JANUARY 1991 The Gilbert Hyatt Controversy Ethernet— 10 Years After The FlexOS Operating System "Genetic" Algorithms * LUS: Turbo Pa scr; 6.0 Word 5.5 & Wcrci for OS/2 Compaq SLT Remote-Control LAN Software Apple's new AAJ1C MacRenderMan Folio Views 2.0 & Agenda 2.0 $3.50 U.S.A./$4 «" ' : m>!ADA 0360-5280 THE NEW DELL SYSTEM 433TE 33 MH: EISA i486.'" • i486 microprocessor running at 33 MHz with 128 KB external cache. """Commercial Lease Plan. Lease for as loiv as $377hnoi\th. 330MB Super VGA Color System (800x600) $10,499 Price listed includes 4 MB of RAM* 80, 100, 190 and 650 MB hard drive configurations also available. THE NEW DELL SYSTEM 425TE 25 MH: EISA i486. • i486 microprocessor ninning at 25 MHz. Commercial Lease Plan. Lease for as low as $278/moi\th. 190 MB Super VGA Color System (800 n 600) $7,499 Price listed includes 4 MB of RAM* 80, 100, 3 30 and 650 MB hard drive configurations also available. THE DELL SYSTEM 433E 33 MHz EISA i486. • i486 microprocessor running at 33 MHz. Commercial Lease Plan. Lease for as lotv as $307hrumth. 100 MB Super VGA Color System (800x600) $8,499 Price listed includes 4 MB of RAM* 80, 190, 330 and 650 MB hard drive configurations also available. THE DELL SYSTEM 42 5E™ 25 MHz EISA i486. • i486 microprocessor running at 25 MH:. Commercial Lease Plan. Lease for as loxv as $235hnonth. 100 MB Super VGA Color System (800x600) $6,499 Price listed includes 4 MB of RAM* 80, 190, 330 and 650 MR hard drive configurations also available. THE NEW DELL SYSTEM 32 5D 25 MHz 386.™ • Intel 80386 microprocessor ninning nr 25 MHz with 32 KB external cache. Commercial Lease Plan. Lease for as loivas $112/month. 40 MR VGA Color Plus System $2,999 Price listed includes I MB of RAM* 80, 100, 190, 330 and 650 MB hard drive configurations also available. THE DELL SYSTEM 3 16SX 16 MH: 386SX. • Intel 80386SX microprocessor ninning at 16 MHz. Commercial Lease Plan. Lease for as low as $79hnonth. 40 MB VGA Color Plus System $2,099 Price listed includes I MB of RAM.* 20, 80, 100 and 190 MB hard drive configurations also available. THE DELL SYSTEM 320LX 2 0MHz386SX. • Intel 80 386SX microprocessor ninning at 20 MHz. Commercial Lease Plan. Lease for as loiv as $l04/month. 40 MB VGA Color Pius System $2, 799 Price listed includes I MB of RAM* 80, 100, 190, 330 and 650 MB hard drive configurations also available. THE DELL SYSTEM 210 12.5 MHz 286. •80286 microprocessor ninning at 12.5 MHz. Commercial l^ease PIoti. Lease for as low as $59/month. 20 MB VGA Monochrome System $1,549 Price listed includes I MB of RAM * 20, 80 and 100 MB hard drive configurations also available. THE NEW DELL SYSTEM 320LT 20 MHz 386SX. • Intel 80386SX microprocessor running at 20 MHz. Commercial Lease Plan. Lease for as loivas $131/month. 20 MB, 1MB RAM* $3,599 40 MB hard drive configurations also available. THE DELL SYSTEM 316 LT 16 MH: 386SX. • Intel 80386SX microprocessor running at 16 MHz. Commercial Lease Plan. Lease for as loivas $ 112/mont Ji. 20 MB. 1MB RAM* $2,999 40 MB hard drive configurations also available. The Dell System 433TE and 425TE ore class A devices sold for use in commercial environmenlS only. 'Performance Enhoncemonts:W«thin the first megabyte ofmemory, 128KB(316SX,320LT,316LTond210)96K8(333Dand325D)or3aitKB(320lX,425E,433E,425TE and 433TE) of memory is reserved far use by the system lo enhance performance. Canbeoptianolly disobled on 333D,325D,316SX and 210. All systems are photographed with optionaiextras. All pneesond specifications ore subjecttochongewifhoutnoFice Dell connol be responsible for errors m typography or photography. tSource. From Compaq October 15. 1990 press reteose. htSource: from Compaq July 23. 1990 press releose "Poymentbosedon36.month.apfn end lease. OLeasmg crronged by leosmg Group. Inc. In Conoda configurations and pnees may vary Dell «nd DELL SYSTEM ore registered trademarks. 425E and SmortVu are trademarks of Dell Compuier Corporation. Intel is o registered trademark and 3B6, 486. and i486 ore trademarks of Intel Corporation. Other trademarks ond Irode names ore used to identify the entities claiming the maiks ottd names c ihon p-oducrs Dell Computer Corporation discloims any proprietary interest in trademarks ond trade names o!her Ihori its own -On-site service moy not be available in certain remote locations. Shipping, handling and applicable soles tox not included in the prce. rxDrinformotononondocc^ofM's30-doylo:olScvs ; cct>onGuaranr^^ » 1990 Dell Computer Corporation. All nghfs reserved So what do you get by TOP OF THE MARK. paying the extra mark-up for a Compaq? Not a better computer. Dells new 386™ systems are as fast, expandable and compatible as Compaq's. Not better service. In 8 straight PC Week polls of corporate customers, Dells service rated much higher than everyone else's. Not better personal attention. From the moment you first call TO ORDER, CALL 800^283^1170 HOURS:6AM-9PMCTM-F 8AM-4PMCTSAT In Canada 800-387-5752. In the UK. 0800 414535. In France (I) 30.60.68.00. lnGerniiiny06103/701-0. In Sweden 0760-7 13 50. 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 mackine with up to 16 MB of RAM on the The new Dell 33 MJ-fc and 25 MI-fc 386 computers. System includes: VGA Color Plus Monitor, 100 MB hard drive, 4 MB RAM. system board and a 32 KB cache designed into a compact footprint. The new Dell 333D is as good as a 386 PC 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 us, and for as long as you own your computer, we 11 work THE NEW DELL SYSTEM 333D 33 MHz 386 AND THE NEW DELL SYSTEM 325D25 MHz 386. STANDARD FEATURES: • Intel 9 80386 microprocessor running ac 33 MH2 (333D) or 25 MH: (325D). • Page mode interleaved memory architectui •6 industry standard expansion sloes (five 16-bit, one 8-bit). • High-performance IDE (40 MB, 80 MB, 100 MB, 190 MB)and ESDI (330 MB, 650 MB) hard disk drives. Standard 1 MB of RAM* optional 2 MB or . ... , . __._ .. 4 MBof RAM expandable to 16 MB on system * ^^"Sil™ IT"' COm P at,ble b«ard. • Integrated VGA controller with 1024 x 768 support. • Integrated hard drive and diskette drive interface. mouse port, all integrated. ♦ 177 watt power supply. • 12-month Xerox" On-Site Service Contract. 333D |25D 40 MB VGA Color Plus 64KB(333D)or32KB(325D)SRAMcache. System $3,599 $2,999 SmartVu-Advanced System Diagnostic Display. Prices listed include I MBof RAM* 80, 100, Socket for Intel 80387 or WEITEK 3167 math l< ?°> 330 ™? 65 ° MB hard drive ""^^ons also available, coprocessor. • 5.25" 1.2 MBor 3.5" 1.44 MBdiskette drive. V ADCODE11EA1 TOP OF THE MARK-UPS. But, for the sake of Compaq's 33 MHz arid 25 MHz 386 computers. System includes: VGA Color Monitor, 120 MB hard drive, 4 MB RAM. 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. We'll return your money, no questions asked. Even if something goes wrong, it worit 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,™ the built-in diagnostic display that Jgjj 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 TechFaxlineatl-800-950-1329,we , llfaxback technical information immediately. If we still haverit solved the problem, we'll send trained technicians from the Xerox Corporation^ 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 85 on Reader Service Card HERE'S OUR NEW STORE, SO YOU'LL NEVER HAVE TO GO TO THEIR STORE AGAIN. When you buy a computer from a typical computer store, here's what you get: A beefy retail mark-up. Pressure to buy things 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 computer experts about what you need, and a recommenda- tion about the best overall package for you. Custom configuration, with options including monitors, memory sizes, software, "TO ORDER, CALL 800^283-1170 HOURS;6AM-9PMCTM-J : 8 AM-4 PMCTSAT In Canada 800-387-5752. In the UK. 0800 414535. In France (l)3O.60.68.CO.InCcimanyO61O3/701-0.InSweden0760-7l3 5O. accessories and peripherals. Service — THE NEW DELL SYSTEM* 333D 33 MHz 386. STANDARD FEATURES: • Intel® 80386 micioprocessor nrnninff at 33 MHz. • Page mode interleaved memory architecture. • Standard I MB of RAM*. optional 2 MR or 4 MR of" RAM expandable to 16 MR on system board. • Integrated VGA controller with 1024 x 768 support. • 64 KR high-speed SRAM. • Socket tor Intel 80387 or WEITEK 3167 math coprocessor. • 5.25" 1.2 M Bor 3.5" 1.44 MR diskette drive. • 6 industry standard expansion slots (five 16-bit, one 8-bit). • High-performance IDE (40 MR, 80 MR, 100 MB. 190MB) and ESDI (330MR. 650 MR) hard disk drives. • 1 parallel port, 2 serial ports, PS/2 compatible mouse port.. ill integrated • Smart Vu" -Advanced System Diagnostic Display. • 12-month On-Site Service Contract provided by Xetoxr 40 M B VGA G .lor Plus System S 3 . 599 Price listed includes I MR of RAM. 80. 100, 190, 3 10, and 650 hard drive configurations also available. ADCODE11EA1 consistently 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 perform a fully configured systems test, and ship by two-day air standard. A 30-day, no questions asked, money back guarantee. A one-year limited warranty. And a great price. Call us now. Why waste a trip when everything you need is right in front of you? bur Gompetitio ^to Shreds. ■ $jS • '* 33-MHz 386DX., EISA.. .$1995 The ALR BusinessVEISA Its What You Need to Thrive in Today's Hostile Business World It's a sink or swim world out there, and if you don't take advantage of the latest in today's technology, your competition will To survive in a sea of reduced budgets and accelerated time schedules, you need a computer that's both inexpensive and fast. You need a system that will exploit the best of today's and tomorrow's technology without exploiting your budget. You need the ALR BusinessVEISA. One of the easiest ways for your company to remain competitive is to reduce its spending; that's why we've priced the BusinessVEISA Model 101 at just $1995. With its 33-MHz 386-processor and its advanced 32-bit EISA bus, the BusinessVEISA gives you all the power you'll need to devour today's most advanced business applications. Designed to survive the chang- ing tides of your business envi- ronment, the BusinessVEISA can take advantage of both standard 8- and 16-bit add-on boards and advanced 32-bit EISA enhancement products. This powerful system can feast on the latest in today's and tomorrow's high-speed I/O and multimastering technology. As you conquer new territories, your BusinessVEISA can expand its jaws to accommo- date i486 power. Just Upgrade the CPU! ™ Simply plug in an ALR VEISA 25 or 33-MHz i486 CPU module to boost your per- formance up to 270%. Then watch your competition scatter. Don't ignore your killer instinct. Call ALR today. 1-800-444-4ALR Hunt for the Real 32-bit System ALR AST" BusinessVEISA Premium™ 386/33-1 01 386SX/16-5V Architecture VEISA CUPID-32?-v CPU Speed 33-MHzv 16-MHz \ CPU 386DXi/ 386SX i Data Path 32-Bit./ 16-Bit J\ Memory 1-MB 1-MB J Bus 32-Bit EISA./ 16-Bit ISA List Price $1995 $2495 Price of 25-MHz i486 Upgrade $1995 $4895 Just Upgrade the CPU! ™ ALR VEISA 25-MHz i486 CPU Module ALR VEISA 33-MHz 386 CPU Module ^^ 33MHz i486 CPU Module ALR VEISA System Board 9401 Jeronimo, Irvine, CA 92718 f&Sft (714) 581-6770 FAX: (7 14) 581-9240 Available at these selected resellers: Connecting Point S! j US S^ -S=^ COMPUTER CENTERS ^B^KOO^ Prices and configurations subject to change without notice. Prices based on U.S. dollars. System shown with optional monitor/graphics adapter and 3.5" floppy. VEISA, BusinessVEISA, and Just Upgrade the CPU! are trademarks and ALR is a registered trademark of Advanced Logic Research, Inc. All other brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Shark photo: Ron Taylor/ Tom Stack & Assoc. ©1990 by Advanced Logic Research. AST, we saw your mailer. Would you like some of our product literature so you can get your information right next time? Circle 19 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 20) BVTE Contents January 1991 Volume 16, Number 1 -~1 COVER STORY The BYTE Awards PAGE 147 Bbio^ 1 — " ^ ^ ' ■ ■ ■■ 3 u^ ^ fc=^J J. i BYTE editors choose 67 of the most significant products from the past year. [AWAPC- [OF 1 ■ .. — ^ ( 223 Photo-Realism for Those with Time (and RAM) to Spare Pixar's MacRenderMan brings photo- realistic rendering to the Mac. 227 A New Angle on OS/2 and Windows Wide Angle makes the virtual desktop a physical reality. 228 Two Bumbling Detectives Dariana Technology Group's WinSleuth and MacSleuth miss the mark. 230 Reviewer's Notebook New versions of Lotus Agenda and Folio Views make much-needed improvements that address user concerns. NEWS 19 MICROBYTES AMD shows its 386 clone, and Bellcore researchers make a breakthrough in holographic memory technology. 44 WHAT'S NEW EISA and SPARC systems, along with a trio of mouse substitutes, take the hardware spotlight. On the software side, dBASE takes to the Sun, and EZCosmos watches the stars. FIRST IMPRESSIONS 126 SHORT TAKES Turbo Pascal 6.0, Borland almost adds Windows Volante AT1000, inexpensive high-end graphics from National Design Toshiba T1000LE, a slimmer TJ000 Word 5.5 and Word for OS/2, updated versions from Microsoft Taste, Delta Point's composite package for the Mac 134 Citrix's New Multiuser OS/2 OS/2-based workgroup computing without a LAN. REVIEWS 168 PRODUCT FOCUS Caching Cards Speed Data Access The BYTE Lab evaluates eight caching controller cards that help relieve hard disk drive bottlenecks. 186 LAN Remote-Control Software: Better Than Being There The BYTE Lab examines eight communications programs that let you use workstations on a LAN via remote control. 201 "Ultra" VGA Debuts on the MicroPaq Monolithic's MicroPaq 452 Ultra uses the new Edsun chip to make VGA screens shine. 204 TARGA + Lowers Cost of High-End Graphics Truevision's new 32-bit TARGA + board makes raster graphics more affordable. 210 The Compaq SLT: A Laptop Fit for the Desktop The BYTE Lab tests how well the Compaq SLT laptop performs with its new 386SX engine and other enhancements. 213 A Workstation in a Mac's Clothing A/UX and the X Window System turn a Macintosh into a workstation in a near-seamless way. 218 User Interfaces, C++ Style Zinc's class library brings text and graphical interfaces to your C++ applications. STATE OF THE A RT 236 AI: METAMORPHOSIS OR DEATH? Introduction 239 AI's Identity Crisis Can AI provide the kind of intelligent systems that will make all the work, and all the introspection, worthwhile? 249 Overturning the Category Bucket Categorizing knowledge is one of the primary ways that an AI system can acquire "understanding." 259 The Real-Time Expert Expert systems designed to work in real-time environments can make complex systems easier to handle. 267 AI in Practice A real company's real-world use of AI techniques and methods. 281 Putting the Experts to Work The 1990s will see the walls between intelligent applications and conventional applications crumble. 289 Real Artificial Life Nature's skill and craftsmanship, when harnessed toward the creation of artificial life, presents a virtually unlimited reservoir of possibilities for engineering solutions. 300 Resource Guide: Intelligent Software A guide to expert systems and neural-network simulators. 4 BYTE • JANUARY 1991 COVER PHOTOGRAPHY: PAUL AVIS © 1991 COVER ILLUSTRATION: JOHN GAMACHE©1991 REGIONAL SECTION begins after page 72 Who Made the Micro?/304 FEATURES 304 Micro, Micro: Who Made the Micro? Is Gilbert Hyatt the father of the microprocessor, or just the most tenacious inventor in the U.S.? 315 Ethernet: Ten Years After Rich Seifert, one of Ethernet's designers, talks about its first 10 years. 323 Alternative Operating Systems, Part 6: FlexOS's Muscle Digital Research's FlexOS closes out our series. 329 The Object-Oriented Amiga Exec The design of the Amiga operating- system kernel follows the rules of object-oriented programming. 339 Putting Waveforms to Paper Here's how to get data from a Mac screen into a file or printout. HANDS ON 347 UNDER THE HOOD Personal Supercomputing with the Intel i860 Crunching numbers with the i860. 361 SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED Genetic Algorithms A novel technique crossbreeds algorithms to find the best programming solution. DEPARTMENTS 6 Spotlight Inventors and developers highlight this month's feature articles. 10 Editorial The End of Intel's Monopoly? 33 Letters, Ask BYTE, and Fixes Some object lessons learned. PERSPE CTIVES 412 CHAOS MANOR MAIL 414 PRINT QUEUE Math Reconstructed Stealing glimpses at the numbers upon which the universe is built. 416 STOP BIT Amateur Systems Senior editor Ken Sheldon discusses the next step in AL READER SERVICE 402 Editorial Index by Company 404 Alphabetical Index to Advertisers 406 Index to Advertisers by Product Category Inquiry Reply Cards: after 408 PROGRAM LISTINGS From BIX: Call (800) 227-2985 From BYTEnet: Call (617) 861-9764 On disk: See card after 160 EXPERT ADVICE 73 COMPUTING AT CHAOS MANOR Jukebox Computing by Jerry Pournelle Jerry looks at new CD-ROMs and a CD-ROM drive, a brick of a computer, and a new trackball. 89 DOWN TO BUSINESS The Power Man Cometh by Wayne Rash Jr. The big orange power truck pulls up again, but this time Wayne's ready. 95 BEYOND DOS: WINDOWS AND OS/2 Embarrassment of Riches by Mark J. Minasi A report from the future: living with OS/2 2.0 and Windows 3.0. 101 THE UNIX /bin SCO Hot by David Fiedler A brief look at the new SCO Unix and using PCs as X terminals. 105 MACINATIONS The Mac and Personal Programming by Don Crabb Don shows how the Mac's oldest true personal programming system gets even better. 119 NETWORKS NetWare Troubles by Barry Nance Whom do you call when NetWare acts up? With the right tools, you can do the job yourself. BYTE {ISSN 0360-5280/91) is published monthly with an additional issue in October by McGraw-Hill, Inc. U.S. subscriber rate $29.95 per year. In Canada and Mexico, $34.95 per year. Single copies $3.50 in the U.S.. $4.50 in Canada. Executive, Editorial, Circulation, and Advertising Of- fices: One Phoenix Mill Lane, Peterborough, NH 03458. Second-class postage paid at Peterborough, NH, and additional mailing offices. Post- age paid at Winnipeg, Manitoba. Registration number 9321. Printed in the United States of America. Postmaster: Send address changes. USPS Form 3579. and fulfillment questions to BYTE Subscriptions, P.O. Box 551 , Hightstown. NJ 08520. JANUARY 1991 -BYTE 5 Circle 39 on Reader Service Card UNLEASH TURBO SPEED The fastest way to / createpowerful programs with Turbo Pascal 5.5, Turbo C 2.0 and Turbo C++! POWER TOOLS PLUS™/51 - $149 - lightning-fast routines to help you: ♦ Add easy-to-use integrated mouse support for windows and menus ♦ Generate context sensitive help screens ♦ Resize and move windows and use drop shadows for that professional look ♦ Let users choose from window-oriented pick lists ♦ Create and access "huge" data structures ♦ Use multiple-line edit fields with fully configurable edit keys ♦ Add EMS support ♦ Write TSRs and ISRs easily ♦ Create powerful programs in Turbo Pascal 4.0, 5.0 & 5.5! Turbo C TOOLS T 72.0 - $149 -fast, high quality functions to help you: ♦ Add easy-to-use integrated mouse support for windows and menus ♦ Quickly include virtual windows and menus ♦ Integrate your windows and menus with Turbo Cs text windows ♦ Create context-sensitive help screens ♦ Provide multiple-line edit fields with fully configurable edit keys ♦ Write TSRs and ISRs easily ♦ Create powerful programs in Turbo C 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and Turbo C++! FREE with these products! All source code, complete sample programs, and a comprehensive manual are included. We offer free technical support and a bulletin board dedicated to technical issues. Unleash your potential! We offer programming tools that are fast, flexible and affordable. Call now to order, or to ask for a free brochure on our full line of products for C and Pascal. Put Blaise tools to the test! If during the first 30 days you are not satisfied, we'll refund your money Call (800) 333-8087 today! BLAISE COMPUTING INC 2560 Ninth Street, Suite 316 Berkeley, C A 94710 (415) 540-5441 ^^ FAX (415) 540-1938 Trademarks are property of their respective holders. H Gilbert Hyatt Federico Faggin Ted Hoff Fathers of Invention From processors and patents to Cabernet and coaxial cable in this month's BYTE This is a fascinating business. You never know whom you're going to meet, or where you're going to pick up a great story. Case in point: Jeff Bertolucci is a member of the BYTE news staff, located in San Francisco. Last August, Jeff was attending a software developer's confer- ence, the kind of event that's good for gathering background but generally not where you expect to find hot news. At one point, a public relations person took Jeff aside and said he wanted to tell him the most incredible story to hit the computer industry in the past 10 years. He took Jeff to a corner of the hotel— far from the other reporters— and showed him a thick document: a recently issued U.S. patent for a microprocessor design. According to the PR person, the patent— which was originally sought in 1970— made an unknown southern California engineer named Gilbert Hyatt the father of the microprocessor. On August 29, Hyatt announced his patent to an amazed computer world. By then, BYTE editors had already begun assembling an article on Hyatt's patent and its possible effect on the computer industry. Later, we interviewed Mr. Hy- att, as well as two of the people histori- cally credited with inventing the micro- computer: Ted Hoff and Federico Faggin. We also talked with industry ex- perts to get their opinions on the patent. You'll find the resulting article ("Micro, Micro: Who Made the Micro?") on page 304. Among other things, it shows that success sometimes requires a great deal of patience. Of course, the ability to defer gratifi- cation for long-term benefit is one thing that differentiates humans from other creatures. It's not always easy. Take, for example, holding onto a fine wine long enough for it to reach its peak. Rich Sei- fert knows how much self-control that takes. On September 30, 1980, Rich pur- chased a magnum of Cabernet Sauvignon from Heitz Cellars. That was the day he and other developers completed and signed off on the specification for a new networking standard called Ethernet. Last September, on Ethernet's tenth anniversary, Rich opened that bottle at a gathering where the development team had reunited to celebrate and to reflect on the evolution of LANs over the past 10 years. Rich tells the story of Ethernet and its subsequent history in "Ethernet: Ten Years After" on page 315 of this issue. We think you'll find this month's fea- ture articles as fascinating as the people behind them. Stick with us— you never know who we'll run into next. ■ —Kenneth M. Sheldon Senior Editor, Features 6 BYTE • JANUARY 1991 IDEK- THE FIRST COMPLETE FAMILY OF FST COLOR MONITORS IDEK's MULTIFLAT Series of 21-Inch Color Monitors IDEK's MULTIFLAT Series of 21-inch Color Monitors take full advantage of the remarkable properties of their Flat Square Tubes (FST) 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, too! See for yourself what a difference a Flat Screen Monitor from IDEK can make. MULTIFLAT Series (21" Flat CRT Monitors) IDEK also offers its new Model MF-5117 17" Flat Screen Color Monitor that delivers the same superior resolution and performance as the other members of the IDEK lineup. isvama Model H. Frequency Dot Resolution MF-5021 15 to 38kHz 0.31 1024 x 768 MF-5121 21 to 50kHz 0.31 1024 x 768 MF-5221 30 to 80kHz 0.31 1280x1280 MF-5321 (A.R. Panel) 30 to 80kHz 0.31 1280 x 1280 MF-5421 (A.R.Panel) 30 to 80kHz 0.26 1600 x 1280 IIYAMA ELECTRIC CO., LTD. Overseas Division 7th FL, US Hanzomon Bldg., 2-13, Hayabusa-cho, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo 102, Japan Phone: (81) 03-3265-6081 Fax: (81) 03-3265-6083 IDEK Europe (Germany) Neumannstrasse 38, 6000 Frankfurt a.M. 50, Germany Phone: (49) 69-521 922 Fax: (49) 69-521 927 IDEK North America 650 Louis Drive/Suite 120, Warminster, PA 18974 U.S.A. Circle 141 on Reader Service Card W)rd for Windows redef See what you do. With editable WYSIWYG, you can see and edit text and graphics formatting. Virtually everything for that matter. Right on your computer screen. Dorft get tied up. Tables make it easy to format numbers and words into rows . and columns. All without using the tab key. Cut corners. Cut and paste words, graphics, whatever. On your screen. Without . an endless string of commands. BlUft&NOMfilHWatS mm. "-"■ i p .f M. firMifyUil f'l^l.nm* ftf.-.'k.aii; ■&A ^ BiKlOMtiAuvan ! ... i.p I , IiT Ml. MD ..■■*: ,v Hi,*,- Wh.. p S ii-ww.vi'PP|.'J kp .( n ■. ;>ppp!7. A*** T»»*l-i:'.Hftl l ..< : '.Wi'.1k.-^ lV|i .vii.,;jli.,^.l'Vp- p.U,.| sss^=. f?i L_ „ 1 kniVHSUNtMARY Biuc rinacn BiBwnrt 1 ' "'■';'■ lllllltl ISS^iHSHS ; ■1 M .1. vlwu-ww '•n'.-l Pd^.^uwii "" ^Oh* ■ J, , /,\ J 1 Look like a professional. Because we've taken the hard work out of the process, it's easy to create professional-looking documents. Making something else look professional. Like you. For more information, coll (800) 541-1261, Dept. M99. Outside the U.S. and Canada, call (206) 882-8661. In Canada, call (416) 673-7638. © 1990 Microsoft Corporation. Ml rights reserved. Microsoft and the Microsoft logo are registered trademarks and Windows and MakinR it all make sease art nes the wordprocessor Just say the word Microsoft® Word for Windows^ The best thing to happen to word pro- cessing in quite a while. Check it out Save time. Document Templates make it quick and easy to create standard letters, memos and _ more. Ensuring consistency. As well as company standards. Something for nothing. Get a full-featured Working Model free* Call (800) 541-1261 Dept. M99. Tailor your documents. With a point and click, icons on the Ribbon and _ Ruler allow you to fashion formats from basic to sophisticated. You can even save these formats as a personal style or company standard. #^T# Making it all make sense" soft Corporation. 'The first Working Model you select is free during our Windows Computing Promotion. Sept. IS through Dec. 31. 1990. One free Working Model per person. Each additional Working Model is S9.9S. applicable sates lax not included. Offer good while supplies last and only in the 50 United States. EDITORIAL ■ Fred Langa The End of Intel's Monopoly? AMD's clone of Intel's 386 chip has created stiff competition in the U.S. CPU industry— and you and I are the beneficiaries A year and a half ago, Advanced Micro Devices formed two separate teams to legally cir- cumvent Intel's attempts to maintain its (also legal) monopoly on 386 production. One AMD team worked from a systems analysis perspective, de- fining the full functionality of the Intel 386. The other team worked on reverse- engineering an i386 chip itself. In July of last year, the two teams fin- ished their work and merged their results into a single specification. AMD taped out the design in July and sent the chip masks to fabrication. Shortly thereafter, the first sample silicon was ready. The long, careful preparations paid off. The first time out, at 20, 25, and 33 MHz, the new chip successfully ran OS/2, Windows, DOS, Unix, Xenix, and a variety of operating systems for em- bedded applications. Physically and functionally, except for the logos, the chips are essentially identical— clock for clock, state for state, and pin for pin. I saw an Am386DXL demonstration at Comdex: Mike Webb, director of mar- keting for AMD's Personal Computer Products division, took a pair of off-the- shelf machines (a Compaq and a PS/2 bought at Businessland), pulled out the stock Intel 386s, plugged in AMD 386s, and started the machines. The computers ran exactly as they had before, even run- ning the BYTE benchmarks identically. What few differences there are be- tween the Intel and AMD chips are all in AMD's favor. For example, the AMD chip is entirely implemented in power- saving 0.8-micron-wide CMOS, unlike the partial-CMOS, 1-micron design of thei386. This change to an all-CMOS design allows for a much lower power consump- tion, with enormous implications for bat- tery-powered laptops and portables. For example, the AMD chip uses a scant one- third the power of the Intel 386 at 20 and 25 MHz, and two-thirds the power at 33 MHz. At the lower speeds, the Am386's power consumption is below that of an i386SX! But there's more: The AMD chip can power down to a sleep mode that requires less than a milliamp of current, com- pared to the minimum current draw of 133 mA for an i386DX and 60 mA for the newly introduced i386SL. Besides a true sleep mode, the Am386 offers ultra low-power, slow-speed oper- ation for standby modes: You can slow the Am386 down to as little as 4 kHz (the i386 can't go slower than 8 MHz). All this adds up to power consumption that's just a fraction of that of the equiva- lent Intel chips. What's more, the Am386's design protects your data in these low-power modes— the chip's reg- isters and pipelines automatically remain intact. (If you shut down an Intel chip for maximum power savings, you must copy the registers' contents— usually out to ex- pensive static RAM.) The Am386's simple-to-implement low-power modes offer incredible power management flexibility for laptop de- signers. No longer will designers have to use the crippled SX chip to bring 386 power to portables: true 32-bit, no-com- promise, no-bottleneck laptops with rea- sonable battery life are now possible. To top things off, AMD will offer its 386 in a plastic carrier ideally suited for space- saving surface mounting. Laptop and portable makers will eat these chips up. Desktop units will also benefit from AMD's improvements on the 386. Al- ready, AMD successfully has tested its chips at speeds of up to 50 MHz— and up to 40 MHz without special cooling. Webb told me that he believes a 40- MHz Am386 will be faster in real-life applications than an i486 running at 33 MHz. Yes, some 486 instructions exe- cute in fewer clock cycles, but most com- mon instructions run about the same as on a 386, Webb says. Thus, the 2 1 per- cent speed increase to 40 MHz will de- liver faster real-life performance to most users. Although pricing for the AMD line is not yet set, a 40-MHz Am386 should cost significantly less than a 33- MHz i486. Better, faster laptop and desktop ma- chines are the immediate short-term re- sult of AMD's hard work to take on Intel head to head. There are longer-range benefits, too. For example, AMD is ac- tively working on 0.65 -micron fabrica- tion, which it believes can be worked down to 0.25 micron with its current facility. Sizes this small open up the opportu- nity for extremely high transistor-count devices— chips of unparalleled subtlety, power, and complexity, containing per- haps as many as 5 million transistors and operating at 50 or 60 MHz. AMD is not the only CPU maker working at the frontiers of manufactur- ing—and that is the point. Intel's at- tempts to block production of legal clone 386 chips prevented healthy competition, delayed the performance increases and cost reductions users have come to expect from the computer industry, and forced too many of us to accept deliberately crippled chips, such as the SX, simply because there was no alternative. Now, thanks to AMD, there are alter- natives. Users everywhere will benefit from this competition. For more infor- mation on the Am386, see this month's Microbytes on page 19. —Fred Langa Editor in Chief (BIX name "f langa") 10 BYTE • JANUARY 1991 New Turbo C ++ Professional Be Objective Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) is programming in the '90s. It's the next step after structured programming and is the best way to write applications. And Turbo C++ Professional is the first turbo-charged native code C++ compiler that brings Object-Oriented Programming to your PC. + ANSI C Turbo C++ Professional also compiles ANSI C code, so you can stay productive with C now, and move to C++ at your own pace. Environment ++ The best compiler deserves the best envi- ronment, and our new Programmer's Platform™ environment makes you more productive. It features overlapping win- dows and mouse support. And sports a new multi-file editor, an integrated debugger, and a smart project manager. Its advanced open architecture lets you integrate the tools you need to feel right at home. VROOMM adds room VROOMM™ (Virtual Runtime Object- Oriented Memory Manager) lets you break the 640K barrier. Just select the application code you want to overlay, and VROOMM does the rest-swapping modules on demand. It's fast, easy, automatic. Another + Turbo C++ Professional gives you all the tools you need to build fast, reliable C++ programs. Turbo Debugger® 2.0 debugs your object-oriented programs. This powerful new version is the first and only debugger to support reverse execution. Letting you step backwards through your code to find the bugs you might have missed. New Turbo Profiler,™ the world's first interactive profiler, displays histograms of your program's performance. With it, you TURBO C++ PROFESSIONAL ihe nesnurao-»iAtG£o C4 ♦ FKOM THE LEADER IN OBJKT-OWENrEJ) PKOCMMMING TURBO O PROfCSIONAL BORLAND can easily spot execution bottlenecks, and see where improvements or redesign of your code will yield maximum performance gains. And Turbo Assembler® 2.0 lets you replace time-critical segments of your code using the world's fastest MASM-compatible assembler. Turbo C++ Professional Compiler C++ conforming to AT&T's 2.0 specification C++ class libraries Full ANSI C compiler VROOMM overlay manager Complete documentation and tutorials Programmer's Platform Open architecture for integration of your own tools Overlapping windows with mouse support Multifile, macro-based editor 1 Smart project manager provides visual MAKE 1 Integrated debugging and hypertext help Turbo Debugger 2.0 1 Class hierarchy browser and inspectors 1 Reverse execution provides "true" undo | 286 protected-mode and 386 virtual-mode debugging 1 Keystroke record and playback NEW Turbo Profiler 1 Displays histograms of program execution ' Tracks call history, overlays, interrupts, file I/O Turbo Assembler 2.0 1 Multipass assembler with NOP squish- ing and 486 support Special Offer The suggested retail price for Turbo C++ Professional is $299.