When a Laser Printer Just Won't Do: 27 Laser Alternatives PAGE 156 I DECEMBER 1990 A McGRAW-HILL PUBLICATI< urn ■EHvEs/ilsE H?T?HMlT^i ~i^ 1 ^^^"^m H I m from Sun, Solboui and Compui PAGE 140 STATE OF THE ART IN COMPUTE I s A r^ r J /"/" ^ Vjj ^ 1 r , / U Sr^ V ■• ■ \^ ■«' /' U?*Mal9Mi on Your Desktop 'Laptop on a Chip" designs Understanding X.400 'Real" Relational Databases vs. the Pretenders Sony NeWS vs. MIPS Magnum Tl's New TravelMate 3000 Norton Utilities for Unix, Mac DR DOS 5.0 Dell Station 425E (0) . M .# Jm? mi jsM Unix|pr the Amiga 1 1 2 o 440235 o $3.50 U.S.A./$4.50 IN CANADA 0360-5280 THE NEW DELL SYSTEM 433TE 33MHzElSAi486. ,M • Intel 80486 microprocessor running ar 33 MH2 with 128 KB external cache. **CommerciaI Lease Plan. Lease for a.s loiv as $377/month. 330 MR Super VGA Color System (800x600) $10,499 Price listed includes 4 MB of RAM* 80, 100, 190, 330 and 650 MR hard drive configurations available. THE NEW DELL SYSTEM 425TE 25 MHz EISA i486. • Intel 80486 microprocessor running at 25 MHz. Commercial Lease Plan. Lease for as low as $278/month. 190 MR Super VGA Color System (800x600) $7,499 Price listed includes 4 MB of RAM* 80, 100, 190, 330 and 650 MB hard drive configurations available. THE DELL SYSTEM 43 3E 33MH:ElSAi4S6. • i486 microprocessor running at 33 MHz. Commercial Lease Plan. Lease for as loiv as $307/month. 100 MB SuperVGA Color System (800x600) $8,499 Price listed includes 4 MB of RAM* 80, 100, 190, 330 and 650 MB hard drive configurations available. THE DELL SYSTEM 42 5E ,W 25 MH: EISA i486. • i486 microprocessor running at 25 MHz. Commercial Lease Plan. Lease for as low as $235/month. 100 M B Super VGA Color System (800x600) $6,499 Price listed includes 4MB of" RAM .* 80, 100, 190, 3 30 and 650 MB hard drive configurations available. THE NEW DELL SYSTEM 32 5D 25MHz386. ,M • Intel 80386 microprocessor n inning at 25 MH: with 32 KR external cache. Commercial Lease Plan. Lease for as low as $U2hnncertom remote locations. Shipping, handling and oppkab'e soles tax not included in the pnee. For information on ando Copy of Dell's 30-day Total Satisfaction Guarantee, limited woiranfy, and Xerox's Service Contract, p'eose write to Dell USA Corporation. 9505 Arbare'um Boulevard, Aust.n. Texas 78759-7299, ATfN. Warranty $ 1990 Dell Computer Corporation All rights reserved. TOP OF THE MARK. So what do you get by paying the extra mark-up for a Compaq? Not a better computer. Dell s new 386" systems are as fast, expandable and compatible as Compaq's. Not better service. In 8 straight PC Week polls of corporate cutsomers, Dells service rated much higher than everyone else's. Not better personal attention. From the moment you first call TO ORDER, CALL 800-388-3355 HOURS:6AM-9PMCTM-F 8 AM-4 PM CTSAT. yOU OWfl yOUr us, and for as long as The new Dell 33 MHz and 25 MHz 386 computers. system board and a 32 KB cache designed into a compact footprint. The new Dell 333D is as good as a 386 PC In Canada 800-387-5752. In the U.K. 0SC0 414535. In France ,. . , (l)30.60.68.00.lnGcrmanv06l03/70l-0.lnSvveden0760.7l350. COmpUtCT Well WOTK with you custom configuring your computer and answering any questions— no matter how small —whether it be technical, sales or service related. In fact, the only thing extra you get from Compaq is, well, mark-up. Our new 386's pull a fast one on pricier computers. Both the 33 MHz Dell System® 333D and 25 MHz Dell System 325D are faster and more expandable than most higher priced systems. The new Dell™325D is a fast, reliable machine with up to 16 MB of RAM on the can get. Not only is it 33% faster than the Dell 325D, it has a 64 KB cache for an extra kick in performance. We design every machine to our specs, then build it to yours.We design our computers; we know them inside out. So when you call us, we can talk to you about what you need a computer THE NEW DELL SYSTEM 333D 33 MHz 386 AND THE NEW DELL SYSTEM 325D 25 MHz 386. STANDARD FEATURES: • Intel® 80386 microprocessor running at 33 MH: (333D)or 25 MH: (325D). • Page mode interleaved memory archir.ecn.ire. • Standard 1 MB of RAM * optional 2 MB or 4 MB of RAM expandable to 16 MB on system board. • Integrated VGA controller with 1024 x 768 support. • Integrated hard drive and diskette drive interface. • 6 industrystandard expansion slots (five 16-bit, one 8-bit). • High-performance IDE (40 MB, 80 MB, 100 MB,190MB)and ESDI (330 MB, 650 MB) hard disk drives. • 1 parallel port, 2 serial ports, PS/2 compatible mouse port, all integrated. • 177 watt power supply. • 12-month Xerox On-Site Service Contract. 333D 325D 40 MB VGA Color Plus 64 KB (333D) or 32 KB (325D) SRAM cache. System $3,599 52,999 • SmartVu- Advanced System Diagnostic Display. Prices listed include 1 MB of RAM.* 80, 100, • Socket for Intel 80387 or WE1TEK 3167 math 19 °- 33 °- 65 ° MB hard drive configurations coprocessor. ava.lable. • 5.25" 1.2 MB or 3.5" 1.44 MB diskette drive. I ADCODE11EM0 | TOP OF THE MARK-UPS. But, for the sake of $10,699 $3699 Compaq's 33 MH? and 25 MHz 386 computers for, and then put together the most efficient, economical package for you. We take you through all the choices you have in memory sizes, monitors, storage devices, high performance controllers and accessories. Once you agree about exactly what you need, we immediately begin custom configuring your computer, perform a completed system test, then send it off. Then you get 30 days to use it. If you arerft satisfied, send it back. Well return your money, no questions asked. Even if something goes wrong, it won't wreck your day. Actually, one of the nice things about our service is that you'll rarely need it. Another PC Week poll category we dominate is the one called "reliability — due in no small measure to our extensive burn-in testing on each computer before it goes out the door. argument, let's suppose something does go wrong with your Dell computer. Both the Dell 333D and 325D come with our SmartVu; M the built-in diagnostic display that ingeniously identifies problems even if the monitor goes down. If you still need help, our Dell toll-free technical support hotline solves 90% of all problems over the phone, often within 4 or 5 minutes. Or, if you use our new Dell TechFax line at 1-800-950-1329, we'llfax back technical information immediately. If we still haven't solved the problem, we'll send trained technicians from the Xerox Corporation* to your desk the next business day with the solution in hand. For sale, for lease? for less. Call us. Talk to a computer expert whose only job is to give you exactly what you want in computers, service, software, printers and financing. You'll get solid information that could save you time and money on computers with high marks, not high mark-ups. DELL COMPUTER CORPORATION Circle 86 on Reader Service Card HERE'S OUR NEW STORE, SO YOU'LL NEVER HAVE TO GO TO THEIR STORE AGAIN. When you buy from a traditional computer store, here's what you get: A beefy retail mark-up. Pressure to buy something you don't want. That crummy feeling of not knowing what you're getting, because the salesman isn't sure what he's selling. And, when there's a problem, some guy with a screwdriver taking your computer apart. When you call Dell, on the other hand, here's what you get: A frank talk with experts about what you need, and a recommendation about the best overall package for you. Custom configuration, with options including monitors, memory sizes, accessories, TO ORDER, CALL 800-388-3355 1 10URS: 6 AM-9 PM CT M-F 8 AM-4 PM CT SAT software and peripherals. THE NEW DELL SYSTEM® 333D 33 MHz 386. STANDARD FEATURES: ! Inn-J*' 80386 microprocessor running at 3) MH:. • Page mode interleaved memory architecture. • Standard I MR of RAM*, optional 2 M B or 4 MB of RAM expandable to 16 MR on system board. • Integrated VGA controller with 1024 x 768 support. » 64 KB high-speed SRAM, t Socket for Intel 80387 or WEITEk.' 3167 math coprocessor. • 5.25" 1.2 MB or 3. 5" 1.44 MB diskette drive. » 6 industry standard expansion slots (rive 16-bit, one 8-bit). • High-pet formance IDE (40 MB. 80 MB. 100 MB, 190MB) and ESDI ( 330MB, 650MB) hard disk drives. • 1 parallel port, 2 serial ports, PS/2 compatible mouse port, all integrated. t Smart Vi/" -Advanced System Diagnostic Display. • 12-month On-Site Service Contract provided by Xerox. •|0 MB VGA Color Plus System $3,599 Price listed includes I MB ot RAM* 40. 80, 100, 190, 330. and 650 hard drive configurations available. I ADCODE11EM0 I In CnnaJa 800-387-5752. In the UK. 0800 414535. In France (1) 30.60.68. 0Ci.lnCurmnny06l03/70i-0.1nSwL'den0760-713 50 Service— often voted the best in the industry— by computer experts who know our computers inside and out. A variety of financing and leasing options. A firm promise to build your computers, a configured systems test, and shipment by two-day air standard. A 30-day, no questions asked, money back guarantee. A one -year limited warranty. And a great price, with no retail mark-up. Call us now. Why waste a trip when everything you need is right in front of you? ■ ^r ■* if Rip Your Competition Shreds. v * ■ -41 w^ IW'-ii^'i^l' F < ! - ■ - 1 ■ ■ As the people responsible for the Microsoff Windows" environment, we believe we're in a good position to offer some very sound advice on Windows Computing. And that, as you've probably guessed by now, is the Microsoft Mouse. %u see, the Mouse allows you to navigate the Windows environment and applications with untold ease. For more information, call (800) 541-1261, Dept. M29 Outside the U.S. and Canada, call (206) 882-8661. In Canada, call (416) 673-7638. © 1990 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft ter yaifll need s Computing As well as unparalleled accuracy. Visitadealerandcheckitoutfor Furthermore, we've made the yourself We think you'll see our point decision to buy a Mouse even easier. m^- _^ mm Now its available either with software, Iwl/CfCSOft or on its own for the purist. Making it all make sense* Microsoft logo are registered trademarks and Windows and Making it all make sense are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. The Microsoft Mouse design is patented. (Design Patent #302, 426.) EDITORIAL ■ Fred Langa A Laptop on a Chip . . . Almost When they're not duking it out in the courtroom, companies like AMD and Intel are redefining laptop technology Last month, I wrote about the cur- rent crop of laptops— and they are indeed spectacular. But the game's not over yet, by a long shot. The best of current technology of- fers you a full spectrum of choices, from i486-based lunchbox luggables, to 386- based portables and notebooks, to fabu- lously lightweight and fast 286 note- books, to tiny hand-held 8086-based units. Soon, very soon, you can expect hand- held 286 machines— an AT in the palm of your hand— and a plethora of 386-based notebooks. The Hand-Helds In October, AMD (Austin, TX) an- nounced its "AT on a chip," a single chip that contains an AMD 286 microproces- sor and all the ancillary chips required to build a basic IBM AT. More accurately described as "most of an AT on a chip," the 286ZX and its low-power sibling, the 286LX, need only a DRAM chip, a key- board controller, and a system bus to make a working computer. (This con- trasts with the 10 to 100+ chips some other designs use.) The286ZX chip is designed for desk- top machines, and the 286LX is designed for laptop and notebook computers. The 286LX adds some battery-saving fea- tures to improve laptop performance, such as a CPU shutdown mode that turns off the 80C286 section of the chip. A standby mode shuts down all system clocks except those that are needed for DRAM refreshing. It barely sips power, which should stretch out battery life to the max. This compacting of elements reduces many of the engineering headaches that arise when cramming a 286-based VGA computer into a notebook form factor, so you can expect to see many more of these laptops and notebooks on the market. That, in turn, should help keep prices reasonable. It also augurs well for 286-based hand-helds. Now that's a machine I want to use— a full-blown go-anywhere AT that fits in a pocket. Don't laugh; they're being developed right now. The Notebooks Longtime readers may recall that I'm no big fan of the 386SX for desktop com- puters because it has a narrow bus that needlessly cripples I/O. {Needless is the key word. The SX was not designed to fill a consumer need, but purely for mar- keting reasons. By promoting the SX, which it alone manufactured, Intel hoped to kill off the perfectly adequate 286, which other companies— such as AMD, Harris, and Fujitsu— also sold.) In portables, bus width isn't much of an issue. For one thing, you tend not to stuff a portable full of plug-in cards. For another, now that there's a reasonable body of 386-specific software, a por- table SX gives you increased compatibil- ity with your desktop system's software, albeit with the performance hit of the SX's CPU-to-memory bottleneck. SX chips have been used in laptops for quite a while, and they are starting to show up in notebook computers in some numbers. From SX to SL Enter the 386SL. Intel describes it as a "386 processor expressly designed for the emerging notebook-size personal computer market . " The 386SL is a 20-MHz 386 core com- bined with a main-memory subsystem controller with a 32-megabyte address space, an EMS 4.0 memory controller, an AT/Industry Standard Architecture bus controller, a cache controller, and support for the 80387SX math copro- cessor. A companion chip, the 82360SL ISA peripheral and power management chip, supports CPU, memory, and pe- ripheral functions, as well as providing programmable features to manage power to prolong battery life. Intel also provides a family of low- power support logic chips for modems, keyboards, memory, network adapters, and the like. Intel is setting itself up as a virtual one-stop source for laptop sil- icon. We can't meaningfully test these new chips until they're installed in a real-life system, but Intel believes that the com- pact, highly integrated 386SL is about 20 percent faster than an ordinary 20-MHz 386SX. This means that the SL line can deliver "true" 386 performance levels even in low-power, compact systems. The SL may be the chip the SX should have been all along. How compact will SL systems be? The SL chips themselves come in several con- figurations, the smallest being an amaz- ingly dense 227-lead land grid array. The two main chips contain a total of 1 . 1 mil- lion transistors, and they are fabricated using 1 -micron technology. Intel says that a complete 386 AT can be built on a board measuring just 4 by 6 inches (about 10 by 15 centimeters). Incidentally, that's about the size of a Sharp Wizard. . . . West Coast news editor Owen Linder- holm has been following these develop- ments all along. His report on the AMD ZX and LX chips appeared in October's Microbytes, and his excellent feature on what's new in laptop chip sets appears in this issue on page 3 12. Check it out. — Fred Langa Editor in Chief (BIX name "f langa") 10 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 New Ifersion Now Available SPEED LIMIT Borland's Turbo Pascal 6.0 is the Fastest Way from Inspiration to Application Jump-Start Your Application When you're inspired to write a program, you want to spend your time developing code that solves your problems. Not hours and hours writing common routines for event handling, data manage- ment or user interface. Now, you can jump-start your applications development by pro- gramming with the latest release of the World's #1 Pascal Compiler, Turbo Pascal® 6.0 with Turbo Vision.™ Now with Turbo Vision With Turbo Vision, the first object-oriented application framework for DOS, you get a giant head start on creating better applications in far less time. Use a Turbo Vision object and your program auto- matically inherits a hot program architecture that includes overlap- ping windows, pull-down menus and mouse support. Turbo Vision makes it fast and easy-setting you free to develop the parts of your applications that solve your problem. And Turbo Pascal 6.0 comes loaded with Turbo Vision applica- tions including a calendar, a calculator, an editor, a clock, a direc- tory browser and forms. New Turbo-Charged Environment The new Turbo Integrated Development Environment (IDE) fea- tures a multi-file editor, overlapping windows and mouse support. And Turbo Help lets you copy, compile and run an example program for every standard Pascal library routine so you can use it in your code. Pro Version with Turbo Drive M Turbo Pascal® Professional 6.0 also includes: a professional version of the compiler with Turbo Drive,t for compiling big appli- cations in extended memory; Turbo Debugger® 2.0, for killing the toughest bugs; Turbo Profiler™ 1.0, for eliminating bottlenecks; and Turbo Assembler® 2.0, the world's fastest, 100% MASM- compatible assembler. An Inspiring Offer The suggested retail price for Turbo Pascal 6.0 is $149 95 , and $299 95 for Turbo Pascal Professional 6.0. Tl lnn „ TURBO PASCAL REGISTERED TURBO PASCAL - -- OWNERS. You can upgrade to ■ : "' ; s Turbo Pascal 6.0 for only $69** -SB ■ „ or to Turbo Pascal Professional 6.0 ** ~wM *.;: for only $99 95 * direct from Borland. To order, see your dealer To upgrade, call now: 1-800-331-0877 TURBO PASCAL HKXSSONAl. Circle 51 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 52) B OR LA N D The Leader in Object-Oriented Programming CODE:MA89 'Add $10 00 lor sloping and handing Otter expires February 28. 1991 Otter good in U S and Canada only Mai orders lo Borland International, inc. P Box 660001. Scotts Vjiiey. CA 95067-0001 Residents m CA CT. GA. II. MA. Ml. W. OH, PA TX. VA and WA pfease add appro- priate sales lax. For orders outside lhe U S . ca?l (408) 438-5300 tTurbo Drive con-oiler requires 1Mb extended memory. Hard disk recommended Copyright ©1990 Borland All Borland products are Irademarks oi Borland International, he Corpora* Headquarlers 1800 Green Hi* Road, PO Box 660001. Scotts Va!1ey. CA 95067-0001. (408) 438-5300 Offices In Australia. Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Sweden and he United Kingdom Porsche is a registered trademark of Porsche. Bl 1386 The IBM RISC System/ Designing on any other workstation Whatever youYe creating, you'll sail into a whole new age with any of the four POWERstations in the RISC System/6000 family. Because POWER (Perform- ance Optimization With Enhanced RISC) processing can give you performance you've probably only dreamed about: up to four instructions per machine cycle, 42 MIPS and 13 M FLOPS. Suddenly, complex designs don't take eons anymore. The four RISC System/6000 POWERstations feature a range of graphics processors from grayscale to Supergraphics to satisfy any grapliics demand. Great news for Power Seekers working on animation, scientific visualization, medical imaging and engi- neering solutions like CADAM T , M CAEDS™ and CATIA! And for electrical design automation, there's IBM's all new CBDS™ and an arsenal of over 60 EDA appli- IBM is a registered trademark and RISC System/6000 and CAEDS are trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation. CADAM is a trademark of CADAM INC. CATIA i s a trademark of Dassault Systemes. CBDS is atrademark of Bell Northern Research Corporation. H AGAR THE HORRIBLE Character® © 1990 King Features Syndicale. Inc. © IBM Corp.1990, all rights reserved. 6000" family. will seem downright primitive. pimB&uiie cations from more than a dozen vendors. With every POWERstation, you can get an almost unimaginable palette of 16 million colors, which gives you 3D images so realistic, they fairly leap off the screen,with super sharp resolution of 1,280x1,024 pixels. And when it's time to call in the heavy artillery, the POWERstation 730 draws nearly one million 3D vec- tors per second. Like all POWERstations, it can come complete with its own graphics processor, freeing the POWER processor to rapidly create and analyze your designs. A 1 1 a t prices that won't sin k anybody's budget. So if you're tired of paddling upstream with yesterday's performance, call your IBM marketing representative or Business Partner to find out more about the RISC System/6000 family. For literature, call 1 800 1BM-6676, cxt. 991. Civilization never looked so good. For the Power Seeker. Circle 139 on Reader Service Card BYTE EDITOR IN CHIEF Frederic S. Langa MANAGING EDITOR Anne Fischer Lent NEWS New York: Managing Editor: Rich Malloy Associate News Editor: Andrew Reinhardt Peterborough: Senior Editor, Microbytes: D. Barker, Senior Editor, New Products: Stan Miastkowski Associate News Editors, What's New: David Andrews, Martha Hicks Editorial Assistant: Amanda Waterfield San Francisco: News Editor: Owen Linderholm Associate News Editor: Jeffrey Bertolucci London: Senior Editor: Colin Barker BYTELAB Managing Editor: Michael Nadeau Technical Director: Rick Grehan Senior Editor: Dennis Allen Technical Editors: Alan Joch, Robert Mitchell, Tom Yager Testing Editors/Engineers: Stephen Apiki, Stanford Diehl, Howard Eglowstein, Stanley Wszola STATEOFTHE ART Senior Editor: Jane Morrill Tazelaar Technical Editor: Robert M. Ryan FEATURES Senior Editor: Kenneth M. Sheldon Technical Editors: Janet J. Barron, Ben Smith SENIOR EDITORS, AT LARGE Tom Thompson, Jon Udell SPECIAL PROJECTS Senior Editor: Gene Smarte SENIOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Jerry Pournelle CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Bill Catchings, Don Crabb, David Fiedler, Hugh Kenner, Mark J. Minasi, Wayne Rash Jr., Mark L. 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Loeb Wallingford, CT, Stan Miastkowski Peterborough, Wayne Rash Jr. Washington, DC, David Reed Lexington, KY, Andrew Reinhardt New York, Jan Ziff Washington, DC EXCHANGE EDITORS Macintosh Exchange: Laurence H. Loeb, IBM Exchange: Barry Nance, User Group Exchange: David Reed, Interactive Game Exchange: Richard Taylor, Amiga Exchange: Joanne Dow, Writers Exchange: Wayne Rash Jr., Tojerry Exchange: Jerry Pournelle, Telecommunications Exchange: Stephen Satchell BUSINESS AND MARKETING Secretary: Patricia Bausum, Marketing ServicesCoordinator: Denise A. Greene, Billing Services Coordinators: Tammy Burgess, Donna Healy, Editorial Assistant: Brian Warnock TECHNOLOGY Programmer/ Analyst: John Spadafora, Programmer: Peter Mancini, Systems Consultant: Gary Kendall EDITORIAL AND BUSINESS OFFICE: One Phoenix Mill Lane, Peterborough, NH 03458,(603)924-9281. West Coast Branch Offices: 425 Battery St., San Francisco, C A 94111, (415) 954-9718; 3001 Red Hill Ave.. 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Specify ISSN 0360-5280/90, $1.50. Copying done for other than personal or internal reference use without the permission of McGraw-Hill, Inc., is prohibited. Requests for special permission or bulk orders should be addressed to the publisher. BYTE is avail- able in microform from University Microfilms International, 300 North Zeeb Rd., Dept. PR, Ann Arbor, Ml 48106 or 18 Bedford Row, Dept. PR, London WC1R 4EJ, England. OFFICERS OF MCGRAW-HILL, INC: Joseph L. Dionne, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer; Robert N. Landes, Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary; Walter D. Serwatka, Executive Vice President; Frank D. Penglase, Senior Vice President, Treasury Operations; Robert J. Bahash, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer; Thomas J. Sullivan, Executive Vice President, Administration; Mary A. Cooper, Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs, and Executive Assistant to the Chairman; Ralph R. Schulz, Senior Vice President, Editorial. Founder: James H. McGraw (1860-1948). fi'i J Copyright © 1990 by McGraw-Hill, ■ifill lnc ' A " r '9 nts reserved. BYTE and BVTI are registered trademarks of McGraw-Hill, Inc. Trademark registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office. ft Member Audit Bureau of Circulation 14 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 Times Change. The Need To Protect Doesn't SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS How To Manage Your LAN Site Licenses. Every Day. Every Time. Iicensing software for use on a LAN -/ used to mean "give-away." No matter what site license limits were set, there was really no way to manage actual usage of the software once it was installed on the network. Now, with the NetSentinel™ security/ license management system from Rainbow Technologies, developers can specify how many concurrent users will be permitted- with confidence that the limits will be observed. Simply: Effectively. Economically. Based on proven technology from the worldwide leader in PC software protection, the NetSentinel from Rainbow Technologies can be used on most popular PC LANs. ff 6 Id* ttt c&; • * H\ *-m Site License Revenue Pr0teCti ° n For LAN today for more details. Applications. With Rainbow's NetSentinel, your software need never again be a part of the "free distribution network." 5® TW RAINBOW TECHNOLOGIES 9292 Jeronimo Road, Irvine, CA 92718 TEL: (714) 454-2100 • (800) 852-8569 FAX: (714) 454-8557 • Apple Link: D3058 Rainbow Technologies, Ltd., Shirley Lodge, 470 London Rd. Slough, Berkshire SL3 8QY, U.K. TEL: 0753-41512 • FAX: 0753-43610 %, NetSentinel is a trademark of Rainbow Technologies, Inc. Copyright ©1990 Rainbow Technologies, Inc. .£_ Circle 261 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 262) The IEF ™ can help you devel unprecedented quality, prod "The IEF is a superior tool for implement- ing Information Engineering because it integrates the entire process from planning through code generation. We're deploying the IEF throughout the corporation." David V. Evans Vice President Director, Information Systems J.C. Penney "The strengths of the IEF are clear-cut. One obvious quality advantage is that application changes are made to diagrams, not code. This ensures ongoing integrity —the specification always matches the executing system." Paul R. Hessinger Chief Technology Officer Computer Task Group S^ff^l "We are using the IEF to develop a new generation of manufacturing systems replacing over 300 existing systems. We estimate that IEF will increase our produc- tivity by between 2-to-1 and 3-to-1 for new systems development.." Wal Budzynski Head of Operations, Systems/Computing Rolls-Royce "Our On-line Banking system has been in production for more than 12 months— 500,000 transactions a day— without a single code failure. And we had very few enchancements to do. Our users got what they needed the first time out." Mark Quinlan Senior Programmer/Analyst Huntington National Bank "I've seen other CASE tools fail, so I raised the bar high when we evaluated the IEF. It passed with flying colors. I could not be happier with my decision to adopt the IEF company-wide." John F. Matt President AMR Travel Services "We used the IEF to rebuild our aging Frequent Flight Bonus system. With DB2 tables of up to 52 million rows, we needed high performance. And we got it...98% of our transactions complete in less than 3 seconds." Cloene Goldsborough Director of Data Resource Management TWA mm "To meet the dramatically reduced time- to-market requirements for our products, we need high-quality systems that can be changed fast. That's why we've chosen the IEF as the CASE solution for our entire organization." John Pajak Executive Vice President Mass Mutual Life Insurance "Our users were extremely pleased when we finished our first project— a 60-trans- action system— in one-half the budgeted time. We had tried interfaced CASE tools without success. IEF integration makes the difference." Giorgio Sorani Division Head -MIS Lubrizol "Our first IEF system was completed faster, and with fewer errors, than any system I've ever seen. If l had to go back to the old ways, I'd find another job ...outside the DP world. It means that much to me." MogensSorensen Chief Consultant Nykredit (Denmark) op information systems with activity and maintainability* The success of Texas Instruments CASE product is proven — in the field. Major companies have used TI's CASE product, the Information Engineering Facility™ (IEF M ), for everything from rebuilding aging high-maintenance-cost systems to development of new enterprise- wide strategic systems. Study shows zero code defects. The quality of IEF-developed systems is remarkable. In recent CASE research by The Gartner Group, application developers were asked to report the number of abends they had experienced. (An "abend" is a system failure or "lock-up" caused by code defects.) IEF developers reported zero defects— not one abend had occurred in lEF-generated code. Maintenance productivity gains of up to 10-to-l. In this same study, developers were asked to compare IEF maintenance productivity with their former methods. Of those responding, more than 80 percent had experienced gains of from 2 -to- 1 to 10-toA. (See chart.) Specifications always match the executing application. With the IEF, application changes are made to diagrams, not code. So, for the life of your system, specifications will always match the executing application. The Gartner Group research showed that all IEF users who reported making application changes made all changes at the diagram level. IEF Maintenance Productivity Compared to Traditional Techniques. 100- &60 09 a: 5 40 BS OS O I 20 0-u: (Source: Gartner Group, Inc., 8/9D) 2-t0-1 to 10-t0-1 Gains Less Same More Productivity Productivity Productivity Developers were asked to compare IEF maintenance to former methods. Of those responding, more than 80% reported productivity gains of from 2-to-l to 10-to-l. Mainframe applications can be developed and tested on a PC. With our new OS/2 toolset, you can develop mainframe applica- tions, from analysis through automatic code generation, on your PC. Then, using the IEF's TP monitor simulator and the diagram-level testing feature, you can also test these mainframe applications without ever leaving the PC. More environmental independence coming soon — develop on PC, generate for DEC/VMS, TANDEM ,UNIX. The IEF has generated applica- tions for IBM mainframe environ- ments (MVS/DB2 under TSO, IMS/DC, and CICS) since early 1988. Soon you'll be able to develop systems in OS/2 and then automatically generate for other platforms. DEC/VMS, TANDEM and UNIX are scheduled for availability in 1991. More will follow. We are committed to increased environmental indepen- dence in support of the Open Systems concept. We are committed to standards. IEF tools and IEF-generated code will comply with standards as they emerge. We will adhere to CUA standards and to the prin- ciples of IBM's AD/Cycle and DEC's Cohesion— and we will support Open Systems environ- ments centering around UNIX. In any environment, the COBOL, C and SQL we generate adhere closely to ANSI standards. Our presence on standards committees helps us keep abreast of ANSI and ISO developments affecting the CASE world. Full-service support. Of course, our technical support, consultancy, training courses, satellite seminars, and other infor- mational assistance will continue apace. We also offer re-engineering and template services. This full- service support will remain an integral part of the IEF product. For more information, including a VHS video demo, call 800-527-3500 or 214-575-4404. Or write Texas Instruments, 6550 Chase Oaks Blvd., Piano, Texas 75023. Texas ^^ Instruments © 1990 Tl Information Engineering Facility and IEF are trademarks of Texas Instruments. Other product names listed are the trademarks of the companies indicated. The Right Decis o N E The 486 Champ "...THIS COMPUTER DESERVES YOUR ATTENTION." Sift. 11,1990 Tri-Star Fiash Cache 486/25 On the September 11, 1990, 24 of the industry's hottest 486 powerhouses went head to head for the honor of win- ning PC Magazine's coveted Editor's Choice Award. Tri-Star delivered knock- out punches in speed, price and virtually every other important category. Once again the choice is clear. If you or your company demands the most performance for the money, the highest quality components and unrivaled 486 power, Tri-Star is more than the right decision - it's the only decision. PC MAGAZINE - September 11, 1990 "...probably has the best mix of support, service, and customer satisfaction policies of all the computers in this review. " PC MAGAZINE -July, 1990 "Support Policies - Excellent. " INFOWORLD - MAY 7, 1990 Flash Cache 486/25 $4995 Complete with Intel's 80486 CPU, 64K RAM Cache, 4MB RAM, 1.2MB Floppy, 1.44MB Floppy, 200MB Hard Drive, 1024 x 768 SVGA Color Combo, Parallel & Serial Ports, and 1 01 Keyboard. Flash Cache 386/33 $3495 Complete with Intel's 80386 CPU, 64K RAM Cache, 4MB RAM, 1 .2MB Floppy, 1 .44MB Floppy, 200MB Hard Drive, 1 024 x 768 SVGA Color Combo, Parallel & Serial Ports, and 101 Keyboard. Flash Cache 386/25 $2795 Complete with Intel's 80386 CPU, 64K RAM Cache, 4MB RAM, 1.2MB Floppy, 1.44MB Floppy, 104MB Hard Drive, 1024 x 768 SVGA Color Combo, Parallel & Serial Ports, and 1 01 Keyboard. CAD WORKSTATIONS All Tri-Cad Systems include the Flash Cache 386/486 complete with Math Co- processor, Nanao 1 6" non-interlaced display and a 12x12 Digitizer. Tri-Cad Professional 325 $4695 Tri-Cad Advanced 333 $5495 Tri-Cad Expert 425 $6495 Upgrades: Rendition II/256 V $695 20" Hitachi Monitor $995 "„.THOSE OF YOU WHO WORK IN THE CAD ENVIRONMENT SHOULD INQUIRE ABOUT ITS : (TRI-STAR'S) BUNDLED SYSTEMS" PC MAGAZINE mmm All Flash Cache Computer systems Include: ♦ 60 Day Money Back Guarantee ♦ 2 Year Warranty Parts & Labor ♦ 12 Month TRW On- Site Service ♦ Lifetime Toil-Free Technical Support ♦ Air Express Parts Replacement Circle 325 on Reader Service Card Alt prices and specifications subject to change without notice. Money Back guarantee does not include shipping charges. All systems have been verified or certified to comply with pan 1 5 of the FCC rules for a Class A or Class fi computing device. COMPUTER CORPORATION 1.800.678-2799 707 West Geneva, Tempe, Arizona 85282 Tech Support 1 800.688-TECH Telephone 602.829-0584 Fax 602.345-01 10 Monday - Friday 7:00am-7:00pm MST Saturday 9:00am-4:00pm MST MlCROBYTES Research news and industry developments shaping the world of desktop computing Edited by D. Barker Monitor Noise Causes Stress, Researchers Say The near-ultrasonic noise produced by some computer monitors and VDTs can actually lower worker efficiency and might even cause health problems in women who use them, according to a new study. Researchers Caroline Dow and Douglas Covert, professors at the University of Evansville (Indiana), say they found that a 1 6-kHz pure-tone sound caused significant amounts of stress in the college-age women participating in the study. They say this tone is similar to sounds made by most of the commonly used computer monitors. "In these experiments we have made the link between stress and a specific attribute of the VDT," Dow says. In their controlled experiments, Dow and Covert demonstrated that the 16-kHz tone, which is at the top of the range of most human hearing, can cause a significant reduction in a worker's accuracy of intellectual performance and also spur short-term increases in speed. The two researchers say that lowered productivity and a brief increase in the speed of work are symptoms of high stress. Women appear most susceptible to the problem because they tend to hear better than men in higher-frequency ranges. As a result, the professors say, women can be aware of the tone while men aren't. Dow and Covert also say that women are especially affected by the sound at the peaks of their estrogen levels. High estrogen levels are typical of the first trimester of pregnancy. Even whisper-quiet sources of the tone appear to cause stress among women, they say. Dow says the tone could be a factor in some of the cases of gynecological problems, including miscarriages, that some people have associated with computerized workplaces. Industrial-environment researchers have generally discounted gender in considering the effects of the 1 6-kHz tone. Some previous studies, however, have shown that the sound could cause psychological distress in some men and a greater number of women when the sound was at high-volume levels. The two professors offer three sug- gestions. Try to use a high-definition monitor; they have scanning rates that are well above the range of human hearing. (Dow won't speculate on which resolution is best; the higher, the better, she says. She also points out that some monitor cases are designed so well that they muffle any sounds.) Ear plugs offer temporary relief, especially ones designed to reduce the intensity of high-pitched sounds. Another sugges- tion is to install an electronic circuit that produces the same 16-kHz pure tone but operates 1 80 degrees out of phase; the two sounds will cancel each other out. The two professors admit that some engineers are skeptical about this process, and there is no evidence yet that not hearing the sound actually eliminates the effects. Is your monitor stressing you out? Dow suggests turning your tube off for 15 minutes and then seeing if you feel more relaxed. — David Reed New Hardware, Software Squeezing Graphics Graphics, especially color images, can strain the CPU capacity, bus bandwidth, and storage space of most personal computers. But new develop- ments in data compression will help facilitate the use of images on not-that- exotic desktop systems. C-Cube Microsystems (San Jose, CA) is putting its CL550 image processor chip, based on the Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) compression al- gorithm, onto $995 add-in boards for Macs and IBM PC compatibles. These boards will be able to compress images by as much as 75 to 1, the company says. The new Compression Master boards can squeeze image files to one- twenty-fourth their original size with no visible loss of quality, C-Cube says. A 300-dpi 24-bit color scan of an 8'/2- by 1 1-inch page can take 28 MB of disk space — which means that it takes only a few such scans to fill an 80-MB disk — but after being fed through the Com- NANOBYTES Users apparently pushed the right buttons when protesting Apple's decision to disable the scripting capabilities in the standard Hyper- Card 2 package. Apple and Claris, now proprietor of the hypertext program, announced that the new HyperCard would be delivered to users in a run-time-only version; in other words, you couldn't develop your own stacks (programs). Those hyperscripting tools were going to come in an optional package. After a furor on several on-line services, including BIX's Macintosh Ex- change, the decision was nixed. HyperCard product manager Mike Holm says now that a full version of HyperCard will indeed be bundled with new Macs; however, it will not enter scripting or programming mode without the user making a minor change: removing an opaque button over the scripting choices on the Home stack. Claris plans to have a shrink-wrapped HyperCard 2.0 upgrade available in the near future for a retail price of $49.95. Microsoft (Redmond, WA) has col- lected a set of device drivers for printers, displays, pointing devices, and other peripherals that work with Windows 3.0. The drivers were written by hardware developers and then certified by Microsoft. The Windows Supplemental Driver Library includes drivers for HP's LaserJet Series II and III printers that Microsoft says improve printing performance from within Windows. This first version of SDL also includes printer drivers from AMT, Bitstream, Brother, Canon, IBM, Kodak, Okidata, Olivetti, Seiko, and Star. The "enhanced" display drivers, including ones for Super VGA systems, come from ATI, Chips & Technologies, Compaq, Graphic Software Systems, Video Seven, and Western Digital. Novell has provided a network driver. You can order the SDL from Microsoft by calling (800) 426-9400; the cost is $20. DECEMBER 1990 -BYTE 19 MICROBYTES NANOBYTES Interleaf (Cambridge, MA) says it will soon bring to market some desktop publishing products that implement its "active document" technology. Announced last March, active documents are electronic documents that can "access, evalu- ate, and act on information," Interleaf says. The first incarnation is in the new Interleaf 5 series, a set of six programs for specific job categories (e.g., writer, engineer, and illustrator). Active electronic docu- ments can evaluate and act on infor- mation they receive. For example, Interleaf and Lotus have created an "intelligent link" that lets Interleaf documents display information from Lotus 1-2-3 files as Interleaf auto- mated tables or charts. You activate the link by copying an icon repre- senting the spreadsheet and pasting the icon into an Interleaf document. Interleaf plans to offer a Lotus toolkit for creating intelligent links in a spreadsheet. The Interleaf 5 products for Unix workstations are scheduled to begin shipping in limited numbers this month. Versions for DOS and VMS are scheduled to ship next spring; Mac versions will ship next summer. Motorola (Austin, TX) has pack- aged a new version of its 68030 for use as an embedded controller. The new 68EC030 performs comparably to the regular 68030, the heart of high-end Macs and workstations, and it's object code-compatible with its ancestors, the 68000 and the 68020. The 40-MHz chips cost $75 each in quantities of 1000. Quark (Denver) is taking XPress, one of the leading Macintosh desktop publishing programs, to OS/2. As part of its development agreement with IBM, Quark also is developing software to "enhance integration and connectivity of multiple vendor systems," the company said. These efforts include groupware and data-exchange software. Quark recently demon- strated a prototype of XPress running under Windows 3.0. However, company founder Tim Gill says that Windows lacks the connectivity and networking features needed for large-scale workgroup publishing, and hence the focus on OS/2. pression Master, the page would take up just a little more than 1 MB. This sort of file compression is especially important if images will be traveling across a network. C-Cube has also developed a pro- gramming interface, called the Image Compression Interface. ICI is a set of calls that can be written into Mac or PC applications to let them access transpar- ently a Compression Master board installed in the system or any other compression board that adheres to the ICI standard. If no board is present, the compression is done in software, through JPEG version 8.2 algorithms supplied with C-Cube' s Compression Workshop software. Because both the JPEG and ICI specifications are open, any software or hardware vendor can build to the standard. Several software companies have announced support for ICI, and some on the Macintosh side said ICI support has already been written into their applica- tions, including Adobe Photoshop, Quark XPress 3.0, Aladdin Systems' Stuffit DeLuxe, Studio/32 from Electronic Arts, and Salient DiskDou- blerPlus. Autodesk said it intends to support ICI in Animator. An early adopter of the C-Cube squeezing technology is Macintosh peripherals maker SuperMac Technol- ogy (Sunnyvale, CA), which announced at the recent Seybold Conference that, starting in January, it will include still- image compression software with all its color graphics cards and storage systems. The new SuperSqueeze software is based on JPEG algorithms obtained from C-Cube and will comply with C-Cube' s Image Compression Interface. People who purchase SuperMac products now will be eligible to receive the SuperSqueeze software for free. Others can buy it for $49. Radius (San Jose, CA) is also putting the squeeze on graphics. The company announced at Seybold a software implementation of the JPEG standard. The Radius software, for the Mac II platform, will compress still images only. The new software can compress a 0.75-MB, 24-bit full-color image to 25K bytes in less than 6 seconds on a Mac Ilex and in less than 3 seconds on a Mac Ilf x, the company says. The Radius software will be priced at "around $300." The company's software approach is more flexible than hardware JPEG implementations like the C-Cube chip, Radius claims. The firm points out that an image-compres- sion board takes up a Mac II slot and costs $ 1 000 or more. Furthermore, revisions to the JPEG standard will be less painful for users of software-based compression products, Radius says; it is cheaper to buy a software upgrade than it is to buy a new add-in board. How- ever, the hardware solution is still the faster method of image compression. — Andy Reinhardt and Jeff Bertolucci AT&T Promises Multiprocessing Unix Next Year AT&T's Unix System Laboratories (USL) plans to start enhancing Unix System V release 4 next year, with the most significant change involving multiprocessing. AT&T is working with Sequent and other companies to develop a symmetrical multiprocessing version of Unix System V release 4 that can handle up to 10 processors. This release, called SVR4 MP, is slated for the first half of 1991, AT&T said. Although it will be developed on Intel processors (the i486 and the i860), versions also will be available for MIPS, SPARC, and Motorola (88000) CPUs. A later version (SVR4 ES/MP) will be able to handle up to 30 proces- sors. One of the companies that plan to use the multiprocessing Unix is NCR, which announced several multipro- cessing computer systems recently. A new version called SVR4 ES will be more secure, USL said, and will conform to the B2 level of security as outlined by the U.S. National Computer Security Center. This level is designed to be more resistant to computer viruses and to make it more difficult for operators to create security loopholes either accidentally or intentionally. This version is scheduled for the first half of 1991. The new SVR4 will be better at disk management, AT&T says. USL developers are working to increase performance by storing parts of files on different physical hard disk drives. AT&T would not disclose pricing for these new versions of Unix, saying that price information usually precedes product availability by about 60 days. AT&T representatives would not commit to a single graphical user interface for the new Unix, and they offered only muted support for Open Look, the GUI that AT&T had origi- nally proposed for System V. Some people had expected AT&T to 20 B YTE • DECEMBER 1990 ^Sii^l^H NOW YOUR SOFTWARE CAN TEST ITSELF. V0 ma /our customers expect software that works. All the time. The key to software quality is exhaustive testing. It's also an engineer's worst nightmare. But it doesn't have to be. Because now you can automate your soft- ware testing. Introducing the Atron Evaluator. The first and only non-intrusive automated PC-based software testing tool. The Atron Evaluator automatically runs your soft- ware regression testing programs. All of them. All day. All night. Giving you thoroughly tested, higher quality software. The Atron Evaluator is hardware-based. And since it's non-intrusive, software behavior is tested with- out the risk of alteration. Once your tests have run, you can refer to automatically generated test reports to double-check test results. The Atron Evaluator saves time. And time makes you money. Development cycles are shortened, so your software gets to market sooner. And while your test programs are running, you can be more produc- tive. Start a new project. Or go home. For more information about the Atron Evaluator, call us at 1-800-733-6036. Andput an end to your worst nightmares. Automatically. CADRE Cadre Technologies, Inc. 19545 N.W. Von Neumann Drive Beaverton, Oregon 97006 PS/2 is a registered trademark of IBM. In Europe, contact: Elverex Limited, Enterprise House Ptassey Technology Park, Limerick, Ireland Phone:353-61-338177 QATraining Limited, Cecily Hill Castle Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL72EF, England Phone:(0285)655888 Circle 62 on Reader Service Card When we sat down to Accurate color scanning seems a simple enough goal. Yet in a flash of engineering brilliance, Epson®designers have raised the standard by creating the ES-300C color scanner. Using three separate light bars, Epson's innova- tive True Pass" scanning system, does in one pass what most other : &J^ . 1=^4 mmmm all the lights color scanners require three passes to accomplish. The result is more precise images in less time. Gone are registration difficulties, poor fidelity and color dropout. The ES-300C is as im- pressive in black and white or grayscale as it is in color. 256 shades of gray comple- ^ ment 16.8 million colors. Resolution settings can be The new EPSON ES-300C is both MS-DOS and MACINTOSH compatible. ( MS-DOS is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation. Macintosh is a registered trademark of Apple Computer, Inc.TruePassis a trademark ol Epson America, Inc. Epson is a registered design a better scanner, ime on at once. adjusted between 50 and 600 DPI to optimize With a price as attractive as its image would output from any printer, or to any monitor. suggest, the full color ES-300C costs about the same Compatibility is assured with a choice of as most black and white scanners, easily installed MS-DOS®or Macintosh® A demonstration of the Epson ES-300C will be interface kits, featuring the latest industry- an illuminating experience. Other scanners simply leading scanning and editing software. pale by comparison. Engineered For The Way You Work." EPSON trademark of Seiko Epson Corporation.© I «.)«)() Epson America, Inc., 2780 Lomitu lllvd., lorraiice.CA U0505. (800) 922-8911. MICROBYTES NANOBYTES Maxtor (San Jose, CA) has devel- oped a new 3 /2-inch hard disk drive that the company claims is the biggest in the business. The new LXT-535 can store 535 MB. The drive comes with a SCSI or an AT interface. Average seek time is 12 ms, Maxtor says. The OEM price for the LXT-535 is $1450; for the LXT-437,$1250. IBM's M-Motion Video Adapter/ A board will soon work with Windows 3.0. The Micro Channel device for converting video input to VGA images currently comes with software that runs only under OS/2 and DOS. However, IBM recently introduced in Japan a Windows- based M-Motion board, and the U.S. market should see a similar product in the near future, IBM multimedia chief Peter Blakeney told BYTE. Qualitas (Bethesda, MD), the company that makes the 386Max high-memory manager for 386- based systems, has developed a new version of the product specifically for 386-based PS/2s. The new BlueMax ($155) addresses a particu- lar problem experienced by PS/2 users: Because IBM uses 64K bytes of high memory for the BIOS to support OS/2 and other future capabilities, there's not enough high memory to hold network adapters, TSR programs, and an expanded- memory page frame. BlueMax removes those portions of the IBM BIOS that are used only by OS/2 and reloads the BIOS to use only 64K bytes of high memory instead of 1 28K. The result is that network interfaces and EMS drivers can be loaded into high memory, with room left over for a few TSR programs. Graphic Software Systems (Beav- erton, OR) has come out with a kit for writing 34010-based applications drivers to the Direct Graphics Inter- face Standard. The DGIS 3.0 Software Development Kit comes with the DGIS firmware, C subrou- tine calls, sample programs, documentation, program utilities, and a 34010 board for testing the drivers. The kit costs $695. GSS also has the first graphical interface for 34010-based products working with OS/2 Presentation Manager. acknowledge support by now for Motif, the GUI used by the Open Software Foundation's Unix. Instead, AT&T is talking about establishing a common application programming interface for all GUIs. Theoretically, users who buy programs written to this generic API can choose for themselves which GUI they would like to use. — Rich M alloy No RISC: Multiprocessing Architecture Will Emulate 386, i486, Run Current Applications RISC technology has been promoted as a performance savior for desktop computing. But if users of non- RISC systems convert to RISC, they can't take their favorite applications software with them. Those programs would have to be left behind or rewrit- ten for RISC. NexGen (San Jose, CA) says that it can surpass RISC performance levels without making current software obsolete. The company is designing a new complex-instruction-set computer architecture that will be able to run most software now working on IBM PC-compatible computers. NexGen says the multichip processor at the heart of its multiprocessing architecture will be binary-compatible with DOS, OS/2, and The Santa Cruz Operation Unix. NexGen says that its systems archi- tecture is the first to support "true sym- metric, scalable multiprocessing in a personal computer environment." A machine built around the NexGen design will be able to have four CPUs. These machines will perform at speeds "greater than twice that of a 486, SPARC, or MIPS" system and compa- rable to that of an IBM RISC System/ 6000, said Peter Janssen, vice president of NexGen. Although the company has been "thrown in the basket with" chip makers trying to clone Intel's 386, "we're doing a superscalar architectural design of a microprocessor," Janssen said. NexGen' s multiprocessing system will be based on a proprietary chip set that can emulate the 386/i486 instruction set. That VLSI chip set incorporates an instruction decoder, an integer executor, a numeric processor, a memory and cache controller, an address preparation unit, and instruction and data tag chips. The processor talks to the rest of the system with a 64-bit multiprocessor bus; the designers say that the bus can operate at 267 MBps. Integer and floating-point instructions can execute concurrently. Most integer instructions are handled in a single cycle, Janssen said. The memory system can feed the processor 8 bytes of instructions or data during every cycle. The instruction and data caches use ordinary static RAM. NexGen hopes to sell its design initially to OEMs. Resultant multipro- cessing server systems could show up early in 1991, Janssen said. Worksta- tions and servers built around the NexGen processor will be able to "swap disks and I/O boards with PS/2s and EISA machines," he said. Although computer makers Compaq and Olivetti have made equity investments in NexGen, there's no contractual obliga- tion to use the company's new technol- ogy, Janssen said. — D. Barker NCR's New Environment Built on Cooperation NCR has concocted a "general- purpose information processing environment" that's a model of coopera- tion. In fact, that's what NCR calls its ensemble of client/server-based workgroup software: Cooperation. Cooperation provides not only a graphical desktop interface, network support, and E-mail, but also sophisti- cated network file management, wide- area-network support, terminal emula- tion and host links, database engines and front ends, document conversion, work-flow automation, an executive information system (EIS) shell, and network management functions. Many of these things are available in compet- ing "office environments," but Coopera- tion, based on open standards and software from other companies, also includes open application programming interfaces, development tools, and a library of reusable objects to simplify custom programming. NCR's system, designed to run on 386-based PCs, starts with DOS and then adds Windows 3.0 and Hewlett- Packard's New Wave 3.0, for an iconic workspace that can treat data files as objects and invoke "agents" to automate complex or repetitive tasks. The servers will be running OS/2 LAN Manager (or, 24 BYTE • DECEMBER 1990 h a world that changes economic systems craight, canweieaDy aflbrdpersonal romputersystems thattakeweeks to setup months tolearn,and years to deliver ontheir promises? NQBut,fortumtet^ aflhrcla In the 1980s, American companies invested nearly $90 billion in PCs, yet office productivity has shown dis- appointing gains. Not everybody was disappointed, however. According to a new independent study by Diagnostic Research, Inc.*, companies that invested in Macintosh 9 computers are enjoying dramatic results. Managers gave Macintosh pro- ductivity ratings that were 37% higher than for MS-DOS systems and 32% higher than for PCs running Windows. Which is like getting back 17 extra weeks a year. In a global economy of snowballing competition, the story behind those figures maybe of interest. In 1984, Apple introduced Macintosh on the simple premise that computers should work the way people do. Now, as others rush to market with Macintosh look- alikes, Apple turns out to have been the practical, de- pendable, results-oriented computer company all along. Intnoducinganew series of Macintosh computers fom«999r Our three new personal computers were designed to rectify the one flaw that still exists in Macintosh. Namely, some people still don't have one. So now, starting at $999, + there is a Macintosh at a price that almost everyone can afford. The Macintosh Classic 8 This one has everything that makes a Macintosh a Macintosh. Built-in networking. A SuperDrive"' disk drive, which reads both Macintosh and MS-DOS files. And a $999 + price that includes the built-in monitor, 1MB of The new Macintosh Classic, Macintosh Hsi, am RAM, keyboard, mouse, and system software. A 40MB hard disk is optional. Its processor is an 8 MHz 68000 chip. And it outperforms the popular Macintosh SE. TlieMadntoshLC. The new, low-cost Macintosh LC introduces exquisite * Tbe figures an included in a 1990 study conducted by Diagnostic Rtsearch, Inc. , among Fortune 1000 managers and business computer useis familiar talk Macintosh and MS-DOS or Windows systems. Call and we'll send you Macintosh, and "The pouter to beyour best" are registered trademarks, and SuperDriue is a trademark of Apple Computer. Inc. MS-DOS and Vfindous are registered trademarks o/Microsofi Qoweverybodycan Macintosn. Macintosh LC on stage together for the very first lime. Macintosh color and graphics to a wider world. With its 16 MHz 68020 processor, it runs all the thou- sands of Macintosh programs at impressive speed. And, with the optional Apple® lie Card, it will run thousands more Apple H applications as well. The Macintosh LC expands by adding a card to its slot. A 40MB internal hard drive is standard. A built-in video chip runs an Apple monochrome or low-cost color monitor— without adding a video card. And the Macintosh LC, like the Maxfllsi, lets you record yDur voice and other sounds into the computer. Which will make voice-annotated software a standard Macintosh feature. TheMadntDshM Running a 20 MHz 68030 microprocessor, the new Macintosh Ilsi delivers serious number-crunching at the most attractive possible price. Into its sleek package are compressed the powerful essentials of the Mac n line. Including an optional 32-bit NuBus""slot for high-performance graphics and acceler- ator cards. Along with advanced networking systems like Ethernet and Token-Ring. Plus a 40 or 80MB hard drive. Built-in video chips drive four different Apple monitors. Why the least expensive Macintosh is more powerful than the most expensive anythingelse. Every Macintosh, from the original to the latest, shares a compelling quality unavailable in any other PC at any cost: People really like using it What they like to do, they do. And so they get more done. Call us at 800-538-9696, ext. 350, for the name of your nearest authorized Apple reseller. You'll find an amazing thing happens when you give people the power to be their best. They'll be it. The power to be your best a summary. Fortune IOOO refers to Fortune 500 and Fortune Service $00. uhicb are trademarks of llx Time Inc. Magazine Company. * Manufacturer's suggested retail price. © 1990 Apple Computer Inc. fyplc, tix Afiple logo, Mac, Corporation. Nulius is a trademark of Texas Instruments. Inc. Ethernet is a registered trademark of Xerox Corporation. Clavric is a registered trademark used under license byfyple Compxder. Inc. MICROBYTES NANOBYTES New subsidiaries of Nakamichi Peripherals Corp. of Japan are gearing up to deliver their new Sc- inch rewritable optical disk drives to OEMs and end users. Mass Optical Storage Technologies (Cypress, CA) is the developer and manufac- turer of the 3 '/i-inch optical disk drive and will sell it on an OEM basis. Ocean Microsystems (Campbell, CA) will sell the drive to end users. MOST's RMD-5100 drive offers a capacity of 1 28 MB on single-sided disk cartridges that are roughly the same size as familiar 3'/2-inch magnetic media. MOST says that the drives have an average access time of 35 ms, comparable to many hard disk drives. The Ocean Vista 1 30 drive, slated to be available to users by the end of this year in limited stock, will cost $3395 for XT/ATs and compatibles, $3595 for PS/2s, $3 1 95 for Macs, and $3990 for AT-bus systems running Unix or Xenix. Trying to encourage software development for its i860 RISC microprocessor, Intel and five of its i860 customers have formed a support group for the 64-bit chip. The Mass860 group will offer software developers porting assis- tance as well as technical and marketing help. In addition to Intel's Microcomputer Components Group, founding members are Alliant Computer Systems, IBM, Oki, Olivetti, and Samsung. Mass860's new multilayer application binary interface (ABI) will enable third- party software to run unchanged across a variety of hardware platforms that support the i860, Intel said; for example, a program that runs on an i860 auxiliary processor on a PC will run in identical binary format on workstations from Oki, Olivetti, and Samsung, and will run under PAX on "supercomputer-class systems" from Alliant, Intel said. An old name in typewriters, Smith- Corona (New Canaan, CT), plans to introduce a line of personal comput- ers aimed at home and small business users. The new PCs will be developed by Taiwan-based Acer to specifications from Smith-Corona, and manufactured by Smith-Corona in Cortland, New York. someday, Unix System V release 4) and the Mezzanine network file manage- ment software from Saros. Cooperation comes with a set of applications from other companies: Gupta's SQLBase Server, FutureSoft's DynaComm terminal emulator, Mastersoft's Word for Word file-conversion utilities, Channel Computing's Forest & Trees EIS system, and Software Products International's Access SQL. The secret to Cooperation is that it is an amalgam of third-party applications. NCR has integrated them into a tightly coupled environment that can be installed on any IBM-compatible computer — both a technical and a political accomplishment. One drawback to Cooperation, com- pared with typical PC network configu- rations, is its cost; the software modules (which provide user and network services and applications) are expensive by PC standards and require expensive computers. But NCR officials maintain that the per-user cost is still less than that of minicomputer and mainframe software or the cost of hiring consult- ants to integrate complex PC applica- tions. Cooperation client machines must be 286- or 386-based PCs with at least 6 MB of RAM. Clients run DOS, Windows, NewWave, and whatever other client modules have been pur- chased. Servers have to be 386 or 486 machines with 1 2 MB of RAM and at least 200 MB of disk storage. NCR said the servers have to be Micro Channel systems because they require the bus bandwidth, but the company couldn't explain why an EISA-bus machine wouldn't suffice. Servers run OS/2 and LAN Manager 2.0, in addition to the chosen modules of Cooperation. The cost ranges from $23,000 (for a 12-user system) to $58,000 (for 24 users). NCR expects Cooperation to be generally available in March. — Andy Reinhardt Motorola to Go Superscalar with Future Chip At the recent Microprocessor Forum, Motorola disclosed not a new product so much as its ambitious plans for a new product. This non- announcement concerned the Motorola 881 10, which is a future member of the 88000 family of RISC processors; if Motorola is right, the 881 10 chip will be one of the performance leaders of the decade. The 881 10 will be a superscalar design, meaning it will be able to execute more than one instruction per clock cycle. Motorola will put the CPU, FPU, graphics execution units, memory manager, and instruction and data cache all on the same chip. The 88 1 10 will use 80-bit-wide data paths internally throughout the chip. The design will incorporate speculative execution techniques to anticipate the tasks that it will be given to run. Motorola says it can produce this chip sometime in 1 99 1 and that it will be between three and five times faster than the 88 1 00. The chip maker has made what some microprocessor experts consider bold predictions. Motorola said it can retain object-code compatibility while adding a highly parallel superscalar design and dynamic instruction scheduling, and implementing this at 100-MHz clock rates with extremely wide data buses. Motorola designers say that by the end of the 1990s, the company will be producing multiprocessor chips that contain 100 million transistors and are capable of operating at 300 MHz. Motorola officials say that the 88000 architecture will provide a broad range of processors that can control anything from a toaster to a supercomputer, all with the same basic instruction set. — Owen Linderholm Mixed-Media Magazines on Disc Are on the Way With some help from hypertext tools and multimedia develop- ment programs, four companies are readying or have released new interac- tive magazines on CD-ROM. The platters will provide everything from software demos to music videos to ads with electronic buttons you can press for more information. These kinds of publications, which tend to make heavy use of graphics, sound, and hypertext links, are easier to design now than a year or so ago because of sophisticated programs for manipulating images and linking information. Verbum, for example, has constructed its Verbum Interactive disk entirely with off-the-shelf software. "A couple of years ago," says Michael Gosney, president and publisher, "it 28 BYTE • DECEMBER 1990 POCKET FRIENDLY Meet the new Practical Pocket Modem :„a tiny 2400 bps modem that delivers big modem performance and features. A giant value at $159! Despite its credit card size the PM2400PPM gives you Hayes 2400 compatibility and all the advantages of 2400 bps data transmission. And thanks to a remarkable design approach, no-fail power comes from the RS232 port and the telephone line.. .you never have to find a wall outlet or change batteries! Our new Software Speaker™ enables the modem to send detailed call progress information to the computer's terminal. Now, if you're a Mac-user, you'll need a separate 9V battery adaptor which is included in the special Macintosh Package.The PM2400PPM couldn't be more portable or Practical. Quality and reliability is backed by the Practical Peripherals warranty: the modem performs for 5 full years or we'll repair or replace it FREE. Simple. It doesn't get more Practical than that. 'PRACTICAL PERIPHERALS, Circle 235 on Reader Service Card 31245 La Bay a Drive, West lake Village, CA 91362. Sales Office: 1-800-442-4774 Corporate Headquarters: 1-818-706-0333, Technical Support: 1-818-991-8200, FAX: 1-818-706-2474 All products and names trademarked are properties of their respective manufacturers. © 1990 Practical Peripherals, Inc. All rights reserved. On the left, the best-selling VGA monitor. On The MultiSync® 2A is one monitor that performs like two. On one hand, it's an uncompromised VGA monitor that works so well, VGA users have made it the best-selling 14" VGA color monitor in America. On the other hand, the MultiSync 2A is also an equally uncompromised SuperVGA monitor, providing the perfect upgrade path to a standard that, at 800 x 600, gives you 56% more resolution than VGA. C&C Computers and Communications the right, the best-selling SuperVGA monitor. It's even available in a gray-scale version — the MultiSync GS2A — which delivers everything the 2A does, in glorious shades of gray. The MultiSync 2A. It's two of the best monitors you've ever seen. For technical information or for the location of the dealer nearest you, call 1-800-FONE-NEC. For product literature, call 1-800-826-2255. In Canada, call 1-800-268-3997. Circle 203 on Reader Service Card SEC MICROBYTES NANOBYTES If our offices are at all representative of Real Life, no two Macs within a 10-foot space are alike. To help live with the differences caused by an ever-increasing variety of Macin- toshes, Farallon Computing (Emeryville, CA) has come up with DiskPaper. With this $149 software, networked Mac users will be able to view, copy, and print a document regardless of their type of Mac, color capability, application, or font availability, Farallon says. And with appropriate sound-input hardware — like Farallon' s MacRecorder voice digitizer or the built-in sound capabilities of the new Mac LC and Ilsi — users can attach sound notes to their documents. A DiskPaper file contains "multiple representations" of a document, including Quick- Draw, PostScript, or bit-mapped images. DiskPaper sends the appropriate representation to the receiver's Macintosh. (Whereas a Mac Plus on a network might receive a black-and-white bit-mapped image of a complex color drawing created on a Mac Ilfx, another Mac Ilfx on the network would receive a color QuickDraw image. But other than the lack of color, the Mac Plus image would be identical to the one received by the Ilfx, Farallon says.) DiskPaper is scheduled to be ready this quarter. Things are slow this year, but semiconductor companies can expect a healthy increase in sales during the next two years, according to one forecast. Sales in 1991 to 1993 will perk up due to the "continuing pervasiveness" of semi- conductors in the electronics industry, according to the Semicon- ductor Industry Association. The group predicts more than $75 billion in semiconductor sales in 1993. As for predictions of a gloomy eco- nomic situation, SIA statistical pro- grams director Doug Andrey said that the semiconductor growth rate doesn't necessarily follow that of the economy as a whole. The industry experienced double-digit growth rates in the late 1970s, when the economy was in a recession, Andrey said. But then the chip industry had its worst years in 1984 and 1985, when the general economy was doing well, he said. would have taken hundreds of hours of custom programming." But now, the different elements of a magazine can be built with an assortment of Macintosh design and illustration tools, including Adobe Illustrator, Aldus FreeHand, PixelPaint Professional, Studio 8, Swivel 3D, StrataVision 3D, and LetraStudio. Verbum assembles the final product in MacroMind Director 2.0. "The beauty of the Mac platform," says Gosney, "is that all these programs work together." Gosney plans for Verbum Interactive to be a showcase of creativity and a resource of information about multi- media, hypermedia, and animation. It will be modeled on the firm's paper- and-ink magazine, Verbum, which covers computer-based publishing and graphic design. Verbum Interactive will feature multimedia art work, a database of multimedia products and services, and interactive advertisements. Subscriptions to Verbum Interactive, which works with the Mac II, cost $49.95 per disk. Verbum plans to produce an edition that runs under Windows 3.0. Discovery Systems is putting software, demos, games, multimedia interviews, sound files, clip art, hypermedia tools, and "talking" letters to the editor, sent via voice mail, on its Nautilus CD, says Marsh Williams, project manager. Readers can purchase software contained on the disk. Nautilus prototypes were built with SuperCard, but Discovery plans to develop its own code to assemble the magazine. The magazine "runs" on a Mac with 2 MB of RAM. Issued 13 times a year, it costs $9.95 per disk. The company plans a Windows edition for early 1991. Still in the prototype stage, Antic Publishing's as-yet-unnamed CD-ROM magazine, according to Antic president Jim Capparell, will capture the look and feel of "riffling through the pages" of a traditional magazine, but with added dimensions of sound, animation, and video. Capparell likens a multimedia magazine to a Hollywood production; Antic is even referring to the CD-ROM magazine's editors as "producers." Antic's disk will be available for the Macintosh and IBM platforms, as well as for Commodore's new CD TV, which combines a compact disk drive and computer in one machine. Subscrip- tions will cost in the $10 to $25 range. The least computer-oriented of the new CD-ROM magazines, under- Control's Grip, will focus on current events and music. Grip will incorporate animation, video, news, editorials, and material gleaned from 8mm decks, VCRs, cameras, videodisks, and frame grabbers. Cofounder Nick Cutillo says underControl is receiving material from around the world, including a video of the collapsing Berlin wall. Built in HyperCard, Grip will require a Mac II with 2 MB. The potential audience for CD-ROM magazines is still comparatively small. "Obviously it's not a very big market," says Verbum 's Michael Gosney, "but we expect it to grow rapidly." — Mark Clarkson LAN Leaders Call for Network Benchmarks Officials from companies prominent in computer networking have called for some industry standards for testing LANs. The new Performance Testing Alliance met during NetWorld '90 to discuss developing LAN bench- marks. The PTA includes Novell, AT&T, IBM, 3Com, and Banyan. "The thing about LANs is that they're so complicated," said Drew Major, Novell systems architect. "It's a lot easier in many ways to test a minicom- puter. It's all centralized in one box." While all the companies at the PTA meeting supported the idea of standard benchmarks, the development of those benchmarks might create considerably more friction. The PTA will have to find a way to test every layer of a network. Its benchmarks will have to be portable. And the benchmarks will need to isolate specific components, testing different configurations and loads. — Jeffrey Bertolucci ARE YOU AN INNOVATOR? If you, your company, or your research group is working on a new technology or developing products that will significantly affect the world of microcomputing, wed like to write about it. Phone the BYTE news department at (603) 924-928 L Or send a fax to (603) 924-2550. Or write to us at One Phoenix Mill Lane, Peterborough, NH 03458. Or send E-mail to "microbytes " on BIX or to "BYTE" on MCI Mail. An electronic version of Microbytes, offering a wider variety oj computer-related news on a daily basis, is available on BIX. 32 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA. bjgv. mm -«^k5^ AT THE GRAND CANYON IN ARIZONA... AND IN ZURICH, SWITZERLAND... SilsT T! ] Hi JjjE i 71 Tin H n ii fill! qfrtr BF'mzgm <"*£'•<:& ,./ fj/£EigXm& V "I&w W #o/ a friend in the business. " People the World Over Everywhere you look these days you'll find Gateway 2000 computers. That's because people ft0 o computers in q/ /s everywhere know a good value when they see one. In all 50 \ — states and in over % % ? °* ^O foreign 1 1 countries, 8 thousands of people are compar- ing price, quality and service - and choosing Gateway 2000. In Atlanta... ZSoft, the well-known graphics software company, often demonstrates its software at trade shows on Gateway 2000 computers. Dave Steier, ZSoft code librarian and software demonstrator, said he prefers showing products on Gateway systems. "They're terrific," Dave remarked. "I just got back from a show where I was using Gateway 33's and they're screamers." Don Womick, Jr., a programmer for ZSoft, bought a Gateway 2000 20 MHz 386 for his personal use because he liked the Gateway systems at work. "With Gateway," said Don, "I was able to get the performance I need at a price I could afford." Don and Dave both commented on the excellent service they received from Gateway. "Everyone is uniformly polite, friendly and helpful," Dave said. ZSoft employees Dave Steier, left, and Don Womick, Jr., with Don 's Gateway 2000 20 MHz 386 system. At the Grand Canyon... Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters uses Gateway 2000 computers in its operation. Rick Carrick, chief ii / pilot, started using n a Rick Carrick, Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters, and his indestructible Gateway 2000286. PC's a few years ago to run point- of-sale software and to perform weight and balance calculations on aircraft, a critical safety and efficiency procedure. Initially he experi- mented with several computer firms. "I called Gateway because I liked their ads," Rick admitted. "But I've become a loyal customer because their machines are indestructible and they have excellent customer service." Papillon Helicopters has another Gateway 2000 computer now - a 25 MHz 386 - and Rick said he's in the process of replacing all of the company's PC's with Gateway 2000 systems. In Zurich... Michael Paravicini runs a Gateway 2000 33 MHz 386 system. Michael is a management consultant for Price Waterhouse in Zurich. "I was impressed by Gateway's price-features comparison," he remembered. "My system cost far less than you'd expect to pay for a comparable computer." Continuing, he said, "It was also the responsiveness they showed when I sent a fax request for a quotation. Out of ten U. S. companies Michael Paravicini, Price Waterhouse, and his Gateway 2000 33 MHz 386 system. Choose Gateway 2000 ! I contacted, Gateway was the most prompt and efficient in responding. I still haven't heard from some of the others." PC Magazine's survey about service and reliability confirms what these customers are saying: "Gateway shared top billing with such heavy- weights as Compaq, IBM, and HP for those who would buy their products again,.. Over all, Gateway's high marks bode well for the company's future, as does its commitment to customer service." PC Magazine September 25, 1990 From the Heartland The combination of price, quality and service makes Gateway 2000 the best value in the industry. But value alone doesn't explain how a little company in the Midwest, just celebrating its fifth anniversary, managed to outdistance hundreds of other companies, selling more systems through the direct market channel than any other PC manufacturer in the country. "We can't run that ad anymore," continued Ted, grinning, "because we built a new plant 14 miles y° u become P art dog years.' * of our family and we're going to be there for you as long as you own that machine." As Ted talked about the company's fifth anniversary, he laughed again. "In the computer industry, longevity should be measured in dog years," he chuckled, "because every- thing's moving so fast. That makes Gateway 35 years old! /^P*"*! W " f ' Gateway 2000 sells more computers through the direct market channel than any other PC manufacturer in the country. "It was the cows," laughed Ted Waitt, Gateway 2000 President and CEO. "Of course." h But seriously, we've come a long j ^ way in five years. And I owe it all to the great people at Gateway and tO OUr CUStOmerS." Gateway 2000 willbe therefor you 'til the cows come home. When you add it all up, you'll understand why you've got a friend in the business at Gateway 2000. Computer magazine readers will remember the company's early ads featured a picture of the Waitt cattle farm with the headline, "Computers from Iowa?" v GATEWW2000 "You 've got a friend in (he business:' 800-523-2000 610 Gateway Drive • N. Sioux City, SD 57049 • 605-232-2000 • Fax 605-232-2023 GATEWAY 2000 SYSTEMS 12MHZ 286VGA 80286-12 Processor 1 MB RAM 1.2 MB 5.25" Drive 1.44 MB 3.5" Drive 40 MB 17ms IDE Drive 16 Bit VGA with 5 12K I 14" 1024x768 Color Monitor 1 Parallel & 2 Serial Ports 101 Key Keyboard MS DOS 3.3 or 4.01 6 $1495.00 GATEWAY 386SX 4 MB RAM 1.2 MB 5.25" Drive 1.44 MB 3.5" Drive 40 MB 17ms IDE Drive 16 Bit VGA with 5 12K 14" 1024x768 Color Monitor 1 Parallel & 2 Serial Ports 101 Key Keyboard MS DOS 3.3 or 4.01 MS WINDOWS 3.0 $1995.00 25MHZ 386VGA 4 MB RAM 1.2 MB 5.25" Drive 1.44 MB 3.5" Drive 80 MB 17ms IDE Drive 16 Bit VGA with 5 12K I 14" 1024x768 Color Monitor 1 Parallel & 2 Serial Ports 101 Key Keyboard MS DOS 3.3 or 4.01 MS WINDOWS 3.0 $2495.00 25MHZ 386CACHE1 1 33MHZ 386VGA it 64K Cache RAM 4 MB RAM 1.2 MB 5.25" Drive 1.44 MB 3.5" Drive 110 MB 17ms ESDI Drive ESDI Cache Controller 1 16 Bit VGA with 5 12K 14" 1024x768 Color Monitor 1 Parallel & 2 Serial Ports 101 Key Keyboard MS DOS 3.3 or 4.01 MS WINDOWS 3.0 $3195.00 64K Cache RAM ggg| 4 MB RAM 1.2 MB 5.25" Drive ™™ 1.44 MB 3.5" Drive 200 MB 17ms IDE Drive 16 Bit VGA with 5 12K 14" 1024x768 Color Monitor 1 Parallel & 2 Serial Ports 101 Key Keyboard MS DOS 3.3 or 4.01 MS WINDOWS 3.0 $3495.00 25MHZ 486V G A 64K Cache RAM 8 MB RAM 1.2 MB 5.25" Drive 1.44 MB 3.5" Drive 200 MB 17ms IDE Drive 16 Bit VGA with 5 12K I 14" 1024x768 Color Monitor 1 Parallel & 2 Serial Ports I 101 Key Keyboard MS DOS 3.3 or 4.01 MS WINDOWS 3.0 $4395.00 CACHE SPECIAL Same features as our PC Mag Editor's Choice 25 MHz 386 Cache system except this machine has an 80 MB 17ms Drive instead of the 110 MB 17ms EDSI Drive. $2895.00 STANDARD FEATURES AND SERVICES • Microsoft® WINDOWS™ with all 386 and 486 systems » 30-day money-back guarantee » One-year warranty on parts and labor » New leasing options now available » Toll-free technical support for the life of the machine » Free on-site service to most locations in the nation » Free overnight shipment of replacement parts » Free bulletin board technical support If our standard configurations don't fit your needs, we'll be happy to custom configure a system just for you. Due to the volatility of the DRAM market, all prices are subject to change. munmw/rM " You to got a friend in the 8 0-523-2000 610 Gateway Drive • N. Sioux City, SD 57049 • 605-232-2000 ■ Fax 605-232-2023 Letters and Ask BYTE Fifteen Years and Counting I found the September issue bittersweet. I read it thinking that it was one of the most enjoyable issues of any computer periodical I've ever read. (I subscribe to many magazines, so that's quite an im- pression.) However, I was astonished to find that the principal man behind the Apple II, Macintosh, and NeXT com- puters—who is, of course, Steven P. Jobs— was not on your list of influential people in personal computing. This omission was particularly hard for me to bear in light of the many people on the list whom I would not even consider in Jobs's class. In my opinion, Jobs should be considered the most important force in bringing personal computers to the masses. I believe a gross injustice has been done. Kevin Weidner Pleasantville, NY Steve Jobs consented to participate in the BYTE Summit but was unable to do so due to last-minute scheduling conflicts. —Bob Ryan I thank you for the excellent September issue. The coverage all around is superb, and I thoroughly enjoyed the 63 [experts] writing about the PC's present and fu- ture. I have learned a lot. F. A. Mulla Nakuru, Kenya One would hardly expect Don Crabb's Macinations column to minimize graph- ics-based computing, but his enthusiasm seems to have carried him over the brink in his September column. I thought back, as he suggested, to the time when I read what I thought was a really good book and found it was not the graphics that drew me into it (in fact, it had no pictures at all!). Rather, it was the skill of the writer. Can it be that Crabb has fallen into the very trap that he so eloquently warns of in the very same article? As Alan Kay points out in your Summit, "technology is just an amplifier." Contrary to Mar- shall McLuhan, the message is really the message. Even so, I read Crabb's column every month and appreciate it. I want to congratulate you on your 1 5th anniversary. I agree with Esther Dyson's comment ("I don't want to babysit this computer. I want it to act for me, not with me"). That's the future of computing: not a more servile or fun servant, but a more able one. Graphical user interfaces (GUIs), networks, fancy input and output, and all the rest must work toward this goal. If I want a video game, I'll look to Nintendo, not Apple or IBM or Microsoft. Gary Fisher Allendale, MI Congratulations on your 15th anniversa- ry. I enjoyed the anniversary issue a great deal. I came away from reading Alan Kay's comments ("The BYTE Summit") feel- ing that Kay is brilliant and innovative but that his revolution is not for me (nor, I think, is it for many of my colleagues) . I found it very telling that Kay said, "The PARC stuff we did was originally designed for children." Now the icons WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU. Please double-space your letter on one side of the page and include your name and address. Letters two pages in length or under have a better chance of being published in their en- tirety. Address correspondence to Letters Editor, BYTE, One Phoenix Mill Lane, Pe- terborough, NH 03458. You can also send let- ters via BlXmail c/o "editors. " Your letter will be read, but because of the large volume of mail we receive, we cannot guarantee publication. We also reserve the right to edit letters. It takes about four months from the time we receive a letter until we pub- lish it. make much more sense to me. I can ad- mire Alan Kay without wanting to think like him or work like him. I think that there are many people in computing who have very good reasons for not using GUIs. When we make our choices, we opt for speed, flexibility, and compactness. I know many people who choose DOS (delphic as it is) be- cause it is a fast "shorthand" interface. Like everyone else, I am impatient for improvements to DOS; I want to be able to give directions and files longer, more descriptive names and to be able to work with files that are associated with the programs used to create them. I also want to be able to switch from one pro- gram to another and then back again in- stantaneously. Occasionally, I would also like to be able to work in true WYSIWYG mode. I know, however, that I do not need a GUI to achieve these goals, and I will always opt for a solution that is economical and agile and that doesn't make me wait. Richard Zakin Oswego, NY Your September issue completely over- whelmed me. I couldn't read it all. But I admire you for the risk you took with your prognostications. I am looking for- ward to your 25th anniversary issue in 2000 to see how embarrassed you are. Predicting the future is seldom accurate. But keep it up. Robert LaFara Indianapolis, IN Alvy Ray Smith's suggestion ("The BYTE Summit") that people would pre- fer to communicate with pictures instead of words was a thought-provoking one, and it is certainly a logical extrapolation of the direction in which our nonl iterate, TV-oriented culture is moving. To take Smith's idea a bit further, when we get a sufficient number of these new icons (including, I assume, pictures that represent "justice," "sadness," "truth," etc.), we will certainly need standards so that we can all use the same pictures for identical concepts. I am curi- ous, however, as to how we will organize the manuals to quickly find the appropri- ate icon to represent a specific thought— a dictionary, if you will. lam sure that the problem i s soluble. DECEMBER 1990 -BYTE 33 LETTERS After all, the Chinese have been using pictures to represent concepts for a long time now. Sydney B. Self Jr. Sudbury, MA Copyright Controversies The opportunity for full protection of intellectual rights must be available to all, contrary to what Mitch Kapor has learned from his "very, very good" ex- periences with software ("Litigation vs. Innovation," Stop Bit, September). Innovation is not ethereal and does not just appear to the most enthusiastic of the bunch. It is the result of hard work and of dedication to R&D, all of which deserve to profit from success in the market- place. But that success does not have much chance in an environment where the results of effort can be stolen by any thief or ring of thieves who declare them- selves innovators. The only way that developers can be protected is by the courts. The glut of in- tellectual-property litigation that scares Kapor is perhaps a result of innovation thieves being brought to justice. Brian Livingston Norman Wells, Northwest Territories, Canada I agree with Mitch Kapor' s remarks on software copyright, but I think that he does not sufficiently address the issue of visual copyright, per se. When you attempt to copyright or pat- ent the user interface of your program, that is an act of theft. How is it that the user interface belongs to the users? Sure- ly I hear a multitude of enraged cries from programmers: "It's our interface; we designed it." It i s a common delusion of the more ar- rogant sort of software developer that the value of the user interface consists in its inherent excellence, that his or her user interace is somehow easier to use, and all that. Nonsense! The value of a user inter- face consists almost entirely in the fact that users have learned to use it, all too often with unnecessary difficulty. When user interfaces are "user friend- ly," that generally means that they have borrowed the conventions of street signs, Coke machines, and the like. So the principle holds— the value of a user inter- face is the value of the skill of the users. In proof of this, there are any number of minor user interfaces whose few users will proclaim their excellence at the top of their lungs. Yet these interfaces have little or no cash value, because so few people know them. I might add that the less arrogant de- velopers are positively compulsive about allowing the user to redesign the inter- face at will, via elaborate customization programs. Andrew D. Todd Springfield, OR When U.S. District Court Judge Robert Keeton ruled in the Lotus case (Micro- bytes, September), he affirmed the right of programmers the world over to the fruit of their labors. Keeton' s narrow in- terpretation of the copyright law has pro- vided plenty of opportunity for other programmers to build on the work of pre- decessors. But the test of this limited concept will come only as more and more program- mers use standard interfaces such as IBM 's Systems Application Architecture common user interface. How does one not infringe on creative "expression" when everyone is using the same stan- dard style? I do not pretend to know law, but I do know that I, for one, would like some protection for my work if I were to use such a standard, as I desire to do. Please let us know, IBM and Microsoft. Bill Hartzell Garland, TX Monitor Fallout I 'm glad to see BYTE publishing articles on electromagnetic emissions from video displays ("Of Monitors and Emissions," September). Bill McGinnis's article is good; it takes the reader right inside the CRT. Still, as a Ph.D. physicist, I was disap- pointed to notice McGinnis's failure to distinguish between electromagnetic fields that are radiated away from the source and those that are not. All ioniz- ing radiation (e.g., visible and infrared light) and all broadcast nonionizing radi- ation (e.g., microwaves and radio-fre- quency radiation) radiate energy away from the source, thereby producing radi- ation emissions. But extremely low-fre- quency (ELF) fields (which include fre- quencies from 50 Hz to 100 Hz) do not radiate energy through the air away from the source. Emissions that are radiated through space can affect creatures far from the source. These effects do not occur for nonradiated fields such as ELF. I have never encountered the distinc- tion between radiation and emission that McGinnis points out. Those who make this distinction must be scientists or engi- neers in a specialized discipline with which I am not familiar. Marjorie Lundquist Milwaukee, WI I agree that very few far-field emissions exist in the 30-Hz (wavelength 10 million meters) to 300-Hz (wavelength 1 million meters) region. But the point of the article was not to limit shielding considerations to the far- field condition. There are fields coming from most video terminals that are identifiable as either electric or magnetic. The interest in emissions in this fre- quency range centers on two main con- siderations: How large is the field, and how can it be reduced? The first question can be answered by qualified personnel using measurement equipment. The sec- ond question can be addressed by identi- fying emissions sources and applying ap- propriate shielding techniques to them. My article was intended as a guide to sources of emissions and possible reme- dies. The distinction between radiation and emissions is very common among mem- bers of the Electromagnetic Compatibil- ity Society and is gaining acceptance from some in the IEEE. The main reason for promoting these terms is the misun- derstanding of the term radiation by many people. Too often, the first thought is of some nuclear event, which is incorrect. It is something like the "flammable /inflam- mable" problem. Now, tanker trucks are marked "flammable, " since the other term was so misunderstood. I invite all to use the word emissions where it is appropriate to help reduce the misunderstanding of radiation. —Bill McGinnis Wrestling with Resolutions I read with some astonishment a state- ment that the resolution of images dropped to 72 dots per inch or 75 dpi when they were imported using the Clip- board ("Word Processors That Build Character," September). I cannot say that this is not true in the DOS world, but I can definitely say that it is not true in my experiences with the Macintosh. My regular word processor is Full- Write Professional 1 . 1 . 1 also use Write- Now 2.2, Microsoft Word 4. OB, and MacWrite II 1 .0. 1 use a Hewlett-Packard Deskwriter for most of my printing. I have used several of these applications to compose a departmental newsletter for a university. The masthead of the newslet- ter contains a 300-dpi scanned image of the university's logo, which is pasted into the newsletter from the Clipboard. I could not remember any difficulty printing the newsletter at full resolution. After I read your article, I conducted a test to make sure that I was not mistaken. Each of the word processing programs 34 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 We slash interface development time. (and we can prove it!) CREATE Mtm LAWUt IKTEWfCE m C-PROGRAMMERS: See for yourself how Vermont Views ™ can help you create user interfaces the easy way. If you want to start saving a tre- mendous amount of time and effort, call for your free Vermont Views demo kitandputus to the test. Vermont Views is a powerful, menu - driven screen design- er that comes with a C li- brary of over 550 functions. Which means you can create user interfaces in just a fraction of the time it takes to write the code yourself! Why try to reinvent the wheel when Vermont Views lets you interactively create pull-down menus, window-based data-entry forms (with tickertape and memo fields), scrollable form regions, choice lists, context sensitive help, and a host of other interface objects. Vermont Views combines the convenience of a fourth genera- tion language with the power, flexibility, and blinding execution speed of native C code. Turn your prototype into the application. Let's face it. With most systems, you have to throw away your proto- type when coding begins. Which means you waste precious time SKTDI | asnsa and effort. With Vermont Views, things are a lot different. In fact, the prototype actually becomes the application. So menus and data-entry forms are usable in the final application without change. Names of functions for retrieving, processing, and storing data can all be specified as the proto- type is created. And that's just for starters. Here's a truly universal solution. When you create an inter- face with Vermont Views, you can port it among PC-DOS, OS/2, UNIX, XENIX, and VMS. Vermont Views can be used with any database that has a C-language in- terface (most do), and will create interfaces for any roman-based language. Our form-locking ver- sion lets you develop quickly and safely on networks and multi- user operating systems, too. If you need DOS graphics in your applications, we also have the answer. Vermont Views™ GraphEx allows all Vermont Views' windows, menus, and forms to work in CGA, EGA, VGA, and Hercules graphics modes. So you can use your favorite graphics package to create charts, graphs, and other images t o enhance text displays. Pinnacle Meadows, Richford, VT 05476 Phone: (802) 848-7731 FAX: (802) 848-3502 WE GUARANTEE YOUR SATISFACTION. FOREVER. We're so sure youll love Vermont Views that we make this iron-clad, money-back guarantee. If you're ever dissatisfied with Vermont Views, for any reason, return it for a prompt, no-questions- asked refund. (All you have to do is certify that you haven't incorporated our code into any ap- plication.) )i±ie *±Je *±fc *±fc *±»<: *tk *±k sCtfe *±fe *±* :*£*: 'qS >q> 3 Vpf- *][& Kff- *$* *3> 'CP* *q^ Kff- *$* Call for your FREE demo kit! 800-848-1248 (Please mention M Offer 078 M ) Don't take our word for it. Put Vermont Views to the test by calling for your personal, free demonstration kit. Or fax us at (802) 848-3502. Circle 339 on Reader Service Card ASK BYTE printed a 300-dpi bit map pasted from Canvas 2.1 at full resolution. In fact, the only problem that I have with resolution occurs with drawings created in Full- Write' s drawing environment. For those drawings, the resolution is limited to 72/75 dpi. Matthew F. Ware Greensboro, NC When I tested FullWrite, I used Apple- Scan 1.0.2 (Apple's 300-dpi scanner software) as my 300-dpi image source and copied the scanned images directly to the Clipboard. The 72- /75-dpi images came through fine. The 300-dpi images retained all their information; FullWrite simply interpreted them as 75 dpi and dis- played them at four times normal size. After receiving your letter, I tried bringing some 300-dpi AppleScan images into Adobe 's Photoshop and then placing them in FullWrite. Oddly enough, that seemed to work fine. In this case, we 're both right— it apparently matters where you get your 300-dpi graphics from. I've made a note to take another look at this with future releases of FullWrite or the scanner software. —Howard Eglowstein ASK BYTE Direct to Disk I have a Western Digital WD-1006V- MM2 hard disk drive controller card and a Seagate ST255 hard disk drive. I'd like to program the hard disk drive operations directly, without the help of DOS or the ROM BIOS. Where can I get detailed in- formation about my hard disk drive con- troller? Igor Bujanovic Zagreb, Yugoslavia You can get technical literature about Western Digital controllers by contacting Western Digital Literature Department 15345 Barranca Pkwy. Irvine, CA 92718 (800) 832-4778 BBS (714) 756-81 76 (protocol 8N1) In Europe, the nearest office to you is Western Digital Germany (Zamdorfer Strasse 26, D-8000 Munich 80, Germany. -S. W. PC or Not PC? I am writing to get your advice before shopping for my next computer system. My primary decision involves which type of computer I should choose: an Apple Macintosh or an IBM PS/2 or compatible. After I have decided on one, shopping for the right model to suit my needs (and all my desires, if I can afford them) should be relatively easy. On the IBM AT, my weekly comput- ing environment includes MultiMate Ad- vantage II, Lotus 1-2-3, FoxPro, Micro- soft Paintbrush, PC Tools, Turbo Pascal, NewsMaster, and Print Shop. On the Macintosh II, my environment includes Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, FoxBase + /Mac, Mac Paint, Turbo Pascal, Think C, and Aldus Page- Maker. I have more expertise on the IBM; I have an AT, a Microsoft Mouse, and an Epson LQ printer. Nevertheless, I prefer the Macintosh interface, and the Mac has grown up; it's not just a desktop publish- ing machine anymore. However, both my paid summer in- ternships thus far have required IBM ex- perience (e.g., Lotus 1-2-3 and Word- Perfect), and the job market stresses the IBM machines, too. Ideally, I would like the best of both worlds in my next computer— a Mac with an add-in card for IBM compatibility, for example. But have all the bugs been worked out of this technology? Would you recommend the use of such tech- nology? At the high end, I can afford a PS/2 Model 80 or a Macintosh Ilci, with just enough money left over for a 24-pin printer. Should I go with Apple or IBM? Oscar Rozario Ley sin, Switzerland There 's no clear answer to your question; if there were, one or the other type of computer probably wouldn't exist. I'll give you a couple of guidelines to help you decide. When you 're trying to decide on either architecture or capacity, don 't start by picking the machine; first pick the appli- cations you want to run. Some types of applications are best represented on Ap- ple architectures, while others have more support on the PC. You have a specific applications list in mind; that 's an excel- lent start. Remember that your list will change with time, but you'll probably lean toward similar applications in the future. On the PC, you 've got MultiMate Ad- vantage 11, certainly an industry-stan- dard word processor with no parallel on the Mac. There are good reasons to stay with MultiMate, and each one might seem to vote for the PC. PC Tools has many uses, but the primary one is to make life on the PC easier. For that reason, I would tend to discount that package when making the decision. Similarly, you would overlook Symantec 's SUM or simi- lar Mac products. Lotus 1-2-3 is another product with no exact parallel on the Mac, except that spreadsheets are more alike than word processors, and you could switch. The Mac has several good ones. Then there are cross- platform products. You 've named FoxPro, Micro- soft Word, Excel, and PageMaker. All of them are available on the Mac and on the PC under Windows. Even your paint pro- grams are a good cross. Several Windows paint programs have capabilities similar to Macintosh paint programs. Second, after you go through your ap- plications list, look for products that you could replace with something on another platform. Do you have to exchange files or disks with someone else using that product? Will you be networking the ma- chine ? Factor that in, and start adding up the score. Remember that you rarely spend any actual time working with DOS, so don 't let that scare you away from the PC. As for the user interface, you say you prefer the Mac; lots of people do— so many that Mac-like shells have become very popular on other environments. Windows 3. is a strong product in its own right, yet it feels enough like a Mac to encourage many products to be sup- ported on both platforms. I suggest that you take a look at Win- dows 3. and play around with it for a while. You have two products on your PC applications list that require a PC. All your Mac products have exact or close PC parallels. In your case, a PC running Windows might be the way to go, particu- larly since your job field seems to favor using PCs. That said, make sure you have enough computer. Windows and Windows appli- cations tend to be resource hogs, so don 't be stingy. A big hard disk drive (80 mega- bytes or bigger) is a definite must— the bigger and faster, the better. I further suggest a minimum of a 25-MHz 386- based machine with 4 MB of RAM if you plan on using Windows as a multitasker. If you go for the Mac, the llci would serve you well— again, with lots of RAM. Ideal- ly, you would own both types of ma- chines. (I own both Macs and PCs and wouldn't give up either.) Add-in cards with Intel coprocessors for the Mac sim- ply haven 't been as big a win as everyone hoped. They're generally slower than folks would like and fairly expensive, and the compatibility is good, but not perfect. 36 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 Tobecome the hottest name in dot matrix printers HnmM! one teriific * i Panasonic (O .^RNMiiu-ModePimier ■» nn55smtr~ >' meant* ■■•.I; . i serw-i >V, M HI i -^B2b£^&' l w <■■ a 3Ti PS ■t fe^iaisSiill^ ': n t, Ur in. [- ^P^3BB}_ ( :> .1 * « u ■t flWlHfffl^ l*.*i^JJlZl^£J?L . 1.; !U ■ ,r, i V iV - ■ after another, ■0 MMftMMM! Panasonic [(C^'irllifffiKO) w. i-htwiM' PipiVi.M 1 1 Panasonic l\ r M'lr't)WV m^-m^i;^,,. Panasonic GS2SHPUG&1S4 BapwMuHH*>df>Prtntef tHWMilMtMMIIflaHHMMH — ■HBHHHBnBHHnMHHHni Panasonic BOS*P1M9 MuiirMo^Prmtor — - — — — — — • - PanaSOniC '■-'-•') 24 PIN M.iin-Mf)dfi Printer after another. 1 v5B . i ' IIIM — IIIMIIWI ■ 9 "zrW ■~~ m '"9 HI _] "■tSSjw ■ ■ SMM BBSHB TrrTiw T ■■■■■■■■■■■W** s-i 1 -Wm»mmmw &&:'■■. V 3 -43S&* I ^ .,':.___ BHI ' j/jfyoK want the perfect printer for the home. If you want a little more speedforyour home office printing. ■ ■ ■■ ™«£i*57r i ^™^_™^^ If you want the same features as the 1124, but with a wide carriage. oMMmaasaamauBamsA "wslrasr fflsPBHi ^i mi pp^pfp mn^i If you want high speed, high volume for spread- sheets and financials. If you want near laser quality at dot matrix prices. A few years ago, we redefined what people expect from a dot matrix printer. By creating a 24-pin as sophisticated as it is simple. And as affordable to buy as it is economical to own. The KX-P1 124 has won its share of awards. But it's not the only PanasonkfDot Matrix to receive rave reviews. Now there's a whole family to choose from. All with EZ Sefoperator panel, multiple paper paths, a variety of fonts, 2-year limited parts and labor warranty (see your dealer for details), and other features that typify our approach to price/per- formance for today's office environment. There are feature-rich 9-pin models for every-day drafts. And supeib 24-pins for im- portant correspondence. In both regular and wide-caniage versions. And we've just introduced what may well be the quintessential office printer for the 90s, the KX-P1654. A wide-carriage 24-pin that rockets along at up to 375 characters per second. With print quality approaching that of lasers. Chances are, your first Panasonic printer will lead to another, and another, and another. For further information on Panasonic Dot Matrix Printers, see your Panasonic dealer, or telephone toll-free 1-800-742-8086. Printers, Computers, Peripherals, Copiers, Typewriters and Facsimiles Panasonic Office Automation/^^vA Engineered for tlie office. Designed for peopk DMF-BY Circle 224 on Reader Service Card ASK BYTE For running the occasional PC package on your Mac, SoftPC is an interesting hack. Using the Mac 's 680xx, it emulates the 80x6 and PC BIOS to run DOS appli- cations. It works amazingly well, but it, too, is slower than the real thing. To sum up, the choice between archi- tectures is a hard one, one that should be driven by the applications you want to run and the environment you need to run in. Pick the software first, and then fit the hardware to it. Once you get your new computer, start saving up for one of the other kind. It's getting more and more obvious that anyone serious about com- puting needs access to both a Macintosh and an MS-DOS machine these days. -H. E. What Good Is a Backup? I have an IBM PS/2 Model 80 with two ESDI hard disk drives (one is 100 mega- bytes, the other 300 MB), an external 5!4-inch 1.2-MB floppy disk drive, a mouse, and a 60-MB MaynStream (from Maynard Systems) tape backup system with version 2.2 of the tape backup software. My trouble is related to the tape backup system and the 100-MB hard disk drive. At the beginning of the month, I made an image backup of my C drive, and when I tried to restore the data after a disk crash, the software returned an Unable to find partition error message. I called the technical-support group of the company that sold me the MaynStream. The people I spoke with told me that I should perform a low-level format on the hard disk drive, repartition it into its original configuration, and try again. I'm using DOS 4.01, and the drive had only one partition, so that was easy. After reformatting, I reinstalled DOS and tried again. I still got the same error message. I then brought the tapes to the techni- cal-support people. They tried the same thing on one of their machines with the same result. Desperately— it is very pre- cious data— I contacted some people who also use MaynStream tapes, but they had never encountered such problems. Is the data on the tape lost, or is there a way to restore it? I never had any prob- lems before with the MaynStream, and it still works when I use the normal backup and restore utilities. What is the purpose of a backup system when you can't re- store the data on it? Vereecken Luc Leuven, Belgium The good news is that your tape is prob- ably recoverable. Unfortunately, it 's go- ing to cost you gobs of money. Maybe I should explain why. There are two ways a tape backup sys- tem can work. The file-by-file backup will walk through the file system and se- quentially copy each file that it encoun- ters onto a contiguous piece of tape. The file structure on the tape is created and maintained by the tape software and has nothing whatsoever to do with the com- puter's file system. The advantage here is that if the original disk is lost, any ma- chine, regardless of operating system, should be able to recover the data as long as its hard disk drive is big enough. Image backups work by scanning through the hard disk, sector by sector, and copy- ing an exact image of each sector without regard to its contents. On a DOS ma- chine, this will include the boot sectors, file allocation tables (FATs), directories, and files, as well as the location of any locked-out bad sectors. To restore an image tape, the hard disk drive has to be formatted in the same way, with the bad sectors identified and locked out in the same way they were before. Otherwise, the tape software may try to restore data onto a bad sector that wasn 't marked bad when the backup was made. If the restore disk has a different geom- etry or a different sector map than the original, the software won't be able to figure out where to put the data and will report the kind of error you found. I sus- pect that by reformatting the drive, you either marked additional bad sectors or freed up previously bad disk spots, there- by making the disk look different than it was. To recover your tape, someone is going to have to restore all the sectors, deter- mine what your drive geometry must have looked like, and reconstruct an entirely new disk based solely on the FATs and di- rectory information stored on the tape. It's an elaborate process, and it's not cheap. I spoke with Maynard techni- cians, who, while sympathetic to your plight, couldn 't offer any quick solutions. To answer your last question next, it 's never been remotely obvious to me why anyone would offer an image backup pro- gram when the chances of recovering data were so minimal. In fact, Maynard no longer provides an image backup facil- ity with the MaynStream, and most other vendors have dropped them, as well. In the future, don 't use the image backup fa- cility— erase that software from your disk and stick with the file-by-file stuff. And to be doubly safe, use your software's verification feature, or run a full tape verify to make sure that the tape is read- able. The Maynard folks suggested that you might want to send your tape to one of the many file recovery services. They sug- gested X-Late (P.O. Box 161, Lake Elmo, MN 55042, (612) 770-8087) as one company you might try. Prices vary, but recovery costs could run up to $100 per megabyte of data, depending on how much work is involved. — H. E. Sparing the Sperry I have a five-year-old Sperry 286 com- puter. It has an EGA, a 5 ^-inch 1 .2-MB floppy disk drive, and a 30-MB hard disk drive. The hard/floppy disk drive con- troller circuit is on the motherboard. I want to add a 3 !/2-inch 1 .44-MB flop- py disk drive. I have tried updating the installed Sperry DOS to MS-DOS 3.3 and PC-DOS 3.3. In both cases, I could address drive B and do a DIR that sort of worked. But I could not make the 3!/2- inch drive format a floppy disk no matter what I tried. Neither the Norton Utilities nor PC Tools would recognize drive B. I suspect the outdated BIOS chips, but because I deal primarily with generic clones, I have no idea where to look to find out. Could you help me with information on this upgrade? If new chips are re- quired, I'd like to know where I can find them. Vern De Fehr Fresno, CA Due to the age of your computer, your suspicions concerning the BIOS ROM are probably correct. Sperry Computers was bought out by Unisys (P.O. Box 500, Blue Bell, PA 19424). Unisys still supports Sperry computers. You can order parts by calling (800) 448-1424. The parts technicians will need to know the model number on the motherboard of your Sperry 286. -S. W. FIXES • Instant Recall 1.2 does contain "tick- ler" functions. The features table in "Strictly for Personal Information" (September) failed to note that. • In the October article "A Knowledge Engineering Toolkit," we listed the Lon- don address for Logic Programming As- sociates. LPA Prolog and MacProlog are also available from Quintus Computer (1310 Villa St., Mountain View, CA 94041, (800) 245-6442 or (415) 965- 7700). ■ 40 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 ZORTECH C+ + DEVELOPER'S EDITION V2.1 Multi-Platform C++ MS-DOS • WINDOWS • OS/2 • DOS 386 • UNIX 386 MS-DOS Zortech's industrial strength compiler provides all the benefits of C++, but with with the speed and code size you would expect from the best C compilers. The quality of the original Zortech C++ implementation together with the continuous improvement achieved since its launch in June 1988 produces fabulous benchmarks. Just look howfar it's ahead of the nearest competitor. Zortech C++ provides state of the art, USEFUL features, most of which are added in direct response to customer requests. You can effortlessly cruise through the DOS 640K barrier using Zortech's Virtual Code Manager (VCM™). This allows you to develop applications up to 4MB in size whilst in real mode, without changing your C/C++ source code. Zortech's much acclaimed 'handle pointers' provide an elegant solution to processing EMS memory. Zortech C++ also uses the Rational Systems™ DOS Extenders allowing you to easily compile and debug really large programs, even large MS-Windows 3.0 applications. If you want to purchase a Rational Systems license for your own applications, your Zortech code is Plug & Go. Zortech's new C++ Workbench provides a cross platform development environment for C++. It has really useful features including powerful source and grep browsers, to look at your handiwork. In response to hundreds of requests, MS-Windows 2.1 support was added into the base DOS C++ Compiler in version 2.0. Now with Zortech C++ V2.1 development of C++ applications for Windows 3.0 is a reality not a promise. Along with the C++ compiler comes a top quality ANSI C compiler. In fact, after reviewing 14 C/C++ compilers in its May 1990 issue, Computer Language Editor J. D. Hilderbrant said: "The pressure to name an overall winner in the compiler sweepstakes is nearly overwhelming... it's an easy choice. We pick Zortech! " Thousands of our customers had existing C code they wanted to recompile, so we made it simple. In the words of BYTE Magazine: 66 1 fed a Microsoft C specific version of the Micro-EMACS editor source to Zortech's compiler, and less than one hour later, I had a new (and smaller) program. " Our C++ Debugger, which understands C and Assembler too, is CodeView™ compatible, butthat's where the similarities end. This feature packed tool can examine your program from 19 viewpoints and uses overlapping windows with full mouse support, icons and dialog boxes. Debugging large programs is no problem with our DOS Extender, Virtual and Remote debugger versions. Quite simply, there's no better C++ debugger to use and no better C++ to debug. Our C++ Tools package is the most comprehensive set available. All 25 class libraries are extensively documented and come with the full source code. The Zortech C++ Developer's Edition V2.1 includes C and C++ Compilers, C++ Debugger, C++ Tools and the FULL Library Source Code (excluding Flash Graphics). That's right, you don't have to pay hundreds of dollars extra for source code - it's in the box! MS-WINDOWS Improved support for MS-Windows (including new Windows 3.0 support) is provided in the base C++ DOS compiler, at no extra cost. With Zortech, you can now even compile from within Windows! Support for new extended keywords Joadds and _export as well as the ability to create DLL's make programming in Windows with C++ practical. We provide extensive documentation and 50K of sample code to illustrate development of applications in this exciting new environment. Do you need MS-Windows class libraries? Call for details of third party Zortech Validated Products. OS/2 ^ The OS/2 Developer's Edition option now provides a C++ Compiler and source level Debugger designed for C++. In the words of OS/2 Magazine: 66 Zortech C++ serves as a direct replacement for the Microsoft C Compiler in developing applications, allowing programmers to use object-oriented techniques in OS/2 development." $fl DOS 386 ^\ Now MS-DOS developers can build true 32 bit C and C++ applications for 386 processors using Zortech's powerful development system. The Zortech C++ V2.1 Developer's Edition for DOS 386, contains 32 bit versions of the C and C++ Compiler, Flash Graphics library, C++ Debugger and full standard library source code together with all the familiar features provided with the standard DOS Developer's Edition. Using Phar Lapp's much acclaimed 386/DOS Extender Technology, you can build applications which access 4 Gigabytes of linearly addressable memory. Your applications will also be Plug & Go for use with Phar Lapp's 386 DOS Extender which may be purchased seperately. UNIX 386 ^ Not a day passes at Zortech HQ without numerous requests for a UNIX version of Zortech C++. Now, DOS and OS/2 developers can reach new markets by easily moving their code to SCO UNIX 386 and binary compatibles. The Zortech C++ V2.1 UNIX 386 Compiler generates the same tight, fast code that Zortech's DOS and OS/2 users have come to expect. UNIX specific versions of Flash Graphics and the C++ Workbench are also provided. In line with the traditional Zortech Policy, owners of the Zortech C++ V2.1 UNIX 386 Compiler will be able to inexpensively upgrade to the forthcoming Zortech C++ V2.1 UNIX 386 Developer's Edition. V2.1 ZORTECHInc, 4-C GMStreet, WOBURNMA 01801 Tel: 617-937-0696 Fax: 617-937-0793 Orders: 1-800-848-8408 ZORTECH Ltd., 58-60 Beresford Street, LONDON SE18 6BG Tel: +44-81-316-7777 Fax: +44-81-316-4138 DEVELOPER'S EDITION Freedom of Choice. At Jameco, you have the freedom to choose from a complete line of starter, mid-range, and full powered computer kits. You also have the freedom to build and expand these kits by choosing the major components that best suit your individual needs. From memory, monitors, and disk drives; to scanners, mice, and trackballs; to cables, power protectors, and more. Take a look at our high-end 80386 and 80386SX expandable computer kits: Jameco 33MHz 32KB Cache, 80386 Computer Kit Includes: • 80386 33MHz Motherboard with 32KB cache, 4MB RAM (expandable to 16MB) • 101-key enhanced keyboard • Multi I/O Card • Toshiba 1.44MB, 3.5" DSHD floppy disk drive • Vertical enclosure with 6 half-height drive bays • 300 Watt power supply • DR DOS 5.0 by Digital Research and Diagsoft's QAPlus diagnostic software monitor extra $2599. JE3833 95 Jameco 20MHz 32KB Cache, 80386SX Computer Kit Includes: • AMI 80386SX 20MHz Motherboard with 32KB cache, 4MB RAM (expandable to 16MB) • 101-key enhanced keyboard • Multi I/O Card • Toshiba 1.44MB, 3.5" DSHD floppy disk drive • Mini-vertical computer case • 200 Watt power supply • DR DOS 5.0 by Digital Research and Diagsoft's QAPlus diagnostic software $1899. 95mo ""°""~ JE3820 Call Jameco for our new 1991 catalog. In it you'll find an extensive offering of quality computer and electronic components. You have the freedom to order 24 hours a day and if you need assistance, expert technicians are available from 7 am to 4 pm (PST) to help you with all your computing needs. Enjoy the freedom of choice. Call Jameco today at (415) 592-8097. jaWotf (415) Sg n#* COMPUTER PRODUCTS 1355 Shoreway Rd., Belmont, GA 94002 FAX: (415) 592-2503 Terms: Prices arc subject to change without notice. Items subject to availability and prior sale. Complete list of terms/warranties is available upon request. All trade names arc registered trademarks of their respective companies. © 12/90 Jameco Computer Products Circle 155 on Reader Service Card M MMC Please refer to Mall Key 1 when ordering |M»| ^fl 24 Hours a Day. J* What's New HARDWARE • SYSTEMS Light Portables Take Flight NEC Technologies has launched the UltraLite 286V, a 6% -pound 12-MHz notebook computer. The sys- tem comes with 1 MB of RAM (expandable to 2 or 5 MB), a 3 Vi -inch 1.44-MB external floppy disk drive, and a 20-MB hard disk drive. The system also features a 10-inch backlit screen with 640- by 480-pixel VGA reso- lution. The removable battery cartridge system provides up to 2Vi hours of power; the sys- tem also comes with an auto- sensing/auto-switching AC power supply that works with both U.S. and international power systems. The system measures 9 l / 2 by 12% by V/ XQ inches. Options include a 2400-bps modem, a send/receive fax modem, and a SCSI adapter. Price: $3999. Contact: NEC Technol- ogies, Inc., 1255 Michael Dr., Wood Dale, IL 60191, (708) 860-9500. Inquiry 1271. The Samsung S3600 is a 12-MHz laptop with a 40-MB hard disk drive and a VGA-compatible screen. The Samsung S3600, like the NEC UltraLite 286V, comes with a 286 processor, 1MB of RAM, alVi-'mch 1.44-MB floppy disk drive, and a VGA screen. But the Samsung weighs in at a hefty 16 pounds, including its battery. The S3600 comes with a rechargeable nickel-cadmium battery that provides 3 hours of power, a battery charger, and a power management feature similar to the UltraLite' s. Options include LapLink III software, a 2400-bps modem, and a carrying case. Price: With 40-MB hard disk drive, $3499. Contact: Samsung Informa- tion Systems America, Inc., 3655 North First St., San Jose, CA 95134, (800) 624- 8999 ext. 851. Inquiry 1272. 386SX Systems with Windows on the Side The Mitac MPC2386E is a basic 20-MHz 386SX system with an option for Super VGA graphics. The sys- tem comes with Windows 3.0, a mouse, and 1 MB of RAM (expandable to 4 or 8 MB). The system is sold without any disk drives but has room for both 5 Va- and 3 Vi-inch floppy disk drives. Price: $2395. Contact: American Mitac Corp .,410 East Plumeria Dr. , San Jose, CA 95134, (800) 648-2287 or (408) 432-1160. Inquiry 1273. The Eltech 2200 is an- other 20-MHz 386SX sys- tem that comes with Win- dows 3.0 installed. It includes 2 MB of RAM (expandable to 8 MB), 5V4- and 3 Vi -inch floppy disk drives, a 40-MB hard disk drive, a VGA card and monitor, a mouse, and DOS 4.01. Price: $2199. Contact: Eltech Research, Inc., 47266 Benicia St., Fremont, CA 94538, (800) 234-4331 or (415) 438-0990. Inquiry 1274. Going for the GoldStar GoldStar Technology's GT212isal2-MHz286- based system with 1 MB of RAM and 16-bit VGA capabil- ity for under $1000. The base system has an Intelligent Drive Electronics interface and VGA capability built into the motherboard. It also in- cludes a dual floppy disk drive controller; serial, parallel, and mouse ports; and DOS 4.01. The system measures 4 by 15 by 15*/2 inches. Price: $995. Contact: GoldStar Technol- ogy, Inc., 3003 North First St., San Jose, CA 95134, (408)432-1331. Inquiry 1275. Mitac 's 20-MHz 386SX comes with Windows 3. installed along with a mouse and more. SPREAD THE WORD Your new product is important to us. Please address information to New Products Editors, BYTE, One Phoenix Mill Lane, Peter- borough, NH 03458. Better yet, use your modem and mail new product information to the microbytes.hw or microbytes.sw conferences on BIX. Please send the product description, price, ship date, and an address and telephone number where readers can get more information. 44 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 HARDWARE jHillJiHifJ HP Does It Again for Less Hewlett-Packard's Laser- Jet HID is its second printer with the HP PCL 5 printer language and HP Reso- lution Enhancement technol- ogy. This 300-dpi, 8-ppm LaserJet is compatible with the III and IID and replaces the IID, according to HP. Like the IID, the HID of- fers double-sided printing and the same internal bit-mapped typefaces as the IIP (i.e., Cou- rier and Line Printer). Two font-cartridge slots give you the option of plugging in fonts, typefaces, and Post- Script cartridges. Also like the IID, the HID comes with two letter-size paper trays for an input ca- pacity of 400 sheets. An auto- matic envelope feeder is available for the HID. In addi- tion, the HID comes with 1 MB of memory and two slots for memory upgrade boards. HP's Resolution Enhance- ment technology adjusts the position and size of dots to smooth the jaggies of 300-dpi The HP LaserJet HID laser printer offers low-cost printing for high-volume users. printing. The PCL 5 printer language uses Intellifont font- scaling technology from Agfa, which allows the printer to scale typefaces on the fly. Price: $3595. Contact: Hewlett-Packard Co. Inquiries, 19310 Prune- ridge Ave., Cupertino, CA 95014, (800) 752-0900. Inquiry 1276. disk drive with 0.5 MB of RAM). Contact: Supra Corp., 1133 Commercial Way, Albany, OR 97321, (800) 727-8772 or (503)967-9075. Inquiry 1277. SupraDrive 500XPfor the Amiga. Hard Disk Drive Gives RAM to the Amiga Th e SupraDrive 500XP for the Amiga 500 com- bines a 20-MB hard disk drive and installed RAM. The drive consumes less than 4 W of power and does not require fans or external power, ac- cording to Supra. The RAM is installed on the 500XP board in DRAM chips in configurations of 0.5, 1, or 2 MB of RAM with 256K- by 4-bit DIP DRAM chips, or in configurations of 2, 4, or 8 MB with an add-on RAM board using 1 -megabit by 4-bit DRAM chips. The drive plugs into the Amiga's expansion port. Price: $679 for a minimum configuration (20-MB hard Low-Cost Video Printer from Sony The UP-3000 prints with 256 levels of color from a palette of over 16 million colors per pixel at more than 500 TV lines of horizontal resolution in a 4- by 3-inch format. The printer has a one- frame memory and uses RGB 8-bit digital signal processing and advanced color-dye-trans- fer thermal printing technol- ogy. In normal scanning mode, the printer produces a picture about the size of a 35mm photo on an A6 page. It has an RS-232C interface and accepts and outputs RGB analog, composite video, and S-video signals. Price: $3999. Contact: Sony Corp. of America, 9 West 57th St. , New York, NY 10019, (212) 418-9427. Inquiry 1278. An 851 4/A VGA Monitor The ViewSonic 4 is a multiple-frequency VGA monitor that has a multiscan- ning frequency of from 20 to 38 kHz and a presetting function. The monitor features auto-sizing controls and a nonglare 14-inch screen on a tilt-and-swivel base. Price: $599. Contact: ViewSonic, 12130 Mora Dr. , Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670, (213)944-3041. Inquiry 1279. Sony 's UP-3000 turns video to color hard copy. DECEMBER 1990 • B Y T E 45 WHAT'S NEW HARDWARE A D D - I N S Orange Micro Lets You Mix Apples with DOS and OS/2 The Orange386, a single- slot coprocessor card that works in any Mac II, features an on-board 16-MHz Intel 386SX. With the card in place, you can run OS/2 and DOS applications in a Mac window as if they were Mac applications, according to Orange Micro. The Orange386 has two AT slots so you can install any IBM add-on card on it; you can also add an 80387 math coprocessor. Other features of the Orange386 card include PC interface hardware for serial, parallel, 1.2-MB floppy disk drive, and Intelligent Drive Electronics ports. This lets you connect almost any PC-type peripheral to the card. Price: $2295. Contact: Orange Micro, Inc., 1400 North Lakeview Ave., Anaheim, CA 92807, (714)779-2772. Inquiry 1280. Basic VGA for Less Than $99 A full 16 bits on a com- pact VGA card is what you get for $99 with ATI's VGABASIC-16. The card uses a proprietary application-spe- cific IC that makes it over three times faster than com- petitors' cards, ATI says. The VGABASIC-16 is compatible with CGA, EGA, VGA, Hercules, and MDA. It has a 16-bit bus design but also supports an 8-bit bus. It mea- sures 6 Va by 2 3 A inches, j ■ - ■£■•.- a J : The Orange386 puts a powerful PC in your Mac. which, ATI says, makes it the smallest VGA card in the world. Price: $99. Contact: ATI Technologies, Inc., 3761 Victoria Park Ave., Scarborough, Ontario, Canada M1W3S2, (416) 756-0718. Inquiry 1281. Mac DSP Boards Meet Your Floating- Point Needs Spectral Innovations is offering floating-point digital signal processing (DSP) boards for the Mac II and SE/30. The boards provide a peak performance of 32 MFLOPS and feature NuBus and pro- cessor direct slot (PDS) com- patibility. The bus interface for the board includes a 5- MBps DMA mode that lets you transfer programs and data between Mac and MacDSP local memory without inter- rupting MacDSP program execution. The boards, based on AT&T's DSP32C DSP, have an integrated DMA controller that performs IEEE-compat- ible 32-bit floating-point arithmetic. The higher-end board, the MacDSPAP, is de- signed for memory-intensive array-processing applications such as image processing, 3-D modeling, graphics anima- tion, and PostScript accelera- tion. It provides from 64K bytes to 1 MB of zero-wait- state RAM. The lower-cost board, the MacDSPXI, is designed for signal-processing applica- tions where cost is a factor. This board features built-in 16-bit A/D and D/A converters with a sample rate of 128 kHz, and it performs at up to 24 MFLOPS. Both boards are available with C development environ- ments, which include a com- piler, an assembler, a simula- tor, and a linker. The boards are also compatible with Spec- tral Innovations' signal analysis program. Price: MacDSPAP, $4994; MacDSPXI, $2895; C develop- ment environment, $1500. Contact: Spectral Innova- tions, 4633 Old Ironsides Dr., Suite 450, Santa Clara, CA 95054,(408)727-1314. Inquiry 1282. Oscilloscope Card with a 256K-byte Storage Buffer Soltec says that its SCC- 1220 digital storage oscil- loscope card is the first inte- grated scope with a 256K-byte storage buffer. The card has a sampling frequency of from 40 MHz to 1 Hz. It is capable of simulta- neous sampling on two chan- nels at up to 20 MHz per channel. All features, func- tions, and setup parameters are selectable from menu- driven software called PC- Calc. You can capture single events unattended by setting the trigger on the card. You can also zero in on prototype faults, which enables fault analysis, according to Soltec. The card installs in a sin- gle slot in an XT or AT. Price: $1300. Contact: Soltec Corp., Sol Vista Park, 1 2977 Arroyo St. , San Fernando, CA 91340, (800) 423-2344 or (818) 365-0800. Inquiry 1283. The VGA BASIC- J 6 delivers 16 bits on a card that measures 6 } A by2Y4 inches. 46 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 db VISTA III for Windows 3.0™ T DBMS That Bg|Sfe.; *W'-- ■ | &ti;;- 1 I ■ Microsoft. Windows,. \fcraon 30 Cotnpaiibte PiwdiKt Ooens Windows" Get High Performance Under Microsoft Windows KTWith db VISTA III DBMS. Develop Windows applications that are better, faster, and more profitable. db_VISTAm combines speed, flexibility, and productivity into one DBMS tool for C and Windows programmers. Add db_VISTA Ill's high-speed SQL retrieval to your application and watch your users enjoy power they've never experienced before. Built For Windows. db_VISTA HI for Windows 3.0 follows all of the Microsoft db_VISTAin Database Management System guidelines for memory use. Dynamic linked libraries (DLL), multi-tasking, and multi-user environments are all supported. For even faster development, use db_VISTA III with products like ToolBook®, Windowcraft®, or Actor®. No Other DBMS Opens Windows Like db VISTA III! • Speed. Benchmarks show db_VISTA III significantly outperforms any DBMS under Windows. • No Royalties. Increase your profits; decrease your overhead. • C Source Code Available. For total programming flexibility. • Portability. db_VISTAin supports most environments. Specifications: Single & multi-user. Automatic recoveiy. Automatic referential integrity. Relational and network data models supported. Relational SQL query and report writer. Complete revision capability. C source code is available. No royalties. Supports: MS Windows, MS-DOS, OS/2, VMS, UNIX, BSD, QNX, SunOS, Macintosh. Special $195 Developer's Edition ! For a limited time only, you can get your hands on db_ VISTA for Windows for only $195. Call today and askaboutour Developer's Edition | and experience how dbJVIST A HI can open Windows for you. Developer license only; not for distribution. [«■■■«■■■■«■■ Call 1-800-db-RAIMA (1-800-327-2462) In Washington state call: (206) 747-5570 Full Raima Support Services - Including Training. Develop your applications even faster with Raima Training Classes: Dec. 3-5, 1990 Dec. 3-5, 1990 Dec. 10-14, 1990 Dec. 17-18, 1990 Jan.28-Feb.2,1991 Feb. 4-8, 1991 - Germany - Australia - San Diego, C A - Taiwan - Dallas, TX - Switzerland Ll RAIMA IM^ corporation Raima Corporation 3245 146th Place S.E., Bellevue, WA 98007 USA (206)747-5570 Fax:(206)747-1991 Telex: 6503018237 MCI UW International Distributors: Australia: 61 2 419 7177 Austria: 43022 43 81861 Brazil: 55 1 1 829 1687 Central America: 506 28 07 64 Denmark: 45 42 887249 France: 33 1 46092784 ° Italy: 39 045 58471 1 Japan: 81 03 865 2140 Mexico: 52 83 49 53 00 The Netherlands: 31 2503 26312 Norway: 47 244 8855 Sweden: 46 013 124780 Switzerland: 41 064 517475 r Taiwan: 886 02 552 3277 Turkey: 90 1 152 0516 United Kingdom: 440992 500919 Uruguay: 598 292 0959 USSR: 01 32 35 99 07; 812 292 7210; 0142 437952 West Germany: 49 07022 34077 fo Copyright ©]990Raitna Corporation, All rights reserved. db_ is registered in the U.S.Pateni and Trademark Offiee. Windows 3.0. ToolBook, Windnwcraft. and Actor arc trademarks of their respective companies. Circle 259 on Reader Service Card THE Only Competition For Our New Handhe mam .. Oew ScanMan® Model 256 puts professional gray scale scanning with- in everyone's grasp. It does almost everything a big, expensive scanner can do, for a fraction of the price. Oew ScanMan Model 256 lets you capture the subtlest details in your originals, in 256 shades of gray. Special retouching software tools let you enhance difficult originals and preview the results. You can dramatically improve the contrast and brightness of any image. So you always give your monitor and printer the best possible image to work with. hat really sets ScanMan Model 256 apart is its ingenious Ansel™ software (Windows™ 3.0 compatible). Ansel lets you scan m ld Scanner Requires A Much Bigger Hand. '**N MODE^ and print 8" x 11" images by effortlessly stitching two 4" x 11" images together. You can instantly re-align, resize, flip or rotate images to create special effects. | he possibilities are endless. You can scan photos, line art, illustrations or logos and create magazine quality layouts. With optional CatchWord™ Intelligent OCR software you can scan text in most any typeface. Oew ScanMan Model 256 comes with Logitech's™ legendary quality and lifetime warranty. AM for only $499 (Micro Channel version, $599). For more information call Logitech Customer Sales: in California (800)552-8885; in Canada (800)283-7717; in Europe ++41-21-869-9656. ®/tm: Trade marks of registered owners Circle 1 74 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 1 75) Outside CA call: 800-231-7717 ext. 348 LOGiTEGH Tools That Power The Desktop. ft j§ WHAT'S NEW HARDWARE OTHER Click and Play from the Mac Jukebox The MacJukebox, which consists of an infrared in- terface box, a Macintosh Plus, software, and cables, lets you remotely control your in- frared peripherals (e.g., TVs and compact disk players). The interface box includes an infrared receiver, a transmit- ter, and the connections to hook it up to the serial port of the Mac Plus. Using the software pro- vided, you can control infrared peripherals with the click of a button after you've converted command sequences to macros, and you can link the macros to a set time or event. The software also gives you extensive organizing capabil- ities, such as listing all your CDs by artist or song title. Then when you click on a song or series of songs, your selec- tions will play in sequence just as on a jukebox. Price: $1599; without the Mac Plus, $599. Contact: DanCraft Enter- prises, 5520 West 1 18th Place, Inglewood, CA 90304, (213) 643-8782. Inquiry 1284. DSPontheNeXT The QuintProcessor board can add up to 67.5 MIPS performance to the NeXT machine, accord- ing to Ariel. The board fea- tures five 27-MHz digital signal processors. The DSP chips are the same as those installed on the NeXT sys- tem's processor. Four are used as slave processors for computation, while the fifth is an I/O processor that man- ages DRAM, SCSI storage, and interprocessor commu- nications. The QuintProcessor is compatible with Ariel's BUG-56, a debugger bun- dled with the NeXT. The QuintProcessor has five DSP ports and can be connected to Ariel's digital microphone for recording andsignal analysis. Price: $6995. Contact: Ariel Corp., 433 River Rd., Highland Park, NJ 08904, (201) 249-2900. Inquiry 1287. Second Wave 's line of expansion chassis systems gives you the ability to expand your Mac Portable, Plus, SE, or II. With the Home Base, for example, you are able to add two slots to your Mac Portable. Expansion Chassis Systems for Macs Second Wave's line of Expanse expansion chas- sis systems lets you add to your Macintosh. The Home Base, the chassis for the Mac Portable, fits under the ma- chine and contains two slots for standard SE option cards, enabling you to get more out of your Portable when it's parked on your desk at home or in the office. Other Expanse chassis sys- tems include the Plus, which adds four SE slots to the Mac Plus; the SE chassis, which adds four SE slots to the Mac SE; and the SE/30 chassis, which adds four NuBus slots to the Mac SE/30. Other chas- sis are available for the Mac II family. All the chassis connect to the Macs through an interface card and cable assembly. Each chassis has a power sup- ply, a cooling fan, and the slots. The NuBus chassis can accommodate internal disk drives, according to Second Wave. Price: Home Base, $995; SE Plus, $795; SE, $995; SE/30, $1295. Contact: Second Wave, Inc., 9430 Research Blvd., Echelon II, Suite 260, Austin, TX 78759,(512)343-9661. Inquiry 1285. Speak into the Microphone Micro Intro Voice is a modular speech-process- ing system that comes with a microprocessor and has the ability to recognize up to 1000 words. The manufacturer reports a recognition accu- racy of more than 98 percent. Micro Intro Voice listens to command or data input. It then responds by sending key- strokes via the serial port and text to the on-board synthe- sizer for audio prompting. The voice system works with any IBM PC or compat- ible, according to the manu- facturer. It comes with soft- ware, sample vocabularies, a battery charger, and a serial cable. The NEC V-25 micropro- cessor operates at 8 MHz and comes with 1 28K bytes of RAM. Price: $1295. Contact: Voice Connexion, 8258 Kingslee Rd., Bloom- ington, MN 55438, (612) 944-1334. Inquiry 1286. 50 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 WHAT IS THIS SMALL BOX ? A UNIX HOST/ A LAN SERVER/ A WORKSTATION 9.4 inch <**• ■ «»•..-» The Carry-I 9300 80386SX, 4M-byte RAM, 80M-byte Harddisk. One Expansion Slot. VGA... :arry-l -the Worlds First & Orij The Carry- i 9000 series comes complete with 80386SX/80286- 1 6/80286- 1 2 microprocessor (Co-Processor optional), 1 024 x 768 VGA/MCA & CGA display interface. 12 4 MB RAM. one 3.5" 1.44 MB FDD or one FDD plus one 40/80 MB HDD. one 8 bit expansion SLOT, one parallel and two serial I/O ports, and one 30W auto range switching power adapter, all in the traditional 240mm x I 85mm x4 5mm (9.4"x 7.3"x 1 .8") casing of Carry-I . Each package includes two mini-tower stands and a carry bag. The 82 key mini keyboard and 9 inch color or monochrome VGA monitor are optional. Other Carry- 1 products include the 8000 series XT & AT book-size personal computers and the 6000 series XT and AT book-size LANstations. ETHERnet pocket LAN adapter and Carry Mouse. CRRRV-I A Refreshing Idea.... A New Standard Computing Goes Better With CARRY- 1 1? ==jl FLYTECH TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD II HEAD OFFICE. U 5 A 11 ■TflflM "H"l NO R 1 AMF SO . SEC 'i. NAN-KANG ROC, TEL? FAX* 1-408-7; 1-408-7 177373 -1 \<0 TAIPEI TAIWAN 277375 TEL? 886-2-7852556 FAX? 886-2- 7852371. 7837970 HK \VC: TEL* 852-305 1268 TEL? 49-69-746081 FAX* 49-69-7' 19375 FAX? 852-7968427 Circle 113 on Reader Service Card DISTRIBUTOR • CANADA BUDGETRON INC TEL* 416-564-7800 FAX= 416-564-2679 • FRANCE M3C L INFORMATIOUE DU SUCCESTEL* 1-48271976 FAX? 1-42355916 • HONG KONG: PARKLY TECHNOLOGY LTD TEL*852-3051268 FAX*852-7968427 • ISRAEL. MLL COMPUTERS SYSTEMS LTD TEL? 3-7515511 FAX?' 3-7516615 • ITALY PRIMA COMPUTER TRADING ITALIA TEL? 522-518599 FAX* 522-518599 • MALAYSIA COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY SDN BHD TEL* 03-2748888 FAX* 03-2749988 • NETHERLAND: KOPIEERSYSTEMEN NEDERLAND B.V TEL* 2968-84 14 1 FAX* 2968-97436 • NORWAY: SECUS DATA AS TEL* 2-722510 FAX? 2-722515 -SINGAPORE: TRANSNIKO PTE LTD TEL? 4758408 FAX? 471 3803 • SOUTH AFRICA: PC MART COMPUTER GROUP TEL? I 1-80433 55 FAX* 11-8024153 • SPAIN AT ELECTRONIC. S. A TEL* 1-5645434 FAX* 1-4 1 10869 • SWITZERLAND: ESS SOFTWARE TRADING SA TEL* 022-622020 FAX? 022-61 5650 • UNITED KINGDOM CENTERPRISE INTERNATIONAL LTD TEL= 2 56-463754 FAX= 256-843174 • WEST GERMANY: MACROTRON AG TEL? 89-4208233 FAX #89-423745 • BELGIUM CELEM S.A. TEL* 4 1-676434 FAX* 41-676515 Operate your own BBS with the world's most popular, expandable, flexible Multi-User Online Bulletin Board System The Major BBS® starter system: A complete BBS software package for your PC, PS/2, XT, AT, 386, 486, or compatible. Includes electronic mail with binary and ASCII file "attachments", SIG conferencing or "forum" areas with configurable security level access control, file upload/download, message keyword searching, "quickscans" for fast access to new messages, message and file "threading", real-time multi-user "chat" and teleconferencing, "classified ad" and "user registry" databases, etc. Also includes ac- counting, Audit Trail, and timed usage-meter- ing features, and hundreds of convenience features for the Sysop (System Operator), such as a full-screen configuration editor, the ability to import/export files to/from floppy without system shutdown, "SIG-Op" privi- lege delegation, and much more. Supports up to 2 simultaneous users (from a database of thousands) on a single CPU. Works with stan- dard Hayes-compatible COM1/2/3/4 internal or external modems, or with serial ports up to 38,400 bps. Minimum RAM requirement 5 12K. Minimum disk requirement 20MB. Re- quires PC-DOS or MS-DOS 3.1 or later. The Major BBS Standard Edition $ 59 When you're ready to expand: No LAN or multi-tasking OS necessary! Dou- ble the number of simultaneous users that your system can support, from 2 to 4, or 4 to 8, or any number up to 64 simultaneous users on a single CPU, for a flat $300 software license fee per doubling. The upgrade process is quick, automatic, and fully upward -compat- ible— i.e. you can install an update or upgrade onto your existing system without disrupting any of your user account files, E-Mail mes- sages, configuration variables, or any other aspect of your system. For up to 16 users, 640K RAM is sufficient; above 16 users, more than 640K may be necessary. Prerequisite: The Major BBS (any edition). Users, per doubling (up to 64) $ 300 If you need multi-modem hardware: Our Model 2408 consists of up to 8 Hayes- compatible modems on a single circuit card, for the PC/XT/AT/386/486 family. Each modem operates independently at 300/1200/2400 bps (automatically switching to match the caller's bps rate). Built-in serial ports are not COM-port based, so this card can co-exist with other COM port hardware in the same machine (drivers for software other than The Major BBS are not included but may be written). RJ-11 telephone cables are included. MNP Class 4 (error correction) modems are available as an option. MNr non-MNP Class 4 2408 w/2 modems $ 1536 $ 1696 2408 w/4 modems $ 2090 $ 2388 2408 w/6 modems $ 2644 $ 3080 2408 w/8 modems $ 3198 $ 3772 utility object libraries, linker control files, and DOS "batch" files you will need, along with a detailed Programmer's Guide. Works with Turbo C 1.5, 2.0, or 2.01, Turbo C++, or Microsoft C 4.0, 5.1, or 6.0. Prerequisite: The Major BBS Standard Edition. Standard Edition C source code $ 285 For the ultimate in file transfer flexibility: The File Library Edition of The Major BBS has everything that the starter system does, plus built-in ZMODEM, KERMIT, Super- KERMIT, YMODEM-g, and YMODEM (batch) file transfer protocols. Also, it offers super-fast pre-indexed keyword file searches, library -wide searches as well as constrained searches, special file upload/download ac- counting options, alternate DOS "paths" per sub-library, split paths for CD-ROM support, a transparent "DOS-only" sub-library option, and much more. This package is for you if the focus of your system will be the upload and download of large amounts of files. You can easily upgrade from the starter system to the File Library Edition, without losing any of your data files or configuration work you have already done. Prerequisite: The Major BBS Standard Edition. File Library extensions $ 199 File Library C source extensions* ... $ 159 When you're ready for source code: With the C sourcecode to The Major BBS, you can add 3rd-party software, such as The Major Database (a general-purpose, configurable database manager), various multi-player real- time adventure games, dial-out utilities, global command utilities, accounting enhancements, and much more. Also, you can maintain your own copy of the BBS, or you can modify it to suit your own unique requirements. The Major BBS C source code package is fully docu- mented, and it includes the Galacticomm Soft- ware Breakthrough Library, plus all of the If you decide to offer online games and amusements: The Entertainment Edition of The Major BBS has everything that the starter system does, plus Quest for Magic (a multi-player interac- tive text adventure game), Androids! (a multi- player arcade-style ANSI-graphics game), Flash Attack (a futuristic tank and laser battle for multiple players with IBM PC's), and the Action Teleconference Link-Up, which in- cludes private "chambers", action verbs (grin, wink, nudge, etc.), the ability to link to other systems for huge multi-system tele- conferences, custom en try /exit strings, user- configurable profiles, and much more. This Edition supports the Flash™ Protocol (where most of the game functionality is on the user's end of the phone line), for which dozens of incredible new multi-user games are now being developed. Upgrading from the starter system to the Entertainment Edition is quick ruvsH annex w.t » ty n* strict Copyright li) Vm G«l*ctlcow, lot. ftxl tret to tap*t 'a SWr * TlHrij, and easy and involves no loss of data or func- tion. Prerequisite: The Major BBS Standard Edition. Entertainment extensions $ 149 Entertainment C source extensions* . . $ 1 29 If your requirements include order entry and catalog sales: The Shopping Mall Edition of The Major BBS has everything that the starter system does, plus online shopping. Your online mall can have multiple "stores", each run by its own separate "merchant", if desired. Each mer- chant has control over his or her own product line, pricing, discount structure, store wel- come message, sales tax handling, etc. Also, each merchant may create up to 6 different payment methods (e.g. VISA, MC, AMEX, C.O.D., "bill me", etc.), and up to 6 different shipping methods (e.g. UPS, FedEx, US Mail, etc.), each with its own rates (flat rate, percent of sale, lst-ounce/add'1-ounce, or lst-pound/ add'l-pound). Users may browse product cat- alogs at no obligation, or order products and services directly online! Orders generate in- voices that are posted to the individual mer- chant as attachments to E-Mail. To upgrade from the starter system to the Shopping Mall Edition takes only a few minutes. Prerequisite: The Major BBS Standard Edition. Shopping Mall extensions $ 249 Shopping Mall C source extensions*. . $ 1 89 For super- flexibility of menu trees and ANSI screens: The MenuMan Edition of The Major BBS can do everything that the starter system does, and in addition you as Sysop can create your own menu trees, with menus leading to menus lead- ing to menus, as deeply "nested" as you like. The "leaves" of your menu trees can be ordi- nary ASCII or ANSI files, which are simply dumped to the user's display (with or without automatic screen breaks), or they can be any of the built-in functions of the BBS such as scanning the user's incoming E-Mail or firing up a SIG quickscan. Includes commands like GO , FIND , USERS, and for the Sysop, the equivalent of the DOS commands DIR, RENAME, COPY, DEL, MKDIR, and RMDIR, as well as a set of priv- ileged commands for editing and extending the menu trees, remotely, while the BBS re- mains fully online. Upgrading from the starter system to the MenuMan Edition takes only minutes. Prerequisite: The Major BBS Stan- dard Edition. MenuMan extensions $ 149 MenuMan C source extensions* .... $ 1 29 ...and that's not all! For advanced applica- tions, we also offer an X.25 direct-connect software option, a protected-mode develop- ment toolkit, and special licensing arrange- ments for up to 256 simultaneous users! And don't forget the smorgasbord of 3rd-party add-ons available, such as The Major Data- base from Galactic Innovations. Custom pro- gramming and integration services are also available. Your system can grow in power and sophistication, far into the future, with The Major BBS. Here's How To Order: Just dial (305) 583-5990 and say, "I'd like to place an order!" We can generally ship your order within 48 hours. We accept major credit cards, or we can ship C.O.D. Prices shown do not include shipping or insurance. For more information, you may either call the main order number and ask for a sales engineer, or dial (305) 583-7808 with your modem (8-N-l) for a free demo of most of our products. This demo system also contains an online Shopping Mall with many of the 3rd- party add-ons available for The Major BBS, operated by the 3rd-party vendors themselves. Give us a call today ! VISA P'iU As your system grows larger... The GalactiBox™ is our 16-slot "expansion chassis", for large-scale systems. It has the unique ability to address individual modems by slot number rather than just COM port address, so you can use up to 16 standard internal modems in it, side by side, without conflict. Includes built-in 150W power sup- ply, interface card for your XT/AT/3 86/486, cables, and full documentation. Up to 4 boxes may be attached to one CPU, for a total of up to 64-channel expansion capacity. Prices shown below are for standard 300/1200/2400 bps Hayes-compatible internal modems. We also have 9600 bps V32/V.42 MNP Class 5 modems available, call for prices. GalactiBox (unpopulated) $ 1992 GalactiBox w/4 modems $ 2416 GalactiBox w/8 modems $ 2840 GalactiBox w 1 16 modems $ 3688 the corresponding extended Edition, The Major BBS, Flash Protocol, and GalactiBox are trademarks of Galacticomm, Inc. PC, PS/2, XX AT, and PC-DOS are trademarks of International Business Machines Corp. Hayes is a trademark of Hayes Microcomputer Products, Inc. The Major Database is a trademark of Galactic Innovations, Inc. lurbo C and TUrbo C++ are trademarks of Borland International, Inc. MS-DOS and Microsoft C are trademarks of Miciosoft Corp. UPS is a trademark of United Parcel Service. FedEx is a trademark of Federal Express Corp. MNP is a trademark of Microcom, Inc. *The C source code extensions are necessary, if you wish to combine multiple extended Editions together, or add 3rd-party software, or develop your own modifications. Prerequisites, in each case, are the Standard Edition C source code, and U) GALACTICOMM Galacticomm, Inc. 4101 S.W. 47 Ave. Suite 101, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314 Modem: (305) 583-7808 Fax: (305) 583-7846 Voice: (305) 583-5990 Circle 116 on Reader Service Card WHAT'S NEW SEEEEQIDB Connectivity in a Box The LANPORT-II box, which is smaller than most external modems, lets you dial in to your Novell net- work from remote sites. You can hook LANPORT-II any- where along your network ca- bling, according to Microtest. The LANPORT-II box (which measures 4 by 7 V2 by 1 inch) includes a built-in net- work interface, RAM, ROM, asynchronous communica- tions firmware, two serial ports, and software. It's compatible with terminal emu- lation programs such as Pro- comm and Crosstalk, and it works with PCs, Macs, mainframes, and other ASCII terminals. Three levels of security are included in LANPORT-II. When you call in to the net- work, LANPORT-II answers the call, prompts you to log on, and requests your pass- word. Once you're logged onto the file server, you're pre- sented with a menu of op- tions, and LANPORT-II be- comes transparent. LANPORT's two serial ports operate at up to 19,200 bps, allowing multiple users to share modems. With LAN- PORT's network interface, you don't need a dedicated communications server on the network, as you do with other remote communica- tions devices. With the option- al On-Link feature, you don't need a computer up and run- ning on the network to use LANPORT-II— you can power up remotely. Price: $495 to $695. Contact: Microtest, 3519 East Shea Blvd., Suite 134, Phoenix, AZ 85028, (602) 971-6464. Inquiry 1288. LANPORT-II lets you dial into your LAN without the need for a PC communications server. Putting Windows on the Network Windows Workstation 3 bridges the Windows 3.0 user interface and your Novell NetWare LAN. The software consists of seven utilities that enhance the network features of Win- dows 3.0. The Workstation Print Manager brings network print- ing capabilities to Windows applications. Secure Station provides transparent security for network workstations and offers file encryption/ decryption capabilities. The Workstation Intercom lets you receive and send messages to users and groups of users across multiple file servers. You use the Workstation Clock to set multiple alarm mes- sages and events to occur at user-specified times and intervals. Windows Workstation 3 is compatible with Novell NetWare 286 2.1 and higher. To run the utilities you need Windows 3.0 and at least 1 MB of RAM on each workstation. Price: $695 for a 10-user license. Contact: Automated Design Systems, Inc., 375 Northridge Rd., Suite 270, Atlanta, GA 30350, (404) 394-2552. Inquiry 1289. Dialing Directory U2.1 File Utility Kelp Quit I Go (Call selected entry) fllt-C I Go and learn Ion in Wait for call I 1 Delayed Dl t BSS The current tine is 1 Of Enter tine to dial CH, I B.Heu York Sales Press: Return to star [ 9. Boston Sales Off Fl for help. I IB. MCI Hail ESC to abort. Getting the Most from Your Fax Ricoh's DX-1 Fax Adapt- er and communication software, compatible with PCs, Macs, and laptops, lets you use your Group 3 fax as a printer, scanner, copier, or just a fax. DX-1 software is avail- able for controlling the fax, scanning, printing, and copy- ing capabilities. Price: $799; DX-1 software, $275. Contact: Ricoh Corp., 5 De- drick Place, West Caldwell, NJ 07006, (800) 637-4264 or (201) 882-2000. Inquiry 1290. The Mirror III dialing directory features pull-down menus and can be operated with a keyboard or mouse. Mirror III Gets a Boost The communications pro- gram for PCs called Mir- ror III is now enhanced with several new features, including a dialing directory interface and mouse support, according to SoftKlone. Also new are scripts for several on-line ser- vices, including BIX. Version 2.0 also offers ZMODEM and XMODEM file transfer pro- tocols and support for MNP 5. To take advantage of the MNP session/data compression protocol, you must have an MNP modem. However, users without MNP modems can still use Mirror III software. Additions and extensions to the Prism communications programming language in- clude mouse support for Prism scripts, parameter passing, drawing enhancements, and several new commands. Price: $149. Contact: SoftKlone, 327 Office Plaza Dr. , Suite 100, Tallahassee, FL 32301, (904) 878-8564. Inquiry 1291. 54 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 JSil \. »'- ' '"- Instant Mainframe. Just add SCO. Not too long ago, a few dozen people sharing the same pro- grams, resources, and information on a single computer at the same time meant only one thing — a mainframe. Powerful, big, expensive, and proprietary. More recently, the same people could be found doing exactly the same things — simultaneously sharing programs, resources, and information — on a minicomputer. A lot cheaper, a lot smaller, yet powerful enough to do the same jobs. And just as proprietary. T'hen along came the latest generation of personal computers. And now, the same people are more and more likely to be found doing exactly the same things — simultaneously sharing programs, resources, and information — on a PC. And not a whole off iceful of PCs networked together, either, but a single PC powering the whole office at once. A lot cheaper, a lot smaller, yet still easily powerfi.il enough to do the same jobs. Built to non-proprietary, open system standards that allow complete freedom of choice in hardware and software. And running the industry-choice multiuser, multitasking UNIX® System Y platform that gives millions of 286- and 386-based PC users mainframe power every business day. The UNIX System standard for PCs— SCO.™ The SCO family of UNIX System software solutions is available for all 80286-, 80386-, and 80486-based industry-standard and Micro Channel™ computers. UNIX is a registerwJ trademark of AT&T. SCO and the SCO logo are trademarks of The Santa Cruz Operation, Inc. Microsoft and XENIX are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. OS/2 and Micro Channel are trademarks of International Business Madiines Corporation. 1-2-3 is a registered trademark of Ixnu* Development Corporation. tlfiASE [II PLUS is a registered trademark of Ashton-Tate. 1/89 C1989 The Santa Cruz Operation. Inc.. 400 Encinal Street, P.O. Box 1900, Santa Cnn, California 95061 USA The Sarita Cruz Operation, Lid. Croxley Centre, Hatters Lane. Watford WD1 8YN. United Kingdom, +44 (0)923 816344. FAX +44 (0)923 817781, TELDC: 917372 *&*.= Today, SCO UNIX System solutions are installed on more than one in ten of all leading 386 computers in operation worldwide. Running thousands of off-the-shelf XENIX® and UNIX System-based applications on powerful standard business systems supporting 32 or even more workstations — at an unbelievably low cost per user. And with such blazing performance that individual users believe they have the whole system to themselves. Running electronic mail across the office — or around the world — in seconds. Running multiuser PC communications to minis and mainframes through TCP/IP and SNA networks. And doing some things that no mainframe — or even DOS- or .0S/2 T "-based PC — ever thought about, such as running multiple DOS applications. Or networking DOS, OS/2, XENIX and UNIX Systems together. Or running UNIX System versions and workalikes of popular DOS applications such as Microsoft® Word, 1-2-3®, and dBASE III PLUS.® Or even letting users integrate full-featured multiuser productivity packages of their choice under a standard, friendly menu interface. Today's personal computer isn't just a lr(N llhli:- M-iu.J.,. file Run Build View Options Window Help nntuUm &.tl*| I dit Control ,' line FomtS Cummjmilr, | Dictionary IJclp iti iiim Graphics Display -'ftiipOHT View Options Help access orders database ™ ♦ Initialise action bar procedures ♦ nut! show host sijirt mt screen ♦ ;itni access orders database ♦ and display order fifit Jur selection —r— ~ ' -•■■ ■■■■■ -■-■■■.=^— access orders database . . » : Edit Control Type Line Forms Commands Dictionary Help ♦ Open orders database ♦ arid ask user lor selection criteria ♦ and select the rccurds requested • m niitm Drt«4* RIPORT Fn-J a Stat Precede SQL/Workbench and CP/Workbench, two additions to the Applications Manager family of OS/2 development tools, help ease the creation of cooperative processing applications. major DOS databases, spread- sheets, statistical packages, and Structured Query Lan- guage databases. Created ap- plications can directly process more than 15 Macintosh ap- plications supported by the company's DBMS/Copy Mac program. Conceptual Software says that an application created with DBMS/Program can merge a database with another data- base, create new variables in the merged database, assign computed variables for each record in the database for the new variables, and output the result to another package for further analysis. DBMS/Program supports Excel, Lotus 1-2-3, Quattro Pro, ACT!, dBASE, Data- Ease, Paradox, PFS:File, Clarion, and Oracle, Ingres, and Informix SQL databases. Over 22 statistical packages are supported, including SAS, SPSS, StatGraphics, and BMDP. Price: $595. Contact: Conceptual Soft- ware, Inc., P.O. Box 56627, Houston, TX 77256, (713) 667-4222. Inquiry 1298. Create Foreign - Language Versions of Your Software Performance Technology developed PowerTranslate for software companies that want to create, without recom- piling, foreign-language ver- sions of their programs or En- glish versions of an appli- cation originally written in another language. PowerTranslate creates a database of all the text that ap- pears to the end user of the program, which you then translate. When you update a program, you need to translate only the modifications that will result in display changes. PowerTranslate maintains the integrity of program text containing embedded or spe- cial codes that shouldn't be al- tered. Also, it will not mod- ify text that contains a copyright banner. The program works with C, Pascal, and similar languages. Price: $595; corporate li- cense, $4995. Contact: Performance Tech- nology, 800 Lincoln Center, San Antonio, TX 78230, (800) 825-5267 or (512) 524-0500. Inquiry 1299. Borland's Pascal Interface Library in a Box Libraries of reusable ob- jects are one of the touted benefits of object-oriented programming. They do, how- ever, require substantial ef- fort to develop and (when the libraries come from several sources) maintain. In its new version of Turbo Pascal, Bor- land is jump-starting that pro- cess by including Turbo Vi- sion, a library of objects, including windows, pull- down menus, dialog boxes, and scroll bars, all with built-in mouse support. Turbo Pascal 6.0 also supports object per- sistence, the ability to map in- memory structures to disk directly. A new compiler in Turbo Pascal 6.0 works in protected mode, letting you free up more memory for the compila- tion of large real-mode appli- cation s. The integrated devel- opment environment features a multifile editor with macros, overlapping windows, and built-in support for expanded memory. For bug squashing, version 6.0 offers integrated source code debugging, con- ditional breakpoints, a CPU window, and a hypertext help system. With object persistence, objects know how to store themselves on disk, freeing memory and saving time by re- ducing instantiation. The new version also lets you inte- grate assembly code with its own in-line assembler. Price: $149.95; with Turbo Debugger & Tools, $249.95. Contact: Borland Interna- tional, 1800 Green Hills Rd., P.O. Box 660001, Scotts Valley, CA 95066, (408) 438-8400. Inquiry 1300. 62 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 oil need 3#$^8£ iX^ That's Intel's. And our new family of Math Coprocessors is faster — up to 50% for the 287XL. In fact, working side by side with the Intel microprocessor already inside your computer, an Intel Math Coprocessor can increase the speed of your spreadsheet, graphics, CAD and database programs by as much as 500%. That's good to know. And the fact that it's made by Intel is also good to know. Because Intel developed the first Math Coprocessor in 1982, and we've shipped millions since then. Each one is manufactured by Intel in the world's most advanced logic facility, and then tested and retested against an exacting set of criteria. And we can guarantee that every Intel Math Coprocessor lives up to the industry hardware standards we helped develop, delivering the same results regardless of what type of computer you're doing calculations on. So call Intel at (800) 538-3373. Ask for Literature Packet #F6 on Intel's new and im- proved Math Coprocessors. And put an Intel Math Coprocessor inside your computer. It's the only one with the Intel name to live up to. intel The Computer Inside: ©1990 Intel Corporation. 386 and 387 are trademarks of Intel Corporation. Circle 146 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 147) WHAT'S NEW SOFTWARE BUSINESS Abacus's Ripple Effect Eliminates Data Duplication Comsoft's Abacus II pro- gram for DOS integrates all accounting functions from the ground up with a real- time, single-point entry sys- tem designed for networks. You can extract information at any time from the dBASE III Plus-compatible system without closing accounts. Once you enter informa- tion in data screens, the pro- gram ripples the entry through the entire system, automatically distributing in- formation where needed. Abacus II comes in single- user and multiuser versions. Both include a spreadsheet, business graphics capability, several modules, and a db. Detective program that searches nonindexed fields at up to 1000 records per second. Price: $1695; with Job Esti- mating/Costing and Inven- tory/Order Entry, $3395. Contact: Comsoft, Inc., 10335 172 St., Suite 208, Ed- monton, Alberta, Canada T5S1K9, (403) 489-5994. Inquiry 1301. Date 99/12/90 Period AUG 31 1396 QUICK < __ — Abacus 1 1 insert; ihl'MM HI" ABACUS 1 /J jl m^M Job Code DOGHOUSE 1 I job Title 2 STORY SPLIT LEVEL DOGHOUSE JIHS6A In Process . i B 1 Abacas Job Create/Edit i5?|| | C Est iuted Cost 6691.92 Job Start Date.. ., ei/ei/89 r~ I Ahiiais Job Edit/Crtidte; Juh rkrwi 3/3 1 Jan 14/89 Please rewind everyone concerned to use caution in collecting »oney th the residents on file. lie fro» this custoeier, lest we become entangled ui of our handiwork. Feb 62/89 Customer ordered upgraded light fixtures, P.O. 1421 April 26 1989 We need to reaeBtber to do something on this job. r 1 The word processor included with Comsoft's Abacus II accounting program lets you tag reminder notes onto a master file so you can easily access information on accounts. Improve Negotiating Skills with Negotiator Pro Beacon Expert Systems' hypertext-based program for the Mac and IBM PC can help individuals and teams im- prove their negotiating skills. Negotiator Pro offers advice on making better deals, devel- oping options, and dealing with difficult opponents. The program includes a communi- cations feature that acts as a referee, suggesting to both Hassle-Free Overseas Transfers When you have to send employees overseas, Ernst & Young's two pro- grams for the IBM PC can help you plan and manage these potentially costly as- signments. E & Y Expatriate helps you calculate and plan the costs of overseas assign- ments. To minimize costs, you can, for example, do what-if analyses and com- pare alternative tax-reduc- tion strategies. The program has current U.S. and foreign tax information for more than 25 countries. Expatriate Tracking Sys- tem (ETS) helps you manage costs after you have trans- ferred employees. You can track advances, obtain U.S. and foreign compensation payment statements for ex- patriates, and obtain from one source the information required for international management, such as year- to-date costs for each oper- ation. Price: E & Y Expatriate, $1500 per country; ETS, $7500. Contact: Ernst & Young, 277 Park Ave., New York, NY 10172, (212) 773-2595. Inquiry 1305. sides of a negotiation alterna- tive methods of dialogue when two teams must strike an ac- cord but opposing strategies block this. This referee fea- ture helps teams get on with the job when things have bogged down. The program asks negotia- tors questions and, based on their answers, creates a pro- file of their negotiating style. It then provides a proposed ne- gotiating strategy. It also gen- erates reports at different levels of detail for various team members. Negotiators can use the program to prepare strategic and tactical ways to circumvent objections. Price: $299 for the first copy; $99 for each additional user. Contact: Beacon Expert Sys- tems, Inc. , 35 Gardner Rd. , Brookline, MA 02146, (617) 738-9300. Inquiry 1302. Sagacity Helps Managers Assign Resources Erudite's Sagacity pro- gram helps resource man- agers juggle the assignment of people or equipment for var- ious tasks, considering skills, availability, costs, and other factors. Once you've entered information about tasks and re- sources—including available dates, billing rates, skill levels, and average time to complete the work— the pro- gram determines an optimal schedule. Sagacity also lets you ac- commodate factors that are be- yond your control. For exam- ple, if a client demands that a task be done by a certain in- dividual, Sagacity lets you modify the schedule. Price: $1595 each for one to four users; $1395 each for five or more users. Contact: Erudite Corp. , 533 Airport Blvd., Suite 400, Bur- lingame, CA 94010, (415) 348-7714. Inquiry 1303. Integrated Sales Prospecting Integrated Sales Manager (ISM) is designed to help qualify prospects, letting you access one of up to 1500 pros- pect records within seconds. The program does this by keeping all client files stored in RAM. Once you pick a name, you can copy it to a group for even faster access. ISM provides numerous re- ports and can store in RAM up to two screens of information per client. It can also store a third page on your hard disk. Other features include a week at a glance, calendar func- tions, and alert messages. Price: $498. Contact: Aselco, Ltd., P.O. Box 251 , Station S, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5M 4L7, (416)391-2277. Inquiry 1304. 66 BYTE* DECEMBER 1990 BIG IS OUT SMALL IS IN. Introducing the Falco Infinity Desktop Computer. The Smallest 386SX Desktop. If you're sizing up desktop computers, you'll immediately see the advantage of the Falco Infinity™ Desktop.lt gives you 386™SX power and perform- ance without dominating your deskspace. Half the size of a standard PC, the Infinity Desktop has everything you need on-board: Peripheral interfaces like disk controllers. Memory expansion. Communication ports. And VGA* level graphics up to 1024 x 768 resolution. Plus, two AT-compauble, 16-bit expansion slots. It runs DOS™ 4.0, UNIX? OS/2™ and Microsoft 9 Windows 3.0. What's more, you can choose from four configurations, including a diskless network node and a full-featured model with 1.44MB floppy and the option of 40, 100 or 200 MB hard drive. The only thing we left out is the noise. The Infinity Desktop runs so quietly, you'll hardly know it's on. Whether you work in close quarters or spacious sur- roundings, the Falco Infinity Desktop covers all your needs. Without covering your desk. And that's about the size of it.To get one for your desk, call us today: 1-800-FALCO4U FALCO C 1990 Falco Data Products, Inc. 440 Potrero Avenue, Sunnyvale, CA 94086-4117 Circle 109 on Reader Service Card All trademarks arc registered to ihcir respective owners. Selecting a new computer system can be a real challenge. That's where we come in. We have the knowledge and experience to make your job easy. So, just do the Standard thing Pick up the phone and check us out. Test us. Talk to us about our quality. Our service. And especially our prices. You'll like what you hear. Introducing Features, Flexibility and Fantastic Color. Then ask us about our new 386/25 and 386/33 systems. The list of standard features includes the latest that high technology has to offer. Features like a 64 KB memory cache for the 386/25, and 128 KB for the 386/33, both expandable to 256 KB, providing the fastest possible memory access. Then there's the integrated VGA controller supporting 1024 x 768 resolution, with 256 vibrant colors and a 50% performance increase all made possible by 1 MB of 32-bit video memory. Plus support for interlaced and non-interlaced monitors. When it comes to features, we set the standard. No one can beat our flexibility either. An inte- grated floppy controller and hard disk interface that support up to three floppy drives and two hard drives. Up to 16 MB of RAM on board using the new industry standard 32-bit memc/ry modules leave all six expansion slots available. Our small footprint chassis includes both 5.25" and 3-5" floppy drives and 1 parallel and 2 serial ports. And consider this feature, our new 386/25 and 386/33 systems come standard with 5 drive bays to hold up to one Introducing Our New High Speed 386^25 System. □ 4MB of 32-bit high speed memory (Expandable to 16MB on board) □ 64K Cache memory (Expandable to 256K) □ High performance 1024 x 768 VGA with 256 colors including 1MB of video memory □ Super Hi-Res 14" VGA color monitor with tilt/swivel base □ lOOMB IDE hard drive with Cache buffer □ 1.2MB 5.25" & 1.44MB 3.5" floppy drives □ 1 parallel & 2 serial ports □ 101-key enhanced keyboard □ MS DOS 4.01 □ Microsoft Windows 3.0 □ Hi-Res serial mouse $2,695.' oo 386V 33 This powerful system has Cache memory upgraded to 128K in addition to the features listed above for only S2995.00. Visit us at Comdex booth # N219S Look At Our Other Value-Packed Systems All of these fully-loaded systems include: □ 2MB RAM (Expandable to 8MB on board) □ High performance 1024 x 768 VGA with 25o colors including 1 MB of video memory □ Super Hi-Res 14" VGA color monitor with tilt/swivel base □ 1:1 interleave Floppy/Hard Disk Controller □ 40MB 28ms Hard Disk Drive □ 1.2MB 5.25" & 1.44MB 3.5" floppy drives □ 1 parallel, 2 serial and 1 game port □ 101-key enhanced keyboard a MS DOS 4.01 □ 386SX includes Windows 3-0 and mouse 386VSX at $1895.00 286T 16 at $1595.00 286T20 at $1695.00 additional floppy drive or tape backup and 2 hard drives. So, we can help you add on and update to your heart's content. Our research and development center is always striving for excellence. Since 1984 we've been designing our own products, and all of our system boards are manufactured right here in the U.S. When building our computers we utilize the latest surface mount and VLSI technology for the ultimate in prod- uct reliability and space saving design. Our performance and quality are simply the standard for our competitors to beat. We are committed to providing you with a complete system that is ready to use the minute you open the carton. Everything is loaded, tested, burned in, and ready to go. And, in order to help you easily handle the new multi-tasking and multi-screen programs, we preload MS DOS 4.01 and Microsoft Windows 3.0 then throw in a high resolution mouse to boot. How's that for commitment! 800/662-6111 3 S© Wa A We're also a Novell Gold Authorized Dealer, so you have total compatibility with all levels of the Novell operating system. We Stand Behind Our Systems and Our Customers. At Standard Computer, we manufacture everything from high performance 486 and 386 systems to low cost 386SX and 286 systems. And we back them with our total cus- tomer satisfaction program beginning with a 30 day money-back guarantee. If you are dissatisfied, simply return your system within 30 days for a full refund. No questions asked. You can buy from Standard Computer with total confidence because all systems are also covered by our complete one-year parts and labor warranty. If you need help, we'll see that you get it. If you need a part, we'll express ship it to you. When you have a question, just call our cus- tomer service hotline. Our technicians are available to you toll-free for as long as you own your sys- tem. If that isn't enough protection, how about this? We'll even include one year of on-site service at no extra charge. Value That's Easy to Afford. We work hard to make it easy for you to own and use our products. That also includes offering many convenient ways to purchase or lease a Standard system. Our corporate leasing programs are designed to fit your business needs. Qualified company pur- chase orders, person- al checks and most major credit cards are also accepted. So, go ahead. Pick up the phone and call us. Right now. Find out why we take so much pride in the exceptional products and services that we provide. Why our repeat customer rate is one of the highest in our industry. And why our product reliability is so famous. For us, it's just the Standard thing. ^ Standard Computer Corporation, 12803 Schabarum Avenue, Irwindale, CA 91706, phone 818/337-7711, FAX 818/337-2626. STANDARD COMPUTER Circle 290 on Reader Service Card WHAT'S NEW Jf-W-= AND ENGINEERING Optimize Mechanical Designs on the Sun Applied Motion, a 3-D program for mechanical engineers who work on Sun-3 and Sun-4 workstations, in- cludes an automatic design feature that lets them evaluate several alternatives. The pro- gram provides static, kinemat- ic, dynamic, and inverse dy- namic analyses in a 3-D environment. An engineer who needs to know the reac- tion loads of joints in a mech- anism, for example, can use Applied Motion to compute the loads and, using the design sensitivity feature, minimize them. Price: $12,000. Contact: Rasna Corp., 2590 North First St. , Suite 200, San Jose, CA 95131, (408) 922-6833. Inquiry 1306. Racal-Redac and Mine Meld All-in-One Circuit Designer Racal-Redac has inte- grated its CADAT pro- gram for simulating and test- ing programmable logic devices with Mine's tools for designing them. The program lets you design and test all kinds of digital logic circuit boards in one package. With Mine's PLDesigner and PGADesigner device-inde- pendent tools, you describe how you want the device to work, including constraints such as maximum wattage or board size. The program's rule-driven technology map- ping then automatically gen- erates a device-specific design. These designs can incorpo- rate devices ranging from a single field programmable gate array (FPGA) up to 20 Rasna 's Applied Motion recommends several alternatives to your mechanical design. programmable logic devices (PLDs) or a combination of them. CADAT then simulates the design, letting you verify the functionality of systems that incorporate standard logic, ap- plication-specific ICs, pro- cessors, and PLD/FPGAs without having to build a pro- totype board. CADAT runs on Sun workstations. Versions are planned for DEC and IBM RISC workstations. Price: $20,000 and up. Contact: Racal-Redac, 1000 Wyckoff Ave., Mahwah, NJ 07430, (201) 848-8000. Inquiry 1307. Three from Dynacomp Dynacomp adds three new programs— The Equator, Matrix Laboratory, and Molecular Modeling— to its line of math and science software for the IBM PC. With The Equator, you can save equations on disk and plot them later with a range of values that you choose. The program supports trigono- metric and hyperbolic func- tions and their inverses, square roots, and many other types of functions. The Equator lets you store defini- tions of variables with their constants. Optional packages ($19.95 each) for The Equa- tor include equations for elec- trical engineering, statistics, and electromagnetics. Matrix Laboratory lets you perform operations on moder- ate (20 by 20) matrices. The program supports such func- tions as inverse, condition, and square root. The Molecular Modeling program lets you select ele- ments from a periodic table and bond them. Once you have created the chemical model, you can view and animate it in 3-D. Price: The Equator, $59.95; Matrix Laboratory, $19.95; Molecular Modeling, $29.95. Contact: Dynacomp, Inc., 178 Phillips Rd., Webster, NY 14580,(716)265-4040. Inquiry 1308. The PLD and PGA tool sets let you design, simulate, and verify your logical device and gate array plans in one package. How to Find the Best Equation to Fit Your Data The TableCurve curve- fitting program takes your x,y data set and fits 221 can- didate equations to it, ranking each equation in order of best fit. The program's equation set includes 60 first-order equa- tions, 66 second-order equa- tions, 55 third-order equa- tions, rational polynomials, and polynomials. TableCurve ranks each equation by the r-squared "goodness of fit" value, but it also ranks equations by floating-point efficiency. This means that you can choose the more efficient of two equations that are closely ranked in r-squared value. Price: $395. Contact: Jandel Scientific, 65 Koch Rd., Corte Madera, CA 94925, (415) 924-8640. Inquiry 1309. 