4
6502 Machine Code for
Advanced Programming Guide to the BBC Micro by
by ColinInterface Publications, £7.95. Interfacing the BBC
Microcomputer
Humans by Alan Tootill and David Barrow. Published by
Jeremy Ruston. Published by
Opie. Published by McGraw-Hill, Granada, £7.95. ISBN 0 246
ISBN 0 947695 21 4
£8.95. ISBN 0 07 084724 X
12076 2
Creative Sound by David
BBC Hardware Projects by The BBC Micro Machine
Ellis and Chris Jordan. Published
Don Thomasson. Published by
Code Portfolio by Bruce
by Acornsoft, £9.95, £17.95 with
Melbourne House, £9.95. ISBN 0 Smith. Published by Granada,
cassette, £19.95 with disc. ISBN 0
86161 139 X
£7.95. ISBN 0 246 12643 4
907876 22 6
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Circle No. 174
Circle No. 175
124
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
LLAST WORD By Boris Allan
INVESTIGATING MS-DOS
Should comparative benchmarks for disc operating
systems be treated with suspicion?
M ore than any other facet of computers, the various forms of disc operating systems DOS do not lend
themselves to simple comparisons. At a very
simple level, how can I compare an MS-DOS
implementation which provides 360K discs, with an Acorn DFS which gives a possible 400K per disc, but which splits the storage
into two separate sides, each of 200K? Is the 400K of the Acorn DFS worth more or less than an MS-DOS 360K? Can the MS-DOS
360K store more information than the
Acorn 400K? In general, 360K for MS-DOS is worth
more than a 400K for some other DOS versions because of the way in which the
information is stored on the disc. For many versions of DOS, disc files are stored in contiguous sectors on the disc so if a file is erased, unfillable gaps may appear on the disc. Some DOS versions have commands such as Compact or Crunch which can be used to reorganise disc storage by moving files to fill empty sectors. If there is a good deal of disc file creation and manipulation within an application, compacting is a frequent necessity, as in UCSD Pascal.
MS-DOS uses a more sophisticated method of storing files, based on the idea of
linked lists. Each section of a file in MS-DOS has a pointer to the next section, and so a particular file does not have to be stored in
contiguous sectors. Therefore, with MSDOS there is no need to Compact or Crunch - although it does help if files are tidied every so often, by use of Copy *.* from one
disc to another. So when investigating benchmarks for
disc systems you need different kinds of benchmarks for different types of DOS. My
first benchmarks were designed to compare the performance of the same version of DOS across several computers. Because of the increasing importance of 16 -bit systems, I
chose to start with PC-DOS/MS-DOS. MS-DOS - in which I include PC -DOS
- claims to be a fairly sophisticated system,
and I decided that one of the features I would investigate would be the effects of
different MS-DOS configurations. I decided
to investigate only a few facilities at first and
then examine the facilities over a fair
BASIC FILE CREATION'PROGRAM
10 FOR I=1 TO 15:0PEN"o",I,CHR$(64+I)+".1"INEXT I 20 FOR M=1 TO 10 30 FOR I=1 TO 15 40 FOR J=1 TO 60: PRINT* I,"rstuvwxyz":NEXT J 50 NEXT I 60 NEXT M 70 FOR I=1 TO 15:CLOSE I:NEXT I 80 FOR I=1 TO 15:OPEN"o",I,CHR$(64+I)+".2":NEXT I 90 FOR M=1 TO 10 100 FOR I=1 TO 15 110 FOR J=1 TO 60: PRINT# I,"rstuvwxyz":NEXT J 120 NEXT I 130 NEXT M 140 FOR 1=1 TO 15:CLOSE I:NEXT I 150 FOR I=1 TO 15:0PEN"a",I,CHR$(64+I)+".1":NEXT I 160 FOR M=1 TO 10 170 FOR I=1 TO 15 180 FOR J=1 TO 60: PRINT# I,"rstuvwxyz":NEXT J 190 NEXT I 200 NEXT M 210 FOR I=1 TO 15:CLOSE I:NEXT I
number of different MS-DOS configurations - by which I mean different ways of setting up MS-DOS for the same computer.
As the storage of files in MS-DOS is by the
linked -list system, I produced a special disc with files having many non-contiguous sectors. The example disc was produced by running a short Basic program which
produces a disc with 30 files. The way in which the first 15 files - those
with extension .1 - are created means that
ADVANCE860RESULTS
Buffers Format Mixed copy
2
41.4
100.3
10
41.5
97.8
20
41.4
98.0
30
41.7
98.0
40
41.6
98.4
50
41.6
98.4
60 70
-41.5
129.1 138.8
80
41.7
124.0
90
41.4
122.7
Timings in seconds.