^5 ($199.35 for Turbo C++). Borland is offering a special discount for registered Turbo C owners. So be objective, and SEE YOUR DEALER or call Borland at 1-800-331-0877 now! BORLAND CODE:MC27 Mail orders to Borland. PO Box 660001. Stalls Valley, CA 95067-0001 For orders oulsidc the U S . call (40S) 438-5300 Turbo C. VROOMM. Turbo Debugger. Turbo Profiler Turbo Language and Turbo Assembler are trademarks or registered trademarks ot Borland International. Inc Copyright * 1990, Borland International. In: All rights reserved 386 and <18G are trademarks ot Inlet Corporation BI-1333C Circle 40 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 41) All the monitors you'll need for What you see is the remarkable MultiSync 8 3D color monitor from NEC. What you don't see is how this one monitor can accommodate not only the broadest range of current mainstream standards, but also the next standard to become mainstream— 8514/A, with its brilliant color resolution of 1024 x 768. Built around our award- winning multiple fre- quency technology, this one monitor automatically adjusts to frequencies from CGA all the way up to 8514/A. Which means even if you haven't moved up to MuliiSync is a registered trademark ol NEC Technologies. Inc. 8514/A yet, you have the opportunity to purchase a monitor through IBM PC/XT/AT. PS/2 and 8514/A are registered trademarks ol Inc International Business Machines Corporation. foresight, rather than hindsight. Mac ntosn Is arcgistcrcd trademark ol Apple Compuli CaC Computers and Communications all the resolutions you'll need. Especially since the MultiSync 3D also has a microprocessor-based digital control system that provides automatic screen configuration, lets you select the ideal resolution for your software, and even has a memory that recalls your preferred screen settings. And it's also compatible with the IBM PC/XT/AT, PS/2 and the Macintosh computer systems. 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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). Eiji Copyright © 1991 by McGraw-Hill, iTnii Inc. All rights reserved. BYTE and EV1E are registered trademarks of McGraw-Hill, Inc. Trademark registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office. & Member Audit Bureau of Circulation 14 BYTE • JANUARY 1991 One of the Most Important Components Built Into our Computers. Your looking at the strongest cus- tomer assurance program in the industry - Tri-Star's Customer Assurance Program. A customer assurance program that's second to none. No one else stands behind their product with as much confidence as Tri-Star. No one. A lot of com- panies talk about service - but with Tri-Star you get it in writing. Tri-Star's confidence in the quality, work- manship and reliability of the Flash Cache is reflected by these five comprehensive guar- antees : 2 Years Parts & Labor Warranty 60 Day Money Back Guarantee 1 Year On- Site Service Overnight Parts Replacement Life-time Toll Free Tech Support Another Tri-Star exclusive ensures your new Flash Cache computer is fully prepared, extensively tested, and thoroughly inspected before delivery. In addition you will receive MS-DOS, Microsoft Windows, and a 400 DPI mouse completely installed and custom con- figured. Tri-Star Service, it is without peer. Circle 338 on Reader Service Card Flash Cache Features Include ♦ Intel 386/486 25MHz or 33 MHz Processor ♦ 4MB of High Speed 32-bit DRAM ♦ 64K of Read/Write-Back SRAM Cache ♦ 1 04 MB Fast Access Hard Drive ♦ 1 .2MB 5.25-inch Floppy. Drive ♦ 1 .44MB 3.5-inch Floppy Drive ♦ 1 6-bit SVGA Graphics Card w/51 2K VRAM ♦ 14" Multi-Scan 1024 x 768 Color Monitor ♦ Microsoft DOS 4.01 6c Windows 3.0 ♦ High Res 400 DPI Three Button Mouse ♦ Quality 1 01 Enhanced Tactile Keyboard ♦ Two Serial Ports St One Parallel Port ♦ Fully DOS, Unix & OS/2 Compatible 386/25 486/25 $2695 $3995 386/33 486/33 $2995 $4695 -THE BEST MIX OF jf SUPPORT, SERVICE, AND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION POLICIES OF ALL THE COMPUTERS IN THIS REVIEW. PC MAGAZINE July 1990 !lllJ IJWW M Mr two u TRI>STAR 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 All prices and specifications subject to change with- out notice. Money Back guarantee does not include shipping charges. On-Site service available in most U.S. locations. 2 Year Warranty includes system and keyboard, All systems have been verified or certified to comply with part 15 of the FCC rules. 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 _) 4&k 1 1 fl ^L^^^&flSl fa AlL x ,M "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 "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. Mott 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 m mi "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 I 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 uctivity and maintainability* The success of Texas Instruments CASE product is proven — in the field* Major companies have used TFs CASE product, the Information Engineering Facility™ (IEF M ), for everything from rebuilding aging higl>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-toA 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- I 60 ' DC °40 c 03 I 20 O-Lc (Source: Gartner Group, Inc., 6/90) 2-t0-1 to 10*3-1 Gains Less Same More Productivity Productivity Productivity Developers were asked to compare IEF maintenance to forme methods. Of those responding, more than 80% reported p odnctivity gains of from 2-to-i to i0-to*]. 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. Xexas ^^ Instruments © 1990 Tl Information Engineering Facility and IEF are trademarks of Texas Instruments. Other product names listed are the trademarks of the companies indicated. 66106 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. Tools tailo r-made to build applications for 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" I 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 Offer goodo ly in the 50 United States. Pa)>me t in U.S. funds (plus a $7.50shippinga d handling fee and applicable sales tax). Please allow two to four weeks) r or delivery. ©1990 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft, CodeView and the Microsoft logo are registered trademarks and Making it all make sense and Windows are traaem arks of Microsoft Corporation. IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation. CAPTAlN MIDNlGHTis the registered trademark ofSandoz Nutrition Corporation which does not endorse the Windows SDK and is not affiliated with Microsoft. using our SDK, then you're trying to write tomor- row's programs with yesterday's 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 $150 per kit. Or call us just to answer your questions. The sooner you dial, the sooner you can really go to work on Windows apps. Instead of just toying around with them. (800) 323-3577 0±?*$ Making it all make sense" MlCROBYTES Research news and industry developments shaping the world of desktop computing Edited by D. Barker AMD's Replicant 386: It's Alive, It's Compatible After what seems like years of negotiation, litigation, and specu- lation, Advanced Micro Devices (Austin, TX) has at last demonstrated its version of Intel's 386 processor. The company says its Am386DX, which clocks in at 20, 25, and 33 MHz, is completely pin- and instruction- compatible with Intel's archetype. AMD is also working on a version of the 386SX but said it's about three months behind the DX. If AMD can overcome legal and manufacturing difficulties, its replicant CPU will be the first real alternative source of Intel's popular, profitable chip. AMD designed the processor by reverse-engineering the Intel 386 and then implementing its logic in a static CMOS design, company officials said. AMD made no changes to the instruc- tion set or performance characteristics of the Intel chip but did try to build a device that consumes less power. Ben Oliver, product-line director for AMD's Personal Computer Products division, said Intel's design for the 386 mini- mized transistor count, often at the cost of raising power requirements. AMD implemented its design in 0.8-micron CMOS rather than Intel's 1-micron CMOS. The Am386DX consumes 69 percent of the power needed by the Intel 386DX, Oliver said. Greater power savings will be possible using the Am386DXL, which has a zero-clock-rate standby mode, reducing power consumption to under 1 mA, Oliver said. An Intel 386 running at 8 MHz, its lowest speed, consumes 133 mA. AMD officials said the DXL chip will be a natural in the portable computer market; Intel has a low-power version of the SX, but not of the DX. AMD plans to offer its 386 in a surface-mountable package as well as in the pin-compatible standard grid array package. The surface-mountable part is 40 percent smaller than the standard part, making it attractive to designers working on notebook and other diminutive computers. During private meetings with BYTE, AMD showed engineering samples of its 386 running in two off-the-shelf systems: an IBM PS/2 Model 70 and a Compaq Deskpro 386/33. AMD officials said they had been testing the chips, with coprocessors, for over a month and had not yet hit any compati- bility snags with software. To ensure compatibility, AMD tested the pin-out values of all the pins on its chip, for every clock cycle of every instruction, against the Intel 386. The company said its engineers were also very careful with timing tolerances to make them more conservative than even Intel's. BYTE's initial tests indicated that AMD has indeed developed a processor compatible with Intel's. The Am386 ran BYTE Lab benchmarks at exactly the rates expected from the Intel processors of the same speed. The Am386DX has run DOS, Windows 3.0, OS/2, Xenix, and several real-time multiuser operat- ing systems without any problem, AMD officials said. The other big question is whether AMD will be legally allowed to sell the chip. At press time, this issue was still not resolved, but an arbitrator had ruled that AMD could use "386" as part of its product name. AMD had not decided on pricing or availability by press time. Company officials said AMD is not going to challenge Intel aggressively on price. "There is no reason to beat Intel on price; we have a better product," said Mike Webb, director of marketing for AMD's Personal Computer Products division. Intel's 386 prices currently range from $180 to $200. AMD is proceeding with sampling and says it's ready to go into full pro- duction. The surface-mount chip will be available sometime this year, the company said. At least 20 computer makers have been testing the 386 clone. While none was ready to commit to AMD's chip, most PC manufacturers interviewed by BYTE said that they're interested. Price, performance, and compatibility were the issues they all mentioned. "Tandy has always used multiple vendors of the 286, so I assume we'd use multiple vendors of the 386," said Tandy vice president John Patterson. — Owen Linderholm NANOBYTES Eastman Kodak (Rochester, NY) has come up with a series of development tools and utilities in- tended to guarantee that color images on a computer screen look exactly as they'll appear when put on hard copy. Kodak is hoping that vendors of computer software and hardware adopt its new technology, called PhotoYCC — essentially a new method for representing color in digital form — and that it becomes the industry standard for representing color in digital form across software applications, computer platforms, and peripheral devices. The new Color Management System software products define the way individual components in a color desktop graphics system — including scanner, monitor, CPU, and printer — read colors in a computer application, effectively calibrating the equipment to accommodate for the way people see color. Because the system resides individually in both the application and the hardware in use, a Kodak of- ficial explained, it is independent of device and operating system. Being able to predictably control the color space "has been lacking in the indus- try for 20 years," said John Warnock, chief of Adobe Systems. Turbo Windows: Borland Interna- tional (Scotts Valley, CA) is at work on a version of Turbo Pascal that will run under Microsoft Windows and produce true Windows applica- tions. "Turbo Pascal for Windows is a hosted graphical interface for Windows," said Gene Wang, manager of Borland's languages unit; in other words, Windows provides the user interface. It uses the Multiple Document Interface for handling multiple files, he said. While a demonstration program was running in one window, Wang compiled and ran a Pascal adaptation of Charles Petzold's Hex Calculator application. The company will deliver Turbo Pascal for Windows sometime in the first half of this year, according to Wang. JANUARY 1991 -BYTE 19 MICROBYTES NANOBYTES IBM has become the thirteenth com- pany to join the coalition promoting the DOS Protected Mode Inter- face. The DPMI specification, first released last May, defines a standard for extended DOS programs to run in protected-mode, multitasking en- vironments on Intel-based PCs, such as Windows, OS/2, Desqview, VP/ ix, and Unisys CTOS. Microsoft and Intel are the two major forces behind DPMI; other supporting companies include Borland, Quarterdeck, Locus, Lotus, Phar Lap, Ergo, IGC, Phoenix Technologies, and Rational Systems. The group has sent out about 2000 copies of the specifica- tion, an Intel spokesperson said. DPMI-compatible products should be reaching users soon. The first laser printer to support PostScript Level 2 is slated to arrive in March. Dataproducts (Woodland Hills, CA) says its LZR 660 ($2995) can output images faster because of changes made to PostScript, not to the print engine itself. (The machine uses a Weitek RISC processor and is rated at 6 pages per minute.) Post- Script Level 2 supports compression and decompression, so files can be sent faster to the printer. There is one problem: Very few software programs are capable of driving PostScript Level 2. Dataproducts has a program to help developers get printers early so that they can work on drivers. The Open Software Foundation (Cambridge, MA) has released its version of Unix to customer companies, but users won't see it until sometime later this year. In addition to the Mach kernel, OSF/1 incorporates "significant portions" of IBM's version of Unix (AIX v. 3.1), commands from both Unix System V and Berkeley BSD 4.3, symmetric multiprocessing features from Encore Computer, and security features from SecureWare. Many companies, including IBM, say they'll offer complete versions of OSF/1 or features from OSF/1 in their own versions of Unix but won't say when this will be. DEC could be one of the first, with an OSF/1 -com- patible version of its Ultrix variation of Unix by the middle of this year, DEC says. Breakthrough in Holographic Memory Could Transform Data Access Researchers at Bellcore (Livingston, NJ) have developed a new laser- based system that represents a break- through in using holograms as computer memory and holds promise for dramati- cally faster information access. The re- searchers have built a laser semiconduc- tor array for retrieving holographic im- ages, stored on a glass crystal, at speeds up to 1 gigahertz. Bellcore's research, aimed at changing the way holograms — recordings of light patterns that represent an image — are re- trieved, has yielded a chip the size of a thumbnail that contains an array of over 1000 semiconductor lasers. The laser ar- ray replaces the single scanning laser beam currently used for retrieving holographic images. Single scanning laser beams re- quire large and expensive optical equip- ment such as lenses, beam deflectors, and optical tables. According to Bellcore re- searcher Ann Von Lehmen, the new laser array will replacethe 8- by 1 2-foot optical table and associated reflectors and lenses in her laboratory. Bellcore has tested its laser array by re- trieving holographic images from a pho- torefractive crystal made from lithium niobate and gallium arsenide. A single crystal, measuring 1 centimeter on a side, can store 10 million "pages of informa- tion," each page containing 100,000 bits (a capacity of 1 trillion bits). Each "micro- laser" in the array is associated with a single page of information and can re- trieve it in less than a nanosecond. The information is recorded by dividing the light emitted from the laser into two beams of light and recording the phase and amplitude at their intersection in the pho- torefractive crystal. Only one beam from the laser, called the "reference beam," is needed to retrieve the information from the crystal. Each laser measures 40-mil- lionths of an inch across, allowing arrays to contain thousands of lasers. The next step is to develop "optical/ electronic interfaces" that convert the parallel data of the holographic image to a serial bit stream suitable for digital com- puters. However, Von Lehmen says, the development of microchip-size laser-re- trieval systems also presents the opportu- nity to develop parallel data-access sys- tems that would be much faster than serial interfaces in use today. Although the researchers have demon- strated the retrieval of several images with high fidelity, they have not been able to retrieve more than a few. They hope to retrieve 500 to 1 000 images from a single crystal while maintaining high fidelity. Bellcore has not developed a way to store these images, but Microelectronics and Computer Technology (Austin, TX) is doing complementary research in that area (see the September 1990 Microbytes and the November 1 990 BYTE). MCC is using crystallite arrays rather than single crystals for storing holographic data. These crystallites eliminate crosstalk and signal weakeningproblems associated with large photorefractive crystals. According to MCC s Jerry Willenbring, MCC is enthu- siastic about the breakthrough at B ellcore. "We're working on a commercial optical system," says Willenbring, "and the use of a micro laser array is certainly a more advanced approach." It is possible that Bellcore's laser array will show up in a commercial product from MCC within the next few years. — Nick Bar an SPARC Is Turning into a Blaze I t's not the rabbit-like proliferation of DOS machines that IBM spawned with its PC, but this year will bring a substantial increase in the number of Unix systems based on Sun's SPARC architecture. At least 10 companies ex- hibited SPARC machines at the recent Comdex, and at least 10 more compa- nies have SPARC machines in the works. These RISC computers will be compatible with Sun's Sparcstation 1 or 1+, but they will vary in price and per- formance. Many of these systems will be based around the Sparkit chip set and proces- sor from LSI Logic. CompuAdd, Hyundai, Tatung, and RDI/TriGem expect to ship new desktop and laptop models soon. These systems will all be compatible with Sun's Sparcstation 1 and will be able to run DOS applica- tions using Insignia Solutions' Soft-PC emulator. Some of the other companies planning to build computers around LSI Logic's chips include Northgate, Chicony Electronics, DCM Data Products, DTK Computer, Intelecsis, Sampo, and Twinhead. Opus, whose earlier RISC system was based on Motorola's 88000 chip, has moved to LSI Logic's SPARC CPU for its newest Unix workstation, as well as for an add- 20 BYTE • JANUARY 1991 NOW YOUR SOFTWARE CAN TEST ITSELF. 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-intrusiye 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. And put an end to your worst nightmares. Automatically. CADRE Cadre Technologies, Inc. 19545 N.W. Von Neumann Drive Beaverton, Oregon 97006 In Europe, contact: Elverex Limited, Enterprise House Plassey Technology Park, Limerick, Ireland Phone:353-61-338177 GATraining Limited, Cecily Hill Castle Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL72EF, England Phone:(0285)655888 Circle S3 on Reader Service Card Do anything and you would For 25 years, Epson* printers have placed ink on paper with fine-crafted precision and ever- increasing speed. Each character as impressive as the last. A feat that Epson 24-pin printers have 2 Year Warranty Just one more measure of flow dependable your Epson printer will be. accomplished 15 trillion times over. Today, dot matrix is the most widely used printing technology in business. Of course, the most widely used dot matrix printers are made by Epson. The very Two year warranty available u n all Epson printers, except the LQ-2550 and DFX Series which offer a one-year limited warranty. Epson i sa registered trademark of Seiko Epson Corporation. SmartPark and L5 trillion times be good at it, too. company that invented them two decades ago. Epson printers — from dot matrix to laser to inkjet— are the epitome of reliability. But where there is brawn, there is also a brain. Consider Epson's ingenious SelecType™ control panel and skillful SmartPark"" paper handling. These and other conveniences make operating an Epson as flawless as the printing. We could go on. But you already have 15 trillion reasons to choose an Epson. Engineered For The Way You Work! EPSON SelecTypeare trademarks of Kpson America, Inc. ©195)0. Kpson America. Inc.. 2780 Loinila Blvd.. Torrance, CA 903(). r >. (800) 922-8911. MICROBYTES NANOBYTES Neatest trick of the month? Trans- computer (Sunnyvale, CA) has shown a 50-MHz 486 running on a 25-MHz 386 board. (The company's main product is a module that lets an Intel 486 run in a 386 system.) To get the 50-MHz speed, Transcom- puter is using a 25-MHz 486 speeded up to 50 MHz with the help of a Velox Ice Cap refrigeration module. The current 486-PX module, which runs at the same speed as the motherboard, is a $486 PC board about 2 inches square with pins to plug into a 386 socket on the bottom and a 144-pin socket to take a 486 on the top. The logic and other chips needed to do the conversion are buried in a layer of epoxy. According to George Zweif ler, vice president of sales and marketing at Transcomputer, the setup has run re- liably in their tests. Zweif ler admits the 50-MHz 486 is mostly an attention-getting device. JYACC (New York City), maker of the JAM application development environment, plans to ship a Motif- based development tool sometime this quarter. The not-yet-named software will let you construct Motif interfaces and access underlying X widgets, but you will also be able to compile applications down to character mode. JYACC says the software will permit "seamless integration" to multiple databases; the current JAM product accesses Sybase, Oracle, Ingres, and Rdb. Later this year, JYACC plans to release versions of the tool for Open Look and Microsoft Windows. Edsun Labs (Waltham, MA) is going to incorporate the Speedo font-scaling technology of type house Bitstream (Cambridge, MA) into its Continuous Edge Graphics chip (see the October 1990 Micro- bytes). The CEG chip is designed to plug into a VGA board and sharpen the images on the screen. With Bitstream' s Speedo, the chip will be able to scale outline fonts for display and printing. The CEG chip will process Speedo-produced bit maps. The two companies are also working on an OEM version of FaceLift, Bitstream' s commercial package for generating scalable type within Windows applications. in board that turns an AT into a SPARC machine. One of the most unusual SPARC ma- chines slated to arrive this year is a portable designed by Research, Devel- opment & Innovations (San Diego, CA), and manufactured by Korean giant TriGem. In addition to being a Unix system, the 12-pound BriteLite also runs Macintosh software. "We emulate 68030 Macintosh software calls in a SPARC environment purely in software," making no use of Macintosh ROMs, RDI president Rick Schrameck said. "Any I/O port call is done as if it's SPARC because we want to keep the speed up in there. . . . We make no calls the way the Mac does internally; we can't, because our I/O is totally different." The company also emulates the Mac ROMs in software, he said. RDI has not run into any incom- patibilities yet, but some may exist with more hardware-dependent things like 32-bit software, Schrameck conceded. No one has yet managed to legally emulate the Mac except by using original Mac ROMs. Schrameck said the system takes "a performance hit from 15.8 to 2.5 MIPS to do the emulation," which he said is better than with a plain Mac. The BriteLite can also run DOS software using Insignia Solutions' SoftPC. Solbourne, the company that built the first SPARC clone and designed its own processor, recently brought out a new model. Toshiba has designed a SPARC laptop around its own chips. One of the most unusual (and expensive) systems is coming from Meiko World, which is de- veloping multiprocessing computers that can use any combination of SPARC, Intel i860, and Inmos T800 transputer chips. Several other compa- nies have announced SPARC com- patibles, including Mars, Solarix, and ICL — raising the number of SPARC doners to at least three times what it was six months ago. One major test of a SPARC system is whether it can pass SPARC International's SPARC Compliance Definition. SCD 1.0 is based on complete compatibility with the Sun Sparcstation 1. Some of the systems that have passed so far include the Sol- bourne S4000, the Mars Mariner 4i, and Tatung's color workstation, which was unwrapped at Comdex. Many of the other systems haven't passed yet because they're still in an early stage of development, said SPARC International president Bob Duncan. He expects that most SPARC clones will eventually be SCD-compliant. "It will not be long before an end user won't buy a system that doesn't have the compliance label on it," he added. This wave of new SPARC adoptees could help establish SPARC as a standard architecture for Unix worksta- tions. It's not just the numbers; the list of SPARC doners includes companies from all over the globe. "What we see now in the SPARC market is a move- ment in reality from a proprietary architecture ... to an open architec- ture," Duncan said. — Owen Linderholm and Larry Loeb Chips' Chip Breaks High Cost of Video Windows At least one component of multimedia computing will soon drop in price. Chips & Technologies (San Jose, CA) has developed an IC that will drastically cut the cost of hardware for displaying windows of live, motion video on a computer screen. Companies adopting this new $40 chip will be able to build video windowing boards for about $150 instead of $500, C&T officials say. That means users will be paying in the neighborhood of $500 to $800 to get capabilities that now cost more than $2000. A C&T engineer said that the chip replaces about $300 worth of gate arrays and other devices. C&T's new PC Video chip incorpo- rates all the logic for taking a digitized image, putting it in a window, and controlling its size, shape, and location."We have integrated the logic of a two-board device down to a single chip on a half -size card," said Steve Chen, vice president of C&T's Media Group. This one piece of silicon does the scan rate conversion, input cropping and scaling, memory timing, windows management, frame buffering, color keying, and other operations that require additional circuitry on current products. A board using the chip would also need a digitizing chip set, memory, and assorted logic. One thing missing is a compression chip, which Chen said C&T is "working on." He wouldn't commit to a delivery date, but he suggested that it would be sometime in the first half of this year. The prototype board that C&T dem- onstrated was able to take incoming live video (from a video camera), digitize it on the fly at 1 6-bit resolution, and then 24 BYTE • JANUARY 1991 The IBM PS/2 can really get apresentatj^ft moving. Announcing Audiovisual adrenaline: full-motion Video For The PS/2. If one picture is worth a thousand words, consider the impact of thirty pic- tures per second. That's the inspiration behind the IBM® PS/2 M-Motion Video Adapter/A!" It lets you import full- overlaying graphics, narration, even an electronic order form. Sound Is Also Part Of The Picture. The M- Motion adapter is a highly capable audio facility, too. You can capture sound and music, live or recorded, then mix and iffer 1 iHiiiH '■'Wlllllliilli motion, full- color video from a variety of video sources, and show it on your Personal System/2® display screen. A remarkable achievement, but it's only the beginning. The Stopping Power Of A Moving Image. Once its on the PS/2® screen, your full-motion video image is as versatile as any other multimedia visual. You can window it, overlay text and computer graphics on it, and control the color, brightness, size and screen location. With M-Motion video, the impact of any TV image, from news footage to a rap video, can be part of your multimedia presentation. You can use a wide variety of video sources: NTSC or PAL, videodisk, live camera or any VCR. Imagine a sports training program that queries an athlete about his recent performance, then shows him the appropriate workout sequence from a videodisk library. Or a new product presenta- tion that combines videotape of your product in use, plus text, synchronize it with your visuals, all without stepping away from your desk. LetItTellYou About Itself, Itself. The IBM M-Motion Video Adapter/A, like the entire family of PS/2 MultiMedia products, is superbly qualified to tell you about itself in text, graphics, animation, music and sound. For a free videocassette demonstration, and the name of an IBM Authorized Dealer near you, call 1 800 255-0426, ext. 131. How re you going to do it? PS/2 it! y mktuLa<.t-- rr _. BsS SSSSK"^ r 'l&fcis! IBM, Personal System/2 and PS/2 ate registered trademarks and M-Motion Video Adapter/A is a trademark of International Business Machines Corporation. © 1990 IBM Corp. While PS/2 MultiMedia products do deliver a level of visual and aura I excitement that defies description on the printed page, our lawyers have asked us to remind you that your PS/2 will not actually become airborne. Circle 139 on Reader Service Card »-..!- •.•.;:■:.;::.>•;.",' ■.,-. , r. ■' ■■ • ■. . • ■ • ■ -.'■'.'