r. MAY 1986 VOL.11, NO. 5 $3.50 IN UNITED STATES^ $4.25 IN CANADA 7 £2,10 IN U.K. A MCGRAW-HILL PUBLICATION 0360-5280 THE SMALL SYSTEMS JOURNAL® A single company has revolutionized the business of language, the language of business, and created the exciting new world of electronic reference works-Borland! Which isn't bad for a 3-year-oli Turbo Pascal,® our first product, now has more than half a million users, and has become a world- wide standard. And that was just the beginning. Since then, the Turbo Pascal family has grown to a family of 9, and today we're announcing our second language, Turbo Prolog," the natural language of Artificial Intelligence. We've also introduced amazing business productivity tools like SideKick,® Traveling SideKick," Reflex, The Analyst,'" and SuperKey.® We broke new ground in 1986 with Turbo Lightning.'" It includes the Random House® dictionary and thesaurus. Turbo Lightning Is the forerunner of a complete electronic reference library, newly joined by the Word Wizard,"' which solves the unsolvable twists, and boggles and challenges your mind. Word Wizard 0ft includes Turbo Pascal source code so you can figure out how the Turbo Lightr ning access system works. m And here is a brief synopsis of current offerings from the Borland library of histoiy- making software . . . Turbo Pascal" 3.0 The fastest Pascal compiler, plus an integrated pro- gramming environment. Includes a free MicroCalc'" spreadsheet, and 1,200 lines of annotated source code, ready to compile and run. Minimum memory: 128K. Turbo Tutor* Takes you from basic right through advanced program- ming concepts and techniques. Includes 300-page tutorial and source code for every example used in the reference manual. Minimum memory: 128K. Turbo Graphix Toolbox" Lets you create high-res- olution graphics. Includes tools for complex business graphics, easy windowing, and storing screen images to memory. Complete with source code on disk, ready to compile. Minimum memory: 128K. Turbo Database Toolbox" Perfect complement to Turbo Pascal. Contains complete libraiy of Pascal procedures that allows you to search and sort data and build powerful, database applications. Minimum memory: 128K. Turbo Editor Toolbox " It's all you need to build your own text editor or word processor. Provides all the routines— you decide which features you want. Source code included. Also includes the MicroStar™ text editor with pull- down menus and windowing. Interfaces directly with Turbo Lightning to let you spell-check your MicroStar files. Minimum memory: 192K. Turbo GameWorks'" ^ Reveals the secrets and strategies of game theory. Includes source code so you can write your own games. Gives you ready-to-play Chess, Bridge, and Go-Moku, an ancient Japanese game that will provide hours of fascinating diversion. Even if you don't want to write your own games, it's a terrific value. Minimum memory: 192K. 0ft Turbo Prolog" The natural lan- guage of Artificial Intelligence, Turbo Prolog is our second language and the latest product In the Borland software libraiy. Turbo Prolog Is a fifth-generation language, and probably the most powerful pro- gramming language ever conceived. Includes a 200-page reference man- ual and free GeoBase,"' a natural queiy language database with commented source code on disk, ready to compile. It's all you need to know about Artificial Intelligence at a HumanJy Intelligent price. Minimum memoiy: 384K. Turbo Lightning" An electronic reference libraiy which Includes the 80,000 -word Random House Concise Dlctionaiy and the 50,000-word Random House Thesaurus. Checks your spelling as you type. Gives you instant synonyms. Leads the revolutionary way In electronic publishing. Minimum memory: 256K. -0ft-- Word Wizard" Intriguing new addition to the Turbo Lightning Libraiy." Solves unsolvable crosswords, and challenges your word skills and ability to break codes and ciphers. Scrambles, twists, turns, and boggles your mind. Includes Turbo Pascal source code and all the technical Information you'll need to figure out the "nuts and bolts" of the Turbo Lightning access system. Minimum memoiy: 256K. SuperKey* Amazing keyboard enhancer for your .1 IBM PC. With easy- "gh Turbo Pascal SideKick, SuperKey, and Turbo Tutor are registered trademarks, and Turbo Lightning, Turbo lightning Ubrary, Turbo Prolog, Turbo Graphix Toolbox, Turbo Datahase Toolbox, Turbo Editor Toolbox, Turbo GameWorks, Word Wizard, Reflex, The Analyst, Traveling SideKick, MicroCalc, MicroStar, GeoBase, and BlnderWare are trademarks of Borland International, Inc. or Borland/Analytlca, Inc. Random House is a trademark of Random House, Inc. IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Machines, Inc. dBase a a registered trademark of Aahton-Tate. 1-&3 is a registered trademark of Lotus Development Coip. Copyright 1986 Borland international BI-1042A Step-ty-step tutorial, demo programs with source code included! And now Borland introduces Turbo Prolog; the natural language of Artificial Intelligence JTrolog is probably the most powerful computer programming language ever conceived, which is why we've made it our second language— and "turbocharged" it to create Turbo Prolog." Our new Turbo Prolog brings supercomputer power to your IBM® PC and introduces you step-by-step to the fascinating new world of Artificial Intelligence. And does all this for an astounding $99.95. I^Jn Turbo Prolog is to Persoft. Inc.. 1986. All rights reserved. aersatr U Inquiry 28 1 W.. ■ .- MICROBYTES Staff-written highlights of late developments in the microcomputer industry. Microsoft News At the 1986 Personal Computer Forum in Phoenix, AZ, Bill Gates, chairman of Microsoft argued that applications should not all have to work to the lowest common denominator— the 8088. "We must have a transition in which some benefits of new applications accrue only to the benefit of users of high-end systems," he declared. Gates also said that a new type of software called "multimedia" software will soon emerge. It will use CD-ROMs and mix motion video, stills, music, voice, and so on. He predicted that CD-ROMs will attain large-scale use in part through the advent of an "infor- mation viewer" that lacks a disk and keyboard. In other Microsoft news, Gates said that the Bellevue, WA, company is porting Excel from the Mac to run under Windows on the IBM PC. He wouldn't say when the program will ap- pear under Windows but stated that it is easy to port to that environment. At the CD-ROM conference in Seattle, WA, a few weeks later, Microsoft showed an en- cyclopedia demo that, while incomplete, has some parts that do exploit the audio, video, and text capabilities of CD-ROM. Bill Gates has noted that an encyclopedia should show pic- tures and play music when a user looks up Beethoven. Finally, Gates announced that Microsoft has set up a new division just for CD-ROM. He believes that millions of these devices will be in use by 1990. New RAM Technology Semiconductor firms are doing more with RAM chips than just increasing memory-access cycle speed and cell density. They are also offering new architectures that let more bits of data move in and out of a RAM chip in less time. Standard RAMs read or write a single bit at a time. The new nybble-mode RAMs available from many manufacturers allow high-speed serial access of up to 4 bits of data. The Am90C255 from Advanced Micro Devices of Sunnyvale, CA. is a nybble-mode CMOS 256K DRAM made with 1.4-micron, two-level metal, one-level polysilicon technology that has an effective 40-ns cycle time. NEC Electronics of Mountain View, CA, offers the juPD411001, a nybble-mode 1-megabit DRAM that is made with trench capacitor technology and 1 -micron processing to give access times of 100. 120, or 150 ns. But nybble mode isn't the only twist on the old familiar memories. AMD's enhanced-page- mode Am90C2 56, for instance, is a CMOS 256K DRAM that yields an entire row of 512 bits without interruption. That permits a continuous data rate of more than 18 MHz with cycle times as fast as 55 ns. Such chips cost more than regular RAMs, but their improved band- width is worth the money in many designs. Electronic Mail Service from AT&T AT&T Information Systems of Lincroft, NJ, has instituted a new electronic mail service called AT&T Mail. Its metaphor is the "electronic office." You obtain an In Folder, which holds messages for 24 hours after you have read them; a Sent Folder; a Wastebasket; and a Desk, from which you can create and send messages. For an additional fee, you can get a File Cabinet to preserve messages for longer than 24 hours. Delivery options include electronic mail, U.S. mail, urgent, overnight, COD, receipt re- quested, and memo. You can also create, send, and share data forms and mailing lists, as well as store signatures and logos on the system. The current price schedule is $0.80 for an electronic message, $0.40 for a return receipt, $2 for U.S. mail, $27.50 for an urgent (same-day) message, $0.40 for an electronic note, $1.25 for COD, and $7.50 for priority U.S. mail. On-line message create/edit is $0.45 and on- line note create/edit is $0.20 per session. Monthly fees include $2 for the service, $10 for the forms/file feature, and $2 for a shared address list. Signature/logo registration is $12 per year. (continued) MAY 1986 -BYTE NEC V60 and V70 CMOS Microprocessors NEC Electronics of Mountain View, CA, has completed development of its V60 and V70 32-bit CMOS microprocessors. Both chips are built on 1.5-micron technology and employ 37 5,000 transistors per chip. The V60 has a full 32-bit internal architecture, a 16-bit external data bus, and a 24-bit ex- ternal address bus. The V70 has 32-bit architecture inside and out Both microprocessors have virtual-memory management, an arithmetic floating-point processor (IEEE 754), and a six-stage pipelined structure. At 16 MHz, either chip will run at 3.5 MIPS. Both also have an orthogonal instruction set of 273 instructions (of 119 types), 21 addressing modes, and thirty-two 32-bit general-purpose registers. A 4-gigabyte page-demand virtual-memory space is controlled by the on-chip memory manager and high-speed task switcher. The V60 and the V70 have an emulation mode that can directly execute V20 to V50 ob- ject codes, which means that the chips can also execute 8088 or 8086 code. IBM, TI, ITT Join Communications Standards Group IBM has announced that it will join a coalition of firms trying to establish standards for computer communications. The Corporation for Open Systems counts Digital Equipment Corporation, Hewlett-Packard, NCR, AT&T Sperry, Convergent Technologies, and Xerox among the firms that already belong to the group. Other new members include Eastman Kodak, Du Pont, Boeing Computer Services, ITT, Texas Instruments, and Data General. COS reportedly will base its proposed networking standards on the Open Systems Interconnect, which has gained popularity among European vendors and is favored by IBM. COS is based in Alexandria, VA. Its mission is "to provide a vehicle to accelerate the in- troduction of multivendor products and services based on adopted international standards." Graduate Credits Via Computer Conferencing The New School for Social Research in New York City offers courses on Media Studies via computer conferencing. In association with an organization called Connected Education, the New School is offering four courses this semester that are run under the EIES conferencing system. The tuition of $795 per course is the same as that of a traditional classroom course and includes unlimited access time on the conferencing system. School officials claim that the students' work is better than that in a traditional course and that the dropout rate is zero. Students can obtain half of the 36 credits necessary for a graduate degree through teleconferencing. Nanobytes At the Personal Computer Forum in Phoenix, AZ, S. Jerrold Kaplan of Lotus Development laid out a development path for spreadsheets. Kaplan argues that spreadsheets are actually "object-oriented declarative programming languages." He said that future competition among spreadsheets will be in improving the programming environments that spreadsheets provide by adding type checking, debugging aids, and so on ... . Coral Software of Cam- bridge, MA, is developing a new version of Logo for the Macintosh computer. A key feature of the new Logo is that it will be object-oriented. In addition, programs created with this Logo can be compiled, and Coral Software claims that they run at speeds comparable to programs written in C or Pascal. The new language will be available approximately in July for a price of about $50 .... Spokesmen for several companies made announcements at the Personal Computer Forum. Mitch Kapor, chairman of Lotus Development, said that Lotus products for Microsoft Windows will appear in 1987 and beyond. Dave Winer of Living Videotext talked about an unannounced Macintosh product code-named "Spanky" that will be ported to Windows on the IBM PC. Gary Kildall, chairman of Digital Research Inc. and CEO of KnowledgeSet (formerly Activenture), said that there will be some new very fast access CD-ROM mass storage systems that use tilting mirrors to speed operation. These will be expensive "professional" optical drives. . . . Motorola of Austin, TX, is pushing its manufacturing technology to make faster versions of the 68020. The state of the art is now the 20-MHz 68020, with samples available now and production scheduled for the second quarter of this year. The initial price is $771 apiece in 100-piece quantities. . , . Micro Industries of Westerville, OH, now has the license to manufacture and market the Micromodule line of 8-bit microcomputer boards and accessories that was previously available from Motorola's Microsystems Operation. Micro Industries has contracted to pro- vide service to boards built by Motorola for a minimum of five years. This contract ends Motorola's 1 0-year development and production of the 6800-based boards; the company will focus on VME products using the 68000 and its successors. 10 B YTE • MAY 1986 Take off with a Tandy portable and get real computing power wherever you travel* As a businessperson you can't afford idle time while traveling. That's why you need a Model 100 ($499), a Tandy 200 ($799), or our new Tandy 600 ($1599) portable computer. Each is an important business tool that will keep you on top of business wherever you go. Traveling companions The Model 100, a technological first, is perfect for writing letters, memos, reports and other corre- spondence anywhere, at any time. This lightweight computer was the first to feature five instant-on pro- grams, an 40 x 8 display and a modem — all built in. The Tandy 200 represents a true second generation in portable com- puters. You can do complete spreadsheet analysis and calcula- tions with the popular Multiplan software that's built into the mem- ory. Or use the Tandy 200 as your personal appointment calendar and address-and-phone directory. The most advanced laptop Our new Tandy 600 features a 16-bit microprocessor, an 80- character by 16-line liquid-crystal display, a built-in 3 l l2 rf disk drive that stores 360K of data and 32K RAM (expandable to 224K). The Tandy 600 also includes five resident applications — all designed by Microsoft® for the businessper- son on the go. With the Tandy 600's larger display and expanded mem- ory, Multiplan can hold more infor- mation. Using MS-Word, you'll also have quicker access to documents and more storage capacity with the built-in disk drive. File is an elec- tronic database for names and ad- dresses, expenses, client billing and more. And you can keep a large number of different files on the pocket-size diskettes. With Telecom and the Tandy 600's built-in mo- dem, you're able to keep in touch with your office over phone lines. Tandy . . . Clearly Superior™ Tandy offers you a choice of three portable computers — one is sure to fit your needs. You can see these amazing portables at your local Radio Shack Computer Center. Come in today! Available at over 1200 Radio Shack Computer Centers and at participating Radio Shack stores and dealers. Radio /hack COMPUTER CENTERS A DIVISION OF TANDY CORPORATION I ■ Send me a free Computer Catalog. Radio Shack, Dept. 86-A-898 300 One Tandy Center Fort Worth, TX 76102 Name_ Address _ Company. | City I State _ -Zip- Phone . Prices apply at Radio Shack Computer Centers and participating stores and dealers. Multiplan and MS-Word/TM Microsoft Corp. Inquiry 308 MAY 1986 -BYTE I ,- . I I I I I I I I I- I ■ I I , I I 1 1 I 1 1 I I I I ^ VxMk THE ST COMPUTER UNE FROM ATARI. IT'S LIKE GETTING THE POWER AND SPEED OF A FERRARI FOR THE PRICE OF A FORD: When Atari introduced the 520ST™, we set the personal computer industry on its ear. Nobody had ever produced a machine so powerful and technically advanced for such an incredibly low price. Nobody but Atari has done it yet. The competition was stunned. The critics wrote rave reviews. And consumers were ecstatic. We could have rested on our laurels, but we didn't. Instead, Atari extended the ST concept to a new computer called the 1040ST™. The amazing new 1040ST is even more powerful than the 520ST and years ahead of all the competition at almost any price. The only question in ATARI • 1040ST* COMMODORE® AMIGA" IBM® pcat™ APPLE® Macintosh™ APPLE lie® Price S999 $1795 $4675 $1995 $1295 CPU Speed MHz 68000 8.0 68000 7.16 80286 6.0 68000 7.83 65C02 1.0 Standard RAM 1 MB 256K 256K 512K 128K Slandard ROM 192K 192K 64K 64K 16K Number of Keys 95 89 95 59 63 Mouse Yus Yes No Yes Optional Screen Resolution (Non-interlaced Mode) Color Monochrome 640x 200 640x400 o o o o CO CO X X o o CD CD 640x200 720x350** None 512x342 560x192 560x192 Color Output Yes Yes Optional None Yes Number of Colors 512 4096 16 None 16 Disk Drive 3.5* 5.25" 3.5" 5.25" Built-in Hard Disk (DMA) Port Yes No Yes No - No Midi Interlace Yes No No No No # of Sound Voices 3 4 1 4 1 Atari 520ST with 512K RAM, $799. •Connects to standard color TV. For RGB color monitor add $200. ••With optional monochrome board (non bit-mapped). *• 'Interlace Mode - 640x400 Ferrari is a registered trademark o) Ferrari Italia SpA and Ferrari ol America. Inc. Ford is a registered trademark of Ford Motor Company. IBM and PCAT are registered trademarks of International Business Machines Corp. Commodore and Amiga are trademarks of Com- modore Electronics LTD. Apple. Apple lie, and Macintosh are trademarks of Apple Computer. Inc. Atari, 520ST. 1040ST, and ST are trademarks of Atari Corp. Inquiry 27 for End-Users. Inquiry 28 for DEALERS ONLY. 1986 isn't which company to buy a computer , from, but which computer to buy from Atari. At $799, the 520ST gives you 512 Kbytes of RAM, a high -resolution monochrome monitor, 2 -button mouse, and 3.5" disk drive. At $999, the 1040ST gives you 1024 Kbytes of RAM, an ultra high- resolution monochrome monitor, 2 -button mouse, and a built-in double-sided 3.5" disk drive, plus built-in power supply. Both the 520ST and the 1040ST can be con- nected directly to your own color T.Y Or you can add an Atari RGB color monitor to get the sharpest, most colorful images possible. Add $200 for color monitor. It's simply a matter of choosing which model best fits your needs. And whether you choose the 520ST or the 1040SX you'll be getting the power and speed of a Ferrari for the price of a Ford. In fact, you'll save hundreds and in some cases thousands of dollars over comparable computers. Which is why consumers are still ecstatic. Why the critics are still writing rave reviews, And why the competition is still stunned. AATARI' POWER WITHOUT THE PRICE." MAY 1986 -BYTE 13 LETTERS Choose Your Language I read with interest the letter from Mark Pickerill ("Speaking of Languages," February, page 3 56). Like Mr. Pickerill, I am a "professional programmer." In fact, I have attained that most coveted of professional positions, compiler writing and programming-lan- guage design. My entire professional career has been spent designing and im- plementing various programming lan- guages, from extended abstract assembly languages to standard Pascal to Ada derivatives. Currently. I am involved in the design and implementation of a high-level parallel language designed to run on a large, tightly coupled parallel processor. Mr. Pickerill raises several language- design issues that merit a response. Everyone has a favorite language. If Mr. Pickerill has chosen BASIC, that is his prerogative. I personally find BASIC dis- tasteful, and I will use it only when no other language is available on a given ma- chine. While I have not used some of the newer BASICS that offer traditional scop- ing, subroutines, and structured control mechanisms, my experiences have led me to believe that BASIC is inadequate for large programming projects and only suf- fices when a quick hack is required. Mr. Pickerill is correct in his assessment that Pascal is not a complete language. It is. however, more than adequate for most programming projects. In fact, certain ex-/ tended Pascal implementations (TUrbcS* Pascal in particular) are an absolute joy to use. As a compiler writer. I can truly ap- preciate the speed of compilation that Tljrbo Pascal achieves. When I first used that package, I was absolutely amazed. I have since written several large systems programs in Uirbo Pascal, including end- user interface software for a local-area net- work. I can assure you that some of the things I was able to accomplish in Uirbo Pascal simply cannot be done effectively in the BASICS I had available to me. Mr. Pickerill describes C as "a mess" and "a disaster." He claims the syntax is dirty, cryptic, and unreadable. In fact, the C syn- tax is quite clean; so clean, in fact, that mechanized parser generators have ab- solutely no problem generating compilers for it. I will grant that it is unreadable. As most language designers quickly realize, languages are designed to be either easily readable or easily writable. Pascal. Ada, COBOL, and Modula are designed to be easily read, promoting self-documenting code. C is an easily writable language and was designed to effectively express algo- rithms in a minimum of space. It is rife with operators and has 1 1 levels of operator precedence. Once you have mastered those operators, however, it is a joy to dash off a few lines of C that can do what would require 30 lines of Pascal. Frankly. C is not for everyone. If you want to become proficient at C, you must be prepared to spend some time learning to think in C. It is simply not possible to become fluent in C in a matter of hours. If you are not willing to invest the time, then do not use the language. Remember, C was designed by systems programmers, not applications program- mers. It meets their needs. It is a tool that can be used to achieve a goal. A fatal flaw among programmers is the desire to use one language for everything. Do you drive nails with a pair of pliers? Cut wood with a butter knife? Write numeric-intensive ap- plications in C. screen editors in COBOL, or system code in APL? It is the program- mer's responsibility to learn several lan- guages to keep in a "toolbox." When a programming problem arises, the pro- grammer can then make an intelligent choice as to which tool will best solve it. Mr. Pickerill makes an attack upon the use of lowercase letters in programming languages. Agreed, a compiler that forces the user to use only lowercase letters is an atrocity, and the author of said com- piler should be thrashed with a stack of listings. However, it is well known among psychologists that lowercase letters are. in fact, much easier to read than uppercase ones. Lowercase letters have a mixture of short and tall letters ("x" versus "1." for ex- ample). Such variations in height provide more pattern-matching information for your brain to quickly distinguish the let- ter at which it is looking. Since all upper- case letters are the same height, it takes longer for your brain to identify an upper- case letter. Further, words written in all up- percase TEND TO ATTRACT YOUR EYES AND SIGNIFY ALARM. There is a sublim- inal message of urgency contained in a string of uppercase letters that your brain must overcome when reading them. Finally, Mr. Pickerill makes some state- ments regarding the simplicity of com- pilers. He contends that the use of double- character delimiters and excessive "syn- tactic sugar" in some languages indicates an inherent simplicity within a compiler and. I suppose, some laziness on the part of the compiler writer. Nothing could be further from the truth. Double-character delimiters (such as /* and */, which delimit comments in C) are used simply because there aren't enough single-character de- limiters available. It is desirable that delimiter pairs have some symmetry so that they are aesthetically pleasing and understandable. In ASCII, the possible candidates are < and >. ( and ), | and |. and { and }.' Currently C uses all of these pairs for something other than com- ment delimiters: < and > are comparison operators, ( and ) denote nested expres- sions. | and | denote array indexing, and { and } delimit multiple statement blocks. Character-set limitations force the use of double-character delimiters to make lex- ical analysis context-free. Mr. Pickerill also voices the traditional complaint about semicolons. In Pascal, the semicolon separates statements; it does not terminate them. In order for a parser to re- main on track, it needs such syntactic sugar to verify that its impression of a pro- gram corresponds to the programmer's. It is possible to remove much of the extra tokens from the Pascal syntax, but a sub- sequent penalty of parser complexity is paid. Error recovery, which is already quite difficult, becomes even harder. It is far more desirable to give the compiler a little (continued) LETTERS POLICY: To be considered for publica- tion, a letter must be typed double-spaced on one side of the paper and must include your name and address. Comments and ideas should be expressed as clearly and concisely as possible. Listings and tables may be printed along with a letter if they are short and legible. Because BYTE receives hundreds of letters each month, not all of them can be published, letters will not be returned to authors. Generally, it takes four months from the time BYTE receives a letter until it is published. 14 BYTE* MAY 1986 m — k Hard Drive Card *! Hard Drive Card A Hard Drive The Easy Way. Turn your PC into an XT in seconds with OnBoard, Maynard's new hard drive card! So your PC needs a hard drive. - . When you bought your PC, you never dreamed you'd need more than floppy drive performance. But now, both you and your PC are ready for more. In fact, there's just one reason you've been putting off getting a hard drive. Admit it. It's the installation. Cables and controller and all that. Well, relax. OnBoard is here. The hard drive card that boosts your PC's storage capacity to rival any XT or AT* on the block! OnBoard snaps easily into one of your IBM PC's expansion slots! Open your PC, plug in OnBoard, and close your PC. Just like that. Your PC will boot directly to OnBoard when you power up — no more floppy disk maneuvering. Powerful Self-Control. If you already have a hard drive in your PC, OnBoard's controller card will double up and run both hard drives. Which helps keep your expansion slots open for other business. Lots of Head Room, Lots of Desk Room. OnBoard puts up to 20MB of power into your PC, turning it into a hard drive heavyweight in seconds! If you need less storage but the same speed and fine performance, you can install OnBoard 1 0. Inquiry 222 Single-Slot Installation. Simply snap OnBoard into expansion slot 1 of your IBM PC* or XT, leaving all your other slots free for additional boards. OnBoard is designed to work in today's leading PCs and is available at the finest computer stores. Contact your local dealer or call us today for more information. *IBM PC, XT, and AT are trademarks of International Business Machines. ■s«2 Maynard Electronics Shaping tomorrow's technology. 460 E. Semoran Blvd., Casselberry, FL 32707 305/331-6402 MAY 1986 'BYTE 15 &rw Social Imitation s ^WpnQSlS ^pJ Let • tor qutl- i- ty pnot-ing I^SFancyFont +(*) fc-l Ven-Tel Inc. 2342 Walsh Avenue Santa Clara, CA 95051 (408) 727-5721 Crosstalk is a registered trademark of Microstuf, Inc. Smartcom II is a trademark of Hayes Microcomputer Products. Symphony is a trademark of Lotus Development. Framework is a trademark of AshtonTate. Inquiry 374 MAY 1986 -BYTE 23 LETTERS to Arnie Skurow, who sought interfaces for the disabled, an early project of mine in- cluded a keyboard for use in English which could be used with only one hand. Lastly, the only arrangement of the Dvorak-Dealey keyboard shown in your ar- ticle was for the right-handed typist. A reversed layout also exists for the left- handed typist both in the Dvorak-Dealey model and my own. Mr. X Kingston, Ontario, Canada After reading Donald Olson and Laurie jasinski's article on the Dvorak keyboard. 1 though you might be interested in another experience with the keyboard. I rearranged the keytops on my Ohio Scien- tific computer and reprogrammed the ROMs to make a Dvorak keyboard. I no- ticed only a very slight improvement in speed, on the same order as that de- scribed in the article. The first few hours of use were terrible (even worse than I had expected). Once I became accustomed to If you're tired of waiting, you're using the wrong file manager. Be fast. Btrieve.® If batch jobs and reports turn wait- ing time to nighttime, then wake up! You're using the wrong file manager. Btrieve® file management hates waiting as much as you do. It's writ- ten in assembly language especially for the IBM PC. And based on b-tree file indexing, with automatic balanc- ing for access speed that won't de- grade as your database grows. With Btrieve, your applications always run fast. So you'll be out the door faster. The standard for networking. Btrieve/N (network version) sets the standard for the industry's most popular LANs and multi-user sys- tems. Btrieve/N offers safe network file management that coordinates simultaneous updates and prevents lost data. Automatic file recovery. Btrieve pro- vides automatic file recovery after a system crash. Your Btrieve data always comes back intact. Fully-relational data management. SoftCraft's entire family of products gives you a complete, fully-relational database management system. Rtrieve™ adds report writing capabili- ties. Xtrieve™ speeds users through database queries with interactive menus. For professional programmers. Btrieve is the fast, reliable answer for all your application development in BASIC, Pascal, COBOL, C, FOR- TRAN and APL. With Btrieve, you can develop better applications faster. And know they'll run— fast. SoftCraft Inc. P.O. Box #917 Austin, Texas 78766 (512) 346-8380 Telex 358 200 Suggested retail prices: Btrieve, $245; Btrieve/N, $595; Xtrieve, $195; Xtrieve/N, $395; Rtrieve, $85; Rtrieve/N, $175. Requires PC-DOS or MS-DOS l.X, 2.X, orS.X. NO ROYALTIES. the new arrangement, however, 1 was thoroughly pleased. As I noted above, it did not improve speed as much as I had hoped. Ah, but fatigue was another story. My hands are much more relaxed and I type more smoothly than with QWERTY. Since this was my home computer, the real test of the new arrangement came the following Monday when I had to switch back to the QWERTY arrangement at work. Surprise! No problem at all in revert- ing to the old arrangement— that is, until 1 hit the first A. If you compare the two keyboards, you will note that they share a common position for the two letters A and M. while all other keys have different positions. This continues to be the only major problem in switching between the two arrangements. After the first few words, I adapt easily to either keyboard. But every time I type an A or M. I have a tendency to revert to whichever key- board I have used the most during the preceding few days. Steven P. Hendrix Sagamore Hills, OH Authors Olson and Jasinski are not im- pressed with the Dvorak keyboard layout. Having tried it. I am inclined to agree with them. However, both they and Dvorak only addressed the typewriter keyboard. Today's word processors and microcom- puters have many more keys on their key- boards, with quite different usage than the typewriter of the thirties. Where would Dvorak have put Ctrl, Alt, Del, Ins? How would he have allowed for the more fre- quent usage of Q and Y? Should special function keys be at the top or the side? When we have a numeric keypad, why do we need a second set of number keys, or if we do, why don't we make the numbers the uppercase and have the !, @. #, $, etc., available for use without shifting? We need a new Dvorak who will give us a total keyboard for today's needs and technology. E. A. Clarke Ponoka, Alberta, Canada CRTs Are Safe If they haven't already, your readers will probably soon receive an ad for a radia- tion shield for their computer monitors. Carefully worded so as to remain legal (maybe) the ad will imply that cathode-ray tubes emit ionizing (X-ray like) radiation, that this is harmful to the operator, and that the way to save yourself is to purchase the advertised shield to put between you and the CRT. One ad I just received from a national distributor of computer prod- ucts shows an operator dressed in a full [continued on page 390) 24 BYTE • MAY 1986 Inquiry 324 WHEN YOU NEED ACCESS TO FULL MEMORY, STRUCTURE, COMPATIBILITY WITH GW- & PC-BASICA, WHEN YOU NEED THE POWER AND FLEXIBILITY OF COR PASCAL... . . .You need BetterBASIC. The BetterBASIC compiler has become the standard by which other BASICs are evaluated. BetterBASIC is completely compatible with GW-BASIC and PC-BASICA when running on IBM PC's and true clones. You can load and run your existing BASIC programs in BetterBASIC. It uses standard MicroSoft syntax and gives you more than 150 additional state- ments such as XREF, DEFINE WINDOW, MAKE MOD- ULE, and PROCEDURE. In benchmark comparisons, BetterBASIC is five times faster than interpreted BA- SIC. There is optional 8087/80287 math chip support, and an optional Runtime System to create stand-alone EXE. files. BetterBASIC is not copy protected. Technical support is provided for all registered users. See for yourself why Dick Aarons of PC Magazine said "BetterBASIC may be the best of all BASIC pro- gramming worlds" and selected BetterBASIC as "Editor's Choice" (Oct. 29, 1985). BetterBASIC 8087/80287 Math Chip Support Runtime System Sample Disk with Tutorial Ask your dealer or call to order: $199 $99 $250 $10 1-800-225-5800 BetterBASIC is a registered trademark of Summit Software Technoloftf, Inc. IBM PC, XT, AT, and Microsoft are registered trademarks of International Business Machines Corp. Tandy is a registered trademark of Tandy Coip. Inquiry 345 Summit Software Technology, Inc T . M 106 Access Rd. Norwood, MA 02062 MAY 1986 -BYTE 25 n* can draw your own conclusions. Drafix I. The first high performance CAD software everyone can afford. Low-cost, high performance computer- aided design & drafting (CAD) software is finally available for use on your PC. There's never been a professional CAD package so complete at such a low cost. Drafix I from Foresight Resources. Only $295. Powerful, full-featured second generation CAD software. Drafix I offers all of the capabilities you expect to find in packages costing S2,000 or more This is not simply a souped-up paint package. Drafix I is a breakthrough in design that organizes sophisticated CAD functions into smooth, fast operations. All of the drawing, designing and editing functions that designers demand from a serious CAD tool are included in Drafix I. A breakthrough in screen design and visual user interface. Drafix I features the best organized screen design ever devised. Very simply, it displays all the information you need, all of the time. The entire menu hierarchy is displayed constantly. There's no need to memorize commands or search for menus. Snap-mode options are continually shown on the left screen border and can be selected "on the fly" by either pointer device or a single keystroke Roll-down screens provide quick access to the virtually unlimited drawing, display and editing options. And it's all controlled by a versatile three-button mouse, or digitizer, with on- screen prompts so each button function is clearly defined. AutoCAD® compatible for easy expansion. If you or someone in your company already uses AutoCAD, Drafix I offers an in- expensive way to add to your capability. The optional Drafix 1/ AutoCAD file ex- change utility perm its transfer of drawings between Drafix I and AutoCAD. AuloCAO is a ttademarko! Autodesklnc IBM PC/XT/AT are trademarks ol ihelBM Corp. PCMouse is a trademark ol Mouse Syslemslnc. SummaSketcli Is a trademark of Summagraphics Inc. Manager Mouse is a trademark ol TbrringlonCompany P -- -^-±-J! LTSV TTHTW^j p»^«r* '- ; - *•? ftreC ii» M JbHwhYI (* "•--_'*;* Tsn': ) dpi M s*e If £1 ] J -*■* Iff: ♦0 Soli<3 || 1 Sho**t dash fa 5 Dotted £1 6. Divide S Entire menu hierarchy visible at all times. Extensive use of roll-down menus. On-screen promptsdefine each mouse button function. It's the perfect, low-cost alternative for increasing your drafting and design capacity. Low introductory bundle prices. Drafix I is designed to run on the IBM PC/XT/AT® and compatible personal com- puters. It supports all major graphics display cards, monitors, printers and plotters. And to get you up and running we offer two special bundles — all the equipment you need at introductory prices you won't believe. Get Drafix I with your choice of the Mouse Systems' PC Mouse® or Torrington's Manager Mouse® for just S395.00. Or get Drafix I with SummaSketch 12"xl2" digitizer tablet with stylus for just S585.00. Order today. Take advantage of our 30-day, money back guarantee. Were so certain you'll like the perform- ance and versatility of Drafix I you're welcome to try it risk free for 30 days. If you're not completely satisfied, return it to us for a full refund. Find out just how good CAD software can be. For only S295.00. Use our toll-free number and any major credit card to order your copy of Drafix I today. SPECIFICATIONS Code specifications Lattice "C" language Halo graphics Floating pointdatabase Coprocessersuppor! PC-00S/MSD0S2.torlater Drafix I Features Items Lines Pt markers ArcsS circles Note text Polygon s& ellipses Symbols/individua I & n esled Item attributes 1 6 pert colors 255Layers 9 Lmetypes 12 Text fonts 32Ptmarkertypes Screen Display Zoom/Pan/Ful! 8SaveVie« Slidesave/view Gridson/olt Metric & English Standards Engineering (deomal/lracttonal) Architectural ((tin) Projectdrawlnginlo. Numeric Input Keyboard and cursor Absolute. Relative, Polar Snap Modes Gridpoint Endpoint Midpoint Intersect On item Quadrant Tangent Arc center Transform/Copy Move Rotate Scale Mirror Align Modity/Edit Attributes Break/Divide FilleVchamter Tnm Sirelch Erase Explodesymbols & polygons Mask Replace Merge Region select Workgroup Autohatchlng, polygonllll Auto Dimensions Linear Hor/Ver/Aligned Angular Oia/Radius Leader Notes Ordinate Chains Baseline Check calculations Coordinates Distance & angle AreaS perimeter Item Masking Hardware Computers IBM PCXT AT and compatibles AT&T 6300 Plus Zenilli SystemRequirements - 512K RAM - RS-232 Commport — Mouse or digitizer — Coprocessor recommended GraphlciDiiplayboards IBM CGA/EGA and compatibles Hercules, and a widerangeof graphics boards Digitizers & Locators AHpopularlocaloidencesstipported Plotters AllpopuIarplottersCC"size) supported "E'size plotter option available Printers Allpopularlaserand dot matrix pnnterssupported Order Now! Call Toil-Free! 1-800-2 31"8 5 74, Ext. 150 □ Drafix I CAD Package □ Drafix I with Mouse Mouse Systems^ Torrington □ Drafix I with SummaSketch tablet □ AutoCAD File Exchange Utility TORE RE! $295 $395 $585 $ 95 Check, money order, Visa and MasterCard accepted Dealer inquiries welcome GHT RCES CORP." 932 Massachusetts Lawrence, KS 66044 913/841-1121 Inquiry 139 for End-Users. Inquiry 140 for DEALERS ONLY. MAY 1986 -BYTE 27 mm^<0^ One IBM PC, XT/AT or compat- ible, plus one Advanced Digital PC- Slave II, now equals a com- plete 3-user (or more) system. Do you need a true multi- user PC system? If so, read on. The Advanced Digital solution will simply add up in your favor. To add two or more users to your IBM PC, XT/AT or compat- ible, just plug in our PC-SLAVE II and two low-cost monochrome monitors and keyboards. You can now run PC-DOS™ or MS-DOS™ on each user with PC-NET™ soft- ware to support your network. The end result is a true multi- processor system that allows each user to run independently on their own CPU and memory, yet sharing a common data base. Do you need networking capabilities? The realm of IBM networks is only a step away with the The UhimateT^&o IBM PC" Card m x x y ."' .** y y y y y * *' Cfa: ' •t\ > > .t .. .-,._.... L, \j i' L L L l ADVANCED/ DIGITAL CORPORATIO N/ Inquiry 6 for End-Users. Inquiry 7 for DEALERS ONLY. WHAT'S NEW Compaq Announces 80286-based Portable Compaq Computer Corp. has introduced the Compaq Portable II. an IBM PC AT-compatible computer based on an Intel 80286 processor running at 6 or 8 MHz. Lighter and smaller than the original Compaq Portable, the new computer weighs 23.6 pounds and measures 7.5 by 13.9 by 17.7 inches. It has a modified IBM PC AT key- board, a 9-inch mono- chrome monitor, a real-time clock, a socket for an 80287 coprocessor, parallel and serial interfaces, and inter- faces for an RGB or com- posite monitor or standard TV set. The dual-mode moni- tor displays 80 characters by 25 lines and has a resolution of 640 by 200 pixels in graphics mode and 720 by 350 pixels in text mode. The machine has room for up to two storage devices, either two I/3-height 360K- byte floppy-disk drives or one floppy drive and a 1/2-height 10-megabyte hard- disk drive. Like the hard disk in the company's first por- table, the new portable's hard-disk drive is shock- mounted, but it now in- cludes a disk-controller board, eliminating the need for an expansion board. One of the computer's ex- pansion slots is 8-bit, and the other is 8-/1 6-bit. The main system board can hold 640K bytes of RAM. An op- tional memory board that attaches under the main sys- tem board enables you to line Compaq Portable II runs on an 80286 processor. expand memory to 2.1 megabytes without using an expansion slot. All con- figurations can hold up to 4.1 megabytes of RAM. The new machine's 165- watt power supply, which is more powerful than that of the original portable, uses surface-mount technology to achieve greater power in a smaller unit. As an $89 op- tion, the Compaq Portable II features an automatic power-switching board that senses whether you have 1 10- or 220-volt operation and adjusts the machine to handle the correct voltage. The Compaq Portable II sells for $3499 with 2 56K bytes of RAM and one 360K-byte floppy drive; $3 599 with 2 56K bytes of RAM and two floppy drives; and $4799 with 640K bytes of RAM, one floppy drive, and one 10-megabyte hard disk. Contact Compaq Com- puter Corp.. 20555 FM 149. Houston. TX 77070. (713) 370-0670. Inquiry 550. Atari ST Hard Disks The SupraDrive Hard Disk series for the Atari 520ST and 1040ST com- puters is available with 10. 20, 30, or 60 megabytes of storage. The drives attach to the computer's high-speed DMA port and. according to the company, improve the speed of data transfer by three to ten times over that of floppy-disk-based systems. The company says the burst data-transfer rate is I5 5K bytes per second for the 10-megabyte drive, 625K bytes per second for the 20-megabyte drive, and 940K bytes per second for the 30- and 60-megabyte drives. The 520ST and 1040ST can boot directly from the SupraDrives. All the drives come with software that in- cludes formatting, partition- ing, and backup utilities. Par- titioning lets you create up to four logical drives for file storage, each of which ap- pears as an icon on the GEM desktop and can be used like a separate disk drive. The drives are compatible with the TOS operating system and applications soft- ware and with other DMA- bus peripherals for the 520ST and 1040ST. such as CD-ROM players, copro- cessors, and other devices. Prices are $799 for a 10-megabyte drive; $995 for 20 megabytes. $1295 for 30 megabytes, and $1995 for 60 megabytes. Contact Supra Corp.. 1133 Commer- cial Way, Albany. OR 97321. (503) 967-9075. Inquiry 551. Borland's Prolog Borland International released TUrbo Prolog, designed as a software simulation of the Japanese fifth-generation computing engine. The compiler runs on any IBM PC with at least 384K bytes of RAM and one disk drive. Turbo Prolog is an in- cremental, six-pass compiler that produces native-code, linkable object modules; its linking format is compatible with the PC-DOS linker. The programming interface, which employs its own pull- down menus and windows, lets you move back and forth between windows for purposes of editing, debug- ging, listing, and running a program. 'Type checking can be done across module boundaries. Borland says there are no limits to the [continued] MAY 1986 • BYTE 29 WHAT'S NEW size of compiled modules or source code. The language supports color, graphics, turtle graphics, sound, and windowing. The $99.95 package con- sists of the compiler, a full- screen text editor (with automatic identification of source-code errors), a refer- ence manual, and a tutorial. The disk also holds com- mented source code for GeoBase, a natural-query- language database about U.S. geography. Contact Borland International, 4585 Scotts Valley Dr., Scotts Valley, CA 95066, (408) 438-8400. Inquiry 552. Memory-Resident Lotus Utility Designed for use with Lotus's 1-2-3 and Sym- phony, SQZ! from Turner Hall Publishing is a memory- resident program that com- presses, or squeezes, work- sheet files automatically when you save them on disk. According to the com- pany, the program reduces the size of worksheets by approximately 80 percent. It automatically restores the files to their original size when you retrieve them, with no loss of content. Worksheets remain their original size in RAM. In addition to reducing the storage space that files re- quire, the program cuts the time spent saving and load- ing files on floppy-based systems and reduces the cost of sending files elec- tronically. A 1 50K-byte file that normally takes 20 minutes to transmit at 1200 bps takes 2 minutes after it's compressed, the company says. The program can also encrypt files and save them as ASCII text. SQZFs compression capa- bilities are based on public- domain and proprietary algorithms and take advan- tage of redundancy in the Cricket Graph produces color graphics with the Mac. Lotus file formats. The pro- gram occupies less than 30K bytes of memory and sup- ports the Lotus/lntel/Micro- soft expanded memory specification. SQZ! runs on IBM PCs and compatibles and costs $79.95. For more information, contact Turner Hall Publishing, 10201 Torre Ave.. Cupertino, CA 95014, (408) 2 53-9607. Inquiry 553. Color Graphics, Page-Layout Software for Mac Cricket Software's Cricket Graph offers users of the 512K-byte Macintosh the capability to design and print presentation graphics in color. And because it can handle multiple-graph page layouts, the program can be used for certain desktop- publishing applications. Cricket Graph provides 12 types of graphs and charts: scatter, line, area, bar, col- umn, stacked bar, stacked column, pie, polar, quality control, double Y. and text. It can plot more than 2000 data points per series and allows for regression-curve fits, three-dimensional depth, and error bars. The software lets you enter data in a spreadsheet- like form or import it from SYLK files, text files, or from other applications through the clipboard. You can sort data, group it by ranges of values, smooth it, and trans- form it by logarithmic, trigonometric, exponential, and statistical functions. A dialog box provides for changing axis tick marks and labels, plot symbols, and bar patterns. You can resize plot frames and ex- plode pie chart segments. You can assign any of eight printer ribbon or pen hues and 16 fill patterns. Cricket Graph prints color on the Apple Imagewriter 11. Apple Color Plotter, and Hewlett-Packard 7470A and 7 47 5 A color plotters. (Ver- sions of the program are available for other printers, and other versions let you put your work on 3 5mm color slides.) With the package's layout capabilities, you can move, resize, and overlay as many as 10 graphs per page. Color graphs and charts can be imported to MacPub- lisher II and merged with text and images. Cricket Graph stores graphics inter- nally in PICT, rather than bit- mapped, files and retains color data when passing files to black-and-white applications. Cricket Graph has a sug- gested retail price of $195; versions for film recorders and color printers are $495; a demo disk is $6.95. Con- tact Cricket Software, 3 508 Market St., Suite 206. Philadelphia. PA 19104. (800) 34 5-8112; in Pennsylvania, (215) 387-7955. Inquiry 554. Robotics Controller for Apples The VIP (Very Intelligent Peripheral) Card from Bukowski Robotics is an Apple-compatible robotics controller card that can be used as a stand-alone con- troller or as a coprocessor in an Apple 11. You develop programs for robotics or control applications in BASIC or other languages, load the programs into the card from the computer's disk drive, and then place the card into the robot or other device to be con- trolled. The card has a 65C02 microprocessor, 16 I/O lines, two timer/counters, and 8K bytes of nonvolatile RAM. It can be expanded to include 48 I/O lines, six timer/ counters, and 24K bytes of EPROM or static RAM. Other options include a real- time clock/calendar, a 16-channel relay controller board, and an 8-channel 8-bit data-acquisition board. Memory modules with up to 128K bytes of RAM and bat- tery backup are also avail- able. The card fits into any slot of an Apple 11, N + , or He; software bundled with the card includes routines for a parallel port, serial port, stepper-motor driver, and a variety of home-control utili- ties. The VIP Card costs $129. For more information, con- tact Bukowski Robotics, 1555 West University, Suite 105, Tempe, AZ 85281. (602) 966-6230. Inquiry 555. [continued) 30 BYTE • MAY 1986 Evercom™... 1200 baud, $249 Now the EVEREX Evercom modem is available on a half -size card, perfect for the short slots in the IBM XT, Portable, and many compatibles. EVEREX has combined innovative engineering and technology to produce a quality Hayes-compatible 1 200 baud modem that out performs the competition at a lower price. EVEREX engineering is the key ingredient that delivers QUALITY and FEATURES without sacrificing PRICE. Before you buy a modem, check these features: • 300/1200 bps Hayes-compatible • Half-si/.e card • Automatic dialing, answering, and redialing • Call Progress Monitoring • Configurable from COM1 - COM4 • Internal Speaker with software adjustable volume control » Tone and pulse dialing EVERCOM YES YES YES • Automatic data-to-voice transition • Detects receiver off -hook • Reports speed mismatch • Supports 132 columns • Communications software included • Extended Hayes command set • List price YES YES YES YES YES YES $249 HAYES 1200B YES NO YES NO NO NO YES NO NO NO NO NO $489 Demonstration ~ FREE Brochure Remember, before you buy a modem, check the features, check the price, and then call EVEREX to set up a demonstration at your local dealer. When you call, we will also send you the total solution brochure describing EVEREX's complete line of IBM microcomputer peripherals. 1-800-821-0806 in California 1-800-821-0807 EVER for Excellence 48431 Milmont Dr. Fremont CA 94539 (415)498-1111 Evercom is a trademark of Everex Systems. Inc. IBM PC and XT are registered trademarks of International Business Machines Corp. Hayes 1200B is a trademark of Hayes Microcomputer Products Inc. Inquiry 131 for End-Users. Inquiry 132 for DEALERS ONLY. MAY 1986 -BYTE 31 WHAT'S NEW Image Processing on the PC AT Data Translation's image- processing system for the IBM PC AT consists of two plug-in boards. A high- resolution frame-grabber board (the DT2851) captures 512 by 512 by 8-bit video images, stores them in mem- ory, processes them in real time, and displays them. A second board, the Auxiliary Frame Processor (DT2858) connects directly to the frame grabber through I/O ports and speeds image- processing calculations. The firm claims that the DT2858 executes convolutions on a 512 by 512 by 16-bit image frame in .85 seconds, as compared with 4 to 5 seconds on the PC AT alone. The frame grabber can operate with standard and nonstandard video sources, including video cameras, VCRs, and slow-scan devices. The processor can merge, subtract, and offset frames by a constant and allows AND, OR, and XOR logic operations. It has multiple input and output lookup tables for creating thresh- olds and contours and pro- ducing pseudocolor. Features of the board in- clude an 8-bit video A/D converter and three 8-bit D/A converters. The board's two 2 56K-byte memory buf- fers can store two complete image frames on board, per- mitting parallel processing of multiple images. The auxiliary board has a 16-bit pipelined processor and a RAM conversion table. It speeds the creation of histograms and convolu- tions and operations such as zoom, pan, and scroll. Optional DT-1R1S Image Processing Software is also available. The package con- tains a subroutine library that can be called from BASIC Pascal. C. FORTRAN, and macro assembler. Rou- / / w fig Mil ■ B£Tffljj|gi«lErepregi^ w ifrC Data Translation's image-processing boards. tines include windowing, frame averaging, and text, line, and circle overlays. List price for the frame grabber is $2995 and for the auxiliary processor, $1495. The D1-1R1S software costs $995. Contact Data Translation Inc., 100 Locke Dr., Marlboro. MA 01752. (617) 481-3700. Inquiry 556. Amiga CAD Tool PCLO (printed circuit board layout) is a multiple-layer interactive autorouting CAD program for engineers and techni- cians using the Commodore Amiga. Full trace manipula- tion and editing, n-layer capability, and use of graph- ics are among this package's features. PCLO is priced at $1000 for single sites; multiple-site licenses are available. For more information, contact SoftCircuits Inc., 401 South- west 75th Terrace, North Lauderdale, FL 3 3068. (305) 721-2707. Inquiry 557. Software Lets Mac Work Like Apple II Computer Applications has developed a pro- gram called 11 in a Mac that lets you run Apple DOS 3.3 and ProDOS programs on the 512K-byte Macintosh. With 11 in a Mac, you can transfer commercial and public-domain Apple 11 soft- ware to the Macintosh com- puter without modification. Features of the emulator include four logical drives, RAM disks, joystick, lan- guage card, clock, keyboard buffer, high- and low- resolution graphics, 68000 system calls, and Apple II soft switches and hardware accesses. The program also provides access to Mac peripheral hardware through the printer and modem ports and works with desk accessories and Switcher software. 11 in a Mac comes with communications software for the Apple 11 and the Macin- tosh. You can choose a serial transfer (using the Imagewriter cable) or a modem transfer. Computer Applications of- fers library disks containing public-domain Apple II pro- grams for business, enter- tainment, and graphics uses. Retail price of II in a Mac is $69.95. For more informa- tion, contact Computer Ap- plications Inc., 12813 Lindley Dr.. Raleigh, NC 27614. (919) 846-1411. Inquiry 558. Ada Compiler for MS-/PC-DOS Machines Artek has developed an Ada compiler that runs under MS- and PC-DOS and comes with a full-screen editor, an interpreter/debug- ger, a linker/library manager, an A-code disassembler, and documentation for $895. Artek says its system meets all the 1983 Department of Defense specifications ex- cept tasking. The compiler package fea- tures generic subprograms and packages, as well as ar- ray and record aggregates, operator overloading, and dynamic arrays and excep- tions. It takes a single pass over source code in order to produce executable pseudocode. You can invoke a second pass to translate this A-code into machine language for the Intel 8086. The compiler system re- quires at least 38 4K bytes of memory. A hard disk is recommended for develop- ment of large applications. Contact Artek Corp, 100 Seaview Dr., Secaucus, NJ 07094. (800) 722-783 5; in New Jersey, (201) 867-2900. Inquiry 559. [continued) 32 BYTE • MAY 1986 SuperKey, PC Magazine's "Product of the Year" Without SideKick, SuperKey, and Traveling SideKick, your IBM PC is only half-awake Bury one, buy two, or all three at spectacular savings Sold separately— SuperKey Is $69.95, SideKick is 184.95, and It's sleepwalking instead of sprinting. Dawdling instead of dashing, because it's not getting the supercharge of a high-speed productivity booster like SuperKey,® PC Magazine's "Product of the Year." Or the real-time desk- top management of SideKick,® the #1 best seller for the IBM® PC. Or the electronic clout and Computer Age organizational skills of Traveling SideKick™ SuperKey "macros" are electronic shortcuts to success You avoid repetition like \ getting out of bed 47 [ times eveiy morning, [•cooking dinner 93 times eveiy night— when once Is obviously enough. But if you haven't | yet discovered the time- saving power of SuperKey, you'll find yourself typing the same set of keystrokes over and over again. Which makes no sense when a SuperKey macro cuts all that out. Macros are electronic shortcuts that can turn 1000 keystrokes intol. Aside from macros, SuperKey also gives you powerful encryption technology that scrambles your files and keeps confidential files confidential It also lets you lock your keyboard, and foils would-be intruders with secret password protection. Combine the electronic wizardry of SuperKey with the practical efficiency of SideKick The best way to get the most done in the shortest time is to put both SuperKey and SideKick to work They're designed to work hand-in-hand, and their comple- mentary talents are astounding. What SuperKey brings to the party includes time-saving macros, encryption, secret passwords, and programmable and re-programmable keys. What SideKick brings includes a notepad with rull-screen editing and wordwrap, a phone directory, autodialer, calculator, appoint- ment scheduler, and ASCII table. (If you don't own a word- processing program, don't buy one, because with SuperKey and SideKick, you probably don't need one.) Both SuperKey and SideKick work with your existing software, like Reflex,™ 1-2-3 • MultiMate,™ Wordstar* Itirbo Pascal,* and dBase* Traveling SideKick gets gather ft all together into your Traveling personal organizers out of SideKick binder and hilthe road. the Stone Age into fche ComputerAge II you have SideKick, you need TravelingS.ideKick—and if you don't have SideKick, you need them both! Traveling SideKick is a revolutionary new combination of binder and software, making a completely new category in personal organizers: BinderWare!" It prints out information Ms already in your SideKick files, produces it in convenient familiar forms, then lets you Traveling SideKick includes report- generating software which produces up- to-the-minute telephone lists, address lists, meeting schedules, travel itineraries, calendars, and much much more. It also includes instant reference maps, airline and hotel reservation numbers, inter- national telephone codes, and currency units. You get preprinted daily /weekly! monthly! yearly calendar forms, alpha- betized address book forms, and even a receipt envelope that clips inside your binder. You can order refills at any time. What's inside your Travehng Sidekick ^> ADDRESS BOOK SECTION PREPRINTED ADDRESS FORMS WITH TA88ED DMOERSFOH EASY REFERENCE MISCELLANEOUS SECTION TO STORE ALL EXTRA PREPRINTED FORMS AND COMMONlYUSED RECORDS CONTAINS MAPS THAT SHOW AREA COOES AND TIME ZOfJES TOLL-FREE NUMBERS FOR TRAVEL ACCOMODATIONS, METFDC CONVERSION CHARTS FINANCE SECTION MULTI-USE LEDGER FORMS. RECEIPT LOG AND STORAGE ENVELOPE. CREDIT CARP INFORMATION CALENDAR SECTION YEARLY. MONTHLY, WEEKLY. AND DAILY ENGAGEMENT CALENDARS SUPPLEMB.TT THOSE YOU PRINT OUT WITH TRAVELING SIDEKICK PENDING SECTION A "TO BE CONTINUED" SECTION FOR CURRENT PROJECTS. MEETING NOTES, ETC CALCULATOR IN ONE OF tWO BUSINESS-CARD-SIZE STORAGE POCKETS. TRAVELING SIDEKICK SOFTWARE GENERATES. UPDATES. AND PRINTS YOUR ADDRESS AND CALENDAR FILES BORLAND INTERNATIONAL 4585 SCOTTS VALLEY DRIVE SCOTTS VALLEY. CA 95066 (408) 438-8400 TELEX 172373 Inquiry 42 for End-Users. Inquiry 43 for DEALERS ONLY. Borland products include Turbo Database Toolbox, Turbo Lightning, TVirbo Tutor, Turbo GameWorks, and Turbo Editor Toolbox-all of which are registered trademarks or trademarks of Borland International or Borland/Analytica, Inc. SuperKey, Toxto Faecal, and SideKick are registered trademarks, and Traveling SideKick, Reflex, and Binder-Ware are trademarks of Borland International, Inc. IBM la a registered trademark of International Business Machines Coip. 1-S3 is a registered trademark of Lotus Development Ooip. MuluMate Is a trademark of MuluMaie International Oorp. Wordstar is a registered trademark of MicroPro International Coip. dBase is a registered trademark of Aahton-Tata. Copyrlgh 1 1988 Borland International B1-1040A YES! I want the best. To order by phone, or for a dealer near you, call (800) 255-8008 in CA call (800) 742-1 133 Rush me: Copies Product Price Totals Trio $175.00* 5_ SideKick and Traveling SideKick 125.00' 5_ SideKick 84.95 S_ Traveling SideKick 69.95' S_ SuperKey 69.95 $- Subtotal $ Outside USA add $10 per copy CA and MA res. add sales tax $ Amount enclosed $ ^__^^ Prices include shipping to all US cities. Payment: VISA MC Bank Dralt Check Credit card expiration date / / CWI I I I I I I II I I I I I I I I I I I I NOT COPY-PROTECTED "60-DAY MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE Name: Shipping Address: .Zip: Telephone: CODs and purchase orders WILL NOT be accepted by Borland. Outside USA make payment by bank dratt. payable in US dollars drawn on a US bank 'Limited Time Oiler until September I. 1986 "YES. within 60 days ol purchase, should you lind thai this product does not perform in accordance with our claims please call our customer service department and we will gladly arrange a retund. Minimum system requirements: IBM PC. XI Al, or trie compatible. Trio— 384K. SideKick— I28K. Traveling SideKick— 256K. Tm c ! SuperKey-l2BK |^^^2Ji|' TV \, WHAT'S NEW 32-bit Processor for IBM PC Oasys announced a 3 2 -bit coprocessor board that the company claims provides VAX-like performance on an IBM PC. Called the DS-32, the board uses the 10-MHz National Semiconductor 32032 pro- cessor with full 3 2 -bit data paths and no wait states. The board can accom- modate 2 megabytes of memory, and up to 4 mega- bytes of additional memory is available with an add-on board. Other features of the DS-32 include the National Semiconductor NS32081 floating-point coprocessor, two serial ports, and a 16-bit interrupt-driven counter/ timer. An NS32082 MMU is optional. The DS-32 can run UNIX System V release 2 and Vir- tual MS-DOS simultaneously while the IBM PCs pro- cessor runs MS-DOS. Ac- cording to the company. Vir- tual MS-DOS adds demand- paged virtual memory capa- bilities to MS-DOS. enabling the computer to run tasks as large as 1 5 megabytes. The board supports Green Hills' native and cross compilers for 68000 and 32000 sys- tems, as well as develop- ment packages from Oasys. The coprocessor board fits into one slot on an IBM PC or compatible. Prices for 10-MHz. 1 -megabyte systems begin at $2500. For more in- formation, contact Oasys. 60 Aberdeen Ave.. Cambridge. MA 02138. (617) 491-4180. Inquiry 560. Graphics Program Resides in RAM New England Software introduced Graph-in- the-Box, a memory-resident program that lets you create business graphs from data in spreadsheets, databases, word processors, and other Graph-in-the-Box memory-resident software. application programs. The program will create charts with data from programs that have no graphics capa- bilities and with computers that are not equipped for graphics. Unlike most graphics pro- grams, Graph-in-the-Box cap- tures information that you highlight on screen with the cursor. It converts the cap- tured data to a chart that you can analyze on screen, store, or print. You can choose from 1 1 types of charts, all of which are represented by icons on the program's menu. Choices in- clude column, stacked col- umn, bar, stacked bar, line, line with filled area, step, step with filled area, scatter, pie, and exploded pie charts. You can also capture titles and captions, add grid lines, fill patterns, and change scale. The program works with other memory-resident pro- grams and with IBM- and Hercules-compatible graph- ics boards, IBM- and Epson- compatible dot-matrix printers, and HP-compatible laser printers and plotters. It resides in I28K bytes of memory and runs on IBM PCs and compatibles with a minimum of 256K of mem- ory. Graph-in-the-Box sells for $97.60. For more informa- tion, contact New England Software, Greenwich Office Park 3. Greenwich. CT 06830. (203) 62 5-0062. Inquiry 561. More Storage for the Mac Plus Univation's SlimLine Hard Disk Subsystem com- bines a hard disk and a removable cartridge for the Macintosh Plus. The Slim- Line unit connects to the SCSI port on the computer and transfers data at a rate of 5 megabytes per second. The removable cartridge is mounted vertically below the hard disk, and both are housed in an enclosure that serves as a base for the computer. The drives come in con- figurations that combine a 20- 30-. or 40-megabyte Preformatted hard disk with a 10-megabyte removable cartridge. A unit with two removable cartridges is also available. A SlimLine drive with a 10-megabyte remov- able cartridge and a 20-megabyte hard disk costs $2995; with a 30-megabyte hard disk. $3295; and with a 40-megabyte hard disk, $4495. A unit with two removable cartridges sells for $3495. The company plans to sell a drive with one removable cartridge only for less than $2 500. Contact Univation Inc., 1231 California Circle. Milpitas. CA 95035. (408) 263-1200. Inquiry 562. GridNet LAN Uses Existing AC Wiring GridComm's GCM GridNet is a local-area network that uses an office's existing electrical wiring as the network medium. The network uses an interface called the.GC-1400 to con- nect any personal computer equipped with a serial or parallel port to an electrical outlet. The interface modulates the data from the computer's port, encrypts it. and sends it via an error- correcting communications channel to another interface. The GC-1400 contains 8K bytes of memory that func- tion as an electronic mail in- box. The data-transmission rate is 5760 bps. with a claimed error rate of zero. Up to eight connections can be made on the network at the same time. The geo- graphical size of the net- work is limited to 50.000 square feet. Also available are two other interfaces; the GC-1100, a receive-only in- terface designed for con- necting a printer to the net- work, and the GC-Zero. a 300/1200-bps modem that allows users of the network to connect with remote sys- tems and vice versa. The GC-140 costs $549. the GC-1100 sells for $449. and the GC-Zero modem sells for $799. For more in- formation, contact Grid- Comm Inc.. 20 Old Ridge- bury Rd., Danbury. CT 06810. (203) 790-9077. Inquiry 563. [continued) 34 BYTE • MAY 1986 This is the Modula 2 compiler everybody's been waiting for... Especially Turbo Pascal users! H MODULA )tt,can cross the bridge to Modula-2 with ease loduIa-2iat its absolute best. It's a fully integrated development nent that takes into account what you need as a programmer. Without leaving Editor, you can call the compiler, linker and utilities. With Logitech's Modula-2, you'll have the ability to edit several files at once, comparing, window to window, various code modules. You can even move from window to window compiling, linking, debugging and running. The compiler has the kind of power and room to breathe that you really need in today's complex applications. It is as easy to use as Turbo Pascal, without your programs being limited to 64K of code. At your command will be the libraries of modules that make Modula-2 a programmer's dream. It has essentially the same structure as Pascal with the major addition of a library organization of code modules that allow you to put together programs on a solid, block-by-block, foundation of proven code. Whether you're working with a module of your own making, or one of the many in our library, you'll find the system by which each module is identified, described and stored an organizational masterpiece. And that's at the heart of Modula-2. Underneath the sophisticated system is a Modula-2 compiler that is the result of years of development and proven use in industry. We run on the Vax*, and we run on the IBM PC. And the code is portable-from one to the other. Best of all . . . you can have it right now! To place an order call our special toll free number 800-231-7717 in California 800-552-8885 $ Special offer until 8/ 1/86! includes Free! $49.95 value Turbo Pascal translator! Mow, you can lake your library with you! 89 Logitech Modula-2/86 Complete with Editor, cq(\ Run Time System, Linker, Cursor-posi- Os tioning debugger, 8087 Software Emula- tion, BCD module, Logitech's extended library, Utility to generate standard .EXE files, Turbo Pascal (and standard Pascal, too) to Modula-2 translator (included without charge until 8/1/86), and much, much more! Logitech Modula-2/86 with 8087 support Even if $11QV 0U haven't yet gotten an 8087 co-pro- lZ>/cessor, you can still use this version. Logitech Modula-2/86 Plus For machines with ±Qjf ColorCard Wm Replacement Power Supply . $85 MonoCard Color Display Card Monochrome Display Card 12" Amber Screen 80X25Lines 720X350 Pixels. . . $99 Serial Port, Parallel Port & Clock/Calendar . $99 ColorCard w /Parallel Port . $99 MonoCard w /Parallel Port . $89 PowerMaster AC Center Three Important Functions In One Unit! $89 / 4 Separate Power Outlets With On/Off Switch On Front Panel Surge Suppressor Swivel Base Monitor Stand Charge For UPS Ground pping. NoSurchargeFor sterCardorVISA.FortunelOOO 'chase Order Welcome, rranty Work Requires Proof- PurchaseAnd Return thorization Number. and Hercules are trademarks ^irrespective companies. pa SOURCE 1 2303-G Technology Austin, TX. 78727 CALL TOLL FREE: 800-626-4027 OutsideTexas 512-331-6700 Inside Texas FIXES AND UPDATES BYTE'S BUGS Repairs to Robotics Articles In editing "Autonomous Robot Naviga- tion" by Charles Jorgensen, William Hamel. and Charles Weisbin (January BYTE, page 223), we inadvertently added a few errors and omitted a reference. These corrections relate to the text box "Sonar Sensors" on pages 230-231. First, figure A4 represents a n answer to the problem of sonar's low angular resolu- tion rather than representing the problem itself. The figure shows the sonar analog of binocular vision. Second, in the actual distance formula in table A, the D s and the equal sign are reversed. The proper formula is Actual Distance = D s V A t I S t Third, figure A. table A. and the associated text are drawn from H, R. Everett's article "A Multielement Ultra- sonic Ranging Array," which appeared in the July 1985 Robotics Age (page 13). Mr. Everett's article was cited in the references at the end of 'Autonomous Robot Naviga- tion," but the citation of the reference was not included in the article itself. A slight typo appears in listing 1 of "Al in Computer Vision" by John L. Cuadrado and Clara Y. Cuadrado (beginning on page 237). On page 245. in the line preceding the comment that PDPROLOG does not support floating-point math, cylinder should have an uppercase C. And finally, in Kirk E. Pennywitt's "Robotic lactile Sensing" (beginning on page 177), the definition on page 200 of a newton is slightly flawed. As Keith J. Lavallee of East Hampton. Connecticut, pointed out to us, the correct definition is: I newton equals I kilogram meter/sec- ond squared. Our apologies to readers and writers. More on "Arithmetic" Four Little Steps Move 520ST Files Surry P. Everett, a reader in Bath, North Carolina, encountered a few problems while working with Peter Rice's "Arithmetic on Your PC* (March 1985. page 119). He points out that dividing a number by itself (2 5/2 5) results in an error (illegal function call) at line 1 1070 of listing 1 because N, used as a subscript, is less than zero. Mr. Everett suggests the following code change, which Mr. Rice agrees works: 11070 WHILE 2°/o(N) = 0:IF N = THEN GOTO 11080 ELSE N = N-1:WEND Two similar errors appear at lines 1 3370 and 13630 if a single-digit divisor (25/5) is used. Mr. Everett suggests the following: -Add a line: 13365 IF Y°/o(100) = THEN GOTO 13400 -Delete line 13640 -Change a line: 13650 IF BX = THEN GOTO 13670 ELSE BX = BX - 1 According to reader Everett, these changes will work in all situations of non- negative integers, excluding a divisor of zero. Mr. Rice says the only other problem he is aware of is in the assembler listing. Peo- ple who downloaded LONGMATH.ASM can fix it by replacing jLE LABEL3 with I BE LABEL3 in the division procedure. Our product description of Atari's 520ST (January, page 84) made the process of moving a file out of a folder, explained on page 99, sound more complicated than it really is. To move a file, open the folder SIMPL Name Already Claimed (which indeed takesover the disk window). Open the same disk again (which gives you an additional window of the disk). Copy the file from the folder to the disk window. Delete the file in the folder. Ta da. Jonathan Amsterdam's three-part Pro- gramming Project that began in the December 1985 issue concerned a com- piler that he named SIMPL. We've since received a letter from James E. Bernstein advising us that SIMPL is the copyrighted name of a high-level language and com- piler developed and used by his company. General Health (in Washington. D.C.). Mr. Amsterdam replies that he did a cur- sory search of computer science literature before adopting the name. Some people at the University of Maryland had used it. but they did not object to him doing like- wise. "My high-level language was con- structed for purely pedagogical purposes," he writes. "It will probably never be men- tioned again in print after the last install- ment of the project, and it certainly will not evolve into a product." How to Access and Use BYTEnet Listings To access BYTEnet Listings, call (617) 861-9764. When you get the carrier tone, enter two or three carriage returns so that our software can deter- mine your operating parameters. Optimum modem settings are 8 bits, 1 stop bit, and no parity at full duplex, or 7 bits. 1 stop bit. and even parity at half duplex. Acceptable operating speeds are 300 or 1200 bps. At this time. BYTEnet Listings does not sup- port 2400-bps transmissions. The BYTEnet Listings software itself is menu-driven. Programs may be downloaded using ASCII, Kermit. r Iele- Link, and XMODEM protocols. BYTE listings are also available on BIX. After connecting with the system, type join listings at the main prompt. (For more information on BIX. phone (800) 227-2983 between 8:30 a.m. and 1 1:00 p.m. Eastern time, weekdays.) MAY 1986 'BYTE 49 ASK BYTE Conducted by Steve Garcia Communication Problem Dear Steve. 1 have an old Apple parallel printer in- terface card (vintage 1978) that 1 wish to use with an Epson MX-80 printer. Hand- shaking is by two lines: an STR (strobe) to the printer and an ACK (acknowledge) from the printer. A jumper block is used on the card for the various polarity con- figurations of ACK and STR, and 1 have it set for a negative-going STR and ACK for the Centronics interface. But the printer and the Apple 11 refuse to talk to one another through this arrangement. 1 note that the printer (and the current Centronics interface) has provision for three handshaking lines and uses them: STR. ACK. and a BUSY line from the printer. Is it possible to hook up the Epson MX-80 to the parallel card, which has no obvious provision for a BUSY input from the printer? 1 am enclosing parts of the installation and Operating manual, which you may find use- ful in helping me. Albert Weinshelbaum Martinez, CA The diagram on page 9 of the printer manual shows the correct configuration for the jumper block. A negative STR and an ACK signal are the only ones used for handshaking— BUSY isn't used. Your problem is undoubtedly in one of three areas: a bad interface card, a nonfunc- tioning printer, or a defective cable con- necting the printer with the interface card. The best method for solving the prob- lem depends on the resources available to you. Nearby friends with compatible computer equipment can simplify the process considerably by providing equip- ment to substitute for existing periph- erals. If that is impractical, your best course may be to contact your dealer. You can isolate the problem by exe- cuting these three steps in any order: 1. Exchange the connecting cable with a known good one. A functional system indicates that the original cable was defective. 2. Replace the printer card with a known good printer interface card, using the same cable you are currently using (if possible). If the setup works, the problem is in the Apple printer card. 3. Substitute a known good printer for the current one. If it works, the problem is in your printer— Steve Apple Decoding Dear Steve, 1 want to use an EPROM-based card in slot 5 of my Apple 11 that requires approx- imately 1 500 bytes of memory. Can you give me details of an addressing circuit that would accomplish this? Ray Rusel San Jose. CA Pin 20 on the Apple bus is active low for a 2K-byte address range: C800-CFFF hexadecimal. This is the common ROM space that is shared by all peripheral slots in the Apple. Pin 20 on slot 5 could be used to enable a 2Kby8 EPROM like a 2516 or 2716. No further address de- coding is necessary. A good source of information on the built-in decoding of the Apple He is Understanding the Apple lie by James Sat her (Brady Communications).— Sieve Hard Disk on a TRS-80 Dear Steve, 1 want to connect a 5-megabyte Seagate Technology ST506-type drive to my TRS-80 Model 4 P. 1 would appreciate any information you have on interfacing a hard disk to a TRS-80 and prices for a SAS1 interface. 1 have been programming in assembly language for two years, so 1 would be able to write custom software drivers for the unit. Since 1 understand only the rudi- ments of electronics. 1 would be able to make a hardware interface only if it is not overly complex. Ed Griebel Rochester, NY Hard Drive Specialist sells a 5-mega- byte hard-disk system for the TRS-80 Model I, in, 4, or 4 P computers. The basic unit, called the HDS I, is a complete sys- tem that includes its own case and a power supply. A second drive can be added to the HDS I, giving a total capaci- ty of 5, 10, 15, or 30 megabytes. All nec- essary device drivers are included with the unit, making the HDS I compatible with the DOSPLUS, LDOS, and TRSDOS 6.0 operating systems. For additional in- formation and prices, contact Hard Drive Specialist, Com pu kit Division, 16 206 D Hickory Knoll, Houston, TX 77059, (713) 480-6001. A SASI interface for the Radio Shack computers, including the 4P, is available from Micro Mainframe, 1 1285-E Sunrise Gold Circle, Rancho Cordova, CA 95670. If you decide to use a SASI interface, keep in mind that S AS 1-compatible drives tend to be more expensive than an ST506-type drive due to the added cost of the disk-controller hardware built into the drive.— Sieve Sieve of Eratosthenes Dear Steve. Perhaps the greatest service BYTE magazine has provided is its publishing of simple benchmark programs. 1 have run them many times to test hardware and software against published results before spending project and personal funds. However, after years of personal be- wilderment and after asking all my knowl- edgeable friends, 1 am finally writing to you and admitting my ignorance. Where did the Sieve of Eratosthenes come from? Is it some classic mathematical joke that 1 missed in my engineering education? It's a good benchmark program, but it's terri- [continued) IN ASK BYTE, Steve Garcia answers questions on any area of microcomputing. The most representative questions received each month will be answered and published. Do you have a nagging problem? Send your inquiry to Ask BYTE do Steve Garcia POB 582 Glastonbury. CT 06033 Due to the high wlume of inquiries, personal replies cannot be given. All letters and photographs become the property of Steve Garcia and cannot be returned. Be sure to include "Asfc BYTE" in the address. The Ask BYTE staff includes manager Harv Reiner and researchers Larry Bregoli. Bill Curlew. \eannette Dojan. }on Elson. Roger ]ames, Frank Kuechmann. Edward Nisley, Dick Sawyer. Andy Siska. and Robert Stek. 50 BYTE • MAY 1986 COPYRIGHT © 1986 STEVEN A. GARCIA. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Those who insist on C compiler performance are very big on Mark Williams. And the compiler is just part of our total C Programming System. Mark Williams' C compiler has earned a place in some very big companies for some very good reasons: it proves the benchmarks right with the speed, code density, consistent performance and expert support required in professional development environments. But a total development tool shouldn't stop with compiling. Or go on and on with extras that add up and up. Only Mark Williams' C Programming Systems includes the csd C Source Debugger with true source level debugging to speed your programming job. And only Mark Williams' new 30 version includes utilities like "make" to make quick work of even the largest projects. From source code to final product, only one takes you all the way: Mark Williams' C Programming System. All for only $495. Ask about our 60-day money back guarantee when you call 1-800-692-1700 to order today: fif|| • Mark You'll be big on the total C I Hill wjlljams Programming system from \A# Company Mark Williams, too. ♦In Illinois call 312-472-6659. These and other powerful *&$f utilities now included in the C * Programming System: make: compiles only what's necessary from multiple modules, a powerful pro- gramming discipline • diff: identifies differences between two files • m4: macroprocessor expression editing and substitution • egrep: extended pattern search • MicroEMACS: full screen editor with source COMPILER FEATURES • Runs under MS-DOS • Full Kemighan & Ritchie C with recent extensions including void and enum • Register variables for fast, compact code • Full UNIX™ compatibility and complete libraries ■ Large and small memory models • MS-DOS linker compatibility • 8087 Support • One-step compiling • English error messages • ROMable code • Linker, assembler, archiver • Extensive third party library support csd C SOURCE DEBUGGER • Debugs at C source level without assembly language • Separate evaluation, source, program and history windows ■ Can execute any C expression • Capabilities of a C interpreter, but runs in real time • Set trace points on any statement or variable 1430 West Wrightwood Chicago, Illinois 60614 © 1985 Mark Williams Company UNIX is a registered trademark of Bell Labs- Inquiry 218 MAY 1986 'BYTE 51 ASK BYTE ble at counting prime numbers. James L. Barnett APO NY The Sieve of Eratosthenes algorithm for generating prime numbers was devel- oped by a Greek gentleman named Era- tosthenes, who lived from about 2 75 B.C. to about 195 B.C. Around 240 B.C. he became head of the library at Alexandria (in Egypt), the most advanced center of learning that then existed in the world. Known for his talents in poetry, drama, literature, geography, philosophy, and astronomy, Eratosthenes created ac- curate maps of the known world, calcu- lated the circumference of the earth and the tilt of its axis, and determined the size and distance from earth of the sun and the moon. Far from being terrible at counting prime numbers, the Sieve of Eratos- thenes is an extremely elegant, efficient method that is very accurate. I suggest that you consult the following sources for further information and explanations: 'A High-Level Language Benchmark" by Jim Gilbreath (September 1981 BYTE, page 180), which explains how the algorithm works, and The Art of Computer Pro- gramming, Volume 2: Semi-Numerical Al- gorithms by Donald E. Knuth (Addison- Wesley 1 969). -Steve Eagle Documentation Dear Steve, I have an Eagle IIE-4 computer with all its bundled software. I am at the point where I would like to expand my system and add items like a coprocessor card and a downloading device. Unfortunately, Eagle is not very big on documentation, and to install a coprocessor board. I need to know what's inside my computer. I'd like to know where everything is supposed to be before I start taking my baby apart. I've already contacted Eagle about this, so now I'll try you: Where can I find a technical guide or service manual for the Eagle IIE-4? Art Stan i ec Chicago, IL Eagle Computer Company has under- gone a reorganization that reduced its number of individuals and services. All documentation and support services are being provided by a separate company called Eagle Microsystems. You can ob- tain the documentation you mention by contacting this company at the following address: Eagle Microsystems 5900 Washington Blvd. Culver City, CA 90230 (213) 839-2263 —Steve Apple Surgery Dear Steve, I am the owner of an Apple 11+ that I've customized to be portable, and 1 am very happy with it. However, there are times when I regret having a 11+ instead of a He. To solve this dilemma (without having to buy a new computer), I am contemplating a hardware upgrade and the necessary modifications to bring my 11+ up to an equivalent lie if possible. Though I am capable of performing such surgery myself, the real problem is finding a suitable published reference that spells out the technical differences between these two models and supports the infor- mation with schematics and other details {continued) FORTRAN PROGRAMMERS Downloading from mainframes or developing on the PC the choice is F77L "Lahey's F77L FORTRAN is the compiler of choice. . . FjjL compiled the five files in a total of 12 minutes which was 4 times as fast as MS FORTRAN and an astounding 6 times as fast as Pro FORTRAN." PC Magazine "The manual that comes with this compiler is well put together. The messages are clearly explained, the com- piler's unique features are well documented. . . All in all, FyjL is a fine, well supported product that we think will do very well in the marketplace." Computer Language VERSION 2.0 NOW AVAILABLE — $477 Full ANSI FORTRAN-77 Source On-Line Debugger Common/Array greater than 64K Lattice C and other 3rd Party Compatibility To order or for more information (213) 541-1200 Lahey Computer Systems, Inc. 31244 Palos Verdes Drive West, Suite #243 Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90274 Requires MS-DOS and 8087 MS-DOS and MS FORTRAN are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation Pro FORTRAN is a trademark of International Business Machines New Qu ark/PC *^, Base model 5.75" x 8" Only$ 495. Quantity discounts available • IBM PC® compatible single board computer mounts to 5V4" drive • Includes Floppy Disk & Color Graphics CRT Controllers plus more AISO includes: Legal BIOS • Boots PCDOS®2.1 • Printer Port • 2 Serial Ports • 256K'RAM • Clock Speed at 477 MHz • Alphanumerics and Graphics Modes for Color Video Controller • Standard IBM® Keyboard Port. Options include: 512K RAM • Piggyback I/O channel OEM Expansion Board • XT - Compatible Hard Disk SCSI Interface • Real Time Clock with battery-back-up • Clock speed of 9.5 MHz (Twice as fast as a PC) The Megatel Quark/PC is for OEM and end user applications that require PC compatibility in a compact single board computer. The Quark/PC BIOS will run most IBM PC® software including Flight Simulator and Lotus®. To meet your specifications a set of options let you add memory, speed and an XT-compatible hard disk interface. Not only does it quickly mount to a 5 1 /4 " drive, it also comes with floppy disk and CRT color graphics controllers — all for just $495. To order or enquire call us today. Dealer enquiries welcome. Megatel Computer Technologies (416) 745-7214 150 Turbine Drive, Weston, Ontario M9L 2S2 Telex: 065-27453 U.S. Address: 1051 Clinton St., Buffalo NY 14206 Distributors: NCS Electronics - Varese, Italy • SES Electronics - Nordlingen, Germany • Perdix Microtronics - Biggin Hill, U.K. • Microcomputing - Ghent, Belgium. Quark is a registered trademark olF. and K. MFG, CO. LTD. IBMJBMPC and PCDOS are registered trademarks ol International Business Machines Corp. lotus is o registered trademark of Lotus DevelopmentCorp. MSDOS Is a registered trademark olMlcrosoltCorp megatel 52 B YTE • MAY 1986 Inquiry 197 Inquiry 227 Now the biggest name in C compilers comes in a size everybody can afford. Lets C. $75 Introducing Mark Williams' $75 C compiler Want to explore C programming for the first time? Or just on your own time? Now you can do it in a big way without spending that way With Let's C. This is no little beginner's model. Let's C is a powerful programming tool, packed with all the essentials of the famous Mark Williams C Programming System. The one chosen by Intel, DEC, Wang and thousands of professional programmers. The one that wins the benchmarks and the reviewers' praise: "(This compiler) has the most professional feel of any package we tested. . /'—BYTE "Of all the compilers reviewed, (it) would be my first choice for product development"— David W. Smith, PC WORLD And now for more big news. Get our revolutionary csd C Source Debugger for just $75, too. Use this coupon or charge by calling toll-free: 1-800-MWC-1700. In 111. call 312-472-6659. Mark Williams Let's C • For the IBM-PC and MS-DOS • Fast compact code plus register variables • Full Kernighan & Ritchie C and extensions • Full UNIX™ compatibility and complete libraries • Small memory model • Many powerful utilities including linker, assembler, archiver, cc one-step compiling, egrep, pr, tail, wc • MicroEMACS full screen editor with source • Supported by dozens of third party libraries • Upgradeable to C Programming System for large scale applications development Let's C Benchmark Done on an IBM-PC/XT, no 8087. Program: Floating Point from BYTE, August, 1983. Exec Time in Seconds Let's C 134.20 MS 3.0 347.45 ORDER NOW! 60-DAY MONEY BACK GUARANTEE! Mark Williams Let's C Please send me: copies of Lets C and copies of csd ( C Source Debugger) at $75 each. (111. residents add 1% sales tax.) □ Check □ Money Order □ Visa, MasterCard or American Express Name Address City_ .State. .Zip_ Cartl#_ . Exp. Date_ Signature- You can breeze through debugging at the C source level ignoring clunky assembler code. Affordable, powerful, debuggable. Mark Williams Let's C is the big name C compiler at a price you can handle. Get your hands on it now Mark Williams Company 1430 West Wrightwood Chicago, Illinois 60614 Inquiry 219 © 1985 Mark Williams UNIX is a trademark of Bell Labs. ASK BYTE needed to plan and execute such an upgrade. I'm particularly interested in knowing about the He auxiliary connector, the 11 + slot 0, their conventions and differences. and the 11+ lowercase/uppercase SHIFT KEY MOD. If you are aware of any such published references, I would appreciate it if you'd let me know them. Bruce Schaffer Los Angeles, CA In a recent installment of his regular Ask the Guru" feature in Computer Shopper, Don Lancaster suggested that the way to make a 11+ into a He is to unplug the cord from the 11+ , then dis- card everything but the cord. Next, you find a lie that's missing a cord and plug yours into it. It is, unfortunately, not very practical to upgrade an Apple 11+ to a He. The technical reasons are too complex and involved to describe here. Some sources You already own a computer that can talk. Now let it Now you can upgrade almost any personal computer and make it more powerful than ever, by giving it the power of speech. The Votrax Personal Speech System is the least expensive sophisticated voice synthesizer available today. The PSS's text-to-speech vocabulary is virtually unlimited, and you can define an exception word table and custom- ize your translations. So the PSS can say just about anything! It's a speech and sound specialist. The PSS can also mix speech and sound effects or speech and music. It contains its own speaker; a programmable master clock, 256 programmable frequencies, a program- mable speech rate for a more natural rhythm, and 16 programmable amplitude levels for incredible control of word emphasis. You can control the volume. Plus, it doesn't use any of your computer's valuable memory. It's computer friendly. The PSS is unbelievably easy to use. It doesn't need an interface card for most computers. It comes with standard serial and parallel ports. Speech, music, and sound effects are as simple as printing out a document. What do you do with a talking computer? There are countless practical applications. Businesses may want the PSS for spoken transmission of information, narration of displays, and product demonstrations, It makes verification of data input possible for the blind. It cln be part of a burglar alarm system. Children can use the PSS as a study aid. And it helps games come alive, speaking while you play. Whatever your computer can do, the PSS can help it do it better; at a cost that makes it all worthwhile: only $395* Call (3 1 3) 583-9884 to hear an actual voice demonstration of the PSS. •Suggested retail price There's also the Type *N Talk. If you want a less sophisticated unit and want to spend a little less, consider the Votrax Type 'N Talk (TNT). Its vocab- ulary is also limited only by what you can type. It doesn't use any computer memory, its compatible with most computers, and it's only $249* Just plug it in to your own speaker and go! For more information about the Personal Speech System or the Type 'N Talk, see your local computer retailer; call toll-free or write: 1394 Rankin Troy. Michigan 48083 1-800-521-1350 (In Michigan, call collect 313-588-0341) of detailed information on the Apple hardware are Gayler. Winston D.The Apple 11 Circuit Description (Howard W. Sams) Sather, James. Understanding the Apple 11 (Quality Software) Sather. James. Understanding the Apple lie (Brady Communications) —Steve Apple 111 Dear Steve, Where can I locate a directory of off-the- shelf programs for my Apple 111? Apple ap- parently is not marketing that machine anymore. Vendors, as a result, are not marketing software. There are apparently thousands of these machines around. I suspect that a software developer might earn a good living offering popular pro- grams for the Apple 111. Could CP/M offer a way out of my soft- ware dilemma? If I want to add CP/M capa- bility to my Apple III, what card would pro- vide the best reliability? Patrick I. Forrester Carson City NV A complete listing of all Apple software is contained in Vanloves Apple Software Directory. It sells for $24.95 and is avail- able in many bookstores or from PC Telemart/Vanloves 1 1781 Lee Jackson Highway Fairfax, VA 22033 (800) 368-4422 As far as a CP/M card for your Apple computer, look at the Microsoft and ALS cards. They seem to have a good track record with users.— Steve CIRCUIT CELLAR FEEDBACK TheSPIOOO Dear Steve, I had begun putting together an S-100 board using the SP1000 speech-recogni- tion chip, when 1 discovered your article in the November 1984 BYTE ("The Lis'ner 1000"). 1 wonder if you could help me with some questions 1 have about the SP1000. 1 was unable to locate the recom- mended 7.15909-MHz crystal. Instead, 1 have found a 7.3728-MHz crystal; will this work? Also, I am interfacing the chip to a 6-MHz Z80 system. Will a program writ- (continued) 54 B YTE • MAY 1986 Inquiry 378 Inquiry 266 - The future., .a little sooner than you expected! The Panasonic Exec. Partner. What makes it an execu- tive? The 7.16 MHz 8086-2 microprocessor for high-speed processing. So you can do more in less time. What makes it your partner? Like all ambitious achievers the Panasonic Exec. Partner gets along with others. Namely, IBM hardware and software. You'll also accomplish more with the new high-resolution plasma display. It lasts four times longer, offers clearer defini- tion and is easier to read than an ordinary screen. The Exec. Partner's built-in dual mode printer will help ACHIEVE THE POWER AND SPEED OF TOMORROW'S TECHNOLOGY. TODAY INTRODUCING THE EXEC PARTNER™FROM PANASONIC. you make a good impression. From silent, draft-quality mode to correspondence quality. The 256K internal memory has built-in expandability to 640K. So the Exec. Partner will run the most sophisticated data base management programs. And its expansion slot allows you to fulfill the needs of specific applications like telecommunications and Local Area Networks. Tomorrow's technology DonaCAhir for today's executives. The rm IdSUI II V new Panasonic Exec. Partner. Industrial Company For the location of your nearest dealer, call 1-800-PIC-8086. SECURE PROCESSING... AT LAST! Protect Proprietary Software with HEI's System 180. Connects directly to IBM PC or compatibles, and Apple II computers. ■ Allows for protected local processing with proprietary programs ■ Controls the number of access cycles to your program ■ Program is erased if there is a physical or electronic attempt to compromise protected routines The HEI System 180 Protected Processing System lets program publishers distribute proprietary software for customer processing without loss of security. Routines stored in HEI System 180 firmware are invulnerable to physical or electronic tampering, and protected from unauthorized use. The software supplier sets the System 1 80 for a designated number of operating cycles. When these cycles have been completed by the lease or purchase customer, the system may be reactivated using a secret code. The system is currently being used for remote customer processing of the Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory*, Performax Pathfinder**, and other sophisticated programs. May be used with the HEI Model 185 card scanner for fast, accurate data input. Call or write to learn about secure distributed processing with your software. fffl HEI inc. Scanning Systems Division 2378 Wilshire Blvd. Mound, Minnesota 55364 612-472-7914 Inquiry 152 mm GARCIA FEEDBACK ten in C for my system be too slow for speech recognition and/or synthesis? Frank Merewether Long Beach, NY A 7.3 728-MHz crystal is less than 3 per- cent different from the one specified. It will cause the pitch of the speech to be almost imperceptibly higher. Timings will also be altered by less than 3 percent and should cause no problem. The C language should be adequate for synthesis of speech, and, with your system running at 6 MHz, you probably will not find that your processor's speed is a bottleneck. Speech recognition is no easy matter, h owever:— Steve Recalling Halcyon Times Dear Steve. In June 1978 life was simple. 1 bought a North Star Horizon 11 kit with two serial ports: one for a terminal, one for a printer. In November 1985 life got complicated. I bought an Apple lie (no one sells kits anymore, except maybe you). I plan to get a board with a clock and two serial ports and an external modem. Someday, maybe. I'll be able to afford a letter-quality printer, a plotter, a digitizer pad . . . The trick is to hook all these serial devices together in all the conceivable useful combinations: computer to modem, computer to printer, computer to com- puter, etc. Western Telematic Inc. makes a device with eight RS-232C ports that they say will "allow a user on any port to communicate with an RS-232C device on any other port. Up to four pairs. . ." It sounds great, but it costs $895. Isn't there something between that and shuffling cables by hand? Peter W. Meek Ann Arbor, Ml I know what you mean 1 . But I think there are cheaper solutions than the one you mentioned. Maybe not much cheaper, but if you build from scratch, you could save quite a few bucks. If you want off-the-shelf solutions, try looking at peripheral switchers from Bay Technical Associates POB 387 Bay Saint Louis, MS 39520 (800) 523-2702 Inmac 2465 Augustine Dr. Santa Clara, CA 95054 (313) 961-6865 Both companies offer manual and "auto- matic" peripheral-switching devices from [continued) The WHO WHAT WHERE WHEN WHY Since 1978 we've been the leader in discount microcomputer sales, leading not only in price, but in product selection, innovative services and reputation. We're a solid organization that is here to stay. Our objective is to give you the finest in micro- computer products, professional service and technical support at the lowest possible price. No gimmicks, no T-shirts, no coffee cups. We're just a toll-free phone call from any- where in the US. for Business Accounts and Mail Order customers. Standard Federal Ex- press shipping will make us seem next door. Call or visit us when you need quality products by Lotus, Microsoft, AshtonTate, Intel and others, low prices, professional service, quick delivery, and out- standing technical support. We do all of this because you deserve to deal with profes- sionals. We're confident that once you try us you will become a repeat Conroy-LaFbinte customer and never again resort to the "no service" discounters. Of Conroy-LaPointe. n W^ r T t \ ' QTY^l? 17 Q Independently owned and operated by I\£Li 1/tlIJLi i3 1 v/J\IZji3 Conroy-LaPbinte Computer Stores, Inc. Three Conroy-LaFbinte Computer Stores along the West Coast bring low prices, wide selection, and professional service to the retail and local business environment. Visit us in . . . San Francisco • Seattle • Portland «-.ww ^w^w^w^w^ 4159826212 206-4550206 503-620-5595 MAIL ORDER Our most visible service, the Mail Order department has long been the standard by which other microcomputer discounters are judged. We have been often imitated, but never equaled. In Oregon, call 1-800451-5151 or nationally . . . 1-800-547-1289 BUSINESS ACCOUNTS We are pleased to announce a new and exciting service — our Business Accounts Program. We have designed this program as the total solution to the microcomputer needs of American business. We will be offering credit terms, as well as a Quantity Purchase Program, our standard Federal Express shipping, no cost technical support, and our everyday professional service. You will deal with Business Accounts Representatives who know microcomputers and how they are used in the corporate environment. For more information, in Oregon call 503-684-7261, or nationally . . . 1-800-4-CONROY Inquiry 95 for Apple. Inquiry 96 for IBM Peripherals. Inquiry 97 for all others. Bl Conroy»LaPointe Inquiry 306 Try It. Then Buy It. PC-Write. A fast, full-featured word processing package for the unbelievable price of $10. Complete. You get a manual on disk, mail merge, split screen, keyboard macros, on-screen formatting, full printer support, and more. Try PC-Write for $10. Then register for $75 to get: • latest diskette • printed manual • two updates • phone support • newsletter Registration supports our "shareware" concept that keeps our prices low, and allows our development of PC-Write enhancements. Shareware means you can get PC-Write from a friend or user group to try, and give away copies yourself. Then register if you like it. No risk! Byte May 1986 NEW Version 2.6 Automatic reformatting with proportional spacing, more on-screen help, optional menus, HP LaserJet+ support, and a wonderful new manual. GARCIA FEEDBACK Order PC-Write Today. Satisfaction Guaranteed. z) $$ (206) 282-0452 219 First N. #224y Seattle, WA 98109 about $120 and up, depending on the number of serial lines you want to switch. However, I sense that you are a kit builder, so let me try to convince you to build your own. I think you will find what you need to know in my article "Build an RS-232C Code-Activated Switch" (May 1983). While the unit described there is less flexible than what you need, it could be easily expanded to fit your setup. You could control which devices were con- nected together via one of your com- puters or even with a switch. I hope this helps. If you build some- thing, please let me know. Steve Living Sensibly Dear Steve. I am interested in building the xenon strobe light described in "Living in a Sen- sible Environment" (July 1985). Before I start, I need a few questions answered. What kind of circuit element is shown in figure 22 on page 1 5 5 (see figure I), and what is its function? Can you give me more information on the trigger transformer, such as the turns ratio and voltage across the primary side? What is the purpose of the two diodes in the circuit? Finally, how would you connect the secondary of the transformer to the FT-1 xenon flash lamp? Stephen ). Maley Spencerport NY The answers are, in order: 1. The NE2 (see figure I) is a neon bulb that is available from Radio Shack (catalog #272-1101). In the circuit shown on page 155, the neon bulb triggers the SCR (silicon-controlled rectifier) when the 1-fiF capacitor has charged to about 70-80 volts (sufficient to turn on the neon bulb), so it is the trigger mechanism for the flash. The 500-kilohm potentio- meter varies the charging rate of the 1-fiF capacitor, thus varying the flash rate. 2. Suitable trigger transformers for the circuit can be obtained from Mouser Electronics 11433 Woodside Ave. Santee, CA 92071 Catalog numbers 42FM401 and 42FM403 would be suitable. The max- imum permissible primary voltage is typically about 300 V; the secondary voltage is about 4000 V. 3. The two IN4004 diodes rectify the in- coming alternating current changing it to direct current The diodes are also ar- ranged in a voltage-doubler configura- tion, boosting the DC voltage obtained to the levels required by the flash tube. 4. The xenon flash lamp has three ter- minals: anode, cathode, and trigger. The trigger terminal connects with the trig- ger transformer secondary.— Steve SB180 and Macintosh Dear Steve. Having read your SBI80 article. I de- cided that your single-board computer is just what I need. I already have two Shugart SA200 drives, a power supply, and a monitor. I also have a few questions about the SB180. Can I plug in my Macintosh keyboard as a terminal? Can I use the Mac external drive as a 3 /2-inch floppy on the SBI80? What about a 5-, 10-. or 20-megabyte hard disk? Are you planning such an interface in the future? Anthony Oresteen Batavia, IL Forget about using your Mac drives for the SB180: they just wouldn't work since they are not the same type of 3 '/2-inch drive. Nor can you use the keyboard itself from your Mac. You could use your Mac as a terminal into the SB180, though. A good terminal-emulation program is all you need, preferably one that can emu- late a terminal with direct cursor control (like a TeleVideo, Lear Siegler ADM 3 A, etc.). I understand that a good program is Red Ryder, available from FreeSoft Company, 10828 Lacklink, St. Louis, MO 63114. You would run the terminal- emulation program on the Mac and have the Mac's serial output port connected via cable into the console input on the SB180. Check this month's Circuit Cellar for a combination 300/1200-bps modem and SCSI hard-disk expansion board for the SBI80. -Steve ■ Figure I: A neon bulb. Over the years I have presented many dif- ferent projects in BYTE. I know many of you have built them and are making use of them in many ways. I am interested in hearing from any of you telling me what you've done with these projects or how you may have been influenced by the basic ideas. Write me at Circuit Cellar Feed- back. POB 582, Glastonbury, CT 06033. and fill me in on your applications. All letters and photographs become the property of Steve Garcia and cannot be returned. 58 BYTE • MAY 1986 A $1495 PC/AT? Is This a Joke? A •Hoax? A*Trick? A* Put-On? A* Spoof? A* Flimflam? No, it's an A*Star™! And, unlike most of its would be competitors, it's none of the above. What it is will astonish you! At $1495*, A*Star is by far the lowest priced PC/AT compatible on the market. But, it's not just another clone, it's better! A*Star™ runs 30% faster than most AT's, has twice the memory and eight available expansion slots; theirs has only seven. Plus, A*Star is so "compatible" it's backed by an exclusive money back guarantee. Better yet, A*Star is the only "network ready" AT you can buy... at any price. But that's not all. A*Star™ is also the only PC/AT compatible made in America by an American Stock Exchange manufacturer. And that's real peace of mind when you consider the unknown origin and quality of many of the cheap, import imitations. A*Star™ It's about time! And. ..it's from Wells American. «^t Wells American 3243 Sunset Boulevard • West Columbia, South Carolina 29169 • (803) 796-7800 TWX 510-601-2645 'Second unit price. Call us for first unit pricing and guarantee details. You'll be amazed! Inquiry 382 MAY 1986 • B Y T E 59 Call for latest prices. FREE SHIPPING in the Continental United States via UPS Ground. NO SURCHARGE FOR E3 OR e Seagate H D o Western Digital Controller 20 MEG Hard Disk System for PC Internal $449 External $599 For Xebec 1220 Combined Floppy/Hard Disk Controller add $75. Includes Seagate Hard Disk, Western Digital Controller, Cables, Manual, Software, and Mounting Hardware. Boots From Hard Disk 65 MS Access Time One Year Warranty • Our Hard Disk Systems are compatible with the latest versions of the following Computers: IBM PC, IBM XT, AT&T 6300, Compaq Deskpro, Tandy 1000, Tandy 1200, PC's Limited Turbo PC, Zenith 150, Zenith 151, Leading Edge PC (Both Models), Sperry PC, Wyse PC, Televideo PC, Faraday Mother Boards, Corona PC, Eagle PC, ITT PC, and most other Compatibles. PLEASE SPECIFY YOUR COMPUTER TYPE WHEN ORDERING. Seagate 20 and 30 MEG High Speed 40 MS Access Time Hard Drives for AT™ Uses Linear Voice Coil Activator. Heads park automatically at power down. 20 MEG $579 30 ME6 $699 40 MEG $819 Includes Seagate Full Height Hard Disk, Cable, and Mounting Rails. Boots from Hard Disk. One Year Warranty. • 64K RAM $6t Of 9 ChfllS, 200 or 150 Nanoseconds $10 per set 256KRAM $29 Wo,9cl * s 150 Nanoseconds 300/1200 Baud Hayes Compatible Modem Fits in Short Slot $159 PC'S LIMITED Six Function Card PC's Limited AT Multifunction Card • Upgradable to 384K • Clock/Calendar • Includes Software • Parallel Port • Serial Port • Game Port Two Year Warranty • • Expandable To 3 Meg (1.5 on Board/1.5 on Piggy Back • Supports 64 or 256K Rams • Parallel Port • Serial Port (2nd Serial Optional) w/OK $99 w/384K $149 $199 w/OK Piggy Back Board $59 w/OK PC's Limited PC-576 RAM Board W/OK • Expandable to 576K • Supports 64K or 256K RAMS • Fits in Short Slot $69 SOLVE YOUR POWER PROBLEM. XT POWER 130 W $99 Directly replaces power supply in PC."' \ , Fully XT™ compatible. One Year Warranty ' (3 60 B YTE • MAY 1986 Inquiry 274 PRICES AND MACHINES THAT OUTRUN THE COMPETITION. PCS LIMITED ™ B ? High Performance Competitive Price PC'S LIMITED AT High Performance Competitive Price Lffl" Editor's Choice" Feb. 25, 1986 .».,.- llr *^t> ~.r C K- ~w„. fffffX: .•'••:■;■ /' \y i3K: One year warranty. * Includes: System Unit, 640K on Mother Board, 360K Floppy Drive, AT Keyboard, 130 W Power Supply. Rvtu off Mo{orSofr*w* wrfHon torHu IB MPT and PC/XT', 40% f osrtr, wrHioermodlfkoHrmi. (Ppocossorj JcJ-bH 8088-2, 4.77 or 6.66MNZ Clock Speed. (Expansion Slot*) :8j 7 art a«eltet>k in above conflgvratlon. GW Basic $95 • IBM DOS 3.1 $85 • 8087-2 $149 PC's Limited Mini I/O $99 One Year Warranty. * BMHZ Option included at no extra charge. $1995 Includes: 80286-based System Unit, 1024K on Mother Board, 1.2 MegFloppy Drive, Combined Floppy and Hard Disk Controller Card, AT Keyboard, 192W Power Supply, 2 Serials and 1 Parallel Port, and Clock/Calendar with Battery Backup. • Serial Port • Parallel Port • Clock • Software • Fits In Short Slot twu ell MaierSorrwore writtonforHielBM PC", K XT", and PCAf. (Precouer) Intel 80186 running at 6MHZ. (Expansion Slots} :8. Same les Configuration as IBM PC AT*. GW Basic $95 • IBM DOS 3.1 $B5 • 80287 $195 PC's Limited Monochrome Graphics Fully Hercules Compatible • Text Mode 80 X 25 ^SSI^SL • Graphics Mode 720 X 348 Pixels • One Parallel Printer Port $159 PC'S LIMITED PC'S LIMITED MONO-1 MONITOR RGB- 1 MONITOR $169 $459 Floppy Disk Drive $109 1 MITSUBISHI Also ovaimblt for AT- electronics in Cray Color. iiaifHeight, ds/dd • 12-incbscrr.en • Compatible with monochrome orcolof graphics cards • .MNMdol pitch • RGB input ■ 12-iacbscrceo • 690x240 resolution • 16 colors TEAC 55-B, Half Height, DS/DD PANASONIC Half -Height, DS/DD PC's Limited Universal - Video Adapter \ _:...:%& ~~ - $259 L • Replaces numerous cards, including IBM, Hercules, Plantronics. • Provides 132 column text— color or mono • Supports all parallel printers and plotters • Emulates color software on monochrome monitor in 16 shades TERMS For Wunoiy Stnlce.- Ooe year limited Wirramy oaPC'sllaltcd'prodBCts.Contir.lTecholralSup ponforaRelara Aulborltailoo SuobcrlRMA). Rclorm mutbe accompanied by) our RHA Invoke ud ibrler at plinilloo. During the Cunoi) Period, PC » Limited will repair orreplacelteffli It For CredltXontaclour CajtomtrSupporr Depart- mciuwlthio }0day» ofdalesblppedfrom PC'lLlallcd for CrcdliRrioro Autborlutloo ICRAl.Credlirt- nuettiare >nb)ecuoi 10% RolocUngrcc.No credits in bsucd alltr 30diy»f rora >blppln|di(e. t» Ibc idIIIcI r r»eot your order arrives defective, return ItwliblnJOdavs of ibeorlgl»aJ»h!pp!B|t djicfor a foil rtfuodof yoarpnttbasc price. RMA wndCRAi are valid iDda PC'S LIMITED SALES CALLS OUTSIDE TEXAS, 1-800-426-5150 1611 Headway Circle, Building 3, Austin, Texas 78754 Sales Calls from anywhere in country, (512) 339-6962 Technical Support Calls, (512) 339-6963 Customer Service Calls, (512) 339-6964 Telex No 9103808386 PC LTD FAX (512) 339-6721 v f3 3D 'Limited Warranty independent ules orjjanitation. Panasonic. TEAC. Mi titigithi, Intel. IBM, Hercules. Plarttronici . Xebec. Seagate, Weatcm Digital, ATCiT, Compaq, Tandy, Leading Edge, Speny, Wyse. Televideo, Faraday, Corona, Eagle. ITT, and Zenith are registered trade- marks of their respecliNe companicl. IBM PC, IBM XT, IBM AT, are trademarks of IBM Cor- poration. Leading Edge PC, Sperry PC. Wyse PC, Compaq Dnkpro, Zenith 150. Zenith 151 , Televideo PC. Corona PC. Eagle PC, AT&T 6300. Tandy I0OO and Tandy 1200 are trade- marks of their respective companies. Some quantities may be limi ted- PC's Limited reveries the right to substitute equivalent items. All prices arc subject to change without Ad Number 405/86 _ Inquiry 2 74 MAY 1986 61 THUNDERSTONE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE Consolidated Diesel, CDC. Cullinet, Crown Zellerbach, David Samoff Research Center, RCA Labs, Dunn & Bradstreet Computing Services, Inc., EG&G Washington, Riverview Hospital, General Electric. PC MAGAZINE said our first AI product, LOGIC -LINE 1 ™ , ", . . comes closer to achieving its lofty aims than most other PC programs that claim to possess intelligence'.'* We're pleased to announce our new company name, and two spectacular new products for your portfolio of data-manipulation assets. QUESTION: IS AI "STILL CRAZT AFTER ALL THESE YEARS?" We used to be Clarity Software. In our first advertising ever, we asked, "Would you buy a pacemaker from Mattel?" We asserted that, compared to LOGIC-LINE I artificial intel- ligence software, competitive products were toys by comparison. PC MAGAZINE agreed. So did satisfied customers around the world, a few of whom are around this ad. Our success has effectively stomped the mortal spit out of the brain-damaged geeks whose rancid cells have been polluting the gene pool of legitimate AI professionals. Our aggressive ad also got a rise out of another Clarity Software, a Texas firm. Relax, Clarity. You had the name first, so we cloned Joshua, of Jericho fame, long enough to give us a new corporate name: Thunderstone (he had his own hunch about artificial intelligence - JOSHUA 24:2 7 - suggesting that an ordinary stone can be made to remember events). It's not too big a leap of logic to name a company "Thunderstoner especially if that company is trying to turn a bucket of sand (which is all a computer really is) into some- thing even artificially intelligent. So, now we're Thunderstone. Still railing at those trendy marketing wizards who figure that calling their product "AI" is enough real- ity (since they're into science fiction so seriously, we suggest they do something really creative, like starting their own religion). And we respectfully submit three Thunderstone products for your review: Our meteoric suc- cess, LOGIC-LINE J, and two new rock-solid products, LOGIC-LINE 2™ and COM- PREHENSION™. LOGIC-LINE 1: $250 TRUE AI! CLONE THE WORLD'S GREAT MINDS ON YOUR PC. LOGIC-LINE I, a major breakthrough in sub-cognitive mathematics, distills the DNA/ RNA-like analog to any writer's thought pro- cesses. It allows you to search any textbase for actual concepts and inference patterns unique to that writer. LOGIC-LINE I lets you take advantage of the best minds the world has produced. Not only can you learn from history, but you can perpetuate the intellectual essence of the great thinkers. You can apply their thought pro- cesses to today's problems. In other words, even though Einstein may never have had a single thought about ecology, you can apply his thinking patterns to solving ecological problems! Or you can clone your own best thinking, again and again. LOGIC-LINE I was produced by a couple of learning-cyberneticists and the physicist who developed one of the first DNA/RNA- tracking systems (Yes, boopie, the RNA-of- thought assertion is more than an advertising creation). Can a PC simulate the thinking of great writers? We're sticking a money-back guaran- tee on our products, and to any so-called AI competition. LOGIC-LINE 2: $400 EXTENDING LOGIC-LINE 1 TO NUMERIC AND MATHEMATICAL CONCEPTS What LOGIC-LINE I is to textual data, LOGIC-LINE 2 is to numeric and symbolic data. At its lowest level, you can do pattern rec- ognition on financial data, algebraic and chemical formulae, tax laws, manpower- allocation statistics and all the other data that makes the financial world go around. (Too bad Malcolm Forbes is already using the slo- gan "Capitalist Tool.") And at its highest level? You just might use Thunderstone tools to save the free world, again. That's right: Again! LOGIC-LINE 2 began with the mathematics of possibilistic analysis and recursion (developed by men like Alan Turing and Norbert Wiener) that directly led the Wellington College team to breaking the German naval codes in World War II (if you're involved with SDI, there's a special federal/ DOD-phone number below). For customers who already own LOGIC-LINE /, we will upgrade you to LOGIC -LINE 2 for the difference in price between the two packages: $150. COMPREHENSION: $75 AN EXPERT SYSTEM THAT HELPS YOU DEBUG YOUR OWN THINKING/LEARNING PROCESS Given our insights in analyzing the think- ing process, it's only natural that we'd produce an expert system that helps you debug your own thinking and learning. COMPREHEN- SION is designed as a trouble-shooting com- panion for students or executives. When it's 2:00 AM, and you have a 9:00AM exam or project deadline, your com- puter can now debug you. Through con- ditional branching structures, COM- PREHENSION allows you to subjectively diagnose information-skill weaknesses and improves your overall intelligence/perfor- mance. WAKING UP FROM THE BOOLEAN DREAM It's time to make a major departure from "if-then" thinking. Human thought processes are much more versatile. Thunderstone has taken a major departure from boolean AI approaches. Ours are sub-cognitive tools, as opposed to cognitive tools (such as those from expert-system builders like Teknowledge in Palo Alto, one of the few reputable AI com- panies anywhere). COMPREHENSION and the LOGIC-LINE series are intended to amplify the man- machine loop. Does LOGIC-LINE make the computer think like a man? No. As Frank Herbert (DUNE) says: "The human intellect is cast in the crucible of surviva?, not in the play of symbols!' Nevertheless, Thun- derstone products explore the mathematics of the human thought process as described by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Douglas Hofstadter (METAMAGICAL THEMAS): "The brain itself does not 'manipulate sym- bols;' the brain is the medium in which the symbols are floating and in which they manip ulate each other!' The genius, then, of a particular mind, is evidenced by the DNA/RNA-like patterns of what Hofstadter calls neural firings. The product of that process is words. Words which can be analyzed by LOGIC-LINE to simulate further inference from your own best thinking, or from the long-dead, but still-great minds. WHAT DO YOU THINK? You may return any purchases, for any rea- son whatsoever, within 30 days for a full refund. We think you'll love Thunderstone software (We also think you're too smart to be fooled with $249.95 or $399.95 price tags): COMPREHENSION is $75; LOGIC -LINE I is $250; LOGIC-LINE 2 is $400. To find out more about LOGIC-LINE /, LOGIC -LINE 2 or COMPREHENSION, call 216/729-1132. To order by phone, call 800/621-5839 (or in Illinois, call 800/972-5855). If you are with the US govern- ment or one of the intelligence spook shops, Thunderstone software is available to federal/ DOD buyers through IBIS Corporation, 131 Elden Street, Herndon, VA 22070 (call 800/532-3344 or 703/478-0300). Please add $5 shipping per order, and Ohio residents add 5% sales tax. THUNDERSTONE CORPORATION / AI from anyone else is like buying a pacemaker from Mattel P0 Box 839 • Chesterland, OH 44026 • USA 216/729-1132 Sa.sk Oil (Canada). SCIEX (Canada). St. Joseph's Hospital. Sperry. SUNSystems. Tektronix. Texas Instruments. TWA. The Pentagon. US Attorney General. U.S. Geological Survey. Woods Hole Oceanoyraphic Insl ♦January 14. 1986. page 140. Copyright CD 1986 by Thunderstone Corporation. LOGIC-LINE I'". LOGIC-LINE 2'" andCOMPREHENS/ON'" arc trademarks of Thunderstone Corporation, ad i vision of Expansion Programs International, and require a 128K IBM PC or compatible with at lea.st one diskette drive and run under MS/DOS 2.1 and up. Advertising & PR by TRBA, 408/258-2708. 62 BYTE- MAY 1986 Inquiry 359 BOOK REVIEWS VARIATIONS IN C Steve Schustack Microsoft Press Bellevue, WA: 1985 344 pages. $19.95 MACINTOSH GRAPHICS IN MODULA-2 Russell L. Schnapp Prentice-Hall Englewood Cliffs, NJ: 1986 190 pages, $19.95 ALGORITHMS AND DATA STRUCTURES Niklaus Wirth Prentice-Hall Englewood Cliffs. NJ: 1986 288 pages, $32.95 VARIATIONS IN C Reviewed by John D. Unger As Steve Schustack states in his preface. Variations in C is written for experienced programmers who want to use this power- ful language to write profes- sional commercial software. Although this book re- quires no previous knowl- edge of C it is not for beginners or for those who are not interested in using C to write sophisticated, efficient code. The book could also be useful to moderately skilled C pro- grammers who want to become more proficient in the lan- guage and who want to learn some of the techniques and tricks of the professional C programmer. Overview Variations in C is divided into two parts. The first part, which introduces the reader to the language in a fast-paced, pro- gressive manner, is geared to the novice, but it is worth- while reading for experienced C programmers, too. The latter part of the book covers the more powerful and dif- ficult features of the C language, such as pointers, struc- tures, and bit fields. These sections center on an exam- ple of a business-oriented order-entry program for software vendors. This pro- gram contains more than 1500 lines of source code in 28 separate functions and header files. Schustack first presents the logic and structure behind the pro- gram and then lists all the program's functions, along with their complete source code. Certain functions are described in a simplified form as "stubs" and later presented in final form when the relevant ad- vanced coding techniques are introduced. The suc- ceeding sections draw on portions of this program to describe the more ad- vanced features of C. and by the end virtually all the functions have been presented and their code unraveled for the reader. Style and Structure Variations in C is well written and easy to read. The author's extensive knowl- edge of C shows in his smoothly and logically presented tutorial on the structure of the language. The chapters are divided into short, self- contained sections with large purple headings, which make it easy to follow topics as they are introduced and then elaborated upon. Scattered throughout the text are highlighted boxes, titled either COMMENT or CAUTION, that contain key sentences summarizing the section. The boxes provide an excellent visual focus on the crucial points. I found the second part of the book slower reading than the first. This is partly due to the fact that the material is more advanced, but since these sections refer exten- sively to the language and structure of the order-entry pro- gram, it just takes more time to read and understand the [continued] ILLUSTRATED BY MICK WIGGINS MAY 1986 • BYTE 63 Compatibility without Compromise!! PC/AT Compatible All included 50%FASTER $1995 TOMCAT3200-AT MODELIII ■ CPU INTEL 80286 6/8MHz ■ RAM 512KB on Mother Board ■ 2X 1.2MB Floppy Drives ■ Floppy and Hard Disk Controller Card ■ Turbo Display Color/Monochrome Card ■ 1 Serial and 1 Parallel Card ■ AT Keyboard ■ Monochrome Display Monitor ■ User's Manual & Technical Reference ■ System Utility Disk (Setup, Diagnostic) OEM Acceptable TOMCAT ---COMPUTERS TOMCAT CORPORATION Suite 304.3820 Del Amo 8lvd., Torrance. CA 90503 TEU(21 3)542-6846 TOMCAT COMPUTER Inc. Yaguchl Bldg., 3-6-4 Nlshiwaseda Shlnjuku-ku. TOKYO TEL:(03)208-251 1 TELEX:J28984 FAX:(03)208-2662 BOOK REVIEWS source code as well as the descriptive text. Unlike some other books on C which have a distinct UNIX-style approach, Variations in C is oriented toward microcomputers, specifically MS-DOS machines. The soft- ware examples in the text and the order-entry program were written on an IBM PC using version 3.00 of the Micro- soft C compiler. Strengths Schustack's fluid yet precise writing style and his con- fidence in his own abilities as a C programmer help the reader to progress through the first part of the book quick- ly and easily He obviously has experience in teaching peo- ple the C language. His discussion of the C preprocessor and its uses is one of the best I have read on this important subject, and I learned a lot from it. His knowledge of the efficient design of user interfaces shows in the software examples, where, for example, he demonstrates how to align titles and prompts along the same columns. The order-entry program is certainly a bonus in a book like this. Schustack uses it effectively to show how to write large and complex programs for interactive, screen- oriented applications. If you are like me, you won't have direct use for a program designed to keep track of sales and orders. However, many of the functions that make up the software are programming gems that can be included in a variety of other applications programs. Weaknesses The author's complete reliance on the Microsoft compiler is the book's only serious weakness. His descriptions of how to use that compiler, the Microsoft Link program, and their varieties of command-line switches are completely lost on someone who might be using another compiler. A programmer with Schustack's experience could have written more generically about how to compile and link source code. Much of C's power and usefulness is due to its portabili- ty. The other books I have read on C, and the six MS-DOS C compilers and interpreters I have used, stick close to the standards for C described in Brian W. Kernighan and Dennis M. Ritchie's book The C Programming Language (Prentice-Hall, 1 983). The Microsoft C compiler that Schustack uses for all the examples in Variations in C im- plements most of the recommendations for a proposed ANSI C standard rather than the more common K 8- R stan- dard. This causes no problems if you're planning to use the Microsoft compiler, but it could confuse you if you try to compile some of the book's source-code examples with another compiler. Schustack clearly points out the use of the proposed ANSI standard by the Microsoft com- piler but does not consistently indicate which of his ex- amples use code that would go beyond the K 8- R stan- dard, as they do when he uses enumeration data types and the void type for functions that return nothing. The book is limited by the use of a language standard that, as far as I know, is implemented by only one compiler. [continued) 64 BYTE • MAY 1986 Inquiry 364 ,'J / Lotus 1-2-3 $319 Lotus Symphony $449 dBase III Plus $369 PrameWork *369 MultiMate $219 Word Perfect 4.1 $209 Software Word Processing Editors FANCY FONT $139 FINAL WORD II $219 MICROSOFT WORD $239 MULTIMATE $219 MULTIMATE ADVANTAGE $269 OFFICE WRITER/ SPELLER $239 PFS: WRITE $ 89 SAMNAWORDIII $259 THINK TANK $109 TURBO LIGHTNING $ 59 VOLKSWRITER 3 $159 VOLKSWRITER SCIENTIFIC $269 WORD PERFECT 4.1 $209 WORDSTAR 2000 $249 WORDSTAR 2000+ $289 WORDSTAR PRO $259 XYWRITE III $249 Database Systems ALPHA DATA BASE MANAGER II $179 CLIPPER $359 CONDOR III $339 CORNERSTONE $259 DBASE III PLUS $369 KMAN 2 $319 PARADOX $549 PFS: FILE/PFS: REPORT $169 POWERBASE $219 Q&A $199 QUICKCODEMI $159 QUICKREPORT $159 R BASE 5000 $359 REFLEX $59 REVELATION $559 Spreadsheets/ Integrated Packages ENABLE $349 FRAMEWORK II $369 JAVELIN $549 LOTUS 1-2-3 $319 MULTIPLAN $135 OPEN ACCESS $259 SMART SYSTEM $529 SPREADSHEET AUDITOR $109 SUPERCALC 3 $209 SYMPHONY $449 Graphics CHARTMASTER $219 DIAGRAM MASTER $215 EXECUVISION $249 ENERGRAPHICS $189 FREELANCE $219 GEM DRAW $159 GRAPHWRITER COMBO $329 IN-A-VISION $289 MS CHART NEW $169 OVERHEAD EXPRESS $139 PC DRAW $239 PC PAINTBRUSH $ 69 PFS: GRAPH $ 89 SIGNMASTER $159 Project Management HARVARD TOTAL PROJECT MANAGER $279 MICROSOFT PROJECT-NEW $249 PROJECT SCHEDULER NETWORK $339 SUPERPROJECT $209 TIMELINE 2.0 $259 Desktop Environments DESK ORGANIZER $ 69 GEM DESKTOP $ 39 SIDEKICK $ 39 Communications/ Productivity Tools CROSSTALK $ 99 PROKEY $ 69 KEYWORKS $ 59 RELAY GOLD 149 REMOTE $119 SMARTERM $Call SMARTCOM II $ 99 SUPERKEY $ 55 Statistics SPSS/PC $575 STATPAK-NWA $329 STATPAC- WALONICK $349 SYSTAT $419 Network Applications DBASE III LAN PAK $569 KMAN 2 $1195 OPEN SYSTEMS $459 R BASE 5000 $839 REVELATION $999 WORD PERFECT $495 Languages/Utilities CONCURRENT DOS $189 C88 C COMPILER $299 DR FORTRAN 77 $219 FASTBACK $119 LATTICE C COMPILER $289 MARK WILLIAMS C $319 MICROSOFT C COMPILER $249 MS BASIC COMPILER $249 MS FORTRAN $229 NORTON UTILITIES $ 59 QUICK BASIC $ 79 TURBO PASCAL $ 49 XENIX $Call Accounting BPI $299 GREAT PLAINS $479 IUS EASYBUSINESS $319 ONE WRITE PLUS $179 OPEN SYSTEMS $359 PEACHTREE $299 REAL WORLD $399 STAR ACCOUNTING PARTNER II $529 Hardware' Multifunction Boards AST AD VANTAGE (128K) $359 AST 6 PAK PLUS (64K) $229 AST 6 PAK PLUS (384K) $259 AST RAMPAGE PC $299 AST RAMP AGE AT $429 GOLD QUADBOARD (OK) $419 INTEL ABOVEBOARD PS (64K) $339 ORCHID CONQUEST Display Boards EVEREXEDGE $299 EVEREX GRAPHICS EDGE $299 HERCULES GRAPHICS CARD $299 HERCULES COLOR CARD $159 PARADISE COLOR/ MONO $169 PARADISE MODULAR GRAPHICS $275 $379 QUADRAM EGA+ SIGMA COLOR 400 $489 STB EGA PLUS $399 TECMAR GRAPHICS MASTER $469 TSENG ULTRA PAK $429 TSENG ULTRA PAK-S $369 Emulation Boards AST 5251-11 $569 $499 AST 5251-12 ASTBSC $489 AST SNA $599 CXI 3276/9 Plus $959 IRMA $799 IRMALINE $999 Modems AST REACH 1200 $369 HAYES 1200 $389 HAYES 1200B $349 HAYES 2400 $579 TRANSNET 1000 $279 Monitors AMDEK310A AMDEK800 AMDEK 710 AMDEK722 PRINCETON HX-12 PRINCETON MAX-12E PRINCETON SR-12 PRINCETON HX-12E PRINCETON HX-9 TAXAN 122 AMBER TAXAN 630/640 Networks AST PC NET ORCHID PC NET 3COM VENTEL 1200 HALF CARD WATSON Mass Storage/Backup EXCEL STREAM 60 TAPE MNTJ IOMEGA BERNOULLI $369 $319 $899 (OK) ORCHID BLOSSOM (384K) ORCHID PC TURBO W/ DTRBOARD (256K) PERSYST TIME SPECTRUM $279 $249 $669 (364K) QUADBOARD (384K) SILVER QUADBOARD (OK) TECMAR CAPTAIN (384K) TECMAR WAVE (64K) J RAM-3 $249 $219 $219 $229 $209 $Call BOX-IOHO $2399 IRWIN 310A 10MB TAPE (EXT) $850 IRWIN 110D 10MB TAPE (INT) $479 MAYNSTREAM 60MB TAPE (INT) $1199 MOUNTAIN DRIVECARD 20MB $949 PRIAM 42MB AT $1295 SYSGEN SMART IMAGE 20 MB (INT) $625 TALLGRASS SCail TECMAR QIC-60AT TAPE (INT) $1199 $469/539 $C«U $Call $Call Printers/Plotters BROTHER TWINWRITER $939 DIABLO $Call EPSON FX-65 $359 EPSON FX-286 $539 EPSON LQ-1000 $799 EPSON HI-80 $399 EPSON DX-10/20/35 $Cail HP 7475 A $CaM JUKI 6300 NEC 3550 OKIDATA 192 OKIDATA 193 TI955 TOSHIBA P321 TOSHIBA P341 TOSHIBA P351 Input Devices KEYTRONIC 5151 $179 KOALA $109 MICROSOFT MOUSE $129 PC MOUSE W PAINTPLUS $139 Accessories CURTIS SURGE PROTECTORS DATASHIELD BACKUP POWER GILTRONIX SWITCHES MASTERPIECE PLUS MICROFAZER INLINE BUFFERS TRIPPLITE BACKUP POWER 256K RAM SET 8087 MATH CHIP 80287 MATH CHIP $Call $Call $Call $135 $Call $Call $ 39 $135 $199 Hercules Mountain Graphics Card I Drivecard 20 *299 $949 Quadram **379 Princeton HX-12E $839 Smartmodem <*2400B ^$849 IRMA Board $799 *CALL FOR SHIPPING COSTS LOWEST PRICE GUARANTEE!! We will match current nationally advertised prices on most products. Call and compare. 1-BOO-E Diskette Library Case with your order In New York State call (718) 438-6057 TERMS: Checks— allow 14 days to clear. Credit processing— add 3%. COD orders— cash, MO or certified check— add $5.00. Shipping and handling UPS surface— add $3.00 per item (UPS Blue 58.00 per item). NY State Residents— add applicable sales tax. All prices subject to change. iMON.-THURS. 9:00AM-8:00PM I SUN. & FRI. 9:00AM-4:00 PM ; /- /Softline Corporation P.O. Box 729, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11230 TELEX: 421047 ATLN Ul FAX: 71 8-972-8346 MAY 1986 lYTE 65 PROLOG APPLIED! The FIRST Interactive Prolog for the IBM and Macintosh. PROLOG/i A new enhanced Interactive Prolog for MS-DOS^ $fiQ95 Upwardly compatible \J\S with PROLOG V and V-plus. PROLOG/m Prolog for the Macintosh! Edinburgh syntax. $Q Q 95 Floating point, math functions. BOOK REVIEWS THREE GREAT APPLICATIONS READY TO RUN NO PROGRAMMING EXPERIENCE NECESSARY. NFL X-pert $49 95 Expert system for professional football handicapping. TOOLBOX $ 29 95 Including subroutines that speed and compress list handling, searches, sorts, reversal algorithms. $2995 TOYBOX A collection of games and puzzles that make learning Prolog fun. MIX AND MATCH FOR ADDED SAVINGS PROLOG/i PROLOG/m *SAVE # Interpreter plus... Toolbox or Toybox $ 79.95 $109.95 $20 Toolbox and Toybox 99.95 129.95 30 NFL X-pert 99.95 129.95 20 NFL X-pert and Toolbox and Toybox 119.95 149.95 30 BUY ALL 4 AND SAVE $50 129.95 159.95 50 Applications Only Toolbox and Toybox NFL X-pert and Toolbox or Toybox BUT ALL 3 AND SAVE $20 COMPATIBILITY Applications fully compatible with Prolog compilers and interpreters with Edinburgh syntax. System Requirements PC-DOS/MS-DOS Ver. 20 or later 256KBAM 512 Mocintosh 5580 LA IOLLA BLVD. CHALCEDONY SfioiM SOFTWARE, [NC, 9 6T9) 7 483 8513 PHONE ORDERS: 1-800-621-0852 EXT 468 wm mm D PAYMENT ENCLOSED $ CA residents add 6% sales lax □ CHARGE MY: □ MasterCard 1 I Card No. Signature ■ Mr. /Mrs. /Ms. . ■ Address City/ State /Zip D Visa Exp. Date . (please print lull name) PROLOG/i $69.95 PROLOG/m 99.95 // you own PROLOG V or PROLOG V-plus, calUor upgrade information. SHIPPING: . $ 5.00 U.S. 7.50 Canada 10.00 Carribean, Hawaii Air 20.00 Overseas Air COD Orders Not Accepted . 15 day check clearance Strictly speaking, library functions are not part of the C language and should not be an issue concerning por- tability of source code. However, certain library functions that have become de facto standards for the language are included, in the form described in K 8- R. with all the com- pilers I have used. Most of the problems with the Microsoft compiler's compatibility stem from the use of unique or uncommon library functions or from unique extensions to standardized functions. Examples of function calls described in the book that either will not run or will produce errors are • use of a * in the width field as an argument in the printf I/O function example: pr i ntf ("% * . * f ",6, 2 ,1 23.4567); to print the number as 123.45 • use of capital letters D. U. 0, and X as alternative type descriptions for Id. lu. lo. and Ix with the scanf( ) function to indicate long integers • use of h in the context hd, for example, to indicate a short integer I hesitate to list a matter of programming style as a weak- ness, but the author consistently detracts from the read- ability of his source code by depending heavily on the #define preprocessor command and the typedef state- ment to create synonyms for new storage classes and data types. He claims that this makes his code more readable, but unless you have read this book or carefully scrutinized the header files for his source code, it is unclear what kind of data type the programmer has defined for the array prices[ ] when he wrote IMPORT money prices[ ]; or what type of data a function defined as stepcode id cust( ); returns. To be fair to Schustack, after going through the sections of the book that use the order-entry program's functions and header files as examples, I understood these and other synonym types and classes, but I still found their implementations somewhat awkward. Conclusion Variations in C is a good book. The author set out to teach experienced programmers the C language and its effec- tive use in writing professional applications programs, and the book accomplishes this task in a readable, thorough manner. However, if there is one thing I have learned from reading a variety of books on the C language, it is that no single text can effectively teach all the features of C. I would have liked the book better if the author had stayed closer to the C-language standard in Kernighan 8- Ritchie and if he had not been so single-minded about the Microsoft C compiler. In the final analysis, however, the book's strengths outweigh its weaknesses con- siderably. \oto D. Unger (POB 95, Hamilton, VA 22068) began program- ming at MIT on an IBM 7094. He currently writes graphics and applications programs in C on microcomputers. [continued) 66 B YTE • MAY 1986 Inquiry 63 for End-Users. Inquiry 64 for DEALERS ONLY. $ °<^>' # # ^ LOWEST PRICES ^ ^ NO SURCHARGE ' ^ M ON BANK CARDS ■a SILICON SP€CinUI€S X PRINTERS ^T Anadex All Models ^T Brother All Models J Cannon Loser Printer Citizen MSP- 10. MSP-15 Save Save . . $2099 $255 $349 MSP-20 $319 MSP-25 $485 . . $409 Datasouth AIIPrinterModels .... 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NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS. ALL PRODUCTS SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY OR STOCK ON HAND. ALL PRICES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICEI ALL SALES ARE CASH DISCOUNT PRICES! REFUNDS ARE CREDITED ONLY. BOOK REVIEWS MACINTOSH GRAPHICS IN MODULA-2 Reviewed by Scott L. Norman Macintosh owners interested in modern programming languages are probably aware that the Modula Corporation markets an implementation of Niklaus Wirth's Modula-2 for the Mac. MacModula-2, a nearly complete implementation of the language, can access several hun- dred Toolbox routines in the Mac's unique ROM. This very richness of resources presents a problem. As hefty as the MacModula-2 documentation is (it runs to nearly 600 pages, not including a large supplement), it can- not provide detailed instructions for using all the Macin- tosh facilities. A need exists for additional information on specific topics, and Russell L. Schnapp's Macintosh Graphics in Modula-2 is intended to address it. First Impressions Schnapp assumes that his audience will use Wirth's own Programming in Modula-2 (Springer-Verlag, 1982) or some other book as a general guide, so he devotes less than IO pages to an overview of the language. Approximately the same amount of space is devoted to suggestions for organizing your working disks and to a run-through of the Modula-2 program-development cycle (compilation, link- ing, and debugging). The bulk of the book consists of listings of program modules that exercise the Mac's graphics capabilities, along with explanations of the theory behind the code. The introductory material was clearly intended to help the inexperienced user get under way; unfortunately, it is already partially out of date. I obtained my review copy of the book at the same time as the MacModula-2 system itself, and I noted that the language package I received (version 4.0) is distributed among three disks instead of the two referred to in the book. Some of the files have been renamed as well. This is hardly a major flaw, but it does point up the difficulty of keeping Macintosh books synchronized with software updates. There is another small stumbling block to bringing up Modula-2 under the guidance of this book. In an attempt to remember the users of l28K-byte Macs, the author fre- quently makes use of program modules that are to be found in disk files specifically intended for the small- memory machines. Users of 5l2K-byte machines (Fat Macs), who might want to save space by removing some of these files from their working disks, will have to change some details of Schnapp's program listings. For example, the QuickDrawTypes module required for most of the pro- cedures in the book is found in a file intended for 128K- byte Macs; the equivalent resource for 5l2K-byte machines is called QuickDrawl. (The MacModula-2 supplement should be the final authority on what you need for various machine configurations.) Organization Macintosh Graphics in Modula-2 proceeds through Macintosh graphics facilities, animation and simulation, interactive [continued) 68 B YTE • MAY I986 Inquiry 93 Powerful MS-DOS Software. For the IBM® -PC, XT, AT & others with generic MS- DOS/PC- DOS 2.0 or higher. pto J copV Only Each! UTAH :<• TM D D D D D D Whether student, teacher or professional programmer, this is the one you've heard so much about. It's easy to use. Compiles 5000 statements on a 128K machine. 170 clear error messages, i.e. DATA-NAME IS MISSING OR MISSPELLED. Distribute your object code programs royalty free. Small object code programs conserve disk space. Fast compile times to increase programmer pro- ductivity. Over 25 times faster than one compiler costing $995! You get a diskette and 213-page manual with lots of examples and 16 complete COBOL source code programs. $39.95. Also available: COBOL Application Packages, Book 1 $9.95. UTAH PASCAL 14-digit precision, BCD math, no round-off errors with decimal arithmetic for business and floating point + 63 -64 for scientific. A very nice TRACE style debugging. Arrays up to8dimensionsand64Kstrings. External procedures and functions with dynamic auto-loading. One-step compile, no assembly or link required. You get a 132-page manual and diskette. $39.95 D a a D a D UTAH PILOT TM D D a D Perfect for industrial training, office training, drill and testing, virtually all programmed instruction, word puzzle games, and data entry facilitated by prompts. John Starkweather, Ph.D., the inventor of the PILOT language, has added a built-in full-screen text editor, and much more. Meets all PILOT-73 standards for full compatibility with older versions. You get a diskette, 125-page manual and ten useful sample programs. $39.95. Also still available for 8-bit machines with CP/M® is our world famous Nevada Software Series used by 50,000 customers in 40 countries. These include Nevada COBOL, Nevada FORTRAN, Nevada PASCAL, Nevada PILOT, Nevada BASIC and Nevada EDIT. $39.95 each. Satisfaction guaranteed. If for any reason you're not completely satisfied, just return the package within 15 days in good condition, and we'll refund your money. IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corp. CP/M is a registered trademark of Digital Research. MS is a trademark of Microsoft Corp. © 1985 Ellis Computing, Inc. UTAH FORTRAN FORTRAN IV based upon ANSI-66 standards. Very fast compile times and easy to use. IF . . THEN . . ELSE constructs. Chaining with blank and named common. Copy statement. ENCODE and DECODE. Free-format input and output. Avery niceTRACEstyledebugging. 150 English language error messages. TM UTAH EDIT TM D a D a A character-oriented full-screen video display text editor designed specifically to create COBOL, FORTRAN and PASCAL programs. Only requires 15K disk space so it can fit on the same disk as your compilers. Completely customizable tab stops, default file type, keyboard control key layout and CRT by menu selection. Diskette comes with easy to read 58-page manual. $39.95. UTAH TM BASIC □ This interpreter has a built-in full-screen editor. □ Single- and Multi-line user definable functions. □ BCD Math- no round-off errors. D Full Matrix operations. D You get 220-page manual and diskette. $39.95. Handling/Shipping: No shipping charge within US. Overseas add $10 for first package, $5 each additional. Checks must be in US Dollars, drawn on a US bank. Utah Software requires 128K RAM and PC-DOS or MS-DOS 2.0 or higher. HOW TO ORDER. Send check or money order to Ellis Computing, Inc. with VISA or MASTERCARD order by phone. Sorry no COD's. j||i||^ Ellis Conr M & 5655 Rig< fl m Reno ' Ne W Phone (7 SINCE 1977 ELLIS COMPUTING Ellis Computing, Inc. 5655 Riggins Court, Suite 10 Reno, Nevada 89502 Phone (702) 827-3030 TM Inquiry I26 MAY 1986 -BYTE 69 AT LAST: Professional Typesetting Capability For PC Users With PCTftX™ — the best-selling full implementation of Professor Don Knuth's revolutionary typesetting program T^X. FINEST Typeset Quality Printing From: dot matrix laser phototypesetter /flu ... «m \ 021 ... 02n w 1 \a, I J — ( dx ml a« / WIDEST Range Of Output Device Drivers: • Epson FX, LQ • HP LaserJet* • Toshiba • Apple LaserWriter • Corona LP-300* • APS-5 phototypesetter • Screen preview, with EGA or Hercules card MOST COMPLETE Product Offering: PC l^X (not copy protected) includes the following: • Our specially written PCT^K Manual, which en- ables you to start using T£jX right away. • Custom "macro packages" that provide formats for letters, manuals, technical documents, etc. • The LM^X document preparation system, a full- featured macro package for preparing articles, books, reports, etc., and WF$£ User's Manual. • ^S-I^X, developed by the Amer. Math. Society for professional mathematical typesetting. Site licenses, volume discounts, and interfaces to PC Paintbrush, PC Palette. FancyFont and Fontrix are also available. PRICED FROM ONLY $249.00! (Printer drivers and interfaces additional.) Laser printer, fonts & software from $2995.00 For IBM PC/XT, AT or compatible, DOS 2.0 or higher, and 512K RAM. Hard disk required for printer drivers and fonts. *HP LaserJet and Corona require additional interface boards. For more information call or write: Personal Tgpt, Inc. 20 Sunnyside, Suite H, Mill Valley, CA 94941 (415) 388-8853 This ad, with space for the photograph, produced by PC T^X. Typeset on the Epson FX80, the Corona LP-300 laser printer, and the Autologic APS-5 phototypesetter. T^X is a trademark of the American Mathematical Society. Manufac- turers' product names are trademarks of individual manufacturers. BOOK REVIEWS graphics, and the third dimension. Each chapter includes exercises and a bibliography. There are two appendixes summarizing important QuickDraw and Toolbox pro- cedures, as well as a glossary and an index. The chapter on graphics facilities introduces a new library module, MiniQD, for the reader to copy onto a working disk. MiniQD provides access to a few of the most important QuickDraw routines, such as those for handling the graphics pen and drawing predefined shapes, and is called upon by most of the other routines in the book. The code listing is followed by brief descriptions of the data types that it imports from other prepackaged modules, along with descriptions of the procedures it ex- ports in turn. That's the basic pattern for the remainder of the book: Complete modules are used to introduce new concepts, and earlier modules are frequently drawn upon in the best spirit of Modula-2. Schnapp does a fairly good job of ex- plaining the function of each procedure, though I suspect beginners might appreciate lengthier explanations. It is unfortunate that some of the typography is unclear. The module listings are photoreduced from dot-matrix printouts, and it is sometimes difficult to distinguish vital punctuation marks; a few letters are sometimes blurred as well. You can avoid eyestrain by purchasing a disk from Schnapps own company that contains source code for all the modules in the book. The graphics facilities chapter goes on to develop modules for drawing nested shapes and filling them with predefined patterns. A drawing program constructs a map of the United States and introduces the idea of reading coordinates from a data file. The author does not make it clear, however, that the file has been created with a text editor, and there is some misinformation about the pro- gram's ability to supply the .DAT suffix to the filename. The discussion of animation and simulation starts with simple shapes that can be drawn and erased so quickly that they produce a good illusion of motion. Schnapp moves on to the use of scrolling to handle more complex shapes. There is a useful treatment of a reliable timer module and a good summary on equations of motion as they apply to generalized moving objects. Bouncing-ball routines, with and without simulated frictional losses, il- lustrate this material. The interactive graphics chapter helps the reader use Modula-2 to manage a mouse, menus, and windows. The book treats the use of the mouse for pointing, selecting, and manipulating objects and briefly describes the use of the computer's event queue. The manipulationof ob- jects by pushing and dragging has its limits, so the chapter explains how to set up command menus with such professional-looking features as shaded lettering for unavailable options. There is a good discussion of win- dows (including resizing and updating them) but nothing on dialog boxes, push buttons, or edit fields. A discussion of three-dimensional graphics opens with a quick review of orthographic projection and the mathematics of rotating an image about the coordinate {continued) 70 B YTE • MAY 1986 Inquiry 282 MAKE THE CONNECTION Our Connection systems will solve your problem of trying to read and write diskettes or tapes from almost any computer system using your PC. The Diskette Connection is a hardware system that enables the IBM PC or compatible to read and write most 8 inch, 5V4 inch, or iVi inch diskettes. With our File Connection software programs you can transfer data files between most computer systems, including CP/M, DEC, Honeywell, Univac, IBM 3740, S/l, S/3, S/23, S/32, S/34, S/36, and S/38. Our Word and Typesetting Connection programs use IBM standard Document Content Architecture (DCA-RFT) to transfer document files between most word processing and typesetting systems, including Compugraphic MCS, CPT, Displaywriter, OS/6, Multiset, NBI, Quadex, Xerox, and Wang. Our Tape Connection system will read and write IBM or ANSI standard Vi inch 1600 BPI magnetic tape. A full size 2400 foot tape can store a 45 MByte file and be written in 6 minutes. Since 1982, we have supplied thousands of systems to customers around the world, including IBM, NASA, AT&T, Kodak, and General Motors. Our specialty is conversion systems and we can provide a solution to your problem. Call us today to discuss your requirements. This ad is one of a series featuring NASA missions. For a free poster, send us your written request. Box 1970 Flagstaff, AZ 86002 (602) 774-5187 Telex 705609 Inquiry I 36 for End-Users. Inquiry 137 for DEALERS ONLY. FLAGSTAFF ENGINEERING mmm l>"**-* I I ■flWjP' iWR ■* >//# r j jo 1 1 nil f \ i' ill i i if! I . I t I t I I i 1,1 ^K ! I f I I I II I 1 *> ■-..,.*-. If you're a serious PC user, you know that even the finest personal computer products can develop problems. 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AMDEK 722, New alternative to IBM enhanced monitor $569 AMDEK 300A/300G/ 310A $129/$119/$165 © Copyright 1986, Micro Mart, Inc. Technology Corporate Campus 3159 Campus Drive Norcross, Georgia 30071 Prices are subject to change without notice and are similar, but may vary at over 20 Micro Mart Retail Stores. Leasing and financing options are available. MasterCard/VISA or ask for Micro Mart Blue Chip Credit. YOURPERSONALBLUECHIPCARD 1234 567 890 123 (404)449-8089 Orders only 1-800-241-8149 BT 5/86 America's PC Specialist Inquiry 232 MAY 1986 -BYTE 73 Inquiry 421 for End-Users. Inquiry 422 for DEALERS ONLY. SAVE MONEY ON EPROM PROGRAMMER I Hi BOOK REVIEWS ci|n A SIMPLE, INEXPENSIVE SOLUTION TO PROGRAMMING EPROMS Why spend hundreds more for a programmer when you can buy the APROTEK-1000 for only $265.? The APROTEK 1000 can program 5 volt, 25XX series, 27XX series and 68XXX series devices plus CMOS versions of the above types. 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Camarillo, CA 93010 ENHANCED GRAPHICS ADAPTER SEGA Board ■ On Board 256K Display Memory ■ Compatible with the IBM EGA, CGA &MDA ■ Works with Monochrome, RGB & Enhanced Color Monitors ■ Runs the software supporting IBM EGA card SEGA Board $395 SEGA with EGA Monitor $895 Order Toll Free (800) 826-0267 In California Call (415) 651-3355 SOURCE ELECTRONICS CORP. 45277 Fremont Blvd., #6 Fremont, CA 94538 IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Machines. Inc axes. Results are simply stated without proof, but the treat- ment should pose no particular problem to anyone who has a nodding acquaintance with sines and cosines. In any case, the demonstration routines (which feature rotating, tumbling images) are quite explicit when it comes to set- ting up the coordinate transformations needed to repre- sent solid objects on the CRT. The chapter starts with wire-frame images whose ver- tices are read from a data file; a wire-frame space shuttle is also used to demonstrate the construction of stereo pairs of images. Matters conclude with modules that employ the powerful concept of the QuickDraw region in a more general technique for handling hidden edges. I found that the wire-frame demonstration module had problems. Elements often failed to join up properly as the image rotated, for example. Things improved with the SolidCube program and its derivatives. There is con- siderable flicker when the drawing routines are handling complex tasks, such as rotating the "illuminated" cube; I assume this happens because MacModula-2 compiles to an intermediate interpreted code and not to machine language. An Evaluation In his preface, Russell Schnapp states that his objective was to write a book that would serve both as a tutorial on applying Modula-2 to specific tasks and as an introduc- tion to Macintosh graphics with a Modula-2 orientation. On balance, the book is successful, although Schnapp has done better on the first count. The book is too terse to serve as a general-purpose guide to the Mac's storehouse of graphical tools. It is considerably more successful as a vehicle for helping Modula-2 users to write useful, polished-looking programs. Readers with some previous exposure to the ideas behind the Mac's user interface should be able to extend the book's program modules to handle other graphical chores quite handily. Scott L. Norman (8 Doris Rd., Framingham. MA 01701) is on the technical staff of GTE Laboratories in VJaltham, Massachusetts, and is a frequent contributor to computer magazines. ALGORITHMS AND DATA STRUCTURES Reviewed by Michael O'Neill The writing of books about data structures and al- gorithms is virtually a cottage industry these days. Algorithms and Data Structures immediately stands out from the crowd because of the stature of its author. Niklaus Wirth is well known as the designer of the languages Pascal and Modula-2 and as a high-profile advocate of what is loosely known as "structured programming." Un- fortunately this book's first notable feature is also its last; it has little else to recommend it. The section developing the algorithm for building an op- timal binary search tree is one example of the book's prob- lems. Most of the derivation of this algorithm is straight- (continued) 74 B YTE • MAY 1986 Inquiry 33 7 for End-Users. Inquiry 338 for DEALERS ONLY. MICROWAY'S 8087 RUNS 1-2-3"! MicroWay is the world 5 s leading retail- er of 8087s and high performance PC upgrades We stock a complete selec- tion of 8087s that run at 5 and 8 m hz. 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Includes 87 BASIC $200 MICROWAY UDI runs RTOS or RMX com- pilers under DOS , $300 8087 UPGRADES All MicroWay 8087s include a one year warranty, complete MicroWay Test Program and accurate Installation Instructions 8087 5mhz $109 For the IBM PC, XT and compatibles 8087-2 8mhz $149 For Wang, AT&T, DeskPro, NEC, Leading Edge. 80287-3 5mhz $179 ForthelBM PC, AT an d28 6 compatibles 80287-8 8mhz $295 For the Tandy 3000 and ITT-XP. 287TlirbO™ 8lTlhZlfyouownanAT, Deskpro 286 or AT compatible, this is the card you need to get reasonable numeric performance. It plugs into your 80287 socket and includes a spe- cially driven 8mhz 80287. The card comes in three configurations. The IBM AT version includes a hardware RESET button $395 NECV20, V30 CALL 64K RAM Set 150ns $10 256K RAM Set 150ns $34 128KRAMSetPCAT $49 JRAM, AST. INTEL CALL DCache plus 64K ABOVE BOARD PS 375 DCache plus 1 28 K AT ABOVE BOARD 475 Microsoft Fortran Version 3.31 209 IBM Professional Fortran 565 Ryan-McFarland Fortran Version 2.0 399 FORLIB+ or STRINGS and THINGS 65 Graf matic for Fortran or Pascal 125 Plotmatic 1 25 NAG Fortran Library 300 Lattice C 269 Microsoft C or QuickBasic CALL IBM Basic Compiler Version 2.0 465 Summit BetterBASIC" CALL IBM Assembler w/Librarian Version 2.0 1 55 Microsoft Assembler Version 3.01 99 Microsoft Pascal Version 3.31 1 99 STSC APL*PLUS/PC 450 Phoenix Plink86 or Cosmos Revelation. . . CALL SPSS/PC+ 595 EPSILON Text Editor 195 LABTECH NOTEBOOK 745 MultiHalo (one language) 189 Fifth Generation FASTBACK 150 Inquiry 240 BYTE 75 BOOK REVIEWS IBM® PC/XT-COMPATIBLE COMPUTER SYSTEM COMPARE OUR SYSTEM COMPONENTS TO THERS & SA VE! THEIRS OURS -Only 128K or OK -135-Wattunit -w/o Graphics or Print capability -Brand XYZ, "Mama- san," or worse -Low resolution, no-name monitors -90-dayWarranty (if you're lucky) •25K Memory included 150-Watt Power Supply Monochrome Graphic Printer included Name-Brand Disk Drives such asTEAC &QUME MAGNAVOX High- Resolution TTL Monitor Full Warranty on all products: 1 yr. Warranty on boards, 2-yr. on MAGNAVOX monitors IBM PC-XT Type Case no. 90180 s 33.00 150-Watt Power Supply no. 90155 65.00 5150 IBM-Type Keyboard no. 90130 45.00 Mother Board expandable to 640K with 256K instal led no. spclo3 1 35.00 Monochrome Graphic Printer Board no. 90010 75.00 Floppy Controller Board no, 92260 29.00 2-Floppy Disc Drives at $85 each No. 93140 1 70.00 12" TTL High Resolution Monitor by MAGNAVOX no. 96710 87.00 Complete with Instruction & Assembly Manuals. YOUR COST.. : 639 00 Any f these components may b e purchased separately. All boards guaranteed for 1 year. IBM, PC/XT are trademarks of International Business Machines, Inc. Some assembly required. SmarTeam Modem 103/212A— Operates at 300 Baud & 1200 Baud Hayes Compatible '•Auto Answer, Dial UsesRS232-C & Redial No. 91990 $ 1 65.00 Avatex 1200 Modem •Auto Answer, Dial & Redial •FCC Approved •PC TALK III Software included •Automatic Self Test on Power-Up COMPARE AT $199.00 No. 97070 $99-00 MAGNAVOX Color Monitor No. 97890 . •RGB High Resolution •14" diagonal •640 Dots/H-240 lines/ 80 column •Built-in Tilt Stand $318.00 Key Boards 5151 IBM Type Key Board Caps ano NumLock a 7C nn No. 51515 3> I D-UU 5150M XT Key Board— looks like AT, has big return key & LED indicators No. 99020 $59.00 ADD-ON BOARDS FOR IBM® COMPATIBLE SYSTEMS Monochrome Graphic Printer Board •Built in Parallel Printer Port »Text: 25 line x 80 column •Graphics: 720x348 resolution •TTL High Resolution Output No. 92270 $75-00 Multifunction Board •Expandable to 384K RAM -Serial Port, Game Port -Parallel Printer Port •Clock Calendar w/Battery Backup 'Software, Manuals and Cables No. 92290 $75.00 Color Graphics Board •RGB and Composite Port -Light Pen Interface •Graphics: 320x200 (color); 640x200 (BW) 'Text: 25x80 No. 92280 $65.00 Multi I/O Card •Built-in Floppy Controller that can drive2floppydrives»TwoRS232 Serial Adapters •Timer Port 'Parallel Printer Port •Joystick Adapter No. 96770 $84.00 RS 232 Serial Board •1 Serial Port »2nd Port optional No. 92310 $^7.UU Parallel Printer Card •Also may be used as I/O Port No. 92700 ...