Clean copy 99.4 93.0 93.7 94.3 93.4 93.4
105.2 118.0 94.7
93.1
consecutive elements of the files are very widespread. These first 15 files are produced a portion at a time, in 10 distinct sections. The next 15 files - with extension .2 - are created in a similar manner, and finally the first 15 files are extended even further with another 10 sections.
Each of the files with extension .1
occupied 13,312 bytes, and the files with the
.2 extension occupied 6,656 bytes. But there were many non-contiguous sectors for both types of file. There were 55,296 bytes free on
a 360K disc. The configuration of MS-DOS is altered
by use of a Config.Sys file. The first element of the configuration to be altered was the
number of disc buffers by forming a
Config.Sys file with varying Buffers= commands. In MS-DOS, a disc buffer is 0.5K of memory set aside for intermediate storage of disc files. The default number of
buffers is two, and thus the total disc buffer area is 1K. The number of buffers can be set to 98 - that is 49K - and so I wanted
(continued on next page)
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
125
BLAST WORD
(continued from previous page)
to investigate performance with varying numbers of buffers. Later I was going to examine the effects of other parameters.
The investigation used three tasks: formatting a disc; copying the standard mixed disc files by use of Copy *.* B:; and taking the new, clean arrangement of files on the second disc, and copying those to a new disc.
The first task was introduced because essentially it is independent of the buffers, and thus should not alter in time taken. The
copying of the mixed files was set as a worst -
case scenario, which could then be compared
to the third task. The intention was to
investigate the extent to which noncontiguous files slowed down copying.
The results for the Advance 86B are shown in the table. They indicate that special attention should be paid to the results for 70 buffers. The time taken to
format a disc is effectively constant, except for the case of 70 buffers. In the case of 70 buffers it was impossible to format, and bad disc sectors were reported. Both types of copying worked for 70 buffers, but there was a degradation in performance, tailing off either side of 70 buffers.
As MS-DOS takes up 29K, and 70 buffers is equivalent to 35K, the DOS and buffers were taking up 64K of memory. The Intel
8086 / 88 processor divides memory into 64K
segments, and to move from one segment to
another requires a modification of the
segment register. Unlike, for example, the
All MS-DOS buffers behave badly when 70 buffers are set, not just the Advance.
Motorola 68000 series, there is no simple address register which can point to anywhere in memory. An address register for the 8086 can only point to 64K, and which 64K is determined by the segment register.
The problem with MS-DOS on the
Advance 86B seems to be tied into the use of
segments, and it seems as if the handling of inter -segment addressing is not as clean as it should be. The next question was to establish whether the possible inter -segment con-
fusion was a specific Advance 86B problem, or a general MS-DOS design fault. Chris
Williams examined the effect of setting buffers to 70 on other MS-DOS machines,
including the IBM PC. All the MS-DOS / PC -DOS machines
examined so far were found to have problems with 70 buffers. For an Apricot
with 256K the system claims to have run out of memory, and the machine is completely
paralysed. The extra problems for the
Apricot may be due to the lack of a DMA
chip, but I do not have any real explanation. The unreality of specifying 70 buffers is
immaterial, because there should not be strange results for a standard facility. This particular MS-DOS fault for all machines
examined is indicative of a basic design flaw which may have other, less obvious, con-
sequences. What this has shown is that benchmarks designed to really test a DOS
can have a far wider utility than merely com-
paring speeds.
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Circle No. 176
126
If you are interested in a particular article or advertisement in this publication why not take advantage of our reprint service. We offer an excellent, reasonably priced service. For further details and a quotation
Ring Michael Rogers on 01-661 3457
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
'PRACTICAL COMPUTING
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PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
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computer and a peripheral, such as a
+VAT
printer. This is achieved by using
the commonly used signals (wires) of the RS232C serial
CWO
data cable specification, a
matrix -block and special
11/11-11:(
connector pins. By inserting the
-ix- pocket size
connector pins into the SUSS -BOX'S matrix -block at the axis of two
incoming signals the user can quickly establish a firm connection. The
signals are routed into the SUSS -80X by two 25 way D type connectors;
1 ar female. 1 Xmale. The SUSS -BOX also provides a lamp for each signal to
show its condition when connected in line, ie high Or low. SUSS -ADAPTOR
CABLES available.