■',. , The 486" PC. It may be a little \™ 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- 1 YEAR FOR $4&§Q! 4/*»t Off*! tw k! Save over 40% off the single copy price by subscribing now to BYTE! Your paid subscription will include BYTE'S annual IBM PC Special Issue. □ Payment Enclosed □ Bill Me Later Name Company. Address _ City State Zip . No-Risk Guarantee: If dissatisfied, cancel anytime for a full 100% refund. Your subscription will start in 6-8 weeks. EVTE IW11013 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 In. I. . LI, I. nl. III.. ,1,1... I, ,111. ..I. Lull, I 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. inQ Circle 147 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 148) MICROBYTES NANOBYTES Lotus hopes to buy its way into the world of Windows word processing by acquiring Samna (Atlanta), de- veloper of the Ami programs. Lotus has no Windows applications yet; Samna has what's considered one of the best. Samna founder Said Mo- hammadioun was championing Windows back when it was the Rodney Dangerfield of windowing environments, shipping Ami in 1988. Underthe terms of the proposed "definitive merger agree- ment," Lotus will pay approximately $65 million (or $18.84 per share of Samna common stock) to acquire Samna. Apple Computer (Cupertino, CA) has switched on a toll-free telephone line to help "solve customer problems." The new phone service, available weekdays from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific time, "is not designed to be a technical support hotline, but instead, is an extension to the com- prehensive Apple customer relations effort," the company said. The new Customer Assistance Center "solves the problem of people being unable to get satisfaction from their dealer," Apple spokesperson John Cook said. The number is (800) 776-2333. Multimedia pioneer MacroMind (San Francisco) plans to bring out software that allows OS/2 users to "play back" presentations produced with the company's Director program. Right now, Director users can run Director presentations on a Macintosh or on a PC running Windows 3.0. Director is a Mac- based software package for integrat- ing video, audio, still images, and other media. Plans call for player software for Unix platforms and for the Commodore Amiga. Nice toys, eh? DEC founder Ken Olsen once scorned personal computers as "toys," but now DEC is coming out with a multiprocessing server system based on Intel 486 CPUs. The oddly named application DEC 433MP is designed to run SCO Unix with multiprocessing exten- sions, but there's no reason it couldn't use versions of NetWare or OS/2 LAN Manager in uniprocessor mode or when they support multi- processing in the future. smoothly scale and move it on the VGA screen. The card was pumping out the full-color moving video at 30 frames per second, C&T officials said. A PC Video board can put up multiple windows of various sizes, but only one window can be running motion video; if you want to have moving images in several windows, you can daisy chain the boards. The chip can position a window anywhere on a screen, tied to an x,y coordinate or keyed to a particular color. A board using PC Video supports input formats such as NTSC, PAL, RGB, and SVHS, meaning that it can take images from common devices such as TVs, VCRs, video cameras, and laser disk players; input resolutions of up to 1024 by 512 pixels; and interlaced and noninterlaced outputs. PC Video can scale images in one-sixty-fourth increments, so you can have a picture as small as a postage stamp or as large as the full screen, rather than being limited to quarter-, half-, or full-screen video. Chen said the company is "getting a lot of calls" from manufacturers interested in putting PC Video on their boards. The first product built around the chip will come from New Media Graphics (Billerica, MA), whose Super VideoWindows digital video board will sell for $695. Comparable products, such as IBM's M-Motion Video and VideoLogic's DVA-4000 boards, cost at least three times that. — D. Barker In Focus Puts New Twist on Color LCDs In Focus Systems (Tualatin, OR) will soon start offering monitors incorpo- rating its patented passive-matrix LCD technology. Although active-matrix displays are considered the color display technology of future computers, particularly laptops, In Focus says its "subtractive" approach to the older passive-matrix technology delivers better-looking color LCDs today. Companies pioneering active-matrix color displays, such as Sharp and the IBM/Toshiba joint venture, are still perfecting their designs and manufactur- ing processes, and their costs are much higher. In Focus's triple-supertwist-nematic (TSTN) LCD is based on three LCD panels — one cyan, one magenta, and one yellow — aligned and stacked together. When all pixels are off, the backlight shines through to produce white on the screen. As the .33-mm square pixels are turned on (darkened), they subtract different portions of cyan, magenta, or yellow from the white light to get other colors. In Focus says this produces sharper images and deeper colors. The new display demonstrated by In Focus appeared bright, viewable from all angles, and rich in color. The designers say that the color quality is partially due to each TSTN pixel being a single, fully saturated color. The company's new monitors, com- patible with IBM PC and Macintosh systems, are capable of displaying up to 4913 colors at a resolution of 640 by 480 pixels. There are two models, both with 10 l /2-inch diagonal screens: One displays up to 4913 colors; the other, 64 colors. The display technology used is based on that in In Focus's color overhead projector panels. One advantage to this technique is that the displays are easy to manufac- ture, in quantity, using off-the-shelf TSTN TECHNOLOGY True colors Yellow LCD Magenta LCD Cyan LCD parts. They also don't bring the low- yield problems associated with active- matrix LCDs, says In Focus founder Steve Hix. Part of the problem, Hix says, is that each active-matrix panel incorporates a million interconnects; if one fails, you get a dead pixel on the screen. Another benefit of these monitors over regular CRTs is that they emit no extremely low frequency electromagnetic radiation, Hix said. One disadvantage of TSTN is its slow response to moving video images. The response time of the display is between 200 and 250 ms. In Focus hopes to have reduced that to about 80 ms by the end of next year, a speed good enough to handle moving screen images. Also, the 28 BYTE • JANUARY 1991 Now you can use the incredible power of Windows 3.0 to goof off a File Edit Formula Format Data Options Macro Window IJlfPfirii^M^ Prrkfii ^Jkd Revenue Tetria for Windows Game Skill Options Help rrrrrrwr rr rrrprg i rrmmwwr~ // // /, // // /y mm The New Microsoff Entertainment Pack for Windows™ gives you seven spiffy games. Each one designed for pure, unproduc- tive fun. And all accessible in seconds from any other Windows product. Which means you can go right from juggling numbers, to juggling those funny little blocks in TETRIS.™ Another click of the mouse, and you can go from typing a letter to testing your nerves on Minesweeper. Or honingyourskills onTicTactics. Or becoming seriously addicted to one of two new kinds of solitaire. Equally entertaining is IdleWild, the screensaver with seven radical selections. From a race through space, to a pattern that slices, dices, and scrambles your screen. Nowget to work. Call us at (800) 541-1261, Dept. Pll, and ask us all about the Entertain- ment Pack. We'll do our best to give you a com- pletely frivolous answer. Microsoft Making it all make sense" ? information, call (800) 541-1261, Debt. Pll. Customers in Canada, call (416) 673-7638. Outside North /bncrica, call (206) 936-8661. ©1990 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft and the Microsoft logo are registered trademarks and Making it all use and Windows are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. TETRIS h a trmiemark of V/O Eicctronorgtechnica (Elorg). Ml Rights Reserved. If you've read alt the way to this sentence, you obviously have enough spare time to really enjoy the Entertainment Pack. What does Compaq give 386 users who ex ect the moon? Giving demanding users the best PC possible is a tradition at Compaq. A tradition we upheld when we introduced the world's first PCs based on Intel's 386 and 386SX microprocessors. And a tradition that continues in our comprehensive line of desktop PCs. Within this line you'll find six different levels of 386 performance and affordability. And a PC designed to give you the perfect balance of features and power. You'll find the reliability and compatibility you've come to expect from Compaq. Plus the flexibility to choose from a wide array of optional features. You'll also find an Authorized COMPAQ Computer Dealer, who's trained to match the right peripherals and software with the right PC. And to tailor a solution to your exact needs. All at prices that are more | competitive than ever. Come look at the COMPAQ | DESKPRO 386N Personal Computer, for example. It's a full-function PC with breakthrough features for networked environments. As a stand-alone PC, its 16-MHz 386SX microprocessor handles all of the general business applications our other 386SX-based PCs run. With so many integrated features, you can take care of your expansion needs using only two slots. And it comes with a host of unique network features like multilevel security, making it the best full-function PC for connected environments. All of this fits neatly into a space-saving design. The COMPAQ DESKPRO 386S Personal Computer is also designed to handle general business applications. Its 16-MHz 386SX microprocessor gives you exceptional 386 performance. And its 32-bit architecture lets you run today's popular business software. It also offers the flexibility to run tomorrow's advanced business software. COMPAQ, DESKPRO, Registered U.S. Palent and Trademark Office. Product names mentioned herein may be trademarks and/or registered trademarks o( other companies. ©I!)9D Compaq Computer Corporation. All rights reserved. The stars. MEDICAL DATABASE Project managers and other general business users will find everything they need to manage databases and speed through complex spreadsheets in the COMPAQ DESKPRO 386S/20 Personal Computer. It delivers the maximum in 20-MHz 386SX performance and a broad range of integrated features. The COMPAQ DESKPRO 386/20e Personal Computer is for experienced users. It's perfect for demanding applications like presentation graphics. And it's loaded with high- performance features like an advanced cache architecture. So it runs up to 50% faster than other 20-MHz, non-cached 386-based PCs. For users doing similar jobs, but with more stringent performance needs, we offer the COMPAQ DESKPRO 386/25e Personal Computer. Its 25-MHz 32-bit performance lets you fly through financial analysis as well as other demanding applications. It's the perfect personal computer for people who are serious number crunchers, administrators who manage massive loads of information and engineers who work on generating complex two- dimensional CAD drawings. At the most demanding level of 386 computing are the power users who do graphic-intensive applications like 3-D CAD drawings and other performance- intensive applications. These people need the kind of high performance that the COMPAQ DESKPRO 386/33L Personal Computer delivers. It combines the fastest 386 chip with high-performance innovations. And it lets you easily upgrade to the power and performance of a 486 chip. If you're looking for the 386 desktop PC that simply works better for whatever you do, call 1-800-231-0900, Operator 129. In Canada, call 1-800-263-5868, Operator 129. comPAa It simply works better. MICROBYTES NANOBYTES RIP Z-1000: Zenith Data Systems (Mount Prospect, IL) has abandoned its plans to sell a multiprocessing Unix system. The company an- nounced the Z-1000 well over a year ago but has now decided to leave the multiprocessing business to its parent company, Groupe Bull. Hercules takes RISC: Hercules Computer Technology (Berkeley, CA), known primarily for its PC monochrome cards, has teamed up with AQuest (Santa Clara, CA) to develop graphics cards using Intel's i860 64-bit RISC processor. The U.S. government has virtually eliminated controls on the export of certain high-speed computers to the Soviet Union. Under the latest rec- ommendations being considered by COCOM (the Coordinating Commit- tee for Multilateral Export Controls), most personal computers based on the Intel 486, as well as many graphics workstations, could be exported to the Eastern Bloc. AT&T's Unix System Laboratories is opening a center in Summit, NJ, where software vendors can certify System V release 4 applications on various hardware platforms, includ- ing Intel, MIPS, Motorola, and SPARC. Looking for scientific information from Japan? The National Science Foundation (Washington, DC) is now offering free searches of Japan's National Science Center for Science Information System (NACSIS). The database contains information on research activities funded by the Ministry of Education, Science, and Culture, as well as development at universities. American knowledge seekers can request a search by phoning the NACSIS operator, between 1 and 4 p.m. (EDT), at (202) 357-7278. Virtual book: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich (New York) plans to publish a book next year on virtual reality cowritten by one of its foremost explorers, Jaron Lanier. Lanier, founder of VPL Research, was paid a six-figure advance for the manuscript on "alternative sensory realities," the publisher said. monitors require a 50-watt direct backlight rather than the diffuse backlight used in most portables today; the new cold cathode backlights aren't direct enough to work with the In Focus displays, which means that the displays currently use a lot of power. In Focus has licensed its TSTN technology to an unnamed U.S. laptop manufacturer for products that are expected to appear in late 1991. Hix said the company will have a high- resolution color display later this year. — Owen Linderholm Telecommuting Gets Boost from Industry, Feds Representatives of industry and government have united to promote the concept of telecom- muting — people doing their work at remote sites such as home, for example, with the assistance of computers and telecommunications. The new organiza- tion, Telecommuting Solutions for America (Washington, DC), hopes to help implement ideas and technical standards for telecommuting. TSA founder Rich Thoma says tele- commuting improves the quality of life, is better for the environment, and in- creases productivity. "We're not talking about a futuristic dream," he said. "The technology exists for companies and government agencies to establish significant telecommuting programs today." The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that if 5 percent of Los Angeles commuters telecommuted one day per week, it would eliminate 47,000 tons of pollutants and 205 million miles of travel annually. Link Resources, a research firm, says that over three million Americans spend 35 or more hours a week working from home, and some 22 million work partly from home or from satellite locations. According to Jeff Garbers, director of development at Crosstalk Communica- tions, a telecommunications software maker, this is now possible because all the factors have "started coming together on a widespread basis: cost- effective personal computers, easy-to- use communications products, and reliable and inexpensive services." The federal government is repre- sented in the group by the EPA, the De- partment of Transportation, the Office of Personnel Management, and the General Services Administration. Each agency has pledged to encourage tele- commuting both for its own employees and as public policy. Companies that support the new organization include MCI, Tigon (a subsidiary of Ameritech Corp.), U.S. Sprint, Novell, Hewlett- Packard, and Northern Telecom. — Allan Davidson and Jan Ziff Superfloppy Drive Will Work with Regular Disks The first very high-density floppy disk drive to work with regular floppy disks is scheduled to arrive this month. Insite Peripherals (San Jose, CA) plans to start shipping limited quantities of its Floptical disk subsys- tem, which can store 20.8 MB on Sc- inch floppy disks. But the drive can also read and write 720K-byte and 1.44-MB floppy disks, the company said. Insite's Floptical disk drive uses embedded optical tracks and a closed- loop servo motor to dramatically increase the storage capacity of a magnetic floppy disk. Because it can both read from and write to 720K-byte and 1 .44-MB media, it could become a standard A drive without making the installed base of drives and disks obsolete. The drive offers an average seek time of 65 ms and a data transfer rate from the Floptical disk drive of 1.6 MBps, Insite says. When operating on older media, the transfer rate drops to 600 Kbpsor 1.2 MBps. Volume production is planned for April 1991, the company said. The OEM price is $325. — Andy Reinhardt MAKE THE NEWS IN '91 . If you, your company, or your research group is working on a new technology or developing products that will significantly affect the world of microcomputing, we'd like to write about it. Phone the BYTE news department at (603) 924-9281. Or send a fax to (603) 924-2552. Or write to us at One Phoenix Mill Lane, Peterborough, NH 03458. Or send E-mail to "microbytes " on BIX or to "BYTE" on MCI Mail. An electronic version of Microbytes, offering a wider variety of computer -related news on a daily basis, is available on BIX. 32 BYTE • JANUARY 1991 IN GOTHENBURG, SWEDEN... IN WORLAND, WYOMING... J .J I AND IN SOCORRO, NEW MEXICO %?.' A X 'MBimMUJi "You've got a friend in the business.' People the World Over jm$m Everywhere you look these days you'll find Gateway 2000 computers. That's because people , ft0 o ctf'"p«fen-/> /g//fa everywhere know a good % one. In all 50 l states and in over { \ 70 foreign | countries, , * thousands of r people are compar- ing price, quality and service -and .choosing Gateway 2000. In Gothenburg, Sweden Anders Bjernefors, a computer dealer and programmer, bought a Gateway 2000 25 MHz 486 ~~ system last April. "After many faxes and a lot of study, I selected Gateway 2000," said Anders. "I'm pleased with the machine. I received a very powerful, I well-built computer for an Hjernefors, Computer Link . , . , , . ., ft* Gateway 2000 25 MHz astonishingly low price. Anders was so impressed by his system and by the people at Gateway that he contacted the company about becoming a Gateway 2000 reseller. "I telephoned my salesman," Anders remembered, "and he told me I'd have to visit the factory to make the arrangements. I was on the next plane out of Goteborg on my way to North Sioux City, South Dakota." In Worland, Wyoming Bob Borst, owner and operator of Cloud Peak Pest Control in Worland, spent two and a half months researching his computer f, . B purchase. He ]h chose a Gateway * 2000 386SX. "My final Bob Borst, owner and operator of Cloud Peak Pest Control, and his Gateway 2000 386SX. decision was based on people, not hardware," said Bob. "The Gateway people make you feel like you're the most important person in the world. I didn't buy a computer - 1 bought Gateway." Bob was equally impressed by Gateway's service people. "One time I got into a file and couldn't get out of it," Bob related. "Even though it was a software problem, I called Gateway and they talked me through it." In Socorro, New Mexico Gordon Kane, Laboratory Associate at New Mexico Tech, runs a computer lab with 15 Gateway 2000 286 systems. "At first we bought Gateway's because of the good prices," said Gordon. "But now I buy them because of the technical support, which is very superior, and because the company is committed to improving its product line." NMT also uses Gateway computers in its research programs. "A Gateway 386 cache -■&**£**' -; J , fjj !L^2gL.| j£":;.;l; , ^$Si£ %■ '"__] system will be used Gordon Kane, New Mexico Tech, Gateway 2000 286 lab computers. Choose Gateway 2000! at Kennedy Space Center next summer, 1 ' said Gordon, "We can't run that ad anymore," continued Ted, . "as part of a large program of thunderstorm studies grinning, "because we built a new plant 14 miles being conducted there by NASA and the Air Force. " ^ down the road in South Dakota. But the cows PC Magazine's survey about service and reliability ^/ . j ; i confirms what these customers are saying: ^r "Gateway shared top hilling with such heavy- '-v - i ' I weights as Compaq, IBM, and HP for those who would buy their products again. ..Overall, Gateway's high marks AZ1NEI bode well for the company's future, as Gateway's success. "We take a long-term does its commitment to customer service." approach to customer service." he said. PC Magazine Ufe ^ computer Mm{ ^ "When you buy a computer from September 25, 1 990 longevity should be measured in Gateway 2000, you become part do g years." of our family and we're going to be "We can't run that ad anymore," continued Ted, grinning, "because we built a new plant 14 miles A down the road in South Dakota. But the cows really worked for us. They made the phones i, ring. From then on, though, we built ^ our business on value - good prices '■'I r^S^ on quality systems with old- X$|j> fashioned, personal service." ^^x Ted mentioned another reason for Gateway's success. "We take a long-term 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, 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- managed to outdistance hundreds of other companies, thing's moving so fast. That selling more systems through the direct market channel than any other PC manufacturer in the country SYS 100,000- 90,000 80,000- 70,000 60,000 50.000 40,000 30,000 - 20,000 10,000 — ket makes Gateway 35 years old! he But seriously, we've come a long itry. way in five years. And I owe It was the it all to the great people at laughed Ted Gateway and to our customers." weway 2000 you 7// the cows come home. When you add it all up, 1988 1989 1990 4,000- -25,000- -100,000- projected date way 2000 sells more computers through the direct market channel than any other PC manufacturer in the country. Waitt, you'll understand why you've got a friend in the Gateway 2000 business at Gateway 2000. President and CEO. "Of I Computer magazine readers will remember the company's early ads featured a picture of the Waitt cattle farm with the headline, "Computers from Iowa?" You ve got a friend in the busine.s 8 0-523-2000 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 x 1.44 MB 3.5" Drive 40 MB 17ms IDE Drive with 32K Cache 16BitVGAwith512K 14" 1024x768 Color Monitor 1 Parallel/2 Serial Ports 101 Key Keyboard MS DOS 3.3 or 4.01 $1495.00 GATEWAY 386SX ■ 4 MB RAM 1.2 MB 5.25" Drive 1.44 MB 3.5" Drive : 140 MB 17ms IDE Drive" with 32K Cache ■ 16 Bit VGA with 5 12K 14" 1024x768 Color Monitor ■ 1 Parallel/2 Serial Ports 101 Key Key board MS DOS 3.3 or 4.01 MS WINDOWS 3.0 $1895.00 25MHZ 386VGA 4 MB RAM 1.2 MB 5.25" Drive 1.44 MB 3.5" Drive 80 MB 17ms IDE Drive with 32K Cache 16BitVGAwith 1 MB 14" 1024x768 Color Monitor 1 Parallel/2 Serial Ports 101 Key Keyboard MS DOS 3.3 or 4.01 MS WINDOWS 3.0 $2395.00 25MHZ 386CACHEM 1 33MHZ 386VGA mum 64K Cache RAM 4 MB RAM 1.2 MB 5.25" Drive 1.44 MB 3.5" Drive 80 MB 17ms IDE Drive with 32K Cache 16BitVGAwith 1 MB 14" 1024x768 Color Monitor 1 Parallel/2 Serial Ports 101 Key Key board MS DOS 3.3 or 4.01 MS WINDOWS 3.0 $2695.00 64K Cache RAM 4 MB RAM 1.2 MB 5.25" Drive 1.44 MB 3.5" Drive 200 MB 15ms IDE Drive with 64K Multi-Segmented Cache 16 Bit VGA with 1MB 14" 1024x768 Color Monitor II Parallel/2 Serial Ports j 101 Key Keyboard I MS DOS 3.3 or 4.01 MS WINDOWS 3.0 $3195.00 25MHZ 486V G A 64K Cache RAM 8 MB RAM 1.2 MB 5.25" Drive 1.44 MB 3.5" Drive 200 MB 15ms IDE Drive with 64K Multi-Segmented Cache 16 Bit VGA with 1MB 14" 1024x768 Color Monitor I 1 Parallel/2 Serial Ports 101 Key Keyboard MS DOS 3.3 or 4.01 MS WINDOWS 3.0 $3995.00 BEST BUY Same features as our 33 MHz 386 VGA system except this machine has an 80 MB 17ms IDE Drive instead of the 200 MB 15ms IDE Drive. $2795.00 STANDARD FEATURES AND SERVICES • Microsoft® WINDOWS™ and Mouse 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 DKAM market, all prices are subject to change. 8 0-523-2000 610 Gateway Drive • N. Sioux City, SD 57049 • 605-232-2000 • Fax 605-232-2023 Letters and Ask BYTE Object Orientations I just read Brad J. Cox's stimulating arti- cle "There Is a Silver Bullet" (October 1990). His analysis hits the software cri- sis dead center. It is interesting to note the resistance of typical programmers to creating modu- lar systems, as well as to investing the ef- fort in making modules and programs user-friendly. Commercial software is certainly making strides toward being user-friendly (but not toward modular- ity). Programmers still appear to think that it is unprofessional to make their work accessible to users, much less to other professionals. This appears to be true even of those programmers who create modules for their own use. The modular approach is certain to be attacked by programmers as demeaning by changing a highly skilled occupation into one that merely produces useful ob- jects. However, the definition of useful objects, of collections of useful objects, and of hierarchies of useful objects is a higher-level and more difficult skill than programming. Chris E. Kuyatt Sandy Spring, MD I fear that Christopher M . Stone and Da- vid Hentchel reflect their lack of experi- ence in the banking industry when they argue that the object-oriented approach is not the right thing for bank accounts ("Database Wars Revisited," October 1990). After spending many years lead- ing software development efforts for large banking systems, I can assure you that there is almost no area in computing that can benefit as much as banking ap- plications. Why? Because the central profitability issue for a bank is being quick to market with new products (e.g., a new type of bank account). New accounts are clones of old ones with minor modifications. Take 10 COBOL programmers and six months using traditional technology to implement a new product, and you can find yourself clobbered by competitors who have grabbed your market share. Yet, in a few weeks, using inheritance as an example, a new account type can be up and running and fully tested. No competitor can beat this using conven- tional technology. In addition, version testing is extreme- There Is a Silver Bullet A software i/uiustrial revolution basal on retouMe ml imerdvmgealifi' parts will alter the iafftvare un/im ly useful to a bank. New products must be tested against a clone of a real data- base to look at profit-margin effects. Using conventional technology requires setting up a completely independent test database, which involves a lot of time and expense. By the time you are done, you always get somewhat ambiguous results, because a real production database is far too large and time-sensitive to accurately duplicate. With version testing, the marketing department can run as-if scenarios against the real database and throw away the test versions after the results have been analyzed, all without affecting pro- duction. The authors are correct in assuming that someone should not be able to check out an account using optimistic locking, allowing someone else to update it while it is in use. However, using object-server 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 BlXmailc/o u 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. technology, at the bank where I work, we implemented pessimistic locking with transaction processing performance an order of magnitude faster than relational systems and three times faster than benchmark results from a number of the best hierarchical database management systems. The auditors were ecstatic with object- server technology that could store meth- ods in the database. Using methods as triggers, they could submit encrypted rules to the bank that caused certain ac- counts or certain transactions to be mon- itored. The database would automati- cally generate encrypted reports to be returned to the auditors or, alternatively, send a mail message to the auditor that something suspicious was going on. The trigger approach is the most ad- vanced auditing scheme currently avail- able, because transactions can be moni- tored without the knowledge of the banking staff and completely indepen- dently of any COBOL application pro- grammer's code. Only the database de- signers know how the public/private key- encryption algorithms are generated, and even they can't crack the auditors' encrypted audit requests or the encrypted reports generated by the system. Jeffrey V. Sutherland President, Object Databases Cambridge, MA The Object Lessons section (State of the Art, October 1990) was excellent, and it contained enough technical information for me to sink my teeth into. I would like to comment, however, on a recurring theme in this sort of subject area. I like to call it the Evangelical Theme. Simply put, it refers to support- ers of some new concept (in this case, ob- ject-oriented programming) believing that their method is going to revolution- ize computing and that no one will use the old way ever again. I detected quite a bit of evangelism in some of the articles in this section. I am what one of your authors would call a synthesist. That basically means that I recognize the inescapable fact that no one system, technology, or method- ology is appropriate to all programs. For the most part, people do not write data acquisition software in Scheme, and they don't write database software in JANUARY 1991 -BYTE 33 LETTERS FORTRAN. Why? Because neither of those languages is appropriate to the task at hand. A similar argument applies to the present "objective" craze. Object-ori- ented languages and techniques are use- ful for modeling object-oriented prob- lems, like the manipulation of desktops or message-passing simulations. Does this mean that you can't use C++ to do numerical analysis? Of course not. But it does mean that C++ or Smalltalk or Xlisp may not be the appropriate tool for the job. I liked the way your articles gave Ob- jective-C equal time alongside C++. Many programmers think that Objec- tive-C is in some way better that C++, and the debate is still not over. Garrett A. Wollman South Burlington, VT I read BYTE because it goes into ad- vanced topics sufficiently to stretch my mind; the comprehensive object-oriented programming (OOP) material in your October issue puffed my mind up like a balloon. In spite of my reverence for Edward Yourdon's knowledge and ability com- pared to mine, I disagree with some of his comments in "Auld Lang Syne." I approach analysis and programming by looking for the tool that will do the best job for what I want to do. I won't use a pipe wrench to drive a nail (well , I will in an emergency), and I won't use a ham- mer to put in a screw. If OOP in one area does the job better, I'll use it; if it does not, I won't. Saying that structured pro- cedural programming is always right is as foolish as saying that OOP is always the answer. However, I do believe that 00 A (ob- ject-oriented analysis) is a very benefi- cial shift of paradigm. It forces us to be sure that we really understand the sys- tem. I can't design it if I don't understand what it does or how it does it. Your articles on OOP and OOA/OOD (object-oriented design) really helped me understand the subject better. Thomas J. McCarthy Indianapolis, IN More from the Summit The quote from Bill Gates ("BYTE Sum- mit," September 1990) saying that chaos "doesn't impact computers" absolutely flabbergasted me. That is the equivalent of saying that disease is irrelevant to the development and use of the microscope. If not for the invention of computers, chaos would be nothing more than the constant annoyance that, despite our "great" knowledge, seems to constantly foil the best computed predictions of mice-using people. Chaos is seeing the forest for the trees. We in medicine have been constantly confounded by the perceived imprecision of nature. Why do some people with vir- tually identical environments develop cancer? Why do some survive while others perish? Computers made the science of chaos possible. Computers are the microscope of the future. A science discovered on computers and that defines the universe certainly deserves more than a few gra- tuitous lines in BYTE's prediction of the future. Chaos theory is important to computing because it will yield ways to make computers do (not simulate) things of which we now just barely dream. Thank you, BYTE; you've been my companion for 15 years. I hope you'll be here for many more years to come. Con- gratulations on your birthday. Dr. Kenneth D. Hackmeyer Cleveland, OH The BYTE Summit is about the future, and, according to the "experts," the fu- ture is bright. Computers will be more powerful, cheaper, faster, smaller, and so much a part of our lives that we won't even notice them anymore. Come on, BYTE, tell us something we don't already know. You chose to talk with people involved with the industry for many years. Why didn't you ask those "experts" to take a look back and reflect on the impact of the work they have done? Better yet, why didn't you ask users about that impact or about what they would like to see in the future? That kind of feedback could be useful and healthy. Although it makes a cursory nod to so- cial issues, the BYTE Summit is mainly an ode to technological progress, by a bunch of insiders cheering themselves on to a bigger and better future. I can't be- lieve I read the whole thing. Sarah Brehm Madison, WI Recycling Rebuttal "To Refill or Not to Refill" (July 1990, p. 142) contained inaccurate statements and did not tell the whole story. As a result of the introduction of Canon laser printers and copiers that use a replaceable cartridge containing the drum and toner supply, an entire indus- try has sprung up since 1985 to recycle used Canon toner cartridges. There were problems in those early days, with most cartridge refillers using the "drill and fill" method. This simply meant drilling a hole in the cartridge, dumping out the old toner, and filling the cartridge with new toner. The results were not always satisfactory, and the industry obtained a bad reputation. "Drill and fill" was soon replaced by a remanuf acturing process that was a vast improvement; however, the problem of parts wearing out (particularly the opti- cal photo coupler [OPC] drum) was still an obstacle in consistently providing a quality product to the end user. About a year ago, new technology caused some dramatic changes. You stated that the life of the OPC is limited. This is true, especially as it relates to the original OEM drum. However, cartridge recyclers now have available to them a new "super drum" that allows a car- tridge to be recycled as many as 10 to 20 times with no noticeable drum wear. There are also replacement corona wires, wiper blades, and related products to en- sure quality. Most cartridge recyclers indicate on the cartridge the date and/or the number of times a recycle is com- pleted in order to monitor the life of the cartridge. Because most cartridge recyclers guarantee their product (many even guarantee a minimum number of refills), it is not necessary to require that the re- cycler return the exact cartridge you sent him, although most recyclers will work with you should you require that the orig- inal be returned. Regardless of what a manufacturer's service representative tells you, using a recycled cartridge will not void your warranty. Manufacturers' official policy [often] states that if a refilled cartridge causes any damage, the warranty won't cover repairs caused by that cartridge. There is no record of damage caused by properly recycled cartridges during the industry's five-year history. Properly re- cycled cartridges can cause no more damage than a brand-new cartridge. Most cartridge recyclers will provide a guarantee in the event that this should happen. Cheryle White President, American Cartridge Recycling Association Miami, FL Alternative Operating Systems Thank you for your reviews of alternative operating systems to OS/2, Unix, and DOS extenders. However, I was very dis- appointed in Ben Smith's review of OS- 9000 ("From a Tiny Kernel. . . ," Sep- tember 1990). There were no compar- isons of the size of the kernel, or of the 34 BYTE • JANUARY 1991 We slash interface development time. (and we can prove it!) 