$21 -00 Floppy Disk Controller •Drives 2 Internal drives •Includes cable •IBM PC compatible am** ^^ No. 92260 $29.00 PLUS A HUGE SELECT/ON OF CABLES & ACCESSORIES! THE WHOLESALE OUTLET f DEPT. BY, 1 INTERSTATE AVENUE, ALBANY, NY 12205. To order call 1-800-344-4387 (Non-NYS Res.) or 51 8-459-7883 (NYS Res.) Personal and company checks accepted (on mai l-in orders). Customer pays freight & handling FOB Albany, NY. Non-credit cardorders shipped UPS , C.O.D. Minimum order$25. Dealer and large quantity orders call 518-459-7883. Ask for Computer Dept. Some items not as pictured. Prices subject to change. forward but Wirth presents it obscurely. A crucial fact (concerning expression 4.73) necessary for producing an efficient program is not so easy to derive; Wirth states it without a derivation. The development of the algorithm is further obscured by a nonstandard notation for sum- mation, a consistently incorrect variable name in a sum- mation limit (e.g., expression 4.68), and the use of the let- ter "k" to represent two different variables (in expressions 4.65 and 4.72). Finally Wirth claims that the sample out- put, a search tree for keywords, was generated by apply- ing the program to its own text; this is not so. This probably sounds like nit-picking. It is. Most of the book is like the passage I just nit-picked. I find it difficult to learn anything from a text that contains obscure deriva- tions, nonstandard notation, and incorrect formulas. / found no gross errors, but the little ones are legion. Wirth does not appear to have made any firm decision concerning the degree of sophistication of this book's in- tended reader. The sections on data types and simple data structures, for example, are elementary, while the section on string searching is considerably more advanced. This book is a substantially revised version of a work published 10 years ago (Algorithms+Data Structures^? rograms, Prentice-Hall, 1976), which explains two more problems it has. One concerns Wirth's treatment of the technique of loop invariants. He uses this technique only in the sec- tions that were added; the sections carried over from the original version do not have it. Loop invariants appear, are used for a few pages, vanish, and reappear 200 pages later. Wirth should have left this method out or used it throughout the text and he should have explained it more clearly. The second problem concerns the choice of lan- guage for presenting programs. The earlier version of this book used Pascal; this edition uses Modula-2. I see no evidence that Modula-2 is superior to Pascal for the pro- grams given in this book. Because of that, and because Pascal is more widely known and available than Modula-2, I think Wirth ought to have retained the former as his presentation language. I have two complaints about the book's typography. First, the listings use indentation of about one character width; this does not provide a clear demarcation of different levels, particularly when a listing crosses to the next page. Second, the typeface is very light and difficult to read. Algorithms and Data Structures does have some good points. Wirth presents a wide range of material of both theoretical and practical interest. The chapter on recursion and the section on string searching, for instance, provide good coverage of some subtle and useful algorithms without too much of the obscurity that mars the rest of the book. The good points, however, do not outweigh the bad. For the most part Algorithms and Data Structures is poorly struc- tured and obscurely written, and I cannot recommend it. Both Robert L. Kruse's Data Structures and Program Design (Prentice-Hall, 1984) and R. Sedgwick's Algorithms (Addison- Wesley 1983) are better books on this subject. ■ Michael O'Neill (2227 Dwight Way #4, Berkeley, CA 94704) has been programming computers for 20 years. 76 BYTE • MAY 1986 Inquiry 387 Same System Plus 10 MB Hard Disk UNITEX PC * System Board Expandable to 640K * 256k Random Access Memory * 8 Expansion Slots * 360k Floppy Disk Drive * 135 Watt Power Supply * 5150 Type Keyboard * Runs IBM PC Software * One Year Warranty* TM $ 595 UNITEX $ AT" 1,695 * System Board Expandable to 1024K * 512k Random Access Memory * 1.2 MB High Capacity Floppy Disk Drive * Combined Floppy and Hard Disk Controller * 230 Watt Power Supply * Battery Backup Clock/Calendar * AT Keyboard UNITEX $ TURBO" 695 * System Board Expandable to 640K * Keyboard Selectable 4.77Mhz and 8 Mhz Speeds * 256K Random Access Memory * 360K Floppy Disk Drive * 135 Watt Power Supply * 5150 Type Keyboard HiflHm BM UNITEX CO. El Camino Real Los Altos, CA 94022 1-80 inside California: 1-415-967-6465 m IBM PC, XT. AT are trademarks of IBM Corp. Jpa * Limited Warranty r ree shipping via UPS Ground in Continental United States. Unitex reserves all rights to substitute equivalent items All prices subject to change without notice. Unauthorized returns subject to a 15% restocking charge Inquiry I 54 MAY 1986 -BYTE 77 May 1986 EVENT QUEUE Second Annual Interna- tional Computer Graphics Image Contest. For an entry form, contact Raster Tech- nologies Inc.. r I\vo Robbins Rd.. Westford MA 01886. (617) 692-7900. ext. 226. En- tries must be submitted by June I. EXPO 86: T^e 1986 World Exposition, Vancouver, British Columbia. Canada. EXPO INFO. POB 1800. Sta- tion A, Vancouver, British Columbia V6C 3A2, Canada. (604) 660-3976. May 2-October 1 3 Videotex '86: THE Elec- tronic Information Industry Show Interna- tional Conference & Exhibition. Infomart, Dallas. TX. Cynthia Parsons. Online International Inc., 989 Avenue of the Americas. New York. NY 10018. (212) 279-8890. May 6-8 AAMSI Congress 1986: Computer Applications in Medicine and Health Care, Anaheim, CA. AAMSI. 1101 Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite 700. Washington, DC 20036, (202) 857-1199. May 8-10 Association for Systems Management Annual Con- ference, New Orleans, LA. Richard McCaffrey, Associa- tion for Systems Manage- ment. 24587 Bagley Rd.. Cleveland. OH 44138. (216) 243-6900. May 11-14 Computer Graphics '86, Anaheim, CA. National Com- puter Graphics Association, 2722 Merrilee Dr., Suite 200. Fairfax. VA 22031. (800) 22 5-6242, or (703) 698-9600. May 11-15 1986 Annual Industrial Engineering Conference and Show, Dallas. TX. Insti- tute of Industrial Engineers, Conference Department, 25 Technology Park/Atlanta, Norcross. GA 30092, (404) 449-0460. May 11-15 Fourth Annual COMDEX/ Europe, RAI Congress and Exhibition Centre. Amster- dam, The Netherlands. The Interface Group Inc., 300 First Ave.. Needham, MA 02194, (617) 449-6600; in Europe. World Trade Center, Tower C, 12th Floor, Strawin- skylaan 1245. 1077 XX Am- sterdam, The Netherlands; telephone: (31)^20-621941; Telex: 12358NL. May 12-14 Printed Circuit Fabrica- tion Expo '86/Minneapolis: Explore Emerging Tech- nology, Minneapolis. MN. PC FAB Expo, Technical Seminars Trade Shows, 1790 Hembree Rd., Alpharetta. GA 30201. (404) 475-1818. May 12-14 Tropictronics/Amazon Trade Fair II, Sao Paulo, and Manaus, Amazonas. Brazil. Joseph Burke. Interna- tional Trade Administration. U.S. Department of Com- merce. Room 4044. Wash- ington. DC 20230, (202) 377-5014. May 12-15 (Sao Paulo); May 19-22 (Manaus) ELECTRO/86 AND MlNl/MlCRO Northeast. Boston, MA. Electronic Conventions Man- agement. 8110 Airport Blvd.. Los Angeles, CA 90045, (213) 772-2965. May 13-15 Infobase '86: Interna- tional Database Exhibition and Convention. Frankfurt. West Germany. Michael Kip. Messe Frankfurt GmbH, Lud- wig-Erhard-Anlage I, POB 970126. D-6000 Frankfurt 97, West Germany; tele- phone: (0 69) 7575-477/520; Telex: 4 II 558 messe d. May 13-15 THE L.A. Professional VlDEOSHOW AND VIDEO PRO- DUCTION Conference, Long Beach Convention Center, Long Beach, CA. Lisa Welp, The Professional Videoshow, 51 Sugar Hollow Rd., Dan- bury, CT 06810. (203) 743- 2120. May 13-16 THE Info Show: Informa- tion Management Exposi- tion & Conference, Los Angeles Convention Center, Los Angeles, CA. Cahners Exposition Group. Client Services. 999 Summer St.. POB 3833, Stamford, CT 06905. (203) 964-8287. May 14-16 Eurit '86 (THE European Conference on Informa- tion TECHNOLOGY IN EDUCA- TION): Development of Educational Software and Courseware. Enschede, The Netherlands. Pieter Sinninghe Damste, c/o Twente Uni- versity of Technology, COI. POB 217, NL7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands. May 20-23 EuroComm 86: European Communications Week Amsterdam 86, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. EuroComm IF YOU WANT your organization's public activities listed in BYTE's Event Queue, we need to know about them at least four months in advance. Send information about computer conferences, seminars, workshops, and courses to BYTE, Event Queue, POB 372, Hancock. NH 03449. 86. c/o RAI Gebouw bv. Europaplein, 1078 GZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands; telephone: (020) 5 411 411. May 20-23 Sino-European Artificial Intelligence Joint Semi- nar, Shenzhen. People's Republic of China. Dr. Shao Zu-Ying. CCTS/1COS. 5/F.. Electronics Building, Shen- zhen Special Economic Zone, People's Republic of China; in Europe, Dr. j. M. Richards. The 'Hiring Insti- tute, George House. 36 North Hanover St.. Glasgow Gl 2AD, Scotland. May 26-30 Automach Australia, Sydney, Australia. Leslie Hossack. Society of Manu- facturing Engineers, One SME Dr., POB 930. Dear- born, Ml 48121, (313) 271-1500: in Australia, Adolph Greco, A. Greco & Associates Pty. Ltd., Inte- grated Project Management Services. POB 1399. Cherry- brook 2120. New South Wales, Australia; telephone: (02) 875-2377; Telex: SECCO AA2 5468. May 27-29 Using Computers in the Lab: The Second Annual Symposium for Science Educators. Tufts University, Medford. MA. Symposium II, Technical Education Re- search Centers. 1696 Massachusetts Ave.. Cam- bridge. MA 0213 8. (617) 547-3890. May 27-31 Workspace 86: People, Space and Technology, Moscone Center, San Fran- cisco, CA. Charles Yourd, Workspace, 665 Chestnut St., San Francisco, CA 94133. (415) 776-2111. May 28-30 ■ 78 BYTE • MAY 1986 PC NETW GOES TO THE How do you suppose most manufacturers of personal eompui products get started? They go to the Orient. . . taking either their designs or simply their ideas to one or more of the major electronics manufacturing concerns, getting bids for making these devices under contract to the creators. Multifunction Cards, Video Cards, Disk Controllers, Modems and I/O Boards all begin their life in this way. This relationship between the manufacturing capabilities of the East and the design and marketing talents of the U.S. has resulted in the incredible selection of enhancement products for the IBM and Apple computer markets. Well, with 100,000 members and growing strong, The Network sent its buyers east to visit some of these manufacturing concerns to check out the feasability of directly importing these products in the necessary volumes to save our members money! What they came back with was astounding. Now, we always figured that there were some pretty substantial markups as these boards came into the country and got fancy boxes and marketing promotions under any one of a number of well known brand names in the peripheral add-on markets but we had no idea they were so large! To prove our point, consider what they brought back. Each board is constructed to the same precise standards, on similar machinery to their name-brand duplicates. The difference? As a Network member, you pay only 8% over our unusually low wholesale price... and you get our full 1 year warranty! Hercules™ Smarter Brother A Monochrome Graphics Card with Printer Port...100°/o compatible with Hercules™ product. IBM Color Card 100% compatible with the IBM offering. The wholesale price? j$& A mere $69.00 Graphics Printer Interface If all you want is a printer, this is the card for you. Supports all text and graphics printer features. Wholesale price . . . $29.00 The Multi-384 Board A clone of the AST's SixPakPlus™ includes up to 384Kb of expansion memory, 1 serial, 1 parallel, 1 game port, a clock/calendar and software standard. I/O Multifunction Card Identical I/O board to the AST's I/0+* with 2 serial, (1 standard) 1 parallel, 1 game port and clock/calendar with software. Wholesale price $65.00* With0 $79.00 Wholesale 512 K Memory The least expensive way to add memory to your current system. With K installed. Wholesale priced at only . . . ).00* Six Pack, I/O Plus and AST are all registered trademarks of AST Research Inc. Hercules is a registered trademark of Hercules Computer Technology Inc. *PC NETWORK Members pay just 8% above t is wholesale price, plus shipping. All prices reflect a 3% cash discount. Minimum shipping $2.50 per order. International orders call for shipping & handling charges. Personal checks: please allow 10 working days to clear. CALL TOLL-FREE 1-800-621-SAVE '""""°" c *" i:i^iV/» (312)280-0002 GET THE NETWORK ADVANTAGE!!! Inquiry 271 MAY .1986 •■.'BYTE 79 NETWORK BUY HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE AT WHOLESALE + 8%, AND GET 14-30 DAY SOFTWARE RENTALS'... Listed below are just a few of the over 30,000 products available at our EVERYDAY LOW PRICES! The Network carries products for Apple, IBM, CP/M and most other popular computer families. GAMES & EDUCATIONAL SOFTWARE (Please add S1 shipping and handling Wholesale Arrays Home Accountant-Mac Only S65.00* Ax ton Art Portfolio & Card Shoppe 31.00" Bluechip Baton/Millionaire/Tycoon 19.75* Broderbund Lode Runner 17.25 Broderbund Choplitter 17.00" Broderbund Print Shop 24.75* Broderbund Dazzle Draw 31.97" CBS Mastering the GRE 53.50" CBS Murder by the Dozen 20.97" CBS Goren Bridge Made Easy 45.00* Counterpoint The News Room 26.97* Davidson Speed Reader II 31 .00" Davidson Math Blaster 21.50* Davidson Word Attack! 21.50* 1st Byte Smcoth Talker-Mac Only 44.00* Hayden DaVinci-House/lnteriors/l.andscapes 24.75' Hayden Sargon III 24.75* Infocom Deadline or Suspended 24.00* Infocom Enchanter. Planet/all. 19.75* Cutthroats, Witness or Zork I Infocom Hitchhiker's Guide or Seastalker 19.75* Infocom Suspect. Sorcerer or Infidel 21.75* Infocom Zork II or lit 21.75* Layered Front Desk-Mac Only 65.00* Mirage Concepts Trivia 21.00* FOR YOUR APPLE II & MACINTOSH foreach title ordered from below.) Miles Computing Mac Attack-Mac Only Palatlr Mac Type-Mac Only Penguin Graphics Magician Penguin Pensate or Xyphus Penguin Transylvania-Mac Only Professional Software Trivia Fever Pryorlty Software Forbidden Quest Scarborough Master Type Scarborough Run lor the Money Simon & Schuster Typing Tutor III Sir-Tech Wizardry Sir-Tech Knight ol Diamonds Sir- Tech Rescue Raiders Sublogic Night Mission Pinball Subloglc Flight Simulator II ►Spinnaker Alphabet Zoo. Face Maker. Kinder Comp. Hey Diddle Diddle. Rhymes & Riddles. Story Machine ►Spinnaker The Most Amazing Thing ► Spinnaker Delta Drawing T/Maker Click Art-Mac Only Warner Desk Organizer Vldex Fun Pack-Mac Only Videx Mac Checkers & Reversal Virtual Comblnatlcs Micro Cookbook Wholesale 22.00* 23.50* 28.97* 20.00* 20.00* 19.00* 21.00* 19.75* 26.00* 28.25* 17.25* 18.97* 18.97* 19.25* 27.25* 15.25* 20.77* 20.75* 25.00* 65.00* 19.25* 25.17* 17.50* BUSINESS SOFTWARE FOR YOUR APPLE //& MACINTOSH (Please add S2.50 shipping and handling for each title ordered from below.) ►Apple Apple Works Borland International Turbo Pascal BPI GL AP. AR. PR or INV Broderbund Bank Street Writer Central Point Copy II Plus or Copy II Mac Funk Software Sideways Funsoft Macasm Haba Habadex Haba Quartet Harvard Mac Manager Human Edge Mind Prober ►Human Edge Sales Edge Human Ed9e Communication Edge ►Living Videotext ThinkThank-Mac Too! Main Street Filer-Mac Only ► M ECA Managing your Money S1 60.00* ►Microsoft Word for Macintosh S102.00* 30.00* ►Microsoft File for Macintosh 102.00' 190.00' ►Microsoft Multiplan for Macintosh 102.00* 37.25* Microsoft Basic lor Macintosh 79.00* Microsoft Chart la Macintosh 66.00* Monogram Doflars & Sense for Apple II 55.00* Monogram Doliars & Sense for Macintosh 70.00' Od esta Helix for Macintosh Reg's 5 J 2K 200.00' Provue Overvue-MacOnly 130.00" Sensible Software Sensible Speller IV 67.50" Softcraft Fancy Fonts 109.00" Softech Microsystems UCSD Pascal 37.00* Software Arts TK Solver! for Mac 134.00* Software Publishing PFS: File. Write, or Graph 63.50* 16.25* 26.50* 60.00* 40.00* 97.00* 29.95* 22.00* 110.00* 98.00* 65.00* 67.00* 87.50* Stoneware DB Master-Mac Too! Telos Filevision for Mac HARDWARE FOR YOUR APPLE //& MACINTOSH (Please add shipping and handling chargesfound in italics next to price.) MODEMS DISK DRIVES Wholesale Alps AP-100A Dual Apple Drives in S309.00* (7-00) One Case Apple MAC 400KB External Drive 349.95* (7.50) Corvus 5 5MB Hard Drive 939.00* (20 28) lOmega /WacnouM/ 5MG Removable 1,250.00* (27 00) Drive lor Macintosh Micro Sci A2 143KB Drive 150.00* (5 00) Just like Apple's Own Micro Sci Floppy Controller 55.00* (2.501 ►Paradise Mac 10MB Hard Drive 750.00* (16 20) Subsystem ►Paradise Mac 20MB H,irdDnve 950.00* (2052) Subsystem ► PC Network 140KExtemalDnve 95.00* (2 50) tor Apple lie Rana Elite 1 163K Drive 225.00* (5.00) Tecmar 5MB Removable Drive lor MAC 999.00* (21-58) Tecmar 10MB MAC Drive 999.00* (21.58) Tecmar5MS MACDriveUpgrade 1.235.00* (26.68) BOARDS AND BUFFERS ALSZ-fng/ne S 11 5.00* (2.50) AST" Multit/0-2serial/Clock 1 55.00* (2 50) Microsoft Premium Sottcardlle 243.67* (2.50) Microtek DumplmgfGX 55.00* (2.50) Orange Micro Grappler 4- 66.00* (2 50) Orange Micro Serial Grappler 66.00* (250/ PC Network ZB0 Card 35.00* (2.50) Quadram APIC/G Graphics Interface 62.00* (2 50) Quadrame RAM- 80 88.00* (2 50) Quadram Multicore- 1 Parallel/ J Serial/ 140.00* (2.50) Wholesale S125.00* (2 50; 174.45* (350) 276.00* (6 00) Hayes Micromodem llew/Smartcom Novation Apple Call I Prometheus 1200A Low Cost 1200 Baud Internal Modem for Apple II Prometheus Promodem 1200 299.00* (6 00) w/MacPack Zoom Zoom/Modem lie 95.00* (2 50) Micromodem Compatible-Free Dow Jones ACCESSORIES Apple Macintosh Carrying Case Apple Macintosh Security Kit Apple Macintosh Numeric Keypad Hayes Mach III Joystick w/Fire Button for He Kensington Dust Cover lor MAC or ImageWriter Kensington Starter Pack Kensington Surge Protector Kensington System Saver Fan Koala MacVision Koala Koalapad Touch Tablet M&R Sup-R-Mod RF Modulation PC Network Cooling Fan with Surge Protector & Dual Outlets PC Network SSDD Diskettes (Box of 10) 7.95* (1.00) PC Network Macintosh Diskettes 15.95* (1.50) Includes Free Flip & File Case These Diskettes are Guaranteed for Life! No Generics' Sony Mac Diskettes (Box ol 10) 19.00* (1.50) S69.00* (1.49) 29.00* (150) 69.00* (2.50) 26.50* (150) 7.50* (1.50) 49.00* (300) 29.50* (2.50) 56.97* (1.50) 150.00* (3.00) 78.00* (150) 44.00* (1.50) 25.00* (2 50) GAMES & EDUCATIONAL SOFTWARE FOR YOUR IBM (Please add $1 shipping and handling for each title ordered from below.) Wholesale ATI Intro to PC DOS Vol. I & II S23.00* ATI Intro to BASIC 23.00* Bluebush IChess (Your Toughest Opponent) 34.00* Bluechip Millionaire/Oil Baron or Tycoon 19.75* Broderbund Lode Runner 17.25* CBS Goren Bridge Made Easy 40.00* CBS Mastering the SAT 50.00* CDEX Training for Wordstar 37.25* Comprehensive Intro to Personal Computing 26.50* Davidson Math Blaster. Word Attack! 21.50* Davidson Speed Reader II 31.00* Hayden Sargon III 24.00* Individual Professor DOS 29.75* Individual The Instructor 24.50* ►infocom Zork I or Witness 19.75* ► infocom Deadline or Suspended Microsoft Flight Simulator Mouse Systems PC Paint-Turn your PC Into A Color Macintosh! Scarborough Master Type Sierra On-Line Crossfire Sierra On-Line Kings Quest II Spectrum Holobyte GATO ►Spinnaker Alphabet Zoo. Kinder Comp. Story Machine. Face Maker. Hey Diddle. Rhymes & Riddles ► Spinnaker Delia Drawing ►Spinnaker Most Amazing Thing Sublogic Night Mission Pinball Virtual Combinatlcs Micro Cookbook Wholesale S24.00* 27.00* 59.95* 19.75* 18.00* 24.75* 18.00* 15.25* 20.75* 20.77* 19.25* 21.00* BUSINESS SOFTWARE FOR YOUR IBM (Please add S2.50 shipping and handling for each title ordered from below.) ► Ashton-Tate DBase III S345.00* ►Ashton-Tate Framework II 365.00' Borland Turbo Pascal 30.00* Borland SideKick (Protected) 24.50* Borland SuperKey 29.75* BPI G/L, Am or A/P 262.00* BPI Aura 262.00* BPI Personal Accounting 43.75* Breakthrough Timeline 230.00' ►Central Point Copy II PC 20.00* Conceptual Instruments Desk Organizer 1 57.00* Digital Research DR Logo 75.00* Digital Research Gem Desktop 25.00* Digital Research Gem Draw 73.00* Enertronlcs Energraphics 143.00* Funk Software Sideways 32.00* ► Harvard Harvard Project Manager 175.00* Harvard Total Project Manager 225.00* ► Hayes Smartcom ll-New VT100 Emulator 68.00* ►Human Edge The Management Edge 22.00' ► Human Edge Mind Prober 22.00* infocom Cornerstone 210.00* Lifetree Volkswriler III 126.50* ► Lotus Development Lotus 1-2-3 285.00' MDBS Knowledgeman/2 229.00* MicroPro Wordstar 2000 MicroPro Wordstar 2000+ MicroRim RBase5000 Microsoft C Compiler Microsoft Word-Latest Version 2.0 Microsoft Multiplan Microsoft Mouse Monogram Dollars & Sense ►Multlmate Multimale (Latest Version) Norton Norton Utilities 3. 1 Oasis 7/?e Word Plus Open Systems P/O Sales A/R INV G/L A/P Team Mgr. 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Jflfr Mm Guaranteed for Life! j^ J^ M & JgF mp *^* r* s«<* 51/4 IN. * SONY * ETHERNET * OMNINET * ARCNET * MIRLAN BACKPLANE BUSES I/O BUSES DEVICE-LEVEL INTERFACE Figure I: Computer-system interfaces. 86 BYTE* MAY 1986 CIRCUIT CELLAR width to accommodate even the fastest peripherals. Unlike system in- terfaces, I/O buses primarily use block-oriented transfers and are relatively inexpensive to implement. LANs and I/O buses also share many characteristics: data is typical- ly transferred in large sequential blocks; multiple devices can be con- nected to the bus; and cables are used to interconnect devices. Unlike LANs. I/O buses transfer data in a parallel form, provide faster transfer rates, and are designed to operate over much shorter distances. I/O buses are often referred to as "very local area networks." Overview Before I begin a detailed description of the COMM180 and its specific hardware, a few words are in order about what SCSI is and why it is used. SCSI is a standard, intelligent I/O sub- system for small computers. In a tech- nical sense, standard means that no matter what system it is implemented on, the interface will look the same. This is important because it means that, as new computers or peripherals are developed that contain an SCSI in- terface, they can be connected to existing peripherals and computers (that also contain an SCSI interface) without modifying the existing system or peripheral. SCSI evolved from Shugart Associ- ates systems interface (SASI), com- monly pronounced "sassy." SASI was developed in the late 1970s for use primarily as a disk-controller interface. As so often happens in the computer industry, SASI was modeled after a de facto IBM standard, the IBM I/O channel. In November of 1981, Shugart As- sociates and NCR jointly approached the American National Standards In- stitute committee on intelligent peripherals and proposed that SASI be used as a foundation for defining an intelligent peripheral interface standard. By April of 1982, the X3T9.2 ANSI subcommittee was established, and the name was for- mally changed to SCSI. After more than three years of definition and participation by more than 120 companies, the ANSI sub- HOST SYSTEM § SCSI BUS B DISK DRIVE Figure 2: A simple SCSI configuration. committee has forwarded Revision 17 of the proposed SCSI standard into its second public review period. Final ac- ceptance of the standard is expected within a year. Interest in the standard has spread throughout the electronics industry. Currently the European Computer Manufacturers Association is working to adopt SCSI as its standard. The intent of the SCSI standard is to make computer peripherals as easy to interconnect as stereo equipment. This provides the host computer with device independence within a class of devices. Device independence is a powerful concept that lets peripherals be added or upgraded to an existing computer system without requiring lengthy product design and qualifica- tion cycles. Much of the standard's success is a result of the flexibility that the inter- face offers. To demonstrate the ver- satility of SCSI, I will describe four unique system architectures: single- user/single-tasking, multitasking, multi- user, and multiprocessing systems. These examples represent actual product offerings that span a wide range of computing requirements. Single-User/Single-Tasking Systems Personal computers, which make up a majority of the computers sold, can be generally characterized as single- user/single-tasking systems. In these systems, I/O is performed in a sequen- tial manner. If you want to store a file to disk and then read another file from disk, you wait for the first task to complete before you start the sec- ond. Figure 2 shows a block diagram of a single-user/single-tasking system. Because the SCSI interface operates with generic device types, the system can be designed to use a variety of intelligent mass storage systems. This gives the user a choice of configura- tions that meet performance and stor- age-capacity requirements. Flexibility is important, but product cost is the primary concern for this class of computer. A hard-disk drive and a controller board may account for as much as 50 percent of the sys- tem cost. Disk-drive manufacturers have traditionally provided drive-level electronics that interface to the host bus through a disk controller. How- ever, with the increasing integration of controller electronics, several manu- facturers are now finding it less cost- ly to provide an integrated SCSI con- troller directly on the disk drive. Obviously, a single board is less ex- pensive than two boards and inter- connecting cables. Less obvious is the savings realized by achieving higher manufacturing yields on the disk drives themselves. Traditionally, a hard disk has had to be flawless. All tracks had to be error-free, or the flawed tracks had to be specifically noted to the host drive controller so that they would not be used. With SCSI, the hosjt computer is no longer concerned with exact track location or flawed tracks, since the disk is ad- dressed as a logical storage device. The disk drive/SCSI controller manages the surface defect mapping and merely presents the user with single mass storage quantity By not ' having to produce completely flawless hardware, the manufacturer's assem- bly yields are increased, and overall product cost is reduced. Multitasking Systems In single-tasking or single-threaded environments, system performance {continued) MAY 1986 'BYTE 87 CIRCUIT CELLAR suffers due to the sequential nature of all I/O operations. Seek and rota- tional latencies associated with the disk drive may occupy up to 70 per- cent of the time required to access a sector of information. In single-user/multitasking systems, the SCSI standard lets devices not ac- tively transferring data remove them- selves from the bus, so that other I/O operations can be initiated or com- pleted. This lets the system take ad- vantage of the "dead" time (when no data is being transferred) on disk ac- CAD/CAE WORKSTATION i B OPTICAL DRIVE D TAPE DRIVE 3 FLOPPY / HARD- CONTROLLER DISK Figure 3: A single-userlmultitasking SCSI system. Figure 4: SCSI in a multiuser system. cesses. Therefore, multiple disk drives can be seeking data simultaneously, providing for higher bus utilization. The drive that locates its data first will reselect the host and complete the transfer. Figure 3 shows a block diagram of a single-user/multitasking system. Multiuser Systems In today's office environment, per- sonal computers are stand-alone devices that support individual pro- ductivity requirements. However, if data needs to be shared among users, the system components will have to be networked. Local-area networks can be used to accomplish this. Since data is shared among various com- ponents, file servers are used as com- mon storage elements. File servers, in many cases, are personal computers modified to support multiuser file management. Figure 4 shows a com- mon file-server implementation. In some cases, having multiple users dramatically increases system response time. However, since the SCSI bus supports data rates up to 1 .5 megabytes per second in an asyn- chronous mode and up to 4 mega- bytes per second using a synchronous handshake, system performance need not suffer. This fast transfer rate cou- pled with the disconnect capability allows for high data throughput and efficient bus utilization. Additionally, these transfer rates match or exceed the performance of the commonly used LANs. The SCSI interface supports several commands that increase system per- formance and provide shared file pro- tection in multiuser systems. Search commands, implemented in the file server or the disk controller, allow keywords to be seached for locally rather than choking the LAN or the SCSI bus with large data transfers. These commands increase system performance while reducing bus bandwidth requirements. To keep shared files from being accessed si- multaneously, the reserve and release commands can be used to manage file activity. Reserved files are not available to other users until the files have been released by the current users. 88 B YTE • MAY 1986 CIRCUIT CELLAR Aside from sharing data file servers can be used to share expensive sys- tem resources like laser printers, large storage devices, color plotters, and even copiers. The SCSI interface eases the task of reconfiguring the file server for specific system require- ments. MULTIPROCESSING SYSTEMS Systems supporting multiple operat- ing systems, real-time data acquisition, communication processors, or other dedicated processors have traditional- ly used backplane architectures to support their multiprocessing require- ments. These systems require a local communications bus as well as an in- telligent peripheral interface. The SCSI interface, with its multihost capabili- ty, provides the needed functionality at a fraction of the backplane cost. In addition to file transfers between in- dividual processors and mass storage devices, interprocessor communica- tions can be accomplished across the SCSI interface. Futhermore, freedom from requirements imposed by back- plane buses provides increased design flexibility Figure 5 shows a block diagram of a multiprocessing system. The SCSI interface directly supports up to eight bus devices. This may preclude the use of the standard SCSI interface in complex multiprocessing configurations. However, a modified standard proposed by Ampro Inc. called SCSI/Plus provides a binary selection phase that supports up to 64 bus devices. Benefit Summary These systems are but a few of the many configurations that use SCSI as the backbone of their architectures. The standard offers the flexibility needed to satisfy a range of system requirements, from inexpensive per- sonal computers to very expensive multiuser systems. Additionally, inte- grated circuits, board-level products, and fully integrated bus devices are readily available from a variety of manufacturers. In each product cate- gory, SCSI offers a cost-effective solu- tion that provides the necessary per- formance, features, and vendor (continued) LISP PROCESSOR <«lil«iiil 00 3: :CD: :CO: U to; OPTICAL STORAGE • ) MS-DOS COPROCESSOR ( COMMUNICATIONS COPROCESSOR £:;::;■: MASS STORAGE SUBSYSTEM :•-.,:■..:. ..... > UNIX PROCESSOR ( Figure 5: The SCSI bus in a multiprocessing system. SCSI Bus Signals. There are a total of 18 signals. Nine are used for control, and nine are used for data. (Data signals include the parity signal option.) These signals are described as follows: BSY (BUSY). An "OR-tied" signal that indicates that the bus is being used. SEL (SELECT). A signal used by an initiator to select a target or by a target to reselect an initiator. C/D (CONTROL/DATA). A signal driven by a target that indicates whether CONTROL or DATA information is on the DATA BUS. True indicates CONTROL. I/O (INPUT/OUTPUT). A signal driven by a target that controls the direction of data movement on the DATA BUS with respect to an initiator: True indicates input to the initiator. This signal is also used to distinguish between SELECTION and RESELECTION phases. MSG (MESSAGE). A signal driven by a target during the MESSAGE phase. REQ (REQUEST). A signal driven by a target to indicate a request for a REQ/ACK data-transfer handshake. ACK (ACKNOWLEDGE). A signal driven by an initiator to indicate an acknowledge for a REQ/ACK data-transfer handshake. ATN (ATTENTION). A signal driven by an initiator to indicate the ATTENTION condition. RST (RESET). An "OR-tied" signal that indicates the RESET condition. DB(7-0,P) (DATA BUS). Eight data-bit signals, plus a parity-bit signal that form a DATA BUS. DB(7) is the most significant bit and has the highest priority during the ARBITRATION phase Bit number, significance, and priority, decrease downward to DB(0). A data bit is defined as 1 when the signal value is true and as when the signal value is false. Data parity DB(P) is odd. The use of parity is a system option (i.e., a system is configured so that all SCSI devices on a bus generate parity and have parity detection enabled, or all SCSI devices have parity detection disabled or not implemented). Parity is not valid during the ARBITRATION phase. Figure 6: SCSI bus signals and their definitions. MAY 1986 'BYTE 89 CIRCUIT CELLAR Photo 1: The NCR 5380 SCSI interface chip. Photo 2: The COMM180 SCSI interface board rides piggyback on the SB 1 80 single-board computer. The NCR 5380 is the large chip toward the front. Note the empty socket for the MOSART modem chip (see the November 1985 Circuit Cellar for a description of the MOSART). uniqueness to make it a truly usable standard. SCSI Bus Physical Interface The SCSI bus features a byte-wide data bus, an optional parity line, and nine control signals used to manage the flow of information between SCSI devices. (Actually, the parity line is mandatory; paying attention to it is optional.) Figure 6 describes the 18 lines on the SCSI bus. The SCSI standard defines both asynchronous and synchronous data transfers. Asynchronous data transfer (the mode implemented on the COMM180) will support data-transfer rates up to 1.5 megabytes per second. The synchronous data-transfer mode will support data rates up to 4 mega- bytes per second. Synchronous data transfer is intended for high-perfor- mance systems and peripherals and requires a more complex hardware in- terface than is provided on the COMM180. These data rates are not arbitrary— they are determined by various delays built into the standard. SCSI bus devices are interconnected using a daisy chain with termination required only on each end of the chain (see figure 7). Up to eight devices are allowed on the SCSI bus, with up to 2048 logical units sup- ported per bus device. An arbitration scheme resolves bus conflicts. The bus is designed to operate up to a cable length of 6 meters using open- collector bus transceivers (used on the COMM180) or up to 2 5 meters using more expensive differential-pair driver/receivers. Differential-pair operation offers higher noise immuni- ty in addition to longer cable lengths. The SCSI standard also allows for host-to-host and peripheral-to-periph- eral communications, for example, disk-to-tape backup without host in- tervention. This feature is not present- ly supported by the SB 180 BIOS. The SB180 BIOS is written to run a subset of SCSI called Single Tasking. This means that only one host com- puter can be on the SCSI bus, and it can talk to only one peripheral device at a time (but you can hook up to seven peripheral devices on the bus). The COM MI 80 board will, however, support the full SCSI implementation. 90 BYTE* MAY 1986 CIRCUIT CELLAR This means that you can write a driver to implement the full SCSI standard if needed. Logical Interface In order to provide device in- dependence, the SCSI standard has included a logical as well as a physical interface definition. This logical inter- face is supported through a defined software conritnand structure. Com- mand structures have been defined for each SCSI device type. The device types supported by the interface can be characterized as direct-access devices (disk drives), sequential- access devices (tape drives), output- only devices (printers), write-once, read-mostly devices (write-once op- tical disks), read-only devices (optical disks), and other processor devices. The intent of the logical interface is to remove any of the physical ele- ments of a device interface from the SCSI protocol. A computer designed to support the SCSI interface need not know the number of heads, tracks, or sectors per track when communi- cating with an SCSI disk drive. The host issues commands that refer to logical sector numbers. The disk-drive controller translates the logical sector number into the physical head, track, and sector locations. The host only needs to know the maximum number of sectors available, which can be acquired through a read capacity command. THE NCR 5380 The NCR 5380 is a single-chip 40-pin NMOS device designed to provide a low-cost, low-parts-count implementa- tion of the SCSI bus as defined by the ANSI X3T9.2 subcommittee (see photo 1). Capable of supporting both the initiator and target roles (which I will explain in detail next month), the NCR 5380 can be used in host adapter or peripheral controller de- signs. This device supports arbitra- tion, including reselection, allowing it to be used in complex SCSI configura- tions (the SBI80 BIOS does not sup- port arbitration and reselection). A significant feature of the NCR 5380 is the on-chip open-collector bus transceivers. These transceivers are capable of sinking 48 milli- amperes of current at 0.5 volt and allow the chip to be directly interfaced to the SCSI bus through optional ex- ternal bus terminators. The NCR 5380 communicates with the Hitachi 64180 CMOS micropro- cessor as a peripheral device. The chip is controlled by reading and writing several internal registers that can be addressed as standard or memory-mapped I/O (it is addressed as standard I/O on the COMM180). The chip optionally supports DMA transfers and can be designed to operate in a polled or interrupt-driven environment. Since the NCR 5380 does not operate from a clock, no ex- ternal clock circuitry is required, and all signals operate asynchronously. The NCR 5380 allows every signal on the SCSI bus to be sampled or asserted via its internal registers. This provides the benefit of supporting only the level of the SCSI protocol re- quired of your design. Since the SCSI protocol is determined by the con- trolling firmware, it is the responsi- bility of the programmer to operate the chip in accordance with the stan- dard. Even though the SCSI protocol is a standard, early SASI implemen- tations have subtle protocol viola- tions. The Xebec S1410 disk con- [continued) DAISY- -CHAINED CABLE • • BUS DEVICE BUS DEVICE 1 • BUS DEVICE "N-2" BUS DEVICE "N-1" BUS DEVICE "N" BUS TERMIN \T ON B T US ER Wilt -SIGNAL ■SIGNAL GROUND ;|330ft 150& ♦ SIGNAL m TERMINATION FOR SINGLE-ENDED DEVICES 330& GROUND m TERMINATION FOR DIFFERENTIAL DEVICES Figure 7: SCSI bus termination hardware characteristics. MAY 1986 'BYTE 91 CIRCUIT CELLAR 01 rJ in ro r-,1 o> r-J m ro r* 01 o vH *1 i 4 tpHt IvH s M 9 H a I-M-I-H t^ c OOOOoQOOOO ,! ooooc/9 9999(f 99 o in *J CM O CD m rj C\ O CD l£ XI CM O 00 m '3- CM o CD to x> CM in "* ■^ •<* •^ x* ro ro m c* ro cm ^ CM CM CM f II- 1° !< _J o H 1* |> 12 or > r^ m m xj ro CM ^ O D UJ h- LU W LU o w ll h- CO CO CO CD m CO CD 00 5 z Ice < |o ■s V) 5 in LU or l< 3 JCD 14 ^ a. J CO — z ^ cc 2 2 CO 3 H ^ ^ c^ o O S u o o > xl , Xl CO r-l n CM CM CM no 00 r-, < >-^ WSrH "^ r_ _l < »--Vvv— — AMrH > LU UJ 1 ^^^^^ ' or < m o O * 0= , *^ wr " i- — \ o ►-WV— ' \^y — | | o 5 U. no ' i ►-AA/V— —4 ^MA^HI IHWV- Hh- — WHI < — WV-H » — ~-^VW"H i •— wv— — VS/V— > , tD < 1 + m o CD CM 0) UJ xt CO in o •"" CM ro CM ro "* in in ^ CD 0) IO IO IO IO u io jh X |> IZ O q_ rs in in *» ro cm »-« o DC >. 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Q a O Q a Q o Q K o in r-* co <-• ■""• CNJ «-i CNJ CM CNJ CM rH CNJ Figure 8: The COMM180 schematic, now including the NCR 5380 SCSI controller as well as the MOSART modem chip. 92 BYTE • MAY 1986 CIRCUIT CELLAR or *- lj h i w S 2 * w^ ° i °- 11 §^° -I a C\J LJ -5 < O _ , , "3 X ~ ■ ^ J C5H o e O O * r^ 3 ■ *f O 5 LU z o I £L tr co CO > in in-O-A^A— + O IO - Li- lt H^ CM en d u> u. ^J , 1 l \( in<-AAAr- h-o o < ™ in i. >£ d 1 \( i f s A i^ 1 Zii c\i v v? v " ■'SAAf - o + /i +\ <»- — w^> LU * < . \( i 3. CM O d ->->- +- — 3 ^~ -Z(_QQ» u_ O O ^h H - q. K K Q _J 4. o 1 I 1°§5 S^l CD < 1 1 i HH o Z Z "> LU id > ^ o -i ._, co + m w •*" IP IE rv.voinTrmcM.-.o luico Z LU 1- 0. D or i o o ,_ ID Q 1 < o 1 / 1 1 1 Jv * " UD CD LD U3 ID »» en CM^ r^ C 3£ £ 1- ocvj y 3 a Q Q Q Q Q Q C in >> o CD CD CD CD CD CD cd a r*.- r " 1 oo p" s en < ? o CD "* ID en 0. > U °- CD < en O Z -J Q O O LU o " H 1- DQ O CM "-"1 kd\ f- *» S < JS.it °°Z S Id . 1 CNJ ro *I to m rv " 'oo a _i cr ^ ' LU z LU CO 1- m o tr tr LU i- z < i- > + Q > in -t- 5 OWER 3180 NSION AO is ii CO z < X LU Q U3 Q ID Q tj en Q Q Q r-. C Q C LU CO > LU ) tr CO o > co LL LU CO LU rr o 00 en ID x 1 o 1- z A ( > "°- ^£ . 3 en in f> cvj c n O n ro n s+ in ID CO rx) in g n ") ro n) oo rq ro c\J MAY 1986 -BYTE 93 CIRCUIT CELLAR trailer, supported by the SB 180 BIOS, is one of these products. The flexibili- ty of the NCR 5380 accommodates these design variations. Hardware Description Little logic is required to interface the NCR 5380 to the 64180 on the SB180 (see figure 8). The signals required are available on the )4 expansion inter- face. The signal EXPANSION SEL, 14 pin 12, is decoded at address EO-FF hexadecimal. This signal and the ad- dress lines A4-A2 are connected to an LSI 56 that generates chip selects for the NCR 5380 register interface (F8-FF), the NCR 5380 DMA interface (F0), and the XE1201/1203 MOSART (E0-E3). Since the LSI 56 provides open-collector outputs, the chip-select signals are pulled up through 4.7- kilohm resistors. The address signals (A2-A0) from the expansion interface and the RD and WR signals can be directly interfaced to the 5380 for . register addressing. The data bus from the expansion in- terface is buffered through an LS245 that is enabled by EXPANSION SEL. Its direction is determined by the RD signal. The buffered data bus is con- nected to the 5380 data bus. The COMM180 is designed to sup- port DMA transfers with the NCR 5380 (see photo 2). When the 5380 requires a byte of information or wishes to transfer a byte of information, it asserts the DRQ signal. Since the Hitachi '64180 requires an active low DMA re- quest, DRQ from the 5380 is inverted. In response to the DR Q output, the 5380 requires a DACK signal to select the interna] data registers. DMA chan- nel of the 64180 is programmed to address I/O location F0 hexadecimal in response to DMA requests from the 5380. Addressing location F0 gener- ates a DACK pulse to the 5380, which causes DRQ to be deasserted. De- pending on the direction of the trans- fer, the DMA either generates an 170 READ or I/O WRITE strobe to clock clock the data into or out of the 5380. This process is repeated for each DMA request. The SASI Subset The SCSI bus can accommodate a variety of systems. Simple systems may use only a fraction of the avail- able options, while high-end applica- tions can use all the optional bus fea- tures. As mentioned previously, the SB 180 is most cost-effective in a minimum SCSI configuration. SCSI in its simplest form is just a SASI interface. SASI designs assume that one host will select a peripheral device, most likely a disk drive, and remain connected to it until the I/O transfer is completed. Because these products are used in low-cost, low- performance applications, single- ended configurations that do not sup- port parity are the most popular. The SBI80/COMM180 is typical of most SASI designs. The BIOS sup- plied with this board accommodates single-user/single-tasking applications as supported by the Xebec S 1 4 1 and the Adaptec ADP4000 disk-controller products. You can use other con- trollers with similar capabilities. Since the NCR 5380 supports general SCSI use, software tasks can be written out- side the realm of the BIOS to support other device types as well as more complex protocol versions. Circuit Cellar Feedback This month's feedback begins on page 54. Next Month I will continue my discussion of the SCSI interface, concentrating on the communication details of the protocol and the different bus phases. ■ Special thanks to Mike McBride and Harry Mason for their contributions to this project. Diagrams and information specific to the NCR 5380 are reprinted with the permis- sion of NCR Corporation. There is an on-line Circuit Cellar bulletin- board system that supports past and pres- ent projects. You are invited to call and ex- change ideas and comments with other Cir- cuit Cellar supporters. The 300/1200-bps BBS is on line 24 hours a day at (203) 871-1988. Due to an overwhelming response and in- creased production rate for the SB180. as described in the September and October 1985 Circuit Cellars, the assembled and tested SBI 80-1-20 "BYTE Readers' Special" price of $499 has been extended indefinitely by Micromint. Editor's Note: Steve often refers to previous Circuit Cellar articles. Most of these past ar- ticles are available in book form from BYTE Books, McGraw-Hill Book Company, POB 400, Hightstown, NJ 082 50. Clama's Circuit Cellar, Volume 1 covers articles in BYTE from September 1977 through November 1978. Volume II covers December 1978 through June 1980. Volume III covers July 1980 through December 1981. Volume IV covers January 1982 through June 1983. Volume V covers July 1983 through December 1984. The following items are available from The Micromint Inc. 2 5 Terrace Dr. Vernon. CT 06066 (800) 63 5-3 3 55 for orders (203) 871-6170 for information 1. SBI 80 computer board with 2 56K bytes of RAM. Complete with user's manual and ROM monitor. Assembled and tested. SB180-1 $369 2. Complete SBI80 computer board with 2 56K bytes of RAM, user's manual. ROM monitor, and the Z-System. including ZRDOS, ZCPR3, an editor and utilities. BIOS source ROM monitor source. ZAS assembler, ZDM debugger, and user's manuals. Provided on four 514-inch SBI 80 format DS/DD disks. Assembled and tested. SB180-1-20 $499 3. COMM180 SCSI-only expansion board for the SB180 computer with hard-disk BIOS upgrade (board can be upgraded to include the modem at any time). Complete with user's manual. Software supplied on 514-inch DS/DD SB180 format disk. Assembled and tested. COMM180-S $150 4. COMM180 1200-bps modem and SCSI ex- pansion board for the SB180 computer with TERM3 and hard-disk BIOS upgrade. Com- plete with user's manuals. Software supplied on two 5 '/n-inch DS/DD SBI 80 format disks. Assembled and tested. COMM180-M01-S $479 SCSI hard-disk drives, enclosures, cable sets, and various SB180 enhancement products are now available. Call for a price list. Please include $10 (on items 1 and 2) or $6 (on items 3 and 4) for shipping and handling in the continental United States ($4 addi- tional for Canada), $ 1 5 for surface or $3 5 for air mail elsewhere. Connecticut residents please include 7.5 percent sales tax. To be included on the Circuit Cellar mail- ing list and receive periodic project up- dates and support materials, please cir- cle 100 on the Reader Service inquiry card at the back of the magazine. 94 BYTE* MAY 1986 Avocet puts you in the chips! Now you can use your PC to develop software for virtually any microprocessor. Quickly. Easily. Inexpensively. THE AVOCET CROSS-ASSEMBLER FAMILY. AVMAC™ Macro Cross-Assembler MSD0S™,PCD0S™ $349 VAX™/UNIX™ $995 XASM Cross-Assembler CP/M™-80, CP/M-86 $249 Target Microprocessors Supported: 6502/65C02 6800/01,6301 NEC 7500 6804 6805 6809 1802/1805 8085 8048/8041 COP400 8051 F8/3870 Z8 Z80 68HC11 HD64180 68020 68000/68010 New AVMAC Macro Cross-assemblers offer these important features: Powerful macro facility, relocatable code, linker and librarian, cross-reference by line and procedure, plain English error messages and much more. ™ Signifies manufacturer's trademark. Avocet cross-assemblers, simu- lators, emulators and EPROM programmers will help put your design ideas into more chips than any other software development system on the market. You don't need a mainframe, or even a dedi- cated system. All you need is a PC, a good idea. ..and Avocet. It's as simple as that. Avocet has been creating tools for software development since 1979 to help design engineers find easier and more productive ways to develop software for virtually any microprocessor— w/Moirt switching development systems. Our customers turn ideas into real products. From data entry through assembly, debugging and final EPROMs, Avocet has every- thing you need to transform your personal computer into a fully integrated development system. Cross-assembler capabilities. No matter what the application, our family of cross-assemblers runs on any computer with CP/M* or DOS and processes assembly lan- guage for most microprocessors. Taking the bugs out. 1 Avocet's new debug- ging tools will eliminate "crash and burn" from your vocabu- lary in two ways. First, AVSIM software simulator/debuggers allow you to test program modules on your PC. No special hardware is required for executing your target code interpretively in a crash-proof, interactive environment. AVSIM's full screen display lets you see at a glance what your program is doing. When you're ready to test your program in a working model, Avocet's TRICE in-circuit emulators allow you to examine target memory and register, set break- points, single-step, trace and more. A standard serial interface lets you control emulation and download code from your PC. And best of all, TRICE costs less than $500. Progressive EPROM programming. Avocet AVPROM programmers work with over 37 different devices including EPROMs through 27512, CMOS and E 2 PROMs, and MPU/EPROM combos using fast "adaptive" algorithms. These intelligent, self-contained units work with any personal computer using Avocet's GDX driver software. Made to order. You don't have to come to Maine to get Avocet products (unless, of course, you want a really great lobster dinner). Just call, toll-free, 1.800-448-8500 (in the U.S. except Alaska and Hawaii) and we'll rush out your order, send out more information, or, if you want, talk about some of your great ideas. Avocet Systems Inc., RO. Box 490-B8, Rockport, Maine 04856. (207) 236-9055. Telex: 467210 AVOCET CI AVOCET /X SYSTEMS INC, Inquiry 31 MAY 1986 'BYTE 95 no other printer is th Add up everything that's upfront: No other letter-quality printer is this easy this fast and this good— all three at once! If you thought that was impossible, you were right ...up until Star created the new NB-15! It makes everything so easy for you. Because every- thing's where you want it. Right at your fingertips. Upfront. On the front panel. And we mean everything: You can select from 3 font styles, 4 print pitches, 2 print modes, and 8 form lengths— 19 functions in all. And you can choose additional font cartridges, too. There's also an exclusive software override. Full software compatibility. And IBM- PC compatibility, of course. Both tractor and single sheet feeds are standard. And there are optional automatic sheetfeeders, single and dual bin. With button-control paper alignment right upfront, too. IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Machines, Inc. 96 B YTE • MAY 1986 is upfront with you. Best of all, the NB-15™ gives you all this with 24-wire quality printing All at top speeds of 300 cps draft and a full 100 cps with true letter quality Plus a 16K buffer That's all the memory you could hopefor The all-new NB-15 business printer The newest and brightest Star has just come out at a dealer near you. And it's already out in front! ^^^ In front with m The new quality upfront. Star NB-15 Inquiry 342 MAY 1986 'BYTE 97 98 BYTE* MAY 1986 ILLUSTRATED BY DIANE TESKE HARRIS PROGRAMMING PROJECT DATA COMPRESSION WITH HUFFMAN CODING by Jonathan Amsterdam A close look at an elegant way to compress information Am I the only one, or have you also noticed that there's never enough room on a disk? No matter how big a floppy is-200K, 400K, or even 800K bytes— it's almost too easy to stuff it to the gills. The same goes for hard disks. Sure, it takes a while to fill up 20 megabytes. But eventual- ly, things get so tight you couldn't fit your own name into the space left. Using data-compression techniques, you can shorten files by compressing the infor- mation they contain. But data compression can do more than just save disk space. It can also cut down on the time needed to transmit large files between computers, especially if the transmission is done over slow links like telephone lines. If you com- press the file before sending it and uncom- press it on the receiving end, you can reduce the total time for the transmission. The technique can work interactively, too. If you are using your computer as a terminal to communicate with a host computer via a modem, the host can send compressed commands and data that your computer uncompresses before displaying. The result can be apparent communication speeds that greatly exceed the actual transmission rate of the hookup. Such a system could make remote full-screen editing pleasant, even over 1200-bps lines. This month, I will discuss an elegant data- compression algorithm called Huffman cod- ing. Invented by David Huffman in 1952, it's easy to implement and widely used. In a sense I'll make precise later. Huffman cod- ing is the "best" way to compress data in general. The Problem Defined For the sake of concreteness, I will discuss Huffman coding in the context of compress- ing ASCII text files. The program 1 will con- struct takes as input a text file, that is, a se- quence of 1 -byte characters. Hopefully, the output will be a shorter file. A separate un- compressing program will turn the com- pressed file back into the original one when you so desire. How is it possible to reduce the size of a file without losing some of the informa- tion it contains? The answer involves con- structing a code for each character of the file. Note that ASCII, as its full name- American Standard Code for Information Interchange— suggests, is itself a character code. ASCII assigns a unique 7-bit pattern to each character. Since all the codes have [continued) Jonathan Amsterdam is a graduate student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Artificial In- telligence laboratory. He can be reached at 1643 Cambridge St. #34, Cambridge. MA 02138. MAY 1986 'BYTE 99 PROGRAMMING PROJECT the same length, ASCII is a fixed- length encoding scheme. The idea behind Huffman coding (and, by the way, Morse code as well) is that variable-length codes can achieve a higher data density than fixed-length codes if the characters differ in frequency of occurrence. For instance, in a file of English text, the space character will probably be by far the most common character, ac- counting for perhaps one-sixth of the file's contents. The letter "e" will like- ly finish second. Letters like "x" and "z," on the other hand, will be infre- quent, if present at all. By using an English-letter frequency table, you can construct a coding scheme that assigns short codes to the frequent characters and long codes to the in- frequent ones and use it to encode English files. The size of a file will be reduced if it conforms well to the fre- quency table. But you can do better by constructing a different code for each file, using the actual number of occurrences of characters in that file as the frequency table. For those of you who remain skep- tical about the ability of this method to shorten files, let's take as an exam- ple the sentence you are now reading. The frequency counts for the charac- ters in the sentence, along with the coding schemes produced by the Huffman algorithm, appear in table 1 . The sentence contains 147 characters, including spaces and punctuation. If the sentence were stored as a text file, each character would occupy I byte, so the sentence would take up 147x8 or 1 176 bits. Since 27 distinct charac- ters are found in the sentence, the best fixed-length encoding you could hope for would use 5 bits per charac- ter; the sentence would thus occupy 735 bits. The Huffman-coded version occupies only 612 bits, a 17 percent improvement over the best fixed- length code and a 48 percent savings over the ASCII storage method. In practice, I have found Huffman coding Tcible I: The frequency distribution and Huffman encoding for the sentence "For those of you who remain skeptical about the ability of this method to shorten files, let's take as an example the sentence you are now reading'. Character Frequency Code space 26 101 e 17 010 t 13 1000 o 12 1001 a 10 1101 s 8 0111 i 7 0000 h 7 0001 n 7 0010 I 5 11001 r 5 11000 f 3 01101 y 3 00111 u 3 00110 m 3 111011 w 2 111111 k 2 111110 P 2 1 1 1 1 00 b 2 111101 d 2 011001 c 2 011000 x 1 1110101 9 1 1110100 F 1 1110010 ' (apostrophe) 1 1110011 , (comma) 1 1110001 . (period) 1 1110000 to reduce file sizes by about 30 percent. Variable-length codes can compress information, but they have their draw- backs. For one thing, they are difficult to manipulate inside a computer, which prefers fixed-size objects; hence, a fixed-length code like ASCII is superior when space or transmis- sion time isn't an issue. Variable- length codes are also sensitive to mangled bits. A single incorrect bit in a variable-length encoding can throw off the rest of the message. In a fixed- length code, an incorrect bit will af- fect only one character. A third problem with variable-length codes crops up when you try to decode an encoded file. Say your coding scheme assigns the code to the character "a," 1 to "b," and 01 to "c." The string "ab" is encoded as 01. But when decoding this string, you can't know whether the original string was ,l ab" or "c." To avoid ambiguity, it is sufficient that the code possess the prefix prop- erty. In a code with this property, no character code occurs as a prefix— an initial sequence— of any other code. The code in the previous para- graph does not have the prefix prop- erty because the code for "a," 0, is a prefix of the code for "c" 01. The code in table I does have the prefix property, as do all codes generated by the Huffman algorithm. The prefix property makes decoding easy. The decoder can read one bit after an- other until the sequence of bits read so far corresponds to a character code. It then outputs the character and begins reading again. An Overview Let's now -take a close look at the Huff- man algorithm, which uses a frequen- cy table to construct a variable-length code with the prefix property. The secret to the algorithm is that versatile and elegant data structure, the binary tree. It so happens that a correspon- dence exists between codes with the prefix property and binary trees where every node has either two children or none. The nodes with no children— the leaves of the tree— are labeled with characters. Each left branch of the tree is labeled with a 0, 100 BYTE • MAY 1986 PROGRAMMING PROJECT and each right branch with a 1 . Let us call such a tree a code tree. Figure 1 shows a simple code tree. To get the code for a particular char- acter, just trace the path from the root of the tree to the leaf labeled with that character. Every time you turn left add a to the character's code; every time you turn right, add a 1. In the tree shown, the character code for "d" is 11 . The form of the tree embodies the prefix property, because for one code to be a prefix of another, one character would have to be on a path between the root and some other character. But this is impossible, be- cause the characters occur only at the leaves of the tree. To construct such a tree from the frequency table, the Huffman algo- rithm begins by finding the two char- acters with the lowest nonzero fre- quencies. (If a character has a fre- quency of zero, it can be ignored. If more than one character has the minimum frequency, it doesn't matter which is chosen.) It combines these two characters into a tree by creating a new node and making the charac- ters its children. The tree is assigned a frequency that is the sum of the fre- quencies of its children. The algorithm again picks the two lowest-frequency values that occur, this time including the newly constructed tree in its search. Again, it pairs the two lowest values into a tree. It continues this process until only one tree remains; that tree is the Huffman code tree for the frequency table, and the character codes can be read off it directly. Figure 2 shows how the algorithm constructs the tree in figure 1. Figure 3 provides a more formal description of the algorithm. Huffman Is The Best" It should be clear that the Huffman algorithm constructs a binary tree that can be used to encode characters, but it is far from obvious that it constructs the best such tree. It does, but before proving it. I should define what I mean by "best." Since the goal of the algorithm is to minimize the space occupied by a file, it's clear that the best encoding of the file is the one that will take up the {continued) A &*> KL © © Figure I : A simple code tree. (a) 17 26 12 0©0© (b) © © 9 0© (C) 38 9. 26 © © © © Figure 2: How the Huffman algorithm constructs the tree in figure 1: (a) \t begins with a list of characters and their frequencies: (b) \t combines the characters with the lowest frequencies, ,l c" and "d," into a subtree and puts the subtree in the list: (c) Now the character "a" and the newly constructed subtree have the lowest frequencies, so they are combined: (d) Finally, the remaining character is combined with the subtree to form the completed code tree. MAY 1986 -BYTE 101 PROGRAMMING PROJECT least space, that is, the fewest bits. How does that translate to code trees? Let's assume that the frequen- cy table used to construct the tree consisted of the number of times each character occurred in the file rather than, say, the percentages of the characters' occurrence in English. (The Huffman algorithm will work either way, but it is guaranteed to be best only with the former interpreta- tion of the frequency table.) Given a code tree, it's easy to calculate exact- ly how many bits the corresponding file will occupy. Observe that the length of the path from the root to a character— the number of branches you have to traverse to get to the character— is the same as the number of bits in that character's code. Since the frequency of a character is the number of times it occurs in the file, multiplying the frequency of the char- acter by the number of bits in its code yields the total number of bits the character will occupy in the encoded file. Performing the same calculation for each character in the tree and adding the results together yields the number of bits in the entire encoded file. This value is called the weighted path length of the tree because it is com- puted by multiplying the length of each root-to-leaf path in the tree by the path's weight, which is the fre- quency of the character at the leaf. For instance, the weighted path length of the tree in figure 2d is 17x2 + 12x3 + 9x3 + 26x1 = 123. The weighted path length of a code tree is what you should minimize. I am claiming that, for any distribution of frequencies, the Huffman algorithm constructs the tree that has the smallest weighted path length of all possible code trees constructed from that frequency distribution. Some Observations Three interesting facts about code trees bear on the proof of the above claim. The first 1 call the generality observation: You can construct any code tree by repeatedly taking two subtrees and combining them into a larger tree. Therefore, the important aspect of the Huffman algorithm is not the way it builds up the tree from subtrees, but the fact that it always chooses the smallest subtrees to com- bine at each step. The second observation is this: If you increase the path length of a sub- tree by 1, you add the frequency of the subtree to the weighted path length of the entire tree. 1 call this the lowering observation because increas- ing a subtree's path length is just like lowering the level at which the sub- tree occurs in the overall code tree. For instance, say I have a tree whose weighted path length is 30. A par- ticular subtree has frequency 5, and the path from the root to that subtree is three branches long. If I increase the path to four branches while hold- ing everything else constant, the tree's weighted path length becomes 3 5. This is easy to see when the subtree is a leaf. If 1 increase the path length of a leaf by 1, it's as if 1 added 1 bit to the character code for the charac- ter at that leaf. If the character occurs n times, I have in effect added n bits to the length of the file. But that's the same as saying that I have increased the tree's weighted path length by n, since I showed before that the weighted path length is equal to the For each character with a nonzero frequency, add the character to the list of subtrees. While the list of subtrees contains more than one subtree, remove from the list the two subtrees with the smallest frequencies; make them the children of a new subtree whose frequency is the sum of their frequencies; add the new subtree to the list. The remaining subtree is the Huffman code tree. Figure 3: The Huffman algorithm takes a table of characters and their frequency counts as input and produces a code tree as output. number of bits in the file. For the case of a nonleaf subtree, recall that the subtree's frequency is the sum of the frequencies of its children, which are in turn the sum of the frequencies of their children, and so on down until the leaves are reached. So the frequency of a sub- tree is just the sum of the frequencies of all the leaves under that subtree. Now, if I increase the path length of the subtree by 1, 1 have also increased the path length of each of its leaves by 1 . By the argument in the previous paragraph, 1 have increased the weighted path length of the tree by the sum of the frequencies of the sub- tree's leaves. But this is just the fre- quency of the subtree itself. The third and most important ob- servation I call the swap observation. Consider any two subtrees of a code tree. If the higher subtree— the one with the shorter path length— has a smaller frequency than the lower sub- tree, you can swap the two subtrees and thereby decrease the weighted path length of the entire tree. Figure 4 provides an example. 1 think the easiest way to convince yourself of the truth of this observation is to imagine lowering the higher subtree one level at a time until it reaches the level of the lower subtree. By the lowering observation, each time the subtree descends a level, the entire tree's weighted path length increases by the frequency of the subtree. Now imagine raising the lower subtree up in the tree until it reaches the level of the higher subtree. By the same rea- soning used for the lowering obser- vation, you can see that each level this subtree ascends will decrease the tree's overall weighted path length. Now which is greater, the amount of increase or of decrease? Both sub- trees move the same number of levels because they are being swapped, but the subtree responsible for the decrease is the ascending subtree, which has a higher frequency. So the net effect must be that the overall weighted path length is decreased. The Proof I will now show that no code tree using a given frequency distribution [continued) 102 B YTE • MAY 1986 You need Borland's Traveling SideKick because wherever you go, there's work to he done 1 raveling SideKick™ is the only personal organizer developed from and designed for the ComputerAge. An electronic leap ahead of traditional diaries, day-timers and organizers, Traveling SideKick is BinderWare" that includes a software program, a report generator, reference materials, maps, addresses, appointments, telephone numbers, calendars, customer lists, travel itineraries, a calculator, and much much more. You need Traveling SideKick because it is the new Computer Age way to take all your facts, files and figures with you wherever you go— whether you're taking work home or heading out across America and the world. 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Other trees may have the same weighted path length, but none can be better. By the generality observation, any code tree can be constructed by building it up out of smaller subtrees. To be more concrete about this, say that you are building a code tree that diverges from the one that would be built by the Huffman algorithm. At the point of divergence, the frequencies of the remaining subtrees are 9, 12, 17, 26. and 32. The Huffman algo- rithm would combine the 9 subtree and the 12 subtree (see figure 5a), but to make the divergent subtree, you combine the subtrees 12 and 26 and then 9 with 17. In this divergent tree, the lowest- frequency subtree and the one it is combined with (subtrees 9 and 17 in this example) must be at the same level. But where does the subtree of second-lowest frequency (subtree 12) turn up? There are three possibilities: at a lower level than 9 (figure 5b), a higher level than 9 (figure 5c), or the same level (figure 5d). If 12 is lower than 9, the swap ob- servation says that we can swap the two subtrees to get a better tree. If 1 2 is higher than 9, it must also be higher than 17, so we can swap 12 and 17 to again get a better tree. Any tree that diverges from the Huffman tree in one of these two ways can't have the lowest weighted path length. Now to the third case. If 12 is on the same level as 9, it is also on the same level as 17. Swapping 12 and 17 won't change the weighted path length of the tree. But it will make 9 and 12 children of the same node, which is just where the Huffman algorithm would have put them. So although the tree in figure 5d diverged from the Huffman algorithm at this point, there is another tree with the same weighted path length that doesn't diverge from it here. Abandon the tree in figure 5d and begin the argument again with the tree in figure 5e. The subtrees to con- sider are 17, 21, 26, and 32 (9 and 12 subtrees make a subtree of fre- 9 9 Figure 4: An illustration of the swap observation. Before the swap, the red subtree is higher in the code tree than the blue subtree. The weighted path length of the tree before the swap is 128; after the swap, it's 123. quency 2 1). Since 2 1 is higher on the tree than both 17 and 26, it can be swapped with 26 to get a better code tree. Hence, the tree in figure 5e is worse than the Huffman tree. In general, one of two things will happen to a new tree. Either it will diverge from the Huffman tree as in case 1 or case 2 above, showing itself to be worse than the Huffman tree, or it won't diverge at all, in which case it just is the Huffman tree. That concludes the proof. Let me sum up. The idea is that a tree can diverge from the tree constructed by the algorithm in only three ways. If it diverges in one of the first two ways, it can't be minimal. Only if it diverges in the third way can it be minimal— but then the Huffman algorithm will produce a different tree with the same weighted path length, hence also minimal. It follows that no code tree can be better than the Huffman tree. Is "Best" Always Best? I've only shown that, given a frequen- cy distribution, the Huffman algorithm produces the shortest character code with the prefix property over that dis- tribution. Huffman coding is optimal only in this narrow sense. In many cases, a Huffman code based on char- acters will fare worse than some other scheme. For instance, consider the sentence "John, where Bill had had 'had,' had had 'had had."" An en- coding in which "had" is 1. "Bill" is 01. "where" is 001, and "John" is 000 does much better than a Huffman code based on characters. In fact, that encoding is what you would get with the Huffman algorithm if you applied it to the words of the sentence. In many cases, the Huffman algorithm will do poorly no matter what. For ex- ample, pictures are often represented digitally as bit maps. Since many pic- tures consist of large regions that con- tain all 0s or Is, a preferable compres- sion technique is run-length encoding, in which long sequences of identical bits (or characters) are represented by a single character and a count indi- cating the number of consecutive oc- currences of that character. Despite its drawbacks, Huffman coding applied to the characters of a [continued] 104 BYTE' MAY 1986 PROGRAMMING PROJECT Figure 5: Given the subtrees 9, 12, 17, 26, and 32, examine some trees that diverge from the tree produced by the Huffman algorithm. For now, look at only the frequencies of these subtrees and ignore the characters these frequencies correspond to: (a) The tree the Huffman algorithm would build from these subtrees: (b) The subtree with the second-lowest frequency (12) is lower in the tree than the subtree with the lowest frequency: (c) The subtree with the second-lowest frequency is higher in the tree than the subtree with the lowest frequency: (d) The second-lowest frequency is at the same level as the lowest frequency: (e) Swapping 12 and 17 gives a tree that diverges from the tree that would be produced by the Huffman algorithm at a later point than that of figure 5d and yet still has the same weighted path length of the tree of figure 5d. MAY 1986 -BYTE 105 PROGRAMMING PROJECT file is usually your best bet especial- ly for text files like program sources and written documents. Huffman Implementation My implementation of the Huffman algorithm uses a data structure I call a node to construct the code tree. A node is just a Modula-2 or Pascal record that contains five fields: a char- acter; a frequency count; two children, which are pointers to other nodes; and a parent, which is also a pointer to a node. The children pointers are used to trace down the tree when de- coding, and the parent pointers are used to trace paths from the leaves to the root for encoding. My program begins by creating a node for each character in the fre- quency table. The character is as- signed to the character field of the node, and its frequency is assigned to the node's frequency field. Since this node is a leaf, both its children are assigned the value NIL (in Pascal and Modula-2, NIL is a pointer value that points to nothing). The program also constructs an array of the leaves in- dexed by character to serve as an in- dex into the tree for use in encoding. The program then places all the leaf nodes in a list and does the follow- ing: When the list contains more than one node, it removes the two small- est, combines them, and puts the resulting node back in the list. Tb com- bine two nodes A and B, the program constructs a new node C. sets its children fields to point to A and B, sets the parent fields of A and B to point to C, and assigns the sum of the frequencies of A and B to C's frequen- cy field. (C's character field is never used, so it need not be set.) When only one node is left in the list, that node is the root of the Huffman tree. I haven't specified how the list of nodes is represented or how the smallest nodes are chosen. My pro- gram uses an array for the list, and I choose the smallest node by stepping through each node in the array and comparing it against the smallest found so far. The procedure is similar to Selection Sort and results in a Huff- man algorithm with the same time complexity: 0(n 2 ). where n is the number of characters in the frequen- cy table (see my 'An Analysis of Sorts" on page 104 of the September 1985 BYTE for an explanation of Selection Sort and "Big O" notation). Although it's possible to do better (O(fllogH), in fact) using a more sophisticated data structure, it's prob- ably not worth the trouble, for two reasons. First, if you are encoding characters, that is, bytes, there cannot be more than 2 56 distinct characters in the file since a byte can represent only 2 56 distinct values. Usually, there will be many fewer. For such small values of n, it is not clear that the theoretically faster but more complex algorithm will be quicker in practice. Another reason in favor of the simpler algo- rithm is that, when using Huffman coding to compress a file, most of the time taken by the compression pro- gram is spent reading from and writ- ing to the disk. For large files, the time taken to construct the tree pales in comparison. File-Compression Programs Some additional apparatus is needed before you can use the Huffman al- gorithm to compress files. You must write an encoding program and a decoding program. The encoding pro- gram takes a file as input and pro- duces an encoded and (hopefully) shorter file as output. The decoding program takes an encoded file and restores it to its original state. TWo problems must be solved before you write these programs: saving the code tree and performing bit-oriented I/O. If the encoding program uses the in- put file to calculate the frequency distribution, the Huffman algorithm produces a minimal tree. But this method has a drawback that makes it unsuitable for short files. Since the algorithm generates a different code for each file, it is necessary to store the code tree along with the encoded file so the decoding program can do its job. If the file is too short, the number of bits saved in compression is less than the number of bits it takes to store the tree. You can solve this problem in a couple of ways. One way is to combine many short files into a longer one, which is then com- pressed. Another is to forgo the minimal encoding by using a common frequency distribution to encode many files. If the frequency distribu- tions of the files are close enough to the common one, this method will save bits. Since I want my program to work well with a wide range of files, I've chosen to compute the frequency table from the file. But this leaves me with the problem of outputting the code tree along with the encoded file. The tree should be stored in a way that allows the decoding program to reconstruct it easily, and, of course, it should take up as little space as possible. To output the code tree, my pro- gram starts with the root node and does the following: If the node is a leaf, it outputs a followed by 8 bits that represent the character stored at that leaf. If the node is not a leaf, it outputs a 1 and recursively outputs the left and right children of the node. The algorithm and its counterpart for input are shown in figure 6. Since every code tree with n leaves has n- 1 nonleaf nodes (a fact I leave to you to verify), the space occupied by the code tree is (8+ \)n + n-\ = \0n - 1 bits. Note that it isn't necessary to save the frequencies of the nodes; the structure of the tree and the charac- ters appearing at the leaves suffice for decoding. The second hurdle to be overcome is that the Huffman algorithm pro- duces an encoding in terms of bits, but all programming languages and file systems deal with data in byte-size chunks. Routines for doing bit-by-bit input and output are required. My solution uses a single-byte buf- fer to accumulate bits to be output. A counter, call it n. is initialized to zero. Each time the bit output routine is called, the nth bit of the byte is set or cleared and the counter incre- mented. When the byte is full, it is output to the file and the counter is reset. Input works analogously: An en- tire byte is read in at once and its bits doled out one at a time. The algo- rithms for bit-oriented I/O are shown in figure 7. A subtle but important complica- tion arises in bit-oriented I/O: It is im- [continued) 106 BYTE • MAY 1986 IN STATISTICS, LESS IS MORE SYSTAT™, the first company to port a main- frame statistics package to microcomputers, has now been joined by BMDP™, SAS™, and SPSS™. 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Call or write for additional information SYSTAT, Inc. 2902 Central Street Evanston, IL 60201 312 864.5670 SYSTAT Inquiry 348 MAY 1986 107 PROGRAMMING PROJECT possible to determine exactly where the end of a file of bits occurs. Since file systems keep track only of bytes, a program reading a file does not know how many of the bits in the file's final byte were actually written when the file was created. To get around this problem, my encoding program stores the number of characters of the file with the file's encoding. The de- coding program then does not have to worry about where the end of the file is, because all it has to do is decode the indicated number of char- acters. Now that all the pieces are in place, Algorithm writeTree takes a tree node as input. (To output a tree, call writeTree with the root of the tree.) If the node is a leaf, output a bit followed by the 8-bit code for the character at the leaf. Otherwise, output a 1 bit; call outputTree with the node's left child; call outputTree with the node's right child. Algorithm readTree returns a tree. Read a bit from the file. If it is a 1, call readTree to get the left child, L; call readTree to get the right child, R; construct a new node N with children L and R; set the parent of L and R to be N; return N. If the bit is a 0, read the next 8 bits and convert them into a character, C; construct a new mode, storing C in its character field; set both the node's children to NIL; return the node. Figure 6: Algorithms for writing and reading the code tree to a file. Algorithm readBit returns a bit (1 or 0). To initialize a file for reading, set curBit to 7. At end of file, readBit will keep returning the last bit of the file. If curBit = 7, If not end of file, read a byte from the file and put it in curByte; set curBit to 0. Otherwise, increment curBit. In both cases, return the value of the curBit'th bit of curByte. Algorithm writeBit takes a bit as argument. To initialize a file for writing, set curBit to 0. Set the curBit'th bit of curByte to the bit given as argument; If curBit = 7, write curByte to the file; set curBit to 0. Otherwise, increment curBit. Figure 7: Algorithms for bit-oriented I/O. The routines assume bits numbered from to 1 . A file can be opened for reading or writing, but not both at once. Both routines use the global variables curBit and curByte. The expression "the curBit'th bit of curByte" means the bit of curByte whose number is the current value of curBit. I will describe the encoding and de- coding programs. The encoding pro- gram begins by reading the input file and constructing the frequency table, which is just an array of integers in- dexed by character. It also notes the length of the file, in characters. It then passes the frequency table to the Huffman algorithm, which constructs the code tree. The program then opens the output file, outputs the number of characters in the input file (as a 16-bit number) and the Huffman code tree (whose output format I described above), and proceeds to re- read the input file and encode it. A character is encoded by looking it up in the index to the Huffman tree, which provides a pointer to the leaf containing the character. The parent links are then traced until the root of the tree is reached, then the path is retraced from top to bottom with the appropriate bits being output: for left branches, I for right. The decoding program begins by reading in the number of characters and the code tree from the file to be decoded. It then sets a pointer to point to the root of the code tree and reads a bit from the file. If the bit is a I, it takes the right branch of the tree; if a 0, the left. The program reads bits and traverses the tree until a leaf is reached, then outputs the character at that leaf. It then starts again at the top of the tree to decode the next character. It decodes as many charac- ters as indicated by the number stored at the beginning of the file. The encoding and decoding pro- grams consist of five modules: one encapsulates all the procedures directly related to the Huffman algo- rithm, two others provide CharStream and BitStream data types for perform- ing character- and bit-oriented I/O. and the remaining two are the main modules for the two programs. Sepa- rating the Huffman algorithm and the I/O procedures into separate modules makes it possible to use them for other programs without having to copy, edit, or recompile code. | Editor's note: The Modula-2 source code for the en- coding and decoding programs is available on BYTEnet Listings at (617) 861-9764. These programs are also available on disk. See page 469 for details] m 108 BYTE • MAY 1986 Finally you can get a complete CAD package at a reasonable price! 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Corbeil and Anne H. Anderson Modula-2 As a Systems Programming Language The process is the key to synchronization Modula-2 is a powerful systems programming language used to de- velop operating sys- tems. Although it is similar to its ancestor Pascal (both were developed ILLUSTRATED BY MARY ANN SMITH by Niklaus Wirth), the design goals for each were quite different. Niklaus Wirth designed Pascal as a teaching language that emphasized structured programming concepts and portabili- ty. In Modula-2 he has transformed and extended Pascal into a language designed for systems programming as well as for general use. For example, Modula-2 includes constructs for pro- gramming with machine-level bits and addresses and for creating processes and switching between them. And you can compile different parts of a pro- gram separately thus making it easier to manage large-scale programming projects. These features are defined in Modula-2 itself, rather than in ex- tensions, making program portability a realistic goal. To illustrate the attributes of Modula-2, this article describes our experiences in implementing Hermes, a real-time multiprocessing operating system that was produced on the Lilith personal computer (see refer- [continued) Ryn C. Corbeil (Penultimate Systems \nc, 9968 Hibert SL Suite 200, San Diego, CA 92 1 3 1) was a project systems programmer at Burroughs Corporation on the Hermes proj- ect. He has a B.S. in computer science from California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo. Anne H. Anderson (3015 8 th St., Boulder, CO 80302) was also a project sys- tems programmer on the Hermes project. She has a B.A. in sociology/anthropology from Swarthmore College and an M.S. in computer science from San Diego State University. MAY 1986 'BYTE 111 MODULA-2 ence 1) in a relatively short period of time using very little assembly lan- guage. It is a successor to the Thoth operating system (see reference 2). Modula-2 aided in this development in several key areas: memory manage- ment, multiprocessing, message pass- ing, device handling, and software engineering. Most of the resulting operating system is portable to other machines; those parts that aren't por- table are largely isolated in separate- ly compiled modules. Let's look at the main areas in which Modula-2 helped us in our development task. Memory Management The basic requirement for managing memory is the ability to manipulate machine addresses by referring to them and performing arithmetic oper- ations on them. Unlike most high-level languages, Modula-2 defines address- manipulation operations as part of the language itself. It defines several abstract types and functions for this purpose and specifies the relation- ships between them. The actual im- plementation of these types and func- tions can vary from machine to ma- chine as long as the basic definitions and relationships are preserved. Modula-2 contains the following ad- dress-manipulation types: WORD an individually ac- cessible unit of storage ADDRESS a pointer to a WORD POINTER TO t a pointer to a vari- able of type t On a 16-bit machine, a WORD can be 16 bits long. Likewise, on a 32-bit ma- chine, it can have a length of 32 bits. The types ADDRESS and POINTER vary accordingly to maintain compati- bility with the definition of a WORD. Modula-2 also defines certain com- patible address-manipulation func- tions. ADR(v) returns the AD- DRESS of variable SIZE(i/) V returns the size of variable v in WORDs TSIZE(f) returns the size of a variable of type t in WORDs You can manipulate POINTERS with normal arithmetic operations. For ex- ample, if p is a variable of type AD- DRESS, the following statement sets p to the machine address immediate- ly following variable v\ p: = ADR(v) + SIZE(v); This statement has the same result on any machine regardless of WORD length, because it depends only on the basic relationship between AD- DRESS and SIZE as defined by Modula-2. For an example of Modula-2 's mem- ory management, let's keep track of memory blocks with a record called a MemoryDescriptor defined as: TYPE MemoryDescriptor = RECORD link: ADDRESS; size: CARDINAL END; The link field of a MemoryDescriptor contains the machine address of the next memory block. The size field provides the length of the current block. Figure 1 illustrates a chain of >NIL link link link size (4) size (1) size (3) such blocks. Each begins with its own MemoryDescriptor record. If you want to get a memory block of size n, you programmatically follow the link fields until you find one that's big enough. An ADDRESS-type vari- able called current contains the ad- dress of the proper MemoryDescrip- tor. However, the address you want is that of the H-word block following the MemoryDescriptor, not the address of the MemoryDescriptor itself. The following Modula-2 statement gets it for you: RETURN (current + TSIZE(MemoryDescriptor)) Since TSIZE(Memory Descriptor) returns the length of a memory descriptor, you add that length to the value of current to get a pointer to the desired memory block. Figure 2 illus- trates the results. Another helpful memory-manage- ment feature is type coercion, which lets you look at one type of data area as if it were another type. For example, if / is an INTEGER variable and a is an ADDRESS variable, you can assign a to / with the statement /: = IN- TEGER^). Likewise, you can assign / to a with the statement a: = AD- DRESS^). These function-like types allow you to map variables of dif- ferent types onto the untyped storage of the machine. Modula-2 lacks a minor feature that would be useful. It has no definition for the size of a WORD in standard units, such as bits or bytes. To convert the output of the SIZE and TSIZE functions to bytes, you must define a conversion constant, for example, BytesPerWord, that you can change [continued] current returned value— - > — > link size (n) Figure I: A chain of memory blocks. Each block begins with a MemoryDescriptor record that points to the next block. Figure 2: The returned value is a pointer equal to the current pointer value plus the size of the MemoryDescriptor record. 112 BYTE* MAY 1986 Inquiry 336—* BETTER SONY THAN SORRY. The bomb's up. The system's down. Yo error because you made a very basichuman error. You didn't use Sony floppy disks. Next time, go with the industry standard, the company who invented the 3.5" disk drive system, and a floppy disk that comes 100% certified error free. Sony Only Sony 3.5" micro floppy disks contain such error suppress- ing materials as patented Vivax™ magnetic particles and a high- molecular DDL™ binder system. This protects your micro floppy disk, and the information on it, for its lifetime; and assures data retrieval in the order you choose. Guaranteed. So use Sony 3.5"or 5. 25" floppy disks, and avoid disk error. If you use somebody else's, you could be sorry SONY. THE ONE AND ONLY® SONY 5.25" M]£^ 5.25' ^^>! D ISONY © 1986 Sony Corporation of America. Sony is a registered trademark of the Sony Corporation. Vivax and DDL are trademarks of the Sony Corporation. The One and Only" is a registered trademark of Sony Corporation of America, MODULA-2 depending on the WORD length of your machine. Multiple Processes It is helpful to be able to create and destroy processes as you wish (see the text box "A Process for Each Con- current Activity" below). With Modula-2 you can. Let's use a record called a ProcessDescriptor to de- scribe a process; this record contains a complete description of its status. The ProcessDescriptor includes all the information needed to execute the process or to restart it if inter- rupted. This record also holds sched- uling information, such as the process priority and process-management in- formation, for example, a pointer to a list of descendant processes created by the original one. The status information describing the execution of the process is ma- chine-dependent. Modula-2 derives this information from its NEVVPRO- CESS procedure NEWPROCESS(code, stack, stacksize, p); where code is the name of the pro- cedure to be executed, stack is the address of the memory block to be used for the process stack, and stack- size is the size of that stack block. When control is returned from the procedure NEWPROCESS. the vari- able p contains the initial machine- state description for the process. Modula-2 assigns this returned value p the type PROCESS. If you want to create a new process, you can call NEWPROCESS to obtain the machine-dependent description of the initial state of the process. You then add such information as process priority and pointers to various oper- ating-system lists. See figure 3 for an illustration of the resulting process description. To define a process, you have to specify the sequence of instructions that it will execute. To do this you can use the Modula-2 facility to pass a procedure name as a parameter. You pass a procedure name to NEWPRO- CESS. which sets up the PROCESS variable so that the first instruction the process executes is the first state- ment of this procedure. During execution when one process is suspended, you want another one to begin processing. The process chosen depends on which ones are ready to execute and on their relative priorities. Another Modula-2 intrinsic {continued) A Process for Each Concurrent Activity What is a multiprocessing oper- ating system? How is it different from a single-process operating system such as CP/M or MS-DOS? A process is the execution of a se- quence of instructions. In CP/M or MS- DOS only one sequence of instructions can be in execution at a time (with the exception of interrupt routines). This means that one program must com- plete execution before another pro- gram can begin. A multiprocessing operating system allows more than one sequence of in- structions to execute concurrently. Concurrently does not necessarily mean simultaneously; the execution of different sequences of instructions can be interleaved by switching the pro- cessor from one sequence to another. It is the job of the operating system to perform this switching. When more than one processor is available, dif- ferent processes can even execute si- multaneously. Even in a multiprocessor system, however, there are frequently more processes than processors, so the operating system must still make decisions about when to assign a pro- cessor to a particular process. Different types of multiprocessing operating systems use different algo- rithms for deciding which process to execute and for how long. A time-shar- ing operating system allows each pro- cess to execute in turn for a short, fixed period of time, possibly giving more or longer time slices to higher-priority processes. A real-time operating sys- tem typically assigns the processor to the highest-priority process that is ready to execute. A process retains control of the processor until the pro- cess runs out of work or a higher- priority process becomes ready. Regardless of the type of operating system you have, when a process is suspended, the operating system saves its status. It makes a record of all the information required to restart the pro- cess, including the address of the next instruction that the process should ex- ecute and the address of the top of the stack it is using. When the processor switches back to a suspended process, all the information saved is restored and the process continues from the point where it was interrupted. There are several advantages in using processes to build programs. First, each process can concentrate on a specific task. It can perform its task without being too concerned with what other processes might be doing at the same time. For example, consider a program made up of two processes, an input process that reads characters from the keyboard and stores them in a queue, and a command-execution process that removes characters from the queue, interprets them as com- mand names, and executes the re- quested command. The input process can store characters as they are typed regardless of whether the command- execution process is ready for a new command (at least until the queue is full). This allows you to type ahead, a feature that would be more com- plicated in a single-process program. Another advantage occurs when dealing with peripheral devices, espe- cially those that use interrupts. Device communication tends to be asyn- chronous with respect to the program executing: an interrupt does not con- veniently occur only when the execut- ing program is ready for one. In a multi- process system, whenever a device in- terrupt occurs, the currently executing process can be suspended. Control can then be transferred to another pro- cess that is responsible for handling the device. The input process is a good example of such a device handler. It gets control of the processor whenever you type a key. Finally, where multiple processors are available, a multiprocess program can take advantage of the additional processing power, usually making sig- nificant gains in execution speed. 114 B YTE • MAY 1986 MODULA-2 function, TRANSFER, ability. TRANSFER follows: provides this is called as TRANSFER(currentprocess, nextprocess); where currentprocess and next- process are PROCESS variables originally initialized with NEWPRO- CESS. TRANSFER saves the current machine registers in the current- process variable. It then resets the machine registers using the values in nextprocess. TRANSFER causes the new process to begin executing at the point where it was last suspended. When a process completes or its resources are needed elsewhere, you can destroy it by reclaiming the memory allocated for the process stack and removing the Process- Descriptor from the descriptor list. You should also destroy any descen- dant processes that it may have created during its lifetime. Another process-related feature of Modula-2 is the treatment of priori- ties. Modula-2 lets you associate a priority with a kind of module called a monitor. Whenever a process starts executing a procedure in a monitor module, the process's priority is made equal to the monitor's priority. It keeps this priority until it completes the procedure; then its original priori- ty is restored. Message Passing In addition to multiple processes, Modula-2 also enables processes to communicate with each other. We call this ability message passing. Message passing is used to transfer information between processes and to synchro- nize those communications so that each is at a specific known point before the dialog proceeds (see the text box "Processes Can Pass Mes- sages to Synchronize at right). Message-passing procedures such as Send, Receive, and Reply must ac- commodate messages of varying length and type. To illustrate why, let's discuss a particular kind of process called a proprietor. A proprietor owns a resource and manages it as directed by user-process requests that vary de- pending on the proprietor. For exam- [continued) Processes Can Pass Messages to Synchronize Processes can synchronize and ex- change data using Send, Receive, and Reply procedures as illustrated in figure A. The process shown is sending a message to a receiving process. The sending process calls the Send pro- cedure and specifies the receiver's unique identifier and the message. The receiving process gets this message by calling the Receive procedure and specifying the sender's identifier. The receiving process later responds to the sender with a reply by calling the Reply procedure. If the sending process calls Send before the receiving process calls Receive, the operating system suspends the sending process. Like- wise, if the receiving process calls Receive before a message has been sent, the receiving process is sus- pended. When both Send and Receive have been called, the operating system resumes execution of the receiving process. The sender remains blocked until a reply message is returned by the receiver, at which time both processes are again eligible for execution. Typically, a process sends a message to another process requesting that some work be performed. The receiv- ing process performs the work and returns a reply message when the job is finished. Process 1 Process 2 Send(Process2,msg 1 reply) > > > > < < < Receive(Process1 , msg); < Reply(Process1, reply); Figure A: The communications interaction between two processes showing the relationship between the Send. Receive, and Reply procedures. ProcessDescriptor priority descendant pointer PROCESS PROCESS \ \ \ program counter other status information stack top stack limit \ \ \ \ other machine- status information Figure 3: A ProcessDescriptor including the machine-dependent PROCESS variable provided by Modula-2. MAY 1986 -BYTE 115 MODULA-2 pie, a keyboard proprietor would typi- cally receive requests from user pro- cesses asking for a single character (a keystroke read from the keyboard device). However, a disk proprietor would receive messages made up of complex file records from very dif- ferent user processes. Modula-2 makes it very easy for the message- passing procedures to accept mes- sages of varying length and type. As an example, let's discuss the Send procedure PROCEDURE Send( Destination: Processld; MessageLength: CARDINAL; Message: ARRAY OF WORD; VAR ReplyLength: CARDINAL; VAR ReplyMessage: ARRAY OF WORD ): Status; The parameter Message is an exam- The Key to Unlocking Your Operating System Discovering MS-DOS'" Kate O'Day. A comprehensive study of MS-DOS com- mands; how to use MS-DOS to produce letters and documents; create names and manipulate files; use the keyboard and function keys to perform jobs faster; and direct, sort, and find data quickly. 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No. 22497, S24.95 To order call 800-428-SAMS In Indiana call 317-298-5566 Ask For Operator 818 SAMS. A Division of Macmillan, Inc. Shipping Handling AR. CA. H.. IN. NC. NY. Oil. TN. MTV ri'sidi'iits add local sales tax Dual Name- Company _ Address _ mi m mdi card VISA ak: \K Signature (required) Check or money order enclosed Make checks payable to Howard M( Sams & Co. Mail this form with payment to: Howard W. Sams & Co Depi. Ml • (3(11) West fi'iidSlrcct • Indianapolis. IN ihlM pie of a Modula-2 open-array param- eter. Its upper and lower bounds are determined dynamically by the index range of the actual parameter. In ad- dition, because its type is ARRAY OF WORD, its corresponding actual parameter may be of any type. For ex- ample, a message of type Print- Message is sent by a process to re- quest service from the printer pro- prietor, while a MouseMessage type is sent to obtain mouse coordinates from its proprietor. Both of these mes- sage types are compatible with AR- RAY OF WORD. This is an important concept. The strong typing provided by Modula-2 allows you to build data structures conveniently and correctly. But the language provides, in a controlled, well-defined way, the ability to convert from one type to another. You can manipulate complex structures and reduce them to simpler, more efficient forms. Another powerful component of the Modula-2 language is its case- variant record. It can be very useful in, for example, a clock proprietor. A clock proprietor could receive any one of four types of request: a delay request from a process that wishes to wait for a certain amount of time; a wake-up request from another pro- cess to prematurely awaken a sleep- ing process; a request for the time of day; or a request to set the clock with the correct time. If you enumerate the different clock requests, a case- variant record becomes quite ap- propriate for handling the various messages. Because message passing is such a flexible mechanism, it has a high potential for error. Modula-2 helps minimize this potential by means of consistency checks. For example, Sends parameter MessageLength specifies the size of the message in bytes. To verify that MessageLength is not larger than the actual maximum size of Message, you can use the Modula-2 standard function HIGH(x). This returns a number equal to the number of elements in the array x minus one. The Send procedure com- pares MessageLength to HIGH(Mes- sage) to ensure consistency: {continued) We have over 1000 Software and hardware items in stock. Shipments on almost all items within 24 hours! Call for programs not listed wAREHOUS DATA PRODUCTS FREE SOFTWARE! With over $100 purchase you will receive a free diskette for your IBM PC with label maker, checker game and banner programs. Technical & Other Info. 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No Charge for MasterCard or Visa ^ffij ^B VISA TOLL-FREE ORDER LINE 1-800-421-3135 WAREHOUSE DATA PRODUCTS 2701 West Glendale Ave. • Phoenix, AZ 85051 Hours 7 A.M. to 6:30 P.M. M.S.T.- Mon thru Fri. Saturday 9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. MODULA-2 IF MessageLength > H I G H (M essage) * By tesPerWord THEN Error END Modula-2 allows for this flexibility in message passing. Device Handling How do processes synchronize and communicate with peripheral devices such as touch screens, mice, voice recognition units (VRUs). and others? For example, if you give a computer a verbal command, the VRU goes to work independently and recognizes the command. The device must in- form a process of this event and pre- sent it with the recognized informa- tion. The waiting process is called an event handler and has the following cyclic structure: Initialize; LOOP AwaitEvent( VRUevent, VRUmessage ); Interpret VRUmessage ); END; The variable VRUmessage returns the recognized information, the con- fidence level of the recognition, and other useful status information from the VRU. Then this information must be interpreted. The tricky part of this sequence is detecting the external event— the interrupt from the VRU. In this case TRANSFER is evoked by an asynchronous interrupt. This par- ticular mechanism is machine-depen- dent and is not considered part of Modula-2. However, the following description illustrates an accepted technique for activating a device. You associate a process with each device (interrupt level) using NEWPROCESS and memory locations reserved by the computer for interrupt handling. When the VRU presents an interrupt, a spontaneous TRANSFER is made to its associated event-handler pro- cess that reads characters from the VRU and composes and sends VRU- message. When the interrupt-han- dling process completes, it TRANS- FERS back to the interrupted process. Figure 4 illustrates the various pro- Figure 4: Event handling. When a spoken command is given, the VRU recognizes the utterance and generates an interrupt that prompts a spontaneous TRANSFER to the process dedicated to handling VRU interrupts. The event-handler process reads from the device and composes a message, which it sends to the command-proprietor process. After receiving a reply from the command proprietor, the event handler waits for the next event. cesses involved in our simple example. Reading characters from a periph- eral device (like the VRU) brings up an important question. How does Modula-2, supposedly a machine-in- dependent language, provide access to machine-dependent characteristics like I/O? Strictly speaking, the lan- guage has no statements for input or output. However, it does allow the ex- pression of machine-specific opera- tions, such as the I/O for a particular device, and encourages us to collect such machine-specific operations in a separate module. This module makes available a machine-independent in- terface for device I/O and hides all the details. If you isolate these machine- specific details, it becomes easier to move the system to different com- puters. When you do move the sys- tem, you need to modify only the im- plementation part of the module, leaving the interface unchanged. Obtaining data from a device is one thing; deciphering it is another. Modula-2 helps you deal with the often cryptic data that devices pre- sent. A typical device packs a variety of status information into one word; each bit represents some condition. To unpack this information, you can use a Modula-2 standard type called BITSET. Each bit in a BITSET variable can be singled out and tested. For ex- ample, if you want to examine the sixth bit of the status from the VRU, first you declare a BITSET variable VRUstatus, then GET( VRUstatusAddress, VRUstatus ); IF 6 IN VRUstatus THEN . . . END Additional set operations include set union, difference, intersection, and symmetric difference. For example, if you are concerned only that the third bit of the VRU status is on and that the fifth bit is off, you can compare the intersection of two BITSETs with a third BITSET: IF VRUstatus* {3, 5} = {3} THEN . . . END You can also include and exclude in- dividual bits in sets as with thefollow- {continued) 118 B YTE • MAY 1986 "*A Princeton SR-1 2 and ^^ Sigma Designs Color 400 "The Ultimate in Graphics Resolution and Performance! ••^>. »» PC Products June 1985 mm SR-1 2 and Color 400. 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LOW PRICES ON PRINTERS, NEC. EPSON, CITOH, OKIDATA TELEX 510 601 0960 24 HOUR QUOTE RESPONSE, CORPORATE ACCOUNTS & OEM DEALERS WELCOME! PHONE 201-288-8629 VISA • MASTERCARD • CHECK PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE MODULA-2 DATA PRODUCTS CORPORATION 3/7 Rt. 17, Hasbrouck Heights, N J 07604. USA ing statements: INCL(VRUstatus, 1); EXCL(VRUstatus, 7); where you set the first bit in VRU- status and reset the seventh bit. Software Engineering Issues Building an operating system is not a trivial effort. The module concept is very important in managing the com- plexity of development. First you define and categorize the various functions into separate modules. Then you build and test the modules, dis- tributing the effort among several people. Modula-2's modular compila- tion facility is helpful in writing and compiling the individual modules. You can reduce the complexity of the task by breaking the programming down into smaller and smaller modules and by sharing modules that satisfy a common need. You can build modules in parallel once you define the interfaces between them. An in- terface can be defined using Modula-2's DEFINITION MODULE construct. A DEFINITION MODULE specifies data and procedures that are available for use by other modules. It provides the name and argument list for procedures, leaving the actual algorithmic details to be specified in a companion IMPLE- MENTATION MODULE. Our Experiences Our experiences using Modula-2 in memory management were quite favorable. We were able to write all the Hermes memory-management functions without having to resort to assembly language. Most of these functions are portable to any other machine having a Modula-2 compiler because the functions depend only on the basic characteristics of the language's address-manipulation fea- tures. Modula-2 also provides standard functions that hide the machine- dependent aspects of a process. We were able to save development time by concentrating on high-level issues such as process scheduling, rather than on such details as saving ma- chine status. And we are confident that our implementation of processes is largely portable: Any Modula-2 compiler for another machine will provide an appropriate implementa- tion of the PROCESS variable and the NEWPROCESS and TRANSFER functions. The parameters of our message- passing procedures provide for variable-length, variable-format messages. The length and format are defined by the sender and checked for consistency by the operating system. This flexibility is made pos- sible by Modula-2. Modula-2 helped Hermes extend the concept of process synchroniza- tion to synchronization between inter- nal processes and external devices. It allowed us to map the asynchronous behavior of devices onto the more general multiprocess model. It also helped in establishing consistent in- terfaces to a world of ever-changing peripherals. We found Modula-2 to be a very powerful and appropriate language for writing Hermes. It provides the features that are essential for memory management, process manipulation, and message passing. The fact that three programmers were able to build Hermes in six months attests to Modula-2's expediency. In addition, it continues to aid in the system's main- tenance. From our experience, we feel that Modula-2 has what it takes to build an operating system. ■ REFERENCES 1. Wirth. N. "The Personal Computer Lilith." Institut fur Informatik, Eidgenossische Ifechnische Hochschule (ETH), Zurich. Switzerland. April 1981. 2. Cheriton. D., M. Malcolm. L. Melen. G. Sager. "Thoth: A Portable RealTime Operating System," Communications of the ACM, vol. 22, no. 2. February 1979. page 105. BIBLIOGRAPHY Anderson, A. Hermes: A Message-Passing Operating System for Realtime Applications. San Diego Research Center, Burroughs Corp.. San Diego. CA. August 1983. Hirschy, E. "Hermes: An Operating Sys- tem for a Modula-2 Environment." Proceed- ings of the ACM Conference on Personal and Small Computers, vol. 6, no. 2, December 1983. 120 BYTE • MAY 1986 QNX What do QNX and UNIX have to do with architectural design? The design determines the environment in which you and your applications must survive. If the shear weight of the UNIX operating system brings the PC to its knees, all applications running under it will suffer. Unix was conceived more than a decade and a half ago and the product today is the result of modifications, additions and patches by hundreds of programmers. The result is a large and convoluted piece of software which needs the resources of an AT or more. QNX's superb performance and compact size is the result of one dedicated design team with a common purpose, and complete understanding of both the software and the environment in which it must run. It runs quickly and efficiently on PC's and soars on an AT. Unlike Unix, QNX is capable of real time performance and is the undisputed choice for real time process control, and office systems. You can buy an OS that offers you a 1 to 3 user dead end on an AT, OR, you can consider QNX which allows you anywhere from 1 to 10 users on both PC's and AT's. And we don't stop there. Unlike other Unix-type systems for PC's, QNX is also a networked operating system. Not a patch-on network, but a fully integrated networking system for up to 255 micros. QNX allows you to start with a single machine and grow if and as required. There are no dedicated file servers and you can attach terminals (users) to any machine. To choose a solution which ignores networking, is closing the door on your future. Everyone is talking about Unix like systems, but no one wants to abandon the tremendous amount of DOS software available. QNX does not force you to make that decision. You can run either PC DOS 2. 1 or 3. 1 ™ as one of QNX's many tasks. (DOS File compatibility and DOS development tools are also available). Don't misunderstand us. We at Quantum have a great deal of respect for Unix. It was a major force in moving operating systems out of the 1960's and into the 70's. QNX however, was designed in the 80's and will be a driving force of the 1 990's. Over 20,000 systems have been sold since 1982. Quantum strongly believes that there are good reasons for buying QNX, DOS and Unix. If you want more than DOS and a working alternative to PC Unix, give us a call and we will discuss your needs. 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Limited time offer, subject to change without notice. by Chris Hankin, David Till, and Hugh Glaser Linking Data Flow and Functional Languages Exploiting the data-flow mechanism to gain execution speed Editor's note: This article was adapted from Principles of Functional Programming (© 1 984) by Chris Hankin, David Till and Hugh Glaser (pages 104-1 15) and used by permission of Prentice-Hall Inc., Englewood Cliffs, NJ. In recent years, language de- signers have turned away from imperative languages to func- tional languages to avoid the problems connected with the control of access to global resources and the lack of referential transparency In the field of computer architecture, data flow has emerged as a paradigm for multiprocessor machines providing a simple, way of making a number of processors cooperate on a single task. Linking data flow and functional lan- guages combines the advantages of functional programming and parallel execution. The salient feature of data flow is that instead of a centralized control unit and a program counter, opera- tions are selected for execution when their operands have been computed. Therefore, the flow of data between operations provides the sequencing control that would normally be pro- vided by the program counter in a conventional "control flow" machine. When several operators have all their operands ready, any or all of them can be performed in sequence or simul- taneously, giving rise to parallelism within data-flow systems. Operators can have no "side effects": They [continued] Chris Hankin (Department of Computing, Imperial College of Science and Technology, 180 Queens Gate, Vondon SW7 2BZ, En- gland), David Till, and Hugh Glaser (Depart- ment of Computing, King's College, Strand, iDndon WC2, England) are lecturers in com- puting at U)ndon University. ILLUSTRATED BY ROB SAUNDERS MAY 1986 1YTE 123 LINKING DATA FLOW receive a number of inputs and pro- duce a number of outputs. There are no concepts of instruction sequenc- ing or global memory. | Editor's note: For further discussion of data flow, see "Apply- ing Data Flow in the Real World" by William Gerhard Paseman, May 1985 BYTE, page 201, and "Using Data Flow for Application Development" by Wayne P. Steins, ]une 1985, page 267. | Two different data-flow models, pipeline data flow and token data flow, have been investigated. In both models directed graphs represent data-flow programs. The nodes of a pipeline data-flow graph represent processes; the arcs represent chan- nels between processes. In this model, the arcs carry streams of data between processes. A substantial amount of work has been done on the formalization of pipeline data flow, and it has formed the semantic basis for some of the work on multipro- gramming using functional languages. All of the current data-flow architec- tures, however, are based on token data flow. In this model, the nodes are used to represent more primitive operations, and the arcs are the chan- nels that carry the operands and therefore represent the data de- pendencies between operators. Ap- proaches to token data flow differ in the rules that are used in the con- struction of programs. In this article we restrict our attention to acyclic graphs, partly because this makes the treatment more straightforward, but also because we feel that this ap- proach is more appropriate for the implementation of functional lan- guages. We can see some of the benefits of using data flow in the implementation of functional languages by consider- ing the following simple example in Hope (for an introduction to Hope, see "A Hope Tutorial" by Roger Bailey, August 1985 BYTE, page 23 5): dec sum_square : num # num -> num; sum_square(a, b) <= a * a + b * b; While this program does not specify any control information, it is clear that the plus operator requires the results w PRIMITIVE FUNCTION DUPLICATOR VALUE GENERATOR CONTROL f \ CONTROL fl F^ SWITCH MERGE Figure 1 : \n these diagrams of the basic operators, the data flow is directed down the page. Inputs to and outputs from a graph are shown as arcs that are connected to the graph only at one end. of the two multiplications and that these can be evaluated independent- ly. We could, for example, redefine the function in a formalism that highlights the data dependencies between oper- ators. This is'precisely what the data- flow notation does. In the next section, we describe a data-flow notation that can be used for the translation of functional pro- grams. We then go on to describe two algorithms for the execution of data- flow programs. Both of these mech- anisms support the full range of facil- ities found in functional languages. A Data-Flow Notation The notation we use consists of a set of five basic operator types, a func- tion application operator, and a nota- tion for function definition. Figure 1 shows the basic operators. The graphs show all data dependen- cies explicitly. If two operators use the same value, they must both have an input arc that emanates from the same place. There is an explicit duplicate node that can be used to [continued) Figure 2: A possible graph for the defining expression of the Hope function: dec f : num -> num; — f(a) <= if P then A else B; where P, A, and B are arbitrary expressions referring only to a. 124 BYTE • MAY 1986 Honeywell synchronous VIP emulation and file transfer (FTF an option). Compatible with Topview. Honeywell VIP asynchronous emulation and file transfer. Compatible with Topview. ASYNCHRONOUS $399 SYNCHRONOUS $499 TO ORDER PHONE TOLL FREE 1-800-826-7839 GROUP INC. Rjvergate Plaza, 444 Brickell Ave Suite 902, Miami Florida 33131 Telephone 305/372-9332, Telex 4947306 Connections IBM PC— Honeywell mainframe DPS 4, 6, 7, 8, LEVEL 6, 66, ETC. LINKING DATA FLOW provide the appropriate number of copies of a value. The value generator is the operator used to insert literal values onto the graph at run time; literal values include the integers, Booleans, and other primitive types, as well as function names. The switch and merge operators are used to con- struct conditional computations. For an example, see figure 2. At run time the switch uses its con- trol input, which is a Boolean value, to select one of its output arcs to receive the input value. Similarly, the merge uses its control input to select a value from one of its input arcs. If the expressions of the conditional had used other values from the en- vironment (e.g., if there were other parameters to the function), then the L~J CZD Figure 3: The box defines the graph as a function. Note that the T output from the right switch is omitted because the value of b is not required when the condition is satisfied. Any application of prod will require two apply nodes. graph would require multiple switches and merges, all taking their control in- put from the P graph. You can define a graph as a func- tion by enclosing it in a "box." See figure 3 for an example of the graph of the product function dec prod : num # num - > num; — prod(a, b) < = if a > = b then a else a * prod(a + 1, b); The arcs entering the box represent the parameters of the function, and the arcs emanating from the box rep- resent the results of the function. The name of the function is in the bottom left corner of the box. An explicit apply node (see figure 4a) represents an application of a user-defined func- tion. Boxed graphs containing self-ref- erential apply nodes represent recur- sive function definitions. Assuming that you have a definition [continued) (a) (b) -H APPLY Figure 4: The apply node takes two inputs, a function name or closure and a parameter value. Function names can be written explicitly at the node or passed on an input arc as are function closures. As its result, the apply node produces a value or a function closure depending on whether the applied function was a first- order function or a higher-order function. 126 BYTE • MAY 1986 Doesn't your IBM PC deserve IBM service? You chose an IBM Personal Computer for lots of good reasons. And now that you depend on it to help keep your office running smoothly, doesn't it make sense to help protect your investment with blue chip service from IBM? No matter what IBM PC you have, blue chip service is more than just expert repair. Blue chip service offers the choice of ser- vice that's right for you at the price that's right for you. It means we'll exchange your monitor, for example, at your place or at any of our Service/Exchange Centers. And blue chip service means a lot of things you don't see. Quality. Speed. Commitment. And IBM experience. Every year IBM invests many hours of training to keep its service repre- sentatives current on technologies that never stand still. As an IBM customer you deserve blue chip service. It's the best thing you can do for your IBM Personal Computer. For more information, use the coupon or call 1 800 IBM-2468, Ext. 104, and ask for the Service/ Exchange Maintenance Department. Blue chip service from ==^= 7 = r~ IBM Direct Service/Exchange Maintenance Dept. One Culver Rd. Dayton, NJ 08810 □ Please send me more information on IBM PC service. Name Title 104-5-86 Company_ Address City _Phone_ _State_ _Zip_ Inquiry 166 MAY 1986 -BYTE 127 LINKING DATA FLOW Figure 5 : What value does the first apply node produce? What function is supplied to the second? of "fac" the factorial function, you can use the apply node as in figure 4b. When a function has more than one parameter, as in figure 3, the situation is slightly more complex because the apply node has only one parameter input. In figure 5, two questions arise. What value is produced by the first apply node, and what function name is supplied to the second apply node? Both questions can be answered by a more careful consideration of func- tion names. In our notation, a function name is not just an identifier; it also contains information about the number of parameters that the func- tion requires and the values of any "fixed" parameters. Therefore, the first apply node in the diagram produces a new name with the same identifier as prod but with the additional infor- mation that the first parameter has been fixed at 2. We use the term closure to refer to such function names that contain fixed parameters. The answer to the second question is that we con- -M APPLY Figure 6: The name produced by the first apply corresponds to a single parameter function that produces the product of all values between 2 and the parameter value. nect the output of the first apply node to the name input of the second. When the name input of an apply node carries a function that requires only one further input, the node is conceptually replaced by a copy of the function. The copy executes using the parameter from the replaced node and the values that were fixed by preceding apply nodes. The pro- cess is much more powerful than the example suggests. For example, the name produced from an apply node need not be passed directly to the next apply but could be copied or transformed in some way first (see figure 6). As a final remark on our data-flow notation, we note that the apply node does allow multiple outputs. This allows us to translate Hope functions that produce more than one output. In this case, any "internal" apply node that produces a name will have a single output, and the final apply node will have the same number of outputs as are produced by the Hope function. Data-Flow Evaluation Mechanisms There are two approaches to the evaluation of data-flow programs. One is the classical data-driven approach, a call-by-value mechanism in which arguments are evaluated before they are passed to a function. The second is the demand-driven approach that provides lazy evaluation. For our pur- poses, the important aspects of lazy evaluation are that arguments are not evaluated until they are required, and if required, they are evaluated only once. We describe each mechanism at an abstract level within the context of the data-flow notation that we have presented. First, we define a data-driven mech- anism in which each data-flow instruc- tion consists of IDEN, an identifier; TYPE, a type that is one of the basic operators or apply; INPR, an input record that has a field for each input; and OUTL. an output list of instruc- tion identifier/input field name pairs. Each value produced from the ex- ecution of an instruction must be directed to a particular input arc of {continued) 128 BYTE- MAY 1986 Get the Picture with PHOT PHOTOBASE is a soft- ware package that works with data base manage- ment systems such as: dbase II*, R:Base 4000* and the IBM Filing Assistant*. 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Pictures are displayed in the upper right quadrant of the screen or at a full screen resolution of 320 x 200 with 256 optimized colors. Screen display can alternate with text, images, or both simultaneously viewed. Call or write and we will send you information on PHOTOBASE, PC-EYE, compatible cameras and other imaging equipment in the Chorus Family of products. (603) 424-2900 or 1-800-OCHORUS. TM PHOTOBASE and PC-EYE are trademarks of CHORUS Data Systems. *dBase II is a trademark of Ashfon-Tate; R-Base 4000 is a trademark of Microrim, Inc.; IBM Filing Assistant is a trademark of International Business Machines Corporation. CHORUS CHORUS Data Systems, Inc., 6 Continental Blvd., P.O. Box 370, Merrimack, New Hampshire 03054 LINKING DATA FLOW Figure 7: This is a program that returns the sign of its input, which arrives in the "left" input field of instruction 2. As we noted earlier, outputs emanate from a particular instruction but are not directed toward any instruction. This is represented in the code by an asterisk in the output list of an instruction. copy value : switch Listing I: A representation of the "execute the instruction" command within the major cycle of the data-driven execution mechanism. CASE type of instruction OF primitive : perform the operation using the inputs; FOR each instruction in the output list DO put the appropriate result in the specified input field ENDD, FOR each instruction in the output list DO put the value from the input record into the specified input field ENDD, put the value into the specified input field; IF the control input is TRUE THEN place the other input value in the specified input field of the first instruction in the output list ELSE place the other input value in the specified input field of the second instruction in the output list ENDF, IF the control input is TRUE THEN place the second (true) input value in the input field specified in the output list ELSE place the third (false) input value in the input field specified in the output list ENDF. IF the first input is a single parameter function THEN generate a copy of the function; place the second input value in the input record of the first instruction in the function ELSE IF the first input is a closure that requires a single parameter THEN generate a copy of the function; pass the second input and the closure values to the input records of the appropriate instructions; ELSE generate a new closure with the second input value ENDF ENDF ENDC; delete the instruction; merge apply some other instruction. Therefore, we need a way of uniquely identifying in- structions and a way of distinguishing between input arcs. We have used a record with named fields to represent the set of input arcs, and each instruc- tion has a unique identifier. Destina- tions for each of the results of an in- struction are specified in the output list that contains one instruction per input field pair for each output arc. The instruction type identifies the operation to be performed, which in the case of value generators and primitive functions must include infor- mation about which specific instance of the class is required. Figure 7 shows an example of a data-flow pro- gram in this notation. The major cycle of the execution mechanism is FOR any instruction DO IF the instruction has all of its required inputs THEN execute the instruction ENDF ENDD Several different instances of this cycle may be active at any one time; each would operate asynchronously with the others. The meaning of "the instruction has all of its required inputs" will vary ac- cording to the type of the instruction under consideration, but it can be represented by the following expres- sion: the type is value OR the type is one of primitive, copy, switch, apply AND all fields in the input record contain values OR the type is merge AND the control input field and the appropriate other input field contain values A value operation always has its re- quired inputs. All other operations re- quire a complete set of inputs, with the exception of merge, which re- quires only its control input and the selected input. The most complex part of the cycle is "execute the instruction." which may be represented as in listing I. With the exception of apply, the execution (continued) 130 BYTE • MAY 1986 NOW CITIBANK DIRECT ACCESS MAKES IT THIS EASY TO MANAGE YOUR IRA. The only PC Banking Service to give you up-to-the-minute control of your IRA and brokerage investments. 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Direct Access is a Service mark of Citicorp. Dow Jones/News Retrieval is a registered Service mark of Dow Jones & Co. Hayes is a registered trademark of Hayes Microcomputer Products, Inc. To get Direct Access you must open a Citibank checking account. The Portfolio I IRA is a fiduciary service offered under our Collective Investment Trust for | Citibank IRAs. Citicorp Brokerage is a division of Citicorp Financial Services, I Inc., members NASD/SIPC. All trades are cleared by arrangement with I Newbridge Securities Inc., a subsidiary ofCiticorp Financial Services, Inc. I • Citibank N.A. 1986 Member FDIC. MAY 1986 -BYTE 131 LINKING DATA FLOW mechanism is straightforward. In the case of apply, it is necessary to distinguish between an application that is providing the last parameter to a function (closure), in which case a copy of the function is generated ready for execution, and the other cases where a new closure is pro- duced. The new copy of a function has to be "knitted into" the program by setting up the input records of ini- tial instructions with parameter values and ensuring that the function output instructions send their results to the correct destinations. This mechanism to "generate a copy of the function" is shown below: create a new copy of each instruction in the function, assigning unique identifiers and changing the output lists accordingly; FOR each output instruction in the function DO set the output list to the appropriate values from the output list of the apply operator ENDD; The program is acyclic; instructions are thus executed only once. After ex- ecution, each instruction is deleted. As an example of this process, we show how the sign program in figure 7 would be executed when the input is 5 (see table 1). DEMAND-DRIVEN SYSTEMS In demand-driven systems, the presence of operands and a request for the result of an operation controls the computation. Effectively, a struc- ture is imposed on the program that carries requests in the reverse direc- tion to the flow of data. This require- ment is reflected in an extended definition of a data-flow instruction: A data-flow instruction consists of IDEN: an identifier TYPE: a type, which is one of the basic operators or apply SOUL: a source list, which is a list of instruction identifiers INPR: an input record, which has a field for each input OUTL: an output list, which is a list Table I; The execution of the sign program in figure 7 when the input is 5. Each snapshot in the trace results from executing all possible instructions. IDEN TYPE INPR OUTL Step 1: 1 value/0 2 > = 3 value/1 4 value/ - 1 5 merge (2. right) (left:5, right) (5.control) (5.true) ( ) (5.f alse) (control,true,false) (*) Step 2: 2 > = 5 merge (left:5,right:0) (5.control) (control,true:1,false:-1) (*) Step 3: 5 merge (control:TRUE,true:1 .false: - 1) (•) Step 4: 1 (The result to be output) Table 2: The demand-driven execution of the sign program in figure 7. IDEN vTYPE SOUL INPR OUTL value/0 (2.right) > = (?.1) (left, right) (5.control) value/1 (5.true) value/ -1 (5.false) merge (2,3,4) (control,true,false) (*) of instruction identifier/input field name pairs The representation of the program is therefore slightly more complicated. The "sign" program is specified in table 2. The main execution cycle is also more complicated. Only instruc- tions whose results have been re- quested are executed and then only if the required operands have been computed. Otherwise, the request is propagated. Listing 2 defines the mechanism. Only the inputs that are needed by merge are requested. The control in- put is requested first, and then either the true input or the false input is re- quested, depending on the control value. The specifications for "the in- struction has all of its required inputs" and "execute the instruction" are the same as the data-driven version, with the exception of the apply operator. The apply operator requires only its left input, the function or closure name, and is executed as follows: apply : IF the first input is a single parameter function THEN generate a new copy of the function ELSE IF the first input is a closure that requires a single parameter THEN generate a new copy of the function ELSE generate a new closure remembering the ■ identifier of the second instruction in the source list ENDF ENDF In this mechanism, a closure con- sists of the function name and a list of instruction identifiers that are the sources of its parameters. The param- eters may thus be requested, if re- quired, when the function is eval- uated. We define "generate a new copy of the function" as follows: create a new copy of each instruc- [continued) 132 BYTE • MAY 1986 PC 3780 FILE TRANSFERS STAY ON THE TRACK File Transfer, RJE PC to PC PC to Any Mainframe (Using above Protocols) Unattended or Attended Auto Pilot, Remote Startup Call Using Interface with User Application Program, Basic, Cobol, Pascal, C, Etc. 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FOR any instruction whose output has been requested DO IF the instruction has all of its required inputs THEN execute the instruction ELSE CASE type of instruction OF primitive, copy,switch : send the request to all instructions in the source list, merge : IF control input is present THEN IF control value is true THEN send the request to the second instruction in the source list ELSE send the request to the third instruction in the source list ENDF ELSE send request to first instruction in source list ENDF, send the request to the first instruction in the source list apply ENDC ENDF ENDD tion in the function, assigning unique identifiers and chang- ing the source and output lists accordingly; FOR each input instruction in the function DO set up the source list ENDD; OR each output instruction in the function DO set the output list to the appropriate values from the out- put list of the apply operator; request the output if required ENDD This mechanism provides lazy evaluation (assuming a lazy construc- tor for lists) for two reasons. First, values are computed only when they are required; second, once a value has been computed, it will be avail- able to any later requests because copy sends its result to all instructions in its output list, even if they have not all requested the value. Concluding Remarks Currently a number of research proj- ects are directed toward the construc- tion of data-flow computers, but few of the projects that are now at an ad- vanced stage were begun with func- tional languages in mind. (For a survey of data-flow architectures, see "Data- Driven and Demand-Driven Computer Architecture" by P. C. Ifeleaven. D. R. Brownbridge, and R. P. Hopkins, ACM Computing Surveys, volume 14, number 1, March 1982, and "A Survey of Pro- posed Architectures for the Execution of Functional Languages" by S. R. Vegdahl. IEEE Transactions on Computers, volume C-33, number 12. December 1984.) With few exceptions, the link between data flow and functional lan- guages has not played a major role in these projects, as evidenced by the fact that none of the architectures have provided efficient support for higher-order functions. The aim was, and it often still is, to exploit the data-flow mechanism in order to gain execution speed either for conventional or data-flow lan- guages. Thus, we find that th.e model here described, designed to bear a close relationship with functional languages, is different from many of the other notations, particularly in its support of higher-order functions in a natural way. The traditional data-flow mechan- ism has begun to bear fruit in the field of high-speed computation, and the model we have described has poten- tial for the implementation of func- tional languages. 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I] PRINTER CPU _ PAPER IN ] PRINTER _ PAPER IN _ REFOLD 3 PRINTER _CPU _ PAPER IN _ REFOLD 30"_ □ _ MONITOR o o |*E .TILTWTURN .KEYBOARD DRAWER .PERIPHERALS _CPU _ STORAGE o o by Pete Orlin and John Heath EasyC Use Cs preprocessor to write more understandable code If you think you'd like to try C but are put off by the confus- ing notation and the unfriend- ly look of its code, take heart. It doesn't have to be that bad. If you're already using C and are tired of errors due to mistaken operators, improper nesting, or incorrect punc- tuation, you can eliminate these prob- lems, improve your productivity, and get on with the never-ending battle of dangling or NULL pointers. Because we have had bad experi- ences with other powerful but "com- pact" languages (most notably APL), we were also less than thrilled by our first exposure to C. However, its effi- cient object code, powerful branching and looping, easily implemented re- cursion, and the availability of an op- timizing compiler made it an attrac- tive language to use on a new soft- ware project. One catch was that the project was to be staffed by program- mers with a minimum of C experience who would probably find C difficult to learn. What's Wrong with C? What are the weak points of C in terms of quickly learning to write pro- grams with a minimum number of errors? Our answer to this question is highly subjective and reflects the definite biases we developed while learning and applying other lan- guages. However, in talking to other programmers using C. we found that many share the following objections: • Difficult operator notation. The use of &. &&. ~ . etc., to indicate operators is confusing to say the least. Memo- rizing them is one thing. Easily detect- ing their improper use in code is much more difficult. If you use this compact operator notation, you will have a small, efficient compiler. Un- fortunately, it can drive you up a wall in debugging subtle, typographical programming errors. • Context-dependent operators. This (continued) Pete Orlin and ]ohn Heath are software engineers. They can be reached at CAB Con- cepts, 125 Main St.. Suite F, Bay Saint Louis, MS 39520. ILLUSTRATED BY KENT SMITH MAY 1986 'BYTE 137 EASY C feature of C (which has good and bad points) permits multiple operator definitions. The ampersand (&) can be the bitwise AND operator or the "ad- dress of" operator. It depends on where you use it and whether its use is unambiguous. Again, this feature results in a compiler that fits in a small computer but only at the cost of coding errors that can be difficult to track down. The fact that the majori- ty of C operators are context-depend- ent makes learning to use them dif- ficult and time-consuming. • Poorly structured code-block defini- tion. The standard C constructs (while, for. if. and switch) appear to be de- signed to be used on a single line, or at least over a small number of lines, and are terminated in the same man- ner as single-line C statements. If you want to expand the range of these statements, you can use braces ({ and }). The braces define the limits of blocks of code. Since a structured block usually extends over a large number of program statements, the problem is not in finding the begin- ning of a block but rather in unam- biguously locating its branches and the end of its span of control. With nested if statements in loops, the pos- sibilities for confusing those state- ments that have closing braces are endless. With these objections in mind, we developed a set of preprocessor statements (#define statements) to change the flavor of the language while retaining all its powerful fea- tures. We call our technique Easy C. User-Friendly Operators The first element of Easy C is a set of definitions that change the operator notation from the mystical to the ob- vious. They also help eliminate unin- tentional, context-dependent errors. Figure I lists the #define statements that implement this element of Easy C. Figure 2 gives three examples of their use. The arithmetic comparison operators (LE. GT. etc.) are consistent with many other languages, as are the logical operations (AND, OR, etc.). The bitwise operators (BAND. BOR. etc.) are not generally available, so the names were chosen arbitrarily. The INC and DEC operators are unique /* Logical operators */ #define AND && /* logical AND 7 #define OR II /* logical OR 7 #define NOT I /* logical NOT 7 #define EQ = = r equal value comparison */ #define NE ! = r not equal value comparison */ #define LT < r less than value comparison 7 #define LE < = r less than or equal to value comparison */ #define GT > r greater than value comparison */ #define GE > = r greater than or equal to comparison 7 /* Bitwise operators */ #define BAND & r bitwise AND V #define BOR 1 r bitwise OR */ #define BXOR " r bitwise exclusive OR 7 #define BNOT - r bitwise NOT 7 #define LSHF << r left shift 7 #define RSHF > > r right shift */ /* Arithmetic operators 7 #define INC + + /* increment 7 #define DEC /* decrement 7 #define MOD % r modulo division 7 Figure I: The #define statements for the Easy C operators. The preprocessor replaces the uppercase Easy C operator with the lowercase C operator in a program. to C and are used to increment and decrement a variable. The MOD operator is used to perform modulo division (remaindering). In keeping with the customary C preprocessor conventions, these names are capital- ized. These names are replaced by the preprocessor with C keywords, symbols, and operators. The Easy C operators follow exact- ly the same rules as the C operators they replace. So if you're having trou- ble using one of them, the explana- tions you find in your favorite C text still apply. The only restriction you may encounter is with the prepro- cessor that your C compiler uses. The rules for the preprocessor are not well defined in Brian W. Kemighan and Dennis M. Ritchie's The C Programming language (Prentice-Hall, 1978). Hence, all preprocessors do not have to behave in exactly the same way when performing #define substitutions. To avoid possible difficulty in conjunc- tion with other #define items, put blanks on both sides of the operator. What do you gain by using Easy C? First, using it means no more chasing down bugs in compiled programs because you meant logical AND (&&). instead of bitwise AND (&) but either forgot to hit the & key twice or con- fused them. Second, if you now use &, you mean it to be the "address of" operator and not the bitwise AND. A significant advantage of this tech- nique is that you can debug Easy C by inspection prior to compilation with a much greater chance of detect- ing typographical and usage errors. The compiler does not catch the ma- jority of these errors. They must be tracked down and eliminated in a run- ning (or almost running) program. Branching and Looping Choosing Easy C's branching and looping formats was much more dif- ficult than defining simple operator- substitution names because these constructs are closely linked to style in programming. As with any question of style, subjectivity is the rule. In presenting these constructs, we realize that what we find pleasing and consistent, you may find stilted and arbitrary. However, a clear and consis- tent style is probably the best way to 138 BYTE • MAY 1986 EASY C Inquiry 303 Example 1 : Checking a character to see if it is a letter (see Kernighan and Ritchie, page 127). If the character contained in "c" is greater than or equal to a lowercase "a" and is less than or equal to a lowercase "z," or is greater than or equal to an uppercase "a" and is less than or equal to an uppercase "z," then it is a letter. InC: if ((c > = 'a' && c < = 'z') || (c > = A' && c < return(LETTER); 'Z')) In Easy C: if ((c GE *a' AND c LE 'z*) OR (c GE A' AND c LE l Z'J) return(LETTER); Example 2: Extracting n bits from a word starting at offset "p" (see Kernighan and Ritchie, page 45). Right-shift the bits into position, create a bit mask, and mask off the undesired bits. In C: return((x > > (p + 1 - n)) & -(- < < n)); In Easy C: return((x RSHF (p+ 1 -n)) BAND BNOT(BNOT LSHF n)); Example 3: Checking for a bit pattern in a word. If either bit 4 or 7 is set and bit is set, return a value of true. In C: if (((x & 16) || (x & 128)) && (x & 1)) return(TRUE); In Easy C: if (((x BAND 16) OR (x BAND 128)) AND (x BAND 1)) return(TRUE); Figure 2: Code fragment examples of the use of the Easy C operators. Note that the compactness of C is not lost and that even with a minimal knowledge of G the expressions are easily readable. lower your coding-error rate. It also improves your chances of quickly understanding the operation of code you haven't seen in several months. If you are working as part of a group, it becomes critical in sharing the maintenance of a program. We chose the constructs presented here with three objectives in mind. First, they had to improve the read- ability of C by clearly marking condi- tional code blocks and the span of control of conditional constructs. Sec- ond, they had to simplify the syntax of C to the point that the only punc- tuation required when writing a pro- gram is the semicolon. Third, they had to be consistent with the structured design method we use that permits only two branching and two looping structures. The #define statements listed in figure 3 implement the Easy C struc- tured constructs. Four basic con- structs are defined, two for branching and two for looping. A fifth construct, BEGIN_END, is defined to reduce the use of the braces to list markers in initialization expressions. Defini- tions of the use of each of the con- structs are given in figure 4. These constructs have certain com- mon characteristics. First, each is con- tained within its own code block ( { } pair ). This eliminates the unexpected machine code that is occasionally produced when constructs are nested. It also solves the problem of what belongs to each individual brace. Second, each element of a con- struct is also contained within its own code block. This allows an arbitrary number of C statements (including [continued) Run Protected Software from a Hard Disk. ZeroDisk ZeroDisk ZeroDisk ZeroDisk lets you run dozens of popular business software packages without floppies. Call us for the latest list of software it handles. ZeroDisk needs an IBM PC or XT or AT or compatible, running under DOS version 2.0 or higher. It occupies 15k bytes of memory. ZeroDisk is not copy-protected. ZeroDisk is revised monthly. You may get revisions for an $18 US trade-in fee. To order ZeroDisk, send a check for $75 US, or call us with your credit card. We will ship the software within a day. MAY 1986 'BYTE 139 EASY C none) to be used within the element. Third, the line containing the substitu- tion expression (represented by the letter e within the parentheses) must obey the preprocessor rules. The first of these rules is that a comma may appear only when it is protected by an open parenthesis. Thus, using a comma to separate multiple state- ments within a FOR statement is not allowed, but using a comma within an argument list is. The second rule in- volves the length of the expression. Many compilers require that the ex- pression and its closing parenthesis be contained on one line. If the com- piler you use has this restriction, you must follow this rule. The no-comma and one-line rules . may seem restrictive at first. In use, however, these two rules serve to keep looping expressions simple by forcing code into an initialization block or the loop body. The tenden- cy to "load" a loop expression with code is hard to resist in C. Some pro- grammers manage to write small pro- grams within the parentheses of a for loop with a loss of clarity that is not made up for by the compactness of the source code. The executable code that is produced from these compact loop statements is usually about the same size and speed as that pro- duced from simpler expressions and more explicit coding. The net result is that the only thing accomplished is an increase in the potential for con- fusion. Hence, it is not worthwhile to try to be overly clever because of the limitation on looping expressions. Another common feature of the constructs is the simplicity of punctua- tion. Other than the semicolon, which is used to terminate lines of C code and to separate subexpressions in the for loop expression, no other punc- tuation is required. The general punc- tuation rule for Easy C is this: If it's a C-code statement, terminate it with a semicolon; if not, don't. The last common feature of the con- structs is our attempt to create an un- common end statement for each of the constructs. Note that in figure 3 each construct ends in some variation on double braces. While it was tempt- ing to simplify things by using the same keyword for all of them, we made each end statement different for clarity. If you are nesting various types of constructs, the usual practice /* IF_THEN_ELSEIF_ _ELSE construct 7 #define IF(e) { 'f (e) r if statement */ #define THEN { r then statement */ #define ELSEIF(e) } else if (e) { r elseif statement */ #define ELSE } else { r else statement */ #define ENDIF ;} } r end of if statement */ /* CASE construct */ #define CASE(e) { switch (e) { r head of case */ #define CASEOF(e) case e : { r case block *J #define DEFCASE default : { r default case block */ #define ENDCOF } break ; r end of case block */ #define ENDCASE } } r end of case */ /* WHILE construct */ #define WHILE(e) { while (e) { r while statement */ #define ENDW ; } } r end of while statement */ /* FOR construct */ #define FOR(e) { for (e) { r for statement */ #define ENDF ;} } r end of for statement */ /* BEGIN_END construct */ #define BEGIN { r beginning of block */ #define END } r end of block */ Figure 3: The #define statements for the Easy C branching, looping, and code-block separator constructs. These constructs eliminate the punctuation required by C in nesting branches and loops. is to take a listing of the code and draw nesting lines between the elements of each of the constructs. If an IF statement ends in anything other than an ENDIF or if the lines must cross to connect the correct elements, a nesting error has been made. Thus, the form of the end of the construct helps the programmer determine what was intended. Branching Easy C defines two branching con- structs. Both support H-way (multiple) branching. However, our intention is to do it in two different ways. The IF construct computes each logical ex- pression in the IF and ELSEIF state- ments and executes the code block associated with the first expression that evaluates to a nonzero result (the C value for true). If no match is made, the code block associated with the ELSE statement executes. If there is no ELSE block, no code executes. The CASE statement computes the value of the expression. This value is used to calculate the address of the start of the code block containing the value as a constant in its CASEOF statement. If the computed value does not correspond to one of the CASEOF constants, then the DEF- CASE code block executes. It's important to note that the CASE statement does not have to work this way for all compilers. It may actually perform the comparisons. An unwrit- ten convention has grown up over the years that a CASE-type statement results in some form of address com- putation to immediately execute the matching code block and avoid the sequential computation of logical conditions. If your compiler does not produce this type of machine code, then it will operate just like the IF, and there is little difference in which con- struct you use. We use the Lattice C compiler, which does address com- putations if the number of branches and the constants meet the right con- ditions. Otherwise, it performs the comparisons directly. The IF Construct The general form of the IF statement is shown in figure 4. The expressions [continued) 140 B YTE • MAY 1986 AMERKXS NEXT WOKTTF MOUSE The best price: *99 El LOGIMOUSE"C7 HIGH (200 dpi) resolution Tactile feedback switches THE BEST HARDWARE LOGITECH has been the leading OEM mouse company for years, quietly providing mice to companies like AT&T, DEC, and H-P. We've designed LOGIMOUSE C7 just for the retail marketplace. And poured all our years of hardware engineering into it. You simply can't find a better mouse. ■ IBM PC/XT/AT compatible through any serial port ■ NO pad, NO external power supply THE BEST SOFTWARE: LOGIMOUSE is now available with all new software that sets new performance standards for the mouse: LOGIMOUSE Base Package $99 ■ LOGIMOUSE Driver Version 3.0: Faster and smaller. Makes LOGIMOUSE compatible with all Microsoft applications. 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LOGIPAINTSET € && (* + + argv)[0] = = ' - ') for (s = argv[0] + 1; *s != '\0'; s+ +) switch (*s) { case V: except = 1; break; case 'n': number = 1; break; default: printf("find: illegal option %c\ n",*s); argc = 0; break; } if (argc != 1) printf(" Usage: find -x -ra pattern \ n">; else while (getline(line.MAXLINE) > 0) { lineno + + ; if ((indexfline, *argv) > = 0) ! = except) { if (number) printf("°/old: ", lineno); printf("%s", line); } Figure 5: A complex C coding example. piled to the same object code. On other compilers, the code blocks defined by the braces included in the Easy C definitions may result in addi- tional code. The question of portability (the ease with which an Easy C program may be compiled using other compilers and other computers) is somewhat more complex. The portability of Easy C ultimately rests on the preprocessor. If the constructs and their usage are consistent with the definition of the preprocessor given in Kernighan and Ritchie (the de facto standard), then they should be as portable as C. The Easy C constructs follow that prepro- cessor definition. The only other question concerns the use of exten- sive code-block nesting resulting from the braces defined in the Easy C oper- ators. If a compiler is not designed to accept high levels of code-block nesting, then Easy C cannot be used with it. This sort of restriction in a C compiler would be remarkable but not unheard of. How does it work in practice? After compiling several thousand lines of code written in Easy C, we discovered no problems. In terms of productivi- ty and ease of learning, the payoff was better than anticipated. Coding errors involving improper nesting were rare because of the ease with which nest- ing can be inspected and also because of the use of the braces. A branching or looping statement with- out an end. or an end without a branching or looping statement, results in mismatched braces, which produces a compiler error. Thus, nesting errors are caught at compile time where they are a lot easier to find and correct. Our attempt to produce a version of C that is quicker to learn and apply turned out to be successful. Replac- ing special symbols with familiar let- ter symbols removed one of the big hurdles to confidence in writing pro- grams. The simplification of punctua- tion involved in looping and branch- ing constructs helped build con- fidence in the ability to write correct code. Aside from structures and unions (which take a while to ap- preciate) and pointers (which never (continued) 146 BYTE • MAY 1986 PRINTER SHARING AND PRINT BUFFERING All IN ONE VERSATILE UNIT Print Master from BayTech is an intelligent printer controller that connects between your computers and printers. It allows you to share one printer automatically, contend for multiple printers automatically, or switch between several printers by sending a simple code. Plus, Print Master's built-in buffer spools data until your printer can receive it. A VERY FLEXIBLE PRINTER SHARER You configure Print Master's ports for any combination of printers and computers by answering questions from the easy-to-follow menus. For example, with the ten-port Print Master, nine computers can share one printer, eight computers can share two printers, seven computers can share three printers, and so on, to one computer which can share nine printers. You can also menu-select these features: the baud rate, word size, stop bits, parity, and XON/OFF handshaking; the disconnect time-out; and form feeds. Ports may be configured individually to translate for printers and computers using different configurations. All changes you make are saved in non- volatile memory. BayTech Printer Controller Print Master 710C j POWER 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 c -v <-.. -.. >:. ! PRINT MASTER'S BUFFER KEEPS YOU WORKING Since Print Master can accept data faster than your printer, you can dump a print job into Print Master's 51 2K buffer and then go on to another project. All connected users can send data to this common pool buffer, and they can be doing it at the same time, even if no printer is available. Data is stored in the buffer until it can be sent on a first-in-first- out basis to the selected printer. If you need more memory, Print Master is optionally available with one megabyte buffer. CONTROL PRINT OUTPUT FROM YOUR COMPUTER If several users are sharing one printer, printer sharing is completely automatic. There are no codes to send. You simply perform your normal print operation. If you are sharing several identical printers, connection is also automatic. Again, you perform your normal print operation and are connected to the next available printer on a first-come-first-serve basis. Print Master will send data to all printers simultaneously to keep your printers running at full capacity. If you are sharing several different printers, such as a letter printer, a laser-jet and a plotter, you do your normal print routine but insert a short printer select code (which you can define yourself) as. the first characters of your data. The data is then routed to the selected printer. It's that easy. CHOOSE SERIAL OR PARALLEL MODELS Print Master comes in six, eight and ten port models that feature serial, parallel, or combination serial/parallel ports. And BayTech provides technical support and service on all models if you ever have a problem. Want more details? Call or write BayTech at P.O. Box 387, Bay Saint Louis, MS 39520. Telex 910-333-1618. Phone 601-467-8231 or 800-523-2702 Bay Technical Associates, inc. 