70 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 Hayes When your high-speed error-control modem out- runs your PC system, you stand to lose more than a few characters. You could lose valuable time, not to mention your company's money The problem is that todays error-control modems often send data at speeds faster than even the best PC systems can handle. This problem can be easily solved, however, with the new dual serial port from Hayes. When used with such high-performance software as Smartcom Exec™ or Smartcom ///• this remark- able communications coprocessor ensures data integrity at the highest speeds. In fact, Hayes ESP is the only coprocessing serial card that can be used with standard communications software to prevent serial port errors and provide error-free data transfer at speeds up to 57.6k bps. Even with such advanced operating systems as OS/2® and Windows!" Of course, Hayes ESP also provides all the basic functions you want from a serial card, including two serial port connections for your printers, modems, or other equipment. And it works with all IBM® and fully compatible PCs. What's more, Hayes ESP is backed not only by one of the best customer service staffs in the industry, but by a two-year performance warranty as well. For more information about Hayes ESP, call us at 1-800-635-1 225. There's just no way you can go wrong with it. ^ v~&« Our technology has the computer world talking. More than ever. Circle 132 on Reader Service Card Ifyoute not using Hayes ESR you could be making a big mistake. WHAT'S NEW CAD AND GRAPHICS Civil Engineering and Surveying for AutoCAD 11 DCA Software's civil en- gineering and surveying programs now support Auto- CAD release 1 1 . The company offers Survey Collection, Data Input and Reduction, Digital Terrain, Highways, Earthworks, and Landscape modules for AutoCAD, along with Coordinate Geometry, Design, and Advanced De- sign programs. New features of the programs include a project management system that lets you work with, store, and access information from any drive or directory, a new point database, negative sta- tioning, right-to-left profil- ing, and dynamic TIN (trian- gulated irregular network) viewing. The new point database of- fers complete point protection, sorting, and editing. With full point protection, you can add new points without wor- rying about overwriting previ- ous point data. The ability to do negative stationing lets you add to existing drawings by extending from point zero. Dy- namic TIN viewing and edit- ing eliminates the step of going through DXF file conversion. DCA Software offers a host of programs for AutoCAD 11. The programs also add real- time cross sectioning and profiling and on-line TIN and contour generation. Price: $495 to $1995 per module. Contact: DCA Software, Inc., 7 Liberty Hill Rd., Henniker,NH 03242, (603) 428-3199. Inquiry 1310. Vellum for Windows and Silicon Graphics Vellum, the 2-D CAD program for the Mac, is now available for Windows. As with the Mac version, the Windows version includes the Drafting Assistant, Vellum's drawing aid that lets you ac- curately place objects in rela- tion to one another. Other features include NURB splines, parametrics, and symbol libraries. Vellum will also soon be available on the Silicon Graphics Iris 4D work- station, according to Ashlar. The company says that it will release a 3-D add-on for the Mac early in 1991 and one for Windows in the second quarter of 1991. Price: $1995 for Windows and Silicon Graphics versions. Contact: Ashlar, Inc., 1290 Oakmead Pkwy., Suite 218, Sunnyvale, CA 94086, (408) 746-3900. Inquiry 1311. New AutoCAD Links Directly to Spreadsheets, Databases AutoCAD release 1 1 in- cludes a programming language environment that lets you create programs i n C that directly link with Auto- CAD. Release 11 provides record locking on networks and lets you display several different views of a drawing at one time. The optional Advanced Modeling Extension (AME) is an integrated tool created with the Autodesk Develop- ment System that allows you to create solid objects from primitive shapes. Once you have created the surface model, you can edit it with normal AutoCAD com- mands, perform Boolean op- erations, and calculate mass properties. Release ll's main menu includes a routine for recov- ering and reconstructing a damaged AutoCAD drawing file. Dimension style tables let you save groups of dimen- sion variable settings by name. The DOS version of re- lease 1 1 will not run on any- thing smaller than a 286 sys- tem; it also runs on Sun, DEC, Mac, and Apollo workstations. Versions are available for OS/2 1.1 or higher. At press time, Auto- desk had not yet announced whether it would port AME to the Mac. Price: $3500; AME, $495. Contact: Autodesk, Inc., 2320 Marinship Way, Sau- salito,CA 94965, (415) 332- 2344. Inquiry 1313. Two 2-D CAD Programs for the Mac and IBM PC Generic Software has re- leased version 5.0 of its 2-D CAD program for the IBM PC and version 1 of its 2-D program for the Mac, both of which support auto- mated associative dimension- ing. With associative dimen- sioning, when you modify an object, the data associated with that object changes as well. Other new features of Ge- neric CADD 5.0 include the ability to zoom, pan, and ex- ecute other commands while in the middle of a drawing or editing command. It also lets you undo and redo your last 25 commands and offers sup- port for attributes. You can export attributes in .WK1 and .CSV file formats for use in spreadsheets and databases. Version 5.0's shell lets you exit the program, start another program, and return to your original position without hav- ing to restart Generic CADD. The File Selector utility dis- plays a video memory of your hard disk's directory with date, size, and other infor- mation about the files. In addition to associative dimensioning, Generic CADD for the Mac includes an Info Palette that lets you modify a drawing object by editing data rather than the object it- self. Snap previewing and symbol previewing let you change elements of a design before committing to the results. Price: $395; Mac version, $595. Contact: Generic Software, Inc., 11911 North Creek Pkwy. S,Bothell,WA 98011,(206)487-2233. Inquiry 1312. 72 BYTE* DECEMBER 1990 Introducing a Revolutionary Concept HEALTHY COMPUTING • Flicker free... less eyestrain and stress. • Flat screen... less fatigue and headaches. • Low electromagnetic radiation... healthier work environment. Low Radiation Monitors The Difference Is What You Can't See. Do you experience eyestrain, headaches, fatigue and stress? Scientific studies show that many of these symptoms are caused by computer monitor radiation — even with occasional use. We Care About Your Computing Safety. Our customers demand quality, and expect long life from monitors. We expect the same from our customers. As a concerned manufacturer, ADI announces a new line of low radiation monitors to innovate a next to radiation-free computing environment. ADI Is More Than a Monitor Manufacturer. We also offer personal computers ranging from desktop and diskless PCs to workstations, and the complete spectrum of IBM plug-compatible and ASCII/ANSI terminals. For more information, please contact: HEADQUARTERS ADI Corporation 14/F, 1, Nan-King E. Road, Sec. 4, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C. Tel: 886-2-713-3337 Fax: 886-2-713-6555 Tlx: 21790 ADICORP U.S.A. HEAD OFFICE ADI Systems, Inc. 2121 Ringwood Avenue San Jose, CA 95131 Tel: (408) 944-0100 Fax: (408) 944-0300 CA: (800) 232-8282 US: (800) 228-0530 U.S.A. EAST COAST ADI Systems, Inc. 1259 Rt. 46E., Bldg #4 Parsippany, NJ 07054 Tel: (201) 334-0019 Fax: (201) 334-0076 i CORP. Circle 613 on Reader Service Card DECEMBER 1990 • B Y T E 72PC-1 WHAT'S NEW OTHER Make DOS Friendly in a Foreign Land To a novice DOS user, unraveling the mysteries of DOS is difficult enough. Imagine how hard it must be if you can't speak English. A program called StarCOM con- sists of four programs that let you rename DOS commands to names and abbreviations that make sense in another lan- guage. Developer OurSof t says you can also use the program to rename the DOS command and substitute a more powerful third-party command. Star- COM is not an interpreter, and thus both the command line and a batch file recognize the same command set. Star- COM does its work by renam- ing the internal command table ofCOMMAND.COM. The program code of DOS remains untouched. Price: $59.95. Contact: OurSoft, P.O. Box 6396, Bellevue, WA 98008, (206) 643-0204. Inquiry 1190. Stay in Touch on the Mac Intouch 1.0, Advanced Software's desk accessory for the Mac, lets you store names and addresses with up to 14 pages of notes attached to each address. You can use the program for envelope printing and pre- viewing, and it lets you de- sign label and envelope lay- outs. The program's dial function lets you locate and dial numbers in the database, Add Context-Sensitive Help to Your Applications Zaron Software's Help! utility lets you add con- text-sensitive help and menus for your programs and DOS operations without requiring any changes or re- compiling of the application. When used with standard text files, you can use Help! to create a flat-file help sys- tem. When used with Hyper- Word, Zaron's hypertext word processor, you can create multidimensional help. You can use the TSR program to create a menu system to return text strings and commands to any appli- cation, as well as to the DOS command processor. The program is also capable of running a series of programs from script. Help! includes sample help files and programs, plus a help system for com- monly used DOS com- mands, the company re- ports. Price: $49.95. Contact: Zaron Software, 13100 Dulaney Valley Rd., Glen Arm, MD 21057, (800) 669-3348 or (301) 592-3334. Inquiry 1191. Prospero: the Pascal experts The Language Definition Prospero Pascal is a full ISO standard Pascal, with a whole range of extensions including dynamic length strings, longreals, random access file handling, bit level manipulation, type breaking, include files and separate compilation. Prospero also produced the first ever microcomputer Pascal compiler to be validated as conforming to the ISO standard (for the Z80 under CP/M) in 1983, as well as the first validated Pascal compiler for the IBM PC in 1985. The Package As well as a compiler, you get a linker, librarian, cross-reference generator, source level symbolic debugger (except for Z80 systems) and a free technical support hot-line. Prospero Pascal is available for the following environments. OS/2 MS-DOS PC clones DOS/GEM DOS->CP/M $390 $290 $99 $99 $768 Full support for OS/2 and DOS. Full ISO level 1, with Prospero Workbench, the power programmer's choice. As above, but without OS/2 support. Personal version. Full GEM support, integrated development environment. MS-DOS hosted Z80 cross compiler. Now with 30 day money back guarantee. Prices include UPS shipping. Federal Express next day delivery is available for an additional charge. For information on any of these products, or any of our other development tools, contact us at the address below. Call us for further details on 1-800-327-6730. Prospero Software LANGUAGES FOR MICROCOMPUTER PROFESSIONALS 100 Commercial Street, Suite 306, Portland, ME 04101 Tel: (207) 874 0382 Fax: (207) 874 0942 72PC-2 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 Circle 642 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 643) You Don't Have to be a Programmer to Develop Database Applications . . . When You Use Nutshell Plus II! Programmers, dealers and end-users alike love the power of Nutshell Plus II. Imagine setting up a relational database ready to go in a matter of minutes! Don't worry if you change your mind; the database is modifiable instantly! Whether you wish to create a simple mailing list or sophisticated invoicing system that joins a master client file, the capability is all there — thanks to Nutshell's simplicity of setting up custom input screens, custom reports, form letters, labels. The list is endless! Features: • Quick & easy design • Fast execution • Custom screen layouts • Sophisticated reports, form letters, labels, etc. • Relational lookups and information capturing • Modifiable at any time New Features with Nutshell Plus II: • More import/export formats: dBASE II, III and IV, FileMaker along with ASCII and DIF. • More search/find capabilities • International symbol support • Runs up to 10 times faster than Ver.I. • Special upgrade pricing available to existing Nutshell users And also Nutshell Plus II Professional: • Nutplus II full development version • 4 run-time disks to distribute your applications • Designed specifically for corporate users, VARs, consultants and resellers Don't Create Another Database Without Trying Nutshell Plus II. IRIS Software Products™ Visit your nearest retail dealer or call 1-800-582-IRIS to get the name of the dealer nearest you who sells Nutshell and Nutshell Plus II. P.O. Box 57, Stoughton, MA 02072 Phone: 617-341-1990 FAX: 617-344-4640 Circle 629 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 630) DECEMBER 1990 • B Y T E 72PC-3 WHAT'S NEW OTHER the company reports. You can search for names and addresses using any text string, and Intouch lets you import and export addresses from other applications. As you add notes about each name in the address, the program time- and date-stamps them. Price: $69.95. Contact: Advanced Soft- ware, Inc., 1095 East Duane Ave., Suite 103, Sunnyvale, CA 94086, (800) 346-5392 or (408) 733-0745. Inquiry 1189. A Program to Watch Over You Although most people prefer not to work while someone watches over their shoulder, Micro Logic's newest program may change this attitude. Key Watch lies in wait in your system, watching your keystroke patterns as you work in your word processor, spreadsheet, or database ap- plication. Once it detects a re- petitive pattern (e.g., refor- matting a document or deleting a series of cells in a work- sheet), Key Watch sounds a beep to offer its assistance. At this point, you can perform the repetitive motion with a single keystroke. Other actions in which the program can save keystrokes include modi- fying a series of fields in a database or commenting lines of code in a program. Micro Logic says the first implementation of the program can't look for repetitions over several different sessions in an application, although that ability will be added in a later version. The purpose of Key Watch for now is to keep you from typing the same thing twice, saving time and effort in the process. Key Watch runs on the IBM PC with 256K bytes of RAM. It is RAM-resident and requires 3K bytes. Price: $69.95. Contact: Micro Logic Corp. , P.O. Box 70, Dept. P, Hack- ensack, NJ 07602, (800) 342-5930 or (201) 342-6518. Inquiry 1192. Lightning Strikes Again The newest version of Lightning, DacEasy 's caching program for the IBM PC, lets you specify the size of its buffer, up to 8 MB of con- ventional, extended, or ex- panded memory. In addition to its claim that Lightning 5.5 is the fastest cache on the block, DacEasy says the program lets you choose which drives will be affected and lets you specify full track read. The program supports DOS 4.0 and drives larger than 32 MB. It also works with Windows 3.0. The program's Disk Watch feature, a color-coded screen indicator that appears in a corner of your screen, shows the number of disk accesses as they occur. Price: $29.95. Contact: DacEasy, Inc., 17950 Preston Rd., Suite 800, Dallas, TX 75252, (800) 877-8088 or (214) 248-0205. Inquiry 1193. <$/ Calcomp ^P/ All Motels, CALL for Savings Summagraphlcs Sketch II 12x12, 4-But 345 Sketch II 12x12, 16-But 427 Sketch Pro II 12x18, 16-But 666 Large Formats Call Digitizers Kurta 12x12, 4 Puck Stylus 345 1 2 x 1 2, 1 2-But Corded 435 12 x 17, Corded Puck 585 30 x 36, 16-But 2015 36 x 48, 16-But 2394 GTCO Sketch Master 12 x 12 319 SL 24 x 36 Super Pricing SL 36 x 48 Super Pricing Hitachi Puma 12x12,4 or 12-But ...375 Tiger 12x12, 12-But 648 Complete CAD workstations Each system fully configured including 2 Serial Ports, 1 Parallel Port, corresponding Math Coprocessor, Enhanced "AT 101 Keyboard, 1.2MB Floppy, DOS 3.3, GW-Basic, SUMMAGRAPHICS SUMMASKETCH PLUS, EVEREX VGA GRAPHICS CARD and EVEREX MODEL 300-01 <15-35KHz) MUL71SCAN COLOR MONITOR. Each system thoroughly tested prior to shipment and supplied with a Full One Year On-Site Warrantylll System Configuration Everex Step 486/33 W/8MB Everex Step 486/25 W/8MB Everex Step 386/33 W/4MB Everex Step 386/25 W/4MB Everex Step 386/20 W/4MB Cache 44MB 80MB 92MB 150MB Memory MFM MFM ESDI ESDI 128Kb $8495 $8595 $8895 $9095 128Kb 7595 7695 7895 8095 64Kb 6295 6395 6895 7095 64Kb 5295 5495 5995 6195 64Kb 4879 5028 5495 5795 Monitor & Card Combos Graphics Only Card Artist XJ 10/16 Call Artist XJ 12/16 Call Metheus1124 $1250 Metheus1224 1260 #9 Pro 1280 2110 #9 Pro 1024 1299 VMICobra16HS 1350 Video 7 VRAM 512 380 Monitor Only w/Mtsu19" HftacN21" Hitachi 20" HL6905 4320-21 AP CM2085M $3515 $4105 $3415 3985 4575 3885 3270 3860 3170 3280 3870 3180 4130 4720 4030 3319 3909 3219 3370 3960 3105 2400 3039 2300 2020 2610 1920 Nanac-16" Nanao 9070S 9070U $2480 $2594 2235 2350 2284 2398 2335 2449 1384 1479 965 1099 We Carry a Complete Line of Modems, Network Boards & Accessories, Math & Memory Chips, Surge Protection Renaissance GRX Graphic Boards Speed & CompatabHIty* The above Is a partial listing of our product line. Please Inquire If you're interested In a product not listed. All names are trade- marks and registered trademarta of their respective companies. • Quoted prices reflect a 2% cash discount. * • Prices subject to change without notice. • • Al I manufacturers' warranties apply. Plotters-All Models Calcomp HP Houston Instuments loline Roland Rated companies call for terms. C.O.D., VISA. Mastercard & Amex. Member Better Business Bureau. 1-800-289-1650 6760 Miller Road ■ Brecksville, Ohio 44141 :«»: CAD Buster $13,500.00 EVEREXSTEP 386/33 W/8MB* SIMM, 150MB ESDIHard Drive Includes Renaissance Rendition II 16 s Color with VGA Module. Hitachi CM-2085M or Mitsubishi HL-6905 19" Color Monitor. A thru D 8-Pen Plotter. 12 x 12 Digitizer your choice of three. *5MB minimum require- ment for AutoCAD/386. Delivery limited to continental U.S.A. WAREHOUSE 72PC-4 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 Circle 619 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 620) 386 DX (not SX), true 32 bit, upto WOMB HDD LAPPOWER™386 SPECIFICATIONS CPU AND MEMORY Processor ■ CMOS 80C386 DX (not SX) 32-bit processor 20/8 MHz, switchable. Socket for 80C387 numeric coprocessors. Memory ■ 2MB RAM standard expandable to 8MB support EMS 4.0. DRIVES ■ The interna! 3.5" 1.44MB floppy disk drive, and one 40MB orone 100MB HDD with average access time less than 29ms. VIDEO Display ■ A Double-STN Black and White display with VGA resolution. Adjustable contrast and brightness. Backlight timeout feature. Display Graphics ■ 640*480 high-resolution text and graphic; 16 levels of gray scale. Video ■ VGA/EGA/CGA/MDA utilizing the laptop LCD video controller, higher resolution possible through Desktop Expansion Chassis. POWER AC ■ 90/250 VA (50/60 Hz) autosensing with charging indicator. Battery ■ 40.6 Watt-Hr NiCad battery pack; easy changeable recharge, orange low power LED indicator plus audible warning beeps, overcharge protection. Intelligent Power Management ■ Power control of backlight, mass storage, internal modem and process speed. PHYSICAL Size ■ 13.7"W*8.5"D*4.3"H (349mm*3 16mm* 107mm) Weight ■ 14 lbs (6.4 Kg). DESKTOP EXPANSION CHASSIS (OPTIONAL) VERIDATA RESEARCH INC. Unit A&B, 11901 Goldring Road, Arcadia, CA91006. Tel: (818)303-0613 Fax: (818)303-0626 DISTRIBUTORS: in CA Tech Power 714-9794330 Matrix Digital. Products, Inc. 800-227-5723 in GA Computer & Control Solutions, Inc. 404-491-1131 818-566-8567 ^L w^9fU&M^^M^P^^l Where creativity thrives with ingenuity Circle 645 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 646) VGA PORTABLE ALL SYSTEMS RUN UNIX, XENIX, LAN OS DOS AND OS/2. LIGHTEST & SMALLEST CRT PORTABLE 1024x768 RES, 256 COLOR 5 YEARS PORTABLE EXPERIENC The BSI 386SX was the Fastest Machine in PC Magazine Review See Aug. 1990 P. 109, 120 386SX 40MB SYSTEM (Desk Top • 386SX-16 MHz CPU, 1MB Memory (To 4MB) • 200W P/S, 11 0/220V •101 Enhanced Keyboard • 1:1 Interleave Cont. Card • 1.2 MB or 1.44MB FDD ■ 40MB, 23ms, SCSI IDE Hard Drive • 2 Serial/1 Parallel/1 Game Port • Mono Graphic Card w/Printer Port • 12" Amber Monitor (720x348 Res.) OO^ e 386-33 200MB SYSTEM (Desk Top) • 386-33 MHz CPU. w/64K Cache Memory ■ 1 MB Memory on board (To 8MB) rt *7Q • 200MB, 19ms, !DE Hard Drive q&,2'' ■ Other features the same as 386SX $2,' HDD 286-12 386SX 386/25 386/33 486/25 40MB 799 1089 1359 1639 2759 65MB 859 1149 1419 1699 2819 80MB 1139 1449 1719 1999 3119 100MB 1139 1449 1719 1999 3119 150MB 1409 1689 1959 2239 3359 200MB 1459 1729 1999 2279 3399 345MB 2229 2489 2759 3039 4759 • Upgrade to VGA (640 x 480 Res) + $330 • Upgrade to VGA (1024 x 768 Res) + $560 • Mini Vertical Case + $50 • Regular Vertical Case + $100 PORTABLE MOTHE RBOAR D ON SALE 286-12 MB $105 SKD KITS AND 386SX MB $355 BAREBONE SYSTEMS 386-25 MB $570 AVAILABLE 386-33 MB $850 CALL FOR PRICING 486-25 MB $2,000 •386SX VGA 40MB LAPTOP LT54CC $2400 •386SX VGA 40MB LAPTOP LT5600 $2450 Prices subject to change without notice. Call for return policy. 9440 Telstar Ave., #4, El Monte, CA 91731 For Order Only Call Toll Free 1-800-872-4547 1 -81 8-442-0020 Information Customer Support: (818) 442-7038 Fax: (818) 442-4527 386-33 200MB COLOR VGA PORTABLE Built-in SONY 8.5" Color VC3A Monitor 0.26mm Dot Pitch, Speed Digital Display. 3 Drive Bays 220W P/S 1 10/220V 4 Exp. Slots 86-Key Detachable Keyboard 386-33 MHz CPU, w/64 K Cache Memory 1 MB Memory on Board (To 8MB) VGA Graphic Card (51 2K, 1024x768 Res.) External Monitor Adaptor ■ 1.2MB or 1.44MB FDD PL *SM4 $3,rr9 • 200MB 19ms HDD (To 500MB) *"" r ; & \\ • Serial/Parallel/Game Ports (Sp e • Carrying Bag. Weight 27 Lbs. ■ Dimensions: 17.5(W) x 14.1 (D) x 6.8(H) • Bigger Case with 7 Exp. Slots Optional 386-33 200MB VGA PLASMA PORTABLE • 640x480 VGA Plasma Display ■ Detachable 101 -key Keyboard • 200 W P/S, 1 10/220V. 3 Drive Bays • 386-33 MHz CPU, w/64 K Cache Memory • 1MB Memory on Board (To 8MB) • 1.2MB or 1.44MB FDD _ nfi9 •200MB 19ms HDD (To500MB) %*>* i p • Serial and Parallel Ports q^ S&* • External Monitor Adaptor - • Carrying Bag. Weight: 26 Lbs. • Dimensions: 1 6 "(W) x 9.75"(H) x 8.5"(D) HDD 286-12 386SX 386/25 386/33 486/25 40MB 2189 2469 2779 3049 4109 100MB 2519 2799 3109 3379 4439 150MB 2879 3159 3469 3739 4799 200MB 2919 3199 3509 3779 4839 345MB 3809 4089 4399 4669 5729 VGA AMBER CRT PORTABLE 100MB AT • Built-in 9" Amber VGA Monitor • Speed Digital Display. 3 Drive Bays • 205 W P/S 1 10/220V. 4 Exp. Slots • 86 Keyboard, Detachable Keyboard + $30 • AT 12 MHz System, 1 MB Memory (To 4MB) • VGA Graphic Card (256K, 800x600 Res.) • Run 48 Grey Scales VGA Internally Run Color VGA Externally ,, Q • 1.2MB or 1.44MB FDD *-Y 1 ™ •100MB 25ms HDD (To 500MB) ^ • Serial/Parallel/Game Ports • Carrying Bag. Weight 26 Lbs • Dimensions: 17.5 (W) x 14.1 (D) x 6.8 (H) HDD 286-12 386SX 386/25 386/33 486/25 40MB 1729 2009 2319 2589 3649 65MB 1859 2139 2449 2719 3779 100MB 2039 2319 2629 2899 3959 150MB 2319 2599 2909 3179 4239 200MB 2409 2689 2999 3269 4329 345MB 3199 3479 3789 4059 5119 CGA PLASMA PORTABLE 100MB AT - 640X400 CGA Plasma Display ■ Detachable 86-Key Keyboard ■ External RGB Monitor Adaptor $A,^ 9 HDD 286-12 386SX 386/25 386/33 486/25 40MB 1449 1729 2039 2309 3369 65MB 1569 1849 2159 2429 3489 100MB 1779 2059 2369 2639 3699 150MB 2139 2419 2729 2999 4059 200MB 2179 2459 2769 3039 4099 345MB 3069 3349 3659 3929 4989 HDD 286-12 386SX 386/25 386/33 486/25 40MB 1409 1689 1999 2269 3329 65MB 1539 1819 2129 2399 3459 100MB 1719 1999 2309 2579 3639 150MB 1999 2279 2589 2859 3919 200MB 2089 2369 2679 2949 4009 345MB 2879 3159 3469 3739 4799 AMBER CRT PORTABLE 100MB AT ■ Built-in 9" Amber Monitor • Speed Digital Display. 3 Drive Bays 386-33 100MB VGA LCD PORTABLE ■ 640x480 Res. Backlit LCD VGA Display with External Color Monitor Adaptor - «q • 200W 1 10/220V P/S, 5 Exp. Slots $2,->° « Detachable 89-Key Keyboard QeSt • 386-33 MHz CPU with 64K Cache Memory dii\i . 1.2MB or 1.44MB FDD ° ' • 100MB 25ms HDD (To 500MB) • Serial/Parallel/Game Ports • 9.45"(H) x 7.9"(D) x 15.7"(W), 23LBS • 205W P/S 1107220V. 4 Exp. Slots • 86 Keyboard, Detachable Keyboard + $30 • AT 1 2 MHz System, 1MB Memory (To 4MB) • Mono or Color Graphic Card • Amber EGA Display (option) + $100 • 1 .2 MB or 1 .44 MB Floppy Drive . ^9° • 1 00MB 25ms Hard Drive $ * ' • Carrying Bag Weight 26 lbs. • Dimensions 17.5(W) x 14.1(D) x 6.8(H) HDD 286-12 386SX 386/25 386/33 486/25 '40MB 65MB 100MB 150MB 200MB 345MB 1369 1489 1679 1999 2059 2839 1649 1769 1959 2279 2339 3119 1959 2079 2269 2589 2649 3429 2229 2349 2539 2859 2919 3699 3289 3409 3599 3919 3979 4759 HDD 286-12 386SX 386/25 386/33 486/25 1 »LCD CGA 640X400 Res. Portat le Less $120 40MB 65MB 100MB 150MB 200MB 345MB .1169 1289 1499 1859 1899 2789 1449 1569 1779 2139 2179 3069 1759 1879 2089 2449 2489 3379 2029 2149 2359 2719 2759 3649 3089 3209 3419 3779 3819 4709 l-LCD EGA Model Available C ;all All Me »rchandi« >e FOB E I Monte COLOR EGA CRT Portable Available All order will be shipped by UPS COD cashier's check. Company check on approval IBM PC XT/AT are registered trade marks ol IBM Inc. Circle 615 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 616) ACT NOW Limited-time Offer >j?& Now you can build more in a day. HyperPAD® 2.0, a powerful software construction set for MS-DOS® systems, dramatically increases your productivity. Applications that might take months to build with tools like Pascal, C, or BASIC now take only minutes. PC Week calls HyperPAD "the first PC program that can compare with HyperCard®." HyperPAD 2.0, now updated with over 100 new features and improvements, has almost limitless potential for creating and customizing tutorials, help systems, software proto- types, front ends to databases, networks, or CD-ROM devices, executive informa- tion systems, and dozens of other applications. It's easy. HyperPAD's object-oriented environment gives you all the building blocks you need for maximum produc- tivity. Its English-like scripting language is easy to use and learn, with dozens of samples to get you started. It's flexible. HyperPAD will take you into the 90's with a full set of development tools. Its open architecture lets you easily use data stored in dBASE and ASCII files. If you need to, you can even write C or assembly language extensions. It works on your PC. HyperPAD 2.0 is compatible with almost all PCs. You don't need a high-performance processor, multiple megabytes of memory, a graphics card, or a mouse. You get the benefits of a graphical user interface without invest- ing in Microsoft® Windows™ or OS/2. Order before December 31, 1990, to get HyperPAD 2.0 for only $59.95 directly from Brightbill-Roberts (suggested list $149.95). Mention this ad and receive a royalty-free runtime module. 60-day money-back guarantee. VISA, MasterCard, American Express, or C.O.D. Call 1-800-444-3490 today. Try HyperPAD 2.0 on your next project. No one will ever know how much time you didn't spend. .1% .4^% S # .S w M Af BrigWbill-Fcberts 120 E. Washington St., Syracuse, N.Y 13202 HyperPAD is a registered trademark of Brighlbill-Roberts & Company, Ltd. All olher trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective holders. Call for upgrade information. ©1990 Brightbill-Roberts & Company, ltd. Circle 614 on Reader Service Card WHAT'S NEW BUSINESS ACCOUNTING AND MANAGEMENT ftSISflS Cost ftfd/Ed it-Baseline 80B0T Date: i&-r e fc-89 Take Control of Project Contracts with Artemis Cost Metier Management Sys- tems, a company that of- fers several applications for project management, devel- oped Artemis Cost to help you manage a project's con- tract throughout its life cycle. The program helps you main- tain consistency between costs and schedules, develop realistic proposals and bud- get baselines, and increase productivity with automated cost spreading, rating, and val- idation, the company says. Along with its manage- ment capabilities, the program lets you perform what-if analyses to assess the potential cost of a change in rate or an- other factor. The program pro- vides more than 200 standard reports, including Department of Defense formats. As with other programs for large projects, Artemis Cost lets you define a project according to work breakdown structure, organization breakdown structure, and cost element structure. The program works with Metier' s other programs for the 386: Artemis Project 7.1.6 and Artemis Team, for allocating human resources. Artemis Cost requires either the Artemis 7000/386 com- mand language for customiz- ing the program to fit your company's specific needs or the run-time version. It re- quires a 386 with at least 1 MB of extended memory. Price: Artemis Cost, $3830; 7000/386 command language, $6090; run-time version, $1830. Contact: Metier Manage- ment Systems, Inc., 12701 Fair Lakes Cir., Suite 350, Fairfax, VA 22033, (703) 222-1111. Inquiry 1166. rat-* C/a Code 1 kTHiiiwmi Description [CUES] U/F IUPC1 Description IUDES1 Base Start Base Finish £BSD) CBF0J : ■■■- EN = Z £,U. Type Base Start Base Finish IEUTI [BSD] EBF&l C/E Code ncEci Prof He Code : (PCODEJ ? 6 : Currency fCXC] C/E Description EEDES] . Description IPJESl' Quantity tCQIYi] Ipt ioits= Edit Spread Hilestone ==Esc : ='Jteturn== pace <-* in the key field QEfi? tQEftl I Lock? iLsn ■ F2 Edit Fid F4 Clio ices The screen layouts of Artemis Cost complement the underlying data structures, so that Cost Account, Work Package, and Elements maintain a hierarchical structure. Take Care of Your Business Takin' Care of Business, a program for small- to medium-size businesses, lets people without accounting ex- perience monitor assets, li- abilities, net worth, capital, and other areas of business finances. The General Ledger is the foundation of the program. It records your transactions into the appropriate account and lets you generate a variety of financial statements. The Account Reconcilia- tion module balances your checking accounts, finding the exact amount of any dis- crepancy. Financial Utilities helps you calculate financial risk by calculating future values, payments, terms, inter- est rates, and amortization schedules. The Accounts Payable module automates the payment of invoices, preventing you from missing a discount or payment. Other modules in- clude Accounts Receivable and Payroll, which can handle up to 1000 employees. Price: Module prices range from $14.95 to $49.95. Contact: Hooper Interna- tional, Inc., P.O. Box 50200, Colorado Springs, CO 80949, (800) 245-7789 or (719) 528-8990. Inquiry 1167. Act! Now Works on Networks Contact Software Interna- tional says it wrote the new version of its contact management program Act! in C + + to provide the hooks to run on any DOS-based LAN and provide portability to other platforms in the future. The company added a TSR critical alarm that pops up while you're in an application such as Lotus 1-2-3. Act! 2.0 has all the normal features of contact manage- ment programs: tracking calls, scheduling meetings, keeping to-do lists, setting alarms, and resolving con- flicts. It deals with these in multiples: You can schedule tasks with reminders. The program's word pro- cessor supports automatic mail merge. Price: $395; LAN version, $995 for five. Contact: Contact Software International, 1625 West Crosby Rd., Suite 132, Car- rollton, TX 75006, (214) 418- 1866. Inquiry 1169. Financial Planning Without Software Manuals Granville Publications Software has released a new version of its program for managers who need to plan finances but don't want to buy an expensive spread- sheet and plow through a thick manual. Up Your Cash Flow 2.0 has seven spreadsheet for- mats that automatically link related items. Menus guide you through a financial forecast in min- utes, providing a profit and loss forecast/budget, cash flow forecast/budget, pro- jected balance sheet, term loan amortization schedule, payroll analysis, sales by product/product line, and cost of goods sold by prod- uct/product line. Up Your Cash Flow 2.0 lets you forecast and consoli- date up to 99 branch opera- tions and separate entities. You can complete a multiple- year forecast, use fixed and variable costs of goods sold, and have different fixed and variable costs for each month of the forecast. The program has 28 predefined expense categories. It also provides for up to 30 user-defined cat- egories. Up Your Cash Flow 2.0 runs on the IBM PC with 512KbytesofRAM. Price: $129.95. Contact: Granville Publica- tions Software, 10960 Wil- shire Blvd., Suite 826, Los Angeles, CA 90024, (800) 873-7789 or (213) 477- 3924. Inquiry 1168. 72PC-8 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 When MACWORLD Expo comes to San Francisco, it's big news. 125 pages 25 cents , 35 cents at newsstands beyond 30 miles from San Francisco SAN FRANU^ Fanatical and fledgling MacHeads mingle ; 50000MacHeads invade San Francisco Register now for MACWORLD Expo/San Francisco, » 10-13, and save H0-H5 \, -g00^ For details, please turn the page o pub- city of people in /'• (mi* ■ ■ \\. Senilism's subst; Ull*f reservations. sp mmtina, law. engineering, mnun g, or fun and games, y 10 en .Mid has rob- in with State-ot- gass*--*" - Mac can be 1 . • r\n<^ vou can video, sound, and ^^Uts, gW*« , Interest Group Meeting ^ Lighter Side "on, healthcare and more Qbefun , L a* re C ;usetheMacW^ dTopi cs forthose Br-^STcSponthe^estMac wbowanttogetm developments anceanci nvci- tvojis /Von is ;i IjJl 'i; J^£vvorl d P«ESS t. J ecejVe your I? respon- ses know 'ii didalo- enor Americans can nTftH'Oji isfael.inn - and hope - i attention of Eastern Hi !uoo, nlav ^^^^^^^^^^a floo;r(>os pn -^Hflfo industry - and ' Recome as scarce ,lu -—''•' lit (o publish ho \\ irj..M LU J S J)| ....■■.■..» u.u, Ihou^hlfui *0 as sensitive editors v vork of falonled w iiii-I :j ^g^rToT^WRLD Expo/San Francisco by December lOth-saven^lS . _ „u»^ to nrereaister c n pcial Instructions for \vri(oi> ier of sT ship boLwi with dnit eeji ; or a 1 H) (IcpcpdciK'vT' This is your chance to preregister for MACWORLD Expo/San Francs-^ co Thursday through Sunday, January ,0 3 1991, at Moscone Center and Brooks Hall/Civic Auditorium. Due to popular demand, plastic badges a e Tack which may cause long rela- tion lines at the show. To avo.d the hassle, preregister and save. Plea'e choose your package and fdl out this form completely.lncom- nlete forms will be returned. Use one Cperperson.CMakephotocop.es to register additional people.) Then X °lfL ™leted form(s) along v» If you're preregistering from outside the U.S. and prefer to have vour badge sent to you instead ot Sing it up at Moscone Center, be ton Scheck the appropriate box on | v the preregistration form. Also, | s Se add an additional $4 to your 1. ^registration cost. We wdl Federal I Lpre 8 ss your badge directly to you- | . Please fill in the exact street add.ess ._j»-.„m to include your tele- payment to: M P.O. Box 40K MACWORLD Expo/San Fral^^ announces show hours send the xon p D E 0> Qffice Box . „ CONFERENCE & EXHIBITS Thursday, January 10 3 o.m.- 9 p.n Friday,' January 11 Saturday, January 12 Sunday, January 13 3 p.m.- 9 p.m. 10 a.m.- 6 p.m. 10 a.m.- 6 p.m. 10 a.m.- 3 p.m. J REGISTRATION Mon.-Wed,Jan.7,8,9 10 a Thursday, January 10 Friday, January 1 1 Saturday, January 12 Sunday, January 13 .m.- 5 p.m. 10 a.m.- 9 p.m. 8a.m. -6p.m. 8 a.m.- 6 p.m. 8 a.m.- 3 p.m. am, Mrt. u^v— , 0^mmum t whili- liis ' (inns \vs{ 'squarely on a so i me West are i/^/iorod telleclual Iradifinn dafin/.; o (hoy continue (o ad- Kdnnmd tturlw and confini no old, tired prosorip- century hy James. Hurnh; :isni-I,oninisin in (he Iliiyek and William- b\ Hir |is oinpit'iral evidence anions others. The inlluenc JRm.sky is correct, in; f) ml. academic iniellec- anion^ oduM's. The inlltiene loctuals is not in. decline; Hi sive power ofllic lefi. k Americans wi-i -"-'•" •»••• (o -"academic (road once ae;; herallii Register for MACWORLD Expo/San Francisco by Dec. 10th and save *KMl5 ".'U UUlU'ii^ (in iUKlorcoyiM* Uipan about how Limy can do :;Ix Lli.s in [iri.sou '.sLandlh/f on 'm.wkJ.s.' IVh li^jM! Lo find out r llwy can do 10 ycara came on of jMinisi ^tiija^fft f%i *^«%^ ^JMw^ '•Kipped by k:rm;> of \ wiLh" "nde- ■m. is yo.r chance ,0 p^e^'&CWORLD eU "-*» *"** ^ *-*-*-**-» ,0, nnZTm 1 . a.MoJone Cemer and Brooks B^«™ ^ fc relurned . Use one form pe r person. cannot be accepted. Registration fees are non-refund b to. P or f»«°™ tat December 28. (Be sore .0 check box irrdrca.mg beginning Thursday, January 10. MACWORLD Expo Attendee Bonus: , , • th $7>50 paid subscription to MACWORLD All registration fees to MACWORLD Expo San ^^^^^^ poster, well include your Mrwazine (MACWORLD** basic subscription rate is $30.00 tor U issues.; vvnei y p W^^S^ subscription request form in the preregistration package. Please register me for: □ Package One $65 Conference sessions* and exhibits. Preregister by December 10. ($80 cash only at the door) □ Package Two $15 Admission to exhibits only. Preregister by December 10. ($25 cash only at the door) Please send my badge and further information to: Please check one: □ Home Address □ Company Address , l I I I I I | I I ] I I I ■ First Name Last Name i i , i i i i i i i i __]——< Street Address City, State, Zip Country Telephone □ I am an International attendee and would like my badge shipped by Federal Express. I have enclosed an additional $45.00. JJ JJ J If mailing to company address: Title LLLLi- Company ^uiupanj i 1 1 u — i 1 ■ t Account Number | | 1 1 1 I I — I — l — L | | Expiration Date S r Mil .» -- hit! HiV ra\ >rc;i mm "Mc JIo "life 1 riaii po.si lutil: ipo:;' "/:' a I pi- cric I (Include all numbers) Card holder Signature (Signature necessary to be valid.) If card holder is other than registrant, please print name below: | | | | | | | | 1 J First Name! I I I Last Name J Cash only at the door. After December 10, you must register at the show Please check the appropriate boxes: Your industry or profession 01 □ Manufacturer (non-computer) 02 □ Manufacturer (computer industry) 03 □ Distributor/dealer/retailer/service 04 D Finance/insurance/real estate 05 □ Business services 06 □ Professional (law/medicine) 07 □ Health services 08 Q Communications/publishing 09 □. Education 10 □ Government 11 Q Consultant 12 D Other (specify) * All conference sessions are on a first-come, first- served basis with no guaranteed seating. ALL REGISTRATION FEES ARE NON- REFUNDABLE. Your title 13 D CEO/president/vice president 14 D Comptroiler/treasurer/accountant 15 D DP/MIS manager 1 6 Q Owner/partner 17'D Engineer 18 D Doctor/lawyer/dentist 19 D Educator 20 □ Art director/writer/editor 21 □ Consultant 22 D Marketing 23 Q Sales 24 D Other (specify) . Which personal computer(s) do you own/or use? 25 D Macintosh 26 □ Macintosh Plus 27 D Macintosh SE 28 □ Macintosh II 29 D Apple II Series 30 D IBM PC (or compatible) 31 Q None . . 32 □ Other (specify) _ — _ : — - — eS!M Please fill out this form completely and send it along with your check or money order to: MACWORLD Expo, P.O. Box 4010, Dedham, MA 02026. B ** PLEASE DO NOT STAPLE CHECK TO FORM. Circle 637 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 638) ^n^TtA)i\\ b;iU\m:c WHAT'S NEW BUSINESS MAILINGS Qume Releases New Version of Mailing Database The Qumatic Instant Mailing Lists and Labels program for the IBM PC now offers a menu-driven method for easily importing an estab- lished mail list compiled in an- other application, Qume re- ports. A new feature of version 2.0 automatically enters the city and state when you type in a ZIP code. You can sort a database by many different categories, and the program prints out a re- port itemizing the number of pieces sent to each ZIP code to qualify for the lowest bulk mail rates. Price: $59.95. Contact: Qume Corp., 500 Yosemite Dr. , Milpitas, CA 95035, (408) 942-4000. Inquiry 1170. Add Bar Codes to Your Mailing Labels ComputaLabel now has an alternative to the film- master method of incorporat- ing bar codes into your mailing label. Its Label Designer lets you combine text and art from a variety of sources and ma- nipulate them with a bar code to make your label appear ex- actly as you want it. The pro- gram relies on PostScript printing technology to support printing at the high resolution (better than 300 dpi) required by some bar code families. Label Designer lets you design your label so that it's aesthetically pleasing, yet still complies with bar code specifications. You can rotate *"*<> Cap fiddly a Heu Entry " In*"* Enter Desired Data and Press FIB tc fir. Mrs. Hiss etc.: ttr. First Hane « Init.: Stuart K. Last Han J'f e : distorter Service Manager Conpany • Professional Conputer Builders, (Coni'iiltM- __^J Dept, /Floor No. : Address Line 1 : 2359 SU 23rd Street Address Line 2 : HS 28 Address Line 3 : C'ty : San Francisco State Zip ! 96123 Country ■ USA Business PJione/Ext: (415) 444-4555 Hone Phone FAX Phone : (415) 444-4566 Other Plion Connent : Ac Consultant Decorator Personal Real Estate Sales Service Enter-Select ESC-ExitJ «4 lift ! F ^fr^y^rrc i^^^ I '-Clear ft-Cate* List FIB-Save SMft*Tab-Preo Qume 's mailing database program lets you identify fields that you won 't use and automatically skip them. text, graphics, and bar codes at 90-degree intervals. The program lets you ad- just the code size between 80 percent and 200 percent of the nominal size, as recom- mended by the Uniform Code Council. Code height is adjustable in up to 0.0004- inch increments. To adjust for print gain when you print the code, you can manipulate bar width by 0.0002 inch, the company reports, for maxi- mum accuracy. Label Designer works on the Mac with any PostScript output device. It supports a variety of code symbology families, such as UPC, Code 39, and many others. Price: $395; barcode for- mats, $250 each. Contact: ComputaLabel, Inc., The Carriage House, 28 Green St. , Newbury, MA 01951, (800) 289-0993 or (508)462-0993. Inquiry 1172. Reduce Postal Costs on Mass Mailings PostWare PrintForm is for hospitals, utilities, and financial institutions that want to take advantage of post- age discounts without sorting thousands of letters by hand. The program works by capturing a print image form of each letter's address. It assigns ZIP codes, ZIP+4 codes, and carrier routes. The program presorts the let- ters in first-, second-, or third- class mailstream order and prints them in the new order. PostWare PrintForm runs on a 386 with 1 MB of RAM. Price: $15,000 to $30,000. Contact: Postalsoft, Inc., 4439 Mormon Coulee Rd., La Crosse, W 1 5460 1,(608) 788-8700. Inquiry 1171. Share Your Opinion With Solicit Your Edi- tor, a database for the IBM PC that has the names and addresses of hundreds of newspaper and magazine editors, you can let your opinion be known across the U.S. The program includes an editor and fields for keep- ing track of what you've sent to each editor. Price: $49.95; LAN ver- sion, $129.95; yearly up- dates, $24.95 and $74.95, respectively. Contact: T-Lan Systems, RR 2, Box 1290, Nor- ridgewock, ME 04957, (207)397-5511. Inquiry 1174. Find That ZIP With ZIP*Phone, tele- marketers can key in a phone number's area code and prefix and instantly deter- mine the number's city, state, time zone, and local time. You can use it in TSR mode while writing a docu- ment to do things like verify- ing a ZIP code. You can also use it by entering a partial ZIP code or city name, and the program fills in the rest. Price: $95. Contact: Melissa Data Co., 321 18-8 A Paseo Adelanto, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675, (714)661-5885. Inquiry 1173. Label Publishing for the Mac MacLabelPro acts as a companion to your data- base or word processor, let- ting you directly merge exist- ing addresses and combine them with graphics and other text elements to produce eye- pleasing mailing labels. The program is designed to work as a back end to such applications as Works, Excel, Word, FileMaker, Multiplan, and Mac Write. You select the type of label, and MacLabel- Pro displays a template win- dow inside which you design the label. Once you design the label using the program's layout and drawing tools, each address will print accord- ing to that format. Mac- LabelPro is also available in an IBM PC version. Price: $99.95. Contact: Avery Commercial Products Division, 818 Oak ParkRd., Covina, CA 91724, (800) 541-5507 or (818)915-3851. Inquiry 1175. 72PC-12 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 H. Co. Computer Products Your #1 Source For All P.C. Memory Upgrades Call Toll Free 1-800-RAM-CHPS Ext. 200 FULL TECHNICAL SUPPORT * LIFETIME WARRANTY ON ALL MODULES BUY DIRECT * BEST PRICES * BEST SERVICE Part # EQ 30F5348 (512K) 30F5360(2MB) 6450375 (1MB) 6450379 (2MB) 6451060 (4MB) 6450603 (1MB) 6450604 (2MB) 6450608 (2MB) 78X895 5(128K) 34F2933 (4MB) 6450605 (2-8MB) 6450609 (2-16MB) 1039136 (1MB) 1039137 (2MB) 1038675 (3.5MB) Works With PRICE 30-286 $ 49.00 30-286 $ 165.00 80-041 $ 149.00 80-111,311 $ 239.00 80-A21.A31, 111,311 $ 559.00 502, 55SX, 70-E61, 70-121. P-70 $ 85.00 502, 55SX, 70-E61. 70-121. P-70 $ 160.00 70-A21. A61. B-21, B61 $ 165.00 25 S 26.00 55SX.65SX S 525.00 All 70's and 80's (Board) $ 525.00 50. 502. 55SX, 60, 65SX (Board) $ 599.00 Laser Printer 4019. 4019e $ 199,00 Laser Printer 4019. 4019e S 325.00 Laser Printer4019. 4019e $ 499.00 Call for Other IBM Upgrades [Apple' MACII. Ilx; Ilex Ilex & SE/30 MACSE &PLUS MAC PORTABLE LASER WRITER ll/NTX Memory Added 1MB KIT 2MB KIT 4MB KIT 16MB KIT 4MB KIT 16MB KIT 1MB KIT 2MB KIT 4MB KIT 1MB KIT 2MB KIT 3MB KIT 4MB KIT 4MB KIT 16MB KIT 1MB KIT 4MB KIT Part If EQ PRICE M0218 $ 80.00 M0219 $ 115.00 MO2707 $ 225.00 $1500.00 M0292LL-A $ 225.00 $1500.00 M0218 M0219 MO2707 M0248 N/A N/A N/A $ 80.00 $ 115.00 $ 225.00 $ 279.00 $ 899.00 $1299.00 $1695.00 M0292LL-A $ 369.00 N/A $1695.00 M6005 M6006 $ 179.00 $ 369.00 Cyrix Math Co-Processor Up to 200% Faster Than Intel Math Co-Processor 100% Compatible — 5 Year Warranty 83D87-16 83D87-20 83D87-25 PRICE Call $ 325.00 $ 385.00 83D87-33 83D87SX-16 83D87SX-20 $ 485.00 $ 275.00 Call HEWLETT PACKARD Model Memory Added PartffEQ LASERJET 1MB MODULE H33443B ll&IID 2MB MODULE H33444B 4MB MODULE H33445B IIP & II 1MB MODULE 2MB MODULE 3MB MODULE 4MB MODULE H33474A H33475A N/A N/A $ 109.00 $ 145.00 $ 249.00 $ 119.00 $ 155.00 $ 215.00 $ 259.00 We Accept Purchase Orders from Qualified Firms, Universities and Government Agencies. Trademarks are registered with their respective companies. We will match or beat any advertised price. NO SURCHARGE /isr Model BRAVO/286 PREMIUM/286 ADVANCED FASTBOARD /386 PREMIUM WKST/286 PREMIUM WKST 386/SX PREMIUM 386/16 PREMIUM 386 PREMIUM 386c PREMIUM 386/25/16sx PREMIUM 386/33 Memory Added 128K KIT 512K KIT 2MB KIT 4MB KIT 512KKIT 1MB KIT 2MB KIT 4MB KIT 1MB KIT 4MB KIT 512KKIT 2MB KIT 512KKIT 1MB KIT 2MB KIT 4MB KIT 1MB KIT 4MB KIT 1MB KIT 4MB KIT Part if EQ 500510-011 500510-010 500510-002 500510-008 500510-001 500510007 500510-002 500510-003 500510-007 500510-008 500510-010 500510002 500510-010 500510-007 500510-002 500510-008 500510-007 500510-008 500510-003 500510004 500510-007 500510-008 STANDARD SIMMS Part* 256 X 8-12 256 X 8-10 256X8-80 256 X 9-12 256X9-10 256X9-80 256 X 9-70 256 X 9-60 1 X8-10 1X8-80 1 X 8-70 1 X 9-10 1X9-80 1 X 9-70 4 X 8-80 4 X 9-80 PRICE $ 17.00 $ 18.00 $ 19.00 $ 17.00 $ 18.00 $ 19.00 $ 24.00 $ 26.00 $ 50.00 $ 51.00 $ 60.00 $ 55.00 $ 56.00 $ 61.00 $ 320.00 $ 350.00 DRAM Part* 1X1-100 1 X 1-80 1 X 1-70 256-150 256-120 256-100 256-80 256-70 256-60 256X4-10 256 X 4-80 4464-10 4464-80 4164-15 4164-12 4164-10 PRICE S 40.00 $ 60.00 $ 150.00 $ 300.00 $ 60.00 $ 120.00 $ 150.00 $ 300.00 $ 120.00 $ 300.00 $ 60.00 $ 150.00 $ 60.00 $ 120.00 $ 150.00 $ 300.00 $ 120.00 $ 300.00 $ 160.00 $ 380.00 5.50 5.75 6.25 1.75 2.00 2.15 2.35 2.55 3.35 5.75 6.00 2.50 3.00 1.40 1.85 2.00 EPROM/CPU/SRAM/VRAM Also Available comPAa Model DESKPRO 386/33^86/25 DESKPRO 386/20-25 286e DESKPRO 386/20e-25e DESKPRO 386s DESKPRO 386/16 DESKPRO 386 PORTABLE SLT/286 LTE/286 Memory Added 2MB MODULE 1MB MODULE 4MB MODULE 1MB BOARD 4MB BOARD 1MB MODULE 4MB MODULE 1MB BOARD 4MB BOARD 1MB MODULE 4MB MODULE 512KKIT 2MB KIT 1MB BOARD 2MB BOARD 4MB BOARD 8MB BOARD 1MB KIT 4MB BOARD 1MB MODULE 1MB BOARD 2MB BOARD Part It EQ 115144-001 113644-001 113645-001 113131-001 113132-001 113633-001 113634-001 113646-001 112S34-001 107331-001 107332-001 108069-001 108069-W/71 108070001 108072-001 107651-001 107653-001 110235-001 117081-001 117081-002 PRICE $ 229.00 $ 139.00 $ 339.00 $ 189.00 $ 479.00 $ 139.00 $ 339,00 $ 189.00 $ 479.00 $ 139.00 $ 339.00 $ 70.00 $ 165.00 $ 355.00 $ 525.00 $ 850.00 $1350.00 $ 245.00 $ 799.00 $ 209.00 $ 159.00 $ 249.00 Ask About Other Compaq Upgrades TOSHIBA Model Portable T1000SE &XE Portable T1200XE Portable T 1600 Portable T3100c Portable T3100SX Portable T3200sx Portable T3200 Portable T51 00 Portable T5200 DESKTOPT8500 Memory Added 1MB KIT 2MB KIT 2MB KIT 2MB KIT 512KKIT 2MB KIT 2MB KIT 4MB KIT 2MB KIT 3MB KIT 2MB KIT 2MB KIT 2MB KIT Part ffEQ PC14-PA8311U PC14-PA8312U PC13-PA8306U PC-PA8302U PC-PA8340U PC-PA8341U PC15-PA8308U PC15-PA8310U PC-PA8307U PC-PA7137U PC-PA8301U PC-PA8304U PC-PA8301U PRICE $ 319.00 $ 444.00 $ 214.00 $ 214.00 $ 135.00 $ 214.00 $ 214.00 $ 649.00 $ 214.00 $ 359.00 $ 214.00 $ 214.00 $ 214.00 Ask About Other Toshiba Upgrades SEC Memoiy Added Power Mate SX Plus 1 M B Board 2MB Board 4MB Board 8MB Board Part ft EQ APC-H850E N/A APC-852E N/A PRICE $ 295.00 $ 495.00 $ 725.00 $1375.00 Intel imim iWlllfH IIT Math Co-processors Part* PRICE Part If EQ PRICE 8087-3 $ 80.00 2C87-8 $ 175.00 8087-2 $ 117.00 2C87-10 $ 185.00 8087-1 $ 155.00 2C87-12 $ 215.00 80287-6 Call 2C87-20 $ 255.00 80287-8 Call 3C87-16 Call 80287-10 Call 3C87SX-16 Call 80287XL (12.5 MHz) B0287XLT{12.5MHz) $ 229.00 3C87-20 $ 325.00 Call 3C87-25 $ 385.00 80387-16 $ 305.00 3C87-33 $ 485.00 80387SX-16 $ 290.00 80387SX-20 $ 315.00 80387-20 $ 350.00 80387-25 $ 450.00 80387-33 $ 550.00 We also carry memory upgrades for ACER • AT&T • DELL • DTK • EPSON • ZENITH • EVEREX • HP Vectra • SAMSUNG • SUN • Canon Printer • SILICON GRAPHICS • WYSE • and other AT & XT clones 1228 Village Way, Unit D • Santa Ana, CA 92714 • (714) 542-8292 • FAX (714) 542-8648 • Hours 8:00 AM-5:00 PM PST DEALER'S INQUIRIES WELCOME Prices are subject to change Circle 623 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 624) WHAT'S NEW PUBLISHING/WORD PROCESSING Import Math Equations into Your Word Processor K-Talk Communications' MathEdit 2.0 lets you create typeset-quality math equations that you can import into WordPerfect, Microsoft Word, WordStar, MultiMate, PageMaker, and any other program that supports TIFF, PIX, or EPS files. The program has more than 250 math and Greek sym- bols. MathEdit's macro facil- ity lets you assign a symbol or entire equation to one keystroke. Square roots, parentheses, division signs, and other de- limiters automatically adjust to the size that's needed for each equation, according to the company. MathEdit 2.0 requires 400K bytes of RAM and a graphics card to run on your IBM PC. Price: $199. Contact: K-Talk Communi- cations, Inc., 30 West First Ave., Suite 100, Columbus, OH 43201, (614) 294-3535. Inquiry 1176. Professional Edition • Main Kenu F2 ► Insert A Function F3 ► Basic Functions Menu F4 ► TrLg. log, and Mist, Functions FS ► Accent Characters F6 ¥ Deli raters F7 ► Exit/Save Equation F8 > Math/Scientific Characters 13 r Filo Operations ?10 ► Layout and Spacing Shift Fl ► Setup Options Shift F2 I Cancel (Undo) Shift F8 > Greek Characters Shift F9 I Alt/Ctrl Keys. Macros Shift-FlOl Zoom (RETURN to close braces. MathEdit lets you create complex arithmetic equations and export them to a variety of applications. Avalon Publisher forSPARCstations Elan Computer Group says its new desktop pub- lishing system for the Sun SPARCstation, Hewlett-Pack- ard 9000, and DECstation provides pagination, graphics, page/document layout, and word processing under a Mac- like interface. Avalon Publisher supports PostScript printers and other typesetters, plus the HP LaserJet family of laser printers. Features supported for page makeup include multi- ple threads for newspapers; text flow around graphics; text templates; and the ability to name and manipulate objects, paragraphs, and graphics as groups. The drawing package sup- ports Bezier curves, several types of fill patterns, and the ability to scale various bit-map formats (e.g., raster, raw bit- map, MacPaint, PCX, and TIFF). Graphics can flow with text or remain stationary. Elan is offering Avalon Publisher with a floating li- cense, which makes it avail- able to everyone on your net- work but requires you to purchase only enough licenses for concurrent use. The sys- tem requires 18 MB of disk space, 8 MB of main mem- ory, and the X 1 1 Windowing System. Price: $1295; $995 for each additional concurrent license. Contact: Elan Computer Group, Inc., 888 Villa St., Third Floor, Mountain View, CA 94041, (415) 964-2200. Inquiry 1178. Wave4 Bridges Desktop and Dedicated Systems Bestinfo says its Wave4 publishing system for OS/2 Presentation Manager bridges the gap between low- cost, low-powered desktop applications and high-end tech- nologies like Penta and Atex. With Wave4 and the multitask- ing capabilities of OS/2, sev- eral people can work on the same document, pages, and articles without file corruption or work-flow conflicts. The program integrates proprietary Hell and Scitex color imaging and PostScript color imaging. For production people, the program supports masking, automatic head fit- ting and sizing, rotation of images and frames at any ori- entation, and image zooming independent of the frame or page. Price: $12,000 to $95,000. Contact: Bestinfo, Inc., 1400 North Providence Rd., Media, PA 19063, (800) 346- 7920 or (215) 891-6500. Inquiry 1177. Avalon Publisher brings desktop publishing under the XI 1 windowing system to the SPARCstation, DECstation, and Hewlett- Packard 9000. Island's Desktop Publishing for Open Desktop Island Graphics' Productiv- ity Series 2.0 combines the company's word processing, painting, and drawing pro- grams under one package for desktop publishing under SCO Open Desktop. The program is available for the IBM PC, Open Look on Sun worksta- tions, and OSF/Motif on Apollo and Hewlett-Packard workstations. Price: $995. Contact: Island Graphics Corp., 4000 Civic Center Dr. , San Rafael, CA 94903, (800) 255-4499 or (415) 491-1000. Inquiry 1179. 72PC-14 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 Circle 644 on Reader Service Card Easy to use desktop mapping for companies on the move. Ryder Truck Rental, Inc. uses ATLAS mapping software to define and optimize sales territories, track and report revenues, and add impact to board room presentations. And they're on the move. Desktop mapping and the road to success. Whether your business is big or small, ATLAS software moves you ahead of the crowd. Now it's simple to analyze market poten- tial, locate prospects by inputting addresses, site new retail stores, and perform scores of other useful applications. What's more, you can add punch to your next meeting by printing quality maps on almost any output device. Mapping the easy way. A built-in, dBASE compatible database manager allows you to select geographic regions and associated data-then pop-up useful summary statistics. Create pin and thematic maps by street, block, ZIP, county, or any set of custom territories. Call for a free demo diskette. Strategic Mapping, Inc. offers desktop mapping solutions for the PC and MAC-ranging from ATLAS*GRAPHICS and ATLAS*MapMaker for presentations to ATLAS*GIS, a full-featured geographic information system. See how thousands of businesses put themselves on the map with ATLAS software. Call today for your free demo diskette: (408) 985-7400, FAX (408) 985-0859. 't't't't't MacUser Jan90 M Capture data by zip code and summarize by county to highlight areas of opportunity. Resellers inquiries invited. Leaders in Desktop Mapping since 1983. STRATEGIC MAPPING, INC.4030Moorpark Avenue, Suite 250, San Jose. CA 951 17 (408) 985-7400 FAX: (408) 985-0859 FUJITSU RX730O Model A Super-Fast Desktop Laser Printer ■ Emulates Epson FX-80, Diablo 630 & LaserJet Plus ■ 18 pages/min 1300 dpi 12.5MB RAM ■ Choice of Serial or Centronics-Parallel interface ■ Includes Installation i 'Effl^W (List $6,995.00) LARGE CAPACITY PAPER HOPPER ALSO AVAILABLE J Number Me Computer's PEPPER PR0 1024 Hi-Res Interface Boards REDRAWS SCREEN 20 TIMES FASTER! Great for CAD, engineers, and other heavy-duty graphics users ■ On-board TI-TMS3410 graphics processor ■ Up to 1024 x 768 pixels, non-interlaced ■ 2-year manufacturer's warranty ■ Works with popular software $ ' (List $2495.00) INDISPENSABLE FOR DESKTOP PUBLISHERS! ■ Flatbed— bound books/sheets up to 8.5 x 11.7 ■ Private Label: "Wang"— equiv. to Ricoh RS-312 Scans full page 300 dpi in 14 sec, 150 dpi in 7 sec Scans in 64 gray levels as well as bSw line art Software compatible w/Windows 2.01 or newer Software generates PCX or TIF files $C| ■ Includes interface card & software Ui. 15" Amdek Hi-Res Monitor i Monochrome— paper-white WYSIWYG-Res. to 1280x800 - Automatic mode switching Includes drivers for all popu- lar software, display card. 30- "" day I M E wa rra nty . New. (List Price $999.00) /ME Price: St 79 Micposof t Bookshelf CO-ROM 10-VOLREFERENCE LIBRARY \UST: 5295.00 IME PRICE: 79 IME COMPUTERS Quality Products at Liquidation Prices m COMPLETE AMDEK 200 PC SYSTEMS flmdeh IIP* 28G including: CPU, Hard Drive, Monitor and Keyboard INSTALLED & TESTED BY IME f ■ Amdek 1280 15" High-Resolution Monitor ■ 1 Parallel Port & 1 Serial Port ■ 7 Expansion Slot; ■ MS-DOS 3.3 1 1.2MB Floppy Drive 1 102-key Keyboard I 90-day IME Warranty. 1 Z.5MHZ-1 MB-9GMB s 1 1 49 AM New! Includes: ■ Private Label (CPT) 12.5MHz 80286 ■ 1MB RAM (16MB addressable) ■ Rexon-Labelled Keyboard "Keyboard Lock ■ 96MB Maxtor Drive "One Wait State DTC 3280 Controller "3 Storage Bays . \ SPECIAL OFFERON ; 10MhV CPU SYSTEMS l • 19" Xerox 2-Page Display.... add $170 v • 13" EGA Color Monitor add $59 ' • 13" Zenith (Private Label) VGA Color Monitor add $189 economy special nmHzmoHii—m, nmmmnm HI f) 3.5" • HALF-HEIGHT • SCSI 100MB • 26ms 1-Year IME warranty ; I 399 HARD DRIVES Call (800) 999-1911 BO INTERNATIONAL CA LLERS: (6 1 7) 254-1700 H k iHM Disk Manager software included! mmwmmmm IHf XT-3Z80 CONDITION NEW or USED Formatted 244MB Unformatted 280MB Interface SGI Height Full Ave. Seek Time 30ms IMEWarranty SO days 00 if used) Last List Price $2,265.00 M Price $693 Of $59$ Recertified 319MB rum 380MB fmwm esdi kit mm Full {SPECIAL off \ PRICE 90 days \ tgQQ $2,325.00 \077y INCLUDING: ■ 102-key extended keyboard ■ 512KB RAM ■ 1 parallel and 1 serial port ■ 1.2MB floppy drive ■ HD/FD controller ■ 7 expansion slots ■ 90-Day IME warranty ■ MS-DOS 3.3 While supplies last only 373 14" FLAT SCREEN DATA TERMINALS "WY-150"— MADE FOR AMDEK BY WYSE, LARGEST MANUFACTURER OF TERMINALS These terminals will substitute for: (ASCII) WY-50or50+, TeleVideo TVl-92Sor910+, ADDS Viewpoint A2; or (ANSI) DEC VT-52 or 100. M Resolution to 1188 x 416 ■ ASCI1 101- key keyboard ■ 24K high-speed static CMOS RAM ■ Overscanned video for full-screen image ■ RS-232C, from 50 to 38.4Kbps ■ 78Hz flicker-free amber display $ ■ Tilt/swivel base VGA COLOR AT B&W PRICES! Zenith 13" VGA Color Monitor I Private Label: "Data General" ■ 0.31 Dot Pitch ■ Graphics Mode... • $40 x 480 resolution •16 colors out of a palette of 256,0000 1 15-pin "D" connector I Text Mode... * 80 characters x 25 rows • 720x 400 resolution w/ 9x1 6 character cells FAX (617) 254-0392 BOSTON, MA NO SURCHARGE TILT/SWIVEL STAND AVAILABLE FREE! (minimal shipping charge) | (Last List Price: $635.00) LOO SPECIAL VOLUME PRICE: Order W — only $ 279each! Circle 625 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 626) WHAT'S NEW PROGRAMMING Visual PC-to- Mainframe Programming Tool Easel says its new visual programming tool simpli- fies the process of creating a PC application for accessing 3270-based host systems. Called CommBuilder, the tool lets you build an application as you interact with the host computer. Generated code works with Easel/DOS or Ea- sel/2 (for OS/2), the com- pany's graphical application development system. As you access and interact with a 3270-based system, CommBuilder presents the host screen in a window. After the session is over, Comm- Builder automatically gener- ates the communications por- tion of the Easel code required by the application. You can use CommBuilder on-line or capture host screen images for later coding. As CommBuilder presents the host screen to you, it uses color coding to identify pro- tected fields, assigned fields, watch characters, and unpro- tected fields. The tool can in- terface with Layout/CUA for DOS, Easel's tool that lets you design and generate a graphi- cal user interface for Easel (the company hasn't yet released Layout/CUA for OS/2). You can use CommBuilder to as- sign links between host screens for programming an Easel application that navigates through several host screens. CommBuilder runs under DOS and generates code for use with Easel/DOS or Ea- sel/2. It requires DOS 3.0 and 1MB of RAM. Price: $1900; Easel/DOS and Easel/2, $7500 each. Contact: Easel Corp., 600 West Cummings Park, Wo- burn, MA 01801, (617) 938-8440. Inquiry 1181. Working with CommBuilder, you create the communications portion of your PC-to-3270 application by interacting directly with the host screens. Pare Place Opens Up Objectworks\C + + ParcPlace Systems has opened up Objectworks, the set of tools that helps you find, understand, and reuse existing C + + code. No longer are you required to use default tools like the Sun C compiler. Objectworks \ C + + 2.0 supports traditional Unix tools for C preprocessing, C compiling, and linking, the company says. Objectworks helps you an- alyze C + + code, even if it's not your own. The Ob- jectworks \ C + + inheritance browser draws class inheri- tance trees and supports multi- ple inheritance, so that you can view existing class rela- tionships in graphical form. Also included is an error browser, a C + + Translator using AT&T's Language Sys- tem 2.1, and a source-level debugger. The optional Object- Kit\C + + includes AT&T's Standard Library and Stan- dard Library Extension, a col- lection of 15 general-purpose C + + libraries. It also has the NIHC + + libraries. Objectworks\C + + 2.0 requires 12 MB for the Sun-3 and SPARCstation. Price: $3000; Object- Kit\C + + ,$500. Contact: ParcPlace Systems, Inc., 1550 Plymouth St., Mountain View, CA 94043, (415) 691-6700. Inquiry 1182. STSC Plans APL for IBM's System/6000 STSC , developer of APL, known for its ability to perform complex and ad hoc analyses on large quantities of data, says it will release a version of the language for the IBM RISC System/6000 by the end of this year or early 1991. Currently available for the 386, DEC workstations, and the SPARCstation, APL is used for actuarial work, cur- rency trading, customer tracking, and other applica- tions, the company says. APL interfaces with lan- guages like assembly and C. STSC says APL excels at ma- trix manipulation and supports nested arrays within a single element of other arrays. Price: $3000 and up. Contact: STSC, Inc., 2115 East Jefferson St. , Rockville, MD 20852, (301)984-5000. Inquiry 1184. Spinnaker Adds to Plus Spinnaker Software de- veloped the Plus Software Slot Developer's Kit for creating new object classes and customized extensions for the Plus programming language. You can use the kit to create applications that can run un- modified on the Mac and IBM PC with Windows or OS/2 Presentation Manager. Four categories of exten- sions are possible with the kit. Software Slot Objects add a new object class to Plus, with all properties of the new ob- ject defined by you. Once you create and compile the new object, it goes in the same folder as Plus, and you access it like any other object. An- other category, External Draw Objects, already have some properties defined in advance, since they are de- signed to display information on-screen. However, you deter- mine the source and form of the displayed information, whether it be a bar graph, chart, or other data representation. Two other categories, Software Slot Commands and Software Slot Functions, let you extend Plus. When you use these extensions to add new commands and functions, you can define an unlimited num- ber of arguments and custom- ized syntax, giving you greater flexibility than with external commands and ex- ternal functions, according to the company. Price: $695. Contact: Spinnaker Software Corp., 201 Broadway, Cam- bridge, MA 02139, (617) 494-1200. Inquiry 1183. 72PC-16 BYTE* DECEMBER 1990 MetaWare Delivers The Essential Tool For c Way back in 1986, MetaWare delivered the first 32-bit protected- mode DOS compiler for the 386. Our High C compiler set the standard for professional software developers. High C DOS 386/486, Version 2.3, brings important features to extended DOS that our UNIX C customers have come to rely on for creating lightning-fast executable code: In an ever-changing, puzzling, multi-platform world, it's reassur- ing to know that: True Globally Optimizing Technology i /. Global Optimizations that increase speed of code execution include: constant and copy propagation, constant expression folding, local and global common subexpression elimination, removal of in variant expressions from loops, live/ dead analysis, dead code elimination, global register allocation, and tail merging. We've also included faster libraries with ANSI conformance and greater Micro- soft compatibility. These optimizations make Version 2.3 generate46% better Whetstone code and 1 5% better Dhrystone code than our previous version. But one piece was still missing: True 32-Bit Source-Level Debugging Our customers really needed a Meta Ware-quality 32-bit, source- level debugger. It had to offer a friendly user interface with color or monochrome windows, featuring pull-down and pop-up menus. They needed to watch or edit data, registers, and breakpoints through windows that displayed: flags, memory in any format, variables, stack data, 387 registers, locals, globals, structs, pointers, modules, and more! We've delivered! Meta Ware's 386 protected-mode debugger features source-level symbolic debug capabilities. High C users can tackle even the largest DOS C programs and debug code on the host or a remote DOS machine, via a standard serial port. 32-Bit Source-Level Debugger r^ Your Code is Portable to Other Platforms Many professional programmers are delighted to discover that their existing High C programs may be easily ported to many other popular platforms, including MS-DOS, FlexOS, OS/2, UNIX Sys- tem V 386/486, Sun 386/, Sun-3, Sun^, SPARC, and IBM AIX on PS/2, RT, i860, and 370, IBM AOS 4.3 on RT and 370, Am29K, Motorola 680x0, and Intel i860. And we're already talk- ing with several of our OEMs about porting the debugger to these and other new platforms. Our customers who are already using the combi- nation of High C and the new debugger all agree that the new, 32-bit source-level debugger is the essential tool for the only compiler you need. MetaWare" INCORPORATED Compiler Products for Professional Software Developers High C @ • Professional Pascar 2161 Delaware Ave. • Santa Cruz, CA • 95060-5706 • 408/429-6382 • Fax 408/429-9273 MetaWare, High C, and Professional Pascal are registered trademarks of MetaWare Incorporated. Other names are trademarks of their respective companies. © Copyright 1990 MetaWare Incorporated Circle 631 on Reader Service Card DECEMBER 1990 -BYTE 72PC-17 WHAT'S NEW EDITORS AND LIBRARIES Spreadsheet Functions in Your Database Raima, developer of C products for the design of databases that combine rela- tional- and network-model technologies, now has a li- brary of linkable functions for embedding spreadsheet capa- bility in your application. Applications created with the PowerCell Spreadsheet Li- brary let you analyze and otherwise manipulate data without having to export to a spreadsheet, perform the anal- ysis, and reimport the changed data to the database. The library can function as a stand-alone library, letting you add its capability to other applications. Built-in file ac- cess functions let you import and export data from WKS, WK1, DBF, and ASCII for- mats. The PowerCell Spread- sheet Library supports a vari- ety of operating systems, including DOS, Windows, OS/2, Unix, Xenix and SunOS. Price: $695 and up. Contact: Raima Corp., 3245 146th Place SE, Suite 230, Bellevue, WA 98007, (206) 747-5570. Inquiry 1185. CD: r, r )l Natural , Column is teration 7T7CT1 e, rowwise, Automat anuai, Z2IILM-1 | hjimdf Natural Rdnyu | Insert J UbeI-FreH> Column wise C 1 Cupy Deleli ' Mlnnii-Uidlli ! Rowwise Byte of Lot«a Manager's Da huw: f.'olumt Recalculation Autonatic me Erase j| Protect inn Manual T HIS HQHTH h ii.i 1 Titlei Iteration 7 DAYS AGO MTB Da La Statu: 6285.65 6285.65 182283 B3 Sy in I'jijf lilies 1657. ?A 1657.24 48059.97 Dull | ^gc 2344.50 3456.80 0.0G Sjjlsc. (f andy, cigars, e * KECEIFTS (exel LC.J 1S38.Z8 ■KdilLj fJ.CO 10 11 1Z 13 1. TOTAL GROSI tax) 14B25.59 17311.89 238343. 8B d j in m nm 1 14 Lunch Ct stoaer Count 8753 % 2784 15 Lunch Food Average B.fl 7.46 7.46 16 ; .unch Food 715.70 715.78 20755.30 17 18 19 TOTAL IUHCJ ,unch Beverage 1 SALES 98.89 98.89 2367.81 8M.59 814.59 2367,3 11 20 .unch Labor Cast 176.80 176.80 5127. 2Q With the PowerCell Spreadsheet Library, you Can develop database applications with built-in spreadsheets. TAGS Function for C, C + + Added to PI Edit PI Edit 4.0, a software development system for DOS, OS/2, and several ver- sions of Unix, lets you use third-party tools to make, link, debug, or execute your application, all from within the PI Edit environment. A new TAGS function goes through your source code and creates a database from which you can reference any function or element by name, without knowing its location. Initially available for C and gold Circle: :Hide(uoid) unsigned int TewpColor; // to save current color setcolor(getbkcolorO): Visible = false; ctrcletX, t t Radius); setcolor(TensColor) ; // set drawing color to background // drau in background color to erase // set color back to current color Under med sunuai 'etipUoIor' in function Circle: :thd e() M — mm -decl fstrea Cdecl fstrean _Cdecl fstrean (int); _Cdecl. fstrean (int _ _Cdecl "fstreanO: sbuf- _Cdecl rdbufO; C + + , the TAGS function should support dBASE and Pascal by the end of the year. For programmers with a Unix background, the new ver- sion has a vi keyboard inter- face, which lets you toggle be- tween vi and PI modes. While in vi mode, you still have access to all Pi's com- mands, Iliad Group says. Version 4.0 lets you save your workspace, quit, and re- turn to it in restored condi- tion, saving you time from hav- ing to get up to speed at the start of your next program- ming session. The MS-DOS version can remove itself from memory when it executes another ap- plication, storing itself in EMS or disk memory. Supported versions of Unix include SCO Unix and Xenix, Interactive Unix 386/ix, and AT&T systems. Price: MS-DOS version, $195; PI for OS/2, $249; PI for Unix, $349 and up. Contact: The Iliad Group, Inc., 77 Geary St., Fifth Floor, San Francisco, CA 94108, (800) 473-2053 or (415) 563-2053. Inquiry 1186. PI Edit 4. 0, a software development system, lets you do all your programming in one environment. Develop for Windows Without a Low-Level Plunge KnowledgePro for Win- dows lets you create so- phisticated applications that can directly run other DOS and Windows applications without requiring you to delve into a low-level language. KnowledgePro handles the difficult memory management problems of Windows, letting you concentrate on the applica- tion, Knowledge Garden says. Windows screen objects, fonts, icons, and bit-mapped images can be handled using one-line commands. Topics, the basic building blocks of the program, lie in wait for a particular event to occur. Knowledge Garden says experienced Windows pro- grammers can use Knowl- edgePro to quickly prototype applications. Price: Windows version, $695; DOS version, $495. Contact: Knowledge Gar- den, Inc., 473 A Maiden Bridge Rd., Nassau, NY 12123,(518)766-3000. Inquiry 1187. Viewpoint Systems' graphical-user-i nterf ace development tool lets you create applications for seam- lessly linking Windows 3.0 applications with IBM main- frame data through Dynamic Data Exchange. I/F Builder 2.1 also lets you cut and paste 3270 main- frame data with an applica- tion for further analysis or graphing. The program sup- ports Microsoft Word and Excel for now. Price: $17,500; run-time component, I/F Manager, $395 per workstation. Contact: Viewpoint Sys- tems, Inc., 1900SouthNor- folkSt.,Suite310, San Mateo, CA 94403, (415) 578-1591. Inquiry 1188. 72PC-18 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 Microcom Computers A HRW Technologies Company All Systems with Free 4 Month On-Site Warranty Custom Configuration Computer Systems Pre-Configured Computer Systems Standard System Features: * 1MB RAM Standard * Teac 5.25' 1.2 MB or 3.5' 1 .44 MB Diskette Drive * 1:1 Interleaved Hard/Floppy Drive Controller * Enhanced 101 -key Keyboard * 2 Serial & 1 Parallel Port & Real Time Clock/Calendar w/Battery * Small Footprint Casew/200 Watt Power Supply(14.9' W x 16.3" D x 6.8' H) * Tower Case w/230 Watt Power Supply (Standard for 386/25C & 386/33C) Our Commitment to Service & Quality * Free 4 Month On-Site Servicing Nationwide 1 Year Warranty on Parts & Labor Toll-free Technical Service & Support No Surcharge on Credit Card Purchases * Comprehensive 72 Hour Burn-in Testing on All Systems All Systems Made with pride in the USA * Guaranteed 100% IBM Compatible MICROCOM 286/12 286/12 System Features, Hard Drive, Monitor & Video Card Hard Drives: MB/Ms No Video Mono VGA-Mono Hires IDT 42/28 $799 $899 $1,024 $1,349 IDE 80/18 $1,049 $1,149 $1,274 $1,599 IDE 105/18 $1,099 $1,199 $1,324 $1,649 IDT" 205/18 $1,499 $1,599 $1,724 $2,049 ESDI 340/18 $2,099 $2,199 $2,324 $2,649 286/12 Xmas Special * 286/1 2 Standard System * 42 MB Hard Disk w/28 ms Access Time * 16-bit Hires 1024 x 768 Graphics Card * 14' Color Hires Monitor (1024 x 768) Microsoft MS-DOS 3.30 or 4.01 Free Mouse with This Special $1,299 HJ99" MICROCOM 386SX/1 6 386SX/16 System Features, Hard Drive, Monitor & Video Card Hard Drives: MB/Ms No Video Mono VGA-Mono Hires IDE 42/28 $999 $1,099 $1,224 $1,549 IDT 80/18 $1,249 $1,349 $1,474 $1,799 TDF 105/18 $1,299 $1,399 $1,524 $1,849 IDE 205/18 $1,699 $1,799 $1,924 MICROCOM 386/25 for 64 KB Cache, add $300 386/25 System Features, Hard Drive, Monitor & Video Card $2,249 ESDI 340/18 $2,299 $2,399 $2,524 $2,849 386SX/16 Xmas Special *386SX/16 Standard System * 42 MB Hard Disk w/28 ms Access Time 1 6-bit Hires 1 024 x 768 Graphics Card * 14' Color Hires Monitor (1024 x 768) Microsoft MS-DOS 3.30 or 4.01 * Free Mouse with This Special $1,999 $2,299 Hard Drives: MB/Ms No Video Mono VGA-Mono Hires 42/28 $1,399 $1,499 $1,624 $1,949 IDT 80/18 $1,649 $1,749 $1,874 $2,199 105/18 $1,699 $1,799 $1,924 $2,249 IDT 205/18 $2,099 $2,199 $2,324 $2,649 ~ESDT 340/18 $2,699 $2,799 $2,924 $3,249 MICROCOM 386/33C 386/33C System Features, Tower Case, Hard Drive, Monitor & Video Card 386/25 Xmas Special w/42 MB Hard Disk 386/25 Xmas Special w/105 MB Hard Disk * 386/25 Standard System * 42 MB or 105 MB Hard Disk * 16-bit Hires 1024 x 768 Graphics Card * 14' Color Hires Monitor (1024 x 768) * Microsoft MS-DOS 3.30 or 4.01 * Free Mouse with This Special w With 64 KB Cache - Add $300 $2,699 Hard Drives: MB/Ms No Video Mono VGA-Mono Hires IDT 42/28 $1,799 $1 r 899 $2,024 $2,349 IDE 80/18 $2,049 $2,149 $2,274 $2,599 IDE" 105/18 $2,099 $2,199 $2,324 $2,649 IDE 205/18 $2,499 $2,599 $2,724 $3,049 ESDI 340/18 $3,099 $3,199 $3^24 $3,649 386/33C Xmas Special * 386/33C Standard System wfTower Case * 1 05 MB Hard Disk w/Quick 18 ms Access Time * 1 6-bit Hires 1 024 x 768 Graphics Card * 1 4' Color Hires Monitor (1 024 x 768) * Microsoft MS-DOS 3.30 or 4.01 * Free Mouse with This Special Options/Upgrades: Mini-size Desktop Tower Case Add $50 Full-size Tower Case (Standard for 386/25C & 33C) Add $150 $29.99 Microcom Xmas Mouse Hi-Resolution 3-Button Microsoft-compatible Mouse Up to 432 dot per inch Resolution (Great for VGA) Microcom Computers 1 Customers Include: Xerox, GTE, Motorola, Raychem, General Electric, Eastman Kodak, Pacific Bell, SEGA of America, Toshiba, Genetech, Holiday Inn, U.S. Court of Appeals, NASA, U.S. FoodA Drug Administration, U.S. Dept. of Energy, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, U.C. Berkeley, U.C. San Francisco, Stanford University, Princeton University, University of Pittsburg, University of Vermont, Pacific Gas & Electric, Wells Fargo Bank, and many more. To Order - Call Toll Free 1-800-248-3398 Open from 9:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. PST, Monday -Friday Microcom Computers 48890 Milmont Drive, Fremont, CA 94537 - Tel: (415)623-3628 -Fax: (415)623-3620 3650-18th Street, San Francisco, CA 94110 - Tel: (415)255-2288 -Fax: (415 255-8873 Prices are subject to change without notice. Not responsible for typographical errors. CA residents please add 7.25% sales tax. No surcharge on credit card purchases. Personal and company checks require 2 weeks clearance. All trademarks acknowledged. Tower Is a registered trademark of NCR Corporation. Microcom Computers reserves the right to substitute any and all items with equivalent or better parts. All benchmarks and specifications are for your Information only and may vary from system to system. Prices do not Include shipping and handling. Circle 634 on Reader Service Card WHAT'S NEW GRAPHICS Sculpting and Texturing Made Simple for the Mac The new version of Sculpt 3D with Textures, Byte by Byte's three-dimensional rendering program, lets you develop textures and position image maps by means of an in- terface approach. Sculpt uses a Tri-View windows system to let you scale, rotate, and freely position textures accu- rately onto a 3-D model. With Sculpt, you can im- port TIMM, PICT, and PRIM files to use as textures. You can also create solid textures from algorithmic or 3-D tex- tures and use them to com- pletely cover any object or space. Sculpt 3D lets you alter turbulence, irregularity, and inter-ring distance to create an unlimited number of tex- tures. A reference cursor inter- acts in all three dimensions simultaneously, the company reports. Sculpt 3D also features animation capabilities, includ- ing key frame and global ani- mation, motion paths, splined motion paths, and object metamorphosis. Sculpt' s capa- bilities are all provided with- in the Tri-View interface. Sculpt 3D runs on the Mac with at least 4 MB of RAM, a 40-MB hard disk drive, an Apple or compatible 8-bit video card, System 6.0.5 or higher, and 32-Bit Color QuickDraw. Price: $2500. Contact: Byte by Byte, Ar- boretum Plaza II, 9442 Capital of Texas Hwy. N, Suite 150, Austin, TX 78759, (512) 343-4357. Inquiry 1194. Sculpt 3D lets you animate objects once you 've modeled and rendered them. AT&T Takes You to RIO for Graphics The new version of AT&T's RIO graphics software, version 4.0, im- proves upon its predecessor by offering enhanced two- dimensional layout and slide- preparation capabilities. The company has also developed RIO Animator, an add-on module for RIO that provides vector-based 2-D animation with antialiased objects, text, gradients, and trans- parencies. RIO 4.0's multicolor gra- dient maps let you specify up to eight colors for coloring objects, text gradient maps, or backgrounds. You can also use hot keys for more efficient text editing, and you can im- port and output TIFF files. RIO 4.0 supports Color Post- Script as an output option. Other features of RIO 4.0 include variable page format and added rulers and tick marks, for increased accuracy in the placement of objects within the page. The AT&T RIO package runs in Truevision TARGA and ATVista graphics environ- ments and requires 2 MB of RAM. Price: TARGA version, $1795; ATVista version, $2495; RIO Animator, $3000. Contact: AT&T Graphics Software Labs, 3520 Com- merce Crossing, Suite 300, Indianapolis, IN 46240, (317) 844-4364. Inquiry 1196. Color Image Editing Comes to Windows Astral Development brings its color image editing program for the Mac to the PC with the release of Picture Publisher Plus for Microsoft Windows. The pro- gram allows for interactive editing and image placement. You can change the hue, satu- ration, and lightness of images. For page composition, you can crop, size, scale, rotate, and mirror using registration marks. You can edit pictures of any size and resolution, re- gardless of your system's mem- ory capacity, Astral says. Offered as a stand-alone program, it includes a utility for scanner calibration. Picture Publisher Plus runs on any VGA-based system with Windows 3.0. Price: $695. Contact: Astral Develop- ment Corp., Londonderry Sq.. Suite 1 12, Londonderry, NH 03053, (603) 432-6800. Inquiry 1195. Render Me on the Mac Digital Arts brings its three-dimensional model- ing, animation, and render- ing software for the PC to the Mac with the Digital Artist Series for the Mac II family. Model, MacRenderMan, and Animate are designed for use by virtually any professional graphics user. Model supports spline- based modeling, object sculpt- ing, and advanced deforma- tion with gravity. Both 2-D and 3-D commands are available from a set of pop-up, pull- down menus, and you can al- ternate between environments of different dimensions. MacRenderMan is a cus- tomized version of the Pixar MacRenderMan program. The Digital Arts software fea- tures Render Manager, which lets you interactively compose images by setting object placement, lights, and various shading and texturing param- eters,. You can save the images you create as TIFF, Post- Script, or PICT files. Once you've modeled and rendered the images, you can use Animate, which contains all the advanced animation ca- pabilities provided by Digital Arts' DGS products. These three programs from Digital Arts require 4 MB of RAM and an 8-bit dis- play card. Price: Model, $2250; Mac- RenderMan, $1995; Animate, $2250. Contact: Digital Arts, 7050 Convoy Court, San Diego, CA 92111,(619)541-2055. Inquiry 1197. 72PC-20 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 Dealer Sales: 1-800-235-7359 MYODA III IP LT5200 SERIES FREE: 3 BUTTOM MOUSE WITH EVERY LT5200 ORDER Flexibility of a Laptop with the true power and expandability of a high-performance Desktop computer. MYODA has designed & built these machines with the needs of today's demanding users in mind. Just look at our features & then compare them with other machines costing twice as much and you will see why we are the clear choice for professional users. We offer true expandability with TWO FULL SIXTEEN BIT SLOTS, MEMORY IS EXPANDABLE TO 8MB ON THE BOARD, VGA SCREEN.EXTERNAL VGA MONITOR PORT, EXTERNAL FLOPPY DRIVE PORT. There 's even a true 386-25 running at WAIT STATE available with 32 KB CACHE MEMORY. & they a!! come with a CONNER.40 MB HDD &a3.5/1.44MBFDD AM I or Award BIOS. Laptop Accessories • External 5.25/1 .2MB floppy drive • Expansion chaste 2x8 bit, 2x16 bit (For LT-3500 only) • Power inverter • External battery pack with 12V inverter • Numeric keypad Fax-modem card 12V inverter O MYODA . _ _- LT-3500 $1499 Here is your chance to pick up on the biggest bargain in Laptops anywhere. The LT-3500 is packed with features. The 80286-12 MHz CPU runs at wait state, ready to blaze hrough those tough applications. There is also a 40 MB fast HDD & an internal 3.5 /1 .44MB diskette drive • Intel 80286 CPU wait state • 6/12 MHz clock speed • EGA GAS plasma display •1MB installed 4MB max • 3.5/1 .44MB floppy drive • 40MB(28ms) hard drive • 2 serial/1 parallel/CRT port • Free carrying case Model cpu Internal Slots Screen FD HD EXT. FD Port Max Memory Price 5200CD 5200SX 5200NV 38S-25 3866X-16 286-16 2x16 Bit 2x16 Bit 2x16 Bit VGA ,GAS plasma VGA GAS plasma VGA GAS plasma 3.5/1.44 3.5/1.44 3.5 1.44 40MB lb£ 40MB IDE 40MB IDE Yes YES YES 8MB 8MB 8MB $3699 $2799 $2299 iSlili • Intel 80286-12 microprocessor • Baby AT case • Upto4MBRAM • AMI BIOS ' c> 12" MONO 14" MONO 14" VGA 14" SVGA $539 $579 $895 $969 I ■ » -■ MYODA .-J* 'mWM MD5030 Intel 80386SX-16 Microprocessor Baby AT case Up to 8 MB RAM Fully compatible: EMS, LIM 4.0, DOS, OS/2, UNIX, XENIX and NOVELL 12" MONO 14" MONO 14" VGA 14" SVGA $839 $865 $1169 $1249 1 All Units Include: • True intel CPUs • 1MB RAM • 1 year warranty • 101 enhanced keyboard • 2 serial,1 parallel, & 1 game port • Quality desktop cases & power s upplies • Dual FDD/ HDD AT BUS controllers Installed Hard Drives: Installation with system % • Intel 80386-25 microprocessor • 64KB cache memory • 4MB RAM • Full size case • AMI designed mother- board up to 16MB RAM • AMI BIOS • Fully compatible: EMS, LIM 4.0 DOS, OS/2, UNIX, XENIX and NOVELL 12" MONO 14" MONO 14" VGA 14" SVGA $1599 $1629 $1969 $2049 purchase 40 Meg. 65 Meg. 100 Meg. $249 $339 $599 MYODA MD7280 • Intel 80386-33 microprocessor • 32KB cache memory • 4MB RAM • up to 16MB RAM • Fully compatible: EMS, LIM 4.0 DOS, OS/2, UNIX, XENIX and NOVELL • CALL FOR PRICE Circle 639 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 640) Case Upgrades Mini tower, Mid tower and Large tower Call for special pricing MYODA INC. 1053 Shore Road. Naperville Illinois 60563 Tel:[708) 369-51 99 Fax: (708) 3696068 Mall Order Sales 1-800*562-1071 Dealers/Vars Inquires: OEM Inquire: 1 053 Shore Road Naperville Ulinios 60563 /Mex Chen Taipei Office 3F No. 1 9 1 Sec. 3 Roosevelt Rd TEL (708) 369-5199 F/NX: (708) 369 6068 Taipeijaiwan TEL 886-2-3628445 F/\X: 886-2-3626283 15 daye money back garantee.RMA requriee on all return. No sir- charge on VISA and MASTERCARD. We accept AMERICAN EXPRESS and DISCOVER CARD. WHAT'S NEW USERS GROUPS The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of HyperCard 2.0 The recent reversals and stopgap measures in the continuing saga of the Hyper- Card distribution strategy are leading users to ask, "What does Claris want?" Apple's announcement that HyperCard will be bundled with the new Macs in a run- time-only version sparked an outpouring of protest, caus- ing Apple and Claris to rethink their strategy. Apple's an- nouncement that the version of HyperCard 2.0 to be bundled with new Macs would not have scripting capabilities has been the object of lively dis- cussion in the Mac commu- nity. The ensuing protest from users caused Apple and Claris, which has taken over proprietorship of HyperCard, to reverse the earlier an- nouncement and bundle a full version with the new Macs. At the regular Thursday night meeting of BMUG, Inc. , the impending release of Hy- perCard 2.0 was the most dis- cussed topic of the meeting. Amid all the rumors and spec- ulation, one person's com- ment illustrated just how per- sonally users take Hyper- Card, which was designed to bring hypertext authoring to anyone who owns a Mac. As users wondered how much the scripting version of Hyper- Card might cost, someone from the audience suggested, "Let's just not buy it. [Apple] will get the idea we don't like them messing with our program." Claris apparently heard, and listened to, the protests of stack developers and users. The company later said a full version will be shipped, but to enter scripting mode, you'll have to make a minor change to the home stack. However, it's not clear if this last-min- ute change in strategy will mollify HyperCard devel- opers. At least one HyperCard expert is calling the latest turn in this drama "pathetic." David Drucker, a Hyper- Card consultant since 1987 and a member of the Boston Computer Society's MacStack- Group, says the decision by Claris to put an opaque button over the scripting choices on the home stack connotes "a de- spicable attitude." Drucker said the company is "still put- ting it out with the attitude that what you don't know is good for you." He also said the opaque button represents "the exact opposite of empowerment." The official Claris line is that the opaque button scheme will prevent new users from destroying or altering stacks. But Drucker says that if a person is that concerned about data integrity, it's up to the developer to protect the stack, which is easily done with a one-line command. What's Going On in Your Users Group? Any visitors lately? What happened at your last general meeting? BYTE magazine is interested in hearing about the products you see and what their developers are saying. Phone the BYTE news department at (603) 924-2630 or send a fax to (603) 924-2550. You can also send a copy of your news story to One Phoenix Mill Lane, Peterborough, NH 03458, or send E-mail to "dave.news" on BIX or to "BYTE" on MCI Mail. Despite the waffling of Claris on this issue, Drucker sees the company's acquisi- tion of the upgrade and devel- opment responsibilities of HyperCard as good news, in general. "If HyperCard had to end up in a place, this [Claris] is the best place." According to Drucker, now that Claris has taken over HyperCard, users can look for network support, spread- sheet capabilities, and the in- corporation of the XTND file- format conversion technol- ogy into future versions of HyperCard. But Drucker says the opaque button announcement left him "amused and irri- tated at the same time." "Apple's giving it over to Claris is still a good sign," he said. "As long as they [Claris] don't pull any more boneheaded things like this." —Dave Andrews and Kandy Arnold BBS for Vietnam Vets A Vietnam veteran named Larry Horn has started a new project for Vietnam vet- erans to contact each other. According to Horn, there isn't an easy way for veterans to contact other veterans. He is organizing a computerized project to list and refer veter- ans through a national BBS. The primary goal is a na- tional veterans' reunion center that will serve veterans of all eras. If you want to help in the financing of the project or reg- ister as a vet, you should write to the project. If you want to register, you need to include a self -addressed, stamped envelope. Contact: Vietnam Veterans Registry, Inc., P.O. Box 430, Bridgton, ME 04009, (207) 647-8608. Nanobytes At a Berkeley Macintosh Users Group meeting, Esther Dyson, editor and publisher of the newsletter Release 1. 0, spoke in hushed tones about General Magic, the Apple spin-off that is supposedly developing a new class of communica- tions products. Presumably because of nondisclosure, Dyson said she couldn't comment if she'd heard anything about the new company's product, which could be a new class of personal intelligent commu- nicators. However, she did say, "When I'm alone at night, I think about General Magic." At the same meeting, Dyson also said, "There are a lot of women industry observers, but not a lot of women indus- try managers. You can't leg- islate it. Legislation helps, but the old guys have to die off." Jeff Cherniss, president of Advanced Software, said be- fore he demonstrated his document-comparison pro- gram for the Mac, "Our office was burgled over the weekend. The thief took Pluses over the 386s." A report in Microscope, the Mile High Computer Re- source Organization's news- letter, says Windows 3.0 is causing some users to lose more than their patience. Users with exceptionally large hard disk drives (more than 1024 cylinders), drives formatted by non-FDISK programs, or systems with mismatched components might encounter problems, including the destruction of hard disk systems. If you're concerned about your sys- tem's safety, call technical support at (206) 637-7098. 72PC-22 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 Buy with Confidence In an effort to make your telephone purchasing a more successful and pleasurable activity, The Microcomputer Marketing Council of the Direct Marketing Association, Inc. offers this advice, "A knowledgeable buyer will be a successful buyer." These are specific facts you should know about the prospective seller before placing an order: Ask These Important Questions • How long has the company been in business? • Does the company offer technical assistance? • Is there a service facility ? • Are manufacturer s warran- ties handled through the company? • Does the seller have formal return and refund policies? • Is there an additional charge for use of credit cards? • Are credit card charges held until time of shipment? • What are shipping costs for items ordered? Reputable computer dealers will answer all these questions to your satisfaction. Don't settle for less when buying your computer hardware, software, peripherals and supplies. Purchasing Guidelines • State as completely and ac- curately as you can what merchandise you want in- cluding brand name, model number, catalog number. • Establish that the item is in stock and confirm shipping date. • Confirm that the price is as advertised . • Obtain an order number and identification of the sales representative. Make a record of your order, noting exact price in- cluding shipping, date of order, promised shipping date and order number. If you ever have a problem, remember to deal first with the seller. If you cannot resolve the problem, write to MAIL ORDER ACTION LINE, c/o DMA, 6 E. 43rd St., New York, NY 10017. This message is brought to you by: the MICROCOMPUTER MARKETING COUNCIL of the Direct Marketing Association, Inc. 6 E. 43rd St., New York, NY 10017 MMC MICROCOMPUTER MARKETING COUNCIL of the Direct Marketing Association, Inc. Cc) Direct Marketing Association, Inc. 1988 BET ON A DERBY WINNER. . . d Kk&B8t&> 1 9 _ _- ! -■ . BettffvwxKUK niit-in-Qpe. 386/33C-200 PRO Intel 80386-33, 32-bit 4M RAM 64K Cache 200M Hard Drive 15ms NewSystem $3,395.00 286/12-40 KEY Intel 80286-12, 1M RAM 40M Hard Drive 28ms Eight-In-One by Spinnaker Dexxa Mouse w/ Paint $1,495.00 386SX-40PRO Intel 80386SX 2MRAM 40M Hard Drive 28ms $1,895.00 386/25C-65PRO Intel 80386-25, 32-bit 4M RAM 64K Cache 65M Hard Drive 25ms $2,695.00 p rbyT B ^ 386SX-100PRO Intel 80386SX 2MRAM 100M Hard Drive, 25ms NewSystem $2,195.00 286/12-65 KEY Intel 80286-12, 1M RAM 65M Hard Drive, 33ms Eight-In-One by Spinnaker i Dexxa Mouse w/ Paint l $1,595.00 386SX-65PRO Intel 80386SX 2MRAM 65M Hard Drive 25ms $1,995.00 386/25C-100PRO Intel 80386-25, 32-bit 4M RAM 64K Cache 100M Hard Drive 25ms $2,895.00 - 30 Day Money Back Guarantee 72 Hour Burn-in Testing All systems built in the USA Hours; 9:00 to 6:00 M-Sat Cen Shipping Charge: Keys: $35.00 Pros: $45.00 ALL DER MPUTERS FEATURE 1.2M 5.25" and 1.44M 3.5" 2 Serial/Parallel/Game Ports MS-DOS v4.01/GW BASIC 16-bit VGA 1024X768 w/5 12K VGA 1024X768 Color Monitor 101 Key Ironies Keyboard KEYS feature desktop cases ■ PROS feature mid-size towers 386SX-40KEY Intel 80386SX,2M RAM 40 M Hard Drive, 28ms Eight-In-One by Spinnaker Dexxa Mouse w/ Paint $1,795.00 386/25-65 PRO Intel 80386-25, 32-bit 4MRAM 65M Hard Drive 25ms $2,495.00 386/33C-65 PRO Intel 80386-33, 32-bit 4M RAM 64K Cache 65M Hard Drive 25ms $2,795.00 100% IBM Compatible Toll Free Tech Support One Year Warranty j We Accept (no surcharge) 386SX-65KEY Intel 80386SX,2M RAM 65M Hard Drive, 33ms Eight-In-One by Spinnaker Dexxa Mouse w/ Paint 1,895.00 386/25-100 PRO Intel 80386-25, 32-bit 4MRAM 100M Hard Drive 25ms $2,695.00 386/33C-100PRO Intel 80386-33, 32-bit 4M RAM 64K Cache 100M Hard Drive 25ms $2,995.00 Circle 61 7 on Reader Service ( (RESELLERS: 618) 1-800-24-DERBY C. 718 - 15th Avenue / East Moline / Illinois / 61244 / (309) 755-2662 1 YEAR for $42rQ0! 4ewea?t #define NAMLEN 15 ^define NUMMARK 4 struct person char name[NAMLEN] int mark[NUMMARK] The top C video course at the lowest possible price But now, there's The Complete C Video Course from Zortech. It's the ultimate C training tool for home or work. And all it costs is $295. You get ten videos with 36 lessons covering all levels of programming skill. A comprehensive, easy-to-follow 365 page workbook. And even a free C compiler. Free C compiler included Yes, that's right. The Complete C Video Course includes our famous C compiler (it runs on any MS-DOS machine) with linker, library manager, full graphics library and on-line help. It's the choice of professional programmers everywhere for fast code, fast development and fast debugging. Learn C in as little as two weeks Speaking of speedy, with The Complete C Video Course you can learn C in only two weeks. Compare that with the up to four months it can take to learn C in class. Each lesson averages 1 7 minutes of clear, concise instructions. Used in conjunction with our workbook you'll find they provide everything you need to know to become proficient in programming in C. Save your company thousands If you think The Complete C Video Course is a great way for you to save money learning C, think about how much it could save your company. Use it instead of sending programmers to school and you'll save thousands. What's more, The Complete C Video Course is even tax deductible. C is unquestionably the most valuable programming language you can master. And now you can get everything you need to become productive in it from course to compiler to tools for an economical $295. Mail the coupon or call our hotline to receive it ASAP. ZORTECH ^ Look at all these C video pluses • Only $295 complete. • Ten videos with 36 lessons. • Comprehensive 365-page workbook. • Free C compiler with linker, library manager, full graphics library and on-line help. • Compiler and hardware independent. • Designed to help you learn C in as little as two weeks. • Tax deductible. WINNER « Zortech Inc. 4-C Gill Street Woburn, MA 01801 Voice: 617-937-0696 Fax: 617-937-0793 • Yes, rush me The Complete C Video Course including free C compiler for $295.00 (VHS only) • Please include (No. ) extra workbooks at $29.95 each. • I'd like to order (No. ) extra C compilers with this course at the special price of $49.95. Name/Company. Address Phone. City... State.. .Zip. Here's my check for. VISA/MC# Exp. Date Prices do not include shipping I The Complete C Video Course $295 Order Hotline (800)848-8408 DOWN TO BUSINESS Wang system, each user must have cer- tain necessities, such as a special tele- phone to receive voice messages. But once you make the commitment, Free- style and Office allow groups, even those scattered around the globe, to work to- gether as if they were in the same room. Of course, you have to make an orga- nizational commitment to WordPerfect Office and Higgins, too. Both packages reside on the file server, and because they are software, they can be run from any IBM PC-compatible computer. Hig- gins sells its licenses for groups of five; WordPerfect offers individual licenses. You'll need to license every user you plan to have using these packages. If you only automate part of the group, the rest will be hard pressed to work. WordPerfect Office continues to be the program to beat for ease of integra- tion into the office. Since it works just like WordPerfect, nearly everyone al- ready knows how to use it. In addition, it installs easily, is intuitive, and has clear documentation. Your coworkers will not waste time puzzling over confusing screens or obscure commands. Higgins is greatly improved over its earlier version. The menu structure is more carefully thought out, and its user interface is much improved. Unfortu- nately, I couldn't get the software to work with NetWare 386, and the docu- mentation was so weak that I couldn't figure out why. However, I was able to install it on an earlier version. WordPerfect Office's installation does not work flawlessly with NetWare 386. You have to enter the user names manually because of differences be- tween versions 2.15 and 3.0. At least there is an alternative method, however, to perform the installation. Finding Groupware There's no question that a well-designed groupware package can enhance the pro- ductivity of your business. If you can get people to use the package, they will find that it makes their communications eas- ier and faster. And if your personnel are physically separated from each other, the benefits of groupware are even greater. Because all three of these packages can communicate over long distances using wide-area networks, fax gateways, or public E-mail networks, you can form workgroups in places where not too long ago you couldn't. This kind of software really does let groups work better togeth- er. Since it prevents the familiar time killers of telephone tag and synchroniz- ing meeting schedules, groupware can make the work more productive as well. While Wang has given u s a total solu- tion to group productivity, not all compa- nies need something so comprehensive. Some can work just as well with a nice E- mail package that provides a way to set up meetings and share information. All three of these packages offer those capa- bilities. ■ Wayne Rash Jr. is a contributing editor for BYTE and technical director of the Network Integration Group of American Management Systems, Inc. (Arlington, VA). He consults with the federal govern- ment on microcomputers and communi- cations. You can contact him on BIX as "waynerash, " or in the to.wayne con- ference. Your questions and comments are wel- come. Write to: Editor, BYTE, One Phoenix Mill Lane, Peterborough, NH 03458. You not the l ook. a sample of fax output using Communiqtd fax software Golden Section advertising Carmina Cortex Friendly Press, inc. Dear Carmina. Welcome to the age of personal communication! As you can see. all PC fax software is not alike. The fax that you are now reading was created using Communique from Grey Matter Response. I wrote the body of this letter using Communique's on-board Memo Processor and then let the software take care of the rest. It automatically merged in our company logo and my personal signature as it transmitted the fax using Communique's exclusive proportional Fax Fonts. This professional looking document was completed in a matter of minutes, saving me time and energy. The Communique software has a graphic user interface based on easy-to-understand icons and buttons (everyone at the office keeps dropping by my desk just to see it!) Let's get together sometime and I'll show it to you. Best Regards, TW*-^ •<£4**WL> Tina Berman Golden Section Grey Matter Response PO 3147 Santa Cruz,, CA 95063 (408)427~3678/fax: (408)427-0493 current .fax board owner's: ask ahoiU our $179 trade-in offer! Welcome to the age of personal communication. The better your faxes look, the better you look. That's why Communique produces eye-catching faxes like the one on the left. Communique even improves the look of your PC with its easy-to-use Graphic User Interface. And right now, Communique software plus a 9600 baud PC fax board is at an introductory price of only $249 ($50 off the retail price.) For more information or to order, call 1~800~927~9713. I ■MHHHM e personal codamMnicfttiort sMffljf | |g | tm w requirements: IBM PC or compatible with 640k, bard disk, graphic card (color or monochrome), MS-DOS 3.0 or liijjhtr, and a mouse. 96 BYTE* DECEMBER 1990 Circle 126 on Reader Service Card Ate everything you've heard aboutWbdows Cbmputi there are onlj two things you should believe. [1 f £ f j; \ BlIII ! 1 iiHii i! ! Windows™ ( Free Worfe'ng Mode/ ¥)ur See for yourself. With Windows™ Computing, using your PC becomes easier, faster, and more productive than you ever imagined possible. But you don't Windows Computing is the Windows version 3.0 environment combined with any of the hundreds of Windows applications already available. have to take our word for it. Because, right now, we're making fully functional Working Models of Microsoft* Windows version 3.0, Microsoft Excel, Project, Word and PowerPoint 4 presentation graphics program as easy to get a hold of as they are to use. Just pick up the phone and call (800) 323-3577, Dept. N62, and we'll 'The first Working Model you select is free during our Windows Computing Promotion, September 15 through December 31, 1990. One free Working Model per person. Each additional Working Model is $9.95. applicable sales tax not included. Offer good wkil t ;l »J SiJ ii 5 « in i 3 !» J II tf ! 9 « }| 5 i ; i ! i u .) i i j -N : ! ; : I I ! ! i Hi m M m H .( a « B m » ,| II n 8 h W ii 1 h H i I ii Iiitla 2 xi « la ia! a lulili Si lit.itiS.iii.SiIi.tlli If "omputing Microsoft ® eyes. send you a free copy of the Working Model* you're most interested in. Or, if you would prefer, just ask for the date, time and location of a Windows Computing i [j seminar being held near you. Either way the experience is sure to impress you. I K I vr£{ E *& '- I r 1 1 r » ■1 H*MI. |H iTMM^M ^BR^^^^HH^^^^HI^B Ekh eBBHH S9 HI :> *^>SB«1 tH^Bl ! r^^^^^HPy^^^Bi^^B^M, The truth is, we believe there could be only one reason why people might not see just how much Windows Computing means to the future of the personal computer. They haven't looked. Making it all make sense applies last and only in the 50 United States, ©1990 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft, PowerPoint and the Microsoft logo are registered trademarks and Making it all make sense and Windows are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. 3:*: ABOVE THE REST Now you can have the power and performance of Altec's fully loaded 486 EISA Tower delivered to your door! Check out these outstanding features: 486 EISA TOWER $5,995 Intel 486-25 CPU □ 4 Meg RAM □ 1.2 MB 5.25" drive D 1.44 MB 3.5" drive □ 150 MB 18ms ESDI hard drive □ ESDI controller w/32K cache □ 16-bit VGA card □ 14" VGA monitor (1024 x 768) □ 2 serial, 1 parallel & 1 game ports □ 101-key Keyboard □ Genius Mouse □ MS-DOS 3.3 or 4.01 □ Six 32-bits EISA slots & two 16-bit slots Altec's Guarantee: • 30 day money-back guarantee • 1 year warranty for parts and labor • Free 4 months on-site service • Lifetime toll-free technical support II I 1111 I 111111 1 'JiMMMMiiMMM* ■ ■ M M I « "AltecZIp 386s are solid machines featuring brand-name parts. A good buy, they are clearly affordable" PC Magazine. May 30. 1989 "Computer users should find Altec machine an excellent value with good performance." PC Magazine, July 1990 Altec sets the standard for the highest quality design and manufacturing of all our products. We're fast, friendly, and ready to help you select the right features for your needs. Take a look at some of our other great systems: 386/33 VGA $3/295 Intel 386-33 CPU □ 32K Cache D 4 Meg RAM D 1 .2 MB 5.25"drive D 1.44 MB 3.5" drive D 150 MB 18ms ESDI hard drive □ ESDI controller w/32K cache □ 1 6-bit VGA card □ 1 4" VGA monitor (1 024 x 768) □ 2 serial, 1 parallel & 1 game ports □ 101-key Keyboard □ Genius Mouse □ MS- DOS 3.3 or 4.01 (25 MHz Cache System deduct $100) $2,595 386/25 VGA Intel 386-25 CPU D 4 Meg RAM D 1.2 MB 5.25"drive D 1.44 MB 3.5" drive □ 105 MB 18ms IDE hard driven 16-bit VGA card □ 14" VGA monitor (1024 x 768) □ 2 serial, 1 parallel & 1 game ports □ 1 01 -key Keyboard □ Genius Mouse □ MS-DOS 3.3 or 4.01 $1,850 386/SX VGA Intel 386SX-16 CPU D 2 Meg RAM □ 1.2 MB 5.25"drive □ 1.44 MB 3.5" drive □ 66 MB 25ms hard drive □ 16-bit VGA card □ 14" VGA monitor (640x480)D2 serial, 1 parallel & 1 game ports □ 101-key Keyboard □ Genius Mouse □ MS-DOS 3.3 or 4.01 (20 Mhz 386/SX version add $150) $1,695 286/12/66 MB VGA COMBO 1 Meg RAM □ 1.2 MB 5.25" drive □ 1.44 MB 3.5" drive □ 66 MB hard drive D 16-bit VGA card a 14" VGA monitor (640 x 480) □ 2 serial, 1 parallel & 1 game ports D 101-key Keyboard □ Genius Mouse □ MS DOS 3.3 or 4.01 □ Panasonic 1180 printer w/cable □ Surge Protector $1,295 NEW 286/12 VGA STAR D 1 Meg RAM a 1.2 M or 1.44 M drive a 40 MB hard drive □ 16-bit VGA card □ 14" VGA monitor (640 x 480, .41 mm) D 2 serial/1 parallel & 1 game ports □ 101-key Keyboard □ MS-DOS 3.3 Various hard drive capacity available. A ALTEC Technology Corp. 1-800-255-9971 Policy: Same day shipping with standard configurations for orders before 3 PM EST. Shipping and handling extra. Personal and company checks require 10 days to clear. Prices are subject to change, and all items are subject to availability. All returns must be shipped prepaid, insured, in original condition and complete with documentation. All returns must have RMA number. 30-day money back guarantee does not include shipping. No surcharge for Visa & MasterCard. 2% for American Express. Altec Technology Corporation* 18555 East Gale Avenue* Industry, CA 91748 • 818/912-8688 • FAX: 818/912-804* Circle 21 on Reader Service Card EXPERT ADVICE BEYOND DOS: WINDOWS AND OS/2 Martin Heller I've Got DIBs Device-independent bit maps and palette management make the PC a serious color platform Time was, you could count the number of display options for the PC on the fingers of one hand, without letting go of your teacup. Now, a PC can be equipped with any of hundreds of displays, from porta- ble low-resolution gray-scale LCDs to colossal high-resolution 24-bit color monitors. Now consider its documentation's view of the Windows bit map: "a matrix of memory bits that, when copied to a de- vice, defines the color and pattern of a corresponding matrix of pixels on the de- vice's display surface." In other words, it's a memory image compatible with a specific display. The Windows 3.0 docu- mentation dryly says: "Each device has its own unique color format. In order to transfer a bit map from one device to an- other, use GetDIBits and SetDIBits." DIBs: Device-Independent Bit Maps The DI in GetDIBits stands for device- independent. Instead of mimicking the planar structure of a given display, the DIB format contains a Bitmapinfo data structure that describes the bit map, plus the actual array of bytes that defines the pixels of the bit map. All well and good, but that is not the end of the story. DIBs first surfaced in OS/2 1 . 1 as the Graphics Programming Interface bit map. The designers of Presentation Man- ager understood the problems of the Windows 2.0 bit map and wanted to avoid them. The OS/2 1.1 Bitmapinfo structure specifies the width and height of the bit map in pels (i.e., picture ele- ments—called pixels in the Windows documentation and pels in the OS/2 doc- umentation), the number of bit planes, and the number of bits per pel within a plane. It can also contain a color table to accommodate devices like the VGA that can display a certain number of colors from a larger palette— in the case of VGA, 256 colors out of 256,000. The OS/2 1 . 1 Bitmapinfo structure is fine as far as it goes, but it doesn't go far enough. Bit maps can be very large: A 256-color bit map at 640 by 480 pels is about 300K bytes. That number is inde- pendent of the image. Without compres- sion, even an all-black bit map will be that big. The Windows 3.0 Bitmapinfo struc- ture, which carries over into OS/2 2.0 as the Bitmapinfo2 structure, allows for run-length-encoded images with 4 or 8 bits per pixel. While not as effective as the Ziv-Lempel compression that Graph- ics Interchange Format (GIF) images use, RLE compression will reduce large areas of a single color to a few bytes. The new structure also specifies the resolution for which the DIB was cre- ated, the number of color indexes actu- ally used by the bit map, and the number of colors considered important for dis- playing the bit map. Windows 3.0 allows images with 1, 4, 8, or 24 bits per pixel and restricts the number of planes to 1. OS/2 2 . adds some extra fields to the DIB format. These govern, among other things, recording order (i.e., direction of scan when a bit map paints), color encod- ing, and halftoning. Windows 3.0 does not use these fields. Even OS/2 2.0 does not use them all yet. Although it does support halftoning, it has only one option for recording order (bottom-to-top) and one for color encoding (RGB structures). Getting DIBs Assuming you have installed Windows 3.0, you can find a small collection of ILLUSTRATION: NURIT BOCHNER© 1990 DECEMBER 1990 -BYTE 101 BEYOND DOS DIB images in your Windows directory. They have the .BMP extension and serve as wallpaper for the Windows desktop. You can find more DIB images on BIX in the microsoft conference, generally in ZIP files. You can also convert GIF images to OS/2 1 . 1 bit maps (which are also readable from Windows) using Gra- ham Welland's GIF2BMP, which you can download from the "ibm.os2 list- ings" area on BIX. Don't panic if you don't have OS/2: GIF2BMP is supplied as a bound execut- able file that will run on DOS 3.3 and higher and on any version of OS/2. Many GIF images are in the "photo listings" area on BIX, as well as the "ibm.os2" area and the microsoft conference; you can find thousands of GIF images in CompuServe's PICS forum areas, al- though downloading them can be costly. If you have access to clip art in PCX format, you can convert it to BMP format using PC Paintbrush for Windows 3.0. "Compiler Ads Are Confusing." JLh hey all claim that their products are the fastest and most powerful. Buzz words like optimized, integrated, and modular are everywhere— never meaning quite the same thing. We'd like to be more direct. We'll tell you what you can do with our compiler— then you make the comparisons. DUAL PERFORMANCE You have two compilers in one integrated package— Quick for speed applications development and optimizing for the best code generation— with a simple menu option to move between the two. ■ FLEXIBILITY You can interface directly with C or any other language. Write only one set of sources for DOS and OS/2, run the most complex applications with no change. ■ COMPATIBILITY You can generate code compatible with Microsoft Windows, using all window facilities. And develop Presentation Manager applications with no additional ] software. ■ OPTIMIZATION You get true global optimization, using data flow analysis and proprietary techniques, not just the I standard peephole optimization and automatic assignment of I variables to registers. ■ ENVIRONMENT You have many features you won't find in any other environment— like the ability to organize your code into separate libraries and set | compiler options both globally and on a per-module basis. And a make facility that is so well integrated, you don't even know it's there. ■ TOOLS You get a debugger, profiler, object librarian and overlay linker with unique capabilities. And a runtime library with surprises like interrupt driven serial communications, true multitasking, graphics, and mouse interface modules. | Stony Brook Professional Modula-2 (both the Quick and optimizing compilers for DOS and OS/2) for $295. Stony Brook QuickMod (for DOS or OS/2) for $95. Stony Brook— we eliminate the confusion. ■ The fine print version of this information with all the details, including our benchmark performances, will be mailed to you within 24 hours if you call our 800 number. 800/624-7487 805/496-5837 SSfi3SUo™i 805/496-7429 rax 187 East Wilbur Road, Suite 9 Thousand Oaks, CA 91360 SOFTWARE Your Partner in Softivare Development © 1989 Gogesch Micro Systems, Inc. To convert other formats (e.g., IFF, TIFF, and TARGA), you may have to re- sort to a utility program, such as HiJaak or TGL+. If you are converting TIFF files, be aware that there are several levels and types of TIFF format, and that not every TIFF reader supports every va- riety of file. For instance, HiJaak is un- able to read level 5 color TIFF files. Palette Management I mentioned palettes briefly when I was describing the Bitmapinfo structure, but I didn't go into all the implications of supporting a selectable palette. For start- ers, I'll consider a 256-color VGA dis- play, such as a Video Seven video RAM card with 5 12K bytes of memory. Windows 2.x and OS/2 1.x load such a display with a default palette. To paint a bit map without palette management, you have a choice of getting best-match solid colors or best-match dithered colors. The solid-color image will look posterized because of the false colors and loss of shading, and the dithered image will look very grainy. Such restrictions are quite obvious in Windows 2.x and OS/2 1.x GIF viewers and in other programs that try to display 256-color images. Under Windows 3.0 and OS/2 2.0, programs can control the palette using the system's palette manager. The sys- tem reserves 20 colors for its own use so that menus and icons will always be visi- ble; on a 256-color display, the remain- ing 236 colors are available. If you have the Windows 3.0 Software Development Kit (SDK), you can see the palette change if you run the SHOWDIB and MYPAL sample programs and display some 256- color images; otherwise, you can display images with Windows PBRUSH. Suppose two windows want different palettes. The palette manager gives pri- ority to the active (foreground) window; background windows can take the leav- ings. You can see this happen by putting up two images with different palettes and bringing them to the front alternately. You'll see the active image snap into its correct colors, the background image be- come posterized as the palette changes, and the background image adjust itself to the new palette as well as possible. On a 24-bit "true-color" display, the palette manager does very little. And on a 4-bit (16-color) display, there aren't any colors left over from the system pal- ette. Applications have to be aware of what sort of display they're running on and what sort of DIB they're displaying to do the right thing— but it isn't all that complicated if you start from the SDK examples. continued 102 BYTE* DECEMBER 1990 Circle 292 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 293) Mylex has the best EISA solution. At least that's what people tell us. "The Mylex MAE486 with its 32-bit EISA SCSI controller kills the competition for reading large sequential files in the IOBench 2 tests Under UNIX." Pe sonal Workstation, June 1990 "If I wanted to replace my entire system for optimum all-around performance, I 'd build it from Mylex EISA-based boards." Personal Workstation, June 1990 Ethernet LAN Adapter "The GXE020A TIGA board ...scored as much as 45 percent higher on our low- level benchmark tests than any other TIGA board evaluated." byte, April 1990 "Mylex has done a lot of work with EISA, and we plan to use its motherboard and adapters in a LAN Labs 'super-AT server." PC Magazine, May 1990 Of course, we've tested our EISA peripherals for compatibility with major EISA systems. #VV^J| £?^P To see what our high-performance EISA solutions can do for your system, call us at [ ^ %s^ Jm 1-800446-9539, or fax us at 1-415-683-4662. 486 is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation.TI 34020 is a registered trademark of Texas Instruments. Mylex is a registered trademark of Mylex Corporation, © Mylex Corporation, 1990 Circle 193 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 194) BEYOND DOS Getting Up to Speed I recently added DIB display and print- ing to EnPlot and Room Planner, two Windows 3.0 applications I've written. (EnPlot is a data-visualization and data- analysis program for scientists and engi- neers; Room Planner is a room-layout package for the hospitality industry.) To do that, I copied the SDK examples, modified the code somewhat to preserve my applications' mapping and back- ground modes, and wrote a few "glue routines." It took me about two days to add DIB support to Room Planner, and another day to add it to EnPlot. A big issue I had to address was what size the bit map should be on the screen. The natural size of a bit map is its dimen- sion in pixels. But I wanted my applica- tions to be WYSIWYG, and the resolu- tion of a laser printer is about four times the resolution of a screen, so that a bit- map image that is full-screen covers about l /i 6 -page when it is printed. Rather than explicitly scale the image to each resolution, I took advantage of Windows mapping modes. Room Plan- ner uses MM.ISOTROPIC mode, with the window extent set big enough to show the room dimensions in units of tenths of a foot; with this system, a bit map that is 100 by 200 pixels will be drawn the same size as a platform that measures 10 by 20 feet, no matter what the device resolu- tion. There are about half a dozen ways of getting the device-independent bit map from disk to screen. I chose to read in the file (being careful of the 64K-byte limit on far pointers), keep it in memory in DIB format, create a palette for it, and then send it to the screen or printer with StretchDIBits, since this is the only Graphics Device Interface function that correctly converts colors (i.e., to shades of gray) and scales the bit map as needed. W hen drawing to the screen, I set the background mode to transparent, select and realize the palette, call StretchDI- Bits, and then restore the old palette and background mode. When drawing to the printer, I skip the palette manager calls. After I've drawn the bit map, I release its memory. If I were drawing the same bit map over and over, I would probably convert the DIB to a screen-compatible memory bit map of the correct size once with Set- DIBits, and then I would BitBlt the con- verted bit map to the screen as needed, avoiding multiple conversions and gain- ing a little speed. As it is, my application may be drawing multiple bit maps that could not all reside in memory simulta- neously, so the StretchDIBits method is as good as anything. What Does It All Mean? Now that Windows 3.0 (and OS/2 2.0) support device-independent bit maps and palette management, the PC is ready to become a serious color platform. Not everyone can afford a 24-bit color display, but an 8-bit Super VGA with pal- ette management behind it can do a more than acceptable job of image display. Color separation, animation, and image- processing software aren't far behind. ■ Martin Heller develops software and writes about technical computer applica- tions. He holds a Ph. D. in physics. He can be reached on BIX as "mheller. " Your questions and comments are wel- come. Write to: Editor, BYTE, One Phoenix Mill Lane, Peterborough, NH 03458. Run with the Fox Fox Software is committed to excellence, and with products like FoxPro and FoxBASE+/Mac, we prove it. We've been producing superb database manage- ment software since 1983. And our products continue to win awards worldwide. For a FREE demo disk of any of our products, call (419) 874-0162 and see why "Nothing Runs Like The Fox!" Fox Software 134 W. South Boundary, Perrysburg, OH 43551 USA (419) 874-0162 / UK (44) 462-421-999 ^Computerized ^pop-up calculator DESIGNED FOR THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY Once in a lifetime someone, somewhere will come up with a marvelous idea or product whose time has come. Well, WE HAVE DONE IT! •A Computerized Construction Calculator that "POPS-UP" over any Accounting, Estimating, or Spread sheet, programs or even Word Processing. • Does BASIC MATH functions, HIGH LEVEL MATH, Converts Construction units of measure OVER 100 WAYS (SF to CY, LBS to TONS, LF to BF or MBF, SF to ACRES, etc. (In Imperial or Metric Measure). • PRINTS EVERY TRANSACTION ON AN AUDIT TRAIL. • ALLOWS YOU TO STORE UP TO 50 DIFFERENT TRANSACTIONS IN M EMORY and lets you select and total any group of Units of measure. (SF— $— CY— LF ONLY, Etc.). • The program will AUTOMATICALLY deposit the answer into the program that you were working on and then CALCULATOR WILL DISAPPEAR until you need it again! • Works on any I.B.M. PC or compatible AMAZING! UNBELIEVABLE? BUT TRUE! AND LISTEN TOTHE BOTTOM LINE... QNLY^^^^^^Q Dealer Inquiries Invited sT.sotorDEMOdisk Send S69.50 to order. (Add Sales tax in California) Racine Technologies • PO BOX 477 • Alpine, CA92001 • (619) 445-3692 A Subsidiary of LOGICAL PROGRESSION CORP. 104 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 Circle 114 on Reader Service Card Circle 255 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 256) Their 20MHz 386 System Alone: $ 6,354. CompuAdd's NEW DX Success Kit: $ 1995. And The Deal Gets Better... CompuAdd 320 system and monitor 40MB hard drive FREE Panasonic printer $299.95 value FREE mouse $34.95 value FREE Windows 3.0 $149 value FREE Microsoft Working Models FREE MS-DOS 4.01 $89 value We Give You A FREE Printer And More! CompuAdd's NEW DX Success Kit ■ Lower Priced Than Other Competitor's System Alone — Get the Printer, Software and Mouse FREE! A $573 Additional Value CompuAdd answers your demands for affordable 386-powered systems — and goes one better with the NEW CompuAdd DX Success Kit. The 320 system alone was $2259. Now you save $264 and get a FREE Panasonic KX-P1180 printer — a $299.95 value! Add to that, a FREE CompuAdd mouse plus FREE software worth over $230, and you have a deal that appeals to the shrewdest executive. The NEW DX Success Kit gives you the power of our 20MHz 386 system with the convenience of our popular "plug-and-go" kits. FREE CompuAdd Windows 3.0, FREE Microsoft Working Models and FREE CompuAdd MS-DOS 4.01 come preloaded on your hard drive, so your system is ready to go right out of the box! With the 320 at the heart of your kit, you have power for the most demanding tasks — detailed spreadsheets, complex databases, desktop publish- ing and even CAD/CAM. Compatible with OS/2 and Novell operating systems as well as MS-DOS and SCO XENIX, the 320 also makes an excellent net- work file server or powerful workstation. M f\' = \'- i« ! ■ . =»■ "~ l ^ S ^ l] CompuAdd's NEW DX Success Kit Features: 80386 microprocessor running at 20MHz 1 MB DRAM expandable to 16MB wait-state cache memory 40MB (28ms) hard drive 5.25" 1.2MB or 3.5" 1.44MB diskette drive Dual diskette controller Dual IDE hard drive interface Six 1 6-bit and two 8-bit expansion slots Five 5.25" half -height drive bays Built-in parallel and two serial ports High-performance MGA monitor and graphics adapter FREE Panasonic KX-P1180 printer $299.95 value FREE CompuAdd mouse $34.95 value FREE CompuAdd Windows 3.0 preloaded $149 value FREE Microsoft Working Models preloaded FREE CompuAdd MS-DOS 4.01 preloaded $89 value Part Number 66674 The Panasonic KX-P1180 printer that comes with your NEW DX Success Kit is a 9-pin near-letter- qiiality printer. Chosen as a PC Magazine Editor's Choice in November 1989, the Panasonic printer is a $299.95 value — yours FREE when you buy CompuAdd's NEW DX Success Kit. Get 386 Power, Kit Convenience and CompuAdd Value! Call 800-456-6008 Customer driven, by design. CompuAdd's Top-of-the-Line Technology at Bottom-Line Prices CompuAdd 316sl Laptop The CompuAdd 3 1 6sl — our hot- test seller — is the perfect on-the-go computing solution! It packs the power of the 386SX microproces- sor into a convenient laptop — at a price far below competitive models! Plus you get FREE CompuAdd Windows 3.0, FREE Microsoft Working Models, FREE CompuAdd MS-DOS 4.01, FREE LapLink II communications software and a FREE CompuAdd mouse. You'll find the crisp, clear VGA display and spacious keyboard a pleasure to use. And if you want to use your desktop color monitor and expanded 101 -key keyboard when you're not on the road, simply plug them into the built-in external ports. CompuAdd also offers portable printers, projectors and data displays to make your 3 1 6sl a complete office on the road! Check out the savings when you buy CompuAdd's 316sl Kit with Diconix printer and modem/send-only fax. CompuAdd 425 The technology of tomorrow is here! Based on the revolutionary Intel 486 microprocessor — the " mainframe on a chip" — the CompuAdd 425 delivers astonish- ing performance in a low profile system. Power for the most demanding spreadsheet, da- tabase, network or CAD/ CAM applications. And it's compatible with all your favorite 286 and 386 applications. Step up to the next generation of computing with CompuAdd 425! Think Technology, Think CompuAdd! 800-456-6008 Hours: Monday - Friday 7:00am to 9:00pm CST; Saturday 9:00am to 5:00pm CSV We acccjM MasterCard, VISA, money orders, certified thci hi ' allow ten itavs lor jiroiessiiiKJ, CiOlls (VSli minimum order), company and institutional pun li.i < ukr mim m.n ilia! i m- SMK), ilu-realler $50), and wire tiainlirs. I'leasc add 2'U, loall juireha\es tor shipping and handlinj; inn mi in 'I I i : in- will increase cost | uli , , < i i ! imUltl S 10). Please add appropriate local sales tax. Thit ly -il.iv mo ' • i n niee does not include n i i i t re videotapes, other (.-< l> i « i i i i h ji I i i number 1'itces ' ' l to eh, in i. <> i i t.ij I' !>i i ie,e due lo omissions or typographical errors. Call 8fHI-dMi-1872 . for a copy ot Coinpn Acid's complete warranty. CALL TODAY! or visit a CompuAdd Superstore for these savings. CompuAdd 316sl Laptop Features: 386SX microprocessor rated at 16MHz 2MB high-speed DRAM expandable to 6MB H wait-state page-mode memory architecture M 40MB (28ms) hard drive 3.5" 1.44MB high-density diskette drive Dedicated internal modem/send-only fax expansion slot M Dedicated 80387SX math coprocessor socket M Built-in serial, parallel printer, external VGA, keyboard and 5.25" diskette drive ports m High-resolution (640x480) VGA display 7" x 5.25" supertwist LCD screen (sidelit) 85-key keyboard with 101 -key emulation M FREE CompuAdd serial mouse 534.95 value m FREE CompuAdd Windows 3.0 $149 value m FREE CompuAdd MS-DOS 4.01 $89 value FREE LapLink II software with serial cable $89 value M FREE Microsoft Working Models B Carrying case M Dimensions: 12.7" x 12.4" x 2.4" Weight: 11.5 pounds W System Price: $2895 (62202) M Kit Price: $3195 (62203) (Kit includes Diconix 150 Plus printer and 2400 baud modem/send-only fax.) CompuAdd 425 Features: M 80486 microporcessor rated at 25MHz with internal 8KB cache and floating point processor M 4MB DRAM, expandable to 16MB 5.25" 1.2MB or 3.5" 1.44MB diskette drive 80MB hard drive Three 16-bit and two 8-bit expansion slots 91 16-bit videographics adapter CVGA monitor FREE CompuAdd mouse $34.95 value FREE CompuAdd Windows 3.0 $149 value m FREE Microsoft Working Models il FREE CompuAdd MS-DOS 4.01 $89 value System Price: $4995 (66652) CompuQdd ' Customer driven, by design™ 12303 Technology, Austin, Texas 78727 Telex: 763543 COMPUADD AUS 1-ax: Technical Support: Outside US: Canada: Mexico: United Kingdom: Germany: 512-335-6236 S00-999-9901 512-258-5575 800-387-3266 95-800-010-0401 0800-373535 0130-6009 EXPERT ADVICE MACINATIONS ■ Don Crabb ♦ Inspiration at the Year's End The Mac markets changed during 1990, and new markets are developing How time flies. The first year of the new decade whipped by as fast as a screen update on a Mac Ilf x. It's time to evaluate what's happened to the computing com- munity, including the Mac's position within it. In the IBM-compatible world, the Rest of Them have been cranking out 486 systems at higher clock speeds, and Windows 3.0 is a major improvement as far as DOS-based graphical user inter- faces (GUIs) go. Apple, after some dithering about, took muster and waged the battle of the market share on two fronts. It took the high ground in March with its introduc- tion of the Mac Ilf x, the first-ever Mac clocked at 40 MHz. In October, Apple began the blitzkrieg on the low end with three new low-cost Macs. Just as impor- tant, the company slashed prices on the existing models. Apple's attack plan so far has been im- pressive, but it's not without flaws. The Mac Ilf x's much-touted SCSI DMA will not •work with anything but A/UX. Sys- tem 7.0 still hasn't seen the light of day. The features on the low-cost Macs are so-so, including their pricing. If Apple is indeed in the market-share battle for the long haul, I wonder whether it will have the nerve to reduce prices further if the situation warrants it. In other words, we've gone through another year of some improvements to the Mac and its soft- ware, but we're still waiting for the next Mac revolution. I'm getting pretty itchy waiting for it to come. The one place I see a difference is not in the volleys from the big guns over- ILLUSTRATION: JOHN BREAKEY © 1990 head, but when I look in the trenches where the small Mac developers hunker down. Try as we might, we just can't kill these little guys. We entice them with promises of greater profits (Windows 3.0), hotter development systems (Next- Step), and other baubles, but they stick to the Mac like glue. Whatever the reason, it's these folks who make the most interesting Mac soft- ware today, and who typically define new software categories. These develop- ers think about more than just adding more features to a word processor or bet- ter kerning to a page-layout system. They think about what might be possible with a Mac. The Mac Gets Inspired Not surprisingly, one of the newer Mac products I've found is called Inspiration 2.0. It's from a tiny family-owned com- pany called Ceres Software in Portland, Oregon, and it's been around for a year now, largely ignored. I spent a pleasant time conversing with its creator, Don Helfgott. He calls his program a thought processor, but that doesn't do it justice. Inspiration 2.0 takes the Mac's ability to give you a consistent and meaningful GUI and lets you brainstorm, cranking out ideas by the bushel basket. It then or- ganizes the ideas in a way that helps you realize what, if anything, you've really invented. Inspiration 2.0 is sort of a vi- sual diagraming and outlining tool inter- weaved with a simple word processor. It's the first computer aid to creative thinking I've tried that actually works— and I've tried them all. The theory behind Inspiration 2.0 goes something like this. Databases, word processors, and spreadsheets store and access information in ways that don't help us relate information more clearly, because they fail to distinguish between right-brain thinking (i.e., creativity, images, comprehension, imagination, DECEMBER 1990 'BYTE 105 MACINATIONS Factoring Poly nomlals Inspiration 2. combines visual diagraming and outlining with a simple word processor. This Inspiration flowchart outlines the general algorithm for factoring a polynomial, as shown in listing 1. visualization, music, and daydreaming) and left-brain thinking (i.e., logic, se- quence, reasoning, and analysis). Inspi- ration 2.0 works by filling the gap be- tween these two kinds of thinking. Other programs have promised to ac- centuate the synergy between the right and left brains. Neil Larson's Maxthink, early versions of Dave Winer's Think- Tank outliner, ODS's Consultant, and a myriad of other shareware have all skipped through this software minefield before. None of them really pulled it off, however, because they just didn't have a good model to implement. Inspiration 2.0 has a good model, and that's why it succeeds. Rather than try- ing to be all things to all thinkers, the Helfgotts have pinned down their cus- tomers—writers, entrepreneurs, creative directors, analysts, planners, educators, and consultants. They did not make Inspiration 2.0 some kind of unwieldy general manage- ment tool, or imbue it with powerful fea- tures that its target audience will not need. In short, they didn't kitchen-sink this product by trying to make it fit the needs of a general presentation tool, a business graphics package, or a free- form charting tool. The only thing that Inspiration 2.0 as- sumes is that you think visually. If you never leave the mental domain of num- bers and text, Inspiration 2.0 won't do a thing for you. But if you think in terms of relationships and their organization, this program must be tried to be appreciated. I've spent the last month doing just that. In fact, I've fallen into its organiza- Listing 1 : This listing was derived from the Inspiration flowchart shown in the figure. Factoring polynomials Is there a common factor of all terms? Count number of terms Binomial Difference of two squares a2 - b2 = (a + b) (a -b) Sum of two cubes a3 + b3 = (a + b) (a2 - ab + b2) Difference of two cubes a3 - b3 = (a - b) (a2 + ab + b2) Trinomial Trial and error or AC method Four terms Factor by grouping Factor out common factor tional metaphors so easily that it's some- times hard to go back to a more tradi- tional outliner like More or Acta. I'm now using Inspiration 2.0 in my intro- ductory programming class (in which I teach HyperCard 2.0 and HyperTalk) to help my students invent and categorize algorithms and get them into a form that will suggest code to them. One way Inspiration 2.0 does that is by letting them come at both ends of a pro- gramming problem at the same time. My students learn about top-down design and bottom-up testing right from the start, but one thing they often miss is the inter- action between the two. Because Inspira- tion 2.0 can present your information either as a free-form chart or as an out- line, you can use the chart to plan your global program segments (top-down de- sign) and the outliner to punch out the code necessary for each segment (bot- tom-up testing). In a flowchart created with Inspiration 2.0 (shown at left), the general algorithm for factoring a polynomial has been out- lined. To code individual segments of this algorithm, you switch to Inspira- tion's outline view, where you can bang out and reorganize all the code state- ments (see listing 1). This sort of view change doesn't really scream to be no- ticed, but it's exactly the kind of subtle capability that makes Inspiration 2.0 so useful. Inspiration 2.0 isn't flashy, it isn't full of multimedia bells and whistles, it doesn't fit any traditional business com- puting category, and it's not expensive. Yet it's exactly the kind of software that made the Mac a ground-breaking ma- chine and keeps me hoping for better things. It's one more reason why the Mac can easily play the power, performance, and usable facility game with any desk- top computer. Tip of the Month: Software Bridge If you have to work between a Mac and the rest of the world— whether that world includes other Macs or PCs, whether on a network or running stand-alone— you need some good file filters or format converters. And if most of your work is with text on vastly different word proces- sors, you need world-class translators. The only company I know that provides such high-class translators is Systems Compatibility. It makes the Software Bridge for the PC and the Mac. The Software Bridge costs $129, pack- ing together a set of Apple File Exchange translators that cover 24 different word processor formats in one of 380 possible translator pairings. You can choose from 106 BYTE* DECEMBER 1990 L ou're traveling through another dimension — a dimension of increasing storage demands and rewritable optical technology. Submitted for your approval, storage solu- tions from the #1 source of optical storage systems in the world. Systems designed for Macintosh, SUN, DEC, HP, IBM ^ and compatibles. Support for ad- vanced applications running Unix, Xenix, A/UX, Novell, and more. 1 innacle Micro, the leader in this new storage revolution, provides expanded storage for multimedia, digital video, pre-press, desktop publishing, CAD/CAM, and other data-intensive applications. n the Optical Zone, these storage requirements are met with the latest optical technology available. From the world's first 3.5 inch optical drive to the largest selling 5.25 inch optical drives and disk changers. On line, network, backup and archiving i - * storage solutions from 128 Megabytes to 36 Gigabytes. Bf ith optical storage, your data's life is pro- longed and protected. Expansion is as easy as inserting another optical disc. With Pinnacle's program, systems can be ASCEM" 1 upgraded from 650 Megabytes to 1 Terabyte. See the future ... Store the future ... Recall the future ... The future is Optical. For further reference, check under "S "for storage, from Pinnacle in ... The Optical Zone. ©(800)553-7070 PlNNAaE/miCRO 15265 Alton Parkway • Irvine, CA 92718 • In CA (714) 727-3300 • FAX (714) 727-1913 THE OPTICAL STORAGE COMPANY* Circle 234 on Reader Service Card 24-bit Color is Just One MACINATIONS The Hercules Graphics Station Card gives you the real picture and power to spare. Power to run Windows 3.0 and beyond. With 1024K of VRAM for 16- and 24-bit color, up to 16.7 million colors are within your grasp. Pictures will appear more lifelike than ever. And with its TI 34010 processor,the Hercules Graphics Station Card frees your CPU from time-con- suming graphics functions. You can run programs like PageMaker, Excel and Corel Draw up to five times faster than the fastest super VGA card, even at 1024 x 768 resolution. Only the Hercules Graphics Station Card combines VGA for today's applications, the TI 34010 for more power and future applications, and 16- and 24-bit color high quality photo realism. All at a surprisingly low price. Call 800 532-0600, ext 722 for more information. After all, 24-bit color is just one of our strengths. © CiH'i)hi IHI. Hritilts Ciipim kituliu Ik . 921 Piiiti Sunt Bnkeltf . U 94711. Hetciltj lit Hwilts Juries Stuiii CiU irt UiliiiAs il Uttcilu tiifjiei! tckitlijf lit. All nttr pn/ici Hits ait lulmiks il llin itiKilut mtu. ill in iiiiflilulti' till Utrults. Circle 133 on Reader Service Card ITEMS DISCUSSED Inspiration 2.0 $199 Ceres Software 2520 Southwest Hamilton St. Portland, OR 97201 (503)245-9011 Inquiry 1146. Software Bridge Systems Compatibility Corp. 401 North Wabash Ave. , Suite 600 Chicago, IL 60611 (800) 333-1395 (312)329-0700 Inquiry 1147. .$129 Word 3. Ox and 4.0, MacWrite II, Micro- soft RTF, WordPerfect, ASCII, and DCA/RFT on the Mac, with dozens more PC formats supported. You can translate your files between Mac and PC formats or across platforms. The Soft- ware Bridge AFE translators all work like the ones from Apple, Data Viz, or Claris that you might already be using on your Mac. Unlike the Apple and DataViz transla- tors, the Software Bridge doesn't leave anything untranslated when it's done with your file. You'll retain the exact same formatting (e.g., boldface, under- lined text, indents, tabs, headers, foot- ers, fonts, and styles) in your translated copy as you had in the original. Graphics incorporated into the original Mac docu- ments are also translated exactly into other Mac formats. The Software Bridge translators auto- matically identify the file format before making the change, and they never limit you to one-way conversions. I've used the Software Bridge to convert files back and forth many times without any translation artifacts. I've never been very happy with the file translators that I've used from Apple and DataViz, since they always seem to leave untranslated residue. The Software Bridge for the Mac seems to fix these problems for just about any combination of file formats you might encounter. ■ Don Crabb is the director of laboratories and a senior lecturer for the computer science department at the University of Chicago. He is also a contributing editor for BYTE. He can be reached on BIX as "deer abb." Your questions and comments are wel- come. Write to: Editor, BYTE, One Phoenix Mill Lane, Peterborough, NH 03458. Lease a Macintosh System for as little as $43. 43 /month. Why You Should Buy Your Mac from CD A. Over the last ten years CDA has worked hard to create something unique in the field of computer mail order — a company that could provide customers with the support they would expect from a local computer dealer, along with the convenience and economy of direct-order, by mail, fax or phone. Thus CDA has grown with the computer industry and, in the process, has earned a rock-solid reputation for pro- viding superior-quality service and support. To insure you're 100% satisfied with your purchase, CDA offers a 30 Day Money-Back Guarantee as well as a full One Year Performance Guarantee on all orders. IBM/Macintosh Hardware Orange 386 $1699 DaynaFile Dual 5.25/1. 2Mb $699 Dayna Translation Software $89 AccessPCbyDayna $85 Soft PC by Insignia $129 Printers (cables included) Apple LaserWriter IINT $3395 Personal LaserWriter NT $2475 QMS PS 410 $2199 Scanners Microtek MSF 300GS w/SCSI .. $ 1 559 Modems DoveFax Desktop $279 DataLink Mac Internal (Mac II) $ 199 Monitors Mega Graphics 19" Rival $1 199 Magnavox 14" Color RGB $459 E-MachinesT- 16 w/card $2149 lkegami 20" Trinitron w/card $2799 RasterOps 19" Trin w/card ....$4569 Please call for our complete list of Macintosh hardware & software. Purchase Orders Welcome. Fax:(908)832-9740 Ad#50-12 In NJ/Outside US (908) 832-9004 Macintosh Classic System • Macintosh Classic w/40 Mb Apple Hard Drive, Apple SuperDrive, Keyboard, Mouse, & 2 Megabytes of RAM • HyperCard and MultiFinder • Virex (anti-virus) Software • Adobe Type Manager • 6 Outlet Surge Protector • 10 Diskettes • Diskette Storage Box • Mouse Pad Ask for Package #9 101 CDA Price $1,539 Only $43>7month* *Based on 48 month FMV lease US/Canada 800-526-5313 Macintosh Bisi System • Macintosh Ilsi CPU w/40 Mb Apple HD, Apple SuperDrive, and 2 Megabytes of RAM • Microphone • DataDesk Switchboard • Magnavox 14" RGB Monitor • HyperCard and MultiFinder • Virex (anti-virus) Software • Adobe Type Manager • 6 Outlet Surge Protector • Mouse Pad • 10 Diskettes • Disk Storage Box Ask for Package #91 10 CDA Price $3,769 Only $90. 2 Vmonth* *Based on 60 month FMV lease CDA Computer Sales Macintosh Bici System • Macintosh Ilci CPU w/built in Video Card, Microtech Nova 105 Mb HD Apple SuperDrive, & 4 Megabytes of RAM • Magnavox 14" Color Monitor • DataDesk SwitchBoard • HyperCard & MultiFinder • Virex (anti-virus) Software • Adobe Type Manager Software • Norton Utilities Software • Total Recall Software • Demo of Microsoft Excel • 10 Diskettes • Disk Storage Box • Mouse Pad • 6 Outlet Surge Protector Ask for Package #9 107 CDA Price $5,969 Only $l42. 4, /month* *Based on 60 month FMV lease 1 CDA Plaza, P.O. Box 533 Califon, NJ 07830 Apple Macintosh & LaserWriter are registered trademarks of Apple Computer Inc. Circle 65 on Reader Service Card Call me a lyre. (Or, how we wrote the book on PC mail order.) Truth tends to be stranger than fiction in the telltail town of Marlow, NH (pop. 564!). That's why you'll often find the local color gathered 'round the ancient sage as he recounts in vivid detail how our forest glade was transformed into a PC paradise. For, in days of yore, buying software and peripherals by mail was a perilous task, fraught with danger and uncertainty. Only those well versed in the black arts dared risk such unpredictable delivery and uncertain compatibility. Then one day the enlightened Order of the Connection appeared majestically on the scene, bringing the classic virtues of toll-free tech support, prompt shipping;:and way-under-retail prices to the brave new world of the IBM PC. Since that glorious day bur humble home has served as a beacon of light to noble users in cottages, condos, and corporations throughout America. That'll be the day. It's not every day of the week you get offered your very own 1991 PC Connection Calendar. This very timely offer includes 13 classic illustrations of our legendary mascots, all your favorite holidays, and fascinating historical facts about the fiefdom of Marlow, NH. This wondrous wall calendar is free to everyone who places an order of $750 or more between now and February 28. A Mark time with the PC Connection Calendar featuring our very own day-tripping mascots. Offer not available to accounts on net terms. One per customer. ©COPYRIGHT PC CONNECTION, INC., 1990. PC CONNECTION AND THE RACCOON CHARACTERS) ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF PC CONNECTION, INC.. MARLOW. NH. Trying to find the 1990 World Class Award for Best Mail-Order Company PCWMILD 1990 WORLD CLASS AWARD D 3V2" format available from us. Specify when ordering. B package includes both 5 1 /4" and 3V2" disks. e 3V2" format available from manufacturer by request. Call us for details. CP— copy-protected; NCP— not copy-protected. The four-digit number next to each product is the product's ITEM NUMBER. Please refer to this number when ordering. Thank you. SOFTWARE We only carry the latest versions of products. Version numbers in our ads are current at press time. Products listed here in red are Microsoft Windows Applications. Adobe Systems ... NCP 7902 DAdobe Type Manager for Windows with Microsoft Windows 3. 0- Automatically convert Windows 3.0 screen displays and dot matrix printed output to crisp, legible text at any point size. And Windows 3.0 itself is the Graphical User interface that is revolutionizing the PC industry. We're packing them together for a limited time at a great price $149. 6591 7547 7902 6590 7392 1332 Adobe Systems ... NCP B Illustrator Windows 1 .0 $279. BAdobe Type Manager for Windows 59. DAdobe Type Manager for Windows and Microsoft Windows 3.0 149. BStreamline Windows 1.0 229. BAdobe PostScript Cartridge 249. (Entire Adobe Type Library, from 1 to 133 is available. Call for more information.) Aldus ... NCP □ PageMaker 3.01 499. Avery ... NCP Fast & easy label printing. Design labels using special fonts, designs & clip-art. Includes pre-set layouts for Avery brand labels. 6006 BLabel Pro 1.0 (Laser) $49. 7336 BLabel Pro 1 .0 for Dot Matrix 49. Alpha Software ... NCP 5104 BAIpha Four 1.1 319. Application Techniques ... NCP 1214 BPizazz Plus 2.0 69. ASD Software ... NCP 7847 HPIanisofM.0 145. Ashton-Tate ... NCP 6580 MultiMate 4.0 299. 4450 DdBASEIV 1.1 499. Asymetrix ... NCP 7384 BToolbook 1.0 for Windows 309. Avery ... NCP 6006 BLabel Pro 1 .0 (Laser) 49. 7336 BLabel Pro LOforDot Matrix 49. Bastech ... CP (5 copies) 4665 El Bastech Utilities 2.07 25. Bitstream ... NCP 7568 BFaceLift 1.0 for Windows 2. x/3. . 59. 8040 BFaceLift for WordPerfect 5.0/5.1. . 59. 7569 DCompanion Value Packfor FaceLift 1 .0 (includes 25 typefaces) 125. BCollections: Newsletters, Flyers, Books & Manuals, Reports and Proposals, Presentations or Spreadsheets each 1 29. BFontware each 89. Bloc Publishing ... NCP 1447 BFormTool Gold 3.0 55. 8086 BPersonal Law Firm 1.1 59. 6245 BPop Drop Plus 1 .0 59. 8087 BRam Pack (Pop Drop Plus and Above Disk) 85. 4594 BFormFiller 3.0 89. Borland International ... NCP 7346 DTurboC++ 1.0 145. 7357 □ Turbo C+ + 1 .0 Professional 219. 7356 DTurbo Pascal Professional 2nd Ed. 179. 5335 DTurbo Pascal 5.5 109. 6242 BQuattro Pro 1 .0 325. 1514 BParadox3.5 569. Broderbund ... NCP 1434 HNew Print Shop 39. 1416 BNew Print Shop Companion .... 33. ButtonWare ... NCP 6419 HPC-File5.0 89. Caere ... NCP 6004 BOmnipage386 2.1 599. Central Point ... NCP 5039 BPC Tools Deluxe 6.0 95. 5038 DCopy II PC 5.0 29. 8114 BBackup 6.0 65. Checkfree 6360 CheckFree (electronic checking srv.) . 25. Chipsoft ... NCP 1663 BTurboTax 8.0 for 1990 Taxes 45. CompuServe 7546 DOS Membership Kit 23. Concentric Data Systems ... NCP 6575 BR & R Relational Report Writer 3B 109. Corel Systems ... NCP 5506 DCorelDRAW! 1 .2 329. Custom Applications ... NCP 7474 DFreedom of Press 2.2 255. D AC Easy ... NCP 1748 BAccounting 4.0 89. 1751 HBonus Pak 4.1 129. Bloc Publishing ... NCP With FormTool Gold ; design any form in minutes. With FormFiller 3.0, accurately plug in your data. It ; s a perfect forms team. 1447 HFonnTool Cold 3.0 $55. 4594®FormFUler3.0 89. best upgrade path? Data Storm ... NCP 4798 BPROCOMM PLUS 1.1 $65. DCA ... NCP 7936 BCrosstalk Communicator 1.0 .... 59. 2908 DCrosstalkXVI 3.71 119. 5611 DCrosstalk for Windows 1.1 129. Delrina Technology ... NCP 7351 BPerFORMPRO 1.0 for Windows. 299. Dow Jones ... NCP 5494 H News/Retrieval 24. Fifth Generation Systems ... NCP 7725 BDirect Access 5.0 59. 8804 BBrooklyn Bridge 3.0 89. 8729 BMaceVaccinel.O 89. 2762 DMace Utilities 1990 99. 7795 BDisklock 1 .0 109. 3950 BFastback Plus 2.1 119. FNN Data Broadcasting ... NCP 7005 BNewsReal 1 .0 99. FormWorx ... NCP 5810 □ FormWorx with Fill & File 2.5 .... 85. 7311 HForm Publisher for Windows 1.2. 145. Fox Software ... NCP 2233 (HFoxbase Plus 2.1 199. 6188 eFoxPro 1 .02 489. Franklin Software ... NCP 7071 BLanguage Master 2.0 59. 741 6 H Language Master 3.0 for Windows 59 . Funk Software ... NCP 2228 DSideways 3.3 52. 7380 3RD. Queue 1.0 (print spooler) .. . 55. 4479 DAIIways 1 .2 (for 1-2-3 or Symphony) 115. Generic Software ... NCP 2265 OGeneric CADD Level 3 5.0 225. Great American Software ... NCP 4880 DOne Write Plus Acct. Sys. 2.06. . 179. 5825 BMoney Matters 1.0 55. 4879 DPayroll for Accounting System 2.0 89. 7378 DFinancial Manager 479. Harvard Associates ... NCP 2324 BlPC Logo 3.0 59. hDC Computer Corp. ... NCP 7389 HWindows Express 3.0 55. 7383 BFirstAppsl.O 55. Corel Systems ... NCP 5506 DCorelDRAW! f.2-The world's leading PC illustration software now comes with even more value: CorelTRACE ; over 100 typefaces, over 300 dip-art images ; a Pantone license-all bundled in for free $329. Hilgraeve ... NCP 2323 BHyper ACCESS/5 1.1 (DOS& OS/2) $11 5. IBM ... NCP 6599 DCurrenM.1 239. Individual Software ... NCP 2415 BTyping Instructor Encore 3.0 .... 19. 6222 BResume Maker 1.1 29. Inset Systems ... NCP 7298 BHijaak2.0 99. 7300 BlnsetPlusHijaak 125. Intuit ... NCP 2426 BQuicken4.0 39. Isogon ... NCP 7478 BFontSpace 2.0 59. Laser Go ... NCP 7635 DGo Script Plus 3.0 189. LaserTools ... NCP 6882 BPrintCache 2.3 99. Lord Publishing ... NCP 5191 BRonstadt's Financials 1.02 75. Great American Software ... NCP 4880 DOne Write Plus kcountingSysteml.Ob- Complete small business accounting that provides easy set-up and operation. Includes 3 best-selling programs-Master (GL) ; Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable . . . $179. Lotus ... NCP 5417 □ 1-2-3 3.1 429. 5653 □ 1-2-3 2.2 349. 5134 BMagellan2.0 119. MECA ... NCP 4529 BCheckwrite Plus 1.1 29. 4603 B Andrew Tobias' Tax Cut-1990 Taxes 49. 7002 BHome Lawyer 1 .0 69. 2798 DManaging Your Money 6.0 135. Microcom ... NCP 7649 BVirex1.1 79. 6234 DCarbonCopy Plus 5.2 119. Micrografx ... NCP 7683 DCharisma 1 .0 349. Micro Logic ... NCP 6787 B Info Select 1.1 55. 1-800/776-7777 MMC PC Connection 6 Mill Street Marlow, NH 03456 790B SALES 603/446-7721 FAX 603/446-7791 Chipsoft ... NCP 1663 ® TurboTax 8.0 for 1990 Taxes-Tht best- selling easy-to-use and complete software for preparing individual tax returns. TurboTax provides on-line help ; IRS instructions and comprehensive tax assistance $45. Microlytics ... NCP 2731 DGOfer2.0 45. Microsoft ... NCP 7882 DProductivity Pack for Windows. . . 45. 7010 DWindows 3.0 99. 7388 BProjectfor Windows 1.0 469. 7387 BPowerPoint for Windows 1.0 329. 2904 DWorks2.0 99. 2901 DWord 5.0 209. 6195 BWord for Windows 1.1 329. 2856 BExcel2.1 329. 2894 DQuickBASIC 4.5 69. 2853 BC Compiler 6.0 339. Multisoft ... NCP 4925 DPC-Kwik Power Pak 1 .5 79. Nolo Press ... NCP 5122 DForthe Record 2.0 35. 2982 DWillMaker4.0 39. Norton-Lambert ... NCP 4928 DCIose-Up Customer/Terminal 3.0 135. 4929 DCIose-UpSupport/ACS3.0 165. ■Ml S> 4 nil Bitstream ... NCP Fast & easy-to-use ; Fa printer fonts to any si to give you prof essioi 756Z®FaceLift1.0for mO®FaceLift1.0for ceLift scales screen & it. Includes 13 typefaces lal documents instantly. Windows Z.x/5.0 . $59. WordPerfect 5.0/5.1. 59. ®: ALL ITEMS SUBJECTTO AVAILABILITY. PRICES SUBJECTTO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE. Or a faster way Software Ventures ... NCP 6889 \*\MicroPhone II for Windows-Tckcom software that ; s "a joy to use ; ;; says PC Computing. With Watch Me mode to auto- mate script creation ; and portability with MicroPhone scripts on the Mac $215. PC Globe ... NCP 5902 DPC Globe4.0 39. 5900 DPCUSA2.0 39. Personics ... NCP 4384 HUltravision 2.0 79. 7475 HMacro Editor/Debugger 1.0. .. . 135. 7048 B Monarch 1.0 (Data Mgmt. Tool) . 319. PowerUp ... NCP 7860 HCalendar Creator Plus 3.0 45. 7858 H Express Publisher 2.0 89. Precision Software .. . NCP 8102 HSuperbase2 1.2 219. 6600 HSuperbase 4 for Windows 1.2 . . 469. Qualitas ... NCP 7539 D386MAX 5.0 75. 7967 Blue MAX 1.0(386 PS/2) (3 1 / 2 " only) . 85. Quarterdeck ... NCP 6422 DQRAM1.0 49. 3221 DExpanded Memory Mgr. 386 5.1 . 59. 3220 DDESQView2.3 79. 4586 DDESQView386 5.1 129. Reality Reality Technologies ... NCP 6572 H WealthBuilder by Money Magazine 1.1- Save & invest wisely. Set financial goals & achieve them. Plan for retirement a child ; s education ; a home. Optimize your portfolio & track all of your investments $145. Reality Technologies ... NCP 7891 HWealthStarter 1.0 $49. 6572 HWealthBuilder 1.1 145. Reference Software ... NCP 4396 HGrammatik IV 1 .0 52. 7483 HGrammatik for Windows 1.0 52. Revolution Software ... NCP 4480 SVGA Dimmer 2.01 (screen saver) . 29. RightSoft ... NCP 4155 HRightWriter4.0 55. Samna ... NCP 5799 HAmi Professional 1 .2 309. Sitka/TOPS ... NCP 6675 DTOPS Network Bundle 3.0 159. 3720 Flashcard 2.1 (AppleTalk network card; 1 year warranty) 155. 6649 Hlnbox (20 user) (electronic mail) . 219. Softlogic Solutions ... NCP 3542 DSoftware Carousel 4.0 55. Software Publishing ... NCP 7769 HPFSPreface 1 .0 (with Viruscan) . . 49. 3499 DPFS:First Publisher 3.0 (with Deluxe Paint II) 99. 3478 DPFS:First Choice 3.02 (with Prodigy) 105. 3496 DProfessional Write 2.2 (with Professional File) 179. 3495 HProfessional Plan 1.01 69. 3482 D Harvard Graphics 2.3 359. 4766 HFirst Choice Network 299. 7507 HProfessional Writer Network 2.0. 349. 7513 HProfessional File Network 2.0 .. . 379. 3483 HHarvard Graphics Network 2.0 . 599. 4342 HFirst Graphics 1 .0 99. Software Ventures ... NCP 6889 HMicroPhone II for Windows 215. Solution Systems .. . NCP 7977 HBrief 3.0 (Programmer's Editor) . 155. Spinnaker ... NCP 7604 HPLUS for Windows 1.0 289. 4441 DResume Kit 1 .32 25. 4446 DEight In One 2.0 39. Systat ... NCP 7415 HSystat/SyGraph 5.0 649. Symantec ... NCP 3152 HNorton Commander 3.0 105. 6397 HThe Norton Backup 1.1 105. 3146 HThe Norton Utilities 5.0 125. 3425 DQ&A3.0 229. 3431 DTimeline 4.0 469. Systems Compatibility ... NCP 6564 DSoftware Bridge 4.1 79. 6570 DSoftware Bridge LAN 4.1 155. TIMESLIPS ... NCP 2987 DTimeslips III 4.0 195. 4277 DTimeslips III Network 399. 6994 DPercentEdge 1 .0 , 69. Timeworks ... NCP 6253 HPublish-lt! 1.1 115. Touchstone Software ... NCP 7420 HChecklt3.0 89. Traveling Software .. . NCP 5179 HLapLinklll3.0 95. True BASIC ... NCP 3561 HTrue BASIC 2.1 52. Vericomp ... NCP 6771 HMemory Master 1.1 45. MECA ... NCP 4603 ^Andrew Tobias' Tax Cwr-New power for handling your 1990 taxes. Import data from Quicken and/or TurboTax ; read last year ; s Tax Cut data ; and print your return- all with new versatility $49. Volkswriter ... NCP 6246 nVolkswriter-4 1.02 109. West Lake Data Corp. ... NCP 7577 DPC-FullBak-K 1.12 52. 7574 ePathMinder+ 1.0 79. 7575 ElValuePak (7'nc/udes 4 programs). . 69. WordPerfect Corp. ... NCP 7781 HLetterPerfect 1.0 135. 3804 DWordPerfect 5.1 265. 6685 HDrawPerfect 1.1 279. WordStar International ... NCP 6791 DWordStarProf. 6.0 279. 7605 DWordStar 6.0 Network 345. Xerox ... NCP 7796 H Ventura Publisher for Windows 3.0 569. XTREE ... NCP 6161 HXTreePro Gold 1 .4 85. ZSoft ... NCP 7016 HPC Paintbrush IV Plus 1 .0 119. 7014 HPC Paintbrush Plusfor Windows 1.12 89. Software Publishing ... NCP Holiday Bundles- "Free for all promotion! ;; 7769 ^Preface (with Viruscan) $49. 3499 DFirst Publisher (with Deluxe Paint II). 99. 3478 DFirst Choice (with Prodigy) 105. 3496 DProfessional Wnte(w/Profcssional Tile) 179. ®: to do complex math? Broderbund ... CP 8068 B Where in the World is Cartnen Sandiego Deluxe Mtion-Chasc Carmen & her band of thieves through 45 countries. Video & audio enhanced with location graphics provided by the National Geographic Society . . $52. RECREATIONAL/EDUCATIONAL 6030 8081 8079 1464 5701 8068 5851 5698 8112 6881 8109 5804 Accolade ... CP □Test Drive II: The Duel 32. □Jack Nicklaus' Unlimited Golf & Course Design 39. HSearchforthe King 39. Bible Research Systems ... NCP □The Word 4.3 (KJorNIV) 159. Broderbund ... CP HWhere/Time Carmen Sandiego? . 32. HWhere in the World is Carmen Sandiego Deluxe Edition 52. HSimCity 33. Electronic Arts ... NCP eAbrams Battletank 11 . □TV Sports Basketball 39. □ Populous 39. □ Harpoon 45. H Deluxe Paint II (Enhanced) 89. Toyogo ... NCP 7676 @Go Mister Deluxe-Chaos Manor Users Choice Award 1990 (Byte 4/90). Unites the Go playing abilities of Go Master, the corner- opening tutorial Joseki ; s Genius ; and the life and death consultant, Tactical Wizard. $88. HyperGlot ... NCP 7849 DWord Torture- French $29. 7853 DWord Torture - Spanish 29. Lucas Film . .. CP 8113 HPipe Dream 19. 7583 Dlndiana Jones &L.C 35. 5803 DTheir Finest Hour (Battle of Britain) 42. Microsoft ... NCP 7881 □Entertainment Pk for Windows 1.0 29. 2858 □Flight Simulator 4.0 39. Microsoft Press (Books) 8127 Working with Word for Windows ... 20. 8126 Running with DOS 4th Edition 20. 8129 Running Windows (2nd Edition) ... 22. 8136 Running Microsoft Excel 22. Parlor Software ... CP 3159 nBridge Parlor 2.3 49. Penton Overseas .. . NCP HVocabuLearn/ce Levels I & II (French, Italian, German, Spanish, Russian, Hebrew and Japanese) each 39. Sierra On-Line ... CP 6023 HLeisure Suit Larry III 39. 6796 HCodename: Iceman 39. 6972 HConquestsof Camelot 39. 5106 HSpace Quest III 39. 7972 DKing's Quest V 45. Spectrum Holobyte ... NCP 3467 HTetris 22. 5993 HWelltris 22. 5817 HVette 25. 7602 HFaces 32. Spinnaker ... NCP 5580 DSargon IV (Chess Game) 32. Software Toolworks ... NCP 6436 ElHunt for Red October 20. 4659 HChessmaster 2100 (CP) 35. 4534 HMavis Beacon Typing 35. 7372 eWorld Atlas 42. 7879 HU.S.A. Atlas 42. Stone & Assoc. ... NCP 7564 HYoung Math (ages 5 to 8) 22. 3434 HKids Stuff (ages 2 to 6) 22. 3435 a Letters, Numbers, Words (ages 2-6) 22. 3436 BMemory Lane (ages 2 to6) 22. 5231 HPhonics Plus 22. 3439 H2nd Math (ages 7 to 16) 27. 3433 HAIgebra Plus Vol 1 (ages 13+) ... 27. Toyogo ... NCP 7676 HNemesisGo Master Deluxe 88. True BASIC, Inc. ... NCP El Kemeny/Kurtz Math Series, each 45. HARDWARE Manufacturer's standard limited warranty period for items shown is listed after each company name. Some products in their line may have different warranty periods. 1-800/776-7777 "■■-""'-'•■ ?"c.V Microsoft ... NCP 7881 DEnterminment Pack for Windows 1.0-A collection of games and a screen saver made especially for Microsoft Windows 3.0. The perfect gift for any Windows user! ... $29. 7108 6811 7107 7106 1299 8041 4107 4105 6979 7001 7061 7135 6998 6999 6995 7026 American Power ... 2 years APC Smart-UPS 400 339. 360SX (stand-by power source). . . 219. 450 AT (stand-by power source). . . 279. 520ES (stand-by power source). . . 329. AST Research ... 2 years SixPakPlus384kC/S/P 179. SixPak286 0k 105. RAMpage Plus 286 512k 419. RAMpage Plus MC 512k 419. VGA Plus Video Card (256K expandable to 512K) 199. Boca Research ... 5 years BOCARAM/AT PLUS (0-8 Meg) (LIM 4.0 extended) 125. BOC ARAM/XT OK (0-2 Meg, LIM 4.0) 99. TophAT (16-bit backfill 51 2K to 640K) 99. l/OBoardforAT 59. I/O Board for MicroChannel S/S/P . 109. SuperVGA (800 x 600, 16/8 bit) . . . 115. 1 2 4 VG A ( 16 bit non-interlaced) . . 149. MMC PC Connection 790B 6 Mill Street Marlow, NH 03456 SALES 603/446-7721 FAX 603/446-7791 CH Products ... lyear Pick the stick the pros use, & the thrills are on us. HightStick w/FREE Falcon! New two-port ; automatic gamecards complete the package. 8119 HightStick wfFalcon & GameCardlll $79. 8120 HightStick w/Falcon 61 GameCardMCA 95. .®: Or what odd glitch The InteP Math Coprocessor, helps save you time. r Intel ... 5 years 80187XL & 80l87XLTMath CoProcessors-Kuns up to 50% taster than other 80287 math chips. The 80287X1, works in virtually every 80286- based PC ; and the 80287X1 J is made especially for Compaq LTE/286. . each $199. Bravo Communications ... 2 years 7400 2 Pos. Laser Compatible Switch Box 109. Brother International ... 1 year 5787 HL-8e Laser Printer (HP2comp.). 1399. Canon ... 1 year 7894 BJ-10e BubbleJet Printer^. 6 lb.). 349. 7896 Sheetfeederfor BJ-10e 75. CH Products .. . 1 year 7341 Gamecard III Plus (for MicroChannel) 49. 7935 Gamecard III -Automatic 33. 8119 FlightStickw/Falcon&GameCardlll . 79. 8120 RightStick w/Falcon & GameCard MCA 95. 7345 Rollermouse (Trackball) serial 85. bus 99. Compucable ... 2 years 1604 2-Position switch box 25. 1605 3-Position switch box 35. Cuesta Systems ... 1 year 1608 400 Watt DataSaver 429. 5130 600 Watt DataSaver 599. Curtis ... lifetime 1704 Universal Printer Stand PS-1 18. !teWM»aitf386Whdps . Intel ... 5 years 2346 Inboard 386/PC with Free Samna Ami- Gives you 80386 processing power ; 1 Mb RAM ; and Samna ; s powerful Windows- based word processor (regularly at $129). 30 Day Money Back Guarantee $519. 1694 EmeraldSP-2 $36. 1708 Ruby-Plus SPF-2 Plus 65. 7358 Command Center 93. Glass Filter Plus (specify size) . . ea. 65. Data Technology ... 1 year 6249 5280 (AT Floppy/Hard Controller). . 119. 6248 7280 (AT Floppy/Hard Controller) . 129. Datadesk ... 3 years 6901 Switchboard 175. Epson ... 1 year We are an authorized Epson Service Center. 1906 FX-850 (80 col., 264 cps, 9 pin) . . . call 1904 FX-1050(736co/., 264 cps, 9 pin). . call 5183 LQ-510 (80 col., 180 cps, 24 pin). . . call 1930 LQ-850 (80 col., 264 cps, 24 pin) . . call 1917 LQ-1050 (136 col., 264 cps, 24 pin) call 5184 LX-810 (80 col., 180 cps, 9 pin) .... call 1052 Printer-to-IBM cable(6feefj 15. 7775 Equity LT286e Laptop 1995. 7774 Equity LT386SX Laptop 3069. Removable Hard Drives for Epson Laptops 7776 20 Meg . . 499. 7777 40 Meg . . 699. Intel ... 5 years Above Boards-mi Quarterdeck QRAM and Manifest with any Above Board or piggyback; now through December 31 ; 1990! see Intel listing for prices. 5th Generation . .. 1 year 7157 Logical Connection Plus 512k. . . . 599. Hayes ... 2 years 2307 Smartmodem 2400 349. 8049 JT-FAX 9600B 499. 7391 Ultra 9600 Modem 899. Hewlett-Packard ... 1 year 7976 DeskJet 500 (w/ink cartridge) .... 599. 6754 LaserJet III (w/toner) 1699. 6582 LaserJet I IP (w/t oner) 1069. Intel ... 5 years 6421 2400B MNP Internal Modem 199. 4696 2400B Internal Modem 159. 2352 2400B Internal Modem 2 (for PS/2) 249. 5119 2400 Baud External Modem 179. 6420 2400EX MNP Modem 229. 7880 9600EX Modem 549. 2346 Inboard 386/PC w/1 Meg (wftree Ami) 519. 2348 Inboard 386/PC w/1 Meg Piggyback 349. 4646 Inboard 386/PC w/4 Meg Piggyback 669. 4266 Above Board Plus 512k 369. 4267 Above Board Plus I/O 512k 399. Intel ... 5 years 7880 9600EX Afa/e/w-Provides ultra-fast data communications without sacrificing compat- ibility. Supports V.32 & V.42 9600 bps opera- tion; as well as MNP Level/5 and Hayes compatible 2400/1200/300 bps modes . $549. 5336 5342 4272 5396 7782 7552 7385 4750 2371 2372 4121 2375 2374 2582 7899 4518 5800 5802 7912 5831 7581 7862 5464 7768 5151 6029 4297 4794 7975 5990 4762 7595 6668 Above Board Plus 8 2 Meg 599. Above Board Plus 8 I/O 2 Meg . . . 629. Above Board 2 Plus 512k 469. Above Board MC 32 0k 359. SatisFAXtion (fax board) 399. NetPort (3 year warranty) 489. MATH COPROCESSORS 80287XL (16 MHz 80286 CPU's)... 199. 80387SX (16 MHz 80386SX CPU's) 309. 80387 (16 MHz 80386 CPU's) 349. 80387-20 (20 MHz 80386 CPU's) 399. 80387-25 (25 MHz80386 CPU's) 429. 8087 (4.77 MHz 8088 CPU's) 89. 8087-2 (8 MHz 8088 CPU's) 129. Kensington Microware ... 1 year Master Piece Plus 109. Expert Mouse serial. . 119. bus. . 129. Keytronic ... 3 years 101 Plus Keyboard 99. Kraft ... 5 years 3 button Thunder Joystick 29. Trackball 59. G/S+ (microchannel game card) . . 79. Game Card/Thunderstick Bundle . . 55. KI30 Joystick 29. TopTrack (Laptop Trackball) 79. Logitech ... limited lifetime C9 Mouse for PS/2's 69. C9 Mouse with Windows 149. HiREZ Mouse (C9) 85. Trackman (Trackball) serial 85. bus 89. ScanMan Plus (hand scanner) ... 185. Scan Man Plus (MicroChannel) . . . 219. ScanMan 256 319. Magnavox ... 1 year CM9032 (73" l/G^Mon/fo/; .42 dot pitch) 299. 9CM082 (73" VG^Mon/fo/; .37 dot pitch) 349. Micron Technology ... 2 years Intensify 2 Meg Expansion for HP LaserJet IIP or III 175. Intensify 2 Meg Expansion for HP LaserJet II or IID 219. your hard disk hath? Microsoft Press Best MS-DOS & Windows computing books. 8127 Working with Word for Windows .... $20. 8126 Running with DOS (4th Edition) 20. 8129 Running Windows (2nd Edition) 22. 8136 Running Microsoft Excel 22. Intensify 4 Meg Expansion for HP LaserJet 1 1 or IID 357. Beyond Memory Board for PS/2 Model 70 (2 Meg) 265. Microsoft ... lifetime Microsoft Mouse 89. Mouse with Paintbrush 109. Mouse with Windows 3.0 149. MicroSpeed ... 1 year PC-TRAC Trackball (incl. copy of Welftris) serial 75. 6008 bus 85. Inport 79. 6330 PS/2 79. Mouse Systems ... lifetime Trackball (1 yr. wrnty.) serial 75. bus 85. PC Mouse III 99. NEC ... 2 years Multisync 2 A (VGA Monitor) 499. Multisync 3D Monitor 689. Orchid Technologies ... 4 years Peanut VGA (256k) 129. ProDesigner VGA II (1024 x 768). . 299. ProDesigner/e (256k) 209. 8 /ie Memory Card (1 Meg) 349. PC Power & Cooling ... 1 year REPLACEMENT POWER SUPPLIES Turbo Cool 1 50 (25°- 40° cooler). 129. Turbo Cool 300 165. Silencer 150 (84% noise reduction) 115. lnnersource2210(/ntema/l/PSJ . . 399. Pacific Data Products ... 1 year 25 Cartridges in One! (for U II, IIP, IID) 275. 25 Cartridges in One! (for U III) 349. Memory upgrade for LaserJet IIP/Ill 1 Meg . . . 149. 7055 2 Meg .. . 199. 3 Meg . . . 279. 7759 4 Meg . . . 339. Memory upgrade for LaserJet II 1 Meg ... 179. 6838 2 Meg .. . 249. Memory for Tec Engine Laser Printers 2 Meg . . . 219. 7633 4 Meg . . . 369. Pacific Page (PostScript Cartridge for LaserJet IIP/Ill) 379. Pacific Page with free 2 Meg Memory Board (for LaserJet II) . . . 379. Outlines I. 209. 7631 Outlines II . 209. 6831 Plotter in a Cartridge (LJ IIP, IID, III) $249. 6832 Plotter in a Cartridge (for LJ II) 249. 6835 Headlines in a Cartridge (U II, IIFj IID) 209. 7324 Pacific Print (for Novell LANS) .... 235. Practical Peripherals ... 5 years 3101 1200 Baud Internal Modem 65. 3100 1200 Baud External Modem (mini) . 77. 3103 2400 Baud Internal Modem 135. 3102 2400 Baud External Modem 179. 5286 2400 Baud Int. MNP Modem (Lev. 5) 175. 5285 2400 Baud Ext. MNP Modem (Lev. 5) 209. 4542 2400 Baud Internal Modem for PS/2. 229. 8132 PM2400 Pocket Modem 99. 7934 PM9600SA 489. PSION .. 1year 7086 MC600 Mobile Computer 2149. 7090 512K Flash EPROM 309. 7962 3V2" External Drive 299. Reflection Technology .. 1 year 7127 Private Eye (virtual display) 499. SAFE Power Systems ... 2 years 4561 Safe250W 199. 6747 Safe 400S (Slimline) 399. MicroSpeed ... lyear PCTRAC Tmckball-The PC Magazine Editor's Choice (8/90)! Economically designed ; it requires a desk space less than 4 inches wide. 6007 Serial ... . $75. 6008 Bus . . . . $85. 7271 Inport 79. 6330 PS/Z 79. 4562 Safe 425W 329. 7913 Safe650W 459. 7914 Safe800W 599. 4560 Safe 1200W 739. Targus ... lifetime 4899 Nylon Laptop Carrying Case 55. 7028 Foliopac 79. 6037 Premier Leather Carrying Case. . . 199. TheComplete PC ... 2 years 5140 TheComplete Page Scanner 549. 8082 TheComplete Half Page Scanner/400 w/ReadRight Personal OCR Software 289. 6797 TheComplete Fax Portable 319. 1-800/776-7777 MMC PC Connection 6 Mill Street Marlow, NH 03456 SALES 603/446-7721 FAX 603/446-7791 790B \ PARADOX Borland International ... NCP 1514 ^Paradox 3.5— This powerful database manager is even stronger. It provides faster performance using less memory while managing any available expandable or extended memory (up to 16 Mb) $569. 4887 5828 4885 8083 6622 6623 6624 7890 7889 7903 6018 6019 7979 6200 6201 6202 6198 6203 TheComplete Fax 9600 429. TheComplete Communicator .... 449. TheComplete Answering Machine 249. ReadRight Personal (for TheComplete Half Page Scanner/400) 149. Tripp Lite ... 2 years BC-200 (200W Battery Backup). .. 179. BC-325 (325W Battery Backup). . . 219. BC-450 (450W Battery Backup) . . 269. BC-750 (750W Battery Backup) . . 469. BC^200(1200W LAN Backup)... 649. CCI6- 1 2 (Command Console) 69. LC-1200 (1200W Line Conditioner) 159. LS-600 (600W Line Stabilizer) 85. LS-604 (600W Line Stabilizer w/ORC Voltage Protection) 99. Isobar 6-6 (6 outlets, 6 ft. cord) 59. Isobar 8-12 (8 outlets, 12 ft. cord) . . 69. Isobar 8RM (with remote control) .. 79. Isoblok IB-2-0 (2 outlets, no cord) . . 29. Isotel (4 outlets, R J II protection) ... 59. RightSoft ... NCP 4155 QRightWritir 4.0-Now available! Premier grammar and style checker with more than 5 ; 500 rules. Works within WordPerfect, Multimate, Microsoft Word ; WordStar, Professional Write and Q&A Write. . . $55. ®: * DEFECTIVE SOFTWARE REPLACED IMMEDIATELY. DEFECTIVE HARDWARE REPLACED OR REPAIRED AT OUR DISCRETION. WfeVe got the story. Video 7 ... 7 years 3778 Vega VGA $155. 5883 1024i VGA (includes 512k) 219. 4931 VRAM VGA512k 379. DRIVES IOMEGA ... 1 year 5116 Bernoulli II Single 44 Meg Internal 995. 5117 Bernoulli II Dual 44 Meg External 1969. 5113 44 Meg Cartridge Tripak (5 1 M "). . . 249. 2500 PC2B Controller 229. 2503 PC4B Controller (MicroChannel) . . 299. 7551 Bernoulli II Transportable 44 Meg . 997. Mountain Computer ... 2 years 2917 40-60 Meg Interna! Tape Drive . . . 259. 2916 40-60M Ext. Tape Drive (w/power supply) 489. 5500 80-152M Int. Tape Drive 629. 5502 83-152M Ext. Tape Drive 799. 5190 DC2000 Pre-formatted Cartridges ea. 35. 6153 DC2120 Tape Cartridge (5 pack) . . 135. Practical Peripherals ... 5 years 8132 PM2400 Pockt Ata-2400bps perform- ance in a tiny package. Attaches to and draws power directly from the RS232 serial port. Great for laptops, desktops ; or Macs . . $99. Pacific Rim ... 1 year 5011 360k External 179. 7727 360k External for PS/2 189. 5009 1.2 Meg External 209 5010 1 .2 Meg External (forPS/2's) 215. 6602 1 .44 External (for PC/XT/ AT) 239. Plus Development ... 2 years 6425 Hardcard II 40 Meg (19 ms) 399. 6424 Hardcard II 80 Meg (19 ms) 699. Seagate ... 1 year 2285 20 Meg Int. Hard Drive ST225 r> /controller and cables, 65 ms) . 2286 30 Meg Int. Hard Drive ST238R (^//controller and cables, 65 ms) . 4554 40 Meg Int. HD ST251 -1 (28 ms) . 7102 ST251 -1 Model 25 (^/controller) . 7103 ST251 -1 Model 30 (w /controller) . 7099 ST251-1 PC/XT (w /controller) . . . 7154 ST138R-1 Model 25 (w /controller) 7155 ST138R-1 Model 30 (w /controller) 7153 ST138R-1 PC/XT (w /controller) . . TEAC ... 1 year 4950 360k Drwe(forPC) $79. 4951 720k Drive (specify XT or AT, 3 W) . 75. 4670 1 .44 Meg Drive for PC/XT (3W). . . 89. 4326 1.44 Meg Drivefor AT 109. 6951 1.2 Meg Drivefor AT 99. 6952 1 .2 Meg Drive for PC/XT 99. The Intel SatisFAXtkm Board adds a tax and a modem towu Intel ... 5 years 7782 SatisFAXtion-Stnd and receive faxes from within most applications using the print command. Built-in 2400 bps MNP modem standard. Includes coupons for free PC Tools and Fax-It software $399. Hg PACIFIC Pacific Data Products ... lifetime 7158 PacificPage Personal Edition 4.0-New and improved PostScript emulation for your HP LaserJet IIP, IID or III. Faster, superb font quality. Minimum 1.5M printer memory required $379. 255. 2789 2790 269. 2792 329. 2793 339. 339. 3291 329. 3292 359. 3297 359. 3298 359. 6659 DISKS Maxell ... lifetime 5V4" MD2-D 360k Disks (Qty. 10) . . . . 12. 5V4" MD2-HD 1.2Mb Disks (Qty. 10). . 19. 3V2" DS/DD 720k D'skertes (Qty V).. 14. 3V 2 " DS/HD 1.44Mb D'ekettesfQy V) 27. Sony ... lifetime 5VV' DS/DD 360k Disks (Qty. 70 ) . . . . 10. 5V4" DS/HD 1.2Mb DisksfQty 10) . . . 19. 3V 2 " DS/DD 720k Diskettes (Qty. V) . . 13. 3V 2 " DS/HD 1 .44Mb Diskettes (Qty. 10) 22. QD 2000 Tape Cartridge 19. MEMORY 6556 256k DRAMs (100 ns, set of 9) .... 29. 5510 1 Meg x 9 SIMMs (80 nanosecond). 79. 5746 1 Meg Chips (80ns,setof9) 69. OUR POLICY 9 We accept VISA and MASTERCARD only. * No surcharge added for credit card orders. 9 Your card is not charged until we ship. * If we must ship a partial order, we never charge freight on the shipment(s) that complete the order (in the U.S.). * No sales tax. * All U.S. shipments insured; no additional charge. » APO/FPO orders shipped 1st Class Mail. * International orders U.S. $250 minimum. * Upon receipt and approval, personal and company checks clear the same day for immediate shipment of your ordei: * COD max. $1000. Cash, cashier's check, or money order: * 120 day limited warranty on all products.* * To order, call us Monday through Friday 8:00 AM to 1 :00AM, or Saturday 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM. You can call our business offices at 603/446-3383 Monday through Friday 9:00AM to 5:30 PM. Reflection Technology ... lyear 7127 Private Eye-h large screen in a small box. A tiny virtual display whic h offers a full-size, 12 ;; IBM CGA auxiliary screen to PCs & laptops. View privately in planes or meetings. Brighter than LCDs $499. SHIPPING Note: Accounts on net terms pay actual shipping. Continental US: » For heavy hardware items such as printers, monitors, Bernoulli Boxes, etc. pay actual charges. Call for UPS 2nd-Day & Next-Day-Air. * For all other items, add $3 per order to cover UPS Shipping. For such items, we automatically use Airborne Express at no extra charge if you are more than 2 days from us by UPS ground. Hawaii: * For monitors, printers, Bernoulli Boxes, computers, hard drives, and power backups, actual UPS Blue charge will be added. For all other items, add $3 per order: Alaska and outside Continental US: » Call 603/446-7721 for information. © (X)PYRIGHT PC (X)NNECT10N, INC.. 1990. PC (XJNNECnON. PCTV AND THE RACXXON OiARACTEF^S) ARE REGISTERED TT^ ~'. ' ----- - -__ - && ■ *> hi i BairCmi Serw & ri Designed with developers in mind — you can incorporate the .FairCom Servers directly into your applications. Something Oracle and MS/SQL Server wont let you do! . , 1 ■ No other server can match | the speed, flexibility or concur- rency of FairCom Servers. ■ Multi-threaded design I increases performance— the server utilizes all the previously unused time spent waiting for locks or I/O operations. ■ Industrial-quality transaction I processing, including full commit and roll-back, intermediate save points and complete logging. 1 H Compatible with c-tree plus, | ANSI-standard SQL QBE, our nat- I ural language query tool, and other interfaces. . i ■ Two configurations (Fairbom Server or FairCom SQL Server) — i each comes with a complete c-tree plus file handler; FairCom I SQL Server also includes an ANSI- i standard SQL engine. F, airCom introduced the first portable server to the developer community in 1988. Since then developers have been demanding increased user response time, faster server performance, more flexible interface options and industrial-quality transaction processing. The kind of server technology that devel- opers can incorporate into their applications to create more sophisticated, flexible and dependable DBMS products. FairCom Servers. The server technology developers have been waiting for. The FairCom Servers utilize high perfor- mance design features: ■ Multi-threaded design ■ I/O minimization. Sophisticated pro- prietary caching and compression algorithms reduces I/O functions ■ Key locks. Minimizes interference between users while maintaining maximum data availability. Transaction Processing — The heart of the FairCom Servers. FairCom provides industrial quality on-line transaction processing (OLTP) and fully auto- matic recovery, including full commit and roll back intermediate, save points and complete logging. No other server can match the spee flexibility or concurrency of FairCom Servers. Complete interface flexibility. FairCom Servers offer developers two cor figurations. The FairCom Server is an ultra- high performance server utilizing the widely accepted c-tree'" and c-tree plus'" Applicatioi Programmers Interface (API). The FairCom SQL Server includes c-tree plus and a full ANSI-standard SQL, serving both SQL and non-SQL clients simultaneously. The FairCom Server can also be used in i stand-alone (vs. a network) configuration — it can be tightly coupled with a developer's application. FairCom — A decade of performance and quality. This new client/server technology break- through will come as no surprise to the U.S. and international software developers who have been utilizing FairCom products during the past decade. Our file handling technolog is incorporated in the products of many lead- ing companies including 3Com, Hewlett Packard, NCR, Cray, Informix, Sharp, Digital Research, IBM and others. Call (800) 234-8180 to get a complete technical overview of the latest generation c servers — FairCom Servers. The developers client/server. corporation 4006 WEST BROADWAY- COLUMBIA, MO 65203 -PHONE 314.445.6833 • 800.234.8180 • FAX 314.445.9698 Circle 107 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 108) EXPERT ADVICE THE UNIX /bin ■ David Fiedler Back to the Workstations II An overview of personal computers, workstations, and how they are colliding in the marketplace What with all the new high- resolution Unix worksta- tions and the move toward open systems, some people are already proclaiming the death of the personal computer. They have a point, but it's not that Unix will be taking over the world or that you'll be forced to give up DOS after New Year's Day. And PCs as you have come to know them (and in some cases love them) are not going away. They're just going to get better. No Computer Is an Island The point is that the world of computers has been changed forever by the intro- duction of networking. Whether you're using Novell or Network File System (NFS) in your office and BIX or a BBS at home, almost all machines these days can be hooked up to others. It's almost essential for obtaining and sharing the information resources that people are finding necessary. People generally think of LANs when they're talking about networks. How- ever, today's computers must be able to hook up to wide-area networks, such as Usenet or Internet, as well as general- purpose information networks such as BIX or CompuServe. These allow you not only to retrieve information stored in value-added databases, but also to in- teract with hundreds of thousands of other users. In many cases, you can ask a question in the morning in a conference (also called newsgroup or forum) dedi- cated to a particular subject and have answers from knowledgeable users later on that same day. This capability is often underestimat- ed by people who have never seen it in action. Imagine having the power to ac- cess industry experts (and get written re- sponses) without paying any more than normal communications charges! The future will bring even more inten- sity into this area, because— at least in North America— everyone is getting wired with fiber optics and coaxial cable (right now, it's just carrying cable TV). This will eventually allow companies to offer high-speed digital data communi- cations to homes and offices, so that you'll be able to just plug your computer onto the network (without a modem) and connect to anybody, anywhere. Sounds futuristic, but it's coming. The 1-Minute LANager Despite this movement in the world of dial-up databases, the really exciting things for the office are happening in LANs. As I mentioned in this column a year ago, Sun's version of Unix intro- duced local-area networking in the form of NFS, which was quickly brought to Berkeley Unix. In a LAN, you hook up machines via Ethernet cable, using in- dustry-standard protocols such as TCP/ IP, so they can communicate with each other at a speed approaching that of a hard disk. NFS allows you to access a file from anywhere on a LAN, without hav- ing to know which machine the file is located on. Networking wasn't limited to just one vendor, since other manufacturers (nota- bly Digital Equipment Corp.) also based their products on Berkeley Unix. Even more important, NFS was ported to other operating systems, so PCs and mainframes could also hook up to the LAN. AT&T countered with its Remote File System, which didn't catch on well. But its new version of Unix, System V release 4, will have both NFS and RFS, ILLUSTRATION: DAVID MONTIEL © 1990 DECEMBER 1990 • B Y T E 119 THE UNIX /bin which neatly wraps things up for every- body. Of course, the power of LANs isn't just in the ability to share databases and print resources, although that's been about the limit of many PC LAN instal- lations. Networks also give you the op- tion of configuring powerful servers that can be accessed by workstations without expensive disks of their own. Thus, these diskless workstations can be made rela- tively powerful (say, with high-resolu- tion graphics and good CPU perfor- mance) while still being economical enough to put one on everyone's desk. This gives people a lot of computing power so they can be more productive. The Mac Factor While there are many people who think of PCs as "computers that run DOS," many Macintosh users out there would disagree. In many ways, the Mac has a lot more going for it than PCs and their clones— at least when you're discussing networks, workstations, PCs, and Unix. The Mac can be a real workstation, even by my rigorous definition, when it's running A/UX 2.0, Apple's latest ver- sion of Unix. By all accounts (I haven't had the chance to work with it yet), A/UX 2.0 is the environment that Apple was promising when it first released A/UX: an operating system that runs real Unix, the X Window System, and virtu- ally any Macintosh application. It does all this, remarkably, without giving up that user interface that has made the Macintosh so popular. Not only that, but an optional software emulator allows you to run DOS applications from A/UX as well. For a great many people, this can be the best of all worlds. Workstations vs. PCs So where does this all lead? The work- station market has already been fairly well defined. It's that huge list of prod- ucts typified by offerings from Sun, HP/ Apollo, DEC, IBM, Data General, Sony Microsystems, and a host of others. This group of formidable competitors has been chasing after basically the same customers (although the market for workstations has itself been expanding). Factor that in with the return of reason- able pricing for RAM chips and the plethora of powerful £PUs, and the net result is that workstation prices have dropped dramatically. In the PC market, you have the same price drop for memory, and certainly more powerful CPUs are common. The i486 and 68040 are probably the leaders in the high-end PC market, while less ex- pensive 386SX chips and 386 clones are rapidly bringing down prices for that level of power. High-resolution VGA boards are already fairly standard in the PC arena. Again, Macs have enjoyed this advantage from the beginning. Microsoft Windows 3.0 is introducing large numbers of PC users to the elegance and ease of a graphical user interface (GUI), even if it isn't quite as elegant as some users might like. PCs of all types are networked these days, so everyone is familiar with the concepts of LANs, Ethernet, and file servers. And the Unix operating system is becoming so main- stream that everyone from PC users to MIS managers seems to have at least a nodding familiarity with it. It's the Best of Times Clearly, it's time for the revolution. With workstation prices starting below $5000 THE MOST ADVANCED CORDLESS MOUSE HE ZEN MCDUS Available in cordless and corded models for IBM PC's, PSITs, and compatibles. • Dynamic Tracking • 10-1000 dpi • No Cleaning Required • Rechargeable • Compatible with Microsoft"' Logitech 7 " and MSC Mice • No Mouse Pad Required • Compatible with virtually all application software • Made in USA ZENY COMPUTER SYSTEMS INC. 4033 Clipper Court Tel 415/659-0386 Fremont, California 94538 Fax 415/659-0468 20% OFF WITH THIS AD AT BUS DESIGN At last, here is the timing book for the XT ajid AT Bus. Detailed text, tables and diagrams tell you what each signal line is for, what it does and when it does it All the information is compatible with the IEEE P996 Specification for the ISA (AT) Bus. In addi- tion, the 8 and 16 bit parts of the EISA Bus are included. AT Bus Design, by Ed Solari, has over 200 pages, with more than 100 figures and tables. Handy 7" x 9" format, soft cover, $69.95. pT? EE We'll include a free copy of the pocket- sized XT-AT Handbook by Choisser and Foster with each AT Bus Design book if you tell us where you saw this ad. Of course, this $9.95 value is also available by itself. Or buy five or more for only $5.00 each. 800-462-1042 619-271-9526 /McsterCaidj Annabooks 12145 Alta Carmel Ct., Suite 250 San Diego, CA 92128 FAX 619-592-0061 Money-back guarantee 120 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 Circle 344 on Reader Service Card Circle 28 on Reader Service Card TARE FOR CLOWNS • Juggling files, documentation, people and time is no way to manage a software project. You need to know who is working on what, which files are being changed and why. And your team should be moving ahead on development, not stuck in costly collisions, MKS RCS - Your Project Manager MKS RCS (Revision Control System) helps keep your pro- ject from becoming a juggling act by maintaining a com- plete history of changes to a file and giving you access to any of the changes. MKS RCS also automatically saves crucial descriptive information about each revision. An advanced user interface and excellent documenta- tion make MKS RCS extremely easy to use. Or if you prefer, you can operate from the command line. MKS RCS can automate every aspect of your project, handle both binary and text files with ease, provide unlimited branch- ing and merging capabilities and compress log files to save valuable disk space. The Bigger the Better The more complex your project, the more you need MKS RCS. In a multi-user environment, eliminate access conflicts e with locking options. Manage and track development to deliver your project on time, on spec and on budget. For individual projects, MKS RCS handles the headaches of recording and retrieving files. Whether you are on a LAN or an individual PC, MKS RCS will make you more productive. Price and Performance Leader MKS RCS has all the features you will ever need in a revision control system at a price that will fit your budget. MKS RCS for DOS is just $249; for OS/2, SCO or 386 Unix $349. A 5-CPU LAN license for DOS is $995; for OS/2, SCO or 386 Unix $1,395. Call MKS for LAN pricing for more than 5 CPUs. MKS Software Management Tfeam Reduce the juggling act even more with the MKS Software Management Tfeam (MKS RCS and MKS Make) . You set up the rules stating which files must be changed when other files are altered, and MKS Make automatically keeps those files in synch. TO ORDER, CALL: 1-800-265-2797 (continental U.S. only) 1-519-884-2251 (outside continental U.S.) 1-519-884-8861 (FAX) Full 30 day money back guarantee. Australia 03-419-0300 03-555-4544 England 0763 244114 0364 53499 071 833 1022 Finland 08-5054536 France 01 47 95 01 07 Netherlands 020 14 24 63 Sweden 0762704 60 West Germany 0551 -704800 0721 886 664 06126/595-0 MKS. MKS RCS and MKS Make are trademarks ol Mortice Kern Systems Inc. UNIX is a lrademarkol AT&T 35 King Street North Waterloo, Ontario Canada. N2J 2W9 Circle 192 on Reader Service Card THE UNIX /bin and plenty of PCs priced over that, cost is no longer the issue. You're about to see PCs turn into workstations, and worksta- tions turn into PCs. The only things holding back the inevitable tide are old habits and operating-system religion. As I write this column, Sun is starting an ad- vertising campaign aimed at PC owners, based on exactly the points I mentioned in my October column. In the next few months, I expect to fi- nally see some real diskless workstations based on PC technology: They'll be in- expensive (under $2500), single-box computers based around a 386 or i486 CPU, with built-in Ethernet, mouse, serial, and parallel ports. They will come with a certain amount of software in ROM, which will drive the ports and display, running X Window or perhaps a higher-level GUI. The rest of the software will be deliv- ered on disk for installation on the serv- er. This will include DOS and Unix, as well as software that will connect them transparently. I hope and expect to see Apple introduce the same types of prod- ucts, perhaps by making a lower-cost Macintosh with enough of A/UX built in that the cost and complexity doesn't go too high. Next, you'll have to go the other way around. That would be something like this: a RISC-based workstation (possibly built around SPARC and SCSI architec- ture) that has the usual Unix workstation capabilities, plus a separate 386 proces- sor with its own memory and AT expan- sion slots, and a VGA display that could be just another window on the screen. The 386 would run DOS on its own so it wouldn't slow down Unix (or vice versa), but you could share files between the two operating systems the way VP/ix does now. The price would be competitive with both high-end PCs and current workstations. Computers from Mars Think I've finally inhaled too much sol- der smoke? The workstation I just men- tioned is already a reality. I will skip the most obvious jokes and simply tell you that the machine is called the Mariner 4i and it's from Mars Microsystems. You can buy the color version for less than $9000 including a disk drive. The DOS module is an extra $2000. Yes, I know it sounds almost too good to be true. No, I haven't personally tried or seen one yet, although the folks at Mars swear that I'm going to be one of the first to receive an evaluation unit. You can communicate with Mars (I couldn't resist that one) at P.O. Box 1080, Mars, PA 16046, (412) 934-1040, fax (412) 934-1060, or E-mail at uunet! marsmcrolbr. This is oneof those occasions where "if it didn't exist, I would have had to in- vent it," since the Mariner really does exactly fit the scenario as I outlined it. Things are starting to happen almost as fast as they can be predicted, which means we're in for an interesting decade for sure. ■ David Fiedler is executive producer of Unix Video Quarterly and coauthor of the book Unix System Administration. He has helped start several Unix-related publications. You can reach him on BIX as u fiedler. " Your questions and comments are wel- come. Write to: Editor , BYTE, One Phoenix Mill Lane, Peterborough, NH 03458. Mltiple-Chote Our Hostess multiuser serial controllers are an excellentchoiceforuptoeightoccasional users. The Hostess 550 provides buffering for even higher performance. And for truly high perfor- mance, choose the Ultra 8. 