OCTET/HERMIT
Typewriter Interfaces
ADD ON TO THE OLIVETTI ET121 OR HERMES TT21 ELECTRONIC TYPEWRITER AND HAVE THE BENEFITS OF
deal for
TELECOM GOLD
THESE FEATURES:
A DAISY WHEEL PRINTER Ion your computer A COMPOTE R TERMINAL (True ISSR) A TELEX TERMINAL using me Dupe. DIAL -TEXT mooems A COMMUNICATING TYPEWRITER (DIAL -TEXT Comma., A REMOTE PRINTER using DIAL -TEXT modems
New
L 0 W
Pr ices
-DUPLEX COMMUNICATIONS (UK) LTD. -
2 Leine Lane, suntan Bassett Nr LutteRvorth, Leicestershire LE17 SJP
107
1e1: 0405 202154
Circle No. 325
LOW PRICES IN THE NORTH WEST?
PCs
APRICOT 256K 2 x 315K Drives & Mon
APRICOT 256K 2 x 720K Drives & Mon
APRICOT Xi 256K 10MB & Mon
Ex. VAT
£1345.00 £1545.00 £2200.00
PC SOFTWARE
WORDSTAR 2000 FRIDAY PEGASUS LEDGER MODULE PSION EXCHANGE ESTIMATOR
£295.00 £135.00 £200.00 £345.00 £245.00
PC PRINTERS
EPSON LQ 1500 200 cps STAR SR -15 MATRIX SILVER REED EXP 770 (p) OLIVETTI DY 450 45 cps (p)
£895.00 £475.00 £675.00 £780.00
The above are only examples Ring now for your low price deal
CITY COMPUTERS Queens House, Queens Road
Chester CH1 3BQ Tel: 0244 47019
110
Circle No. 326
127
BUSINESS OR SERIOUS HOBBY
THE ONLY WAY YOU WILL BEAT OUR NORMAL PRICES IS TO JOIN OUR DISCOUNT GROUP. WE DARE NOT PRINT THEM!!
Apricot, Atari, Amstrad, Brother, Cannon, Commodore, Cumana, Enterprise, Epson, GCC, Juki, Mannesmann Tally, Mitsubishi, Opus, Philips, Sanyo, Sakata, Sorryif wemissedyou,
Sinclair, Solidisk, Tatung, Torch, Triumph, Adler.
THIS MONTH'S SPECIAL
CANON PW 1080A NLO Dot Matrix ACORN MUSIC 500 FM Synth. AMSTRAD 664 Colour. Drive GREEN SCREEN MONITOR 9" HIRES
C240. VAT - 6276.00 inc. VAT 8150. VAT - 6172.50 inc. VAT f 374.VAT- 6430.10 inc. VAT
f 43 VAT - 649.45 inc. VAT
We carry most leading brand names.
For more int urination on how to get our monthly price list of genuine discount prices and details of the other services we
offer, contact:
COMPUTER DISCOUNT GROUP
8 WESTWOOD LANE, WELLING, KENT, DA16 2HE TELEPHONE: 01.301 3745103224 48561
102 CALLERS BY PRIOR APPOINTMENT ONLY
Circle No. 327
USED MICROCOMPUTERS
at BARGAIN PRICES
We have a number of 8 and 1 6 bit
micros for sale which are surplus to
our requirements.
These include:
Apple II inc CP/m
£400
North Star Horizon
f 4 50
Columbia Portable
£1 02 5
Phone or write for details of these and
others.
The SOFT OPTION (UK) Ltd. School Lane, Colsterworth, GRANTHAM, Lines (04761 860171
111
Circle No. 328
FERRANTI 'ADVANCE 86b Still available for under
£800 (128Kb module)
also Printers from 199 & Screens from £90
LONGSEER LIMITED, FREEPOST 19 Middletons Lane, Norwich Norfolk, NR6 5BR.
Tel: (0603) 487199
110
Circle No. 329
ATTENTION PCIMS DOS SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS
PROGRAMMERS TOOLKIT FOR IBM PC AND COMPATIBLES
A set of 14 utility programs providing UNIX -like facilities under PC -DOS or MS-DOS. Package includes:
MAKE equivalent to UNIX make command, rebuilds programs with minimum recompilations after one or more source tiles modified. Same spec as UNIX version, including macros, built in and defineable rules and 11 command line options. XCOPY
equivalent to UNIX copy command (plus extra features). Copies files, directories, or whole file trees. I command line options, including archive option which copies only files modified since last backup. Also permits disk change it destination fills up part way through operation.