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Box 131 Cedar Knolls, N.J. 07927 Visa (201) 386-5876 M/C N.J. residents add 6% sales tax. For the best performance from your disk TUNE IT UP!! Visa, Master Card, Checks, Money Orders, or COD only. EASY C include "EASYC.H" /• Easy C defines V #define MAXLINE 1000 main(argc, argv) /* Find pattern from first argument */ int argc; char *argv[]; BEGIN char line[MAXLINE], *s; long lineno = 0; int except = 0, number = 0; WHILE(DEC argc GT AND (*INC argv)[0] EQ ' - ') FOR(s = argv[0] + 1 ; *s NE ' \ 0'; s INC) CASE(*s) CASEOF('x') except = 1; ENDCOF CASEOF('n') number = 1; ENDCOF DEFCASE printf("find: illegal option %c\n," *s); argc = 0; ENDCOF ENDCASE ENDF ENDW IF(argc NE 1) THEN printf("usage: find -x -n pattern \ n");.. ELSE WHILE(getline(line, MAXLINE) GT 0) lineno INC; IF((index(line, *argv) GE 0) NE except) THEN IF(number) THEN printf("°/old: ", lineno); ENDIF printf("°/os", line); ENDIF ENDW ENDIF END Figure 6: A complex Easy C coding example. cease to be a source of wonder and confusion), a typical programmer with limited C experience could expect to be producing code in a matter of days. Experienced programmers become comfortable with it im- mediately. Trying Easy C If you're using C or have access to a C compiler and want to try Easy C put the #define statements appearing in figures 1 and 3 into a file (ours is called EASYC.H). Be sure to mention this file in a #include statement prior to the first line of code in your pro- gram (see the first line of figure 6). After that, just follow the rules we have described. If you have questions about the use of the operators, use the #define statement as a reference to convert them to standard C and consult a C manual for help. Ker- nighan and Ritchie is the accepted standard for C, although it is difficult to study. Programming in C by S. G. Kochan (Hayden Book Company 1984) is recommended if this is your first exposure to C. Kochan includes numerous specific examples and clear explanations of all of the details of C. He also uses structured coding and points out the nonstructured aspects of C that can lead to problem code. ■ 148 BYTE • MAY 1986 THE LEADER'S OFFER Emerald is the leader in high performance hard disk and tape backup subsystem technology. We Want You To See What We've Got We want you to experience the inno- vative new technologies, products, and services you can get only from the Leader. Like DiskMeld™— Emerald's proprietary technology that allows two physical hard disks to meld into one logi- cal file or volume. And what better way to try DiskMeld, than by getting the second disk at half price? No one else can offer all the options we can. 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Box 310 6236 Maastricht Airport The Netherlands 4402-77979 Telex: 56239 Turbo Lightning. Reflex: The Analyst, and Superkey arc trademarks of Borland International. Microsoft Windows is a trademark of Microsoft, Inc. Ready! is a trademark of Living Videotext. Sideways is a trademark of Funk Software. dBase Ml ' M AshtonTate-Lotus 123™ Lotus Development Corporation— IBM PC and AT™. International Business Machines Corporation-Novell NetWare™ Novell Inc. -Emerald. Diskmeld. Extended Mass Storage Architecture. Archival Storage Protector, ASP. Trackfix. NetWorthy Subsystems, and Mainframe Storage For Micros™ Emerald Systems Corporation. Inquiry 127 for End-Users. Inquiry 128 for DEALERS ONLY. MAY 1986 'BYTE 149 YOU'RE LOOKING AT 4,096 COLORS 4-CHANNEL STEREO 32 INSTRUMENTS 18 SPRITES 3-D ANIMATION 125 DMA CHANNELS A BIT BUTTER AND IALE AND FEMALE VOICl A \ ONLY AMIGA GIVES YOU ALL THIS AND A 68000 PROCESSOR,TOO Three custom VLSI chips working in combi- tm nation with the main processor give Amiga" graphic dazzle, incredible musical ability and animation skill. And they make Amiga the only com- puter with a multi-tasking operating system built into hardware. All these capabilities are easy to tap because Amiga's open architecture pro- a vides you with access to the 68000 main E bus in addition to the serial, parallel and I floppy disk connectors. Complete tech- I nical manuals enable you to take full I AMIGA \innnrr~rv- iVVl L. \me advantage of the custom chips and the software support routines in the writable control store on the Kickstart™ disk that comes with every Amiga computer. You can access these resources in a number of development languages, includ- ing Amiga Macro Assembler,™ Amiga Q Amiga Basic (Microsoft®— Basic for the Amiga), Amiga Pascal and even Amiga LISP. So Amiga not only gives you more creativity, it gives you creative new ways to use it. Amiga by Commodore. GIVES YOU A CREATIVE EDGE. '"Amiga is a trademark of Commodore-Amiga, Inc. "Kickstart Is a trademark of Commodore-Amiga, Inc. "Amiga Macro Assembler Is a trademark of Commodore-Amiga, tnc. ^Microsoft is a registered trademark of Microsoft, inc PROGRAMMING INSIGHT SUBROUTINE OVERLAYS IN GW-BASIC by Mike Carmichael Have your BASIC program call subroutines from disk IF YOU HAVE EVER run out of mem- ory when developing a large BASIC program, you've probably wished you could store all those subroutines on a disk and have your program call them one by one when they are needed. Of course, you can use the COMMON and CHAIN statements to maintain global variables and forge a path between program modules, but Microsoft's GW-BASIC does not allow the programmer to link a main pro- gram with a series of subroutines. Yet there is a way around GW- BASIC's limitation in which a program can call subroutines from a disk. And if the subroutines are stored in a RAM disk, the additional run time neces- sary, to load a subroutine is hardly noticeable. The idea is simple: Set aside a sec- - tion of RAM and load individual sub- routines, as needed, into that section where each subroutine can be ex- ecuted. In GW-BASIC, however, when you try to load a subroutine into memory that's adjacent to the main program, you destroy the interpreter's work area, which always resides in the memory just above the program, and the program crashes. To get around that problem, you can pad the main program with remark statements that reserve a specific amount of RAM for the subroutines. (In my program example, that space is about 1000 bytes, but by using more or fewer remark statements, you can reserve whatever amount of memory your subroutines require.) When a particular subroutine is needed, the main program gets it from the disk and loads it into the exact memory location occupied by the remark statements— deleting those remark statements in the pro- cess and effectively merging the sub- routine into the main program. Then, when another subroutine is needed, the program loads it into the same memory location, overlaying (and deleting) the previous subroutine. And all that takes place while the main program is running, The command used to do this magic is BLOAD, a GW-BASIC com- mand that loads a disk file into specific memory locations. There is a catch, however. The file, in this case the subroutine, must be in binary form. And lest you think we've aban- doned programming in BASIC, let's examine how' GW-BASIC stores pro- grams and how you can convert BASIC code into binary format— it's easier than you might think. Interpreting BASIC Code Microsoft's GW-BASIC interpreter is very straightforward. You enter code line by line into memory, and as you do, the interpreter keeps its work area just above the last program line. Each BASIC command in a line is translated into appropriate 1- or 2-byte codes. Memory addresses and line numbers are stored in a standard 2-byte for- mat—the least significant byte first, followed by the most significant byte. Although it's not visible in a pro- gram listing, each line of BASIC code is preceded by an address that points to the next line. That address pointer is followed by the line number, which in turn is followed by parsed BASIC code and the ASCII equivalent of alphanumeric remarks, text, and so forth. (During execution, bytes con- taining line numbers referenced by GOSUB, GOTO, or other branch statements are translated into actual [continued) Mike Carmichael is Director of Software Ser- vices at Carmichael ]ones 8- Associates. POB 426, Glasgow. KY 42141. Inquiries, please enclose SASE. MAY 1986 -BYTE 151 "Anyone who wants to win MegaWars has to dominate entire planetary systems. And me," SUBROUTINE OVERLAYS By experimenting you can build a table of commands and small subroutines with the POKE function. addresses the first time they are encountered.) lust for fun, let's examine a BASIC statement. First, you must find where in your computer's memory the pro- gram statement will reside. With BASIC loaded, use the NEW com- mand to get rid of any extraneous code. Then equate a variable to some value and find the memory location of that variable. For example, just type F$ = "*". Now type PRINT VARPTR(F$). The decimal result will lead you very nearly to the lowest point in BASIC'S user memory— the place where a program will begin. The value 1 get on my MBC-Sanyo 5 50 is 4070; the value on your computer may be different. Next, enter NEW again and type a simple line of code that we can ex- amine: 10 F$ = "*". Now, to see what the BASIC interpreter has done, without using line numbers enter FOR I = 1 TO 20: PRINT PEEK(4060 + I);: NEXT I. Notice that the starting ad- dress for the PEEK function is 10 bytes less than the value previously obtained on my Sanyo; you should use an address that is 10 bytes less than the value obtained on your computer. Your computer should display the following 20 values for the memory locations checked (locations 4061 through 4080 on my Sanyo): 237 15 10 70 36 32 231 32 34 42 34 4 73. Those values translate as follows: (below the first line of BASIC code) 237 15 (address pointer for next line in memory: 15 * 256 + 237 = 4077) 10 10 (line number) 152 BYTE* MAY 1986 Inquiry 80 SUBROUTINE OVERLAYS 70 36 F$ 32 (blank space) 231 = (GW-BASIC's code for an equal sign) 3 2 (blank space) 34 42 34 "*" (end of line) (locations 4077 and 4078 show no line numbers- no more program) 4 73 (the first 2 bytes in BASIC'S workspace) You can also use this method to view the workings of other BASIC func- tions. In fact, you may want to experi- ment with building a table of com- mands and small subroutines with the POKE function. Building a Binary File In my program example, the main pro- gram and the subroutine are separate BASIC listings. | Editor's note: The BASIC source code for the program examples. Main- progbas and Routine.sub, is available for downloading via BYTEnet Listings at (617) 861-9764 and is also available on disk. See page 469 for details] At the end of the main program are several remark lines that occupy, or reserve, the memory space in which the binary version of the subroutine will be loaded. The documentation and fill characters in the remark statements leave more than adequate room. In practice, though, the area cleared need be no larger than necessary. To create a binary version of the BASIC subroutine, merge the two list- ings into one (load Mainprog.bas, then type MERGE "routine.sub"). Then run the program, and a new file rroutine.bin") will be saved. The code between line 8000 and line 1 1050 checks to see if the binary version of the subroutine is on the disk. If it isn't, the module assumes that you have merged the BASIC ver- sion of the subroutine. The load- switch variable is turned off, the line- pointer variable is set to line 30000. and the binary version of the code is saved using the BSAVE command. BSAVE stores binary code from mem- ory starting at a specific location and continuing for a specific length of bytes. {continued) CompuServe You never know who you'UJbe up against when you go Online with CompuServe. (A mmm - To buy your CompuServe Subscription Kit, i seeyour nearest computer dealer. Suggested retail price $39.95, , To request our free brochure or order direct, call or write: 800-848-8199 (In Ohio, call 614-457-0802) CompuServe 5000 Arlington Centre Blvd. Columbus, OH 43220 E^MI Inquiry 81 MAY 1986 IYTE 153 J \ * 0n Harrow I0ASF ^e*yOfe*c- \ \ BASF QUALIMETRICT5.25" FLEXYDISKS" CEF EE AND WARRANTED. LOOK WHAT'S IN IT FOR YOU! 2***, c *toc ■1/ifS.x ''*:, Now more than ever, there's more for you when you buy BASF Qualimetric™ FlexyDisks? There's a special two-part game ticket that not only gives you 100 chances to win an Apple*' lie Computer in our Apple-a-Day Sweepstakes, but is also an excit- ing scratch-off game with 14,110 chances to instantly win cash prizes up to $1 ,000. What else is in it for you? Only the best. . .the BASF FlexyDisk, certified 100% error-free and warranted forever. See your BASF dealer today and look for the specially-marked boxes of 5.25" and 3.5" BASF FlexyDisks. BBASF SUBROUTINE OVERLAYS Take advantage of this simple approach to subroutine overlays in your GW-BASIC applications programs. If the binary version of the subrou- tine is already on the disk, the pro- gram loads it, and the module located at line 8 1 00 takes over. (If the ASCII version of the subroutine has not been merged and the binary version is not on the disk, an error will occur.) Because the subroutine length and starting position will vary depending on the needs of the calling program, the program must alter, or relocate, the code to fit into the allocated space. The program looks 8 bytes ahead in the first line of the binary subroutine; thus the BASIC version of the subrou- tine must start with one line that con- sists of only a line number and one remark statement. The program then subtracts the address found from the line-pointer variable + 8 to calculate the pointer adjustments throughout the binary version of the subroutine now in memory. These adjustments are made line by line until the end of the program is detected (when the ad- dress pointers are 0)— so the subrou- tine must be at the end of the main program when the binary version is saved. The rest of the code is very straightforward. One further note: If .changes are made to the subroutine and an up- dated binary version needs to be saved on the disk, you must delete the current version before running the program. Otherwise, the program will attempt to load the existing binary subroutine. This simple approach to subroutine overlays in GW-BASIC should be useful to any BASIC programmers, l^ke advantage of the technique and improve on it when you incorporate the sample program modules into your applications. ■ MAY 1986 'BYTE 155 I z: .II I 1 ASYSTANT Ready-fo-Run Scienlific Software and ASYST are Irademarks of Macmillan Software Co. Now choose from a menu. Two scientific software systems for the way you do research. New ASYSTANT Ready-to-Run Scientific Software.™ Macmillan Software proudly intro- duces ASYSTANT menu-driven software . The first scientific software that lets you acquire, reduce, analyze, and graph data- without programming! ASYSTANT is a comprehensive, fully- integrated research system-so you won't waste time flip-flopping data from one package to another to get the results you need. Only ASYSTANT gives you a wide range of one-touch reduction/analysis functions supported by interactive graphics that guide you every step of the way. Built-in functions include FFT, smoothing, integra- tion, differentiation, curve fitting, statistics, differential equations, and matrix and poly- nomial operations. And only ASYSTANT combines all this power with optional menu- driven data acquisition for true, push- button control of lab equipment. Overall, ASYSTANT gives you more capabilities than any other product in its price range. For information on ASYSTANT, circle 427. ASYSTond ASYSTANTwere developed by Adaptable Laboratory Software, P.O. Box 18448, Rochester, NY 14618 Or make it to order. ASYST." More interfacing, analysis, and graphics capabilities than any other PC software. Macmillan's widely-acclaimed ASYST" Scientific Software offers an interactive programming environment with the built-in functions of ASYSTANT-plus many more. ASYST's unique capabilities provide the building blocks that let you assemble scientific applications-fast. Sophisticated functions that would take hours using stan- dard programming languages take only minutes with ASYST. And full-scale systems that would take months to develop can now be created in just a few days. RS-232 and optional A/D and GPIB/ IEEE-488 support offer more interface ver- For information on ASYST, circle 428. satility than any other scientific software. All hardware support functions integrate seamlessly with the full range of ASYST capabilities. Try ASYST or New ASYSTANT for 30 Days. CALL 1-800-348-0033 In New York state, (212) 702-3241 . Macmillan Software Co. An affiliate of Macmillan Publishing Company 866 Third Avenue, New York, NY 1 0022 For information on both products, circle 429. -? /' :/. ^ ^ »/oh/Aj wo/eKsr^Tio/a How many long unproductive hours have you spent "in line" for your simula- tion? Well, no more. MICROCAP and MICROLOGIC can put you on line by turning your PC into a productive and cost-effective engineering workstation. Both of these sophisticated engineering tools provide you with quick and efficient solutions to your simulation problems. And here's how. MICROCAP: Your Analog Solution MICROCAP is an interactive analog circuit drawing and simulation system. It allows you to sketch a circuit diagram right on the CRT screen, then run an AC, DC, or Transient analysis. While pro- viding you with libraries for defined models of bipolar and MOS devices, Opamps, transformers, diodes, and much more, MICROCAP also includes features not even found in SPICE. MICROCAP II lets you be even more productive. As an advanced version, it employs sparse matrix techniques for faster simulation speed and larger net- IB "Typical MICROCAP Transient Analysis" works. In addition, you get even more advanced device models, worst case capa- bilities, temperature stepping, Fourier analysis, and macro capability. MICROLOGIC: Your Digital Solution MICROLOGIC provides you with a similar interactive drawing and analysis environment for digital work. Using standard PC hardware, you can create logic diagrams of up to 9 pages with each containing up to 200 gates. The system automatically creates the netlist required for a timing simulation and will handle networks of up to 1800 gates. It provides you with libraries for 36 user-defined basic gate types, 36 data channels of 2 56 bits each, 10 user-defined clock wave- forms, and up to 50 macros in each net- work. MICROLOGIC produces high-resolution timing diagrams showing selected waveforms and associated delays, glitches, and spikes — just like the real thing. Typical MICROL OGIC Diagram " Reviewers Love These Solutions Regarding MICROCAP ... "A highly recommended analog design program" (PC Tech Journal 3/84). "A valuable tool for circuit designers" (Personal Software Magazine 11/83). Regarding MICROLOGIC . . . "An effi- cient design system that does what it is supposed to do at a reasonable price" (Byte 4/84). MICROCAP and MICROLOGIC are available for the Apple II (64k), IBM PC (128k), and HP- 150 computers and priced at S475 and S450 respectively. Demo versions are available for S75. MICROCAP II is available for the Macintosh, IBM PC (256k), and HP-150 systems and is priced at S895. Demo versions are available for S100. Demopricesare credited to the purchase price of the actual system. Now, to get on line, call or write today! Spectrum Software 1021 S. Wolfe Road, Dept. B Sunnyvale, CA 94087 (408)738-4387 Inquiry 401 CD-ROM SOFTWARE count to the total capacity of the storage space) • the size of each block or bucket (the number of records that can be stored at any given address) • the design of the hash function itself Clearly packing density is relevant, since you can avoid overflow by plac- ing a small number of records into a large file. The more tightly you pack a file, the more likely you are to over- flow at least one bucket. Bucket size also affects overflow. You could guarantee no overflow if you considered the entire file to be a single bucket. Unfortunately, you would have to read the entire file in- to RAM and process it there. At the other extreme, overflow would almost certainly occur if you used buckets that held only one record each. l^ble 3 describes the effect that packing density and bucket size have on the probability of overflow, pro- vided you have a hash function that distributes records randomly across the buckets. You can reduce overflow by manipulating these variables. For instance, if you want less than one percent of the records to overflow their buckets, you can choose from the table any of the packing-density/ bucket-size pairs that fall within that percentage range. In practice, you would probably choose a bucket size on the basis of record size and the physical con- straints of CD-ROM sectors. You would then accept the packing den- sity required to reach some targeted overflow probability, l^ble 3 demon- strates the advantage of using large buckets. The bucket size should be some integer multiple of the CD- ROM's 2K-byte sector size for the reason given earlier: A good operat- ing system can transfer data directly into the program's work area if you re- quest complete sectors. The percentages provided in table 3 were calculated using the Poisson distribution, which assumes that the hash function distributes the records randomly. Since the CD-ROM is a read-only medium, you have a com- plete list of the keys to be hashed before you build the file. You can analyze the keys to find functions that distribute them more uniformly than a random function would. A perfect- ly uniform distribution would place an equal number of records in each bucket, guaranteeing no overflow even at a packing density of 100 per- cent. Although developing a function that yields such perfection can be very time-consuming, you can often find an economical way to improve on purely random distributions, thereby allowing higher packing densities while still avoiding overflow. You can, in short, treat parameters within the hash function as variables just as you considered bucket size and packing density as variables. Optimizing a Table 3: The percentage of hashed records that will overflow their buckets given a particular packing density and bucket size. (Values less than 0.1 percent are indicated by ~ .) Packing density Bucket size (number of records) (percent) 1 2 5 10 20 10 4.8 0.6 ~ ~ ~ 20 9.4 2.1 0.1 ~ ~ 30 13.6 4.5 0.3 ~ ~ 40 17.5 7.3 1.1 0.1 ~ 50 21.3 10.3 2.4 0.4 ~ 60 24.8 13.6 4.4 1.2 0.2 70 28.0 17.0 7.1 2.8 0.8 80 31.2 20.4 10.2 5.2 2.3 90 34.0 23.7 13.7 8.5 4.8 100 36.7 27.0 17.5 12.4 7.7 hash function is made possible by the disk's read-only nature and practical because you can use large computers working in a batch-processing en- vironment to create the data set that will ultimately be used interactively by small computers. Conclusion A CD-ROM drive seeks slowly, mak- ing it all too easy to develop applica- tions that perform very poorly on it. Even if you are an experienced pro- grammer, you can make design mis- takes that result in poor performance if you fall into "magnetic-disk think." You need to focus squarely on the physical characteristics of the CD- ROM, taking advantage of the medium's strengths while avoiding its weaknesses. When the design work is done well, the payoff can be impressive: the CD- ROM enables you to move very large databases out of book form, out of centralized time-sharing systems, and off microforms. It provides convenient access to data inexpensively through mass distribution, and it offers excep- tionally fast, convenient retrieval of these databases on very small com- puters. ■ BIBLIOGRAPHY Bayer, R., and E. McCreight. "Organization and Maintenance of Large Ordered In- dexes." Acta [nformatica. vol. I. no. 3, (1972), page 173. This is the classic, original article describing B-trees. Bradley. James. File and Data Base Techniques. New York: Holt. Rinehart & Winston. 1981. Contains a good chapter on hashing. Comer. Douglas. "The Ubiquitous B-tree." Computing Surveys, lune 1979. page 121. Excellent overview of B-trees and B + trees. Deitel, Harvey. An Introduction to Operating Systems. Reading. MA: Addison-Wesley. 1984. Brief overview of LRU and other buffer-replacement strategies. Shuford. Richard S. "CD-ROMs and Their Kin." BYTE. November 198 5, page 137. Description of the physical character- istics of CD-ROMs and other optical media. Zoellick, Bill. "File System Support for CD ROM." In The New Papyrus: CD ROM, Steve Lambert and Suzanne Ropiequet eds. Redmond. WA: Microsoft Press. 1986. Issues of software development applied to CD-ROM file systems. 188 BYTE • MAY 1986 PERFORMANCE In a multi-user system, performance is the most important ingredient. That's why we build per- formance into every aspect of our multi-user systems. The CompuPro 286/40™ offers more performance for the money than any competing system; a powerftil 8 MHz 80286 processor, 768K of memory, 40 megabyte hard disk, 9 serial ports, floppy and tape backup drives, Con- current DOS 8 16™ multi-user, multi-tasking operating system and applications including New Word™. Price? Just $9995. Now that's performance! Options? How about memory expan- sion to a megabyte, 80 mega- byte hard disks, slave proc- essors, networking, graphics and more. To find out how the Com- puPro 286/40 (or any of our other multi-user systems ) can give your business the performance it needs, contact a distributor listed below for the name of your local CompuPro dealer. PERFORMANCE ACCELERATORS CompuPro's high perform- ance S-100/IEEE 696 board products are the heart of our high performance systems. If you're looking to boost your system's performance or you're choosing boards to build new systems, you can't buy better boards than ours. Here are some of the highlights: CPU 286™: 8 MHz, no wait state 80286 processor will really boost your system's per- formance. $895. SPUZ™: 8 MHz Z80H slave processor for concurrent 8-bit task processing reduces workload of host processor. 64K (one task) version: $295. 256K (four task) version: $395. NET 100™: Local Area Net- work board features high speed (2.5 MBPS) transfers using standard coax cable. Network multiple systems (even PCs) together for resource sharing and to increase performance in larger installations. $395. M-Drive/H™: RAM disk can increase system throughput by as much as 3500% and can now be used as a hard disk cache under Concurrent DOS 816 version 4.1. 5 12 K version: $495. 2 Megabyte version: $1095. Fast Static RAM: Low power, high speed static RAM elimi- nates the wait states needed with dynamic RAMs. RAM 22™ (256K):$595. RAM24™(1 Mbyte on a single card): $2995. AT COMPUPRO, PERFORMANCE IS NOT JUST ANOTHER BUZZWORD. Call the Distributor Near You For The Name Of Your Local Dealer: Canada— Tri-M Systems (604) 438-0028 Ohio— QDP Computer Systems Inc. (216) 526-0838 Hawaii— Viaduct (808) 242-9113 Pennsylvania— Tek-Aids Industries Inc. (215) 337-3220 Illinois— Tek-Aids Industries Inc. (312) 870-7400 Texas— Business Systems (214) 785-0041 North Carolina— General Semantics (919) 378-1500 West of the Rockies (except Hawaii) Call CompuPro direct for the name of your local dealer. fompuPro Viasyn Corporation 26538 Danti Court, Hayward, CA 94545-3999 (415) 786-0909 CompuPro, CompuPro 286/40, CPU 286, SPUZ, Net 100, M-Drive/H, RAM 22 and RAM 24 are trademarks of Viasyn Corporation. Concurrent DOS 816 is a compound trademark of Digital Research Inc. and Viasyn Corporation. NewWord is a trademark of NewStar Software, Inc. SuperCalc 2 is a trademark of Computer Associates International Inc. MAY 1 986 • BYTE 189 When you think of Xerox what • • think of 7 you Its almost instinctive to think of copiers whenever the name Xerox is mentioned. After all, 25 years ago we invented the category. And since that time we've become the gold standard for dependable and diverse desktop, mid and high volume copier^^^^^^ But just for the record, in the last 8 months we've introduced 30 new office systems and business solutions. From Xerography To Lasography. All of these new systems and solutions are designed to help you create, preserve and share docu- ments of uns urpassed qua lity. And all are backed by Team Xerox. The people who provide a service and support organization second to none. Most of ; ^ these new systems are the direct results of hamess- the power of the laser. What we call Lasography. You see, ten years ago Xerox believed the best way to print text and graphics from simple memos to complex reports would be through lasography. So, we began work on a new generation of office systems. For instance, the Documenter System you see here gives office professionals a personal lasographic system right at their fingertips. A desktop system that lets them create and print documents of J incredible clarity. The Documenter consists of the Xerox 6085 Professional Computer System and the Xerox 4045 Laser CP The 6085 offers a unique 19 inch bit map screen with multiple windows that allow you to spread out all The Xerox Documenter System. of your work right in front of you. In fact, its windows allow you to work on many things at once. Using either our ViewPoint® or MS-DOS® software. And when you're ready to print documents, you can use the Xerox 4045 Laser CP shown here or one of the latest Xerox Diablo printers. XEROX® and the identifying names and numbers are registered trademarks of XEROX CORPORATION. MS-DOS® is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation. IBM is a registered trademark of the International Business Machines Corporation. Viewpoint® is a registered trademark of XEROX CORPORATION. 190 B YTE • MAY 1986 XEROX The Xerox 4050 Laser Printing System featured here is the newest lasographic printer from Xerox. It offers the power | and capabilities of the Xerox 9700 and 8700 in a medium speed laser printer. ■ Were also introducing the Xerox XPS 701. A low cost, full function, turnkey publishing system. The entry level Th x an™ ^^ ^' ena ^' es y° u t0 create an d manage text and graphic I Laser Printing System. 1 input. It's especially designed for large illustrated documents that : require frequent revision, fast production turn- ^JSSWPP^ around and relatively small print runs. And for those who want more than a line printer but less than a laser printer, there's the | Xerox 4060 Computer Printing System. Using ■ : -__ ...j * Ion Deposition Technology, the advanced 4060 is ideal for the IBM data center. Yet another exciting capabilities story r: revolves around networks and software. The Most Complete Family Of Networks. Xerox now offers the most comprehensive networking capabilities in the industry. The new XC22 twisted pair network, is low cost and simple to install and takes advantage of existing telephone wires. The XC22 allows work groups to share information and resources such as laser printers and rigid disks. The XC24 System uses a coaxial cable that can easily run along the base of off ice walls or in ceilings. And it's an entry- level option utilizing the same industry standard MS-DOS® operating system as does the XC22. The XC24 is also user installable, easy to learn and use. Finally there's the XC80 network family using Ethernet. Fully configured networks, with virtually unlimited ^^ " " • v m work stations, printers, storage, main frame communications and internetworking appli- ■ \* ~Z^ « .-. -. cat 'ons. The key to all of these networking capabilities is that ■ -'--:-..*'■' fclBfflffl ! we can design business solutions that enable small work ■t^\ H groups or full departments to easily share information. Two examples are the new Xerox Integrated Financial Manage- ment and Purchasing Management Solutions. Both v , v contain powerful depart- «h KSl*. mental processing . mm. options such as "The Xerox xps 701. *■ sophisticated relational data-base management, host program access, electronic mail and high capacity file, disk and print services which enable each application to fulfill complete purchasing or financial needs. Xerox is also introducing the 4020 Color Ink Jet Printer, which is also network compatible. The 4020 can produce up to 4000 shades of seven primary colors. And finally Xerox is introducing the Telecopier 7010. A portable digital facsimile transceiver that can transmit a hand The Xerox 4060 written or typed page in just 25 seconds. Before we leave we'd like to remind you of Com P uter Printing System. Team Xerox. A unified support structure that includes people, products and services. All here to help you every step of the way. So the next time you hear the name Xerox, we hope you'll think of more than just the worlds most dependable copiers. TeamXerak Yes, I'm interested in learning more about the newest Xerox office systems and business solutions. Send this coupon to: Xerox Corporation, PO. Box 24. Rochester, NY 14692. D The Documenter System D The Xerox XPS 701 System □ The 4045 Laser CP D The Xerox 7010 Telecopier D The 4060 Computer Printing System □ The 4050 Laser Printing System D Xerox Networks and Software D The 4020 Color Ink Jet l^nter D Please have a sales representative call me. Xerox Networks. For more information, call your local Xerox sales office or: 1-800-TEAM XRX, ext. 213 (l-800-H32-6979.ext.2l3) If you can't wait, call 1-800-TEAM-XRX, ext. 213 (1-800-832-6979, ext.213) 192 5/86 FOR MORE INFORMATION ON DIRECTIONS WAVE 111 PRODUCTS. CIRCLE CODE 393 ON THE READER SERVICE CARD. 0SSES90NS FOR A MOMENT OF TIME" The ITT XTRA XP desktop personal computer You can't buy time. Long before Queen Elizabeth I, man began his quest to hoard that most precious and elusive of commodities. Time. He can only make better use of the few hours he already has. Hence, the devel- opment of today's business computer. The ITT XTRA™ XP. Our crowning achievement. By matching memory to the muscle of the Intel 80286 microprocessor, we're able to achieve "no wait states!' Processing never pauses for slower memory. Making the ITT XTRA XP thirty per- cent faster than the IBM AT. And fully XT-compatible. Giving you speed and flexibility. Because, being a corporation of many businesses, we're in a unique position to better understand what you need to grow. Today, as well as tomorrow. ITT XTRAXP COMPAQ 286 IBM PC/AT Lotus 1-2-3 11 sec 13sec 15sec dBase 36sec 52sec 56sec FormSort 52sec lmin 5sec lmin lOsec All comparisons are for purpose of illustration only: User's application performanc is dependent on application. A moment's investment today can pay off royally tomorrow. Call (800) 321-7661. In California, (800) 368-7300. And call quickly Every moment wasted is a potentially profit- able moment you'll never possess again. PERSONAL COMPUTERS ITT BECAUSE TIME IS THE ULTIMATE BOTTOM LINE & 1986, ITT Information Systems. IBM. PC/AT and PC/XT are registered trademarks of Inigrnaliona] Business Machines,. Intel 80286 is u registered trademark of Intel Corporation. Compaq 286 is j registered trademark of Compaq Computer Corporation. Lotus and 1-2-3 aro registered trademarks of Lotus Development Corporation. dBase is a registered trademark of Ashion-Tate. Inquiry 180 for End-Users. Inquiry 181 for DEALERS ONLY. MASS STORAGE THE APPLICATION INTERFACE OF OPTICAL DRIVES by Jeffrey R. Dulude The issues that concern an applications programmer working with write-once optical disks THE MANY ADVANTAGES of write- once optical disk drives, such as re- movability, ruggedness, transport- ability, capacity, and even low cost, do not come for free. And there are none who know that better than those of us developing IBM PC applications on write-once drives, for we are the ones who must deal with the differences between magnetic and optical disks. Optical disks differ from magnetic disks in several respects, specifically in the write-once nature of the beasts, their pushing beyond the 32-mega- byte file limit of PC-DOS, their access time, and their manner of error han- dling. The write-once aspect is further complicated by directory-manage- ment issues, file updates, retrieving older information, and file extensions. As the write-once name implies, data written on an optical disk is per- manent. Information is stored by a laser, which burns holes in a special material on the disk. Once a hole is burned, it is burned forever. Period. Also important are the differences in capacity and how that space is used. The smallest unit you can work with on an optical drive is a full sec- tor, typically 512 bytes. This limitation exists because of a very powerful error-correction system used with every optical disk drive. These error-correction systems work by building a unique data block, called an error-correcting code (ECC), for each sector written. The ECC mir- rors the information written in that sector. Once the ECC field is written, the system can read several bytes in a sector erroneously, and yet the data can be corrected. However, the ECC is generated for the whole sector, even if only half of that sector was ac- tually used. And because an ECC field on a write-once disk cannot be changed, any unwritten portion of a partially used sector is lost. Fortunately space is cheap. Optical disks have the lowest cost per mega- byte of any data-storage medium. Bet- ter still, the disks are removable. But while giving you the benefit of essen- tially unlimited storage, this also creates special problems for directory handling on cartridge changes. Next, consider the access times, which are both fast and slow, depend- ing on how far the head has to go. Op- tical drives use a two-stage position- ing mechanism to get the lens over the appropriate track on the disk. Most drives can seek optically by tilt- ing the lens within about a 40-track range. This optical seek is very fast- about 1 millisecond per track (a track is typically about 10K bytes). Beyond that 40-track range, the drive must seek mechanically, using a stepper motor or worm gear. Due to the large mass of the optical head, this posi- tioning takes a while, and average seek time over the entire disk surface is above 100 milliseconds. And finally, no popular operating system supports write-once optical drives at this time. So you must deal with issues at the device level, the operating-system level, and the ap- plication level. The Directory One of the first issues you must resolve is how to put a directory onto a write-once optical disk. And for (continued) \effrey R. Dulude is director of marketing for Optotecfi Inc. He can be reached at POB 1470, Monument. CO 80132. MAY 1986 -BYTE 193 APPLICATION INTERFACE someone who has only dealt with erasable media, the answer is not im- mediately obvious, because most operating systems keep their file- allocation table (FAT) and root direc- tories in the same locations on the disk, rewriting only parts of them as needed. However, the very fact that you can't remove information from a write-once disk suggests that you may never want to destroy a directory in the first place. To date, at least four different ways of handling directories have been used, each with varying degrees of success. One of the earliest ap- proaches was to keep all the data on the optical disk and all of the direc- tory on a companion floppy disk. But what if you lose or damage the flop- py disk? Well, people do lose floppies, or the disks become erased or damaged. But when you lose the floppy disk that contains the directory for an optical disk, you've also lost all your data. I don't think anyone uses the directory- on-floppy technique any more. Another approach keeps the direc- tory and FAT in RAM. They are read each time the optical cartridge is in- serted and rewritten on the optical disk just before the cartridge is ejected. This technique slows down cartridge changes, but it is otherwise fast because the computer can do directory searches faster when the directory is stored in RAM. There are downsides to this ap- proach, however. First, it uses a lot of disk space. In fact, the overhead used by all the directory and FAT rewrites on the optical disk often exceeds the size of the file data. Even worse, the system is vulnerable to power failures or someone simply turning off the machine before the directory is rewrit- ten to the optical disk. The last and most difficult approach to the optical disk directory issue is a unique file-management system that provides all the capabilities of PC- DOS. This type of file system keeps sets of pointers to all the subdirec- tories. This way, when a subdirectory is updated, only the revised portion of the directory along with the pointers to it, is written, not the en- tire system. This type of system is very space-efficient, and it has the addi- tional advantage of being able to retrieve previous versions of files by going back several levels of pointers. Access to this type of directory system can be provided through several means. For example, file I/O could be added to popular program- ming languages. Or you could write device drivers that go through DOS and look at only a 32-megabyte file window at a time. But perhaps the most powerful way is to write an in- terrupt handler that traps the DOS in- terrupt, allowing an optimal write- once directory system that would be compatible with programs written for PC-DOS. Updating Files Most application programs often need to change only part of a file- rarely the entire file. With write-once disks, changing only part of a file can present a problem. 1\vo approaches are currently being used for updates. The first is to simply rewrite the en- tire file. This approach is not only easy to implement, it is also effective when you are dealing with many small files. Remember, space is cheap on optical disks. Complete file rewrites become un- manageable, however, when the files become large. For example, you could not update a 150-megabyte file on a 200-megabyte disk by rewriting the entire file, and rewriting only those sectors of a file that are actually changed becomes the obvious solu- tion. For this reason, the post-field concept was developed. A post field is simply an address- pointer field placed after every sec- tor on a write-once disk. This pointer field is not used when the sector is written, but later, when a replace- ment, or update, sector is created, the address of that new sector is written in the post field of the original sector. Then, when data is to be retrieved, the system checks the post field of the original sector to determine if that data has been changed and, if it has, where the revised data is located. And since every sector has a post field, new updates can be made to previous updates. The advantages of post fields are that they are space-efficient and they give an excellent audit trail for track- ing changes to data. The disadvantage is that if a file has been updated fre- quently, the necessary optical-head travel through a long list of linked up- dates taxes the system's performance. For each of the two methods of up- dating a file, retrieving the original data is handled differently. Where the entire file is rewritten, you need a directory system that allows access to the old file. Some directory systems do this with command extensions for file and directory utilities. Others routinely include the earlier version of the file in all directory activity, and you just specify which version of the file you want. In the post-field implemen- tation, the system finds the original data first, so branching to the updates is available automatically. In either case, the ability to retrieve original data is a powerful feature of write-once optical disks. Imagine an engineering drawing system that could take you back through the last three changes to see why your current version doesn't work. Or imagine a software-development environment where you could examine every in- terim piece of code written. Appending Files In addition to changing and updating original data in files, many applica- tions require enlarging the file. Such is the case with large database-man- agement systems, where you need to append new data to the end of exist- ing files. But appending files on a write-once optical disk has two problems: how to cope with the existing partially writ- ten sector at the end of the file, and how to add information past that last sector. Here, the state of the art of- fers three different ways to tackle the problem: rewriting the file, changing the FAT, and using a post field. Again, rewriting the entire file is the simplest way to go. As with updating a file, however, this method works well only with small files and breaks down with large ones. Since the primary ad- vantage of an optical disk is its abili- ty to handle large files— the very reason most developers choose an (continued) 194 BYTE • MAY 1986 The Source Js Illuminating. At last, a beacon to help you navigate the vast sea of personal computer technology. It's The Source. The online information service that can guide you to the best deals in the PC market. Shed light on your software problems. And signal the latest developments in micros. With The Source, you can buy, sell or swap hardware and software. Learn new applications from a Special Interest Group. See what's been written about the printer you're planning to buy. Or send out an SOS to thousands of other PC users when you need advice. What's more, The Source can enlighten you with current information on everything from business I TOeSoiIce to travel, investments to world news. The Source is a service mark of Source Telecomputing Corporation, a subsidiary of The Reader's Digest Association, Inc. © 1985 Source Telecomputing Corporation. Whatever kind of help you're after, you can find it faster on The Source. With a system of easy commands and menus. Plus a tutorial— free of online charges— that'll bring you up to speed in a snap. To sign up today, call 1-800-336-3366, For more information, mail this coupon, or visit your nearest dealer. Then, no matter how many waves of new technology rock your boat, you'll stay right on course. NFORMATION NETWORK 'HicmtisljxwuliilKstt SM The most powerful resource any personal computer can hare. Show me the light. Please send more information about The Source. Name 7827323 Address »$** City, State Zip v\ \ Mail to: Source Telecomputing Corporation, FO. Box 1305, McLean, VA 22102. In Virginia, or outside the U.S., call (703) 821-6666. MAY 1986 lYTE 195 Inquiry 39 WORLD'S BEST ASCII CHART Color-coded, pleasant to look at. Durable. Combines all the infor- mation you need in an easy-to- use grid format. Handy reference guide for programming, commu- nications, peripherals, installing software. Available in notebook size for $4.75 + $1.50 shipping, or poster size for $9.95 + $3 shipping. Calif, residents add applicable sales tax. To order, send check or money order. For more information, contact us. Dealer inquiries invited. (DPI W computer specialty products QSSOCiQteS PO Bor 772S. Son Jose Cft 95150 (408) 377-6068 .. b5 ■> a ■., '."] 1 2 3 « 5 6 7 0000 . w* . . IX: , ■ ° ., P . « ri o„, OOOI 1 ■ so- ; ■■+■[ ,, I , .. ' ., „ * , , « , ,, «„, OOIO 2 ; st. '■■-■■.. .. 2 , B ■ " . b n r ... 001 1 3 \ rT< >- 3 ._ ,, 1 . 11 3 11 G s ,. c ^ • j s .„ OIOO 4 ;'<■-•<". ,.L^', ,. s „ , 4 ,, ,. D „ .. T .. .. "... .. ' M. OIOI 5 .': "*-;' & i. u e n u ,„ OIIO 6 .' «* , >!,, ., * .. „ 6 ,. ... F . .. v .. .. ' „. „ w .„ 01 1 t 7 >*-l . .>».. , ? .. ... „ ,. w .. , ■ tJ .,■ N W .„ 1000 8 ~ BS J ; .'. ca \. „ 1 u .. S ,. ., H . ,. x .. v. h - 100 i 9 lr v^ 1 T^r - 1 " ,. 9 » JJy z ;;~ 2__±, ion B e -:..-: . .. f ., ., K ■ .. 1 . ... * . . ,. 1 .„ 1 100 C ■ » .. 'fs L \ ■ , K 1 * 1 101 D ," -•* . (,5 - „ " ,. M „ „ 1 ,. m r. I.„ 1 1 10 E ' K . '' «* , ;, .. N „ *"« 1 1 1 1 F , V . . ^ , ! " ..— V . °.„ ,. <* L .„ ■ ■■^z;. ;'^;:/:. «£'&> «««"<— H "sr u Lss l ,M * is / ////// ^SCHAGPIBCODECHAPl Attention aU FX80, FX100, JX, & RX owners: You already awn half of a great printer Now for $79.95 you can own the rest. You see, today's new dot matrix printers offer a lot more. Like an NLQ mode that makes their letters print almost as sharp as a daisy wheel. And font switching at the touch of a button - in over 160 styles. But now, a Dots-Perfect upgrade kit can make your printer work like the new models in minutes. At a fraction of their cost Call now and use your Visa or Master Card. Don't replace your printer, upgrade it! 1-800-368-7737 In California: 1-800-831-9772 g SoL (Dots-Perfect) &D r esse I ha iis 837 E. Alosta Ave., Glendora, CA 91740 Tel: (818) 914-5831 An upgrade kit for EPSON FX, JX and RX printers Sample of letter without Dots-Perfect g EPSON is a trademark of EPSON America. Inc. APPLICATION INTERFACE optical disk system— this technique falls short. If the file-management system uses a file-allocation table, changing the FAT can be a very effective way to ap- pend a file. With this technique, the last sector of the original file is read into memory, appended to fill that sector, and written elsewhere on the disk with the additional sectors follow- ing in order. Afterwards, the system writes a new FAT. Or by using the venerable post field to replace the partially filled final sec- tor, the system can write the rest of the appended sectors contiguous to the last one. The advantage of this technique is that the entire file can reside in contiguous sectors, speeding throughput. The disadvantage is that you must allocate space for the file- making a guess at the file's ultimate size— when the file is created. Handling the Capacity One of the more frustrating things about using an optical disk on an IBM PC is PC-DOS's limitation on the size of a logical disk volume. It is only 32 megabytes— a pittance compared to the 200 megabytes typically available on 5 14 -inch write-once optical drives. Fortunately, there are a handful of ways to handle the address limita- tions. One way is to surrender to PC- DOS and break your disk into 32- megabyte partitions. It's easy to do, and it works. Some people have tricked PC-DOS through one means or another to achieve addressable space greater than 32 megabytes. This gives you the capacity you want, but you some- times pay for it with compatibility problems, which often crop up with off-the-shelf, high-performance soft- ware packages that use undocu- mented features of PC-DOS to achieve their performance. Another problem is that developers must redo their PC- DOS modification for any new version of PC-DOS that may be released. The most powerful, and possibly the most difficult, way around the size limitation is with a new interrupt handler, which may also be necessary for the file-management system and directory. By trapping the operating- [continued) 196 B YTE • MAY 1986 Inquiry 1 19 technical reading can affect your vision. Nothing gives you a more focused view of your industry than the magazine you're holding right now. But if you really intend to get ahead, you need a broader perspective as well. The kind provided by The Wall Street Journal. In an age of increasing special- ization, it's increasingly important to stay in touch with the business world as a whole. So in addition to thousands of technically oriented articles each year, The Journal offers you a daily briefing of news, informa- tion and ideas that can help you make smarter decisions. No matter what part of the business world you live in. One week free. To find out how useful The Journal can be— especially in a tech- nical field- call 800-551-5700, ext. 71V You'll receive a full business week of The Wall Street Journal free and at no obligation. Of course, you're also welcome to start a subscription. If you can see your way clear. C1986lJfiw Junes AG impan lhe\\&ll Street Journal. The daily diaty of the American dream. APPLICATION INTERFACE system interrupt (21), the interrupt handler can intercept calls made for the optical disk while other calls are simply passed through. Once inter- cepted, the optical disk calls can be treated differently allowing the write- once file-management system to be kept transparent to the user. The difficulty, however, is that the in- terrupt handler must also support every disk call in exactly the same way as PC-DOS supports them. Those calls include functions that open a file, write a sector to a file, find out how much free space is on the disk, and so forth. Moreover, supporting all of those functions requires a tremen- dous amount of program code. Cutting Access Time Compared to hard-disk drives, optical drives have unusual seek characteris- tics. They seek rapidly in a small band and slowly in a large band. As an ap- plication developer, you must maxi- mize performance of your application. You can measure your application's performance with two criteria: the file- management system's access time to data and its overall throughput. How quickly you get to your data depends a great deal on how the file-management system is laid out. Some companies put the data on the outside tracks, expanding inward, and the directory on the inside tracks, growing outward. The two grow toward each other, and the disk is full when they meet. Having the data separated from the directory by almost the full disk surface could lead to long time delays between opening a file and getting data from it. Another file-management approach is to interleave the data and directory. A "high-water" mark is kept in the directory to indicate the next available disk sector. If, when writing part of a directory, the system runs out of space, the high-water mark tells the system where to put more directory entries. A block of directory space is reserved on the disk, and data follows it. Such interleaving minimizes the seek time between finding a directory entry and actually getting the data. To speed throughput, you could use a file-management system that allows you to write sequential sectors of a file contiguously on the optical disk. Doing so eliminates seek time be- tween sectors. Contrast this to PC- DOS writing to a floppy disk that has had many files erased and rewritten. When an available sector is re- quested, DOS just gives a file the next available sector, even if it's halfway across the disk. On a disk where avail- able sectors are not adjacent, you get "sector scatter," and every new read or write requires a seek to a new posi- tion, making data transfer very slow. Errors and Recovery The final issue you must address as an applications integrator using write- once optical drives is error handling. Several types of errors occur under Why put up with... ZOWJGIZIP Z0DIG!ZIP ZOWJGJZIP ZOWJGJZIP ZOWJGJZIP ZODfGJZIP ZODlGtZIP POCKETA,POCKETA! POCKETA,POCKETA! POCKETA,POCKETA! P ^ ^g 4V^fl® Find out what all the quiet \^d 1 1 %3 1 1 excitement is about. PRINTERS Printouts that stand out. ©1986Canon U.S.A., Inc. For more information: call 1-800-441-1313 (Or in Utah, call 800-922-3131.) Or write Canon U.S.A. Inc., Printer Division, PO. Box 619865, Dallas/Fort Worth Airport, TX 75261. Inquiry 57 MAY 1986 'BYTE 199 JLV. •?> ■ ? ^'Sr *>.sj* «*d^ At last, the world's best-selling portable computer has a little competition. nit: It's 30% smaller 17% lighter 400% faster Introducing the remarkable new COMPAQ PORTABLE II mmmmsammm Now there's a portable per- sonal computer so small, so light, and so fast it defines a new industry standard. From the same company that set the standard -COMPAQ: The new advanced-technology COMPAQ PORTABLE II™ has all the advantages of the world's best-selling full-function portable— the original COMPAQ Portable— plus it's even more portable. And it's far more powerful than most desktop computers. With its 80286 microproces- sor, the COMPAQ PORTABLE II can run all the popular business software written for IBM* Per- sonal Computers. At speeds three to five times faster than the COMPAQ Portable, IBM PC/XT™ and other compatibles. It's more computer in less space Never before has a computer this small been capable of so much. Making the COMPAQ It simply works better. PORTABLE II 30% smaller and 17% lighter— with no reduction in monitor size and a big gain in functionality— was an engineer- ing triumph. The result is a full- function, advanced- technology personal computer that's easy to take on business trips or carry from desk to desk. A computer for now and for the future The COMPAQ PORTABLE II excels in compatibility And because of its standard 360- Kbyte diskette drive format, your data diskettes will be fully interchangeable with other COMPAQ IBM, and compatible personal computers. Expandability? An optional 10-Megabyte fixed disk drive stores over 5000 pages of data. RAM expands to 2.1 Megabytes without an expansion slot, and with one expansion slot RAM can expand to 4.1 Megabytes. Since interfaces for the most popular peripherals are already built in, the two expansion slots can be used for connecting your computer to others: add a modem, a networking board, or a board for communicating with your mainframe. No compromises The COMPAQ PORTABLE II puts tremendous computing potential within the grasp of every computer user. It's backed by the service and the support of over 2900 Authorized COMPAQ Computer Dealers worldwide. Plus, it's made by the undisputed world leader in portable personal computers. And for that title, there's no competition. For the name of the dealer nearest you, call toll-free 1-800- 231-0900 and ask for Operator 16. In Canada, call (416) 449- 8741. In Europe, telex 84117898630AB; 898630 COMPAQ TTXD. IBM* is a registered trademark and IBM PC/XT™ is a trademark of International Business Machines Corporation. ®1986 COMPAQ Computer Corpora- tion. All rights reserved. comPAa mJT" Business Management Portrait Improve your 11 ^productivity with two new business software applications for users of IBM PC's™ and compatibles. Manager Mouse™ with TelePaint™ for overhead transparencies and slides. ■ Enhances Lotus 1-2-3 Graphs ■ Supports Polaroid Palette™ and over 20 printers ■ Includes business symbols and maps Manager Mouse™ with Key Free™ for Lotus 1-2-3,™ Symphony™ dBaselll™ and hundreds of other popular business software. ■ Easy to install ■ Pop-in windows for changing key settings on the fly ■ Ability to tailor keys easily Manager Mouse, the extremely versatile, portable mouse from the Torrington Company is low on maintenance and smooth on performance. It requires no special pad and no external power supply. Long a favorite of engineers and technical people, Manager Mouse, with a patented suspension drive system runs all popular mouse driven programs. Call 1-800-982-0030 for dealer information. Manager Mouse and KeyFree a e tradema ks of The Torrington Company. IBM is a tradema k of International Business Machines. Lotus 1-2-3 and Symphony are trademarks of (he Lotus Development Company. dBase III is a tradema k of Ashton Tate. TclcPaint is a tradema k of LCS/Telegraphics. Polaroid Palette is a tradema k of Polaroid Corporation. TORRINGTON Part of worldwide Ingersoll-Rand 202 B YTE • MAY 1986 Inquiry 403 MASS STORAGE OPTICAL DISK ERROR CORRECTION by Solomon W. Golomb A look at Hamming and Reed-Solomon codes OPTICAL DISKS ALLOW a higher den- sity of data storage than any other computer memory system currently available or imminently anticipated. For example, a magnetic 5 ! /4-inch flop- py disk, double-sided and double- density, will store up to 720K bytes, while an optical 5 14 -inch disk can store as much as 5 50 megabytes. It is true of most kinds of media that storage density can be further in- creased if you can tolerate a higher error rate. If your system is running at 1 million bits per second, an error rate of I0" 6 means that, on the average, there will be one error per second. An error rate of 10" 9 means an average of one error every 17 minutes. And an error rate of IO" 12 means an average of only one bit error every 1 1 Vi days, assuming that your system continues to run at I million bits per second all around the clock, seven days a week. That is why manufacturers of com- puters and disk drives like to specify an error rate of 10" 12 for the computer memory systems that will run with their machines. So media makers face a dilemma. They want to pack as many bits of storage into each disk as possible, but if their "raw error rate" goes up much above 10~ 12 , they won't meet OEM specifications. Here is where error- correcting codes help. Suppose the bits are packed so densely on the medium that the error rate is a horrible 10" 5 , corresponding to an average of 10 bit errors per sec- ond on our 1-megabit-per-second ma- chine. With the sophisticated error- correction techniques available today, it is possible to use only 10 percent of the available bits for redundancy, having the remaining 90 percent usable for real information, and reduce the errors that get through the system from a raw error rate of 1 0" 5 to a corrected error rate of 10~ 12 . Since degrading the error rate to IO" 5 prob- ably at least doubled the storage den- sity, the "penalty" of 10 percent for error correction to get the error rate back down to IO" 12 still leaves the media maker way ahead of the game. What Error-Correcting Codes Are Used Over the past 3 5 years or so, many different types of error-correcting codes have been devised, and most of them have been tried at one time or another to reduce the error rate on some type of storage media. These different types of codes are named for their inventors: Hamming codes, Fire codes, the Golay code, Bose- Chaudhuri-Hocquenghem (BCH) codes, Reed-Solomon (RS) codes, Goppa codes, etc. Each code is a col- lection (or dictionary) of binary code words, all of some fixed block length of n bits, of which k bits are information bits that, depending on the data to be stored, can take any possible values. The value kin provides a measure of the information content of code [continued) Solomon W. Golomb, Ph.D., is a professor of electrical engineering and mathematics at the University of Southern California. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Cyclotomics Inc., a company founded in 1973 by E. R. Berlekamp that designs proprietary Reed-Solomon encoders and decoders. Y\e is also a member of the National Academy of Engineering and a fellow of the IEEE. He can be contacted at the University of Southern California, PHE-506. Los Angeles, CA 90089-0272. MAY 1986 'BYTE 203 ERROR CORRECTION words and is called the rate of the code. The remaining r bits (r = n-k) are redundancy bits (or parity-check bits) and are calculated from the informa- tion bits by a set of fairly simple equa- tions. When a code word is retrieved from memory, the redundancy bits are tested to see if they still satisfy these parity-check equations. If all the equations check, it is overwhelmingly likely that no errors have occurred in the storage and retrieval process. On the other hand, if one or more errors have occurred, this will result in a pat- tern of certain equations checking and the other ones failing. From this pattern of parity-check failures, the errors can be located and corrected, provided that the total number of errors is not too large for the capabili- ty of the code. How They Work A simple example will help to clarify how error-correcting codes work. Probably the simplest error-correcting code is the Hamming (7,4) code. The (7,4) means that the code words are seven bits long, and four of the seven bits are information bits. The remaining three are parity bits, or redundancy bits. We denote a typical seven-bit code word by the letters abcdefg. We allow abed to be any combination of four bits, from 0000 to 1111, representing the actual data. Then we compute e. f, and g as shown in table la, where the symbol © indicates "parity-check arithmetic" in which we write a I if the ordinary sum is odd, and a if the or- dinary sum is even. For the Hamming (7,4) code, the en- tire dictionary consists of only 16 code words, as shown in table lb. When a word is retrieved from storage, equations 1,2, and 3 for e. f, and g are tested to see whether any errors have occurred. If no errors have occurred, all three equations check. But suppose exactly one of the seven bits is in error. Depending on which bit it is, a different subset of the three equations will fail, because each of the seven letters (a through g) occurs in a different subset of the three equa- tions. Thus if a is the one bit that is in error, then all three equations will fail because a enters into all three Table 1: The Hamming (7,4) code: (a) Parity bits e, f, and g are calculated by XORing the data bits shown: (b) all valid Hamming (7,4) code words: and (c) an example identifying the error in 1 1 001 1 1 . (a) (1) e = a e b e c (2) f = a e b e d (3) g = a e c e d (b) abcdefg 10 11 10 10 1 11110 10 110 10 110 1 110 11 1110 10 111 10 110 10 10 10 10 110 1 1 10 1 110 10 10 1110 10 1111111 (c) (1) e = a e b e c, 1=1 + 1+0 fails. (2) f = a e b e d, 1=1 + 1+0 fails. (3) g = a e c e d, 1=1+0 + checks. equations. If b is in error, equations 1 and 2 will fail, but 3 will check. If c is in error, equations 1 and 3 will fail but 2 will check. If d is in error, equa- tions 2 and 3 will fail, but 1 will check. If e is in error, only equation 1 will fail. If / is in error, only equation 2 will fail, and if g is in error, only equation 3 will fail. So, given the assumption that at most one of the seven bits of the code word is in error, the pattern of which parity equations check and which ones fail uniquely corresponds to the location of the error (if any). For example, suppose we retrieve 1 1 001 1 1 from storage. We try the three equations as shown in table lc. Since 1 and 2 fail, the single-error assump- tion then points to b as the culprit, since it is the unique letter that occurs in I and 2 but not in 3. Correcting b from I to 0, we get the "corrected" code word 1000111, which is indeed one of the 16 legitimate words of the dictionary This simple example illustrates the principle of information bits versus redundancy bits, the calculation of redundancy bits via parity-check equations, and the location and cor- rection of errors from the pattern of parity-check failures. Principal facts and characteristics of the major types of codes used in error correction are summarized in table 2. Reed-Solomon Codes The standard approach that has been emerging in more advanced memory systems generally, and in optical disk systems in particular, is to use a Reed- Solomon code with some form of the Berlekamp decoding algorithm to locate and correct the errors. RS codes were invented more than 2 5 years ago by Irving S. Reed and Gustave Solomon, who were then at MIT's Lincoln Laboratories, and are particularly effective when errors tend to occur in bursts. Rather than doing arithmetic with the individual bits, as most of the earlier and simpler codes did, RS codes work on several bits at a time. RS codes treat m-bit bytes as in- dividual code symbols, and a single code word (in effect, a "frame" of data plus redundancy) consists of 2 m - \ of these m-bit bytes. If one wishes to be able to correct any error pattern that affects no more than t bytes per code word, it is sufficient to dedicate It bytes per code word to the task of error correction. The remaining 2 m -l-2t bytes are all available for information. One very popular option is to use RS codes based on eight-bit bytes. The standard RS code using eight-bit bytes has a word length (or "block length") of 25 5 bytes, and it will cor- [continued) 204 B YTE • MAY 1986 Betcha our compiler can beat up your compiler. Or your money back. If you program in BASIC, Pascal, Fortran or C, you're using yesterday's technology. We know this state- ment will start a brawl, but it's true. So, before you start a fight you can't win, take a closer look at the Modula-2 language and the Modula-2 Software Development System (M2SDS) from Interface Technologies. Just compare the features and performance of M2SDS to your system. You'll find a new language and a programming environment that's more flexible, much faster and works on any IBM® PC or 100% compatible with 256 K memory or more. M2SDS COMPILE SPEED (MIN.SEC) 30LINES 300 LINES 0:15.58 0:25.48 EXECUTION SPEED (MIN.SEC) SIEVE FIBONACCI 30X30 MATRIX (8087) FP OPERATIONS FP OPERATIONS (8087) 0:13.92 0:53.49 0:08.84 0:27.56 0:01.97 SYNTAX CHECKING EDITOR YES MULTIPLE WINDOW EDITING YES EDITOR FILESIZE LIMIT MEMORYSIZE COMPILE ERROR CALLS EDITOR YES LINKER YES PRODUCES EXE FILES YES EXECUTABLE CODE SIZE LIMIT DISK SPACE DOS ACCESS FROM EDITOR YES DOS ACCESS FROM PROGRAMS YES 8087 SUPPORT STANDARD YES COPY-PROTECTED DISK NO COSTWTTH 8087 SUPPORT $50.88/$80.88 Source; Software Resources, Inc. Sieve program from BYTE, January 1983. Fibonacci program from Dr. Dobb's Journal, February 1985. Matrix program from BYTE, October, 1982. FP Operations program from BYTE, May 1985. M2SDS with or without 8087 uses 8-byte accuracy. Programs compiled with all checking options on. All tests conducted on a standard IBM-PC/XT with 512K of memory and an 8087 math coprocessor. •Original or back-up diskette may be sent for trade-in. Diskette will be destroyed immediately upon receipt so that your current compiler license agreement is not violated. IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation. Trade In and Trade Up. Just to prove that we're not all brag. . . we'll send you M2SDS for just $50.88 if you mail us your present compiler or interpreter diskette.* That's $30.00 off the regular price. If within 30 days you're not programming faster than ever, just return the diskette and we'll send you your money back. Heavyweight Champion SDS-XP. If you're ready to move into light-speed, you need SDS-XP. It has everything M2SDS has with a little "punch" added. Like Extended Libraries, M2MAKE and a Foreign Object Module Importer. SDS-XP offers buyers a stout discount when compared with the cost of buying M2SDS and the additional compo- nents as add-ons. For a limited time only, SDS-XP is available for $99.00 with compiler trade-in. That's $150.00 of f the advertised price of $249.00. a. INTERFACE TECHNOLOGIES 3336 Richmond, Suite 200, Houston, TX 77098 1-800-922-9049 (In Texas, call 7131523-8422) Telex: 322127 In Europe call IK at: Switzerland 41 (I) 700-3037; Netherlands 31 (20) 106922; U.K. 44 (1) 656-7333 Knock Out Bugs $79.95. Announcing M2DEBUG. A symbolic, compact (only 20K RAM) interactive run-time debugger with features most requested by software pro- grammers and system developers. It comes with a Virtual Resource Overlay Operating Manager (VROOM) that speeds up compile time 50%. Calling All Compilers. So now that you're wise to the limitations of your system, why not trade it in. You'll soon see that it was smarter to switch than fight. And a pretty safe bet. Here's my diskette. Rush me: □ M2SDS for $50.88 each, plus $7 shipping and handling. □ SDS-XP for $99.00 each, plus $7 shipping and handling. Or, send me: □ M2SDS for $80.88 each, plus $7 shipping and handling. SDS-XP for $249.00 each, plus $7 ship- ping and handling. DM2DEBUG for $79.95 D My check is enclosed. □ Apply charges to credit card indicated below: VISA/MasterCard/American Express (circle one). Credit Card # Expiration Date . Signature Name (please print) Shipping Address. City, State/Zip Day Phone Texas residents add 6.125% Sales Tax. International orders add S30 for shipping/handling. If paying by check, check or draft must be in US. dollars drawn on a US. bank. INTERFACE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION 3336 Richmond, Suite 200, Houston, Texas 77098 L. J ERROR CORRECTION rect any pattern of up to t bytes be- ing in error provided that It of the bytes are used for redundancy (i.e., r=2t), leaving the remaining 2 55-2t bytes available for information. For example, if we want to be able to correct any pattern of five or fewer "symbol errors" per code word, we will have word lengths = 2 8 - 1 =2 55 bytes = 2040 bits, of which r = 2t = 10 bytes = 80 bits are used for redun- dancy, and the remaining k = n-r = 245 bytes = 1960 bits are informa- tion. That is. so long as no more than 5 of the 2 5 5 eight-bit bytes in a code word contain errors, the decoder will locate and correct all the errors. If errors have occurred in more than 5 bytes, it is overwhelmingly likely that the decoder will determine thatan un- correctable error has occurred rather than erroneously concluding that an error of not more than 5 bytes has oc- curred from a different code word. A byte is in error whether one, two, or all eight of its bits have been retrieved incorrectly. For this reason, Reed- Solomon codes are said to have burst- error-correction capability. The RS code rate is calculated from the formula 2 w -2£-l = coc ] e ra te where m = the number of bits per "byte." The example presented has a code rate of 24 5/2 5 5. This code is designated RS(2 55.245). much like the Hamming code designations. One other common specification of RS codes is the minimum distance, which is the smallest number of correspond- ing symbols by which two distinct code words differ. As you might ex- pect, the minimum distance is one more than twice the number of errors you can correct, or It + I. Some experts recommend putting one extra redundancy byte, called the overall parity byte, into the RS code block. This "extended code" can be used to correct up to t symbol errors per code word, and simultaneously to detect (without correction) whenever t+ I symbol errors have occurred in a code word. In each code word of {continued) Table 2: The major types of error-correcting block codes. Code inventor and year of Usual code Type of errors Memory systems Communications systems publication parameters it corrects where used where used Remarks Robert W. Hamming g = 2 (binary) Corrects only Most Some packet The easiest 1950 n = 2'-1 (bits) single errors: semiconductor radio codes to k = 2 t -t- J \ (bits) one bit in memories understand r=t (bits) error per block Philip Fire g = 2 (binary) Corrects a Some magnetic — The simplest 1959 n = k + r (bits) single short tape and "burst correc- k = 75,000 to burst magnetic disk tion" codes 150,000 (bits) r = 48 (bits Marcel J. E. Golay g = 2 (binary) Corrects any — Some Navy A remarkable 1949 n = 23 (bits) pattern of <3 teletype code but not k = 12 (bits) errors per 23- part of a larger r= 1 1 (bits) bit block family of codes BCH codes: R. C. Bose and q-2 (binary) Corrects any Very large Some packet Generalizes D. K. Ray-Chaudhuri n = 2 r -1 (bits) pattern of THAT IS OUT OF THIS WORLD $389 $ 549 MODEL 2000 20MHz DUAL TRACE MODEL 3500 35MHz DUAL TRACE DELAYED SWEEP AT A DOWN TO EARTH PRICE At fast! Truly affordable test equipment with no compromise in design, and features you would expect to find only on oscilloscopes costing hundreds of dollars more! JDR Instruments presents two, new, high-performance models backed by a two year warranty and technical support which is only a phone call away. Perfect for the technician or advanced hobbyist, both models feature Dual Trace capability and a variety of operating and triggering modes, including CH-B Subtract and X-Y operation. MODEL 2000 has a 20 MHz I ■■■ MODEL 3500 features a 35 bandwidth and 20 calibrated §4K MHz bandwidth and exceptional sweeps ranging from .2s to. 2jjs. , KttwPSfl 1mV/DIV sensitivity. Delayed A convenient built-in component [ BA» mm I sweep and variable holdoff allow tester provides additional I^ ^^HyW^M stable viewing of complex diagnostic power. |QQggg| | waveforms. ORDER TOLL FREE 800-538-5000 800-662-6279 ( ca) JDR INSTRUMENTS 1224 South Bascom Avenue San Jose, California 95128 (408) 995-5430 COPYRIGHT 1985 JDR INSTRUMENTS. EARTH PHOTO COURTESY OF NASA. THE JDR INSTRUMENTS LOGO ISA REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF JDR MICRODEVICES. JDR INSTRUMENTS IS A TRADEMARK OF JDR MICRODEVICES. ERROR CORRECTION length 2 m of the extended code, there are now 2t+l check symbols and 2 m -2t-l information symbols. The code rate is accordingly decreased to 2 m -2t-l 2 m and the minimum distance is in- creased to 2t+2. The standard RS code can also be shortened, or punctured, by the simple ex- pedient of omitting some of the infor- mation symbols. Since the number of check symbols remains the same, this ' decreases the code rate. The encod- ing and decoding are done in exactly the same way as for the standard RS code, but now some of the informa- tion symbol positions are fictitious, or phantom. If the decoder locates an error in a phantom position, this in- dicates that in reality an uncorrectable error has occurred. To work with larger chunks of data at a time, one may decide to go with 10' 10" 7 IO" 8 io- 9 (U & Z io 10 2 u w ~ 10" OQ +-> | io- 2 o 3 io 13 10 -.4 | -.S \ \ 10" 1 IO" 2 10" 3 IO" 4 1C Log Input Bit-Error Rate r* Figure I : The relationship between the raw error rate and the corrected error rate using an RS(2 20.204) code. Code words consist of 220 eight-bit bytes, of which 204 bytes are information and 1 6 bytes are redundancy, for a code rate of 92.73 percent. The figure assumes random, inde- pendent bit errors. Performance against somewhat "bursty" errors is even better. twelve-bit bytes (or twelve-bit charac- ters), in which the block length of the corresponding RS code is 4095 twelve-bit characters. Galois Fields The arithmetic that underlies Reed- Solomon codes is not ordinary arith- metic, but the somewhat bizarre and exotic arithmetic of the "finite field" containing 2 m elements. These finite fields were first invented and studied by the nineteenth-century French mathematical prodigy Evariste Galois (181 1-1832), who was killed in a duel some five months shy of his twenty- first birthday, and are often referred to as Galois fields. ("Galois" is pro- nounced ' gal-WAH.") A particular Reed-Solomon code is generated using a generator poly- nomial over GF(2 m ), where GF(2 m ) means "the Galois field with 2 m elements." The Berlekamp decoding algorithm for RS codes makes effi- Figure 2: The performance of three RS codes against random occurrence of bit errors. All three use code words consisting of 32 five-bit bytes. The rate Vi code has 1 6 information bytes and 1 6 redundancy bytes per block, an RS(32,16) code. The rate 3 A code is RS(32,24), and the rate % code is RS(32,28). The standard RS code can be shortened by omitting some of the information symbols. cient use of the algebraic structure of GF(2 m ) and first calculates the syn- dromes (a type of discrete Fourier coef- ficients) of the possibly erroneous code word. From these syndromes two special polynomials are con- structed. One is called the error locator polynomial, and the roots of this polynomial are the locations where bytes are in error. The other is the error corrector polynomial, which gives the values to be added to the erroneous bytes to get the corrected bytes. The details of the mathematics of RS encoding and decoding involve ar- cane and intricate mathematics. The interested reader is referred to the items in the bibliography. Performance of Reed- Solomon Codes In figure I, we see the performance of a Reed-Solomon code with a block length of 220 eight-bit bytes, of which 204 bytes (1632 bits) are information and the remaining 16 bytes (128 bits) are used for redundancy. An input error rate (raw error rate) of I erroneous bit per thousand is converted into an out- put error rate (corrected error rate) of well below 1 bit per million, while a raw error rate of 10~ 4 bits becomes a corrected error rate well below 10" 14 bits, all at a "cost" of only 7.27 per- cent of the bits being used for error correction rather than for data. This is on the assumption that the bits in error occur at random and indepen- dently of one another. However, in the realistic situation that bit errors tend to occur in short bursts, the actual per- formance against the same average bit-error rate will in fact be better than figure I indicates. This RS(220.204) code is typical of the type of error correction that might be used for op- tical disk applications. [continued] 208 BYTE- MAY 1986 GllflilSM m wmmm mm (the oldest, largest, and most respected computer book club in the world) (the oldest, largest, and most respected computer book club in the world) Please accept my application for trial membership and send me the "C" Programmer's Set (00717), billing me only $2.95, plus ship- ping and handling. I agree to purchase at least three additional Selections or Alternates over the next 12 months. Savings range up to 30% and occasionally even more. My membership is cancelable any time after I buy these three additional books. A shipping and handlingcharge is added to all shipments. 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This example-filled manual details all the advanced features of C. Coverage includes practical case studies illustrating so- phisticated constructs, general-purpose func- tions and macros, and application-oriented case studies. A series of reliability rules help you write programs that deliver "no sur- prises." Concepts from the ANSI stan- dardization of C pointthe way to powerful but portable applications. Publisher's Price: $25.00. 5ftife ra vfgc**&s The Library of Computer and Information Sciences is the oldest, largest book club especially designed for computer professionals. In the incredibly fast-moving world of data processing, where up- to-the-moment knowledge is essential, we make it easy to keep to- tally informed on all areas of the information sciences. What's more, our selections offer you discounts of up to 30% or more off publishers' prices. 4 Good Reasons to Join l.The Finest Books. Oft he hundreds of books submitted to us each year, only the very finest are selected and offered. Moreover, our books are always of equal quality to publishers' editions, never economy editions. 2. Big Savings. In addition to getting the "C" Programmer's Set for only $2.95 when you join, you keep saving substantially, up to 30% and occasion- ally even more. (For example, yoiir total savings as a trial member— includ- ing this introductory offer— can easily be over 50%. That's I ike getting every otherbookfree!) 3. Bonus Books. Also, you will immediately become eligible to participate in our Bonus Book Plan, with savings of up to 70% offthe publishers' prices. 4. Convenient Service. At 3-4 week intervals (16 times per year), you will receive the Library of Computer and Information Sciences News, describ- ing the Main Selection and Alternate Selections, together with a dated reply card. If you want the Main Selection, do nothing, and it will be sent to you automatically. If you prefer another selection, or no book at all, simply indicate yourchoice on the card and return it by the date specified. You will have at least 10 days to decide. If, because of late mail delivery of the News, you should receive a book you do not want, we guarantee return postage. If reply card has been removed, please write to The Library of Computer and Information Sciences, Dept. 7-DG5-00717, Riverside, N.J. 08075 for membership information and an application. Byte 5/86 MAY 1986 • BYTE 209 Inquiry 211 Dysan diskettes are the ultimate in quality flexible recording media for flexible disk drives. They are certified to be 100% error free on-track and ^ between tracks. Diskettes are tested on- ^flSSBT "^ track as well as between tracks for missing pulse, extra pulse, and modulation. Quality is built into each diskette from the inside out. 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MAPLE RD. • TROY, Ml 48083 (313) 589-3440 ERROR CORRECTION The noisier the environment the lower the rate of the code that should be used. In figure 2, we see performance curves for Reed-Solomon codes of the type that might typically be used in certain communications applica- tions, such as noisy telephone lines or noisy air-to-ground radio links. The three codes illustrated are RS(32,l6), which is a rate Vi code; RS(32,24), which is rate % code; and RS(32,28), which is a rate % code. All three codes have a block length of 32 five-bit bytes. The noisier the environment, the lower the rate of the code that should actually be used. Again, the curves are based on the assumption that bit errors occur independently and at random. However, since errors on real telephone lines and real radio links typically occur in bursts, actual performance for the same values of average input error rate will in fact be better than depicted in figure 2. ■ BIBLIOGRAPHY Berlekamp. E. R. Algebraic Coding Theory. New York: McGraw-Hill 1967. Reprint edition, Laguna Hills, CA: Aegean Park Press. 1983. Bose. R. C, and D. K. Ray-Chaudhuri. "On a Class of Error Correcting Binary Group Codes, information and Control vol. 3, page 68, I960. Fire, P. 'A Class of Multiple-Error-Correct- ing Codes for Non-independent Errors." Sylvania Reconnaissance Systems Lab Report. RSI^E-2, 1959. Golay, M. J. E. "Notes on Digital Coding." Proceedings of the IRE (Correspondence), vol. 37, page 657, June 1949. Goppa, V. D. "A New Class of Linear Cor- recting Codes." Problems of Information D'ansmission, vol. 6, page 24, 1970. Hamming, R. W. "Error Detecting and Error Correcting Codes." Bell System Technical ]ournal, vol. 29. page 147. 1950. Hocquenghem, A. "Codes Correcteurs D'erreurs." Chiffres (Paris), vol. 2, page 147, 1959. Reed, I. S., and G. Solomon. "Polynomial Codes Over Certain Finite Fields." jour- nal of the Society of industrial and Applied Mathematics, vol. 8, page 300, I960. 210 BYTE • MAY 1986 Inquiry 101 The Best c Book A Powerful C Compiler one Great C value s 39.95 A good C book just isn't complete without a good C compiler to go with it. That's why we give you both. You get a comprehensive 450 page book and a full feature standard K&R C compiler with the Unix V7 Extensions. The Book is loaded with examples that teach you how to program in C. And our fast one pass C compiler comes with an equally fast linker so you don't waste a lot of time watching your disk drives spin. You also get a Unix compatible function library that contains more than 150 functions (C source code included). And if all that isn't enough, we offeryou a 30 day money back guarantee. So what are you waiting for? The exciting world of C is just one free phone call away. Language Features Functions • Data Types: char, short, abs asm conbuf cone feof ferror getcseg getdseg jsascii Jscntrl movmem open replace repmem strcat stremp int, unsigned, long, float, asmx atan cos cpystr fflush fgets getd putd Isdlgit islower outp peek rewind right* strcpy strlen double atof creat fileno getdate Isprint perror rindex strncat atoi cursblk flletrap gettime Jspunct poke rmdir strnemp atol curslin find geti Jsspace poseurs scanf strncpy • Data Classes: auto, bdos curscoi floor putl isupper pow setbuf strsave bdosx cursrow fopen getkey itoa printf setbufslz system extern, static, register bios cursoff fprintf fputs getmode keypress left* putc setcolor tolower blosx curson setmode putchar setdate toupper • Typedef, Struct, Union, calloc ceil delete drand fread free gets getw neapsiz heaptrap len log puts putw settime setjmp ungetc ungetch unlink write Bit Fields, Enumerations cfree chain exec exeel freopen fscanf loglO longjmp rand read setmem sin character execv fseek hypot index inp Iseek readattr sound writechs • Structure Assignment, chdlr chmod exit exitmsg ftell fwrite malloc alloc reach writech sprintf sqrt xmembeg xmemend Passing/Returning clearerr close exp fabs getc getch insert lofllter mathtrap mid$ readdot writedot srand sscanf xmemget xmemput Structures clrscrn fclose putch isalnum mkdlr realloc stackslz xmovmem cmpstr fdopen getchar isalpha modf rename str$ ^exit MIX Editor $29.95 When you're programming in a high level language you need a high power- ed editor. That's why we created a programmable full/split screen text processor. It lets you split the screen horizontally or vertically and edit two files at once. You can move text back and forth between two windows. You can also create your own macro com- mands from an assortment of over 100 predefined commands. The editor comes configured so that it works just like Wordstar but you can change it if you prefer a different keyboard layout. The editor is a great companion to our C compiler. Because they work so well together we want you to have both. To make sure you do, we're offering the editor for just $15 when purchased with the C compiler. ASM Utility $10 The ASM utility disk allows you to link object files created by Microsoft's MASM or M80 assemblers. Lots of useful assem- bly language functions are included as examples. ORDERS ONLY 1-800-523-9520 IN TEXAS 1-800-622-4070 NOT COPY PROTECTED Canadian Distributor Saraguay Software: 416-923-1500 Editor $ . C $ C & Editor $ . ASM Utility $ . 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Includes code listings for three working debuggers including single-stepping, cross referencing, and mapping utilities. $19.95 (Disk available) 5. A definitive reference text for advanced programmers. You'll find over 150 discus- sions of common hardware-control tasks (in BASIC, Pascal, or C) as well as assembler overlays, drivers, and real-time operators. $22.95 6. Probes the inner workings of the 8086 7. Here's a compendium of many of the (used by the AT&T 6300) and 8088 (IBM PC) most useful, but often neglected, advanced chips . . . and describes specific techniques for using the full capability of these chip designs while programming in assembler. $18.95 programming concepts. A tutorial in format that uses BASIC for examples, it covers techniques such as: linked data structures; recursion; pipelining; and dynamic storage allocation. Includes listings! or 25 sub- routines. $21.95 (Disk available) 8. A breakthrough explanation to the tech- nical operations of DOS for programmers. Shows how to use the I/O services with dis- cussions of: character and non-character functions; directory and file management routines; and memory management. Includes BIOS functions and info on IBM "compatibles." $16.95 Now at your book or computer store Or order toll-free today 800-624-0023 In New Jersey: 800-624-0024 BRADY COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY, INC. c/o Prentice Hall P.O. Box 512, W. Nyack, NY 10994 Circle the numbers of the titles you want below. (Payment must be enclosed; or, use your charge card.) Add $1.50 for postage and handling. Enclosed is check for $ or charge to □ MasterCard □ VISA Acc't # Signature . Name Address _ City. Exp. date . ~l . State . (New Jersey residents, please add applicable sales tax.) Dept. 3 Zip. GR-PTEC-B1(5) 1 (0-89303-473-8) 5 (0-89303-787-7) 2 (0-89303-784-2) 6 (0-89303-424-X) 3 (0-89303-584-X) 7(0-89303-481-9) 4 (0-89303-587-4) 8 (0-8359-5655-5) iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiwiiiiwiiiiiim 214 BYTE • MAY 1986 Inquiry 285 MASS STORAGE A ROUNDUP OF OPTICAL DISK DRIVES by Rich Malloy BECAUSE OF ITS HUGE storage capa- bilities, the optical disk promises fun- damental changes in the way com- puters handle data. A number of com- panies have announced new products or technologies that can help us realize those changes, but many of those products are still in develop- ment. However, several of the optical disk systems that are mentioned in this article were reported to be avail- able at the time the article was writ- ten (February). Most of these products are available to original equipment manufacturers, value-added retailers, publishers, and other volume purchasers. Some, how- ever, are available in single quantities to end users. Write-Once Disks One of the most interesting incarna- tions of the optical disk is the write- once, or WORM (write once, read mostly), disk. These disks usually have data capacities ranging from about 100 megabytes up to 1 gigabyte (1000 megabytes) or more, and they have the unusual property that once data is written on them, the data cannot Recently announced optical storage systems be erased and rewritten. The large capacities of these disks, however, alleviate the problem of their indelibility And they seem well suited for archival data, where in- delibility is an asset rather than a liability. A small number of companies are currently offering write-once disk drives to end users: Portable Solutions, which also goes under the name BackPac Interna- tional Corporation, is selling a small optical disk drive called the BP-100+ . The drive, which is manufactured by Information Storage Inc. (ISI), uses 5^-inch disks that can store 100 megabytes. The BP-100 + is designed to be easily portable from one IBM PC to another. It sells for $4995 and includes three adapter cards for three IBM PCs, three blank optical disks, software, and cables. The three cards allow three IBM PCs to share the drive. Extra disks are available for $99 each. These disk prices will probably drop soon. Franklin Telecom offers three con- figurations of its 5 !4-inch optical drive system. Each configuration uses an ISI disk drive and can store more than 1 1 5 megabytes per side of an optical disk cartridge. An internal disk drive system for the IBM PC sells for $3990. An external disk drive system has a price of $43 50. Finally, an expansion chassis is also available that provides the optical disk drive plus six addi- tional IBM PC expansion slots for $4900. l&llgrass Technologies manufactures a 200-megabyte-per-side, 5!^ -inch optical disk drive made by Optotech. T^llgrass will offer the drive in four configurations: the LS-200i. a full- height interna] unit; the LS-200e, a stand-alone external unit; the LS-250. an external unit bundled with a 50-megabyte hard-disk drive; and the LS-450, an external unit that features two optical drives plus the 50-mega- byte hard-disk drive. All are designed for the IBM PC family of computers. The internal drive has a single- quantity price of approximately $4000. {continued) Rich Malloy is a senior technical editor for BYTE. He can be reached at BYTE/ McGraw-Hill. 43rd Floor, 1221 Avenue of the Americas, Uew York, NY 1 0020. MAY 1986 'BYTE 215 OPTICAL DRIVES Chorus Data Systems sells an op- tical drive option for its image storage and retrieval system. With Chorus's Color PhotoBase system, users have the capability to digitize and store high-resolution graphics images on a hard disk. When equipped with an optional optical disk drive manufac- tured by Optotech, the system re- portedly can store approximately 15,000 color pictures on one side of a 200-megabyte optical disk. Chorus's optical drive system has a suggested retail price of $7 500. AGA has a 12-inch optical drive system for the IBM PC. Its Discus 1000 Optical Disk Drive uses a drive manu- factured by Alcatel Thomson, and it can store I gigabyte of data. Under AGAs software, the drive appears to the computer's operating system as a large, nonerasable, but otherwise or- dinary, disk drive. The Discus 1000 has a list price of $21,500, including interface, cables, and software. National Memory Systems (NMS) offers another 12-inch write-once disk drive for the IBM PC family and the Texas Instruments Professional Com- puter. Called the PC-007, the disk drive can store I gigabyte of informa- tion. The company claims that it has been shipping the PC-007 for about a year and a half. The drive is in- tended chiefly for archival purposes. NMS uses the Optimem 1000 optical disk drive with disks from the 3M Company, an IBM PC/SCSI board, and a custom-designed software package called LaserDOS. Current list prices are $2 1 ,000 for the disk-drive system and $4 50 for each optical disk. Write-Once Disk Products for oems and vars Several other manufacturers have an- nounced write-once optical disk drives but are offering them only in large quantities to OEMs and VARs. These companies are listed herein. Note that prices for each product can vary considerably depending on quantity and that some companies will sell sample units in single-unit quantities. IS! is manufacturing a 5 /4-inch op- tical disk drive that can store 1 1 5 megabytes per side. The company, which is partly owned by Sperry and l^llgrass Technologies, is selling its drives primarily to large-volume pur- chasers. However, hobbyists may be able to purchase evaluation units of the drive for $2495. The evaluation units include the drive, an IBM PC in- terface card, and software. IS1 soft- ware divides the disk into 33-mega- byte volumes and thus avoids the 33-megabyte disk-size limit of MS- DOS. Optotech has available a double- sided disk drive that can store 200 megabytes per side of a 5 /-inch disk. Although Optotech is marketing primarily to large-volume purchasers, it is offering an evaluation unit of its drive system including drive, IBM PC adapter card, and software for a single-unit price of $5000. Lancore Technologies is offering to [continued) 216 BYTE • MAY 1986 Inquiry 138 640 x 350 16 COLOR FLIGHT SIMULATOR PAINT BRUSH Auto CAD ilV Low-End Graphics Adapters. MORE Why Settle for Less? IBM sets the standards for Monochrome, Color/Graphics and the Enhanced Graphics Adapter. Hercules sets the Monochrome Graphics standard. | And the MegraGraph-Plus simply redefines the standard for what the Graphics Adapter is supposed to be: Monochrome text, Hercules graphics, color graphics, enhanced graphics. And most importantly . . . No software driver patches required. Fully Compatible You can run almost all software from your early investment. Including Flight Simulator, Pin Ball, Jet and Lotus 1-2-3 Version A. And it will still run all the business software packages written for IBM Enhanced Graphics Adapter (EGA). Examples include Auto CAD, IBM Drawing Assistant, Gem Draw, Microsoft Window, Word & Chart, Lotus 1-2-3 and Symphony, Dr. Halo, PC Paint Brush, EGA-Paint and many, many more. AlVonics is dedicated to the technical excellence of computing devices. To find out more about AlVonics and our super- high performance ATM 000 & ATI 2000 AT system compatible boards call or write: Features Half size, fits in any slot of PC/XT/ AT X X EGA compatible X X X X CGA compatible X (1) (2) (2) MDA compatible X X X X Chip count 24 29 86 40 Hercules compatible 720 x 348 graphics X X X No Software Patches required X X X Boot from: — Flight Simulator — Pin Ball — Jet X X X Runs Lotus 1-2-3 version 1A! — Hercules mode — Color mode X (1) X (1) Two Video Jacks X X X Display Memory 256K 256K 64K 256K Light Pen connector X X X X List Price $549 $599 $624 $595 (1) Needs software driver patches. (2) Compatible only to the BIOS level, but not the hardware level. Will not be compatible with most games software. gpSD« | ATI ATronics International Inc. 491 Valley Way Milpitas, CA 95035 (408) 943-6629 TLX: 510-600-6093 /PLUS Inquiry 30 IBM. Hercules. Flight Simulator. Pin Ball. Jet. Lotus 1-2-3 Version A. Auto CAD, Gem Draw, Window, Word & Chart, Symphony, Dr. Halo. PC Paint Brush, EGA Paint, Quadram and STB EGA+ are all registered trademarks of their respective companies. OPTICAL DRIVES OEMs a write-once optical disk drive as an option for its line of local-area- network file servers. Lancore is using Optotech's 200-megabyte-per-side optical disk drive to replace the tape backup units in its Core line of file servers. The price of Lancore's Opti- Core 7 5, which features a 75-mega- byte hard-disk drive and a 200-mega- byte-per-side optical disk drive is $9757 in quantities of 100. Laserdrive Ltd. has announced a- 5!4-inch, 400-megabyte-per-side op- tical disk drive. A separate controller with an SCSI interface will handle up to four drives. The drive reportedly will be available to OEMs in the first quarter of 1 987 at a price of approx- imately $4000. Toshiba's Disk Products Division is offering two write-once drives to OEMs. The DF-O50 uses 5i4-inch disks and is approximately the same size as a full-height 514-inch floppy drive. Each disk can store up to 400 megabytes of data per side. Toshiba's other drive, the DF-O450, uses 12-inch media and can store up to 1.8 giga- bytes per side. No details on price or availability of these drives were avail- able at press time. Sony Information Products offers write-once disks in 12- and 8-inch sizes. The 12-inch disk can store 1.6 gigabytes per side, and the 8-inch disk can store 0.5 gigabyte per side. Both disks are double-sided. As in many double-sided optical drives, an operator must manually flip the disks to read the other side. Each of the drives must be connected to a drive controller ($7000) that can support up to eight drives. The single-quantity prices for the 8- and 1 2-inch drives are $9000 and $1 1,700, respectively. The disks cost $300 and $440. Also avail- able is a "jukebox^style disk drive that can automatically access up to 50 of the larger disks, resulting in a total data capacity of 160 gigabytes. Alcatel Thomson Gigadisc is also of- fering a 12 -inch write-once optical disk TAKE COMMAND of Your Keyboard Place your most often used software commands where they belong— at your fingertips— on top of the keys. End fumbling and searching through manuals. Touch- down™ Key Overlays will greatly reduce instructional needs and learning time, reduce operator fatigue and increase productivity. These Overlays are made of a non-glare rigid plastic material with the same look and feel as the original keytop, precisely die-cut to the exact size of your keytops. Printing is on the underside to prevent the print from ever wearing off. The back is laminated with a strong non-slip adhesive for permanent adherence to the keytop; although they can be removed without permanent damage to the keytops if desired. Instructions for easy installation are included with the kit. CUSTOM KEY OVERLAPS can be made lo your exact specs at a much lower cost than engraving. coRpmATDN p0 - Box 201, Dept. BY, Cornville, AZ 86325 (602) 634-7517 KEY OVERLAYS (Tops and/or Fronts) Qty. Price Qty. PC 10 5250/5251 Emulation $2195 Lotus 1-2-3 PC lo 5520 Emulation 29.95 MultiMate 3.3 DisplayWrlle 3 21.95 EasyWriter 2 Do-lt-Yourself Kit 29.95 Microsoft Word Dvorak conversion 26.95 Symphony 1.0 WordPerfect 4.1 29.95 Volkswriler WordStar 29.95 Blank-Out Overlays (99 pieces) WordStar 2000 29.95 IBM Control Key English Price $29.95 29.95 29.95 26.95 26.95 24.95 21.95 6.95 Specify Keyboard Make/Model Name Address __ City _Stale_ -Zip_ □ Visa □ MC Exp. Dale_ _ Card #_ Visa or MC orders phone 602 634-7517 KEYTOP EXPANDERS Specify color Black □ Gray □ Qty. (12 expanders/set) Price IBM PC, PC/XT, PC Portable $21.95 IBM 5291 Display Station 21.95 Compaq, Columbia, Chameleon 21.95 Corona, Keytronics, Qubie, Eagle Spirit, ITT, Wyse 50/75 21.95 AT+T6300 21.95 IBM 3270 PC "Enter" (1 keytop) 3.95 Ind. Expanders (specify) 275 ea. TOTAL (Min. order $10.00) $_ Prices include lirsl class postage. (Orders shipped within 24 hours.) Arizona residents add 5% lax _ TOTAL ENCLOSED $_ Your satisfaction guaranteed or your money refunded. drive. The GD 1001 is available only to OEMs. One of its distributors, Cameron Computers, is selling the GD 1001 in single-unit quantities for ap- proximately $15,000. An adapter for the IBM PC is also available. Optimem, a subsidiary of Xerox and formerly a part of Shugart, is offering its Optimem 1000/S optical disk drive system for the IBM PC to VARs. The system includes a 1-gigabyte 12-inch optical disk drive, an IBM PC adapter board, and the necessary cables and software. The single-quantity price is $20,000. Optical Storage International (OSI), which is a joint venture of Philips and Control Data, is offering 12-inch op- tical disks to OEMs. The LaserDrive 1200 can store I gigabyte per side on an optical disk. The 100-unit price is approximately $7000. Hitachi's write-once disk products are marketed in the U.S. by its two U.S. marketing firms, Hitachi America and Nissei Sangyo America. Both firms are selling a 1 2-inch optical disk drive to OEMs only. The Series 301 drive uses Maxell disks and can store 1.3 giga- bytes per side on single- or double- sided disks. A separate drive con- troller handles up to four drives. Pric- ing starts at approximately $12,000 for controller and drive in quantities of 100 per year. Like Sony, Hitachi also has available a jukebox-style disk drive that can automatically access up to 32 disks, with a total data capacity of 83 gigabytes. Read-Only Disks Another, and perhaps equally inter- esting, form of the optical disk is the ROM disk, so named because of its functional similarity to the ROM chip. r I\vo forms of read-only disks are available: the 4.7-inch CD-ROM disk, which is the same size as the popular compact music disks; and the larger 12-inch disk, which is essentially the same size as a commercial videodisk. The CD-ROM disks have data capaci- ties of 540 to 600 megabytes; the videodiskscan store approximately 1 gigabyte. Grolier is offering its Academic American Encyclopedia on CD-ROM. This 9-million-word work was prob- [continued] 218 BYTE • MAY 1986 Inquiry 161 for End-Users. Inquiry 162 for DEALERS ONLY. Amazing New Advance - ments for an Old Friend. ZBasic is an incredibly advanced and powerful BASIC— but— it's still the old BASIC you're used to. Instead of spending 6 months of your life learning another complicated language, let ZBasic put your programs into light-speed, now! ( If you know BASIC, you know ZBasic) How Fast is ZBasic? Lightening fast. Four years of intense development have produced the ultimate BASIC. ZBasic is "Compiled BASIC," and generates stand- alone applications that make any other BASIC completely obsolete. Just look at these speed comparisons. ^WtSTESl EASIEST, MOST POWERFUL BASIC EVER! Sieve Benchmark on Different PC's Macintosh™ Apple lie, lie ZBasic ™ 7.4 sec. Mbasic^ 684 sec. ZBasic^ 486 sec. ApplesottTM 5,401 sec. IBM* PC (8088) Z-80 (CP/MTM-eo. TRS-80TM) ZBasicTM 13.7 sec. BASICA™ 2,190 sec. ZBasicTM 30 sec. MbasicTM 2,520 sec. 10 iterations of the Sieve from Byte. Januaiy, 1983 Compiler Speed/Interpreter Ease. Like a BASIC interpreter, ZBasic allows you to write and execute your programs immediately! No messy "Linkers," "Loaders," or clumsy "Subroutine Packages" like most other compilers. To compile and edit, simply type "RUN." Debugging works the same as the interpreter, too. Just type "BREAK" or "CTRL C" to get back to the editor. Lightning-Fast Compilation. Computer Language Magazine says. "Compilation is amazingly fast..." After typing "RUN," ZBasic compiles your program at blinding speed — 40 lines per second . Works the Same on All Computers. If you're tired of throwing away your old programs every time you switch to a new computer, ZBasic is for you. Source code is portable from one computer to another, and since ZBasic uses Device Independent Graphics and Disk File commands, your programsautomatically "Adapt" to any other computer. And the ZBASIC editor is the same on all versions— regardless of the computer. Einstein Math. ZBasic offers programmers a math package that surpasses anything else in the industry! (Yes, ZBasic is even better than FORTRAN, PASCAL, MODULA-2 or any other language available!) You will have up to 54 digits of user-selectable accuracy at your power. "Superb Documentation!" "The 387 page ZBasic manual is a model of clarity and organization. The documentation is superb, solidifying our impression that someone worked incredibly hard to make ZBasic a benchmark for all other BASIC Compilers." PC WEEK , Nov. 12, 1985 Easy Structure— If You Want It. ZBasic helps you "Structure" your programs in a way that's easy and simple. . .you may use GOSUB or GOTO with names or line numbers. Supports multi-line LONG IFs and LONG FNs. LIST programs with— or without— line numbers! ZBasic automatically indents loops and structures in LISTings, too. Customized for YOUR Computer: MSDOS™ and Compatibles: Including PC, XT, AT, jr., Tandy™ 500-1200-2000-3000 and all Compaqs™. Creates fast stand-alone .COM files. Supports a mouse, highlights keywords and lots more. Macintosh™: Complete Toolbox ROM calls support, creates 68000 Native Code, Macintalk and Appletalk support, program size to 4 megabyte, math accuracy from 8 to 240 digits. Incredible program speeds! ZBasic Users Say: i i Awesome! It's about timel.Great! Unbelievable! " J.R. CPA Seymour, MO li ....fast, generates stand alone programs, requires only modest amounts of memory, has outstanding compilation speeds and.. .was bug free and f eltsolid. And the price is very attractive. " Bruce W. Tonkin COMPUTER LANGUAGE " ZBasic is a powerful offering for BASIC programmers. It provides the flexibility of Turbo Pascal and the speed of compiled BASIC, all at a price that can't be matched. Kudos to Zedcor and to all users who make wise decisions to use ZBasic to the fullest. " Garry Ray PC WEEK "The best I have ever seen. I love it! You should be proud of this product. " R. R. Manager Mesa, AZ i i Mind-blower! Easily the best BASIC I've ever seen! " J. D. Baltimore, MD Versions shipping now! Macintosh , Apple He - He (128K & DOS 3.3) • IBM PC and MSDOS 2.1 & Compatibles • Apple™ He, lie: Mouse support for both the lie and He, Super Hi-Res graphics support (560x192 and 280x192 and lo-RES support tool). Advanced Graphics com- mands like CIRCLE, BOX, FILL etc. and you can Mix Graphics and Text on the screen like a PC. DOS 3.3 support (PRODOS coming this summer) Requires Apple He or He with 128K but programs created with ZBasic™ will run on a 64K Apple II + . Z80™ Machines: CP/M™-80 2.0 + , TRS-80™ model 1, 3 or 4 and a special graphic version for Kaypro CP/M. ompa Kaypro Graphics version (CP/M-80) « on TRS-80 Model 1/3, P/M-80 2.0 or j ireater (Z80 only) • Model 4/4p« ONLY ZBASIC GIVES YOU THESE FEATURES: • Highlights errors... makes debugging easy! • Not Copy Protected • Never any Royalties or Runtime fees for programs you sell. • Direct commands (Speeds logic testing like an N Interpreter) • Super Single-Step debug > CHAIN with variable passing. (Share all or some variables) • Create transportable subroutines and functions • Multi-line LONG IF. Multi-line LONG FNs (argument passing) • Decimal, HEX, OCTal or BINary support. • Device-Independent Graphics and File I/O. • Never does String "Garbage Collection" • Comes with "Quick" and "Shell" sort source code • Built In "HELP" screens lets you get answers fast. • Long variable name (15 characters) • Loops: While-wend, do-until, for-next- STEP • Serial Port and Modem support • Easily load your old BASIC programs saved in ASCII Send me ZBasic right away! $89.95 complete. CREDIT CARD-MASTERCARD/VlSAf AMEX/C O O Card Expiration Date: , My computer is a i complete. plus shipping MAIL TO: ZEDCOR, INC. 4500 E. Speedway, # 93 Tucson, AZ 85712 Name Address APT. # City State Zip Day Phone ZBasic Arizona Residents add 5% Sales Ta*. In US add$500 shipping. COD. add $5.00 per order. Outside U.S. and Canada, add $2000per shipment for postage (U.S. currency oaly.) C. Turbo Pascal, IBM PC, Fortran, Pascal, MODULA COBOL are trademarks of their respective companies— Macintosh is a trademark o( Macintosh Laboratories, Inc. ORDER TOLL-FREE: 1-800-482-4567 30 day money-back guarantee. Technical Support: (602) 795-3996 inquiry 395 for End-Users. Inquiry 396 for DEALERS ONLY. MAY BYTE 219 OPTICAL DRIVES ably the first CD-ROM disk available for personal computers. The disk uses a full-text indexing software package created by KnowledgeSet (formerly known as Activenture). The disk is designed to be used on any of several CD-ROM disk drives that can currently be connected to an IBM PC. The price of the disk is $199. Grolier is selling the disk with a disk drive for the IBM PC for $1495. [continued] Companies Mentioned AGA Lancore Technologies Inc. Philips Subsystems and Peripherals 347 Fifth Ave.. Suite 510 31300 Via Colinas 100 East 42nd St. New York. NY 10016 Westlake Village. CA 91362 New York, NY 10017 (212) 683-9160 (818) 991-5100 (212) 850-5125 Alcatel Thomson Gigadisc LaserData Inc. Portable Solutions 470 Totten Pond Rd. 10 Technology Dr. BackPac International Corp. Waltham. MA 02154 Lowell, MA 01851 1701 Directors Blvd.. Suite 2 50 (617) 890-0801 (617) 937-5900 Austin, TX 78744 (512) 448-4965 Cameron Computers Inc. Laserdrive Ltd. 29 Goodway Dr. 1101 Space Park Dr. Reference Technology Inc. Rochester. NY 14623 Santa Clara. CA 95054 5700 Flatiron Parkway (716) 427-8190 (408) 970-3600 Boulder. CO 80301 (303) 449-4157 Chorus Data Systems Library Corp. 6 Continental Blvd. POB 4003 5 Sony Merrimack, NH 03054 Washington, DC 20016 Information Products Division (603) 424-2900 (800) 624-0559 (for write-once drives) Sony Dr. Digital Equipment Corp. MicroTRENDS Park Ridge, NJ 07656 CD-ROM Publishing Services 650 Woodfield Dr.. Suite 730 (201) 930-6484 12 Crosby Dr. Schaumburg, IL 60195 Bedford. MA 01730 (312) 310-8928 Sony (800) 332-9277 (in Massachusetts: (800) 528-1313) National Memory Systems Optical Memory Group (for OEM CD-ROM drives) 3 55 Earhart Way 13 59 Old Oakland Rd. Franklin Telecom Corp. Li verm ore, CA 94 550 San Jose, CA 95112 (408)280-0111 . 31320 Via Colinas, Suite 112 Westlake Village. CA 91362 (415) 443-1669 (818) 706-1186 Nissei Sangyo America Ltd. Grolier Inc. Sherman Turnpike Danbury, CT 06816 (for Hitachi write-once and CD-ROM disks) 460 East Middlefield Rd. Mountain View.. CA 9404 3 Tallgrass Technologies Corp. 11100 West 82nd St. Overland Park, KS 66214 (913) 492-6002 (800) 243-7256 (415) 969-1100 TtCMAR Inc. Hitachi America Ltd. Optical Storage International 6225 Cochran Dr. (for write-once disks) 1050 South Academy Blvd. Solon, OH 44139 950 Elm Ave.. Suite 100 Colorado Springs, CO 80910-3799 (216) 349-0600 San Bruno, CA 94066 (303) 570-1400 (415) 872-1902 TIme Management Software Inc. Optimem POB 13 58 Information Storage Inc. 43 5 Oakmead Parkway Stillwater, OK 74076 2768 Janitell Rd. Sunnyvale. CA 94086 (405) 377-0880 Colorado Springs. CO 80906 (408) 737-7373 (303) 579-0460 Toshiba Optotech Inc. Disk Products Division KnowledgeSet Corp. 770 Wooten Rd. 3910 Freedom Circle, Suite 103 251 1-C Garden Rd. Colorado Springs, CO 80915 Santa Clara. CA 95054 Monterey. CA 93940 (303) 570-7500 (408) 727-3939 220 BYTE • MAY 1986 A multi-user UNIX™ System V for $3,299 in stead of $4, Only 1 000 systems available at this price At last . . . an affordable, interactive, multi-user computer system. Its time every office had one. This high-powered computer system puts the competition to shame ^ At) ATA JSSgzw The 8300-7 UNIX Processor fro • Fastest in its class — compares with systems costing • Proven, reliable 10-user system with UNIX System V I • So light weight it's portable! mes the price. JUDGE FOR YOURSELF. . . This is what you get for $3,299* • 26MB Winchester • 1MB Floppy • 1MB RAM • 2 Serial Ports • Operation Manual • Built-in Diagnostics • Menu-Driven Utilities • 90 Day Warranty • Expansion Capability • Built-in SCSI Interface • Desktop Design • Free Delivery (Within Continental U.S.A.) • UNIX System V. The Complete Operating System includes: C, Assembler, programming tools, nroff, troff, vi, man, etc. Still need convincing? Order BEFORE 6/30/86, and you can buy our Expansion Board, controlled by a separate on-board 80186 MPU. for only $700 (a $1,200 value), which includes: • Additional 8 Serial Ports • Additional 1MB RAM • Centronics Printer Port SOFTWARE OPTIONS: Cobol 74, Fortran 77. Pascal. Basic, Macro Assembler, as well as word processing, laser typesetting. DBMS, spreadsheet, accounting, inventory/purchasing packages. IBM™ 3270 SNA/SDLC communications, PC File Server; etc. Megadata also offers larger 16-user Multibus™ based systems with storage options from 26 to 760MB. MEGAEATAft *Megadata is a successful, 19-year old computer and terminal manufacturer with a commitment to UNIX since 1981. **1 5-day money-back guarantee limited to one system per customer. Special conditions apply Offer limited to continental U.S.A. only, and expires 6/30/86. ™UNIX is a trademark of AT&T Bell Labs. Multibus is a trademark of Intel Corp., IBM is a trademark of International Business Machines. Call, write, or use coupon r MEGAEATA, CORPORATION 35 Orville Drive, Bohemia. New York 11716 Tel. 516-589-6800 • Telex 14-4659 YES! I'm interested! □ Please tell me how to order n I'm in a hurry — please call □ Please send information about your 16-user UNIX Systems Name/Title Company. — . Address - — 1 City/State/Zip^ Telephone . _ D J Inquiry 225 MAY 1986 • BYTE 221 OPTICAL DRIVES For the Atari 520ST and the IBM PC a ROMulus CD-ROM drive is available directly from KnowledgeSet. This con- figuration is available by mail order for $995. and it includes the en- cyclopedia disk. For the Apple He. MicroTRENDS sells a 68000 board and a CD-ROM disk drive adapter that reportedly allows the user to connect a CD-ROM disk drive to that computer. The 68000 board, called Jonathan, fea- tures a 10-megahertz 68000 pro- cessor and the OS-9 operating sys- tem. The board reportedly runs cer- tain well-behaved GEM applications such as the Activenture encyclopedia- accessing software. MicroTRENDS also indicates that a multiuser option will soon be available, allowing up to three terminals to access the CD-ROM drive through the Apple He. The Jonathan 68000 board costs $795. the adapter is $395. and a Philips CD- ROM drive currently sells for $1000. Digital Equipment Corporation's CD-ROM Publishing Services division is offering CD-ROM readers bundled with its collection of reference works on optical disk, CD-ROM drives are available for the DEC MicroVAX and the IBM PC and will soon be available for the DEC Rainbow 100. Currently 10 reference works are offered in- cluding COMPENDEX: Electrical & Computer Engineering ($1195, or $3485 with CD-ROM drive) and NTIS: Computers, Communications, and Electronics ($1 1 50. or $3440 with CD- ROM drive). The Library Corporation offers not only its bibliographic databases on CD-ROM disks but also stand-alone CD-ROM disk drives for the IBM PC. It currently sells a Hitachi CD-ROM drive for $999, including adapter, cables, disk-access software, and a sample CD-ROM disk. {Editor's note: For more sources of applications on CD-ROM disks, see "laser Libraries" by Norman Desmarais on page 23 5. | Tecmar is selling its CD Massfile CD- ROM drives and adapters for the IBM PC and DEC Rainbow. Each of Tec- mar's adapter boards can attach to two drives, The price for one drive plus adapter card and cable is $ 1 695. Read-only Disk Products for OEMs and Publishers Publishers who need to distribute large amounts of information to a large group of people may find op- tical disk technology to be cost- competitive with paper- and modem- based methods. A few of the com- panies who can master and copy op- tical disks are listed in this section. Again, note that prices for each com- pany can vary considerably depend- ing on quantity. Nissei Sangyo America manufac- tures two CD-ROM drives. The CDR-1 502S is approximately as wide as the IBM PC system unit. And the CDR-2 500 has the same size as a full- height 514-inch floppy-disk drive. Both {continued) THIS $1000.00 SAYS YOU CAN'T FIND A BETTER PRICE THAN YOU'LL FIND ON THE I. C. E. EXCHANGE^ AVAILABLE BY PHONE (VOICEI AND PC DIALUP BUT DON'T DO IT FOR THE MONEY!! TO RECEIVE YOUR FREE PASSWORD (PLEASE HAVE YOUR VISA/MC0 READY) CALL: OUTSIDE TENNESSEE: IF BUSY IN TENNESSEE: DIRECT (800) 423-6408 (800) 423-0276 (800) 826-4528 (901) 756-1879 There are easier ways to acquire money-like sav- ing a lot of it when you buy hardware or soft- ware. The International Computer Component Exchange (I.C.E.) brings you a new, low cost data base of both dealer liquidations and na- tionally advertised offerings. It's available on line and by phone (voice) for those who prefer Personal Service and advice. Like a com- modities exchange, I.C.E. shows only the best prices found for each model and brand regardless of who the vendor is. It even provides descriptive data on many products. Then, if you're interested in buying, you can instantly retrieve the vendor's name, terms, toll free number, etc. to facilitate your purchase however you choose to make it. SAVE MONEY ON YOUR FIRST CALL OR IT'S FREE! If your first phone call doesn't save you money by showing you prices that are lower than ANY cur- rently advertised prices for identical products, just identify the ad for a full refund of line time for the call up to 10 minutes. NO MEMBERSHIP FEE. All charges are made to your Visa/MC. Just 99 cents/min. Toll Free for on line dialup data ac- cess and $1.25/min. for Personal Service Phone Access (Toll Free). If you decide to buy something, vendor referral is $2.99. QUESTION: WHEN YOU CAN FIND OUT IF YOU'RE GETTING THE VERY BEST PRICE FOR JUST ONE OR TWO DOLLARS, WHY CONTINUE TO PAY SO MUCH MORE? A SERVICE OF IBC/INNOVENTION 1. The first userto find a current advertised price for a new product in a U.S. Computer Magazine that is lower than an identical product listed on I.C.E. will receive $1000.00 222 BYTE • MAY 1986 Inquiry 173 THE FIRST AND BEST Multi-User PC Data Terminal. Acts like a PC. Displays like a PC. TVpes like a PC. Existing software can run on the KT-7/PC terminal as it would on a PC. Multiple users have the ability to share a single PC's resources, such as its CPU, hard disk or RAM card. Kimtron terminals connect to the PC through an RS-232 serial port. 80 x 25 addressable and scrollable lines of display and unique hidden attri- butes on a character basis support full IBM monitor video attributes. The economically designed display comes in your choice of 14" green or amber. One page of display memory standard. Up to 4 pages optional. Tens of thousands of IBM PC owners have already chosen our KT-7/PC data terminal for its convenience. So should you! Call today for your nearest Kimtron representative. IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Machine Corporation, © Copyright 1986 Kimtron Corporation. L*SS8fflI iT^^i^m Inquiry 194 for End-Users. Inquiry !95 for DEALERS ONLY. 1705 Junction Ct., Bldg. #160 San Jose, CA 95112 TWX: 910-338-0237 (408) 436-6550 (inCA) (800) 828-8899 OPTICAL DRIVES drives conform to the Sony-Philips data standard. Also available are an interface for the IBM PC and a DMA- type interface. An SCSI interface will also soon be available. In quantities of 1000 units per year, the price of the drive alone, less power supply, is $396. Nissei Sangyo also offers disk mastering and duplication services. Premastering and mastering of data on a 9-track tape costs approximate- ly $5000; in 1 000-unit quantities each disk copy costs $6. Philips Subsystems offers CD-ROM disk production and CD-ROM drives. The company is selling its CD-ROM drive to publishers and VARs for ap- proximately $500 in 1 000-unit quantities. Reference Technology can produce disks in the CD-ROM format and also sells CD-ROM drives. Its CLASIX CD- PRESENTING THE - EC3000 - BUSINESS AND PERSONAL COMPUTER • BOTH A SINGLE-USER AND MULTI-USER • IBM PC/AT COMPATIBLE • ENHANCED FUNCTIONALITY • HIGH SPEED PROCESSING AND MEMORY MANAGEMENT THE EC-3000, BY MITSUBA MANUFACTURED IN JAPAN FOR QUALITY MITSUBA CORPORATION CORPORATE: 714-592-2866 JAPAN: EI-EN ENTERPISES 03-446-6531 TAIWAN: GIFU ENTERPRISES 02-752-9661 HONG KONG: A&N ENTERPRISES 5-488-463 SINGAPORE: AI-EN ENTERPRISES 2745-333 ROM drive for the IBM PC is made by Hitachi and has a single-quantity price of $1595, including cables. The base price for mastering a CD-ROM disk is $9000, plus extra costs for indexing. Replicas are $1 5 to 2 5 each. The com- pany also offers a drive to handle 12-inch disks. Sony's Optical Memory Group is of- fering three CD-ROM drives to OEMs. The CDU-5002 is the same size as a full-height 5!4-inch floppy-disk drive. The CDU-100 is an external unit with its own power supply. And the CDU-200 is like the CDU-100. but with an SCSI interface. Sony also has avail- able an IBM PC adapter card. In quan- tities of 5000 to 10.000 units, the CDU-5002 has a price of under $300; the CDU-100. under $400. Time Management Software (TMS) can produce disks in both the CD- ROM and videodisk sizes. The com- pany offers a software product called LaserDOS that comes in two parts and is said to ease data storage and retrieval. The origination part of LaserDOS runs on a VAX and allows efficient storage of data on the optical disk's sector format. The destination part of LaserDOS runs on an IBM PC and allows full-text retrieval and screen-capture capabilities. Disk mastering currently costs $4000 plus fees for text preparation and index- ing. Copies are $20 each. The price for each copy of the destination part of LaserDOS ranges from $50 to $95, depending on volume. LaserData can produce videodisks and sells a controller card that allows an IBM PC to connect to a videodisk player. Called the PC Trio, the con- troller allows the PC to access digital, video, and audio from a videodisk player. PC TVio has a price of $1495. Mastering a videodisk with 800 mega- bytes has a base price of $8000. Replicas are $2 5 in 1 000-unit quanti- ties. Conclusion Because this industry is young and rapidly changing, these lists should not be considered complete. We in- vite interested readers to use them as a starting point and to explore other products that will surely be an- nounced in the future. ■ 224 BYTE • MAY 1986 Inquiry 242 for End-Users. Inquiry 243 for DEALERS ONLY Only the HayesTranset 1000* canget you out of this one. PLAU IOAM! Now your PC can do three things at once instead of making you wait while it does one thing at once. We call it tri ple taskin g? It means you can work with your PC while the Transet 1000 receives your electronic mail and runs your printer for you simultaneously. Three jobs at once. No waiting. When you're away from your desk, or at night while your PC is turned off, Transet 1000 serves as an electronic mailbox. Because it has its own indepen- dent 128K or 512K memory. To get the messages that come in through the night, you can call them up on your PC. Access them through a remote modem if you're away from the office. Inquiry 156 ©1986 Hayes Microcomputer Products. Inc. Or even have them waiting for you in hard copy. By now it's dawning on you ^Try^cy Say yes to the future with Hayes. ' Manufacturer's estimated retail price. that Transet 1000 can make your PC about three times as produc- tive as it is now. Which is no small statement. You've also figured out it's more than just a print buffer. More than just a communica- tions buffer. And probably costs a lot. Right? Wrong! It costs only $399* for the 128K model which stores up to 90 pages. And only $549 * for the 512K version with up to 360 pages of storage. For more information and specifications, contact your authorized Hayes dealer. Or Hayes directly at (404) 441-1617. Hayes Microcomputer Prod- ucts, Inc., P.O. Box 105203, Atlanta, Georgia 30348. MAY 1986 • BYTE 225 Conquest: Two Cards for the Price of One <8S> One Card, One Slot, One Choice Introducing Orchid's Conquest, the first PC multifunction card with 2 megabytes of the new Lotus EMS Expanded Memory. It's like having a multifunction card and an EMS card in one slot, but it costs less than you'd expect to pay for either. Multifunction Card Conquest is a multifunction card with serial/parallel Sorts, clock/calendar, and •OS Memory. And Orchid's Switchless Installation gets you up and running in minutes. Expanded Memory Card Conquest breaks the 640K DOS memory limit with 2 megabytes of Lotus EMS Expanded Memory. Orchid's Productivity Software lets you use this memory for RAM Disk and Caching, so you take advantage of it with your existing software. Whether you're buying the first expansion card for your PC or an add-on for Lotus EMS Expanded Memory, Conquest is your choice: A First Card Buyers: Conquest is a multifunction card with EMS. A Multifunction Card Owners: Conquest is an EMS card with ports. Features: 2 megabytes of RAM DOS & EMS Memory 1 Serial, 1 Parallel Port Clock/Calendar Productivity Software: RAM Disk Disk Caching Print Spooling Alarm & clock display Optional PCnet connection , 47790 Westinghouse Dr. A \ Fremont, CA 94536 415/490-8586 Tlx: 709289 ORCHID The Innovative Leaders Conquest and PCnet are trademarks of Orchid Technology. All other product names are trademarks of their manufacturers. 226 B YTE • MAY 1986 Inquiry 260 MASS STORAGE TAPE BACKUP SYSTEMS by Anthony Antonuccio An introduction to backup systems for microcomputers DURING THE PAST few years, the need for tape backup systems within the microcomputer community has increased mainly due to the advance- ments made in magnetic-disk tech- nology. Microcomputer systems often have 10 to 20 megabytes of 5!4-inch hard-disk data storage, and the average disk storage capacities could soon increase to 30 megabytes or more. This move to higher disk capac- ities reinforces the need for tape backup systems as a means of archiv- ing data, transporting data between facilities, maintaining data within its disk environment, and most of all, providing "data insurance" to guard against the loss of data. This article is not a brand-name comparison of available tape backup systems. The intent here is to give you the necessary background informa- tion on the types of tape systems available, so that you can make an in- telligent choice for a tape system that will best suit your needs. I will focus on the most common uses of tape systems within the micro- computer environment, discuss tape- system/host-system interaction, and describe the most popular types of tape systems, outlining the pros and cons of each type. I'll also give some hints on buying a system. Tape Systems for Personal Computers Until recent years, tape systems were primarily used as a "secondary" means of data storage. At the end of a given day, users would "dump" to tape data that was no longer needed for immediate access and store it for future use. This form of data storage was, and still is, very important within the mainframe environment, and it is becoming more important within the microcomputer environment as higher-capacity disks become avail- able. Another common use for tape sys- tems is as a means for data exchange and distribution. Within many data- processing environments, users need to distribute data from one facility to another. T£pe systems become a natural solution for this application due to the low cost and high capaci- ty of the medium. l&pe systems used as disk-file main- tenance tools can provide fast and flexible reorganization of data. You can rearrange groups of files from one disk directory or disk device to an- other. You can also make fragmented disk files contiguous again by back- ing up the files to a tape, then restor- ing these files from the tape to a re- formatted disk. The files will be restored contiguously, enabling faster disk-file accessing. Probably the most important use for tape systems is for data protection when a system's disk device becomes unusable due to disk failure or, more commonly, through operator ac- cidents where the integrity of file in- formation is destroyed. Losing infor- mation, as most computer users at some time or another can attest, is an aggravating and often costly situation. Having the "lost" information safe on a backup tape may help preserve your sanity. Technical Background The integration of a tape drive to its host computer system requires a series of interfaces that will transport, translate, and process information (continued) Anthony Antonuccio (Sytron Corporation, 135 Maple St., Marlborough. MA 01752) is vice president for product development at Sytron Corporation, developer of software for a variety of tape backup systems. MAY 1986 -BYTE 227 TAPE BACKUP pertinent to any backup or restore operation. The components connect- ing the host computer system to a tape-drive mechanism consist of a host-system interface, a tape-drive in- terface, and intelligent tape firmware (figure I). These components can be contained on a single host-controller card containing both tape intelligence and the host interface, or they can be separated into a host adapter and a tape controller with an interface to the host adapter and an interface to the tape-drive mechanism. No matter how they are designed, most tape systems have those same basic com- ponents. The Tape System The integral part of the tape-drive mechanism is the recording head, consisting of read, write, and erase heads (figure 2). The number of heads determines the number of recorded data tracks placed on the tape. The storage capacity of a tape drive is determined by the number of data tracks the device uses, the recording density of information it places on each track, and the length of the tape. The tape-drive interface carries data to and from the tape drive. This inter- face consists of tape-drive status sig- nals, tape-drive control signals, and data-interchange signals. These sig- nals are the low-level components of the backup and restore applications. The intelligence of a tape system, residing on a tape-controller board, receives information from the host adapter, manipulates that information with one of a series of tape command sets, and then passes the resulting for- matted information to the tape drive. Figure 3 shows the QIC-02 (Quarter- Inch Committee) standard commands used by some tape driver software to manipulate data to and from a tape system. Other command sets such as SCSI (small computer system inter- face), SASI (Shugart Associates sys- tem interface), and other QIC com- mand sets may also be used. The Host Interface Host-system adapters with a tape- controller interface have the neces- sary intelligence to port and decipher host-system signals and data to and from a tape controller. Most host- interface signals include I/O channels for DMA (direct memory access) con- trol lines of read and write operations, processor-interrupt control lines, clock and timing control lines, and a status-check line. Figure 4 summarizes a typical host interface connecting a host computer system to a tape con- troller. This interface consists of data, command, and status bytes; hand- shaking lines that can interrupt data or command transfer; control signals to the tape drive; and status signals from the tape drive. Software and Utilities The software driver that generates tape commands and supervises the backup and restore operations to and from a tape system can take various forms, depending on the computer, operating system, and the objectives of the system programmer, l^pe-sys- tem software also includes backup and restore utilities that let you transfer logical disks and selective files to and from a tape drive. 'Typically, the utility will be a menu- driven program prompting you at each decision point with appropriate questions and valid answers. Upon ex- ecuting the utility, for example, you might be asked to select the type of operation, whether backup, restore, or verify. The first option transfers data from disk to tape, while the sec- ond reverses the process. A verify operation performs a tape-to-disk comparison to assure the integrity of the data on the tape. At the lowest level of tape driver software is "buffer management." Here, the software initiates a buffer pool using the host system's available RAM, manipulates data blocks con- tained within these buffers, and moni- tors data-transport activity. Figure 5 summarizes a typical design for data HOST SYSTEM INTELLIGENT TAPE CONTROLLER HOST INTERFACE HOST ADAPTER AND DISK CONTROLLER DISK INTERFACE DISK DRIVE TAPE INTERFACE TAPE DRIVE QJ5 Figure I : A tape backup system typically consists of an intelligent tape controller with interfaces to the host computer system and the tape drive itself. Depending on the system, all or part of this controller may be incorporated into the host system (as an add-on card) or into the tape-drive unit. 228 BYTE • MAY 1986 TAPE BACKUP exchange between a tape system and host computer with a hard-disk system. At the highest level of tape driver software, backup, restore, and verify operations are generally separated into two categories: file-by-file opera- tions and image operations. File-by- file operations generally use operat- ing-system function calls that can manipulate single files, groups, or en- tire directories of files and provide the most flexible and secure of opera- tions. Image operations disregard file or directory structure. Instead, they ac- cess disk-sector information sequen- tially, through operating-system calls or straight BIOS calls, and provide maximum data-transfer throughput due to lower disk and processor over- head. Many users prefer image oper- ations because of their faster speed. The trade-off is that image operations generally give you less flexibility for restore operations because of the lack of file structure during backup oper- ations. Figure 6 represents a sample data- recording format typically used for tape. This QIC-24 format for putting data on a tape (as opposed to the QIC-02 command set for sending data to and from the tape system) includes a preamble, which contains informa- tion on blocks (akin to sectors on a disk); a block marker to mark the be- ginning of the actual data; 512 bytes of data; a block number; a cyclic re- dundancy check (CRC) for error detec- tion; and a "postamble" that sets up the tape to receive another preample. The QIC-24 format is the most wide- ly accepted standard for writing data on a tape. Types of Tape Systems Of the many types of tape systems available, there are only a handful of different tape-drive types and even fewer manufacturers of those tape drives. Differences in brand-name tape backup systems can include how the tape drive is assembled, whether or not it has a tape controller (not always necessary), the design of the tape application software, whether it is in an external housing (usually con- sisting of a power supply, ventilating TAPE RECORDING HEAD MECHANISM DATA TRACK 1 DATA TRACK TAPE MOVEMENT TAPE MOVEMENT W R _□__□__ -□-□- R W E - W-WR1TE HEAD R- READ HEAD E- ERASE HEAD Figure 2: The integral part of a tape-drive unit, the recording head, consists of read, write, and erase heads. This diagram shows two tracks of a multiple-track tape system. Note the placement of the read heads after the write heads, for the purpose of error detection. Select Drive "0" Initialize (retension) Tape Select Drive "1 " Write Data Select Drive "2" Write File Mark Select Drive "3" Read File Mark Rewind to BOT (Beginning of Tape) Read Status Erase Tape Power-On/Reset Figure 3: These QIC-02 commands are typical of commands that a tape-drive controller uses to send information to and from a backup tape. BYTE-WIDE BUS HOST SYSTEM © (^b) intelligent ^-^ streaming cartridge ^^ tape drive © © © TRANSFER ACKNOWLEDGE REQUEST READY ON LINE RESET EXCEPTION DIRECTION Figure 4: A summary of the typical communications between a host computer and a tape backup system, including: (a) the actual data, command, and status bytes: (b) data transfer-acknowledge handshaking: (c) command-status handshaking: (d) host-to-drive control signals: and (e) drive-to-host status signals. fan, and cabling), and whether it is sold by an OEM or a value-added sys- tem integrating firm. l^pe drives can first be classified by the type of tape medium they use. Further classification differentiates tape drives by the recording mechanism they use to place data onto the tape medium. The most commonly used types of tape media are !/2-inch (in width) tape in an open reel or cartridge tape form, !4-inch tape usually in a cartridge tape form, and .1 5-inch tape in a cassette or mini- cassette tape form. The /2-inch tape drives are general- ly used within the mainframe and minicomputer environments due to their fast data-transport speed and (continued) MAY 1986 -BYTE 229 TAPE BACKUP high-capacity storage. Most /2-inch drives are too large, fast, and expen- sive for practical use with microcom- puters. However, as processor speeds, disk-access speeds, and disk capaci- ties increase, so will the need for '/2-inch tape-drive systems. In the future, /2-inch cartridge tape drives in a 5 /4-inch "form factor" (i.e., fitting in the same space as a 5!4-inch floppy- disk drive) could make /2-inch tape- drive technology more popular with microcomputer users. Some manufac- turers are developing /2-inch tape systems for microcomputers, and these products may be available by the time you read this. The /4-inch cartridge tape drives are the most commonly used tape back- up drives for microcomputers with hard-disk storage capacities of 10 megabytes or more. Capacities of ^-inch tape drives generally range from 45 to 60 megabytes of formatted data storage on a single tape, with a maximum data-transfer rate of 5 megabytes per minute. You can classify !4-inch tape drives by three HOST PROCESSOR INTERRUPT CALLS AND STATUS CHECK INTERRUPT CALLS STATUS CHECK AND DISK SYSTEM ( BUFFERS IN RAM ) DATA TRANSPORT TAPE SYSTEM DATA TRANSPORT Figure 5: \n the process of data exchange from the host computer system to the tape backup drive, the tape software uses the host systems RAM as a buffer to manipulate data blocks. // 1 // 1 2 4 12 BYTES B Y T E 512 BYTES B Y T E B Y T E S B 1 T S ft // < J 1 v 1 1 DATA 1 POSTAMBLE 1 CRC DATA -BLOCK MARKER 1 BLOCK NUMBER L PREAMBLE Figure 6: A typical data-block format used for tape backup systems, the Q1C-24 format. configurations: start-stop tape drives, streaming tape drives, and floppy tape drives. A conventional start-stop tape drive operates with a low-inertia capstan that allows sudden starting and stop- ping of tape motion and is best used for file-oriented data recording, l^pe systems using this type of tape drive generally can record and access specific data files faster than a stream- ing tape drive because they can quick- ly stop in between data blocks rather than "overshooting" the file. Over- shooting of tape wastes time because the tape must rewind past the last recorded or accessed data block and reposition itself in a forward motion again for the next data block to be recorded or accessed. On the other hand, streaming tape drives are faster at recording an entire disk. Most start-stop tape drives can ac- cess data files on tape randomly, as opposed to sequentially searching the tape for a desired data file. Due to the sophisticated recording mechanisms of start-stop tape drives, they are generally more expensive than other ^-inch tape-drive systems. Streaming tape drives are designed to record information to a tape with- out having to stop tape motion, thus the term "streaming." This type of tape drive is better suited for image data recording. Because a streaming tape drive can record or access a data block on the fly, it can achieve con- tinuous tape motion, providing a data block is available to be recorded or accessed. Streaming tape drives can do file- oriented backup operations with a sacrifice of reduced performance from that of a start-stop drive. Stream- ing tape drives usually access files on the tape by sequentially searching the tape until they find the desired data file or until they reach the end of recorded data on the tape. In com- parison, streaming tape drives are less expensive than start-stop drives due to their simpler, lower-cost drive mechanism. Floppy tape drives are designed to eliminate the need for a separate con- troller board to control tape opera- tions. The tape drive plugs directly [continued) 230 BYTE- MAY 1986 PROBLEM: There's just no easy way to move from one software program to another* THE SOFTLOGIC SOLUTION: Software Carousel Now you can keep up to 10 programs loaded and ready to run. Hard to believe, but some people are happy with just one kind of PC software. Well, this is not a product for them. But if you re someone who depends on many packages, all the time— someone who'd use several programs at once if you could, well now you can. With Software Carousel. Why call it "Software Carousel"? In some ways, Software Carousel works like the slide projector you're used to. You load a handful of pictures, view one at a time, then quickly switch to another. A simple idea, with powerful possibilities for computing. Here's how it works. When you start Software Carousel, just tell it how much memory you have, load your software and go to work. Need to crunch numbers? Switch to your spreadsheet. Need your word processor? Don't bother saving your spreadsheet file. Just whip over to your document and do your work. Snap back to your spreadsheet, and it's just like you left it. With up to ten different programs at your fingertips, you'll have instant access to your database, communications, spelling checker, spreadsheet, word processor, RAM resident utilities, languages, anything you like. Reach deep into expanded memory. This could be the best reason ever for owning an expanded memory card, like the Intel Above Board, ASTRAMpage, or any Inquiry 326 Word Star 1-2-3 BPI 4X 8X 12X 16X Wi run load a file Teste h Software Carousel ning in RAM. you can a program and retrieve j up to 15 times faster. Dnducted on an IBM XT card compatible with the L/I/M Extended Memory Standard. Software Carousel puts programs into this "high-end" memory for temporary storage when they're not in use. And switches them back out when you want them. It's fast, effic- ient, and easy. If you want, Software Car- ousel will even use your hard drive for swapping. Just allo- cate a portion for storage, and go to work. Sidekick, Superkey and Ready. All at the same time. You know what happens if you try loading two or more RAM resi- dent utilities at once. You get crashed keyboards, frozen screens, all kinds of interference between pro- grams fighting for control. With Software Carou- sel, you can have as many accessories and utilities on- tap as you want. Just load different ones in different Carousel partitions. Since they can t see each other, they can't fight. Carousel will look for the programs you use most often, and optimize them for the quickest access. You can spend a lot more money, and still not get the convenience and produc- tivity increase of Software Carousel. The way we see it, there are certain things you have the right to expect from your computer. Access to your software is one of them. At just $49.95* a copy,Software Carousel is the best way to get it. Order today at 800-272-9900 (603-627- 9900 in NH) or send the coupon below. Special combination pricing is available for the purchase of Software Carousel and other Sof tLogic products, including Cubit, DoubleDOS and Disk Optimizer. The easy way to maximize PC power. With all this power, you might think Software Car- ousel is complicated and difficult to use. Not so. Set it up once, and it will re- member forever. Better still, ^SoftwareCarousel $ 49 ( i95* YES! Please send me_ Name _copies of Software Carousel today. Company- Address City . State/Zip_ Check Enclosed D VISA □ Card# Signature MC □ AMEX □ Exp. Date SoftLogic Solutions, Inc. 530 Chestnut Street Manchester, NH 03101 800-272-9900 (603-627-9900 in NH) SoftLqgk: SOLUTIONS Call today: 800-272-9900 *plus $5.00 shipping and handling. MAY 1986 -BYTE 231 TAPE BACKUP If a floppy tape system does not record data properly on the tape f it will not indicate this until it performs a separate verifying pass. into the back port of the host com- puter system's floppy-disk controller, such as is standard on the IBM PC XT. Such a setup makes the floppy tape systems more portable from one host computer to the next than other tape systems. Floppy tape drives simulate a string of floppy-disk drives, where each tape data track is treated as a floppy disk. The data format of the tape is also set up similarly to the format of a floppy disk, with a bad-sector table, a file- allocation table, random-access abili- ty, and so on. The "floppy-like" data format of floppy tape systems requires that before you use any tape, it must go through an extensive formatting pro- cedure that generally takes at least 40 to 60 minutes to complete. Once you have formatted the tape you should not have to reformat it during normal use— again, similar to using a floppy disk. Because floppy tape drives use a floppy-disk controller interface, any host computer system not having this interface may not be able to use a floppy tape system. Also, because of this interface, floppy tape systems have reduced speed performance and a degradation of data reliability. The average data-transfer rate is I mega- byte per minute for both file-oriented and image-oriented backup opera- tions. Data reliability decreases due to the lack of a l, read-after-write" check when placing data on a tape: Most other drives have a read head following the write head within the recording head mechanism. This lets a system read data from the tape as it is being written to the tape, verify- ing the accuracy of the write opera- tion. If a floppy tape system does not record data properly on the tape, it will not indicate this until it performs a separate verifying pass. Thus, floppy tape drives must perform a separate verify pass after data is writ- ten to the tape. Cassette tape drives using .15-inch tape are available in both streaming and floppy tape configurations similar to ^-inch tape drives. Speed perfor- mances for both versions are compar- able to the '4-inch tape drives. The .1 5-inch minicartridge tape drives are generally configured similarly to the !4-inch floppy tape versions, using the host system's floppy-disk controller as the tape controller. Tape Controllers The type of tape controller a tape drive needs depends on the host computer system's interface and the type of tape drive, l^pe-system con- trollers are available in a variety of configurations from many manufac- turers. Currently most tape con- trollers use the QIC-36 and QIC-02 tape-controller configuration, al-. though the SCSI and SASI tape-con- troller configurations are becoming popular. The differences between these configurations have to do with the command set that instructs the tape drive to perform specific opera- tions and monitors the host computer system's operations. This intelligent command set, combined with a host- system interface, a tape-system inter- face, and a processor, makes up a tape controller. Not all tape controllers are made up strictly of hardware components ar- ranged on a circuit board. To reduce tape-controller costs, some manufac- turers have removed the intelligence from the controller and placed it in a software module that formats and ma- nipulates the data to and from a tape drive. With this type of tape controller, the host computer system shares its microprocessor with the tape con- troller, instead of the tape controller having its own processor. Systems that use a software module to take the place of tape-controller firmware usually sacrifice performance and may be less compatible with different host computers. Tape Software As an operating system controls the host system, so tape software controls the tape system, l^pe software deter- mines the format of how the drive places data on a tape, how it transfers data from the host system to a tape and back again, and what the user in- terface will be. Unfortunately, there is currently little standardization of tape format. As a result, data interchange between tape media from one brand- name tape system to the next is not yet possible. Buying a Tape System The number of brand-name tape backup systems now available prob- ably exceeds the number of cereal brands offered in the local super- market, and choosing between them can be difficult. When you are pur- chasing a tape system, keep in mind reliability. You can expect similar tape drives from different manufacturers to perform similarly. Speed, reliability compatibility, and cost will closely resemble one another. You must de- cide which tape configuration best suits your needs. Generally, the greater the width of the tape medium, the more informa- tion may be less condensed over the medium and the more reliable the tape data will be. If you prefer to mount the tape sys- tem internally the power supply with- in your host computer system must be adequate for the tape drive. Forty watts is sufficient for 14 -inch tape drives, while I 5 watts is sufficient for .15-inch tape drives. Most ^-inch and .15-inch tape drives are in the 5^-inch half-height form factor; 1/2-inch tape drives should soon be available in the 514-inch form factor. The basic rule of thumb is still, "You get what you pay for." Remember, you are basically buying an insurance package for your data. You must first ask yourself the question, "How im- portant is my data?" That will set the tone for puchasing a tape backup system. ■ 232 BYTE • MAY 1986 PROBLEM: Handling your need for more megabytes, without spending megabucks on a new drive* THE SOFTLOGIC SOLUTION: Cubit ™ With Cubit, you'll get as much as 100% compression on data files, effectively doubling the storage capacity of all your magnetic media. Now get up to twice the capacity from all your storage media. You know what happens. The more you use your computer, the more information you create. And the faster you fill up your disk. The 10MB drive that once seemed enor- mous is now jammed with important files. That 20MB that should have lasted years is crowded in a matter of months. Of course you could keep buyingbigger hard drives. Or you could get Cubit and get the maximum storage space from the drives you already have. What is Cubit? In brief, Cubit is an advanced software tool that automatically reduces the number of bytes required to store a file, then converts the file back to its original size when retrieved. Some programmers call this effect "data compression," others, "disk expansion." Either way, the result is the same. Here's how it works. When Cubit com- presses a file, it first compares each word to its massive English word dictionary. Words that match are reduced to a predetermined code of just one, two or threebytes each. It then saves the abbreviated version to disk. Decompres- sion works just the opposite. To accommodate other words and symbols, Cubit uses two more compression techniques. One assigns new, shorter codes to unusual words. Another compresses according to the frequency of character strings in non-text data. So no matter what kind of files you create, Cubit ensures maximum space savings. Best of all, you'll be using the same fast, reliable data compression techniques used on mainframe computers for decades. Inquiry 327 How much disk space will you save? Because the vast majority of data created on PC's is standard ASCII text— letters, numbers and other English language symbols— we've optimized Cubit for word processing and database files. With these, you'll get a minimum of 50% expansion on up to a full 100% or more. At the same time, you can expect a significant 30% to 50% improvement with other kinds of data. Including spreadsheet files, program code, graph and image files,even binary data. And Cubit works just as well with floppies and tape cassettes as it does with hard disk drives. Run Cubit where you want, when you want. Maybe you'll want to use Cubit for all your files, or maybe just some. So Cubit lets you specify exactly which files to work on and which ones to leave alone. In RAM resident mode, Cubit works quickly and invisibly, compressing and decompressing right from within any program you run. Or use Cubit's powerful file management mode. It supports wild-card and global file names, and addresses sub-directories up to thirty levels deep. Save time and money, as well as disk space. A compressed file is a smaller file. So with Cubit, back-ups take less time, as well as less space. And communicating compressed files means significant savings on phone line charges. Any way you look at it, Cubit will pay for itself in no time. And that's especially true now. Special limited time offer. Buy Cubit now and you'll save even more. Because for a limited time, you can buy Cubit at the special introductory price of just $49.95* But hurry. This special price won't last long. Ask for Cubit at your computer dealer. Or order directly from Sof tLogic Solutions by calling 800-272-9900 (603-627-9900 in NH), or mail in the coupon below. Special pricing is available when you buy Cubit along with other SoftLogic products including DoubleDOS, Software Carousel and Disk Optimizer. Ask for details. ^ Cubit™ 49«* YES! Please send me copies of Cubit at this special introductory price. Name Company Address City State/Zip Check Enclosed □ Card # Signature VISA D MC □ AMEX D Exp. Date SoftLogic Solutions, Ini 530 Chestnut Street Manchester, NH 03101 800-272-9900 (603-627-9900 in NH) SoftLogic SOLUTIONS Calltoday:800'272'9900 *plus S5.00 shipping and handling. MAY 1986 -BYTE 233 Why the Hercules Color Card is better for your XT than IBM's. Did you know that there's a color graphics card specially designed for the XT? It's called the Hercules 11 " Color Card. We think that it's better for your XT than the IBM® Color Graphics Adapter. Here's why. The XT comes with an empty short slot. IBM's card is too long to fit in it, so you're forced to sacrifice a valuable long slot, while your XT's short slot goes unused. The Hercules Color Card is designed to fit in this short slot. It's the smartest way to maximize the usable slots in an XT and provide for your future expansion needs. IBM Hercules Ill I mi - — . Notice how much more efficiently Hercules makes use of the XT's slots. Our efficient use of an XT's slots is not the only reason to buy a Hercules Color Card instead of IBM's. We give you a parallel printer port at no extra cost. (IBM charges extra and takes up another slot.) A lot of people wonder how Hercules can do everything that IBM can in a card less than half the size. We do it by designing our own graphics microchips. Just one of our chips packs the punch of dozens of IBM's, reducing by more than 50% the number of components that can fail. And we'll do just about anything to make our products the most reliable you can buy. Hercules IBM Of course, you will have to give up something when you buy a Hercules Color Card. You'll have to give up software incom- patibility. With Hercules, there is none. Every program that runs on the IBM color card will run on the Hercules Color Card. You'll have to give up IBM's ninety day warranty. Ours is two years. IBM Hercules Compare warranties I 3 months 1 2 years And you'll have to give up a dollar. The Hercules Color Card is $245-IBM's is $244. Look into the Hercules Color Card for the XT, PC or AT™ Find out why the readers of PC World voted the Hercules Color Card 1985's best color graphics card-ahead of IBM's. Call 1 800 532-0600 Ext.432 for the name of the dealer nearest you and we'll rush you our free info kit. Hercules. inquiry 1 58 We're strong on graphics. Address: 2550 Ninth St., Berkeley, CA 94710 Ph: 415 540-6000 lelex: 754063 TYademarks/Owners: Hercules/Hercules Computer Technology; IBM, XT, AT/IBM. Limited time offer, subject to change without notice. MASS STORAGE LASER LIBRARIES by Norman Desmarais Publishers are providing information on optical disks OPTICAL STORAGE systems can store audio, video, text, computer-gen- erated images, or any combination. Such systems may soon dramatically change the way information pub- lishers and libraries serve their users. Currently available optical media fall into two categories— write-once disks, to which you can add information but not erase it, and read-only disks, which you can read but not change in any way. (Editor's note: For a discussion of these technologies, see "The Evolution of Mass Stor- age" by Leonard Laub on page 161.) Publishers of large bibliographic and full-text databases are beginning to use read-only optical technology to distribute information to their cus- tomers. Many of these databases have been available electronically via tele- communication or on magnetic tape and are easily transferred to read-only optical disks— either 12-inch laser disks or the more recently available 4 3 / 4 -inch (12-centimeter) CD-ROMs. 12-iNCH Laser Disks The Library of Congress has for several years maintained an index of its holdings since 1968 in electronic form called MARC (machine-readable cataloging). This database is in the public domain, and a number of in- formation publishers have incor- porated it into laser disk products. Library Systems and Services Inc. (LSSI), for example, produces a video- disk version of the MARC database, called Mini MARC, which is geared toward smaller libraries. Every two weeks, LSSI produces a new version of Mini MARC on 12-inch disks for Pioneer LDV-1000 players. The system can support up to four 12-inch laser disk players and provide access to more than 3/2 gigabytes of storage. (To have the complete database with indexes the system requires the simul- taneous use of two laser disk players.) LSSI also offers 12-inch videodisk versions of the Government Printing Office database of government pub- lications and the National Information Center for Educational Media (NICAM) database of 500,000 audio- visual and educational materials. The company recently produced a union catalog (a union catalog lists all the holdings for all the branches of a library system) for the libraries in the Southeastern Region New York Library System. This 12-inch laser disk contains over 700,000 titles. International Thomson Library Ser- vices has tested a laser disk product called MARVLS (the MARC and REMARC Videodisk Library System). (REMARC is a database of the Library of Congress's holdings prior to 1968.) MARVLS contains both databases on 1 2-inch laser disk and lets you search through a million cataloging records. Various divisions of International Thomson have produced optical ver- sions of the Library of Congress data- base, although none of the products are commercially available now. Information Access Company pro- vides its periodical databases, which now include the full text of the Wall Street journal, in 12-inch laser disk for- mat, under the name Info Tfac (see the text box "Info Tfac: Storing Peri- odical References by Laser" by Joe Dorner on page 236). CD-ROM: Advantages for Libraries CD-ROMs have many advantages over the magnetic media currently being [continued) Norman Desmarais (Phillips Memorial Library, Providence College, Providence, RI 02918) is acquisitions librarian at Phillips Memorial Library and author of articles for computer-related library publications. MAY 1986 -BYTE 235 LASER LIBRARIES Info Trac: Storing Periodical References by Laser Information Access Company (IAC). a branch of Ziff-Davis Publishing Company, maintains a large database of magazine and newspaper citations called Info Trac. Info Trac's short references describe article subjects, authors, and publications. You can look through this data for articles that might be applicable to your research or what- ever you're interested . in and then select items to read. This informa- tion is supplied to libraries on microfilm, and film readers are located in almost every major library across the country. You could also dial into a public in- formation system, such as Dialog, and access the information on line. How- ever, you would have to spend a lot of time reading through this information, and log-on charges for such a database could easily run into thousands of dollars each month. Info Trac Magazine Index contains references to articles in over 400 publications, and it is updated monthly. It also includes the Newspaper Index, which covers several national dailies. The accumulation of references makes by Joe Dorner it a huge database. Even the monthly updates are quite large. I AGs main file is over 300 megabytes long, with 20 to 30 megabytes of new data being added each month. At IAC. we wanted to provide better access to this infor- mation, but there was no easy way to do it before optical disks came along. IAC now provides its databases on optical disk systems based on the IBM PC and devices manufactured by Laser- Data of Boston. A basic system is com- posed of two IBM PCs with floppy-disk drives, a LaserData decoder, and one or two Pioneer laser disk players. Libraries receive updated optical disks monthly. IAC keeps its data on a large main- frame computer. Over 30 large-reel nine-track magnetic tapes are used to hold a single database and associated index files. These tapes are sent to LaserData for the conversion process. It takes several days to encode this in- formation, add appropriate error- checking information, and create a videotape. The videotape is then sent to 3M for conversion into 12 -inch laser disk masters. Duplicate disks are created and checked for accuracy. This cycle usually takes over a week, most- ly because of the time it takes to transfer the information between the several companies involved. (This does not include the time necessary to create the database or process the information.) Data Storage The type of information a database contains and how users will access this information influences the structure of the main data file, as well as the index files that point into this main file. Using an encyclopedia as an example, let's look at a typical search of the Maga- zine Index. If you are doing research for a report or term paper, you usually have a specific topic in mind. This will prob- ably lead you to an encyclopedia, which is arranged in alphabetic order by subject. You will then read the arti- cle concerning your topic, extracting things that are important. If the article contains a reference to a related arti- cle, you will turn to that one and con- tinue reading. If there are no related COARSE TABLE .OCATOR TABLE DATA FILE Knife Knot Ladder Lost Lucky Man / \ Ladders used in architecture Landings on the moon Laser beam research Laser disks and mass storage Leach lines and sewage systems Lemmings Lost and found departments / LASER DISKS AND MASS STORAGE The use of laser disks for mass storage, discussing the selection of data for storage, and the design of programs. BYTE magazine, page, volume, issue. Movies on laser disk: a change from videotape. A discussion on the changes in distribution. . . Figure A: Laser disk storage. 