122 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 Expand up to 16 users with the Ultra 16 high performance intelligent serial controller. But if your multiuser requirements are more modest a 16 port Hostess 550 controller makes an equally intelligent choice. Our Ultra Cluster gives you the flexibility and power for virtually limitless growth. Starting with an Ultra 8 base board, you can expand 16 users at a time, while maintaining current levels of performance every step of the way. Multiply Your Choices At Comtrol we pioneered multiuser technology. And we know that there are no single solutions to other company... from text to graph- ics .. .for modest users to over 64 users supported by a single PC. 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With software that enhances standard operating system graphics drivers, MultiVision is compat- ible with virtually any monitor, keyboard, mouse or VGA controller supported by the operating system. MultiVision can also run applications de- signed for the "X" environment. But unlike a LAN-based "X" terminal, MultiVision is a multiuser system that transfers data up to 100 times faster. When you compare that performance with the cost of an "X" terminal... MultiVision's advantages really compute. Multiplied Protection We back our products with an uncom- promising 30-day satisfaction guarantee, a *5 year warranty, complete technical support, and most importantly... a com- pany that's easy to do business with. It all adds up to the best protection plan available. And if you're a VAR, call us about our Reseller Program that provides you with options designed exclusively for your needs. *iyr. Muiuvtsion for Multi-Users. Options Our products offer serial port and memory options that are field upgradable; compatibility with ISA (AT), MicroChannel and EISA buses; RS232, 422, 485 and Current Loop interfaces and DB 9, DB 25 and RJ 45 connectors. Graphics Comtrol When yourneedsmovebeyond text, MultiVision moves into view-a high speed (100 megabits per second) communications controller that offers near instantaneous multiuser graphics like you've never seen before. Circle 74 on Reader Service Card A Control Systems Company Multiply your choices. Call Comtrol today. 1-800-926-6876 Comuol Corp, 2675 Patton Road, P.O. Box 64750 St. Paul, MN 55164 ©1990 COMTROL CORPORATION. All rights reserved. All other brand names and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. Upto32 Simultaneous PGto-Mainframe Connections with No Impact on Your DOS or UNIX Applications! Your applications shouldn't have to compete with 3270 communications for your PC's scarce resources. That's why we deliver our Supports NetView, HLIAPI 3.0,andCLEO'SownAPI. DataTalker 3270 high-perfor- mance PC-to-mainlrame con- nectivity software on powerful co-processor boards with on board memory. With DataTalker 3270, you can offload all communica- tions processing and screen storage to the co-processor, freeing your DOS or UNIX system for applications processing. As a result, users can perform up to 32 simultaneous mainframe sessions without affecting performance. DataTalker 3270 provides full emulation of IBM 3278 terminals and 3274 controllers, along with 32 LUs, 512K RAM, file transfer (INDjSFILE), BSC or SNA support, and IBM 3287 printer em- ulation. Line speeds of up to 56K baud are supported. Adds only IK to DOS appl cations, 40K to UNIX To learn more, call us today at 1-800-233-2536. Or write to us at 3796 Plaza Drive, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48108. FAX: 313/662-1965. CLEO CLEO Communications A Division of Interface Systems, Inc. AVAILABLE WORLD WBE! In Europe, call Sintec Peripherals Ltd in Slough, England, at 0753-811888 (FAX: 0753-811666). EXPERT ADVICE NETWORKS ■ Mark L. Van Name and Bill Catchings ♦ KICKING and Screaming into the Present DEC'S LANworks for OS/2 is the latest of the firm's grudging steps to embrace PC networking standards Once upon a time, standards for using and linking computers came blasting from corporate MIS departments like missives from above. Those days are gone. To- day's standards arise from the micro- computers that sit on our desktops. Mini- computer vendors have been slow to recognize this change, and they've paid for their slowness with decreased sales. Networking was one area where many minicomputer vendors thought they were safe. After all, Digital Equipment Corp. and others have long had their own pro- prietary networking products. No need to make VAXes adhere to microcomputer LAN standards; just move the VAX stan- dards to the microcomputers, and all will be well. This strategy led to DEC's first PC networking products, PCSA (Personal Computer System Architecture) and DEPCA, DEC'S proprietary Ethernet PC Adapter. PCSA was basically DECnet, the VAX networking standard, for the PC. To run PCSA on a PC, you needed a DEPCA or a 3Com Ethernet board. With those products, PC users could work with files stored on a VAX, print on VAX printers, and log onto the VAX. DEC provided these file and print ser- vices by using DECnet in conjunction with two PC standards: the NetBIOS and SMB (Server Message Block) protocols. Those two protocols are at the base of PC LAN operating systems like 3Com's 3 + Open. By following them, DEC was able to use a standard PC file-service re- director on top of its own DECnet proto- col stack. Unfortunately, PCSA can't es- cape its DECnet origins: Client PCs must run a DECnet protocol stack. Few, if any, PC LAN users run DECnet as their main transport protocol, so their normal LAN software won't work with the VAX; when they run DECnet, they can't use their standard LAN servers. PCSA's requirement of either a DEC or a 3Com Ethernet board is also a prob- lem for PC users accustomed to being able to shop around for the cheapest or fastest Ethernet card available. PCSA could have avoided this by following the Microsoft/3Com Network Driver Inter- face Specification, but it didn't. NDIS defines an interface with which Ethernet board device drivers can communicate with higher-level protocol stacks. By supporting NDIS, PCSA would have been able to work with any NDIS-com- patible board. DEC also didn't look too closely at typical PC LAN operating-system pric- ing schemes when it wrote the PCSA price book. While most PC LAN operat- ing-system vendors, such as Novell, charge per server license, DEC charges for PCSA per client license. DEC actu- ally bundles the VAX server software li- cense with every VAX. You then pay $215 for each PC that you want to attach. A fee of $215 per PC license is cheap as long as you don't hook up too many PCs, but the story changes when you connect a lot of systems. PC buyers who expect to spend $3000 to $5000 per server for soft- ware and then hook as many clients as possible to that server will not be happy when PCSA' s cost for 50 PCs comes in at over $10,000. The problem with PCSA was that DEC ignored a simple fact: Microcomputer users outnumber minicomputer users by a substantial margin, and that margin is growing. Therefore, the right way to link a minicomputer to a microcomputer is to bring the microcomputer networking ILLUSTRATION: CURT DOTY © 1990 DECEMBER 1990 • B Y T E 125 Circle 280 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 281) EasyLAN II™ The Care Free Resource Sharing Network- For 2 PCs The original EasyLAN has over 100,000 happily installed users. Now EasyLAN II is introduced. Highlights: - Supports Baud Rates to 1 1 5,000 - PC-to-PC Messaging - Supports Remote Operations Operate remote applications Operate remote fax or modem - Print Spooling/Sharing - File Transfer - Pop-up Menu - Background Operations PC Magazine ...Cast Iron Reliable... Call Toll Free - Today To Order, or Free Information 800/835-1515 US A or Canada EasyLAN II - $149.95 Server Technology 2332-A Walsh Ave Santa Clara, California 95051 Fax 408/738-0247 Tel 408/988-0142 $89 letwork • : - -' NETWORKS PROGRAMMERS DON'T USE SHELLS, THEY WRITE THEM. If you or your clients require a custom menu system, Mi-Shell is the ideal tool . . . generate the perfect DOS shell with Mi-Shell's Forth- like script language. • Uses less than 10K • Built in debugger • Fast browser & multi window editor • Includes several pre-defined scripts WHY BUY SOMEONE ELSE'S SHELL? To order call 800* 542* 0938 VISA and MasterCard accepted rooklyn, NY 11217 • Voice: 718-398-3838 • BBS: 718-638-2239 standard to the minicomputer, not the other way around. Another Perspective Novell figured this out well before DEC, and the result was NetWare VMS. Net- Ware VMS lets a VAX act as just another server on a NetWare LAN. With it, PCs running client NetWare software can read and write VAX files, print to VAX printers, and even manage VAX servers just as they would any standard NetWare PC server. NetWare VMS even adds a terminal service, which is not available on regular NetWare servers, for those who need to use their PCs as VAX ter- minals. Unfortunately, NetWare VMS has a few serious problems. We noted one of the biggest ones in an earlier column: The product is based on older NetWare technology that is now out of date. Newer NetWare features, such as the ability to store Macintosh files on the server, are not present under NetWare VMS. The product's performance is also not great; on our simple file transfer tests, for ex- ample, NetWare VMS ran significantly slower than PCSA. The most potentially devastating prob- lem, however, is that NetWare VMS and normal PC NetWare use slightly differ- ent implementations of Ethernet. Conse- quently , if you have an existing NetWare LAN and you decide to add a VAX to it, you can't use the same client driver soft- ware on your PCs to talk to both the VAX and your standard NetWare servers. You can work around this problem by con- verting all your current NetWare client PCs to DEC'S type of Ethernet, but that means running different software on all the client and server PCs. You can also use a NetWare bridge to handle the trans- lation, but that, too, is a hassle. Little Steps Forward We expect Novell to fix these problems someday, but right now they're major ones for existing NetWare sites. Mean- while, DEC is not standing still: It is slowly migrating its products toward PC standards. One of the first such steps was purely cosmetic: DEC renamed PCSA to LAN- works for DOS and replaced DEPCA with its EtherWorks boards. The next step was far more significant: DEC an- nounced a VAX-Macintosh networking product, LANworks for Macintosh, that adheres closely to Apple's current net- working standards (see our October Net- Works column). With LANworks for Macintosh, DEC took a giant step toward the microcomputer-dominated future by 126 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 Circle 218 on Reader Service Card SmartCache Plus: the grow-as-you-go approach to SCSI controllers START WITH THE BEST... DPT's entry level SmartCache Plus board offers unrivaled price/performance for single-user systems. It.features ISA .or EISA bus mastering, and universal SCSI disk compatibility for all PC operating systems. SmartDriver software supports SCSI-2 peripherals like tape and optical drives. NOW ADD CACHING! 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DPT has your solution— no matterhow . you grow. Performance, compatibility and upgradability make SmartCache Plus the only SCSI controller you'll ever need.. FoY details, contact Distributed Processing Technology, 140 Candace Drive, Mait- land, FL 32751 . Phone (407) 830-5522; FAX (407) 260-5366. In Europe (UK) ; phone 44 (0)488 4319. Circle 98 an Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 99) Circle 180 on Reader Service Card NETWORKS Slew Maplnfofor Windows™ and Maplnfofor Macintosh™ can find, display, and analyze your ata geographically. Overlay data dks&Ig from spreadsheets, databases and ASCII files onto maps-front worldwide to street level We can even supply maps and data for the entire U.S. Street maps, ZIP codes, counties, demographics, and more. Work with your data in three ways: on maps, graphs, and in traditional rows and columns. Use the built-in SQL querying tools to perform powerful analyses. And now, you can share data across platforms. 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Unfortunately, this new release, while more in tune with PC standards than DEC's previous PC A shard as it might be for a minicomputer company to believe, PC servers will often contain data that VAX users might want to access. networking offerings, still has a long way to go. From the PC perspective, the major positive feature of LAN works for OS/2 is that it now conforms to the NDIS stan- dard. It should, therefore, work with any NDIS-compatible Ethernet adapter. The biggest drawback is that LANworks for OS/2 still uses DECnet. At first glance, DECnet's presence seems to mean that, yet again, you must choose between talk- ing to a VAX server and talking to a stan- dard PC server. Fortunately, that's not necessarily the case. First, it's at least theoretically pos- sible for a client LANworks for OS/2 PC to run two different protocol stacks at the same time and thereby work with both VAX and PC servers at once. For exam- ple, by running both DECnet and Net- BEUI (NetBIOS Extended User Inter- face), a client PC could work with both a VAX server and a standard OS/2 LAN Manager server. We don't know of any software that currently provides this abil- ity for OS/2 clients, but it is possible. LANworks for OS/2 does include a second way for client OS/2 PCs to talk to both VAX and OS/2 LAN Manager serv- ers: Put DECnet on the OS/2 server. This feature is available because you can buy both client and server LANworks for OS/2 1 . 1 software. (The server package is based on Microsoft's LAN Manager 2.0.) In this approach, the PC server, not the clients, runs both DECnet and Net- BEUI. Those clients that are content to ignore the VAX can continue to use their normal NetBEUI software, while those that want to see both the VAX and the PC server run DECnet. The server can han- dle both types of requests. This solution is obviously not perfect, but it indicates DEC's grudging accep- tance that client PCs might want to talk with both VAXes and other servers. To embrace the PC standards entirely would mean abandoning DECnet on PCs in favor of NetBEUI and/or Novell's SPX/ IPX, a move that we don't think DEC is anywhere near ready to make. Even without that step, however, there's room for improvement in LAN- works for OS/2. For one thing, the VAX should be able to be both a client and a server. As hard as it might be for a mini- computer company to believe, PC serv- ers will often contain data that VAX users might want to access. LANworks for OS/2 also follows the same client-based pricing scheme as DEC's DOS and Mac products. The cli- ent software runs $215 per system, while the OS/2 server software is $325 per sys- tem. If you want to run a single OS/2 PC as both client and server, you have to buy both licenses. Still Not Far Enough LANworks for OS/2 is a small step for- ward, but it's not enough. DEC seems aware of this, because the firm is work- ing on alternatives to the DECnet proto- col stack. We have heard about only one for sure— TCP/IP, which is due early in 1991— but we hope that NetBEUI sup- port is in the works as well. DEC is also developing a LANworks product for its VAX Unix operating system, Ultrix, and the firm plans to bring LANworks for DOS in sync with its OS/2 offering by adding NDIS support to the DOS prod- uct. Clearly, the people at DEC are slowly coming to recognize the importance of adhering to microcomputer networking standards. We hope that they, as well as the other large-system vendors, continue to do so, and do so fast enough to survive the ongoing blitz of the little systems. ■ Mark L. Van Name and Bill Catchings are BYTE contributing editors. Both are also independent computer consultants and freelance writers based in Raleigh, North Carolina. You can reach them on BIX as "mvanname " and "wbc3, " respectively. Your questions and comments are wel- come. Write to: Editor, BYTE, One Phoenix Mill Lane, Peterborough , NH 03458. 128 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 Our Printer Sharing Unit Does Networking! An integrated Solution Take our Master Switch 1M , a sophisticated sharing device, combine it with MasterNet™ networking software for PCs, and you've got an integrated solution for printer and plotter sharing, file transfer, electronic mail, and a lot more. Of course you can also share modems, minis, and mainframes or access the network remotely. Installation and operation is very simple. Versatile Or you can use the Master Switch to link any computer or peripheral with a serial or parallel interface. The switch accepts over 20 commands for controlling the flow of data. It may be operated automatically, by command, or with interactive menus. Its buffer is expandable to one megabyte and holds up to 64 simultaneous jobs. 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Box 74257A • Houston, Texas 77274 • Tel (713) 933-7673 • FAX (713) 933-0044 • Telex 4948886 Circle 269 on Reader Service Card TOLL FREE I.S.C. Power Systems 1-800-955-4858 orders only WA7M HEWLETT IXl PACKARD SAMSUNG ($? Seagate PRINTERS HEWLETT PACKARD LaserJet III .RRJCEMATCH! Laser Jet IIP PR1CEMATCH! LaserJet II D . . .$CALL Desk Jet/Desk Jet Plus $CALL Laser Jet Toners $ 79. 250 Sheet Paper/Letter Tray $ 59. KENSINGTON 100% HP Compatible Memory Boards IMGUpgrade CALL 2MGUpgrade , . . CALL 4 MG Upgrade ..... CALL PANASONIC KXP 11 80 192 cps, 80 col. 9-pin , . .$ 164. KXP 1124 192 cps/24-pin . . $ 275. KXP 1624 1.92 cps, 132 col. 24-pln . .$CALL KXP 1695 330 cps, 132 col, 9-pin . . . . . . $0ALL KXP 4420 Laser, 8 page per minute $CALL EPSON LX810 180/30, 9-pin « $ 175. FX850 330/88, 9-pin $ 325. LQ850 330/88,24-pin $ 515. LQ950 264/88, 24-p in $CALL LQ510 180/60, 24-pin . . , $ 314. FX1050 264/54, 9-pin . $429. LQ1050 330/88,9-pin . . . . ......$ 699. LQ2550 400/108. 24-pin $CALL LAPTOPS TOSHIBA Toshiba T1000 $ 575. T1000SE $CALL T1000XE SCALL T1200XE . . . $CALL T160028620MB , . . .$2350, T160028640MB $2650. T3100E28640MB $2550. T3100SX40MB . .$3550. T3200SX40MB . . . .$3700, T5100386 100MB . . . . $4250. T520038640MB .$4500. T5200 386 100MB .$4900, COMPAQ Deskpfo286E20mb/40MB . ' . $ 2050/2350. Deskpfo386S $CALL Deskpro386/20E40MB .$4225. Deskpro386/20E 110MB . . .$4750. Deskpro386/25E84MB .$5450. Deskpro386/25E 110MB $6150. Deskpro386/25E 300MB $8450. Deskpro 386/33 84MB $7200. MODEL 486/25N 120MB/320MB/650MB £ALL Portable III 20MB/40MB $ 3350/3950. Portable 386 40MB/1 00MB . . $ 4750/5550. MONITORS SAMSUNG 1257 Amber (12"72Gx350) $ 74. 1464 RGB (14' 640x200) -.-$ 205. 1453 EGA (14" 690x350) .......,$ 319. VGA (14" 720x580) . .$ 349. NEC Multisync 2A 14' (800x600) VGA $460. MultisyncGS14"Mono $CAUL Multisync 3D 14" (1024x768) EGA/VGA .$580. Multisync 4D 16" (1024x768) .28DP ,$CALL Multisync 5D 20" (1280x1024) .31DP . .$CALL PACKARD BELL/PGS/SONY Mono 12" Amber 720x350 . .$ 74. PGSUItrasyncH'VGA $SALL Sony 1302/1304 $CALL VIDEO CARDS __ PARADISE VGA 1024x768 with 512K $CALL PC BRAND Mono Graphics w/Printer Port $ 34. Color Graphics w/Printer Port $ 34. EGA (640x480) Autoswitch $ 85. VGA16Bit .$149. HARDWARE AT 12 MHZ (exp. 4 meg wait) $ 165. XTtOMHZTurbo(exp.Owait) $ 69. Power Supply 200 Watt ........$ 49. Power Supply 150 Watt -.$ 39. XTCasejw/hardware) $ 34. Baby AT Case (w/hardware) $ 52. AT Case (Full Size) $ 59. Keyboard 84 Key (tactile touch) $ 40. Keyboard 101 key (tactile touch) . .$ 54. Multi I/O Card $ 34. Floppy Controller Card $ 21. FHDC{1.44/1.2/720K/360K) , .$ 45. ATI/0 . .$ 32. SerialCard .$ 20. Parallel Card .$ 20. Game Card $ 20. LAPTOPS -continued ZENITH LAPTOPS Minisport 2MB RAM NOTE BOOK .$CALL Supersport184 . $1150. Supersport 184-2 $1650. Supersport28620MB ,$2450. Supersport 286 40MB ,$2650. 386SX 40MB $3850. NEC LAPTOPS Prospeed 286 20MB , .$1650 Prospeed 286 40MB .$2425. Prospeed 386SX $2650. Prospeed 386 40MB $3550. HARD DISK DRIVES SEAGATE 20MB 65MSST225w/XT Controller $229. 20MB 35MSST125W/XT Controller $ 299. 30MB 65MSST238w/XT Controller . . $239. 30MB 35MSST1 38 w/XT Controller . $ 345. 40MB28MSST251-1 , $339. 80MB 28MSST4096 Full Height ,$ 535. HARD DRIVE CARDS XT MFM(20mg Controller) .. $ 55, XT RLL27x(30mg Controller) $ 59. ATMFM2:1 Controller $ 79. ATMFM 1:1 Controller . $105. AT RLL 1:1 Controller . $ 110. FLOPPY DISK DRIVES TOSHIBA 360K5.25"HH Black . . .' $ 59 720K 3.5" HHw/5.25" Mount $ 64 1.2MB 5.25" HH Grey $ 69, 1.44MB 3.5" HH Grey w/5.25" Mount , , $ 75. TEAC 360K 5.25" HH Black $ 59. 720K 3.5" HH w/5.25" Mount $ 64. 12MB 5,25" HH Grey $ 69. 1.44MB 3.5" HH Grey w/5.25" Mount $ 75. FUJITSU 360K5.25 . . $ 59. 1.2,5.25 $ 69. SONY 720K3.5 , $64. 1.44,3.5 . .... .$75. MODEMS Mastercom-1200B (internal) $ 44. Mastercom - 2400B internal) $ 75. US Robotics, Courier HST/9600B $615. SOFTWARE WordPerfect 5.1 $CALL Lotus 1-2-32.2/3.0 ,$0ALL MicrosoftALL MOUSE Genius Mouse, GM6X $ Genius Mouse F301 .$ 50. Logitech Mouse C9 $CALL INTEL ALL CO-PROCESSORS . , . . . $$CALL Day After Day More Corporations, Businesses and People just like you Choose I.S.C. for Outstanding Service, Quality & Pricing! 6/12 MHz Motherboard '80286 CPU ■ Norton Si Rating 15.3 '0 Wait State ■ 1.2MB High Capacity Floppy • 1 Meg RAM Expandable to 4 MB ■ Serial Port/Parallel Port •1.2MB Floppy Controller • 8 Expansion Slots • 6-16 Bit, 2-8 Bit Slots ■200 Watt Power Supply ■AT Style Keyboard •Mono Card /Parallel Port • Monochrome Amber Monitor $675. XT Power System 4.77/10 MHz Motherboard 8088-10 CPU (1)360K Floppy Drive 640/K RAM/Floppy Controller 8 Expansion Slots 1 50 Watt P.S./AT Style Keyboard Serial/Parallel/Clock & Game Port Mono Card/Parallel Port Monochrome Amber Monitor •16 MHz Motherboard •80386SXCPU • 1 Meg RAM (80 nsec.) Installed •1.2MB or 1.44MB Floppy Drive • 2 Serial Ports • 1 Parallel Port • 80387SX Co-processor Socket • Floppy Drive Controller • Hard Drive Controller •8 Expansion Slots •5-16 Bit, 3-8 Bit •RAM Upgradable to 8 Meg •200 Watt Power Supply • 101 Key Enhanced Keyboard • Clock/Calendar w/ Battery Backup • Mono Card/Parallel Port • Monochrome Amber Monitor •AC Power Pad $849. •20/25 MHz Motherboard •80386 CPU •AMI Bios • 1 Meg RAM/Upgrade to 8 Meg • 1 .2MB/1.44 High Capacity Drives • 2 Serial Ports/1 Parallel Port • 80387 Co-processor Socket • Floppy/Hard Drive Controller • 8 Expansion Slots •2-32 Bit, 5-16 Bit. 1-8 Bit • 230 Watt Power Supply • 101 Key Enhanced Keyboard • Clock/Calendar w/ Battery Backup • Mono Card/Parallel Port • Monochrome Amber Monitor • AC Power Pad $ 1,275. 20MHz $ 1 ,375. 25MHz •33 MHz Motherboard •64K Cache Memory •80386 CPU • AMI Bios • 1 Meg RAM (80 nsec) Installed • 1.2MB/1.44 High Capacity Drives • 2 Serial Ports / 1 Parallel Port • 80387 Co-processor Socket • Floppy/Hard Drive Controller • 8 Expansion Slots •2-32 Bit, 5-16 Bit, 1-8 Bit • RAM Upgradableto 8 Meg •230 Watt Power Supply • 101 Key Enhanced Keyboard • Clock/Calendar w/ Battery Backup • Mono Card/Parallel Port • Monochrome Amber Monitor • AC Power Pad $1,749. •25 MHz Motherboard •80486 CPU • AMI Bios • 4 Meg RAM • 1.2MB/1.44 High Capacity Drives • 2 Serial Ports • 1 Parallel Port • 80487 Co-processor Socket • Floppy/Hard Drive Controller • 8 Expansion Slots •2-32 Bit, 5-16 Bit 1-8 Bit •RAM Upgradable to 16 Meg •230 Watt Power Supply • 101 Key Enhanced Keyboard • Reset Button / Keyboard Lock • LED Power & Turbo Indicators • Clock/Calendar w/Batteiy Backup • AC Power Pad $ 3,900. $459. HARD DRIVE OPTIONS ■ 20MB Seagate Hard Drive .... $175. 30MB Seagate Hard Drive .... $185. 40MB Seagate Hard Drive .... $339. 80MB Seagate Hard Drive .... $525. MONITOR OPTIONS Monochrome Amber Monitor Mono Card/Parallel Port $108. EGA Monitor EGA Card $419. VGA Monitor VGA+16Card+512K ....... $436. All System Parts can be purchased sejximtelv. We also carry HP, Epson. Panasonic. Samsung, NEC Software and MOKE. . . 90 DAY MONEY BACK GUARANTEE - 3 YEARS PARTS & LABOR 3UICK SHIPMENTS TO US/OVERSEAS :.O.D. AVAILABLE HOURS: MON - FRI 8AM to 5PM :USTOMER/TECH SUPPORT: 9:30AM to 4:30PM °rices subject to change without notice MasterCard Orders: 800-955-4858 Customer Service: 800-933-5161 Overseas Sales and Support: 213-379-4866 Technical Support: 213-379-9209 - FAX: 213-318-0555 2629 Manhattan Avenue #235 - Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 Circle 152 on Reader Service Card Short Takes BYTE editors' hands-on views of new and developing products Step 486/50 Muse ProLine Backup System Amiga 3000UX Hardcard IIXL The Experimental Step 486/50 Redefines Cool Everex has joined the rac- ing circuit with its Step 486/50. Although the com- pany won't actually bring this product to market, it is a tech- nological showpiece with a su- percooled engine that pushes Intel's i486 CPU to a scorch- ing 50 MHz. At the heart of the new machine is Velox Computer Technology's ICECap, which is a sophisticated temperature and voltage control system that lets Everex boost CPU clock speed to 50 MHz without overheating the CPU. The ICECap IC module, which encases the i486, plugs directly into the CPU socket and main- tains the i486 at a chilly 0°C. The Step 486/50 isn't ex- actly a true 50-MHz system. The ICECap sits on a modified Step 486/25 motherboard that clocks the CPU at 50 MHz and the rest of the motherboard at 25 MHz. Everex also had to add extra wait states between the external 128K-byte pro- cessor cache and the CPU. Even with these handicaps, however, the Step 486/50 gave an impressive performance. The Step 486/50 held a 28 percent edge over the Step 486/33 on the CPU tests, and it posted roughly 50 percent higher results on the floating- point tests. The FPU tests benefited because more of the tests run within the i486's on- board cache. Had Everex tuned its external pro-cessor cache for 50 MHz, both num- bers would have been higher. Remove the Step system's cover and you can't miss the ICECap. The module rises from the CPU socket like a high-rise office building, tow- ering 3 inches above the moth- erboard. The system is made up of three stacked com- ponents — a thermoelectric cooler, aheatsink, and a fan — and on-board control circuitry that keeps voltage up and temperature down. For Velox, merely prevent- ing the i486 from overheating isn't enough. The company claims that cooling the CPU to the bottom of its operating temperature range increases reliability and lets the chip run 35 percent faster. Since it doesn't have to worry about overheating the CPU, Velox also maximizes power input at the i486's peak of 5.2 volts. This reduces propagation de- lay and, Velox claims, im- proves performance by an- other 15 percent. Heat sinks and fans are common, but Velox is the first microcomputer company to use a Peltier effect device — a thermoelectric cooling system based on the principle that passing a current between two physically connected, dissimi- THE FACTS Step 486/50 Velox Computer Technology, Inc. Everex Systems, Inc. 2334 Walsh Ave. 48431 MilmontDr. Santa Clara, C A 95051 Fremont, CA 94538 (408)727-6100 (800) 356-4283 Inquiry 1161. Inquiry 1160. lar materials produces cooling on one side and heat on the other. The Velox device has four components. At the top and bottom of the Peltier device, an aluminum oxide "cold plate" and "hot plate" transfer heat from the i486 to the heat sink. Sandwiched between the plates are two semiconductors that do the work. These semi- conductors have opposite elec- trical properties, and they are arranged in such a way that, when you apply voltage to the system, electrons in both ma- terials flow from the cold plate to the hot plate. This carries heat away from the CPU and into the heat sink. The fan then blows air down into the cool- ing fins, dissipating the heat inside the system unit case. Velox claims that the ICECap raises the temperature inside an AT case by I to 3 degrees. To keep the CPU tempera- ture constant, a thermal sensor generates a control signal when the chip temperature rises above freezing. The sys- tem also includes a dual clock speed generator that ramps up clock cycles as the CPU tem- perature drops and lets the CPU operate at normal speeds if the ICECap fails. After running for several days, the ICECap remained surprisingly cool. The mother- board, hacked to accommo- date a 50-MHz CPU, wasn't pretty. And the system had trouble running several appli- cations, including PageMaker and Lotus 1-2-3. In the future, you'll proba- bly see the ICECap in systems from other vendors. In a mar- ket full of clone vendors des- perate to differentiate their products, the ICECap is sure to attract attention. And for the extra $600 it's likely to add to the price of a 486 system, us- ers may bite. — Rob Mitchell 132 BYTE • DECEMBER 1990 Finally There's Muse for the Mac M use calls itself a nat- ural-language interface program, but a more accurate description might be "query by English-like commands." You load your data by creating databooks, which represent a collection of up to 64,000 homogeneous or heterogene- ous data structures, each of which can be tables of infor- mation that range into mega- bytes (with available hard disk storage). You can reference 15 of these databooks at once. One way of thinking of data- books in conventional terms would be as a relational data- base. Databooks are how Muse stores things. You import or create data in workbooks, which look like spreadsheets with labeled axes. You can manually place information or import it in WKS, WK1, WK3, DIF, SYLK, or DBF formats. It's also possible to import it in comma, space, or tab-delim- ited formats. You can import fixed-field ASCII. Workbooks may have definitions and re- lations that apply only to the data within that workbook at- tached to them. Muse can create charts from numeric data. It's also possible to create two-dimensional or THE FACTS Muse Occam Research Corp. $695 85 Main St. Watertown, MA 02172 Requirements: (617)923-3545 A Mac with System 6.0.3 Inquiry 1162. or higher and 2 MB of RAM. A hard disk drive is recommended. 3-D (or animated series of both) charts. Other chart pos- sibilities are bar, column, x,y, scatter, line, 3-D surface, per- centage, pie, 3-D spline, 3-D ribbon, log-log, log-linear, stacked bar, stacked column, high-low-close, contour map, duaLy-axis, and combinations. Automatic axis labeling is performed with auto-sizing of the legends. While graphs are displayed on the Mac screen in color, printing them on a LaserWriter substitutes pat- terns for colors. The resulting charts were as good as any- thing I have seen from WingZ, DeltaGraph, or Excel. Scripts are the records of questions and answers posed to Muse. It's basically a col- lection of boxes (with one box for your questions and anoth- er box for Muse's answers) stacked on top of each other. You can save or modify them just like plain text. I looked at an early beta copy of Muse. It would run only on a Mac II with an FPU and 4 MB of RAM, although Occam said that the release version should be able to run on a Mac SE or Plus with 2 MB as a minimum (if slow) configuration. While the beta version I saw is certain to change, the basic functionality of the program came through rather well. The illustration shows how a simple single- variable query produced a single answer in the script window. When multiple-vari- able queries are made, a work- book window containing the results is produced. I tried dif- ferent forms of queries, and all produced well-formatted and useful answers. However, I thought the cur- rent system of error checking left something to be desired. If you pose a query with less than the needed number of vari- ables, for instance, Muse sim- ply shoots back "underde- fined." It would be far more useful to have some idea of what it was that Muse actually needed for the query to be defined, perhaps with a scroll- ing list of available choices. I expect to see this resolved in further beta testing. Muse is the first attempt on the Mac to make data useful by being easily obtainable. Oc- cam seems to be on the right track thus far, and I look for- ward to seeing a final copy of the product. — Laurence H. Loeb DATs a Classy Backup System The ProLine DATaVault, a toaster-shaped SCSI digi- tal audiotape-recording system (DAT) drive, packs 1 .3 giga- bytes of data onto a tiny 4-mm cartridge. Pop in Tecmar's new Proserve software, an innovative client-server pro- gram suite, and you've got the ProLine Backup System, a comprehensive — but pricey — tape backup solution for a Net- Ware LAN. Installing the DATaVault on a NetWare 286 server was a mixture of ups and downs. Could I piggyback the drive onto the server's existing Fu- ture Domain SCSI host bus adapter? No, I had to use the Tecmar-supplied Adaptec controller — somewhat redun- dantly, in this case. (It's a stan- dard Adaptec device, though, so if you're already using one of those, you won ' t have to add a second.) That, in turn, meant I ' d have to add a new driver to NetWare. Like its NetWare 386 cousin, the driver links dynamically with NetWare. The driver's installation program scans the NetWare executable file; reports the IRQ, I/O, and RAM settings that are consumed by Net- DECEMBER 1990 • BYTE 133 SHORT TAKES Ware-controlled boards; and recommends compatible set- tings for the Tecmar/Adaptec controller. So I figured I wouldn't have to run NET- GEN and reinstall NetWare. But, alas, it was not to be. Industry Standard Architec- ture board conflict resolution remains an uncertain science. The server's TCP/IP gateway, for reasons apparent neither to Tecmar's installation program nor to me, fought with Tec- mar' s adapter. I tossed out the TCP/IP board (it wasn't a per- manent fixture anyway) and ran NETGEN to tell NetWare I had done that. In spite of the conflict, I applaud Tecmar's clever scheme. In many cases, it should savebusy LAN admin- istrators a lot of time and trouble, and it offers a ray of hope to the many NetWare 286 users not in a position to up- grade to NetWare 386. Once loaded, TAPEDRV .VAP provides an assortment of NetWare console com- mands. With these commands, you can reset the DATaVault and erase, format, test, or list the contents of a 4-mm car- tridge. A second value-added process, PROSERVE.VAP, supplies the server (or back- end) component of the backup application. Multitasking with NetWare, PROSERVE.VAP accepts connections from client workstations, queues backup requests, and performs backups. Client software also comes in two parts. With PRO- SERVE.EXE, you administer users and queues, schedule attended or unattended jobs, and monitor tape-drive status, THE FACTS ProLine Backup System NetWare 386 (3.1). (includes drive, adapter, Client: AT, PS/2, orcompat- cable, server and client ible running DOS 3.0 or software, and documenta- higher with 640K bytes of tion) RAM. for NetWare 286, $5995; for NetWare 386, $6295 Tecmar, Inc. 6225 Cochran Rd. Requirements: Solon, Ohio 441 39 File server: AT, PS/2, or (216)349-4030 compatible running Inquiry 1163. NetWare 286 (2. lx) or tape contents, and a history of backup transactions. A Novell/ C-Worthy point-and-shoot interface neatly manages a formidable array of options. You can specify the target file set to be all files, new files, or dormant files. You can save NetWare bindery, trustee, and file attri- butes; in the case of a NetWare 2.15 server with Macintosh clients, you can save Mac-re- lated directory information and resource forks as well. There is, however, no client software for the Mac; you'll have to schedule the backup of Mac directories on the server from a PC, and you can't back up a Mac client directly to tape. You can move files from a PC straight to tape, thanks to the client-server architecture of the Proserve software. PSCLIENT.EXE, a small (15K bytes) DOS TSR pro- gram, communicates with PROSERVE.VAP. Once it's loaded, a backup job scheduled by means of PROSERVE.EXE can draw files directly from the client PC. Because direct client-to- tape backup obviates the need for a large intermediate trans- fer area on the file server, it's a feature I prize highly. Tecmar's deluxe Proserve software is clearly a class act. It does more than I have room to describe, and does it well. In fact, Proserve works with several species of Tecmar tape drive: DC600 (250 and 525 megabytes), DAT (1.3 giga- bytes), and 8-mm analog heli- cal-scan (2.2 gigabytes). Given this range of choices, and considering that the cur- rent highest-capacity Tecmar tape drive is 8-mm, not 4-mm DAT, why choose the DATa- Vault? Frankly, I'm not sure. Proponents point out that DAT — compared to 8-mm technology — offers superior error correction, requires fewer moving parts, and can find random files much more quickly. While I've no reason to doubt those claims, I am obliged to report that the first 4-mm DAT tape I used in the DATaVault developed prob- lems — after I formatted it, tested it, and performed two apparently successful backups. Tecmar agrees that it ought to provide a rigorous verification utility; the existing format and test utilities don't touch most of the tape. Although I've since had no further problems with other 4-mm tapes, I'm left wondering whether there's a percentage in being the first one on the block to use one of those newfangled DAT sys- tems. — Jon Udell A Unix Graphics Workstation for the Rest of the World Amiga enthusiasts keep telling me that the Amiga is a serious computer, that it is for the business and profes- sional user. But old beliefs are hard to shake — at least they were until I saw the Amiga 3000UX. This workstation is the most complete implemen- tation of the new AT&T Unix System V release 4. The base Amiga 3000UX machine includes a 25-MHz MC68030, a math coproces- sor, 8 megabytes of RAM, a 100-MB SCSI drive (optional 200 MB), and either a high- resolution monochrome dis- play or the standard Amiga color display. All the hardware parts are already integrated with the system, including a port for additional SCSI de- vices, a port for an additional floppy disk drive, a port for a parallel printer, and a serial connection for an external ter- minal, modem, or printer. Al- though Ethernet (thick- or thin-wire) is an option, the network software is already in place. Most important, the system includes Unix System V re- lease 4 and the X Window System, including Level 1 134 B Y T E • DECEMBER 1 990 HeresHow^feProtect ¥)ur Software AndProfitsBetter WellNeverTHL the world how we protect your hard work. But then, why should we? It's not that we're hard to get along with. On the contrary. We'll show you how our unwordy approach to software protection can actually work better for you. We'll deliver the best balance of guaranteed copy control and cost-effective installation. Unlike other manufacturers, our hardware is uniquely custom-wired for each developer and supplied with a specific encrypted interrogation routine for maximum security. The precise routines assume responsibility for all hardware, software and timing issues so your time and money isn't wasted engineering protection schemes. V^MICROPHAR The Products That Protect Your Revenues ► PROTECH KEY Identically reproduced packages. ► MEMORY KEY MACINTOSH MEMORY KEY NEC MEMORY KEY Active protection, modular packages, customized packages, serialization, demo control, access control. ► MEMORY-ONE KEY Customized packages, modular packages ► MICROPROCESSOR KEY Non-operating system specific protection based on RS232C communications for minicomputers, workstations, etc. In EUROPE: MICROPHAR, 122 Ave. Ch. De Gaulle 92200, Neuilly Sur-Seine FRANCE Tel: 33-1-47-38-21-21 Fax: 33-1-46-24-76-91 For distributors in: • BELGIUM/NETHERLANDS. E2S (091 21 11 17) -SPAIN, (343 237 31 05) • IRELAND, TMC (021 87 37 1 1 ) • GERMANY, Microphar Deutschland (06223 737 30) • PORTUGAL, HCR(1 56 18 65)* UNITED KINGDOM, Clearsoft (091-3789393) • SWITZERLAND, SAFE (024 21 53 86) • ITALY, Siosistemi (030 24 21 074) MARKETING, INC. 1-800-843-0413 In the U.S., the AMERICAS & the PACIFIC: PROTECH, 9600-J Southern Pine Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28217 Se Habla Espaitol Tel: 704-523-9500 Fax: 704-523-7651 Hours: Mon-Thurs: 8:30-7:00 ET, Fri: 8:30-5:30 ET FOR A DEMONSTRATION PACKAGE OR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, PLEASE WRITE OR CALL. •Macintosh is a registered trademarkof Apple Computer. Inc. *NEC is a registered trademark ol NEC Information Systems, Inc. For Europe, circle 249 on Reader Service Card For Americas & Pacific, circle 250 on Reader Service Card i SHORT TAKES implementation of Open Look. The Unix manual pages are on-line. Bundled with the operating system are two C compilers (the AT&T standard compiler and the GNU opti- mizing compiler), the popular screen-oriented mail manager elm , and several Amiga-spe- cific utilities. The Amiga 3000UX with release 4 is not a clone, nor a work-alike, nor a toy. It is a no- nonsense workstation that is impressive and compact. I am not saying that if you put the Amiga beside a full-size SPARCstation or a Silicon Graphics workstation you won't be able to see obvious differences that favor these automobile-priced machines. But when you put it beside a NeXT or a Macintosh or a 386 workstation, the differences are in favor of the Amiga. Consider the work (and money) that is required to build a workstation out of a 386-based Industry Standard Architecture or Extended In- dustry Standard Architecture bus machine; you have to get one part here and another part there. All the parts have to be configured to work together without conflicts in interrupts and memory addresses. The Amiga 3000UX is a plug-and- play operation. The newest release of Unix System V is significant be- cause it incorporates the BSD features that make it so well suited for workstation comput- ing, including mechanisms for mounting remote file systems and distributed processing. Since AT&T sells only source code rights to Unix (unless you are buying an AT&T com- puter), users have had to wait until the hardware vendors finished their work on porting the new source codes to their machines. Although many THE FACTS Amiga 3000UX Approximately $4000 Commodore Business Machines, Inc. Computer Systems Division Brandywine Industrial Park 1200 Wilson Dr. West Chester, PA 19380 (215)431-9100 Inquiry 1164. Unix licensees are well along in completing this task, it ap- pears that Commodore will be the first to complete it. The Amiga 3000UX greatly outperforms the equivalent NeXT and Mac with A/UX. In raw Unix performance, it is roughly equivalent to a 20- MHz 386 system, but it is much more suited to handling the graphics requirements of a graphical user interface like Open Look. At roughly $4000, it is an obvious choice as a low-end workstation. — Ben Smith Caching In on the Hardcard The Hardcard is a popular way to augment storage capacity because you just open your computer and drop a full- length card into a free bus slot, and you've got another drive. The new Hardcard IIXL, available in 52- and 105-mega- THE FACTS Hardcard IIXL 50 $579; Hardcard IIXL 105, $999 Requirements: A 16-bit ISA-bus slot in an IBM PC-compatible 286 or a non-PS/2 386. Plus Development Corp. 1778 McCarthy Blvd. Milpitas, CA 95035 (408) 434-6900 Inquiry 1165. byte capacities, includes a built-in 64K-byte read-ahead disk cache that gives the drive a rated average access time of only 9 milliseconds. I installed the Hardcard IIXL in less than 10 minutes. Once the drive was installed, I loaded it with software and noticed how quiet and fast it was. File copies and directory listings zoomed along at twice the speed of my old, frag- mented, 65-ms Seagate, and my applications loaded more quickly. However, a two-level database indexing and a test suite of assorted Windows ac- cessories were only slightly faster on the Hardcard. On the low-level BYTE benchmarks, running on a slow 286 machine, the drive turned in a rating of 1.97, or about twice as fast as a stan- dard 40-MB hard disk drive in an IBM AT. Running in a Compaq Deskpro 386/33, its rating was 2.90. These num- bers compare with a score of 2.20 for the hard disk drive supplied with the Compaq Deskpro 386/25e. Data throughput for the Hardcard ranged from 465K bytes per second on the 286 up to 930K bytes per second on the Deskpro 386/33, versus a speed of 700K bytes per sec- ond for the Compaq 386/25e. Measured seek times averaged between 16 and 19 ms; the Hardcard performed near its hardware access speed of 17 ms rather than the cache-as- sisted rate of 9 ms, because the BYTE benchmark test de- feated the read-ahead cache with random sector seeks. In a real application that uses more typical contiguous sector seeks, the performance would certainly be better. My only disappointment with the Hardcard IIXL was that its built-in cache and the SmartDrive caching software supplied with Microsoft Win- dows 3.0 didn't seem to com- plement each other. Plus has typically charged more for the Hardcard than the price of equivalently sized hard disk drives. The 52- and 105-MB Hardcard IIXLs break that tradition with sug- gested list prices of $579 and $999, respectively. Those prices are expected to fall to $399 and $699 on the street, which will make the Hardcard IIXL not only convenient but also cost-competitive. If you are running out of disk space and you have slots to spare, I recommend you take the Hard- card IIXL for a spin. ■ — Andrew Reinhardt 136 B YTE • DECEMBER 1990 DR DOS &0. WE COULDNT HAVE SAID IT BETTER. \vs sv3 .qflOj ^^«fe ^»ss«^ Y«* 1 ot ^•«<^- jBM launches Ne — «| mllMi I. iiiiiMi— ■ llffff' 1 '*™ 1 * 113 ii-'- en *?*&-. ^ l S 8 ^ *^ w \ SSP" 1 3^ 5— — -~~~ rnr the rosmoo poised to ^ f V ts Ws compau- tolest ver^n of its u \ Wo opting f^J :. illsS ayit»!l and company ^ teato w<* planned ioi * nonnced ^ oK }u e r^icon^v t\vy mature * _ a w s ^ mentcapaln^^ 620K bytes t»r . tl sVttw*^ . i sources say 0** SdevW***: - , mendm& Ifc * ling consultant -y. asa — * our meuioiv J l Vuscr com- OarrmNVeC^^u^ UcCfrS putmganalystwim^ ^ vures not found m ^» Among, tnuu^ __ ___ !T\ r>DI Pnri(? J ^ 9 * * i^ESEE^ So what's all the hoopla about? MemoryM AX T m for one thing. A breakthrough in memory management that can give you more than 620K so you can run today's memory-intensive applications, including, for example, dBASE IV® on Novell NetWare®. In fact, John Dvorak calls MemoryMAX nothing short of "amazing." The Press goes on to mention that because DR DOS 5.0 is fully DOS compatible, you can run all your current DOS applications. And because it is easy to install and requires no hard disk reformat- ikffLe Elements \ Turbo C++ ■?> Wo Programmer Sk ._ U'.oninS | 1 r u Peter Coftee__ -■— ting, upgrading to DR DOS is simple. Since DR DOS 5.0 also includes ViewMAX™, a graphical interface, DOS is easier than ever to use. Now if we could just get a word in edgewise, we would simply like to add that DR DOS 5.0 is available now. Call your local dealer today. DR DOS 5.0 Digital Research © WE MAKE COMPUTERS WORK For Laptop and Notebook manufacturers, DR DOS 5.0 is fully executable from either RAM or ROM. And, it's available with BatteryMAX,.., a battery-saving feature that can increase battery life 2-3 times (dependent upon OEM implementation). Digital Research is a registered trademark, and the Digital Research logo, DR DOS, MemoryMAX, ViewMAX, and BatteryMAX are trademarks of Digital Research Inc. Copyright © 1990, Digital Research Inc. Reprinted from PC Week May 14, 1990. Copyright © 1990 Ziff Communications Company. Reprinted with permission from The San Francisco Examiner. Copyright © 1990 The San Francisco Examiner. Circle 92 on Reader Service Card The affordable HPLasei \ Put an HP LaserJet printer on everyone's desk. With a list price of $1,495 * we're now delivering the legendary Hewlett-Packard LaserJet IIP printer at a very personal size and price. Without sacrificing any of the qualities people love in a LaserJet. You get crisp 300 dpi text and graphics. Software and hard- ware compatibility. And a wide selection of HP typefaces and accessory products. NOW GET AN EXTRA $195* PAPER CASSETTE FREE!** Jet HP can top anyone's hardware. ^ R r Plus, there's room to grow, with- out taking up any more desk space. From our Great Start font cartridge up through scal- able type, you can dramatically expand the way people express themselves. You can even add an optional 250-page paper cas- sette for people who have a lot to say. Or need the flexibility of two paper trays. What's more, with HP quality built into every printer, you can look forward to smooth operation. It's no wonder PC Magazine gave the HP LaserJet IIP its coveted 1989 and 1990 Editors' Choice awards. Or that InfoWorld selected the LaserJet IIP as the 1989 Hardware Product of The Year. Call 1-800-752-0900, Ext. 1587 for the name of your nearest authorized HP dealer. You'll find that when it comes to affordable laser printers, nobody can top HP. m HEWLETT PACKARD •Suggested U.S. list price. "Offer available from October 1 to December 31, 1990. ©1990 Hewlett-Packard Company PE12025 FIRST I M P R E S I N Sun's newest progeny couples performance with innovative software Son of SPARCstation The low-end workstation market is in full swing. You now have more choices for under $15,000 than ever before (see the text boxes "CompuAdd Delivers a Low-Cost SPARCstation" and "Solbourne S40Q0 Outguns SPARCstation 1 +"). So why is Sun Microsystems introducing its new SPARCstation 2 series, starting at rough- ly $20,000? As with everything, when you cut costs, you also cut corners. Graphics, performance, expandability, ease of use: One or more of these impor- tant aspects typically disappears from low-end workstations. Sun's SPARCstation 2 series shows the Tom Yager and Ben Smith company's commitment to the power user. Even at the bottom of the new line, Sun doesn't scrimp on features. Sixteen megabytes of memory is standard (a trend that we hope catches on— you can't do diddly in 8 MB anymore), as are a 40- MHz SPARC CPU, a 200-MB SCSI hard disk drive, three SBus connectors, two serial ports, audio I/O, thick-wire Ether- net, and a SCSI port. The SPARCstation Photo 1: The Sun SPARCstation 2GX. This tiny case holds up to 96 MB of memory, two SCSI hard disk drives, and three SBus expansion cards. Access to the 3 V2 -inch floppy disk drive is on the right side. The window system is Sun 's OpenWindows, a mix of the X Window System and Sun 's NeWS PostScript-compatible extensions. 2GX system we received is the low-end model (see photo 1); nonetheless, it has accelerated color graphics. A Look Inside The inside of the SPARCstation 2GX is a study in effective computer design (see photo 2). The motherboard is smaller even than most "baby" AT clone types, with most of the space taken up by single in-line memory module sockets. Four 4- MB modules make up the 2GX's 16 MB of memory. The motherboard has room for 16 such modules for a total of 64 MB; an optional daughterboard can hold an- other 32 MB for a system total of 96 MB. The motherboard is small by necessity. It has to fit in a pizza box-size case along with up to two 3!/2-inch SCSI hard disk drives, one 3!/2-inch floppy disk drive, and a power supply. The hard disk drives are mounted on plastic brackets that allow easy snap-out removal . The entire case comes apart by removing two screws. There wasn't even enough room in the case for a 50-pin SCSI cable between the two hard disk drives; Sun mounted dual connectors on the motherboard, so both hard disk drives have their own short cables going right to the board. The 2GX's display controller is mounted on a daughtercard, overlapping another of the expansion slots. Sun claims there are three SBus "slots," which are really just sockets on the motherboard, but our 2GX had only one such socket free— the other two were oc- cupied by the display controller. Outside the case are connectors for two serial de- vices, SCSI devices, monitor, keyboard/ mouse, and audio. The audio connector is a DIN socket, which is where you plug in the microphone/speaker. In Living Color The 2GX's display controller accelerates wire-frame operations to what Sun calls "the fastest in the industry" (for the price, we tend to agree), but it also ap- 140 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 PHOTOGRAPHY: PAUL AVIS© 1990 S T I M RES I O N parently extends its might to the window- ing system . It displays 256 colors (from a palette of 16.7 million) at a resolution of 1152 by 900 pixels. Our 2GX came equipped with a 19-inch (76-Hz refresh rate) Sony Trinitron monitor. Images are sharp, corner to corner, an important consideration if you are selling work- stations into the contentious advanced graphics market. The SPARCstation 2 line reaches into that very market, with a set of options geared to match the user's level of need. The 2GS offers accelerated three-dimensional solids operations, with a 24-bit main display buffer depth and a 16-bit z-buffer. (Sun claims the 2GS will calculate and display a mini- mum of 150K-byte 3-D vectors, and 20K-byte solid Gouraud-shaded poly- gons per second.) The 2GT, Sun's top of the SPARCsta- tion 2 line, adds hardware antialiasing, a 24-bit z-buffer, double-buffered 24-bit display (for animation), alpha transpar- ency, 8-bit overlay, and a resolution of 1280 by 1024 pixels. Sun claims the 2GT will calculate and display 500K-byte 3-D vectors (or lOOK-byte antialiased 3-D vectors) and 100 z-buffered Gouraud- shaded polygons per second, a fivefold increase over the 2GS. (For an explana- tion of graphics buffering, see "3-D Graphics, from Alpha to Z-Buffer," July BYTE.) The 2GS and 2GT are targeted at the mid- to high-end graphics market domi- nated by the likes of Silicon Graphics and Hewlett-Packard. These two companies pack more hardware features into their workstations (e.g., hardware texture mapping and specularity), but Sun's per- formance numbers are impressive. For the mainstream CAD, CAM, and other design applications users, the 2GS and the 2GT speed up essential operations enough to make complex modeling a snap. In the area of "virtual reality," however, more capable workstations still make a better choice. From an ordinary user's standpoint, the 2GX's graphics price/performance ratio is excellent. You rarely spend time waiting for windows to draw— they just appear. Moving, resizing, and other window manipulations are similarly speedy. The graphics performance makes the 2GX's operating environment a pleasure, but there's a lot more to Sun systems than just fast hardware. Gunning for the Mac Steve Jobs, among other luminaries, has proclaimed the X Window System every- thing from poorly done to outright "brain damaged." And true enough, on its own, it lacks functions needed to sup- port modern applications. But OpenWindows 2.0 is impressive. It is an excellent demonstration of the strengths of Open Look. It is complete, well integrated, and easy to use. Months ago, we had seen beta versions of Open- Windows 2.0 on much smaller machines and were impressed with the speed with which it worked then. It sings on the SPARCstation 2 series. OpenWindows has, as its root, Sun's X 1 1 /NeWS (Network-Extensible Win- dowing System). NeWS adds PostScript compatibility (Sun's own, not Adobe's) to X Window. X 1 1 /NeWS uses a single server to handle both the PostScript and the XI 1 requests. The compatibility is complete. In our tests, every X applica- tion we ran across the network worked perfectly, with the exception of one that tried to take control of the color map. The Open Look Window Manager (olwm) did give up the color OpenWin- dows' designers, because the Mac is an obvious influence. There is a marvelous File Manager, and a bundle of other ap- plications called the DeskSet. Out of the box, OpenWindows might not be as easy to use for new users as a Macintosh, but with a bit of effort, system administra- tors can build a collection of menus and icons that can call out every function of the system without resorting to the shell. The rest of the operating system is the familiar SunOS, a BSD Unix derivative with some System V libraries and util- ities thrown in. SunOS is both a software developer's and a user's playground, not only because it has so much third-party support, but also because Sun provides libraries for all its added layers. As a re- sult, there are tens of thousands of com- mercial applications for SunOS, a point that has not been missed by Solbourne and CompuAdd. X Window, NeWS, and Open Look combine to make a powerful graphics ap- plication environment, and Sun even in- cludes X Graphics Library (XGL), an Xll-based immediate-mode 2-D and 3-D graphics library. This makes the Photo 2: The inside of the 2GX. Everything is designed to conserve space, without sacrificing expandability. GX graphics accelerator daughtercard hard disk drives (2) DECEMBER 1990 -BYTE 141 FIRST IMPRESSIONS SON OF SPARCSTATION CompuAdd Delivers a Low-Cost SPARCstation Jon Udell The SPARCstation 1 lives in the guise of the CompuAdd SSL CompuAdd uses a metal case, as it hopes to get an FCC class B rating. The SSI can also accept 5 14 -inch storage devices and sports a 100-watt power supply. A SPARCstation from CompuAdd, the mail-order PC-compatible folks? Yes. CompuAdd's SSI looks, feels, and, for all intents and purposes, is the original 12.5-million-instruction- per-second SPARCstation 1 that Sun Microsystems discontinued this sum- mer. Differentiation was not the goal here. The SSI has the same SPARCsta- tion "pizza-box" case. Pop the top, and you'll find the same compact 8 ! /2- by 1 1-inch motherboard. With the same three SBus slots. And the same SPARC chip set: LSI Logic's 20-MHz L64801 integer unit, along with a supporting cast of LSI Logic application-specific ICs handling floating-point, caching, memory management, and DMA chores. Clearly, we've entered the era of the commodity workstation. Don't feel sheepish if you can't tell the SSI and the SPARCstation 1 apart. Neither can SunOS 4.1. The SSI comes bundled with the current release of Sun's hybrid BSD/System V Unix, which boots and runs flawlessly. Any lingering doubts about the SSI's com- patibility dispel when you run sundiag, Sun's low-level diagnostic utility. It probes every hardware nook and cran- ny: physical and virtual memory, disks, CPU and FPU, and Ethernet. No smoke and mirrors here; the SSI aces all the tests. Our prototype system came with 8 megabytes of memory, the standard connectors (SCSI, thick Ethernet, two serial, keyboard, and audio I/O), a 19- inch Moniterm monitor (monochrome, 1 152 by 900 pixels), a Vh -inch floppy disk drive, a pair of internal SCSI hard disk drives (105-MB Quantums), and an external 200-MB SCSI drive. Sub- THE FACTS CompuAdd SSI $5995 and up CompuAdd 12303 Technology Blvd. Austin, TX 78727 (800)531-5475 Inquiry 1067. tract the disks, and you've got Com- puAdd's entry-level system, priced at $5995. A diskless unit with a 16-inch color monitor and an 8-bit frame buffer will run $7495, or, with 200-MB of disk storage, $8695. How does the CompuAdd stack up against the low end of Sun's SPARC product line? If you're comparing en- try-level systems, the SSI looks like a more expensive (but expandable) ver- sion of Sun's $4995 SLC (see table A). But what about real-world systems with adequate storage and color capabilities? An SSI with a 200-MB drive and 8-bit color will cost $1300 less than Sun's comparably equipped IPC, and a whop- ping $5800 less than a comparably equipped SPARCstation 1 -I- (see table B). Of course, both the IPC and the 1 + are 25-MHz machines rated at 15.8 MIPS, so the SS 1 does give away some speed. Note also that the CompuAdd prices don't include Sun's OpenWin- dows , which Sun now bundles with all its SPARC products. Beyond that, Sun's seemingly anom- alous pricing clouds the issue some- what. Does the 1 +'s extra RAM capac- ity (40 MB versus 24 MB) and third SBus slot make it $4500 better than the IPC? Sun thinks so, and, following that logic, CompuAdd's three-slot, 64-MB- maximum SSI looks like a real deal. However, relative to the IPC— assuming you don't plan to grow out of it— Com- puAdd's price advantage is less compel- ling. Either way, though, there's clearly a niche for the SS 1 . There are a few minor differences be- tween the SSI and the 1+. The SSI's entry-level system comes with a larger monitor— 19 inches as opposed to 17 inches. The SSI's case is metal, not plastic, and leaves room inside to re- LOW-END PRICE/FEATURE COMPARISON Table A: Weighing your performance needs against your budget will determine whether the CompuAdd SSI is a viable SPARC system choice. Sun provides superior performance, but the SSI offers three SBus slots and up to 64 MB of RAM. The entry-level systems are diskless and have 8 MB of RAM and a 1152- by 900-pixel display. Price Color? Monitor Slots MIPS Maximum RAM GX graphics option? Sun SLC $4995 No 17" 12.5 16MB CompuAdd SS1 $5995 No 19" 3 12.5 64MB Sun IPC $8995 Yes 16" 2 15.8 24 MB Sun SPARCstation 1 + $8995 No 17" 3 15.8 40 MB Solbourne S4000 $8995 No 19" 3 25.5 104MB No Yes No* Yes Yes The IPC has two SBus slots and can theoretically support a GX accelerator. Sun "doesn't support" that configuration. 142 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 HIGH-END PRICE/FEATURE COMPARISON Table B: The high-end systems are configured with a 200-MB hard disk drive, a 16-inch color monitor, and a 1 152- by 900-pixel by 256-color graphics display. Price SunOS? ONC/NFS? Open Windows? CompuAdd SS1 $8695 Yes Yes No Sun IPC $9995 Yes Yes Yes Sun SPARCstation 1 + $14,599 Yes Yes Yes Solbourne S4000 $22,495 No Yes No place the 3y2-inch floppy disk drive with a 5 14 -inch device— for example, a CD-ROM. It has a beefier power supply (100 watts). It also comes with a me- chanical mouse instead of Sun's stan- dard optical mouse. Who cares? I do. Last year, a software vendor hauled a Sun system up to BYTE for a demon- stration and then found he'd forgotten the optical mouse pad. An hour of hand- waving ensued. Since then, I've viewed optical mice with suspicion. For demonstration purposes, Com- puAdd provided a healthy assortment of applications, including Lotus 1-2-3, AutoCAD, Interleaf's TPS, Frame- Maker, and Island Graphics' iWrite, iPaint, and iDraw. The arrival of 1-2-3 and AutoCAD legitimized the SPARC- station in the eyes of many people. The availability of popular PC spreadsheet and CAD software makes SPARC ma- chines seem less exotic. Meanwhile, programs like TPS and FrameMaker— - designed, built, and targeted to run on h igh-performance workstations— make SPARC more desirable. That's the push- pull dynamic that Sun hopes will carry its latest low-end machines beyond the technical arena and into the much larger commercial realm. CompuAdd, gam- bling on the success of that strategy, plans to ride along in Sun's slipstream. A Basketful of GUIs Unix is a real face-dancer these days, and on the CompuAdd I had a chance to try out several of its current manifesta- tions. The SSI will ship with SunView, the original Sun graphical user inter- face. It's awkward and dated, but more SPARC programs today support Sun- View than support any other GUI. Al- though CompuAdd won't be bundling Open Windows, the Xll/NeWS/Open Look amalgam that is Sun's new stan- dard, our prototype SSI came with OpenWindows 2.0. (OpenWindows will be available separately from Com- puAdd, but the company hadn't yet de- cided on a price. You can get it directly from Sun for $295.) OpenWindows runs a pair of networkable window servers— X Window and NeWS— under the control of the Open Look window manager. The servers can cooperate so that, for example, X applications can use NeWS's scalable fonts. Too bad that only Sun and Silicon Graphics seem to take NeWS seriously. Its PostScript im- aging model adds a lot of spice to a win- dow system. OpenWindows tolerates SunView ap- plications, albeit grumpily. I was able to run Interleaf in a SunView window, alongside X 1 1 and NeWS windows. The SunView windows kept getting stuck in the foreground, though, and things never seemed quite right. Clearly there's some distance to go yet before SPARC machines will be able to lay claim to the seamless support of a large software base that characterizes the Macintosh and, to a lesser extent, Mi- crosoft Windows. On the other hand, I'm more and more impressed by the ease with which Unix machines communicate— over both LANs and wide-area networks. This, more than cosmetics, will be what drives commercial acceptance of Unix. CompuAdd, a vendor of PC and Mac equipment, understands that its custom- ers increasingly want to build heteroge- neous networks, and that Unix can help glue such networks together. You want Macs in the art department and PCs ev- erywhere else, all hooked up to a couple of SPARCstations acting as file servers and typesetting workstations? No prob- lem. It will be one-stop shopping from CompuAdd. Jon Udell is a BYTE senior editor at large. You can reach him on BIX as "judell. " FIRST IMPRESSIONS SON OF SPARCSTATION power of the graphics hardware available to the developer, and it smooths over the differences between SPARCstation 2 models, but the developer needs to com- pile with different versions of the library for different graphics levels of the SPARCstation 2 series. Over the Line As we mentioned, Sun's selection of X Window as its graphics environment base makes connectivity across platforms al- most automatic, but only in one direc- tion. Ordinary X applications run without difficulty under OpenWindows, either locally or across network connec- tions, but running OpenWindows appli- cations that use NeWS, Open Look, or other extensions require those extensions on the displaying system. It is possible to write OpenWindows applications that don't require fancy software on the dis- play server, but that would mean strip- ping out some of the things that make OpenWindows special. Developers should not resort to this, because Sun's low-end monochrome and color work- stations also run OpenWindows. When you can attach a fully compat- ible diskless node for under $5000 (the Sun SLC), the lack of ability to exploit the window system's full potential on an X terminal or PC X server becomes un- important. Sun has even rolled its GX graphics accelerator into its SPARCsta- tion IPC, making that (according to Sun) the lowest-cost high-speed color work- station. Being a Sun system, the SPARCstation 2 series systems come loaded with TCP/ IP, NFS, and NIS (the Network Informa- tion Service, previously known as Yellow Pages). We had no trouble at all getting the 2GX talking to all the systems in the BYTE Unix Lab. X applications like xterm and ico, which didn't use Open Look fonts or services, ran fine across the wire, and remote log-ins and NFS ac- tivities proceeded without a hitch. The Whole Enchilada Sun is still the top dog in workstations. Systems like the SPARCstation 2 series offer proof that the number one spot is likely to be Sun's domain for some time. The SPARCstation 2 series' design is re- markable throughout, from its down- sized desktop case to Sun's imaginative approach to operating environments. It seems perfectly suited to both demand- ing graphics applications and typical business fare. Sun provided demonstration versions of many applications, including Frame- Maker, WingZ, and iPaint, iDraw, and DECEMBER 1990 • B Y T E 143 FIRST IMPRESSIONS SON OF SPARCSTATION Solbourne S4000 Outguns SPARCstation 1 + Owen Linderholm The quiet-running Solbourne S4000 offers an estimated 20 percent performance increase over the Sun SPARCstation 1 + . -W-, Solbourne Computer, one of the first companies to license and build SPARC-compatible systems, has mostly concentrated on the high end with high- powered server systems. However, the company, along with its Japanese part- ner, Matsushita, has had the goal of building a desktop SPARC system based around a highly integrated SPARC pro- cessor of its own design. The Solbourne S4000 is that system (see the photo). The S4000 is based around a custom SPARC chip codeveloped by Matsushita and Solbourne. The MN10501 chip uses 64-bit data paths throughout, mak- ing it the first fully 64-bit SPARC pro- cessor. It incorporates a floating-point unit (FPU), memory management unit, cache controller, and memory, making it one of the most highly integrated SPARC processors available. The on- chip cache is 8K bytes of direct-mapped physical instruction and data cache. The memory bus used by the chip is 64 bits wide and transfers data at a rate of 60 megabytes per second. Solbourne and Matsushita have been working on this processor since Solbourne first an- nounced its intentions to make SPARC- compatible systems. The 33-MHz processor achieves a MIPS rating of 25.5 and a SPECmark of 12. This makes it about 20 percent faster than the SUN SPARCstation 1 + . The FPU and integer units within the chip operate asynchronously, and each has separate registers. Separate instruc- tion and data caches, 64-bit data paths to the caches, and the ability to do load and store operations in a single clock cycle make the chip operate fast. The base system ($8995) includes 8 MB of RAM and can be expanded up to 104 MB in 8- or 32-MB increments using 1-MB single in-line memory modules. The S4000 comes with three SBus slots operating at 25 MHz. It in- cludes an Ethernet port, two RS-423A serial ports, 8-kHz audio with an inter- nal speaker, and various SCSI mass storage options. Supplied with the sys- tem is a 107-key PC-style keyboard, which seemed lightweight compared to Sun's keyboard, and an optical three- button mouse. During the boot process, an LED on the front of the unit changes color at each phase. Should the boot fail, the color of the LED will tell you at what point the problem occurred. The S4000 can hold either one or two 7>Vi-'\nch full-height, SCSI hard disk drives, each with 200 MB of storage space. The system can also optionally have a single 3 Vfe-inch floppy disk drive. The system box measures 17 by 17 inch- es and is a little over 3 inches tall. The system board is only 9 by 11 inches, which leaves room for consider- able expansion inside the system. The size was achieved by the integration of the processor and using four custom THE FACTS Solbourne S4000 $8995 and up Solbourne Computer, Inc. 1900 Pike Rd. Longmont, CO 80501 (303) 772-3400 Inquiry 1068. ASICs for glue logic, peripheral, and memory control. Installing the full complement of RAM, however, limits mass storage expansion options to a sin- gle 200-MB hard disk drive. The result is that users must make a trade-off be- tween memory storage available and mass storage available, a trade-off that may be difficult to make in some cases. The design of the system is very clean. It consists of six field replaceable modules, so that if problems occur, modules can be rapidly removed and re- placed with repaired or new parts in the field. All that you need to do is unscrew seven screws to strip the machine. The Solbourne' s operating system is OS/MP4.0D, a SunOS 4.0.3 derivative that includes NFS, ONC, TCP/IP, Sun- View, X Window, the Solbourne Win- dow Manager and options for GKS graphics, PEX (Phigs Extensions to X Window), Solbourne Phigs, and a DOS emulator. The Window Manager has a "virtual desktop" feature that effec- tively expands your work area beyond the screen's boundaries. A box in the lower right corner shows available Open- Windows. This box is live; move the cursor into it, and you can select what you need. A "hammer and nail" feature lets you tack a window in place, so no matter where you move on the virtual desktop, that window remains in view. There are many graphics options for accelerated two-dimensional and three- dimensional graphics. Standard graph- ics are monochrome on a 19-inch moni- tor with 1 152 by 900 pixels and a 1-bit- per-pixel frame buffer. Standard color options include a 16- or 19-inch monitor displaying 1152 by 900 pixels with an 8-bit color storage frame buffer and a 2-bit overlay frame buffer. This allows up to 256 colors from a palette of over 16 million. A high-resolution color option is also available with a 19-inch monitor and a display of 1280 by 1024 pixels with two color maps, each providing 256 colors from a palette of over 1 6 million. An advanced color option includes an accelerated color frame buffer known as SBus Graphics Accelerator (SGA), which can have an optional piggyback z-buffer daughtercard to accelerate hid- den pixel removal. An eight-plane ver- sion, the SGA40, uses two SBus slots. continued 144 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 Database Users Respond To Queries Users vote ORACLE number one in five important user polk In a series of recent polls, Oracle's products were ranked number one by five magazines representing over four hundred thousand readers. Leading to only one conclusion: Oracle's database and networking products are the best solutions for the widest variety of PC and Mac users. The readers of both DATA BASED ADVISOR andDBMS Magazine named Professional ORACLE Tools and Database the best SQL-based data- base. The readers of VARBUSINESS, who should know something about developing applications, named it the best applications software. And Government Computer News cited reliability, compatibility and speed as some of the reasons they awarded Professional ORACLE Tools and Database the number one data manager for local area networks. ORACLE for Macintosh received its share of acclaim from InfoWorld readers, who named it Macintosh Product of the Year. InfoWorld readers also named Oracle's newest desktop product, ORACLE Server for OS/2, product of the year. As did subscribers of DBMS Magazine, who rated ORACLE Server for OS/2 the best database server. Call 1-800-633-0498 Ext. 4905 to order or sign up for the free Oracle Client-Server Forum in your area. And see what kind of software generates this kind of hardware. FIRST IMPRESSIONS SON OF SPARCSTATION Solbourne S4000 (continued) Solbourne expects a 24-plane version to be available in early 1991. Many hardware graphics accelerators for Unix systems put X Window primi- tives in hardware to speed them up. Sol- bourne goes beyond this by putting both X Window and PEX graphics primitives in microcode on these boards to dramat- ically improve the system's 2-D and 3-D performance in these environments. Graphics information is stored in main memory and is pageable. The SGA ac- celerator board has direct memory ac- cess across the SBus to this information, so there is no work for the CPU to do in supplying the graphics information to the SGA, resulting in improved perfor- mance. The SGA board also uses two digital signal processing chips to im- plement a graphics transform engine that runs at a peak of 50 million float- ing-point operations per second. One part of the board implements a fast rect- angle area fill at 240,000 pixels per second. Some of the functions handled in microcode on the SGA include 2-D and 3-D line drawing with line styles and perspective and depth cues; 2-D poly- gon pattern fills; 3-D polygons with strips, meshes, Bezier patches, Gour- aud shading and hidden surface remov- al; an illumination model with eight light sources; BitBlt and dithering; and multiple color maps. Solbourne claims that the SGA40 ac- celerator can draw 450,000 lines per second in 2-D operations, 200,000 lines per second in 3-D operations, and can draw 10,000 Gouraud shaded polygons per second. The SGA has direct mem- ory access to graphics information that is stored in main memory, so that the CPU and the SGA can operate in paral- lel. The S4000 with a 16-inch color monitor, 8 MB of RAM, and no disk drives costs $11,495; it costs $13,995 with the SGA40. A 19-inch color system with 16 MB of RAM, a 200-MB hard disk drive, a floppy disk drive, and the SGA40 with the z-buffer option costs $22,495. (See the tables in the text box "CompuAdd Delivers a Low-Cost SPARCstation" for price and feature comparisons.) The basic Solbourne S4000 is an $8995 monochrome SPARCstation 1 + clone that runs faster. It can also be ex- panded far more than other SPARC sys- tems in this price range. In fact, internal memory expansion can go beyond that of the SPARCstation 2 series. The oper- ating software is not pure SunOS. It is, however, derived from SunOS and should be highly compatible with it. At the high end, the S4000 with full graph- ics options costs a little more than a Sun SPARCstation 1 + or IPC with GX graphics, but it also outperforms them considerably. In fact, some of its graph- ics features can be compared to those in the new SPARCstation 2 line. All in all, the S4000 line is a very flexible and expandable one that makes a great deal of sense. It starts relatively cheap but with good performance. It ex- pands easily to a very respectable level of performance, still with a good price. This level of flexibility should help Sol- bourne in the years ahead, where there is likely to be an explosion of SPARCsta- tion clones. Owen Linderholm is a BYTE news edi- tor. You can contact him on BIX as "owenl. " iWrite. These programs all take advan- tage of the unique environment created by OpenWindows, and the system's per- formance makes them fast and glamor- ous. Any PC user enamored of Windows 3.0 or X Window on a VGA should feel like the horse-and-buggy driver at the dawn of the automobile. There are graph- ics environments that just get you where you're going, and then there's the real thing. Workstations still have that sewn THE FACTS SPARCstation 2GX less than $22,000 SPARCstation 2GS less than $27,000 SPARCstation 2GT less than $52,000 SPARCstation IPC GX less than $15,000 SPARCserver 2 less than $22,000 (Upgrades available for SPARCstation and SPARCserver system 1 and 1 -I- .) Sun Microsystems, Inc. 2550 Garcia Ave. Mountain View, CA 94043 (415)960-1300 Inquiry 1066. up, along with the Macintosh, and Open- Windows widens the gap even farther. Although other SPARC machines like the Solbourne and CompuAdd challenge Sun for price and performance and take advantage of the abundance of Sun appli- cations, they are attacking only the SPARCstation 1 and 1 + . It is unlikely they will have a negative effect on Sun's preeminence. In fact, their presence for- tifies Sun's position. Sun SPA RCstations will not suffer the same fate that IBM PCs did from the clone world. Sun is not IBM; Sun is still hungry and can move fast enough to stay ahead of the spawned industries. Working with the SPARCstation 2 series is almost an educational experi- ence, disproving some widely held be- liefs. First, those who insist that Open Look has been murdered in its sleep by OSF/Motif should feast their eyes on OpenWindows. OSF has been quicker in giving Motif more press coverage and (perhaps as a result) getting it on more machines, but more applications devel- opers have gone with Open Look. Open- Windows 2 is X Window and Open Look taken to their best and most logical po- tential. Second, even though the line be- tween PCs and workstations is getting blurrier by the day, systems like the 2GX (and the IPC, for that matter) prove that workstations still have an edge over even Unix-equipped personal computers. Third, X Window is not unsuitable as an environment for demanding applica- tions. If a vendor takes the time, as Sun has, to build on the base that MIT pro- vides, then X applications can be fast, feature-laden, and easy to use. Some systems are trendsetters. Just as the Apollo 2500 gave the low-end work- station market reason to exist, the Sun SPA RC station 2 series redefines the mid- range. And since Sun is the unquestion- able leader of the workstation world, re- sponsible for introducing workstation technology that sets standards, we hope that the SPARCstation 2 series signals a veering away from the cutting of corners. While some users may want the world's cheapest workstation on their desks, others can afford, and demand, the tradi- tional performance, effortless network- ing, and software leadership that make the term workstation mean something. Two thumbs up for the SPARCstation 2 series and OpenWindows 2.0. ■ Tom Yager and Ben Smith are BYTE tech- nical editors. You can contact them on BIX as "tyager" and "bensmith," re- spectively. 146 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 A N UH jWp! Still writing code with the same old tools? You're only as good as the tools you use. An excellent reason to acquire the new Microsoft® Windows™ Software Development Kit. Tool s tailo r-made to build applications for i the huge new Windows market. Including a specially made CodeView® debugger for | Windows that easily debugs even the largest applications. And all the "how to" help you'll ever need— from the extensive hard copy and online documentation to the sample source code to the comprehensive IBM® CUA style guide. Plus some sophisticated analysis tools and improved resource editors. All of which suggests that if you're not using our SDK, then you're trying to write tomor- row's programs with yesterdays tools. But that's a situation you can easily fix with the following official code numbers: (800) 323-3577 Dept.M24. Call now to update your old kit with the Windows version 3.0 SDK at $150 per kit. Or call us just to answer your questions. The sooner you dial, the sooner you can really go to work on Windows apps. Instead of just toying around with them. (800) 323-3577 Microsoft Making it all make sense Offer good only in the 50 United States. Payment in U.S. funds (plus a $7.50 skippb logo are registeredt radema rks and Ma king it all mak e sense and Windows aretra Nutrition Corporation which does not endorse the Windows SDK and is not affiliated with Microsoft. ft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft, CodeVieiv and the Microsoft logo are registeredt radema rks and Ma king it all mak e sense and Windows arel I ft© osoft Corporation. IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation. CAPTAiN MIDNIGHT is the registered trademark ofSandoz r ee and applicable sales tax). Please allow two to four weeks for delivery. The 486" PC. It may be a little V™ Never before has this much power been plugged into a business PC. Presenting the Intel 486 micro- processor — a veritable powerhouse that's been harnessed for business. ©1990 Intel Corporation, A 486 microprocessor-based PC has everything it takes to run today's high- powered applications. And run them the way you need to — simultaneously and at lightning speed. Plus, it's compatible with the hard- j ' more power than you're used to. ware and business applications you already 1-800-548-4725 and ask for "The 486 Micro- own, so you won't spend any extra time or processor Means Business" brochure, money on training. The 486 PC. Plug it in and start shock- ing the corporate world. For additional information, call The Computer Inside.™ 486 is a trademark of Intel Corporation. inU Circle 356 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 357) 1991 Earnings Bravos. Cheers. Hurrahs. We found APPLAUSE II to be easier to work with than either Harvard Graphics or Free- lance Plus, and faster than the Windows- based products. PC/COMPUTING APRIL 1, 1990 INFOWORLD JUNE 11, 1990 APPLAUSE II handles charting, drawing, and on-screen presentations with a fluid- ity and ease-of-use not found in either Harvard Graphics or Freelance Plus— and it does all this in a mere 512K. PC MAGAZINE MARCH 13, 1990 1 i It's graphical. It's interactive. It makes J excellent use of the mouse. Best of all, it ? abandons the stodgy fill-in-the-formf approach to creating charts that is used by Freelance, Harvard and 35mm Express. The critics are raving about its ease-of-use and intui- tive "Windows -like interface. Andhow APPLAUSE IF turns data into 37 different chart types automatically In black and white or 3.6 million colors. Creating everything from daz- zling overheads, slides and on-screen presentations to APPLAUSE II Knockout business graphics lhal anyone can knock out-on anything high-impact hard copy To find out more, call 1-800-437-4329 ext. 1308 for a free video and eye-opening demonstration disk.* And see why the critics are giving APPLAUSE II a standing ovation. A AshtonTate' •Requires either EGA or VGA card and monitor. Trademark/owners: APPLAUSE 11, Ashton-Tate, Ashton-Tate Logo/Ashton-Tate Corp. Other product and publication names used herein are for identification purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective companies. © 1990 Ashton-Tate Corporation. All rights reserved. Circle 36 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 37) FIRST IMPRESSIONS Suddenly ? Everything's Smaller in Texas In Texas, where everything is larger than life, they suddenly seem to have a knack for designing com- puters that are especially small. Hard on the heels of the Compaq LTE 386s/20 comes a new 386SX notebook from Texas Instruments (TI) called the TravelMate (TM) 3000. This petite pow- erhouse from Dallas undercuts its rival from Houston: The overall performance is somewhat lower, but the TI notebook is almost 2 pounds lighter and has a list price that's $1000 less. The compact size and weight of the new TI notebook system are not surpris- ing, since it follows in the wake of the company's impressive TravelMate 2000. This lightweight notebook, codeveloped with Sharp and also sold by CompuAdd, includes a 286 processor and a hard disk drive, yet it weighs under 4 Vi pounds. The TM 3000, along with similar notebooks from Compaq, Epson, and Toshiba (see the text box "Toshiba and PHOTOGRAPHY: PAUL AVIS© 1990 TI's new 386SX notebook weighs less than 6 pounds Andrew Reinhardt The Texas Instruments TravelMate 3000 packs a 20-MHz 386SX, floppy and hard disk drives, and a VGA screen into a box three-quarters the size of the Manhattan yellow pages. Epson Join SX Notebook Club" on page 152), is part of a new wave of computers that combine compact size with 386 per- formance and compatibility. The jump to the 386 has brought other improvements as well. In the LTE 386s/20, Compaq erased a drawback of its earlier 8086 and 286 LTEs, the lack of VGA graphics. TI has likewise solved the problems of the TM 2000 by adding to the TM 3000 a floppy disk drive, better screen contrast, conventional I/O ports (instead of the miniature ports used before), and 50 per- cent longer battery life, the company says. The TM 3000 uses the 20-MHz ver- sion of the 386SX, boasts a VGA-resolu- tion display, and includes both a floppy disk drive and a hard disk drive. All this power is packed into an 8!/2- by 1 1-inch case less than 2 inches high and weighing a comfortable 5 3 A pounds, including the battery. To top it off, TI tosses in some snazzy software utilities and offers a DECEMBER 1990 -BYTE 151 FIRST IMPRESSIONS SUDDENLY, EVERYTHING'S SMALLER IN TEXAS Toshiba and Epson Join SX Notebook Club Designers from Texas are not the only ones shrinking 386SX com- puters into notebooks. Toshiba, whose T1000 practically defined the early notebook, and Epson, a quiet but long- time player in the laptop market, have both announced plans to produce SX machines in svelte form factors. Both machines were announced too late for a hands-on evaluation, but their specifications indicate that they could be contenders in the market, assuming that pricing (which was unannounced at press time) is in line with their some- what lower performance. The Toshiba T2000SX, scheduled to be available in January 1991, looks like a cross between the company's existing 286-based T1200XE notebook and its T3100SX laptop. Measuring 10 by 12 by 2 inches and weighing in at just under 7 pounds including battery, it is larger and heavier than the TI Travel- Mate 3000 but lighter than the Compaq LTE386s/20. The T2000SX uses a 16-MHz 386SX chip and comes with 1 megabyte of RAM standard, expandable to 9 MB. The Toshiba T2000SX is a little larger than the Texas Instruments TravelMate 3000 and uses a 16-MHz 386SX. It has the same keyboard as the Toshiba T3100SX. An 80387SX coprocessor is optional. Both a 3V2-inch 1.44-MB floppy disk drive and a hard disk drive are built into the system; initially, only a 20-MB hard disk drive will be available, but Toshiba eventually plans to offer a 40-MB drive as standard. The edge-lit supertwist nematic LCD offers VGA-resolution graphics with 16 shades of gray but measures only 8!/2 inches diagonally. Serial, parallel, ex- ternal monitor, and numeric keypad ports are included, and there is an ex- pansion bus for a desktop docking sta- tion. A slot for an optional modem is lo- cated under the machine. Epson announced its machine, the NB3s, cautiously: Although it was the first SX notebook to be unveiled, Epson disclosed neither prices nor a firm de- livery date. However, on paper the note- book looks impressive. It reportedly weighs just under 6 pounds and mea- sures 8^2 by 11% by VA inches, or about a tenth of a pound and 1 cubic inch more than the TI TravelMate 3000. The NB3s uses a 16-MHz 386SX CPU and can hold up to 5 MB of inter- nal RAM and an optional math copro- cessor. The base memory configuration has not been announced, but it will like- ly be 1 or 2 MB of RAM. For mass stor- age, both a 3!/2-inch floppy disk drive and a 20- or 40-MB hard disk drive are included. The backlit, black-on-white LCD offers VGA resolution with 16 levels of gray. Standard I/O ports in- clude serial, parallel, external CRT, and numeric keypad. One of the most distinctive aspects of the Epson notebook is its desktop dock- ing station, which, in addition to two full-size AT-bus slots, offers bays for up to 120 MB of mass storage and support for a 101-key keyboard. The docking station itself is only 3 7 /io pounds, so the notebook and base combined weigh less than 10 pounds. The NB3s is slated to ship before the end of this year. keyboard that I believe is superior to that oftheLTE. Power to Go The TM 3000's 20-MHz 386SX CPU has enough horsepower to run demand- ing applications while on the road, in- cluding software written specifically for the 386 instruction set. An 80387SX math coprocessor is an option, although it was not installed in the unit I evalu- ated. Preliminary BYTE benchmarks rate the CPU performance at 2. 75 times the speed of an IBM AT, which is a tad faster than the Compaq LTE 386s/20 and most of the deskbound 20-MHz SX ma- chines that BYTE has reviewed so far. The system is supplied with 2 MB of 152 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 FIRST IMPRESSIONS SUDDENLY, EVERYTHING'S SMALLER IN TEXAS RAM, expandable on the motherboard in 2-MB increments upto6MB.For mass storage, one of two 2 1 /2-inch Conner Pe- ripherals hard disk drives is available: a 20-MB drive with a 23-millisecond aver- age access time or a 19-ms 40-MB drive. A 3 Vi -inch 1.44-MB floppy disk drive is located on the front of the system. On the BYTE benchmarks, the 20-MB drive turned in a disk I/O rating of 1 .60, or about 70 percent as fast as the LTE's drive. But TI supplies a disk-caching utility that boosts performance and saves battery life; with a 64K-byte cache in- stalled in extended memory, the bench- mark index rose to 1.80. It should be noted that the drives for the Compaq notebook are available in 30- and 60-MB capacities; TI plans to offer a 60-MB ver- sion in the second quarter of 1991. The TM 3000's display is a triple su- pertwist nematic LCD measuring 10 inches diagonally. It is switchable be- tween black on white or white on black via a toggle. While it is essentially the same screen used in the TM 2000, TI says that engineering refinements have produced blacker blacks and better con- trast. The screen offers 640- by 480-pixel VGA resolution with a 32-gray-shade palette (16 shades visible at a time) using the Chips & Technologies VGA chip and Quadtel VGA BIOS. It is lit from the side by a single cold-cathode fluorescent tube, yet I found it very crisp and legible in a variety of lighting conditions. The only drawback is performance: The video subsystem posted a rating of 5.31 in the BYTE benchmarks, versus 8.00 fortheLTE386s/20. What the display and hard disk drive lack in zip, the keyboard makes up for in comfort. The TM 3000 has a 79-key key- board with 10 function keys on the top row (Fl 1 and F12 are accessed with an Fn key) and an embedded numeric pad superimposed on the alpha keys. Sepa- rate cursor-movement keys are arranged in an inverted T on the lower right side of the keyboard. I found typing on the TM 3000 much easier than on an LTE: the keys have a good "clicky" feel and ade- quate travel, and I greatly prefer the ar- rangement of the arrow keys to the awk- ward reclined-L pattern on the LTE. To connect the TM 3000 to the outside world, TI provides standard I/O ports (i.e., parallel, serial, PS/2 mouse, and external VGA monitor), grouped behind a hinged door on the left side of the com- puter. Also on the left is a proprietary slot for an optional 2400-bps internal modem. On the right side is a mini- connector for an optional numeric key- BENCHMARK RESULTS 1 Preliminary BYTE Lab benchmark results indicate that the new TI notebook computer has a fast CPU index compared to other 20-MHz 386SX systems, but disk and video performance are mediocre. All benchmark indexes show performance relative to an 8-MHz IBM AT; higher numbers are better. System CPU Disk I/O Video TI TravelMate 3000 2.75 1.60 5.31 Compaq LTE 386s/20 Dell 320LX 2.58 2.19 2.32 1.86 8.00 7.10 NECProSpeedSX/20 2.05 1.11 5.33 pad, and on the back is another miniport for connecting to a desktop base station. The base station is the same one of- fered for the TM 2000 except for a differ- ent adapter to accommodate the greater height of the TM 3000. It contains 1 Vi AT -bus slots for add-in cards, a 3 Vi -inch storage bay, and a power supply to drive both the notebook and the expansion chassis. The base station is scheduled to be available in December, but TI hasn't yet announced a price. A Power Boost Notebook computers push the envelope in power management, because design- ers have to squeeze the maximum operat- ing time out of the smallest possible bat- tery. Although the TM 3000 uses about twice as much power as the TM 2000, TI has managed through improved power engineering and a variety of software utilities to boost run time by 50 percent, from 2 hours to 3. I wasn't able to verify this claim because my evaluation unit had some power glitches. The TM 3000 uses removable, re- chargeable nickel-cadmium batteries that together weigh about 1 pound. (Without the batteries, the system weighs only 4 7 / 10 pounds, or about one-third of a pound more than the NEC UltraLite.) TI says that the batteries can be recharged inside the computer in 3 to 4 hours when it is not in use. An external charger will also be available. THE FACTS TravelMate 3000 with 20-MB hard disk drive, $5499 with 40-MB hard disk drive, $5999 Texas Instruments, Inc. Information Technology Group P.O. Box 202230, ITG-065 Austin, TX 78720 (800) 527-3500 Inquiry 1076. To prolong operating time, TI inte- grated many of the TM 3000 's functions into low-power application-specific ICs. CPU speed drops automatically from 20 MHz to 8 MHz when the system is idle, and a software utility called BatteryPro induces processor wait cycles when the CPU is holding for keyboard entry or I/O. These techniques alone can save 20 percent to 25 percent of battery life, TI says. Other utilities included with the TM 3000 let the user specify time inter- vals for blanking the screen and power- ing down the hard disk drive. The system also includes BatteryWatch from Travel- ing Software. Swimming with Sharps TI produced the TM 2000 in conjunction with Sharp, which sells the same ma- chine under the name PC 6220, but Sharp did most of the engineering work. With the TM 3000, that situation is re- versed: TI did the design near Dallas, and the machine will likely be relabeled and sold by Sharp as well. This alone is a clear indication of TI's engineering prowess. That TI was also able to match and even beat Compaq at a game the lat- ter has made a specialty bodes well for TI's future in notebooks. Then there is the price. For a starting configuration with 2 MB of RAM and a 20-MB hard disk drive, the TM 3000's suggested list price is $5499. This in- cludes DOS 4.01, LapLink, Battery- Watch, and other bundled software for controlling the display, disk cache, and power management. A configuration with a 40-MB drive will list for $5999, or $500 less than the 30-MB Compaq LTE 386s/20. This is still a lot of money, but if you need a 386 on the road or you just can't resist the latest breakthrough in portable power, the TM 3000 may be just the ticket.! Andrew Reinhardt is an associate news editor for BYTE in New York. He can be reached on BIX as "areinhardt." DECEMBER 1990 -BYTE 153 The Okidata OK It's why we had tore-invent the laser printer. e®^ EDITORS' CHOICE June 12, 1990 Oida[aOL400 'Si Whats the Okidata OK? Its a badge of honor that every Okidata product has to earn-a symbol of our commitment to design and deliver products that offer outstanding value and performance. Products that will not only satisfy you, but impress you. TheLaserless Printhead: Warranteed for 5 Years. The performance promise behind the Okidata OK is the reason we had to re-invent the conventional laser printer. Our engineers frankly rejected the industry-standard page printer technology of laser beams, lenses and rotating mirrors. Instead, they designed and built a proprietary, solid-state LED printhead with no moving parts. Its a printing system so trouble-free, we guarantee our LED print element for 5 full years-making it by far the longest warranty f* in the industry. But reliability isn't the only advan- tage our unique printhead offers. It also means a simpler design, resulting in a straight-line paper path thats far less likely to jam-even when feeding heavy stock, envelopes, or labels. And, since we build it ourselves, it means something else-a lower cost. TheOL400:The Only $999 Page Printer. Our 4 ppm OL400, for example, has the lowest list price of any page printer on the market: only $999.* Yet that price gets you a printer that earned a PC Magazine Editor's Choice Award, with standard features-extra fonts, a full 200-sheet paper tray— that you won t find on a LaserJet® IIP selling for hundreds of dollars more. Plus a slim, low-profile design thats less bulky on a desktop. The OL800:Twice the Output, with Room to Grow. And the OL400 isn't the only Okidata LED page printer to offer outstanding value. For applica- tions where greater speed is needed, the OL800 delivers 8 ppm with all the advantages of the Okidata LED printhead: straight-line paper path, 5-year printhead warranty, and a low $1499 list price. Like all our LED page printers, the OL800 emulates HP®Series II for compatibility with most popular software; with its speed and selection of resi- dent type fonts, it can handle the printing needs of a whole work group. Whats more, as your applications change and your needs grow, a simple upgrade kit turns the OL800 into either a font-scaling OL820 or a PostScripts-compatible OL840. The OL820: Smarter Than a LaserJet III. The OL820 earned the Okidata OK by learning how to do font-scaling on the fly. Thanks to a special chip our engineers designed into the 820, it can solve complex type-sizing and positioning problems instantly— problems the LaserJet III needs to talk to its software to work out.That means the OL820 can deliver up to three pages of sophisticated text while the LaserJet III is still working on its first page. And all at a price thats hundreds of dollars less than the LaserJet III. TheOL840: PostScript and Beyond. And for applications that require full Adobe PostScript® compatibility, our OL840 delivers it in spades. Its ready to connect to any PC or Macintosh® system, or to both at the same time-then switch between systems with the push of a button. The Okidata OK. Its a promise that makes our job-to design and manufacture a line of page printers offering both outstanding value and performance-a hard one. But it makes your job-choosing the right brand of page printer for your application-easier than ever before. For additional information, call us at 1-800-800-7333. OKIDATA OK! We don't just design it to work. We design it to work wonders.™ Pictured with optional second paper tray; available on OL800, OL820 and OL840 models. HR LaserJet, Adobe PostScript, Macintosh arc trademarks of their respective corporations. 'Manufacturers suggested retail price. Dealer prices may vary. OK1LATA is a registered trademark of Oki America, Inc., Marque deposec de Oki America Inc. Circle 217 on Reader Service Card PRODUCT Laser Printer Alternatives When Laser Printers Can't Cut It The BYTE Lab tests 27 dot-matrix and page printers that pick up where laser printers leave off Stanford Diehl and Howard Eglowstein Are you planning to run out and buy a laser printer? If so, stop, take a deep breath, and consider what you are buying a printer for. You might want to consider a laser printer alternative. Sure, laser printers are fast and getting less expensive by the day. But maybe you need to print multipart forms; laser printers can't do that. Or perhaps you will be printing long program or data- base listings. A large stack of cut sheets is definitely not the way to print long list- ings. And at 5 cents per page, they're five times the cost of dot-matrix output. A long piece of perforated pin-feed paper is much more convenient and fits easily in a special binder. If you've ever pasted together multiple letter-size spread- sheets, you're sure to appreciate the abil- ity to print on 13-inch-wide paper. There are alternatives to the laser printer, and this month, the BYTE Lab looks at 27 printers that might suit your needs. You be the judge. Quality is a big consideration when buying a printer, so all the reviewed printers have 24-pin print heads (or the equivalent) and produce letter-quality output. For the dot-matrix printers, we chose wide-carriage models and further required that they all handle graphics in 156 BYTE* DECEMBER 1990 either IBM Proprinter or Epson LQ emu- lation. This narrowed the field to 21 dot- matrix and two ink- jet printers. Another alternative to a laser printer is a page printer with a nonlaser print engine. The text box "You're Being Paged" on page 158 introduces two LED, one LCS (liq- uid-crystal shutter), and one ink- jet page printer, each with print quality to rival the laser printers and full Hewlett-Pack- ard PCL emulation. If You Can't Fight 'Em, Emulate 'Em All printers evolved from the simple typewriter. Teletypewriter machines provided feedback to the earliest hackers before CRTs became popular. Even after monitors became the preferred interface, modified teletypewriters hung around as simple hard-copy output devices. From the teletypewriter evolved the daisy wheel, whose loud and clumsy operation drove users to dot-matrix printers as soon as the machines produced accept- able quality. Now, of course, ink-jet printers and cheap laser printers threaten the dot-matrix models for mainstream applications. Centronics marketed the first success- ful line of dot-matrix printers and, for a time, had the market mostly to itself. Then the Japanese printers poured in. Seiko was the first Japanese company to manufacture dot-matrix print heads. Then Seiko turned them over to its Epson subsidiary, which began selling printers of a quality and price that Centronics couldn't match. In 1981, when IBM needed a printer for its new Personal Computer, it chose an Epson. Although the name tag said "IBM," the printer and its underlying command set were pure Epson. IBM's choice of an Epson solidified the Epson standard. Even the so-called Centronics parallel port is actually an Epson modi- fication of the original Centronics de- sign. In today's dot-matrix market, most manufacturers emulate the Epson printer command set. Printer companies emu- late the Epson so that their printers will be compatible with leading software packages. To communicate with a print- er, every software package must include a driver that the specific printer can understand. A printer vendor must either write its own driver for every major piece of software or create a printer that can talk to the most popular drivers around. While having a wide range of emulations will increase a printer's chances of being compatible with software products, all a printer really needs these days are IBM and Epson emulations. To be successful, most software must include drivers for the Epson and the IBM Proprinter. If your printer emulates these two (see photo 1), you won't have to worry about software compatibility. Still, emulating the commands is not enough. The command sets, after all, continue to evolve, sprouting new fea- tures and capabilities each time Epson or IBM releases a new printer. Luckily, the enhanced commands are backward-com- patible. If you have a newer Epson printer, you can still use software that supports the old models; you just won't be taking full advantage of the printer. For instance, in table 1, we list two Epson emulations— Epson 1050 and Epson 2550. Any printer that emulates the 2550 will also work with a 1050 driver and, indeed, with drivers dating back to the original MX series. The printers that do not support 2550 emula- tion do not include the latest enhance- ments to the Epson printer command set. Likewise, IBM's latest printer, the Pro- printer XL24E, has an enhanced com- mand set (that's what the E stands for). You should always use the most recent driver that your printer will support to ensure that you're getting the most out of your investment. Fujitsu takes an interesting approach to the emulation issue. The DL4600 uses the Fujitsu DPL24C Plus command set, PHOTOGRAPHY: PAUL AVIS © 1990 DECEMBER 1990 -BYTE 157 FOCUS Laser Printer Alternatives You're Being Paged Perhaps you want a page printer but you have specific needs that a laser printer cannot address— larger paper, say. While they're not in the same cate- gory as the dot-matrix and ink- jet char- acter printers, the four page printers that we examined (see photo A) have specific design advantages over their laser counterparts (see table A). The first thing we wondered when we started to test these LED, LCS (liquid- crystal shutter), and ink- jet page print- ers was: What's the point? They aren't really cheaper, they're not always faster (see figure A), and the LED/LCS tech- nology uses essentially the same sup- plies as a laser printer. The Epson EPI-4000 ink- jet printer is unique in that it can handle PCL or Epson graphics on 11- by 17 -inch pa- per. It's probably not a good choice as a general-purpose printer; it's slower than the Hewlett-Packard Series II, and the water-based ink makes the paper wrinkle if you print a large black area. Still, the print quality is good, and if you need to print on large paper, the EPI-4000 is your only option. LED and LCS technologies are simi- lar in that they use a photosensitive drum to attract toner, much the way a laser printer does. The difference is that a laser printer uses a scanning laser beam to charge the drum. LED and LCS printers use an array of 2550 indi- vidual elements— one for each pixel on an 8 ! /2-inch line. On an LED printer, there is one LED for each pixel, and as a given line is printed, the printer acti- vates the required LEDs. The LCS printer uses a similar tech- nique, but it places an array of liquid- Photo A: Laser quality without the laser: Page printers reviewed are (clockwise from top left) the Epson EPI-4000, the Okidata OkiLaser 820, the Fujitsu RX7100 S/2, and the Qume CrystalPrint Publisher II, 158 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 crystal elements between the drum and an incandescent light source. According to Qume, this configuration allows for more even light distribution, preventing a streaky appearance in large black areas. Compared to laser printers, LED and LCS printers have fewer moving parts to break, which suggests that they may be more reliable. Without the scan- ning mirror, the LED/LCS technologies print a more even black without any trace of scan lines. As for performance, the Okidata OkiLaser 820 (LED) was the fastest in our long-document and text-and-graphics tests, thanks to its fast paper handling. The Fujitsu RX7100 S/2's exposed paper bin (see photo A) made it easy to load. Qume's Crystal- Print Publisher II has a fast RISC pro- cessor, which gave it an edge on the short-memo test. CrystalPrint Publish- er II has both PostScript and Apple LocalTalk interfaces, making it a fine addition to any Mac network. Overall, we couldn't detect any sub- stantial difference in print quality be- tween the CrystalPrint Publisher IPs LCS engine and the LED printers, al- though all three had much blacker blacks than the Hewlett-Packard Laser- Jet Series II. As for reliability, the claims seem reasonable; time will tell. •nrn^nJfcT Table A: Ink-jet, LED, and LCS printers offer a range of interface and emulation choices. (0=yes; 9= no; (O)=optional.) Epson EPl-4000 Fujitsu Okidata Qume Model RX7100S/2 OkiLaser 820 CrystalPrint Publisher II Price $1999 $1395 $2295 $3995 Dimensions in inches 19.6x12 6.7x16 8.5x17.7 9.1x15.7 (D.W.H) X28.2 X15.7 x17.7 x13.4 Weight (pounds) 393/fc 39 37 35y 5 Memory— standard 512K 640K 512K 3 MB Memory— expansion 2MB 4MB 4MB 6 MB Interface AppleTalk O O O • Parallel • • • • Print sharing O O Optional O Serial • • • • Twinax • o O o Technology Inkjet LED LED LCS Maximum print speed Depends on page 5ppm 8ppm 6ppm Pages/refill 1000 LQ pages 6000 pages 2500 pages 7500 pages Duty 5000 hours® 3000 pages/ 5000 pages/ 6000 pages/ 25%duty month month month Paper capacity 100 sheets 150 sheets 200 sheets 100 sheets Maximum paper size 11x17 8M>x14 8^x14 8^x14 (inches) Emulation Diablo 630 O • • O Epson LQandFX FX O O HP LaserJet II • • • • IBM Proprinter O • • O PostScript o (0) o • Resident fonts 3 7 5 (HP), 13 (Scalable Oki) 8 (HP), 39 (PostScript) Options Push tractor Font cards, second paper bin Font cards Font cards PAGE PRINTER SPEED INDEX < Worse Better ► < Worse Better ► < Worse Better ► 2 Epson EPl-4000 Fujitsu RX71 00 S/2 Hewlett-Packard LaserJet II Okidata OkiLaser 820 Qume CrystalPrint Publisher II II -^T-H I I I I 1 1 1 1 I 1 II I I .. d . ml. : I I _«.■£ i > I I I I I D 1 2 3 _l First page __] Short memo \ I I D 1 2 c _d Text and graphics _J Graphics throughput I ( I I D 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1 1 Long document Figure A: Since these printers work like Hewlett-Packard LaserJets, we ran the tests used for our July Product Focus, "Laser Printers Get Personal. " The first-page and short-memo tests are heavily influenced by warm-up time and the speed at which fonts can be downloaded. The text-and-graphics and graphics-throughput tests reflect the speed of a lengthy binary-image transfer. Finally, the long-document test rates the printers on their ability to churn out long listings. In all cases, the tests are normalized to the Hewlett-Packard Series II (its index rating is I). DECEMBER 1990 -BYTE 159 a) SPEED INDEXES CPS index Advanced Matrix Technology Accel-535 AEGOIympiaNPC136-24 Alps America Allegro 500XT Apple ImageWriter LQ Brother M-1924L Canon BJ130e C-Tech Electronics C-515 Dataproducts Model 9044 Epson LQ-2550 Facit B2400/50 Fortis DQ4215 Fujitsu DL4600 Hewlett-Packard DeskJet 500 Hewlett-Packard RuggedWriter 480 IBM Proprinter XL24E Mannesmann Tally 131/24 NEC Pinwriter P6300 Okidata Microline 393+ Panasonic KX-P1 624 Seikosha SL-230 Star Micronix XB-241 5 Multi-font Tandy DMP 2103 Toshiba America ExpressWriter 440 IBM Proprinter XL24E=1 < Slower j_ T ~~] * *f ] b) Text and graphics indexes < Slower Faster ► | 1 ■M ■ .1 I 1 ' ~TI j II 1 KT- TS8 ■ I 1 iH 1 1 B ■■ y^pm _ 1 ___._ m m • r i ^m 0.5 1.0 1. Draft mode 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 Letter quality 2.5 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 Figure 1: (a) Vendors ' cps (characters per second) ratings do not always reflect real-world results. Our tests use a typical formatted document. The results are normalized on the IBM Proprinter XL24E (its index rating is 1 , so a printer with a rating of 2 runs twice as fast as the Proprinter). The Hewlett-Packard RuggedWriter 480 had far and away the fastest letter-quality printing. The RuggedWriter 480 and the Okidata Microline 393+ turned in the fastest draft performance. (b) Our text-and-graphics test included text, line art, a gray-scale test pattern, and a gray-scale TIFF image scanned at 300 dots per inch. The results are normalized on the IBM Proprinter XL24E (its index rating is 1). The Facit B2400/50 and the C-Tech C-515 led the field. All printers were tested with the Windows 3. Proprinter driver unless only an Epson driver was supported. The Hewlett-Packard DeskJet 500 required its own driver. which includes most of the commands for the Proprinter and Epson LQ-2550. On top of that, the DL4600 printer ac- cepts "emulation cards." These optional cards slide onto the memory board and deliver additional printer emulations. Quick and Dirty Many buyers look to dot-matrix printers without worrying too much about print quality. They just want their output fast. When you're pumping out an early draft or a preliminary listing, you usually want it right away. Speed has become a major factor in dot-matrix purchasing decisions. Note that the results of our testing (see Photo 1 : Setting the standards. Most dot-matrix printers emulate one or both of these two printers: the IBM Proprinter XL24E (top) and the Epson LQ-2550 (bottom). 160 BYTE PRODUCT FOCUS Laser Printer Alternatives figure la) conflict with the characters- per-second (cps) ratings as listed in table 1 . Don't be alarmed. We have not uncov- ered a conspiracy. When printer vendors publish speed ratings, they are literally referring to the time it takes to print a burst of characters. This time does not include movement of the print head, line- feeds, and carriage returns. Our test gen- erates a long document with numerous elements not included in vendor tests (see the text box "Lab Tests: Connect the Dots" at right). Keep this in mind when reviewing cps ratings. You can use these ratings to compare the speed of various printers, but don't expect a printer rated at 300 cps to print a 10,000-character document in 33 seconds. The BYTE Lab tests reflect real-world results that you can expect to duplicate (see also figure lb). Table 1 includes draft and letter- quality cps ratings at 10 cpi, the accepted standard, as supplied by the vendors. When you opt for letter-quality print- ing, you will, of course, forfeit some speed. Many dot-matrix printers en- hance quality by printing a second iden- tical character on top of (or slightly offset from) the first. As you would expect, this technique will at the very least halve the print speed. Luckily, you don't have to wait for the entire printout before getting back to work. This is where printer buffers come in. The bigger the buffer, the more out- put your computer can pass to the printer and the sooner you get control of your keyboard. On the other hand, printer memory is not as vital to a dot-matrix printer as it is to a page printer. Because a page printer must first build an image in its memory, it requires a minimum amount of RAM to do its job. Dot-matrix printers use memory only as buffer space and to download fonts. So, if you're plan- ning to use downloadable fonts with your dot-matrix printer or if you just want a healthy buffer, make sure that you have adequate memory. Table 1 lists each printer's maximum memory configura- tion. Please Turn That Thing Down The new breed of dot-matrix printer is worlds quieter than its ancestors, al- though after testing over 20 of them, we still went to bed at night with that annoy- ing hum in our ears. Some models with special "quiet" modes dampen noise by printing more slowly and by printing one-half of the line in each of two passes. Our tests re- vealed that most printers produce copy at roughly half-speed when printing in quiet mode. Some of the printers were Lab Tests: Connect the Dots We started our tests by hooking each printer (except the Apple ImageWriter LQ) to our base system, a Compaq Deskpro 386/20. We fiddled around with the printer before consult- ing the manual, just to see how intuitive the interface was. We loaded razor-cut fanf old paper and fed it into the printer as specified in the manual. Usually, pushing a formfeed button or pulling back on the paper bail lever caused the paper to load automatically. We then tried the tear-off function and parked the paper for single-sheet feeding. Nu- merous formfeeds helped test the feed- ing mechanism. We usually developed a strong impression of a printer before the first real test even started. For one test (see figure la), we print- ed a fairly long (55K-byte) document from the DOS prompt. We timed the test from the first strike of the print head to the formfeed at the end of the docu- ment. This was designed to test speed in characters per second on a formatted document. We ran the full-speed test twice, once in high-speed draft quality and once in letter-quality mode. For the Apple ImageWriter LQ, we printed from Microsoft Word 4.0 on a Mac Por- table. To test the Canon BJ130e for Canon mode compatibility, we con- nected to a Canon Cat, one of Canon's dedicated word processors (it ran fine). As the cps test ran, we took a sound reading of each printer. A sound meter recorded the decibel reading 3 feet in front of the printer. We recorded the highest dB rating consistently registered on the meter (see figure 2). We took a second reading for those printers with special quiet modes. We ran our text-and-graphics speed test from PageMaker 3.01 under Win- dows 3.0. With the Windows print spooler disabled, we started timing as soon as the printer began receiving data, and we stopped timing when the printout was complete (see figure lb). Our graphics file included line art, a scanned TIFF image, a gray-scale test pattern, and text in various fonts. We tested both Epson and IBM Proprinter emulation for those printers supporting both; otherwise, we used whatever driver the printer could handle. Some printers, such as the NEC Pin writer P6300 and the Fujitsu DL4600, have custom Windows 3.0 drivers. For these printers, we tested the available emula- tions as well as the native drivers. We timed the Hewlett-Packard DeskJet 500 using the standard DeskJet driver. We also tested the DeskJet 500-specific driver with scalable font technology. The scalable fonts looked terrific, and we had no problems running Page- Maker with them. The PageMaker file ported directly to Mac PageMaker 3.02 for printing from the Mac Portable. Next, we parked the fanf old paper and loaded a seven-part McGraw-Hill requisition form (if you can get one of those through, you can get anything through— these monsters have seven sheets of heavy paper and six separate carbons). We set the gap adjustment until the highest-quality printout was achieved. If a printer would not accept the seven-part form, we removed pages from the form one by one until the form fed properly. Although not all printers accepted the seven-part form, they all met or exceeded the vendor specifica- tion for multiple copies. Ink- jet printers will not generate multipart copies. pleasantly muted even without a quiet mode. And, of course, if you really cher- ish your peace and quiet, the ink- jet printers barely break out of a whisper. We took sound readings for each printer and graphed the results in figure 2. We used the most common unit of sound measurement, decibels, in our testing. Doubling the volume means a 10-dB in- crease. A difference of 5 or 6 dB is sig- nificant, and even a 2-dB difference is noticeable. It helps to listen to the printer before you buy it. Try to carry on a normal con- versation with the printer running. We found that the dB rating of a printer was not always as important as the quality of the sound that it made. Some emit an un- obtrusive sound that may register a high- er dB rating, while a "quieter" model may make you cringe with its high- pitched squeal. Two of the quietest printers, the Brother M-1924L and the Seikosha SL-230, registered 65 dB in fast draft mode; in quiet mode, they both reg- istered 62 dB. Compare that to the Pana- sonic KX-P1624, which prints at 77 dB in fast draft, 68 dB in quiet mode. Then DECEMBER 1990 -BYTE 161 FOCUS Laser Printer Alternatives NOISE RATINGS Draft mode Quiet mode Advanced Matrix Technology Accel-535 AEG Olympia NPC1 36-24 Alps America Allegro 500XT Apple ImageWriter LQ Brother M-1924L Canon BJ130e C-Tech Electronics C-515 Dataproducts Model 9044 Epson LQ-2550 Facit B2400/50 Fortis DQ4215 Fujitsu DL4600 HP DeskJet 500 HP RuggedWriter 480 IBM Proprinter XL24E Mannesmann Tally 131/24 NEC Pinwriter P6300 Okidata Microline 393+ Panasonic KX-P1 624 Seikosha SL-230 Star Micronix XB-2415 Multi-font Tandy DMP 2103 Toshiba America ExpressWriter 440 < Quieter Louder ► | I :_1 I M — -.J I Jj i — -■ — U 1 | v y—i L_I_~] ^i l CZZZZI ■ ! 1 i 1| 1 I I I I I 20 40 60 Decibels 80 20 40 60 Decibels 80 Figure 2: Sound readings taken 3 feet aw ay from the printer. On a dB scale, an increase of 10 equates to sound twice as loud, but even a 2-dB difference is noticeable. A typical conversation registers 60 dB, while a passing truck registers about 90 dB. It was no surprise that the two ink- jet printers (the Canon BJ130e and the Hewlett-Packard DeskJet 500) were the quietest. For those printers that include a quiet mode, we measured that separately. there are the Alps Allegro 500XT and the C-Tech C-515, buzzing in at 75 dB and 74 dB, respectively, without a quiet mode to tone down the chattering when the phone rings. One solution to the noise problem is a printer muffler— a cabinet with foam in- sulation and cooling that you place over the printer. Depending on the size and quality of the enclosure, we found print- er mufflers listed in several mail-order catalogs for between $70 and $250. Or you could hook your printer to a long serial cable and put it in your closet. DIP Switches, R.I.P. As simple as the technology seems at first glance, dot-matrix printers are no- toriously aggravating to work with. Ven- dors of the latest breed have bucked this trend by improving paper-handling fea- tures and the user interface. For the most part, DIP switches— those tiny, cryptic switches used to configure printers in the past— have gone the way of the daisy wheel. Among the 24-pin printers that we looked at, only the Hewlett-Packard RuggedWriter still uses the old-time in- terface. In fact, the RuggedWriter uses DIP switches only for configuration set- tings that you won't normally deal with on a day-to-day basis. The RuggedWriter handles font and pitch changes by front- panel controls. Some vendors still use a variation of the DIP switch theme. The Seikosha America SL-230 keeps its configuration switches on a credit-card-style function card (see photo 2). You set the switches (kind of like rotary DIP switches) and then slide the card into the front of the printer. The twist here is obvious: You can have different cards configured for each printer application. This feature is especially handy when different applica- tions need to share one printer. Instead of fumbling through a new configuration each time a different user requires hard copy, each user simply plugs in a cus- tomized card. Among the printers we reviewed, most offer a true menuing interface. You view menu options from an LCD or from a printed list. Either way, your current se- lections and possible choices are clearly displayed so you don't have to refer to a manual each time. Some of the printed menus— such as the ones from C-Tech, Photo 2: The Seikosha SL-230 's credit-card-style function card serves the same purpose as old-fashioned DIP switches. You can keep multiple function cards, each configured for a different application. 162 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 The argument for buying our new laser line printer is full of holes. Consider the facts and you'll agree. The Laserf old is the logical conclusion for departmental computing environments. Particularly where high-speed printing of high-quality text is an everyday requirement. That's because the Laserf old ends the trade- offs between high-speed line printers and high-end page printers. It simply gives you the best of both ... at a lower cost than either. It combines laser-quality character resolu- tion, a fast 16-pages-per-minute output, extremely quiet operation and desktop size. So when you're printing high-quality text on fanfold paper for business, technical or accounting applications, there's >.: $**f**; ■«... simply no argument against choosing the Laserfold. Pentax Technologies,' 100 Technology Drive, Broomfield, CO 80021. Phone 303-460-1600. FAX303-460-1628. TECHNOLOGIES PENTAX Advanced Microsource Hopkinton.MA (508)435-5800 (800)232-9920 Nimax Nimax San Diego, CA St. Louis, MO (619) 566-4800 (314) 427-1919 Computer Source Technology Technology Hauppauge.NY Marketing Group Marketing Group (516) 348-7474 Minneapolis, MN Bensenville, IL (800) 222-5022 (800) 688-7000 (708) 595-4600 Proven Solutions Q/Cor Nimax Olympia, WA Norcross, GA Technology Marketing Group Phoenix,AZ (602)340-9000 Chess Denver, CO Livonia, MI (313)427-1010 (206)352-4512 (800) 541-0183 (404) 923-6666 (800) 548-3420 (303)573-5133 © 1990 Pentax Technologies Circle 230 on Reader Service Card FOCUS Laser Printer Alternatives ' Table 1 : Paper-handling options, speed, and Printer Advanced AEG Matrix Tech. Olympta noise ratings are among the most important features that distinguish 24- pin dot- Alps Apple Brother Canon C-Tech Data- Epson America products matrix printers. Faclt Fortls Model Accel-535 NPC 136-24 Allegro 500XT ImageWriter LQ M-1924L BJ130e C-515 9044 LQ-2550 B2400/50 DQ4215 / .&'; Price $1485 $799 $799 $1399 $849 $995 $749 200 $1099 $1499 $849 $899 Rated characters per second— draft (10 cDi) 400 200 250 250 225 240 250 333 200 200 Rated characters per second— LQ (10 cpi) 80 67 83 115 75 110 66 83 111 65 67 Standard buffer (bytes) 32K 24K 23K 5K 64K 32K 64K 28K 2K 8K 26K 24K ..« Optional buffer (maximum) (bytes) 400K 56K 55K None None None 32K 32K None None Type of tractor Push Push Push • Push or pull • Push Pull(O) Push Push Push Push Push Bottom feed? • O O O O O O Autoload? • ,.; • ,, ^. , • ' • - • -V '■::• Paper park? • • • O _ N/A • • • ■HBB Autobail? • • O . • N/A N/A O • • • • o MMm Plug-in font cartridge? • • O o O • • wm Quiet mode? o • o o N/A o o o • Number of multiple copies 6 3 4 5 4 N/A 4 3 6 4 3 BHM Resident fonts Ribbon life (characters) 4 6 7 N/A 9 3 9 2 7 2 4 5 million 2 million 2 million 4 million 3Vz million 1 million (cartridge) 3V2 million 2 million 3 million 3 million Not available ■ Print-head life 1 Not available Mean time between failures 1 5,000 hours (50% duty) 100 million characters 6000 hours (20% duty) 200 million dots/pin 6000 hours (25% duty) 400 million dots/pin 6000 hours: (25% duty) 200 million dots/pin Not available 200 million dots/pin 200 million dots/pin 200 million dots/pin 150 million characters >4000 hours (20% duty) 1 100 million characters 6000 hours (25% duty) Not available 6000 hours (25% duty) 1 5000 hours (10% duty) 1 3000 hours 25% duty) 4 6000 hours (20% duty) ■ Number of stored configurations 5 2 3 1 1 1 2 Dimensions in inches (D.W.H) 24x7.35 X16.9 24.4x5.1 X13.8 23x8.4 X13.6 23.2x5.12 x15 24.6x15.3 x6.1 26.5 24x5.4 X14.3 22.5x4.6 x12.4 23x5.3 x14,3 26.5 26.6x7.7 X20.4 23.25x5.12 X13 25x6.5 x16 ■ Weight (pounds) 48 22 1*7.7 38 26.5 19.84 44 24.2 27 Tested decibel level (high-speed draft) 67 70 75 70 65 55 74 70 67 71 70 WBm Emulations IBMProprinterXL24 Epson LQ-1050 Epson LQ-2550 Others • • • Diablo 630, Xerox 4020 • • • O • • N/A N/A N/A • • • Diablo 630, Brother HR • O O • • O O • o Diablo 630 O • • • O o Epson LQ-850 • • • Graphics resolution (maximum) in dpi 240x480 360x180 360x360 216x216 360x360 360x360 360x180 360x180 360x360 360x180 360x 180 :*' User interface LCD, select-dial LCD Printed menu DIP switches LCD DIP switches Printed menu Printed menu LCD Printed menu, move print head LCD Auto thickness sensor O O O O O O o • O O Heat sensor ^^^ O • O O O O • O O Micro feed (increment) Color 1/120 inch • 1/180 inch O 1/180 inch O 1/216 inch o O 1/216 inch 1/180 inch 1/180 Inch 1/180 inch 1/180 inch • (0) O O (0) • O (O) Warranty (years) 1 1 1 1 1 1 / 1 1 1 1 1 Hardware interface P. RS-232C P.RS-232C P,RS-232C(0) RS-232C, RS-422, LocalTalk(O) P, RS-232C P. RS-232C(0) P, RS-232C P,RS-232C(0) f 3 ,RS-232C P.RS-232C P.RS-232C •=Yes. 0=No. (0)=Optional. N/A=Not applicable. LQ= Letter quality. 1 Vendors measure print-head life in characters or in dots per pin. The number of pins fired per character depends on various factors. A draft character equals roughly two dots. Dataproducts, Okidata, and Tandy- print a line for each option you cycle through. For instance, to change the set- ting for characters per inch, you cycle through each option (e.g., 15 cpi, 12 cpi, 10 cpi), and each option is printed on a line as you move through them. You then press a second button when the proper option is printed out. The method is sim- ple and clear, but it's also slow, and it wastes paper. To save time and paper, the Facit B2400/50, the Mannesmann Tally 131/24, and the Star Micronics XB-2415 Multi-font vary the technique somewhat. These models also print out menu options, but to select those options, you press directional keys to use the print head as a cursor to make your selection. For true clarity and ease of use, you can't beat the LCD interface. With the best ones, clear options are displayed on the panel and selected simply, without reference cards or wasted paper. So if you crave an elegant cure for the printer installation blues, take a close look at the models with LCDs: the AEG Olympia NPC 136-24, the Brother M-1924L, the 164 BYTE* DECEMBER 1990 COMPARING PRINTER FEATURES Fujitsu Hewlett- Packard Hewlett- Packard IBM Mannesmann Tally NEC Okldata Panasonic Selkosha America Star Mlcronlcs Tandy Toshiba America DL4600 DeskJet 500 RuggedWriter 480 Proprinter XL24E 131/24 Pinwriter P6300 Microline 393+ KX-P1624 SL-230 XB-2415 Multi-font DMP2103 ExpressWriter 440 $1199 $729 $1695 $1199 $999 $999 $1499 $650 $998 $899 $899 $699 333 240 400 240 250 250 345 160 230 200 225 200 111 120 200 80 83 125 115 53 77 67 75 66 24K 16K 2K 14K 17K 80K 23K 12K 5K 41K 16K Not available None 272K 16K None 49K None 17K 32K 64K 201 K None Not available Push None Push Push Push Push Push Push Push Push Push Push O N/A • O O • • • O O • O • • f • •Si • • • • • * • N/A O • • • • • • • • N/A •JB ojjH • • • • m • fife • N/A o o O O • • O O • • • • • • O O O o N/A o o o • • • o • • 5 N/A 6 4 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 7 9 3 4 7 8 4 7 9 16 6 5 ■ 5 million 1000 pages (cartridges) 5 million Not available 2.5 million 3 million 5 million 3 million 5 million 4 million 2 million 3 million 400 million dots/pin (Part of cartridge) Life of printer Not 1 available < 50 million :haracters 200 million dots/pin 400 million dots/pin 200 million dots/pin 30C dc ) million )ts/pin hours % duty) 200 million dots/pin 200 million characters 200 million dots/pin 8000 hours (25% duty) 20,000 hours (25% duty) 20,000 (10% duty) Not 7800 hours available (25% duty) 6000 hours (25% duty) 1 4000 hours (25% duty) 1 5000 hours (25% duty) 4 50C (30 4000 hours (250/o duty) 5000 hours (25% duty) Not available 2 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 22.9x7.5 x15.2 17.3x8 x14.8 23.6x8.2 X13.7 22.7x4.8 x13.5 23.5x6.3 x12.5 23.6x8.25 x15 16.4x7.1 X22.4 23.2x5.6 X15.7 23.9x5 X13.8 23.3x5.5 X13.4 21.7x4.6 x13.6 22.5x5.1 x12.4 39.7 14.3 35 27 25.7 29 37 32 26.5 23.1 22.3 19.84 68 56 70 68 66 69 70 77 65 72 72 69 • • • Fujitsu DPL24C (O) O o HPPCL, Epson FX-80(O) O • o HP 2930, HP LaserJet • • O • O • NEC Pinwriter O • • NEC P5200/ 5300 • • • • • • • • O • • O • • O • • O 360x360 300x300 180x180 Not available 360x360 360x360 360x360 360x360 360x360 360x360 360x360 360x360 LCD DIP switches DIP switches Buttons, Printed menu musical tones Printed menu Printed menu LED matrix n Function card, move print head O Printed menu, move print head O Printed menu O Printed menu O O O O • O • (j O • • • • O ^^ 1/60 inch O 1/180inch 1/180 inch 1/1 80 inch 1/180 inch 1/1 80 inch 1/180 inch O 1/360 inch 1/80 inch 1/80inch (O) O O O (0) (0) (0) O o (O) O O — 1 3 1 * K 1 r 1 2 1 2 1 1 P.RS-232C P, RS-232C P, RS-232C, HPIB(O) P,RS-232C(0) P,RS-232C(0) P,RS-232C(0) P, RS-232C P, RS-232C(0) P, RS-232C P, RS-232C(0) P P.RS-232C Epson LQ-2550, the Fortis DQ4215, and the Fujitsu DL4600. Perhaps the slickest interface of all (the most fun, anyway) belongs to the Advanced Matrix Technology Accel- 535. In addition to a detailed 16-charac- ter LCD, the control panel has a select dial (see photo 3). The dial serves a few purposes. With the printer off-line, the dial acts as a platen knob, properly posi- tioning your paper. If you turn the dial while pressing the Alt button, the print head moves left or right. This provides an easy way to set margins and print forms. You just position the head where you want to print and go to it. And fi- nally, the dial aids the user interface. You turn the dial to scroll through vari- ous menu options. Making setup changes on the Accel-535 is as easy as picking songs on a jukebox. Another way to prevent configuration headaches is to use stored configura- tions. If you have two or three different applications for the printer, you can store the proper configuration for each one of them. When it comes time to change DECEMBER 1990 -BYTE 165 PRODUCT FOCUS Laser Printer Alternatives How to Tell One Dot-Matrix Printer from Another Armed with a good knowledge of printer basics, how do you go about selecting a 24-pin dot-matrix printer? As we pointed out in the main article, first decide if you really need one. If you're planning to spend many hours a day printing, you might be bet- ter served by an LED, LCS (liquid- crystal shutter), or laser printer. If qual- ity is more important than multipart capability, or if noise is likely to be a problem, perhaps you'd be better off with an ink- jet printer. On the other hand, if your applica- tions require high-quality output, don't buy a dot-matrix printer just to save a few bucks. Down the road, you will probably regret not purchasing a page printer. Laser-quality output is quickly becoming thestandard for business cor- respondence. Dot-matrix print, even at 24-pin resolution, just won't look pro- fessional enough. For basic correspon- dence needs (even simple letters and memos), you should spring for the extra cash for a low-cost page printer. If, after you have carefully weighed all these points, you're committed to buying a dot-matrix printer, consider the following issues. Do you plan to al- ternate between tractor-fed and single- sheet paper on a regular basis? If so, parking and autoloading features are es- sential. If you're going to share the printer on a network and load it down with long print jobs, a heavy-duty print mechanism and high-speed output would be wise. If you need the multipart capability but have to work in close quarters with the printer, pay attention to the quiet mode or the machine's over- all noise ratings. Label stock has improved significant- ly over the years. It used to be that the labels would come off the backing paper and jam up under the print platen, caus- ing all sorts of serious, sometimes fatal, jams. Getting adhesive labels out from under the platen can be almost impossi- ble. Things are better now, but we sug- gest that you stick with straight paper paths for printing labels. A front-to- back or bottom-to-top path will serve you well. Finally, when you start scouting out printers, don't be content to print on a preconfigured display model. That's a good way to narrow down your choices, but once you're close to a decision, ask if you can take it through the configura- tion process yourself. You'll learn a lot about the printer's operation and ease of use. We found out as much about these printers by setting them up and config- uring them as we did testing and analyz- ing them. parameters, you can do it in one easy step; just activate the custom configura- tion. Table 1 reports the number of stored configurations available with each printer. Choosing the Right Path Despite advances, most dot-matrix printers still require some babysitting. A major problem is back-feeding. Many models still feed paper from the rear and send output to the rear. All too often, the output will curl around to the feeding mechanism, wrap around the platen, and cause a crippling paper jam. You can al- ways direct the paper over the front of the printer to avoid the problem, but there are better solutions. Some vendors devise paper separators. A rack or tray separates the output from the ingoing paper, with varying degrees of success. A better way is to feed your paper in from one direction and out an- other. With bottom-feed printers, you can place the paper below the printer and never have to worry about back-feeding again. The paper flows in the bottom and out the rear, which also frees up a little desk space. Some bottom-feed printers require an optional pull tractor, and you will need a special stand with an opening on the surface to accommodate bottom feeding. The Alps Allegro 500XT and HP RuggedWriter 480 feed from the front and send printed copy out the rear. This prevents back-feeding and makes printing labels easier. With a straight paper path, the labels do not wrap around the platen where they often peel off or jam the printer. You'll need to clear some extra space in front of your printer, but that's far easier than clearing a nasty jam. Desk Snakes Another aggravating paper problem in- volves the placement of a printer's ca- bles. The parallel cable and the AC cord join the traffic at the rear of the unit, often causing messy tangles and an ob- structed paper path. Some vendors, such as Brother, put the cable port on the side of the printer. This solves one problem but may cause others. The cable and port are more exposed to possible abuse, and you will need to clear out additional space beside your printer to make room for the cable. Epson opted for a simple solution: A clear plastic cover lies over the cables, keeping them out of your way. Tractors that pull paper from above the print head are the most efficient way to move paper, but getting the last page of Photo 3 : The Advanced Matrix Technology Accel-535 has the slickest interface of the 27 dot-matrix and page printers we reviewed this month. By spinning the dial, you can scroll through the options in the menu display. When not setting options, the dial can move the paper or set margins. 166 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 .for learning more Computing Know How and all of these books include diskettes to get you there faster BASIC Programming Inside & Out In depth coverage for all BASIC, QuickBASIC, G W-BASIC, and Turbo BASIC programmers. Explains sound and graphics, creating help screens, pulldown menus, managing windows in BASIC, using ML with BASIC, business presentation graphics, printing multiple col- umns and sideways for professional results, programming serial and parallel interfaces. 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Programming EBK&ma VGA Graphics Programming techniques for better, raster and easier VGA graphics * A AJI QuickBASIC Toolbox Packed with powerful, ready-to-use programs and routines for your own programs to get your programs written faster and better. Topics in- clude: complete routines for SAA interfacing mouse support, pull-down menus, windows, dialog boxes and file requestors; descriptions of QuickBASIC routines and a BASIC Scanner program for printing completed project list- ♦ ings, more. Includes companion disk. Available January. #B104 ISBN 1-55755-104-9 $49.95 Available at B Dalton Booksellers, Waldensoftware, and Software Etc. and at other bookstores nationwide. In the UK contact Computer Bookshops 021-706-1188. In Canada contact Addison Wesley 416-447-5101. Abacus Jffflttttttl %\ Dept. B12, 5370 52nd Street SE, Grand Rapids Ml, 49512 Orders: 1-800-541-4319 • Phone: (616) 698-0330 • Fax: (616) 698-0325 In US and Canada add S4.00 Postage and Handling. Foreign orders add S12.00 postage per book. We accept Visa, Master Card or American Express. Call or Write for your free catalog of PC Books. Circle 8 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 9) Batch File Powertools Boost your computing productivity with this package for making truly powerful batch files. Includes dozens of new batch commands for writing time-saving, easy-to-use "power" batch files. Book with companion disk containing powerful "Batch BASIC" commands for writ- ing even more useful batch programs. With companion disk. Available January. -A- #B102 ISBN 1-55755-102-2 $39.95 / c , . PC System Programming An encyclopedia of PC technical and programming knowledge. Features parallel working examples written in Pascal, C, assembly and BASIC. 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Card # ;■■ Expires Signaure_ Name Address^ City State _Zip_ Dept. 812 FOCUS Laser Printer Alternatives a printout requires the waste of a whole sheet. To avoid this, each printer that we tested has a push tractor below the print- ing mechanism. Some vendors offer pull tractors as an option, usually to accom- modate thick forms and labels. We had no problem with tractor feeding from any of the printers we tested. The only difficulty we encountered came from the paper itself. Perforated sheets come in two major forms— regular and razor-cut. The regular paper has thick, meaty perforations that require some effort to tear. Razor-cut paper has more precise perforations that tear clean- ly and leave clean edges. Sometimes in our tests the sheets tore too easily, sepa- rating the paper from the pin-feed strips and causing a paper jam. Reloading the paper usually was enough to get the job printed. A few important features have signifi- cantly improved paper handling. Most dot-matrix printers now load automati- cally. You just place the paper in the trac- tor and push a button, and the paper loads to the correct position. The print head senses the position of the paper so that it feeds consistently each time. What a Rip-off! The "tear-off" feature saves tractor-fed paper. After you've printed a page, you can press a button to make the paper feed enough so that you can tear it off. When you return to printing, the paper is rolled back to. the top of the form. Anyone who has wasted sheets of paper just to tear off a printout should appreciate this feature. Some printers automatically advance paper to the tear-off position whenever the buffer is clear of data. When more data pours in, the printer pulls the paper back to its previous spot and begins print- ing again. Pretty slick. With the Alps Al- legro 500XT, the paper advances to a tear-off position whenever 1 second passes without data coming into the printer. When we printed graphics from PageMaker under Windows 3.0, the data came out in spurts spaced more than 1 second apart. The Allegro would print a line of graphics, feed to the tear-off posi- tion, retreat, print another line, and feed to the tear-off position again. It's easy enough to turn off the tear-off feature, but you should be able to configure the interval, as well. For loading single sheets, you'll really appreciate sparking feature. Simply push a button, and the fanfold paper re- treats as far back as the tractor and stops. You can then switch to friction feed and load your single sheet. Another push of a button automatically loads the fanfold paper again. If you do a lot of switching between fanfold paper and single sheets, you really need parking. Lift That Bail Another clever feature is the automatic bail. While the paper is loading, the paper bail automatically retracts from the platen. Then, as the paper passes be- neath it, the bail snaps into position. This feature is especially useful when you have a single sheet that does not feed quite far enough for the paper bail to trap it. If you leave the bail down and start printing, the paper will often crumple as it encounters the bail. Otherwise, you have to watch the paper as it ejects and close the bail at the right time. Automatic bails stay open when the page is loaded and snap down as soon as the paper is be- neath them. One clear application still belonging solely to the dot-matrix crowd is printed forms. To test the printers, we loaded them with a seven-part, friction-feed form and filled it out, checking each copy for legibility. Although a couple of printers were unable to print all seven copies, they all easily lived up to the ven- dor specifications. Table 1 reports how many copies the printer can safely handle (the number on the table includes the original). We recommend that you stay within the vendor specifications for multiple copies. You can damage your print head if you don't. The printer usu- ally has a "paper gap" adjustment. You set the lever to reflect the number of pages being loaded. The Epson LQ-2550 and the Fujitsu DL4600 can automati- cally sense the paper thickness and ad- just the print head accordingly, so you need not worry about manual adjust- ments each time. Cut-sheet feeders hold a stack of single sheets, loading them to the printer one at a time. At least, that's the theory. Fric- tion feed and gravity are not the most re- liable loading method. If you plan on using cut sheets most of the time, an in- expensive laser printer would better serve your needs. Paper cassettes smoothly feed single sheets, and a laser printer's output is usually more suitable for a cut-sheet application. And Another Thing . . . You should always consider upgrade pos- sibilities. Will you want color? The Ad- vanced Matrix Technology Accel-535, Apple ImageWriter LQ, and Epson LQ- 2550 can give you that right out of the box. Other models, as listed in table 1, offer a color option. This usually in- volves installing a small device that will raise and lower the ribbon so thatthe pins strike one of four color bands. To print secondary colors (such as green), the head lays down first a track of yellow and then a track of cyan. While it may form a pretty shade of green, printing a light color over any darker color will pick up stray color, ruining the ribbon. After a while, your yellows will be tinged with green, your reds with purple. Expect your color ribbons to have a much shorter life. Color-capable printers often treat an Photo 4: Two rugged machines: the Hewlett-Packard RuggedWriter 480 (bottom) and the Okidata Microline 393+ should stand up to hard use. 168 BYTE mATk Beautiful .... IDEK's MULTIFLAT Series of 21-inch Color Monitor^ take full advantage of the remarkable properties of their Rat Square Tubes (FSTJ to deliver superior resolution and a sharper image that is easier on your eyes. A glimpse at our 21" Color Monitors reveals their matchless over— scanning capability that delivers a crisp, distortion-free display across the entire screen. In addition. Automatic Frequency Scanning realizes outstanding performance for business graphics, CAD/ CAM applications as well as desk top publishing on your Mac or IBM compatible system. As you can see below, whether your requirements are simple or complex, IDEK has the Flat Screen Color Monitor that's just right for you. And priced right, tool See for yourself what a difference a Flat Screen Monitor from IDEK can make. MULTIFLAT Series (21' Flat CRT Monitors) Model MF-5021 H. Frequency Dot Resolution 1024 * 768 15 to 38kHz 0.31 MF-5121 21 to 50kHz 0-31 1024 x 768 MF-5221 30 to 80kHz 0.31 1280x1280 MF-5321 (A.R.Panel) 30to80kHz 0.31 1280x1280 MF-5421 (A.R.PaneH 30 to 80kHz 0.26 1600x1280 IDEK also offers its new Model MF-5117 17* Flat Screen Color Monitor that delivers the same superior resolution and performanos as the other members of the IDEK lineup. LECTftlG CO., LTD. Overseas Division 7th FL, US Hanzomon Bidg., 2-13, Hayabusa-eho, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo 102, Japan Phone; (81) 03-265-6081 Fax: (81) 03-265-6083 IDEK Europe (W\ Germany) Neumannstrasse 38, 6000 Frankfurt a.M. 50, West Germany Phone: (49) 69-521 922 Fax; (49) 69-521 927 IDEK North America 144 Centre Mountain View, CA 94041 U.S.A. Phone: (1) 415-962-9410 Fax: (1) 415-962-9474 Circle 141 on Reader Service Card PRODUCT Laser Printer Alternatives COMPANY INFORMATION i Advanced Matrix C-Tech Electronics, Inc. Hewlett-Packard Co. Qume Corp. Technology (C-515) (DeskJet 500 and (CrystalPrint Publisher (Accel-535) 2515 McCabe Way RuggedWriter 480) ID 765FlynnRd. P.O. Box 19673 181 10 Southeast 34th St. 500 Yosemite Dr. Camarillo, CA 93012 Irvine, CA 92713 Camas, WA 98607 Milpitas, CA 95035 (805) 992-2264 (800) 347-4017 (800) 538-8787 (408) 942-4000 Inquiry 1111. Inquiry 1116. Inquiry 1123. Inquiry 1129. AEG Olympia, Inc. Dataproducts Corp. IBM Seikosha America, Inc. (NPC 136-24) (Model 9044) (Proprinter XL24E) (SL-230) 3 140 Route 22 6200 Canoga Ave. Contact your local IBM 10 Industrial Ave. P.O. Box 22 Woodland Hills, CA 91367 dealer. Mahwah, NJ 07430 Somerville, NJ 08876 (800) 624-8999 Inquiry 1124. (800) 338-2609 (800) 999-7808 Inquiry 1118. Inquiry 1130. Inquiry 1112. Mannesmann Tally Epson America, Inc. Corp. Star Micronics Alps America (LQ-2550andEPI-4000) (131/24) America, Inc. (Allegro 500XT) 20770 Madrona Ave. 8301 South 180th St. (XB-241 5 Multi-font) 3553 North First St. Torrance, CA 90509 Kent, WA 98032 420 Lexington Ave. , San Jose, CA 95134 (800) 289-3776 (800) 843-1347 Suite 2702 (408) 432-6000 Inquiry 1119. Inquiry 1125. New York, NY 10170 Inquiry 1113. (800) 447-4700 Facit, Inc. NEC Technologies, Inc. Inquiry 1057. Apple Computer, Inc. (B2400/50) (Pinwriter P6300) (ImageWriter LQ) P.O. Box 9540 1414 Massachusetts Ave. Tandy Corp. 20525 Mariani Ave. Manchester, NH 03 108 Boxborough, MA 01719 (DMP2103) Cupertino, CA 95014 (603) 647-2700 (800) 632-4636 1800 One Tandy Center (408)996-1010 Inquiry 1120. Inquiry 1126. Fort Worth, TX 76102 Inquiry 1114. (817)390-3011 Fortis Direct Connect Okidata Inquiry 1058. Brother International Systems (Microline 393 + and Corp. (DQ4215) OkiLaser 820) Toshiba America (M-1924L) 1820 West 220th St., 532 Fellowship Rd. Information 200 Cottontail Lane Suite 220 Mount Laurel, NJ 08054 Systems, Inc. Somerset, N J 08875 Torrance, C A 90501 (800) 654-3282 (ExpressWriter 440) (201)981-0300 (213)782-6090 Inquiry 1127. Computer Systems Div. Inquiry 1115. Inquiry 1121. 9740 Irvine Blvd. Panasonic Irvine, CA 92718 Canon USA, Inc. Fujitsu America, Inc. Communications (800) 334-3445 (BJ130e) (DL4600andRX7100 and Systems Co. Inquiry 1059. One Canon Plaza S/2) (KX-P1624) Lake Success, NY 1 1042 3055 Orchard Dr. Two Panasonic Way (800) 848-4123 San Jose, CA 95134 Secaucus,NJ07094 Inquiry 1117. (800) 626-4686 (800) 346-4768 Inquiry 1122. Inquiry 1128. all-black ribbon as a color ribbon, spreading out the printing chore over the four black "bands." A black ribbon will last at least four times as long as a color ribbon for black printing jobs. Because of the extra color bands, a color ribbon is more expensive, and printing black text will use only one-fourth of the ribbon. You may also want a wider variety of type styles as your needs develop. Most of these printers accept some kind of font card to generate additional fonts. How- ever, there is no standard equivalent to the HP LaserJet cartridge. In general, dot-matrix font cartridges are propri- etary beasts, offered directly by the com- pany that sold you the printer. Some have a rich selection of fonts to choose from; others have only a select few. Vendors add new ones all the time, so find out how many and which fonts are available for your model. Be aware that because the fonts are nonstandard, your software probably won't know about them. You'll have to add the font functionality to your applications or select your new fonts from the control panel. By all means, skim through the print- er's documentation. At the very least, it should include clear step-by-step instal- lation and operation instructions, exposi- tory illustrations, a complete listing of command sequences (in ASCII, deci- mal, and hexadecimal notation), and— as always— a sufficient index. You may not need it all now, but it may come in handy sometime. Put It in Writing Picking a printer from this group re- quires that you weigh all the evidence. For some applications, high speed is 168B BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 Now 4 can share HP's LaserJet III orinl er ...with BayTech's LaserShare® — expansion is made easy! LaserShare is an expansion card that allows four users to connect simultaneously to one laser printer. Just check out our outstanding features: */r!P LASERJET III COMPATIBILITY Also works with HP LaserJet II, IID, Canon LPB8II, LPB8III, Brother HL8e, and Wang LDP8 laser printers, j •256KB, 1MB OR 4MB BUFFER ^SIMPLE INSTALLATION •available MODELS • 4A - 4 parallel ports • 4C - 4 serial ports • 4E - 2 parallel/2 serial ports • 4CB - 4 serial (256KB, Brother) •saves money and time •unmatched product support With several users having access to one laser printer, the per-user cost of your laser printer is dramatically reduced. And there's no more waiting for the printer. With LaserShare, everyone's printing needs are accommodated. BayTech's LaserShare — it's worth checking out! Call now for details! Because Resources Should Be Shared. BayTech Data Communications Products Division 200 N. 2nd St., P.O.Box 387 Bay St. Louis, MS 39520 Fox 601-467-4551 Phone 601-467-8231 or toll-free 800-523-2702 'All product or company names are trademarks of their respective holders. INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTORS Australia Melbourne Shuttle Technologies, Ltd. (03) 587 4920 Melbourne Goya Tech, Pty., Ltd. (03)747-8455 Belgium Multiway Data Belgium 016-29 22 78 The Netherlands Multiway Data Netherlands 079-424 111 Denmark Trend Communications 53 65 23 45 Finland Genine Oy Impdata (921) 335700 France Suresenes Komdex International (1)47 72 63 11 Paris Gradco France (1)42 94 99 69 Germany Munich AMS Computech GmbH (089) 126806-0 Dusseldorf Multiway Data Germany 0211-25 18 75 Italy Torino BRM Italiana (011)77100 10 Milano I.T.D. (02) 749.0749 Norway A/S Kjell Bakke 47-6-832000 Singapore MarkSystems(FE) Pte.. Ltd. 65-2261877 Spain Vidmar Control (93)2454803 Sweden Solna Microcom/Maldata (08) 7344100 Sollentuna Beon Data 08-626 92 26 Switzerland Sengstag Computers AG 0041.1.950.54.44 United Kingdom Leicester & London A-Line Dataspeed Devices. Ltd. 0533-778899 Buckinghamshire Trend Datalink, Ltd. (06285) 30611 Circle 43 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 44) Space-Saver Keyboard Save an amazing 60 % of the desk or counter space now taken by a standard keyboard and enjoy improved functionality at the same time. Actual size is 10.75" x 6.0" (273 x 152mm). The new MICROTYPE keyboard is rapidly gaining acceptance as a truly advanced alternative to the original IBM layout for many applications. Reliability of the MICROTYPE has been amply proven through extensive use in trading areas of the NYSE, The New York and Chicago Mercantile Exchanges as well as in many banks, brokerages, stores and at factory work stations. Space is saved by compressing rows (not columns) and eliminating wide borders. Re-arranging and elevating the auxiliary key clusters also saves space while improving accessi- bility with reduced eyescan and head movement. Keys have full travel with a light tactually responsive touch. All standard features such as auto-repeat, caps, num and scroll lock are included on the MICROTYPE. PC XT/AT, PS/2 IBM and clone compatibility. Available in US and most European language versions. Made in USA with 1 year warranty. .beautifully sensitive and handles both typists with light touch and those who really bang away. COMPUTER BUYERS GUIDE .This could be the perfect layout for an enhanced keyboard that must fit into a small area. . . COMPUMAG Order direct from stock with 15 day full return privileges. VISA, MasterCard, Eurocard charges accepted. USA 1-800-DATALUX Fax 703-662-1682 $124.50 + 6.00 s/h Extra charges for PS/2 adapters, CANADA 514-694-0870 Fax 514-694-0871 $189.00Cdn + s/h air shipments. OEM and reseller EUROPE 44 + 306-76718 Fax 44 + 306-76742 £99.00 + VAT + P&P volume discounts available. r T ~~\ L. Normal size of JOl key enhanced keyboard i ,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,17 3EJ3Z 1 1 V I -I l-l r i i i - Em EEE When it comes to saving space, there's no comparison. DATALUX CORPORATION 2836 Cessna Drive, Winchester, Virginia 22601 PRODUCT FOCUS important. For others, quality or the ability to handle multipart forms is the deciding factor. The text box "How to Tell One Dot-Matrix Printer from An- other" on page 166 explains how you might choose between them and how we selected the five printers below. It turns out that there's a good reason for the market leaders being market lead- ers. Epson may not be known for its other hardware offerings, but the people there sure know how to build a printer. The LQ-2550 ($1499) is a beautiful machine. It has a simple LCD interface and all the amenities, including an automatic bail and a thickness sensor. Color is stan- dard, and you certainly won't have to worry about compatibility. Likewise with the IBM Proprinter. Its interface is a bit cryptic, relying in part on musical tones, but its output is beautiful and its construction solid. The Okidata Micro- line 393 + (see photo 4) printed well, has all the amenities, and is built like a tank. For heavy-duty use and high-quality out- put, you probably can't do better than the Okidata. Like the LQ-2550, the Advanced Ma- trix Technology Accel-535 ($1485) is expensive, but, again, with good reason. This printer is fast and full-featured. The LCD interface is as elegant as it gets. Color is standard, as is a 32K-byte buffer (upgradable to over 400K). You'll also get four resident fonts and an excellent manual. If speed is not a major concern but price is, the Panasonic KX-P1624 offers all the major features, seven resident fonts, and a 12K-byte buffer for $650. For $149 more, the AEG Olympia NPC 136-24 adds an automatic bail, a 24K- byte buffer, and an LCD interface. Dot-matrix printers still have a broad market that page printers can't touch. And even if you already have your fancy page printer, you may want a dot-matrix printer to churn out your drafts and list- ings. That strategy will save time and money, not to mention wear and tear on your laser printer engine. Don't discount the lowly dot-matrix printer. It could be just the workhorse you need. Prices should continue to fall as laser printers put a squeeze on the low end of the mar- ket, You should be able to find some real steals out there. Dot-matrix technology may not be sexy, but it's still alive and well. "Old Man Ribbon," he just keeps printing along. ■ Stanford Diehl and Howard Eglowstein are BYTE Lab testing editor /engineers. They can be reached on BIX as "sdiehl " and "heglowstein, " respectively. 168D BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 Circle 84 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 85) Discover Parallel Proce$sin& Quadputer The Microway Quadputer is the world's most pop- ular PC Transputer develop- ment environment. It can be purchased with two to four Transputers and one to four megabytes of RAM per proces- sor. The Quadputer runs all the popular Transputer development software, all of which is available from Microway. It is compatible with our Monoputer™ which provides 1to16 megabytes of RAM and a single T800, our Videoputer™ which comes in VGA and higher resolution versions and is pow- ered by a memory mapped pair (T800 and 34010), and our Linkputer™ whose cross bar switching network can dynamically link up to 32 Transputers. Finally, all Microway Transputer products can be used with our Number Smasher- 860 to provide out-of-this-world numeric performance! For more information, please call 508-746-7341. Number ¥" Smasher® 860 The highest performance copro-. cessor card to ever run ift a PC, Number ■ Smasher-860 delivers up to*80 million single precision floating point operations • per second at 40 MHz and produces over 10 Linkpack mega- flops. The board comes y standard with an ISA inter-' face, two Transputer Link Adaptors that allow it to interface with a Microway Quadputer or Videoputer, your choice of our NDP Fortran, C or Pascal for the 80860, plus 8 megabytes of high speed memory. NDP Fortran-86G Microway NDP 860 Compilers make it easy to recompile your favorite mainframe, 80386 or PC applicatbn for the 80860. The resulting code runs on our XTEND-860™ environment under DOS, UNIX or XENIX. Wi+JVA The World Leader in PC Numerics Corporate Headquarters, Research Park, Box 79, Kingston, MA 02364 TEL 508-746-7341 • FAX 508-746-4678 U.K. - 32 High St., Kingston-Upon-Thames, 081-541-5466 • Italy 02-74.90.749 Holland 40 836455 • Germany 069-75-2023 • Japan 81 3 222 0544 / NDP Fortran-860' MlCFO I lAlay I Micro Way Buy our IBM-compatible color printer and get this Mac-compatible color printer free. The new Phaser PX Color Printer from Tektronix. Only $7995 The price is as much of a breakthrough as anything else. The Phaser PX offers PostScript-language com- patibility and 300 dpi thermal-wax color that's brighter and bolder than that of pricey competitors. And not only can you hook it up to an office full of PCs via serial or parallel, but it will also accommodate any Macs that might come along. Automatically switch- ing from port to port to keep everybody happy. Add to that certified PANTONE** Color that can be printed on paper or transparencies, and you Ve got a color printer that will do more for less money than ever before. So call 1-800-835-6100, Dept. 11 J to find out how to get your hands on the new Tektronix Phaser PX. Then you can kill two birds with one color printer. The New TfektronixPhaserPX *Pantone, Inc.'s check-standard trademark for color reproduction and color reproduction materials. Copyright © 1990 Tektronix, Inc. Buy our Mac-compatible color printer and get this IBM-compatible color printer free. The new Phaser PX Color Printer from Tektronix. Only $7995 The price is as much of a breakthrough as anything else. The Phaser PX offers PostScript-language com- patibility and 300 dpi thermal-wax color that's brighter and bolder than that of pricey competitors. And not only can you hook it up to an office full of Macs via AppleTalk, but it will also accommodate the PCs and workstations that might come along. Automatically switching from port to port to keep everybody happy. Add to that certified PANTONE** Color that can be printed on paper or transparencies, and you've got a color printer that will do more for less money than ever before. So call 1-800-835-6100, Dept. 11 J to find out how to get your hands on the new Tektronix Phaser PX. Then you can kill two birds with one color printer. Hie New TfektronixPhaser PX All rights reserved. Phaser is a trademark of Tektronix, Inc. All other trademarks mentioned herein belong to other companies. Circle 302 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 303) BVTE Reviews SYSTEM Tom Yager Sony NeWS and MIPS Magnum: A Double Shot of RISC Vith such a crowd of Unix worksta- tions in the low-end market, how can you tell them apart? In a word, software. Consider, for example, the Sony NeWS 37 1 and the MIPS Mag- num 3000. Both machines are based en the MIPS R3000 RISC CPU chip set. Both have floating-point acceleration and fast color graphics. Physically, these machines have much in common. They are compact, the Mag- num 3000 slightly more so (see the photos). They come equipped with quar- ter-inch cartridge tape drives. At the rear, the machines have connections for the keyboard, serial devices, a thick-wire Ethernet port, and external SCSI de- vices. While both workstations use the same CPU and floating-point chips, the NeWS 3710 runs at 20 MHz, while the Magnum 3000 runs at 25 MHz. From there, the hardware differences are almost insignificant, with a couple of exceptions. The NeWS 3710 holds a front-facing, high-density 3 !/2-inch flop- py disk drive next to the tape drive. It's a bit more expandable than the Magnum 3000, holding two 25-pin serial ports and three internal expansion slots. On the review system, two of the three slots were available; one was occupied by the color display controller. The NeWS 3710 also boasts digital stereo audio and the ability to power itself down. The Magnum 3000 has one Industry Standard Architecture-compatible inter- nal slot, but the color display adapter fills it (leaving it free only on the mono- chrome system). The machine also has two serial ports, but one of them is devot- ed to the mouse through an odd cable ar- rangement. For convenience, the mouse plugs into the keyboard (as with the Sony), but the Magnum 3000's keyboard cable splits to connect to both the key- board and serial port number 1 sockets. A round "don't touch me" sticker bound one edge of the case, indicating that the unit is not field-expandable. How It Feels If you sit in front of a workstation all day, as I do, how well the system interacts with you is important. In the case of these two machines, the display is no problem— both use the gorgeous Sony Trinitron monitor. Sony shipped a 19- inch display; MIPS sent a 16-inch moni- tor. The colors are true, and the pixels are small and sharply defined, making the display easy on your eyes. The Magnum 3000's keyboard is springy, and it looks very Mac-like. It sports a network activity light (which, incidentally, never came on). The key placements are just where you'd expect them to be. The feel was a little stiffer than I like. The Magnum 3000 uses the likable, old-style Logitech Mouse (the boxy one). You can rest your entire hand on it, and the buttons have a short travel and a positive click that lets you know that you've pressed them. On the other hand, the NeWS 3710's keyboard and mouse were so unpleasant to use that they might as well have been wrapped in barbed wire. Special keys, such as a Vertical Line key, are placed so that a touch-typist has to stop dead and hunt for them. The Delete key is next to the Return key, inviting disaster from unsuspecting operators who terminate their programs when they try to get to the next line. The right-hand Shift key is ad- jacent to a dead key (it doesn't travel— I call it a "finger breaker"), and the Alt key appears on only one side of the key- board. The mouse is also awkward to use. It's hard to wrap your hand around it, and the button travel is too long. My mouse squeaked, appropriately, when I pressed the buttons. One redeeming feature of the NeWS 3710's interface is its software-operated power switch. I first encountered such a switch on the AT&T 3B2 and thought it was a great idea. If you're working at home and a nasty thunderstorm starts moving in, you can dial up your Sony workstation at your office and tell it to shut itself off. A special argument to the shutdown command, -x, does an orderly shutdown and dumps power. The front-mounted power switch will not power down the machine (it only works to power it up), which is good, since the placement makes it a prime target for accidental contact. Remote power-down capability also adds extra teeth to any power-monitoring scheme you might set up. When your uninterrup- tible power supply kicks in, you can have the system automatically power off. This is such a simple, worthwhile idea and is so easy to implement that I can't under- stand why it isn't standard on every computer. Software: The Real Difference Don't let anyone fool you— the most im- portant piece of equipment in a worksta- tion is the software. In this regard, the systems are as different as they can be and yet still be similar; let me explain. The NeWS 3710 that I received was running the same operating system as other Sony workstations: BSD 4.3. The Magnum 3000 runs its own RISC/OS, 172 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 which is a mix of System V and BSD. The operating-system question may be moot by the time you read this; Sony is switching over to System V release 4. Much of what that operating system promises is already in RISC/OS. MIPS stacked the BSD file system, libraries, and commands atop a System V kernel. The folks at MIPS insist that the Mag- num 3000 can compile and run any BSD or System V application without modifi- cation. Add to that job control, TCP/IP networking, line-printer handling, and other BSD-isms, and you have an operat- ing system that should please even the staunchest BSD fanatic. I prefer System V as an application environment: It's eas- ier to maintain and use, and all the bene- fits of System V are apparent in RISC/ The MIPS ► Magnum 3000 has a smaller case than the Sony NeWS 3710 and performs noticeably better. The Sony NeWS 3710. The floppy disk and tape drives are concealed behind a door on the right front of the case. T '>J.;Y_ir:lr.l \. J: \A Sony NeWS 3710 Company Sony Microsystems Co. 645 River Oaks Pkwy. San Jose, CA 651 34 (408) 434-6644 Components (as reviewed) Processor: 20-MHz MIPS R3000 Memory: 8 MB of RAM; 64K- byte instruction cache; 64K-byte data cache Mass storage: 3 1 /2-inch 1 .44- MB floppy disk drive; 640-MB hard disk drive Display: 19-inch Sony Trinitron color monitor; 1280- by 1024- pixel 256-color display I/O interfaces: Two serial ports; thick-wire Ethernet interface; SCSI port; three Sony expansion slots Price $18,200 jgp With 16-inch monitor; $16,900 Inquiry 1110. MIPS Magnum 3000 Company MIPS Computer Systems, Inc. 950DeGuigne Sunnyvale, CA 94086 (408)720-1700 Components (as reviewed) Processor: 2 5- M H z M I PS R3000;R3010math coprocessor; 32K-byte instruction cache; 32K-byte data cache Memory: 16 MB of RAM Mass storage: Two 200-MB internal SCSI hard disk drives; 150-MB cartridge tape drive Display: 16-inch Sony Trinitron color monitor; 1280- by 1024- pixel 256-color display I/O interfaces: Two serial ports; thick-wire Ethernet interface; SCSI port Price $17,990 Inquiry 1109. DECEMBER 1990 -BYTE 173 Sony NeWS and MIPS Magnum UNIX BENCHMARKS MIPS Magnum 3000 Sony NeWS 3710 DECstation5000/200CX Everex Step 386/33 5.2 2.7. 2.2 2.7 0.9 2.9 t^r 1.8 1.5 1.7 6.2 14.8 20.8 6 □ C Compiler □ DC Arithmetic □ lilrliB'hmiiHil I Mi Mi II HI ■■■ Sony NeWS 3710 MIPS Magnum 3000 Time Index Time Index *C Compiler 3.1 07 2.3 0.9 * DC Arithmetic 0.2 2.9 1 5.2 * Tower of Hanoi 0.3 1.8 0.2 2.7 (17-disk problem) System Loading 1 1 concurrent background process 3.0 1.3 2.1 1.9 2 concurrent background processes 3.9 1.5 2.8 2.1 4 concurrent background processes 6.5 1.5 4.5 2.2 * 8 concurrent background processes 11.6 1.5 7.8 2.2 Cumulative index is formed by summing the indexed performance results for C Com- piler, DC Arithmetic, Towerof Hanoi, System Loading (with 8 concurrent background processes). Dhrystone 2, and Floating Point tests. System loading was performed using Bourne shell scripts and Unix utilities. Note: All times are in seconds unless otherwise specified. Figures were generated using the BYTE Unix benchmarks version 2.6. Indexes show relative performance; for all indexes, an Everex Step 386/33 running Xenix 2.3.1 = 1. N/A = Not applicable. Towerof Hanoi □ System Loading □ Dhrystone 2 □ Floating Point Sony NeWS 3710 MIPS Magnum 3000 Time Index ' Dhrystone 2 (without registers; Dhry./sec.) Arithmetic (10,000 iterations) Arithmetic overhead Register Short Integer Long 1 Floating Point Double Throughput System call overhead (5 x 4000 calls) Pipe throughput (read and write 2048- x 5 12-byte blocks) Pipe-based context switching (2 x 500 switches) Process creation (100 forks) Execl throughput (100 execs) Filesystem throughput (1600 1024-byte blocks in Kbytes/sec.) Read Write Copy 24000 0.7 2.8 2.7 2.8 2.8 1.9 1.2 0.5 0.9 0.2 0.4 0.5 1.7 1.1 1.0 1.3 1.1 1.1 6.2 10.8 2.1 1.0 3.2 2.9 6.6 988 N/A 1458 N/A 185 N/A Time 37271 1.0 2.3 2.4 2.3 2.3 1.5 0.9 0.5 0.3 0.1 0.4 0.8 884 859 327 Index 2.7 0.7 1.3 1.5 1.3 1.3 8.0 14.4 2.2 3.0 4.8 3.1 4.1 N/A N/A N/A OS. Soon, Sony will have them, too. Both systems provide X Window Sys- tem services, as well. Sony's X server includes the Shape (for handling nonrec- tangular objects) and Bezier (repre- senting complex curves with few data points) extensions. These provide fertile ground for involved graphical applica- tions. The xdpyinfo program, which re- ports information about the configura- tion of the X server, told me that both dis- plays measured 1280 by 1024 pixels, with a depth of 8 bits (256 colors). Sony's port of X Window is apparently the more complete, as it supports all the available X color models. Managing colors in a portable way is probably the most difficult aspect of writing X applications. It's also the thing most programmers mess up. An X server that supports multiple color models helps smooth over these differences. MIPS's X server, while fully func- tional, is less robust; it supports only one color model (PseudoColor) and lacks the Shape and Bezier extensions included in Sony's server. In simple tests, X performance was al- most identical, with the Magnum 3000 showing a negligible edge. Both ma- chines do common text and window op- erations in a snap. The NeWS 3710's differentiating fea- ture is an unusual one: sound. The ma- chine includes the circuitry and software for digitizing high-resolution stereo audio and playing it back directly from disk. A small transistor-radio-size box handles sound I/O; it holds a monophonic microphone and a tinny speaker. If you are going to experiment with the NeWS 3710's sound, don't waste time with the built-in mike and speaker. I hooked up a compact disc player and a pair of ampli- fied speakers. The quality and clarity of the sound are excellent even at lower resolutions. At the top 37.5-kHz resolu- tion, the NeWS 3710 had no trouble play- ing back crystal-clear stereo audio cap- tured from a CD. There was no dis- 174 BYTE* DECEMBER 1990 For a description of all the benchmarks, see "The BYTE Unix Benchmarks," March BYTE. REVIEW Sony NeWS and MIPS Magnum cernible noise or hum from having the machine's workstation guts churning so nearby. Is this fluff? Today, it probably is. Someday, however, quality audio will likely become standard fare on all sys- tems. Macintosh users have long been aware of the value of having a variety of expressive sounds under program con- trol. Sony's X-based sound editor is primitive and has a demo feel to it, but there's great potential there. Complex programs could benefit from vocal prompts and varied audio warnings whose tones indicate the severity of the condition. Aids for the handicapped sug- gest themselves, as do educational appli- cations. It will take some time before audio capabilities like those in the NeWS 37 10 are exploited to their full potential, but getting the hardware in there is a good start. Pedal-to-the-Metal Performance All this fancy hardware and operating- system software would be for naught if they didn't perform. Both systems do well, running more than twice as fast as the Everex Step 386/33 baseline system. This is worth considering if you're trying to choose among platforms. Something else worth considering is that not all im- plementations of the same hardware yield the same results. As the benchmark re- sults show, the Magnum 3000 takes an early lead in integer performance and holds onto it right through the floating- point benchmark, outgunning both the NeWS 3710 and the MIPS R3000-based DECstation 5000/200CX. MIPS writes its own compilers, and the performance figures prove that the company knows RISC. The company uses this knowledge to full advantage, and it knows its audi- ence, as well. Network and X performance are re- spectable, and I had no trouble hooking either system into BYTE's Unix Lab net- work. Either machine would make an ex- cellent X Window client server (a ma- chine that runs X programs faster than you can and displays them at your work- station^ terminal). As is typical of systems for which SCSI is integrated onto the motherboard, disk performance is marvelous on both ma- chines, with the NeWS 3710 coming out slightly ahead. There is enough juice there to hang a bevy of external SCSI drives off either of these machines and leave them on-line as compute and Net- work File System file servers. Shutdown I liked both systems, but I'm afraid that there isn't much to recommend the NeWS 3710 as a general-purpose work- station. It doesn't measure up to the Magnum 3000 in performance or multi- environment compatibility. I've been told to expect more "Sonyisms," of which the digital audio is the first, and Sony may well be able to make a name for itself in multimedia and other niches. I'm loath to call any system perfect, but the Magnum 3000 seems to have all the bases covered: price, performance, and software. I would have traded the squat case for more internal expansion, but that's a minor gripe. The MIPS ma- chine is an excellent value— evidence that sometimes it's worth going straight to the source. ■ Tom Yager is a technical editor for the BYTE Lab. You can reach him on BIX as "tyager. " Windows 3.0 Made Even Easier BeckerToolsis a deep toolbox of file and data management utilities for every Windows 3.0 user. It's multitasking is always there, waiting to help you with your file management chores. And since you already know how to point and click, you already know how to use BeckerTools. Be kerTools adds these and more capabilities to Windows 3.0: • Undelete - lets you recover deleted files • Delete files - single or groups of files or directories, including read-only files • Backup (pack files) hard disk- to multiple diskettes with password protection • Duplicate diskettes - read in diskette once, make multiple copies • Edit text - built-in editor with search and replace • Copy diskettes - in single pass r • Compare diskettes - in single pass ■ Wipe diskette - for maximum security cg*^ • Verify diskettes- handy security check • Format diskettes - in any capacity supported by your drive and disk type while multitasking ■ Displays - neatly formatted tree structure, with memory allocations of each directory • Screen saver included-at no extra cost Suggested retail price: $79.95 Available through Radio Shack's Express Order Service, Waldensoftware, Software Etc. and other retailers nationwide. Or order direct from: BeckerTools \ "for What the users say about BeckerTools — "It's a great utility, and ...It's easy to learn!" M.B., Canada "The perfect companion utility for Windows 3.0" J. A., C A "Best file manager utility for Windows!" T.J.D., CA 'Easy to install and use... Screen saver is a nice extra!" K.R.,GA. "Splendid program. Will be bundled in each system." K.S..CA "Excellent product! Just what I've been looking for! ..." B.K.,FL 'Exceptional, well done. A solid product." J.R., FL AbacuSiiiiil Dept. B12, 5370 52nd Street SE, Grand Rapids, Ml 49512 Orders: 1-800-451-4319 • Phone: (616) 698-0330 • Fax: (616) 6980325 In US and Canada add $4.00 postage & handling. Foreign orders add $12.00 postage per item. We accept Visa, Mastercard or American Express. Call or write for your free catalog. Circle 10 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 11) Perform these operations by just clicking on an icon 5lS Convenient one button command menu. <=£> | Easily switch source/target directories. jl_£^| Sort by your filenames or extensions. i=r=-== = l - Select all files in your source directory. Deselect just as easily. Select files and directories. See only the files you want to see. : Kf}\ ^ elect mu 't'P ,e *' ,es us ' n 9 y° ur patterns. Select both the source and target file or directory from convenient single screen System Requirements: IBM AT, 386 or compatifile, and Windows 3.0. Includes both 3.5" and 5.25 v diskettes Windows not included. Order Toll Free 1-800-451-4319 Ext. 212 DECEMBER 1990 -BYTE 175 HIGHEST QUALITY PCs FROM IVERSON SUPPORT WITH TURNKEY LANS Design studies, site survey, factory checkout, total installation, training. CUSTOM SOFTWARE Develop menus, drivers, application code, and documentation. CUSTOM HARDWARE Customization of most types of PCs and file servers. FACTORY VISITS Customers may visit factory and work with hardware/software engineers. MAINTENANCE/TRAINING Company owned district offices in major U.S. and European Cities. COMPLETE R&D Design, drafting, computerized sheet metal presses, PCB department. FCC LAB Company owned and operated full service lab. TOTAL QC Incoming, in line, test and burn in, cosmetic, packaging, and shipping. LOAD SOFTWARE Will load and test any software on mass storage device at factory. COMPUTER PROS Six Co. Officers began careers at IBM, average 23 years computer experience. DESIGNER LABEL Label showing individual or company name as system designer. BEST NAME BRAND COMPONENTS USED Maxtor, Seagate, Fujitsu, and Connor disk drives. Tatung and Acer displays. Western Digital floppy, SCSI, IDE, ESDI, & video controllers. Custom system boards with genuine Intel CPUs and math coprocessors. Oversized Senstron power supplies. Fujitsu keyboards. Knowledgeable Iverson Users Arthur D. Little, Inc. 