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 kit and put us 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 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 to enhance text displays. Pinnacle Meadows, Richford, VT 05476 Phone: (802) 848-7731 FAX: (802) 848-3502 *&k Ctk sCtic MM j> *±fc *±fc *&k *$* *$?■ >q> *$y ^p ■ . »t%» *%* 5qS *qS WE GUARANTEE YOUR SATISFACTION. FOREVER. We're so sure you'll 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.) *±lc >d>: *±fc *£*: *±fe iCfcle *&M sCtk *£k *±Je sCtk gg Kfc *%* *$? jag »gy gg *$? >qg *$* *q? Call for your FREE demo kit! 800-848-1248 (Please mention "Offer 086") 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 357 on Reader Service Card ASK BYTE speed of doing common operations ver- sus QNX, Xenix, or Unix. No mention was made of the ability to install, re- move, or modify drivers without regen- erating the kernel. Also, Smith stated, "You probably won't be using OS-9000 for your com- mon PC applications. " Why not? The ar- ticle was supposed to be about alternative operating systems, right? Ramer W. Streed North Mankato, MN My article was not a review, so my intent was to give a brief description of an oper- ating system, not to compare operating systems. To do what you are asking, we would need to develop an independent set of op- erating-system benchmarks that tested the common advanced features of each operating system. That's a task that I would suggest as a doctoral project for a Ph.D. in computer science. —Ben Smith ASK BYTE Hyperion Huzzahs Once upon a time, there was a marvelous little machine called the Hyperion and a marvelous word processing program with it, called In: scribe. The program did all the basic things that most people want. It did not do a bunch of things that pretty sophisticated people want, but the trade-off was that the program was virtu- ally idiot-proof and took only a few min- utes to master. The secret was the use of softkeys that were displayed on-screen in a cascading sequence. It was a delight to use. Do you know of any program now available that uses this system? If so, I'd like to know where I can get it. The near- est I have come is Microsoft Word. Also, is Inscribe for the more advanced ver- sions of MS-DOS still commercially available anywhere? P. M. Pitfield Westmount, Quebec, Canada Ahh. . . another fan of the Hyperion. In tracking down the current whereabouts of Inscribe, I keep running into more and more die-hard fans of the Hyperion por- table. Dynalogic Info -Tech (the develop- er of the Hyperion) disappeared some time ago, changing its name and merging several times. The technology behind In- scribe is currently part of the NT M Menu Manager interface from Diligence Tech- nologies. Now known as Notemaker, the program has been turned into an ASCII system editor, and while it still uses func- tion keys, it no longer has the cascading key sequences that were the Hyperion 's trademark. Too bad, too, as that idea was a popular one used in a number of commercial products. Hewlett-Packard used it in its 64000 series development system, and when I worked for Coleco, we used it on the Smart software family for the Adam. Maybe we 11 see it again someday. In the meantime, Cornier m (93 Hymus Blvd. , Pointe Claire, Quebec H9R 1E2, (514) 694-4332) is still handling service on the Hyperion. The service division is undergoing a name change even as we speak, but if you contact the people there at the above address, they'll put you in touch with the right people. — H. E. A Luggable Beast As I read through "15 Years of Bits, Bytes, and Other Great Moments" (Sep- tember 1990), I was surprised to see a reference to the IBM 5 100 that was an- nounced in 1975. I have one of these "luggable" machines collecting dust in my garage because my wife refuses to let me bring it inside. When I told her it originally sold for around $9000, she was still not interested. As I contemplate selling the beast, I am curious to know what you thought I could sell it for today. Is it a collector's item, or should I consider using it as a boat anchor? Douglas G. Jones Valparaiso, FL I know exactly what you 're talking about. I have a dozen or more machines, some dating back to before the 5100. They 're neat to have, and it certainly seems like they should be worth something. Get a stout chain ready— I'll get to the 5100 in a second. There 's a fairly booming business in used equipment nowadays. If you 're looking to buy or sell equipment, you can contact the Boston Computer Exchange (P.O. Box 1177, Boston, MA 02103 (800) 262-6399). The people there have set standard prices for common equip- ment, and for a $25 fee, they will ap- praise any unusual stuff. The BCE didn 't have a listing for the 5100. Another place to check is in one of the used computer listing books. The Nation- al Association of Computer Dealers pub- lishes the Computer Bluebook of whole- sale and retail prices. You can order the book directly ((800) 223-5264) for $15.95. A more detailed book is avail- able from Orion Research (1315 Main Ave., Durango, CO 81301, (303) 247- 8855) for $124.95. Back to the 5100. None of the listing books shows the 5100. A specialty ma- chine like the 5100 has no real value as an everyday machine, unless you happen to need one specifically. That makes it hard to find a buyer. A curiosity seeker might give you $25 for it, while someone who has built an entire testing facility around one might offer you $1000 or more. You might take out an ad in the paper and see who bites. Basically, we 're talking Boat Anchor City here. Since the machine was built back in the 1970s, it's one hefty beast. It's probably worth a fair amount for scrap value. You might contact some scrap dealers and sell it for enough to buy you and your wife a nice dinner out. If you want to see it used by someone, the folks at Orion Research recommend that you contact the National Christina Foundation for the Blind and Disabled ((914) 738-7494). It's a charit- able organization that helps get dona- tions (i.e., used computers) directly to people who can use them. The group doesn't resell the equipment, but it finds a good home for it. Someday, I expect we '11 be getting let- ters from people who need to find out what their old 486s are worth. It 's sad, isn't it?— W. E. On Pascal's Trail I am trying to learn Pascal. Can you rec- ommend a few textbooks on the subject? J. D. St. John Oak Creek, WI If you've made up your mind to learn Pascal, the first thing you should do is buy a good Pascal compiler. It will in- clude your most important resource: the language reference. Many compilers also come with tutorial books or floppy disks. A few popular compilers are from Bor- land International (1800 Green Hills Rd. , P. O. Box 660001, Scotts Valley, CA 95066, (408) 438-8400); IBM (Old Or- chard Rd., Armonk, NY 10504, (800) 426-2468); Jensen & Partners Interna- tional (1101 San Antonio Rd. , Suite 301, Mountain View, CA 94043, (800) 543- 5202); MetaWare (2161 Delaware Ave., Santa Cruz, CA95060, (408) 429-6382); Microsoft Corp. (1 Microsoft Way, Red- mond, WA 98052, (800) 426-9400); and MicroWay (P.O. Box 79, Kingston, MA 02364, (508) 746-7341). When you order, you should also ask about any companion books for the spe- cific compiler you choose. Pascal is no longer the hot language it 36 BYTE • JANUARY 1991 covelDRAWH.O IF YOU'VE GOT WINDOWS 3.0 YOU SHOULD HAVE CORELDRAW! CorelDRAW! ::•■:::!■:■* I Ua 1 1 1 1 1 ■ 1 1 1 ■ |' T feH| 150 MVP C COREL The World's Finest PC Graphics Software ©COREL TEL : (613)728-8200 FAX : (613)728-9790 Circle 70 on Reader Service Card There are )malaser .. . • A _ .. '"J« "V-. ! 1 H 1 When you want corporate-size features in a desk to p packa ge. Speed, fonts, flexibility. Everything you want in a personal laser printer, in a package that fits comfortably in your office or home. The KX-P4420 prints at a fast 8 letter-sized originals per minute— up to twice the speed of some personal laser printers. And its standard features include a large-capacity paper cassette, 22 internal fonts available in 25 symbol sets (including legal), plus 512K of memory, expandable to a full 4.5MB. The 4420 personal laser printer. Corporate -size features. Personal price. The Panasonic Personal Laser. Printers, Computers, Peripherals, Copiers, typewriters and Facsimiles Panasonic, Office Automation/r%/" When you have several peo ple in your department , you need a printer that can handle them all. Lots of speed, lots of capacity, lots of emulations. The KX-P4450i is meant for the whole department. It has dual-bin, high-capacity paper cassettes. And does a full 11 pages per minute even if every page is different. Each page will be crisp and clear, no matter which of the 28 internal fonts you re using. And the 4450i emulates LaserJet Series II, as well as popular dot matrix and daisy wheel printers* This is one laser everyone will be happy to share. What makes the company look g ood makes you look g ood. When appearance is all, choose the KX-P4455 with Adobe PostScript. With it, you can dramatically enhance every document with multiple fonts, varied type sizes, even images rotated and scaled to fit. At 11 pages per minute, and with superb print quality. The features you want most are standard. From 39 Adobe fonts, to dual-bin, high-capacity paper cassettes. Plus a wealth of optional typefaces. And its interfaces work beauti- fully with MS-DOS, UNIX or Apple environments!" With the 4455, you don't just print your documents, you publish them. The Panasonic Shared Laser. The Panasonic PostScript'Laser. CD ;•.-■. ,. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, SEE THE PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS ON THE NEXT PAGE, OR CALL TOLL-FREE 1-800-742-8086. people do business. TheKX-P4455 Panasonic PostScript Laser. Printin g S peed: 11 pages per minute* * Compatibilit y: Adobe PostScript, HP LaserJet Series II and Diablo 630 emulations* Fonts: 39 Adobe Fonts* Pa per Handlin g: Two 250-Sheet Cassettes. Resolution: 300 Dots Per Inch. RAM: 2MB Standard, expandable to 4MB. Interfaces: RS-232C/422A Serial, Centronics Parallel and Appletalk* TheKX-P4420 Panasonic Personal Laser. Printin g S peed: 8 pages per minute* * Compatibilit y: HP LaserJet Series II emulation* Fonts: 22 Internal Fonts -11 available in both portrait and landscape. Two slots for optional font cards. Pa per Handlin g: 250- Sheet Cassette with Manual Feed. Face -up and face- down output. Resolution: 300 Do s Per Inch. RAM: 512K Standard, expandable to 4.5MB. Interfaces: Centronics Parallel; Optional RS-232C Serial. lijSjSj j^ ^^ i II" lm TheKX-P4450i Panasonic Shared Laser Printin g S peed: 11 pages per minute* Com patibilit y: HP LaserJet Series 11, Panasonic, Epson, IBM and Diablo emulations* Fonts: 28 Internal Fonts-14 available in both portrait and landscape. Two slo s for optional font cards. Pa per Handlin g: Two 250-Sheet Cassettes with Manual Feed. Resolution: 300 Dots Per Inch. RAM: 512K Standard, expandable to 4.5MB. Interfaces: Centronics Parallel and RS-232C Serial r Printers. Computers, Peripherals, Copiers* Typewriters and Facsimiles Panasonic, Office Automation/j ;;;:=: ^^\ *HP and LaserJet Series II, Epson, IBM, Diablo, Adobe and PostScript, MS-DOS, UNIX and Appletalk are registered trademarks or trademarks of Hewlett-Packard Co., Seiko Epson Corp., International Business Machines Inc., Xerox Corp., Adobe S^tems Inc., Microsoft Corp., AT&T, and Apple Computer Inc., respectively. * * Letter size, text mode, 5.5% image area, all originals. (Specifications are subject to change witnout notice.] IPF- BY Circle 233 on Reader Service Card ASK BYTE once was. Some publishers— such as the Waite Group, which put out very good Pascal books in the past— are no longer carrying titles on the subject. Holt, Rinehart & Winston (301 Com- merce St., Suite 3700, Ft. Worth, TX 76102, (800) 776-2606) has discontinued a fine book on Pascal by James Peters. The company still has some Pascal books in its catalog, so you can give the people there a call. Osborne/McGraw-Hill (2600 10th St. , Berkeley, CA 94710, (800) 227-0900) has some titles geared toward Borland 's Turbo Pascal. Sybex (2021 Challenger Dr., Suite 100, Alameda, CA 94501, (800) 227-2346) has an introductory book on Pascal as well as titles covering Microsoft's Quick Pascal. For other books on Quick Pascal, call Microsoft Press (P.O. Box 97200, 10700 Nor thup Way, Bellevue, WA 98009, (800) 888- 3303). You can call any or all of these publishers and request a catalog. -S. D. OOP Help At British Steel, we are looking into ob- ject-oriented programming, and I need a comprehensive text for reference. I have long been a convert to BYTE and would like to know if you could either recommend a sensible book or quote me a price for a collection of BYTE articles packaged up that I could refer to in my work on a pilot project. Gary R. Pead South Yorks, U.K. I love to answer reader requests that are so easy. The October 1990 State of the Art sec- tion is devoted to object-oriented pro- gramming. There are quite a few OOP books out. I suggest you browse through a bookstore 's technical section. Here are some titles to lookfor: • Designing Object-Oriented Software by Rebecca Wirfs-Brock, Brian Wilker- son, and Lauren Wiener (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1990). • Object Oriented Program Design with Examples in C + + by Mark Mullin (Reading, M A: Addison-Wesley , 1990). • Object-Oriented Turbo Pascal by Alex Lane (Redwood City, CA: M&T Publish- ing, 1990). -S. W. CAI Search I am looking for authoring software for developing CAI courseware on the PC. Would you please let me know the names and addresses of reputable manufac- turers and the names of their products. I would also appreciate it if you could send me the address and telephone of Kinko Academic Software. Dr. Ivan Tomek Nova Scotia, Canada Authoring software continues to evolve on the PC. The coming year should bring some exciting products. For now, there is Authorware Professional for Windows (Authorware, 8500 Normandale Lake Blvd., Minneapolis, MN 55437, (612) 921-8555); Guide (Owl International, Inc., 2800 156th Ave. SE, Bellevue, WA 98007, (206) 747-3203; ask for Sharlene or Julie); Icon Author (Aimtech Corp. , 77 Northeastern Blvd. , Nashua, NH 03062, (800) 289-2884); and Quest (Allen Com- munications, 5225 Wiley Post Way, Suite 140, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 537-7800). I cannot find a listing for Kinko Aca- demic Software. Perhaps one of our read- ers has the information. Any takers ? -S. D. Faster, Please Help! I have an upgrade question that probably is answered in Computer Sci- ence 101, but for which I can't find an answer locally. I own a Leading Edge Model D that works fine for me. I added an Amdek 600 color monitor, a 30-MB hard disk drive, and an Epson 24-pin printer. However, my wife has gotten the geneal- ogy bug, and some of the sort routines on her program are taking too long to run. Ergo, I want to speed up the machine. I considered using a 286 board, but I was told that I could double the operating speed by using a V20 CPU. I would prob- ably have to upgrade the RAM chips and would need a new ROM, but I can't find out which one. I wrote to Leading Edge in Westbor- ough, Massachusetts, back in July but never received an answer. So, if some- one at BYTE could run the solution by me, I surely would appreciate it. Sure, a 486 or even a 386 would be nice, but I have neither the money nor the need for a new machine, so my D and the Heath H-89 will keep on doing fine. JoseC. Cabanillas Orange Park, FL You 've been misinformed. The V20 CPU is a direct replacement for the 8088. You don 't need faster RAM chips or a new ROM BIOS. At most, the new CPU would give you a 5 percent increase in comput- ing power. Plugging a 286 speedup board into your computer may work, depending on how old your Model D is. Early models had bugs in the BIOS ROMs, and they may not work with speedup boards. You could try the speedup with the pro- viso that you could return the upgrade if it didn 't work. Leading Edge was bought out by Hyun- dai Electronics, and support for the Leading Edge is practically nonexistent. Goodluck.—S. W. It Kept Going, and Now It's Gone I have an Epson PX-8 laptop computer that I have used to good effect on busi- ness trips here and overseas since 1983. It is just the right size to fit in my brief- case and carry along without constantly reminding me of its presence. My problem is that the rechargeable battery has finally given up the ghost. Where can I find replacement batteries for the PX-8 and for the separate 3Vi- inch floppy disk drive? David M. Dacus Chantilly, VA Epson still carries replacement batteries and parts in its catalog. You can bring your machine to any sales and service center and have the battery replaced. If you 'd rather do it yourself, a number of service centers will sell you the parts di- rectly. You can reach Epson 's Accesso- ries division at (800) 873-7766. The peo- ple there will give you the name of a service center in your area. One place you might try is Transaction Equipment in Yorba Linda, California, at (714) 970- 7881. The people there seem to know anything you 'd ever want to know about the PX-8. Unfortunately, the PX-8 accessories are no longer available, but that machine was fairly popular, and ser- vice should be available for a long time to come. Just remember that as parts be- come less and less common, they become more and more expensive. That battery you need won 't be cheap.— H. E . FIXES • The price of a single-user PC license for the Pick operating system ("Pick: OS or DBMS?" November 1990) was incor- rect. The correct price is $495. • As careful readers of the time line ("15 Years of Bits, Bytes, and Other Great Moments," September 1990) well know, the importance of the original IBM PC cannot be overstated. ■ JANUARY 1991 -BYTE 41 SUN PROUDIY ANNOUNCES THE UrnMATE MACHINE SPARCstation™ 2. If you think limits were made to be exceeded, this is your kind of machine. After all, it exceeds all our own limits. Last year, SPARC- station 1 broke every record for price and performance. And became the best-selling work- station in history By far. But we went right back to the drawing board. And created the entire SPARCstation21ine. POWER YOU CAN ACTUALLY USE. To begin with, you get twice the performance. For about the same price. 28.5 MIPS. 21 SPECmarks. And 4.2 MFLOPS. You can even have up to 96MB of RAM. And as much as 7.6GB of mass storage. But more than just a hot engine, you get everything else you need to do your job. Unbelievably real graphics. Easy networking. A huge selection of software. And complete expandability Put all that together, and you get the kind of power you can actually use. THE WHOLE LINE IS AWESOME. THE PRICES AREN'T Just look at SPARCstation 2GX. It gives you ultra-high speed at no extra cost. And brings a whole new level of performance to X- window applications. So it's ideal for electronic publishing. Financial analysis. And for anyone who has to work with 2-D and 3-D wireframe applications. And that's just the most basic color model. We've also built SPARCstation 2GS. It lets • 1990Sun Microsystems, Inc. Sun Microsystems and the Sun logo are registered trademarks. nndSun, SunOS, OpenWindows, DeskSutand Computers that network people are trademarks, oiSun Microsystems, Inc. SPARCstation andSPARCware QD CD LlJ GD ( Tn ~ J ( f "--J fc GDCDCDCiDBSG CDCDOGGDE filter: I pi/ ->HfC5| • — you create 3-D solid images in 24-bit true color. It's the kind of machine you hate to share. And from now on, you won't have to. At the high end, there's SPARCstation 2GT. It does all the above, but it's been tuned especially for PHIGS, which is the highest standard for 3-D graphics on the planet. So it runs five times faster than the GS. With all this, it gives you a level of image quality you've never seen at anywhere close to its price. THE WHOLE THING MAKES PERFECT STRATEGIC SENSE. At Sun, we make a full line of SPARC-based systems. From the lowest-cost RISC/UNIX @ workstation in the world to servers that support hundreds of users. They're all binary compatible. And they're built to run the most widely accepted standards for workstations. On the subject of software, there are more than 2100 SPARC ware™ applications. In- cluding all the most popular solids modeling programs. And the most popular PC soft- ware. And with our OPEN LOOK® interface, you'll spend less time learning the system. And more time on your real job. If you'd like to know more, callusat 1-800-821-4643. (From California, 1-800-821-4642.) And we'll give you a better machine to strive with. #sun X^ microsystems Computers that network people!" are trademarks of SPARC International, Inc., licensed exclusively to Sun Microsystems, Inc. SPARC products are based on an architecture developed by Sun Microsystems, Inc. OPIiN LOOK is a registered trademark of UNIX System laboratories. Inc. Circle 307 on Reader Service Card What's New HARDWARE • SYSTEMS 486 EISA in a Tower CCS Custom Computer Systems has introduced its CCS 486-25c EISA com- puter. The 25-MHz system has six EISA slots for bus-master devices, as well as one 16-bit and one 8-bit slot. The CCS 486-25c uses a Mylex MAE486-25 mother- board with a Phoenix BIOS. The board provides 128K bytes of static RAM write-back cache in addition to its 8K-byte internal cache. The 4-MB 80-ns single in-line memory modules on the board are ex- pandable to 32 MB. A Weitek WTL4167 math coprocessor socket is also provided. The CCS 486-25c has two floppy disk drives (one 5 l A- inch, one 3 ! /2-inch), a Con- ner Peripherals CP3200F 212- MB SCSI drive, and a real- time clock/calendar with battery backup. Housed in a 30- by 10- by 29-inch tower case with 12 half-height drive bays, the CCS 486-25c has a 375-W power supply. Options are available. Price: $9999. Contact: CCS Custom Com- puter Systems, Inc., 191 WoodportRd., Sparta, NJ 07871,(201)729-6762. Inquiry 1271. Two SPARCs The 25-MHz Solarix/4 Personal Workstation Plus (Solarix/4 PW+) operates at 18 MIPS; by replacing its credit-card-size processor module, called the A-Module, you can upgrade to 40-MIPS performance. The Solarix/4 PW + uses both the SPARC 32-bit SBus and the SPARC 64-bit MBus The CCS 486-25c EISA features a Mylex MAE486-25 motherboard with a Phoenix BIOS. Its 128K bytes of write-back cache provides zero-wait-state operation. and provides 8 to 32 MB of RAM using standard single in-line memory modules. You have the option of adding from 64 to 128MB with Solarix SIMMs. Available as a mini-tower with an internal bay support- ing up to six half-height pe- ripherals, the Solarix/4 PW + works as a stand-alone unit or as part of a network. It comes with 8 MB of RAM and a 17-inch monochrome monitor. A second config- uration offers a 104-MB SCSI internal hard disk drive, a 17-inch monochrome monitor, 8 MB of RAM, and a 1.44- MB floppy disk drive. Price: Standard configura- tion, $6995; configuration with SCSI internal hard disk drive, $7995. Contact: Solarix Systems, 46791 Fremont Blvd., Fre- mont, CA 94538, (415) 659-1544. Inquiry 1272. The Mariner 4i is a work- station that combines the power of SPARC technology with DOS accessibility, all in one box. The heart of the Mariner 4i is a Sun-compatible SPARC workstation, but be- cause it's based on a standard ISA bus, you can add an op- tional DOS module for full DOS compatibility. According to Mars, the 25- MHz Cypress SPARC CPU provides 16.8-MIPS perfor- 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. mance. Add the plug-in DOS module, and you get a 386 processor with cache, VGA display capability that runs in a window of the SPARC screen, and up to 8 MB of RAM. The module includes four PC bus connectors that let you use AT peripherals. Price: Diskless unit with 16-inch monochrome moni- tor, $5995; unit with DOS module, 19-inch color moni- tor, and 207-MB hard disk drive, $10,995. Contact: Mars Microsys- tems, P.O. Box 1080, Mars, PA 16046, (412) 934-1040. Inquiry 1273. A Smaller EISA 386 for Small Businesses In addition to 33-MBps burst DMA transfers, the 25-MHz Micro Express ME 386-EISA system offers 14 in- dependently programmable channels. It comes with 1 MB of RAM, a 1.2-MB floppy disk drive, and one serial and one parallel port. It is housed in a mini-tower case. A Phoenix EISA BIOS is included on the motherboard, with an expanded memory manager and disk caching as standard features. The sys- tem and video BIOS are trans- ferred to shadow RAM to in- crease performance. The standard 8 MB of RAM is expandable to 16MB with an 8-MB add-in board. The ME 386-EISA accom- modates six 32-bit EISA ex- pansion cards and two 8-bit ISA cards. It has a socket for an Intel 80387 or Weitek WTL3167 math coprocessor. Price: $1799. Contact: Micro Express, 1801 Carnegie Ave., Santa Ana, CA 92705, (800) 642- 7621 or (714) 852-1400. Inquiry 1274. 44 BYTE* JANUARY 1991 HARDWARE A Hand Scanner for PCs and Macs The M800 Plus, an 800- dpi hand scanner, lets you scan an image as small as a postage stamp and retain the full details of the image. For use with PCs and Macs, it pro- duces 64 levels of gray and 12 halftone patterns. WiththeM800 Plus's in- verse image function, you can create special effects. The PC version includes PC Paint- brush Plus and CAT Reader OCR; a special PC version, M800W Plus, is compatible with Windows 3.0; the Macin- tosh version includes Digital Darkroom and Scanlink. Price: PC version, $459; Macintosh version, $549. Contact: Marstek, Inc., 17795-F Sky Park Cir., Irvine, CA 92714, (714) 833-7740. Inquiry 1275. Eight Keys to Easy Typing Vatell is offering an alter- native to the QWERTY keyboard: the Accukey. The 2-pound, eight-key unit is Marstek 's 800-dpi hand scanner to let you scan stamp-size images works with PCs and Macs and create special effects. economically designed and about half the size of a conven- tional keyboard. According to Vatell , an average user can learn to touch-type on it in 3 to 4 hours following the tutori- al included with the unit. Each key has three states: forward, backward, and neu- tral. You produce characters by using one finger of each hand to form two-finger chords. Your fingers always rest on the same keys, and your palms rest on the base of the unit. The Accukey performs all the functions of other key- boards and is compatible with all types of computers and CRT terminals, according to Vatell. Price: $500, including a multiuser tutorial. Contact: Vatell Corp., P.O. Box 66, Christiansburg, VA 24073, (703) 961-3576. Inquiry 1276. Economically designed, the Accukey is Vatell 's alternative to the QWERTY keyboard. An Upgrade Kit Long on Compatibility A hard disk drive kit for your PC that offers a total upgrade solution and easy in- stallation is available, accord- ing to its manufacturer, Mi- cropolis. Called the PC PAK (Performance Advantage Kit), each kit contains a high- speed ESDI controller or a SCSI host adapter, software, hardware, and an installation guide. Compatible with PC-DOS, Novell, Xenix, and Unix sys- tems, the PC PAK comes in half-height (180-MB or 380- MB) and full-height (760- MB or 1.2-gigabyte) capaci- ties. The hard disk drives feature read-ahead caching and command queuing. They carry a mean-time-between- failures rating of 150,000 hours, according to the manufacturer. Price: $1895 to $5895, de- pending on configuration. Contact: Micropolis Corp., 21211 Nordhoff St., Chats- worth, CA 91311, (818) 709-3300. Inquiry 1277. Remote Audio Control for Your Mac Based on VLSI technol- ogy, Mirror Technol- ogies' CDR-10 CD-ROM/ audio player offers full audio support and an embedded SCSI interface. The company packages the unit with its cus- tom remote-control software, which controls the audio por- tion of the CD-ROM. The CDR-10's 350-ms ac- cess rate lets you use it with any Macintosh. You can also attach it to an audio system via RCA jacks. The audio player has variable volume control and reads any disk written in HFS High Sierra ISO 9660 standard format. Each unit comes with a 30-day guaran- tee, a one-year warranty, and lifetime technical support. Price: $697. Contact: Mirror Technol- ogies, 2644 Patton Rd., Rose- ville, MN 55113, (800) 654- 5294 or (612) 633-4450. Inquiry 1278. JANUARY 1991 -BYTE 45 WHAT'S NEW HARDWARE A D D - I N S Fly Through Your Graphics with These Cards According to National Design, the Volante Series intelligent graphics controller cards, based on the Texas Instruments TMS34020 graphics proces- sor, have a processing speed 50 percent faster than cards based on the TMS34010 pro- cessor. The cards are also equipped with application- specific ICs. Volante cards are available for ATs and compatibles and for the VMEbus. They in- clude an AutoCAD software driver and are designed to handle all major graphics envi- ronments. Able to support 256 active colors from a palette of 16.7 million, they have a maximum resolution of 1280 by 1024 pixels. The cards' standard 512K bytes of DRAM is expandable to as much as 4 MB; their 1 MB of video RAM is ex- pandable to 8 MB. The option- al TMS34082 floating-point processor is capable of per- forming functions such as 3- D convolution. Price: $995 to $3495. Contact: National Design, Inc., Houston Building, Suite 230, 9171 Capital of Texas Hwy., Austin, TX 78759, (512) 343-5055. Inquiry 1279. Colorful Windows from Matrox The M-WIN 1280 is the first of Matrox's new M- WIN series of graphics boards for 286 and 386 sys- tems. It is also compatible with 486 EISA computers. A high-resolution, single- slot controller, the M-WIN 1280 displays up to 256 The Volante XT1000 video graphics card has an AutoCAD driver and supports 256 active colors. screen colors from a palette of 16.7 million. The board, based on Western Digital's 8514/A chip set, runs pro- grams such as Lotus 1-2-3 and WordPerfect at a resolution of 1024 by 768 pixels. It has 1280 by 1024 drivers for run- ning Windows 3.0, Presenta- tion Manager, and X Win- dow System 11.4. Price: US$2495. Contact: Matrox Electronic Systems, Ltd., 1055 St. Regis Blvd., Dorval, Quebec, Can- ada H9P 2T4, (514) 685-2630. Inquiry 1280. The MAC-56 DSP System Lets You Be Original A digital signal processing system based on Motoro- la's DSP56001 microproces- sor is available for the Macin- tosh. The system, a joint venture of Momentum Data Systems and Ariel, com- prises a MAC-56 board and software that lets you develop your own programs for the DSP56001 chip. The MAC-56 has 144K bytes of zero-wait-state mem- ory, expandable to the chip's limit of 576K bytes. You can use DSPnet, the board's high-speed parallel interface, to interconnect multiple MAC-56 boards. Bundled software includes a Motorola-compatible macro assembler and SCSI and DSPnet drivers. The MAC-56 incorporates a private SCSI bus for real-time signal I/O. For audio I/O, it includes a Next-compatible DSP port. Price: $2995. Contact: Ariel Corp., 433 River Rd., Highland Park, NJ 08904, (201) 249-2900. Inquiry 1281. Cache Your Data Securely The ESDI-Security Cache Controller from GSI ac- commodates up to four ESDI drives with up to 3 MB of cache per drive. The control- ler is designed for use with disk-intensive applications such as CAD and database and network server applications. Features include a 20- MHz transfer rate, a 5-MBps bus transfer rate, vertical and horizontal skew, and an on- board BIOS with built-in util- ities that supports drives with up to 2046 cylinders. Price: $495. Contact: GSI, 17951 H Sky ParkCir., Irvine, CA 92714, (714)261-7949. Inquiry 1282. Fax/Modem Card for Toshiba Laptops Matrox 's M-WIN 1280 graphics card is compatible with Windows 3. 0, Presentation Manager, and X Window System 11.4. The MaxFax 9624LT-T is Macronix's new inte- grated fax/modem for To- shiba laptop and notebook computers. The 9600-bps fax and Hayes-compatible 2400- bps modem card fits into the dedicated internal modem slot on most Toshiba laptops. Able to operate in the background, the MaxFax has an auto-direct function that determines whether an incom- ing call is for the fax or the modem. The MaxFax supports dot-matrix and laser printers and allows direct faxing from scanner input. Price: $599. Contact: Macronix, Inc., 1348 Ridder Park Dr., San Jose, C A 95 13 1,(408) 453-8088. Inquiry 1283. 46 BYTE • JANUARY 1991 DBMS Case Study The Exxon Valdez Disaster March 24, 1989. Exxon VALDEZ tanker runs aground, creating the worst oil spill in U.S. history. 11,000,000 gallons contaminate the pristine waters of Alaska's Prince William Sound. I , j n Major disasters, like the Exxon Valdez spill, require quick response based on careful data analysis. Fortunately, an easy-to-use database was already being created which would help. Snrt/Select Report Format Retrieve Configure ■jyjKr The Application The Alaskan Marine Contaminants Database lets oceanographic chemists easily access 60 megabytes of data covering the past decade. The database is provided free of charge on CD-ROM, and the Windows interface means they can get right to work, assessing damage to the ecosystems of Prince William Sound and other Alaskan waters. Alaska Marine Contaninants Database i.?.a.'« ,2,3,i|-TRIMETHVLr)ENZEHE 1,2,3,6,7,8-HEXRHVDROPVRENE ? 