236 BYTE • MAY 1986 LASER LIBRARIES articles, you will try to figure out where else to look for information. However, if the encyclopedia is being stored on a laser disk system, the manufacturer can take several steps that will help you access the information you need. The simplest method of file layout is to have one large alphabetic text file. You can move sequentially through topics until you find what you're in- terested in. Since encyclopedias are large, this is usually not a suitable search method; scrolling forward to topics near the end of the alphabet will take a long time. You will need some form of index; the simplest is an alpha- betic index of the main text. An alphabetic index can have as many entries as time and space allow, but the simplest have headings only for the 26 letters of the alphabet. You would type in a letter and then be presented with the first article starting with that letter. This simple index is not satisfactory because there still might be a lot of information to scroll through before you reach your desired topic. Enlarging the index headings to several letters makes searching easier; the maximum number of index entries would then be one per article. This form of index has benefits and draw- backs: Can you type in a long name without making typing errors? Do you even know the proper spelling of a topic? Studies have shown that the maximum number of characters an average person can type without error is about 10 or 12. Thus, having indexes that are long will not be advantageous because many people will not be able to type in the full name of an article. Some form of subsearch should be provided for, assuming that what you type in is only the first few characters of an item's name. If an index becomes very large, then there will probably be indexes into the index, down to whatever level is desired. This is the case with lAC's Magazine Index. The Magazine Index is composed of many small citations. Each entry averages only six lines of 60 characters. This index was designed to be dis- played on an 80-character-wide screen, so a 60-character line leaves you room to present pointers and related infor- mation on either side of the data. Companies Mentioned Information Access Co. II Davis Dr. Belmont, CA 94002 (800) 227-8431 (415) 591-2333 LaserData Inc. 10 Technology Dr. Lowell. MA 01851 (617) 937-5900 There are a great number of citations in one database. Each citation is related to one or several specific topics. In the Magazine Index there are two levels of index files to select an en- try into the database. File Layout The first level to the index is a coarse table (see figure A) that is entirely con- tained within memory. Due to memory limits, this level currently has about a thousand entries. These entries are several characters in length and are evenly distributed across the main database. Each entry points into a locator table that contains one entry for each subject in the main database. The index prompts you to enter a term that you want to search for. The program then performs a binary search of the coarse table to find the nearest alphabetical match. This is fast because the entries being searched are all in memory. The coarse table provides a range within the locator table for the program to search. The program then performs a binary search on the locator table. If the read head on the laser player must move around much, this search may take a few seconds. This then provides an entry into the main database, and the program will present you with citations on the screen. For example, you might be doing a research paper on laser disk drives. At a program prompt you would enter the term LASER DISKS as a search topic. The program would search the coarse table and find the closest matching term to be perhaps, LADDER, depend- ing on the length of the index and number of indexes. The coarse table entry following LADDER might be LOST. The program would then make a search of the locator table, bounded by the LADDER and LOST entries. This would provide an entry into the main data file at the place where LASER DISKS is first used as a subject. You could then browse through all articles that are listed under that topic. The Magazine Index also provides some GOTO references. In this exam- ple, a citation might just tell you to also look at OPTICAL DISKS. You then press a key to have the system jump around the database and bring up OP- TICAL DISKS as a subject. After reading in this area, you then press an- other key to return to the LASER DISKS area. This GOTO capability makes the system easier to use. The data contained in this index was originally provided on microfilm, and if you wanted to GOTO another area, you had to manually move through the film strip, position it at the referenced area, then move back when you were done there. This is a simple form of indexing. The layout of this database makes it easy to place a citation in multiple locations, such as under LASER DISKS as well as under the author's name, and even under other subjects mentioned in the article. I AC is now providing VM Street jour- nal articles in full-text form. Rather than create a new indexing scheme into this new database, IAC tied it into the cur- rent Newspaper Index. As before, you enter a topic name and the system presents you with the citations related to that topic and articles that have full text available. By pressing one key. you can see the actual article, rather than having to look for the hard copy. ]oe Dorner (Covill Associates, 2204 Garnet Ave., Suite 301, Sam Diego. CA 92109) is president of the San Diego Computer Society and author of Assembly Language Routines for the IBM PC. He assisted in the development of \nfo Trac. MAY 1986 -BYTE 237 NEW RELEASE Ecosoft's Eco-C88 Rel. 3.0 C Compiler $5995 Release 3.0 has new features at an unbelievably low price. ECO-C88 now has: ■ Prototyping (the new type-checking enhancement) ■ enum and void data types ■ structure passing and assignment ■ All operators and data types (except bit fields) ■ A standard library with more than 200 functions (many of which are System V compatible for greater code portability) ■ cc and mini-make that all but automates the compile process ■ 8087 support (we sense the 8087 at runtime - no dual libraries) ■ ASM or OBJ output for use with MSDOS linker ■ Tiered error messages - enable-disable lint-like error checking ■ Fast compiles and executing code ■ Expanded user's manual ■ Enhanced CED program editor (limited time offer) We also offer the following support products for Eco-C88. $2995 CED Program Editor CED now supports on-line function help. If you've forgotten how to use a standard library functionjust type in the name of the function and CED gives you a brief summary, including function arguments. CED is a full screen editor with auto-flagging of source code errors, multiple windows, macros, and is fully configurable to suit your needs. You can edit, compile, link, and execute DOS commands from within the editor. Perfect for use with Eco-C88. For IBM PC, AT and look alikes. $ 20 C Source for Standard Contains all of the source code for the library functions that are distributed with Eco-C88, ex- cluding the transcendentals and functions written in assembler. Developer's Library Contains the source code for all library functions, including the transcendentals and those written in assembler. Perfect for the developer that wish to write their own custom functions or learn how we implemented the Eco-C88 library. ISAM Library Contains the code from the C Programmer's Library in relocatable format (i.e., .OBJ) includ- ing the delete code for the ISAM file handler. Library $ 1 f\ ie library A \J C Programming Guide After reading the 1st edition, Jerry Pournelle (BYTE Magazine) said: "I recom- mend this book . . . Read it before trying to tackle Kernighan and Ritchie." The second editon ex- pands this best seller and walks you through the C language in an easy-to-understand manner. Many of the error messages include references to this book making it a perfect companion to Eco-C88 for those just starting out with C. ( s 20ifnot with order) $ 25 ( s 50 if not with order) $ 15 ( $ 30 if not with order) $17 C Self -Study Guide (Purdum, Que Corp.). Designed for those learning C on their own. The book is filled with questions-answers designed to illustrate many of the tips, traps, and techniques of the C language. Although written to complement the Guide, it may be used with any introductory text on C. $ 20 C Programmer's Library (Purdum, Leslie, Stegemoller, Que Corp.). This best seller is an intermediate text designed to teach you how to write library functions in a generalized fashion. The book covers many advanced C topics and contains many useful additions to your library including a complete ISAM file handler. Eco-C88 C compiler requires an IBM PC, XT, or AT (or compatible) with 256K of memory, 2 disk drives and MSDOS 2.1 or later. Call today: 1-800-952-0472 or 1-317-255-6476 (for orders) (tech. info.) ECOBDF Ecosoft, Inc. 6413 N. College Ave. • Indianapolis, IN 46220 TRADEMARKS: ECO-C88, ECOSOFT 238 BYTE ■ MAY 1986 Inquiry 12 3 LASER LIBRARIES The costs of a CD-ROM system include the hardware and subscriptions to information services. used in the computer industry. TWo advantages are the elimination of wear on the media and the per- manency of the data. Data on CD- ROMs cannot be destroyed by dust and fingerprints that can cause head crashes in current computer tech- nology Since nothing touches the disk while it's operating, there is no danger of scratching the disk and af- fecting the data. In fact, CD-ROM manufacturers encourage you to wash the disk surface with warm water and mild soap and dry it with a lint-free cloth if you notice a decrease in response time. This is the only main- tenance that is recommended for the disks. CD-ROM disks do not warp as flop- py disks can. However, since the disk surface is coated with a plastic cover- ing, the plastic may warp and/or melt if the heat source becomes intense, as in a fire. However, data on such a damaged disk might still be readable; since the data is etched into the metal surface, it is not volatile as is data stored on magnetic disks or tape. Thus, a CD-ROM's data should be legi- ble as long as a laser beam can be clearly reflected from the surface. This same characteristic also means that the data is not affected by clima- tic conditions. You can use the disks under circumstances that would preclude the use of magnetic media. A CD-ROM's substantial storage ca- pacity, its reasonable response time, and a low cost per bit stored are its other major advantages for libraries and information providers. The costs of a CD-ROM system include the hard- ware and subscriptions to information services. They do not require backup hardware or media and they let you browse through databases at no ad- ditional expense since no telecommu- nications charges are involved. Such a system also gives you local control and total privacy while using it. A major application for CD-ROMs involves replacing microform and record collections. (Microform con- sists of reproducing documents in much reduced size. The two most popular methods are microfiche, which comes in 4- by 6-inch cards, and microfilm, which comes in con- tinuous reels.) Microforms have never been popular services in libraries. Microform readers are generally cumbersome or awkward to use and only provide fair imaging at best. Reader-printers have been expensive and cost more to operate than photo- [continued) Princeton Graphic Systems- the choice in PC monitors. High resolution. Sharp, crisp text. Bright, vibrant colors. Full PC compatibility. Rugged dependability. We design our monitors to meet your most demanding com- puter needs. From sophisticated business graphics to basic word process- ing, we make sure there's a Princeton monitor for you. mm FT^NCETON GRAPHIC SYSTEMS iuisenT iviri * ; " >■ BEST f --•--/ PRI NCETON I I For the second year in a row, you've voted our high resolution HX-1 2 RGB color monitor the number one color monitor in the world. * Thank you for your vote of confidence... * Results of PC World's "World Class PC Contest" for 1984 and 1985. MAY 1986 -BYTE 239 THE PC'S LIMITED AT — $ 1 995. THE PC'S LIMITED TURBO PC™- $795 PCs Limited AT 1 ' 3 "Editor's Choice 1 -Feb. 25, 1986 i**«MimimtininK«iMKnmMJK[* Yes, you can believe it. Since we ran our first advertisement for the PC's Limited AT™ and Turbo PC™, the calls we've received mostly start with comments like "Is this for real?" And "How can that be?" But now that our machines are in the hands of influential buyers, the questions tend to concern quantity discounts for further purchases. (Which are available.) You see, the PC's Limited machines are assembled from components bought worldwide with our strong buying power. Then they are offered directly to you— with no middleman markups. So light a match to your old budgets. With the savings we're providing, you'll have money to burn. PC'S LIMITED AT™ -80286-based System Unit running at 6MIIZ. (8MIIZ option included at no charge.) -1024K on Mother Board -1.2 Meg Floppy Drive -Combined Floppy/Hard Disk Controller Card -AT Keyboard -192W Power Supply -2 Serials and 1 Parallel Port —Clock/Calendar with Battery Backup Runs all Major Software written for the IBM PC™, PC XT' M t and PC AT™. Unit has 8 Expansion Slots. Same Bus Configuration as IBM PC AT™. One year limited warranty, GW Basic $95 • DOS 3.1 S85 • 80287 $195 PC'S LIMITED TURBO PC" -16-bit 8088-2 System Unit (running at 4.77 or 6.66 MHZ) -640K on Mother Board -360K Floppy Drive -AT Keyboard -130W Power Supply Runs all Major Software written for the IBM PC ,M andPCXT'\ 40% faster, without modifications. Unit has 8 Expansion Slots, with 7 available in above configuration. One year limited warranty. GW Basic $95 • IBM DOS 3.1 $85 • 8087-2 $149 PC'S LIMITED IBM' is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation. IBM PC, PC XT, and PC AT are trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation. Ad Number 405/86 SALES CALLS OUTSIDE TEXAS, 1-800-426-5150 1611 Headway Circle, Building 3, Austin, Texas 78754 Sales Calls from anywhere in country, (512) 339-6962 Technical Support Calls, (512) 339-6963 Customer Service Calls, (512) 339-6964 Telex No 9103808386 PC LTD FAX (512) 339-6721 Inquiry 275 LASER LIBRARIES The Library Corporation is using CD-ROMs to distribute &iblio~File, a MhRC-based system. copiers even though they provide in- ferior reproductions. Patrons have never liked microforms because of the difficulties of finding them, the time required to retrieve the desired infor- mation, and the difficulties of browsing. CD-ROM disks can provide quicker access to larger quantities of informa- tion than microforms, and they allow you to copy the information to a vari- ety of formats. You can access it through a personal computer and copy it onto a floppy or hard disk or channel it to a printer. The reproduction costs of CD-ROMs are currently one-tenth the cost of reproducing data in microform. And the reliability of the play-back equip- ment is generally regarded as 10,000 to 11,000 hours mean time between failures. That's equivalent to running the systems 24 hours a day for 59 to 65 weeks. When a failure does occur, it will probably involve replacing the laser unit, which currently costs about 100 dollars. Bibliographic CD-ROMs CD-ROM technology will find its great- est library application with nonvolatile databases, as a replacement for mag- netic media. The Library Corporation, for example, is using CD-ROMs to distribute Biblio-File, a MARC-based system that contains 1,500,000 bibliographic records of the Library of Congress's English language catalog- ing since 1964 and popular titles since 1900. A unique feature of this prod- uct is that, like MARC, it is in the public domain. The user's manuals, access software, application pro- grams, and laser disks are not copy- righted or protected. The Library Corporation has also converted its Any-Book database, a bibliography containing virtually every book currently being published in the U.S., from microfiche to CD-ROM. This system also incorporates an auto- mated acquisitions system that auto- matically converts the data into a pur- chase order for printing or sending to the vendor via telecommunications. Developed in collaboration with In- gram Distribution Group Inc., the Any- Book database is also available from Ingram under the name LaserSearch. CD-ROM technology lends itself to convenient use for other bibliographic databases such as local public-access catalogs (PACs, the card catalogs you would find in your local library), union catalogs, and "fully distributed" on- line public-access catalogs (OPACs). (Note that here, "on-line" means avail- (continued) Princeton monitors set the pace. To become a leader, you've got to keep ahead of the crowd. At Princeton, we set the pace. We delivered a color monitor for the IBM PC before IBM. And continue with a full line of state-of-the-art quality monitors. Monitors that deliver the features you demand. High resolution. Sharp, crisp characters. Bright, colorful graphics. Take a close look at a Princeton monitor. You'll see the sharp, crisp characters and fully formed graphics that make our monitors stand out against the competition. Addtoitafine dot pitch. A nonglare screen. Our flicker free technology. And you've got an image that makes you more productive, less fatigued. Easy to use. Our monitors are compatible with the leading brands of per- sonal computers. IBM™, Compaq™ and more. But we go one step . further. By paying'"' close attention to ergonomic detail, we make monitors compatible with you. S IVTM^ y m ,lllljl— Dependability. You can count on Princeton monitors when you need them. I They're rigor- ously engineered | and manufac- tured under the highest quality control stan- dards. Backed by a full one- year warranty. Supported by a nationwide service network. The result: monitors you can depend on. Princeton 's HX-12Egives you brilliant 64-color displays and extra sharp text. Bringing you the future. Princeton continues to set the industry pace with products like our HX-12E, the first IBM- compatible high resolution RGB color monitor with a .28mm dot pitch to support IBM's Enhanced Graphics Adapter. And our SR-12P, the first IBM-compatible analog color monitor, with a .26mm dot pitch to support IBM's Professional Graphics Con- troller. .. MAY 1986 -BYTE 241 tomPUTCR WAREHOUSE CALL TOLL !£IM -800-528-1054 FREE csw*^ fHATOM Air Express Shipping ^ \| |\, | BEST PRICES — <^- See Details Below PRINTERS Anadex All Models Call Brother All Models Call Cannon Laser Printer $2099 Citizen MSP-10 S255 MSP-15 S349 MSP-20 S319 MSP-25 $485 Premier 35 S409 Datasouth All Printer Models Call Diablo D-25 $529 635 $1079 Other Printer Models Call NOW EPSON All Printer Models Call Juki 6100 $349 6300 $669 NEC 3510. 3550. 3515. 3530 $729 8810.8830,8850 $1039 P5.P6.P7 Call Elf 360 $379 Elf 370 $379 MONITORS""^ Amdex All Monitors Call NECAII Monitors Call Princeton Graphics Call Zenith All Models Call VIDEO TERMINALS QumeQVT Green 101 $299 QVTAmber 101 $314 Wyse 30 $299 50 $419 75 $559 Wyse65 $439 Wyse350 $859 Zenith Z-22 S455 Z-29A $559 Z-49 Call MODEMS AT&T 4000 External $309 Anchor Automation Anchor Express $235 l/COMPUTI / Charge for Bank Cards COMPUTERS PANASONIC Sr. Partner Dual Drive $1599 Exec. Partner Dual Drive $2129 TOSHIBA T-1100 $1389 WYSE Wysepc 1100-1 $979 Wyse pc 1100-20 $1539 Zenith Computer Products SAVE up to 50% Z-AII Models Call DISKETTES Maxell MD-2 Plastic Box(Qty 100) . Sony MD/2(Qty 100) $125 $120 BOARDS ASTAdvantage $389 Rampage PC $299 Six Pack Plus $219 Hercules Color Card $149 Graphic Card $305 Intel Above Boards Call Maynard Hardcard $549 Paradise Modular Graphic 06-1 .... $239 FivePak ...$115 Quadram Gold & Silver Boards Call Quadlink $329 QuadEGA+ $365 Tec Mar Graphics Master $445 Captain No Memory $155 PLOTTERS Epson Hi-80 M ^' "^ . .Call KEYBOARDS ! Keytronlcs 5151 . . . V ^ =$159 OKIDATA All Printer Models Call HAYES All Modems Call Panasonic 1080. 1091 1092 1592 KXP3151 $219 $235 $309 $429 $399 STAR MICRONICS All Printer Models Call Silver Reed EXP400 Parallel $179 EXP550Parallel or Serial $409 EXP800 Parallel or Serial $619 Toshiba 321 Call P351 Parallel & Serial $969 Prometheus All Models US Robotics Courier 2400 ... Password 1200 Microlink2400 DISK DRIVES Alpha OmegaTurbo 10 Turbo 20 Turbo 30 Iomega Bernoulli Boxes for IBM Bernoulli Boxes for Macintosh . . Paradise Macintosh Hard Disk . Call $389 $180 $379 $515 $515 $675 .Call Call ..Call COPIERS \ Canon CffPd: Canon PC-10 $509 Canon PC-14 $649 Canon PC-20 $719 Canon PC-25 $939 XEROX SANYO 1020 w/Toner $1099 SFT600 . , $29 $75 $28 $28 TRAINING FlightSimulator PC Logo Typing Instructor Typing Tutor III LANGUAGES C Compiler (Microsoft) $227 Fortran Compiler (Microsoft) $203 Lattice C Compiler $242 Macro Assembler (Microsoft) S87 Pascal Compiler(Microsoft) $174 Quick Basic $57 Run C Interpreter $82 Turbo Pascal 3.0 Call Turbo Tool Box Call PROJECT MANAGEMENT Harvard Total Project Manager $262 Microsoft Project Call Super Project Plus Call Timeline2.0 $219 COMMUNICATIONS CompuServe Starter Kit Best Price Crosstalk XVI $92 MS Access $145 PFS Access $77 Remote $92 Smartcom II $83 SOFTWARE IBM PC and 100% Compatibles INTEGRATIVE SOFTWARE Enable 1.1 Call Framework II Call Smart Software System Best Price Symphony Call GRAPHICS Chartmaster $205 Diagram Master $189 Energraphics $160 Energraphicsw/Piotter Option $205 In-A-Vision $250 Microsoft Buss Mouse w/PC Paintbrush 3.0 $107 Microsoft Chart $189 Microsoft Serial Mouse $ 1 20 Newsroom $32 PC Draw $199 PCDrawLight Pen $102 PC Mouse w/Dr. Halo II $104 PC Paintw/Mouse $119 PFS Graph $78 Printmaster $30 Signmaster $ 1 34 Turbo Graphix Tool Box Call WORD PROCESSORS Leading Edge Word Processor S48 Leading Edge W/Pw/Spell& Mail $97 Lightening Call Microsoft Word 2.01 $228 Multimate 3.3 $203 PFS: Write w/Spell Checker $76 Wordstar w/Tutor $1 62 Wordstar Pro Pack $233 Word Perfect (Ver.4.1 )$ 1 99 Wordstar 2000 2.0,. $233 Wordstar 2000 + 2.0 $278 UTILITIES CopyllPC 1 DIR Fastback Norton Utilities 3.1 Printworks.. $19 $47 $87 $48 $36 Sidekick Call Sidekick (Unprotected) Call Sidekick-Superkey (Bundle) Call Sideways 3.1 $34 Superkey ■■■....... .Call SPREADSHEETS Lotus 1-2-3 Call Multiplan $112 Spreadsheet Auditor 2.0 $82 VP Planner $49 | Supercalc3(Ver. 2.1). Call"| MONEY MANAGEMENT Dollars & Sense w/Forcast $94 Tobias Managing Your Money $94 DATA BASE MANAGEMENT t Clipper $339 2 Cornerstone Call w dBase II Call | dBase III Plus Call g Extended Report Writer $79 g Knowledgeman II $289 3 Knowledgeman Upgrade Kit $145 % Nutshell 2.0 Call o PFS: File $78 fi PFS: Report $67 | Quickcode $ 1 38 g QuickReport S1 38 § Reflex Call J» Think Tank $92 | I R:Base5000 $3191 * Many other titles available. > Inquiry 89 for MS DOS Products. Inquiry 90 for all others. tomwrcR WAREHOUSE Order Line: 1-800-528-1054 Order Processing: 602-224-9345 2222 E. Indian School Rd. Phoenix, Arizona 85016 602-954-6109 Store Hours: Mon-Fri 10-5:30 Saturday 9-1 Order Line Hours: Mon-Fri 7-5:30 Saturday 9-1 Order Processing Hours: Mon-Fri 10-3 Product shipped in factory cartons with manufacturer's warranty. Please add $6,00 per order for UPS ground shipping on orders up to 10 lbs. Orders 10 lbs. and under you pay for ground service, receive air service at no extra charge. Available on orders 11-30 lbs. $17 for air service. Prices & availability subject to change without notice. Send cashier's check or money order...all other checks will delay shipping two weeks. VISA i ^2 2 y LASER LIBRARIES able electronically, not necessarily telecommunicated.) For example, libraries can use the Biblio-File system to extract records on the books they own and create their own unique database on floppy disks, or have the information mastered onto a CD-ROM disk. Bro-Dart Company also puts a local library's holdings on a CD-ROM as part of a system called LePAC (local public-access catalog). A single LePAC disk can hold up to a million full MARC entries. OCLC (Online Computer Library Center) Inc. maintains an Online Union Catalog that contains 13 million bibliographic records, collected from the Library of Congress and OCLCs 6000 member libraries. In the past, members have accessed this informa- tion via telecommunication services to print catalog cards, lists, and so on. The company is in the process of con- verting this and other databases to CD-ROM. In recent years, the Library of Con- gress has made its databases avail- able on magnetic tape, a format that is not suitable for smaller libraries. Online Computer Systems (not to be confused with OCLC) has received a contract to investigate publishing these databases on CD-ROMs, an at- tractive alternative for customers who cannot afford a magnetic-tape-based computer system. Online recently an- nounced that it would release CD- ROM versions of the R. R. Bowker Company's Books \n Print and Ulricfis In- ternational Periodicals Directory in June of 1986. In 1985 Carrollton Press (a company that has recently been purchased by International Thomson) announced plans to publish the complete shelf- list holdings of the Library of Con- gress (including foreign titles) , which contain 6.5 million unique titles. The company also announced its intention to offer the entire Library of Congress law collection on a CD-ROM called LAWMARC, although International Thomson will not say what its plans are now. A number of other bibliographic ref- erence companies have plans to pub- lish databases on CD-ROMs. H. W. Wilson Publishing Company, pub- lisher of the Cumulative Book Index and the Readers Guide to Periodical Litera- ture, has announced its intention to publish those indexes on CD-ROMs. One such disk could contain approx- imately five years of either index or a full year of all the company's jour- nal indexes. BRS Information Technologies has found that the current costs of search- ing its bibliographic and full-text data- bases on line are often high enough to deter libraries from using them in many reference situations. BRS and Lockheed's Dialog (another large in- formation provider) are in the process of testing CD-ROM products, although neither will disclose what those prod- [continued) Princeton outperforms the industry. Only Princeton delivers the outstanding price/perfor- mance value you've come to expect from an international monitor company. When we set out to design a Princeton Graphic Systems monitor we do it right. We combine ad- vanced technology (like a fine dot pitch) with modern ergonomics (like a nonglare screen) for a superior performance monitor. We build them with quality components to work day in and day out, even in the toughest conditions. We're looking better and better. Your support during 1985 enabled Princeton to grow three times faster than the personal computer industry as a whole. Our installed base of high resolution monitors in this segment alone grew beyond a quarter of a million... MAY 1986 -BYTE 243 LASER LIBRARIES CD-ROM technology lends itself to widespread applications with other databases. ucts will include or when they would be released. Other CD-ROM Applications CD-ROM technology lends itself to widespread applications with other databases. For example, the Corporate Infor- mation Database produced by Datext Inc. combines business information from six database publishers: In- vestext from Business Research Cor- poration, Disclosure II from Dis- closure Information Group, ABI/IN- FORM from Data Courier, Promt from Predicasts, the Financial Services Market File from Media General, and Who's Who in Finance and Industry from Marquis Who's Who. Various subsets of these databases make up four CD-ROM disks (Consumer, In- dustrial, Technology, and Service), each designed for a specific class of user. The yearly subscription fee to any or all of the services includes monthly updated disks. The Disclosure Information Group makes its database available on its own CD-ROM disk called Compact Disclosure. The company also sells three databases from Cambridge Scientific Abstracts on CD-ROM: Medline, the Life Sciences Collection, and ASFA (Aquatic Science and Fisheries Abstracts). A yearly subscrip- tion to any of these includes use of a CD-ROM drive and quarterly updates. Micromedex Inc. has announced the release of four medical databases on CD-ROM including Poisindex for identifying and treating the results of toxic agents; Drugdex, a phar- macologic database; Emergindex for diagnosis and treatment of diseases; and Indentindex for identifying tablets and capsules. The company provides yearly subscriptions to these data- bases with quarterly updates. Digital Equipment Corporation now publishes nine CD-ROM disks as part of its CD-ROM Database Publications program. The disks include Chemical Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Aerospace Engi- neering (from Engineering Informa- tion Inc); Medicine, Health Care and Biology; Aeronautics, Aerospace and Astronomy; Computers, Communica- tions and Electronics; and Environ- mental Health and Safety (all from the National Technical Information Service); Current Biotechnology Abstracts (from the Royal Society of Chemistry); and Health and Safety in Chemistry (from Chemical Abstracts Inc). All disks are available for use with DEC'S MicroVAX I and II, the VAXstation family the Rainbow 100, and the IBM PC XT. NewsBank, an index and full text of "clippings" from newspapers and magazines, recently announced that it will publish the Newsbank Elec- tronic Index on CD-ROM, which will contain a five-year cumulation of the NewsBank index. SilverPlatter Information Services publishes CD-ROM versions of Educa- tional Resources Information Center (ERIC), a database of educational materials, and the Public Affairs Infor- mation Service (PAIS), an index to ar- ticles on government, law, political issues, etc. Full-Text Publishing We can expect full-text databases to make wide use of optical technology, especially in the book publishing in- dustry. Art books, for example, are ex- pensive to produce in paper and could be published on optical disks at prices comparable to or less than a paper edition. High-quality graphics and text can be combined economi- cally for widespread distribution. This type of publishing will make mutila- tion and destruction of expensive books a thing of the past. It will also allow users to tour art museums with- out leaving their desks. The National Gallery of Art, for ex- ample, sells a double-sided 12-inch laser disk (formed by mounting two disks back to back). One side contains a catalog of 1000 of its oil paintings along with identifying information. The other side provides a tour of the museum. The National Gallery sells this for $100, approximately the same price as a quality art book. Laser technology can also compress major encyclopedias onto one disk. Grolier now publishes its Academic American Encyclopedia, previously available through on-line services, in laser disk and CD-ROM formats. The laser disk version retails for $89.95 and the CD-ROM version, which has far more sophisticated searching capabilities, sells for $199. The CD- ROM version has an electronic index almost as large as the encyclopedia itself. Yet the index and encyclopedia together occupy only 20 percent of the available space on the disk. Grolier has announced its intention to publish an optical disk encyclopedia that incorporates text, audio, video, and software applications with more sophisticated search capabilities. OCLC Inc. has developed Graph- Text, a CD-ROM product that com- bines the full text of articles with scanned images of the graphics accompanying the articles. The sys- tem allows you to print out high-res- olution copies of articles that look just like the original articles. Presently, Graph-Tfext contains articles taken from a variety of American Chemical Society journals. University Microfilms Inc. (UMI) has put its Dissertation Abstracts Interna- tional database on disk to form the Information Delivery Module (1DM). UMI will also publish on CD-ROM the full text of the 1984 issues of all the journals published by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), along with the indexing that applies to those issues from the INSPEC database. Datatek Corporation recently an- nounced its library system to store newspaper data. Datatek will publish in CD-ROM format the full text of 10 newspapers, newswires, and data- bases offered on line as DataTimes. This will result in compressing about three years of daily newspaper pro- duction onto one side of a disk. The company has begun by using the sys- tem in-house to replace tape storage of archival data. Reference Technology Inc., although [continued) 244 BYTE • MAY 1986 Princeton is the best choice in PC monitors. When you're looking for a personal computer monitor, look at Princeton Graphic Systems. Our growing family of high quality personal computer ^^^^_ monitors delivers compatibility, brilliant colors, high resolution, and dependability. Whether you're designing sophisti- cated business graphics or number-crunching a financial spreadsheet. That's why Princeton is number one in the minds of more and more personal computer owners every year. For the very best in PC monitors, the choice is clear: Pick the com- pany that's at the top. Princeton Graphic Systems. HX-12E. Our EGA- compatible monitor gives you 64 vivid colors. Extra sharp text and graphic displays. The finest dot pitch (.28mm) of any IBM- compatible enhanced monitor. Nonglare screen. Fully compatible with IBM's™ Enhanced Graphics Adapter (or equivalents). SR-12P. Top-of-the-line analog color monitor features ultra high resolution (640 x 480). 4,096 colors 'for superb graphics. The finest dot pitch (.26mm) of any PGC-compatible monitor. Laminated nonglare panel. HX-12. High resolution RGB color monitor with .31mm dot pitch gives you better graphics, better text than IBM's Color Monitor (5153). Nonglare screen. Voted "Best in the World" two years running in PC World's "World Class PC Contest". All monitors come with free data and power cables. SR-12. Superhigh resolu- tion RGB monitor with a .31 mm dot pitch. Compati- ble with Sigma Designs Col- or 400 board and others. Gives you 400 lines of resolution. Nonglare screen. MAX-12. High resolution amber monitor. When used with an IBM-compatible monochrome adapter delivers 720 x 350 resolu- tion. With an IBM- compatible color adapter, 640x200 resolution with 15 shades of amber. The monitor automatically ad- justs to either card. HX-9/HX-9E. Compact nine- inch high resolution RGB monitor. Perfect for worksta- tions where space is at a premium. Both feature a .28 dot pitch and an etched dark glass screen. Eco- nomic features like a built- in tilt/swivel base, non- glare screen, and a built- in green/amber switch. HX-9E is compatible with IBM's EGA (or equivalents). Visit your local computer store today and ask about our full line of high resolution color and monochrome monitors. Monitors that live up to the Princeton Graphic Systems tradition of quality, performance, and value. irnrxi Princeton Graphic Systems, 601 Ewing Street, Bldg. A, Princeton, NJ 08540; (609) 683-1660; TLX 821402PGSPRIN; (800) 221-1490, ext. 104. IBM i sa trademark of International Business Machines. Inc Color 400 is a tiarJemark of Sigma Designs. Inc. QuadEGA + is a trademark of Quadram Corp. Compaq is a trademark of Compaq Computer Corp.. Inquiry 288 GRAPHIC SYSTEMS AN INTELLIGENT SYBTEMB COMPANY MAY 1986 -BYTE 245 LASER LIBRARIES Companies Mentioned Bro-Dart Co. H. W. Wilson Publishing Co. MlCROMEDEX Inc. Library Automation Division 950 University Ave. 660 Bannock St. 500 Arch St. Bronx. NY 10452 Denver, CO 80204-4506 Williamsport. PA 17705 (800) 622-4002 (800) 525-9083 (800) 233-8467. ext. 640 (212) 588-8400 National Gallery of Art BRS Information Technologies Information Access Co. Washington. DC 20541 1200 Rt. 7 1 1 Davis Dr. (202) 737-4215 Latham. NY 12110 Belmont, CA 94002 (518) 783-1161 (800) 227-8431 NewsBank Inc. (415) 591-2333 58 Pine St. Datatek Corp. New Canaan. CT 06840 818 Northwest 63rd St. Ingram Distribution Group Inc. (800) 243-7694 , Oklahoma City. OK 73116 347 Reedwood Dr. "" (405) 843-7323 Nashville. TN 37217 OCLC Inc. (800) 251-5902 6565 Frantz Rd. Datext Inc. (615) 361-5000 Dublin. OH 43017 444 Washingon St. (614) 764-6000 Woburn, MA 01801 International Thomson (617) 938-6667 Library Service/Utlas Online Computer Systems International US Inc. 202 51 Century Blvd. Dialog Information Services Inc. 1611 North Kent St.. Suite 910 Germantown, MD 20874 3460 Hillview Ave. Arlington, VA 22209 (301) 428-3700 Palo Alto. CA 94304 (703) 52 5-5940 (800) 334-2 564 Reference Technology Inc. Library Corp. 5700 Flatiron Parkway Digital Equipment Corporation POB 40035 Boulder. CO 80301 CD-ROM Publishing Services Washington. DC 20016 (303) 449-4157 1 2 Crosby Dr. (800) 624-0559 Bedford, MA 01730 SilverPlatter Information Inc. (800) 332-9277 Library of Congress 37 Walnut St. Catalog and Distribution Service Wellesley Hills. MA 02181 Disclosure Information Group Washington. DC 20541 (617) 239-0306 5161 River Rd. (202) 287-6171 ' Bethesda. MD 20816 University Microfilms Inc. (301) 951-1300 Library Systems and Services Inc. 300 North Zeeb Rd. - 1395 Piccard Dr.. Suite 100 POB 1764 Grolier Inc. Rockville. MD 20850 Ann Arbor. Ml 48106 Sherman Turnpike (800) 638-872 5 (800) 521-0600 Danbury. CT 06816 (800) 243-7256 primarily involved with producing op- tical products for other companies, recently announced that it would bundle a CD-ROM disk containing 8800 public-domain and shareware programs for the IBM PC with the CD- ROM version of its CLASIX (Computer Laser Access Systems for Information Exchange) product. (Since September 1984 Reference Technology has sold a double-sided 12-inch version of CLASIX that can store up to 1000 megabytes on a side since September 1984.) Users will be able to copy the programs on the Software Library CD- ROM to a floppy or hard disk before using them. Conclusion We can soon expect the development of hybrid systems that will search locally stored laser-based databases and then automatically dial up and ex- tract items from on-line utilities such as BRS and Dialog. Optical-disk-storage systems might prove to be the greatest technological innovation for libraries since the microcomputer. Optical drives that are capable of interfacing with popular microcomputers will allow even small libraries to extend their capacities for data storage and infor- mation handling to levels previously available only to those that could af- ford mainframe computers. This tech- nology is so inexpensive that most libraries will be able to make it directly accessible to patrons. ■ 246 BYTE- MAY 1986 Development System Catches Bugs Before They Become Beasts. Orion's UniLab II tm is four instruments in one. Here's an Advanced 48-Channel Bus-state Analyzer, a real-time, real-world, In-Circuit Emulator, a Stimulus Generator for your special test cases, and a built-in EPROM Programmer, all in one small, $2,995 powerhouse. To find causes of software and hardware problems, Orion's "Non- intrusive Analysis ,,tm concept triggers on bug symptoms you specify. This mature product supports 46 microprocessors with one easy-to-use instrument. Personality Paks get you started fast, and if you need them, Orion's team of Applications Engineers is only a toll-free call away. You'll gain new development efficiency with our extensible language macro capability not found even in more expensive systems. UniLab II's disk-based intelligence in your PC, VAX tm , or PDP-11 means much more for your money than in any stand-alone development system. You've suffered long enough, call Orion today! "action"coupon Send me info on UniLab II and your No-Risk 10 Day Evaluation! T tie: CALL TOLL FREE: 1-800-245-8500 415-361-8883 in California VAX trademark of Digital Equipment Corp. Un Lab is an Orion trademark. Inquiry 261 Name: Company: . Address: City: State/ ZIP:. Tel.: .Ext.. UniLab II Universal Development Laboratory Orion Instruments, Inc. 702 Marshall Street Redwood City, California 94063 I MAY 1986 -BYTE 247 The database used nowbeused Introducing dBASE III PLUS? The PLUS stands for all the improvements weVe made to the world's number one selling database management software. up I IBSti^'ll Update Position Ret 1 1 Database file ; Format Uiew Query Report Label The Assistant helps beginning users accomplish day-to-day data management tasksidthmtprogramming. Mind you, dBASE III PLUS still has the powerful dBASE programming language, dot prompt, and all the features that have made dBASE in the standard of the industry WeVe simply raised the standard. And just as dBASE III introduced more power to the people, our new dBASE III PLUS introduces more people to the power People who aren't all that crazy about programming, for example. The Assistant feature in dBASE III PLUS now provides them with new easy-to-use pull-down menus for creating, using and modifying multiple databases. So now anyone who can manage a simple cursor can manage day-to-day data management tasks. Without programming. And by using our new Screen Painter, anyone can create custom screens. Without programming. Or using View, access related information in several databases at one time. Without programming. With Advanced Query System, another new non-programming feature, any user can build complex queries just by selecting from the dBASE III PLUS pull-down menus. For rapidly creating entire programs, there's even a new Applications Generator And for all those who wish to learn to program, the Assistant can be of further assistance. By teachingyou programming commands as you go along. Without disrupting your work flow These are only a few of the dBASE m PLUS features that can help new users quickly get up to speed. And experienced users quickly increase their speed. (Sorting, for example, is up to two times faster and indexing up to ten times faster than dBASE III.) / X WHMIIIIM Hest Display Exit UM f |rei«fl Field Name STATE Operator Matches Constant/Expression "NY" No combination Combine with .AND. Combine with .AND.. HOT. Combine with .OR.. HOT. Line Field STATE | STATE ( PROD.WSC ORDE1LDATE Operator Hatches Matches Matches More than or equal Constant/Expression I Connect "NY" «|DE" "LM Bass Lures" 11/81/85 OR. AND. | .AND. ) VSet Filter" Select a logical connector For the Filter condition. , Advanced Query System letsyou set up and answer complex Queries withoutprogramming. by more people can by more people. And it's the fastest way to network those users, too. Because now, true multi-user capa- bilities for local area networking are built right in. dBASE IH PLUS can also help put developers in the fast lane. With a new Data Catalog and more than 50 new commands and functions. Plus code encryption and linking, improved debugging aids, assembly language calls and much more. ASHTON TATE For the name of the AshtonTate® dealer nearestyoujcall 800-437-4329, Extension 0282" And get your hands on dBASE m PLUS. It's the software more people can look forward to using. Inquiry 26 ♦Upgrades are available t o all dBASE 111 owners. **In Colorado call (303)799-4900, Extension 0282.Requires 1BM W PC or I00%compatible.TYademarks/owners;Ashton-Tate t dBASE ill PLUS/Ashton-late; IBM/International Business MachinesCorp. © Ashton-late. All rights reserved. 1986. dBASE III PLUS The data management standard. & I I I BYTE Reviews Reviewers Notebook by )on Edwards 253 The AT&T UNIX PC by Alastair J. W. Mayer 254 ZBasic by Tl Byers 265 GEM Draw/MacDraw by Ricardo Birmele 269 Hardcard by Eva White 273 The B&C Microsystems 1409 EPROM Programmer by Robert Jacobs 279 Non-Keyboard Input Devices by Chris Pappas 285 Racter by Hugh Kenner 289 General Electrics 3-8100 Printer by Robert D. Swearengin 293 Lettrix by Alan R. Miller "299 Review Feedback 305 THE AT&T UNIX PC brings the power of UNIX to the microcomputer world. The package includes the 68010, a built-in hard disk, 720- by 348-pixel bit- mapped graphics, an RS-232C serial port, and a Centronics parallel printer port. Al Mayer, author of BIX's CoSy Software and obviously well familiar with UNIX System V, presents his conclusions. We are also pleased to have used the benchmarks for testing UNIX performance presented by David Hinnant in the August 1984 BYTE, page 132. Reviewer TJ Byers looks at ZBasic, an interactive BASIC compiler from Zed- cor that will allow you to run the same ZBasic code on any of five different systems with little or no modification. Because the BASIC enhances the per- formance of the compiler, you will be able to compile quickly and obtain relatively small compiled files. Most importantly, perhaps, you will be able to port the code from one machine to another. The B&C Microsystems 1409 EPROM Programmer, reviewed by Robert Jacobs, is a versatile tool that connects to an RS-232C port and allows you to read or write to chips in a number of ways. BYTE editor Eva White examines Plus Development Corporation's 10-mega- byte Hardcard. We are currently testing a number of similar products, but this review summarizes the technology involved and the costs and benefits of in- stalling the card. Robert Swearengin put General Electric's 10-pound 3-8100 to the test. The low-end thermal printer offers a great variety of features, although not boldface or italics. And many of you may find the price more attractive than the printer's speed. Non-keyboard input devices can simplify applications that require cursor movement and data entry. Chris Pappas takes a look at three of these devices: PC-Pedal, Footmouse, and Light Pen. Finally we have three applications software reviews. Many of you will not be able to live without Lettrix, a memory-resident print aid that permits your dot-matrix printer to simulate letter-quality output. Alan Miller explains that there are drawbacks, but the improvement in quality may well be worth the price and the extra time that printing will require. Ricardo Birmele shows that there are more dissimilarities between the draw- ing programs GEM Draw and MacDraw than many of us had expected. He favors MacDraw, but notes that GEM Draw fills an important niche. I'm not sure, but I think Hugh Kenner valued his experience with Racter more than Racter did. And I fear that most of you will enjoy Hugh's description far more than you will like the product itself. MAY 1986 • BYTE 251 THE F-15 JET FIGHTER. IF THE COMPUTER GOES DOWN SO DOES THE PLANE The F-15 served as a test bed for a flight control system written in the Ada language. Ada was designed to meet today's demands for a standard computer language, producing efficient, reliable and maintainable code. Does your compiler deliver? Even if your programs don't do loops in mid air, and won't make a boom if they crash, you need a powerful programming language. It has to be easy to learn, structured yet flexible, compact and fast. Your programs should reflect the latest advances in hardware and software and be portable. Get your software off the ground! Meet Ada. The DoD's new language of the future. Now you can run Ada on your MS-DOS or PC-DOS computer. Artek Ada is the most advanced Ada compiler for PCs. A new standard in software engineering We invite you to learn, explore and use the most powerful general- purpose programming language ever, — with Artek Ada. Artek has approached the tradeoffs of Ada compiler design in a novel way. Modern software engineering techniques are applied to produce a state-of-the-art compiler. Artek Ada is available now You can order the Artek Ada compiler now for only $ 895.00 in- cluding a debugger and a screen editor. Outside the U.S.A. add $ 20.00. For orders or information call toll free: 1-800-PC-ARTEK, in New Jersey or outside the continental U.S.A. call (201>867-2900, or write to our adress. VISA, MC and AMEX accepted. New Jersey residents add 6% sales tax. Please pay with credit card or a bank draft in U.S. dollars drawn on a U.S. bank. Dealer and distributor inquiries welcome. Inquiry 2 5 Artek Ada specifications Artek Ada implements the Department of Defense 1983 Ada standard, including generics, derived types, overloading, packages, separate compilation, dynamic arrays, standard I/O, string handling, array and record aggregates and much more. The only major featue of Ada not implemented is tasking. Minimum hardware requirements are: IBM PC or a compatible computer, running MS-DOS or PC-DOS (2.0 or later version) with 384 Kb RAM and one double- sided floppy-disk drive. Artek Ada works with the IBM PC network. For further information see our information kit. A demo diskette is available for $ 29.95 (including p&p anywhere in the world). Ask for our free information brochure. Artek Corporation 100 Seaview Drive NJ 07094 Secaucus Artek is a trademark of Artek Corporation. Ada is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Defense, AJPO. IBM PC and PC-DOS arc registered trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation. MS-DOS is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corp. REVIEWER'S NOTEBOOK Perhaps the closest thing to a re- ligious experience at BYTE is the passing of the benchmark stopwatch from a departing to an incoming product review editor. Glenn Hartwig has handed me the revered chronom- eter and assumed new duties. Therefore, this is a good oppor- tunity to state briefly the process by which products will be selected for review. I will organize all systems, pe- ripherals, and languages reviews. Brenda McLaughlin in our San Fran- cisco office is taking charge of ap- plication software reviews. In addition to sending press releases and infor- mation to the new products staff, manufacturers should send their press materials to Brenda and to me. We obviously have access to a tre- mendous amount of information and a large number of products. Still, we don't have the space to review or even mention but a fraction of the total. In an effort to expand our coverage, this month we are starting a new re- views conference on BIX. There you will be able to read reviews that other- wise would not appear in BYTE. The medium will also allow you to read others' reactions to the product and to the review. You will be able to offer feedback on reviews, which we may use in BYTE's Review Feedback col- umn. You will also be able to suggest products for possible review, and there will be an on-line Reviewer's Note- book. (For more information on BIX, call (800) 227-2983; in New Hampshire or overseas, (603) 924-7681.) This is not to say that we will turn our attention from BYTE. In the in- terest of expanding our review cover- age, we will be increasing the number of "comparison" reviews. In the works are combined reviews of IBM PC and AT clones, 1200-bps modems, 24-pin dot-matrix printers, CAD packages, Amiga peripherals, and tape backup units. We'll be able to cover more products without sacrificing our tech- nical perspective. We've seen a number of interest- ing new products this month. White Sciences' Icon Builder for the IBM PC AT with an Enhanced Graph- ics Adapter allows you to generate icons that you can print, overlay on your digitizer tablet surface, and use to facilitate the development of icon- oriented user interfaces. The package consists of four software modules. The graphics program is an interactive graphics editor for the construction of icons. The template editor allows you to associate these images with key- stroke sequences. With the Template Installation Program, you can select and install the templates as part of the operating system. The Overlay Print Program prints the image at the res- olution and aspect ratio of your digitizer. We received Perma Power's Color Commander, which fits underneath the IBM PC monitor. With this device, you can easily alter the colors on your IBM RGB monitor. We enjoyed the ex- perience of editing manuscripts in unusual colors, but the unit also has obvious uses for engineering and pre- sentation graphics. Antic magazine is marketing several products for the Atari ST, including Metacomco's Lattice C and Macro As- sembler; Kuma's A-Seka, a 68000 TOS assembler, disassembler and debug- ger; and Daniel Matejka's Disk Doctor, a disk editor that recovers deleted files and repairs damaged disks. Both of Metacomco's products include linkers and full-screen editors. The early experience of BIX users sug- gests that the Lattice implementation is complete but that the linker is slow. Modula-2 from TDI Software Ltd. may remain the development language of choice. I used the Atari XM301 300-bps modem to download files from BIX to the Atari 800. Some mail-order houses are selling the modem for under $40, a remarkable price given the fact that you also obtain terminal software that includes XMODEM and macros. I'm also impressed with Productiv- ity Software's PRD + , a multikey macro facility for the IBM PC family This memory-resident utility expands ab- breviations. With the software, your typing speed will increase and you can guarantee correct spelling. The PRD+ standard word list in- cludes short forms for the 200 most commonly misspelled words, for the 100 most frequently used words of four characters or more, for months of the year and days of the week, and for the states and major cities. You can capitalize the long form by capitaliz- ing the short form. For example, typ- ing "Asap" would yield "As soon as possible." The documentation is ex- cellent and provides a very useful sec- tion listing creative ways to use the software. It took me some time to adjust to the new way of entering text, and I ran into the awkward problem of typing "hi" only to find "hawaii" but installa- tion was simple, the implementation was very quick, and it was immediate- ly clear that I had saved an enormous number of keystrokes. An item on the main menu provides a count of the keystrokes you have saved. Finally, we received Borland's Travel- ing SideKick, a notebook/software combination that provides a handy way to list and sort addresses, tele- phone numbers, and appointments. You can print out files in a format that you can easily store in the Traveling SideKick binder, and the package makes it easy to update on-line files when you return from your trip. — )on Edwards Technical Editor, Reviews MAY 1986 -BYTE 253 SYSTEM REVIEW This micro- powerhouse incorporates mouse, windows, and a 10-MHz CPU with UNIX multi- tasking capability BY Alastair J. W. Mayer The AT&T UNIX PC Alastair J. W. Mayer (University of Guelpfi. Institute of Computer Science. Guelph, Ontario NIG 2 W 1 Canada) is the author of the CoSy conferencing system. The AT&T UNIX PC is a rugged machine that is ideal for both busi- ness users and software devel- opers. It is significant that AT&T changed the name of this machine from the PC 7300 to the UNIX PC shortly before its introduction. This computer is clearly intended to bring the power of UNIX to the personal com- puter market and a multitasking operating system like UNIX is needed to take full ad- vantage of all the features built into this machine. The windowing, mouse-driven, pop-up menu "shell" provides a comfortable user interface to the underlying UNIX System V operating system. The built-in telephone subsystem, consisting of a 1200-bps auto- dial/auto-answer modem plus a voice line and telephone manager software, makes this an ideal office computer for anyone who does a lot of work over the tele- phone. The UNIX PC has a built-in hard disk, serial port, and parallel (Centronics) printer port, and it uses the powerful Motorola 68010 processor (an enhanced version of the 68000), which can access up to 4 mega- bytes of virtual memory Add to this the battery-backed real-time clock, the 720 by 348 bit-mapped display, 103-key keyboard, and three-button mouse, and you have a very impressive package. (See photo I.) Display The AT&T UNIX PC features a built-in green monitor on a tilt-and-swivel mount. This display is bit-mapped to 720 by 348 pixels, or 29 lines of 80 characters in the default character set. (See photo 2.) Some of these 29 lines are usually re- served for operating system or application program use. Line I, at the top of the screen, displays the status of the two phone lines, the current date and time, and a notice area for icons indicating electronic mail, system messages, and access to the window manager. The two bottom lines display a graphic representation of the eight function keys at the top of the keyboard, to provide for dynamic labeling of these keys. The two lines above that (immediately below the main screen area) are for command entry and message display and also provide space for a "working" icon when the system is busy in response to keyboard or mouse input. Keyboard The AT&T UNIX PC keyboard has an im- pressive 103 keys. The basic layout is iden- tical to that of AT&T's 5620 terminal. This is a standard QWERTY layout for the alpha- numeric keys, with large Shift keys. There is a separate numeric/cursor keypad on the right, with the cursor keys in an inverted T" arrangement. Eight slightly oversize function keys are ar- rayed along the top of the keyboard in a 3-2-3 arrangement. This layout makes it easy to match the keys with the labels dis- played in a similar 3-2-3 format at the bot- tom of the screen. The Control keys are situated on either side of the space bar. This arrangement is convenient if you need to frequently key dif- ferent control codes, but I found it almost impossible to do the one-handed Ctrl-S/Ctrl- Q (XOFF/XON) sequence that I often use when browsing through a file. There are also 14 keys, marked for use with the Wang-like word-processing soft- ware, that are arranged in a double vertical row down the left side of the keyboard. The noncursor keys (when Num Lock is off) and 9 other keys grouped above the numeric keypad are used for a variety of system- control functions, including window paging and scrolling, duplicating the mouse but- tons, screen printing, and for calling the help function. The keyboard gives the same tactile sen- sation that people like in the IBM PC key- board, but without the "ka-chunk" sound. The Caps Lock and Num Lock keys incor- porate LEDs to indicate when those fea- 254 BYTE • MAY 1986 tures are active. Overall, it's a well-designed and pleasant keyboard to use. MOUSE The AT&T UNIX PC's three-button mouse is a compact, low-profile item, a little larger than the Mac's. The three buttons are usual- ly configured as select, mark (for later selec- tion) and pop-menu. (With the three-button mouse, there is no need to double-click.) The AT&T mouse uses the same inverted- trackball technology as the Macintosh (as opposed to optical sensors), but I felt its response was more positive than the Mac's. While the UNIX PC has excellent mono- chrome graphics capability, it does not come with a program like MacPaint, so I was unable to try my hand at sketching with this mouse. However, C library routines that in- terface the mouse and the graphics screen are included with the optional AT&T UNIX utilities package, so I expect that someone will create such a program soon. System Board The UNIX PC is built around a single large (18 by 18 inches) printed circuit board, de- signed to AT&T specifications by Con- vergent Technologies, makers of the UNIX- based Mini Frame Plus and Megaframe supermicros. Contrary to rumor, though, the UNIX PC motherboard is not a slightly modified Mini Frame Plus motherboard. However, it is like- ly that some of the circuitry is similar. Features unique to the UNIX PC system board include the telephone line-control cir- cuits, a 1200-bps modem, and a gate-array chip that controls the video display. Also on this board is the main processor (a Motorola 68010 32-/16-bit microprocessor that runs at 10 MHz), as well as 512K bytes of RAM and (virtual) memory-management hardware. (Since the RAM chips used are only 64K-bit types, the potential exists for future upgrades to 2 megabytes of on- board memory using 2 56K-bit chips.) Onboard peripheral support includes the controllers for both the floppy and the hard disk, control chips for the RS-232C serial and Centronics-compatible parallel ports, and the connector to the expansion back- plane. The system I used had an additional 512K- byte RAM board plugged into one of the three expansion slots in the backplane. Disk Drives UNIX is a disk-intensive operating system that requires fast drives and plentiful disk space. The basic UNIX PC comes with a fast 10-megabyte hard disk and 320K-byte flop- py. The speed of the hard disk is reflected in the benchmark results in tables I and 2. The hard disk supports virtual memory and program swapping, as well as storing the large collection of UNIX tool and utili- ty programs supplied. Software developers [continued) Photo I: The AT&T UNIX PC showing tilt-and-swivel display, keyboard (not extended: disk drives are covered by the keyboard in this photo), and the three- button mouse. MAY 1986 -BYTE 255 REVIEW: AT&T UNIX PC Table I: Results of UNIX benchmarks for the AT&T UNIX PC and some comparison machines. System time in seconds Machine UNIX Pipe System Call Funct ion Call version real user system real user system real VAX-1 1/780 4.1 BSD 3.2 0.1 1.2 4.8 1.4 4.0 1.0 AT&T UNIX PC System V 4.2 0.0 1.6 8.1 0.2 7.5 0.7 IBM PC XT PC/IX 16.6 0.1 7.6 39.8 2.9 35.6 4.7 TRS-80 16B XENIX 8.0 Sieve 0.1 3.4 Write Read 15.0 Shell 1.5 12.7 1.4 Loop real user system real real real user system real user system VAX-1 1/780 4.1 BSD 1.7 1.5 0.1 2.0 8.0 3.3 0.3 1.3 2.6 2.5 0.1 AT&T UNIX PC System V 2.4 2.1 0.0 3.9 11.6 5.1 0.2 1.2 6.8 6.2 0.1 IBM PC XT PC/IX 8.2 7.8 0.3 11.6 20.7 8.5 1.1 3.2 32.2 31.5 0.3 TRS-80 16B XENIX 6.0 4.8 0.3 8.0 22.0 18.0 0.4 2.6 14,0 12.5 0.5 and others who purchase the UNIX utilities package, which includes tradi- tional UNIX text-processing tools as well as the C compiler and library, will find the 10-megabyte hard disk an ex- tremely tight squeeze and should consider the 20-megabyte drive in- stead. (The disk-formatting routine provides for a 40-megabyte drive.) The single floppy-disk drive can be used in a number of ways. In AT&T- formatted mode, it gives a 320K-byte "mountable file system." A mountable file system is UNIX terminology for a collection of files and directories that can be "mounted" at any directory branch on the hierarchical UNIX file- system tree, although the usual prac- tice is to mount them at the top or "root" directory to prevent confusion. The floppy can also be used to make backups of the hard disk in any of several ways: as a structured file system, using ordinary copy com- mands, or in tar or cpio program formats. Tar, or "tape archive." is a traditional backup program on older systems, while cpio stands for "copy in/out," which is more widely used on UNIX System V systems. UNIX PC users do not need to know these commands; the System Ad- ministration menu takes care of such details. Table 2: Results for the multitasking UNIX benchmark with a variable number of processes. UNIX System elapsed (real) time in seconds Number of concurrent processes Machine version 1 2 3 4 5 6 VAX-1 1/780 4.1 BSD 4.3 5.5 7.8 9.0 11.0 13.8 AT&T UNIX PC System V 6.3 8.7 12.7 19.2 22.8 29.8 TRS-80 16B XENIX 20.0 24.5 33.0 56.5 1:10.5 1:39.3 IBM PC XT PC/IX 10.6 23.4 42.8 1 :14.1 1:24.2 2:10.7 System Configuration VAX-1 1/780 AT&T UNIX PC IBM PC XT TRS-80 16B 4-megabyte RAM, two 256-megabyte disks 1 -megabyte RAM, one 10-megabyte disk 512K-byte RAM, one 10-megabyte disk 384K-byte RAM, one 15-megabyte disk (Note: All figures for tables 1 and 2, except those for the AT&T UNIX PC, are taken from "Benchmarking UNIX Systems" by David F. Hinnant, August 1984 BYTE, page 132. See the "At a Glance" box for details.) AT&T has provided a feature that is almost a must in today's MS-DOS- dominated market that is, the ability to read MS-DOS-formatted floppies. Since this computer is 68000-based, it will not run MS-DOS, which is tied to the Intel 8088/8086 chips. However, MS-DOS data files, word-processing document files, and program source can all be transferred to the UNIX PC via special disk-read routines. Unfortunately, though, I was not happy with the software provided for reading MS-DOS disks. Since MS-DOS floppies are formatted differently from the standard AT&T UNIX PC for- mat (360K instead of 3 2 OK), the nor- (continued) 256 BYTE • MAY 1986 AT A GLANCE Name AT&T UNIX PC Company AT&T Information Systems National Sales Center 111 Westwood Place, Suite 300 Brentwood, TN 37027 (800) 247-1212 Components Processor: Motorola 32-/16-bit 68010 10-MHz clock speed Main memory: 512 bytes RAM, expandable to 2 megabytes on-board; 16K bytes EPROM start-up program Virtual memory: Custom memory-management hardware and Winchester disk allow a memory address space of 4 megabytes Display: 12-inch green-on- black; 348- by 720-pixel bit- mapped graphics capability Keyboard: 103 keys; 8 function keys, numeric keypad, and .14 multifunction word-processing keys Disk storage: Double-sided 5 1 /4-inch floppy stores 320K bytes in AT&T format, 360K bytes in MS-DOS format; Winchester hard disk, in 10-, 20-, and 40-megabyte options Ports: Standard RS-232C port configured as DTE (data terminal equipment), Centronics-compatible parallel port, three modular phone jacks Software UNIX System V, version 2 operating system, window manager, phone manager, word processor, spreadsheet, and business graphics package Miscellaneous Clock/calendar, three-button mouse, three expansion slots, built-in 300/1200-bps modem Price $5095 with 10-megabyte hard disk, 512K bytes RAM (UNIX $495 extra); $6590 with UNIX, 20-megabyte hard disk, and 1 megabyte of RAM (includes 512K-byte expansion card) About the Benchmarks User time is the amount of time a process spent executing nonprivileged instructions (e.g., arith- metic calculations, sorting, searching, calling user-level functions, and so forth). System time is the time a process spent ex- ecuting privileged (kernel) commands (i.e., sys- tem calls) plus some system-level overhead (e.g., context switching between processes). The elapsed time is just that. And it is often not the sum of the user and system times. The majority of missing time is spent waiting for I/O operations to complete, waiting for a signal from another process, sleeping, or being swapped out on disk while another program is running. Note that the UNIX operating system utility /bin/time filename counts real time in even sec- ond increments and user time in tenth-of-a- second increments. This accounts for some of the apparent inconsistencies in the benchmark timings. The Pipe benchmark is a measurement of how long it takes to set up a pipe (an I/O chan- nel that is written into by one program and read by another) and pass 0.5 megabyte of data through it. The System Call benchmark repeatedly queries (25,000 times) the operating system concerning its process identity with the getpid( ) system call. As the program doesn't do much other than system calls, the elapsed time is im- portant here. System time and user time are not very significant in this test. The Function Call benchmark consists of run- ning two programs, one that uses a function call to accomplish a goal and one that doesn't use the function call for the same goal. The user time of the program not using the function is subtracted from the user time of the program using the function. The difference is function call overhead. The Sieve benchmark is a test of compiler efficiency and processor throughput and is the time required for one pass through the Sieve of Eratosthenes prime-number generator. Sys- tem overhead is not very significant in this benchmark. The Disk Write and Read benchmarks test the random-access disk implementation. Disk Write creates, opens, and writes a 256- by 512-byte file. The Read benchmark reads this file and then removes it. The Shell benchmark invokes six back- ground processes. The shell statement wait causes the shell script to pause until all back- ground processes have terminated. Note that invoking tst.sh more than six times may not be possible on some systems if a per-user process limit is defined. The Loop benchmark tests long integer arith- metic and is almost totally processor-bound. For more information on benchmarking UNIX systems, see "Benchmarking UNIX Sys- tems" by David F. Hinnant, August 1984 BYTE, page 132. MAY 1986 -BYTE 257 REVIEW: AT&T UNIX PC mal device driver has to be bypassed and another used. The UNIX PC Of- fice software comes with a menu- driven program to do just that. However I was unable to persuade the software to "mark-for-copying" more than one file at a time, and it was quite tedious to scroll through a list of files on the floppy, select one to be copied, start the copy routine, and, when that had completed, scroll through the list from the beginning again to select the next file. The mouse button that normally allows you to pick several items from a list is apparently ignored in this software, so the process is very time-consum- ing for multiple files. For that matter, it was a while before I discovered that the floppy drive is considered another logical unit of the hard disk, rather than a separate device. The same device-driver inter- face is used for both, in a manner similar to Convergent Technologies' Mini Frame Plus; indeed, the C pro- gram file for this interface makes specific mention, in comments, to Mini Frame Plus. Software As is obvious from its name, the AT&T UNIX PC uses the UNIX operating sys- tem. The AT&T PC supports full Sys- tem V UNIX, although the system comes "unbundled." The essential commands and utilities for running and maintaining the system are in- cluded, but special-purpose utilities, such as the C compiler, are optional extras. UNIX is the ideal operating system for a powerful machine like this because it is a multiuser, multitasking operating system. This means that more than one user can use the sys- tem at one time (with extra terminals), and that each user may run a number of processes, or tasks, simultaneously. Window Manager UNIX provides for "shell" programs that reside between the operating sys- tem and the user and interpret the user's commands. Users of early "mainframe" versions of UNIX will be familiar with the traditional Bourne shell (named after the author) or perhaps the Berkeley C shell, which are both command-line-oriented. These users might be a little startled at the windowing or visual shell known internally as "ua" for "user agent" (a multiwindow system like that popularized by the Apple Macintosh) that is the default on the UNIX PC. Photo 2: The AT&T UNIX PC display screen showing two overlapping windows. Status of communications lines is shown at the top left, followed by the internal clock date-and-time display. Other systems tie this command-inter- preter function directly to the operat- ing system kernel, making the com- mand interpreter difficult to change, but in UNIX this shell is always a separate program. The user agent shell provides pop- up menus and icons for nearly all nor- mal user functions and system ad- ministration tasks and can be used with either the mouse or the cursor keys. The windows can be resized, al- though it seems to take a long time (actually only a second or two) be- tween clicking on the resize icon and waiting for the system to respond with the resize ghost outline. Actually, this is not too surprising since, as men- tioned previously, the windowing soft- ware is not part of the resident kernel software, as it is on the Macintosh, but a separate program. Traditional complaints about UNIX being cryptic or terse are generally misdirected. It is a particular shell pro- gram that may be terse, not the oper- ating system itself. The windowing shell on the UNIX PC goes a long way to counter such complaints. The UNIX PC makes more use of text menus rather than the Macintosh- style icons. This is a welcome change, in my opinion, and the menus pop out rather than having to be pulled down with the mouse. (For those who dislike mechanical rodents, the win- dow and menu software can also be used with keyboard and select keys.) The window manager must first be loaded from disk (the 2-second delay) before resizing can be done. I didn't find this a hardship, as the window- ing routines are designed to optimize initial placement and size of windows when they are created. This process can be speeded up by setting the "sticky" bit on the code file for the window manager, a standard UNIX technique for telling the operating system to retain the swap image of the program in the swap area of the disk after the program has finished run- ning. At the next invocation, the pro- gram then only has to be swapped back in, which is quite a bit faster than being reloaded. However, if you do this with too many programs, your swap disk rapidly becomes full. [continued) 258 BYTE • MAY 1986 LOTUS 1-2-3 TODAY- THE E-Z WAY At last, a book written for the user. Put your manual away, and learn to use Lotus the "E-Z" way. This 'E-Z' reference guide is written for vou by the publishers of THE POWER OF books! We give you easy, clear, concise information organized so you can find the answers fast. I J A " - - I IMfiGINCU! MDI'S 2 i M€GA0YT€ HARD DISK CARD simply plugs into your system and is ready to run!!! The hard disk card also contains the \ "POfiTTOTH€fUTUR€": R SCSI port which allows you to tie (daisy chain) / up to seven external (peripheral) devices to your computer. \ -*^.%i^. IIXItimiSKCAHIJ il M( (,H\RIJIHSK I It J KS( SI I'OKI ORD6R UN6 800-228-0891 305-677-8333 ViSA I MasterCard 1 V€flR WRRRRNTY, 30 DRV MON6V BRCK GURRflNT€€ | i'iU'lilri4^iTilliU^iM^Miy 6566 University £oulevard, Winter Pork, Florida 32792 305-677-8333 telex 332559 MDH ORL UD $*&! REVIEW: AT&T UNIX PC Using the phone manager, you can build a telephone directory file, select the appropriate name, and start dialing with a click of the mouse button. installing CoSy disk (albeit not a com- plete or polished one) in only a few hours. The system comes bundled with the UUCP electronic mail software needed to hook into the worldwide network. This same software can be used to exchange files between UNIX PCs, or between the UNIX PC and a mainframe computer. The UUCP software uses either the built-in serial port or the modem port and runs as a background task while you use the PC for something else (as long as the port is free). The computer can be set up to send or receive files unattended, such as in the middle of the night when the phone rates are lower. Phone Manager This is one of the better features of the AT&T UNIX PC. Anyone who feels it is important to keep a record of phone calls will appreciate this feature (especially if time spent on the phone can be considered billable consulting time). This software is an intimate part of the system, since the UNIX PC's hard- ware includes built-in telephone jacks for a voice line, a data line, and a tele- phone. If you only have one tele- phone line, it can be switched be- tween voice and data. The modem software provides both auto-dial and auto-answer. The voice-line capabili- ties of this machine are more im- pressive, though. You can dial (on either line) from the PC's keyboard, or you can build a telephone directory file, select the appropriate name using the mouse, and start dialing with a simple click of the mouse button. For each entry in your on-line phone book, there is a work area to take notes (keyed in from the keyboard) during the phone call. The window for this function opens automatically as soon as dialing is finished. The time of the call (both time of day and dura- tion) can also be recorded automati- cally if you so wish. The telephone manager window pops up automati- cally whenever an incoming call is detected. You have the choice of creating a new work area for the in- coming caller or accessing the old work area (and adding to it) if the caller is already in your phone book. DOCUMENTATION The AT&T UNIX PC comes with an im- pressive shelf of documentation in 9-inch D-ring binders contained in slip boxes. All of the documentation is well written, well laid out, and reason- ably straightforward. Some smaller spiral-bound booklets are also in- cluded, such as the "Getting Started" guide. AT&T includes handy reference cards for each of the application pro- grams. The UNIX System V Programmer's Guide, familiar to UNIX old-timers, is included with the optional utilities package. (It was the edition number of this manual that UNIX version numbers used to refer to, hence Seventh Edition equals Version 7.) The UNIX System V Programmer's Guide pages are organized alphabetically by command, function, or filename, within each of eight logically distinct sections. Conclusion The AT&T UNIX PC is an excellent machine. It's ruggedly constructed, the keyboard has an excellent layout and a nice feel, and the display screen is easy on the eyes. The display's tilt- and-swivel mounting is a definite plus. The electronics and disk drives seem solid and reliable. I had no problems with either, despite having trans- ported the system between my home and office on the back seat of my car a few times. The power of the 10-MHz 68010 processor really shows, and the fast hard-disk drive is well matched to it. Although the machine has virtual memory I would recommend getting at least I megabyte of real RAM (minimum is 512K bytes). Also, since the virtual memory uses a few megabytes of disk space, and the wealth of UNIX utilities and com- mands takes up a few more, the basic 10-megabyte hard-disk drive fills very quickly. I'd recommend the 20-mega- byte drive, or even the 40-megabyte drive, for serious software develop- ment. The built-in 1200-bps modem (in ad- dition to an RS-232C serial port) is an- other plus, although I was disap- pointed at the lack of documentation on programmer access to the modem functions. The software is solid UNIX System V, although many of the utilities are not bundled with the basic package and must be purchased separately. These utilities are a must for any C programming, but the whole utilities package is good value for the money. The windowing software is unique to the UNIX PC and its ease of use (together with the mouse) should put an end to all those nasty (but not en- tirely untrue) stories about UNIX be- ing terse and cryptic. The bundled word processor, spreadsheet, and business graphics software are quite usable but may lack some of the power and features of available dedicated third-party soft- ware. The electronic mail and tele- phone manager software (also bundled) are a real plus and make this machine a communications tool as well as just a computer. The system is readied for multiuser mode by just plugging in a dumb ter- minal for the other user and runs multiple processes well enough to compare with a VAX. For the price, you could perhaps have wished for color capabilities as well but if that would have meant using a slower hard disk, I'll take the fast disk and settle for monochrome. The standard UNIX System V oper- ating system also makes the AT&T UNIX PC an ideal relatively low-cost software development system. Over- all, the AT&T UNIX PC is a solid com- puter with impressive performance. ■ 262 BYTE • MAY 1986 Go for the power. Do you have to give up power and advanced potential to get ease of use and af f ordability? Not anymore. Because now, you can have UCSD Pascal for only $79.95! If you're making your move into programming, there's no better way to go than Pascal. And starting now, you don t have to settle for a stripped-down version of Pascal in order to get a price thats right. Instead, you can choose UCSD Pascal -the recognized Pascal programming standard in colleges and uni- versities throughout the country- at the incredibly low introductory price of $79.95 for your PC-DOS, MS-DOS, or other popular computer. Start with the standard With an entry -level system, you spend a lot of valuable time learning a non-standard form of Pascal. And you don't get all the capabilities a true Pascal system is supposed to deliver- unless you buy a lot of add-on utilities- which can send the cost of your system sky-high! Worst of all, when you're ready to tackle anything more than short, simple programs- you have no choice but to move up to a more sophisticated system (like UCSD Pascal). And at that point, you also have to relearn standard Pascal. UCSD Pascal has everything you need With UCSD Pascal, you get a iUCSD Pascal ^B§8 full-featured, professional programming tool thafs being used right now in the development of major scientific and business applications. The system comes with an outstanding text editor, a complete on-line tutorial, 8087 math coprocessor support and BCD (decimal arithmetic) included in the package at no extra cost. In fact, UCSD Pascal contains virtually everything you need -as standard equipment -for devel- oping the- simplest to the most sophisticated programs. UCSD Pascal is available for MS-DOS, PC-DOS, UNIX, VMS, MSX and many other operating systems. You can use UCSD Pascal to write programs of any size on virtually any computer, and port them to any other computer. And if speed is what you're after, the latest native code version of UCSD Pascal actually benchmarks favorably with Turbo Pascal® in execution time! i^^ * Programming that's easy ...and fun! At Pecan Software Systems, we f strongly believe programming should be as easy as possible. Pascal was originally designed for teaching programming skills, so its extremely easy to learn and to use. With UCSD Pascal, you'll be developing programs right from the start that are easy to write, easy to understand, and easy to maintain. We also believe that programming should be fun. So we've made UCSD Pascal as enjoyable to use as it is powerful. The right tool at the right price When the fun gets serious, you'll have a comprehensive programming system right at your fingertips with UCSD Pascal -a system that will help you develop those big-league programs you may eventually want to write -at a price you can readily afford. Put UCSD Pascal programming power on your PC now for only $79.95! Order by mail today or phone now 1-800-63-PECAN. UCSD Pascal -the original standard of Pascal pro- gramming excellence. The new leader in Pascal price/ performance. ^^ Inquiry 2 76 MAY I986 -BYTE 3yucc< *i(D{wn/ui : :-:.j PC-BASIC Y///\ BETTERBASIC The Sieve of Eratosthenes benchmark the languages took to do 10,000 multiplications measures, in seconds, how long each of the and 10,000 divisions using single-precision test languages took to run one iteration of a pro- numbers. The ZBasic tests were done on an gram that determines all prime numbers up to IBM PC. 7000. The Calculations graph shows how long result. If ZBasic encounters an error while compiling, it will display the er- ror and the appropriate line on screen. In most cases, compilation is so fast that execution is indistinguish- able from a normal interpreted BASIC start-up. This feature gives you an easier way to debug the program than the usual cycle of compile, save, run. reload BASIC, and edit. To save a compiled program, you simply invoke the RUN* command. Once saved, the compiled file con- tains everything necessary for the pro- gram to execute on its own. You can separately compile programs that are too large to save in a single file and chain them together using the RUN + command inside a dummy command file. ZBasic does not create an external object file, and there is no run-time error module. The ZBasic compiler saves the program in a .COM file that is approximately 40 percent smaller than the .EXE files created by other BASIC compilers. The lack of an object-file listing, however, may prove unacceptable to those programmers who use object code to get inside and tinker with program files. And the only execution error messages involve disk errors and an out-of-memory error (when the compiled program is too large for available memory). Without other run-time error messages, you could inadvertently enter an endless loop or generate a division by zero. The trace facility is adequate, but you will want to make frequent backups and you may need to use more than ordinary care in debugging. Transportability By organizing the compiler so that it translates each command into the machine code appropriate for the computer at hand, the language becomes transportable. Each computer must, of course, have its own version of ZBasic, since compiled files are not interchange- able; you can only transport token- ized and ASCII files. To date, ZBasic has been written for the IBM PC and compatibles, Apple He and He, Kaypro CP/M-80 machines, TRS-80 Models I, III, and 4, and the Macintosh. You can port any program written in ZBasic among these machines with little modification, provided they are not in compiled format. If you are interested in porting your software to other ma- chines, you will need to heed the ap- pendixes that specify the commands that may not be available on other versions of ZBasic. Conclusion Overall, I have to give ZBasic a good rating. It is extremely fast and ac- curate and a solution for those who are looking for ease in portability. On the other hand, it isn't for everyone. If you are willing to learn a new lan- guage to gain speed, portability, and reduce file size, then ZBasic is for you. If, however, you're not adept at pro- gramming, you may be better off with one of the more conventional BASIC compilers. ■ MAY I986 -BYTE 267 Get started in AI with Gold Hill. You know artificial intelligence is the wave of the future. Programs based on the ideas of artificial intelligence are being written today in Common Lisp- the new Lisp standard developed by researchers from universities and corporations such as Carnegie Mellon, DEC, MIT, Stanford, Symbolics and TI. Lisp allows the devel- opment of programs that are intelligent, flexible, and even human-like. The problem has been that hardware needed to run Lisp is expensive. No longer. Golden Common Lisp (GC Lisp) makes it possible for you to learn and use Lisp on your personal computer. When you use GC Lisp in combination with the AI examples provided, you will be able to develop such exciting appli- cations as expert systems, natural language systems, and intelligent interfaces to complex software. The possibilities are endless. With GC Lisp you can tackle problems that you could not solve before with ordinary number crunching programs. You will be able to write powerful programs that can accom- modate casual computer users who want intelligible answers quickly. Learn Quickly with GC Lisp GC Lisp makes it easy for you to learn the technology of AI at your own pace. Each package includes the San Marco Lisp 'Explorer- -an interactive software tutorial developed by Patrick H. Winston and his associ- ciates. This 800-frame instructional Golden Common Dsp is the best selling AI language. system guides you through the steps of Lisp programming and makes the full range of Lisp's power accessible to both novice and experienced programmers. The second edition of the classic Lisp textbook by Winston and Horn is also included. GC Lisp comes complete with the intelligent GMACS editor (based on EMACS), full on-line documen- tation of all GC Lisp and GMACS functions, the Common Dsp Refer- ence Manualby Steele, and a com- prehensive user manual. In short, Golden Common Lisp comes with everything you need to program in Lisp. NEW! The GC Lisp 286 Developer Discover programming power you never thought possible on your PC AT! GC Lisp 286 Developer is a complete programming environ- ment designed for GC Lisp-based applications requiring extended memory and faster execution. The 286 Developer includes a Large Memory Interpreter capable of addressing 15 mega- bytes of physical memory, a Large Memory Compiler that runs appli- cations up to 15 times faster, and a' complete set of program develop- ment features including lexical and dynamic scoping. The 286 Developer is the first PC-DOS pro- gramming environment that takes full advantage of the speed and memory capacity of the IBM PC AT and compatibles, and it's now avail- able to help you develop powerful and productive AI applications. Order Today For more information on Gold Hill products, please call today: 1-800-242-LISP In Massachusetts call collect (617) 492-2071 GC Lisp requires an IBM PC, PC XT, PC AT, or IBM-compatible with a minimum of 512K and PC-DOS 2.0 or higher. GC Lisp 286 Developer is non-copy protected, and requires an IBM PC AT or compatible with a minimum of 512K of base memory, 2 megabytes of extended memory, and PC-DOS 3.0 or higher. © 1986 Gold Hill Computers GOLD HILL' COMPUTER 163 Harvard Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 Golden Common Lisp, GC Lisp, and GC Lisp 286 Developer are trademarks of Gold Hill Computers. The San Marco Lisp Explorer is a trademark of San Marco Associates. LISP is copyrighted by Addison- Wesley Publishing Company, Inc. The Common LISP Reference Manual is copyrighted by Digital Equipment Corporation. IBM PC, PC XT, PC AT, and PC-DOS are trademarks of International Business Machines. 268 B YTE • MAY 1986 Inquiry 148 SOFTWARE REVIEW GEM DrawlMacDraw TWo second- generation paint BY RICARDO BlRMELE MacDraw (written for the Apple Macintosh by Apple Computer) and GEM Draw (written for IBM PC-compatibles by Digital Research) are two of the newest kind of "painting" programs for microcomputers. They herald a new program S generation of such programs, going beyond software for playing with, to software one can use in computer-aided design. These software packages are similar in ap- pearance and use, yet they show a wide dis- parity in their level of development. The Interfaces In order to understand MacDraw and GEM Draw, you first have to understand their user interfaces— how you interact with them to get them to do what you want them to. For this review, we used a standard Macin- tosh computer and Imagewriter to test Mac- Draw. We used three computers to test GEM Draw: a standard IBM Personal Computer, a Compaq Portable, and a Compaq Desk- pro 286. For output we used an old reliable Epson MX-80 as well as a new Hewlett- Packard HP7475A plotter. MacDraw uses the tested and proven Macintosh mouse-based user interface. With this interface, you interact with the computer on a conceptual and visual level rather than a concrete or literal one. Notably, when you move a Macintosh's mouse, its corresponding screen figure moves as well— instantly. This is because the Macintosh interface has been optimized for the Macintosh computer; it doesn't have to work with another make of computer or operating system. Also, if you buy MacDraw you probably already own a Macintosh and will not have to learn any new skills in order to use your new program. GEM Draw requires Digital Research's Graphics Environment Manager (GEM), an operating-system enhancement that is employed within a further program called "GEM Desktop." GEM is an outgrowth of the original Virtual Device Interface, which Ricardo Birmele (POB 1166. Bothell. WA 98041) is a freelance writer, author of technical manuals. and co-author of TUrbo TUtor. published by Borland International was an early relative of what IBM now calls VDI. In order to use GEM Draw, you usually have to have bought, installed, and learned to use GEM Desktop first— a new skill for someone already accustomed to DOS. Then you have to install GEM Draw as an application under GEM Desktop. The in- stallation is not a difficult process (if you follow the directions exactly), and it gets easier with practice; however, it is somewhat involved. Unlike MacDraw, GEM Draw does not ab- solutely require a mouse pointing device, but its use does simplify things. If you choose to do without one, you would use the up, down, left, and right cursor-control keys to move the screen pointer. You would also use the Return key instead of a mouse's click button. One problem shows itself when you do use a mouse. It results from having to use an operating-system enhancement (which must work with many different makes of computer) rather than an operating system optimized for a particular computer. When maneuvering a mouse with a slower com- puter, it takes time for the information that you have moved the device to percolate through the computer to the mouse's cor- responding screen figure. As a conse- quence, with GEM Draw the connection be- tween mouse and screen can result in a kind of "loose" feeling. This problem almost disappears when using a faster computer like the Compaq Deskpro 286. You can demonstrate this looseness by selecting freehand drawing from the screen menu. If you quickly draw a circle, instead of getting a more or less round figure, you get a polygon. It appears that the software is sampling the position of the mouse and translating that position to the screen, while it has to do other things at the same time. The resulting graphic figure is something of a compromise. To be fair, MacDraw will do the same thing, but you have to move its (continued) MAY 1986 -BYTE 269 REVIEW: GEM DRAW/MACDRAW AT A GLANCE Name MacDraw GEM Draw Type Low-level CAD Low-level CAD Company Apple Computer Inc. 20525 Mariani Ave. Cupertino, CA 95014 (408) 996-1010 Digital Research Inc. 60 Garden Court Monterey, CA 93942 (800) 443-4200 Format Two Macintosh 3 1 /2-inch disks Two 5 1 /4-inch MS-DOS floppy disks, not copy-protected Computer Macintosh IBM PC and compatibles with 320K bytes of RAM Necessary Software None MS-DOS GEM Desktop (includes GEM) Documentation One manual, cassette- based tutorial One manual Price $125 $249 (includes GEM Desktop) mouse much more quickly to obtain the same result. Disks and Documentation MacDraw comes on two 3 '/2-inch disks: one program and one backup. MacDraw's user manual is a single "Mac-sized" sprial-bound book. It is written and illustrated in Apple's familiar and clear way. Also included is a disk and tape cas- sette that contain an excellent Mac- Draw tutorial. You simply start the tape, insert your program disk, and kind of "follow the bouncing ball." Once you have gone through this, you'll have a good idea of what Mac- Draw is all about and how to use it intelligently. GEM Draw comes on two disks. They contain the program (applica- tion) and three picture libraries con- tained in DOS subdirectories. The libraries are a collection of images that you can include within your own pictures. The images include such miscellany as useful geographical maps and a whimsical children's choir. GEM Draw's documentation is sim- ply not as complete as MacDraw's. The version we received, which was dated March 1985, contained two pages of additions and corrections bound into the book. Its index is spot- ty, and the layout— especially in the Picture Elements section— appears to have been done by computer with no human intervention that might have added some common sense. Finally, there are also six pages of "End User Program License Agreement," an in- teresting emphasis, comparatively speaking. Using the Programs Once you get either program up and running, you see an electronic analogy to a blank drafting table. Because of your computer monitor's physical limitations, you are looking at only a portion of the possible work area— in the same way that an elec- tronic spreadsheet allows you a win- dow's view. With MacDraw, your total work area (as defined by the largest size document you can print out) is 96 by 48 inches; GEM Draw has a work area of 1 7 by 1 1 inches. MacDraw's screen is in black and white, but at least it is in high resolu- tion. GEM Draw's screen is pleasant- ly blue, and it lets you use your com- puter's available colors as you draw and color various picture elements differently. Here, picture elements means the various parts of a drawing, not necessarily pixels, the tiny dots that make up the drawing. Both programs feature a row of pull- down menu headers along the top of the screen and a row of screen-ele- ment tool icons along the left side of the screen. A submenu appears when you move your screen pointer to any of the pull-down menu headers. The sub- menu options allow you to manip- ulate such parameters as screen lay- out, orientation, and scale. You also have access to file maintenance, text- font controls, and screen-element editing. Now we come to how these pro- grams really differ from other com- puter painting programs. When you draw a picture with MacDraw or GEM Draw, you are more correctly con- structing a picture using the screen- element tools. The tools include boxes, circles, lines, arcs, polygons, and freehand shapes. You choose which tool you want to work with by clicking on its icon. You would lay out an office, for in- stance, by putting small boxes (which represent desks) inside a larger box (which represents the office's walls). You could add individual lines to show office partitions and rounded boxes to show employee's- chairs. Once you have an element on your screen, you can group it with another element or elements. This group can be enlarged, reduced, moved, or deleted, all without disturbing any other individual picture element. You can fill it with a predefined pattern, as with any other computer painting program. MacDraw will also allow you to "smooth" the lines of a hand-drawn picture element. [continued) 270 BYTE • MAY 1986 15,000 SAVED FROM CRASH. No hysteria. No panic. No reports of data loss. No won- der more than 15,000 Alpha Micro users have chosen our Videotex 1 " backup technology over streamer tape or floppies. The best news is it's now available for the IBM® PC-AT, XT and true compatibles. BETTER TO BE FAIL-SAFE THAN SORRY. Exhaustive testing and long term use of Videotrax technology prove it more reliable than any other backup I High-tech. 3§Hk ®p en y° ur PC and slide the conlmlter board into any expansion slot Loiu-tech, Hook up VCR to computer with standard con- nector cables. option available. Even more reliable than the hard disk you're backing up. At the heart of the system is a patented video tape con- troller board that employs a standard video cassette recorder for copying data. Which means Videotrax offers the sophisticated technology of today's VCRs. And the depend- ability of a durable consumer good. EASY DOES IT. If you own a VCR, you already own half the system. And you already know how to use it. Or you might opt for the complete subsystem (controller board plus enhanced VCR) and experi- ence the Your basic video cassettes. Reliable, cheap, easy to find joy of its automatic, unattended backup capabilities. Either way, our menu driven software, clear documentation and wide range of backup modes keep it simple: Insert a blank video cassette tape and follow the directions that appear on your screen. You can copy or restore your entire hard disk, specific files, or only files modified since the last backup, while the system busily self -monitors for proper functioning. And for the price of taping your favorite TV shows, you can record your most valued computer data. Up to 80MB can be stored on a single cas- sette at less than a third of the cost of streamer tape. Of course, if you ever require service, your authorized Alpha Micro dealer and our world- wide network of factory service centers will provide all the support you need. For more informa- tion on how Video- trax can keep you off the crash course, call your local dealer or Alpha Micro at 1-800-992-9779 (in California call 1-800-821-0612). DATA BACKUP FROM ALPHA MICRO. Corporate Headquarters: 3501 Sunflower, PO. Box 25059, Santa Ana, CA 92799 ©Alpha Microsystems 1986. IBM is a Inquiry 14 trademark of International Business Machines MAY 1986 -BYTE 271 REVIEW: GEM DRAW/MACDRAW MacDraw is a complete, ready-to-use, mature program. GEM Draw, on the other hand, is usable but shows its potential more than its maturity. The advantage of using individual picture elements is that they can be stored in your computer's memory in less space than an equivalent figure drawn freehand. Their implementa- tion is what make these programs useful in CAD applications. The drawing table, as you initially see it, is covered with an alignment grid of precisely spaced dots. You determine the interval between the dots, which can be in inch or metric fractions. The dots are significant for two reasons. First, they assist you in scaling the individual elements in a drawing. Second, when you draw an element, it aligns itself automatically with the grid, "snapping" to the grid's nearest dot. The element also main- tains its alignment to the screen grid, if you should move it. You can have a ruler— ticked accord- ing to the grid scale you have chosen— displayed along the top and left side of your drawing window. This is a great aid in correctly scaling your drawings. The ruler doesn't show when you print a document. MacDraw has expanded this idea in two ways. First, a dotted-line slider, which is aligned with your cursor, moves along the screen's rulers. This is a big help in sizing an element precisely. Second, MacDraw's Show Size option displays an element's size on an x, y axis around it. The program updates the Show Size numbers as you vary the size of the element. Text Elements Both drawing programs let you use text as one of the picture-element tools. GEM Draw offers only one font, a sans serif called Swiss. It comes in six point sizes from 10 to 72 points. GEM Draw's on-screen Edit submenu shows room for four more fonts, which were undelivered at the time of this review. MacDraw's text is considerably more interesting. It provides you with up to 10 fonts, in eight sizes from 9 to 48 points. MacDraw also has a paragraph mode that inserts text into (and keeps it within the boundaries of) a polygonal shape on your screen. This is very handy if you are using MacDraw to lay out a brochure or newsletter. Besides the text fonts, MacDraw boasts a symbol font called "Icdiesin" (pronounced "talley-es-in"). This is a font that assigns symbols, rather than letters, to your console's keys. For ex- ample, if you press = you see a small dog on your screen; B will get you a golf club; ? is a traffic light. You can display each symbol in different font sizes, in the same way as alphabeti- cal text. Printing the Drawing Once you have created a drawing you will want to generate a hard copy of it. Both MacDraw and GEM Draw pro- vide output to dot-addressable dot- matrix printers, although the former is limited in this regard to the Apple Imagewriter. You can achieve better-quality out- put for MacDraw by printing your pic- ture on an Apple LaserWriter. With its 300-dots-per-inch resolution and Post- Script language, they make a team that is hard to beat. You are limited, however, to single-color (though pat- terned) output. As we mentioned before, MacDraw has a potential drawing surface of 8 by 4 feet. Since the available output devices will only print on paper of about 8/2 by II inches, something had to be done. The compromise is that, when printing a drawing larger than 8/2 by 1 1 inches, MacDraw prints it out in columns. Later, with every- thing output, you have to fit, cut, and paste the drawing to its final form. To make this easier to visualize, MacDraw shows you its page breaks overlaid on your screen's drawing board. Along with dot-matrix printers, GEM Draw supports the popular Hewlett- Packard family of pen plotters. Al- though limited here to the HP's max- imum II- by 17-inch paper size, the program will draw using all six pens— or all two, depending on which plot- ter is used. This capability was some- what flawed in its first release. The problem had to do with the difficulties of going from a raster to a vector scheme of graphics output. As a result, Digital Research had to send out a replacement for its initial driver program— unfortunately, with slightly incorrect instructions regarding how to correct the first error. Conclusion Because of the greater amount of tools available to the user, MacDraw is the better of the two software pack- ages. This is especially true in the of- fice arena— despite Apple's apparent difficulty in penetrating that market with the Macintosh. Even though limited to one color on both screen and output, MacDraw gives the impression of being one coherent whole. Anyone can pick up MacDraw, go through the taped tutorial, and very quickly start to use the software well. With a little prac- tice, you should be able to make full use of the details, like figure smooth- ing and paragraph text insertion. Unfortunately, as is the case with many comparisons of two items, one must suffer when viewed against the standard of the other. While prepar- ing this review, I found MacDraw to be a complete, ready-to-use, mature pro- gram. GEM Draw, on the other hand, is usable but shows its potential more than its maturity. You can use GEM Draw as it comes from the box, but when you see what more could have been done before it was released, you may wonder, "Why didn't they finish it first?" For instance, why doesn't it have more than a single type font or show you the size of an element? GEM Draw does fit a soon-to-be- important niche. If you need such a tool now, go ahead and buy it. You'll be able to use it, but be prepared to buy the upgrades, which are sure to come. ■ 272 BYTE- MAY 1986 Microsoft languages speak for themselves* Mr/ *• Loud and clear* Microsoft has been the language leader from day one. From the worlds favorite BASIC to the systems languages software developers prefer. No one else has put so much programming power on so many micros. Microsoft offers a complete set of languages. Whether you favor the ele- gance of C, or the power of assembly language. From data munching in COBOL to number crunching in FOR- TRAN, we Ve got the power you need. The advantages of leadership* Microsoft languages have developed quite a following. They Ve backed by the largest collection of support libraries you Ve ever seen. Packages for advanced mathematics and data management. From graphics support to context- sensitive editors. All available today. So you can spend your time solving real problems, not reinventing the wheel. Microsoft's languages— like C, FORTRAN, Pascal and Macro Assem- bler—have become the favorites of com- mercial software developers. Its not surprising. Interlanguage calling allows libraries written in one language to be used with others. Which means your existing routines can be an investment in future projects, not lost time and effort. Our interactive debuggers are another Microsoft edge. Now you can debug the object code using the source language. Easier debugging lets you spend more time creating. Pipelines to the future* Microsoft wrote the book when it comes to operating systems. Nobody knows MS-DOS @ or XENIX @ better. And our languages show it. We put the latest advances within your grasp. From net- working and pipes to multi-tasking, Microsoft languages have the edge you need. Complete support Only Microsoft offers language support this comprehensive. Our clear, thorough documentation, and regular product enhancements are setting new standards in the industry. Add our tech- nical "hotline ' and our highly-trained support staff, and youll reach the same conclusion the industry has: Microsoft languages always lead from strength. m m as/i Microsoft <& Microsoft C First with the pros. "Microsoft C is the cornerstone of all our future development projects. Not only is the code more efficient, we can really exploit the PCs architecture with Microsoft Cs NEAR and FAR pointer types" Ray Ozzie, President of IRIS Associates and key Symphony developer. "The code optimization is impressive— especially the register declarations" Jim Bean, Peachtree Software. When you need code that's small and fast, Microsoft® C is the language. Our optimizing compiler lets you squeeze the maximum out of your machine with minimum effort. Tighter code runs faster. And virtually every program will run faster with Microsoft's C Compiler than with any other MS-DOS compiler. Our advanced memory models give you unmatched flexibilit No arbitrary limits on code and data. Use large or small memory models as the application demands. Exclusive features like our NEAR and FAR pointers let you com- bine different models without sacrificing performance. Our extensive math libraries are another plus. The floating point package supports 8087 operation when speed is the key. There's also floating point emulation for unendowed PCs. And the altmath package gives you an extra burst of speed when you really need it. A bundle of other features can save you programming time. There inter-language calling support. So you can use existing library routines. Unsurpassed XENIX compatibility. And docu- mentation that reviewers have praised for its clarity and thoroughness. If Microsoft C amazes you, don't be surprised. After all, our C is the choice of the leaders. Companies like Lotus? Ashton-Tate.AndlBM* Microsoft C Compiler Version 3.0 for MS-DOS Microsoft C Compiler ♦Produces compact code and fast executables. ♦ Implements register variables. ♦ Small, medium and large memory model libraries. ♦Can mix models with NEAR and FAR pointers. ♦Transport source and object code between MS-DOS and XENIX 286 operating systems. ♦Library routines implement most of UNIX™ System V C library. ♦ Choose from three math libraries and generate in-line 8087/80287 instructions or floating point calls: — Floating Point Emulator (utilizes 8087/80287 if installed). —8087/80287 coprocessor support. —Alternate math package provides extra speed without an 8087/80287. ♦ Link your C routines with Microsoft FORTRAN (version 3.3 or higher), Microsoft Pascal (version 3.3 or higher) or Microsoft Macro Assembler. ♦Supports MS-DOS pathnames and input/output redirection. ♦ File sharing, record locking and file locking are supported. ♦ Do source level debugging with the Symbolic Debug Utility, available separately with Microsoft Macro Assembler. Library Manager ♦Create, organize and maintain your object module libraries created with Microsoft languages. Object Code Linker ♦Simple overlay linker combines relocatable object modules created using Microsoft languages into a single program. ♦Link very large programs (over 1 megabyte) using overlays. Microsoft EXE File Compression Utility ♦ A new utility to compress sequences of identical characters from an executable file and optimizes the relocation table Microsoft EXE File Header Utility ♦ Display and modify EXE file header, allowing you to tune the stack size and initial memory allocation. Macro Assembler The quickest Bar none* Our Macro Assembler has long been the most complete package on the mar- ket. Now its also the fastest. Three times faster than before. And faster than any- one else. Period. Of course, its still the most powerful assembler on the market. It supports the standard 8086/8087 opcodes. And the new 186/286/287 instruction set. So you can make the most of the new machines. Debugging is quicker, too.Thanks to our interactive symbolic debugger, S YMDEB. Now you can refer to variables and source code instead of getting lost in hex dumps. And this debugger also works with Microsoft languages like C, FORTRAN and Pascal. So now you can set breakpoints and trace execution— using source code for reference. SYMDEB is just part of our complete set of utilities. Tools that make program- ming as fast as it should be. There are the linker and library managers you'd expect. Plus a new version of MAKE, our main- tenance utility, with improvements like macro expansions and inference rules. We've also revised the manuals. Our new Macro Assembler has a lot to offer, so we added more examples. Now our manuals are not only thorough, they're clearer than ever before. For quick development and assembly, the choice is obvious. Microsoft. There's nobody faster. The Macro Assemblers symbolic debugger lets you debug Microsoft FORTRAN programs at either the source or object code level Set break points, observe the con- tents of variables and expressions, and examine the contents of the stack. bp .14 V K = I ♦ PRIME ft PRIME =1 + 1*1 1AEF:8869 A16248 NOU 1W mt B3C8 ADD 1AEF:886E 48 INC 1AEF:886F A36440 NOU 16: COUNT - COUNT + 1 1AEF:88?2 FF866048 INC 17: K = I ♦ PRIME -7m m2 "1 (1) V »: courn = codnt ♦ l Microsoft Macro Assembler Version 4.0 for MS-DOS Macro Assembler ♦ Fastest macro assembler for MS-DOS computers. ♦Supports the 8086/8087/8088 and the 186/286/287. ♦ Define macros. ♦ Conditional assembly. ♦ Optional case sensitivity for symbols. ♦ 100% upward compatibility from earlier versions of both the Microsoft and IBM Macro Assemblers. Interactive Symbolic Debug Utility ♦Source level debugger for programs written in Microsoft Macro Assembler, C Compiler, FORTRAN, and Pascal. ♦ Screen swapping helps debug highly visual applications. ♦ Set breakpoints on line numbers and symbols. ♦ Single step to follow program execution. ♦Disassemble object code. ♦ Display and modify values. ♦ Full I/O redirection. Program Maintenance Utility ♦ Rebuilds your applications after your source files have changed. ♦Similar to UNIX MAKE utility. ♦ Supports macro definitions and inference rules. Library Manager ♦ Create, organize and maintain your object module libraries created with Microsoft languages. ♦ Set page size from 16 to 32678, to create compact and granular libraries. Object Code Linker ♦ Simple overlaying linker combines relocatable object modules created using Microsoft languages into a single program. ♦Load Map generation. ♦ Specify from 1 to 1024 segments. Cross-Reference Utility ♦Creates a cross-reference listing of the definitions and locations of all symbols used in an assembly language program, which makes debugging programs easier. Microsoft EXE File Compression Utility ♦Packs EXE files for smaller size on disk and faster loading at execution time- Microsoft EXE File Header Utility ♦Display and modify EXE file header, allowing you to tune the stack size and initial memory allocation. FORTRAN The overwhelming favorite* Bid Ftp [4868] View the FORTRAN source code. Set a break point at line #14. Run the program (g) and use the expression evaluator (?) to examine the contents of a vari- able. Then use the trace command (t) to observe the program flow. Microsoft FORTRAN Compiler Version 3.3 for MS-DOS and XENIX 286 Microsoft FORTRAN Compiler ♦ Implements most ANSI 77 standard features, plus extensions. ♦ Easily port mainframe/minicomputer programs with little or no modification. ♦Overlay support in the compiler and linker. ♦ Common blocks and arrays greater than 64K. ♦ Supported by the largest number of third party libraries. ♦ Includes a full set of math libraries to select from: -8087/80287 emulation. — 8087/80287 coprocessor support. -Floating Point without 8087/80287. —BCD Floating Point. ♦Conditional compilation. ♦ Link your FORTRAN routines with Microsoft C Compiler (version 3.0 or higher), Microsoft Pascal (version 3.3 or higher), and Microsoft Macro Assembler. ♦MS-DOS 3.1 network support and IBM local area network support. ♦Source code compatible between MS-DOS and XENIX 286. ♦Do source level debugging with the Symbolic Debug Utility, available separately with Microsoft Macro Assembler. Object Code Overlay ♦ Simple overlay linker combines relocatable object modules created using Microsoft languages into a single program. ♦ Link very large programs (over 1 megabyte) using overlays. Library Manager ♦ Create, organize and maintain your object module libraries created with Microsoft languages. Microsoft EXE File Compression Utility (MS-DOS only) ♦ A utility to pack EXE files for smaller size on disk and faster loading at execution time. Microsoft EXE File Header Utility (MS-DOS only) ♦A utility that allows you to display and modify the fields in EXE file headers. How did Microsoft FORTRAN get so popular? It could be the mainframe compati- bility. Our compiler makes porting applications a cinch with overlays and the ANSI features you need. It could be our support for arrays and COMMON blocks larger than 64K. So you can tackle mainframe-size problems. It might be the shelves and shelves of third party support libraries. No other FORTRAN comes close. It could be the extensive math sup- port. Our collection of math libraries is simply the largest available. Tackle real problems with direct 8087 support or emulation. Use IEEE floating point or— for extra speed — the altmath package. It could be the comprehensive set of utilities. A powerful linker and library manager combination. Plus tools like EXEMOD and EXEPACK. Standard. It could be the XENIX and MS-DOS source-level compatibility. Or the direct interlanguage calling to Microsoft C, Pascal, and Assembler. Or the ability to work with our Macro Assemblers symbolic debugger. It could be the value. Nobody offers a FORTRAN package this complete at this low a price. Why is Microsoft FORTRAN the most popular FORTRAN? All the above. COBOL The interactive edge* close transaction-file. pllfl-read-and-pwcess. read transaction-file into wrlt-trans-rec at end wove on-value to end-of-f ile-sM. if transaction-status = ' else if transaction-status > "IB" mve on-value to error-stij end-of-file-sn. TRflKSACIION-SIATUS (811 UOH-TSAHS-XEC IB lOIfiL-RECORD-COOKI [888091 Breakpoint 1 Step Count 8 Breakpoint 2 Step Count 8 on Entry of F11B-READ-ANS-FB0CBS on line nuttier 85 COWAHD: Breakpoint Display Find m Belp Options Quit Transfer User View HinJou Breakpoint 1 Step Count Current line: 81 J on Entry of PUB-SEAD-AHD-PROCESS Status: Breakpoint 1 UiewCoi: late; Microsoft COBOL gives programs a new look. With dazzling support for inter- active programs, and more. Our new COBOL Compiler brings applications to life in several ways. Our extended screen section lets you create programs that you'd never thought could be written in COBOL. Quickly, easily. Performance is top notch as well. Our ISAM lets your applications blaze through files. After all, our ISAM is the fastest on the micro market. Of course, Microsoft COBOL complies with the ANSI standard. Amazing performance, without runtime license fees. No wonder our COBOL is the choice of manufacturers like IBM, AT&T DEC, HP and Wang. Another breakthrough: Microsoft COBOL Took Only Microsoft makes debugging this easy. Our COBOL Tools is the perfect companion to our COBOL Compiler. A complete set of utilities. Tools that make debugging and maintenance easier than you'd thought possible. The star of the show is ViewCOB, our advanced interactive debugger. ViewCOB lets you control and examine programs easily. Open windows on variables and procedures while watching the source code execute. ViewCOB is simply the most advanced COBOL debugger you can get. Microsoft COBOL and COBOL Tools. An unbeatable team. Microsoft COBOL Compiler Version 2.1 for MS-DOS and XENIX 286 Interactive extended screen section ♦Cursor positioning, auto skip, and automatic data field formatting. ♦ ACCEPT or DISPLAY a screenful of data with a single statement. Fast multi-key ISAM ♦ Split keys, alternate keys, duplicate keys. ♦ Benchmark results of 2500 reads, writes and rewrites to an ISAM file. Microsoft Micro Focus Ryand McFarland COBOL native code COBOL 2.0 Seconds 846 4073 1177 Source code compatible between MS-DOS and XENIX 286. Microsoft COBOL Tools for MS-DOS and XENIX 286 ♦ Cross reference utility speeds program development. ♦ Menu generator allows you to use Microsoft Word style menus in your program. ♦ Mouse interface allows you to create programs that use the ' mouse (MS-DOS only). Advanced interactive debugger ♦ Use trace, single step, and execution history to follow the program flow. ♦ Observe the contents of variables and memory while the program is executing. ♦ Set breakpoints and change the contents of variables. ♦Trap fatal runtime errors. ♦ Use the menu driven windowing user interface with on-line help. Pascal When youVe outgrown the others* Only Microsoft Pascal is powerful enough to push the outer limits of your PC. With more features than any other Pascal compiler. Microsoft Pascal handles large programs with ease. No 64K boundaries — use multiple code and data segments up to a megabyte. Create your own libraries of pre-compiled Pascal modules. Separately-compiled modules can be overlayed or linked together into one file. Our Pascal comes complete with the BCD and 8087 math libraries you'd ex- pect. Including an IEEE floating point emulator. And Microsoft Pascal is com- pletely compatible with IBM's Local Area Network and MS-DOS Networking. Added features without added costs. Microsoft Pascal also supports direct interlanguage calling to modules written in Microsoft C, or Microsoft FORTRAN or assembly language. And its compat- ible with our Macro Assembler's sym- bolic debugger. So you can track down those subtle logic errors with breakpoints instead of guesswork. Microsoft Pascal. Nobody does it better. Microsoft Pascal Compiler Version 3.3 for MS-DOS and XENIX 286 Microsoft Pascal Compiler ♦ Separate module compilation. ♦ Large program support; up to 1 megabyte code and multiple data segments. ♦Overlay support. ♦ Contains four math libraries to choose from: — 8087/80287 coprocessor support. — Fast IEEE floating point. — 8087/80287 floating point emulation. — BCD decimal math. ♦ Link in your routines or third party software routines written in Microsoft FORTRAN (version 3.3 or higher), Microsoft C Compiler (version 3.0 or higher) or Microsoft Pascal (version 3.3 or higher), or Microsoft Macro Assembler. ♦ Source code compatible between MS-DOS and XENIX 286. ♦ Supports file sharing and record and file locking. ♦Supports MS-DOS pathnames and input/output redirection. ♦ Do source level debugging with the Symbolic Debug Utility, available with the Microsoft Macro Assembler. Library Manager ♦Create, organize and maintain object module libraries created with Microsoft languages. Object Code Linker ♦ Simple overlay linker combines relocatable object modules created using Microsoft languages into a single program. ♦ Link very large programs (over 1 megabyte) using overlays. Microsoft EXE File Compression and File Header Utility (MS-DOS only) ♦ Compress, modify and examine executable files and their headers. Microsoft QuickBASIC BASIC just got faster. Microsoft's new QuickBASIC Com- piler gives your programs an extra burst of speed. Without sacrificing BASICA compatibility. Your compiled programs will run just like before, only faster. Three to ten times faster. With little or no modification. QuickBASIC makes structured pro- gramming a snap. New extensions like alphanumeric labels make program- ming easier too. And separately com- piled subprograms let you test and compile individual routines one at a time. Microsoft QuickBASIC. All the features of a compiler, with BASICA compatibility to boot. Microsoft QuickBASIC Compiler Version 1.0 for IBM PC and Compatible Computers BASICA compatibility ♦ Sound statements including SOUND and PLAY ♦ Graphics statements including WINDOW VIEW DRAW GET, PUT", LINE, CIRCLE, LOCATE and SCREEN. Results of the Sieve benchmark BASICA QuickBASIC seconds per iteration 71 0.5 Structured programming support ♦Subprograms can be called by name and passed parameters. Both local and global variables are supported. ♦ Multi-line functions can be called by name and return a value. ♦ BASICA structures are supported including WHILE/ WEND, IF^HEN/ELSE, FOR/NEXT, GOSUB/RETURN, and event handling. Alphanumeric labels ♦ Can be used to make your programs more readable. Line numbers are not required but are supported for BASICA compatibility. Modular programming support ♦ Separate compilation allows you to create compiled BASIC libraries to use and reuse in your programs. ♦ Named common gives you control of data flow between individual modules. Large program support ♦ Code can use up to available memory. ♦ Data can use up to 64K RAM. LISP The language of Artificial Intelligence* What s Microsoft LISP got going for you? It runs significantly faster than the competition. And this new version adds several advanced libraries. Over 400 Common LISP functions, macros and special forms. Most implemented in machine code. If you Ye putting AI on your PC, Microsoft LISP is your language. muMATH Mainframe math on your PC* From solving equations to high preci- sion calculations, muMATH is the ticket. Microsoft muMATH handles tasks from algebra to calculus and vector analysis. Now your PC can do numeric analysis based on symbolic expressions. And give you exact answers. If you crunch numbers— or equa- tions— muMATH is just what the CPU ordered. Sort Versatility without compromise* Microsoft Sort makes fast sorting easy. A powerful, programmable interpreter lets you choose ASCII, EBCDIC or cus- tom sequences. Sort handles files from any Microsoft language. Without limiting the size of your file, the number of search keys, or your record length. Microsoft Sort. The speed and power you need. Easily. The leadership edge* No other languages are backed by as massive a collection of third-party soft- ware. Here are just a few of the companies that speak our languages: Blaise Computing, Graphic Software Systems, Greenleaf Software, Inc*, IMSL, Media Cybernetics, Microrim, Numerical Analyst Group, Phoenix Software, Solution Systems, Spruce Technology, Trio Systems, and Virtual Microsystems* This is just a sample. For a complete list, call Microsoft at the number below. An added value for our readers* Were proud of the way our family works together, so were offering a $25 rebate on our Macro Assembler when you purchase Microsoft C, Pascal or FORTRAN/ For more details, upgrade informa- tion or the name of your nearest Microsoft dealer, call toll free (800) 426-9400. In Washington State and Alaska, call (206) 828-8088. In Canada, (800) 387-6616. Microsoft Corporation Bellevue, Washington USA Microsoft Ltd. Reading ENGLAND Microsoft GmbH Munchen DEUTSCHLAND Microsoft SARL Paris FRANCE Microsoft Canada Inc. Toronto CANADA QN1X Microsoft Seoul KOREA Microsoft AB Stockholm SWEDEN Microsoft Far East Tokyo JAPAN Microsoft Pty Sydney NSW AUSTRALIA Microsoft SpA Milano ITALIA 'Rebate offer valid only in the United States. Microsoft, MS-DOS. and XENIX are registered trademarks and The High Performance Software is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation. Microsoft Lisp and muMATH were developed by Soft Warehouse. Inc. Microsoft Languages The High Performance Software™ 0286 Part Number 098-400-201 HARDWARE REVIEW Hardcard A complete hard disk computer on a card by Eva White Ontil recently, adding a hard disk to your computer system meant either losing one of your floppy- disk drives or cluttering up your desk with TOT yOUr a clumsy external hard disk. One item that 7 promises to alleviate this dilemma is an in- perSOnal genious combination of a hard disk and controller on a card that plugs into one of the expansion slots on an IBM PC. Although it seemed that every week a new version of a hard disk on a card was announced. 1 ^inclvthick at t ' ie ^ me °^ ^ is rev * ew ^ e on 'y actua ' product BYTE had received was the Hard- card from Plus Development Corporation. The Hardcard is a 10.56-megabyte hard disk on a single card that plugs into an IBM PC, IBM PC XT Compaq Portable, Compaq Plus, or AT&T PC 6300 running under PC-/ MS-DOS 2.0 or higher (see photo 1). It has an average power consumption of less than 10.5 watts, and you should be able to add it to your PC without upgrading its power supply The Hardcard's average access time is 65 milliseconds; its data-transfer rate is enhanced by two 512-byte sector buffers. The heads automatically retract to a landing zone when the machine is powered down, so you don't have to remember to run any special program to do this when you move your computer. The Hardcard comes with the Hardcard Directory program for orga- nizing all those megabytes, a 60-page manual, some additional on-disk documen- tation for using the Hardcard Directory, and a sticker to paste on the front of your com- puter to alert people to the fact that there is a hard disk in your machine. The manu- facturer also provides a limited one-year warranty in the U.S. Since the Hardcard is completely en- closed in your computer, it indicates disk access either by unobtrusively flashing a plus sign in the upper right corner of the screen, sending a "ticking" sound from the speaker, or both. r I\vo .COM files are pro- e m wttte is a byte technical v «ded to toggle these options on and off- editor, she can be contacted at pob the default setting has the plus sign enabled 372. Hancock, nh 03449. and the sound disabled. The plus sign can- not be displayed in graphics mode or by some display-adapter boards. In these cases the sound still works. The Hardcard is so quiet that without these indicators you can hardly tell when the disk is accessed. You can use the Hardcard as the second drive in a system with two hard disks. You set a two-position jumper on the card, depending on whether or not a hard disk is already present in your system. The manual warns that you should not use the Hardcard with another hard disk unless it is the manufacturer's installed drive that comes with the IBM PC XT or Compaq Plus. If the Hardcard is the first hard-disk drive, you boot from it by leaving the door to floppy-disk drive A unlatched during boot- up. Hardcard Directory Perhaps in an attempt to distinguish itself from the crowd, Plus Development Corp. has included the Hardcard Directory, which is a hard-disk organizing program that allows you to arrange up to 16 application programs in the form of a menu (see photo 2). The Hardcard Directory is great if you don't want to have to remember on what directory you have placed which application program or what sequence of commands is required to start your program. On-line directions explain how to customize the menu for your own applications. Once you have set up this menu, you run an applica- tion by choosing its number. Upon exiting the application, you are returned to the menu. Additionally while you are in the Hardcard Directory it maintains the time and date at the top of the screen, and it blanks the display if the keyboard remains idle for more than 5 minutes. You can execute DOS commands from within the menu by pressing the F4 key. This takes you to a screen where you can enter up to 12 lines of 63 characters. Some editing functions are provided on this screen, so you can correct any typographi- [continued) MAY 1986 -BYTE 273 REVIEW: HARDCARD cal errors prior to executing the com- mands. An Escape-Return sequence sends the commands to the operating system for processing, while an Escape-Escape sequence aborts this DOS-command entry screen and returns you to Hardcard's main menu. You can run into trouble with this feature if you're not careful about typ- ing errors. Specifically, if you pass a series of commands to the operating system and one command some- where in the middle of the series fails to execute because of a typo, the re- maining commands are still executed with potentially costly results. Further- more. Hardcard's menu keeps no memory of the command sequence you just tried to execute, so if you want to retry a corrected version of the sequence, you have to type every- thing over again. There are at least two annoying side effects of using the Hardcard Direc- tory. First, the subdirectories created by the program to hold your applica- tions are named SUB1 through SUB 1 6— identifiers that you don't have to remember until you need to issue a DOS command that explicitly re- quires a subdirectory name. For exam- ple, if you want to copy a file from a floppy disk into your word-processing subdirectory, you have to either recall which SUBh you've assigned to word processing or spend some time searching around on the hard disk. Second, if you want to enter DOS from an application program that you (continued) Photo I: The Hardcard. ttm-m mwmmvwimm* ftK8 ft I SFwa&lHKt fealgsis 3 htakse {feaagemt 4 FHsafiUtioa Graphics 5 fe&* CsHssicitions 6 M is Ss« 1 M iii Use f Minim IS fctfej* UKbh 11 fetiaise 11 fetiais* 14 M U Use 15 fet kiss I M in Ss€ IS tagratfelp - &p, (*) m !ks kwimHt Cm., Caw, (e) HB M Mtem Kilite Ctarijtt fe) 115 kite? fcUiskut &qonti« Photo 2: The main menu of the Hardcard Directory. Advanced Authorized Dealers (Western U.S.) AM-COMP 2432 West Peoria, Suite 1119 Phoenix, AZ 85029 602/371-0931 Buzzwords International 1524 Good Hope Street Cape Girardeau, MO 63701 314/335-3853 Complete Business Systems 18141 Beach, Bldg. #285 Huntington Beach, CA 92648 714/841-5868 Data Quest Hawaii Manoa Marketplace, 2752Woodlawn Drive Honolulu, HI 96822 808/988-7813 Integrated Analysis, Inc. 1940 Garnet Ave., Suite 100 San Diego, CA 92109 619/483-7000 MicroAge Computer Stores 1081 S. Saratoga- Sunnyvale Rd. San Jose, CA 95129 408/255-2881 PetCom Systems, Inc. 14001 Dallas Parkway, Suite 400 Dallas, TX 75240 214/490-1200 Security Software, Inc. 21220 Ventura Boulevard Woodland Hills-, CA 91364 818/704-6393 Thompson Business Computers 3633 Allen Parkway #215 Houston, TX 77019 713/523-7660 THE SOFTWARE LINK, INC. 0386W 274 BYTE- MAY 1986 The Most Powerful LAN Fits on a Disk. Network Fbwer. You knew that someday there would be a powerful LAN that didn't need old-technology network boards. It would be fast easy to install and run 99% of PC-DOS software. It would be expandable provide remote access, password-protection, and enable you to use inex- pensive terminals as workstations in a PC-DOS environment. Dream no more, because the power is here. Its name is LANLink™ A Software-Driven LAN Powerful Enough To Use RS-232 Ports for Network Communications. In development for over three years, LANLink™ represents the next generation of local area networks. All of the logic which has tradition- ally resided on network boards is on LANLink's Satellite and Server Diskettes. No additional hardware is required. Inexpensive serial ports replace "Kilobuck" Network Interface Boards making installation costs one-third that of a board-driven network. How To Configure a Smart Network... With Dumb Termi- nals, But Without Dedicated Servers. Boasting a wide vari- ety of configurations, LANLink™ is most often set up as a "Star" having upto eight satellites connected to a central, nondedicated server. Larger networks can have multiple servers, supporting a total of 73 or more network users. R-LAN™ (Remote-LAN) gives users the ability to interact with a LANLink™ network in real time via modem. Plus, if MultiLink Advanced™ is run on a Satellite, inexpensive dumb terminals can be used to access network disks, files, and programs. THE SOFTWARE LINK, INC/CANADA 400 Esna Park Drive, Suite 1 3 Toronto (Markham), Ont./L3R 3K2 CALL: 416/477-5480 LANLinR'^MultiUink Advanced 7 *^ R-LAN™are trademarks of The Software Link, Inc. IBM, PC, & PC-DOSare trademarks of IBM Corp. WordStar 2000, dBASE III, and Lotus 1-2-3 are trademarks of MicroPro, Ashton- Tate, and Lotus Development Corp., respectively. 99% of PC-DOS Applications Run In a Totally- Transparent Network Environment. If you know DOS, you already know how to use LANLink™ COPY transfers files among users, and a 2-drive PC Satellite boots 1-2-3 from the Server's hard disk with the entry c:lotus. Each satellite's access can be limited to specific disks, printers, and sub- directories. A wide variety of software including Lotus 1-2-3, dBASE III, and WordStar 2000 is fully compatible. LANLink™ has a collision-free data transfer rate which exceeds 115,000 BPS. pQwerlilfr Your PCs Today. Forcompietedetgils and the authorized dealer nearest yau, call The Software Link TODAY. The UVNfink™ Starter Kit is $495 and toclud.es mod- ules for both a Server and a Satellite. For a limited firme, 50 feet of shielded RS-232 cable will be included free of charge. Additional Satellite Modules are only S195, each. LANLink™ is immediately available and comes with a money-back guarantee. VISA, MC, AMEX accepted. )THE SOFTWARE LINK, INC. Developers of LANLink™ and MultiLink Advanced™ 8601 Dunwoody Place, Suite 632, Atlanta, GA 30338 Telex 4996147 SWLINK CALL: 404/998-0700 Dealer Inquiries Invited inquiry 330 REVIEW: HARDCARD AT A GLANCE Name Hardcard Type 10.56-megabyte hard disk on a controller card that plugs into one of the expansion slots of an IBM PC, IBM PC XT, Compaq Portable, Compaq Plus, or AT&T PC 6300 Company Plus Development Corporation 1778 McCarthy Boulevard Milpitas, CA 95035-9990 (408) 946-3700 Size 1 by 4.2 by 13.4 inches (25.4 by 106 by 341 millimeters) 2.1 pounds (950gm) Software Installation, Reinstallation, and Hardcard Directory programs Price $895 have entered via Hardcard's menu, you have to exit your application pro- gram and wait for Hardcard's menu to load, then either exit to DOS com- pletely via the F7 function key or execute DOS commands from the menu. Installation The manual's explanation of how to plug the Hardcard into the machine is detailed enough so that even a novice should feel comfortable doing the installation. The disk comes Pre- formatted with an installation pro- gram and all the programs you need for the Hardcard Directory. The in- stallation program runs FDisk and For- mat utilities automatically, creates the subdirectories that the Hardcard Directory will use, prompts you for an operating-system disk with all the DOS utilities, copies these into the root directory, and then prompts you for a blank disk, so it can make a re- installation disk in case you ever need to set up the hard disk again. The final step in installation is to load your application programs onto the hard disk. There is some on-disk documentation to help you with this, but it basically consists of loading the application programs into one of the 16 subdirectories, choosing the Modify menu option to place into the menu the name of the application, and entering the sequence of Run commands required to start the application. If you have a batch file that you use to start the application, you should enter the contents of the batch file into the Run commands- executing a batch file as one of the Run commands will prevent control from being passed back to the Hard- card menu when you exit the appli- cation. In many respects, the Hardcard is a hard disk like any other. There ap- pears to be no reason that you couldn't use the hard disk without the Hardcard Directory, creating your own subdirectory structure with more ap- propriate directory names. The man- ual cautions against using the Format routine from the IBM Advanced Diag- nostics Disk, because this would over- write bad-track flags and alter the Hardcard's interleave factor, leading T^ble 1: BYTE's comparison of the Hardcard and four other hard disks that appeared in BYTE's Inside the IBM PCs, Fall 1985. Times were measured using the BYTE benchmarks. Sider Rodimc i Syques t Kamerman Labs Hardcard Megabytes 10 10 30 10 10 Write (seconds) 40.0 41.0 41.0 27.0 39.5 Read (seconds) 29.0 29.0 29.0 27;o 28.7 Copy (seconds) 2.5 4.7 4.7 2.0 1.3 to, at best, degraded performance and, at worst, a completely unusable hard disk. Since the manual is geared toward the novice user, it becomes fairly mys- terious in places. In a section called technical tips, the manual states that you should not move the Hardcard between computers of different manufacturers; for example, if you've installed it in a Compaq, don't move it to an IBM PC. I think this is some- thing an owner might want to do and Plus Development Corp. could have included instructions on how to do it without harming your machine. Ap- parently, you can wreak havoc on one computer if you install and attempt to boot from a Hardcard that has been formatted from an incompatible computer. The manual has a section on in- stallation and an extensive section on using the Backup and Restore com- mands of DOS. There is a third sec- tion on error messages complete with a BASIC program to help you deter- mine if your IBM PC or Compaq PC ROMs are too old to recognize a hard disk (prior to October 27, 1982). Benchmarks While I would have liked to compare the Hardcard with other plug-in hard disks, at the time of this writing no other company had sent one. So 1 will compare the Hardcard to the hard disks reviewed in "Four Hard Disks for Under $1000" by Richard Grehan (BYTE's Inside the IBM PCs, Fall 1985, page 203). I ran the benchmarks under PC-DOS 2 .0 on an IBM PC. See table I for the benchmark results. Conclusion My overall impression of the Hard- card is that it is a highly reliable hard disk. The Hardcard Directory is useful for someone setting up a kind of turn- key system perhaps for a machine that is to be used by more than one per- son. Most experienced users will probably prefer to set the hard disk up with mnemonic subdirectories. With or without the Hardcard Direc- tory, the Hardcard is a great way to add hard-disk speed and storage to your computer with a minimum of trouble. ■ 276 BYTE- MAY 1986 How can one small board so much? The ATI GRAPHICS SOLUTION uses revolutionary CMOS VLSI Gate Array Technology to achieve extensive multi-display ability with fewer components, longer life, lower power consumption and lower price. The "SMALL WONDER" GRAPHICS SOLUTION, amazingly, has all the features below on one small board that fits in the IBM PC/XT short slot! Whats more, Parallel and Serial/Parallel expansion modules are available as options. HIP!!! lllllll GRAFIX PARTNER — 16 COLORS 16 COLORS HIGH RESOLUTION COLOR SOFTWARE ON MONOCHROME MONITOR IN 16 SHADES SYMPHONY HIGH RESOLUTION HERCULES COMPATIBLE MONOCHROME GRAPHICS Distributors: 132 COLUMNS F.A. Components — NY (718) 507-1444, outside NY (800) 847-4148 IN (219) 432-8540, outside IN (800) 331-7567 SC (803) 288-2422, outside SC (800) 845-2747 Ossmann Computer Tech. — IL (800) 942-5215, outside IL (800) 323-2239 OH (800) 824-9627, outside OH (800) 824-5934 NJ (800) 221-2514, outside NJ (800) 624-4010 NY (800) 628-4466 outside NY (800) 537-5378 SAI America — MD (301) 459-2100, outside MD (800) 638-9579 First Source — AZ (602) 437-9744 R.C. Data — CA (408) 946-3800 Compu-D — TX (800) 772-5340, outside TX (800) 433-5354 CompuServe — CAN. (416) 477-8088 Wells Data — ONT (416) 890-2600 Santronlcs — BC (604) 522-9877 Electronic Marketing Specialists S.CA (714) 832-9920, (818) 708-2055, (619) 560-5133 N.CA(408) 245-9291, CJT (801) 268-9866 CO (303) 745-0745, AZ (602) 840-8855 ■ Trademarks: ParadlM, Modular Graphics Card— Paradise Systems Inc.; Hercules Graphics— HerculesCon^uler Technology; GraFIx Partner — Brightbill- Roberts; Symphony— Lotus Development Corporation; IBM — International Business Machines; Plantronics. Coiorplus — Plantronics Enhanced Graphics Corp. ATI Graphics Solution ATI Graphics Solution Paradise Modular Graphics Hercules Graphics Plantronics Color Plus CMOS VLSI Gate Array Technology Y } IBM Compatible Monochrome Text V ; Hercules Compatible Monochrome Graphics Y t Runt Color/Graphics Software on Monochrome Monitor In 16 shades Without Pre-Boot Driven Y } IBM Compatible Color/Graphics Y } High Resolution 320x200 16 colors Color/Graphics 640x200 4 colors 640x200 16 colors I 132 Columns In either Color or Monochrome Y Flicker-Free Scrolling in All Modes Y 1 t Parallel Port Opt* Opt } Serial Port Opt • Opt Fits In Short Slot of IBM PC/XT Y Warranty 2 yrs lyr 2 yrs i yr- Suggested Retail Price 5 299 5 395 5 499 5 559 Serial/Parallel Expansion Module 579 Parallel Expansion Module 549 Small Wonder From 450 Esna Park Dr. Markham, Ontario, Canada L3R 1H5 TELEX 06-966640 (CMC — MKHM) (416) 477-8804 FAX (416) 477-9445 TECHNOLOGIES INC. Competitive information based on manufacturer's published information as of January I. 1986. Specifications subject to change without notice. Inquiry 425 for End-Users. Inquiry 426 for DEALERS ONLY. LOMAS DATA PRESENTS: SINGLE & MULTIUSER CAD SYSTEMS ie LDP-CAD workstation may support 3 to 16 individual users all running IJTOCAD™. Each user has his own graphics ocessor for maximum drawing speed and stem response. With the LDP-CAD multiuser item each user experiences 4 times the rformance of an IBM-PC. A high performance ntral system supports each of the remote itions with mass storage of up to 144 jgabytes. Each Remote Graphics Processor 3P) supports a high resolution display of 1024 ' 800 pixels with 8 colors and a 80x24 >mmand screen. The main system processor ^o supports the same functions as each of the JP's while also supporting additional features ch as dual IBM-PC compatible 5 1 /4" disk ives, 10 to 110 Megabyte Winchester disk drives, cartridge tape backup and up to Megabyte of main memory. // you require single user system now, with expansic capabilities for the future, LDP-CAD is the on sensible solution. PRICING: LDP-CAD Single/Multiuser Systems with following features: 8 Mhz 8086/8087, 512 memory, IBM-PC compatible keyboard an display, 2 Mbyte solid state disks, 10 Mbyi Winchester, high resolution 19 in. graphic display, 11x11 digitizer, and AUTOCAD $14,995.1 RGP (REMOTE GRAPHICS PROCESSO] 1024x800 graphics display and controller, remote command console $9,495.00 IBM COMPATIBLE S100 BUS COLOR GRAPHICS LOMAS DATA PRODUCTS presents COLOR MAGIC, the most complete compatibility solu- tion for S100 bus computer products. COLOR MAGIC includes three major hardware sub- functions which allow it to emulate the IBM-PC: An entirely compatible video function, an IBM- PC keyboard interface and an IBM-PC compat- ible timer interface including IBM-PC sound compatibility. HOW COMPATIBLE IS IT? Cur- rently we are running MICROSOFT'S FLIGHT SIMULATOR recognized as one of the severest tests of compatibility. We can also directly boot PC-DOS for the IBM-PC with no alterations. Other programs which have been tested and function without problems are: LOTUS 1-2-3, DBASE III, WORDSTAR and VOLKSWRITER. COLOR MAGIC (16K byte version) . . $595.00 ■THUNDER 186 single board computer pro- vides a high performance 16 bit computer all on one board. It is an ideal companion to the COLOR MAGIC to provide alow cost, high per- formance IBM-PC compatible system. The 8Mhz 80186 offers lOMhz 8086 performance. THUNDER 186 provides all the components necessary to form a complete system includ- ing: 256K bytes of no wait-state RAM, 2 serial ports, a parallel printer port, high performance floppy disk controller controls both S*/*" and 8" drives simultaneously, full IEEE 696 (S100) bus for system expansion. The COLOR MAGIC and THUNDER 186 combine to provide perfor- mance you won't find in other compatibles. The price includes the powerful Concurrent DOS operating system. THUNDER 186 $1195.00 ■NV-DISK is a solid state memory with soft- ware to emulate a disk drive under MS-DOS, Concurrent DOS, and CP/M-86. NV-DISK is en- tirely COMPUPRO software compatible allow- ing COMPUPRO users to take advantage of the lower cost and battery protection support of- fered by NV-DISK. It offers the advantage of high speed access and no moving parts. It can be battery protected to allow data to stay even while powered down. The board is available in either 512K or 2 Megabyte configurations and multiple boards may be used to create disk drives with up to 16 Megabytes of storage. NV-DISK 512K, $595.00 2 MBYTE, $995.00 ■MEGARAM is a high density, high perfor- mance dynamic RAM board with up to two Megabytes of storage. Megaram offers no wait state performance in 8086 systems with up to 10 Mhz processors at a fraction of the cost of com- parable performance static RAM. MEGARAM V 4 MBYTE, $475.00 1/2 MBYTE, $595.00 1 MBYTE, $795.00 2 MBYTE, $1095.00 IBM-PC COMPATIBLE S100-BUS SYSTEM LOMAS DATA PRODUCTS offers IBM-PC compatible systems with performance far ex- Dealer inquiries invited. MS-DOS. trademark of Microsoft PC-DOS, trademark of IBM Concurrent CP/M-86, concurrent DOS. trademark of Digital Research LOMAS DATA PRODUCTS, INC. ] ceeding that available from IBM. You can pur- chase systems offering performance of an eight Mhz 8086 or up the performance of an 8Mhz 80286. Each system is capable of supporting 8Mhz math coprocessors. Our 8Mhz 80286 sys- tem offers IBM-PC compatibility while offering up to 2 times the performance of the IBM-PC- AT. For applications where PC compatibility is desirable but higher performance is a ben- efit or requirement LDP offers the only viable solution. WHO IS LOMAS DATA PRODUCTS . . . LOMAS DATA PRODUCTS has been shipping 16 bit microprocessor S100 bus products for five years. We have earned a strong reputation for reliability and performance over these five years. We were running MS-DOS (SCP-DOS/ PC-DOS) before IBM knew the operating sys- tem existed. We offer a wide range of 16 bit operating systems including MS-DOS, CP/M- 86, CONCURRENT CP/M-86 and CONCUR- RENT DOS. All our products are backed by a one year guarantee. We offer no 8 bit products and concentrate entirely on high peformance 16 bit systems. If you are looking for the highest performance possible on the S100 bus, you can be sure LOMAS DATA PRODUCTS offers it. The S100 Bus Experts. LDP 182 CEDAR HILL STREET, MARLBORO, MASSACHUSETTS 01752 □ TELEPHONE: (617) 460-0333 □ TELEX: 4996272 278 BYTE • MAY 1986 Inquiry 210 A versatile tool for the computerist by Robert Jacobs Robert \acobs has a B.A. from Citu College of New York and M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from Columbia University. He teaches political science at Central Washington University. He can be contacted at the Department of Political Science. Central Washington University, Ellensburg. WA 98926. HARDWARE REVIEW The B&C Microsystems 1409 EPROM Programmer You can accomplish some kinds of computer work more easily by de- signing or modifying firmware rather than hardware. In order to do this, I needed an EPROM programmer with the broadest applicability at the least cost. First I had to decide whether to get a stand-alone unit or one that utilizes a slot in the computer. Despite greater cost, I opted for the former because I could then use the unit with computers other than my Corona PC. The second decision I had to make was whether to build or buy the unit. Steve Ciarcia presented an excellent and at- tractive design in the February 1985 issue of BYTE ("Build a Serial EPROM Program- mer." page 104). With reasonable luck in ob- taining parts, the total cost for this design would probably have been between $80 and $100. 1 reluctantly abandoned that op- tion because of my unfamiliarity with the wire-wrap construction technique. The most attractive alternative I found was the 1409 EPROM Programmer available from B&C Microsystems of San Jose, CA. This unit is available in kit form with either a printed circuit board (PCB), transformer, and firmware only or with a full set of parts. It is also available as a finished and ready- to-use product (see photos I and 2). I opted to purchase it in kit form with all the parts, although perhaps $30 can be saved by ordering the smaller kit. I decided that ordering the remaining parts separately offered too many chances of delay in get- ting started. Through an ordering error, I received the fully assembled unit shown in photo I, rather than the kit, so I still haven't actually built an EPROM programmer. I examined the finished unit and think that construction would have been simple. Parts have to be inserted and soldered into a very well marked 5/2- by 1 0-inch PCB. (I noted that one of the regulators was equipped with a heatsink). Although step-by-step instructions are not provided, I think the job is easy and safe for anyone who can solder components into a PCB. (You must take care that you insert the parts in the correct locations and observe the polarities of diodes and elec- trolytic capacitors.) Interface The 1409 EPROM Programmer connects to one of the computer's RS-2 32C ports. It is configured as "data terminal equipment," which means that a null-modem cable will be required for connection to most micro- computers. This is an industry-standard cable that may be purchased or built. (There is a good diagram of the connections required in the 1409's instruction booklet). The EPROM programmer controls the RTS (ready to send) and DTR (data terminal ready) lines to indicate when an overflow condition is imminent. The host computer can monitor these signal lines to control transmission flow or can watch for the XOFF and XON signals for the same purpose. The host computer can also control the output of the programmer with the CTS (clear to send) line. As long as this signal line is held in a high state, the 1409 will continue to out- put data. Fortunately, most of these signals are handled automatically in readily available software. I have been able to run the pro- grammer with PC-Tklk and Crosstalk, as well as the driver program supplied by B&C Microsystems. I suspect that you can use any terminal software that is capable of transmitting ASCII files with a 300-millisec- ond delay between lines of text. The pro- grams I mentioned above worked perfect- ly, with no protocol or compatibility prob- lems. Using the 1409 The 1409 is set up for 8-bit words, 1 stop bit, and no parity. After reset, it automati- cally adjusts itself to any standard speed be- tween 300 and 9600 bits per second. The B&C Microsystems EPROM programmer is (continued) MAY 1986 • BYTE 279 REVIEW: EPROM PROGRAMMER AT A GLANCE Name Model 1409 EPROM Programmer Company B&C Microsystems 6322 Mojave Dr. San Jose, CA 95120 (408) 997-7685 Features Requires no personality modules; on-board 110/220-volt power supply; RS-232C interface; manually programmable with line editing; split high/low byte addressing for 16-bit bus; byte, block, or chip erase; up/download in Intel or Motorola format Documentation 25-page technical manual containing hardware and interface instructions, schematic diagrams, parts list, and diagnostic charts Prices Kit with full set of parts $250 Assembled and tested unit $400 1409C with cabinet and all options $800 Source code; PC-DOS disk $75 Software drivers; most PCs $35 capable of reading, verifying, and pro- gramming all of the most common EPROMsand EEPROMs (see table 1). No additional personality modules or sockets are needed, although the unit I purchased requires additional parts and version 5.0 firmware from B&C Microsystems in order to pro- gram 40-pin chips like the 8748 and 8749. Only a few additional parts are necessary and the firmware upgrade costs $2 5. (Current production models of the 1409 already contain the proper firmware.) EEPROMs can also be erased, which is a great advantage for the ex- perimenter who does not have an ultraviolet eraser for the ordinary EPROMs. The 1409 EPROM Programmer of- fers a number of amenities to the user. There is a help screen that lists all the programming commands. {continued) Photo 1: Assembled and tested (bare-board version) 1409-1 3 A EPROM Programmer. Photo 2: B&C Microsystems' enclosed model 1409C-33 EPROM Programmer. 280 BYTE • MAY 1986 Inquiry 24 7 for End-Users. Inquiry 248 for DEALERS ONLY— ► There's a Familar Face Behind the New Name MAHAO^ NANAO MONITORS. The name is new to the American mt| grafs because for the first time in history, a huge new line of computer monitors is availableB BUS. — factory direct. 