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HARD DRIVE OPTIONS IDE ESDI 20 MB ... $ 304 150 MB ....$1,283 40 MB.... ....339 330 MB 1,854 80 MB.... ....556 650 MB 2,711 100 MB.... ....699 SCSI 1 GB $5,580 200 MB.... .1,136 Erasable cartridge DISPLAY OPTIONS (Price includes monitor & adapter) 12" Mono TTL 720x350 ....$174 14" Mono VGA 640x480 263 14" Color VGA 640x480 564 14" Color VGA 1024x768 588 16" Color VGA 1024x768 970 386/33MHZ n ^11^1^1=^ ____ ___ fcj / f r. t i r. i. t. mi i n ii- I-l 1 L / ^■: v -- ;; '7 ; y'. I', arm • Intel*' 80386-33 MHz CPU • 2 MB RAM Memory optional 4, 8, 12, or 16 MB on motherboard • 64 KB cache S RAM Memory expandable to 256 KB cache • 5.25" 1.2 MB or 3.5" 1.44 MB Moppy drive •Knhanced 101 keyboard • 1 Parallel and 2 Serial ports • 8 industry standard expansion slots (six available) • Integrated high performance hard disk interface and disk controller (1DK) • 80387-33 Coprocessor socket • Add $60 for optional Mini-Tower case • Add $120 for optional Full Tower case • FCC A approved • Free Virus-Safe virus protection software • Free Flash-lite disk cache software • Intel^ 80486-25 MHz CPU with built-in floating point coprocessor and 8k cache • 4 MB RAM Memory expandable to 64 MB • 5.25" 1.2 MB or 3.5" 1.44 MB floppy drive • Knhanced 101 keyboard • 1 Parallel and 2 Serial ports • 1 32-bit memory slot • 7 industry standard expansion slots (five available) • Integrated high performance hard disk interface and disk controller (IDE) • Add $60 for optional Mini-Tower case • Add $120 for optional Full Tower case • FCC A approved • Free Virus-Safe virus protection software • Free Flash-lite disk cache software GSA LOW PRICES FOR FEDERAL EMPLOYEES Federal/Military/Active/Retired employees, with proper ID, are invited to purchase computers at Iverson's GSA prices... the government's own special prices. GSA price offer limited toGSA schedule products that are below mail order prices. (Contract prices established by subsidiary, International Technology Corporation with GSA Contract Number: GSOOK90AGS5276. Some configurations not available on GSA contract.) Call toll-free to receive GSA schedule or to place an order: I -800-388-GS A 1 . IVERS0N IS A REAL OLD PRO Forthe past 1 2 years, Ivcrson Technology Corporation has manufactured computers for the biggest and toughest customer in the world — the U.S. Government — meeting their stringent security and military standards with the industry's most exacting quality control. In that time, our dedicated staff of mechanical, electrical and software engineers have also provided total systems support for large integration projects for over 700 government contractors and agencies from Australia to Norway — including one project with 8,000 PCs in 450 city LANs, all gatewayed into a national WAN. Now we're bringing the industry's highest quality personal computers — and the broadest range of support and service — to the commercial market. Discover why Forbes, Fortune, Business Week, INC., and The Wash- ington Post have used words like "Best" "Top" and "Number 1" to describe our financial performance. 1 989 Forbes #26 of Best 200 Small Companies 1988/87 Business Week #1 1 of Top 100 Growth Companies o >- I VERS ON PARENT FOUNDED IN 1978 COMPUTER CORPORATION Parent Company (IVT) Traded On AMEX 1356 BEVERLY ROAD . MCLEAN, VA 22101 TEL: (703) 749-1200 FAX: (703) 893-2396 TELEX: 289 127ITC UR Circle 3S3 on Reader Service Card Tom Yager and Tom Thompson REVIEW The Norton Utilities for System V Getting involved with Unix can be like stepping into another dimen- sion. So much of what Unix does happens quietly and invisibly, and the operating system's complexity can make it difficult to maintain. Unfortunately, with the growth of PC Unix, virtually every user must be prepared to perform some system administration. Interactive Systems, one of the leading vendors of 386 Unix, and Segue Soft- ware have come to the rescue with a ver- sion of the Norton Utilities for 386 Unix System V. While the Norton Utilities for System V shares some utilities (e.g. , Un- Erase, Disk Test, and Disk Explorer) with its DOS namesake, it is not a gener- ic DOS package simply ported to Unix. Rather, it's a new package that Segue and Interactive wrote from the ground up to be Unix-specific. I installed and tested the Norton Util- ities for System V on an Advanced Logic Research PowerVEISA 486-25 running Interactive Unix System V/386 version 2.2. The first release of the software runs only on Interactive and AT&T 386 Unix. The disks are installed using AT&T's procedures, not Interactive's. That's a pity— Interactive's install pro- grams are faster and more informative. After the installation, a script sets up your system to run Norton. The bulk of the script is the rebuilding of the kernel to The Norton Utilities for System V Company Interactive Systems Corp. 2401 Colorado Ave. Santa Monica, CA 90404 (213)453-8649 Hardware Needed 386 or 486 PC, PS/2, or compatible and at least 2.5 MB of free hard disk space Software Needed Interactive or AT&T Unix System V/386 release 3.2 Price $295 Current File Selection Current Directory: /usr/peter File Specifier: « The Norton Utilities for System Vs. UnErase utility provides a list of erased files for restoration. phonenuns Rx8G161 ■ ttadctep 77ie d/s/: optimizer for the Norton Utilities for the Macintosh uses colors to represent different file types and their location on the target disk drive. The magnifying glass lets you pinpoint a file by block. The Norton Utilities for the Mac Peter Norton Computing may be well known for its PC disk utilities, but I felt some apprehension when I learned that the company had written a version for the Mac. Mac applications written by PC software companies typi- cally have serious interface flaws. After looking at the Norton Utilities for the Macintosh, however, I have to say that my fears were unfounded. The $129 package includes a manual and several disks that contain a disk re- pair/recovery application and several helpful utilities. The disk repair applica- tion resides on a red, self -booting "crash disk" that lets you boot your Mac and start recovery procedures when your Mac's hard disk drive conks out. This application contains a disk editor, with modules that diagnose and repair prob- lems with the disk's directories or re- cover an accidentally formatted disk. Exploration The disk editor lets you examine disk data block by block. You can inspect and change data in a file's data or resource forks, or you can examine and modify the disk's boot blocks (information that the Mac needs to boot) to, say, increase the number of files the Mac can have open at any time. You cannot, however, edit the boot blocks from within the win- dow that describes the boot block's con- tents, as you can with Symantec's SUM II Tools application. Instead, you make changes from a window that displays data in hexadecimal, and that makes changes tricky. The repair utility checks and detects problems with the disk's media and vol- ume directory structure. It also checks for problems with files and makes re- pairs. For example, it can fix a file's bundle bits, which tells the Finder if the file has an icon that it must copy to the Desktop file. A bad bit usually gives you the generic document icon. On the other two disks are useful util- ities: a disk optimizer or def ragger appli- cation, a file undelete cdev, a desktop layout application (used to change how the Finder displays and organizes file icons), a disk activity INIT, and help files. The disk optimizer is one of the best I've seen. It first presents a map of the hard disk's allocated and free blocks. On a color Mac, it uses different colors to flag file types such as directories, system files, applications, and data. Optimiza- tion is rapid, and the program performs integrity checks before optimization be- gins. You can cancel the operation at any time. The optimizer reorganizes the least-altered files (e.g., system files and applications) on one part of the disk, and it places files that change often (docu- ments and the Desktop file) adjacent to the disk's free space. This improves per- formance and slows fragmentation. I op- timized the hard disk drives on a Mac SE, SE/30, II, IIx, Ilci, and Ilf x without problems. The FileSaver cdev functions in a way that's similar to SUM IPs Shield cdev and 1st Aid Software's Complete Unde- lete: It creates and updates a hidden file that contains a snapshot of the volume di- rectory and keeps a record of the most re- cently deleted files. FileSaver, like Com- plete Undelete, shows which of the de- leted file's blocks have been reallocated to give you an idea of the file's recover- ability. You can also search for deleted files by type from a scrolling list of docu- ment types, such as Mac Write and Word. If your file is not on this list, however (say you're looking for a Photoshop file), there's no way to specify a different file creator or type. Best Choice for Beginners The Norton Utilities for the Mac clears the design hurdle of providing an easy-to- use interface while letting you probe vol- ume directories, boot blocks, and data and resource forks on a Mac disk drive. The program has some minor rough edges, such as the FileSaver problem I mentioned, but overall, it's a good first showing in the Mac market. Symantec, which offers the competing SUM II product, now owns Peter Norton Computing. Symantec says it will con- tinue to sell both the Norton Utilities for the Mac and SUM II. If you are familiar with the Mac's workings, SUM II Tools or Central Point Software's Mac Tools lets you get to your system's innards in more detail than does the Norton Utilities. But the Norton Util- ities gives you easy-to-use tools and a bootable crash disk, while with SUM II you have to make this disk yourself— something you don't want to do in a panic situation. Mac novices should pick the Norton Utilities as their first line of de- fense against disk disaster. ■ The Norton Utilities for the Macintosh Company Symantec Corp. 10201 Torre Ave. Cupertino, CA 95014 (408) 253-9600 Hardware Needed Mac Plus or higher Software Needed System 6.0.4 or higher Price $129 Inquiry 1056. Tom Thompson is a BYTE senior editor at large with a B.S.E.E. degree from Mem- phis State University. You can reach him on BIX as "tom^thompson. " DECEMBER 1990 'BYTE 179 WE'VE TAKEN THE INDUSTRIAL PC TO EVERY EXTREME. Companies don't make the Fortune 100 list by accident. It takes hard work and the wise investment of capital. Which is why when they buy industrial PCs, seven out of every ten Fortune 100 companies invest in Texas Microsystems. UNBEATABLE PERFORMANCE IN ANY ENVIRONMENT. Most people assume that an industrial PC will give the reliability needed to run critical applications in harsh environments, but the trade off can be a lack of performance and high cost of entry. With Texas Microsystems the reverse is true. Benchmark studies show that in harsh environments Texas Micro- systems 25/33 MHz 386 & 25MHz 486 PCs perform as well as powerful desktop PCs do in office environ- ments. Yet the cost of our systems can be a pleasant surprise. DESKTOP PERFORMANCE UNDER EXTREME CONDITIONS. CPU BENCHMARKS PRODUCT If) 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 BUILT IN RELIABILITY FROM THE BOARD UP. We build our systems from scratch, and take nothing for granted. We've been designing with Intel microprocessors since 1974. Design and manufacture most of our cards. And by using VLSI and PAL tech- nology reduce component counts by 60% and drive MTBF numbers up to 100,000 hours. Texas Microsystems innovations include passive backplane architec- ture to improve component reliability and reduce MTTR to less than 10 minutes. Our 16 point shock- mounting techniques keep disk drives functioning at up to 25G velocities. And our 48 hourpre-test burn-in at over 130°F guarantees reliability NO ONE HAS MORE INDUSTRIAL EXPERIENCE. We've been in business for 1 6 years. And you'll find Texas Micro- systems operating in harsh environ- ments at 70 of the Fortune 100 companies, as well as delivering mis- sion critical solutions to the US Government and Armed Services. MORE SYSTEMS MEAN MORE OPTIONS. Two of our most popular systems are shown here. They can be con- figured with a vast choice of options from CPUs, hard disks and drives, CMOS RAM, video cards and dis- plays, and if none of these match your requirements well custom configure and test whatever system you need. TO US "INDUSTRIAL" IS MORE THAN A DESIGN PHILOSOPHY. You can buy cheaper industrial PCs than ours, but they may be camouflaged desktops that do not perform in extreme environments. At Texas Microsystems, that isn't the way we build systems. Industrial PCs and Mission Critical Micros'" are all we make. Repackaging office computers is not our business. We design and manufacture all our products from scratch, we don't adapt the designs of others. And we're always here when you need us. NATION-WIDE SERVICE, FULL-TIME SUPPORT. We believe in offering excep- tional support, including consul- tation during system design. After sales technical support 12 hours a day via an 800 number. On-site service from General Electric for a full year, including free parts and labor. A 30 -day, no-questions-asked, money-back guarantee. And a way of ordering a Texas Microsystem that's most convenient and cost effective to you. Opposite are two Texas Micro- systems that offer an unsurpassed combination of price/performance. Order them direct or ask for a com- plete literature and information kit on all our systems by calling 1-800-627-8700 now. TWO EXTREMELY UNBEATABLE SYSTEMS. Here are two of our top selling systems for business environments that demand mission critical com- puting, regardless of operating con- ditions. Like all our systems they enjoy the same engineering pedigree that ensures a unique combination of performance, reliability and value. Which is, after all, what you should expect from America's leading industrial micro systems company. And to put a little icing on the cake, each will include a one yeai; on-site, warranty To ordei; call the 800 number below and one of our representatives will discuss your needs with you, give you an instant quote on the con- figuration of your choice. Then the system will be built to your ordei; tested, and shipped. Mission Critical Micros is a trademark of Texas Microsystems Inc., all other trademarks mentioned are registered, trademarked or servicemarked by their respected manufacturers. TEXAS EXCEPT PRICE SYSTEMS Texas Microsystems, Inc. 10618 Rockley Rd, Houston, Texas 77099 Tel: 713-933-8050. Fax: 713-933-1029 TEXAS MICROSYSTEM 4108 MISSION CRITICAL OFFICE PC Features - Choice of 80286, 80386, 80486 processors. • Perfect for data acquisition, communications and networking applications. • 8 full length ISA slots for industry standard cards. • Up to 1 6MB of RAM on CPU, three half- height 5.25" bays for floppy /hard drives and one 3.5" hard drive. • Super VGA graphics (1024 x 768 pixels] Also supports CGA, EGA. • 1 parallel and 2 serial ports. ■ 101-key enhanced keyboard with DIN connector on rear panel. • 220 watt power supply. • One yeai; on site warranty included. Specifications • Dimensions: 6. 5"x 17"x 16.5," 30 lbs. •Power 220 Watt, HOY • Operating environment. Temperature: 0°C to 55°C. (32°F to 131°F) Altitude: 15,000 feet equivalent TEXAS MICROSYSTEM 3014 RUGGEDIZED RACK-MOUNT PC Features • Choice of 80286, 80386, 80486 processors. ■ 18 -gauge nickel plated, steel chassis. ■ 14 full length ISA slots for industry standard cards. • Boards bracketed and braced on all four edges. •Two 110 CFM fans. • Up to 16MB of RAM on CPU, andfivehalf- height storage bays for hard drives, floppy and/or tape backup. • Super VGA graphics (1024 x 768 pixels) Also supports CGA, EGA. • 1 parallel and 2 serial ports. • Built in speaker, door lock, power and CPU reset switch. • 101-key enhanced keyboard with DIN connector on front panel. • 2 2 5 watt power supply. • One yeai; on site warranty included. Specifications • Dimensions: 19"x 22.18"x 6.96." Wt. 45 lbs. • Power 95-132/180-264 VAC, 47 to 63Hz. • Operating environment. Temperature: 0°C to 55°C (32°Fto 131°F) Humidity: To 95% at 40°C non- condensing Altitude: 1 5,000 feet equivalent Vibration: .25G, 5 -100Hz operating 5G, 5 -100Hz non-operating Shock: LOG operating at 10 Msec duration System Prices System Prices CPU/ CPU/ Model MHz-RAM Storage Price Model MHz-RAM Storage Price 4216 286/16-1 40MB HD, 1.2 or 1.44MB floppy $2,900 3216 286/16-1 40MB HD, 1.2 or 1.44MB floppy $3,825 4320 386/20-1 40MB HD, 1.2 or 1.44MB floppy $3,755 3320 386/20-1 40MB HD, 1.2 or 1.44MB floppy $4,650 4325 386/25-1 104MB HD, 1.2or 1.44MB floppy $4,530 3325 386/25-1 104MBHD, 1.2 or 1.44MB floppy $5,430 4333 386/33-2 104MB HD, 1.2orl.44MB floppy $5,135 3333 386/33-2 104MB HD, 1.2 or 1.44MB floppy $6,040 4425 486/25-4 104MB HD, 1.2 or 1.44MB floppy $5,995 3425 486/25-4 104MB HD, 1.2 or 1.44MB floppy $6,895 From $2,900 Monitor not incluc ed. 'From $3,825. Rack mount monitor not included. EVEN ORDERING IS EXTREMELY EASY. CALL 1-8' II 627-8? II Circle 306 on Reader Service Card A P P L Jon Udell REVIEW CAD and NetWare 386 Join Forces It used to be that people complained they couldn't get at mainframe data. Now the data they can't get at lives on a PC. Networks abound, and the pendu- lum is swinging in the direction of cen- tral storage again. But few PC programs share data effectively on LANs. True, most databases can support concurrent users. But other categories of software— CAD, for example, as well as spread- sheets and word processors— typically cannot. All too often the network ends up as a speedy file transfer link, not as a foundation for collaborative work. CAD- vance 4.0 from IsiCAD aims to change that. The latest release of this popular ar- chitecture, engineering, and construc- tion (AEC) package makes good on the promise of multiuser CAD. On a Net- Ware 386 LAN, CADvance 4.0 goes fur- ther: NetWare loadable modules (NLMs) running on the server handle some of the database and rendering chores. To install the program, you'll need CADvance 4.0 Company IsiCAD, Inc. 1 920 West Corporate Way Anaheim, CA 92803 (714)533-8910 Hardware Needed Server: Sufficient hardware to run NetWare 286 or 386 or another PC LAN operating system; math coprocessor recommended for hidden-line-removal NLM Client: AT or compatible with 640K bytes of RAM, at least 500K bytes of conventional RAM available after loading network drivers, and at least 64K bytes of expanded memory; math coprocessor recommended for 3-D work Software Needed Server: NetWare 286 or 386 3.1 (recommended) or other PC LAN operating system Client: MS-DOS 3.1 or higher; network shell Price Single-user configuration: $3495 Five-user license (as reviewed): $12,000 10-user license: $20,000 Inquiry 1061. some of the latest weapons in the arsenal of DOS computing. CADvance now re- quires over 500K bytes of conventional memory after you've loaded your net- work driver and shell. This means that, under NetWare, it requires one of the new high-loading (EMS or XMS) Net- Ware shells. Unfortunately, it also re- quires at least one 64K-byte bank of ex- panded memory. So, on a 386 machine with extended memory, you can't get away with just the XMS shell. You will also require QEMM, EMM386, or an equivalent "limulator" to turn some of the extended memory into expanded memory. CADvance also requires a security de- vice—a parallel-port "dongle." Thank- fully, you only need one. The dongled workstation acts as a license server. In addition to CADvance, it runs a TSR pro- gram that monitors the number of active CADvance users. You can install this program on more machines than you have licensed it for, because the license applies to concurrent users, not to ma- chines. The Sociology of CAD IsiCAD has always used CADvance to target the AEC realm, where CAD draw- ings coordinate the efforts of a variety of trades. For example, an architect's floor plan typically governs the design and specification of electrical, communica- tions, plumbing, heating, and ventilation systems. With single-user CAD soft- ware, even on a network, the designers of these various systems can't refer to a live copy of the floor plan. Under DOS, single-user (or non-net- work-aware) software can only offer the limited protection that is afforded by the file system's read-only attribute. If you don't turn the attribute on, anyone can overwrite the floor plan. If you do set the read-only bit (by means of the ATTRIB command), no one can write to the file- not even its author, the architect. Even worse, there's no advance warning of an unauthorized attempt to write to a pro- tected document. There is nothing to prevent you from reading the document and modifying it in memory; only when you try to store the file does DOS com- plain. What's the answer? Everyone should be able to view the floor plan, even as the architect modifies it (see the figure). The networking extensions introduced with DOS 3.0— and implemented in all DOS and non-DOS PC network operat- ing systems— lay the foundation for this sort of sharing. The architect's program opens the floor-plan document in deny- write mode, thereby asserting an exclu- sive right to modify the document. An- other program can then open the doc- ument in deny-none (or shared) mode and view it. Should the second program also try to open the document in deny- write mode— that is, for write access— it will fail. In that case, the program can deliver a timely warning, and the user won't waste any time trying to edit the file. In CADvance 4.0, the architect opens the floor plan by means of the File/ Load command, which (if successful) confers the exclusive write privilege. Other draf tsfolk on the network can then open the same document by means of the File/ Re f command, which opens it for read access as a reference file. Reference files work like underlays. If you're de- signing the plumbing, for example, you can use a live copy of the floor plan as a guide. You can see, and even snap to, the outlines of the offices, but you can't select or modify them. There can be rec- iprocity as well. For example, it might be useful to cross-reference the electrical and plumbing diagrams while each of them also refers to the floor plan. That way, subsystem designers can monitor how the evolution of other subsystems af- fects their own. Network Consciousness-Raising Unlike CADvance 4.0, which is actively network-aware, most PC CAD programs are passively network-tolerant. Still , file sharing isn't that tough to implement, and I expect that the competition will soon follow suit. But there is more to the story. Although the reference-file scheme re- lies only on properties of the networked file system (and therefore will work on any PC LAN), CADvance 4.0 puts the NetWare application programming inter- face to good use. Generally, with any NetBIOS LAN or NetWare, a program that fails to open a file in deny-write mode can report only that it failed, not why. In other words, it can report "file in use," but not "Joe's using the file." Of course, the latter message is the one that you really want, and when you are run- ning CADvance under NetWare that's 182 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 the one you get. Once you know that Joe's holding up the show, you don't have to start yelling or charge over to his cubi- cle. With the built-in message utility , you can contact Joe directly or broadcast a message to all CADvance users on the network. Anyone who's tried to print graphics on a networked printer or plotter knows the attendant frustrations. Although you can redirect LPT or COM ports across the network, the results aren't always what you'd expect. With CADvance 4.0, you can send plot jobs straight into Net- Ware queues, bypassing the troublesome middleman. You can attach a descriptive name to the plot job and queue each job on automatic hold. That way, a queue op- erator can identify each job's priority and paper requirements and manage the queue accordingly. continued NETWORKED CAD EK<^ rlUH triATEiriwN I Fill! 1 HMD 2 OFFICE 3 OCOIPMfT C Smith C S CUIICLE.SVH N X 6 '18' H V 3*2* (a) CADvance 4. lets architects create and revise floor plans while (b) computer-systems designers note the location of PCs in an overlay above the "live" floor plan in read-only mode; (c) communications engineers add a second overlay of network cabling drawings on the live floor plan, and (d) a Facilities Manager links objects in the plan to an external database. DECEMBER 1990 -BYTE 183 Circle 87 on Reader Service Card Good Labor Ain't Cheap! CAD and NetWare 386 Join Forces SX-OCR Optical Character Recognition Software for your scanner that re- ally works! SX-OCR is fast, accu- rate and easy to use. Why type when you can just scan and con- vert? The three important features that make SX-OCR the Best: • • 99 + % accuracy • Fast easy training module . Excellent user interface SX-OCR Reads Text • SX-OCR will automatically "re-type" your documents, producing text files that work with your word processor • SX-OCR handles English and foreign text, footnotes and headlines, typeset and typewritten material • SX-OCR willauto mate the typing process - from simple business letters to il- lustrated product catalogs SX-OCR Can Learn • SX-OCR can be taught to read nearly everything through its trainable recogni- tion process • In addition, SX-OCR automatically avoids dirt, boxes, lines, logos and graphics while converting text images to ASCII files SX-OCR Manages Graphics • SX-OCR uniquely separates graphics from text in one scan... and remembers both • SX-OCR can import and export popular image formats such as PCX and TIFF Compatibility • PC- AT with 640K RAM and 2mb availa- ble on hard disk - EMS memory can be used in place of the hard disk space to speed up the OCR process - works with most pc display adapters • SX-OCRworks directly with the following scanners: Cannon, HP, Microtek, Panas- onic, Ricoh, Umax, Chinon, Zsof t, Prince- ton, Abaton, AST, Mitsubishi and others; also will work with any scanner that will make a .PCX file or a bilevel .TIF file Suggested Retail Price $395.22 Call toll free for special, discount prices on SX-OCR and selected Scanners 1-800-759-4001 Desktop Technology Corporation 986 mangrove, suite b Sunnyvale, ca 94086 (408) 738-4001 fax 408-739-31 109 The Visual Database Networking aside, what sets CADvance apart from most PC CAD programs is its ability to link objects in a CAD drawing with an external .DBF (dBASE-style) database. According to IsiCAD, a num- ber of CADvance users describe them- selves as facilities managers— that is, people who must track equipment inven- tories by location. For these users, CAD drawings are both pictures and data- bases. Of course, you can't use standard database tools to query the specialized graphical databases that underlie CAD programs. But with CADvance, you can link a graphical database to a convention- al one. Since I'm responsible for managing part of BYTE's editorial LAN, I tested CADvance' s database connection by re- lating a database of workstations, ca- bling, and network hardware to an office floor plan. With dBASE IV (CADvance requires .NDX index files, so I couldn't use my favorite dBASE work-alike, Fox- Pro), I defined four databases indexed on a common field— the name, or number, of a CAD object. The first, the Relation database, links objects in CAD drawings to .DBF files. The remaining three In- stance databases store information about offices, workstations, and network hard- ware. Next I began hooking database records to objects in my floor-plan drawing. You can also use the database to search for, and graphically select, objects in a draw- ing. Under NetWare 286, that's easier said than done. You have to supply the typically machine-generated object number as a search key. Under NetWare 386, however, CADvance provides a server-based NLM that can perform Structured Query Language (SQL) quer- ies against the .DBF database. So, for ex- ample, I was able to select all the sym- bols representing Macintoshes with this query: select from workstn where workstn .vendor = "apple" What about concurrent access to the da- tabase? No sweat. The CADvance record editor, like the dBASE browser, will either lock the active record or tell you that it can't. While I applaud IsiCAD's database support, I have to admit I found these tools a tad unwieldy. That's partly be- cause it's awkward to switch between CADvance and dBASE. You can shell to DOS, and CADvance 4.0 relinquishes all but a lOK-byte stub of itself when you do, but effective use of dBASE with CAD- vance really demands 386 DOS multi- tasking a la Desqview or Windows. Even then, keeping the drawings and data- bases in sync takes perseverance. And the SQL dialect is fairly weak: no LIKE clauses, no joins, and no subselects that return more than one value. On the other hand, although the CAD/ database interaction may not be pretty, it does work. If you need to mix the two disciplines, CADvance may be the only game in town. And the SQL NLM repre- sents a genuine innovation for PC CAD. It's exciting to see client/server technol- ogy begin to stretch the horizons of DOS computing. Other Dimensions The core CAD program in CADvance re- mains essentially what it was in previous versions: a solid two-dimensional draft- ing tool with limited, though useful, 3-D extensions. You won't be designing next year's Ferrari coupe with CADvance— complex surfaces aren't its forte. But it has all the tools you need to design and document a commercial office building, and they're geared for efficient produc- tion drafting. Almost all the commands "nest," so you can always interrupt what you're doing to zoom, pan, place a sym- bol, or run a macro program. Mouse but- tons do the right thing in most situations. And things get done quickly. To boost a 2-D drawing into the third dimension, you assign elevations and heights and then extrude it. The 3-D module sports interlocking x,y, x,z, and y,z grids. You can lock the cursor to any of these and slide the grids relative to one another. To reorient the model, you can choose from a set of standard views, ro- tate the model relative to any axis, or— what's most intuitive— set the location and height of a "camera" and a "target." You can easily look around and through a 3-D model, capturing views for a presen- tation. Under NetWare 386, you can even queue up a series of snapshots on which the server will perform hidden-line re- moval. A number of PC CAD programs out- strip CADvance' s 3-D modeling prow- ess. But in the final analysis, the spin- ning teapots that shimmer on screens at computer graphics trade shows don't matter much to people who design office buildings for a living. CADvance has al- ways been a practical tool for the AEC professional, and now version 4.0 makes workgroup CAD equally practical. ■ Jon Udell is a BYTE senior editor at large. You can contact him on BIX as "judell. " 184 BYTE* DECEMBER 1990 The time of DOS mainframe has arrived! Running at a blazing speed of 21 VAX MIPS, CLUB's award winning HAWK family, based on Intel's i486 CPU, achieve the main- frame horse-power that out-per- forms any RISC or SPARC based systems in their class. With such extraordinary value, price/performance, and compati- bility, the HAWK line of systems break through new benchmark barriers in UNIX/XENIX, DOS, and Novell environments. Combine this with our family of 386 based computers and peripherals, you receive the widest selection of systems from a single major world class manufacturer. It's no wonder that hundreds of thousands of these systems have PERFORMANCE COMPARISON CLUB HAWK III (1486-33) Compaq Deskpro (J486-33) AST Premium (1486-33) CLUB HAWK II (J486-25) Compaq Deskpro 0486-25) AST Premium 0486-25) 21.0 MIPS | 20.0 MIPS 20.0 MIPS 17.5 MJPS] 16.0 MIPS 15.0 MIPS VAX MIPS been installed in corporations world wide. That's why CLUB's systems are called the Ultimate Business Computers. Put yourself on the fast track and call today for more information. Circle 66 on Reader Service Card "CLUB AT prides itself on being an authorized Novell reseller, making the tower model a good choice for LAN server applica- tions. ... [ CLUB ] combines field-leading performance, solid construction, and know- ledgeable technical support at an exception- ally low price. " pc Magazine, February, 1 990 "When it comes to the basics - price, performance, and ... capacity - [ CLUB ] delivers outrageous value." PC World, Best Buy Award 1989 For more information call: Continental USA, Hawaii, and Alaska: (415) 683-6600 Fax: (415) 490-2687 CLUB Canada, Toronto: (416) 609-8121 International Sales: (415) 683-6623 Call for Corporate and Educational Discounts GSA # GS00K9OAGS526O American Technologies, Inc. The Ultimate Business Computers Theabovc mentioned brands and names are trademarks of their rt Professional developers require KnowledgePro by Knowledge Garden Introducing the DOOR into WINDOWS. KnowledgePro is a high level object-oriented language for Microsoft Windows or DOS. Integration of OOP, Hypermedia and Expert Systems technology lets you create applications and intelligent documents quickly. Supports DDE & DLL. No runtime fees for applications. LIST: $695 (Windows) PS Price: $589 LIST: $495 (DOS) PS Price: $419 Graphics and Database Toolkits $119 each. FastFaxts 1419-003 386 DEVELOPMENT Price 386 Max 5.0 $109 386JDOS Extender by Pharlap 495 D ESQ view 386 189 F77-EM32 + Lahey Ergo 1055 FoxBASE+/386 479 Metaware High C 386/486 919 MetaWare Pascal 386/486 839 NDP Fortran w/VM 829 NDP C - 386 829 QEMM 386 95 VM-386 229 WATCOM C8.0 386 Prof. 1155 WATCOM C8.0 386 Stand. 795 Zortech C++ 386 Dev. 865 AI-LANGUAGES ARITY Combination Package 989 LISPC 269 PC Scheme LISP 85 TransLISP PLUS w/source 99 PDC Prolog Compiler 239 ASSEMBLERS MSMASM 105 Turbo Debugger & Tools 1 1 9 Visible Computer:80286 85 BASIC & ADD-ONS BAS-C Commercial 439 dB/LIB Professional 179 MS QuickBASIC V4.5 69 QBase 139 QuickPak Prof. V3. 16 189 Visible Analyst COBOL MS COBOL V3.0 Realla COBOL COMMUNICATIONS ADD-ONS C Asynch Manager 3.0 Essential COMM by S. Mtn. Greenleaf Comm Library QuickComm DBASE Clipper 5.0 dBASE IV dBFAST/PLUS dBMAN V dBXL FoxPro FoxBASE + - V2.1 Quicksilver DBMS Cause Professional CLARION Prof. Dev. V2.1 D the data language Magic PC Paradox V3.0 R:BASE 3.1 DBMS TOOLS & LIBRARIES AdComm for Clipper 279 Artful.Lib 200 BALER Spreadsheet Compiler 399 C LANGUAGE COMPILERS Instant C 769 Lattice C - 6.0 Compiler 1 89 Microsoft C 6.0 349 Microsoft QuickC 69 WATCOM C8.0 Prof. 429 WATCOM C8.0 Stand. 359 CASE & PROTOTYPERS Dan Bricklin Demo II 185 EasyCase Plus 275 EasyCase Plus Prof. Pack 365 EasyFlow 135 Instant Replay III 119 Matrx Layout 179 MetaDesign by Meta Software 295 Pro-C 2.0w/Workbench Combo735 ProtoFinish by Genesis 279 Show Partner F/X 279 CLEAR + for dBASE Comet Multiport dBASE BlackBox dBASE Online BRIEF w/dBRIEF dBX dBport dGE 4.0 dQUERY MU dSalvage Professional FLIPPER Graphics Library FUNCky.LIB Genifer - code generator Net Lib Pro Clip R&R Relational Reportwriter R&R Code Generator Scrimage SilverComm Library SilverPaint BLINKER by BlinkiVic "Fastest dynamic overlay Wrta for Clipper Summer '87 and 5.0. Automatically structures overlays and reduces program memory requirement by up to 50%. Features incremental linking in fractions of a second, dynamic overlaying of C & ASM, source code of Clipper profiler for i performance analysis, memory defragmentation, "burning in" of Clipper environment variables/ serial numbers and creation of demo versions." LIST: $189 PS Price: $179 FastFaxts 937-001 HALO Professional by Media Cybernetics HALO Professional is the new graphics tool for developers of large, complex applications. No other graphics library offers you as many ways to break the 640K barrier. * 200 powerful graphics subroutines * DOS Extender support * Support for todays most powerful language compilers * International character support * Efficient memory usage * Support for popular graphics adapters, printers, image scanners, and plotters * Supporting Programmer's Guide and documentation LIST: $595 PS Price: $519 FastFaxts 86-044 AUTOMATE/ANYTIME by Complementary Solutions, Inc. AUTOMATE/ANYTIME, the Invisible Operator for your PC, is a new job-scheduling utility that automatically runs just about any software program you use, including Procomm, Fastback, dBASE, Norton Utilities, plus many other DOS programs. It executes batch file and Keyboard Macro jobs and includes a built-in backup utility. An easy to use, menu-drive program, AUTO- MATE/ANYTIME runs on single and networked PCs. LIST:$149 PSPrice:$139 FastFaxts 3183-001 179 119 65 129 Call 549 279 179 195 179 179 269 229 149 139 129 139 229 100 VEDIT PL uS \ -S5SS5 A \ (ft Greend 6 * VEDIT PLUS 3.40 by Greenview Data, Inc. The new VEDIT PLUS program- mer's editor integrates your favorite compilers, assemblers, linkers, debuggers and Make programs to really speed development. Its unique memory manager swaps out TSRs and network drivers during compila- tion. Features multi-file editing, windows, pull-down menus mouse support, undo, regular expressions, a powerful macro language, and complete configurability. Exceptional speed for editing even multi-megabyte text and binary files. LIST: $185 PS Price: $159 FastFaxts 25-007 THE PROGRAMMERS 1-800-421-8006 more than just products... Sourcer 486 Commenting Disassembler by V Communications, Inc. Generate detailed commented source code and listings from EXE, COM, device drivers and memory! Built in data analyzer and simulator separates code from data. Provides detailed comments on interrupts, I/O ports and much more. Supports code written for 8088 through 80486 processors and math co-processors. With the BIOS Pre-Processor, obtain detailed commented listings on each BIOS ROM in your system. LIST: $170 PS Price: $149 FastFaxts 924-018 The Forval SA14400 by R.L. Couch & Company The Forval SA1 4400 is one of the fastest dial-up modems available. With V.32bis/14,400hps base speed and V.42bis/MNP5 standard datacompression, this modem provides the maximum data-transfer rate. V.42/MNP2-4 error correction ensures data integrity. Compatible with all dial up standards including V.32 and V.22bis, the SA 14400 is upgraded over the phone giving you the Modem with a Future 7 ". An internal PC version is also available. A communications package is included. LIST: $1245 PS Price: $995 FastFaxts 2945-002 Greenleaf Comm Library by Greenleaf Software The Greenleaf Comm Library is an asynchronous communications library w/ interrupt-driven, circular buffered service for up to thirty- five ports. Features include: Modem control functions, XMODEM, YMODEM, & KERMIT protocol support; XON/XOFF & RTS/CTS flow control & security aoainst data loss. CommLib™ offers support up to 1 15Kbaud. Included free; source and PDQPIus Online Help System. Supports all major compilers. LIST: $359 PS Price: $329 FastFaxts 55-007 ArcList by Group 1 Software Mailing List Management— Discover how you can pro- fessionally manage your mailing list on your IBM compatible PC and save money with ArcList and AccuMail, two powerful, easy-to- use programs that offer you: address correction and standard- ization " duplicate recognition * list merge/purge " postal presorts * file maintenance " label design and printing " and more. Boost your mailing list's deliverability, and performance! LIST Price: $695 PS Price $635 FastFaxts 1566-W1 Tom Rettig's Library 85 UI2 Developer's Release 479 DEBUGGERS/ DISASSEMBLERS DASM 225 Dis Doc Pro 229 Multiscope for DOS 149 Periscope IV Varies RE:Source by Genesoft 119 SoftProbl? 86/TX 345 Sourcer 486 w/BIOS pre-proc. 1 49 Trapper 1 89 DEVELOPMENT TOOLS ASMFLOW 89 C-DOC 139 CLEAR* for C 1 69 Codan 349 Buzzwords d ANALYST 269 The Documentor 245 Hyperinterface II Combo 239 INSIDEI 119 MKSLex&Yacc 199 MKSRCS 175 PC-Lint 120 Plink/LTO 439 PolyMake 159 PVCS Professional 439 ROM-Link 339 .RTLINK- by Pocket Soft 279 .RTLINK Plus 419 Source Print 97 TLB 5.0 Version Control 1 25 Zortech C++ Tools Call EDITORS BRIEF Call Cheetah 195 Epsilon 119 KEDIT 139 QEditTSR 89 Sage Professional Editor 249 SPF/PC - V2.1 129 Vedit + 139 EXPERT SYSTEMS Eclipse 386 560 Exsys Professional 695 Logic Gem by Sterling Castle 89 Personal Consultant Plus 1999 FILE ADD-ONS Accsys for Paradox w/source 739 CBTREE 179 C-Data Manager 279 CodeBASE 4 279 CQL - w/ source 359 c-tree by Faircom - source 329 C-TRIEVE 229 db_FILE/RETRIEVE - SU 199 Faircom Toolbox Prof. 889 Faircom Toolbox Special 539 WKS Library 149 XQL 649 FORTRAN FOR_C w/source 789 Lahey FORTRAN F77L 549 Lahey Personal FORTRAN Call MS Fortran Opt. Compiler 309 RM/FORTRAN 499 GENERAL ADD-ONS C Tools Plus - V6.01 98 C Utility Library 189 G reenleaf SuperFunctions 239 Opt-TechSort 119 Turbo C Tools by Blaise 109 GRAPHICS Bar Code Library w/Source 369 Essential Graphics v3.0 349 Graphic 319 graphics-Menu 165 GSS Graphics Dev't Toolkit 699 HALO 279 HSC Sunscan 289 LaserControl 139 MetaWINDOWS 209 MetaWINDOW/PLUS 289 PCX Programmer's Toolkit 229 HARDWARE Aegis 55 ALL Chargecard 399 Capital Equipment Corp. OS/RAM32 0M 225 OS/RAM8 0M 299 OS/RAM4 0M 179 DigiCHANNEL COM/8i 875 DigiCHANNEL MC/8i 949 DPT SmartCache ST506 1099 SmartCache RLL 1099 SmartCache ESDI 1099 Disk Mirroring Module 685 Emerson UPS Model 10 UPS 169 Model 20 UPS 319 Model 40 UPS 699 AccuCard 209 AccuSaver 69 EtherCard Plus 239 EtherCard Plus/A 349 Erasable Optical Drive Call Hardlock Kit by Glenco 369 NT Adv. Math Coprocessors 3C87-25 450 3C87-33 559 2C87-20 329 2C87-12 279 Intel Math Coprocessors 80387-25 555 80387-33 675 J T Fax 9600 595 KickStartl 179 KickStart II 399 KickStart III 689 LANStor LAN150S 1599 LaserStor WORM Drive 3295 Personal Modem 2400 179 QX/12K Modem 699 QX/V. 32c Modem 1349 Seagate ST- 125-1 20M 299 Seagate ST-4096-1 80M 639 Seagate ST-251-1 40M 339 SentinelScout (kit of 1 keys) 265 SpeedStorAT320S 1999 Smartmodem 2400 (Ext.) 359 The Shadow SVGA1 024K 319 VGA WONDER 512K 359 THE PllOGKAMMEKlS i 1-800-421-8006 The Programmer's Shop is GEOGBAF NETWORKS dBXL/LAN 519 Btrieve Dev.. Kit 479 Netware SQL 519 Netware C Interface 239 OBJECT-ORIENTED/C++ Intek C++ 80386 469 Smalltalk/V 85 Smalltalk/V-286 185 Turbo C ++ 159 Turbo C++ Prof. 259 Zinc Interface Library 179 Zortech C ++ w/ source 269 Zortech C++ Debugger 150 Zortech C ++ Dev. Edition 399 OS SUPPORT DESQview 109 OS/286 589 OTHER LANGUAGES Logitech's Modula-2 Dev. Syst.229 TopSpeed Modula-2 189 StonyBrookProf. Modula-2 249 OTHER PRODUCTS Carbon Copy Plus 159 Dan Bricklin's PageGarden 89 Fast! 89 Flow Charting III 199 HEADROOM 89 HiJaak 139 LapLink III 129 Link & Locate ++ - ROM MSC 349 Math Advantage 475 Norton Utilities 5.0 149 pcANYWHERE IV 159 PC Tools Deluxe 6.0 119 PC-KWIK Power Pak 119 Pre Cursor 96 Remote2 139 SpinRite II 89 System Sleuth 89 The Duplicator Toolkit-Pro 3.0 119 Time$heet Prof. 1 35 TURBO PASCAL Turbo ASYNCH PLUS 119 Turbo Pascal 6.0 by Borland Call Turbo POWER TOOLS PLUS 98 Turbo Professional 109 GEOGRAF Professional by GEOCOMP Corporation GEOGRAF is a graphics library of subroutines which allow you to create customized graphics from within your own code. GEOGRAF is available for most C, BASIC, and FORTRAN compilers. Includes: 13 fonts, four line types, unlimited data points, real-time graphs and batch processing. Device independent routines and over 250 printers, plotters and video screens are supported! LIST: $325 PS Price: $319 FastFaxts 1037-001 ■HHH TEXT SCREEN ADD-ONS AEWINDOS 459 C Communications Toolkit 1 29 C Worthy w/Forms w/ARCH 359 Greenleaf DataWindows 339 Hl-SCREEN XL Professional 289 MEWEL Window System 169 POWER SCREEN by Blaise 99 Vitamin C - source, menus 1 69 VC Screen - painter 1 1 9 Vermont Views Obj. + source 819 UNIX/XENIX C++ Compiler for Unix 386 by Zortech 439 C++ for Unix by SCO of Canada 829 Computer Innovations C++ 469 db_FILE/RETRIEVE MU 499 ESIX Systems ESIX/V 386 Dev. (2 user) 569 ESIX/V 386 Dev. unltd 769 Guidelines C++ for 386 V2.0 479 Informix SQL Varies Interactive Systems Architect Wrkstn Platform 1 1 99 Architect Wrkstn Developer 1 850 Norton Utilities for Unix 279 Oregon C++ by Oregon SW 979 WordTech Quicksilver Diamd. 839 XENIX 386 Dev. Sys. 689 WINDOWS & OS/2 Actor 3.0 639 Brief for OS/2 Call Case: W Corporate Version 905 Case: PM (for C or C+++) 1 469 C_talk/ Views 419 C-TrieveAMndows 349 dBF AST/Windows 315 Graphics Server SDK 455 Instant Windows 895 KnowledgePro Windows 589 MKS Toolkit 229 MS Windows 3.0 119 MS Windows DDK 365 MS Windows SDK 365 Multi scope OS/2 Debugger 375 Multiscope Windows Debug. 315 Object/1 895 OS/2 PM Toolkit 369 Smalltalk/V PM 469 Tempo for Windows 89 MICRO PLANNER by Micro Planning International MICRO PLANNER with it's unique graphic interface will have you utlding a step-by-step model of your pofject in less then a day, allowing you to create impressive reports-including PERT charts and bar charts-that look as powerful on paper as on the screen. From there, Critical Path Method will calculate start dates and deadlines! forecast bottlenecks, and optimize crucial resources. MICRO PLANNER is available for PC's & Mac's with interchangeable files between machines. LIST: $595 PSPrice:$449 FastFaxts 1387-003 dBXL by WordTech A superior alternative to dBASE, dBXL relational database is an easy to use interpretive environ- ment adding extended language (XL) features to the dBASE language. It includes WordTech R&R Relational Report Writer, full dBASE compatibility (files & syntax), and special menus for first time database builders. Also has memory swapping, advanced memo field handling, macros, true windowing multi-dimensional arrays, graphing and EMS support. Requires 440K memory. LIST: $249 PS Price: $189 FastFaxts 971-003 HiJaak Release 2.0 by Inset Systems Inc. HiJaak 2.0 is a graphics conversion and capture utility that translates more than 36 graphics file formats. HiJaak provides batch conversion capability from the DOS command line or from the user interlace. Supported formats include GEM, PICT l&ll, CGM.HPGL, PIC.DXF.PCX, MAC, TIF, and support for more than 1 6 group 3 fax devices. A 5K pop-up provides capture function of text screens, graphics screens, and laser printer output. LIST: $199 PS Price: $189 FastFaxts 1085-003 CLEAR+ for dBASE by Clear Software, Inc. CLEAR helps dBASE developers understand and document their code by automatically producing these high- resolutions diagrams: program flow charts, systems tree charts, and formatted source listings. While it processes dBASE applications, CLEAR analyzes program's logic and reports logical inconsistencies and synactical errors. CLEAR supports all the dBASE dialects and versions. LIST: $199.95 PS Price: $179 FastFaxts 873-006 THE PROGRAMME RlS 1-800-421-8006 your source for solutions! Vitamin C by Creat ve Programm g Easily create a spectacular user interface with the most versatile and powerful C library available. Functions include overlapping virtual windows, data entry fields and forms, multi-level pop-up and pull-down menus, context sensitive help, a pop-up text editor, and much morel Even i library source is included, and \ applications are royalty free. I Available for DOS, OS/2, Unix, Xenix and VAX. LIST: $225 PS Price: $169 FastFaxis 0031-007 > cfiASE.!!L dBASEIVl.l by Ashton-Tate Introducing dB ASE IV version 1 .1 . _ New Dynamic Memory Manage- ment System reduces memory requirements to 450K. Built-in Disk Caching Option uses expanded or extended memory. Control Center provides easy management of data for novices. For the developer, new language enchancements nave been added. An Automatic Code Generator produces structured code for any object and an integrated Debugger/Editor streamlines development process. LIST: $795 PS Price: $549 FastFaxis 1601-019 -•./.vi dBMAN V by Versasoft Corporation dBMAN V is a dBASE III Plus compatible relational database management system which allows dBASE applications to run on over 40 UNIX, and non-UNIX platforms. Applications are fully portable across platforms. It features windows, menus. UDFs, arrays, data security ana more. If s report generator creates columnar and multiline reports without programming. Report layouts are designed in bands" and edited by simple keystrokes. dBMAN V compiler supports macros. Runtime license is available. LIST: $295 PS Price: $275 FastFaxis 1292-001 BALER by Baler The BALER Spreadsheet Compiler | turns .WK1 worksheets into tamper-proof, standalone executable programs. BALER is easy to use-if you can use Lotus 1-2-3, you can use BALER. It is compatible with nearly all the commands and functions of your spreadsheet, including all of the Lotus Advanced Macro com- mands. Save time with the speed of executable files. Save money since users don't need the original spreadsheet program. And BALER is royalty free! LIST: $495 PS Price: $399 FastFaxis 0808-002 THE PROGRAMMERS SHOP CATALOG is the definitive source book for serious software development professionals. Over 1,700 development products listed, including: • applications • books /training • communications • hardware • languages •LANs • libraries • operating systems • tools • UN IX /XENIX • utilities Call today for this valuable guide to programming productivity. 1 { VH ;/,;"• : ic-i V wr ■.-. \ •4 What is FastFaxts? You now have access to literature on any of our products via FAX machine. FREEl 1. Call 617-740-0025 from your FAX machine's phone. 2. Follow the voice computer's instructions and enter your product's code number (listed in each product box or in our catalog). 3. Hang up the phone and await your instant print out of product literature. Call 617-740-0025 from any fax phone! THK 1MUMJU \MMFUS SHOP 800-421-8006 N 1SB!i& to MMC ill lh< DutU Korhtting Aiiwiotion, Inc 5 Pond Park Road, Hingham, MA 02043 • Canada 800-446-3846 • Mass. 617-740-2510 • FAX: 617-749-2018 Credit card orders processed only when product is shipped. All prices subject to change. Intl. prices will vary. BY1290 SUBJECT: V.P., Engineering PROBLEM: Your competitor has announced the product Your Engineering team isn't even working on it Your customers want it now. Whaf s your answer? SOLUTION: MICRONICS Today, time-to-market is everything. Everyone wants the latest technology. You have to have a product when the demand is hot And it has to work. Before investing time and money now, and still miss the window, turn to Micronics for your system board needs. Dedicated to advanced engineering, Micronics has a full line of 80386 and 80486 ISA/EISA products. We provide excellent time-to-market and superior design without sacrificing performance or reliability. In fact, we have a proven record with hundreds of thousands of system boards in the field today. Our own designs, FCC certification, complete compatibility testing and less than 1% field failure rates make Micronics system boards the industry leaders. Micronics is your answer. Give us a call todav. MICRONICS COMPUTERS INC. The Power 232 E. Wan-en Avenue Fremont, California 94539 (415)651-2300 Fax (415) 651-5666 Circle 366 on Reader Service Card Roger C. Alford REVIEW NCR's S486/MC33 Has Unique Approach to Reliability The new 33-MHz i486-based sys- tems are increasingly taking over tasks that were previously dedi- cated to minicomputers and RISC-based workstations. The latest entry from NCR's Workstation Products Division, the S486/MC33, is no exception. This system has been designed from the ground up for high performance, maxi- mum expandability, and unmatched reli- ability. It is also one of a handful of 33- MHz i486-based systems with the Micro Channel bus architecture. All this performance, expandability, and reliability come at a price. The base price for the S486/MC33 is $13,995, which includes only the base unit and a single 3!/2-inch 1 .44-megabyte floppy disk drive. The BYTE evaluation unit included 16 MB of error-correcting DRAM ($8400), an NCR SCSI host adapter board ($500), a 670-MB Maxtor SCSI hard disk drive ($6500), a 16-inch Super VGA monitor ($1995), a keyboard ($100), and MS-DOS 4.01 ($150), for a total system cost of $3 1 ,640. While this price will keep away most home computer users, it is in the price range traditionally accepted for mini- computers and high-performance work- stations, where increased productivity can quickly pay back such investments. The system also incorporates reliability features not found on any other 486 sys- tem, and it is backed by the quality and service that NCR has become known for— second not even to Big Blue. The size of the S486/MC33's tower case is substantial: At 29 by 29 Vi bylVi inches and a weight of 83 pounds with a hard disk drive, it seems to be trying hard to match the system's hefty price tag (see the photo). Nevertheless, the well-de- signed chassis is tailored for easy access and uncompromised expandability. It in- cludes nine drive bays, four memory- board slots, one slot for the SCSI control- ler, one 1 6-bit Micro Channel expansion slot with video extension, and six 32-bit Micro Channel expansion slots. Once unlocked, the system cover glides easily along guide rails to provide ready access to the system internals. You can remove it completely for accessing the drive bays. Rollers at the front and rear bottom of the cabinet let you easily tip and roll the system. As the size of its case suggests, the NCR S486/MC33 has plenty of room for expansion: It is also one of the fastest 33-MHz 486 systems BYTE has tested. Bulletproof Design The main processor board is impressive. Built almost entirely with surface-mount technology for reduced size and greater reliability, the large board includes an i486 processor, a Weitek WTL4167 math coprocessor socket, a 600- by 800- pixel Super VGA video controller with 1 MB of RAM, a floppy disk drive control- ler, two serial ports, one parallel port, a PS/2-style mouse port, and 12 expansion slots. Oddly, the two serial ports are brought out to a single 25-pin connector. The first port, COM1 , uses the IBM RS- 232C pin-out. To use both ports, how- ever, you must connect the included Y cable to the system's serial connector, which then provides you with separate connectors for COM 1 and COM2. Because DRAM chips require period- ic refreshing of on-chip capacitors to maintain stored bit values, they are prone to occasional bit loss from such things as alpha particle hits (naturally occurring background radiation). As the amount of memory in a system increases, so does the likelihood of bit losses, with single- bit losses being the most common. High-end computers such as the S486/ MC33 typically incorporate a lot of memory— often 16 MB or more— so NCR decided to design the memory sub- system for greater reliability. Instead of the simple parity-detection circuit found in most PCs, the NCR memory boards incorporate error detection and correc- tion circuitry, which is capable of cor- recting any single-bit errors that occur on the fly and can also detect and notify the processor of any double-bit errors. So if you're wondering why the 16-MB mem- ory board costs more than your entire PC, it's because NCR designed it for re- liability with a capital R. NCR offers 4-MB and 16-MB mem- ory boards for the S486/MC33. With four available memory slots, the system supports 64 MB of memory. The mem- ory board slots are uniquely designed, with connections to both the processor's DECEMBER 1990 • B Y T E 191 REVIEW NCR'S S486/MC33 HAS UNIQUE APPROACH TO RELIABILITY DOS BENCHMARKS NCR S486/MC33 AST Premium 486/33 Everex Step 486/33 Club American Hawk I IBM PC AT < Worse APPLICATION-LEVEL PERFORMANCE Better ► | 57.8* 52.6 49.7 49.4 7.0 5.3 4.8 5.6 6.4 13.0 13.4 9.2 □ Word Processing r*~| Desktop Publishing □ Database D Compilers CAD □ Scientific/ Engineering Spreadsheet NCR S486/MC33 AST Premium 486/33 Everex Step 486/33 Club American Hawk II IBM PC AT * Worse LOW-LEVEL PERFORMANCE Better ► 8.0 32.7 3.2 13.7 □ cpu I FPU Disk Video CONVENTIONAL BENCHMARKS LINPACK (single) (MFLOPS) Dhrystones (Dhry./sec.) NCR S486/MC33 0.8822 26929.4 Everex Step 486/33 0.8959 26912.9 Club Hawk III 486/33 0.9263 27472.3 AST Premium 486/33 0.8947 25849.4 ' For application and low-level benchmarks, results are indexed and show relative performance; for each individual index, an 8-MHz IBM AT running MS-DOS 3.30 = 1 . For all benchmarks, higher numbers indicate better performance. The BYTE low-level benchmark suite identifies performance differences between machines at the hard- ware level; the application benchmarks evaluate real-world performance by running a standard test suite using commercially available applications. Application indexes include tests using the following pro- grams: Wad processing: WordPerfect 5.0; Desktop Publishing; Aldus PageMaker 3.0; Database; Borland Paradox 3.0 and AshtonTate dBASE IV; Compilers: Microsoft C 5.1 and Turbo Pascal 5.5; CAD: Auto- CAD release 10 and Generic CADD level 3 1.1 .5; Scientific/Engineering: Stata release 2, MathCAD 2.5, and PC-Matlab3.5f; and Spreadsheet: Lotus 1-2-3 release 3.0 and Microsoft Excel 2.1. The BYTE Lab introduced version 2.0 of the DOS benchmarks in the August issue (see "BYTE's New Benchmarks: New Looks, New Numbers"). Benchmark results for machines reviewed under previous versions aren't directly comparable. To obtain a copy of the benchmarks, join the listings area of the byte.bmarks conference on BIX or contact BYTE directly. UNIX BENCHMARKS ■M Worse a»m^ NCR S486/MC33 AST Premium 486/33 Everex Step 486/33 Club American Hawk I Everex Step 386/33 6;8 2.9 2.2 1.3 1.3 2.6 11.3* 9.8 10.4 10.7 6.0 □ □ , C Compiler I — I DC Arithmetic I I Tower of Hanoi I I System Loading I I Dhrystone 2 □ Floating Point • The graph above summarizes the results of the Unix benchmarks (version 2.6). All results are indexed to show relative performance; for each test, an Everex Step 386/33 running Xenix 2.3.1 = 1 . The cumulative index is formed by summing the indexed performance results for the tests. Comprehensive results are available by contacting BYTE. REVIEW NCR'S S486/MC33 Has Unique Approach to Reliability NCR Model S486/MC33 Company NCR Corp. Workstation Products Division 1700 South Patterson Blvd. Dayton, OH 45479 (513)445-5000 Components (as reviewed) Processor: 33-MHz Intel i486; socket for 33-MHz WeitekWTL4 167 Memory: 1 6 MB of error-correcting DRAM, expandable to 64 MB; reprogrammable BIOS in Flash EPROM Mass storage: 670-MB 1 2-ms Maxtor SCSI hard disk drive; Teac 3 1 /2-inch 1 .44- MB floppy disk drive Display: 1 6-bit Super VGA controller on motherboard; 16-inch Super VGA color monitor Keyboard: IBM Enhanced 101 -key I/O interfaces: Dual serial port; parallel port; PS/2 mouse port; video port; keyboard connector; SCSI port; one 16- bit and six 32-bit Micro Channel expansion slots Price $31,640 Inquiry 1107. local bus and the Micro Channel bus. This dual-ported design permits Micro Channel bus masters to access the mem- ory, in addition to the i486 itself. The memory subsystem is designed for inter- leave operation for improved perfor- mance, typically averaging less than one wait state. There is no secondary cache in the system; instead, the system relies on the i486's own 8K-byte four-way set- associative cache. Like its main memory subsystem, the S486/MC33's ROM BIOS is unique. As with most computers in this performance range, the BIOS is placed into shadow RAM for faster operation after boot. Un- like other systems, however, the S486/ MC33 uses a flash EPROM to store its BIOS. Unlike conventional EPROMs, flash EPROMs can be electrically erased and reprogrammed in the system. This allows NCR to change or upgrade the system BIOS simply by inserting a disk with the new BIOS and running a utility to program the flash memory. No more replacing BIOS EPROMs. A vertical backplane runs almost the full height of the case along the back of the drive bays. A "drive carrier" is mounted to each drive, which then slides into a drive bay and connects the drive to the backplane. The backplane is cabled to the SCSI host adapter board and the floppy disk drive interface connector on the main processor board. The top two half-height drive bays are reserved for 3 1 /2-inch floppy disk drives or a tape drive. The remaining four half-height bays and three full-height bays are avail- able for SCSI devices, including hard disk drives, optical disk drives, and tape drives. The SCSI host adapter board can support up to seven devices simulta- neously, and it includes an external con- nector for connecting to SCSI devices outside the S486/MC33 cabinet, such as scanners and laser printers. NCR offers several SCSI hard disk drives, optical drives, and tape drives for its S486/MC33 system, including a 327- MB hard disk drive, a 670-MB hard disk drive, a 600-MB CD-ROM drive, a 200- MB tape drive, and a 320-/525-MB tape drive. On the flexible side, only the 3 1 /2- inch 1 .44-MB floppy disk drives are of- fered. NCR also offers a non-SCSI 80-/ 120-MB tape drive that installs in the lower floppy disk drive bay. A World-Class System The S486/MC33 is clearly designed for the world market. Its 385-watt power supply, for example, is an auto-switching unit that works properly at a nominal 1 15 volts or 230 V and at 50 or 60 Hz. NCR also offers keyboards for nine different languages, and the installation manual is presented in five languages. The system documentation consists of several man- uals, and, as expected from a company like NCR, all of them are complete, well organized, and heavily illustrated. The keyboard, with its PS/2-style con- nector, has a very nice feel but no key click. The 16-inch monitor included with the evaluation unit also provides a good- quality display, with sharp images and good color renditions. The system comes with a set of utility and driver disks. These include complete system diagnostics, setup utilities, and device drivers. There are device drivers that support the enhanced video modes, as well as SCSI drivers for OS/2 and Unix. I ran the system using the MS- DOS 4.01 operating system that came with the evaluation unit. I saw no evi- dence of any compatibility problems after running numerous DOS applica- tions on the system— it just ran very fast. How Fast Is It? The S486/MC33 proved to be one of the fastest systems ever tested by the BYTE Lab. With a CPU index of 8.0, the sys- tem is faster than both the AST Premium 486/33 (at 7.2) and the Club Hawk III 486/33 (at 7.4). The Everex Step 486/33, however, showed a higher performance level, probably because of its secondary cache, with a CPU index of 9.0. NCR is one of the largest manufac- turers of SCSI controller chips, so it isn't surprising to find that the S486/MC33's SCSI disk subsystem outperforms those of all the other systems in its class. In contrast, the S486/MC33's VGA video circuitry, while still fast, lags slightly behind all its competition. In addition to admirable performance in the low-level benchmarks, the S486/ MC33 also outperformed the other 33- MHz 486 systems in most of the applica- tion-level benchmarks. It was slightly lower only in the desktop publishing and word processing benchmarks. The S486/MC33 also performed well on the BYTE Unix benchmarks. Its 1 1 .3 cumulative index was almost twice that of the baseline Everex Step 386/33. A Step Ahead of IBM The S486/MC33's design has been well thought out and well implemented. Tra- ditional IBM customers will feel right at home with the high-quality construction, reliable design, complete documenta- tion, and Micro Channel architecture. In addition to high performance and multi- ple-master support, Micro Channel of- fers the ability to configure plug-in boards via software, without having to use jumpers and DIP switches. Until recently, IBM offered little to compete with the S486/MC33. IBM's PS/2 Model 70 486-B21 is merely the company's Model 80 386 design with an i486 processor card replacing the 386 card. It has no system optimization to take advantage of the i486's features. Its good points notwithstanding, the S486/MC33's price must be reckoned with. To justify that price tag, its perfor- mance and reliability must result in sav- ings for the user. Based on the perfor- mance results, this should be the case for many users. For example, the S486/ MC33 is well positioned as a high-end network server, where its high process- ing speed and fast disk accesses will keep even large networks running with mini- mal downtime. The S486/MC33 will also shine as an engineering worksta- tion, where complex calculations can tax the CPU. ■ Roger C. Alford is the president of Pro- grammable Designs, a Michigan-based consulting firm. He is the author of Pro- grammable Logic Designer's Guide (Howard W. Sams & Co. , 1989). You can reach him on BIXc/o "editors. " DECEMBER 1990 -BYTE 193 Now you can afford to J'>'->- '■ :- - '■■'■ ■■' * Suggested U.S. list price. For Macintosh interface, add $125. © 1990 Hewlett-Packard Company PE12033 show your true colors. No longer does your world have to be black and white. With millions of different color shades produced by high-quality inkjet tech- nology, the HP PaintJet printer family makes it easy for you to look brilliant. Better yet, it doesn't take much green to get this kind of color. Only $1,395* for the PaintJet. Or for even faster printing, larger formats, and more font capabilities, only $2,495* for the PaintJet XL. Of course, HP Paint Jets are DOS and Macintosh compatible. Work with all your favorite graphics soft- ware. And print on trans- parencies as well as paper. So call 1-800-752-0900, Ext. 1632 for your nearest authorized HP dealer. And get a firsthand demonstra- tion of what the PaintJet family can do for your business communications. You'll be surprised how high you can fly with color. ra HEWLETT PACKARD There's more to comparing LaserJet printer sharing options than just the name Price Upgradeable memory buffer Cables and adapters included* Centronics interface Warranty Pacific Data Products Pacific Connect™ $399 Yes Yes Yes Lifetime Hewlett-Packard HP ShareSpool® $495 No No No Two Years Do "on't settle for less just to buy the HP name. For LaserJet printer sharing devices that offer you more features for less cost, choose Pacific Connect from Pacific Data Products. It's the low cost way to give up to five PC or four Macintosh users access to a LaserJet Series II, IID, III or HID printer. Completely transparent to users, Pacific Connect is easy to install and use. It even comes with four cables and serial adapters. And to handle large print files or to spool documents sent simul- taneously to the printer, its memory buffer is upgrade- able from 256k to 1.25 MB. To learn how you can get more for less, call your nearest dealer or contact: Pacific Data Products, 9125 Rehco Road, San Diego, CA 92121, (619) 597-4609, Fax (619) 552-0889. PACIFIC DATA PRODUCTS Pacific Connect includes two 25 ft serial cables, two 50 ft serial cables and four DB-25 1 o R J-ll connectors. Prices are suggested retail list price. Pacific Connect is a trademark of Pacific Data Products, Inc. ShareSpool is a registered trademark of Extended Systems, Inc. AH other company and product names are trademarks of the company or manufacturer respectively. © 1990 Pacific Data Products, Inc. Lamont Wood REVIEW DR DOS Offers Hope for the RAM-Crammed C :\>chkdsk Uolune in drive C does not have a labe 67,926,616 bytes total disk space 92,160 bytes in 3 hidden files 116,784 bytes in 51 directories 2B ,899,872 bytes in 679 user files 77,824 bytes in bad sectors 47,536,176 bytes available on disk 655,344 bytes total nenory 640,864 bytes available DR DOS Release 5.8 While you can use various expe- dients to break the 640K-byte straitjacket that MS-DOS im- poses on RAM, the most straightforward way is to switch to a new operating sys- tem. But then you would have to abandon your MS-DOS applications and learn new ones— and that's not a very popular course. But there is a middle ground, and Dig- ital Research, Inc. (DRI), the firm that was behind the CP/M operating system in the 1970s, has provided it with DR DOS 5.0. This $199 operating system for PCs and compatibles is a precise emula- tion of MS-DOS— no small feat— with embellishments that will interest users who need to load an application, a hard- ware driver (e.g., a network interface), and a TSR program all at once, but need more than 640K bytes to do it. I tested DR DOS on a 16-MHz Club American 386 with Hercules graphics, a 40-megabyte 28-millisecond hard disk drive, and 4 MB of RAM. I installed DR DOS with a setup com- mand that demands little of the user, and it ran immediately. No disk reformatting was necessary. DR DOS automatically loaded its own version of all the MS-DOS command and utility files (using the same names that DOS uses), plus a few extras. The only incompatibility with my existing MS-DOS CONFIG.SYS file was that DR DOS wanted all text in the file to be in uppercase letters. Aside from slight differences in some of the screen messages (and the ECHO command's producing a carriage return, disrupting any carefully positioned AUTOEXEC .BAT screen menus you have written), you'd need the VER command to reas- DRDOScan reclaim upper memory and locates the DOS kernel in high memory to give you more work-space memory than you get with MS-DOS. sure yourself that you're in a new operat- ing system. But there are differences— potentially big ones— in the way the two operating systems handle RAM. Down Memory Lane To illustrate what DR DOS does, I'll de- fine some terms and map out the tortured world of PC memory. Conventional memory is the first 640K bytes (655,360 bytes) of RAM. You generally can't use all of it for applications, since DOS and various device drivers must consume some of it. (With MS-DOS 3.3, 1 usually end up with 542,848 bytes available; this is called the transient program area.) The amount of available memory is im- portant, because PC software can nor- mally run only when it's in conventional memory. Meanwhile, the 384K bytes between 640K bytes and 1 MB (1024K bytes) is called upper memory. RAM above 1 MB DR DOS 5.0 Company Digital Research, Inc. 70 Garden Court Monterey, CA 93942 (408) 649-3896 Hardware Needed IBM PC, XT, AT, or compatible Price $199 Inquiry 1064. is called extended memory (unless you're talking about expanded memory, which swaps pages of RAM in and out of con- ventional memory). The first (or lowest) 64K bytes of extended memory is called high memory and should not be confused with upper memory. DR DOS takes advantage of the fact that while upper memory is reserved for video RAM and the ROM BIOS, much of it remains unused. The amount that is unused varies with the configuration of the machine and the kind of video you're using, but it's probably more than 100K bytes between the VRAM and the ROM BIOS. Some of the VRAM immediately above 640K bytes may also be unused. Both blocks could be reclaimed for an application, except that MS-DOS can't raise its eyes above the 640K-byte mark. What DR DOS does is supply a mem- ory manager, EMM386. SYS, that opens up available RAM in upper memory. It also handles expanded and extended memory support. After installing the memory manager, you can use the DR DOS HI LOAD command to load and run an application in upper memory. To see what RAM you have available in upper memory, DR DOS supplies a function called MEM, which not only lists the names and locations of all applications and drivers currently in RAM, but also graphically maps the state of your RAM . With DR DOS loaded and EMM386 .SYS installed, I found I had 720,880 (704K) bytes of conventional memory (640K bytes plus 64K bytes that EMM- 386. SYS can reclaim from VRAM if you are using a Hercules, CGA, or MDA dis- play), of which 689,040 bytes was un- used. Plus, there was another 148,096 bytes of free upper memory above the VRAM. As compared to the 542,848 bytes that I had previously, DR DOS had given me almost 300,000 bytes— mem- ory that had been there all along, over- looked by MS-DOS. Thus, using the HILOAD command can be astonishing— like pitching a cin- der block into a puddle and seeing it dis- appear without a splash. For instance, I was able to HILOAD GWBASIC into upper memory, where it took up about 80K bytes, and I still had about 60K bytes of upper memory free— about all GWBASIC can use for programs and data. Thus, I was able to run a full GWBASIC installation without affecting the amount of conventional memory available. (Well, almost— DOS' s envi- ronment data for each application is still loaded in conventional memory, and in this case, it took up about 500 bytes.) I could even use the SHELL command to DECEMBER 1990 -BYTE 197 DR DOS Offers Hope for the RAM-Crammed leave GWBASIC and load another pro- gram, Xerox Ventura, in conventional memory, run it, leave it, and then return to GWBASIC using the EXIT command from DOS. While they were coresident, the two programs were not running at the same time— this is still DOS, not Unix or OS/2. I could load a TSR program (in this case, SideKick), and as far as the conven- tional memory count from CHKDSK was concerned, it had disappeared with hard- ly a trace. It was in there, however, and it popped up and ran on demand. DR DOS also has a HIDEVICE com- mand that you can use within the CON- FIG.SYS file to load device drivers into upper memory. Obviously, it replaces the MS-DOS DEVICE command. And DR DOS exploits high memory, whose 64K bytes generally goes unused. Using the HIDOS.SYS driver, DR DOS will load the 37K-byte DOS kernel into high memory. The result is less dramatic than with EMM386.SYS, but equally magical; DOS still runs, but for all in- tents and purposes, it takes up no space. DR DOS also has its own CACHE command, which sets up a disk cache in user-defined amounts of extended or ex- panded memory. It caches only disk reads, so a power glitch won't wipe out any data that was waiting to be written to the disk from the cache. While CACHE doesn't need EMM386.SYS or HIDOS .SYS, once it's invoked it's still part of the operating system, and applications use it automatically. No Free Lunch There is, of course, no free lunch— even if DR DOS does seem to be serving up multi-K-byte servings of RAM gravy. As you probably guessed from the name, the EMM386.SYS memory driver that accomplishes most of these wonders re- quires a 386 (or i486) processor. HI- DOS.SYS will work with a 286 and will also function much the same as EMM- 386. SYS if you're using Leap or Neat 286 processors from Chips & Technol- ogies. Also, if you're already using a mem- ory manager (such as HIMEM.SYS in Microsoft Windows or QEMM.SYS in Desqview), you cannot use EMM386 .SYS, and the advantages of reclaiming upper memory are lost. However, you can still use HIDOS.SYS to get that extra 37K bytes by relocating DOS to high memory. If you are already using such a third-party memory manager, you're probably already using large amounts of extended memory, and a few score K bytes of upper memory may not seem important. You may also be using applications or drivers that, for whatever reason, won't run in upper memory, or already use high memory. DRI doesn't think there are many software packages with this problem, but DR DOS's devices come with options and switches that let you dis- able any feature that causes trouble. EMM386. SYS can also set up shadow ROM, where it remaps the video-control portion of the ROM BIOS to a sector of extended memory, on the theory that RAM is faster than ROM. Therefore, this should make your screen display faster. Many clones nowadays come with shadow ROM already built in; mine did not, but invoking the feature produced no noticeable speedup in the screen dis- play. A technician at Club American said I could expect only about a 10 percent improvement, although a faster machine, ScanWedge : the ScanPlus that Swallowed the MiniBar Barcode Industries, Inc. 12240 Indian Creek court, Beltsville, MD 20705, Tel : (301) 498-5400, FAX : (301) 498-6498, Tlx : 506 144 ScanPlus is Barcode's high performance, non-contact scanner based on CCD technology. With a reading speed of 200 scans per second, comfortable ergonomics, and superior reliability, it has revolutionized bar code scanning in point-of-sale and industrial applications. MiniBar is Barcode's universal wedge reader. It has broken new ground with on- board interfacing to over 100 popular terminals and PCs. Now ScanWedge combines the power of Scanplus with the interfacing capabilities of the MiniBar. ScanWedge connects directly to terminals and PCs between keyboard and screen, affording immediate compatibility with the user's hardware and software. For Barcode, the Nineties Promise the World. BAR C O D B — IHIHIHIIIIIIIIII 198 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 Circle 41 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 42) htroducingThelotal LAN Plan. Only EmersonUPS has it. AccuSaver S3S3wvC .*" C t V¥*\ AccuSaver ' / -VAW.V.V.vi \ J Novell Banyan 3Com LAN Manager UNIX It's the first systems approach to network power protection. Total network protection. With the price breakthroughs we've achieved on our Accupower® line, you can now protect a file server and five to six PC nodes. All for what you'd expect to pay just for file server protection. And Emerson UPS has the broad- est range of LAN interface cables and software in the industry From Novell's Netware to the new IBM RS/6000 AK. But that's just the first of many unique solutions that only Emerson offers. AUPSthatfitsinaslot There's — our unique ■ -~ - ** AccuCard,™ ■■/&*■■< - for instance. ~"^ & ^ss* Model 10 Model 20 ^baifeen »***• VP* A low-cost UPS-on-a-card that fits right into an unused slot in your PC. It features complete data save and restore, self-diagnostics and unattended oper- ation on your nodes. And cable adapters make AccuCard compatible with virtually all desktop computer brands. Plusthere'sourproprietaiy AccuSaver software. AccuSaver software is acti- vated by any data-threatening power problems. While the battery backup capability of the Emerson UPS sup- plies emergency power to the system, our AccuSaver software orchestrates a controlled shutdown on all your PC nodes. Then, when power is restored, you can either manually or auto- matically restore your workstation TheEmersmUPS Bf^N? 5 And you get our moneybackguarantee. We're so confident in the absolute reliability of our network protection systems, we'll refund your money if, for any reason, you're not satisfied with your UPS system? Think about it. Absolute reliability More power protection solu- tions than any other company offers. And a money-back guarantee. All at truly affordable prices. The Total LAN Plan. For more information or the name of the distributor nearest you, just call 1-800-BACK-UPS. EMERSON UPS The power to keep up. Areupmver is a registered trademark and AccuCard, AccuS/wer and the Total LAN Plan are trademarks of Emerson Computer [fewer, a division of Emerson Electric. PC is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation. LAN Manager is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation. Novell and Netware are registered trademarks of Novell, Inc. UNIX is a registered trademark of AT&T Bell Labs. Banyan and 3Com are registered trademarks of those respectiv e companies. •Swtierestrictions apply. See your reseller fordetails or call Emerson UPSdirect. Ofier ends Oeremter 1991. #1990 Emerson Computer Power, a division of Emerson Electric Co. Circle 103 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 104) Circle 158 on Reader Service Card jyOS Planning for Retirement Quickly and easily determine the income you need to retire comfortably. Our president adds this comment "Although this planning tool is primar- ily intended for individuals, everyone dealing with retire- ment benefits could profit by owning a copy." Some factors considered are: -inflation -how spending changes with age -IRA, Keogh, (RRSP in Canada), etc. -the tax bite -capital and its growth —life insurance, annuities, gov- ernment and corporation pension plans ...and on it goes. jyOS Planning for Retirement helps you develop concrete and attainable plans for a se- cure retirement. Now available for $79 U.S.; a demonstration kit is also available for $20. Requires DOS 3.0 or later. Call or write for a brochure on our retirement planning seminars. For orders or information (8 AM to 5 PM Mtn.) MC and VISA accepted call (403) 241-9011 write jyOS Systems Inc. Suite 393, 918 -16 Ave. N.W. Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2M 0K3 REVIEW DR DOS Offers Hope for the RAM-Crammed such as a 33-MHz 386, might show a 30 percent improvement. My applications ran at about the same speed under DR DOS as they did under MS-DOS. However, loading EMM386 .SYS slowed disk-based activities down by about 10 percent. If the extra memory EMM386. SYS makes available means that an application needs to perform dra- matically fewer disk accesses, the slow- down might be negated, but I encoun- tered no such situations. On the other hand, using CACHE does speed things up noticeably, especially for programs that normally swap code to and from RAM. After being invoked the first time, a function would often run without producing any disk activity, since the necessary code was in the RAM cache. The difference was less evident when reading through data files, and it did not make up for EMM386.SYS. There was no particular difference be- tween the print speeds of DR DOS and MS-DOS. However, an odd problem— and the only real bug I encountered— surfaced when I was copying files in binary format to the printer port (using COPY /B PRN) to load emulation soft- ware into a laser printer. The initial ver- sion of DR DOS that I had couldn't do this at all. A second version— which DRI said is the version of DR DOS that is now being shipped— did work, but it took 55 seconds to transmit a file that MS-DOS transmitted in just 4 seconds. DOS Embellishments Beyond memory management features, there are a number of small but interest- ing differences between MS-DOS and DR DOS. The most obvious difference is that DR DOS inserts commas into byte counts, so you get "655,360" instead of "655360." Beyond this boost to legibil- ity, usability also gets a boost, thanks to a new help-screen option for most DOS commands. If, for instance, you can't re- member how to do a backup, you can just type BACKUP /H and a help screen will appear. And you don't have to type anything at all to use DR DOS if you don't want to, because it comes with a point-and-click graphical shell called ViewMax. It is strongly reminiscent of the GEM inter- face, right down to the pop-up calculator and digital clock. And that should be no surprise, because GEM is also made by DRI. DR DOS replaces MS-DOS 's EDIT line-at-a-time text editor with a handy full-screen editor that uses WordStar control keystrokes. Unsurprisingly, it's named EDITOR. You can assign varying levels of pass- word protection to files and subdirector- ies. The TREE command can produce a graphical diagram of your disk directo- ries. FORMAT only works with floppy disks. To wipe out a hard disk, you have to use the FDISK command. Since the program is menu-driven, you'll be less likely to absentmindedly vaporize your data with it. And if you do use FDISK, you'll find that DR DOS supports disk partitions of up to 5 12 MB. For examin- ing file contents, there's an extended ver- sion of DIR called XDIR, which shows more information than DIR. For laptop users, DR DOS has a utility called FileLink for file transfers over serial cables. Functionally, it's compara- ble to Traveling Software's Desk-Link. Also for laptops is a CURSOR function for changing the shape and blink rate of the cursor to make it easier to find on an LCD screen. DRI says that power man- agement techniques to extend battery life for portable computers are also built into DR DOS, but those features must be inte- grated by hardware manufacturers. The Ultimate Answer? If you have a 386 and need extra RAM (perhaps because of a need to pile on de- vice drivers), DR DOS may be your sal- vation. It frees up more than enough RAM to hold the average network driver, which is usually 64K bytes to 128K bytes insize. And it does it without af- fecting your applications in any way— you don't have to convert to OS/2 or some other environment to escape the RAM cram. Otherwise, the $199 you'd have to pay for DR DOS may or may not be worth it. Many considerations are involved. File- Link may make it a good value if you're a laptop user. The password function and the 5 1 2-MB disk partition may be inter- esting for certain applications. The help screens, screen editor, and ViewMax generally make it an easier DOS to use. One consideration that you should not overlook is that Microsoft can be ex- pected to hatch an answer to DR DOS with its own further enhancements to MS-DOS. But in the meantime, DRI has added a viable competitor to the DOS world. That in itself is a long-overdue development. ■ Lamont Wood has evaluated personal computers and software for 13 years, au- thoring more than 200 articles on the subject. He currently writes a computer column for the San Antonio Business Journal. You can contact him on BIX as "Iwood. " 200 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 • •• I "The CompuAdd 325 is a good example of the type of product that has kept the company going while others have disappeared in the night —PC Magazine, July 1990 CompuAdd Keeps You in the Spoth CompuAdd's NEW DX Success Kit ■ Lower Priced Than Other Competitor's System Alone — Get the Printer, Software and Mouse FREE! A $573 Additional Value CompuAdd answers your demands for affordable 386-powered systems — and goes one better with the NEW CompuAdd DX Success Kit. The 320 system alone was $2259. Now you save $264 and get a FREE Panasonic KX-P1180 printer — a $299.95 value! Add to that, a FREE CompuAdd mouse plus FREE software worth over $230, and you have a deal that appeals to the shrewdest executive. The NEW DX Success Kit gives you the power of our 20MHz 386 system with the convenience of our popular "plug-and-go" kits. FREE CompuAdd Windows 3.0, FREE Microsoft Working Models and FREE CompuAdd MS-DOS 4.01 come preloaded on your hard drive, so your system is ready to go right out of the box! With the 320 at the heart of your kit, you have power for the most demanding tasks — detailed spreadsheets, complex databases, desktop publish- ing and even CAD/CAM. Compatible with OS/2 and Novell operating systems as well as MS-DOS and SCO XENIX, the 320 also makes an excellent net- work file server or powerful workstation. M f\' = \'- i« ! ■ . =»■ "~ l ^ S ^ l] CompuAdd's NEW DX Success Kit Features: 80386 microprocessor running at 20MHz 1 MB DRAM expandable to 16MB wait-state cache memory 40MB (28ms) hard drive 5.25" 1.2MB or 3.5" 1.44MB diskette drive Dual diskette controller Dual IDE hard drive interface Six 16-bit and two 8-bit expansion slots Five 5.25" half- height drive bays Built-in parallel and two serial ports High-performance MGA monitor and graphics adapter FREE Panasonic KX-P1180 printer $299.95 value FREE CompuAdd mouse $34.95 value FREE CompuAdd Windows 3.0 preloaded $149 value FREE Microsoft Working Models preloaded FREE CompuAdd MS-DOS 4.01 preloaded $89 value Part Number 66674 "Few manufacturers would do what CompuAdd does: It takes DOS and Windows and installs them on your system's hard disk, configuring every- thing so that it will run right out of the box. You just plug it in and get to work!" — PC Magazine, July 1990 ■ Get Ahead with 386 Power. Stay Ahead with CompuAdd Value! Call 800-999-7103 Customer driven, by design. CompuAdd's Top-of-the-Line Technology at Bottom-Line Prices CompuAdd SX Success Kit The SX Success Kit has been .._- A one of our best sellers since the day we introduced it! CompuAdd was the first to offer conven- ient plug-and-go computer kits, and no one else matches the value we build into every package. We put all the compat- ible components together for you — there are no more pieces to buy! We even include FREE CompuAdd Windows 3.0, FREE CompuAdd MS-DOS 4.01, FREE Microsoft Working Models and a FREE CompuAdd mouse. The heart of the SX Success Kit is the CompuAdd 316s, designed by CompuAdd engineers for maximum performance with the 16MHz Intel®386SX microprocessor. The SX Success Kit comes with the 9-pin Panasonic KX-P1180 printer, or you can upgrade to the 24-pin Panasonic KX-P1124. Both printers were chosen PC Magazine Editor's Choice (11/89 and 1/90). Call today and let the CompuAdd SX Success Kit put you in the lead and keep you there! CompuAdd 316s and 320s CompuAdd designed these systems around the Intel® 386SX microprocessor, running at 16MHz on the 316s and 20MHz on the 320s. PC Magazine (Jan. 30, 1990) says the 386SX processor is "perfect for entry-level users in tocia/ s corporate market/' The CompuAdd 316s and 320s systems give you 32-bit processing power at 16- bit prices. Get the most from Windows 3.0, work with complex spreadsheets and large databases, or run computa- tion-intensive applications like CAD/ CAM. Both systems are compatible with MS-DOS, SCO XENIX, OS/2 and Novell operating environments. Call today and get advanced computing power with CompuAdd's 386SX systems. Remember to ask about our monitor and hard drive options. All at an unbeatable CompuAdd value. CompuAdd SX Success Kit Features: 80386SX microprocessor rated at 16MHz 1MB DRAM expandable to 4MB wait-state page-mode memory 40MB (28ms) hard drive 5.25" 1.2MB or 3.5" 1.44MB diskette drive Dual diskette drive controller Dual IDE hard drive interface Parallel port, two serial ports and game port interface (cable required) & 80387SX math coprocessor support Three 16-bit and two 8-bit expansion slots High-performance MGA monitor and graphics adapter FREE CompuAdd serial mouse $34.95 value FREE CompuAdd Windows 3.0 $149 value FREE CompuAdd MS-DOS 4.01 $89 value FREE Microsoft Working Models 9-pin Panasonic KX-P1 180 printer with cable i Basic Kit Price: $1895 (66314) CompuAdd 316s and 320s Features: 386SX microprocessor 316s: running at 16MHz (8, 16MHz) 320s: running at 20MHz (7, 20MHz) M 1MB DRAM expandable to 4MB 5.25" 1.2MB or 3.5" 1.44MB diskette drive Dual diskette drive controller Dual IDE hard drive interface Three 16-bit and two 8-bit expansion slots Parallel port, two serial ports and game port interface (cable required) 316s Base Price: $1195 (64787) 320s Base Price: $1395(66537) CALL TODAY! or visit a CompuAdd Superstore for these saidngs. Think Technology, Think CompuAdd! 800-999-7103 irs: Monday - Friday 7:0O;im to 9:00pm CST; Saturday 9:00am to 5:00pm CST CompufldcT Customer driven, by design.™ 12303 Technology, Austin, Texas 78727 Telex: Fax: Technical Support: Outside US: Canada: Mexico: United Kingdom: Germany: 763543 COMPUADD AUS 512-335-6236 800-999-9901 512-258-5575 800-387-3266 95-800-010-0401 0800-373535 0130-6009 ■.:■.■■,■■■ ,■.■:.',:■ '■■'...'.. ' ' ■ ■■■•:■■■ I minimum S l()l. Please udd appropriate Idc.iI sales i;ix. I lurtvOn moncv-nni k guarantee sult'-vare. videotapes, other consumables and shipping costs are nonrefundable. All return authorisation (HMA) number. Prices and product iloscri ptioiis ;irt- suhi'c-i t to elia typographical errors. Call 8(X)-*f,fi-l872 tor a copy olC ompn Uld's complete vvnrranty. tt'ii days lor processing!, CODs i $50 minimum orderl, ml wii'c- ir. ins for shipping NddX'.'Uorsh iganill I'O/II > addresses lot include return treight or shipping and handling. Opened > must bt'iii'iomi.- return merchandise tke. C'onipuAdd is not liable for damage due to omissions or Tom Yager REVIEW On Becoming a Clockwise Scheduler It's been a bad day. Your meeting had to be postponed because someone else was using the conference room. The boss is peeved because his favorite proj- ect is behind schedule, and all because someone whom you gave responsibility to dropped the ball. Well, buck up, because Phase II Soft- ware has an answer: ClockWise. This application taps Unix's multiuser power to bring you a distributed scheduling database. Users can create their own schedules, reserve conference rooms and other resources, and plan meetings based on the availability of other users. Man- agement can delegate tasks to subordi- nates and check on their progress. And for those moments when the boss isn't looking, ClockWise even gives you the current phase of the moon, tides, and a daily trivia question or pithy quote. I installed ClockWise 1.1 on an ALR PowerVEISA 486/25 with 13 megabytes of memory, Interactive Unix 2.2, and the X Window System running on a Matrox MG Series 85 14/ A card. Did It Have to Be Unix? Until ClockWise, there was no widely available tool for bringing users of dis- similar systems together. Since Clock- wise runs under Unix, users can connect to it through either a network link or a serial cable. ClockWise 's interface is strictly text-based, so you can tap in with a dumb terminal, a DOS system, a lap- top, or a Unix workstation. All that's re- quired is a terminal or emulator that is supported by the flavor of Unix that you select to run ClockWise. The database is best kept on a single system. Running ClockWise from a se- rial port or via remote network log-in en- sures this, but it is also possible to share the database while running a local copy of ClockWise on your desktop system. Using Remote File System or Network File System (or whatever file-sharing scheme your system supports), you can mount the remote database directory where ClockWise expects to find it. In addition, the program's variety of connection types makes it possible to use ClockWise from a dial-up terminal. Fast, error-correcting modems are be- Clock Wise 1.1 Company Phase II Software Corp. 238 Broadway Cambridge, MA 02139 (617)354-8771 Hardware Needed 286- (Xenix only), 386-, or i486-based PC with 2 MB of memory and 1 MB of free hard disk space Software Needed Interactive Unix 2.0 or higher; AT&T and SCO Unix, ESIX, and AT&T 3B2 also supported Price $995 (unlimited users; other license terms available) Inquiry 1060. coming quite common, and running full- screen applications like ClockWise through them works nicely. Field person- nel can dial in and update their sched- ules, and branch offices can exchange se- lected databases with the main office via modem. Individual Scheduling Even as a single-user application, Clock- Wise has a good deal to recommend it. It opens with a large, readable view of the month's calendar. Dates for which an ac- tivity has been scheduled are high- lighted. There is an array of function keys across the bottom of the screen. You can access most of the important features of the program from here, but the oft- used slash key will bring up a Lotus-style menu. The ClockWise database is really a collection of files, each with a specific purpose. Each user has his or her own protected group of files, which hold in- formation on schedules, notes, names and phone numbers, access permissions, and groups of users. ClockWise distinguishes between two types of schedule items: events and tasks. An event is something that is tied to a particular date or range of dates. It stands alone and is forgotten once the date passes. A task is a part of a to-do list, a milestone in a project time line that must be done. The user is reminded about tasks at appropriate times and can see at a glance when something has slipped be- hind schedule. ClockWise is not a massive project management system, and it lacks many of the features of commercial project management programs. Its strength is in its ability to make individual scheduling easy enough that people will actually do it, and to make the information accessi- ble to those who make financial or plan- ning decisions based on progress. The database can also hold informa- tion about resources, those pesky things that nobody can get to when they are needed. Conference rooms, overhead projectors, VCRs, and other presenta- tion-related items are all good candidates for ClockWise scheduling. It's Better in a Group When you've defined a group in Clock- Wise, you can schedule events and tasks for that group simply by specifying the name of the group. New items will be DECEMBER 1990 • B Y T E 201 Circle 144 on Reader Service Card Rack & Desk PC/AT Chassis Integrand's new Chassis/System is not another IBM mechanical and electrical clone. An entirely fresh packaging design approach has been taken using modular construction. At present, over 40 optional stock modules allow you to customize our standard chassis to nearly any requirement. Integrand offers high quality, advanced design hardware along with applications and technical support all at prices competi- tive with imports. Why settle for less? ! Rack & Desk Models Accepts PC, XT, AT Motherboards and Passive Backplanes Doesn't Look Like IBM Rugged, Modular Construction Excellent Air Flow & Cooling Optional Card Cage Fan Designed to meet FCC 204 Watt Supply, UL Recognized 145W & 85W also available Reasonably Priced 11 I iVlif- RESEARCHCORR Call or write for descriptive brochure and prices: 8620 Roosevelt Ave. • Visalia. CA 93291 209/651-1203 TELEX 5106012830 (INTEGRAND UD) FAX 209/651-1353 We accept Bank Americard/VISA and MasterCard IBM, PC, XT, AT trademarks ol International Business Machines. Drives and computer boards not included. 202 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 R E V;.l E W On Becoming a Clockwise Scheduler distributed to the individual databases of the group members. So, for instance, if you schedule a meeting at 3:00 and at- tach a reminder to the database entry, all the members of your group will get a mail message informing them of the meeting. Users will see the entry in their schedules, with the scheduling authority identified. If you attempt to schedule an event for someone who already has another com- mitment, ClockWise will inform you of the conflict. You can bring up a summa- ry graph that displays a schedule time line for each group member for the date you're dealing with. Of course, you can override conflict warnings and schedule those individuals anyway. If they decide not to attend, all they have to do is delete the item from their schedule. You (or whoever called the meeting) will be noti- fied of the deletion by E-mail, and a box will pop up on your screen the next time you view the event. ClockWise has a mild integration with the mail system. You can attach remind- ers to any event, and they will use the Unix at command to spool a mail mes- sage for delivery at a certain date and time. This makes it possible for you to be reminded of an event even if you're not running ClockWise. If you're running a windowing environment, you might have the luxury of running ClockWise con- stantly in the background. In that case, reminders can pop up on the bottom line of the ClockWise display window. Either way works about as well, since Clock- Wise also notifies you when new mail has come in. Interfacing 'Round the Clock The ClockWise user interface is, without a doubt, this program's best feature. Even though I take points away from companies whose programs blandly fol- low the slash menu scheme (a slash is not an intuitive way to pop up a menu), the rest of ClockWise 's interface makes per- fect sense. Entering dates, for example, is more easily done here than in most applica- tions I've seen. Enter a date in just about any format you can think of, and Clock- Wise will take it in. In a few places, ClockWise will try to guess the proper date for a field. If the guess is close but not quite there, you can use simple ex- pressions, such as " + 10," which adds 10 days to the date. There aren't as many ways to format time expressions, but ClockWise is forgiving. In virtually any place where a field re- quires an entry that conforms to a list (e.g., user or group names), you can press a function key to pop up a window with the list. The name database (which holds names, telephone numbers, and re- lated information) is always a function- key press away, making it easier to fill in fields that require contact names or phone numbers. You can attach a variable-length note (e.g., a database memo field) to most ClockWise entries. Pressing a function key will expand the memo into a pop-up window. Scheduling Some Fun ClockWise 's designers must have known how dry and boring most scheduling ap- plications are to use, because they built in some simple features that help prevent you from taking it all too seriously. As mentioned earlier, ClockWise has a screen that displays the current phase of the moon, sketched out in text charac- ters. The moon screen also shows the tides and has a space reserved for a witti- cism. You can select a daily quote, a for- tune (usually just an unattributed witty saying), or a trivia question. ClockWise comes loaded with a database that will supply a different saying or question for each day. The trivia question answers ap- pear only on the next day, and you can't cheat. What place is there for features like this in serious business software? I won't debate the topic, except to say that it's about time someone worked a little fun into what is otherwise a rather tedious af- fair. As nice as ClockWise is to work with, entering every worthwhile happen- ing into it would get to be a bit of a drag after a while. All this furious data entry would be for naught if you couldn't print it out, and can you ever. Phase II Software took the time to make custom layouts for daily, weekly, monthly, project, and other print formats. If you have a PostScript printer, ClockWise's output is very functional, and it looks good enough to hang on a wall . If you only have access to a text printer, you can still get a usable printout, but the PostScript output is sim- ply eye-popping. ClockWise is now right up there on my list of useful Unix tools. If you're not an organized person, it can help, but you still need to get into the habit of writing everything down. ClockWise isn't the full realization of the potential of work- group computing, but it still won me over. ■ Tom Yager is a technical editor and Unix expert for the BYTE Lab. You can contact him on BIX as "tyager. " Speed Guaranteed Here's a chance to buy our $99 Math Coprocessor at no risk whatsoever! High Speed, Low Price. The performance benefits of a coprocessor are enormous. Now they're affordable too. Before the AMD 80C287 you had no choice but to pay over $200 for a fast math coprocessor. Now you can get a coprocessor compatible with the Intel® NMOS 80287 for a terrific price - direct from AMD. Speed up hundreds of software applications. The AMD 80C287 increases the performance of general business software applications like 1-2-3®, dBASE™, Excel, and hundreds of others. 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Circle 212 on Reader Service Card Ben Smith and Tom Yager REVIEW Battle for the Best Unix V/386 For many users, an operating system is an invisible layer. But some of us prefer to keep in step with the latest developments. The BYTE Unix Lab has been working with new releases from In- teractive Systems Corp. (ISC) and The Santa Cruz Operation (SCO), and we've found both companies have made some small but important changes for the bet- ter in their products. Interactive Unix 2.2 In almost every noticeable way, the up- grade from ISC is actually a new prod- uct. With release 2.2, even the name changes: 386/ix has become Interactive Unix. The 386/ix 2.0.2 operating system had a flurry of demerits: an inept installation procedure; incomplete, poor-quality manuals; and a lack of on-line manual pages. With Interactive Unix 2.2, all these concerns have been addressed, but ISC didn't stop there. With regard to the installation proce- dure, Interactive Unix has one of the best that we've seen. The entire installation process is managed by a full-screen color program that walks new users through every step with concise help text. Con- text-sensitive help is only an Fl-key press away. Our only complaint is that this inter- face was not carried through to other parts of the operating system. It would have made a wonderfully friendly front end for sysadm, for example. ISC's addition of both paper and elec- tronic documentation eliminates one of SCO's longtime advantages in this area. ISC always had a quality operating sys- tem, but the lack of decent documenta- tion cast a black shadow over it. Prior to release 2.2, the documentation was sparse and perfect-bound (the kind of book that never stays open). Now, the manual set is complete, and it comes in stiff cardboard binders with clearly marked index tabs. On-line manual (man) pages for commands and library functions are standard now. Unfortu- nately, pages are not added when you in- stall the X Window System and OSF/ Motif. That's an oversight that needs attention. In addition to answering age-old com- plaints with release 2.2, ISC has rolled in some new ingredients of its own. Interac- tive Unix now complies with the POSIX 1003.1 operating-system specification; developers select System V or POSIX program behavior at compile time. PO- SIX compliance also brings an important feature, job control, to Interactive Unix. With this, it is possible to suspend a pro- cess and resume it later. ISC provides a new C shell that acti- vates and manages this job control. Here is how it works: While a program is run- ning, you can press a special "switch" character to suspend the program and place it in the background. A shell prompt then appears. The C-shell com- mand bg sets a job running again in the background (control returns to the shell), and f g makes the suspended session the SCO Unix 3.2 version 2.0 Company The Santa Cruz Operation 400 Encinal St. Santa Cruz, CA 95061 (408)425-7222 Hardware Needed 386- or i486-based PC with at least 2 M B of memory (3 M B or more recommended) and 40 MB of free hard disk space Price Single-user: $595 Multiuser: $895 Update: $95-$150 Inquiry 1062. Interactive Unix 2.2 Company Interactive Systems Corp. 2401 Colorado Ave. Santa Monica, CA 90404 (213)453-8649 Hardware Needed 386- or i486-based PC with at least 4 MB of memory and 40 MB of free hard disk space Price Single-user: $495 Multiuser: $795 Update: $100 Inquiry 1063. active one. For example, you can sus- pend a vi editor session to do a compile and easily resume the vi editor session afterward. Also taken from POSIX are the porta- ble archiver, pax, and the ability to as- sign membership in multiple groups to a single user. The pax archiver is compat- ible with both tar and cpio, but it also has an enhanced data- storage format and an interface of its own. Multiple groups allow system administrators to fine-tune file access. Also included in Interactive Unix 2.2 are a number of useful features, such as additional and enhanced device drivers (with floppy disk and SCSI tape foremost among them); new versions of sendmail and smail; multiple EGA and VGA fonts; a setcolor command for modify- ing the console character colors; and ex- tended (secondary) DOS partition sup- port. ISC has also upgraded its TCP/IP, VP/ix, Software Development System, and X products significantly. The com- pany claims to have sold more 386 3.2 Unix packages than any other vendor, and with Interactive Unix 2.2 and these other upgrades, that trend should con- tinue. SCO Unix 3.2 Version 2.0 Version 2.0 of SCO's Unix 3.2 contains much more than just a few patches and fixes. It is SCO's statement about the new AT&T Unix System V release 4, a release that is slowly starting to come out of the porting labs and into the real world. We would verbalize SCO's state- ment as "take the most sought-after (and easiest to implement) features of V .4 and implement them under V. 3 .2 . " The most obvious of these features is the Korn shell with full job control, and SCO's new re- lease has it. The Korn shell has all the features of the Berkeley C shell, including com- mand-line history, aliases, and internal handling of test and arithmetic opera- tions from scripts. What the Korn shell has that the C shell lacks is an internal editor (emulating either vi or emacs) for editing commands in the history list be- fore reissuing them. (This is even better than the command history in VMS, Digi- tal Equipment's operating system for VAX computers.) Having the Korn shell with job control makes complex Unix sessions almost as 206 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 I Interactive Unix has one of the best installation procedures we've seen. The process is managed by a full- screen color program that walks new users through every step. easy as running in an X environment, though not quite as scenic. Job control is not supported for the C shell in SCO Unix, even though it is in Unix V.4 and ISC Unix 2.2. Other significant elements of SCO Unix 3.2 version 2.0 include a way to make shared library operations of non- SCO Unix systems work with SCO Unix, as well as support for High-Sierra and ISO9660 CD-ROM drives. There are nu- merous enhancements to SCO's already serious "trusted system" implementa- tion. The vi, sh, and mail utilities have been "internationalized," and they now handle 8-bit characters. (The 2-byte- character internationalization of strings is still not a standard part of any Unix system.) This new version also includes more POSIX 1003.1 features, including pax. SCO and Microsoft (the trademark holder of Xenix) have influenced what is included in AT&T's V.4. And, despite its effort to be Unix, SCO tends to put more energy into adding value to Unix than into following the standard path. The company has publicly stated that it has not made plans to adopt AT&T's V.4, but this doesn't mean that SCO isn't go- ing to continue to implement what it thinks are the operating system's best features. ■ Ben Smith and Tom Yager are technical editors who run the BYTE Unix Lab. You can contact them on BIX as "bensmith " and "tyager, " respectively. Word is getting around. Kimm The news is spreading fast! Our 80,000 ecstatic customers are telling their friends about how much time they save on flowcharts and data flow diagrams. EasyFlow, unlike most "screen draw" programs, is dedicated to fast composition and modification of flowcharts and data flow diagrams. They're spreading the news about the automatic line routing, automatic text centering and the slick cut & paste. They say you can create charts and then cleanly move them into a desktop publishing program. EasyFlow works with most matrix printers, laser printers and plotters and comes with a 200 page manual. They say you get all this plus 350 context sensitive help messages on screen for only $149.95 and RUSH delivery is available. They're telling their friends but not their bosses. Their bosses think they had to sweat bullets to come up with these amazing results. You mean you still do?! With 80,000 customers talking, it's amazing that you haven't heard. Give us a call and find out for yourself what everyone else is talking about! Then call a few friends and tell them about the wonders of EasyFlow. d EasyFlow l %> Flowcharting Made Easy! HavenTree Software Limited P.O. Box 1093 -A Thousand Island Park, NY 13692 Order Desk: 1-800-267-0668 Info: (613) 544-6035 ext.80 Fax: (613) 544-9632 From our fax to yours... Info Fax: (613) 544-2049 Circle 130 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 131) DECEMBER 1990 -BYTE 207 The Recital Database Score. More than dBASE... NO UNFINISHED SYMPHONY HERE. Not only does Recital fully support the dBASE family of languages, (dBASE III, IV, FoxBASE and Clipper) but it continues with what these products left unfinished. For starters, it offers over 500 extensions, a revolutionary applications data dictionary, and powerful user interface support. And support forproduction-grade features such as triggers, journalling, rollback and data recovery. There s nothing unfinished about Recital. More than ORACLE... SIMILAR MUSIC BUT M UCH EASIER TO PLAY. Oracle offers many of the sophisticated features and performance of Recital, but Recital is much more approachable. Recital is more than advanced new technology. It offers not only a 4GL but a fully integrated fourth- generation environment. For developers and end-users alike. Powerful application tools and a friendly interface to SQL-based data are combined with multi-architecture ^|S compatibility and a client server architecture for ** reading and updating data in external databases. Great music but not hard to play at all. Available for: VAX/VMS, ULTRIX INTERACTIVE UNIX SCO UNIX, SCO XENIX AT&T UNIX ...and other popular UNIX systems. dBASE I1I.II1+. IV are registered trademarks or Ashton-Tate Corporation. INFORMIX is a registered trademark of INFORMIX Corporation. FoxBASE is a registered trademark of Fox Software. Clipper is :i trademark of Nantucket Corporal ion. More than INFORMIX... NOT A 78 rpm SECOND GENERATION PRODUCT. Recital is a sophisticated, highly visual, high performance application development system. Recital provides comprehensive object- oriented development tools such as ADVANCED ASSISTANT, SCREEN PAINTER, REPORT WRITER advanced security features and integrated PC-like "Pop-up" utilities. High quality, highly- polished applications couldn't be easier. Compatible and new technology. Recital -Complete Data Orchestration. ONLY RECITAL OFFERS COMPLETE AND COMPATIBLE DATA ORCHESTRATION IN EVERY DIMENSION. Convenient utilities will migrate your existing dBASE, \ Clipper or FoxBASE applications. Recital's rich and powerful fourth-generation environment makes short ;;;.;>., work of creating new applications complete with modern, sophisticated user interfaces. But at the > same time, Recital offers high end, integrated database support across a broad array of system architectures. Over 40 different workstation, multi- user and networking platforms are supported. For your own Recital audition call 508-750-1066 in the U.S., or 071-401-2727 in the UK. ^ciM Recital Corporation, Inc. 85 Constitution Lane, Danvers, MA 01923 USA Recital Corporation Limited South Bank Technopark 90 London Road, London SE1 6LN, UK Circle 264 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 265) J< Ben Smith REVIEW Microsoft Word Brings PC-Style Word Processing to Unix n ,r competitors continue to have a significant nftrlcetinrj urtnUlje uith greater nane recognition, dedicated focus on their active line, and superior strength in the retail channel. Foanex Footuear (California) could be«t us to the narkct uith their qiiadra-fo«w insole line's iiiiiim good, inproucnent, purpose, convenience, preference, welfare, gratification; noun - value: gain, service, use, usefulness, utility, application, edge; notm - don i nance: prevalence, superiority, suprenacy, leverage, precedence; noun - payoff: NESfiUBUS: Replace Exit Lookup Previous Press Ctrl *F6 to Lookup, Enter to Replace, or Esc to use nemi Fgl Col {> Microsoft Word for Unix looks and acts just like Word for DOS. If you are a seasoned Unix user, you might wince at the thought of a PC program cluttering up your "serious" Unix computer. The Unix vi or emacs editor (with a little nrof f or trof f for- matting code) is all you think you will ever need (or want). If this is your atti- tude, classify yourself a bigot. Open your eyes, and widen your view. Micro- soft Word is a word processing (and near- ly a desktop publishing) program, not a Microsoft Word 5.0 for Unix Company The Santa Cruz Operation, Inc. 400EncinalSt. P.O. Box 1900 Santa Cruz, CA 95061 (408) 425-7222 Hardware Needed Computer running AT&T Unix 386 release 3.2 or higher (including SCO, Interactive, and other AT&T derivatives) and 3.8 MB of disk space, assuming one printer, 1.5 MB of memory for first user, and 500K bytes for each additional user. Versions also available for many AT&T computers. Price Unlimited number of users: $995 Inquiry 1005. text editor. There's a world of difference. I'm not saying that there aren't some tried-and-true Unix word processing programs around, but I assure you that you wouldn't want to compare them to Microsoft Word, arguably the most pop- ular multiplatform word processing pro- gram. On the other hand, there are some real gotchas in having a personal com- puter program on Unix— a multiuser, multitasking operating system with a rich history and set of traditions. Full-Featured Word Processing Shrink-wrapped Unix applications are a goal of The Santa Cruz Operation. It is its packaging of Microsoft Word 5.0 that makes this a reality. As with any SCO- supported package, installation requires little more expertise than being able to find the floppy disk drive and knowing which way to insert the four disks. You do need to know what kind of printer you have. Microsoft Word's massive functional- ity is delivered in an easy-to-use style. Users at all levels will find it appropriate for writing the most complex as well as the simplest text files, memos, and even programs. If you wish, you can save your files as plain text files without any em- bedded formatting information. You can read and write to PC Microsoft Word files, allowing seamless interchange of files among the Unix, Macintosh, Win- dows, and DOS versions. Word provides you with on-line help, multicolumn page layout, style sheets, graphics importing, printer-font load- ing, mail merge, redlining, optional postponement of editing changes, hidden text, and sorting. (Take a breath here. . . .) There's also index generation, out- line generation and expansion, spread- sheet links, an interactive spelling checker and thesaurus, a built-in calcu- lator that you can apply to columns of numbers in your text, a macro-language processor that you can prime with cap- tured keystrokes, document management across multiple directories, and multiple windows on the same file or across sepa- rate files. Simple Escape-key sequences invoke most commands, but all are mapped to function keys and Alt keys for people who like to let their fingers jump all around the keyboard. But any Microsoft Word user is used to all these features. What is different is that this is a Unix application. Unix is very different from the MS-DOS, Microsoft Windows, and Macintosh environments. First, Unix is a multiuser operating system, meaning that there has to be a way to prevent more than one person from editing the same file at the same time; Word has file lock- ing. Each user must be able to have his or her own Word options environment; there is an mw. ini configuration file in each user's home directory, and a master file in Word's library directory. Unix application programs can make no assumptions about the user's display and keyboard. Unlike MS-DOS, the dis- play isn't limited to one of a predictable set. With Unix, there are as many dif- ferent displays as there are different printers. SCO has this problem pegged. If you are working at the console, the fit is flawless. Every function key, cursor mo- tion, and Alt-key combination is identi- cal to what you find on the PC version of Microsoft Word. Where there is a con- flict (e.g., SCO Unix uses an Alt/func- tion-key combination to switch between virtual terminals), standard Word key combinations are given precedence, but an alternate is given to the conflicting combination (in this case Control-Alt- function key). More amazingly, Word works as well on terminals as on the console; even the function keys and Alt keys are consis- tent. Word's method of selecting text (without a mouse) is Shift-arrow key. Al- though far from a common combination on character terminals, even this is im- plemented. With SCO's Microsoft Word for Unix you also get manuals, installation notes, DECEMBER 1990 -BYTE 209 REVIEW Microsoft Word for Unix and other goodies (e.g., keyboard tem- plates) that are as good as what you get with the MS-DOS version of Word. You also have excellent (though not always timely) support from SCO where the technicians not only know Word, but are also experienced with Unix. What You Don't Get DOS users may be disappointed to find that the Learning Word program is miss- ing. Similarly, the preview function, which lets you see your page layout be- fore printing, isn't there. You also don't get mouse support or on-screen fonts. On the Unix side, there isn't much in- tegration with the Unix shell and utilities (a feature of emacs-type editors). Word doesn't follow many of the Unix tradi- tions, such as naming the initialization file something like .mswrc so it doesn't clutter up your home directory listing. You can get around this by changing an environment variable. You may also need to edit the termcap file (a description of terminals' attri- butes) to get Word to use color and differ- ent text modes (e.g., italic, bold, and un- derline). All these deficiencies are really minor whenyou put them up against what you do get. What is surprising is that this is not implemented as an Open Desktop application. Open Desktop is SCO's shrink-wrap Unix workstation software. It is basically an X Window System/Mo- tif environment with bundled applica- tions: networking, virtual MS-DOS ma- chine, and DBMS. What is lacking in Open Desktop is the rest of the office-automation soft- ware, primarily a word processor. What is lacking in Microsoft Word for Unix is a way to use the mouse and to display fonts, features that Open Desktop offers through Motif and X Window. Who Is It For? Microsoft Word for Unix is for those 386 Unix users who want an easy-to-learn and feature-loaded word processor. I should add "easy to use" to the list. For instance, to save a file and quit with WordPerfect, you need to press F7 (bet- ter have your keyboard template or a good memory) and then a Y (for yes) to save the document. If the document al- ready exists, you need to confirm that you want to replace the existing file: an- other yes. This has only gotten you to the point of saving and closing that file. You still have to tell WordPerfect to go away: another yes. But with Microsoft Word, you press Escape (for the command menu) and Q (for quit). If you have unsaved changes, Word will ask ifyouwantto save them (Y for yes), but that is the only step that may come between you and returning to the Unix shell. Much simpler, and there is no magic key to remember. Now, compare Microsoft Word with the Unix vi editor. To cut and paste a block of text with vi, you must move to the top of the block and place a mark with a command like mt. You then move to the bottom of the block and yank the block to the unnamed buffer; the command is y ' t. Now move to the new position and "put" the buffer in with the command p . This amounts to six key presses for vi (not counting moving the cursor to the new point and problems with working with blocks that are only lines). With Microsoft Word, you position yourself at the beginning of the block and then hold the Shift key while you move to the end of the block. Having marked the block, you press either Escape and then C (for the command menu method for Copy— a two-key-press operation) or the Alt-F3 combination (P/2 keystrokes). Now you move to the new location and press the Insert key (one keystroke). Microsoft Word wins with 3Vi key- strokes; plus, you can see the block as you mark it. I prefer an emacs-style editor for my work at BYTE (I won't go into the riga- marole for copying blocks with emacs). My book publisher's editors, however, do all their editing with (you guessed it) Microsoft Word. So, for the sake of con- venience, I now use Word when I am writing for them. I don't have any com- plaints. In fact, I found Word much eas- ier to learn and use than WordPerfect (Word's biggest competitor). If you are already well established using Unix editors and formatting pro- grams, you probably won't be drawn to Word until it has better support for the Unix and/or X environment. But if you are running Unix on a 386 or 486 com- puter and want a real word processor, Microsoft Word is an excellent choice. ■ Ben Smith is a BYTE technical editor and author of Unix Step By Step (Howard Sams, 1990). He can be reached on BIX as "bensmith. " • 1 > VewTypw Help System Multi-Level Ammtitmn Exit Mflfarwf menu lypcs irtlhWe through the St «n Manner l*,f™«l Bw Menus Se-lcvtinn Menu List Boxes _ Mi.nlilighi .mil BR Mfilrlfal Bxii W Top M CVmViV^^VViVM f iiiiMViV 7 MVA' M ''i'jl Ki2jll|LjjKJ|jj|Bajgifl s j Avoid screen building headaches r with.... .....* 1 Screen Manager Professional, the advanced interface design library for C programmers, gives your applications: j Windows 21 Keyboard Support [Menus m Context Sensitive Help I Mouse Support ffl Low RAM Overhead / High Speed To order SNIP call: Magee Enterprises, Inc. Demo Available: BBS: 1-800-662-4330 404-446-0271 404-446-6650 210 BYTE* DECEMBER 1990 Circle 178 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 179) Rr 4 to 64 ports, we have your PC connection. DigiCHANNEL PC/X. 4, 8 or 16 asynchronous RS-232 channels. Ideal for applications that don't require on-board processing. DigiCHANNEL PC/Xe. 4, 8 or 16 asynchronous channels. 8 MHz 80186 processor. 64K RAM. 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COMPUDVNE286-16 InthaUSA 80286, 16MHz wait state 1 MB RAM 1 2 MB 5 1 /4" Drive IDE HD controller 8 expansion slots $489 mn 6800SX 12" Amber 14" VGA Color 750 x 350 ,41 dp 640x480 12" Amber 750 x 350 80386SX, 16MHz wait state 1MB RAM 1.2 MB 5 1 /*" Drive IDE HD controller DOS 4.01 $799 14" VGA Color .41 dp 640x480 COMPUDtNE 386-25C InttieUSA 80386, 25MHz wait state 1 MB RAM 1 .2 MB 51/4" Drive IDE HD controller 8 expansion slots $1239 14" VGA Mono .41 dp 640x480 14"VGAColor .31 dp 800x600 40MB 28ms 71MB 28ms 89MB 19ms 124MB 19ms $859 $1079 $949 $1169 $999 $1239 $1059 $1279 Laptops ilrinm ACT 286^10 12MHz 80C286 VGA display Keybd detaches 40MB27msHD ^ , 1 .44 MB floppy $1899 Toshiba T1000SE $1099 Toshiba T1200XE $1999 Toshiba T3100SX $3779 Megahertz T224 2400bps modem $129 PacRim 1 .2MB ext. drive $159 Monitors 1451V VGA Color 640x480 res. .41 dot pitch $245 Leading Tech 12" Mono $69 NEC Multisync 2A VGA $459 Compudyne 14/800V $299 Compudyne 14/1 024V $349 Sony 1304 VGA 1024 x 768 .... $649 Graphics Cards /fl Basic VGA/16 — 7 16BitVGA j 640x480, 16 color Switchless install $75 Compudyne VGA 800 640 x 480 $69 Compudyne VGA 1024 1024x768 $99 ATVGAWonder256 1024x768 $179 LeadlngTechMGPMono $24 Leading Tech CG A Color $25 Switches, Surges 2-pos ser. switch $7.99 6-outlet EMI/RFI Surge w/6'cord $6.99 6-outlet EMI/Modem Surgew/6'cord $8.99 40MB 28ms 71MB 28ms 89MB 19ms 124MB 19ms $949 $1289 $1049 $1379 $1219 $1449 $1249 $1489 40MB 28ms 71MB 28ms 89MB 19ms 124MB 19ms $1689 $1829 $1849 $1989 $1889 $2029 $2279 $2419 Video Card Included! Video Card Included!- Storage Devices <$P Seagate ST157A 40MB 28 ms HD complete with IDE controller ^/z" drive $255 Hard Drives Seagate ST225 20MB w/controller $228 Seagate ST238R 30MB w/controller $239 Seagate ST1 102 A 89MB $489 SeagateST1144A124MB $569 Seagate ST1239A 211MB .... $889 Toshiba MK1 34 65MB $313 Toshiba MK1 56 150MB $839 Micropolls 1578-15 330MB ....$1439 Plus Development 40MB Hardcard II $379 Floppy Drives Toshiba 5V4 B 1.2MB $62 Sony3V 2 "1720K $55 Sony3 1 / 2 B 1.44MB $62 Pacific Rim 5 1 /4 B ext $199 Tape Backups Compudyne 60MB Int $229 Compudyne 120MB Int $319 Printers WEC P2200XE 24 Pin printer 80 column 1 92 cps draft 64 cps NLQ Part#431513 $245 Epson 810 9-pln $169 Epson LQ51 24-Pin $275 Panasonic KX-P1 180 $158 Panasonic KX-P1624 $399 Panasonic KX-P4420 laser .... $829 Tl microLaser PS17 $1549 Cables IBM Parallel Printer Cables 6 foot $2.29 Modem Cables 6ft.9-25pinAT $1.99 Miscellaneous I/O Boards Suntek I/O Extension AT Parallel/ Serial $33 Memory Boards STBRapidmeg AT OK $159 Math Co-Processors lntel80287-8 $189 Intel 80387SX $285 Intel 80387-20 $365 Intel 80387-25 $459 Accessories C9 Mouse Genius Dynamouse 6000 $29 Microsoft Serial Mouse $84 Microsoft Mouse w/ Windows 3.0 $145 Kraft KCIII Joysticks $14 CHGameCard $33 Logitech ScanMan+ $165 Modems COMPUDYNE 2400i 2400 baud Internal modem Viscom software ATI 2400i W/MNP5 $145 Compudyne ext.2400 $69 Complete Fax 4800 $139 Complete Answering Machine $21 9 Complete Communicator $389 Sony Diskettes Stock up in boxes of 1 0! 5WOS/OD 5WD&HD $4 59 $8 79 ^"DS/DD 3/2" DSHD $7 49 $13 99 Video Card Included! Software Over 500 titles, including: Windows 3.0 Newest version of Microsoft Windows $85 Microsoft Word 5.0 $199 PFS: Professional Write 2.2 w/Professional File $139 WordPerfect 5.1 $245 Lotus 1-2-3 2.2 $319 Lotus Works 1.0 $99 Microsoft Excel for Windows 2.1 d $298 Microsoft PC Works 2.0 $88 QuattroPro 1.1 $299 Freelance + 3.01 $299 Harvard Graphics 2.3 $269 PageMaker3. 01 $479 Ventura Pub. 3.0/ Windows .. $499 DAC Accounting 4.1 $76 Quicken 4.0 $35 Wealthbuilder $131 Q & A Version 3.0 $214 Microsoft QuickBasic $59 Turbo C++ $125 Check It 3.0 $78 DesqView 386 2.3 $109 Direct Access 5.0 $52 Norton Utilites 5.0 $109 PC Tools 6.0 $79 QEMM386 5.1 $52 Sideways 3.3 $35 WinSieuth $69 Carbon Copy+ 5.2 $107 PC Anywhere IV $89 Procomm Pius 1.1 B $52 Prodigy 3.1 $23 Chessmaster2100 $29 F-1 9 Stealth Fighter $38 Falcon AT $29 Leisure Suit Larry $22 PC Globe + $35 Populous $29 SimCity $28 Where in Time is Carmen Sandiego? $27 CompUSA, Inc. 15151 A Surveyor Addison, TX 75244 1-800-932-COMP Hours of operation (CST): Monday - Friday 8am - 7pm Saturday 9am - 4pm Orders shipped UPS Ground - call for overnight freight charges. Not responsible for typographical errors, errors In photography, or errors of omission. Prices and availability subject to change. Due to changing market conditions, call us toll free for current pricing and availability. Guaranteed Satisfaction! If you find a current lower advertised price In this magazine, we will beat that price, guaianteedl No-Questions-asked 30-day money back guarantee on hardware. Money back guarantee does not Include shipping. All returns must be in "as new" condition, w/ at CompUSA's discretion, original packaging, w/o modifications or damage. Most orders placed before 2pm Central Time Returns must have an RMA (Return Merchandise will be shipped same day. Authorization) Number. COD, Visa, Mastercard, Discover, Checks amd Defective Software exchanged for same Item Cashier Checks accepted only. Texas residents add sales tax. Defective hardware will be repaired or replaced Add 3% freight charges - minimum $5/order Circle 68 on Reader Service Card John Unger REVIEW Plug-and-Play Unix Machine The Dell Station 425E is a turnkey Unix system that Dell hopes will snare PC system users whoare mi- grating to Unix. Built around the com- pany's 486/25E Extended Industry Stan- dard Architecture (EISA) system, the Dell Station bundle includes Unix and applications software that together form a powerful integrated system. Dell clear- ly designed the 425E with first-time Unix users in mind, and the success of this design distinguishes the 425E from its competition. The Dell Station's $9687 base price looks steep until you consider what it buys. On the hardware end, the worksta- tion is a 25-MHz 486 EISA computer with 8 megabytes of RAM, a 5!4-inch 1.2-MB or 3^-inch 1.4-MB floppy disk drive, a 15-millisecond, 100-MB Intelli- gent Drive Electronics (IDE) hard disk drive, and a 150-MB quarter-inch car- tridge tape drive. The system also in- cludes a Dell Super VGA color graphics adapter and an 800- by 600-pixel color monitor, a serial mouse, and an IBM En- hanced 101 -key keyboard. For software, the 425E includes a Dell-licensed version of Interactive Sys- tems' Unix System V 3.2, the X Window System, an easy-to-use X. Desktop iconic file manager environment, MS-DOS em- ulation, and a full suite of Uniplex Ad- vanced Office System applications run- ning in the X. Desktop environment. TCP/IP and Network File System soft- ware are optional. Dell installs the operating system and applications software on the hard disk drive, so all you have to do is connect the system components and turn on the pow- er. An easy-to-follow installation routine then takes you through the steps of set- ting the date and time, initializing user accounts, and making passwords for the administrative accounts. Inside the Station The Dell Station fits in a full-size IBM AT-type case. The components are laid out with three half-height bays on the right side, with two half-height bays be- side them. My review system had high- density 5*4 -inch and 3 ! /2-inch floppy disk drives in the top two right-hand bays and the tape drive in the bottom right- hand bay. Instead of the standard 100- MB IDE hard disk drive, the review sys- tem had an optional Micropolis 330-MB ESDI hard disk drive. The unit also in- The Dell Station 425E turnkey system smooths the road for new Unix users. Bundled software includes X. Desktop and the Uniplex II Plus Advanced Office System software. eluded an extra floppy disk drive, which brought the total price to $10,725. The computer has six EISA slots and two 16-bit ISA slots. The ESDI hard disk drive controller card and VGA color graphics adapter occupied the two 16-bit slots in my test machine, and two of the 32-bit slots held 16-bit Ethernet and tape controller cards. The motherboard ac- cepts up to eight 1- or 2-MB single in- line memory modules, for a maximum of 16 MB of 80-nanosecond RAM. The Super VGA graphics adapter and color monitor provide adequate detail for the icons and graphics on the X. Desktop interface, but Dell should have included a higher-resolution graphics option. The Interactive X port that Dell used as the basis for the operating system includes drivers for 8514 graphics as well as for hardware graphics accelerators. The motherboard integrates two serial ports and one parallel port. The Dell mouse (which is made by Logitech) plugs into one of the serial ports. For multiuser configurations, Dell furnishes serial port expansion boards to support up to 32 remote terminals over asynchro- nous lines. The Dell Station's cooling fan is one of the noisiest that I have come across in years. I had the system set up about 6 inches from a wall, which may have en- hanced the sound, but you could tell when the computer was turned on from anywhere in the house. Big Software Bundle Dell Unix System V release 1.1 is a li- censed version of Interactive Systems' 386/ix release 2.0.2, which is an imple- mentation of AT&T Unix System V 3.2. Dell has enhanced it to include new X drivers, an on-line manual, and several other features. The company has taken great pains to relieve the average user of ever having to deal with the nitty-gritty of Unix. The Dell Station 425E is designed to make it easy for non-Unix users to get started. You never have to learn the intri- cacies of grep, awk, or sed. The menu- driven sysadm program makes mundane system management relatively effortless. continued DECEMBER 1990 -BYTE 213 Circle 205 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 206) NO NOISE improves PC working environments. NO NOISE removes the constant humming noise which is a daily irritation to PC operators. It's not that the noise is high — it's more a matter of its constantly being there, from the moment you start up in the morning and until the office closes. Constantly — for hours on end — day in and day out. This noisecomesfrom the PC's cooling fan. The cooling fan is designed and constructed to function in air temperatures all the way up to 110°-120° F. It always runs at maximum speed. This is where the constant noise arises. In our pad of the world, we no longer need to put up with this irritating noise — thanks to NO NOISE. How to stop the noise. NO NOISE gradually reduces the speed of the fan until it corresponds with the surrounding temperature and your PC's cooling requirement. The fan is practically soundless at temperatures from 70°-90° F. Built-in safety If a fault should occur, a built-in safety circuit in the NO NOISE automatically ensures that the fan converts to maximum performance. This ensures the necessary ventilation/cooling under all conditions. NO NOISE suits all PC models. Thousands of units are already in use worldwide by computer manufacturers, major corporations and individual users, who realise that excessive noise in the work environment can lead to fatigue and stress, ultimately affecting performance and productivity. NO NOISE is extremely simple to install; your customary PC dealer can provide you with further details and provide this service if required. NO NOISE comes with a five-year warranty and a 30- day trial. WHAT THE REVIEWS SAY "...it worked perfectly. ..noise level was dramatically reduced. " PERSONAL COMPUTER WORLD, U.K. "...NO NOISE worked exactly as advertised, reducing fan noise to nil. " BYTE, International Section, February 1990 NO NOISE USA— NO NOISE UK— NO NOISE SWEDEN— NO NOISE AUSTRIA— NO NOISE NETHER- LANDS—NO NOISE GREECE— NO NOISE AUSTRALIA no noise ^f TM ORDER NO NOISE NOW at $99.95 by calling 1-800-SILENCE (1-800-745-3623) or contact your local dealer. We accept MC/VISA, P.O.s, Cashier and Personal Cheques. Please add S4.95 for shipping and handling. All FL deliveries add 6% sales tax. VARS Dealers and OEMs call (407) 220-0100. NO NOISE Inc., 3601 SE Ocean Blvd., Sewall's Point. Stuart, Florida 34996. Tel: (407) 220-0100 Fax:(407)220-0101 ©NO NOISE 1990 Plug-and-Play Unix Machine Dell Station 425E Company Dell Computer Corp. 9505 Arboretum Blvd. Austin, TX 78759 (800)274-3355 Components (as reviewed) Processor: 25-MHz Intel i486; socket for Weitek 4167 math coprocessor Memory: 8 MB of SIMM RAM Mass storage: High-density 5 1 /4-inch and 3 1 /2-inch floppy disk drives; 330-MB ESDI hard disk drive; 150-MB internal cartridge tape drive Display: 14-inch Dell VGA color monitor; 800- by 600-pixel Dell Super VGA adapter Keyboard: 101 -key IBM Enhanced layout I/O interfaces: Two serial ports; one parallel port; one thin Ethernet port Software Dell U nix System V 3.2 with the X Window System, X. Desktop interface, OSF/Motif window manager, VP/ix, Uniplex II Plus Advanced Office System version 7, Uniplex Advanced Graphics System, and Uniplex Windows Price $10,725 Inquiry 1108. Another difficulty of making Unix a viable operating system for naive or inex- perienced users has been the absence of application programs that have a uniform interface. The Uniplex suite of business applications goes a long way toward over- coming this difficulty. Uniplex's soft- ware tools include a word processor, a spreadsheet, a database (Informix), presentation graphics, an appointment calendar, an E-mail system, and several other utility programs. All these pro- grams present you with the same general interface so that you have to learn only one basic set of keyboard and mouse actions. GUI and Text Interfaces The Dell Station offers two graphical user interfaces and a text-oriented user interface. When setting up a new user ac- count, the system administrator has the option of making that user's interface either a standard X GUI running an xterm window and xclock, or a special X environment with the OSF/Motif win- dow manager running X. Desktop and Uniplex. The latter is totally window- and icon-based and lets you perform nor- mal operations such as changing directo- ries, opening applications, viewing text files, and deleting files using the mouse. When you need to get into a Unix shell , you need only click on the desktop area to open a shell window. You can access three text-oriented, full-size Unix screens for use as standard log-in ses- sions. One of these screens is the logical Unix console that displays system mes- sages. The MS-DOS Connection Dell uses Interactive' s VP/ix to support MS-DOS applications. You can run DOS applications in two environments. While you're in the X. Desktop environment, you can open a monochrome, text-only DOS window, or switch to a different terminal session (by simultaneously holding down the Control, Alt, and Sysrq keys and pressing either Fl , F2, or F8) to use a full-screen window. After you log in, you can type run VP/ix to start a full- screen DOS window with complete en- hanced VGA support for graphics or text. You can switch back to the original X screen any time you like by simply hold- ing down Control, Alt, and Sysrq and then pressing F3. Running an MS-DOS session in a full- size VGA window offers excellent soft- ware compatibility. I ran Flight Simula- tor (to stress-test graphics compatibil- ity), WordPerfect 5.0, and Procomm, and I didn't experience any problems. You can run as many as three separate full-screen MS-DOS sessions and switch among them. The first DOS session that you start or DOS window that you open has control of the floppy disk drive (or drives). If you want to access the drive from another window or terminal, the original DOS session must release the device. MS-DOS can access and use Unix files, but DOS users must have at least Unix read access to those files. Unix filenames that are illegal under DOS are parsed to unique DOS filenames when listed with the DOS dir command. Also, the DOS copy command has switches to convert between Unix and DOS ASCII text files. (MS-DOS gives each line both carriage-return and linefeed characters; Unix, on the other hand, uses only a line- feed.) But Does It Perform? If you're accustomed to working on a computer with a windows-based inter- face, you'll be impressed with the Dell Station's performance. When you click on a window that's partially covered by other windows, it snaps to the top of the 214 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 Is Windows 3.0 the end of DESQview? Not ifyou're still using DOS programs. Micros ott Project - Project! m ■ File Edit View Table Filter Format Options Vyindow n r Lotus 1-2-3 Ret. 3 Antocad 386 I i tin: You have attempted to run a f .^. p role cted-m ode application in 386 enhanced I } mode. To run the application, exit and run 9B tui— . — - using eithcr , he W}N /s or lhc van {f Error: You have attq — >*~^*-*- — — '^^■■nfl •|- protecfed-mode appi — ^^^^^^^^^^HiiialilUfiXflll^^^^^^^^^B I ) mode. To run the a ■ Windows using eitH ,_^ Insufficient memory to run application; command. 1 \»£y close one or more applications to increase available memory and try again. I ill m ie| Aufa»aJ386lctuiV2-3Rel 3saFwd»«20 iLili § i m AUocad 386 DOS 13 iLohc.1 Windows 3.0. The multitasking, windowing environment. Are you still using MS-DOS programs on your PC? You may want to use DESQview as your primary operating environment. The new DESQview 2.3 and DESQview 386 2.3 let you use your favorite DOS and DOS-extended programs in windows side-by-side on 80286, 80386 and i486 PCs. As you can see above, you can even run Windows programs DESQview 386 2.3. The multitasking, windowing environment. within DESQview 386. So the next time you get error messages like the ones at the left in Windows, remember how the same set of programs look running in DESQview. Whatever standard you use— DOS, extended DOS or Windows— DESQview is still the best way to get the most out of the hardware and software you own today DESQview. The obvious choice. Quarterdeck Office Systems, 150 Pico Boulevard, Santa Monica, CA 90405 (21 3) 392-9851 Fax: (213) 399-3802 This comparison was made using a system like the one you might run: Both shots show an ALR FlexCachc 33/38h running DOS 3.3 with VGA display adaptor, Novell NetWare v3.01 Rev. A, with IPX/SPX v3.01 Rev A, Microsoft Mouse 7.00, and Microsoft SMARTDrive v3.03 disk cache. Buffers were set to 20. For the Windows screen, we ran Microsoft Windows 3 H1MEM.SYS and EMM386.SYS. For the DESQview screen, we ran QEMM 386 v5.I. TracLnuarks: Microsoft, Windows, MS-DO?, SD.TSb, i486, ALU, FlexCachc, Novell, NetWare. ©!*«) CJiurlmied ( tffice System* Circle 252 on Reader Service Card REVIEW Plug-and-Play Unix Machine UNIX BENCHMARKS < w<> PERFORMANCE SUMMARY Dell Station 425E AST Premium 486/33 Tangent Model 425 Everex Step 386/33 0.9 2.2 1.4 1.5 1.1 2.0 □. C Compiler L_J DC Arithmetic L_J Tower of Hanoi I I HIGH-LEVEL PERFORMANCE LOW-LEVEL PERFORMANCE Time Index C Compiler DC Arithmetic Tower of Hanoi (1 7-disk problem) System Loading 1 1 concurrent background process 2 concurrent background processes 4 concurrent background processes ' 8 concurrent background processes 2.3 0.3 0.4 0.9 2.2 1.4 3.2 1.3 4.2 1.4 6.8 1.4 11.6 1.5 ' Dhrystone 2 (without registers; Dhry./sec.) Arithmetic (10,000 iterations) Arithmetic overhead Register Short Integer Long ' Floating Point Double Time Index 15625 1.1 0.2 3.1 3.8 3.1 3.1 6.1 6.3 3.6 0.9 0.9 1.0 1.0 2.0 2.1 > 9.0* 10.1 8.6 6 System Loading m Dhrystone 2 LE_J Floating Point Time Index Cumulative index is formed by summing the indexed performance results for C Compiler, DC Arithmetic, Tower of Hanoi, System Loading (with 8 concurrent background processes), Dhrystone 2. and Floating Point tests. System loading performed using Bourne shell scripts and Unix utilities. No.te: All times are in seconds unless otherwise specified. Figures were generated using the BYTE Unix benchmarks version 2.6. Indexes show relative performance; for all indexes, an Everex Step 386/33 running Xenix 2.3.1 = 1 . N/A = Not applicable. For a description of all the benchmarks, see "The BYTE Unix Benchmarks," March BYTE. Throughput System call overhead (5 x 4000 calls) Pipe throughput (read and write 2048- x (51 2-byte blocks) Pipe-based context switching (2 x 500 switches) Process creation (1 00 forks) Excel throughput (1 00 execs) Fllesystem throughput (1600 1024-byte blocks in Kbytes/sec.) Read Write Copy 0.8 0.8 0.6 0.5 1.2 1.4 1.2 1.0 2.3 2.8 648 N/A 364 N/A 236 N/A stack instantly. When you drag or resize a window, it pops into its new size or lo- cation without hesitation. This instant visual feedback adds greatly to the qual- itative feeling of working with a high- performance computer. However, the speed is at least partially due to the fact that the Dell Station has to manage only a 4-bit color plane with 800- by 600-pixel resolution. Overall, the Dell Station scored well against other i486-based machines that the BYTE Lab has tested. The Dell out- performed the Tangent Model 425 and Compaq Deskpro 486/25, and it ranked just behind the 33-MHz AST Research Premium 486/33 overall (for more on the comparison systems, see "486 EISA Ma- chines: A Slow Start in the Fast Lane," October BYTE, and "High-Performance 486 ATs," November BYTE). The Dell Station's one weakpoint was its floating- point test scores, but it outperformed all three of its competitors on the Dhrystone 2 tests. And none of the comparison ma- chines can compete in terms of price when you consider the Dell Station's bundled software. A PC in a Unix World In a world of RISC workstations, the Dell Station bucks the trend by combin- ing a state-of-the-art CISC-based hard- ware platform with its Unix. Dell has used this platform to run an X-based ver- sion of Unix that makes the system as user-friendly as possible. To that extent, Dell has succeeded, although some users may be disappointed with the graphics subsystem. Considering the wealth of software that the Dell Station includes, the price isn't bad. The new Sun SPARCstation IPC, which retails at just under $10,000, is a similar hardware package, but it lacks an OSF/Motif-type interface— at least until the next release of SunOS Unix— and it includes no applications software (BYTE will review the SPARC- station IPC in an upcoming issue). With the addition of the optional Dell Station Partner Kit ($399), you can use MS-DOS PCs as X terminals networked to the Dell Station, and the cost per user for this sys- tem drops rapidly. The Dell Station isn't going to convert any engineering workstation users, but if you're new to Unix or you're recom- mending a Unix system for the people in your office, the Dell Station requires a lot less hand-holding than other Unix al- ternatives. And that should make every- one happy. ■ John Unger is a scientist working for the U.S. government in the Washington, D. C. , area. He does most of his work on a Sun-3. You can reach him on BIX as "junger. " 216 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 A Tote-able that Outperforms the Desktops... — PC MAGAZINE, Sept. 1990 This new generation PC is remarkable for the perfor- mance and the practicality it provides. The Brick is powerful enough for the most demanding applications, while its elegance, quietness and size make traditional PCs seem downright obtrusive by comparison. More Practical Than a Portable For multisite computing, the Brick offers an alternative to the usual trade-offs of laptops or multiple PC's. Just keep your preferred keyboard and full size monitor, plus power supply at your regular destinations and carry only the 8 lb. Brick in between. Bricks are available with 16 or 20 MHz 386SX, 1-8 MB of RAM, TIME IN SECONDS 40 80 120 H'li'iliFl'liUp i[-ir>i;ri-intii m. , .i;M»i' 33Z M'H^aM. , ,i ! ni WIJiffliHTi '.HWUHZE HJKVfcVWM'WWaH'.i; * Brick with 8 MB RAM. 212 MB HD. The lower number is better. Time to complete PC Magazine's full benchmark test set. a fast 44, 104 or 212 MB Conner or Teac IDE hard disk, and a 387 coprocessor socket. A 2,400 bps Hayes compatible modem is standard. The fast VGA graphics features up to 1024 x 768 non interlaced resolution with a full 1 MB of video memory. Blazingly Fast Compared to published reports of all 386SX machines tested to date by PC Magazine and Byte, the Brick offers superior performance on the aggregate of system, video and hard disk benchmarks. Surprisingly Expandable The Brick is only about the size of a ream of copier paper, yet you can still add up to two ISA half cards internally. A docking port allows easy connection to our Docking Terminal, which instantly hooks up all cables and provides another 16-bit slot. Satisfaction Guaranteed All Ergo products have a 30 day, money back guarantee, a One Year Warranty, unlimited 800 toll free support, and advanced diagnostics and updates via modem. You'll find complete information on the Brick, plus a full complement of enhancement products in our 32-page free catalog. m, video ^*r* / Order Factory Direct a computers/company / i_300-633-1925 / Free 32-Page Catalog $2,495 Includes A 16 MHz Intel 386SX ▲ 1MB RAM, Exp. to 8 MB ▲ 44 MB hard disk ▲ 1024x768 VGA A 2,400 bps modem A 3.5" 1.44 MB floppy A 16-bit half card exp. slot A Freight included $2,695 with 101 Keyboard & 12" Mono VGA Monitor $2,995 with 101 Keyboard & 14" Color VGA Monitor \ One Intercontinental Way, Peabody, MA 01960 Tel: (508J 535-7510 Fax: (508) 535-7512 O CT> CM > CD / Circle 105 on Reader Service Card The Joneses. Check out the benchmarks. When it comes to speed, pure and simple, main- frames are no longer the main attraction Introducing the Everex STEP 486/33 and STEP 486/25. Along with the STEP 486/5, they give you desktop perform- ance that was previously unheard of. There are two reasons. The first, of course, is the 486™chip.The other is AMMA T , M Everex's proprietary Advanced Memory Management Architecture. STEP 486/33 CRAY-X- MP/48 IBM 3083 34,000 Dhrystones (19,4 MIPS) 17.857 Dhryslones 16,G66Dhrys10nes AMMA uses "write-back" cache technology instead of the "write-through" technologies used in most PC's. The write-back cache was developed for mainframes. Everex was the pioneer in developing it for the PC. And in doing so, opened a whole new dimension in desktop performance. With AMMA, you can write directly to the STEP 486's cache in nearly all cases. With write- through techniques, on the other hand, you lose most of the performance benefit of the cache. ♦Inquiries from outside the U.S. call 415-498-1111. EVER for Excellence is a registered trademark and Everex, STEP, STEP 486/.?, AMMA and PDS are trademarks of Everex Systems, Inc. 486 is a trademark of Intel Corp. And how to keep up with them. » i » hi v» : , i :" I" r >r t|it^-- ' ' / V >" i-7) ' r FT] That 5 s because write-through forces you to write to main memory much more often. And main memory is slower than the cache. This is especially important in 486 computing, where the CPU performs as many as four times the write operations as in 386. Which makes AMMA's write-back architecture, combined with the 486's embedded cache, a powerful combination indeed. But the STEP 486 machines give you more than just speed. They come with Programmable Drive Select. If your drive isn't listed on the set- up table, PDS™lets you custom-configure the BIOS. It's good for virtually any hard drive. What's more, all STEP systems come with a one- year extendable warranty and a one year renewable on-site service contract that also covers all Everex peripherals in the system. To find out more, call 1-800-334-4552* for the name of your nearest Authorized Everex Reseller— every one a high performance expert. Then you can let the Joneses try keeping up for a change. EVER tor Excellence' ©1990 Everex Systems, Inc. For more information on how the above benchmarks were derived, please write the Everex Performance Test Center, 48431 Milmont Drive, Fremont, CA 94538. Circle 352 on Reader Service Card .; *&: f mm r- g^ C Speed C Portability C Flexibility dEASE Power Code Base 4.2 The "C Ubiwy for andSoMnMMOi Conpatlble vAth the data. Index and memo files of dBASE and CUPPER. SEQUITER If SOFTWARE INC. Hill Build a multi-user, dBASE compatible application which is several times faster than dBASE IV, Clipper or Fox Pro. Watch its windows and menus appear instantly on any computer. Portable Port your application to any environment with a C or C++ compiler. Access megabytes of memory using 386 DOS compilers, OS/2, Unix or Microsoft Windows. Compatible As you directly use the data, index and memo files of dBASE HI through IV or Clipper, you can use Code Base 4.2 with any dBASE compatible product. Easy Consult examples in the 280 page user's guide as you interactively execute Code Base 4.2 routines from a learning utility. You will remember the routines which are named like dBASE commands. Small Make stand alone executable files as small as 14K. Code Base 4.2 executables are h to h the size of corresponding Clipper executables. Complete Enjoy the benefits of complete dBASE functional- ity, including browse, edit, menus, windows, multiple index files per database, dBASE expression evalua- tion, relations and filters. Order Today Order the DOS-OS/2 version for $295. Call (403) 448-0313 or fax (403) 448-0315. Discover why Sequiter Software Inc. and most software dealers offer a 60 day money back guarantee. Source is included and there are no royalties! Sequiter Software Inc. • P.O. Box 5659, Station L, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6C 4G 1 Circle 279 on Reader Service Card Jon Udell REVIEW LAN Manager 2.0: A Force to Be Reckoned With Everybody loves a good horse race. In the realm of PC networking, that's just how industry watchers like to portray the contest between No- vell and Microsoft. Novell's NetWare, eight lengths ahead, suddenly finds Microsoft's LAN Manager thundering in hot pursuit. The battle for mind- and market-share won't end in a photo finish under the wire. But it will increasingly clarify an evolving vision of advanced network computing. Here are the essential ingre- dients of that vision: A network operating system should be easy to use and admin- ister, work smoothly with other kinds of networks, support distributed (client/ server) applications, run with blazing speed, exploit advanced hardware, pro- tect its resources with a rock-solid secu- rity system, and scale up gracefully from small to very large installations. LAN Manager's latest version, 2.0, scores well on all these fronts. Some of its new features, notably local security at the server and disk fault tolerance, match long-standing NetWare capabilities. Other features, such as limited multipro- cessor support and domainwide user ac- counts, break new ground. Read the Books First Five well-written manuals document the system. The installation process, while dead simple, requires choices that you can't intelligently make until you read the books and know the big picture. And make no mistake, it is a big picture. You will likely be working >with both OS/2 and DOS machines. On the OS/2 side, you've got to consider which file system to use: the DOS-style file allocation table (FAT) or OS/2's High Performance File System. Any OS/2 system benefits from the standard features of HPFS: banded allo- cation, caching, B-tree directory lookup, and long filenames. But a LAN Manager server gets extra mileage out of HPFS; drive mirroring and duplexing require it. On a 386 machine, an alternate install- able file system called HPFS386 runs in native 32-bit mode. (A dual-processor version that runs HPFS386 and the net- work I/O subsystem on a dedicated pro- cessor should be available by the time you read this.) HPFS386 can distribute permissions for files throughout the file system, storing them in HPFS extended attributes rather than in a separate data- base file. That is the basis of local secu- rity, which enables you to protect the server's entire file system, not just the resources it shares with the network. As with a Unix machine, you log on for local access. Although it is possible to run a LAN Manager server on a FAT partition, I can't think of any good reason for doing so. For OS/2 workstations, it's another matter. If you're going to dual-boot DOS and OS/2, you'll need a FAT partition. Even so, savvy users will dedicate most of the disk to the superior HPFS. Next you've got to choose whether to make an OS/2 machine a workstation, a peer server, or a full-blown server. As you'd expect, memory requirements in- crease as you move up the ladder, from 3 to 3.5 to 6 megabytes, respectively. I knew I wanted to make a 12-MB Compaq Systempro a server, but I erred in install- ing my second OS/2 system, a Dell 386/ 25, as a workstation. The extra half- megabyte required for a peer server buys you more than a limited ability to share disk, printer, and other resources. A peer server can also be a backup domain controller. That means it keeps an auto- matically updated copy of the primary server's user accounts database. When I learned that, I promoted the Dell 386/25 to a peer server, which meant removing and reinstalling the workstation soft- ware. Like I said, read the books first. The DOS Connection Since DOS is a much less complex beast than OS/2, it recovers more easily from a wrong choice. LAN Manager comes in two flavors for DOS: basic (big) and en- hanced (bigger). The basic version, a minimal MS-Network work-alike, can use the high-memory area (HMA— the first 64K bytes of extended memory) to shrink its memory footprint. With HI- MEM. DOS, the version of the HI- MEM. SYS driver that comes with LAN Manager, the basic workstation software used 69K bytes on a Gateway 386SX run- ning DOS 4.01. The enhanced version adds all the beef: resource browsing, messaging, the named-pipes protocol (required to ac- cess, for example, SQL Server), and queue manipulation. It can also use the HMA (and, in certain circumstances, EMS as well); with HIMEM.DOS in place, the enhanced version ate up 120K bytes on an Arche Legacy 386/33. The enhanced workstation offers to in- stall a Windows 3.0 driver. Presumably, you could run the basic version under Windows, but without the network sup- port for browsing available servers and queues and for receiving messages, it wouldn't buy you much. The enhanced version, on the other hand, dovetails nicely with Windows. You can use the File Manager to browse network drives, the Control Panel to locate and connect to network printers, and the Print Man- ager to monitor and control print queues. A utility called WinPopup receives and displays messages. You can also send out messages from within Windows; that's a convenience that the NetWare driver for Windows doesn't currently offer. Plumbing the Physical Layer LAN Manager 2.0 and NetWare 386 handle network infrastructure— adapter drivers and protocols— in a similar way. LAN Manager's NDIS (the Microsoft/ 3Com network driver interface specifi- cation) and NetWare 386's ODI (for open data-link interface) both do the same job: They separate hardware drivers from transport protocols. Network drivers used to be "monolithic": Adapter manu- facturers had to incorporate transport protocols in their driver software. With NDIS or ODI, driver writers need only conform to a generic transport-protocol interface— a simpler (though hardly triv- ial) task. Moreover, both interfaces sup- port two kinds of multiplexing. Different protocols can share an adapter so that, for example, LAN Manager's NetBEUI (the NetBIOS extended user interface) and TCP/IP can coexist on the same physical network. It works the other way, too— multiple adapters can share a protocol. In that case, the protocol spans two physical net- works. Just for fun, I converted my test LAN Manager network from a single Ethernet segment to two, joined at the Systempro server. With only four ma- chines, there was no reason to divide the cabling. However, it's a strategy that comes into play when managing large, congested networks. It took me 10 min- utes to add a second network adapter to the Systempro and to rearrange the ca- bles, and another 5 minutes to tell LAN Manager to "bind" the NetBEUI proto- col to the second adapter. In the two-segment configuration, all DECEMBER 1990 • B Y T E 221 REVIEW LAN Manager 2.0: A Force to Be reckoned With LAN Manager 2.0 Company Microsoft Corp. 1 Microsoft Way Redmond, WA 98052 (800)426-9400 (206) 882-8080 Hardware Needed Server: 286, 386, or 486 system with 6 MB of RAM OS/2 workstation: 286, 386, or 486 system with 3 MB of RAM and OS/2 1 .1 or higher OS/2 workstation with peer service: 286, 386, or 486 system with 3.5 MB of RAM DOS basic workstation: 8086 or higher system with 640K bytes of RAM DOS enhanced workstation: 8086 or higher system with 640K bytes of RAM; extended or expanded memory recommended Software Needed Server and workstation with peer service: OS/2 1 .2 Standard Edition (CSD XR04053) or higher DOS workstation: DOS 3.1 or higher Price Five-user license: $995 Additional 10-user license: $995 Inquiry 1065. workstations communicated with the common server and vice versa. But they couldn't all talk to each other. LAN Manager 2.0 doesn't permit a machine on one physical network to communicate directly with a machine on the other. That's something that third parties will have to provide. More interesting than multiple adapt- ers, though, is the notion of multiple pro- tocols. Users increasingly want Macs, PCs, Unix workstations, and Digital Equipment and IBM hosts to be plug- and-play. Each of these cultures relies on deeply entrenched network protocols. Microsoft's NDIS, like Novell's ODI, is an architecture that enables a network to participate in several cultures at once. However, the core LAN Manager 2.0 doesn't capitalize on that opportunity. Just as NetWare 386 ships only with its native IPX protocol, LAN Manager 2.0 ships only with its native NetBEUI. For now you'll have to look elsewhere— most likely to 3Com— for the extra pieces you need to connect a LAN Manager network to a Macintosh or Unix network. LAN Manager workstations, like servers, bind one or more protocols to one or more adapters at run time. That means a LAN Manager OS/2 or DOS (enhanced) client can fit cleanly into a heterogeneous environment. (Although NetWare 286 clients are monolithic, Net- Ware 386 clients can also multiplex pro- tocols by means of ODI.) In general, it's a snap to install and re- arrange NDIS drivers. My only gripe is that there's no sanity-check utility like Unix's ping or NetWare's comcheck. I always like to test out basic connections before layering on a lot of network soft- ware. But when I encountered a faulty adapter configuration, I didn't discover the problem until the domainwide secu- rity system failed to initialize. Locking the Gate Under LAN Manager 1.x, you could walk up to a server, toggle from the LAN Manager session to an OS/2 command window, and proceed to snoop around in the server's file system. People rightly complained about that, and version 2.0 solves the problem— with a vengeance. When you install a 2.0 server on a 386 system, you can opt for local security. I did that, and when the server booted, it prompted me for the administrator's name and password. I typed "admin" and "password" per the manual's direc- tions but failed to gain administrative privileges. As I later discovered, the first batch of LAN Manager 2.0 disks were shipped with a password expiration date (a policy that has since changed), and mine had expired. The result was a convincing demonstration of local security— I was simply locked out of the file system. I couldn't even edit CONFIG.SYS to pre- vent the server software from starting. Not that that would have helped, since local security is intrinsic to the file sys- tem and doesn't depend on the network software. It looked as though I'd have to wipe the disk and start over. Although there was a workaround— one that Mi- crosoft supplied and would probably pre- fer I keep to myself— it's clear that the new LAN Manager has really battened down the hatches. Local security applies only to the server's console. From the network per- spective, server security comes in two flavors: share-level and user-level. Share-level security mimics MS-Net- work and PC-LAN networks, which can password-protect shared resources but can't specify levels of access by user. User-level security enables much more precise control. You can specify how each user (or group) can access each shared file, directory, print or serial de- vice queue, or named pipe. (While Net- Ware 386 also supports file-level per- missions, NetWare 286 does not.) When a server runs user-level security, it can also audit who does what with its shared resources. While it's more powerful and generally more desirable than share-level security, user-level security demands more administrative effort. In most cases it'll be worth the trouble, but it's handy to have the simpler, more open share-ori- ented method available as an option. Domains and Log-on Security A domain can weld a group of servers and workstations into a single adminis- trative unit. It sounds simple, and in a way it is, but you've got to work with the domainwide log-on security system for a while to sort through all its implica- tions. Domain-based security is option- al. Nothing prevents you from setting up a network with one or more stand-alone servers, each (as with NetWare) respon- sible for its own user accounts. In that case, however, each server accessible to a workstation has to maintain privileges for that user. Conversely, the user must supply a password each time he or she tries to attach to a shared resource. To activate domain security, you first name a primary domain controller and one or more backup domain controllers, join the controllers to a special group (called "servers"), and then start the netlogon service on each participating server. This makes sense even on a sin- gle-server network. Once the server vali- dates your log-on request, you're in. For the rest of that session, you can use any resource your permissions entitle you to use, no questions asked. The real purpose of domainwide secu- rity, of course, is to simplify multi- server administration. Within a domain, all servers running the netlogon service share identical copies of the user ac- counts database. The primary domain controller owns the master copy, which replicates automatically to the backups. Any domain controller can validate a log-on request, and, in fact, Microsoft recommends that you configure worksta- tions to prefer different domain control- lers to spread out the burden of log-on processing. This arrangement simplifies the net- work administrator's life, because a sin- gle accounts database governs all access to a pool of servers. Conversely, for users it means that a single log-on request will grant access to the pool of servers. If the primary controller should ever fail, you can promote a backup controller to 222 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 PC-MOS The Multiuser DOS Platform For The '90s The 386 and now the 486 microprocessors have focused a lot of attention on the multiuser, multi- tasking possibilities of advanced PCs. A myriad of software and hardware manufacturers are promis- ing a new age of multiuser options in the '90s. But when you take a closer look, only one solu- tion focuses on the features you want and antici- pates the capabilities you need to use your PCs to their greatest potential. That solution is PC-MOS™ from The Software Link, the first DOS-compatible, multiuser, multitasking operating system. A Network Alternative The advantage to the PC-MOS shared processing solution is its ability to maximize the available memory on your PC, taking full advantage of ex- tended memory and sharing it with up to 25 users on inexpensive terminals or monitors. You can share data with the same speed and integrity of a network solution without the expense of network cards and the waste of under-utilized PCs. And no additional investment is required to get the multi- tasking capabilities inherent in PC-MOS. A Network Enhancer For affordable network expansion, PC-MOS servers can be connected to other servers with The Software Link's LANLink or with the PC-MOS PC-MOS is a trademark of The Software Link. All other products referenced are trademarks of their respective companies. Prices, policies and specifications subject to change without notice. GATEWAY™ to Novell's NetWare®. This connectiv- ity lets a business configure its automation systems for departmental efficiency and expand affordably as needs grow with LANs or even WANs. DOS Compatible The PC-MOS alternative is clear: DOS compati- bility means your users can continue to use all the popular software packages. And that means no investment loss, no retraining and no limitations in available applications. An Unbeatable Solution The next decade of shared processing will be clouded with choices. Only one operating system was first to offer you DOS-compatible, multiuser, multitasking solutions. Only one operating system continues to provide unbeatable multiuser solu- tions for over 150,000 users. PC-MOS from The Software Link. Call today and set your computing sights on a more productive horizon. THE SOFTWARE LINK 1-800-451 -LINK 3577 Parkway Lane, Norcross, GA 30092 (404)448-5465 FAX: (404) 263-6474 TELEX: 4996147 SWLINK VARSand RESELLERS: AskaboutourSales Support Program GSA Schedule/GSOOK 90 AGS6448 Circle 310 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 311) LAN Manager 2.0: A Force to Be Reckoned With take its place. What confused me at first was the dis- tinction between domains and log-on se- curity. Domains exist whether or not you run log-on security. When you start a workstation, it comes up in a "worksta- tion domain" and can see only the serv- ers in that domain. You might want to partition a large multiserver network into several such domains. Within each domain there can be stand-alone servers and/or domain con- trollers. Moreover, a single server can be both a stand-alone controller and a do- main controller at the same time. That's what happened when I set up the Dell 386/25 (a peer server) as a backup con- troller. I kept thinking that the permis- sions I assigned in the domainwide ac- counts database would apply to resources that the Dell shared. But they didn't; I couldn't access the Dell system from other workstations. Eventually it dawned on me that the Dell wasn't run- ning the netlogon service. Peer servers can't run netlogon; only full servers can. Despite the fact that it was acting as a backup domain controller, the Dell needed its own accounts database to sup- port its role as a peer server. Unix LAN administrators routinely deal with these kinds of subtleties. But if you are used to simpler PC networks, the full implica- tions of LAN Manager 2.0's distributed security may take a while to sink in. Printer and Communication Queues One of NetWare 286 's more annoying peculiarities is that you have to define all your printer queues during installation. But with LAN Manager 2.0, as with its predecessors, that's not the case. It treats disk, printer, and serial-device resources in pretty much the same manner. You pick a share-name, specify its resource type, and assign the necessary permis- sions. Of course, before you can share a printer with the network, the printer first has to be installed locally— that is, its driver must be registered with the OS/2 Print Manager. Printer queues integrate well with the messaging service. LAN Manager keeps you posted when a print job holds, re- sumes, or finishes, and when the printer goes off-line (which is most helpful). However, DOS workstations running the basic client service can't receive these helpful messages. They must monitor queues manually by means of the net print command. Communication queues enable OS/2 workstations to share modems, scan- ners, and fax machines. For example, I installed a modem in the Systempro and shared it as NETMODEM. Using Hil- graeve's Hyper Access/5 for OS/2 on the Dell, I connected to the remote modem and logged onto BIX. You can also pool modems. For example, the protocol to share a pair of modems would be net share netmodem=coml: ,com2: at the server, and then, at the work- station, net use coml \ \server\netmodem LAN Manager searches the list of mo- dems and connects the client to the first available one. Distributed Computing Two LAN Manager features— remote administration and the netrun facility- hint at the remote processing capabilities that underlie LAN Manager. To remote- ly administer a server, you run net ad- min and set the focus to the remote tar- get. For example, once I granted admin- istrative privileges on the Systempro to the Dell's account, I was able to run net admin on the Dell, switch to the System- pro, and remotely add to its list of shared resources. Behind the scenes, the two machines establish an RPC (remote procedure call) session. In fact, many of the LAN Manager application programming inter- face calls take a server-name parameter that governs whether the function exe- cutes locally or remotely. While remote administration is a nice touch, what this really means is that any developer of LAN Manager-aware distributed soft- ware has a huge head start. Tools for building client/server applications are part of the basic fabric of the network op- erating system. The netrun service executes entire programs on the server. A named pipe connects the client's standard input and output handles to a proxy that executes on the server. It's a tad awkward to set up. On the server side, you've got to specify a runpath that lists directories containing programs that the client can run. The cli- ent has to use a directory on the server and then make that its current directory. continued ViVa 2400 baud Modems FAX It - Compress It - Send It with ViVa! VM The ViVa 24, 24fx and 24m external modems expand your world with standard 2400 baud transmission rate, built-in FAX capability, or MNP 5 data compression. All ViVa internal and external modems are 100% Hayes compatible and support the Hayes "AT" Command Set. ViVa modems fit easily into your IBM PC, XT, AT, PS/2, 386, 486 and IBM com- patibles and each is backed by a FIVE YEAR warranty -| -800-854-7600 ComputerPeripheralsjnc 667 Rancho Conejo Blvd. • Newbury Park, California 91320 • 805-499-5751 224 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 Circle 72 on Reader Service Card HOW TO FIND THE PERFECT MOUSE IN YOUR FUTURE. ■WMftoteMto&®i^ ICC («•«•••••>>> )1 IJI o matter what forces shape your destiny, there's a Series 9 mouse in your future. It's the world's most sophisticated mouse. And now it comes with the world's hottest graphical interface— Windows 3.0. With adjustable resolution, the Series 9 mouse lets you tune its performance to fit your applica- tion. So when you're working on Windows 3.0, you can really enjoy the view. Afl he sleek, i? LOGiTEGH ergonomic, Series 9 mouse is Microsoft compatible and works with any application on an IBM 8 PC (or compat- ible). Suggested retail price: $215 Bundle, $119 Mouse. Includes Logitech's lifetime hardware warranty. ■ lor more information call Logitech's Cus- tomer Sales Center: (800) 231-7717, ext.349. In California: (800) 552-8885. In Canada: (800) 283-7717. In Europe: + + 41-21-869-9656. Circle 176 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 177) fools That Power The Desktop. tm/®: trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. LAN Manager 2.0: A Force to Be Reckoned With LAN MANAGER 2.0 VERSUS NETWARE LAN Manager 2.0 NetWare 386 NetWare 286 T X T 1 10 15 20 25 30 Time (seconds) 35 T 40 45 □ NETFIO read m NETFIO write Di- MB copy NetWare 386 holds a slight edge over LAN Manager 2 . 0, which more than doubles the performance of NetWare 286. The NETFIO test opens multiple files and performs seeks, reads, and writes in a pattern designed to simulate a typical database application. LAN Manager and NetWare 386 were tested on a Compaq Systempro running 32-bit NE3200 Ethernet; NetWare 286 was tested on an 8-MHz NEC PowerMate 286 running 16-bit Inter LAN Ethernet. A Gateway 20-MHz 386SX running DOS 4. 01 was used as the client machine. Even then, with only standard input and output to work with, you're limited to TTY-style batch processing. The netrun service is a stone ax in comparison to Unix's elegant X Window System. What is it good for? You might want to index piles of text at the server without clog- ging the wire with packets. More gener- ally, it's another reminder that OS/2— and, thus, LAN Manager— has the basic interprocess communications mecha- nisms needed to support distributed computing. Days of Reckoning Network consultants around the world are now subjecting LAN Manager to close scrutiny. No one I've spoken to doubts that version 2.0 deserves to play in the major leagues. It has the requisite performance (see the figure), security, and scalable architecture, along with strong support for heterogeneous net- working and distributed computing. The question is not whether LAN Manager 2.0 will succeed, but to what extent. The answer depends on a host of variables, including price, third-party support, and the relative fortunes of DOS, Windows, OS/2, and NetWare. Although price may not be the major concern of large-scale network purchas- ers, NetWare 386' s $7995 price tag has caused considerable sticker shock among smaller fry. A 25-node LAN Manager 2.0 installation costs less than $3000 yet delivers many comparable features. To date, more database servers sup- port LAN Manager than NetWare. But although LAN Manager 2.0 and Net- Ware 386 servers are roughly compara- ble, their strengths differ on the client side. LAN Manager favors the OS/2 workstation; NetWare favors DOS. Since OS/2 has yet to displace DOS on many desktops, chalk up a serious advantage for NetWare. I'm perversely optimistic about OS/2's future— version 2.0 is tan- talizingly close to displacing Windows on my everyday machine— but you can't ignore basic 640K-byte DOS machines. While we're waiting for client/server software to materialize, we have to keep doing our jobs. Still, the events of the last year or so have proved, once again, that you should never say never. DOS was never going to bust out of 640K bytes. Windows was never going succeed. NetWare would never be easy to install. Unix could never look good. Macs would never be cheap. I think I'll wait and see what next year holds for OS/2 and LAN Manager. ■ Jon Udell is a BYTE senior editor at large and administrator of the editorial LAN. He can be reached on BIX as "judell. " GteTc* PCSS-8I Eight Port Intelligent Coprocessor The PCSS-8I is GTEK's popular, cost effective, intelligent, 8 port serial I/O card featuring DYNAMEMORY". The 15 MHz on board processor dynamically allocates and deallocates on board buffer ram to transmit and receive queues as necessary. The new lower price makes this board the obvious choice if you want an intelligent serial I/O card. Dos, SCO~ XENIX® and SCO™ UNIX® drivers included. Order Now Toll Free 1-800 Development Hardware & Software* P.O. Box 2310 • Bay Si. Louis, MS 39521 Make All The Right Connections With GTEK! FILL I YEAR VARRANTY 1 MAOEIN^r PCSS-8T Compact Eight Port Serial Board The PCSS-8T is GTEK's popular PCSS-8 on a half sized card. It provides 8 serial ports for an even lower price than the PCSS- 81. Modular RJ-11 jacks like those on the PCSS-81 provide 8 ports without any external brackets or spider cables. A Dos driver is included and a special version is available for SCO- XENIX®. All trademarks are property of their respective companies. 282 -GTEK (4835) -23 1 • Fax 601 -467-0935 • MS & Technical Support 601 -467-8048 226 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 Circle 127 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 128) • ;.; : . ■ ■ ;" -.'