grep (pattern matcher), WC (word count), Is (file list), tee (for splitting pipes), cat (file concatention), rm (file remove), find (searches tree for files), touch (updates file date/time stamp), mu (moves files), hd (hex dump), chmod (changer tide attributes)
All the above accept starnames, where relevant, and multiple arguments (eg grep main *.C)
£59.95 free postage Demo Diskette also available for £3, this
demonstrates how the above are used and produces sample output. (included in full package)
AXIS SOFTWARE, Orient House 42/45 New Broad Street, London ECM 1QY
mail order only please
114
Circle No. 330
128
DISK COPYINGIFORMATTINGI FILE TRANSFER
WE CAN TRANSFER YOUR DATA BETWEEN OVER 500 DIFFERENT
MACHINES. FORMATS INCLUE: CPM, CPM 8 6, MSDOS, PCDOS, UNIX, XENIX, TAR, RT1 1, MDOS, IBM BEF, ISIS, FLEX, VICTOR SIRIUS, TORCH, ACORN, MISC. TYPESETTING/WORD
PROCESSING
* OVERNIGHT SERVICE - most formats returned by next day's Post * E10.00 + VAT per copy (Blank disks not Included) * DISCOUNT for Bulk
IWIILOADING SEW/ICES
109
Circle No. 331
SECOND USER EQUIPMENT NETWORK UPTO 254 MICROS with a 10 mbyte MICROMITE FILESERVER complete with 3 "Apple" interface boards and cables Interface Boards for
other Micros are readily available for ACT SIRIUS: Epson QX 10; IBM PC
Maintainance available from Micromite Services Ltd
Cost New over £8,000 Offers around £4,000 please Also 3 seconduser Epson HX20 computers available @ £200 each
CONTACT: Tim Woodruff, Validate Services Ltd
OAKWOOD HOUSE, SPA ROAD, MELKSHAM,
WILTS 10225) 705957 108
Circle No. 332
CAPTURE THE FUTURE WITH YOUR MICRO
Are you bored with games? Do you find manuals difficult and frustrating? Do you want the advantage of programming skills? Do you want your own 'expert' to show you how to do O?
Then you need 'TAKING CONTROL OF YOUR MICRO'
Easy and enjoyable steps to practical BASIC. ' Examples to see and exercises to do.
Feedback Modules give you Personal Guidance. - Structured for home, school and college. ' For BBC Spectrum and Commodore micro -computers. TAKING CONTROL OF YOUR MICRO gives you the help you need to gain the skills, advantages and benefits in TOMORROWS WORLD.
Price only (25.00 includes delivery UK. Please state your micro.
Contact:
SS Software, 18 Fernbank Drive. Eckington, Sheffield
S31 9HG.
101
Don't he left behind. Make 1985 your year to leap ahead.
Circle No. 333
SEX PROBLEMS?
Solve all your RS232 problems with our universal cable. Plug and socket at both ends of the one metre cable.
Price £29
GENDER CHANGERS
M m3,£180, M F= £17.00, F F= £1 6.00 All are 3" long
ALSO
One metre Centronics cables: Amstrad
BBC
IBM One metre RS232:
f 13.00 £11.20 £30.00
Commodore 64
£30.00
Epson PX-8
£20.00
Epson HX-20
£16.00
Please add £2.00 per metre to above prices for longer
lengths. All prices include VAT, Postage, and Packing in
Europe.
See our range of computer/printer cables, communications cables, custom cables, interfaces, data -switches.
WATCH THIS SPACE FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR ring our 24hr answering service on 102231 322394 TYEPRO Ltd., 30 CAMPKIN ROAD, CAMBRIDGE C824 2NG.
DEALER ENQUIRIES WELCOME
115
Circle No. 334
CP/M USER groups disk. Libraries. 300 + , volumes, £1.50/vol. Copying free. Also disk
format translation, £6.50/DSK. Most
formats possible. SAE or phone R. Smith,
138 Holtye Rd., E. Grinstead, Sussex RH19
3 EA. (0342) 313883.
169M
SOFTWARE. Probably your cheapest
inclusive source. Eg, WordStar 2000 £340,
WordStar Professional £285, Lotus 1-2-3,
£355 including VAT, carriage. Call Scimitar
Business Services. (0705 823052, evenings)
to discuss your requirements.
179M
TRS 80 Model II £600 + VAT. Model IV with
integral 5M hard disk £1,300 + VAT. Model
100 32K £350 + VAT. Also printers and
cassette. Ring Southampton (0703) 551582
any time. All with guarantees.