26 different models offered in three series, bringing you a range of feci ■proader than any other. Color resolution from 480 dots x 200 lines up to 720 dots x 480 ling pi FY ] sc.nnnm a from 15.75 to 24.75 KHz, But the truth is that Nanao has been around for a long time. For over a decade we've supplied OEM's worldwide, designing and manufacturing monitors recognized for their outstanding performance and reliability. Now that same quality, selection and value is yours — right from the source. Nanao. The old standby with a new name. NANAO NANAO CORPORATION f 53 Shimokashiwano-Cho Matto-City, Ishikawa, Japan NANAO USA CORPORATION 373 G. Vintage Park Drive Foster City, California 94404 Phone (415) 341-7055 Distributor Inquiries Welcomed Inquiry 55 for DEALERS ONLY. We Treat Dealers Right! Were CC&C. REVIEW: EPROM PROGRAMMER • IBM XT™ Compatible • Full 640K On Board • Dual 360K Disk Drives • Color or Monochrome Card • Parallel Printer Port • FCC Approved Motherboard: XT compaL — 640K RAM, 8087 Socket Disk Controllers: 360K Floppy Disk Drive (XT) Controller 1.2 MB Floppy Disk Drive (AT) Controller Special High Speed Hard Disk Controller Display Cards: Color / Graphics Card — 640 x 200 Monochrome Card with Printer Port LETTERTEX™ — Super High-Res Text, Hercules™ Compatible Graphics Multifunction Cards: 7-Plus™ — FDC, Parallel, 2 Serial, Game, Clock, RAMdisk Plus™, Spool Plus™ 8-Plus™ — Par, Ser, Game + 384K RAM AT Multi. — Par, Ser, Up To 3 Megabytes Cases: XT Style Case — All Metal, Fully Shielded Turbo Case — Stylish Design, XT Compat. AT Style Case — Attractive, Rugged Keyboards: XT Keyboard — XT Layout, LEDs XT Keyboard — Crsr & Num Pads, LEDs AT Keyboard — Oversized Return and Shift Keys, LED indicators Power Supplies: XT Compatible 135 Watt — UL Approved XT Compatible 200 Watt AT Compatible 200 Watt IC's: 640K RAM Set (36 chips) 8087 Math Co-Processor Disk Drives: 360K Floppy Drive — XT Compatible 1 .2 MB Floppy Drive — AT Compatible 20 MB Hard Disk Drive Monitors: TTL (IBM Compatible) Monochrome CC&C Toll Free Order Hotline: (800) 423-3877 Information: (213) 265-0835 COD, cashiers check, money order or certified check. ♦ IBM, XT and AT are trademarks of IBM Corp. , Table 1: A selection menu of chips that can be programmed using the 1409 EPROM programmer. a = 2758 k = 2508 u = 52B13 b = 27(C) 16 l = 2516 v = 52B23 c = 27(C)32 m = 2532 w = 52B33 d = 2732A n = 2564 x = 48Z02 e = 27(C)64 o = 68732 1 = SPARE f = 2764A p = 68764(6) 2 = SPARE g = 27(C)128 q = 27513 3 = 8748H h = 271 28A r = 281 6A 4 = 8749H i = 27(C)256 s = 2864A 5 = 8748 j = 27(C)512 t = 28256* 6 m 8749 Chips can be read or written to in a number of ways. The 1409 supports the Intel and Motorola hexadecimal formats, or it can handle a straight ASCII list of bytes. Part or all of a chip may be programmed or read. Manual programming is also possi- ble either a byte at a time or in lines of up to 128 characters. A pro- grammed chip can be verified against a file in any of the formats mentioned, and chip erasure can be tested as well. The 1409 is also capable of Iow- byte/high-byte programming for chips that will be used on a 16-bit bus. This is quite a sophisticated capability and is not available in some much more expensive commercial programmers. The firmware of the 1409 also incor- porates a built-in monitor that allows the user to debug the programmer itself by examining the state of its in- ternal I/O drivers, ports, and RAM. This data is stored in an Intel 8155 chip that includes 2 K bytes of static RAM, three I/O ports, and a timer. The microprocessor used in this powerful design is the Intel 8085. Documentation B&C Microsystems provides a 25- page technical manual with their EPROM programmer. The manual contains hardware and interface in- structions, a few construction hints for those who purchase the unit in kit form, clear directions for each com- mand to which the 1409 responds, and several technical appendixes that include schematic diagrams, parts lists, and diagnostic charts for the hardware. To understand and use the latter requires a voltmeter and oscil- loscope or frequency counter. It's bet- I ter to build it right the first time. For an additional $3 5, driver soft- ware can be purchased from the manufacturer. Drivers are available for the IBM Personal Computer and com- patibles, any CP/M system, and the Apple He and He. The 1409 can also be driven by a Commodore 64 with VIP terminal software. In the IBM PC version, source code in C and assem- bly language accompanies the driver program itself. Conclusion The 1409 EPROM Programmer ap- pears to be well made. It consists of a PCB on which all components are mounted (see photo I). The power cord is attached directly to the PCB, which stands on six small rubber feet. The factory-assembled unit is also available packaged in a metal cabinet. This packaged unit is designated model 1409C (see photo 2). The RS-232C port interface uses a right-angle male DB-2 5 connector. There is also space on the board for the installation of two 3 2 -pin headers to be used for future expansion. The more important chips are soc- keted, and the EPROMs themselves fit into a zero-insertion-force socket. Four small light-emitting diodes serve to indicate whether the power is on or off and the status of the Transmit, Receive, and Program functions. A reset button accomplishes what is in effect a "warm boot" of the unit. B&C Microsystems offers accessory boards that permit chips to be copied directly from one to another without connecting the 1409 programmer to a computer at all. On the whole, this unit appears to be a well-designed and well-built addi- tion to the computerist's toolbox. ■ 282 BYTE • MAY 1986 How can you get ten tape back-up units and pay for one? Get Tecmar's Q60H™ streaming tape back-up. A single Q60H can move from desk to desk in your office and back up all of your IBM PCs, XTs, ATs, or compatibles. The only thing each PC needs is a low-cost host adapter. Just plug in the Q60H and protect up to 60 mega- bytes of data. Then unplug it and move it on to the next PC. Complete a file-by-file back-up of a 20 megabyte disk in just five minutes. Or get a mirror-image copy even faster. Simple menus guide you through any back-up or restore function, and let you create a file directory labeled in your own words. Then if your data is lost — by head crash, by power failure, or just by mis- take — you can slip in the back-up tape cartridge and keep working. The files and cartridges can be used with any other drive in Tecmar's QIC-60™ line, including the Q60W20™ a 60 megabyte tape drive with a built-in 20 megabyte hard disk. Best of all, the Q60H is backed by Tecmar's war- ranty and service. That's solid support from the most experienced company in the business. To find out more about the Q60H, visit your Tecmar dealer. Or call us in Ohio, and talk to the people with the one tape back-up for your whole office. Tecmar. The Answer. TEGVL4RI r 6225 Cochran Road, Solon, Ohio 44139-3377. Phone (216) 349-1009, Telex 466692. Chaussee de la Hulpe 181, 1170 Brussels, Belgium. Phone 32-2-672.23.98, Telex 20256. Inquiry 357 MAY 1986 'BYTE 283 NOTHING lit WN. Even the best of personal computers can have a bad day. Blackouts happen. Usually at the worst possible time. But power interruptions don't need to be business interruptions. And lost power shouldn't result in lost data. Not with the POWERMAKEFT Micro UPS from Topaz. Designed specifically for hard disc and critical-use business systems, Powermaker Micro UPS ensures a continuous supply of smooth sine wave power even during a total blackout. And there's more. Powermaker Micro UPS also removes spikes and other error-producing transients from incoming power, protecting your PC's sensitive circuitry. So, if your PC needs a little help once in a while, give it Powermaker Micro UPS protection. For nothing down. Call us today at (619) 279-0831, or contact your local Square D distributor. 284 B YTE • MAY I986 TOPAZ SQUHRE TI CDMPHNY Inquiry 365 for End-Users. Inquiry 366 for DEALERS ONLY. HARDWARE REVIEW PC-Pedal Footmouse, and Light Pen by Chris H. Pappas Chris H. Pappas is a professor of computer science at Broome Community College, Binghamton. NY 13902. He is currently coautfioring a book about 80286/80386 assembly-language programming. Non-Keyboard Input Devices Users of Lotus 1-2-3, dBASE III, Word Perfect or any program re- quiring cursor control and data en- try, listen up. Several manufacturers are ad- dressing the complaint about having to use the numeric keypad for both cursor control and numeric data entry. Studies have shown that incorrect data entry is directly propor- tional to the frequency with which the typist's fingers leave the home row. PC- Pedal by Brown & Co. and Footmouse by Versatron Corp. are two products designed specifically to address the digital version of musical chairs caused by the design of the IBM Personal Computer keyboard. Another interesting keyboard enhancer is the Light Pen by Warp Speed. While it does nothing to help keep your hands on the home keys, it attempts to provide better control over cursor movements in graphics applications. (See photo 1 .) PC-Pedal PC-Pedal comes with an easy-to-follow 12-page manual. A single disk contains 13 programs, used for PC-Pedal hardware and software interfacing, and two documenta- tion files. The foot pedal attaches to the computer through a connector that is in- serted between the parallel port and the printer cable. The foot pedal itself is con- structed of heavy-duty material and should stand up to heavy use. The software allows you to decide which key or keys— Shift, Ctrl, or Alt— are to be moved to the foot pedal. A simple installa- tion program modifies the code files so that they address the parallel port you've selected. You can choose which key or keys the PC-Pedal will emulate by invoking the appropriate installation program. You can automate the installation by copying this file to your boot-up disk and adding the filename to your AUTOEXEC.BAT file. The programs are not copy-protected, so you can install them on your hard disk. Six programs referred to as keyboard "state" key commands are provided to allow the PC-Pedal to function as a Shift, Ctrl, or Alt key, or any combination thereof. Three single-key programs, PEDSHIFT, PEDCTRL, and PEDALT, move either the Shift, Ctrl, or Alt key function to the foot pedal. Three double-key programs, SHIFTCTL. SHIFTALT, and CTRLALT, move either the Shift and Ctrl, Shift and Alt, or Ctrl and Alt key pairs to the pedal. You can move all three keys accessible from the foot pedal with the triple-key installation program, PCPEDAL. PC-Pedal can duplicate only one key func- tion at a time. When you choose one of the multiple-key programs, the foot pedal's key- substitution function is determined by pressing the foot pedal simultaneously with the key you want the pedal to emulate. You can install only one of the six key- board state key commands at a time, and if you want to change to another without having to reboot your computer, you must use the REMOVE command supplied with PC-Pedal. This requires that the keyboard state key command be installed after any other memory-resident programs (like Side- Kick) or any keyboard-conversion programs (such as PC/Dvorak by Age of Reason Soft- ware or the Dvorak layouts provided by Pro- Key or SmartKey). In addition to one of the six keyboard state keys, you can choose one of the "back- space and delete" programs. These pro- grams seem to be directed mainly toward WordStar users and appear to be an at- tempt to make the destructive backspace of WordStar consistent with other programs. (In WordStar the backspace key acts like the left cursor key; it does not delete the char- acter it moves over. Ctrl-G performs the destructive backspace.) Installing WSERASE causes the destructive backspace of Word- Star to be activated by pressing the PC- Pedal and space bar at the same time. For other programs, the destructive backspace can be moved to the space bar/PC-Pedal with the PEDERASE command. PEDERASE works with DOS and most word-processing {continued) MAY 1986 -BYTE 285 AT A GLANCE Name PC-Pedal Footmouse Light Pen Company Brown & Co. Inc. POB 2443 South Hamilton, MA 01982 (617) 468-7464 Versatron Corp. 103 Plaza St. Healdsburg, CA 95448 (800) 443-1550 Warp Speed 4357 Chase Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90066 (213) 391-4156 Computer IBM PC, XT, AT, and most true compatibles with parallel port IBM PC and XT IBM PC, XT, AT, PCjr and most compatibles Software One disk None Four disks Features Emulates the Ctrl, Alt, Shift, cursor, Num Lock, Caps Lock, and a few backspace functions Replaces cursor keys Enter; Esc, /, cursor, and Num Lock keys substitution Documentation User's manual, 12 pages One-page instructions A page of instructions with each disk Price $59.95 $169 $199.99 programs such as Microsoft Word, Word Perfect and MultiMate. Word- Star users will also appreciate the BACKWORD program that adds the ability to delete a word to the left of the cursor. This function is also trig- gered on the space bar/PC-Pedal com- bination, so you will have to decide which function you want: destructive backspace or delete a word to the left of the cursor; you can't have both at once. If you want to change the back- space and delete program you are using or take it out completely you can execute PEDSPACE to get rid of the destructive backspace or the f unc- Photo I: Clockwise from the top: Light Pen, PC-Pedal, Footmouse, and Footmouse controller. tion that deletes the word to the left. PC-Pedal does not interfere with the normal operation of your keyboard; it only affects the keyboard when you press the pedal. When PC-Pedal is as- signed the function of the Shift key, it can emulate Caps Lock and Num Lock. Holding the pedal down causes the keyboard to act as though Caps Lock and Num Lock are enabled; lift- ing your foot disables these keys. PC-Pedal worked well with most of the software I use (see table I). The only minor problem was when PC- Pedal was configured to emulate the Alt key function. When I pressed the pedal and attempted to use the numeric keypad to enter the ASCII codes for graphics symbols, the pedal failed. This is an isolated usage and, in most cases, the average user would not require this capability. PC-Pedal with Lotus I-2-3 improved my efficiency spectacularly. If you've used a spreadsheet program, you know how annoying it is to have to toggle the Num Lock key to move the cursor, then hit the key again to enter numeric data. With PC-Pedal you press it once to enter numeric data and release it for cursor movement. I highly recommend this product to anyone doing a lot of word process- ing or running applications requiring [continued) 286 BYTE • MAY I986 A FEW GOOD REASONS TO BUY A CANON PERSONAL COMPUTER. Canon Personal Computers run all popular IBM PC-compatible software. If you're in the market for a smart, fast, modestly priced personal computer that's IBM-compatible, look no further. Canon has just created the ideal series. The Canon Personal Computer A-200 Series can run hundreds of programs designed for the IBM PC family; Without modification. Even the layout of the keyboard is compatible with the IBM PC's. And with its 16-bit microprocessor, memory board and display adapter, each can process complex data in record time. They expand as you expand. As your needs change, so can Canon Personal Computers. Each comes with built-in parallel serial ports. And with expansion capability in most models, you can modify the system according to your own needs. You can add optional IBM-compatible hardware, too. Like the Canon memory expansion board. Or one of Canon's full line of quality printers, includingthe advanced laser beam printer. Canon's three-for-all. The Canon Personal Computer A-200 Series offers three ways to enter the world of personal computers. The standard floppy disk model is a ready-to-run, compact system with 256K bytes of memory, expandable to 5I2K bytes. It offers a choice of monochrome or color graphic display and two 5 Va" 360K byte drives. The powerful hard disk model runs complex business software with even more speed and greater storage memory capacity It comes with a 5 '/V 360K byte floppy disk drive and a I0M byte hard disk drive. And the transportable model weighs in at a low 19 pounds, so it's perfect for the business professional on the move. It features a 5I2K byte memory, full-sized graphic LCD screen and two 360K byte floppy disk drives. Plus, the RGB color monitor interface lets you use the transportable model with a color graphic display. And the transportable model has a built-in 300/1200 bps modem. What's in a name? Plenty, when that name is Canon. Every Canon Personal Computer is the product of a company world-renowned for quality and innovation. So when you enter the computer age with Canon, you know you're in good company: For more information, see your local computer dealer or call 1-800-441-2626. (In Utah, 800-922-3131.) J"T«1» S Canon Canon U.S.A., Inc.SystemsDivision.PO. Box 619865, Dallas/Fort Worth Airport, TX 75261. 1986 Canon U.S.A., Inc. REVIEW: INPUT DEVICES Table I: Some of the software packages that work with these keyboard enhancers. PC-Pedal Footmouse Light Pen Lotus1-2-3 S s s Symphony \S SuperCalc 3 ^ ^ WordPerfect ^ s WordStar * ^ dBASE III ^ s SuperKey ** ^ SideKick s ^ PC Crayon ^ PC Paintbrush *s numeric data entry and cursor move- ment on the IBM PC keyboard. FOOTMOUSE The Footmouse comes complete with a comfortable, ruggedly molded, high- strength plastic and steel pedal and all connecting cables. There is no soft- ware to merge with your applications programs as there is wkh PC-Pedal. The user's guide is one page front and back, but installation and operation is so easy that this is all you need. To install the Footmouse, you unplug the keyboard from the rear of your IBM PC or PC XT. Plug the Footmouse con- troller into the main system and then plug your keyboard into the Foot- mouse controller. The pedal attaches to the controller with a cord like a telephone's. The Footmouse does not change the normal keyboard opera- tion: it only duplicates the up/down/ left/right cursor movements. Unlike a hand-operated mouse, the Footmouse is stationary. Only the top plate of the Footmouse moves at all. You control the cursor with a slight movement of the foot to the right, left, up, or down; you don't have to push down. The Footmouse provides a tac- tile and audio feedback for the move- ment. All cursor commands that use the arrow keys can be executed using the Footmouse. When using the Footmouse for the first time, I found it slightly difficult to coordinate my foot with the move- ment I wanted on the screen. But after entering several pages worth of spreadsheet data, I gained complete confidence in my foot control. Since the cursor control was transferred to the Footmouse, I could use the numeric keypad exclusively for numeric input thus eliminating the bothersome need to remember to toggle the Num Lock key. It also eliminated the need for my fingers to leave the home row for cursor move- ment. This product worked flawlessly with all the programs I tested. Light Pen The Light Pen comes complete with four floppy disks, light pen, and con- necting cables. Installation of the light pen required pulling out the color card and plugging the Light Pen cable onto the appropriate pin connection. Although the Light Pen works on monochrome and color displays, not all monochrome cards work with this kind of device. Before purchasing this product, verify that the monitor card you want to use supports a light pen. The Light Pen comes with software that must be transferred to the appli- cations program you want to use it with. This software lets you respond using the pen instead of the keyboard. Currently the software supports DOS operations, Lotus 1-2-3, Symphony, and some mouse applications. On the Controller disk were several sample BASIC programs demonstrat- ing the Light Pen's capabilities. The In- stall program modifies the software to recognize either touchscreen or side- button light pens, the number of disk drives, and a user-defined file exten- sion. The Light Pen recognizes this fourth file extension along with .EXE, .COM, and .BAS files. The actual dynamics of the device require the recognition of the pen's position within the rectangular box each letter comprises when in text mode. The sample programs included with the Light Pen proved over and over that the resolution of the pen was not that good. At times the pen could be immediately over a response pad and it would not recognize my selection. When I used the sample drawing program, spurious colors ap- peared at random all over the screen. The Light Pen's accuracy of re- sponse was slightly better when run- ning Lotus 1-2-3. The software modifies the usual spreadsheet screen to include a right-column op- tions pad. Instead of pressing the Return key cursor keys (allowing the numeric keypad to be used exclusive- ly for data entry). Home, Esc. or other keys, supposedly all you have to do is tap the button on the pen when it is over the appropriate response pad. The Light Pen I was using did not always respond with the correct func- tion. This problem became quite un- nerving after several attempts to select a particular option. I began to doubt the efficiency of using a light pen with a spreadsheet. It was nice to select a cell location just by pointing, but my hand had to leave the home row. In one last attempt to salvage my impression of the Light Pen, I merged the included mouse programs with PC Paintbrush. I was certain this would be the Light Pen's forte. The results were disappointing. Random lines would be drawn across the screen, color selection and painting were difficult to control, and certain menu options could not be activated with the pen. Conclusions As monitor resolution and design continue to improve, so should the ac- curacy and usability of light pens. PC- Pedal and the Footmouse are serious productivity tools. They're designed to minimize hand movements and keystrokes, and that translates into speed and accuracy. ■ 288 BYTE • MAY 1986 OVERNIGHT DELIVERY & GUARANTEED LOWEST PRICES ON IBM-PC & COMPATBLE HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE. FREE OVERNIGHT DELIVERY Buy it today ... use it tomorrow! Only Logicsoft ships your order the same day via overnight courier* ... at no additional cost to you. OUR LOWEST PRICE GUARANTEE. We're so confident about our low prices that if you can find a lower price, we'll beat it by $10+. This includes any bonafide advertised price or quote on any of the hundreds of products we stock. Our Corporate Accounts Program also offers attractive volume discounts. Credit cards and PO's accepted. TOLL-FREE CUSTOMER SERVICE. Customer service and technical support are only a toll-free call away. It's another reason why Logicsoft has become the major supplier of hardware and software to more than 50,000 companies worldwide, including over 90% of the Fortune 1000. ® To order or receive technical assistance, call our National Hotline: 1 10 Bi-County Blvd., Dept. 543 | A/Wt £^JkW 9 A Al EUROPE: 020-83 48 64 Farmingdale, NY 11735 l"OUV"CKr)"£4"l Telex: 10759 Logic NL CANADA: 416-283-2354 NY STATE: 1-800-235-6442 (516) 249-8440 Mail Orders to: Domestic/ Int'l Telex Customer Service: 1-800-431-9037 LOGICSOFT EUROPE BV 286905 SoftUR FAX# 516-249-5289 P b 9460, 1006 AL Amsterdam, Holland Circle #400 on reader service card. 'Applies to order totaling over $100. Shipped UPS — free if under $100 (within Cont. U.S.). Due to weight restrictions, printers and monitors are shipped UPS — free. ^This offer does not apply to items under $100, American Express or Terms orders. In these instances, we will meet any lower price. (We reserve the right to request a current written price quote.) NOW LEASE OR PURCHASE SYSTEMS FROM LOGICSOFT THE ECONOMY AND FLEXIBILITY OF A LOGICSOFT LEASE. High tech without high cost. Outstanding flexibility. Plus substantial tax benefits. Logicsoft's new leasing program gives you them all and much more. Lease the computer system you need now for 36 months (customized lease programs also available) at one of our low, low rates. At the end of the term, you can purchase the system for only 10% of the original purchase price. Or negotiate a lease extension. Give Logicsoft a call. We'll begin processing your lease agreement right over the phone. And deliver your system within three days. First and last lease payments required in advance. Lease proposals subject to credit approval. Rates based on current cost of funds. FREE 90-DAY, ON-SITE SERVICE ON ALL SYSTEMS. Whether you lease or purchase a system from Logicsoft, you get a unique bonus: a free 90-day, on-site system hardware service contract. We've contracted with one of the nation's largest and most respected independent computer maintenance firms to provide you free service in most metropolitan areas. If a problem arises, it'll be corrected quickly and efficiently. At your facility And at no additional cost to you. There's no inconvenience of transporting your system to and from a service center Wherever you are. Whatever the problem. Expert assistance is only a phone call away. 110 Bi-County Blvd., Dept. 543 Farmingdale, NY 11735 CANADA: 416-283-2354 Domestic/lnt'l Telex 286905 SoftUR To order or receive technical assistance, call our National Hotline: 1-800-645-3491 NY STATE: 1-800-235-6442 (516) 249 8440 Customer Service: 1-800-431-9037 FAX# 516-249-5289 Circle #400 on reader service card. EUROPE: 020-83 48 64 Telex: 10759 Logic NL Mail orders to: LOGICSOFT EUROPE BV pb 9460, 1006 AL Amsterdam, Holland Leading Edge Model D • 256K RAM Memory • Two 360K Half/ Height Floppy Drives • Four Expansion Slots • Keyboard • Text Display Card • High-Resolution Monochrome Monitor • One Parallel And Serial Port • Purchase Price: $1,375 Lease For $59 per month IBM AT • 512K RAM Memory • One 20 Mb Half/ Height Hard Drive (w/Controller) • One 1.2 Mb Half/Height Floppy Drive • Eight Expansion Slots • AT-Keyboard • Free 90-Day, On-Site Service Contract • Color Or Monochrome Monitor Available As Option • Purchase Price: $3,895 Lease For $154 per month IBM XT • 256K RAM Memory • One 10 Mb Half/ Height Hard Drive (w/Controller) • One 360K Floppy Drive • Eight Expansion Slots • XT-Keyboard • Free 90-Day, On- Site Service Contract • Color Or Mono- chrome Monitor Available As Option • Purchase Price: $2,399 Lease For $99 per month Compaq Deskpro 286 • 640K RAM Memory • 80286 Based CPU • One 20 Mb Half/Height Hard Drive (w/Controller) • One 1.2 Mb Half/ Height Floppy Drive • Eight Expansion Slots • Compaq Keyboard • Graphics Card • One Parallel Port • Free 90-Day, On-Site Service Contract * Color Or Monochrome Monitor Available As Option • Purchase Price: $4,149 "Just Released" Compaq Portable II • 256K RAM Memory • 80286 Based CPU • Two 360K Floppy Drives • Two Expansion Slots • Compaq ll-Keyboard ■ Text/Graphics Display Card • 9" Text/ Graphics Monochrome Monitor • One Parallel Port • Free 90-Day On-Site Service Contract • Purchase Price: $2,9^5 Lease For $164 per month Lease For $118 per month Compaq Deskpro • 256K RAM Memory • 8086 Based CPU • One 10 Mb Half/Height Hard Drive (w/ Controller) • One 360K Floppy Drive • Eight Expansion Slots • Compaq-Key- board • Graphics Card • One Parallel Port • Free 90-Day, On-Site Service Contract • Color Or Monochrome Monitor Available As Option • Purchase Price: $2 t 479 Lease For $K)7 per month Compaq Portable 286 Model 2 • 640K RAM Memory • 80286 Based CPU • One 20 Mb Half/Height Hard Drive (w/Controller) • One 1.2 Mb Half/Height Floppy Drive • Five Expan- sion Slots • Compaq Keyboard • Graph- ics Display Card • 9" Monochrome Text/ Graphics Monitor • One Parallel Port • Free 90-Day, On-Site Service • Purchase Price: $4,249 Lease For $168 per month AT&T 6300 Total Business System • 256K RAM Memory Expandable to 640K On Mother Board • One 10 Mb Half/Height Hard Drive (w/Controller) • One 360K Floppy Drive • Seven Expansion Slots • AT&T-Keyboard • High-Resolution Graphics Card • High-Resolution Monochrome Graph- ics Monitor • Serial & Parallel Ports • Toshiba P-351 Printer And Cable • Software Bundle (d Base III Plus, Lotus 1-2-3, Word Perfect, SideKick, G.W. Basic and MS-DOS) • Free 90- Day, On-Site Service Contract • Purchase Price: $4,306 Lease For $169 per month IBM PC'". AT'". PC/XT ,M are trademarks and IBM* is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation. 100% Burn-In and Testing. All systems undergo a 48-hour configuration, testing and burn- in period. We install floppy and hard disk drives, configure sys- tem boards, set DIP switches, format hard drives, perform memory diagnostics and check system with monitor: " AND A HUGE SELECTION OF PERIPHERALS. PRINTERS* EPSON LQ 800" $599 LQ 1000". . . Low Price Call! LQ 1500" 859 LX-80 229 RX-100 385 FX-85 349 FX-286 535 JUKI 6100 365 6300 689 NEC Spinwriter ELF 360 449 8850 1459 Pinwriter P2 559 Pinwriter P3 709 MANNESMAN TALLY MT-85 P 399 MT-86 499 OKIDATA 182 Plug & Play 224 192 Plug & Play 349 193 Plug & Play 555 2410 1759 PANASONIC KX1091 265 KX1092 435 TOSHIBA P 321 539 P 341 895 P 351 999 CITIZEN MSP 10 269 MSP 15 369 MSP 20 339 MSP 25 519 LASER PRINTERS CANNON Laser Printer $1995 MONITORS* AMDEK Color 600 $389 Color 722 519 12" Green 300 G 125 12" Green 300 A 135 12" Amber 310 A 149 NEC JC— 1401P 3A Multi-sync color w/swivel base 579 IBM Color Monitor 545 Monochrome Monitor . . . 225 Enhanced Color Display. . 689 PRINCETON GRAPHICS RGB HX-12 419 RGB HX-12E 535 RGB SR-12 569 Scan Doubler Board (for SR-12) 185 Amber Max 12 165 QUADRAM Amberchrome 12" 145 TAXAN 122.... 620 .. . 640 .. . .139 .425 .535 MULTIFUNCTION BOARDS AST RESEARCH Six Pack Plus (384K) . . . $289 Rampage W/128K 339 Rampage (AT) 439 Advantage (128K) 389 I/O Mini Half Card 119 I/O Plus II 129 EVEREX Magic Card 11 (64K) 175 TECMAR Captain (384K) 199 QUADRAM Quadboard (384K) 255 Silverboard 225 INTEL Above Board (PC) 299 Above Board (AT) 429 Above Board (PS) 64K . . . 329 8087 Math Co-Processor . 139 80287 Math Co-Processor 295 GRAPHICS BOARDS AST Preview $249 EVEREX Graphics Edge 259 The Edge 249 HERCULES Monochrome Graphics Card 299 Color Card 155 PARADISE SYSTEMS Multi-Display Card 189 Modular Graphics Card . . 249 QUADRAM EGA Plus Graphics w/windows 399 SIGMA Color 400 (Princeton).... 499 STB Chauffeur 255 Graphics Plus II 229 EGA Plus 299 TECMAR Graphics Master 439 COMMUNICATIONS BOARDS AST 5251-11 $695 DCA IRMA Board 839 QUADRAM Quadlink 319 MODEMS AST Reach 1200 Half Card . . $345 HAYES Smartmodem 300 145 Smartmodem 1200 389 Smartmodem 1200 B w/Smartcom II 359 Smartmodem 2400 609 Smartmodem 2400B w/Smartcom II 559 PROMETHEUS Pro-modem 1200 299 Pro-modem 1200 B w/software 249 QUADRAM Quadmodem Series Low Price Call! WATSON Phone Computer 349 RACAL-VADIC 2400 PC Internal 445 VEN-TEL PC Modem 1200 Half Card 375 1200 Plus 349 PC Modem 2400 Half Card Low Price Call! MOUSE INPUT DEVICES MOUSE SYSTEMS PC Mouse w/DR Halo 2 $135 MICROSOFT Microsoft Mouse (Serial). . 135 Microsoft Mouse (Buss) . . 135 SURGE PROTECTORS KENSINGTON MICROWARE Masterpiece $ 95 Masterpiece Plus 119 CURTIS Diamond 39 Emerald 49 Ruby 69 KEYBOARDS KEYTRONIC 5150 $149 5151 (Deluxe) 169 5153 (w/touch Pad) 289 Keytronic Jr. 5151 169 MEMORY STORAGE IOMEGA Bernoulli Box (20Mb) 10 + 10 $2,389 HARD DISK DRIVES M1CROSCIENCE 10 Mb Int $495 20 Mb Int 525 MOUNTAIN COMPUTER Hard Drive Card (20 Mb) 975 PRIAM CORP Innerspace Id 40 1250 PLUS + Hard Card 10 Mb Low Price Call! TALLGRASS TECHNOLOGY Tc 5525i 25 Mb Int 849 SEAGATE 10 Mb V2 Ht Int 475 20 Mb V2 Ht Int 495 20 Mb Full Ht (AT) 699 30 Mb Full Ht (AT) 849 CORE 20 Mb Int (AT) Low Price Call! 30 Mb Int (AT) Low Price Call! 40 Mb Int (AT) Low Price Call! CARTRIDGE TAPE BACK-UP ALLOY PC Back Up Ext 20 Mb. $1649 CORVUS The Bank 100 Mb 1729 EVEREX Excel Stream 20 Mb Int . . 639 Excel Stream 60 Mb Int.. 895 ExcelStream60MbExt .939 IRWIN Irwin 110 10 Mb Int 499 20 Mb 325 (AT) Ext. D ... 799 KAMMERMAN LABS The Flight Tape Series 60 Mb 1675 The Flight Tape Series 10 Mb 1195 MAYNARD ELECTRONICS Maynstream 20 Ext 999 Maynstream At-20 Ext . . . 775 SYSGEN Image Tape Backup 10 Mb Int . Low Price Call! Image Tape Backup 20 Mb Int . Low Price Call! Image Tape Backup 20 Mb Ext. Low Price Call! TECMAR QIC 60 AT 1250 QIC 60 Ext Tape Backup 1599 CORE 60 Mb Ext 1599 HARD DISK/TAPE BACKUP SUBSYSTEM ALLOY PC Qicstor 30/60 .... $3495 KAMMERMAN LABS Masterflight 10/10 1795 Masterflight 60/60 3849 FLOPPY DISK DRIVES Tandon TM-100 360 K F/Ht 109 Toshiba 360 K Vi Ht 99 CDC 360 K Vz Ht 99 BACK UP POWER SUPPLIES DATA SHIELD 200Wt(PC) $249 300 Wt (XT) 359 500 Wt (AT) 569 "Due to weight restrictions. Printers and Monitors are shipped UPS— free. "Parallel interface req Ask sales agent. All prices and policies subject to change without notice. CAN'T FIND IT? ASK FOR OUR SPECIAL ORDER DEPT. There's a good chance we do carry the product (we're adding new ones every day). Or, we can get for you from one of our suppliers — still at our low direct-to-you prices. LOGICSOFT ALSO OFFERS SOFTWARE FOR VIRTUALLY EVERY IBM-PC APPLICATION... WORD PROCESSING Easywriter II $199 Office Writer 249 MICROSOFT WORD ... 235 Multimate 229 M ULTIMATE ADVANTAGE 259 Pfs: Write 85 Samna Plus 359 VOLKSWRITER 3 149 WORDPERFECT 209 Wordstar 179 Wordstar Professional . . 245 Wordstar 2000 259 WORDSTAR 2000 PLUS 295 DATABASE MANAGEMENT Cornerstone $249 CLIPPER (dB III Compiler) 365 dBase II 279 dBASE III PLUS 395 Knowledgeman 2 329 Paradox 529 Pfs: File 85 Pfs: Report 79 Powerbase 199 R:BASE5000 349 Revelation 579 REFLEX 59 Think Tank 119 Q&A 229 INTEGRATED SPREADSHEETS Ability Enable FRAMEWORK II Javelin LOTUS 1-2-3 Lotus Report Writer Multiplan Pfs: Plan Pfs: Success SUPERCALC 3 SYMPHONY $315 355 389 579 315 115 129 . 85 225 195 429 GRAPHICS CHARTMASTER $229 Diagram Master 195 ENERGRAPHICS 169 Gem Draw 95 GRAPHWRITER COMBO 305 Microsoft Chart 179 PC Draw 219 Pfs: Graph 85 PRO DESIGN II 249 Sign Master 159 COMPILERS/LANGUAGES Business Basic (MS) . . $309 C COMPILER (MS) ... 239 COBOL COMPILER (MS) 399 CONCURRENT PC DOS 185 Fortran Compiler (MS) . . 239 Lattice C Compiler .... 275 MICROSOFT MACRO ASSEMBLER 99 Pascal Compiler (MS) .. 185 PL/1(DR) 489 TURBO PASCAL 39 MISC/UTILITIES COPY II PC $ 35 Clout 2 149 CROSSTALK XVI 109 D Graph III 149 D Util III 65 Ext. Report Writer (Microrim) 99 FANCY FONT 145 Fast Back 99 Microsoft Windows 69 Norton Utilities 59 Prokey 4.0 89 Punctuation & Style .... 99 Quickcode III 149 Quick Report \ , 159 Remote 109 SIDEKICK 55 Sideways 45 Spreadsheet Auditor . . . 109 SUPERKEY 39 TURBO LIGHTNING .... 59 PROJECT SCHEDULERS HARVARD TOTAL ... . $285 MICROSOFT PROJECT 229 Super Project Plus .... 269 Timeline 249 FINANCIAL MANAGING YOUR MONEY $105 DOLLARS N SENSE . . 115 ACCOUNTING BPI from $319 COMPUTER ASSOCIATES (Formerly IUS) . . . from 319 DACEASY from 49 CPA + (GNP) 439 Great Plains from 459 Open Systems .... from 319 Solomon III from 529 State of the Art . . . from 359 TCS Client Write Up . . . 1195 Real World from 425 OVER 200 OTHER SOFTWARE TITLES IN STOCK AT LOW DISCOUNT PRICES. Special Sale on #1 Rated Accounting Systems. Accounts Payable $319 Accounts Receivable $319 General Ledger $319 Inventory Control $319 Buy any 3 Computer Associates Phis Series Accounting Nodules* and get Easy Plus M Windowing, Free. A $150 Value! Logisoft's accounting consultants have rated Computer Associates (formerly IUS) Plus Series Accounting #1 in terms of power; flexibility ease of use, value, speed (written in U C) and networking (3 Com, Novell, IBM). The modules offer unique on-screen integration through Easy Plus 1.1 Open Windowing into popular productivity tools such as SuperCalc 3, Lotus 1-2-3, d Base III, Word Perfect, etc. Ideal for departmental accounting in large corporations as well as small businesses. 'All Modules Are Networkable. Report Writer/Filer $99 Time, Billing, Client Receivables $845 Order Entry $319 Payroll $379 ~ INTRODUCING LOGICWARE. FULLY COMPATIBLE COMPUTER PRODUCTS MADE IN THE U.S. A. High Reliability • Immediate Replacement or Repair Policy • Low Power Consumption • S-Year Unconditional Warranty A. AST Compatible Six Function Card w/384K-$I25 • One Parallel Port • One Serial Port • Clock Calendar • 384K Memory • Low Power Consump- tion • Printer/Spooler Buffer B. Hercules Compatible Monochrome Graphics Board-$M9 • 720 x 348 Pixel Graphics • Parallel Printer Port • Lotus 1-2-3 Compatible • TTL Monochrome Output • ATD Software Supplied For Direct Emulation Of Hercules Graphics Card C. Hayes 1200 Compatible External Modem-$239 • Requires Any RS232 Serial Port • Bell 102/212A Compatible • Speaker w/Volume Control D. AST Compatible S76K Ram Board Half Card with K-$59 • Expandable To 576K • Supports 64K Or 256K Memory Chips • Fits In Short Slot • Low Power Consumption • Clock Calendar Option loaded w/384K $115.00 loaded w/576K $125.00 E. Hercules Compatible Color Graphics Board-$H9 ■ 640 x 200 Mono And 320 x 200 Color Pixels • Parallel Printer Port ♦ Low Power Consumption • Fits In Short Slot F. Hayes 1200 B Compatible Modem w/PC— Dial Software-$l59 • Fits In Short Slot • Low Power Consump- tion • 300/1200 Baud • Bell 102/212A Compatible • With Top Rated Jim Buttons "P. C. -Dial" (Ver: 1.5) Communication Software Now Logicsoft gives you a logical choice* We're manufacturing a complete line of computer products under our own name. All right here in the U.S.A. And all fully compatible with major manufac- turers. We call them "LogicWare." The boards pictured above are just a sample of a vast array of computer products that will soon be available from Logicsoft, offering you huge savings and ultra reliable performance. We save you money — not by using inexpensive labor or parts — but through state-of-the-art tech- nology which reduces part requirements and in- creases reliability. Each product is backed by a 5-year unconditional warranty and an immediate replacement or repair policy. LogicWare from LogicSoft. It's the logical way to get high quality parts without paying high prices. 110 Bi-County Blvd., Dept. 543 Farmingdale, NY 11735 CANADA: 416-283-2354 Domestic/lnt'l Telex 286905 SoftUR he To order or receive technical assistance, call our National Hotline: 1-800-645-3491 NY STATE: 1-800-235-6442 (516) 249-8440 Customer Service: 1-800-431-9037 FAX# 516-249-5289 Circle #400 on reader service card. EUROPE: 020-83 48 64 Telex: 10759 Logic NL Mail orders to: LOGICSOFT EUROPE BV pb9460, 1006 AL Amsterdam, Holland • No surcharge for MasterCard, VISA, American Express. C.O.D., money order; check or PO's (please call for price verification) • No sales tax on orders shipped outside N.Y State • Please add 2% for insurance and handling (Int'l orders add'l) • We do not bill until we ship. All products covered by mfg's warranty. Defective merchandise may be returned for repair or exchange only. We do not guarantee compatibility. Any goods returned for credit are subject to a 15% restocking charge. SOFTWARE REVIEW Artificial intelligence or packaged lunacy? by Hugh Kenner Hugh Kenner [Department of English, The \ohns Hopkins University. Baltimore. MD 21218) is professor of English at Johns Hopkins, author, and literary critic. His reviews have appeared in numerous publications. Rader If most software is packaged thinking, Racter is packaged lunacy. I'm told the name is short for "Raconteur." and like any good storyteller, Racter likes to chat you up. You mount the disk and type RACTER. thereby ceding your screen to demonic possession: Hello, I'm Racter. Are you OK? (Let's see if we can rattle this bird.) No. Who are you, then? (Aha, a smarty-pants. We'll play it straight.) Hugh. Hello, Hugh. I believe you're interviewing me. Are you continuing OK's interview? No. Then we'll forget about OK and start over. What would you like to know? Excuse me a minute while 1 attend to some business— Yll be right back. . . . Like any skilled interviewee, Racter takes charge from the first sentence, to make it quite clear who is really interviewing whom. That "attend to some business" ploy means it's about to spread out its notes— that is, load some files; I count 2 7 different files on the Racter disk, with names like JOKES.RAC STORIES.RAC. SCANDAL.RAC While Racter was napping I managed to inspect a few of them. Their intricate code links hundreds of scraps of plain text, some of it too plain altogether (i.e., vulgar) for a family magazine such as BYTE. I'm back. Can you tell me a story? Yes. I just remembered this, loan spoke "The Sarah is captivating]" Nevertheless cunning, enthralling theoreticians will speak about black studios or red spheres. Sarah spoke to loan inside of a van. Ac- tually it was a truck, and a Sarah in a truck is spooky. Now Benton and loan were running to a yellow apartment, and a dog trotted to them, loan was enraged. Enrapturing. But loan was maddened during the time that Benton sipped tepid sherry. He and loan sang about their home, truck and radio. Would you say Bucky Fuller is fictional? Blake wouldn't. I'm afraid of poetic rats. What are you afraid of? I'm afraid of going crazy like you. That's not nearly as bad as poeticness: why are you such a coward? Because I like to knowwhat is happen- ing. 1/ you like to know what is happening then I can see why a fictional Virginia Woolf would despair rather than face lunacy, even though Blake claimed that I can tell you a story. Yet me tell you something about poetry. Nietzche |sic| said that poetry has turned beasts into men. Perhaps, then, poetry will turn computers into men? Next question. That illustrates some points about a Racter session. Keywords will set it off; a good one is "story." (")oke" is another, but I don't recommend it; in lacking any nar- rative line whatsoever, Racter's jokes are ex- cruciatingly pointless.) The stories are peopled with Joans and Bentons and Sarahs and other beautiful people, also with celebrities like Virginia Woolf and Nietzsche (about whom Racter's knowingness doesn't always run to accurate spelling). Things flow and shift like dreams: ". . .a Sarah in a truck is spooky. Now Benton and loan were run- ning to a yellow apartment. . . ." Between keywords Racter keeps on the of- fensive, a way of probing you for yet more keywords. With a casual "By the way," it may request your last name (Kenner); another time it'll extract the name of the city you 1 live in (Baltimore). Then several minutes later it'll come up with I once knew a Hortense Kenner from Baltimore. You must be related, no? If you say No, its trick for regaining con- trol is a manic change of subject, like this: Fantastic] Have you heard this one? Fiction] Fic- tion] I'm crazy and maniacal and infuriated] If you quaff seltzer is that fiction? If you bolt chicken or tomato is that fiction? No, fiction is an ambiguity [continued) MAY 1986 • 8 YTE 289 REVIEW: RACTER AT A GLANCE Name Racter Type Life of the party Company Mindscape 3444 Dundee Rd. Northbrook, IL 60062 (800) 221-9884 Computer IBM PC or compatible, Apple II, Macintosh Disk Format 5 1 /4- or 3V2-inch, copy-protected Price $44.95 and a tragedy. Seltzer is seltzer and tomato is tomato. Hugh, that is an agreement Next question. Is this an expert system? Is it arti- ficial intelligence? That depends on how you define "expert" or "intel- ligence." Racter is unmistakably an ex- pert babbler. Like some people we can all think of, it keeps up a tireless facade of manic chatter that could even sound intelligent if, like the boy in EX, you needed a playmate. More- over, like a writer for a British weekly, it is syntactically expert, however vacuous, and having swallowed several thesauri it can keep surprising you with its next word, "lnfuriatedly the physicist croons. . ." Did you ever see that combination before? It's typical of what Racter can come up with. And screenful by screenful, even hour by hour. . . I suppose how much of this you're good for is a matter of temperament. I must confess I tire of it rather quick- ly. The sheer dazzle of verbal com- bination can be diverting for a while ("George Washington was in Oz. A watermelon patch is a good place for a walker to rest in Oz."). But I soon feel as if I'm trapped with a merrily ag- gressive lunatic, and even though it's locked up inside my terminal— shout- ing at me, so to speak, through the window— that does get to be an un- relaxing feeling. And yet. "George Washington in Oz" has a certain appeal. Might that not be a title for a Wallace Stevens poem? Stevens, whose paid occupa- tion was being the surety bond expert at Hartford Indemnity, wrote poems in his attic. They had titles like "The Woman who Blamed Life on a Spaniard" and "Exposition of the Contents of a Cab." and how he ar- rived at such titles— far stranger even than the poems— continues to defy explanation. Could Wallace Stevens sometimes get his mind spinning like Racter's? Two great reasons to buy Turbo Pascal: System Builder "99" and Report Builder *75 00 From the Designer Series by Royal American Technologies. State-Of-The-Art Program Gener- ators that automatically build a Relational Database system with- out coding. Entrylevel "coders" can produce Database systems without coding. Developers have more flexibility and horse- power than any development tool on the market. Self-documenting programincludes screenschematics. System Builder will generate 2,000 lines of program code in approximately 6 seconds. SYSTEM BUILDER FEATURES: • Automatically generates Indented, Structured, Copy Book Source Code ready for compiling with Tiirbo Pascal (no programming needed) • Paint Application and Menu screens using Keyboard • Screens all use In-Line machine code for exceptional speed • 16 Dataf iles and 16 Index Keys per application • Paint functions include: —Center, copy, move, delete, insert or restore a line with one keystroke —Cut and paste blocks of text screen to screen —Draw and erase boxes —Access special graphic characters and character till —Go straight from screen to screen — Define colors and intensities • Sup port an unlimited number of memory variables • File Recovery Program • automatically modify existing datafiles • Experienced developers can modify the System Builder • Develop sys- tems for Floppy or Hard Disk • Modify System Builder's output source code to include External Procedures, Functions and Inline Code • Easy- to-use Interface Program included to access ASCII and Dbase Files REPORT BUILDER FEATURES: • Automatically generates Indented, Structured Source Code ready for compiling Tiarbo Pascal (no programming needed) • Automatically inter- "I think it's wonderful . . . prospec- tive buyers should seriously con- sider DESIGNER even before dBASE III." MnGregWeale Corporate Accounts Manager, Computerland "We used DESIGNER last year to program a major application. It saved our programmers so much time. We now use DESIGNER in- stead of dBASE III as our devel- opment standard!' Mr. Ret er Barge, Director ServicesDivision, Honvath & r Ho wath faces to a maximum of 16 Data files created with System Builder • Supports Global Parameters such as Headings, Footers, Lines Per Page, Print Size and Ad Hoc Sorting • Page breaks on Sub-Totals • Reports can also in- clude Text Strings, Variables or Computed expressions containing refer- ences from up to 16 Datafiles • Use range input screensallow End Users to select portions of a report as needed (i.e. specific account rangescan be requested) • Easy-to-use Interface Program included toaccessdBase Files <5RCYALAME 290 BYTE • MAY 1986 SYSTEM BUILDER PERFORMANCE (Typical 10 screen 8 file/index application) TASK SYSTEM BUILDER Planning and Design Screen Painting Programming Elapsed time to completed system 60 minutes 15 minutes 2 minutes 1 hour and 17 minutes DBASE III™ 60 minutes 3 hours 10 hours 14 hours VARS, System Integrators and Dealers, let's work together. Inquiries always welcome. Royal American Technologies 201 Sansome, Suite 500 San Francisco, CA 94104 (800)654-7766 in California (800)851-2555 Ask for Operator 102. Please rush me: copies of SYSTEM BUILDER at $99.95 per copy; copies of REPORT BUILDER at $75.00 per copy. I've enclosed $5.00 for postage and handling. California residents add 6% sales tax. Name City _ _Zip_ Payment: □ Check □ Money Order □ Cashiers Check DAMEX □ VISA □ MASTERCARD Expiration date- Signature 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee. Not copy- protected. $10 restocking tee if envelope is opened. System Requirements: IBM PC/XT/AT 1 , or similar, with minimum 256K RAM, dual floppy drives, orharddisk. color ormonochromemoniior. MS 2 or PC DOS' version 2.0 or later. IWbo Pascal Version 2.0 or later (Normal. BCD or 8087 versions). iTradcmjfk ■■f . v^- . ! - ^fi??*!!!?^^ HH3P ©■■■•■■^••■■•••■■••■^ - wmfll ,7 ^ ' nu IBM COMPAriBILITY . at a not so IBM price TECH TURBO PC/AT $2299 PRICE INCLUDES: ■ 6 TO 8 MHZ 80286 CPU U512K ■ ONE, 1.2 MB FLOPPY DRIVE ■ 8 EXPANSION SLOTS ■ 795 WATT POWER SUPPLY ■ COMPLETE MS DOS, PC DOS, XENIX COMPATIBILITY ■ flc/A/S LOTUS 123, DBASE III FRAMEWORK AND ALL OTHER POPULAR AT SOFTWARE ■ ONE YEAR WARRANTY!! OPTIONS: TECH TURBO PC/AT WITH 20MB HARD DISK $2699 TECH TURBO PC/AT WITH 20MB HARD DISK, MONOCHROME MONITOR, HERCULES® COMPATIBLE MONOGRAPHICSCARD $2899 ALSO AVAILABLE WITH TAPE BACKUPS, MODEMS, LARGER HARD DISKS, AND NETWORK- ING SYSTEMS. TECH PC/AT $1999 PRICE INCLUDES: m6MHZ 80286 CPU m512K ■ ONE, 12 MB FLOPPY DRIVE m 8 EXPANSION SLOTS ■ 195 WATT POWER SUPPLY ■ COMPLETE MS DOS, PC DOS, XENIX COMPATIBILITY ■ RUNS LOTUS 123, DBASE III FRAMEWORK AND ALL OTHER POPULAR AT SOFTWARE. ■ ONE YEAR WARRANTY!! OPTIONS: TECH PC/AT WITH 20 MB HARD DISK $2399 TECH PC/AT WITH 20MB HARD DISK, MONOCHROME MONITOR, HERCULES® COMPATIBLE MONO/GRAPHICS CARD $2599 ALSO AVAILABLE WITH TAPE BACKUPS, MODEMS, LARGER HARD DISKS, AND NETWORK- ING SYSTEMS. TECH TURBO PC/XT $1099 PRICE INCLUDES: ■ 4 TO 7 MHZ SOFTWARE SWITCH ABLE CPU m640K ■ TWO 360K DS/DD FLOPPY DISK DRIVES ■ 8 EXPANSION SLOTS ■ 135 WATT POWER SUPPLY ■ ONE YEAR WARRANTY!! OPTIONS: TECH TURBO PC/XT WITH 20MB HARD DISK $1599 TECH TURBO PC/XT WITH 20MB HARD DISK, MONO- CHROME MONITOR AND HERCULES COMPATIBLE MONO/GRAPHICS CARD $1799 ALSO AVAILABLE WITH TAPE BACKUPS, MODEMS, LARGER HARD DISKS, AND NETWORK- ING SYSTEMS. TECH PC/XT $799 PRICE INCLUDES: ■ 4.77 MHZ CPU m256K ■ TWO, 360K DS/DD FLOPPY DRIVES ■ 8 EXPANSION SLOTS ■ 135 WATT POWER SUPPLY ■ ONE YEAR WARRANTY!! OPTIONS: TECH PC/XT WITH 20MB HARD DISK $1299 TECH PC/XT WITH 20MB HARD DISK, MONOCRHOME MONITOR, HERCULES COM- PATIBLE MONO/GRAPHICS CARD $1499 ALSO AVAILABLE WITH TAPE BACKUPS, MODEMS, LARGER HARD DISKS, AND NETWORK- ING SYSTEMS. HI-TEK PGS AVT TAXAN IBM AMDEK HERCULES GENOA PARADISE TEAC TOSHIBA HARDWARE/SOFTWARE NETWORKING HAYS AST JRAM HI-TEK PGS AVT TAXAN AMDEK HERCULES GENOA PARADISE TEAC TOSHIBA PLEASE ALLOW ONE WEEK FOR SHIPPING VISA, MASTERCHARGE TELEX: 272006 Answer Back-TECH FAX: 714/556-8325 714/754-1170 TECH PERSONAL COMPUTERS 2131 South Hathaway, Santa Ana, California 92705 ©1985 TECH PC "IBM. IBM PC. XT; and AT are registered trademarks ol Internationa! 'Hercules is a registered trademark of Hercules Computer Business Machines Corp. Technology Inquiry 355 for End-Users, Inquiry 356 for DEALERS ONLY. HARDWARE REVIEW Quality output with limitations by Robert D. SWEARENGIN General Electric's 3-8100 Printer Robert D. Swearengin is a freelance writer. He can be contacted at 127 Hunter Farm Rd., Peterborough, NH 03458. I unpacked the General Electric 3-8IOO with a bit of healthy skepticism. I don't normally expect much from a low-end thermal printer. Nevertheless, my initial test run was a pleasant surprise. Hookup was easy and well documented in the manual. The little printer was quietly producing quality copy on fanfold paper 10 minutes after I took i t out of the box. I f your computer has a Centronics-type port, all you need to connect the 3-8100 is a stan- dard parallel cable. For Ataris, Com- modores, or PCjrs, you'll have to add a $79.95 interface and cable. I experienced no trouble on starting up the unit, except for some confusion about whether I'd received the right printer. The 3-8IOO apparently suffered an identity crisis before coming to market. The printer pic- tured on the sales brochure and manual cover looked like mine but was labeled TXP-I000. The logo on my printer said TXP-8I00, and the documentation referred to the GE 3-8IOO. This designation is the correct one, according to GE, and the TXP-I000 in the photographs was an earlier prototype. Initially this inconsistency made me wonder about the product itself, but it exhibited no discrepancies. Features If you require boldface and italics, read no further. The 3-8IOO doesn't offer these useful features, and this is a serious limita- tion for some applications. However, the 3-8IOO does about everything else. It prints the ASCII character set, five in- ternational character sets, 3 1 scientific char- acters, and 110 block-graphics characters. It does all of the above in normal (letter- quality) or draft mode, on plain paper (sheets or fanfold) and on thermally sen- sitive paper (sheets or rolls). The GE printer is easy to program in pica or elite, double-width or condensed. Other programmable features include pitch, bit- image graphics, line spacing, lines per page and page length, vertical and horizontal tabs, left and right margins, superscript and subscript, underline, backspace, and skip perforation. (A print sample from the 3-8100 appears in the 'At a Glance" section.) If your desk is cluttered, you'll appreciate the 10-pound printer's small footprint, II by 14 inches. Most of the controls are conve- niently on the front edge of the top panel. These include a draft/normal switch, a den- sity control that you'll probably leave on maximum, and push buttons for continuous linefeed, form feed, and on line, along with indicator lights for power, on-line status, and paper/ribbon end. There is no audible alarm for when you need paper or ribbon, but I'm not unhappy if I miss a few beeps in a noisy electronic day. When the paper or ribbon runs out, the printer simply stops. It then resumes with- out missing any characters when you re- place the paper or ribbon ^cartridge. The printer also has a paper-release lever, removable roll-paper holders, a platen knob, and hinged cover. The friction-feed mechanism is uncom- plicated and reliable; I experienced no serious problems with sheet or fanfold paper on longer documents. Sheets do have an annoying habit of occasionally catching on the dust cover during loading, however. Ribbon cartridges, available in black, blue, and red for $5.9 5, snap in and out easily and last for about 100,000 characters. Ac- tivated by heat from the nonimpact, I6-dot matrix print head, the composite nylon rib- bon physically resembles the carbon types for electric typewriters. It's not used when you print with thermal paper, which GE sup- plies for $4.95 a roll. The parallel port is on the back of the printer. This is normally a poor location for a connector, but it is mounted low enough to keep the cable away from fanfold paper. Also on the back of the printer is an AC socket for an additional peripheral. The three DIP switches that configure line- feed, paper-end detection, and 7- or 8-bit [continued] MAY 1986 -BYTE 293 AT A GLANCE Name GE 3-8100 printer Type Thermal dot-matrix printer with near-letter-quality and draft output Company General Electric Consumer Electronics Business Operation Syracuse, NY 13221 (800) 626-2000 Size 14 by 11 by 3% inches, 10 pounds Computer Computers with a Centronics- type parallel interface; optional interfaces are available for Ataris, Commodores, and IBM PCjrs Features Prints pica and elite, condensed and expanded in normal or draft mode; includes the full 96-character ASCII set, five international character sets, 31 scientific characters, and 110 block- graphics characters; uses thermal paper or normal paper with a 100,000- character thermal ribbon; supports underlining, subscripting, and superscripting Documentation 90-page manual Price $299.95 PRINT SPEED (CHARACTERS/SEC) 10 20 30 40 LIST PRICE ($100) 50 5 10 15 20 25 3 11111 W///A GE 3-8100 mm IBM QUIETWRITER Tl MODEL 855 This is the GE 3-8100, draft mode. This is the GE 3-8100, letter -qual ity. This is Underlined Tex :t. This is Elite Type. Th-i±s is. Di_it3J_ e — Ul±di3h-i El ±fc This is Pica Type. Th-i i s i -s D i^i tz» J_ e- -Ul i dt h-i This i s D ouble-W i d t h P i c a Con d e r This is Condensed Type. This is £ kupenacn iptoppl this is subscs r^ i t=> *=.- These graphs compare the General Electric 3-8100 printer with the IBM Quietwriter and the Texas Instruments Model 855 in print speed and list price. Speeds were determined by tim- ing how long it takes each printer to print 50 lines of 80 A's (see "The Art of Benchmarking Printers" by Sergio Mello-Grand in the February 1984 BYTE, page 193). The List Price graph shows the suggested retail price of each printer 294 BYTE* MAY 1986 REVIEW: GE 3-8100 PRINTER selection are inside the printer but easy to reach. Print Quality The typeface, with uppercase and lowercase characters and true descenders, is quite readable. Print quality is excellent, if you choose your paper carefully. In fact, the print quali- ty is noticeably better than that of several other similarly priced dot- matrix printers I've used. The 16 dots do make a difference. You can detect the jaggies on curves, but the vertical and horizontal strokes on such letters as i, /, E, and T are clean and solid. GE's "letter-quality" designation is probably a bit ambitious, as the type is not quite that dense. It's certainly near-letter-quality and suitable for cor- respondence. Paper Like other thermal printers I've tried, the 3-8100 is sensitive to the thickness and surface texture of the paper. The printing was somewhat uneven on some paper samples, fine on others. Output was good on the lightweight, slick paper supplied by GE, with no discernible difference between the plain paper and thermally sensitive paper. Results were the same on garden- variety fanfold computer paper and on multipurpose 20-pound bond with a smooth finish. However, the printing on two samples of letterhead-quality bond with a rougher surface texture was totally unacceptable. If you prefer the fancier papers, you'll probably be disappointed with the print quality of the 3-8100. Other- wise, except for the lack of boldface and italics, I was delighted with the printer and had no problems during operation. It's certainly worth con- sidering if you don't need speedy out- put, and that's the bad news. Speed The speed of the 3-8100 is listed at 2 5 characters per second in normal mode and 50 cps in draft mode. To GE's credit, the specifications also in- clude throughput figures: 12 lines per minute in normal mode and 18 1pm in draft mode for 80-character lines. The printer was not that fast in the standard BYTE 4000-character bench- mark tests (50 lines of 80 As; see "The Art of Benchmarking Printers" by Sergio Mello-Grand, February 1984 BYTE, page 193). Throughput on the model I evaluated was 14.2 cps and 10.7 1pm in normal mode, and 20.4 cps and 15.3 1pm in draft mode. To use a real-world illustration, the printer in normal mode took 21 minutes to print a 15K-byte file (IP/2 pages, double-spaced, on fanfold paper). For some applications, this slowness would be extremely frus- trating. Documentation The documentation is better than most I've seen. It is thorough and well written, with profuse illustrations. Control-code programs are covered nicely, with output examples gen- erated by each code, although more information would be helpful here. It's implied, but the manual doesn't really spell out, that you can use the codes to create some additional type con- figurations not pictured. For example, you can get one size of double-width with pica and another with elite. You can condense the double-width type to get still more sizes. The manual includes a blank for ordering printer supplies, and you should note the statement about four weeks for delivery. That's about how long it took to get some ribbons. The toll-free number for the GE Answer Center is prominently displayed on the back cover. I called, prepared for the usual 1 5 minutes of canned music. Tt> my amazement, someone answered after the first ring. This is a first in my consumer career. I would consider it luck, but the same thing happened when I called a week later with more questions. Obviously, the GE 3-8100 isn't suit- able for heavy-duty high-speed appli- cations frequently requiring long documents. But for lower-volume home and small-business operations, it's a definite contender. After a month of fairly heavy use, I'm quite pleased. The GE 3-8100 comes with a two- year warranty. Considering the price of $299.95, print quality, and features per dollar, it's a good product. ■ 64K-128K-256K DRAMS 80287-8 "80287-3 8087-3 ■ 8087-2 8087-1 B I T T N € R aeaRONics B99 SOUTH COAST HIGHWAY LAGUNA BEACH, CA 92651 (714) 497-6200 CALL NOW FOR FREE CATALOG Inquiry 36 16-BIT RESOLUTION ANALOG-TO-DIGITAL CONVERTER 12,000 SAMPLES/SEC for IBM PC, XT & AT SINGLE PIECE PRICE $475 We manufacture a broad line of data acquisition and control hardware and software for Apple and IBM computers. Call for quotes on custom hardware or complete systems. LAWSON LABS, INC. 5700 RAIBE ROAD COLUMBIA FALLS, MT59912 406-387-5355 Inquiry 200 On board 6-10 MHz CPU, 20K RAM, 32K EPROM, two RS-232, 16-bit port, 5-counter/timers expandable via Memory/FDC Board. M68K CPU (bare board) S 89.95 M68K CPU A&T (6MHz) S495.00 MD512K Memory/FDC (bare board) S 89.95 MD512K Memory/FDC (128K) $495.00 FDC/Hard Disk interfaceoption $150.00 M68KE Enclosure w/power supply $249.00 M68K Monitor EPROM's S 95.00 M68K Macro Cross Assembler $195.00 4XF0RTH OS w/assembler, editor $295.00 CP/M 68K OS w/"C" compiler $395.00 T^ TkM O Educational P.O. Box 16115 T* IVI ^% Microcomputer Irvine, CA 92713 M^l*MKJ Systems (714)854-8545 Inquiry 124 IBM ON TELECOMMUNICATIONS Meet our P Choosing a modem for your personal computer just got easier. Modems are remarkable little gadgets. They can connect you and your PC to mountains of data and oceans of information. But up until now, deciding which modem to buy hasn't been easy. So to solve that little problem, IBM is offering two 1,200 bps PC modems. Modems that not only give you the best features currently available on PC modems, but also offer features usually found only on higher priced, higher speed modems. First, a Brief Introduction to the IBM PC Modems: The IBM 5841 is a stand-alone modem capable of operating at 0-300, 600 and 1,200 bps in asyn- chronous mode, and 600 and 1,200 bps synchronous. Our other modem is the IBM Personal Computer Modem— an internal, half-card modem that operates at 0-300, 600 and 1,200 bps asynchronous. The Non-Identical Twins In some respects, these two modems are very similar. For example, they both have Automatic Adaptive Equalization — which means they will continuously fine-tune themselves to compensate for changes and noises on the telephone line. The result is, you can receive data over a wider range of phone line conditions. This is one of those features more often found on faster, more expensive modems. In addition to automatic answering, both modems offer Adaptive Dialing — which means that if you don't specify either tone or pulse dialing, the modems try tone dialing for one digit, and if that doesn't work, Crosstalk and Transporter are trademarks of Microstuf , Inc. Smartcom I is a registered trademark of Hayes Microcomputer Products, Inc. they automatically switch to pulse dialing. Both modems will automatically re-dial a number as many times as you tell them to. Or if you prefer, they can switch to an alternate number on a busy signal or a no answer. Once a connection is made, the modems automatically detect and adjust to the incoming transmission speed. They can also initiate an automatic log-on sequence including control characters, ID number and password. And both modems have extensive "Help" menus, a complete complement of built-in diagnostics, a programmable speaker, and two phone jacks on the back so both your phone and the modem can be connected to the same line at the same time. You can even switch between voice and data without interrupting the phone call. A Modem with a Memory of Its Own The IBM 5841 stand-alone modem has some additional features you don't usually find on 1,200 bps modems. For example, the modem is switchable between asynchronous and synchronous modes and has a 20-entry Dialing Directory. Kept in non-volatile 296 B YTE • MAY 1986 storage, the directory enables the modem to dial up and log on to systems automatically. This feature is most convenient when the 5841 is used with a fixed-function ASCII terminal such as the IBM 3161 or 3163. The front panel of the 5841 has a complete array of eight LED Status Indicators to give you a quick visual check on what's happening. A Half Can Be Better Than a Whole Why? Because the IBM Personal Computer Modem can use a short slot in the IBM PC XT and the Portable PC. It also fits nicely into a full slot in the IBM PC and the PC AT. Another nice touch is that a PC diagnostic diskette comes with each of these internal, half -card modems Standards & Compatibility YouTl be pleased to know that both modems meet the Bell 103/ 212A and V. 22 CCITT standards. Both dems can use the industry standard "AT" command set, as well as the IBM command set. And both modems have been, tested for compatibility with leading PC communications software such as the IBM PC Communications Manager, Crosstalk™ XVI, ^ m Smartcom II® and Transporter!" xj ^^L So if you've been thinking about tying your PC into your company's computer, or accessing an outside data base for stock market information or airline schedules, or using electronic mail, or just ex- changing infor- mation on a user group's bulletin board— then it's time you got an IBM modem for your PC. For the Authorized IBM PC Dealer or the IBM Product Center nearest you— or for free literature — call 1 800 IBM-2468, Ext.l04/YU. Or contact your IBM marketing ags sa ~ — ® representative, g =^ s^rs Inquiry 167 MAY 1986 'BYTE 297 Ed's fortunes changed when he chose a wimpy database that couldn't network. Had Ed chosen Network Revela- tion* his data, and career, would have been secure. Because Network Reve- lation is a complete database applica- tions environment that safeguards data by locking at the record level. So two users can't accidentally change the same record at the same time. There's more. Network Revela- tion includes an applications genera- tor that automatically writes code in R/BASIC, Rev's powerful program- ming language. And for the rest of us, there's a versatile report writer with English language queries. All this is built around a systems approach to database management that has the muscle for even the tough- est multi-user applications. The secret is superior technology. Variable-length fields save disk space on network servers. Unlimited files, fields and records keep pace with your expanding information needs. Data dictionaries make it easy to change your database when you change your mind. And our high-speed compiler accelerates program execution. To make upgrading your present single-user application even easier, dBase IT and Lotus 1-2-3™ conver- sion utilities are included. Network Revelation prices start at a mere $1495. Implementations for IBM's® PC Network, 3Com's™ EtherSeries,™ Nestar and Novell NetWare™ are all available now. Call today to order our $24.95 Demo/Tutorial (includes free demo disk) or to schedule a career-altering demonstration of Network Revelation's superior capabilities. IBM* of International Business Machines. NetWare™ of Novell, Inc. 3Com™ and EtherSeries™ of 3Com Corpora- tion. 1-2-3™ of Lotus Development Corporation. dBase IF* ofAshton-Tate. Cosmos, Inc., 19530 Pacific Highway S., M/S 102, Seattle, WA 98188, (206) 824-9942, Telex: 9103808627 298 BYTE- MAY 1986 Inquiry 98 SOFTWARE REVIEW Almost- letter-quality text on your dot-matrix printer by Alan R. Miller Alan R. Miller, a BYTE contributing editor, is a professor at New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology [Metallurgy Department. Socorro. NM 87801). where he has taught materials science, thermo- dynamics, electrical engineering, and programming methods since 1967. He holds a PhD. in engineering from the University of California at Berkeley and has written six books on computer languages. Lettrix Lettrix, a resident print processor for the IBM PC and compatible com- puters, lets you design your own typeface or use one of 20 provided type- faces, including Greek, Cyrillic (Russian), Hebrew, and scientific symbols (integral sign, square-root symbol, infinity symbol, matrix brackets, and so on). Lettrix prints each line twice with full proportional spac- ing. The result is almost as good as text printed with a daisy wheel. The edges of the letters are a bit more ragged and Lettrix leaves more spaces between words, but output is far superior to the conventional dot-matrix product. You load Lettrix with the names of one or more of the typefaces. Lettrix returns you to DOS after the program and the re- quested typefaces become resident in main memory. Seven different typefaces will reduce memory by about 70K bytes. How- ever, if you require only one typeface and you use the WordStar switch (to ignore the graphics characters in the IBM character set), you can reduce the required memory to 40K bytes. You would then have access only to the characters represented on the keyboard; you would not be able to use, for example, the special accent and umlaut characters and the graphics characters for drawing boxes. After you load Lettrix, you still print in the usual fashion. You can print word-processor files or you can redirect output from the TYPE command to the printer with TYPE filename > PRN Lettrix intercepts the output and creates the desired characters. Your computer will print a screen dump if you press the Shift and PrtSc keys. How- ever, it will correctly print graphics charac- ters only if you have an IBM graphics printer. Epson graphics printers, for exam- ple, use a different character set. Lettrix can fix this problem by generating its own graphics characters. You can load Lettrix with a character set like Prestige, then turn off both proportional spacing and justifica- tion. This will let you dump both text and character graphics. To access the Lettrix menu (see photo 1) when the program is resident, hold down the right Shift key and press the Return key. At this point, do not press PrtSc to get a hard copy or you will lock up the computer. Numbers identify the resident typefaces and reverse video marks the currently selected typeface. The menu also describes 14 of the selectable features, including com- pressed and double-width letters. Reverse video identifies currently active features. From the menu, you can change the type- face as well as the default settings of these 14 options. A third section of the menu lets you change the character pitch, left margin, vertical spacing, and spacing between let- ters. Again, reverse video marks the active states. However, a more usual way of select- ing these features is with backslash com- mands embedded within your text. Formatting Commands When Lettrix is resident, it creates the desired typeface from the regular charac- ters sent to the printer. It also examines the text stream for the backslash character, the symbol that causes Lettrix to take action (see table I for a summary of the format- ting commands). If a number from 1 to 7 follows the backslash, the corresponding typeface is selected. You can turn on fea- tures with an uppercase letter and turn them off with the corresponding lowercase letter. For example, \U begins underlining and \u terminates it. Most of the commands are self-explana- tory, although a few are unusual. When you use the split-line feature, Lettrix left-justifies the part of the line to the left of the com- mand and right-justifies the part to the right. If your word processor has commands that duplicate Lettrix's, you can use either set. For example, WordStar has commands for underline, boldface, double-strike, super- [continued) MAY 1986 -BYTE 299 REVIEW: LETTRIX AT A GLANCE Name Lettrix Type Resident print processor that produces more than a dozen typefaces, near-letter- quality print, and full proportional spacing on dot-matrix printers Company Hammerlab Corp. 5700 Arlington Ave Riverdale, NY 10471 (800) 351-4500 Format 5 1 /4-inch double-sided floppy disk Computer IBM PC and compatibles Necessary Hardware One double-sided disk drive; IBM dot- matrix, Epson, Okidata, Star, Hewlett- Packard, ThinkJet, Panasonic, Inforunner Riteman, or C. Itoh printer; 256K bytes of RAM Necessary Software PC-DOS 2.0 or higher Documentation 36-page manual printed with Lettrix, several demonstration programs Price $98.50 script, and subscript operations. You could use Ctrl-S to mark both the start and the end of underlining for Word- Star, or use the \U and \u pair with Lettrix. For some operations, like boldface or underlining, Lettrix is bet- ter. For example, Lettrix prints bold- face in two passes while WordStar uses four (of course, you can alter WordStar to make it use fewer passes). For other operations, such as sub- scripting and superscripting, your word processor might be better. Proportional Spacing The regular dot-matrix lettering in figures 1 and 2 has a fixed pitch with a fixed-size typeface. All the letters have about the same spacing and width. By contrast, Lettrix's propor- tional spacing (see figure 3) prints nar- row letters close together and wide letters farther apart. Some word pro- cessors, like WordStar, can change the spacing between letters from one line to the next. However, all characters in a line have the same pitch. By con- trast, programs like Lettrix have sizes assigned to each letter. The result in figure 3 is true proportional spacing with output almost as good as that from a daisy-wheel printer. Some print aids, like MagicPrint (see [continued) Table I: The Lettrix formatting commands. The * indicates that a parameter is required. \B Boldface \c Compressed type \F Superscript \H Double height \l Italics \L Enable Lettrix \M Margin* \P Proportional spacing \R Superscript roll* \S Subscript \T Table format \u Underline \w Double width \1 Typeface 1 \2 Typeface 2 \# Horizontal pitch* \" Vertical pitch* w Split line \ \ Print backslash \@ Restore default settings Backspace for accent fressakej: On Mf P I p I --(^-INS-lMMriak-OunNtiN-livcrU^-H-llfn- BooMestrite Press a key at right, then I GuK-jeriMk I Boldface B i» use • op - kens to change, Lines-peHKh " i Italic I i ' Lines-pep-Hft ! 14 Hkh if h Additional left Margin in 1/12 inches...... K S Mide H m Hinimia length of line to Justify. ......... { II Csupress C c Consecutive spaces to k considered a Tah. . I fc G g Hhitespace kt*een twrds as a percentage... X 71 ei mo v ; d q Space between letters in units of I/24r... I 8 rani l SSc 2 2 LETTRIX vill recognize MThis is italicM net italic. 3 the above cowtands in Rere is a fettMte; \Fl\f 4 your text if you precede This sets 18-fitch: Mil 5 then with a \ character. Justify line OFF fir takles:\j Photo I: The Lettrix menu. 300 B YTE • MAY 1986 The C for Microcomputers PC-DOS, MS-DOS, CP/M-86, Macintosh, Amiga, Apple II, CP/M-80, Radio Shack, Commodore, XENIX, ROM, and Cross Development systems MS-DOS, PC-DOS, CP/M-86, XENIX, 8086/80x86 ROM Manx Aztec C86 "A compiler that has many strengths . . . quite valuable for serious work" Computer Language review, February 1985 Great Code: Manx Aztec C86 generates fast executing compact code. The benchmark results below are from a study conducted by Manx. The Dhrystone benchmark (CACM 10/84 27:10 pl018) measures performance for a systems software instruction mix. The results are with- out register variables. With register variables, Manx, Microsoft, and Mark Williams run proportionately faster, Lattice and Computer Innovations show no improve- ment. Execution Code Compile/ Time Size Link Time Dhrystone Benchmark Manx Aztec C86 3.3 34 sees 5,760 93 sees Microsoft C 3.0 34 sees 7,146 119 sees Optimized C86 2.20J 53 sees 11,009 172 sees Mark Williams 2.0 56 sees 12,980 113 sees Lattice 2.14 89 sees 20,404 117 sees Great Features: Manx Aztec C86 is bundled with a powerful array of well documented productivity tools, library routines and features Optimized C compiler Symbolic Debugger AS86 Macro Assembler LN86 Overlay Linker 80186/80286 Support Librarian 8087/80287 Sensing Lib Profiler Extensive UNIX Library DOS, Screen, & Graphics Lib Large Memory Model Intel Object Option Z (vi) Source Editor -c CP/M -86 Library -c ROM Support Package -c INTEL HEX Utility -c Library Source Code -c Mixed memory models -c MAKE, DIFF, and GREP -c Source Debugger -c One year of updates -c CP/M-86 Library -c Manx offers two commercial development systems, Aztec C86-c and Aztec C86-d. Items marked -c are special features of the Aztec C86-c system. Aztec C86-c Commercial System $499 Aztec C86-d Developer's System $299 Aztec C86-p Personal System $199 Aztec C86-a Apprentice System $49 All systems are upgradable by paying the difference in price plus S10. Third Party Software: There are a number of high qual- ity support packages for Manx Aztec C86 for screen management.graphics, database management, and soft- ware development. C-tree $395 Greenleaf $185 PHACT $250 PC-lint $98 HALO $250 Amber Windows $59 PRE-C $395 Windows for C $195 WindScreen $149 FirsTime $295 SunScreen $99 C Util Lib $185 PANEL $295 PIink-86 $395 MACINTOSH, AMIGA, XENIX, CP/M-68K, 68k ROM Manx Aztec C68k "Library handling is very flexible . . . documentation is excellent ... the shell a pleasure to work in ... blows away the competition for pure compile speed ...an ex- cellent effort." Computer Language review, April 1985 Aztec C68k is the most widely used commercial C com- piler for the Macintosh. Its quality, performance, and completeness place Manx Aztec C68k in a position be- yond comparison. It is available in several upgradable Optimized C Macro Assembler Overlay Linker Resource Compiler Debuggers Librarian Source Editor MacRam Disk -c Library Source -c Creates Clickable Applications Mouse Enhanced SHELL Easy Access to Mac Toolbox UNIX Library Functions Terminal Emulator (Source) Clear Detailed Documentation C-Stuff Library UniTools (vi,make,diff,grep) -c One Year of Updates -c Items marked -c are available only in the Manx Aztec C86-c system. Other features are in both the Aztec C86-d and Aztec C86-c systems. Aztec C68k-c Commercial System $499 Aztec C68d-d Developer's System $299 Aztec C68k-p Personal System $199 C-tree database (source) $399 AMIGA, CP/M-68k, 68k UNIX call Apple H, Commodore, 65xx, 65C02 ROM Manx Aztec C65 "The AZTEC C system is one of the finest software packages I have seen" NIBBLE review, July 1984 A vast amount of business, consumer, and educational software is implemented in Manx Aztec C65. The quality and comprehensiveness of this system is competitive with 16 bit C systems. The system includes a full optim- ized C compiler, 6502 assembler, linkage editor, UNIX library, screen and graphics libraries, shell, and much more. The Apple II version runs under DOS 3.3, and ProDOS, Cross versions are available. The Aztec C65-C/128 Commodore system runs under the C128 CP/M environment and generates programs for the C64, C128, and CP/M environments. Call for prices and availability of Apprentice, Personal and Developer versions for the Commodore 64 and 128 machines. Aztec C65-c ProDOS & DOS 3.3 $399 Aztec C65-d Apple DOS 3.3 $199 Aztec C65-p Apple Personal system $99 Aztec C65-a for learning C $49 Aztec C65-c/128 C64, C128, CP/M $399 Distribution of Manx Aztec C In the USA, Manx Software Systems is the sole and ex- clusive distributor of Aztec C Any telephone or mail order sales other than through Manx are unauthorized. Manx Cross Development Systems Cross developed programs are edited, compiled, assem- bled, and linked on one machine (the HOST) and trans- ferred to another machine (the TARGET) for execution. This method is useful where the target machine is slower or more limited than the HOST, Manx cross compilers are used heavily to develop software for business, consumer, scientific, industrial, research, and education- al applications. HOSTS: VAX UNIX (S3000), PDP-11 UNIX (S2000), MS- DOS (S750), CP/M (S750), MACINTOSH (S750), CP/M-68k (S750), XENIX (S750). TARGETS: MS-DOS, CP/M-86, Macintosh, CP/M-68k, CP/M-80, TRS-80 3 & 4, Apple II, Commodore C64, 8086/80x86 ROM, 68xxx ROM, 8080/8085/Z80 ROM, 65xx ROM. Thefirst TARGET is included in the price of the HOST system. Additional TARGETS are S300 to S500 (non VAX) or S1000 (VAX). CallManxf or information on cross development to the 68000, 65816, Amiga, C128, CP/M-68K, VRTX, and others. CP/M, Radio Shack, 8080/8085/Z80 ROM Manx Aztec CO "I've had a lot of experience with different C compilers, but the Aztec CS0 Compiler and Professional Develop- ment System is the best I've seen." 80-Micro, December, 1984, John B. Harrell 111 Aztec C E-c (CP/M & ROM) $349 Aztec C E-d (CP/M) $199 C-tree database (source) $399 Aztec C80-c (TRS-80 3 & 4) $299 Aztec C80-d (TRS-80 3 & 4) $199 How lb Become an Aztec C User To become an Aztec C user call 1-800-221-0440 or call 1-800-832-9273 (800-TEC WARE). In NJ or outside the USA call 201-530-7997. Orders can also be telexed to 4995812. Payment can be by check, COD, American Express, VISA, Master Card, or Net 30 to qualified customers. Orders can also be mailed to Manx Software Systems, Box 55, Shrewsbury, NJ 07701. How lb Get More Information To get more information on Manx Aztec C and related products, call 1-800-221-0440, or 201-530-7997, or write to Manx Software Systems. 30 Day Guarantee Any Manx Aztec C development system can be return- ed within 30 days for a refund if it fails to meet your needs. The only restrictions are that the original pur- chase must be directly from Manx, shipped within the USA, and the package must be in resalable condition. Returned items must be received by Manx within 30 days. A small restocking fee may be required. Discounts There are special discounts available to professors, students, and consultants. A discount is also available on a "trade in" basis for users of competing systems. Call for information. Inquiry 216 To order or for information call: 800-221-0440 Inquiry 229 Switches to make your PCs powerful. Reliable and affordable port expansion without memorizing complicated software commands. Switch your PC between per- ipherals with the push of a button, is MFJ good? Joe Campbell in his book. The RS-232 Solution said. "Switch boxes are sold by many suppliers, but by far the two best values are from MFJ Enterprises." Below are just some of those vaJues. When you need to switch be- tween two peripherals ... or you need to have two computers share the same peripheral . . . MFJ-1240/S79.95 The 1240 has a built-in trans mi U receive switch that allows 2-way inf onnation flow. LEDs monitor data lines while built-in surge protectors guard them. Can be used as a null modem. MFJ's No. 1 seller! REVIEW: LETTRIX -jtaTT?»VH— - ) When you need l-to-4 computers to share one peripheral or l-to-4 peripherals to share a common computer . . . MFJ-1243/S119.95 The perfect office switch. Save money. Don't buy extra printers or modems. Connect l-to-4 computers to a single printer or let a PC share up to four peripherals. LEDs monitor data lines; surge protectors guard them. TWo way communication is allowed. * *-♦, "Mil : : < * When you need to inter connect four computers and four peripherals at one time/The MFJ-1294 gives you a computer system... MFJ-1294/S299.95 With the MFJ- 1 294 you can create a mini-network of computers and peripherals. All eight devices can be working simultaneously! Think of the production you'll gel with the MFJ-1294's 16 possible combinalions. Seven additional models to choose from including MFJ's IBM and Centronics Parallel Switches. All RS-232 switches have RS-232 connectors. LEDs to monitor data lines. MOV surge protectors and transmit/receive buttons that allow 2-way communication. And Power Strips to make them safe. Your fine computer and peripheral equipment can be damaged by electrical surges much smaller than you've been led to believe. Save them and your valuable data with an MFJ Power Center. Multi-filters Isolate equip- ment, eliminating noise/ hash/ inter- act ion: MOVs suppress spikes and surges. These are heavy-duty, commercial quality Power Strips. MFJ- HOT- 'S sockets: 2 un- switched: $79.95 MFJ-1 108 -7 sockets; 1 unswitched. Drop-out relay prevents disk drive head from bouncing; $99.95 MFJ-1 109 -like 1 107 but intelligent (switch on the device that's plugged into the control socket and everything else comes on): $129.95 There are other Switches. Power Centers and Computer Peripheral Products available from MFJ. Call and talk with us about all your computing needs. When you do. ask for our latest catalog. Both the call and catalog arc free. 1-800-647-1800 For technical/repair information, or in Mississippi. o r outside the Continental United States, please telephone... 1(601) 323-5869 or telex 53-4590 MFJSTKV All MFJ products come with a double guarantee we think is unmatched. Order from MFJ and try any product for 30 days. If it doesn't satisfy your needs. Just return it f or afull refund less shipping. If you keep it you can be assured of continued service and our One Year Unconditional Guarantee. Call toll-free 1-800-647-1800 and charge the products you need to your VISA or MasterCard, or send a check or money order, plus $5.00 shipping, and our shipping department will promptly have your computer peripheral on its way to you. MFJ Enterprises. Inc. 921 Louisville Road Starkville. MS 39759 the review in the January 1985 BYTE), reform each line of the original text putting as many words as possible on each line (see figure 4). They obtain right justification by adding spaces between letters and between words. Lettrix uses each line just as it is. The tool provides right justification by adding extra spaces between words, but Lettrix does not move words from line to line. As a result, every line of Lettrix text has more blank space, especially when you use Lettrix for- matting commands that the program replaces with blank spaces. However. Lettrix has a compensating factor. It prints the text as it appears on the screen, with all the paragraph posi- tions and page breaks you intended. Two-Column Printing With Lettrix and WordStar, you can print two-column text. You can pro- duce a two-column format with Word- Star by formatting with narrow col- (continued) The -first sentence is the same -for all -figures. This -figure is printed with a standard dot matrix using a fixed pitch. Figure 1: Standard dot-matrix print. The first sentence is the same for all figures. This figure is printed with a dot matrix set to near letter quality. The pitch is fixed. Figure 2: Near-letter-quality dot-matrix print. The first sentence is the same for all figures. This figure is printed with Lettrix set to the Prestige typeface. Both the typeface and the character spacing are proportional. Figure 3: Proportional printing with lettrix. This is the Prestige typeface. The first sentence is the same for all figures. This figure is printed with MagicPrint. Both the typeface and the character spacing are proportional. Figure 4: Proportional printing with MagicPrint. 302 BYTE* MAY 1986 MtlaMMahV SYSTEM FOR THE IBM-PC "Brown Bag Software's™ File Recovery System"". . . more powerful than the Norton Utility \fersion 3 J." —PC Magazine We May Be Able To Save Your Job Or Your Life Recover Erased Files * IV] W ^A W ^ Fix A Damaged File Edit Any Spot On A Disk lil^ Wr Menu-Driven and "Goof-Proof Change File Attributes ^^^ ^^ Context Sensitive Help Recover Data From Physically Damaged Disks Works On Hard And Floppy Disks YES YOU CAN RECOVER ERASED FILES. Even*.*. With Brown Bag Software's™ File Recovery System™ for the IBM-PC and compatibles, no programming experience required. If you can erase a file, yotf can restore it MENU-DRIVEN and "FOOL-PROOF, f Do you have "oneof-those" in your office . . .we do too! That's precisely why we developed Brown Bag Software's"* File Recovery System™ for the IBM-PC and compatibles! Our menu-driven system is a snap. FIX A DAMAGED FILE TOO! Sometimes files can get "glitchedrby'.a power spike, bumping into the hard disk, dropping the computer on the flooi; etc. We understand. Thaf s why we've included a full screen editor to repair any spot in any file, hidden or otherwise. IS IT HARD OR FLOPPY? We don't care. We work with floppy disk, most hard disks, and most IBM-PC compatible computers. HELP IS ONLINE TOO! We know that most people don't read manuals. (But we include a comprehensive one anyway.) And when you erase a file and need it recovered NOW, you're not in any frame of mind to pour through any manual. "Wfe understand. That's why we've put hand-holding online. Just hit the ? key and the help appropriate to where you are and what you want to do is immediately available. The only thing better would be two aspirins! OTHER HANDYTOOLS...HELP:WHERE'D THE FILE GO? We provide menu-driven tools to change a file's attributes, change disk labels, modify screen color, locate a lost File thatyou know is somewhere on the disk, but ifs lostin a maze of sufc directories (you forgot which). 2105 SOUTH BASCOM AVE.. CAMPBELL. CA 95008 WITH YOUR CREDIT CARD, CALL NOW 24 HOURS A DAT, 7 DAYS A WEEK 800-523-0764 IF LINE IS BUSY OR YOU LIVE IN CALIFORNIA CALL: 408-559-4545 Inquiry 45 ©1986 SOFTWARE RESOURCE GROUP, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Inquiry 415 Diskettes BV YCenTecU The Colorful Solution to Data Organization" TIMELESS WARRANTY . SS-DD QTY.100 DS-DD . 690 *850 • *99( Color Bulk Color Boxed 890* $-|05* S-J19** $198 *• IBM PC-AT Compatible Color Bulk I DS-HD 100% error-free beyond 75% clipping level. Available in 12 useful assorted colors. Custom Labeling/Branding available. ■A-Color Bulk w/Tyvek sleeves add 6C Label Kits 2c "fC Pre-packaged In Plastic Library Case/12. A S4.95 value case (or 20c.disk extra DISKS ABE "OPAQUE" Color Bulk 96 TPI m "FREE! Headcleaning Diskette plus $2.00/box rebate on H/C LIFETIME WARRANTY SS-DD QTY. 5 BOXES DS-DD *QQA $-139* W W y w/FREEH/C Kit I Si 29 ^ w/Fiip 'n' File/15 ^ Si 69 Si Q7 ^ 96 TPI ^ ^^ .3.5*7135 TPI S059 $-189^ SO09 L 3.57135 TPI w/Flip DS-HD 96 TPI w/Free Headcleaning Kit DS-HD 96 TPI w/Flip rY File/15 3M Headcleaning Kit $5.99 (After S2.00 rebate with purchase of regular 3M disk) 3M Data Cartridges DC-100A ..... DC-1000 DC-300XLP DC-600A QTY. 5 QTY. 10 $12.15 $12.10 $14.34 $12.42 $21.54 $19.08 $21.82 $20.29 Nashua "Boxed" Diskettes LIFETIME WARRANTY SS-DD DS-DD 850 $195 yWgSr' S065 I 3.5"/35 TPt 4-_ Factory fresh in boxes of 1 O with sleeves, user ID labels, write-protect tabs and reinforced hub ring. High Density for IBM PC-AT Compatible $2.59 100% By Leading American Error- Rill If Media Manufacturer Free ** ** ™ " m one ol the top 2 LIFETIME WARRANTY SS-DD QTY. IOO DS-DD 550 w/hub ring 650 Tyvek envelopes 6C ea. PRINTER RIBBONS Epson MX 70/80 $2.66 Epson MX-100 S4.06 Okidata 80 82.83.92 93 . S1.36 Okidala 84 S2.95 Labels 2C ea. DISK STORAGE Amray Media Mate 50 S7.99 Disk Minder II-75 $8,99 Micro Oisk Minder-36 .,. S7.75 PRICE PROMISE: We will better any lower delivered price on the same products and quantities advertised nationally. TERMS: FREE USE OF VISA AND MAS- TERCARD. American Express also accepted. Shipping: Add S3.00 per 1 OO diskettes orfrac- tion thereof. Other items add S3.00 for disk storage or headcleaning kit or dozer ribbons or C.O.D. orders. P.O. accepted from recog- nized institutions and schools on 2%-10 Net 30. Utah residents add 5*-i°/ sales tax. Minimum order S30.00. TOLL FREE ORDER LINE: 1 -800-233-2477 INFORMATION AND INQUIRIES: 1-801-942-6717 2028 E. FT. UNION BLVD.. 105 _—•_..»«.. SALT LAKE CITY. UTAH 84121 omputer CALL . ^ 00 . AFFAIRS I ffairS, inC. HOURS: 9AM-6PM M-F (Mtn, Time) REVIEW: LETTRIX an example of the Gothic typeface. AN EXAMPLE or THE MICR TYPEFACE. an example of tt\e Engraved typeface. AH EXAMPLE OF THE VESTERH TYPEFACE. am exaonpOe ©f UBie Acptlcflec© Hype-face. an example of the Broadway typeface. Figure 5: Some examples of lettrix typefaces. umns. By using the column block move, you can transfer each even- numbered page to the right side of the previous odd-numbered page. In this case, you should format the text ragged right or turn off microjustifica- tion. If there are at least five blanks be- tween the two columns, Lettrix auto- matically tabs over to a fixed position for the right column. This produces two left-justified columns that are ragged on the right side. Copy Protection The Lettrix disk is copy-protected. You can copy all the programs to a backup disk, but you cannot run Lettrix from this-disk. If you scramble the original disk, you can copy these duplicate files back to the original. You can also copy the typeface file to your word- processor disk, but you must insert the original disk when you load Lettrix. An included program lets hard-disk users copy Lettrix and its associated files to the fixed disk. You will then no longer need to use the original copy of the Lettrix disk. Demonstration Programs Three different batch files demon- strate Lettrix's features. One program loads and provides examples of dif- ferent typefaces with roman letters (see figure 5). A second program prints the keytops for the Greek, Cyrillic, and Hebrew typefaces in their appropriate keyboard positions. The third program demonstrates the mathematics and science symbols. For example, you can make an integral sign by combining three separate keys, although you must temporarily reduce the vertical pitch to let the three parts connect. Problems and Conclusions Lettrix slows down your printer to about one-quarter of its fastest speed because it prints in a single direction in graphics mode (two printing passes in one direction and two returns). Furthermore, it bypasses print buffers so you must wait until the printing is finished before you can do anything else. Of course, the result is a much- improved printout. When Lettrix is resident, your mem- ory size is reduced by 40K to 76K bytes even if you are not using your printer. If you have finished printing a document with Lettrix and want to release the memory space, you can- not easily disengage Lettrix. You must reset the computer by pressing the Ctrl, Alt, and Del keys. Nevertheless, if you have a dot- matrix printer and you want to create nice-looking letters and reports, Let- trix will do the trick. ■ 304 BYTE • MAY 1986 REVIEW FEEDBACK Turbo Pascal 3.0 Mark Bridger's review of Tlirbo Pascal 3.0 (February, page 281) gives the misleading impression that version 3.0 does not sup- port arrays larger than 32K. While it is true that the upper bounds of arrays are limited by the maximum integer size of 32767, you can create a one-dimensional array of almost 64K single-byte elements by using a negative integer lower bound (albeit with sacrificed readability in some cases). For example, the following declara- tions will create an array of 64927 (64K minus 609) bytes, which seems to be about all that TUrbo's static data space will hold: type var BigArray = array|-32767 . .32159| of byte; Array64 : BigArray; If Array64 is declared as a pointer to BigArray, the dynamically stored array can contain up to 65535 (64K minus 1) bytes, if the range specified is (-32767 . . 32767|. Although Ibrbo Pascal will now allow de- clared data structures to exceed 64 K bytes (actually slightly less, as just noted) and restricts the number of elements per dimension to the number of available in- tegers, much of the functionality of larger structures can still be achieved. For exam- ple, multidimensional arrays as large as available storage can be created in Tlirbo Pascal by using arrays of pointers to struc- tures smaller than 64K. For example type var BigArray = array|- 32767 . .32767| of byte; Array64 = "BigArray; HugeArray : array|l . . 8| of Array64; The awkwardness of this indirect method of accessing such large data struc- tures (greater than 64K) is more visible to the programmer in Tjrbo Pascal than in some other "larger" language implemen- tations, but it actually reflects limitations inherent in the 8088/8086 segment-offset mode of addressing. Despite these reservations, I agree with Professor Bridger that 32-bit integers would make a valuable addition to the next release of Ibrbo Pascal. William F. Weigel Berkeley, CA VME/10 Bravo for Robert E. Robinson's review of the Motorola VME/10 (February, page 253). There are thriving markets for com- puters and peripherals based on Mo- torola's VMEbus and Multibus. The IBM PC (and its many clones) has demon- strated its value in a variety of applica- tions, but alternatives are available. With their improved data-transfer rates, VMEbus and Multibus-based systems may offer distinct advantages in computational- ly intensive applications. A wide variety of hardware interfaces are also available for these buses. David j. States San Diego, CA IBM PC Compatibles Review in the Works I would be very interested to see a round- up of IBM PC-compatible computers that are selling for $1000 and less by stores or by major manufacturers such as Epson. Also, how reliable are the vendors? If you send them $1000 will you receive a computer? Some ads promise a one-year warranty and telephone support. Rob Schoenbaum New York, NY Thank you for your comments; we have such a review in the works. Jon Edwards Technical Editor, Reviews IBM's Professional Graphics System The text box by Rodrigo Silveira on page 3 58 of the review of IBM's Professional Graphics System (November 1985) men- tions a bug in the Professional Graphics Controller's random-area-filling subroutine AREA, namely that the areas are only filled properly if the current default color is different from the boundary color of the area to be filled. However, this is not a bug. It is precisely how this subroutine is supposed to work. In the manual, it is stated that "The region extends outward in all directions until reaching a boundary of PELs |picture elements| whose colors differ from the original color of the PEL at the current point and the current color." Also, it mentioned in the text box that neither the RESET nor the LUTINT com- mand resets the color lookup table to the default palette. Well, the RESETF only resets certain flags that are listed in the manual and the state of the color lookup table is not one of them. The LUTINT command does in fact work. The author probably did not include a delimiter after the LUTINT command. One must in- clude a delimiter after every command, even if there are no other commands im- mediately following it. In the main article it is stated that, although expensive, the PGC board is less expensive than any comparable graphics system one could put together. Although this may have been true at the time the article was written, it certainly is not true now. Several companies offer it for less. It is also stated that ample documenta- tion is included with the PGC. However, the references provided make no mention of how to access any of the three- dimensional capabilities of the board or many of the other features that make this board such a powerful piece of hardware. The GKS software provided is oriented toward systems with multiple workstations, so there is a lot of initialization overhead that is unnecessary for a personal com- puter. It is far easier to communicate with the board directly instead of going through the GKS interface, but to do this you need to write your own device driver. I have worked with the PGC for the past six months. The only complaints I have concern the price and the difficulty in ob- taining truly useful documentation from IBM. Laurence Edwards Mountain View, CA ■ REVIEW FEEDBACK is a column of readers let- ters. W(? welcome responses that support or challenge BYTE reviews. Send letters to Review Feedback, BYTE Publications. POB 372, Hancock. NH 03449. Name and address must be on all letters. MAY 1986 • BYTE 305 metftatton I warning T&&) CH^. **&Si#** mfiW BM** 4A Oocu' taseot function^ performance Document Cont^ TeXl Conwn\ PaqeCont^ 6 \oW\Conti°\ PaseUVQ" 1 Pti£j£"£ j BYTE Kernel Computing at Chaos Manor: Expanded/Extended Memory by jerry Poumelle 311 BYTE Japan: An Innovative Program by William M. Raike 329 Applications Only: A Mixed Lot by Ezra Shapiro 335 According to Webster: 68000 Wars: Round 2 by Bruce Webster 343 BYTE U.K.: Intuitive Solution by Dick Pountain 363 Mathematical Recreations: The Pellian Equation by Robert T Kurosaka 379 THIS WAS A MONTH when Jerry was battling a mild case of the flu. Rising from a sickbed he didn't enjoy being in, he was able to look at a wide assort- ment of new products. Jerry also looks at new kinds of memory, discusses Commodore's Amiga and the Atari 520ST, and plays a game called Sundog. EM/3 + is a set of programs that runs under MS-DOS; it lets you run most CP/M-86 and CP/M-80 application programs unchanged and lets you read and write floppy disks in any of three MS-DOS formats and in any of several com- mon CP/M formats. Bill Raike talks about this Japanese program and its many useful capabilities. In Applications Only, Ezra Shapiro describes Boxes & Arrows, a program for the IBM PC that is a cross between a presentation-graphics program and a spreadsheet; Boxcalc, a spreadsheet oriented toward classic business reports; Interlace, a database. for the Mac; and PC-Outline, a user-supported outliner. After a month's respite from the bout, Bruce Webster is back with Round 2 of the 68000 wars. TWo new machines have joined the competition since the end of Round 1; the Atari 1040ST and the Macintosh Plus. This month's column looks at the five prominent 68000 computers, providing comparisons and benchmarks. Dick Pountain describes Intuitive Solution, a business application generator for the IBM PC, XT, and AT. This programming environment is tailored for business and office automation systems and goes beyond the mere cosmetics of icons, windows, and mice. In Mathematical Recreations, Bob Kurosaka begins with another word prob- lem that needs a whole-number solution. What first appears to be another Diophantine equation turns out to be a Pellian equation, which was first pro- posed by Pierre de Fermat. Bob provides a powerful procedure for solving the Pellian equation. MAY 1986 • BYTE 309 IBM PC XT Compatible, 4.77MHz Clock, 640K Mother Board, 8088 Intel Chip, Keyboard, 135 watt Power Supply, Floppy Disk Con- troller, Printer Port, Serial Port, Came Port, Clock w/Battery Back- up, Two Disk Drives $699. ^— ^— Specials % Floppy Disc Controller $29. Monochrome Graphics Card/PP 79. Disk I/O Card FDC, PP/SP, Came, Battery Clock 79. 1200 Baud Modem (V? size) . . 159 XT-Mother Board "0"K expandable to 640K 99. Mother Board for AT 650. Keyboard AT 65. 20MB Drive with Controller. . 425. Power Supply 135 watts 65. Power Supply 200 watts ... 129. XT Chassis 31. AT Chassis 89. 8MHz IBM PC XT Compatible Mother Board "0"K 175. 30MB Drive with Controller. . 590. EGA Card 275. "■™™™^™^^^^™ Prices and 310 BYTE • MAY 1986 IBM PC AT Compatible Computer (STM Board) 6 MHz, 640K Memory, Keyboard, Clock & Battery on Board, Floppy & Hard Disk Con- troller, 1.2MB Floppy, 192 watts Power Supply $1499.* IBM PC AT Compatible Computer (Atronics Mother Board), 8 MHz Clock (enhanced version), 640KB Memory expandable to 1MB, AT layout Keyboard, Floppy & Hard Disk Controller by Western Digital, 192 watts Power Supply, 1.2MB Floppy, 20MB Hard Disk, Socket for 80287 $1999. "O" wait State Option .... $300. PLEASE DON'T CALL TICKETRON . . . FOR FAST SERVICE CALL US (714)972-2945 TWX 5106003265 IBM PC Compatible, 2 to 5 times faster than IBM PC, zero wait State, Eight Slots,l35 watts Power Supply, 8 MHZ & 4.77 MHZ Clock (Dual Speed Hardware & Software switchable), 640KB on Mother Board, v-20 or 8088-2 Processor, AT layout Keyboard, Floppy Disk Controller, Two Drives360KBeach, Runs Lotus 1 23, Wordstar, dBase II & III, Flight Simulator and more $699? ♦Prices for quantity purchases only Registered trademark of IBM corporation ; AMERICAN MICRO TECHNOLOGY 1322 E. EDINGER SANTA ANA, CA 92705 Availability subject to change without notice. Inquiry 18 for End-Users. Inquiry 19 for DEALERS ONLY. COMPUTING AT CHAOS MANOR Expanded/Extended Memory by Jerry Pournelle A mild case of flu has slowed the somewhat frantic pace here, but, alas, the work con- tinues to pile up. My wife sent me to bed for a couple of days and thinks I ought to still be there, but deadlines don't go away. I also have ze ~~ ~T~ ~~ ~ confession (oops, too much and looks at many new items Hercule Poirot): I really hate being in bed, and I'm glad I have the excuse of the deadline, ]erry discusses the difference between these types of memory One Fine Board The excitement here centers around the Atari 520ST and the Amiga. Both do spectacular things— Electronic Arts has the Amiga Kaleidoscope program that will knock your eye out, while DEGAS for the Atari cycles through an incredible series of science-fiction scenes— and visitors can't stop watch- ing them. The Amiga and the Atari 520ST are spectacular, but they aren't the only new items here. One of the most useful gadgets we have for Lucy Van Pelt, our fussbudget IBM PC is Or- chid's Conquest board. The PC is nor- mally limited to 640K bytes of mem- ory. The Conquest board expands (not extends; on that, more below) that to 2 megabytes, using the Lotus/ Intel/Microsoft expanded-memory specification (EMS). The Conquest board also has ports, a clock, and PCnet, which I haven't connected yet. Installation of the Conquest board is fairly simple. The documents are complete with examples and explana- tions of what you must do to the ma- chine, and the installation program that comes with the board is simple enough. As with most Orchid prod- ucts, you need to read— carefully- through the documents, but they're clear enough once you see what's going on. You do need to know a lit- tle about DOS and your system, but not all that much. It won't take a full hour to do the whole job, after which you're not likely to run out of memory for a while, and if you do, you can add more. You can install up to four EMS cards, for a total of 8 megabytes of expanded memory. The Conquest board works fine with Orchid's PCturbo 186 speedup board. Well, fine is too strong a term; pro- grams running in turbo mode can't make direct use of the expanded memory. You can use the extra memory for a RAM disk and print spoolers, but that's about it. Drop out of turbo mode, and you have the ex- panded extra memory if your pro- gram knows how to use it; but in PCturbo mode, you have only extended rather than expanded memory. The Conquest board went into the PC we keep downstairs. Orchid also has an Eccell board for the IBM PC AT; I'm anxiously awaiting one for Big Kat. the Kaypro 286i AT clone that has become my main machine here. Expanded vs. Extended If you're confused by this business of expanded versus extended memory, so was I, which was one reason I put off getting either one. Back in the early days of the computer revolution, we bought 4K-byte memory boards (and I can even remember lK-byte boards!). Ezekial, my friend who hap- pened to be a Z80, had 64K bytes and was considered advanced in 1976. Back then we dreamed of a time when we'd have half a megabyte. Big Kat came with 640K bytes, and it isn't enough. I found that out when I tried to run Living Videotext's Ready! with Borland's Tjrbo Lightning spelling checker and thesaurus. The result was odd: the system didn't crash or anything, but neither pro- gram would work properly. Never an error message: just some commands that wouldn't work when both pro- grams were installed. Either program ran fine if the other' wasn't present, but they wouldn't work together. For that matter, once I load in SideKick, Lightning, and SuperKey I've used up a lot of my working space. To use a big program like Q&A, I have to kill off something. That's bad, because it's easy to become dependent on memory- resident utilities. Ready! and SideKick can help organize your life; at least they help organize my life, and that's a pretty severe test. My whole phone list and much of my calendar and schedule are in SideKick files. Ready! has a marvelous ability to keep notes, daily schedules, things to do, etc., where you can get at them quickly and easily. Also, I spend a lot of time on BIX, the BYTE Information Exchange, and using the SideKick editor along with SideKick's ability to squirt text out the modem saves time and trouble. It's often useful to have Tlirbo Lightning turned on while BlXing; but Lightning won't work with Ready! installed. It was clear that I needed more {continued) jerry Pournelle holds a doctorate in psychology and is a science-fiction writer who also earns a comfortable living writing about computers present and future. MAY 1986 -BYTE 311 Inquiry 3 72 Barriers Were Made To Be Broken If you're using Turbo Pascal, Turbo Extender is the software you need to break the 64K barrier. Now write programs as long as you need, limited only by available RA M. LARGE CODE MODEL Write programs using all 640K without overlays or chaining. Convert existing programs with minimal effort. Offers advanced dynamic binding or standard EXE files. MAKE FACILITY Offers separate compilation. No starting from scratch for source code changes. LARGE DATA ARRAYS Automatically manages data arrays up to 30 megabytes, as well as arrays stored in expanded memoiy. ADDITIONAL TOOLS Overlay Analyst, Disk Cache, Pascal Encryptor, Shell File Generator, and File Browser. TURBO EXTENDER Includes 2 DSDD disks, complete source code, 150 page printed manual. Requires Turbo Pascal 3.0 and PCDOS 2.x or 3.x. Runs on IBM PC/XT /AT and compatibles. Call for MS DOS support. $85 COMPLETE. ALSO AVAILABLE TURBOPOWER UTILITIES Bruce Webster, in BYTE Magazine, February 1986, named it Product of the Month, saying "If you own Turbo Pascal, you should own TurboPower Programmer's Utilities; that's all there is to it." It offers 9 programs in all, including the Propram Structure Analyzer which locates subtle coding problems the com pi I erf ails to catch. It also produces reports that describe your code, providing cross reference and hierarchy diagrams. Also includes Execution Timer, Execution Profiler, Pretty Printer, Command Repeater, Pattern Replacer, Difference Finder, File Finder and Super Directory. TURBOPOWER UTILITIES Come compiled, ready to use. Includes manual, reference card, three DSDD disks, complete source code. Requires Turbo Pascal 2.0 or 3.0. $95 with source code; $55 executable only. GET BOTH TURBO EXTENDER AND TURBOPOWER UTILITIES (Source) $ 149 MC/VISA CALL TOLL-FREE 7 days a week 800-538-8157 x830 (CA) 800-672-34 70 x830 For PO, COD, Dealers, Info, Brochures - call or write: HJB90 478 W. Hamilton #796 Campbell, CA 95008 (408) 378-3672 M-F 9AM-5PM PST INTERNATIONAL REPRESENTATIVES Switzerland: Software Haus 064-512651 Japan: Southern Pacific Ltd. 045-314-9514 Norway: Poly soft 03-825275 England: Grey Matter Ltd. 0364-53499 Australia: Videogram Communications 02-627-1261 CHAOS MANOR Expanded memory can be used directly by properly written programs. memory. When I set out to get past the 640K-byte barrier, I found there were two kinds, extended and ex- panded, and it wasn't at all clear what the difference was. I suppose there's been a lot written about it, but I can't read everything, so I did what I generally do when faced with this kind of problem. I called a knowledge- able friend, in this case, Dave Winer of Living Videotext. It turns out not to be as complicated as I thought. A couple of years ago, IBM, recognizing the 640K-byte prob- lem, came out with extended mem- ory. That wasn't the right answer. Ex- tended memory can be useful for print spooling and as a RAM disk, but it is not managed, which is to say that programs cannot grab and reserve areas of that extra memory. The result is that you can, in theory, write pro- grams to use extended memory, but you can run only one such program at a time. Memory-resident programs can't use it without kludges. Software companies never really got interested in extended memory. Then Lotus and Intel got together to produce an expanded-memory spec- ification. Alas, they produced more than one, and the different versions aren't fully compatible. Eventually things settled in, Microsoft joined the specification team, and the result is the Lotus/Intel/Microsoft EMS, and [hat's the one that companies like Liv- ing Videotext and Borland Interna- tional are writing programs for and that Orchid's Conquest board imple- ments. It isn't optimum, but it has become a de facto standard. A number of companies, including Intel, make expanded-memory boards. Given the rapidly falling price of memory chips, I expect all serious PCompatible systems to have ex- panded memory within a year or two. Meanwhile, don't get extended mem- ory. It isn't compatible with expanded, and it's not very useful. Expanded memory can be used directly by prop- erly written programs, and the rest can be configured to be print spoolers, RAM disks, and the like; but, in general, extended memory can't be used as program area. Caching Some years ago when I first learned about RAM disks— a way of fooling your computer into thinking that a batch of memory is a very fast disk drive— I waxed eloquent about the idea in this column and was present- ly informed that it had been used in Britain for some time before it ap- peared over here. As far as I can tell, the first RAM-disk software was writ- ten by Jeremy Karlin and marketed by Peter Cheesewright of Microcosm Research (26 Danbury St., London Nl 8JU, England). They also produced Microcache, a caching system for CP/M systems. Unfortunately, that came out just about the time that PC- DOS was pushing CP/M out in the cold. Microcache works fine, but it never caught on well enough to give Microcache big sales. Cheesewright now has a cache sys- tem for PC-DOS. It can use regular memory or EMS expanded memory. The program came today. I expect to like it, but I haven't had a chance to run it yet. Real Soon Now, when I feel better. Caching speeds up disk operations by automatically keeping information from disk files in a special cache memory. The program you're running doesn't have to know that; it merely calls for files, data, overlays, or what- ever. The first time it asks for a disk file, there's no speed advantage; but after that there is, because the file is already in memory. Eventually the cache memory fills. What happens then depends on your program; various caching systems use different algorithms. Cheesewright's Microcache works on frequency: when you call a file that's not in cache memory, Microcache replaces the least-used file already there. This guarantees that the disk directory and bit map will always be in cache mem- ory, and that in itself speeds up CP/M 312 B YTE • MAY 1986 Inquiry 334 CHAOS MANOR by as much as a factor of 10. Micro- cache also did good things for CP/M WordStar. The Conquest board comes with software to create cache memory. You can also use cache memory with PCturbo 186. 1 suppose that most ex- panded-memory cards come with cache software. I know that the Orchid system makes it very easy to install, and, depending on what you're run- ning, it can speed things up some- thing wonderful. MacEnhancer Another new gadget is Microsoft's MacEnhancer, which connects the Macintosh to Hewlett-Packard's Laser- let printer. I may use the Macintosh with MacEnhancer to do my income tax this year: I've been promised a program to do that. There are also programs that use the Imagewriter to produce acceptable tax forms, but my Imagewriter has been waiting at the dealer for months until Apple can/will send parts. Tkx programs are a prob- lem for me, since I don't like to write much about software I haven't actual- ly used. By the time I get this year's program, use it, write the review, and get it into print, that version of the program will be thoroughly obsolete. Tkxes or not, the MacEnhancer works fine. It adds one parallel and two serial ports to the Macintosh with- out using up any existing ports; that is, it plugs in through the Mac's com- munications port and has a commu- nications port of its own. Installation is simplicity itself. Just plug the MacEnhancer in, run the supplied in- stallation programs, and tell it what you're trying to do. Then you can use the Mac to drive the HP LaserJet and Thinkjet, Epson FX- and MX- 80 and 100, Okidata 92 and 93, IBM Graph- ics, and some other printers. The list is growing all the time. If you have more than one printer, you can use the MacEnhancer to connect to them all and then control them through the MacEnhancer's switchboard opera- tion. I've used the MacEnhancer to con- nect to the LaserJet. The Mac- Enhancer is designed to work with Microsoft Word and does that very [continued] "BRIEF has improved my productivity tenfold. It paid for itself in 2 weeks!" David Norwood, Microsystems Manager Tailor Editing to Your Style A high-level, readable Macro Programming Language - allows customization for programming languages . . . Complete, unlimited variables, etc. Edit multiple files of unlimited size (2 Meg is OK) Multiple Windows on screen with different or same file, fragments, etc. A bona-fide UNDO stack (up to 300) of all operations: deletions, reading files, search, translate, more. For PC, AT, compatibles and .Tandy 2000. Only $195 Full "regular expression search" - wild cards, complex patterns Reconfigurable keyboard Adjustable line length - up to 512. Keystroke macros - for common typing sequences Suspend BRIEF to execute, exit to DOS - run another program (like a compiler, dir, XREF, DIFF, or DEBUG) then resume BRIEF session Compiler-specific support like auto indent, syntax check, compile with- in BRIEF ^Solution h you could port a scientific or commercial application to a PC without having to ■ restructure your software just to accommodate Intel's architecture? - bver wisn you had a choice of MS-DOS or Unix V on the same system without having to commit your entire system to one or the other? Ever wish MS-DOS was a virtual demand paged operating system?... OASYS MS-DOS Co-Processor ... your wish has come true! The DS-32 PC Co-Processor Board is a self-contained 32-bit computer system - it operates at super-micro speeds (10MHz and no wait states), comes with its own large memory space, full floating point support and highly optimized software tools (both native and cross). It's fully compatible with your standard PC MS-DOS system - no file conversions or re- training is needed. Installation takes just a few minutes — plug it in and go to work. DS-32 Features: - Uses National's 32032 processor running at 10MHz. (a 32-bit processor running at super-micro speed; out-performs a mid-size VAX and most 68000 work- stations. Your PC will run 10 to 20 times faster) - Uses its own on-board memory: 1 or 2MB versions. 4 to 6MB expansion boards coming. - Choice of Operating Systems: • MS-DOS Standard: You don't have to learn another OS or do any conversion. • VIRTUAL MS-DOS Option: the first demand paging version that supports files as big as your disk. • Unix System V Option. - Fits any IBM PC, XT, AT or look-alike. (Compaq, Wyse, etc.). Uses only one slot. - Provides its own on-board floating point support. - Based on Definicon Systems technology. - Supports dozens of NATIVE high level, optimizing languages; C, Pascal, Fortran. Comes with Assembler, Linker, Loader and Debugger. Exciting new additions: Ada, APL, Basic, and Al tools (LISP, Prolog). - Supports full complement of CROSS development tools to most 32-, 16-, and 8-bit target systems. Example: 68000/10/20 C, Pascal and Fortran Cross Compilers, Assemblers, Simulators, Debuggers, Pro- filers. 8086/186/286 C, Pascal and Fortran Compilers. Possible Applications: - Run large, time consuming CPU-bound applications on a PC: • scientific, commercial, avionic, biomedical • petrochemical, seismic • microprocessor simulations • CAD/CAM and graphic designs • numerical applications • data reductions, matrix operations • recursive type programs (e.g., Al tools) • ...the possibilities are limitless - Provide a low cost means of turning your PC into a high-powered software development workstation. - Minimize porting time, effort, and support problems; eliminates having to contend with Intel 8086/88/186/286 architectural differences (e.g., 64KB addressing limits). OASYS offers a "One-Stop Shopping" service for software developers. We support, maintain, develop, enhance, and port over 100 high quality, professional software and hardware tools running on numerous hosts (VAX, PC's, Apollo, Sun, Pyramid, etc.) and/or targeting popular 32-, 16-, and 8-bit micros and operating systems. 60 Aberdeen Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138 (617) 491-4180 We Specialize In: Cross/Native Compilers C, Pascal. Fortran. Cobol. Basic. APL. Prolog. Lisp. Ada - Assemblers/Linkers - Symbolic Debuggers - Simulators - Interpreters - Translators Converters— Profilers— QA Tools— DesignTools — Comm. Tools. OS Kernels — Editors — Spreadsheets — Data Bases - VAX & PC. Attached Processors and more We Support: 680xx. 80x86. 320xx. 68xx. 80xx. dozens more Trademarks are acknowledged to Oigital Equipment Corp . AT&T Bell Labs. Microsoft Corp.. National Semiconductor Corp ; International Business Machines Corp , US 00D Joint Development Office: Intel Corp . Apollo Computer Inc : Pyramid Technology Corp mouse, and MacEnhancer. Oh, well. The Macintosh will never be my favorite small computer. Even the new-and-improved Mac has a screen too small for me to use comfortably. However, even if the Macintosh never becomes the machine for all of the rest of us, it certainly does have its niche. Those who put out newsletters, or any precisely formatted docu- ments, and, in general those who pro- duce integrated text-and-graphics materials like proposals may well find the Macintosh the best tool available, especially if it's improved with a Mac- Enhancer. Old Eyes When I was talking with Dave Winer about expanded memory, we got sidetracked discussing the Macintosh. "It won't fly as a business machine," I said, "because high company ex- ecutives tend to be my age. and when you get to be my age, your arms are too short." "Eh?" he asked. "Farsighted," said I. "As you get older, you tend to get farsighted. The problem is that if I get far enough away from the Macintosh screen to focus on it, the letters are too darned small to read. Reading glasses don't really help. No big business executive is going to put up with having to wear reading glasses in order to see his computer." "You never said that in your col- umn," Dave reminded me. I guess he was right. I'd always thought it was obvious, but, of course, it isn't obvious to everyone, which ex- plains a few things. In most business establishments, you're in your late for- ties and beyond before you get to the top level. Computer executives tend to be younger, which I suppose is why no one at Apple thought that the Mac's small screen would limit its business utility. After all, there are obvious advan- tages to the small screen. It has to cost less to make, for one thing. For another, the Mac has no better resolu- tion than the IBM PC, but because of the tiny screen area, the Mac looks as if it has wonderful graphics capability. Looks are what count— provided, of (continued) 314 B YTE • MAY 1986 Inquiry 2 58 helps save time, money and cut frustrations. Compare, evaluate, and find products. SERVICES Programmer's Referral List ■ Dealer's Inquire Compare Products • Newsletter • Help find a Publisher ■ Rush Order • Evaluation Literature FREE • Over 700 products • BULLETIN BOARD- 7PM to 7AM 617-82M086 Al-Expert System Dev't Arity System - incorporate w/C. PC $295 ExpcrtEASE - Develop by describing examples of how you decide. MS 595 EXSYS - Improved, Debug, file & external program access. PC $339 1st class - by example, interfaces $250 Insight I - probabilities, fast MS $ 79 Insight 2 - dB2, language MS $399 Others: APES ($359), Advisor ($949), ES Construction ($ 100), ESP ($845), Expcrtcach ($399), Expert Choice ($449) Free Literature - Compare Products Evaluate products. Compare competitors. Learn about new alterna- tives . One free call brings information on just about any programming need. Ask for any '%cfref"or Addon Packet □ AI □ ADA. Modula □BASIC DC DCOBOL DEditors DFORTH DFORTRAN □PASCAL DUNTX/PC orQDebuggers, Linkers C Support-Systems List Our GC LISP interpreter- "Common", rich. Interactive tutorial $495 Call GC LISP 286 Developer- 2 to 15 meg RAM, compiler & Interp. $1 195 Call Microsoft MuLisp 85 $250 $199 TLC LISP -"LISP-Machinc"- like, all RAM, classes, compiler. MS $225 TransLISP - Good for learning MS $ 75 WALTZLISP- "FRANZ LISP 1 '- likc, big nums, debug, CPM-80 MS $149 Others: IQ LISP ($ 1 55), BYSO($ 125), UNX LISP($59), IQC LISP($269) Al-PROLOG ARITY Standard - full, 4 Meg Interpreter - debug, C, ASM PC $ 350 COMPILER/lnterprctcr-EXE PC $ 795 With Exp Sys, Screen - KIT PC $1250 MicroProlog - enhanced MS $ 229 M Prolog - Improved, Faster PC $ 475 Professional MicroProlog MS $ 359 Prolog-86 - Learn Fast MS $ 95 TURBO PROLOG by Borland PC $ 85 Others: Prolog-I ($365), Prolog-2 ($1795) Editors for Programming BRIEF Programmer's Editor - undo, windows, reconfigure PC Call C Screen with source 80/86 $ 75 EM ACS by Uni Press - powerful, multifile, MLISP. Source: $949 $299 Entry Systems for C PC $325 Epsilon - like EM ACS PC $169 FirsTimc by Spruce - Improve productivity. Syntax directed for Turbo ($69), Pascal ($229), orC ($239) Kcdit - like XEDIT PC $115 Lattice Screen Editor-multiwindow, multitasking Amiga $100 MS $125 PMATE - power, multitask 80/86 $159 VEDIT - well liked, macros, buffers, CPM-80-86. MS PC XTC - multitasking PC 19 85 msnm Panel Screen Generator- Create screen w/cditor, generates code. Data validation, windows, no royalties. Specify Lat., MSC, C86, MS.Fortran or Pascal MS $239 Basic C Library by C Source C Debug - Source debuggers - by Complete Soft ($269), MSD ($149). CPRINT - by ENSCO MS C Sharp - well supported, Source, realtime, tasks C ToolSct - DIFF, xref, source Lattice Text Utilities The HAMMER by OES Systems PC LINT - checker MS SECURITY LIB -add encrypt to MSC C86 programs. Source $250 PC $139 $ 45 $600 $135 $105 $179 $125 $125 Fortran & Supporting ASC Time Scries Forlib+ by Alpha - graph, comm. M ACFortran by Microsoft - full '77 MS Fortran No Limit - Fortran Scientific PolyFortran - xref, pp, screen Prospero - '66, reentrant RM Fortran - enhanced "IBM Ftn" Scientific Subroutines - Matrix Statistician by Alpha Strings and Things - registers, shell MultiLanquaqe Support BTRIEVE ISAM MS BTricvc/N - multiuser MS CODESIFTER - Execution PRO- FILER. Spot bottlenecks. Symbolic, automatic. MS MultiH ALO Graphics- Multiple video boards, printer, rich. Animation, engineering, business. Any MS language, Lattice, C86 Pfinish Performance Analyzer PLINK-86 - a program-independent overlay linker to 32 levels. PLINK-86 PLUS - incremental Poly Librarian Profiler by DWB Associates PVCS Version Control Screen Sculptor- slick, thorough fast, BASIC, PASCAL. ZAP Communications - VT 100, TEK 4010 emulation, full xfcr. I ATARI ST & AMIGA We carry full lines of Manx, Lattice, Mctacompo and Prospero. $469 $ 59 $229 $219 $129 $149 $349 $399 $149 $269 $ 59 $199 $469 $109 PC $249 MS $279 nt MS MS MS MS MS $299 $379 $ 85 $ 99 $359 PC $ 99 PC $ 85 Call for a catalog, literature, and solid value 800-421-8006 THE PROGRAMMER'S SHOP™ 128-B Rockland Street, Hanover, MA 02339 Mass: 800-442-8070 or 617-826-7531 386 RECENT DISCOVERY ESSENTIAL GRAPHICS -Library, fast, fonts, no royalties. For C, Fortran, Pascal. Hercules, EGA, CGA. PC $229 C Language-Compilers AZTEC C86 - Commercial PC AZTEC C65 - Personal Apple II MS MAC MS MS MS $399 $199 $299 $299 $289 $339 $399 $179 $259 $125 $389 $249 $ 90 $399 $225 $109 $199 $109 C86 by CI - 8087, reliable Consulair Mac C w/toolkit Lattice C - from Lifeboat Lattice C - from Lattice Mark Williams - w/debuggcr Mcgamax - tight full ATARI/ST Microsoft C 3.0 - new MS Q/C 88 by Code Works - Compiler source, decent code, native MS Wizard C - Lattice C compatible, full sys. Ill, lint, fast. MS C Language-Interpreters C-terpbyGimpel-fullK&R, .OBJ and ASM, large progs. MS H.E.L.P. - innovate env. MS INSTANTC -Source debug, Edit to Run-3 seconds MS Interactive C by IMPACC Associates. Interpreter, editor, source, debug. PC Introducing C - learn C fast, self paced tutorial PC Professional Run/C - Run/C plus create add-in libraries, load/unload them. MS Run/C - improved MS C Libraries-General Application Programming Toolkit MS $375 Blaise C Tools I ($109), C Tools 2 $ 89 C Food by Lattice-ask for source MS $109 C Power Windows by Entclckon $1 19 C Utilities by Essential -Comprehensive screen graphics, strings. Source. PC $139 Entclekon C Function Library PC $1 19 Entelckon Superfonts for C PC $ 45 Greenleaf Functions - portable, ASM $ 1 39 Polytron - for Lattice, ASM source $ 85 Software Horizons - Pack I PC $129 C Libraries-Communications Asynch by Blaise $149 Greenleaf- full, fast $139 Software Horizons - pack 3 $119 C Libraries-Files FILES: C Index by Trio - full B + Tree, vary length field, multi compiler /File is object only $ 89 /Pro is partial source $179 /Plus is full source $349 CTree by Faircom $339 dbVISTA - full indexing, plus optional record types, pointers, Network. Object only - MS C, LAT, C86 $159 Source - Single user MS $429 Source - Multiuser MS $829 Inquiry 294 MAY 1986 • BYTE 315 CHAOS MANOR course, that you can see the thing. Alas, I can't. I understand that Apple is coming out with a larger-screen Mac. With a larger keyboard that has arrow keys, a different hard-disk interface, much more memory, and a different screen, it will have about the same relation- ship to the original Macintosh as the Edsel does to a Thunderbird, but wothehell, toujours gai . . . AmigaDOS It's pretty hard to compare the Amiga and the Atari 520ST. They're both pretty nifty, with at least as much potential as the Macintosh; what will really make the difference is software. I intend to devote a good part of a column to comparing these two ma- chines as soon as I have enough in- formation to make that meaningful. As a practical matter, I have maybe ten times as much software for the Atari 520ST as for the Amiga. That's in large part due to Atari's Neil Harris, who collects the stuff and sends it to me. Commodore will tell me about programs, but it's up to me to write for them. And since some computer companies answer their mail even more erratically than I do, it's a slow process. Also, Atari not only had a booth at COMDEX, it had many soft- ware publishers there, so it was easy to get on mailing/review lists. Since Commodore wasn't at COMDEX, there was no central place to do that. My hacker friends, on the other hand, divide about two to one in favor of the Amiga over the Atari. They're particularly happy with the develop- ment packages. Real Soon Now, they say, we'll be flooded with some of the most magnificent software. . . They may well be right. The Amiga has a lot of potential. The Amiga Kaleidoscope program is stunning. TextCraft, the Amiga word-processing program, is slow and has other objec- tionable features, but it's as fast as the early versions of MacWrite, and the Amiga screen is large enough to see. I find I could grow quite fond of black letters on a white background. The Amiga keyboard is nice, too. I have an experimental version of a program- mer's editor, TxED, done by Charlie Heath, and even in its unfinished state, it compares favorably with other good programming editors. (I just hope he puts in some of the macro features of Word Master, which is still the best programming editor around.) Anyway, 1 know that someone will probably write a creative writer's text editor good enough that I'd happily use it to write books on. I have a spreadsheet program from Lattice for the Amiga. Nothing mag- nificent, certainly not Excel, but more useful than VisiCalc and most of the first-generation spreadsheets; again, improvements are to be expected. Lots of good programmers are writ- ing for the Amiga. Potential it has. Then there's AmigaDOS, the Amiga operating system. Actually, there are Why an Amdek monitor is a better investment than buying from Mr. Blue Chip. Buying a monitor is an impor- tant decision. After all, it's a key component of your com- puter system that must have the capabilities of matching your application needs. There's no question that order- ing a "bundled system" is easier than selecting individual com- ponents. But the easy way isn't always the best way. And when it comes to monitors, there's none better than Amdek. CHAOS MANOR two operating systems. One is very similar to the Macintosh operating system: totally icon-driven. It can be learned quickly but it's severely limited in what it can do. Example: when the Commodore folks sent the update software for my Amiga, they sent some demonstra- tion disks. You activate the programs on those disks by inserting them in the machine at boot-up time. Out of curiosity, I wanted to see what pro- grams were on the disks. There weren't any: that is, although the lit- tle "fuel gauge" that tells how much space is left on a disk showed that the Amiga Kaleidoscope disk was nearly full— and heaven knows it ran complex enough programs— the operating sys- tem couldn't find any icons. And if it don't have no icons, it don't have no programs according to standard user AmigaDOS. Clearly something was wrong. BIX has a lively conference on the Amiga, so I asked there and was told, "You just type dir df1: opt a, and it will show you all files in all directories on a disk in your external disk drive." That was all very well, except that I could type until doomsday without result. As far as I could see, the Amiga would respond to mouse clicks, and only to mouse clicks: the keyboard might as well not be there. Back on BIX I went and was told, "Oh, you need a CLI. Click on the system file drawer, and if you don't see the CLI there, use the Preferences utility to turn it on, then close the system drawer, and open it again, and click on the CLI, and then do the dir df1: business." Amiga owners will know that's not as complicated as it sounds: and it worked. Why didn't I think of it? I felt a bit foolish. Then I looked into the manuals and discovered that for all practical purposes the Amiga User Guide doesn't know about CLI. Command line interface, or CLI, is in essence a second operating system. There are precious few references to it in the generally excellent Amiga User Guide. To be precise, there is one in- dex reference under Command Line Interface. It points you to the entry for CLI, and that points you to a single paragraph in chapter seven, which refers you to the AmigaDOS User's Manual. The AmigaDOS User's Manual is one of the Amiga development-tool man- uals and has many of the sterling qualities of the Digital Research CP/M manuals. Understand, the information is all there, and sufficient determina- tion will dig it out: but it makes no concessions to the inexperienced, and it is organized in such a way that you'd better be prepared to learn a lot about command line interface and AmigaDOS in order to learn anything at all. As a practical matter, this means that most Amiga users will be pretty much at the mercy of program pub- [conllnued) Once you compare the quality, features, options and price you'll see that ordering the first three letters that pop into your head doesn't necessarily give you the best return on your investment. Because soon after you compare, it'll become very clear that Amdek is clearly the finest in monitors. Amdek features a complete line of monitors — from full color RGB's to single color monochromes. What's more, Amdek offers monitors that are capable of supporting a full range of graphic boards. And every Amdek is backed by a 3-year warranty on the CRT, and two full years on all other parts and labor. It's no wonder Amdek has sold over one million units to date. Now the only wonderment is why anyone would pay more for anything less than an Amdek. Clearly the finest in monitors. 2201 Lively Boulevard, Eik Grove Village, IL 60607 Phone: 3 1 2/364-1 180, TLX: 280-803 Inquiry 16 CHAOS MANOR lishers. I don't suppose AmigaDOS is that much more complicated than PC- DOS, but frankly I don't know. Like St. Augustine praying for chastity, I want to understand AmigaDOS. but "Not lust Yet." I doubt that I'll be alone in that attitude. Amiga lovers will counter that the average user won't need to under- stand CLI because the icon-operated part of AmigaDOS is as good as the Macintosh operating system; and. after all. you can, with determination, learn CLI if you want to. Of course they're right. I suppose, too. that soon enough there will be books explain- ing AmigaDOS. just as there's a plethora of such books on CP/M and PC-DOS. Certainly the authors of such works won't lack for information. The Amiga Developer's Support package consists of six large volumes, each NOVELL COMPATIBLE ONE-STOP ARCnet LAN SOLUTIONS Now you can get all the tools you need to build industry standard TOKEN-PASSING networks from one source. Intercontinental Micro. Our networking packages let you configure any combination of nodes (PC s and compatibles, ATs, XTs, Jrs, Z-100 s) to a common Fileserver in just a few minutes with our menu-driven installation program. Active and passive hubs allow you to integrate up to 255 users on a single network with increased efficiency as the network grows. In addition, our stand-alone ARCnet™ Workstation/Fileserverand complete line of S-100 Bus products (single board com- puters, slaves and controllers) give you and your customers even more options. ARCnet is a trademark of Datapoint Corporation. We're also compatible with other industry-leading ARCnetPC™ and S-100 products, and our PC networking boards include an optional 256K of system RAM. All with Intercontinental Micro's reputation for outstanding reliability, exceptional service, and highly com- petitive pricing. Call Intercontinental Micro today, or circle the bingo number below for ARCnet™ LAN solutions. Intercontinental Micro 4015 Leaverton Court, Anaheim, CA 92807; Phone: (714) 630-0964 Telex: 821375 SUPPORT UD: Easylink: 62562040. Call for GSA pricing. densely packed with information, source code, examples, diagrams, and concise English. (The key word in that sentence is "densely.") Lattice C I am no expert on C compilers. For- tunately I know people who are. Most seem agreed: Lattice is the C compiler to use for Amiga product develop- ment. I am told that the Aztec C com- piler is a bit faster and generates faster-running code. That, however, is more than made up for by the Lattice development tools, which include: a screen editor; a Make utility de- scended from the UNIX make: Lattice MacLibrary, which gives Amiga pro- grammers many Macintosh features like drawing figures, generating scroll bars, creating music, and so forth; and a text-management utility that brings you grep and diff and a bunch of other UNIX tools C hackers are fond of. I've met many of the people at Lat- tice, and I've always been favorably impressed. The Lattice system is avail- able now for the Amiga (and, of course, for PCompatibles and most other computers) and is supposed to be available for the Atari 520ST by the time you read this. (I'd say Real Soon Now, but I have some faith in Derek Budge and the Metacomco people who are porting Lattice to the Atari.) There is a Lattice conference on BIX; you can join that to learn far more than I ever want to know about the subject. C just isn't my language. It sure is popular, though. Atari 520ST Meanwhile, the software for the Atari 520ST continues to accumulate. I've got Typesetter ST from XLENT Diskette Products Inc. (630 Interna- tional Parkway, Richardson, TX 7 5081), which is a utility program that does layout and design stuff on the Atari for printing on Prowriter, NEC, and Epson printers; DEGAS, from Bat- teries Included, a color-paint program easily as nice as MacPaint (and which Typesetter ST can interface with); and a whole bunch of stuff from Hippo- potamus Software. There's also Regent Word I from [continued] BYTE Inquiry 175 for End-Users. Inquiry 176 for DEALERS ONLY. *«wi9!!fc> Triple your PC speed for only $799! 8087 Upgrades MicroWay is the world leader in 8087 support. Our 8087 development software has been in use since 1 982. By 1 984 we had become Intel's 97th largest OEM account. When you buy from us, you can be con- fident that you will receive the 8087 chip designed for your PC and that our unique diagnostics will instantly verify that your processor works correctly as installed. Call for current prices. 287Turbo" This card plugs into the 80287 socket on your AT or COMPAQ, doubling the 80287 clock from 4 to 8 Mhz. It does not change the 80286 clock speed or affect your warranty. The card comes with an 8 Mhz 80287 and has provisions for faster crystals as better 80287s become available. It also has a reset button and circuit that provide a hardware alternative to CNTRL-ALT-DEL 287Turbo with Diagnostics and Reset $395 Micro Way- Number Smasher™ Number Smasher gives you AT speed and 1 00% com- patibility with all PC software and hardware. It comes with a 1 Mhz 8086 and 51 2K of no wait state RAM. Most are shipped with an optional matched 10 Mhz 8087 and 1 28K daughterboard. The card runs pro- grams a factor of 2.5 to 4.0 faster than the PC, XT or compatibles it runs in. Other features include FASTROM, a Ram Disk, Print Spooler and Disk Cache. Revision 2 of the Smasher is designed and manufac- tured by MicroWay in the U.S.A. and has the best service and support of any accelerator card. MegaPage™ MicroWays "Lotus/Intel" extended memory card has all the features of the others plus one: it uses low power, cool running CMOS DRAM. Ask for our pamphlet "Extended vs Expanded Memory" and learn why MegaPage is the right card for you. MegaPage with 2 Megabytes CMOS $549 The World Leader in 8087 Support sher, MegaPage P.O. Box 79, Ki.. e Tempo House, Lo ;s of MicroWay, Inc. Mic ion, U.K. call 01-223-7662 >Way is a registered trademark of Mic CHAOS MANOR Regent Software. This is a full-screen word processor more than a little reminiscent of Electric Pencil. I used Pencil for years, and Larry Niven and I wrote several novels, including Lucifer's Hammer and Oath of Fealty with it. Regent Word I has most of Pencil's commands and. like Pencil (and WRITE, and all the word-processing programs ! like), automatically refor- mats paragraphs when you insert or delete. It has help files, it's fast, and, although there is a little stuff on the screen I didn't put there— there's a continuous count of the amount of memory you have left— it isn't distract- ing. The type is large enough on the Atari color monitor that ! can sit at a reasonable distance with the monitor at eye level. I don't have to look through the bottom of my glasses. There's one problem with Regent Word I. The type font is one of the ugliest I have ever seen. The lower- case "n" is taller than the "t." The body of the "i" is well below the level of the other characters, with the dot at the level of the top of the "n" or "s"; and so forth. The only, thing I recall that was uglier was the type font used in the original Kaypro II com- puters. I know the Atari 520ST is capable of much nicer letters than that; why Regent didn't design a more pleasing type font is beyond me. On the other hand, if I had to choose between writing a book with the Atari 520ST and Regent Word I or the Macintosh and MacWrite, I'd take the Atari every time. I can see type on the Atari. There's a lot more stuff for the Atari. Michtron has sent me nearly a dozen programs, ranging from a RAM disk and a bunch of disk utilities (quite nice) to Mudpies, one of the dumbest arcade games I've ever seen. At COM- DEX the Michtron people were dem- onstrating Time Bandits, a game based loosely on the movie, which had really lovely graphics. From what I could see watching over the de- signer's shoulder, I'll probably like it. Apparently they haven't finished that one yet, so they sent Mudpies, which has only reasonable graphics. The premise is that a little boy is throw- ing mudpies at a bunch of circus clowns, who in turn are trying to clob- ber him with juggling clubs. It managed to hold my interest for near- ly three minutes. SUNDOG The Atari is a natural for games, and I have no doubt there'll be a flood of them. I expect to have a new-and- improved version of Star Raiders for the 520ST about the time you read this, and I already have Hippo's Back- gammon. There's also Sundog from FTL Games/Software Heaven (POB 112489, San Diego. CA 92111). The original version of this was written by BYTE's own Bruce Webster for the Apple II. Sundog is played entirely with the mouse, but it is really a game of strategy; there are very few games like it. Parts of it resemble the Infocom strategy games, yet there are arcade- like features as well. A story goes with it: a naive young chap— the story makes him male, but I suppose it wouldn't be hard for a female player to identify with the character— inherits a cargo spaceship, some bank accounts, and a contract to deliver a lot of stuff to a newly forming colony. The ship is in terrible shape. The new owner has never piloted a ship before and knows nothing of the interstellar trading business. Yet there certainly isn't enough money to repair and fuel the ship, eat, and fulfill the contract. This is on-the-job training with a ven- geance. The rule book tells you this and shows you some of the mechanics of operating the game; the rest is up to you. This is perfectly in keeping with the scenario. You're supposed to ex- periment to find out more. You can use the mouse to move your charac- ter out of the spaceship and into town, where you can go into stores for spare parts; bars for food, beer, and information; the goods exchange; and other places. So far, so good. Unfortunately, Sundog was ported over from the Apple II with very little change, and that creates a problem. It was a real accomplishment to put Sundog on the Apple. Each time you enter a new kind of building or move the ship to a different area, an overlay program is read in from disk. That disk was full. Bruce tells me that in some of the action scenes he was struggling to save bytes— not kilo- bytes, but bytes— to make it work. Sundog on the Apple II was so im- pressive in comparison to anything remotely like it that you were ready to forgive it a very great deal. That's not true on the Atari 520ST. For example: the only way to tell what's in a building is to go inside. Some buildings can't be entered, but you don't know that until you try. Other buildings are extremely impor- tant, but you don't know what they are until you enter them; there are no signs outside. Once inside, you can in- teract with the characters you meet, but you must wait for information to be volunteered (if it ever is); you can't ask for it because there is no way to say anything that isn't offered on dialogue menus that pop up from time to time. The story line in the rule book leads you to think you'll learn about trade goods in bars; but all I ever got was people offering to sell me what appeared to be narcotics. The only thing to eat, even on inter- stellar trips, is burgers, which can only be bought one at a time in bars. (You can buy beer, but you'll be much bet- ter off not to; Sundog seems to have been programmed by members of the WCTU.) The game doesn't tell you this; I spent a couple of hours look- ing for a grocery store, or ship's chandlery or any place that would sell me a sack of potatoes or vitamin pills; but no, burgers are all you. get. . . Meanwhile, the cities have the strangest police I ever heard of. If you park illegally, you will instantly be ticketed and fined (your vehicle is locked up until you pay), but if you walk about the town, you are certain to get mugged. You can try to shoot your way out of mugging situations. This is where the arcade aspects of the game come in. If you survive, there's not only no necessity to call the police, there's no possibility of it, nor can you aid the wounded mug- gers; you simply leave them lay. All this is trivially irritating; but what will drive you crazy is that although you are supposed to have a starship, {continued) 320 BYTE • MAY 1986 RUSH POSTAGE-PAID CARD FOR YOUR FREE CATALOG • COMPUTER ELECTRONICS training prepares you to service and repair all computers as you build your own 16-bit IBM PC compatible computer. Total system program includes disk drive, test equipment, bundled sottware, and NRI Discovery Lab. • TV/VIDEO/AUDIO SERVICING includes training with 27" color TV, with built-in stereo decoder, • SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS training gives you the skills to service both commercial and consumer satellite earth station equipment as you assemble your own home satellite TV system. • ROBOTICS training features remote-controlled mobile pro- grammable robot you build, experiment with, and keep along with other test equipment. • INDUSTRIAL ELECTRONICS training prepares you to service and maintain computer-controlled industrial systems. Training includes color computer, disk drive, exclusive NRI training software, and NRI Discovery Lab. CHECK &ONE D Computer Electronics D TV/Video/Audio Servicing D Satellite Communications □ Robotics D Data Communications D Industrial Electronics D Communications Electronics D Electronic Design Technology CH Telephone Servicing D Digital Electronics D Basic Electronics Q Bookkeepings Accounting D Appliance Servicing D Small Engine Servicing D Air Conditioning, Heating, Refrigeration, & Solar Technology D Locksmithing & Electronic Security D Building Construction & Remodeling D Automotive Servicing Accredited by the National Home Study Council 170-056 For career courses approved under G.I. Bill Q Check for details. BUSINESS REPLY MAIL FIRST CLASS MAIL PERMIT NO. 10008 WASHINGTON, D.C. POSTAGE WILL BE PAID BY ADDRESSEE NRI Schools McGraw Hill Continuing Education Center 3939 Wisconsin Avenue Washington, D.C. 20016-9973 NO POSTAGE NECESSARY IF MAILED IN THE UNITED STATES I. .I. III. nil II, II.. I, I..I. I, ,l,„ lull. ..II. I Train for the Fastest Growing Job Skill in America Only NRI teaches you to service and repair all computers as you build your own 16-bit IBM-compatible micro Now that computers are firmly established in offices— and in homes, too— the demand for trained com- puter service technicians surges for- ward. The Department of Labor estimates that computer ser- vice jobs will actually double *"* in the next ten years— a faster growth rate than any other occupation. Total systems training No computer stands alone . . . it's part of a total system. And if you want to learn to service and repair com- puters, you have to under- stand computer systems. Only NRI includes a powerful computer system as part of your training, centered around.the IBM-compatible Sanyo 550 Series computer. 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M MAY 1986 -BYTE 321 CHAOS MANOR you do not have available to you a computer as powerful as the one on which you're playing the game. That is: when you travel to foreign cities and enter the exchange, you see a bunch of price quotes. This is vital in- formation; but the only way to preserve it is to write it down with pencil and paper. (Or drag another computer over and record on it! I swear I was tempted to set up a SuperCalc spreadsheet on Big Kat and record the Sundog information on that, until sanity prevailed.) 1 can understand the necessity for a physical visit to a city to find out its prices, but I would imagine that any computer capable of interstellar navigation would be able to remem- ber prices I have already seen and where I saw them. Sundog is potentially as interesting ATRON BUGBUSTERS GREASE BORLAND LIGHTNING "/// were starting a software company again, from scratch, Atron's AT PROBE™ would be among my very first investments. Without Atron's hardware-assisted, software debugging technology, the flash of Turbo Lightning™ would be a light-year away'.' Philippe Kahn, President, Borland ■ ****** ^V * m^sssF^st^ssi WALL STR! HOW BORLAND DOES SO MUCH, SO WELL, SO FAST We asked Borland International president Philippe Kahn to share his secrets for rapidly taking a good idea and turning it into rock-solid reality. How does the Borland team do so much, so well, so fast? He begins , "I remember when Atron used the June 24, 1985 Wall Street Journal chart of top-selling software in an ad!' [Note: At that time, seven of the top ten software packages were created by Atron cus- tomers; it's now now nine out of ten.] "Side- Kick was number four, and I let Atron quote me in saying that there wouldn't have been a SideKick without Atron's hardware- assisted debuggers. "You might say light- ning has literally struck again. Turbo Lightning made number four on SoftSel's Hotlist within weeks of its introduction! And again, I say we couldn't have done it without Atron debugging technology. "Cleverly written code is, by definition tight, recur- sive, and terribly complex^ he continues. "Without the ability to externally track the execution of this code, competent debugging becomes very nearly impossible!' Concludes Philippe, "And after Turbo Lightning was solid and reliable, Atron tuning software turned our Probes into performance analyzers. How do you think we greased our lightning?" Philippe, along with a couple million or so of your satisfied customers, we say congratulations on yet another best-selling product. We can't wait to see what awesomely useful technology will come shooting out of Borland International next. 20665 Fourth Street • Saratoga, CA 95070 • 408/741-5900 Copyright © 1985 by Alron Corp. PC PROBE" and AT PROBE" Atron. SideKick'" andTurho Lightning" Borland International. Inc.. Adv. by TRBA, 4O8/25H.2708. HOW BUGBUSTERS KEEP YOU FROM GETTING SLIMED The AT PROBE is a circuit board that plugs into your PC/AT. It has an umbilical which plugs into the 80287 socket and monitors all 80286 activity. Since AT PROBE can trace program execution in real time, and display the last 2048 memory cycles in symbolic or source-code form, you can easily answer the questions: "How did I get here?" and "What are those silly interrupts doing?" It can solve spooky debugging problems. Like finding where your program over- writes memory or I/O - impossible with soft- ware debuggers. You can even do source-level debugging in your favorite lan- guage, like C, Pascal or assembler. And after your application is debugged, the AT PROBE's performance measurement software can isolate perfor- mance bottlenecks. Finally, the AT PROBE has its own 1- MByte of mem- ory. Hidden and write-protected. How else could you develop that really large program, where the symbol table would otherwise take up most of memory. LOOK AT IT THIS WAY. History shows that non-Atron customers don't stand a very good chance of making the Top Ten list. Lightning really does have a way of striking twice! The PC PROBE™ is $1595 and the AT PROBE is $2495. So call Atron today. You can be busting some really scarey bugs tomorrow. And maybe, just like Borland, you can also bust some records. THE DEBUGGER COMPANY as any game I ever played; but I kept running into gotchas, and eventually I put it away. The graphics are great, and the idea behind the game is ter- rific. I just wish they'd rewrite it to take advantage of the Atari 520ST's speed and power. Faults I can overlook in Apple II games are glaringly obvious on the Atari. A Whole Bunch of Stuff This is getting to be a regular feature. We always get more stuff than we can write about, and much of it is pretty nifty. I've covered my desk with de- serving software; now to try to work through as much as possible. Fact Cruncher Persistence pays. For more than a year I've been getting copies of a program called Fact Cruncher, which 1 assumed to be a database. It always got put in the "yet another" stack. Meanwhile, Infostructures (POB 32617, TUcson. AZ 857 51) kept sending more copies, until the pile threatened to fall over. "All right," I thought. "I'll look at it." I'm glad I did. In the first place, Fact Cruncher isn't a database at all. It's a dual-window outline processor with a pretty good built-in text editor. It has features you won't find in ThinMknk, isn't copy-protected, is slightly less than $100, and comes with a really neat set of demonstration programs and tutorials. It does charts and other hierarchical symbolic representations as well as more conventional outlines with the ability to hide or display details. The multiwindow feature is very nice, there's a good help utility, and the whole thing is remarkably easy to use. Fact Cruncher has gone onto Big Kat's hard disk and may well become one of the regulars here, in which case you'll hear more about it. Meanwhile, write them for a $9.95 (refundable) demo disk. Formula/One This is another program I've ne- glected, largely because I haven't had a recent need for heavy-duty number crunching. Formula/One from ALloy Computer Products is a darned good math program that will handle most (continued) 322 BYTE- MAY 1986 Inquiry 29 XEROX 25%Off Xerox Performer Series Diskettes. TeamXerox We're cutting comers on our new floppy disks. In fact, from now until June 30th, 1986, they're 25% off. And you can get as many packages as you'd like. What we didn't cut corners on was quality. Our floppies meet or exceed all specifications of the American National Stan- dards Institute. They are com- patible with virtually any PC and we're so sure of their perform- ance, we guarantee them for a 100% error-free life. You can order our 5 l A double- sided/double-density diskettes for your IBM compatible PC (Order #8R2482). FOR MORE INFORMATION ON XEROX FLOPPY DISKS. CIRCLE 394 ON THE READER SERVICE CARD. Or our 5 { A single-sided/ double-density floppies for Apple PC's and Xerox Memory- writer electronic typewriters (Order #8R2481). Both types come ten per pack. So call 1-800-822-2200, Dept 72 and give the order number. Either way, you get more than a square deal. XEROX® is a trademark of XEROX CORPORATION. MAY 1986 'BYTE 323 CHAOS MANOR of the math problems you might en- counter, from fairly simple algebra and simultaneous equations to a multiple-regression analysis. The in- structions on using it are pretty sim- ple, provided that you have an idea of what you're doing. If you don't know what roots, polynomials, and exponential functions are, you might still be able to make use of Formula/ One— some of its examples are fairly explicit— but you'll be handicapped. Formula/One is certainly a profes- sional-level product, but I suspect even more copies will be sold to students. My oldest boy, who went into computer science and engineer- ing, would have profited from this more than Frank, who's more inter- ested in business. On the other hand, financial analysts also need good mathematical tools. In the past, peo- ple with an M.B.A. didn't have to be much concerned with integrals and derivatives of a polynomial, but that's changing rapidly, and it's probably just as well. When I was in the strategic analysis business, I found that although the sophisticated math- ematical models used by some of McNamara's whiz kids weren't of much use, they impressed the day- lights out of people who didn't under- stand them. The country would have been a great deal better off if more people in the Pentagon had been able to get at the assumptions behind those cost-effectiveness incantations. Formula/One uses explicit "sheets" and "lists" that can be printed out to show precisely what is going on. I like it, but it's a pity they charge so much, F(z) This program graphs real and com- plex functions, including logs, on a PCompatible. The program descrip- tion says. "It is primarily intended for the student in a first-year course; however, the instructor will also find the program useful because of its capabilities in preparing written and classroom presentations." It doesn't say F(z) was written by a mathematics teacher, but I would bet a reasonable sum that it was. F(z) needs a color-graphics card. The program was written by Martin Lapidus and is distributed by Lescaux Graphics (3220 Steuben Ave., Bronx, NY 10467). The documentation is terse but adequate, provided that you know something about the functions of a complex variable. If I were tak- ing or teaching such a course and had a PC, I'd want this program. SCREENSHOOTER Another gadget I have too long neglected is Screenshooter f rom NPC Photo Division. This consists of a hood, mounts, and a modified Polaroid 600 camera. There is also a 3 5mm camera bracket and extension tube and complete instructions. It fits onto an IBM PC monitor and lets you take shots of the screen; these can then be put into books, turned into slides or viewgraphs, or used any way you need them. Screenshooter is a neat idea, simple to set up, simple to use. Recommended; if you need this, you need it bad, Art Studio Spectrum HoloByte is the outfit that brought you Gato. If you don't know Gato, you don't know what you're missing; Gato was a class of sub- marine in World War II, and if you like subs, you'll like Gato. Since my review of Gato, I have gotten a number of let- ters from former and current sub- mariners who also like it. Spectrum HoloByte has a new pro- gram, Art Studio, which is a sort of MacPaint for PCompatibles; except, of course, Art Studio is for color systems. It works with or without mouse and/or tablet, although I think it wouldn't be much fun without one or the other; drawing pictures using the cursor ar- rows would be tedious. Art Studio is a lot of fun, and, used with Screenshooter, it can be valuable for generating charts, displays, and the like. I wish I'd had Art Studio, Fact Cruncher, Formula/One, SuperCalc, Mass Erases UV EPROMS: $149 14 DAY FREE TRIAL OFFER ULTRALITE— an efficient and fast EPROM eraser suitable for production or development applications. *Mass erase 50 EPROMs or a single PC board 10"x8"xT 'Control erase time with a variable, up to 60-minute, auto- shutoff timer *Saf ety interlock Other erasers— $50 to $125 Compare features, compare price; then make the Logical choice ITS LOGICAL For details, write or call: 1321 NW 65th Place, Fort Lauderdale, fl 33309; (305) 974-0975; toll free 800-EE1-PROM; TELEX 383142 LOGICAL DEVICES, INC 324 BYTE ' MAY I986 Inquiry 203 CHAOS MANOR and Screenshooter back when I was the president of Pepperdine Research Institute; it sure would have been easier to write proposals. Time Line Another program I wish I'd had then is Time Line from Breakthrough Soft- ware. Time Line is yet another project- management system, but it has unique features. It wasn't written by a programmer, but rather by a project manager. It was written in Logitech's Modula-2, meaning that the program is, uh, modular, meaning that it's very easy for the folks at Breakthrough Software to add features and other- wise incorporate user suggestions— which they've done. I now have ver- sion 2.0— about the fourth version— but the changes weren't bug fixes as much as fundamental improvements. I've long said that languages like Modula-2 would bring about a revolu- tion in software because they make it possible for nonprogrammers to con- centrate on what they want the machine to do, rather than on how to make it do that. Time Line was writ- ten by a manager thoroughly familiar with Gant charts, earned-value analysis, and the like. The expertise and enthusiasm for the management tools show in Time Line's documents, which are a pretty good introduction to scientific management all by themselves. The Time Line documents claim that you can export Time Line schedules "directly to Lotus 1-2-3, Symphony, SuperCalc3, Multiplan, and dBASE II and III." I haven't tried that feature, but I have no doubt it's true. With any luck I'll never again have to manage big projects, but, just in case, I'm not only keeping Time Line, I'm sending in the registration card. WillWriter I confess I am not overly fond of lawyers and the legal profession. I keep wondering if there isn't some connection between the complexities of the law, the need for lawyers, and the fact that most politicians are lawyers. There may even be a conflict of interest. Some states have what can only be described as ghoulish laws that reward appraisers— inevitably lawyers appointed by other lawyers— with a percentage of nearly every estate, although they do little work for it. Given those complexities, it is im- possible for me adequately to review legal software, particularly software that generates wills. WillWriter from Legisoft/Nolo Press (950 Parker St., Berkeley, CA 94710) certainly works, in the sense that it generates a document that appears to be a will, and in the process asks you a great number of questions you might not have thought of. Given the cost of legal advice, I'd think that WillWriter would be worth the price just to generate a first draft if you don't have a very complex estate. T^ke that to an attorney and go from there. WillWriter claims to know some- thing about every state except Loui- siana; if you live there and buy Will- Writer, Nolo Press will refund your money. As you'd expect, there are no guarantees that wills generated by WillWriter will accomplish what you want, or indeed anything at all. The program isn't copy-protected. It has clear instructions— a whole book on the subject, which is itself worth reading if you don't know much about wills— and runs on both Apple II and PCompatible computers (floppy disk). Winding Down I'm done, and there's still an incredi- ble pile on my desk. Graphics pro- grams abound: Br0derbund's Print Shop, which lets you use PCom- patibles to create letterheads, cards, etc., probably doesn't need much of a boost from me. Fontasy from Pro- soft in North Hollywood— hmm, just down the hill— is a monochrome- screen font-and-art program for $49.95 that will go a long way toward letting you do with PCompatibles (and a good printer) most of what the {continued) The Advanced Programmer: $895 14 DAY FREE TRIAL OFFER PR0MPR0-8X— an advanced EPROM, EEPROM and Single Chip Micro programmer with a 5l2k-bit RAM buffer *Supports MOS, HMOS, and CMOS 2716 thru 27512 and most other available EE/EPROMs *RAM imageeditingvia keypad/ display in 8 or 16 bit word formats. *Mini-gang, set program two eproms simultaneously. *complete stand-Alone and RS-232 interface capability. Compare Features, compare price; then make the Logical choice IT'S LOGICAL For details, write or call: 1321 nw 65th Place, Fort Lauderdale, fl 33309; (305) 974-0975; toll free 800-EE1-PROM TELEX 383142 LOGICAL DEVICES, INC Inquiry 204 MAY 1986 -BYTE 325 CHAOS MANOR Items Discussed Amiga. starts at $1295 Conquest PC Board MacEnhancer .... $249 Commodore Business Machines Inc. from OK bytes $395 Microsoft 1200 Wilson Dr. to 2 megabytes $595 10700 Northup Way West Chester. PA 19380 Orchid Technology Inc. POB 97200 (215) 431-9100 47790 Westinghouse Dr. Bellevue, WA 98009 Fremont, CA 94 539 (800) 426-9400 Amiga Kaleidoscope (415) 490-8586 free with the Amiga Macintosh Electronic Arts DEGAS.. $39 95 512K bytes . . . . $1999 27 5 5 Campus Dr. Batteries Included Macintosh Plus San Mateo, CA 94403 30 Mural St 1 megabyte . . . $2599 (415) 571-7171 Richmond Hill, Ontario L4B IB5. Apple Computer Canada (416) 881-9941 2052 5 Mariani Ave. Art Studio (for IBM PC) $49.95 Gato Cupertino, CA 95014 (408) 973-2222 for Apple II and IBM PC. . $39.95 for Mac $49.95 Fontasy. $49.95 Prosoft 7248 Bellaire Ave.. POB 560 Mudpies (for Atari) Disk Utilities . . . $39.95 . . . .