■ ■ Until now, you've only seen a tulip standing in a vase. Until now, there's only been one way of looking at data. Now there's Thinx™ software. The revolutionary Windows* program that finally links graphic images with databases and spreadsheets and lets you see data in a whole new way. h8G0688-4469. © Bell Atlantic Circle 45 on Reader Service Card Windows is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation. ©Bell Atlantic Wk A&reThan Ju^Talk. TELCON ® M I C R 6 B A G > % Germany: TELCON GmbH Prinzregentenstr, 120 8000 MUNCHEN 80 USA: TELCON USA 7270 S.W. 48th Street MIAMI, FL 33155 Spain; TELCON Iberica SJL. Plata Castilla, 3 Piso 14-D1 28046 MADRID DEALER INQUIRIES WELCOME TeL: 089/ 470 50 76 Tel.: 305 / 669 19 81 TeL: 1 / 733 73 67 Fax : 089 / 470 82 11 Fax ; 305 / 667 70 59 Fan : 1 / 733 73 67 Circle 304 on Reader Service Card Tom Thompson REVIEW A Digital "Quill" for Mac Video Displays Working with live composite video on a Mac II-class computer has never been easier. Many new Nu- Bus boards now display live video in a Mac window and copy a freeze-frame digital video image to a disk file. Unfor- tunately, video-oriented software has been slow in coming. One of the first to arrive is Data Translation's VideoQuill, a $495 program that lets you combine VideoQuill 1.0 Company Data Translation, Inc. 100 Locke Dr. Marlborough, MA 01 752 (508)481-3700 Hardware Needed Mac II family or SE/30 computer; 2 MB of RAM ; color display (1 6- or 24- bit color preferred); hard disk drive; for work with video, a videographics board and interlaced monitor are required Software Needed System 6.0.3 or higher with 32-Bit QuickDraw Price $495 Inquiry 1224. VideoQuill operating on a Mac Ilfx using a ColorCapture 2. display board. Note the heavy lines in the title bars for the Tools, Palette, and document window. These lines are 2 pixels wide to reduce flicker on an interlaced display. text, graphics, and video for impressive presentations. VideoQuill uses outline fonts and a va- riety of special effects to render high- quality text painted with 16- or 24-bit colors. The software's real strengths, however, lie in working with live or cap- tured video. You can display high-qual- ity text over live video (video titling), or you can merge text and graphics with video (live or captured) for multimedia presentations. (To use VideoQuill with live video, you'll need a videographics board, such as Data Translation's Color- Capture 2.0, and an extra monitor.) Full-Spectrum Text and Color You'll get your best results from Video- Quill on 16- and 24-bit color displays. While VideoQuill functions in 8 bits, it's difficult to gauge how your work will look without using deeper displays. When you first create a VideoQuill doc- ument, a dialog box prompts you for the document's pixel depth (either 16 or 24 bits, which can be independent of the dis- play's depth that you're working on), window size (using either the current dis- play's size or values that you type in), and the window' s position on the display. Inside the document window you design a layout composed of rectangles or text; VideoQuill doesn't provide tools to let you draw arcs or circles. The package's text quality and fine color control par- tially compensate for this shortcoming. The software's own set of outline fonts draws high-resolution text in type sizes of from 5 to 2000 points. Eighteen default sizes (ranging from 12 to 800 points) re- side in the Text menu; in this menu, an Other selection lets you enter values out- side of these sizes. You can rotate text either by clicking on a rotate tool and dragging the text string or by typing a de- gree value for the rotation angle in a dia- log box. The latter is handy for precision work. You can modify the text's kerning, leading, and word spacing. Using other tools, you can color and position drop shadows along the text. VideoQuill uses its own antialiasing algorithm to prevent ragged text by blending the character's colors with the background colors. VideoQuill works with outlines sup- plied by URW, a German type foundry, not Adobe Type 1 fonts. These outlines exist as separate files that you copy into a VideoQuill Fonts folder. Nine type- faces arrive in the standard package; 47 additional typefaces cost $495. You can select color ranges for the cur- rent object (either text or a rectangle), and the background from the Palette menu's color palette. An object can have a single (flat) color, or if you use a range, a smooth blend from the starting to the ending hue. You can adjust the object's color transparency, and instead of a color, you can import an image into the object. For example, you might type the text string "sunset," select Picture from the Color menu, and choose a file that contains a scanned sunset image. The sunset appears within the text's outline. You can paste the Clipboard's contents in front of or behind the current object, move the current object a layer forward or backward, or bring the current object to the front or the rear. Unfortunately, VideoQuill lacks a grouping operation that would let you combine and treat a collection of objects as a whole. VideoQuill imports graphics and images in TIFF, PICT, or MacPaint for- mats. You use the Picture Box tool to select a point in the window and drag out a box outline with the mouse. Next, a Standard File dialog box prompts you for the image's filename. The software pastes a full-size image into the newly drawn box. You can also use the Clip- board to import images, but the other method offers more precise control over where and how much of an imported image shows in the window. You can im- port all of an image (by not drawing the box) or use a Hand tool to move the image until the desired portion appears in the box. You can also scale the image to fit the box and adjust its transparency. continued DECEMBER 1990 • B Y T E 229 cAMPA 5 ^k ■Upg* Mm Your Left Brain Needs Clipper. Organization is everything in business. The left side of your brain knows this. It wants order. Economy. Precision. All reasons your left brain appreciates Clipper 5.0, the premier application development system for PCs. An open architecture programming system, Clipper provides a flexible environment for devel- oping precisely the application you need, not a messy approximation. Its user-definable commands and functions let you configure the Clipper language for your exact requirements. Its compiler generates .EXE files for rapid execution and cost-free distrib- ution. Its new linker even lets you build and run applications larger than available memory! And its elegant network support yields high performance on even the largest systems. So, if you're charged with coaxing order out of chaos for your business, put Clipper in your programming arsenal today. It has exactly the programming power you need! dinner 5 The Application Development Standard 213/390-7923 AskFbrDepartmenthA I ^_ m Nantucket ® Circle 197 on Reader Service Card Nantucket Corporation, 1 2555 West Jefferson Boulevard, Los Angeles. CA 90066. 213/390-7923 FAX: 213 logo and Clipper are registered trademarks of Nantucket Corporation. Other brand and product names are us registered trademarks of their respective holders. Entire contents copyright • 1990 NantuckelCorporation. 397-5469 TELEX 650-2574125. Nantucket, the Nantucket ed for identification purposes only and may be trademarks or REVIEW Trial Run For my evaluation, I used two systems: a Mac Ilci with 4 megabytes of RAM, a SuperMac Spectrum/24 Series III board, and a 19-inch display; and a Mac Ilfx with 8 MB of RAM, an Apple 8*24 dis- play board, and an AppleColor 13-inch monitor. Both of these systems ran Sys- tem 6.0.5 software and had 80-MB hard disk drives. I used a Data Translation ColorCapture 2.0 videographics board to provide live video and capture 16-bit images. A RasterOps 364 video board captured 24-bit video images and pre- viewed the video output from the Color- Capture board. I installed these boards in the Mac Ilfx. My video source was a Pioneer VP-1000 laser disk player. The application operates in a 3-MB MultiFinder partition. This leaves little room for running anything other than VideoQuill on the Ilci, but applications that handle 16- and 24-bit data routinely require lots of memory. I managed to shoehorn MindWrite in with VideoQuill to see how well the latter coped with low- memory situations (and to write this re- view). VideoQuill did quite well operat- ing in a less-than-optimal partition size, and it popped up alerts warning of low memory without crashing. The applica- tion worked without a hitch on the Ilfx. VideoQuill helps you produce impres- sive documents and snazzy slides suit- able for presentations. However, the soft- ware's real purpose is to work with video. The video capabilities of the ap- plication worked flawlessly. For exam- ple, video is one of the "colors" you can pick for objects. When you use Video- Quill with a videographics board, the software substitutes live video for this object's color. VideoQuill accomplishes this by modifying bits in the object's alpha channel. The alpha channel modi- fies or describes an object's characteris- tics; in this case, it handles video con- trol. The channel is a bit in size for 16-bit color and a whole byte for 24-bit color. This feature provides some unique ef- fects. Since the background is an object, you can let it pass video except where text is present. This makes VideoQuill useful for video titling, but its capabilities don't end there. For example, you could type "TV" and select video for the text's color. A videographics board driving an interlaced monitor would show a colored background, with live video filling the T and V characters on the screen. Or you could make a business chart and draw a box in the corner that would pass the video. You retain this alpha channel in- formation when you save the window as a VideoQuill document. VideoQuill can REVIEW also export documents as either TIFF or PICT files. On the interlaced monitor I connected to the ColorCapture 2.0 board, text looked fine at every point size, and color blend- ing was superb. VideoQuill readily ac- cepted images that were captured by the RasterOps 364. Trying to let video bleed through areas of a scanned image proved to be a bit tricky using VideoQuill itself. First, using an image-manipulation ap- plication, such as PhotoMac or Photo- shop, I selected a color in the image to pass video and had the application strip out regions with that color. Then, after selecting the transparent background color option, I pasted the image into the VideoQuill document. Finally, I set the background to the video color. I found it easier to use Data Transla- tion's ColorCapture application bundled with the ColorCapture board to select a range of colors in the image and set the alpha channel bit. ColorCapture saves the image as a PICT file, and VideoQuill recognizes the alpha channel informa- tion once you import the file. For exam- ple, using a scanned autumn scene with blue sky and red-orange trees, it was easy to use ColorCapture' s color controls to set the alpha channel bit to pass video for the sky tones. When I pasted the image into VideoQuill, the trees appeared su- perimposed over live video. You can print VideoQuill documents, but only at screen resolution (i.e. , 72 dots per inch). When I printed from Video- Quill to a 300-dpi Tektronix Phaser color printer using the 6.0 LaserWriter driver, the output looked dark and muddy. I got better results by saving the document as a TIFF file, importing it into Photoshop, and printing. More Tools VideoQuill has some shortcomings. Cir- cle and arc tools would make for better layouts, and the lack of a grouping tool makes complicated designs difficult. It would also be nice to incorporate some of ColorCapture 's color controls that oper- ate on the alpha channel into VideoQuill. Despite these flaws, VideoQuill does work, and the results with video can be quite spectacular. It provides features not found in some presentation packages, and it breaks new ground working with the video medium. For those who have to work with video now, VideoQuill can help you pen a solution. ■ Tom Thompson is a BYTE senior editor at large with a B.S.E.E. degree from Mem- phis State University. He can be reached on BIX as lt tom_thompson. " & ■ 5fl Your Right Brain Wants It! While your left brain duly notes the benefits of Clipper programming, the right half is wild about how you get them! Imagine a programming environment with no limits! The language can be easily extended with your own routines and you can even integrate code from other languages, like C and Assembler. You're always free to configure Clipper to suit your own programming style. Hey, let's say you want to read and write data in some format other than the .dbf structure Clipper already supports. It's no problem since Clipper 5.0 sports a replaceable database driver, even allowing multiple drivers to be used concurrently in the same application! There's no end to the possibilities you can pursue with Clipper! Clipper's open architecture system will fire your imagination with unparalleled freedom. It's spray paint for a developer's mind. So, if you want your imagination to inspire your applications, indulge yourself with Clipper 5.0. It has everything you need and anything you'd want. dinner 5 The Application Development Standard ?1.3/390-7923 Ask For Department-A m Nantucket Circle 198 on Reader Service Card Nantucket Corporation, 12555 West Jefferson Boulevard. Los Angeles. CA 90066. 213/390-7923 FAX: 213/397-5469 TELEX: 650-2574125. Nantucket, the Nantucket logo and Clipper are registered trademarks of Nantucket Corporation Other brand and product names are used tor identification purposes only and may be trademarks or registered trademarks oflheir respective holders. Entirecontenlscopyrighl 1990 NantucketCorporation. The joy of C-scape The C-scape™ Interface Management System is a flexible library of C functions for data entry and validation, menus, text editing, context-sensitive help, and windowing. C-scape's powerful Look & Feel™ Screen Designer lets you create full- featured screens and automatically generates complete C source code. C-scape includes easily modifiable high- level functions as well as primitives to construct new functions. Its object- oriented design helps you build more functional, more flexible, more portable, and more unique applications — and you'll have more fun doing it. The industry standout. Many thousands of software developers world- wide have turned to the pleasure of C-scape. The press agrees: "C-scape is by far the best. y^ . . A joy to use," wrote IEEE Computer. Major companies have selected C-scape as a standard for software development. C-scape's open architecture lets you use it with data base, graphics, or other C and + libraries. C-scape runs in text or graphics mode, so you can display text and graphics simultaneously. To port from DOS or OS/2 to UNIX, AIX, QNX, or VMS, just recompile. C-scape also Elegant graphics and text Graphics. Run in color in text or graphics mode. Read images from PCX files. Object-oriented architecture. Add custom features and create reusable code modules. C ++ compatible. Mouse support. Fully-integrated mouse support for menu selections, data entry fields, and to move and resize windows. Portability. Hardware independent code. Supports DOS, OS/2, UNIX, AIX, VMS, others. Autodetects Hercules, CGA, EGA, VGA. Supports Phar Lap and Rational DOS extenders. Text editing. Text editors with word wrap, block commands, and search and replace. Field flexibility. Masked, protected, marked, required, no-echo, and named fields with complete data validation. Time, date, money, pop-up list, and many more higher-level functions; create your own. Windows. Pop-up, tiled, bordered and exploding windows; size and numbers limited only by RAM. Menus. Pop-up, pull-down, 123-style, or slug menus; create your own. Context-sensitive help. Link help messages to individual screens or fields. Cross reference messages to create hypertext-like help. Code generation. Build any type of screen or form with the Look & Feel™ Screen Designer, test it, then automatically convert it to C code. Screen flexibility. Call screens from files at run time or link them in. Automatic vertical/horizontal scrolling. International support. Offices in Berlin, Germany, with an international network of technical companies providing local training, support and consulting. supports Phar Lap and Rational DOS extenders. Trial with a smile, c-scape is poweif ul, flexible, portable, and easy to try. Test C-scape for 30 days. It offers a thorough manual and function reference, sample programs with source code, and an optional screen designer and source i^ code generator. Oakland _ I yy7 provides access to a 24- J\\J hour BBS, telephone sei-vi- f v^ ces, and an international network of companies providing in- country support. No royalties, runtime licenses, runtime modules. After you register, you get complete libraiy source code at no extra cost. Call 800-233-3733 (617-491 -7311 in Massachusetts, 206-746-8767 in Washing- ton; see below for International). After the joy of C-scape, programming will never be the same. DOS, OS/2 (Borland and Microsoft support): with Look & Feci, $499; library only, $399; UNIX, etc. start at $999; prices include library source. Training in Cambridge and Seattle each month. Mastercard and Visa accepted. OAKLAND BY1290 Oakland Group, Inc. 675 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02139 USA. FAX: 617 868-4440. Oakland Group, GmbH. Alt Moabit 91-B, D-1000 Berlin 21, F.R.G. (030) 391 5045, FAX: (030) 393 4398. Oakland International Technical Network (training, support, consulting): Australia Noble Systems (02) 564-1200; Benelux TM Data (02159) 46814; Denmark Ravenholm (042) 887249; Austria-Germany-Switzerland ESM 07127/5244; Norway Ravenholm (02) 448855; Sweden Linsoft (013) 111588; U.K. Systemstar (0992) 500919. Photo by Jessica A. Boyatt; Kanji by Kaji Aso. Picture shows a C-scape program combining data entry with video images loaded from PCX files. C-scape and Look & Feel are trademarks of Oakland Group, Inc.; other trademarks belong to their respective companies. Copyright © 1 990, by Oakland Group, Inc. Features, prices, and terms subject to change. Circle 216 on Reader Service Card Rick Far r is REVIEW Unix and 1-2-3 Spreadsheets are no longer the do- main of single-user personal com- puters. As personal computers ap- proach the throughput of workstations, many users are abandoning DOS for more powerful multiuser operating sys- tems. Lotus Development has noted this, and Lotus 1-2-3 for Unix System V is its solution. Lotus 1-2-3 for Unix System V is es- sentially a port of Lotus 1-2-3 release 3.0, dressed up to take advantage of the multitasking, multiuser environment of Unix System V/386. The package consists of a user's guide, Lotus 1-2-3 for Unix System V Company Lotus Development Corp. 55 Cambridge Pkwy. Cambridge, MA 02142 (617)577-8500 Hardware Needed Compaq, IBM, or compatible 386 PC with 4 MB of RAM and 5 MB of free disk space Software Needed System V 3.2 from SCO, AT&T, or Interactive, or SCO Xenix 2.3 Price Single-user: $695 10 users: $1295 Four additional users: $495 Inquiry 1148. Lotus 1-2-3 for Unix System V sports multiple views and graphics support. a reference manual, and six 1.2-mega- byte floppy disks. The documentation has the qualities normally associated with Lotus: clear and to the point. Installation under SCO Unix System V took only 20 minutes. Lotus took ad- vantage of SCO's custom installation program, which handles all the file ex- traction, copying, and permission setting necessary to build the Lotus directory hi- erarchy in the location of your choice. Will You Recognize It? Running 1-2-3 on the console of a com- puter running Unix System V/386 is much like running 1-2-3 release 3.0 under DOS. VGA and EGA are sup- ported, with a choice of text resolutions ranging from 25 rows by 80 columns to 60 by 80. Graphs are displayed on sup- ported adapters. One enhancement added for Unix Sys- tem V is the ability to simultaneously display up to 26 worksheets in perspec- tive mode. The number of worksheets to be displayed must be selected on the command line, though, so if you have al- ready started work and decide that you need to display more than the three de- fault worksheets, you must save your work, exit the program, and restart 1-2-3 to use this feature. The familiar 1-2-3 command keys, such as "/" to bring up the menu bar and arrow keys to select items, are used, but combinations that would normally use the Alt or Control keys are implemented in a more portable way. For instance, moving from one sheet to the one above it is invoked with Control-PageUp in DOS and Control-A PageUp in Unix. Like- wise, the Alt-function keys are invoked by typing Control-F and then pressing the function key. This lets the same key- strokes work from a variety of input devices. I didn't run any exhaustive perfor- mance tests, but a macro that took 13 seconds to run under DOS (on a 25-MHz 386, with no 80387) executed in 29 sec- onds on an identical Unix machine under a fairly heavy multiuser load. Running 1-2-3 from a remote com- puter is more of an adventure. Except in special circumstances (as with the Sun- River Fiber Optic Station), graphics are not supported; therefore, you cannot dis- play graphs. In addition, since terminal keyboards rarely match PC keyboards, an adjustment is necessary in the com- mand keys. For instance, the command to move to cell A 1 on the first spread- sheet is normally Control-Home; on a Wyse WY-50 terminal, the command se- quence is Control-A PF2 7 (7 is the PC numeric keypad key for Home). Working Together Lotus 1-2-3 for System V can retrieve any file on your Unix network that you normally have permission to access. Since worksheets can be saved in both .WK3 and .WK1 formats, it is possible to have a central repository of work- sheets for all the users on the network, both DOS and Unix. An important point, however, is that file locking is available only for files on the machine 1-2-3 is running on. File locking across the network is not sup- ported from within 1-2-3. It is a good idea to store worksheets on the 1-2-3 server to avoid the loss of information caused by two users updating the same worksheet at the same time. Lotus 1-2-3 for System V is licensed for one CPU: This means that to access 1-2-3, you must log onto the licensed computer. Note that this is distinctly dif- ferent from a file-server license, where the executable code is actually running on your local machine. Lotus 1-2-3 for Unix System V pro- vides the industry-standard spreadsheet to users of Unix System V for the PC. It extends the base 1-2-3 release 3.0 prod- uct with features suited to Unix-style net- working, and it can even be run from ASCII terminals. It tries hard to preserve the look and feel of the DOS version of 1-2-3, and it largely succeeds. ■ Rick Farris is a principal at RF Engineer- ing, a custom software house. He can be reached on BlXc/o "editors. " DECEMBER 1990 • B Y T E 233 makesrne The 4167's 10 MFLOPS performance delivers 3X the speed of the 486! The new Weitek 4167 coprocessor outperforms the 486 by 3 to 1 in numeric processing. Capable of 10 MFLOPS, the 4167 has sockets in some of the most sophisticated 486 systems on the market, including Compaq, Intel, Hewlett-Packard, and Microway. The 4167 is object-code compatible with the WEITEK 3167 FPU and Microway's mW3167-PS add-in card for the MicroChannel— offering easy access to a broad base of existing CAD/CAM, scientific and engineering applications like Mathematica, CADKEY, HOOPS and Microway's NDP compilers. And look for 4167 support on upcoming products from Autodesk! Number Smasher -486 converts your old AT or 386 into a powerful 486 workstation. In a review of 25 MHz 486 motherboards, Mike George of Personal Workstation magazine wrote, "Microway's Number Smasher-486 gives you top 486 numeric performance for the best price...Number Smasher's numeric perfor- mance exceeds that of all 25 MHz 486 systems we've tested to date." Running the Microway Benchmark Suite, the 4167-equipped Number Smasher-486 achieves 11.9 MegaWhetstones. The board features a Burst Bus™ memory interface that makes it stand out in numeric problems that involve large arrays. Burst cycle response in a 486 system is much more important than second level caches, which are usually too small to be of any use on the r. *=-*-...__ J . megabyte arrays found in real world problems. The ideal solution for numerically or I/O intensive applications is Microway's new Number Smasher-486/33T workstation. Two configurations are available, each incor- porating state-of-the-art power and cooling with 300 to 600 megabyte drives. For more information, please call 508-746-7341. Microway ® The World Leader in PC Numerics Circle 189 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 190) Corporate Headquarters, Research Park, Box 79, Kingston, MA 02364 TEL. 508-746-7341 • FAX 508-746-4678 U.K. - 32 High St., Kingston-Upon-Thames, 081-541-5466 • Italy 02-74.90.749 Holland 40 836455 • Norway 9 876656 • Japan 81 3 222 0544 NDP Fortran-486, NDP 0486 and NDP C++ are your keys to unlocking the power of the 4167. Each compiler generates globally optimized, main- frame quality code and has special features that take advantage of the 4167, such as register caching, loop unrolling and automatic inlining of small procedures. These optimiza- tions are handed off to a code generator that is tuned for the 4167, and takes advantage of its ad- vanced instructions like multiply accumulate. In addition, the 486 versions of NDP Fortran, C++ and C properly sequence 486 and 4167 instructions so that the 486's prefetch queue has time to "breathe." NDP compilers are also available for the 386SX, 386 and i860 under DOS, UNIX, XENIX and SunOS. Thousands of Microway's satisfied customers have discovered that you can't buy a bet- ter scientific Fortran or C compiler. And our technical support is the best in the industry. NDP C-486 'Mm? NDP Fortran-486 VmCky I Micro Way HARDWARE Stan Miastkowski REVIEW A "More Filling" Generation of Tape Backup ■ You've heard it all before: If you want to avoid despair, back up the data on your hard disk drive. How- ever, as standard hard disk drive capaci- ties break the 100-megabyte barrier, the backup process becomes more and more of a chore. Backup is especially painful if you're using floppy disks; soon you be- gin to feel like a high-tech short-order cook, flipping disks like so many thin black pancakes. A tape backup unit is the obvious answer. No disk flipping, no piles of ill- marked floppy disks. You can start the backup and partake of another cup of coffee, or schedule the backup to start automatically at a predetermined time. TBUs aren't exactly new, but in keeping Coretape Light (left) and the Jumbo 250 up the ante of tape capacity for today 's mega- megabyte hard disk drives. with hard disk trends, the latest genera- tion of QIC-80 (quarter-inch cartridge) TBUs offer higher capacities. I tested two of the new incarnation: the Jumbo 250 from Colorado Memory Systems and Coretape Light from Core International. Both units use varying forms of data compression to pack lots of bits on a tiny tape. As its name implies, the Jumbo 250 fits up to 250 MB of data on a DC-2120 tape; Coretape Light fits up to 300 MB on the same cartridge size. (Without compression, DC-2120 tapes hold a max- imum of 120 MB.) QIC Developer Colorado Memory Systems isn't new to the backup game; nearly a decade ago, it Jumbo 250 Company Colorado Memory Systems, Inc. 800SouthTaftAve. Loveland, CO 80537 (303) 669-8000 Hardware Needed IBM AT, PS/2, or compatible Price $499; controller, $129.95; controller with hardware compression, $299.95; controller with hardware compression for Micro Channel systems, $399.95 Inquiry 1105. Coretape Light Company Core International 7171 North Federal Hwy. Boca Raton, FL 33487 (407) 997-6055 Hardware Needed IBM AT, PS/2, or compatible Price $545 Inquiry 1106. was instrumental in developing the QIC standard that nearly all TBUs use. The Jumbo 250 ($499), like its predecessors, is a well-built unit that stands up to hard daily use. In its basic configuration, it mounts in a half-height drive bay and hooks up to your system's floppy disk drive controller as the second drive. But that limits you to the maximum 500,000- bps data transfer rate of an AT floppy disk (250,000 bps with a PC). An optional $129.95 add-in board boosts the data transfer rate to 1 megabit per second (500,000 bps on a PC). The controller also lets you use a second flop- py disk drive or mount the Jumbo 250 in an external enclosure that you can easily transport from system to system. More interesting is the top-of-the-line "jumperless" board that I tested with the Jumbo 250 (this board isn't available for XTs— only ATs, PS/2s, and compat- ibles). In addition to the high-speed con- troller, it includes hardware data com- pression using the proprietary STAC chip. At $299.95 ($399.95 for the Micro Channel version), it's not exactly a low- cost option, but it's a boon for the truly hurried. Without the add-in board, the Jumbo 250 still offers data compression, albeit in a software version, whose speed is highly dependent on the speed of your system' s processor. The Jumbo 250 is easy to install. I just slid it into a free drive bay, plugged in the 16-bit add-in compression board, connected power to both using an in- cluded Y-adapter, and hooked a cable between them. The automatic software installation is a revelation, especially when you're in- stalling one of the add-in boards. The utility checks your system and sets the jumperless board for interrupt, DMA channels (two are needed with the com- pression board), and I/O base address. It saves lots of hair-tearing, but it's not foolproof, nor did I expect it to be. After I installed the Jumbo 250 and at- tempted to start a backup, the software kept telling me that I didn't have a tape unit installed. I finally figured out that the culprit was my Microsoft Bus Mouse, which was using the same interrupt as the tape board. (Since the mouse wasn't moving, the automatic installation utility didn't "see" it.) I moved a jumper on the mouse board, and everything was fine. Trendy TBU I cringed slightly when I found that Core planted the Coretape Light moniker on its $545 TBU; it sounds just a tad too trendy for me. Coretape Light accommodates a slide-in mount in a free drive bay. Core DECEMBER 1990 -BYTE 235 A "More Filling" Generation of Tape Backup Jumbo 250 With optional controller, hardware compression on With optional controller, hardware compression off Without optional controller, software compression on Without optional controller, software compression off Coretape Light Full software compression No compression BACKUP AND RESTORE TIMES < Better RESTORE Worse ► I i ~r 5 10 15 Time (minutes) 1 1 20 10 20 30 Time (minutes) 40 The compression scheme used by the Jumbo 250 sped up most processes. All tests were run on a 20-MHz 386-based AT clone using a Quantum 1 7 OS SCSI hard disk drive hooked up to a DPT 4-Mbps SmartConnex controller. Logical drive D (containing 31.3 MB of data) was used in all cases. Harvard Graphics And The HP LaserJet III Very Exciting Presentation REVIEW A "More Filling" Generation of Tape Backup also offers an $89 controller (not re- viewed) that lets you run a second floppy disk drive or mount Coretape Light as an external drive. Even with the optional controller, Coretape Light is limited to the slower data transfer speed of the AT floppy disk drive controller. Coretape Light is even more of a snap than the Jumbo 250 to install. You slide it in, plug in power and the second floppy disk drive connector, and install the software. Both the Jumbo 250 and Coretape Light offer extensive software options. There are the usual options for format- ting blank tape (since it takes about an hour, most tapes come preformatted), verifying tape usability, and choosing full or partial backups. Coretape Light's software offers a few more choices, in- cluding an exhaustive test of a blank tape and a "Retension" procedure that re- adjusts the tension of a new cartridge or one that's been in storage for a long time. Both TBUs also have unattended back- up options— TSR programs that will per- form backups at the time you determine. It's a handy option that lets your com- puter (instead of you) work overtime to do the backup. I set my system to back up my new data daily at 2 a.m., with a full backup once a week. Unattended back- ups are a great way to make sure the job gets done (of course, you have to remem- ber to put the tape in the drive). I've always thought that comparing backup operation speeds isn't a valuable exercise since you "set and forget" it while you're away from your computer. A couple of minutes one way or the other really isn't a big deal. But for compari- son, I timed the backup and restore oper- ations of both drives with and without their various options (see the figure). As the results show, the Jumbo 250 with the hardware compression board (and com- pression on) actually speeds up the back- up process. Software compression is much slower, simply because it has to steal cycles from your system's proces- sor. But the Jumbo 250's software com- pression is still quite fast. No matter how you set things up, a re- store operation takes considerably longer than the backup. Coretape Light has a large edge in locating an individual file on a tape, using something called Rapid Random Restore. With the Jumbo 250, I restored a single file from the middle of a backup in 2 minutes, 25 seconds; Core- tape Light restored the same file in only 24 seconds, or about five times faster. QIC Pick Both of the basic drive units are well con- structed, and the slightly higher price of Coretape Light reflects its ability to fit more bits on a tape. It also has a glass- ferrite record/read head that should hold up longer than the conventional head used in the Jumbo 250. For versatility, the Jumbo 250 is a better choice, espe- cially if you have a free slot that you can use to take advantage of the higher throughput and/or hardware compres- sion. In this world of gee-whiz computer technology, TBUs are often-neglected, albeit necessary, peripherals. To me, the ability to pack up to 300 MB on a tape that's smaller than a pack of playing cards is wondrous indeed. It's 2 a.m. Do you know where your data is? ■ Stan Miastkowski is the BYTE senior edi- tor for new products. He can be reached on BIX as "stanm." Harvard Graphics 2.3 from Software Publishing Corporation brings new dimensions to presentation graphics. The Hewlett-Packard LaserJet III printer writes a new chapter in printing history. Put them together and your presentation becomes a major event. Harvard Graphics is packed with easy-to-use new features that will dazzle your audience— like a gallery of pre-designed charts and DrawPartner™ an integrated advanced drawing package. The HP LaserJet III has raised the standard of printing excellence with HP's exclusive Resolution Enhancement technology. Your graphics will look unusually sharp— better than ever before. With Harvard Graphics and the HP LaserJet III, your next presentation is certain to be well attended. And well received. n . . ooxr D . c . n . Circle 286 on Reader Service Card Harvard Graphics 2.3 - cV% El ' AAV CDT^SOFTWARE OXV»PUBLISHING Harvard Graphics and DrawPartner are trademarks of Software Publishing Corporation. HP LaserJet III is a product of Hewlett-Packard. © 1990 Software Publishing Corporation, 190! Landings Drive. Mountain View, CA 94039-7210 New From Northgate 20 MHz Ib^red Up ••• Colormonilorshounavailablc: yes, we're a bit late to the party with SX systems. How come? We just couldn't bring ourselves to market another ho-hum SX. So we put our research and development team on it. Boy, did they rise to the challenge! Now you can get an SX 16 or 20 MHz machine with the power to run Microsoft® Windows™ and other 32-bit software at flashing cache-enhanced speeds. And, they packaged all this power and performance into our exclusive space-saving case— a favorite of Northgate customers! The secret to SlimLine's space-saving design? A fully integrated motherboard designed and manufactured by Northgate! This design reduces bus load — makes the system faster and more reliable! Motherboard features include a built-in VGA adapter (with 256K video RAM), one parallel and two serial ports, fully integrated floppy disk controller and IDE hard drive controller. Motherboard integration also makes it easier to install modems and add-on cards. SlimLine's triple cache boosts performance to zero wait state! You get a built-in 64K memory SRAM cache to accelerate the execution of instructions; PLUS, hard drive caching to accelerate I/O transactions; and disk caching software to speed data to and from the CPU! 238 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 Slimline 386SX 16 Or With64KCache! Plus! Northgate pumps up trial offer. . . now use SlimLine SX for 60-days RISK-FREE! *W Tnbeatable service! Your m I SlimLine 386SX is backed by \^s toll-free technical support, 24 hours-a-day, 7 days-a-week. PLUS, FREE on-site service to most locations for one year if we can't solve your problems over the phone. And if you ever need a replacement part, we'll ship it overnight — at our expense — before you return your part. PC Magazine* says: ". . . Northgate stops at nothing to please its customers " Of course, you also get Northgates full-year warranty on parts; five years on the OmniKey® keyboard. It's no SlimLine 386SX VGA Monochrome System Features: 16or20MHzIntel®80386SX processor 1Mb of 32-bit DRAM (expandable to 8Mb on motherboard — 16Mb using 1 6-bit memory boards) Down-scaled, U.S.-made motherboard 40Mb IDE hard drive; AT bus interface; 1:1 interleave; DisCache: 32K look ahead disk caching; 19ms access 64K SRAM memory cache; read/write-back caching High density 1.2Mb 5.25" and 1.44Mb 3.5" floppy drives; also read/write low density disks Five open expansion slots; three full length 16-bit and two half length 8-bit 16 or 20MHz 80387SX and Weitek coprocessor support One parallel and two serial ports Built-in 16-bit SVGA with up to 1024 x 768 resolution; 256K video memory Clock/calendar chip rated at 5 years 100 watt power supply Small footprint SlimLine case with room for two exposed and one internal half -height devices Front mounted system reset and high/low speed controls Exclusive Northgate OnmiKey keyboard 12" VGA monochrome monitor MS-DOS 4.01 and GW-BASIC software installed On-line User's Guide to the system and MS-DOS 4.01 QA Plus diagnostic and utility software Smartdrive disk caching software 1 year warranty on system parts and labor; 5 years on keyboard FCC Class B Certified Other configurations available, just ask! wonder PC Magazitie reported: "If you're looking for the subjective winner for customer loyalty, Northgate takes first prize."* Now use SlimLine for 60-days — Risk Free! It wont take you 60 days to recognize the excellent quality of SlimLine SX. But we don't want to rush you. Take your time putting SlimLine to the test. If you aren't completely satisfied after 60 days, you can return it. Northgate guarantees your satisfaction. Order Today! 16 MHz System 20 MHz System 1999 2199 00 00 Delivered to your home or office. Call for other configurations and pricing. EASY FINANCING: Easy payment options. Use your Northgate Big 'NT, VISA, MasterCard ... or lease i t . U p t o five-year terms available. GALL TOLL-FREE 24 HOURS EVERY DAY 800-548-1993 New...FAX your OAA ^/YJ 71 00 order toll-free! OUU" OLO'I lOL Notice to the Hearing Impaired: Northgate has TDD capability. Dial 800-535-0602. NORTHGATE COMPUTER SYSTEMS 7075 Flying Cloud Drive, Eden Prairie, MN 55344 /" ' PC Afagazin cScpi. 25, 1990. ©Copyright Northgate Computer Systems, Inc. 1990. All rights reserved. Northgate, OmniKty and the Northgate 'NT logo are registered trademarks of Northgate Computer Systems. 80386 and 80486 are trademarks of Intel. All other products and brand names are trademarks and registered trademarks of their respective companies. Prices and specifications subject to change without notice. Northgate reserves the right to substitute components of equal or greater quality or performance. AD items subject to availability. We support the ethical use of software. To report software copyright violations, call the Snftware Publishers Association's Anti-Piracy Hotline at I-800-388-P1R8. Circle 208 on Reader Service Card DECEMBER 1990 -BYTE 239 Northgate Announces... Slimline 386/33 Plus! A new 60-day no-risk trial! I lirst time ever! Now you r\ can have Northgate Elegance™ JL power, speed and performance in our popular space-saving SlimLine case! Elegance 386 computers shocked the industry with a #1 and #2 sweep of InjoWorlcFs 1989 best product awards; AND three Editors' Choice awards from PC Magazine. Cache! Cache! Cache! Like our powerful Elegance systems, Slimline 386 features 64K SRAM cache to zip through the execution of instructions. For even more speed, we've added a hard drive cache that makes short work of I/O transactions. To top it off, SlimLine 386 comes with Smartdrive DOS disk caching software that anticipates the information you'll need and brings it into the cache for fast access. Better features across the board! SlimLine's motherboard is fully integrated, allowing maximum system features in the smallest possible space. There's room for up to 16Mb of 32-bit RAM, one parallel and two serial ports, a built-in floppy disk controller and IDE hard drive controller. Plus an integrated SVGA video with 5 12 K video RAM to speed bus throughput — makes the system faster and more reliable! And there's plenty more room for add-on peripherals — with SlimLine you get five open expansion slots. 240 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 Cache System! /^limLine 386 comes with V Inters 386DX 33MHz ij processor. For faster math-based applications — budgets, forecasts, spreadsheets and data- bases — it features 80387 coprocessor support for adding floating point unit (FPU) speed enhancements. All purpose system! SlimLine Cache is the perfect network workstation or stand-alone system for business and home use. It also provides excellent support for advanced desktop publishing and graphics applications. the the our SlimLine SVGAColorSystem same great fa***« mono Or select 386 as i 200 Mb hard drive- 15ms access .14' SVGA 1024x768 color monitor FREE Performance Software Package with SVGA color system purchase! Limited time only! Select Northgate's SVGA color system and you'll get Samna® Ami™ Professional word processing and Informix® Wingz™ graphics spreadsheet — FREE! Industry's finest 24-hour toll-free technical support! Your SlimLine 386 Cache is backed by expert technical support any time you need it. Call toll-free, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. PLUS, free on-site next day service to most locations if we cant solve your problems over the phone. More great support! Your new SlimLine 386 Cache also comes SlimLine 386 Mono System Features: • 33M Hz Intel* 80386DXprocessor • 4Mb of 32-bit DRAM (expandable to 16Mb on motherboard) • Down-scaled, U.S.-made motherboard • 40Mb fast access hard drive; AT bus interface; 1:1 interleave; 32K look ahead disk caching • 64K SRAM memory cache; read/ write-backcaching • High density 1.2Mb5.25"and 1.44Mb 3.5"floppydrives; also read/write low- density disks • Fiveopen expansion slots; three full length 16-bitand 2 half length 8-bit • 25or33MHz80387orWeitek coprocessor support • One parallel and two serial ports • Built-in 16-bit SVGA with upto 1024 x 768 resolution; 512K video memory • Clock/ calendar chip rated at 5 years • 100 watt power supply • Small footprint SlimLine case with room fortwoexposed and 1 internal half-height devices • Front mounted reset and high/ low speed controls • Exclusive Northgate Omni Key keyboard • 12" VGA monochrome monitor • Microsoft* Windows^. and mouse • MS-DOS 4.01 and GW-BASIC software installed • On-line User's Guide to the system and MS-DOS 4.01 • QAPlus diagnostic and utility software • Smartdrive caching software • 1 year warranty on system parts and labor; 5 years on keyboard • FCC Class B Certified with a one year warranty on parts and labor; five years on the OmniKey keyboard. And, if a part fails, well ship a replacement to you overnight at our expense — before you return your part! Now use SlimLine for 60 days — Risk Free! Were sure you'll want to keep your SlimLine Cache — so we wont rush you. Put it to the test in your office or home for a full 60 days. If it doesn't live up to everything we say, return it for a full refund — no questions asked. Order Today! Ask About Custom Configurations. oo Monochrome System $2999 SVGA Color System 8 3999 00 Delivered to your home or office EASY FINANCING: Easy payment options. Use your Northgate Big'N', VISA, MasterCard... or lease it. Up to five-year terms available. CALLT0LL-FREE 24 HOURS EVERY DAY 800-54^1993 New! Fax your QAA V)\ 1W) order toll free! OW'OUT I iOL Notice to the Hearing Impaired: Northgate has TDD capability. Dial 800-535-0602. NORTHGATE „ , 7075 Flying Cloud Drive, Eden Prairie, MN 55344 ©Copyright Northman- Computer Systems, Inc. 1990. All rights reserved. Northgate. OmnrAW and the Northgate 'N' logo are registered trademarks of Nortligatc Computer Systems. 8038ft arid K(J4X6 arc trademarks of Intel. Ml other products and hrand names ;ire trademarks and registered trademarks 7100 order toll-free! OUU" OLO'1 10£ Notice to the Hearing Impaired: Northgate has TDD capability. Dial 800-535-0602. 7075 Flying Cloud Drive, Eden Prairie, MN 55344 'PC Mogazinr. October 31. 1989 ©Copyright Northgate Computer Systems. Inc. 1990. All rights reserved. Northgate, OmniKey and the Northgate 'N'logoare registered trademarks of Northg3tc Computer Systems. 80386 and 80486 are trademarks of lmel. All other products and brand namesare trademarks and registered trademarks of their respective companies. Prices 3nd specifications subject to change without notice. Northg3te reserves the right to substitute components ofc<|ual or greater quality or performance. All items subject to availability. We support the ethical use of software. To report software copyright violations, call the Software Publishers Association's Anti-Piracy Hotline at 1-8O0-388-P1R8. Elegance 386 Monochrome System Features: • 25or33MHzIntel @ 80386DX • Desktop case with room for three processor exposed and 2 internal half -height • 4Mb of 32-bit RAM (expandable to 8Mb on motherboard; tocaJ devices; optional seven bay tower case has room for three exposed and four system RAM of 16Mb with optional internal half -height devices 32-bit memory card) • Front mounted reset and high/ low • U.S.-made motherboard speed controls • 40Mb fast access hard drive; 16-bit • Exclusive Northgate OmniKey controller with 1:1 interleave; 32 K keyboard disk read-look-ahead cache buffer • 14" high resolution monochrome • 64K SRAM memory cache; read/ monitor write-back caching • Microsoft®Windo\vs™3.0and • High density 1.2Mb 5.25"and mouse 1.44Mb 3 .5" floppy drives; also read/write low density disks • MS-DOS 4.01 and GW-BASIC • Eight expansion slots; one 32-bit slot; software installed six 16-bit and one 8-bitslot • On-line User's Guide to the system • Weitek math coprocessor support and MS-DOS 4.01 • One parallel and two serial ports • QA Plus Diagnostic and Utility • Hercules compatible video adapter software • Clock/ calendar chip rated at 5 years • 1 year warranty on system parts and labor; 5 years on keyboard • 200 watt power supply (220 watt power supply in tower case • FCC Class B Certified Select our Elegance 386 SVGA Color System! We took our popular Mono System and added even more power-packed features! You get: • Super-fast 200Mb Maxtor hard drive with 15ms access • 14" SVGA 1024 x 768 color monitor • 16-bit SVGA adapter with 512K video memory Circle 210 on Reader Service Card DECEMBER 1990 • B Y T E 243 New Northgate Elegance 486i™ System. "Editors' Choice" said PC Magazine? (Adding: "Northgate stops at nothing to please its customers...97 % would buy again!"**) InjbWorldhbs scored it 9.1-top rating ever! f Incredible power and unmatched performance at a price you'd expect to pay for a 386™! $ 5199 00 Delivered to Your Home or Office TTThether 80286, 386 or 1/1/ 486 technology, Northgate r F consistently brings you top rated systems. Our value and performance is unexcelled when you look at the experts' opinions. Northgate is a company in which you can place your trust — perhaps our most important advantage! In January, 1988, Northgate won its first Editors' Choice for the 286/12 SuperMicro. Northgate leadership prevailed again when PC Magazine benched 386 systems. One couldn't do better. Three Editors' Choice — one for each speed in our Elegance line of 20, 25 and 33MHz systems. Northgate is the only company who can make this claim! PC Magazine then called for 486 ISA systems for review. Result: there was no question about it. "Only one machine stands out," they said, "you could pay less for a 486 system, butnotgetthebonuses that are offered with the Elegance."* Along the way, we added another Editors' Choice of our OmniKef keyboard. There you have it... A record five Editors' Choice Awards in one year's time! About the same time, the tough testers at InfoWorld 'were thoroughly and methodically examining Elegance 486i. They reported you could buy the next highest ranked system (scoring 8.2 vs. our 9.1) but you'd also pay three times as muchlt InfoWorld s editors concluded that Northgate's 486i "leads the pack by a comfortable margin. It offers impressive performance, exceptional expandability and it is tops in support and value."! InfoWorld showed Elegance 486i leading the pack again as a network file server and stand-alone system as well. And, as if we had planned it, PC Magazine came along with its Service and Reliability issue in which Northgate's dedication to customer support was well evidenced. "As we learned more about its service policies, it became clear that Northgate stops at nothing to please its customers." No wonder "Northgate was the hands-down winner when it came to customer loyalty."** That's the story. Designed and built to perform. Proven by the industry's most demanding testing. Fairly priced. And backed by people with a passion to serve you with a support policy that inspired one magazine columnist to say: "What WordPerfect is to software support, Northgate is to hardware and there are even a few things that WordPerfect could learn from the folks in Minneapolis. Northgate is fast becoming the Nordstrom of the computer world."tt 244 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 NOW! Northgate leads the pack again with a new 60-day no-risk trial! r M The secret to Northgates m state-of-the-art power! The X 486 processor combines the capabilities of an enhanced 386, an advanced internal cache controller and 8K of supporting static cache memory. The chip also incorporates an enhanced 387 FPU (Floating Point Unit). You get increased performance for the most demanding math-based applications. Northgate caching enhancements give you greater speed! We've added a 64K read write-back SRAM cache (Northgate exclusive 256K system available) to further accelerate the execution of instructions. I/O transactions are faster than ever thanks to a 32K hard drive cache controller. Finally, we armed Elegance 486/25 with Smartdrive DOS disk caching software. Result? Processing speed you must see to believe! Elegance 486i ISA is the perfect high performance graphics/software workstation or network server. Its multi-stage caching is an excellent match for tough number-crunching operations. Look at everything you get! Elegance 486i comes complete with the spectacular 100Mb super-fast hard drive! This hard drive operates so quietly only the flashing red light tells you its running. PLUS, you get 4Mb of RAM, 1.2Mb 5.25" and 1.44Mb 3.5" floppies, desktop case, 14" SVGA color monitor with 1024 x 768 resolution, 16-bit SVGA video adapter with 512 K memory and exclusive Omm Key® Elegance 486i SVGA Color System Features ♦ 25MHz Intel® 80486 processor ♦ Clock/calendar chip rated at 5 years ♦ 4Mb of 32-bit RAM (expandable ♦ 200 watt power supply (220 watt power to 8Mb on motherboard; total system supply in tower case) RAM of 16Mb with optional 32-bit memory card) ♦ Desktop case with room for 3 exposed and 2 internal half-height devices ♦ U.S.-made motherboard ♦ 100Mb IDE hard drive; 16-bit controller ♦ Front mounted reset and high/low speed controls with 1:1 interleave; 32K disk read-look- ahead cache buffer ♦ Exclusive Northgate OmtiiKey ♦ 64K SRAM memory cache; keyboard read/write-back caching ♦ MS-DOS 4.01 and GW-BASIC software ♦ High density 1.2Mb 5.25" and 1.44Mb installed 3.5" floppy drives; also read/write low ♦ On-line User's Guide to the system and density disks MS-DOS 4.01 ♦ Eight expansion slots; one 32-bit slot; six 16-bit and one 8-bit slot ♦ QA Plus Diagnostic and Utility software ♦ Microsoft Windows 3.0 and mouse ♦ Weitek math coprocessor support ♦ One parallel and two serial ports ♦ 1 year warranty on system parts and ♦ 14" SVGA color monitor with 1024 x labor; 5 years on keyboard 768 resolution ♦ Unlimited 24-hour toll-free technical ♦ 16-bit SVGA adapter with 512 K video support memory ♦ FCC Class B Certified Select the options you need ... let Northgate custom build them into your system today! ♦ Hard drives up to 1.2 gigabytes ♦ Laser quality and dot matrix ♦ Tape back up devices printers ♦ Floppy, CD ROM and optical drives ♦ SVGA color monitors and cards ♦ Modems ♦ Weitek coprocessors keyboard. We've even included Microsoft® Windows™ 3.0 and a mouse! FREE Performance Software Package with SVGA color system purchase! Limited time only! Select Northgates SVGA color system and youll get Samna® Ami™ Professional word processing and Informix® Wingz™ graphics spreadsheet — FREE! Support power! Elegance 486i ISA is backed by expert toll-free technical support 24 hours a day, seven days a week. PLUS, free on-site next day service to most locations if we can't solve your problems over the phone AND a 1 year parts and labor warranty; 5 years on OmtiiKey® keyboard. Northgate doubles no-risk trial offer! We re so sure you'll love Elegance 486 i, well let you use it RISK FREE for 60 days! If it fails to meet your expectations, return it for a full refund. No questions asked! ORDER TODAY! ASK ABOUT CUSTOM CONFIGURATIONS. Complete SVGA Color System ONLY Ul/7 KASY FINANCING: Easy payment options. Use your Northgate Big TnT, VISA, MasterCard ... or lease it. Up to five-year terms available. CALL TOLL-FREE 24 HOURS EVERY DAY 800-548-1993 New! Fax your OAA TM lift) order toll free! OUU'OlO"/ IOL Notice to the Hearing Impaired: Northgate has 11)13 capability. Dial 800-535-0602. /" ©Copyright Northgate Computer Systems. Inc. 19**0. Alt rights reserved. Northfi;itc, §mm'firy and the North&itc"N' logo arc registered trademarks of Norihgiuc Computer S trademarks and registered trademarks of their respective companies. Prices ami specifications subject to change without notice. Noi titrate reserves the right t* substitute (.' support the ethical use of software, lo report software copyright violations, call the Software Publishers Association's Ami-]'irm:y I luiline at 1-800- 388-HR8. ' HI Maptzint, September II. 1990 " VC Magazine. September 25. 1990 t/nfiMrM, July 30. 1990 \\Cmn(mta Cmnts, Aiirusi, W)0 NORTHGATE COMPUTER f„ SYSTEMS 7075 Flying Cloud Drive, Eden Prairie, MN 55344 is. «0.>8o and 80186 are trademarks of Intel. Allother products and brand names are mews of equal or greater quality or performance. All items subject to availability. We Circle 211 on Reader Service Card DECEMBER 1990 -BYTE 245 REVIEWER'S NOTEBOOK Reviewer's Notebook provides new information— including version updates, new test data, long-term usage reports, and reader feedback— on products previously reviewed in BYTE. A Colorful Luggable Although the DolchC-P.A.C. 486-25 can produce only eight colors, the screen is bright and clear, and the colors are adequate for many CAD applications. High-powered portables are nothing new; luggable 386s have been around almost as long as their desktop-bound cousins. But while desk- top 386 and 486 systems have supported high-end color graphics from the start, Dolch C-P.A.C. 486-25 Company Dolch Computer Systems 2029 OToole Ave. San Jose, CA 95131 (408) 435-8260 Components (as tested) Processor: 25-MHz i486 CPU Memory: 8 MB of RAM Mass storage: 200-MB Intelligent Drive Electronics hard disk drive; 3 1 /2-inch 1 .44-MB floppy disk drive Display: TFT color Keyboard: 84-key IBM AT-style with 12 function keys I/O interfaces: One serial port; one parallel port Price Monochrome system: $12,995 TFT color screen option: $3995 Inquiry 1075. portables have generally been limited to low-contrast, 1-bit LCDs or gas-plasma displays. Dolch' s new C-P.A.C. color portable brings color to the high-end portable, and it does it brilliantly. I looked at the color display option on a P. A. C. 486-25 (see "World's Fastest Lunchbox," May BYTE). Unfortunately, the price of the display is too high to make this— or any machine that uses the current generation of color LCDs— much more than a nov- elty. A Hitachi thin-film transistor LCD array forms the foundation for the Dolch display. The backlit TFT, or active-ma- trix, display, generates a bright, uni- formly high-contrast image at VGA reso- lutions. Each pixel is made up of three LCD elements that are sandwiched between two polarizing filters. Each element in the pixel group looks out through a dif- ferent color filter— one red, one blue, and one green. A fluorescent backlight shines white light through the pixel groups. When in the off state, the LCD ele- ments twist light that is polarized by the rear filter so that the light cannot pass through the forward filter. When you ap- ply a current to the LCD elements, they straighten out, and the light can pass through unimpeded. By turning differ- ent combinations of the red, green, and blue elements on and off, you can get eight colors. Active-matrix technology uses a tran- sistor for each element to switch current on and off and to maintain current while the LCD controller is addressing other elements. The result is a high-contrast, high-speed display: Dolch claims that the screen updates in 40 milliseconds, compared to 300 ms for passive-matrix designs. Although the C-P.A.C. provides only eight colors, it supports all the VGA modes except mode 19, which is 320 by 200 pixels by 256 colors. The 16-color modes simply lose eight colors. The video circuitry "thresholds"— in other words, it decides whether, for example, the shade of green that the software wants to display is closer to bright green or to black, and then outputs the appro- priate color. This leads to weird effects in Win- dows, which uses a lot of grays in the de- fault palette. The C-P.A.C. sees most of Windows' grays as white, so grayed-out menu choices and icons can disappear into the background. Dolch is working on a driver that will limit Windows to the eight available colors. Meanwhile, the company sug- gests that current users simply modify the default palette. However, the Dolch C-P.A.C. will probably find its biggest market among CAD users, and for this application there should be no problems. AutoCAD ran fine, and the display is easily fast enough to display pointer movements without blurring. In addition, since most CAD drawings use only a few bold colors, the eight-color limitation is not a major drawback. At just under $4000, the portable color display is definitely only for applications for which color is essential. However, if LCD production yields improve, as many are predicting, the era of the personal, portable color computer may not be so very far off. The Dolch C-P.A.C. pro- vides a glimpse of a bright future for portables. —Steve Apiki 246 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 Order ¥>ur Northgate Computer Today, Make No Payments For 90 days! Just say "charge it" toyourBigN credit card! Get your new Northgate without spending a penny this year! Simply fill in the Big 'NT information form and send it to Northgate. You'll get prompt attention! Once you're approved, call our systems consultants, toll-free, to select the Northgate configuration that perfectly matches your needs! You'll free your other credit cards! Big 'N' lets you easily increase your credit power. Best of all, you'll make no payments for your new computer for 90 days after shipment! But, don't delay, computers must be ordered by December 31, 1990 to qualify for deferred billing! Northgate leases systems too! Choose from flexible terms up to five years in length. It's never been easier to get Northgate computer systems than it is now! Call Northgate Now! 800-548-1993 HOURS: Monday- Friday 7 a.m. - 8 p.m. GST JBK if NORTHGATE /» ^S^rt©£- COMPUTER '^Amf*' ft \0r SYSTEMS IW^ f 7075 Flying Cloud Drive, Eden Prairie, MN 55344 OPEN YOUR CREDIT CARD ACCOUNT BY FILLING OUT THE APPLICATION BELOW. Please complete all appropriate sections, providing at least two years residence and employment history. If you are self-employed, please be sure to complete section d. THIS IS NOT A CREDIT AGREEMENT! One will be sent to you upon authorization of an account. (This Form Must Be Signed To Process Your Order.) All Financed Purchases Are Subject To Credit Approval. If You Have Any Credit Questions, Please Call For Assistance. Thank You! A married person may apply for individual credit. I am applying for (check one box, please): □ JOINT CREDIT with another person. Complete entire application. □ INDIVIDUAL CREDIT complete only individual section. □ INDIVIDUAL CREDIT but rely on income of another. 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THE OHIO CIVIL RIGHTS COMMISSION ADMINISTERS COMPLIANCE WITH THIS LAW. APPLICANT'S SIGNATURE. _DATE _ JOINT APPLICANT'S SIGNATURE . _DATE_ FOR MARRIED WISCONSIN APPLICANTS: I acknowledge that the obligation described herein is being incurred in the interest of my marriage or family. BUYER'S SIGNATURE _0ATE_ * You must request deferred billing when ordering. Payments will be deferred for three billing cycles after shipment. Interest will accrue during the deferred period at a rate of 1.5% per month (18% APR). This is not an application. A completed application unci agreement must be on file prior to approval for credit. REVIEWER'S NOTEBOOK dBASE IV 1 .1 : Ashton-Tate Answers the Critics KyperHisk (TH) 8B3B6 Connand Processor Iters Ion 4. 88, 5/U/98 by KyperUare, 14468 Sycanore flue., San Martin, Cft 95846. (488) 603-4911 Copyright (C) 1987-38 by Roger Cross, fishton-Tate, dBASE IU License 8B3B6 Extended Hemru Uersion 4.88, 5/11/98 — 81 ready Installed! 17712 Bytes of Conventional Henory used (Kon-Re leasable). Cache Menory Size : 137 Caching Function : OK Buffers in Cache : 21 Floppy Caching i OFF Sectors/Buffer : 13 Disk Write Verify s OFF Idle Tine Belay : 8 Stage Hard Write : OH Media Check Tine s 3 Stage Floppy Write ; OFF Cache Read Kit : 29k 49 Alfred Hypothesized 1 Background Update Tine : Inactive Advanced Update : H4F Bisk 58 Miriam Socketed Hard Sectors/Track ; 8:26 | Floppy Sectors/h 1 1 _J wiand fCAdbasellNDBZ jj^c EOf/SB ||nie| j ___^__M It should have been a minor update, one of those software releases sent out to registered users without much fan- fare. But given Ashton-Tate' s problems with the initial release of its bread-and- butter product, I awaited dBASE I V 1 . 1 with anticipation and skepticism. Would the new release fix the problems, and dBASE IV 1.1 Company Ashton-Tate 20101 Hamilton Ave. Torrance, CA 90509 (213)329-8000 Hardware Needed IBM PC, XT, AT, PS/2, or compatible with 640K bytes of memory (450K bytes available) and 4 MB of disk space Software Needed MS-DOS 2.10 or higher Price dBASE IV 1.1: $795 Developer's Edition: $1295 LAN Pack: $995 (Free to registered owners of dBASE IV 1.0) Inquiry 1077. dBASE IV Li's newDBCACHE dramatically improves the disk performance of dBASE applications. would it allow Ashton-Tate to rebound from its current slide? Certainly, dBASE IV 1 . 1 boasts some important improvements. The biggest of these is the revamped memory system. dBASE IV 1 .0 ate up so much RAM that it often required extra hardware to run over a network. In some situations, each of the workstations running dBASE re- quired an additional memory card. Ver- sion 1.1 has slimmed down, requiring a maximum of 450K bytes at run time (ver- sus 516K bytes for version 1.0). Ashton- Tate claims that the new dynamic Mem- ory Management System (dMMS) can swap program code overlays more effi- ciently. dBASE I V 1 . 1 also includes a DOS en- vironment variable (DBHEAP) that al- lows you to specify the amount of mem- ory allocated for application space. For large applications, you can set DBHEAP to a higher value, freeing up additional memory for the application. For basic dBASE Control Center operations and for programs with extensive menus or windows, a lower DBHEAP value deliv- ers additional memory for overlay swap- ping. The new swapping scheme should translate into improved performance. I ran BYTE's dBASE benchmark suite under both versions of dBASE. Version 1.1 negotiated the delete/pack bench- mark and the sort benchmark signifi- cantly faster than version 1.0 did. The increased speed should be even more no- ticeable with large, menu-intensive ap- plications. When I enabled DBCACHE, the new disk cache bundled with each copy of version 1.1, performance improved dra- matically. Version 1 . 1 with DBCACHE halved the indexing time and the delete/ pack time, and the sort benchmark ran almost four times faster than under ver- sion 1.0. Ashton-Tate has also made some en- hancements to the dBASE language. The most significant of these is the SET DB- TRAP command. When you have DB- TRAP turned on, it prevents critical er- rors from occurring when a routine is interrupted. For instance, it will not allow you to start a second Edit session from within a current Edit session. The SET DBTRAP command can en- hance the utility of user-defined func- tions. The UDF or other interrupt rou- tine can change the dBASE environment, thus confusing the original interrupted program; DBTRAP can resolve such conflicts. And with DBTRAP off, ad- vanced programmers have virtually un- limited control over UDFs. The INDEX command now supports a FOR clause. The FOR clause limits the index to records meeting certain criteria. Searches are faster, and less disk space is consumed, because the index tracks only those records meeting the defined crite- ria. And you can now create or modify an index directly from a Browse or Edit screen. It looks like Ashton-Tate has resolved some of dBASE 1 .0's most glaring faults. The decreased RAM demand enhances network support and improves perfor- mance. More efficient overlay swapping translates into snappier operation, espe- cially with larger applications. And Ash- ton-Tate has apparently fixed the bug that caused incorrect results from certain Structured Query Language queries. It looks like a strong product— but will it rebuild Ashton-Tate's reputation as the premier manufacturer of PC databases? Only time and an extensive user commu- nity can tell. ■ —StanDiehl 248 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 ' : ;;r- iggg Name This certificate entitles you to BYTE at a savings of over 40% off the cover price. You'll also receive the annual IBM PC Special Issue as part of your subscription. I I Yrjb! Please send me 1 year (12 issues) for $24.95. (I'll save over 40% off the newsstand cost!) □ Payment enclosed □ Bill me No-Risk Guarantee: If dissatisfied, cancel anytime for a full 100% refund. Your subscription will start in 6-8 weeks. Watch for it! Company Address BVTE City/State/Zip BUSINESS REPLY MAIL FIRST CLASS MAIL PERMIT NO. 42 HIGHTSTOWN, NJ POSTAGE WILL BE PAID BY ADDRESSEE: BVTE Subscription Department P.O. Box 558 Hightstown, N.J. 08520-9409 NO POSTAGE NECESSARY IF MAILED IN THE UNITED STATES I... I. . I.. I, l.ul. III.,. I, I.., I. .III.. .1.1. ...II. I & ft % 386SX under the hood. Light weight under your arm. In the computer world, power and speed translate into weight and bulk. That means if you're a person on the go, you'd have to play part-time weight lifter, or be willing to sacrifice megahertz and megabytes. But now those days are over. Because now there' s the Altima NSX notebook computer. It's light. It's sleek. And, oh my, is it powerful. The 80386SX, 32-bit microprocessor runs at 16 MHz. Plus there are two megabytes of RAM that can expand all the way up to eight. The Altima NSX also has a built-in 1.44 megabyte floppy and a 20 megabyte hard drive. What's more, all of this is packed into a handsome 9 lb. package that can easily fit inside most briefcases. So now you don't have to carry your attache in one hand, a portable computer in the other, and your airline tickets between your teeth. But the exciting part is when you begin working. You'll appreciate the exceptional resolution of the paper white LCD display. You'll admire the VGA screen with its 32-level gray scaling. And you'll be pleased knowing that the 2400 baud modem didn't cost you a penny extra. If all this isn't enough, how about being able to send a FAX? That's right-a FAX. Altima NSX features a send FAX mode capability that'll let any party with a FAX machine receive an actual paper document. It's obvious that Altima has thought of everything. But what's nicest of all is they thought of you when putting on the price tag. Altima Systems, Inc., 1390 Willow Pass RdL, Suite 1050, Concord, CA 94520 800/356-9990 altima Circle 22 on Reader Service Card COVER STORY STATE OF THE ART Advanced Graphics 253 Graphics Go 3-D by Steve Upstill 263 Ray Tracing for Realism by AndrewS. Glassner 21S Color WYSIWYG Comes of Age by Frank Vaughn 281 True Color for Windows by Adam Bellin and Pier Del Frate 289 Putting the Squeeze on Graphics by Nick Baran 297 HDTV Sparks a Digital Revolution by Andrew lippman 307 Graphics Engines Time was, the words computer graphics implied line graphs and bar charts. Now, graphics and photography seem to have merged— at least, that's what you'd think looking at the results. Today, advanced computer graphics can create and manip- ulate color images in three dimensions with photographic precision and photo- realism. When you want graphics to convey three dimensions instead of two, there's a lot more involved than just adding a coordinate. The world of three-dimen- sional images brings with it the added ex- pectation of realism: The images need to resemble real-world objects. In "Graph- ics Go 3-D," Steve Upstill discusses the challenges involved in creating photo- realistic 3-D images. One such challenge is ray tracing. Dif- ferent companies have different methods for handling the effects of light on a scene: shading, light reflection, and col- or modification. But for a scene or an ob- ject to approach the appearance of real- ism, you must deal, in one way or another, with ray tracing. In "Ray Trac- ing for Realism," Andrew S. Glassner discusses the concepts and techniques necessary to imitate the effects of vari- ous types of light rays on color in a 3-D image. Color in advanced graphics is another area where significant progress is being made. Putting great colors and a great many colors on the screen has been viable for some time now. In fact, some compa- nies offer more colors than I can even imagine trying to choose from. The chances of being able to match a specific color on the screen are extremely high. But what happens when you print it out? In "Color WYSIWYG Comes of Age," Frank Vaughn shows how to calibrate your display device so that the colors you see on your screen are exactly the same as the colors you get on your printer. All this wonderful color talk may seem like a moot point if you use a PC- compatible machine. Workstation-qual- ity graphics have moved to the Macin- tosh, but until recently, they hadn't made the trek into DOS land. Well, times have changed. Windows 3.0 provides the ca- pability for 24-bit graphics to migrate to PCs. In "True Color for Windows," Adam Bellin and Pier Del Frate show how you can obtain high-quality images in true color on a DOS machine. And what do you need when you have workstation-quality color graphics? You need tons of storage to hold an image- all that color and high resolution to boot can take literally megabytes for a single image— or some form of image compres- sion. In "Putting the Squeeze on Graph- ics," Nick Baran investigates the new compression standards that are taking hold for full-color graphics and full-mo- tion video. Where do graphics go from here? Pre- dictions are hinting loudly at TV, and the bridge between computers and TV is under construction. Have you noticed the number of new TVs touting digital capa- bilities? And only high-definition TV will meet the needs of high-end com- puter graphics. In "HDTV Sparks a Dig- ital Revolution," Andrew Lippman de- scribes HDTV and its impact on computer graphics and on the future. From bar charts to wire-frame models to photo-realism, from low-resolution monochrome monitors to high-resolution color monitors to HDTV— when you're speaking of the graphics world, one line says it all: You've come a long way, baby. —Jane Morrill Tazelaar Senior Editor, State of the Art 250 BYTE* DECEMBER 1990 ILLUSTRATION: SANDRA FILIPPUCCI © 1990 DECEMBER 1990 -BYTE 251 ; Our; new VGA card ; Kas lii-res color; iii&de in thevshade . Thanks to its refresh rat^^f 70liz and - • higher, it helps reduce eyestrain. Yoxi- get the brightest, sharpest, : : " most stablei images imag- inable. So you aren't left * starry-eyed. ," • You get up to 1024 x 768 resolution in 16 .^ ^ colors, both interlaced and non-interlaced, plus other 256-color modes. All made possible by our proprietary ASIC chip technology. Genoa s SuperVGA ; card works with just about everything,: With: kiialpg feoni^6rs/;Wi£hPS/2® and . PG®yOT®/^®compiiters:- '. ;■ With most popular : ; software packages. And ; with all standard operating systems. ; .. To check our specs, call (408) 432-9090 today:/ Or write Geiioa, . 75..E. Trimble; Road; . ; ;\v £ San. Jose, CA 95131, FAX' ; (408) 434-0997,. • London 44-923-33737; Taiwan 8$6-02-776-3933. ■''■%■■■ . > , ^ . - , • \ : .. ' ' - v'-. - . • : •' •■- ;. ■ ' ■',. "• • ' . •.'■■-■■•■'■ ■..■'■■ ', ■ : .-* ■■ *** ; *• ; ''.'■ ; Insist on ■' ,,,,,; GenoanValiia • I Genoa Circle 121 on Reader Service Card STATE OF THE ART ADVANCED GRAPHICS COVER STORY Graphics Go 3-D Photo-realism demands that 3-D figures look exactly like real-world objects; that's the challenge Steve Upstill What's the big deal? 3-D isn't new. Maybe not, but three- dimensional computer-gener- ated photo-realism is. And the tools and techniques to bring this realism to the mi- crocomputer on your desk definitely are. Going to three dimensions isn't just a matter of incre- menting the dimension count by 1 . There are fundamental expectations that 3-D graph- ics must fulfill, because the world that we live in is a 3-D world. For 3-D images to ap- pear real, you must deal with all sorts of challenges that are entirely different from those faced in two dimensions. The Challenges of 3-D Inthemost formal terms, 3-D graphics programs manipu- late and create images of enti- ties that are described geometrically, as coordinates in 3-D space. This process becomes more difficult because the 3-D images must be represented on a two- dimensional surface. Any number of programs can put 2-D circles, squares, lines, curves, patterns, and other entities on a 2-D screen or page. In some sense, a 2-D graphic is com- plete by itself. You don't expect a busi- ILLUSTRATION: SANDRA FILIPPUCCI© 1990 ness bar chart to resemble anything you would see on the street in real life. A rich graphical language for entities in the 2-D world exists (type is one), most business people know how to interpret them, and you don't expect them to be more than they are. On the other hand, 3-D figures only make sense to the extent that they resemble actual things in the real world. The corollary to this forms the second difference between two and three dimensions: The expec- tation of realism means that the surfaces of 3-D entities need correct optical proper- ties to be properly interpret- ed. In addition, the problem of creating shapes in three di- mensions is much more diffi- cult than that of creating 2-D shapes in two dimensions (see photo 1). While normally you don't need to represent the interiors of 3-D figures, describing the undulations of the surface it- self is by definition much harder than creating curves and regions in two dimen- sions. You're not just putting a curve into a higher dimen- sion, you're also squaring the amount of information in- volved. Furthermore, in three di- mensions, topology becomes a problem. While curves on a page can be connected arbitrarily, the connection of surfaces without erroneous discontinuities in three dimensions is at best difficult. Finally, working in three dimensions is tougher than working in two dimen- sions because you face the problem of manipulating a 3-D world on a 2-D sur- face. This is more than 50 percent more difficult than manipulating a 2-D entity DECEMBER 1990 'BYTE 253 STATE OF THE ART GRAPHICS GO 3-D Photo 1: A series of steps involved in modeling and rendering a photo-realistic 3-D image: (a) The wire- frame stage; (b) the polygon-fitting stage; (c) the polygon-smoothing result; (d) (e) (d), (e), and (f) show increasing realism due to advanced shading techniques. All these images were created with Pixar's PhotoRealistic RenderMan software and designed by Thomas Williams and H. B. Siegel. (Used by permission from Pixar.) (f) 254 BYTE • DECEMBER 1990 STATE OF THE ART GRAPHICS GO 3-D on its home 2-D surface. I am enumerating these problems to suggest why 3-D graphics have lingered so long in the background, seemingly poised to move in but never quite able to. The problems are very difficult, and until they are solved (whether or not they are recognized explicitly), the technol- ogy will languish regardless of how much hardware support it gets. Creating 3-D Graphics Currently, 3-D computer graphics use a mathematical description of objects in space to create an image suitable for viewing on a CRT or in a photograph. (Perhaps someday, interactive hologra- phy will allow these surfaces to be viewed more directly, but for now, the problem of converting 3-D graphics to 2-D graphics must be handled.) In the case of 2-D WYSIWYG, graphical ma- nipulation is the same as image creation, but in three dimensions, objects and their images require a two-step process: • Modeling: Creating objects, moving them around to arrange a scene, defining camera and lights, and determining how each object will look (see photo 1 a) . • Rendering: Making a realistic image out of the resulting geometric description by applying surface characteristics (see photos lb through If). The Difficulties of Modeling There are many reasons why 3-D model- ing is more difficult than the 2-D analog, but two stand out. Fundamentally, if you're trying to design a 3-D object, you must do it in a fashion similar to a worker who handles highly radioactive material by looking through a window and ma- nipulating a robotic arm. The 3-D de- signer actually has a harder task, how- ever. • The uranium handler looks through a window but has the benefit of depth per- ception and perspective— both eyes work together to provide a sense of depth, and the person's head can be easily moved to provide a different view. • The uranium handler can see the ob- ject itself, not a wire-frame approxima- tion of it; the 3-D graphics modeler must manipulate through a mouse (at best). • The uranium handler isn't trying to build anything, only to move things around. The most complex task to be faced is opening a container. Several developments have made it easier to approach interactive modeling. The increasing speed of general-purpose processors has made it easier to provide appropriate interactivity. When you can make mistakes much faster, you can cor- rect them much faster, too. Just a few years ago, many reasonably priced 3-D displays required a bright yellow flash to reinitialize the screen before redraw. Still, the compute-intensive nature of even sketching a scene with line seg- ments (projecting a constantly changing set of points from a 3-D scene into a 2-D screen space) means that you must inter- act with only the crudest representation of your work. It is now the primary re- w, hen you can make mistakes much faster, you can correct them much faster, too. sponsibility of software and interactive systems design to improve the state of the art. For example, Symbolics has merged 3-D and 2-D graphics into a single uni- fied graphics system, the XL 1 200. It sounds like a slogan from Orwell's 1984— Weakness is Power— but a tool can often be made more usable by mak- ing it less general. In that sense, the gen- erality of 3-D work is a limitation. The trick is to find the right places to bound the problem. Paring Down the Problem Many modern modelers work on a subset of the full 3-D problem. Frequently, the first functions you encounter in a model- er are lathing and extrusion. Lathing takes a 2-D curve and rotates it about an axis to create a surface of revolution. Ex- trusion takes a 2-D shape and moves it along a path (sometimes simply a straight line) to sweep out a surface. These capa- bilities make good boxes, walls, and goblets, but creating convincing trees, telephones, and dinnerware is somewhat more complicated. Another simplifying approach con- cerns the basic task of moving objects around. It can be frustrating and tiring to rotate objects into a particular orienta- tion using a mouse, or to set an object onto a surface. It can help to realize that, flying logos aside, most people live in a geocentric world. That is, horizontal and vertical are very important directions, and a lot of surfaces are flat: floors and tables, for example. A modeling system with a geocentric bias will be seen as useful, not restrictive. Therefore, setting the default so that an object, when "born" into the world, is oriented vertically and placed on some default reference plane will make life a lot easier. Perhaps you have to slide it around on the surface of the reference plane or turn it about its vertical axis, but these tasks are relatively simple. Many 3-D systems let you place ob- jects and the camera anywhere in space, yet the viewing volume of the screen (the portion of space over which objects are visible) is only a small portion of that larger space. In trying to navigate under these conditions, it is easy to get lost, winding up with a blank screen as the camera points off into space in what has been called the "black-hole effect." In this situation, simple commands can help tremendously to reorient you, even if they don't provide the ultimate place- ment of the camera. For instance, a "turn to" command might cause the camera to rotate in the direction of a particular object, the scene as a whole, or the reference plane. If the current viewing direction is more impor- tant than the camera's location, a similar command can move the camera without changing its orientation. The command moves the camera so that the viewing volume comes to include the appropriate objects and they become visible. Another navigational aid is possible if the camera is defined in terms of both its location and a "look-at" point that deter- mines the direction of the view from any location. If the look-at point changes, the camera turns. If the location changes, both the camera's viewpoint and its di- rection change (unless the movement is directly toward or away from its look-at point). Locking the look-at point at an object's center lets the camera orbit about the object without losing sight of it. Perhaps the most dramatic and simpli- fying realization is that designing 3-D models from scratch is inherently diffi- cult and much harder than designing in two dimensions. No matter how power- ful a 3-D modeler is, it is likely to re- quire significant effort both to learn how to use it and, once mastered, to maintain fluency with it. This is really the final problem for perhaps 90 percent of every- day users, who would use 3-D graphics if they could use them easily. The most radical step, therefore, is to make it possible to create 3-D pictures DECEMBER 1990 -BYTE 255 STATE OF THE ART GRAPHICS GO 3-D without becoming modelers. After all, you don't build every object you use in the real world. Why should you have to when creating 3-D pictures? The bottom line is that a key element in the success of 3-D graphics is the availability of 3-D libraries analogous to 2-D clip art. While there are compara- tively few such packages today (NEC, Abvent, and Paracomp have them), this should be a growth industry in the near future. Similarly, 3-D systems that make it easy to manipulate preexisting geome- try (as opposed to creating it wholesale) will find a very friendly reception. The Difficulties of Rendering Once a series of shapes has been ar- ranged into a scene, the picture-creation problem is only half over: The rest of the process requires rendering. Rendering starts at the end of the modeling process, with a description of how objects are ar- ranged in the scene, the materials they are supposedly made of, the lights that fall on them, and the placement of the camera. Rendering ends with a finished image, a 2-D array of pixels. Part of the rendering process is well defined, pertaining to the way light moves around the world: It begins at a light source and reflects from or is re- fracted by one or more surfaces, and some of it eventually winds up entering the camera lens to be recorded on film. Simulating this process is complex and computationally intense, but straightfor- ward (for a more detailed description, see "Ray Tracing for Realism" on page 263). Correctly executed, this process determines what the camera should be seeing for a given geometric configura- tion, what objects obstruct what other objects, where shadows are cast, how brightly lit objects are, and so on. There is no shortage of synthetic im- ages that meet this criterion of success. Photo lc, with its smooth-shaded ob- jects, shows a simple example. While it looks "correct" in some sense, it suffers from a certain blandness, or lack of in- teresting information. The objects are sharply defined, but their surfaces look like plastic. The most interesting part of the ren- dering process is shading, which con- cerns how each object looks in itself. It is not that synthetic images are "too per- fect," it's just that they don't come close to displaying the variety that you see in the real world. The shapes are accurate enough, but the objects don't look like they're supposed to. Very few objects in the real world have a perfectly smooth surface in a single, uniform color. 256 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 Surface Variety There are two kinds of variety required to improve this situation. First, there must be enormous flexibility in the range of looks available for objects. Most peo- ple can spot many distinct surface ap- pearances from any particular vantage point. Thus, it's hard to make a convinc- ing synthetic scene without a similar amount of flexibility. The more important kind of variety, though, occurs across a particular sur- face. Any given surface probably has variations not only in color (wood grain F. ew objects in the real world have a perfectly smooth surface in a single , uniform color. is a common example) but in undulations that violate its smoothness. (The best word for this is texture, but bumpiness also applies.) "Smooth as glass" refers to the rare surface without this texture. Examples of materials with color vari- ation include wood, stone, fabric, fur, leather, and any kind of printed matter. The skin of an orange and stippled plastic are good examples of interesting textures due only to random variations in the sur- face. Two phenomena, texture mapping and bump mapping, underlie the two common techniques for improving the realism of images. In addition to color and bumpiness, however, there is a finer level of detail that escapes either technique. Contrast the appearance of real wood with that of a cheap plastic pseudowood laminate. The latter is nothing more than a photo- graph of wood layered over particleboard or some other wood substitute: in other words, a texture map. Most people can tell the difference be- tween a texture map and the real thing. Even if a bump map were added to repli- cate the fine structure of a wood surface in a synthetic image, it still wouldn't look quite right. There are several reasons for this, and they generalize to most surfaces "replicated" with texture maps and bump maps. First, there are the problems of putting a 2-D graphic (the map) onto a 3-D shape. All laminated surfaces are pla- nar, are singly curved (not compound), or consist of several joined planar sur- faces. Any other methods would require stretching the laminate, if it were possi- ble, in a way that distorted the grain. But this is almost a modeling problem. Even if a texture can be properly pro- jected onto a surface, it still does not "look" quite right. Two more problems lie at the heart of texture and bump map- ping. There is an interesting property of wood that a texture map cannot capture. Wood in the tree consists of alternating concentric rings of sapwood and heart- wood. These materials differ not only in color (which is addressed by a texture map) and response to tooling (given by the bump map), but in their absorption of finish. Heartwood absorbs much less finish than sapwood. Consequently, the shininess of wood changes right along with its color and texture, and the Tender- er must calculate this mathematically. The final issue with direct bump and texture mapping concerns bumpiness at the microscopic level. In reality, virtu- ally every "smooth" surface is unrecog- nizably complex when viewed through a microscope. This fine structure affects the appearance of the surface subtly. For instance, most people can distinguish dozens of different kinds of paper prod- ucts at arm's length even if the paper color is the same. The fine structure of a material deter- mines the way that material responds to light almost as much as its color and visi- ble bumpiness do. The surface of paper consists of millions of short fibers; plas- tics typically have particles of pigment embedded in a smooth white surface ma- terial; metals can be modeled as an ag- gregate of millions of microfacets. Sur- faces can seem dull or glossy, and their glossiness can vary in a subtle way across the surface. The visible difference lies in how the material interacts with its optical environment. The basic problem with texture maps is that their visual information is fixed when the map is produced. Texture map- ping is fundamentally akin to wrapping a photograph of a surface around an ob- ject rather than constructing the object of the material itself. You might be able to choose whether the photograph is matte or glossy, and you might also be able to apply a matched bump map. But at some subtle level, you will never be able to fully mimic the "look" of the actual material. For some uses, this may be enough. continued 486/25 4,860 Intel 80486, 25 MH?, 4MB 128K SRAM cache "Without a doubt, the Tangent is the overall price/ • Fastest Super VGA adaptor in the industry • 1024x768 VGA monitor • 80 MB (19ms), w/cache • 1.2 MB or 1.44 MB Teac • 1 parallel 6? 2 serial ports; Enhanced 101 keyboard performance winner of the group, and perhaps even 86 SVGA Systems (2MB, 42MB HD): 80386SX,20MHz, $1995 80386,25 MHz $2295 80386,33 MHz, w/cache $2995 of 486 systems in general!' (Personal Workstation, For a Quote or to Order, Call 800-223-6677 415-342-9388 FAX 415-342-9380 Corporate P.O.s accepted ra 8/90 review of Tangent, Compaq, and AST) In Personal Workstation's review, the Tangent 486/25 clearly outperformed both Compaq and AST. And Tangent was priced as much as 67% less! Get breathtaking graphics and unparalleled hard disk performance. Plus a 30-day unconditional money-back guarantee, and a lifetime, toll free technical support hotline. Call today, for this ^^^^ and other Tangent review reprints, and for a quote fl TATOCJl^lVT 1 on a wide choice of EISA and ISA configurations. c M P U T E R Tangent Computer, Inc., 197 Airport Blvd., Burlingame, CA 94010. © Copyright 1990Tangent Computer, Inc. Circle 300 on Reader Service Card STATE OF THE ART GRAPHICS GO 3-D Photo 2: An example of the creativity and photo-realism possible on computers today with 3-D tools and techniques. The Pixar Shrink-wrapped Magic poster was produced on computers by Mitch Prater using Pixar 's Developer's RenderMan. (Used by permission from Pixar.) But for true realism, you need a more flexible model, one that allows inter- action to occur dynamically while the image is being rendered. This model must be flexible enough to deal with the incredible variety of the material world. Procedural Shading In rendering, a procedural model leaves a "hook" in the Tenderer for calculating the appearance of a surface on the fly, taking into account all relevant scene ele- ments, including lights. A new surface material would be defined as a procedure that, when called, would have access to the lights hitting the surface, plus any relevant texture maps, bump maps, shad- owing information, and so on. The RenderMan Interface, developed by Pixar (Richmond, CA), supports a rendering system that uses the procedur- al model. It defines entities called shad- ers, written in the RenderMan Shading Language, for just this purpose. When invoked, a shader's job is to determine the color of a surface as seen from a par- ticular point of view, as illuminated by all defined light sources. The shader has ultimate freedom in calculating the color. It can use any num- ber of texture maps, bump maps, shadow maps, environment maps, and light sources. It can use an elaborate materials simulation (the pseudopod sequence in the motion picture The Abyss, for exam- ple, used a ray-tracing surface shader) or no color model at all. (For further dis- cussion on RenderMan and other render- ing systems that use procedural shading, see "The RenderMan Interface" by Tony Apodaca, Graphics Supplement, April 1989 BYTE.) Procedural shading is the next logical step beyond texture and bump mapping. In many cases, a procedural approach can solve the problem of mapping 2-D surfaces onto 3-D objects. Certain natu- rally occurring materials such as wood and stone have a structure that can be procedurally simulated. A point on a surface can be colored as though it were a point in a solid material, resulting in an object that looks like it was carved out of the material in question. A second capability, provided by a procedural approach, addresses the "fine structure" issues. While it is im- practical to duplicate the appearance of these surfaces empirically by simulating geometric optics, it is possible to mimic their behavior procedurally. For example, paper has a special kind of dif f useness that can be procedurally imitated, not at the microscopic level, but at the level of its larger appearance on the screen. Of course, the higher the defini- tion of your display, the more obvious these fine-structure issues will become. (For a discussion of the overlap between high-definition TV and computers, see "HDTV Sparks a Digital Revolution" on page 297.) Procedural shading can work together with texture maps for other novel effects. For example, a shader might use a piece of line art to change the material it simu- lates in different parts of the surface, to produce a net effect like inlay. Texture maps, in fact, can describe any relevant attribute and be interpreted in any way by a shader. A texture map could be used to vary the color of a surface depending on the angle of incoming light (real metals have this kind of behavior). Of course, a shad- er can use a texture map exactly as in- tended, which illustrates that the proce- dural approach subsumes the mapping- only method as well. Creating Curves A final, qualitative concern crosses the boundary between modeling and render- ing: the availability of curved surfaces to represent objects in a scene. Traditional- ly, flat polygons have been used because they're computationally easier to handle. However, not many objects in the world can be accurately represented en- tirely with flat surfaces. While there are tricks for making the best of their limita- tions, polygons can only provide a rea- sonable approximation of curved sur- faces, and that at the cost of substantially larger data storage. A Tall Order Creating photo-realistic 3-D graphics is a tall order. It involves powerful com- puter hardware, user-interface design, and complex simulations of geometric optics. However, just about all the foreseeable obstacles to this brave new 3-D world have yielded or are dissolving. Current products contain the information re- quired to properly render a surface, in- cluding several different types of shading and many different kinds of maps (see photo 2). ■ Steve Upstill is a product manager for Pixar (Richmond, CA). He has a Ph.D. in computer science from the University of California at Berkeley. You can reach him on BIXc/o (< editors. " 258 BYTE* DECEMBER 1990 They Left out Features.... We Left out the COMMA!! The only thing missing... is the comma in the price. It you look at the chart on the right you will see prices charged by our com- petition. All but one contain a comma. DesignCAD 3D sells for $399.00. Period. No Comma! In order to draw the complex pic- tures shown below it is desirable to have the following 3D features: • Interactive design with 3D cursor • Blending of surfaces • Boolean operations such as add, subtract, and intersection • Complex extrusions • Cross sectioning • Block scaling • On screen shading • Shaded outputto printers and plotters All of these competitors left out one or more of these desirable features in their standard package. They didn't forget the most horrible fea- ture -the comma. DesignCAD 3D offers ALL the listed features plus many more! If DesignCAD 3D has the power to create the3Dobjectsshown below, imagine how it could help with your design project! DesignCAD 3D sells for $399. We left outthe comma. Wedidn'tthinkyou would mind! PC MAGAZINE SAYS... DesignCAD 3D, the latest feature- packed, low-cost CADD package from American Small Business Computers, delivers more bang per buck than any of its low-cost competitors and threat- ens programs costing ten times as much. For a low-cost, self-contained 3D package... DesignCAD 1 s range of features steals the show. " $399 AutoCAD rel. 10 CADKEY3.12 DafaCAD with DC Modeler i^SSHh^HHE MaxxiCADT.02 Mega Model MicroStation PC 3.0 ModelMate Plus 2.8 yersaCAD Design 5.4 j AutoCAD AEC $1 ,000.00 AutoShade $500.00 Solids $995.00 IGES translator $1 ,995.00 | DataCAD Velocity $2,000.00 5153 N/A MegaDraw $1 95, List $295, MegaShade $395 Customer Support Libraries $1 ,000.00 N/A I N/A Source: Byte Magazine BYTE MAGAZINE SAYS... "At $399, DesignCAD 3D was the least expensive package we saw, yet it was one of the more powerful. ..Don't be fooled by the remarkably low price, this program can really perform. " May 1989, page 178 Complete 3-Dimensional design fea- tures make it easy for you to construct realistic 3-D models. With full solid- object modeling capabilities you can analyze your drawing to determine the volume, surface area or even center of gravity! DesignCAD 3-D even permits you to check for interference between objects! Aeronautical Engi- neers can now find the center of grav- ity for a new airplane design with a couple of keystrokes. The Architect can determine the surface area of a roof for decking in a matter of minutes. The Civil Engineer can calculate the volume of a lake or dam in seconds. The Mechanical Engineer will know for sure if certain partsf it together without interference. The uses for DesignCAD 3-D are only limited by YOUR imagina- tion! HOW DO I GET ONE? DesignCAD 3-D and DesignCAD 2D are available from most retail computer stores, or you may order directly from us. If you have questions about which program to purchase please give us a call. All you need to run DesignCAD 3-D is an IBM PC or compatible com- puter with 640 K RAM memory and a hard disk. Both products support most graphics cards, printers, plotters and digitizers, Free Information and a demo disk are available by faxing (918) 825- 6359 or telephoning: 1 -(91 8) 825-4844 American Small Business Computers • 327 South Mill Street • Pryor, OK 74361 U.S.A. Circle 27 on Reader Service Card Dont look now, but moving on Suddenly, IBM Personal System/2 ®s with Micro Channel" on desks everywhere are exhib iting some pretty wild and wonderful tendencies. They're creating incredible on-screen presentations. Interactive tu- torials with full-motion video and stereo sound. Graphics, text and animation in har- monious coexistence. What makes it all possible is the multimedia capability of the IBM PS/2® with Micro Channel. the new IBM CD-ROM that gives you the storage equivalent of over 400 diskettes on MicroChannel MakesItLookEasy. The PS/2 itself is designed to put multimedia applications to their best use. Micro Channel has always given the PS/2 extremely fast data rates and better multitasking capabil- ities. But in multimedia applications, it really gets a chance to shine. The multilane highway design of Micro Channel Architecture is perfect for processing complex multi- media applications. Most conventional PCs just don't have the power or the data paths to do it at all. Plus, Micro Channel in the PS/2 lets you use &0S&** there's something your desk. a single CD, so you can have access to all kinds of data -intensive material like clip art and dig- ital stereo sound. Do It All. All At Once. With a PS/2 with Micro Channel, you can start using some hot products right now. One is IBM s Audio Visual Connection" Its both a software and a hardware tool that allows your PS/2 to import high-quality audio, dazzling still images, even special effects, as well as text, graphics and other data. Then, you can edit and present it in any combination you like right on your PS/2 screen, share it with a network or pro- ject it on a wall. Its impressive, but don't take our word for it — IBM s Audio Visual Connec- tion received PC Magazines Technical Excellence Award for 1989. Another exciting multimedia product is the IBM M-Motion Video Adapter/A: Coupled with the power of Micro Channel, it lets you incorporate full- motion video and high-quality sound from sources like video disks, VCRs and video cameras, digitize them, and display them in an endless array of formats. And for software developers, there are ActionMedia 1 " cards, a collaborative effort between IBM and Intel. ActionMedia cards use the latest DVF Technology, which allows full- motion video and analog sound ISM, Personal System/2 and PS/2 ate registered trademarks and Micro Channel, Audio Visual Connection and M-Motion Video Adapter /A ate trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation. DVI and ActionMedia are trademarks of Intel Corp.© 1990 IBM Corp. to be compressed, digitized, stored on a hard or optical disk and played back in real time, with incredibly sharp resolution. YoirvE Already Got The Best Seat In The House. Best of all, you can do it all today with the Micro Channel PS/2s you've already got. No special monitors to buy. And you'll be perfectly poised for tomorrow s most exciting multimedia technology, like interactive touch displays and much more. Contact your IBM Authorized Dealer or IBM marketing representative. For a free demonstration videocassette or a dealer near you, call 1 800 255-0426, ext. 20. Your desk will never be the same. For a free PS/2 MultiMedia demonstration videocassette call 1 800 255-0426, ext. 20 or send this completed coupon to: I BM Corporation P.O. Box 92835, Rochester, NY 14692 Name Title Phone Company. Address City- _ State. -Zip_ □ I i you are a software developer, check here. HqwVe you going to do it? PS/2 it! Mlilllllltlllllllll NllllllillllllllJllfll :^zr November28, 1989 SummaSketch II Finally. An input device based on your input New Limited Lifetime Warranty Jhe new SummaSketch II tablets werecreotedwith one thing in mind— you, the people who use tablets every day. You said you wonted a complete plug and play package, so were giving you the works— both in PC and Macintosh® SE and II versions. A 12" x 12" or 18" x 12" graphics tablet with a 4-button cursor and 2-button stylus, or 16-button cursor for the PC. Jhe PC version includes inter- face cables for the IBM® PC, AT, PS/2 and compatibles. A utilities diskette with test and reset soft- ware, an , Autodesk® / Device Inter- / face™ driver, / Universal Mouse Emulator™ and a Microsoft® Windows driver. And an off erf or a free tablet template (US and Canada only) worth over $245. Jhe Macintosh version has an Apple® Desktop Bus™ inter- face device to connect the tablet to the computer. You'll also get the most soft- ware compatibility with over 350 PC programs and all Macintosh SE and II software written under the Apple Software Developers guidelines. SummaSlcetch II tablets have a standard accuracy measurement of ±0.015 inches, selectable res- olution of up to 1,016 lines per inch and high proximity so you can trace from documents up to V2" thick. Add in convenience fea- tures such as a power/ proximity light, on-off switch, wedge shape design for easy use, lightweight construction for portability— and it's easy to see why SummaSketch is the industry standard and the obvious choice of today's com- puter professionals. Bestofall,yougetallof these benefits at an affordable price. And that's why our new SummaSlcetch II is the easiest buying decision you have to make. Find out more about SummaSlcetch II today. For litera- ture and the name of a local dealer call 1-800-888-2028, Ext. 304. For technical informa- tion call 203-881-5400. m £7 Surmagmphics Every decision should be this eosy. ™ HH|P © J990 Summogrophics Corpora/ion. Seymour, CT 06483 • All righls reserved. For IBM/Compatible information circle 294; For Macintosh information circle 295, For Reseller inquiries circle 296 on Reader Service Card. STATE OF THE ART ADVANCED GRAPHICS COVER STORY Ray Tracing for Realism Photo-realism is within your grasp. Follow the light. AndrewS. Glassner Photo-realism is an elusive goal; the real world is a web of subtle and com- plex phenomena that scien- tists don't fully understand, and computer-generated pic- tures can only reflect current levels of understanding. You can create images that come close, though, using a variety of photo-realistic techniques. One of the most popular is called ray tracing. What Is Ray Tracing? The ray-tracing approach at- tempts to simulate light rays within a three-dimensional scene. You begin creating an image by describing a scene as a collection of objects and light sources. The objects are 3-D shapes in space— for ex- ample, spheres, polygons, and boxes. A light source is often nothing more than a sin- gle point that radiates light uniformly in all directions. By convention, objects never radiate light, and light sources are never directly visible (this separation of light emitters from other surfaces is a computational convenience, which can be relaxed if you're willing to write more complex programs). You view a scene from a point in space called the eye, through a ILLUSTRATION: SANDRA FILIPPUCCI © 1989 rectangular window in space called the viewplane. The image on the viewplane in the 3-D world is the image that you will eventual- ly show on your monitor screen. There is a direct correspondence between each point on the screen and each point on the viewplane. Figure 1 shows a typical en- vironment. Probably the most straightforward way to create an image is to follow light particles (called photons) from the light sources to the objects; this is called forward ray tracing. But forward ray tracing is not always practical. For exam- ple, suppose a light ray left a light source, reflected off a shiny telephone, and then passed through the viewplane into the eye. In this example, you would see the telephone at that point on the viewplane. In general, what you see through each point on the viewplane is the object that's visible along the line passing through both the eye and that point on the viewplane. If you actually followed light away from the light sources, you would find that your image was created very slowly; many rays would never come anywhere near going through the viewplane and into your eye, so they wouldn't con- tribute much (if anything) to the image. It would be sheer luck if any given ray made it all the way to the eye. A more efficient way of creating a photo-realistic image is to reverse the process. For example, if you select a point on the viewplane, you know that any object visible at that point lies on the line connecting your eye and that point DECEMBER 1990 -BYTE 263 STATE OF THE ART RAY TRACING FOR REALISM RAY-TRACING SCENARIO Light source Objects Monitor ' Pixel Screen Viewplane Figure 1: A typical ray-tracing environment. Each pixel in the viewplane has a corresponding pixel on the screen. Light sources are represented by points , and objects are collections of simple shapes. The world is viewed from a point called the eye. on the viewplane. So you create a ray (called the eye ray) that begins at the eye and passes through that viewplane point and on into the world. The first object along that ray is the object that will be visible from that point on the viewplane and thus displayed on the corresponding point on the screen. This is called reverse ray tracing, because you're following rays from the eye back into the scene. Typically, the screen is made up of a rectangular grid of squares called pixels, and your goal is to find the right color for each pixel on the screen. Figure 1 shows a ray starting at the eye, continuing through one pixel on the screen, and on into the world, where it strikes a sphere. Incident Light Now that you know the object visible at each point, you need to know its color. Suppose the first object struck by an eye Vector Shorthand Vector equations are just a handy way to represent several different equations in one place. Each vector is formed of three components, named x, y, and z. Each component is just a single number. You can think of a vector as an arrow, starting at the origin. The com- ponents of the vector give the location of the tip of the arrow. You write the x value of a vector V as V x , the v value as V y , and the z value as V x . Vectors are used to make notation more compact. To make a vector longer or shorter, you can scale it. To scale a vector, you write A = sB, where s is just a single number. The length of a vector A is written |A| and is computed as the square root of the sum of the squares of its components. To scale a vector so that it has length 1.0, divide each component by the vector's length. Thus, for any vector A (except A = (0,0,0)), vector- Length( unit Vector (A)) is 1.0. The last two vector operations are the dot product and the cross product. These are extremely useful operations in computer graphics. The dot product of two vectors A and B is a single number. Symbolically, you write d= A - B, where d is the result. The value of the dot product is the cosine of the angle between the two vectors, mul- tiplied by their lengths: A-B = |A||B| cos(0), where is the angle between A and B. If both vectors have length 1.0, you can compute the cosine of the angle as the sum of the pairwise products of the components. The cross product of two vectors A and B is a new vector perpendicular to both. Symbolically, you write C = AxB, where C is the new vector. The order of the arguments matters; AxB * BxA. ray is a white sphere; I'll call the point of intersection P. You want to know the color of the light leaving P and traveling back to the eye; the path back to the eye is found by following the eye ray backward. The color of the light leaving P is com- pletely due to the light arriving at P, called the incident light (remember that no objects emit light of their own). You can separate incident light into two cate- gories: the light ultimately reflected off the surface and the light transmitted by the surface (transmitted light is the light that passes through a transparent or translucent surface). Each type of incident light is passed on by the surface in two ways: specular propagation and diffuse propagation. Specular propagation is the result of a perfect reflection or transmission, just like a basketball bounced off a smooth floor. The angle at which the ball leaves the floor is completely determined by the angle at which it arrives. Diffuse propagation is like bouncing a basketball off a very rough surface; you're never sure what direction it will go in, and if you try bouncing many bas- ketballs into one little area, you'll find that they go off in all directions. Diffuse propagation is the theoretical limit of this type of action; diffusely reflected or transmitted light arrives at a surface and then leaves with equal intensity in all di- rections (this reflected intensity is less than that of the incoming light). For this reason, diffuse propagation is sometimes also called diffuse scattering, since the light is scattered in all directions. Light can be propagated from a sur- face in four ways: reflection and trans- mission, both specular and diffuse. But where does this incident light come from? Basically, you have two choices: directly from light sources or propagated by other surfaces. Each of these two pos- sible contributors of incoming light can be propagated in any of the four ways, for a total of eight possible ways for light to be propagated from a surface (this is a simplified model, but it works surpris- ingly well). A ray-tracing program should look at each of these possibilities when it com- putes the color leaving a point— this pro- cess is called shading. Not all eight ef- fects are going to be appropriate at all times, and two of them are very expen- sive to compute. Direct Light I'll begin with light arriving directly from the light sources. First, you must determine on a source-by-source basis if light from each source is arriving at point 264 BYTE* DECEMBER 1990 •"•fQ.'V.tiSjmOO STATE OF THE ART RAY TRACING FOR REALISM SURFACE SHADING Incident ray Light source \ - N L Figure 2: Computing the shading on a sphere. L points toward a light source; this light is reflected into vector R. N is the normal to the sphere at point P. P. To see if P is illuminated by source S, you should notice a simple fact: If light S can see point P (and thus illuminate it), then point P can see source S. To deter- mine if P can actually see S, create a new ray (called an illumination or shadow ray) starting at point P, directed toward sources. If this ray reaches S without striking any object along the way, P is illuminat- ed by S, and you can proceed to find out how much of the light from S is propagat- ed back to the eye. If the ray from P to S is blocked (i.e., if the ray intersects any object at all), P is in shadow with respect to S; simply ignore source S for this point. In the following discussion, I'll use vector notation. Points will continue to be represented by uppercase letters, such as A, and vectors will be in boldface, A. If you're not familiar with vector nota- tion and operations, see the text box "Vector Shorthand" on page 264 for a quick summary. I will assume that all vectors are normalized; that is, they have length 1.0. When I build new vectors, I will assume that they are immediately scaled to length 1.0 before using them in any computations. Shading I will present a simple shading model that ignores many important details but is a good first approximation. Suppose that P is illuminated by source S. Every point on the surface of most objects (including spheres) has an associated surface nor- mal; this is a vector that points away from the surface, normal to the tangent plane at that point. For a sphere, the nor- mal is along the line from the center to that point, as in figure 2. I'll call the nor- mal vector N and create a new vector, L, which also begins at P and points back to light sources. The equations for finding the direc- tion of reflected and refracted (or transmitted) rays come directly from the field of geometrical optics. I have given the equations in terms of some arbitrary vectors; you'll need to match the appropriate vectors to the appro- priate arguments when you use the procedures. Also make sure that your input vec- tors are pointing in the correct direc- tions. The direction of each vector is important, and some of the vectors in this text box might point in the opposite direction to the vectors that you have on hand. To reverse a vector, you scale it 1 REFLECTION N j i R / "\ / Figure A: Specular reflection takes as input an incident vector V and a surface normal N; the output is a reflected vector R: R=V-2N(N*VJ. The vectors must all be pointing as indicated with respect to the point of reflection. Bending Light by -1.0. Specular reflection takes as input an incident vector V and a surface normal N; the output is a reflected vector R: R=V+2Nd, where d = -(V-N) The vectors must all be pointing with respect to the point of reflection, as shown in figure A, where the incident vector is pointing toward the surface, and the normal is pointing away. Specular transmission isn't quite so easy. The difference is that a light ray changes direction when it passes be- tween two materials with different den- sities; this is because the speed of light is different in the two materials. The ratio of the speed of light in a vacuum with respect to the speed of light in some material is known as that material's index of refraction, usually written with the symbol r;. When light passes between two materials, the amount by which it bends is dependent on the indexes of refraction of both the material it is coming from (the incident material) and the material it is passing into (the transmitted material) and the wavelength (which I am ignoring here). The indexes of refraction of these two materials are written ij, and r; f ; you will want their ratio Tj, f =Tj,/Tj f . The formula below is based on rays with an orienta- tion relative to the point of transmis- sion, as shown in figure B . The formula to compute a trans- mitted vector, T, is T = r,, r V + (if « C, - VI + lflr^C, 2 - 1)) N where C, = -V«N. Note that the value (1 + r) it 2 (d 2 - 1)) might be less than 0; in that case you can't take the square root. This indicates total internal re- flection. In general, T computed this way will not have length 1 .0. TRANSMISSION Incident medium Transmitted medium Figure B: When light passes between two materials, the amount by which it bends is dependent on the indexes of refraction of both the material it is coming from (the incident material) and the material it is passing into (the transmitted material). 266 BYTE* DECEMBER 1990 Non-interlaced The Optiquest 2000 The 15" Non-interlaced Color Monitor You're looking at the future of high resolution monitors. It's the Optiquest 2000. The Op- tiquest 2000 has a maximum resolution of 1024 x 768 non- interlaced. Your facts and figures appear crisp and clear, and text looks clean and bright. Plus, the Optiquest 2000 offers a flat, square screen with a fine 0.28mm dotpitch and an unlimited THfS IS AN EXAMPLE OF AN INTERLACED VIDEO SCREEN. ONLY HALF THE LINES ARE REFRESHED EACH TIME, SO VOU SEE A CONTINUOUS FLICKER THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF OUR NON-INTERLACED SCREEN. EVERY LINE IS REFRESHED EACH TIME, SO YOU SEE A SMOOTH, FLICKER-FREE IMAGE Interlaced Interlaced monitors only re- fresh every other line of pixels on the screen, and return later to refresh the missed lines. Not so with the Optiquest 2000. It actually refreshes every pixel on every line continuously. So, the picture is flicker-free. Non-interlaced palette of colors. Also available, the Optiquest 3000 featuring a super-fine 0.25 dot pitch. Their interlaced monitors, or our non-interlaced monitors? The choice is clear. OPTIQUEST The Non-interlaced Company S M 12070 Telegraph Road, Suite 101, Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670 •1(800)THE^OPT1 • (213) 903-1030 • Fax: (213) 903-1036 Circle 219 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 220) STATE OF THE ART RAY TRACING FOR REALISM Sphere 1 CREATING A RAY TREE (b) Polygon 3 — S4 Polygon 1 — S1 R2 / Light source Sphere 1— S3 Sphere 2 — S5 Polygon 1 Figure 3: (a) Each time a ray intersects an object, the color of the light leaving that object back along the ray must be computed. This color is found by creating shadow rays that point back to the light source, and reflected and transmitted rays that find the color of the light reflected and transmitted by the surface. This collection of rays can be represented abstractly with a ray tree (b). Shading is accomplished by passing colors of objects from the bottom up to the top. Suppose source S has intensity I. If S is onthe inside of a sphere, its light is trans- mitted through the surface; otherwise its light is reflected off the surface. You can find which situation holds by computing the dot product of N and L; if N # L<0, then S is behind the surface, and if N«L>0, then S is in front. If N-L=0, then S is on the plane tangent to the sur- face and sheds no light on it. Assume N # L>0, so the light source is reflected. The amount of light reflected diffuse- ly is the same in all directions and is given by DR=I (N«L); that is, the inten- sity of the diffusely reflected light, DR, is given by the intensity of the light source itself, I, scaled by N«L. This equation comes directly from a law of physics known as Lambert's law. The amount of light specularly re- flected back to the eye will form a high- light, which is the reflection of the light source off the surface. This depends on where the eye is. Construct a new vector, E, which begins at P and points back to the eye, as in figure 2. If L points to the light source, the law of specular reflec- tion tells you that R=2Nd— L, where d=N # L and the direction of R is the di- rection of the reflected light. You can find how much of this light goes into the eye by finding how much R and E line up; this is given by R*E. Commonly, you raise this dot product to some power; the larger the exponent, the sharper the high- light becomes (this achieves a crude approximation of surface roughness). Thus, SR=I [(E*R)*] where SR is the in- tensity of the specularly reflected light, and k controls the surface roughness. Similar arguments hold for the trans- mission of light from the sources. The only difference is a correction factor that accounts for the bending of the light when it passes between media (the reason why a spoon appears bent in a glass of water). This is not hard to derive. The re- \h I he screen is made of a rectangular grid of pixels, and your goal is to find the right color for each pixel on the screen. suit is presented in the text box "Bending Light" on page 266. For more explana- tion, see reference 1 . Your next goal is to find the incident light coming from other objects. Sup- pose again that you struck a white sphere at point P with an eye ray. What light is specularly reflected back along the eye ray? Above, I provided the relation be- tween a reflected ray and its incoming di- rection; if you want to find the ray that reflects into E (the vector pointing back along the eye ray), it must be coming from R'=2N(E«N)-E (this is just a re- write of the law of specular reflection). I've written the result as R' instead of R to remind you that this computed reflec- tion vector is backward from the direc- tion from which the light arrives. Thus, any light that is specularly reflected back along E must be coming in along R'. What is the light that is arriving along di- rection R'? The answer to that question is the big trick to recursive, backward ray tracing. To find the light coming into P along R', pretend that R ' is an eye ray and ask what object it hits first. When you find the color of the light leaving that object in the direction of the eye ray that hit it (really R ') , you know the color of the light arriv- ing at P along R '. 268 BYTE* DECEMBER 1990 STATE OF THE ART RAY TRACING FOR REALISM The whole process, then, is recursive: To find the color of the reflected light, you find the first object that it hit and then find the color of the light leaving that object. Its color is a combination of the light arriving directly from the light sources and the light it's reflecting and transmitting, which it finds by the same techniques I just used. The light specu- larly transmitted along ray T' is found the same way (T ' is to T what R ' is to R): You build T ' (as in the text box "Bending Light") and treat it as the eye ray. The result is a ray tree, as shown in figure 3b. The eye ray first hits an object and spawns illumination rays back to the light sources to determine direct illumi- nation and a reflected and transmitted ray to find the light specularly reflected and transmitted by that object (see figure 3a). Each of those latter two rays then hits an object, and the process recurs. A common technique in simple ray-tracing programs is to stop the recursion at some predetermined depth (this produces arti- facts in the image, but if things are not too shiny or transparent and your cutoff depth is large, it will serve as a first step). Now that you've built the tree, you can begin to fill in the colors from the bottom up. The colors of the bottommost objects are simply due to the light sources; those colors are passed up to the next object as its reflected and transmitted colors, and so on up the tree until you've computed the color of E. You may have noticed that I've ignored light that is diffusely reflected and trans- mitted off other objects. Handling this effect efficiently is still a research issue, and many systems just add in a small amount of constant light (called ambient light) at every intersection to "fake" this light. Another point that I left dangling is the phenomenon of total internal reflec- tion. Notice that the computation of ray T' involves a square root. If the value under the radical sign is negative, the whole expression for T ' becomes imagi- nary. The physical significance of this result is that the light does not pass through the surface at all; instead, it is reflected off the surface. At all angles less than the critical angle, where the value under the square root is less than or equal to 0, the light is transmitted; at angles greater than this value, the light is specularly reflected off the inside of the surface. This is the prin- ciple behind optic fibers: They are trans- lucent so that they can transmit light, but they are designed so that whenever the light strikes the inside of the tube, it is RAY-SPHERE INTERSECTIONS 5| ^qf (c) (d) Figure 4: A ray-sphere intersection (a). The value ofd in the ray-sphere intersection equation tells you whether there are 0, 7, or 2 intersections between a ray and a sphere (b, c, d). If the intersections are behind the origin of the ray, their t values will be negative; ignore such intersections. reflected back into the shaft rather than transmitted out. You can see this effect if you put a spoon into a glass of water. Look very closely right beneath the surface of the water and you'll see that the spoon seems to disappear. The light right near the sur- face is striking the bottom of the air- water boundary at a very shallow angle and is reflected back into the water rather than transmitted into the air. Computing Intersections Finding ray-object intersections is one of the most important issues in ray tracing. Finding which object is first intersected by a ray is probably the most time-con- suming part of any ray tracer. The most straightforward approach is to find the intersections (if any) of each ray with every object and then find the object with the nearest intersection. This method is tedious, but it works well. Suppose you want to find the intersec- tion of a ray and a sphere. Things will be easiest with vector notation. Suppose the ray begins at point P and travels in di- rection Pj. Any point P on this ray is given by P=P -i-Pif, for an appropriate value of t. Since you want only points in front of the ray, you're only interested in intersections along the ray with t>0 (t is often called the ray parameter). Figure 4a shows a sample ray hitting a sphere. The sphere has center C and radius r. It turns out that every point Q on the sphere satisfies (Q-C)«(Q-C)-r 2 =0; expand this out in coordinates and you'll find a familiar formula from geometry (try using C=0, so the sphere is centered at the origin; then Q*Q=r 2 , so the distance of every point Q from the origin is a con- stant, which is one definition of a sphere). If the ray intersects the sphere, there must be some point, Q, that is on both the ray and the sphere at the same time. If point Q is on the ray, then Q = P +P^. And if point Q is on the sphere, then (Q-C)*(Q-C)-r 2 = 0. You can find points that satisfy both by plugging the ray equation into the sphere equation. Substitute the first into the second to get (Po+P^WPo+PiO-r^O. If you multiply this all out and then solve for f, you'll have a quadratic equa- tion: at 2 +bt+c=0, where a^PfPu b= 2PJ-G, and c = G«G-r 2 , where G = P — C. You are interested in the values of t that satisfy this equation. Recall that any quadratic equation has two solutions: t!=(-b + d)l2a, and t 2 = (-b-d)/2a, where d=b 2 — 4ac. The value of d is very important. Re- member that you can't take the square root of a negative number, so if d is nega- tive, you can't evaluate the square root. The physical interpretation of this is that the ray misses the sphere completely— there is no intersection at all. Figure 4b shows this case. If d is 0, the ray grazes the sphere at just one point, as shown in figure 4c. If d is positive, the ray intersects the sphere in two places, as in figure 4d. If there are any intersections, each inter- - section point is given by P=P +Pif, using the appropriate value of t. If there are two intersections, you want the nearer one; this is the one given by the smaller value of t (as long as that value is positive; if either or both values of t are negative, they give intersection points behind the origin of the ray). Coping with Complexities The simplest form of ray tracer builds a single ray for each pixel on the screen and fills in the pixel with the color of that ray. This can result in a picture with aliasing (or "jaggies"), which comes from using just that single color value for the whole pixel. A pixel can display only a single color, so how can you possibly do better? One answer is to take several samples distributed within each pixel and average their colors together— it's the averaged color that you use as the pixel's color value. To build a complete ray tracer, see the text box "Writing a DECEMBER 1990 -BYTE 269 STATE OF THE ART RAY TRACING FOR REALISM Writing a Ray Tracer You begin to build a complete ray tracer by computing the eye rays. There are several ways to specify the lo- cation of the eye and the viewplane in space; I will present one of the common schemes. You need a few pieces of in- formation to specify the viewing setup, as shown in figure a. You need the posi- tion of the eye (call this point E). You need to know how far away the view- plane should be (call this distance d) and in what direction you're looking (call this vector G, for gaze). You also need two viewing angles, which tell how much perspective to ap- ply to the picture; call the horizontal angle and the vertical angle . Now you know just where the viewplane should be, but it can spin freely about G; you need to specify an "up" vector (call this vector U) to indicate the orien- tation of the viewplane (again, assume that all vectors have length 1 .0). Next, put a coordinate system on the viewplane that mimics the one on your real screen. Suppose your physical hardware displays images at a resolution of 640 pixels wide by 480 pixels tall, with the origin at the lower left. Any point on the screen has coordinates (jt,y); you can scale these to (x',y') = (*/640, y/480) so now you have (0,0) at the lower left and (1,1) at the upper right. You now need to find the point S in the three-dimensional viewplane that corresponds to a particular (x',y') on the screen. First, however, you'll need to do a lit- tle construction, shown in figure a. Create two new vectors, X=GxU and Y =X x G. The plane containing X and Y is parallel to the viewplane. To find the viewplane itself, you need only one point in the plane; you can easily find the point at the center of the screen as M=E +dG. Now scale X and Y so that they span half the screen. From figure a, you can work out that the horizontal width of the screen is d tan(0) and the vertical height is d tan(). Knowing this, you can create vectors H and V that are the horizontal and vertical axes of the viewplane, since you have both the directions and lengths. From the above observations, H = (d tan(0))X and \ = (d tan(0)) Y. So now you can find the point S associated with any point with coordi- nates (x' 9 y r ) on the screen by S=M+ (2jt'-l)H + (2y'-l)V. Now you are ready to trace rays. Figure a: Computing the viewing geometry. You supply the position of the eye, E, the gaze direction, G, the distance to the viewplane, d, half-angles to control perspective, and $, and an "up " vector, U. The system builds vectors X and Y, which become H and V. M is computed as the point in the center of the screen. Now any point S can be written as Mplus some amount of H and V. Select a point on your screen and find its coordinates (x',y'). Build your eye ray with origin P =E, and a direction that takes it from E into point S on the screen, so P,=S-E. Now check that ray against every sphere, one by one, and look for the sphere with the closest intersection; this will be the sphere with the smallest positive t value. If you don't hit any spheres, color this ray with a default background color and continue on to the next ray. Suppose you hit a sphere at point Q. To find the illumination directly from the light sources, build new rays that be- gin at Q and trace them to the light. Since your light sources are just points, the location of some light source (call it number n) is a single point. To create a ray for light source n (which is a point at location L n ), your illumination ray has origin P =Q and P^I^-Q. You then intersect this ray against every sphere; if you hit any sphere, stop and move on to the next light source. If you test every sphere and hit none, you can add in the light from that source to the incident light at point Q. Now you build the reflected and transmitted rays R' and T '. You find the nearest sphere for each and then repeat the process to determine their colors. At some point, you'll find that you've reached your recursion limit and don't want to spawn new rays. You'll find the shading of the last points just from their direct illumination and pass those values back up the tree as the colors of reflected and transmitted rays. Finally, you'll reach the top and have a color for the eye ray, as in figure 3 in the main text. The transmitted and reflected rays are not needed at every surface. You'll probably want to assign a specular re- flectivity and transparency value to each sphere. If a sphere is not at all specularly reflective, there's no need to trace a reflection ray, and the same goes for transparency rays. 270 BYTE* DECEMBER 1990 STATE OF THE ART RAY TRACING FOR REALISM Ray Tracer" at left. I have hardly begun to explore the pos- sibilities of ray tracing. The first thing you'll probably want to do is add more objects. I recommend you add polygons first and then quadric surfaces. Since a polygon is planar, the first step in ray- polygon intersection is a ray-plane inter- section; this is even easier than a ray- sphere intersection test. The second step is to determine if the intersection point is actually within that part of the plane enclosed by the poly- gon. Many techniques have been pro- posed to solve this problem. The ray- polygon intersection test can be subtle to understand because there appear to be many special cases to handle. In fact, the problem can be solved cleanly and sim- ply; I recommend the approach given by Eric Haines (see reference 2). The next big problems to attack are aliasing and efficiency. A good approach to antialiasing is stochastic ray tracing (see reference 3), which involves choos- ing your rays very carefully. Chapters in reference 1 discuss important aspects of ray tracing, including efficiency, object intersections, acceleration, and more de- tails on writing a ray tracer. You may also wish to consult references 4 and 5 to see where ray tracing fits into computer graphics in general. Photo-realism is the making of pic- tures that are indistinguishable from pho- tographs of the real thing. Certainly, ray tracing is a powerful tool for achieving that goal. ■ REFERENCES 1. Glassner, Andrew S., ed. An Introduc- tion to Ray Tracing. San Diego, CA: Aca- demic Press, 1989. 2. Haines, Eric A. "Essential Ray Tracing Algorithms." In An Introduction to Ray Tracing, Andrew S. Glassner, ed. San Di- ego, CA: Academic Press, 1989. 3. Cook, Robert L. "Stochastic Sampling in Computer Graphics." ACM Transac- tions on Graphics, vol. 5, no. 1 (January 1986), pp. 51-72. 4. Foley, J. D., and A. van Dam. Funda- mentals of Interactive Computer Graphics. Reading, MA: Addison- Wesley, 1982. 5. Newman, W. M., and R. F. Sproull. Principles of Interactive Computer Graph- ics, 2nd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1979. Andrew S. Glassner is a member of the research staff at the Xerox Palo Alto Re-- search Center (PARC) in California, where he studies realistic image synthe- sis, modeling, and animation. He can be reached on BIX c/o "editors/' Circle 47 on Reader Service Card PUT dBASE* ON TOP Dr. Switch-7)5£ puts dBASE on top. On top of the charts, spreadsheets, word processors or on top of DOS. Right where it belongs, on top of any graphics or text program when you need it. Neatly tucked away when you don't. Dr. Switch-7)5£ turns any dBASE language program into a I6-20K RAM resident program. So now you can have dBASE power at the touch of a key, anywhere, any- time and from any program. dBASE TSR's, easyasASE With Dr. Switch-/)5£ you don't have to be an Assembly language whiz or a C code maven to create TSR's. 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All other products and brand names ai registered trademarks of their respective companies. ViewSonic Circle 162 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 163) STATE OF THE ART ADVANCED GRAPHICS COVER STORY Color WYSIWYG Comes of Age Finally! What you see in color on your screen is what you get in color on your printer! Frank Vaughn Truly graphical com- puters, such as the Mac, and sophisti- cated laser printers have brought WYSIWYG ca- pabilities to word processing and black-and-white desktop publishing. With the proper hardware and software, you can be assured that your hard- copy output will match what you see on your computer dis- play. Until recently, the same was not true of color desktop publishing. You have had no assurance that the colors on your display would match those of the final printed out- put. The advent of many en- abling technologies has re- cently advanced the state of color WYSIWYG to where it is an affordable desktop tech- nology. Display systems with "true-color" capabilities and graphics acceleration are available and affordable for desktop computers running the more popular op- erating systems. Apple Computer, for example, has es- tablished a color standard for the Macin- tosh called 32-Bit QuickDraw, while Microsoft has defined a 24-bit color stan- dard for Windows 3.0. Both companies are enjoying increasing hardware and software support for these standards. On ILLUSTRATION: SANDRA FILIPPUCCI © 1990 the peripherals side, color scanners with the capabilities required by serious de- signers are available to input true-color images, and cost-effective color hard- copy output devices are also available. None of these systems, however, ensures that the color you see on your display will be the color you get in print. To be useful as a color-proofing sys- tem as well as a layout tool, a color desk- top publishing system must ensure that the colors you see on your display are similar or identical to the colors on the final printed output. All the colors also need to be consis- tent from one display to an- other so that different design- ers in the same company can work with the same colors. Such color consistency may seem straightforward to the casual observer, but it is actu- ally quite a difficult problem to solve. To see how you can achieve color consistency, you need some facts about how different technologies handle color. What You See Your perception of color is a function of the sensitivity of your retina to a range of wave- lengths in the visible light spectrum. The human retina contains three types of cone cells, each of which responds to different wavelengths of visible light. The color you perceive depends on the relative re- sponse of each type of cone to the light striking it. The wavelengths you can de- tect vary from 3900 to 7000 angstroms, where an angstrom is a hundred-mil- lionth of a centimeter. You perceive the shortest wavelengths as blues and violets and the longest as DECEMBER 1990 -BYTE 275 STATE OF THE ART COLOR WYSIWYG COMES OF AGE oranges and reds. Black is the absence of any wavelengths in the visible spectrum. An even mix of the spectrum of wave- lengths is perceived as white, although different light sources have their own particular mixtures for white. Each par- ticular white has a color temperature as- sociated with it. You can measure the color temperature of an illuminant (also known as its white point) by heating a COLOR TEMPERATURES OF LIGHT SOURCES The color temperatures for some common light sources. The different color temperatures affect how you perceive color illuminated by different sources. Source Temperature (kelvins) North-facing skylight Average daylight Xenon camera flash Cool-white fluorescent Tungsten-halogen lamps Warm-white fluorescent 1 00-watt tungsten Sunset Candle flame 7500 6500 6000 4300 3300 3000 2900 2000 1900 DOMAINS OF COLOR TECHNOLOGIES Pantone 747 colors - - - Four-color offset lithography — Sony RGB phosphors • Wavelengths of light (in nm) CIE color space Figure 1: The CIE color space projected into two dimensions. This is really a three-dimensional space that contains all the colors visible to the human eye. The triangular area outlined by the coordinates of the Sony RGB phosphors is a projection of its color gamut onto the color space. Pantone colors are discrete points within the space, while four-color offset lithography projects a gamut similar to the RGB gamut. blackbody radiator (a heated cavity with an exit aperture) to a temperature mea- sured on the Kelvin scale. A cool-white fluorescent lamp has a white point of 4300 K, and an incandescent bulb has a white point of 2900 K. The table at left lists some common sources of light and their color temperatures. An object's perceived color varies when you view it under illuminants with different white points. This is known as color shift. A red car appears to be gray when illuminated by a yellow sodium street lamp, because the red color shifts when mixed with the yellow lamp. More subtle differences are evident if the car is viewed in daylight or in a dealer show- room under fluorescent lighting. Quantifying What You See In an effort to organize the range of pos- sible colors in a predictable and useful manner, the concept of the color space (also known as a color model) has been developed. Color display systems use the RGB color space, and color printing sys- tems typically use the CMYK (cyan, ma- genta, yellow, black) model. These color spaces use component colors as the pa- rameters for the model. Other color spaces may use other parameters, such as brightness. For the most sophisticated color spaces, these parameters are based on psychophysical metrics that have been experimentally determined. The goal of a color space is to allow any color sample to fit in that space and be quantified from the combination of the component parameters at that point. Color spaces are therefore good for se- lecting and specifying colors and com- municating color information. Nearly all defined color spaces are based on three parameters. They are most useful for experimentally deter- mining differences between perceived colors. The international standard for specifying color is the xy Y color space, defined in 1931 by the Commission In- ternationale L'Eclairage (CIE). The three primary coordinates (jc, y, and Y ) are combined, with positive weights, and can define all colors in the human color- perception range. Any color can be spec- ified with these weights. The same can- not be said for the RGB and CMYK color spaces. The RGB space refers to colors known as the additive primaries: red, green, and blue. They are primary in the sense that they are the only three colors required to create white light. This is done by com- bining the light of each one in a process known as additive mixing. The CMYK space uses the color com- 276 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 STATE OF THE ART COLOR WYSIWYG COMES OF AGE plements of the primaries: cyan, magen- ta, and yellow (the K refers to black, which is used for better print quality). These complements are the colors that re- sult when a primary color is subtracted from white light. Cyan is the comple- ment of red (white light - red light = cyan light), magenta is the complement of green, and yellow is the complement of blue. In the CMY space, colors mix in a process known as subtr active mixing. That is, the complements mix to form black. This is a theoretical ideal; because of pigment limitations, it is necessary to add the black parameter to achieve true black in hard-copy reproduction. CMYK is the color space used to define colors for most four-color printing. The RGB and CMYK spaces can only produce a portion of the human color- perception range. By plotting each com- ponent color of the RGB or CMYK space (ignoring black) for all brightness levels (the Y in xyY), you define a subarea within the xy Y space. This range of pos- sible colors is known as the color gamut. Figure 1 shows the color gamuts for a few color display and hard-copy systems. What You Get Color display systems achieve unique colors by "adding" different intensities of red, green, and blue for each pixel on the display. The combination of full in- tensities of red, green, and blue phos- phors for a particular pixel generates a "white" pixel. The number of intensities for each red, green, and blue component is dependent on the format used. The 32-Bit QuickDraw format is actu- ally a 24-bit format with 8 bits, or 256 levels, of coding for the red, green, and blue phosphors making up a pixel. The other 8 bits are undefined and reserved for future use by the standard. Given this format, the number of color combina- tions is 256 by 256 by 256, or around 16 million. In a display with a resolution of 1 152 by 882 pixels, you have roughly 1 million pixels. Software can assign a dif- ferent color to each pixel from the 16 million possible combinations. The color gamut for displays from dif- ferent manufacturers varies because they each use different types of phosphors. Thus, identical combinations of RGB in- tensities do not produce identical color on different RGB monitors because of the phosphor differences. Even the charac- teristics of a monitor change as it gets older and the phosphors wear out, which they do at different rates (blue phosphors typically degrade faster than red). Besides phosphor differences, there is another problem in relating the intensity level of each of the red, green, and blue components to the actual luminance viewed at the screen surface. For a black pixel, the intensity level of all three com- ponents is 0— practically no light is emitted for that pixel. For a maximum "white," all the intensity levels are at 256, resulting in maximum illumination. For each intensity level from to 255, however, the displayed luminance is not linear. In other words, an intensity of 128 isn't double the luminance of an in- tensity of 64. The relationship of the in- tensity level to the luminance can be plotted to form the gamma curve for the display. To find the gamma curve of a display, the logarithm of the input voltage is plotted against the logarithm of the lumi- nance. The slope of the central portion of the resulting curve is the gamma curve. TV sets and other video displays have a gamma curve of about 2.8. Scanners typically have a gamma curve of 1.0. Figure 2 shows three common gamma curves plotted in linear space. The gamma curves for different dis- plays of the same type or model are typi- cally not consistent. To achieve accurate and consistent colors on a display, you must be able to read accurately the lumi- nance of the display that corresponds to a given intensity level. To do this, a device measures the actual intensity of light re- ceived at the display surface for each of the 256 levels of red, green, and blue. With this information, the loop is closed around the display system. The lu- minance for each intensity can now be accurately set and stored in a gamma cor- rection table. This table contains an out- put level for each of the 256 input levels, which makes it possible to control the perceived gamma curve with software. To control the perceived gamma curve, the viewed luminance at each in- put level must be set to match a particular gamma curve setting. With a gamma correction table and accurate luminance data, any gamma curve that the applica- tions software requires can be set. Anyone with a calibrated display, whether in the same office or across the country, will see consistent colors when viewing the same image at a particular GAMMA CURVES Relative output brightness 1.0 0.8 0.6 0.4 - 0.2 Scanner ^ 7 / / / Most / monitors Macinto sh-— _____ i 64 128 192 Input value 255 Figure 2: The gamma curve is calculated by plotting the logarithm oft he input level of a display against the logarithm of the luminance. It describes how luminance at the surface of the display changes as the intensity setting of the monitor changes. Shown are gamma values for scanners , the Macintosh, and other personal computers and workstations. DECEMBER 1990 • B Y T E 277 INTRODUCING HARDLOCK The Ultimate in Hardware Based Copy Protection Compatible Hardlock is designed for the "real world". Side effects from printers, laptops and technical issues such as static and true IBM printer port compatibility are virtually non-existent. Reliable Our unique ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) extends the Hardlock's operating range below 2 volts. Since no idle current is required, there is no additional loading on the printer. Electronically erasable memory requires no battery. Flexible Field programmability is now possible. Additionally our optional Crypto Programmer board permits the Hardlock to be uniquely programmed for your company. Space-Saving Hardlock measures only 1.75". Three of our units fit in approximately the same space as only two others. Hardlock with Memory may also be purchased on the smallest PC board you've ever seen. Perfect for those who don't want the device on the exterior of the computer. Hardlock Hardlock with (128 bytes) Memory Hardlock with Memory on a Board Hardlock . . . Not Hardluck The Security System You 've Asked For. GLENCO DJ Hardlock is a trademark Of Fast Electronic GmbH. ENGINEERING INC. SERVING THE SOFTWARE INDUSTRY SINCE 1979 1-800-562-2543 270 Lexington Drive - Buffalo Grove, IL 60089 ■ 708-808-0300 • FAX 708-808-0313 ■ Circle 122 on Reader Service Card STATE OF THE ART COLOR WYSIWYG COMES OF AGE Circle 106 on Reader Service Card gamma setting. As a display ages, you can recalculate the intensity information to restore a consistent calibration of the gamma curve and color temperature. Refining What You Get Color calibration is done by calibration hardware that measures the outputs of pixel phosphors and either adjusts the levels of the electron beams in the moni- tor or changes the entries in the display system's gamma correction table. The first approach usually relies on internal sensors and requires that each color workstation have its own calibration hardware, which makes this the more ex- pensive solution. The second approach normally requires an external sensor that can be used with multiple displays, so this is the more cost-effective solution. In a schematic overview, the external calibrator is a relatively simple device. It consists of three principal components: 1. The sensor, or luminance-measure- ment device, which inputs a light level and outputs a current; 2. the amplifier, which converts the cur- rent into a voltage; and 3 . the A/D converter, which samples the voltage and turns it into a number— a dig- ital representation of the luminance. This number can then be compared with other values stored, for example, in the gamma correction table of the Mac. The combination of a calibrator and knowledge about the display being cali- brated (i.e. , thexy Y values for the repre- sentative phosphors) enables you to cali- brate the display. Measuring all the intensities for each color gun separately generates enough information to cali- brate the display. Radius has designed a solution— the PrecisionColor Calibrator— that enables you to quickly calibrate a display, cor- recting individual display biases and dis- play variations that occur over time. It measures light output from the display and realigns the red, green, and blue color-gun values. Calibrating different displays is im- portant, but it doesn't ensure that what you see in print will match what shows up on the displays. To span the display-out- put gap, Radius has obtained an exclu- sive license from Pantone to calibrate and display Pantone Color Simulations on-screen. The Pantone Matching Sys- tem is a standard method used to define spot colors in the printing industry. When a display is calibrated accurate- ly and you know the CIE coordinates of each phosphor, sufficient information exists to display Pantone colors accurate- ly. Pantone has measured the CIE coor- dinates for the colors of the Pantone Matching System for each of two light sources: D50, the standard graphic-arts illuminant, and D65, a popular daylight illuminant. If you select a particular Pantone color, a software package called the Pantone Color Toolkit performs a CIE-to-RGB calculation. This toolkit is packaged with the PrecisionColor Cali- brator. The white point of the calibrated monitor can be adjusted to match either of Pantone' s color temperatures. If the white point is set to D50, the white screen of the monitor looks more like a press sheet illuminated in a printing plant. Identifying the monitor's charac- teristics and then controlling or adjusting for any variations from a preset standard allows Pantone colors or any CIE coordi- nate color to be simulated and displayed on RGB devices. This means that the de- sign and page-layout process also pro- duces an accurate color preview of the finished piece. The calibrated display acts as a pre- view device for Pantone spot colors. The CIE information on Pantone colors en- ables the Color Toolkit to simulate these colors on four-color process printers. The Toolkit can also be set to directly simulate Pantone colors for printing sys- tems using Pantone inks. The colors for these two output processes can differ slightly because of differences in the color gamut for RGB displays, CMYK printers, and Pantone inks. The Color Toolkit can adjust for these variations within the limits of the color gamut of the RGB display. This enables the graphics artist to preview work for either output process. Clearing the Way There are many complexities associated with the use of color in WYSIWYG desk- top publishing. The ability to accurately match the colors viewed on the display to the colors that will be output to film or hard copy is critical to making true WYSIWYG color production a reality. Display calibration is a significant step toward using the personal computer for color design, providing a consistent measure with which to preview and match final output in the color layout and design process. This technology clears the way for more widespread use of color on the personal computer. ■ Frank Vaughn is director of engineering operations at Radius, Inc. You can reach him on BIX c/o "editors. " COMPUTER IMAGES Super VGA Also VGA/EGA/HGC/CGA and Animation 1024 x 768 x 256 Photographic Quality Real Color Images ASTRONOMY • NATURE • SCENIC FULL COLOR VIDEO MOVIES HUGE ADULT SECTION • GIRLS You must be at least 21 for adult images. Now you can experience your computer's maximum graphics ability! We create the world's highest quality images and video movies. In business since 1979, we helped pioneer the color imaging market. 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Same day shipment, US Mail, UPS, FEDEX, anywhere. Free Disk Catalog: If you don't have a modem or wish to order by mail and need more info then call for our free MS-DOS CATALOG on diskette with full description of Images and Order Forms. Easy and fast. Call 503-697-7700 9am to 9pm. Super VGA Event Horizons 141 N. State St., Suite 350 /7<^U^g\ Lake Oswego, OR 97034 Z^^^M^tA Information 503-697-7700 jf| BBS: 503-697-5100 Zff^f^^SX Fax 503-636-0495 24 hrs. / 3?Sg jSS £-\ DECEMBER 1990 • B Y T E 279 AMONG THE WORLD'S GREATEST TIME-SAVERS r is&A m *?' t ±*M w :vm ^m& ■■/: 'Jt$&r:\ ■-7X- i'*"';i.J< Introducing a remarkably fast new route to Windows" 3.0 Complete Windows 3.0 applications in half the time You don't need a miracle to complete Microsoft® Windows 3.0 applications quickly and easily. Just the latest development tools from The Whitewater Croup. They help you take advantage of all the new features of Windows 3.0 with unprecedented speed. 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Or FAX your request for information to 708-328-9386 The Whitewater Group • 1800 Ridge Avenue, Evanston, IL 60201-3621 USA 708-328-3800 Circle 312 on Reader Service Card STATE OF THE ART ADVANCED GRAPHICS COVER STORY True Color for Windows With the right hardware and software, you can display and manipulate photo-realistic images under Windows 3. Adam Bellin and Pier Del Frate For the past few years, the Macin- tosh has led the way in bringing 24-bit, workstation-quality graphics to personal computers. Appli- cations written to the 32-Bit QuickDraw standard can eas- ily use photo-realistic images, providing you with a level of creativity never before avail- able on personal computers. Until recently, IBM PCs and compatibles have not of- fered the same ability to work in true color. Most MS-DOS software is written to take ad- vantage of the standard dis- play adapters— CGA, EGA, and VGA— which are limited in the number of colors they can display. Applications that work with true color images must be written for a specific display board, such as a Targa board. The advent of Win- dows 3.0, however, is chang- ing all that. The Windows Advantage Besides providing a graphical user inter- face that is well suited to graphics appli- cations, Windows 3.0 provides a graph- ics device interface (GDI) that frees applications developers from having to support every display adapter ever made. Developers need to write code to support ILLUSTRATION: SANDRA FILIPPUCCI © 1990 the GDI only; graphics-board manufac- turers then provide a single driver that translates instructions to the GDI device into commands that the graphics hard- ware can understand. Perhaps the most significant feature of the Windows 3.0 GDI is its support for 24-bit graphics. It lets an application use up to 24 bits of information to define the color of a single pixel on the screen. Now, using Windows 3.0, you can see images on the screen as they will appear when printed, and you can develop quality presentations that incorporate photo-realistic images. When running under Win- dows 3.0, applications can work with 24-bit images without regard to the display device you have in your sys- tem. The driver for the dis- play device takes care of con- verting colors and images to its format, operating trans- parently to the applications. If a Windows display de- vice, such as the RasterOps ColorBoard 1024MC, sup- ports 24 bits per pixel, then applications will be able to work with and display any of 16.7 million (2 24 ) colors. The ability to work with 24-bit images on-screen provides for a photo-realistic graphical en- vironment that can support sophisticated desktop-publishing, multimedia, busi- ness-presentation, color-illustration, and image-processing applications. A com- puter that is running Windows 3.0 and equipped with a 24-bit video display be- comes a powerful graphics workstation, able to run major graphics applications simultaneously with standard DOS ap- plications. continued DECEMBER 1990 -BYTE 281 STATE OF THE ART TRUE COLOR FOR WINDOWS The 24-bit Advantage A few applications, such as Power Point from Microsoft and Corel Draw from Corel Systems, have already been writ- ten to the Windows 3.0 24-bit standard, although display boards that support the standard are only now becoming avail- able. Such applications not only let you view scanned or frame-grabbed images that have the same quality as the origi- nal, but, with the ability to simulta- neously display 16.7 million colors, they let you create smooth-shaded objects or show a color gradient (or "fountain fill") Options Window Hetp Program M anager d Accessories COREL DRAW - BALLFEST.CDR pH^l File Edit Transform Arrange Display Special Microsoft PowerPoi File Edit View Style Text Draw Color W, COUJMBhPPT Photo 1: Standard VGA display. Under Windows 3.0, you must use dithering when a program attempts to display more colors than the display adapter supports. Photo 2: A 24-bit display. With a 24-bit graphics board such as the RasterOps 1024MC, Windows 3. doesn 't have to resort to dithering or approximations; it outputs the true colors called for by the application. with enough colors to eliminate all band- ing effects. The VGA provided on the mother- board of PS/2s produces a display with a resolution of 640 by 480 pixels by 4 bits per pixel (16 colors). Other display de- vices, such as Super VGA and 85 14/ A, let you display as many as 256 colors in higher resolutions. Although these are adequate for preliminary work in layouts and presentations, they are inadequate if you want to see the screen as it will ap- pear in its final, hard-copy format. Photo 1 shows a screen rendered in standard VGA, while photo 2 shows a similar display rendered in 24 bits. The displays were created on the same ma- chine by switching between the VGA Windows 3.0 driver and the 1024MC Windows 3.0 driver. Note the difference in quality between the two. With both Corel Draw and Power Point, the foun- tain fills used for shading are greatly en- hanced by providing 16.7 million true colors that don't rely on a dithered pat- tern to approximate the desired colors. Drive That Display The display driver links the video dis- play hardware to the Windows environ- ment. It provides the low-level functions required by Windows to do everything from drawing a single pixel on the screen to displaying images and drawing geo- metric shapes such as lines and curves. Most of the drawing functions must also support many raster operations (ROPs) at drawing time. A ROP defines the logical operation or pattern that the BitBlt (bit block transfer) function uses when it combines the source and destina- tion bits during a drawing operation. A ROP is applied to each pixel involved in the drawing operation. Windows 3.0 sup- ports 256 different ROPs for the BitBlt routines, and the display driver must sup- port all of these. (Actually, there are 128 ROPs; the second set of 128 ROPs is the same as the first with a negate operation appended.) If the display hardware has accelera- tion or drawing support on-board, it can greatly increase the speed of some of the ROPs that are supported in hardware. Some display devices can support BitBlt operations without performing pixel pro- cessing; in these cases, the display driver must be able to differentiate between the operations supported in hardware and those supported by the driver. Upping the Hardware Ante A driver that supports 24 or 32 bits per pixel differs greatly from a 4- or an 8-bit display driver. When you do work with 282 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 Sketch. AutoSketch. If you can sketch, you can AutoSketch. compatibility and associative dimensioning. It's what Which gives you real CAD power — speed, accuracy you'd expect from the makers of AutoCAD® the and easy revisions — all without a long, world's most popular CAD package." drawn-out learning curve. For a brochure or ordering information, With AutoSketch version 3, you have our easiest CAD yet with pull-down menus and on-screen icons. You also have DXF^file u.s.$249 call 1-800-223-2521. We'll sketch in the details. LAUTODESK Autodesk, AutoCAD, AutoSketch and Autodesk logo are registered trademarks and DXF is a trademark of Autodesk, Inc. ©1990 Autodesk, Inc. Circle 119 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 120) STATE OF THE ART TRUE COLOR FOR WINDOWS large pixel depths— and larger spatial resolutions— your memory requirements go up dramatically, both for the display and for temporary buffers used to store images off-screen. For example, a stan- dard VGA screen, operating at 640 by 480 pixels by 4 bits per pixel requires about 154K bytes of display memory, with a like amount required to store an image off-screen. At 8 bits per pixel, the same screen requires 307K bytes. In con- trast, a screen operating at 1024 by 768 pixels by 24 bits per pixel requires 3 megabytes. Given the large amount of memory you have to manipulate when using 24-bit images, the performance of Windows can suffer without proper hardware sup- port. This is why the 1024MC comes with a 386-only display driver. Drivers running on the 386 can move 32 bits of data at a time, whereas the 286 can only move 16 bits at a time. Also, the segmented-memory archi- tecture of the 286 slows down processing when an image is larger than 64K bytes, as is the case with just about all 24-bit images. Using 4-gigabyte memory seg- ments, 386 drivers don't need to worry w. indows* performance can suffer without proper hardware support. about special processing for images that cross 64K-byte segment boundaries. Given the limitations of the 286, Raster- Ops thinks that the Windows 3.0 386 enhanced mode is vital if you want to limit the performance penalty you incur when using true color. The 286 simply does not have the horsepower to manipu- late 24-bit images fast enough to satisfy most people. Windows Without 24-bit Hardware Under Windows 3.0, colors in the pal- ettes kept by applications and by the sys- tem are defined as 24-bit values (8 each for red, green, and blue). When these values are output to a device that can't display 24 bits, the display driver con- verts them to a value the display can pro- duce. Some of these conversions are done on the fly, but a well-behaved application will usually request that logical 24-bit colors be translated into physical colors early on in the program so that the appli- cation can save the physical colors for later use. When a particular 24-bit color is passed to the display driver, the driver, through translation and approximation, must decide on the closest matching col- or that the physical device is capable of displaying. One feature that helps a display device approximate colors it can't produce is the ability of Windows applications to paint and draw with brush objects. A brush is normally an 8- by 8-pixel pattern used to paint the screen. Windows or an applica- tion can request that the display driver create a brush that has a foreground and/ or a background color. If the display de- vice cannot output the colors requested in the brush, the driver generates an 8- by 8-pixel dithered pattern that most closely represents the colors requested. The advantage of using a brush over a TheDGIS™SDKandaTI 34010-based High-Performance Graphics Board forone amazing price. High performance, high resolu- tion graphics are the wave of the future. With the DGIS Software Developer's Kit™ (SDK), qualified software developers can write for the future today. The DGIS Developer's Kit pro- vides everything neededtodevelop applications and driversf orDGIS- compatible 34010 graphics boards— boardsf rom companies such as Compaq, Dell, Hewlett- Packard, NCR, NEC, Tl and more than 30 others worldwide. Software developed with this kit can access thefullpowerofthe 34010, support- ing the greatestnumberof high reso- lution graphics boards atthe nighest levels of performance, resolution and color. DGIS, the premierand most widely-shipped interface fortheTI 340X0 family of graphics coproces- THE POWER OF HIGH RESOLUTION GRAPHICS PROGRAMM NG CAN BE REACHED WITH ONE EASY NUMBER: sors, provides an outstanding feature-rich programming model with 100+ grapnicsfunctions.The DGIS SDK includes documentation and languagebindingsforthe DGIS interface, device driversf orWin- dows 3.0, utilities, and the GSS AT1050™ 1024X768 34010graph- ics board (which normally selfsfor $1295alone). TheDGISSDKiscompatiblewith most Ccompilersandsupports the XMS standard as well as DOS Extendersfrom Rational and Phar- Lap. Stepping uptothe big screen has never been easier, or more attrac- tive. Call today. Graphic Software Systems SP6CTRM3WH ICS Call (503) 641 -2455. AskforDept. DGIS-1. All pricessubiecttochangewithout notice. GSS, DGIS, The DGISSoftware Developer's Kit GSSAI" I050are trademarks of Graphics Software Systems Inc. All othertrademarks belong to their respective owners. 284 BYTE* DECEMBER 1990 Circle 123 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 124) "When I bought my TARGA. board back in '85, it was the most sophisticated product on the market. It still is." Jonathan Herbert Computer Illustration New York, New York the first TARGA boards ever made. Now, there are lots of other boards on the market, but I've never given them a second look." Graphic created by Jonathan Herbert, using the TARGA board with TIPS®, RIO'" and TOPAS™. For more information contact Jonathan Herbert at (718) 383-1251. Just look at us now. Today's TARGA+ supports multiple platforms, including PS/2, and multiple display resolutions in both interlaced and non-interlaced modes. And, with our new VGA overlay feature, you can superimpose VGA graphics directly onto your non-interlaced output. Looks like we've done it again. Introducing the Truevision TARGA+. The next generation TARGA for the next generation TARGA user. WTRUEVISION 8 Providing Solutions With Vision'" 7340 Shadeland Station, Indianapolis, IN 46256 INTERNATIONAL: Canada 41 6/940-8727 France 33-1 -3-952-6253 Italy 39-2-242-4551 Switzerland 41-1-825-0949 U.K. 44-628-77-7800 West Germany 49-89-612-0010 Other 617/229-6900 RIO and TOPAS are trademarks of AT&T. Circle 326 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 327) Call 800-858-TRUE Runs all 286 and 386 Software! TCache-SX™ Replaces your 286 with a 386SX! 16 or 20 MHz SX Speed from $495 If you currently use an 80286 and are hamstrung by the 640K memory limit or need more speed, you owe it to yourself to try a Microway acceler- ator. The FASTCache-SX plugs into your 80286 socket replacing it with a 16 or 20 MHz 80386SX. It is fed by a large four-way cache similar to the one built into the 80486. This results in zero wait state performance using or- dinary AT memory. Running on a 20 MHz FASTCache, the Landmark benchmark delivers 27 MHz for the CPU and 49 MHz for the FPU - four and eight times the throughput of the 286 and 287 that came with the original AT It is 100% compatible with most 286 powered ATs running all your 286 and 386 software, including protected mode applications like Windows 3.0, DESQview-386 and, of course, Microway's NDP C-SX and Fortran-SX. The Microway NDP Fortran-SX and NDP C-SX compilers generate the best code to take advantage of your 386SX. They feature excellent global optimiza- tions not found in 16 bit compilers, plus the ability to take advantage of the 4 gigabyte address space of the SX. In addition, our complete line of an- cillary products, including symbolic debuggers, profilers, virtual memory, plotting packages, windowing packages, graphics libraries and the NAG numerics libraries, can save you hun- dreds of hours moving your mainframe code to the SX. We also support the dialects you need, like VMS Fortran and ANSI C with the MS C DOS and graphics extensions. However, the best feature of these products is their price, just $595 including the DOS Extender tools needed to run the SX in protected mode! At a suggested list price of just $495, the FASTCache-SX-16 is a real bargain! Limited Offer - If you purchase a FASTCache-SX before October 15, we will bundle in a copy of the SX ver- sion of NDP-C, NDP-Fortran or NDP- Pascal for half price. For just $795 plus the cost of an 80387SX you will be able to convert your 286 AT into a 32 bit development platform that will pro- vide you with VAX performance for a fraction of the price! To order please call 508-746-7341. Microwa y Corporate Headquarters P. O. Box 79, Kingston, MA 02364 USA TEL 508-746-7341 • FAX 508-746-4678 World Leader in PC Numerics U.K. 32 High St., Kingston-Upon-Thames, 081-541-5466 Germany 069-75-2023 Italy 02-74.90.749 Holland 40 836455 Japan 81 3 222 0544 STATE OF THE ART TRUE COLOR FOR WINDOWS single color that approximates the re- quested color is that it lets the display driver blend two or more different colors that it can display side by side within the 8- by 8-pixel area. This creates a visual effect that can more closely resemble the original color that Windows requested. When a brush is not used, the driver must simply find the closest color it can display and use that, which may not be close enough to the color requested to be visually satisfying. The disadvantage to dithering is that it effectively reduces the spatial resolution of the area being dithered, since it may take three or more pixels to approximate a color that, on a 24-bit display, would be displayed in one pixel. Dithering is also used in converting bit maps from 24 bits per pixel to 8, 4, or 1 bit per pixel. The original color image may come from a Windows application as a bit map of 4, 8, or 2 4 bits, and the driver will process the image and add dithering if needed. Be- cause an application can inquire about the display device that it is currently run- ning on, it can perform the dithering it- self and pass processed data to the dis- play driver. E very pixel can display any one of the 16. 7 million colors available. True Color for DOS A 24-bit display device can display any 24-bit color information or bit map di- rectly, without dithering, palette look- ups, or color translations. Every pixel on the screen can display any one of the 16.7 million colors available. When an appli- cation requests a 24-bit color, the display driver has no problems, since no conver- sion, translation, or dithering is needed. Thus, an application, such as PageMaker 4.0 under Windows, can include photo- realistic images within documents and produce professional-quality output. Using color-illustration packages such as Corel Draw, Power Point, or Arts and Letters (to name a few), you can create color gradients and smooth-shaded ob- jects without any banding or distortion. Depending on the display resolution, you may be able to compose color screens that look as good as or better than the final, color-separated output. Plugging a 24-bit card into a Micro Channel- equipped PC and running Windows 3.0 literally transforms an ordinary com- puter into a high-end color workstation. If you're involved with electronic pub- lishing, electronic pre-press, desktop publishing, graphic arts, or photo-realis- tic rendering, the 24-bit capabilities of Windows 3.0 add another platform to choose from. Porting 24-bit applications to Windows 3.0 from the Mac and Unix will increase the level of file sharing and interoperability among these platforms. It will also stimulate the production of 24-bit video boards with a variety of res- olutions and capabilities. With Windows 3.0, true color for DOS is here to stay. ■ Adam Bellin is manager of IBM engineer- ing, and Pier Del Frate is director of IBM marketing, at Raster Ops Corp. You can reach them on BIXc/o "editors. " AWARD POSTCARD DIAGNOSTIC CARD • DOS not required for diagnostic functions • POST {Power On Self Test) routine monitoring • Supports XT/286/386 based microcomputers • Works with most BIOS versions including AWARD, AMI, PHOENIX, QUADTEL • Built in comprehensive diagnostic functions in ROM • Fits into any 8/16 BIT slot • Optional digital diagnostic diskettes for floppy disk alignment • Serial and parallel loop back connectors included • New Low Price $ 249.°° Order Now 1-800-800-2467 UNIC®RE 599 Canal Street Lawrence, MA 01840 SOFTWARE (508) 686-6468 FAX: (508)683-1630 - r^^^A^.^i^^ l ^^y^r^r^^^^^:%^^:2''^'■ Circle 330 on Reader Service Card GRAPHIC TOOLS LIBRARY X V^ YU1* Virtual Device Interface. Graphics library with examples. Display and Printed graphics. High Speed, high quality draw and print at 60 to 600 dpi. Outline font factory. Text at any angle. Scale text on demand. Draw on page. All GKS draw. Object manipulations. Segmentation. POLTARC engine. Plots & charts. Bitmaps. All drawing & mouse functions support Super VGA modes. $35)5. PHONTM; TIIE FONTMAKER. Interactively create scaleable, expandable and Tillable outline, stroke and bitmap fonts, figures or logo's. Scale to various size fonts. Laser loader. Shaded & pattern Till fonts. Kerning. Create h hand-writing or multi-lingual fonts. Import/Export font/logo Images for editing and conversion to scalable drawing. $395. O v^AJN JL/lXJ I Image tools library. Scale image up or down (integer and fraction sfactor) or auto scale to fit in a window. Animation. Image rotate, stretch, skew, mirror, tile i fill and window scroll. Virtual bitmaps and graphic pop-ups. Includes Text & mouse functions. Drag image. Support for multiple (TIFF, PCX, KPS) file formats. Image database. Print and scroll view scanned images. ASCII file to Fax | conversion. Clipper version. ANSI compatible. Faster. $295. 1 JMECtAVLIIJ Mega Virtual device interface. Draw and manipulate large CAD drawings and scanned images, Bitmap up to 15 MB is size with selectable pixel depth. Image pan, smooth scroll, rotate, hspeed-scale, zoom. Import PCX or TIFF images in a large bitmap for processing. Color ! print/plots with Pre-View. HP-GL and PaintJet $895. ] All products: Modes from Hercules to 1 024X768X256 Most " 'C and C++, Pascal, Fortran, MS QuickBasic 4.0 to 7.1 NOVA INC. 708-882-4111 '2500 W. Higgins Road, #1144 DOWNLOAD Hoffman Estates, IL 60195 DEMO'S & INFO fax: 708-882-4173 bbs: 708-882-4175 Circle 214 on Reader Service Card DECEMBER 1990 • B Y T E 287 From this day on, you'll never want an external UPS again. Introducing the Inner Source: The first computer power supply with a built-in UPS. Engineered to work inside your computer. It's a first. The InnerSource is the only drop-in replacement power supply that is engineered with a built-in UPS. The InnerSource gives you the functionality of two products and stays out of sight — neatly inside your computer. Because the InnerSource drops into your AT or 386 computer, it eliminates the need, and expense, of a bulky external UPS. And because of its computer-ready DC output, there's no more worrying about square-waves, sine-waves and transfer times. Under normal power conditions: When AC line voltage is present, the UL approved InnerSource operates as a high quality computer power supply. Its wide input range protects against the hazards of power-line sags and surges and its EMI filter minimizes power-line noise. PC POWER El COOLING, INC. 31510 Mountain Way, Bonsall, CA 92003 • (619)723-9513 • (800) 722-6555 • FAX (619) 723-0075 When the power is interrupted: In the event of a blackout, an alarm sounds, and the InnerSource's integrated, battery-backed, 550VA-equivalent power system keeps both the PC and monitor running for 5 to 10 minutes, long enough for an orderly shutdown. Automatic recharging is provided. The InnerSource is the internal solution to computer power protection. The InnerSource is ideal for PCs, LAN file servers and LAN remote stations. By combining the functions of a DC power supply and on-line UPS, the InnerSource not only saves space, but also provides the most reliable, cost-effective computer power protection available today. Two vital functions. Circle 228 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 229) STATE OF THE ART ADVANCED GRAPHICS COVER STORY Putting the Squeeze on Graphics Image-compression technology promises to make graphics and video data as easy to manipulate as text and numbers Nick Bar an Full-color, 32-bit images are indeed z wonder to behold on today's large, high- resolution monitors. Com- puter companies love to im- press the media and potential customers with demonstra- tions featuring dazzling bou- quets of flowers and Ferrari sports cars looking so vivid and real that you're ready to climb in and go for a test drive. Marketing managers wax poetic about the revolu- tionary potential of multi- media and scientific visual- ization, all for just $6995. But beneath all the dazzle lies a big problem: 32-bit color images require enor- mous amounts of storage space. That full-color ma- chine for just $6995 probably comes with an 80-megabyte hard disk drive, which, after you load the operating system and a few applications, has barely enough free space for a handful of single 32-bit color screen images. That's be- cause the definition of a single full-color 32-bit screen image on a typical high-res- olution display requires about 3 MB of data. If you intend to display animated graphics, your storage requirements go through the roof, and you also have to deal with the problem of moving all that ILLUSTRATION: SANDRA FILIPPUCCI © 1990 image data from disk to your display adapter. The technology of image compression can solve these problems. Dedicated image-compression processors have be- gun to appear that can compress a 25- MB color image down to 1 MB in less than a second. These processors are finding their way to the system boards of some computer manufacturers. Within the next several years, you'll see image-compression pro- cessors in all sorts of video recording and display de- vices, as well as on the system boards of low-cost personal computers. I'll discuss some of the emerging standards for image compression and some of the dedicated processors currently on the market. The Graphics Bottleneck A high-resolution monitor displays about 1 million pixels (1024 by 768, 1120 by 832, and 1280 by 1024 are typical resolutions). A black-and- white image requires 1 bit per pixel (on or off) or about 1 million bits (125K bytes) per screen image. Gray-scale images with 8 bits per pixel (selecting from a possible 2 8 or 256 shades of gray) require about 1 MB per image. Full-color images (16.7 million possible colors) require the defi- nition of 24 bits per pixel (8 bits each for red, green, and blue) and may require an additional 8 bits to define the degree of transparency (the alpha channel in Mac- intosh terminology), or about 4 MB per screen image. So, that bargain for $6995 turns out to cost a few thousand dollars more after you have purchased a big 300-MB or 600-MB hard disk drive for DECEMBER 1990 'BYTE 289 STATE OF THE ART PUTTING THE SQUEEZE ON GRAPHICS U.S. POSTAL SERVICE STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT AND CIRCULATION (Act of August 12, 1970, Section 3685, Title 39, United States Code) 1. Title of publication: BYTE MAGAZINE 1A. Publication No.: 03605280 2. Date of filing: October 1 , 1990 3. Frequency of issue: Monthly plus one addition- al issue in October 3A. Number of issues published annually: 13 3B. Annual subscription price: $29.95 4. Location of known office of publication: One Phoenix Mill Lane, Peterborough, NH 03458 5. Location of headquarters or general business of f ices of the publisher: McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1221 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020 6. Names and addresses of publisher, editor, and managing editor: Publisher: Ronald W. Evans- One Phoenix Mill Lane, Peterborough, NH 03458; Editor: Fred Langa— One Phoenix Mill Lane, Pe- terborough, NH 03458; Managing Editor: Anne Fischer Lent— One Phoenix Mill Lane, Peterbor- ough, NH 03458 7. Owner: McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1221 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020. Stockholders holding 1 percent or more of stock are: Donald C. McGraw Jr.; Harold W. McGraw Jr.; John L. McGraw; William H. McGraw; June M. McBroom; Elizabeth McGraw Webster; all c/o McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1221 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020. Texas Teachers Retirement Fund c/o Chemical Bank, 200 Jericho Quadrangle, Jericho, NY 11753. 