184M
COMPUTER WEEK. 9-14 year olds, 27-31 August, daytime, Berkshire. Write: Avion Leisure Care, 62 Elder Road, Bisley, Surrey.
187M
TANDY TRS 80 Model 2, 64K, two printers, 1
Daisywheel, software, WP and accounting
manuals, Inmac discs and tapes
equipment, very little used. Plus training
£2,200 o.n.o. Tel. 07842 52031.
195M
SHARP MZ700, 711, 713 software for home
and business. I.E. "Stockcontrol 750"
£29.95. "Programmers Kit" (for Basic)
£15.95, etc. C.W.O. or SAE for complete list.
Maysoft (DMB), 50 Thompson Avenue,
Colchester. Essex CO3 4H W.
197M
CASIO - Portable Computer (P.B. 700). 16K
+ FA.10 Interface printer, + micro -
cassette. RRP.£492. Bargain at £260. Tel:
01-373 0645.
199M
BBC, Cumana 40 track dual discs, colour monitor, 32K sideways RAM, speech synth, Beasty controller, Shinna printer, Pascal, Exmon, Wordwise, disc Doctor, and other Roms, much software including Forth. £1100 ono. Phone: 04207 443 after 6pm.
200M
SIRIUS 1.2meg TWIN floppy disc with green
screen £1050 ono Sirius 10 meg, green
screen. Good condition software available.
Phone 042357126.
201M
AMSTRAD SHARP MZ700 Spectrum
software the cheapest games software
around prices between 75p to £1.75 send
SAE to Pacetapes 40 Bainton Grove, Clifton,
Nottm. NG11 8LG.
202M
IBM SOFTWARE: Lotus 123, Wordstar,
Wordstar Professional, dBase II, dBase II
tutorial, dutil utilities, quickcode program
generator. All with accompanying literature
and never been used. £400 or will swop for
Sinclair QL. 01-6241816.
203M
FUTURE FX20 TWIN 820K disk drives 128K
RAM with CP/M86 MS DOS Supercalc 2
Spellbinder Datastar etc. V.little used & still
under manufacturers guarantee £1250
o.n.o. Also available EPSON RX8OF/T
printer offers? Telephone Oxford (0865)
882604 evenings.
204M
SUPERBRAIN Z80 CPM with integral Monitor, discs & keyboard. QD Model (2x350Kb). enhanced with many useful features including Micromods "Supervid" video enhancements and excellent Superbios operating system. Superbios provides capability of reading other 5" floppy formats in addition to many other enhancements. System also equipped with an 8" disc making it ideal for software
developer. Can be expanded with
Winchester if needed. £700.00 plus VAT. buyer collects. Tel: DEAN (0594) 562256.
205M
CP/M-IBM user group. disk libraries 800+
volumes 12000+ items also cheap disk
format translation service most formats
possible. Sae/Tel R. Smith 138 Holtye Rd.,
East Grinstead, Sussex RH19 3E (0342)
313883
211M
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
RAIR BLACK BOX and ICL PCs (8 bit). Bought sold exchanged repaired and advice
given. Ring 0628 71243 (Maidenhead). 206M
COMMODORE 9090 71Meg hard disk
perfect order £850 ono Keith Webb Tel 0386
792785 any day/evenings (suits any 8000
series.
207M
TRS-80 MOD I, 48K, two disks, Epson dot-
matrix printer with Graftrax + . LDOS V5.1.3
DOS, visicalc, books, manuals. CPU
enhancements: lower case, extra reset,
screen de -glitch. £695 (0602) 761566 day,
(0949)37586 evenings.
208M
SCIENTIFIC COMPUTER SIMULATIONS for
the Spectrum 48K. Electrodynamics,
rotation, gravity, relativity. For further
information contact: Anima Scientific
Computing, 23 Crawley Avenue, Hebburn,
Tyne & Wear. Telephone 0632 832825 & 0632
834556.
209M
SHARP MZ8OB + 64K + MZ8OFD dual
floppy drive + MX80 P6 Tractor friction
pbriuntseri.nAellssin/tegrfaacmes,eGs-Mparnouagl. ra10m0's
Assembler/Disassembler cheapest
anywhere £1,900, will accept £1,400. Tel. No.
0454413511.
210M
SUPERBRAIN for sale. 64K CPM with
10Megabyte integral Winchester disk £995
or nearest offer. Phone Brian Taylor 0422
41152.
212M
WORD PERFECT, The Report -Writer's
dream, available at only £285 (incl. carriage,
VAT) from Scimitar Business Services,
Portsmouth 823052 (evenings).