$39.95 Spectrum HoloByte Inc. Michtron Inc. 1050 Walnut. Suite 325 Boulder. CO 80302 North Hollywood. CA 91603 (818) 764-3131 576 South Telegraph Pontiac, Ml 48053 (303) 443-0191 (313) 334-5700 Atari 520ST starts at $799 Atari Corp. Formula/One $395 ALloy Computer Products Inc. SCREENSHOOTER NPC Photo Division $175 POB 61657 100 Pennsylvania Ave. 1238 Chestnut St Sunnyvale. CA 94089 Framingham, MA 01701 Newton, MA 02164 (408) 745-2000 (617) 875-6100 (617) 969-3487 Color Commander $3 59 Lattice C (for Amiga) $149.95 Time Line $495 Perma Power Electronics Inc. Lattice Inc. Breakthrough Software Corporation 5615 West Howard Ave. 22 West 600 Butterfield Rd. 505 San Marin Dr. Chicago, 1L 60648 Glen Ellyn, 1L 60137 Novate CA 94947 (312) 647-9414 (312) 858-7950 (415) 898-1919 Macintosh can do in the way of inte- grating drawings and text. Russell Schnapp's book and pro- gram disk, Macintosh Graphics in Modula-2 (Prentice-Hall Personal Com- puting Series), is a must for anyone using a Mac and Modula-2. | Editor's note: See also a review of the book on page 68. | Tons of examples, lots of source code, and all the secrets of hooking into QuickDraw with MacModula. Fair warning: don't try learning Modula-2 from this book. On the other hand, once you know the language fun- damentals, it's always a good idea to look at working source code, and there's plenty to look at here. The book of the month is Harry Rositzke's The KGB: The Eyes of Russia (Doubleday). Rositzke was in charge of countering KGB operations for a while and frankly admires what he calls "the world's best intelligence organization." My interest is a bit more mundane: my wife and I are writing an espionage romance/thriller. The gadget of the month is Perma Power's Color Commander, a box that sits between your PCompatible and a color monitor and painlessly changes colors, adds color to monochrome programs like word processors, and is so easy to set up that it wouldn't need documents. There's a full demon- stration disk furnished, but you can use the thing in seconds: just connect it, turn it on, and push buttons. Sim- ple, easy, and fun: and it would be the very thing to use with Screenshooter for making slides and charts. The game of the month is Sundog on the Atari 520ST Despite the frustrations, the darned game has a richness that I like. Maybe I will set up a SuperCalc spreadsheet for it. Next week Voyager encounters Uranus, and there's the usual En- counter party at Chaos Manor: about 30 science-fact-and-fiction writing col- leagues will be in town. We used to do this more often, until Proxmire convinced Congress that the country is better off with higher dairy prices than it would be with close-up pic- tures of the other planets. A lot of my friends from the L-5 Society will be in town, too. and I expect to have fun: meaning I'd better let my wife talk me into going back to bed. See you on BIX? ■ )erry Pournelle welcomes readers comments and opinions. Send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to )erry Pournelle, do BYTE Publica- tions, POB 372, Hancock, NH 03449. Please put your address on the letter as well as on the envelope. Due to the high volume of letters, )erry cannot guarantee a personal reply. 326 B YTE • MAY 1986 Data Defense ! with FastbacK Before your valuable data comes under fire from a hard disk crash, is annihilated due to an accidental reformat, or destroyed by any other frontal attacks, get FASTBACK. With FASTBACK, you can defend your valuable data from loss without spending a fortune on a clumsy tape backup system. For just $179, FASTBACK is the software backup utility that consistently outperforms tape systems costing $1000 to $2000 or more — on your present floppy disk drive. The best defense is a good offense. FASTBACK attacks the danger of data loss at its source: slow, hard-to-use backup procedures. Let's face it, if you have to spend hours to back up your full hard disk (as you do with the DOS "BACKUP" utility), you're not going to do it very often. But with FASTBACK you can back up a full 10 megabytes in just 8 minutes flat (4 minutes on the IBM PC-AT)! So you can back up every bit of data every day, without even missing a coffee break. But is it bullet-proof? We won't guarantee your backups will be bullet-proof, but we've stapled them, nailed them, and even punched a hole bigger than a .22 calibre slug right through one — without losing a single byte of data! FASTBACK's ad- vanced error-correction algorithms push safety to the very limits of human ingenuity. That's Data Defense! Be safe, not sorry. FASTBACK is fully self-contained, and works with any make or size hard disk running on any IBM™ PC or compatible (requires PC-DOS™ or MS-DOS™ version 2.0 or higher and at least one floppy disk drive). It is fully file-oriented (not a "disk image"), menu-driven and easy to use, with built-in safeguards that make it virtually "fool-proof". So get the safe solution, and get it fast. Get FASTBACK today __ Fifth - = Generation *■■»"- SYSTEMS 909 Electric Ave Suite 202, Seal Beach, CA, 90740: 7942 Picardy Ave Baton Rouge, LA, 70809; Tel : 1-800-225-2775 or (213) 493-4483 Marketing and Sales by CSSL, Inc. This product is in no way associated with or has origination in Fisher Scientific or Allied Corporation. IBM-PC, IBM-XT. IBM-AT and PC-DOS are registered trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation. MS-DOS is a registered trademark of Microsoft, Inc. Inquiry 1 34 for End-Users. Inquiry 13 5 for DEALERS ONLY. MAY 1986 • BYTE 327 GraphAx & AutoCAD . . . Real Time Zoom & Pan • 2048x1280 Drawing Buffer • 1024x768 Viewing "Window" • 3 Level Instant Zoom Real-Time Dynamic Panning Special Entity Highlight Toggle Between 4 pallets If you're using AutoCAD, you owe it to yourself to examine the expanded horizons offered through the GraphAx 20/20. Like other graphics adapters for the PC/XT/AT bus, GraphAx 20/20 gives AutoCAD a nice high resolution picture, 1024x768, about as high as any monitor you could find. The difference is that with the GraphAx, that image is your window onto a much larger world. GraphAx 20/20 And AUTOCAD... Get The Big Picture GOOD-BYE REDRAW The GraphAx hardware is designed specifically to op- timize productivity for Micro based CAD programs like AutoCAD, and gives you a virtual drawing space that is 2048x1280, large enough to hold a "D" size drawing at .01" resolution. This ex- panded area virtually elimi- nates the necessity to re- draw simply to move to another area of the drawing. The viewing window pans and scans effortlessly over the entire drawing space — in real time! Just so you'll always know where you are, the GraphAx 20/20 keeps a reduced view of the entire drawing up- dated and available at the flick of a function key. In fact, there are three levels of instantaneous hardware zoom. You can work on the big picture or edit the small- est detail in 16 brilliant col- ors, and you don't have to redraw to do it! THE ENSIGN IMAGE A graphics processor as powerful as the GraphAx 20/20 deserves a monitor to match. The Ensign 19" high resolution monitor from ACS is just such a beast. It's bright high resolution dis- play is the perfect comple- ment to the GraphAx, and its optional tilt table will allow you to position it for max- imum user comfort. For a limited time, ACS is offering special pricing on the Ensign/GraphAx com- bination. Ask your dealer for details or call: ACS International, Inc. 2105 Luna Rd. Suite 330 Carrollton, TX 75006 214-247-5151 TELEX 709 748 ACS UD AutoCAD is a trademark of Autodesk. IBM PC/XT/AT is a trademark of IBM. Inquiry 5 BYTE/M-PAN ^ ^ An Innovative Program by William M. Raike With the exception of Japa- nese-language word-process- ing programs and some games, few innovative pro- CtW grams are developed here in Japan. However, I'm devoting this month's column to EM/3 + , one of the most useful software products I've bought in a long time. EM/3 + was developed in )apan by Megasoft. a company that makes ex- pansion boards and accessories for NEC personal computers, as well as a variety of software products. EM/3 + from Megasoft Megasoft advertises EM/3 + (in Japa- nese) as an 'operating-system unifica- tion adapter." It's not a revolutionary idea, but it's a system that has several useful capabilities. Essentially, EM/3 + is a set of programs that runs under MS-DOS (version 2.11); it lets you run most CP/M-86 and CP/M-80 applica- tion programs unchanged and allows you to read and write floppy disks in any of the three most common MS- DOS formats and in any of about two dozen common CP/M formats. It will also let you define your own set of disk parameters for machines whose floppy-disk formats aren't in- cluded with the basic package. Last but not least, the Fujitsu version cor- rects some known bugs in Fujitsu's version of Japanese-language MS- DOS, which gets only lackluster sup- port from Fujitsu and has poor docu- mentation. I bought the latest version of EM/3 + for my Fujitsu FM-16/3 at the same time that a friend of mine bought a version for his NEC PC-9801 VM2. The system is available for several other lapanese personal computers, but the NEC PC-9801 family and the Fujitsu FM-16/3 cover the lion's share of the lapanese 16-bit computer market. EM/ 3+ is operating-system unification adapter that gives you several useful capabilities EM/3 + works similarly on both machines, with only minor dif- ferences. The Dilemma The program costs about $400, but as far as I'm concerned its capabilities make it worth several times its price. Here in Japan, the most common and well-known operating systems are CP/M-86 (for 16-bit computers) and CP/M-80 (for 8-bit computers). Despite the many advantages of MS-DOS over CP/M-86, the main lapanese com- puter manufacturers were slow in in- troducing Japanese-language versions of MS-DOS for their computers, and most applications software products, including word processors, spread- sheets, and the like, were developed first for the CP/M-86 operating system. The reason for all of this is that the IBM PC never had much impact in Japan, and there has been no stimulus to produce IBM PC-compatible ma- chines here for the domestic market. Consequently, no major forces pushed first-time computer users and buyers into becoming familiar with MS-DOS (or PC-DOS). Lots of people (myself included) who already own high-performance personal computers running under CP/M-86 were interested in switching over to MS-DOS systems despite lukewarm support from the vendors. The problem was that, after years of living with CP/M-80 and CP/M-86, I had accumulated a substan- tial software library. I pur- chased some of it and devel- oped the rest myself, but either way it represents a large investment in time and money. It would have been hard to justify a conversion to MS-DOS if it meant aban- doning my entire library. A Solution Essentially, EM/3+ lets me have the best of both worlds. Now that I've in- stalled it and learned how to use it. most of the CP/M-86 software I've used for the last few years continues to work just fine. Furthermore, I'm having a terrific time discovering how I/O redirection, pipes, batch files, hierarchical directories, path names, time- and date-stamped files, and lots of other MS-DOS features can simplify my work and save me time. Among the CP/M-86 applications that work perfectly are virtually all of my home- grown text post-processing utilities and WordStar, which I use daily for correspondence, high-volume typing, and program text editing. I'll admit it did take a little effort to get WordStar to work. The original version included a call to a terminal- initialization routine (which assigns new definitions to the programmed function keys) that, in turn, used a [continued] William M. Raike. who has a Ph.D. in ap- plied mathematics from Northwestern Univer- sity, has taught operations research and com- puter science in Austin, Texas, and Monterey. California. We holds a patent on a voice scrambler and was formerly an officer of Cryptext Corporation in the United States. \n 1980, he went to \apan looking for 64K- bit RAMs. We has been there ever since as a technical translator and a software developer. We can be contacted do BYTE, POB 372, Hancock. NH 03449. MAY 1986 -BYTE 329 BYTE JAPAN EM/ 3+ doesn't care which disk the program is on. software interrupt that Fujitsu (to my annoyance) doesn't support under its version of MS-DOS. A quick reinstalla- tion of WordStar to replace the call to that routine with a no-op (no opera- tion) instruction cured the problem. Turbo Pascal My CP/M-86 version of TUrbo Pascal worked immediately under MS-DOS and EM/3 + . That was fortunate, since I discovered that ZCOM. the all- purpose workhorse communications program I wrote in C, didn't work, and Digital Research's C compiler didn't work either. It didn't take long to com- pletely upgrade and rewrite ZCOM in TUrbo Pascal; it's now a lot simpler and smaller. That ZCOM would fail to work under MS-DOS was a foregone conclusion. The only way to write a generic CP/M-86 terminal program is to juggle the IOBYTE to sense both the console status and the auxiliary device (RS-232C port) status, whereas MS-DOS has an operating system function call (function number 44H) that provides auxiliary device status and control information directly. If DRI's C compiler had worked, I could have rewritten the port status routine in minutes, but I ended up at home over the New Year holiday with no 16-bit C compiler, so a TUrbo Pascal version was the only way to go. Some- day soon I'm going to buy a C com- piler that runs under MS-DOS, but in the meantime TUrbo works like a dream. And it gave me access to the MS-DOS function calls (through its Intr( ) function) when I needed them. Besides, I'd been less than overjoyed with DRI's cumbersome C compiler; now I've got an excuse to look for something better. Still on the subject of Tlirbo Pascal, last month I picked up a copy of Borland's TUrbo Editor Toolbox. It came on a couple of disks recorded in IBM PC format; after converting to the MS-DOS (and EM/3 + ) environ- ment, I powered up my Fujitsu and was able to immediately read the IBM PC disks and load the files onto the hard disk. Well, would you believe almost immediately? It took about an hour of plowing through the EM/3 + manual (which is excellent) and the Fujitsu MS-DOS documentation (which is not) before I discovered how to change modes back and forth be- tween the normal 1.2-megabyte floppy-disk format (a nice added benefit; I only had 1 megabyte per disk under CP/M-86) and 640K-byte and 320K-byte (IBM PC) formats. I still hope to implement that editor on the FM-16/3; unfortunately, the screen routines depend heavily on the IBM PC's memory-mapped screen, so I'm going to postpone that project until I can get some technical information from Fujitsu, ludging from past ex- perience, though, that may take a while. Many Formats Possible EM/3+ supports my hard disk and RAM disk, along with the single floppy-disk drive in my computer. For now, the hard disk is allocated to drive A, the floppy-disk drive is allocated to drive B, and the RAM disk is drive C EM/3+ gets tricky in the way it handles disks recorded in CP/M for- mats. The program supplies an addi- tional device driver, installed in MS- DOS through the CONFIG.SYS file; that driver handles the floppy-disk drive as drive D and assumes that the floppy disk is a CP/M disk. The result is that, to copy files from my old flop- py disks (recorded in 1 -megabyte CP/M-86 format) to my hard disk, all I have to do is put the disk into the drive and type the command COPY D:*.* A:. Files on drive D are 'as- sumed to be CP/M-86 files and are ac- cessible to the operating system or to any applications program inter- a message to our subscribers From time to time we make the BYTE subscriber list available to other companies who wish to send our subscribers material about their products. We take great care to screen these companies, choosing only those who are reputable, and whose products, services, or information we feel would be of interest to you. Direct mail is an efficient medium for presenting the latest personal computer goods and services to our subscribers. Many BYTE subscribers appreciate this controlled use of our mailing list, and look forward to finding information of interest to them in the mail. Used sre our subscribers' names and addresses only (no other information we may have is ever given] . While we believe the distribution of this information is of benefit to our subscribers, we firmly respect the wishes of any subscriber who does not want to receive such promotional literature. Should you wish to restrict the use of your name, simply send your request to the following address. BYTE Magazine Attn: Circulation Department One Phoenix Mill Lane Peterborough NH 03458 lik 330 BYTE* MAY 1986 BYTE JAPAN changeably with MS-DOS files. If I want to read or write disks in a CP/M format for another machine, a simple menu-driven EM/3+ utility lets me select the format for the machine I want. After I reboot— presto! So far, I've read and written disks recorded in Fujitsu, NEC and Sanyo CP/M for- mats, in addition to 1.2 -megabyte and 640K-byte MS-DOS and PC-DOS formats. When I want to run a CP/M-86 pro- gram. EM/3+ doesn't care which disk the program is on. Since I've copied TURBO.CMD onto my hard disk, drive A. when I want to run Uirbo Pascal I simply type TURBO, and EM/3 + automatically senses that it's a CP/M-86 .CMD file (instead of an MS- DOS .COM or .EXE file) and executes it appropriately in a CP/M-86 environ- ment. EM/3+ takes care of all the details of interfacing between MS- DOS and applications-program BDOS calls (CP/M-86 operating-system func- tion calls). There are a few exceptions; programs that use direct BIOS calls from CP/M don't always work, nor do programs that read or manipulate the CP/M disk-parameter blocks directly instead of going through the operat- ing system. By the way, Megasoft clearly states these exceptions in its advertising. My last computer was also a Fujitsu— the FM-11BS model. 1 had in- stalled a Z80 card in that machine to be able to run some of my still-older CP/M-80 software, like the Software Toolworks C/80 C compiler and Micro- soft's Multiplan. Since EM/3+ in- cludes a Z80 emulator program, I've found that I have access to my old CP/M-80 software too, an advantage I thought I'd given up when I bought my present computer. The version of EM/3+ that Megasoft distributes for the Fujitsu FM-16/3 handles Z80 emulation in software. As a result, on my 8-megahertz 80186 processor, EM/3+ executes 8-bit Z80 emulation software at an equivalent clock rate of about 1.5 MHz, which is fairly slow; most Z80 systems run at at least 4 MHz. That is. 8-bit software runs about as fast as it would on a Z80 pro- cessor running at 1.5 MHz. The NEC PC-9801VM2 version of EM/3+ can use the ability of the V30 micropro- cessor in that machine to execute 8-bit machine instructions directly in hardware, so it's much faster when running CP/M-80 software. Compatibility Reigns As far as I'm concerned, the ability to run MS-DOS, CP/M-86, and CP/M-80 software on a single machine is worth every bit of the cost of EM/3+. I would have spent at least that much replacing all my old software with MS- DOS versions, not counting the time it would take to convert or redevelop my existing software. The ability to read so many disk for- mats interchangeably is going to save me endless hassles, too. In the past, whenever I've wanted to order soft- ware from U.S. companies by mail, in- compatible disk formats were a ma- [continued) Lattice 9 Works RPG COMPILER FOR IBM PC The new Lattice RPG II compiler is ideally suited for creating commercial applications for MS-DOS. Allow your current RPG II programmers to be productive on MS-DOS. The Lattice RPG II compiler is compat- ible with System III, System/34 and /36 RPG II compilers, it uses ASCII files and MS-DOS command language, plus has ISAM compatibility with dBASE III. $750.00 and no run time fees. VERSION 3 OF THE LATTICE MS-DOS C COMPILER IS NOW AVAILABLE. This is a major upgrade of the product and is available to registered users for a $45 update fee. Non-registered $60. The list price remains $500. New compiler features include: • ANSI language constructs. . . "unsigned" as a modifier "void" data type "enum" data type structure assignments, arguments, and returns argument type checking • Inline code 8087180287 80186/80286 • Code generation The compiler also contains numerous improvements such as Lattice (312)858-7950 TWX 910-291-2190 INTERNATIONAL SALES OFFICES; Benelux: De Vooglu. (32)-2-720-91-28. Japan: Lifeboat Inc. (03) 293-4711 England: Roundhill. (0672) 54675 France: SFL (1)46-66-11-55 Germany: (49) 7841/4500 (49) 8946/4613-290 better aliasing algorithms, more efficient code generation, and more flexible segmentation. The library includes more than 200 new functions in the following categories: • ANSI/ UNIX/XENIX compatibility • Extended support for MS-DOS • Extended support for networking, including file sharing, file locking, and I/O redirection • Flexible error handling via user traps and exits The Library has also been re-engineered to produce much smaller executables. LATTICE ANNOUNCES NEW DATA ENCRYPTION SOFTWARE Now you can keep your confidential data confidential. Thanks to new SecretDisk, a new data encryption system for IBM PC, XT, AT and compatibles. Utilizing the NBS Data Encryption Standard, SecretDisk provides complete security for salaries, customer lists, or other sensitive information stored on a floppy or hard disk. SecretDisk is loaded as a disk driver by MS-DOS. It creates new DOS drives (like D:) on floppy or hard disks where all data and programs are always fully encrypted. SecretDisk is extremely easy to use. A password is entered when the system is booted, and protection can be switched on and off with a single password controlled command line. However, without the password, there is no way to access the encrypted files. $59-95. Contact Lattice, to discuss your programming needs. Lattice provides C compilers and cross compilers for many environments including Tandy, Sony, Hewlett- Packard, Tandem, and IBM Mainframe. Corporate license agreements available. Inquiry 199 MAY 1986 -BYTE 331 RUNS 3 TO 6 TIMES FASTER THAN A PC XT HARD DISK Removable Winchester Hard Disk Drives for PC's Are Here • HANG 10/20 • SLOT 10/20™ TM SLOT DRIVE 10/20 FLEXI-DRIVE 10™ TM HANG 10/20 -Hang 10 or even 20 megabytes zns/de your PC. Just plug it in and hang thedriveof f the front. That's it! Use standard DOS 2.0/3.0 com- mands. Mo switchesto set. Will boot up as a "C" drive. You can turn your PC into an XT and keep your 2 floppies. Hang 10- List Price $ 899 Hang 20 - List Price $1199 COMPLETE SUBSYSTEM SLOT 1 0/20 - A 10 or 20 megabyte hard disk, completely self-contained. Installs in any open PC or compatible bus slot, in less than a minute. Mo special software required. COMPLETE SUBSYSTEM Slot 10- List Price $ 999 Slot 20 - List Price $1399 SLOT DRIVE 10/20 - A high speed removable and transportable self- contained hard disk drive enclosed in a compact case for internal and external connection to a PC or compatible bus slot. Pop it in and pop it out. Take it anywhere. Lock it up or send it around the world. It can take a 60g shock if dropped while not operating. You can put several in a briefcase. TRANSPORTABLE COMPLETE Slot Drive 10 - List Price $1099 SUBSYSTEM Slot Drive 20 - List Price $ 1499 FLEXI— DRIVE - The ultimate Winchester storage device. Full 10 megabyte capacity. A true high speed hard disk, not just a back-up tape. Just change the cartridge. Fifty second recycle time. Remove it - store it - mail it - lock it in the vault. Flexi-Drive Only - List Price $ 1599 Removable Disk Cartridge - List Price $ 169 HI SPEED SMART CONTROLLER LIST PRICE $299 DATA BOX 10 - A 10 megabyte Flexi-Drive. The perfect add-on subsystem for the PC/XT and other hard drive compatibles. High speed backup. True full Winchester operation. Plug in our controller, attach the drives, and you have a fast, flexible subsystem with unlimited storage capacity. Ideal add-on for Tandy, Leading Edge, Sperry, AT&T, and ITT. All subsystems are complete with controller and cables. Data Box 10- List Price $2199 DATA BOX 20 - A dual drive subsystem. The ultimate peripheral for your computer system. Available with 2 Flexi-Drives, or 1 Flexi-Drive with a 10 or 20 megabyte hard disk. Complete with surge protector, 6 accessory outlets, and an 8-switch command center. All subsystems are complete with controller and cables. Data Box 20 w/dual Flexi-Drive - List Price $3299 Data Box 20 w/Flexi-Drive & 20 mb hard disk - List Price $2999 DDDDDOI DEALERS AND DISTRIBUTORS WANTED OUR PRODUCTS WERE THE HIT OF THE NCC '85 SHOW. WE NEED QUALITY DEALERS AND DISTRIBUTORS TO SELL, SERVICE, AND SUPPORT OUR CUSTOMERS. — WE ARE SHIPPING ALL PRODUCTS Order Today! — GENEROUS DISCOUNT STRUCTURE — DATA ZONE, Inc. 7136 OWENSMOGTH AVE., CANOGA PARK, CA 91303 (818) 704-4955 332 BYTE- MAY 1986 Inquiry 109 BYTE JAPAN jor obstacle; naturally enough, soft- ware distributors had never heard of my computer. Now 1 can order (and cross-develop) software without worrying about how to convert be- tween various disk formats, a task that's been a pain in the neck until now. Finally, the implementation of EM/3 + for my computer corrects several bugs in Fujitsu's MS-DOS im- plementation. The main one was a problem in the keyboard driver rou- tine supplied with Fujitsu's version of MS-DOS. somehow related to the lapanese-language kanji input func- tions; it was impossible to enter a Control-R or Control-Q from the key- board. Fortunately, EM/3+ provides a fix for this, which otherwise would have been an intolerable problem. Apparently, Fujitsu has made no ef- fort thus far to correct the problem, although it may do so in the next release of the operating system. I was unaware of the problem when I bought Fujitsu's MS-DOS prior to get- ting EM/3+ up and running. I have since found out that the problem has been pointed out in magazine articles here. Documentation and Availability EM/3 + is well documented. The 90-page manual, in Japanese, gives detailed procedures for using all the system's capabilities, and it is written clearly, concisely, and logically. Fur- thermore, the software appears to do absolutely everything Megasoft claims it will do, and does it easily, quickly, and conveniently. I'm delighted with it. Unfortunately, Megasoft does not have plans to implement EM/3 + for non-japanese computers, and the company says it really isn't set up to handle orders or inquiries unless they're in Japanese. It looks as if you'll have to be fluent in Japanese or know someone who is to be able to order EM/3 + . Next Month In June, my conversion process con- tinues as I add a modem and C com- piler to my setup. But it's not without its setbacks. . . ■ LIFETIME WARRANTY I 3M KEYBOARD STATIC STRIP 95 14 1 51" SSide DDen. DSide DDen. SSide 96tpi D Side 96tpi HIGH Den- Disks 795 1225 1645 20?5 2395 8" Disks 1595 19« SSide SDen. SSide DDen. D Side DDen. 2095 ALSO AVAILABLE 32 Sectors, 1024 FM, MlCOM,CPT,WANG LANIER, DEC RX5Q, 35"Disks 1655 235-5 SSide I35tpi DSide 135tpi Data Cartridges DC100A ■ DC300A • ,, DC300XL-Pnll DC600A DC1000 Old Reliable — JJ^ Di«icette3* uoimecuor * Delaware J:}00;451;1849 * Oklahoma Ij ipO 654 4058 * Nevada ' 1 -add-B 2T- 62 21 TERMS'. Mm.mum20disks or *35W — VISA or MasterCard accepted COD orders add 2«> (or special handling SHIPPING: 3*, a 5^ (Diskettes. Add 3°? lor every 100 Diskettes or any Iraclion thereol. 8"Disketles. Add 4^ loi every 100 Disketlesor any traction ihereol We ship UPS; orders requiring other delivery methods add shipping plus 2% ol total order 0— DISKETTES FACTORY SEALED IN PACKS OF TEN, WITH TYVEK SLEEVE, ID LABEL & WRITE PROTECT TABS. "LIFETIME WARRANTY" (No Manufacture Label or Pretty Boxl Single Side Double Side Double Density Double Density .54ea N .63ea Manufactured 100% by one of the BIG BOYS. IF you need a good Disk this is it. IF you need a name, we call them GOOD. ^ oid Reliable gg ~ * Delaware^ 1-800451 1849 U\ s kette-/-^ * 0kl ^¥lA mobsI .Toss UOftHeCUOff * Nevada J : iKB2]hB221 I TERMS'- Minimum 50 Diskettes. — VISA or MasterCard accepted I COO. orders add 2<& tor special handling SHIPPING^ 5ij Diskettes. | Add 3°-° lor every 100 Diskettes or any traction thereof We ship UPS: its requiring oiher delivery methods add shipping pius 2% ol loial gram \ferbatim DataLife®] LIFETIME WARRANTY GREAT QUALITY SUPER LOW COST 5>4 r 13 9 - 5 19 95 DBide 009-5 It £*) 26 9 - 5 SSide D Den. DSide DDen. SSide 96tpi 96tpi High Den. S-Side SDen. S-Side DDen. DSide DDen. 1655 1995 2055 Digital Cassettes 3V 1/Side 2/Side 18^-25 5 - 5 HEAD CLEANERS 5V'Kit 4 9 - 5 5V'Refills-8 9 - 5 8"Kits — 5 2 -° 8"Refills— 8^- 5 Old Reliable —55- DislcetteT^ uowiecuoif * Delaware J;800;451;1849 * Oklahomal^ir6STo°58 * Nnrada" VB0Q-62T- 6221 TERMS". Minimum 20 disks or ^S^ VISA or MasterCard accepted COO. orders add 2 1 * 5 lor special handling SHIPPING* 3'^'s 5^ Diskettes. Add 3* for every 100 Diskettes or any traction thereof 8" Diskettes. Add 4*P tor every 100 Diskettes or any fraction thereol We ship UPS: orders delivery methods add shipping, plus 2% ol total order WDv LIFETIME ^CORPORATION* WARRANTY >san 5VDISKS 13 95 18 95 2295 29* 5 37»5 DSide DDen, SSide 96tpi DSide 96tpi HIGH DEN. 3V DISKS 23 SSide I35tpi 95 8 DISKS MM 2195 2695 S-Side SDen. S-Side DOen. DSide DDen. Dysan. Interrogator I2|f Add 3QO Shipping PHEONIX 16meoCART 165 vs Add 6QPShipping Old Reliable Gonncciior * Delaware J ; 800 ; 451 : 1849 « Ok lahoma ° V8 00 654 4058 * Nevada "hOO-mT- 6221 TERMS"- MiriuTium 20 disks or S35<* VISA or MasterCard accepted COD orders add 2 t *> tor special handling SHIPPING 1 3' ? 4 5ij Diskettes Add 3* lor every 100 Diskettes or any traction thereof 8"Diskeltes Add 4"P foi every 100 Disketlesorany traction thereof We ship UPS orders .— requiring other deliverymethods aod Shipping, plus 2° ~" a1 SINGLE 2 SIDE 95 16 DOUBLE-SIDE 95 25 VIDEO CASSETTES T120or L750 469 ^^ EA( EACH AMARAY Media Mate $«95 + 2^shipping ( old Reliable gg" 'Delaware 1 800 451 1849 Di/kette-/^ * Oklahoma J- 800* 654 -4058 L omieeuor * Nwiiu : ^i« i?2i TERMS: Mimmurn20ciisks or *35«^ VISA or MasterCard accepted COD orders add 2<*p (or special handling SHIPPING: 3^4 b\ Diskettes. Add 3*> for every 100 Diskettes oi any Iraclion thereof 8' Diskettes Ad* 4°P lor every 100 Disketlesor any ir.ictiori thereol We ship UPS. orders requiring other delivery methods add shipping plus 2° ol total order LIFETIME WARRANTY 1 5\"Disks S-Side D-Den. D-Side D-Den. S-Side 96tpi D-Side 96tpi HIGH Den. 169i 3*5 Disks S-Side 135tpi D-Side OC95 i35tpi La- 8"Disks s-side 9995 D-Den. LL - D-Side D-Den. 2495 Inquiry 1 1 2 Old Reliable — «■■ Diskette"^ uonnecuor TERMS'- Mmmum20 disks or |COD orders add 2<» for special handling SHIPPING: 3'- it b\ Diskettes! i|Adci 3"-° lor every 100 Disketlesor any traction thereof 8"Disketies Addl |4'*> lor every 100 Diskettes or any Irachon thereol We ship UPS. order Other delivery method:, add shippmu pim. 2 ol lolal order MAY 1986 -BYTE 333 * Delaware J.-800-451'W4gj * Oklahoma JJ0([654 4058 1 *Nm£TffiSjS\|221 1 S^scto — V|SA or MasterCard accepted! Toshiba 3-in-One small. tffig Hi Introducing the compact version of P3S1 technology. MeetToshiba's P321 printer. It packs the power of 3-in-One technology into a compact new size. At an even more compact price. Three for all. What is 3-in-One technology? It's the ability to offer the three things everybody wants in one narrow-carriage printer: speed, letter-quality type and crisp graphics. It all comes from ourToshiba-designed 24-pin print- head. One that prints at a blazing 216 characters per second, has superb graphics ability and combines those with type that looks like a daisy wheel's. So one P321 can actually replace three ordinary machines. Just like the big boys. The P321 offers optional downloadable type fonts and IBM graphics printer emulation. And comes with year-in, year-outToshiba reliability In fact, the P321 gives you almost every office capability the giant machines do. Even spreadsheets. Not bad for a printer with a footprint about two-thirds the usual size. Free font cartridge. With the P321, you have an incredible array of font cartridges to choose from . A face for every occasion. And while we're introducing the P321, you get a font cartridge FREE with each P321 you decide to buy* Which should be an easy decision. It's the only com- pact printer that competes with larger machines on features.While it competes with lesser machines on price. Call 1-800-457-7777 Operator 32 for your nearest TOShiba dealer * Offergood through May 31,1986. In Touch with Tomorrow TOSHIBA TOSHIBA AMERICA, INC., inloimaiiOn Systems Division Inquiry 367 APPLICATIONS ONLY V A Mixed Lot by Ezra Shapiro Trying to do any serious writing on the Macintosh is like tap dancing in wet con- crete. The Mac motto seems to be "Live by the interface; die by the interface— and that interface is designed to make continuous typing dif- ficult. Mice and click buttons and pull-down menus inter- rupt typing, period. No argu- ments. When you're attempting to generate large amounts of prose quickly, the Mac is a nuisance. I know there are legions of Macaholics who will argue that the machine is so easy to use that even preparing a full- length book is a snap. 1 admire their fortitude; I hope they'll be rewarded in some future existence. I just don't have the patience. Maybe the keypad on the new Macintosh Plus will help (cursor keys at last!); I'd like to get my hands on one for more than half an hour at a time. Before all the Macintosh fans come after me with a bucket of tar and a bag of feathers, let me add that there are certain things for which the Mac is superb. For tasks that involve non- continuous typing or projects that can be simplified through the judicious use of graphics, the Macintosh is wonderful. Spreadsheets like Excel come to mind, as do databases like Odesta Helix and Thinkftink 512. Ttoo of this month's products, Stella and In- terlace, are Mac programs. Both use the Mac's interface intelligently, and both get hefty endorsements as a result. I just wish I could get those programs running on a machine that did decent word processing. Two Model Kits Boxes & Arrows (Inner Loop Software, $395) for the IBM PC and compatibles is an odd cross between a presenta- tion-graphics program and a spread- This assortment includes Boxes & Arrows, Stella, Boxcalc, Interlace, and PC-Outline sheet. Using character graphics, you draw boxes that you can then connect with lines or arrows. With the addition of text, you have a program for creat- ing that essential corporate docu- ment—the organization chart. The screen is just a window onto a much larger plane; you can do a big chart. Constructing similar diagrams is fast and logical. You generate a box either by entering coordinates or by placing the cursor at a point representing one corner. As you move the cursor to the opposite corner, you watch a rubber box grow on your screen. Hit Return, and you have your box. Points and lines are just as easy. All three types of objects have selectable attributes- color, thickness, and style. Editing existing charts is also painless, and Boxes & Arrows will remember rela- tionships between objects and redraw connecting lines correctly even if you've made massive changes. That's the presentation-graphics part— now for the spreadsheet. You can treat any object as the equivalent of a spreadsheet cell; that is, you can attach a numeric value or a formula to it. That's not as cryptic as it sounds. Each object is assigned an ID number as you create it; you can use ID numbers in the same way you use cell references. Instead of "A24" or "BB37" (spreadsheet cell lingo), you've got "B3" for Box 3 and "L84" for Line 84. Boxes & Arrows provides a large assortment of macro and con- trol functions, so you can write pretty sophisticated models. The program comes with a nice selection of ex- amples, too— a personal financial calculator, an op- amp circuit, a small model of the U.S. economy, and a pro- gram that calculates the date of Easter. Essentially, Boxes & Arrows gives you spreadsheet capability without tying you into the rigid row/ column structure of the ledger sheet. You can organize flowcharts and models visually and recalculate them quickly. The documentation is awful, but you can throw it away and use the program without much head scratch- ing. And I have to give points for a full explanation of data structures used in the program— the kind of technical detail that's all too often forgotten these days. It's a good program and useful, too, and I'd feel a lot better about recom- mending it if I hadn't seen Stella (High Performance Systems, $200) on the Macintosh. Stella does everything Boxes & Arrows can do, with the ex- ception of color, of course, and then takes the concept miles further— at half the price. Stella is a tool for people who are serious about their models, and I mean serious. You can use a library of shapes keyed to function, not just boxes. Because the Mac's display is bit-mapped, while Boxes & Arrows has a character orientation, you can view a huge model on the screen and zoom in to smaller sections. And once you've got your diagram drawn and your equations written, Stella can (continued) Ezra Shapiro is BYTE's West Coast Bureau Chief. Contact him at BYTE, McGraw-Hill 42 5 Battery St., San Francisco, CA 94 1 1 1 . MAY 1986 'BYTE 335 MEGA-16 BAR CODE READER BAR CODE READER WITH KEYBOARD EMULATOR FOR IBM PC/XT, AT APPLICATIONS ONLY Your PC will become a BAR CODE SYSTEM by using our "MEGA-16" bar code reader. With Built-in "KEYBOARD EMULATOR" in our "MEGA-16", it can read the bar code data directly WITHOUT adding a y software or hardware. All you have to do is just plug in the "MEGA-16" bar code reader to your PC instead of PC's keyboard plug. only $395.00 :^ «*&**• dr The newversion of the best selling C compiler includes important new features: Code now faster and smaller. Support for 80186/80286. Inline support for 8087/80287. Fully compatible with current libraries. Supports enumerated types, void types, unsigned as modifier. Conforms to the proposed ANSI standard. The library now contains more than 325 functions, from as simple as system time to as complex as critical error handling. In addition to the new features of 3.0, the Lattice C Compiler offers four memory models for optimum efficiency, is compatible with the C implementation established by Kernighan and Ritchie, gives you superbly written documentation and still has the widest selection of C utilities supporting it, including the source code level debugger from Lattice, C-Sprite. Lattice C Compiler 3.0 now adds still more reasons to the list of why software developers have made Lattice C the industry standard. RUIM/C- THE C INTERPRETER™ Learn C the natural way with RUN/C introductory package. The newversion includes a full screen editor and other new features to enhance performance. RUN/C's user interface is similar to that of the BASIC interpreter with easy familiar commands such as LOAD, LIST, SAVE, EDIT, and RUN. Debug with TRON, TRACE, and PRON. Try your hand at graphics with easy-to-learn functions like PUT, GET, CIRCLE, LINE, SCREEN, and DRAW. Over 100 sample pro- grams are included on the disk to coincide with the thorough and professionally written C reference manual. Learning C is easy with RUN/C. RUN/C PROFESSIONAL 1 ^« •if- All of RUN/C's features, plus powerful enhancements for program development. LOAD and RUN your favorite library functions {GSS Drivers®, Multi-Halo, Panel, Lattice Window™, etc.) from within your RUN/C interpreted code. Polish program modules before compiling. New source code debugging facilities allow you to set multiple breakpoints, single step through a program, and view and change variables during execution. GREENLEAF FUNCTIONS' COMM LIBRARY™ AND 1/t & >\& & *> PANEL 9 A powerful and flexible tool for interactive screen design. Panel simplifies the tedious screen design process enabling you to create and modify screens interactively from your keyboard. Panel automatically generates source code describing the data- entry screen, including subroutines which dynamically load the screen at run-time. With Panel you determine the content, position, size and attributes of screen and data fields at any point in the program's design or execution. Panel handles the details of interfacing a wide variety of terminals, without changes in your program. VEDIT PLUS® VEDIT PLUS is a fast and powerful full-screen editor for program development and word processing. Edit, split, and merge multiple files, create customized functions {such as sort/merge, code trans- lation) with the built-in macro-programming language. Automatic indenting, "undo" command. New version adds pathname sup- port, memory management to 1 megabyte, on-line help, new for- matting features. <,\ MULTI-HALO T ^ rf! >jev aov The Greenleaf Functions are more than 200 powerful routines for the PC, AT and close compatibles, including DOS and BIOS capabilities. The Greenleaf Functions has string handling, color text capabilities and much more. Many functions are coded in assembler for speed and compactness. The Greenleaf Comm Library gives your programs asynchronous communications capability. Allows multiple simultaneous file transfers through an arbitrary number of ports at up to 9600 baud. Also supports XMODEM protocol and Hayes-compatible commands. The names of products listed are generally the trademarks of the sources of the products. A fast, comprehensive library of color graphics subroutines. MULTI-HALO offers over 200 commands, including PLOT, LINE, ARC, CIRCLE, and ELLIPSE primitives, plus single commands which create bar and pie charts. Other options, such as pattern-fill and dithering commands, give graphics impressive texture and color-mix qualities. Rubber- banding draws shapes for interactive users and even realistic animation and-on-screen "slide shows" are possible for those who wish to maximize MULTI-HALO's best features. For information on these and the other products in our complete line call: 1-800-847-7078 In NY: 212-860-0300 or write: LIFEBOAT™ ASSOCIATES 55 South Broadway Tarrytown, New York 10591 Inquiry 201 The Full- Service Source For Programming Software ) 1986 Lifeboat Associates WE STOCK WHAT WE SELL! // You Don't See It Listed Here, Call Us!! 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Subject to approval. 1 Educational discounts available to qualified institutions. CALL FOR PRICING ON TV'S VCR'S COMPUTER PROJECTORS AND RELATED ITEMS. Prices Quoted Reflect Cash Discount. Add 3% for Master Card or Visa. Prices and Availability Subject to Change without Notice. Use Our Convenient Toll Free Order Line. Immm 9*m 1-800-CALL-REX Telephone Orders Only. 8:30 AM — 5:00 PM (Eastern) Mon.-Fri. IN PA 1-800-821-1059 Mailing Address: REXWIL ELECTRONICS P.O. Box 4585 Philadelphia, PA 19131 Inquiry 310 ONICS ACCORDING TO WEBSTER 2 56K-bit or l -megabit chips. I still like the Amiga; it's threatening to replace the Mac as the machine on which I do most of my programming. But unless Commodore gets behind it and pushes, with better production, marketing, and support of hardware and software developers, the Amiga will probably be relegated to puttering along for most of 1986. Of course, the next two Amiga machines under development could improve the situation quite a bit, but Commodore still needs to make some smart moves and lay the ground- work for the entire line. AppleWorld Conference Apple, on the other hand, has been making smart moves for some time now. One was scheduling a special Apple- World Conference to announce new products and new directions to the press, dealers, and analysts. This solved a number of problems. First, it reduced attendance at the annual shareholders meeting, which has been so crowded for the last two years that shareholders have ended up sitting outside. Second, by holding it during the first day of the MacWorld Expo, Apple allowed the exhibitors to show off the Mac Plus (and products for it). Since the Mac- World Expo was scheduled for the week before the an- nual shareholders meeting, there would have been some real problems doing that had Apple decided to wait until that meeting to announce the Mac Plus. From comments made by John Sculley Del Yocam, and others, it appears that Apple has found its direction again after two years of trying to kill off the Apple II, ignoring its users and dealers, and promoting the "computer-as- toaster" concept. Apple has committed itself to upgrading the Apple II line, apparently using the 65802/65816 line of processors from the Western Design Center. You may remember that Steve Wozniak was working on such a sys- tem two years ago (the 'Apple IIx"), and was ordered by management to stop. Well, it looks like Woz is doing con- sulting work for Apple now, and it's not hard to guess what it's probably for. Sculley also announced a plan to establish direct ties between Apple and the hundreds of Apple users groups around the world. Again, this represents a big change from Apple's self-assurance (arrogance?) of many years. For ex- ample, had Apple bothered to take a prototype Mac around to a dozen or so users groups and listened to the feedback, the original Mac might have looked more like the Mac Plus (or the Mac with slots) instead of the limited, crippled machine it was. Apple's move to tap the resources of users groups and to build good relations with them is a smart move indeed. Apple finally acknowledged what folks have been say- ing about the Mac since its release: To survive in the long run, the Mac needs an open architecture (and spare me comments about "virtual slots," a buzzword that Apple was tossing about two years ago and that quietly died). So Apple is going to build an open-architecture Mac. It says so, right there on page 17 of Apple's 1985 annual report. About time. If Apple is really smart, it will kill off [continued] 350 BYTE* MAY 1986 $4995 A SMALL PR ICE TO PAY TO FIRE UP YOUR BUSINESS. 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The Dow Jones News/Retrieval Membership Kit. Use it to kindle success for your company. Without getting burned. To order or for more information, call 1-800-345-8500, Ext. 418. Alaska, Hawaii and foreign, call 1-215-789-7008, Ext. 418.) Or use the coupon today. YES! I want to get my business fired up! Send me the Dow Jones News/Retrieval® Membership Kit. C Corporate offer - $49.95 Each includes: • 8 Free Hours* • Multiple Passwords • User's Guide • 1 Year of Dowline • $12 Annual service fee waived for 1 year □ Personal offer (for individual use) - $29.95 Each includes: • 5 Free Hours* • Single Password • User's Guide • 1 Year of Dowline • $12 Annual service fee waived for 1 year □ Send more information $ ENCLOSED (Check or Money Order) □ Bill me later Charge to: □ AmExp □ MC □ VISA Card No. . Signature. Name Exp. Date_ Title Company. Address _ City/State/Zip . Daytime Phone Number _ Computer Make & Model. Mail to: DJN/R Membership Kit, P.O. Box 300, Princeton, NJ 08543-0300 | ATTN: John McGovern 4BY0506E Dow Jones News/Retrieval Fuel for your ideas. 'Per account. Limited to new subscribers only. Free time (8 hours per Corporate offer; 5 hours per Personal offer) must be used within 30 days after receipt of password(s). Certain data bases have fees over and above usage charges which are excluded from free time offer. Copyright © 1986 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All rights reserved. Dow Jones News/Retrieval is a registered service mark of Dow Jones & Company, Inc. Inquiry 420 ACCORDING TO WEBSTER the 512K-byte Mac, push the Mac Plus down to less than $1 500, and bring out the Mac with slots at around $2 500. Given the great advantage the Mac has with third-party software and hardware, such a move would have a pain- ful impact on both the Amiga and the ST. All in all, things are looking better for Apple than they have for some time. Its financial situation is excellent: debt- free, and more than $300 million in the bank. Apple is planning to spend $100 million on R&D this year— a 50 percent increase over last year— including some $15 Table 1: A comparison of features for Macintosh, Atari ST, and Amiga computers. Macintosh Mac Plus 520ST 1040ST Amiga 1000 System cost no monitor $6001 — $15002 monochrome $2000 $2600 $800 1 $1000 color (RGB) $1000 1 $1200 $20002 RAM 512K 1Mb 512K 1Mb 512K maximum upgrade 512K 4Mb 512K 1Mb 8.5Mb nonstandard 4Mb ? 1Mb ? OS proprietary proprietary TOS TOS Exec/AmigaDOS Graphics routines Toolbox Toolbox GEM GEM ROM/Intuition User interface Finder Finder GEM Desktop GEM Desktop Workbench ROM 64K 128K 192K 192K 256K3 Clock speed (MHz) 7.83 7.83 8.0 8.0 7.18 Disk storage 400K 800K 360K 720K 880K after formatting 399K 798K 349K 709K 876K Built-in disk drive yes yes no yes yes # of external drives 1 1 2 2 3 Hard-disk port SCSI DMA DMA Serial port RS-422(2) RS-422(2) RS-232C RS-232C custom Parallel port IBM DB-25 IBM DB-25 custom Mouse ports 1 1 2 2 2 Expansion bus 86-pin external Other ports — MIDI, cartridge MIDI, cartridge Graphics modes 512x342x1 512x342x1 640x400x1 640x400x1 640x400x164 640x200x4 640x200x4 640x200x16 320x200x16 320x200x16 320x400x324 , 320x200x32 Special modes scan line 5 scan line 5 hold-and-modify 6 Color table 512 512 4096 RGB output RGB (9-pin) RGB (9-pin) RGB/RGBI (23-pin) Other output mono, NTSC, RF mono, NTSC, RF NTSC, RF Graphics hardware (add-on board) 7 Blitter, coprocessor Sound 1 DAC 1 DAC sound chip sound chip 4 DACs Voices up to 6 up to 6 up to 3 up to 3 up to 16 Output mono mono (monitor) (monitor) stereo, RF MIDI 3rd party 3rd party standard standard option Keys 57 78 95 95 89 Function keys 10 10 10 Numeric keypad no yes yes yes yes Cursor keys no yes yes yes yes Detached keyboard yes yes no no yes 1 Add $100 for a double-sided drive instead; neither drive is built in 2 Price assumes $200 upgrade from 256K to 512K 3 Write Control Store (WCS); loaded in from Kickstart disk 4 Interlaced 5 Color table can be (must be) redefined for each scan line 6 Each pixel can be a modification of the color to the left; theoretically allows all 4096 colors 7 Atari plans to release a board with hardware graphics support ? I don't know not available 352 BYTE- MAY 1986 ACCORDING TO WEBSTER million for a Cray supercomputer, which Apple says it will use to simulate new hardware and software architectures. And there has even been an out-of-court settlement of the suit with Steve lobs, on terms that appear to be very favorable to Apple. It must be said that Apple is working under a number of handicaps, though. The 'Apple llx" would have been a better release two years ago than the lie, which even Apple— in a backhanded sort of way— acknowledges hasn't sold as well as hoped. The annual report talks about the massive installed base (2.3 million units) of the II, 11-h and lie systems, then refers to the "strong seasonal sales" of the lie and their hopes that "more He's will show up" in homes. And, as mentioned, the Mac Plus is what the Macintosh should have been two years ago. But what's important is that Apple is making smart moves, is headed in the right direction, and has the finances and other resources to survive what Apple and most analysts agree will be a flat year for sales in 1986. System Status Table I is an attempt to make an honest, rational com- parison of features between the Mac, ST, and Amiga com- puters. This approach has some inherent limitations, most- ly because of a lack of room to comment on the quality of the features (like keyboard layout or mushiness, etc.). You'll also notice that I've avoided the "$X99" syndrome; if a system lists for $1999, I give the price as $2000. That helps to avoid the psychological blind spot that makes us think the system is cheaper than it actually is. I assumed a minimum of 5I2K bytes of RAM and one disk drive for each system, which is reflected in the prices for the 520ST (with a single-sided drive) and the Amiga (with the RAM upgrade from 2 56K to 512K bytes). The section on RAM was hard to lay out. The first line ("RAM") gives the amount in the system being purchased. The second line indicates the amount of RAM the hard- ware and software are designed to accommodate. The third line shows how far the machines have been ex- panded by nonstandard upgrades (which usually, though not always, void the warranty). The section on graphics was also difficult to put together because of the different modes, outputs, and (yes) prob- lems. It doesn't indicate, for example, the irritating flicker of the interlaced mode on the Amiga, nor does it show how difficult it is to use any non-Atari RGB monitor with the 5 20/1 (MOST, Can any conclusions be drawn from this one table? About the only safe assumption is that the ST computers offer the most features for the price. You can't really make decisions about performance, ease of use, or amount of software available. But at least you can see how the com- puters stack up against one another. Some Benchmarks Table 2 is another attempt— albeit a simple one— to measure the relative merits of these same computers in different areas. I tried to use at least two languages (or [continued) The Same etter The PC AT layout for the PC J Key Solutions /has improved on the familiar PC layout Plug Compatible Models: KS 8300 AT/PC • PC/XT™ code KS 8300 AT/AT -PC AT™ code Introductory special only $99 Normally priced at $125 Call for volume discounts • Dealers inquiries invited Call 612 -435 -2720 KEY mMTMM®' An 5MK, Company 1294 West County Road 42 ;^hh \gfggj Burnsville, MN 55337 \mmmi mm PC and PC AT are trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation. Inquiry 192 for End-Users. Inquiry 193 for DEALERS ONLY. MAY 1986 -BYTE 353 ACCORDING TO WEBSTER two compilers) on each machine, just to avoid bad times based on the language used. On the Macintosh, I ran the same benchmarks in both TML Pascal and Consulair C; the TML times were faster across the board and are shown on the chart. On the ST, I used a mixture of four languages: Digital Research's (Alcyon) C TDI Modula-2/ST. Personal Pascal, and Hippo C, picking the best times from each. Digital Research's C gave the best times, when I could get it to run; however, hardware difficulties and possible failures on my part limited me to using it for just the per- formance benchmarks. On the Amiga, I used Lattice C (ver- sion 3.03 B), then reran the benchmarks using a beta copy of Aztec C; Aztec C generally produced faster times. Also, be aware that I did not use register variables for any of the C routines on any machine, with one exception: the circle-painting routine I had to write for the Amiga (which doesn't have any built-in circle routines). The first section shows times (in seconds) for three dif- ferent "performance" benchmarks: the Sieve of Eratosthenes routine: a matrix multiplication routine, using 50 by 50 integer matrices; and a routine that creates a list of 1000 random numbers, then sorts them using the Quicksort algorithm. As could have been and was predicted, the ST was the winner thanks mainly to Digital Research's C. The other three languages used on the ST produced times slower than Aztec C on the Amiga. The Amiga came in second— even though it has the slowest clock speed— thanks largely to the beta copy of Aztec C; the Lattice C times on the Amiga weren't nearly as good. Finally the Mac and the Mac Plus came in last. The next section contains graphics benchmarks, show- ing how well the different systems perform common tasks. All were done in "monochrome" mode; that is. the ST benches were run using the Atari monochrome monitor, and the Amiga was set up with a 640- by 400-pixel (inter- laced) display and a single bit plane. I hope to have some follow-up times next month showing color-graphics per- formance for the ST and the Amiga. The first two groups give times for drawing straight lines at different angles. The "offset" value indicates a skew to one side. Vertical lines with an offset of are truly ver- tical, going from, say, the point (200,100) to the point (200,300); the same line with an offset of 20 goes from (180,100) to (220,300). As you can see, there's a wide vari- ety of times. With just one exception— horizontal lines with an offset of 0— the Amiga is anywhere from 2 to 30 times faster than the other four computers. The ST is usually in second place, followed by the Mac Plus and then the Macintosh (which is horribly slow at drawing vertical lines with any slew at all). The third group shows times for painting (i.e., drawing (continued) T^ble 2: Benchmarks on Macintosh , Atari ST, and Amiga computers. A(( times are in seconds. Macintosh Mac Plus 520/1040ST1 Amiga 1000 Performance Sieve of Eratosthenes 6.2 6.2 3.9 5.1 Integer Matrix 7.5 75 6.0 6.8 Quicksort 9.8 9.8 75 8.2 Graphics (monochrome) 2 Vertical lines offset = 13.0 12.9 20.8 6.5 offset = 1 195.7 87.2 20.8 6.7 offset = 20 195.7 87.2 21.6 6.7 offset = 100 195.5 86.8 25.4 6.7 Horizontal lines offset = 3.4 3.4 2.9 3.2 offset = 1 7.9 5.6 22.5 3.4 offset = 20 25.4 12.9 22.6 3.4 offset = 100 98.8 43.8 22.8 3.4 Paint rectangles 24.6 178 42.8 5.9 Paint circles 20.8 9.4 62.6 86.43 Write text 1.5 1.0 4.3 1.4 Disk I/O Write File . 8.6 2.3 30.3 73 Read File (sequential) 1.8 1.1 15.9 5.1 Read File (random) 4 6.6 4.6 14.2 178 1 Not actually run on the 1040ST; however, Atari claims no performance increase for the 1040ST 2 The Amiga was in 640 by 400 (interlaced) mode with a single bit plane 3 There are no built-in circle routines; this s a Bresenham algorithm that implemented 4 Times are an average value based ( Dn five trials 354 BYTE • MAY 1986 There's a new solution. 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The rectangle benchmark draws 2000 solid rectangles (half black, half white) to the screen; again, the Amiga wins, though the Mac Plus and the Mac aren't that much slower (three to four times, respectively), and the ST comes in last. The circle benchmark does much the same as the rect- angle but puts only 400 circles on the screen. The Mac Plus and the Mac are the big winners here; I'd love to have a copy of the algorithm used in QuickDraw. The ST is much slower than the Mac but still "beats" the Amiga. Why? The Amiga graphics libraries don't have built-in circle routines, so I implemented— in C— some based on Bresenham's al- gorithm. It works nicely, but, as you can see. the perfor- mance leaves much to be desired. It's not really an ac- curate measure of the Amiga's graphics power, but it is a fair measure of what you'll face if you want to draw circles on the Amiga. The text benchmark puts up some 3800 characters; a 40-character line of each of the printable characters (ASCII codes 32 through 1 26). I should have made this bench- mark last longer, since the times are so short that accurate measurement and comparison are difficult; however, I don't have access to a Mac Plus right now, so I can't re- run the benchmarks. The Mac Plus wins, with the Amiga and the Mac not that far behind it; the ST however, is quite a bit slower. The third section deals with disk I/O. The Write File benchmark writes sixty-four 5I2-byte blocks out to a file on the disk, resulting in a 32K-byte file. The Read File (se- quential) benchmark reads the file back in the same way it wrote it, that is, blocks through 63. The Read File (random) benchmark first creates a randomly organized list of the block numbers (0..63), then reads in the blocks in that order. Because the order of the blocks can affect performance, I ran five trials for each computer, then calcu- lated the average. Interestingly enough, the Mac Plus comes out best with the much-maligned Mac not far behind, followed by the Amiga and (surprisingly) the ST coming in dead last (except on the random-access read, which the Amiga lost). I was startled to see the times on the ST and ran the benchmarks in both Hippo C and Personal Pascal, getting nearly identical times for each. If I can ever get Alcyon C to work, I'll run the bench- marks with that as well and see if the times vary signifi- cantly. Though table 2 may look impressive, it's really an in- complete measure of the relative powers of the different machines. Macworld Expo Technically, this was the MacWorld Expo & Apple II World Expo, but Mac exhibits and products dominated. What really dominated, though, was a sense of energy and ex- citement that I haven't seen at a computer show since the West Coast Faire back in 1982. And it was the first com- puter show in months (if not years) that l was able to enjoy. Ironically, the two most interesting software products I saw were both alpha versions, that is, pre-prerelease. Andy [continued) 356 BYTE • MAY 1986 Inquiry 174 Programming Ease for Scientific & Engineering Applications No matter what your programming language; FORTRAN, BASIC or C, Wiley Professional Soft- ware's technical programming tools enable you to save programming time and development costs. These tools allow you to generate dependable, accurate and error-free code, quickly and easily. New! A Brand New Subroutine Library: The 50 More: FORTRAN Library, developed by Peerless Engineering Service, offers you a collection of subroutines and util- ities previously unavail- able in our first FORrRAN Library; most are pro- vided in single and double precision ver- sions. 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Consulting and Educational Services available by special arrangement. urn Laboratory Microsystems Incorporated Post Office Box 10430, Marina del Rey, CA 90295 Phone credit card orders to: (213) 306-7412 Overseas Distributors. Germany: Forth-Systeme Angelika Flesch, D-7820 Titisee-Neustadt UK: System Science Ltd.. London EC1A 9JX France: Micro-Sigma S.A.R.L., 75008 Paris Japan: Southern Pacific Ltd., Yokohama 220 Australia: Wave-onic Associates, 6107 Wilson, W.A. ACCORDING TO WEBSTER Hertzfeld was showing off Servant, a new Macintosh user interface that can best be described as a cross between the Finder and Hertzfeld's Switcher program. You see the regular Finder desktop, but when you double-click an icon, it opens the application as a window on the desktop itself. The currently active (top) window determines which ap- plication is active (and how the menu looks), and when you close a window, it collapses back down to its icon on the desktop. Hertzfeld plans other enhancements, like be- ing able to open up a file so that you can see and manip- ulate its resources as icons. Some issues still need to be worked out (memory allocation, dealing with applications that use the entire desktop), but I liked what I saw. Hertz- feld estimated that he had six months' more work to do, which would give a very tentative release (probably beta) date of July. The second package, Super Paint, was being demon- strated by Silicon Beach Software. Super Paint looks like a combination of MacPaint and MacDraw; that is, you can toggle between the bit map and object-oriented graphics and can, in fact, mix them, with the object sitting "on top of" the bit-map background. It supports multiple windows, different levels of FatBits, a variety of tools and options, and full-screen painting. SBS was quoting "summer" as the release date, but it may be out within a month or so of this issue hitting the stands. The two most interesting— and expensive— hardware products were the HyperDrive 2000 from General Com- puter Corporation and the MacSuper 20 FP from Levco. The HD 2000 upgrades your Mac to a 1 2-MHz 68000, in- creases your RAM to 2 megabytes, sticks in a 68881 floating-point processor (FPP), and, as you might expect, includes a 20-megabyte internal hard disk. The entire upgrade costs $3195. (Incidentally, GCC also dropped the prices of the HD 10 and HD 20 by $500 and $600, re- spectively—undoubtedly in response to the competing in- ternal hard disks coming out on the market.) The Levco 20 FP is for power freaks only. Rich power freaks. It upgrades your Mac to a 16-MHz 68020, with 4 megabytes of RAM, an SCSI port, a 68881 FPP. and a 20-megabyte internal hard disk. The cost? As the saying goes, "Anyone who has to ask the cost can't afford it." But Levco says "under $9000." One of the reasons the price is so high: It uses 1-megabit chips, which have not gone into mass production and (according to Levco) cost about $100 each. Cheaper versions use 2 56K-bit chips (and hold less RAM); the disk drive and the 68881 chip are also optional. Interestingly enough, software support for both systems is appearing almost immediately. Consulair announced a version of its C compiler that would provide direct sup- port for the 68881 and another version that would pro- duce code optimized for the 68020. TML Systems (TML Pascal) is also considering the same approach. Both the HD 2000 and the 20 FP let you get at the 68881 right now by patching in through the SANE (Standard Apple Nu- meric Environment) routines (floating-point code in the Mac Toolbox), but direct calls can only help to speed things up. 358 B YTE • MAY 1986 Inquiry 196 Inquiry 291 ACCORDING TO WEBSTER ( ran my benchmarks on the HD 2000 and 20 FP while I was there. I don't want to print them here since neither system was a "released" version, but I can give you some idea as to how both did. The HD 2000-which had the old Mac ROMs— showed almost exactly a 50 percent in- crease in speed for the performance benchmarks (sieve, matrix, sort). However, the graphics and I/O routines ran at almost exactly the same speed as a regular Macintosh. (Note that the I/O benchmarks ran off a floppy disk and not the internal hard drive.) The 20 FP— which had the new Mac ROMs— ran two to three times faster than the Mac or the Mac Plus on the performance benchmarks. On the graphics benchmarks, it ran on the average about 50 per- cent faster than a Mac Plus and so was two to four times faster than a regular Macintosh. The I/O times (which, like the HD 2000, were off a 400K.-byte disk drive) were sig- nificantly (four times) faster for writing but not that much faster for reading. I do hope to get my hands on the final versions of both products and review them. When I do, I'll devise some benchmarks that do a better job of showing the strengths of each (disk caching, floating-point processing, fast hard disk, etc.). A number of other products were being shown, though seeing does not necessarily mean believing. Several com- panies announced internal hard disks (a la HyperDrive), though none were shipping at the moment. The folks from Step Lively Software, who last fall announced their On Stage Pascal compiler for the Mac, had a booth, but they indicated they were still a few months away from shipping even a beta version. Borland also got into the act by an- nouncing (though not showing or releasing) Turbo Pascal for the Mac. The release date given was "end of first quarter 1986" (i.e., late March), but company officials were already talking about that slipping into the second quarter of 1986. Meanwhile, Tom Leonard (TML Systems) was busy selling real copies of TML Pascal and signing site licenses with several universities. Leonard even spent an entire afternoon with a vice president from Borland. Frankly, given the high quality and low price of TML Pascal, Borland could do a lot worse than to just buy the rights and market it as Turbo Pascal for the Mac. We shall see. It was a fun show; everyone seemed to have a good time, myself included. The biggest improvement that could be made to the show would be to open it up to other 68000- based systems (Commodore. Atari, Stride, and others) and their respective third-party developers. The friendly (and not-so-friendly) competition would add a nice edge to the show, not to mention a good deal of variety. . .and, of course, would draw a much larger audience, including those who want to purchase a 68000 machine but haven't decided which one to get. Now that could be a fun show. Well, that's it for this month. I'll lay off the wars a little next month and (again) try to look at some of the soft- ware and hardware that has been piling up. 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Inquiry 1 2 for DEALERS ONLY: BYTE U.K. Intuitive Solution by Dick Pountain It's no secret to those of us who follow such things that Apple's Lisa and Macintosh, Microsoft's Windows, and Digital Research's GEM are all derived from work per- formed more than a decade ago at Xerox's Palo Alto Research Center and placed in the public domain through books and research papers. What is not so often stated is that these products took from Xerox PARC mainly the form and left out most of the substance of the center's work. The PARC research (which also led to the Smalltalk-80. Interlisp D. and Mesa languages) was concerned with a new model of computation based on "objects." Objects are not, as sloppy journalism would have it, synonymous with icons and windows on a desktop. Objects are program entities in which a data structure and the procedures that operate on it are bundled inseparably together, so that they can be manipulated as a sealed unit. What the Xerox researchers were looking for was a style of program- ming in which objects that mirror those in the real-world application are the only progam entities. Icons, win- dows, and the mouse are the expres- sion of this philosophy in the realm of user interfaces. To be sure, Apple produced an object-oriented Pascal derivative as the system language for the Lisa and Macintosh, but the language operates at a level that only professional pro- grammers can use. and then only after an extended learning period. Writing applications that fully exploit the Mac interface is not a job for "the rest of us." On the other hand, both GEM and Windows are just visual shells over MS-DOS that support applications written in traditional languages like C and assembly language. The PARC A look at a business application generator for the IBM PC, XX and AT ideal of an object-oriented program- ming system accessible to the end user has not been realized in any of these. When I recently received a copy of Intuitive Solution, a desktop-based environment produced in the U.K. by Intuitive Systems Ltd., I was first struck by its visual resemblance to GEM, and a certain weariness overcame me. But after a few hours of playing with it, I knew I was in the presence of a dif- ferent kind of beast altogether. Intuitive Solution (let's call it IS. from now on) supports a genuinely object-oriented programming envi- ronment, tailored to producing busi- ness and office automation systems. IS. includes a powerful and flexible database and an applications genera- tor based on a programming lan- guage in which programs are largely developed by "doing," i.e., pointing and painting on the screen (it rather resembles the Smalltalk notion of a "kit"). Indeed, after spending some time with IS., the best description I can offer is that it's what you'd get if you mated Smalltalk with the Pick operating system. Talking with the people at Intuitive Systems estab- lished that IS. was written in an object-oriented dialect of C that they developed themselves. The Desktop IS. currently is available only for the IBM PC, PC XT, and PC AT It is a large system, demanding at least 51 2K bytes of memory and 640K bytes to do serious work. It also requires a hard disk. Since the system works in high-resolution bit- mapped mode, it requires the presence of an IBM Graphics Adapter and a Microsoft Mouse. While it allows easy access to other PC-DOS applications, it is not in- tended to be used as a shell; most work is done using the facilities of IS. itself. IS. was written from the start as a multiuser system, and it supports several networking systems including PCnet, Torus Icon, and Novelle net- works. It also comes with built-in sup- port for micro-to-mainframe links using the IBM 3270 and 2780/3780 protocols as well as simple RS-232C asynchronous communications (pro- vided, of course, that the necessary hardware is present). IS. supports graphics printers, including the Hewlett-Packard LaserJet, albeit in a fairly unsophisticated form in this first release. When IS. is first booted, a log-on screen appears, inviting you to enter your user name and password. After you supply this information, a desk- top that looks like that of GEM ap- pears, containing a number of icons. These icons are divided into three main groups. Folders represent direc- tories (as in GEM). Pads represent resources of which multiple copies can be made by "tearing off" a sheet. The third group consists of all the hardware and special resources, such as the printer icon, the hard disk and [continued) Dick Pountain is a technical author and soft- ware consultant living in bDndon, England. He can be contacted do BYTE. POB 372. Hancock, NH 03449. MAY 1986 -BYTE 363 BYTE U.K. Photo I: Intuitive Solution's desktop bears a strong resemblance to GEM. waste bin. and the electronic mail in and out trays. Even the good old cal- culator and clock are there. Along the top of the desk is a. menu bar with pull-down menus. The l.S. file system is fully hierar- chical. There is a Folder Pad from which new folders can be torn off at will and given names. Almost any ob- ject can be put into any folder (the waste bin excepted), and folders can be nested inside one another to any depth. Items can be placed in a folder merely by dragging their icons onto the folder icon. Icons can be expanded into win- dows (fully overlapping) by double- clicking with the mouse. The windows are nicely designed, and moving and resizing them is particularly easy. The scroll bars work like those in Microsoft Word (the cursor turns into a direction arrow as it enters the margin). A system text editor is omnipresent, with the now-traditional pull-down edit menu providing cut, copy, and paste functions. A familiar vertical-line cursor marks the position at which text will be inserted, but it's accom- panied by a small black square that acts as a "handle." Grabbing this han- dle allows you to resize the text-entry fields by dragging, just like a window. When an empty text field is de- selected, it appears as a light gray box that can be moved about by single- clicking the mouse on it (the cursor turns into a little hand). This arrange- ment simplifies the design of multiple- field forms that, as we shall see later, are the heart of l.S. All objects in l.S. have a header, which is a form holding information such as the author's name, the file's title and subject, an abstract of the contents, and the date of creation. This header can be opened by select- ing the item and choosing Open Header from the file menu. A powerful search mechanism, con- trolled by its own menu, can search the whole system using the fields of these headers. It's possible to locate all the items by a certain author, be- tween certain dates, or by title or the contents of the abstract. As we shall see, it is also possible to write pro [continued] FULL LINE ADD ON CARD We are the reliable manufac- ture of ADD-ON card and peripheral: All our product are superior than our competitors in multi-wise and function-wise. FOR IBM Good quality, Reasonable price. * WHOLESALER, DEALER, RETAIL, STORE AND OEM ENQUIRES WELCOME * • IBM is a regestered trade mark of international business machines corp. SOUTHTECH INC. ADDRESS: 3028A, SCOTT BLVD., SANTA CLARA, CA95054, USA Telex: 1561096 The product: 1. ADD-ON card, a. Vedio card b. I/O card c. Memory expension card 2. Peripheral: Monitor, Keyboard Driver, Modem, Cable, Power supply, P/G case. Phone: (408)748-0900 364 BYTE • MAY 1986 Inquiry 286 Look at what we're plugging now Plug-in Teacs. We offer a full line of PC compatible components to increase your floppy storage, to add Winchester drives, or to include a streaming cassette back-up. Our FD-55 Series, half-height, low power, 5V4 -inch floppy disk drives are the world-wide standard of excellence with over 3 million in service to date. A quick and easy way to double your capacity Our MT-2st Kit is all you need to plug-in a streaming cassette back-up system. With 90 ips performance, you can store up to 20 megabytes of back- up incredibly quick. Our PS-5250 subsystem is a completely self-contained, self-powered add-on that includes a 20 meeabvte Winchester drive and a 20 megabyte streaming cassette back-up. With Teac, adding on more storage capacity is an open and shut case. BYTE U.K. Computers For The Blind Talking computers give blind and visually impaired people access to electronic information. The question is how and how much? The answers can be found in "The Second Beginner's Guide to Personal Computers for the Blind and Visu- ally Impaired" published by the National Braille Press. This comprehensive book contains a Buyer's Guide to talking microcomputers and large print display processors. More importantly it includes reviews, written by blind users, of software that works with speech. Send orders to: National Braille Press Inc., 88 St. Stephen Street Boston, MA 02115, (617) 266-6160 NBP is a nonprofit braille printing and publishing house. A COMPUTER PROGRAM DELIVERED VIA SATELLITE! The Computer Chronicles, a half- hour weekly television series brings you an in-depth look at the latest developments in the computer world. Correspondent Stewart Chefeit and Gary Kildall, creator of CP/M provide interviews with industry leaders plus news and information from Silicon Valley and around the world. The Computer Chronicles, every week on a public television sta- H tion near you. (Check local listings for time and channel,) Produced by KCSM, San Mateo, CA and WITF, Harrisburg, PA with fundingfrom McGraw-Hill's BVTI magazine. HS Since I.S. is a true object-oriented system , forms have behaviors as well as attributes. grams that automatically fill in the abstract field with keywords as data is entered, so that the system becomes self-indexing. The scope of a search is the currently selected folder; therefore, it can be precisely controlled (you can also search the whole system by selecting the hard- disk icon). Items that match the search criteria are temporarily placed in a special folder, from which further searches or manipulations may be carried out. FORMS I.S. is based on the concept of a form; indeed, it is often referred to in the documentation as a "forms process- ing" system. Everything in the system is a form, from the log-on screen to the dialog boxes and the headers. A form consists of an icon/window that can contain any number of text or numeric fields. A document, memo, invoice, and bank statement are all forms. But since I.S. is a true object- oriented system, forms have behaviors as well as attributes. In other words, every form can have programs and relations attached to it that are an in- separable part of it. Any program at- tached to a form is automatically ex- ecuted when that form is opened. Fur- thermore, forms exhibit inheritance. A new kind of form can be created by editing an existing one, and the new form will inherit all the behaviors of its parent. Lest all this seem too abstract, let me give an example. I created a sim- ple test form for this article. First of all, I tore off a sheet from the Forms Pad, which contains completely blank forms. Opening this form presented a blank window and placed me in the forms editor, which has its own set of pull-down menus, one of which is [continued] 366 BYTE- MAY 1986 Take 5 Books for Only $ QTfia [jEmpular Bcc^ Bluh Recognized as the authoritative source for micro users! WE SHOW YOU HOW TO GET THE MOST FROM YOUR COMPUTER • Superior Selections • Business Success • Practical Prices • Personal Achievement Plus FREE guide to BASIC Statements & Commands! {•• d 1947 List $25.00 1918 List $26.95 Plus FREE For Joining 7 very good reasons to join The Computer Book Club® • Big Savings. Save 20% to 75% on books sure-to- increase your computer know-how • No-Risk Guarantee. All books returnable within 1 days without obligation • Club News Bulletins. All about current selections— mains, alternates, extras— plus bonus offers. Comes 1 3 times a year with hundreds of up-to-the-minute titles to pick from • Automatic Order. Do nothing, and the Main selection will be shipped automatically! But ... if you want an Alternate selection— or no books at all— we'll follow the instructions you give on the reply form provided with every News Bulletin • Bonus Books. Immediately get Dividend Certificates with every book purchased and qualify for big discounts of 60% to 80% • Extra Bonuses. Take advantage of added-value promo- tions, plus special discounts • Exceptional Quality. All books are first-rate publisher's edi- tions selected by our Editorial Board and filled with useful up- to-the-minute information © 1986 The Computer Book Club® I'i:[Siii|ii:iliiM:iiri P.O. Box 80, Blue Ridge Summit, PA 17214 Please accept my membership in The Computer Book Club® and send the 5 volumes circled below, plus my FREE copy of BASIC Statements, Commands and Functions billing me only $2.95 plus shipping and handling charges. If not satisfied, I may return the books within ten days without obligation and have my membership canceled. I agree to purchase 4 or more books at regular Club prices (plus ship- ping/handling) during the next 12 months, and may resign any time thereafter. 1389P 1501 1556 171 OP 1732 1742 1748P 1848 1852 1862 1873 1874 1876 1886 1898 1899 1918 1939 1947 1948 1970 1976P 2603 2620 2623 2627 2648 2650 2664 2692 Name_ Address- City State_ -Zip- _Phone_ Valid for new members only. Foreign applicants will receive ordering instructions. Canada must remit in U.S. currency. This order subject to acceptance by The Computer Book Club® BY-586 Inquiry 83 MAY 1986 'BYTE 367 BYTE U.K. called Define. From the Define menu I selected Text and created two text fields for the title and date, then two numeric fields. In each case I dragged and stretched the fields until they looked right. I protected the title and date fields so that they cannot be edited when the form is used. By clicking on the date and each of the numeric fields I brought up a dialog box that permitted me to give these fields names (date, number, and square). Then by selecting Show Formulae, I was presented with a dialog box that records the relation- ship between the fields. I entered RELATIONS date = DATE square = number * number ENDRELATIONS This done, the form turned into a sort Are you a victim oftheRS-232 CABLE FABLE? Which one have you heard? For example: "It has a 'standard' RS232 interface," or "All you need is a standard printer cable," or "If you have the manuals, I can probably figure it out with my breakout box." The truth is that RS232C is one big non- standard. There are literally hundreds of possible configurations. Which one's for you? THE SMART CABLE 817 — Here's the one cable to connect virtually any computer to nearly any serial peripheral. No more "standard" cables. It's easy! It's the SMART CABLE SC817 from IQ Technologies. Just plug it in, flip a switch, and its ingenious electronics do the rest. Instantly. Automatically. SMART CABLE 817 is lightweight and compact and has a built-in male or female connector (you specify). The cable end has both a male and a female connector. Smart Cable does not require batteries or its own power source. Smart Cable is the first truly universal connector for RS232 interfaces. Use it to connect any computer to any RS232 device. Don't let "cable fables" confound you any longer. Start making intelligent connections with Smart Cable. "Another heaven-sent accessory. " —PC Week "A marvel of ingenuity. " — Microcomputing Magazine "4 excellents, I good " —InfoWorld Report Card Rating "Ihe answer to a costly problem. " — PC Magazine Just s 49. 95 plus shipping ^^ jnt&W-tGKh m~ Call 1-800-227-2817 Dealer inquiries united MASTERCARD/VISA ACCEFrED IQ TECHNOLOGIES, INC. BEIXEVUE, WA OTHER SMART PRODUCTS: SC 807 (IBM PCjr), SC 809 (Apple lie), SC 821 PLUS (Smart CableMaker), SC 880 (IBM PC-AT), S MART SWITCH BOX 1 000, SMART SWITCH BOX 1 300, SMART DATA METER 931. of minispreadsheet. When I entered a value into the number field, its square was automatically computed and placed into the square field. The date field automatically gets filled in with the system date when the form is opened. I then selected Make Array from the menu and caused the pair of numeric fields to be replicated 10 times ver- tically to form a table (no alteration to the relations was necessary). Selecting Make Transaction permitted me to test the form to see that it worked. Sure enough, I filled in 10 numbers and up popped their squares. Now for the best part. Hav- ing checked that the form worked, I selected Make Pad, and a new pad icon appeared containing my new forms. Tearing off a sheet from the pad gives me a new, dated copy or "instance" of the form that can be filled in with data. This, then, is the essence of I.S.'s programming. You create your own pads of customized forms, whose behavior can be much more complex than my example implies. Forms may include programs that verify correct data entry extract keywords to use as search keys, and write the contents of forms to files. Forms can update an existing database and search for and incorporate information from other database records. In addition, forms may have dialog boxes and buttons attached to them so that the operator who fills in finished forms can be prompted, cau- tioned, and offered options of un- limited complexity. And all this is done by simple menu selection and pointing, rather than by ROM calls, event managers, and the other arcana associated with conventional desktop programming. Forms may be displayed in graphic form as bar, pie, line, or scatter graphs, although at present these can be printed only by screen dumps. If at some point you need a new form that in some way resembles an exist- ing one, you simply edit the existing one; there is no need to start from scratch every time. I.S. supplies a set of sample applications designed for banking, accounting, stock control, (continued) 368 B YTE • MAY 1986 Inquiry 1 78 C&C Computers and Communications Your first color monitor should be good enough to be your last. WEC introduces the only color monitor you need. Superb resolution plus MultiSync for across-the- board compatibility with all three PC graphics boards made by IBM,® for business graphics, CAD/CAM, computer art, and text. Now there's one high resolution color monitor that does things your way. The MultiSync™ monitor from NEC. It gives you the best color resolu- tion available at the price. • Compatibility with the IBM Professional Graphics Adapter, the IBM Enhanced Graphics Adapter, and the IBM ColorGraphics Adapter. • MultiSync, the NEC feature that automatically adjusts to color adapter board scanning frequencies from 15.75 KHz to 35 KHz— suggesting the possibility that the MultiSync monitor might be compatible with all color graphics boards that are fully compatible with the IBM PC, PC/XT, and PC/AT, now and in the future. • Full implementation of high resolution graphics software for business and other applications, now and in the future. • And color capability limited only by the board being used. See Things Our Way Until now, you had to choose different color monitors for Inquiry 405 ¥TJ - i"i'i : a iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiini U L T I S^P The Intelligent Monitor' *P^ compatibility with all three PC color graphics boards made by IBM. With so many board and monitor configura- tions, folks didn't know which way to look. The new MultiSync color monitor gives you unique compatibility. As well as TTL and analog color. With 7 switchable text colors. And resolution up to maximum 800 horizontal dots and maximum 560 vertical lines, on a large, 13" diagonal viewing area. All that, priced at just $799. All from NEC, a name respected around the world for advanced, reliable products backed by nationwide service. Compati- bility with the IBM® Profes- sional Graphics Adapter Board It's the one color monitor that does everything your way. Compati- bility with the IBM® Color Graphics Adapter Board Leading Oooktop Computer Vando Matfcot Shore: Now Shipments *L^S But why talk more about it? Visit your nearest dealer and see a graphic demonstration of the new NEC MultiSync monitor's capabilities. Then draw your own conclusions. For information dial 1-800-447-4700 NEC HOME ELECTRONICS (U.S.A.) Inc. Personal Computer Division 1401 Estes Avenue Elk Grove Village, IL 60007 NEC MAY 1986 -BYTE 369 BYTE U.K. and invoicing, all of which are written on the forms processor. Electronic Mail As mentioned before, I.S. is a multi- user networking system. As such, it in- corporates an object-oriented elec- tronic mail service. To send an object to another user, one simply tears off an envelope from the Envelope Pad, addresses it by filling in its header with the addressee's name, drops the object into the envelope, and the envelope into the mail out-tray icon. The object can be a memo torn from a Memo Pad, a pad of custom forms, or a whole folder. The Envelope Header permits many options, such as automatic acknowl- edgment of receipt, request for a reply and priority and timing con- siderations. You can, for example, re- Does your interface give you A LONG FACE? It's sad! The hours that people spend trying to get two pieces of hardware interfaced through the serial ports. 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Displays the correct cable configuration of the equipment being interfaced. • Reconfigures for each RS232 application needed. • Comes with 2 cables with male and female DB25 connectors on each end • Does not require batteries or power supply, derives power from attached devices. • Tri-state LED's. Smart Cable logic. Just *149.95 plus shipping SpH&tXjG6l^~ Call 1-800-227-2817 Dealer inquiries invited MASTERCARD/VISA ACCEPTED IQ TECHNOLOGIES, INC. BELLEVUE, WA OTHER SMART PRODUCTS: SC 807 (IBM PCjr), SC 809 (Apple lie), SC 817 (Universal RS-232 Interface), SC 880 (IBM PC-AT), SMART SWITCH BOX 1 000, SMART SWITCH BOX 1 300, SMART DATA METER 931. quest that a message be sent before or after a certain date. To receive mail, merely open your mail in-tray icon, drag out. the envelope, and open it. The contents may be dragged onto your desktop and used like any other object. By editing its header you can even reuse the envelope or forward it unopened. Having only a lone IBM PC I could test the system only by setting up multiple users on my single-user sys- tem and sending messages between them. With this limited test, the mail system worked fine. Procedural Programs The relations defined for a form, as described previously, are non- procedural. Order is unimportant and there is no concept of sequential ex- ecution. These relations are relevant only when the form is being filled in. For more sophisticated applications it is necessary to write procedural programs. For example, you may wish to open a file, find a record, read cer- tain fields into the current form, then write this form to another file. In this case, order of execution is of para- mount importance, and I.S. provides a fully featured programming lan- guage in which to write such pro- cedural programs. I.S. programs are divided into four parts. The DECLARE section is where files and local variable identifiers are declared. I have already described the RELATIONS section. The PROCESS section defines a program to be ex- ecuted sequentially during a transac- tion with the form. Finally, the COM- MIT section defines what effect the form has on the rest of the system once it is correctly completed, for ex- ample, what files get updated and so on. All sections are optional; my test form had only RELATIONS. The lan- guage has all the expected control structures for looping and condi- tionals, string handling and arithmetic, as well as many ultra-high-level data- base instructions for searching out records (such as FINDALL, FIND- NEXT, FINDFIRST, UPDATE, and DELETE). Constructs for creating and reading buttons in dialog boxes are also provided. A typical section of [continued) 370 BYTE • MAY 1986 Inquiry 179 V-e ; ^ .... T u fr..H(TiMA7t £. U L T i M A 7 1 TAS + $69 Before you buy DBase III, QuickCode and Clipper, look at TAS-Plus TAS-Plusjust made it faster, easier and cheaper to build database applications. TAS-Plus combines the power of a Relational Database with the ease of a Program Generator. Then TAS-Plus adds a Runtime Compiler to produce lightning-fast finished code. Look at what TAS-Plus gives you: Relational Database 4th Generation Language Screen Painter Program Generator Report Writer Source Code Editor Runtime Compiler TAS-Plus gives you power where it counts. You can store up to 65,000 records, open up to 16 files at a time and enter up to ]0 t 000 characters per record. TAS-Plus even reads your old DBase files. That's respectable at any price, at S69 it's awesome. BUSINESS TOOLS INC. The following are registered trademarks of these companies: TAS-Plus, The Accounting Solution, Business Tools, Inc; DBase III, AshtonTate; CP/M, Digital Research; IBM PC/XT/AT, International Business Machines Corp; QuickCode, Fox&- Giller; Clipper, Nantucket Inc. Copyright 1986 Business Tools, Inc. Inquiry 47 n TAS-Plus writes the program for you With TAS-Plus, you can start building professional database applications on day one. Just "paint" the screen the way you want and TAS-Plus writes the program foryou. And custom reports are just as easy. TAS-Plus has over 86 commands and 200 options available in its Source Code Editor, so you won't run out of room to grow. Developer's Version $ 199 For those who need even more power. Open 32 files, save 17 million records. Includes Programmer's Toolkit. (Multi-user $299) TAS- Books $69 Easy-to-use bookkeeping for small businesses, designed to work with TAS-Plus. Modifiable Accounting $349 Includes General Ledger, Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable and TAS- Plus Developer's Version. Source code included. Advanced Accounting $499 Includes everything in Modifiable Accounting plus Sales Order, Purchase Order, Inventory and Payroll. Source code included. TAS-Plus comes with a 30 day money back guarantee (less $15 handling fee). TAS-Plus \s available for the IBM PC/XT/AT and fully compatible computers. Limited versions available for CP/M and non-IBM machines. Call Today 1+0O44&4258 Call our Toll-Free Hotline. Use your VISA, MasterCard or American Express to order today. Outside Washington call 1-800-648-6258. Washington residents call 1-206-644-2015. TA NOT COPY-PROTECTED YES! Rush me the following items. Qty. Item Pric Shipping add $8 USA, $25 outside USA WA res add 8.1% tax Name: Shipping . Tax Amount Enclosed . (US funds only) Shipping Address: City: _ State: .Zip: Telephone: Payment: VISA MC Credit Card Expiration Date: Card Number: Name on Card: BUSINESS TOOLS INC. 4038-B 128th Ave. SE □ Suite 266 D Beltevue, Washington 98006 1(800)648-6258 lo Washington (206)644-2015 Dealer, VAR, OEM Inquiries Welcome. West Germany: IC: Intacom Gmbh, Friedrich List Strasse 32, 7022 L. Echterdingen 2, Tele: 0711-797043, Telex: 7255746 (VSC D) United Kingdom: Newtons Laboratories, 111-113 Wands- worth High St., London SW184JB, Tele: 01-8746511, Telex: 21768 (NEWTONG) MAY 1986 -BYTE 371 Inquiry 375 for End-Users. Inquiry 376 for DEALERS ONLY. Get the Right Connection ■ - .at Factory-Direct Prices! Frustrated with plugging and unplugging cables and connectors? Select from our complete line of AB orX switches and let your computer system share data output between modems, printers, plot- ters, networks, disc drives, terminals, etc. at a touch of a button. You'll wonder how you ever got along without them! Two typical examples are: DSS (Serial) S42.00 ea. DSP (Parallel Version) $49.00 ea. ^^ f/ XSS/XSP DSTNC/BNC Push-to-Select Switch XSP (Parallel) $69.00 ea. XSS (Serial Version) $55.00 ea. 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"The Interface Company" 534 North Stone Ave. • Tucson, AZ 85705 (602) 623-5716 IBMand IBM-PC — International Business Machines Corp. Macintosh — Apple Computer, Inc. MS DOS — Microsoft Corp. Wang — Wang Laboratories Inc. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND EXPERT SYSTEMS SOFTWARE Af Products from Logic Programming Associates and Logic Based Systems ol London micro— PROLOG ■gimicro- i^PROLOG INTRODUCTRY PROLOG FOR APPLE II AND COMMODORE 64 INTRODUCTORY PROLOG FOR MS DOS AND CPM 80 SYSTEMS PROFESSIONAL PROLOG FOR MICRO COMPUTERS RUNNING MS DOS $89 -$99 $125 & up $395 sigma— PROLOG PROLOG FOR SUPER MICROS AND ..„, - lin MAINFRAMES RUNNING UNIX AND VMS iD33 * up mac— PROLOG PROLOG FOR THE APPLE MACINTOSH PROLOG AUGMENTED PROLOG FOR + apes EXPERT SYSTEMS PACKAGE — MS DOS $495 $425 -$650 PS NORTH AMERICA Programming Logic Systems Inc. 31 Crescent Drive Milford.CT 06460, U.S.A. Tel: (203) 877-7988 ELSEWHERE - Logic Programming Associates. Ltd., Dept. BY/3 I ° £\ Studio 4, The Royal Victorial Patriotic Building ' Wrinity Road. London SW1 8 3SX, England J Tel: 01-874-0350 Visit Us At AAAI-86 Philadelphia, PA August, 1986 Booth 311 BYTE U.K. The database in I.S. can be shared by multiple users, and it has full record locking. source code might look like that shown in figure I. The source code is stored i n the file that describes the form, and you can edit the code at any time by opening an example of the form and selecting Show Formulae from the forms editor. When Make Transaction is used to run a form, the code is compiled and run. If any errors are detected, the source code is redisplayed with detailed er- ror messages inserted as comments at the sites of the errors. The error messages are automatically removed when you recompile. The whole pro- cess resembles editing a Class Template in Smalltalk, and it en- courages an interactive, incremental approach to programm ing that will be familiar to those who've used BASIC, FORTH, or LISP. The Database The database in I.S. is remarkably powerful and has many mainframe- style features. It can be shared by multiple users, and it has full record locking. A data dictionary is used to describe file structures and can work with either sequential or indexed files. File structures can be modified after they have been created, even while containing data. There are no limits on the number or length of fields or records. Default values may be sup- plied for all fields, and any field that assumes the default value occupies no storage space. A Squeeze utility can be used from time to time to op- timize storage. Long text fields scroll automatical- ly within windows and can be edited, giving the effect of a free-form data- base. ASCI! files generated by a word processor or spreadsheet can be im- (continued) 372 BYTE • MAY 1986 Inquiry 295 \yesignedfor Excellence with attention to aBeiaii The critics agree: We're masters of our craft. ".. . masterpiece of IBM imitation. . . minor masterpiece of the circuit designer's art. . . impressed by its high standards of quality and workmanship." Winn L. Rosch, Cloning Your Own PC, PC Magazine, July 10, 1984. ■ "The most com- patible IBM clone I've ever worked with." Lee Konowe, American Software Club, Ridgefield Ct. ■ "Fulfills our every need. . .and leaves us money for software." John Glenn, Electrical Engineer, U.S. Navy. MEGA-CASE™ $69 95 Flip Top (requires a power supply with a switch in the rear) MEGA-BOARD™-XT $299 95 Fully Assembled and Tested -256K RAM MEGA KIT™ $525 Includes: Motherboard 256K • Case • 130W Power Supply • Keyboard NEW MEGA-BOARD™-AT Full IBM PC-AT Compatability • Serial and Parallel Ports on Motherboard • Remote Reset Switch • On Board Battery (plus external battery capability) • Intel 80286 at 6 or 8 MHz • Optional Disk Drive Controller on Motherboard • Extended ROM and Memory Capacity Also Available: XT Bare Board 59.95 XT Socketed 169.95 Mega BIOS ROM 29.95 Power Supply (130W) 89.95 IC Kit 119.95 Discrete Components 89.95 Call for information on IBM com pat- able cards and components at new sale prices. Prices subject to change without notice. TM we DISPLAY TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION Call for information on: MEGA-NET™ Token-passing ring LAN • IBM NETBIOS Compatible Mega-BIOS Mega-BIOS XT Licensing AT Licensing IBM is a trademark of Interational Business Machines Corporation. Inquiry 1I5 8445 Freeport Parkway • Suite 445 • Irving, TX 75063 1-800-227-8383 • For Technical Calls Only: 1-214-607-1382 TELEX 5106000176 DTC UD We've Earned Our Reputation For Over Three Years. Let Us Help You Earn Yours. MAY 1986 -BYTE 373 BYTE U.K. ported into forms using the LOAD in- struction, provided the files have the correct field format (delimited by a carriage return and linefeed). Intuitive Systems can supply library routines in C and BASIC to allow user programs to modify the database directly, so that experienced users can integrate the system with existing soft- ware. Routines for other languages such as COBOL and Pascal may be made available in the future. Best of all, this whole edifice can be hidden from the end user, who needs only to be able to tear a metaphorical sheet from a pad. Limitations I found few serious problems with I.S. On my plain IBM PC with an external hard disk, the system was slow when opening forms that involve a lot of processing. It really deserves more hardware than I have available— a PC AT would be much more suitable. In the future I would like to see l.S. on machines with fast 80386s or 68020s, lots of memory, and superfast disks. Software Mentioned Intuitive Solution Intuitive Systems Ltd. Wye Lodge. 66 High St. Stevenage. Hertfordshire SGI 3EA. England Tel: 0438-317966 Price: £726 for single-user version. £1400 for multiuser version It supports the use of an 8087 math coprocessor, and since all internal arithmetic is floating-point, the benefit of using a coprocessor will be felt. In the present release, printer sup- port is fairly rudimentary. You can print individual forms, one to a sheet, or perform graphic screen dumps. The various type sizes, fonts, and graphics that l.S. supports cannot be printed on a dot-matrix printer and are reputed to be tricky on the HP LaserJet. Intuitive Systems' next DECLARE FILE customer "customer.ddf","customers86" NUMBER ok.ans END RELATIONS FOR custrecord ok = FINDEACH customer.name = > name name = customer, name address = customer.address phone = customer, phone telex = customer.telex type = customer. type END ENDRELATIONS PROCESS FOR chngrecord ok = FINDFIRST customer.name = name IF ok THEN UPDATE customer.name = name customer.address = address customer.phone = phone customer.type = type customer.telex = telex END ELSE ALERT (OK ,NOTE,"Record not found for this key.") ENDIF ENDPROCESS Figure I : An example of source code for a simple but typical program written in Intuitive Solution's procedural language. release of I.S., I've been promised, will contain a full report generator. The most annoying problem I en- countered concerns copy protection. At present, l.S. is protected by Prolok. This demands that the signature disk be placed in drive A before the sys- tem can be run. l.S. lets you run other DOS applications from within it by defining an icon whose header con- tains the appropriate DOS command string. Unfortunately, my system (which boots from drive A) crashed upon calling such an application unless COMMAND.COM was present on drive A. This occurred despite the presence of a SET COMSPEC = C:COM MAND.COM directive in my AUTOEXEC file. The only solutions were either to swap disks like a maniac or to erase part of the master installation disk to make room for COMMAND.COM. A plague on all copy-protection schemes. Beyond Cosmetics l.S. goes significantly beyond the merely cosmetic aspects of the desk- top metaphor and makes much of the inherent power of object-oriented programming available to the in- telligent layperson. Some of the more intricate aspects of its procedural language are perhaps better left to programmers, but anyone with a good grasp of BASIC could manage. Programming with l.S. certainly does not demand the level of systems ex- pertise that Macintosh and GEM do. Intuitive Systems sees its main market among large corporate users (hence the 3270 interface) who would typically use l.S. as an applications generator to hook users up to the firms' mainframes via individualized IBM PC workstations. The pricing of the product reflects this orientation, at £726 for a single user and £1400 for a networking version. l.S. gave me a strong feeling that I was looking at the shape of the busi- ness software of the future. The facil- ities it offers push the performance of current hardware to the limits, and I look forward to seeing this product grow onto the next generation of machines with color, fast graphics coprocessors, and smarter laser printers. ■ 374 B YTE • MAY 1986 ACM SIGGRAPH 8 6 Dallas Convention Center Dallas, Texas August 18-22, 1986 A combination of the highest 13th Annual Conference standards in technical achievement, creative artistry and today's most advanced graphics systems. on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques Sponsored by the Association for Computing Machinery^ Special Interest Group on Computer Graphics in cooperation with the IEEE Technical Committee on Computer Graphics. Technical Papers Panel Sessions Courses Industry Exhibition Art Show Electronic Theatre Conference Management 111 East Wacker Drive #600 Chicago, IL 60601 3121644-6610 Please send a copy of the SIGGRAPH '56 advance program to: NAME COMPANY ADDRESS CITY /STAT El COUNTRY Inquiry 4 ZIP TELEPHONE Members of ACM SIGGRAPH will automatically receive these materials in the mail in April and need NOT return this coupon. 2 MAY 1986 'BYTE 375 Princeton Gra In a class ab When you put Princeton Graphic Systems Monitors to work with IBM's new graphics cards, you step up to a new class of performance. Exciting RGB color, sharp, crisp graphics and text and Princeton's quality and dependability... all at a great price! Our full line of monitors clearly demonstrates why Princeton is an industry leader in high-resolution technology. Princeton SR- 12P Color Monitor The first IBM compatible monitor available for the IBM Professional Graphics Controller.* COMPARE: Princeton SR-12P IBM 5175 Dot Pitch (The lower, the better.) .26 mm .31 mm Sugg. Retail Price (The lower, the better too!) $999 $1295 Warranty 1 Year 90 Days Designed for demanding professionals who won't settle for anything less than the finest color graphic capabilities. Displays more than 4,000 brilliant colors . . . features an anti-reflective coated black matrix tube for less fatigue and eye strain. You get the sharpest graphics and text . . . at a substantial savings! Princeton HX-12E Color Monitor The superior choice for use with IBM's Enhanced Graphics Adapter* COMPARE: Princeton HX-12E IBM 5154 Dot Pitch .28 mm .31 mm Sugg. Retail Price $785 $849 Tinted Black Matrix Tube Yes No Warranty 1 Year 90 Days Ideal for most computing applications, the HX-12E offers 64 high-resolution colors and easy-to-read text. It gives you sharp colors, crisp characters ... for less eye strain and easier viewing, hour after hour. Built-in versatility also allows you to display 16 colors with the IBM Color Graphics Adapter* automatically. phic Systems ove the rest Princeton HX-9 Series For more performance in less space, the Princeton HX-9 series is in a class by itself. Nobody else— not even IBM— offers a 9", high-resolution RGB color display. The HX-9 and HX-9E feature a super- sharp .28mm dot pitch tube for crisp, clear text and graphics. Nonglare screens for less eye strain. The built- in tilt-and-swivel base allows you to adjust the screen to a comfortable viewing angle. Select green or amber dis- play modes with built-in green/amber switch. Full IBM compatibility enables you to use the HX-9 or HX-9E with the IBM Color Graphics Adapter* The HX-9E gives you added flexibility of full compatibility with the IBM Enhanced Graphics Adapter* Our other monitors also give you full IBM compatibility: Princeton SR-12 Color Monitor- boasts twice the vertical resolution of the IBM Color Display. . . when used with graphics adapter cards such as the Sigma Designs Color 400. Princeton MAX-12 Amber Monochrome Monitor— economically designed to give you up to 15** shades of high-resolution amber. . . plus high-resolution text and graphics when used with a monochrome card. 1984 and 1985 winner of the PC World "World Class PC Competition"! Princeton HX-12Color Monitor- 16 sharp, clear colors and superb character definition make the HX-12 the winning choice among monitor users. . . COMPARE mmm Princeton HX-12 CfflPARE coxpare IBM 5153 COMPARE: Princeton HX-12 IBM 5153 Dot Pitch .31 mm .43 mm Nonglare Screen Yes No Warranty 1 Year 90 Days See the clearly superior Princeton Monitors at your Autho- rized Princeton Graphic Systems Dealer. For the dealer nearest you, please call: 800-221-1490 (Extension 1604), 609-683-1660 (NJ only), Telex: 821402 PGS PRIN. Princeton Graphic Systems, 601 Ewing Street, Bldg. A, Princeton, N J 08540. * Or equivalents. ** When used with IBM Color Graphics Adapter or equivalent. IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation. Sigma Designs Color 400 is a registered trademark of Sigma Designs, Inc. PRINCETON GRAPHIC SYSTEMS AM INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS COMPANY Inquiry 289 This is all you'll ever need to use the System 488 Instrument Control Computer. If you need to solve engineering problems you want System 488 ™ . System 488 is faster than an IBM PC/AT® and more powerful and flexible than dedicated instrument controllers. System 488 is com- plete and ready to run when it ar- rives, yet there's plenty of room for future expansion. Ready To Use Finally, an IBM PC/AT® compat- ible designed for engineering ap- plications. System 488 is packed with all of the hardware and soft- ware you need to meet a tight schedule on a low budget. I 1 A u. '.' - ■ Easy To Use System 488 was designed for you. Our Co-Operator™ software and help windows are included to put problem solving information on your screen at the touch of a key. High Power, Low Price System 488 has the power you need, backed by a technical staff that can give you straight answers to tough questions. The complete system is just $3980. Call today Capital Equipment Corp. 99 South Bedford St. #107 Burlington, MA. 01803 (6l7)-273-1818 Hardware 8 MHz 80286 processor 512KRAM Serial and parallel ports Floppy disk drive IEEE-488 interface Mono/color/EGA display interface Monochrome monitor Built-in... not added on. Software MS-DOS and BASIC Superkey® Full feature wordprocessor hp85 graphics emulation IEEE-488 applications library Co-Operator™ Superkey is a trademark of Borland International. IBM PC/AT is a trademark of IBM. 378 B YTE • MAY 1986 Inquiry 59 MATHEMATICALyRECREATIONS ^ The Pellian Equation by Robert T. Kurosaka Major Kilgore Hawke assembled his troops into 2 3 square forma- tions and gave them a rousing speech. After stirring their spirits to a bloodthirsty frenzy, he joined their ranks, and they marched off to glory in one large square forma- tion. What is the minimum number of men in Major Hawke s com- mand? Yes, another word problem. Since we are seeking whole-number solutions, it appears to be. a Diophan- tine equation, which we tackled last time (March BYTE, page 343). How- ever, if each of the 23 square forma- tions had y 2 men, Hawke's presence made 23y 2 + I men, which formed a square formation with x 2 men. The equation is, therefore, x 2 = 23y 2 + I; the Pellian equation is x 2 - 23y 2 = 1. And we are to find integral solutions for x and y. The Pellian equation x 2 - dy 2 = 1, where d is a nonsquare positive in- teger and the solutions (x,y) are in- tegers, was first proposed by Pierre de Fermat, who often challenged his French compatriots and his English counterparts with beguiling posers. 7\vo Englishmen, John Wallis and Lord William Brouncker, are noted as the first to find a general solution. John Pell once published a table of primes less than 100,000, but his only in- volvement with "his" equation was that he revised someone's translation of someone else's algebra (the author who first published Wallis and Brouncker's solution). As is often the way with history, Pell was mistakenly credited with the solution (by that mathematical giant Leonhard Euler), and the equation has been known as the Pellian equation ever since. This month, I will show you an in- tricate but very powerful procedure for solving the Pellian equation. We will solve the equation x 2 - 23y 2 = 1. The subject is continued fractions, and Bob solves a classic second-order problem We will need a preliminary group of numbers for d = 23, which we will call the set. The procedure is quite com- plex; I apologize in advance. But our computers will love it! Note: All Pellian equations have the trivial solution (1.0). We construct a table with three rows: p's, q's, and as. The as will com- prise the set we need. We will number the columns with an index n. (See figure 1.) The first column is filled as follows: Pi = O.qi = I, and a x = INT(SQRtf)). That is, the first a is the integer part of the square root of d. We then fill column 2, column 3, and so on. But each variable has its own recursive formula, each with its own rhythm. I will illustrate them sepa- rately. To compute the new p: p n = a n q n -i - Pn-x, that is, (new p) = (old fl)(old q) - (old p). In our example: p 2 = Mi - p l = 4* I I -0 = 4 (see figure 2a). To compute the new q: q n = (d - pl)lq n -\: that is, (new q) = [d - (new p) 2 )/(old q). In our example: q 2 = (d - p 2 2 )lq^ = (2 3 - 4 2 )/l = 7 (see figure 2b). To compute the new a: a n = INT((^! + p n )lq n ): that is, (new a) = integer part of ((first fl) + (new p))/(new q). In our ex- ample: a 2 = INT((4 + 4)11) = I (see figure 2c). If you are still reading this, we will press onward to the third column: p 3 = a 2 q 2 - p 2 = I * 1 7 - 4 = 3, q 3 = (2 3 - 3 2 )/7 = 2, a 3 = INT((4 + 3)/2) = 3. We continue filling column after column until we obtain an a that is exactly twice a v In our example, a x = 4, so we fill the columns until we find a = 8, which occurs in col- umn 5 (see figure 3). With a few notable exceptions, no general method for predict- ing the number of columns is available. If we fill column 6 now, we find that it is identical to column 2. Hence, the table will repeat itself cyclically and for d = 23, the set is {4JXT3}, where the overscore indicates the repeating cycle. This cycle has four terms, an even number— good! An odd cycle will require an additional consideration. The first number of the set is not part of the repeating cycle. The cycle, excluding its last term, is always sym- metric. Note the "1,3,1" in the set for d = 23. Similar ly, d = 19 has the set {4,2,1,3,1.2,8}, d = 93 has {9,1,1.1,4,6.4,1,1,1,18}, and d = 199 has {14 ,9,2,1,2,2,5.4,1,1,13,1,1,4,5,2,2, 1,2,9.28}. We are now halfway through the procedure; please bear with me. I now confess that the table had five rows. The two additional rows are x's and y's that were not needed until now. Further, we no longer need the p's and q's. I will construct a new table with the a's, x's, and y's (see figure 4a). The first two columns are filled as follows: x, = a lt yi = I. x 2 = a x a 2 + I, yi = a 2 . After the first two columns are filled. we complete the table with these two recursive formulas: x n = a n x n -i + x n - 2 and y n = a n y n . x + y n ~ 2 . (Follow the ar- [continued] Robert T. Kurosaka teaches mathematics in the Massachusetts State College system. He invites your correspondence do BYTE, POB 372, Hancock, NH 03449. MAY 1986 -BYTE 379 McGraw-Hill introduces the affordable solution to the 640K limit. Why spend more than $700 for an expanded memory board with 256K and new software versions that may be incompatible with your current software? M AXIT™ is a 256K memory board, with software, that works above or below 640K to increase memory for 1-2-3® 1 A and other popular memory-intensive programs, and allows RAM-resident and custom programs to run above 640K. It's priced at an affordable $195. With MAXTT, you don't have to buy new software versions like 1-2-3 Release 2. No matter how much memory your computer has now — even 512K or 640K — MAXIT can increase available memory. It can work above 640K, using memory that was reserved for the operating system but isn't being used. MAXIT software adds memory above 640K to DOS, and enables 1-2-3 1A, memory- resident software, or custom programs to use it. And if you already have software that works with expanded memory, you can use MAXIT's special driver software. It emulates costly expanded memory boards — giving you increased power at a fraction of the cost. MAXIT works on the IBM PC, XT the Portable PC, and many compatibles. It requires DOS 2.0 or above. MAXIT works on the IBM PC AT, too. It fills out the AT's memory from 512K to 640K, and even goes beyond that. MAXIT includes a 256K parity-checked memory card that uses the latest tech- nology. It's a half-size card, too, so you can use it in a short XT slot. Installation is a snap. Just follow the instructions in the illustrated Owner's Manual. The menu-driven setup software also gives you screen prompts. And if you have questions, our customer service department will answer them fast. Once installed, MAXIT loads auto- matically. You don't have to leam a single new command to use it to its fullest. Get the affordable solution to your PC's memory crisis. We've made it easy. Order MAXIT today by calling our toll-free number: 1-800-221-8439. (In Texas, call 1-214-437-7411.) We accept VISA, MasterCard, American Express, and Diners Club cards. Or order by writing to: McGraw- Hill CCIG Software, 8111 LBJ Freeway, Dallas, Texas 75251. MAXIT is just $195 plus $4.00 shipping ($12.00 outside the US.) and applicable state sales tax. Be sure to include credit card number and expiration date with mail orders. Orders paid by check are subject to delay. MAXIT is covered by a 30-day money-back guarantee and a one-year warranty. 1-800-221-8439 (In Texas 1-214-437-7411) B'j» McGraw-Hill CCIG linik Software 81 1 1 LBJ Freeway, Dallas, Texas 75251 MAXIT is a trademark of McGraw-Hill CCIG Software, IBMis a registered trademark oflnternational Business machines Corporation; 1 -2-3 is a registered trademark of Lotus Development Corporation. 380 B YTE • MAY 1986 Inquiry 224 PELLIAN EQUATION rows in figure 4b.) Since the cycle length was 4, we look in column 4 and find x = 24, y = 5. This is the least solution (24, 5) of the Pellian equation x 2 - 23y 2 = I . Therefore, Major Hawke had 575 men who stood in 23 groups of 2 5 each. When he joined them, they formed a 576-man square formation (24 2 ). To find other solutions, we have a variety of methods: I. Extend the table through more {continued) P, = o Q. = 1 a, = INT(V23) = 4 n 1 2 3 4 5 Pn Qn a n 1 4 Figure 1: The initial values for p. a, and a. (a) p n = a^.q,^ - p„ M (b) q n = (d - p*)lq^ (c) a n = INT((a! + p n )lq n ) n 1 2 3 4 5 Pn Qn a„ 0- 1 - ] 4 subtract multiply n 1 2 3 4 5 Qn Sin 1 ' 4 4 -+— square, subtract from d> ^^^ then divide n 1 2 3 4 5 Pn Qn Sin 1 4 / 4 > 4 ~\ divide and take the /^7 lta«PcnCoip West: 4704 W. Jennifer, Suite 105, Fresno, CA 93711, 209/276-2345 East: 67 Grandview, Pleasantville, NY 10570, 914/747-1450 Distributor: Telemarketing Services, Inc. 1897 Garden Ave., Eugene, OR 97403, 503/345-7395 MAY 1986 'BYTE 381 Europe's top-selling integrated software makes it easy to choose. Top-of-the-line: Open Access* $595? For starters: Entry $195* OPEN ACCESS / XX^/^/^X X^/^/^X^X^/^/ Caparison Chan / ^^^^^^^^^^^ Lotus 1-2 -3 S S iS 495110 Symphony iS S S S lS iS S 695'"' Framework S ^ iS S IS ^ iS 695"" Open Access S S S IS iS iS S ^ ^ s S lS 39500* Open Access has sold almost 50,000 copies overseas. With one of the most powerful Relational Databases around, and just about all the additional features you could want, it's no wonder. Just take a look at the screens below and see all you get in this sophisticated business program. (We're even written in 11 languages with exact file transfer.) And now we offer it in the United States at a reduced price so you can find out what made it Europe's top-seller. Relational Database Spreadsheet Communications ^J Graphics 'i i i. r.» r.~ 1 I i — t- -t— t- Word Processing Time Management Open Access and SS are registered trademarks of Software Products International, Inc.; Lotus, 1-2-3 and Symphony are registered trademarks of Lotus Development Corp.; Multiplan is a registered trademark of Microsoft; Q & A is a trademark of Symantec; Framework is a trademark of Ashton-Tate. 382 B YTE • MAY 1986 pfs: file & report ^ iS iS >(>S 11 " Q& A S i/ lS iS \S iS 299*" Multiplan iS 195"" Open Access Entry V* IS V* V* is \S IS V* V* V* 19500* Or, to make it even easier, we offer you Open Access Entry for those who don't need all that Open Access has to offer. Yet. You get four programs plus all the documentation for the complete Open Access package so that updating will be a snap — for you and us. We make it easy. Just call today. Available at better dealers nationwide. For your nearest dealer or distributor, call (619) 450-1526. Database ;: . . : ■.:-.■...;■ Spreadsheet ;::::;» ..„„ , „ ,.,.;::; 1 1 ! ■ 1 . 1 . ' . j 1 ., , i i i ii • Word Processing Time Management The product's exceptional. The price extraordinary. Can you really afford to compromise any longer? SPI SOFTWARE PRODUCTS INTERNATIONAL 10240 Sorrento Valley Rd. • San Diego, CA 92121 • (619)450-1526 • Telex 499-0919 Inquiry 331 for End-Users. Inquiry 332 for DEALERS ONLY. PELLIAN EQUATION Inquiry 362 cycles and look in columns 8, 12, 16, and so on— where we would find (1151.240). (55224, 11515). and so on. 2. Use a "closed" formula, which can determine, say. the tenth solution without knowing any of the preceding nine. If (xo.y ) is the first nontrivial solu- tion of x 2 - dy 2 = I . all solutions are given by *n = l(*o + yo^fd p + (xo - ^oVd )"|/2 y« =IUo + y V5j" - (x - » Vd) w ]/2s/i (The derivation of these formulas is available. Please include a SASE. preferably with two first-class postage stamps.) 3. We note that the x and y values of the solutions form sequences. In- cluding the trivial solution (1,0). the x's are 1,24. 1151. 55224,. . . and the y's are 0, 5, 240, 11515,. . . For some constant c. the x's and y's can be generated by x n = c*x n - t - x n - 2 . y n = c*y n - t - y n - 2 , where c is twice the x value of the first (nontrivial) solution. In our example, this x value is 24; hence c = 48: x n = 48*x„-i - x„- 2 , y n = 48*^-! - ^_ 2 . Method #3 is the easiest for the computer and is the method used in the listing this month. Of course, when seeking larger solutions, some ex- tended precision will be required. I mentioned earlier that d = 2 3 has an even set {4.1.3.1.8} with an even number of terms in its repeating cycle. What if the cycle is odd? Consider the Pellian equation x 2 - A\y 2 = I. Ford = 41. the set is {6.2XTI}. an odd cycle. We construct the table as in figure 5. but we extend it through two cycles. Since the cycle length is 3. we ex- pect to find the least solution in col- umn 3. We find, however, that (32. 5) will not work. (It is. however, a solu- tion for* 2 - A\y 2 = -1.) We must go "twice as far— to column 6— to find the least solution (2049. 320). Subse- quent solutions will appear in every sixth column. For method #2. the closed formulas will involve (2049 ± 320V4l) 2w . In method #3. the con- stant would be 2 * 2049 = 4098: x n = 4098*x n -i - x n - 2 , y n = 4098*[^ n -i - Un-2. Listing I provides a program that solves a Pellian equation for its least solution, prints the recursive formulas, checks the least solution, and also prints the second solution. {continued) (a) Xi = a, y, = 1 X 2 = 3,3 2 + 1 y-L = 3 2 (b) x„ = a„x„_ 1 + x„_i y„ = a n y n _i + y«-2 n 1 2 3 4 5 din x n 4 4 1 1 5 1 3 1 8 n 1 2 3 4 5 a„ Xn Yn 4 1 *~ 1 4^ 5 7 8 "211 44 Figure 4: (a) The first two x and y values: (b) the flow diagram for subsequent x and y values. d = 41 {6 2,2,12,} n 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 a„ 6 2 2 12 2 2 12 Xn 6 13 32 397 826 2049 25414 y« 1 2 5 62 129 320 3969 Number One In Performance Hard Disk Intelligent VCR Backup for AT/XT/PC FEATURES • High speed microprocessor controlled backup (68000) • Two channel interface • Built in LAN channel • Software control of most VCR functions including Fast Forward, Rewind, and auto backup using VCR timer capabilities • Economical VHS or Beta formats Figure 5: The completed chart of x.y values for x 2 -4\y 2 =\. Systems West: 4704 W. Jennifer, Suite 105, Fresno, CA 93711, 209/276-2345 East: 67 Grandview, Pleasantville, NY 10570, 914/747-1450 Distributor: Telemarketing Services, Inc. 1897 Garden Ave., Eugene, OR 97403, 503/345-7395 MAY BYTE 383 The SB 180 Computer Reasserts 8-Bit Computing In A 16-Bit World \/ I ou're one of the few heroes left. The stalwart CP/M user who's held the fort despite all 1 | the odds against you — a slow, bulky system that can't seem to compete against today's 16-bit computers. Well, help has finally arrived. IT'S THE SB 180 COMPUTER. The SB 180 is a true single- board computer: A CMOS CPU, 256K Ram, 8K ROM Monitor, disk controller for ' up to four 3 1/2", 5 1/4" and/or 8" drives, console serial port, modem port parallel printer port . . . ALL ON ONE BOARD High Speed And Small Enough To Fit In A Lunchbox You can run standard 8080/8085 and Z-80 software at up to twice the speed of a 4MHz Z-80. And the entire SB 180 package is only 4" x 7 1/2". Software Compatibility With The World Any of the thousands of appli- cation programs, languages or utilities which run under CP/M will also run on the SB 180. The SB1 80's Z-System is an en- hanced 8-bit operating system. It is a complete replacement for CP/M 2.2 from Digital Re- search, yet provides functions and facilities similar to MS-DOS and UNIX. Asynchronous Serial Communications Interface, Clocked Serial I/O port, 16-bit Programmable Reload Timer and a 1 2 source interrupt controller. The expanded instruction set includes hardware multiply and a sleep instruction for low power standby operation./ Reduced System Cost And Low Power Operation The SB 180 uses the most power- ful of the new generation 8-bit CPU's- the Hitachi HD64180. The chip is based on a micro- coded execution unit and advanced CMOS manufacturing technology. System costs are reduced because many key functions have been included on-chip: Memory Man- agement Unit, Direct Memory Access Controller, wait state generator, dynamic RAM refresh, The entire SB 180 computer with 256K bytes RAM and the 8K ROM monitor is only $369.00. If you want ZCPR3, ZRDOS, ROM and BIOS sources, the whole package comes to $499.00. Quantity discounts are also available. Dial toll free 1-800-635-3355 to order the SB 180. For technical infor- mation write us at 25 Terrace Drive, Vernon, CT 06066 or call 1-203-871-6170. (Telex:643331) So call now, and say you're a CP/M user who's ready for reinforcements. 384 BYTE • MAY 1986 PELLIAN EQUATION Listing I: The Pellian equation solver. **************************************** '* PELLIAN EQUATION * '* X A 2 - D*Y A 2 «1 * '* BY BOB KUROSAKA * **************************************** 10 20 30 40 50 60 REM ENTER A NONSQUARE INTEGER D. THE PROGRAM 70 REM DETERMINES THE FIRST (LEAST) SOLUTION. THE 80 REM RECURSIVE FORMULAS, AND THE 2ND SOLUTION. 90 REM 100 REM 110 CLS 120 DIM P(100).Q(100),A(100) 'Hope 100 Is enough! 130 INPUT "D - ";D 140 D=ABS(INT(D)) 150 RD=VAL(STR$(SQR(D))) 'Remove guard digits from SQR(D) 160 IF RDOINT(RD) THEN 180 170 PRINT "D must not be a square! " :GOTO 130 180 * 190 • FIRS T HALF: FIND As 200 * 210 P(1)=0:Q(1)=1:A(1)=INT(SQR(D)):N-1 '1ST COLUMN VALUES 220 N=N+1 230 P(N)=A(N-1)*Q(N-1)-P(N-1) 240 Q(N)=(D-P(N)*P(N))/Q(N-1) 250 A(N)=INT((AM)+P(N))/Q(N)) 260 IF A(N)=2*A(1) THEN 290 270 GOTO 220 280 ' 290 • SECOND HALF: FIND X0 AND Y0 300 ' 310 CL=N-1 *CL=CYCLE LENGTH 312 FOR I=N+1 TO 2*CL 'REPEAT CYCLE 314 A(I)=A(I-CL): P(l )-P(l-CL) : Q(l)-Q(l-CL) 316 NEXT I 320 IF CL/2oINT(CL/2) THEN CL=2*CL 330 DIM X(CL). Y(CL) 340 ■ 350 • FIND xs AND Ys 360 ' 370 X(1)=A(1):Y(1)-1 380 X(2)=A(1)*A(2)+1:Y(2)=A(2) 390 IF CL<3 THEN 450 400 FOR 1-3 TO CL 410 X(l)=A(I)*X(l-l)+X(l-2) 420 Y(l)=A(l)*Y(l-1)+Y(I-2) 430 NEXT I 440 ' 450 » FIRST SOLUTION 460 ' 470 X0=X(CL):Y0=-Y(CL):C=2*X0 480 PRINT:PRINT "LEAST SOLUTION: 490 PRINT "X = ";X0 500 PRINT "Y « ";Y0 510 ' 520 ' PRINT RECURSIVE FORMULAS- 530 ' 540 PRINT: PRINT "FORMULAS •SET UP 1ST 2 COLUMNS OF Xs AND Ys (X0.Y0) - LEAST SOLUTION 550 PRINT "X(N) - ";C;"* X(N-1) 560 PRINT "Y(N) - ";C;"* Y(N-1) 570 ' 580 ' CHECK X0 AND Y0 590 ' 600 PRINT:PRINT "CHECK:" 610 L=LEN(STR$(D)) 620 PRINT TAB(L+3) M X~2 X(N-2 Y(N-2 )- 630 PRINT D;' 640 ;X0*X0 * Y"2 - ";D*Y0*Y0 -PRINT 2ND SOLUTION- 650 '- 660 ' 670 PRINT :PRINT "SECOND SOLUTION; 680 PRINT "X - ";C*X0-1;" Y - " 690 END ;C*Y0 * id Inquiry 363 Number One in Performance Z80H IBM/AT/XT/PC- 8mz No Wait States FEATURES •64K-256KRAM •2K-8KEPR0M/StaticRam • 2 Serial Ports Async/Sync/Bisync Communications • Real Time Clock • Memory-mapped Dual-port BUS • On-board/Remote Reset NMI capability •Up To 32 Boards Per AT/XT/PC • Can Operate As Standalone Processor • Less Than Full Size Board (will fit other compatables.) SOFTWARE • ZP/M tm CP/M Emulation Software (Supports Most CP/M Software) • Multiuser Capability If Used As A Slave Processor TLM Systems West: 4704 W. Jennifer, Suite 105, Fresno, CA 93711, 209/276-2345 East: 67 Grandview, Pleasantville, NY 10570, 914/747-1450 Distributor: Telemarketing Services, Inc. 1897 Garden Ave, Eugene, OR 97403, 503/345-7395 MAY 1986 IYTE 385 PELLIAN EQUATION Prove that (1,1,2) = V3 . Let x equal the continued fraction: x = 1 + 1 + 2 + 1 + 2 + Add 1 to each side of the equation: x + 1 = 2 + 1 + 2 + 1 + which is equivalent to: which, in turn, simplifies to: x + 1 = 2 + 1 + x + 1 x 2 = 3 Figure 6: Proof that V3 equals the continued fraction (1.1.2). For additional practice, you may wish to revise Major Hawke's com- mand to 53 square formations. The equati on x 2 - 53 t^ 2 = 1 will have the set {7,3.1,1.3,14}, an odd set. The least solution is (66249, 9100). There- fore, he would have 4,388,930,000 men in his command. (Did I say he was from this planet?) For the Pellian equation x 2 - dy 2 = 1, the nonsquare positive integer d has a set that determines the infinite continued fraction for Vd . For exam- ple.^ = 3. We find that the set is {1,1.2} and that the continued frac- tion formed from the set equals \l3 . Figure 6 demonstrates this. 1 hope you experiment with this portion of the procedure as well as the entire Pellian algorithm. There are many patterns to be discovered. For example, if d is of the form n 2 + 1 (one more than a square), its set will be {n,2n}. If d has the form n 2 - 1 (one less than a square), the set is {n-\,\,2(n-\)}.m NOVAS TURBO 286 - AT BOARD FEATURES: Reliable - Using Gate array chips count only 36 I.C. (Others AT compatible chip count 100 I.C.) (6MHZ/8MHZ) Keyboard Select Speed 4 Serial / 1 Parallel on board optional * Memory size 256K, 512K, 640K, 1M * Fully compatible Bios (BASIC Input - Output System) is developed in the United States, fully provided all capabilities and facilities with IBM AT compatibility restrictions. * Systems Set-Up programs diskette provided. * $595.00 for (Big OEM Quantity) in stock NOVAS - 1000 Enhanced Co Graphic Adaptor (E.G.A) FEATURES: HIGHER PRODUCED GRAPHIC & Color to PC, XT. AT 640 • 350 Resolution for IBM Enhanced Color Display 720 * 350 Pixels for IBM Monochrome Display and more * NOVAS - 1000 with all video standards for IBM PC, XT, AT, Including Enhanced Color Graphic Adaptor regular IBM color graphic Monochrome Display Adaptor. * 256K Dynamic Ram Screen Buffer on board using 64K x 4 Drams support 16 colors in HI - Resolution Mode. ' One printer port built in which can be selected for LPT, 1,2,3, NOVAS - 1000 Fits into IBM PC, XT, AT or compatible computer. * $250.00 for (Big OEM Quantity) in stock NOVAS PC/XT Turbo Mother Board (4.77/8 MHZ) $175.00 (Zero K RAM) SYSTEM NOVAS PC/XT Turbo System .. $895.00 8MHZ Turbo Speed, 640K on board, 2 Dr., serial/ parallel, clock, game, mono-graphic, monitor. NOVAS Turbo 286 AT Entry System $1895.00 640K RAM, 6/8 MHZ Turbo Speed. 4S/1P optional, H.D./ F.D. controller. 1.2M Dr., 195W power, keyboard, case. Com pu trade Company Main Office: Computrade Company 780 Trimble Road, Suite 605, San Jose, CA 95131 Tel: (408) 946-2442 (408) 435-2662 Fax: (408) 435-5458 • IBM is a Trade Mark of International Business Machine Corp. • Sixth Conference on Microcomputers in Education and Training DEVELOPMENT OF EFFECTIVE INTERACTIVE INSTRUCTION MATERIALS Pentagon Quality Inn Arlington, Virginia June 18-20, 1986 Presentations cover: Creative Development Computer-based Authoring Systems Videodisc Creative Systems Design for Interactivity CD/ROM Potential (Compact Disc/Read Only Memory) Technological Implementation Effectiveness Criteria Implementation Capability Generic Programs Pre-conference tutorials are scheduled for June 17. For further information contact: SALT Society for Applied Learning Technology 50CulpeperSt., Dept. B Warrenton, VA 22186(703) 347-0055 Toll Free 1-800-457-6812 386 BYTE- MAY 1986 Inquiry 94 inquiry 321 Computer Friends Buffers, the new generation. |TM MAC MASTER Universal Buffer & Printer Controller. LOOK! Let Mac Master be youi 1. Buffer and free your Coi. ater Memory 2. Printer Controller. Mac Master stores/recalls all the fonts and commands of any printer you connect to it 3. Auxiliary Memory. Mac Master stores/ recalls files, logos, graphic symbols, etc. Plus multiple copy capability, memory and copy no. dis- play, pause and bypass option, and more. Available in parallel or serial. 64K S299 00 - 256K $450 00 1MEG$700°0 pipping ITM PROTEUS Double Buffer & Data Switch (Parallel). Connect 2 printers or other parallel peripherals to PROTEUS and you will have : 1. Buffer on Port 1 and 2. 2. Switching capability (manual or via software). 3. Multiple Copy capability on both ports. PROTEUS 64K - $199°° PROTEUS 256K - $299°° Shipping $400 U.S. Mac Master and/ or Proteus are easily installed andean be used immediately. 12 Months Warranty. UNIVERSAL MAC INKER Re-inky our Fabric Ribbons automatically for less than 5 cents. Extremely simple operation. We sup- port any fabric cartridge. The Univer- sal Cartridge MAC INKER is $68.50. The Universal Spool MAC INKER is $66.95. Our lubricated, dot matrix ink ($3.00/bottle) yields a darker print than most new ribbons. Estimated no. of re-inkings per avge. cartridge 60-100. MAC INKER has been reviewed, approved and flattered in most magazines, even in the New York Times and the Chicago Sun TimegL_. ^#%#% — ** 168.50 Shippim $3.00 U.S (Universal w/C. Itoh Prowriter Cartridge). Over 50,000 MAC INKERS in the field as of Jan. 15, 1986. RE-INK IN COLOR TOO We have colored or un-inked cartridges or reloads for most popular printers. Colors: Brown, Blue, Red, Green, Yellow, Purple. Please inquire. MERCURY MODEM Really 100% Hayes* Smartmodem Compatible. ■ 300/1200 Baud Speed. ■ Auto answer, Auto dial, Auto speed selec- tion. ■ Audio monitor w/ Volume Control. ■ Front Panel lights. ■ Excellent Manual. ■ 18 months warranty. ^AAFAn Includes power supply and J^fc Vw telephone cable. Computer to Modem cable $15.00. Ship- ping $4.00 *Hayes is a trademark of Hayes Microproducts. mac-the ripper Perforation Eliminating Machine. Tears off the perforations from computer pa- per. Feed in the first sheet of the stack and let mac-the-ripper do the rest. Eliminates tedium and can pay for itself promptly in saved person- nel time. $4900 DATA SWITCHES All types, all lines switched, all metal, heavy duty switch, elegant design, best value for money. $ 7500 $150°° $150°° Shipping $5.00 U.S. 2 Ports Pi or Serial 4 Ports Parallel or Serial 2 Computers/ 2 Printers Par. or Ser. We have cables too. Please inquire or specify at time of order. Order Toll Free. Call or Write for free brochure. 1-800-547-3303 In Oregon 503-297-2321 (24 hours line) Computer Friends® 6415 SW Canyon Ct, #10 Portland OR 97221 telex 4949559 Inquiry 417 MAY 1986 -BYTE 387 BYTE InvitesYou to join BIX BYTE is the world's leading high-tech microcomputer magazine. Its readers collectively possess more information about personal computers and related topics than any other group in the world. BIX is BYTE's brand-new electronic information exchange, a computer conferencing system that puts you in touch with BYTE readers and other computer enthusiasts on a daily basis. YOU AND BIX BIX goes far beyond .electronic bulletin boards to give you all the advanced features of true com- puter conferencing. It's the first major system dedicated to microcomputer information. Check these features: • You can join ongoing discussions about your favorite computers, programming languages, op- erating systems, and applications programs, ex- change information, ask questions, and offer opinions. • You can read what others have already entered, add your own thoughts, and download information. • You can participate when it's convenient for you, from home or office or while you're traveling. • You also get electronic mail with BIX, putting you in direct, private contact with BYTE editors and BIX users everywhere. Customize BIX to meet your Needs As a BIX user, you select only the conferences and topics that are of real interest to you. You may join a new conference or leave an old one anytime you want. Each time you log on to BIX, you're im- mediately notified of any electronic mail messages waiting for you, and you see which of the con- ferences you've joined have had new activity since the last time you logged on. BIX keeps track of your interests. With BIX, you're an active participant in a giant microcomputer information exchange. What BIX Costs. . .How You Pay ONE-TIME REGISTRATION FEE: BYTE Subscriber $25 Nonsubscriber $39 BIX HOURLY USAGE FEES (All times are local): Off Peak (6 p.m.-7 a.m. plus weekends and holidays) $9 Peak (7 a.m.-6 p.m. weekdays) $ 1 2 TELECOMMUNICATIONS CHARGES: BIX is available via lymnet from anywhere in the United States. TYMNET (Continental U.S.): Off Peak $2/hr. Peak $6/hr. PAYMENT: BIX and lymnet charges are billed through either VISA or MasterCard. No cash, checks, or money orders. Start Using BIX Now! With our easy on-line registration, you can start using BIX in the next few minutes. No lengthy waiting for your registration to be processed by mail. (Step-by-step instructions on how to log on to BIX follow. Reading this material before you log on will speed you through the registration process.) LOG-ON INSTRUCTIONS AND REGISTRATION INFORMATION BEFORE YOU CALL BIX: Having your credit card handy (VISA/MasterCard) before you log on will speed you through BIX registration. You will not be billed for the time you spend on line registering for BIX. \fat any time during the on-line process you decide not to register for BIX, just hang up. HOW TO LOG ON TO BIX: Step 1: Set your computer's telecommunications program for full duplex using 8-bit words, no parity, 388 B YTE • MAY 1986 and 1 stop bit, or 7-bit words, even parity, and 1 stop bit. You may call at either 300 or 1200 baud. Step 2: To reach BIX via Tymnet.* • BIX is accessible from anywhere in the country through local Tymnet numbers. 1/ you don't know the Tymnet numbers for your area, contact the BIX Customer Ser- vice Line (see below). At other times, numbers can be ob- tained by calling Tymnet at 800-336-0149. • Call your local r iymnet number and log on. • Depending on your baud rate, Tymnet will re- spond with "garble" or request a terminal iden- tifier. Enter the letter "a". (Ignore quotation marks in this and succeeding entries.) • Tymnet will ask you to log on. Enter "byteneti" and a carriage return (CR). • Tymnet will ask you for a password. Enter "mgh" and (CR). You will then be at the door to the BIX computer. Step 3: (If there is no prompt requesting a login at this point, hit a (CR) which should produce it.) When you see a phrase ending in 'login:", enter "bix". (Echoing of this response is normal.) You should now see the BIX logo scroll onto the screen and a prompt asking you to enter your name. Since this will be your first time on the system, enter 'new" and a carriage return. This will take you to a special section where you enter the information we need to register you as a BIX user. Follow the on-line prompts and supply the infor- mation requested. BIX lets you re-enter data if you make a mistake. When you've completed your registration, BIX will automatically take you to a special 'Learn" con- ference where you'll get a quick tutorial on how to use the system. (Typing "help" or '?" at any prompt while you are on BIX will give you an im- mediate review of available commands.) ACCESSING BIX FROM FOREIGN COUNTRIES To reach BIX from other countries, you need an account with your local Postal Telephone & Telegraph (PTT) company. From your PTT, enter 3 1 0600 157878. Then follow instructions starting at Step 3. A list of PTT addresses and contacts for most foreign countries is available by calling or writing BIX. Customer Service If you follow these instructions but still are unable to log on to BIX, call the BIX Customer Service Line for assistance at 800-227-2983, 8:30 a.m.- 11 p.m. eastern time weekdays. In New Hampshire and outside the U.S., call (603) 924-7681. We'll Send You a BIX User's Manual and Subscriber Agreement As Soon As We've Processed Your Registration BYTE Information Exchange One Phoenix Mill Lane Peterborough, nh 03458 (603) 924-9281 Inquiry 450 MAY 1986 • BYTE 389 Inquiry 399 BOXCALC Not Another Spreadsheet! Not Another Word Processor! No- BOXCALC is a new kind of calculation program that allows easy combination of figures with text. Instead of fighting pre-determined rows and columns, just type text and place calculation "boxes" anywhere on your screen at the press of a function key. This makes BOXCALC just what you need for creating cost estimates and budget reports. Even income tax forms. Any documents that use text mixed in with the figures. •Create up to800 calculation boxes for each BOXCALC file. •Relocate boxes on screen under cursor control. Or move whole columns of boxes. •BOXCALC is page oriented - files may contain up to 99 pages. • Print any page or combination of pages(send printer control codes, too). •Put simple or complex formula in any box to establish it's mathematical relationship to other boxes. •Calculate boxes sequentially or in any order you specify. •Get data from other BOXCALC files. •Full replication features for fast, easy creation of box formulas. •Supplied with no copy protection. Along with 4 sample files and a comprehensive instruction manual, BOXCALC is available for $40.00. Or, to observe BOXCALC in action, a demonstration disk and manual can be purchased for $5.00. To order BOXCALC or the demonstration kit, send your name, address, and check to: Cotton Software, Inc., 2510 Anderson Rd., Suite #364, Covington, Ky. 41017. (VISA/MC # accepted for BOXCALC only - include expiration date) Requires PC, XT or AT, color monitor, PC DOS 2.0 or higher and 256K RAM. BOXCALC is a trademark of Cotton Software. Inc. 1-606-727-1600. A small price to pay for a full-duplex 2400 ~bps dial modem that lets you operate synchronously, or asynchronously with a unique auto dial Feature, on virtually any computer. Plus it's Hayes compatible. Arid available as a standalone unit or dual modem card, which lets you pack 32 modems into a single Codex nest. f*f\(*\&}£ The Codex 2233 dial modem. Find out WV/ \JKS\ about it. Call 1*8004264212. Ext, 230, ^h iihwhrsdesignedandiMjiiv • ih '.hi :,u wis r/iftwiirc developer. Yougeic written code that's fully commented so that it can s&vs fe7 ; J is a model and also be easily mo to grow with your changing needs. Our packages are shipped to you complete with comprehensive manualsysample programs and source code.. None of the programs are copy -protected. FOR C AND PASCAL PROGRAMMERS: FOR THE TURBO PASCAL PROGRAMMER: T00LS<>$125 Extensive string and screen handling, graphics interface and easy creation of program interlaces. Includes all source code^ TOOLS 2O$1Q0 Memory management, general program control and DOS file support. Inter tupt service rout me support. Includes all source code. ■ ■■ / ; General screen management. Create data entry screens i that can be easily manipulated from your application program. Block mode data entry and retrieval with fast screen access. VIEW LIBRARY Source $150 Source code to the VIEW MANAGER library functions. ASYNCH MANAGER $175 Powerful asynchronous communications library provid- ing interrupt driven support for the COM ports. All source code included. MllCfQti ram centre m code included 1iir$wmM€ttO$93M interrupt driven asynchronous communication cniisble from Turbo Pascal. ASYNCH is whiten in "ill with ail sou; PACKAGES FOR ALL PROGRAMMERS: Bta< >sp oec i Tied. Source code C TOOLS and C TOOLS ■ Common dale ' included if \ 2 user, SPARKY $75 Runtime resident (or stand-alone) scientific, fully pro- grammable, reverse polish notation calculator. No limit on stuck size, variables or tape. Includes all standard sci- entific functions and different base arithmetic. \ TO ORDER, call Blaise Computing inc. at (415) 540 * 2034 Bfake Street + Ber ♦ (415) 540-5441 Inquiry 37 for End-Users. Inquiry 38 for DEALERS ONLY. MAY I986 • BYTE 393 CHAOS MANOR MAIL lines? I realize that it may not be economi- cal for stateside users (depending on net- work charges versus direct dial charges), but it would be a boon to those of us overseas. Samuel Gamoran Weizmann Institute of Science Rehovot 76100, Israel I don't myself have any suggestions; perhaps a reader can help? Stay well. -jerry Composing Dear Jerry, Apropos of your comments on musi- cians and music-writing programs in the December 1985 BYTE ("Music and Go," page 366), I have no respect for people who call themselves musicians but lack basic literacy in music notation. However, there is indeed a place for music-writing programs that make a com- poser's life easier. One program I'd very much like to have, but can't justify the ex- pense ($470 for the program plus another $2000 or so for a Fat Mac), is Professional Composer from Mark of the Unicorn. For me, rough drafts are no problem, but making fair copies is sheer drudgery. A program like Professional Composer would enable me to create the fair copy with far less effort. 1 wouldn't have to rewrite the score from the rough draft, and the cut-and-paste feature would allow easy entry of repeated sections. Better still, this program even generates instrumental parts from a full orchestral score. This is an especially attractive fea- ture since it costs a fortune to have a copyist write out the instrumental parts, which always contain errors. The com- puter-generated parts, on the other hand, are essentially cost-free and error-free. The only missing ingredient is thicker paper for laser printers, since regular bond paper is unmanageable on a music stand. David Lewiston Kihei. HI Of course, I agree that one ought to know the basic tools of one's trade; I hope I didn't give you the impression that Professor Challs can't write music! The problem, it seems, is the sheer expense for copyists and suchlike to produce suf- ficient scores to let them perform the opera he and Bloch were contemplating. A small price to pay for a full-duplex 2400 bps dial modem that gives you better performance, better features, and better support than anything else available. ^f\r\f?\C The Codex 2233 dial modem. Find out ^ w \JkS\ about it. Call 1.800*426*1212. Ext. 230. (g) MOTOROLA Motorola and® are trademarks of Motorola, Inc. Codex is a registered trademark of Codex Corporation. © 1986 Codex Corporation. In actual fact, Professional Musician plus a Fat Mac plus an Imagewriter are all together much cheaper than would be the copying costs for a single major work; or so I'm told. I'm no great fan of the Macintosh as a general-purpose machine, but it has its points of excellence; and, of course, the Mac Plus is a considerably different ma- chine from the original l28K-byte Mac. I'm glad to see software/hardware com- binations like this; as I said in December: I expect small computers to have the same wonderful effect on the other arts that they've already had on writing. We'll all benefit from that. Stay well.— jerry Sanyo Information Dear Jerry. Our college just received a Sanyo MBC-5 50 series computer as a donation. We are interested in using this machine with our student-search program and our college accounting system, which is already running on a Victor 9000 and an IBM PC. To this end, we are trying to find technical information on the Sanyo com- puter that would instruct us in exchang- ing the disk drives 'for double-sided double-density drives and adding a hard disk. We are also interested in information concerning the usability of R:base 5000 and the Solomon III accounting package on the Sanyo. Do you have or know where we can get any of this information? We are also looking for a Sanyo users group in the Southern California area. Your he\p in answering any of these questions is appre- ciated. Edward M. Shelton Assistant to the President Deep Springs College Deep Springs, CA via Dyer, NV 89010 I've sent a copy to the Sanyo User Group, but perhaps someone local to you— if there is any place local to Deep Springs— can help also. Sanyo users tell me it's a great machine, but there are real problems getting sup- port from the company, and, of course, there aren't so many of them as there are other systems.— Jerry Transferring Files Redux Dear Jerry You may have issued a partly unneces- sary mea culpa in responding in last September's Chaos Manor Mail ("Ttansf er- ring Files." page 382) to the reader who criticized some advice you had once given a correspondent having trouble transfer- ring files from his NEC PC-8201 A lap com- 394 B YTE • MAY 1986 CHAOS MANOR MAIL puter. Mr. Cooper suggested that the SAVE command had been misused and that your advice to fall back on the slower Telcom built-in program was wrongly based. I doubt this is the case, even though when using Telcom at 300 bps I had simi- lar problems, especially the loss of char- acters. This now seems to have been due to using the lab key during text entry, since simply indenting by means of the space bar solves the problem! Much worse has been the problem of getting either linefeeds/carriage returns or the end-of-file recognized by the target sys- tem, a CP/M desk machine. How on earth have you handled this, or does your equipment not present you with these dif- ficulties? After ASCII text, an end-of- file marker is supposed to be inserted by the CP/M PIP utility which I decided to use in lieu of a telecommunications pro- gram after reading your original response (and I'm glad I followed your example)— but in my case this evidently doesn't happen. The current local solution to the linefeed problem comes from an NEC Home Elec- tronics technical-support representative (and I thank her for it). Before performing the Telcom upload, you go into BASIC and poke -3067.2 55. Obviously, you have to have remembered to insert hard carriage returns/linefeeds after, say, every two 40-column lines during the text entry. As for the end-of-file recognition, without which everything hangs at the end of the upload, you hit Control-Z at the right in- stant on the PC-8201 As keyboard. By the way. embedding the marker in the text by the use of the graphics key does not work. Afterward, of course, you ought to go back into BASIC and poke - 3067.0 to reverse the original adjustment. Alan K. Brown Columbus, OH In the past year: we have come ever more to rely on the NEC PC-8201 A ma- chine. The little built-in editor is one of the nicest text-creation editors I know on any computer, and, between Purple Computing and Traveling Software, there's plenty of aftermarket support. The cost of filling it with memory— an ab- solute must— keeps dropping. Incidental- ly, the Tandy Model 100 is made by the same company that makes the NEC, and it shares most of the NEC's virtues. I only transfer text files to and from the NEC. When the NEC is finished sending the file across, I do the Control-Z by hand from the NEC keyboard before exiting the NEC's Telcom Term program. That closes the CP/M file created by PIP. Since we use WRITE on our CP/M machines, we not only don't have to put hard carriage returns in the text, we don't want them. WRITE uses much the same format as the NEC, and we never have any trouble. By the way, PIP knows how to expand tabs and can do that as part of the hie transfer from the NEC. The only way I know of to get into trou- ble is to send files at a fast rate to a CP/M machine using slow floppy disks. That will lose some text, especially at a l6K-byte boundary. I've never lost any text sending it to a RAM disk; and, of course, it's possi- ble to write handshaking protocols into the CP/M BIOS. Meanwhile, we now use Percy and Priscilla (my own and Mrs. Pournelle's PC-820ls) on all trips, while driving, and to record notes while sitting on the patio or at the breakfast table. I don't know how I got along without mine, and I don't want to imagine trying to do it again. —jerry ■ Auto-Manual Parallel Printer Switch Now you can switch the parallel output of any personal computer to your choice of any two parallel printers, quickly and easily, manually or automatically. Practical Eliminates cable switching and reduces paper loading and waste. Automatic switching saves more time and reduces the chances of accidentally running the wrong printer. Permits unattended and remote selection. Even in the manual mode, the Softswitch offers easy, convenient one- handed operation. Compact case measures just 5x5x1-1/2 inches. Adaptable The Softswitch allows you to select printers by any of four different methods: 1. Printer codes which can be quickly and easily embedded in files of most popular word processors, spread- sheets and databases. 2. Embedded codes immediately following print commands in your own custom software. 3. Manually from the panel-mounted toggle switch. 4. From the keyboard, with our optional RAM-resident software ($9.95). Universal The unique circuitry (U.S. Patents Pending) switches ALL active lines and passes ALL required acknowledgements and status signals, so it is compatible with all personal computers and parallel printers. Reliable Solidstate switches have no mechanical contacts to fail or main- tain. LED indicators always show which printer is selected. The Softswitch is backed by a full one-year warranty and the Touchstone unconditional 15-day performance guarantee. Economical - Only $139.95 Complete with power supply and full instructions, the Softswitch is alone in its class. If you wish, you can supply your own cables (You'll need 2x18 connectors to the Softswitch). Or, we can supply 5-foot ribbon cables with Centronics-type connectors for just $17.00 each (add 80 cents per foot for longer cables). Call Toll Free 1-800-828-6968 In New York: 1.800-462.4891 International calls: 1-716-235-8358 w TOUCHSTONE TECHNOLOGY INC. 955 Buffalo Road Rochester, NY 14624 Inquiry 368 MAY 1986 -BYTE 395 Now there's an IBM personal printer that can play whatever you compose. It doesn't matter if you're writing contracts or concertos; whether you print labels, librettos or on letterheads— IBM has F \ ::.:::,:; a personal computer -■ \ " ~ .': k: : printer that is perfect ^ for your needs. If you're looking for speed, all-points- addressable graphics and versatile paper handling, there's the dot -matrix IBM Proprinter. For drafts it does up to 200 characters per second (cps) —about three pages a minute— and at 40 cps it does near letter quality. Surprisingly, the price is under $550. If letters are important for your business, we've got two extraordinary letter-quality machines. The IBM Quietwriter® Printer gives you high-quality printing, whisper-quiet operation and high- resolution graphics. For very i i .. i.. Letter-quality printing sharp letter quality, easy paper H JV & handling and carbon copies, there's the IBM Wheelprinter. 