8. Known bondholders, mortgagees, and other se- curity holders owning or holding 1 percent or more of total amount of bonds, mortgages, or other secu- rities: None 9. Not applicable. 10. Extent and nature of circulation: Actual No. Average No. Copiesof Copies Each Single Issue Issue During Published Preceding Nearest to 12 Months Filing Date A. Total No. Copies Printed . . . 638,131 694,900 B. Paid Circulation 1. Sales through dealers and carriers, street vendors, and counter sales 133,502 142,057 2. Mail subscriptions ...... 387,459 436,937 C. Total Paid Circulation 520,961 578,994 D.Free Distribution by Mail, Carrier, or Other Means; Samples, Complimentary, and Other Free Copies 11,674 8,009 E. Total Distribution 532,635 587,003 F. Copies Not Distributed 1, Office use, left over, unac- counted, spoiled after print- ing 2,612 2,684 2. Return from newsagents 102,884 105,213 G.Total 638,131 694,900 1 1 . I certify that the statements made by me above are correct and complete. —Ronald W. Evans Publisher S } tor age and communications limitations are only part of the story. storing high-resolution color images. And then there's the problem of print- ing and transmitting these images. While color looks great on the screen, the ulti- mate goal is often color output on slides or paper. But because color laser printers still cost $10,000 or more, you usually find them on a network or in a service bu- reau that can receive your files electroni- cally for printing. Sending a 3-MB file over the phone is a slow and error-prone process. Using a 9600-bps modem, it takes about 45 minutes to transmit a 3- MB file. Storage requirements become astro- nomical when you digitize full-color photographs from a scanner or video camera. An 8*/2 - by 1 1 -inch color photo- graph at 300 dots per inch requires 25 MB of data (93*/2 square inches with 90,000 dots per square inch and 24 bits per dot). Similarly, color output devices must process 25 MB to print the same image. Transmitting such an image over a 9600-bps modem would take about 6 hours. Storage and communications limita- tions are only part of the story. The other is performance, particularly with regard to animation applications requiring the storage and display of hundreds of screen images in sequence. Full-motion video requires the display of 30 frames per sec- ond. NTSC video with a resolution of 640 by 480 pixels and 24 bits per pixel trans- lates into 1 MB of data per frame or 30 MB per second. Today's desktop com- puters cannot deliver 30 MBps to the screen. In addition, 1 minute of full- motion video requires a storage capacity of almost 2 gigabytes. Hard disk drives typically have data transfer rates of 1 to 2 MBps, far from adequate for full-motion video applica- tions. Even if the drives were faster, most microcomputer buses transfer data at rates under 20 MBps (NuBus transfers data at 10 MBps; the AT bus runs at about 6 MBps). CD-ROM drives, which can store hundreds of megabytes of data on removable cartridges and so are ideal for storing graphics images, are several times slower than hard disk drives. The size of graphics images is also a crucial issue in the consumer electronics and communications markets. Digital video cameras, video games, color fax, and subscription over-the-phone-line movies and videos are all hampered by the size of graphics images. The Solution: Image Compression The solution to this problem is clearly the use of data compression to reduce the size of the files representing graphics images. Data compression is already widely used for archiving and transmit- ting binary and text files, and there are various standard data-compression algo- rithms for this purpose (see "Saving Space," March BYTE). Standards for image compression, however, are just be- ginning to emerge. For both text and image compression, the principle is the same: Reduce the data to an abbreviated or shorthand form that still retains the basic information contained in the file. For either text or image compression, the technique in- volves finding redundant or unnecessary information and substituting an abbrevi- ation or shorthand symbol for that infor- mation. In the case of image compres- sion, it is sometimes possible to discard parts of the information altogether, since some of the pixel attributes may not be visible to the human eye and thus con- tribute little to the quality of the image. While text-compression schemes deal with character strings and the ASCII table, image compression deals with pixels and the visual attributes (color and transparency) attached to each pixel. Be- cause images generally have regions of uniform color or patterns, particularly in the background (e.g., a blue sky or a white wall), it is possible to represent these regions of uniformity by a much smaller entity than the definition of each individual pixel in that region. For exam- ple, you can define a group of pixels rather than individual pixels. Two standard algorithms for image compression are emerging: the Joint Pho- tographies Experts Group algorithm for still images, and the Motion Picture Ex- perts Group algorithm for motion picture images (full-motion video). Both JPEG and MPEG are sponsored by the CCITT and the International Standards Organi- zation. An obvious question is why different algorithms are needed for still images and for motion video images. While mo- tion video images are time-dependent and related to other frames in a se- quence, still images are independent en- tities. Motion video generally includes 290 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 J^m The Universal Choice lor Optical Innovation As the world's leading creator of interface software for optical function sub-systems, our LUMINAR developer's toolkit for disk drives, Corel Systems Corporation continues its tradition of optical jukeboxes, or our LS series of low cost, high performance excellence with its growing line of industry-leading mass storage SCSI cards, you can count on Corel for reliable, trend setting products. Whether you need our DOS, OS/2, Macintosh or optical storage solutions. Novell interface kits, our complete WORM, erasable and multi- CoreVs award-winning products are the choice of these leading manufacturers: sony ft!) pioneer Panasonic 0? £jCOREL TEL: (613) 728-8200 FAX: (613) 728-9790 CHEROKEE DATA SYSTEMS, INC Mqx pp i ix ATGi M£$3or A MITSUBISHI O ' TOSHIBA HIlSuJtiHib HITACHI Circle 3S8 on Reader Service Card STATE OF THE ART PUTTING THE SQUEEZE ON GRAPHICS \ f IV #. I %■ £> t-B-i Aula ~ V ; -'" *• '^''l* i di nv -fc - dk 1 i J^* 1 W jjS$fi u (a) 77ie original image is a full 32-bit color image requiring 3. 2 MB of storage. (b) The second image was compressed by 14 to 1, yielding a file of 228 K bytes, and then decompressed and displayed. sound, so audio compression must also be included in a compression scheme. It is possible to use still-image compression for motion video, but you lose the perfor- mance gains that can be achieved by cor- relating related frames in a motion video sequence, and, of course, you lose the audio compression. Compression of a still image is fo- cused on one major task: the reduction of the data describing that single image. Compression of full-motion video also performs this type of data reduction, but it can gain further reduction of each frame's data size by retaining objects in the frame from previous frames. For example, if the video shows a man walking across a street with a blue sky background, there is no need to redraw the sky or the street in each frame. It is also unnecessary to redefine the man, pixel by pixel. Instead, it is more effi- cient to define a vector that moves the pixels representing the man from one lo- cation to another. By taking advantage of the redundant data in each frame of the sequence, you can greatly reduce the amount of data needed for each frame. The JPEG Algorithm The JPEG algorithm is emerging as the standard for still-image compression. While only in a draft version at the time of this writing, the JPEG algorithm is ex- pected to be finalized by the end of this year. Several commercial software and hardware implementations of JPEG are already available in the marketplace and will presumably be compatible with or upgraded to the final version of the algo- rithm. The JPEG algorithm is termed sym- metrical because it compresses and de- compresses the image in the same num- ber of operations and therefore in the same amount of time. It is also called a "lossy" compression technique, because it discards or "loses" data in the com- pression process. The algorithm discards data selectively so that the human eye barely perceives any degradation in the quality of the image. Of course, the greater the compression ratio, the more noticeable the degrada- tion in image quality. However, the JPEG algorithm can compress printed images (starting with 300 dpi) in ratios of up to 25 to 1 with a hardly noticeable loss of image quality. Screen images (starting with 70 or 80 dpi) can be compressed up to about 15 to 1 without a major loss in image quality. The photos show a full- color screen image in its original form (a) and compressed to 14 to 1 (b). The JPEG algorithm is an open stan- dard, and JPEG software packages that include source code are available from C- Cube Microsystems and Kodak. The first step in the execution of the JPEG al- gorithm is to reduce the data redundancy in the image's pixel values. This is done by using the discrete cosine transform (DCT), which is similar to the Fourier transform but includes only the cosine part of the function. The DCT technique involves breaking up the image into arrays of 8 by 8 pixels. These arrays are approximated as a re- gion of varying color and intensity repre- sented by light-frequency values as- signed to each pixel. The DCT is applied to the array to concentrate the energy represented in that region into a few co- efficients representing the frequencies. The higher frequencies outside the range of visible light are discarded, and the lower frequencies are preserved. This process accounts for most of the data reduction. Although the JPEG algorithm is inde- pendent of color, implementations of the algorithm for compressing RGB images first convert the color components to YUV before executing the DCT. (Y rep- resents luminance; U and V represent chrominance components.) The chromi- nance portion of the color definition can be reduced by half without affecting the human eye's perception of the image. (The chrominance value in every other pixel is discarded.) The resulting DCT coefficients are then "quantized" to reduce their magni- tude and to increase the number of zero- value coefficients. Finally, run-length and Huffman encoding are applied to represent runs of consecutive 0s and to further compress the data symbols repre- senting the image. The figure shows a schematic of the JPEG scheme. Note that the decompression process is exactly the inverse of the compression steps (hence the "symmetry" of the JPEG algorithm). Although the decom- pression process reproduces the original image, the data defining that image has been greatly reduced. Ratios of up to 25 to 1 for print images and up to 15 to 1 for screen images reproduce the original image with minimal loss in image quality. JPEG in Hardware The JPEG algorithm can be implemented in either hardware or software. It per- forms slowly in software, however. The JPEG algorithm running on a standard 25-MHz 68030 machine takes about 15 minutes to compress a 25-MB image by 25 to 1 . Using a C-Cube Microsystems (San Jose, CA) image-compression pro- cessor, the same compression process takes 1 second. C-Cube Microsystems' CL550 image- compression processor exemplifies the future direction of image-compression technology. The CL550 is a single-chip processor with built-in units for execut- 292 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 STATE OF THE ART PUTTING THE SQUEEZE ON GRAPHICS ing the DCT, quantization, and Huffman encoding operations. According to the company's specifications, the chip has 400,000 transistors and over 300 stages of pipeline, allowing it to perform over 300 steps of the JPEG algorithm concur- rently. The processor comes in 10-MHz and 30-MHz versions. The 10-MHz version can compress 5 million pixels per second and is designed strictly for still-image compression. The 30-MHz version can compress 14.7 million pixels per second, which provides adequate performance for displaying 30 frames per second of NTSC video (each frame is compressed to between 50K and 100K bytes). Up to four CL550 processors can be operated in parallel, allowing high-definition TV images to be compressed in real time, ac- cording to C-Cube Microsystems. JPEG and CD-ROM The 30-MHz CL550 is an example of how the JPEG algorithm can be used for full-motion video. However, there are some significant limitations. First, the JPEG algorithm has no audio-compres- sion capability. Second, even the blazing speed of the 30-MHz CL550 is only ade- quate for real-time video compression using hard disk drives with transfer rates of 1 MBps or more. The process is not fast enough to allow the use of CD-ROM drives as the storage medium for full- motion video. According to C-Cube' s marketing manager, Mauro Bonomi, the compression algorithm has to be "about three times faster" to work with CD- ROM drives. The way to achieve this in- crease in speed is to take advantage of the correlation between frames in motion video sequences. The ability to support CD-ROM drives is crucial for the commercial application of real-time video compression. Obvi- ously, it's not practical to send movies on hard disks. Nevertheless, the JPEG algo- rithm has tremendous potential for still- image compression and for some applica- tions of real-time video. (See the text box "Video Keying" on page 294 for a de- scription of how you can mix graphics and videoimages.) According to Bonomi, computer man- ufacturers have shown tremendous inter- est in the CL550. NeXT has built the CL550 into its Nextdimension color board (see "Fast New Systems from NeXT," November BYTE). And C-Cube recently announced add-in CL550 com- pression boards for PCs and Macs. These add-in boards include image-compres- sion software, allowing you to compress TIFF, PIC, andTIGA files. C-Cube also offers the Image Compression Interface, allowing third-party developers to com- press files directly from their applica- tions. The 10-MHz and 30-MHz chips are priced at $95 and $155, respectively, in quantities of 10,000, making them af- fordable even on high-end consumer electronics products ; such as digital cameras and VCRs. While C-Cube may be one of the first hardware manufacturers to produce a single chip running the JPEG algorithm, the competition is sure to heat up in the next few years. Intel (Santa Clara, CA) has announced plans to incorporate JPEG support into its i750 processor. Other members of the JPEG committee, such as IBM and NEC, are also probably developing compression processors. Full-Motion Video Compression Work on the MPEG algorithm for full- motion video is in an earlier stage of de- velopment than JPEG's, and no technical details have been released as of this writ- ing. According to a speech by Intel's Art Kaiman, delivered at the International Multimedia Conference in New York in September, the goal of MPEG is "to de- fine a standard that can reproduce VCR/ TV-quality video and CD-quality audio after it has been compressed to a data rate in the 1- to 1 !/2-megabit-per-second range, typical of a CD-ROM or PC hard disk. This requires data compression well in excess of 100 to 1 . " The MPEG algorithm will also use the DCT. Several subcommittees are work- ing on video-compression, audio-com- pression, and system-integration issues, according to Kaiman. However, some 17 algorithms proposed by over 20 compa- nies are being considered by MPEG. The challenge is to merge the best features of the various proposals into a single algo- rithm acceptable to the MPEG members. Intel's involvement in MPEG is note- worthy because Intel now owns the Digi- tal Video Interactive technology for compressing real-time video images on CD-ROM (see "Multimedia: DVI Ar- rives" in BYTE's IBM Special Edition, Fall 1990). DVI has been around since 1986 but has had limited success in the marketplace. Until recently, DVI devel- opment hardware required several add-in boards that cost about $20,000, and the video image quality was considerably lower than on a VHS VCR. Developers were reluctant to get involved. Since Intel has taken over, DVI seems to be gaining momentum. Intel claims to have over 100 software developers in the DVI camp, and it recently announced a joint project agreement with IBM. The current DVI development plat- form is based on the i750 processor, which was designed before Intel took over DVI. A complete image capture and compression system requires two boards, each of which costs about $2000. The de- velopment software costs an additional $4500. DVI currently uses two propri- etary video-compression algorithms called Real Time Video and Production Level Video. The RTV algorithm can Compression THE JPEG ALGORITHM Image data — »» RGB to YUV translation Forward DCT Quantization — *- Encoding — ^» Compressed image Decomp ression Image data — YUV to RGB translation -< Reverse DCT -* — Dequantization ■^ — Decoding -* — Compressed image The image compression scheme used in the JPEG algorithm. Note that the compression and decompression processes are the inverse of each other, making the algorithm symmetrical. (Courtesy C-Cube Microsystems) DECEMBER 1990 • B Y T E 293 STATE OF THE ART PUTTING THE SQUEEZE ON GRAPHICS In the language of video engineers, keying refers neither to telegraphy nor to data entry; rather, it's a synonym for the mixing of images. Until the dawn of the digital computer era, keyers were confined to the video production studio because of their cost and size. Today, however, digital keyers have mi- grated to the desktop, where they let you dynamically mix two signal sources— typically, video and computer graph- ics—and create a professional-quality product. Binary keying is the simplest but least versatile technique. Like a stencil, a binary key cuts a hole in live video and replaces it with a computer-generated graphic. If a binary keyer is used to overlay text on a video background, un- sightly jagged edges can result. Linear keying, a feature traditionally found on $50,000 to $100,000 video production switchers, can smooth or soften those edges, yielding a more at- tractive foreground-to-background tran- sition. More important, linear keying also allows the mixing or blending of specific portions of two sources. Al- though the technique can be effected in the analog domain with T-bar actua- tors, digital implementations usually produce more consistently reliable and accurate results, and at lower cost. In a 32-bit-per-pixel digital color sys- tem, three 8-bit bytes define the relative intensities of the red, green, and blue components of the computer-generated Video Keying Carl Calabria image. The fourth byte, often referred to as the alpha channel, can be used to define the extent to which the computer- generated RGB image is mixed with a live video signal. For a given pixel, an alpha of will produce an output that is totally com- puter-generated. If alpha = 255, the pixel will be wholly live video. If alpha = 32, the pixel will be composed of 33 of 256 parts computer-generated image and 223 parts live video; the overall ap- pearance will be that of a highly trans- lucent graphic superimposed on live video. With up to 256 levels of mixing avail- able for each pixel on the screen, you can create beautiful superimpositions of text and graphics over live video. This is done by selective mixing at the edges of the computer graphic to create a smooth, blended edge. A digital linear keyer can also be operated globally on all pixels to produce professional-look- ing transitions, such as fading live video to or from a specific color, or cross-fad- ing between live video and computer graphics or between two computer-gen- erated images. In a linear keyer, the information that dictates the level of mixing is provided by a computer. By contrast, a chroma keyer uses the information in the live video signal to determine where, and to what extent, to mix that video with a computer-generated graphic. Everyone has seen a meteorologist standing in front of a weather map on the evening news. Actually, the meteo- rologist is standing in front of a plain blue or green screen. The computer con- tinually analyzes the video signal and replaces all occurrences of that blue (or green), within a narrow range of chro- minance, with the computer-generated weather map. Of course, it is essential that the meteorologist not wear anything within that specific color range. (The screen is actually a special color not likely to be found in a standard ward- robe.) Sophisticated chroma keyers can also preserve shadows and eliminate fringing effects at boundaries. Advances in miniaturization are largely responsible for the spread of keying techniques outside the video production studio and onto the desktop. For example, on Truevision's Targa+ and NuVista-l- videographics boards for PC compatibles, PS/2s, and Macin- toshes, an entire digital linear and chro- ma keyer has been integrated onto a sin- gle 10,000-gate application-specific IC. Also resident on the boards are a 32-bit- per-pixel frame buffer, three 8-bit A/D converters, three 8-bit D/A converters, and a video encoder/decoder, providing all the essential ingredients for a desk- top video production system. Carl Calabria is executive vice president of engineering and cofounder of True- vision (Indianapolis, IN). You can reach him onBIXc/o "editors. " display 30 frames per second in real time, but it yields a low-quality image. The PLV algorithm produces higher- quality images, but it does not support real-time display. According to Intel's Karen Andring, Intel will introduce an entirely new ver- sion of the i750, called the B series, by the end of this year. The i750B will be about twice as fast as the current i750 and will support the JPEG algorithm. The third generation ofthei750 is planned for 1992. It will be 10 times as fast as the current processor and will support the MPEG full-motion-video standard. That processor will be small enough to fit on a computer system board. The Next Hurdle If you look at the evolution of the per- sonal computer, there have been mile- stones all along the way that have sig- naled major improvements in computing power or price/performance curve. Usu- ally these milestones could be anticipat- ed a year or two before they actually had a major impact on the marketplace. For example, articles about hard disks started appearing about two years before hard disks became really affordable. Back then, 20 MB of hard disk storage was considered a luxury. Today, 600- MB hard disk drives are a luxury, and 100-MB drives are commonplace. A similar trend is discernible in image- compression technology. Today, you're seeing the first products hit the market. In a couple of years, image-compression processors may be as commonplace as hard disk drives. When image compression really takes hold, it could have a revolutionary impact on the way you use computers. You will be able to work with and share graphics images the way you work with text today. True color high-resolution systems will drop dramatically in price, because far less memory and disk storage will be re- quired. And you will be able to easily transmit graphics images over the tele- phone lines, opening up all kinds of new possibilities for home video, satellite feeds, and other forms of graphics communications. ■ Nick Baran is a consulting editor for BYTE and the editor of Baran 's Tech Letter, a newsletter covering the NeXT computer. He can be reached on BIX as "nickbaran. " 294 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 D M P -- 6 DL SERIES on Instrument 61 DL imply Hewlett Packard DraftPrx^DXL O.K., let's settle this perfor- mance thing once and for all. SPEED. In a recent compari- son of throughput for the three top selling plotters, the Houston Instrument DMP-61 DL came out on top. One-third faster than the CalComp 1023. Over three times faster than the HP DraftPro DXL. In other words, whatever Plotter Throughput- | f : L with us could take you all afternoon with them. QUALITY. We also deliver unsurpassed quality with identical mechanical resolution Turn your HI PMP Series plotter i scanner with SCAN-CAD, This exclusive and superior same pen repeatability. VERSATILITY. Only the offer Quick Scale™ where any size drawing can be easily scaled and plotted at the current media size, plus the capability to save up to six different user configurations in memory— all standard. PRICE. Best of all, the HI DAAP-60 DL Series helps you beat the pants off your competition all at a very competitive price. For more information on the DMP-60 DL Series plotters call 1-800-444-3425. HOUSTON INSTRUMENT. HIDMP- CalComp HP DraftPro ♦o CdCcrp end HP A Summagraphics Company For IBM/Compatible information, circle 136; For Macintosh information circle 137; For Reseller inquiries circle 138 on Reader Service Card. * D-size Columbia plot using AutoCAD Release 10 with the HP 7585 driver on a COMPAQ® 386 1 6 MHZ computer with math coprocessor. Plotters were set to manufacturer's recommended settings for pen and media combinations used for check plot and final plots. © 1 990 Summagraphics Corporation. Seymour, CT 06483. All rights reserved. VGA DISPLAY. The first in a notebook computer. It's bright, paper-white, with a crisp 640x480 resolution and 16 shades of gray. TRUE NOTEBOOK SIZE. 8.5" x 11" x 1.4'; 4.4 lbs. iTi] u EDITORS' CHOICE ^r V B^_ -Jm October 16. 1990 Snarp PC -6230 muM 12Mhz 286. Runs the latest software with exhilarating efficiency. And it's fully expandable. © 1990 Sharp Electronics Corp. Windows is a trademarkof Microsoft Corp. 20MB HARD DISK. With a speedy 23ms access time. THE PC-6220. About the only thing you don't get with the Sharp PC-6220 is another piece of luggage to carry. It's amere8 1 /2"x11"and weighs only 4.4 lbs., yet has the kind of power you need. To run Windows" To do desktop publishing. To have instant access to your programs and fifes. Find out how you can put a serious computer in your briefcase. Without taking everything out of it. CaM-800-BE-SHARR FROM SHARP /WINDS CO/WE SHARP PRODUCTS 1 Circle 282 on Reader Service Card STATE OF THE ART ADVANCED GRAPHICS COVER STORY HDTV Sparks a Digital Revolution You can expect high-end computer graphics to integrate HDTV into normal use as the price drops Andrew Lippman For almost 20 years, people have been predicting a merger of computer graph- ics and broadcast TV, and slowly it has been happening. Early raster-scan computer graphics systems that used TV-resolution monitors and memory arrays were devel- oped in the 1970s. Videotape became part of the graphics lab, and graphics intruded into TV broadcasts. However, while computer graphics gradually moved to higher resolution, TV re- mained at 525 lines. Only video games and special-pur- pose, home, or personal com- puters interfaced directly with standard TV systems; professional workstations left TV in the dust. Research to develop high- definition TV (HDTV) now promises to complete the merger (see the text box "High-Defini- tion History" on page 300). New TV sys- tems are being developed that contain sufficient resolution for "serious" use, and new ways to record, distribute, pro- cess, and display the video signal are appearing. Perhaps the most important aspect of this new evolution of TV is the recent emergence of all-digital approaches, ILLUSTRATION: SANDRA FILIPPUCCI © 1990 where the image chain avoids any analog steps and is even broadcast as a digital signal. This is manifest both in proposals for high-definition broadcasting and in new ways to compress current NTSC pro- grams to multiplex many of them in a single channel. TV is literally learning the language of the computer. The development of consumer TV technology is retarded by problems of in- ternational standards and the huge installed base of NTSC 525-line receivers (there are more TV receivers than bath- rooms in America). But so much energy has been di- rected at improving video dis- plays that the personal com- puter community can no longer leave TV in the living room. TV will reenter the lab and work environment as a full- quality, wide-screen partner on computers ranging from high-end workstations to hand-held video games; and it will bring new thresholds of pictorial realism and unprec- edented opportunities. In the 1990s, the shift will be to high-definition and digital pictures, and the face of the industry will change. Even if you don't watch movies on HDTV in your home, you will witness the fruits of its devel- opment on your computer. The by-products of HDTV contain the real gold. Our imaging systems are at the threshold of a transformation from sim- ple analog devices to high-speed digital image processors. The impact of re- search in TV systems has effects that range from new ways to process high- rate image data to techniques for scaling, representing, compressing, and display- DECEMBER 1990 -BYTE 297 STATE OF THE ART HDTV SPARKS A DIGITAL REVOLUTION REPRESENTATIVE HDTV SYSTEMS Current HDTV and EDTV research systems. All numbers are approximate and subject to change as proposals change. Some resolution figures are computed from available literature. The Sarnof f Labs and Philips systems are shown as examples of EDTV systems. A unified Philips /Thomson/ Sarnof fail-digital system is expected by the end of this year. Raster, Color Organization Name Type image resolution resolution Modulation Notes MIT Channel compatible Simulcast 787.5 progressive, 720 by 1280 pixels 360 by 640 pixels Hybrid, 10-MBps digital image, data and audio, with analog detail Sub-band coding; broadcast system ispartofOpen Architecture Concept. Zenith Spectrum compatible Simulcast 787.5 progressive, 720 by 1280 pixels Not applicable Hybrid, 1.5-MBps digital image, data and audio, with analog detail Sub-band analysis with block-coded detail. General Instrument Digicipher Simulcast HDTV and direct broad- cast satellite 1050 interlace, 960 by 1408 pixels 480 by 352 pixels Digital, 16-QAM, 19.43-Mbps Motion-compensated block coder (discrete cosine transform). NHK MUSE Simulcast Narrow MUSE 1125 interlace, 568 by 946 pixels (1035 by 1920 pixels active raster) Approximately 284 by 473 pixels Explicit, time-interleaved analog samples Subsampled image with motion-compen- sated detail added. Sarnof f Labs ACTV-I EDTV-1 1050 interlace, 512 by 480 pixels Same as NTSC NTSC with additional subcarriers Image composed of central and peripheral regions; wider and more detailed than NTSC. Philips HD-60 EDTV-2 1050 interlace, 480 by 490 pixels Approximately NTSC Augmentation channel (digital) Second, linked channel contains augmentation data; base channel is NTSC. ing moving-image data. This knowledge is useful at any resolution and in any system. New TV Systems To understand new TV systems, you need to realize the vast changes that have been made in electronics since the last TV systems were designed— in the 1950s in the U.S. and the 1960s in Europe. In those days, video storage did not exist (videotape recording was invented in 1955), and all processing was done on the analog signal, usually on a point-by- point basis. Since this processing was expensive, the design goal was a consumer receiver that cost as little as possible. Even so, the first color TVs introduced in 1954 cost the equivalent of $3000 today. This design approach has caused the TV industry to evolve only slowly, with cost reductions as the major technical landmarks. While it's hard to envision a new personal computer whose main fea- ture is a 25-cent lower manufacturing cost, that has been the rule with TV; real technical advances have been few and far between. All new systems exploit the fact that the ground rules of consumer electronics are changing. Today's HDTV systems require at least one frame of video stor- age in each receiver. At least one manu- facturer, ITT (which makes most of the digital circuitry in the modern set), envi- sions 1 00-million-f loating-point-opera- tion-per-second processing as common- place by the middle of the decade. General Instrument, the inventor of VideoCipher, a direct broadcast satellite encoding system, has recently proposed an end-to-end digital system that in- cludes digital broadcasting. In the U.S., even the cellular telephone network is not all digital. Four divisions are commonly made among TV distribution systems. • IDTV: Improved-definition TV is the domain of normal improvements that could come about through receiver (and potentially transmitter) development. No new standard is necessary, and the signal is compatible with normal TV. An exam- ple of IDTV that is available in existing sets (although imperfectly done) is scan conversion in the receiver to a noninter- laced display. Yves Faroudja has shown NTSC en- coders that eliminate cross-talk compo- nents, and companion decoders that are optimized for processing such a pref il- tered signal. Some of these improve- ments are the result of inexpensive digi- tal processing and are outside the domain of HDTV. But such equipment is already improving broadcast TV. • EDTV-1: Extended-definition TV in- volves modifying the signal to include special components that an advanced receiver will use to provide a better picture. NTSC color was an EDTV-like modification to the then-existing black- and-white standard: It added the color in- formation to the signal so that a new re- ceiver would display color but existing monochrome receivers would not be se- verely impaired. Examples of modern EDTV sugges- tions include adding new signals that en- able a special receiver to add width to the picture or obtain additional resolution. If you own an EDTV set, you get a better picture; if not, you still get something. • EDTV-2: A second version of EDTV that can be productively distinguished from the first uses two broadcast chan- nels. One contains the standard NTSC signal and is available to existing receiv- ers. The second channel, which may contain more or less bandwidth than a normal TV channel, contains augmenta- tion information that a special receiver can use to provide a better picture. "Side curtains" for extra width and additional detail information are usually suggested 298 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 STATE OF THE ART HDTV SPARKS A DIGITAL REVOLUTION for the second channel. Two-channel image-coding systems were first proposed by Schreiber (see reference 1) and have recently been adapted and modified for HDTV. Basi- cally, the difference between the normal NTSC image and the HDTV one is en- coded into the second channel. • HDTV: The term HDTV is usually re- served for incompatible systems that re- quire a new receiver and a new, presum- ably higher, bandwidth channel, such as NHK's MUSE. But recently, there has been renewed interest in 6-MHz systems that provide for improved quality within the bandwidth of existing channels by avoiding any link with the design of NTSC. These systems fit into existing broadcast channels but avoid existing TV-signal formats. The FCC has declared that all new TV systems for use in the U.S. will be re- stricted to the bandwidth of existing TV channels. In the U.S., most HDTV sys- tems envision simulcasting, where a pro- gram is broadcast on a normal channel at the same time that it is broadcast on its HDTV counterpart. (For a list of current HDTV research systems, see the table.) Among these four common divisions, there are some implicit assumptions about available channels and the means of distribution. All these enhancements assume the primacy of over-the-air broadcasting; this is a supposition that is not carved in stone but is certainly the most difficult aspect of video communi- cations to change. Two-channel systems, for example, require additional bandwidth and de- mand that the receiver equitably tune in both channels. Many viewers have prob- lems getting even one channel with rea- sonable quality. Clearly, systems that hy- pothesize a new, incompatible channel must also suggest where the bandwidth and programming for that channel will originate. Any new channel allocation, whether for enhancements or for an independent HDTV broadcast, will trade potential di- versity for quality. Also, cable systems, direct-broadcast satellite, VCRs, and disks all lack broadcast's bandwidth con- straints and legal obstacles and can there- fore easily provide a better picture than the local affiliate. Another option is a set of systems col- lectively called MAC, for multiplexed analog components (see references 2 and 3). These avoid NTSC artifacts (for de- tails on artifacts, see the text box "High- Definition History") by compressing the luminance and color components in time and sequentially transmitting them. MAC is the outgrowth of new computer technology: Accurate clocks are now easier to construct than accurate filters, so separating the components temporally is potentially better than interleaving them in the frequency domain, as NTSC does. European satellite-broadcasting sys- tems are extensions of MAC. S-VHS, an improvement to home VCRs, is related to \h he term HDTV is usually reserved for incompatible systems that require a new receiver and a new } presumably higher, bandwidth channel. MAC in that the signal on the tape need never have been cast into broadcast NTSC form. Most of the standard scenarios for evo- lution from IDTV to HDTV are staged. The tacit assumption is that people will begin to trade in their TV sets for succes- sive improvements that will take place over a number of years. In some in- stances, this has not quite been the case: For example, NHK is already broadcast- ing 6 hours a day of 1 125-line HDTV via its satellite service, yet manufacturers are introducing EDTV receivers that ex- tend the definition of terrestrially dis- tributed signals. Extensible TV There is a scenario for the evolution of TV that bypasses the jump to double the number of lines and entails a new archi- tecture for image distribution. This ap- proach has been championed by a dedi- cated few, starting at MIT, but it is gaining currency among computer man- ufacturers and those who are already committed to digital imaging. The technical feature of note is that images no longer need to be defined by the number of lines or the frame rate. continued BBS Sysops • Are you looking for ways to improve your board? Something that will set you apart from other boards in your area? • Are your subscribers interested in Microcomputers? Listen to this! Announcing the Bulletin Board EXchange The Bulletin Board Exchange allows you to become a publisher of Micro- BYTES Daily, an on-line news service from BYTE. Bulletin Board Exchange/ MicroBYTES is a custom package of news and features designed especially for local BBSes, and is available only to sysops. Every Monday through Friday you get articles about developments in micro- computing, telecommunications and selected new product announcements. Get the latest news about MS DOS machines, Macintoshs, Unix worksta- tions, Amigas, Atari STs, peripherals and software. All the stories are reported, written, and edited by the staff of BYTE Magazine, BYTEweek and BIX, and our world-wide network of reporters and editors. Not only do you get a great resource for your subscribers, but you also get access to BIX which will cut your cost of exchanging information and conducting BBS network business. All this is just $49 a quarter. Your one-year subscription to the Bulletin Board Exchange (billed quar- terly) may be cancelled any time without further charge; just notify us. If you prefer, you may subscribe for three months only, at just $69. If you call BIX direct, you pay no hourly telecommunications charge. If you call using Tymnet, the rates are only $3/hour on evenings and week- ends and $6/hour on weekdays. You may also purchase unlimited off-peak Tymnet for just $20 a month. Subscribe today. BIX One Phoenix Mill Lane Peterborough. NH 03458 800-227-2983 In NH 603-924-7681 DECEMBER 1990 -BYTE 299 STATE OF THE ART HDTV SPARKS A DIGITAL REVOLUTION High-Definition History It is reasonable to date the genesis of high-definition TV (HDTV) from the late 1960s. In those years, NHK, the Japanese broadcaster, began an effort to investigate the parameters of a new broadcasting system of far higher qual- ity than the existing NTSC standard that has been in place since 1953. The work was directed by Dr. Taka- shi Fujio at NHK Labs and was coordi- nated with a plethora of Japanese equip- ment manufacturers who attacked the various component technologies. Sony addressed cameras and recorders; Ike- gami developed cameras as well; and NEC, Mitsubishi, and others developed display devices, including projectors, tubes, and processing electronics. The main effort at NHK was directed at a new system that could become a world standard for TV broadcasting. It was designed for direct-broadcast satel- lite distribution and required a 30-MHz channel. Fujio's lab concentrated on the psychophysics of image viewing and co- ordinated the new standard. The results of this work surfaced in the late 1970s. The first HDTV system that was shown was a scaled-up version of NTSC, based on analog processing and featuring 1 125 lines displayed with a 5-to-3 aspect ratio. To avoid the artifacts that are present in NTSC TV, the system incorporated new signal-modulation methods. The artifacts of NTSC are familiar, if not es- pecially objectionable, in normal view- ing. The two main ones are cross-color, where high-frequency edges generate spurious colors on the display, and cross-luminance, where color transi- tions result in crawling dots adjacent to or under the transition itself. The arti- facts are particularly troublesome in computer-generated graphics, because computers do not have to obey any of the normal physical limitations on image sharpness and resolution that most real- image systems suffer from. The NTSC frame rate and interlaced scanning pattern weren't changed in the NHK system. In fact, you could charac- terize the system as roughly doubling NTSC's ability to display still images. Perhaps the most immediately evi- dent change was the apparent picture width. A 5-to-3 aspect ratio is close to most movie-exhibition standards and is wide enough to contain two % x h- by 11- inch sheets of paper displayed side by side. The extra width is obvious even before the set is turned on— this is a dis- tinctly different TV system. In 1979, the NHK system was dem- onstrated worldwide, and efforts to ini- tiate a universal broadcasting standard were begun shortly thereafter. The rest of the world was scooped. One result of this work was that the rest of the world woke up and began HDTV efforts of its own. Recognizing that TV was an important technology for consumers, defense, and industrial applications, America and Europe started new research. Nations that had been using 50-Hz TV systems were par- ticularly troubled by the Japanese initia- tive, since the NHK system operates at 60 Hz and there is no known way to per- fectly translate (transcode) from one frame rate to another. In 198 1 , a compressed format for the 30-MHz NHK studio standard, called MUSE, was shown. The concept of a production standard as distinct from a distribution standard arose, and NHK efforts centered on getting agreement on a worldwide production standard. This was a major change in the notion of how you process TV, and its import should not be neglected. Previously, all work at NHK had concentrated on ana- log technology: better tubes, cameras, recorders, and systems. The notion that TV is synchronously viewed remained: The same scanning standard was used in the camera, the channel, and the re- ceiver; they all operated together. By 1981, it became evident that digi- tal processing of the TV signal in real time was reasonable within the lifetime of the system and was mandatory for achieving the compression necessary to broadcast the signal; 30 MHz is just too much bandwidth for normal broadcast- ing, cable TV, and satellites. The popu- larity of home recording equipment contributed to the initiation of MUSE: A whole generation of disks and VCRs could then process the HDTV signal. In 1985, NHK applied for certifica- tion as an international production stan- dard at the plenary session of the CCIR, the international standards-setting body sanctioned by the United Nations Inter- national Telecommunications Union (ITU). This effort failed, however, largely through the energies of the Euro- peans, who noted technical flaws in the NHK system, such as artifact-prone transcoding to 50-Hz systems. Although NHK demonstrated high- quality standards-conversion equip- ment, it was expensive and imperfect. The Europeans were also concerned about accepting any totally foreign sys- tem; they wanted European TV to re- main the province of European indus- try. Nevertheless, the sleeping giants of the world had been awakened, and once in motion were hard to stop. Also, the stakes were high. The Europeans began a coordinated multinational effort called Eureka-95 that premiered an all-European HDTV system in 1988, and the FCC opened a notice of inquiry in 1987 requesting proposals for an American broadcast standard for any new TV system that could increase quality and justify the continued (albeit sparse) use of the much-f ought-over UHFband. As of this writing, there are at least seven propos- als before the FCC, each vying for the American imprimatur. Selection could be as early as 1993. One impediment to HDTV is the con- sumer's demonstrated lack of interest in the quality of the TV image. There is no grass-roots demand for a new system, and few consumers when faced with the question of what is wrong with today's TV will answer "artifacts." In fact, one recent test of stereophonic sound elicit- ed the response that the image on the stereo receiver was better. Further, a shadow-mask CRT display becomes dimmer as its resolution in- creases. High-resolution workstations are not nearly as bright as home TV sets and are usually used in controlled-light- ing situations not at all like a modern living room. The tubes are bulky and deep. Thus, unless you are willing to dim the lights, share the room with a major piece of furniture, and reinforce the floor, the full quality of higher defi- nition may well not be available until new flat panels are perfected. BIBLIOGRAPHY Fujio, T. "High Definition Television." Proceedings of the IEEE, vol. 73, no. 4, April 1985. Ninomiya, Y. Transmission of HDTV by the MUSE System. IBS, 1985. Ninomiya, Y., et al. "A Single Chan- nel, NTSC Broadcast System— The Muse." NHK Laboratories Note, no. 304, September 1984. 300 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 STATE OF THE ART HDTV SPARKS A DIGITAL REVOLUTION Instead, you specify the precision or res- olution of the image in terms of clarity and frame rate. The underlying band- width (or storage requirement) of an image is proportional to the volume it oc- cupies in a three-dimensional space where the axes are its resolution vertical- ly, horizontally, and temporally. For example, imagine a cube that is as wide as the image is clear, as tall as it is sharp, and as deep as the frame rate. The theme of extensible TV is that the band- width is proportional to the volume of the cube but the actual system can allow many different shapes. You would use this notion to build a TV system in which each component in the image chain processes its image data to the best of its ability, independently. Movies, for example, have extremely high spatial resolution but a relatively low frame rate; TV systems generally have higher frame rates but significantly lower clarity. To some extent, the band- width requirements of movies and TV are similar. The choice between line rates and frame rates could literally be made on a moment-to-moment basis. Such an approach to TV is extensible as the technology of cameras, proces- sors, channels (or storage media), and displays evolve. A 5-inch TV receiver that fits under the kitchen counter need not have 1000 lines to produce a high- quality image. It need not process the complete signal or display all the detail that may be there. Similarly, with a 1000-line image, the 25-inch monitor at the foot of the bed may look as good as the kitchen receiver, but a wall-size panel may require yet more lines and a higher frame rate. This is the same approach to imaging that the computing industry uses. In per- sonal computers and workstations, the number of lines on a display is deter- mined by its size: Larger monitors have more lines, as do bigger pages. Lines per inch rather than lines per page is the operative parameter. Building a larger monitor by taking the same number of lines and literally stretching them to fit is counterintuitive and seldom done. Similarly, in print, the measure of a picture is its point density. Laser printers are described in those terms; you would not expect a 400-dot-per-inch printer to print an image smaller than that of a 300- dpi printer. The image is the same size, but it's printed in more detail. The approach is called "extensible" because it makes no attempt to define the "right" line count for TV systems that will come into existence in the indefinite future. Instead, the system is allowed to grow, as laster printers and computer screens do. Extensible TV also brings with it some potential to solve the 50-Hz/60-Hz di- lemma facing any new TV system pro- posed for worldwide use. By deliberately avoiding biasing its design toward one or the other of these numbers, extensible TV can be designed to work with either or both. In fact, this is desirable, since neither 50 Hz nor 60 Hz is the best num- ber for a display. Workstations are moving to higher frame rates to eliminate objectionable flicker. Popular personal computers have also deviated from the local broad- cast standard to improve quality, and this has made interfacing to the world of video problematic. Ideally, a new TV system should be useful with worksta- tions if only to allow sophisticated use of imaging components in those environ- ments. Some work has proceeded to define a video format that breaks up the 3-D spa- tial and temporal region defining resolu- tion into smaller building blocks. In ah extremely high-resolution and high- bandwidth TV system, all the blocks contain some important picture informa- tion—either fine-detail or precise-mo- tion information. However, not all the blocks are equally important for a high- quality viewing experience, nor can they all necessarily be transmitted through existing channels or stored on available media. In some images, some of the blocks are empty. For example, a high-resolution still image doesn't require as high a frame rate for transmission as it does for dis- play. It is wasteful to send the same pic- ture repeatedly when you could instead send additional detail— more spatial blocks. The advantage of such a design is that each channel sends only as many blocks as it can afford. If you envision using floppy disks for TV, then the low-den- sity ones can contain the same images as double-density disks, but the latter's images are clearer. Likewise, the com- puter prepared to display only a small image needs to interpret only the low- resolution blocks. The cost of such an approach is that every signal source has to transform the signal into an intermediate format to Microsoft makes sure you fly realistically It's up to you to fly responsibly So you get an urge to buzz the Golden Gate Bridge. Okay. You can ignore the FAA-but not the crosswinds. Because in the world of Microsoft* Flight Simulator* 4.0, everything that happens is true to life. Banking, climbing or dodging thunderheads,your plane responds with perfect realism to your every move. Plus, you have 100,000,000 square miles of land to fly over. And four planes to choose from: a Cessna, a Lear Jet, a sailplane, or a dogfighter's dream-the Sopwith Camel. Ask your Microsoft dealer about PC Flight Simulator. Take it into the air. And tUKr^mirk £*J L#f find out what they really mean MWmaCFOSOfml by "the wild blue yonder." Making it all make sense' For more information, nil (SOD) f>U-l2(U. Defit. M:V. Customers in Canada, call 0116) 673-7 MS. Outside North America, ealt (2M) iMZSliOL © 1990 Microsoft Corfioratiini. All rights reserved. Microsoft and the Microsoft logo are registered trademarks and Milking il all make sense it a trademark of Microsoft Corporation. Flight Simulator is a registered trademark ofSubLOCIC Corporation, iisedtouler license by Microsoft Corporation. DECEMBER 1990 • B Y T E 301 DESK NOT BKJ ENOUGH ? 17 million business documents are lost or misfiled each day. Announcing a major breakthrough in image storage and retrieval: PaperTamer offers more power and flexibility than other existing document storage and retrieval systems— and paperTamer costs l/10th of the price. PaperTamer is designed to eliminate the need to run to the file room every time you need information. PaperTamer provides immediate access to over a million images, docu- ments, memos and articles. Flagstaff Engineering offers a complete line of peripheral products to provide complete image storage and retrieval systems including scanners, optical drives and mass storage devices. No one delivers rock solid solutions like Flagstaff Engineering, the company that continues to help people read a world of information. Circle 112 on Reader Service Card 6 FLAGSTAFF ENGINEERING Domestic Sales and Marketing 1120 Kaibab Lane Flagstaff, AZ 86001 (602) 779-3341 / FAX (602) 779-5998 International Sales 1930 S. Alma School #C202 Mesa, AZ 85210 (602) 831-5100 / FAX (602) 831-0684 GSA APPROVED STATE OF THE ART HDTV SPARKS A DIGITAL REVOLUTION process the lines and frames of the image sequence and deal them into the appro- priate block. This replaces the explicit format of the image that TV has used for the past 50 years. Also, each receiver must be built to recombine the blocks to suit its particular line count and frame rate. Such an idea is anathema to those who believe that the electronics in consumer devices are expensive, and it is somewhat daunting to broadcasters and program- mers as well. Many in those industries prefer a steadier ground on which to tread; they do not like the potential for obsolescence implied by an ever-growing standard. Extensible TV is far more closely re- lated to the computer industry. Computer users are acclimatized to systems that perform better with each generation and do a job with a speed and precision pro- portional to the investment that is made in them. The image of a TV broadcast whose very format is like a computer program is not as strange to that industry as it is to broadcasters. Perhaps the only traditional video cat- egory interested in extensible TV is the production community. For them, the benefits of easy international interchange and evolution are valuable. Intelligent TV Another scenario for the development of TV requiring no new regulated standard involves the evolution of TV receivers into personal computers optimized for display. In many broadcasts, digital in- formation is already included in the sig- nal as closed-caption information; spe- cial equipment decodes this data and subtitles the broadcast for the hearing- impaired. A complete set of options could exist for digitally augmenting the signal, both visually and with text, to generate high- er-quality programs as well as individ- ualized telecasts. Ultimately, the pro- gram could literally be composed in the TV set as the result of negotiation be- tween the viewer and the information in the channel. For example, the picture could depend on the screen size, with added width for large screens and added height for small- er sets. Or it could process only as many lines as the display technology is capable of rendering. Even the camera angles used in a pro- gram could change from one household to the next. It is well known that TV shows are designed for a small screen and movies for the exhibition hall. There are more close-ups on TV and more pan- oramic views in the movies. Yet, if many of the viewers have wall-size screens, should those screens be used to enlarge the flaws in the newscaster's makeup or to give a broader view? Perhaps a way of avoiding this decision is to leave it to the viewer. Think of TV the same way you think of a CAD program that lets you select the viewpoint to suit the needs of the moment. The data can also be used to vary the content of the program, allowing for al- ternative languages, additional data to print a higher-quality still derived from the broadcast, or an edited version suited to the tastes of a particular audience (see reference 4). This intelligent receiver has been sug- gested in different forms by various peo- ple. Schreiber and Lippman describe an open-architecture receiver with a bus that can accept decoders for a variety of standards. This bus can also be the site of a processor that receives the transmis- sion data as a generalized language, or a set of instructions that the receiver inter- prets to generate a picture. For example, the frame rate can be made variable, in trade for additional spatial resolution (or vice versa), to suit various types of content. Graphics can be locally generated to suit the viewer's sit- uation: fewer characters for small dis- plays, and greater screen percentage for larger ones. At the limit, once the signal is digital, it is inherently divorced from synchrony with the broadcaster and from real time. The data stream exists independently of any physical constraints. A complete 2- hour program can be compressed to sec- onds of transmission time, allowing new freedoms of composition and diversity at the time and place of viewing. The re- ceiver can "broadcatch" a plethora of in- formation that becomes a program only when you decide to make it one. The channel can be dynamically allocated between spatiotemporal detail and con- tent-based information. Computers and TV There is little question that all forms of image communication are poised to move into the digital era. HDTV is the most visible manifestation of this, but it is not the only one. While it may be true that new computers will appear similar Howtolanda747 in an area no bigger thanyourdesl What do you need to bring in a 400-ton, five- story jetliner? Nerves. Skill. And the new Microsoft Flight Simulator Aircraft & Scenery Designer. Add it to our Flight Simulator 4.0, and you're off on the most realistic flight experience this side of a PC. You get a Boeing 747-400, complete with computerized flight display. You can also try out a Piper Archer, a Beechcraft Starship or a seaplane. Fly them stock, or push the envelope and modify them to your own specs. See a Microsoft dealer. UMmnmrh o j uf§ Because now it's possible to buy flVfCfOSOIT excitement. In the jumbo size. Making it all make sense For more information, rail (800) 5-11- 1261, Dcpt.MSl. Customers in Canada, call (41(5) 673-7038. Outside North America, call (206) 882-8661. © 199$ Microsoft Corporation. All right sn soft logo are registered trademark sand Making it all make sense is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation. Flight Simulator is a registered trademark ofSubLOGIC Corporation, used underlicense by Microsoft Corporation. DECEMBER 1990 -BYTE 303 jJI^QRBSCAN^ t See the Future. The ideal 16-inch ergonomic monitor for professional graphics and business applications. Maximum performance for CAD/CAM, spreadsheets, databases, WYSIWYG word processors and desktop publishing. Designed for PCs and Macintosh II. 1024 X 768 resolutions. Supporting the new, higher refresh rate of 70Hz and above for a flicker-free display. No distortion. Sharply focused. Bright images across the entire screen. An anti-static, non-glare screen. Low magnetic radiation. No interference between two monitors separated by a mere six inches, for dual-display applications. Microprocessor-controlled configuration for your applications, memorizing size and position of the screen settings you prefer. pWher mcptors|Gom^e a^fiQSt"tEstkrvdarp;Sf 8 :gejte thejps^s c NANAO NANAO USA CORP. 23510 Telo Ave., Suite 5 Torrance, CA 90505 USA Phone (213)325-5202 Fax (213)530-1679 Circle 195 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 196) •-^ c.; - m .V- % M FLEXSCAhl^daOi ™f^T "\ >■■■■ high r&ff&sh 'mtt=j_^ '■ Images created by Jeny D.FIynn. Design Engineer, McDonnell Douglas Space Systems Company, Kennedy Space Center. Flotida Macintosh II is a registered trademark of Apple Computers Inc. NANAO and FLEXSCAN are registered trademarks of NANAO USA CORPORATION mm iit . -I'": illiP'^' ScahlTre^enc^ityAatQmati&^ci^tm^^ — -^ ■ $6Ar$5l4i& and Mac KJQompatibiei, . n: STATE OF THE ART HDTV SPARKS A DIGITAL REVOLUTION to HDTV consumer sets, the research done in the past few years on TV at all bandwidths and quality levels is the di- rect cause of much excitement in the computer world. The same techniques used to squeeze a high-resolution image through a broad- cast channel can also be used to compress high-quality images onto audio compact discs and to distribute movies through computer networks. Much of this work will bear fruit long before any agreement on HDTV occurs and will almost cer- tainly exceed it in popularity for quite a few years. Examples abound. In September 1990, Kodak announced a digital still- photography system in which a high-res- olution digital version of each photo- graph is stored on CD. This high-res- olution image can be viewed on home TV receivers or sent to a photo ref inisher for digital darkroom effects and printing. By the time the system becomes avail- able, you can expect those pictures to re- side on a floppy disk and be printed in the home. The General Instrument HDTV sys- tem that was introduced in June has ex- tensions that make it useful at data rates as low as 2.5 megabits per second. At these rates, a full-resolution broadcast image looks better than that of home VCRs, and it approaches the best signal that you can get on a home set. Exten- sions of this to computers are obvious and inevitable. An international group, the Motion Picture Experts Group, has been work- ing for the past two years on a standard for digital images at bandwidths that are usable on audio CDs— approximately 1 . 1 Mbps for the picture. MPEG expects to release a draft proposal for a standard in December, with manufacturers begin- ning to construct chips for it in early 1991. A still-picture standard, called JPEG, for the Joint Picture Experts Group, has drafted a standard for still images at any resolution, from teletext to graphic arts quality, and makers of new computer systems (e.g., NeXT) are preparing workstations that incorporate chips to process JPEG-encoded images at video rates. (MPEG and JPEG are discussed in detail in "Putting the Squeeze on Graph- ics" on page 289.) Whether these systems are called HDTV or just advanced imaging is a moot point. E-mail that includes sync- sound movies is around the corner, and those pictures can be as good as you wish, from VCR quality to HDTV and beyond. The Future HDTV has placed us at a crossroads in the way we deal with moving pictures. The pictures will certainly get clearer, but the underlying technology will shift from low-capability analog receivers to high-power digital signal processors. As with all major technological changes, the transition may not be smooth, and mis- takes may be made along the way, but the direction is inevitable. You can expect high-end computer graphics to integrate HDTV technology into normal use as equipment drops in price. The wide screen is immediately useful in some applications. Recording equipment is critical in all cases where TV output is normally used, and it will become available. This is obvious and unquestionable. For the rest of the personal computer world, the value is not hidden in the lines but between them. HDTV and its deriva- tives are initiating a digital revolution that is beginning now and gathering steam. The challenge is not the new defi- nition of the image, but the new defini- tion of programming that this technology forces us to make. ■ REFERENCES 1. Schreiber, W. F., and R. R. Buckley. "A Two-Channel Picture Coding System: II— Adaptive Companding and Color Cod- ing." IEEE Transactions on Communica- tions, vol. 29, no. 12, December 1981, pp. 1849-1858. 2. Baldwin, J. L. E. "Analog Compo- nents, Multiplexed Components, and Digi- tal Components— Friends or Foes?" SMPTE Journal, vol. 92, no. 12, Decem- ber 1983, pp. 1280-1286. 3. MAC— An Enhanced TV Signal Format for Satellite Broadcasting. Independent Broadcasting Authority Information Ser- vice, U.K., November 1981. 4 . Bender, W . , and P . Chesnais. "Network Plus." Proceedings of the SPSE Electronic Imaging Devices and Systems Symposium, January 1988. Andrew lippman is associate director of the Media Lab at MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He is responsible for re- search programs addressing the future of TV, movies, consumer entertainment sys- tems, and multimedia workstations. You can reach him onBIXc/o "editors. " Create a scene inyourliwigroom. 1 1 tHP S^rBr Make mountains. Build bridges. Give rise to rivers and run- ways When you add Microsoft Flight Simulator Aircraft & Scenery Designer to Flight Simulator 4.0, the world is literally yours. Because now you can choose from 34 different objects- natural or man-made-and change their size, shape, color and even location to your liking. Ask your Microsoft dealer about it. You'll get the biggest kicks JUKf*9lf\CJXtt" in the air. While you're having the IrljiCFCJSOfl most fun on earth. Making it all make sense For more information, call (800) 5411261. Dept. MSI. Customers in Canada, call (416) 6737638. Outside North America, call (206) 882-8661. ©19 90 Microsoft Corporation. All rtgliis reserved. /; so ft logo arc registered trademarks and Makmii it all make sense f.< a trademark of Microsoft Corporation. Flight Simulator is a regi -irk ofSubLOGIC Corporation, used under license by Microsoft Corporation. DECEMBER 1990 -BYTE 305 OCR SOFTWARE, RELEASE 1.1 RSflaNRkPLUS SPEED, ACCURACY AND FLEXIBILITY! Speed The fastest omnifont OCR software available on the market. Recognition rates of appr. 100-140 cps (Microsoft Windows) or appr. 180-250 cps (MS-DOS) Speaks your Language A unique program that reads and understands English, Spanish, French, German along with most other European languages— even when they are within the same document. J[exi6iCity Operates in the MS-DOS and the Microsoft Windows environment. Accepts complex page layouts, mixed fonts and proportional spaced documents. Supports the highest number of scanners in the marketplace. Innovation One of the first proven OCR programs on the market to run under Microsoft Windows 3.0 in protected mode. No additional boards. Feeds on characters not on memory: all it needs is 40 KB RAM and 3 MB on your hard disk. JntdCicjence Automatic separation of text and images. Automatic recognition of page layout. Supports all popular word processing programs. Trice/Ttrformanct Outstanding performance, added flexibility, high accuracy rate at a price that is affordable to all PC users. Call for your demo diskette today: (1-800-255-4-OCR), P.O. Box 0218 Los Angeles, CA 90048 Tel: (408) 749-9935 Fax: (408) 730-1180 Distributors: AUSTRALIA •Dataserv Tel: 61-2/957-2066 AUSTRIA •Artaker Tel: 43-222/588-05-0 BELGIUM •Maxcom Tel: 32-2/526 9411 •Tritech Tel: 32-2/466-7535 CZECHOSLOVAKIA •IV-Agency Tel: 42-2/840970 •Torsana-dtp data Tel: 45-43/43-35-9! FINLAND •CommNec Tel: 358-0/493100 FRANCE •Apsylog Tel: 33-1/40 26 22 32 GERMANY •Computer 2000 Tel: 49-89/780-40-0 •Frank Audiodata Tel: 49-7254/505-0 •Macrotron Tel: 49-89/42-08-0 •Recognita Buroautomatisierung Tel: 37-41/7957-256 GREECE •Electel Tel: 30-1/3607-521 ICELAND •Hbfudlausn Tel: 354-1/687033 IRELAND •Saunders Acquisition Systems Tel: 353-1/366-522 ITALY •Vecomp Tel: 39-45/577500 JAPAN •Suehiro Koeki Kaisha, Ltd. Tel: 81-52/251-3721 LUXEMBOURG •Burovision Tel: 352-470951 MEXICO •Misemi Tel: 52-5/207-05-02 NORWAY •ICT Databolin Tel: 47-2/79-58-80 POLAND •FX Przeds. Inf. Tel: 48-12/56-57-76 SPAIN •Computer 2000 Espana Tel: 34-3-473-16-60 •CSEI SA Tel: 34-3/336-33-62 •STI Tel: 34-1/45-869-45 SWEDEN •Isogon AB Tel: 46-8/732-87-37 SWITZERLAND •ScanSet Tel: 41-56/96-49-83 TURKEY •EKSPA Tel: 90-4-139-66-11 UNITED KINGDOM •Intac Data Systems Tel: 44-709/547177 •MSL Dynamics (for Africa) Tel: 44-293/547-788 YUGOSLAVIA •LTS Tel: 38-11/190-572 OEM Partners: •Ace ret SWEDEN Tel: 46-766/355-30 •Deutsche Nichimen GERMANY Tel: 49-211/3551-202 •EHG GERMANY Tel: 49-7451/7051-2 •Future Technology AUSTRIA Tel: 43-222/866350 •Getronics HOLLAND Tel: 31-20-5861509 •Hewlett-Packard AUSTRIA Tel: 43-222/25-00-0 •Microtek Electronics Europe GERMANY Tel: 49-211/52607-0 •Microtek International TAIWAN Tel: 886-35/772155 •Mitsubishi Electric Europe GERMANY Tel: 49-2102/486359 •Pentax Europe BELGIUM Tel: 32-2725 0570 •Ricoh Europe GERMANY Tel: 49-211/5285-0 Recognition speed measured on an IBM AT/386, 33 MHz Microsoft Windows and MS-DOS are trademarks of Microsoft Corp. Circle 266 on Reader Service Card STATE OF THE ART ADVANCED GRAPHICS Graphics Engines The stunning graphics images available on today 's desktops are products of a new generation of graphics hardware. Below are listed manufacturers of high-resolution graphics boards for PC, Macintosh, and Unix systems. Abaton (Everex) 48431 MilmontDr. Fremont, C A 94583 (415) 683-2226 Inquiry 1225. ADEX Corp. 1750 Junction Ave. San Jose, CA 951 12 (408) 436-9700 Inquiry 1226. Apple Computer, Inc. 20525 Mariani Ave. Cupertino, CA 95014 (408)996-1010 Inquiry 1227. Artists Graphics (Control Systems Corp.) 2675 Patton Rd. St. Paul, MN 55113 (612)631-7800 Inquiry 1228. ATI Technologies, Inc. 3761 Victoria Park Ave. Scarborough, Ontario, Canada M1W3S2 (416)756-0718 Inquiry 1229. Bell & Howell Co. Quintar Division 370 Amapola Ave. , Suite 106 Torrance, CA 90501 (213)320-5700 Inquiry 1230. Boca Research, Inc. 6401 Congress Ave. Boca Raton, FL 33487 (407) 997-6227 Inquiry 1231. Calcomp, Inc. 241 1 West La Palma Ave. Anaheim, C A 92801 (714)821-2000 Inquiry 1232. Compaq Computer Corp. 20555 State Hwy. 249 Houston, TX 77070 (713)370-0670 Inquiry 1233. Data Translation, Inc. 100 Locke Dr. Marlborough, MA 01752 (508)481-3700 Inquiry 1234. Desktop Computing, Inc. 2635 North First St., Suite 203 San Jose, CA 95134 (408) 943-9409 Inquiry 1235. Enertronics Research, Inc. 5 Station Plaza 1910 Pine St. St. Louis, MO 63103 (314)421-2771 Inquiry 1236. General Parametrics Corp. 1250 Ninth St. Berkeley, CA 94710 (415) 524-3950 Inquiry 1237. Generation X Technologies, Inc. 333 West El Camino Real, Suite 3 10 Sunnyvale, CA 94087 (408) 739-4570 Inquiry 1238. Genoa Systems 75 East Trimble Rd. San Jose, CA 95131 (408) 432-9090 Inquiry 1239. Groundhog Graphics 101 East Mahoning St. Punxsutawney, PA 15767 (814)938-8943 Inquiry 1240. Headland Technology 46221 Landing Pkwy. Fremont, CA 94538 (415) 623-7857 Inquiry 1241. Hercules Computer Technology, Inc. 921 Parker St. Berkeley, C A 94710 (415)540-6000 Inquiry 1242. Hewlett-Packard Co. 19091 Pruneridge Ave. Cupertino, CA 95014 (408) 725-8900 Inquiry 1243. Imaging Technology, Inc. 600 West Cummings Park Woburn, MA 01801 (617) 938-8444 Inquiry 1244. Imagraph Corp. 11 Elizabeth Dr. Chelmsford, MA 01 824 (508) 256-4624 Inquiry 1245. LaserMaster Corp. 7156 Shady Oak Rd. Eden Prairie, MN 55344 (612) 944-9330 Inquiry 1246. Logos Technology 809 South Lemon Ave. Walnut, CA 91789 (714)869-7789 Inquiry 1247. Matrox Electronics Sytems, Ltd. 1055 St. Regis Dorval, Quebec, Canada H9P2T4 (514)685-2630 Inquiry 1248. MegaGraphics, Inc. 439 Calle San Pablo Camarillo, CA 93010 (805) 484-3799 Inquiry 1249. Megatek 9645 Scranton Rd. San Diego, CA 92121 (619)455-5590 Inquiry 1250. Metheus Corp. 1600 Northwest Compton Dr. Beaverton, OR 97006 (503) 690-1550 Inquiry 1251. Micron Technology, Inc. 2805 East Columbia Rd. Boise, ID 83706 (208) 383-4000 Inquiry 1252. Microway Research Park P.O. Box 79 Kingston, MA 02364 (508) 746-7341 Inquiry 1253. Monolithic Systems Corp. 7050 South Tucson Way Englewood, CO 801 12 (800) 526-7661 Inquiry 1254. Mylex Corp. 47650 Westinghouse Dr. Fremont, CA 94539 (415) 683-4600 Inquiry 1255. continued DECEMBER 1990 -BYTE 307 STATE OF THE ART ADVANCED GRAPHICS Graphics Engines PC Tech, Inc. Sota Technology, Inc. Univision National Design 9171 Capital of Texas 907 North Sixth St. 559 Weddell Dr. Technologies, Inc. Hwy. N Lake City, MN 55041 Sunnyvale, CA 94089 3 Burlington Woods Austin, TX 78759 (612) 345-4555 (408)745-1111 Burlington, MA 01803 (512)343-5055 Inquiry 1264. Inquiry 1423. (617)221-6700 Inquiry 1256. Inquiry 1138. Personal Computer STB Systems, Inc. NEC Peripherals Corp. 1651 North Glenville, Vectrix Technologies, Inc. 47 10 Eisenhower Blvd. , Suite 210 111 Pacifica, Suite 2150 1414 Massachusetts Building A-4 Richardson, TX 75081 Irvine, CA 92718 Ave. Tampa, FL 33634 (214) 234-8750 (714)727-2452 Boxborough, MA 01719 (813)884-3092 Inquiry 1131. Inquiry 1139. (508) 264-8000 Inquiry 1265. Inquiry 1257. SuperMac Technology Ventek Corp. Princeton Graphic 485 Potrero Ave. 31336 Via Colinas, New Media Systems Sunnyvale, CA 94086 Suite 102 Graphics Corp. 1 100 Northmeadow (408) 245-2202 Westlake Village, CA 780 Boston Rd. Pkwy., Suite 150 Inquiry 1132. 91362 Billerica, MA 01821 Roswell, GA 30076 (818)991-3868 (508) 663-0666 (404)664-1010 Symbolics, Inc. Inquiry 1140. Inquiry 1258. Inquiry 1266. 8 New England Executive Park Vermont NSA Princeton Publishing Burlington, MA 01803 Microsystems, Inc. 800 South St. Labs, Inc. (617)221-1000 1 1 Tigan St. Waltham, MA 02154 19 Wall St. Inquiry 1133. Winooski, VT 05404 (617) 893-5700 Princeton, N J 08540 (802) 655-2860 Inquiry 1259. (609)924-1153 Tecmar, Inc. Inquiry 1141. Inquiry 1267. 6225 Cochran Rd. Number Nine Solon, OH 44139 Western Digital Computer Corp. Radius, Inc. (216) 349-0600 Imaging 725 Concord Ave. 1710 Fortune Dr. Inquiry 1134. 2445 McCabe Way Cambridge, MA 02138 San Jose, C A 95 131 Irvine, CA 92714 (617) 492-0999 (408)434-1010 Trident (714) 863-0102 Inquiry 1260. Inquiry 1268. Microsystems, Inc. 321SoquelWay Inquiry 1142. Nutmeg Systems Ramtek Corp. Sunnyvale, CA 94086 25 South Ave. 1 525 Atteberry Lane (408)738-3194 New Canaan, CT 06840 San Jose, CA 95131 Inquiry 1135. (203) 966-3226 (408) 954-2700 Inquiry 1261. Inquiry 1269. Truevision, Inc. 7351 Shadeland Station, OmniComp RasterOps Corp. Suite 100 Graphics Corp. 2500 Walsh Ave. Indianapolis, IN 46256 1734 West Belt N Santa Clara, C A 95051 (317)841-0332 Houston, TX 77043 (713)464-2990 Inquiry 1262. (408) 562-4200 Inquiry 1270. Inquiry 1136. Tseng Labs, Inc. Inclusion in the resource guide should not be taken as a BYTE endorsement or recommendation. Renaissance GRX, Inc. 10 Pheasant Run Likewise, omission from the guide should not be taken negatively. The Orchid 226 1 16th Ave. NE Newtown, PA 18940 Technology, Inc. Bellevue, WA 98004 (215)968-0502 45365 Northport (206) 454-8086 Inquiry 1137. information here was Loop W Inquiry 1421. believed to be accurate Fremont, CA 94538 at the time of writing, but (415)683-0300 Sigma Designs, Inc. BYTE cannot be Inquiry 1263. 46501 Landing Pkwy. responsible for omissions, Fremont, CA 94538 errors, or changes that (415) 770-0100 occur after compilation of Inquiry 1422. the guide. 308 BYTE* DECEMBER 1990 i / w v. /^ x/ TRANSIENT ANALYSIS M | BEHW/tOUKV^j-HMBWSLS , ^^ri^N^ I ) ~~ \ /<> it ^;u w ^ v i * ^.v v * v vv \ » i * v \ i i r -g — rr-ri I I i I I i 1 J J / / / J * // THE NEW MICRO-CAP III SO YOU CAN TEST-FLY EVEN MORE MODELS. 77777/ It wasn't easy. But we did it. Made the long-time best-selling IBM® PC-based interactive C AE tool even better. Take modeling power. We've significantly expanded math expression capabilities to permit comprehensive analog behavioral modeling. And, beyond Gummel Poon BJT and Level 3 MOS, you're now ready for nonlinear magnetics modeling. Even MESFET modeling. Analysis and simulation is faster, too. Because the program's now in "C" and assembly language. That also means more capacity— for simulating even larger circuits. As always, count on fast circuit crea- tion, thanks to window-based operation and a schematic editor. Rapid, right-from- schematics analysis— AC, DC, fourier and transient— via SPICE-like routines. The ability to combine digital/analog circuit simulations using integrated switch * * — -— ■ Transient analysis .£4. -■;- 'T! Sc hematic editor , iiA" "■"" ■"■■" "■ I- _•,--.-.-_•■ .-.r.-;..y; r? ; t.rl'lJI , ,;" $ri-i !"=- models and parameterized macros. And stepped component values that stream- line multiple-plot generation. And don't forget MICRO-CAP Ill's extended routine list— from impedance, Nyquist diagrams and BH plots to Monte Carlo for statistical analysis of production yield. The algebraic formula parsers for plotting virtually any function. The support for Hercules, CGA, MCG A, EGA and VGA dis- plays. Output for plotters and laser printers. Cost? Still only $1495. Evaluation ver- sions still only $150. Brochure and demo disk still free for the asking. Call or write for yours today. And see how easily you can get ideas up and flying. Monte Carlo analysis Circle 289 on Reader Service Card 1021 S. Wolfe Road Sunnyvale, CA 94086 (408) 738-4387 Every Day, Hundreds Of People Abandon Their Keyboard And Buy Northgate OmmKeys. NOW! Find Out Why * Risk Free For 60 Days! Order an OmniKey and put it to the test ... if you don't think it's worth every penny you paid, we'll buy it back! There is no faster— or better— way to type! See for yourself! With OmniKey, you don't need to "eye check" the monitor to know you've made an entry. Crisp ALPS key switches let you know with sound and sensation! Put an OmniKey to the test. You'll see, OmniKey is not just a replacement keyboard, it's a system upgrade! Order now and we'll deliver one to your home or office for 60 days RISK FREE! You have nothing to lose ... everything to gain! All OmniKeys Have These Outstanding Features: ■ Unmatched Com- patability; Ask us! We have a keyboard for your IBM type computer! ■ LED Indicators show SCROLL, CAPS, and NUM lock status at a glance. ■ FCC Class B Certified ■ 5- Year Warranty— the industry's strongest! If you have any problems of materials or workmanship, Northgate will repair or replace vour keyboard AT NO CHARGE!" OmniKeyliJLTRA With F-Keys On Top And Left! PC Computing said "keyboards don't get any better than this." Quly '90) ULTRA gives you 12 Function- keys on left. PLUS 12 switchable Special Function keys on top, for one- key CTRL, ALT, SHIFT combination commands. ULTRA's Interchangeable keys let you swap CTRL, ALT and CAPS LOCK keys on left-and the ASTERISK and BACKSLASH keys on right. ULTRA's one-piece steel base is self -stabilizing for sure-handed typing. The ultimate keyboard for power users! OmniKeylULTRA ONLY $ 149 00 Omm'KeylULTRA Features: ■ Deluxe 1 19 key layout. ■ 12 Function (F) keys on left. ■ 12 Special Function (SF) keys on top- use them as duplicate F-keys or create macro functions of combined CTRL, ALT or SHIFT combination commands. ■ Interchangeable ALP, CAPS LOCK and CTRL keys on left. ■ Switchable ASTERISK and BACKSLASH on right. ■ Separate diamond-shaped cursor keypad. ■ Calculator style numeric keypad with extra equals key. ■ Period/comma lock— locks out < > , punctuation in! ■ Lifetime quality double injected keycaps. ■ Keys color coded for use with WordPerfect. 310 BYTE* DECEMBER 1990 F-Keys on left, top or both-ifs up to you! ?^^i*^ OmniKey/\02 Features: ^^^^^^ .^.tZc^sK JM*' . . ^^jfea^l^'^ T^*ffH ■Innovative 102 key layout. { ^^yC^ v*. 'idp^^C^upilP \'V S/r^Hj ■ 12 Function keys on the left. OtaniKey/102 With F-Keys On Left First keyboard to get back to the basics! Most people learned to type with function keys on left for fast, one- hand combination commands. OmniKey I '102 delivers this and more. That's why readers of Computer Shopper made OmniKey 1 102 their "Best Buy!" You can customize OmniKeyl\02, too! If you prefer the standard IBM enhanced layout, you can swap the CTRL, ALT and CAPS LOCK keys. The best 102 key keyboard available works with virtually every IBM-type personal computer. OmniKey/\02 Features: ■ Innovative 102 key layout. I 12 Function keys on the left. I Interchangeable ALT, CAPS LOCK, and CTRL keys. ■ Large L-shaped ENTER key. ■ Separate inverted T cursor keypad. ■ Calculator-style numeric keypad with added Equals key. ■ Interchangeable Backslash and Asterisk keys. ■ Lifetime quality double injected keycaps. ■ Keys color coded for use with WordPerfect. OmniKey/m 0NLYW OmmKeyltiM With F-Keys On Top OmniKeyl 101-1 Features: ■ Enhanced 101 key layout. ■ 12 Function keys on top. ■ Interchangeable CAPS LOCK and left CTRL keys. ■ Large L-shaped ENTER key. ■ Double size BACKSPACE. ■ Inverted T cursor control pad. ■ Calculator-style numeric keypad with added Equals key. ■ Lifetime quality double injected keycaps. ■ Keys color coded for use with Wordperfect. Many people have become accustomed to the standard IBM layout. For you, we've duplicated, well nearly, the IBM layout (we couldn't resist making a couple of improvements). We made OmniKey/ '101 -I with a footprint 20% smaller than IBM's— saves desk space! We also weren't willing to compromise OmniKey s double wide BACKSPACE key and large l-shaped ENTER key— they mean too much in terms of increased speed and accuracy. Customers worldwide agree! OmniKeyim-l ONLY $ 89° o 800-526-2446 FAX Your Order! 612-943-8332 Notice to the Hearing Impaired: Northgate now has TDD capability: 800-535-0602 NORTHGATE COMPUTER SYSTEMS CHARGE IT! We accept VISA and MasterCard. HOURS: Mon.-Fri. 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sat. 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Central. Dealer and distributor prices available. Se habla espanol por su conveniencia. ©Copyright Northgate Computer Systems, Inc. 1990. All rights reserved. Northgate, OmniKey and the Big 'N' logo are trademarks o f Northgate Computer Systems. Other brand names arc trademarks o r registered trademarks of their respective owners. Specifications subject to change without notice. Subject to occasional inventory shortage.s. We support the ethical use of software. To report software copyright violations, call the Software Publishers Association's Anti-Piracy Hotline at 1-800-388-PIR8. 7075 Flying Cloud Drive, Eden Prairie, MN 55344 Circle 213 on Reader Service Card DECEMBER 1990 -BYTE 311 312 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 ILLUSTRATION: PETER GORSKI © 1990 FEATURE Portable Chips Chip designers are helping make laptops smaller , more powerful, and more efficient Owen Linderholm he original IBM PC was designed with circuit- Try to help the CPU drive the other parts of the system: the bus, keyboard, display, periph- erals, and memory. These logical functions re- quired a number of ICs, which took up a great deal of board space and system real estate. As other companies started to copy the PC, they looked for ways to build systems more economically. They began to make chips that performed a number of the functions involved in the system logic, a trend called integration. Since the introduction of original PC, there have also been numerous technological developments in mass storage, mem- ory, processors, and displays. IBM and others have used these techniques in ATs and compatibles, providing increasingly powerful solutions that nevertheless remain backward compat- ible. Driven by these factors, chip manufacturers have been able to decode all the logic required to build a PC compatible and put it on a few chips, simplifying the process of manufac- turing a PC. These manufacturers— companies such as Intel, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), and Chips & Technologies— are always looking for ways to make their chip sets stand out above those of their competitors. One area where this is becoming increasing- ly possible is in the laptop market. Let's Get Small Laptops call for design philosophies and techniques that are substantially different from those of desktop systems. The manufacturers of laptop chip sets need to consider size, form factor, weight, power consumption, displays, mass storage op- tions, memory, performance, and price. Interestingly, it is in laptops that manufacturers stray farthest from the IBM stan- dard. IBM has never produced a successful laptop, so there are no de facto standards to adhere to except that of DOS compati- bility. The result has been a proliferation of laptop styles, ranging from the basic PC compatible with a single floppy disk drive and a crude CGA LCD screen (e.g., the Toshiba T 1000) to the brand-new 4-pound, hard disk-equipped VGA wonders from Sharp and Texas Instruments to innumerable 386SX-based lap- tops that have more power but are heavier. Another innovation that may point the way to the future is the "palmtop" IBM com- patible, such as the one from Poqet. A palmtop has more power than the original PC in a package that's not much larger than a calculator (see photo 1). Chip-Set Basics Before looking into the special nuances of laptop chip sets, I want to review the typical functions of the chip sets found in most PC or AT compatibles. Basically, the chip set provides support logic for the processor, transforming instructions and signals from the processor into signals that can be understood by other components of the system and vice versa. Typical chip sets now operate in four or five main areas: • The bus controller chip carries signals from the processor to the system bus. It provides timing and arbitration signals for the bus and, when necessary, performs buffering to feed signals along the bus so they won't conflict with each other. • The peripheral controller chip generally controls hard and floppy disk drives and, often, the parallel port. It controls the flow of data between the processor and these peripherals. • Memory-control chips perform similar functions for the RAM and ROM in a system, physically fetching data from the RAM and returning it to the processor. They also control mem- ory refresh, passing signals to periodically update memory so the RAM contents don't fade. • There is usually an I/O chip that controls serial I/O and, sometimes, the parallel port and other peripheral devices in the system. • Finally, most chip sets now include a display controller in some form. This may be combined with the I/O chip in the case of a simple monochrome display but is more commonly a sepa- rate VGA controller chip. continued DECEMBER 1990 -BYTE 313 FEATURE PORTABLE CHIPS c orrect clocking is more important to a microcomputer than a steady heartbeat is to the human body. Most chip sets also control timing for the whole system, in- cluding the processor. They take signals from the system's clock crystals and use them to keep the various parts of the sys- tem operating in sync. This is probably the single most impor- tant function of the chip set, since correct clocking is more im- portant to a microcomputer than a steady heartbeat is to the human body. Chip sets also usually control parity generation, accesses to memory, shadowing RAM and ROM, data and ad- dress buffering, and other less important functions. Currently, most computers use three or four chips to control these functions. However, several companies have announced that they have integrated all of them onto a single chip. This allows manufacturers to build systems using a processor, a chip set on one chip, some RAM chips, and various other nonsilicon electronic devices. Such high levels of integration are allowing manufacturers to make system boards that are only a few inches on a side. This means that it's possible to fit all the other com- ponents of a system— slots, disk drives, and the power supply— into a much smaller box than what used to be needed. Today's Laptop The average laptop today is an AT compatible with a floppy disk drive and a hard disk drive. It has a flat-panel LCD screen, which may be either high-quality CGA or low-quality VGA. There are numerous problems with building such systems, which is why far fewer companies are making laptops than there are companies making desktop systems. The first issue is size. Generally speaking, the smaller the laptop, the more successful it will be. But it takes more engi- neering expertise to put all the components of a desktop system into a unit that will fit on your lap. Manufacturers want chip sets that are highly integrated so the motherboards will be more compact and take up less space. They also want chip sets to be flexible, making it easier to design a board layout that works well with the physical design of the system. The next issue, and probably the most important, is power. This is the issue that drove the development of special chip sets for laptops, and it is the area that manufacturers almost uni- formly focus on. Manufacturers either use a DC-to-DC con- verter to ensure a good-level voltage from the power supply to the system, or they try to supply a good voltage directly, in the form of a high-quality battery pack. The battery approach is a little more risky, especially when a battery starts to run out. As power gets low, power levels can fluctuate. To avoid permanent damage to the system, manufac- turers must use components that are more resistant to voltage fluctuations (and therefore more expensive). The disadvantage of using a DC-to-DC converter is that it has a small power over- head and decreases overall battery life by about 15 percent. In both cases, manufacturers try to extend the battery life as long as possible. In addition, many components of a laptop system are sources of heavy power drain. The clearest example is a backlit LCD screen. Although backlighting makes the screen much easier to read, it drains a significant amount of power from the system. Chips & Technologies, perhaps the biggest chip-set manufac- turer, estimates that under the best conditions the backlight uses about 12 percent to 15 percent of the system power. A simple solution— found early on by the chip-set manufac- turers—was to switch the backlight off when it wasn't needed. To do this, most chip sets monitor keyboard activity and turn off the backlight (and often the whole display) if you don't hit a key within a certain period of time. This solution, while saving power, has its problems. If you're simply looking at the screen thinking about what to do next, or if the system is performing a long and difficult calculation, turning of f the backlight may not be desirable. Some chip sets are designed to monitor processor and video activity to determine when the backlight and display should go off. Chip sets can also save power by powering down the whole system when it is not being used. This is not the same thing as Photo 1: The high levels of integration in Intel 's 386SL and 82360SL chips allow all the basic components of a computer to fit on this 4- by 6-inch motherboard, an experimental design for palmtop systems. 314 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 FEATURE PORTABLE CHIPS Circle 345 on Reader Service Card I ntel has stated that its goal is a single-chip AT that includes processor, chip set, and memory. turning the system off. Most laptops now have the ability to sus- pend and resume operation. They do this by powering down the entire system except memory and the processor— or even every- thing but the memory, if they take the trouble to store processor values in memory first. This technique is usually under the di- rect command of the user or kicks in after prolonged periods of inactivity. Similarly, some disk drive manufacturers have now put low- power and power-down modes of operation into their drives. Chip-set makers are starting to support them by having their chip sets put hard disk drives into idle when they are not used, or even sometimes powering them down. Following the trend toward using lower-power components, chip-set makers now provide versions of their chip sets that consume less power. These, of course, are more expensive, as are the chip sets that include power-saving features. Memory makers are also bringing out DRAM chips that need to be re- freshed far less often. Chip-set manufacturers have not yet brought out many products to support these, but more should be available soon. Controlling Displays Another issue for laptop makers is what display to use. Users are voting for higher-quality displays by buying systems that have them. To meet this demand, chip makers are now supply- ing low-power VGA chips as part of their laptop chip sets. Closely linked with the display is the question of the user in- terface. For most laptop users, this means the keyboard and DOS. However, since the advent of 386SX-based laptops, users have begun to use graphical user interfaces, such as Windows 3.0. This means that they will also want pointing devices, such as mice. Some systems now have built-in devices, such as track- balls, that let you control these graphical environments more readily. Many manufacturers foresee pen-based and voice-based in- terfaces as the way forward for laptops, and perhaps for all computers. These kinds of interfaces and the applications driv- ing them will require more computing horsepower— at the very least, a 386SX. The added horsepower in turn requires more power to drive it, taking manufacturers back to the question of power consumption. Working Together One last big issue remains for the makers of laptop chip sets: compatibility. This may seem trivial, but the specialized chip sets for laptops, particularly in the power management area, put an added strain on the processor and operating system. In particular, system logic chips make tremendous use of hard- ware interrupts to the processor to coordinate and deliver all the signals to and from the processor. Every interrupt slows down some other operation of the processor by a small margin. Power management features slow the processor down a lot, Plotters for people who want more, but can't afford expensive. Now, you don't need a big budget to get quality and performance from your plotter. That's why Zericon's large format plotters are becoming so popular. $l695.-$2995. Our D size starts at $1695 and our A-E model is only $2995 direct from Zericon. Call us today for a free sample plot and info about money back guarantee. 40491 Encyclopedia Circle, Fremont, CA 94536. In CA (415) 490-8380 FAX: (415) 490-3906 (800) 727-8380 More Plotter. Not More Money. BACKPACK. IT'S A DRIVE OF A DIFFERENT COLOR. Add a disk drive without hors- ing around inside your com- puter -just plug Back- ; pack into your parallel m port! Connect your printer to the Backpack drive. No tools. No hassles. No interface cards. Back- pack works with IBM and compatibles including PCs, XTs,ATs,PS/2s, PS/Is, and laptops. It's available in 5.25" and 3.5" and comes complete with everything you need. So see your dealer or get it straight from the horse's mouth and call us about Backpack today! Micro Solutions Computer Products 132 W. Lincoln Hwy. p DeKalb, IL 60115 815-756-3411 Fax: 756-2928 Circle 187 on Reader Service Card DECEMBER 1990 -BYTE 315 FEATURE PORTABLE CHIPS CHIPSLITE CHIP SET . - --r- -*-» ^ status lines 82C641 Enhanced power- control unit MrogrammaDie i/u ruwei Power-control lines Local bus Graphics controller 82C426 82C456 Multiplexed address/data bus *- i i \ System bus i i i i i t *4 286 or 386SX •< Keyboard controller i i \ ' t Combined BIOS ROM *. DRAMs 80287 or 80387SX ~* i i Floppy disk drive controller 82C71 0/711 82C235 SCAT or 82C236 SCAT-SX — — *»■ *- Add ress Dc f ita (S( }AT = Single-chip / XT) T 1 w Control Data Address This block diagram shows the CHIPSlite chip set from Chips & Technologies. In addition to standard circuits that control graphics, keyboard, and I/O devices, the chip set includes an 82C64I power management chip. The 82 C 641 supports SmartSleep, a technique for determining when the system can safely be put into sleep mode. because the chip-set logic is continually monitoring the proces- sor to see if it can shut some portion of the system down. Turning parts of the system on and off takes interrupts. If done at the wrong time, interrupts can result in system crashes and data loss. In particular, applications using external high- speed communications (e.g., networking) or add-in cards are likely to suffer from being interrupted by power management features. Correct access to memory is another area that may be af- fected by power management features in a laptop chip set. This is a special concern in a protected-mode environment where memory could be switched off at the command of one paused application even though others are still running. Laptop Chip-Set Solutions Currently, laptop chip-set makers address these problems in various ways. The most common method for dealing with size is to assume that more integration means a smaller form factor and less weight. Intel has gone so far as to state that its goal is a single-chip AT that includes processor, chip set, and memory. A single chip such as this would allow laptop manufacturers to follow two paths. One would be to make extremely small, basic AT-compatible systems: palmtops or even smaller ma- chines. The more likely path would be to free up space on the motherboard to allow future extensions to a laptop, such as net- working devices (and even wireless networking), Flash mem- ory cards, pen-input technology, much larger memories, fax modems, and voice-recognition devices. Chip sets for dealing with alternative display and user-input devices are already being produced. To ease the limitations of color laptop displays, a couple of companies are making RAM- DACs: specialized display chips that provide display RAM, D/A converters for the display, and controls for color lookup tables. Cirrus Logic is producing a RAMDAC that allows existing color flat-panel screens to display far more colors than they cur- rently can— up to full 256-color VGA modes— without modify- ing the display itself. Edsun Labs is making a chip that provides automatic antialiasing and can make a regular VGA monitor display thousands of colors rather than the usual 256. Technol- ogies like these are rapidly making good color displays for lap- tops a reality. However, minimizing power consumption is where the main problem still lies. Semiconductor technology is advancing rapidly, but power and battery-storage technology is improving far more slowly. Most companies are using brute-force ap- proaches to power management where selected parts of the sys- tem are turned off when not needed. In addition, most of their new chip sets now support modes that slow down or even turn off the CPU when not needed, and many support lower DRAM refresh rates. A good example of this is the new 286LX from AMD (see "AMD Gets Closer to Building an AT Motherchip," October Microbytes). The 286LX is a complex single chip that performs many of the functions that are usually performed by several chips. It includes AMD's 80C286 CPU on the chip. The 316 BYTE* DECEMBER 1990 1 I ; .;-■"- I }:■/. I I • The Dynamic Duo. The 4860 is an industry-first Mother- Board that packs the power of the Intel 80486 CPU with the Intel 80860 RISC processor (i486 + i860 = 4860). With it, you can build mainframe power into PC's for applications including CAD, LAN and desktop publishing. Equally impressive, our 4860 pumps up performance in your UNIX workstations. A PC Revolution. In the PC environment, the 4860 is a 486-based MotherBoard which runs over 2 times faster than 386 computers. It's fully compatible with DOS, IBM's OS/2, Novell Netware and UNIX. What's more, Hauppauge's 4860 supports up to 64 MBytes of memory without a RAM expansion board! RISC-Y Business. Thanks to the 4860's symmetrical architecture, both the i486 and the i860 processors can access the full range of memory I/O system, and the 64-bit expansion bus. The result? Unprece- dented dual processor performance. You'll find that the i860 processor is ideal in graphics appli- cations, performing up to 25 million floating-point operations per second. That's more than 10 times faster than the i486 processor alone! There's even an optional 64 -bit frame buffer card for ultra high-performance workstation graphics. For UNIX Workstations, Too. The 4860 board makes a great foundation for high-performance RISC workstations that run advanced UNIX applications. Many workstation vendors are choosing the i860 processor as a standardized vehicle for CAD and simulation systems, and the 4860 is perfectly compatible with these applications. Technical Features: ■ 4 Megabytes of high speed RAM expandable to 64 MBytes shared between i486 and i860 processors ■ Socket for optional 128K static RAM cache module for the i486 ■ Full size PC/AT form factor ■ Eight EISA I/O slots "64 -bit expansion slot- 1 parallel, 2 serial ports. The 4860 MotherBoard. Built with the world's highest performing microprocessors. So you can build the world's highest performing PC's and workstations. Hauppauge Computer Works, Inc. 91 Cabot Court Hauppauge, New York 11788 Toll Free: 1-800-443-6284 In New York: 516-4344600 In Europe: (49) 2161-17063 Hauppauge! Trademarks: UiMA'raiidOS/2:IHM. Intel 3K().i4K6aiidiK6(): Intel Coip.DOSniulXKNIX: Microsoft Corp. 48(>()Motherl}o;ircl: Hauppauge Computer Works. Inc. Circle 129 on Reader Service Card INTEL 386SL Cache tag SRAM Photo 2: The 386SL, a version of the 386 processor designed for laptops, is actually slightly faster than the 386SX. The 386SL features integrated cache memory control, a high- speed peripheral bus, and a system management interrupt (SMI) that will, among other things, let hardware manufacturers program in new power management features. Power management Parallel I/O I/O control Photo 3: T he 82360SL, a companion chip to Intel 's 386SL, provides the Industry Standard Architecture bus and most of the I/O necessary to build a complete system. The chip 's power management facilities support Intel 's Flash memory system, which, in suspend mode, can power the system for several weeks. AT bus controller 386SX CPU core INTEL 82360SL Clock Cache control logic Internal bus controller Memory controller Real-time clock Nonmaskable interrupt Serial I/O timers Interrupt control DMA control 318 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 FEATURE PORTABLE CHIPS 286LX has a CPU-shutdown mode that turns off the 80C286 portion of the chip, and a standby mode that turns off all system clocking except for DRAM refresh. DRAM refreshing is stag- gered so that the power drain is more constant and peak current demands are reduced. This chip is extremely well integrated and could be used to build a laptop with fewer than 20 chips on board, including DRAM. However, as advanced as this solution is, it doesn't save enough power to dramatically increase battery life. Chips & Technologies is taking an approach that, while similar, uses more on-chip intelligence to examine power usage and deter- mine the best way to turn off parts of the system to reduce power requirements but keep the system operating efficiently. The new CHIPSlite chip set (see the figure) offers a less well- integrated solution that should, however, perform better at power management. The CHIPSlite chip set uses between five and seven chips. It features Chips & Technologies' own BIOS, which includes power management routines. The chips provide address buf- fers, address and data multiplexers, a special power manage- ment chip, an integrated BIOS, a peripheral interface, an I/O interface, and a keyboard controller. The important chip in this set is the 82C641 power manage- ment chip. It supports sleep modes, standby modes, automatic backlight shutoff, modem ring, and slow-refresh DRAMs. The 82C641 uses a new refresh technique that reduces power re- quirements, and you can program it to power on at a preset time. However, what sets the 82C641 apart is a technique that Chips & Technologies calls SmartSleep. SmartSleep is an ad- vanced algorithm that makes a statistical analysis of how often an application polls the keyboard. It looks at the number of calls between certain time periods and then sets minimum and maximum values. It then sets a spread of values to determine when it is safe to put the system into sleep mode. Sleep mode conserves power by stopping or slowing clocks to the CPU, taking advantage of the CMOS property that CMOS gates do not consume power except when they are switched. Stopping or slowing the transitions thus reduces the amount of power used. The 80C286 processor is a static chip that can keep values even when stopped, so sleep modes on 286-based laptops actu- ally stop the CPU altogether. The 386SX and 386DX chips are dynamic and therefore need to be refreshed by clocking. This can be done at speeds as low as 2 or 4 MHz— rather than the usual 16 MHz or higher— saving a considerable percentage of the power consumed by the processor. All these transitions take place so fast that it is often safe to put the processor into sleep mode between keystrokes while a user is typing. Thus, using sleep modes effectively can save a considerable amount of power. However, sleep modes must be used carefully because it is conceivable that some event may occur while the processor is asleep. For example, an extremely rapid typist might lose keystrokes if the processor went too quickly into sleep mode. Chips & Technologies estimates that up to 35 percent of system power is saved when it is operating in sleep mode. It is clear that carefully planned sleep modes can save con- siderable power and protect users from losing data. Most chip sets take a conservative approach and use sleep modes only when a certain interval has passed without keyboard activity. The Chips & Technologies SmartSleep technique allows the system to analyze usage patterns and intelligently determine when to turn sleep on and off. The algorithm is coded in firm- ware on the 82C641 chip and is user-configurable. You can even save usage patterns for different applications to customize SmartSleep for the application being run. Standby modes turn more of the system off— everything ex- cept the memory, which could be slow-refresh memory. This mode can save over 95 percent of the power required by full operation. Chips & Technologies claims that its combination of low power consumption, SmartSleep, and other power-saving devices can extend the battery life of a typical laptop by a third or more. Intel's Solution Most chip-set solutions may now be obsolete, however. Intel has recently introduced a new version of the 386SX processor, the 386SL, designed for laptops. It is slightly faster than the 386SX and works with the 82360SL, a new companion chip that provides the Industry Standard Architecture bus architec- ture and most of the necessary I/O for a system. The 386SL (see photo 2) has several unique features. It has integrated cache memory control, consumes less power, and is a static design. It also includes a high-speed peripheral bus that is intended for use with high-performance graphics, Flash memory, and disk systems. However, the 386SL's biggest innovation is the addition of a new system management interrupt (SMI) and separate system management memory and I/O address spaces. This new inter- rupt is transparent to the rest of the processor and to any operat- ing system running on the processor. It is designed for use by hardware manufacturers who want to program in power man- agement features. The SMI provides the ability to suspend and resume operations, send peripherals such as hard and floppy disk drives into standby modes, control the CPU clock speed, and control uninterruptible power supplies. The SMI can be ex- ternally programmed so that manufacturers can add their own extensions for any form of power management. The SMI is a hardware-level interrupt that takes priority over all other interrupts on the system. As such, it could conceivably be used for functions other than power management. Intel claims that, despite the obvious performance penalty for the rest of the processor when the SMI takes over, the overall per- formance of the 386SL is better than that of the 386SX. Intel also anticipates that using these chips and other low-power parts could extend the battery life of a system by 50 percent. Intel has also put power management facilities into the 82360SL support chip (see photo 3), which includes timers, controls I/O, and has event recognizers to trigger the SMI for the 386SL. It also can support Intel's Flash memory system, powering a computer for several weeks when in suspend mode, rather than the usual few hours. Good Things in Small Packages Chip manufacturers are currently prototyping chips that will be smaller and more efficient and will feature even higher levels of integration than today's chips offer. In the near future, you can expect to see a single-chip AT that will allow powerful systems to fit into very small packages. Features like Intel's SMI will allow portables to incorporate new power-saving techniques and other management functions. It's only been in the last few years that manufacturers have taken laptop chip-set technology seriously, and already great advances have been made. It seems likely that chip sets will soon be able to make up for battery-life limitations and dramat- ically extend the lives of portable computers. ■ Owen Under holm is a news editor for BYTE in San Francisco. He can be reached on BIX as "owenl. " DECEMBER 1990 • B Y T E 319 INFO WORLD Sun Read) to Strike Back Novell GotsEicelon in Stock Swa ... the fastest product we tested' 3/27/89 "... led the pack in remote control — software " 6/12/90 $1000 LASER PRINTERS *♦ Any Other Questions ? -322-9440 ^ • i If you follow the press, you already know about CO/ Session. InfoWorld called it "the fastest product we tested PC Magazine noted that it was faster by far at transferring files than any of its competitors, and claimed "CO /Session led the pack in remote control software per- formance/' So, you probably thought we couldn't improve on the Performance Leader in remote screen updates and file transfers. Well, we have - with version 5.0. Of course, you'll be able to operate one PC from another with CO/ Session 5.0. But now we've added such features as reduced memory requirements, remote mouse support and faster screen updates. In fact, with a long list of new features not found in Carbon Copy Plus, pcAnywhere or Close-Up, we're leaving the com- petition further and further behind. To find out more about CO /Session and how to order and where to buy it, call 1-800-322-9440. We'll be happy to talk with you - and you'll be glad you called. See us at NetWorld and Fed Micro. / TRITON Triton Technologies Inc. "200 Middlesex Turnpike, Iselin, NJ 08830 (201)855-9440 • Fax (201) 855-9608 Circle 323 on Reader Service Can! (RESELLERS: 324) FEATURE Relational Databases : The Real Story Are you sure you 're using a relational database manager? Think again. Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols ave you noticed that every food product in the land is now advertised as being "light"? It doesn't matter at all if there is any truth to the claims. Light is one of the new buzzwords, so everyone is using it. Of course, food vendors aren't the only ones to play fast and loose with language. Computer companies do the same thing. Computer vendors use hype phrases like "turbo" and "object- oriented." One term with a precise definition, relational data- base management system (RDBMS), has been bandied about so much that even veteran com- puter users have lost track of its meaning. Companies have been using this phrase for years. There's only one prob- lem: Few programs even come close to being relational database managers . A Rose by Any Other Name? Even database professionals believe that an RDBMS is any program that can access more than one database at a time. Nothing could be further from the truth. Just because a program allows you to view two different tables with its procedural language doesn't mean it's relational. The sad thing is that there's no real excuse for this confu- sion. The relational database model has been around since 1970, when Edgar Codd, then an IBM researcher, intro- y t t e « ILLUSTRATION: DAVE CUTLER © 1990 duced it to the world in his classic Communications of the ACM paper entitled "A Relational Model for Large Shared Data Banks." Since then, Codd and his colleagues have been beating the drum for RDBMSes, both within and outside the walls of IBM. To make certain that everyone got the idea, Codd summed up the definition of RDBMS in a set of rules (see the text box "Codd's Commandments" on page 322). In a way it's funny that so many programs try to wrap them- selves in the RDBMS mantle. During its first years of exis- tence, nobody except Codd and his followers supported the RDBMS model. The con- cept, based firmly on mathe- matical theory and predicate logic, was disliked for its break with traditional data- base thought. It was reviled as being too theoretical. Many said that it would never be practical. The prevailing database model of the day was the hier- archical model. In this still- popular system, data is stored in a tree structure, and every data element is defined as be- ing a member of a group. These groups are themselves data elements and can be members of a higher group. Under this scheme, your ZIP code is a data element that is part of another data element, your address. These elements could then be a part of another data element— a mailing list, DECEMBER 1990 • B Y T E 321 FEATURE RELATIONAL DATABASES: THE REAL STORY Codd's Commandments In the late 1960s, Edgar Codd was an IBM researcher who questioned the way DBMSes were designed. Over time, he became disgusted with the pre- vailing database theories of his day and decided to try to improve the situation. From his efforts, the relational model was born. As his model grew more pop- ular, he was dismayed by the fact that DBMS designers were adopting only the word relational and ignoring the rest of the relational model. It was then that he formulated rules to define exactly what a relational DBMS is. In theory, an RDBMS must meet Codd's rules or it isn't a relational data- base manager. In practice, most rela- tional databases implement only some of these rules. Building a true RDBMS is easier said than done. A full discus- sion of Codd' s rules is beyond the scope of a single article, but here is a brief summary of Codd's commandments: Rule 0: Any RDBMS must be able to manage databases entirely through its relational capabilities. If a DBMS de- pends on record-by-record data-ma- nipulation tools, it's not truly relational. Rule 1: All data in a relational data- base is explicitly represented (at the log- ical level) as values in tables. Data can- not be stored in any other way. Rule 2: Every data element must be logically accessible through use of a combination of its primary key value, table name, and column name. Rule 3: Null values are explicitly sup- ported. Nulls represent missing or inap- plicable information. Rule 4: The database description, or catalog, is also stored at the logical level as tabular values. The relational lan- guage—Structured Query Language (SQL) , for instance— must be able to act on the database design in the same man- ner in which it acts on data stored in the structure. Rule 5: An RDBMS must support a clearly defined data-manipulation lan- guage that comprehensively supports data manipulation and definition, view definition, integrity constraints, and transactional boundaries and authoriza- tion. SQL is the most well known of these languages. Rule 6: All views that can be updated must be updatableby the system. This is a major stumbling block for would-be RDBMS designers. Many implementa- tions don't allow updatable views at all. Those that do have many restrictions on when a view can be updated. In a true RDBMS, most, though not all, views would be updatable. Rule 7: An RDBMS must do more than just be able to retrieve relational data sets. It has to be capable of insert- ing, updating, and deleting data as a re- lational set. Many RDBMSes that fail the grade fall back to a single-record-at- a-time procedural technique when it comes time to manipulate data. Rule 8: Data must be physically inde- pendent of application programs. The underlying RDBMS program, or "opti- mizer," should be able to track physical changes to the data. For instance, an RDBMS 's application programs should not have to change when an index is added to a table. Rule 9: Whenever possible, applica- tions software must be independent of changes made to the base tables. That is, RDBMS programs should not need to be modified to reflect any changes in the underlying data tables. For example, no code should need to be rewritten when tables are combined into a view. Rule 10: Data integrity must be de- finable in the relational language and stored in the catalog. This law is an- other one that has proved difficult to put into practice. Data-integrity constraints can be built into applications. However, this approach is foreign to the intent of the relational model. In this model, data integrity should be inherent in the data- base design. Rule 11: An RDBMS has distribu- tional independence. This is one of the more attractive aspects of RDBMSes. Database systems built on the relational framework are well suited to today's client/server database designs. Rule 12: If an RDBMS has a single- record-at-a-time language, that lan- guage cannot be used to bypass the integrity rules or constraints of the rela- tional language. Thus, not only must an RDBMS be governed by relational rules, but those rules must be its pri- mary laws. Simply tacking SQL onto a database program won't turn it into a re- lational database any more than paint- ing racing stripes on a VW Bug turns it into a Ferrari. for instance. These structures can grow quite complicated and require pointers and indexes to properly track information. The "Real" Thing RDBMSes take a much simpler view of data. In a relational database, two-dimensional arrays of rows and columns hold all the information. This structure seems too easy, and, to some extent, that criticism is valid. Not every kind of information can be conveniently accessed under an RDBMS. Imaging informa- tion, for instance, doesn't easily fit into an RDBMS's neat pat- terns of data. Still, an RDBMS works fine for most textual or numeric data. Although an RDBMS's structure may be simple, its inherent data-retrieval and manipulation powers are un- paralleled. In part, an RDBMS's theoretical underpinnings allow for easy coding. In a relational system, for example, finding records between two points (say, all names in an alphabetical list between "Vau" and "Vo") is a breeze. The same search in conventional databases requires many record-by-record com- parisons. In an RDBMS, even the most complicated data relationships can be reduced to 2-D table formats via data normalization, a data-analysis process used to find the simplest possible data structure for a given collection of information. This format makes changing and displaying information far easier than it is under a hierarchical system. An RDBMS is a fundamental improvement over most DBMSes because you can add, delete, or change data through- out an entire database by treating it as a single set. Ordinary database managers require record-by-record updates that can drastically slow performance. Ingres, Oracle, R:base 3.0, and IBM's mainframe-driven DB2 all attempt to meet the demands of the RDBMS model. At one time, Codd stated that an RDBMS needed to meet only seven of his rules. By that standard, some have been successful. Since then, Codd has declared that all his commandments must be met before a database manager can be called "relational." So far, none has, although a few have come close. The RDBMS concept sounds easy, but its full implementation is more diffi- cult in practice than in theory. 322 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 There's more to comparing LaserJet PostScript 9 Language Emulation Cartridges than just the name Price Emulation switching Font cartridge option Upgrade program Warranty Pacific Data Products PacificPage P«E $499 Yes Yes Yes Lifetime Hewlett-Packard PostScript 8 Cartridge $695 No No No One Year ^OF IC p AGi tbstSa tr $P-E ...... m C Wridfte '""''■''■'■.T-V,...,. fpf Kt$ Cr ^^ This cartridge is compatible with the HP LaserJet models IIP, (ID, III and HID. Prices are suggested retail list price. Pacificl'age P* E and Pacif icType are trademarks of Pacific Data Products, Inc. PhoenixPagt? is >i registered trademark of ^ Phoenix Technologies Ltd. Copyright 1987, 1988 Phoenix Technologies Ltd. Macintosh is a registered trademark of ^^^^^ Apple Computer, Inc. PostScript is a registered trademark of Adobe Systems Inc. Pucific Data 1'roducts, ^^^^S 9125 Kehco Road, San Diogo, CA 92121, (619) 552-0880, Fax (619)552-0889,© 1990 Pacific Dita Products, Inc. Phoenupage- Dc r on't settle for less just to buy the HP name. Ask for Pacific Data Prod- ucts' Pacif icPage P # E. It's the PostScript language emulation cartridge for HP LaserJet IIP, IID, III and HID printers that offers you more for less. Compare its lifetime warranty, upgrade program for keeping current with the latest version, and ability to switch between PostScript and PCL language emula- tion modes. And compare the optional companion cartridge, PacificType. There is also an option available for connecting your Pacif icPage P*E equipped printer to a Macintosh computer. To learn how you can get more for less, call your nearest dealer or contact: Pacific Data Products, 9125 Rehco Road, San Diego, CA 92121, (619) 597-4608, Fax (619) 552-0889. PACIFIC DATA PRODUCTS FEATURE RELATIONAL DATABASES: THE REAL STORY A n RDBMS must meet Codd's rules or it isn 't a relational database manager. Playing by the Rules The fundamental rule of an RDBMS is that all information must be manageable entirely through relational means. On the logical level, then, everything in a relational database must be represented by values in tables. Here is where many database managers fall short. It is all too tempting for database design- ers to take a shortcut in data representation or manipulation for the sake of short-term efficiency. Unfortunately, this easy road leads quickly away from the basic model. Other rules reinforce this concept. In a true RDBMS, the database description, or catalog, must be contained in tables and controlled by the data-manipulation language. Perhaps the most troublesome rule in relational theory is the one dealing with null values (rule 3). In an RDBMS, nulls rep- resent missing or inapplicable data, and they are a vital part of the relational concept. But nulls aren't the same thing as empty or blank fields or the concept of zero. Nulls represent information that isn't known at the time of a record's creation or modification. For instance, a hospital keeps birth records. Sometimes parents don't have a first name for their new offspring. The baby could be given a false name, such as "John Doe" or "Smith's daughter," and the record could later be changed to the real name. This method will work, but it makes both the updating and the reporting of records more complicated. Under an RDBMS, any missing in- formation is represented by a null value. But even within relational theory, there is no agreement on how to manipulate record sets containing null values. Debate continues on how to handle nulls. Since this question is at the heart of Codd's theory, it can't just be disregarded. Structured Query Language, the most popular relational lan- guage, identifies primary record keys by the combination of their unique identities and by being "not null." Codd has fur- ther muddied the waters by suggesting that two types of nulls should be recognized. One would represent missing informa- tion, and the other would represent inappropriate data. There's no sign that a definite answer to this thorny question will be forthcoming anytime soon. Another rule that is difficult to implement is that an RDBMS must have distributional independence. In other words, the data manager must be able to cope with distributed databases. In an RDBMS, data should be independent of hardware architecture and physical location. A true RDBMS would be able to display a view on your screen made up of a table from your PC and an- While many computer manufacturers say they are com- patible, CSS Laboratories' ™ MaxSys™ file servers are certi- fied to work with your network operating system. Our MaxSys 386MT/33, for example, has passed testing by Novell,® Banyan,® SCO® and Quarterdeck.® And our new 486 EISA line offers unsurpassed compatibility, while providing all the power and features to carry your network well into the future. There are MaxSys systems with up to ten drive bays and 400 watt power supplies, and all come with our exclusive 12-slot motherboard. If you need a heavy-duty file server, this is it. All of our 286, 386SX, 386 and 486 tower and desktop systems come with a full one-year warranty, a national 800 number for technical support, and optional on-site service. And they are all certified to provide uncompromising performance and reliability. FEATURE RELATIONAL DATABASES: THE REAL STORY other table from a VAX located across the country. Distributed database systems are an area in which developers are making rapid progress. Companies are rushing to bring dis- tributed database managers to market. LAN database adminis- trators lust after the power they provide; thus, database servers and clients are the hottest products in the DBMS field. The RDBMS model is well suited for this development, because the relational model's simple design and data-integrity rules have made it the cornerstone of most distributed databases. The Best of Both Worlds? Is it possible to combine the best features of an RDBMS with other systems? Many software companies have thought it could be done. They have tried to put a coat of relational paint on top of other systems. Codd addresses this in his final rule, the gist of which is that an RDBMS can have both relational and ordi- nary single-record-at-a-time elements. A relational system, however, must be governed by the logic of the relational model. The reason why Codd devised his final rule is that the rela- tional model is different from other ways of viewing and ma- nipulating data. Therefore, a true hybrid system could never produce the full gains promised by relational theory. In some circles, talking about database theory is like talking about religion or politics: You're sure to have an argument. I favor the relational model, but I'm the first to admit that it does have some problems— like nulls— that need a clearer definition. RDBMSes have one practical problem as well. They require comparatively large amounts of RAM and disk storage. To put it more bluntly, they are resource hogs. Without sufficient t alking about database theory is like talking about religion or politics. hardware support, RDBMSes run extremely slowly. Most hierarchical database managers work quite well within their theoretical constraints. In point of fact, most database programs, including such popular favorites as dBASE, FoxPro, Clipper, Superbase, and Paradox, owe more to the convention- al database model than they do to the relational one. Still, as time goes by, the theoretically superior relational model will be successfully implemented on more platforms. Only then will there be products that can honestly be labeled as being relational. Until that time, the best one can say of most programs is that they include some relational features. ■ Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols is a freelance writer and program- mer/analyst for Bendix Field Engineering Corp. (Seabrook, MD). He can be reached on BIX as "sjvn. " They're Satisfied. "I would like you to know how pleased we are with the CSS Labs equipment installed on our network. Your unique design has allowed us to grow the services to our users beyond what was planned in our budgets." "... the higher performance and reliability has been commented on by the network users." ". . . Also, please extend my sincere thanks to your technical support staff for their fantastic response in resolving our recent compatibility issue." ". . . My staff was amazed that the solution was delivered the next day! This type of service is rare in the industry." —Roger Spongier, Netivork Service Manager, Fujitsu America, Inc. ". . . ample provisions for drive and add-on board expansion make this system a fine choice in network or multiuser applications."— PC Magazine When you're evaluating a new system, it helps to know what experience others have had. CSS Laboratories' customer list is a long and happy one. Not to mention the computer press, who have also had some nice things to say. These people all agree, that CSS systems don't just per- form well, they offer unsurpassed reliability and compatibility. Add to this our reputation for customer service, and you can see why people are recommending us. For dealer information, call 1-800-966-CSS1. Find out why we call CSS Laboratories "A Solid Investment." CSS logo, CSS Laboratories. A Solid Investment, MaxSys are trademarks of CSS Laboratories, Inc. All other brand names and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. © 1990 CSS Laboratories, Inc. "Our records confirm that over 25,000 CSS boards are in the field now, and judging by the low rate of return, their performance and integration in our systems, is outstanding." —BobZkgler, Purchasing Manager, Dataniedia Corporation ". . . the combination of large- and small-record test results makes it quite impressive over the full range of data-handling hurdles." "Apparently CSS has found some semi-magical combination of medium technology that will yield sterling performance . . ." —PC Magazine "... a great example of a PC on steroids." "This machine is more than the sum of its parts. Power file server builders should keep an eye on CSS."— LAN Times Circle 78 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 79) LABORATORIES, INC. 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Every engineer needs the power and features fa "Rocky Mountain" BASIC workstation, but not everyone can have one. They simply cost too much. Fewer workstations, less productivity The Best Way. IhmsEra HTBasic software provides the only wayfor serious teclmical computer users to turn their PC into a workstation without having to add costly hardware, ftiwerful workstations for everyone means greater productivity Extraordinary Versatility. In addition, TTansEra HTBasic works with the Industry Standard Personal Computer hardware, software, and networks. It even allows you to e0?(x) :-(x) ) process body diskScheduler() { int pos = 0, phase = 1, dir; for (;;) select { accept request (blkno, op, buf) suchthat (phase == 1 || CYL(blkno) == pos || CYL(blkno)>pos == dir) by(ABS(CYL(blkno)-pos)) { if (CYL(blkno) != pos) { dir = CYL(blkno) > pos; phase = 2; pos = CYL(blkno); seek to pos; } start disk operation; wait for disk operation to complete; } or (phase == 2) : phase = 1; cylinder. Once a request has been accepted, if it involves disk movement, the scheduler sets the current direction and shifts to phase 2. The scheduler then does the disk operation. The im- mediate alternative is executed only when the scheduler is in phase 2 and when there are no pending requests that satisfy the suchthat clause. The immediate alternative returns the sched- uler to phase 1 . Note that the scheduler does not poll. If the scheduler is in phase 1 and there are no pending requests, the scheduler waits for a request to arrive. When the scheduler is in phase 2, the immediate alternative is open and will be taken when there are no requests that satisfy the accept alternative. The immediate alternative returns the scheduler to phase 1 . This closes the im- mediate alternative and causes the scheduler to wait for the next request. Concurrent C ++ Concurrent C, as a compile-time option, also works with C ++ , an object-oriented superset of C Although data-abstrac- tion facilities are important for writing concurrent programs, we did not provide them in Concurrent C because we did not want to duplicate the C ++ research effort. Instead, we decided that we would eventually integrate C++ and Concurrent C DECEMBER 1990 • B Y T E 329 FEATURE CONCURRENT C A process that is called by many clients can become a bottleneck. facilities to produce a language with both data-abstraction and parallel-programming facilities. This was a pragmatic deci- sion. We decided that it would be better if it had the same data abstraction as C ++ because this would make the new language upward-compatible with C ++ and would then be more attrac- tive for C ++ users interested in writing concurrent programs. Both C ++ and Concurrent C have been implemented as C preprocessors. Anticipating the need for eventually merging C ++ with Concurrent C, we used the C ++ preprocessor as the starting point for the Concurrent C preprocessor. We also tried to use syntax for the concurrent programming facilities that was similar in spirit to the class syntax. For example, as in C ++ , parameter types must be explicitly specified. A compile-time option determines whether the Con- current C preprocessor accepts just Concurrent C or Concur- rent C++. Our goal was to accept both languages. Our reasoning for having both was to maximize our audience and at the same time keep up with the evolutions of C. Many potential users of our concurrent programming extension know C but not C ++ . We thought that many of those programmers would be reluctant to use our work if they first had to learn C ++ . And programmers who know C ++ would be reluctant to use any programming language that did not provide data abstraction and would con- sider Concurrent C a step backward from C ++ . Using Classes vs. Processes Classes and processes are both abstraction facilities. You can use processes to implement abstract data types, such as queues and complex numbers, which are typically implemented using classes. However, this can be very expensive in terms of com- puter resources, because processes incur additional run-time overhead for context switching and process scheduling. Some abstractions cannot be implemented as pure classes and must be implemented with processes (e.g., inherently par- allel applications, such as operating systems; programs for con- trolling robots; and embedded tactical systems for airplanes). Objects that are shared by multiple processes can be encap- sulated in a process to enforce sequential access. For example, you can enclose a queue shared by many processes within a pro- cess to ensure that items are added to and removed from the queue one at a time. So, when designing a new data abstraction, you must ask yourself how that abstraction should be structured. It can be structured purely as a class, or purely as a process, or as a mix- ture—an interface class hiding a process. The advantage of classes is that the overhead of invoking a Laptop External SCSI Hard Drive for your Laptop Computer Tulin Corporation now offers a full line of SCSI hard drives for the laptop computers. A-Hivc, Hermit Crab, Half Shell are now available for both the desktop computeis and the laptop computers using the parallel port. Tulin continues their tradition of serving their customers with affordable price and performance in their products. 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CNS, Inc. - Software Products 7090 Shady Oak Rd., Minneapolis, MN 55344 612-944-0170, Fax 612-944-0923 . . . providing and advancing object-oriented methodology. 330 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 Circle 328 on Reader Service Card Circle 67 on Reader Service Card MUCH MORE SECURE Reproduced from advertising in DISK PACK, THE INDUSTRY STANDARD IN REMOVABLE HARD DISKS. SECURE DISK PACK protects confidentiality. Sensitive data ? Insecure work environment ? Remove the PACK and leave nothing behind. Whatever the application (Defense, Research, Banking), DISK PACK provides the security you need. FAST AND RELIABLE DISK PACK'S 10 ms access time puts it among the fastest hard disks. A 42 Mb disk is backed-up in only 2 minutes ! Use DISK PACK and your work rate will increase for years to come.. COMPATIBLE DISK PACK is SCSI based and compatible with : Apple, IBM (and clones), DEC or SUN. 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Circle 359 on Reader Service Card FEATURE CONCURRENT C member function is much lower than the overhead of interact- ing with a process. The disadvantages of classes are that they do not provide concurrency and it is difficult to share an instance of a class among several processes (i.e. , the processes must use some mechanism other than the class to ensure the necessary synchronization). The advantages of processes are that they allow operations to happen in parallel and they provide mechanisms for mutual ex- clusion. The disadvantages of processes are that a transaction call is much slower than a member function call, and a process that is called by many clients can become a bottleneck. We have devised some informal guidelines for selecting the structuring technique for a data abstraction. First, you should get a rough idea of the interface that the clients would like to see: one that is clean and convenient and natural. Then, if it is possible to implement the abstraction as a pure class, do so. Classes should be used for passive data objects, such as strings, queues, complex numbers, or symbol tables. A key point is that these objects are not shared by several processes, so there is no need for synchronization. Another point is that once an operation starts, it runs to com- pletion. Thus, if the object is implemented as a process, then that process can only execute when handling a transaction call from a client. There is no performance increase from using pro- cesses, because the object process can never execute in parallel with its clients. When you cannot implement the abstraction purely as a class, then you must use a process. The choice then becomes whether to implement the abstraction as a pure process or as a process plus an interface class. In other words, should the pro- cess be visible to the client of the abstraction, or should it be hidden? To decide which is best, first determine what kind of inter- face is needed between the client process and the abstraction (server) process: What transactions are needed, what data is passed and returned, what is the protocol for calling those transactions, how often are they called, and so on. Design your process interface for efficiency. Keep in mind that transaction calls are relatively slow, so the number of calls should be minimized. If some operations can be done by either the client processes or the server process, then you must decide which will do them. If the client cannot proceed until these op- erations have completed, then, in general, the client should do them. If you suspect that the server process could become a bottle- neck—for example, if it is shared by many clients— then it is best to have the clients do as much as possible. But if the opera- tions can be done in parallel with the client, and if the server is not a bottleneck, then the server should do them, because this will increase parallelism. You should compare the interface to the server process with the desired interface for the data abstraction. If they are a good match— if the server-process interface is simple and natural, and you do not expect that it will change— then implement the data abstraction as a pure process. In this case, the process in- terface becomes the interface of the abstraction. However, if the interface to the server process is complicated or unnatural, or if you think that the process interface might YOUR COMPUTER TO 386-33 w/ 64 K CACHE $1,499 No Budget For A New Computer? 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Copict International Ltd 1964 Richton Drive, Wheaton, Illinois 60187 708/682-8898 FAX: 708/665-9841 Instant info, via FaxFacts: 708/924-7465 Press: 889832# 332 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 Circle 12 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 13) Networking is a Simple Concept, YourNetv /.Qiivai ' i i >1 • in fr#$£< "- ; ^-i- jjgjii "".now-. iw e ::i it Is to pL . a v6rk, ^^m^j£ •. :;. vendors' haftjwar* and re; put It together, and make it all ^flannfed:. To help make your task Mitt j Pre TJIf&erformanl gP^#iPC4000G Ide, MiTACdopputer fed for networking. tear **!!* ^ £*"* *rf ** */**. ;ifically, MiTAC engineers ive tested hundreds Software and hardware p 1 ducts in Novell, Banyan, 3Co even Unix environments Connectivity Support ^es you access to this Hence along with idations and Jrained ■Bfe HI^^SiHHHI ififp *%& mm ^^s^^^^^^s ^ ers or^^k its. ^ FEATURE CONCURRENT C GET SUPERSOFT's Service Diagnostics All the software, alignment diskettes, parallel/serial wrap-around plugs, ROM POSTs and extensive, professional documentation to provide the most comprehensive testing available for IBM PCs, XTs,ATs and all compatibles under DOS or Stand Alone. No other diagnosticsoffers such in-depth testing on as many different types of equipment by isolating problems to the board and chip level. NEW: SuperSoft's ROM POST performs the most advanced Power-on-Self-Test available for system boards that are compatible with the IBM ROM BIOS. Itworks even in circumstances when the Service Diagnostics diskette cannot be loaded. NEW: 386 diagnostics for hybrids and PS/2s! Forovernineyears,majormanufacturershavebeen relying on SuperSoft's diagnostics software to help them and their customers repair microcomputers. End users have been relying on SuperSoft's Diagnostics II for the most thorough hardware error isolation available. Now versions of Service Diagnostics are available to save everyone (including every serious repair technician) time, money, and headaches in fixing their computers, even non-IBM equipment. All CPUs & Numeric Co-processors System Expansion & Extended Memory Floppy, Fixed & Non-standard Disk Drives Standards Non-standard Printers System Board: DMA, Timers, Interrupt, Real-time Clock & CMOS config. 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FIRST IN SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGY RO. Box 4178. Mountain View. CA 94040-0178 (408) 745-0234 Telex 270365 SUPERSOFT is a registered trademark of SuperSoft, Inc.; CDC of Control Data Corp.; IBM PC, AT & XT of International Business Machines Corp.; MS-DOS of Microsoft Corp.; NEC of NEC Information Systems, Inc., PRIME of PRIME INC.; Sony of Sony Corp. 334 BYTE- DECEMBER 1 990 Circle 298 on Reader Service Card change, then hide the process interface from the clients by im- plementing the data abstraction as an interface class and a pro- cess. For example, you should use an interface class if some operations can be done by either the client processes or the server process but you do not know which would be better. De- sign the interface class so that it provides the abstraction that the clients desire. This class converts the client's operations into the appropriate transaction call to the server. The Benefits Concurrent C is a tool for writing distributed programs under several versions of the Unix system: System V, BSD 4.2, and NRTX (a stripped-down real-time version of Unix) running on VAX computers, AT&T 3B computers, and Sun workstations, among other uniprocessor machines. The Concurrent C pro- gram runs as one Unix process on these implementations; the Concurrent C run-time library provides a scheduler that switches between Concurrent C processes as needed. Concurrent C has also been implemented on multiprocessor configurations. One is a loosely coupled network of indepen- dent computers connected by a LAN (Ethernet), each running the Unix operating system. Here, both the hardware and soft- ware are loosely coupled. Another multiprocessor system, the AT&T 3B4000, also has several Unix processors connected via a bus, but this system looks like one virtual Unix system (e.g., the file system is shared among all processors). In this system, the hardware is loosely coupled, but the operating-system software is tightly coupled. Another system on which we have Concurrent C is a shared- memory multiprocessor. Here Concurrent C is implemented on top of a real-time multitasking kernel. In this system, both the hardware and the software are tightly coupled. Concurrent C is being used for such applications as simula- tion studies, graphics, image analysis, and network protocol experiments, and for a network file server that has an optical disk "jukebox." The file server is completely written in Con- current C, including the disk drivers and interrupt handlers, and has been in production use since January 1989. That file server has 30 processes of 20 distinct types and takes only about 20,000 lines of code. Even at that, more than half the code is in the drivers for the optical disks and for the jukebox robot that moves disks in and out of drives. As you can see, it is an efficient language for this kind of application. In a large Concurrent C program, such as the optical disk driver, most of the code is ordinary sequential C, with a small amount of Concurrent C code used as "glue logic" to let the processes communicate. The advantage of Concurrent C is that it lets the programmer transform a large concurrent program- ming problem into a series of small sequential programming problems that can be solved independently. AT&T recently announced the availability of Concurrent C to the general public. The Concurrent C translator and run- time source code are available from AT&T to both academic and commercial users. For more information on the translator, please call (800) 828-8649. For more information on the lan- guage, see the book The Concurrent C Programming Lan- guage by Gehani and Roome (Summit, NJ: Silicon Press, 1989). ■ Narain H. Gehani and William D. Roome are members of AT&T Bell Labs ' technical staff. Both have doctorates in computer sci- ence from Cornell University and have worked on building op- erating systems, file servers, and languages. They can be reached on BIXc/o "editors. " 43MB A Complete 386-33 MHz Cache System For Under $2,000. Finally, you can afford to put the fastest 386 computer at your fingertips to enjoy the performance that once only belonged to the ranks of File Servers, Multi-user host Computers and CAD/ CAM/CAE Workstations. Other manufactures with their simple-minded direct-mapped Cache atchitectures were obsessed with churing out the best benchmark numbers. We, however, were not convinced DOS and Power Meter 1.3 is any example of a typical real life application (registering at 8.003 MIPS, we are not too shabby either). With Two-Way Set Associative Cache capability, our 386™ is also more attuned to run the emerging multi-tasking operating systems like OS/2®and UNIX™where modular code MIS 386™ 33MHz STANDARD • 1MB SONS RAM • 32K 25NS SRAM CACHE • INTEL®/WEITEK® MATH CO-PROCESSOR SOCKET ■ TEAC® 5.25" 1.2MB FLOPPY DRIVE • TEAC® 3.5" 1.44MB FLOPPY DRIVE • 43MB 28MS AT HARD DISK DRIVE • 2 SERIAL, 1 PARALLEL AND 1 GAME PORTS • MGP ADAPTER • SAMSUNG® 12" AMBER MONITOR • MICROSOFT® COMPATIBLE SERIAL MOUSE • NMB®101-KEY ENHANCED KEYBOARD • DESKTOP CASE WITH FIVE DRIVE BAYS • 220W POWER SUPPLY • ONE YEAR PARTS AND LABOR WARRANTY • 30-DAY MONEY BACK GUARANTEE Prices and terms arc subject to ciiange without notice. 3# days money back does not include shipping chnrge. CA residents add appropriate sales tax. No surcharge on credit card purchases. Personal and company checks require 2 wks clearance. All names mentioned are registered trademnrks of their respective companies. Circle 186 on Reader Service Card sizes (of less than 32K) and frequent code-switching are norms. Worrying about compatibility? Both IBM® and COMPACf endorsed the same INTEL? 82385 Cache Controller. Further- more, we enhanced it with page-mode and interleaved memory in the event of a cache miss. It is the closest to a true 0-wait-state implementation on the market. Nobody does it better, Nobody! 386-25MHz STANDARD System w/ 32K Cache $1,845 386-25MHz STANDARD System (Non-Cache) $ 1 ,595 386SX-I6MHz STANDARD System $ 1,145 286- 12MHz STANDARD System $ 945 486-25MHz STANDARD System w/ 64 K Ext. Cache $3,795 VGA (640x480) Upgrade Add $ 360 P-VGA (1024x768) Upgrade Add $ 500 80MB/212MB Hard Drive Upgrade Add $250/750 4MB RAM Upgrade Add $ 300 64K Cache Upgrade (386-25/33 MHz) Add $ 120 Vertical Case Add $ 150 Mini Vertical Case Add $ 75 CALL FOR ADDITIONAL UPGRADE OPTIONS MIS Computer Systems P.O. 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Interactive tools get you started and a rich OOP language gives you the control you need for serious applications. Hypertext and hypermedia give your applications depth and built-in expert systems technology lets you create smart programs. Links to the outside world are easy with DDE and DLL's. KPWIN costs $695 with no runtime fees for applications, Amex, Visa, M/C and COD accepted. Dealers welcome. To order call 518-766-3000 FAX 518-766-3003 or write to: Knowledge Garden - 473A Maiden Bridge Rd. Knowledge Nassau, NY 12123, U.S.A. GARDEN nc KnowledgePro and KPWIN are trademarks of Knowledge Garden, ToolBook is a registered trademark of Asymetrix Corporation, Windows is a trademark of Microsoft Corp., Image by Robert Tinney. Circle 166 on Reader Service Card FEATURE Strength (and safety) in Numbers RAID, a new disk storage technology, offers PCs higher performance and reliability Michael H. Anderson n old adage says, "The difference between a computer and a supercomputer is the difference between a CPU bottleneck and an I/O bottle- neck." As desktop computers move into the double-digit million-instructions-per-second range, I/O bottleneck is quickly becoming a reality. Look at current technology. The newest generation of intelli- gent disk drives offers much higher performance than its prede- cessors. The data rates for 5 14 -inch hard disk drives have reached 3 megabytes per second. Intelligent embedded control lers use sophisticated tech- niques to improve speed. SCSI controllers transfer data to host systems at speeds of up to 5 MB per second. Caching algorithms used by these drives maximize the use of on-board caches (from 64K to 256K bytes in size) with tech- niques that can double trans- action rates. Still, these performance improvements pale in com- parison to advances in CPU technology. When bench- marks are run on new high- performance PCs, they often show a 30-to-l performance increase (or better) over the standard IBM PC. In con- trast, disk drive performance shows an increase of only 10 to 1 over the original 10-MB XT hard disk drive. This dif- ference indicates that present systems achieve only one- third the relative performance ILLUSTRATION: ROB SAUNDERS © 1990 from their disk I/O subsystem as the original IBM PC. Performance benchmarks confirm this lopsided increase in relative performance. Figure 1 shows how the percentage of time devoted to disk I/O increases as the CPU speed increases. Then there's reliability. Top-quality disk drives, in general, offer a mean time between failures (MTBF) of about 150,000 hours. Although this sounds like a lifetime, an installation with top-quality disk drives will experience a failure rate of about 6 percent per year. A system with 16 disk drives would experi- ence a failure about once a year. For many installations, this failure rate would not be ac- ceptable. Network systems like Novell NetWare address the requirement for high data availability by using a tech- nique called mirroring. This host device driver technique writes data to two disk drives simultaneously. If one drive fails, a copy of all the data is immediately available on the other drive. Data availability is ensured unless the second device fails before the first device is replaced, a very un- likely event. Mirroring is a good solution to data avail- ability, but it requires users to purchase twice as much stor- age as they need to hold their data and programs. RAID, a Better Solution A better solution was de- scribed in a paper by David A. Patterson, Garth Gibson, DECEMBER 1990 • B Y T E 337 FEATURE STRENGTH (AND SAFETY) IN NUMBERS RESOURCE ALLOCATION 8088 4.7-MHz PC 386 25-MHz PC □ Disk I/O time □ CPU time Figure 1: As CPU speed increases, the percentage of time that programs wait for disk I/O to complete increases proportionately. and Randy H. Katz of the University of California at Berkeley, entitled "A Case for Redundant Arrays of Inexpensive Disks, or RAID" (Report No. UCB/CSD 87/391, December 1987). A RAID system is a group of disk drives under the control of a single device driver. By grouping several drives together into a single subsystem and using clever techniques to arrange the data, a RAID offers much higher performance than single disk drives. You can build a RAID system from several types of disk drives, among them SCSI, which is an inexpensive approach commonly used by several vendors (see figure 2) . Figure 3 shows how data can be "striped" (i.e. , a process of interleaving data blocks) across several drives so they can all work together. Since each drive transfers data in parallel with the others (multiplying the data rate), a four-drive RAID sys- tem can complete large read requests in one-fourth the time of a traditional system that puts all the data on a single disk. Another benefit of a RAID is the rate at which small trans- fers can be satisfied. Since data from a single file is spread over multiple disk drives, each disk drive can satisfy a small read at the same time. A RAID can independently position each disk drive (multiplying the transaction rate) allowing a four-drive RAID to satisfy four times as many small read requests as a traditional disk drive. This high transaction rate is especially important to users of network servers. The final benefit of a RAID is its ability to withstand the failure of any single disk drive. By storing "check bytes," the RAID can reconstruct data from the remaining drives, should any single drive fail. A check byte is a byte that holds the "sum" of the data stored on the other drives (in the same position) . Using check bytes takes up an amount of storage equivalent to the total capacity of a disk drive. Nevertheless, a check-byte system provides fail-safe operation at a much lower cost than a mirror system. While a mirror system uses half the drives in a group for fail-safe operation, a RAID system uses the storage equivalent of only one drive. Thus, larger RAID systems have proportionately lower overhead. This difference is transparent to the host computer. All that has changed is that data transfers are performed faster and the host can continue to operate even if one disk drive completely fails. A RAID can use of f-the-shelf disk drives. All the logic to arrange the data and provide high performance can be con- tained in a software driver. Building a RAID To understand how to build an effective RAID, take a look at how existing disks interface to PCs. Older device-level inter- faces, such as ST506 and ESDI, did not allow more than one disk drive to be active at the same time. In addition, most older controller boards used a technique called programmed input/ output. PIO is a software technique that uses the IN instruction, which requires the CPU to transfer data from the controller board to memory. Newer "buffered" interfaces, such as SCSI, allow up to SCSI-BASED RAID ARCHITECTURE Host computer Host adapter Parity buffers Host adapter SCSI SCSI J SCSI SCSI SCSI Ded icated spindle processor Device- level storage SCSI Dedicated spindle processor *— Device- level storage Figure 2: PCs can use SCSI disk drives and controllers to provide RAID storage at low cost. DISK-ARRAY PARALLEL TRANSFER Host READ DATA 12 3 5/ \ / \-|7 6/ \ / \f8 If \ / \ig 8/ \ / \ 20 9^-^ 13 ICp-^M 11^ — ' — 15 12^ ' — 16 Figure 3: Here you can see how data can be striped across four drives, allowing them to work in parallel and complete large read requests in one-fourth the time of a traditional single-drive system. The numbers represent the logical block number as defined by the RAID device driver. 338 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 FEATURE STRENGTH (AND SAFETY) IN NUMBERS seven disk drives on a single bus to simultaneously stage data in high-speed memory. Also, many SCSI controller boards use a technique called first-party DMA. This is a hardware tech- nique, defined by the AT bus, that does not require the CPU to transfer data. In addition, first-party DMA uses only half as many cycles as PIO to read or write data, thus transferring twice the data in the same amount of time. Since the CPU is not involved in transferring data, multiple boards can work together to in- crease performance even more. Combined, these techniques can be applied to realize a twofold to 20-fold increase in disk subsystem performance. Now I'll explain how you can generate check bytes and use them to provide fail-safe operation. Suppose you have three storage devices, each of which can hold 1 byte (8 bits) of data. Two devices will hold all the data that you wish to retrieve. The third device will hold a check byte generated by an arithmetic function called exclusive OR (XOR). If device 1 holds the value 001 10000, and device 2 holds the value 0000001 1 , then the check byte stored in device 3 is gener- ated by performing an XOR on these two values together, giv- ing 001 10011. By storing this check byte i n the third device, you can recon- struct the data of any of the three devices by examining the value of the other two (see table 1). This technique works for devices of any size, whether they hold a single byte or a billion bytes. Also, it works in systems with three devices or 300 devices. This fail-safe feature is attractive to mission-critical sys- tems. Even if one disk drive in the set fails, the RAID system can continue operating. However, the failed drive should be re- placed right away. If a RAID system is properly maintained, it is likely to keep data on-line and available longer than the use- ful life of the host system. How much does having this kind of data availability cost? Because of the high speed of current CPUs, check bytes can be generated rapidly without requiring any additional hardware. A typical 25-MHz Intel 386 can generate check bytes at the rate of 8 MB per second by using its powerful 32-bit instruction set. Higher-speed processors, like the i486, can generate check bytes even faster. Layout of Check Bytes So far, I've shown how a RAID offers high performance by striping data, and how data availability is improved by using the XOR function to generate check bytes and to reconstruct the data of a failed drive. To complete the analysis, here's how to manage the data on your disk drives to attain the most efficient operation. To keep your check bytes current, they must be modified each time you write data to any drive. If you choose to store all the check bytes on a single disk drive, you could create a bottle- neck, slowing overall performance of your RAID system. To avoid this problem, it is more efficient if you store some data and some check-byte information on each drive (as shown in table 2). Spreading the check bytes over several drives allows multiple simultaneous writes. In a four-drive RAID, this tech- nique offers double the small-block-write performance of a sys- tem with all the check bytes on a single drive. As the number of drives increases, the performance increases proportionately. RAID Performance Measurements Measurements of prototype systems show that the RAID archi- tecture can sustain data transfer rates of over 13 MBps on Ex- tended Industry Standard Architecture and Micro Channel ar- RECONSTRUCTING DATA FOR A FAILED DRIVE Table 1 : Check bytes help multiple-drive systems provide fail-safe operation. The figures here represent three imaginary disk drives, each of which holds just 1 byte (8 bits) of data. By performing an XOR on the values on drives 1 and 2 (top), you generate a check byte, to be stored on drive 3. In the event that a drive fails (in this case, drive 1) you can reconstruct its data by performing an XOR on the check byte from drive 3 with the data from drive 2 (bottom). XOR 00110000 00000011 Drive 1 Drive 2 (Data drive) (Data drive) XOR 00110011 00000011 00110011 Drive 3 Drive 2 Drive 3 (Check drive) (Data drive) (Check drive) 00110000 Drive 1 (Data drive) EFFICIENT RAID SUBSYSTEM DATA LAYOUT Table 2: Storing all the check bytes on a single disk drive can create a bottleneck. Spreading the check bytes over several drives allows multiple simultaneous writes to occur. Here, four drives store 12 blocks of data and the check bytes necessary to ensure the integrity of the data. As the number of drives increases, the perfor- mance increases proportionately. Drive 1 Drive 2 Drive 3 Drive 4 Adr1 Block 1 Block 2 Block 3 CB (1-2-3) Adr2 Block 5 Block 6 CB (4-5-6) Block 4 Adr3 Block 9 CB (7-8-9) Block 7 Block 8 Adr4 CB(10-11-12) Block 10 Block 11 Block12 chitecture systems. Transaction rates of 250 to 300 I/Os per second can be sustained under heavy load conditions. RAID systems can offer a 10-fold performance improvement over cur- rent disk I/O subsystems. Many major computer suppliers already use SCSI disk stor- age devices and controller cards. These suppliers include IBM, Hewlett-Packard, Digital Equipment, AST Research, Wang, Sun Microsystems, and many others. The RAID architecture can be implemented as a device driver on any operating system in software. A large installed base already exists that could ex- ploit the potential of RAID systems. The cost, performance, and data-availability features of- fered by the RAID architecture are so attractive that there is little doubt a new generation of I/O subsystems will become available in the near future. As this technology emerges, you may notice that the incessant "blinkety blink" of your disk drive LED will fade to just a flicker. ■ Michael H. Anderson is director of subsystem engineering at Micropolis Corp. (Chatsworth, CA), a manufacturer of 5 J A- inch hard disk drives. Previously, he designed large , fault-toler- ant caching controllers and performance-analysis tools for IBM, CDC, and Unisys mainframe systems. You can reach him on BIX c/o "editors. " DECEMBER 1990 • B Y T E 339 Wed LIKE TO SUGGEST A FEW NEW CRITERIA FOR CHOOSING FORMS SOFTWARE lb appreciate the benefits of JetForm™ software, we invite you to first examine the subject of business forms themselves. And why every business has so many. It's because forms are the proven way to gather information. Communicate it. Store it, and process it. Which is precisely the point of view from which JetForm was developed. Naturally, JetForm gives you complete WYSIWYG graphics and font control, using the industry standard Microsoft® Windows interface. But we also give you something else. And that's a set of capabilities that turns forms soft- ware from a handy way to replace pre-printed forms into a powerful way to run a business. Which is why you'll find JetForm prints fester on the laser printers that businesses use most. And connects more effectively to networks. So both forms and the information they contain can be better shared and communi- cated - across departments, or entire organizations. And not just _, with IBM® PCs, but with HP®3000s, HP9000s, DEC® VAXs™ and UNIX® machines. Combined with our optional JetForm- Merge and JetForm-Server software, JetForm makes it possible to completely automate and streamline the entire information management pro- cess. From design and forms completion, to printing and integration with your existing dBASE® files. As years pass, other software makers may discover the true purpose of business forms, and upgrade their products to the capabilities of JetForm. But JetForm has them today. And a new business day starts tomorrow. Call 800-267-9976 for complete information on the full family of JetForm forms software. JetForm THEY'RE MORE THAN JUST FORMS. THEY'RE YOUR BUSINESS. Capacity Find out how fast How well does it Will it handle all Just because it Make sure you get it prints on HP work in a network? your forms needs? "links" to your a full set of flex- f^M.MB LaserJet® printers, Sendingforms Including complex database doesn 't ible, easy to use, 3jBm .. and the new IBM around the office is policies and con- mean it takes full WYSIWYG design 1 ^EHi Laser Printer 4019. one thing. Manag- tracts, as well as bar advantage of data- tools tailored to You '11 find JetForm ing information code labels? Will it base links. JetForm forms design. After Microsoft is three times faster throughout your handle them in the verifies data, per- all, this isn't desk- WIndcws. than others. organization, across volume you'll need forms calculations, top publishing. multiple platforms, as your forms appli- and fully reads and Its information is quite another. cations grow? writes dBASE files. management. Call (800) 267-9976 (US only) or (613) 594-3026. Indigo Software Ltd., 560 Rochester Street, Suite 400, Ottawa, Canada K1S 5K2 © 1990 Indigo Software Ltd. JetFbrm is a trademark of Indigo Software Ltd. All company and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Circle 142 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 143) FEATURE X.400: Standardizing E-Mail An OSI protocol brings new life to E-mail Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols or many years, E-mail has not lived up to its | i I promise. Early data communications prophets I— i I hailed E-mail as the next revolution in commu- JL I nications. It hasn't worked out that way. In- stead, fax machines have become the mainstay of modern office communications. Messaging has been around a long time: Fax is a technology with its roots in the nineteenth century, and couriers date back to the runner bearing the re- sults of the battle of Marathon to Athens. In today's business world, where faster is always better, E-mail, which is unparalleled in speed, would seem to be the perfect mode of commu- nication. However, few busi- nesspeople and PC users have bought into this line of think- ing. There are a number of reasons why. E-mail requires users to do more than merely insert a document into a fax machine. And, more important, until recently E-mail systems were proprietary, closed systems- each an island unto itself. You could send messages from one isle to another, but it required telecommunications wizards to keep these links and their gateways working. Each E-mail system was developing on its own path, and each evolutionary step meant that communications between networks needed constant adjustment. Even when the connections worked ILLUSTRATION: JAMES YANG © 1990 well, they required users to do a lot. Every E-mail system has its own addressing scheme. To send messages to people at their ARPANET mailboxes, for instance, you had to use a totally different address format than if you were mailing a note to someone on MCI Mail. The result was that E-mail faltered from lack of public acceptance. X.400 may be the answer to this problem. X.400 may sound like the name of the Air Force's newest stealth fighter, but it's really a telecommunications standard that lets E-mail users send messages to users on different E-mail systems. This rapidly growing telecommunications addressing standard is mak- ing E-mail an attractive alter- native to fax and overnight mail services. X.400 provides a single ad- dressing scheme that works on every E-mail system. No longer do users have to re- member whether an address has to include an exclamation mark, a slash, an at symbol, or some combination thereof. The X.400 Standard's Family X.400 is a CCITT standard that defines how an intersys- tem mail message is ad- dressed. Working X.400 sys- tems include not only an addressing standard but also a host of other CCITT stan- dards. Among them are X.401, which describes the basic intersystem service ele- DECEMBER 1990 • B Y T E 341 FEATURE X.400: STANDARDIZING E-MAIL w here once you could easily reach only subscribers to your own system, X. 400 's new addressing scheme allows you to reach out to E-mail users on all the major systems. ments, and X. 41 1, which defines message-transfer protocols. The most important member of the X.400 family, though, is probably X.410, which defines mail-handling protocols. Spe- cifically, X. 410 is concerned with how standard Open Systems Interconnection protocols work to support E-mail applications. True E-mail connectivity is possible when you bring E-mail systems into accordance with OSI protocols— the backbone of network standardization. The first mature product from the topmost OSI applications layer is X.400. Like any other new standard, X.400 has had its share of teething problems. A prime example is that you can't reliably send binary files or Group 3 faxes (today's most popular high- speed fax standard) from one network to another. The ability to do so is part of X.400, but real- world implementation has been spotty. As X.400 becomes the international standard for E-mail, many systems are introducing foreign E-mail connections. U.S. Sprint, with its established base of systems using its Tele- mail software, leads the way in this area. Telemail private mail domains, however, may not have ac- cess to all external systems. This situation is not the result of a technical problem. Rather, administrators of these networks have decided not to activate connections with all possible E- mail domains. Some IBM proprietary E-mail systems, though, have X.400 gateways to Telemail. There are other difficulties to be overcome before a LAN E-mail system can use X.400. A gateway from a LAN to an X.25 packet-switching network like Telenet or Tymnet is a nec- essary part of an X.400 system, but X.25 gateways still aren't commonplace. Many E-mail manufacturers are wrestling with how to im- plement and test X.400. In 1989, a group of vendors success- fully founded the X.400 Application Program Interface Asso- ciation. APIA'S goal is to develop the application programming interface between LAN E-mail systems, wide-area-network E-mail systems, gateways, and X.25 networks. Now, products using the X.400 API can connect your office's mail system (whether it be LAN-based or built around Digital Equipment's All-in-One system on a VAX) to the outside world, but you still can't simply plug in a black box and go. So Why X.400? The advantages of X.400 outweigh the disadvantages, however. From a system administrator's standpoint, an X.400-equipped E-mail network can easily transfer messages to another X.400 system without any of the headaches of earlier methods. New communications connections to foreign E-mail systems 342 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 can take only a few days (and considerably less sweat) instead of months to implement. Tracking down why a message hasn't been delivered is also much simpler. In transfers between non- X.400 systems, though, it can be impossible to figure out the fate of a mislaid message. For users, X.400 provides several clear advantages. The first is that they won't have to contend anymore with a dozen different, confusing addressing schemes filled with @ and % signs. But the most dramatic advantage that X.400 brings to the E-mail universe is that its standardized addressing makes con- tacting other systems' subscribers almost as easy as calling Frank next door. The number of people you can reach by E-mail has expanded enormously. Where once you could easily reach only those on your own system, the new addressing scheme allows you to reach out to E-mail users on all the major systems, such as U.S. Sprint's Telemail and MCI Mail. With this ease of connectivity, E-mail visionaries with multiple mailboxes will be able to close down all but one of their network addresses. Elementary, Mr. Watson X.400 addressing is a straightforward process. The E-mail sys- tem administrator assigns a unique originator/recipient name to every user. The format for the O/R is "key word: value, keyword: value." Each keyword represents an address element. More than 10 address combinations are possible, but most E- mail systems use far fewer for most O/Rs. Every address contains some common elements. For in- stance, all X.400 addresses include an ADMD— Administra- tive Management Domain. An ADMD is a public mail system (such as MCI Mail, AT&T Mail, or Telemail) that serves as a message-transfer system. Private mail domains, or PRMDs, such as Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), NASA mail sys- tems (NASAMail), or a LAN E-mail system, can be attached to public networks like Telemail or MCI Mail. Individuals are uniquely identified in their home mail sys- tem by a user name, user number, or a combination of first name and surname. Each keyword must be assigned a value. So, for example, a NASAMail user O/R would look like this: ADMD:Telemail, PRMD:NASAMail, FN:John, SN:Doe. The exact order in which the keywords and values are listed is unim- portant. SN:Doe, FN:John, PRMD: NASAMail, ADMD:Tele- mail would work as well. In practice, it works like this: To send a note from MCI Mail to a user on Telemail, you would type in the receiver's last name and the letters EMS in parentheses. MCI Mail then prompts you with EMS. Here, you key in the ADMD name. The system responds with MBX : . At this point, you type in a single element of the O/R— for example, PRMD: NASAMail, for a re- cipient on this private mail system. You would continue in this vein until you have input enough pieces into the O/R for the receiving system to identify the addressee. To be sure of getting a message to someone, however, you must have his or her exact electronic address. It is still difficult to determine when you must use an elaborate address to ensure that your message won't just disappear into the electronic haze. That is one important element of E-mail that has yet to be per- fected before it can offer effortless, universal communication. X.500 will solve this problem, but it is still a few years away. As defined by the CCITT, X.500 is a directory assistance system for the computer age. X.500 database systems will con- tain the E-mail addresses of all users with accounts in X.400- compliant systems around the world. This global directory may take a while to appear in final form. By 1992, though, enough of the system will be up to empower X.400 communications. continued In college, you would have killed for MathCAD. So why aren't you calculating with it now? p f e.5S c^Ut i<\ wrqtU k#\fn [1 L. j*l«>«- -y- aXUrX ;>y Jir { *. - L r(xFe pfeVS; ^0' \t\i\< -^ \oo\e5 rbot lj 100,000 engineers and scien- tists already let MathCAD do their calculations for them. Now that college is far behind you, perhaps it's time you graduated from spreadsheets, calculators and programming. Because in today's working world of engineering and science, there's no time for anything less than MathCAD. The software that lets you perform engineering and scientific calculations in a way that's faster, more natural, and less error-prone than any calculator, spreadsheet, or program you could MathCAD 2.5 includes 3-D plotting, HPGL sketch import, and PostScript output. 1 EDITOR'S CHOICE March 14, 1989 issue. Best of '88 Best of 87 write yourself. Thanks to MathCAD's live document interface 7 ," you can enter equations anywhere on the screen, add text to support your work, and graph the results. It also comes complete with over 120 commonly used functions built right in. Perfect for creating complex equations and formulas, as well as exponentials, differentials, cubic splines, FFTs and matrices. You get three-dimensional plotting, vivid graphing, and the ability to import HPGL files from most popular CAD programs, including AutoCAD? Done calculating? MathCAD prints all your analyses in presentation-quality documents, even on PostScript® compatible printers. All of which has made MathCAD far and away the best-selling math software in the world. In fact, it's used by over 100,000 engineers and scientists —just like you. There's MathCAD for the PC. MathCAD for the Mac, written to take full advantage of the Macintosh® interface. And a Unix® version that utilizes the speed and unlimited memory of your Unix workstation. We also have Applications Packs for Advanced Math, Statistics, Mechanical, Chemical, and Electrical Engineering. Each is a collection of adaptable mathematical models, designed to let you start solving your real world problems right away. For a free MathCAD demo : J disk, or upgrade information, dial 1-800-MATHCAD (in MA, 617-577- 1017). Or see your software dealer. Available for IBM® compatibles, Macintosh computers, and Unix workstations. TM and ® signify manufacturer's trademark or registered trademark, respectively. 1-800-MATHCAD kJJ MathCAD' MathSoft, Inc., 201 Broadway, Cambridge, MA 02139 U.K.: Adcpl Scientific 0462-480055; Fiance: ISECEGOS 1-46092768; Germany: Soft line 07802-4036; Japan: CRC 03-665-9762; Finland: Zenex Oy 90-692-7677; Italy: Channel 02-4229441. PSE #3 Circle 182 on Reader Service Card FEATURE X.400: STANDARDIZING E-MAIL MAJOR U.S. E-MAIL VENDOR X.400 CONNECTIONS More connections are being made between E-mail working on implementing X.400. Telemail private carriers every mail domains day. may On-line services such as CompuServe are not have access to all systems. also E-mail service AT&T IBM MCI U.S. Sprint (Telemail) Telecom Canada Tymnet Western Union AT&T X X X X X IBM X X X X MCI X X X X X U.S. Sprint (Telemail) Telecom Canada X X X X X Tymnet Western Union X X X X X X = Presence of an existing X.400 link between the two systems. This super phone book will remove X.400's last technical problem. End of Message There is one other business consideration that may delay the day when X.400 becomes the be-all and end-all in E-mail: bill- ing—who gets billed, why, when, and how. With dozens of pro- prietary and open E-mail systems stretching around the world, it's not easy to agree on this matter. Progress has been made, though, and X.400 connections are either in existence or being completed among all major E-mail systems. See the table for current status of X.400 connections between major E-mail vendors. X.400 has been a slow-growing force. Although the techni- cal and administrative groundwork has taken years to com- plete, the first fruits are now available. With the maturity of X.400, E-mail may become the dominant force in business communications. ■ Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols is a freelance writer and a pro- grammer/analyst for Bendix Field Engineering Corp. (Sea- brook, MD). He can be reached on BIX as "sjvn. " PC Compatible Single Board Computers for the OEM DR DOS® Now Available Quark®/PC + • NEC V-40® Processor • Video/LCD Controller • 8 or lO MHz Frequency • Up to 768K Memory Quark®/PC II • 80386 SX based • EGA® Video/Color LCD Controller • SCSI Hard Disk Control • Floppy Disk Control • Up to 4 Mbytes Memory To order or enquire call us today Megatel Computer Corporation (416) 245-2953 FAX (416) 245-6505 125 Wendell Ave., Weston, Ontario M9N 3K9 REPS: Italy 39 331 256 524 Austria 43 222 587 6475 W. 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Ask for our new and expanded catalog! ct$ First-Rale Information m 344 BYTE* DECEMBER 1990 Circle 185 on Reader Service Card ...The Perfect Gift leeward the computer enthusiasts on your gift list with a year's subscription to BYTE — the definitive guide to personal computing. Each gift will include 12 issues, plus a bonus issue dedicated to IBM PC's. Your first gift will cost only $22.95 with additional gifts costing even less; only 019.95 each - both great money saving rates when you consider that one year of BYTE purchased at the newsstand would cost $42! (Canada: first gift C$33.95, additional gifts C$29.95 each.) Don't get caught in the holiday rush, send us your gift list today or call 1-800-257-9402 and well do the rest. For Canadian orders, call 609-426-5535. YES! I want to send gift subscriptions to the following people and save money off the newsstand price! TO: (1st Gift -£23.05; Canada C#*tt.<>5) Nam e FREE BONUS - A gift announcement will be sent in your name to the recipient Address " City/State/Zip- (Each additional gift - #lf).<)5: Canada 029.05 each) Name. Address City/State/Zip- Name. Address City/State/Zip- Name. Address City/State/Zip_ FROM: Name_ Address City/State/Zip □ Payment enclosed* □ Bill me □ Charge to: □ VISA □ MasterCard □ AMEX Acct. # Exp. Date Signature *Please send this order card with payment in an envelope to: P.O. Box 550, Hightstown, NJ 08520-9893 Please allow 6-8 weeks for processing. 