1,2,ij-TRICHLQR0BENZENE 1,2-D1CHLOROBENZENE 1,3-DICHLOROBENZEHE 1,U~DICHL0R0BENZENE 1-IIETHYLNAPHTHfiLENE 1-METHYLNftPTHHLENE 1 -MET IIYLPHENANTH RENE 17flLPHA(H) ,21BETft(ll)-HDPnNE C29 17RLPHft(H) f 21BETR(il)-K0PRHE C30 17RLPHfl{H),21BETn(H)-H0PnNE C31 R i7nLPHn(H),2inEin(ii)-H0PnME C31 The Solution db_VISTA III is the only DBMS with the features this project required: C language support, Windows compatibility, royalty-free runtime distribution, quick performance in large data- bases, quality documentation and support. With the Alaskan Marine Contaminants Database, the difficult job of calculating the long-term effects of the Exxon spill is a little easier. * db VISTA m M A Microsoft Windows front end lets chemists select regions from a map to retrieve data. And. dbVISTA Ill's SQL-based query and report writer lets users perform complex SQL data searches. Your DBMS problems may not make the headlines, but they are no less important and often no less challenging. If you develop applications for MS-DOS, MS Windows, UNIX, VMS, QNX, OS/2, Macintosh, and other environments, db_VISTA III is your solution. Call 1-800-db-RAIMA d-800-327-2462) In Washington State call: (206)747-5570. Ask for extension 101. * Reprints of the story, as published in PC Week and Data Based Advisor, are available from Raima. Power Tools For C Programmers fil RAIMA B CORPORATION Database Management System Snerifirations" C° m Pl ete C source code available. No Royalties V * C Lanaguage Portability & High performance Network Data Model. Relational B-tree indexing. Relational SQL query and report writer. Single & Multi-user. Automatic recovery. Built-in referential integrity. Complete revision capability. Supports: MS-DOS, MS Windows. UNIX. QNX, SunOS, XENIX, VMS, Macintosh.. OS/2 compatible. Most C Compilers supported. LANs: 3COM, Novell, Banyan, Appleshare. Call for other environments. Raima Corporation 3245 146th Place S.E., Bellevue, WA 98007 USA (206)747-5571 Fax: (206)747-1991 Telex: 6503018237 MCI UW International Distributors: Australia: 61 2 419 7177 Austria: 43 022 43 81861 Urnxil: 55 11 829 1687 Central America: 50628 07 64 Denmark: 45 42 887249 France: 33 1 46092784 Italv: 39 1145 5847 1 1 Japan: 81 03 865 2140 Mexico: 52 83 49 53 00 The Netherlands: 31 2503 26312 Norway: 47 244 8855 Sweden: 46 013 111588 Switzerland: 41 064 517475 Taiwan: 886 02 552 3277 Turkey: 90 1 1 52 05 1 6 United Kingdom: 44 0992 5009 19 Uruguay: 598 292 0959 USSR: 01 32 35 99 07; 812 292 7210: 0142 437952 West Germany: 49 07022 34077 Copyrifihi ®IWI Raima Corporation. All rights reserved. dh_ is registered in the US.Patent and Trademark Office. Circle 273 on Reader Service Card dbVISTA III DBMS ratednumber#l For Performance and Flexibility of DBMS Programming Tools- PC WEEK Poll of Corporate Satisfaction, August 28, 1989. ZORTECH C+ + DEVELOPER'S EDITION V2.1 Multi- Platform MS-DOS • WINDOWS • OS/2 • DOS 386 • UNIX 386 MS-DOS Zortech's industrial strength compiler provides all the benefits of C++, but 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 how far 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 theDOS640K 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 licenseforyourown 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: *Ifed 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. * CodeView™ compatible, but that's where the similarities end. This feature packed tool can examine your program from 1 9 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++ V2.1 DEVELOPER'S EDITION V2.1 OS/2 EDITION V2.1 DOS 386 EDITION Our C++ Debugger, which understands C and Assembler too, is practical. We provide extensive documentation and 50K of sample code to illustrate development of ZORTECH Inc., 4-C Gill Street, WOBURN MA 01801 Tel: 617-937-0696 Fax: 617-937-0793 Orders: 1-800-848-8408 ZORTECH Ltd., 58-60 Beresford Street, LONDON SE1 8 6BG Tel: +44-81-316-7777 Fax: +44-81-316-4138 ZORTECH C+ + DEVELOPER'S EDITION V2.1 Zortech C+ + MS-DOS • WINDOWS • OS/2 • DOS 386 • UNIX 386 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 now provides a C++ Compiler and source level Debugger designed for C++. In the words of OS/2 Magazine: ^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." The OS/2 Developer's Edition also includes C++ Tools, Flash Graphics and C++ Workbench for OS/2 together with the standard DOS Developer's Edition. Upgrades for existing OS/2 Compiler Option owners now available. Please call for details. ^ UNIX 386 x* Not a day passes at Zortech HQ without numerous requests for a UNIX version of Zortech C++. Now, DOS and OS/2 developer's 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 V2.1 UNIX 386 EDITION 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. DOS 386 yV fiH Now, with the 386 you can address up to 4 Gigabytes of memory. Why spend so much money on 386 hardware and not use software which will take advantage of it? On the other hand, you need to retain the facilities of standard MS-DOS too. MS-DOS developers can now build true 32 bit C and C++ applications for 386 processors using Zortech's powerful 386 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. Circle 373 on Reader Service Card C++ VIDEO COURSE Zortech's C++ Video Course is all the training material you need to move a team of good C programmers into the world of C++. Many corporations have already done just this. Cut the hotel bills, travel expenses and fees of outside training courses and seminars - not to mention the inconvenience and disruption to your normal routine. Use a proven training tool, that in one hour a day, over a period of six weeks, can train your whole team in C++ for the price of one airline ticket. The course consists of 32 tutorials on six one hour VHS tapes together with one 256 page workbook containing course notes and exercises. Unlimited additional course workbooks are available at modest cost. Compiler & hardware independent. NTSC or PAL format available. WHAT'S NEW HARDWARE OTHER 3-D Viewing in Two Styles StereoGraphics is ship- ping its new Crystal- Eyes/PC eyewear. Designed for stereo 3-D viewing by PC and Macintosh users, the lightweight eyewear is geared for users of such specialized graphics applications as CAD/ CAM, CAE, architectural, sensing/mapping, and medical image processing. The view- er is activated by infrared sig- nals from an emitter on top of the display monitor. CrystalEyes/Pro, another 3-D viewer, is an enhanced version of the company's CrystalEyes. Also activated by infrared signals, Crystal- Eyes/Pro has a Stereo/Pseudo switching option that gives users an enhanced visualiza- tion capability for applica- tions with complex depth infor- mation, such as mapping. A multiple-range emitter permits viewing by single users or a group. The Brite Mode option allows users to make rapid transitions from stereo viewing to brighter, nonstereo viewing. Price: CrystalEyes/PC, $995; CrystalEyes Pro, $1995. Contact: StereoGraphics Corp., 2171-H, East Francisco Blvd., San Rafael, CA 94901, (800) 247-8373 or (415) 459-4500. Inquiry 1287. When a Mouse May Not Be a Mouse Alternatives to the tradi- tional mouse are available from several companies. The Icontroller is Sun- com's mouse emulator for the PC. It sports speed selectability, three mouse function buttons, and a fin- gertip cursor-control knob with a selectable function button. Compatible with Microsoft and Mouse Sys- tems software, the space- saving Icontroller attaches to either side of the keyboard. Price: $79.95. Contact: Suncom Technol- ogies, 6400 West Gross Point Rd.,Niles,IL 60648, (708)647-4040. Inquiry 1284. Zeny's cordless Zen Mouse uses urethane wheels in its two-wheel di- rect drive system to elimi- nate maintenance problems and allow smooth tracking on most surfaces. With an operating range of 4 feet, the Zen Mouse draws its power from three rechargeable nickel-cadmium batteries. A power-saving feature is acti- vated when motion is not de- tected. Operating at from 10 to 1000 dpi, the Zen Mouse is compatible with Micro- soft, Logitech, and Mouse Systems mice. The Icontroller mouse The cordless Zen Mouse Price: $129; corded version forIBMPCsandPS/2s,$89. Contact: Zeny Computer Systems, Inc., 4033 Clipper Court, Fremont, CA 94538, (415)659-0386. Inquiry 1285. The MousePenPortable, for use with IBM and compatible laptops, is Ap- points latest addition to its series of pointing devices. You can operate the 3.2- ounce MousePenPortable at any angle and on a variety of / - / JH . / 5^ > ' m-i m L t — T^^l \\>\ 1 ^^X^ 1 \ ! \\£-^ The MousePenPortable surfaces. The device re- quires a serial port or a PS/2 mouse port, DOS 2.0, and 256K bytes of RAM. The MousePenPortable uses a built-in dynamic gain reso- lution of 50 to 1000 counts per inch and includes Tele- Paint, a color paint program. Price: $149. Contact: Appoint, Inc., 1332 Vendels Cir., Suite 101, Paso Robles, CA 93446, (800) 448-1184 or (805)239-8976. Inquiry 1286. For All Your Soldering Needs The Ungar Model 2 1 10 is a soldering station with an electrically controlled heat- ing element. The iron operates in a temperature range of 550°F to 850°F. Features of the soldering station include a cool-grip han- dle, a burn-resistant cord, and a replaceable ceramic heater. The iron comes with a thermal-thrust soldering tip. The station also includes a static-dissipative power unit, an on/of f switch, a power-on LED indicator, a sponge, and an iron holder. An optional tip retainer is also available. Price: $132.50. Contact: Hub Material Co., 33 Springdale Ave., Canton, MA 02021, (617) 821-1870. Inquiry 1288. From PC to Geiger Counter Aware Electronics is mar- keting version 2.0 of its RM-60 Micro Roentgen Ra- diation Monitor. When plugged into a PC's serial or parallel port, the RM-60 mon- itors and plots background radiation, the presence of ra- don gas, atmospheric radio- activity, and alpha, beta, gamma, and x-rays. Features of the RM-60 in- clude a high-speed scrolling bar chart that lets you scan stored data for surges or trends, and an alarm system that you can set to activate be- tween 1 and 30,000 micror- oentgens per hour. The com- pany provides a five-year warranty on parts and labor. Price: $149.50. Contact: Aware Electronics Corp., P.O. Box 4299, Wil- mington, DE 19807,(302) 655-3800. Inquiry 1289. 50 BYTE- JANUARY 1991 You Always Knew There Was Something Special About Your Thumb. T • 1 I I I I " A mmm EDITORS' CHOICE August 1990 IrartManStaMrwyUouK mm ou have a lot of power in your thumb. So we designed you command the cursor with exhilarating speed and TrackMan'" — the world's most popular stationary mouse— precision, even in the most confining workspace. PJnd to put that power to work. H rackMan's brilliant you get all this for only $139, including Logitech's"' life- ergonomic design includes a lightweight, thumb- driven ball, three buttons at your fingertips and room to rest your hand. It is far more comfortable than any other stationary mouse. Because the thumb is far more agile and powerful than any finger. fcYJith TrackMan's adjustable resolution, Circle 181 o n Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 182) Tools That lOWei" The Desktop. ^^ | % Sales logiTegh ::: time hardware warranty. TrackMan works with any application on an IBM* PC (or compatible). or more information call Logitech's Customer \ Sales Center:(800)231-7717ext.347. In California: (800) 552-8885; in Canada: (800) 283-7717; rope: ++41-21-869-9656. ®/tm: trademarks of registered owners ill III cting a new computer system can be a real challenge. .That's where we come in. We have the knowledge, experience and the best value packed computer systems available. So, pick up the phone and check us out. Ask us about our quality. Our service. And especially our prices. You'll like what you hear. Let's Talk Features. 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. Like a 64 KB memory cache for the 386/25, and 128 KB for the 386/33, both expandable to 256 KB. 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. Compare Our New High Performance 386 Cache Systems. □ 4MB of 32-bit high speed □ 105MB IDE hard drive with memory (Expandable to 16MB on-board) □ 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 386V 33 with 128K Cache Memory Cache buffer □ 1.2MB 5.25" and 1.44MB 3.5" floppy drives □ 1 parallel and 2 serial ports □ 101-key enhanced keyboard D MS DOS 4.01 □ Microsoft Windows 3-0 □ Hi-Resolution mouse □ Free one year on-site service 386V25with 64K Cache Memory $2995 $2695 How About Flexibility? No one can beat our flexibility either. An integrated 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 memory modules leave all six expansion slots available. Look At Our Other Value-Packed Systems. All of these fully-loaded systems include: □ 2MB of 32-bit high speed memory (Expandable to 8MB on-board) □ 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 □ 40MB IDE Hard Disk Drive □ 1.2MB 5.25" & 1.44MB 3.5" floppy drives □ 1 parallel and 2 serial ports □ 101-key enhanced keyboard □ MS DOS 4.01 □ 386/SX includes Windows 3.0 and mouse □ Free one year on-site service 386VSX only $1895.00 286^16 only $1595.00 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 additional floppy drive or tape backup and 2 hard drives. So, we can help you add on and update to your heart s content. We're Made In The U.S.A. Since 1984 our R&D center has been designing our products, and all system boards are manufactured right here in the U.S. The latest surface mount and VLSI technology is utilized for the ultimate in product reliability and space saving design. If it's performance and quality you seek, we're the standard to beat. -j Shown with optional tape drive. 386 is a trademark of Intel Corporation. I We provide you with a complete system. Ready to use the minute you open the carton. Everything is loaded, 800/662-6111 We Stand Behind Our Systems And Our Customers. At Standard Computer, we manufacture everything from high performance 486™ and 386™ systems to low cost 386/SX and 286 systems. And our total customer satisfaction program begins with a 30 day money-back guarantee. If you're dissatisfied, simply return your system within 30 days for a full refund. No questions asked. You're also covered by our complete one-year parts and labor warranty. And when you have a question, just call our customer service hotline. Its available to you toll-free for as long as you own your system. If you need help, we'll see that you get it. If you need a part, we'll express ship it. We'll even include one year of on-site service at no extra charge. Value That's Easy To Afford. We make it easy to own and our products. Our Standard urchasing programs are designed to fit your needs. Qualified company purchase orders, personal checks and most major credit cards are accepted. tested, burned in, and ready to go. And, to help you easily handle the new multi-tasking, multi-screen programs, we preload MS DOS 4.01 and Microsoft Windows 3.0, and then throw in a high resolution mouse to boot. How's that for commitment! So, go ahead. Call so much pride in our Why our repeat customer rate is one of the highest in our industry. And why our product reliability is so good. For us, it's just the Standard thing. us. Right now. Find out why we take exceptional products and services. STANDARD COMPUTER 12803 Schabarum Avenue, Irwindale, CA 91706, phone: 818/337-7711, FAX 818/337-2626. Circle 299 on Reader Service Card WHAT'S NEW BEnnannj Neat, Simple, Instant Communication If you're looking for a neater image at work, you might want to try GEC-Mar- coni's Verran AC DataLink. With this device, you can link your PC to a printer, plot- ter, modem, or other periph- eral without using the cables normally required. You con- figure the device using DIP switches. DataLinks work in pairs, one at the sending unit and the other at the receiving unit. They hook up via standard electrical outlets, allowing data to be transmitted over your building's AC circuit. AC DataLinks connect serial or parallel communications, with the capability of convert- ing back and forth between the two. They have a 2K-byte data buffer and communicate at a rate of 840 cps. Software for the Data- Links is built in, eliminating the need for additional soft- ware. For secure transmis- sions, you can encrypt your data prior to transmitting it and decipher it at the receiv- ing end. An accessory device, the AC DataLink DPS (dedicated printer sharer), is also avail- able. When connected to a printer, it acts as a print spooler and can handle multi- ple print orders from as many as seven computers. Price: AC DataLink, $345; AC DataLink DPS, $395. Contact: GEC-Marconi Soft- ware Systems, 121 10 Sunset Hills Rd., Suite 450, Reston, VA 22090, (703)648-1551. Inquiry 1290. GEC-Marconi 's Verran AC DataLink, which works in pairs, uses standard AC circuits to transmit data. OS/2-PM Communications Package Available KXCom, a communica- tions package for OS/2, includes a full-fledged Pre- sentation Manager interface. It also features an integrated dialing directory that supports the Hayes Smartmodem (and compatibles), single and multi- ple file transfer using the Kermit or XMODEM protocol, and file transfer rates of up to 19,200 bps. KXCom simultaneously supports COM1 and COM2, supports both color and monochrome video, and has a windowed command shell to the operating system. Addition- ally, the package automati- cally renames files in case of a name clash and offers on- line help. It also features a windowed command shell to the operating system. The package includes com- plete source code in Stony Brook Professional Modula-2 and a user's manual. Price: US$30. Contact: KXCom, 5105 Lor- raine Ave., Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada V5G 2S3, (604) 437-0893. Inquiry 1291. Remote-Control Network Program Invisible Software has in- troduced Invisible NET Control, a remote-control program that works with any NetBIOS-compatible net- work. Capabilities include group broadcasts, two-way talk, and remote control of other workstations. Invisible NET Control sup- ports remote diagnostics and CGA, EGA, and VGA modes. It also lets you monitor other users' screens. The DOS overhead is 30K bytes. Price: $279 per network site. Contact: Invisible Software, Inc., 1142 Chess Dr., Foster City, CA 94404, (415) 570-5967. Inquiry 1292. Able to double as a file server or a LAN station , the Super-386T works with OS/2 and Unix systems. A Versatile 386 File Server The Super-386T 33-MHz desktop from Hyundai can be used as a network file server and as a LAN station. It is compatible with Novell NetWare and with OS/2 and Unix systems. The small-footprint com- puter (16.1 by 16.3 inches) has 4 MB of RAM (expand- able to 8 MB on the mother- board with single in-line memory modules), a 64K-byte memory cache (expandable to 256K bytes), and 64K bytes of ROM. The Super-386T in- cludes a 16-bit VGA card that supports Super VGA and has a built-in mouse port. Hyundai ships a mouse with the unit. The computer's configuration includes two serial ports and one parallel port. Price: $4995 to $8495, de- pending on configuration. Contact: Hyundai Electron- ics America, 166 Baypointe Pkwy., San Jose, CA 95134, (408) 473-9200. Inquiry 1293. 54 BYTE • JANUARY 1991 Instant Workstation. Just Add Open Desktop. Take a look at the vast majority of graphical workstations developed over the past decade and you'll see something they all have in common: An integrated UNIX® System environment. Now take a look at the vast majority of businesses that have put computing power directly onto their office desktops over the past decade, and you'll see something they all have in common: Industry-standard personal computers. It doesn't take a computer to forecast the platform that's going to put graphical workstations on the vast majority of business and engineering desktops in the next decade: An integrated UNIX System environment for industry-standard personal computers. And that's what Open Desktop™ is all about. Open Desktop is the complete graphical operating system that's built on the most popular UNIX System platform of all time— SCO". And it lets you create your own networked, icon-driven workstation environment using the industry- standard 386 or 486 computers and peripherals of your choice. i n a single, easy-to-use, fully supported— and completely integrated— package, Open Desktop delivers: • the full 32-bit, multitasking computing power of SCO UNIX System V/386 • compliance with POSIX™ and X/Open® standards • an OSF/Motif™-based, Presentation Manager-compatible, graphical user interface • distributed SQL database management services • compatibility with existing DOS, XENIX®, and UNIX System applications and data files • NFS™, TCP/IP, and LAN Manager networking facilities And all at an unbelievably affordable price. Discover the complete graphical operating system that leading companies worldwide are choosing as their devel- opment platform for the '90s— and using to turn their 386 and 486 PCs into instant workstations today. Open Desktop from SCO. OPEN DESKTOP. The Complete Graphical Operating System SEE US AT UNIFORUM, BOOTH # 1005! THE SANTA CRUZ OPERATION For more information, call SCO today and ask for ext. 8400 (800) SCO-UNIX (726-8649) (408) 425-7222 FAX: (408) 458-4227 E-MAIL: ... !uunet!sco!info info@sco.COM SCO, tht SCO logo. Open Desktop, and the Optii Desktop logo are trademarks of TiicSanla Cruz Operation, Inc. UNIX is a registered iradi-markof AT&T in the USA and cither countries. t'OSIX is a trademarkof The Institute of electrical and blednmics Engineers (I F.K1L). X/Opcn is a registered trademark of X/Opcn Company lid. OSF/Motif is a trademark of The Open Software Foundation. Inc. XI- NIX is a registered trademark of ,\ ration. NFS is a trademark of Sun Microsystems. Inc. |tl/H ( ) OI'WMhe Santa Cru/. Operation, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Santa Cruz Operation. Inc., -*«<> Ischial Stri-cl. l'.O. liox l')(H), Santa Cruz, California WIM l!SA The Santa Cruz Operation. Ltd.. Croxlej- Centre. Halters Lane, Watford WIN KYN, (ireal Britain, +-H <0)92.S«IM-H, FAX: +-H SU)I.ONi; Circle 285 on Reader Service Card To see all its advantages, NEC PowerMate S86/S3E Combining great power and speed with the enhanced compati- bility of EISA architecture, the PowerMate® 386/33E is just what i8 Po-crMaw 36a<33€ ft :> ea«J« and display) PowefMiie. NEC. and C&C nro Ml!H4Hm ChainLink Doesn't Fence You In Connect Works' Chain- Link uses standard tele- phone wire, a central switch- ing unit, and software to link as many as 16 PCs and lap- tops or up to 48 printers. With a transfer rate of 1 15,000 bps and average throughput of 77,240 bps, the network re- quires DOS 3 . 1 , a hard disk drive, and a serial port on each PC. It is mouse compatible. Through its switching unit, ChainLink provides file trans- fer, peripheral sharing, E- mail, print spooling, and di- rectory management capa- bilities for each linked PC. Since ChainLink remains resident in RAM, you can use a hot key to access it while you're working in another application. Price: Four users, $395; eight users, $595; 16 users, $795. Contact: ConnectWorks Co., 1 10 Causeway Dr., P.O. Box 497, Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480, (800) 992-5465 or (919) 256-2366. Inquiry 1294. Two for the Network from US Sage Two networking products are new from US Sage. MainLan 386 equips 386- compatible PCs as network file servers; MainLan for PS/1 is a 10-Mbps Ethernet adapter card for networking PS/1 computers. The MainLan 386 kit in- cludes NetBIOS-compatible system software, 10-Mbps Ethernet cards, and cabling. Designed for systems of up to 255 users of cross-network transactions, the system re- ChainLink users can do such things as exchange files, send and receive E-mail, and share peripherals. quires a 386 or 386SX com- puter as a dedicated file server. MainLan 386 runs with Microsoft Windows 3.0 and is Novell NetWare compatible. MainLan for PS/1 links a computer as a workstation or a file server. The card is avail- able as part of a kit or by itself. The kit includes two 10- Mbps Ethernet cards, Main- Lan NetBIOS-compatible software, and cabling. Cards are compatible with Main- Lan' s operating system as well as with Novell NetWare. MainLan for PS/1 also runs with Windows 3.0. Price: MainLan 386 kit: two to four users, $999; two to eight users, $1399. MainLan software only: two to four users, $599; two to eight users, $999; unlimited use, $1499; 8-bit Ethernet card with Novell drivers, $249. MainLan for PS/1 kit, $499; 8-bit PS/1 Ethernet card with Novell drivers, $199; Main- Lan 3.12 peer-to-peer operat- ing system software, $199. Contact: US Sage, Inc., 2005 Tree Fork Lane, Suite 1 13, Longwood, FL 32750, (407)331-4400. Inquiry 1295. Color Graphics in a Fax Board The Communique Fax9600, a half-slot, 9600-bps fax board, com- bines the convenience of a stand-alone fax machine with the power of a personal com- puter, according to its manu- facturer. Requiring a PC with 640K bytes of RAM, a hard disk drive, DOS 3.0 or higher, a graphics display card, and a mouse, the board's key feature is its user interface. You op- erate the system using mouse- activated icons, buttons, and scroll bars. It is compatible with VGA, EGA, CGA, and Hercules graphics modes. To send a fax, you type in the text or load it from any ASCII text file; Communi- que automatically inserts a custom letterhead and per- sonal signature. The system uses typefaces with propor- tional spacing. Other features include a Phonebook, which allows you to store and group names; mail-merge com- mands that automatically merge Phonebook informa- tion into your text; and a clip- ping function, which lets you save portions of a received fax to use as graphics in other documents. A hot key to pop up Communique from any DOS program and a TSR pro- gram requiring less than 9K bytes of RAM round out the system. Price: $279. Contact: Grey Matter Re- sponse, Inc., P.O. Box 3147, Santa Cruz, CA 95063, (408) 427-3678. Inquiry 1296. High-Speed Modem for PCs and Macintoshes A 9600-bps V . 32 modem for IBM PCs and Macin- toshes is available from Intel. Providing error-free through- put of up to 38,400 bps, the 9600EX conforms to interna- tional modem standards. A plug-and-play modem, it in- stalls without jumpers or switches. The modem operates in synchronous or asynchro- nous mode over dial-up or two- wire leased lines and carries a five-year warranty. The 9600EX supports the V.42 Link Access Procedure for Modems and MNP through level 5. Automatic speed selection allows you to use the 9600EX with 4800-, 2400-, 1200-, and 300-bps modems. The9600EXforthePC comes with Communications by Crosstalk; the Macintosh version includes Quick Link II by Smith Micro Software. Price: IBM version, $799; Macintosh version, $819. Contact: Intel Personal Computer Enhancement Oper- ation, C03-7, 5200 North- east Elam Young Pkwy., Hills- boro, OR 97124, (800) 538- 3373 or (503) 629-7354. Inquiry 1297. 58 BYTE- JANUARY 1991 Look for these products among the... Microsoft C Professional Development System version 6.0 is simply the fastest, most productive professional C development environment for ^^ !r h mf\G*-'±f§ MS-DOS, Microsoft gWllCwUiHIiS, Windows, or Microsoft OS/2 Presentation Manager applications. 6.0 features include: The Programmer's Workbench, a new approach to development-integrating all tools into one environment; Source Browsing-interactively see any part of the project with the revolutionary project database, which can tell you where any- thing is located; CodeView 3. 0— third generation of the industry-leading debugger which allows developers to use as little as 15K from DOS's 640K space. (£ q A (\ List: $495 Ours: $J*+7 FAXcetera # 1269-0014 Graphics that don't compromise performance Get to the market quicker with graphics that don't compromise performance. The GSS® Graphics Development Toolkit (GDT) for DOS gives you access to more than 100 high-level graphics functions and supports over 300 graphics devices. Choose from C, FORTRAN, Pascal, BASIC Compiler or Macro Assembler. IBM has licensed the GDT for three PC operating systems: DOS, OS/2, and AIX. SPC's Harvard Graphics and Ashton-Tate's Draw APPLAUSE use GDT technology. So do hundreds of other PC packages for science, business and engineering. List: $595 Ours: 4>49'7 FAXcetera # 1088-0001 (800) 445-7899 (201) 389-9228 "The detail of CommLib is exceptional." - Telecomputing Magazine NEW! Greenleafs CommLib 3.1 now supports Intelligent Multiport boards and 16550 UARTS! Plus hundreds of C functions for communications: XMODEM, YMODEM, Kermit, XON/XOFF, and Hayes modem control. Free source. On-line help. 196 example programs. All major m% compilers supported. (h^ A C\ List: $359 Ours: q>Z^f^7 GREEN LEAF FAX«tera # 1035-0007 4&* ?1 Unleash 386 power on your Microsoft C code with WATCOM C8.0/ 386, a 100% ANSI C optimizing compiler and run-time library generating applications for 32-bit 386 protected mode. With C8.0/386, you can go beyond the 640K DOS limit. Library and source compatibility with Microsoft C simplifies porting 16-bit applications to the 386. Significant features include: full-screen source-level debugger; protected mode version of the WATCOM compiler; execution profiler; linker; graphics library. Run-time compatible with WATCOM F77/386. Standard (b/^QA List: $895 Ours: 4)0.3./ Professional List: $1295 Ours: FAXcetera # 1683-0001 vwtcomj: $939 Vitamin C Supercharge Supercharge your applications with windows, menus, forms, and a spectacular user interface. Vitamin C's powerful library of C functions includes overlapping virtual windows, data entry forms, dialog boxes, menus, context sensitive help, a pop-up text editor, mouse support, and more! Library source is included, and applications are royalty free. Available for DOS, OS/2, UNIX, XENIX and VAX. CREATIVE PROGRAMMING List: $225 Ours: FAXcetera # 1437-0001 $165 A Division of Voyager Software Corp 1 163 Shrewsbury Avenue Shrewsbury. NJ 07702 Programmer's Paradise ® • •• We'll Beat The Competition's Advertised Prices LIST OURS 386 CONTROL PROGRAMS DESQview386w/QEMM 220 169 Microsoft Windows 3.0 1 50 99 VM/386 245 209 LIST OURS VM/386 Multiuser VM/386 Multiuser Starter 895 839 395 339 1159 439 179 189 1035 849 799 179 1099 1399 719 CALL 849 225 445 805 629 719 386 DEVELOPMENT TOOLS 386 ASM/LinkLoc 1295 386/DOS Extender 495 C Windows Toolkit/386 200 C-Te'p 386 239 Lahey F77L-EM/32 (w/ OS/386) 1 290 MetaWare High C 386 895 Novell C Network Compi ler/386 995 PC-lint 386 239 WATCOM C 8.0/386 Prof. 1 295 w/ 386/DOS Extender 1790 WATCOM C 8.0/386 Standard 895 WATCOM FORTRAN 77/386 1 095 Zortech C++ 386 995 ADA Academic IntegrAda 249 Ada Scope Debugger 495 Ada Training Environment 895 Adagraphics 695 IntegrAda 795 Meridian Ada Developer's Kit 1 1 95 1095 ASSEMBLY LANGUAGE Advantage Disassembler 295 279 ASMFlow 99 89 MS Macro Assembler 1 50 105 OPTASM 150 129 Resource 150 129 Sourcer w/ Pre-Processor 170 149 SpontaneousAssembly 395 189 Turbo Debugger & Tools 150 1 05 Visible Computer: 80286 1 00 89 BASIC COMPILERS MS BASIC Prof. Devel. System 495 349 Power Basic 1 29 89 QuickBASIC 99 69 BASIC LIBS/UTILITIES GraphPak Professional 149 129 P.D.Q. 129 115 ProBas 159 149 ProBas Toolkit 99 94 QBase 149 125 QuickComm 149 119 QuickPak Professional 169 149 QuickWindows Advanced 149 119 C COMPILERS Lattice C 6.0 Microsoft C 6.0 w/ Objective-C MS QuickC 2.5 MS QuickC w/QuickAssembler Turbo C 2.0 WATCOM C 8.0 Professional 495 419 WATCOM C 8.0 Standard 395 335 250 155 495 339 699 539 99 69 199 139 99 69 C++ C++/Views Data++Windows Intek C++ NDPC++ Rogue Wave Math.h++ Rogue Wave Tools. h++ Turbo C++ Turbo C++ Professional Competitive Upgrade Zinc Library Zortech C++ Zortech C++ Database Zortech C++ Debugger Zortech C++ Developer's Edition Zortech C++ Tools Zortech C++ Video Course C-COMMUNICATIONS Breakout II CAsynch Manager 3.0 C Communications Toolkit Essential Communications Greenleaf CommLib Greenleaf ViewComm SilverComm "C" Async Library View-232 C-FILE MANAGEMENT AccSys fordBASE or Paradox Btrieve Devel. System Codebase IV c-treePlus dBC III Plus db.FILE Bundle Essential B-Tree w/ source Paradox Engine The Toolbox - Prof. Edition The Toolbox - Special C-GENERAL LIBRARIES C Function Library C TOOLS PLUS/6.0 C Utility Library Greenleaf Functions Greenleaf SuperFunctions Turbo C TOOLS/2.0 C SCREENS C-Worthy Greenleaf DataWindows Vermont Views Vitamin C VC Screen C-UTILITIES/OTHER BarCode Library Clear for C C Shroud Heap Expander MKS LEX & YACC Objective-C PC-lint PCYACC Professional TimeSlicer 495 419 189 169 495 CALL 495 479 200 179 200 179 200 139 300 205 150 139 200 179 200 165 300 255 150 129 450 399 150 129 500 449 249 189 189 139 150 129 329 259 359 287 399 319 249 209 189 149 395 349 595 449 295 219 595 475 500 439 295 249 198 149 495 349 1295 1035 795 635 99 79 149 109 249 199 229 179 299 239 149 109 399 CALL 395 315 495 395 225 165 149 125 389 319 200 169 198 149 80 70 249 197 249 225 139 105 495 459 295 279 CASE TOOLS EasyCASE Plus Professional Pack Personal CASE COBOL LANGUAGE Micro Focus: COBOL/2 w/Toolset Personal COBOL MS COBOL Realia COBOL DATABASE DEVELOPMEN Clarion 2. 