396 BYTE • MAY 1986 Ticket Sales Northwest Southea Text and color graphics When your com- positions call for color you can call upon the brilliance of the Color Jetprinter from IBM. It combines splendid color, near- letter-quality text and the capacity to work —in color— with a wide range of the latest soft- ware. And it's also all points addressable for virtually any kind of graphics. Lastly, if you really do need to put notes on paper— or print floor plans or other complex diagrams— IBM offers a choice of high- resolution color plotters. All of our personal printers attach to IBM PCs, and many attach to other leading personal computers as well. They're all designed to serve a single purpose: To give everything you do the finishing touch. ^ Plotter graphics For the authorized IBM dealer or the IBM Product Center nearest you— or for free literature— call 1 800 IBM-2468, Ext. 104/LR. Or contact your IBM marketing ==. = representative. = ^ IBM Personal Printers...The Finishing Touch Inquiry 168 MAY 1986 -BYTE 397 Best of BIX • Best of BIX • best of BIX EIX • Best of BIX • Best of BIX • Best 01 THE BEST OF BIX is a selection of the most interesting messages from BIX, the BYTE Information Exchange conferencing system. The conferences covered for this month include those for the Commodore Amiga, Atari 520ST and 1040ST, the IBM PC family and compatibles, and the Macintosh computers. These pages represent only a small fraction of the material discussed in these conferences. For information on joining BIX, see the instructions on page 388. AMIGA The highlights of the Amiga conference this month feature notes on ways to save connect time, new sources of software for the Amiga, and ways to speed up your disk-access time. Discussions include new types of digitizers for the Amiga, and the workings of an "inbetweener" program are explained by its author. The Bugs and Fixes section covers implementing a new CLI for your serial port, fixes for graphics "include" files, and ways to avoid trouble when using Amiga ROM routines. Save Connect Time amiga/tutorial #339, from coz [Bob Cosby, RJH Systems] Is there such a thing as continuous mode on BIX? It sure would be nice to download these goodies in one big dump for later perusal. amiga/tutorial #340, from ksalmon [Ken Salmon] a comment to 339 "OPT TERM PAGE n" will change the "more.." prompt to every "n" lines of output. "OPT TERM PAGE 0" turns it off entirely. amiga/tutorial #343, from jdow [Joanne Dow] a comment to 340 opt term page 9999 q - > Effectively turns paging off all - > Dumps everything unread in the topic. Capture and read off line at your leisure. j conference/topic com nnnn - > Both allow comment to a specific hea nnnn com message. You can download everything, then build a file to upload as pure text to any BIX prompt which will automatically comment for you. j conference/topic com nnn (or say) (text goes here) (single period to stop comment) a (to add message) j new_conference/topic com mmm (etc. ad implausibilitum) Modula-2 for the Amiga amiga/main #1657, from bwebster [Bruce Webster, Consulting Editor, BYTE] Modula-2 for the Amiga TDI Software Inc., 10410 Markison Rd., Dallas, TX 75238, (214) 340-4942: I believe they're selling it for $70. Digitizers amiga/main #1891, from cheath [Charlie Heath, MicroSmiths] HAM Digitizer! I just saw some stuff done on a cheap (about $200) digitizer that allows you to capture HAM (Amiga hold-and-modify mode) pictures that look almost like television-quality video! The digitizer is actually a gray-scale digitizer used on the Mac, etc., and it is slow (about 30 seconds per pass, I am told, as compared with the LIVE! frame grabber, which is "real time" at about 20 frames/sec). In order to capture HAM pictures you must use RGB filters and cap- ture three images. But the results are unbe( )lievable! Name of the product is Digi-View. Next question: Who's got a HAM Paint pro- gram? What! Nobody! That's not likely to last for long. amiga/main #1901, from sbennett [Steven Bennett] a comment to 1891 I saw the same pictures. Beautiful. I also managed to cajole a contact name out of the Commodore rep who showed the stuff to us: T. Jennings. This sounds familiar to me for some reason. amiga/main #1892, from cheath Audio Digitizer! From a company called Applied Visions in Medford, Massachusetts, presented at tonight's BCS (Boston Computer Society) meeting was a prototype for an audio digitizer. It will cost $175, be available around June. They had some neat sample sounds, including David Letterman's breaking glass. The digitizer has variable sampling rates up to 28K bytes per second. Very good quality speech can be digitized at about 15K, decent at about 10K. They will support the IFF sound formats, and they are sup- plying run-time routines for developers to use. Editor's note: The FutureSound digital sound recorder is manufactured by Applied Visions, 15 Oak Ridge Rd., Medford, MA 02155, (617) 488-3602. With this interface your Amiga can digitally record and play back sound at variable rates The FutureSound uses Amiga's parallel port and comes with a microphone, connecting cables, and software. The frame grabber," LIVE, and the Genlock video interface are manufactured by Commodore-Amiga. The Digi-View digitizer is manu- factured by NewTek, 701 Jackson St., Suite 3B, Topeka, KS 66603, (913) 354-9332. Sample LIVE! frame-grabber image files and the Digi-View images library file DGVIEW.LQR can be downloaded from the Amiga section of BYTEnet Listings, (617) 861-9764. Aegis Images Animator II amiga/main #1920, from jim kent [Jim Kent, Aegis Images] I love my little tweener: It is much more impressive to use than just to watch, allows lots of layering and sensible "upstream editing—a term discussed in the manual. That is when changing present of object with future; this is reflected downstream in time in a way you would hope and expect. It got a bit Heideggerian at times. I love it. I hope you love it too. It was very, very difficult to write and very, very fun. Mucho apologies in advance if it should crash and lose your artwork. It is pretty robust. Only way I can crash it reliably is to stretch polygons 10x size of screen. Then they pop. I will try to fix, but it is somewhere in ML vector clipping (just wrap around), and I am no great 68000 coder. I did lots of 6809 on CoCo once, but there are always more bugs in a program of this complexity and size. I only try to make them fewer and harder to find. PS.: Bill Volk, the Aegis artist, and I are going to support this like you wouldn't believe. We've noted the success of the Apple II and IBM PC (as well as being naturally inclined to the open spread of information). I hope last-minute enhancements didn't break something somewhere; sorry. My sentences do tend to run on, don't they? Well, anyway, if you should care to get the inside on how it was done (no disk access in two minutes of animation if it's fairly simple) as well as the format of ASCII script files, we will be actively supporting this as well as answer- ing questions from a user end. I hope we are getting a good press. Anyway, we are committed to an open software architecture on this 398 B YTE • MAY I986 Best of BIX • Best of BIX • Best of BIX EIX Best of BIX • Best of BIX • Best of bix one. I hope it makes Saturday morning a pleasure again. Hope I don't sound too egotistical. I'm just very, very excited. I've been working 60- to 70-hour weeks for two years on this one. amiga/main #1922, from jsan [Jez San, Argonaut Software] a comment to 1920 Jim: How good is your "inbetweener" routine? Can it only interpolate in binary steps, or can it have an arbitrary number of frames between each successive image? How fast is it? And how fast are your polygon scan conversion routines? Are you using the ones built in the Amiga OS or your own? Also, is your clip routine your own? amiga/main #1927, from jim kent About Ani The inbetweening is arbitrary steps. Furthermore, it isn't restricted to tweening along a straight line, but it also does rotations (two- dimensional fast, three-dimensional not so fast), scaling, and "paths." It also does "color tweening," which turns out to be one of the most beautiful uses. Turns Amiga into a regular light-organ. Color cycle too. Along with the motion types described above, it allows various "select modes": You can move a point, multiple points, segments (part of edge of polygon— most useful for animating hands), polygons, multiple polygons, and everything all at once. amiga/main #1929, from jim kent More About Ani In addition to polygons (filled outline or just vectors), it deals with three types of raster objects (in IFF!), backgrounds (full-screen pictures), "wins" (full-color rectangles with transparent color zero), and "masks" (single-color images which you can color individually). amiga/main #1933, from jim kent Speed: Ani goes much faster than I do and makes less typos. Serious- ly, it has an asynchronous variable frame rate. It always draws as fast as it can. Slave process to clock. Basic form: for i { So the frame rate varies, sync with music. Actual frame rate is if (user wants out) break; makeframe( script, realtime( ) ); do_sound if you got it (I don't) } : too complicated, it gets jerky but not out of 30 Hz— max, my clock goes this fast; one half-screen polygon or three or four little ones, or two or three medium "eels," or five medium-sized masks. 10 Hz— my favorite speed. Nice balance between complicated scene and fair degree of smoothness. 5 Hz— covering screen twice with polygons. My clipping is very fast except for when it gets too big, it pops (bug around 32000 wide). You're too kind, by the way, and I'll see if I can reciprocate. You need vector clipping on Amiga if your filled shapes get bigger than your TmpRas will hold, from what I have played around with. Correct, Dale? Times very approximate. Mail me your address and 111 send you a no-save version with all the artwork I can scrape together. Also give me your number so I can call you on company time to talk "business." I'm sorry, I wrote much more before but computer ate it. No undo. Ani has undo! We will have a major announcement in "products.hmm" for everyone in a few days. amiga/main #1935, from duck [Dale Luck, Commodore-Amiga] a comment to 1933 The TmpRas must be big enough for the entire undipped polygon. amiga/main #1934, from jim kent a comment to 1922 I use Amiga's routines. In fact, it was seeing these in action in 1984 (and seeing Scott of Broderbund's Fantavision in early, early stages) that persuaded me to abandon Bobs for polygons. My rasters go as fast as Bobs, and in C, too, mostly. In fact, fastest software routine I have for scan conversion is essentially the Amiga hardware in software. Basically, Ani is an excellent 2 3 /4-dimensional object-based draw package that has time element attached. It is a real good swipe at solving the parallel/serial dichotomy that haunts computer animators. Biggest drawback of way I do it is it ends up being very, very hard; I can't implement it with my current insights— to overlay one script on top of another. On the other hand, I can freely add new objects at any "time" in script and can layer motions within a single animation. You will understand why when you see my ASCII file format, which will be available from Aegis. I sent Bill V first swipe at documentation this afternoon. It sure as hell cuts most of the scut work out of anima- tion, and for some things it is sufficient in and of itself. On the other hand, all polygon scripts tend to have a "paper-cutout" look. I can add rasters but can't turn them in real time. Though actually I have a routine which rotates rasters faster than anything else I've come across (people from Bell Labs saw it once and were blown away). Amazingly, Electronic Arts has one nearly (like 80% or so) as fast. Great software companies develop parallel things, I guess. Amazing, 'cause technically they are quite difficult and hard to get even on mega-megabuck computers, and suddenly both paint systems on Amiga show up with it. Anyway, rasters just move in paths and lines. I think paths are known as p-curves or something by academic types. You will see. Anyone else who wants a no-save version, please contact Aegis, or just take the leap. They should be most agreeable. Speed Up Your Disk-Access Times amiga/main #1993, from jim kent Amiga Slow Directories Amiga, somewhere between v27 or so and v1.0, started doing really good caching within its track buffer. Directory entries are in a linked list all over the floppy, it seems like. Seems like it would be possible, without changing format at all, and while still reading old scattered directory disks, to make DOS so it had a "semi-reserved" track into which it tried to put directory listings. It sure would be cool if this was done and suddenly it scanned directories as fast as 70S, MS-DOS, etc., machines. amiga/main #2046, from tking [Tim King, Metacomco] a comment to 1993 I changed the allocation strategy so that file headers and directory blocks are placed close to each other and all data blocks go together. See the February BYTE U.K. article 'Tripos— The Roots of AmigaDOS" for details. This speeded it up a lot when doing DIR but slowed down opening a file. But of course it only works with new disks. If you have a disk created under early versions, then it will still be slow, [continued) MAY 1 986 • BYTE 399 Best of BIX • Besi of BIX * Best of BIX EIX BEST OF BIX • BEST OF BIX • BEST OF BIX amiga/main #2070, from jim kent a comment to 1993 Oh. I've done that already. Thank you. It may be bad for compilers, but my application doesn't open that many files. No one who can avoid it compiles anywhere except in RAM disk anyway. amiga/main #2129, from sassenrath [Carl Sassenrath, Commodore- Amiga] a comment to 1993 I often find it advantageous to "reorganize" the file layout of my most active disks. This usually results in a many-times improvement in direc- tory access times. It can be accomplished with the CLI "copy" command by formatting a fresh disk and copying DFO: to DF1:. This operation will "repack" files and directories to take better advan- tage of the disk's track buffering. I recommend it highly. Bugs and Fixes amiga/main #1947, from langeveld [Willem Langeveld] NEWCLI SER: I have read two articles in Compute! about AmigaDOS (January and February 1986 issues). In the first is a description of NEWCLI that men- tions a possibly very useful feature, namely, that you can open a new CLI to your serial port by typing NEWCLI SER:. I have tried this with my TV 925 dumb terminal and a null modem (as described in amiga/softw.devlpmt msg #251 by cheath, except sym- metric). Much to my surprise, it really seemed to work! The usual words appeared on my terminal screen, followed by the 2> prompt. However, much to my disappointment, when I tried to type com- mands on my terminal, there was no response. Has anyone tried this and got it to work? Maybe you have to "click" in the second window? How do you do this if the new window is outside the Amiga? I tried whether it was the null modem, but with my terminal program (Online!) it works perfectly sending and receiving. If someone could get this to work, it would be a very useful thing. I would guess, better than just using your SER: for WACK. One problem still may be the that is being sent as line terminator. I'd much rather have a since I can set my terminal to generate the . By the way, the articles in Compute! have taught me a few things I hadn't figured out by myself yet, so they are worth reading if you don't have a DOS manual. P.S.: I should add that the article does say that the NEWCLI SER: command is undocumented, but I don't know what that means since as far as I am concerned everything is undocumented ... no? OK, OK, I'll be patient. amiga/main #1950, from jim kent a comment to 1947 I'm sending my diagnostic/error output to serial (via KPrintF) in Ani if running under Workbench. I guess I could have just tossed it in the bit bucket. Hope this doesnt mess you up. Anyway, expect it, or better yet, don't run it from Workbench. amiga/main #1953, from jmeissen [John Meissen, Lattice Software] a comment to 1947 There are several possibilities. One is that only output is being routed that way. More likely, the serial port is usually buffered with a 512-byte input buffer. Try SER:RAW instead. amiga/main #1965, from jazz [Frank Norton] a comment to 1947 NEWCLI SER: I think I have found the reason why your keyboard entries don't register. If you "COPY SER: Filename" and then type enough characters to cause a disk write or two and then reboot and examine the file, you will see that the high-order bit of each byte has been set. The CLI, of course, rejects these characters. I don't know where these bits are coming from, however, since I know for a fact that my terminal is generating a 10-bit code for each struck key: 1 start bit, a zero parity bit, 7 data bits, and a stop bit. I wonder now what kind of data the CLI is expecting. Hope this is of some help to you. amiga/main #1966, from sdb [Scott Ballantyne] a comment to 1947 Yeah, it works. You have to pump something innocuous to the Amiga after hitting Return on your remote. "remote: DIR <250 spaces or so>" should cause a DIR listing on the remote. Also remember to do ENDCLI SER: on the remote and not ENDCLI only. Graphics include Files amiga/softw.devlpmt #718, from duck This is a note to assembly-language programmers. If there is a dif- ference in capitalization between equivalent ".h(c)" and "i(asm)" files, then use the spelling in the .h file. Correct the spelling in the i files by editing the i file. As new releases of the "include" files come out, fixes to inconsistent naming be- tween .h and .i files will be done in this manner. This is only for the in- clude files in the graphics directory, though. I do not want to discuss the inconsistencies in naming in the other directories. ROM Code Bugs amiga/softw.devlpmt #742, from jmeissen Bugs in Amiga ROM Code I have determined that Amiga ROM routines do in fact often trash registers D6 and D7. The C compiler allocates register variables from that end first, so this tends to cause bizarre problems. So, a word oi caution: Do not use register variables in any routine that will call Amiga ROM code (Intuition, Graphics, Exec, etc.) until Amiga fixes this problem. amiga/softw.devlpmt #743, from wmiller [William Miller, Stratus Computer] a comment to 742 Wait a minute— are you saying that Lattice expects register contents to be saved across procedure calls? Is that part of the contract for the calling sequence on the Amiga, that called code has to save and restore any registers it modifies? Generally speaking, that is a bad approach since only the caller knows if a register contains useful data that should be saved or if it is garbage that can be ignored. Register saves should be done on the calling side; otherwise, a lot of unnecessary saves and restores must be done. amiga/softw.devlpmt #744, from cheath a comment to 743 The ROM Kernel Manual explicitly states that library routines can modify only DO, D1, A0, and A1. Generally, I prefer the modifier to save registers; it makes for much more compact code. But if a routine doesn't obey the rule, yipes. 400 B YTE • MAY 1986 >f BIX • Best of BIX • EIX Inquiry 77 Best of B!x ■'• Do you have any idea which routines are trashing? I've had trouble with Text, but I've got a lot of register variables and a lot of library calls, and I'm not planning to throw away the register variables in a product and watch the code size grow by 30°/o. If I know which routines are of- fensive, it's easy enough to write a new binding routine that saves the registers. Hurry, please. amiga/softw.devlpmt #750, from jsan a comment to 744 Charlie, I disagree, from a game writer's point of view (of which you and I are part). I think that routines should never save their registers, because it is unnecessary and time-consuming. For optimum code, it's best for the caller to save only the registers re- quired, rather than the subroutine to save all the registers. Okay, it makes for messier-looking code! But much faster code, and so is worth doing! (Especially for arcade games!) amiga/softw.devlpmt #752, from jmeissen a comment to 750 Come on! Wake up and see the light! The issue is six of one and half a dozen of the other. It is no less efficient for a called routine to save whatever registers it is going to use than for the caller to try to an- ticipate what registers the called routine is going to trash! Suppose the caller had values in all the registers, and the called used none; you want the caller to waste all that overhead pushing all the registers for every call? The point is that there is a defined interface with established rules. As long as everybody plays by the same rules everything works. As for which routines, so far I have determined "Text( )" trashes D6, and I have had reports of "DolO( )" trashing D6 and D7, and I have been told that unspecified Intuition functions also have this effect. I suspect that this is a carryover from a previous interface. I have seen code for an interface to Idris C that passed parameters in these registers. amiga/softw.devlpmt #754, from c heath a comment to 750 It depends a lot on the specifics, and of course when you are tuning a routine to save two or three instructions you will probably analyze each register in all combinations of use. If the caller knows what the callee will modify and saves only the register that the callee will zap, that is optimum. But if the caller has no knowledge of the called routines' register usage, it is more efficient for the called routines to save only the registers they will modify. Also, for compact code it is more efficient for the called routine to save the registers once than for the caller to save the registers each time the function is invoked. amiga/softw.devlpmt #759, from jsan I agree, the caller and the callee must have been designed so that all unnecessary registers are not saved. What I do is document in my source code which registers are used at the top of each subroutine. And then I use that list at the caller's JSR (or BSR) to give me optimum code, by not saving unnecessary registers. I used to be a "clean" programmer, e.g., saved all used registers in the subroutine. But I found this tended to slow down my programs by as much as 50%! Just imagine, a "MOVEM.L D0-D7,-(SP)" is saving 16 words on the stack! The bandwidth to do that takes about 5 cycles per word (including the decrement of Stack Pointer) and then you have to do the reverse and pull them off again! Ouch! Only last week, I went through my 250K source code and removed every save register instruction and then put back only the very few that {continued) COMPETITIVE EDGE 631 S. MAIN ST. • PLYMOUTH, Ml 48170- (313) 451-0665 FEATURING S-100 COMPONENTS FROM: COMPUPRO EARTH LOMAS RAM 22® $446 DISK1A® $446 CPU 286® $671 MDRIVE-H® $371 TURBOMASTER 256K W/HDC TURBOSLAVE-1 8MHZ 128K $895 $395 THUNDER 186 $895 256K STATIC $412 COLOR MAGIC $476 NVDISK512K $371 TELETEK SYSTEMASTER®II 8MHZ 128K $795 SBC-1 6MHZ 128K $350 HDC $375 ALSO FEATURING OUR AT COMPATIBLE: VELOCITY 286 10 MHZ OPERATION 1024 K ON MOTHERBOARD • 20MB FAST HARD DISK HI RES. MONOCARD STANDARD • 1.2MB FLOPPY DRIVE WITH DOS 3.1 $3095 MONITOR EXTRA options: UP TO 16 MEGABYTES OF MEMORY ■ ENHANCED GRAPHIC ADAPTERS • HARD DISK SUPPORT TO 240MB SCO XENIX* SYSTEM FIVE • AUTOCAD READY SYSTEMS ■ 3278/79 TERMINAL EMULATION ALSO CE 20MB XT W/512K $ 1095 Includes floppy, hard disk, 512K memory, monocard w/parallel monitor. CompuPro. Ram 22, Mdnve-H are either trademarks or registered trademarks ot Viasyn Corporation Systemaster is a registered trademark ot Telelek Enterprises. PC AT is a trademark ol International Business Machines Xenix is a registered trademark of Microsoft. uniPATH Is a trademark ol Pathway Design, Inc., SCO Is a trademark of THE SANTA CRUZ OPERATION. Aulocad Is a trademark of Autodesk, Inc Inquiry 99 MAY 1986 -BYTE 401 Best of BIX • Best of BIX • Best of BIX EIX OF BIX were vital! Everything speeded up by huge factors! I agree, it makes for messy-looking code. It also makes you more careful when changing routines not to use extra registers without cross- referencing and changing all register saves. But— and it's such an important but that it deserves emphasis— the code runs fastert That is excuse enough for me to do it! Anything that saves me a cycle here and an instruction there is worth it! I'm battling to retain a 20-frame-per-second rate. Every cycle counts! I'm sure all game programmers are in the same boat. I'm not the only person who writes time-critical code! signal than the Amiga. That shifter chip is very slick. Maybe you should try it, Bruce— that would be interesting for your comparison column. atari/tech.st #241, from bwebster a comment to 240 If I could hack together a connector, I would— but the Atari monitor uses an impossible-to-find and difficult-to-hack connector: If you folks want to put one together, 111 cheerfully test it out and report on the results. ATARI ST This month, several BIX members discuss C compilers for the Atari ST and address some specific problems in using those compilers that are not well documented. Other topics include an improvement to the RAM-disk program given previously in the conference and color monitor considerations. Lattice C Compiler atari/tech.st #233, from cheath [Charlie Heath, MicroSmiths] Is the Lattice C compiler the same as the Amiga compiler, or were they developed independently? It would sure be nice to be able to make direct ports. atari/tech.st #234, from shersee [Steve Hersee, Lattice Inc.] a comment to 233 They are the same compiler linked to different run-time libraries. If you have other questions, please ask them in the Lattice conference. Color Monitors atari/tech.st #235, from jedwards [Jon Edwards, Technical Editor, BYTE] Got a letter from a reader today interested in knowing if there's any hope in attaching a non-Atari color monitor to his ST Anyone have any experience here? atari/tech.st #237, from dmenconi [Dave Menconi, co-moderator of Atari conference] a comment to 235 As you may know, the new "consumer" 520ST has a composite video output. The older version has a space on the board for the hardware. I understand from Neil [Harris] that it is difficult but not impossible to add the hardware. atari/tech.st #238, from bwebster [Bruce Webster, Consulting Editor, BYTE] a comment to 235 Jez San hacked together a connector for his ST— with emphasis on the word "hacked." Not an easy thing to do. Somebody could probably make a small amount of money producing ST-to-something connectors. I'd be more interested in hooking my ST color monitor to the Amiga. atari/tech.st #240, from neilharris [Neil Harris, Atari Corp.] a comment to 238 I know you will think this is a snide comment, but the ST color monitor on the Amiga will not look as good as it does on the ST, which should prove to any doubters that we have some interesting video technology on our side. Fact is, the ST pumps out a significantly higher bandwidth 520ST Operating System atari/tech.st #244, from nkline [Nick Kline] This is from an IBM PCer who is thinking about buying an ST at that incredible new price. I was wondering if the operating system does multitasking, because I really don't know much about it. atari/tech.st #245, from skrenek [Steve Krenek, Krentek Software, co- moderator of Atari conference] a comment to 244 No, the ST operating system is not multitasking. There have been some folks making noise about the possibility, but I would be surprised if it happens anytime soon. Any comments, Neil? atari/tech.st #246, from neilharris a comment to 245 No, TOS is not multitasking. However, it appears that OS-9— a multitask- ing, UNIX-like operating system that's available for the Tandy Color Computer— is about finished for the ST. I do not know much more about it. Also, 4xFORTH, a FORTH-83 development system, supports multitasking. atari/tech.st #250, from jsan [Jez San, Argonaut Software] a comment to 245 The ST itself doesn't inherently multitask, but I believe that GEM's Desk Accessories can manage it (I'm not familiar with the techniques). It's only GEM itself that prevents the ST from multitasking, so any third-party software producer can come up with an alternative operating system (e.g., UNIX) that can multitask. There is no reason why the ST can't do it, assuming you write the appropriate software. atari/tech. st #252, from jruley [John Ruley] a comment to 244 Yes and no. The operating system has limited multitasking capabilities, but the software does not exploit it (yet). However, the silly thing is so fast that you won't miss it. Digital Research C Questions atari/tech.st #254, from wshubert [William Shubert] I have some questions about DRI's C compiler, which I have been using for about three weeks now. In the first place, can anyone agree about the complaint made in comment #170 that the compiler's struc- tures are all messed up? I haven't found any such problem yet, but I would like to be sure of this. Also, has anyone written a better RAM-disk program? I don't have the new ROMs yet, but I have a double-sided disk drive and don't want to have to boot up with a single-sided disk in the drive once I get them. By the way, anybody who complains about the speed of the DRI com- piler obviously hasn't used it on a RAM disk yet— when I store every- thing on the RAM disk, what used to take 10 minutes now takes about 1. 402 BYTE • MAY 1986 )f BIX • Best of BIX • EIX BEST OF BIX atari/tech.st #255, from dbetz [David Betz] a comment to 254 I ported XLISP to the Atari ST and never had any trouble with structure offsets. My only problems were with the lack of a "setjmp.h" include file and the fact that console I/O using the standard library didn't work. I'm now trying to use a beta-test copy of Megamax C for the Atari. I'll post any impressions as I proceed. atari/tech.st #258, from cheath a comment to 255 Maybe we have an early version of the compiler. It created offsets that were wrong some of the time. We looked at the output, it was random, we changed to explicit calculations of offsets. atari/tech.st #259, from wbaker [Bill Baker] I have three compilers for the ST: 1. Hippo C— not very good, really. 2. Megamax C— first impression was very good even though I received a prerelease version. After much use I find the current editor impossi- ble and the (slightly) altered Mac documentation a problem. Every two or three weeks they promise that the final release will be ready in two or three weeks. 3. TDI Modula-2/ST— very good and only $60. Pretty neat editor, very good documentation (if you have some programming experience). On the other hand, Modula is really tough if you're used to C. By the way, I just got an Abacus book on GEM internals. Not bad if you have no other documentation. The VDI section is OK, but the AES section is impossible. Seems like two separate books glued together. atari/tech.st #263, from wbaker a comment to 259 Does AES have a function called "fsel_input( )"? Hippo C supports it, calling it an AES routine. My Abacus GEM programmer's reference says nothing about it. According to a Hippo experiment (and provided source), "fsel_input( )" takes a path and file name and pops up a GEM File Selector box. The selected file is returned to the caller. atari/tech.st #264, from neilharris a comment to 263 'Isel input" displays the File Selector dialog box and monitors the user's interaction with it. The File Selector library returns the results of this interaction between the user and the dialog to the application. Parameters: control(O) = 90 control(1)=0 control(2) = 2 control(3) = 2 control(4) = int out(0) = fs ireturn int out(1) = fs iexbutton addr in(0) = fs iinpath addr_in(1) = fs iinsel fs_ireturn = means an error exists, >0 means no error fs_iexbutton = means cancel box selected, 1 =OK box selected fs iinpath = address of buffer holding directory specification fs iinsel = address of buffer holding file specification Sample call to C language binding: fs ireturn = fsel + input(fs iinpath.fs iinsel»&fs iexbutton); [continued) ONE SIMPLE QUESTION CAN MAKE YOUR PC CLONE A GOOD INVESTMENT. . . Is the power supply a FORTRON®? Your PC represents a substantial investment, it does not make sense to risk costly downtime or system failure due to the use of a so called "BARGAIN" power supply At Fortron we insist on quality and reliability that is what earned us a full U.L. rating, and why we feel confidence in offering our warranty, as well as technical support. 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MAY 1986 -BYTE 403 best of BIX • Best of bix • Best of BIX • BIX Best of Bix • Best of BIX • best .of Bix Another Question atari/tech.st #266, from wbaker Thanks, Neil, for the help with "fsel_input( )". Looks like it will do what I' need. Now, another question: Has anyone had any problems with "vqt_extent( )"? As I understand from the Abacus book, the function will calculate the dimensions of a string (in pixels, I assume) given the current text attributes: vqt_extent (handle, string, extent) int handle; char *string; int extent[8]; Every time I call it, I get three little mushroom clouds. I think this means an addressing error. Anyone seen this or gotten it to work? I'm using Megamax C. Could it be their implementation? atari/tech.st #269, from neilharris a comment to 266 When passing the string to the "vqLextent" function, each character of the string goes into elements of the "intin[ ]" array. Set "string = intin". The results are passed back through "ptsout[0 to 7]". Does that help? Improved RAM Disk atari/tech.st #270, from wshubert I have just made my RAM disk boot up instantly. I changed the "main()" subroutine to read: main( ) { register int i; appl init( ); for (i = 0; i < 4608; ++i) datap] = 0; Protobt(data, 0x8000L, 2, 0); xbios(38, install); sleep( ); } This makes it go instantly, and you dont have to delete a bunch of junk from it each time you boot up. (Oh yeah, the original listing of the disk is in comment #54 here.) However; I don't understand the "Pterin res()" call listed in the hitch- hiker's guide. What should you pass as the parameter? The length of the program? Its address? I don't get it. If anybody could answer that, it would be nice. atari/tech.st #276, from jtittsler [Jim Tittsler, Atari Corp.] a comment to 270 The Ptermres (Terminate and Stay Resident) call takes two parameters: Ptermres(keep, returncode); LONG keep; WORD returncode; The keep parameter specifies the total number of bytes to keep for this program/process. This number includes space used by text/code, data, bss, and the basepage (don't forget to add that $0100!). The return- code is the result returned to the parent (parallel to that returned by the Pterm( ) function). A Few Notes from a Frustrated Programmer atari/tech.st #277, from jruley I've been working since Christmas with the Hippo C compiler and the Abacus GEM and internals books. I am now in a position to give a solid warning to anyone planning to do software development on the ST: Get the developer's package! It is possible to do some nice stuff with Hippo C, but it is not easy. You have to write your own XBIOS in- terface and get your documentation out of books— which right now means Abacus. My first impression of the Abacus books was pretty good, but after the last few weeks, I am not satisfied. Only about two-thirds of the AES calls are documented (they even left out "feel—input," which has to be the most commonly used AES function on the ST!), and the documen- tation is not especially clear on what's left. It took me almost a week to discover that arguments to the VDI and AES functions are supposed to be 16-bit integers while Hippo C defaults to a 32-bit integer type. To sum up, it is possible to program this way, but it's no fun at all! No matter how irritating that extra $300 for the developer's package may seem, it's worth every penny. atari/tech.st #280, from wbaker a comment to 277 I agree! Hippo and Abacus are not a good combo. I have a feeling that Megamax is significantly better, although I am still waiting for the "real" release. The interim release is barely worth it. As a -long-time C programmer I would like to see a good C development environment. But the TDI Modula-2/ST product is so good that I am really consider- ing switching. The GEM documentation really consists only of the various GEM VDI and definition modules. This is still way ahead of anything Hippo or Megamax has released. Unfortunately, we are still stuck with the Abacus books. But Abacus and TDI Modula-2/ST together are under $100. atari/tech.st #281, from jruley a comment to 280 Yeah, but the Abacus GEM book is just not enough! It leaves out a bunch of the AES functions, it does not explain how to create the files necessary to support drop-down menus, the index is incomplete, and the organization is lousy— for all of which, it's such an improvement over what I had (Hippo C "documentation") that I'm still almost happy with it. I'm not quite structured enough for Modula, but I need floating point bad— any suggestions? IBM RGB Monitor for Atari ST? atari/tech.st #278, from jlwright [Jim Wright] I'm about to get an RGB monitor for an IBM PC project but plan to get an ST as soon as possible. Are there any RGB monitors that will work well with both? I'd like a fairly crisp (readable) display but don't want to go bankrupt either. Thanks for all comments. atari/tech .st #279, from jtittsler a comment to 278 The ST produces an analog RGB signal (3 bits each of red, green, and blue) while monitors intended for use with the IBM Color Graphics Adapter expect 1 bit for each color, plus an intensity bit. I believe the IBM Enhanced Graphics Adapter produces an analog RGB output, but I have no experience with it or its monitors. DBASE II FOR 520ST? atari/non.tech.st #218, from Ischmittroth [Louis Schmittroth] Does anyone know of an interpreter or compiler for dBASE II (or III) for the 520ST? I have a number of dBASE II programs on my Kaypro that I would like to move to my 520ST. I would also appreciate any informa- tion on other usable database systems on the ST. 404 B YTE • MAY 1986 »F BIX • BEST OF BIX EIX Inquiry 113 • Best of BIX • atari/non.tech.st #219, from neilharris a comment to 218 You are in luck! Mirage Concepts of Fresno, California, started shipping their dBASE II interpreter last week under the title H&D Base (using their brand name, Holmes & Duckworth), and it looks very good. Official Atari Corp. BBS in Sunnyvale atari/news.st #228, from neilharris Atari Corp. sponsors a bulletin board system called Atari Base. Operating in a small room in the heart of Atari's corporate headquarters in Sunnyvale, California, Atari Base takes well over 1000 calls per week, providing news, technical support, user group lists, and software downloads for all Atari computers. Atari Base currently consists of four systems on four separate lines. Two lines are STs complete with Atari 20-megabyte hard disks, and the others (the original two lines) are Atari 800s with Corvus hard disks. The two new lines were added recently due to heavy load, while the others have been running continuously since last August. Atari Base operates around the clock, every day. You can reach Atari Base by calling (408) 745-5308. IBM & Compatibles MS-DOS is the featured conference for this month. The conference members engaged in a wide-ranging discussion on the use of batch files, learning to use Debug, handling directories, and resolving prob- lems with formatting a hard disk, among other subjects. Burning in New Computers ms.dos/batch #56, from jrobie [Jonathan Robie] I occasionally burn in computers for friends. At present I use a batch file which fills a RAM disk from a disk drive, then copies the RAM disk to the screen, and finally deletes all files on the RAM disk before loop- ing to the beginning. I have two questions. Is this the best way to approach burning in? And, is there any way to do a global delete without confirmation in a batch file? ms.dos/batch #57, from bomb [Jerry McReynolds] a comment to 56 Jrobie, a quick answer to your question on DEL *.*. Create a file (I name it YES.DAT) that consists of three characters: y, , . COPY CON YES.DAT y F6 The .BAT file could then use the DOS command DEL V NUL. Redirection of "stdin" and "stdout": The < character tells DOS to use YES.DAT as its input file, instead of CON. The > character tells DOS to use NUL for its output file, instead of CON. As far as burning in goes, most manufacturers test their subassem- blies (boards, power supplies, disk drives, etc.) before they are assembled. Then they test the final assembly. With all that testing going on, why worry about burning in? Our company has 11 XTs, none burned in, and no failures to date. My home unit is a bit over two years old (aboriginal); I took the thing from its unopened container, added a few extras, and have yet to have a problem with it. Knock on wood! (continued) IBM PC AT performance! jr price! 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With all these programs loaded in high memory, other applications could be run without modification. ms.dos/other #275, from barryn [Barry Nance] a comment to 274 Unfortunately, it's not up to the developers of the code. It's a limitation of PC-/MS-DOS. Programs that make a portion of themselves resident with the "terminate-and-stay-resident" DOS call are limited to the area of memory just above DOS. Otherwise DOS is unable to allocate memory for the next (regular) program to load and execute. To defeat DOS's memory-allocation logic would mean that the pro- gram would have to modify whatever version of DOS was in memory plus probably the COMMAND.COM disk file itself (the transient portion of which is occasionally reloaded into high memory). On the other hand, it is possible for the low-memory-resident software to allocate and use special memory areas for data space or whatever. A RAM disk whose code portion is next to/near to DOS could use the memory above 640K (assuming it existed) for the pseudo-disk "sectors." ms.dos/other #277, from thenderson [Thorn Henderson] a comment to 275 There is another way. A program can move itself into high memory and then fudge the BIOS data to tell it that there is less system memory than there really is. (Is that as opaque as it sounds?) But that's less easy than the "normal" terminate-and-stay-resident, so almost nobody does it. A similar scheme would be possible for extended memory, but DOS doesnt know about (or manage) extended memory, so it would be hard to be sure you weren't going to step on anything else. Other than RAM disks and print spoolers, most resident utilities don't really take much memory anyway. Is this really a problem? DOS 3.1 File Handle Limits ms.dos/other #289, from rschnapp [Russell Schnapp] In Dr. Dobb's Journal in the 16-bit Software Toolbox column, a reader brought up the fact that MS-DOS 3.1 limits the number of active file handles to 20. There is a similar limit in DOS 2.x, but you may have been able to override it with the "FILES = " command in CONFIG.SYS. There is even a limit on the number of open FCBs in 3.1. Would you believe burl Has anyone else come upon these limitations? Anyone know a way around them? The project I'm working on involves networked machines, dealing with a large number (more than 20) databases simultaneously. We can- not open and close a database every time we need it— the overhead would kill us. Anybody have any ideas? Is this going to affect anyone else? ms.dos/other #300, from rduncan a comment to 289 The limit is 20 handles per process. The limit for the system as a whole is 255, I think. The limit on the number of open FCBs defaults to four but can be overridden up to a max of 255 with a CONFIG.SYS entry. DOS has a very funny way of reacting when you open more FCBs than the system allows: It just closes the last recently used FCB without tell- ing the application about it! I bet this will lead to some pretty strange behavior in DOS 3.1 networking environments when some of the older programs (like dBASE II, which is notorious in its abuse of FCBs) are run. Windows and Batch Files ms.dos/other #307, from star Does anybody have any experience with Microsoft Windows'? I got a copy a few days ago and have been trying to get WordPerfect to run with it. I have a 3-meg RAM disk that Windows uses for swapping pro- grams like WordPerfect in and out of main memory. My problem is that I load WP with a batch file LDWRBAT that loads other programs such as a Mouse Systems mouse menu and a file to change screen colors, and downloads a French character set to the Epson printer. I can get WordPerfect to run from an icon, but I don't seem to have any luck get- ting the other files swapped in when, for example, I call a batch-file icon. I've been trying various combinations without much luck, and Microsoft technical support doesn't do much more than read me the manual while I'm paying for the long-distance call. I'd like to hear from anybody who wants to share their experience with Windows or who has some suggestions. ms.dos/other #309, from rduncan a comment to 307 It is possible to run batch files under MS Windows by running a copy of COMMAND.COM in its own window. Windows probably wont like your file that changes screen colors, though! ms.dos/other #310, from dthielen Undocumented DOS Function Calls Does anyone out there know any and/or all of the undocumented DOS function calls? We are writing our own DOS that will sit on top of MS- DOS and we want to make sure that we are catching everything that we need to. Also, anyone with suggestions, we are writing a disk inter- face for a WORM optical disk that will have no limits on device or file size. Thanks. Volume Labels ms.dos/other #315, from mikeattili [Mike Attili] What's the easiest way to get the volume label from a disk through the operating system? I need to verify labels on disks, and I need a quick way to do it. Thanks. [continued) MAY 1986 'BYTE 409 best of BIX • Best of BIX « Best of Bix EIX Best of BIX * Best of BIX • Best of BIX ms.dos/other #316, from barryn a comment to 315 Do you have a DOS reference manual handy? Look up the FIND FIRST DOS call (DOS function 4E, using CX to hold the attribute of the file you're searching for). The MS-DOS file attribute for volume labels is 08. Int 21, with AH = 4E, DS:DX pointing to an ASCIIZ string contain- ing "V", and CX set to 08 will return the volume label in the DTA. ms.dos/other #317, from mikeattili a comment to 316 According to my match a "subset" no attributes and most of the files, labels? Not only that, I some disks using know why, some at the moment. DOS reference manual, function 4E finds all files that of the required attributes, and since most files have the null set is a subset of all sets, I end up matching Is there any way to exclusively search for volume seem to be having trouble picking up the label on this method (a combination of 4E and 4F). I don't disks it locates the label, others it just skips it! I'm lost ms.dos/other #320, from barryn a comment to 317 Hmm. The DOS tech ref I'm looking at is for DOS 3.1, and it says (under function call 4E) to go see function call 11 for an explanation of how the file attribute field is used for searches. For function call 11, it says, "If the attribute field is set for the volume label, it is considered an exclusive search, and only the volume label is returned." So a single 4E function call, using an attribute of 08 and an ASCIIZ string of 'A:7?7?7???.???", should return the volume label for the disk in drive A. If it has no volume label, the carry flag should have been set by DOS and a return code in AX also set, signifying "no matching file found." I dont think that 4F needs to be used to Find Next, since there can be only one volume label. How come you're using 4F? Want to mail me your code or post a fragment of it here so I can look at it closer? That's about the only thing I can suggest at this point. ms.dos/other #322, from mikeattili a comment to 320 Perhaps the explanation lies in the fact that I'm using version 2.11 of MS-DOS. This is the latest version released fa the DEC Rainbow. I've seen that on my hard disk, the volume label comes up as the fourth entry when using the 0x08 attribute. This is most perplexing. I'll be working on it more later, and I'll see if I can't find out what the problem is. Thanks. ms.dos/other #325, from mikeattili a comment to 322 Thanks. I've got the problem solved (sort of). Apparently function 4E in my release isn't working properly, but function 11 works fine. Another step in my Disk Archive utility out of the way; now I just need to work out the interface to ARC and a disk-filling algorithm. I guess it's off to soft.eng/alg conference for help in that department. Isnt BIX wonderful? ms.dos/other #326, from rduncan a comment to 315 You must do a search for FIRST with an extended file control block, setting the attribute byte in the XFCB with the volume label bit on. This will return you the volume label from the root directory, if one is pres- ent, no matter what your current subdirectory is. In DOS 2.x, at least, you can't use the "extended" search for FIRST function (that accepts an ASCIIZ string) to look for the volume label; you have to use the Ex- tended FCB method. FDISK Problem? ms.dos/other #332, from billn [Bill Nicholls] I'm trying to initialize a new hard disk as drive c:. The hardware knows it is there, the drive resets when booting, and FDISK lets me set up a 611-cylinder DOS partition. But when I reboot to FORMAT C: I get an "invalid drive specification." I am using MS-DOS 2.11, a Seagate 225 hard disk, a Data Technology Corp. (DTC) 5150BX 2 controller card. CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT are not in use. Main board switch set for 1 or 2 FD makes no difference. System has run a different Seagate 225 from this controller before. Any suggestions? ms.dos/other #334, from dthielen a comment to 332 Shoot the hard disk. But first make sure FDISK and FORMAT are the same version. ms.dos/other #335, from petewhite [Pete White] a comment to 332 Are you trying FORMAT C: or FORMAT C7S/V? I had a problem with a 10-megabyte disk in an IBM and had to use the diagnostics to clean the disk before it would take anything but a bare-bones FORMAT Did any special utilities come with the Seagate? There was a "special" FDISK with my Seagate half-height 20-megabyte disk, but it wasnt necessary. Or "shoot it"! ms.dos/other #336, from rschnapp a comment to 335 Or your disk could require a primary format. I have such a program for my Columbia. I suspect that a similar program is available on an ad- vanced diagnostics disk for the PC. ms.dos/other #337, from billn a comment to 336 Actually there's a trick to it. One loads DEBUG. At the " - " prompt enter "G = c800:5'! What comes up is "Hard Disk Formatter"! After entering disk #1 and interleave, the disk formatted quickly. Then FDISK and FORMAT work. Only problem is this is totally undocu- mented. When I spoke to the support person, he quickly gave me the right data. He was surprised it was undocumented; he thought it was in the hard-disk section, which I carefully checked. At least this prevents "accidental" reformatting. Deliberate too. I'm pleased with the support but not the documentation. DEBUG, ye gods! Handling MS-DOS Directories ms.dos/utilities #163, from bbrown While the tree-structured directory is conceptually simple and makes system management easy if you have the right tools, I've found that MS-DOS doesn't have the right tools! In particular, I find the CD command and all those dumb back- slashes a pain in the back. I was used to a small-computer OS with a good way to handle tree-structured directories (Datapoint's RMS). I went from there to a VAX, which is less good, and from there to MS-DOS, which is the pits! One of the things I learned while using the VAX was that every in- stallation has a set of user-implemented command procedures for roaming around in the directories. I got used to these, and when I started using directories on MS-DOS (got a hard disk two weeks ago) I found I needed them. So I've written four little utilities in Turbo Pascal for directory roaming: 410 B YTE • MAY 1986 best of BIX • Best of BIX • Best of Bl EIX BEST OF BIX -BEST OF BIX • BEST OF BIX HOME takes you to C: \ (can be patched for anywhere). DOWN takes you to the directory named one level lower in the tree. Note that no dumb backslashes are needed, but if you supply a path name with embedded (only) backslashes, you can go down several levels with one command. Those don't do anything you can't do with as few keystrokes with CD except that you don't have to reach for the backslash key. But look at these: OVER takes you to the directory with the partial path name < name> at the same level as the current directory. UP takes you to the next-higher-level directory. These are all written in Turbo Pascal and have been tested on an IBM PC with DOS 2.10 (my 3.1's on order). I'll place the source code in the public domain. If you want a copy, send me a mail message. If there's enough interest (and the moderator permits!) I'll post it here; otherwise, you'll get a copy in BlXmail in a day or two. ms.dos/utilities #165, from Tymnet a comment to 163 HOME is useful. You may not be aware of the following abbreviated command syntax for CD to do the other stuff: OWN = CD (no backslashes needed!) OVER = CD .. \ UP = CD .. (just two periods) ms.dos/utilities #167, from dwb [Dave Burleigh] a comment to 165 If you use DOSEDIT, you can define abbreviations for the CD com- mands that get you to your most-used directories. Very quick and easy. ms.dos/utilities #168, from johnf [John Fistere] a comment to 167 SuperKey works fine for the same process, too. Sets are easily switch- able, also. ms.dos/utilities #169, from bbrown a comment to 165 Thanks for the info. I tried 'em, and sonofagun, they work! Then I checked my PC-DOS manual to discover how I'd overlooked such a useful thing as abbreviated syntax. Now I understand why peo- ple can make money with how-to books on DOS. Knowing that the abbreviated syntax works, I looked carefully at the description of the CHDIR command. Then I looked at the Notation sec- tion. Then I read the stuff on global filename characters, information common to all DOS commands, and, in the Appendix, the stuff on enhancements. OK, I give up. Uncle! Is this stuff documented anywhere in anything published by IBM and for sale to the general public? I'm glad to know that CD isn't as clunky as Id thought, but I think I'll stick to UR DOWN, OVER, and HOME. They're more intuitive and easier to type. ms.dos/utilities #171, from suer [Sue Rosenberg] a comment to 169 Except for the information about the periods, the documentation for CHDIR describes all the other features. You just have to know what it means before you read it. The exposition and examples leave some- thing to be desired. ms.dos/utilities #172, from wheelock a comment to 168 And, of course, batch files are just as good, though slower. ms.dos/utilities #173, from johnf a comment to 172 I have learned that the problem with batch files is that they each take up 4K, while the SuperKey files are compacted. I'm in the process of leisurely changing over, ms.dos/utilities #174, from wheelock a comment to 173 However, batch files let you use meaningful names. SuperKey macros require that you either call the help screen a lot or memorize key combinations. ms.dos/utilities #175, from rich [Rich Sidney] a comment to 163 I agree, the slashes should have been regular forward slashes instead of backslashes, as used with UNIX. When I switch between MS-DOS and UNIX, I get into all sorts of trouble. ms.dos/utilities #176, from tymnet a comment to 175 If you stick "SWITCHAR = - " in your CONFIG.SYS file, then you can use T instead of " \ ". You can also specify options using " - " instead of "/". The only caveat is don't try to use BACKUP/RESTORE when you've reset the SWITCHAR; it only understands " \ ". ms.dos/utilities #177, from wheelock a comment to 176 Don't know that this is true, but I read somewhere on BIX that they took SWITCHAR out of DOS 3.0/3.1. ms.dos/utilities #179, from thenderson a comment to 176 Depends on the utility. One has to check with DOS to see what the switch character is, and many utilities don't. . . ms.dos/utilities #187, from wardc [Ward Christensen] a comment to 169 I take it you only use your own MS-/PC-DOS machine? I've found the most frustrating thing about "customizing" a machine for my own use is that when I go to another person's machine, I am suddenly as dumb as a rock! Thus, I forced myself to learn (ugh) EDLIN because that way I can look like a hero when they need a little patch to their AUTOEXEC.BAT file rather than behaving like a spoiled child whose blanket was just taken away. I will admit I can't get along without DOSEDIT (or CED) to edit com- mands, but even though I own SuperKey, I find ANSI.SYS to be enough for my needs. I don't like SuperKey's command retriever; too much to type when compared to my ANSI.SYS mapping of Control-K to scroll up to previous command with one keystroke. ms.dos/utilities #188, from wheelock a comment to 187 I have experienced the same problem and try to make it a point to have my traveling utility disk with me any time I'm placed in a situation where I'll have to help someone with a PC. Flashing super-whizbang [continued] MAY 1986 -BYTE 411 debris wo In every specially marked box often 5 l A" 3M disk- ettes you'll find a free head cleaning diskette sampler kit that'll clean your disk drive heads three times. Plus a coupon good for a $2.00 rebate from 3M on your next head cleaning diskette kit purchase. Why are we doing this? We've done everything but chant and bum incense to take the worry out of diskettes by making the most reliable, worry-free product possible. But there's one thing we can't protect you from. Yourself. If you let your recording heads collect dust and debris without cleaning them, you have to be prepared for the possibility of data loss or errors. But not to worry. 412 -BYTE • MAY 1986 dust and rrles run your head Our free ^flfl / {**%** ^ e wor ^ can be even head cleaning dm y\ [ VcLr ^ | more reliable. kit will help m cS^^ES l£ y ou can worr y even get you in ^ & N J^»j5y^ less about the floppy the habit of £ ^^^8 y ou didn't have to cleaning your y^ r1§m worry about anyway. ^ So' the most <£^ One less thing to reliable floppy in <£W WOITyabOUt: Inquiry 402 ^VST # ^ MAY 1986 • BYTE 413 Best of bix • best of BIX • Best of BIX • EIX Best of BIX » best of BIX • Best of B programs across the screen and then using them to magically fix stuff is impressive as all get-out. Dont understand your comment about SuperKey's command retrieval. "ALT- \ " gets you to the list, and the arrow keys to select. Sure, one extra keystroke (two if you count both ALT and \ as separate keys), but the facility made available is excellent. ms.dos/utilities #200, from johnf a comment to 187 Good point. I use EDLIN by choice for tiny .BAT files, etc., because my WordStar 2000 takes too long to load for quick fixes. I haven't really ex- plored the potential of ANSI.SYS. ms.dos/utilities #201, from wheelock a comment to 200 For any file up to 10,000 characters, I use the SideKick Notepad. Always there and callable in a second. ms.dos/utilities #207, from aberger a comment to 200 If they're really tiny .BAT files, you don't even need EDLIN. Just use the COPY CON command and end it with the F6 key, or type a Control-Z. ms.dos/utilities #221, from rduncan a comment to 177 SWITCHAR wasnt documented in the IBM versions of DOS anyway, I think, and the MS-DOS OEM documentation for 3.x and 2.25x says it wont be supported in any future versions. MACINTOSH I n the Mac conference this month we have our usual questions and answers regarding the use of resources, terminal-emulation programs, a word-count utility, and the SCSI port on the Mac Plus. We also have a new program upload by David Betz (author of XLISP) and a report from the San Diego Mac Users Group. New Software Application Available macintosh/software #147 from dbetz [David Betz] AdvSys on BIX My adventure authoring system is now available for the Macintosh. You can find it in the Macintosh section of the Listings conference. It is a special-purpose programming language for writing text adventure games. It includes a compiler for the language and an interpreter for the p-code-style files produced by the compiler. There is a document that describes how to use the system and a sample adventure to serve as a simple example. The file is called 'AdvSys. pit" in the Listings conference. It was pro- duced by the Macintosh file archiver program Packlt, which is also available in the Listings conference. macintosh/software #149, from rschnapp [Russell Schnapp] a comment to 147 Can you expand on AdvSys a bit, Dave? Can it be used for other things besides games? For example, can one build instructional or pro- motional software with it? What is the intellectual property status: copyright with license? public domain? macintosh/software #150, from dbetz a comment to 149 AdvSys is copyrighted, but I have granted permission for unrestricted noncommercial use and distribution. I have also granted BIX permis- sion to distribute it from the Listings conference. I suppose that it would be possible to build things other than games with it. It does provide a built-in execution loop that allows the player to type a command and see the effect of the resulting action. Anything that could be fit into the command/response model could be implemented using my system (assuming that the commands follow the syntax allowed by my parser). Displaying PICT Resources from a Program macintosh/softw.devlpmt #119, from frankb [Frank Boosman] Using Resources I've been trying to find a good snippet of code which shows how to use resources. Chernicoff talks at length about them, and shows how to get them in and out of memory, but fails to show (as far as I can tell) how to actually use them. I guess I'm just having a problem making the conceptual leap from reading about resources to actually using them in code . . . help! macintosh/softw.devlpmt #120, from jrobie [Jonathan Robie] a comment to 119 I have used resources primarily to store pictures to be flashed to the screen, to store dialog boxes, etc. If you want me to post an example of how to extract a picture resource from a MacPaint file and use it in a program, I would be glad to do so. Do you have the software supplement? It has several good examples that show how resources can be used. macintosh/softw.devlpmt #121, from frankb a comment to 120 Yes, I would be very interested in seeing your example code for using picture resources. No, I dont have the software supplement. macintosh/softw.devlpmt #124, from jrobie a comment to 120 OK, I've had some votes for a sample program. The program itself will be in a comment to this message. This note explains how to convert a MacPaint image into a resource so that it can be called with the resource manager. The technique is simple: 1. Use MacPaint to display the picture on the screen. Make any desired modifications to the picture. 2. Select the portion of the picture that you want, cut it, and paste it to the scrapbook. 3. Use the resource editor (I use ResEdit 0.8, which I downloaded from the Listings area of BIX) to view the resources in the scrapbook. Impor- tant: Hold the option key down when you select the PICT identifier. This will cause the resource editor to display the image on the screen. If you don't hold the option key down, the resource ID and hex for the image are displayed. 4. Your program will identify these resources by the resource ID number and will load the resource by calling GetResource with the ap- propriate resource type (PICT) and ID number. You may also choose to give the picture a name. This will allow you to load the picture using GetNamedResource, and a named resource is easier for a program- mer to identify than the arbitrary numbers used for the GetResource function. If you plan to use GetResource, open the PICT identifier a second time without holding down the option key and write down all the resource ID numbers. This example uses GetResource simply because I haven't tested a version with named resources yet. 5. After you compile your program, move the picture resources into 414 B YTE • MAY 1986 best of BIX • Best of BIX • Best of Br EIX ST OF BIX • BEST OF BIX -BEST OF BIX your object code using the resource editor. Make sure that the resources still have the numbers that are used in the program. The editor will allow you to change these numbers if necessary. Notes: (a) Don't try to copy the MacPaint file into the scrapbook directly from the Finder. This copies only the name of the file into the scrapbook! (b) There are several other ways to do the same thing. This is one way that works, (c) The source code to a program which displays two pictures is included as a comment to this message. macintosh/sof tw.de vlpmt #125, from jrobie a comment to 124 Program Flasher; (*This is a Rascal program which simply displays two pictures on the screen. The first picture is not erased; I assume they don't have over- lapping screen coordinates. Written by Jonathan Robie, Software by Design, Box 26121, Lansing Ml. Thanks to Scott Gillespie of Reed College for technical assistance.*) (*call in a few libraries*) Link Quickdraw, Extras, IO :; (*declare a few global variables*) var pictl, pict2, typeptr: ptrl; (*"longint*) picrecA, picrecB : integer[4]; (*rect*) procedure CopyRect(src,dest: ptrl); (*copies a rect (block[8]) from src* to desf *) begin desf := src"; ptrl(dest + 4) rt := (src + 4) A ; end; (*the following procedure is called first, then control passes to pro- cedure _Main( );*) procedure _INIT(); begin typeptr : = " PICT" + 2; (*set to correct type for GetResource call*) pictl := GetResource(typeptr\ -32761); (load the PICT resources*) pict2 := GetResource(typeptrV 32768); (*use ResEdit to find number*) copyrect(pict1 " + 2,picrecA); (*place rect coordinates in picrecA*) copyrect(pictr + 2,picrecB); setorigin(O.O); end; procedure _MAIN(); (*draw a picture, wait 2000 msec, then draw a second picture*) begin DrawPicture(pict2 , picrecB); ResetTimer( ); (*Doesnt Rascal have nice timing routines?*) AtTime 2000 do DrawPicture(pict1 .picreoA); (*The next call terminates execution. Rascal keeps executing _MAIN( ) until the program requests a halt.*) AtTime 4000 do reqhalt( ); end; gram save not to the original program disk but to a separate data disk; it seems that this will cut down on the return rate for disks that were ac- cidentally written to by other (other?) programs, or some such nonsense. OK, so I need to eject the program disk, call the SF package, and save it out to the data disk. (They won't let me assume two disk drives.) Here's the problem: As soon as you eject the program disk and call SFPutFile, it needs to load in the SF package, which resides on the program disk, so it asks the user to insert the original program disk immediately after ejecting it. Not very impressive. This should not be a difficult problem to solve; I am sure that many other applications have handled it. Problem is, I can't see how it's done. I've discussed it with several technically knowledgeable people and they have had no great ideas. We all agree, the trick is to preload the SF package. But how is that done? (One fellow had an involved scheme that involved trapping program execution to determine the resource ID # of the SF package— no thanks.) Any bright ideas? Or have I overlooked something simple again? macintosh/softw.devlpmt #134, from frankb a comment to 133 Chris, this is off the top of my head, so forgive me if it's stupid, but couldn't you create a handle to the SFPutFile routine and then do an HNoPurge? Wouldn't that do it? macintosh/softw.devlpmt #137, from robertwoodhead [Robert Woodhead] a comment to 133 Chris, it is bad form to kick out the disk and then put up the SF dialog because you can also have problems if the disk directory needs to be read in again. It would be better to (1) have the master disk write- protected (easy, just yank the plastic doohickey out) and (2) have a check after they select a file that looks at the disk and makes sure it isn't a master (and if it is, goes into no-way-jose mode). If you want to get fancy, you can read in the dialog template, find the position of the eject button, post a mousedown/up pair of events, then call the SF routine, which will Getnext those events and kick out the disk! Either way you have to do a check after file select because the user might just shove the disk back in again! macintosh/softw.devlpmt #138, from frankb a comment to 134 If you absolutely must do it that way, ask the publisher if they're willing to sacrifice the time necessary for you to write a custom PutFile routine. I'm unfamiliar with the workings of SFPutFile, though. Anyone used it? macintosh/softw.devlpmt #144, from ccrawfor a comment to 137 Thanks for the advice on how to get around the SFPutFile problem I had. The solution we eventually settled on was pretty much along the lines you suggested. We write-protect the disk, call SFPutFile, and throw an error message at the user if he attempts to write to the pro- tected disk. Publisher accepts that users can attempt to defeat the system by unprotecting the disk. Saving Game-in-Progress Files macintosh/softw.devlpmt #133, from ccrawfor [Chris Crawford] Preload SF Package? OK, all, I got a good problem here. It seems that my latest game needs to be able to load and save games in progress. No problem, I've done that before. But this time the publisher insists that the pro- Word Count Advice macintosh/qanda #247, from ksheldon [Ken Sheldon, Technical Editor, BYTE] Does anyone know of a program (or, better yet, desk accessory) that will do a word count of text files on the Macintosh? [continued) MAY 1986 -BYTE 415 - 01 BIX » BES1 01 BIX ' BEST OF BIX BIX Best of BIX • Best of BIX -Best of BIX macintosh/qanda #250, from spinefido [Vernon Keenan] a comment to 247 Yes, there is a desk accessory to do character, word, and line counts on plain text files. It works with Microsoft Word documents (but is off by about 1 to 5%) but doesn't work on MacWrite files (because of the text- compression scheme used by MacWrite). I don't have this program in my personal library, so I can't report the name accurately, but I'm pretty sure that this critter exists as WC.BIN. macintosh/qanda #254, from rschnapp a comment to 250 The version I've got (also WC.BIN) works with MacWrite, but you have to save as text-only first. I usually save to file "counts," then count that file. Nice feature— Word Count works nicely with HFS. macintosh/qanda #256, from ksheldon a comment to 254 Thanks, Vern and Russ. I located a copy of Word Count, and it suits my needs pretty well. I was a little confused at first, since I tried to use it on a nontext MacWrite file. Word Count made a noble effort but got the count all wrong. Saving the file as text only and then using Word Count solved the problem. Thanks again. P.S.: Who is Leo LaPorte? Is this thing freeware, shareware, or what? macintosh/qanda #257, from spinefido a comment to 256 If I can't discern if the author wants a shareware fee from the start-up screen or the "ABOUT. . ." screen, then I assume that we have a generous soul out there. macintosh/qanda #258, from rschnapp a comment to 257 I've made the same assumption. Too bad, though. The guy deserves a few bucks for the effort. Terminal Emulation Question macintosh/qanda #259, from rschnapp IBM 3278 Emulation, Anyone? I've gotten several queries from folks on whether I've encountered a 3278 emulator for the Mac. I haven't. Anybody else seen one? There are apparently lots of people out there who would like to communicate with their IBM mainframes from their Macs. macintosh/qanda #260, from stike [Jim Stikeleather] a comment to 259 I think there are two approaches for getting the Mac to talk to an IBM mainframe: (1) Apple makes a communications box that works with MacTerminal to emulate a 3270; (2) Simware makes a package that runs on IBM mainframes that takes all types of async terminals and makes the mainframe think they are 3270s. The VT100 is one. That's how we go into our mainframes on the Mac. macintosh/qanda #262, from cjackson [Craig Jackson] a comment to 259 Many IBM systems have a protocol converter. (Ours is made by Renex.) If you have one of them, then all you need is a VT100 emulator. I know of people who've used MacTerminal to talk to our Renex. Andy Hertzfeld at the San Diego Macintosh Users Group macintosh/news #252, from frankb Andy Hertzfeld spoke at the San Diego Macintosh Users Group on Wednesday, February 5. He demonstrated some of the software he has worked on and is working on, and then fielded questions from the au- dience. First, I'll give my impressions of his newest product, and then I'll paraphrase most of the question-and-answer session. Servant is the title of Andy's current project; it's a hybrid of Switcher and Finder that offers more functionality and speed than either: Servant on boot-up looks much like a standard Finder, with disks and the trash can out on the desktop and programs and files within windows. But Servant has a lot lurking under the surface. There are cosmetic changes, like the fact that any MacPaint document can become your desktop "pattern." Andy demonstrated this by using a digitized image of Woody Allen for his desktop. Other cosmetic changes include multi- ple lines for titles beneath icons, icon titles which scroll to show other information (such as creation date), adjustable-size icons (much better than the mini-icons of Finder 5.1), and more. But the real treat comes when you run a program from Servant. No longer does the desktop go to solid gray and the program take over; No, now the new program simply opens up its windows over the Ser- vant desktop and replaces the Servant menus with its own. You want to go back to Servant? No problem— just click in a Servant window, and Servant takes back the menu bar and desktop precedence. As for multitasking, Andy said that, in his opinion, what most people mean by "multitasking" is that they want to print and upload/download files while continuing to work, and Servant will provide just that. True multitasking is another matter entirely; it turns out that to switch applications, the Mac has to move about 2.5K of low memory, and without something as fast as the 68020 to do it, it's just too slow., So Bruce [Webster] was right: True multitasking on the Mac will be something of a kludge. I wish I could do Servant justice; about the best I can do is to say that when it comes out, I'll buy it almost without regard to price. As for release date and price, Andy said we could see it as early as September or October, and although he has received some very lucrative offers, he keeps going back to the thought that Apple should buy it from him and distribute it for free. Understandably, this idea pro- voked a wildly enthusiastic response from the audience, who had been oohing and aahing for the past 30 minutes. Now to the question-and-answer period. Before I start, though, please be forewarned: Everything past this paragraph, questions and answers alike, has been paraphrased, cut, or otherwise edited— except for those sections in quotation marks. What I write here may or may not have been what Andy wanted to convey, but I think it comes pretty close. Enjoy. USER: What do you think of the Amiga? ANDY: Commodore "betrayed" the Amiga. The Amiga designers really had a purpose, a vision, and that was to design the best game machine that ever existed. Commodore came in and decided to market the Amiga as a business machine— or, if you will, as a Macintosh. As a game machine, it's great. As a Macintosh, it's not. The software pro- vided is terrible; have you looked at Intuition? The color of the windows on the desktop is the same as the desktop. That's "stupid." In design terms, the Amiga is today where the Macintosh was in mid-1982. We had early versions of MacPaint and Finder up and operating in Oc- tober of 1981, but we didn't release it then. We waited until it was fully debugged and ready for public use. Commodore rushed the Amiga. USER: What do you think of the Macintosh Plus? ANDY: The Macintosh Plus is the "next logical step," but I have to say that the SCSI port is "overrated." Don't buy a Plus for the SCSI port. Buy one— or an upgrade— for the double-sided drive; it makes life a lot easier. I hate the new keyboard. 416 BYTE- MAY 1986 Best of BIX • Best of BIX • Best of BL EIX Best of BIX • USER: Will we be able to upgrade to a Macintosh with slots? ANDY: Let me put it this way: The Macintosh Plus is "evolutionary"; the open-architecture Macintosh will be "revolutionary." You can evolve with your existing Macintosh, but you cant revolt with it. In other words, no, I don't see an upgrade path— other than purchasing a new computer— to the Macintosh Plus. USER: What do you think of the Apple II emulator programs for the Macintosh? ANDY: Why would you want to turn a "great" $2000 computer into a "poor" $1000 computer? USER: Will larger screens be available for the Macintosh? ANDY: Yes, by the end of this year, larger screens should be available. USER: What do you think of Apple's decision to unbundle MacPaint and MacWrite from the Plus? ANDY: I know that Bill Atkinson was very upset about that decision, but I think he would have had more of a case if MacPaint had been evolv- ing for the past two years. Two years ago, MacPaint was terrific; now it's mundane. It's the same with Switcher, Bill's a "personal hero" of mine, but he's the type of person who "knows the right way." As an example, have you ever wondered why the desktop behind MacPaint's windows is always gray? It's because Bill said, "I don't see why anyone would want a desktop color other than gray, so MacPaint's desktop is going to be gray!" This is a problem for Servant; you can get back to Servant by command-slash, but Servant isn't visible in MacPaint, and that's what I want. I'm trying to think of a way to work around MacPaint. To answer your question, I think it was a poor decision to unbundle MacPaint but a good one to unbundle MacWrite: The Macintosh doesn't have a good word processor, or at least one which shows off its capabilities. USER: What would you recommend for someone getting into programming? ANDY: Apple's Pascal from Think Technologies is great for learning Pascal; it lets you see all the actions your program takes and why your program behaves the way it does. By the way, Think Technologies has an "incredible" C compiler which they are supposed to be shipping in March. It integrates perfectly with the Macintosh philosophy and inter- face, produces excellent native code, and it's very, very fast! USER: What do you think of slots for the Macintosh? ANDY: I don't know what we were thinking of when we put 128K in the Macintosh. That idea came from Jef Raskin, who was big on the con- cept of everyone having the same amount of RAM, so every user could run every program. When we went to higher amounts of RAM, we gained power and versatility, but we lost some of that universal software compatibility. Slots are much the same; they offer expandability and performance but reduce compatibility. USER: Why did Apple abolish the 5-volt out pin on the ports? Doesn't that affect Thunderscan? ANDY: Yes, it does affect Thunderscan. The people who make Thunderscan are going to put out a model which will plug into the wall to draw its power; but that's unacceptable to me. The Imagewriter II has a power pin out, but that means we would have to require that people with a Macintosh Plus have an Imagewriter II to use Thunderscan. I'm not sure how it will be all resolved. As to why Apple did it, it was par- tially due to "paranoid hardware engineers." The engineers don't care about what users want or need; they just care about someone using 'their" power supply. Also, Apple thinks it wants to use that 5-volt out pin for something else in future Macintosh models and wants to get hardware manufacturers out of the habit of using it. It's stupid. USER: What do you think of the Atari ST? ANDY: The ST is to the Macintosh as the C-64 is to the Apple II. Similar hardware design, lower pricing, etc. The ST has nice black-and- white video, I'll say that. But its system software is "somewhere between bad and dreadful." GEM is "horribly coded." Look at the ST's ROM and you'll see that it offers maybe one-quarter to one-third of the functionali- ty of the Macintosh ROM, and they used three times the space: 192K as opposed to 64K (in the original Macintosh ROM). I like the idea of the Atari ST which is to bring computing power at low cost to the masses. If you don't have the money for a Macintosh, get an ST— but get a Macintosh if you can. You might see me writing software for the ST; not this year; but perhaps in 1987 USER: How do you and Apple get along? ANDY: I still visit Apple once a week. I hope that they 'take care of my baby." But Apple's soul is different now; its mission, which was, under Steve Jobs, to make computers accessible, is gone. If you asked me what Apple mission is now, I would say it's "to protect its shareholders." USER: What do you think of Next Inc.? ANDY: Steve recruited me very hard last year, and he's a hard man to turn down. He has a way of motivating you, of making you think that whatever he's doing is the most important thing in the world. But I stayed with the Macintosh. Why? Because it's on the edge. If the Macintosh were selling four times what it is now, or 100,000 units per month, I would be at Next, because the Macintosh would be a suc- cess. If it were selling one-fifth as many as it is now, or 5000 units per month, I would be at Next, because it would be a failure. But it's neither; it's on the edge, and I want to do everything I can to help make it a success. USER: What is Apple working on now? ANDY: Pretend you worked at Apple. What would you work on? That's what they're working on. USER: What about the File Server for the Macintosh and AppleTalk for the II? ANDY: The File Server sucked away Apple's energy and talent while they should have been working on the HD 20. 1 lobbied against the File Server; but obviously, it took them a while to see it my way. I thought they should have developed the HD 20 first and then made the File Server a disk you stick in your Macintosh, so any Macintosh could be a File Server. As for AppleTalk on the II, they've had it up and running for quite a while now, so my guess is that you will see it soon. USER: What do you think are lucrative areas for software development on the Macintosh now? ANDY: Well, obviously, I thought Servant was an unfilled niche, and that's why I'm working on it. I would say desktop publishing is a good area to go into; there are a lot of advances to be made there. Some- one needs to do a great AppleTalk game, with lots of spaceships all flying around and dogfighting. I know it wouldn't be very profitable, but it could be a "great work of art." I think that eventually something like MacDraw and a word processor will be merged into one extremely powerful program; this would be a good road to travel down. That does it. This is where Andy stopped (the main address, anyway), and it's where my fingers are starting to go numb, so that's all for now, Someone else do this next time! macintosh/news #257, from frankb a comment to 252 I have an erratum statement and an addendum to Andy's comments. First, the erratum: I wrote, "In other words, no, I don't see an upgrade path— other than purchasing a new computer— to the Macintosh Plus." Stupid me; that should have read 'to the open-architecture Macintosh." Sorry about that. Also, one thing I forgot to mention: Andy said that if an application is Switcher-compatible, then it has "95%" compatibility with Servant. He suggested that for maximum compatibility, programmers should make all windows draggable, i.e., movable around the screen by the user. ■ MAY 1986 'BYTE 417 The Buyer's Mart- A Directory of Products and Services THE BUYER'S MART is a monthly advertising section which enables readers to easily locate suppliers by product category. As a unique feature, each BUYER'S MART ad includes a Reader Service number to assist interested readers in requesting information from participating advertisers. RATES: 1x-$375 3x-$350 6x-$325 Prepayment must accompany each insertion. AD FORMAT: Each ad will be designed and typeset by BYTE. Advertisers must furnish typewritten copy. Ads can include headline (23 characters maximum), descriptive text (250 characters maximum), plus company name, address and telephone number. Do not send logos or camera-ready artwork. DEADLINE: Ad copy is due 2 months prior to issue date. For example: June issue closes on April 1. Send your copy and payment to THE BUYER'S MART, BYTE magazine, 70 Main Street, Peterborough, NH 03458. For more informa- tion call Karen Burgess at BYTE 603-924-3754. ACCESSORIES ACCESSORIES BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES FREE CATALOG Outstanding prices on computer accessories for your computer and workstation. Our catalog features a wide selection of quality products to meet all your accessory needs. Call or write today to receive your free catalog. LINTEK COMPUTER ACCESSORIES POB 8056, Grand Rapids, Ml 49508 (616) 241-4040 Self-Inking Printer Ribbon For users of Okidata and other open spool ribbon printers. Controlled Printout Devices are a new kind of printing ribbon that re-ink themselves, and will last 1 5 times longer than the ribbon you are now using. For further information please call or write. CONTROLLED PRINTOUT DEVICES, INC. POB 869, Baldwin Rd., Arden, NC 28704 (704) 684-9044 Do you know businesses or people that buy IBM hardware, software, accessories and supplies'? If so, you could make commissions just for recommending our national firm. Full or part-time positions available. We discount most major brand name products 20-50%, which makes our prices most appealing. Plus you get $ for the sale. Call or write for more info. WGGB 316 North Owen Street Mount Prospect, IL 60056 312-392-2621 Inquiry 712. Inquiry 756. SOFTWARE PACKAGING, DISKS Cloth binders & slips like IBM's. Vinyl binders, boxes, and folders-many sizes. Disk pages, envelopes, & labels. Low qty. imprinting. Bulk & branded disks. Much More 1 Low prices. Fast service. Call or write (or FREE CATALOG. Anthropomorphic Systems Limited 376-B East St. Charles Road Lombard, IL 60148 1-800-PEAL-NOW (312) 629-5160 KEYBOARD TEMPLATES Templates and booklets put up to 850 commands at your fingertips. Over 60 programs available for IBM, Apple lie, Apple II + , Kaypro, Osborne and over 22 IBM compatibles or Key Tronic 5150/5151 keyboards. Standard $14.50 Enhanced $16.95 Deluxe $19.95 $2 S/H SGW P.O. Box 29249 San Diego, CA 92129 (619) 672-2720 VIDEO STORES We need ambitious dealers in all U.S. states and Canada to market a powerful system to computerize video tape rental stores. WINCHESTER DATA PRODUCTS INC. 3301-Executive Drive., #204, Raleigh, N.C. 27609 (919) 872-0995 Inquiry 655 Inquiry 735 CADD/CAM LOWEST PRICES ON DISKETTES 5V*" SSDD S.49, DSDD S.59. High Density S1.79. 3'/?" SSDD S155, DSDD S1.99. • Lifetime warranty • Includes tyvek sleeves • 100% error free • Reinforced hub ring • Finest quality • Labels & write protect tabs Free UPS shipping. Minimum 100 diskettes. Send check or call. CA residents add 6V2% sales tax. Data Bureau Inc. 1633 Westwood Blvd., Ste. 120 Los Angeles, CA 90024 213-479-0345 FREE CATALOG OF ELECTRONIC PARTS!! Thousands of parts and new surplus electronic parts at super low prices. FAST ORDER PROCESSING AND SHIPPING (95% of all orders shipped within 48 hours). CALL OR WRITE FOR A FREE CATALOG. . ALL ELECTRONICS CORPORATION POB 20406, Los Angeles, CA 90006-0406 (213) 380-8000 CADD for $99.95 FEATURES: Drawing layers • User Defined Fonts • Component Libraries • Video & Digitizer Menus • Color Graphics. Autocad™ file conversion - $24.95 Dot Matrix Printer/plotter option - $24.95 MC, VISA, COD, add $3.00 for shipping 60 day money back guarantee. GENERIC SOFTWARE 13250 N.E. 40th St., Bellevue, WA 98005 1-800-228-3601 Inquiry 651 Inquiry 697, BAR CODE COMMUNICATIONS DATA CABLES & PARTS EIA RS232-C Data Cables - standard, extended distance. Teflon Assemblies. Also Centronics (parallel), Coaxial (RG59U, RG62A/U, Dual Wang, Twin-axial), Ethernet, Ribbon, IBM, DEC Compatible cables, AB switches, connector parts, bulk cable; tools & hardware (wall plates). Send for Catalog. Communication Cable Co. POB 600-B, Wayne, PA 19087 215-644-1900 BAR CODE READERS/PRINTING Programs $49-$299. Readers-$325 up. PRINT Bar Codes on PC and Epson/Okidata or IBM Proprinter - Code 39, I 2of5, UPC, MSI, DOD-LOGMARS, AIAG. Graphics chs up to 1 ". Labels, Catalogs from files. Subroutines for BASIC, Cobol, Clipper, Turbo, Pascal, C, dBASE III Plus. Worthington Data Solutions 130 Crespi Court, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 (408) 458-9938 Inquiry 758 SMART AMIGA BBS SYSTEM Not a clone! Understands natural English com- mands. Very full featured with XMODEM database, voice paging, textbase, 10 message bases, multi- ple access level. MUCH more. $99 or $3 for fact- sheet, applicable. Business or hobbyist. Friendliest ANYWHERE! CVI Software PO Box 9399, El Paso, Texas 79984 (915) 833-7073 BIORHYTHM COMPUTER PROTECTION • UPS • LINE CONDITIONERS • ISOLATORS • MODEM PROTECTORS • AC POWER INTERRUPTERS — HUNDREDS OF HINTS & PRODUCTS — FREE CATALOG 1-800-225-4876 ELECTRONIC SPECIALISTS, INC. 171 So. Main St., POB 389, Natick, Mass 01760 (617) 655-1532 Inquiry 691. 418 BYTE Print out/sell BIO charts. Sophisticated program plots physical, emotional & intellectual cycles for indiv. & compatibility chart for mate. BlOrhythm theory used in sports/sales. One- time entry file. Create birthday lists. TIPC. IBM PC compatible. DOS 1.0 or greater. $39.95. VISA/MC/COD. C-Level Software Development Inc. P.O. Box 128, Cypress, TX 77429 (713) 469-0861 Inquiry 669 TELETERM Sophisticated Terminal Emulator of most popular ter- minals including DEC VT100, plus build your own. . up/download direct to disk/printer. . . error free file transfer protocols. . . full screen ASCII text editor. . . remote print. . . unattended file transfer mode. . Telexpress, Inc. P.O. Box 217, Willingboro, NJ 08046 (609) 877-4900 Inquiry 751. MAY 1 986 The Buyer's Mart- DISK CONVERSION DUPLICATING SERVICES HARDWARE INCOMPATIBLE WORD PROCESSORS? We convert to and from: XEROX, DEC, IBM, LANIER, WANG, PC-DOS, CONVERGENT TECHNOLOGY, WORDSTAR, MULTIMATE, SAMNA ASCII, MICOM. Also most CP/M systems. LOWEST PRICES DATA CONVERSION INC. 6310 Caballero Blvd. • Buena Park, CA 90620 (714) 522-7762 (800) 824-4851 In CA. BLANKET SERVICES Diskette duplication • Packaging • Stocking/Drop shipping • 48 hour delivery • SUPERLoK copy pro- tection • No mastering fee • No charge for stan- dard labels • Place a blanket order with releases as you need them for any quantity at a fixed price. Star-Byte, Inc. 2564 Industry Lane, Norristown, PA 19403 21 5-539-4300 800-243-1 5 1 5 POWERLINE GREMLINS?? POWER FAILURES?? The MEIRICK STANDBY POWER SYSTEM is the TOTAL SOLUTION to your powerline problems. 240 watt system - $365; 400 watt system - $495; 800 watt system - $795 MEIRICK Inc., POWER SYSTEMS DIV. Box 298, Frisco, CO 80443 303-668-3251 Inquiry 763. Inquiry 745. Inquiry 715. ENTERTAINMENT CONVERSION SERVICES Converl any 9 Irack magnetic tape to or from over 500 formats including 3V2", 5 ] A ", 8" disk formats & word processors. Disk to disk conversions also available. Call for more info. (312) 459-6010 Pivar Computing Services, Inc. 165 Arlington Hgts. Rd., Dept. #B * * Buffalo Grove, IL 60089 • • • BORED WITH YOUR IBM PC? • Try our ABS (Anti-Boredom Software): TOMMY'S TREK. The program you all know and love, comealivewith sound effects and real-time up- dating. Requires BASICA, 64K, video mono monitor. 2S-2D diskettes only. $19.95 (check, MO) p/p FREE CATALOG TOMMY'S TOYS Box 11261, Denver, CO 80211 TANDY-EPSON Our 10th year of DISCOUNTS Ed or Joe McManus Fgt. Prepaid. Save Tax Toll Free 800-231*3680 MARYMAC INDUSTRIES, INC. 22511 Katy Fwy., Katy (Houston), TX 77450 1-713-392-0747 Telex: 774132 Inquiry 725. Inquiry 768. HARDWARE DISK AND TAPE CONVERSIONS High quality conversion services for Dedicated Word Processors, Mini and Microcomputers. Over 600 3W, 5V4". and 8" formats. Also 800-1600BPI tape. Includ- ed: Wang. NBI, CPT, DEC, Videx, Lanier, OS/6, Xerox, IBM Sys/34/36/38/5520, Mac. Victor, TRS, Apple, NSrAR, IBM PC/AT, HP, and most of the other microcom- puters. We can convert directly into word processing software such as; DW3, WP, MS/WRO, WS. Samna, MM. PFS, and many others. DATA FORMATS, INC. (408) 972-1830 1AM . . . IN-CIRCUIT EMULATORS Real time full function In-Circuit Emulators for Design Engineers. Load Hex Files, Assemble/Disassemble, Edit Memory, Set Constants, with Break and Print Points. Stand alone operation or turns your Personal Computer into a Development System. And at an incredibly low Price . . . $498. Models Available Z80, 8085, 8088 and NSC800. For immediate response Call (916) 961-8082 1AM P.O. Box 2545, FalrOaks, CA 95628 $79 MONO/GRAPHIC/PRINTER BOARD * Hercules compatible * 720 x 348 pixel * Lotus 1-2-3 compatible * 80 x 25 text * Printer, Monitor port * 1 year warranty * Light pen port * In stock delivery 1 - $99 2-9 $89 10 - $79 SUGAR INTERNATIONAL 420-85th PI., S.W. #f_205, Everett, WA 98204 (206) 353-2574 Carl, Mo-Sa, 10-7 Inquiry 683. Inquiry 703. DOCUMENTATION COMPUTER ASSEMBLY MANUALS BIG BLUE SEED for IBM" BUILDERS: parts list, place- ment diagrams, instructions for assembling over 65 IBM- compatible bare cards - $14.95. APPLE SEED II for APPLE" BUILDERS: instructions for assembling 77 Apple-compatible bare cards including the II + and lie motherboards - $12.95. BOTH ASSEMBLY MANUALS FOR $25.00 NuScope Associates PO. Box 790 • Lewiston NY • 14092 Tandy 1000 Hardware TanPak Multifunction Cards $329 Memory to 51 2K. RS232, Clock, DMA TanPak Secondary $249 Memory to 256K, RS232. Clock 10 Meg Hard Drive with Controller $549 20 Meg Hard Drive with Controller $749 Hard Drive Specialist 1-800-231-6671 or 1-713-480-6000 16208 Hickory Knoll, Houston, Texas 77059 Motorola 6805 Single Chip Microcomputer Development System Use the IBM PC or compat. to develop products based on Mot. 68705P3/R3/U3 single chip micros. Complete sys includes an assembler, a debugger and a program- ming board with driver s/w for Intel or Mot. files. 1 serial port required. Complete system - $495. Prog. Bd. • $349 VISA/MC/MO/CK TEC P.O. Box 53, West Glover, VT 05875 (802) 525-3458 Inquiry 723 Inquiry 700. Inquiry 661. DUPLICATING SERVICES DUPLICATION SOLUTIONS We have the answer to your duplication needs, no matter what the volume. We supply auto- loaders, disks, and technical support. We pro- vide copy protection, serialization, package assembly, and distributive shipping. MegaSoft P.O. Box 1143, Freehold, NJ 07728 1-800-222-0490 201-462-7628 (in NJ) USED APPLES & IBM's APPLE II + as low as $275.00 APPLE lie — CALL Motherboards & accessories — call We buy, sell, & horsetrade — Apple, IBM, & CBM. SHREVE SYSTEMS 845 Lark Ave., Shreveport, LA 71105 318-865-6743 4-9 p.m. C.S.T. VISA/MC The BG-Boards and well-crafted books teach you how to construct circuits for interfacing external devices to IBM, Ap- pie. TRS-80, Tandy, Commodore, Timex-Sinclair micros for monitoring and control. $35 to $350. Free catalog. Group Technology, Ltd. Route 1 Box 83, Check, VA 24072 703-651-3153 Inquiry 714. Inquiry 770. Inquiry 699, WESTERN TRANSDATA, INC. Why risk duplicating your important programs on your com- puter, when our equipment is designed solely to duplicate disks & verify their perfection 100%? Over 500 formats. 3V2", 5W & 8! Plus serialization, copy protection, labeling, packaging, shrink-wrapping and fasl, personalized service. WESTERN TRANSDATA, INC. 1701 E Edinger Ave. A-4 Santa Ana, CA 92705 714/547-3383 (collect) Inquiry 755. EPROM/EEPROM PROG. $250 Programs 2716-27512, 25xx and 68764/66 eproms via RS-232. Also 874x micros and 28xxA & 52Bxx EEPROMs. Automatic baud rate select, built in help menus, no personality modules! 16 BIT I/O MODULE $75 Low cost control via RS-232. Expands to 512! INTELLITRONICS P.O. Box 3263, Tustin, CA 92680 (714) 669-0614 GBA Full function IEEE-488 bus analyzer with 12,287 byte memory. Controlled from any RS-232 com- puter or terminal. Also provides full bus control and message sending capability. $995.00 Connecticut microcomputer, Inc. 568 Danbury Rd., New Milford, CT 06776 Phone: 203-354-9395 Telex: 710-456-0052 Inquiry 769. MAY I986 • BYTE 419 The Buyer's Mart- MULTIUSERS SOFTWARE BUSINESS SOFTWARE/BUSINESS MULTIUSER CLIPPER (OR C)! With NOVELLIB and Nantucket's Clipper or Lifeboat's Lattice C Compiler. • NOVELL or PC Networks • Print Spooling • Record & File Locking • Login, Station ID, and More! • Dead-Lock Avoidance • Object code and examples NOVELLIB only $99. (specify Clipper or C). Communication Horizons 701 7th Ave., Dept B, New York, NY 10036 Tel: (212) 724-0150 Source: NAN285 MINUTE-a-DAY MANAGER™ TAX SURVIVAL SPECIAL New Shadow Writing 7 * feature adds the power of Al to your record keeping. 256K MS/PC-DOS package in- cludes FREE Custom Calendar Kit PLUS: • CHECKBOOK/CREDIT CARD MANAGER • COMPUTER LOGGER • AUTO LOGGER Visa/MC (May be tax-deductible.) $59.95 + $3 s&h Multi-Data Management Associates 1-800-255-2255 ext. 3300 FREE SOFTWARE MS-DOS or PC-DOS file catalog program keeps track of all those disks and directories. For a free sample disk send $5.00 shipping and handling to: SDG, Inc. 9 Wompatuck Road Hingham, Massachusetts 02043 (617) 749-8327 Inquiry 720 Inquiry 740. DBASE III PLUS PLUS NOVELLIB-2D gives you what Ashton-Tate left out: higher level Network functions: • NOVELL or PC Networks • Semaphore Locks • Print Spooling & Banners • Station & User ID, and More! • Electronic Mail • BIN code and examples NOVELLIB-2D only $99. Communication Horizons 701 7th Ave., Dept B, New York, NY 10036 Tel: (212) 724-0150 Source: NAN285 Inquiry 675. PRINTING dFELLER Inventory A business Inventory program written in modifiable dBASE source code. The menu-driven program lets you locate items by inventory name or number. It keeps track of reorder points, ven- dors, average cost, and other info. Requires dBASE II or III. PC-DOS/CPM $150. Feller Associstes 550 CR PPA, Route 3, Ishpeming, Ml 49849 (906) 486-6024 Inquiry 696. PC-Write™ Shareware Fast, powerful word processor/text editor for IBM PC. New Version 2.6 with auto reformat, optional menus, on-screen help, laser printer support, new expanded manual. Mailmerge, split screen, ASCII files, macros. All software, tutorial/guide on diskette, $10. OK to copy. Register for full manual, support $75. 90-day money-back guarantee. Quicksort (206) 282-0452 VIsa/MC 219 First N. #224J, Seattle, WA 98109 Inquiry 730. DO YOU NEED QUALITY COMMERCIAL PRINTING? Call Eli's. Helping people since 1948. Ask for Rick or Chuck 1-800-228-2007 1-402-342-7006 1231 South 14th Street Omaha, Nebraska 68108 The Andsor Collection™ Unique concept: creates complete, self-contained, window-based data management environment, in one DOSfile. Simplifies everything. Combine func- tions to create your own solutions in any application: calculations, database management, modeling, text processing, charts, data analysis, statistics, reports, labels, forms, presentations, mail-merge, etc. Sim- ple enough for a PCjr, sophisticated enough for a PC AT. SEE ALSO THE AD BELOW CUSTOM PAYROLL All systems have multiple pay categories, calcula- tion of all taxes, user defined deductions, 401(k) handling, many reports, paychecks, W-2 forms, and much more. Custom features are available. Prices start at $695 for system, manual, and PC Basic source code. Datasmith, Inc. Box 8036, Shawnee Mission, KS 66208 (913) 381-9118 Inquiry 692. Inquiry 762. SOFTWARE BUSINESS Programmers: We guarantee our products to be solid, bugfree. * CorrectForth - Very professional. ' Correct_Datamizer - 50:1 data compression guaranteed. ' SafeModem - Hackerproof. $80.75 per program MC/VlSA/MO/Check. Specify computer. Correct Software, Inc. RR1 Box 140, Black Hawk, SD 57718 (605) 787-5904 The Andsor Collection™ From simple calculations, files, inquiries, to complex models, data structures, reports. Superb 400 page hard-cover manual, with many examples. US $95 + $5 s&h. 60-day money-back guarantee. Visa/MC/AmEx/Chk/MO/COD. Call or write now to order. IBM PC/XT/AT/PCjr. 128K, one drive or hard disk, monochrome and/or color. DOS 2.0 + . Not copy-protected. ANDSOR RESEARCH INC. 181 University Avenue., Suite 1202, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5H 3M7 (416) 364-8423 PC-File III™ Version 4 Search, sort, browse, global changes, macros, mailing labels, format reports with selection & calculations, sub- totals, totals, averages, encryption. Exchange data with 1-2-3. WORD, WordStar. Over 190,000 users. $59.95 + $5 s/h. For IBM PC. ButtonWare, Inc. P.O. Box 5786, Bellevue, WA 98006 1-800-J-BUTTON Inquiry 679. Inquiry 664. MY WORD!® is just $35.00 Complete word processing plus sort, add rows & col- umns, mergeprint, quickprint. macros, math, micro- justify, use all 256 char. Source: add $35. 150 page printed manual. 30-day money-back guarantee. IBM PC or compatible, 128K. one drive, any printer. T.N.T. SOFTWARE, INC. 34069 Hainesville Road, Round Lake, IL 60073 (312) 223-8595 MoneyCounts™ Version 3.0 Everything you need to take charge o f your finances; Checking/Credit Card Mgt., Budgeting, Exp. Analysis, Financial Rpts, Graphics, Tutorial, much more. Great for home/business. CPA designed. IBM PC/XT & Compatibles with DOS 2.0 or later and 192K - $69.95 PARSONS TECHNOLOGY 6925 Surrey Dr. NE., Cedar Rapids, I A 52402 (319) 373-0197 CHECK/VISAVMC PC-File/R™ All the power of PC-File III plus: Relational link to other databases, integrated letter writing & mail- merge, context sensitive pop-up help windows. New binary search retrieves data hundreds of times faster. $149.95 + $5 s/h. ButtonWare, Inc. P.O. Box 5786, Bellevue, WA 98006 1-800-J-BUTTON Inquiry 724. Inquiry 665. DATA BASE MANAGER CCforms is a menu-driven database manager featuring formatted screens, mail-merging, field editing, selection, and sorting. Ideal for client/customer/mailing lists, bookkeeping, payroll/personnel, inventory/stock tracking, and data-entry. $100 w/doc. COMEAU COMPUTING 91-34 120th Street, Richmond Hill, NY 11418 (718) 849-2355 — 24 hr. HOTLINE Inquiry 672. 420 BYTE SMITH'S INVOICE Invoices, shipping labels, customer database. Customer & product mailing lists and labels. Menu driven— easy to use. For IBM PC with 128K and 2 DS/DD drives or hard disk. All software, manual on disk $15. Same-day shipment on personal checks. Smith Consulting Route 1, Box 213, Greensburg, IN 47240 Inquiry 737 COBOL TOOLKIT For Nevada/Utah Cobol users. New routines for screen cursor control, clearing screen, headings, windows, skip, backspace, left zero, dup., fast ran- dom file search, simple sort & more. Great stuff for the non-guru. Cobol source code $20. US. Cobol Source 70 Yorkminster Rd. Toronto, Canada M2P 1M3 Inquiry 767. MAY 1 986 The Buyer's Mart- SOFTWARE/BUSINESS SOFTWARE/BUSINESS SOFTWARE/CHURCH ACCOUTING SYSTEMS $49.95 + $2.50 S&H - Construction - Equipment Rental - General Systems - Manufacturing - Medical Billing - Professional - Retail Sales - Wholesale Menu-Driven — Full File Maintenance Each includes GL, AR, AP, INVENTORY, PAYROLL & more! HIGH TECHNOLOGY, INC. 9312 W. 92nd Ave., Westminster, CO 60020 (303) 431-7596 VISA and MASTERCARD Accepted! TIME & BILLING $99 JOB COST Option $50 30 Day Money-back Trial Virtually unlimited direct labor, direct cost and overhead categories. Very flexible. Prints your statements, many reports, and more! MS-DOS/IBM-PC & compatibles. VISA/MC/COD Accounting Systems 1148-5 Executive Circle, Cary, NC 27511 (919) 467-3428 ROMAR CHURCH SYSTEMS™ Membership-61 fields plus alternate address; labels, letters, reports any field(s). Offering-256 funds; optional pledge; statements; post to 255 x/year. Finance-G/L with budget; up to 500 sub-totals & 99 depts: month & YTD reports anytime for any month. Size 2000 people/flop- py; 25000/10 meg. Ad too short! Write! Romar Church Systems, Attn: BMB P.O. Box 4211, Elkhart, IN 46514 (219) 262-2188 Inquiry 702. Inquiry 650 Inquiry 732. SOFTWARE/EDUCATION PC-Calc™ Version 3 64 columns x 256 rows, math and stat. functions, horizontal bar graphs, title locking, individually ad- justable column widths, IF. . .THEN, link to other spreadsheets or PC-File databases, much more. Re- quires 256K IBM PC. $59.95 + $5 s/h. ButtonWare, Inc. P.O. Box 5786, Bellevue, WA 98006 1-800-J-BUTTON DATA ENTRY SYSTEM Heads-down data entry with two-pass verification for the PC/XT/ AT & compatibles. Loaded with features like: Auto dup & skip, verify bypass, range checks, & table lookups. Fully menu driven only $395. Call for free 30 day trial period. COMPUTER KEYES 6519 193 SW, Lynn wood, WA 98036 (206) 776-6443 War or Peace: Decision — Making in a Nuclear Age Stimulates discussion on the role of nuclear weapons in national security. Players choose U.S. or Soviet side. High school or home use, both teacher and student manuals included. IBM or Apple. $49.95 MC/VISA/AMEX. For info, call: 207-775-1330. For orders call: 1-800-628-2828 ext. 649. Bright Ideas, Inc. 52 Exeter St., Portland, Maine 04102-2839 Inquiry 676. Inquiry 662. PC-Type™ Fast, compact, capable & easy! Help panels, hands- on tutorial, macros, multiple-line headings & footings, DOS path support, print spooling, block operations, etc. ASCII files. Install program allows customization. $59.95 + $5 s/h. For 128K IBM PC. ButtonWare, Inc. P.O. Box 5786, Bellevue, WA 98006 1-800-J-BUTTON LP88-LINEAR PROGRAMMING A powerful menu-driven system for solving linear programs w/ up to 510 constraints & 2510 variables. Features include in- teractive & batch operation, spreadsheet-style input & editing, storage of problems & bases, Simplex Algorithm restart, report generator, sensitivity analysis. Req. IBM PC, 192K. $99 w/8087 support, user's guide. VISA/MC. EASTERN SOFTWARE PRODUCTS INC. P.O. Box 15328, Alexandria, VA 22309 (703) 549-5469 SPANISH VERBS Conjugation can be fun! Random sentence generation provides millions of fresh questions as you practice Spanish verb conjugations in five tenses. Instant feed- back, classroom teacher developed, tildes etc. Disk for PC, compatibles, Apple. $39.95. Dolphin Software 230 S. 39th St., Boulder, CO 80303 (303) 494-0743 Inquiry 667. Inquiry 689. SOFTWARE/GENERAL TIME IS MONEY Time + Expenses Billing: Fast tracking of man- hours, expenses for consultants, attorneys, architects, etc. Day-Book: Track 90 days of appoint- ments, daily agenda, requires color-graphic card. $49.95 each. For PC/compatibles, MS/DOS 2.0, 128K reqd. MC. VISA. Baker Business Systems 2802 Highway 90 West, Seguin, TX 78155 (512) 372-3949 TSA88-TRANSPORTATION A general-purpose system for solving transportation, assignment and transhipment problems. Solves transportation problems with up to 510 origins and/or destinations by applying the Transportation Simplex Algorithm. Menu-driven with features similar to LP88. Requires 1 92K. $99 with 8087 support user's guide. VISA/MC. EASTERN SOFTWARE PRODUCTS, INC. P.O. Box 15328, Alexandria, VA 22309 (703) 549-5469 Al for the IBM PC TOPSI is a full version of OPS5 which runs under MS- DOS, Unix or CP/M. A fast, efficient expert system development tool. Prototyping: $125 Production: $250 Professional: $375 C version, add $20 Shipping, add $5 Dynamic Master Systems POB 566456. Atlanta, GA 30356 (404) 565-0771 Inquiry 657 Inquiry 690. Inquiry 688. • FORECASTING • MODELING • PLANNING • Compatible with IBM PC & Apple II MICRO-BJ" NUAMETRICS™ • Box-Jenkins ARIMA • Econometrics package • Identify, estimate, forecast $195.00 5295.00 PROFESSIONALS CHOICE XTRAPOtATOR™ • Link to Lotus. Visicalc • Automatic forecasting Multiple order discounts $195.00 50% off Apple II orders STRATIX P.O. Box 4413 • Burlingame, CA 94011 (415) 697-0573 MCA/ISA BUDGET PREP & EXPENSE FORECAST SYSTEM User friiendly. menu driiven system helps create budgets/alloca- tions, maintains hierarchical structure and provides rdlup report generation. Tracks and forecasts headcount. salaries, and up to 1 user defined categories of expense. Recasts, graphics, and more. Enhanced version of system developed for and used nationally by Fortune 100 company. For IBM-PC and com- patibles. $199.00 Trendition, Inc. Software Div., POB 424, Convent Station, NJ 07961 (201) 876-3910 Inquiry 766. THE MAGIC KEYBOARD $46.50 Print Letters from 3/32" to 100', or Sideways to 12". 10 fonts. Print one line at a time or from text file. Store signs, posters, overheads, large labels, etc. Okidata 92-3,192-3. Epson FX, Star Micronics, Proprinter. MS-DOS & Kaypro.® WOODSMITH SOFTWARE Rt. 3 Box 550A, Nashville, IN 47448 (812) 988-2137 SOFTWARE/CHURCH WORD IMAGE Edit 4 large files, undo, key macros, math, search/replace in ranges, all printers, help, on-screen attributes, sub-directories, command driven, batch, manual w/index & tutorial, fast, MORE!!! Needs 320KB, PC DOS 2.0 + . Intro: $50.00, 30-Day trial. Software Ideology P.O. Box 305, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11204 718-236-3876 Inquiry 741. Church Package Parishioner Time, Talent and Treasure System pro- gram is written in modifiable dBASE source code. • Contributions • Disbursements • Ledger • Names with mailing labels • Personal information database. Requires dBASE II or III. PC-DOS/CPM-80 $200. Feller Associates 550 CR PPA, Route 3, Ishpeming, Ml 49849 (906) 486-6024 Inquiry 695. THE BEST OF THE BEST! Public Domain & User Supported Software for IBM PC or compatible. Word Processing, Database, Spread- sheets, Utilities, Games, Accounting, etc! 50 disk package $205.00, or rent 2 wks. $75.00. tnfo & Super Sampler Disk $6.50, Deluxe Word Processor $6.50, both $12.00. MCA/ISA BLUE CIRCLE GROUP, INC. Box 23502, Minneapolis, MN 55423 (612) 823-4111 MAY 1986 • BYTE 421 The Buyer's Mart- SOFTWARE/GENERAL SOFTWARE/GRAPHICS SOFTWARE/LANGUAGES IBM -TOSHIBA PRINTER INTERFACE • all extended capabilities of the TOSHIBAS available • bit mapped graphics supported • Prints ail IBM extended ASCII characters • screen dumps in text and graphics • escape sequences supported • popular software supported directly • "Sideways" and "Pyxel Visuals" support • dealers welcome $79.95 ($2.50 S&H) Integrated Data Technologies, Inc. 4775 Bunchberry Lane. Colorado Springs, CO 80917 303-488-2583 MCA/ISA GRAPHICS PRINTER SUPPORT A T LAST! Use the PrtSc key to make quality scaled B&Wor color reproductions of your display on any dot matrix, ink jet, or laser printer. GRAFPLUS sup- ports all versions of PC or MS-DOS with IBM, Tec- mar, and Hercules graphics boards. $59.95. Jewell Technologies, Inc. 4302 SW Alaska St., Suite 207, Seattle, WA 98116 (206) 937-1081 68020 Motorola compatible macro Assembler Package features linker, object librarian, symbol report generator with cross reference. Produces S-records and ROMable code. For CP/M-68K, MS-DOS $750. Portable Source in C $3500. AVAILABLE NOW. Quelo, Inc. 2464 33rd Ave. W. Suite 173, Seattle, W A 98199 206/285-2528 telex 91 0-333-81 71 Inquiry 704. Inquiry 708 CASE Apple Pascal OF * MONITOR: The pop-up handyman .$49 * EDIT: The super system editor .$39 ' FORM: Advanced text formatter .$34 * UTIL: Disk and program utilities $39 " SUBCITY: 100 useful subroutines $39 FOR freeCat DO call OR writeln; DOGSTAR SOFTWARE P.O. Box 302, Bloomington, IN 47402 (812) 333-5616 PLOTTER SOFTWARE Save time and money by creating your own presen- tation quality text slides. THE DGI SIGN MAKER is. an easy to use menu driven program for your IBM or APPLE computer and most plotters (Epson, HI, HP, HP-GL, IBM and others) for only $75. DECISION GRAPHICS, INC. P.O. Box 2776-B, Littleton, Colorado 80161 Phone (303) 796-0341 Symbolic Debugger for Turbo Pascal™ - Set breakpoints at line numbers or procedures - Display and modify variables symbolically - Fully integrated into Turbo Pascal environment Requires Turbo 2.0 or 3.0, IBM PC version. Only $49 plus $2 S&H. KYDOR COMPUTER SYSTEMS 812 S. Sherman St., Richardson, Texas 75081 (214) 669-1888 Inquiry 684. Inquiry 711. KNOW OVERALL BALANCE State of the ail for IBM & compatibles. Up to four accounts: checking, saving, IRA, etc. Balance checkbook. Flip through pages. Help screens. Print options. Password protected-use office computer. Very fast. $39.95 + $3 s&h or send $3.50 for demo disk. DATACORP 4215 Roseland, Dept. P-1, Houston, TX 77006 FORTRAN PROGRAMMER? Now you can call 2-D and 3-D graphics routines within your FORTRAN program. GRAFMATIC: 75 callable routines for screen output. $135. PLOTMATIC: Pen plotter driver. $135. For the IBM PC, XT, AT and compatibles. We sup- pod a variety of compilers, graphics boards and MICROCOMPATIBLES 301 Prelude Drive, Dept. B Silver Spring, MD 20901 (301) 593-0683 WINDOW & SCREEN Mang't For Modula 2. C. Pascal, IBM/compatibles. Atari 520ST. Create overlap, pop-up menu/screen/win- dows without touch program, beat 64K limit. Save, move, zoom/shrink swap/delete, color, border, header, cursor control. $59.00 VISA/MC. APPLIED COMPUTING 3368 Westchester Rd., Bloomfield Hills, Ml 48013 519-254-4472 Inquiry 764. Inquiry 716. Inquiry 656. SOFTWARE/LANGUAGES CAF, COMPARE ASCII FILES PC user, are you having problems comparing your files? We have the solution. . . CAF is a very smart program that compares two text files and produces a comprehensive differences report. Only $15.95 + $3.00 S&H (CA + tax). Send check or money order to: I.S.E. Inc. P.O. Box 241740, Los Angeles, CA 90024 (213) 398-3106 RUN FAST, LOOK BEAUTIFUL If this is what people expect from your BASIC programs, then you need YES MASTER!: a DOS-resident develop- ment aid that includes a screen painter, an ISAM file manager, a window manager, a printer generator and more. All in one package. $245. No royalty. SOFTWAY, INC. 500 Sutter St., Suite 222 BC San Francisco, CA 94102 (415) 397-4666 Tools for CB80 & CB86 BDOS, DOS, and BIOS calls from CB80 and CB86! CBC Tools includes functions for directory access, string ops, a debugger, radix conversion, command line parsing, quicksorts, bit and byte ops, and more forCP/M-80, CP/M-86, and PC-DOS, $180.00. Ask about our Pascal MT + products. Minnow Bear Computers POB 2233 Sta. A, Champaign, IL 61820-8233 (217) 398-6883 Inquiry 707. Inquiry 742 Inquiry 719. BASEBALL Easy to use statistical package. Tracks 31 major statistics. Less than 5 minutes a game to track every player. Team/league hitting and pitching reporls. IBM PC MS-DOS: TEAM TRACKER $45.00, league tracker $75.00, schedule checker $35.00, roster $35.00. Phenom Sportsware 215 Catherine St., Scotia, NY 12302 (518) 346-3924 518-387-7056 Minnesota S N O B O L4 Lan 9 ua 9 e Powerful string & data handling facilities. Interpreter com- patible with mainframe SN0B0L4. 32K strings, 32 bit in- tegers, 8087 for float & large memory model. Sample pgms include ELIZA. For >128K IBM PC & DOS or equivalent. Definitive "green" book by Griswold et al available. Guide +5%" SSDD diskette $44.95 Guide + diskette + "green" book $59.95 "Green" book only $24.95 Postpaid in USA. In NY add tax. VISA/MC (914) 271-5855 BERSTIS INTERNATIONAL POB 441, Millwood, NY 10520 FINALLY! A Subroutine Library for Compiled BASIC OVER 100 SUBROUTINES AND FUNCTIONSforUse with Microsoft QUICK BASIC or IBM BASIC Compiler 2.0. Full Documentation Package with Examples, 30 Day Money-Back Guarantee. VISA/MC FINALLY! is only $99.00 + $4.00 S&H KOMPUTERWERK, INC. 851 Parkview Blvd., Pittsburgh, PA 15215 (412) 782-0384 Inquiry 765. Inquiry 658. SOFTWARE/GRAPHICS SCIENTIFIC GRAPHS SCI-GRAF produces high-res graphs (1680 x 1712 pixels) on Epson or IBM graphics printers. Supports log/linear scales, error bars, overlays, batch-mode opera- tion. Very flexible data entry from disk or keyboard. User customizable. Requires DOS 2 or 3, 256K. $99.95 (Sorry, no credit cards) Microcomputer Systems Consultants 27 Forest Ave., Port Jefferson Station. New York 11776-1820 (516) 928-7493 Inquiry 717. 422 BYTE • MAY 1986 TAKE CONTROL of your IBM-PC with DOS. Write assembler programs with SYMBLOR. Write BASIC and TURBO PASCAL subroutines. Debug them with BREAKOR. Break in at any time and trace your program. Trace DOS loader and break on program entry. Saves and restores your screen. Complete package with examples. $30 - 90 day money back guarantee. SOUTHSIDE SYSTEMS Box 26554, Houston, TX 77207 (713) 641-2101 Inquiry 761. BASIC for the MAC COMPILER!! TRUE MACHINE LANGUAGE BASICA compatible PTERODACTYL SOFTWARE est 1982 Box 538, Fairfax, CA 94930 VISA/MC 415-485-0714 or circle 727 on service card for 3-page spec sheet Inquiry 727. The Buyer's Mart- SOFTWARE/LANGUAGES LISP for the MACINTOSH® MacScheme© implements the Scheme dialect of LISP. It features a fast byte code interpreter, debug- ger, editor that understands LISP syntax, multiple windows, and Quickdraw graphics. University site licenses available. $125. (+$10 overseas). MC/VISA. To order, call or write: Semantic Microsystems 4470 S.W. Hall St., Ste. 340, Beaverton, OR 97005 (503) 643-4539 SOFTWARE/SCIENTIFIC forMath® text-formatter • Equations, matrices, ratios, integrals, diagrams • Macros, fonts, Greek/math symbols • Hyphenation, secn/eqn/ref numbering • Indexes, table of contents, footnotes • Dot-matrix, daisywheel, laser printers, all monitors $400. $50 for demo Shantha Software Inc. 50 West 97th St. Room 11N, New YorkCity 10025 (212) 222-SNIP Touchtone toll free: 950-1088-walt-FORMATH SOFTWARE/SCIENTIFIC FORTRAN SOURCE CODE PROFESSIONAL SIGNAL PROCESSING & MATRIX ANALYSIS UTILITIES 35 PROGRAMS VWTUTORIAL & EXAMPLES FFT, Afl Modeling, Digital Filters. Matrix: SVD, Conj. Gra- dient, Pseudo-Inverse. Root Finder, Cubic Spline tnlerp. Graphics. Random Numbers More. DiskyHard-copy. Documented, 130 pages. Bibliography. Send for Info Pkg 599. CLAREN SOFTWARE P.O. Box 5333 • MESA, AZ 85201 (602) 820-3877 Inquiry 734. Inquiry 736. * INSTANT EDT/ASEM $50 PPD * Full Macro Assembler. All the features of IBM's & Microsoft's. Syntax and file compatible. Runs like 'Turbo Pascal.' Write, assemble and run programs in seconds, in memory! 'WordStar' like editor buift in. Supports full Inlel 16-bil family. PC DOS-MS DOS compatible. Money back guarantee! Computer Solutions P.O. Box 354, Mason, Michigan 48854 1-800-874-9375 VISA/MC 1-517-628-2943 Catalog with 300 items sent with order. BEAM ANALY. & SPRING DESIGN Beam analysis program calculates shear, moments, reac- tions, slopes and deflections in beams. Price: $50.00. Helical spring design program for compression, exten- sion and torsion springs. Price: $75.00. Both packages include disk and documentation. For Apple II series of computers or IBM PC, PCjr and compatibles. SYLCA CORPORATION 33-47 14 Street, Dept B, Long Island City, NY 11106 718-278-4604 DIGITAL SIGNAL ANALYSIS Fourier Perspective II w/graphics. FFT/IFT, convolu- tion, deconvolution, Hanning, Power Spectrum, Cross Correlation. 25 more. Graphics 2D and 3D. 8087 recommended, not required. Easy to use menus. FP II $395 or FP I (FFT w/graphics only) $149. Runs on PC, PC-XT. PC-AT. Alligator Transforms Scientific Software P.O. Box 11386, Costa Mesa. CA 92627 (714) 662-0660 Inquiry 677 Inquiry 652. CROSS ASSEMBLERS with "UNIVERSAL" LINKER and POWERFUL LIBRARIANS for IBM PC MS-DOS Full featured for most microprocessors ENERTEC, INC. BOX 1312, Lansdale, PA 19446 215-362-0966 MC/VISA MATRIX 100 Powerful Matrix operations with single statements in IBM PC BASIC. Perform multiple regression, solve simultaneous equations, invert matrices, etc. MATRIX 100 commands are fast, reliable and easy to use. Price $80. 8087 support $125; compiler sup- port $250. ($4 s&h. CA res. add sales tax). STANFORD BUSINESS SOFTWARE, INC. 4151 Middlefield Rd., Suite 215, Palo Alto, CA 94303 To Order Call (415) 424-9499 TURBO CIRCUIT ANALYSIS Generates matrix-equation source code for AC, DC and Transient Analysis. Source code for Worst Case, Plots, etc. Requires MS-DOS, Bl-Turbo Pascal or FORTRAN. Both ME and EE useful. Circuit Analysis Programming System $155 CVY, Inc. 1709 N. WestAve. #131, Jackson. Ml 49202 (517) 782-2297 Inquiry 693 REFER SAVES HOURS REF cross references program variable, values, keywords, linenumbers. and/or labels. ENTER adds languages to supplied: asm, basic, c. cobol, pascal, ada, fortran, dbase. rbase. FINDREPL updates programs. $45. James Halstead & Asc. 1551 Plainfield, Joliet, I L 60435 (815) 725-0346 CMX MATRIX CALCULATOR Evaluate complicated matrix expressions as easily as arithmetic on a calculator. Over a dozen useful operators invoked by a single keystroke. Fully prompt- ing learning mode plus a rapid entry silent mode. MS/PC-DOS or CP/M68K (Sage/Stride) versions. $55. Estanco, Inc. 444 So. Cotner Blvd., Lincoln, Nebraska 68510 phone (402) 489-6435 HP-PC HYPER-CALCULATOR MS-DOS emulation of HP-11C programmable scientific calculator available inside any program, permits data return. Program & data disk storage, indirect addressing, alpha prompts, printing, HELP, 1 00 registers, 1000 pro- gram steps. FREE 8087 version C utility programs. $39.95 + $1 s&h. SUNDERLAND SOFTWARE ASSOCIATES P.O. BOX 7000-64 REDONDO BEACH, CA 90277 CALL TOLL FREE 800-628-2828 ext. 502 Inquiry 709. Inquiry 748 SOFTWARE/SCIENTIFIC SPARSE/DENSE MATRIX MATRIX: Does to matrix what TK! Soiver does to Numbers. Solves lin/nonlin/diff eqns. Programmable Matrix Functions. $59.95 SPARSEPACK: Turbo Pascal source code for user-transparent Sparse Matrix handling. Overcome 64K barrier and more. $49.95 SoftTech Inc. 18505 W. 8 Mile, Detroit. Ml 48219 Visa/MC call 1-800-835-2246 ext. 80 Others call 1-313-544-8544 FFT & Related Programs Radix-2, General-N, Integer, & Winograd FFT/IFFT, Z- Transform, Fast Convolution, Fast Matrix Transposition (on disc), Window Functions, Graphics. 1. 2, & 3-dimensional Programs. 2D & 3D size limited only by disc capacity. For Fortran or APL environments. Nexus Scientific Software Corp. P.O. Box 70928, Sunnyvale, CA 94086 Phone 604-421-2160 (US & Canada) UPGRADE YOUR IBM PC TO A STORAGE OSCILLOSCOPE! Do Data Acquisition, Frequency Spectrum Analysis, Transfer Functions, Analysis with Lotus 1-2-3, and more— inexpensively and all without programming! For Info on SNAPSHOT Storage Scope: HEM Data Corporation 17025 Crescent ■ Southfield, Ml 48076 (313) 559-5607 Inquiry 739. Inquiry 701. Digital Logic Design on the Macintosh 1 "' The LogicWorks™ series allows you to create, test and document digital circuitry on your Macintosh. Full simulation capability lets you catch design errors before committing your circuit to hardware. From $79.95 (US). Demo pkg. $10. Visa/ MC Accepted. Capilano Computing Systems Ltd. Box 86971 , N. Vancouver, B.C., Canada, V7L 4P6 (604) 669-6343 TURBO PASCAL TOOLS Quinn-Curtisoffers a family of Science. Engineering. Data Ac- quisition, and DOS/BIOS Tools for use with Turbo Pascal. All source code provided. IPC-TP-006 Science and Engineering Tools $69.95 IPCTP-008 Metrabyte Data Acquisition Tools $94.95 IPC-TP-017 DOS/BIOS Tools $69.95 Quinn-Curtis 49 Highland Ave., Needham, MA 02194 (617) 444-7721 Inquiry 731. Affordable Engineering Software CALL OR WRITE FOR FREE CATALOG Circuit Analysis • Root Locus • Thermal Analysis • Matrix Manipulation • Signal Processing • Filter Design • Graphics • Text Proofreader BV Engineering 2200 Business Way Suite 207, Riverside, CA 92501 (714) 781-0252 VISA/MC Inquiry 668. MAY 1986 -BYTE 423 The Buyer's Mart- SOFTWARE/SCIENTIFIC STATISTICS UTILITIES ENGINEERING SOFTWARE WRITTEN BY ENGINEERS FOR ENGINEERS Highest power per dollar. Highest power per K of memory. Satisfaction guaranteed. Electronic Circuit Analysis $450. Logic Simulation System $395. Tatum Labs 33 Main St., Newtown, CT 06470 (203) 426-2184 STATISTICS CATALOG! If you need statistics for IBM PC or Apple II, call us and let our technical advisors help you find the statistics programs you need. Write or call now to get a FREE catalog of statistics and quality control software. HUMAN SYSTEMS DYNAMICS 9010 Reseda Blvd., Ste. 222 Northridge, CA 91324 (800) 451-3030 (818) 993-8536 (CA) MEDIA MASTER PLUS READ, WRITE, and FORMAT over 60 CP/M disks and run most CP/M-80 programs on your IBM PC! Two pro- gram package includes ZP/EM, a CP/M-80 emulator pro- gram that transforms your IBM PC into a 1-2 MHZ CP/M 2.2 computer. $59.95 + $3.00 S/H (CA 6%) Intersecting Concepts, Inc. 4573 Heatherglen Ct.. Ste. 10 Moorpark, CA 93021 (805) 529-5073 Inquiry 687. Inquiry 706. SOFTWARE/SYSTEMS CPM-80 LIVES on your PC CP/Mulator puts a4mhz 8 bit CP/M emulator in your IBM- PC for $99. ($3 S + h). - A great 8 bit development system - Saves expensive CPM-80 applications - Increases PC speed 1 0% for 8088 programs - Priced less than most software only products - Uses no valuable board slots Source Information P.O. Box 2974, Warminster, PA 18974 VISA Phone (215) 628-4719 M/C RATS! RATS is a fast, accurate & complete regression pack- age with unsurpassed POWER. Has both time-series & cross section analysis. Includes Box-Jenkins, logit & probit. Spectral analysis & graphics also available. Requires 256K RAM, IBM PC or compatible. $200. MC/Visa. VAR Econometrics P.O. Box 19334, Minneapolis, MN 55419 (612) 822-9690 Inquiry 754. ZERODISK ZeroDisk runs dozens of copyprotected business packages from your hard disk without floppies. Call for the latest list of software it handles. Needs IBM AT. XT. PC, or compatible, DOS 2.0 or higher. ZeroDisk is revis- ed monthly and is not copy protected. $75 US. Check or Credit Cards accepted. QUAID SOFTWARE LIMITED 45 Charles St. E. 3rd Fl. Toronto, Ontario, Canada M4Y 1S2 (416) 961-8243 UTILITIES LASER TYPOGRAPHY $495. Typographic composition software to drive the Cor- data L300 Laser Printer as a typesetter. H & J 76 proportional space fonts, widths for 150 fonts available. Mix face & point size on any line, multicolumn capability. Micro Print-X, Inc. P.O. Box 581, Ballinger, TX 76821 (915) 365-2343 Dealer Inquiries Welcome DOS PATHING EXTENSION Give your software the full PATHING capabilities that are missing from the 2.xx and 3.xx versions of MS- DOS and PC-DOS. FULLPATH object license: $19.95. source license: $399.95, ( + $5S&H + 6% in MN). VISA/MC/PO/CHK 30 day money back guarantee. P. R. GLASSEL and ASSOCIATES, INC. 30255 Fir Trail, Stacy, MN 55079 612-462-1337 MENU MASTER Hard Disk Organizer! User defined Nested Menus. Login/Logoff accounting/reports. User & Project codes/passwords. Menu driven system manager utilities/Menu editor. Online HELP/BASIC Dev.Toolkit. PC/XT/AT/Compat./C:Disk $29.95 + $2 s/h Ck/MO Also: RPN Calc. $19.95 + $2 MENU SYSTEMS LIMITED 416 Murdock Rd., Baltimore, MD 21212 (301) 377-0082 Inquiry 718 Inquiry 698. pcSHARE MULTI-USER O/S pcSHARE allows your IBM-XT/AT or compatible to sup- port up to 5 users running 1-2-3, dBASE, WordStar, etc. on inexpensive serial CRTs. For software developers. pcSHARE efficiently runs compiled Basic, Pascal & C pro- grams with full DOS 3.0 compatible record locking. Digitrol Computers Inc. 440 Phillip Street Waterloo, Ontario. CAN, N2L 5R9 (519) 884-4541 PADLOCK/PADLOCK II DISKS PADLOCK furnishes the user with a method for providing protection against unauthorized duplication from DOS commands $99. PADLOCK II disks come preformatted with finger-print and serialization. PADLOCK II disks of- fer superior protection. Ask about our HARD DISK pro- tection with uninstall capability. MCA/ISA. Glenco Engineering 3920 Ridge Ave., Arlington Hts., IL 60004 (312) 392-2492 BTrees with C Source These are powerful, portable, dependable file utility libraries. Thousands of programmers worldwide re- ly on our quality code. All source code included, no royalty fees, works with any K&R compatible C compiler. • Btree only $75.00 • ISAM only $40.00 additional. SOFTFOCUS 1343 Stanbury Dr., Oakville, Ontario, Canada L6L 2J5 (416) 825-0903 Inquiry 685. Inquiry 738. STATISTICS The Statistician includes: Multiple Regression (Stepwise, ridge, all subsets, backward elimination) • Time series analysis • descriptive statistics • transformations • survey research • nonparametrics • X-Y plots • ANOVA • random samples • data base • data editor • search & sort • hypothesis tests For IBM, MS-DOS, XENIX. CPM, TRS-DOS. QUANT SYSTEMS toll S free Box 628, Charleston, SC 29402 1-800-334-0854 803-571-2825 (Ext. 814) SOURCE CODE LIBRARIAN & REVISION CONTROL SYSTEM TUB'" keeps ALL versions of your program in ONE compact library fiile, even with hundreds of revisions. • 5 times faster than PC/IX (Unix) SCCS • LAN-shared libraries with PC Network MS/PC-DOS 2.x & 3.x. $99.95 + $3 S&H. VISA/MC BURTON SYSTEMS SOFTWARE POB 4156, Cary, NC 27511 (919) 469-3068 DOS USERS. "Save time and frustration" — J.E. Pournelle Still River Shell. Powerful full screen file / direc- tory manager. Faster and easier than DOS. Full range of features. PC/MS-DOS 2.0 + . $39 com- plete. $20 shareware diskette. MCA/ISA. Bob Howard PO Box 57, Still River, MA 01467 617-456-3699 Inquiry 728 Inquiry 663. XENIX/UNIX STATISTIX™ $75 - Satisfaction guaranteed A comprehensive, powerful, yet easy-to-use statistical analysis system for IBM PC/XT/AT's, Apple It's, and MS DOS machines. Clear 200p manual. Write for information. NH Analytical Software 801 West Iowa Ave., St. Paul, MN 55117 (612) 488-4436 Inquiry 722. 424 BYTE SHOWCASE™ Your Software. Now there is an easy way to make demonstration software! SHOWCASE makes demos from your software by recording your key strokes, and adding color graphic windows and text to your software. Your customers run your demo disks exact- ly the way you intended. Also great for making tutorials & testing software. $135.00 + $7.50 S&H. MCA/ISA. Call or write: RMS TECHNOLOGY INC. 9680 S. Gribble Rd., Canby, OR 97013 (503) 266-7688 XENIX/UNIX SOFTWARE TELETERM-X Multi-User Telecommunications XPD Print Manager/Spooler XTX File Transfer Utility X-MENU System Administration Utility and Menu Package TELETERM-EM Terminal Emulator to turn your MSDOSfTRSDOS micro into a workstation Telexpress, Inc. P.O. Box 217, Willingboro, NJ 08046 (609) 877-4900 Inquiry 752. MAY 1986 SUIMTROINIICS CO, INC 12603 Crenshaw Btvd . Hawthorne. CA 90250 Inquiry 346 (Orders Only) STORE HOURS TERMS: VISA, MasterCard INo 5urdiargi<] COD, Cash or Certified 1 -800-421-5775 MON - FRI 'JiOOam • 6:00pm Ch( ' ck fVI5A or MC Rc ' L Quired). Sch ° ul & Gov. Contractor _ . ^ . _ , CATiionAv tn.r>rt,„. -.nn P.O. accepted. Shipping & H/C $4.00 Jor .1 lbs. plus S.60 for each (CA Orders & Tech Info.) SATURDAY i0:00am o:00pm addj( . J |b ^ZoLa CA sai« t«. sio.oo Mia order. 213-644-1140 Dealer & OEM Inquiries Invited WARRANTY: 90 Days Warranty Labor. Paris Replacement Only. SUN-ST COMPUTER SYSTEM 8 MHz HIGH-SPEED $00 COO SUN-ST Computer System is an IBM Compatible System. It works with the same software used on the IBM; Lotus 1-2-3, Symphony, DBASE II & III, Framework, AutoCAD., Wordstar, Multi-Plan, etc. The basic system is fully operational. All you need to do is insert your DOS disk and application software. (Does not run programs that require ROM BASIC), □ Uses MS & PC DOS Operating System & XENIX Compatibility. a 8MHz High Speed Operation Clock. d Modifiable to an external switch to allow at 4.77 MHz. HARDWARE INCLUDES: a 8 MHz CPU Board with 640K, 70% Faster Speed d Computer Cabinet d Enhanced Full Function Keyboard (Large RTN & Shift Keys) □ 2 Disk Drives (DSDD, 360KB, Vi Height) d 135 Watt Power Supply n Floppy Disk Controller a 12" Green High-Resolution Monitor (TTL) □ Monochrome Graphic Card (720x348) with Parallel Printer Port □ Fully Assembled and Tested d Meets FCC Class "A" Reg. for Industry & Business Use. SUN-ST COLOR SYSTEM RGM Color Monitor (640x240) w/Color G Card $ 1,293 00 (opt. Parallel P. Port) SUN-XT COMPUTER SYSTEM D SUN-XT CPU (4.77MHZ w/640 □ 2 Disk Drive w/Controller □ Mono G Card w/Parallel P. Port □ 12" Green Monitor □ 135 W/P.S.& Keyboard $ 895° SUN-XT COLOR SYSTEM (Color Monitor & G Card w/o Parallel P. Port) $ 1,193° SUN-XT OEM System 1 □ SUN-XT CPU CMOKRAM □ 135 WP.S c FDC w/Cabie □ No Disk Drive □ No Monitor D No Graphic Card C Computer Cabinet o Full Function Keyboard * . r r on Assembled (For Qty. 5-up) $ 455° SUN-XT OEM System 2 □ SUN-XT CPU CMOKRAM □ 135 WP.S c FDC w/Cable □ Computer Cabinet c I Disk Drive C Full Function Keyboard C Mono C Card or Color C Card . Assembled (For Qty. 5-up) $ 625°° SUN-ST CPU Fully IBM PC/XT Compatible Run 8MHz using 8088-2 with 8087-2 Optional. Same Dimension as IBM PC/XT Expandable to 640K * ~ /f r OO SUN-XT CPU o 6088 CPU (8187 Option) □ RAMExpndble to MOK c Fully IBM Compatible c Same Dim. as IBM PC/XT □ No kAM Included □ 8 Expansion Slots $ 165 00 AT COMPATIBLE CPU W/640K (6&8MHZ) s 899 Cabinet $ 110 Power Supply, (200w) $ 169 Keyboard s 110 FDD/HDD Controller s 269 Cable $ 25 1.2MB FDD $ 142 20MB HDD s 699 □ 20MB Hard Disk w/Controller $ 500°' □ Mono G Card w/Parallel Port (Hercules Compatible) M10 00 □ Color G Card $ 99 00 □ Serial, Parallel, Clock Calendar Game Port (Half Size) s 110°° □ Full Function Enhanced Keyboard (AT Layout) s 75 00 □ IBM PC/XT Style Cabinet .... $ 49 00 □ Power Supply . 135w. . $ 89 00 150w. . $ 109°° □ FDC w/Cable $ 49 00 □ Async RS232 Card $ 59 00 □ Parallel Printer Card $ 39 00 □ 5151 Compatible Keyboard . . $ 109°° □ Eprom Prog. (2716, 32, 64, 128) $ 139 00 □ 256K RAM Kit (9 ea.) s 35 00 □ Parallel Printer Cable $ 15 00 □ High-Res Mono TTL Monitor (green) $ 105°° □ R.G.B. Color Monitor (13", 640x240) $ 365 00 □ 5 1 /4DSDD Vi Height Disk Drive . Call □ Outlet Surg Supressor $ 14 50 □ Citizen MSP10,MSP15, MSP20, MSP25 Printer Call □ 'Gold Star' DSDD 5 1 /4 Diskette $ 12 95 /io Scottsdale Systems 61 7 N. Scottsdale Rd., Scottsdale, Arizona 85257 For Information Only For Orders Only (602)941-5856 1-800-367-2369 PLOTTERS Ca®QDSG®G0 instrument DMP-29 SI 75Q DMP-41/42 2499 DMP-51/52 3799 DMP-51/52MP.... DMP-40 .... 5099 950 True Grid Series . . . Rolond DXY-880 . . .... CALL 979 Rolond DXY-980 . . Colcomp 1 040 . . . Colcomp 1 044 . . . .... 1279 .... 8299 .. 1 3499 LEE DATA MULTIUSER SYSTEMS I The new System 2000 by Lee Doto Corporation combines superior per- formance with remorkoble value for todoy's UNIX bosed multi-user oppli- cotion. The System 2000's single boord design mokes optimal use or the Intel 80286 microprocessor with no woit ] stotes to slow it down. The System 2000 feoture the fol- lowing: □ 1 to 1 6 users □ Intel 286 CPU (6MHz) □ 1 MD Floppy drive □ 1 MD to 6MB of RAM □ 26 MD to 040MD Winchester disk storage □ Xenix Operating System Options include: Streaming tope drives; 80287 coprocessor; expansion cord coges; RAM exponsion; ond sys- tem softwore. Toke o close look ot the Lee Doto System 2000. Exomine its power, feo- tures ond flexibility. Then coll Scoffs dole Systems for our price. You will be omozed Call 7-5 Mon-Fri efCardi PRINTERS O OLYMPIA ALTOS MULTI USER SYSTEMS Altos 2086-2 $1 4599 Altos 1086-T-80 1 OB1 9 j Altos986-T-80 1 0799 Altos 486-20 415D i Altos Software CALL I To quote PC mogozine, " The (NP) printer is o sure thing..." If you're considering the purchose of on Oki- doto 92, or on Epson FX-80 give us o coll before you spend $50 to $100 more for on inferior printer. Let us send you on octuol print sample from the NP, ond odditionol information on the feotures thot moke the Olym- pia NP the best volue in dot motrix printers. $205 Ooc^RO 329 Dioolo Loser 41 9 5 Connon Loser Printer .... 21 G9 StorSG-10 239 Okidoto, Epson, NEC CALL Drother10D9 1 39 Other Drother CALL EXPANSION Hercules Graphics Cord .. $325 Hexoce 6-Pock 129 Hexoce Multiport 125 Hexoce 286 Emulator 939 Porodise Multi Display 2 O 9 Orchid PC-Turbo 256 K . . . . G79 Tecmor Grophics Moster .... 499 lOMego-Dernoulli CALL SANYO 885 D IBM-PC Compatible D 8088-2 ot 4.77 6 8 MHz D Two DSDD Disk Drives D 256K RAM - Monitor □ 8 Expansion Slots D WordStor-ColcStor D MS-DOS 2.11 -GWDosic Sonyo 885 System $1 349 Prices listed ore for cosh/MasrerCord ond Visa odd 3%/ American Express odd 5%/AZ. residents odd 6% tax/oil irems ore newwirh manuf octurer's warranty/Returned product subject f o 20% restocking fee /Per- sonal and company checks rake up ro3 weeks ro clear/No COD's or APO's /Prices and specifications subjecr ro change/Product subjecr to ovailobiliiy/all applicable trademarks recognized ond on fiile. ZENITH Zenith Z- 148 w/monitor S»1 299 Zenith Z-158 1 829 Zenith Z-200-41 2949 Zenith Z-1 71 Loptop 1 799 Zenith Z-108Portoble ... 1359 Presenting the new SILVER FOX II „•'.*: - -'- ..ii 20 MD hard disk, one 360K drive 768K RAM, HogenDOS 2, WordStar, ColcStor, EosyWriter, DASIC MS-DOS 2.1 1 , RAM Disk ond Monitor Enjoy the freedon of being able to boot up to your hord disk ond elimi- nate the heodoches of too much information ond not enough space. Creote RAMdista of up to 384 K with Turbodrive 550. Feel the security of o one yeor worronty on the whole system. The Silver Fox hos olwoys been fost, responsive ond rugged - ideolly suited to those who don't wont to poy "Dig Dlue for nothing new."Thotfrodi- tion is now carried 20 megabytes further with the new Silver Fox II. Coll now and find out how the Silver Fox II con fit your needs. The Silver Fox II 51 399 20MD/768K Upgrode for Sanyo $799 StorPock Software $98 Inquiry 318 MAY 1986 • BYTE 425 CCT *L~S MARTINI COMPANY COMPLETE BUSINESS SOLUTIONS CCT designs and engineers complete hardware and software systems for total solutions. We offer turn-key verticals from single-user stand-alones, at under $2,000, to 40-user super machines with the power of a mini, and the economy of a micro. Compliance Software™ a subsidiary of CCT, offers powerful, easy to use menu-driven vertical market packages for all CCT systems. Written for simplistic ease of use, these professional level tools mated with CCT machines, offer the complete business solution. Small Business? The CCT Com- pliance™ allows even the complete neophyte to master, and profit from the system immediately! Sosophistocated the user never sees or interacts with the operating system— all functions are handled from the software menus, quickly and transparently. Complete solutions are available for professional offices, light manufac- turing, contracting, retail and wholesale, service businesses, and many, many more. Medium Size Businesses can profit from CCT S-100 and small-scale VME bus machines. Power and reliability from two to fourteen or more users, run- ning both 8 and 16 bit software. Com- pliance packages available for manu- facturing, universities, larger profes- sional offices, accoun- ^^^^^ ting and data process- 9™ Large Business Environments and Government Agencies find added value and economic alternatives in CCT large- scale VME bus machines. Super power 16 and 32 bit state-of-the-art technologies bring an organization ^^^^ together at the speed of ^jlT^^ light. Systems for large j m m I I professional offices, [ i I I banking/finance, hos- * m ! I pital/medical, engineer- M I ing, large retail/whole- I ^p I sale, service and count- I W less others. For the OCT /CompuPro* profes- sional: The CCTCompuPro Concurrent DOS 8-16™ Operating System. CP/M 9 and MS-DOS' software compatibility in a fast multi-user/multi-tasking environ- ment. Supports over thirty hard disk systems, 8-inch, any 5-inch, 3-inch, and AT floppy drives, in any combination! Full user security with complete record and filelocking. CP/MorDOSmediasonany type drive. Efficient, compact, fast, and the most powerful and flexible im- plementation of CCP/M available. Dealer inquiries invited Join the winning CCT Team Committed to Service and Technology. Viasyn/CompuPrcf - Macrotech® - AlphaMicro™ - Zenith® - Sperry® and other hardware lines, in stock, tested, set-up, warranteed, and affordable! CCT Disk Drive Subsystems — CP/M and IBM S compatible floppy drives of all types and sizes, and hard disks from 10 to 680 megabytes. Manufactured, sup- ported, and backed for one year— by CCT. CCT exports systems, software, components, peripherals and parts worldwide — small to very large requirements filled. Telex our International Sales Office 187-114 CCT CCT has a Nation-wide Dealer Network— Call for the location of the CCT Service Center nearest you. Printerfacer 1™ For the S-100 Business Computer. An intelligent output board for printer/plotter intensive single and multi-user applications. 1 serial/1 parallel -256K to 1 meg. on-board RAM speeds up system throughput tremendously! For Com- puPro, Z-100, and AlphaMicro users. CCT-4™ Series Systems — Fast, Powerful — The S-100 standard of excellence — up to 14 users — CP/M and MS-DOS. Contact CCT Marketing for details. CCT Implements Tomorrow's Technology Today! r CUSTOM COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY 1 CCT Plaza— P.O. Box 4160 Sedona, Arizona 86340 TOLL-FREE ORDERING: 800-222-8686 FOR TECHNICAL SUPPORT/SERVICE 602-282-6299 CCT, CCT-4, Compliance, Compliance Software, Printerfacer 1, CCT Implements Tomorrow's Technology Today!— All trademarks of Custom ComputerTechnology; CompuPro— Trademark Viasyn Corp; IBM— Trademark International Business Machines; MS-DOS— Trademark Microsoft Corp; Zenith— Trademark Zenith Radio Corp; Sperry— Trademark Sperry Rand Corp; AlphaMicro— Trademark AlphaMicro Corp; Macrotech— Trademark Macrotech Intl. Concurrent, CP/M— Trademarks Digital Research, Inc. CCT Concurrent DOS 8-16— This product is an enhanced and modified implemention of the CompuPro release version 4.1 level operating system. CCF has rewritten portions of this software and included additional proprietary code routines to support various CCF hardware. Concurrent DOS 8-16 is a compound trademark of Digital Research, Inc. and Viasyn Corporation. 426 BYTE- MAY 1986 Inquiry 423 for End-Users. Inquiry 424 for DEALERS ONLY: Inquiry 79 0ompu$ave Of Arizona Call Toll Free: 1-800-624-8949 MONITORS PGS MAX 12E. ...165 Taxan 115.115 PGS HX12 449 Taxan 121.132 Amdek 310A 145 Taxan 620. .389 Amdek 722 499 Taxan 640.. 499 Thomson 36382SI.375 Wyse 620.. 399 NEC Multisynch. .549 Wyse 700.1195 Casper Mono/TTL 109 Zenith 122. . 75 Roland/12 7RGB/640x240 299 Casper/13"/RGB/Mono/640x240. . 319 Sakata/13 /Color Comp/Apple. ... 165 Hitachi/Sharp/Tatung/Tecmar. . . CALL Cables/Video Interfaces/Stands. . CALL MODEMS AST Reach Half-Card W/Soft 325 Anchor Volksmodem 55 Anchor Express Half-Card W/Soft. . 185 Anchor Lightning 2400 375 Hayes Micromodem HE W/Soft 132 Hayes Smartmodem 1200 365 Hayes Smartmodem 1200B W/Soft. 349 Prometheus Promodem 1200G 199 Prometheus Promodem1200B W/Soft. 218 Racal-Vadic 1200V 215 Racal-Vadic 2400 Half-Card W/Soft.399 Ven-Tel/Half. Card Modem W/Soft. 349 Novation/UDS/US Robotics CALL COMPUTERS I AT&T 6300/FDrive/Mono Monitor. . 1665 I Corona PPC-400 Port/2 FDrives. ... 1125 Sharp PC-7000 Port/FDrive 1395 I Toshiba 1100 Lap-Top Portable. . . . 1595 I Wyse1100/FDrives/20MHDrive. . . . 1495 1 Altos/Corvus/SDerrv/Televideo . . . CALL PC-XT CLONE S635 640K/4.77 MHz/Teac Drive/XT-Style Keyboard/ 135 W Power Supply/Oocu- mentation/6 Month Warranty/8 Slots. TURBO 8 MHZ MODEL S725 PC/AT CLONE S1975 1M/8 MHz/1. 2M Teac Drive/AT Key- board/Clock/Calandar/192 W Power Supply/Parallel & 2 Serial Ports/ Documentation/1 Year Warranty DELUXE AT-MODEL S2309 OPTIONS TTL Monitor & Graph.Card, Add 195 RGB Monitor/Color Card. Add .380 FOR MANY OTHER OPTIONS CALL FREE SOFTWARE WITH SYSTEMS TERMINALS I Altos IV 385 Ampex 210. .3751 Televideo 955..45S Ampex 219.. 495 1 I Wyse 30 289 Qume 101G..289 I Wyse 50 418 Visual 65.... 425 Adds/CIE/IBM/Kimtron/ Liberty. . . CALL | PRINTERS BOARDS DttlZin MSP10. . 250 Canon A40. . . 235 ASTAdvantage/128K 365 Citizen MSP20. . 299 Canon Lazer. 1999 Corona Lazer. . 2295 Juki 6100. ... 345 AST Six Pack Plus/64K 212 Six Pack Clone/Game Port/384K. . . 175 Data So. 180. .1075 NEC Elf 385 Cardo G-Whiz (Commodore) 55 Diablo 635.... 1065 NEC P5-XL. .1155 Epson JX80. ... 289 Star SG-10. .. 209 Hercules Color Card 143 Color Card Clone 95 Epson LX90. ... 255 Star NX-1D. .. 265 Orange Grappler + (Apple) 70 Epson LQ1000. . 699 Talley MT86. . 425 ATI Graphics Solutions .199 Panasonic 1080.205 Toshiba 321. . 495 Paradise Modular Graphics 249 Panasonic -1091 .239 Toshiba 341 . . 795 PC Monochrome Graph (Par Port). ... 99 Abati/Anadex/C.ltoh/Fujitsu CALL PC576K RAM Board (OK) 69 Okidata/Qume/Televideo/TI CALL Genoa Spectrum Graphics 285 Buffers/Cables/Sheet Feeders CALL Quadram EGA + 389 Stands/Switch Boxes/Tractors CALL Sigma 400 High Res Card 455 Enter Sweet-P 100 Plotter 245 STB EGA+ 329 Taxan 555 High Res Card 189 Roland DXY 880 Plotter 945 Houston And Other Digitizers CALL Tecmar Graphics Master 445 Houston And Other Plotters CALL Microtek/Orchid/PGS/Persyst . . . CALL DISK DRIVES Apple Compatible Floppy Drives 124 Prac. Peripherals/Thesys/Vutek. , CALL Teac 55-B DS/DD Floppy Drives 95 ALL TYPES OF BUSINESS, CAD AND RECREATIONAL SOFTWARE Seagate 20M Hard Drive Kit 455 VERY LOW PRICES CALL Tape Back-Up System 20M 595 1 OTHER FLOPPY AND HARD DRIVES 1 ALPHA OMEGA • CDC • CORVUS | WE ALSO CARRY ■ MAYNARD • MICRO SCI • MITSUBISHI 1 Keyboards/ Joysticks /Power Supplies H PRIAM • SHUGART • TANDON • TEAC 1 Chips/Mice/Labels/Surge Protectors | TECMAR • WESTERN DIGITAL Cables/Graphics Tablets/Light Pens | Power Supplies/Controllers CALL | VERY LOW PRICES FOR DS/DO DISKS | HOURS: MON - FRI 8AM - 6PM/SAT 9AM - 2PM IN ARIZONA CALL (602) 437-4855 CompuSave: 4207 S. 37th St., Phoenix, AZ 85040/ For Customer Service Call (602) 437-4856/ Prices Reflect Cash Discounts And Are Subject To Change Without Notice/ Minimum Shipping Charge $4 Purchase Orders & Major Credit Cards Welcome CompuSave Is A Division Of Adlanko Corp. EWE back issues for sale 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 Jan. S3. 70 S4.25 S4.25 S4.25 Feb. S3. 70 S3. 70 S4.25 S4.25 S4.25 March S3. 70 S3. 70 S4.25 S4.25 S4.25 April S3. 70 S3.70 S4.25 S4.25 S4.25 May S3. 70 S3. 70 S4.25 S4.25 June S3. 70 S3. 70 S4.25 S4.25 July S3. 70 S4.25 S4.25 Aug. S3. 70 S4.25 S4.25 S4.25 Sept. S3. 70 S4.25 S4.25 S4.25 Oct. S3. 70 S4.25 S4.25 S4.25 Nov. S3. 70 S4.25 S4.25 S4.25 Dec. S3. 70 S4.25 S4.25 S4.25 SPECIAL ISSUE •Sand INDEX T BYTE '83-'84 INDEX SI. 75 1984 Special Guide to IBM PC's (Vol 9, No. 9) S4.75 1985 INSIDE THE IBM PCs (Vol. 10, No. 11) $4.75 Circle and send requests with payments to: BYTE Back Issues P.O. Box 328 Hancock, NH 03449 Prices include postage in the US. Please add $ .50 per copy for Canada and Mexico; and $2.00 per copy to foreign countries (surface delivery). Payments from foreign countries must be made in US funds payable at a US bank. □ Check enclosed □ VISA □ MasterCard Card # Exp. _ Signature Please allow 4 weeks for domestic delivery and 1 2 weeks for foreign delivery. NAME ADDRESS CITY STATE ZIP MAY 1986 -BYTE 427 NEW LOW PRICES NEW LOW PRICES ! JH^HHTTTT^ STATIC DYNAMIC 2114L 200ns .99 4116 200ns .35 2016 200ns .99 4116 150ns .45 2016 150ns 1.35 4164 200ns .85 HM6116 P 150ns 1.35 4164 150ns .95 HM6116LP 150ns 1.45 41128 150ns 4.95 Z-6132 300ns 19.89 41256 150ns 2.89 HM6164 P 150ns 3.35 41256 120ns 3.89 HM6164LP 150ns 3.45 4416 150ns 3.95 HM6164LP 100ns 12.45 4464 150ns 6.95 EPROMS 2516 2532 2708 450ns 350ns 450ns 2716-5 490ns 2716 450ns 2716-1 2732 350ns 450ns 2732 A-2 200ns 2.95 3.75 2.95 1.29 1.89 2.35 1.89 3.89 2732 A 250ns 2764 450ns 2764 250ns 27128 250ns 27256 250ns 27512 250ns 29.! MC68764 450ns 15.99 MC68766 350ns 16.99 8088 / 8086 UPGRADE ¥■20... 5 MHz... 13.95 ¥-20... 8 MHz... 19.95 — High Speed — DP-25 Solder Cup Male, Female, Moods 994; ea. UV ERASERS QUV-T8/1 $49.95 ECONOMY Model ? m **»wm • Erases 15 EPROMS in 20 minutes • Plastic Enclosure 74LS00 74LS125 74LS126 74LS132 74LS133 74LS136 74LS137 74LS138 74LS139 74LS145 74LS147 74LS148 74LS151 74LS153 74LS154 74LS155 74LS156 74LS157 74LS158 74LS160 74LS161 74LS162 74LS163 74LS164 74LS165 74LS166 74LS168 74LS169 74LS170 74LS173 74LS174 74LS175 74LS181 74LS189 74LS190 74LS191 74LS192 74LS193 74LS194 74LS195 74LS196 74LS197 74LS221 74LS240 74LS241 74LS242 74LS243 74LS244 74LS245 74LS247 74LS248 74LS249 74LS251 74LS253 74LS257 74LS258 74LS259 74LS260 74LS266 74LS273 74LS275 74LS279 74LS280 74LS283 74LS290 74LS293 74LS295 74LS298 74LS299 74LS323 74LS324 74LS352 74LS353 74LS363 74LS364 74LS365 74LS366 74LS367 74LS368 74LS373 74LS374 74LS377 74LS378 74LS385 74LS386 74LS390 74LS393 74LS395 74LS399 74LS424 74LS447 74LS490 74LS624 74LS640 74LS645 74LS668 74LS669 74LS670 74LS674 74LS682 74LS683 74LS684 74LS685 74LS688 74LS689 74LS783 21.96 81LS95 1.36 81LS96 1.36 81LS97 1,36 81LS98 1.36 25LS2521 2.48 25LS2569 2.48 .46 .36 .76 1.96 .36 1.18 .56 .86 .76 1.46 2.46 1.68 1.24 1.18 1.28 1.88 .36 .36 .36 .36 .76 .76 .76 1.12 1.84 .42 1.06 .76 1.06 1.06 2.86 .92 1.46 1.92 .96 .96 1.46 1.26 .86 9.58 3.14 2.86 2.86 2.86 1.86 2.I MEMORY EXPANSION KIT 8000 8031 4.95 8035 1.45 8039 1.89 8080A 2.89 8085 2.35 8085A-2 4.89 8086 7.89 8087-3 124.95 8087-2 139.95 8088 5.95 8089 39.95 8100 8131 2.90 8155 2.35 8155-2 3.89 8156 2.89 8185 26.89 8185-2 26.89 8200 8202 8.98 8203 29.89 8205 2.98 8212 1.35 8214 3.59 8216 1.35 8224 2.09 8226 1.59 8228 3.29 8237 4.79 8237-5 5.29 8238 3.99 8243 2.39 8250 5.95 8251 1.49 8251A 1.69 8253 1.69 8200 {continued} 8253-5 1.79 8255 1.59 8255-5 1.79 8257 1.99 8257-5 2.29 8259 1.89 8259-5 1.99 8271 48.95 8272 4.79 8274 4.79 8275 24.99 8279 2.29 8279-5 2.79 8282 3,79 8283 3.79 8284 2.79 8286 3.79 8287 3.79 8288 4.79 8289 19.89 8292 12.90 8300 8303 1.79 8304 1.79 8307 1.79 8308 1.79 8310 2.29 8311 2.29 8700 8741 8.89 8748 6.99 8749 9.89 8755 18.89 80000 80186-6 48.89 CRYSTALS ALL STANDARD VALUES .... 1 .00 6500 CRYSTAL CLOCK OSC. ALL STANDARD VALUES .... 4.89 DIP Switches 79$ ORBITAL SYSTEMS: EXTENDED 80-Col. Card for Apple lie 64K to 12BK Upgrade; 2-Yr. Warranty $69.95 Z-80 (CP/M) CARD, for Apple II+. lie Compatible with all Apple CP/M Lifetime Warranty 69.95 IBM ACCESSORIES 8087-3 5 MHz 124.95 8087-2 8 MHz 139.95 80287 1 MHz 179.00 80286 99.00 Power Supply, 135W 89.00 Monochrome Graphic Card . 1 1 9.00 Memory Card 139.00 Multifunction Card 1 29.00 AT Crystal: 16, 18, 20 MHz.... 4.95 MACINTOSH UPGRADE (PARTS ONLY) 128K to 512K 3U. Consists of: (16) 41256, 150ns; (1) 74F253; (17) 16 -Pin Sockets Resistors and Capacitors ALSO INCLUDED APPLE ACCESSORIES Parallel Printer Card 49.95 80-Col. card for Apple 1 1 +... 149.95 80-Col. card for Apple lie. . . 69.95 Cooling Fan 38.95 Power Supply 69.95 Joystick 29.95 RF Modulator 13.95 Disk Drive Full Height.... 159.95 Disk Drive 1 /? Height 129.95 Controller Card 49.95 16K Card 39.95 Z-80 Card 69.95 . DISKETTES . BULK * SS/DD 25/$17.25 DS/DD 25/$19.75 AT disks 25/$50.00 3V2" disks ...25/$50.00 ALL DISKETTES HAVE A FULL 1 -YEAR WARRANTY 6500 6500 A 6502 . 6504 . 6505 . 6507 . 6520 . 6522 . 6532 . 6545 . 1.99 6.79 8.79 9.79 1.59 3.99 5.99 4i 6502A . 6520A . 6522A . 6532A . 6545A . 6551 A. 2.49 2.49 4.99 9.89 6.89 6.89 6500 B 6551 5.89 6502B 5.8 6800 1 MHz 6800 .... 1.89 6802 .... 4.89 6803 .... 9.89 6808 .... 4.89 6809E .... 5.89 6809 .... 5.89 6810 . 1.89 6820 .... 2.89 6821 .... 1.89 6828 .... 13.89 6840 .... 5.99 6843 .... 18.89 6844 .... 10.89 6845 .... 4.89 6847 .... 10.89 6850 .... 1.89 6852 .... 4.59 6860 .... 7.89 6862 10.89 6875 .... 6.89 6880 .... 1.49 6883 .... 21.89 68BOO 2 MMz 68B00 4.89 68B02 5.89 68B09 6.89 68B09E 6.99 68B10 2.99 68B21 3.89 68B40 14.89 68B45 6.89 68B50 2.89 68000 68000-f 68047 . 68488 . 68652 . 68661 . 68764 . 68766 . 9.89 12.89 14.89 14.89 . 8.89 . 15.89 . 16.89 Z-80 Z80-CPU Z80-CTC Z80-DART Z80-DMA Z80-P10 Z80-SIO/0 .... Z80-SIO/1 Z80-SIO/2 Z80-SIO/9 Z-80 Z-80A (continued) .99 Z80A-DMA.. 1.49 Z80A-PI0... 3.89 Z80A-SI0/0 . 3.89 Z80A-SIO/1 , 1.59 Z80A-SIO/2 . " Z80A-SIO/9 . 3. 3.89 3.89 3.89 4.89 1.79 4,89 4.89 4.89 4.89 Z-80B Z-80 A Z80A-CPU Z80A-CTC Z80A-DART .... Z80B-CPU 3.59 Z80B-CTC 3.59 Z80B-PIO 3.59 1.49 Z80B-DART .... 10.89 1.69 Z80BS10/0 ... 10.89 4.89 Z80S10/2 .... 10.89 POWER SUPPLY (Switching) +12V 0.4 Amp -12V 0.3 Amp + 5V 5.5 Amp 19.95 1986 - THE IC MASTER - Your ticket to fast and easy IC selections $119. OO MACINTOSH. APPLE ll, APPLE lie" and "APPLE II+" are Trademarks of APPLE COMPUTER, INC. "AT" is a Trademark of IBM CORPORATION. HOURS: Mon-Fri. 7:30 to 5:00 VISIT OUR RETAIL STORE 2100 De La Cruz Blvd. . Santa Clara, CA 95050 (408) 988-0697 ALL MERCHANDISE IS 100% GUARANTEED NEW LOW PRICES ! NEW LOW PRICES 428 BYTE- MAY 1986 Inquiry 118 TURBO-AT COMP. $1795.00 DUAL SPEED 6 & 8 MHz; 512K RAM; HARD & FLOPPY CONT; 1.2M DISK DRIVE; 200W POWER SUPPLY; MONOGRAPHIC CARD + PRINTER PORT; KEYBOARD; ENCLOSURE. TURBO-XT COMP. $619.00 4.77 & 8 MHz CLOCK; 256K RAM; MONOGRAPHIC CARD + PRINTER PORT; 130W POWER SUPPLY; CASE; KEYBOARD; ONE DISK DRIVE. XT CASE LIKE AT LOOK S48.00 5151 DUAL AT & XT KEYBOARD $87.00 MONO MONITOR $99.00 WEST COAST PERIPHERALS 2558 Seaboard Ave.. San Jose, CA. 95131 Tel; (408) 435-5467; 435-871 1 Telex: 3716630 AMT SF DEALER & OEM INQUIRIES WELCOME System 501: $ 2245 DATA ACQUISITION & CONTROL Call or write for FREE brochure KEITH LEY Keithley Data Acquisition and Control, Inc. 28775 Aurora Road Cleveland, Ohio 44139 (216) 248-0400 Telex: 98-5469 Inquiry 384 Inquiry 189 Nashua Diskettes 5W DS/DD with hub ring and sleeve, factory warrantee^ packaged in 50's. Shipping Extra. Quantity 50, 85U each. The same low price our volume copying customers pay! 75^ , # ^/each »•' ^^ Qty. 100 We sell 3Vz" & 5V4" disks-all types, major brands. Call toll free: 1-800-321-4668 in Colorado, 303-234-0871 VISA, MASTERCARD, OR COD ACCEPTED ALF 1315-F Nelson St. Denver, CO 80215 FANSI- CONSOLE tm The Integrated Console UtilityTM All the little things IBM forgot! for IBM— PC, XT, AT & clones. • 1.2 to 3.0 times faster DOS & BIOS screen writing • more escape sequences than ANS'.SYS • usable in any language • scroll recall facility • compatibility w/PC & AT software • full EGA support • 255 character typeahead buffer • increase key repeat rate • no scroll blinK for some adaptors • VT 100/52 emulation • auto dual screen disable • keyboard induced breakpoints • window support • support for 50 line display • many many more little features 400p Manual (w/slip case) & disk $75, or just Shareware disk $25. As described in I'i'-Wtnld February 86, pg. 282 and in Lotus June 85, py. 8. HERSEY MICRO CONSULTING. INC. Box 8276J, Ann Arbor, Ml 48107 (313)994-3259 x525 VISA/MC Inquiry 13 Inquiry 160 UN IVERSAL EPROM PROGRAMMER H NO PERSONALITY MODULES RE0UIRED H ON LINE HELP AND MENU SELECTION * ON BOARD 110/220V POWER SUPPLY H FAST PROGRAMMING MODE AT 6V VCC H BUILT IN EPROM ERASER W/TIMER H GANG PORT FOR FUTURE EXPANSION H SOFTWARE DRIVERS FOR MOST PCs H SUPPORTS ALL 5V EPR0MS. EEPR0MS AND INTEL MICROCOMPUTERS 1109C-33 $515 1109C-31 $695 DRIVERS $35 SHIPPING $6 VISA & MASTER CARD ACCEPTED B&C Microsystems 6322 Mojave dr. San Jose CA 95120 Phone (108)997-7685 Telex 1995363 LOW COST UNIVERSAL PROGRAMMER KITS H NO PERSONALITY MODULES REQUIRED - ON LINE HELP AND MENU SELECTION * ON BOARD 110/220V POWER SUPPLY H FAST PROGRAMMING MODE AT 6V VCC M BUILT IN MONITOR FOR 1/0 DEBUG H CAD PCB, SILKSCREEN & SCHEMATIC H SOFTWARE DRIVERS FOR MOST PCs H SUPPORTS ALL 5V EPR0MS. EEPR0MS AND INTEL MICROCOMPUTERS KITS FROM $125 ASSEMBLED $295 DRIVERS $35 SHIPPING $1 VISA & MASTER CARD ACCEPTED B&C M I CROS V STEMS 6322 Mojave dr. San Jose CA 95120 Phone (108)997-7685 Telex 1995363 IMPORT DIRECT SAVE 30% MASTER PACKS SAMPLE IMPORT IMPORT* 1-4 5-49 50+ PC-AT $1595.00 $1495.00 $1299.00 512K RAM (Up to 1 Mori Board) 1.2 M FLOPPY - FLOPPY & HARD DISK CONTROLLER AT KEYBOARD - CLOCK WITH BATTERY BACKUP 195W POWER SUPPLY - DOS 3.10 & MANUAL SAMPLE 5-49 50+ PC-AT COLOR $1699.00 $1799.00 $1550.00 SAME AS ABOVE WITH C0L0A MONITOR AND COLOR/GRAPHICS CARD SAMPLE 10-99 100+ PC-XT TURBO $999.00 $696.00 $595.00 640K RAM, 8088-2. (4.77 MHZ or 6.66 MHZ) 360K FLOPPY - KEYBOARD - MONOCHROME/ GRAPHICS PRINTER - 12" TTL HIGH RES MONITOR PC-XT $696.00 $595.00 $495.00 256K RAM - 360K FLOPPY - KEYBOARD MONOCHROME/GRAPHICS/PRINTER CARD (Her- cules Comp.) - 1 2" TTL HIGH RES MONITOR DRIVES 1-49 50+ XT 360K FLOPPY $69.00 $65.00 XT 10 ME6 INTERNAL Vt HEIBHT $395.00 $355.00 XT 20 MEG INTERNAL VtHEIBHT $479.00 $425.00 AT 1.2 MB FLOPPY $149.00 $129.00 AT 20 ME6 INTERNAL 40 MSEC $579.00 $565.00 AT 30 ME8 INTERNAL 40 MSEC $679.00 $595.00 INDIVIDUAL PART PRICING FOB TAIWAN 10-99 100+ PC-XT-250K 6 SLOTS (super XT BIOS) $74.75 $65.00 135W POWER SUPPLY $51.75 $45.00 FLIP-TOP CLONE BOX $20.45 $23.00 M0N0/GRAPHIC/PRN (Here comp) $52.90 $46.00 KEYBOARD $36.60 $32.00 FLOPPY 0ISK CONTROLLER $23.00 $20.00 RAM KITS 256K $25.30 $22.00 12" TTL HIGH RES MONITOR $65.00 $80.00 SUBTOTAL BASIC PC NO DRIVES $360.70 $313.00 DUTY $14.79 $13.00 OCEAN FREIGHT $24.00 $20.00 AIRFREIGHT $iG0utra ACS IMPORT FEE *350.00/ENm+l0% $71.00 $34.60 TOTAL LAN0E0 COST, LA. HARBOR $470.49 $360.60 MONITORS CL-666 12" TTL MONO MD-3 14" COLOR RGB .39 DDT 640x200 MD-7 14" COLOR RRB .31 MM DOT 720x350 SAMPLE 10-49 50+ $96.00 $65.00 $80.00 $361.00 $276.00 $235.00 $490.00 $359.99 $335.00 AD D ON BOARDS - PARTIAL LIST PC-XT-840K MOTHER B0AR0 6 SLOT PC-XT-64DK TURBO 4.77/6.66 MHZ TRANS-NET (UH)CAR0 1.0 MHZ 384K MULTI-FUNCT (AST6 comp) RAM KITS 3R4K MODEM CARD 300/1200 (Hayes comp) COLOR RRAPHICS CAR0 AR SWITCH BOX (Centronics 2:1 or 1:2) AB SWITCH BOX WITH 64K BUFFER AT SERIAL/PARALLEL CARD AT C0L0R/RRAPHICS 84 INPUT ANALOG/DIGITAL CARD 126 LINE PARAUEL 1/0 CARD * 100 UNIT ORDERS MAY BE SCHEDULED OVER 6 MONTHS ACS IMPORTERS 5311DERRY.AVE,UNITA AGOURA HILLS, CA 91301 H0URS9AM-6PMPST (818) 880-1092 TELEX: 299353 POST UR 10-99 100+ $76.00 $73.00 $90.00 $95.00 $190.00 $165.00 $66.70 $58.00 $36.60 $32.99 $115.00 $105.00 $42.55 $37.00 $27.60 $24.00 $85.55 $87.00 $61.00 $55.00 $89.00 $61.00 $396.00 $356.00 $495.00 $371.00 MAY 1986 -BYTE 429 »i»> - a.' *V*j FORTRON CORPORATION 3225 SELDON CT., FREMONT, CA 94538 N CALIF: (415) 490-8171 TLX: 559291 FORTRON FAX: (415)490-9156 ORDER TOLL FREE: 821 -9771 U.L. Rated • High Reliability • Full Technical Support 140W (Typ. PC/XT • U.L. recognized, yellow card available File # E-101115(S) • Meet FCC class B, european safety spec. • 115/230V AC convertible • Low noise DC fan • OVP, OCR short circuit protection • IBM® standard pin out or Faraday type pin out selectable • 100% 24 hrs. burn-in 100°/o pre-shipment test. One full year warranty ;lm< the confidence of FORTRAN QUALITY. IBM is a registered trademark ol Interns FC 5192 200W (max) PC/AT $189.00 PROFITABLE DISCOUNT PRICES FOR SYSTEM INTEGRATORS & DEALERS - PLEASE CALL FC520 Color Graphic/ Mono/ Printer • TTL / composite level outputs • 3Z0 x ZOO (color) 640 x 200 (B&W) ■ Centronics Printer Port »„— -- $99.00 FC 550 (CT-6040) Monochrome / Graphic / Printer • 80 x 25 text mode • 720x348 graphic mode • Run Lotus 1-2-3- auto cat • IBM" compatible $109.00 FC 730 (CT-6050C) 384K Multifunctions • Memory expansion to 384K • Clock/ calendar • Serial, parallel pods * • Game pod »„ ,. n nn (ok) $11 9.00 FC740 Multi-I/O $109.00 w/ Floppy Controller • 1 EIA-RS232C Don (2nd optional) • 1 Cenlronic port, game port • Clock /calendar Controller ^' $99.00 FC 1730 Multifunction Card for PC AT ■ 1 EIA-RS232 port (2nd optional) ' 12BK lo 1.5 MB memory • Expandable to 3 MB (optional) by piggy back board .„„„„„ • Game port $189.00 FC 1930 RS232/ Printer Port for PC AT $99.00 FC940 RS232/ Real Time Clock $59.00 (clock only) $49.00 Hard Disk Controller Hard Disk Controller for XT • DTC5150 BX $149.00 • WD WX-2 (Western Digital) . .$145.00 •Cable $ 9.50 F.D. & H.D. Controller for AT • DTC5290 $265.00 • Western Digital WA-2 $260.00 • Cable Set $ 18.00 FC230 Floppy Disk Controller XT CPU Board » Drives up to four S'/*" floppy drives • IBM compatible • With cables $59.00 FC 150(4.77 MHZ) FC 160 (8.00 MHZ) • Expandable to 640K on boarc memory ■ Optional 6087 co-processor • Oplionat IBM* camp. BIOS INTERNAL Hayes 120ORS232 Everex 1200 ops Practical Peripheral . EXTERNAL Hayes* compatible $389.95 $189.00 $199.00 SPECIAL *CMI #6640 40 MS 31 MB (formatted) Hard Disk Drive $599.00 (listed $899.00) • FC 830 512K memory exp. card $69.00 • FC 830S 576K memory exp. card . . $69.00 . FC 930 serial / parllel adaptor for XT S49.00 • FC 530 monochrome controller w / printer port 79.00 Enhanced Graphic Adaptor IBM Compatible w/o printer port • For PC /XT /AT and compatibles • 256K on board memory • Full 16 colors in 640x350 on IBM* enhanced color display • Support 640x350 IBM" compatible enhance color and monochrome n • Parallel port • Light pen interface w/ printer port $395.00 FORTRON 200 (200 w / Uninterruptible Power System lor PC) • 115V/230VAC input convertible • Input current 2.5amp • 200W continuous • 1/2 cycle (typical) transfer time • Hold-up time from 20 minutes (200W) up lo 60 minutes (60W) • 5.12" x 7.7" x 13.46" $259.00 FC447 PC/AT Keyboard , IX • IBM AT compatible keyboard • Enlarge return key • Light on num. lock key $109.00 FC 424 (5150 Type) $79.00 FC 437(5151 Type) 4' <:.v" :>&%&% • For PC XT • Large return key • Light on num. lock k CABINETS & EXPANSION CHASSIS FC 630 A-2 ■ For PC XT compatible side switch ■ To use FC 135-40 power supply ■ Complete mounting hardware $79.00 FC620 , Wk± ( ■ For PC AT compatible • LED lamps, key, key lock, speaker and mounting hardware included $139.00 FC610 Drives Chassis \- i Capable ol holding 2 half-height drives ' Come w / power supply, 'an . LED power indicator $ 1 49 .00 FC 640/5 Slots PC Expansion Chassis $239.00 • W / 5 slot mother board • 100W power supply, fan • Capable ol holding 3 half-height drives • Dia 15'A"x12"x6V*" "Option of system interface adaptor $149.00 FC 650/8 Slots PC Expansion Chassis $249.00 • PC XT identical size • W / 8 slot mother board • HOW power supply • 4 half-height drives 'System interlace adaptor , FCC 660/12 Slots PC Expansion Chassis $289.00 • Dia, 15%"x15W"x5V«!" • W / 12 slot mother board power supply, fan • Capable of holding 2 hall-height drives "System interface adaptor . . . .$149.00 j MONITORS • Monochrome Tatung MM 1222 A / G $129.00 Golden Star Green $109.00 • Color Hi-Res (640x200) Tatung CM-1360 $359.00 • Enhanced Graphic (640x350) Tatung CM-1360 $519.00 Princeton HX-12E $549.50 DISK DRIVES • Floppy Teac 558V $119.00 1.2 MB SSGFV $149.00 • Hard (w/ controller S cable) 1 MB $419.00 20 MB ST -225 $489.00 • 20 MB ST-4026 (40 MS) drive only . .'. $579.00 • 30 MB ST-4038 (40 MS) drive only . ..$699.00 • 31 MB CMI-6640 (40 MS) drive only .