213M
PRACTICAL COMPUTING, all issues to date including launch issue July/August 1978.
Offers to 8 Kingsland Gardens Close,
DISK COPYING SERVICE
Plymouth, Devon.
214M
Moving data and program files from
APRICOT Xi1O-S, 512K RAM 10MB hard disk, 12" monitor. Complete new unrequired system and carry cases. Software includes:
Wordstar, Superwriter, Supercalc,
one machine to another is often made difficult because different
manufacturers have adopted different disk format standards.
Superplanner, £2,750 + VAT. 042 482 417. 215M
We can copy your files to and from over 250 disk formats including
COMPETENT person required to write, control and graphics program for science education. 380Z Apple or BBC. Indicate
CP/M, CP/M-86, MS -E06, PC -DOS, ISIS, APPLE, SIRIUS, TORCH, APRICOT, HP150,
DEC RT-11, and IBM LIEF.
experience. Box No.216
216M
TANDY Business Systems, TRS 80 Mod. I, 48K, double density, upper/lower case, numeric pad, twin 40 -track drives double density 360K, twin 80 -track drives double density 720K, Tandy Lineprinter VIII, with all
Disks are normally despatched on the day they are received.
Our charge is £10.00 + disk + VAT. Special prices for quantities.
covers and cables on Tandy System Desk in perfect working order, including complete
For more information call us.
GREY MATTER set of accounting software, word processor
and spreadsheet, £750, will split. Tel. (028
373)3574.
217M
4 Prigg Meadow, Ashburton, Devon T013 7DF.
IBM PC compatible Business Computer,
TEL. (0364) 53499
lo
with monitor and Epson RX80 FIT printer.
Twin half -height 360K drives, 256K memory,
8 expansion slots, will take internal hard
disk, complete with PC DOS 2.11 etc. £1,495.
Tel. (028 373) 3574.
218M
TANDY TRS 80 Model III, 48K, twin 40 -track drives, £550, Lineprinter VIII £100, twin 40 -track D/D external drives, half height £175, twin 80 -track D/D external drives £150, all with cables and covers. Tel. (028 373)
Circle No. 335
When replying to Classified advertisements, readers are recommended to take steps to protect their interests before sending money.
3574.
219M
INN NM =I MI
INN IN
MIN NM
'PRACTICAL
Nr\ COMPUTING
Classified Rates Lineage 40p per word Minimum 20 words prepayable. Box No. £7.00 extra
Please insert the following advertisement in Practical Computing
Display Adverts.
Rate per single column Centimetre: £18.00 Minimum 5cm
SERIES Discounts
Available on request Contact: Simon Vickers on 01-661 8163.
Method of Payment
Cheques etc should be made
payable to BUSINESS PRESS INTERNATIONAL LTD. and crossed.
I enclose herewith cheque/PO for
LINAGE
Cost per insertions
1 Ins.
= TOTAL
£6.00 £0.90 £6.90 £8.00 £1.20 £9.20 £10.00 £1.50 £11.50 £12.00 £1.80 £13.80 £14.00 £2.10 £16.10 £16.00 £2.40 £18.40
Post to:
Cut out the order form and return together with your remittance to: Classified Department, Practical Computing, Room H211, Quadrant House, The Quadrant, Sutton,
Surrey SM2 5AS.
Box No. Required YES/NO
NAME (Please include initials)
ADDRESS
£18.00 £2.70 £20 70
No. of Insertions (50p discount for 2 ins.)
Conditions of Acceptance
Micro Ads are accepted from Private readers only and must be submitted on (or a photocopy of) this order form. All Advertisements must be prepaid.
Ell MI
IM
THIS FORM SHOULD BE RETURNED BY 25TH AUGUST FOR THE OCTOBER ISSUE
Company Registered Number: 151537 (ENGLAND). Registered Office: Quadrant House, The Quadrant, Sutton, Surrey SM2 5AS.
MN
III NM
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
129
PEGASUS ACCOUNTING Regarded by many accountants as the very best accounting software available. Pegasus comprises eight modules, most of which will operate alone or will work together in a totally integrated system. We have professional staff, in London and the Midlands, fully trained to install and support Pegasus. Prices and details on request. We are authorised Pegasus dealers.
COMPUTER -AIDED DESIGN As specialist consultants in this field we can supply either software only or a total system configuration with full support. We are suppliers of AUTOCAD, DOODLE and a number of other CAD packages. The productivity benefits of CAD are enormous - the cost of a system is almost certainly much less than you would expect. In most cases our clients have found a system pays for itself within 3 to 12 months!