1 Clipper 5.0 Data Junction Advanced dBASE IV dBFast/PLUS dGE Dr. Switch-ASE Facclt FlashTools! Flipper Force 2.1 FoxPro FUNCKy Library R&R Code Generator R&R Report Writer Say What'! SilverComm "C" Interface SilverComm Library 2.0 The Documentor Tom Rettig's Library UI2 Version 2 DEBUGGERS (DOS) MultiScope Periscope Debuggers Trapper w/ optional cable Turbo Debugger & Tools DOCUMENTING/ FLOWCHARTING allCLEAR Clear for C or dBASE C-Clearly Flow Charting 3 Interactive Easyflow Source Print Tree Diagrammer EDITORS BRIEF 3.0 EDT+ EMACS Epsilon KEDIT4.0 MKS Vi PI Editor Sage Professional Editor SLICK Editor Speed Edit SPF/PC SYNDIE VEDIT PLUS EMBEDDED SYSTEMS C6toPROM Link & Locate ++ Link & Locate ++ Extended FORTRAN LANGUAGE Grafmatic Lahey F77L Lahey Personal FORTRAN 77 MS FORTRAN Plotmatic RM/FORTRAN GRAPHICS LIBRARIES Baby Driver Essential Graphics Font-Tools Graf/Drive Plus Developer's Graphic 5.0 GSS Graphics Devel. Toolkit GX Graphics HALO HALO Professional HALO Window Toolkit Icon-Tools/Plus Menuet MetaWindow MetaWindow Plus PCX Effects PCX Programmer's Toolkit PCX Text SilverPaint Slate w/ graphics Turbo Geometry Library LINKERS/LIBRARIANS Overlay Toolkit Plink86+ Plink/LTO PolyLibrarian .RTLink .RTLink/Plus 295 265 395 355 199 179 1800 1499 149 129 900 629 995 849 ENI 895 539 795 519 299 269 795 495 345 295 295 249 180 149 99 90 89 79 195 169 695 589 795 489 195 179 150 129 150 129 50 39 99 89 249 209 295 245 100 80 595 479 179 139 CALL CALL 200 179 240 219 150 105 300 229 200 169 130 115 250 199 150 125 99 74 99 74 249 CALL 295 269 395 315 195 159 150 125 149 129 195 175 295 249 195 154 295 275 245 199 495 399 185 CALL 149 119 395 349 479 395 135 119 595 535 99 89 450 299 135 119 595 499 250 199 399 319 150 119 299 269 395 319 795 685 149 135 395 279 595 419 595 419 150 119 325 279 250 209 325 289 99 89 195 175 149 135 129 109 448 399 200 179 395 369 395 335 495 419 249 209 295 265 495 359 LIST OURS OBJECT-ORIENTED TOOLS Objective-C Smalltalk/V Smalltalk/V 286 OS/2 TOOLS Brief CASE:PMforCorC++ Epsilon MKS LEX & YACC MS OS/2 Pres. Manager Toolkit MultiScope for OS/2 PCYACC PI Editor Smalltalk/V PM Vitamin C (OS/2) Zortech C++ OS/2 Devel. Ed. PASCAL LANGUAGE Asynch PLUS B-tree Filer MS QuickPASCAL Object Professional ObjectVision Power Tools PLUS/5.0 Topaz Topaz Multi-user Turbo Analyst TurboMAGIC Turbo Pascal 6.0 Turbo Pascal 6.0 Professional Turbo-Plus 5.5 Turbo Professional 5.0 SOURCE MAINTENANCE Codan CodeCheck MKS Make MKS RCS MKS Software Mgmt. Team PolyMake PVCS Professional SMS TUB 5 Station LAN WINDOWS (MS) TOOLS Actor 3.0 Asymetrix Toolbook Bridge Toolkit CaserW C-Talk/Vtews dB Fast; Windows DialogCoder Drover's Toolbox for Windows w/ source More Power to You MS Windows Development Kit MultiScope for Windows ObjectGraphics PC-Connect ProtoView Resource Workshop Spinnaker Plus WindowsMAKER WinTrieve WNDX GUI Toolbox XVision OLS 249 225 100 85 200 169 249 CALL 1995 1799 195 159 349 279 500 349 449 345 695 625 249 225 495 369 345 279 600 509 149 115 125 109 99 69 150 109 400 CALL 149 109 99 89 149 135 99 89 199 179 150 105 300 205 199 159 125 109 395 345 495 469 149 119 189 149 299 239 179 149 495 419 495 399 139 109 419 339 s 895 719 395 CALL 695 659 995 CALL 450 375 395 335 499 435 295 269 885 799 395 339 500 349 379 289 445 365 495 449 695 625 300 269 495 349 795 635 395 339 499 449 449 399 NEW RELEASES More Power To You A Softelligence library that extends the Microsoft Windows SDK 3.0 to allow di- rect hardware access to video modes, memory and registers. Provides direct access to the DPMI (DOS Protected Mode Interface) services, bypassing the Windows 3.0 GDI for instantaneous control of video, memory, keyboard, mouse, joystick, etc. Includes examples of animation, arcade- style games, and MIDI. Source available. Requires Windows SDK 3.0, MS C 6.0. List: $395 Ours: $339 Zortech C++ Database Library A collection of C++ classes using OOP's techniques, to provide all that's needed to construct a single/multi-user b-tree data- base system. Comes with FULL SOURCE CODE and extensive documentation. List: $300 Ours: $255 CASE:PM for C++ Caseworks CASEiPM for C++ Common View prototypes CUA compliant Presen- tation Manager interfaces, then generates the required Glockenspiel C++ and Common View Object Classes for the graphical user interface of Presentation Manager applications. List: $1995 Ours: $1799 Guaranteed Best Prices! (800) 445-7899 FAXcetera Want more product information on the items in the gold box to the right? Try FAXctf era !! Just pick up your FAX phone and dial 201-389-8173. Enter the FAXcetera product code listed below each product description-information will be faxed back to you instantly! LIST OURS XENIX/UNIX BLAST 495 395 Epsilon 195 169 Esix System V (2 user) 595 535 Unlimited 825 745 Informix Products CALL CALL Interactive Products CALL CALL LPI-COBOL 1495 1199 LPI-FORTRAN 995 799 MetaWare High C 895 849 Microport Products CALL CALL MKS RCS 395 335 MKS Trilogy 119 105 Norton Utilities 295 235 PI Editor 349 319 RM/COBOL85 2250 1895 SCO Products CALL CALL SVS C 725 689 SVS FORTRAN 825 795 SVS Pascal 725 689 VEDIT PLUS 285 249 Vermont Views 1795 1489 Zortech C++ Compiler 500 425 ADDITIONAL PRODUCTS APL*PLUS 695 549 BalerXE 795 579 Dan Bricklin's Demo II 199 159 Dan Bricklin's Page Garden 100 69 dBx/dBPort 600 459 Guido 249 189 lake Getter's Spell Checking Eng. 249 225 Lattice RPG 1600 1285 MKS AWK 99 79 Opt-Tech Sort/Merge 149 119 PC Scheme 95 79 Personal Rexx 150 139 APPLICATION SOFTWARE COMMUNICATIONS BLAST II 250 225 Carbon Copy Plus 199 129 Laplink III 150 99 PC Anywhere III 145 99 Procomm Plus 99 63 SideTalk 1 20 99 DESKTOP PUBLISHING Adobe Products CALL CALL Corel Draw! 595 399 HALO DPE 195 139 PageMaker 795 509 Ventura Publisher 895 589 MATHEMATICS Derive MathCAD Mathematica 386 200 179 495 315 695 625 Our Guarantee... > Products listed here are hacked by the following guarantee*: Should you see one of these products listed at a lower price in another ad in this magazine, CALL US! We'll beat the price, and still offer our same quality service and support. Terms of Offer: • Offer good through January 31, 1 99 1 • Applicable to pricing on current versions of software listed; Jan. issue prices only. • Offer does not apply towards obvious errors in competitors' ads. • Subject to same terms and conditions. SCIENCE & ENGINEERING AutoCAD Release 10 AutoSketch ChiWriter CSS DADiSP Design CAD 3-D Drafix Windows CAD EXACT Generic CADD Level 3 LABTECH Acquire LABTECH Notebook MICRO-CAP III Oread PCB PC-MATLAB PC TEX SCHEMA III Systat w/Sygraph Tango PCB Series II TECH*GRAPH*PAD -p SPREADSHEETS Lotus 1-2-3 3.1 Microsoft Excel Quattro Professional SuperCalc5 UTILITIES 386MAX5.0 above DISC AboveMEM Bootcon Cache 86 Central Point Backup FASTBACK Plus HeadRoom 2.0 Hi]aak v. 2.0 Hold Everything HyperPAD InfoSpotter MACE 1990 Magellan MKS Toolkit MOVE'EM Norton Commander Norton Utilities 5.0 Paginate PC Tools Deluxe 6.0 Pizazz Plus PreCursor Sidekick Plus SitBack Software Carousel SpinRite II Squish Plus Switch-It Tree 86 Turbo EMS 5.0 UpShot XTreePro Gold ZENO WORD PROCESSING Ami Microsoft Word for Windows WordPerfect 5.1 Programmer's Policies Phone Orders Hours Mon-Fri 8:30 AM-7 PM EST, Sat 9:30-2:30 EST. We accept MC,Visa, AMEX. Domestic shipments, please add $5 per item for shipping/ handling by UPS ground. For domestic COD shipments, please add $3. Rush service available. Mail or FAX Orders POs are welcome. Please include phone number. International Service Phone number required with order. Call or FAX for additional information. Dealers Welcome! Call for information. Corporate Accounts Call CORSOFT, our corporate sales division at (800) 422-6507. Ask about volume purchase agreements. Unbeatable Prices We'll beat the competition's advertised prices. Prices subject to change without notice. 3000 CALL 150 95 150 129 495 469 895 759 400 292 695 CALL 475 380 350 289 195 179 995 799 1495 1269 1495 CALL 695 659 249 229 495 449 895 759 595 559 .395 319 595 479 595 389 495 319 495 329 495 319 130 114 119 64 80 75 60 55 50 39 99 69 189 119 130 89 199 149 199 159 150 CALL 80 69 149 105 195 109 249 199 89 79 149 99 179 129 100 79 149 95 149 79 96 79 200 139 99 90 90 72 89 75 100 75 100 89 90 69 100 89 95 89 129 89 269 239 199 129 495 349 495 CALL SpontaneousAssembly basetwo An assembly language library that lets you produce the fastest, tightest possible programs with the same ease you'd expect from a high-level language. It includes an impressive collection of over 700 functions and macros for high-speed text windowing, heap management, array searching and sorting, critical error management, 32/64 Dit integer math, and much more! Comprehensive 750+ page manual. Full source code. No royalties. Easy integration with C. "If you program in assembly language, you gotta have SpontaneousAssembly," - Michael Abrash DEVELOPMENT L ; st: $ 395 Qurs: 5189 FAXcetera #261 4-0001 DialogCoder DialogCoder is a powerful "C" source code generator for MS Windows 3.0 application development. It provides a complete develop- ment environment for the creation, modification and maintenance of source code to support dialog boxes. With DialogCoder's simple point & click graphical interface, in just minutes source code is generated to support simple flat WYSIWYG dialogs to highly complex dialogs. DalogCoder Set-up Window Dialogs that useato take hours or days to program can now be programmed in minutes, eliminating endless hours of costly debugging and coding time. Supports custom code, automatic regeneration of source code, owner-drawn controls, optional generation of DLLs, edit field validation, and much more. List: $499 Ours: 5479 FAXcetem #2939-0001 .RTLink®/Plus 4.10 with VML™ (Virtual Memory Linking) Automatically execute large MS-DOS programs in as little as 100K, or execute in all available memory. No source code changes. Supports Microsoft C, QuickC, MASM, FORTRAN, Pascal, CodeView, Clipper S'87, and Clipper 5.0. List: $495 Ours: $359 Pocket Soft, Inc. FAXcetem #1987-0002 Hyper-Word™ Hyper-Word is a multi-window hypertext word processor and develop- ment system. Instantly create interactive tutorials and reference systems. Hyper-Word provides you with the necessary navigation tools to create and explore vast amounts of information. Includes context sensitive help, multi-level undo, pull-down menus. For the programmer: create program mock-ups, automatically display subroutine from any reference, interrelate all program source files. Full WYSIWYG word processing features; 120,000 word main dictionary plus user dictionary, recent reference list, multiple printers and font control. Uses standard text files. Works with or without mouse. Network compatible. Not copy protected. List: $149 Ours: $109 7hDC\k\ SOFTWARE Since 1978 FAX^^ra #2868-0001 2^0AJ SOFTWARE International: 201-389-9228 Customer Service: 201-389-9229 Fax: 201-389-9227 Corporate: 800-422-6507 Canada: 800-445-7899 FAXcetem: 201-389-81 73 Call or Write for Latest Free Catalog! 1-800445-7899 A Division of Voyager Software Corp 1 1 63 Shrewsbury Ave., Shrewsbury, NJ 0770; Circle 265 on Reader Service Card WHAT'S NEW SOFTWARE PROGRAMMING Develop DSP Applications on the Mac DSP Designer 1. 1, for de- veloping digital signal processing applications, now includes Z, a C-like interpre- tive language for modeling. Zola says you can use Z to create a model of your DSP algorithm to make sure it's correct before you use it in a program. Z also provides floating-point filter simulation. DSP Designer includes analysis and simulation capa- bilities for digital filters. You can use it to create, manipu- late, and display real and complex-value test signals, as well as for generating filter code for the Motorola DSP56001 24-bit processor. A DSP I/O Subsystem sup- ports real-time evaluation of DSP56001 programs running on Digidesign's Audiomedia or Sound Accelerator cards. DSP 1.1 works directly with MPW 3.0, letting you de- velop and test in a single environment. Price: $895. Contact: Zola Technologies, Inc., 6195 Heards Creek Dr. NW, Suite 201, Atlanta, GA 30328, (404) 843-2972. Inquiry 1298. C Function Libraries for AutoCAD A set of C function librar- ies that provides four components for CAD/CAM applications helps you write stand-alone applications or applications that can link into AutoCAD through release 1 1 's new C-binding interface. The components include DXF input and output, 2-D and 3-D geometry display and geometry operations, and list management. The CAD/ m,. Fdii Hint Murk lUlndom Project lllieitunj Build ^5^J Plot gfg Bantlrum hllei - flrhHruf if Slonlmrnt DandposH niter - Arbitrary Slnnliiind j CreateSignnl,,, riltersitjnol... Plot Signal... SetSlgnal... IrutivformSlgnol... m>Mi|f]fntt'i.,, OeslgnFtO... OPMllllllH... Mt'\i<]jrl|liml(jil'HH-. I nummi'f ilh't ... Pin I niter... r \£,«D,a Card Hard Drives MB/Ms Mono VGA-Mono Hires TDT 105/16 $2,899 lata? $3,299 ESDI 150/16 $3,299 $3,449 $3,699 IDT 205/16 $3,299 $3,449 $3,699 ESDT 340/16 $4,099 $4,249 $4,499 "ESDT 650/16 $5,199 $5,349 $5,599 486/25C Holiday Tower Special (w/8 MB RAM) * 486/25C System w/205 MB 1 6 ms IDE Hard Disk * 5.25' 1.2 MB Drive & 3.5' 1.44 MB Drive * 14' Color Hires Monitor (1024 x 768) 16-bit Hires 1 024 x 768 Graphics Card * Microsoft Windows 3.0 & DOS 3.30 or 4.01 * Free Holiday Mouse with This Special $4,199 Microcom Computers' Customers Include: Xerox, GTE, Motorola, Raychem, General Electric, Hewlett-Packard, Eastman Kodak, SEGA of America, Toshiba, Genetech, Bechtel, Siemens, Holiday Inn, Pacific Gas & Electric, Pacific Belt, Wells Fargo Bank, NASA, U.S. Court of Appeals, U.S. Food & Drug Administration, US. Dept of Energy, U.S. DepL of Agriculture, U.C. Berkeley, U C. San Francisco, Stanford University, Princeton University, University of Pittsburg, University of Vermont, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories, John Muir Medical Center and many, 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 Pricea are subje t to change without notice. Not responsible lor 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 NOR Corporation. Microcom Computers reserves the right to substitute any a/vd all (te L ms with equMslent ■ ©? better [parte. All benchmarks and specifications are for your Information only ana may vary from system to system. Price* do not Include shipping and handling. Circle 622 on Reader Service Card WHAT'S NEW DATABASE MANAGEMENT Object Databases for Sun and DOS Developers of applica- tions for managing data stored as text, sound, images, and graphics are starting to turn to object databases for their needs. Based on C + + , Object- Store for the Sun-3 and Sparc- station includes the run-time component, application inter- face, and C + + development tools. The application interface provides access from other programs to the run-time sys- tem using either a data- manipulation language (DML) preprocessor interface, a C library interface, or a C + + library interface. The DML preprocessor supports parameterized types for defining container classes and developing reusable code. You can store C and C + + data in native format, allowing an application to work un- modified with both transient and persistent data. Development tools include a debugger, a browser, and SchemaDesigner, a graphical tool for developing schemata and generating their associ- ated C + + code. ObjectStore supports col- laborative work among teams of design professionals. It supports the TCP/IP network- ing protocol. Price: $2000 to $9000 per user. Contact: Object Design, Inc., One New England Execu- tive Park, Burlington, MA 01803,(617)270-9797. Inquiry 1180. Persistent Data Systems says that its IDB Object Database runs on DOS-based PCs, HP/Apollo workstations, and Sparcstations. Through its Interface De- r f ^— i n t : >>>< (,« • | □ m ftnttfen __J: t '■'\ -•• ' i —i.™™ ■... rmm ^ mmm m o , ■ Ot>]IXlStOIV 2 isnsi ObjectStore, the object database management system for the Sun-3 and Sparcstation, is based on C+ + . scription Language, the pro- gram lets you write applica- tions using off-the-shelf C development tools. As you create an application, you use the IDL to describe the data. That information is mapped into C through the IDL trans- lator. The program supports most popular C development tools, and support for other languages is planned. The IDB Object Database supports dynamic binding, exceptions, and transactions for use in a workgroup environment. Price: $2500 for one license; $6000 for workstations. Contact: Persistent Data Systems, Inc., 75 West Chapel Ridge Rd., Pittsburgh, PA 15238, (412) 963-1843. Inquiry 1181. Relational Capabilities Added to askSam Relational capabilities have come to askSam, the free-form information tool that can function as a database, personal information man- ager, hypertext system, or text manager. However, unlike traditional relational data- bases, askSam doesn't re- quire you to establish links be- tween files through common fields, askSam Systems says. Instead, askSam lets you establish links through the common occurrence of let- ters, words, or groups of words. Version 5.0 of the program is also more flexible than a traditional relational DBMS, letting you repeat fields in the same file, ac- cording to the company. For developers who want to create stand-alone applica- tions that use askSam as a database engine, the company has also introduced a devel- oper's edition. Improvements to both pro- grams include the ability to sort as much data as your system will allow and support for nested subroutines. This lets you write communications like dialog box requests, al- lowing you to send messages to end users to guide them in their operation. Other new features include a controlled field editor, which lets you restrict data entry to specific fields and specify field length to control accu- racy, and a time and date gen- erator to stamp entries. Price: askSam 5.0, $395; de- veloper's edition, $695. Contact: askSam Systems, Inc., P.O. Box 1428, Perry, FL 32347, (800) 327-5726 or (904) 584-6590. Inquiry 1178. R:base Has dBASE Ad Hoes Without Programming R:base 3. 1, the latest up- grade of Microrim's rela- tional DBMS, is now compat- ible with dBASE III and dBASE III Plus, letting you combine files from both pro- grams in one database. Once you import your dBASE files into R:base, you can use the program's pull-down menus to produce ad hoc queries and reports without programming, the company says. Microrim slimmed down version 3.1 from its previous version by 70K bytes. It now requires 450K bytes. Price: $795; five-user LAN pack, $995. Contact: Microrim, Inc., 3925 159th Ave. NE, P.O. Box 97022, Redmond, WA 98073, (206) 885-2000. Inquiry 1179. Run dBASE IV Programs Very Fast Arago dBXL 2.0 and Arago Quicksilver 2.0 combine dBASE IV compati- bility with a Common User Ac- cess-compliant interface to speed execution, according to Wordtech Systems. The Arago Quicksilver 2.0 compiler lets you create appli- cations without run-time or licensing fees. Along with the compiler, screen painter/gen- erator, and debugger, the com- piler includes a Program Test Coverage Analyzer for reveal- ing which portions of your application haven't been exe- cuted during testing. Price: Quicksilver, $695; dBXL, $495. Contact: Wordtech Systems, Inc., 21 AltarindaRd., Orinda, CA 94563, (415) 254-0900. Inquiry 1182. 72PC-6 BYTE* JANUARY 1991 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 internal 3.5" 1. 44MB floppy disk drive, and one 40MB orone 100MB HDD with average access time less than 29ms. VIDEO Display ■ A ©ouble-STN Black and White display with VGA resolution. Adjustable contrast and brightness. Backlight timeput 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*316mm*107mm) Weight ■ 14 lbs (6.4 Kg). DESKTOP EXPANSION CHASSIS (OPTIONAL) VERIDATA RESEARCH INC. Unit A&lB, 11901 Goldring Road, Arcadia, CA91006. Tel: (818)303-0613 Fax: (818)303-0626 DISTRIBUTORS: in CA Tech Power 714-9794330 Matrix Digital Products, Inc. in GA Computer & Control Solutions, Inc. 404-491-1131 Vcridcitci Where creativity thrives with ingenuity 800-227-5723 818-566-8567 Circle 629 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 630) WHAT'S NEW GENERATOR S Dodging the Windows API The latest addition to the Caseworks family of ap- plication generators lets you develop and prototype the graphical-interface portion of a Windows 3.0 application. Case:W 3.0 has extended code support for dialog-box controls, generating shell di- alog message processors to program dialog-box func- tions, not just calls for the dialog boxes. You can specify applica- tion variables that are logically associated to each dialog control. Then you use the vari- able as the link to the control instead of writing to the Win- dows application program- ming interface. With extended code support, Case:W can prototype the action that oc- curs when someone edits a field or activates a control. The program includes a test view for animating the in- terface and testing its look and feel without compiling, Caseworks says. Case:W creates programs in a modular structure, taking full advan- tage of the Windows 3.0 mem- ory management facilities. Price: $795. Contact: Caseworks, Inc., 1 Dun woody Park, Suite 130, Atlanta, GA 30338, (800) 635-1577 or (404) 399-6236. Inquiry 1183. Two Generators for COBOL FlexGen 2.0 lets you gen- erate forms and windows for your COBOL program. The program includes Easy Query, which guides you in providing 4GL query- and FlexGen 2. lets you put a pretty face on your COBOL program. report-writing capabilities in your application. Once you build the query, you can run it interpretively or incorporate it into the program, Sine says. FlexGen 2.0 has options for color, field-entry charac- teristics, auto-lookup win- dows, auto-browse mode, and others. Price: $550 to $15,000. Contact: Sine, Inc., 1299 LaVelleDr.,Xenia, OH 45385, (800) 543-4035 or (513)372-4334. Inquiry 1186. Flexus International, maker of the COBOL CICS spll and COBOL spll generators, has released ver- sions of both tools for Sun workstations running Open Look. The company says the generators can reduce the time required to add menus, help screens, and I/O screens to mainframe communications and other applications. With COBOL spll, you can run an application simulta- neously on graphics- and character-based terminals, without having to run in character mode on the graphics terminal. The generator of- fers mouse support. As you de- bug a program, you can view the source code while monitor- ing screen interaction from multiple windows. The CICS version of the program was developed to help create cooperative processing applications on the Sun. In ad- dition to painting Basic Map- ping System maps, you can prototype the CICS applica- tion using spll's Dialog Defi- nition Facility. Once you paint the user interface and prototype the system, the program lets you generate BMS macros, as well as com- mand-level CICS procedural COBOL. Price: COBOL spll, $495 to $795; CICS spll, $795 to $995. Contact: Flexus Interna- tional Corp., P.O. Box 9199, Morristown, NJ 07963, (201) 895-4724. Inquiry 1187. Application Generator for dBASE A code generator called dB Intuition lets you add form views, menus, and se- curity levels to your dBASE, FoxBase, Quicksilver, or Clipper application. The program lets you add shadowed menus and multiple page views to your applica- tion. A library editor lets you create your own library files, while the linker is LAN-com- patible, according to Inte- grated Database Technology. Price: $119. Contact: Integrated Data- base Technology, 300 Maple Ave., South Plainf ield, NJ 07080, (201) 756-8665. Inquiry 1185. New Multiplatform Jam Flavors With Jam 5, you can put features normally asso- ciated with a graphical user interface (e.g., virtual forms and viewports) into a charac- ter-based application. With the proper run-time libraries, the application can run on DOS, Unix/386, and OS/2. JYACC has also an- nounced a Motif -based tool that will let you construct Motif interfaces and access widgets. You'll also be able to compile applications down to character mode. JYACC says the program, the price of which was undetermined at press time, will permit seam- less integration to multiple databases. In addition to full mouse support, Jam has sibling win- dows, shrink-to-fit text win- dows, screen entry and exit routines, and other widgets, like radio buttons. Through 8- bit internalization, the pro- gram lets you easily customize it for international use. Other JYACC tools include the Jam Graphics Interface, for integrating graphical images into the application; Jam/DBi ReportWriter; and the Jam DBi, for linking applications to relational databases. Price: Jam for DOS, $595; Jam for OS/2, $1350; Jam for Unix/386, $1950. Contact: JYACC, Inc., 116 John St., New York, NY 10038,(212)267-7722. Inquiry 1184. 72PC-8 BYTE* JANUARY 1991 is 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. And it's only $149.95. HyperPAD 2.0 is available from software dealers, or directly from Brightbill-Roberts, for only $149.95. Runtime also available. 60-day money-back guarantee. VISA, Master- Card, 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. J' # £? § * i m ir ^_ r s< i| A* BrighMl-Rcberts 120 E. Washington St., Syracuse, N.Y. 13202 HyperPAD is a registered trademark of Brightbill-Roberls & Company, Ltd. All other trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective holders. Call for upgrade information. ©1990 Brightbill-Roberis & Company, ltd. Circle 609 on Reader Service Card WHAT'S NEW WORD PROCESSING/DESKTOP PUBLISHING ButtonWare Updates PC-Type The new version of PC- Type lets you process multiple files as one docu- ment. It supports a table of contents and index for large documents, where chapters and sections are automati- cally numbered. PC-Type 4.0 adds a print- preview function and a 100,000-word customizable dictionary. The program requires 384K bytes of RAM on an IBM PC. Price: $99.95. Contact: ButtonWare, P.O. Box 96058, Bellevue, WA 98009, (800) 528-8866 or (206) 454-0479. Inquiry 1188. Publish with Special Effects Power Up Software says that Express Publisher 2.0 adds a module for creat- ing headlines and logos with advanced typesetting effects. The TextEffects module lets you manipulate text to fill a polygon, bend along a curve, grow or shrink in size from one character to the next, or run along an angled line. In addition to special effects, the program adds text-formatting commands for justification, kerning, and character spacing. The new version also adds five AGFA Compugraphic In- tellifont scalable typefaces, bringing the total number of fonts in the program to eight. Express Publisher generates fonts on the fly in sizes from 6 to 144 points. Other new features include landscape printing and the ability to import CGM files. It previously supported PCX, GIF, ART, IMG, MacPaint, Microsoft Paint, Print Shop, PC-Type 4.0's split-screen capability lets you open two files at once or view different parts of the same file. EPS, and TIFF file formats. The program runs on the IBM PC with 640K bytes of RAM and a hard disk drive. It supports Hewlett-Packard LaserJet III, LaserJet, Desk- Jet, PostScript, and other laser and dot-matrix printers. Price: $159.95. Contact: Power U p Software Corp., 2929 Campus Dr., San Mateo, CA 94403, (415) 345-5900; for upgrades, call (800)851-2917. Inquiry 1190. Screen Capture for Windows Pizazz Plus, a program for capturing black-and- white or color Microsoft Windows 3.0 screen images, can export TIFF gray, TIFF color, EPS, PCX, and other popular file formats. Once you've captured the whole screen or just a portion of it, you can adjust color and gray- scale brightness and contrast to obtain the best image in your document. Pizazz Plus is a TSR pro- gram that requires 32K bytes of RAM. Price: $149. Contact: Application Tech- niques, Inc., 10 Lomar Park Dr.,Pepperell,MA01463, (800) 433-5201 or (508) 433-5201. Inquiry 1192. A Bridge Between CAD and Publishing The new preview function in CADleaf, an engine for converting CAD files into several desktop publishing for- mats, lets you monitor the translation process as it oc- curs. It lets you view the file as it translates so you can en- sure that you selected the cor- rect file, which is helpful when you have to deal with thousands of CAD files, Car- berry Technology says. In addition to the preview function, CADleaf 2.0 lets you convert any CAD or drawing program that exports IGES, Hewlett-Packard Graphics Language, CalComp960, AutoCAD, or CGM format into CGM, EPSI, Sun Raster, Interleaf, or FrameMaker format. By supporting these formats and conforming to the Department of Defense MIL-D-2800 specification, the program is CALS- compliant. CADleaf 2.0 runs on Sun, 386i, and Apollo workstations, and the AT&T 3B2. Price: $4995. Contact: Carberry Technol- ogy, Inc., 600 Suffolk St., Lowell, MA 01854, (508) 970-5358. Inquiry 1191. Ease the Text- Import Blues Sooner or later, most people using a word pro- cessor have to incorporate data from another application into a document. This often means converting to ASCII, stripping out hard carriage returns, and reformatting the text. A program designed to ease that process is now avail- able from Systems Compati- bility. Outside In instantly recog- nizes 57 file formats, letting you view, select, and import data stored in a host of applica- tions and import it on the fly into your word processor. Once you install Outside In as a TSR program, you can call it up from within your word processor and browse through spreadsheets, databases, and other word processor files and import the data in its native file format. In addition to preserving boldface, underlining, tabs, and other attributes of the other application's data, the program lets you search for a word or phrase. You can scroll up and down or right to left through a file and mark that text for importing. Outside In supports the marking of more than just a screen's worth of data. It also lets you select noncontigu- ous data that's stored in a spreadsheet or database. The program runs on the IBM PC and uses 70K bytes of RAM. A version expected to ship later this year will require just 40K bytes. The program runs on any DOS-based net- work, the company says. Price: $99; network versions start at $299. Contact: Systems Compati- bility Corp., 401 North Wa- bash, Suite 600, Chicago, IL 60611,(312)329-0700. Inquiry 1189. 72PC-10 BYTE* JANUARY 1991 MYODA 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 all come with a CONNER.40 MB HDD &a3.5/1.44MBFDD AMI or Award BIOS. H 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 Model cpu Internal Slots Screen FD HD EXT. FD Port Max Memory Price 5200CD 5200SX 5200NV 386-25 386ex- 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 IDE 40MB IDE 40MB IDE Ves YES YES 8MB 8MB 8MB $3699 $2799 $2299 Dealer Sales: 1-600-235-7359 $1499 MYODA LT-3500 Here is your chance to pick up on the biggest bargain in Laptops anywhere. The LT-3500 is packed with features. The 80286-1 2 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 #1 MB installed 4MB max • 3.5/1.44MB floppy drive • 40MB(28ms) hard drive • 2 serial/1 parallel/CRT port • Free carrying case MYODA MD3410 • Intel 80286-12 p microprocessor • Baby AT case • Up to 4 MB RAM • AMI BIOS WS&®^\ 12" MONO 14" MONO 14" VGA 14" SVGA $539 $579 $895 $969 MYODA --a ^ 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 Units Include: • True Intel CPUs • 1MB RAM • 1 year warranty • 101 enhanced keyboard • 2 seria!,1 parallel, &1 game port • Quality desktop cases & power e upplies • Dual FDD/ HDD AT BUS controllers Installed Hard Drives: installation with system purchase 40 Meg. $249 65 Meg. $339 100 Meg. $599 Case Upgrades Mini tower, Mid tower and Large tower Call for special pricing MYODA MD7240 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 Circle 623 on Reader Service Card 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 (RESELLERS: 624) MYODA INC. 1 053 Shore Road. Naperville Illinois 60563 Td:(708) 369-5199 Fax: (708) 36*4068 Mail Order Sales 1-800-562-1071 Dealers/Vars Inquires: OEM Inquire: 1053 Shore Road Naperviile lllinios 60563 /Jex Chen Taipei Office 3 F No. 191 Sec. 3 Roosevelt Rd TEL (708) 369-5199 FAK. (708) 369-6068 Taipeijawan TEL 886-2-3628445 F/\X: 886^2-3626283 15 daye money back garantee.RMA requrlea onallrotum. No sur- charge on VISA and MASTER CARD. We accept AMERICAN EXPRESS and DISCOVER CARD. WHAT'S NEW DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT Slate Now Available on DECstation Slate, BBN Software Products' multimedia document communications program, lets workgroups create and share documents that contain text, spreadsheets, images, and voice annota- tions, while providing E-mail and real-time conferencing. Recently released for the DECstation, the program is also available on the IBM RISC System/6000 and Sun Microsystems workstations running under SunView andXll. Price: $995 per license. Contact: BBN Software Products Corp., 10 Fawcett St., Cambridge, MA 02138, (617) 873-5000. Inquiry 1198. DATs the Ticket for Data Management Program Datalmage's latest elec- tronic data management program works with Sony magnetic digital data storage tape drives to let you convert sheets of microfiche into files that you can index, program, and search. When you download in- formation from the main- frame, DATwriter lets you designate identifiers that you use to search for certain doc- uments. You can assign up to 16 identifiers per document. Once indexed, the com- pany says you can find records from a 1.3-gigabyte tape within an average of 25 sec- onds. After you've down- loaded the data, DATwriter installs the index and a run- time version, so that the tape Slate lets workgroups create and share multimedia information on networked Unix workstations. is its own self-contained application. Price: $5000 (includes Sony drive). Contact: Datalmage, Inc., 628 Hebron Ave., Glaston- bury, CT 06033, (203) 659-3980. Inquiry 1195. 