5 ''31 m IB0O165 ...The Perfect Gift iveward the computer enthusiasts on your gift list with a year's subscription to BYTE — the definitive guide to personal computing. Each gift will include 12 issues, plus a bonus issue dedicated to IBM PC's. Your first gift will cost only $22.95 with additional gifts costing even less; only $ 19.95 each - both great money saving rates when you consider that one year of |i^v- BYTE purchased at the newsstand would cost $42! (Canada: first gift C$33.95, additional gifts C$29.95 each.) Don't get caught in the holiday rush, send us your gift list today or call 1-800-257-9402 and well do the rest. For Canadian orders, call 609426-5535. BE BUSINESS REPLY MAIL First Class Mail Permit No. 42 Hightstown, N J No Postage Necessary If Mailed In the United States Postage Will Be Paid By Addressee EVTE Computers and Communications Information Group P.O. Box 550 Hightstown, N J 08520-9886 . .I..I. .I.I...I.III...I.I..I..I.I..I..II...I..II FEATURE ALTERNATIVE OPERATING SYSTEMS Unix with a Microscope Minix isn 'tfor everyone, but it's a great low-cost Unix to study Tom Yager Imagine the benefits of writing your own operating system. You would know where everything was and just how everything worked. If anything stopped working, you'd merely make some changes to the source code and recompile. Universities have long enjoyed this type of arrangement with Unix. Although the University of California atBerkeley is most renowned for its Unix work, many institutions have Unix source licenses and use Unix code as the subject of study. Those of us not involved in the educational system, however, have a tougher time of it. A Unix source license costs thousands of dollars, well out of the reach of most individuals. A few years ago, Andrew Tanenbaum changed the face of computer education with his book Operating Systems: Design and Implementation (Prentice-Hall, 1987). The book describes a Unix-like operating system, Minix, and includes pages of source code and lucid discussions of operating-system con- cepts. I thought it was the best book on operating systems I'd ever read. Back then, you could send $79 to Prentice-Hall, and it would send you the disks for the Minix operating system, with full source code. What's more, Minix required only an ordi- nary PC to run and didn't need a hard disk drive. Fast Forward Some time has passed, and now Tanenbaum, along with Pren- tice-Hall and a handful of associates, has introduced Minix 1 .5. It still runs on a plain old 8088 PC, but some new twists have been added. The Minix of today includes software development, full- screen editing, and text-processing tools. On a 286 or better, Minix runs in protected mode, using all the extended memory you have available. It works with PC hard disk drives. Versions of 1.5 are also available for the Atari ST, the Amiga, and the Macintosh. If you're one of those hung up on having "the real thing," you should know that Minix is system-call compatible with ver- sion 7 of Unix. That's about as close to complete emulation as you can get; an amazing feat, considering that no AT&T source code was used. Many of the Unix faithful believe that version 7 was the last worthwhile release of Unix (the argument is that it has become too fat and unmanageable since then). Getting There Minix comes on 17 360K-byte disks and is accompanied by a 680-page manual (over half of which is a source code listing). The packaging is almost suggestive of a commercial-quality product, but don't be fooled: You won't be running your spreadsheets and database managers in Minix. PC Minix always boots from a floppy disk, according to the documentation. The operating system is small; booting it takes three disks but only a few seconds. It starts up with a menu that allows you to select the root device, change keyboard maps, and set the size of the RAM disk. That's an important point: Minix is optimized to run with its root partition on a RAM disk. Boot- ing entirely from floppy disks includes loading a root file sys- tem image into the RAM disk. Installing Minix on a hard disk is something of an ordeal, but it is an education in itself. As with the rest of the documenta- tion, there is very little of the hand-holding typical of modern operating-system manuals. It is likely that, even if you're an experienced Unix user, you'll wind up going through the instal- lation process more than once. In my case, I had to switch from a Compaq Deskpro 386/25e to a genuine IBM AT because the installation would not work properly on the Compaq. As an example of how Spartan the Minix installation process is, consider the disk-partitioning software, f disk. You need to supply it with the number of heads and sectors on your hard disk, and it won't stop you from allocating cylinders that extend past the end of the disk. Is this a problem? Is the lack of a "do everything" installa- tion script a problem? I guess users expecting a commercial Unix might see things that way, but anyone who bought Minix for the right reasons would see it instead as a challenge: If you DECEMBER 1990 •BYTE 345 FEATURE ALTERNATIVE OPERATING SYSTEMS ITEMS DISCUSSED Minix 1.5 Versions available for the IBM PC, Atari ST, Amiga, and Macintosh. Prentice-Hall Microservice Dept. 200OldTappanRd. Old Tappan,NJ 07675 (800) 624-0023 Inquiry 1005. .$169 don't like the way f disk works, you've got the source code; change it or write your own! A User's Point of View I was surprised almost to the point of shock at just how com- plete the new Minix environment is. Not only will you find the standard Unix utilities but also some of the things that make living in Unix easier to bear: clones of popular Unix exten- sions, like the vi and emacs full-screen editors and even a slimmed-down nrof f text-formatting tool. A few key things are missing, with UUCP (Unix-to-Unix copy) topping the list. (Unix connectivity doesn't even start until you have UUCP.) You can achieve some file transfer in Minix with Kermit and ZMODEM, both of which, some would argue, have advantages over UUCP. You'll probably see UUCP eventually, since large portions of Minix 1 .5 are the result of source code donations from some talented programmers. The vi clone (called elvis), for example, is accompanied by the README file that identifies the author and places the code in the public domain. There are over 16,000 participants in the Usenet newsgroup comp.os. Minix, which is always overflow- ing with tips and new programs just for Minix. Among the missing elements in Minix are certain features in a few of the programs. The nrof f and emacs clones, for in- stance, are missing enough functionality that macro files im- ported from other systems probably won't run. Again, you should take these shortcomings as "exercises for the reader." Actually, most of the hard work has been done for you; if you see something you think you'd like, add it. As a courtesy to other Minix hackers, upload the changes to the Usenet. Your code may end up in the next release of the operating system. Developing an Interest A discussion of Minix would be worthless without talking about its most valuable asset— the source code. There are some 125,000 lines of C code— tiny by modern operating-system standards— all copied to your hard disk during installation. I have worked with source code from AT&T, Berkeley (BSD Unix), and the Open Software Foundation, and I can attest that most Unix source code is abominable and obscure. In contrast, even the Minix kernel source code is impeccably commented. You can flip to any page in the source listing, read a few lines, and actually understand what's going on. With Tanenbaum's book as a companion, you could transform yourself into a qual- ified operating-system hacker in no time. For those with less lofty aspirations, Minix's source code still holds value. As long as you don't resell it, you have the right to modify Minix any way you please. For example, imagine that you wanted to set up a multiline BBS or customer-support system. Minix has all the building blocks in place: serial-line support, full-screen terminal con- trol, text editors, file I/O, E-mail— everything you need to get started. A primary concern on a BBS is security, so you might set about "fixing" a number of utilities (e.g., log-in, mailers, and text editors) so they could save files only to a certain area, and they'd check to ensure that users weren't taking up too much space. You could climb all the way down to the code that controls the file system, making sure even the cleverest BBS buster can't touch restricted files. Minix includes a Kernighan and Ritchie-compliant C com- piler (for which source code is optional). The make files for each major operating-system component are provided; recom- piling any portion of Minix usually requires only that you change to the appropriate directory and type make. In addition to hacking on Minix sources, the Minix environ- ment is quite useful for producing original programs. The con- sole understands ANSI escape sequences, and a library of termcap-compatible display-control functions can be blended into your programs. Minix C supports over 225 library calls, and since version 7 compatibility is included, you can port some public domain Unix programs. But, here again, some- thing is missing: a debugger. The Motorola 68000-based ver- sions of Minix support debugging, but the PC version lacks any sort of debugging tool. There is a disassembler, but that's it. Some programmers can't work without debuggers, while for others, stuffing printf statements into their code is sufficient. We Need to Talk One unusual part of Minix, buried in the back of the manual, is its networking capability. The PC version of Minix includes support for a proprietary network using Western Digital Ether- net cards. At the protocol level, Minix's networking is based on remote procedure calls (RPCs) and works at a level very close to the hardware. The documentation claims that this results in file transfer rates three times higher than TCP/IP. It is not TCP/IP, so you won't be connecting it to your Unix LAN. The networking support is not proprietary to Minix, but rather to another operating system called Amoeba. Developed at the Vrije University in Amsterdam, Amoeba is a distributed operating system built to handle dozens of processors. For Amoeba, its self-styled RPC mechanism is the method of choice for intermachine communications, and this mechanism is compatible with the one rolled into Minix. Even though there is no Network File System-like file shar- ing, you can create seamless connections between machines with crafty use of the Minix networking utilities. A program called to, for example, allows Minix shell pipes to connect two machines. Minix also includes the tools necessary for creating and operating custom-built clients and servers. Let's Hear It for the Little Guy If you want to get your hands on a well-written Unix, including source, Minix is the most inexpensive way to do it. Be aware of what you need. If all you really need is a compact Unix system for the 286, get Xenix, for which there are hundreds of com- mercial application programs. Don't expect to run anything under Minix that you didn't compile yourself. This degree of do-it-yourself spells joy for some and misery for others. Minix is not an operating system for general use, although it held up well to the beating I gave it. It is an operating system for studying, even if you're not a student. Those who have no use for the source code would be better off with Coherent or Xenix. But, even if you don't think operating-system hacking is for you, you won't lose from working with Minix. ■ Tom Yager is a technical editor for the BYTE Lab. He can be reached on BIX as "tyager. " 346 BYTE* DECEMBER 1990 EEF ELEX ELECTRONIC FILING The ELEX Electronic Filing System (EEF) is a hardware/software sys- tem designed to reduce the fright- ening volumes of paperwork that burden businesses on a daily basis. As paper is eliminated, transactions are made in a fraction of the time required by traditional means, costly storage facilities are reduced, data security and integrity is enhanced, and work quality and quantity is increased. These factors all give companies and individuals the com- petitive advantage they need to ex- cel in the business environment of the 90's. Filing vs. Archiving Document image processing is a new technology which has just be- gun to evolve. The myriad of hard- ware devices on the market, and the lack of an industry standard proto- col for communicating between them, make the integration of an electronic filing system a formidable task. And without intelligent soft- ware to control all aspects of the storage, management, and retrieval of documents, the filing system will be nothing more than a micro-fiche machine in disguise. With these considerations in mind, EEF was designed as a turn-key so- lution which relieves the clients of all the intricacies involved in inte- grating a truly functional electronic filing system. Yet its flexible design allows continuous and smooth up- grade as the users needs grow and change. Open Architecture EEF is designed as a totally open architecture system. Rather than being a closed package, EEF is com- posed of individual building blocks defined by their area of electronic filing functionality. These blocks are not bound to specific hardware/ software limitations. As such, they can be combined in a variety of forms on each of the following op- erating platforms, to achieve opti- mal satisfaction of an application's specific demands: • A single user workstation under the DOS or the OS/2 operating system. • A local area network - Novell NetWare 286 and higher or any DOS 3.1 compatible network. • A host computer under the UNIX, VAX/VMS or IBM AS/ 400 system with a PC connection. Input Scanner, Fax, Word Processing, Host Computer, Etc. Processing Document Manager, Retrieval Engine, Hyper-Media, Database Application Generator/ Turn-key Solution. Output Printer, Plotter, High Res. Display, Fax, Host Computer EEF Applications The EEF system opens a vast new world of opportunities for you. The possible applications are limitless, and to name a few: Management Systems Any application which requires original documents and forms (e.g. verification of signatures and L/C in the banking area). Scientific and Engineering Data Any application in these fields that requires maps, charts, logs, sketches, etc. Medical Uses The kind of visual information which is so essential for medical ap- plications is handled by EEF in a natural, straightforward manner. Art Catalogs Making multi/media presentations of art works, for example at auc- tions, can provide an exciting new display method. Real Estate I Travel Agency EEF can be used to take the custom- ers on an on-site electronic tour without ever leaving the office, thus shortening the process of selection. EEF Pilot System For prospective clients wishing to enter the field, we have prepared a pilot system, enclosing in one pack- age the full range of functions nec- essary for electronic filing. The sys- tem components are: Hardware 386 base micro-computer at 33MHz with 64K cache, 8 MB RAM, 1.2GB with access time of 0.8MS (disk cach- ing), proprietary scanner and printer interfaces, high resolution (1660 x 1200) CRT display, laser printer 300 dpi at 8 ppm, scanner 300 dpi with 100 page feeder. Software The EEF software package, includ- ing the document manager, the retrieval engine, the hypermedia interface, and 20 hours of customi- zation services. Total cost for the pilot system is 30,000 US$. For further details and literature, please contact: EUROPE: ELEX INFORMATION SYSTEMS SA 65, Rue de Lausanne 1202 Geneva Switzerland Tel + 41 22 738 11 88 Fax. + 41 22 738 11 90 USA: ELEX INFORMATION SYSTEMS INC. 125-127 North 4th Street Philadelphia, PA 19106 USA Tel + 1 215 627 7202 Pax. = 1 215 627 2342. Trademarks: DOS, OS/2, Microsoft Corp; NetWare, Novell, Inc.; UNIX, SCO Corp; AS/400, IBM Corp; VAX /VMS, Digital Equip. Corp. Circle 101 on Reader Service Card / A f ichard Fink, President r m^f of RainTree Computer j m Systems, writes, "...What m m it [Periscope] offers is f w probably the most compre- hensive debugging capability on the market today. And for you and me, that means getting to market sooner. Getting to market with a cleaner product. That's an objective we all know about." Periscope handles the level of debug- ging you need. Whether you're developing appli- cations written in a high-level lan- guage, doing low-level system development, or something in be- tween, Periscope can help you ind the bugs. Randy Brukardt, a developer of the Janus Ada com- piler, writes, "I couldn't imagine using anything else ...It is just as useful debugging my Ada code at the source level as it is for inding bugs in assembler code, even TSRs and device drivers." There's just not For example, you much you can't can debug device debug with drivers and Periscope. TSRs, child pro- cesses, and soft- ware interrupts. You can trace DOS and debug foreground and background programs in the same session. Large programs are no problem. Periscope supports Plink and .RTLink overlays, and Windows ugs . expensive Can you . afford ** * therapy Periscope Model II includes a break-out switch and the new Version 5 software. Tfie new software, included with all models, features a menu system that makes Periscope easier than ever to learn and use. Start saving money today. Call Toil-Free: 800-722-7006 Overseas, call: UK - Roundhill Computer Systems, 0672 84 535; Germany - H+B EDV, 07542 6353; ComFood, 02534 7093; Sweden - LinSoft, 013 124780; Denmark - Ravenholm Computing, 02 88 72 49; Australia - BJE Enter- prises, 02 858 5611. 3.0 programs in real mode. You can monitor software running on another system. And you can debug the boot process, hardware interrupts, and real-time code. The Periscope software runs on 8088 through 80486 machines, supports 80386/80486 debug registers, and runs with 386 control programs in the system. There's a Periscope model for every budget. Prices start at $195 for soft- ware-only Model II-X. Model II with its handy break-out switch is $225. Model I with 512K of write-protected RAM is $595 for PCs and $695 for PS/2s. Model IV with its real-time hardware trace buffer and breakpoints is $1895 to $2395, depending on your processor and its speed. We'll be happy to help you decide which model you need. The Periscope Company, Inc. 1197 Peachtree St., Atlanta, GA 30361 j USA • 404/875-8080 FAX 404/872-1 973 Circle 308 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 309) FEATURE Easier Strings for the Mac Get a handle on Mac strings with this C++ class Jan G. Eugenides ne of the goals of any programmer is to write a reusable code, especially when programming ; for the Macintosh. The C ++ language struc- I ture encourages this goal, and I find it easier to "encapsulate" or consolidate routines that I once had to copy time and again into each new program. I'm making a real effort to put together a useful library of C++ classes. Here's one that lets you easily manage a certain resource. The Mac has a STR# resource type (usually referred to as a string list) that's very useful in Macintosh programming. That's because text stored in a string list resource can be changed later, without recompiling the application code. This makes it easy to change an application's dialog box messages or menu items. This also allows the application's menus and dia- log boxes to be converted to different languages (a process known as localization). The STR# resource begins with a short integer value that indicates the number of strings in the list, fol- lowed by a variable number of Pascal-style strings (which is a length byte followed by ASCII characters). A Class Is Born As useful as the STR# is, however, the Macintosh ROM Tool- box provides only one procedure, GetIndString( ) , for access- ing an individual string from the list. There are no Toolbox rou- tines for creating string lists, adding strings to lists, deleting strings from lists, or inserting strings into lists. That leaves it up to programmers to write their own code to accomplish this. To that end, I designed a C ++ "StringList" class that provides all these missing functions in one easy-to-use package. Listing 1 is the declaration of the StringList class. The source code for the functions is too long to include here, but it is avail- able in electronic format (see page 5 for details). Creating and Destroying Strings Use the StringList class whenever you need to manipulate a list of Pascal strings, perhaps in a pop-up menu or a dialog box. Better still, the StringList class is valuable anytime your strings change dynamically at run time. There are two constructors provided for the class, String- List(short id) and StringList (short id,Str63 name). (A constructor initializes an instance of the class of which it is a member.) Using either of them is easy. You use StringList (short id) when you want to load and manipulate an existing STR# resource. If you assume the target STR# has a resource ID of 500, you pass this value to C ++ 's new operator, like so: StringList* myList = new StringList (500) ; If you want to create a new STR#, use the second constructor, passing in the value of the STR# ID you wish to create, along with a name for it, as a Pascal-style string. For example, to create an STR# with an ID of 600 and the name "Messages," you would write StringList* myList = new StringList(600, M \pMessages M ) ; When you are finished with a StringList, you can free the mem- ory it occupies by calling the C ++ delete operator, like this: delete myList; All changes you make to strings in the list are saved to disk continually. Calling delete removes only the copy in memory. If you need to remove the disk copy, use the Toolbox call Rmve- Resource ( ) , since string lists are resources. Handling Strings Once you have made a StringList (by either loading an existing STR#or creating a new one), you can use the six public member functions of the StringList class to manipulate it. These func- tions are listed in the table, and I'll provide brief descriptions of what they accomplish here. continued DECEMBER 1990 -BYTE 349 FEATURE EASIER STRINGS FOR THE MAC Listing 1: The declaration of the StringList class, a group of routines for such functions as creating string lists, adding strings to lists, deleting strings from lists, and inserting strings into lists. ^define INDEXOUTOFRANGE 100 class StringList{ protected: short resID; OSErr errcode; //The resource ID of this //string list (SIM) //Error code of last operation Handle stringsH; //Handle to loaded resource Boolean Valid(short index); void Increment (void); void Decrement(void) ; void Save(void); void Revert(void) ; public : StringList( short id,Str63 name); StringList( short id); -StringList(void) void ReturnIndString( short index, Str255 str) ; void SetIndString(short index, Str255 string); void AddIndString(Str255 string); void InsertIndString(short index, Str255 str); void DeleteIndString(short index); OSErr Error(void){ return errcode; ) The ReturnlndStringO function is analogous to Getlnd- String ( ) : It returns in str a string from the list referenced by index. Passing 1 for index returns the list's first string, 2 re- turns the second string, and so on. SetlndStringO replaces any existing string in the list with the contents of string. If index is out of range, an error condition results and no action is performed (see the description of Error(), below). Add- String( ) , as its name implies, adds a string to the end of the list. InsertlndStringO inserts str before the string indi- cated by index. For example, if there are five strings in the list, the following line of code would insert the string "Hi There" before the fourth string in the list: myList->InsertIndString(4, n \pHi There"); "Hi There" becomes the new fourth string in the list, and the previous fourth string now becomes the fifth string. Delete- IndString( ) deletes the string indicated by index from the list and moves any succeeding strings to fill the gap. Finally, Error ( ) returns the error code produced by the last operation on the class. It should be checked after any operation. It returns the appropriate Mac OS error code in most cases, such as insuf- ficient memory (—108) or a resource error (-192 through -199). Private Members The StringList Class contains five private members. They are Boolean Valid( short index); People are taking about us. F77L-EM/32 Port 4GB mainframe programs to 80386s with this 32-bit DQS-Extender compiler. The Winner of PC Magazine's 1988 Technical Excellence Award just, got better. New Version 3.0 and OS include: Editor, Make Utility, Virtual Memory Support, DESQview Support, New Documentation and Free Unlimited Runtime Licenses. F77L-EM/32 $895 OS/386 $395 F77L The compiler of choice among reviewers and professionals. 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BUFFALO 45 Day Money Back Guarantee CALL TODAY (800) 345-2356 Fax (503) 585-4505 Buffalo Producls, Inc. 2805 19th St. SE, Salem, OR 97302-1520 Circle 399 on Reader Service Cant HWP 5 Ports from $275 SPPS Converter $100 All ports are parallel and user configurable as either 3 inputs to 2 outputs with a pop-up menu, or 4 inputs to 1 output as a buffered auto-switch; memory is user upgradable from 256KB to 16MB buffer Combination serial-to-parallel, or parallel-to-serial interface converter in a single unit, no power supply needed, serial transfers to 115,200 bps, DIP switch configurable AS-41 5 Pons $200 RCJ Toshiba Memory Module 4 parallel inputs to 1 parallel output, automatic switch with no buffer; use the AS-31 for up to 3 inputs to 1 output, $175 Memory expansion module for the Toshiba T1000SE, T1000XE, or J3100SS laptop (notebook) computer, 1MB -$299, 2MB -$549 CE 2 Ports from $175 Cables & Adapters Printer buffer with 1 parallel input to lparallel output, from 256KB to 4MB buffer High quality, 24 gauge shielded cables, parallel or serial; modular cable adapters FEATURE EASIER STRINGS FOR THE MAC STRINGLIST CLASS FUNCTIONS Once you have made a StringList, you can use the six public member functions of the StringList class to manipulate it. See the text for descriptions of these functions. Constructors for StringList class StringList (short id); StringList (short id, Str63 name); Member functions of StringList class voidReturnlndString (short index,Str255 str); void SetlndString (short index,Str255 string); void AddString (Str255 string); voidlnsertlndString (short index,Str255 str); void DeletelndString (short index); OSErr Error (void); void Increment (void) ; void Decrement ( void) ; void Save (void); void Revert (void) ; Because they are private members, they cannot be called by any code outside the class. They are used internally and are invisi- ble to the caller. Another class may contain a routine called Valid ( ) , for example, and it would not be confused with the Valid() routine in this class. Private functions are, well, private. Valid () is called by the SetlndStringO, Deletelnd- StringO, and InsertlndStringO functions to ensure that the parameters are meaningful. This allows the calling pro- gram to detect error conditions via the Error ( ) routine, which returns errcode. It also prevents the damage to the STR# that might be caused by operating with faulty parameters. The Save ( ) and Revert ( ) functions are used to save the STR# to disk, and to revert to the last saved version, respectively. The Increment ( ) and Decrement ( ) functions simply mod- ify the short integer at the beginning of the STR# to reflect the current number of strings in the list. Since this operation occurs regularly, I made them into separate functions for efficiency's sake. Unfortunately, I don't have room here to describe exactly how the various functions work. I have commented the source code, however, so you should be able to tell what's going on fairly easily. If you have to deal with lots of strings inside your Mac application, I'm sure you will find the StringList class a handy addition to your private toolbox. If you have comments, I can be reached on BIX or by mail. ■ Jan G. Eugenides is a senior software engineer at Solutions, Inc. (Williston, VT). Recent programs he has helped create in- clude SuperGlue II, FaxGATE, and LinkSaver, He can be reached on BIX as "j. eugenides. " Time to Relax and Unwind with FRACIOOLS AN ELECTRONIC KALEIDOSCOPE OF NATURE'S GEOMETRY rftj _ ■ ^i SL t ^vhH y\ w |£pS$i ^y^mjsi m 1 ll ~ Stay in the know on all major microcomputer products and innova- tions » Save time and money — invest in the best equip- mentfor your needs i Harness the maximum power of your micro. Subscribe today and save! In a hurry? Call Toil-Free 1-800-257-9402 weekdays 9-5 EST. n NJ, call 1-609-426-5535. Enjoy MORE SPEED! SAVE up to $66.05 PLUS get the extra IBM PC Special Issue Name. Company . Address. 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I i HANDS ON SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED Rick Grehan ^ More Than Just Fast How to control SCSI devices on Macs and MS-DOS machines Some time ago, I got the documen- tation on SCSI from ANSI. The documentation came in a binder I was reluctant to open. It was large, and any skimming I did got me lost in pages of command descriptor blocks. I decided I'd let someone else investigate SCSI. But then the 300-megabyte hard disk drives started rolling into the BYTE Lab for our November Product Focus. There were printers, too, and optical-charac- ter-recognition devices. And they were all SCSI. So, I decided maybe SCSI was something I should investigate after all. This month, I'll look at what goes into building programs to talk to a SCSI port. I hope you can take this information and carry it on to more sophisticated applica- tions. And make no mistake, SCSI will let you get as sophisticated as you can bear. You probably think (as I originally did) that the only place you'll see a SCSI bus is between a computer and some stor- age device— usually a hard disk drive or a tape drive— but I have seen SCSI ports tacked onto more and more peripherals. I've already mentioned some. My favor- ite, however, was a device that lets you connect a large-screen color video moni- tor to a Mac Plus through the SCSI port. SCSI and the Mac Macintoshes, beginning with the Mac Plus, have included a built-in SCSI port for attaching hard disk drives. Although the internal details of the SCSI hardware have changed (more on this later), exter- nally the SCSI connection looks much the same on all Macs. There are some minor variations regarding power for ter- minating resistors, but most Mac-com- patible SCSI peripherals are designed to work across the Mac line. From the perspective of a program- mer, the Mac Toolbox provides a re- markable amount of "precooked" sup- port software. Table 1 shows a list of the functions offered by the Macintosh's SCSI manager. Communicating with a SCSI device involves a detailed series of phase transitions that your driver soft- ware must cope with. The SCSI manager will do much of that coping for you. In particular, the manager includes routines for reading and writing data to a target device: SCSIRead and SCSIWrite (also, SCSIRBlind and SCSIWBlind— the "blind" I/O routines, which I will cover in a moment). When you ask the SCSI manager to execute a SCSIRead or SCSIWrite, you also pass in the address of a transfer instruction block, which is actually a series of instructions in a kind of pseudo assembly that the manager in- terprets and executes. This pseudosubroutine tells the man- ager what to do with the bytes being transferred: how many there are, the buf- fer address in the Mac's memory to read from or write to, whether to do a byte-by- byte comparison while the data is incom- ing, and more. I've given a more detailed discussion of the SCSI manager routines in the March Some Assembly Required, "Foreign File Systems." Differences and Details All members of the Mac family (begin- ning with the Mac Plus) use at least some version of the NCR 5380 SCSI chip as the heart of their SCSI port. As with any family, though, the siblings have their differences. In the Mac family, these dif- ferences are in the hardware, which translates into differences in any soft- ware you build that has to talk to the SCSI port. The difference between regular and MACINTOSH SCSI MANAGER FUNCTIONS Table 1 : Notice that the SCSI manager handles the protocol details for common I/O— reading and writing— so you don 't have to. SCSI Reset. Resets the SCSI bus. 1 SCSI Get. Manages the arbitration phase. 2 SCSISelect. Selects a target for future SCSI communications. 3 SCSlCmd. Lets you pass a SCSI command to the SCSI bus. 4 SCSIComplete. Returns status and message information at the completion of a SCSI command. 5 SCSIRead. Reads bytes from a SCSI target. 6 SCSIWrite. Writes bytes to a SCSI target. 8 SCSIRBlind. Reads bytes from a SCSI target. U nlike SCSI Read, SCSIRBlind performs no handshaking. It's not a good idea on the Mac Plus. 9 SCSIWBlind. Writes bytes to a SCSI target without handshaking. 1 SCSIStat. Returns a 1 6-bit word whose bits reflect the condition of various SCSI signals. 1 1 SCSISelAtn. Identical to SCSISelect, with the exception that this command sets the SCSI ATN line. This signals the target device that you want to send it a message. 1 2 SCSlMsgln. Receives a message from a target device. 1 3 SCSIMsgOut. Sends a message to a target device. DECEMBER 1990 -BYTE 361 HANDS ON SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED NCR 5380 REGISTER Table 2 A short description of each of the 5380's internal registers. Current SCSI data: A read-only register that provides a snapshot of the current state of the SCSI data bus. Output data: This write-only register is your program's portal to the SCSI data bus. Input data: Provides latched data from the SCSI bus. This is distinct from the current SCSI data register, which simply reads the bus's current state. Data is latched into this register in response to an active-going signal on either the SCSI ACK or REQ lines (depending on whether the 5380 is in the initiator or the target mode; ACK is driven by an initiator, and REQ is driven by a target). Initiator command: You can read and write this register. In read mode, it lets you monitor most of the SCSI bus status signals. Information gleaned from this register will also tell you whether arbitration is in progress and whether you've lost arbitration. In write mode, you can set most of the SCSI bus status signals. One bit in this register controls gating the output data register onto the data bus. Mode: This is also a register that you can read and writeto. As the name implies, flags in this register control the behavior of the chip: whether it's acting as target or initiator, whether DMA mode is active, and whether parity checking is enabled. Other bits in this register enable interrupts for the chip: parity errorinterrupt and end-of-process interrupt (used to signal the completion of a DMA transfer). Target command: Yet another readable and writable register, it monitors those signals on the SCSI bus that determine the current bus phase. A target device would write to this register to set bus phases. Current SCSI bus status: A read-only register whose contents reflect the current state of the SCSI bus status signals. Signals coming in through thisregisterthat indicate the current bus phase must match those you've written into the target command register before some bus transactions can proceed. Select enable: A write-only register that lets you mask out a single ID during a selection phase. Simply put, you can use this register totrigger an interrupt if you attempt a selection to a specific target and the selection succeeds. Bus and status: This read-only register returns the state of status signals not covered by the current SCSI bus status register. You can also monitor several internal states using this register— if a DMA transfer has completed, for example. Note: The remaining four registers are not registers in the true sense; there is nothing "in" them. Rather, an I/O operation on these locations triggers a specific event. Start DMA send: A write operation to this register begins a DMA send operation. Start DMA target receive: Writing to this location causes the 5380 to begin a DMA receive operation in target mode. Start DMA initiator receive: Same as the above register, only the 5380 acts as an initiator. Reset parity/interrupt: This is a read-only regiser. A read operation to it resets the parity error bit, the interrupt request bit, and the busy error bit in the bus and status register. blind I/O routines on the Mac Plus is ob- vious: The first mode is very picky about handshaking and checks the DRQ (data request) line on the 5380 before transmit- ting each character; the second mode checks DRQ only at the start of the trans- fer. Although the regular mode is slower (because an extra fetch and comparison must take place for each byte trans- ferred), it is "safe" when compared to the blind mode (which checks DRQ only at the outset of a multibyte transfer). Furthermore, on the Mac Plus, there are no real handshake connections be- tween the CPU and the 5380, other than through the read/write control and data lines. Thus, if you want to watch goings- on on the SCSI bus, you have to monitor the 5380's internal registers. Because the Mac SE and Mac II have hardware handshaking, their versions of SCSIRBlind and SCSIWBlind take ad- vantage of this hardware. However, the blind versions on those machines can run aground on CPU bus errors if the bytes don't arrive quickly enough (about 270 milliseconds on the Mac SE and 16 mi- croseconds on the Mac II). Even if you use blind mode on the Mac Plus, you won't be violating any speed limits. You can only get up to a transfer rate of about 260K bytes per second on the Mac Plus. (In regular mode on the Mac Plus, the transfer rate is down to around 170K bytes per second.) How- ever, blind mode I/O on the Mac II and Mac SE/30 can crank along at over 1 MB per second. The Mac Ilfx uses a custom SCSI chip— the SCSI DMA. This circuit has a built-in 5380. Thanks to the SCSI DMA, the Mac Ilfx is the first Mac that can handle true DMA transfers along the SCSI bus; all Macs before it could— at best— use CPU-assisted pseudo-DMA transfers. Even with true DMA, it's im- portant to point out that the CPU is not entirely out of the picture. DMA transfer moves only data; driver software must continue to execute on the CPU to handle all the protocol details. DMA transfers can be 32 bits wide (doubleword-wide) rather than byte- wide. In fact, the SCSI DMA adjusts transfers to perform them at the 32-bit width. If you try to transfer, for example, data that begins on a word— rather than a doubleword— boundary, the SCSI DMA will perform the first transfer as a 16-bit word and the remaining transfers as 32- bit doublewords. Having pointed out all the strengths of the SCSI DMA chip, I must finally pop its balloon and point out that, under Finder and MultiFinder, the DMA capa- bilities of that chip provide no real per- formance win. You'll get a speed advan- tage only when you're using a preemptive operating system— A/UX, for example. Happily, most SCSI software will run as is on the SCSI DMA (Apple's documen- tation indicates that software that uses hardware handshaking will have to be modified). NCR 5380 The SCSI bus is really nothing more than a special-purpose bidirectional parallel interface. It doesn't take a great deal of hardware to put together a SCSI. In fact, I've seen some IBM SCSI cards that are not much more than bidirectional bus transceivers. These interface cards re- quired software drivers that carried all the intelligence; that is, the software handled all the details of the protocol (e.g., when to set this bit and when to look for an active condition on that line). I believe it was Don Lancaster who, in a Kilobaud Microcomputing article, said that the most efficient microcomputer solutions aren't all software and aren't all hardware; they are a proper combina- tion of both. Enter the NCR 5380. The NCR 5380 is much more than a parallel-interface adapter chip; it is spe- cifically designed to support the SCSI bus. The 5380 has special on-chip high- current drivers that permit you to wire it 362 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 HANDS ON SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED directly to the SCSI bus. The only addi- tional components needed are terminat- ing resistors that SCSI cabling demands. The NCR 5380's critical internal or- gans are its registers. There are 13 regis- ters on the chip; some you can only read, some you can only write, and three you can read or write. I don't think a pain- fully complete table of the registers and their contents would be worthwhile here. It will be more informative if I present them in the context of a SCSI data trans- fer example. For your convenience, table 2 gives a short description of each mem- ber of the 5380's register set. If you want a more intricate description of the 5380, see the May and June 1986 BYTE Circuit Cellar columns. Life as Seen by the 5380 A good way to get an idea of using the 5380 is to step through the different bus phases, examining how you must set— and respond to— the 5380's registers. I'll assume that the 5380 is connected to a host as an initiator. I'll also assume that the SCSI transaction that's about to take place is a simple one, consisting of the following phases (in order): 1 . Arbitration 2. Selection 3. Command out 4. Data in or data out 5. Status 6. Message in As you will see, there's also a possible message-out phase that can take place between steps 2 and 3. Before the arbi- tration phase and after the message-in phase, the SCSI bus is said to be in the "bus free" phase. Arbitration is where contenders vie for the right to use the bus. In the simplest case— a host computer talking to one or more disk drives— this is no big deal. There's no one else to fight over the bus with. First stop: the mode register. As its name implies, you use the mode register of the 5380 to set the chip's per- sonality. Flags in this register control items like the following: whether the chip is operating as initiator or target, whether DMA is active, and whether in- terrupts are enabled. To enter arbitration phase, you clear bit of the mode register (the arbitration bit), load your SCSI ID into the output data register, and flip the arbitration bit to 1. That last flip sends your SCSI ID out on the data bus and starts arbitration. Your next job is watching for bit 6 of the initiator command register to spring to a 1 . This is the arbitration-in-progress bit, and it indicates when the 5380 has recognized that an arbitration phase is in the works. Once bit 6 is a 1, you look at bit 5 in the same register; bit 5 is the lost arbitration bit. If it's set, you've been beaten by someone else with a higher SCSI ID, and you'll just have to wait for the bus to become free again. Otherwise, you win, and you're allowed to go on to the next phase. Now that you've won the arbitration, it's time to decide whom you want to talk to. This is the selection phase. When you pick whom you'll be conversing with, you've got to mention who you are as well. (This is to support reselection, which I won't get into here. It lets the ini- tiator and target break their connection- letting others use the SCSI bus— while the target completes some time-consum- ing task. The understanding, of course, is that the initiator and target will renew their transactions in the future.) To start the selection phase, you set PC Proof. The People's Choice for Better Writing. At Last. Perfect Proposals, Professional Letters and prizewinning Presentations. Grin the wicked grin of confidence. Get to the point. Organize. Never worry about mistakes in spelling or usage. PC Proof is fully interactive and easy to use. 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PC Proof VOUR ENGLISH PROOFREADER BV LEXPERTISE Circle 367 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 368) DECEMBER 1990 -BYTE 363 HANDS ON SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED SCSI INFORMATION TRANSFER PHASES Table 3: You can determine the current bus phase by watching the three SCSI status lines: I/O, C/D, andMSG. Phase I/O C/D MSG Data out Command out 1 Message out 1 1 Data in 1 Status 1 1 Message in 1 1 1 READ AND WRITE COMMAND BLOCKS Table 4: SCSI command blocks for read and write operations. Block numbers are 2 1 -bit values. The command format shown is for group commands; the group 1 versions of the commands allow for 32-bit block numbers and 16-bit transfer sizes. Byte offset Description 1 2 3 4 5 Operation code; 8 for a read command, 10 for an operation mode. Logical unit number in high 3 bits combined with the most significant 5 bits of the block number in bits through 4. Bits 8 through 15 of the block number. The least significant 8 bits of the block number. The number of blocks to transfer. Various flags. The top 2 bits are vendor-unique. The low 2 bits control command linking, which lets your program construct a series of commands that are logically treated as a single operation. the bits corresponding to both IDs. The result goes into the output data register on the 5380. You then set bit (assert data bus) and bit 2 (assert select) of the initiator command register. This places the ID onto the data bus and turns on the selection bit. Immediately, you turn off the arbitration bit (by clearing bit in the mode register), disable the select enable register (by filling it with zeros), and clear the BSY line by clearing bit 3 of the initiator command register. Now you wait. The target, if it's there, should set the BSY line in about 250 ms. You monitor this line by polling bit 6 of the current status register. If it goes ac- tive, you've got a partner. Otherwise, it's time to jump to an error handler. Assuming you've linked up with a tar- get, you clear all the bits of the initiator command register except for bit 3 , which keeps the BSY line active. Next comes "Command out," which says, "Here's what I want you to do." (The SCSI protocol allows for any of the other phases at this point— a message-out phase is typical. The message-out phase lets the host send a message to the target. SCSI defines a number of message codes, ranging from the simple [e.g., "com- mand completed successfully"] to the complex [e.g., "can you support syn- chronous data transfers?"]. The Mac, however, is atypical, and most targets skip directly to the command-out phase. I'll stick to the Mac as the host here . ) In this and the remaining phases, your job as initiator is the job of a servant; what you do— whether you send or re- ceive—is selected by the target. (Seems backward, I agree, but I didn't write the standard.) You can determine the bus phase by watching bits 2 through 4 of the current SCSI bus status register. These bits reflect the condition of the SCSI bus I/O, C/D, and MSG lines, which in turn determine the current bus phase. (Table 3 shows status line settings and associ- ated bus phases.) Additionally, you must set the low 3 bits of the 5380's target command register to reflect their coun- terparts in the current status register. The rest is simply a repeated four-step process. Assuming you're in the com- mand-out phase, it goes like this: Step 1 : Place the data byte to be sent in the output data register. Step 2: Poll the current status register, waiting for bit 5 (REQ) to go active. This indicates that the target is requesting a byte. Step 3: Set bit 4 of the initiator com- mand register, turning on ACK and in- forming the target that the requested byte is on the bus. Step 4: Poll the current status register, waiting for REQ to go inactive. When it does, you know the target has received the current data byte and is ready for the next. Turn off ACK, return to step 1 , and repeat the process for the number of bytes you need to send. During a command phase, the bytes you send down the SCSI bus in the above steps constitute the command descriptor block. Depending on the command type, the CDB can be 6, 10, or 12 bytes long. (Since the first byte of the CDB is the command code, the target can immedi- ately determine how many bytes to ex- pect during the command-out phase.) In table 4, I have shown the format of the 6-byte command versions for read and write operations. The other phases— data in, data out, status, and message in— proceed just like the command phase. The only opera- tional difference is the setting of the three SCSI status lines (MSG, C/D, and I/O). Finally, each phase I haven't men- tioned yet serves a separate purpose; here are their typical uses: Data in: Data requested with a read command is transferred from the target to the initiator. Data out: The host has issued a write command; during the data-out phase, the data passes from the initiator to the target. Status: The target sends a status byte to the initiator. It's hoped that the con- tents of the status byte indicate that the target has successfully completed the command. Message in: The reverse of the mes- sage-out phase described above. The tar- get sends a message to the initiator. The pseudocode in listing 1 should clarify the machinations of the SCSI phases I've de- scribed. There are three pseudoroutines in the listing that show arbitration, selec- tion, and data transfer phases. DOS and ASPI The preceding discussion of the Mac and 5380 should have you seasoned for a visit to the DOS world. I will use Adaptec's advanced SCSI programming interface (ASPI) as a segue into SCSI program- ming on PC clones. ASPI seeks to simplify the job of talk- ing to a SCSI port; in a lot of ways, it's a 364 BYTE* DECEMBER 1990 HANDS ON SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED Listing 1: These pseudocode routines show how to pilot the 5380 through fundamental SCSI operations. They presume the presence of a number of functions named after the 5380's registers (see table 2). These functions let you manipulate bits within the 5380's registers. For example, translate SCSI_ MODE (ARBITRATE, SET) ; to mean "set the arbitrate bit in the 5380's mode register. " These routines assume that you 're operating as an initiator. { This routine handles the arbitration phase and assumes that you've already loaded the global variable MY_ID with your SCSI ID bit set. } D0_ARBITRATI0N: { Clear arbitration bit, place our ID in the output data register, and set arbitration. ) SCSI_M0DE ( ARBITRATE , CLEAR ) ; SCS I_OUTPUT.DAT A : =MY_SCSI_ID; SCSI_MODE(ARBITRATE,SET) ; { Place contents of output data register onto SCSI data lines. } SCSI_INITIATOR_COMMAND(ASSERT_DBUS,SET); { Wait for arbitration in progress bit. } REPEAT WHILE(SCSI_INITIATOR_COMMAND( ARB_IN_PROG, VALUE) <>l); ( Get result of arbitration ) RESULT: =SCSI_INITIATOR_COMMAND(LOST_ARB, VALUE) ( Disable output data register ) SCSI_INITIATOR_COMMAND(ASSERT_DBUS, CLEAR); RETURN(RESULT); { This routine selects the target device identified by the value stored in global variable HIS„ID. } D0_SELECTI0N: { Logically OR together target id (HIS_ID) and initiator id (MY_ID) . } 0UR_IDS:= HIS_ID OR MY_ID; SCSI_OUTPUT_DATA : =0UR_IDS; { If you wanted to send a message to the target, you'd set the ATN bit in the next step. } SCSI_INITIATOR_COMMAND(ASSERT_DBUS,SET); SCSI_INITIATOR_COMMAND(ASSERT_SEL,SET); SCSI_M0DE (ARBITRATION, CLEAR) ; { Not generating an interrupt for the selection of our intended target. } SCSI_SELECT_ENABLE: =0; SCSI_INITI AT0R_C0MMAND ( ASSERT_BUSY , CLEAR ) ; { Wait for the BSY line to become active. This loop should have some sort of time-out control to handle the situation of an unresponsive-possibly absent- target. } REPEAT WHILE (SCSI_INITIATOR_COMMAND(ASSERT_BUSY, VALUE )<>1); { Turn off output data register to bus. } SCSI_INITIATOR_COMMAND(ASSERT_DBUS, CLEAR); RETURN; { The following pseudoroutine assumes global variables BUFADDR, which points to the start of a buffer that will hold the bytes received from the SCSI bus, and NBYTES, the number of bytes to read. D0_P0LLED_READ reads bytes from the target using the polled mode; the CPU monitors the handshaking lines. D0_P0LLED_READ: I:=0;{ Will act as index. } REPEAT { Wait for the REQ line. } REPEAT WHILE (SCSI_CURRENT_STATUS (REQ, VALUE ) <> 1 ; BUFADDR [I] : =SCSI_CURRENT_DATA; I:=I+1; { Handshake loop. } SCSI_INITIATOR_COMMAND(ASSERT_ACK,SET); REPEAT WHILE(SCSI_CURRENT_STATUS(REQ,VALUE)=1); SCSI_INITIATOR_COMMAND(ASSERT_ACK, CLEAR); NBYTES :=NBYTES-1; WHILE(NBYTESOO); RETURN; potential PC counterpart to the Mac's SCSI manager. (I'm not endorsing ASPI, just pointing out its parallel to the Mac SCSI manager.) From what you've seen to be involved in communicating directly to the 5380 on the Mac, the concept of ASPI is a welcome one. In a capsule, the ASPI driver suffers all the timing head- aches so your application doesn't have to. You simply tell ASPI what SCSI com- mand you want executed, and it does all the rest. You don't even see arbitration phases and message phases and so on. The ASPI routines are loaded as a device driver. You insert a DEVICE = ASPI4DOS.SYS line in your CONFIG .SYS file, and when your machine boots, the driver is loaded into RAM. (There are a number of options you can specify when the driver loads; in the interest of simplicity, I won't go into them.) You can then access the driver using the DOS file-open function (INT 2 1 hexadecimal, function 3Dh). The driver's name is SCSIMGR$, and the open call will re- turn the handle to the ASPI driver. Next, you issue a DOS IOCTL (I/O control) read function (INT 21h, function 44h), which returns to your application with the entry point to ASPI tucked into the DS:DX registers. With the entry point in hand, you're ready to roll; you can close the driver with a DOS close (INT 21h, f ucntion 3Eh). Calling ASPI is simply a matter of fill- ing up a table called the SCSI request block and issuing a FAR CALL to the driver's entry point. The SRB varies from command to command; each, how- ever, is preceded by a header whose for- mat I've shown in table 5. Bluntly put, the SRB holds everything ASPI needs to know to complete the current request. ASPI decodes your command, does your SCSI dirty work for you, and re- turns the results to a location you've des- ignated in the SRB. Your program has a choice of methods to use for watching for the completion of the command: polling the status byte or specifying a post rou- tine. In polled mode, your application simply samples the status byte in the SRB. A in the status field means the command is still in progress; a 1 means the command has completed success- fully; anything else means something went wrong. continued DECEMBER 1990 -BYTE 365 HANDS ON SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED ASPI'S SCSI REQUEST BLOCK HEADER Table 5: The SRB varies from command to command; each, however, is preceded by this header. Offset Description A 1-byte command code. The ASPI documentation I used defined six commands and reserved the rest. A 1 -byte status code. This code is returned by the ASPI driver and indicates whether the command is still in progress, completed successfully, or completed with an error. A 1 -byte host adapter number. ASPI supports multiple adapters in a single machine. A 1 -byte flags field. The ASPI documentation I used defined only one command— execute SCSI I/O request— that used this field. You set the field to zero for all other commands A 4-byte field reserved for expansion. Posting mode lets the driver and your application operate in a multitasking fashion. If you enable posting (by setting bit in the SRB's SCSI request flag) and store the address of a "post routine" in the SRB prior to calling ASPI, the driver will return control to your program be- fore the SCSI command is completed. You application can then proceed while ASPI does its job. When the SCSI com- mand is completed, ASPI will call your designated posting routine. It then be- comes the task of your posting routine to do any necessary cleanup work. The documentation that I had recom- mended using post routines only for TSR programs and device drivers under DOS. Applications should use the polling tech- nique. However, posting routines under a multitasking operating system (e.g., OS/2) should be mandatory if you expect to achieve maximum performance. Widely read readers will recognize the SRB as being similar in function to the NetBIOS control block. As with the SRB, the NCB was the command and its atten- dant data all bundled in one structure that you handed to NetBIOS saying, in es- sence, "Here, do this." One member of the NCB— the NCB_ RETCODE field— is set to OFFh by Net- BIOS to indicate that the command asso- ciated with the NCB is "in progress." Your software polls NCB_RETCODE to determine when the command com- pletes. A zero value in NCB_RETCODE is an "all's well" indication; anything else is an error condition. NetBIOS also supports the idea of the post routine. In fact, post routines are critical in network applications, which must frequently operate concurrently with foreground applications. When you consider such concurrent operation, you uncover a programmer's bear trap that is also hidden in the ASPI implementation of the SRB. Specifically, once you've handed an NCB to NetBIOS, your appli- cation may not tinker with the internals "Writing a TSR is exceptionally easy" ... and now it's inexpensive too! Now you can turn Turbo Pascal programs into rock solid TSRs with ease. TSRs Made Easy lets you create conventional TSRs or swapping TSRs that use only 6K of RAM. TSRs Made Easy provides ■ TSR swapping to EMS, XMS, or disk ■ selectable hot keys ■ keyboard macros ■ unloadable TSRs ■ 8087 TSR support ■ interface to transient programs ■ ISR handling, and more. TSRs Made Easy includes full source, complete documentation, and plenty of small example and demo programs. You pay no royalties. m Writing a TSR. . .is exceptionally easy. 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Quite compatible with the Microsoft C and Turbo C ' 'standards' \ Power C is a heavyweight contender in the educational, hobbyist, and perhaps even the professional market — at a bantamweight price. 1 ' Stephen Davis PC Magazine, September 13, 88 (Review) Technical Specifications Power C includes: Power C compiler with integrated Make, Power C Linker, PowerC Libraries (450 functions), the Power C book (680 pages), and support for. . . ^ ANSI standard \^ IEEE floating point • 8087/80287 coprocessor *> auto-sensing of 8087/80287 i> automatic register variables v unlimited program size t^ mixed model (near & far pointers) *> graphics on CGA, EGA, VGA, & Hercules Optional Products: o* Power Ctrace debugger *> Library source code v BCD business math Order now by calling our toll free number or mail the coupon to Mix Software, 1132 Commerce Drive, Richardson, TX 75081. 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It's not only better than the stripped down debugger Microsoft includes with Quick C, it's better than the full debugger Microsoft provides with its high-end compiler (Codeview)." r*^ David Weinberger Computer Shopper, November 88 (Review) Circle 191 on Reader Service Card 1-800-333-0330 For technical support call: 1-214-783-6001 Minimum System Requirements: DOS 2.0 or later, 320K memory, 2 floppy drives or hard drive. Runs on IBM PC, XT. AT, PS/2 and compatibles. Name_ Street . City State _ 60 day money back guarantee Zip- Telephone Paying by: □ Money Order □ Visa DMC DAX Card # □ Check □ Discover Card Expiration Date . Computer Name Product(s) (Not Copy Protected) □ PowerC compiler (S19.95) D Power Ctrace debugger (S19.95) □ Library Source Code (S10.00) (includes assembler & library manager) □ BCD Business Math (S10.00) Add Shipping ($5 USA -S20 Foreign) Texas Residents add 8% Sales Tax Total amount of your order Disk Size D 5VV D 31/2" Power C & Power Ctrace are trademarks of Mix Software Inc. Quick C & Codeview are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corp. Turbo C is a registered trademark of Borland International. HANDS ON SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED Cloak and Data Revisited: The Winners Regular readers of this column will recall that in the June installment ("Cloak and Data") I presented a code- cracking contest. I am happy to an- nounce the winners of that contest; the first five win BYTE sweatshirts. For those of you unable (or unwill- ing) to break the code, I'll simply say that the message was doubly encrypted. The first encryption technique was a Vernam cipher; the second was a simple 16-element knapsack cipher. The first-place winner is Emil Wacker, a founding partner of Harcom Security Systems in New York, who be- gan the decryption under the mistaken belief that I had used a Vignere cipher. He soon discovered that such was not the case and proceeded to put together a quick program in Debug to XOR the ci- phertext with "BYTE"— an obvious choice for the first key. This got enough text deciphered so that it wasn't long be- fore he guessed "BYTEMAGAZINE" as the complete key. At first, Mr. Wacker didn't know that the message was doubly encrypted. He was surprised to find the string of num- bers in the text and thought that they constituted the winning message that he would have to recite over the phone. More decrypting revealed that it was a message encrypted with a knapsack. He wrote a brute-force knapsack decryp- tion program in C and ultimately re- fined it to execute in about 7 seconds on an IBM PS/2 Model P70. Second place goes to the two-man team of Peer Wichmann and Hans- Joachim Knobloch, who work at the European Institute for System Security at the University of Karlsruhe in Ger- many. These fellows are also members of the International Association for Cryptologic Research. They used a Mac Ilci, keyed the cryp- togram in by hand, and began examin- ing the cipher for repetitions. They found the pattern "4444" repeated fre- quently and determined that the greatest common divisor of the distance between instances of this pattern was 24 (which is simply the least common multiple of the key length, 12). Knowing that the file was produced on an MS-DOS machine, they attacked the code based on the fact that < carriage return > characters would be frequent digraphs. This ultimately led them to part of the key: "MAG." From this, they took a first guess at "BYTEMAGAZINESANNIVER- SARY"— which turned out to be incor- rect—and finally got "BYTEMAGA- ZINE." The rest was easy for these guys. They immediately recognized a 16-ele- ment Merkle-Hellman knapsack and wrote a C program that hammered out a solution the brute-force way. The pro- gram takes about 0.8 second on the Mac Ilci to decipher the text. Third place goes to Owen Michael of Oakdale, Pennsylvania, who cracked the code using Turbo Basic on a 20- MHz 386 system. He found that the hardest part of cracking the first level was keying in the listing as printed in the magazine. Decrypting the knapsack was simple, once he discovered his mis- take of inverting the bit-ordering. Fourth place goes to Etienne Cornu of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Fifth place was claimed by Douglas French of Clinton, Connecticut, who actually used Brief to inspect the code and determine the Vernam key. Honorable mentions (in no particular order) to: Bob Martin at the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science at Middlebury College in Vermont, who began decrypting the message on a com- puter at work. That evening, his son was on the home computer, so Bob finished the knapsack by hand. Vernon Crawford, who sent in a one- line Vernam-cipher program written in— what else?— APL. Benny N. Cheng, an applied statisti- cian, who fought his way through the first level of decryption with nothing more than pen, paper, and the SideKick pop-up calculator. He conquered the second level using Scheme. James Grinter of Lincolnshire, En- gland, who broke the code using a 6502- based Acorn BBC microcomputer run- ning BBC BASIC. And to Richard Langlois of Quebec, Canada, Ton Dennenbroak of The Netherlands, Steve Tate at Duke Uni- versity, and all the others who broke the code— my congratulations. of the NCB— other than to read the con- tents of NCB_RETCODE— until the command has completed. The same applies to the SRB: It be- comes the property of the ASPI driver until the command defined by the SRB has finished. Consequently, if your pro- gram allocates memory to the SRB (e.g. , using malloc ( ) or the DOS memory al- location function), that SRB must remain allocated until the command has fin- ished . . .even if the command was some- thing simple like a SCSI reset. Failure to do so means that ASPI could go stomping through memory that used to be the SRB but has been allocated by some unrelated and unsuspecting program. What's Inside As I write this, ASPI defines six com- mands—the rest are reserved for either vendor-unique operations or future ex- pansion. The defined commands are as follows: Host adapter inquiry, which lets you determine how many SCSI adapter cards are plugged into your system. You can also retrieve a 16-character manufac- turer-supplied name that is programmed into each card. Get device type, which retrieves a de- vice-type code (1 byte) from a SCSI pe- ripheral device. The code indicates what sort of peripheral you're dealing with (e.g., readable and writable hard disk drive, CD-ROM drive, or tape drive). Execute SCSI I/O request requires that you append a SCSI CDB to the end of the SRB. ASPI will execute the command defined in the CDB and manage all the phase transitions for you. This is the real workhorse command of ASPI. Abort SCSI I/O request is handy if you want to attach a time-out to a particular SCSI command. You pass this command the pointer to an SRB that defines an op- eration that is still pending completion, and the abort SCSI I/O request will pull the plug. Reset SCSI I/O device resets a target peripheral. This is what comes from all 368 BYTE* DECEMBER 1990 HANDS ON SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED STOP BIT A PLEA FOR SOFTWARE THAT WORKS these intelligent peripherals. Occasion- ally, one will get confused, and you've got to restart it from square one. Set host adapter parameters is more or less a software DIP-switch block for an adapter card: You can custom-configure the card to your installation. On the Bill This month's source code includes offer- ings for both the Mac and the IBM PC. Admittedly, the programs for this month are more "experimental" than usual, but you can use them for guidance as you ex- plore SCSI programming. For the Mac users, I've provided LLSCSI.4TH, writ- ten in Mach II Forth on the Mac. The routines included let you perform polled reads and writes using either CPU-con- trolled or pseudo-DMA transfers. On the PC side, there is F83-compat- ible source code for SCSI read and write routines using ASPI. I've also included source code foi^ talking to Western Digi- tal and Future Domain SCSI controllers. As you begin working with SCSI, ex- pect to be daunted by the number of com- mands and the complexity of the bus phases. Stick with it, and once you've put together a library of working routines, you'll find it's a lot easier than you ex- pected. The benefits are sizable, too; SCSI is a lot more than just fast. ■ Editor's note: Listings are available in electronic format. Seepage 5 for details. FURTHER INFORMATION Aside from the two-part Circuit Cellar article mentioned in the text, L. Brett Glass has provided a good treatment of SCSI's ins and outs in "The SCSI Bus" (February and March BYTE). Macintosh users should delve into chapter 31 of In- side Macintosh, volumes IV and V. Addi- tionally, it wouldn 't hurt to order a copy of Macintosh Family Hardware Refer- ence (Addison-Wesley, 1987). For SCSI in general, the contact is John B. Loh- meyer, NCR Corp., 3718 North Rock Rd., Wichita, KS 67226, (316) 636- 8703. You can also find SCSI-related in- formation on the SCSI BBS at (316) 636- 8700. Rick Grehan is the director of the BYTE Lab. He has a B.S. in physics and applied mathematics and an M.S. in computer science/mathematics from Memphis State University. He can be reached on BIX as (< rick_g. " Your questions and comments are wel- come. Write to: Editor, BYTE, One Phoenix Mill Lane, Peterborough, NH 03458. continued from page 420 likely to see that you've made a mistake. Likewise, a compiler can cause a pro- gram to check its own answers for rea- sonableness. If a pointer points to an in- valid location, a variable isn't initialized, or a value falls outside a specified sub- range, run-time error-checking code can detect the problem at once. Some languages are better than others at checking their (and your) work. C, for instance, performs only very weak static checks, and it has no facility to generate automatic run-time checks. It was a pro- cedure in the standard C library— which failed to include a check on array bound- aries—that allowed Robert Morris's worm program to enter and infect thou- sands of machines on the Internet two years ago. Pascal, Modula-2, and Ada do better; they allow programmers to specify the range of values that a variable can as- sume. And Ada, the most robust lan- guage of the group, has built-in features to allow graceful recovery should an in- tegrity check fail. Alas, even these languages don't go as far as they should. Few implementations check to see that a variable is initialized before its value is used— one of the most common programming pitfalls. Nor can these languages automatically check a variable if the constraints on it are more complex than a simple maximum and minimum— if , for example, the variable a should always be an odd number be- tween 3 and 17 or between 5 1 and 73. Another essential feature lacking in many of today's programming tools is the ability to make certain that every straight-line path of execution is tested before the program goes out the door. Too often, it's an option none of the test- ers bothered to try that causes a program to fail in the real world. Programmers and testers should use a prof iler— a util- ity that can tell which parts of a program are executed, and how often— to ensure that all the code is covered. Finally, programming environments should provide simple ways to "bench test" individual pieces of a program. Each time a programmer writes a pro- cedure or function, it should be possible to automatically provide that subpro- gram with a range of inputs and watch the output— without having to build an en- tirely new program for the test. Ethics, Pride, and Programming Many programmers have such complete faith in their ability to write bug-free programs— or are so sure that bugs will be caught during testing— that they scoff at the idea of using a language that pro- vides automatic consistency checking. This attitude not only is highly unprofes- sional, but is, in a very real sense, uneth- ical. As users trust computers to handle more and more aspects of their daily lives, it becomes increasingly important that developers supply them with reliable software. Even the best programmers make mistakes. It's hubris to believe otherwise. And, certainly, if program- mers feel strongly that they produce high-quality software, they should have no fear of putting it to the test. Some programmers may also grouse that integrity checks will slow down their code— but this, again, is a specious argument. Today's fast, cached 386s and 486s are more than 50 times as fast as the original IBM PC, and even faster chips are on the way. Wouldn't you, as a user, be willing to sacrifice 5 percent to 10 percent of your machine's performance for some convincing assurances that it was coming up with the right answers? When hardware engineers design a new chip, they adhere to rigorous design rules at every stage of the engineering process. Then, when the work is com- plete, they subject their designs to ex- haustive automatic tests. Software de- signers, by contrast, usually test their programs by allowing users to experi- ment with them— when they test at all. Perhaps that's why advances in software technology have been so slow in coming, while hardware performance has in- creased by leaps and bounds. Now that the hardware is fast enough to shoulder the burden, it's time to start designing operating systems and lan- guages in which software and system in- tegrity are paramount. I want my com- puters to run an operating system with full memory protection and complete task isolation, developed in a type-safe language with advanced run-time consis- tency checks. I'm sure that anyone who uses computers for "mission-critical" tasks would agree. Companies cannot af- ford to lose millions of dollars every year due to software bugs. And I can't afford to wonder why Windows— said to be among the most heavily tested applica- tions ever— crashes so often during rela- tively simple operations. It's time for consumers to expect more than software that runs fast; they must demand that it run right. Speed is impor- tant, but it's far more important to have software that works. ■ Brett Glass is a programmer, hardware designer, author, and consultant in Palo Alto, California. He can be reached on BIX as "glass." DECEMBER 1990 •BYTE 369 Intelligent multiport, supports RS-422 SmartLynx AT™ intelligent 4-port serial adapter for PC-AT and compatibles supports RS-422 and most multi-user operating systems. On-board processor takesburden off CPU For order info, call: 1-800-553-1170 n QUATECH 662 Wolf Ledges Parkway Akron. OH 44311 PC-AT is a trademark of IBM Corporation. Circle 240 on Reader Service Card I Synchronous 1 1 Communication 1 I Boards for AT 1 Quatech synchronous/ asynchronous serial boards for PC-AT and compatibles support RS-232, RS-422, and RS-485 communication. Call for our free PC Interface Handbook: 1-800-553-1170 n QUATECH 662 Wolf Ledges Parkway Akron. OH 44311 PC-AT and PC are registered trademarks of IBM Corp. Circle 243 on Reader Service Card Joystick Adapter for PS/2 GPA-1000 works with IBM Micro Channel for PS/2 Models 50, 60, 70, and 80. Connect two joysticks or four paddles. Also compatible with IBM Game Control Adapter for PC-XT and AT. Call our toll free order line: 1-800-553-1170 C3 QUATECH 662 Wolf Ledges Parkway Akron. OH 44311 IBM, Micro Channel, PS/2, PC-XT, AT, and Game Control Adapter are trademarks or registered trademarks of IBM Corp. Eight Serial Ports One Board Quatech's ES-100 provides eight RS/232 serial ports in a single AT slot. RJ-11 modular connectors. 1 6450 UARTS are standard. Optional buffered 16550 UARTS. PC-AT, ISA, or EISA compatible. Priced below $500! Quantity Pricing Available! Call for our PC Interface Handbook: 1-800-553-1170 n QUATECH 662 Wolf Ledges Parkway Akron, OH 44311 PC-AT is a trademark or registered trademark of IBM Corp. Circle 241 on Reader Service Card Communications Data Acquisition "PS/2 Micro Channel Interfaces" n QUATECH Phone: (216) 434-3154 • FAX: (216) 434-1409 TELEX: 510-101.2726 PC-AT, PS/2 and Micro Channel are registered trademarks of IBM Corporation. Circle 244 on Reader Service Card 2 parallel, 2 serial,! board Quatech DSDP-402 for PC-A1 has two parallel ports, and twc serial ports for any combina- tion of RS-232, 422, and 485 communication. DSDP-100, two parallel and two RS-232 ports, available at lower cost. For order info, call: 1-800-553 -1170 ) 1 n QUATECH ■ 662 Wolf Ledges Parkway Akron, OH 44311 RS-422/RS-485 Boards for AT, Micro Channel RS-422/RS-485 asynchronous serial communication boards from Quatechl available in 1 to 4 ports for PC-AT and compatibles and 1 to 4 ports for PS/2 Micro Channel. Call for our free PC Interface Handbook: 1-800-553-1170 n QUATECH 662 Wolf Ledges Parkway Akron. OH 44311 PC-AT, Micro Channel, and PS/2 are trade- marks or registered trademarks of IBM Corp. Circle 242 on Reader Service Card Digital || I/O Board 1 Single-slot Quatech PXB-721 for PC-AT has 72 digital I/O lines. Connect three choices of data acquisition modules. Supports Labtech Notebook? 1 Call for our free PC Interface Handbook: 1-800-553-1170 n QUATECH 662 Wolf Ledges Parkway Akron. OH 44311 LabTech Notebook is a trademark of Laboratories Technologies Corp. Circle 245 on Reader Service Card Wave Form 20MHz-32K $1290 The WSB-100 Wave Form Synthe- sizer Board from Quatech has the best set of numbers in the market. With speed to 20MHz and a 32K memory at $1290, it's making waves in more ways than one. The WSB-100 is also a star performer as a digital pulse/word generator with the optional digital module. Call for our free PC Interface Handbook 1-800-553-1170 n QUATECH 662 Wolf Ledges Parkway Akron. OH 44311 Circle 246 on Reader Service Card Circle 247 on Reader Service Card Circle 248 on Reader Service Card BVTE Product Showcase BUYER'S MART BYTE BITS PRODUCT SPOTS MICRO PRODUCT CENTER CATALOG SHOWCASE ILLUSTRATION: JULIE E. MURPHREE © 1989 DECEMBER 1990 •BYTE 371 Catalog Showcase The Card Shop Programmers Connection The Memory Board Experts at The Card Shop would like to introduce ourselves through some of our better-known associates, for example: PARITY PLUS by MEMREL, INTEL, AST, DFI — and our exciting new offer, WINDEX. We invite you to call and talk to our knowledgeable, courteous staff about all of your memory board needs. You'll also appreciate the Ten-Day, Money-Back Free Trial, Generous Warranties and Commitment to Excellence in all of the product lines that we carry. 1-800-346-0055 FAX 602-948-8458 Scottsdale, AZ Circle 307 on Reader Service Card "An Indispensable reference" THE CONNECTION is your Ultimate Buyer's Guide to the highest quality software available for your IBM PC. You'll find its easy-to-use cross references will guide you to a description of EVERY product including its system requirements, cross product compatibility, version numbers and more. THE CONNECTION is the Only software reference guide you'll ever need. Call for your FREE copy! USA 800-336-1166 CANADA 800-225-1166 FAX 216-494-5260 Circle 236 on Reader Service Card RAD Data Communications Intel Development Tools RAD offers quality data communication and LAN products, including: short-range modems, muxes, sharing devices, interface converters, PC products, data compressors, fiber-optics, DDS products and Token-Ring connectivity. Also included are intelligent cabling systems and routing bridges for Ethernet and Token-Ring. For a free catalog, write or call RAD Data Communications, 151 W. Passaic Street, Rochelle Park, NJ 07662. 201-587-8822 FAX: 201-587-8847 Circle 257 on Reader Service Card National Instruments Free 488-page full-color catalog describing instrumentation hardware and software products for personal computers and workstations. Application software for data analysis and presentation and for collecting data using instruments and plug-in boards. Features GPIB interfaces, data acquisition and DSP boards, driver level software, signal conditioning and VXI controllers. 1-512-794-0100 Circle 199 on Reader Service Card Choosing the right architecture and devel- opment support are two of the most impor- tant decisions you face today. For success- ful microcomputer development, Intel offers you the total solution with the most up-to- date and powerful tools available. And we also offer you the easiest way to buy. Our Development Tools Catalog lists all our tools products in one guide. Call us at 1-800-874-6835, or FAX us at 503-696-4633 to get your free copy today. Intel Corporation, Development Tools Operation, 5200 NE Elam Young Parkway, JF1-15, Hilisboro, OR 97124 1-800-874-6835 FAX 503-696-4633 Circle 149 on Reader Service Card Specialized Products Co. Electronic tools and test equipment Color, illustrated 250-page catalog details comprehensive selection of toolkits, test equipment, telecom equipment and datacommunication products. Special emphasis on in-house and field service. Indexed catalog shows digital multimeters, breakout boxes, oscilloscopes, BERT testers, hand tools and extensive selection of instrument and shipping cases, plus over 50 standard tool kits. Complete specifications and prices are provided for all products. Specialized Products Company, 3131 Premier Drive, Irving, TX 75063 USA. 1 -21 4-550-1923 FAX: 21 4-550-1 386 Circle 288 on Reader Service Card Businessland Direct The most convenient, quick and inexpensive source for your complete business computer, supply and accessory needs. The Businessland Direct catalog features more than 1,000 products from 750 top manufacturers, with factual and comparative product information organized to help you make educated buying decisions for your company. Call and ask for the free Businessland Direct catalog, and start getting computer product pricing and selections designed especially for business. 1001 Ridder Park, San Jose CA 951 31 1-800-551-2468 Circle 50 on Reader Service Card BYTE Catalog Showcase Catalog Showcase Otttei yourcoptWOftfK*'n»st Advertisers: The Catalog Showcase is the most effective low-cost way to promote your product line to an influential audience. Call Ellen Perham for more details. 603-924-2598 FAX: 603-924-2683 Circle 349 on Reader Service Card 372 BYTE • DECEMBER 1990 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. Effective January 1, 1991. RATES: 1 issue— $675 3 issues— $625 6 issues— $600 12 issues— $525 Prepayment must accompany each insertion. VISA/MC Accepted. AD FORMAT: Each ad will be designed and typeset by BYTE. Advertisers must furnish typewritten copy. Ads can include headline (23 characters maximum), des- criptive text (250 characters is recommended, but up to 350 characters can be accommodated), plus company name, address and telephone number. Do not send logos or camera-ready artwork. DEADLINE: Ad copy is due approximately 2 months prior to issue date. For exam- ple: November issue closes on September 8. Send your copy and payment to THE BUYER'S MART, BYTE Magazine, 1 Phoenix Mill Lane, Peterborough, NH 03458. For more information call Brian Higgins at 603-924-2656. RVX: 603-924-2683. ACADEMIC COMPUTING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE BAR CODE 166 IX/IHz Proprietary technologies allow us to deliver our PC com- patible workstation years ahead of the industry. Take ad- vantage of inexpensive PC software {vs. UNIX), and the performance our platform offers, to execute applications previously run on minis and supers. We're offering the first 5000 of our 1993 production units at wholesale pric- ing. Educational and quantity discounts. Eclectech, Inc. Dept. 4142, P.O. Box 12887. Research Triangle Park. NC 27709 NeuralWorks Explorer NeuralWorks Explorer is a neural net tutorial that provides the novice user with a method of learning neural net theory as well as an environ- ment in which to build practical real time applica- tions such as targeted marketing, stock prediction, process control and more. PC and MAC. Price $199. Visa/MC accepted. NeuralWare, Inc. 412-787-8222 PRINT BAR CODES/BIG TEXT FROM YOUR PROGRAM Add bar codes and big graphics characters to your pro- gram. Print from ANY MS-DOS language. Bar codes: UPC, EAN, 2 of 5, MSI, Code 39. Epson, Oki, IBM dot matrix text up to Vi". LaserJet up to 2". Font cartridges not required. $179-$239. 30-day $$ back. Worthington Data Solutions 417-A Ingalls St., Santa Cruz. CA 95060 (408) 458-9938 (800) 345-4220 Inquiry 701. Inquiry 706. ACCESSORIES RADIOACTIVE? Plot it on your PC with The RM-60 RADIATION MONITOR Ser al or printer port. Detects: ALPHA • BETA • GAMMA • X-RAY. MicroR. 1000 times the resolution of standard geiger counters. Excellent for tracking RADON GAS. Find sources. Plot: • Background • Cosmic Rays • Clouds • Foods Call/Write for PC MAGAZINE review. • TSR • GM Tube VISA/MASTER Phone orders. Not satisfied? Full refund. Tel: (302) 655-3800 Aware Electronics Corp. P.O. Box 4299, Wilmington, DE 19807 $149.50 Software Engineer Do Your Own Windows! At last a LISP programming environment which takes advan- tage of a GUI and protected mode on the PC. Software Engineer™ for Windows" 3.0 Is a complete programming en- viro nment. It I ncludes a LISP-aware text editor, all owing q ui ck, easy and interacti e Windows development. Software Engineer supports ODE, GDI, the clipboard, dialog boxes and menus. Software Engineer Is priced at $249.95. Raindrop Software Corporation 845 E. Arapaho, Suite 105, Richardson, Texas 75081 (214) 234-2611 Fax (214) 234-2674 BAR CODE READERS Keyboard emulation for PC/XT/AT & PS/2's, all clones and any RS-232 Terminal. Transparent to your operating system. Available with Steel wands, Lasers, Slot & Magstripe Readers. Same day shipping, 30-day money-back guarantee. One-year warranty. Reseller discounts available. AMERICAN MICROSYSTEMS 2190 A RegaJ Parkway, Eubess, TX 76040 (800) 648-4452 (817) 571-9015 FAX (817) 685-6232 Inquiry 702. Inquiry 707. BAR CODE CUT RIBBON COSTS! Re-ink your printer ribbons quickly and easily. Do all cartridge ribbons with just one inker! For crisp, black professional print since 1982. You can choose from 3 models: Manual E-Zee Inker — $39.50 Electric E-Zee Inker — $94.50 Ink Master (Electric) — $189.00 1000s of satisfied users. Money-back guarantee. BORG INDUSTRIES 525 MAIN ST., JANES VILLE, I A 50647 1-800-553-2404 In IA: 319-987-2976 LABELING SOFTWARE On EPSON, IBM, OKI dot matrix or LaserJet. Flexible design on one easy screen. Any format/size. Up to 120 fields/label. 18 text sizes to 3"-readable at 100'. AIAG, MIL-STD, 2 of 5, 128, UPC/EAN, Code 39. File Input & Scanned logos/symbols (PCX)— $279. Other programs from $49. 30-day $$ back. Worthington Data Solutions 417-A Ingalls St., Santa Cruz. CA 95060 (408) 458-9938 (800) 345-4220 BAR CODE PRINTING SOFTWARE • MS/PC DOS SYSTEMS • 9 & 24 PIN DOT MATRIX • H-P LASER JET/PLUS/SERIES II • MENU-DRIVEN or MEMORY RESIDENT • CODE 39, I 275, UPC A/E, EAN 8/13 • BIG TEXT & BAR CODE SOFTFONTS AMERICAN MICROSYSTEMS 2190 A Regal Parkway, Eubess. TX 76040 (800) 648-4452 (817) 571-9015 FAX (817) 685-6232 Inquiry 703. EXTENDER: Attach KB/Monitor up to 600* from CPU COMPANION: Add a 2nd or 3rd KB/Monitor— 600' from CPU COMMANDER: Control 2 to 96 CPU's with a single KB/Monitor PH0NEB00T: Boot or reboot PC by Phone FREE DEALER KIT CYBEX CORPORATION 2800-H Bob Wallace, Huntsville, AL 35805 205-534-0011 International Fax 205-534-0010 BAR CODE READERS For PC, XT, AT, & PS/2, Macintosh, and any RS-232 terminal. Acts like 2nd keyboard, bar codes read as keyed data. With steel wand— $399. Top rated in independent reviews. Works with DOS, Xenix, Novell, Alloy, -ALL software. Lasers, magstripe, & slot badge readers. 30-day $$ back. Worthington Data Solutions 417-A Ingalls St., Santa Cruz. CA 95060 (408) 458-9938 (800) 345-4220 BAR CODE PRINTING Print bar codes from your custom program. ANSI C routines generate and print Code39, 125. Codabar, UPC A/E, EAN 8/13 and supplements. Supports LaserJet, OKI, and EPSON and custom printers. Works with UNIX/XENIX. MSDOS and others. AH SOURCE CODE included. No royalties. Single pat- tern $85. AH patterns $250. Infinity Computer Services, Inc. P.O. Box 269, Coopersburg, PA 18036 Voice: 215-965-7699 BBS: 215-965-8028 Inquiry 704. Inquiry 708. HEWLETT PACKARD Buy — Sell — Itade laser Jet ll/IID Color Pro (7440) Laser 2000 2 Meg/4 Meg HP-7550A Desk Jet Draft Pro DXUEXL Rugged Writer Draftmaster l/ll Electrostatic Plotters C1600 (D S tze)/C 1601 (E Size) Science Accessories Corporation Sonic Digitizers 36* X 48" (2750) 60" x 72" (3175) T. E. Dasher & Associates 4117 Second Ave. S.. Birmingham, AL 35222 Phone: (205) 591-4747 Fax: (205) 591-1108 (800) 638-4833 Inquiry 705. PORTABLE READER Battery-operated, handheld reader with 64K static RAM, 2x16 LCD display, 32-key keyboard, Real-Time-CIock. Wand or laser scariner. Program prompts and data checking through its own keyboard. Easy data transfer by RS-232 port or PC, PS/2 keyboard. Doubles as On- Line Reader. 30-day $$ back. Worthington Data Solutions 417-A Ingalls St., Santa Cruz. CA 95060 (408) 458-9938 (800) 345-4220 PC-Wand Bar Code Solutions Bar codes are easy with a FULL line of readers & printers. They plug & play with your existing systems, most all makes of CPU/printer/terminalfeoftware in your office.store, truck, factory or warehouse. Our bar code DOS programs print on matrix or laser printers. 30 day refund, 1 year warranty. International Technologies & Systems Corp. 655-K North Berry St., Brea, CA 92621 TEL: (714) 990-1BB0 FAX: (714) 990-2503 Inquiry 709. DECEMBER 1990 -BYTE 373 The Buyer's Mart- BAR CODE BAR CODE CAD/CAM Introducing ASP BAR CODE READERS • Keyboard and RS232 readers distinguished by superior wand -$395 • Portable reader doubles as fixed reader - $799 • Wand, bar code printing utility, cable and wand holder included in price. • Reads all major bar codes • Works with IBM compatible and non-standard PCs, terminals. • 5 years experience with bar code solutions. Dealer inquiries welcome. PACIFIC MICROSYSTEMS 2560 9th Street. Suite 214M, Berkeley, CA 94710 (800) 242-5271 (415) 849-4147 VARIANT MICROSYSTEMS BAR CODE READERS DELIVER WAND/LASER/MAGNETIC CARD CONNECTIVITY • Keyboard wedges (Internal/External) for IBM POXT/AT. PS/2 and portables. • RS232 wedges for WYSE, Link, Kimtron terminals • Bar code and label printing software • Full two-year warranty • 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee • Extensive VAR/Dealer Discounts 3140 OeLa Cruz Blvd., Suite 200/Santa Clara, CA 95054/(408) 990-1880 800-666-4BAH FAX: (415) 623-1372 CAD/CAM Developer's Kit Save months writing AutoCAD ADS or standalone CAD/CAM applications! (617) 628-5217 Building Block Software PO Box 1373 Somerville, MA 02144 Inquiry 710. Inquiry 715. Inquiry 721. BASIC CLIP MUSIC 5-YR. WARRANTY AT PERCON PERCON decoders are now covered by a five- year limited warranty. That means you won't spend one cent replacing your PERCON bar code decoder for five full years. That's reliability you can count on! PERCON 1710 Willow Creek Circle, Eugene, OR 97402-9153 Phone: (800) 873-7266 FAX: (503) 344-1399 See our ad on page 383. 300 Songs & Sounds + 180 Pg. Book Besides being a fun jukebox & music source, this new version of The ENTER-tafner teaches even more oos, basic, bat files, display tricks, & fun musical projects! Great for beginners, yet it teaches even pros how to run music behind QB or C apps. Includes source code, no royalties. 3.5" or two 5.25" disks. Money-back guarantee. Needs basic 2.0 or later. $45 + $4 s&h (Europe, Canada & Mexico s&h=$8, others=$11, 1st class air). For fast visA/Mcorders, call: (800) 727-4140 P0I Music Software, 1511 48th St.. Boulder; CO 80303 (303)440-4140 Inquiry 711. Inquiry 716. HPGL= >SOURCE.PAS Unique full-function viewer for HPGL and automatic code generator (requires Turbo Pascal) HPGL- >PASver. 1.0 Lit. 60000 (about $67) plus S&H. Visa/ MasterCard Accepted DRAW with AutoCAD, DesignCAD3D. MathCad, Freelance, Oread, etc, . . . ; PLOF to file; RUN HPGL- >PAS: view. zoom. pan, scale, cut. . .and ENTER: your code is ready. NEW: with source for custom output TPU, demo programs, 3.5" and 5.25" media, manual. Ing. Marco Sillano Via Massimi 154, 100136 — ROME. ITALY Inquiry 722. BUSINESS E W \f Prints bar coded envelopes for fast delivery E...easy to use, N... nationally listed by USPS. V. ..value packed ENV bar coded envelopes are quickly sorted and delivered by the US Post Office. Postage discounted when over 200 bar coded pieces. • Use with any Word Processor or Mail Merge package • ENV Batch. Popup and Mail Merge veisions on disk • Print return address, special messages and logos • tor HP LaserJets and EPSON LQ series printers. No new equipment required. Great program f orany type and size business, church, club or association. Order for MSD0S computers NOW 549.95 Pike Creek Computer Company 2 Galaxy Dr, Newark DE 19711-2920 To Order: (302) 239-5113 Dealers call (800) SELL LOW EXPERT NEGOTIATION Learn to negotiate for success. NEGOTIATOR PROV expert system analyzes personal styles, gives 27 win-win tactics and 35 key planning questions. For Mac and PC. BEACON EXPERT SYSTEMS, INC. $299 MC/VISA (617) 738-9300 P-C-B ARTWORK MADE EASY! Create and Revise Printed-Circuit- Art work on your IBM or Compatible • Menu Driven • Supports Mice • Laser Printer Artwork • Libraries Requirements: IBM or Compatible PC, 384K RAM, DOS 3.0 or later. LAYOUT • AUTO-ROUTER • SCHEMATIC $99.00 ea. DEMO PKG: $10.00 PCBoards 2110 14th Ave. South, Birmingham, Al_ 35205 (205) 933-1122 Inquiry 712. Inquiry 717. Inquiry 723. CABLE CONVERTERS CD-ROM PC BAR CODE SPECIALISTS Bar code readers designed for fast, reliable, cost- effective data entry. They emulate your keyboard, so scanned data looks just like it was typed in! Choose from stainless steel wand, laser gun, card slot reader, and magnetic stripe scanner. Also, powerful Bar Code and Text printing software. Great warranty. Generous dealer discounts. Seagull Scientific Systems 15127 N.E. 24th, Suite 333, Redmond, WA 98052 206-451-8966 Cable TV Converters Attention Cable Viewers Jerrold, Zenith, Oak, Hamlin, Scientific Atlantic, Tocom, and many others. BEST PRICES!! • 1-800-826-7623 Visa, American Express, MasterCard B&B INC., 4030 Beau-D-Rue Dr., Eagan, MN 55122 Largest Selection and Best Price Microsoft Programmers Library & Drive $949. Computer Library $695 • Public Domain S/W $49. NEC PC or Mac Drive Kit $749 • Bookshelf-Best Price! Drives from $499. Hundreds of titles from $29. MCA/ISA/AMEX/COD, Money-back Guarantee. Call or write for free 120-page catalog. Bureau of Electronic Publishing 141 New Road, Parsippany, NJ 07054 800-828-4766 THE SOURCE FOR CD-ROM Inquiry 718. Inquiry 724. BAR CODE READERS Among the best and most widely used bar code decoders. Reads all major codes (39. I 2/5, S 2/5, UPC/EAN/JAN, CODABAR, MSI). Connects between keyboard and system. IBM, PS/2, MAC, DEC-VT com- patible. OS & software independent. Same day ship. 2 Year Warranty (pen incld). Large Reseller Discounts Solutions Engineering 4705 langdrum lane, Bethesda, MD 20615 (800) 635-6533 (301) 652-2738 $99 Electro-CAD $99 • Do your own Schematics / 2xPCB's / SMT • Rubber-Banding / Inter-trace FLOOD • Context-sensitive Hypertext HELP • Graphics libraries w/EDITOR • Total control of EGAA/GA for layout FREE DEMO DISK AEROUX Engineering 32 West Anapamu, Suite 228, Santa Barbara, CA 93101 (805) 962-9695 Inquiry 713. Inquiry 719. CD ROM, Inc. CO-ROM. WORM, MAGNETO-OPTICAL DRIVES, CD-ROM DISCS FOR IBM AND MAC. OPTICAL CONSULTING SERVICES • PUBLISHING * DISTRIBUTION * NETWORKING QUALITY PRODUCE AND SERVICES AT COMPETITIVE PRICES FREE CATALOG TEL. 303-231-9373 1667 COLE BLVD., SUITE 400, GOLDEN, CO 80401 FAX: 303-231-9581, CIS: 72007,544 VISA/MC/AMEX/GOV'T. POs nquiry 725. COMMUNICATIONS DATA INPUT DEVICES Bar Code, Magnetic Stripe Readers & SmartCard Encoder/ Reader for microcomputers & terminals, including IBM PS/2 & others, DEC, Macintosh, AT&T, CT. Wyse, Wang. All readers connect on the keyboard cable & are transparent to ail soft- ware. UPC & 39 print programs, magnetic encoders, & por- table readers are also available. TPS Electronics 4047 Transport, Palo Alto, CA 94303 415-856-6833 Telex 371-9097 TPS PLA 1-800-526-5920 FAX: 415-856-3843 Inquiry 714. 374 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 CAD-DRAWING VIEWSTATION Allows non-CAD users to view drawings on PCs, print, plot, attach personal notes, and hyper-link between files, Change views and layers. Accurate entity representation. Easy to use. • Slrlin VIEW/DWG for AutoCAD DWG files: $295 • Slrlin VIEW/PLUS for DWG. DXF. HPGL and dBase: $395 Developers: ask about linkable Slrlin VIEW/LIB. Dealers welcome. Slrlin Computer Corporation 225 Lowell Road, Hudson, NH 03051 (603) 595-0420 Fax (603) 595-7779 Inquiry 720. PC SDLC SUPPORT UseBangoma hardware and software to provide a cost effective, robust and easy to use SDLC link from MS-DOS, XENIX, AIX, F?lGK, PC-MOS, etc. All real time communication functions performed by intelligent co-processor card. X.25 support also available. Sangoma Technologies Inc. (416) 474-1990 7170 Warden Avenue #2, Marktiam, Ontario, Canada L3R 8B2 Inquiry 726. The Buyer's Mart- COMPUTER INSURANCE CROSS DISASSEMBLERS DATA RECOVERY INSURES YOUR COMPUTER SAFEWARE provides full replacement of hardware, media and purchased software. As little as $49 a year provides comprehensive coverage. Blanket coverage; no list of equipment needed. One call does it all. Call 8 am-10 pm ET. (Sat. 9 to 5) TOLL FREE 1-800-848-3469 (Local 614-262-0559) SAFEWARE, The Insurance Agency Inc. PROFESSIONAL PC SOFTWARE • CROSS-DISASSEMBLERS Analytic, Automatic Label Generation • CROSS-ASSEMBLERS Relocatable, Macro, Universal Linker + Librarian • C CROSS COMPILERS • SOURCE TRANSLATION UTILITIES Support for Intel, Motorola, Zilog, Tl, RCA Order Today: (408) 773-8465 I r*iriCACT PO Box 61929, Sunnyvale, CA 94086 LUValOUr I FAX: (408) 773-8466 DATA RECOVERY Data lost from 1/4" cartridges of 1/2" tape can be recovered almost every time. We have helped Banks, In- surance Companies, Telephone Companies, Commodity Dealers, Hospitals, Software Houses, Government Depart- ments. The Hat Is endless. We charge a small fixed fee for investigation and then on a time and materials basis. The QICPAK Cartridge Interchange People Vogon Enterprises Ltd. 94 Easthampstead Road, Wokingham. Berkshire RG11 2J0 ENGLAND Tel 0734-784511 or 0734-890042 Fax 0734-890040 Inquiry 727. Inquiry 733. Inquiry 739. COMPUTER UPGRADE DATA CONVERSION DATA/DISK CONVERSION THE COMPLETE XT UPGRADE The K-311 Upgrade Kit converts your XT to full 32-bit, 20MHz 60386 CPU and high speed disk performance. The K-311 Kit includes 20MHz 60386 w/lMb RAM. 16-brt Adaptec 1:1 con- troller, 63Mb 28Ms Mitsubishi disk drive, choice of 1.2 or 1.4Mb diskette dn've, Key Tronic 101 Plus keyboard, 200 W PS, new drivecables. Matches or exceeds the performance of a new system but at far less cost. Top quality, easy installa- tion, 1 year warranty. $1 ,795 5G Corporation 4131 Spicewood Springs Road A-4, Austin TX 78759 800433-4131 512-345-9843 Fax 512-345-9575 CONVERTING YOUR DISKETTES? ENTRUST THEM TO US! 2500 Word Processor & Computer formate, 3V%", 5Vk", 8" Disks, Mag Tapes. Mag Cards, Cartridges & Cassettes, Custom Conversions, Programming & Applications Development DISK DUPLICATION OCR SCANNING SERVICES HIGH VOLUME LASER PRINTING Call us for Quality, Best Prices and Quickest Turnaround Time. COMPANY COMPENDIA, INC., 55E. Washington St.. #237, Chicago, IL60602 TEL: 312-41M771 FAX: 312-41&-1390 BILLIONS OF BITS CONVERTED! Disk Interchange Service Company special- izes in transferring files between incompati- ble computers. Our direct disk-to-disk conversion service is fast, efficient, and cost effective. Disk Interchange Service Company 2 Park Drive»Westford, MA 01886 (508) 692-0050 Inquiry 728. Inquiry 734. Inquiry 740. CROSS ASSEMBLERS CROSS ASSEMBLERS Universal Linker, Librarian Targets for 36 Microprocessors Hosts: PC/MS-DOS, micro VAX, VAX 8000 ENEHTEC, INC. BOX 1312, 811 W. Fifth St. Lansdale, PA 19446 Tel: 215-362-0966 Fax: 215-362-2404 Inquiry 729. MEDIA CONVERSION/DATA TRANSLATION More than just a straight dump or ASCtt transfer! Word Processing, DBMS, and Spreadsheet data on Disks or Tapes transferred directly into applications running on Mainframes, Minis, Micros, Dedicated Word Processors, Typesetters, and Electronic Publishing systems. IBM PS/2 & Macintosh supported #1 in the translation industry! CompuData Translators, Inc. 3345 Witshire Blvd., Suite 407, Los Angeles, CA 90010 (213) 387-4477 1-800-825-8251 THE #1 CHOICE In disk & tape conversion for many leading corporations, government agencies, law firms, and companies in every industry-^world-wide. Free test • Satisfaction guaranteed Graphics Unlimited Inc. 3000 Second St. North, Minneapolis, MN 55411 (612) 588-7571 or (612) 520-2345 FAX: (612) 588-8783 Inquiry 735. Inquiry 741. CROSS ASSEMBLERS/SIMULATORS New unique full-function simulators for the 8096 and 80C196 controllers, featuring ALL MOOES of interrupts, plus the HSI, HSO, and A/D functions. Ws also support the 804849. 8080785, 6051/52, and Z80 controllers with excellent, reasonably priced Cross Assemblers and Simulators. Lear Com Company 2440 Kipling St.. Ste. 206, Lakewood, CO 80215 (303) 232*2226 FAX: (303) 232-8721 DBMS/COPY CONVERTS YOUR DATA INTO INFORMATION Now your favorite stat package can access any database. DBMS/COPY can directly convert any d a t a base or spreadsheet file (ORACLE. PARADOX, dBASE. LOTUS etc.) into any stat package file (SAS. SPSS, SYSTAT. etc.) and vice ve»sa. The PLUS version allows sorts, selections, and recalculations. $135. 30-day guarantee. VISA/MCJAMEX/PO/COD. Call for tree limited version. CONCEPTUAL SOFTWARE INC. P.O. Box 56627, Roilston, TX 77256 (713) 667-4222 FAX: (713) 667-3FAX 1-800STATWOW QUALITY CONVERSIONS to or from virtually ANY TAPE OR DISK FORMAT! Horan Data Services converts over 2000 formats incl. 9 track tape, 3480 Cartridge and 8", 5W or 3te» disk- ettes. All densities & most operating systems supported. Formats include EBCDIC, ASCII, databases, spread- sheets, and dedicated or PC word processors. Call 1 -800-677-8885 Hours 8:00 AM to 5:30PM Eastern Time 817 Main Street, Third Poor. Cincinnati OH 45202 Inquiry 730. Inquiry 736. Inquiry 742. CROSS ASSEMBLERS Relocatable Macros PC Compatible GUARANTEED, SUPPORTED DEBUG SIMULATORS • DISASSEMBLERS EPROM PROGRAMMERS MICRO COMPUTER TOOLS CO. Phone Toll Free (800) 443-0779 In CA (415) 825^200 912 Hastings Dr., Concord. CA 94518 Inquiry 731. it America's Leaders In Data Conversion ft DISK m DISK • TAPE m DISK OPTICAL SCANNING WE CONVERT MORE FORMATS THAN ANYONE ELSENI IBM, DEC, VWVMS, APPLE, MNG. XEROX, NBI, LANIER, CPT, UNIX, WordPerfect. . . QUICK-RELIABLE-HIGHEST QUALITY NATIONAL DATA CONVERSION INSTITUTE 5 East 16th Str., NY. NY 10003 (212) 463-7511 Inquiry 737. IBM PC FASTER 1TO1 HP FILE COPY EASIER TO USE Update version uses windows: Call for free demo! IBM PC HP File Copy allows IBM PCs, PS/2, compatibles to interchange files with Hewlett- Packard Series 70, 80, 200, 300, 1000, 9000s. Oswego Software Box 310 708/554-3567 Oswego, IL 60543 FAX 708/554-3573 Inquiry 743. DATA RECOVERY Cross-Assemblers Simulators Disassemblers PseudoCorp See our ad on page 400. Inquiry 732. CRASHED? Your valuable data can be recovered! • 95% success rate • Fast turnaround • Servicing Novell. DOS, Macintosh, Unix, Xenix, OS/2, Bernoulli and morel ONTRACK DATA RECOVERY, INC. Keeping you in business is our business. 1 -800-872-2599 Inquiry 738. CONVERSION SERVICES Convert any 9-track magnetic tape to or from over 2000 formats including 3V2" 5W\ 8" disk formats & word processors. Disk-to-disk conversions also available Call for more info. Introducing OCR Scan- ning Services. Pivar Computing Services, Inc. 165 Arlington Hgts. Rd., Dept. #B Buffalo Grove, IL 60089 (800) Convert DECEMBER 1990 -BYTE 375 The Buyer's Mart- DATABASE DISK DRIVES ENTERTAINMENT INRO-TRAK INFO-TRAK is>a new menu-driven database/cataloguer pro- gram lor the professional and the beginner. Ideal for business, home inventory, collections (books, stamps, coins, artworks, etc.), investments etc. Features include SEARCH, add/delete lines, edit data, create custom formats, PRINT and more. (IBM XT, AT and compatibles, DOS 2.0 & up) Only $59, S3 shipping/handling (check or money order only) JA-DAL TECHNOLOGIES P.O. Box 611, Yaphank, NY 11980 (NY res. add 7.5% tax) PS/2 DRIVES FOR PCs ATs CompatiKit/PC $279 CompatiKhVAT $219 Built-in floppy controllers— no problem. Supports multiple drives and formats. Lets your computer use IBM PS/2 1.4M diskettes plus more! Call for further information or to place an order. VISAMOCODTCHECK. Micro Solutions Computer Products 132 W. Lincoln Hwy.. DeKaJb, IL 60115 815/756-3411 See otr ad on page 31S. NEMESIS- Go Master® Go. a game of strategic elegance, has been a way of life in the Orient for over four thousand years. Many consider Go to be the secret of the Japanese busine man's success. 'While chess is a game of war, Go is a game ofmartet shaw" (President of Nikko Hotels]. Chaos Manor 1989 User's Choice Award BYTE 4/90, 1X62 ToyogO, Inc. The Leader in Computer Go. PO Box F, Dept. Y, Kaneohe, HI 96744 (808) 254-1166 or 1-800-TOYOGO-9 Inquiry 744. Inquiry 750. Inquiry 756. DATABASE MGMT SYSTEMS DOCUMENT CONVERSIONS FINANCIAL SAVE TIME & MONEY! OCELOT2— THE SOU is a stand-alone database engine with a complete DB2 compatible SQL Interface for developers who use BASIC, C, PASCAL, or COBOL. • packs the full power of SQL into a 640KB PC; • re uires only 320KB RAM for program de lopment; • outperforms the restl For IBM and clones: $195 & up. Free info. OCELOT COMPUTER SERVICES INC. #1502, 10025 - 106 Street, Edmonton, AB, Canada, T5J 1G7 (403) 421-41B7 Doc-to-Doc Quickly and dean ry convert your documents to and from WordPerfect, MICROSOFT WORD, WordStar, Mufti- Mate, ASCII, Tandy, DeskMate Text, Lotus 1-2-3, Enable, Wang and Display Write. Retain special attributes and formatting. Doc4o-Doc gives you professional quality conversions at a consumer price — $99. The MCS Group 2465 W. Chicago St., Rapid City, SD 57702 (605) 341-2166 NEVER BALANCE YOUR CHECKBOOK AGAIN! Amazing new software instantly reads and balances your check register with a hand-held scanner. Allows you to enter hand-printed check data into your PC WITHOUT A KEY- BOARD. Supports other personal financial software. ChekScan software with premium hand-held scanner only $289.00 (software only $9600) 800-762-5542 or FAX: 919-828-5196 PAI, 611 Tucker Street, Raleigh, NC 27603 Inquiry 745. Inquiry 751. Inquiry 757. EDUCATION FINANCIAL SOFTWARE dBASE file access from C Code Base 4 is a library of C routines which gives complete dBASE or Clipper func- tionality and file compatibility. Use DOS, Unix, OS/2 or MS Windows. $295 with Source! FREE DEMO Sequiter Software Inc. Call (403) 44^0313 Fax (403) 44^0315 See our ad on page 220. BS. A MS. In COMPUTER SCIENCE The American Institute for Computer Sciences o fers an in- depth correspondence program to earn your Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Computer Science at home. as. subjects covered are: MS/DOS, BASIC, PASCAL, C, Data Fie Processing, Data Structures & Operating systems. M.S. program includes subjects In Soft- ware Engineering and Artificial Intelligence. AMERICAN INST, for COMPUTER SCIENCES 2101-BY Magnolia Ave. South, Ste. 200, Birmingham, AL 35205 800-767-2427 205-323-6191 BrainMaker: "The most fascinating computer soft- ware I've ever seen . . . learn about this stuff." John Dvorak, PC Mag. Predicts stocks, bonds, sales, inventories. Comprehensive documentation. Menus. Only $195! Certified by Intel and Micro Devices Free Brochure: 916/477-7481 California Scientific Software Inquiry 746. Inquiry 752. Inquiry 758. DISASSEMBLERS 80x86 JEXE/.COM to .ASM • Accurately reconstruct, study & modify (64K+) programs with a minimum of input or editing of output • Assembly language output is MASM 5jc-compaliDle. • Exhaustive flcw-trace distinguishes code from data. • Best formats for each. Commented BIOS calls/DOS func- tions. SEGMENTJPROCMher vital pseudcxjpa. PC-DISnDATa (5 1 /»" disk & manual) $165 PRO/AM SOFTWARE 220 Cardigan Road, Centerville, OH 45459 (513) 435-4480 (9 A.M.-5 P.M. EST M-F) Inquiry 747. ENTERTAINMENT WHERE ADULTS COME TO PLAY! ACCESS LA! BBS • Designed for Adult modem users • Low cost local access numbers covering B50 cltlesl • Live online chat with other users! • Large software file library) • "Bulletin board" -style Forums!* Interactive online games! • Matchmaker dating database! • And much, much more. 24 hours a day! We also can provide your company with national BBS ser- vices. Ca I (616) 356-0936 for details! Information and Signup By Modem (818) 358-6968 [3/12/24 Baud, 8/N/l, Must be over 161 Vbice Information (616) 357-9570 Inquiry 753. FLOWCHARTS WINDOWS FLOWCHARTER $129 RFFlow 2.0 is a professional drawing tool for flowcharts & org charts. Requires Microsoft Win- dows 3.0. 100 shapes auto adjust in size. Diagona lines and curves. Auto line routing and re-routing. Click on a shape to b ing up a sub-chart. Move charts to other apps. v a trie Clipboard. Call for free trial disk. RFF ELECTRONICS 1053 Banyan Court, Loveland. CO B0538 Phone: (303) 6SM767 FAX: (303) 669-4889 Inquiry 759. FORTRAN TOOLS NO Source? ... NO Problem for DISIDOC PROFESSIONAL Automatically Disassembles EXE, COM, BIN, SYS, PGM files and ROM or RAM memory with interactive ability to change code, data or comments online. Disassembles 6086 to 80486 with no file size restrictions. Built In utility program EXE LTn- packer, for unpacking packed files and Bib's Admission for disassembling BIOS's are included. To order call (800) 336-1961 or Info (203) 953-0236 Or write: RJSWANTEK INC. 176 Brooteide Rd., Newington, CT 06111 •Only $24995 MC/VISA accepted SHAREWARE FOR IBM™ AND COMPATIBLES FREE 112 PAGE CATALOG OVER 3000 PROGRAMS CALL 1-800-245-BYTE (2983) BEST BITS & BYTES P.O. Box 8225-B, Van Nuys, CA 91409 FOREIGN COUNTRIES SEND $4.00 FOR SHIPPING CLARIFY YOUR FORTRAN Program CLARIFY: • Visualizes FORTRAN program control and flow • Brings algorithmic logic Into sharp relief • Makes code debugging, development easier, quicker • Makes your documentation, Or A more effective • Enhances program maint. • Delineates do loops, block Ifs, nesting, transfers IBM com pit, //iflu offer: $95 till J»n. 31, 1991 Q-KELTIC Software 9 South 450 Parkview Dr., Downers Grove, IL 60516-4734 708-985-5190 Inquiry 748. Inquiry 754. Inquiry 760. DISK DRIVES FRAME GRABBER B EST BUY!!! HD Kits for AT: Drive, Controller, Rails & Cables 40MB - MFM - $ 339 65MB - RLL - 459 80MB - MFM - 689 150MB - ESDI - 1099 NEW, ONE YEAR WARRANTY jb TECHNOLOGIES, INC. 5105 Maureen Lane, Moorpark, CA 93021 (805) 529-0908 Fax (805) 529-7712 Inquiry 749. 376 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 your photo can be a puzzle A Gnat Christmas Gift! Send Us: * tour ptotofe). which will be returned * $1495 for 1 photo; addition* photos JZ35 each * Sped* cfisk ste 35» or 5i25* We 8 Send Hw: * Picture Puzzler, a VGA Dame for ail ages, using^our photo(s) & other Images * 256 color PCX We of each photo (320x200 pixel) * Additional PCX images Included VISA /MC/COO+tt/ Check/ Money OnSer MICROSCAN P.O. Box 237, Bountiful, UT 94010 (801) 292-9898 Inquiry 755. FRAME GRABBERS Publishers' VGA 256 Grey sea es $655.00 Publishers' Color 256 colors $830.00 VGA-toVideo Adapter VGA-TV GE/O Genlock overlay $830.00 (Overlay text and graphics on live video and record It on a VCR) Manufactured in the U.S.A. 3 Year Manufacturers Warranty THE KRUEGER COMPANY (800) 245-2235 (602) 620-5330 Inquiry 761. The Buyer's Mart- GRAPHICS HARD DRIVES ASSISTANCE HARDWARE/COMPUTERS YOUR PHOTOS-SUPER VGA Integrated Images can convert your photographs, slides, and VHS or B mm video tapes to 640 by 480 (or 320 by 200), 256 color images. Many file formats available, including PCX. GIF, CUT and others. Prices start at $3.25 per picture. Discounts for quantity orders. Call or write for more information. Integrated Images Incorporated P.O. Box 10021, Lansing, Ml 48901 (517) 485-6636 HAVING HARD DRIVE PROBLEMS? NEED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE? CALL THE EXPERTS AT H&W micro labs 1-800-235-0221 ext 911 HAVE YOUR MC, VISA OR AMEX READY What do you look for In board computers? Small size? Low power? High level language? 7DS9092 has LCD and keyboard interfaces, on-boanj multitasking, interrupts, dual 68rial ports . RAM , EEPROM, I *C b us and 35 I/O lines. Optional preci- sion A-0 and battery-backed RAM. A data logger can run 12 months on a small battery. Forth, the language ol choice for embedded systems m'uteswith assembler. Used world-wide for machine con- trol, data fogging, robotics and automation. Call or fax for full details. 30-day Sale or Return. Only $179 (2Sqty) Saelig Company 1193 Moseley Rd., Victor, NY 14564 Phone (716) 425-3753 Fax (716) 425-3635 Inquiry 762. Inquiry 768. Inquiry 774. HARDWARE HARDWARE/COPROCESSOR EGAD Screen Print Prints contents of VGA, EGA, CGA displays on variety of dot-matrix and laser printers. Prints in gray tones or color. Crop box lets you print any region of the screen. Enlarge graphics 1 to 4 times (reduction too). Setup program for picking printer colors, etc. $35.00 Postpaid. Call or write for free catalog. LINDLEY SYSTEMS 4257 Berwick Place, Wood bridge, VA 22192-5119 (703) 590-8890 FREE INTERFACE CATALOG Interfaces for IBM compatibles. Digital I/O (8255) and Analog input 8 bit resolution (0-255). Control relays, motors, lights, measure temperature, voltage. Sample interconnect circuits, BASIC programs, and I/O map are included. John Bell Engineering, Inc. 400 Oxford Way, Belmont, CA 94002 (415) 592-8411 9am to 4pm Pacific Time nquiry 763. Inquiry 769. DIGITAL SIGNAL PROCESSOR DSP products for the IBM PC/XT/AT. Our TMS320C25 based Model 250, with extensive software, features 250 Khz multi-channel A/D and D/A, up to 192 Kwords RAM, very high throughput to PC RAM and disk, and is priced competitively with traditional Analog IO boards. Call us about your applications. DALANCO SPRY 89 Westland Ave., Rochester, NY 14618 (716)473-3610 Inquiry 775. INVENTORY MANAGEMENT IMAGE CAPTURE BOARD Capture images from any VCR or Camcorder. Resolution up to 512x480 pixels; 65^536 colors or 256 shades of grey. Im- ages saved in GIF, PCX. TIFF formats and more. For XT/AT/ PS2. Includes user friendly software and user's guide. One year warranty. VGA required. Can capture from live video (eliminates need for expensive digital video). Ideal for Desktop publishing, CAD, Animation, and Pictorial Databases. $749 VISA/MC/AMEX/C.O.D. PEGA Micrographics RO. Box 713, Westerville, OH 43081, (614) 885-1007 1-800-477-PEGA LATEST AWARD BIOS User definable hard drives, 101/102 keyboard and 35" 1.44Mb floppy support are now available in Award BIOS ver. 3.1 for the IBM AT, 286 and 386 compatibles. KOMPUTERWERK, INC. 851 Parkview Blvd., Pittsburgh, PA 15215 Orders: 600-423-3400 Tech: (412) 782-0384 STOCK-MASTER 4 JO Commercial grade Inventory management software at micro prices. • Supports alt 12 • Stock Status Reporting transaction types • Activity History Analysis • Trend Analysis • Bill of Materials • Quality Control • Purchase Order Writing • Multiple Locations • Order Entry • Purchase Order Tracking • Material Requirements • Open Order Reporting • On Line Inquiry • Serial/Lot # Tracking Applied Micro Business Systems, Inc. 177-F Riverside Ava. Newport Beach. CA 92663 714-75*0582 Inquiry 764. Inquiry 770. Inquiry 776. HARD DRIVE REPAIR Beat the cost of replacement! S&R E P A I R&S HARD DISC and FLOPPY DRIVES FULL WARRANTY PROTECTION Fast Turnaround • Data Recovery jb TECHNOLOGIES, INC. 5105 Maureen Lane, Moorpark, CA 93021 (805) 529-0908 Fax (805) 529-7712 APPLE* II & MACINTOSH* • Systems • Peripherals • Parts Look lor us at COMDEX LAS VEGAS (the Sand* Convention Center) Booth #N2591 CaU for a CATALOG USA & Canada: 800-274-5343 IrtterrationaJ: 617-891-6851 Fax: 617-891-3556 Save up to 50% on Mac CPUs. Pre-Owned Electronics, Inc. 30 Clematis Avenue • Waltham, MA 02154 dFELLER Inventory Business inventory programs written in mocfifiable dBASE source coda dFELLER Inventory $150.00 Requires dBASE II or III, PC-DOS/CPM dFELLER Plus $200.00 with History and Purchase Orders Requires dBASE III or dBASE III Plus (For Stockrooms) Feller Associates 550 GR PPA, Route 3, Ishpeming, Ml 49849 (906) 486-6024 Inquiry 765. Inquiry 771. Inquiry 777. HARD DISC DRIVES Sales • EXCHANGE • Repair Trade in your defective drive for NEW, vwth FULL WARRANTY) TREMENDOUS SM1NGSI TECHNICAL SUPPORT OF COURSE! Large Inventory Hard and Floppy Drives jb TECHNOLOGIES, INC. 5105 Maureen Lane, Moorpark, CA 93021 (805) 529-0908 Fax (805) 529-7712 ROM BIOS UPGRADES For Your IBM or Compatible • A New BIOS Upgrade Will: • Snjport Window ao •Support 360K. 720K. 1.2 MB & 1.44 MB Floppy Drives • User defined hard drive types • Sopparfc VGA • Na*H & ffct*are camjsitte • Expnta) had drive fade • Ertsrad UWQ2 teyboart • 100% IBM compatible • Complete documentation • litest version • Complete set up in ROM. 800-800-BIOS Fax 508-683-1630 800400-2467 50*6864468 Unlcore Software 599 Canal Street, Lawrence, MA 01840 See our ad on page 287. The $25 Network Try the 1st truly low-cost LAN • Connect 2 or 3 PCs, XTs, ATs • Uses serial ports and 5-wire cable • Runs at 115K baud • Runs in background, totally transparent • Share any device, any file, any time • Needs only 14K of RAM Skeptical? We make believers! Information Modes P.O. Drawer F, Denton, TX 76202 817-387-3339 Orders 800-628-7992 Inquiry 766. Inquiry 772. Inquiry 778. LAPTOP COMPUTERS DATA RECOVERY SALES of new, remanufactured and removable disk drives FULL TECHNICAL SUPPORT ROTATING MEMORY SERVICE 1506 Dell Avenue, Campbell, CA 95008 (408) 370-3113 Inquiry 767. APPLE • LAPTOPS • SOFTWARE Reasonable prices o n Macintosh, IBM, Compaq, H P. Everex, Toshiba, NEC, Sharp, Panasonic, Seiko, Houston Instruments. Roland, Cafcomp. CD-ROMs, Scanners. All products carry manufacturer's warranty. Microsoft Windows ao $89 • Home Lawyer 1j0 $68 Computer Books — Over 2400 Titles Call UCC 213-921-8900 Fax 213-802-0831 13738 Artesia Blvd. 150, Cerritos, CA 90701 C.O.D. Cash Only INTERNATIONAL ORDERS WELCOME nquiry 773. Laptop Savings Laptops: Toshiba • Zenith • NEC • Sharp • Epson • Mitsubishi • Compaq Also Laptop Accessories: Modems, Fax Modems, External Drives, Portable Printers, Memory, Key Pads, Hard Drives, Batteries, and Auto Adapters. Computer Options Unlimited 12 Maiden Lane, Bound Brook, NJ 03805 Phone: 201-469-7678 (Fax: 201-469-7544) Hours: 9am/l0pm 7 days Worldwide sales Inquiry 779. DECEMBER 1990 •BYTE 377 The Buyer's Mart- LAPTOP PERIPHERALS PROGRAMMERS' TOOLS PROGRAMMERS' TOOLS LAPTOP BACKLIGHTS Factory Installed • 90-Day Warranty Toshiba, Amstrad, Sanyo, DG, Kaypro, IBM, HP, etc. $295 The Portable Peripherals People Axonix Corporation (801) 466-9797 TLIB™ 5.0 Version Control "TLB" is a great system" — PC Tech Journal 3/88. Full-featured configuration mgmt for software profes- sionals. Al versions of your code instantly available, very compact, only changes are stored. Check-infout locks, revision merge, branching, more. Mainframe deltas for Pansophlc, ADR, IBM, Unisys. DOS $139 (OS/2 $195). 5-station LAN $419 (OS/2 $595) BURTON SYSTEMS SOFTWARE P.O. Box 4156. Cary, NC 27519 (919) 233-8128 EDITOR WITH SOURCE $49 A full-screen text editor, written in QuickBASIC 4.5, with fully commented source and .EXE files. Make any changes you like, and resell as many editors as you want. Pay no royalties! Includes manual on disk. Prepaid orders shipped free in U.S. TARBELL ELECTRONICS 5881 John Avenue, Long Beach, CA 90805 (213) 423-2792 nquiry 780. Inquiry 786. Inquiry 792. MEMORY BOARDS MEMORY CHIPS PUBLIC DOMAIN TOSHIBA LAPTOP ENHANCEMENTS FAX/MODEMS: 9600/2400 bps, software, acoustic port MODEMS, INTERNAL: 2400 bps. acoustic or serial port MODEM, DEDICATED: 2400 bps (T1200. T1600, T3200SX) SERIAL 10 CARDS: RS232. RS422, SCSI, HPIL, Barcode BATTERY PACKS: 12V external battery + vehicle adapter Contact us for more information: PRODUCT R&D Corporation (Calif). 805/546-9713, Fax: 805/546-9716 The EE-100 EPROM Emulator™ Power ul, versatile, and Compact Prog. Tool Closed loop development capability from source code generation thr ugh in-circuit debugging. STANDARD EQUIPMENT 1 EE-100 Command Unit • 2-24 pin 2716-32 Detachable Header Cable • 2-28 pin 2764-256 Detachable Header Cable • 1-28 pin 27512 Detachable Header Cable • 1-Desk-Top Power Supply 110V AC to 5V DC • 1-User's Guide Manual For more information call: CompuLynk 1-800-969-9889 325 MEGABYTES Vims Free Share Ware Deators/Sysops/Educators..lnstant IBM Shareware Library tor your Customers, user group or Students. Distributed In 25 Megabyte in- crements on HD 1.2/1.4 distettes. $3900 tor first 25 Megabytes, then add $40.00 lor each 25 Megabyte increment. Add Saw) postage for each 25 Megabyte increment. Add $4.00/26 Meg increment for 1.44 diskettes. Orders Only: 1-800-876-8496 Info/Tech: 1-405-524-5233 SHARE-NET POB 12368, OMa City, OK 73157 No Surcharge for Visa/ MasterCard We gladly accept fO/s from Educational, Fed/State Agencies Inquiry 781. Inquiry 787. Inquiry 793. YOUR SALES MESSAGE about the special computer product or service that you provide belongs in print. THE BUYER'S MART can help you reach computer professionals and produce valuable inquiries for your company! Call Brian Higgins for more information 603-924-3754 or Fax: 603-924-2683 Bsupport for Btrieve® The "Norton Util'rtes" for Btrieve users. Bedrt: DISPLAY, UPDATE, COPY, and DELETE. EXPORT SDF to dBASE & LOTUS, RECOVER damaged files. Edit/Insert using Data Dictionary. Bbug: TSR Btrieve debugger. Displays in in pop-up window. Brun: BUTIL replacement with Runtime and C source. Bedit/Bbug: $120. Brun: $150. VISAVMC/COD/PO 800/359-2721 FAX: 517/887-2366 Information Architects, Inc. P.O. Box 41B4, East Lansing, Ml 48826-41B4 FREE SOFTWARE FOR IBM® PC* TRY USI Get our SOLID GOLD HITS-Winter 1991 edition 15/5.25" or 6/35" disks full of our best- selling software— FREE! Great graphics, program- mers utilities, desktop publishing, finance, games, education, and catalog. Pay only $5.00 for shipping - VISA/MC/AMEX SMC SOFTWARE PUBLISHERS CALL TODAY 619-942-9995 Inquiry 782. Inquiry 788. Inquiry 794. S.SX MEMORY UPGRADES IBM PS/2 2MB module— Model 50, 70 $230 2-8MB expan. bds^Model 55, 70 $520 COMPAQ 4MB module-DESKPRO 386720E, 25, S $460 4MB expan. brd^DESKPRO 386/20E, 25, S $540 8MB single slot module— SYSTEMPRO $1600 H P LASER JET 2MB up rades $229 1-800-688-8993 5 YR. WARRANTY GW-BASIC PROGRAMMERS Create professional programs for the IBM PC with all the bells and whistles! Contains Subroutines & Pro- grams. The 46 source code files include: • Bar Menus ■ Screen Manager ■ Draw Forms • Shell Sort • Key Handlers • Find File • ANSISYS • 'Walk" Dir Tree • Font Demo 1-800-345-3808 (VtSA/MC) Toolbox 1— $29.00 MIPS, Inc.* Box 3072* Hammond, LA 70404 SOFTSHOPPE, INC. Selected Programs, Latest Versions, As Low as $1.50, Same Day Shipping, and No Minimum Order. For FREE CATALOG for IBM PD/Shareware, CALL 800-829-BEST (2378) or FAX 313-761-7639. SOFTSHOPPE, INC. P.O. BOX 3678, Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-3678 Inquiry 783. Inquiry 789. Inquiry 795. PRICE MEETING & BEATING! DRAMS 64K x 1-12, 10 64K x ^80 256K x 1-15,12.10.80,70,60 256K x 4-80 1MEG x 1-10,80.70,60 INTELVCYRIX/IIT MATH C0.*S 802878,10 B0387-SX, 16,20.25,33 SIMMS/SIPRS 256K X 9-10, 80. 70.60 1MEG x 8-10.80.70 1MEG x 9-10.80.70,60 4MEG x S-80 4MEG x 9-60 PS/2 TYPE SIMMS Model 30 286 Model 50,55.60.70, 80 CALL DRAM COMPANY (800) 488-dram P.O. Box 590127 • S.F., GA 94159 (415) 398-2987 SPEED FORTRAN DEVELOPMENT AND CUT MAINTENANCE COSTS FORVWIN— Rods common programming errors such as mismatched parameter lists and common blocks, and unin itializedvariaWes. Prints detailed cross-references and call-tree diagrams. $329 FORTRAN DEVELOPMENT IDOLS-indudes Pretty (indents, renurntefs, changes GOFOs to IRWEN-ELSES, etc) and 6 more tools. $129. For IBM PC Also for UNIX-ask for details. Qulbus Enterprises, Inc. 3340 Marble Terrace, Colorado Springs, CO 80906 (719) 527-1384 SDK85(8btt) and SDK86(i6btt) NOW AVAILABLE ONLY FROM URDA, INC. which has an exclusive, world-wide, manufacturing and marketing license from Intet, Inc. The URDA SDK85 and SDKB6 educational trainers and microprocessor development systems are now furnished fully assembled and boxed with manuals. Call URDA, Inc. for newJow prices and delivery schedules. Other 8, 16 and 32 bit systems are available. Phone URDA, Inc. 1-800-338-0517 or 412-683-8732 Inquiry 784. Inquiry 790. Inquiry 796. PROGRAMMERS' TOOLS SECURITY HYPERINTERFACE™ II Menu Creator" — An interactive WYSIWYG ed rtorto generate a menu-dr ven user interface for your software. Screen Creator" — An interactive WYSIWYG editor for quick and easy screen design and a screen database manager for your software. Advanced Library — E - tended capability for data entry for your programs. FOR- TRAN, Pascal, C, BASIC supported Avanpro Corp. P.O. Box 969, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 (213) 454-3866 Inquiry 785. 378 BYTE • MULTITASK Real Time • SERIAL COMMUNICATION by Interrupt MTTASK® Professional was designed for the specific re- quirements of Scientific Laboratories and Robotics Departments. Gratis: demonstration diskette. Available for the present, for Turbo Pascal, Turbo C, Quick Pascal, Turbo Basic. Evaluation software for only $49. Price $495 + Shipping $20. Taxes not included. RAMSI® International 53 rue Bernard Iske, F92350 Plessis Robinson, FRANCE International FAX: 33 (1) 46.32.48.37 Inquiry 791. FIGHT PIRACY! Since 1968. companies worldwide have been choosing Az-Toch security products. If you demand tie strongest protection available, wiry not choose one of these "proven leaders": • EVERLOCK Copy Protection • EVEHTHAK Software Security • EVERKEY Hardware "Key" Software Security For IBM and Compalibles. 30 day money back guarantee. Free into and demo disk available. Az-Tech Software, Inc. 305 East Franklin, Richmond, MO 64085 (800) 227-0644 teSSffgi Inquiry 797. • DECEMBER 1990 The Buyer's Mart- SECURITY SOFTWARE/ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE/ENGINEERING THE ULTIMATE COPY PROTECTION • Completely Menu Driven • Defeats all Hardware/Software Copiers • No Source Code Changes • Multiple Layering • No Damaged Media • Full Hard Disk Support • Unlimited Metering • FREE Demo Disk STOPVIEW" STOPCOPY PLUS" BBI COMPUTER SYSTEMS® (301) 871-1094 14105 Heritage La., Silver Spring, MD 20906 FAX: (301) 460-7545 Quite Simply The Best Ways To Protect Your Valuable Software Investment Inquiry 798. dBASE BUSINESS TOOLS • GENERAL LEDGER • PURCH ORD/INVNTORY • ORDER ENTRY • ACCOUNTS RECVABLE • JOB COSTING • JOB ESTIMATING • BILL OF MATLS • SALES ANALYSIS • PAYROLL • ACCOUNTS PAYABLE- $99 ea. + S&H dATAMAR SYSTEMS Cred. Card-Check-COD 4876-B Santa Monica Ave San Diego, CA 92107 (619) 223-3344 Inquiry 804. SOFTWARE/BUSINESS Affordable Engineering Software FREE APPLICATION GUIDE & CATALOG Circuit Analysis • Root Ijocus • Thermal Analysis • Plot- ter Drivers • Engineering Graphics • Signal Processing • Active/Passive Filter Design • Transfer Function/FFT Analysis • t-ogic Simulation • Microstrip Design • PC/MS- DOS • Macintosh • VISA/MC BV Engineering Professional Software 2023 Chicago Ave., Suite B-13, Riverside, CA 92507 (714) 781-0252 Inquiry 809. COP'S Copylock II • Protects o n standard diskettes • Cannot be copied by any device incl. Option Board • Fully hard disk installable • Normal back-up of protected programs • LAN-support • Creates safe demo version of your software Standard Version $975, Automatic Version $1950 DANCOTEC Computer I n US: 2835 Sierra Rd.. San Jose. CA 9S132 40B-729-8162 r 1-8Q0- 344-2545 Int'l: 2880 Barjsvard, Denmark Phone +45-44440322 Fax: -44440722 DATA ENTRY SOFTWARE Full featured, heads-down data entry with two-pass verification, edit language, operator stats, much more! Designed for the PS/2® , PC, XT, AT or compatibles. PC's from $395 LAN version available FREE 30 day trial Computer Keyes Tel: 206/776/6443 21929 Makah Rd., Fax: 206/776-7210 Woodway, WA 98020 USA: 800/356-0203 Mass2-MASS & VOLUME CALCULATOR with MATERIALS DATABASE Easily calculate the volume & weight of hundreds of shapes. Never need to look up material densities again! Differential and proportional comparisons made automatically. Menu driven with on-line context sen- sitive help. Flexible input system accepts Decimal, Frac- tional, and Exponential notation. For IBM PCs and Compatibles with 384K free. DEMPSEY'S FORGE, Software Division Rt 2 Box 407, Gladys, VA 24554 Inquiry 799. Inquiry 810. BIT-LOCK® SECURITY Piracy SURVIVAL 5 YEARS proves effectiveness of powerful multilayered security. Rapid decryption algorithms. Reliable/small port-transparent security device. PARALLEL or SERIAL port. Complemented by economical KEY-LOK'" and multifeatured COMPU- LOCK™ including countdown, timeout, data encryption, and multiproduct protection. (Dos/Unix/Mac) MICROCOMPUTER APPLICATIONS 3167 E. Otero Circle, Littleton, CO 80122 (303) 770-1917 LOCATE HARD-TO-FIND BUSINESS AND STATISTICAL SOFTWARE Econometrics • Biometrics • Cluster Analysis » Multivariate Analysis • Marketing Statistics • Experimental Statistics • ANOVA • Regres- sion » Linear Programming • Project Planner • Forecasting & Time- Series • Sales & Market Forecasting • Quality Control and Industrial Experiments • Parameter and Tolerance Design • And Many Morel SEND FOR FREE PRODUCT GUIDE! Lionheart Press, Inc. P.O. Box 379, Alburg, VT 05440 (514) 933-4918 FAX: (514) 939-3087 Inquiry 800. Analog Circuit Simulation • Macintosh and PC CAE Intusoft has a complete PC- • Schematic Entry £?sed system including every- 7 thing from schematic entry • SPICE Simulator through SPICE simulation using • Model Libraries extended memory to com- prehensive interactive posl pro- • Monte Carlo Analysis cessing. Starting at $95 for • Plotting/Graphics Output isSpce, the complete system sells for just $790. Intusoft The leader in low cost, full RO. Box 6607, San Pedro, CA 90734 featured CAE software (213) 833-0710 FAX (213)B33-965B Inquiry 805. Inquiry 811. HANDS OFF THE PROGRAM® OPERATING SYSTEM SECURITY Secures subdirectories, files, printers and floppies Keyboard lock — automatic or manual Log PC boot, program exec, file opens, login/logouts Prevents DOS FORMAT and most viruses Drive A: Boot Protection / Hard Disk Lock IBM PC or 100% comp. — DOS V3.0+ — $89.95 + $3.75 S/H SYSTEMS CONSULTING INC. PO BOX 111209, Pittsburgh, PA 15238 (412) 781-5280 Inquiry 801. Staff A/finder™ Staff Administration Software — A must for all managers! Named (or its inherent ability to "keep an eye on your staff," StaflMinder™ handles the following: • Attendance tracking and analysis • Salary, review, and bonus tracking • vacation planning and scheduling • Compliance reporting • Skills inventoiy • Employee information StaffMinder'" provides numerous informative reports. Free serial mouse Included with each order. Simple point and click Interface allows for easy Implementation. Source code available. List price $395. Ask for details on current special prlclngl NEXT GENERATION SOFTWARE Suite 1445, 3340 Peachtree Road, Atlanta, GA 30326 CALL (800) 966-0707 MICROSTRESS CORP. New M1CROSAFE2D/3D Rel. 3. Finite Element Analysis program for IBM PCs, MAC II Fam., and compatibles. Number of nodes, elements and conditions limited by disk space and model bandwidth (11000 d.o.f.) Color graphics support on various display cards (EGA, VGA, VEGA and Hercules) $250. SAFECAD (bi-directional AUTOCAD interface) $95. GRAFPLUS $55. Plus S/H. Accept V ISA/MasterCard. Send for brochure. P.O. Box 3194, Bellevue, WA 98009 Tel./Fax (206) 643-9941 Inquiry 806. Inquiry 812. SERVICES SOFTWARE/BUSINESS SALES 900-258-SAVE Call REFUNDED If not fully satisfied Find out who sells the product you're looking for at the best price BEFORE your next mail order. WIDE price variations exist for even low-cost products. Our system allows you to easily find software and hardware and hear vendors sorted by price. ($1.50/min.) The Consumer Connection™, Inc. PO Box 399, Princeton, MA 01517 508-464-5041 AWARE SALES LEAD SYSTEM More sales less time • Customer information • Follow-up lists • Contact history • Reports • Create customer lists • Mail labels • Write/edit/merge letters FREE call forms/letters PNI 800-286-6826 V/MC $180 + $2.50 S/H Inquiry 802. Inquiry 807. SIMULATION WITH GPSS/PC" GPSS/PC W is an MS-DOS compatible version of the popular mainframe simulation language GPSS. Graphics, animation and an extremely interactive en- vironment allow a totally new view of your models. If you are contemplating the creation or modification of a complex system you need GPSS/PC to help you predict its behavior. Call now. MINUTEMAN Software P.O. Box 171/Y, Stow, Massachusetts, U.S.A. (508) 897-5662 ext. 540 (800) 223-1430 ext. 540 Inquiry 813. SOFTWARE/ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE/ENGINEERING PC TIME CLOCK AutoTime is an Employee Management System that allows you to turn any PC into an Electronic Time Clock. AutoTime provides Time & Attendance, Job Costing, Payroll Interface, and Labor Distribution reporting. Network compatible. Prices start at $495. Other Business Products: Network FAX, Absence Call-in, db-EDI. Chase Technologies 1617 Kingman Ave., San Jose, CA 95128 (408) 998-2917 Inquiry 803. ENGINEERING TOOLBOX Scientific/Engineering Graphing & Calculation Utility. Much better than many $500+ programs. ONLY $1991 Color Graphs— Linear.log & semi-log to virtually every plotter, printer and monitor. Curve-fitting— Generate your own equations for catalog and other data— 9 equation types. Statistics & Histograms— Reports and Plols. Matrix Math— From simultaneous equations to aigensoluttons, complex calcs made easy. Other Gnat Utilit ies— Interpolation, pop-up stack calculator, filters, soiling, 3-D rotation, transforms & many other very sharp features, imports— Lotus, DIF &ASCIIdata files. Support— Competent, Friendly & Free. B D I Z Engineering Software Solutions 606, 734-7 Av. SW. Calgary, AB, T2P' 3P8 Ph 403-261-3931 Fax 403-269-4196 Inquiry 808. Circuit Analysis — SPICE Non-linear DC & Transient; Linear AC. • Version 3B1 with BSIM, GaAs, JFET, MOSFET, BJT, diode, etc. models, screen graphics, improved speed and convergence. * PC Version 2G6 available at $95. Call, write, or check inquiry # for more info. Northern Valley Software 28327 Rothrock Dr., Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90274 (213) 541-3677 Inquiry 814. DECEMBER 1990 BYTE 379 The Buyer's Mart- SOFTWARE/ENGINEERING SOFTWARE/GRAPHICS SOFTWARE/GRAPHICS ACTIVE™ Versatile! • Fast! • Easy! • Thorough! Menu driven Active filter design in 3 easy steps: 1) Specify characteristics, 2) Select real com- ponents, 3) Analyze performance. Butterworth, Chebyshev, Bessel Realpole, etc. Full set of reports, graphs and tables. • IBM-PC • $745 • Call for FREE demo Tatum Labs Inc. 3917 Research Park Dr. B-1, Ann Arbor, Ml 48108 313-663-8810 QuickGeometry Library All the C geometry and DXF routines you expect. . .and more! (617) 628-5217 Building Block Software PO Box 1373, Somervllle, MA 02144 GRAPHIC TOOLS LIBRARY XGLIB: very fast. User coordinates. User defined Window & viewports. Circles, ellipses, ovals, sectors, polygons & splines. Thick lines & arcs, Fill & hatch patterns. POLYARC engine. Plots and charts. Text scale, align. Screen print and TSR utility. All drawing and mouse functions work in Super VGA modes. Draw in bitmaps. Modes up to 1024x768x16-256. $195. Most "C", Pascal, Fortran, MS Basic 4.0-7.1. NOVA INC. 2S00 W. Hlggins Road, #1144 CALL 708-882-4173 Hoffman Estates, IL 60195 RHX 708-882-4175 See our ad on page 287. Inquiry 815. Inquiry 819. Inquiry 825. SOFTWARE/GEOLOGICAL SOFTWARE/LANGUAGES TUTSIM™, USA's #1 Program for Linear and Non- Linear Continuous System Simulation now has PERSONAL Prices for PERSONAL Use: $129.50! Full Featured 999 block program, full text and examples. An analog computer in your "IBM compatible." Until March 1991: $97.50 + $5 S&H + (in CA) State Tax. (Same program as our $595 professional version) TUTSIM ProdUCtS, 200 California Ave., #212, Palo Alto, CA 94306; (415) 325-4800 Personal TUTSIM is not licensed for corporate use, government agencies, or classroom instruction. No PO's, COD's-No fooling! FRACTAL GRAFICS is a radical new drawing program for your PC. Create breathtaking images and scientific models interactive- ly with your mouse. Add dramatic effects to any PCX image. On-line tutorial, extensive Guidebook, and 200-f hands-on examples help you use and understand frac- tals and Chaos. Only $79, FREE Brochure! Cedar Software R1 Box 5140, Morrisville, VT 05661 (602) 666-5275 DRUMA FORTH-83 Break the 64K barrier without speed/space penalty. Powerful, attractively priced. '83 Standard. • 1Mb+ automated memory management • Full OS interface, extensive utilities • On-line documentation, ASCII/block files • Other products: windows, modules, profiler • IBM PC/XT/AT including 386 compatibles FREE leam/utillty disks with purchase DRUMA INC. 6448 Hwy. 290 East E103, Austin, TX 78723 Orders: 512-323-5411 Fax: 512-323-0403 Inquiry 816. Inquiry 820. Inquiry 826. GEOLOGICAL CATALOG Geological software for log plotting, g ridding/con- touring, hydrology, digitizing, 3-D solid modelling, synthetic seismogram, fracture analysis, image pro- cessing, scout ticket manager, over 50 programs in catalog. Macintosh tool Please call, or write, for Free Catalog I RockWare, Inc. 4251 Kipling St., Suite 595, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033 USA (303) 423-5645 Fax (303) 423-6171 The Ultimate CAD/CAM Engine TurboGeomet ry Library 3.0. The most complete tool box of 2D & 3D routines available todayl Over 300 routines. Sur- facing, Solids, Hidden line, Volumes, Areas, Transforms, Perspectives, Decomp, Clipping, Tangents & more. 30 day guar,, $199.95 w/source S&H Incl. Foreign $225.00, MS/PC DOS 2.0+ . Turbo Pascal, Turbo C, MSC, MIX C, Zortec C++. VISA/MC, PO, Chk, USA funds only. Disk Software, Inc. 2116 E. Arapaho Rd., #487, Richardson, TX 75081 (214) 423-7288, (600) 635-7760, FAX (214) 423-7288 FINAL LIQUIDATION!! IBM * Compilers, SAVE UP to 80%! Title Retail Sale COBOL V2.0 {3%" &5V4") Prof. FORTRAN V1.3 (3«/i" & 5y«") C Compiler (Vh n or 5V* ") BASIC Compiler V2.0 (3'^") Macro Assembler V2.0 {3V% W or 5V4") VISA, MC, Check accepted, S and H fee $10 per order THE COMPUTER PLACE, INC. 12105 Darnestown Rd. #9A Tel: (301) 330-6016 Gaithersburg, MD 20878 Fax: (301) 926-3415 $900 $100 $795 $ 90 $395 $ 50 $495 $ 50 $195 $ 40 Inquiry 821. Inquiry 827. SOFTWARE/GRAPHICS SOFTWARE/MARKETING FORTRAN TECHNICAL GRAPHICS TEKMAR is a graphics library for the VGA, EGA or Tec- mar Graphics Master. Similar to PLCfT-10, includes WIN- DOW, VIEWPORT, AXIS. Support for HP, HI plotters. Curve fitting, completeplotting program. Log, semi-log, multi-axis, 3-D, contours. Jerry Pournelle(Aug 86 Byte): "As good as any I have ever seen..." Demo disks, literature available. Advanced Systems Consultants 21115 Devonshire St. #329, Chatsworth, CA 91311 (818) 407-1059 RAINDROP™ FAST, compact PrtScrn Utility for end users AND developers. Hardcopy as fast as 10 sees. Average binary size - 6 kbyte. 14 video graphic standards. Scale, rotate, colorize and more. 'CALL* from user-written programs. Complete 9- & 24-pin dot-matrix, inkjet, and laserjet library $44.95+$3 s/h. ECLECTIC SYSTEMS 6106 St. David Ct., Springfield, VA 22153 (703) 440-0064 The "Software Success Reference Book (1987-1988)" i s a MUST READ if you want to market your software products successfully. Written by David H. Bo wen, publisher of Soft- ware Success"? the monthly newsletter on successfully run- ning a software business, the Reference Book is a 268-page guide, organized by topic. Covers Lead Generation, Promo- tion, Pricing, Distribution, Support, etc. Only $25. Check or Credit Card (Visa/MC/AEX). 100% Money Back Guarantee Software Success PO Box 9006, San Jose, CA 95157 (408) 446-2504 FAX (408) 255-1098 Inquiry 817. Inquiry 822. Inquiry 828. SOFTWARE/MATHEMATICS S E G S 2.1 Scientific Engineering Graphics System • Logarithmic, Time/Date & Linear Axes. • Easy Curve Fitting and Data Smoothing. • 1-2-3 Interface & Numeric Spreadsheet. • Supports all Video & Device Standards. • 10 Curves with up to 16,000 points each. Advanced Micro Solutions 3817 Windover Dr. 405-340-0697 Edmond, OK 73013 800-284-3381 PEN PLOTTER EMULATOR FPLOT turns your dot matrix or laser printer into an HP pen plotter. Fast hi-res output. No jagged lines. Vary line width, color. Works with Autocad, Drafix, etc. Supports NEC P5/P6, IBM Proprinter, Epson LQ/FX, Toshiba, HP Laserjet, Okidata 29x/39x, Hercules/CGA/EGA/VGA. $64 check/m.o./ VISA/MC Fplot Corporation 24-16 Steinway St., Suite 605, Astoria, NY 11103 718-545-3505 Inquiry 823. Fast WYSIWYG Editor Leo — the best math editor available. See equations as you type. Menu and control key operation. Reads and writes TeX files. Leo for PCs — $199 ABK Software 4495 Ottawa PL, Boulder CO 80303 (303) 494-4872 Inquiry 829. James Gleick's CHAOS: The Software™ Explore Chaos in nature for yourself, in a hands-on, visual way. Autodesk worked with James Gleick to transform some of the most famous equations from the new science of Chaos into a series of six interactive programs that let you create stunning visual patterns in high resolution color and sound. $59.95 For IBM PC/XT/AT, PS/2 or compatibles with 640KB RAM, MS-DOS/PC-DOS, EGAA/GA Autodesk, Inc. 2320 Marinship Way, Sausalito, CA 94965 (800) 223-2521 nquiry 818. 380 BYTE DECEMBER 1990 GRAPHICS PRINTER SUPPORT AT LASTI Use the PrtSc key to make quality scaled B&W or color reproductions of your display on any dot matrix, inkjet, or laser printer (incl. Postscript) in up to 64 shades of gray or 256 colors. 6RAFPLUS supports all versions of DOS with IBM (incl. EGA, VGA, Super VGA), Her- cules, or compatible graphics boards. Linkable/OEM versions available. $59.95 Jewell Technologies, Inc. 4740 - 44th Ave. SW, Seattle, WA 98116 1 (800) 284-2574 (206) 937-1081 Inquiry 824. MATH EDITING for the pc *? = i£o k an d + ( I \F0 Va±0x • MathEdit constructs math equations to be inserted into WordPerfect, Word, WordStar, and others. » WYSIWYG interface— no codes need to be learned. • MathEdit— $199 COMMUNICATIONS Inquiry 830. Columbus, Ohio 43201 (614) 294-3535 The Buyer's Mart- SOFTWARE/MATHEMATICS ORDINARY/PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL EQN SOLVER FOR THE tBM PC & COMPATIBLES MICROCOMPATIBLES, INC. 301 Prelude Dr., Silver Spring, MD 20901 (301) 593-0683 Inquiry 831. SOFTWARE/SORT OPT-TECH SORT/MERGE Extremely fast Sort/Merge/Select utility. Run as an MS- DOS command or CALL as a subroutine Supports most languages and file types including Btrieve and dBASE. Unlimited file sizes, multiple keys and much more! MS- DOS $149. OS/2, XENIX, UNIX $249. (702) 588-3737 Opt-Tech Data Processing P.O. Box 678 — Zephyr Cove, NV 89448 Inquiry 837. UNINTERRUPTIBLE POWER HOW TO PROTECT YOUR COMPUTER And Make It Last Longer FREE money-saving literature tells you how to protect your com- puter and make jt last longer with an uninterruptible power supply. 500VA through 18KVA models from the world's largest manufac- turer of single-phase UPS. Best Power Technology, Inc. P.O. Box 280, Necedah, Wi 54646 Toil-Free (800) 356-5794, Ext. 1799 Tolophono: (608) 565-7200. Ext. 1799 Inquiry 842. SOFTWARE/UTILITIES DERIVE® A Mathematical Assistant Makes math more inspiration and less perspiration! Combines the power of computer algebra with 2D & 3D plotting and a friendly menu-driven user interface. Does equation solving, calculus, trigonometry, vector & matrix algebra, and more. Derive requires a PC compatible computer & 512K memory. Soft Warehouse, Inc. 3615 Harding Ave.. Suite 505, Honolulu, HI 96816 (808) 734-5801 Duplicate Disks Fast! DiskDupe duplicates, formats and compares disks amazingly fast— up to 200 disks an hour! Its unique RELAY feature lets you quickly duplicate lots of master disks effortlessly. And you can protect your masters by storing disk images on your hard disk. Also supports high-density formats— plus a whole lot more! S79+S/H, Money Back Guarantee. Micro System Designs, Inc. 4962 El Camino, Suite 204, Los Altos, CA 94022 (415) 964-2844 Fax: (415) 964-4529 DATASAVER AC POWER BACKUP Pro ides reliable, affordable power protection for LAN Systems, Fileservers, CAD/CAM Systems, and all Desktop Microcomputers. Low profile, con ection cooled and auto shutdown capabilities are some of the many user benefits. Highest quality. Made in the U. S. A. (Dealer, VAR, OEM inquiries welcome) For Free Information Call or Write: CUESTA SYSTEM CORPORATION 3440 Robeito Court, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 (800) 332-3440 (805) 541-4160 Inquiry 832. Inquiry 838. Inquiry 843. SOFTWARE/MEDICAL SOFTWARE/VOICE UTILITIES Medical Systems with ECS PPM offers a complete line of medical software ranging from simple Insurance claims processing to comprehensive A/R management. PC CLAIM PLUS-clalms processing with ECS to over 100 major Insurance carriefs-30-day money-back guarantee THRESHOLD-complete A/R. patient billing, comprehensive prac- tice management statistics CLAIM NET-Natlonwlde electronic claims clearinghouse transmits claims to over 100 insurance carrieis Software prices start at $459.00. Dealer inquiries welcome. Physicians Practice Management 350 E. New York, Indianapolis, IN 46204 800-428-3515 317-634-8080 MULTI-VOICE® TOOLS Multi-Voice Tools is a complete development Toolkit for Pascal or "C" to access all the features of the WATSON or DIALOGIC Speech Boards. It is also a high level library of procedures to build MULTI-LINE VOICE RESPONSE systems in minutes. A powerful TELEPHONE ANSWERING program is given as an example with source code. DIALOGIC, RHETOREX, VBX $599, WATSON $99. VIsa/MC. N w available: Fax Tool Kit. ITI Loglclel 1705 St. Joseph E, Suite 4, Montreal, PQ, Can, H2J 1N1 (514) 861-5988 We can also write your Voice Response application programs. EZ-"DISK" COPY PLUS™ UP ID 30Q/HR/Machln« of FLAWLESS DISKETTESI on the PCs you already own! THIS IS SOFTWARE ONLY! Bypasses DOS for the utmost speed. Great for publishers, doefoperc, MIS directors, eta 2X+ faster than DOS. Read diskette once. then, quickly I accurately mass duplicate 5.25' & 15' disks on your own PC/XT/AT/et. Formats, copies, verifies, optionally SERIAUZES & PRINTS LABELS, in 1 smooth operation. Save images to HO, more. . . Replaces dedicated hardware worth $1000s Only $139 +S&H (for 1 machine); or only $495 (NCP for up to 10 machines.) © EZX, 917 Oafcgrove Dr. #101-81190, Houston, TX 77058 INFO: 713/280-9900; FAX; 713/280-0525; BBS: 713/280 8180 TestDrives. Orders (V/M/A/0), Catalogs: 1 • BOO • 800 • 2468 B1290 Inquiry 833. Inquiry 844. SOFTWARE/SCANNERS STATISTICS Optical Character Recognition PC-OCR" software will conveit typed or printed pages into editable te t files for your word processor Worhe with HP ScanJet, Canon, Panasonic & most other scanners. Supplied with over 20 popular fonts. User trainable: you can teach PC-OCR m to read virtually any typestyle, incl. foreign fonts. Proportional text, matrix printer output, Xerox copies OK. From $99. Check/VISA/MC/AmExp/COD Essex Software Publishing, Inc. P.O. Box 391, Cedar Grove, NJ 07009 (201) 783-6940 Cover all the bases of design . . . with Methodologist's ToolchestT a comprehensi e package of five programs to aid in research design and analysis. Specifically, these programs offer assistance in sampling, data collection procedures, statistical analyses, experimen- tal design, and measurement and scaling. $49935+s/h. VISA, MC, AMEX, PO, Checks accepted. The Idea Works, Inc. 100 West Briarwood, Columbia, MO 65203 1-800-537-4866 FAX 314-445-4589 Outside USA 314-445-4554 COPY AT TO PC— BRIDGE-IT 3.5 "CPYAT2PC" RELIABLY writes 360KB floppies on 1.2 MB drives, saving a slot for a second hard disk or tape back-up. Only $79.00 + S/H "BRIDGE-IT 35" is a DEVICE DRIVER supporting 3 1 A" 720KB/1.44MB drives for PC/XT/AT without upgrading DOS/BIOS. Only $39.00 + S/H BRIDGE-IT 35 BUNDLED WITH INTERNAL 144MB DRIVE AT $129.00 + S/H visa/mc/cod ups em MICROBRIDGE COMPUTERS 655 Sky Way Suite 220, San Carlos, CA 94070 1-415-593-8777(CA) 1-415-593-7675 (FAX) 1-416-855-1993 (CANADA) 1-800-523-8777 0908-260-188 (UK) 4711 4020 (FRG) Inquiry 834. Inquiry 839. Inquiry 845. SOFTWARE/SCIENTIFIC NEW From DSI! NLF: NonLinear Forecasting For Chaotic Dynamical Systems. IBM PCs & Compatibles - $200 Dynamical Systems, Inc. P.O. Box 35241, Tucson, AZ 85740 602-292-1962 Inquiry 835. NCSS 5.x Series — $125 Easy-to-use menus & spread sheet. Multiple regression. T-tests. AN OVA (up to 10 factors, rep. measures, covariance). Forecasting. Factor, cluster, & discriminant analysis. Nonparametrics. Cross Tabulation. Graphics: histograms, box, scatter, etc. Reads ASCII/Lotus. Many new add-on modules. NCSS 329 North 1000 East, Kaysville, U T 84037 Phone: 801-546-0445 Fax: 801-546-3907 Inquiry 840. UNINTERRUPTIBLE POWER Recover deleted files fast! Disk Explorer now inclQdes automatic file recovery. You type in the deleted file's name, DisR Explorer finds and restores it. Disk Explorer also shows what's really on disk; view, change or create formats, change a file's status, change data in any sector, MS-DOS $75 U.S. Check/ Credit card welcome. QUAID SOFTWARE LIMITED 45 Charles St. E. 3rd Ft. Toronto, Ontario, Canada M4Y 1S2 (416) 961-8243 FREE CATALOG 800-942-MATH MicroMath Scientific Software Salt Lake City, UT 84121-0550 Inquiry 836. PROTECT YOUR COMPUTER! BATTERY BACK UPS MICRO UPS provides standby emergency power a d voltage irregularity protection! When irregularities occur, UPS kicks in immediately with the necessary power insuring continuous operation. 200 Watt #29033 »1 49.00 400 Watt #29034 M99.00 FREE CATALOG &5.00S/H With y ur order. Call 1-800-7763700 or send order to: AMERICAN DESIGN COMPONENTS Dept. 211-120 815 Fair iew Ave., P.O. Box 220, Fairview, NJ 07022 Inquiry 841. COPYWRITE CopyWrite Removes Copy Protection No more diskettes, . |0 ^_ c manuals or Uo $fO codewheels. 1000's of products copied. QUAID SOFTWARE LIMITED 45 Charles St. E. 3rd Fl, Dept B. Toronto, Ontario, Canada M4Y 1S2 (416) 961-8243 Fax (416) 961-6448 DECEMBER 1990 -BYTE 381 The Buyer's Mart- UTILITIES WINDOWS TOOLS WORD PROCESSING REMOVE HARDWARE LOCKS Softwa le utility allows for the removal of hard ware locks. Don't wait for your lock or key device to fall or be stolen. Guaranteed to workl The following packages are available: PCAD $199.00 CADKEY $ 99.00 MICROSrATION $99.00 PERSONAL DESIGNER $199.00 MasterCAM $25000 SmartCAM $250.00 TANGO PCB $ 99.00 CADVANCE $99.00 PLUS SHIPPING AND HANDLING PHONE (204) 669-4639 FAX (204) 666-3566 VISA and MASTERCARD Welcome SafeSoft Systems Inc. 191 Kirlystone Way, Winnipeg, MB, Canada, R2G 3B6 Hermes DDE Library The Hermes DDE Library Is a powerful library of high level routines for MS-Windows'" programmers. Hermes provides support for DDE at a much higher level than that provided in the Windows SDK. Vtour program attains added functionali- ty by interacting and communicating with other Windows ap- plications. Compared to the Windows SDK, Hermes reduces the code required to implement DDE by hundreds of lines of 'C\ Hermes is priced at $295. Raindrop Software Corporation 845 E. Arapaho, Suite 105, Richardson, Texas 75081 (214) 234-2611 Fax (214) 234-2674 DuangJan Bilingual word processor for English and: Armenian, Bengali, Burmese, Euro/Latin/Atncan, Greek, Gujarati Hindi, Khmer, Lao, Punjabi, Russian, Sinhalese, Tamil, Telugu, Thai, Ukranian, Viet, . . . Only $109+S5 s/h (foreign + $12 s/h). Font editor included. For any IBM compatibles with dot-matrix & LaserJet printer. Demo $9+$l s/h. Visa/MC MegaChomp Company 3438 Cottman Ave., Philadelphia. PA 19149-1606 (215) 331-2748 FAX: (215) 331-4188 Inquiry 846. Inquiry 848. Inquiry 850. WORD PROCESSING Why You Want BATCOM! BATCOM is a batch file compiler that transforms your .bat files to .exe files to make them faster. BATCOM extends DOS with many new commands so you can read keyboard input, use subroutines, and much more. In addition, BATCOM protects your source code. No royalties! Only $59.95. Order todayl Wenham Software Company 5 Burley St., Wenham, MA 01984 (508) 774-7036 FARSI / GREEK / ARABIC / RUSSIAN Hebrew, all European, Scandinavian, plus either Hindi, Pun- jabi, Bengali, Gujarati, Tamil, Thai, Korean, Viet, orlPA. Full- featured multi-language word processor supports on-screen foreign characters and NLQ printing with no hardware modifications. Includes Font Editor. $355 dot matrix; $150 add'l for laser; $19 demo. S/H in U.S. Incl'd. Req. PC, 640K, graphics. 30-day Guarantee. MC/VISA/AMEX GAMMA PRODUCTIONS, INC. 710 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 609, Santa Monica, CA 90401 213/394-8622 Tlx: 5106008273 Gamma Pro SNM MULTI-WRITER™ MULTI-LINGUAL Word processor, 30+ languages! English, Eastern & Western European, Russian, Hebrew, Arabic, etc. No hardware modifications necessary! Font editor allows design & print out of custom-made characters. Customize Keyboard layouts. Edits from right to left. Mail merge. Sup- ports 9 & 24 pin printers $ Laser Jet II. Req: IBM/PC/ XT/AT/256K. Only $200+$12 s/h. Demo $10 $4 s/h. Visa/MC/Eurochecques Summit Software Ltd. PO Box 2265, Jerusalem, Israel 91022 Tel: 972-2-241003 Fax: 972-2-259239 Inquiry 847. Inquiry 849. Inquiry 851. UNIVERSAL WiVtzHSAL CALL 800-678-8648 MEMORY PRODUCTS FAX 71 4-751 -2023 1378 LOGAN AVE SUITE E COSTA MESA CA 92626 IBM PS/2 VLSIMMSIPP. MEMOBY JL MODULES ' NO SURCHARGE ON VISA/MC [ PO'S FROM QUALIFIED FIRMS UNIVERSITIES AND GOVT AGENCIES WE SHIP COD M-F7AM-5PM SAT8AM-2PM 20% RESTOCK FEE ON NON-DEFECTIVE 6450604. „$t39 2MG MODULES FOR 55SX, 50Z, 70E61/121 645060& ...$159 2MG MODULE FOR 70A21 6450379. $247 2MG FOR 80-1 11/311 645037S ......$135 1MG MODULE FOR 80-041 -?*/2WX5r..,.......$419 4MG MODULES 30F536O. $149 2MG KIT FOR 30-286 645060S $460 2-8MG BOARD W/2MG MODEL 70 &80 645106a $550 4MG FOR 80-A21/A31 34F3011. $920 4-16MB BOARD W/4MB MODELS 70&80 4X9-80NS $355 1X9-70NS $59 1X9-80NS $53 1X9-100NS..... $52 1X9-120NS $51 256X9-60NS $29 256X9-70NS $24 256X9-80NS $19 256X9-100NS $17 256X9-120NS $15 MAC/AMIGA SIMMS 1X8-80NS.. $62 -1X8-100NS $55, HP LASERJET COMPAQ MEMORY 25/25E 286E 386S IMG MOD $11B 4MG MOD $330 IMG BRD $100 l4MG BRD..., $405^ SERIES II & IID 1MG $99 2MG $165 4MG $295 SERIES IIP & 3 1MG... $100 2MG $169 AST PREMIUM 1MG MODULES ONLY $69 DRAM CH/PS 1MGX1-80NS $5.50 1MGX1-100NS $5.25 1 MGXy20NS^^$5. 1 256X4-80NS $5.75 256 X4-1Q0NS $5.50 wmm 256X1-70NS $2.95 256X1-80NS $1.99 256X1-100NS ....$1,85 256X1-120NS $1.95 256 X1-150NS $ 1 .50 64X4-1 20NS .....$2.25 64X4-100NS $2.50 64X4-80NS ..$2.95 MATH COS 2C87-8 $169 2C87-10.. $199 2C87-12 $255 2C87-20. $289 CYRIX 83D87-16 $289 83D87-20 $329 83D87-25 $429 83D87-33 $519 NEWCYRIX FOR 386SX 83S87-16.....$270 83S87-20 $350 EXPANSION- BOARDS FOR ALL PC'S BOCA RESEARCH TOSHIBA LAPTOP BOCARAMAT..$119 TO 2MG EXP FOR AT.S BOCARAMXT..$119 UPT0 2MGEXPFORXTS BOCARAM.AT/IO+ 2-4MGW/SER&PAR$157 BOCARAM50Z. $159 L 2MGFOR ORCHID PMG FORT1000SE/XE.$28^ 2MG FORT1000SE/XE.$369 2MG FORT1200XE $183 2MG FORT1600 $193 2MG FORT3100SX $183 4MG FORT3100SX $543 2MG FORT3100E $183 2MB FORT3200SX $183 4MB FORT3200SX $583 3MB FOR T3200 $274 2MBFORT5100 $193 2MBFORT8500 $1 64XM50NS $1.05 64X1-120NS $1.50 64X1-100NS $200 STATIC COLUMN 256X1-100NS $2.50 256X1-80NS $3.00 256X1 -70NS $3.95 8087-2 $115 80287-8 $179 80287-10 $179 80287XL $220 80387-16 $305 80387-20 $350 80387-25 $450 ^ 80387-33 $549 80387-SX $299 RAMQUEST 16/32 2-8MG LIM 4,0 FOR PS2 VWSER & PAR PORT ONLY $200 W/2MG $410 RAMPAGE PLUS 286 UP TO 8MG UM 4.0 FOR ATS ONLY $280 W/2MG $300 1 576K MEMORY BOARD PC/XT'S ONLY $49 INTERNATIONAL ORDERS ACCEPTED 5 YEAR WARRANTY ON ALL PRODUCTS CALL THE PC UPGRADE SPECIALISTS 382 BYTE • DECEMBER 1990 Circle 334 on Reader Service Card Circle 58 on Reader Service Card Circle 233 on Reader Service Card AutoCAD^ Users YOU NEED THIS UTILITY!!! FastBreak™ FastBreak™ - Cookie-cut, hatch, 'break' and/or 'trim' thousands of AutoCAD® entities: 3DFACES, 3D POLYLINES, 3DLINES, SOLIDS, TRACES, ARCS, CIRCLES, LINES, POLYLINES, exploded SURFACES, MESHES, and 3D-CON ST RUCTION., and ALL within seconds in a single 'window' or 'crossing' point and pick. YES! YES! YES! - 3DFACES, SOLIDS, TRACES, surfaces, splines, 3D-meshes, and any 2D or 3D-construction can be broken andlor trimmed using FastBreak™!!! AutoCAD® will not break or trim 3DFACES and other 3D-construc- tion. FastBreak™ can do the job - quickly, ac- curately, and reliably in any UCS. The drawing shown is SITE-3D.DWG with four enlarged insert clips added. All four in- sertsweremadeona386- PC using FastBreak in less than two minutes!!! ClipView™ - is integrated into FastBreak and performs Automatic clipping or trimming of the above entities to create inserts. Options include: Box or Bubble boundaries, Inside or Outside (makes a hole) trim, and borders. FastBreak™ and ClipView™ are Integrated into DOS executeable code, run interactively in AutoCAD shells from 256K, use fa.st block binary database, virtual memorypaging, user friendly AutoLISP® interface, and perform FAST, FAST, FAST in any AutoCAD Rel. 9 through Rel 10-386. FastBreak™ and Clip View™ are licensed in a single user package. Contact your dealer or buy direct (credit or money order, for UPS Next Day add S6. shpg. fee) from: BZ Technical P.O.Box 10, Bothell,WA 98041 Phone: 206/258-1568 or FAX: 206/487-1357 Retail price: $399. 95 Demo: $25.°° NOT Copy protected, NOT AutoLISP® encrypted, FULL documentation, technical support, 3.5 " and 5.25 " media. "Quality software development located near the home of MICROSOFT® in Bothell's High Technology Corridor." AuloCAOand AutoLISP are registered trademarks of Autodesk, Inc. FastBfeak and ClipView are trademarks of 82 Technical. Only your imagination limits how you benefit from PERCON® keyless data collection. Checking out books or checking in employees — input data quickly and accurately using bar codes or magnetic stripes. PERCON has proven bar code solutions for IBM®, DEC™, and Apple Macintosh®. Call 1-800-8-PERCON. PERCON 1710 Willow Creek Circle, Eugene, OR 97402-9153 (503)344-1189 FAX(503)344-1399 ©1989 Percon. Inc. PERCON. IBM. DEC and Apple Macintosh are trademarks. VOICE MASTER KEY® SYSTEM II VOICE RECOGNITION & SPEECH RESPONSE FOR IBM PC/XT/AT/386, PS/2, LAPTOPS, COMPATIBLES FOR PRODUCTIVITY, PRESENTATIONS, SOFTWARE DESIGN, ENTERTAINMENT, LANGUAGE TRAINING, EDUCATION, MORE... SPEECH/SOUND RECORDING AND PLAYBACK. Desktop Audio sound editing allows you to create custom sound applications. Variable sample rate (to 20 KHz) and compression levels. A four-voice music synthesizer is included also! VOICE RECOGNITION TSR utility allows you to add voice command keyboard macros to your CAD, desktop publishing, word processing, spread sheet, or entertainment programs. Up to 64 voice commands in RAM at once-more from disk. HARDWARE SYSTEM contains built-in speaker with separate volume and tone controls, external speaker and headphone jacks. Enclosure made of sturdy vinyl-clad steel. Attaches to parallel printer port without affecting normal printer operation (U.S. Patent 4,812,847). Headset microphone, printer cable, 9 volt AC adapter (110 volt UL/CSA listed), and comprehensive user manual included. QUALITY THROUGHOUT. MADE IN USA. ONLY $21 9.95 ORDER HOTLINE: (503) 342-1271 Mon-Fri, 8 AM to 5 PM PST Visa/MasterCard, company checks, money orders, CODs (with prior approval) accepted. Personal checks subject to 3 week shipping delay. Specify computer type when ordering. Add $5 shipping charge for delivery in USA and Canada. Foreign inquiries contact Covox for C&F/CIF quotes. OEM configurations available. 30 DAY MONEY BACK GUARANTEED NOT COMPLETELY SATISFIED. CALL OR WRITE FOR FREE PRODUCT CATALOG COVOX INC 675 Conger Street Eugene, Oregon 97402 TEL (503) 342-1271 FAX (503) 342-1283 BBS (503) 342-4135 Santa got his wish... Caller ID+Plus! The Complete Caller Identification and Contact Management System Because your business needs to be well organized but retain a personal touch, you need Caller LTH-Plus. Know who is calling before you answer. Instantly display caller records. Record notes on each contact. Memory resident. Import/export data For more information contact: Rochelle Communications, Inc. 8716 N.Mopac, Suite 200 Austin, TX 78759 Call: 1-800-542-8808 Outside U.S.: +1-512-794-0088 Circle 76 on Reader Service Cord (RESELLERS; 77) Orcte 267 on Reader Service Card DECEMBER 1990 • B Y T E (RESELLERS: 268) 383 Circle 14 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 15) Circle 169 on Reader Service Card IL AST- BAT The Only Lifetime Setup Battery System for PC/AT and Compatible Computers $49 95 +$5.00 SHIPPING • Permanent • Easy to Install • Replaces IBM part #8286121 • For IBM PC/AT, Compaq 286 386 and all AT Compatibles • Made in the U.S.A. VISA LIFETIME WARRANTY ACCUMATION, Inc. will replace a malfunctioning LAST-BAT for as long as the original purchaser uses it in the machine in which the LAST«BAT was originally installed, providing, of course, that the LA ST »B AT is installed and used correctly. i yr*- a EBB I % h S s j nccumnTion ACCUMATION, INC. 8817 SOUTHWEST 129 TERRACE • MIAMI, FLORIDA 33176 305-238-1034 LAST«BAT and ACCUMATION are trademarks ot Accumation, Inc. IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation. Compaq 286 & 386 are registered trademarks of the Compaq Corporation. © Copyright Accumation, Inc. »988. I- LLI DC I- co 111 CO < Q DC O DC UJ o 200 MHz Logic Analyzer • 200 MHz max sampling rate -16K samples/channel ■ 3 External Clocks and 1 2Qualify lines ■ FREE software updates on 24 Hour BBS $ 799-LA12100(100MHz) $1299-LA27100(100MHz) $1899-LA27200(200MHz) ■ 24 Channels Timing and state • 1 6 Levels ot triggering • Variable, TTL, ECL threshold levels Price is complete Pods and Software included UNIVERSAL PROGRAMMER PAL GAL EPROM EEPROM PROM 87xxx... 8&16BIT • 20 and 24 pin PALs, EPLDs •16V8.20V8.22V10 GALs •26V12.20RA10, 18V10GALS •2716-4MEG. EPROMs •87xxx MICROS • EEPROMs (incl. 8 pin serial) $475 A H •16 bit EPROMS •Byte Split/Merge (16 & 32 bit) • JEDEC, INTEL HEX, Motorola 'S' files • Dallas NVS RAM programming •PC/XT/AT COMPATIBLE • FREE software updates on BBS Call -(201) 994-6669 Link Computer Graphics, Inc. 4 Sparrow Dr., Livingston, NJ 07039 FAX.994-0730 Spectacular Performance. Now Playing On 9-Track Tape. If you're looking to connect 9-track tape to your PC, Overland Data offers an all-star cast of complete subsystems. They are equally at home playing for all IBM PC compatibles or PS/2's, under DOS, UNIX, XENIX, PICK & NOVELL, 800 to 6250 bpi. They perform EBCDIC-ASCD conversions and backup brilliantly. And the supporting cast can't be beat. Two year warranty on controllers, one year on tape drives. Expert help by phone. 30 day, money back application guarantee. And ten years experience as founder and leader of the industry. All of which means spectacular performance play after play. To reserve your seat, call us at: 1-800-PC9-TRAK 1-800-729-8725 • 1-619-571-5555 fl& OVERLRtlD DRTR San Diego. CA FAX 1-619-571-0982 ■ TELEX 754923 OVERLAND • Diagnose comm problems • Install new equipment • Determine baud rates • Reduce development time • Troubleshoot faster • RS-422 option available • SDLC, HDLC, X.25. BISYNC • Parity & CRC check • 40 hours on 9v battery • 8K buffer with printer dump BitView shows you bidirectional data in ASCII, EBCDIC, or Hex for async and sync data lines at baud rates from 64 Kbs to 38400 baud. Now find your comm problems in minutes instead of hours! Call (212)662-6012 or Fax (212)678-6143 IV:1 MEASUREMENT & CONTROL PRODUCTS, INC. 415 Madison Avenue. 22 FL New York. NY10017 384 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 Circle 222 on Reader Service Card Circle 183 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 1S4) Circle 201 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 202) Circle 71 on Reader Service Card PA480 $1595 + POD PRICE *New WINDOWS 3.0 Compatible Software I 48 Channels @ 25 MHz x 4K word deep I 16 Trigger Words/16 Level Trigger Sequence I Storage and Recall of traces/setups to disk I Disassemblers available for: 68000, 8088, 8086, 6801, 6811, Z80, 8085, 6502, 6809, 6303, 8031. NCI □ 6438 UNIVERSITY DRIVE HUNTSVILLE, AL 35806 • (205) 837-6667 RSCcMPucom 9,600-38,400 bps MODEM+FAX...$279 NOW you can afford a SPEEDMODEM.** Raw speed of 300 -9600 bps and 4:1 data compression push throughput up to 38,400 bps. Dynamic Impedance Stabilization- provides robust performance on noisy telephone circuits. A 9600 bps send/receive, full-featured FAX is included on the same card. Total communications capability-only $279. It comes with a 30-day money back guarantee and a 5-year warranty. BYTE magazine said our 2400 bps modem was "a real deal"*... well we've done it again... our COMBO** is setting a new standard for value and performance. See for yourself... *3/B9p.i02 (408)732-4500 CALL NOW 800 ACT ON IT (800)228-6648 YOUR SOURCE FOR MEMORY UPGRADES FIRSTV-^X SmURCE N s^»X INTERNATIONAL, INC. WE ACCEPT INTERNATIONAL ORDERS 3 day International delivery available via Federal Express or DHL! CALL (714) 588-9866 „. H X*L» FAX (714) 588-9872 TOLL FREE FROM ANYWHERE IN THE U.S. OR CANADA ORDER NOW 1-800-535-5892 [LAPTOP MEMORY TOSHIBA Model 1000SE/XE Model T1200XE Model T1600 Model T3100 Model T3100SX Model T3200SX Model T3200 Model T5100 Model T5200J850I 1MB . S289.0C 1 2MB 2MB 2MB 2MB 2MB 4MB .... $399.0C ....$249.0C .... $249.00 ....$249.0C ...$249.0C ....S689.0C 1 1 1 2MB 4MB ...$249.0C .... $689.0C 1 1 3MB 2MB ) 2MB 8MB S349.0C $249.0C $249.0C ...$1300. or. 1 1 1 COMPAQ Portable LTE 286 SLT-286 SLT-386 1MB $189. 0C 1 2MB ...$269.0C 1 1MB ...$239.0C 1 4MB ..$1325.0C . $325.0C 1 1MB .. .. 1 2MB ...$495.0C 1 ZENITH SuperSport 286 an SuperSport SX an SuperSport SX d 286e 1MB $189.0 1 1 i 286e 2MB 2MB Alpha ... 2MB Beta $449.0 $549.0 $549.0 ] 3 IL I NEC ProSpeed 286 ■ ProSpeed 386 1MB $289.0 1 4MB 2MB 8MB $900.0 $450.0 ...$2250.0 ] ] D J IBM MEMORY Model PS/1 512K 1057035 $89.00 2MB IBM PNN/A $399.00 Models 30-286, Exp. Board 1497259 512K Kit 30F5348 $54.00 2MB Kit 30P5360 $179.00 Models 70-E61/121,55SX,65SX 1MB 6450603 $89.00 Models 70-E61/121,50Z,55SX,65SX 2MB 6450604 $169.00 Models 55SX, 65SX, 34F3077 & 34F3011 4MB 34F2933 $509.00 Model 70-A21 2MB 6450608 $169.00 Models 80-A21/A31 4MB 6451060 $659.00 All Models 70 and 80 2-8MBw/2M 6450605 $499.00 2-14MBw/2M 34F3077 $599.00 Models 50, 55Z, 60 & 65SX 2-16MBw/2M 6450609 $6-25.00 LASER PRINTER MEMORY Hewlett-Packard LaserJet IIP, 111 & HID 1MB 33474B $99.00 2MB 33475B $169.00 4MB 33477B $299.00 Hewlett-Packard LaserJet II & If 1MB 33443B $99.00 2MB 33444B $169.00 4MB 33445B $299.00 Apple LaserWriter II and II/NTX 1MB M6005 ... $89.00 4MB M6006 $349.00 IBM Laser 4019 and 4019e 1MB 1039136 $209.00 2MB 1039137... $375.00 3.5MB 1038675 $489.00 Canon LBP-8II, 8IIR, 8IIT 2MB S63-1880 $189.00 , COMPAQ MEMORY | DeskPro 286-E.386-20/20E/25 1MB 113131-001 $139.00 4MB 113132-001 $349.00 DeskPro 386S/16 1MB 113646-001 $139.00 4MB 112534-001 $349.00 | DeskPro 286N, 386N and 386SX and 20 1MB 118688-001 $99.00 2MB 118689-001 $169.00 4MB 118690-001 $509.00 DeskPro 386-33, 486-33 & SystemPro 2MB 115144-001 $200.00 8MB 116561-001 $1899.00 Premium 386C and 386-16 1MB Kit 500510-007 $95.00 4MB Kit 560510-008 $349.00 | Premium 386-20 1MB Kit 500510-003 $129.00 4MB Kit 500510-004 $369.00 | Bravo 386-SX 2MB Kit 500510-002 $179.00 4MB Kit 500510-008 $349.00 Premium 386SX 16 25 33 and all 486 Models 1MB 500718-002 $95.00 Premium 486 2MB 500718-004 $342.00 AST MEMORY HEWLETT-PACKARD MEMORY Vectra QS/20PC, RS/25PC and 20C 1MB Kit D1640A $105.00 4MB Kit D1 642A $349.00 Vectra 486 PC and 386/25 PC 1MB Kit D2150A $104.00 4MB Kit D21 51 A $592.00 8MB Kit D2152A $1199.00 Vectra 386/25 PC 2MB Kit D2381A $266.00 MEMORY BOARDS Everex RAM 3000 Deluxe Up to 3MB of base, expanded and/or extended memory. EMS 4.0 compatible with no wait states. Uses 256Kx1 Dram. with 51 2K: SIM159-512 $139.00 BocaRam/ATPIus Up to 8MB for any AT or 16 bit compatible machines running up to 33MHz. Offers convenlional. expanded and/or extended memory, provides a maximum of 8MB LIM/EMS4.0. Uses 1x1 Oram. with 2MB: SIMAT82 $279.00 IBM TYPE 4Mx9-80 $365.00 1Mx9-12 $65.00 1Mx9-10.. $70.00 1Mx9-80 $75.00 1Mx9-70 $80.00 256x9-12 $18.50 256x9-10 $20.00 256x9-80 $22.50 256x9-60 $30.00 1MX1 1MX1-12 $6.50 1MX1-10 $7.00 1MX1-80 $7.50 1MX1-70 $8.00 256KX1 256KX1-12 $1.85 256KX1-10 $2.00 256KX1-80 $2.20 256KX1-70 $2.50 PLEASE SEND ALL P.0.S AND MAIL ORDERS TO: First Source International, Inc. 36 Argonaut, Suite 140 Aliso Viejo, California 92656 TERMS AND CONDITIONS • NO SURCHARGE ON MC OR VISA • Terms: Visa, MasterCard. AmEx (AE v4%), COD, Net I on purchase orders trom qualified firms. • 20% Restocking fee on all non-defective returns & refused orders. RMA # required. • Manufacturers part numbers are for your convenience, aft products third party. • PRICES AND AVAILABILITY SUBJECT TO CHANGE. Circle 110 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 111) DECEMBER 1990 -BYTE 385 Circle 331 on Reader Service Card COLLIMATOR PEN (INFRA-RED) LASER DIODE (INFRA-RED) LASER DIODE (VISIBLE-RED) LASER DIODE (VISIBLE-RED) POWER SUPPLY UNICORN - YOUR I.C. SOURCE! • Output: 2.5 mW (max.) • Current: 90-150 mA • Operating Voltage: 2.2-2.5V • Wavelength: 820nm • Collimation: .18mrad (typ.) • Size: 11mm diameter STOCK # SB1052 PRICE $39.99 » Output: 10 mW (max.) • Current: 90-150 mA • Operating Voltage: 2.2-2.5V » Wavelength: 820nm STOCK # SB1053 PRICE $9.99 • Output: 5 mW (max.) • Current: 65-100 mA • Operating Voltage: 1.75-2.2V • Wavelength: 780nm STOCK # LS022 PRICE $19.99 • Output: 4 mW (max.) • Current: 20 mA • Operating Voltage: 2.2-3.0V • Wavelength: 665nm STOCK # LS3200 PRICE $129.99 • Input: 115/230v • Size 7" L x 5 1 / 4 " W x 2% H • Output: +5 volts @ 3.75 amps • Output: +12 volts @ 1.5 amps • Output: -12 volts @ .4 amps STOCK # PS1003 PRICE $19.99 EPROMS STOCK # PINS DESCRIPTION 1702 24 256x4 1us 2708 24 1024 x 8 45ns 2716 24 2048 x 8 450ns (25v) 2716-1 24 2048 x 8 350ns (25v) TMS2716 24 2048x8 450ns 27C16 24 2048 x 8 450ns (25v-CMOS) 2732 24 4096 x 8 450ns (25v) 2732A-2 24 4096 x 8 200ns (21 v) 2732A 24 4096 x 8 250ns (21v) 2732A-4 24 4096 x 8 450ns (21v) TMS2532 24 4096 x 8 450ns (25v) TMS2532P 24 4096 x 8 450ns (25v-One Time Programmable) 27C32 24 4096 x 8 450ns (25v-CMOS) 2764-20 28 8192 x 8 200ns (21v) 2764 28 8192 x 8 250ns (21v) 2764A-20 28 8192 x 8 200ns (12.5v) 2764A 28 8192 x 8 250ns (12.5v) TMS2564 28 8192 x 8 250ns (25 v) 27C64 28 8192 x 8 250ns (21V-CMOS) 27128-20 28 16,384 x 8 200ns (21v) 27128 28 16,384x8 250ns (21v) 27128A 28 16,384 x 8 250ns (21v) 27C128 28 16,384 x 8 250ns (21v) 27256-20 28 32,728 x 8 200ns (12.5v) 27256 28 32,768 x 8 250ns (12.5v) 27C256 28 32,768 x 8 250ns (12.5v) 27512-20 28 65,536 x 8 200ns (12.5v) 27512 28 65,536 x 8 250ns (12.5v) 27C512 28 65,536x8 250ns (12.5V-CMOS) 27C1024 32 131,072 x 8 200ns (12.5v-CMOS) 68764 24 8192 x 8 450ns 68766 24 8192x8 450ns ^UNICORN ELECTRONICS 3.99 3.79 3.41 6.49 6.17 5.55 3.29 3.13 2.82 3.79 3.60 3.24 6.29 5.98 5.38 3.99 3.79 3.41 3.79 3.60 3.24 3.79 3.60 3.24 3.69 3.51 3.16 3.19 3.03 2.73 5.79 5.50 4.95 1.99 1.89 1.70 4.19 3.98 3.58 3.99 3.79 3.41 3.79 3.60 3.24 3.99 3.79 3.41 3.29 3.13 2.82 6.79 6.45 5.81 4.19 3.98 3.58 5.79 5.50 4.95 5.09 4.84 4.35 5.79 5.50 4.95 5.79 5.50 4.95 5.29 5.03 4.53 4.79 4.55 4.09 5.29 5.03 4.53 7.49 7.12 6.41 6.99 6.64 5.98 6.99 6.64 5.98 17.99 17.09 15.38 13.99 13.29 11.96 14.99 14.24 12.82 3S II 10010 Canoga Ave., Unit B-8 • Chatsworth, CA 91311 OUTSIDE CALIFORNIA: (800) 824-3432 (Orders Only) IN CALIFORNIA: (818)341-8833 ORDER BY FAX: (818) 998-7975 Minimum Order $15.00 Scottsdale Systems — Since 1980 — 1-800-777-2369 Scottsdale 386-SX 16 MHz 2MB of RAM, 2 Serial, 1 Parallel, and Game Port 101 Click Keyboard 1.2 Floppy Disk Drive, 1.44 Floppy Drive 200 Watt Power Supply w/Desktop 230 Watt power Supply w/Verticle 16 BIT 1024 x 768 CARD WITH 512 K RAM 14* VGA 1024 x 768 MONITOR .28 MM DOT PITCH 66 Megabyte hard Disk RLL 28 Milliseconds DOS 3.3 OR 4.01 $1980.00 32K Cache Add 165.00 ALL SYSTEMS HAVE A 1 YEAR WARRANTY OUR SYSTEMS EXCEL IN PERFORMANCE! Scottsdale 386-20 MHz 1.2 Disk Drive 1.44 Disk Drive 4 MB RAM, 64K Cache. 101 Keyboard 111 MB ID E. DRIVE. 15 MS ACCESS TIME 2 Serial 1 Parallel & GAME PORT DOS 4.01 or 3.3 14* VGA 1024 x 768 MONITOR .28 DOT PITCH 16 BIT 1024 x 768 CARD W/152KRAM $2975-00 BUY WITH CONFIDENCE POWER UP WITH A SCOTTSDALE SYSTEMS COMPUTER Scottsdale 486-33 MHz 4 MB RAM 128 K Cache 2 Serial. 1 Parallel 1 . 2 Floppy Drive. 1.44 Floppy Drive 211 MB IDE HARDDISK DRIVE 15 MS ACCESS TIME 14' VGA 1024 x 768 MONITOR .28 MM DOT PITCH 16 BIT 1024 x 768 CARD WITH 512 K RAM CHOICE OR FULL DESKTOP CASE W/200 WATT POWER SUPPLY OR Large Vertical Case W/230 WATT POWER SUPPLY DOS 4.01 or 3.3 $8737.00 INTERNATIONAL ORDERS WELCOME 386-33 25 MHz Open Architecture 1 2Disk Olive / 1.44 Disk Drive 1 to 1 Controller Card 4 MB RAM, 64K Cachet 2 Serial, 1 Parallel, and Game Port 101 Keyboard 16 BIT 1024 x 768 VIDEO CAHD W/512 K RAM 14' VGA 1024 x 768 MONITOR. 28 MM DOT PITCH 200 Watt Power Supply with Desktop 230 Watt Power Supply with Vertical 160 MB CDC 16MS ESDI Hard Diive DOS 4.01 or 3.3 $3599.00 THE 386-25 MHZ IS UPGRADABLE TO 486 CLASS MACHINEI CALL SCOTTSDALE FOR DETAILS 386-33 MHz Open Architecture 1.2 Disk Drive / 1.44 Disk Drive 1 to 1 Controller, 101 Koytxard 2 Serial, 1 Parallel, and Game Port 230 Watl Power Supply w/Vertical 200 Watt Power Supptyw/Oesklop 14' VGA 1024 x 768 MONITOR .28 MM DOT PITCH 16 BIT 1024 x 768 VIDEO CARD W/512 K RAM 160MB CDC 16MS ESDI Hard Orive DOS 3.3 or 4.01 $3880.00 THE 33 MHZ IS ALSO UPGRADABLE TO 488 STATUS CALL US FOR CUSTOM CONFIGURATIONS SOFTWARE Comput one 4to 16 Port Boards Unix & Xerox compatible 99 year warranty SAVE Santa Cruz Operations SCO UNIX 386 $857 SCO XENIX OS OPERATING SYSTEM 458 SCO DEVELOPMENT 524 WE CARRY ALL SCO MODULES All software Mies are final! NOVELL ARCNET Coax Star Topology $112 16BilCoax 380 MATH CO-PROCESSORS SAVE PRINTERS AUTHORIZED SERVICE FOR OTC CANON BJ-130E $885 8J-10E 345 CITIZEN 2 Year Warranty SAVE We also carry Panasonic, Fujitsu, Dtconix, NEC. T.I., Genicom. Canon, and Printers & Lasers! CALL SERVICE FOR REPAIRS ON Printers, Terminate, Monitors, Computers MONITORS NEC2A/30 $399/649 NEC4D/5D 1160/2365 Mitsubishi Diamond Scan 528 Hitachi Super Scan 1999 Phillips 20' Hl-Res 2059 OTHER MONITORS AVAILABLE VGA 14' 1024 x 768and ultrafile. .28 dot pitch, 110-220 volts $399 TERMINALS WY-30 G/A - w/Keyboard $290 WV-50 G/A - w/Keyboard ...377 WY-60 G/A -w/Keyboard 399 WY-90 GT/A - w/Keyboard 487 WY-150 G/W/A - w/Keyboard 387 WY-212 G/W • w/Keyboard 1489 WY-Heiflhl Adjustable Ann 95 AUTHORIZED SERVICE FOR WYSE l-PROTECT RaSafcm ml Antt-Glire Wan reteves eye strain, improves resolution and contrast, and provides x-radiation and U.V. protection $99.00 MODEMS LASERS COLOR 8 M.B. RAM, 35 tonts, postscript compatible, unlimited colors, all lor under $8000.00. Call for details. CANON LP8-81II $1795 LPB-4 SAVE TEXAS INSTRUMENTS UMcrotesar $1135 T.I. Mictolaser PS 1845 PLOTTERS UNITED INNOVATIONS 1 Year Warranty Mural 7000-1 $1899 Mural 8000-1 2059 Mural 9000-1 2829 Mural 7000-8 2205 Mural 8000-8. 2«28 Mural 9000-8 3241 Tilt Stand 238 88K Builder 238 Pen/Pencil HkSr.. 75 FIBER OPTIC Digtizing Sight 60 THE MURAL PLOTTER A to E size flatbed plotter with unsurpassed performance and durability ata remarkable low price. Authorized Service For United innovations Mural Plotters. HOUSTON INSTRUMENT AMT ACCEL 500 Intel-plot $1549 ENTER SP608 599 ROLAND CAMM MACHINES HEWLETT PACKARD SAVE PLOTTERS IOLINE AthruOLP3500 $2225 AthruELP3700 2984 LP3700-8 LP4000-1 3095/34M LP40O-8 3715 VINYL CUTTING MACHINES BLADES & HOT TIPS CALCOMP 1023/1025 $3533/4616 1026 6131 1043OM/1044 6532/6734 5902/5902A SAVE DM52224 11,919 OPTICAL SCANNER & SOFTWARE Data Copy Jetreader or 730 GS your choice $1425 DIGITIZERS KURTA Lifetime Warranty on Kurta IS-1 IS-1 12x12 Cordless 4-button cursor, pen stylus and interlace kit $439 IS-1 12x17 cordless 4 button cursor, pen stylus and interface kit $1629 CALCOMP Calcomp 23120 12x12 $385 Cafcomp 9100 Series SAVE Calcomp 9500 Series SAVE Calcomp Wiz 1000 DPI $185 SUMMAGRAPHICS Lifetime Limited Warranty 12x12 summasketch 11 $350 12x18 professorial 620 HITACHI Pump pro 12x12 $380 PUMA 12x17 625 PUMA 15x15 435 CALL FOR PRICING ON LARGER DIGITIZER 1555 W. University Dr. #101, Tempe, AZ 85281 Prices listed are for cash. Discovery, MasterCard and Visa, no surcharge. AZ residents add 6 l -4% tax. add 3% for CO. D.; add 5% for P.O. International orders welcome. All items are new with manufac- turer's warranty. Returned products subject to 20% restocking fee and in new condition in original packaging, with all warranty cards, manuals and cables. No credit issued af ter30 days from date of ship- ment. We do not guarantee compatability. Personal and company checks take up to 5 days to clear. Prices and specifications subject to change. Product subject to availability; all applicable trademarks recognized and on file 602-966-8609 SERVICES (Mon.-Fri.) 602-731-4742 FAX 602-966-8634 . 386 BYTE* DECEMBER 1990 Circle 278 o n Reader Service Card CORPORATE PURCHASE ORDERS. . .CALL 800-654-7762 Compaq Model DESKPRO 286 DESKPRO 286N. 386N 386S/20 DESKPRO 386/16 DESKPRO 386s DESKPRO 386/20, 25 286E DESKPRO 386/20e DESKPRO 386/33, 486/25 SYSTEMPRO PORTABLE SLT/286 LTE/286 PORTABLE 386 SLT/386S Memory Added 512K Kit 1MB Module 2MB Module 4MB Module 1MB Board 2MB Board 1MB Kit 4MB Board 4MB Kit 1MB Board 4MB Board 1MB Module 4MB Module 1MB Module 4MB Module 1MB Board 4MB Board 2MB Module 8MB Module 32MB Module - PORTABLES - 512K Kit INTFC BD EXPBD 2MB Kit 4MB Kit 6MB Kit 1MB Module 4MB Module 512K Board 1MB Board 2MB Board 1MB Kit INTFC BD 4MB Board 4MB Ext Board 1MB Module 2MB Module Compaq Equiv. Part ft 113012-001 118688-001 118689-001 118690-001 108069-001 106069 W/71 108071-001 108070-001 108072-001 113633-001 113634-001 113646-001 112534-001 113131-001 113132-001 113644-001 113645-001 115144-001 116561-001 116568-001 107331-001 107808-001 107811-0012 107332-001 107332-001 107332-001 110235-001 110237-001 117077-001 117081-001 117081-002 107651-001 107651-001 107653-001 107654-001 108303-001 108304-001 Your Low Price 59 00 138oo 21900 569°° 29900 49900 19900 69900 44900 24800 54800 13800 31800 130 00 29500 24800 54800 21800 149900 648000 8900 9900 24900 179oo 34900 49900 24900 99900 199oo 19900 24900 24900 9900 79900 79900 34900 49900 ==U»4 : =5JWtt=WWaitt4$:=: Description 120NS 100NS 80NS 70NS 256 x 9 IBM 1900 24oo 2900 26°o 1Meg x 8 Apple 58°° 61<"> 6400 71°o 1Meg x 9 IBM 59°° 6200 6500 7300 4Meg x 9 IBM - 339oo 349°° 399oo 60NS 3900 79oo 8Qoo ======E=5«lESl ■ ■WtiJr flnHY muipi ==I^W=WgW I 4lW»WW^ r 1aMwW>WPl«^^^P = AST Model BRAVO/286 PREMIUM WKST/286 BRAVO/386SX PREMIUM 286 ADVANCE WKST 386SX PREMIUM 386 PREMIUM 386/25, 16sx. 586/33 PREMIUM 486/ 2ST, 25TE. 25, 25E Memory Added 128K Kit 512K Kit 2MB Kit 4MB Kit 2MB Kit 4MB Kit 512K Kit 1MB Kit 2MB Kit 4MB Kit 1MB Kit 4MB Kit 1M B5IMM 1-16MB 1M8 B MM 2MB SIMM 1-16MB AST Equlv. Part H 500510-011 500510-010 500510-002 500510-008 500510-002 500510-008 500510-010 500510-007 500510-002 500510-008 500510-003 500510-004 500718-001-2 500722-004 500718-002 500718-004 500722-004 Your Low Price 4900 5900 169°° 359oo I6900 35900 7900 9900 18900 35900 14900 36900 7900 64900 89°° 234900 649°o IBM PS/2 Model PS/2 25/286 30-286. 50 & 60 PS/2 50Z & 55-SX 55SX.-031.-061.65SX 50, 50Z, 55 & 60 PS/2 70-E61. 061, 121 PS/2 70-A21 AX1.BX1 PS/2 80-041 PS/2 80-111,121,311,321 80-A21, A31 PS/2 ALL 70s & 80s Memory Added 3.5MB Board 512K Kit 2MB Kit 1MB SIMM 2MB SIMM 512K Kit 2MB Kit 4MB Module 2-8MB Board 1MB SIMM 2MB SIMM 2MB SIMM 1MB Module 2MB Module 4MB Module 2-32MB Board 4-32MB Board 8-32MB Board IBM Equlv. Part tf 1038675 30F5348 30F5360 6450603 6450604 30F5348 30F5360 34F2933 1497259 6450603 6450604 6450608 6450375 6450379 6451060 645605 OR 34F3077 34F3011 Your Low Price 44900 48oo 17400 98°° 169°° 48oo 17900 468°o 49900 98oo 169°° 179 cc 135°° 248°° 559oo 489°° 58900 98900 iffliMlHMWffi Description 16 BIT MEMORY BOARD FOR 286, 386 AT OK-8Meg Board • 4.0 LIM Compatible • New 5 Yr. Warranty -i • Conventional. Expanded and Extended Memory qt\& \ • Supports DOS. OS/2. LIM/EMS & EEMS \l^f • Operates with CPU Speeds to 33 MHz SAP* OK - 129oo 2 Meg - 246oo 4 Meg - 353oo 8 Meg - 577°° 64 x 4 256x1 256x4 1 Meg x 1 IP* OM tfs. 150NS 1" 19B -(SO 120NS 1" 2» -|BB 500 4 9S 100NS 240 2 45 600 5< 5 3" 1" 700 595 298 goo 6" HW#mWWIJW 6BSffl Model LASER JET II & IID IIP & HP3 CANON LBP 811. 811R. 811T LASER PRINTER MODEL 4019 Memory Added 1MB Module 2MB Module 4MB Module 1MB Module 2MB Module 4MB Module 1MB Module 2MB Module 4MB Module 1MB Board 2MB Board HP Equiv. Part h 334438 334448 334458 33474A/B 3347 5 A/B N/A N/A N/A N/A 1039136 1039137 Your Low Price 9900 14900 24900 11800 168oo 268oo 19900 22400 429oo 19900 29900 Toshiba Model PORTABLE T1000SE & XE PORTABLE T1200xe PORTABLE T1600 PORTABLE T3100e PORTABLE T3100SX PORTABLE T3200 PORTABLE T3200SX PORTABLE T5100 PORTABLE T5200 DESKTOP T8500 Memory Added 1MB Kit 2MB Kit 2MB Kit 4MB Kit 2MB Kit 512K Kit 2MB Kit 2MB Kit 4MB Kit 3MB Kit 2MB Kit 4MB Kit 2MB Kit 2MB Kit 4MB Kit Toshiba Equiv. Part ft PC14-PA8311U PC14-PA8312U PC13-PA8306U PC13-PA8307U PC8-PA8302U PC9-PA8340U 1PC9-PA8341U PC15-PA8308U PC15-PA8310U PC6-PA7137U PC12-PA8307U PC12-PA8309U PC7-PA8301U PC10-PA8304U PC10-PA8313U Your Low Price 29900 44900 259oo 69900 25900 14900 19900 25900 58900 39900 24900 589°° 25900 25900 149500 Zenith Model Z386/33 Z248.Z286LP.Z386SX TURBO SPRT 386.386e SUPER SPRT SX SUPER SPRT 286 286e. SX Memory Added 1MB Module 2MB Module 1MB Module 2MB Module 4MB Module 2MB Module 1MB Kit 2MB Kit 2MB Kit 2MB Kit 1MB Kit 2MB Kit Zenith Equiv. Part H ZA3800ME ZA3800MG ZA3600ME ZA3800MG ZA3800MK Z-60S-1 ZA3034ME ZA180-64 ZA180-86 ZA180-87 ZA180-66 ZA180-64 Your Low Price 9900 199oo 9900 199oo 64900 249oo 549oo 44900 44900 44900 24900 44900 RAM 3000 DELUXE Up to 3 Meg. (EMS) 4.0 OS/2. Back up base oonn memory and expanded and/or extended memory. Uses 256K D-RAM . . 33 RAM 8000 0-8MG capacity base, extended or expanded memory any combi- nation. Compatible w/Lotus, Intel, Microsoft, EMS 4.0, EFMS. Supports -innnn Multi-Tasking & DMA Multi-Tasking in hardware. Uses 1MG D-RAM . . . ISy uu RAM 10000 0-10MB extended or expanded memory. Compatible -nnnn with Lotus, Intel, Microsoft. EMS 4.0. Uses 1 MB D-RAM I /3 UU ffiJW WWWWJiaSl • 300 DPI * 16 Sees per page • 32 Level Gray Scale • 1 year warranty • Ready to go Interlace card and cable included List 1595 Your Price 599 00 OPTIONS: OCR 199 00 PC Paint By Z-Soft 165 79*>o Sheet Feeder (also works with HP) 299°° -YEAR END CLEARANCE- WHILE SUPPLIES LAST - WITH I YEAR WARRANTY fl)[ CARD A? Lett Automatic Group III Digital Fax • Background operation • Send 81 receive, screen images, scanned pages • Fax 9600/7200/4800/2400 • Software - telephone cord • New. factory sealed List 695 Your Price 199 00 VM I M b R LP^ tUBn • 6.5MB per minute g2 • Wangtec 5099EN24 drive v# • w/controller • Menu driven • Software • DC600 cartridge • Easy installation List 99900 Your Price 499 00 Wangtek 40MB backup works off floppy controller 189 00 • 14CPS Letter Duality • Manufactured by Silver Reed • IBM Centronics Parallel Interface • New 90 day warranty List 114900 Your Price 99 00 12 CPS version for. 89 00 Tractor Feed ffiMittffla ^Wi^^^fittB^#^ .7900 OCR Software. . . .199°° IBM Interface & Cable • PagePower Software. A complete draw; Scan, fax packages • 200DPI • Automatic Sheet Feeder ust 99900 Your Price 269 00 Bssfi ftmww mm® B^lBlBffiH • Fully Hayes Compatible • Monitor Speaker with Volume Control • 2400/300 Baud Transmission Rate • Addressable COM 1,2.3,4 • Compatible with IBM PC, XT. AT and Compatibles • Full Duplex Operation • Complete with Software • Two Year Manufacturer's Warranty • Auto Dial/Auto Answer Internal 199 00 External 79°o IBM DIRECT REPLACEMENT 150 WATT XTComp. • UL Appr; • 110/20V input switch • 4 drives 49 00 200 WATT AT comp. • UL Appr. • 110/220V input switch 6900 ^SSBH)^^ :m$?l l ~ 1 1 EGA Card .59oo MonoGraphics (Hercules Compatible) with Par. Port 29°° Color Graphics (Hercules Compatible) with Par. Port 39°° Mono Card Text Only 9 00 VGA Card 1024 x 768 (256K Exp 512K) 109<"» STB mono/color card 29°o 12" Amber w/Tilt & Swivel Base 89°° 14" Color 640 x 200. 16 colors .209°° 14" EGA 640 x 35Q 64 colors/31 36goo VGA 800 x 600 Multisync Compatible .449°° 14" VGA Demo looks new. .31 Dot Pitch 284 C0 B^MSBStm AT KIT XT KIT ST125-0 20mB 40msec 3.5" $249 $299 ST125-1 20mB 28msec 3.5" $269 $319 ST138-0 30mB 40msec 3.5" $289 $339 ST138-1 30mB 28msec 3.5" $309 $359 ST225 20mB 65msec $199 $249 ST238R (RLL) 30mB 65msec $219 $279 S1251-1 42mB 28msec $269 $339 ST227R-1 (RLL) 65mB 28msec $339 $389 ST4096 80mB 28msec $549 $599 ST4144 (RLL) 120mB 28msec $649 $699 XT kits include cables, software (over 32MB) controller AT kits include cables, rails, software (over 32MB) B^ff^BS MITSUMI 360K V2 Ht. 5V4 .5900 1.2 Meg 5 1 /i ..79°° 720K 3V2" Drive w/5Vi" mounting 6900 1.44 Meg 3Vz " Drive w/5V* " mounting 89 00 360K Tandon TM100-2 Full Ht (The original IBM) 89°° 8087 8087-2 8087-1 80287 80287-8 80287-10 80C287-12 Laptop 8 Bit 5MHz or less 79°° 8MHz 11400 10 MHz or less 149«"» 16 flit 6MHz 149oo 8MHz 189oo 10MHz 205oo 239oo 80807-16 80387-20 80387-25 80387-33 80387-SX 80387-SX20 80287-XL 80287-XLT 32 Bit 16MHz 299°° 20MHz 349oo 25MHz 44900 33MHz 54900 298°° 328°° 21800 228°° wmmmm 40 Meg 18 Mil. Sec 399oo 100 Meg 18 Mil. Sec. 200 Meg 18 Mil. Sec 849°° .54900 ==#J* IKliLL FOR HARDORIVES IDE Controller 39°° 8 8it WO Controller 16 8it WD Controller 2:1 . . .109°° 16 Bit Everex HD/Floppy 1.1 FOR FLOPPYS Super Floppy Controls 1.2. 