MULTISOFT ACCOUNTS A system offering top-level functionality at a very reasonable price. Recent press reviews have highlighted Multisoft as one of the most powerful micro -based accounting systems currently available. We concur. Very impressive indeed! Please telephone for further information. We are officially appointed Multisoft dealers.
CHIT-CHAT The new telecommunications package from Sagesoft which we feel represents outstanding value for money.
Micro -to -micro file transfer. Top of the range EMI Datatek modem. " Free subscription to Telecom Gold (worth 1001. " Access to Viewdata and Prestel. Electronic mail, telecommunications and telex. List price £399 our price £325.
BEST UK SOFTWARE PRICES?
0629-3021
* Over 400 leading software packages * Independent advice in making your choice * Professional staff + network of consultants * Most formats. All programs latest versions
DBASE II £239
WORDSTAR PROFESSIONAL £265
MULTIMATE ver.3.3 SPELLSTAR VOLKSWRITER DEL. MS WORD SUPERCALC III
MULTIPLAN SUPERCALC II DATAMASTER DMS DELTA 4 KNOWLEDGEMAN PERTMASTER 1000
MS PROJECT
SUPERPROJECT CARDBOX
CARDBOX PLUS OPEN ACCESS SMART WORDCRAFT
LIst Price 399
145 295 400 360 190 195 495 995 450 650 295 395
195 300 550 635 425
Our Price 265
99 215 299 199
145 195 395 375 359 545 199 299 169 269 325 549 359
ASCOM MS CHART DELTA GRAPH ENERGRAPHICS EXECUVISION
DR C COMPILER PASCAL MT LEVEL II COBOL MS BASIC MS PASCAL
QUICKCODE SYCERO D UNTIL SMARTKEY II
SUPER SORT SAGE PAYROLL SAGE A/CS/PAYROLL SAGE PLUS/PAYROLL
List Place 170 245 195 350 320 295 325 965 385 295 200 595
69 75
145 195 495 795
Our Price 199 199 169 265 279 225 295 720 310 235 149 495
58 69
108 145 359 575
SAGE ACCOUNTS £245
SAGE PLUS £485
All prices exclude V.A.T. Carriage is charged at £2 + V.A.T. parcel post or £5 + V.A.T. 1st Class. Please phone or write for our comprehensive price list.
Local Authority, Government and European enquiries welcome
Further discounts may be negotiated for large orders
a erratum
INDEPENDENT MAIL ORDER DISTRIBUTORS OF QUALITY SOFTWARE Trisoft Ltd, Crown Square, Matlock, Derbyshire DE4 3AT. Telephone: 0629/3021
HARDWARE SERVICE Please telephone for prices and details of our optional installation service. We supply:-
APRICOT U.K.'s highest selling serious business micros; we supply the full range from the Fits xi20s.
OLIVETTI M21 and M24. In our opinion the Olivetti range offers the finest IBM-compatible, single -user hardware available.
NORTH STAR DIMENSION The only 100% PC -compatible multi-user, multiprocessing system currently available. Will accept up to 12 work stations and runs all IBM "off -the shelf" software. Tremendously cost-effective as compared to IBM PC networks; up to 60MB central storage. Entry-level, 2 screen configuration with 15MB central storage - only £5875, R.R.P.
SPECIAL OFFERS
IBMIAPRICOT ONLY
For JulylAugust only
DBASE II * DBASE III FRAMEWORK
LOTUS 1.2-3 SYMPHONY WORDSTAR PROFESSIONAL WORDSTAR 2000 * Not available for the Apricot
£225 £295 £295 £289 f399 £245 f275
DISKS PER BOX OF 10 SONY 3.5" DSDD DYSAN 5.25" DSDD 3M 5.25" DSDD
£39.95 £23.45 £19.95
Please add £1.00 carriage per order.
Circle No. 178
"PRACTICAL COMPUTING
Advertisement Index
A
Aculab Ltd.