10900 Northeast Eighth St. , Suite 7, 1515 Plaza Center Building, Bellevue, WA 98004,(206)646-1066. Inquiry 1196. Manage Documents Under Word for Windows The Viewz document pro- gram for Microsoft Win- dows combines the Saros Mezzanine network application platform with Microsoft's Word for Windows to let you manage all your documents without leaving Word. Viewz supports network- wide retrieval and management of files, automated tracking of pages printed, file-revision tracking, audit facilities, se- curity, and a template facility for creating standard forms and documents. Price: $345 per client; $2950 per server. Contact: Saros Software, A Document Administrator for PC Applications The Document Adminis- trator, a program that pro- vides document administra- tion on PC-based networks, integrates a variety of appli- cations (e.g., Microsoft Word, WordPerfect, DisplayWrite, and Lotus 1-2-3). Version 2.0 supports auto- matic document numbering, configurable revision track- ing, checkout protection to prevent simultaneous editing, and the ability to maintain forms and boilerplate items. When searching for docu- ments, the program supports Boolean conductors, proxim- ity searches, word stems, and wild cards. You can use pro- files to track graphical- and paper-based information. The program runs on any DOS 3. 1 -based network. Price: $2495 for 10-user in- stallation; $150 for each addi- tional workstation. Contact: Interpreter, Inc., 11455 West 48th Ave., Wheat Ridge, CO 80033, (303) 431-8991. Inquiry 1194. Turn Your PC into an Electronic Filing Cabinet The PaperLess Filer lets you scan single and multi- ple documents and compress them to reduce storage require- ments without having to buy image-compression hardware. Version 2 . 1 of the program lets you predefine a series of documents to be scanned into its database in a batch process and lets you fax documents in or out of the program using a PC fax board. Files stored in a batch process can be incre- mentally numbered as they print. You can also define queues for unattended printing. The PaperLess Filer lets you search for a particular document by several criteria. Version 2. 1 adds multiple fil- ing cabinets for filing differ- ent types of documents using user-definable key fields. The program is LAN-com- patible and supports several levels of security. Version 2.1 can import and export files in the TIFF, PCX, or DCX formats. PaperLess Filer 2. 1 runs on a 286 computer with a hard disk drive. Price: $495; LAN version, $795. Contact: PaperLess Corp., 1750 North Collins, Suite 200, Richardson, TX 75080, (214) 235-4008. Inquiry 1193. 72PC-12 BYTE* JANUARY 1991 iuiMwaiHa w » ASK FOR MO Better Features, Better Quality, Better Price m fT^I HANNOVER FAIR kIJCfeBIT'91 Wodd Center lor Office. ond lelecommunici MARCH 13-20, 1991 See us on Stand No. 036/1, Hall 8 iflffl Manufacturer MODEL NO: DM-1431 DM-1435 High Resolution 640x480 800x600 (non-interlace) 1024x768 (interlace) Vert. Scan Range 55-70HZ 55-90Hz Horiz. Scan Range 31.5 KHz 31.5 KHz/35.5 KHz Auto Switch Your customers require nothing less than crisp-clear displays. For their DTP, CAD, CAM, etc., they need monitors that are up to video standards such as VGA 8514A or MAGI. If you require a reliable, reasonably-priced supply of high- class 100% compatible monitors, we should talk. CHUN YUN ELECTRONICS CO., LTD. 351, Szu Yuan Road, Hsin Chuang, Taipei Hsien, Taiwan, R.O.C. Tel: 886-2-991-8480, 992-6363 Fax: 886-2-991-8483 Hsin Chuan Factory: No. 49-51 Szu Yuan Rd., Hsin Chuang City, Taipei Hsien, Taiwan, R.O.C. Tao Yuan Factory: No. 32, Shin Bond Rd., Kwei-Shan Hsiang, Tao Yuan Hsien, Taiwan, R.O.C. Circle 612 on Reader Service Card WHAT'S NEW ACCOUNTING AND CONTACT MANAGEMENT CHECKBOOK: SflHPLE-SftHCHK-lWa-fll DATE: Bl/13/98 PC Accounting and Customer Database Program AXS Accounting release 2 includes new modules, reporting capabilities, and enhancements that make the program suitable for large businesses, client write-up, and nonprofit organizations, its developer reports. In addition to general led- ger, checkwriter, accounts payable, and accounts receiv- able, the new version has mod- ules for inventory, job cost- ing and time billing, and payroll. Release 2 adds sup- port for ratios, budgets, com- parative statements, and cash flow reports. Throughout the program, you can look up vendors, cus- S<*nj)le Cowpany Order Of J l"lin -n fV*nu Jam Sttlb ' I lie I Crow lire l.i LINE ACC MO Print V'N: v Rp ff'-"'""Tlf-fl f-flccuiint No 40116 •18129 4B218 4022B 48318 49988 56110 56120 $6210 bBJltJ 60330 B834B 50350 1360 -Tyjpa PO PO PO PO PO PO PO PO PO PO PO PO PO PO Balana CJik No : -Description 61- 13/90 160 [ALU-LI for looku Sdle* Revemui^ Sales Discounts ( i iig HuwenutJs Twining Reus hubs Interest Revenues Hisc Revenues I Goods Purchases Discounts Payroll Offlcfe Rent Btisiiujas Entertainment Insurance Maintenance fi Repairs Depreciation I Data entry in AXS Accounting release 2 is done in familiar business forms, such as checks and invoices. tomers, inventory, and other items by vendor, due date, dis- count date, amount, refer- ence, or a combination of these. The mail manager lets you maintain a database of cus- tomers for generating mail- ing labels and rotary cards. Price: $99. Contact: Computer Trends, Inc., 116 East Washington St., Ann Arbor, MI 48104, (800) 544-2597 or (313) 662-4430. Inquiry 1173. Job Tracking for Advertising and Design Working Computer has released a slimmed- down version of its Clients & Profits agency management program for the Mac. Clients & Profits ez is designed for the advertising agency or design studio with less than $1 million in billings. You can use the program for job tracking, cost- ing, and billing of established accounts. Clients & Profits ez runs on the Mac Plus. Price: $1195. Contact: Working Com- puter, P. O. Box 87, San Luis Rey, CA 92068, (619) 945-4334. Inquiry 1175. Attention U.S. BYTE Subscribers Watch for the next BYTE DECK mailing that will be arriving in your mailbox soon! Use this as a fast, convenient tool to purchase computer products and services. It's loaded with essential hardware and software products that you should be aware of when making your buying decisions. . .and it's absolutely FREE! If you have a computer product or service, and would like to reach 275,000 influential BYTE magazine subscribers, please give Ed Ware a call today at (603) 924-2596. BITE Here's what a BYTE Deck advertiser has to say: "Ten years ago we advertised in the very first BYTE Deck— the number of sales leads we received was enormous! The BYTE Deck was so successful for us, that we have continued to use it over the past ten years!" Lisa Tarpoff, Marketing Manager, Heath Company, Benton Harbor, MI 72PC-14 BYTE* JANUARY 1991 VGA PORTABLE ALL SYSTEMS RUN UNIX, XENIX, LAN OS DOS AND OS/2, The BSI 386SX was the Fastest Machine in PC Magazine Review See Aug. 1990 P. 109, 120 386SX 40MB SYSTEM Desk Top • 386SX-1 6 MHz CPU, 1 MB Memory (To 4MB) •200WP/S.110/220V ■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 • 1 2" Amber Monitor (720x348 Res.) on** 6 386-33 200MB SYSTEM (Desk Top) • 386-33 MHz CPU. w/64KCache Memory ■ 1 MB Memory on board (To 8MB) • 200MB, 19ms, IDE Hard Drive • 128K Cache Memory Optional • 32MB Memory on Board Optional • Other features the same as 386SX $2,** HDD 286-12 386SX 386/25 386/33 486/25 40MB 799 1059 1349 1629 2449 65MB 869 1129 1409 1689 2509 80MB 1139 1399 1679 1959 2779 100MB 1139 1399 1679 1959 2779 150MB 1396 1659 1939 2219 3039 200MB 1429 1679 1959 2239 3059 345MB 2219 2459 2739 3019 3839 • Upgrade to VGA (640 x 480 Res) + $300 • Upgrade to VGA (1024 x 768 Res) +$380 » Mini Vertical Case + $50 ■ Regular Vertical Case ♦ $100 MOTHER BOARD ON SALE PORTABLE SKD KITS AND • BAREBONE SYSTEMS AVAILABLE CALL FOR PRICING 286-12 386SX 386-25 386-33 486-25 MB MB MB MB MB $100 $355 $570 $830 $1.55( Prices subject to change without notice. Call for return policy. BSI 9440 Tetstar Ave., #4, Et Monte, CA 91731 LIGHTEST & SMALLEST CRT PORTABLE 1024x768 RES, 256 COLOR 5 YEARS PORTABLE EXPERIENCE 386-33 200MB COLOR VGA PORTABLE • Built-in SONY 8.5 n Color VGA 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) • 128K Cache Memory Optional ■ 32MB Memory on Board Optional • VGA Graphic Card (512K, 1024x768 Res.) External Monitor Adaptor nQ • 1 .2MB or 1 .44MB FDD $3,1™ • 200MB 1 9ms HDD (To 500MB) * oC \aV) • 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 Vgap UsmT 386-33 200MB VGA PLASMA PORTABLE • 640x480 VGA Plasma Display • Detachable 101 -key Keyboard • 200W P/S, 1 1 0/220V. 3 Drive Bays ■ 386-33 MHz CPU, w/ 64 K Cache Memory • 1 MB Memory on Board (To 8MB) • 128K Cache Memory Optional • 32MB Memory on Board Optional • 1.2MB or 1.44MB FDD • 200MB 19ms HDD (To 500MB) • Serial and Parallel Ports • External Monitor Adaptor • Carrying Bag. Weight: 26 Lbs. On Sa\ e HDD 286-12 386SX 386/25 386/33 486/25 40MB 2149 2429 2719 3009 3899 100MB 2479 2759 3049 3339 4229 150MB 2839 3119 3409 3699 4589 200MB 2869 3149 3439 3729 4619 345MB 3779 4059 4349 4639 5529 • Dimer isions: 1 6 H (W) x 9." [5"(H) x 8 5"(D) HDD 286-12 386SX 386/25 386/33 486/25 40MB 1679 1959 2249 2539 3429 65MB 1789 2069 2359 2649 3539 100MB 1979 2259 2549 2839 3729 150MB 2279 2559 2849 3139 4029 200MB 2339 2619 2909 3199 4089 345MB 3159 3439 3729 4019 4909 VGA AMBER CRT PORTABLE 100MB AT H C GA PLASMA PORTABLE 100MB AT • 640X400 CGA Plasma Display Q • Detachable 86-Key Keyboard ^<\ fc9" • External RGB Monitor Adaptor ^ ' • Built-in 9" Amber VGA Monitor • Speed Digital Display. 3 Drive Bays • 205W P/S 110/220V. 4 Exp. Slots • 86 Keyboard, Detachable Keyboard + $30 • AT 12 MHz System, 1MB Memory (To 4MB) • VGAGraphicCard (256K, 800x600 Res.) • Run 48 Grey Scales VGA Internally • Run Color VGA Externally n0k • 1 .2MB or 1 .44MB FDD *.-\ "?0^ • 1 00MB 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 1399 1679 1969 2259 3149 65MB 1509 1789 2079 2369 3259 100MB 1699 1979 2269 2559 3449 150MB 1999 2279 2569 2859 3749 200MB 2059 2339 2629 2919 3809 345MB 2879 3159 3449 3739 4529 HDD 286-12 386SX 386/25 386/33 486/25 40MB 1409 1689 1979 2269 3159 65MB 1529 1809 2099 2389 3279 100MB 1739 2019 2309 2599 3489 150MB 2099 2379 2669 2959 3849 200MB 2129 2409 2699 2989 3879 345MB 3039 3319 3609 3899 4789 AMBER CRT PORTABLE 100MB AT • Built-in 9" Amber Monitor • Speed Digital Display. 3 Drive Bays • 2Q5W P/S 1 10/220V. 4 Exp. Slots • 86 Keyboard, Detachable Keyboard + $30 • AT 12 MHz System, 1 MB Memory (To 4MB) ■ Mono or Color Graphic Card • Amber EGA Display (option) ^ $100 ■ 1 .2 MB or 1 .44 MB Floppy Drive ^g • 1 00MB 25ms Hard Drive *\J* 1 • Serial/Parallel/Game Ports • Carrying Bag Weight 26 lbs. ■ Dimensions 17.5(W) x 14.1(D) x 6.8(H) 386-33 100MB VGA LCD PORTABLE ■ 640x480 Res, Backlit LCD VGA Display with External Color Monitor Adaptor £19 • 200W 1 1 0/220V P/S , 5 Exp. Slots %2p * • Detachable 89-Key Keyboard &8St • 386-33 MHz CPU with 64K Cache Memory • 1MB Memory on Board (To 8MB} ■ 1 28K Cache Memory Optional • 32MB Memory on Board Optional • 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 BUY %M For Order Only Call Toll Free 1-800-872-4547 1-818-442-0020 Information Customer Support: (818) 442-7038 Fax: (818) 442-4527 All order FOB Et Monle and will be shipped by UPS COD cashier's check. Company check on approval IBM PC XT/AT are registered trade marks of IBM Inc. HDD 286-12 386SX 386/25 386/33 486/25 40MB 1149 1429 1719 2009 2899 65MB 1269 1549 1839 2129 3019 100MB 1479 1759 2049 2339 3229 150MB 200MB 1839 1869 2119 2149 2409 2439 2699 2729 3589 ' 3619 345MB 2779 3059 3349 3639 ; 4629 HDD 286-12 386SX 386/25 386/33 486/25 40MB 1359 1639 1929 2219 3109 65MB 1459 1749 2039 2329 3219 100MB 1659 1939 2229 2519 3409 150MB 1989 2269 2559 2849 3739 200MB 2019 2299 2589 2879 3969 345MB 2839 3119 3409 3699 4589 BEsEgEE MBS S2SEF EESEE ■ LAPTOP 386ST 40MB VGA PORTABLE •LT-5300 PLASMA W BATTERY $2600 •LT-5400 PLASMA AC POWER $2300 •LT-5600 LCD W. BATTERY $2350 1 00MB Hard Drive Model add $400 Circle 610 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 611) WHAT'S NEW ACCOUNTING AND L.Ji MANAGEMENT Client Write-Up in OS/2 Financial Software Asso- ciates has released two OS/2 packages designed for CPAs and accounting busi- nesses. The Client Account- ing Gold Series, for client write-up, includes modules for general ledger, after-the- fact payroll and form 1099 preparation, and custom re- porting. As its name sug- gests, the second package, Practice Management Gold Series, is for managing time and billing for multiple clients. Both packages take advan- tage of OS/2's multitasking ca- pabilities, letting you per- form several activities for one or more clients at once, the company says. Although not Presentation Manager appli- cations, the packages support overlapping windows and pull-down menus. TaxLink, which integrates Gold Series General Ledger data to tax- preparation programs, is also available. The packages require at least a 286 running OS/2 1.0 or higher with 4 MB of RAM. A 386 with OS/2 1.1 or higher is recommended. Price: Client Accounting: single-user, $1995; multiuser, $2495 to $3995. Practice Management, $1395 and $1695 to $2559, respec- tively. Contact: Financial Software Associates Corp., 5150 South- west Griffith Dr., Suite 200, Beaverton, OR 97005, (503) 626-8652. Inquiry 1174. Contact Management for the PC Contact! Professional 2.3 has a word processor, cal- culator, telephone dialer, and support for multiple databases in which you can define up to 100 fields. You can use the program to sort contacts by name, company, ZIP code, or any other criteria and attach up to 16 pages of comments or historical information. The program requires 640K bytes of RAM. Price: $195; LAN version, $495. Contact: Pyramid Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 395, Stough- ton, MA 02072, (800) 343- 4677 or (617) 821-4673. Inquiry 1176. Emis I is an integrated sales, marketing, and tele- marketing program. It com- bines client management, prospect tracking, and tele- marketing functions. Features include unlimited databases, custom forms, cus- tom reports and letters, auto- matic follow-ups, unlimited call and contact history, word processing, mail merge, auto-dialing, form letter gen- eration, and telescripting. Emis II allows for un- limited databases. Price: Emis I: $695; three- user license, $995; Emis II: $1995 and $2995, respec- tively; each additional user, $695. Contact: Emis Software, Inc., 901 Northeast Loop 410, Suite 526, San Antonio, TX 78209,(512)822-8499. Inquiry 1177. ' -i-v VIDEOS m-Hsr; ;v!."l TPS QT-1 ULTRA MINI WORKSTATION Cute ... but Powerful, Expandable, and Economical personal computer for business or home use. 80286-12 1 MB ram on board, up to 2.5 MB 1.44 MB FDD drive 20/40/80 MB HDD option External floppy interface • CGA/MGA dual display NTSC-TV port VGA optional 2 S, 1 P, 1 G ports 84 keyboard 1 standard 1 6 bit expansion slot 5.5"(W) X 12.2" (D) X 3.6" - 9 lbs. , MlqjjAiMVqAvV«w*QMi In \ 10" Mini Multisync Color Monitor ■ $445.00 QT-1 w/12" TTL monochrome monitor. QT-1 w/14" VGA color monitor $575.00 $895.00 QT-1 w/14" VGA color monitor $895.00 TRANS PC Systems, Inc. 1 1 849 E. Firestone Blvd., Norwalk, CA 90650 ITS YOUR CHOICE - YOUR PRICE -OUR RELIABILITY Pnone: 213-868-6930, Fax. 213-864-2249 Servicing your computer needs since 1984 1" (8 OO) 876 -9 161 (order only) Tech-support (213) 868-6970 72PC-16 BYTE- JANUARY 1991 Circle 627 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 628) 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 PartHEQ 30F5348 (512K) 30F5360(2MB) 6450375 (1MB) 6450379 (2MB) 6451060 (4MB) 6450603(1 MB) 6450604 (2MB) 6450608 (2MB) 78X8955 (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 $ 129.00 80-111.311 $ 219.00 80-A21.A31, 111,311 $559.00 502, 55SX, 70-E61, 70-121. P-70 $ 79.00 502. 55SX, 70-E61, 70-121, P-70 $ 150.00 70-A21, A61, B-21, B61 $ 155.00 25 $ 26.00 55SX.65SX $ 525.00 All 70's and 80's (Board) $ 525.00 50, 502, 55SX, 60, 65SX (Board) $ 599.00 Laser Printer 4019, 40l9e $169.00 Laser Printer 4019, 40l9e $299.00 Laser Printer 4019, 4019e $ 429.00 Call for Other IBM Upgrades (Apple' MACII, Ik; Ilex Ilex & SE/30 MACSE &PLUS MAC PORTABLE LASERWRITER ll/NTX 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 # EQ M0218 M0219 MO2707 M0218 M0219 MO2707 M0248 N/A N/A N/A M0292LL-A N/A M6005 M6006 PRICE $ 80.00 $ 115.00 $ 225.00 $ 1199.00 $ 225.00 $ 1 1 99.00 $ 80.00 $ 115.00 $ 225.00 $ 249.00 $ 729.00 $ 999.00 $1399.00 $ 279.00 $1299.00 $ 85.00 $ 289.00 Cyrix Math Co-Processor Up to 200% Faster Than Intel Math Co-Processor 100% Compatible — 5 Year Warranty 83D87-16 83D87-20 83D87-25 Call $ 309.00 $ 369.00 83D87-33 83D87SX-16 83D87SX-20 PRICE $ 469.00 $ 259.00 Call m HEWLETT PACKARD LASER JET ll&IID Memory Added 1MB MODULE 2MB MODULE 4MB MODULE 1MB MODULE 2MB MODULE 3MB MODULE 4MB MODULE H33443B H33444B H33445B H33474A H33475A N/A N/A PRICE $ 89.00 $ 149.00 S 249.00 $ 89.00 $ 149.00 $ 199.00 $ 249.00 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 1MB KIT 2MB KIT 4MB KIT 1MB KIT 4MBKIT 1MB KIT 4MB KIT Part It EQ 500510-011 500510-010 500510002 500510-008 500510001 500510007 500510-002 500510-003 500510007 500510-008 50051(H)10 500510-007 500510-002 500510-008 500510-007 500510008 500510-007 500510-008 STANDARD SIMMS Part* 256X8-12 256X8-10 256 X 8-80 256X912 256 X 9-10 256 X 9-80 256 X 9-70 256 X 9-60 1 X 8-10 1 X8-80 1 X 8 70 1 X9-10 1X9-80 1 X9-70 4X8-80 4X9-80 $ 17.00 3.00 $ 19.00 $ 17.00 $ 17.00 $ 18.00 $ 21.00 $ 26.00 $ 50.00 $ 51.00 $ 60.00 $ 55.00 $ 56.00 $ 57.00 $ 299.00 $ 329.00 DRAM Part# 1X1-100 1 X 1-80 1X1-70 256-150 256120 256100 256-80 256-70 25660 256X4-10 256 X 4-80 4464-10 4464-80 4164-15 4164-12 4164-10 PRICE $ 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 $ 120.00 $ 300.00 $ 79.00 5.50 5.75 6.25 Call 2.00 2.30 3.00 5.75 6.00 2.20 2.40 1.40 EPROM/CPU/SRAM/VRAM Also Available COMPAQ Model DESKPRO 386/33-486/25 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 512K KIT 2MB KIT 1MB BOARD 2MB BOARD 4MB BOARD 8MB BOARD 1MB KIT 4MB BOARD 1MB MODULE 1MB BOARD 2MB BOARD Ask About Other Compaq Upgrades Part if EQ 115144-001 113131001 113132-001 113644-001 113645-001 113131-001 113132-001 113633-001 113G34-001 113646-001 112534001 107331-001 107332-001 1 08069-001 108069-W/71 108070001 108072-001 107651-001 107653-001 110235-001 117081-001 PRICE $ 229.00 $ 139.00 $ 339.00 $ 189.00 $ 479.00 $ 139.00 S 339.00 $ 189.00 $ 479.00 $ 139.00 $ 339.00 $ 70.00 $ 165.00 $ 299.00 S 399.00 $ 659.00 $ 999.00 $ 245.00 $ 799.00 $ 209.00 $ 159.00 $ 249.00 TOSHIBA Model Portable T1000SE &XE Portable T1200XE Portable T1600 Portable T3100C Portable T3100SX Portable T3200sx Portable T3200 Portable T5100 Portable T5200 DESKTOP T8500 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 # EQ PC14-PA8311U PC14-PA8312U PC13-PA8306U PC-PA8302U PC-PA8340U PC-PA8341 U PC15-PAS308U PC15-PA8310U PC-PA8307U PC-PA7137U PC-PAS301U PC-PAS304U PC-PA8301 U PRICE $ 319.00 $ 444.00 $ 199.00 $ 199.00 $ 135.00 $ 199.00 $ 199.00 $ 599.00 $ 199.00 $ 359.00 $ 199.00 $ 199.00 $ 199.00 Ask About Other Toshiba Upgrades fV|T£ Ask for other NEC upgrades Power Mate SX Plus 1MB Board 2MB Board 4MB Board 8MB Board Part If EQ APC-H850E N/A APC-852E N/A PRICE $ 295.00 $ 495.00 $ 725.00 $1375.00 iny jii IIT Math Co-processors Part* PRICE Part # 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) $ 229.00 3C87-20 $ 325.00 80287XLT (12 5 MHz] Call 3C87-25 $ 385.00 80387-16 $ 305.00 3C87-33 S 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 617 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 618) WHAT'S NEW USERS GROUPS AND OTHER NOTES Faster Pizza Delivery Through Technology You've probably heard of Query by Example, but a company in St. Louis has de- veloped a system for determin- ing the fastest pizza delivery route by example. Thanks to Fast Map, a trainable stand- alone system developed by Mid-America Technologies (Maryland Heights, MO), pizza lovers may soon get their pizza orders delivered to the home or office without delay, helping both customer and company. The St. Louis Users Group for the Personal Computer saw a demo of the product, minus the actual pizza, at its Novem- ber general meeting held in Washington University's Si- mon Hall auditorium. The system is about to be released after a year and a half of de- velopment and testing. Robert Covington, direc- tor of research and develop- ment at Mid-America, said the company developed Fast Map because geographical mapping products, although fine for demographic analy- sis, can't produce route maps in under 10 seconds. Fast Map ($5775) is a pro- prietary system that uses a touchscreen or mouse com- bined with a high-speed ther- mal printer. "After the call comes in— let's say it's 1524 Main St.— the clerk feeds in 1524 and the letter M," he said. "All the streets with the letter M with that street num- ber potential show up on- screen. After another mouse or touchscreen entry, the ad- dress is pinned down and the map is printed." Fast Map actually prints out two 200-dpi maps, one of the district and another of the delivery locale, along with text instructions. The map can tell in feet how far down the block the target address is located. Mid-America uses a vari- ety of sources for its district maps, including the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Postal Service. Changes to routes are updated monthly, and users of the system can make changes to a map them- selves by tracing a new route with their finger on the screen. Although the system was ini- tially targeted for pizza deliv- ery, you can use it for fire departments, police, florists, and any other type of routing. One of the benefits of the program is that you can train it by example to adapt to a manager's preference for routes. The expert-system portion of Fast Map can learn from a manager that it should avoid roads that have potholes or construction. Fast Map can also be trained to use the banzai delivery method of taking full advantage of short- cuts. After all, Covington says, "Some people like to go through the alleys." —Howard de Mere and Dave Andrews What's the Scoop? BYTE is interested in who said what at your latest users group meeting. Call (603) 924-2630. w ^y Calcomp ^/ All Models, CALL for Swings Summagraphlcs Sketch II 12x12, 4-But 340 Sketch II 12x12, 16-But 427 Sketch Pro 1112x18, 16-But 585 Large Formats Call Digitizers Kurt a 12 x 12, 4 Puck Stylus 345 12x12, 12-But Corded 435 12x17, 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) MULTISCAN COLOR MONITOR. Each system thoroughly tested prior to shipment and supplied with a Full One Year On-Site Warrantylll System Cache Configuration Memory Everex Step 486/33 w/8MB 1 28Kb Everex Step 486/25 w/8MB 1 28Kb Everex Step 386/33 w/4MB 64Kb Everex Step 386/25 W/4MB 64Kb Everex Step 386/20 W/4MB 64Kb 44MB MFM 5795 4995 4595 BOMB 92MB 150MB MFM 5895 5195 4795 ESDI ESDI $7895 $8095 6895 7095 6395 6595 5595 5795 5195 5395 Monitor & Card Combos Graphics Only Card Metheus1228 $1690 Metheus1224 1260 #9 GX Level 2 785 #9 GX Level 4 1295 Rendition 11/1 6VG A 1130 Rendition II/256VGA 1505 VMI Cobra 16HS 1350 Video 7 VRAM 512 380 Monitor Only w/ Mltsu 19" Hitachi 21" Hitachi 20" HL6905 4320-21 AP CU208SM 3689 4300 3585 3259 3870 3155 2784 3395 2680 3294 3905 3190 3129 3740 3025 3504 4115 3400 3349 3960 3080 2379 3039 2275 1999 2610 1895 Nanao16" Nanao 9070S 9070U 1770 1884 2115 2229 2490 2604 2335 2449 1384 1479 985 1099 We Carry a Complete Line of Modems, Network Boards & Accessories, Math & Memory Chips, Surge Protection INVENTORY REDUCTION 5% Discount on All Plotters-All Models Calcomp HP Houston tnstuments loline Roland The above Is a partial listing of our product line. Please Inquire If you're interested in a product not listed. Al names are trade- marks and registered trademarks of their respective companies. > Quoted prices reflect a 2% cash discount. • Rated companies call for terms. • Prices subject to change without notice. • C.O.D., VISA, Mastercard & Am ex. • All manufacturers' warranties apply. • Member Better Business Bureau. CAD Buster $12,750.°° EVEREX STEP 386/33 W/8MB* SIMM, 150MB ESDlHardDrive Includes Renaissance Rendition II 16' Color with VGA Module, Hitachi CM-2085M or Mitsubishi HL-6905 19" Color Monitor. A thru D 8-Pen Plotter, 12 x12 DigKlzeryourcholce of three. '5MB minimum require- ment for AutoCAD/386. Delivery limited to continental U.S.A. 1-800-289-1650 6760 Miller Road ■ Brecksville, Ohio 44141 :«*: WAREHOUSE (C) This ad copyright November 1990, ESI Automated Office Systems 72PC-18 BYTE* JANUARY 1991 Circle 615 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 616) 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 UN IX C customers have come to rely on for creating lightning-fast executable code: True Globally Optimizing Technology i S* Global Optimizations that increase speed of code execution include: constant and copy propagation, constant expression folding, local and global common subexpression elimination, removal of invariant expressions from loops, live/ fl 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 15% better Dhrystone code than our previous version. But one piece was still missing: True 32-Bit Source-Level Debugging Our customers really needed a MetaWare-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! MetaWare'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. c 32-Bit Source-Level Debugger In an ever-changing, puzzling, multi-platform world, it's reassur- ing to know that: 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-4, 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. ;i \ /mql 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 Pascal® 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 621 on Reader Service Card BET ON A DERBY WINNER. . . ^^>. •#§§ 386/33*200 FRO PLUS ■ 80586-33, 32-bit ■ 8M RAM, 64k Cache 4 ■ 200M Hard Drive 15ms Microsoft Windows 3 . 6 __ Microsoft Mouse PLUS by Spinnaker $3, 995 \ ALL DERBY COMPUTERS FEATURE 1.2M 5.2.5" and 1.44M 3.5" 2 SeriaVParallel/Game Ports MS-DOS v4.01/GW BASIC KEYS feature desktop cases 286/12-40 KEY . 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EXPERT ADVICE COMPUTING AT CHAOS MANOR Jerry Pournelle Jukebox Computing A sextet of CD-ROMs on-line makes for lively computing It has been quite a month. First, we hosted two meetings of the Citi- zens Advisory Council on National Space Policy: we're supposed to provide some input to the Stafford and Augustine Commissions on Technol- ogies for the Space Exploration Initiative and the general future of the U.S. in space. Council meetings are normally held at Larry Niven's home, but for a number of reasons they ended up here in Chaos Manor, which is almost large enough. The meetings were productive, but they generated a lot of material that has to be reported. Then I was asked to be the dinner speaker at the annual meeting of the American Astronautical Association. So, this weekend I have to write my part of the two Council reports; get this column in; turn in another journalism as- signment; write my American Astronau- tical Association speech; and look up some data for the IRS. If that weren't enough, Niven and I have been going like gangbusters on two books, Fallen An- gels, which is our gift to science fiction fandom, and The Moat Around Murche- son 's Eye, a sequel to The Mote in God's Eye. We expect to have finished and turned in both books by the time you read this. So, provided that I survive it, this may be the most productive month of my life. The Jukebox We recently got, courtesy of the Bureau of Electronic Publishing, a Pioneer Elec- tronic DRM-600 CD-ROM drive and changer. This is a box about the size of an external WORM (write once, read many times) drive (similar in shape to a some- what long shoe box), which holds a six- pack of compact discs in a neat little re- movable holder. It is fairly easy to install the drive interface card in your machine and install the software in your CON- FIG.SYS andAUTOEXEC.BAT files. In our case, I installed the DRM-600 in the Arche Legacy 386/33. One way I test new stuff is to install it in new machines. Pioneer's instructions are complete, if a bit dense; you may have to read them over a few times, but there shouldn't be any difficulty. You can also hook up the DRM-600 to your Macintosh; it hangs directly on the SCSI port (no internal card is needed). I haven't tried that, but I have no reason to doubt it will work. The DRM-600 is a dual-purpose af- fair; that is, you can hook the output into your stereo system and have a CD player whose audio quality I can't tell from the CD player in my Technics system, and, of course, you can use it as a CD-ROM drive. The software has provision for doing both. You specify how many CD- ROM drives you want, and the remainder will be audio drives. Each CD-ROM is configured as its own virtual drive. They don't get mixed up, because the audio drives will start at the bottom, while the CD-ROM drives start with the top of the stack. Pioneer bundled in a neat software package called Jukebox (JUKE. EXE) that will control the audio drives. It's quite intuitive: no instructions are re- quired, although I probably should have read the instruction book. There are sev- eral button-like options, enough to make me wish for mouse support, but there's n o real need; i t can b e controlled just fine with the arrow keys. Of course, it makes little sense to tie up your computer as a CD player. . . . We usually leave the stereo amplifier turned off, but we flip it on when the DRM-600 is plugged into the stereo. Actually, all I've used the DRM-600 audio system for is to play a CD called The CD-ROM Chronicles, which is a "talking book" about the history and fu- ture of the CD-ROM. It's well worth lis- tening to for an overview of the subject. There are quirks, though. For one thing, it's very difficult to get the DRM- 600 to work with QEMM-386. It can be done, but finding out how took a few days. In fact, the procedure I followed was odd, and perhaps instructive. I first got the DRM-600 running prop- erly without Desqview. That done, I let the Desqview installer do its thing. This triggered an installer bug: the QEMM installation program tried to insert QEXT.SYS into my CONFIG.SYS file. That's all well and good if you have a 286 system, but for a 386 with 8 megabytes of memory, it's about as useful as a choco- late-covered wristwatch. I understand this happens more often than Quarter- deck Office Systems likes to admit. In any event, if the Desqview installation tells you it wants QEXT.SYS, eliminate the line. When the installation was done, I had a system that appeared to run, but any at- tempt to access the DRM-600 CD-ROM drives locked up the machine and re- quired hard reset. But as long as I ignored the DRM-600, the system worked. Sigh. The next step was to run the Desqview Optimizer program. This diddled around and loaded various things in high mem- ory. When it was done, I could get a di- rectory off one of the CD-ROM drives— but invoking retrieval software locked up the machine. About then I got disgusted and called Quarterdeck's technical support. Every- one was busy: not surprising. Eventually I got someone, and we went through some tests. I was advised to edit CON- FIG.SYS to put the DRM-600 driver first, before QEMM. SYS. That eats up memory, and I didn't like doing it much; but it did work. Then I took another look at the DRM- 600 driver and realized that the DRM- 600 installation had put an /E: switch in the configuration line. The DRM-600 can make use of expanded memory if it JANUARY 1991 -BYTE 73 CHAOS MANOR finds any. Alas, it can't make use of it if that memory is managed by QEMM386. SYS. Eliminating the /E: parameter let me put the DRM-600 device after the DEVICE = QEMM386.SYS statement, which lets the Optimizer program load it high, freeing more memory. The upshot is that I have the DRM-600 running not only with QEMM386.SYS, but inside Desqview windows, which has the amusing result that I can actually have several CD-ROM windows open at once. Now clearly there's only one physi- cal drive for the six CD-ROMs, so you can't run them simultaneously; but it's surprising how fast you can switch back and forth among them. Of course, there's a sense in which it doesn't matter: the DRM-600 works fine, and I intend to set it up on a net- work, as described in last fall's column in the IBM Special Edition, and I won't be running Desqview on the network server anyway. Until we get the network set up though, it's fun to have the DRM- 600 running under Desqview. Naturally, I've told it that all six drives are CD- ROM drives. The Pioneer DRM-600 isn't cheap, but it works, and it's very convenient to have a bunch of CD-ROMs available without swapping. Recommended. It's History The Pioneer DRM-600 was interesting in its own right, but there was another, more urgent, reason for me to get it fired up: after five years, the Amdek Laserdek CD-ROM drive seems to have died, and I've just got a whole bunch of new CD- ROMs from the Bureau of Electronic Publishing. The Bureau is a private firm, original- ly given a pretentious name in hopes that people wouldn't figure out that it was two guys in a garage; now, it's a fair-size outfit, and my chief source of informa- tion about CD-ROM events. If you don't have their catalog, send for it: even if you don't want to buy any CD-ROMs or drives, you'll be fascinated by the wide variety of stuff offered for sale in CD- ROM format. The newest CD-ROM I got from the Bureau is their United States History. What they have done is take a hefty col- lection of books and documents on U.S. history, mostly in public domain, and run them through the DiscPassage CD- ROM retrieval software. The result is un- even, but it's still pretty good, including an official history of the U.S. Army, with excerpts from speeches, maps, and suchlike. Most of the material was chosen be- cause- it was available, and it includes public documents, history books pub- lished around the turn of the century, and so forth. That's no great defect: many of the high school history texts written back then are more detailed, and much more readable, than the pap they sacrifice trees for today. It includes some Revolu- tionary War histories that are plain fasci- nating; maybe it was just me, but I found myself reading about the Battle of Cow- pens and much enjoying the experience. Much of the material was obviously keyed in, and, alas, not well proofread. In some documents, hardly a paragraph escapes egregious errors, misspellings, missing words, and even missing sen- tences; even Patrick Henry's most fam- ous speech doesn't escape its share of ty- pographical errors. It's still a good effort, something that all high schools and colleges ought to WorldPort compatibility Toshiba™ portability Toshiba's complete line of iow-p 0|J/ ^ ^V i3 dnsmod-^!qq)!