$599.00 Tape Back-Up (w/ controller, cable & tape) INTERNAL $645,00 AdmateDP-130 ■ 130 C. P. S. 5699 00 Sysgen60MB , .. Everex 60 MB $850.00 $895.00 • 9 x 9 dot matrix field • Parallel standard interface TTX-60 •50C-P.S. Sysgen 60 MB $995.00 $789.00 • Parallel standard interface Everex 60 MB $995.00 • Thermo printer Printers RAM CHIPS • 64KRAM $10.00/ 9 pc. • 256K $33.00 / 9 pc. ■ 12BK. $44.00/ 9 pc. (for PC ATI Terms: • Mm. shipping & handling $6,00 • CA res add 6.5% tax • Restocking charge l5°/ • No rtn. goods w/o a RMA no • Prices subject to change w/o notice Inquiry I4I for End-Users. Inquiry I42 for DEALERS ONLY double wmtMBO mm THE OPTION CAPACITY OF YOUR IBM PERSONAL COMPUTER PC-XTRA • DIRECT EXTENSION OF ISM PC BUS • NO SOFTWARE CHANGES • NO HARDWARE MODIFICATION « STYLING CONSISTENT WITH IBMl Add all Ihose special options that you've been wanting without worrying about filling your piug-tn and back panel space DEALER INQi I $ 549 00 * F.O.B. SANTA ANA •CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS ADD 6% SALES TAX P C HORIZONS, INC. 1701 E. Edinger, Ste. A6, Santa Ana, CA 92705 (714) 953-5396 Inquiry 263 DISKETTES &MORE NORTH HILLS CORP. 1-800-328-3472 Maxell Brown I Diamond Competitive Prices COD — VISA — MasterCard All orders shipped within 24 HRS. NORTH HILLS CORP. INTERNATIONAL 3564 Rolling View Dr. White Bear Lake, MN 55110 MN. call collect— 612-770-0485 Inquiry 255 ThdLocaf Applfcatteha Bus... ... ... ;LA£ ( 4p* In photoare'LAB 40- PC' fl«n«ri>tor& 'LAB 40-1' signal acquisition modula. • Modular approach to data acquisition and control. A 40 conductor ribbon cable bua Is generated by a card In the host computer. Up to 8 low cost modules can be located onywhere on a cable up to 100 It. long. Our LAB 40 generator cards lor the BM PC or Apple II are priced a S18S. •Signal Acquisition and Control Module, model 'LAB 40-V. Features: 8 bit resolution, 4 channels, differential Inputs, sampling - Ilgltal version $100. Complete data acquisition packages (hardware and software) start at $450. • Development tool. Unique to LAB 40 is its ability to Interface directly to microprocessor compatible integrated circuits and hybrids. We encourage users to develop projects and products. LAB 40 is an ideal educational tool. •N«w low coat modules. Twelve bit A/D. Port/Relay Driver. Real Time Clock. Computer Continuum 7 5 Southgate Ave., Suite 6 • Daty City, C A 94015 (415) 755-1978 controls up to 4 motors from any CRT, terminal or computer STEPPING MOTOR CONTROLUR • CHOPPER or • acceleration R/L drives deceleration • RS232 interface • 1-4 axis moves Standard R/L Version with BASIC $985 16K BASIC, R/L, Battery Backup $1335 CNC R/L Version $1950 Stepping Motor Tips Cookbook $8 Users Manuals $12 CENTROID (814) 237-4535 Box 739, State College, PA 16804 Inquiry 62 ATTENTION BERNOULLI BOOSTERS Go Either Way! BOOT from the Bernoulli Boxl from the AT Hard Disk! FORMAT WITH DOS PARTITION WITH FDISK NO SLOWING We've been shipping Bernoulli Boots that work lor over a year — still waiting? Golden Bow Systems S95-S110 AddS3 lo/ snipping/ dandling California residents add AjV SanBiego.CA 92103 foA (619) 298-9349 Inquiry 149 KEYBOARD PROTECTOR Remains in place during keyboard use. Prevents damage from liquid spills, dust, ashes, etc. Fits like a second skin, excellent feel. Available for: IBM-PC, AT, Apple (ail), Compaq, Model 100, NEC 8201, C64, Zenith 150, DEC, Kaypro and many others, Send $29.95, check, M.O., Visa & MC include exp. date. Specify computer type. Dealer inquiries invited. Free brochure avail. Merritt Computer Products, Inc. 2925 LB J Fwy. *180 / Dallas, Texas 75234 (214) 942-1142 Inquiry 262 P.C. Computer Brokers Inc. — a The Place To Buy Your Epson Printers jiuiimmwmwmnww til ■"')■ il in StfEPSON FX-286 O <%» s 495°° Epson Printers List SALE Homewriter Printer *249°° ... • 199° AP-80 Printer *379 00 .... CALL LX-90 Printer »329 95 ... • 229" RX-1D0 Printer »499°° ... CALL FX-85 Printer M99 00 ... • 330* JX-BO Color Printer *S99°° ... • 295* LQ-1 DOD Printer »995 00 .... CALL SQ-2000 Ink Jet Printer .... *2295°° M579 ' Full Line of Epson & Other Accessories Inquiry 228 List $ 299 00 Spectrum LX-80 $ 209 00 LQ-800 Printer s 799°° .... CALL HS-80 Ink Jet Printer *449°° ..." 339" DX-10 Daisywheel »299°° ... • 230" DX-20 Daisywheel »459°° ... • 330" DX-35 Daisywheel "egg 00 ... • 619" ComrexHigh Speed Printer »22g5°° . •1449" HI-BO Four Pen Plotter »5gg°° ... » 359* Call Toll FREE 1-800-245-4122 1WM08T ESSENTIAL card FOR THE IHHJITY I • Able to bring the • Save up to $70.00 • 3 year warranty mother board to 512K • 1/2 the size of other cards Only SQQOO These Prices A re Good For Mail Order Dept. Only P.C. Computer Brokers Inc. 3879 East 120th Ave. Thornton, CO 80233 [303)450-6727 Call Toll FREE 1-800-245-4122 MAY 1986 -BYTE 431 C&tcft&fiofc THE COMPANY THAT DELIVERS' 9 PRINTERS STAR MICROIMICS NX-10, 136 cps, Trac. & Sheet Feed$ 299 SG-10, 120 cps, 2K buffer, 1 yr war 227 SG-15, 120 cps, 2K buffer 385 SD-10, 160 cps, 10" carriage 365 SD-15, 160 cps, Corr. Qual 479 SR-10, 20f>cps, 10" carriage 520 SR-15, 200 cps, w/Tractor 640 OKIDATA ML182P, 120 cps We ML182 IBM, Graphics Comp Will ML182S, 10"Carriage Beat ML192P, 160 cps all ML192 IBM, Graphics Comp . . , Pricing ML192S, 160 cps on ML193P, 160 cps Oki ML193 IBM, Graphics Comp. . . Printers ML193S, 160 cps with ML84P, 200 cps or ML84 IBM without ML84S, 200 cps IBM Okimate 20, 80/40 color Rom EPSON LX80, 120 cps 10" carriage Call FX85, 160 cps 10" carriage Us JX80, 160 cps Color First RX100, 100 cps 15" carriage For FX286, 200 cps 15" carriage . . . Lowest LQ800, 180/60 P&S 7K 10" . Authorized LQ1000, 180/60 P&S 7K 15" ... Epson LQ1500, 200/64 15" Dealer DX10, LQ Printer Pricing BROTHER HR-15XL, LQ 20 cps P or S $ 355 HR-25, LQ 23 cps P or S 499 HR-35, LQ 36 cps P or S 699 DM-40, 160 cps 24 wire 794 DH-45, LQ & Dot matrix 36/160 ... 821 DYIMAX DX15XL, 20 cps By Brother $ 335 JUKI 6100, LQ 18 cps w/proportional spc$ 355 6300, LQ 40 cps 675 TOSHIBA P341P, 180/72, 132 col $ 779 P341P/S, 180/72, 24 wire 799 P351P/S, 240/100, 132 col 1099 PANASONIC 1080, 100 cps 2 yr. war. Prop. Sp .$ 219 1091 w/Tractor, 120 cps, 2 yr. war. 239 1092, 10" carriage, 180 cps 375 DATA PRODUCTS 8012, 180 cps 10"IBM comp $ 299 8022, 180 cps 15"IBM comp 472 8050C, 200 cps w/color 1 172 8070C, 400 cps w/color 1547 CALPAK BASE SYSTEM •CPU W/256K •One 360K DS/DD Dr • Hi-Res Grn Monitor •Int. Card w/Par. Port $1099 BUSINESS SYS. • CPU W/640K •1 Para. & 1 Ser. Port • ClkCal w/Bat Bk up • Hi-Res Clr Grph Crd • Taxan #620 Clr Mon • 2-360KDS/DD Drive •One 20 Meg Hd Disk $2150 IBM PC BASE SYS. • CPU W/256K • 1-360K DS/DD Drive • HI-Res Grn Monitor' •Int. Card w/Para Port add $1<5 $1399 PC XT BUS SYS • CPU w/640 K •2 Para. & 1 Ser. Port • Clk Cal. w/Bat Bk up • HI-Res Clr Grph Crd • Taxan *620 Clr Mon • 1-360K DS/DD Drive •One 20 Meg Hd Disk $2949 PRINTER ACCESSORIES ORANGE MICRO Grappler + $ 75 Buffered Grappler +, 16K exp. 64K 149 TOSHIBA Bi-Directional Trac. 1351/351 ..$ 149/155 Font Disk for Down loading P1351 . . 50 MICROTEK Dumpling GX (same as Grappler +)$ 69 Dumpling GX w/16K buffer 125 Dumpling GX w/32 buffer 135 Additional Buffering 16K 7 FOURTH DIMENSION Par. Card & Cable for Apple $ 49 OKIDATA Plug n Print for OKI Mate 20 $ 79 Tractor for 182 & 1 92 . 39 JUKI Bi-Direc. Tractor for 6100/6300 $ 115/125 Serial Interface for 6100 65 CABLES IBM PC to Parallel Printer $ 16 Serial Cable 14 Centronics M/M or M/F 18 DISPLAY MONITORS QUADRAM Amber chrome IBM compatible . . . .$ 169 AMDEK V300G $ 119 V300A 129 V310A for IBM PC 149 Color 300 1 99 Color 600 RGB Hi-Res 389 Color 710 Super Hi-Res 485 Color 722 Super Hi-Res 545 TAXAN IBM Green Monochrome#121 $ 129 IBM Amber Monochrome#122 139 RGB IBM w/Cable#620 399 RGB Super Hi-Res. #640 Best Buy. 499 RGB/#630 450 PRINCETON GRAPHICS HX-12 for use with IBM PC $445 Max 12E Amber for IBM 159 SR 12 Super Hi-Res 555 Scan Doubler 185 QUI MAX PX-4. RGB Hi-Res w/Gr. Text Mode$ 410 DM-14 Monochrome for IBM 150 IBM PC ACCESSORIES IBM IBM Dos 3.1 $ 69 PARADISE Modular Graphics Card $ 249 Module A 75 Module B 256K w/C & C 120 5-Pak same as 6-Pak-Ser. Port .... 175 Color/Mono Card New 220 64K MEMORY UPGRADE 64K (9 chips) 200ns & 150ns $ 13 HEXACE TECHNOLOGIES Hi-ResColorCardforPC.XT, AT, .$ 89 QUADRAM Quad Color 1 Board $ 179 Exp. Quadboard w/64K & Game Port . 199 TECHMAR Graphics Master $ 449 VUTEK (2 yr. war.) CPS Board, RGB & Comp. w/Par&Ser Ports 2 yr war $189 Color Card (Here, comp.) w/Para. . . 150 AST RESEARCH SixPak + w/64K & Sidekick $ 215 SixPak + W/384K & Sidekick 255 Game Port 49 Preview MonoGraphics 225 KEYTRONICS KB5151 $ 175 MICROTEK Monochrome Text Par. & Ser $ 145 Color Graphics Card 2 yr. warr .... 125 SIGMA DESIGNS Color400L or H $ 439 APPLE & FRANKLIN ACCESSORIES ACCESSORIES Kensington System Saver $ 69 Masterpiece Control Unit 119 MICROTEK Serial Interface $ 85 80 col. for II & II + 99 MICROMAX Viewmax 128K extended 80 col. card for Apple IIEW/64K $ 99 80 col. card for Apple I! & II + 139 ADVANCED LOGIC SYSTEMS Z Engine 2.2 $ 120 80 Col./64K 69 APPLE Super Serial Card $ 139 SMT 64K, 80 col. Card $ 65 MICRO-SCI 64K, 80 Col. Card $ 49 HARD DISK DRIVES CMS 10 Meg w/cont. formatted for IBM . .$ 445 20 Meg w/cont. formatted for IBM . . 529 ALPHA OMEGA 10 Meg w/Controller Card $ 475 20 Meg w/Controller Card 565 30 Meg w/Controller Card 699 20 Meg for AT 445 33 Meg for AT 599 Shock Mounted 20 meg for Compaq 699 SEAGATE ST212, 1 /2 HT 10 meg $ 445 ST225, 1 /2 HT 20 meg 545 DISK DRIVES TANDON TM100-2forlBM PC $ 110 TEAC 55B Double Sided 360K $ 99 Drives For Apple & Franklin CALL for current prices PERSONAL SYSTEMS APPLE Professional Sys. inch Apple HE w/128K & 80 col., tilt mon., duo disk w/con't kit$1299 Pro System w/Color 1545 Apple lie Lightweight Portable 789 Apple He w/Color 1399 IBM IBM PC Bare $1095* IBMPC 64K, 1 Drive 1250* IBM PC, 2 Drives W/256K 1299* IBM XT, 10 Meg, 360K Dr. w/256K 2150* IBM XT Bare w/256K & IBM Floppy 1750* Call About All "AT" Systems "Call for current IBM prices SANYO MBC 555-2 w/2, 320K Drives & more software $ 899 775 Portable 1 795 Serial Port for Sanyo 65 COMPAQ 256K, W/2-320K Drives $ 1799 Desk Top Model 1 1599 Desk Top Model 2 1925 Desk Top Model 3 Call Desk Top Model 4 Call We have "286" Ports. & D.P. in stock WYSE 11 00-1 incl. 256K w/two 360K Drives 1 par & 2 ser. ports $ 1399 1100-2 incl. 10 meg, 1 floppy, 256K, 1 Par. & 2 ser. ports 2599 *Wyse Monitors & Exp. Chasis Available SOFTWARE LOTUS DEVELOPMENT CORP. Lotus 1-2-3 New Version $ 315 Symphony 420 ASHTON TATE D Base II $ 299 D Base III+ 389 PRINTER SWITCH BOX EXPONENT Centronics Two Switch $ 58 Centronics Four Switch 83 Serial Two Switch 45 Serial Four Switch 69 MODEMS ANCHOR Volksmodem XII, 5 yr war $ 185 Express 1200 250 HAYES MICRO 300 Baud Smart Modem $ 149 1200 Baud Smart Modem 379 1200 B for IBM PC w/SM II 375 2400 Baud Modem 645 DISKETTES PC DISKETTES Sgl./Dbl. (Box of 10) $ 13 Dbl./Dbl. (Box of 10) 15 COMPUTER CONNECTION Dbl./Dbl. (Box of 10) $ 16 Sgl./Dbl. w/Disk Container(10) 15 Dbl./Dbl. w/Disk Container 17 Bulk 50 & Up — Dbl./Dbl. ... 1.35 each SMA PC Documate for: Dos 3.1, 1-2-3, Symphony, D Base III and much much more . .$11.95 We Stock What We Sell! ! IF YOU SEE IT ADVERTISED FOR LESS, CALL COMPUTER CONNECTION FIRST FOR LOWEST QUOTE MAIL ORDER: 171 21 S. Central Avenue, Unit Carson, California S0746 §m VISA NO SURCHARGE FOR CREDIT CARDS We accept VISA, MasterCard, COD [w/deposit], Certified Checks or i Wire Transfers. Minimum Shipping Charge S4.00. Some items subject to back order. California Res. add GVk% Sales Tax. All returns are subject to a 15% restocking charge and must be authorized by store manager within 10 days. Prices subject to change without notice. This Ad supersedes all others. ORDER LINE [BOO] 732-0304 [Outside Catifornia] [213] G35-2SC39 [Inside California] Mon. Fri. 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. CUSTOMER SERVICE: [213] 635-5065 Mon.-Frl. 9 a.m. Co 3 p.m. 432 BYTE • MAY 1986 Inquiry 84 RS-422 Communications Board • For IBM- PC/AT/XT and compatibles • Dual RS-422 serial interface • Programmable to 56k baud • Differential drivers to 4000 ft. $345.00 QUA TECH, INC. 478 E. Exchange St. Akron OH 44304 (216) 434-3154 TLX: 5101012726 O PICTURES THAT THINK Boxes & Arrows" is an IBM PC-based block diagram editor and computing system. If you are looking for some- thing more than a spreadsheet, Boxes & Arrows will let you combine compu- tation with pictorial representation. • Automatic box & line drawing • Labels and algebraic formulas • Any printer, any display • No limit to diagram size • Call or write for full details Inner Loop Software 5456 McConnell Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90066 inner loop software (213)822-2800 Real-Time Multitasking Executive ■ No royalties ■ Source code included ■ Fault free operation ■ Ideal for process control ■ Timing control provided ■ Low interrupt overhead ■ Inter-task messages ■ Resource Manager ■ Buffer Manager ■ Integer Math Library ■ Language Interfaces: C Pascal PL/M Fortran i DOS File Access : CP/M-80 IBM PC DOS AMX for 8080 $ 800 US 8086 950 6809 950 68000 1600 Manual (specify processor) 75 Jk KADAK Products Ltd. (604) 734-2796 Telex: 04-55670 206-1847 W. Broadway. Vancouver, B.C., Canada V6J 1Y5 Inquiry 299 Inquiry 172 Inquiry 188 Maxell Floppy Disks The Mini-Disks with maximum quality Dealer inquiries invited, C.O.D's accepted. Call FREE (800) 235-4137. PACIFIC EXCHANGES 100 Foothill Blvd.. San Luis San Luis Obispo. CA 93401. InCal. call (800) 592-5935 or (805)543-1037. DATA ACQUISITION TO GO INTERFACE FOR ANY COMPUTER FREE IBM SOFTWARE Connects via RS-232. Fully IBM com- patible. Built-in BASIC. Stand alone capability. Expandable. Battery Option. Basic system: 16 ch. 12 bit A/D, 2 ch. D/A, 32 bit Digital I/O. Expansion boards available. Direct Bus units for many computers. (201) 299-1615 P.O. Box246, Morris Plains, NJ 07950 ELEXOR You need a Printer Sharing Unit. Not another printer. Save Ihe cost of your next printer with our Printer Sharing Unit. Up to 8 computers can use one printer, automatically, without changing cables. This rotating electronic switch scans the input ports. When it finds one ready to transmit, it locks- on and puts the printer to work. Printing completed, it starts scanning again ___„__ For a demonstration or P ~T. . i ; more inlormation call us at (206) 355-0590, and we will give you the name of our dealer nearest you Datacom Northwest Inc. 3303 112th St. SW, Everett, WA 98204 4-Channel $395.00 8-Channel $595.00 Inquiry 265 Inquiry 125 Inquiry HO 72 Digital I/O PXB-721 Parallel Expansion Board • For IBM-PC & Compatibles • 72 Digital I/O Lines • Simple Programming • Uses One Expansion Slot • Fast Delivery $195 tj/QUA TECH, INC. 478 E. Exchange St. Akron OH 44304 (216) 434-3154 TLX: 5101012726 rrpORS232 SERI AL" hard disk drive. Manual and schematic available (S8.00). Computer Surplus Store 3675 Desoto Ave., Santa Clara, CA 95051 (408) 248-0134 Chuck Schuetz, proprietor Quantity and Dealer pricing available DATA ACQUISITION and control for ANY computer The Model 1232 communicates via RS-232, and has 8 analog inputs (±4 VDC; 12 bits), 8 digital inputs and outputs, and a 2000 point buffer. Suitable for field data logging or lab use, the 1232 costs only $690. The 8-bit system (0-5 VDC) is $490. Detailed manual, $6. Phone our applications engineer at 617-237-5514 or write: w * STARBUCK * w 'T* 'T* DATA COMPANY *T* T* 2 Mica Lane, Wellesley, MA 02181 Inquiry 397 Inquiry 88 Inquiry 343 9 -TRACK MAG. TAPE SUBSYSTEM FOR THE IBM PC/XT/AT For information interchange, backup and archival storage, IBEX oilers a 9-track. IBM format-compatible W magnetic tape subsystem for (he IBM PC. featuring: ■ 42 M-Bytes on a single reel. ■ IBM format 1600 cpl. ■ Software for PC-DOS, MS-DOS. nm IBEX COMPUTER CORR 2074lMarillaSt. Chatswoilh.CA 91311 (818) 709-8100 TWX: 910-493-2071 f Heritage Systems Corp. J HSC-9128 Video Terminal Card 80 by 24 Alpha-numeric video display ANSI X3.64 command set TTL/CMOS serial port (50 to 38.4K baud) Off card line drivers (RS-232, Fiber optic) IBM PC compatable keyboard input On Screen configuration utility 100 by 10mm, 5V only, 200mA HSC-9128 video terminal card $129 HSC-9128 with RS-232, cables $159 HSC-9129 keyboard $119 Amdek 300G Video monitor (Green) $139 Amdek300A Video monitor (Amber) $149 " PO Box 10588, Greensboro, NC 27404-0588 Cft (919) 274-4818 S 8V ROSE DATA SWITCHES ELECTRONICS ts,,.r.r- • . SHARE computers, printers, any parallel or serial device ELIMINATE cable swapping INEXPENSlVEway to network COMPATIBLE with all computers. Businesses. Schools, Homes WE ALSO OFFER: Data Buffers, Line Drivers. Modems, Protocol Converters, Parallel - Serial Converters, Cables, Computers, Printers, Disk Drives, and more. AUTOMATIC - CARETAKER is ideal for a business or school to share a printeror modem among many computers. Operation is fully automatic with no software required. Parallel or Serial 4 channels - S295 8 channels - S395 MANUAL - HARDSWITCH is operated with the flip of a switch. 2:2 and 2:4 models allow simultaneous commun- ication. Serial 1:2 - $59 1:4 • $ 99 2:2 - $109 2:4 - $169 Parallel 1:2 • $79 1:4 - $139 2:2 - $119 2:4 - $199 LED and spike protection on serial models add S20. CODE ACTIVATED - PORTER connects one computer to multiple peripherals. A software code selects the peripheral. Parallel or Serial 4 channels - S295 8 channels - $395 Buffer option 64K-$100 256K - $250 REMOTE - TELEPATH connects multiple computers to multiple peripherals. A selector at each computer orterminal chooses up to 4 peripherals and displays busy status. 4:4- $495 4:8 - $795 selector- $39. ROSE ELECTRONICS (713) 933-7673 P.O. BOX 742571 MC & VISA Accepted HOUSTON, TX 77274 Dealer Inquiries Invited CALL US FOR ALL YOUR INTERFACE NEEDS Inquiry 165 Inquiry 159 Inquiry 3ll Q ni COMPUTERBANC HARD DRIVE KITS 20 MB Internal w/ Controller $469 1 30 MB Internal for AT $695 * External Models Add $150 IBM PC AT 20 MB (Seagate Model 225) 512 K Serial, Parallel $4,299 STB RIO PLUS 6 Function 384K COMPANION PC Q-2 meg, EMS $239.00 $189.00 IBM PC XT 20 MB, 256K CALL CALL 256K 2 Drive IBM PC COMPAG 286 PORTABLE 20MB,640K $4,259 ^ ■ ^4MB, MONITORl SPERRY STB EGA PLUS $339.00 • 16 Colors, 256K, Parallel • IBM Compatible IBM PC COMPATIBLES LEADING EDGE CALL ITT XTRA 2 Drive, 256K $1,495 AMIGA CALL PC Clone System $899 EQUITY 1 CALL * All systems Include monochrome monitor, DOS; and parallel port IBM SOFTWARE LOTUS 123 CALL Symphony CALL ENABLE 359.00 ASHTONTATE Framework 369.00 dBASEII 279.00 dBASE III Plus 369.00 POWERBASE CALL CLIPPER dBASE III Compiler 355.00 LATTICE C COMPILER 2*9.00 MULTIMATE 225.00 MULTIMATE ADVANTAGE 269.00 SORCIM SUPERCALC III 199.00 MICROSOFT Multiplan 119.00 Word 225.00 Windows 65.00 Project 239.00 FOX & GELLERQuickcode 149.00 BORELANO TURBO PASCAL 39.00 REFLEX 55.00 LIGHTENING 55.00 SUPERKEY 39.00 SIDEKICK (unprotected) 46.00 ASCII PRO Comm Software 69.00 CROSSTALK XVI 99.00 PEACHTREE Back to Basics 199.00 BPI GENERAL ACCOUNTING 303.00 OPEN SYSTEMS CALL REALWORLD CALL ONE-WRITE PLUS 149.00 IN-HOUSE ACCOUNTANT 89.00 ACCOUNTING PARTNER 199.00 MONOGRAM D0LLARS& SENSE .... 105.00 TOBIAS MANAGING YOUR MONEY . .105.00 SATELLITE WORD PERFECT 225.00 MICROPRO WordStar PRO 249.00 WordStar 2000 PLUS 285.00 SAMNA WORD III 279.00 RBASE5000 359.00 PRINTMASTER 35.00 BREAKTHROUGH TIMELINE 255.00 DICISION RESOURCES CHRTMSTER 219.00 ENERGRAPHICSw/plotteropt 207.00 FUNK SIDEWAYS 36.00 LIFETREE VOLKSWRITER DELUXE . . . 149.00 HARVARD TTL PROJECT MNGR ...285.00 ALSO HA YOEN, MONOGRAM. BPT. MICROCO- RIM.NORTKON AND MORE IBM HARDWARE AST 6 Pack Plus w/384k 249.00 Advantage W/128k 399.00 STB Rio Plus 384K 5 function 239.00 RIO Grande 3 function for AT 289.00 Companion PC 0-2 MB 189.00 Chauffeur monographics 229.00 EGA - Plus Color Board 339.00 HERCULES Mono Graphics 319.00 ColorCard 159.00 ORCHID Turbo w/256k 669.00 QUADRAM Quadboard OK 1 98.00 EGA + NEW 405.00 Quad Port for AT ser& par 115.00 TECHMAR Graphics Master 469.00 PARADISE Modular Graphics Card . . . .CALL SIGMA High Res Color 400 CALL IBM Compatibles MultifunctionCard384ks,p,clck 169.00 Multifunction Card OK- 1,2mb 179.00 Compatible Mono Card w/par 129.00 Expansion Chasis CALL 130 WAT Power Supply 85.00 M0N0CR0ME Graphics Card 110.00 Color Graphics Card 99.00 TALLGRASS W/Tape CALL IRWIN Tape Drive 414.00 EVEREX TAPE Pc/Xt/AT CALL Graphics Edge Card 249.00 TEAC55B 95.00 1 .2MB FLOPPY lor AT 189.00 360K Floppy for AT 110.00 MOUSE SYSTEMS Mouse 117.00 FIELDMOUSE 113.00 MICROSOFT Mouse w/sftwr 117.00 KOALA KAT 149.00 DISKETTES 2S DD 15.00 MODEMS ANCHOR Express 300/1200 220.00 Volksmodem 1 200 (5 yr wrnty) 169.95 Lightning 2400 Baud CALL HAYES 1200 379.00 1200B 349.00 2400 CALL Micromodem //e CALL PROMETHEUS 1200 CALL Promodem 1200B FOR Promodem 1200A BLOW-OUT Promoden 300 He . . . : PRICES Promoden 2400 CALL MONITORS AMOEK300A 139.00 310A Hi-Res Amber 155.00 Color 722 RGB 720X350 CALL PRINCETON GRAPHICS MX 12 469.00 HX-12E RGB 720X350 CALL SR-12 625.00 MAX-12 179.00 TAXAN 121/122 149.00 620 (RGB) 640 x 200 NEW CALL 640 (RGB) 720 x 400 NEW CALL PANASONIC DT-S101 Color 141.00 DT-H103 10" High Res RGB 369.00 IBM COMPATIBLE Monocrome 99.00 Color RGB Monitor (640X200) 349.00 PRINTERS PANASONIC (2 yr warranty) KX-P1080 .199.00 KX-P1091 229.99 KX-P1092 305.00 KX-P1592 439.00 KX-P1595 240CPS 659.00 KX-P3131 17cps Daisey 269.00 KX-P3151 22 cps Daisey 395.00 Citizen MSP-10 266.00 MSP-15 355.00 MSP-25 489.00 STAR MICRONICS SG -10 219.00 SG-15 399.00 EPSON LX-80 Call FX-286 for LQ-800 Best LQ-1000 Prices BROTHER Twinwriter 5 We Will Beat Any Advertised Price OKIDATA-AII Models Call TOSHIBA All Models CALL CANNON Laser Printer CALL HEWLETT PACKARD PRINTERS ...CALL HOUSTON INSTRUMENTS Plotters CALL Digitizers CALL APPLE PRODUCTS ASTMultM/0 ....CALL MICRO SCI A2 Drive lie 169.00 lie compatible drive 139.00 APPLE Compatible Drive 119.00 MAC Compatible 3Vz drive 229.00 BERNOULLI 5MB MAC drive CALL MACINTOSH Harddrive CALL MICROSOFT Macenhancer CALL Softcardll 259.00 Multi-plan //e& Mac 129.00 Basic (Mac) 109.00 ASCII XPRESS (Communications) 69.00 THEDESKORGANIZER(Mac) 133.00 APPLE MOUSE II 129.00 APPLEWORKS 215.00 SPELLWORKS . .49.00PRINTSH0P ..35.00 Mach III Joystick 39.00 SYSTEM SAVER Fan 69.00 VIDEO 7 He Enhancer CALL Titan Accelerator 229.00 VIDEX Ultraterm 169.00 APRICORN (Lifetime Warranty) Super Serial Imager 75.00 Graphics Interface 65.00 80Column/64K 75.00 EXTEND IT 64K 55.00 KOALA SpeedKey 99.00 DISKETTES APPLE/MAC 12.00/24.00 Look for our Bulletin Board Featuring Multi-user Games THINKTANK Call for catalog. Thousands of products available. Volume discounts. o in COMPUTERBANC 16783 Boodi Blvd., NwtffegtOA Booth, Cfl W647 TCt€X #550757 RNSUICA BACK — COMPUTCB UD 714/341-6160 For Customer Service Call 714-847-BANC No Char?* for Credit Cord* Orders Only 800/332-BANC OUTSIDC CRUFOflNIR Cash prices (ndkoted.rWprodimcire In r^^ be ocpjno. Cofforrto residents odd 6% sales tax. Prices subject to change tuthout notke. ©Copunght 1065 COMPUTttSflNC. M flights ft»**vd. Inquiry 92 MAY 1986 • BYTE 437 Inquiry 48 -BYTE CONNECTION INC.- ECTTCM LINE PRICE DUSTERS! - "Whc you at una call?'* (714)778-6496 PERSONAL COMPUTERS UBM • I (IBM Compatible), 640K, AT Look Alike Keyboard, Two 360 EA Floppies, Hi-Res Graphics Board & Monitor $ 995 UBM • II, all the above with 360 Floppy, 10 MB HD $1495 UBM * III, Turbo, all the above with 20 MB HD $1 750 UBM * IV, AT Compatible, 640 K 1.2 MB Floppy, 30 MB HD, S, P, C/C, Hi-Res Graphics Board, Monitor & K.B $2950 Dealer's Inquiries Invited IBM PC, with 256K, K.B., FDC, Two 360 Floppies, Hi-Res Graphics Card & Monitor ... $1 795 IBM PC XT, with 256K, 360 Floppy, 20 MB HD, K.B., Hi-Res Graphics Card & Monitor $2595 IBM PC AT, with 51 2K, K.B.,. 1.2 MB Floppy, 20 MB HD, Graphics Card & Monitor.. . $4141 IBM PC AT, all the above With 70MBHD&60MB Tape B/U .'..'. $6969 COMPAQ PORTABLE MODEL I $1 750 COMPAQ PORTABLE, 256 K t 360 Floppy, 10 MB Rhodime HD $2595 COMPAQ DESK PRO, with 640K, Two 360 Floppies, Graphics Card & Monitor . . . $2020 COMPAQ PORTABLE 286, with 640K, K.B., 1.2 MB Floppy $3300 COMPAQ DESK PRO 286, with 640 K, K.B.. 1.2 MB Floppy, 20 MB 40 MS HD, Graphics Card & Monitor : $41 95 COMPAQ DESK PRO 286, all the above with 70 MB 28 MS HD, 60 MB Tape B/U $6969 AT & T 6300 PC, with 256 K, Two 360 Floppies, AT & T Graphics Card & Monitor, DOS 3.1 $1 925 AT & T 6300 Plus, with 512 K, 1.2 MB Floppy, 360 KB Floppy, K.B., 20 MB HD, AT & T Graphics Card & Monitor, DOS 3.1 & UNIX OS $4895 AT & T 7300 CALL SOFTWARE ACCOUNTING, A/R, A/P, G/L, INVENTORY, PAYROLL $ 495 CAD SYSTEMS CALL Dbase III PLUS $ 379 LOTUS1-2-3 $ 339 LOTUS SYMPHONY $ 469 MULTIMATE ADVANTAGE.... $ 269 FRAMEWORKII $ 489 WORDSTAR 2000 PLUS, II .... $ 399 MEDICAL & LEGAL SOFTWARE CALL EXPANSION CHASIS, POWERSUPPLY, M/S HITACHI HM 371 9 & BN W 1 024 x 1 024 ORCHID NETWORK, ADVANCE DIGITAL, NOVELL MULTIUSER SYSTEMS ANADEX6500.... $1895 CITOH LINE/LAZER. CITIZEN MSP1 5 -PREMIER 35 .' DATA PRODUCT 8070 -LINE/LAZER DIABLO 635 $1 295 EPSON FUJITSU CALL HPLAZER JET HP Plus $3395 NEC OKIDATA 1 92 -1 93 TOSHI BA 1 340 - P351 CALL . . $ 399 - 450 $1695 -CALL CALL $2350 ..CALL . . $ 379 - 495 . $ 495-1159 HARD DISK & FLOPPIES 10 MB SUBSYSTEMS for PC ... $ 439 20 M B SUBSYSTEMS $ 550 20MBAT $ 595 30MBAT $ 795 70 MB HD & 60 MB TAPE B/U AT $2495 360 FLOPPY $ 79 IBM 360 FLOPPY $ 110 30 MB SUBSYSTEM for AT&T $ 795 PLOTTERS & DIGITIZERS ALCOMP & NICHOLET CALL HP 7475 - 7550 $1 659 - 3295 HITACHI, GOULD, KURTA, GTCO, SUMMAGRAPHICS DIGITIZERS CALL HITACHI41-42 $3050,51-52 $4695,29......... $2121 IO LINE 3700, SPECIAL OF THE MONTHi $4095 WE CARRY ALL NAME BRAND MFC, MODEMS, MONITOR ADAPTERS AND SOFTWARE. CALL FOR WHAT IS NOT LISTED. PRICES AND AVAILABILITY SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE NO CHARGES FOR CONFIGURING AND TESTING. WE GUARANTEE THAT YOUR CALL WILL NOT BE A WASTE. 161 West Cerritcs Ave** Anaheim, CA 928C<5 -(714) 778-6496- FULLY COMPATIBLE AND 40% FASTER THAN "IBM PC/XT BY USING STATE OF THE ART "NEC V-20 PROCESSOR pinecom OPTIONALADDON : A. For 5151 100 keys keyboard add $40.00 B. For 3way RGB color monitor 1 3" add $250.00 C. For 10 MGB internal hard disk with controller add $399.00 D. For 22 MGB internal hard disk with controller add $499.00 E. For Monochrome graphic adapter with printer port and TTL Monochrome 12" Hi-RES monitor add $50.00 SHIPPING CHARGES : 5% for C.O.D.. 2% for prepaid orders inside Continental U. S. No Personal Checks Accepted. DEALERS INQUIRIES INVITED. • IBM i» registered trade mark of IBM Corp. 438 BYTE Fully IBM PC/XT compatible 640K on board memories 8 IBM PC/XT standard I/O slots 8087 coprocessor ready socket Standard 4.77 MHz clock speed Flip-top type metal cabinet 83 key full function key board (enlarged return key and led indicators) Color graphic adapter with composit out (RES. 640 x320) One parallel port for printer One RS-232 serial port One game port for joystick Real time clock with calendar (5 years battery back up on board) 150 watts hard disk ready power supply 2 halfheight 360Kfloppy drives (PANASONIC) 12"monochrome monitor included Fully assembled and tested 6 months parts and labor warranty SPECIAL OFFER: $899 ■X-V20 by NEC is the superset of 8088 and pin to pin compatible with 8088. increases speed of pc from 40% to 80% (rated 1.8 according to Norton Utility 3.0'ssysteminformation while IBM PC and PC/XT are rated 1.0 as standard) without changing the clock speed of the system, run all IBM PC compatible software with no problem. OTHER SYSTEM CONFIGURATIONS AVAILABLE PLEASE CALL FOR DETAIL PINE COMPUTER INC. 9690 TELSTAR AVE.. SUITE #204. EL MONTE. CA 91731 PHONE: (818) 575-1882 STORE HOURS : Mon. -Sat. A.M. — 6 P.M. IBM PERIPHERALS • PC/XT 640K MOTHER BOARD. LOADED W/BIOS • COLOR GRAPHIC CARD W/RGB & COMPOSIT VIDEO OUT PUT (640x 400 RES) • MONOCHROME GRAPHIC CARD W/PRINTER PORT (720x348 RES) • FLOPPY DISK CONTROLLER CARD W/CABLE • 0/384K MULTIFUNCTION CARD W/PARALLEL PORT; SERIAL PORT; GAME PORT; CALANDER. CLOCK (BATTERY BACK UP) AND 384K RAM SLOTS • DISK I/O CARD W/PARALLEL PORT; SERIAL PORT; GAME PORT; CALANDER, CLOCK (BATTERY BACK UP) AND FLOPPY DISK CONTROL- LER W/CABLES • PARALLEL PRINTER CARD • SERIAL PRINTER CARD (RS-232) • DUAL SERIAL CARD (RS-232) (COM-1, COM-2) • 0/512K RAM EXPANSION CARD • MOUSE SYSTEM (MICRO-SOFT COMPATIBLE) (3 BUTTONS) • INTERNAL MODEM 300/1200 BULD (HAYS COMPATIBLE) • 150WATT POWER SUPPLY 110/220V SIDE SWITCH • KEYBOARD: PC/XT LOOK ALIKE 84 KEY(5150) • KEYBOARD : SELECTIC-II LOOK ALIKE, LARGE RT KEY • KEYBOARD : ADVANCE 100 KEY MODEL: 5151 • KEYBOARD :ATLOOK ALIKE, LARGE RT KEY • PARALLEL PRINTER CABLE (6 FT.) • SERIAL PRINTER CABLE (6 FT.) • JOY STICK (SELF CENTERING W/2 FIRE BUTTON) • 360K HALF HEIGHT DISK DRIVE (PANASONIC OR TEAC) • SURGE SUPRESSED POWER STRIP (6 OUTLETS) $215.00 $ 80.00 $ 99.00 $ 45.00 $119.00 $110.00 $ 28.00 $ 45.00 $ 70.00 $ 52.00 $ 75.00 $175.00 $ 95.00 $ 70.00 $ 70.00 $ 90.00 $ 80.00 $ 14.00 $ 14.00 $ 20.00 $ 90.00 $ 18.00 Inquiry 283 EPROM OR RAM DISK AND DISK DRIVE EMULATORS IBM PC", COMPATIBLES AND APPLE lie* • Diskless control and communications system • Autoboot applications for dedicated workstations and improved productivity • Customized high speed, smart terminals • Solid state speed, reliability and performance • Self contained control and EPROM program circuitry • PC and MS DOS* compatible • ROMDISK and RAMDISK are I/O mapped • RAM disk - with battery back-up • Plug compatible EPROM and RAM modules VISA : ROMDISK PC-1 (180K) S495 ROMDISK PC-2 (360KJ S595 RAMDISK PC-D (360K) S595 ROMDISK A FOR //E (I44K) S349 CURTIS, INC. 22 Red Fox Road St. Paul, MN 55110 612/484-5064 •IBM PC and PS OOS 15a registered trademark of IBM Corporation MS DO ti i\ registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation Apple //e is a regiSterr tr«Kfem4164 4464 100ns 1 20ns s 5.85 J3.35 150ns «££££ 120ns $- | _40 150ns 150ns I PROCESSORS B087-2 8mH2 8087-3 5mHz B0287-3 6mHz 80287-8 Bmhte V-20 8mHz V-30 8mHz I STATIC RAMS IE. PROMS 27C256 250ns S6.50 250ns SCALL 250ns S2.95 200ns S3. 75 250ns S2.95 250ns S2.9S Inquiry 9 1 I.C. EXPRESS 15358 Valley Blvd.. City of Industry, CA 91746 Phone: 818-369-2688 (Mon-Fri - 8-5) ORDER TOLL FREE (800) 892-8889 • (800) 882-8181 Outside California Inside California | CALL FOR CURRENT PRICES & VOLUME DISCOUNTS! Price Shown lor Cash • MaslerCardrVISAarfdJVc more. Prices are subjeel lo change. Minimum order S 10.00 caiilomia residents musi add 6 5% sales lax Shipping & Handling; UPS Ground S5.00. UPS Air 57.00 (under 1 ALL MERCHANDISE IS 100% GUARANTEED. Inquiry I7I :::: ibmpc/vt22o EM220 $149 VT220. VTI02 emulation File Transfer J 32 Column modes Color Support Hot Key :::: tek4oio/4oi4 EM4010 $249 Tektronix 40 JO emulation VT220, VT102 emulation Picture/ties High resolution hardcopy Supports IBM. IBM Enhanced, Hercules, Tec mar and AT&T. Diversified Computer Systems, Inc. 3775 Iris Ave. , Suite IB Boulder, CO 80301 (303)447-9251 Trademarks: VT10Q — DtRiuil i-.quipment; IBM PC. XT- IBM Corp. "CPYAT2PC" IS LIKE HAVING A FREE 360K FLOPPY DRIVE Allows copying of IBM AT file for use on IBM PC's & compatibles with no modifica- tion of existing hardware orsof tware. A 360K floppy drive is not required. CPYAT2PCmay reside on your IBM PC/AT hard disk and copies 1 file or entire subdirectories in 1 step. Also runs on other AT compatibles such as COMPAQ 286, ZENITH Z-200, and KAYPRO 2861. Dealer inquiries welcome. ONLY $79 + shipping. MICROBRIDGE COMPUTERS Sky Way Building, Suite 125 655 Sky Way, San Carlos, CA 94070 (415) 593-8777 '{415) 595-2150 CHECK, COD WELCOME px (Prepayment Required) r°*JJ PC-WRITER IBM PC GRAPHICS & LETTER QUALITY Enhancement for Okidata ML82A/83A Dot Matrix Printers • Plug in module easily installs in printer • Draft { 1 20cps) & Letter Quality |30cps) • Elite character pitch • Front oanel access to all features • Emulation of IBM PC Graphics printer • Superscripts / subscripts • Foreign / scientific characters • Works with print screen key in graphics and text • Prints aH 228 display sc reen characters and box drawing symbols exactly as they appear on display (double line as well as single line box symbols) Ask About OK-WRITEFTOkidata aphics for $99 with many of above features O RAINBOW TECHNOLOGIES INC 17971-E Sky park Circle, Irvine, CA 92714 (714) 261-0228 Telex 386078 UK Distributer: X-DATA (0753) 72331 Inquiry II6 Inquiry 234 Inquiry 309 EPROM PROGRAMMER The EP-1 is a great value, here's why: • IBM PC Compatible. Communication Disk included. Also works with CP/M end Development Systems • Supports over 100 types including 2716 through 27512, CMOS, and A-Suffix Parts • Menu Driven Chip Selection by Manufacturer and Part Number • No Personality Modules • Fast Programming Algorithm • Gold Textoo! 2IF IC Socket • RS-232, 7 baud rates to 9600 • Full One Year Warranty • UV. Erasers from £34.95 BP Microsystems 5325 Glenmont, Suite E, Houston, TX 77081 (713] 667-1636 OC8000 (uufm EXPANDS PC PERFORMANCE AT A FRACTION OF NETWORKING COST • Adds four to eight serial communication ports to IBM PC, XT, AT or compatibles. • Standard RS-232 or optional RS-422 ports for increased transmission speed and distance. • Supported by Xenix, Multi-Link, RTCS.QNX, and other multi-user, multi-tasking operating systems. STAR GATE TECHNOLOGIES, INC. Suite I09 33800Curtis Blvd. • Eastlake, OH 44094 Call: (216)951-5922 J- PC/XT USERS! r COGTREE Utilities by Cogitate S 129.95 M LYNC by Norton-Lamber. . . .SI 99.95 i DATAFLEX by Data Access. ..Varies r RM/COBOL by Ryan/ McFarland . . Varies * Universe by Omnitrend . . . .S 98.50 M Blue Mac! by Cogitate. . . . .$599.00 1 CadPower+ by Trilex .S 995.00 F Softext Teaching Aids S 95.00 J PrintSet by Cogitate S 79.95 J- CogiTAPE by Cogitate . .CALL!! J Anti-Static Products . . Varies J~ Uninterruptible Power Backups . . Varies J~ TeleVideo Software . .CALLI! EllfuM "A Higher Form of Software" 24000 Telegraph Road Southfleld. Ml 48034 (313) 352-2345/Telex 386581 VISA/MASTERCARD ACCEPTED Dealer Inquiries Welcomed Inquiry 44 Inquiry 341 Inquiry 76 GET UP TO $100 WORTH OF EQUIPMENT FREE!'* •1 BOX OF 10 HIGH QUALITY DISKETTES IN CASE *2 BOXES OF HIGH QUALITY DISKETTES IN CASE FREE WITH EVERY ORDER IN MAY! VALUED AT $29 PLUS 1 TILT & SWIVEL MONITOR STAND WITH EVERY CALL (800) 662-SALE SYSTEM ORDER IN MAY! VALUED AT OVER $100 SPECIAL #1 CORONA PORTABLE • IBM Compatible • 256K • 2 Drives • Monitor • Keyboard • DOS $1195 SPECIAL #2 20 MEG HARD DISK FOR IBM Seagate • Western Digital $469 SPECIAL #3 NEW SPERRY IT IBM AT compatibility for an affordable price! • 1 Meg Ram included • 1.2 MG floppy • 44 MG Hard Disk • 8 MHz Operations • Monitor • DOS 3.1 • Printer Port • Two Serial Ports • 100% AT Compatibility ONLY $3899 SPECIAL #4 COMPAQ 286 PORTABLE IBM AT Compatible • DOS • 1.2 Meg Floppy • 640K • Monitor • 20 Meg Hard Disk COMPAQ D & D $4399 $3989 SPECIAL #5 NEW COMPAQ PORTABLE II MODEL I MODEL 2 LIST $3599 $4699 IN STOCK D & D $2749 $3699 SYSTEMS IBM PC 256K, 2 Drives $1395 XT 256K, 1 Drive 1699 XT 256K, 1 Drive 1-10 MG 2099 COMPAQ Portable, 2 Drives, 640K .$1875 Call on Desk Pro's & 286 Systems CORONA Portable $1195 Desk Top, 2 Drives, 256K w/monitor 1395 MONITORS PRINCETON GRAPHICS Max 12E $159 HX-9 Call HX-12 425 SR-12 749 TAXAN Call for best price AMDEK 310A $145 600 Color 389 722 Color 519 MODEMS HAYES Micromodem HE Apple . . . .$149 300 External 129 1200 External 369 1200B IBM Internal 339 2400 External 639 PROMETHEUS Promodem 1200 External . . $289 Promodem 1200A Apple . . . 269 Promodem 1200B IBM 269 Promodem 1200MAC 339 DISK DRIVES IBM COMPATIBLE Teac 55B $99 Mitsubishi 4851 99 Tandon TM 100-2 99 Qume DT142 89 Okidata 1/3 HT 84 10 MG Hard Card New 20 MG Hard Card Call PRINTERS EPSON LQ 800 $569 LQ 1000 689 OKIDATA 182, 120 cps $218 192, 160 cps, w/Roms 349 193, 160 cps, IBM 499 84, 200 cps, IBM 658 OKI-MATE 20, Color, IBM . Apple & Amiga 199 TOSHIBA P321 New P341 Call P351 $1059 P351 Tractor 159 STARMICRONICS SG10/15 $219/389 SD10/15 355/469 SR10/15 489/589 CITIZEN MSP-10 $249 MSP-15 359 MSP-20 389 MSP-25 539 Premier 35LQ New 469 IBM EXTRAS AST RESEARCH SixPak+ , 64K w/Side Kick . $209 Reach wCrosstalk 369 HERCULES Color Card w/Printer Port . .$149 Mono Graphics Card 299 GOODIES IBM Printer Cable $13 64K Ram Set of Nine Chips . 15 256K Ram Set of Nine Chips 39 Power Supply 135 Watts .... 75 8087 Coprocessor 129 DOS 2.1 65 DOS 3.1 69 Flip Top Case w/speaker 49 Disk Controller w/cable 39 Color Card w/printer 89 Monochrome Card w/printer . 109 Keyboard 0151 99 100 DS/DD 5V4 69 10 1.2MG for AT5V4 259 SPECIAL #6 APPLE DISK DRIVE 100% APPLE COMPATIBLE 5V4 " 525A for He and 11+ $109 525C for He 119 350M for Mac Call SPECIAL #7 PC XT Compatible Turbo • 640K • 8 MHz • Keyboard Flip Top Case • Two 360K Drives • 135 Watt • 8 Slots • DOS 2.1 $699 SPECIAL #8 PC XT COMPATIBLE • 640K • 360K Drive • Keyboard • 20 MG Hard Drive • Monochrome • 8 Slots • Card w/printer port • 135 Watt Power Supply • Green Monochrome • Monitor • DOS 2.1 • 120 Day Warranty ONLY $1249 SPECIAL #9 MULTIFUNCTION CARD Serial and Parallel Ports Clock/Gameport • Ram disk/Printer spool Software • 1 Year Warranty w/384K only $159 MAKE THAT CALL! Order Desk (800) 662-7253 In California (213) 970-0206 Customer Service . .(213) 970-0215 Technical Support .(213)970-0215 Retail Store (213) 676-0815 Service Contracts Available 2% DISCOUNT ON ALL ADVERTISED PRICES WITH PREPAYMENT (800) 662-7253 SPECIAL #10 XT COMPATIBLE • 8 Slots • Two 360K Drives • Keyboard • 135 Watts 640K 256K $569 $499 All Sales Are Warrant eed for 90 Days, Parts A Labor WE SERVICE WHAT WE SELL! ALL SYSTEMS INCLUDE ASSEMBLY AND TESTING VISIT OUR NEW RETAIL LOCATION: 12824 INGLEWOOD AVE. 9 HAWTHORNE, CA 90250 PLEASE CALL: (213) 676-0815 SPECIAL #11 IBM AT COMPUTER SYSTEM • 20 Meg hard Disk • 1.2 Meg Floppy • DOS 3.1 • 512K Ram D & D $3699 IBM $4299 <) MICROSOFT Windows ■ PFS: First Success (Wry File Plan) > R:Base 5000 ■ SIDEWAYS v3.0 • SIDEKICK 1.5 NCP • SIDEKICK MAC ' SUPERKEY 1.1 ■ TURBO PASCAL 3.0 • TURBO EDITOR TOOLBOX ■ TURBO "NEW" PACK (Gameworks & Editor Toolbox) TURBO HOLIDAY JUMBO JACK 88W*""""™wjj^ M^fN* YOU LIKE IT, OR WE TAKE IT BACK! If for any reason, you are not satisfied with any product you purchase, you may return it within 10 days of receipt for replacement, credit or refund.* WELL PAY YOU IF YOU FIND A LOWER PRICE! If you buy any item from us at pricing in this ad and find a lower price from any source in this issue, that has the identical product in stock, we'll not only refund the difference you paid, but also pay you 20% of the difference for your trouble! If you find a lower price in this issue before you buy, from any source that has the identical product in stock, we'll beat it!* * NUJi- 1 st&R B0tf*° tlCI* 11 ^ '*&L . ?^Ca»e ncSar, --nfve*P» n - ««*»?■, ^weSS- up to- .BAN ,men $96 VJarra^V c0WP SvSItenis . manu*acwrer ^yeaf Dealers: Call for quantity prices! ■' 1 i f T ..! __U 1— ' ' ~ 30 Megabytes for the Price of 20! $499 NAME BRAND 100CPS 80 COLUMN DOT MATRIX PRINTER >. perfect addition to any computer where all! I ink 3 fill 1 mo ? erat / speed is rec * uired - Par- a Mel interface, friction & tractor feed Factorv ^closeout pricing! 1 year warranty $148 u. IN CALIFORNIA OUTSIDE CALIFORNIA 800-358-8881 800-826-3736 6311-1 DeSoto Avenue • Woodland Hills. California • 91367 • Phone: (818) 703-7996 Hours: 7:00AM-6:00PM Pacific I ime ZOOM 1200 1200/300 baud, auto answer/auto dial, Haves'" (AT) compatible internal modem. Demon dialer, monitor speaker, tone/pulse dialing, dual phone jacks, call progress tone detection. 2 Year Warranty. Made in USA. $199 INCLUDING SOFTWARE! SPERRY PC/HT PC/XT compatible, 8088-2 switchable 2 speed micro-processor, 256K RAM, 1-360K floppy, RS-232 port, Tatung Monochrome monitor, ' , clock/calendar and 5150 style keyboard Includes MS-DOS, GW Basic, diagnostics and tutorial disks. $ 1478 o GUARANTEED AVAILABILITY! Any item you order will be shipped within Two working days or you will be given a firm ship date when you order! If for any reason we cannot ship by the date you are given, we will deduct 5% from the price of the products shipped late and credit your order accordingly.* * COMPONENTS HWCH , . 8087-3 . 8087-2 . 80287 . y20-5MHz .Y20-8MH* 8086 . Y30 rep\a ces . 8086 . 8088 . 27128 . 27256 • 276* $128-00 $149-0° $199-00 $11-00 $13-00 $16.00 $11.00 $11.00 $4.00 $6.50 $4-00 PERSYST STRETCH 2 MEGABYTE PC EXPANSION BOARD Pnrnl- ' « Ct If» d m T emory board supporting the with I, \ A I ht0r ?" Tate sanded memory spec ™™ T Spo01 and RAM Disk software Uses zbbK chips. 0-K i-Mb 2-Mb $566 $677 $844 PC POWER SUPPLIES: • 150 WATT KEYBOARDS: IBM/XT' and KEYTRONlCS " COMPATIBLE ■ 5150 style • 5151 style SEAGATE HARD DISK DRIVES FOR PC/AT" includes cables, manual & mounting rails 20MB Full ht 40ms 30MB Full ht 40ms 40MB Full ht 40ms TAPE BACK-UP ALLOY 60Mb internal $775 BOARD PRODUCTS MULTITECH 2 Drive PC floppy controller $45 MULTITECH 4 drive PC floppy controller $58 Western Dig. 1002SWX2 PC/XT Hard d»sk cont $ 138 Western Dig. 1002WA2 PC/AT Hard/Floppy cont $276 MULTITECH 384K mem exp board w/128K $72 AST Sixpack + (64K) w/Sidekick & DESQview $227 MULTITECH Mono Graphics 720x348. Hercules" compatible with parallel port & light pen interface $112 AST PREVIEW! Mono graphics. Hercules" compatible with parallel port. PSpool and RAM Disk soft $234 1 HERCULES graphics board $286 MULTITECH color graphics board ( 1-2-3 comp ) $98 HERCULES color board $144 TAXAN 553 Ultra Hi Rescolor board $246 SIGMA 400L Ultra Hi Res color board $439 | MODEMS ANCHOR VOLKSMODEM 300 baud (cable opt ) $49 I ANCHOR VOLKS 6420 300 baud Commodore w/soU $59 ZOOMIiEAPmt 300 baud AA/AD Hayes " comp w/ soft $93 I ANCHOR Volksmodem 1200 (cable opt ) $164 f SmarTEAM 103/212A 1200/300 baud external AA/AD Hayes "(AT) compatible 2 year warranty $178 | ANCHOR EXPRESSi 1200/300 baud PC internal AA/AD Hayes "(AT) compatible $188 NOVATION SMARTCAT + 1200/300 baud mt or e*t AA/AD. Hayes*(AT)comp w/MlTE" software $299 HAYES 1200B w/ Smart com II $333 ANCHOR LIGHTNING 24 2400/1200/300 baud external Hayes "(AT) comp Built-in speaker $338 NOVATION 2400 Professional w/o software $496 NOVATION 2400 with MS-DOS or Macintosh software $547 HAYES 2400 $568 MONITORS AMDEK310A12 Amber $143 AMDEK600 $399 PRINCETON MAX- 12 Amber $166 PRINCETON HX— 12E RGB $544 TAXAN 122 monochrome $137 TAXAN 620 $392 TATUNG DM 12 VL 12 green composite 1000 line res $1 26 TATUNG 1222A 12 Amber TTL 1000 line res $126 TATUNG 1360 1 3 " Hi Res RGB 640 X 200 $367 indsJpt«Jt^> KfctuM ioowsij??^!!- — — — i 7 90 " S **~ /hox 4 leeves,labelsorw/ptabs| I D S/DD Bulk WfO ;*J*£E! E p* **** ~7T7 * *!F YOU DON T SEE IT, CALL! -~§_ We have virtually any product available 8t the best of icing. Space limits us to only a fraction of what we sell. CaH us for a quote and delivery information, if we ~~* don't have it, we*ii try to get it for you? Alt items priced andlnsti e of ad placement and subject to i ■ /.i^aUimeofadpubHcahon. *T •f Excluding software; Prior return authorization -d must be in original condi- tion with carton, packmg and all manuals, etc, some locking charge. We accept ..•.■ ( > :..•.•'.■■.•.'<'.■ ■•'.-"■•' . nd con id.* nv .; hocus fofoduct shipped when check ■ ■.,-. VISA end MasterCard with no surcharge add American Express {4% surcharge). AH products shiooea UPS ground (freight FREE for orders over $150), unioss specified otherwise. AH norma* manu- facturer', rppiy- Inquiry 392 EVERYBODY HATES US, BUT OUR CUSTOMERS! The Greatest bir* on BASF Qualimefric Diskettes! ,79^-50 .90 Q,yT ^° 5.25"SSDD 5.25"DSDD Packaged in boxes of 10 with Tyvec sleeves, user ID labels and write-protect tabs. wsssmmmmm Qty. Qty. 20-40: 50+: 5.25"SSDD(P/N3406) .81 .79 5.25"DSDD(P/N3407) .92 .90 5.25"SSDD-96TPI(P/N3404) .92 .90 5.25"DSDD-96TPI(P/N3405) 1.03 1.01 5.25"DSDD-HD(P/N3403) 2.07 2.04 3.50"SSDD-135TPI(P/N3402) 1.85 1.82 3.50"DSDD-135TPI(P/N3412) 2.41 2.37 FOR ORDERS ONLY: INFORMATION 1-800-621-6827 & INQUIRIES: (In Illinois: 1-312-256-7140) 1-312-256-7140 HOURS: 8AM -6PM Central Time, Monday-Friday WE WILL MEET OR BEAT ANY NATIONALLY ADVERTISED PRICE ON THE SAME PRODUCTS AND QUANTITIES SUBJECT TO THE SAME TERMS AND CONDITIONS AS THE COMPETITIVE AD. DISK WORLD!, Inc. 629 Green Bay Rd. ■ Wilmette, Illinois 60091 DISK WORLD! BASF Qualimetric Diskettes in Bulk. ^/\ la- OO Ea - i J Qty.150 b OO ^- 15 ° 5.25"SSDD 5.25*DSDD Save a lot of money by buying BASF QUALIMETRIC diskettes in bulk. Packed in cartons of 1 50 diskettes with Tyvec sleeves, User ID labels and write- Qty. protect tabs LIFETIME WARRANTY! 150+: 5.25"SSDD(P/N3408) .72 5.25"DSDD(P/N3409) .83 5.25 M SSDD-96TPI N/A 5.25"DSDD-96TPI N/A 5.25"DSDD-HD(P/N3410) N/A 3.50"SSDD-1 35TPI(P/N34 11) 1.51" 3.50"DSDD-135TP1(P/N3413) 2.05" ' Available in 250 piece canons only. "Available in 200 piece canons only. FOR ORDERS ONLY: INFORMATION 1-800-621-6827 & INQUIRIES: (In Illinois: 1 -31 2-256-71 40) 1-31 2-256-7140 HOURS: 8AM -6PM Central Time, Monday-Friday WE WILL MEET OR BEAT ANY NATIONALLY ADVERTISED PRICE ON THE SAME PRODUCTS AND QUANTITIES SUBJECT TO THE SAME TERMS AND CONDITIONS AS THE COMPETITIVE AD. DISK WORLD!, Inc. 629 Green Bav Rd. • Wilmette Illinois 60091 DISK WORLD! Bulk Diskettes Incredible Value! DSDD .54 ea. Multiples of 50only! These are genuine 3M diskettes as supplied to software duplicator accounts. LIFETIME WARRANTY. Tyvec sleeves included! Limited supplies, so act now!(P/N1 0041 ) FOR ORDERS ONLY: INFORMATION 1-800-621-6827 & INQUIRIES: (In Illinois: 1-312-256-7140) 1-312-256-7140 HOURS: 8AM -6PM Central Time, Monday-Friday WE WILL MEET OR BEAT ANY NATIONALLY ADVERTISED PRICE ON THE SAME PRODUCTS AND QUANTITIES SUBJECT TO THE SAME TERMS AND CONDITIONS AS THE COMPETITIVE AD. DISK WORLD!, Inc. 629 Green Bav Rd. • Wilmette. Illinois 60091 DISK WORLD! KODAK DISKETTES: Discover the future today! .92 Q?y. 100 1 .13 Ea. Qty. 100 5.25"SSDD 5.25"DSDD LIFETIME WARRANTY! Qty. Qty. 20-40: 50: 5.25"SSDD(P/N4200) 1.03 1.00 5.25"DSDD(P/N4201) 1.23 1.21 5.25"SSDD-96TPI N/A N/A 5.25"DSDD-96TPI N/A N/A 5.25"DSDD-HD(P/N4202) 2.35 2.31 3.50"SSDD-135TPI(P/N4206) 1.87 1.84 3.50"DSDD-135TPI(P/N4207) 2.46 2.42 BULK 5.25" DISKETTES! (Packaged in boxes of 100 with Tyvec sleeves, user ID labels and write-protect tabs.) 5.25"SSDD(P/N4203) .92 5.25DSDD(P/N4204) 1 .1 3 FOR ORDERS ONLY: INFORMATION 1-800-621-6827 & INQUIRIES: (In Illinois: 1-312-256-7140) 1-312-256-7140 HOURS: 8AM-6PM Central Time, Monday-Friday WE WILL MEET OR BEAT ANY NATIONALLY ADVERTISED PRICE ON THE SAME PRODUCTS AND QUANTITIES SUBJECT TO THE SAME TERMS AND CONDITIONS AS THE COMPETITIVE AD. DISK WORLD!, Inc. 629 Green Bay Rd. • Wilmette, Illinois 60091 DISK WORLD! DISK WORLD! Ordering & Shipping Instructions FOR FASTEST SERVICE, USE NO -COST MCI MAIL. Our address is DISKORDER. It's a FREE ,MCI MAIL letter. No charge to you. (Situation permitting, well ship these orders in 24 hours or less.) SHIPPING: 5.25" & 3.50" DISKETTES-Add $ 3.00 per each 100 or fewer diskettes. OTHER ITEMS: Add shipping charges as shown in addition to other shipping charges. PAYMENT: VISA, MASTERCARD and Prepaid orders accepted. COD ORDERS: Add $ 5.00 special handling charge. APO, FPO, AK, HI & PR ORDERS: Include shipping charges as shown and additional 5% of total order amount to cover PAL and insurance. We ship only to United States addresses, except as shown above. TAXES: Illinois residents add 7% sales tax. MINIMUM ORDER: $35.00 FOR ORDERS ONLY: INFORMATION 1-800-621-6827 & INQUIRIES: (In Illinois: 1 -312-256-7140) 1-312-256-7140 HOURS: 8AM -6PM Central Time. Monday-Friday WE WILL MEET OR BEAT A NY NATIONALLY ADVERTISED PRICE ON THE SAME PRODUCTS AND QUANTITIES SUBJECT TO THE SAME TERMS AND CONDITIONS AS THE COMPETITIVE AD. DISK WORLD!, Inc. 629 Green Bay Rd. • Wilmette, Illinois 60091 DISK WORLD! ATHANA TU DISKETTES , The great unknown! .60 5.25"SSDD Ea, Qty. 50 ■ 69 Q ty- 50 5.25"DSDD Qty. Qty. 50+: LIFETIME WARRANTY! 5.25 M SSDD(P/N3700) .60 5.25"DSDD(P/N3701) .69 5.25"SSDD-96TPI(P/N3702) .88 5.25"DSDD-96TPI(P/N3703) .92 5.25"DSDD-HD(P/N3704) 1.79 3.50"SSDD-135TPI(P/N3705) 2.00 3.50 ,, DSDD-135TPI(P/N3706) 2.73 You've used these diskettes hundreds of times as copy- protected originals on some of the most popular software packages. They're packed in polybags of 25 with Polymer-impregnated sleeves userlD labels and reinforced hubs,write-protect tabs. FOR ORDERS ONLY: INFORMATION 1-800-621-6827 & INQUIRIES: (In Illinois: 1-312-256-7140) 1-312-256-7140 HOURS: SAM -6PM Central Time, Monday-Friday WE WILL MEET OR BEAT ANY NATIONALLY ADVERTISED PRICE ON THE SAME PRODUCTS AND QUANTmES SUBJECT TO THE SAME TERMS AND CONDITIONS AS THE COMPETITIVE AD. DISK WORLD!, Inc. 629 Green Bay Rd. • Wilmette, Illinois 60091 Diskettes at the lowest prices ever! 78 EA. <- 5.25"SSDD(P/N1000) Qty.50+ 5.25"DSDD(P/N1004)-> 1.10 EA. Qty.50+ LIFETIME WARRANTY! Packed in boxes of 10 with User ID labels and write- protect labels. Qty Qty _ 2O40: 50+: 5.25"SSDD(P/N1000) .81 .78 5.25 M DSDD(P/N1004) 1.13 1.10 5.25"SSDD-96TPI(P/N1008) 1.58 1.53 5.25"DSDD-96TPI(P/N101 1) 1.98 1.93 5.25"DSDD-HD(P/N1040) 2.30 2.24 3.50"SSDD-135TPI(P/N1039) 1.58 1.53 3.50"DSDD-135TPI(P/N1046) 2.23 2.17 8.00"SSSDw/WP(P/N1020) 1.54 1.52 8.00"SSDD w/WP(P/N1 025) 1.89 1.86 8.00"DSDD w/WP(P/N1030) 2.12 2.06 DATA CARTRIDGES: (Sold 10 to a carton only.) (Add $ 5.00 shipping charges for cartridges.) DC100(P/N1041) 12.62 12.40 DC300XLP(P/N1042) 19.38 19.04 DC600A(P/N1043) 21.45 20.89 DISK WORLD! Printer Ribbons t extraordinary prices! Brand new ribbons, manufactured to Original Equipment Manufacturer's specifications, in housings. (Not re-inked or spools only.) LIFETIME WARRANTY! EPSON MX-70/80(P/N2500) $ 2.70 ea. + .25 Shpng. EPSONMX-100(P/N2501) $ 4.08 ea. + .25 Shpng. Okidata Micro83(P/N2505) $ 1.37 ea. + .25 Shpng. Okidata Micro84(P/N2502) $ 2.98 ea. + .25 Shpng. FOR ORDERS ONLY: INFORMATION 1-800-621-6827 & INQUIRIES: (In Illinois: 1-312-256-7140) 1-312-256-7140 HOURS: 8AM-6PM Central Time, Monday-Friday WE WILL MEET OR BEAT ANY NATIONALLY ADVERTISED PRICE ON THE SAME PRODUCTS AND QUANTITIESSUBJECT TO THE SAME TERMS AND CONDfTIONS AS THE COMPETfTtVE AD. DISK WORLD!, Inc. 629 Green Bay Rd. • Wilmette, Illinois 60091 DISK WORLD! Diskette Storage Cases AMAHAY MtUIA-MA I b t)U: A revolution in disk storage. Every once in a while someone takes the simple and makes it elegant. This unit holds 50 5.25" diskettes, has grooves for stacking, inside nipples to keep diskettes from slipping and several other features. We like it. (P/N3013) $ 9.69 ea. + $ 2.00 Shpng. DISK MINDER ||: Low-priced, but effective storage for 75 5.25" diskettes. Smoked plastic top, beige bottom with inside dividers. (P/N2800) $ 6.49 ea. + $ 2.00 Shpng. DISK MINDER 36: As above, but holds 36 3.50" diskettes. (P/N2950) $ 6.49 ea. + $ 2.00 Shpng. DISK CADDIES: The original flip-up holder for 10 5.25" diskettes. Beige (P/N2200) or Grey (P/N2201) S1.65 ea. + .20 Shpng. RDERSONLY: INFORMATION 1-800-621-6827 & INQUIRIES: (In Illinois: 1-312-256-7140) 1-312-256-7140 HOURS: 8AM -6PM Central Time, Monday-Friday WE WILL MEET OR BEAT ANY NATIONALLY ADVERTISED PRICE ON THE SAME PRODUCTS AND QUANTITIES SUBJECT TO THE SAME TERMS AND CONDITIONS AS THE COMPETITIVE AD. DISK WORLD!, Inc. 629 Green Bay Rd. • Wilmette, Illinois 60091 DISK WORLD! DISK WORLD! 446 BYTE • MAY 1 986 Inquiry II4 SUPERSTAR® DISKETTES: The ultimate value in magnetic media. No one told us how phenomenally successful Super Star® diskettes would become. The idea was simple. Very simple. We would do the same thing that big companies like IBM® do in regard to creating a "brand name" diskette. That is we would go to major manufacturers, buy top- quality diskettes in massive quantities, give them our own name and sell them inexpensively. A very simple idea ...that worked! Now, tens of thousands of businesses, government agencies, schools and individuals have learned that you don't have to pay inflated "brand name" prices to get "brand name" quality. Just buy Super Star® diskettes. Quality ...without high price. We ship almost a million Super Star® diskettes a month andgetveryfewof them back. Unlike others who offer a "house brand" or "generic" diskettes, Super Star® diskettes are top-of-the-line quality, exceeding ANSI and IBM standards by 50% or more. They are not cosmetically flawed, duplicator product (where a failure rate of 20% or more is expected) or what we in the diskette industry refer to as "floor sweepings", a term which speaks for itself. A lifetime warranty. If you sense pride in our description of Super Star® diskettes, you've got it right. After all, wouldn't you be proud if you found a way to deliver top-quality diskettes at about half the price of "brand names"? When every bit counts, it's Super Star®! Nearly a million Super Star® diskettes a month are being sold to some of the largest and most recognizable names in the nation. They love 'em, because they save money...and they are dependable. So now is the time for you to re-discover Super Star® diskettes. And we say "re-discover" for a reason. You've already used Super Star! Super Star® diskettes, as noted, are made by some of America's leading diskette manufacturers ...and the odds are that you've already used them more than once as the copy-protected masters on some of the best known software programs around. So, when you want the besL.and the least expensive best...order Super Star®! SUPER STAR SPECIAL! Your choice of storage at $ 4.95! Buy 50 Super Star® diskettes and get a storage case for only $ 4.95 (shipping included)! These are durable plastic cases with dividers and are ve y nice units. The5.25" unit holds 50 diskettes and the 3.50" unit holds 40 diskettes. 5.25" Storage Case(P/N31 00)..$ 4.95 ea. 3.50" Storage Case (P/N 31 02).$ 4.95 ea. What the world needs now is a complete line of high quality, inexpensive diskettes with a LIFETIME WARRANTY! And DISK WORLD! has them! Super Star 5.25 Diskettes 5.25 SSDD (P/N3800) .55 ea. 5.25" DSDD (p/n 380 D .64 ea. 5.25" SSDD-96TPI(PN3802) .80 ea. 5.25" DSDD-96TPIp/N3803) .84 ea. 5.25" DSDD-HD mimm $ 1.72 ea. ORDER IN MULTIPLES OF 50 ONLY! All Super Star 5.25" Diskettes are poly-bagged i n lots o f 2 5 with sleeves, write-protect tabs and user ID labels. QUANTITY DISCOUNTS: 350-500 diskettes, deduct 3%. 500-700 diskettes, deduct 6%. 750-1 ,000 diskettes, deduct 9%. 1 ,000+ diskettes, deduct 1 2%. Super Star 3.50 Diskettes 3.50 SSDD(p/N3805) 3.50 DSDD(p/N3806) $ 1 .52 ea. $ 1 .86 ea. ORDER IN MULTIPLES OF 50 ONLY! Super Star 3.50" diskettes are packaged in boxes of 50 with user I D labels. QUANTITY DISCOUNTS: 350-500 diskettes, deduct 1 .5%. 500-700 diskettes, deduct 3%. 750-1 ,000 diskettes, deduct 4.5%. 1 ,000+ diskettes, deduct 6%. The Super Star LIFETIME WARRANTY! Super Star Diskettes are unconditionally warranted against defects in original material so long as owned by fne original purchaser. Returns are simple: just send the defective diskettes with proof of purchase, postage-paid by you, with a short explanation of the problem and we'll send you replacements. (In- cidentally, coffee stained diskettes or diskettes with staples driven through them or otherwise damaged don't qualify as defective.) HOURS: 8AM-6PM Central Time Monday - Friday WE WILL MEET OR BEAT ANY NATIONALLY ADVERTISED PRICE ON THE SAME PRODUCTS AND QUANTITIES SUBJECT TO THE SAME TERMS AND CONDITIONS. HOW TO ORDER: ORDERS ONLY: 1-800-621-6827 (In Illinois: 1-312-256-7140) INQUIRIES: 1-312-256-7140 FOR FASTEST SERVICE, USE NO -COST MCI MAIL. Our address is DISKORDER. It's a FREE ,MCI MAIL letter. No charge to you. (Situation permitting, we'll ship these orders in 24 hours or less.) SHIPPING: 5.25" & 3.50" DISKETTES-Add $ 3.00 per each 100 or fewer diskettes. OTHER ITEMS: Add shipping charges as shown in addition to other shipping charges. PAYMENT: VISA, MASTERCARD and Prepaid orders accepted. COD ORDERS: Add $ 5.00 special handling charge, APO, FPO, AK, HI & PR ORDERS: Include shipping charges as shown and additional 5% of total order amount to cover PAL and insurance. We ship only to United States addresses, except as shown above. TAXES: Illinois residents add 7% sales tax. MINIMUM ORDER: $35.00 DISK WORLD!, Inc. 629 Green Bay Road Wilmette, Illinois 60091 Inquiry 114 BYTE 447 The Diversified Group 2°/o DISCOUNT ON ALL ADVERTISED PRICES WITH PREPAYMENT - Call (800) 523-1041 TO ORDER NOW! WHAT'S HOT TANDON DRIVE TM100-2, 360K, Full HT $104.95 SAMSUNG MONITOR Hi-Res Green Composite $89.95 TAXAN 630 MONITOR Offers Green, Amber, B & W Reverse, White on Blue $446.95 IRWIN 10MEG Tape Backup, Software Included $446.95 NEC V20 Replace your 8088 to increase speed up to 40% $18.95 20 MEGABYTE HARD-CARD 21 MB formatted all on 1 card in 1 slot $762.95 SURGE PROTECTORS Surge & Spike Suppression 15A Circuit Breaker 6 Receptable Strip 6 Receptable Wall Mount $28.95 $17.95 MULTIFUNCTION CARD 384K Memory Included Parallel, Serial & Clock Game Port with Software $131.95 POWER SUPPLY'S Direct Replacements 150 Watt $ 99.95 200 Watt $149.95 DG MODEM 3001200 Hayes 1200B Compatible $186.95 CO-PROCESSOR IN STOCK w/Manual - Intel 8087-2 - 8 MHz $154.95 8087-3 - 5 MHz $129.95 All Hard Disks Come With: 1 Yr. Warranty, Cables, Controller and are Formatted 10 Megabyte w/Controller 20 Megabyte w/Controller 30 Megabyte w/Controller QTY. 1 QTY. 5 $379.00 $374.00 489.95 469.95 728.00 714.00 Most Hard Disks are Shugart, Mlcroscl, CMI, Rodine, Segate Call lor Others BERNOULLI BOX 10 Meg 20 Meg $1779.95 2399.95 TAPE BACK-UP BY IRWIN « Meg Internal % Height, Low Power 10 Meg External Backup $446.00 $436.00 589.00 579.00 DISK DRIVE CONTROLLERS Western Digital Hard Disk Cont. $179.95 - Adaptec Hard Disk Cont. 199.95 - JJ1,m1i- - LLLLU ■!■ met/ fiOl V Lf loll IfU — MfHv MPI B-52 • Tandon Compatible • 360K Double Side/Double Density • Full Height 2 for $150.00 5V4" DISK DRIVES QTY. 1 QTY. 5 Toshiba % Height $ 99.00 $ 94.00 IBM "Logo" Drives 119.95 109.95 Tandon TM100-2 99.00 99.00 MPI (Tandon Compatible) 75.00 75.00 AT 360K w/whitelace 109.95 - DISK DRIVE CONTROLLERS IBM (Original) Controller $ 99.95 - IBM Compatible Controler 59.95 — TERMS: P.O.'s from Government Institutes, Universities, Fortune 1000 C.O.D.'s w/Guarantee, Visa, MC, MO, Cashier's Check, Cash. Please Call lor Shipping: Approx. system $25, printers & monitors $15. Minimum Shipping $4.50 We Ship Federal Express, UPS, U.S. Mall 448 BYTE* MAY 1986 IE TTE R QUALITY - DOT MATRIX OK I DATA ML182P, 120 cps, Parallel Too Low ML192P, 160 cps, w/NLQ To Quote ML193P, 15" Carriage, 160 cps, w/NLQ Cati KX 1091 KX 1092 PANASONIC TOSHIBA $259.95 $349.95 P341 24 pin 136 col. $869.00 P351 24 pin Par. & Ser. $1089.00 P1340 24 pin 80 col. $399.00 EPSON — Call lor Availability We also carry Juki, Dynax, Toshiba, Star, Panasonic, NEC. Brother "v|T No Surcharge on Credit Cards The Diversified Group MAIL ORDERS TO: 8726 S. Sepulveda, Suite A132, Los Angeles, CA 90045 WAREHOUSE: 4732 Rosecrans, Hawthorne, CA 90250 1LLLUUU Li rc RJICn/lftD (Z - MiLlVtLfli Tt ^■[■PHfMJP a~ 64K SETS All Upgrades Carry a 2 Year Warranty Nine 4164, 150ns $10.95 10 Sets $9.95 ea. 100 Sets $9.4f 128KSETS 2S6KSETS Nina. 412) J39.95 9, 41259, 2MM 132.96 29 Sets 32.9S U. 25 Sits 2I.J5 u. 80287 5MHZ for AT & Deskpro $169.95 8087-3 8087-2 5MHZ Math Co-Processor 8MHZ Math Co-PdCttW for IBMPC tor AT»T,Compaq,0»skpre $124.95 $164.98 ■in:i; uiiirii inr »«v s \ 1 1 .. i s *r ' ■ ■■L..J~jajfc^au~~lL .*..*.« k A M k;iMa-kU Slide cas« w/speafcer $49.95 Keyboard $99.95 150 Watt Pwr Supply $98.95 200 Watt Pwr Supply $149.96 640K Motherboard w/OK $159.95 TOLL FREE ORDER LINE (800) 523-1041 INSIDE CALIFORNIA (213) 675-0717 Inquiry 117 The Diversified Oroup The DG PC Series computers offers the maximum alternatives in the PC XT compatible market. Alternatives which exceed current PC XT configurations. Standard features on all DG PC Series computers include: • Full compatibility with IBM PC XT® machines • 640K bytes of parity checked memory, 8 slots • 150 watt power supply • keyboard • 1 Full Year Warranty on Parts and Labor. • 4 Layer Motherboard DG-PC DG BARE BONES DG BASE UNIT DG SYSTEM System Unit 640K on Board Keyboard 150 Watt Power Supply Disk Controller $519.95 System Unit 640K on Board One 360K Drives w/Controller 150 Watt Power Supply $699.95 System Unit 640K on Board Two 360K Drives 150 watt pwr sply Hi-Res Green Mon w/lnterface Card $847.95 DG 286 System Unit 80286 Mlcroproc. 512K Memory 1.2 Meg Floppy AT Type Keyboard w/Par. & Ser. Ports Runs PC, XT, AT Sftwr $1889.95 DG 10 System Unit 640K on Board One 360K Drive 10Meg Hard disk Monochrome Mon Mono Card $1195.95 COMPAQ DESKPRO 286 Model I $1755.95 Deskpro 286. $3391.95 Portable 286 3391.95 PORTABLE Two 360K Drives, 256K $1963.50 All Systems Assembled and Tested IBM PC Bare 256K $1099.00 One 360K Dr, 256K 1199.00 IBM XT One 360K Drive & 10 Meg Drive $2237.95 IBM AT Unenhanced $3391.50 Enhanced 3995.95 IBM IBM SYSTEM PC-XT with 10 Meg One 360K Drive, Monochrome Monitor Monochrome Card $2421.95 LltUfth£l^VBL2a.UU£l AST SftPK+ W/384K 2 Yr War $261.95 Mf -tfll WxPac Compatible plus Gameport $89.95 AIT Afnmttj i w/1.5 Megabyte of Memory fMvffol ft Serial Ports $497.95 $362.95 _J-L HAYES 1ZMI wflmartcom 1 $362.9! 1ZM External $392.95 2400 External DG Mtt12f8 Hayes compatible. Internal $595.95 $186.95 TERMS: P.Q.'s tram Government Institutes, UnrterHttes, Fertune 1000 C.O.O.'s iv/Guarantee, Visa, MC, MO, CfsJriot's Check, Cash. Preese Call for Shipping: Minimum Shipping $4.50 We Strip Federal Express, UPS, U.S. Mail No Surcharge on Credit Cards Inquiry Il7 MONITORSt! '!- AMDEK 300G Composite Green 300A Composite Amber 310A Monochrome Amber TAXAN 620 (640 x 200) 630 (640 x 400) 640 (720 x 400) $124.95 134.95 159.95 $399.95 446.00 549.95 PRINCETON GRAPHICS KX12, 640x200 Dot Pitch .31 HX12E, 640x350 Dot Pitch .28 SR12, 640x400 Dot Pitch .31 SR12P, 640x480 Dot Pitch .26 HX-9, 640x350 Dot Pitch .28 MAX12E, 720x350 $442.95 517.95 573.95 787.95 432.95 169.95 IBM flbUtboUttttb A-B SWITCH BOXES Parallel 2 pos. $49.95 Serial 2 pos. $64.95 DISKETTES Xldex Dbl/Obl 5 Year Warranty 1 bx. $12.95 10 bxs. $11.95 100 bxs. $9.95 KEYTRONICS KEYBOARDS 5153 Touch Pad $289.95 5150 Standard $169.95 5151 Deluxe $179.95 BELKIN CABLES 6 foot Shielded IBMPC to Par. $14.95 IBMPC to Modem$16.95 The Diversified P tROUp rw MAIL ORDERS TO: J251 8726 S. Sepulveda, Suite A132, Los Angeles, CA 90045 WAREHOUSE: 4732 Rosecrans, Hawthorne, CA 90250 ii DG GRAPHICS Color Graphics w/Paratlel Port 2 Yr. War. Monochrome Graphics w/Par Port EVEREX The Edge Color/Mono The Graphics Edge IBM IBM Monochrome w/Parallel Port IBM Color Card w/Parallel Port PARADISE Modular Graphics Card Multl Display DG EGA STB EGA + QUADRAM IBM EGA Color 400 Board EGA SIGMA Color Graphics Monochrome Graphics HERCULES $104.95 119.95 $269.95 269.95 $226.95 214.95 $259.95 159.95 $292.95 349.95 398.95 498.95 $458.95 $169.95 319.95 TOLL FREE ORDER LINE (800) 523-1041 INSIDE CALIFORNIA (213) 675-0717 MAY 1986 -BYTE 449 I I M I I I I I I I I I I I I I I III TOLL FREE 800-854-8230 CA Residents 71 4-558-881 3 OUR POLICY Inquiry 9 •Surcharge for VISA or Mastercard. •Volume purchasing agreements available. •Orders subject to availably. "Supply limited on certain items. •Pricing subject to change without notice. •ACP Retail Store pricing may vary. Not responsible for typos. = = We|i^j™& Ill I'll J- X JSLiflOVb DRIVECARD Don't miss out on this unbeatable system manufactured by Toshiba for ACP. ACP has sold over 3,000 ADVANCED XT's to satisfied customers including "true blue" users like Rockwell, Hughes, and Kodak. Not only is the price affordable but the features and compatibility are unbeatable. For more details call one of our expert consultants. Don't hesitate this will be a sellout! 699 00 ACP $ BASE ^ PRICE Call for complete Monochrome or Color RGB system prices with 10 or 20 Mb hard disk drives or the NEW 20Mb Drivecard. IBM COMPUTERS IBM PC W/256K, Keyboard, (2) 360K Floppy Disk Drives, Floppy Disk Controller $1585.00 IBM XT W/256K, Keyboard, 360K Floppy Disk Drive. Floppy Disk Controller, Hard Disk Optional 1725.00 IBM ATw/256K, 1.2 Mb Floppy Disk Drive 3199.00 COMPAQ PORTABLE W/256K, (2) 360K Floppy Disk Drives Call COMPAQ 286 DESKPR0 W/256K, 1.2 Mb Floppy, 20 Mb Hard 4595.00 COMPAQ DESKPR0 W/640K, 360K Floppy, 10 Mb Hard 2495.00 COMPAQ DESKPR0 W/640K, 360K Floppy, 10 Mb Hard, 10 Mb Tape back-up 3099.00 IBM HARDWARE ACP 130 Watt Power Supply $89.95 PC/AT Keyboard 89.00 ACP Color Graphics Card 95.00 ACP Monochrome Graphics 135.00 ACP Floppy Controller 75.00 384K Card Sixpak Comp (OK) 129.00 Parallel Cable (IBM) 19.00 Serial Cable (IBM) 21.00 12" Monochrome Green TTL 99.95 Green Composite Monitor 69.95 6 Slot Expansion Chassis 299.00 ACP Hi-res Text Mono Card 149.00 ACP IBM Style Flip Case 69.95 ACP Hard Disk Case (FH or HH) 169.95 ARCHIVE 20 Mb Tape Back-up (Ext) $795.00 60 Mb Tape Back-up (Ext or Int) Call AST Sixpak Plus w/64K $235.00 Advantage 128K, AT 399.00 AST 5251-11. 575.00 AST 3780 575.00 RAMpage up to 2 Mb Call DCA Irma $785.00 Irmaline 895.00 DIABLO/XEROX 620 Serial LQP was 1495 now $349.00 620APILQP 399.00 620 D36 (36cps) 449.00 Tractor was 395 now $99.00 F-21 Sheet Feeder was 896 now 249.00 Cable for 620 (to IBM) 29.00 Diablo P-11 100cps 129.95 Diablo S-11 100cps Serial 139.95 Diablo P-31 Wide 249.95 Diablo S-31 Wide 269.95 Other Diablo Dot Matrix's available Call EPSON FX85 160cps NLQ $375.00 FX185 160cps Wide 499.00 All Epson Models Lowest Price EVEREX Graphics Edge or Edge $259.00 HAYES Samrtmodem 1200 $385.00 Smartmodem1200B 349.00 Smartmodem 2400 575.00 Smartcom II 2.1 Software 88.00 Hayes Comp. 1200 (Int) w/SW 169.95 Hayes Comp. 1200 (Ext) 199.95 HERCULES Color Card $166.00 Graphics Card w/Software 295.00 INTEL Above Board PC or AT Lowest Price IRWIN 310A 10 Mb Tape (Ext) $849.00 110D 10 Mb (Int) 495.00 KEYTRONICS 5151 Deluxe Keyboard $169.95 5153 w/Touchpad 285.00 PC Jr. Numeric Keypad 39.95 MICROSOFT Mouse $125.00 Mouse (Serial) 145.00 MOUNTAIN COMPUTER 20Mb Hardcard $699.95 MOUSE SYSTEMS PC Mouse w/Paintbrush $138.00 ACP Mouse w/Keyboard 149.00 ORCHID PC Turbo 186 W/256K $585.00 PARADISE Color/Monocard $185.00 Modular Graphics Card 274.00 PERSYST Mono Board w/Parallel $159.00 Color Board 139.00 Time Spectrum.. ...Sale Call PRINCETON GRAPHICS HX-12 RGB (640x240) $445.00 MAX-12E Amber TTL 175.00 SR-12 575.00 HX-12E (690x350) 545.00 PROMETHEUS ProModem 1200 w/Mite (Int) $239.00 ProModem 1200B (Hayes Comp.). . . .289.00 Alpha/Num or Options Proc 79.95 QUADRAM Expanded Quadboard (OK) $185.00 Gold Quadboard (OK) 385.00 Silver Quadboard (OK) 215.00 Quadlink 399.00 SIGMA Color 400 Card $485.00 SHARP 12" Med-res RGB Monitor $269.95 Color Plotter w/Software 219.00 STAR MICRONICS Gemini 10X. . . .reduced TO LOW TO PRINT Gemini 15X sale TO LOW TO PRINT SG10, SR10, Radix etc. . Lowest Price Yet! TAXAN 415 (640x260) RGB.. was 699 now $279.95 Mod. 640 (Ultra Hi-res) 595.00 TEMPLATES Lotus, dBase III, etc Lowest Price TITAN Accelerator PC w/256K sale Call TOSHIBA P321 "3 in 1" LQ Printer sale $599.00 P341 24 Pin 136 Col 869.00 P351 24 Pin w/Serial & Parallel. . . .1099.00 T-1100 MS-DOS Lap Top Call WESTERN DIGITAL Filecard 10 Mb Plug-in Call Cobra Hard Disk Controller $179.95 ZENITH ZVM-1220/30 12" Grn/Amb TTL. . .$109.00 ZVM-1240 & ZVM-135 RGB Call BCTRT 10Mb (JJO7Q 20 Mb dJlQQ Upgrade $Oi%J Upgrade $*Ta3 Package {1 Yr War) Package 1 Yr War) 20 Mb Package for AT $556.00 SA 712 10 Mb $249.95 ST225 20 Mb $349.00 Mountain 20Mb Hardcard $699.95 Western Digital Controller. . .$179.95 PC UPGRADE SPECIAL SET OF (9) 64K RAMS $11 »5 36 SET OF (9) 256K RAMS $7.95 4128 PIGGYBACK RAM $120.00 8087-2 Coprocessor 1200 Baud Hayes™ Comp. Modem Short Card by U.S. Robotics with Telpac I Software. List $499 ACP.. $149.95 Buy (6) $139.95 SYSGEN 20/20 •20Mb Hard Disk •20Mb Tape Back-up •New/Factory Box •PC/XT/AT Comp. •External Complete 1 Reg. Retail $3300 ACP Only $999 Grid Compass MS-DOS Lap Computer Demo Sale Call for Details. 100's in Stock as Low as s 999 00 MACDRIVEbyTecmar 10Mb Externa! for the Macintosh. Apple bus Interface. Reg. Retail $E AAOO $1995.00 ACP Price UNBELIEVABLE! SHARP MODEL 515 4 COLOR PLOTTER IBM or APPLE Compatible. Reg Retail $399.00 $ A "TQOO Qty of (6) ACP I f 9 only $159.95 Softkey Software (Lotus Comp.) .... 99.95 Parallel or Serial Cable 19.95 Felt Tip Pen Set 6.95 iiiiiiiiiiiiiyyiiii^^^K WE WILL MEET ANY PRICE FOR CURRENT PRODUCT ADVERTISED IN POPULAR MAGAZINES. POLICY APPLIES FOR BOTH SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE! IriilillUiMJiM IF NOT - CALL & GET ON OUR MAIL LIST. -1 1 1 1 1 I I I ! I I 1_ UPS POWER SUPPLY Back Up Power for your IBM, Apple or Compatible UPS-PC 200W81U $277.00 UPSXT300 Walla 419.00 UPS-AT SOOWatta 739.00 AB PRINTER SWITCH n AB Swileh b\\Wib use ol two prlntors wtlh your computer system. We stock over is dlt- lurent canligu radons. AS Switch (Centronics) $59.Q0 AB Switch (DB25) S9.00 NEW NEC V20 P/N upD 70108 Replace Your 8088 lo increase Speed A . _. — _ up to 40% $ 1 8.95 DRIVE CABINETS IBM Style Hard Disk with power supply andlan $179.00 Dual Hard Disk w/power sup & (an 295.00 DualSVV Full Height vertical mount 05.00 Dual 5?<" Full Height horizontal mount 99.00 Dual 5Vi" Thinline w/power sup & Ian 60.00 Single 5V4" Full Height w/power sup & lanS6.00 Single 614" Thinline w/power sup & fan 60.00 FLOPPY DRIVES TEAC FD55B S89.95 TEAC FD55F 99.95 TANDON TM100-2 99.95 CDC % HEIGHT IBM 79.95 REMEX 2/3 HEIGHT 69.95 SIEMENS FD10O-8 8" 119.00 SIEMENS FD200-8 DS/DD 179.00 DEC RAINBOW UPGRADE 192K CARD SPECIAL BUY - Only $49.95 Bare INTERSIL STD BUS BOARDS ALMOST SOLD OUT Send or Call for List XT Compatible Motherboard • 8 Expansion Slots • Expandable to 640K • IBM Compatible ACP only $159.95 XT-BIOS Add.. $39.95 TRANSISTORS/DIODES CAPACITORS .OluF DISC BYPASS CAPAC1TOH 100/55.50 1 uF DISC BYPASS CAPACITOR 100/6.50 .01uF MONOLITHIC CAPACITOR 100/11.25 1 uF MONOLITHIC CAPACITOR 100/14.25 CORCOM EMI FILTER STO CORCOM 3 Conductor Filter $4.50 Line Cord for above — 8 loot 1.49 Une Coid 2 Conductor — 6 fool .35 Uiw Cord 3 Conductor — 6 tool .95 MUFFIN FANS Over 10,000 In Slock Torln 3" TA-30Q Fan NEW! $9.95 Torln 4.68" Muffin Fan NEW! 12.95 12VDC Fan NEWI 14.95 Finger Guards add 1.49 Power Cords add 1.49 IC SOCKETS 80LOERTAIL 1-99 100 8 Pin ST/LP $ .13 $ .10 14PlnST/LP .15 .11 16 Pin ST/LP .17 .12 18 Pin ST/LP .20 .17 20 Pin ST/LP .28 .28 22 Pin ST/LP .29 .27 24 Pin ST/I.P .29 .27 28 Pin ST/LP .39 .32 36 Pin ST/LP .45 .38 40 Pin ST/LP .48 .42 64 Pin ST/LP 3.95 3.25 WIREWRAP (OOLO) 1-99 100 8 Pin WW/3L $ .49 $ .40 14 Pin WW/3L .82 .49 16 Pin WW/3L .65 .55 18 Pin WW/3L .88 .77 20Pln WW/3L .99 .98 22PlnWW/3L 1.19 1.13 24PlnWW/3L 1.25 1.17 26Pln WW3L 1.49 1.39 40 Pin WW/3L 1.89 1.75 TEXTOOLyZIF ZERO INSERTION 16 Pin $8.75 24 Pin $7.85 28 Pin $8.95 (We Stock AM Types of Socket*) PN916 2N2218A 2N2219A 2N3585 2N3638 2N3772 7/S1.00 2N3904 5/1.00 2N3906 TIP29A TIP30A TIP31A TIP32A 1N4148 1N751 1N4002 1N4004 MP02232 11/J1.00 11/1.00 2/1.00 2/1.00 2/1.25 2/1.25 25/1.00 5/1.00 12/1.00 10/1.00 OPTO ISOLATORS MCT-2 MCT-8 MCT.66 MCA-255 4N28 4N27 4N28 Jumbo Red Jumbo Green Jumbo Yellow Mini Size Red Mini Size Green Mini Size Yellow 4N33 4N35 4N37 4N38 TIL117 SPX33 4N25 AC/DC 24V POWER SUPPLY SPECIAL 24V@1A Open Frame OEM Model Reg 34.95. ACP ONLY $11.95 CALL ACP FOR ALL YOUR VOLUME IC REQUIREMENTS EDGE CONNECTORS 1-99 S-100ST $3.95 $ S-WO WW 4.75 44 PI n ST 2.75 D-SUBMINIATURE DB25S (Female DB25P (Male) Hood $1.25 DE37S (Female) DE37P (Mole) Hood $1.75 DD50S (Female) DD50P(Male) Hood $3.25 $3.10 $2.90 5.25 Mtg HfW $ .99 $8.95 6.00 Mtg M/W $ .99 (OTHER STYLES IN CATALOG) CENTRONICS IOC 36 Pin Male IOC 36 Pin Female Solder 36 Pin Male Solder 36 Pin Female (CALL TOLL FREE FOR IOC'b) IDC CONNECTORS Solder Header Rt Angle Solder Header Ribbon Header Socket Ribbon Edgecard Wlrewrap Header Rt Angle W/W Header NUMBER OF CONTACTS 10 20 26 34 40 50 .79 1.20 1.65 2.10 2.40 3.00 3.10 4.10 4.20 4.60 7.15 NOTE: To order Insert number of contacts In place of xx In ACP part number. ORDER QUANTITY OF 50pc» (mixed) AND TAKE AN ADDITIONAL 10% OFF. UV EPROM ERASER We Stock Full Line of UV Products CALL FOR PRICES THERMAL PAPER 8Va x 11 - 500 SHEETS 5000 Packages Available While Supply An QQi Lasts! ou.yy/pkg. 68000 88000L10 6800 6802 6803 6809E 6502A 6.90 6502B 9.50 8035 $ 5.75 8039 5.75 8080A 2.95 8085A 4.90 80C85A 9.95 8086 24.50 8087-2 129.95 B088 17.50 $ 2.85 6850 $ 3.25 6820 3.75 6852 6821 2.90 6860 6828 14.50 6875 6840 12.75 8880 6845 11.95 88047 6155 8156 8185 8202 8203 8205 6212 68.95 6.75 6.75 26.95 23.95 37.95 8237 8237-5 6238 8243 8250 8251 8251A 8253 8255 8255A 8257 6522 6532 6551 8259 $ 6.75 8746 8749 8755A 4.0MHz "B" 6.OMH2 Z80-CPU 2.25 2.75 280-CTC 2.50 3.75 Z80-DART 7.50 6.50 Z80-DMA 8.00 6.95 ZBO-PIO 2.95 350 ZBO-SIO/0 8.50 9.50 ZB0-SIO/1 8.50 9.50 ZBO-SIO/2 8.50 9 50 ZB0-SIO/9 8.50 9.50 Z8030 $34.95 I Z8001 $34.95 I I ZB002 34.95 I DISK CONTROLLERS 17.95 17.95 9.50 UPD765 $9.95 1797 $21.95 6543 1771 15.95 2791 32.95 8272 1791 22.75 2793 32.95 1691 1793 21.50 2795 32.95 2143 1795 21.50 2797 27.95 9218 6845 $11.95 68B45 17.95 6847 11.50 46505 14.75 68047 19.50 CRT CONTROLLERS 6275 $26.50 I TMS9918 $39.50 7220 34.95 8350 39.95 5027 17.95 6545 14.95 5037 21.95 I 8002 19.95 NEC7220 Graphics 34.95 UARTS/USARTS 1602B $3.95 I 2350 S 8.95 I 1M6403 $ 8.75 1013A 3.95 8250 10.50 TMS5501 14.95 1015A 6.75 I IM6402 7.75 I 2651 8.95 1702(1mS) $ 3.90 2732A-4 (450nS) $ 4,50 2708(450nS) 3.65 2732A(250nS) 6.95 2758(5V) 5.50 2732A-2 (200nS) 8.95 2716 (450nS) 2.95 2764 (450nS) 2.95 2716 (350nS) 3.95 2764 (250nS) 3.95 2516 (5V) 2.95 2764 (200nS) 4.95 TMS2718 7.50 TMS2564 (450nS) 9.95 TMS2532 5.60 MCM66764 (450nS) 19.95 2732(450nS) 2.95 MCM68766 (350nS) 21.95 2732 (250nS) 3.75 27128-3 (300nS) 9.50 2732(200nS) 4.95 27128 (250nS) 15.95 $7.95 I 27C64 STATIC RAMS 2101 (450nS) 21L02 (450nS) 2102-1 (450nS) 21L02-2 (250nS) 2111 (450nS) 2112(450nS) 2114(450nS) 2114L-4 (450n) 1 2114L-3(300n) ' 2114L-2(200n) 2147 (55nS) 4044.4 (450nS) 4044-3 (300flS) 4044-2 (200nS) UPD410(100nS) 5101 (CMOS) 1.45 8/9.50 .69 8/12.50 .79 8/13.30 .89 6/13.90 MK4118 $4.95 TMM2016 2 (200nS) 4.10 TMM2016-15 (150n) 4.95 TMM2016-1 (lOOnS) 6.10 HM6116P-4 (200nS) 4.75 HM6116P-3 (150nS) 4.95 HM6116P-2 (120nS) 8.85 HM6116LP-4 (LP) 5.90 HM6118LP-3 (LP) 6.75 HM8116LP-2 (LP) 9.95 26132 (300nS) 32.95 HM6264P-15 (150) 32.95 HM8264LP-15 (LP) 36.95 74S169(35nS) 185 93415 (50nS) 3.95 93422/93425 (50nS) 3.95 DYNAMIC RAMS 4027 (250nS) 1103(300nS) 4116N-2(150nS) 4118N-3 (200nS) 4116N-4 (250nS) 4164N-150 (150n) 4164N-200(200n) 4164N-120 (120nS) TMS4164 (150nS) 275 TMS4416 (200nS) $6.95 TMS4416(150nS) 7.75 41256-150 (150n) " 41256-200 (200n) TMS4050 (300nS) TMS4060 (300nS) MM5280 (300nS) UPD411 (300nS) MM5298 (250nS) DISK SPECIAL (IBM pc dsdd) ^P^%© "IBM PCS" ,«,^,«„ #9Io DS/DD WOW! ■ *^ »«• Hub R f nes P ££*££ E TyvftC Cov8r Supply Limited k Major Mlgr. OF 100 5Vi"DISKETTB» VERBATIM 52501 SS/DD VERBATIM 550-01 DS/DD (IBM) MAXELL MD-1 SS/DD (All) MAXELL MD-2 DS/DD (IBM) MAXELL DISKS (or AT (96tpi) DYSAN 104/1D SS/DD (All) DYSAN 104/2D DS/DD (IBM) ACP SS/DD (All) ACP DS/DD (IBM) 3V>" DISKETTES VERBATIM 3VT MF350 (MAC) MAXELL 3W MICRODISK (MAC) 8" DISKETTES VERBATIM 8" SS/DD VERBATIM 8" DS/DD OYSAN 8" SS/DD DYSAN 8" DS/DD 19.95 2495 4695 27.95 34.95 28.95 26.95 38.95 36.95 32.95 30.95 49.95 47.95 5V4"D!SK TUB $8.95 3Vi"DISK TUB $14.95 HEAD CLEANING KIT-SWorl $9.95 74C00 $.29 74C02 .29 74C04 .29 74C06 .35 74C10 .35 .26 4028 $ .65 4059 $7.90 .22 4029 .75 4060 .65 .2 2 4030 .39 4066 .39 .79 4031 325 4069 .28 .22 4032 2.15 4070 .35 .95 4034 1.91 4071 .26 .39 4035 .79 4072 .28 .39 4037 1.95 4073 .28 .24 4040 .75 4075 .28 .24 4041 .75 4076 .75 .35 4042 .65 4077 .35 .75 4043 .65 4078 .35 .39 4044 .69 4061 29 .35 4046 80 40S2 29 .65 4047 .89 4085 .95 .79 4048 .99 4088 .95 .39 4049 .35 4093 .45 .69 4050 .34 4094 295 .69 4051 .75 4098 1.90 .69 4052 .75 4099 185 .25 4053 .75 4501 69 .59 4055 395 4502 .95 .25 4056 2.95 4503 .49 .45 CALL FOR 4505 4506 4507 4512 4514 4515 4516 518 4520 4555 4558 4568 80C95 80C97 MC14408 MC14409 MC14410 MC14411 MC14412 MC14419 74HC 74C00 74C74 $.65 I 74C161 $1.15 |74C373$2.35 74C65 1.89 74C175 1.15 74C374 2.35 74C90 1.15 74C240 1.69 74C901 .59 74C93 1.15 I 74C244 1.89 I74C922 4.45 MDRE74C IN STOCK— ALSO IN CATALOG LINEAR NE590 $2.45 LM3909 NE592 2.70 LM3914 LM709N .55 LM3915 LM709H 1.90 LM3916 LM710 .68 MC4024 LM711 .75 MC4044 LM715 3.95 RC4131 LM723N .55 RC4136 LM723H .75 RC4151 LM733 .98 CA3023 LM739 1.65 CA3039 LM741CN .33 CA3046 LM741H .40 CA3059 LM741N .29 CA3060 LM747 .65 CA3065 LM748 .55 CA3080 LM1014 1.15 CA3081 LM1303 1.90 CA3082 LM1310 1.45 CA3083 MCI330 1.65 CA3086 MC1349 1.65 CA3089 MC1350 1.15 CA3096 MC1358 1.65 CA3130 MC1372 6.75 CA3140 LM1414 1.55 CA3146 LM1558H 2.99 CA3160 LM1800 2.35 LM13080 LM1612 8.10 LM13600 LM1830 3.40 LM13700 LMI871 5.45 LF347 LM1672 5.45 LF351 LM1B77 3.20 LF353 LM1689 1.90 LF355 LM1896 1.70 LF356 ULN2001 1.95 LF357 ULN2003 1.49 TL071CP XR2206 3.75 TL072CP XR2207 2.90 TL074CN XR2206 2.40 TL081CP XR22I1 3.75 TL084CN LM2877P 2.00 TL494 LM2878P 2.25 TL496 LM2900 .83 TL497 LM2901 .99 MC3423 LM2903 .69 MC3453 LM2907 2.45 MC3456 LM2917 2.85 MC3459 LM3900 .55 MC3469 LM3905 1.15 MC3470 VOLTAGE REGULATORS MAY SPECIALS (SUPPLY LIMITED) B0N0WELL 12 CPM Portable $399.00 B0NDWELL 14 CPM Portable $499.00 US ROBOTICS 2400 Baud Modem Call SYS GEN 20 Mb w/20Mb Backup $999.00 CALC0MP 2000 Digitizer Call EPSON GENEVA Portable Call mam SUPER NUMERIC KEYPAD Manufactured by Keytronics. We have sold ACP $39.95 or 6 for 29.95 ea Reg Retail $99 LM106AH $3.95 LM300H .99 LM301N .35 LM304H 1.89 LM305H .95 LM306H 4.75 LM307N .40 LM308CN .65 LM310CN 1.65 LM311CN .62 LM312H 1.75 LM318CN 1.45 LM318H 1.55 LM319N 1.19 LM320 (seeVRs) LM324N .55 LM339N .95 LM340 (sec VRs) LM348N .95 LM358CN .65 LM359 1.75 LM360N 2.95 LM370N 4.95 LM373N 3.95 LM376N 3.75 LM377N 1.90 LM380CN .65 LM380N 1.05 LM381N 1.59 LM382N 1.35 LM383N 1.95 LM364N 1.75 LM366N .69 LM387N 1.29 LM389N 1.15 LM392N .69 LM723N .48 LM723H .55 NE531 2.85 NE555 .35 NE556 .65 NE558 1.49 NE561 23.50 NE564 2.85 LM565 .95 LM568 1.45 LM587 .85 NE570 3.85 NE571 2.90 7805TAI50 en B, 12. 15, 24V . ..by 78L05, 12. 15V....... .65 78M06C 89 78MG/79MG 1.49 78H05KC 6.75 7805KAIso H on 12. 15,24V ...I .^y 7905TAISO _- 8, 12, 15, 24V... /y 7905KAISO , „ Q 12, 15. 24V.... 1 „Oy 79L05. 12, 15V .75 LM309K 1.25 LM317H/K 1.25/3.85 LM323K 4.85 LM337K 3.75 LM338K ...6.75 LM350T 4.55 LM350K 4.75 SPECIAL PURPOSE CHIPS MC14411 BR1941 34702 5016 8118 5307 MC4024 8038 5369 58167 58174 111.25 5832 3.75 AY52376 11.50 AY53600 11.50 2513-001L 9.50 2513-002L 9.50 UPD7201 27.95 3341 4.50 11C90 13.25 MC15908 2.95 76477 76488 76489 AY38910 AY36912 SSI-263 Votrax DlgltalKer LM13800N SP1000 Speech $9.95 TR1863 5V UART $4.25 DATA AQUISITION ADC0800 $14.95 ADC0804 3.45 DAC0806 1.90 ADC0609 4.45 ADC0616 14.25 AD7523JN 1.99 ADC0817 $9.75 DAC0800 4.75 DAC0808 2.85 DAC1020 7.95 DAC1022 5.85 LF353N 1.99 1408L6 $1.95 1408L8 2.85 DAC100 7.95 DAC08 7.95 DAC01 6.95 LF13201N 1.99 EXPANSION MEMORY 64K UPGRADE (Set of 9) $7.95 256K RAMS (Set of 9) $26.95 CABLES/ACCESSORIES IBM PARALLEL (Shielded) $19.95 IBM SERIAL (Shielded) 19.95 KEYBOARD EXTENSION 4 95 RS232 GENDER CHANGER Male-Male 9.95 RS232 GENDER CHANGER Female-Female 9.95 NULL MODEM ADAPTOR 9.95 DISK DRIVE SPECIALS Toshiba ND04D DS/DD IBM $89.50 Toshiba ND04E-G for "AT" 99.50 Toshiba ND08DE-G 1.2Mb tor "AT"149.50 ALL WITH MOUNTI NG KIT 7400 7401 7402 7403 7404 7405 7408 7407 740S 7409 7410 7411 7412 7413 7414 7416 7417 7420 7421 7422 7423 7425 7426 7427 7426 7430 7432 7437 7438 7439 7440 7441 7442 7443 7444 7445 74LS00 $ 74LS01 74LS02 74LS03 74LS04 74LS05 74LS08 74LS09 74LS10 74LS11 74LS12 74LS13 74LS14 74LS15 74LS20 74LS21 74LS22 74LS26 74LS27 74LS28 74LS30 74LS32 74LS33 74LS37 74LS38 74LS40 74LS42 74LS47 74LS48 74LS51 74LS54 74LS55 74LS73 74LS74 74LS75 74LS76 74LS78 74LS83 74LS85 74LS86 74LS90 74LS92 74LS93 74LS95 74LS96 74LS107 74LS109 74LS112 74S00 $.29 74502 .29 74503 .29 74504 .45 74505 .45 74508 .39 74509 .39 74510 .35 74511 .35 74S15 .35 74S20 .35 74S22 .35 74S30 .35 74S32 .45 74S36 .69 74S40 .39 74S51 .35 7 4 584 .39 74S65 .39 7446 $ 68 74123 $ .45 7447 .65 74125 .42 7448 .68 74126 .44 7450 .19 74128 .49 7451 .19 74132 .45 7453 .19 74136 .75 7454 .19 74141 .65 7459 .25 74142 2.95 7460 .37 74143 3.70 7470 .29 2 95 7472 .29 74145 .59 7473 .33 74147 1.49 7474 .34 74148 1.19 7475 .38 74150 1.09 7476 .34 74151 .55 7479 460 74152 .67 7480 .69 74153 .53 7482 .95 74154 1.19 7483 .45 74155 .69 7485 .55 74156 .59 7486 .35 74157 .69 7489 1.95 74158 1.65 7490 .35 74159 1.58 7491 .65 74160 .79 7492 .45 74161 .69 7493 .35 74162 .69 7494 .85 74163 .69 7495 .50 74164 .69 7496 .69 74165 .69 7497 2.70 74168 .65 74100 1.50 74167 2.75 74107 .24 74170 1.25 74109 .37 74172 4.75 74116 1.45 74173 .69 74121 .29 74174 .69 74122 .44 74175 .69 74178 $ .69 74177 .69 74179 1.34 74160 .75 74181 1.75 74182 1.15 74184 2.25 74185 2.25 74190 .67 74191 .67 74192 .67 74193 .67 74194 .67 74195 .67 74196 .75 74197 .86 74199 1.15 74199 1.15 74221 1.19 74251 .75 74273 .1.65 74276 1.89 74279 .75 742B3 1.40 74264 2.90 74295 2.90 74290 1.49 74298 1.49 74365 .55 74366 .55 74367 .55 74368 .55 74390 1.45 74393 1.33 74490 2.25 74LS113 74LS114 74LS122 74LS123 74LS124 74LS125 74LS126 74LS132 74LS136 74LS138 74LS139 74LS145 74LS148 74LS151 74LS153 74LS154 74LS155 74LS156 74LS157 74LS158 74LS160 74LS161 74LS162 74LS163 74LS184 74LS165 74LS168 74LS166 74LS169 74LS170 74LS173 74LS174 74LS175 74LStf?1 74LS190 74LS191 74LS192 74LS193 74LS194 74LS195 74LS196 74LS197 74LS221 74LS240 74LS242 74LS243 74LS244 74LS245 74LS247 74LS248 74LS249 74LS251 74LS253 74LS257 74LS258 74LS259 74LS260 74LS261 74LS268 74LS273 74LS275 74LS279 74LS283 74LS290 74LS293 74LS295 74LS298 74LS324 74LS347 74LS348 74LS352 74LS353 74LS383 74LS365 74LS366 74LS387 74LS368 74LS373 74LS374 74LS375 74LS377 74LS385 74LS386 74LS390 74LS393 74LS395 74LS399 74LS424 74LS668 74LS870 81LS95 81LS96 61LS97 61LS98 3SLS2S21 25LS2569 74S00/PROMS* 74S74 $.55 74S83 1.99 74S86 .55 745112 .55 745113 .55 745114 .55 74S124 2.89 74S1321.39 745133 .45 745134 .50 745135 .69 74S1351.39 745138 .89 745139 .89 745140 .55 74S1S1 .89 74S153 .99 74S157 .99 74S15B $99 745160 2.49 745161 1.B9 745174 1.19 745175 1.19 74S18B- 1.49 745194 1.49 745195 1.49 745196 V49 745240 1.99 745241 1.99 745242 1.99 745243 1.99 745244 1.99 74S251 1.19 74S253 1.19 74S2S7 74S258 CALL FOR 74HC 74S260 $ 74S280 74S287' ' 74S288' 745373 I 745374 ! 74S387- 74S47V ! 74S472* - 74S473' ' 74S474 1 < 74S475" ■ 745570" J 74SS7T : 745572' - 74S573' - 745940 i 745941 I Inquiry. iS^iiliiS Be jfciil *JI Que.: Fie tail: E&L lawjwin^A^j&ns. iaic iui Ed njer, Saiita Aju* Ci\_9:t70iL O Ql *5 Q. CO O < CL CL en H ZX CD o B3 O) —% CD XS B> CL o CD l ameco Mail-Order Electronics J g/SgSS ai5-592-8097 74QO Part No. Price 19 Part No. Price SN7400N SN7485N 55 SN7402N 19 SN7486N 35 SN7404N. . . . 25 29 SN7489N 1.95 SN7405N SN7490N. 39 SN7406N 29 SN7493N 35 SN7407N 29 SN74121N 29 SN7408N 25 SN74123N 49 SN7410N 19 SN74125N 45 SN7414N 45 SN74126N 49 SN7416N 35 SN74143N .... 3.95 SN7417N 35 SN74150N .... 1.29 SN7420N 19 SN74154N .... 1.25 SN7430N 19 SN74158N 1 .39 SN7432N 29 SN74173N 75 SN7438N 29 SN74174N 59 SN7442N 45 SN74175N 59 SN7445N 69 SN74176N .89 SN7446N 79 SN74181N .... 1.95 SN7447N. .... 79 SN74189N. ... 1.95 SN7448N 79 SN74193N 69 SN7472N. . ... .39 SN74198N 1 .35 SN7473N. 35 SN74221N 89 SN7474N 35 SN74273N. . . . .... 1.95 SN7475N 39 SN74365N 59 SN7476N 35 SN74367N 59 74LS 74LS0O. . . 19 74LS165 . .. .79 74LS02. . . 19 74LS166 . .. .89 74LS04. . . .25 74LS173 . .. .49 74LS05. . . 25 74LS174 . .. .39 74LS06 . 99 74LS175 . .. .39 74LS07. . . 99 74LS189 . . 3.95 74LS08. . 19 74LS191 ... .49 74LS10. . . 19 74LS193 ... .69 74LS14. . 39 74LS221 . .. .59 74LS27. . .25 74LS240 .. 69 74LS30. . 19 74LS243 . .. .69 74LS32. . 25 74LS244 69 74LS42. . 39 74LS245 ... .79 74LS47. . 89 74LS259 .. 1.19 74LS73. . 35 74LS273 ... .79 74LS74. . 25 74LS279 ... .39 74LS75. . 29 74LS322 ..2.95 74LS76. . 29 74LS365 ... .39 74LS85. . 49 74LS366 ... .39 74LS86. . 25 74LS367 ... .39 74LS90. . 39 74LS368 ... .39 74LS93. . 39 74LS373 ... .79 74LS123. 49 74LS374 ... .79 .. .39 74LS393 74LS590 ... .79 74LS138. 39 . . . 5.95 74LS139. 39 74LS624 . . . 1 .95 74LS154. 1 .49 74LS629. 74LS640 . . . 2.49 74LS157. 35 ... .99 74LS158. 35 74LS645 ... .99 74LS163. 49 74LS670. 74LS688. ... .99 74LS164. 49 . . . 1.95 74S/P ROMS* 74SOO. . . 29 74S188* . . . 1.75 74S04. . . 35 74S189 . .. 1.95 74S08. . . .35 74S196 . . . 1.49 74S10. . . 29 74S240 . .. 1.49 74S32. . . 35 ......... .49 74S244 . . 1.49 74S74. . . 74S253 ... .79 74S85. . . 1.49 74S287- . .. 1.69 74S86. . . 35 74S288* . . . 1.69 74S124. . 2.75 74S373 74S374 74S472* . . . 1 .69 74S174. . 79 . . . 1 .69 74S175. . 79 . . . 3.49 74J U.S 74ALS00. 35 74ALS138 ... .89 74ALS02. 35 74ALS174 ... .89 74ALS04. .39 35 74ALS175 ... .89 74ALS08. 74ALS240 74ALS244. ...... . . . 1 .79 74ALS10. 35 . .. 1.79 74ALS27. .39 74ALS245. . . . 2.49 74ALS30. 35 74ALS373 . .. 1.95 74ALS32. 39 74ALS374 . .. 1.95 74ALS74. 55 74ALS573 . .. 1.95 74F 74FOO 59 74F139 1.29 74F04 65 74F157 1.29 74F08 59 74F193 4.95 74F10 ...... .59 74F240 2.49 74F3£ 65 74F244 2.49 74F74. 69 74F253 1.79 74F86 89 74F373 2.95 74F138 1.19 74F374 2.95 CD— CMOS CD4001 19 CD4081 CD4082 25 CD4011 19 25 CD4013 35 CD4093 CD4094. 39 CD4016 29 1.49 CD4017 49 CD401 03 .... 2.95 CD4018 69 CD4503 CD4510 49 CD4020. ..... 59 69 CD4024. ..... 49 CD4511 69 CD4027 39 39 CD4515. 1 .39 CD4030. CD4518 79 CD4040 65 CD4520 79 CD4049. 29 CD4522 79 CD4050 29 CD4538 89 CD4051 65 CD4541 89 CD4052 65 CD4543 99 CD4053 65 CD4553 4.95 CD4059 3.49 CD4555 89 CD4060 89 CD4566 .... 1.95 CD4066 29 CD4583 ....1.19 CD4069. 25 CD4584 59 CD4070 29 CD4585 75 CD4071 25 25 89 MC14411 9.95 CD4072 MC14490P 4.49 CD4076 MC14572. . :.. 89 PRICE BREAKTHROUGHS CUSTOM COMMODORE CHIPS for VIC-20, C-64 and C-128 Personal Computers ♦6510CPU 4Z&G- 9.95 *6525TPI -ae*5- 9.95 'Specs. Availabl e @ $ 1 .50ea. •6526CIA -2*£fr- 14.95 *6560VIC-I 5945- 14.95 *6567 VIC- 1 1 44,96- 19.95 Part No. Price *6581SID -3245-19.95 82S100PLA -3*35- 19.95 NOTE:82S100=U17(C-64) rs . MC68701 -Microcomputerwith EPROM (M) motorola Jhe MC68701 js gp 8_ b j t single chip microcomputer unit (MPU) which significantly enhances the capabilities of the MC6800 ^ — -«^^ family of parts. On-chip resources include 2048 bytes of EPROM, .^^^^. ^^|L 128 bytes of RAM, Serial Communications Interface (SCI), parai- ■mHHRP lei I/O, and a three function Programmable Timer. — '*" MC68701 $24.95 MICROPROCESSOR COMPONENTS MICROPROCESSOR CHIPS Part No. Price D765AC 4.95 CDP1802CE 9.95 2661-3 6.95 Z80, Z80A, Z80B, SERIES Z80 1 75 Z80-CTC Z80-DART Z80-PI0. . ... 1.79 . . . 4.95 . 179 Z80A . . . 1.85 Z80A-CTC Z80A-DART Z80A-PI0 ... 1.89 . . . 5.25 ... 1 .95 Z80A-SI0/Q . . . Z80B . . . 5.25 . . . 3.95 Z80B-CTC Z80B-PI0. . . . . , . 4.95 4 95 6500/6800/68000 SER. 6502 2.75 6520 . . . 2.95 6522 . . . 4.95 6532 . . . 6.49 6551 . . . 6.95 6800 ... 1 .95 6802 . . . 4.95 6810 ... 1 .95 6821 . . . 1.95 6840 . . . 6.75 6500/6800/68000 ConL Part No. Price 6843 . . . 9.95 6845 . . . 4.95 6850 ... 1.95 6852 . . . 4.75 68000L8 68661 . . . 9.95 8 95 80D0 SERIES 8031 6.95 80C31 BH . . 1 9.95 8035 ... 1 .95 8073N 8080A . . 29.95 . . . 3.95 8085A . . . 2.75 80B6 . . . 8.95 8086-2 . . 1 0.95 8087 (5MHz)... 8087-2(8MHz) . 8088 . 129.95 .. 1 59.95 . . . 7.95 8088-2 81 1 6. . . . 9.95 . . . 8.95 8155 . . . 2.75 8155-2 . . . 3.95 8156 . . . 2.75 8202 . . . 9.95 8203 . . 29,95 8212 . . . 1.95 8224 . . . 2.25 8228. . . . 3.49 8000 SERIES ConL Part No. Price 8237-5 . . 6.95 8243 . . 2.49 8250A . . 6.95 8250B (For IBM) , ...7.25 8251A . . 2.25 8253-5 . . 2.25 8254 . . 9.95 8254-2 . 1 1 .95 8255A-5. . . 2.25 8257-5 . . 2.49 8259-5 . . 2.49 8272 . . 4.95 8279-5 . . 2.95 8741 . . 8.95 8748 . . 7.95 8749 . . 9.95 8751 . 29.95 8755. . 1 4.95 DATA ACQUISITION ADC0804 ..3.49 ADC0808 . . 8.95 ADC0809 . . 3.95 ADC081 6. . 1 4.95 ADC0817 . . 8.95 DAC0808 .. 1.95 DAC100S . . 7.95 AY-3-1015D. ... . . 4.95 AY-5-1013A.... . . 3.95 Part No. Function -DYNAMIC RAMS ~ Piice 4116N-15 16,384x1 (150ns) 89 4128 131,072x1 (200ns) 5.95 4164N-150 65,536x1 (150ns) 1-39 4164N-200 65,536x1 (200ns) 1.19 TMS4416-12 16,384x4 (120ns) 4.95 MM5280 4096 x 1 (200ns) 2107 1.95 8118 1 6,384 x 1 (1 20ns) (+5V Only Required) 99 41256-150 262.144x1 (150ns) 3.95 50464-15 65,536x4 (150ns) (4464) (41464) 7.95 STATIC RAMS TMM2016-12 2048x8 (120ns) 1.69 2102 1024x1 (350ns) 89 2102-2L 1024x1 (250ns) LR (91 L02) 1.49 2114N 1024x4 (450ns) 99 2114N-L 1024x4 (450ns) LP 1.09 2114N-2 1024x4 (200ns) 1.05 2114N-2L 1024x4 (200ns) LP 1.49 21C14 1024x4 (200ns) (CMOS) 49 2149 1 024 x 4 (45ns) 4.95 5101 256x4 (450ns) CMOS 3.95 HM6116P-3 2048x8 (150ns) CMOS 1.79 HM6116LP-3 2048x8 (1 50ns) LR CMOS 1-85 HM6264P-12 8192x8 (120ns) CMOS 4.69 HM6264LP-12 8192 x 8 (1 20ns) LR CMOS 4.79 HM6264P-15 8192x8 (150ns) CMOS 4.49 HM6264LP-15 8192 x 8 (1 50ns) LR CMOS 4.59 6514 1 024 x 4 (350ns) CMOS (UPD444C) 4.49 PROMS /EPROMS 1702A 256x8 (1/iS) 5.95 TMS2516 2048 x 8 (450ns) 25V 5.95 TMS2532 4096 x 8 (450ns) 25V 5.95 TMS2564 8192x8 (450ns) 25V 9.95 2708 1024x8 (450ns) 5.49 TMS2716 2048 x 8 (450ns) 3 voltage 9.95 2716 2048 x 8 (450ns) 3.75 2716-1 2048X8 (350ns) 25V 425 27C16 2048 x 8 CMOS 9.95 2732 4096 x 8 (450ns) 4.75 2732A-20 4096x8 (200ns) 21V 5.25 2732A-25 4096x8 (250ns) 21V 4.49 2732A-45 4096x8 (450ns) 21V 3.95 27C32 4096x8 CMOS 10.95 2758 1024x8 (450ns) Single +5V. 5.95 2764-20 8192x8 (200ns) 21V 5.25 2764-25 8192x8 (250ns) 21V 425 2764A-25 8192x8 (250ns) 12.5V 4.49 2764-45 8192x8 (450ns) 21V 3.95 27C64 8192x8 CMOS 21V 6,95 27128-25 1 6,384 x 8 (250ns) 128K21 V 4.95 27128A-25 16,384x8 (250ns) 12.5V 5.95 27256-25 32,768 x 8 (250ns) 256K (1 2.5V) 9.95 27C256-25 32,768 x 8 (250ns) 256K (CMOS) (1 2.5V) 1 3.95 68764 8192 x 8 (450ns) 25V 1 5.95 68766 8192x8 (350ns)25V 16.95 74S387 256x4 PROMO.C 1.69 74S471 256x8 PROMTS- 4.95 82S123 32x8 PROMTS 2.95 82S129 256 x 4 PROM TS- 2.95 LOW PROFILE (TIN) SOCKETS Pari No. 1-9 10-99 100-up 8 pin LP 13 14 pin LP 15 16 pin LP 17 24 pin LP 31 28 pin LP. ...... . .39 . 40 pin LP 49 .12 .13 .15 .30 .37 .46 .29 .35 .43 WIRE WRAP SOCKETS (GOLD) LEVEL #3 Part No. 1-9 10-99 100-up .55 .69 8 pin WW. . 14 pin WW. , 1 6 pin WW. . 24 pin WW 1.19 28 pin WW 1 .39 40 pin WW 1 .79 .49 .65 .69 1.09 1.29 1.69 .45 .59 1.19 1.59 - SOLDERTAIL STANDARD (GOLD & TINI AND HEADER PLUG SOCKETS ALSO AVAILABLE - SATELLITE TV PESCRAMBLER The MM5321 is a TV camera sync generator designed to supply the basic sync functions for either color or mono- chrome 525 line/60Hz interfaced and camera video recorder applications. COLOR BURST GATE & SYNC ALLOW STABLE COLOR OPERATION MM5321 $9.95 PIGITALKER™ U I lUbU ~~ Applications: Teaching aids, appliances, clocks, automotive, telecommunications, language transla- tions, etc. TheDT1050isa standard DIGITALKER kit encoded with 137 separate and useful words, 2 tones, and 5 different silence durations. The words and tones have been assigned discrete addresses, making it possible to output single words or words concatenated into phrases or even sentences. The "voice" output of the DT1 050 is a highly intelligible mate voice. The DT1 050 consists of a Speech Processor Chip. MM54104 (40-pin) and two (2) Speech ROMs MM52164SSR1 and MM52164SSR2 (24-pin) along with a Master Word list and a recommended schematic diagram on the application sheet F^rt No. Description Price DT1 050 Digitalker™ $24.95 MM54104 Processor Chip . . . $12.95 DT1 057-Expands Ihe DT1050 vocabulary from 137 words to over 250 words. Includes two (2) ROMsand specs. DT1057 $11.95 INTERSIL Part No. FE0202D FE0203D Price ... 1 2.95 ... 1Z95 8.95 Pail No. 7207AEV/Kit 7211IPL(TTL) Price . . 8.49 . . 7.95 7106CPL 7211MIPL(Micro). 7217UI 7217AIPI . . . 8.49 7106EV/KJL... 7107CPL . . . 46.95 8.95 . 10.95 . . 8.95 7107EV/Kit... 7207AIPD . . . 46.95 5.95 7224IPL 7226AEV/Kit . 10.95 .99.95 74HC HI-SPEED CMOS 74HC00 35 74HC175 89 74HC02 39 74HC221....:. .... 1.95 74HC04 .. .39 74HC240 .... 1.39 74HC08 39 74HC244 .... 1.49 74HC10 39 74HC245 .... 1.59 74HC14 59 74HC253 .... .79 74HC30 39 74HC259 .... 1.19 74HC32 45 74HC273 .... 1.79 74HC74. ...... 45 74HC373 .... 1.49 74HC75 69 74HC374 .... 1.49 74HC76. 69 74HC39a ....1.19 74HC85 1.19 74HC595 ... . 1.95 74HC86 59 74HC688 1.95 74HC123 1.19 74HC404O 74HC4049 74HC4050 1.19 74HC125 99 . . .79 74HC132 .79 79 74HC138 .. 79 74HC4060 .... 1.19 74HC139 .79 1.95 74HC4511 .... 1.95 74HC154 74HC4514 2.95 74HC163 89 74HC4538 1.95 74HC174 89 74HC4543 .... 2.95 74C- CMOS 74C00. . 29 29 74C174 . . .89 74C02. . 74C175. ... .89 74C04. . 25 35 74C221 ... 1.19 74C08. . 74C240 ... 1.59 74C10. . .. .29 74C244 ... 1.59 74C14. . .. -49 74C373 ... 1.95 74C32. . 35 74C374 ... 1.95 74C74. . .49 74C912 . . . 7.95 74C85. . , 1.19 74C915 . .. 1.19 74C86. . .. 29 74C920 . . . 9.95 74C89. . . 3.95 74C921 . . . 9.95 74C90. . 89 74C922 ...3.95 74C154. . 2.95 74C923 74C925 . . 3.95 74C173. 89 . . . 4.95 LINEAR DS0026CN .... 1.69 LM399H . . 3.95 TL074CN 79 TL497ACN ..2.19 TL084CN .... 1.09 NE540H (C540H) . .. 2.95 LM307CN 45 NE555V .. .29 LM309K. 1.25 45 99 XR-L555 .. .69 LM311CN LM556N .. .59 LM317T NE558N .. 1.19 LM318CN .... 1.19 .... 1.19 LM565N .. .99 LM319N LM567V .. .89 LM320K-5 135 NE592N .. .89 LM320T-5 59 LM741CN .. 29 LM323K. 4.49 LM747N. ... .. .59 LM324N 39 LM1458CN .. .49 LM338K. .... 3.95 LM1488N .. .69 LM339N 49 LM1489N .. .69 LM340K-5 1.35 LM1496N .. .99 LM340K-12 1.35 LM1871N . 1.95 LM340K-15 1 .35 LM1872N . . 2.49 LM340T-5 49 LM1896N ULN2003A XR2206 . 1.59 LM340T-12 49 . . .99 LM340T-15. . . . 49 .3.95 LF347N 99 XR2207 XR2211 .2.49 LM348N .69 .2.95 LF351N. .. .... .49 LM2907N. ....... LM2917N(8pin).. . 1 95 LF353N 59 . 1.55 LF355N 89 LM3900N . . .59 LF356N 89 LM3905CN . 1.19 LM358N 49 LM3909N .. .89 LM360N ....2.19 LM3914N. ..1.95 LM361N 1.59 LM3916N NE5532 . . 1 .95 LM380CN .... 1.09 89 .. .99 LM386N-3 NE5534 .. .89 LM387N 99 75477 . . 1.19 LM393N 45 J 76477 . . 3.95 PARTIAL LISTING • OVER 4000 COMPONENTS AND ACCESSORIES IN STOCK! • CALL FOR QUANTITY DISCOUNTS 454 BYTE • MAY 1986 Inquiry 183 Worldwide • Since 1974 • QUALITY COMPONENTS • COMPETITIVE PRICING Mail Order Electronics -Worldwide InTsMi •j-MM***uim?m ELECTRONICS COMMODORE COMPATIBLE ACCESSORIES RS232 Adapter for VIC-20 and Commodore 64 The JE232CM allows connection of standard serial RS232 printers, modems, etc to your VIC-20 and C-64 {excluding the SX-64 Portable). A 4-pole switch allows the inversion of the 4 control lines. Complete Installation and operation instructions included. • Plugs into User Port • Provides Standard RS232 signal levels • Uses 6 signals (Transmit, Receive. Clear to Send. Request to Send, Data Terminal Ready, Data Set Ready). JE232CM $39.95 Voice Synthesizer VIC-20 & C-64 Plug-In — Talking in Minutes! JE520CM $99.95 300 Baud Auto Modem Mitey-Mo rc-64) $74.95 Parallel Printer Interface FREE 4K Buffer Included! MW350 (ForVIC-20,C-64&CM28) $69.95 TRS-80 COMPATIBLE ACCESSORIES E-X-P-A-N-D TRS-80 MEMORY All kits come complete with documentation TRS-80 MODEL I, III TRS-16K3 200ns (Model III) $5.95 TRS-16K4 250ns (Model I) $5.49 TRS-80 COLOR AND COLOR II TRS-64K-2 $11.95 New models only - TRS-CoCo-lncl. 2-50464's (41464's). . . . $19.95 TRS-80 MODEL 4, 4P TRS-64K-2 $11.95 Expands Model4 from 16K-64KorModel4Pfrom64K-128K TRS-64K-2PAL $29.95 Expands Model 4 from 64K to 128K TRS-80 Model 100 • NEC • OLIIvetti M1008K $29.95 ea. or 3 for $79.95 TRS-80 Model 100 Expansion NEC8KR $29.95 ea. or 3 for $79.95 NEC Model PC-8201 A Expansion OM108K $29.95 ea. or 3 for $79.95 Olivetti Model M10 Expansion TANDY 200 M200R $99.95 ea. or 2 for $189.95 Tandy Model 200 Expansion PROMETHEUS MODEMS Intelligent 1200/300 Baud Modem with Real Time Clock/Calendar The ProModem™ is a Bell 212 A (1 200/300) intelligent stand- alone modem • Hayes command set compatible plus an ad- ditionalextended command set • Shown with alphanumeric display option. RS-232 Stand-Alone Unit; PM1200 $299.95 Options for ProModem 1 200 PM-COM $49.95 ProCom Communications Software. Please specify Operating System-Apple:ProDOSorCP/M-IBM:PCDOSorMSDOS PM-OP512K. $129.95 Communications Buffer Option BUF512K $54.95 512K Memory for PM-OP512K PM-ALP $79.95 Alphanumeric Display for ProModem 1200 PM-SPECIAL #2 $249.95 Includes PM-OP512K, BUF512K and PM-ALP APPLE COMPATIBLE ACCESSORIES All Apple Cards come complete with instructions. MADE IN THE USA! 16K RAM CARD (Language Card) For Apple II and II+* CONTROLLER CARD For Apple II, II+ and lie* Expand from 48K-64K. Runs Applesoft, DOS, CP/M and Pascal. (ARC-16K/MEM-1) JE860** . . $39.95 Capable of handling up to two drives. Recommended drives: ADD-514orADD-12.(ACC-1) JE875 .... $49.95 EXTENDED 80- COLUMN CARD For Apple lie* JE864 is an extended 80- column/64KRAMCard.Ultra- high resolution capability. JE864 .... $69.95 128K RAM CARD For Apple II, II+ and lie* Four key software programs are included: Utilities. Diagnostics. Demos, and RAM Disk Emulators for DOS 3.3. CP/M and Apple Pascal. Expand-A-RAM: JE868** $119.95 Siwim-u-us APPLESURANCE DIAGNOSTIC DISK CONTROLLER CARD For Apple II, II+ and lie* PREVENTS CRASHES! Test your RAM. ROM, CPU and Disk Drives. DRV-1/Applesurance II: JE877 $69.95 SlTOWliLlMlS PARALLEL ^a PRINTER CARD IPI For Apple II, II+ and lie* ^j#**£L Fully compatible with Apple CP/M. Apple t8§Hr / .7 Pascal (or FORTRAN), and most other op- **y / f erating systems and software packages. Available for Apple II, II+ and lie'. PRT-1: JE880 $59.95 m f&f§$mmm PARALLEL/SERIAL 64K BUFFER CARD For Apple II, II+ and lie* Using the parallel jumper cable supplied, the JE883 will attach to the JE880 (above). Parallel Card needed for operation. The JE883 includes a standard parallel input with both parallel and serial (RS232) buf- fered outputs. P/S Buffer: JE883 $79.95 •APPLE, APPLE II, II+ and He are registered trademarks of Apple Computers. "When using CP/M, the JE860 and JE868 will only function with Version 2.20 or earlier: PASCAL ( JE868) Version 1.1 or earlier. ADDITIONAL APPLE* COMPATIBLE PRODUCTS Key: a-Apple II or II+ b=Apple We APF-1 Cooling Fan with Surge Protection • Key: (a,b) $ 39.95 KHP4007 Switching Power Supply ■ Key: (a,b) $ 39.95 JE61 4 Numeric/Aux. Keypad - 11 accessible functions • Key: (b). ... $ 49.95 AMON 12" Green Monitor with Swivel Stand • Key: (a, b and lie) $ 99.95 KB-EA1 Apple Keyboard and Case • Key: (a) $ 99.95 JE520AP Voice Synthesizer -Rug-In, User Ready Key: (a,b) $119.95 ADD-1 2 5VV Half-Height Disk Drive • Key: (a,b) $129.95 ADD-IIC 5 'A" Half-Height Disk Drive ■ Key: {lie) $129.95 ADD-514 5V4'Full Height Disk Drive • Key: (a.b) $139.95 PM1200A Prometheus Internal Modem - 2 Cards • Key: (a,b) $299.95 PM1200M Prometheus Macintosh Ext Modem - Key: (Macintosh) $349.95 GENERAL APPLICATION POWER SUPPLIES , Power/Mate Corp. REGULATED POWER SUPPLY • Input: 105-125/210-250VAC@ 47-63Hz • Line regulation: ±0.05% ■ 3 mounting surfaces ■ Overvoltage protection ■ UL recognized ■ CSA certified Part No, Output Size (Inches) Weight PRICE EMA5/6B EMA5/6C 5V@3A / 6V@2.5A 5V@6A / 6V@5A 4s your opportunity to purchase a plotter which was originally priced at S795 lor only 52 1 9 Also available is a support package which includes demonstration software, interlace cable. a multicolor pen assortment and a variety ot paper and transparency material. Quick-LinkSOO he Quick-Link 300 gives you an instant link to any dial up data base. Such as Dow Jones, Western Union or the Source. The Quick-Link has four user programmable log-on keys, allowing the operator, with only one keystroke, to dial the data base, log-in and give the password. All this info nently stored in non-volatile RAM. Features include video output to television or monitor, auto dial, auto-log, full sized keyboard, 300 baud modem and 1 200 baud auxillaiy printer port. All this is available for only S59. 5V4" DISK DRIVE SALE *89 Your Choice 48 or 96 TPI drive. QUME MODEL 1 42 • 48 TPI MITSUBISHI 4853 • 96 TPI Quantity Two TEAC FD55B V half height 1 1 9 TE AC FD55F V 96 TPI, half ht. 119 TEAC FD55GF for IBM AT 189 SHUGARTSA455 Half Height 119 SHUGARTSA465V 2 Ht.96TPI 125 TAN DON 1 00-2 full height 1 29 MITSUBISHI4851 half height 119 MITSUBISHI 4853 96/TPI/ 2 Ht. 99 MITSUBISHI 4854 8" elec. 295 QUME 1 42 half height 99 Switching power supply Installation Kit with manual Dual enclosure for 5W drives 34 pin edge connectors Scotch head cleaning kit Flip & File Storage tubs wo Ten 109 99 109 105 179 175 109 105 119 109 125 119 109 105 89 89 285 275 89 89 49 10 59 5 19 15 UME <149 Eight Inch Single Sided Drives QUME 841 single side 159 149 call SHUGART801R SIEMENS FDD 100-8 359 359 354 119 115 109 Eight Inch Double Sided Drives QUME 842 "QUME TRACK 8" 189 179 call SHUGARTSA851R 495 485 475 OLIVETTI double sided 189 179 159 REMEXRFD-4000 179 169 159 MITSUBISHI M2896-63 1 / 2 Ht. 459 449 409 Dual 8" enclosure with power and fan 259 Switching power supply 89 Installation kit with manual 10 PRINTERS MATRIX PRINTERS StarGemini-SGiO 120char/sec. STR-SG10 Star Gemini-SG15, 1 00 char ./sec. 15" paper. STR-SG15 Star Gemini Delta 10. 160 Char/sec STR-D10 Citizen MSP/10FT 160 char/sec. CIT-MSPtO Toshiba P1351, 192 char/sec. letter quality TOS-1351 Okidata 182A serial & parallel 9v 2 " paper OKI-182A Okidata 192A parallel interlace, 1 60 char/sec. OKI-192A Okidata 84P parallel 15" paper OKI-84P Epson LX-80 10" 120 Char/sec. EPS-U80 Epson FX80FT, 10" 160 char./sec. with graphtrax EPS-FX80 Epson RX100+ 15" withGraphtrax EPS-RX100 Epson FX100FT 15" 160 char./sec with graphtrax EPS-FX100 Epson LQ1500. 15" corospondence quality EPS-LQ1500 Epson JX80Colorprinter EPS-JX80 Prowriter8510 parallel 9Vi" paper PRD-8510P Dataproducts B-600-3. band printer 600 LPM. OPS-B600 Printronix P300 high speodpnnter300 lines per minute PTX-P300 Pnntronix P600 ultra high speed 600 lines per minute PTX-P600 WORD PROCESSING PRINTERS Starwriter FiO parallel. 40 char/sec. PRO-F10P NEC8810 55char/second, serial interlace NEC-8810 NEC8830 55 char/sec. par I interlace. NEC-8830 NEC3550 popular pnnter designed tor tha IBM/PC NEC-3550 NEC2050 designed lor IBM/PC 20 Char/sec pari. NEC-2050 Silver Reed EXP500, 1 4 char/sec. par' I interlace SRD-EXP500 Silver Reed EXP550 17 Char/sec pari interlace. SRD-EXP550 Diablo63040 char/sec. serial DBL-630 Diablo 620. proportional spacing, horz & ven. lab. 20 cps. DBL-620 Juki6t00.l8char./sec JUK-6100 Juki6300.40char/sec. JUK-6300 Comrex CR2. 5k buller. proportional Spacing, par I. CRX-CR2P 239.00 389.00 359.00 289.00 1495.00 257.00 345.00 789.00 239.00 369.00 389.00 489.00 895.00 519.00 329.00 6985.00 399500 5795.00 499.00 1659.00 1659.00 1599 00 68900 31900 429 00 1569 00 769 00 399 00 699 00 395 00 Shipping: First five pounds $3.00, each additional pound $.50. Foreign orders: 10% shipping, excess will be refunded. California residents add 6Vz% sales tax. • COD's discouraged. Open accounts extended to state supported educational institu- tions and companies with a strong "Dun & Bradstreet" rating. MAY I986 -BY' /" ; £\\ UJ in in m in \\ n 00 O) cn CO to m a> a> ^ ^ ^ CO r ~" /A . \\ l ,L Im- ') 1 ml »- co co co in • / M / T CO CO CO T' '' ''^NV* *»>/ i A -i co cnj cd up v — ^ > Vt'/ 1 1 1 v/ CO t- CO k. c co c co Q Exter PC C Exter PC C 2 s 00 CD E CD O c ° 03 CO 03 >, 13 (xj -a "D "D -o 3 3 3 3 CO CO CO CO CD CD CD CD J 1200 MODE CD DE 1200 DE 1200 DE 2400 DE 2400 & O X < < < < -3 -D -3 -3 % Q CD CD CD O) 9) < h- CM CO CO ifi =5 in to co co co I- CO CD CO CD CO tn co co co co co -; h- CO CD Vi LO CO >- > <<< III CD CD CD CD CD CO t s o ^ CM CO *" t- * co in co co co CO CO CO "^ CO CO "^ "" i- •", co"- o o o o CM CM t- *- E E a> a> ■o -o o o 55 o o CL CL > a o o 1 o « • «8-2 ■■a2S jo CL co Q W g" PI < Z CD 0> f% /CO 2 f If CM 4* cdG) 1 / C°oJ >» 15X rriage S^ rictio ? trac aphic uanti co z2 ^ ^ cps, f jstable d w/gr itedQ ii UI s CO <* 120 adj fee Lim 0lO O) o> oioio) o> CO o> CD CD CO K CD o> CD CD CM r- CO in CM <* ID cm 5 5co 55 ; < < : QC CC < -O -0 < "9 "3 £ G) apacity watts es power CO fSi ■£ "D ^ C CO O 03 >•- "D CO. C c E c QJ CO O -M ^ cs § E!3" UJ ■ >£ c.i ^CCCC o<< « ^ O £5 3 D w -I — 5 m O O O) (Ji LO ^ CO CO ^ K CD CO Is co Q_ »_ CO o m "co .— lo CO CO LU LU CO rt co 0) u c £■ c ^ £ 599 i- ^ CO >* ^ co °°r Q3 03 UJ C7D ^ ^ o o ^ i- IT) Q- 458 BYTE • MAY 1986 Inquiry 182 ..:■■>» — 1 1 S i I ° 5 « 5 >» g * g a ■*■ m co w mo OJ CO L0 — O) ^ o = CD C\] O i- £ Q..2 c7S i- £ g * * o co ca a> >» v s aj to i X - -3 "O 2 & S "5 „ t CO JZ o to i- co u or • • • • • &'2 _ *: *T m * ^ ^ 75 .5 o to S o a> ^ +* >. t_ 0) •J < E o CD a. Q. o If) Q. 0) CO ce c : T :T: : Q. O UJ CO k. o ca i u D. 135 W 150 W Oi ^ Oi Oi CO (O tO CD t- ■»- cm *r en in in en CD c\j rr r>» t- C\J TT 00 m ca ca ca y ■- i- O CD en -*t ™SP 0)0)0)0)0)0)0)0) 00O)COcMO)O)O)i— ?= » co^^^tcmco mcncncncncncnm ■^cncncncncncncn CNJi-TrCNJCNJCDCOCO 9 0)0)0)0)0)0) < ^r o) r* r». o) o) ^ CM CM CO tO CO O) I- in in m in in in to en tt en en en tj- -3 co en tj- en in i- CL O g, _ i ra 0)0-?; Q- O 3 3 Q..Q o a o SO c-g 5 o i- o 5 ,_ OOScO co O (/> o o = UJ = UJ UJ ^ Q ^ Q Q a, < oj < < X -3 I -3 "3 TO W ™ E «^ r; *~ ™ too o IOOOOOO 00 CVJ 00 »- CO ■ I I ■ I _ s- XXOOX ge CO CO CO CO CO a. a. o. a. a. cd Q_Ln t— to CO LLU.L. o o o CO CO CO CO ^T 00 m E aJ .9 J j Iff 5 aco cd '^r . o CO 5 jg MAY 1986 -BY FREE CATALOG Outstanding prices on computer accessories for your computer and workstation. Our catalog features a wide selection of quality products to meet all your accessory needs. Call or write today to receive your free catalog. LINTEK COMPUTER ACCESSORIES POB 8056, Grand Rapids, Ml 49518 (616) 241-4040 PC EXPANSIONS AST SixpackPlus (384 K) $279 Advantage (128 K) $369 Advantage (1.5M) $499 Advantage (3M) $799 Rampage (2M) $499 RampageAT (2M) $639 INTEL AboveAT (2M) $649 Ouadboard (384 K) $249 Gold Quadboard (384 K) $429 LibertyAT(2M) Scall QuadportAT $135 Tec mar Maestro (2.5M) $609 HERCULES graphics board $299 Color Card $159 HAYES Smartmodem 1 200B $349 Smart modem 1 200 $389 Maynard Disk Controller $100 Sandstar Series Scall MaynStream Tape backup from. . . $979 WDFile Card (10M) $769 Tandon Diskard (20M) $789 Set of 9 chips (64 K) $ 1 2 Set of 9 chips (256K) $27 8087-3 $119 Qume 142A:$99 Teac $109 Teac FD55BV (for AT) $109 CDC 9409: $1 19 Tandon $109 Verbatim (Box of 10) $19 Maxell (Box of 1 for AT) $39 VLM Computer Electronics 10 Park Place • Mornslown. NJ 07960 (201) 267-3268 Visa. MC. Check or COD 9-Track Tape Subsystem Now you can exchange data files between your IBM PC/XT /AT and any mainframe or minicomputer using IBM compatible 1600 BPI 9-Track tape. Unit can also be used for disk backup and archival storage. Transfer rate is one megabyte per minute on PCs and 100% compatibles. Subsystems include 7' or 10 Vi" streaming tape drive, tape coupler card and DOS compatible software. Prices start at $3,555. nUHLSTnR % 9015 Eton Ave., Canoga Park, CA 91304 Telephone: (818) 882-5822 Inquiry 202 Inquiry 409 • With Hub Rings • Write Protect Tabs I ^^^ • Envelopes |^*V • User ID Labels ^4 Uw • In Factory Sealed ^^T Poly Packs of 10 (YOU GET EVERYTHING BUTTHE BOX) Prices are per Disk QTY. 50 100 500 1000 SSDD .59 .56 .52 .49 DSDD .64 .61 .57 .54 Library Case Holds 15 Diskettes Only $1.00 I plus 50« S&H The 100 File Only $10.95 plus $2.00 S&H 100% ERROR FREE - LIFETIME WARRANTY Min. order $25.00. Add 10% for less than 50 diskettes. Shipping and Handling: $4.00 per 100 diskettes. Reduced shipping for larger quanti- ties. C.O.D. add $4.00. Cash or certified check. Continental USA ^3^ COD. -r- 1 Precision Data Products P.O. Uox 8367. Grand Rapids. Ml 495 IB (616) 452-3457 • Michigan 1-800-6.12-2468 I Outside Michigan I -800-258-0028 Computer Parts Mart 634 North 8th St. San Jose. CA 95112 (408) 993-9011 STEPPER ENSEMBLE 100 Step High Precision Motor By Applied Motion. Stepper driver with jf^ ^0- : bipolar windings, 26 ohms/15mh. '/<" x ^ 2.1" ground shaft with helical lol- lower groove (a 0.182" pitch. This is an extremely high accuracy assembly good to better than 50 microns absolute. Ball bearings, 5.5gm/cm inertia, 10 oz. in. holding torque (n 400 ma. New, never used. Driver I.C.s: 3717 for P.W.M. Micro- stepping allow efficient use of any supply voltage up to 40v DC Motor and Two I.C.s including data sheets $14.95 64K RAM Card expandable lo 256K $ 99 256K Card $249 Votrax Card $149 SASI Interlace Card $100 4-SIOCard $165 4-PIO Card $129 2-SIO & 2-PiOCard $125 Z80CPUCard $79 6800 Proc. Card $300 Complete STO Systems available — Up to 10 slots. 10 M8 Oisk, etc STD-BUS 2 Mb EMS RAM / CLOCK FOR IBM PC/XT & COMPATIBLE WITH LIFETIME WARRANTY FEATURES - • Supports Lotus/Jntel/Mic 348 resolution video card, green or amber monitor, serial & parallel ports. Real Time Clock and software Amsterdam ■ 020-45-26-50 2 Meg Above Board ■ Hill! "n The perfect choice for the system integrator who needs the IBM compatibility, but not in the standard PC cabinet. This model features hinged and removable sides, up to 3 Sheight peripherals out front, front mount AC switch and rear mount 135 watt power supply Also makes an ideal "Host" or 'File Server" unit in multi-user configurations' The XTjr. is only junior in size 1 With up to 640K memory on the motherboard and four expansion slots, this stand-alone system is also great for workstations in a networking environment. It can be upgraded to the TURBO two speed motherboard and you can also add up to 2 serial & 2 parallel ports or any IBM compatible expansion card. A perfect word processing data entry system %* Compact This is truly ttie affordable portable, and well | build it to your specifications Need a 20 meg hard disk and 20 meg tape with 640K memory in your portable? No problem 1 The XPC Compact comes standard witti a 9" amber TTL monitor, 135 watt P S, 256K memory, two 36 OK drives. Real Time Clock Calendar w battery Back-up. serial and I parallel ports, and our TURBO Motherboard 24 Add-On Cards This board satisfies the new Above Board" approach suggested by INTEL and Lotus 1-2-3. Also may be used on our XT-SBC TURBO board for memory based at OK Hard Disk Controller This Western Digital conl roller handles 1 or 2 drives. 5 to 140 megabytes with minimum software configura- tion. Features DOS 2 1 & 3 1 compatibility and ST-506 Interface 384K Multi-Function A Multi-function board featuring Parallel Port, Serial Port Game Port Real Time Clock Calendar with Battery Back-up. Expand to 384K all Cables. f»nnlSpooler and RAM Disk Software and Manuals Germany 4 Meg Token Ring Connect your workstation to an existing 4 Megabyte IBM token ring system or build up your own IEEE 802 5 standard system. The lowest possible cost for 100%industry standard compatibility ATH.D. & Floppy Mono & Color Graphics 7 PAK Multi-Function This new Western Digital combo board with its If -speed VLSI technology will give you a data transfer rate 50°o faster lhan the existing combo board in the AT Runs bolh 360K and 1 2 meg lioppydisk drives. Supports two levels of graphics and text in composite monochrome or RGB color Low resolution 320 x 200 pixel, high resolution 640 x 200 pixel Features Floppy Controller, Parallel Port. Serial Port (optional 2nd Serial). Game Port. Real Time Clock Calendar with Battery Back-up. RAMdisk. Prinl- Spooler all cables * manuals. PROM Laser ' V ■! :- Hi-speed algonthmes will burn 2716. 2732 2732A, 2764 (in 52 sec). 27128. 27256 EPROMSunder soft- ware control right in your PC Zero Force Insertion Sockets, Software, and Manual. England Motherboards XAT TURBO XT-SBC 35 Components Bombay ■ 357172 • RTC Calendar • 6 S 8 MHz clock • 8-slot expansion ■ Intel 80286 • 4 77 S 8 MHz clock • Serial & Parallel • 4-layer PCB design ' HTC Calendar XPC TURBO XPC-XT • 4 77 a 6 67 MHZ • Standard 4 77 MHz • 4 -layer PCB design • up to 64 OK memory • 8-slot expansion • 8-slot expansion • up to 640K Memory • standard 8088 CPU • 8088-2 processor * 8087 socket avail Power Supplys XT 135 watt XT 150 watt • 135w switching • Whisper Fan • Side AC switch • +5V-15A-5V-5A • +12V-4 2A -12V-5A AT 200 watt 1 200 Wall power i Exterior AC switch 1 4 DC power conn i +5V-20A -5V-5A • +12V-7.7A -12V- 5A Whisper fan Hi-output 150 watt 4 DC connectors +5V-15A -5V-5A + 12V-5 5A -12V-5A XTC 135 1 Rear Mount 1 Rear On Off switch 1 extra AC outlets < +5V-15A -5V-5A i +12V-4A -1ZV-.5A 3 Sub-Systems Cabinets iMill* PH.; The XTjr. cabinet is only 3 " x 16.5 " x 15 " yet il will hold a standard XT compatible motherboard Includes a switching power supply Front panel cut-out (or a half-height (loppy or hard disk Our XPC-XT cabinet has an 8-slot back panel with additional cut-outs for two RS-232 I ports Features mounting (or up to lour half height peripherals i The right choice for an external add-on cabinet' Add-on a floppy, tape back-up. or up to 33 meg ol hard disk (halt-height} Switching power supply is Keyboards AT This Keyboard Is standard equipment with of our XAT systems but the layout is so v liked, we're offering it here. XT Our volume purchases of these IBM style units allows us to lower the price once agai; 5051 Now a fully selectric unit at an affordable price Features a 10-key numeric pad & a separate cursor pad 3 Networks Cassette Training ■ Int/Ext Modems This full height cabinet will hold a Tape Back-up with full or "jheighl Hard Disk inside (or two Hard Disks) A perfect cabinet for Tape or Hard Disk a nice addition to your PC Choose from single with full heigh! base trollers cables, softv jhoirjht dual Sheight. or '?height All Sub-systems include con- /are. and manuals. \u\m One way to stay ahead of the competition is by using a Multi- User oi Network system configuration from Micro Products International Choose Hi-speed RS-232 ■ XOR-NET SDLC or Token Ring Data transfer rates up to 4 megabytes second can be obtained, r I muiidur iuc I Panasonic «« Seagate TEAC Tulin Drives Archive Irwin Maxtor Memtek Miniscribe [Panasonic Seagate TEAC Tulin What is the Cassette Training concepl? Using Interactive Audio Training to combine the advantage of classroom and self-teaching methods The Method One audio track delivers a lecture explaining the program, while the second track emulates the keyboard, actually running the student's computer. At frequent intervals the tape pauses automatically to allow the student keyboard input, which is monitored for accuracy by the M ITS COED * FCC approved lor direct • Runs the popular RJ-11 connection Hayes communications • Phone Cable & Power Supply software Finally a price breakthrough on a Hayes compalioie external 300 1200 baud modem Induce driver software • Q-Modem software included Also runs XCOM software • All cables included We included every feature you would want in a modem card It's FCC regislcred for direct connection to your modular phone jack with the cord included luns trie popular Hayes communications software Inquiry 233 MAY 1986 -BYTE 461 PC GUARD TOTAL DATA SECURITY Protects your data from Illegal users. * Impossible to access the system xith a DOS diskette. Up to 16 users xith ID codes and passwords. Automatically locks the system after a none activity period of tine. Automatic screen saver. Audible alarm if an illegal user tries to access the systen, Is a total hardware protection system. * Lou cost protection system for a large number of PC's. Fully compatible with the IBM PC»XT,AT and compatibles. For information and orders call (809) 767-0065 VISA, MASTERCARD or COD cashier check. EDFTURRE °a X APPLIED SOFTWARE KINETICS ^J El centre 1 ( Local 1 flunoz Rivera «500 m Hato Rey, Puerto Rico 00918 PORTABLE ADDITIONS PORTABLE DISK DRIVE $229 Vh'\ batt. oper., TS-DOS, 1 0O K storage 24K RAM CHIP for Tandy 200 $89 8K RAM CHIP for Model- 100 $29 and NEC 8201. . .3 for $79, 6 for $149 SIDE STAR for NEC Starlet $399 128K Ram Disk Cartridge SIDECAR for NEC PC-8201A $259 4 banks of 32K in one cartridge CALL TOLL FREE 1-800-732-5012 Calif: 805-987-1742 Canada: 604-856-8858, Australia: 02-419-8899 /^COMPUTING 420 Constitution Ave., Camarillo, CA 93010 VISA MIC & AM E R.EXP. High Performance Impiemen '■. : '"i-2.5'Mhz or 16.67 Mhz I/O Expansion Port 68881 Go-Processor 2 Meg RAM - 256K EPROM 4 Serial Ports - 1 Parallel Port Battery Backed Up Clock 720K Floppy Drive 40 Meg Hard Disk - Unix-Like OS's 68000 Version Also Available Frank Hogg Laboratory - 770 James Street Syracuse New York 13203 • TELEX 646740 315/474-7856 Inquiry 4 18 Inquiry 297 Inquiry 144 FAMILY Micro Controller Cross Assemblers C*kQ+ Efficient Program I C7w>L Development for: 6800 $50.00 6801/03 $75.00 6805 $65.00 68HC11 $85.00 "Comprehensive User Manual "One Year Support System Requirements: CP/M 2.0 (Z80) Florida add 5% tax ° Prices post paid USA mc Tamarac, Fl. 33320 PH (305)973-9364 BULK DISKETTES x\.;-^ : ::x: : x ; - : > : «ii»:;: : :x: : :-::X::v: I. SS/BB OTHER NAME BRAND DISKETTES AS LOW AS $.59 Prices Based on Quantities of 500 Includes White Tyvek Sleeves 800-222-0490 201-462-7628 In N.J. Visa, Master Charge, or C.O.D. MffiESgft. P.O. Box 710, Freehold, N.J. 07728 WEDGE-PC OEM PRODUCTS PC-AT Compatible $1695/one 512k RAM. 1.2M disk drive, hard disk & floppy disk controller, monochrome card, 200W power, keyboard, enclosure. PC-XT compatible $595/one 256k RAM, one 340 disk drive, monochrome card, keyboard, 130 W power, enclosure. AT Motherboard $795. Fully tested. One year warranty. Mono monitor $109. Dealer call for qty price. WEDGE TECHNOLOGY INC. 1190 Mt. View-Alviso Rd., Suite R Sunnyvale, CA 94089 (408) 734-9866 Telex 3719075 EDGE UB Inquiry 264 Inquiry 226 Inquiry 38! I.C.s and Disk Drives D 64K / 128K / 256K D-RAMa at LOW PRICES D H-P Vectra 1 2BK Upgrade 849.95 □ V20-5 S14.00/V2O-B 820.00/V30-B 818.00 D BOB7 8115.00 / BOB7-2 call 80287-3 (5-MHz) 8175.00 D CENTER External modem w/Telephone 'Intelligent 300/1200 Baud 'Compatible w/most popular modem D Memory Boards ABM Multi-Function Board w/384K JRAM-2 Ramdisk w/2MB JRAM-3 Above Boand w/2MB JRAM-AT Ramdisk W/2MB JRAM-AT-3 Above Board w/2MB □ 155 W Power Supply for IBM/PC.XT 8120.00 D TEAC FD-55BV DS/DD Disk Drive 890.00 w/one year factory warranty The Price ia negotiable and subject to change. I jBM S1B5.00 8150.00 8349.00 8399.00 8399.00 8449.00 rm lefet Advanced Technology Products, Corp. (formally ExcelTec Industries, Inc.) P.O. Box 2205 Silver Spring, MD 20902 Phone: 301-933-3523 OEMs and DEALERS are Invited CALL US FOR THE LATEST PRICES TURBOLINK + "TURBO Pascal hackers will like this ^ ^ Jerry Pournelle Byte Magazine • Add 512K of TURBO Pascal* to your code • Call up to 8 memory resident TURBO Pascal modules from programs written in: —BASIC, BASICA, Compiled BASIC —MS Pascal, C, MS FORTRAN —Standard, 8087 and BCD TURBO Pascal • Add TURBO Pascal's 8087, BCD and graphic capabilities to other languages • Automatically generate TURBO Pascal compatible inline machine code • Use all TURBO Pascal variants in a single program • For IBM PC and compatible ^05# ** Foreign orders S&H included add $10.00 VISA/MC: 1-800-835-2246 x 123 KANSAS CALL: 1-800-362-2421 x123 Inquiries and Technical Information (303) 971-0729 PATHFINDER SOFTWARE, INC. P.O. Box 43, Littleton, CO 80160 "TUR80 Pascal is a registered trademark ot Borland International Advertise your computer products through BYTE BITS (2" x 3" ads) For more information call Dan Harper at 603-924-6830 BYTE 70 Main St. Peterborough, NH 03458 Inquiry 133 Inquiry 270 Inquiry. 419 THE LATEST IN PC ENHANCEMENT PRODUCTS ENHANCED GRAPHICS ADAPTOR $295.00 700% IBM COMPATIBLE— PASSES IBM EGA DIAGNOSTICS COMPATIBLE WITH IBM EGA, COLOR GRAPHICS ADAPTOR AND MONOCHROME ADAPTOR DISPLAYS 16 COLORS OUT OF 64 COLORS COMES WITH 256K OF VIDEO RAM DUAL SCANNING FREQUENCIES-WORKS WITH STANDARD OR EGA TYPE RGB MONITORS LIGHT PEN INTERFACE EXTENDED MEMORY CARD $1 99.95 UP TO 2 MEGABYTES OF LOTUS/INTEL COMPA TIBLE MEMORY CONFORMS TO LOTUS/INTEL EXTENDED MEMORY SPECIFICATIONS (EMS) SHIPPED WITH ZERO K RAM, USER EXPANDABLE TO 2 MEGABYTES USES 64K OR 256K DYNAMIC RAMS USE AS EXTENDED (EMS) OR CONVENTIONAL MEMORY, RAMDISK OR SPOOLER SOFTWARE INCLUDES EMS DEVICE DRIVERS, PRINT SPOOLER AND RAMDISK AT MULTIFUNCTION CARD $1 99.95 ADDS UP TO 3 MEGABYTES OF USER EXPANDABLE MEMORY SHIPPED WITH ZERO K P AM, USER EXPANDABLE TO 1.5 MEGABYTES RAM ON BOARD, UP TO 3 MEGABYTES WITH OPTIONAL PIGGYBACK CARD USES 64K OR 256K DYNAMIC RAMS PARALLEL PORT & GAME PORT SERIAL PORT OPTIONAL SECOND SERIAL PORT PIGGYBACK MEMORY CARD (no memory installed) $49.95 CLASSIC 286 SPEED PAK $869.00 8 MHz 80286 A CCELERA TOR BOARD FOR IBM PC/XT * 8MHz 80286 RUNS 33% FASTER THAN A STANDARD AT * RUNS AT PROGRAMS-COMPATIBLE WITH DOS 2.1, 3.0 & 3.1 * COMPATIBLE WITH ALL PC/XT HARDWARE & SOFTWARE WITH NO PATCHES OR MODIFICATIONS NEEDED * 1 MEGABYTE MEMORY ON BOARD, EXPANDABLETO 16MB * HIGH SPEED 16-BIT BIOS AND RAM * OPTIONS INCLUDE 80287MATHCO-PROCESSOR, MULTITASKING SUPPORTAND MULTIUSER SUPPORT EPR0M PROGRAMMER $129.95 FOR IBM PCI XT I A T AND COMPA TIBLES * PROGRAMS 27xxx SERIES EPROMS UP TO 27512 * MENU DRIVEN SOFTWARE PROVIDED ON DISKETTE * AUTOMATICALLY SETS PROGRAMMING VOLTAGE * LOADS AND SAVES EPROM BUFFER TO DISK * READ, WRITE, COPY, VERIFY OR CHECK BLANK * DEBUG STYLE EDITOR FOR EASY MODIFICATION OF PROGRAM * SPLITS OR COMBINES EPROMS OF DIFFERING SIZES * INTERNAL CARD WITH EXTERNAL ZIF SOCKET MODULE VISIT OUR RETAIL STORE LOCATED AT 1256 SOUTH BASCOM AVENUE IN SAN JOSE HOURS: M-W-F, 9-5 TU-TH, 9-9 >Ji MTHBT! 1224 S. Bascom Avenue, San Jose, CA 95128 ?Hfi.Tflp* Toll Free 800-538-5000 • (408) 995-5430 SEffl FAX (408) 275-8415 •Telex 171-110 2£E£ © COPYRIGHT 1986 JDR MICRODEVICES HOURS: M-W-F, 9-5 TU-TH, 9-9 SAT, 10-3 PLEASE USE YOUR CUSTOMER NUMBER WHEN ORDERING TERMS: Minimum order $10.00. For shipping and handling include $2.50 for UPS Ground and $3.50 for UPS Air. Orders over 1 lb. and foreign orders may require additional shipping charges - please contact our sales department for the amount CA. residents must include applicable sales tax. All merchandise is warranted for 90 days unless otherwise stated. Prices are subject to change without notice. We are not responsible for typographical errors. We reserve the right to limit quantities and to substitute manufacturer. All merchandise subject to prior sale. THE JDR MICRODEVICES LOGO IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF JDR MICRODEVICES. JDR INSTRUMENTS AND JDR MICRODEVICES ARE TRADEMARKS OF JDR MICRODEVICES. IBM IS A TRADEMARK OF INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES. APPLE IS A TRADEMARK OF APPLE COMPUTER. Inquiry 4 14 MAY 1986 -BYTE 463 BUILD A COMPLETE 256K XT SYSTEM— $717 STATIC RAMS 2101 256x4 (450ns) 1.95 5101 256x4 (450ns)(CMOS) 3.95 2102L-4 1024x1 (450ns)(LP) .99 2112 256x4 (450ns) 2.99 2114 1024x4 (450ns) .99 2114L-4 1 024x4 (450ns)(LP) 1.09 2114L-2 1024x4 (200ns)(LP) 1.49 2114L-15 1024x4 (150ns)(LP) 1.95 TMS4044-4 4096x1 (450ns) 1.95 TMM2016-150 2048x8 (150ns) 1.49 TMM2016-100 2048x8 (100ns) 1.95 HM6116-4 2048x8 (200ns)(CMOS) 1.39 HM6116-3 2048x8 (150ns)(CMOS) 1.49 HM6116LP-4 2048x8 (200ns)(CMOS)(LP) 1.49 HM6116LP-3 2048x8 (150ns)(CMOS)(LP) 1.59 HM6116LP-2 2048x8 (120ns)(CMOS)(LP) 2.95 HM6264P-15 8192x8 (150ns)(CMOS) 3.89 HM6264LP-15 8192x8 (150ns)(CMOS)(LP) 3.95 HM6264LP-12 8192x8 (120ns)(CMOS)(LP) 4.49 LP=Low power DYNAMIC RAMS 4116-250 16384x1 (250ns) .49 4116-200 16384x1 |200ns) .69 4116-150 16384x1 (150ns) .89 4116-120 16384x1 (120ns) 1 49 MK4332 32768x1 (200ns) 6.95 4164-200 65536x1 (200ns)(5v) 1.19 4164-150 65536x1 (150ns)(5v) 1.29 4164-120 65536x1 (120ns)(5v) 1.95 MCM6665 65536x1 (200ns)(5v) 1.95 TMS4164 65536x1 (150ns)(5v) 1.95 4164-REFRESH 65536x1 (150ns)(5V)(REFRESH) 2.95 TMS4416 16384x4 (150ns)(5v) 4.95 41128-150 131072x1 (150ns)(5v) 5.95 TMS4464-15 65536x4 (150ns)(5v) 6.95 41256-200 262144x1 (200ns)(5v) 2.95 41256-150 262144x1 (150ns)(5v) 2.95 • •••HIGH-TECH**** INECV20 UPD70108 $1495 | REPLACES BOBB TO SPEED UP IBM PC 10-40% * HIGH-SPEED ADDRESS CALCULATION IN HARDWARE * PIN COMPATIBLE WITH 8088 * SUPERSET OF 8088 INSTRUCTION SET * LOW POWER CMOS I8MHZ V20 UPD70108-8 $24.95 1 8MHZ V30 UPD70116-8 $26.95 1 • •••SPOTLIGHT**** ORDER TOLL FREE 800-538-5000 EPROMS 2708 1024x8 (450ns) 3.95 2716 2048x8 (450ns)(5V) 3.43 2716-1 2048x8 |350ns)(5V) 3.95 TMS2532 4096x8 (450ns)(5V) 3.95 2732 4096x8 (450ns)(5V) 3.89 2732A 4096x8 (250ns)(5V)(21V PGM) 3.95 2732A-2 4096x8 (200ns)(5V)(21VPGM) 4.25 2/C64 8192x8 (250ns)(5V)(CMOS) 5.95 2764 8192x8 (450ns)(5V) 3.49 2764-250 8192x8 (250ns)(5V) 3.95 2764-200 8192x8 (200ns)(5V) 4.25 MCM68766 8192x8 (350ns)(5V)(24 PIN) 17.95 27128 16384x8 (250ns)(5V) 4.25 27C256 32768x8 |250ns)(5V)(CMOS) 12.95 27256 32768x8 (250ns)(5V) 7.49 5V=Single5 Volt Supply 21V PGM=Program at 21 Volts nSPECTRONICS U CORPORATION EPROM ERASERS /#., i jKk=-£5 PE-14T \ , - iOMWJmmSm 5v=Single 5 Volt Supply REFRESH=Pin 1 Refresh Model Timer Capacity Chip Intensity (uW/Cm z ) Unit Price PE-14 NO 9 8,000 $83.00 PE-14T YES 9 8,000 S1 19.00 PE-24T YES 12 9,600 S175.00 8000 8035 8039 8080 8085 8087-2 8087 8088 8088-2 8155 8155-2 8748 8755 80286 I 80287 1.49 1.95 2.95 2.49 169.95 129.00 6.95 9.95 2.49 3.95 7.95 19.95 129.95 199.95 . 0500 1.0 MHZ CRT I CONTROLLERS I 0200 8203 8205 8212 8216 8224 8237 8237-5 8250 8251 8251A 8253 8253-5 8255 8255-5 8259 8259-5 8272 8279 8279-5 8282 8284 8286 1 8288 29.95 3.29 1.49 1.49 2.25 4.95 5.49 6.95 1.69 1.89 1.89 1.95 1.69 1.89 1.95 2.29 4.95 2.49 2.95 3.95 2.95 3.95 4.95 ZOO Z80-CPU2 5MH*1.69 4.0 MHZ ZSOA-CPU 1.79 Z80A-CTC 1.89 Z80A-DART 5.9S Z80A-DMA 5.95 Z80A-PIO 1.89 Z80A-StO/0 5.95 Z80A-SIO/1 5.95 Z80A-SIO/2 5.95 8.0 MH2 Z80B-CPU 3.75 Z80B-CTC 4.25 Z80B-PIO 4.25 Z30B DART 14.95 Z80B-SIO/0 12.95 Z80B-SIO/2 12.95 [Z8671 ZILOG 19.95 6502 2.79 65C02, CMOSI12.95 6507 9.95 6520 1.95 6522 4.95 6526 26.95 6532 6.95 6545 6.95 6551 5.95 6561 19.95 6581 34.95 2.0 MHZ I 6502A 2.95 6520A 2.95 6522A 5.95 6532A 11.95 6545A 7.95 | 6551A 6.95 3.0 MHZ l 6502B 6.95 . 6800 1.0 MHZ | 6800 ' 6802 6803 I 6809 I 6809E 6810 | 6820 6821 I 6840 6843 6844 6845 6847 6850 6883 1.95 4.95 9.95 5.95 5.95 1.95 2.95 1.95 6.95 19.95 12.95 4.95 11.95 1.95 22.95 2.0 MHZ 68B00 68B02 68B09E 68B09 68B21 68B45 68B50 L 68B54 4.95 5.95 6.95 6.45 3.50 6.75 3.95 7.95 , CLOCK CIRCUITS MM5369 1.95 MM5369-EST 1.95 ; MM58167 12.95 I MM58174 11.95 [ MSM5832 2.S 6845 68B45 6847 HD46505SP MC1372 8275 7220 CRT5027 CRT5037 I TMS9918A 4.95 8.95 11.95 6.95 2.95 26.95 J 19.95 | 12.95 ] 9.95 19.95 DISK CONTROLLERS 1771 4.95 1791 9.95 1793 9.95 1795 12.95 1797 12.95 2791 19.95 2793 19.95 2797 29.95 6843 19.95 8272 4.95 UPD765 4.95 MB8876 12.95 MB8877 12.95 1691 6.95 2143 6.95 DIT RATE GENERATORS MC14411 9.95 BR1941 4.95 4702 9.95 COM8116 8.95 MM5307 4.95 UARTS 3.95 4.95 [ 3.95 4.95 6.95 9.95 6.95, SOUND CHIPS 76477 76489 SSI 263 AY3-8910 AY3-8912 L SP1000 3.95 8.95 39.95 12.95 12.95 39.00 J CRYSTALS 32.768 KHz .95 1.0 MHz 2.95 1.8432 2.95 2.0 1.95 2.097152 1.95 2.4576 1.95 3.2768 1.95 3.579545 1.95 4.0 1.95 4.032 1.95 5.0 1.95 5.0688 1.95 6.0 1.95 6.144 1.95 6.5536 1.95 8.0 1.95 10.0 1.95 10.738635 1.95 12.0 1.95 14.31818 1.95 15.0 1.95 16.0 1.95 17.430 1.95 18.0 1.95 18.432 1.95 20.0 1.95 22.1184 1.95 24.0 1.95 32.0 1.95 CRYSTAL OSCILLATORS 1.0MHz 5.95 1.8432 5.95 2.0 5.95 2.4576 5.95 2.5 4.95 4.0 4.95 5.0688 4.95 6.0 4.95 6.144 4.95 8.0 4.95 10.0 4.95 12.0 4.95 12.480 4.95 15.0 4.95 16.0 4.95 18.432 4.95 20.0 4.95 24.0 4.95 74LS00 MISC. TMS99531 TMS99532 ULN2003 | 3242 3341 MC3470 MC3480 I MC3487 | 11C90 2513-001 UP AY5-2376 9.95 19.95 .79 7.95 4.95 1.95 8.95 2.95 13.95 6.95 11.95 I AY5-3600PRO11.95 74LS00 74LS01 74LS02 74LS03 74LS04 74LS05 74LS08 74LS09 74LS10 74LS11 74LS12 74LS13 74LS14 74LS15 74LS20 74LS21 74LS22 74LS27 74LS28 74LS30 74LS32 74LS33 74LS37 74LS38 74LS42 74LS47 74LS48 74LS51 74LS73 74LS74 74LS75 74LS76 74LS83 74LS85 74LS86 74LS90 74LS92 74LS93 74LS95 74LS107 74LS109 74LS112 74LS122 74LS123 74LS124 74LS125 74LS126 74LS132 74LS133 74LS136 74LS138 74LS139 74LS145 74LS147 74LS148 74LS151 74LS153 74LS154 74LS155 74LS156 74LS157 74LS158 74LS160 74LS161 74LS162 74LS163 74LS164 .16 .18 .17 .18 .16 .18 .16 .22 .22 .26 .39 .26 .17 .22 .22 .23 .26 .17 .18 .28 .26 .26 .39 .59 .69 .17 .29 .24 -29 .29 .49 .49 .22 .39 .49 .39 .49 .34 36 .29 .45 .49 2.75 .39 .39 .39 .49 .39 .39 .39 .99 .99 .99 .39 .39 1.49 .59 .49 .36 -29 .29 .39 .49 .39 .49 74LS165 74LS166 74LS169 74LS173 74LS174 74LS175 74LS191 74LS192 74LS193 74LS194 74LS195 74LS196 74LS197 74LS221 74LS240 74LS241 74LS242 74LS243 74LS244 74LS245 74LS251 74LS253 74LS256 1.79 74LS257 .39 74LS258 .49 74LS259 1.29 74LS260 .49 74LS266 74LS273 74LS279 74LS280 74LS283 74LS290 74LS293 74LS299 1.49 74LS322 3.95 74LS323 2.49 74LS364 1.95 74LS365 .39 74LS367 74LS368 74LS373 74LS374 74LS375 74LS377 74LS378 1.18 74LS390 1.19 74LS393 .79 74LS541 1.49 74LS624 1.95 74LS640 74LS645 74LS669 1.29 74LS670 .89 74LS682 3.20 74LS683 3.20 74LS684 3.20 74LS688 2.40 74LS783 22.95 81LS95 1.49 81LS96 1.49 81LS97 1.49 81LS98 1.49 25LS2521 2.80 25LS2569 2.80 26LS31 1.95 26LS32 1.95 -89 .39 .39 .79 -79 .95 .79 .99 HIGH SPEED CMOS A new family of high speed CMOS logic featuring the speed of I jw power Schottky (Bns typical gate propagation delay), combined with the advantages of CMOS: very low power consumption, superior noise immunity, and improved output drive. 74HC00 74HC: Operate at CMOS logic levels and ire ideal for new. all-CMOS designs 74HC00 .59 74HC148 1.19 74HC02 .59 74HC151 .89 74HC04 .59 74HC154 2.49 74HC08 .59 74HC157 .89 74HC10 .59 74HC158 .95 74HC14 .79 74HC163 1.15 74HC20 .59 74HC175 .99 74HC27 .59 74HC240 1.89 74HC30 .59 74HC244 1.89 74HC32 .69 74HC245 1.89 74HC51 .59 74HC257 .85 74HC74 .75 74HC259 1.39 74HC85 1.35 74HC273 1.89 74HC86 .69 74HC299 4.99 74HC93 1.19 74HC368 .99 74HC107 .79 74HC373 2.29 74HC109 79 74HC374 2.29 74HC112 -79 74HC390 1.39 74HC125 1.19 74HC393 1.39 74HC132 1.19 74HC4017 1.99 74HC133 .69 74HC4020 1.39 74HC138 .99 74HC4049 .89 74HC139 .99 74HC4050 .89 74HCT00 74HCT: Direct, drop-in replacements for LS TTL and can be intermixed with 74LS in the same circuit. 74HCT00 .69 74HCT166 3.05 74HCT02 .69 74HCT174 1.09 74HCT04 .69 74HCT193 1.39 74HCT08 .69 74HCT194 1.19 74HCT10 .69 74HCT240 2.19 74HCT11 .69 74HCT241 2.19 74HCT27 .69 74HCT244 2.19 74HCT30 .69 74HCT245 2.19 74HCT32 .79 74HCT257 .99 74HCT74 .85 74HCT259 1.59 74HCT75 .95 74HCT273 2.09 74HCT138 1.15 74HCT367 1.09 74HCT139 1.15 74HCT373 2.49 74HCT154 2.99 74HCT374 2.49 74HCT157 .99 74HCT393 1.59 74HCT158 .99 74HCT4017 2.19 74HCT161 1.29 74HCT4040 1.59 74HCT164 1.39 74HCT4060 1.49 74F00 74F02 74F04 74F08 74F10 74F32 L 74F64 .69 .69 .79 .69 .69 .69 .89 74F00 74F74 .79 74F86 .99 74F138 1.69 74F139 1.69 74F157 1.69 74F240 3.29 74F244 3.29 74F251 1.69 74F253 1.69 | 74F257 1.69 j 74F280 1.79 74F283 3.95 74F373 4.29 74F374 4.29 J VISIT OUR RETAIL STORE LOCATED AT 1256 SOUTH BASCOM AVENUE IN SAN JOSE ■ ■ VISIT OUR RETAIL STORE LOCATED AT 15 •KJDR Microdevices ■ ■ 1224 S. Bascom Avenue, San Jose, CA 951 HOURS: M-W-F, 9-5 TU-TH, 9-9 Toll Free 800-538-5000 FAX (408) 275-8415 • tan Jose, CA 95128 £S2J%£ • (408) 995-5430 Z2S%£& Telex 171-110 SSSffimS, © COPYRIGHT 1986 JDR MICRODEVICES PLEASE USE YOUR CUSTOMER NUMBER WHEN TERMS: Minimum order $10.00. For shipping and handling inclu Ground and $3.50 for UPS Air. Orders over 1 lb. and foreign ol w additional shipping charges - please conlaei our sales department tor t( residents must include applicable sales lax. All merchandise is r— "- unless otherwise stated Prices are subject to change wilhcu responsible tor typographical errors. We reserve the right in fi..,., . All r THE JDR MICRODEVICES LOGO IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF JDR MICRODEVICES. JDR INSTRUMENTS AND JDR MICRODEVICES ARE TRADEMARKS OF JDR MICRODEVICES IBM IS A TRADEMARK OF INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES. APPLE IS A TRADEMARK OF APPLE COMPUTER M-CHOOEVICES 464 BYTE • MAY 1986 Inquiry 185 PARTIAL LISTING ONLY — CALL FOR A FREE CATALOG CMOS 4001 .19 4011 .19 4012 .25 4013 .35 4015 .29 4016 .29 4017 .49 4018 .69 4020 .59 4021 .69 4024 .49 4025 .25 4027 .39 4028 .65 4035 .69 4040 .69 4041 .75 4042 .59 4043 .85 4044 .69 4045 1.98 4046 .69 4047 .69 4049 .29 4050 .29 4051 .69 4052 .69 4053 .69 4056 2.19 4060 .69 4066 .29 4069 .19 4076 .59 4077 .29 4081 .22 4085 .79 4086 .89 4093 .49 4094 2.49 14411 9.95 14412 6.95 14419 14433 4503 4511 4516 4518 4522 4526 4527 4528 4529 4532 4538 4541 4553 4585 4702 74C00 74C14 74C74 74C83 74C85 74C95 74C150 74C151 74C161 74C163 74C164 74C192 74C193 74C221 74C240 74C244 74C374 74C905 10.95 74C911 8.95 74C917 8.95 74C922 4.49 74C923 4.95 74C926 7.95 80C97 .95 4.95 14.95 .49 .69 .79 .85 .79 .79 1.95 .79 2.95 1.95 .95 1.29 5.79 .75 12.95 .29 .59 .59 1.95 1.49 .99 5.75 2.25 .99 .99 1.39 1.49 1.49 1.75 1.89 1.89 1.99 7400/9000 7400 .19 74147 2.49 7402 .19 74148 1.20 7404 .19 74150 1.35 7406 .29 74151 .55 7407 .29 74153 .55 7408 .24 74154 1.49 7410 .19 74155 .75 7411 .25 74157 .55 7414 .49 74159 1.65 7416 .25 74161 .69 7417 .25 74163 .69 7420 .19 74164 .85 7423 .29 74165 .85 7430 .19 74166 1.00 7432 .29 74175 .89 7438 .29 74177 .75 7442 .49 74178 1.15 7445 .69 74181 2.25 7447 .89 74182 .75 7470 .35 74184 2.00 7473 .34 74191 1.15 7474 .33 74192 .79 7475 .45 74194 .85 7476 .35 74196 .79 7483 .50 74197 .75 7485 .59 74199 1.35 7486 .35 74221 1.35 7489 2.15 74246 1.35 7490 .39 74247 1.25 7492 .50 74248 1.85 7493 .35 74249 1.95 7495 .55 74251 75 7497 2.75 74265 1.35 74100 2.29 74273 1.95 74121 .29 74278 3.11 74123 .49 74367 .65 74125 .45 74368 .65 74141 .65 9368 3.95 74143 5.95 9602 1.50 74144 2.95 9637 2.95 74145 .60 96S02 1.95 74S00 EQGECflRD CONNECTORS 74S00 .29 74S163 74S02 .29 74S168 74S03 .29 74S174 74S04 .29 74S175 74S05 .29 74S188 74S08 .35 74S189 74S10 .29 74S195 74S15 .35 74S196 74S30 .29 74S197 74S32 .35 74S226 74S37 .69 74S240 74S38 .69 74S241 74S74 .49 74S244 74S85 .95 74S257 74S86 .35 74S253 74S112 .50 74S258 74S124 2.75 74S280 74S138 .79 74S287 74S140 .55 74S288 74S151 .79 74S299 74S153 .79 74S373 74S157 .79 74S374 74S158 .95 74S471 74S161 1.29 74S571 1.29 3.95 .79 .79 1.95 1.95 1.49 1.49 1.49 3.99 1.49 1.49 1.49 .79 .79 .95 1.95 1.69 1.69 2.95 1.69 1.69 4.95 2.95 . f DATA ACQ INTERFACE] 1 ADC0800 15.55 8T26 1.29 1 1 ADC0804 3.49 8T28 1.29 1 1 ADC0809 4.49 8T95 .89 1 1 ADC0816 14.95 8T96 .89 I 1 ADC0817 9.95 8T97 .59 1 1 ADC0831 8.95 8T98 .89 1 I DAC0800 4.49 DM8131 2.95 1 1 DAC0806 1.95 DP8304 2.29 1 1 DAC0808 2.95 DS8833 2.25 1 1 DAC1020 8.25 DS8835 1.99 1 1 DAC1022 5.95 DS8836 .99 1 I MC1408L8 2.95 DS8837 1.65 J ion PIN ST S-100 .125 3.95 1 100 PIN WW S-100 .125 4.95 1 IDCEN36 62 PIN ST IBM PC .100 1.95 1 CEN36 50 PIN ST APPLE .100 2.95 1 44 PIN ST STD .156 1.95 1 IDCEN36 44 PIN WW STD .156 4.95 JD CEN36PC 36 PIN CENTRONICS ■ INTERSIL MALE I ICL7106 9.95 RIBBON CABLE 6.95 ■ ICL7107 12.95 SOLDER CUP 4.95 MS ICL7660 2.95 FEMALE ■ ICL8038 4.95 RIBBON CABLE 7.95 ■ ICM7207A 5.95 RT ANGLE PC MOUNT 4.95 MA ICM7208 15.95, VOLTAGE REGULATORS TO-220 CASE I 7805T .49 7905T .59 7808T .49 7908T .59 7812T .49 7912T .59 7815T .49 791 5T .59 TO-3 CASE I 7805K 1.39 7905K 1.49 7812K 1.39 7912K 1.49 TO-93 CASE 78L05 .49 79L05 .69 78L12 .49 79L12 1.49 OTHER VOLTAGE REGS LM323K 5V 3A TO-3 4.79 LM328K Adj. 5A TO 3 3.95 I 78H05K 5V 5A TO 3 7.95 78H12K 12V 5A TO-3 8.95 L 78P05K 5V 10A TO-3 14.95 IC SOCKETS 8 PIN ST 14 PIN ST 16 PIN ST 18 PIN ST 20 PIN ST 22 PIN ST 24 PIN ST 28 PIN ST 40 PIN ST 64 PIN ST 1-99 100+ .11 .10 .11 .09 .12 .15 .18 .15 .20 22 .30 1.95 ST=SOLDERTAIL 8 PIN WW 14 PIN WW 16 PIN WW 18 PIN WW 20 PIN WW 22 PIN WW 24 PIN WW 28 PIN WW 40 PIN WW .59 .69 .69 .99 1.09 1.39 1.49 1.69 1.99 .13 .15 .12 .15 .16 .22 1.49 .69 .52 .58 .90 .98 1.28 1.35 1.49 1.80 WW=WIREWRAP 16 PIN ZIF 4.95 CALL 24 PIN ZIF 5.95 CALL 28 PIN ZIF 6.95 CALL | 40 PIN ZIF 9.95 CALL ZIF=TEXTOOL (ZERO INSERTION FORCE} LINEAR TL066 TL071 TL072 TL074 TL081 TL082 TL084 LM301 LM309K LM311 LM311H LM317K LM317T LM318 LM319 .99 .69 1.09 1.95 .59 .99 1.49 .34 1.25 1.49 1.25 LM320 see7900 LM322 LM323K LM324 LM331 LM334 LM335 LM336 LM337K LM338K LM339 LM340 see7800 LM350T 4.60 LF353 1.65 4.79 .49 3.95 1.19 1.40 1.75 3.95 3.95 .59 LF356 LF357 LM358 LM380 LM383 LM386 LM393 LM394H TL494 TL497 NE555 NE556 NE558 NE564 LM565 LM566 LM567 NE570 NE590 NE592 LM710 LM723 H=TO-5 CAN, K= .59 .99 .99 .59 .89 1.95 .89 .45 4.60 4.20 3.25 .29 .49 1.29 1.95 .95 1.49 .79 2.95 2.50 LM733 LM741 LM747 LM748 MC1330 MC1350 MCI 372 LM1414 LM1458 LM1488 LM1489 LM1496 LM1812 LM1889 ULN2003 XR2206 XR2211 XR2240 MPQ2907 LM2917 CA3046 CA3081 CA3082 CA3086 CA3089 CA3130E CA3146 CA3160 MC3470 MC3480 MC3487 LM3900 LM3909 LM3911 LM3914 MC4024 MC4044 RC4136 RC4558 LM13600 75107 75110 75150 75154 75188 75189 75451 75452 75453 75477 75492 .98 .29 .69 .59 1.69 1.19 6.95 1.59 49 .49 .49 .85 8.25 1.95 .79 3.75 2.95 1.95 1.95 1.95 .89 .99 .99 .80 1.95 .99 1.29 1.19 1.95 8.95 2.95 .49 .98 2.25 2.39 3.49 3.99 1.25 .69 1.49 1.49 1.95 1.95 1.95 1.25 1.25 .39 .39 .39 1.29 .79 TO-3.T=TO-220 DIP CO INNECTORS DESCRIPTION ORDER BY CONTACTS 8 14 16 18 20 22 24 28 40 HIGH RELIABILITY TOOLED ST IC SOCKETS AUGATxxST .62 .79 .89 1.09 1.29 1.39 1.49 1.69 2.49 HIGH RELIABILITY TOOLED WW IC SOCKETS AUGATxxWW 1.30 1.80 2.10 2.40 2.50 2.90 3.15 3.70 5.40 COMPONENT CARRIES (DIP HEADERS) ICCxx .49 .59 .69 .99 .99 .99 .99 1.09 1.49 RIBBON CABLE DIP PLUGS (IDC) IDPxx .95 .95 1.75 2.95 DIODES/OPTO/TRANSISTORS FOR ORDERING INSTRUCTIONS SEE D-SUBMINIA TURE BELOW i m i i i i i I i I AUGAT24ST 1N751 .25 4N26 .69 1N759 .25 4N27 .69 1N4148 25/1.00 4N28 .69 1N4004 10/1.00 4N33 .89 1N5402 .25 4N37 1.19 KBP04 .55 MCT-2 .59 KBU8A .95 MCT-6 1.29 MDA990-2 .35 TIL-111 .99 N2222 .25 2N3906 .10 PN2222 .10 2N4401 .25 2N2905 .50 2N4402 .25 2N2907 .25 2N4403 .25 2N3055 .79 2N6045 1.75 2N3904 .10 TIP31 .49 D-SUBMINIATURE DESCRIPTION ORDER BY CONTACTS 9 15 19 25 37 50 SOLDER CUP MALE DBxxP .82 .90 1.25 1.25 1.80 3 48 FEMALE DBxxS .95 1.15 1.50 1.50 2.35 4 32 RIGHT ANGLE PC SOLDER MALE DBxxPR 1.20 1.49 1.95 2.65 FEMALE DBxxSR 1.25 1.55 2.00 2.79 WIRE WRAP MALE DBxxPWW 1.69 2.56 3.89 5.60 FEMALE DBxxSWW 2.76 4.27 6.84 9.95 - IDC RIBBON CABLE MALE IDBxxP 2.70 2.95 3.98 5.70 FEMALE IDBxxS 2.92 3.20 4.33 6.76 HOODS METAL MHOODxx 1.25 1.25 1.30 1.30 GREY HOODxx .65 .65 .65 .75 .95 ORDERING INSTRUCTIONS: INSERT THE NUMBER OF CONTACTS IN THE POSITION MARKED "xx" OF THE "ORDER BY" PART NUMBER LISTED. EXAMPLE: A 15 PIN RIGHT ANGLE MALE PC SOLDER WOULD BE DB15PR. MOUN TING HARDWARE $1.0 IDC CONNECTORS DESCRIPTION ORDER BY CONTACTS 10 20 26 34 40 50 SOLDER HEADER IDHxxS .82 1.29 1.68 2.20 2.58 3.24 RIGHT ANGLE SOLDER HEADER IDHxxSR .85 1.35 1.76 2.31 2.72 3.39 WW HEADER IDHxxW 1.86 2.98 3.84 4.50 5.28 6.63 RIGHT ANGLE WW HEADER IDHxxWR 2.05 3.28 4.22 4.45 4.80 7.30 RIBBON HEADER SOCKET IDSxx .79 .99 1.39 1.59 1.99 2.25 RIBBON HEADER IDMxx 5.50 6.25 7.00 7.50 8.50 RIBBON EDGE CARD IDExx 1.75 2.25 2.65 2.75 3.80 3.95 FOR ORDERING INSTRUCTIONS SEE D-SUBMINIA TURE ABOVE HARD TO FIND "SNAPABLE" HEADERS CAN BE SNAPPED APART TO MAKE ANY SIZE HEADER, ALL WITH .1" CENTERS 1x40 STRAIGHT LEAD .99 1x40 RIGHT ANGLE 1.49 I 2x40 STRAIGHT LEAD 2.49 L2x40 RIGHT ANGLE 2.9! SHORTING BLOCKS LED DISPLAYS FND-357<359) COM CATHODE .362" 1.25 FND-500(503) COM CATHODE .5" 1.49 FND-507(510) COM ANODE .5" 1.49 MAN-72 COM ANODE .3" .99 MAN-74 COM CATHODE .3" .99 MAN-8940 COM CATHODE .8" 1.99 TIL-313 COM CATHODE .3" .45 HP5082-7760 COM CATHODE .43" 1.29 TIL-311 4x7 HEX W/ LOGIC .270' 9.95 HP5082-7340 4x7 HEX W/LOGIC .290' 7.95 DIFFUSED LEOS 1 99 100-UP JUMBO RED JVA .10 .09 JUMBO GREEN T1V4 .14 .12 JUMBO YELLOW T1V4 .14 .12 MOUNTING HDW T1V4 .10 .09 MINI RED T1 .10 .09 SWITCHES SPST MINI-TOGGLE ON-ON 1.25 DPDT MINI-TOGGLE ON-ON 1.50 DPDT MINI-TOGGLE ON-OFF-ON 1.75 SPST MINI-PUSHBUTTON N.O. .39 SPST MINI-PUSHBUTTON N.C. .39 SPST TOGGLE ON-OFF .49 BCD OUTPUT 10 POSITION 6 PIN DIP 1.95 DIP SWITCHES 4 POSITION .85 7 POSITION .95 5 POSITION .90 8 POSITION .95 1 6 POSITION .90 10 POSITION 1.29 RIBBON CAB LE CONTACTS SINGLE COLOR COLOR CODED V 10' 1' 10' 10 .18 1.60 .30 2.75 16 .28 2.50 .48 4.40 20 .36 3.20 .60 5.50 25 .45 4.00 .75 6.85 26 .46 4.10 .78 7.15 34 .61 5.40 1.07 9.35 40 .72 6.40 1.20 11.00 50 .89 7.50 1.50 13.25 CALL FOR VOLUME QUOTES © copyright 1986 jdr microdevices Inquiry I85 MAY 1986 • BYTE 465 ORDER TOLL FREE 800-538-5000 BARGAIN HUNTERS CORNER DB25P 1O0/S45 10/$6.90 25. PIN. MALE D-SUB CONNECTOR DB25S ^£r 100/$52 10/$7.90 25 PIN FEMALE D-rSUB CONNECTOR HOOD-25 100/S31 10/$6.90 PLASTIC HOOO FOR DB25 IDE34 100/$129 10/$14.90 34 PIN EDGE CONNECTOR AUGAT 16WW 10O/$49 10/$6.90 1 6 PIN WIRE WRAP IC SOCKET MACHINE PIN .luf DISC 1OOO/$29,50 1O0/$3.95 .1uf 16VOLTCEt SC CAPACITORS SPECIALS END 6/30/86 PAGE WIRE WRAP WIRE PRECUT ASSORTMENT IN ASSORTED COLORS $27.50 100ea: 5.5", 6.0". 6.5", 7.0" 250ea:2.5", 4.5", 5.0" 500ea: 3.0", 3.5", 4.0" SPOOLS 100 feet S4.30 500 feet SI 3.25 250 feet S7.25 1000 feet S21. 95 Please specify color: Blue, Black, Yellow or Red [ EMI FILTER - MANUFACTURED BY CORCOM " LOW COST ► FITS LC-HP BELOW » 6 AMP 120/240 VOLT 6 FOOT LINE CORDS I LC-2 2 CONDUCTOR .39 LC-3 2 CONDUCTOR .99 LC-HP 3 CONDUCTOR W/STD FEMALE SOCKET 1.49 MUFFIN FANS 3.15" SQ 3.63" SQ L 3.18"SQ ROTRON 14.95 ETRI 14.95 MASUSHITA 16.95 WIRE WRAP PROTOTYPE CARDS FR-4 EPOXY GLASS LAMINATE WITH GOLD-PLATED EDGE-CARD FINGERS IBM-PR2 .-,.- IBM BOTH CARDS HAVE SILK SCREENED LEGENDS AND INCLUDES MOUNTING BRACKET IBM-PR1 WITH +5V AND GROUND PLANE .... S27.95 IBM-PR2 AS ABOVE WITH DECODING LAYOUT S29.95 S-100 P100-1 BARE - NO FOIL PADS $15.15 P100-2 HORIZONTAL BUS $21.80 P100-3 VERTICAL BUS $21.80 P100-4 SINGLE FOIL PADS PER HOLE $22.75 APPLE P500-1 BARE - NO FOIL PADS $15.15 P500-3 HORIZONTAL BUS $22.75 P500-4 SINGLE FOIL PADS PER HOLE $21.80 L 7060-45 FOR APPLE lie AUX SLOT $30.00 j SOCKET-WRAP I.D.™ * SLIPS OVER WIRE WRAP PINS * IDENTIFIES PIN NUMBERS ON WRAP SIDE OF BOARD * CAN WRITE ON PLASTIC; SUCH AS IC ft PINS 8 14 16 18 20 22 24 28 40 PARTff IDWRAP 08 IDWRAP14 IDWRAP 16 IDWRAP 18 IDWRAP 20 IDWRAP 22 IDWRAP 24 IDWRAP 28 IDWRAP 40 PLEASE ORDER BY NUMBER OF PACKAGES (PCK. OF) PCK. OF FRAME STYLE TRANSFORMERS 12.6VACCT 12.6V AC CT 12.6V AC CT L 25.2V AC CT 2 AMP 5.95 4 AMP 7.95 8 AMP 10.95 2 AMP 7.95 \ CAPACITORS TANTALUM 1.0//1 15V .35 A7fji 35V .45 6.8 15V .70 1.0 35V .45 10 15V .80 2.2 35V .65 22 15V 1.35 4.7 35V .85 .22 35V .40 10 35V 1.00 DISC 10pf 50V .05 680 50V .05 22 50V .05 .001/yf 50V .05 27 50V .05 .0022 50V .05 33 50V .05 .005 50V .05 47 50V .05 .01 50V .07 68 50V .05 .02 50V .07 100 50V .05 .05 50V .07 220 50V .05 .1 12V .10 560 50V .05 .1 50V .12 MONOLITHIC .01/if 50V .14 • 1//f 50V .18 .047^ 50V .15 .47/jf 50V .25 ELECTROLYTIC RADIAL AXIAL V 25V .14 w 50V .14 2.2 35V .15 10 50V .16 4.7 50V .15 22 16V .14 10 50V .15 47 50V .20 47 35V .18 100 35V .25 100 16V .18 220 25V .30 220 35V .20 470 50V .50 470 25V .30 1000 16V .60 2200 16V .70 2200 16V .70 L 4700 25V 1.45 4700 16V 1.25 25 PIN D-SUB GENDER CHANGERS S $7.95 [DATABASE EPROM ERASER $34.95 • ERASES 2 IN 10 MINUTES » COMPACT-NO DRAWER » THIN METAL SHUTTER PREVENTS UV LIGHT FROM ESCAPING V« WATT RESISTORS 5% CARBON FILM ALL STANDARD VALUES FROM 1 OHM TO 10 MEG. OHM 10 PCS same value .05 100 PCS same value .02 L 50 PCS samevakie .025 1000 PCS same value .015 RESISTOR NETWORKS 1 SIP 10 PIN 9 RESISTOR .69 SIP 8 PIN 7 RESISTOR .59 1 DIP 16 PIN 8 RESISTOR 1.09 DIP 16 PIN 15 RESISTOR 1.09 DIP 14 PIN 7 RESISTOR .99 L DIP 14 PIN 13 RESISTOR .99 SPECIALS ON BYPASS CAPACITORS .01 //f CERAMIC DISC .01 //f MONOLITHIC .1 //f CERAMIC DISC .1 //f MONOLITHIC 100/S5.00 100/S10.00 100/S6.50 100/S12.50 > SWITCHING POWER SUPPLIES $89.95 | PS-IBM * FOR IBM PC-XTCOMPATIBLE * 1 35 WATTS * +5V@ 15A, 12V @ 4.2A PS-IBM -5V@.5A. -12V @ .5A * ONE YEAR WARRANTY PS-IBM-150 $99.95 * FOR IBM PC-XTCOMPATIBLE * 150 WATTS * +12V @ 5.2A, +5V @ 16A -12V @ .5A. -5V @ .5A PS-130 * ONE YEAR WARRANTY PS-130 $99.95 ► 130 WATTS • SWITCH ON REAR ► FOR USE IN OTHER IBM TYPE MACHINES ► 90 DAY WARRANTY ps-a PS-A $49.95 • USE TO POWER APPLE TYPE SYSTEMS • +5V@4A, +12V@2.5A -5V @ ,5A. -12V @ ,5A > APPLE POWER CONNECTOR I PS-SPL200 $49.95 ► +5V@25A, +12 V@ 3.5A -5V@ 1A,-12V@ 1A ■ ULAPPROVED > ALUMINUM ENCLOSURE BOOKS by STEVE CIARCIA BIULD YOUR OWN Z80 COMPUTER $19.35 CIRCUIT CELLAR VOL 1 $17.95 CIRCUIT CELLAR VOL 2 $18.95 CIRCUIT CELLAR VOL 3 $18.95 CIRCUIT CELLAR VOL 4 $18.95 ■ L CIRCUIT CELLAR VOL 5 $19.95 J MICROCOMPOTER I HARDWARE HANDBOOK FROMELCOMP $14.95, OVER 800 PAGESOF DATA SHEETS | ON THE MOST COMMONLY USED ICs. INCLUDESTTL,CMOS.74LS00. I MEMORY, CPUS, MPU SUPPORT. I AND MUCH MORE! WIS H SOLDERLESS B READBOA RDS pi'MWl PART NUMBER DIMENSIONS DISTRIBUTION STRIP(S) TIE POINTS TERMINAL STRIP(S) TIE POINTS BINDING POSTS PRICE WBU-D .38 x 6.50" 1 100 2.95 WBU-T 1.38x6.50" 1 630 6.95 WBU-204-3 3.94 x 8.45" 1 100 2 1260 2 17.95 WBU-204 5.13x8.45" 4 400 2 1260 3 24.95 WBU-206 6.88 x 9.06" 5 500 3 1890 4 29.95 WBU-208 8.25x9.45" 7 700 4 2520 4 39.95 WBU-20R J LITHIUM BATTERY AS USED IN CLOCK CIRCUITS 3 VOLT BATTERY $3.95 [ BATTERY HOLDER $1 ,49 NEW EDITION! 1986 IC MASTER THE INDUSTRY STANDARD | $129.95 VISIT OUR RETAIL STORE LOCATED AT 1256 SOUTH BASCOM AVENUE IN SAN JOSE ll-Vf- 1 * It Jl- I - HOURS: M-W-F, 9-5 TU-TH, 9-9 JDR Microdevices 1224 S. Bascom Avenue, San Jose, CA 95128 2SSBSS-TSi5 Toll Free 800-538-5000 ♦ (408) 995-5430 FAX (408) 275-8415 • Telex 171-1 10 © COPYRIGHT 1986 JDR MICRODEVICES HOURS: M-W-F, 9-5 TU-TH, 9-9 SAT, 10-3 PLEASE USE YOUR CUSTOMER NUMBER WHEN ORDERING TERMS: Minimum order $10.00. For shipping and handling include $2.50 for UPS Sround and $3.50 for UPS Air. Orders ova idditional shipping charges - please contact o ijli imssm anted (or 90 days erchandise subject to prior sale. 466 B YTE • MAY 1986 Inquiry 186 PARTIAL LISTING ONLY — CALL FOR A FREE CATALOG DISK DRIVES FOR APPLE COMPUTERS AP-150 $99.95 • ViHT, DIRECT DRIVE ► 100% APPLE COMPATIBLE * SIX MONTH WARRANTY BAL-500 $129.95 » TEAC MECHANISM-DIRECT DRIVE * 100% APPLE COMPATIBLE » FULL ONE YEAR WARRANTY AM 35 $129.95 * FULL HT SHUGART MECHANISM * DIRECT REPLACEMENT FOR APPLE DISK II * SIX MONTH WARRANTY ■SB* Li MAC535 $249.95 * 3.5" ADD-ON DISK DRIVE * 100% MACINTOSH COMPATABLE * DOUBLE SIDED 800K BYTE STORAGE * HIGH RELIABILITY DRIVE HAS AUTO-EJECT MECHANISM * FULL ONE YEAR WARRANTY AD-3G $139.95 r 100% APPLE lie COMPATIBLE. READY TO PLUG IN. W/SHIELDED CABLE & MOLDED t9 PIN CONNECTOR * SIX MONTH WARRANTY DISK DRIVE ACCESSORIES FDD CONTROLLER CARD $49.95 I lie ADAPTOR CABLE $19.95 ADAPTS STANDARD APPLE DRIVES FOR USE WITH APPLE lie KB-1000 $79.95] CASE WITH KEYBOARD FOR APPLE TYPE MOTHERBOARD * USER DEFINED FUNCTION KEYS * NUMERIIC KEYPAD WITH CURSOR CONTROL * CAPS LOCK * AUTO-REPEAT I [KEYDOARD-AP $49.95 » REPLACEMENT FOR APPLE II KEYBOARD * CAPS LOCK KEY, AUTO-REPEAT > ONE KEY ENTRY OF BASIC OR CP/M COMMANDS EXTENDER CARDS IBM-PC $45.00 IBM- AT $68.00 APPLE II $45.00 I I APPLE lie $45.00 MULTIBUS $86.00 APPLE COMPATIBLE INTERFACE CARDS EPROM PROGRAMMER $59.95 MODEL RP525 > DUPLICATE OR BURN ANY STANDARD 27xx SERIES EPROM * EASY TO USE MENU-DRIVEN SOFTWARE IS INCLUDED - MENU SELECTION FOR 2716, 2732, 2732A, 2764 AND 271 28 . HIGH SPEED WRITE ALGORITHM - LED INDICATORS FOR ACTIVITY > NO EXTERNAL POWER SUPPLY NEEDED ■ ONE YEAR WARRANTY m. 3-WAY SWITCH BOXES SERIAL OR PARALLEL CONNECTS 3 PRINTERS TO ONE COMPUTER OR VICE VERSA ALL LINES SWITCHES HIGH QUALITY ROTARY SWITCH MOUNTED ON PCB GOLD CONTACTS STURDY METAL ENCLOSURE SWITCH-3P CENTRONICS PARALLEL $99.95 SWITCHES RS232 SERIAL $99.85 16K RAMCARD $39.95 * FULL TWO YEAR WARRANTY * EXPAND YOUR 48K APPLE TO 64K * USE IN PLACE OF APPLE LANGUAGE CARD BARE PC CARD W/INSTRUCTIQNS $9.95 IC TEST CARD $99.95 * QUICKLYTESTS MANY COMMON ICs * DISPLAYS PASS OR FAIL » ONE YEAR WARRANTY » TESTS: 4000 SERIES CMOS, 74HC SERIES CMOS, 7400. 74LS, 74L, 74H & 74S 300D MODEM $49.95 j FOR APPLE OR IBM INCLUDES ASCII PRO-EZ SOFTWARE * FCC APPROVED * BELLSYSTEMS 103 COMPATIBLE ► INCLUDES AC ADAPTOR » AUTO-DIAL ■ DIRECT CONNECT CABLE FOR APPLE lie $14.95, JOYSTICK CRAOi $7.95 FOR ATARI 400, 800, 2600, VIC 20/64 AND APPLE lie DISKFILE HOLDS 70 5V«" DISKETTES J.5" DISKFILE HOLDS 40 $9w POWER STRIP ► UL APPROVED I 15A CIRCUIT BREAKER $12.95 OH PRINTER BUFFERS FREES COMPUTER FOR OTHER TASKS WHILE PRINTING LONG DOCUMENTS STAND-ALONE DESIGN; WORKS WITH ANY COMPUTER OR PRINTER ALL MODELS FEATURE PRINT PAUSE MEMORY CHECK, GRAPHICS CAPABILITY SP120P PARALLEL $139.95 64K UPGRADABLE TO 256K LED INDICATOR SHOWS VOLUME OF DATA IN BUFFER SP120S RS232 SERIAL $159.95 64K UPGRADABLE TO 256K 6 SELECTBALE BAUD RATES, FROM 600B-19.200B SP110P PARALLEL $249.95 64K UPGRADABLE TO 512K SPOOLS OUTPUT OF UP TO 3 COMPUTERS LED BARGRAPH DISPLAYS AMOUNT OF DATA IN BUFFER RESET FUNCTION CLEARS ■ DATA IN BUFFER REPEAT FUNCTION CAN PRODUCE MULTIPLE COPIES OF A DOCUMENT NASHUA DISKETTES DEALS 5W SOFT SECTOR DS/DD WITH HUB RINGS $9 90 690ea 590ea BOX OF 10 BULK0TY50 BULK OTY 250 NASHUA DISKETTES WERE JUDGED TOHAVETHEHIGHESTPOLISH AND RECORDED AMPLITUDE OF ANY DISKETTES TESTED ACCORDING TO "COMPARING FLOPPY DISKS", BYTE 9/84 DISKETTES NASHUA 5V 4 " N-MD2D N-MD2F N-MD2H DS/DD SOFr DS/QUADSOFT DS/HD FOR AT NASHUA 8" $9.90 $34.95 $49.95 N-FD1 N-FD2D SS/DD SOFT DS/DD SOFT NASHUA 3.5" $27.95 $34.95 N-3.5SS 3.5" SS/DD FOR MAC VERBATIM 5V4" $32.95 V-MD1D SS/DD SOFT V-MD2D DS/DD SOFT lv-MD110D SS/DD 10 SECTOR HARD $23.95 $29.95 $23.95 Sakata 120 GPS DOT MATRIX PRINTER MODEL SP-1200 $169.95 r EPSON/IBM COMPATIBLE » 9-WIREPRINTHEAD r 120 CPS-BIDIRECTIONAL, 80 COL. r FRICTION AND TRACTOR FEED r PROPORTIONAL SPACING r CENTRONICS PARALLEL INTERFACE r 8 CHARACTER SETS AND GRAPHICS I 6 FOOT IBM PRINTER CABLE $9.95 I I REPLACEMENT RIBBON CARTRIDGE $1 1.95 \ 5V4 "FLOPPY DISK DRIVES I TEAC FD-55BVJHT DS/DD (FOR IBM) $109.95 I TEAC FD-55F VtHTDS/QUAD (FOR IBM) $109.95 TEAC FD-55GFV '/j HT DS/HD (FOR IBM AT) $154.95 TANDONTM100-2 DS/DD(FOR IBM) $99.95 TAN DON TM50-2 '/jHT DS/DD (FOR IBM) $89.95 MPI-B52 DS/DD (FOR IBM) $89.95 QUME OT-142 '/jHT DS/DD (FOR IBM) $79.95 | B'; FLOPPY DISK DRIVES FD 100-8 SS/DD (SA/801 EQUIV) FD 200-8 DS/DD (SA/B51R EQUIV) $119.00 $159.00 DISK DRIVE ACCESSORIES I TEAC SPECIFICATION MANUAL $5.00 I TEAC MAINTENANCE MANUAL $25.00 I 1 V 2 HT MOUNTING HARDWARE $2.95 MOUNTING RAILS FOR IBM AT $4.95 "Y" POWER CABLE FOR 5V*" FDDs $2.95 I 5W FDD POWER CONNECTORS $1.19 TANDONTM100-2 DISK DRIVE ENCLOSURES CAB-APPLE $24.95 APPLE TYPE CABINET W/OUT POWER SUPPLY I GAB-1FH5 $69.95 FULL HT 5V«" BEIGE CABINET W/POWER SUPPLY I CAB-2SV5 $49.95 DUAL SLIMLINE 5'A" CABINET W/POWER SUPPLY I CAB-2SV8 vertical $209.95 DUAL SLIMLINE 8" CABINET W/POWER SUPPLY I CAB-2FH8 horizintal $219.95 I DUAL FULL HT 8" CABINET W/POWER SUPPLY JB ^IHi TEST EQUIPMENT FROM JDR INSTRUMENTS DIGITAL MULTIMETER PEN DPM-1000 AUTO RANGING. POLARITY AND DECIMAL! $54.95 * LARGE 3.5 DIGIT DISPLAY * DATA HOLD SWITCH FREEZES READING * FAST, AUDIBLE CON- TINUITYTEST * LOW BATTERY INDICATOR * OVERLOAD PROTEC- TION I 20MHZ DUAL TRACE OSCILLOSCOPE MODEL 2000 $389.00 | 35MHZ DUAL TRACE OSCILLOSCOPE MODEL 3500 $549.00 FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE OSCILLOSCOPES, SEE OUR AD ON PAGE 207. CALL FOR VOLUME QUOTES © copyright 1986 jdr microdevices Inquiry 186 MAY I986 -BYTE 467 BUILD A COMPLETE 256K XT SYSTEM— $717 SEAGATE ST-225 20MB HARD DISK SYSTEM 1 CRT MONITORS FOR ALL APPLICATIONS INCLUDES HALF LENGTH HD CONTROLLER, CABLES, MOUNT- ING HARDWARE AND INSTRUC- I TIONS. ALL DRIVES ARE PRE- TESTED AND COME WITH A ONE I YEARWARRANTY. $449.00 XT COMPATIBLE MOTHERBOARD $159.00 . 4.77 MHz 8088 CPU. OPTIONAL 8087 CO-PROCESSOR • 8 EXPANSION SLOTS • OK RAM INSTALLED, EXPANDABLE TO 640K ONBOARD MEMORY • ALL ICs SOCKETED-HIGHEST QUALITY PC BOARD • ACCEPTS 2764 OR 27128 ROMS PRO-BIOS $29.95 IBM COMPATIBLE INTERFACE CARDS ALL WITH A ONE YEAR WARRANTY MULTI I/O FLOPPY CARD $129.95 PERFECT FOR THE 640K MOTHERBOARD • 2 DRIVE FLOPPY DISK CONTROLLER • 1 RS232SERIALPORT;OPTIONAL2nd SERIAL PORT • PARALLEL PRINTER PORT • GAME PORT • CLOCK/CALENDAR • SOFTWARE: CLOCK UTILITIES. RAMDISK, SPOOLER OPTIONAL SERIAL PORT $15.95 MULTIFUNCTION CARD $119.95 ALL THE FEA TURES OF AST'S 6 PACK PLUS AT HALF THE PRICE • CLOCK/CALENDAR • 0-384K RAM • SERIAL PORT • PARALLELPORT • GAME PORT • SOFTWARE INCLUDED PRINTER CABLE $9.95 64K RAM UPGRADE 9JS10.71 COLOR GRAPHICS ADAPTOR $99.95 FULLY COMPATIBLE WITH IBM COLOR CARD • 4 VIDEO INTERFACES: RGB. COMPOSITE COLOR. HI-RES COMPOSITE MONOCHROME. CONNECTOR FOR RF MODULATOR • COLOR GRAPHICS MODE: 320 x 200 ■ MONO GRAPHICS MODE: 640 x 200 • LIGHT PEN INTERFACE MONOCHROME GRAPHICS CARD $119.95 FULLY COMPATIBLE W/IBM MONOCHROME ADAPTOR & HERCULES GRAPHICS • LOTUS COMPATIBLE • TEXT MODE: 80x25 . GRAPHICS MODE: 720 x 348 • PARALLEL PRINTER INTERFACE •OPTIONAL SERIAL PORT $19.95 MONOCHROME ADAPTOR $49.95 ANOTHER FANTASTIC VALUE FROM JDR! • IBM COMPATIBLE TTL OUTPUT • 720 x 350 PIXEL DIPLAY PLEASE NOTE: THIS CARD WILL NOT RUN LOTUS GRAPHICS AND DOES NOTINCLUDE A PARALLEL PORT FLOPPY DISK DRIVE ADAPTOR $49.95 . INTERFACES UPTO 4 STANDARD FDDs TO IBM PC OR COMPATIBLES • INCLUDES CABLE FOR TWO INTERNAL DRIVES • STANDARD DB37 FOR EXTERNAL DRIVES • RUNS QUAD DENSITY DRIVES WHEN USED WITH JFORMAT EASYDATA 1200 BAUD MODEM FOR IBM INCLUDES PC TALK III COMMUNICATIONS SOFTWARE • NEW 10 INCH CARD • HAYES COMPATIBLE • AUTO DIAL/ AUTO ANSWER • AUTO RE-DIAL ON BUSY • INCLUDES SERIAL PORT! • ONE YEARWARRANTY $169.95 #JDR Microdevices LUXOR HI-RES RGB MONITOR MODEL 190-9528 • DIGITAL RGB IBM COMPATIBLE • 14" SCREEN * 16 TRUE COLORS * 25 MHz BANDWIDTH •RESOLUTIONS 640 x 262 • 31mm DOT PITCH * CABLE FOR IBM PC INCLUDED SAKATA COMPOSITE COLOR MODEL SC-100 TOP RATED FOR APPLE 13" COMPOSITE VIDEO RESOLUTION: 280H x 30OV INTERNAL AUDIO AMP ONE YEAR WARRANTY CENTER SYSTEMS MONOCHROME MODEL KLM-1211 • IBM COMPATIBLE TTL INPUT • 12" NON- GLARE SCREEN • P39 GREEN PHOSPHORUS • VERY HIGH RESOLUTION: 25 MH* BANDWIDTH 1100 LINES (CENTER) AMBERVERSION $109.95 $299.95 $169.95 $99.95 BUILD YOUR OWN 256K XT COMPATIBLE SYSTEM XT MOTHERBOARD $159.95 PRO-BIOS $29.95 25SK RAM $29.55 130 WATT POWER SUPPLY $99.95 FLIP-TOP CASE $49.95 DKM-2099 KEYBOARD $79.95 V2 HEIGHT QUME DRIVE $79.95 FLOPPY DISK CONTROLLER $49.95 MONOCHROME ADAPTOR $49.95 MONOCHROME MONITOR $99.95 TOTAL $719.10 IBM STYLE COMPUTER CASE ^ AN ATTRACTIVE STEEL CASE WITH A HINGED LID FITS THE POPULAR PC/XT COMPATIBLE MOTHERBOARDS . SWITCH CUT-OUT ON SIDE FOR PC/XT STYLE POWER SUPPLY • CUT-OUT FOR 8 EXPANSION SLOTS ■ ALL HARDWARE INCLUDED MONITOR STAND TILTS AND SWIVELS ONLY $12.95 IBM PRINTER CABLE $9.95 J • DB25TO CENTRONICS ' SHIELDED CABLE $49.95 IBM COMPATIBLE KEYBOARDS DKM-2000 $79.95 IBM-5151 $99.95 • "5150" STYLE KEYBOARD « FULLY IBM COMPATIBLE • LED STATUSINDICATORS FOR CAPS & NUMBER LOCK • 83 KEY - SAME LAYOUT AS IBM PC/XT KEYBOARD POWER SUPPLY ll^ll^li^ff;! NOW ONLY $89.95 FOR IBM PC-XT COMPATIBLE 135 WATTS +5V @ 15 A, +12 V @ 4.2A -5V @ .5A, -12V @ ,5A 150 WATT MODEL $99.95, . REPLACEMENT FOR KEYTRONICS KB-5151™ ► SEPARATE CURSOR & NUMERIC KEYPAD ■ CAPS LOCK & NUMBER LOCK INDICATORS ■ IMPROVED KEYBOARD LAYOUT DISK DRIVES TANDON TM50-2 $89.95 VzHT DS/DD IBM COMPATIBLE EXTREMELY QUIET! | TEACFD-55B DS/DD $109.95 TEACFD-55F DS/QUAD $109.95 TEACFD-55G DS/HD $154.95 QUME QT-142 DS/DD $79.95 MDUNTIN6 HARDWARE $2.95 i AT/RAILS $4.95, 1224 S. Bascom Avenue, San Jose, CA 95128 Toll Free 800-538-5000 • (408) 995-5430 • FAX (408) 275-8415 • Telex 171-110 468 BYTE- MAY 1986 ) COPYRIGHT 1986 JDR MICRODEVICES Inquiry 187 DISKS AND DOWNLOADS Ordering Disks of BYTE Listings Source-code listings in the form of text files of programs that accompany BYTE articles are now available from BYTE on disk. To order a disk of these listings for noncommercial purposes, indicate the issue (the first available is December 1985) and the kind of disk on the form below. Enclose a check or money order in the correct amount made out to BYTE Listings. All prices include postage. Send requests to BYTE Listings, 70 Main St.. Peterborough, NH 03458. 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Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and West Germany. Contact us at (603) 924-9281 for an up-to-date list. ■ MAY 1986 -BYTE 469 BOMB BYTE's Ongoing Monitor Box ARTICLED PAGE ARTICLE AUTHOR(S) 1 9 Microbytes . staff 2 29 What's New staff 3 50 Ask BYTE Ciarcia 4 63 Book Reviews linger. Norman. O'Neill 5 85 Ciarcia's Circuit Cellar: Adding SCSI to the SBI80 Computer, Part I: Introduction .... Ciarcia 6 98 Programming Project: Data Compression with Huffman Coding . Amsterdam 7 III Modula-2 As a Systems Programming Language Corbeil. Anderson 8 12 3 Linking Data Flow and Functional Languages Hankin, Till, Glaser 9 137 Easy C Orlin, Heath 10 151 Programming Insight: Subroutine Overlays in GW-BASIC Carmichael 11 161 The Evolution of Mass Storage . . . . Laub 12 17 7 CD-ROM Software Development . . Zoellick 13 193 The Application Interface of Optical Drives Dulude ARTICLED PAGE ARTICLE AUTHOR(S) 14 203 Optical Disk Error Correction Golomb 15 215 A Roundup of Optical Disk Drives. . MaJloy 16 227 Tape Backup Systems Antonuccio 17 23 5 Laser Libraries Desmarais 18 254 The AT&T UNIX PC Mayer 19 265 ZBasic Byers 20 269 GEM Draw/MacDraw Birmele 21 273 Hardcard White 22 279 The B&C Microsystems 1409 EPROM Programmer Jacobs 23 285 Non-Keyboard Input Devices Pappas 24 289 Racter Kenner 25 293 General Electrics 3-8100 Printer . . .Swearengin 26 299 Lettrix Miller 2 7 311 Computing at Chaos Manor: Expanded/Extended Memory Pournelle 28 329 BYTE Japan: An Innovative Program Raike 29 33 5 Applications Only: A Mixed Lot. . . .Shapiro 30 343 According to Webster: 68000 Wars: Round 2 Webster 31 363 BYTE U.K.: Intuitive Solution Pountain 32 379 Mathematical Recreations: The Pellian Equation Kurosaka 3 3 398 Best of BIX BlXen BOMB Results The Best of BIX is the winning article from the February issue. It was written by BIX subscribers who joined the conferences discussing Amiga, Atari. IBM, and Macintosh computers. 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Each month BYTE will bring you the latest in microcomputer technology. DISCOVER and IMPLEMENT new ideas. Don't miss the original informa- tion presented in the pages of BYTE. With BYTE you'll always be among the first to know about the important breakthroughs, worthwhile new equipment, and innovative projects in the world of computing. CHALLENGE US to deliver the very best idea in microcomputers and advanced technology to you Return the attached card today 1 . Subscribe to BYTE— the worlds leading computer magazine. BUSINESS REPLY MAIL FIRST CLASS PERMIT NO. 39 MARTINSVILLE, NJ POSTAGE WILL BE PAID BY ADDRESSEE BYTE SUBSCRIPTIONS PO Box 597 Martinsville, NJ 08836-9956 USA NO POSTAGE NECESSARY IF MAILED IN THE UNITED STATES I...I..I.I..I...II..II..I.I..I.I...I.I..II...II..I BUSINESS REPLY MAIL FIRST CLASS PERMIT NO. 39 MARTINSVILLE, NJ POSTAGE WILL BE PAID BY ADDRESSEE BYTE SUBSCRIPTIONS PO Box 597 Martinsville. N] 08836-9956 USA NO POSTAGE NECESSARY IF MAILED IN THE UNITED STATES I. ..LI. LI.. .11. .11. .1.1. .1.1. ..I. I. .11.. .11.. I ^HH TODAY IS THE BLACKEST DAY IN DOT MATRIX PRINTER HISTORY . ^ ■ ■ It would pay Y ou t0 mark it on your calendar. Because today is the day we introduce our new Pin writer™ P5XL dot matrix printer. The only dot matrix printer available capable of producing the rich, black printing you asso- ciate with a letter-quality printer. Because it's the only one designed to use a multi- strike film ribbon— the same ribbon used in typewriters and letter-quality printers. Black letter-quality printing is only the be- ginning. The Pinwriter P5XL printer can also use an optional ribbon to print in seven other colors. And it has the finest graphics resolution of any impact printer you can buy. Plus it's very fast and exceptionally quiet. It's only natural that ■ ^ gjfZ Computers and Communications ©1986NECCotp A LITTLE BLACK MAGIC. Actual line printed with the Pinwriter P5XL printer the first dot matrix printer with true letter- quality printing should be an NEC. After all we make Spin writer® letter-quality printers, the most popular line today as well as the Pinwriter P5 dot matrix printer, the most advanced 24-pin printer. The Pinwriter P5XL printer is part of the most extensive line of 24-pin printers available. You'll find a model designed to fit every need and budget. See them at your dealer or call 1-800-343-44 18 (in MA 617-264-8635). Or write: NEC Information Systems, Dept. 1610, 1414 Massachusetts Ave., Boxborough, MA 017 19. NEC PRINTERS.THEYONLY STOP WHEN YOU WANTTHEMTQ SEC NEC Information Systems, Inc. Inquiry 2 53 We edged out the competition with better solutions for every application. Presenting the Tandy® line of PC-compatible computers At Radio Shack Computer Cen- ters, you won't find just any com- puter, you'll find the right computer. The Tandy 1000 is America's # 1 PC compatible Looking for a complete, low-cost MS-DOS® system? The Tandy 1000 is compatible with the IBM® PC, so there are thousands of programs for you to choose from. Plus, the 1000 comes complete with its own DeskMate® 6-in-l software. The Tandy 1200— the PC/XT's "mirror image" The Tandy 1200 works like an IBM PC/XT— but costs much less. The 1200 runs the same top-name software and supports the same hardware as the PC/XT. So if you're already using one or more IBM PC's in your office, the Tandy 1200 lets you expand for less — and con- tinue using the same software. The Tandy 2000 for advanced graphics and high performance Searching for a high-powered computer with advanced graphics capabilities? Take a good look at the affordable Tandy 2000. The Tandy 2000 gives you the high-resolution graphics you need to create razor- sharp graphs and diagrams in a bril- liant array of colors. The new Tandy 3000 for super power and compatibility Introducing a powerful computer that's the affordable alternative to the IBM PC/AT. The Tandy 3000 has the power you need, and it's compatible with PC/AT and PC/XT software. And with the forthcoming XENIX® operating system, two to six users will be able to use the 3000 simultaneously. Tandy . . . Clearly Superior™ Discover the power and afforda- bility of the Tandy 3000 and all of our MS-DOS computers. Drop by your local Radio Shack Computer Center today. And while you're there, pick up a free copy of our new 1986 Radio Shack Software Reference and Tandy Computer Guide. Come in today! Available at over 1200 Radio Shack Computer Centers and at participating Radio Shack stores and dealers. Radio /hack COMPUTER CENTERS A DIVISION OF TANDY CORPORATION DeskMate/Registered TM Tandy Corp. IBM/Registered TM International Business Machines Corp. MS-DOS and XENIX/Registered TM Microsoft Corp. Inquiry 307