97
A&G Computerware
124
AMA Computer Supplies
62
Amstrad Consumer Electronics
38/39
Associated Book Publishers 30
AWS Computerware
44
B
Barbatan Ltd
14
Brighton Computer Centre 119
Brom com
13
Business Computer Centre 36
C
Camera Computing
124
Cambridge Micro Electronics 28
CED Realtime Systems
IFC
Computer Discount Store 34
Computer Enterprises
International
9
Computer (Hardware &
Software) Supplies
42
Compact Communications 76
Curzon Systems Ltd
106
D
Datafax Ltd Dataflex Cimformation Data Products
Dataplus-PSI
DDL Dennison Mfq Co Ltd
84
9
98 120 83, 95
4
Digitask Business Systems
24/25
Digithurst
119
Disking International
26/27
E
Elite Computer Systems
76
Epson (UK) Ltd
10/11/109/111/113/115/117
Electronics Wireless World 123
F
First Class Peripherals
40
G
Gemini Micro Computer IBC Guardline Disposables Ltd 122
H
Homestead Electronics
62
Intelpost (Royal Mail Services) 46
J
Jarogate Ltd
73
Juki (Europe) GmbH
20
Leroy Somer
32
Lucas World Service Ltd
60
Lutterworth Software
124
Lynnem Computer Products 126
M
Mancos Computers
96
Mannesmann Tally
91
Mayfair Micros
18
Medow Computers
120
Mercator Management
Consultants
28
Microft Management
Consultants
28
Microprocessor Eng Ltd
44
Micronix
107
Miracle Technology
63
Modular Technology
43
Mountaindene
62
N
Nation Computer Services 96
Newtrends Technology
80
0
Olympic Systems
60
Q
Qume (UK) Ltd
61
R
Regional Systems
16
Reprints
126
Research Machines
12
S
Sage Soft
64/65
Samleco
88
Sanyo Maruberni
OBC
Sentinel Software
17
Silica Shop
33
Sky Software
18
SK (Sunkyong) Europe 54/55
Softsel Multimate
44/45
SMC Supplies
120
Southdata Ltd
56
Synamics Business Systems 53
T
TABS
37
Timatic Systems Ltd
96
TMAT
96
Trisoft
130
U
Unicorn Business Systems
106
K
Keyzone Ltd
P
76 Practical Computing
82 West One Galaxy
22
130
PRACTICAL COMPUTING August 1985
If you are a standard size and all your clothes fit you perfectly, you're the rag trade's ideal customer.
But, for most of us, buying a new outfit is far from simple: right size but wrong colour, right colour but wrong size, sleeves too short, legs too
long...
I CUSTOM,
COMPU
at off-the-peg
prices
. . . With a Gemini all you have to do is decide what you want your micro based system to do for you.
Each system can be tailored to individual needs. No wasted capacity so no wasted money. Add to that a choice of hundreds of CP/M software packages and your Gemini system really starts to show its versatility. It's even flexible enough to allow a D.I.Y. system to be manufactured to your own specification.
And when your needs grow or diversify, so too can your Gemini's capabilities and memory. You can even
- integrate your system to link up to 31 terminals
to give a full local area network. If you want to know more about the technical 'ins
and outs' of our remarkable and easily expandible modular system, just write to us for our brochure.
If you're not that interested in RAMs, ROMs, LANs and CPUs, then just pop into one of our customer -friendly, hand-picked dealers who will tailor a system to your needs.
Gemini produce a large range of compatible boards, ensuring the maximum flexibility and ease of upgrade in the expansion of any Gemini based computer system.
Whilst the Gemini system uses CP/M, the addition of a 16 bit card will allow you to run many popular programs now being generated.
e\e'Oe's ate.
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Setting Fashion Trends
Gemini Microcomputers Ltd, 18 Woodside Road, Amersham, Bucks, England. HP6 OBH. Tel: (02403) 28321. Telex: 837788
se \<<s°6) che° .100e
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POST TO: GEMINI MICROCOMPUTERS LIMITED
Circle No. 103
1;1
"My portable micro is IBM compatible' "My portable micro is IBM compatible. And it has a colour screed."
There were once two businessmen in the market for a portable micro computer.
The first, a proud and somewhat shortsighted man, snapped up the first IBM compatible machine
he encountered. Thinking he'd done wonderfully well.
The second, a wise old bird, considered the options carefully and settled on the Sanyo MBC 775.
His patience was admirably rewarded.
Not only did his chosen machine have full IBM compatibility, with twin 360K disk drives, 256K RAM expandable to 640K RAM, but also a colour screen.
The only portable micro with a colour screen.
The price of £2,150 included not only the monitor but £500 of free software like Calcstar, Wordstar, and GW Basic.
And he was given the opportunity to join the Sanyo
Micro -Users Association, giving direct access to product and software information.
For full details ring Sanyo Business Systems on 0923 46363.
And remember the moral of the story is, see Sanyo,
then decide. SAHYO
Circle No. 102
PdfCompressor 6.6.1697 CVISION Technologies