360K, 720K & 1.44 Drives ....... .59°° ggna ORDERS ONLY 800-654-7762 TECHNICAL / CUSIOMER SERVICE / ORDER STATUS: 702-294-0204 FAX 702-294-1168 I inthmiitt *n> ftoglttond mtfti tkaiwsflecUw Ca'i mess SubfeeHo Change All Products 90 Day Warranty unless stated otherwise. • WE ACCEPT INTERNATIONAL ORDERS • WE ALSO PURCHASE EXCESS INVENTORY-FAX OR CALL • NO SOFTWARE RETURNS ALL PRICES FINAL NO SURCHARGE FOR MC/VISA/AE TERMS: MC • VISA • COD CASH • NET • Purchase Orders from Universities, Fortune 1000 & Government Agencies • Personal Checks • COD add $5.00 20% Restocking Fee on Returns Within 30 Days • No Refunds Alter 30 Days - EXCHANGE ONLY SE HABLA ESPANOL WOO Nevada Hwy. * Unit 101 Boulder City, NV 89005 SHIPPING: (min, 8") UPS Circle 204 on Reader Service Card DECEMBER 1990 •BYTE 387 A Industrial & Lab Automation with PCs Adwttech All-in-One 80286-12 CPU Card ,„_ PCA-6125 $395 • 12 MHz 80286 microprocessor • Socket for 80287 math coprocessor • AMI BIOS assures compatibility • Memory configuration: 512K, IM, 2M & 4M • Built-in interface for 2 IDE H/D and 2 F/D • On-board: 1 parallel/2 serial ports • VLSI CMOS for low power consumption 408-293-6786 1340 Tully Rd., #314, San Jose, CA 95122 FAX 408-293-4697 PC-Based Universal pc-cprog Programmer $695 • For E/EE/PROMs, PALs, PEELs, FPLAs, GALs, EE/EPLDs and MICROS • Programs virtually any device up to 40 pins • 40-pin ZIF socket with all pins individually programmable • 100% menu driven and user friendly 408-293-6786 1340 Hilly Rd., #314, San Jose, CA 95122 FAX 408-293-4697 PC Bus Switch/Extension Card PCL-756 $160 • No more PC power-off for removing or inserting add-on cards Protects mother board while trouble shooting or testing add-on cards Fully transparent PC/XT bus extension • All bus signals buffered • Easy-to-access ON/OFF control switch LED display for power & fuse status USA&Canaik:SanJi)St',CA Europe & Asia: Taipei. Taiwan Tel: 88(>-2-9 184567 fciv 9184566 Circle 23 on Reader Service Card Circle 23 on Reader Service Card Circle 23 on Reader Service Card Sure it's SAFEWARE^ Insurance provides full replacement of hardware, media and purchased software. As liitlc as 549/yr. covers: • Fire • Theft • Power Surges • Water Damage • Auto Accident For information or immediate coverage call: 1-800-848-3469 Local 1-614-262-0559 Subject to underwriting and availability by state. On CompuServe. GO SAF On GEnie. SAFEWARE SAFEVTARE. The Insurance Age ncv Inc. 2929 V High St.. P.O. Box 0221 1 Columbus. OH -43202 DYNAMIC RAMS 4MX9 80ns PS2 2M 604/608 1 MX9 80ns 1 MX8 80ns 256x4 100ns 1MX1 100ns 41464ioons 41256 120ns 51258 80ns 4164 120n s $235.00 $110.00 $ 45.50 $ 42.00 $ 4.75 $ 2.40 2.95 1.70 • For quantity discount, high-speed parts. SIPP Please Call I MATH COPROCESSORS 3C87 IIT/CYRIX $ CALL 80387-33 33mHz $535.00 2C87-20 20mHz $235,00 80387-25 25mHz $435.00 2C87-12 12mHz $184,00 80387-20 20mHz $350.00 2C8M0 lOmHz $176.00 80387-16 16mHz $305.00 ZC87-8 8mHz $160.00 80387SX 16mHz $275.00 ■ V-20 8/10mHz $8.5/15 I.C. EXPRESS ORDER: 118)369-1236 0} 877-8188 (Mon.-FriB.5PST) PRICES & VOLUME DISCOUNTS. Price Shown tof casfi. MaaerCa;(l/V(sa«Jd3%. Prices a/e»ut>joci to change. Minimum or (k» $1000. Shipping & Harvftng: UPSGfo«jnd$5 00.AJfJ7.00 (1 It).) ALL MERCHANDISE IS 100% GUARANTEE D WITH PROMPr DELIVERY. MULTI-SPEED !!! 9 TRACK TAPE SUBSYSTEM for IBM PC/AT/386 1 YEAR WARRANTY • IBM/ AN SI compatible at 800*71600/3200 bpi • Controller, cables and software included • Interfaces for PS/2*, Xenix* and DEC* • SCSI*, AT or MCA* Bus I/O at 25/50/100 ips. *0PTI0NAL SHOWN W/OPTIONAL DUST COVER AKSystems Inc. 20741 Manila St. Chatsworth CA 91311 TEL81 8/709-8100 FAX: 818/407-5889 Circle 272 on Reader Service Card Circle 153 on Reader Service Card Circle 17 on Reader Service Card 33 MHz 80486 Motherboard Faster than me EverexStep™ & ALR 15 MIPS! $2,990 Qty 1 (0k) Features: • 64Kor256K Write Back Cache • True32-BitMemoryExp.to16MB • 8K Internal Ca die • Support Weftek • Dual Read/Write Cache • UNIX. OS/2 & Novell Compatible • Transparent Refresh • 1 Year Rill Warranty • UUFCC B Available • Complete Documentation MIPS Cache Ok 4M 486/33 15.2 64K 2990 3290 486/25 11.4 64K 2599 2899 386/33 8.3 64K 1429 1729 386/25 6.2 64K 1229 1529 Technology Power Enterprises, Inc. 47273 Fremont Blvd. Fremont CA 94538 Tel (415) 623-381 8 FAX (415) 623-3840 SuperSound Turbo Sound SoundFX-lll, -Stereo, -Mono, -Eng, -Jr SoundBytes, SoundJr, SoundCard, Digital Audio Authoring Workstation, MSC/TurboC/Windows 3.0 Libraries, Custom Sound Hardware/Software ALL WE DO IS SOUND!! IBM-PC DIGITAL VOICE / SOUND from only $20 t=^r m,,j u in to $640 RS422/485 . . . .$44US 80C51 Kit form $99US BINARY DATA ACQUISITION CORP. 1735 Bayly Street, Pickering, Ontario L1W 3G7 Canada, Phone (416) 420-8029 Fax (416) 831-0510 Cashiers Cheque or Visa Circle 46 on Reader Service Card PC Communications Coprocessors Our communications coprocessors offload serial and parallel communications tasks from PC's used in dedicated applications. RS232 and RS485 style communications. Easily programmed using C. A memory mapped interfaceto the host PC allows high speed data transfer and simple buffer schemes. From 64k to 5 1 2k of memory local to the coprocessor but accessible from the host PC. Used in many in- dustrial and business systems to dramatically im- prove performance compared to standard PC serial port implementations. Z-World Engineering 1340 Covell Blvd., Davis, CA 95616 (916) 753-3722 Fax: (916) 753-5141 Circle 346 o n Reader Service Card VT240 Keyboard for your PC Turn your PC into a VAX workstation with the Power Station™ •an exact VT200/VT300 layout keyboard to plug into your PC, and •ZSTEM240or220 terminal emulation software 3738 North Fraser Way, Unit 1 01 Burnaby, B.C., Canada V5J 5G1 Tel: (604)431-0727 Fax: (604)431-0818 Order Desk Toll-Free: 1 -800-663-8702 ZSTEM and PowerStation are trademarks ol KEA Systems Ltd. Circle 160 on Reader Service Card V (if EST Statistically, your hard disk is going to crash sooner or later. And accidentally erasing something is a common mistake. Don't be the guy who skips this ad and loses all his data. 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Battery backed time and date clock. Watchdog and power fail. 4 serial channels. 24 parallel I/O lines. Timers. Integralpower supply. Terminations for field wiring. Expansion connec- tor. Plastic or metal field packaging available. OEM versions from $199.00. Z-World Engineering 1340 Covell Blvd., Davis, CA 95616 (916) 753-3722 Fax: (916) 753-5141 Circle 347 on Reader Service Card Circle 164 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 165) KNAPCO MASTER DISTRIBUTORS TOSHIBA UPS TRUE ON-LINE UPS SYSTEMS SINE -WAVE TO TALL YSELF CONTAINED LESS THAN 3% THD. GELL ■ CELL ([}~\ BATTERIES FOR UP TO 30 MIN. V L J RS232 PORT STANDARD , PROTECTS AGAINST BLACKOUTS, BROWNOUTS , SAGS , SPIKES & LINE NOISE. NOW UPS SHIPPABLE 'new smaller profile list dealer 900 Va. $ 1499. % 1199. 790 Va. $ 1799. S 1999. IK Va. $ 2099. % 1494. 2K Va. $ 1999. % 2999. IK Va. $ 6599. $ 9999. 9K Va. $ 9179. S 6499. 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S 19B when MEMORY UPGRADES HEWLETT-PACKARD All '^fciKug" |L^cluding FREE Software LaserJet II 1 MB *135 and 2 MB *188 LaserJet I1D 4MB *344 T1 000SE 2 MB Card T1600 2 MB Card T3100e 2 MB Card *298 T3100SX 2 MB Card _*298 LaserJet IIP 1 MB *148 and 2MB $ ZZ4 LaserJet III 4MB *368 TOSHIBA . *4Z8 T3200SX 2MB Card _ $ 298 . *298 T3200 3 MB Card $ 468 T5100 2 MB Card $ 298 T5200 2 M6 Card *298 4 MB & 8MB Card Available PS/2 MDL 30/286 PS/2MDL70 PS/2 MDL 80 IBM S12K *78 2MB«Z18 1MBM18 2MB«Z38 1 MB $ 168 2 MB $ Z98 Laser Printer 1 MB *1Z8 2 MB »Z58 35 MB *398 COMPAQ AST LTE 1 MB *Z18 2 MB $ 398 SLT/286 1 MB *2B8 AU MODELS DeskPro Upgrades as low as *144 AVAILABLE CALL ZENITH SuperSport 286 1 MB *288 386-20/2S/33 1 MB *108 2 MB «238 4 MB *798 JADECOMPUTER #> • , Technicon Printer 5102 $128 • 1 20 CPS. 9 PIN Printer . Near Letter Quality Printing . EPSON/IBM Compatible • Full Graphics No Surcharge for Credit Cards! List Price $ 299 . Built-in 8K Buffer . Friction Feed and Tractor Feed . 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Prices and availability subject to change without notice. s 4.00 minimum shipping and handling charge. 390 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 Circle 154 on Reader Service Card NEW FREE 384 PAGE DATA ACQUISITION & CONTROL HANDBOOK FOR IBM PC/XT/ AT, PS/2 AND COMPATIBLE COMPUTERS • A/D BOARDS • SIGNAL CONDITIONING COMMUNICATION INDUSTRIAL CONTROL PC INSTRUMENTS IMAGE ACQUISITION 'SEND TODAY FOR YOUR FKK 384 PAGE METRABYJE DATA ACQUISITION & CONTROL HANDBOOK KEITH LEY METRABYTE 440 Myles Standish Blvd., Taunton, MA 02780 (508) 880-3000 TLX: 503989 FAX: (508) 880-0179 Circle 161 on Reader Service Card Introducing ITR VISION Software *695 00 Special Offer Save Thousands Over Hardware Based Products • Software Only-No Extra Hardware Needed • IBM Compatible MS-DOS 3.0 or Higher • Source Code and License Available • Multiple Modes Based On ITR's Patented VARI* Technology • Includes Proposed JPEG Mode • Transmit a Full Screen Image In 15 Seconds Using A Modem and Phone Line • Store Up To 10.000 Full Screen Images On A 100 Meg Hard Drive • Will Drop Into Any Existing Imaging Platform • High Quality Image Databases With 1000's Of Images Now Possible on PC's CALL NOW TO ORDER 1-800-966-4487 Circle 152 on Reader Service Card nrr MflRVMflc of discounting Tandy® computers, Fax and Radio Shack® products Radia/itaek Tandy® We will meet or beat. . . GUARANTEED LOWEST PRICES HIT MRRVMRC INDUSTRIES INC. 22511 Katy Fwy. Katy (Houston), TX 77450 1-713-392-0747 FAX (713) 574-4567 Toll Free 800-231-3680 Circle 181 on Reader Service Card VIDEO FRAME GRABBERS MODEL HRT 256-4 HRT 256-8 HRT 512-8 HRT 512-24 RESOLUTION 256 X 256 X 4 495 256 x 256 x 8 795 512 x 512 x 8 995 512 X 512 X 24 1995 - IBM PC/XT/AT COMPATIBLE - DIGITALIZE IN REAL TIME - COMPOSITE VIDEO IN - 24 BIT RGB OUT except model HRT 256-4 16 level gray scale out - SOFTWARE LIBRARY OF IMAGE ANALYSIS ROUTINES - FREE SOFTWARE UPGRADES TO REGISTERED OWNERS - FULL CREDIT ON UPGRADE PURCHASE IN FIRST YEAR RETURN OLD BOARD AND JUST PAY DIFFERENCE HRT PHONE 416-497-6493 HIGH RES TECHNOLOGIES PO. BOX 76 LEWISTON, N.Y. 14092 FAX 416-497-1988 Circle 134 on Reader Service Card Free leaflets and catalogues Info# Topic 0001 1 Printer buffers. Perhaps the simplest way to speed up a computer system. 0002 1 The ideal interface is like a cable: Easy to install. 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' Pre-Formatted... 6.20 10.60 8.80 15.95 DATA CARTRIDGES DC 2000 15.00 DC 300 XLP. 18.95 DC 2080 16.75 DC 600A 21.00 DC 2120 19.25 DC 6150 21.85 TAPE BACKUP PRODUCTS Black Watch Tape (700-2400-C55) 12.29 3480 Tape Cartridges.. ( 12514 ) ... 4.59 DEC TK-50 24.99 * DEC TK-70 37.50 We Stock The Full L ine o/3M Compute r Supplies •••• DISKETTE CONNECTION maxell 5.25" D-Side / D- Density ® 5.25" High Density 8.99 3.50" HD (2MB) 13.99 OIMIC AL D ISKS - t ALl UAIA LAaahllhb CS-500 HD.....( 50 MB ) 13.13 CS-600 HD ( 60 MB ) 15.25 CS-600 XD.... ( 155 MB ) 15.95 DISKETTE CONNECTION DISKETTE CONNECTION NORTHEAST & CANADA 1 (800) 451-1849 PO BOX 10247, WILMINGTON, DE. 19850 SOUTHEAST 1 ( 800 ) 940-4600 PO BOX 4163, DEERFIELD BEACH, FL 33442 MIDWEST 1 ( 800 ) 654-4058 PO BOX 1674, BETHANY, OK 73008 WEST - HAWAII & ALASKA 1 ( 800) 621-6221 PO BOX 12396, LAS VEGAS, NV. 89112 Minimum Order $20.00 NO SURCHARGE on VISA / MC COD orders add $3.50 Shipping charges determined by items and delivery method required by customer. { Prices are subject to change without notice ) FAX ( 405 ) 495-4598 DECEMBER 1990 -BYTE 391 386 SX-16 MHZ 386-25 MHZ CACHE 386-25 W/64K CACHE 386-33 MHZ W/64K CACHE BABY CASE W/200 WATT P/S • 1 MEG MEMORY • 1.2 MB FLOPPY DISK DRIVE • 40 MEG HARD DISK DRIVE • 2 SERIAL/1 PARALLEL GAME PORT • MONOCHROME GRAPHICS CARD • 12" AMBER MONITOR • 101 KEYBOARD • 1st YEAR, PARTS & LABOR • 2nd YEAR, LABOR STANDARD FEATURES: • 2 MEG MEMORY • 1.2 MB FLOPPY DISK DRIVE • 1.44 MB FLOPPY DISK DRIVE • 65 MB HARD DISK DRIVE • WA6 1:1 RLL CONTROLLER • MONOCHROME GRAPHICS CARD • 12" AMBER MONITOR • 2 SERIAL/1 PARALLEL AND GAME PORT • 101 KEYBOARD • 1st YEAR, PARTS & LABOR • 2nd YEAR, LABOR STANDARD FEATURES: • 2 MEG MEMORY • 1.2 MB FLOPPY DISK DRIVE • 1.44 MB FLOPPY DISK DRIVE • 65 MB HARD DISK DRIVE • WA6 1:1 RLL CONTROLLER • 14" VGA MONITOR • HI RES VGA CARD W/512K • 2 SERIAL/1 PARALLEL AND GAME PORT • 101 KEYBOARD • 1st YEAR, PARTS & LABOR • 2nd YEAR, LABOR STANDARD FEATURES: • 2 MEG MEMORY • 1.2 MB FLOPPY DISK DRIVE • 1.44 MB FLOPPY DISK DRIVE • 65 MB HARD DISK DRIVE • WA6 1:1 RLL CONTROLLER • 2 SERIAL/1 PARALLEL AND GAME PORT • 1024 x 768 MULTI SYNC MONITOR • HI RES VGA CARD W/512K • 101 KEYBOARD • 1st YEAR, PARTS & LABOR • 2nd YEAR, LABOR $1,095. 00 $1,595.°° $2,295.°° $2,595. oo 256KX8 70,80, 100NS 256KX9 70, 80, 100 NS 1MEGX8 60, 70, 80, 100 NS 1MEGX9 60, 70, 80,100 NS 4 MEG X 8 80NS 4MEGX9 80NS IBM, COMPAQ, APPLE, MACINTOSH, EVEREX, HEWLETT PACKARD, TOSHIBA, ZENITH, AST, AT&T, EPSON, NORTHGATE, SHARP, MITSUBISHI, SUN MICRO SYSTEMS, ALR MATH CO-PROCESSORS IIT 8087-3 8087-2 8087-1 CYRIX 80287-6 80287-8 80287-10 80287-12 80287-XL 80387-SX-16 INTEL 80387-16 80387-20 80387-25 80387-33 SHECOM HITEK KEYBOARD $42 DEXXA By Logitech $35 WA6 1:1 MFM CONTROLLER w/Cables $75 HIRES VGA CARD W/256K (exp512) $95 SHECOM COMPUTERS 22755-G Savi Ranch Parkway Yorba Linda, CA 92686 Tel: 714-637-4800 FAX: (714) 637-6293 HOURS (PDT) M-F 8 AM-6 PM Quantity Pricing Available All Merchandise carries full manufacturers warranty. Prices subject to change without notice. Circle 283 on Reader Service Card SALES ORDERS CALL 1 -800-366-4433 I own to earth. Changing the world , UNIX is hanging the world of comput- ers, the world of business— juite simply, changing the world. It's revolutionizing office auto- mation. It's required for ILS. government computer contracts. It's the backbone of information strategies worldwide. [The information you need . [That's why you need UxixWorld— the magazine that keeps you up to date on the rapidly chang- ing world of opemsystenis computing. Each issue brings you the latest product trends and technical advances that can affect your business. The inside story on some of the world's biggest high-tech companies. Easy- to- understand program- ming tips and tutorials that can help you and your company use UNIX to its fullest. And unbiased hardware and software reviews to help you invest wisely when you buy. The whole UNIX- verse . UxixWorld's in-depth features go beyond dry technical facts, to show how the pieces fit together — to tell you what's important about the advances and the strategies that are changing your world. And UnjxWorld con- sistently offers die freshest, most down-to-earth writing you'll find in any computer publication. Subscribe and Save , Subscribe today, and receive the next 12 issues of UnjxWorld for just half the regular newsstand price. Save even more by ordering for two or three years. You can't lose — every subscription to UnixWorld comes with a no- risk guarantee? lyear $18.00 (save 50%) 2 years $32.00 (save 55%) 3 years $42.00 (save 60%) Subscribe now! Call toll- free: 1-800-341-1522 UNIXWORLD If you're into UNIX, you need UnixWorld Magazine m§?t *■- UNIX' is a registered trademark of AT&T. UNIX WORLD ?HAT&T. WnixWorld's no-risk guarantee: If not satisfied, cancel and receive a full refund for the balance of your subscription. A McGraW-HJH publication Computer Memory and Peripherals 150ns 120ns 100ns 80ns 70ns 60ns 4MGX9 $335 $359 $395 1MGX9 $59 $62 $65 $73 $76 1MGX8 S50 $55 $62 $71 256X8 $16 $24 $29 256X9 $12 $18 $20 $21 $26 $27 150ns 120ns 100ns 80ns 70ns 60ns 1MGX1 35.00 S5.50 $6.00 $6.50 $9.00 256X1 $1.30 $1.50 $1.60 $1.75 $1.90 $2.20 256X4 $5.50 $6.50 $7.00 ... 64X1 $1.00 $1.40 $1.50 ... 64X4 $2.25 $2.50 $2.75 $3.00 256 X 4 Static Col $10.00 $11.00 256 X 1 Static Col $2,25 $3.00 $4.25 dings J={tM*fc •JiiJi 6MHz 8MHz 10MHz 12MHz 12.5MHz 20MHz IIT (2C87) $169 $195 — $280 $324 INTEL (80287) $120 MMM ATH CO- $195 $269 - ■ L^J IT NTEL (80387) INTEL (8087) $79 8MHz 10MHz $114 $159 :YRIX (83D87) (3C87) 16MHz $279 $299 $299 20MHz $319 $319 $350 25MHz $389 $389 $450 33 M Hz $479 $499 $549 16-S280 ZENITH EXPANSION CARDS For Model SuperSport SX;286E SuperSport SX SuperSport SX PS-2 PRODUCT MODEL 70 &80 SIMM 34F2933 -4MG Memory Module for55SX; 65SX Memory Option IBM P/N 34F3077;34F301 1 $469 6450372- 2MG Module for 6450367 $309 6450375- 1MG Memory Bd for 80-041 $139 6450379 - 2MG Memory Bd.for 80-1 1 1 ;31 1-121 ; 321 $249 6450603- 1MG Module for 70-E61;-1 21, Adaptor Board IBM P/N 6450605, 6450609, 34F301 1 & 34F3077 - $95 6450604 - 2MG Module for 121,50Z;55SX; 65SX;P70 70-061 ;E61;- Adaptor Board IBM P/N 6450605, 6450609 , 34F3011 &34F3077 $185 '10 or more units $175 6450608 for Model 70A21, A61, B-21, B61....$185 6451060- 4MG Memory Bd.lor80-A21;-A31 $559 120D $139 180 D $299 GSX140 $299 GSX 200 GX Color HSP500 $199 $329 HSP550 $449 ^^MrM^U.Uir.B 1124 $299 1180 $179 1624 $399 1695 $419 4450 Laser $1449 IMG Card-Toshiba Portable T1000SE & SX. 2MBCard-Toshiba Portable T1000SE 4 XE.. 2MG Card-Toshiba Portable T1200o 2MG Card-Toshiba Portable T1600 2MG Card-Toshiba Portable T31 0OSX 4MG Card-Toshiba Portable T3100SX $625 512K Card-Toshiba Portable T3100e $149 2MG Card-Toshiba Portable T3100e $269 2MG Card-Toshiba Portable T3200SX , $299 4MG Card-Toshiba Portable T32O0SX .,$699 3MG Card-Toshiba Portable T32O0 $429 2MG Card-Toshiba Portable T5100 2MG Module-Toshiba Portable T5200 2MG Modulo-Toshiba Desktop T8500 ifiVHiiyjiifliHi 1 EPSON Memory Up- grade for Model LP6000 1MG $154 2MG $213 3MG $336 1MG386/25-33SX....$79 IMG 386/16 $79 1MG386C $79 We Accept Purchase Orders from Qualified Firms, Universities and Government Agencies FROM ANYWHERE IN THE U.S., CANADA, PUERTO RICO AND THE VIRGIN ISLANDS. l-(800)-533-0055 We Accept International Orders with fast delivery via DHL, Federal Express, Air Mail INTERNATIONAL ORDERS: (714) 251-8689 IBM Memory Upgrade for Modol 4019, 4019E IMG $146 2MG $198 3.5MG $277 r^*i:i:i:id,'i.:=i'j',i.i.iiii*« HOLIDAY SPECIALS COPROCESSOR For 386SX Systems Includes Sockets 83587-16 $280 835B7-20 $360 MARSTEK HAND SCANNERS 1MG x 9 - 100ns $75 30F5360(Kit-2ea) $150 256 x 9 - 120ns $24 30F5348 (Kit-2ea) $48 6450605- w/2MG Expands to SMG $499 1497259 -w/2MG Expands to 8MG $499 34F3011 - w/4MG Expands to 16MG $749 IDE/WFD $49 MFM/WFD...$89 RLL/WFD....$79 HEWLETT- PACKARD m. $79 IMG $99 2MG $149 4MG......S249 QTY PRICING AVAILABLE ■OK.. $89 1MG $119 2MG $169 4MG $269 fAST I PRODUCT I RAMvantage! for 286'AT Systems. Spli! Memory Addressing. Does Backfill la 640K and extended memory up to 3MG. Uses 256 D-RAM. SuperPak Software only...$47 4MG 386/16 $299 4MG386C $299 RAMPAGE PLUS 286 "p to SMG Expande emory - Uses 256 wiiheK $299 vith 2MG ....$409 MEMORY EXPANSION BOARDS COMPAQ MEMORY ADD-ON MODULES $269 S1695 $7900 Portable LTE $139 $169 $299 $325 $495 $799 S1299 DESKPHO 386/16 CONTROLLERS RAMQUEST 8/16 The only card expandable to 32MG, for IBM PCs, XTs, ATs, PS/2 Model 30-286 as well as compatibles. Supports both 8 and 16 bit bus.Uses 256K, 1MGor4MG Modules. w/9K $239 RAMQUEST EXTRA 16/32Theonl y e-8MG, 9 wait state card for PS/2 mod 50, 60, & 80 which fully supports both 1 6and 32-bit memo ry access. Includes 1 SERand 1 PARportplus free serial cable. EMS 4 .0 and OS/2 compatible. Uses 256k and/or 1MG SIMMS $299 mnESHaa TINY TURBO 286 Lowcost.highspeed.halfslot PC/XT - Accelerates your PC/XT with a 8MHz 80286 microprocessor. 80287 math chip socket $229 TINY TURBO XT High speed half slot accele- rator for PC/XT - Accelerates your PC/XT up to 4 times laster with a 12 MHz 80286 microprocessor. 80287 Math chip socket $259 D-RAM TESTERS UN1-0Q2RT $139 Tests speed plus parameters UNI-003 RT $189 Tests standard SIMM Modules 256 X 8, 256 X 9, 1 MG X 9, 1MG X8 CALL FOR OTHER OPTIONS AVAILABLE VIDEO ADAPTERS BOCA RESEARCH TOPHAT - Does backfill conventional memory from 51 2 to 640K on AT/ with OK $69 TOPHAT II - Same as TophAT/with 128K $85 BOC ARAM/XT Provides up to2MG of expanded memory for 8 bit bus. Operates up to 1 2 MHz - Uses 256K D-RAM/ with 9K $109 withlMG $170 BOC ARAM/ AT Provides up to 2MG LIM EMS 4.0 and/or 4MG of extended, expanded or backfill memory. For 16 bit bus. Operates up to 16MHz. Uses 256K D-RAM/with OK $109 with512K $169 BOC ARAM/ AT PLUS Provides up to 8MG of extended, expanded or backfill memory. Operates up to 33MHz and is set thru software. Uses 1MG D-RAM/ with OK $119 with2MG $235 BOC ARAM/AT I/O PLUS Provides up to4MG of extended, expanded or backfill memory.For 16 bit bus. Operates upto 33 MHz and is set thru software. Has serial and parallel port. Uses 1MG DRAM/ with OK $165 with2MG $319 BOCARAM 30 Provides up to 2MG of expanded memory for IBM PS/2 model 25, 30 and 8-bit bus PC that utilize 3.5 in. floppy disks. Uses 256K DRAM/ with OK $149 with2MG $289 BOCARAM 50Z Provides up to 2MG, wait state, expanded or extended memory for IBM PS/2 model 50, 50Z.60. Uses 1MG D-RAM/ with OK $149 with2MG $270 BOCARAM 50/60 Provides up to 4MG expanded, extended or backfill memory for PS/ 2 model 50, 60. Uses 1 MG D-RAM/ with OK $160 with 2MG $299 I/O XT 02 41 For8-bit bus. Has clock, parallel port,serialport,andoptional2ndserialport.$49 l/OAT For 16-bit bus. Has parallel port, serial port, and optional 2nd serial port $69 I/O SER 2 Add 2nd serial port, to I/O A Tor I/O XT $15.95 BOCA MCA PARALLEL CARD Adds 1 parallel port to PS/2 System $69 BOCA MCA SERIAL/PARALLEL CARD Adds 2 serial and 1 parallel port to PS/2 System $119 1024 VGA 1024 X 768 in 16 simultaneous colors. 640/480 in 256 colors. 132 col X 50, 43,25. 1024 X 768 + 800/600 drivers/ 132 col $159 SUPER VGA 800 X 600 Resolution/ 256K RAM/ 8 or 16 bit. 132 col X 50,43,25/ LIM Drivers/ 800 X 600 drivers for Windows, Auto CAD $109 VGA 640 X 480 Resolution/ 256K RAM, 8 or 16 bit $99 Multi EGA 640 X 480 Resolution on multiple frequency monitors- 640 X 480 + 752 X 410/ 256K RAM/Drivers for Auto CAD, Windows and Lotus $89 VGA WONDER 256™{256K video memory, user upgradable) Same as VGA wonder 5 12*, except with 800x600 in 1 6 colors and 1 024x768 in 4 colors. Includes Microsoft compatible mouse .$249 EGA CARD 640 X 480, 16 color, EGA/MGA/ CGA/Hercules $89 VGA CARD 1 024 X 768, 16 color.VGA/ EGA/ MGA/CGA $119 MONO CARD w/parallel port $25 CGA CARD w/parallel port $25 SOFTWARE DOS 3.3/GW BASIC $59 DOS 4.0/GW BASIC $65 PAINTBRUSH $39 EVEREX RAM 3000 DELUXE Upto3MG. Selectable memory addresses, Expanded Memory Specifications (EMS) 4.0 /OS/2. Can be used to backfill base memory up to 640K and the rest as expanded and/or extended memory. Uses 256K D-RAM $99 With 512K $139 RAM 8000 Up to 8MG capacity/support to base, extended or expanded memory in any combination. Fully compatible with Lotus.lntef, Microsoft, EMS 4.0, EEMS. Supports Multi- Tasking and DMA Multi-Tasking in hardware. Software configurable (no dip switches to set). Full 16MG window for future expansion . Zero wait state, uses 1MGD-RAM $219 RAM 10000 Up to 10 MG capacity/support to base, extended or expanded memory in any combination. Compatible with Lotus, Intel, Microsoft, EMS4.0. Operateswithnoadditional waitstates. Uses 1MG D-RAM $159 DFI3 BUTTON MOUSE Microsoft Com- patible w/software included $35 384 Multifunction Card $89 for PC/XTExpands to 384K-SER/PAR/CLK/ Game port. Uses 64K DRAM MARSTEK 3 BUTTON MOUSE V Microsoft/Mouse Systems Compatable V Adjustable DPI up to 1280 (software) SOFTWARE INCLUDED... $39 NO SLOT CLOCK Runs on any empty ROM Socket tor XT. Anr Only _ 4>^0 Retail Office 1025 E. Twain Las Vegas, NV 89109 Phone: (702) 732-8689 FAX: (702) 732-0390 1-(800>843-8414 Mon - Fri 8am - 6pm Sat 8am - 2pm '•MMMMM No surcharge tor MC or VISA Terms; MC • VISA - COD ■ CASH • AMEX add 4% Purchase Orders Irom qualilied firms. 20% restocking lee on non-defective returns. Prices subject to change. SEND ALL MAIL ORDERS TO P.O. Box 1 9772 Irvine, CA 92713 Mail Order Division & Retail Store 17222 Armstrong Ave. • Irvine, CA 92714 Phone: (714) 251-UNTX(251-8 6 8 9) Fax: (714) 251-8943 1-(800)-533-0055 Mon - Fri 7am - 5pm Sat 8am - 2pm PRICES SUBJECTTO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE. NOTRESPONSIBLE FOR TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS. 394 BYTE* DECEMBER 1990 Computer Systems and Hardware We Accept Purchase Orders from Qualified Firms, Universities and Government Agencies FROM ANYWHERE IN THE U.S., CANADA, PUERTO RICO AND THE VIRGIN ISLANDS. LT l-(800)-533-0055 CHECK OUT THE NEW, LOWER PRICES!! SPECIALS MINI-SCRIBE AT -XT 200MB Hard Drives HARD DISK 40 MG 26ms WITH CONTROLLER Conner 3204 $819 Rodime $299 R03259A $799 I/O CARDS AT or XT-1P/2S/1G $25 Mono VGA Monitor SERIAL, PAR OR XT 12" Paper White, GAME PORT Tilt & Swivel Base f $15 ea. XT-W/FDC 360K $49 $89 ea. $79-10 or more HARD DRIVES MODEMS Kalock 20MB XT 20MB.MFM.3.5 HH,40ms $225 Micro Science HH1096 66MG RLL, 5.25HH, 28ms.. .$320 Conner CP3104 105MG RLL, 3.5HH, 25ms $519 Conner CP3204 200MG RLL/IDE, 3.5HH, 16ms $819 Rodime RQ3259A 200MG IDE, 3.5HH, 16ms $799 ==^VEREX- Internal 1200 BAUD $69 Internal 2400 BAUD $129 Internal 2400 BAUD w/MNP 5 $169 External 2400 BAUD w/MNP 5 $199 Unite x {hayes compatibles) Internal 1200 BAUD $59 External 1200 BAUD $99 Internal 2400BAUD $69 External 2400 BAUD $129 Internal 2400 BAUD W/MNP5& 7 $79 External 2400 BAUD W/MNP5 &7 $139 FAX BOARDS . . - _ , , Wo iv works with "K". CalCUlUS EZ-FAX Windows 3.0! The COQSl Highly functional, Fully loaded. Cost effective FAX board manufactured. CCITT Grouplll Providesfully concurrent background operation. Allows userlotrartsmit, receive and view documents on screen. Once in memojy, the transmissions may be edited lor retransmission, printed, stored for future, or discarded off your hard drive. SOFTWARE INCLUDED ^ . _ ft CAL 001FX (4800 baud) Unitex Price Si 89 CAL002FX (9600 baud) Unitex Price $269 ZOL T RIX 96/24 9600 baud, send/receive fax card with 2400 baud modem. SOFTWARE INCLUDED... $239 LOGITECH SCAN MAN Compatible with the Calculus 62- FAX. Scan man is a 1-400 Multi-Resolution Scanner. Real time screen image generation while scanning. Using this hand scanner makes faxing yourscanned images a simple wave of the hand. CAL002BL INCLUDES CALCULUS EZ-FAX $339 DEST PERSONAL SCAN Hand held or sheet fed, full page scanner with OCR software. 300 dots per inch and 64 shades of gray. ONLY $649 Look at these Great Computer Systems Buys 11 UNITEX COMPUTER SYSTEMS WITH FULL 1 YEAR WARRANTY The New 386 Personal Computer Systems from Unitex have some incredible features that outperform machines that cost hundreds of dollars more! We have the configuration with exactly the options you want I ALL SYSTEMS INCLUDE DOS 3.3 AND GW BASIcTl W UNITEX 386SX! 16 1 14" VGA Paper White Monitor 1 Phoenix Bios. I 1MG on Board Memory (expandable to 8) I 1.2MB Floppy Drive I 2 EA. Serial and Parallel Ports 1 Game Port 101-Key Click Keyboard Supports EMS/LIM 4.0 Has Math-Co Socket INCLUDES 60 MB HD OUR PRICE $1295 rf UNITEX-386-20 20MHz I 1 MG RAM (expandable to 8 MB) I 1.2MB Floppy Drive I Fast IDE 1.1 hard/floppy drive controller 200 Watt Power Supply FCC Class B approved 101 keyboard Supports EMS/LIM 4.0 Has Math-Co Socket OUR PRICE $899 &UNITEX-386-25 I 25MHz i 1MG RAM (expandable to 8 MB) i 1.2MB Floppy Drive I Fast IDE 1.1 hard/floppy drivecontroller 200 Watt Power Supply FCC Class B approved 101 Keyboard Supports EMS/LIM 4.0 Has Math-Co Socket AVAIL. WITH 64K CACHE sT OUR PRICE $1199 UNITEX-386-33 ■ 33MHz ■ 1 MG RAM (expandable to 8 MB) ■ 1.2MB Floppy Drive ■ FastlDE 1 .1 hard/floppy drive controller ■ 200 Watt Power Supply FCC Class B approved 101 keyboard Supports EMS/LIM 4.0 Has Math-Co Socket INCLUDES 64K CACHE OUR PRICE $1899 &UNI-286-12/UNI-286-16 286-12/16 System Board I Expandable to 4MG 80287 Coprocessor Socket l 5 Drive Case & 200 W PS I Built-in Clock & Calendar 1 MG Wait State RAM One 1 .2 MB Floppy Drive (1:1) HD/FD Controller 2 Serial/1 Par./1 Game Port Enhanced 101 Keyboard 12MHz $510 16MHz $570 SYSTEM OPTIONS (Add-ons to systems only) CABLES MONITORS VIDEO CARDS CASES POWER SUPP. HDD/FDD $5.25 XTHD $4.49 V 12" Amber w/tilt and swivel base $79 V 1 4" Paper w/tilt and swivel base $89 V Monochrome(720X) or Color Graphics(320X) with parallel port $25 \f Boca EGA(640x480)...$89 V Boca VGA(640x480)...$99 \l Super VGA(eoox600)$109 Vl024VGA(io24x768)$159 >/ ATI-VGA Wonder with 256K(i 024x768) $249 ALL CASES HAVE 200WOR BETTER POWER SUPPLY. a/ Baby AT $69 V Mini Tower $139 V Full Size Tower..$1 89 VStd. XT $39 VPS/2 $159 V XT-150W $39 V XT-200W $59 >/AT230W $59 V PS/2-200W $69 Serial(6') $7.95 KB Ext.(6') $4.49 Monitor Ext.(6')...$4.49 Cen to Cen(6')....$7.95 CentoCe(10')..$10.95 Par. Printer(6')....$5.95 Par. Printer(10')..$9.95 yl EGA color $299 V VGA Color $319 VSuperVGAcobr.$419 V NEC-2A Mult-Sync. (800x600) $495 V NEC-3D Multi-Sync. (1024x768) $695 FLOPPY DRIVES >i360K $60 >/720K $75 V 1.2MB $79 \M.44MB(3.5")....$89 Retail Office 1025 E.Twain Las Vegas, NV 89109 Phone: (702) 732-8689 FAX: (702) 732-0390 Terms: Cash • MC or VISA - no surcharge AMEX only add 4% handling fee COD, Purchase Orders from qualified firms. 20% restocking fee on non-defective returns. Prices subject to change. Mail Order Division & Retail Store 17222 Armstrong Ave. • Irvine, CA 92714 Phone: (714) 251-UNTX(251-8 6 8 9) Fax:(714)251-8943 1-(800)-843-8414 Mon - Fri 8am - 6pm Sat 8am - 2pm SEND ALL MAIL ORDERS TO P.O. Box 19772 Irvine, CA 92713 1-(800)-533-0055 Mon - Fri 7am - 5pm Sat 8am - 2pm Circle 332 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 333) PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE. NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS. DECEMBER 1990 • B Y T E 395 PS/2 model 30/286-30 meg 1795 PS/2 mode! 50Z/286-60 meg 2395 PS/2 model 55SX/386SX-60 meg . .2695 PS/2 model 70/386-120 meg 5595 PS/2 model 80/121-120 meg NEW *** Monitor Extra *** comma Compaq 286E-40 meg 1995 Compaq 386/20E-100 meg with 4 meg memory 3595 Compaq 386S-100 meg with 2 meg memory 2795 Other Models CALL *** Monitor Extra *** LOW PRICE LEADER SINCE 1983 ■VERE^- Everex System 1 1545 Everex Step 286/12 - 1 meg 40 meg VGA card and monitor Everex System II 2195 Everex Step 386SX - 2 meg 40 meg VGA card and monitor Everex System III Everex Step 386/33 - 4 meg 150 meg VGA card and monitor 4850 CALL FOR MODELS & CONFIG Macintosh Mac SE/30-40 meg 3195 Mac-IICX-80 meg 4595 Mac Portable-40 meg 4795 Other Models CALL *** Keyboard & Monitor Extra *** LAPTOP Texas Instruments TM2000 2595 Compaq LTE/286-40 2975 Sharp 6220 2595 CALL FOR OTHER BRANDS LAPTOP ACCESSORIES Memory 1 meg Toshiba 1000SE 190 2 meg Toshiba 3100SX 210 2 meg Toshiba 3200SX 210 2 meg Toshiba 5200 220 1 meg Compaq SLT 280 AGI Computer AGI386SX-1 meg 1595 40 meg VGA card and monitor AST 386SX - 2 meg 2195 40 meg VGA card and monitor CALL FOR OTHER MODELS DISKS DYSAN 5V4 HD / 3/2 HD MAXELL 5V4 HD / 3V 2 HD Min. 10 Boxes Order .13/26 .12/25 WE STOCK CITIZEN TOSHIBA OKIDATA NEC EVEREX WYSE GOLD STAR HITACHI PRINCETON GRAPHICS SONY ACER HOUSTON INSTRUMENTS AMDEK HAYES SAMSUNG CALCOMP PC MOUSE MICROSOFT MICE LOGITECH MITSUBISHI IRWIN & ARCHIVE TAPE BACK TAXAN MAGNOVOX Intel Coprocessors 8087-3 105 8087-2 145 80287-8 225 80287-10 249 80387-16 395 80387-20 425 80387-25 495 80387-33 599 MONITORS Nee Multisync HA . . . .499 Nee Multisync 3D ....625 Emerson VGA 340 Nee Multisync 5D ...2350 Sony 1304 659 Sony 1302 619 SOFTWARE SPECIALS dBase IV 455 WordPerfect 5.1 260 Aldus Pagemaker 495 Ventura Publisher 525 Clipper 435 WordStar 5.5 150 EasyExtra 40 PACIFIC DATA PRODUCTS P Page II 395 P. Page IIP 365 P. 1-2-4 Mem II 140 P. One Meg IIP 160 P. 25 in One III 250 P. Headlines 245 NOVELL Authorized Dealer LAN BOARDS 8 bit Arcnet .110 16 bit Arcnet .220 8 bit Ethernet . . . . .190 16 bit Ethernet 275 8 port Active Hub . . .325 Token Ring Card . . . 399 Token hub 4-port . . . .355 Call for other LAN Accessories SPECIALS HP Scan Jet .1425 HP PaintJet 965 Lotus Ver. 3.0 355 Kodak 150P 355 Complete Fax Board 399 Okidata 391 625 Epson LQ1050 .... 660 Panasonic 1124 . . ...319 HP-7475 Plotter . . ...1595 SummaGraphic . . . ...365 LASER PRINTE RS HP Laser HID .2550 HP Laser 2P .995 HP Laser III .1695 Panasonic 4450 .1395 Brother HL-8-E .1895 Nee LC 890 .3195 Toshiba Laser 6 .1095 MODEMS Everex 2400 Int/Mnp .179 Hayes 2400B .315 Hayes 9600B .875 USRobotics Hst/Dual .1150 More in Stock ..Call EXPORTS Available ALL QUOTED PRICES ARE CASH PRICES ONLY. Visa and MasterCard 3% higher, American Express 5% higher COMPUTERLANE HOURS: M-F 9-6 S 10-6 CORPORATE ACCOUNTS WELCOME CALL FOR VOLUME DISCOUNTS CONSULTANTS CALL FOR PRICING 1-800-526-3482 (outside ca> (818) 8848644 On CA) (818) 884-8253 (FAX) 22107 ROSCOE BLVD. CANOGA PARK Vz BLOCK W. OF TOPANGA CA 91304 Prices subject to change without notice * Quantities are limited Compaq is a Registered Trademark of Compaq IBM is a Registered Trademark of International Business Machines 396 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 Circle 73 on Reader Service Card BY HAND. OR BY NOON. Announcing Flow Charting" 3: Powerful newfeatures- for greater speed, flexibility, and gj ease-of-use! • Single-page.multi- page or canvas charts- portrait or landscape • Customfontssupport high resolution laser and24-pin dot matrix printers • 35 standard shapes, 10 text fonts • Suggested retail price: only $250 PATTON&PATTON Software Corporation See your dealer today! Or, for a "live',' interactive demo disk, call: 800-525-0082, ext. BY40. International: 408-778-6557, ext. BY40. Circle 227 on Reader Service Card EZ-ROUTE VERSION II SCHEMATIC TO PCLAYOUT $500 INCLUDES AUTO ROUTER EZ-ROUTE Version II from AMS for IBM PC, PS/2 and Com- patibles is an integrated CAE System which supports 256 layers, trace width from 0.001 inch to 0.255 inch, flexible grid, SMO components and outputs on Penplotters as well as Photo plotters and printers. Schematic Capture S100, PCB Layout S250, Auto Router $250. FREE EVALUATION PACKAGE 30 DAYS MONEY BACK GUARANTEE 1 -800-972-3733 or (305) 975-9515 ADVANCED MICROCOMPUTER SYSTEMS. INC. 1321 N.W. 65 Place - Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33309 Circle 39 on Reader Service Card COPROCESSOR SPECIALIST ^^^^^H AMD 8087 5MHZ 78. AM80C287-1C 8087-2 8MHZ 109. with manual & disc 8087-1 10MHZ 80287-8 80287-10 145. 177. 197. $ 99.00 ! 2C87-8 164 80387DX-16 299. 2C87-10 178. 80387DX-20 340. 2C87-12.5 189. 80387DX-25 420. 2C87-20 239. 80387DX-33 519. 3C87-16 259. 80C287A-12 245. 3C87-20 279. 80287XL 189. 3C87-25 359. 80287XLT 189. 3C87-33 449. 80387SX-16 269. 3C87SX-16 298. 80387SX-20 289. 3C87SX-20 CALL flB3W^TPS5 X83D87-16 X83D87-20 ^^? 3167-20 340. 295. 3167-25 569. X83D87-25 368. 3167-33 699. X83D87-33 448. 4167-25 747. X83S87-16 230. 4167-33 990. X83S87-20 252. ANls 2464 E Sc &AN7 ICaminc ntaClar HONY (DAI) ) Real, Suite 420 a, CA 95051 Tel: (408) 988-5083 Fax: (408) 988-3986 Circle 360 on Reader Service Card IEEE 488 Easiest to use, GUARANTEED! . IBM PC, PS/2, Macintosh, HP. Sun, DEC • IEEE device drivers for DOS, UNIX, Lotus 1-2-3, VMS, XENIX & Macintosh • Menu or icon-driven acquisition software • IEEE analyzers, expanders, extenders, buffers • Analog I/O. digital I/O. RS-232, RS-422, SCSI, modem & Centronics converters to IEEE4S8 Free Catalog & Demo Disks (216) 439-4091 lOt. ecn 25971 CannortRd. • Cleveland, OH 44146 Circle 150 on Reader Service Card Arlington Electronics 386-25 $1549 286-12 40Mb 386-SX40Mb 386-33 40Mb 64K Hi speed cache $ 989 $1198 $1889 VGA III $449 Windows 3.0 $ 59 Installed on color system All systems include: • Mono graphics monitor ■ 40 Mb Teac IDE HDD • 1.2 or 1.44 Mb Teac FDD • 1 Mb 80ns main memory •101 Keytronics keyboard • MS-DOS" 3.3 or 4.01 • Choice of 3 case designs • 1 year warranty 3% Shipping charge visa 1-800 833-3590 Mas,e ^fx Circle 35 on Reader Service Card TWIX PC CASH REGISTERS NEW MODELS, LOW PRICES NEW 3011/12 "REGISTER HEADS": Receipt printer, register keyboard, cash drawer & monitor In a sleek package for hook-up to a XT/AT or PS-2. NEW 3041 "REGISTER TERMINAL": TV950 terminal emulation for multi-user oper. systems with built In controls for drawer, receipts, scanners & more. NEW 3081 "REGISTER COMPUTER": Standalone "AT" compatible w/hard & floppy drives, 1 MB Ram. NEW "TWIX ADVANTAGE" RETAIL POS Software: Advanced features, network, scanner interface. TWIX INTERNATIONAL CORP. 4401 S. BROADWAY, BNGLEWOOD, CO 80110 (303)789-5333 FAX (303)788-0670 Circle 362 on Reader Service Card Circle 59 on Reader Service Card LOW COST INTERFACE CARDS FOR PC/XT/AT RS-485/422 Card [PC485] $95/125 • Serial Asyno Communication up to 4,000ft; 2 or 4 wires; NS16450 UART; • Can be configured as COM I-COM4; Maximum Baud Rate 56KB. • Flexible configuration options. RTS or DTR control of transmission direction. • Full/llairduplex operation. Supports hardware handshaking (RTS.CTS). • Dual drivers/receivers;Handles 64 devices;Compatible with most comm.sftwr. • High speed version available (supports baud rates up to 256KB ) - $165 Dual-Port RS-485/422[PCL743] $175 • Two independent channels /UARTs; 2 or 4 wire operation. Max. Baud 56KB. • Dipswitch configurable as COM 1-4 (IRQ2-7). On board terminatorresistor. IEEE-488 Card [PC488A] $145 • Includes DOS Device Driver and sample Communication program in BASIC. • AdditionalsampleprogramsinC, Pascal & Assembly - $50, • IRQ (1-6). DMAcnannel 1 or 2. Up to 4 boards per computer. • Compatible with most IEEE-488 Software packages for IBM-PC. • I/O Addresses and Control Registers compatible with NFs GPIB-PCIIA. IEEE-488 Card [PC488C] With Built-in Bus Analyzer $445 • Software Support for BASIC A, QuickBASIC and GWBASIC. • Additional libraries for C, Pascal, FORTRAN, Assembly available - $50 (all) Full range ofTalker, Listener, Controller, Serial/Parallel Poll, SRQ, etc... • Powerful menu-dn ven BUS ANALYZER can be run in the background while 488 programs or commands are executed; Features Program Stepping, Break points. Real Time Bus Data Capture (4K buffer), Instant Screen Toggling. • Complete Controller /Talker/ Listener capability. Based on NEC-7210 . • Memory-resident Printer Port Emulation Utility included (LPri-3). • Compatible with NI's GPIB-PCII . TMS-9914 based card - $345. DIGITAL I/O Card [PCL720] $175 • Input: 32 TTLcompatiblechannels; Input load is 0.2 mA at 0.4V. • Output: 32 TTL compatible channels;Sinks 24mA(0.5V); Sources 15mA(2.0V) • Counter/Tim en DCto 2.6MHz;3 channels; 16 bit counters; 6 counting modes. • Breadboard area for prototyping. Dipswitch I/O port selection (200-3F8 hex). LOW COST DATA AQUISITION & CONTROL CARDS FOR PC/XT/AT 12BITA/D&D/A [PCL711s] $295 • A/D converter: 8 single-ended channlels; Device: AD574; Conversion time less than 25nsec; Input range: i5V; Software Trigger Mode only. • D/A converter 1 channel; 12 bit resolution; to +5 V/1 0V Output Range. • Digital I/O: 16 Input/ 16 Output channels; All I/Os TTL compatible. • External Wiring Terminal Board with mounting accessories included. • Utility Routines and Demo/Sample Programs for BASIC and Quick-BASIC. 12 BIT A/D & D/A [PCL812] $395 • A/D converter: 16 single ended inputs; Device: AD574; Conversion time less than 25 ^ec; Built-in programmable pacer; Input ranges: ±10V, ±5V, ±1V. • D/A converter: 2 channels ; 12 bit resolution.; Output Range 0-5V . • Digital I/0:16Input/16 0utputchannels;AJlI/OsTI'Lcompatible. • Counter: 1 channel programmable interval counter/timer; Uses Intel 8254. • DMA and interrupt capability. Utility software for Basie included. FAST 12BIT A/D/A [PCL718] $795 • A/D converter: 16 single ended or 8 differential channels; 12 bit resolution; Programmable scan rate; Built-in Interrupt and DMA control circuitry. Conversion speed 60,000 smpls/sec (standard), 100,000 smpls/sec (optional). • Input ranges: Bipolar ±10V, ±5V, ±2.5V, ±1V, ±0.5V; Unipolar 10,5,2,1V. • D/A converter. 2 channels; Resolution: 12 bits res; Settling ti me: S>i5ec; ±5V • Digital I/0:160UT,161N;TTLcompatible;Alll/OsTTLcompatible. • Counter:16 bitprogr. interval counter/timer; Uses Intel 8254; Pacer clock; • Software: Utility software for BASIC and QuickBASIC included. Supported by LabDAS ($195/495), ASYST, LABTECH, UnkelScope 1 6 Channel 12 bit D/A [PCL726] $495] • Output Ranges: Oto +5V,0to + 10V, ±5V, ±10Vor sink4-20mA. • Settling time: 70p.S. Linearity: ± l/2bit.Voltage output driving capacity: ±5mA • Digital I/O: 16 digital inputs and 16 digital outputs; TI'Lcompatible. STEPPER MOTOR CARD $395 • Capable of independent and simultaneous control of up to 3 stepper motors. • Speed: Programmable from 33 PPS to 3410 PPS; Built-in acceleration control. • Output Mode: One clock (Pulse, Direction) or two clock (CW, CCW pulses) • Step position Read-back; Opto-isolatcd outputs; Crystal based timing. • Includes 8 bit digital input/output port. Order P/N [PCL-738B] MC / VISA / AMEX Call today for datasheets! Circle 60 on Reader Service Card B&C MICROSYSTEMS INC. 750 N. PASTORIA AVE., SUNNYVALE, CA 94086 USA TEL: (408)730-5511 FAX: (408)730-5521 BBS:(408)730-2317 DECEMBER 1990 -BYTE 397 SOFTWARE! m^m m. c A L L F R L W $ Auto Sketch (£6) Desfln CAD 20 Design CAD 3D Drafix Ultra Generic CAD Level 3 CAD 3D drafting Math CAD ACCOUNT NG 1MCE&ACCES. ChessM aster F-1 5 Strike E; 21 09' $146 unecKit $78 DAC Easy $79 DAC Easy Bonus pack4.0 $163 DAC Payroll $54 Dollars 8 Sense (3.1) w/Forecast 594 GREAT AMERICAN: One Write Plus $87 Accounts Payable $129 Accounts Receivable $129 Payroll $129 Time Slips II $108 One Write JKLasser Income Tax Money Matters Peachtree III Peachtree DWe Bonus Bndt $21 Profitwise Bus. 10 pak Pro fit wise /Solomon report & qraoh Quicken 3,0 .ianaging your .-, te.or Tobias Tax Cut Tobias Managing Your $ Turbo Tax . r 1 i s- Logi MSuse Hi-res JCf/AT 365 Masterpiece $81 Masterpiece Plus $92 Serial Mouse $96 MS Bus/Serial Mouse wAMnoows $144 Omni Mouse II Bus w/Paint $54 Omni Mouse II Serial w/Paint $37 ,ness5Pack $298 PC Track Ball Serial if/Magician King's QuestUUII, IV Hunt for Red October i ' SjitLarryl i -i Suit Larry II. Ill Mac Scuba i . ,' Simulator 4.0 CH Flnhtstick PC GISbe PC USA Red Storm Rising Sim City Tetris Their Finesl Hour Tongue of the Taman Tracon Welftris X-Men: Madness MurderWrld $25 ill $13... MON- ITORS DESKTOP PUB ■ WORD PROC. Express Publisher Finesse Newscaster II Newsroom Pro PageMaker 3.0 PCrPaintbrushlVplus Perform wiDesigner & (iter Pnntshop Publish ft Publishers Paintbrush Ventura Publishing Ventura Pro Extension Arts & Letters 2.0 Autodesk Animator AMI Professional MS Word MS Word Companion i.' 'or windows MS Word for Windows Up. grade PFS: Professional Write Volkswriter 4 Hyundai VGA 720x400 Mitsubishi Diamond Scan Panasyrx; 1391 Sony 1304 Multiscan Sony 1302 Mulliscan Sony 1320 VGA NEC Multisync 2A NEC Multi 3D II Packard Bell 12" Packard Bell 14" VGA (while) XKKE IC0MPUTERS MAXTRON NOTEBOOK # 20MB HD 720k FD $1195|| 1MBRAM7lbs. $46/m POQET $CaU$|| ATARI Portiaio $339-$ 1 5 mo — '80C88, MS DOS compatible, Lotus ,*w. nip compatible, Word Processor, Ad- dress Book, Appointment Diary, Phone Dialer, Up/Download thru parallel port to SHARP Notebook PC 6220 $79/mo I # 286-12Mhz # 20MB hard drive # Backlit super twist VGA-LCD # Weighs 4.4 lbs. -H"x8.5"x14" Clarion Personal Developer 3 Clarion Pro Developer 5 DataPerfect2.1 1 Clipper 4.0 J DBase IV i 3base IV Developers Edition* 3ataEase J ■ bfeherPro i Publisher Report Maker S Caroon Copy Pius i.. ComcuServe Membership kit $18 CrosstatkXVI $102 ■ ■ ■ Widows Crosstalk Mark IV Direct Access 4.1 .e336 Mirror III PC Anywhere IV Procom Plus Remote 2 Smartcom II Smartcom III Smartcom 320 Close-up ■:H r oxbasePro $418 R ?'r' Gc i d _ ___ Vf_ O^flfiaseaddir, tl I^^M^I^lVi:^ Paradox 3.0 £444 AccpacBPI Network 522B Paradox 3.0 PFS Prof File Q8A R:Base coma iter R:BaseforDOS Revelation Advance l^lMion Advance Run&ne m VP Expert VPinfo DBXL Diamond 1.3 Rapid Rie 1.2 R&HCodegenerator 1SR Report Writer ;■?:"' m .iccpacB Data£aseLAN3pack DBase IV LAN FoxBase LAN Network node . r.vareELSI Novell Netware ELS II Paradox Network PFS Professional LAN " 1 A Network Pak (8 user) $251 JaseforDOSl-BNetwrk |§16 .'entura Publisher Network ,... Word Perfect additional user 5154 tee C compilerbTl Macro Assembler HI8«SStfl!f' opsam MSCobolCor- JJ ■ jii Cornpiler MS Quck Pascal 8uick Base 4.5 uick C P - ':,' ~ , ' Rjan McFarland Cobof $73L Turbo Basic 1.1 |64 Turbo C Pro ST58 Turbo Pascal 5.5 Pro Pack $158 Turbo Pascal Dev. Library $254 Microsoft Pascal ' ■ Micro Windows Dev i ■••■er Tools Plus .....olete FunPge OCR/FP 5288 CAT^derFuliPage iJ.uxe Pa, ; nt II Enhanced Wi designer „ _, $414 j .shers Power Pack $87 Flowcharting II Plus $121 Form Tools Form Works w/fill& file jjn&Fw. B S3i8 i the Box $64 Harvard Graph ks _ $274 Harvard Graphics Draw Prtnr $85 Impress $68 pten^^ V? '-'- > m ''!i | 1 nes4.5 : gs Advnced 5.0 PC Tools Deluxe 5.5 jkick Plus Spinwrite II XFree Pro Xtree Pro Gold Airways for Lotus tor Symphony 8 bit Coax/Star 8 bt Coax/Bus 8btUTP/Star/Bus 8 bt 4 in 1 16 bit Coax/Star 1 6 bit Coax/Bus 1 6 bit UTP/S tar/Bus LAN CARDS 16 bit 4 in 1 ! Int. Sport Hub ! 8 port ex! Active Hub ! SportextAdrveHubUTP ! Novell Bool ROM 8/16 Bit 8 Bit Enet Int ! 1 6 Bit Hi-perl Enet Novell ! Memory *A COMPAQ V MATH COS TOSHIBA T1000 786k co - d $249 T1000/SE/XE2MB $299 T1200XE2MB $239 T 1600/31 00/3200/ T5200 2MB $229 T3100SX/3200SX 4MB $648 SHARP SHARP 6220 1 MB/2MB $279/498 SH5541 1MB S499 PANASONIC P4420LaserlMB $210 P4420 Laser 2MB S279 P4450I Laser 1 MB S199 P4450I Laser 2MB $249 EPSON LP 6000 Laser b» S199 LP 6000 Laser 2mb $225 ZENITH Super Sport 1MB/4MB S179/Call Z386-20/25/33 1MB/2MB SI 45/249 4MB $649 Z386SX2MB SI 99 $199 COMPAQ SLT1MB LTE 286 1MB/2MB $164/225 DeskPro 286- 20/20E/25/286-E 1MB/4MB $165/440 DeskPro 386S 1MB/4MB $165/495 DeskPro 386/33 2MB $295 IBM PS/2 Mdl 30/50Z/60 512K/2MB $75/225 Mdl 70 ,£6imi 1MB $125 Mdl70A-212MB$245 Mdl80 141 1MB $199 Mdl 80 11 1/2 11 2MB $299 4019 Laser 1MB $179 HP LaserJet HPII/IID OOObA 80287-8 80287-10 80287-12 80387-16 80387-20 80387-25 80387-33 ■z 33 i)L-aii $125 $195 $204 $269 $295 S389 $455 Ouadfa* J Hayes JT 9600 $459 | 9600 FAX + 2400 Modem card $299 | Complete PC 9600 $394 I 9600 Fax cd $184 1MB/2MB HP IIP/Ill 1MB/2MB 4MB $124/198 $124/178 $299 K1MM 2400 int ^69 | 2400 ext $Call 9600 int $395 9600 ext $Call Anchor 2400 i/ex $82/116 2400 MNP i/e $155/225 9600v32MNP5i $745 Emm 2400 mnps i $175 I 2400 MNP5 ext $194 Laptop modems SCall X phone Fax phone 20 Fax phone 23 Fax phone 26 Fax phone 35 Fax 222 Fax270 Fax 350 Fax 450 Fax 630 Fax705 Fax 770 ,41 $569 $749 $895 $865 $1099 $1399 $1595 $1845 $1899 $2149 $3399 FAX $15/ KXF220 $1045 KXF320 $1335 KXF 50 $CALL KXF90 KX110 $CALL $CALL H™1 Fax 35 $999 Fax80 $1199 Fax 95 $1795 Fax105 $1819 Fax 1010 $2795 Fax 1 POOL $2995 UF170 PDE120E PDE 160E S925 S495 $679 F2000 F3000 $550 $599 F0215 WB PDE 17QE $979 Fax 850 $2849 I B^WIFfTB M900 $395 T3600 $659 M1100 M1850 F25 F37 F40 F45 $499 $698 $769 $849 $1110 $1299 T3600 T3750 $659 $748 RF810 $399 Samsung 1010 $399 RF860 $625 RF910 $499 RF920 $699 Fax 15 $665 FO230 F0 333 FO510 FO550 FO750 FO800 FO 5200 UX 110 UX181 Guis110/220v Audiovox 1000 AF2000 110/220V $599 $699 $759 $1199 $1499 $1695 $2499 $455 $595 $499 $359 | $499 I SCANNERS Sharp JX 100 $665 Sharp JX 300 $2779 Sharp JX 450 $4779 Chinon DS 3000 $549 Chinon DS 3000/OCR $699 Epson Color $Cali HP Scanjet $1385 Oscam 400dpi full pg + doc feed + OCR $695 Panasonic 505U $784 $1078 $989 $165 $499 Panasonic 506U Panasonic 307U Complete PC 1/2 pg Complete PC full pg Logitech 5" ScanMan + OCR DEST 81/2 scan + OCR Mars 4COdpl 4- Hand + OCR Mars 800dpi 5" HandScan + OCR $299 $299 $699 $179 HM No money down OAu Telephone Product Center 800-383-3199 orders only 714-898-8626 customer service/foreign orders FAX: 714-891-1202' 4-F: 6a.m. -6p.m. Sat/Sun 7a.rn.-2p.rr ^uol LAP- TOPS TOSHIBA MONTHLY PAYMENTS T1600 28640M T1600X40MB T3100E 28640 T3100SX40ME SHARP AYMENTs 386-20 Goldstar $23/mo m $1895 CSRfmn J 0MB drive, VGA mo- lot System • i yea- warranty * WWnlO MS DOS (lEE ' $64/mo ■ scall 386SX Goldstar ■335 $ 999 $ 25 '™ CPAi i lM8RAM'15Vi.2MBfk jtjrtLL controller ■ $112/mo $1i9/itfo Goldstar XT $399 $X6/mo LEADING EDGE 4 ^^ 386SX 40mb $1999 ioomb-vga EH I Panasonic KXF _ Panasonic KXP-1_. |PanasonicKXP-1191 |209 I Panasonic KXP-1124 $289 I Panasonic KXP-1695 f Call I Panasonic KXP-1624 SCall IKXP-4420LASER $Call |KXP-4450iUSER $1299 I KXO 4455 LASER SCall I Diconix 150 plus $318 I Tt Laser SCall I Sharp Laser SX-9500 $895 I NEC 2200 $325 I NEC 6200 SCall I NEC 5300 1649 |OkidataML182 £230 I Okidata ML 320 $335 J Okidata ML 321 $455 I Okidata ML 380 24 pin $355 318 Okidata ML 390 24 pin $455 Okidata ML 391 24 pin $619 Okidata ML 393 24 pin $959 Okidata ML 393C 24p $1029 Okidata ML 24 10 24p $1595 Toshiba 301 Toshiba 311 Page Laser 6 HFDeskjet Plus HP 2P Laser printer HP III Laser printer HP 2D Laser printer HP Deskwriter Epson LOS 10 Epson Laser 6000 9' $1099 Conner 200 MB 18ms $945 1 SEAGATE 20MB ST225 30MB ST238R 40MBST251-1 60MB ST277R 60MB ST4096 20MB ST1 25 3.5" 30MB ST1 39 3.5" WESTERN DIGr_ WD1003V-MM1HDC WD1003V-MM2w FD C WD 1003V-SR1 RLL ...... WD1003V-SR2RLL $115 ■ WD1006V-MM11:1 $99 1 WD1006V-MM2kwo $119l WDXT-GEN2/XTHDC $58 [ Filecard 20MB XT/AT $549 I WD 3.5" 40MB IDE AT $415 I AD Terms: These are pre-payment prices discounted 2.9% for cash. Discover, VISA/MC/AmExare not considered pre-payment. Restocking 20% BOO BT availalDili ty subject to change, all sales are final. Defective items repaired, in warranty. A $5.95 handling charge will be added to all Circle 305 on Reader Service Card Telephone Product Center^* 12603 Hoover St., Garden Grove, CA 92641 We accept Cashiers Checks. WE CHECK FOR STOLEN CREDIT CARDS. Prices and orders. NO RETURNS. Monthly financing payments are approximations only. 64K 86/25MHz Cache Series $1995 i486/25MHz CPU w/8K Cache 64K External Cache Memory d 8Mb Memory On-Board ; Mode for Max Throughput Baby-Size (&5 by 13 in) AMI 486 BIOS w/Setup Intelligent Memory Refresh Scheme HOMESMART COMPUTING 800-627-6998 (713>196-9110/Fax Info line 14760 Memorial Dr.Houston, TX 77079 Plica Reflect DijcouQt far C«ih/MC/VISA All Price* Subject to Cbngc Wihotx Notice Circle 135 on Reader Service Card ( „ 6 ,1«-4AA8 Circle 343 on Reader Service Card R & R Electronics I 6050-X, McDonough Drive, Norcross, GA 30093 (404) 368-1777 • Fax (404) 368-9659 "i accept VISA MC Am Exp. & Discover + Fees D-RAMS SIMMs/SIPPS 256K-120 $2.00 256Kx9-80 $18 256K-80 $2.25 1Mx8-80 $45 64Kx4-100 $1.90 1Mx9-80 $50 256Kx4-80 $5.25 1Mx9-60 $75 lMxl-80 $5.00 4Mx9-80 $350 INTEL/WEITEK ITT/CYRIX 8087-2 80287-XL 80387-SX61 80387-20 80387-25 80387-33 $115 $225 $288 $350 $448 $545 2C87-8 2C87-10 2C87-12 3C87-20 3C87-25 3C87-33 $170 $188 $200 $310 $420 $505 PS/2-lmg $ 95 PS/2-2mg $180 HP laserjet 2mg$175 1.44 F/D $ 70 Boca AT + $149 VGAcard 256K$ 99 2400 Modem $ 66 Dexxa Mouse $ 40 SVGA Monitor $375 Card 2S, P,G $ 26 CALL FOR OTHER COMPONENTS 1-800-736-3644 Circle 271 on Reader Service Card IG PROMPT DELIVERY!!! QUANTITY ONE PRICES SHOWN lor OCT. 28, 1990 OUTSIDE OKLAHOMA: NO SALES TAX DYNAMIC RAM I 4M Board for hp LJ's W/2MB $170.00 I | SIMM 2M IBM PS/2 Model 70 175.00 SIMM 1MASTPrem386/33Mhz 125.00 I SIMM iMx9 80 ns 53.00 SIMM 256Kx9 100 ns 20.00 1Mbit iMxi 60 ns 10.95 1Mbit iMxi 80 ns 5.95 1 41256 256Kxi 80 ns 2.85 141256 256Kxi 100 ns 2.05 141256 256Kxi 120 ns 1.85 1 4464 64Kx4 1 00 ns 2.00 [41264* 64Kx4 100 ns 5.95 1 EPROM |27C1000 128Kx8 200 ns $15.00 1 27C512 64Kx8 120 ns 5.25 127256 32Kx8 150 ns 6.75 |27128 16Kx8 250 ns 3.75 STATIC RAM I62256P-10 32Kx8 100 ns $6.50 I L6264P-12 8Kx8 120 ns 4.25 J OPEN 6 DAYS, 7:30 am-10 phiSHIP VIA FED-EX ON SAT. SAT DEL ON FED-EX ORDERS RECEIVED BY: Tte S-2 SW5 « to Ft: P-1 S17,00i b COD AVAILABLE MasterCard/VISA or UPS CASH COD MICROPROCESSORS UNLIMITED, INC. 24,000 S. Peoria Ave, " BEGGS, OK. 74421 No minimum Order. Piease note prices subiect la change 1 Shipping, insurance exlra, up to SI lor packing materials (918)267-4961 Circle 188 on Reader Service Card • C source code • ROM-able • Full porting provided • No OS required GK □E] GCOM, Inc. 1776 E. Washington Urbana, IL 61801 (217)337-4471 Specialists in Computer Communications FAX 217-337-4470 Circle 118 on Reader Service Card ROM BIOS UPGRADES ROM B OS FEATURES THE ROM BIOS UPGRADES SUPPORT 360K, 720K, 1.2MB & 1.44MB FLOPPY DBK| DRIVES; COMPLETE SET-UP IN ROM, EGA AND VGA SUPPORT; DPTIONAL BUILTIN DIAGNOSTICS IN ROM (AMI ONLY), NOVELL AND NEIWARE COMPATIBLE; SUP-I PORTS UP TO 48 DIFFERENT TYPES OF HARD ORIVES PLUS TWO USER DEFINED; I 84, 101 & 102 KEY KEYBOARD SUPPORT; 100% IBM COMPATIBLE; SUPPORTS 0.1 1 0R2WAO STATES; COMPLETE DOCUMENTATION; IATEST VERSIONS. WEARETHEl LARGEST STOCKING BIOS DISTRIBUTOR IN AMERICA! XT BOS UPGRADES AMI-XT BIOS 49.95 PHOENIX-XT BIOS . AT 286 BIOS UPGRADES AMI-286 INTEL BIOS 69.95 AMI-286 VLSI BIOS 69.95 1 AMI-286 CHIP & PHOENIX-286 INTEL BIOS 69.951 TECH BIOS 69.95 PHOENIX-286 AST BIOS 69.951 AT 386 BIOS UPGRADES AMI-386 INTEL BIOS 69.95 AWARDS AMI-386 CHIPS TECH BIOS.. TECH BIOS 69.951 AMI-386 VLSI BIOS 69.95 PHOENIX-386 INTEL BIOS 69.951 AMI-386-SX INTEL BIOS 69.95 PHOENIX-386 COMPAQ BIOS . . .69.95 1 AMI-386-SX CHIP & TECH BIOS 69.95 PHOENIX-386 CHIP & TECH BIOS 69.95| AWARD-386 INTEL BIOS 69.96 PH0ENIX-386-SX INTEL BIOS . . .69.95 1 IBM BIOS UPGRADES PHOENIX-IBM-PC BIOS 69.95 PHOENIX-IBM-AT BIOS 69.95 PHOENIX-IBM-XT BIOS 59.95 Circle 335 on Reader Service Card Circle 61 on Reader Service Card PC BASED UNIVERSAL DEVICE PROGRAMMER $695/895 ► Programs EE/EPROMs, MICROS, BIPOlARs.PAl.s, GALs, EPIJ)s, PEELS. (current libraries support over 900 devices by over 35 manufacturers). » Software driven pin drivers. D/A generated programming voltages (8 bit DACs used to generate voltages from 5-25 V with 0.1 V resolution for all pins). ► Fast device programming /verify /read via dedicated parallel interface. » Upgradeable Tor virtually any future programmable devices up to 40 pins. ► Self-subsistent operation. No additional modules or plug-in adapters required. ► Includes user friendly MEMORY BUFFER FULX SCREEN EDITOR. Commands include: Fill, Move, Insert, Delete, Search. Data entiy can be done in ASCII or HEX form. FUSEMAP EDITOR for Logic devices. ► Friendly Menu-Driven interface. Device selection by P/N and Manufacturer. » Supports 8/16/32 bit data word formats. ► Programming algorithms: Normal, Intelligent I & Ii, Quick Pulse Program- ming. Automatic selection of fastest algorithm for any given part. ► Verify operation performed at normal & worst case operating voltage. » Functional test: JEDEC standard functional testing for logic devices. TTL Logic functional test for74xx/54xx series devices and memoiy devices. Test library can be updated by the user. User definable test pattern generation. ► File formats accepted: JEDEC (full), JEDEC(kernal), Binary, MOS Tech- nology, Motorola Hex, Intel Hex, Tektronix Hex. ► Base price ($*95) includes Inteiface card, cable, Memoiy+ Micro -f Bipolar library, TTL/CMOS/MEMORY device test capability, one year free updates. » Complete price ($895) includes all of the above plus Logic Device Library. ► Library updates can be received via floppy or B&C Customer Support BBS. ► Full 1 year warranty. Customer support via voice line, Fax & dedicated BBS . UNIVERSAL RS-232 PROGRAMMER $345/495 > Programs EE/EProms, ZPRams.Intel Micros.Flash EProms.Memory Cards. > Stand-Alone Mode for EE'EProm and Memoiy Card Duplication / Verify. > All 24/28/32 pin EE/EProms to 4 MBits (upgradeable to 32 megabits). > Micros:8741/A,-2/A,-4,-8,-9,-51,-C51,-C51FA/B,-52 1 -53,-55,-C52l,-C541,9761. » Model UPI0O ($345). Model UP200 ($495) accepts dedicated modules. » Memory Cards Programming Module (Seiko/Epson.Fujitsu.) - $145. » GANG Programming Module (4 sockets)- $145. > Optional built-in Eraser/Timer module -$50; Conductivefoampad. > On-Board Programming capability; Custom interface modules available. > User friend.^ Menu-Driven Interface Program for IBM-PC and Macintosh. > Can be operated with any computer containing an RS-232 serial port. » OEM open board programmer configurations available (from $245). > One year free software updates and Customer Support. > Customer support via voice line, dedicated BBS or fax; Full 1 yearwarranty. INTELLIGENT ROM EMULATOR $395 • Emulates 2716 through 27512 EProms (2k to 64k bytes) with a single UfliL • Megabit parts can be emulated with multiple units (Mega adapter required). • Connects to the standard parallel printer port. Uses standard printer cable. • FAST data loading via parallel printer port (64k bytes in less than 10 seconds). • Intelligent "In-Circuit-Emulator" type features include: Address Compare (with HALT output), Address Snapshot (for target addr. bus monitoring), Trigger Input (for external events monitoring), Programmable Reset Output • Powerful Memory buffer editor. Selectable wordsizes (8,16,32). • User friendly software. Command set includes: Load, Write, Display, Run, Type, Edit, Fill, Run-Command-File, Monitor, Port, Reset, Help, Calculator. • Cascadable to 8 units. Includes target cable with Trigger, Halt & Reset clips. • CMOS model with NiCad rechargeable 9V battery backup - $495. (Can be used in stand-alone mode; Built-in batteiy recharging circuitry.) • File formats accepted: Binary, Intel Hex, Motorola S. MC/VISA/AMEX Call today for datasheets! B&C MICROSYSTEMS INC. 750 N. PASTORIA AVE., SUNNYVALE, CA 94086 USA TEL: (408)730-5511 FAX: (408)730-5521 BBS:(408)730-2317 DECEMBER 1990 -BYTE 399 TM "gives you all the C language routines you need to write an impres- sive scientific graphing program of your own. Highly recommended*" - PC Magazine Fresnel Integrals C(z) = j o 1 cos(0.5itt 2 )dt S(z) = I I sin(0.5irt 2 )dt Cornu's Spiral IBM® PC (with source code) $395 Circle 275 on Reader Service Card Macintosh® (no source code) $295 Circle 276 on Reader Service Card Licensed for personaluse only 0) DEC® VT220/1 02/52 & Tektronix® 4010/4014/4105 Terminal Emulator for IBM® PCs Circle 277 on Reader Service Card VTEK-HP has added full VT220 emulation to VTEK New High Performance features: '"* TIFF export ""+ Color PostScript® and viewable EPS m+ HP-GL/2™ and PaintJet XL™ support in* Full national character set support ""+ Telephone dialer ""+ faster and uses less memory '"* requires '286 or '386 and VGA/EGA VTEK-WP$245 VTEK $195 Scientific Endeavors 508 North Kentucky Street Kingston, TN 37763 USA (615)376-4146 FAX:(615) 376-1571 400 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 8051/8052 BASIC COMPILER! Full floating-point numbers, integer, byte and bit extensions, fully compatible with MCS BASIC 52. Runs on IBM-PC or compatible. $295.00 Call Now! 603-469-3232 Binary Technology, Inc. Mom Street • PO Bo* 67 » Meriden. NH 03770 "■" E PLD Design Software Get Started with CUPL™ for only $149.95 Now you can have a PLD Starter Kit that gives you all the horsepower that the CUPL PLD compiler offers, at a fraction of the cost. For more infor- mation, call 1-800-331-7766 or 305- 974-0967. LO GICAL DEVICES, INC. Circle 1 70 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 171) C ross-Assemblers from $50.00 Simulators from S100.00 Cross-Disassemblersfrom$ioo 00 Developer Packages from $200.00(a $50.00 Savings) Make Programming Easy Our Macro Cross-assemblers are easy to use. With poweiful conditional assembly and unlimited include files. Get It Debugged--FAST Recover Lost Source! Our line of disassemblers can help you re-create the original assembly language source. Thousands Of Satisfied Customers Worldwide PseudoCorp has been providing quality solutions for microprocessor problems since 19B5. Processors Intel 8048 RCA 1602,05 Intel 605 1 Intel 8096, 1 96kc Motorola 6800 Motorola 6801 Motorola 68HC1 1 Motorola 6805 Hitachi 6301 Motorola 6809 MOS Tech 6502 WDC 65C02 Rockwell 6SC02 Intel 8080,85 2 log 280 NSC 800 Hitachi HD64160 Mot. 68kA»0 2 log 28 2logSuper8 • All products require an IBM PC or compatible. For Information Or To Order Call: PseudoCorp 716 Thimble Shoals Blvd, Suite E Newport News, V A 23606 (804)873-1947 FAX:(804)873-2154 FACTORY SALE AST RamPaoe Plus 286 Expanded Memory Board For IBM XT /286 AT and compatibles Up to 8Mb of EMS 4.0 Expanded Memory Configurations OKb $230.00 512Kb $275.00 2Mb $350.00 8Mb $675.00 * Two Year Factory Warranty * FREE Shipping on PrePaid Orders * Immediate Delivery * Dealer Inquiries Welcome Galaxy Electronics Inc. 33 Freeman Street Newark, NJ 07105 516 374-3020 FAX 516 374-4170 Circle 117 on Reader Service Card Program Your Chips In Sets of 4 for $495.00 Special offer Now Includes: Free UV eraser, CUPL starter Kit and a $300.00 Factory Rebate with the PDT-1EPROM, LOGICAL EPLD, Micro devices, inc. Progammer. 1-800-331-7766 Circle 1 72 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 173) WRITE or CALL for YOUR FREE COMPREHENSIVE B & B ELECTRONICS CATALOG TODAY! Pages and pages of photogiaphs and illustrated, descriptive text for B&B's complete line of RS- 232 converters, RS-422 con- verters, current loop convert- ers, adapters, break-out box- es, data switches, data split- ters, shoit haul modems, surge protectors, and much, much more. Most products meet FCC Part 15 J. Your RS-232 needs for quality, service and competitive prices will be more than met by B&B ELECTRONICS. Manufacturer to you, no mid- dleman! Money-back guarantee! Same-day shipment! One-year warranty on products! Technical support is available. Write For Your FREE Catalog Today! Jelectrunics MANUFACTURING COMPANY 4002M Baker Road P.O. Box 1040 • Ottawa, IL 61350 Phone:815-434-0846 Circle 348 on Reader Service Card Circle 40 on Reader Service Card TREND SYSTEMS INC RAMQUEST 8/16 Card expandable to 32MG. tor IBM PCs. XTs, ATs. PS/2 Model 30-286 and compatibles. Supports 8 and 16 bit bus. Uses 256K. 1 MG or 4MG Modules. w/OK $289 RAMQUEST EXTRA 16/32 0-8MG.0 wait state card tor PS/2 Mod 50. 60 & 80 fulJy supporls 16 and 32-bit memory access. Includes 1 SER and 1 PAR port. Free serial cable. EMS 4.0 and OS/2 compatible. Uses 256K and/or 1MG SIMMS w/OK $279. EVEREX RAM 3000 DELUXE Up to 3MG Selectable memory addresses. Expanded Memory Specifications (EMS) 4.0/ OS/2 Can be used to backfill base memory up to 640K and the rest as expanded and/or extended memory Uses 256K D-RAM. w/OK S 89 RAM 8000 Up I08MG capacity /support to base, extended or expanded memory in any combination. Fully compatible with Lotus. Intel, Microsoft. EMS 4.0. EEMS. Supports Multi-Tasking and DMA Multi- Tasking in hardware. Software configurable (no dip switches to set) Full 16MG window for future expansion. Zero wail state. Uses 1MG D-RAM w/OK $189 BOCA RESEARCH BOCARAM/AT Provides up to 2MG LIM EMS 4 and/or 4MG of extended. expandedorbackfillmemory For 16 bit bus Operalesupto 16MHz Uses 256K D-RAM w/OK $109 BOCARAM/AT PLUS Provides up to 8 MG of extended, expanded or backfill memory. Operates up to 33MHz and is set thru software. Uses 1MG D-RAM w/OK $129 BOCARAM/AT I/O PLUS Provides up to 4MG of extended, expanded or backfill memory for 16 bit bus Operates up to 33 MHz and isset Ihru software. Has serial and parallel port Uses 1MG D-RAM W /0K $145 COMPAQ MEMORY MODEL ADD-ON MODULES 1MG 2MG 386/20/20E/25/25E DESK PRO 286E.386S 386/33.486/25 & SYSTEM PRO $320 $2,495 MEMORY EXPANSION BOARDS MODEL 512K 1MG 2MG 4MG 8MG 386/16 $425 $675 $1375 $2495 386/20E/25E 386S $250 $725 Portable 386 $1250 Portable LTE $219 $325 $495 SLT/286 $279 MEMORY UPGRADE KITS MODEL 512K 2MG 4MG Portable III $70 $178 DESKPRO 386/16 $250 $795 ^^FJ^^g^F CALCULUS EZ-FAX Now works with Windows 3.0! Manufactured CCITT Group III. Provides fully concurrent background operation. Allows user to transmit, receive and view documents on screen. Once in memory, the transmissions may be edited for retransmission, printed, stored for fulure, or discarded off your hard drive. SOFTWARE INCLUDED. 001 FX (4800 baud) Trend Price $189 002FX (9600 baud) Trend Price $289 z$&£&&& EVEREX Internal 1200 BAUD lnternal2400BAUD Internal 2400 BAUD w/MNP 5 External 2400 BAUD w/MNP 5 $ 69 129 169 199 TREND Internal 1200 BAUD External 1200 BAUD Internal 2400 BAUD External 2400 BAUD $ 59 99 69 129 ^^^^^fy^cnj ^- 2MG Card-Toshiba Portable Tl200e 2MG Card-Toshiba Portable T1600 2MG Card-Toshiba Portable T3100SX 4MG Card- Toshiba Portable T3100SX 512K Card-Toshiba Portable T3100e 2MG Card-Toshiba Portable T31 OOe 2MG Card-Toshiba Portable T3200SX 4MG Card- Toshiba Portable T3200SX 3MG Card- Toshiba Portable T3200 2MG Card-Toshiba Portable T5100 2MG T5200 2MG Module-Toshiba Portable 2MG Module- Toshiba Desktop T8500 $435 259 265 615 149 259 289 689 419 265 265 265 345 4MG X9 1MG X9 1MGX 8 256X8 256X9 SIMM/SIPP MODULES 150ns 120ns 100ns 80ns _ _ _ $415 $ 50 $ 62 $ 24 $ 13 $ 53 $ 60 $ 39 $ 16 $ 55 $ 69 70ns 60i $385 - $ 60 $ ! $ 20 $ 24 - D-RAM ALL PACKAGES & SPEEDS AVAILABLE 286 MATH CO-PROCESSORS 6MHz 8MHz 10MHz 12MHz 12.5MHz 20MHz IIT{2C87) — $185 $219 — $280 $324 INTEL (80287) $120 $183 $208 $280 — — 8088 MATH CO-PROCESSORS INTEL (8087) 5MHz 8MHz 10MHz $88 $115 $165 386 MATH CO-PROCESSORS 16MHz 20MHz 25MHz 33MHz SX CYRIX (83D87) $305 $350 $450 $549 — IIT(3C87) $305 $350 $450 $549 — INTEL (80387) $305 $350 $450 $549 $290 HP II & II D 1 MB 2 MB 4 MB TONER HP MEMORY HP II P & III $109 1 MB $179 2MB $309 4 MB $ 74 TONER $ 62 $ 94 $289 $ 70 ISM PS 2 34F2933 - 4MG Memory Module for 55SX; 65SX Memory Option IBM P/N 34F3077; 34F301 1 $599 6450375 - 1MG Memory Bd lor 80-041 149 6450379 -2MG Memory BdJor 80-111:31 1 -121; 321 320 6450603 - 1MG Module for 70-E61; -121, Adaptor Board IBM P/N 6450605. 6450609. 34F3011 & 34F3077 95 6450604 - 2MG Module for 70-061; E61; -121. 50Z; 55SX 65SX; P70 165 Adaptor Board IBM P/N 6450605, 6450609. 34F3011 & 34F3077 185 6450608 for Model 70A21 185 30F5360(Kit-2ea) 190 30F5348(Kil-2ea) 72 ^OttPUT€fl^S¥ST£M •DTK Motherboard - Intel 80386-25 MHz Microprocessor •Intel 80387 Socket • 8/25 MHz Clock Speed • Page Mode Interleave/Shadow RAM • 8 Expansion Slots: 2x8 bit, 5x16 bit, 1x32 bit • 1 MB On Board Expandable to 8 MB •1.2 or 1.44 Disk Drive •IDE/1:1 Hard/Floppy Controller • Serial/Parallel • Baby AT Desktop Case w/200 W Switch Power Supply • 101 Enhanced Keyboard • Speed Rating: Landmark 31.7, Norton SI 27.1. Power Meter (MIPS) 4.35 •FCC Class B Approved/UL, TUV Listed TREND PRICE *1159 60MG Hard Drive/14" Monitor • 1 Game Port •101 -Key Click Keyboard •3 Button Mouse • 3 Year Warranty TREND PRICE '1259 • 14" VGA Paper While Monitor •VGA Board w/ 256 • Phoenix Bios. •1 MG On/Bd Memory • 1.2 Floppy Drive • 60MB RLL Hard Drive • 2 Serial Ports • 2 Parallel Ports ^^^^^tyg^- KALOCK 20MB XT 20 MB. MFM. 3.5 HH. 40 ms $225 MITSUBISHI 40MB. 5.25HH, MFM, 28ms 319 MITSUBISHI 60MB. 5.25HH. RLL. 28ms 849 CONNER 3204 200MB. 3.5HH, RLL/IDE. 16ms 900 ^^^^Zc^uw TREND EGA CARD 640 X 480. 16 color EGA/MGA/CGA/Hercules$ 89 VGA CARD 1024 X 768, 16 color. VGA/EGA/MGA/CGA 119 MONO CARD w/parallei port 25 CGA CARD 2/parallel port 25 JPJ3£§^F DFI MOUSE $ 35 3-Button Mouse with Selectable Sensitivity. Software - up to 400 STAR MICRONICS $159 Dot Matrix Printer 180 cps 34cps/nlq NX1000/2 360KFLOPPY DRIVES $45 Panasonic & Mitsumi XT Only DS/DD MONO VGA MONITOR $99 14" Paper White, Tilt & Swivel Base 10 or more $89 visa ^ff^S WE WILL MEET OR BEAT ANY ADVERTISED PRICE 1-800-678-2818 #9 Exchange Place, Suite 900 Salt Lake City, Utah 84111 Local 801-350-9180 Fax 801-350-9179 TERMS AND CONDITIONS: NO SURCHARGE FOR MC OR VISA. TERMS: MC • VISA • COD • CASH • AMEX ADD 4%. PURCHASE ORDERS FROM QUALIFIED FIRMS. 20% RESTOCKING FEE ON NON— DEFECTIVE RETURNS. PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE. Circle 322 on Reader Service Card DECEMBER 1990 -BYTE 401 AST Upgrades 500718-001 386/25. ...$65 500718-002 386/33....$70 500510-004 386/p....$350 COMPAQ 113131-001 386/20..$425 113131-001 386/25..$425 115144-001 386/33..$325 SIMM-SIPPS 1x9-100 $49 1x9-80 $52 1x9-70 $54 1x9-60 $65 1x8-100 MAC $45 1x8-80 MAC $47 256x9-100 $15 256x9-80 $20 256x9-70 $22 256x9-60 $25 PS2 SIMMS 30F348 512K $55 30F5360 2MEG $160 6450603 1 MEG $85 6450604 2MEG $170 6450608 2MEG $175 D-RAM 256x1- 150ns 256x1- 120ns 256x1- 100ns. 256x1- 80ns.. 256x1- 70ns.. 256x1- 60ns ... 1x1-1 100ns... 1x1-1 80ns 1x1-1 70ns 1x1-1 60ns 256x4 80ns... 256x4 70ns... 256x4 60ns... 4464- 120ns... 4464- 100ns ... 4164- 120ns.... 4164- 100ns... .$1.59 ..$1.69 ..$1.79 ..$1.89 ..$1.99 ..$2.25 $4.50 $4.75 $4.99 $7.99 $4.99 $5.99 $7.99 $1.75 $2.00 $1.50 .$1.75 AMT International (408) 432-1790 2393 QUME Drive San Jose, CA 95131 FAX: (408) 944-9801 H !£\\\l^ Hiia^T^^ """REAL-TIME MULTITASKING KERNEL 8086/88, 80x86/88 68000/10/20 80386 Z80, 64180, 8080/85 ■ Fast, reliable operation ■ Intertask messages ■ Compact and ROMable ■ Message exchanges ■ PC peripheral support ■ Dynamic operations ■ DOS file access — task create/delete ■ C language support — task priorities ■ Preemptive scheduler — memory allocation ■ Time slicing available ■ Event Manager ■ Configuration Builder ■ Semaphore Manager ■ Full documentation ■ List Manager ■ InSight" Debugging Tool No Roywllln Source Coda Included Demo Disk J25US Manual only $75 US KADAK Products Ltd. AMXB6 J3000US tShipptng/tiandlingeiira) 206-1847 West Broadway Call for prices lor Vancouver, B.C ., Canada other processors. V6J 1Y5 AMX. AMX 86.lnSr9ht «ra trademarks Jit Telephone: (604) 734-2796 WFax: (604)734-8114 KADAK Products Ltd. Z8O1S a tradamar* ol Zilog. Inc. 9 Track Tape Subsystem for PC/XT/AT/386/PS2 $1995 for 1600/3200 BPI $4995 for 1600/6250 BPI $6995 for 800/1600/3200/6250 BPI CALL 1-800-289-4TAPE Laguna Conversion Systems 1401 South Pacific Coast Highway Laguna Beach, CA 92651 Circle 363 on Reader Service Card Circle 159 on Reader Service Card Circle 167 on Reader Service Card t $1995 JC GOLD CARD I The JCS 486, the New Performance | Leader In Personal 486 Systemboards • Intel 80486/25(86) CPU a 8KB Csctw irt©yated in CPU • Haiti Coprocessor tntej^ated in CPU • Shadow RAM for Video & System BIOS • Second Level Cache Memory expandadabte to 512KB • WeJtok 41B7 numeric coprocessor socket • 30 DAY MONEY BACK GUARANTEE I 486 Complete System $3385 IrcfcKte 4tm Memory, 150MB ESDI HDD, ESDI Cache Controller, \2 or 1.44MB FDD, MS DOS, AT VO, 101 Keyboard I 80386/20 CPU Bd, C&T chipset $615 80386/25 CPU Bd, C&T chipset $665 I 80386/25 Cache Bd, C&T chipset $845 Dealer Inquiries welcome Jemlni Electronics (400)727-0086 | 3400 D« La Cruz Blvd. Unl T rAX Santa Clara Ca. 95054 (408)727-7687 Circle 157 on Reader Service Card E WITHOUT TELLING BYTE CLIP OUT v THIS FORM ^^ AND MAIL TO: BYTE Magazine P.O. Box 555 Hightstown, NJ 08520 ARCTANGENT $695 PROFESSIONAL MAIL Com pie tic Ma ilhig L is t Management Sofh.varc The most advanced, professional-level mailing list management system available for IBM and compatible microcomputers. Save thousands of dollars on postage, printing, and processing costs. • Unlimited number of names and addresses •Sophisticated merge/purge duplicate detection • Complete postal presorting and barcoding • Custom letters, labels, reports • Convert data from dBase, ASCII, other formats Arc Tangent, Inc. 121 Gray Avenue Santa Barbara, CA 93101-1831 (805) 965-7277 Circle 33 on 'Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 34) rain 2* 5§ II I s There is a Difference. Lifetime Free Updates A programmer is not just another programmer. That is why BP Microsystems is commited to bringing our customers the highest quality programmers at an affordable price. Agood example ofthiscommibnent is the EP-1 EPR0M Programmer. 1 tie EP-1 supports virtually every 24- or 28-pin E/EPR0M. And, all of our programmers include lifetime free software updates and an unconditional money back guarantee. BP- MICROSYSTEMS 1-800-225-2102 (713) 461.0430 Circle 53 on Reader Service Card 9-Track Tape Subsystem for the IBM PC/XT/AT Now you can exchange data files between your IBM PC and any mainframe or mini- computer using IBM compatible 1600 or 6250 BPI 9-Track tape. System can also be used for disk backup. Transfer rate is up to 4 megabytes per minute on PCs and com- patibles. Subsystems include 7" or 10%" streaming tape drive, tape coupler card and DOS compatible software. For more informa- tion, call us today! nUffLSTffR° { 9621 lrondale Ave., Chats worth, CA 91311 Telephone: (818) 882-5822 Circle 251 on Reader Service Card A-BUS MIMWi New Products vlpha Products proudly announces two new iroduct lines: C-Net serial communications fevices, and Alpha Box interfaces. These lew products are not merely A- Bus iccessories, but complete sets of products or all of your interfacing needs. Jl the products are used to connect different /pes of devices to your computer. Our ;ommunications devices help you connect levices that have computer interfaces ilready built in. C-Net provides the option of connecting many different RS-232 devices d a single serial port on your computer. We Iso carry converters to other standards, icluding RS-422, RS-485 and IEEE-488. C-Net Adapter. Connects the master control jomputerto C-Net. $74 Quad C-Net Module: Connect 4 RS-232 serial devices to C-Net. Each device is :onfigurable (baud rate, parity, etc.) and has t.8K byte input and output buffers. $695 C-Net Device Module: Connect any RS- 82 Device to C-Net for data collection or communication, with handshaking. $195 Mpha Boxes and A-Bus cards both provide vays to interface other types of devices to 'our computer. Alpha Boxes sense, neasure. switch and govern. They feature: Each box is an attractively packaged self contained module that connects directly to he computer and includes power supply. The input boxes offer the option of logging lata "off-line" and downloading it rapidly to he computer. Built-in intelligence provides a simple and consistent interface to your software. V Sampling of Alpha Box Products: ' Digital Input: 64 TTL7CMOS/0.5V input channels. $495 ' Digital Output: 64 TTL/CMOS/0.5V level )utputs. $495. 120VAC control available. Digital I/O: 32TTL Level (0.5V) Inputs and J2 Outputs. $495 Analog Input: 16 channels. 0-5.1 V. 20mV steps (8 bit). 2000 readings/sec. $495. Expansion Option: 16 more channels. $100 ' 12 Bit Analog Input: 16 channels, nogrammable gain. 10000 inputs/sec. max. ;995. Option: 16 more inputs. $200 Analog Output: 4 channel, 12 bit D/A. ±5.1V >utputs. $495. Expander Option: 12 more )utputs. $200 Counter: 16 inputs, 24 bit. $595 "We can make your PC do things you wouldn't believe." C 3 From Your PC • Command • Control • Communications Bring new dimensions to your computer with A-Bus. C-Net and Alpha Boxes. No longer is your computer limited to number crunching or word processing. Now you can connect to all types of equipment, sensors or machines. This offers unprecedented power from pro- duction lines to experiments to home control. Each product is designed to fit your needs: They're affordable. Compare our prices: the cost of a solution is surprisingly low. They're simple and easy to connect to your computer and your application, and carefully designed to adapt to your software easily. They're versatile. An infinite number of combinations is possible: one of them is right for you. Easily expanded or changed for future projects. They're proven by customers around the world, including Fortune 100 companies, universities, governments and individuals. Call for a Catalog (800) 221-0916 Overseas distributors Asia: Batam DA. Singapore Tel: 473-4518 Fax:479-6496 Japan; Japan Crescent Tel: 03-824-7449 Fax: 03-81 8-891 4 Scandinavia: A/S Con-Trade Norway Tel: (04) 41 83 51 Fax: (04) 41 94 72 Spain: Arteca S.C.P. Tel: (93) 423.77.05 Fax: (93) 325.70.1 6 Ml ALPHA l?mflm& 242-B West Ave, Darien, CT 06820 USA (203) 656-1 806 Fax 203 656 0756 Low Cost Data Acquisition and Control A-Bus Sensing & Measuring: Read switch status. Detect or measure voltage. Read pressure, temperature, weight and other sensors. For example: • High-Speed 12-bit A/D converter: 8 10/js analog inputs. 1 mV resolution $179 • 8 Bit A/D: 8 inputs. 0-5.1 V in 20mV steps. 7500 conversions/sec. $142 • 12 Bit A/D: ±4V in 1mV steps. 130mS conversion time. 1 input, expandable $153 • Temperature Sensor: 0-200°F 1° Accuracy. 10mv7°F. $12 • Digital Input: 8 opto-isolated. Read voltage presence.switch closure. $65 • Latched Input: Each individually latched to catch switch closures or alarm loops. $85 • Touch Tone Decoder: $87 • Counter/Timer: 3 16-bit counters. Generate or count pulses. Time events. $132 • Clock with Alarm: real time clock with calendar and battery backup. $98 A-Bus Switching & Governing: Switch any type of electrical device. Adjust level or position. A sampling: • Relay Card: 8 individually controlled industrial relays. 3A at 120V AC. SPST. $142 • Digital Output Driver: 8 outputs: 250mA at 12V. For relays, solenoids... $78 • Reed Relay Card: 8 individually controlled relays. 20mA @ 60VDC. SPST. $109 • Multiplexer: Switch up to 32 channels to a single common. $83 • Smart Stepper Motor Control: Micropro- cessor controls 4 motors. English commands for position, speed, units, limits, etc. $299 • Telephone Control Card: On/off hook, generate and decode touch tones, call progress detection. $159 • X-10 Controller: Control and sense standard wall outlet power modules. $149 • Voice Synthesizer: Unlimited vocabulary, text to speech software built in. $159 • D/A: Four 8 Bit Outputs. Adjustable full scale. $149 • 24 line TTL I/O: Connect 24 signal. TTL 0/5V levels or switches. (8255A) $72 ABus Adapters and Software: Adapters connect A-Bus cards to your particular computer. • Plug-in adapters for IBM PC/XT/AT/386 and compatibles ($69), Micro-Channel ($93). Apple II. Commodore, TRS-80. • Serial adapters for Mac, PC, etc. • Odin PC compatible software. Control relays from analog inputs or time schedules. Logging. Runs in background. $129 Circle 18 on Reader Service Card DECEMBER 1990 -BYTE 403 TOSHIBA FLOPPY LINK ONLY $49. UPGRADED LAPTOPS AT DOWNGRADED PRICES ! WE MAY BE CLOSED FOR THE HOLIDAYS FROM DEC. 26 THRU JAN. 7 MATH COPROCESSORS 80387-25..J399. 80387-20..J309. 80C287-12..J180. 80287-8..S179. 80387SX-16....S259. TOSHIBA T5200/200MB WITH 4MB RAM. $3,689. WITH 6MB RAM $5,889. WITH 8MB RAM -16,089. 2400B INTERNAL MODEM WITH MNP-5 SOFTWARE FOR TS200, T3200SX T3200, AT3100e ONLY $99. 9600B INTERNAL FAX FOR T5200, T3200SX, T3200, * T3100o ONLY $199. T1200XE W/ 3MB RAM...$2,499. W/ SMB RAM. ..$2,599. BATTERY PACK FOR T3100SX JUST $79. TOSHIBA ONLY $169. F Oft THE FOLLOWING 2MB FOR T1200XE 2MB FOR T3100C 2MBFORT3100SX 2MB FOR T3200SX 2MB FOR T5100 2MB FOR T5200 2MB FOR 1000SE/XE ONLY $299. 2MB FOR T1600 ONLY $189. 4MB CARD FOR T3100SX ONLY $489. 4MB MODULE FOR T3200SX ONLY $529. ALL B OABPg FU LLY TBSTKD AND COMB WITH LIFETIME WAftftANTY TOSHIBA AMBKJCA ITSELF HAS BDUOHT LATTOf ■KMOKT PKOH US 3MB FOR T3200 JUST $299. 8MB MODULE FOR T5200 JUST $l r 189. 8-BIT ARCNET LANCARD JUST $79. ORIGINAL TOSHIBA 5-SLOT EXPANSION CHASSIS ONLY $299. AST MEMORY PBEMIUM WOftKSTATTON 286/3S6SX A BRAVO 286 512K. $ 59. 2MB $159. 386C * 386/16 1MB S 89. 4MB $329. 486/33TB, 486/2STB, 386/33TE, 486/25T, 386/33T, 486/33E, 486/25B, 486733, 486/25, 386/33, 386725, 386SX716 1MB $ 89. BRAVO 386SX, BRAVO/286, PRBMIUM/216, SLXPAK286, RAMPAOEPLUS 286. 2MB $159. LAPTOP, DESKTOP, & LASER MEMORY NO SURCHARGE FOR ™«™5 AT MEMORABLE PRICES AND GUARANTEED ZERO DEFECT RATE!!! WITH CREDIT CARDS COMPAQ DP 286o, 386e, 386/20. 386/20e, 386/25 * 386/23e 1MB MODULB. 8129. 4MB MODULB. .8339. DP 386/33, 486/25. * SYSTEM PRO 386/33 2MB MODULB. 8219. 386/200 * 386/23e 1MB BOABD SLT/286 1MB $169. 4MB $799. LTE/286 1MB $ 139. 2MB $ 189. 4MB $ 799. COMPAQ LTE/286 MODEL 40 WITH 5MB ONLY $3,999. LASER PRINTER MEMORY EPSON EPL-6000 TOSHIBA PAGE LASER 6 FACTTP6060 PACKARD BELL PB9500 MANNESMAN* TALLY 905 ATAT 593 LASER NCR 6435 LASER 1MB $179. 2MB $269. 4MB $329. ftp n/mvrrp/rn/ i 1 1 n canon LBP sn/sm/snr OLIYBTTI PG-108/PG-208 1MB $ 89. 2MB $159. 4MB $279. IBM 4019/4019© 1MB $189. 2MB $299. tote-a-lap "experts in portable intelligence" -M. 550 PILGRIM DRIVE, FOSTER CITY, CA 94404 (415)578-1901 EXT. 924 | FAX (415)578-1914 NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR TYPOS. PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE W/O NOTICE. ASK TOUR PmJBKNT SUPPUEU TO OUA1ANTBB THAT THRU IfHMQftT WILL WO«X THE PTR5T TLMB AROUND I SHARP PC-6220 NOTEBOOK 1MB $189. 2MB $359. TEXAS INSTRUMENTS TRAVELMATE 2000 1MB $189. 2MB $359. MICROLASER 1MB $129. 2MB $229. 3MB $329. 4MB $409. PANASONIC LASER KX-P4420 * RX-P4450i 1MB $149. 2MB $199. 3MB $249. 4MB $299. 404 BYTE* DECEMBER 1990 Circle 316 on Reader Service Card VOICE MAIL'TELEMARKETING I CALL PROCESSING ■ Let Powerline transform your PC/XT/AT/386 into a multi-line vojgejrocessing command** ^ center. Have your^omputer intelligently m process your sales, inquiries and mes- g- . . sages. Complete package. V- ■■*, Single Line m^m . .$295.00 a 4* Multi-Line ... $895.00 g (Developer/OEM packages available) z VISA -MC-AMEX- COD ( 1 Call: (415) 522-3800 e FAX: (415) 522-5556 2 TALKING TECHNOLOGY, INC. J 1125 ATLANTIC AVE., ALAMEDA, CA 94501 Circle 299 on Reader Service Card QUARTERHORSE High Capacity Tape Subsystems for Disk Backup, Data Acquisition, and Archiving Everything you need in a single, high-quality package: Drive. SCSI Host Adapter. Enclosure, and DSI's Backup Software. • 320/520 Mb 1/4" CT .... $1,495 • 1 .2 Gb 4mm DAT $3,195 • 2.3 Gb 8mm HS $3,695 New: 450 Mb 3480 CI ... . $4,295 Optional Application Interface Library (in "C") available. Full Support. Terms: U.S.-Visa,COD,pre-appvd. credit. Other: Prepaid wire transfer, Inter- national letter of credit. DATA STRATEGIES INTERNATIONAL INC. ^ | 9020 Capital of TX Hwy.Ste.420.Austln.TX 78759 (512) 338-4745 FAX (512) 34S 1328 Circle 83 on Reader Service Card 6800/6809 Micro Modules OEM 6800/6809 MICROCOMPUTER MODULES for dedicated control and monitoring. Interfaces for sensors, transducers, analog signals, solenoids, relays, lamps, pumps, motors, keyboards, displays, IEEE-488, serial I/O, floppy disks. WINTI3K 1601 South Street Lafayette. (N 479P-* S G95 (FREE UPDATE) SOFTWARE FEATURES: • E(E)PROM: NMOS. CMOS(Up-to 4-MB) • BPROM, PAL, CMOS PAL, GAL, PEEL. EPLD. FPL.' Microcomputer(8748, -51, -C51 &2B Series) • IC & MEMORY TEST. • HEX to BINARY(INTEL:80/86,MOTOROLA:S1/S2.TEKTRONICS). • 2-Way or 4-Way BINARY File splitter and shuffler.* Dump file to console in BINARY format. • Function include screen editing for BINARY DATA, ASCII and JEDEC FUSE MAP. • Security programming. Auto Programming and much more. HARDWARE FEATURES: • 40-Pin test socket with 40-Setsof software controlled cir- cuit and 40-Sets of TTL I/O. • 3 Groups of programmable D/A VOLTAGE SOURCE & 2 Groups of OSC output source. • 60 %of Digital components in high speed CMOS HCTtype. • Hardware expendable for complex device programming. • Hardware Configuration is available for Software Designers. • 'GO'-key & 'GOOD'-LED permit stand-alone machine operation. • Various Adapters(1 to 4 Sockets) — Optional. •*• 1-Year Warranty A 30 Days Money-Back Guarantee *** TEL: (408) 748-8491, FAX: (408) 748-8492 C&J MICRQNICS 1400 Coleman Ave. Suite D-13, Santa Clara, CA 95050 Call Toll Free(ror Orders Only). 1-600-633-3449 Circle 82 on Reader Service Card MEMORY UPGRADES IBM PS/2, APPLE AST , COMPAQ HEWLETT PACKARD ZENITH , SUN MICRO STANDARD SIMMS laptop memory (nec, toshiba, apple, compaq) laser printer memory (hp, canon, tec engine) no risk, best price, best quality Add On AMERICA A DIVISION F ROHM CORPORATION 433 N. MATHILDA AVE. SUNNYVALE, CA 94088 TEL (408) 746-1590 FAX (408) 746-1593 1-800-292-7771 Circle 16 on Reader Service Card New, Gridless, 100% Autorouting Create schematics and PCBs quickly and simply with HiWIRE-Plus® and your IBM PC. With the new, gridless, multilayer autor- outer (AR)for HiWIRE-Plus, creating printed- ciicuit layouts is even faster. AR and HiWIRE-Plus are each $895 and come with 30-day money-back guarantees. Credit cards welcome. WIXTKK Corporation 1801 South St., Lafayette, IN 47904 (800) 742-6809 or (317) 742-8428 Circle 95 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 96) Price Per Box 5.25" 720 kb DS 4.89 Pre-Formalted 5.69 5.25" 1.2 mb HD 8.89 Pre- Formatted 9.69 3.50" 1 .0 mb DS 6.99 Pre-Formatted 7.69 3.50" 2.0 mb HD . . . 1 3.79 Pre-Formatted ... 1 4,69 3M DATA CARTRIDGES Price Each DC-2000 13.95 DC-600A 18.99 DC-300XLP 17.39 DC-6150XTD 19.99 (Call for others and also formatted) TAPE AND BACKUP Price Each 700-F-2400'-C55 ..11.95 777-y 2 "-2400'-C55 ..10.95 DEC-TK-50 23.95 DEC-TK-52 35.95 IBM-3480 4.55 Opt Rewrite Disks . . 159.00 3M HIGHLAND DISKETTES Price Per Box 5.25" 720 Kb DS 3.79 5.25" 1 .2 mb HD 6.49 3.50" 1.0 mb DS 6.79 3.50" 2mb HD 11.99 BASF -DD Export Quantity Discounts Available DS-HD ...5.25" BASF Brand Diskettes.... 71? box 61?box .... 3.50" BASF Brand Diskettes .... 1 1 ? E !L itt Verbatim * TEFLON / PREFORMATTED # DS-DD Quantity Discounts Available DS-HD 5 29 *f m . . . 5.25" DataLife Plus Diskettes . . 8 9 p?L 719 f PER 6( . 3.50" DataLife Diskettes . . I W PER BC Circle 341 on Reader Service Card Circle 342 on Reader Service Card -2 maxell 5.25" DS/DD 5.25" DS/HD 3.50" DS/DD 3.50" DS/HD .89 8.89 7.19 13.89 KAO COLOR BULK DS-DD "No-Logo" DS-HD .39 5.25" Color Diskettes .69 .59 3.50" Color Diskettes .99 BULK DISKETTES 5.25" DS/DD 5.25" DS/HD 3.50" DS/DD 3.50" DS/HD .28* .42* .39 .79 'WITH SLEEVES, LABELS AND W/P TABS m ggs^S Canon Laserjet Series MMII . . . Laser i el Toners . . . . 74.95 Laserjet Series IIP 60.95 MoqIo dec Compactape for TK50 & TZ30 24.95 Compactape II for TK70 & TK52 38.95 LN03 Maintenance Kit 159.90 EPSON Original DFX5000 18.29 WE BEAT ANY PRICE!! TERMS: N o surcharge on VISA. Mastercard or AMEX. Order packaging and processing = $2 95 per order. COD orders add $3.95. PO's accepted Irom recognized inslilulions on Net 30 days L/C. T/T and Bank Draft acceptable. Price quoted for case (100 disks or 10 cartridges). For quantities less than I case add 10% SHIPPING: UPS surlace $1 .95/5 cartridges; $0 95/50 diskettes. (Prices subject to change without notice- Errors and omissions not accepted. All warranties Toll Free Order Line: Information Line: 1 -800-523-9681 1 -801 -255-0080 TLX-9102404712 FAX-801-572-3327 n DISKCOTECH 213 Cottage Avenue P.O. Box 1339 Sandy, Utah 84091 DECEMBER 1990 -BYTE 405 Editorial Index by Company Index of companies covered in articles, columns, or news stories in this issue Each reference is to the first page of the article or section in which the company name appears Company, Page # Inquiry # A Abaton, 307 1225 Accton Technology, 58 1294 Acer, 19 Adaptec, 361 Adex, 307 1226 Advanced Matrix Technology, 156 1111 Advanced Micro Devices, 312 AEG Olympia, 156 1112 Alps America, 156 1113 American Mitac, 44 1273 AMT, 19 Antic Publishing, 19 Apple Computer, 19, 119, 156, 275, 307, 420 1114 1227 Ariel, 50 1287 Artists Graphics, 307 1228 Aselco, 66 1304 Ashlar, 72 1311 Ashton-Tate, 246 1077 AST Research, 337 AT&T, 19,327 AT&T Mail, 341 ATI Technologies, 19, 46, 307 1229 1281 Autodesk, 72 1313 Automated Design, 54 1289 B Beacon Expert Systems, 66 1302 Bell & Howell, 307 1230 Bitstream, 19 BIX, 119 Boca Research, 307 1231 Borland International, 62 1300 Boston Museum of Science, 418 Brother International, 19, 156 1115 C-Cube Microsystems, 19, 289 C-Tech Electronics, 156 1116 Calcomp,307 1232 Canon USA, 19, 156 1117 Ceres Software, 105 1 1 46 Chips & Technologies, 19,312 Cirrus Logic, 312 Claris, 1 9 Colorado Memory Systems, 235 1105 Commodore Business Machines, 19, 132 1064 Compaq Computer, 1 9, 307 1233 CompuAdd, 140 1067 CompuServe, 101,119 Comsoft, 66 1301 Conceptual Software, 62 1298 Core International, 235 1 1 06 Corel Systems, 281 DanCraf t Enterprises, 50 1 284 Data General, 119 Data Translation, 229, 307 1224 1234 Dataproducts, 1 56 1118 DC A Software, 72 1310 Dell Computer, 213 1108 Desktop Computing, 307 1235 Digital Equipment, 119, 125, 337 Digital Research, 1 97 1 064 Discovery Systems, 1 9 Dolch Computer Systems, 246 1075 Dynacomp, 70 1 308 E~ Edsun Labs, 312 Eltech Research, 44 1274 Enable Software, 93 1222 Enertronics Research, 307 1236 Epson America, 156 1119 Ernst & Young, 66 1305 Erudite, 66 1303 Everex Systems, 1 32 1060 Evergreen Systems, 58 1 293 F~ Facit, 156 1120 Farallon Computing, 1 9 Fortis Direct Connect, 1 56 1121 Fujitsu America, 156 1 1 22 General Instrument, 297 General Parametrics, 307 1237 Generation X Technologies, 307 1238 Generic Software, 72 1312 Genoa Systems, 307 1239 Goddard Space Flight Center, 341 GoldSta r Technology, 44 1 275 Grandmaster, 73 1156 Graphic Software Systems, 1 9 Groundhog Graphics, 307 1240 H Half Moon Press, 418 Headland Technology, 307 1241 Hercules Computer Technology, 307 1242 Hewlett-Packard, 45, 156, 307, 337 1123 1243 1276 Houghton Mifflin Software, 73 1 1 49 HP/ Apollo, 119 I IBM, 19, 119,289,321,337 Imaging Technology, 307 1244 Imagraph, 307 1245 Intel, 19, 289, 312 Intelligent Environments, 62 1 297 Interactive Systems, 1 78, 206 1 060 1063 Interleaf, 19 Internet, 119 IsiCAD, 182 1061 Jandel Scientific, 70 1 309 Joint Photographic Experts Group, 19 K Kodak, 19 Landmark Research International, 73 1154 LaserMaster, 307 1246 Logos Technology, 307 1247 Lotus Development, 1 9, 58, 233 1148 1296 M Mannesmann Tally, 156 1125 Mars Microsystems, 1 1 9 Mass Optical Storage Technologies, 1 9 Matrox Eclectronics Systems, 307 1248 Maxtor, 1 9 MCI Mail, 341 MegaGraphics, 307 1249 Megatek, 307 1250 Metheus, 307 1251 Micro Logic, 73 1153 Micron Technology, 307 1252 Microsoft, 19, 119, 125,221, 275, 281, 420 1065 Microtest, 54 1288 Microway, 307 1253 MIPS Computer Systems, 172 1109 Mirror Technologies, 58 1292 MIT, 297 MIT Press, 418 Monolithic Systems, 307 1254 Motorola, 1 9 Mylex, 307 1255 N Nakamichi Peripherals, 19 National Design, 308 1256 NCR, 19, 191,361 1107 NEC, 44, 289 1271 NEC Technologies, 156, 308 1126 1257 New Media Graphics, 308 1258 NexGen, 19 NeXT, 289 NHK, 297 Northgate Computer Systems, 73 1150 Novell, 19, 119, 125,337 NSA, 308 1259 Number Nine Computer, 308 1260 Nutmeg Systems, 308 1261 o Occam Research, 132 1062 Ocean Microsystems, 19 Oki, 19 Okidata.19,156 1127 Olivetti, 19 OmniComp Graphics, 308 1 262 Orange Micro, 46 1280 Orchid Technology, 308 1 263 Panasonic Communications & Systems, 156 1128 Pantone, 275 PC Tech, 308 1264 Performance Technology, 62 1299 Personal Computer Peripherals, 308 1265 Phase II Software, 201 1060 Philips, 297 Pixar, 253 Plus Development, 1 32 1 065 Poqet Computer, 312 Practical Peripherals, 58 1 295 Prentice-Hall, 345 1005 Princeton Graphic Systems, 308 1266 Princeton Publishing Labs, 308 1267 Q Qualitas, 19 Quark, 19 Qume, 156 1129 R Racal-Redac, 70 1307 Radius, 19, 275, 308 1268 Ramtek, 308 1269 Rasna,70 1306 RasterOps, 308 1270 Renaissance GRX, 308 1421 Ricoh, 54 1290 Samsung Information Systems America, 19,44 1272 The Santa Cruz Operation, 206, 209 1005 1062 Sarnof f Labs, 297 Second Wave, 50 1285 Seiko, 19 Seikosha America, 1 56 1130 Sharp Electronics, 73, 3 1 2 1 1 59 Sigma Designs, 308 1 422 Smith Corona, 19 SoftKlone, 54 1291 Solbourne Computer, 140 1068 Soltec, 46 1283 Sony, 45 1278 Sony Microsystems, 1 1 9, 1 72 1110 406 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 Sota Technology, 308 1423 Spectral Innovations, 46 1282 Star Micronics America, 19,156 1057 STB Systems, 308 1131 Sun Microsystems, 119, 140, 327, 337 1066 SuperMac Technology, 308 1132 Supra, 45 1277 Symantec, 73, 178 1056 1152 Symbolics, 308 1133 Systems Compatibility, 105 1147 T Tandy, 156 1058 Tate Gallery, 418 Tecmar, 132,308 1063 1134 Telemail,341 Texas Instruments, 73, 151, 312 1076 1157 Toshiba America Information Systems, 156 1059 Touchstone Software, 73 1150 Traveling Software, 73 1155 Trident Microsystems, 308 1135 Truevision, 289, 308 1136 Tseng Labs, 308 1137 u University of California, 337 University of Evansville, 1 9 Univision, 308 1138 Usenet, 119 U.S. National Computer Security Center, 19 V Vectrix, 308 1139 Velox Computer, 1 32 1061 Ventek, 308 1140 Verbum, 19 Vermont Microsystems, 308 1141 VESA, 355 1004 Video Seven, 19 ViewSonic, 45 1279 Voice Connexion, 50 1286 w Wang Laboratories, 93, 337 1221 Warner Books, 418 Western Digital, 1 9 Western Digital Imaging, 308 1142 WordPefect, 93 1223 Zenith Data Systems, 73, 297 1 1 58 I'm a volunteer supporter of the International Executive Service Corps, a not-for-profit organization with a vital mission: We send retired U.S. managers overseas to help busi- nesses in developing countries, which often respond by increasing their imports of U.S. goods. In fact, develop- ing countries consume about 40 percent of U.S. exports. As an IESC volunteer, you would not get a salary. But you would get expenses for you and your spouse, plus a world of personal satisfaction. IESC leads the field in this kind of work. We've done over 9,000 projects in 81 countries. We could have a project that's just right for you. To find out, send this coupon to: Harold W. McGraw, Chairman, McGraw-Hill, Inc., P.O. Box 10005, Stamford, CT 06904-2005. Dear Mr. McGraw: Tell me more about becoming an IESC volunteer I am a re- cently retired manager or technician— or am about to retire— from a U.S. com- pany. I'm free to accept an overseas as- signment. I understand that volunteers receive expenses for themselves and their spouses, but no salary. Name Address City International Executive Service Corps It's not just doing good. It's doing good business. Gxnol _ State. -Zip. I_. M2 ._l DECEMBER 1990 • B Y T E 407 READER SERVICE To get further information on the products advertised in BYTE, fill out the reader service card by circling the numbers on the card that cor- respond to the inquiry number listed with the advertiser. This index is provided as an additional service by the publisher, who assumes no liability for errors or omissions. Alphabetical Index to Advertisers Inquiry No. Page No. 8 ABACUS SOFTWARE, INC 167 9 ABACUS SOFTWARE.INC 167 10 ABACUS SOFTWARE.INC 175 11 ABACUS SOFTWARE.INC 175 12 ABTECH.INC 332 13 ABTECH.INC 332 14 ACCUMATION.INC 364 15 ACCUMATION.INC 364 16 ADDON AMERICA 405 38 ADVANCED MICRO DEVICES . . 203 17 AK SYSTEMS 368 18 ALPHA PRODUCTS 403 19 ALR 2,3 20 ALR 2,3 21 ALTEC 100 22 ALTIMASYSTEMS.INC 249 23 AMERICAN ADVANTECH 388 23 AMERICAN ADVANTECH 388 23 AMERICAN ADVANTECH 388 26 AMERICAN MIT AC 333 27 AMERICAN SMALL BUSINESS . 259 363 AMT INT'L 402 28 ANNABOOKS 120 360 ANN & ANTHONY (DAI) 397 * APPLE COMPUTER 25 * APPLE COMPUTER 26,27 33 ARCTANGENT.INC 402 34 ARCTANGENT.INC 402 35 ARLINGTON ELECTRONICS ... 397 36 ASHTON-TATE 150 37 ASHTON-TATE 150 * AVOCETSYSTEMS 80 39 A.M.S 397 40 B & B ELECTRONICS 400 41 BARCODE INDUSTRIES 198 42 BARCODE INDUSTRIES 198 43 BAY TECHNICAL ASSOCIATES 168C 44 BAY TECHNICAL ASSOCIATES 168C 45 BELL ATLANTIC 227 46 BINARY DATA ACQUISITION CORP 389 * BINARY TECHNOLOGY, INC ... 400 * BIX 299 47 BLACK & WHITE INT'L 271 48 BLAISE COMPUTING 6 49 BLAST/COMM.RESEARCH GRP 357 50 BLAST/COMM.RESEARCH GRP 357 51 BORLAND INTERNATIONAL 11 52 BORLAND INTERNATIONAL 11 364 BOURBAKI.INC 352 365 BOURBAKI.INC 352 53 BP MICROSYSTEMS 402 399 BUFFALO PRODUCTS 351 54 BUREAU OF ELECT. PUBLISHING ... 94 55 BUREAU OF ELECT. PUBLISHING ... 94 56 BUSiNESSLAND DIRECT 372 * BUYERS MART 375-382 349 BYTE CATALOG SHOWCASE... 372 58 BZTECHNICAL 383 59 B&C MICROSYSTEMS 397 60 B&C MICROSYSTEMS 397 61 B&C MICROSYSTEMS 399 62 CADRE TECHNOLOGIES 21 63 CAPITAL EQUIPMENT CORP ...68 64 CAPITAL EQUIPMENT CORP ...89 * CCMI 344 65 CDA COMPUTER SALES 109 * CLEOCOMMUNICATIONS.INC . . 124 66 CLUB AMERICAN TECHNOLOGY 185 67 CNS.INC 330 126 COMMUNIQUE FAX 9600 96 68 COMP USA 212 * COMPAQ COMPUTER 272,273 * COMPUADD 104A-D * COMPUADD 200A-D 71 COMPUCOM 385 72 COMPUTER PERIPHERALS ... 224 73 COMPUTERLANE 396 74 COMTROLCORP 122,123 * COPI A INTERNATIONAL LTD... 332 358 COREL SYSTEMS 291 76 COVOX.INC 383 77 COVOX.INC 383 78 CSS LABS 324,325 79 CSS LABS 324,325 82 C&J MICRONICS 405 83 DATA STRATEGIES INT'L 405 64 DATALUX 168D 85 DATALUX 168D 86 DELL COMPUTER CORP CII.1 87 DESKTOPTECHNOLOGYCORP 164 88 DFI 354 89 DIGIBOARD 211 92 DIGITAL RESEARCH 137 95 DISKCOTECH 405 96 DISKCOTECH 405 97 DISKETTE CONNECTION 391 98 DISTRIBUTED PROCESSING TECH 127 99 DISTRIBUTED PROCESSING TECH 127 100 DIVERSIFIED COMPUTER SYS ... 388 101 ELEX INFORMATION SYS 347 102 ELEXORASSOCIATES.INC... 391 103 EMERSON UPS 199 104 EMERSON UPS 199 * EPSON AMERICA 22,23 105 ERGO COMPUTING 217 106 EVENT HORIZONS 279 352 EVEREX SYSTEMS 218,219 Inquiry No. Page No. 107 FAIRCOM CORP 118 108 FAIRCOM CORP 118 109 FALCO DATA PRODUCTS 67 110 FIRST SOURCE INTERNATI0NAL385 111 FIRST SOURCE INTERNATI0NAL385 112 FLAGSTAFF ENGINEERING ... 302 113 FLYTECH TECHNOLOGIES 51 114 FOX SOFTWARE 104 115 FTP SOFTWARE 340 116 GALACTICOMM 52,53 117 GALAXY ELECTRONICS, INC .. 400 * GATEWAY 2000 32A-D 118 GCOM.INC 399 119 GENERIC SOFTWARE 283 120 GENERIC SOFTWARE 283 121 GENOA 252 122 GLENCO ENGINEERING 278 123 GRAPHIC SOFTWARE SYSTEMS 264 124 GRAPHIC SOFTWARE SYSTEMS 264 125 GREENVIEW 76 127 GTEK.INC 226 128 GTEK.INC 226 129 HAUPPAUGE COMPUTER WRKS . 317 130 HAVENTREE SOFTWARE 207 131 HAVENTREE SOFTWARE 207 132 HAYES 71 133 HERCULES COMP.TECH 108 * HEWLETT-PACKARD PERIP 138,139 * HEWLETT-PACKARD PERIP 194,195 134 HIGH RES TECHNOLOG IES ... 391 135 HOMESMARTCOMPUTING ... 399 136 HOUSTON INSTRUMENT 295 137 HOUSTON INSTRUMENT 295 138 HOUSTON INSTRUMENT 295 139 IBM WORKSTATION 12,13 * IBM PS/2 260,261 141 IIYAMA ELECTRIC CO., LTD . . . 168A 144 INTEGRAND 202 146 INTEL CORP 63-65 147 INTEL CORP 63-65 350 INTEL CORP 82,83 351 INTELCORP 82,83 356 INTEL CORP 148,149 357 INTEL CORP 148,149 149 INTEL CORP/DEV.TOOLS 372 150 IOTECH 397 151 I.S.C. POWERSYSTEMS . . . 130,131 152 ITR 391 353 IVERSON COMP.CORP .... 178,177 153 I.C.EXPRESS 388 359 I.E.F 331 154 JADE COMPUTER 390 155 JAMECO 42,43 6 JDR MICRODEVICES 413-416 7 JDR MICRODEVICES 413-416 157 JEMINI ELECTRONICS 402 142 JETFORM 340 143 JETFORM 340 158 JYOS SYSTEMS.INC 200 159 K AD AK PRODUCTS LTD 402 160 KEASYSTEMS 389 161 KEITHLEY METRABYTE 391 164 KNAPCO 389 165 KNAPCO 389 166 KNOWLEDGE GARDEN 336 167 LAG UN A CON VERSION SYS... 402 168 LAHEY 350 367 LEXPERTISE 363 368 LEXPERTISE 363 169 LINK COMPUTER GRAPHICS . . 364 170 LOGICAL DEVICES, INC 400 171 LOGICAL DEVICES, INC 400 172 LOGICAL DEVICES.INC 400 173 LOGICAL DEVICES.INC 400 174 LOGITECH.INC 48,49 175 LOGITECH.INC 48,49 176 LOGITECH.INC 225 177 LOGITECH.INC 225 178 MAGEE ENTERPRISES.INC ....210 179 MAGEEENTERPRISES.INC ....210 180 MAP INFO 128 * MARK WILLIAMS COMPANY 75 181 MARYMAC INDUSTRIES 391 182 MATHSOFT 343 183 MEASUREMENTS CTRL SYS.. 364 164 MEASUREMENT & CTRL SYS . . 364 185 MEGATEL COMPUTER CORP.. 344 186 METRA INFORMATION SYS ... 335 366 MICRONICS 190 187 MICRO SOLUTIONS COMPPROD . . 315 188 MICROPROCESSORS UNLTD.. 399 * MICROSOFT 8,9 * MICROSOFT 97-99 * MICROSOFT 147 * MICROSOFT 301 * MICROSOFT 303 * MICROSOFT 305 * MICROWAY 169 189 MICROWAY 234 190 MICROWAY 234 * MICROWAY 286 191 MIX SOFTWARE 367 192 MKS 121 193 MYLEXCORP 103 194 MYLEX CORP 103 195 NANAO 304 196 NANAO 304 Inquiry No. Page No. 197 NANTUCKET CORPORATION . . 230 198 NANTUCKET CORPORATION . . 231 199 NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS 372 200 NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS Clll 201 NCI 385 202 NCI 385 203 NEC HOME ELECTRONICS . . . 30,31 204 NEVADA COMPUTER 387 205 NO NOISE.INC 214 206 NO NOISE.INC 214 207 NOHAU CORP 360 212 NORTHGATE COMPUTER SYS 204,205 208 NORTHGATE COMPUTER SYS 238,239 209 NORTHGATE COMPUTER SYS 240,241 210 NORTHGATE COMPUTER SYS 242,243 211 NORTHGATE COMPUTER SYS 244,245 * NORTHGATE COMPUTER SYS... 247 213 NORTHGATE COMPUTER SYS 310,311 214 NOVA.INC 287 215 NU-MEGA TECHNOLOGIES 78 216 OAKLAND GROUP.THE 232 217 OKIDATA 154,155 361 OMNITRONIX.INC 389 218 OPENETWORK 126 * OPTIQUEST 285 219 OPTIQUEST 267 220 OPTIQUEST 267 * ORACLE 145 222 OVERLAND DATA 364 * PACIFIC DATA PRODUCTS .... 196 * PACIFIC DATA PRODUCTS .... 323 224 PANASONIC DOT MATRIX PRTR 37-39 225 PANASONIC LASERPRINTER 90-92 226 PARA SYSTEMS, INC 77 227 PATTON & PATTON 397 * PC CONNECTION 110,111 * PCCONNECTION 112,113 * PCCONNECTION 114 * PC CONNECTION 115-117 228 PC POWER & COOLING 268 229 PC POWER & COOLING 268 230 PENTAX TECHNOLOGIES 163 231 PERCEPTIVE SOLUTIONS, INC ... 81 232 PERCEPTIVE SOLUTIONS, INC ... 81 233 PERCON 383 234 PINNACLE MICRO 107 235 PRACTICAL PERIPHERALS 29 236 PROGRAMMER'S CONNECTION 372 237 PROGRAMMER'S PARADISE .... 59 238 PROGRAMMER'S PARADISE . 60,61 ' PROGRAMMER'S SHOP . . . 186,187 * PROGRAMMER'S SHOP... 188,189 249 PROTECH MARKETING 135 250 PROTECH MARKETING 135 348 PSEUDOCORP 400 * PUBLISHER'S STATEMENT ... 290 240 QUATECH.INC 370 241 QUA TECH.INC 370 242 QUA TECH.INC 370 243 QUA TECH.INC 370 244 QUA TECH.INC 370 245 QUA TECH.INC 370 246 QUA TECH.INC 370 247 QUA TECH.INC 370 248 QUATECH.INC 370 251 QUALSTAR CORPORATION ... 402 252 QUARTERDECK 215 255 RACINE TECHNOLOGIES 104 256 RACINE TECHNOLOGIES 104 257 RAD DATA COMM..INC 372 258 RADIO SHACK CIV 259 RAIMA CORP 47 260 RAIMA CORP 87 261 RAINBOW 15 262 RAINBOW 15 264 RECITAL CORPORATION.INC . . 208 265 RECITAL CORPORATION.INC . . 208 266 RECOGNITA CORP 306 267 ROCHELLE COMMUNICATIONS 383 268 ROCHELLE COMMUNICATIONS 383 269 ROSE ELECTRONICS 129 270 ROYKORE 64 271 R&R ELECTRONICS 399 272 SAFEWARE.INC 388 273 SANTA CRUZ OPERATION 55 274 SAS INSTITUTE.INC 353 275 SCIENTIFIC ENDEAVORS 400 276 SCIENTIFIC ENDEAVORS 400 277 SCIENTIFIC ENDEAVORS 400 278 SCOTTSDALE SYSTEMS 366 279 SEQUITER SOFTWARE, INC ... 220 280 SERVER TECHNOLOGY 126 281 SERVER TECHNOLOGY 126 282 SHARP ELECTRONICS 296 283 SHECOM COMPUTERS, INC ... 392 264 SILICON SHACK LTD 388 285 SN'W ELECTRONICS 271 286 SOFTWARE PUBLISHING CORP .236,237 288 SPECIALIZED PRODUCTS CO . 372 289 SPECTRUM 309 290 STANDARD COMPUTER 68,69 291 STATSOFT 85 292 STONY BROOK SOFTWARE .... 102 293 STONY BROOK SOFTWARE .... 102 294 SUMMAGRAPHICS 262 295 SUMMAGRAPHICS 262 296 SUMMAGRAPHICS 262 Inquiry No. Page No. 297 SUNRISE ELECTRONICS.INC. . 389 298 SUPERSOFT 334 299 TALKING TECHNOLOGY.INC . . 405 300 TANGENT COMPUTER 257 301 TECHNOLOGY POWER ENTER 388 302 TEKTRONIX 170,171 303 TEKTRONIX 170,171 304 TELCON 228 305 TELEPHONEPRODUCTCENTER398 * TEXAS INSTRUMENTS 16,17 306 TEXAS MICROSYSTEMS . . . 160,181 * TEXAS MICROSYSTEMS . . . 160A-B 307 THE CARD SHOP 372 308 THE PERISCOPE COMPANY. .. 348 309 THE PERISCOPE COMPANY... 348 310 THE SOFTWARE LINK 223 311 THE SOFTWARE LINK 223 312 THE WHITEWATER GROUP ... 260 314 TOSHIBA 56,57 315 TOSHIBA 56,57 316 TOTE-A-LAP 404 317 TOUCHBASE SYSTEMS.INC 74 318 TOUCHSTONE 79 319 TOUCHSTONE 79 320 TRANS ERA 326 321 TRANS ERA 326 322 TREND SYSTEMS.INC 401 323 TRITON TECHNOLOGIES 320 324 TRITON TECHNOLOGIES 320 325 TRI-STAR COMPUTER 18 326 TRUEVISION.INC 285 327 TRUEVISION.INC 285 328 TULIN CORPORATION 330 329 TURBOPOWER 366 362 TWIX INT'L 397 330 UN ICORE SOFTWARE 287 331 UNICORN ELECTRONICS 368 332 UNITEX 394,395 333 UNITEX 394,395 334 UNIVERSAL MEMORY PROD .. 382 " UNIXWORLD 393 * UNIXWORLD 392A-B 335 UPGRADES.ETC 399 338 VENTURA PUBLISHER 7 339 VERMONT CREATIVE SOFTWARE 35 162 VIEWSONIC 274 163 VIEWSONIC 274 340 WIESEMANN&THEISGMBH . . 391 341 WINTEK CORPORATION 405 342 WINTEK CORPORATION 405 343 XELTEK 399 344 ZENY COMPUTER SYS..INC .... 120 345 ZERICON 315 * ZORTECH 41 * ZORTECH 95 346 Z-WORLD ENGINEERING 389 347 Z-WORLD ENGINEERING 389 INTERNATIONAL SECTION 72 IS 1-80 No North American Inquiries please. 401 3EST USA IS-76 402 ACER IS-2 403 AGC IS-59 404 ALADDIN IS-65 405 AMDS LTD IS-48 469 ART MACHINES IS-76 407 ATICO IS-62,63 * BIX IS-74,80 * BYTE BACK ISSUES IS-54 * BYTE SUB MESSAGE IS-64 * BYTE SUB SERVICE IS-66 409 CLARION SOFTWARE IS-9 410 CLARION SOFTWARE IS-9 470 COBALTBLUE IS-78 411 COMPEX IS-52 412 COMPEX IS-52 413 COMPEX IS-53 414 COMPEX IS-53 415 COMPUCLASSICS IS-51 468 COMPUSAVE INT'L IS-77 416 COMPUTER QUICK IS-50 417 COMPUTER SUPPORT CORP . . IS-33 418 CYBEX CORPORATION IS-60 420 ELEX INTERNATIONAL IS-73 * ELONEX IS-61 421 ESIX SYSTEMS IS-43 422 ETAP IS-47 423 EXPERT SYSTEMS LTD IS-66 424 FAST ELECTRONIC 1S-40 425 FLAGSTAFF ENGINEERING . . . IS-46 426 GAMMA PRODUCTIONS IS-34 427 GOLDSTAR TECHNOLOGY . . IS-22,23 428 GREY MATTER IS-71 429 GTCO IS-69 430 GTCO IS-69 431 IMS/FINATOR IS-60 432 INES GMBH IS-70 433 INTERQUADLTD IS-5 434 IQ ENGINEERING IS-21 435 IQ ENGINEERING IS-21 436 IXI LTD IS-44 437 I.M.T. FRANCE IS-72 438 JC INFO SYSTEMS CORP IS-27 439 MASHOV IS-49 408 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 READER SERVICE Inquiry No. Page No. 440 MAYFAIR MICROS IS-37 441 MICROGRAFX IS-31 442 MICROPRESS IS-72 443 MICROPRESS IS-72 444 MINOLTAGMBH IS-13 445 PECAN SOFTWARE EUROPE LTD . IS-75 446 PHILIPS IS-7 447 PHILIPS PERIPHERALS IS-29 448 PROGRAMMERS ODYSSEY . . . IS-18 451 PROLOG DEVELOPMENT IS-10 452 PROLOG DEVELOPMENT IS-10 453 SHENG LABSJNC IS-56 454 SIMPLE TECHNOLOGY.INC ... IS-79 455 SOFT WAREHOUSE EUROPE GMBH . 1S-28 • SOFTLINE IS-45 456 SOFTWARE CONSTRUCTION C0..LTD IS-67 * SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT SYS . IS-35 457 SOLO UNIBIT IS-57 458 SURAH.INC IS-78 459 TEAC IS-24 461 TERRA DATENTECHNIK IS-70 462 TERRA DATENTECHNIK IS-58 463 TOP LINK COMP.CO..LTD IS-20 460 TP ENTERPRISE LTD IS-68 464 TRIANGLE DIGITAL SERV..LTD. IS-76 465 TWINHEAD IS-38,39 466 USA SOFTWARE IS-19 467 V.D.S. SPA IS-55 INT'L DIRECT RESPONSE POSTCARDS • ARNET IS • BYTEWEEK IS " C + + REPORT IS • COMPUTER SOLUTIONS IS ' COMPUTER SOLUTIONS.N.W IS ' COMPUTER SUPPORT CORP IS Inquiry No. Page No. GATEWAY2000 IS REASONABLE SOLUTIONS IS TOUCHBASE SYSTEMS IS REGIONAL SECTIONS Midwest 72MW1-16 551 BSI MW-13 552 BSI MW-13 553 DERBYTECH COMPUTERS... MW-16 554 DERBYTECH COMPUTERS... MW-16 555 ESI/CAD WAREHOUSE MW-4 556 ESI/CAD WAREHOUSE MW-4 559 IME COMPUTERS MW-2 560 IME COMPUTERS MW-2 563 IRIS SOFTWARE PRODUCTS . . MW-3 564 IRIS SOFTWARE PRODUCTS . . MW-3 567 MICON COMPUTERS MW-1 568 MICROCOM COMPUTERS . . MW-11 569 MYODA.INC MW-8,9 570 MYODA.INC MW-8,9 572 UNITED INNOVATIONS MW-5 Northeast 72NE1-24 577 ADI CORP NE-3 578 BITWISE DESIGNS.INC NE-11 579 BITWISE DESIGNS.INC NE-11 580 BRIGHTBILL-ROBERTS NE-6 581 BSI NE-19 582 BSI NE-19 • BYTE CARD DECK NE-14 • COMPUTER GRAPHICS SHOW '91 NE-15 Inquiry No. Page No. 811 COMPUTER PERIP. DIRECT.INC . NE-21 612 COMPUTER PERIP. DIRECT.INC. NE-21 583 COMPUTER SALES PROFJNC NE-9 584 COMPUTER SALES PROFJNC NE-9 585 COMPUTER SALES PROFJNC NE-13 586 COMPUTER SALES PROF., INC NE-13 587 DERBYTECH COMPUTERS. . . NE-24 588 DERBYTECH COMPUTERS... NE-24 589 ESI/CAD WAREHOUSE NE-4 590 ESI/CAD WAREHOUSE NE-4 593 FD MICROSYSTEMS NE-7 594 FD MICROSYSTEMS NE-7 595 GLASGALCOMM..INC NE-23 596 H.CO COMPUTER PRODUCTS NE-17 597 H.CO COMPUTER PRODUCTS NE-17 598 IME COMPUTERS NE-2 599 IME COMPUTERS NE-2 602 MANCHESTER EQUIPMENT... NE-1 * MANCHESTER EQUPMNT 72NE-A.B 605 MICROCOM COMPUTERS ... NE-18 606 MYODA.INC NE-10 607 MYODA.INC NE-10 609 PACE UNIVERSITY NE-5 610 SIMPLE TECHNOLOGY.INC .. NE-14 Pacific Coast 72 PC1-24 613 ACI CORP PC-1 614 BRIGHTBILL-ROBERTS PC-7 615 BSI PC-6 616 BSI PC-6 617 DERBYTECH COMPUTERS... PC-24 618 DERBYTECH COMPUTERS... PC-24 619 ESI/CADWAREHOUSE PC-4 620 ESI/CADWAREHOUSE PC-4 623 H.CO COMPUTER PRODUCTS PC-13 Inquiry No. Page No. 824 H.CO COMPUTER PRODUCTS PC-13 625 IME COMPUTERS PC-15 828 IME COMPUTERS PC-15 829 IRIS SOFTWARE PRODUCTS . . PC-3 630 IRIS SOFTWARE PRODUCTS . . PC-3 837 MACWORLD EXPO PC-9-11 838 MACWORLD EXPO PC-9-11 631 METAWARE.INC PC-17 634 MICROCOM COMPUTERS ... PC-19 ■ MICROCOMPUTER MKTGCNCL . PC-23 639 MYODA.INC PC-21 640 MYODA.INC PC-21 642 PROSPERO SOFTWARE, INC .. PC-2 643 PROSPERO SOFTWARE.INC . . PC-2 644 STRATEGIC MAPPING PC-15 645 VERIDATA PC-5 646 VERIDATA PC-5 South 72 S01-16 651 BSI SO-3 652 BSI SO-3 655 CHAUMONT& ASSOCIATES... SO-5 658 DERBYTECH COMPUTERS. . . SO-16 659 DERBYTECH COMPUTERS... SO-16 660 ESI/CADWAREHOUSE SO-4 661 ESI/CADWAREHOUSE SO-4 656 EXPO BUSINESS SYSTEMS . . . SO-7 657 EXPO BUSINESS SYSTEMS . . . SO-7 664 FD MICROSYSTEMS SO-1 665 FD MICROSYSTEMS SO-1 666 IME COMPUTERS SO-2 667 IME COMPUTERS SO-2 672 MICROCOM COMPUTERS ... SO-13 673 MYODA.INC SO-8,9 674 MYODA.INC . . , SO-8,9 • Correspond directly with company. BYTE ADVERTISING SALES STAFF: Steven M. Vito, Associate Publisher/V.P. of Marketing, One Phoenix Mill Lane, Peterborough, NH 03458, tel. (603) 924-9281 Arthur Kossack, Eastern Advertising Director, Two Prudential Plaza, 180 North Stetson Ave., Chicago, IL 60601, tel. (312) 616-3341 Jennifer L. Bartel, Western Advertising Director, 14850 Quorum Drive, Suite 380, Dallas, TX 75240, tel. (214) 701-8496 Liz Coyman, Inside Advertising Sales Director, One Phoenix Mill Lane, Peterborough, NH 03458, tel. (603) 924-2518 NEW ENGLAND MIDWEST NORTH PACIFIC: Campbell, CA BYTE BUS (2x3) BYTE Deck ME, NH, VT, MA, RI, CT, ONTARIO IL.MO.KS.IA, ND, SD, MN, SILICON VALLEY, HI, WA, AK, Mark Stone (603) 924-6830 Ed Ware (603) 924-2596 CANADA & EASTERN CANADA WI, NE, IN, MI, OH W. CANADA BYTE Publications BYTE Publications Dan Savage (617) 860-6344 Kurt Kelley (312) 616-3328 Bill McAfee (408) 879-0381 One Phoenix Mill Lane One Phoenix Mill Lane Scott Gagnon (603) 924-2651 MaryAnn Goulding (603) 924-2664 Leslie Hupp (408) 879-A381 Peterborough, NH 03458 Peterborough, NH 03458 McGraw-Hill Publications McGraw-Hill Publications McGraw-Hill Publications 29 Hartwell Avenue Two Prudential Plaza 1999 South Bascom Ave. The Buyer's Mart (1x2) Catalog Showcase Lexington, MA 02173 180 North Stetson Ave. Suite #210 Brian Higgins (603) 924-3754 BYTE International Direct FAX: (617) 860-6999 Chicago, IL 60601 Campbell, CA 95008 BYTE Publications Response Postcards FAX: (312) 616-3370 FAX: (408) 879-9067 One Phoenix Mill Lane Ellen Perham (603)924-2598 EASr COAST Peterborough, NH 03458 BYTE Publications NY, N\"C, NJ, DE, PA SOUTHWEST, SOUTH PACIFIC: Los Angeles, CA One Phoenix Mill Lane Kim Norris (212) 512-2645 ROCKY MOUNTAIN LOS ANGELES COUNTY, AZ, Regional Advertising Peterborough, NH 03458 Ariane Casey (212) 512-2368 CO, OK, TX, NM, SOUTHERN NEVADA James Bail (603) 924-2533 Patricia Payne (603) 924-2654 Alison Keenan (214) 701-8496 Alan El Faye (213) 480-5243 Barry Echavarria (603) 924-2574 Peterborough, NH Office McGraw-Hill Publications Patricia Payne (603) 924-2654 Jonathan Sawyer (603) 924-2665 Larry Levine (603) 924-2637 Inside Sales FAX: 603-924-2683 1221 Avenue of the Americas— McGraw-Hill Publications McGraw-Hill Publications BYTE Publications Advertising FAX: 603-924-7507 28th Floor 14850 Quorum Drive 3333 Wilshire Boulevard #407 One Phoenix Mill Lane New York, NY 10020 Suite 380 Los Angeles, CA 90010 Peterborough, NH 03458 FAX: (212) 512-2075 Dallas, TX 75240 FAX: (214)991-6208 FAX: (213) 480-5249 SOUTHEAST SOUTH PACIFIC: Costa Mesa, CA NC, SO GA, FL, AL, TN, VA, NORTH PACIFIC: San Francisco, CA ( MS. AR, LA, DC, MD, WV, KY NORTHERN CA, OR, ID, MT, SAN DIEGO COUNTY, UT John Y. Schilin (404) 843-4782 WY, NORTHERN NV Ron Cordek (714) 557-6292 Patricia Payne (603) 924-2654 Roy J. Kops (415) 954-9728 Jonathan Sawyer (603) 924-2665 McGraw-Hill Publications McGraw-Hill Publications McGraw-Hill Publications 4170 Ashford-Dunwoody Road 425 Battery Street 3001 Red Hill Ave. Suite520 San Francisco, CA 941 11 Building ti\— Suite 222 Atlanta, GA 30319 FAX: (415) 954-9786 Costa Mesa, CA 92626 FAX: (404) 252-4056 FAX: (714) 557-2219 International Advertising Sales Staff: Uwe Kretzschmar, European Advertising and Marketing Manager, BYTE Publications, McGraw-Hill Publishing Co., Wimbledon Bridge House, One HartfieW Road, Wimbledon, London, SW19 3RU, England, Tel: 44 81 543 1234, Fax: 44 81 540 3833 GERMANY, SWITZERLAND, FRANCE, ITALY JAPAN HONG KONG TAIWAN AUSTRIA Zena Coupe, Amanda Blaskett Masaki Mori Stephen Marcopoto Anita Chen Uwe Kretzschmar (44-81-545-6268) A-Z International Sales Ltd. McGraw-Hill Publishing Co. Seavex Ltd. AcerTWP UNITED KINGDOM 4 Ash mount Road, Hornsey Lane Overseas Corp. 503 Wilson House 977MinShenE. Road, 1-4 Fir. Roz Weyman (44-81-545-6269) Highgate, London N 19 3BH Room 1528 19-27 Wyndham St. Taipei 10581, Taiwan ROC McGraw-Hill Publishing Co. England Kasumigaseki Bldg. Central, Hong Kong Tel: 886 2 763 0052 Wimbledon Bridge House Tel: 44 7 1281 4116 3-2-5 Kasumigaseki, Tel: 852-868-2010 Fax: 886 2 765 6874 One Hartf ield Road FAX: 4471 281 8224 Chiyoda-Ku Telex: 60904 SEVEX HX Wimbledon, London S W19 3RU Tokyo 100, Japan FAX: 852 810 1283 England ISRAEL Tel: 81 3 5819811 Tel: 44 81 543 1234 Dan Ehrlich FAX: 81 3 581 4018 SINGAPORE FAX: 44 81 540 3833 Ehrlich Communication International Jocelyn Domingo TELEX: 892191 P.O. Box 11297 SWEDEN Seavex Ltd. Tel Aviv 61112 Media Marketing AB 400 Orchard Road, 010-01 BENELUX Israel Karlbergsvagen 89A Singapore 0923 Ellen Pardede Tel: (972) 3 449823 S-10031 Stockholm Republic of Singapore Batenburg 103 FAX: (972) 3 5468168 Sweden Tel: 65 734 9790 3437 AB Nieuwegein Tel: 46 8 301280 Telex: RS35539 SEAVEX The Netherlands FAX: 65 732 5 129 Tel: 31 34 02 49496 FAX: 31 3402 37944 DECEMBER 1990 • B Y T E 409 READER SERVICE To get further information on the products advertised in BYTE, fill out the reader service card by circling the numbers on the card that cor- respond to the inquiry number listed with the advertiser. This index is provided as an additional service by the publisher, who assumes no liability for errors or omissions. * Correspond directly with company. Index to Advertisers by Product Category Inquiry No. Page No. HARDWARE 926 ADD INS 38 ADVANCED MICRO DEVICES . . 203 23 AMERICAN ADVANTECH 388 23 AMERICAN ADVANTECH 388 23 AMERICAN ADVANTECH 388 363 AMT INT'L 402 360 ANN & ANTHONY (DAI) 397 43 BAY TECHNICAL ASSOCIATES . . 166C 44 BAY TECHNICAL ASSOCIATES .. 168C 46 BINARY DATA ACQUISITION CORP 389 63 CAPITAL EQUIPMENT CORP 88 64 CAPITAL EQUIPMENT CORP 89 413 COMPEX IS-53 414 COMPEX IS-53 74 COMTROLCORP 122,123 89 DIGIBOARD 211 98 DISTRIBUTED PROCESSING TECH 127 99 DISTRIBUTED PROCESSING TECH 127 121 GENOA 252 123 GRAPHIC SOFTWARE SYSTEMS . 284 124 GRAPHIC SOFTWARE SYSTEMS . 284 133 HERCULES COMP.TECH 108 134 HIGH RES TECHNOLOGIES ... 391 135 HOMESMART COMPUTING ... 399 146 INTEL CORP 63-65 147 INTEL CORP 63-65 150 IOTECH 397 438 JC INFO SYSTEMS CORP IS-27 169 LINK COMPUTER GRAPHICS . . 384 * MICROWAY 169 169 MICROWAY 234 190 MICROWAY 234 * MICROWAY 288 193 MYLEX CORP 103 194 MYLEX CORP 103 361 OMNITRONIX.INC 389 231 PERCEPTIVE SOLUTIONS, INC. ..81 232 PERCEPTIVE SOLUTIONS, INC. ..81 240 QUATECH.INC 370 241 QUA TECH.INC 370 242 QUA TECH.INC 370 243 QUATECH.INC 370 244 QUATECH.INC 370 245 QUATECH.INC 370 246 QUATECH.INC 370 247 QUATECH.INC 370 248 QUATECH.INC 370 271 R&R ELECTRONICS 399 284 SILICON SHACK LTD 388 301 TECHNOLOGY POWER ENTER. 388 308 THE PERISCOPE COMPANY... 348 309 THE PERISCOPE COMPANY... 348 460 TP ENTERPRISE LTD IS-68 464 TRIANGLE DIGITAL SERVICES LTDIS-76 328 TRUEVISION.INC 285 327 TRUEVISION.INC 285 330 UNICORE SOFTWARE 287 335 UPGRADES.ETC 399 162 VIEWSONIC 274 163 VIEWSONIC 274 467 V.D.S. SPA IS-55 927 DRIVES 401 3EST USA IS-76 187 MICROSOLUTIONSCOMP.PROD .315 328 TULIN CORPORATION 330 928 FACSIMILE 164 KNAPCO 389 165 KNAPCO 389 929 GRAPHICS TABLETS 294 SUMMAGRAPHICS 262 295 SUMMAGRAPHICS 262 296 SUMMAGRAPHICS . 262 930 HARDWARE PROGRAMMERS 23 AMERICAN ADVANTECH 388 23 AMERICAN ADVANTECH 388 23 AMERICAN ADVANTECH 388 * BINARYTECHNOLOGY.INC ... 400 53 BP MICROSYSTEMS 402 82 C&JMICRONICS 405 127 GTEK.INC 226 128 GTEK.INC 226 169 LINK COMPUTER GRAPHICS .. 384 172 LOGICAL DEVICES.INC 400 173 LOGICAL DEVICES.INC 400 207 NOHAU CORP 360 Inquiry No. Page No. 297 SUNRISE ELECTRONICS.INC. . 369 462 TERRA DATENTECHNIK IS-56 343 XELTEK 399 931 INSTRUMENTATION 102 ELEXOR ASSOCIATES.INC. ... 391 200 NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS Clll 932 KEYBOARDS/MICE 84 DATALUX 168D 85 DATALUX 168D 429 GTCO IS-69 430 GTCO IS-69 160 KEA SYSTEMS 389 174 LOGITECH.INC 48,49 175 LOGITECH.INC 48,49 176 LOGITECH.INC 225 177 LOGITECH.INC 225 * MICROSOFT 8,9 208 NORTHGATE COMPUTER SYS, 236,239 233 PERCON 383 344 ZENY COMPUTER SYS..INC. ...120 933 MASS STORAGE 17 AK SYSTEMS 386 83 DATA STRATEGIES INT'L 405 112 FLAGSTAFF ENGINEERING ... 302 425 FLAGSTAFF ENGINEERING . . IS-46 359 I.E.F 331 167 LAGUNA CONVERSION SYSTEMS 402 187 MICROSOLUTIONSCOMP.PROD .315 188 MICROPROCESSORS UNLIMITED 399 222 OVERLANDDATA 384 231 PERCEPTIVE SOLUTIONS.INC. ,.81 232 PERCEPTIVE SOLUTIONS.INC. ..81 234 PINNACLE MICRO 107 251 QUALSTAR CORPORATION ... 402 459 TEAC IS-24 934 MISCELLANEOUS 18 ALPHA PRODUCTS 403 76 COVOX.INC 383 77 COVOX.INC 383 559 IME COMPUTERS MW-2 560 IME COMPUTERS MW-2 598 IME COMPUTERS NE-2 599 IME COMPUTERS NE-2 625 IME COMPUTERS PC-15 626 IME COMPUTERS PC-15 666 IME COMPUTERS SO-2 667 IME COMPUTERS SO-2 144 INTEGRAND 202 434 IQ ENGINEERING IS-21 435 IQ ENGINEERING IS-21 201 NCI 385 202 NCI 385 205 NONOISE.INC 214 206 NONOISE.INC 214 * PACIFIC DATA PRODUCTS .... 323 299 TALKING TECHNOLOGY.INC... 405 362 TWIX INT'L 397 331 UNICORN ELECTRONICS 388 346 Z-WORLD ENGINEERING 389 347 Z-WORLD ENGINEERING 389 935 MODEMS/MULTIPLEXORS 43 BAY TECHNICAL ASSOCIATES .. 168C 44 BAY TECHNICAL ASSOCIATES .. 168C 71 COMPUCOM 385 72 COMPUTER PERIPHERALS ... 224 116 GALACTICOMM 52,53 132 HAYES 71 350 INTEL CORP 82,83 351 INTEL CORP 82,83 235 PRACTICAL PERIPHERALS 29 317 TOUCHBASE SYSTEMS. INC 74 339 VERMONT CREATIVE SOFTWARE .35 938 MONITORS 613 ADI CORP PC-1 577 ADI CORP NE-3 422 ETAP IS-47 141 IIYAMA ELECTRIC CO..LTD. . , A168 559 IME COMPUTERS MW-2 560 IME COMPUTERS MW-2 598 IME COMPUTERS NE-2 599 IME COMPUTERS NE-2 625 IME COMPUTERS PC-15 626 IME COMPUTERS PC-15 666 IME COMPUTERS SO-2 667 IME COMPUTERS SO-2 433 INTERQUAD LTD IS-5 195 NANAO 304 Inquiry No. Page No. 196 NANAO 304 203 NEC HOME ELECTRONICS . . . 30,31 * OPTIQUEST 265 219 OPTIQUEST 267 220 OPTIQUEST 267 446 PHILIPS IS-7 162 VIEWSONIC 274 163 VIEWSONIC 274 937 NETWORK HARDWARE 43 BAY TECHNICAL ASSOCIATES .. 168C 44 BAY TECHNICAL ASSOCIATES .. 168C 399 BUFFALO PRODUCTS 351 * CLEO COMMUNICATIONSJNC 124 74 COMTROLCORP 122,123 78 CSSLABS 324,325 79 CSS LABS 324,325 418 CYBEX CORPORATION IS-60 89 DIGIBOARD 211 98 DISTRIBUTED PROCESSING TECH 127 99 DISTRIBUTED PROCESSING TECH 127 * ELONEX IS-61 113 FLYTECH TECHNOLOGIES 51 432 INES GMBH IS-70 183 MEASUREMENT & CTRL. SYS. . 384 184 MEASUREMENTS CTRL. SYS 384 * PACIFIC DATA PRODUCTS 196 447 PHILIPS PERIPHERALS IS-29 261 RAINBOW 15 262 RAINBOW 15 267 ROCHELLE COMMUNICATIONS .. 383 268 ROCHELLE COMMUNICATIONS .. 383 310 THE SOFTWARE LINK 223 311 THE SOFTWARE LINK 223 938 PRINTERS/PLOTTERS * HEWLETT-PACKARD PERIP. 138,139 * HEWLETT-PACKARD PERIP. 194,195 136 HOUSTON INSTRUMENT 295 137 HOUSTON INSTRUMENT 295 138 HOUSTON INSTRUMENT 295 444 MINOLTA GMBH IS-13 217 OKIDATA 154,155 * PACIFIC DATA PRODUCTS .... 198 224 PANASONIC DOT MATRIX PRTR .37-39 225 PANASONIC LASERPRINTER . 90-92 230 PENT AX TECHNOLOGIES 163 458 SURAH.INC IS-78 302 TEKTRONIX 170,171 303 TEKTRONIX 170,171 572 UNITED INNOVATIONS MW-5 345 ZERICON 315 939 PRINTER RIBBONS/SUPPLIES " PACIFIC DATA PRODUCTS .... 323 940 SCANNERS/IMAGE PROCESSORS 41 BARCODE INDUSTRIES 198 42 BARCODE INDUSTRIES 198 88 DFI 354 * EPSON AMERICA 22,23 941 SOFTWARE SECURITY 404 ALADDIN IS-65 424 FAST ELECTRONIC IS-40 122 GLENCO ENGINEERING 278 249 PROTECH MARKETING 135 250 PROTECH MARKETING 135 942 SYSTEMS 12 ABTECH.INC 332 13 ABTECH.INC 332 402 ACER IS-2 403 AGC IS-59 19 ALR 2,3 20 ALR 2,3 21 ALTEC 100 22 ALTIMASYSTEMS.INC 249 26 AMERICAN MITAC 333 * APPLE COMPUTER 25 * APPLE COMPUTER 26,27 35 ARLINGTON ELECTRONICS .. . 397 578 BITWISE DESIGNS. INC NE-11 579 BITWISE DESIGNS.INC NE-11 551 BSI MW-13 552 BSI MW-13 581 BSI NE-19 562 BSI NE-19 615 BSI PC-6 616 BSI PC-6 651 BSI SO-3 652 BSI SO-3 Inquiry No. Page No. 65 CDA COMPUTER SALES 109 655 CHAUMONT & ASSOCIATES. . SO-5 66 CLUB AMERICAN TECHNOLOGY . 185 * COMPAQCOMPUTER 272,273 * COMPUADD 104A-D * COMPUADD 200A-D 583 COMPUTER SALES PROF. INC. NE-9 584 COMPUTER SALES PROF. INC. NE-9 585 COMPUTER SALES PROF. INC. NE-13 586 COMPUTER SALES PROF. INC. NE-13 86 DELL COMPUTER CORP Cll, 1 553 DERBYTECH COMPUTERS .... MW-16 554 DERBYTECH COMPUTERS .... MW-16 587 DERBYTECH COMPUTERS.. NE-24 588 DERBYTECH COMPUTERS.. NE-24 617 DERBYTECH COMPUTERS.. PC-24 618 DERBYTECH COMPUTERS. . PC-24 658 DERBYTECH COMPUTERS.. SO-16 659 DERBYTECH COMPUTERS.. SO-1S * ELONEX IS-61 105 ERGO COMPUTING 217 555 ESI/CAD WAREHOUSE MW-4 556 ESI/CAD WAREHOUSE MW-4 589 ESI/CAD WAREHOUSE NE-4 590 ESI/CAD WAREHOUSE NE-4 619 ESI/CAD WAREHOUSE PC-4 620 ESI/CAD WAREHOUSE PC-4 660 ESI/CAD WAREHOUSE SO-4 661 ESI/CAD WAREHOUSE SO-4 352 EVEREX SYSTEMS 218,219 109 FALCO DATA PRODUCTS 67 593 FD MICROSYSTEMS NE-7 594 FD MICROSYSTEMS NE-7 664 FD MICROSYSTEMS SO-1 665 FD MICROSYSTEMS SO-1 113 FLYTECHTECHNOLOGIES 51 * GATEWAY 2000 32A-D 427 GOLDSTAR TECHNOLOGY . . . IS-22,23 596 H.COCOMPUTER PRODUCTS . NE-17 597 H.CO COMPUTER PRODUCTS . NE-17 623 H.CO COMPUTER PRODUCTS . PC-13 624 H.CO COMPUTER PRODUCTS . PC-13 * IBM PS/2 260,261 139 IBM WORKSTATION 12,13 559 IME COMPUTERS MW-2 560 IME COMPUTERS MW-2 598 IME COMPUTERS NE-2 599 IME COMPUTERS NE-2 625 IME COMPUTERS PC-15 626 IME COMPUTERS PC-15 666 IME COMPUTERS SO-2 667 IME COMPUTERS SO-2 356 INTEL CORP 148,149 357 INTEL CORP 148,149 353 IVERSONCOMP.CORP. . . . 176,177 155 JAMECO 42,43 157 JEMINI ELECTRONICS ....... 402 184 KNAPCO 389 165 KNAPCO 389 * MANCHESTER EQUIPMENT 72NE-A.B 602 MANCHESTER EQUIPMENT.. NE-1 185 MEGATEL COMPUTER CORP. . 344 188 METRA INFORMATION SYSTEMS. 335 567 MICON COMPUTERS MW-1 568 MICROCOM COMPUTERS . . MW-11 605 MICROCOM COMPUTERS .. NE-18 634 MICROCOM COMPUTERS .. PC-19 672 MICROCOM COMPUTERS .. SO-13 569 MYODA.INC MW-8,9 570 MYODA.INC MW-8,9 806 MYODA.INC NE-10 607 MYODA.INC NE-10 639 MYODA.INC PC-21 840 MYODA.INC PC-21 873 MYODA.INC SO-8,9 674 MYODA.INC SO-8,9 209 NORTHGATE COMPUTER SYS. 240,241 210 NORTHGATE COMPUTER SYS. 242,243 2 1 1 NORTHGATE COMPUTER SYS. 244,245 212 NORTHGATE COMPUTER SYS. 204,205 213 NORTHGATE COMPUTER SYS. 310,311 258 RADIO SHACK CIV 282 SHARP ELECTRONICS 296 457 SOLO UNIBIT IS-57 290 STANDARD COMPUTER 88,89 298 SUPERSOFT 334 300 TANGENT COMPUTER 257 306 TEXAS MICROSYSTEMS . . . 180,181 * TEXAS MICROSYSTEMS .. . 180A-B 463 TOP LINK COMP.CO..LTD IS-20 314 TOSHIBA 56,57 315 TOSHIBA 56,57 325 TRI-STAR COMPUTER 18 465 TWINHEAD IS-38,39 645 VERIDATA PC-5 846 VERIDATA PC-5 410 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 READER SERVICE * Correspond directly with company. Inquiry No. Page No. 943 UPS 14 ACCUMATION.INC 384 15 ACCUMATION.INC 364 103 EMERSON UPS 199 104 EMERSON UPS 199 164 KNAPCO 389 185 KNAPCO 389 226 PARASYSTEMS.INC 77 228 PC POWER & COOLING 288 229 PC POWER & COOLING 288 SOFTWARE 944 APPLE/MAC APPLICATIONS Business/Office 114 FOX SOFTWARE 104 644 STRATEGIC MAPPING PC-15 945 APPLE/MAC APPLICATIONS Scientific/Technical 274 SAS INSTITUTEJNC 353 946 APPLE/MAC APPLICATIONS Miscellaneous 270 ROYKORE 64 644 STRATEGIC MAPPING PC-15 947 APPLE/MAC COMMUNICATIONS 49 BLAST/COMM. RESEARCH GROUP 357 50 BLAST/COMM.RESEARCH GROUP 357 948 APPLE/MAC LANGUAGES * COPIA INTERNATIONAL LTD. . . 332 949 IBM/MSDOS APPLICATIONS Business Office 33 ARCTANGENT.INC 402 34 ARCTANGENT.INC 402 417 COMPUTER SUPPORT CORP. .. IS-33 * COPIA INTERNATIONAL LTD. . . 332 358 COREL SYSTEMS 291 101 ELEX INFORMATION SYS 347 114 FOX SOFTWARE 104 426 GAMMA PRODUCTIONS IS-34 129 HAUPPAUGE COMPUTER WORKS 317 130 HAVENTREE SOFTWARE 207 131 HAVENTREE SOFTWARE 207 142 JETFORM 340 143 JETFORM 340 367 LEXPERTISE 363 368 LEXPERTISE 363 180 MAP INFO .128 * MICROSOFT . 97-99 ' ORACLE 145 * PROGRAMMER'S SHOP . . . 186,187 * PROGRAMMER'S SHOP... 188,189 259 RAIMACORP 47 260 RAIMACORP 87 264 RECITALCORPORATION.INC. . 208 265 RECITALCORPORATION.INC. . 208 266 RECOGNITA CORP 306 950 IBM/MSDOS APPLICATIONS Scientific/Technical 364 BOURBAKI.INC 352 365 BOURBAKI.INC 352 62 CADRE TECHNOLOGIES 21 170 LOGICAL DEVICES, INC 400 171 LOGICAL DEVICES.INC 400 178 MAGEEENTERPRISES.INC 210 179 MAGEEENTERPRISES.INC 210 366 MICRONICS 190 275 SCIENTIFIC ENDEAVORS 400 276 SCIENTIFIC ENDEAVORS 400 277 SCIENTIFIC ENDEAVORS 400 289 SPECTRUM 309 291 STATSOFT 85 951 IBM/MSDOS APPLICATIONS Miscellaneous 87 DESKFOP TECHNOLOGY CORP. . 164 106 EVENTHORIZONS 279 158 JYOS SYSTEMS.INC 200 952 IBM/MSDOS — CAD 27 AMERICAN SMALL BUSINESS . 259 39 A.M.S 397 119 GENERIC SOFTWARE 283 120 GENERIC SOFTWARE 283 341 WINTEK CORPORATION 405 342 WINTEK CORPORATION 405 Inquiry No. Page No. 953 IBM/MSDOS COMMUNICATIONS 49 BLAST/COMM.RESEARCH GROUP 357 50 BLAST/COMM.RESEARCH GROUP 357 126 COMMUNIQUE FAX 9600 96 100 DIVERSIFIED COMPUTER SYSTEMS388 115 FTPSOFTWARE 340 323 TRITON TECHNOLOGIES 320 324 TRITON TECHNOLOGIES 320 954 IBM/MSDOS GRAPHICS 469 ART MACHINES IS-76 36 ASHTON-TATE 150 37 ASHTON-TATE 150 45 BELL ATLANTIC 227 441 MICROGRAFX IS-31 214 NOVA.INC 287 227 PATTON & PATTON 397 252 QUARTERDECK 215 286 SOFTWARE PUBLISHING CORP .236,237 326 TRUEVISION.INC 285 327 TRUEVISION.INC. 285 338 VENTURA PUBLISHER 7 955 IBM/MSDOS — LAN 101 ELEX INFORMATION SYS 347 280 SERVER TECHNOLOGY 126 281 SERVER TECHNOLOGY 126 956 IBM/MSDOS LANGUAGES 67 CNS.INC 330 423 EXPERT SYSTEMS LTD IS-66 107 FAIRCOM CORP 118 108 FAIRCOM CORP 118 168 LAHEY 350 * MICROSOFT 147 191 MIXSOFTWARE 367 451 PROLOG DEVELOPMENT ... . IS-10 452 PROLOG DEVELOPMENT.... IS-10 348 PSEUDOCORP 400 279 SEQUITER SOFTWARE.INC, .. . 220 292 STONY BROOK SOFTWARE .... 102 293 STONY BROOKSOFTWARE .... 102 461 TERRA DATENTECHNIK IS-70 312 THE WHITEWATER GROUP ... 280 * ZORTECH 41 * ZORTECH 95 957 IBM/MSDOS UTILITIES 10 ABACUS SOFTWARE.INC 175 11 ABACUS SOFTWARE.INC 175 * AVOCET SYSTEMS 80 47 BLACK & WHITE INTERNATIONAL. 271 48 BLAISECOMPUTING 6 580 BRIGHTBILL-ROBERTS NE-6 614 BRIGHTBILL-ROBERTS PC-7 409 CLARION SOFTWARE IS-9 410 CLARION SOFTWARE IS-9 423 EXPERT SYSTEMS LTD IS-66 125 GREENVIEW 76 563 IRIS SOFTWARE PRODUCTS. . . . MW-3 564 IRIS SOFTWARE PRODUCTS .... MW-3 629 IRIS SOFTWARE PRODUCTS . PC-3 630 IRIS SOFTWARE PRODUCTS . PC-3 152 ITR 391 437 I.M.T. FRANCE IS-72 188 KNOWLEDGE GARDEN 336 178 MAGEE ENTERPRISES.INC 210 179 MAGEEENTERPRISES.INC 210 439 MASHOV IS-49 215 NU-MEGA TECHNOLOGIES 78 216 OAKLAND GROUP.THE ...... . 232 218 OPENETWORK 126 445 PECAN SOF1WARE EUROPE LTD. IS-75 642 PROSPERO SOFTWARE.INC. . . . PC-2 643 PROSPERO SOFTWARE.INC. . . . PC-2 255 RACINE TECHNOLOGIES 104 256 RACINE TECHNOLOGIES 104 308 THE PERISCOPE COMPANY. .. 348 309 THE PERISCOPE COMPANY. .. 348 312 THEWHITEWATERGROUP ... 280 318 TOUCHSTONE 79 319 TOUCHSTONE 79 320 TRANS ERA 326 321 TRANS ERA 326 323 TRITON TECHNOLOGIES 320 324 TRITON TECHNOLOGIES 320 329 TURBOPOWER 366 958 UNIX/OTHER APPLICATIONS Business Office 45 BELLATLANTIC 227 264 RECITALCORPORATION.INC. . 208 265 RECITALCORPORATION.INC. . 208 959 UNIX/OTHER APPLICATIONS Miscellaneous 453 SHENG LABS.INC IS-56 960 UNIX/OTHER — CAD 182 MATHSOFT 343 InquiryNo. Page No. InquiryNo. 961 UNIX/OTHER — CROSS DEVELOPMENT 51 BORLAND INTERNATIONAL 11 52 BORLAND INTERNATIONAL 11 118 GCOM.INC 399 197 NANTUCKET CORPORATION . . 230 198 NANTUCKET CORPORATION . . 231 * SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT SYS. IS-35 * TEXAS INSTRUMENTS 16,17 962 UNIX/OTHER — LANGUAGES * BIN ARY TECHNOLOGY. INC ... 400 67 CNS.INC 330 107 FAIRCOM CORP 118 108 FAIRCOM CORP 118 631 METAWARE.INC PC-17 963 UNIX/OTHER — UTILITIES 470 COBALT BLUE IS-78 125 436 GREENVIEW IXI LTD 76 IS-44 964 DESKTOP PUBLISHING 442 MICROPRESS IS-72 443 MICROPRESS IS-72 269 ROSE ELECTRONICS 129 338 VENTURA PUBLISHER 7 965 EDUCATIONAL/ INSTRUCTIONAL ABACUS SOFTWARE.INC 167 ABACUS SOFTWARE.INC 167 ANNABOOKS 120 BYTE BACK ISSUES IS-54 BYTE CARD DECK NE-14 BYTE SUB MESSAGE IS-64 BYTE SUB SERVICE IS-66 CCMI 344 COMPUTER GRAPHICS SHOW '91 . NE-15 KEITHLEY METRABYTE 391 MACWORLD EXPO PC-9,11 MACWORLD EXPO PC-9,11 PACE UNIVERSITY NE-5 UNIXWORLD 393 UNIXWORLD 392A-B WIESEMANN&THEISGMBH .. 391 161 637 638 609 966 MAIL ORDER/RETAIL 16 ADDON AMERICA 405 405 AMDS LTD IS-48 407 ATICO IS-62,63 40 B & B ELECTRONICS 400 56 BUSINESSLAND DIRECT 372 58 BZTECHNICAL 383 59 B&C MICROSYSTEMS 397 60 B&C MICROSYSTEMS 397 61 B&C MICROSYSTEMS 399 655 CHAUMONT& ASSOCIATES.. SO-5 68 COMPUSA 212 415 COMPUCLASSICS IS-51 468 COMPUSAVE INT'L IS-77 611 COMPUTER PERIP. DIRECT.INC . NE21 612 COMPUTER PERIP. DIRECT.INC. NE21 416 COMPUTER QUICK IS-50 583 COMPUTER SALES PROF. INC. NE-9 584 COMPUTER SALES PROF. INC. NE-9 585 COMPUTER SALES PROF. INC. NE-13 586 COMPUTER SALES PROF. INC. NE-13 73 COMPUTERLANE 396 553 DERBYTECH COMPUTERS .... MW-16 554 DERBYTECH COMPUTERS .... MW-16 587 DERBYTECH COMPUTERS. . NE-24 588 DERBYTECH COMPUTERS.. NE-24 617 DERBYTECH COMPUTERS.. PC-24 618 DERBYTECH COMPUTERS. . PC-24 658 DERBYTECH COMPUTERS.. SO-16 659 DERBYTECH COMPUTERS.. SO-16 95 DISKCOTECH 405 96 DISKCOTECH 405 97 DISKETTE CONNECTION 391 420 ELEX INTERNATIONAL IS-73 555 ESI/CAD WAREHOUSE MW-4 556 ESI/CAD WAREHOUSE MW-4 589 ESI/CAD WAREHOUSE NE-4 590 ESI/CAD WAREHOUSE NE-4 619 ESI/CAD WAREHOUSE PC-4 620 ESI/CAD WAREHOUSE PC-4 660 ESI/CAD WAREHOUSE SO-4 661 ESI/CAD WAREHOUSE SO-4 656 EXPO BUSINESS SYSTEMS .. SO-7 657 EXPO BUSINESS SYSTEMS .. SO-7 593 FD MICROSYSTEMS NE-7 594 FD MICROSYSTEMS NE-7 664 FD MICROSYSTEMS SO-1 665 FD MICROSYSTEMS SO-1 110 FIRST SOURCE INTERNATIONAL . 385 Page No. 111 FIRST SOURCE INTERNATIONAL . 385 117 GALAXY ELECTRONICS.INC. . . 400 428 GREY MATTER IS-71 596 H.CO COMPUTER PRODUCTS . NE-17 597 H.CO COMPUTER PRODUCTS . NE-17 431 IMS/FINATOR IS-60 149 INTEL CORP/DEV.TOOLS 372 153 I.C.EXPRESS 388 151 I.S.C. POWER SYSTEMS . . . 130,131 154 JADE COMPUTER 390 155 JAMECO 42,43 6 JDR MICRODEVICES 413-416 7 JDR MICRODEVICES 413-418 * MARK WILLIAMS COMPANY 75 181 MARYMACINDUSTRIES 391 440 MAYFAIR MICROS IS-37 568 MICROCOM COMPUTERS . . MW-11 605 MICROCOM COMPUTERS .. NE-18 634 MICROCOM COMPUTERS .. PC-19 672 MICROCOM COMPUTERS . . SO-13 * MICROCOMPUTER MKTGCNCL. PC-23 188 MICROPROCESSORS UNLIMITED 399 569 MYODA.INC MW-8,9 570 MYODA.INC MW-8,9 806 MYODA.INC NE-10 607 MYODA.INC NE-10 639 MYODA.INC PC-21 640 MYODA.INC PC-21 673 MYODA.INC SO-8,9 674 MYODA.INC SO-8,9 199 NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS .... 372 204 NEVADACOMPUTER 387 205 NO NOISE.INC 214 206 NO NOISE.INC 214 212 NORTHGATE COMPUTER SYS. 204,205 208 NORTHGATE COMPUTER SYS. 238,239 209 NORTHGATE COMPUTER SYS. 240,241 2 1 NORTHGATE COMPUTER SYS. 242,243 2 1 1 NORTHGATE COMPUTER SYS. 244,245 213 NORTHGATE COMPUTER SYS. 310,311 * PCCONNECTION 110,111 * PCCONNECTION 112,113 * PCCONNECTION 114 * PCCONNECTION 115-117 448 PROGRAMMERS ODYSSEY .. IS-18 236 PROGRAMMER'S CONNECTION . 372 237 PROGRAMMER'S PARADISE .... 59 238 PROGRAMMER'S PARADISE . . . 60,61 * PROGRAMMER'S SHOP . . . 188,187 ■ PROGRAMMER'S SHOP... 188,189 257 RAD DATA COMMUNICATIONS.INC. 372 271 R&R ELECTRONICS 399 278 SCOTTSDALE SYSTEMS 386 283 SHECOMCOMPUTERS.INC. .. 392 454 SIMPLE TECHNOLOGY.INC. .. IS-79 610 SIMPLE TECHNOLOGY.INC. .. . NE-14 285 SN'W ELECTRONICS 271 455 S0FTWAREH0USEEUR0PEGMBH IS-28 * SOFTLINE IS-45 456 SC)FTWARECC)NSTRUCTI0NO0..LTD.IS-67 288 SPECIALIZED PRODUCTS CO. ... 372 290 STANDARD COMPUTER 68,69 305 TELEPHONE PRODUCT CENTER . 398 307 THE CARD SHOP 372 316 TOTE-A-LAP 404 322 TREND SYSTEMSJNC 401 332 UNITEX 394,395 333 UNITEX 394,395 334 UNIVERSAL MEMORY PRODUCTS 382 466 USA SOFTWARE IS-19 967 MISCELLANEOUS 54 BUREAU OF ELECT. PUBLISHING ... 94 55 BUREAU OF ELECT. PUBLISHING ... 94 349 BYTE CATALOG SHOWCASE... 372 411 COMPEX IS-52 412 COMPEX IS-52 595 GLASGALCOMM. INC NE-23 205 NO NOISE.INC 214 206 NO NOISE.INC 214 * NORTHGATE COMPUTER SYSTEMS247 * PUBLISHER'S STATEMENT ... 290 272 SAFEWARE.INC 388 304 TELCON 228 968 ON-LINE SERVICES BIX 299 BIX IS-74 BIX IS-80 969 OPERATING SYSTEMS 92 DIGITAL RESEARCH 137 421 ESIX SYSTEMS IS-43 159 KADAK PRODUCTS LTD 402 * MARK WILLIAMS COMPANY 75 273 SANTA CRUZ OPERATION 55 310 THE SOFTWARE LINK 223 311 THE SOFTWARE LINK 223 DECEMBER 1990 •BYTE 411 REQUEST FREE PRODUCT INFORMATION BY FAX Just fax this page to 1-413-637-4343. Save time because your request for information will be processed immediately. Circle the numbers below which correspond to the numbers assigned to advertisers and pro- ducts that interest you. 9 Check off the answers to questions "A" through "E". 9 Print your name, address, and fex number clearly on the form. Q Remove this page or copy this page clearly and fax it to the number above. Fill out this coupon carefully. PLEASE PRINT. Name Title Company Address City State/Province Country ( ) Zip ( ) Phone Number Fax Number A. What is your primary job function/principal area of responsibility? (Check one.) 1 □ MIS/DP 2 □ Programmer/Systems Analyst 3 □ Administration/Management 4 □ Sales/Marketing 5 □ Engineer/Scientist 6 □ Other B. What is your level of management responsibility? 7 D Senior-level 8 □ Middle-level 9 □ Professional C Are you a reseller (VAR, VAD, Dealer, Consultant)? 10 □ Yes nDNo D. What operating systems are you currently using? (Check all that apply.) 12 D PC/MS-DOS B D DOS + Windows 14 □ OS/2 isDUNDC 16 □ MacOS n □ VAX/VMS E. For how many people do you influence the purchase of hardware or software? 18 D 1-25 » □ 26-50 20 □ 51-99 2i □ 100 or more Inquiry Numbers 1-495 Inquiry Numbers 496-990 Inquiry Numbers 991-1479 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 496 497 498 499 500 501 502 503 504 505 506 991 992 993 994 995 996 997 998 9991000 1001 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 507 508 509 510 511 512 513 514 515 516 517 1002 1003 1004 1005 1006 1007 1008 1009 1010 1011 1012 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 518 519 520 521 522 523 524 525 526 527 528 1013 1014 1015 1016 1017 1018 1019 1020 1021 1022 1023 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 529 530 531 532 533 534 535 536 537 538 539 1024 1025 1026 1027 1026 1029 1030 1031 1032 1033 1034 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 540 541 542 543 544 545 546 547 548 549 550 1035 1036 1037 1038 1039 1040 1041 1042 1043 1044 1045 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 551 552 553 554 555 556 557 558 559 560 561 1046 1047 1048 1049 1050 1061 1052 1053 1054 1055 1058 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 562 563 564 565 566 567 568 569 570 571 572 1057 1056 1059 1060 1061 1062 1063 1064 1085 1066 1067 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 573 574 575 576 577 578 579 580 581 582 583 1068 1069 1070 1071 1072 1073 1074 1075 1076 1077 1078 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 584 585 586 587 588 589 590 591 592 593 594 1078 1080 1061 1082 1083 1084 1065 1086 1087 1086 1069 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 595 596 597 598 599 600 601 602 603 604 605 1090 1091 1092 1093 1094 1095 1096 1097 1098 1099 1100 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 606 607 608 609 610 611 612 613 614 615 616 1101 1102 1103 1104 1105 11061107 1108 1109 11101111 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 617 618 619 620 621 622 623 624 625 626 627 1112 11131114 1115 1116 1117 1118 1119 1120 1121 1122 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 628 629 630 631 632 633 634 635 636 637 638 11231124 1125 1126 1127 1128 1129 1130 1131 1132 1133 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 639 640 641 642 643 644 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I — \ I do not subscribe to BYTE. I I Please send me one year of BYTE Magazine for $24.95 an d bill me. Offer valid in U.S. and possessions only. EVTE H 412 BYTE* DECEMBER 1990 PRODUCT INFORMATION Want More Information About the Products and Advertisers Featured in this Issue? Circle numbers on reply card which correspond to numbers assigned to items of interest to you. Check all the appropriate answers to questions "A" through "E". Print your name and address and mail. Fill out this coupon carefully. PLEASE PRINT. Name ( ) Title Phone Company Addres City S State Zip nquiry Numbers 1-493 494 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 495 496 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 511 512 513 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 5J 528 529 530 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 545 546 547 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 60 81 82 83 84 85 562 563 564 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 579 560 581 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 596 597 598 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 613 614 615 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 630 831 632 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 647 648 849 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 664 665 666 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 681 682 683 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 698 699 700 222 223 224 225 228 227 226 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 236 715 716 717 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 248 247 246 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 732 733 734 255 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 284 265 266 267 288 259 270 271 272 749 750 751 273 274 275 278 277 276 279 260 281 282 283 264 285 288 287 288 289 766 767 768 290 291 292 293 294 295 296 297 296 299 300 301 302 303 304 305 306 783 784 785 307 308 309 310 311 312 313 314 315 316 317 318 319 320 321 322 323 600 801 602 324 325 326 327 328 329 330 331 332 333 334 335 336 337 338 339 340 817 818 819 341 342 343 344 345 348 347 348 349 350 351 352 353 354 365 368 357 834 835 836 368 359 360 351 362 363 364 365 358 367 358 369 370 371 372 373 374 651 852 853 375 376 377 378 379 380 381 362 383 364 385 386 387 388 389 390 391 868 869 870 392 393 394 395 396 397 398 399 400 401 402 403 404 405 406 407 408 885 636 667 409 410 411 412 413 414 415 416 417 418 419 420 421 422 423 424 425 902 903 904 426 427 428 429 430 431 432 433 434 435 436 437 438 439 440 441 442 919 920 921 443 444 445 446 447 446 449 450 451 452 453 454 455 456 457 458 459 936 937 938 460 461 462 463 484 485 466 467 488 488 470 471 472 473 474 475 478 953 954 955 477 478 479 450 481 482 483 484 465 488 467 488 488 490 491 492 493 970 971 972 A. What is your primary job function/principal area of responsibility? (Check one.) 1 □ MIS/DP 2 □ Programmer/Systems Analyst 3 □ Administration/Management 4 D Sales/Marketing 5 □ Engineer/Scientist 6 □ Other B. What is your level of management responsibility? 7 □ Senior-level 9 □ Professional 8 D Middle-level C. Are you a reseller (VAR, VAD, Dealer, Consultant)' 10 D Yes 11 □ No Inquiry Numbers 494-986 497 498 499 500 501 502 503 504 505 506 507 508 509 510 514 515 516 517 518 519 520 521 522 523 524 525 526 527 531 532 533 534 535 536 537 538 539 540 541 542 543 544 548 549 550 551 552 553 554 555 556 557 558 559 560 561 565 566 567 568 569 570 571 572 573 574 575 576 577 578 582 583 584 585 586 587 588 589 590 591 592 593 594 595 599 600 601 602 603 604 605 606 607 608 609 610 611 612 616 617 618 619 620 621 622 623 624 625 826 627 628 629 833 634 635 836 637 638 639 640 641 642 643 644 645 648 650 651 652 653 654 655 656 657 658 659 660 661 662 863 667 668 669 670 871 672 673 674 675 676 677 678 679 680 684 665 686 687 688 689 690 691 692 693 694 695 696 697 701 702 703 704 705 706 707 708 709 710 711 712 713 714 718 719 720 721 722 723 724 725 726 727 728 729 730 731 735 736 737 738 739 740 741 742 743 744 745 746 747 748 752 753 754 755 756 757 758 759 760 761 762 763 764 765 769 770 771 772 773 774 775 776 777 778 779 780 781 782 786 787 788 789 790 791 792 793 794 795 796 797 798 799 803 804 805 606 807 808 809 810 811 812 813 814 815 816 820 821 822 823 824 825 826 827 828 829 830 831 832 833 837 838 839 640 841 842 843 844 845 846 847 848 849 850 854 855 856 657 858 859 860 861 862 883 864 865 866 867 871 872 873 874 875 876 877 878 879 880 881 882 883 684 868 889 890 891 892 893 894 895 896 897 898 899 900 901 905 906 907 908 909 910 911 912 913 914 915 916 917 918 922 923 924 925 926 927 928 929 930 931 932 933 934 935 939 940 941 942 943 944 945 946 947 948 949 950 951 952 956 957 958 959 960 961 962 963 964 965 966 967 968 969 973 974 975 976 977 978 979 980 981 982 983 984 985 986 D. What operating systems are you currently using? (Check all that apply.) 12 D PC/MS-DOS 15 □ UNIX 13 □ DOS + Windows 16 □ MacOS 14 □ OS/2 17 □ VAX/VMS E. For how many people do you influence the purchase of hardware or software? 18 D 1-25 20 □ 51-99 19 □ 26-50 21 □ 100 or more D Please send me one year of BfTE Magazine for $24.95 and bill me. Offer valid in U.S. and possessions only. DECEMBER IRSD002 Inquiry Numbers 987-1479 987 988 989 990 991 992 993 994 995 996 997 998 9991000 100110021003 1004 100510061007 1008100910101011 101210131014101510161017101810191020 1021 1022 1023 1024 1025 1026 1027 1026 1029 1030 1031 1032 1033 1034 1036 1036 1037 1038 1039 1040 1041 1042 1043 1044 1045 1046 1047 1048 1049 1050 1051 1052 1053 1054 1055 1056 1057 1058 1059 1060 1061 1062 1063 1064 1065 1 066 1067 1068 1089 1070 1071 1072 1073 1074 1075 10761077 1078 1079 1080 1081 1082 10831084 1085 1086 1087 1088 1089 10901091 1092 1093 1094 109510961097109810991100 1101 110211031104 1105 1106110711081109 11101111111211131114111511161117 1118111911201121 1122 1123 1124 1125 1126 11271128 1129 1130 1131 1132 1133 1134 1135 1136 1137 1138 1139 11401141 114211431144 1145114611471148114911501151 115211531154 1155 1156 11571158115911601161116211631164116511661167116811691170117111721173 1174 1175 1176 117711781179 1180 1t81 1182 1183 1184 1185 1186 1187 1188 1189 1190 1191 119211931194 119511961197 1198119912001201 120212031204120512061207 12081209 1210 1211 121212131214 1215121612171218121912201221 1222 12231224 1225 1226 1227 1228 1229 1230 1231 1232 1233 1234 1235 1236 1237 1238 1239 1240 1241 1242 1243 1244 1245 1246 1247 1248 1249 1260 1251 1252 1253 1254 1255 1256 12571258 1259 1260 1261 1262 12631264 1265 1266 1267 1268 1269 1270 1271 1272 1273 12741275 1276 1277 1278 1279 1280 1281 1282 1283 1284 1285 1286 1287 1288 1289 1290 1291 1292 1293 1294 1295 1296 1297 1298 1299 1300 1301 1302 1303 1304 1305 1306 1307 1308 1309 131013111312131313141315 13161317131813191320132113221323132413251326 1327 1328 13291330 1331 133213331334133513361337133813391340134113421343 1344 1345 1 346 1347 1348 1349 1350 1351 1352 1353 13541355 1356 1357 1358 1359 1360 1361 1362 1363 1364 1365 1366 1367 1368 1369 1370 1371 1372 1373 1374137513761377 1378 137913801381 1382 1383 1384 1385 1386 1387 1388 1389 1390 1391 1392 1393 1394 1395 1396 1397 1398 1399 14001401 1402 1403 14041405 1406 1407 1408 1409 14101411 1412 1413 1414 1415 14161417 1418 1419 1420 1421 1422 1 423 1424 1425 1426 1427 1428 1429 1430 1431 1432 1433 1434 1435 1436 1437 1438 1439 1440 1441 1442 1443 1444 1445 1446 1447 1448 1449 14501451 1452 1453 1454 1455 1458 1457 1458 1459 1460 1461 1462 1463 1464 1465 1466 1467 1468 1469 1470 1471 1472 1473 1 474 1475 1476 1477 1478 1479 NO POSTAGE NECESSARY IF MAILED IN THE UNITED STATES BUSINESS REPLY MAIL FIRST CLASS MAIL PERMIT NO. 176 PITTSFIELD, MA POSTAGE WILL BE PAID BY ADDRESSEE BV READER SERVICE PO Box 5110 Pittsfield, MA 01203-9926 USA III Mil I MM II III! I I I I I lllll MM llllll I Ml I I I 1 1 I I PRODUCT INFORMATION Want More Information About the Products and Advertisers Featured in this Issue? J Circle numbers on reply card which correspond to numbers assigned to items of interest to you. Check all the appropriate answers to questions "A" through "E". Print your name and address and mail. NO POSTAGE NECESSARY IF MAILED IN THE UNITED STATES BUSINESS REPLY MAIL FIRST CLASS MAIL PERMIT NO. 176 PITTSFIELD, MA POSTAGE WILL BE PAID BY ADDRESSEE EVTE READER SERVICE PO Box 5110 Pittsfield, MA 01203-9926 USA I II, ,1,111 Il.l.l.. I.I....I.I.II.. I. .1.1 Fill out this coupon carefully. PLEASE PRINT. Name ( ) Title Phone Company Address City Inquiry Numbers 1-493 State Zip 3 4 5 20 21 22 12 13 29 30 14 15 31 32 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 52 53 54 55 58 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 86 87 66 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 160 181 182 183 184 185 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 266 257 266 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 266 266 270 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 281 282 263 284 285 266 287 290 291 292 293 294 295 296 297 298 299 300 301 302 303 304 307 308 309 310 311 312 313 314 315 316 317 318 319 320 321 324 325 326 327 328 329 330 331 332 333 334 335 338 337 338 341 342 343 344 345 346 347 346 349 350 351 352 353 354 355 358 359 360 361 362 363 364 365 366 367 368 369 370 371 372 375 376 377 378 379 380 381 382 383 384 385 386 387 388 369 392 393 394 395 396 397 398 399 400 401 402 403 404 405 406 409 410 411 412 413 414 415 416 417 418 419 420 421 422 423 426 427 428 429 430 431 432 433 434 435 436 437 438 439 440 443 444 445 446 447 448 449 450 451 452 453 454 455 456 457 460 461 462 463 464 465 466 467 468 469 470 471 472 473 474 477 478 479 480 481 482 463 484 485 486 487 488 489 490 491 A. What is your primary job function/principal area of responsibility? (Check one.) 1 □ MIS/DP 2 □ Programmer/Systems Analyst 3 □ Administration/Management 4 □ Sales/Marketing 5 D Engineer/Scientist 6 □ Other B. What is your level of management responsibility? 7 □ Senior-level 9 □ Professional 8 □ Middle-level C. Are you a reseller (VAR, VAD, Dealer, Consultant)? 10 □ Yes n □ No D. What operating systems are you currently using? (Check all that apply.) 12 D PC/MS-DOS 15 □ UNIX 13 □ DOS +■ Windows 16 □ MacOS 14 □ OS/2 17 □ VAX/VMS E. For how many people do you influence the purchase of hardware or software? 18 D 1-25 20 □ 51-99 19 □ 26-50 21 D 100 or more □ Please send me one year of BfTE Magazine for $24.95 and bill me. Offer valid in U.S. and possessions only. DECEMBER IRSD002 494 495 496 497 498 Inquiry Numbers 494-986 499 500 501 502 503 504 505 508 507 508 508 510 Inquiry Numbers 987-1479 16 17 987 988 989 990 991 992 993 994 995 996 997 996 9991000100110021003 33 34 511 512 513 514 515 516 517 518 519 520 521 522 523 524 525 526 527 10041005 1006 1007 1008 1009 1010 1011 10121013 10141015 1016 10171018 1019 1020 50 51 528 529 530 531 532 533 534 535 536 537 536 539 540 541 542 543 544 1021 1022 1023 1024 1025 1026 1027 1026 1029 1030 1031 1032 1033 1034 1035 1036 1037 67 66 545 546 547 546 549 550 551 562 553 554 555 556 557 558 559 560 561 1038 1039 1040 1041 1042 1043 1044 1045 1048 1047 1048 1048 1050 1051 1052 1063 1054 84 85 562 583 564 585 566 567 566 569 570 571 572 573 574 575 578 577 578 1055 1058 1067 1058 1059 1060 1061 1062 1053 1064 1065 1068 1067 1068 1069 1070 1071 101 102 578 560 561 582 583 564 585 566 567 566 569 590 591 582 593 594 595 1072 1073 1074 1076 1075 1077 1075 1079 1060 1081 1062 1053 1084 1085 1086 1067 1068 118 119 596 597 598 599 600 601 602 603 604 605 606 607 608 609 610 611 612 108910901091 109210931094 10951096109710981099 11001101 1102 1103 1104 1105 135 136 613 614 615 618 617 618 619 620 621 622 623 624 625 626 627 628 829 11061107 11081109 11101111 1112 11131114 1115111611171118111911201121 1122 152 153 630 631 632 633 634 635 636 837 638 639 640 641 642 643 644 645 646 112311241125 1126112711281129113011311132 1133113411351136113711381139 169 170 647 648 649 650 651 652 653 654 655 656 657 658 659 660 661 662 663 1140 1141 114211431144114511461147114811491150115111521153115411551156 186 187 664 665 666 667 668 669 670 671 672 673 674 675 676 677 678 679 680 1157 1158 1159 1 160 1161 116211631164 1165 1166 1167 1168 1169 1170 1171 1172 1173 203 204 681 682 683 684 685 686 687 688 689 690 691 692 693 694 695 696 697 1174 1175 1176 1177 11781179 1180 1181 1-182 11831184 1185 11861187 1188 1189 1190 220 221 698 699 700 701 702 703 704 705 706 707 708 709 710 711 712 713 714 1191 119211931194119511961197 1198 11991200 12011202 12031204120512061207 237 238 715 716 717 718 719 720 721 722 723 724 725 726 727 728 729 730 731 12081209 1210 1211 12121213 121412151216 1217 1218 1219 1220 1221 1222 12231224 254 255 732 733 734 735 738 737 738 739 740 741 742 743 744 745 746 747 748 1225 1226 1227 1228 1229 1230 1231 1232 12331234 1235 1236 1237 1238 1239 1240 1241 271 272 749 750 751 752 753 754 755 758 757 758 758 760 761 762 763 764 765 1242 1243 1244 1245 1245 1247 1245 1249 1250 1251 1252 1253 1254 1255 1258 1257 1258 288 289 766 767 768 769 770 771 772 773 774 775 776 777 778 779 7 80 781 782 12591260 1261 1262 1263 12641265 1 266 1267 1288 1269 1270 1271 1272 1273 1274 1275 305 306 783 784 785 786 787 788 7G9 790 791 792 793 794 795 796 797 798 799 1276 1277 1278 1279 12801281 1282 1283 12B4 12851286 1287 1288 1289 1290 1291 1292 322 323 800 801 802 803 604 605 806 607 808 609 810 811 812 813 814 815 816 1293 12941295 1296 1297 1298 1299 1300 1301 1302 13031304 1305 1306130713081309 339 340 817 818 819 820 821 822 823 824 825 826 827 828 829 830 831 832 833 13101311131213131314 131513161317131813191320 13211322 1323132413251328 356 357 634 835 838 837 638 839 840 841 842 843 844 848 848 847 848 848 850 1327 1328 1329 1330 1331 1332 1333 1334 1335 1336 1337 1338 1338 1340 1341 1342 1343 373 374 851 852 853 854 855 856 857 858 859 850 861 862 863 864 865 666 667 1344 1345 1346 1347 1348 1 349 1350 1351 1352 1353 1354 1355 1356 1357 1358 1359 1360 390 391 868 869 870 871 872 873 874 875 878 877 878 879 880 881 682 683 884 1361 1362 1363 1364 1365 1366 1367 1368 1369 13701371 1372 13731374 1375 1376 1377 407 408 885 885 887 888 889 890 891 892 893 894 895 896 897 898 899 900 901 1378 1379 1380 1381 1382 1383 1384 1385 13861387 1388 1389 13901391 1392 1393 1394 424 425 902 903 904 905 906 907 908 909 910 911 912 913 914 915 916 917 918 1395 1396 1397 1398 1399 1400 1401 1402 1403 1404 1405 1406 1407 1408 140914101411 441 442 919 920 921 922 923 924 925 926 927 928 929 930 931 932 933 934 93S 141214131414 141514161417 1418141914201421 1422142314241425142614271428 458 459 936 937 938 939 940 941 942 943 944 945 946 947 948 949 950 951 952 14291430 1431 1432 14331434 1435 1436 1437 1438 14391440 1441 1442 1443 1444 1445 475 478 953 954 955 958 957 958 959 960 961 962 963 964 965 966 967 968 969 1446 1447 1448 1449 14501451 1452 1453 1454 1455 1456 1457 1458 1459 1460 1461 1462 492 493 970 971 972 973 974 975 976 977 978 979 980 981 982 983 984 985 986 1463 1464 1465 1466 1467 1468 1469 1470 1471 1472 1473 1474 1475 1476 147714781479 Microdevices 2233 BRANHAM LANE, SAN JOSE CA 95124 BUY WITH CONFIDENCE FROM JDR! • 30-DAY MONEY BACK GUARANTEE • 1 YEAR WARRANTY • TOLL-FREE TECH SUPPORT DYNAMIC RAMS PART# SIZE SPEED PINS PRICE 4116-150 16384x1 150ns 16 1.49 4164-150 65536x1 150ns 16 2.49 4164-120 65536x1 120ns 16 2.89 4164-100 65536x1 100ns 16 3.39 TMS4464-12 65536x4 120ns 16 3.95 41256-150 262144x1 150ns 16 1.95 41256-120 262144x1 120ns 16 2.15 41256-100 262144x1 100ns 16 2.25 41256-80 262144x1 80ns 16 2.75 414256-100 262144x4 100ns 20 8.95 414256-80 262144x4 80ns 20 9.95 1MB-120 1048576x1 120ns 18 7.95 1MB-100 1048576x1 100ns 18 8.35 1MB-80 1048576x1 80ns 18 9.95 1MB-70 1048576x1 70ns 18 10.75 SIMM/SIP MODULES PART# SJZE SPEED FOR PRICE 41256A9B-80 256K x 9 80ns SIMM/PC 33.95 421000A8B-10 1MBx8 100ns SIMM/MAC 79.95 421000A9B-10 1MBx9 100ns SIMM/PC 79.95 421000A9B-80 1MBx9 80ns SIMM/PC 89.95 421000A9B-60 1MBx9 60ns SIMM/PC 99.95 256K9SIP-80 256K X 9 80ns SIP/PC 33.95 256K9SIP-60 256K X 9 60ns SIP/PC 39.95 1MBx9SIP-10 1MBx9 100ns SIP/PC 79.95 1MBX9SIP-80 1MBx9 80ns SIP/PC 89.95 MATH CO-PROCESSORS 8087 5 MHz 89.95 ■ t^fc^ r 8087-2 8 MHz 129.95 llUo i 8087-1 10 MHz 169.95 X? 80287-XLT 12MHz 247.95 5 YEAR 80287-XL 6/8/10/12 MHz 247.95 80387-16 16 MHz 359.95 WARRANTY 80387-SX 16 MHz 319.95 WITH MANUAL & 80387-SX20 20 MHz 399.95 SOFTWARE GUIDE 80387-16 16 MHz 359.95 80387-20 20 MHz 399.95 80387-25 25 MHz 499.95 80387-33 33MHz 649.00 TOR COMPAQ LTE/286, TANDY 2800 "FOR ALL OTHER 286-BASED SYSTEMS youn Morn*moj\ttD --. TIME- MOST IN 3 MINUTES -''-:. , * *M& •WALL PLUG POWER SUPPLY " ; :^W DATARASE II JDR'S OWN MODULAR PROGRAMMING SYSTEM EACH MODULE USES A COMMON HOST ADAPTOR CARD-USE JUST 1 SLOT TO PROGRAM EPROMS, PROMS, PALS & MORE! COMMON HOST ADAPTOR CARD • UNIVERSAL INTERFACE FOR THE PROGRAMMING MOD- ULES! • SELECTABLE ADDRESSES PREVENTS CONFLICTS MOD-MAC ,.„....... $29.95 UNIVERSAL MODULE m $ 499 95 ' PROGRAMS EPROMS. EEPROMS, PALS. BI-POLAR PROMS, 8748 & 8751 SERIES DEVICES; 16V8 AND 20V8 GALS (GENERIC ARRAY LOGIC) FROM LATTICE. NS, SGS • TESTS TTL, CMOS.DYNAMIC & STATIC RAMS • LOAD DISK. SAVE DISK, EDIT, BLANK CHECK. PROGRAM, AUTO. READ MASTER, VERIFY AND COMPARE •TEXTOOL SOCKET FOR .3TO 6" WIDE I CS (8-40 PINS) MOD-MUP.. $499.95 MOD-MUP-EA 4-UNIT*ADAPTOR .$99.95 EPROM MODULE $ 1 1 9 95 • PROGRAMS 24-32 PIN EPROMS. CMOS EPROMS & 16K TO 1024K EEPROMS -HEX TO OBJ CONVERTER • AUTO, BLANK CHECK/PROGRAMA/ERIFY • VPP 5, 12.5, 12.75. 13, 21 & 25 VOLTS -NORMAL, INTELLIGENT, INTERACTIVE & QUICK PULSE PROGRAMMING ALGORITHMS MOD-MEP $1 1 9.95 MOD-MEP-4 4- EPROM PROGRAMMER $169.95 MOD-MEP-8 8-EPROM PROGRAMMER $259.95 MOD-MEP-16 16-EBROM PROGRAMMER ,3499.95 PAL MODULE *249 95 • PROGRAMS MMI. NS. TI20 & Tl 24 PIN DEVICES • BLANK CHECK. PROGRAM, AUTO, READ MASTER. VERIFTY & SECURITY FUSE BLOW MOD-MPL PDS-601 )95 8-BIT SOLDERLESS8088 s _ - , BREADBOARD WITH DECODE 79 ' • INCLUDES ADDRESS DECODING LOGIC, DATA BUFFERING. 2 LSI CIRCUITS FOR PROGRAMMABLE DIGITALI/O AND COUNTER-TIMER FUNCTIONS • LOGICALLY GROUPED • ACCESSES ALL 62 l/OSIGNAL CONNECTIONS ■:■ CLEARLY- LABELLED BUS LINES • ACCEPTS UP TO 24 FOURTEEN-PlN ICS • ACCEPTS 9. 15, 19, 25 OR 37-PIN D-SUBS PDS-601 $79.95 PDS-600 ABOVE CARD WITHOUT DECODE $49.95 $ S9 95 286 BUS BREADBOARD WITH DECODE • ADDRESS DECODING LOGIC. DAT AT BUFFERING. 2 LSI CIRCUITS FOR PROGRAMMABLE DIGITAL I/O AND COUNTER- TIMER FUNCTIONS • ACCESSES ALL 96 1/0 SIGNAL CONNECTIONS • LOGICALLY GROUPED • OVER 2,000 PTS. • ACCEPTS 9, 15, 19. 25 OR 37-PIN D-SUB CONNECTORS PDS-611 .......$89.95 PDS-61 ABOVE CARD WITHOUT DECODE $59.95 MORE PROTOTYPE CARDS... JDR-PR1 8-BIT WITH +5V AND GROUND PLANE 27.95 JDR-PR2 ABOVE WITH I/O DECODING LAYOUT 29.95 JDR-PR2-PK PARTS KIT FOR JDR-PR2 ABOVE 8.95 JDR-PR10 16-BIT WITH I/O DECODING LAYOUT 34.95 JDR-PR10-PK PARTS KIT FOR JDR-PR10 ABOVE 12.95 MORE PROGRAMMING MODULES... MOD-MMP MICROPROCESSOR PROGRAMMER .....$179.95 MOD-MIC DIGITAL IC & MEMORY TESTER $1 29.95 MOD-MBP BI-POLAR PROM PROGRAMMER $259.95 PAL DEVELOPMENT SOFTWARE ENTRY-LEVEL PAL DEVELOPMENTFROM CUPL. FULL SUP- PORT FOR 16L8, 16R4, 16R6. 16R8. 20L8. 20R4, 20R8 & 20X8. MOD-MPL-SOFT ......$99.95 414 BYTE* DECEMBER 1990 Circle 6 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 7) JDR Microdevices 2233 BRANHAM LANE, SAN JOSE CA 95124 Tl MICROLASER™ —FAST, AFFORDABLE AND EXPANDABLE! - ; EXPANDABLE PRINTER HAS TEXAS _-~ INSTRUMENTS QUALITY AND : j RELIABILITY IN A COMPACT SIZE! UPGRADEABLE TO 4.5MB AND POSTSCRIPT® • 300 DPI • 6 PPM OUTPUT • 250 SHEET DRAWER • MANUAL FEED • 40 ENVELOPE AUTO FEED • .5MB RAM BASE UNIT ■ EMULATES HP LASERJET II MICROLASER $1495.00 MICROLASER-PS $2495.00 WITH35-FONT POSTSCRIPT® AND 1.5MB RAM TEFAX—FAX, COPIER, SCANNER, PHONE & PRINTER • G3/G2FAX MACHINE • 8.5" SCAN WIDTH • 200 DPI SCAN- \ NER • SAME SIZE COPIER • FAX SOFTWARE FOR IBM & MAC • AUTO FAX SEND TEFAX $995.00 JDR'S AN AUTHORIZED EPSON DEALER— CALL US FOR QUOTES CITIZEN 200GX '%,. COLOR PRINTER $ 349 95 new! ADD 425 FONTS WITH 1 CARTRIDGE! NEW SUPERSET* HAS THE CAPABILITIES OF THESE CARTRIDGES: PDP'S "25 IN ONE.-HP'S MASTERTYPE "PROCOLLEC- TION," HP'S "MICROSOFT" CARTRIDGE, HEADLINEFONTS& 18 PTS AND JET- WARE'S 12/30 • FOR HP LASER-JET SERIES II, IID, IIP, III AND PCL COMPATI- BLE • PRINTER DRIVERS FOR WORDPERFECT, MS WORD, MS WINDOWS, EXCEL, PAGEMAKER, WORD, AMI PROFESSIONAL, VENTURA PUBLISHERS, WORDSTAR AND LOTUS 1 -2-3. SUPERSET* RAM CARD FOR HP LASERJET $ 89 95 • FOR HP LASERJET II PRINTERS* USER EX P ANDABLE TO 1/2/4MB (0K INSTALLED) - USES 1MB 120 NS DRAMS MCT-RAMJET $89.95 MCT-RAMJET-P $99.95 1/2/3/4MB FOR IIP, USES 256K X 4 DRAMS CITIZEN EXPANDS 9-WIRE TECHNOLOGY TO THE CUTTING EDGE! OPTIONAL COLOR KIT PROVIDES VIVID COLOR OUTPUT UNRIVALLED IN ITS PRICE RANGE! • 5 RESIDENT FONTS • 240 X 216 DPI • 213 CPS DRAFT MODE; 40 CPS LETTER QUALITY • PARALLEL INTERFACE • 8K PRINT BUFFER CTZ-200GX-C $199.95 200GX-COLOR COLOR ON COMMAND KIT $59.95 KODAK DICONIX 150+ PORTABLE PRINTER THE PEFECT COMPANION FOR YOUR LAPTOP OR OUR CARRY-1 PC! WEIGHS 5LBS AND MEASURES JUST 6.5" X 11" X 2"! • QUIET NON-IMPACT INK-JET TECHNOLOGY • UP TO 180 CPS • DRAFT, NLQ, QUALITY AND CONDENSED MODES • USES CUT-SHEET OR CONTINUOUS FORM PAPER • SUPPORTS EPSON FX-80 & IBM PROPRINTER COMMANDS DICONIX-150 $399.95 FUJITSU COLOR PLOTTER COMPACT PLOTTER • HP7475A COMPATIBLE • .025MM RES. FPG-315 $799.00 COLOR HAND c-m* SCANNER! OZtZt • 400 DPI 16-COLOR DITHER MODE • 200 DPI 16-SHADE GRAYSCALE ■ TRUE 400 DPI MONO MODE • 3 SWITCH-SELECTABLE 64-SHADE DITHER PATTERNS • 3.5MS/LINE SCAN SPEED • 7-SEGMENT LED STATUS ^SflSj* <«*«** READOUT v '/i/£v • BRIGHTNESS CONTROL • HALF-LENGTH 16-BIT INTERFACE CARD ^ _._--''" • SCAN EXERCISER SOFTWARE CONFIGURES THE SCANNER, SCANS IMAGES IN ANY MODE, LETS YOU VIEW REAL TIME IMAGE. THEN SAVES IN PCX FILE FORMAT • INCLUDES ZSOFT PAINTBRUSH VI PLUS FOR EDITING AND ENHANCING YOUR IMAGE CHS-4000 $599.00 BUY WITH CONFIDENCE FROM JDR! • BO-DAY MONEY BACK GUARANTEE • 1 YEAR WARRANTY • TOLL-FREE TECH SUPPORT INTRODUCING THE MINI-SIZE 286 COMPUTER >599 JUST T/ 2 " X 9 1 //' X 1%> HIGH PERFORMANCE IBM-PC COMPATIBLE COMPUTER CAN COMPETE WITH A FULL SIZE PC! STAND IT UP- RIGHT, SET IT UNDER A MONITOR— ITS COMPACT SIZE IS THE PERFECT SOLUTION FOR A CROWDED DESK, A COST-CONSCIOUS SCHOOL OR AN EASILY TRANSPORTABLE HOME COMPUTER. 12MHZ 80286 CPU WITH WAIT STATE AMI BIOS WITH DIAGNOSTICS • 1MB MEMORY TWO SERIAL, ONE PARALLELPORT BUILT-IN CGA/MGA DISPLAY ADAPTOR BUILT-IN 3.5" 1 ,44MB FLOPPY 7-1/2" W X 9-1/2" L X 1 -3/4" H • WEIGHS JUST OVER 6 LBS. WORKS WITH ANY STANDARD KEYBOARD INCLUDES CARRY BAG, 30W POWER ADAPTOR, MINI-UPRIGHT STANDS AND MANUAL FCC CLASS B APPROVED CARRY-1 C WITH 1 .44MB FLOPPY DRIVE $599.00 CARRY-1 D WITH 1.44MB FLOPPY& 40MB HD $899.00 CARRY-1 8088-BASED VERSION $299.95 CARRY-1 B ENHANCED 8088 VERSION $399.95 INCLUDES 2 FLOPPY DRIVES (720K) AND 640K RAM. CARRY-1 K 82-KEY CARRY-1 KEYBOARD $49.95 DFI LOW COST ETHERNET CARD • 1 00% HARDWARE COMPATIBLE WITH NOVELL NE-1000 ETHERNET CARD • FOR THICK OR THIN ETHERNET • 15-PIN ETHERNET CONNECTOR • BNC CONNECTOR FOR THIN ETHERNET H DFINET-300 8-BIT VERSION ...$159.95 DFINET-400 16-BIT VERSION .$189.95 tt£W PttODUX-fiJ rJiVM 9600 BAUD V.32 MODEM $* ^ A WITH SEND/RECEIVE FAX OZZt THIS NEW EXTERNAL MODEM IS V.32 AND V.42 COMPATIBLE, THE EMERGING 9600 BPS STANDARDS. PLUS IT NOW HAS FULL GROUP 3 FAX SEND AND RECEIVE CAPABILITY. THIS MACHINE TRANSFORMS YOUR PC INTO A COMPLETE PERSONALINFORMATION CENTER - 9600/4800/2400/1200 BPS DATA MODEM • CCITT V.32 ,V.42 ERROR CORRECTION COMPATIBLE . MNP-5 ERROR CORRECTION AND DATA COMPRESSION FOR THROUGHPUTS UP TO 19200 BPS • 9600 BPS GROUP III SEND AND RECEIVE FAX • INCLUDES PRO-COMM COMMUNICATIONS SOFTWARE • INCLUDES FAX-IT FAX SOFTWARE • 2 YEAR WARRANTY PRO-96EF INTERNAL FAX MODEM - 2400/1200/300 BPS DATA MODEM ■ 9600 BAUD SEND/RECEIVE FAX CAPABILITY • 8088,286, 386 COMPATIBLE CARD PRO-MAXI $22S 9S \ S* 4 J MINI 2400 BPS MODEM* * <* g+95 WITH SEND ONLY FAX iifSr THIS TINY EXTERNAL MODEM PACKS A BIGGER PUNCH THAN YOU'D EXPECT! NOT ONLY IS IT A FULL FUNCTION 2400 BPS DATA MODEM BUT IT ALSO OPERATES AS A SEND-ONLY FAX AT A REMARKABLY LOW PRICE! 2400/1200/300 BPS DATA MODEM CCITT V.22A/.22BIS, BELL 1 03/212A COMPATIBLE 4800 BPS GROUP III SEND ONLY FAX MEASURES JUST 6.25 X 3.8 X 2 INCHES 8 STATUS LEDS : INCLUDES PRO-COMM COMMUNICATIONS SOFTWARE INCLUDES FAX-IT FAX SOFTWARE 2 YEAR WARRANTY PRO-EFXM MINI-MODEM WITH9600BPS FAX-SEND SPEED PRO-EFXM-96 $1 69.95 2400BPS MINI MODEM AS ABOVE BUT WITHOUT FAX CAPABILITY PRO-24ME P119 91 $189** 2400 BPS MNP ERROR CORRECTING MODEM AN ECONOMICALLY PRICED EXTERNAL MODEM THAT NOW INCLUDES MNP-5 ERROR CORRECTION AND DATA COMPRESSION CAPABILITY • 2400/1200/300 BPS DATA MODEM « CCITT V.22/V.22BIS. BELL 103/212A COMPATIBLE • DATA COMPRESSION BOOSTS THROUGHPUT UP TO 4800 BPS • 8 STATUS LEDS - AT COMMAND SET COMPATIBLE ■ AUTO DIAL AND AUTO ANSWER • 2 YEAR WARRANTY PRO-24EMNP PRO-24E EXTERNAL 2400 BAUD MODEM-NO MNP . $149.95 *169 95 INTERNAL MNP MODEM tPLUG-IN CARD MODEM HAS SAME FEATURES AS ABOVE MODEL. FOR 8088, 286/386 COMPUTERS PRO-24MNP PRO-24I INTERNAL2400 BAUD MODEM-NO MNP $99.95 CUSTOMER SERVICE 800-538-5001 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 800-538-5002 Copyright 1990 JDR MICRODEVICES. Circle 6 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 7) MON.-FRL 7 AM. TO 5 P.M., SATURDAY, 9 A.M. TO 3 P.M. (PST) ORDER TOLL-FREE 800-538-5000 DECEMBER 1990 -BYTE 415 Microdevices BUY WITH CONFIDENCE FROM JDR! • 30-DAY MONEY BACK GUARANTEE • 1 YEAR WARRANTY 2233 BRANHAM LANE, SAN JOSE CA BS124 • TOLL-FREE TECH SUPPORT HIGH DENSITY HARD DRIVES NEW! NEC 153.5MB! • 153.5MB CAPACITY • ESDI INTERFACE • AVG ACCESS TIME : 18MS. • RECORDING: 19,612 BPI BIT, 1,240 TRACK DENSITIES • 20 SEC. START/STOP TIME • REQ. DC+5V.+12V POWER • USES 2-7 RLL METHOD AND NRZ TRANSFER MODE 5655 ...$849.00 MICROPOLIS DRIVES KITS INCLUDE FLOPPY/HARD CONTROLLER AND CABLE. 1654 161 MB ESDI, 16MS KIT: $1099 ... DRIVE: $ 899 1674 158 MB SCSI, 16MS KIT: $1199 DRIVE: $949 1664 345 MB ESDI, 14MS KIT: $1699 ... DRIVE: $1449 1694 338.1MB SCSI, 14MS KIT: $1749 ... DRIVE: $1449 1568 676 MB ESDI, 16MS DRIVE: $2195 1588 676 MB SCSI, 16MS DRIVE: $2195 ^1598 1034 MB SCSI, 14MS DRIVE: $99 95 1.44MB 3-1/2" DRIVE ^ • 80 TRACKS • 135 TPI • HIGH DENSITY • READ/WRITE 720K DISKS, TOO • INCLUDES ALL NECESSARY MOUNTING HARDWARE FDD-1.44X BLACK FACEPLATE $99.95 I FDD-1.44A BEIGE FACEPLATE $99.95 I FDD-1.44SOFT SOFTWARE DRIVER $19.95 MF355A 3-1/2" MITSUBISHI 1.44MB, BEIGE $129.95 MF355X 3-1/2" MITSUBISHI 1.44MB, BLACK $129.95 FDD-360 5-1/4" DOUBLE-SIDED DD 360K $69.95 FD-55B 5-1/4" TEAC DOUBLE-SIDED DD 360K $89.95 FDD-1.2 5-1/4' DOUBLE-SIDED HD 1.2M $89.95 I FD-55GFV 5-1/4" TEAC DOUBLE-SIDED HD 1.2M $99.95j ENHANCED KEYBOARDS FC-3001 101-KEY.12F-KEYS& CALCULATOR $74.95 I BTC-5339 101-KEY WITH 12 FUNCTION KEYS $69.95 BTC-5339R COMPACT 101-KEY, 30% SMALLER $79.95 MAX-5339 101-KEY MAXI-SWITCH (286 ONLY) $84.95 I K103-A AUDIBLE "CLICK" 101-KEY KEYBOARD $84.95 | STANDARD KEYBOARDS BTC-5060 84-KEY WITH 10 FUNCTION KEYS $59.95 | JUAX-5060 MAXI-SWITCH 84-KEY(286 ONLY) $64.95j $ 89 9S . 4M;a HIGH RES. (200 PULSE/INCH) • 2-AXIS POINTING DEVICE (X&Y) • INCLUDES MAP DEVICE DRIVE WITH BALLISTIC GAIN PC-TRAC W/RS-232C SERIAL INTERFACE^ FAST-TRAP THE 3-AXIS MOUSE ALTERNATIVE! $109.95 LOGITECH TRACKMAN •TO 300 DPI RES. • MOUSEWARE UTILITIES, MENUS, MOUSE -2-3 • REQ. 256K MIN. MEMORY TRACKMAN SERIAL VERSION —NO CARD REQ $94.95 TRACKMAN-B BUS VERSION $99.95 W/SHORT CARD FOR 8088, 286, 386 OR PS/2 MODELS 25 & 30 LOGITECH MICE •3-BUTTON SERIES 9 • 320 DPI RES. • SERIAL PS/2 COMPAT. LOGC9 SERIAL MOUSE $98.95 LOGC9-C SERIAL MOUSE (NOT PS/2 COMPATIBLE) ..$79.95 LOGC9-P SERIAL MOUSE WITH PAINTSHOW $109.95 LOGB9 BUS MOUSE $89.95 LOGB9-P BUS MOUSE WITH PAINTSHOW $104.95 GENISCAN SCANNER $ 199 95 • UP TO 400 DPI • 32 LEVELS OF GRAY SCALE • W/INTERFACE CARD.SCAN- EDIT II AND DR.GENIUS V W : ' ■ ->k „ GS-4500 $199.95 ~ ^ ^Seagate HARD DISKS 21.4MB $ 199 655MB $ 349 DRIVE KITS 21AMB $ 249 32.7MB $ 219 80.2MB $ 569 32.7MB $ 279 425MB $ 299 84.9MB $ 449 <& Seagate AVG. 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LOGC9-WIN EXPIRES 11/31/90 CUSTOMER SERVICE 800*538-5001 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 800-538-5002 MON.-FRI. 7 A.M. TO 5 P.M., SATURDAY, 9 A.M. TO 3 P.M. (PST) ORDER TOLL-FREE 800-538-5000 416 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 Circle 6 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 7) Chaos Manor Mail Jerry Pournelle answers questions about his column and related computer topics Leading Edge Format Dear Jerry, While reading your description of Sy- mantec's Q&A Write, I was struck by the similarities to my experiences with the Leading Edge word processor that I use. It is very easy to learn, is fast (at least by my standards), and has more, bells and whistles than I ever need. It doesn't have the old WordStar commands built in, but I don't miss them, because I never learned WordStar. It does have one fea- ture that Q&A Write doesn't— automatic save, which can be either a blessing or a curse, depending on your temperament. And, like Q&A Write, the Leading Edge word processor stores its files in its own strange format, which wastes disk space, is difficult to exchange with anyone else, and can't be accessed by third-party pro- grams. When I mentioned the strange format of Leading Edge word processing files to a friend, his curiosity impelled him to look at one of them with a HEXDUMP program. Serendipitously, his HEX- DUMP blocked the output in the same 512-character sectors that the Leading Edge word processor uses in manipulat- ing its files. The first 10 sectors contain header information, and the actual text begins with the eleventh sector. If en- tered without any heading or modifica- tion, the text runs continuously from sec- tor to sector, filling all but the last byte of each sector. The text is straight ASCII with em- bedded control sequences in a single-line format. However, when the text is edited, the corrections are entered into the text stream in their normal location, and something has to give. At each automatic save, the program looks to see if the text has been shortened or lengthened enough so that the sector is overfilled. If the text will not overfill the sector, the new and old material in that sector is written seamlessly at the begin- ning of the sector. If the old and new ma- terial will overfill the sector, the text is broken at the end of the new material, and the remainder of the material in that sector is put in a new sector at the end of the file. Unused space at the end of any sector is stuffed with nulls (00 hexa- decimal). Even though there are also some conditions that recombine under filled sectors, an edited document fre- quently gets to be highly fragmented and contains huge blocks of nulls. I've seen Leading Edge word processing files that are two to three times as big as the ASCII file would be. John Laidig Holmdel, NJ Symantec has published the file format of Q&A Write; the important parameters are that in the decimal twenty-seventh byte of the file is a long integer that says where the text starts (in hexadecimal, of course), and the thirty-first byte gives the text size in bytes. I don 't like automatic save, since I ex- periment with text a lot and don 't neces- sarily want to save what I'm doing over what I have. —Jerry A Writer's Secret Dear Jerry, I appreciate Computing at Chaos Man- or. The direct comparisons between products and the best product awards are valuable information that I can't get from German magazines. I am fascinated by the style of your articles— how you get data and technical information into a form that is enjoyable to read. I am a senior engineer in a system house, and I do a lot of writing. There are technical articles for technical newspa- pers, training courses for our customers, product information for our marketing, internal specifications for our engineers, and requirement and functional specifi- cations for our customers. At a given time, I have five to eight papers in differ- ent stages of completion. It normally takes several weeks to collect and sort out all the information for an article. I have a problem that you must have solved: I am looking for a system to orga- nize this kind of work according to per- sonal performance. On some days, as you know, writing does not run smooth- ly, but on those days I collect informa- tion that is valuable for the articles, or I have a good idea for improving the struc- ture of an article. Do you know of a sys- tem for organizing all this information? Do you write all your information into a database or word processor, or on paper? When you start writing an article, do you mix properly formulated texts with short notes and sketches of ideas and do the complete formulation iteratively? Can you tell me, or are these the se- crets of a successful writer? Dr. RainerWinz Idstein, Germany Well, let 's see: usually I keep a bunch of subdirectories under the "QW" direc- tory, where Q&A Write resides. There's a BYTE subdirectory, one for each novel, and one for articles, under which I have different projects. I also keep a GrandView outline called Projects, which has each major job, along with deadlines and suchlike; I col- lect random notes in there. Some projects will have their own GrandView file; others don 't. The secret of all this is Desqview and the Big Cheetah 386, which let me jump back and forth among all these and even have multiple Q&A Write windows. I keep swearing I'm going to go to a different word processor, but I always end up back with Q&A Write, which is the easiest of the lot to use, at least for me, and the new GrandView imports and exports Q&A Write files, making it all even easier. Finally, I do keep a hardbound log book in which I collect all those notes that one is forever making; I tape business cards, scraps of paper, and everything else in there, in chronological order. I doubt my system would make sense to anyone else, though. —Jerry ■ Jerry Pournelle holds a doctorate in psy- chology and is a science fiction writer who also earns a comfortable living writ- ing about computers present and future. He can be reached c/o BYTE, One Phoe- nix Mill Lane, Peterborough, NH 03458, or on BIX as 'jerryp." DECEMBER 1990 -BYTE 417 Print Queue Hugh Kenner A Fairy-Tale Future Machines that can read, write, make music, and draw. What hath man wrought? Although Raymond Kurzweil is a scant 43, his name, like "Xerox," seems in danger of becoming generic. A "Kurzweil," that would be a pattern recognizer. Ex- amples: a machine that can read books aloud to the blind; an- other machine that can type to human dictation; yet another that combines acoustic patterns so accurately that professional mu- sicians have thought they were hearing a $40,000 concert grand. These are none of them dreams; they're real products. So who is better qualified to offer us a big book called The Age of Intelligent Machines! Kurzweil has; and, faithful to his track record, the book (MIT Press, 1990, $39.95) is, yes, superb. Not surprisingly, its hinge chapter is the long one on pattern recognition, something to be distinguished from the kind of sequential thought most computer programs mimic. "The trillions of computations re- quired for the human visual system to view and recognize a scene can take place in a split second." It's all massively parallel: simultaneous pro- cesses, not sequential. But chess is something you can analyze sequentially; that's why pretty good chess programs could be developed fairly early. The rules being unambiguous, an intensive search of position after posi- tion can be counted on to iso- late "strong" moves. In about the same time as a grand mas- ter takes to decide, the ma- chine has checked out many thousands of options. The human mind being slow at IF... THEN. . .ELSE, the grand master will have exam- ined only a few. Yet (as of 1990) the grand master tends to play rather better than the machine. Somehow, pattern recognition seems to be fo- cusing analytic energies. If chess can fall back on brute-force programming, reading text cannot; it's too slow. Text-scanning hard- ware geared to a specific font can run fast because it's sim- ply matching templates. Font- independence, as in the Kurz- weil Reading Machine, relies on "multiple experts," watching for patterns. One expert concentrates on closed loops: A has one loop, B has two, C has none, and neither has /. A concavity expert, though, can distinguish those last two because Chas an "east concavity" but / hasn't. Conversely, when east concav- ities are spotted in both C and 6, it's up to the loop expert to make a choice. And what about TV and H (each with north and south concavities, but no loops)? Well , we can keep a line seg- ment expert on call, to distinguish "northwest to southeast" from "midwest to mideast." You see the principle. Which is all very well, but "even a well-printed document contains a surprisingly large number of defects"; thus, a broken crossbar could deprive A of its loop. The solution? "Re- dundant experts, and multiple ways of describing the same pat- tern." All those experts make simple choices very fast, while an expert manager busily weighs their findings. The present version of the Reading Ma- chine can handle 30 to 75 characters per second, with remarkable tolerance for de- graded input. Kurzweil 's running exposi- tion is punctuated by 23 guest contributions, one of which, by Harold Cohen of San Di- ego, describes what I'd have sworn was impossible, a pro- gram (Aaron) that draws elab- orate pictures with intricate vegetation plus numerous human figures, variously posed. After coloring by Co- hen, they've been shown worldwide, from Boston's Museum of Science to Lon- don's Tate Gallery. By Co- hen's account, just making a drawing is no miracle at all; like a human artist, Aaron simply "knows how to draw." And "if one can draw, then anything that can be de- scribed in structural terms can be represented in visual terms." (As the great anima- tor Chuck Jones likes to say: If you can draw a human fig- ure, skeletal similarities can free you to draw a rabbit, a coyote.) 418 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 ILLUSTRATION: JERE SMITH © 1990 Analogy from Cohen: We can get a picture of a kangaroo from an artist who's never seen one. We say that it's ratlike but much bigger; has a long, thick tail and a pouch. Corrections to the first attempt: No, it doesn't carry the pouch; the pouch is part of its belly. And it doesn't walk on all fours like a rat, but on hind legs much bigger than front legs. Further correction: The tail rests on the ground. End result? Not quite right, but close enough. Aaron works something like that, from a reper- toire of structural descriptions. Human figures? Aaron knows (1) what the body parts are, and how big in relation to each other; (2) what the type and range of movement is at each joint; (3) how movements are co- ordinated—for instance, what the body must do to keep its bal- ance. Aaron elaborates a stick figure with something resem- bling musculature and generates the visible result, bestowing greater concentration on hands, say, than on thighs. So, "Re- markably little of the program has anything to do with art; it constitutes a cognitive model of a reasonably general kind." A cognitive model for literary art? That's been more elusive. Racter, which I reviewed in the May 1986 BYTE, uses a store of words, random selection, and some "syntax directives" to gen- erate stuff like this: "Bill sings to Sarah . Sarah sings to Bil 1 . Perhaps they will do other dangerous things together. They may eat lamb or stroke each other. They may chant of their difficulties and their happi- ness. They have love but they also have typewriters. That is interesting." "Crazy thinking," Racter's creator concedes, albeit ex- pressed in "perfect English." (Not artificially intelligent, adds A. K. Dewdney; no, "artificially insane.") It works some- thing like this. Starting, like a chess program, from a present position ("They may eat"), Racter searches its word list for something edible, plugs in lamb, on a second search opts for an or construction, needs a further verb, searches, comes up with stroke, and then gladdens the programmer's heart by chancing, during yet a fourth search, on each other when it might have chanced on drizzle. Hence, "They may eat lamb or stroke each other." Artificial insanity, yes, and perfect English, the way chess programs, however dubious their moves, never violate the rules of chess. The most important contributor to a Racter ses- sion is the human who cuts it off when it's commencing to rave. No, the root problem isn't lack of real-world knowledge. If Racter's The Policeman 's Beard Is Half-Constructed (Warner Books, 1984) is "the first book ever written entirely by a com- puter," I'll add the claim that Sentences (Half Moon Press, sometime in 1991) will be the first book of computer-generated poems to be at all interesting as poetry. Its title page will list me as coauthor, along with Charles O. Hartman, an accredited poet. He wrote one of the programs the book derives from; I cowrote the other. And the only real-world knowledge the programs had was embodied in 487 "sentences for analysis and parsing," pre- pared circa 1 870 for the use of Rhode Island schoolchildren. They range from "School begins. Dogs barked." all the way to "He spoke in as noble strains as ever fell from human lips." From them, two sequenced programs quickly derived 15 works fit for performance by a cantor and massed choirs. Excerpt: . . . What could ye desire not for not for John for glory glory providence learn glory . . . There imagine a diapason. . . . And it does make quite as much sense as most librettos. Kurzweil entitles his tenth chapter "Visions." Computer c omputer performance per unit cost has doubled every 22 months, an improvement factor of 2000 in 20 years; if Detroit had done as well, the typical auto would cost two dollars. performance per unit cost has been doubling every 22 months, an improvement factor of 2000 in 20 years; if Detroit had done as well in the past two decades, the typical auto would now cost about two dollars. There's no reason for such improvement to abate. So, down the road, the affordable translating telephone, moving words from language to language in real time as we speak, possibly "in the first decade of the next century." An intelligent answering machine that converses with the caller and seeks you on identifying an emergency. Invisible credit cards and keys (scanning fingerprints and voice patterns) .... On and on. But what about the Sorcerer's Apprentice, who didn't know when to stop? Are we being seduced into a frustrat- ing future where djinns beyond our control run blithely amok? Well, Allen Newell has a happy answer to that. First, the djinn that kept fetching water regardless of flooding was just "a program with a bug in it." The bug was an infinite loop, and detecting those is standard practice now. Second, the better computer technology gets, "the less of our environment it con- sumes." Clean, unobtrusive, it uses up "little energy and little material." And it can be "saturated with intelligence, to keep accounts, to prevent errors, to provide wisdom for each deci- sion." Newell calls that a fairy tale: a dream with a happy end- ing. Happy endings, he reminds us, are not forbidden. So runs the dream. And, lo, George Gilder, whose optimism I discussed here last February, reliably chimes in: "Israel, a desert-bound society, uses microelectronic agricultural sys- tems to supply eighty percent of the cut flowers in Europe and compete in avocado markets in New York. Japan, a set of barren islands, has used microelectronic devices to become one of the world's two most important nations " Newell's delighting "fairy tale," he warns, will not come true of itself; it's barely past its "Once upon a time." We'll have to learn to learn, and grow into growth. But in fairy tales, "magic friends sustain our hero." Here, we're still in early stages of discerning the magic. Meanwhile, magic has been at work. The guest contributions to this book, Kurzweil tells us, were scanned as they came to his desk by his read-to-the-blind machine, although it didn't speak audible words but sent characters to a formatter. And portions at least of his own text he spoke aloud to his type-to- dictation machine. How much editorial fiddling either process required we're not told. Under the rug: That's where glitches had best go, as we await the glitchless millennium. ■ Hugh Kenner is a professor of English at Johns Hopkins Univer- sity. He writes for publications ranging from the New York Times to Art & Antiques. His recent books include Mazes and Historical Fictions. He can be contacted on BIX as "hkenner. " Your questions and comments are welcome. Write to: Editor, BYTE, One Phoenix Mill Lane, Peterborough, NH 03458, DECEMBER 1990 -BYTE 419 STOP BIT ■ Brett Glass A PLEA FOR Software That Works Let's have software that runs right, not just fast Like most computer users, I like using programs that run fast, have pretty, ergonomic displays, and are easy to learn and use. Some days, however, I'd gladly settle for software that is simply reliable. This week, for example, I attempted to use the Paintbrush accessory in Windows 3.0 to create a large bit-mapped image— 1024 by 512 pixels— to be printed on my 300-dot-per-inch laser printer. When I told the program the number of pixels I wanted in the drawing, it offered no com- plaint. However, as soon as I tried to use the scroll bars to move about the image, the program crashed. The next day, I was using a Windows 3.0 DOS session to connect to BIX. Sud- denly, Windows decided that my termi- nal emulator— a faithful program that had exhibited no bugs— had "violated system integrity" and terminated it auto- matically, aborting my on-line session. In theory, the system's Virtual 8086 mode should have been able to keep any one application from damaging the sys- tem. In this case, however, Windows warned me to shut down all my applica- tions and reboot my system at once. Finally, I decided to sidestep my prob- lems with Windows by moving to Desq- view. Alas, my disk cache program, Power Cache Plus, got into a tussle with Desqview, and it was big red switch Stop Bit is an open forum for informed opinion on topics related to personal com- puting. The opinions expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of BYTE or its staff. Your contributions and comments are welcome. Write to: Editor, BYTE, One Phoenix Mill Lane, Peterbor- ough, NH 03458. time. Which program was at fault? Who could tell? All I knew was that I still couldn't get things to work reliably. House of Cards If your computer crashes, it's easy to blame an application or the operating system for your woes. But if you look at the big picture, you see the real problem: Nearly every personal computer, regard- less of make, is essentially a house of cards, ready to come crashing down as a result of a single erroneous instruction or bad memory location. In an IBM PC, a program can change a single location— for example, the timer tick interrupt vector— and instantly cause the system to lock up solid. On the Mac, trashing the heap or the system globals can cause a brilliant, sizzling dis- play of random pixels. It's no trick to cause a Guru Meditation on the Amiga. Even in OS/2, which in theory provides isolation between tasks, you can lock up the keyboard simply by calling the sys- tem routine DOSEnterCritSec. The se- curity holes in most operating environ- ments are not simply Achilles' heels; metaphorically speaking, they're the size of Achilles' entire body. Such weaknesses may have been toler- able in the early days of microcomputers, but today— when millions of people trust computers with health, welfare, and live- lihood— there's no longer any excuse. Operating systems must provide good protection against errant applications, and applications themselves must be de- signed to prevent bugs or catch them when they occur. Button Up That OS Unfortunately, most microcomputer op- erating systems do not offer consistency checking on operating-system calls. The Mac OS is one of these. For this reason, Apple Finder author Steve Capps created a program called Discipline, which intercepts Mac OS calls and reports erroneous parameters. His 420 BYTE- DECEMBER 1990 results were startling: Virtually every Mac program that he tested— including Apple's own applications— made serious illegal calls to the operating system. OS/2 1.x, by contrast, checks every parameter passed to the operating system before it allows a system call to go through. What's more, it uses the seg- mentation hardware of the 286 to check every memory reference, ensuring that a program never steps out of bounds— by even a single byte. If a program tries to use any memory that does not belong to it, it is instantly terminated. The 32-bit version of OS/2— OS/2 2.0— also checks memory references, but, ironically, it checks 32-bit pro- grams far less stringently than it does 16- bit ones. A memory reference can be as much as 4K bytes or more off the mark before the problem is detected— if it's caught at all. This regrettable step back- ward is the result of Microsoft's desire to give 32-bit programs a "flat" memory model at the expense of the 386' s built-in error-checking capabilities. Writing Applications That Work While theoreticians have shown that proving programs to be absolutely cor- rect is an arduous task, the programmer can flush out many subtle bugs by adding sanity checks to the compiled code. Every physics student learns an error- checking technique called dimensional analysis, which verifies that the units of measure in a result match those of the re- quired answer. If, for example, you de- rived a formula to solve a problem, and the formula proceeded to add apples and oranges, you could immediately recog- nize the problem and correct the formula before using it on any data. This is called a static check, because it can be applied to a formula or program without actually running the numbers through it. Another way of checking your answer is to ensure that it falls within a reason- able range. If you compute the weight of an apple to be 100 kilograms, you're continued on page 369 ILLUSTRATION: MARK MOSCARILLO © 1990 2S8SSS Indi *"■*»*« 'UStry stand? 7 Uper ati 0ns sa^^ft^^ P//e//o RealTi *eSt° tS and PlcHtl ° harts ° tter Out Pl Winter &25S?"** ,OSfr Cote° ro ^y 00 ^'^aoXt'o^S, ,n strum^?' 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