^|[V (vlTj000UA '^'^suiap, % V |- , II III I 3U1 „ f r „! XJU L.L ? />ps mm wilh 2400 bps data or Touchbase Systems, Inc. 160 Laurel Avenue Northport, NY 11768 (516)261-0423 Fax (516) 754-3491 2400 bps wilh MNP® 5. Call Now For Details: 800-541-0345 © 1 990 Touchbase Systems, Inc. . MM' i s a registered trademark o f Microcom. Inc. WORLDPORT and TOUCHBASE SYSTEMS are trademarks of Touchbase Systems, Inc. Toshiba i s a trademark o f Toshiba America Information Systems. Inc., Computer Systems Division 74 BYTE* JANUARY 1991 Circle 332 o n Reader Service Card Everything¥)u Ever Vented In UNIX. And Less. «99.95* OK. We know it's hard to believe. So just consider this. Coherent™ is a virtual clone of UNIX. But it was developed independently by Mark Williams Company. Which means we don't pay hundreds of dollars per copy in licensing fees. What's more, Coherent embodies the original tenet of UNIX: small is beautiful. This simple fact leads to a whole host of both cost and performance advan- tages for Coherent. So read on, because there's a lot more to Coherent than its price. SMALLER, FASTER. . .BETTER. Everybody appreciates a good deal. But what is it that makes small so great? For one thing, Coherent gives you UNIX capabilities on a machine you can actually afford. Requiring only 10 megabytes of disk space, LESS IS MORE! Coherent For the IBM-PC/AT and compatible 286 or 386 based machines. Santa Cruz Operation's XENIX 286, Version 2.3.2 No. of Manuals 1 8 No. of Disks 4 21 Kernel Size 64K 198K InstallTime 20-30 min. 3-4 hours Suggested Disk Space \ 10 meg 30 meg Min. Memory Required 640K 1-2 meg Performance* 38.7 sec 100.3 sec Price $99.95 $1495.00 *Byte Execl benchmark, 1000 iterations on 20 MHZ 386. Hardware requirements: 12 meg 5Va" or 1.4 meg3W floppy, and hard disk. SCSI device driver available soon. Does not run on MicroChannel machines. Coherent can reside with DOS. So you can keep all your DOS applica- tions and move up to Coherent. You can also have it running faster, learn it faster and get faster overall perform- ance. All because Coherent is small. Sounds beautiful, doesn't it? But small wouldn't be so great if it didn't do the job it was meant to do. EVERYTHING UNIX WAS MEANT TO DO. Like the original UNIX, Coherent is a powerful multi-user, multi-tasking development system. With a complete UNIX-compatible kernel which makes a vast world of UNIX software available including over a gigabyte of public domain software. Coherent also comes with Lex and Yacc, a complete C compiler and a full set of nearly 200 UNIX com- mands including text processing, program development, administrative and maintenance commands. And with UUCR the UNIX to UNIX Communication Pro- j gram that connects you to a world-wide network of free soft- ware, news and millions of users. All for the cost of a phone call. We could go on, but stop we must to get in a few more very important points. EXPERIENCE, SUPPORT AND GUARANTEES. Wondering how something as good as Coherent could come from nowhere? Well it didn't. It came from Mark Williams Company, people who've developed C compilers for DEC, Intel, Wang and thousands of professional programmers. We make all this experience avail- able to users through complete techni- cal support via telephone. And from the original system developers, too! Yes, we know $99.95 may still be hard to believe. But we've made it fool-proof to find out for yourself. With a 60-day money-back no-hassles guarantee. You have to be more than just a little curious about Coherent by now. So why not just do it? Pick up that phone and order today. You'll be on your way to having everything you ever wanted in UNIX. And for a lot less than you ever expected. 1-800-MARKWMS (1-800-627-5967 or 1-708-291-6700) 60-DAY MONEY BACK GUARANTEE! Mark Williams Company 60 Revere Drive Northbrook, IL 60062 *Plus shipping and handling. Coherent is a trademark of Mark Williams Company. UNIX is a trademark of AT&T. XENIX is a trademark of Microsoft. POWER DEBUGGING BOUNDS-CHECKER Finds out-of-bounds memory accesses — AUTOMATICALLY. Flush out those Nasty pointer problems and other out-of-bounds memory accesses — AUTOMATICALLY. Each time you make a change to a program, run BOUNDS-CHECKER while testing the new code. If you accidentally access out-of- bounds memory, BOUNDS-CHECKER will pop up displaying the offending SOURCE LINE. And your program runs at full speed. Ship Bug-Free Products You can run BOUNDS-CHECKER while testing your program. There are no additional steps to your testing cycle, but you can feel secure when the program has passed through BOUNDS- CHECKER with no reported problems. Many over-write problems and other out-of bounds memory accesses do NOT show up during normal testing. An out-of-bounds memory location may be modified, but that particular location doesn't happen to be important at the time. Once the program is in the field and a certain network is loaded or a certain T&SR or device driver is loaded, that memory location suddenly becomes very important... AND THE SYSTEM CRASHES. You can prevent these problems by making BOUNDS-CHECKER a standard part of your testing procedure. Gives you the protection of a protected operating system under MS-DOS. BOUNDS-CHECKER uses the 386 virtual machine technology to provide real-time memory protection. In addition BOUNDS-CHECKER uses the symbolic information output by your compiler to differentiate CODE and DATA. When your program is running, BOUNDS-CHECKER protects the program's CODE and all memory outside your program. ''BOUNDS-CHECKER and Soft-ICE make sophisticated use of the most powerful versions of Intel's processor family to track down some of DOS programming s most insidious bugs. If you're developing programs for DOS, these are essential tools/' PC Magazine July, 1990 pg. 48 Soft-ICE 2.5 New Version, New Features The only debugger specifically designed to solve those problems unique to MS-DOS that we call the DOS Nasties. Memory over-writes Hung programs Program too big to debug Debugging T&SRs and Loadable Drivers Multiple Symbol Tables Supports Microsoft C 6.0 & Turbo C++ Windows Developers Run CODEVIEW for Windows on a Single Monitor Nu-Mega has done it again! CV/l ™ $ 129 Call Today, Have it Tomorrow Requires 386 PC. MS-DOS is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation. 386 is a registered trademark of Intel Corp. NuMega TECHNOLOGIES INC BOUNDS-CHECKER $ 249 Soft-ICE 2.5 $ 386 MagicCV 3.0 $ 199 CV/l™ $ 129 Special Offer... Buy BC & S-ICE Save $ 100 Buy S-ICE & MCV Save $ 86 Buy all three Save $ 186 30 Day Money-Back Guarantee CALL TODAY (603) 888-2386 or FAX (603) 888-2465 P.O. BOX 7780 ■ NASHUA, NH ■ 03060-7780 ■ U.S.A. Circle 225 on Reader Service Card CHAOS MANOR have. That implies that high school and college libraries ought to have CD-ROM drives, and most don't, which is a real pity, because there is a great deal of ma- terial available on CD-ROM. When CD-ROMs first came out, I thought this might become a way to put rare and original materials in the hands of scholars and students at smaller and less wealthy institutions; for instance, the Dead Sea Scrolls might be repro- duced on a CD-ROM along with a good proportion of the material that has been published about them. Now that VGA is widely affordable, this becomes even more feasible, and I see the beginnings of it happening. The United States History CD-ROM is a long way from what I'd like it to have been, but it's a good start on where we ought to be going with this technology. More CD-ROMs When I began this column, I had the foolish conceit that I could keep up with the entire microcomputer world, hard- ware and software. I long ago lost that il- lusion. For a while, though, I thought I might be able to keep up with the CD- N owl can't even keep up with the CD-ROM explosion. Every month I get up to a dozen CD-ROMs, and I am not getting all that are published. ROM explosion. Now I can't even do that. Every month I get up to a dozen CD- ROMs, and I am not getting all that are published. I can't even keep up with the CD-ROM drives now available. On that score, the Denon drives installed on the Zenith Z-386/25 continue to work fine. Some recent (within the past six months) CD-ROMs in no particular order: Software Toolworks World Atlas, Oxford English Dictionary (older edi- tion; no supplements), Grolier Encyclo- pedia Americana (illustrated), USA Factbook, CIA World Factbook, Agrico- la (the national database of agriculture), Multi-Media Birds of America, Quick Art (300-dot-per-inch TIFF images), Li- brary of the Future, An Unabashed His- tory of Photographic Erotica, Micro- Medex Medical Technology, Microsoft Programmer's Library (the new edition), and Word Cruncher. I could list' a lot more; but as I was making the list, I noticed a curious thing. I made the list by grabbing a bunch of CD-ROMs off the shelf where I keep them, plus looking about at some of the others I have been testing; and I discov- ered that of the above, after the first few, just about every one of them is worth a comment; most, alas, inspire negative commentary. The Software Toolworks World Atlas is pretty good. It doesn't go into enough detail, and you'd be better off with the Times World Atlas, but for quick scans of geography it's neat, and the retrieval software is fairly easy to use. The only negative comment I have is that I wish it SAVE 30 MINUTES EVERY TIME YOU HAVE A PC PROBLEM! By using Check*/lt®to find out if the problem is Hardware or Software The second you suspect a problem with your PC, you should reach for Check*/lt, the world's most popular PC diagnostic software. Running Check^lt should be the first thing you do -- because confirming or eliminating your PC's hardware as the source of the problem can save you time, money, and unnecessary repair calls. Checki/lt will test your PC's main system board, memory, hard disk drive and floppy disk drives, video subsystem, communication ports, printer, keyboard, mouse, or joystick. Check*/lt will also display kev software and setup data, including your PC's exact equipment configuration, current IRQ assignments, memory allocation, device drivers, and CMOS table. Take a minute to run Check*/lt the next time you have a PC problem. Then you'll know the answer to these key questions: Should you back it up, pack it up, and send it out for repair? Should you fix a hardware problem yourself? Or, should you concentrate on the software and configuration problems that you can correct? The moment you suspect a PC problem, run Check*/lt. It's about time! Look for Check*/lt at leading retail stores everywhere, Or call Touchstone TODAY! (714) 969-7746 or (800) 531-0450 Touchstone Software Corporation 2130 Main Street, Suite 250, Huntington Beach, CA 92648 registered trademark of Touchstone Software Corporation, Copyright €>1990 Touchstone Software Corporation. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Basic PC Maintenance" Hands-On Video Ask for it - TODAY! Send literature: circle 333 Call me I'm interested: circle 334 JANUARY 1991 -BYTE 77 Circle 125 on Reader Service Card Finally, a fast, powerful text editor that integrates your I favorite | programming tools and uses no memory! CHAOS MANOR vfgjfc Ispysri. Skrftsofl 1 ' Seiagjer Sft ..'43 .'E Project nic i \ii TfiLlAi^Tsu-.e UM hk. .. MNS?hU\ MStBLl.C ■ ■ :• ttt .. idll«.C rrajs«.C 1..UU csrrnt file S. Select empiitr ft E4ft te* />2c I..CJmb(|C optics* ? .Spdsifti project f.Gotn BOS C. €sBS;le project 8. Rcc<.**ist errors 6 .Run te-tefser Q Quit iiffirl ^^^^^^^^_ • Mouse support • Pull-down menus • Columnar blocks • 1000 Level Undo • Regular Expressions • Small 70K, super fast • DOS, UNIX/XENIX, FlexOS • Also VEDIT $69, VEDIT Jr. $29 FREE Evaluation Copy CaN1-800-45-VEDIT The new VEDIT PLUS is the productivity breakthrough programmers have been looking for. Run not only popular com- pilers, but all of your favorite tools from within the editor. When shelling to DOS, VEDITswaps itself and any desired TSRs out of memory to give you more memory than when you entered VEDIT. Only VEDIT gives you the advantages of a powerful and flexible editor without giving up the convenience of an integrated environment. VEDIT offers stunning performance, ver- satility and ease of use. Completely writ- ten in assembly language, it's small and lightning fast. Edit text and binary files of any size, even 100+ megabytes. Installa- tion is trivial; VEDIT.EXE and an optional help file are all you need - no overlays, no configuration files. Other features include multiple file editing, windows, unlimited keystroke macros, "hot keys", context sensitive help, word processing, automatic indenting and total configurability. VEDIT has been the choice of 100,000 programmers, writers and engineers since 1980. VEDIT PLUS adds a powerful "off the cuff" macro programming language, complete with source level debugging. VEDIT PLUS - $185 for DOS, $285 for UNIX/XENIX. Call for a free demo today. Greenview P.O. Box 1586, Ann Arbor, Ml 48106 (313) 996-1299 * Fax (313) 996-1308 78 BYTE • JANUARY 1991 gave more information; for what it does, it's all right. One comment, though: you must run the installation program. At- tempting to invoke the program direct from the CD-ROM will lock up your sys- tem and require a hardware reset. The in- stallation program works fine. The Oxford English Dictionary is well worth having in any library, and most wordsmiths will like it. The retrieval software is fast, but best described as ob- scure, and there are no words past 1937 or so since it doesn't have the supple- ments; but this one gets a permanent i he best thing about Textware is that it comes on the CD-ROM so you don 't lose it. It's slow enough to amuse you while you grow a beard. place in my primary six-pack, if only for snob appeal. The Grolier Encyclopedia Americana is another in my permanent six-pack. In- deed, its retrieval software is some of the best, and as I use it more, I have come to be reasonably fond of the encyclopedia. On the other hand, Grolier 's paranoia about that software is a continued irri- tant: the network version apparently will not work except over a network (and will not work with my network in any event), while the usual version deliberately com- mits suicide if you have a network card in the machine even if you don't use it over a network. Incidentally, the way you use it with multiple CD-ROM drives is weird: first you must put the Grolier CD-ROM as the first one in the six-pack. Then you must log onto the Grolier CD-ROM and get a directory; now, before you do anything else, go to the subdirectory on the hard disk where you have the Grolier retrieval software and invoke it. That— and noth- ing else— works fine. Of course, the Grolier retrieval soft- ware comes on a separate floppy disk, and it must be installed from a floppy disk. The same Grolier CD-ROM works with both Macs and PCs, but unlike what Quanta Press publishes, Grolier doesn't furnish both: you have to buy one or the other. Oh, well. They tell me they're re- doing some of their software and will distribute updates for free. The USA Factbook and the CIA World Factbook from Quanta use Textware re- trieval software. The best thing you can say about this program is that it comes on the CD-ROM so you don't lose it. This stuff is slow enough to amuse you while you grow a beard. The installation pro- gram is truly horrible. First, it wants you to tell it precisely where you want every- thing. Next, it will not create a subdirec- tory: you must create that subdirectory and log onto it before going over to log onto the CD-ROM preparatory to run- ning the installation. You also have to figure that out from the error messages you get when the system fails to install properly. Once you install and run Textware, you get few clues as to what is on the CD- ROM, and invoking the index gets you a long wait, after which it solemnly in- forms you of how many entries there are for each of hundreds of numbers, like $1,234,563,888 (1 entry). Doing page- down gets more lists of numbers, a very long wait again, and then more numbers. At this point, I wasn't even to the "A's" and gave up. Apparently, you must al- ready know what's in the database to search for it; a curious concept indeed. If you want the material that's in the database, you can try the Factbook CD- ROMs, which do have good information on them; but even on a 33-MHz 386 it's slow. Textware also leaves some mem- ory-resident stuff in your machine, so you need to reset after using it. Trying to run a different Textware CD-ROM without resetting will get you memory errors, so you have to reset anyway. On the other hand, these CD-ROMs come with a separate disk to run the same CD- ROM on the Mac, where there are far fewer problems. Agricola, the national database of ag- riculture, is also from Quanta, but the re- trieval software is Romware, which works much smoother than Textware and is actually usable. There are some decent help screens and a general introduction to what you're doing. I wish the other databases Quanta publishes had used this instead of Textware. The Multi-Media Birds of America CD-ROM uses DiscPassage retrieval software. I have many other CD-ROMs that use this system, including United States History and Sherlock Holmes on CD-ROM. CMC, which is the developer MIMVTE.MAN UNINTERRUPTIBLE POWER SUPPLIES TOTAL POWER PROTECTION • BLACKOUTS • UNDERVOLTAGE • BROWNOUTS • SURGES • OVERVOLTAGE • SPIKES • EMI/RFI STANDBY UPS MODELS • 250 VA To 2300 VA • Sinewave output - 1 millisecond transfer time • Communications interface and external battery packs available for extended run times ON-LINE UPS MODELS • 500 VA To 5,000 VA • Static By-pass Standard • True On-Line - Sinewave outputs • Communications Interface and external battery packs available LISTED for extended run time NETWORK MANAGER • Shutdown software for unattended operation • Only software to communicate with LANs and WANs • Novell 286 VAP and 386 NLM • SCO Xenix SLIMLINE & UPRIGHT MODELS a % PARA SYSTEMS, INC 1455 LeMay Drive Carrollton, TX 75007 FAX: (2 1 4) 446-90 1 I TELEX: 1 40275 OMEGA 1 800238 7272 UNICATI0NS INTERFACE For Unattended System Shutdown COMPATIBLE WITH: • Novell • LAN Manager • ALTOS • BANYAN • VINES • System V UNIX • Custom Configuration Any System I AC FORMAL I BATTERY l« USE 2 2 MINUTE WARNING NOVELL Monitor Boards Available Telephone: (214) 446-7363 FOR L.A.N. NOVfLL LABS TESTED and APPROVED NetWare Compatible 'Distributed in over eighty countries" Circle 235 on Reader Service Card CHAOS MANOR of DiscPassage, also publishes a line of medical literature CD-ROMs, which I believe is their major business. DiscPas- sage isn't elegant, but it is good enough. It needs better introductory screens, and I could improve the help screens. Even on the Arche Legacy 386/33, it's very slow in building VGA images, and, alas, many DiscPassage CD-ROMs begin with a VGA picture. The DiscPassage system badly needs a quick way to find out from the CD-ROM what data resources are on it, although that partly depends on the way in which the CD-ROM database developer ar- ranged things. However, DiscPassage is able to handle illustrations (unlike Textware, which is as likely to have half the image off-screen as not, as I found when trying to examine the Great Seal of the State of Iowa). The DiscPassage search-and-retrieval indexing is good enough, and while it's not blindingly fast, it's not real slow either. BUILD TO SUIT. Announcing Flow Charting" 3 Now, you can create , u pdate and print presentation-perfect flowcharts to your specifications-innotime! Quicktomasterand a snapto use, Patton & Patton's flowcharting software is the standard of both large and small businesses around the world-and is availablethrough all major software dealers. See your dealer today! Or, for a "live'/ interactive demo disk, call: 800-525-0082,ext.BY3i. International: 408-778-6557, ext. BY31. PATTON &PATT0N Software Corporation Excellence in charting the flow of ideas! Works on IBM & 100% compatible PC's, supports CGA/EGA/VGA and over 150 dot matrix and laser printers, with multiple print densities and 10 font sizes. Creates multi-page charts, portrait or landscape, on most standard paper sizes. Mouse or keyboard controlled. IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation. When you install DiscPassage, it creates a batch file. You need to edit that to tell it which drive the CD-ROM will be on, and you will have to change that if you move that CD-ROM. However, once DiscPassage has logged onto a DiscPas- sage CD-ROM, you can, from within DiscPassage,. change to another CD- ROM drive or, alternatively, swap CD- ROMs in the present drive and log onto that. Again, it doesn't do this elegantly, but it does do it. The Quick Art CD-ROM has 2200 images on it, but if there's any retrieval software for it, I've been unable to find it. Since the images are in TIFF, you can go looking for them with one of the Mace Grasp tools or one of the little public do- main image-viewer programs, but find- ing an index to the images is a problem. I have the same difficulty with the Li- brary of the Future: it apparently has a lot of really nifty stuff, but what there isn't is retrieval software. I suppose I got a copy of that on some kind of floppy disk, but, if so, it has submerged itself in the chaos stream. Doubtless it will wash ashore one day, as may the Quick Art re- trieval software. The moral of this story is easy to see: it doesn't hurt to put the retrieval software on the CD-ROM itself. It doesn't take up much room, and it won't get lost. Disc- Passage comes that way; each new CD- ROM seems to have a later version, but they're all backward-compatible with all the earlier CD-ROMs, and if one ever weren't, you'd still be able to read all the earlier CD-ROMs with the programs that came with them. The contents of An Unabashed History of Photographic Erotica weren't particu- larly noteworthy— I'd call them puerile rather than erotic— but the retrieval soft- ware is remarkable. It doesn't work very well, alas, but it's elegant, with VGA images as part of the control software. They come up surprisingly fast. The software attempts to show a series of slide shows. It also shows details of pho- tographs. You use the plus and minus keys to move back and forth within a slide-show sequence. After a while that gets pretty boring, or did for me, but part of that is the pic- tures shown: gross anatomy has never been one of my stronger interests. I really would like to see this software used to produce a CD-ROM of, say, the paint- ings in the Florentine Uffizi. MicroMedex Medical Technology is interesting because it uses Reference Technology retrieval software. That's pretty good stuff. Alas, the latest Refer- ence software I have is several years old, 80 B YTE • JANUARY 1991 Circle 236 on Reader Service Card CSS/3 ™ Complete Statistical System with over 1 ,000 presenta- tion-quality graphs fully integrated with all procedures and on-screen graph customization ■ The largest selection of statistics in a single system; in-depth, comprehensive implementations of: Exploratory techniques; multi-way tables with banners; nonparame tries; dis- tribution Jilting; multiple regression; general nonlinear estima- tion; logillprobil analysis; general ANCOVA/MNCOVA; stejnvise discriminant analysis; log-linear analysis; factor analysis; cluster analysis; multidimensional scaling; canonical correlation; item analysis/reliability; survival analysis; lime series modeling; fore- casting; lags analysis; quality control; process analysis; experi- mental design (with Tagucbi); and much more ■ Manuals with comprehensive introductions to each procedure and examples ■ Integrated Stats Advisor expert system ■ Extensive data management facilities (powerful spreadsheet with formulas; relational merge; data verification; flexible programming language) ■ Optimized (plain English menus/mouse) user interface: even complex analyses require just few self-explanatory selections (CSS can be run without manual; Quick Start booklet explains all basic conventions) ■ Macros, batch/ commands also supported ■ All output displayed in Scrollsheets™ (dynamic tables with pop-up windows and instant graphs) ■ Extremely large analysis designs (e.g., correlation matrices up to 32,000x32,000) ■ Unlimited size of files; extended precision; unmatched speed (Assembler, C) ■ Exchanges data (and graphics) with many applications (incl. Excel®, Lotus 3®, dBASE IV®, SPSS®) ■ Highest resolution output on practically all printers (incl. IIP, Postscript), plotters, recorders, typesetters ■ IBM compatibles, 640k or more ■ Price: $595. Quick CSS™ Subset of CSS/3: all basic statistical modules (incl. data management) and the full, presentation-quality graphics capabilities of CSS/3 ■ Price: $295. CSSlGRAPHICS™ A comprehensive graphics/chart- ing system with data management ■ All graphics capabilities of CSS/3 and, in addition, extended on-screen drawing, 19 scalable fonts, special effects, icons, maps, multi-graphics management ■ Hundreds of types of graphs ■ Interactive rotation and interactive cross-sections of 3D graphs ■ Extensive selection of tools for graphical exploration of data; fitting; smoothing; spectral planes; overlaying; layered com- pressions; marked subsets ■ Unique multivariate (e.g., 4D) graphs" Facilities to custom-design new graphs and add them permanently to menu ■ Import/export of graphs and data, 1 5 formats ■ Optimized (menu/mouse) user interface; even complex graphs require few keystrokes: all graphs on this page can be produced from raw data in less than 20 minutes ■ Macros, batcli/commands also supported ■ Unlimited size of files ■ Highest resolution output on all hardware (see CSS/3) ■ IBM compatibles, 640k or more ■ CSS.GRAPHICS is included in CSS:STATIST1CA (available separately for $495). Megaflle Manager™ Comprehensive analytic data base management system ■ Unlimited size of files (up to 32,000 fields or 8 MB per record) ■ Megafile Manager is included in CSS/3 and CSS:STATIST1CA (separately: $295). CSS:STATISTICA™ A fully integrated system that combines all the capabilities of CSS/3 and CSS:GRAPHICS into a single extremely comprehensive data analysis system ■ Price: $795. Domestic sli/h $7 per product; 14-dav monev back Ruarantee. Circle 300 on Reader Service Card StatSoft TM 2325 E 13th St. •Tulsa, OK 741 04 •(918) 583-4149 Fax: (918) 583-4376 STATISTIC A/MaC A CSS-compatible, comprehensive data analysis and graphics system designed for the Macintosh ■ Large selection of statistical methods fully integrated with presentation-quidity graphics (incl. EDA, multiplots, a wide selection of interactively rotatable 3D graphs; MacDraw-style tools) ■ Unlimited size of files ■ Exchanges data with Excel and other applications ■ Price: $395. QlliCk CSS/MaC™ A subset of SIATLSTICA/Mac: all basic statistical modules and the full, presentation-quality graphics capabilities of STATISTJGVMac ■ Price: $245. 3 filt Edit Ouipul fUH *Dtr>pki »da phi (mlun tSU — :MT" ""^^ ).OM ■(.Ml i.an -A77 ■.ON ""^SHH ,— . 3.9M iM * s ' Overseas Offices: StatSoft of Europe (Hamburg, FRG), ph: 040/4200347; fax: 040/491 1310, StatSoft UK (London, UK), ph: 0462/482822; fax: 0462/482855, StatSoft Pacific (Melbourne, Australia), ph: 613-497-4755, fax: 613-499-7410, StatSoft Canada-CCO (Ontario), ph: 416-849-0737, fax: 416-849-0918 Available From: CORPORATE SOFTWARE and other Authorized Representatives Worldwide: Holland: Lemax BV 02968-94210; France: Conceptel (1) 45669700; Sweden: AkademiData 018-240035; Spain: ADDLINK, SRL: ph: 34-3-459-0722 CSS. CSS 3. CSSlGRAPHICS. Megafile Manager, Quick CSS, STATISTICA. StatSoft. dBase IV. Excel, Lotus. MacDraw. Macintosh. Postscript are trademarks of their respective companies; SPSS is a registered trademark of SPSS, Inc. 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 Irail, 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 COM 1/2/3/4 internal or external modems, or with serial ports up to 38,400 bps. Minimum RAM requirement 5 12K. Minimum disk requirement20MB. Re- quires PC-DOS or MS-DOS 3.1 or later. The Major BBS Standard Edition $ 59 When you're ready to expand: NoLANormulti-taskingOS 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. 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: When you're ready for source code: With the C source code 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 The File Library Edition of The Major BBS has everything that the starter system does, plus built-in ZMODEM, KERM1T, 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 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 entry /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 Final 'ATTACK VZ. 2 * b'J Tin SlryV.cr Ciipi/riyht (c) 1'Jli'J P.iUcUgoks, Inc. t'rel Free to Copn 'n Sham « ri-Hclii 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' 1-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* .... $ 129 ...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 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/386/486, 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 V.32/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/16 modems $ 3688 the corresponding extended Edition. The Major BBS, Flash Protocol, and GalactiBox arc trademarks of Galacticomm, Inc. PC, PS/2, XX AT, and PC-DOS arc 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. Turbo C and Ibrbo C++ are trademarks of Borland International, Inc. MS-DOS and Microsoft C are trademarks of Microsoft 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 ft 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 115 on Reader Service Card CHAOS MANOR and it doesn't have drivers for either the Denon or the Pioneer CD-ROM drives, and thus I can't install either MicroMe- dex or the McGraw-Hill Science Ency- clopedia, which also uses Reference. Mi- croMedex digests medical journals and has such things as the Poison Index. I gather it's considered indispensable in some emergency rooms. Our last update was about 1987, and there are no updates to the software, so you can't use these CD-ROMs on the newer drives. Pity. Microsoft Programmer's Library is important to programmers. Microsoft now puts out their C development kits, programs and documents, on CD-ROM: if you're a serious programmer develop- ing applications for OS/2 or Windows, or if you're a heavy user of any Microsoft compiler, get yourself at least one CD- ROM reader and the Microsoft CD- ROMs. You'll be more than glad you did. Microsoft Bookshelf is a permanent one on my basic six-pack; if I did more pro- gramming, Programmer's Library would be another. Finally, there is Word Cruncher Disc Volume One, subtitled "A meledy of sig- nificant documents, literature, and in- formation on CD-ROM." (I don't know if "meledy" is a kind of pun on medley and melody; it's what they printed on the face of the CD-ROM.) A few issues ago, I was rather unkind to this retrieval soft- ware. After trying to work with some of the other stuff that's out there, particu- larly Textware, I revise my opinion. Word Cruncher isn't elegant, but you can learn it, and at least it's not slow. Changing colors and manipulating the text is often awkward, and the text is gen- erally presented on-screen in a less-than- aesthetic manner, but for all that, it works, and it doesn't drive you nuts to in- stall it. I really would hate to have to read very much from it, though. I understand they are coming out with a new version shortly. If they can keep the speed and make the formatting more elegant, they will have something. Anyway, that's a tiny sample of the CD-ROMs available now. This technol- ogy is coming of age. Decisions, Decisions When microcomputers first came out, there was a spate of decision-aid soft- ware. Most of it was pretty crude. Some simply forced you to make a number of preferences and then took a weighted average; nothing you couldn't have done with pencil and paper. Some was more sophisticated but was harder to use. Expert87 is sophisticated and also rel- atively easy to use. Mind you, it's not a toy, but a professional tool, and you won't learn it in 5 minutes. On the other hand, you can learn it by working with examples, not by reading a large boring manual. The program bills itself as "Artificial Intelligence." What it will do is make explicit the decision factors you use and form them into a rule-based system. I wouldn't call that AI, but then I've been reading Roger Penrose's The Emperor's New Mind: Concerning Computers, Minds, and the Laws of Physics, and I tend to agree that most of what is called AI isn't. Anyway, Expert87 has provision for bringing in other experts and encoding their views, and then combining them into a consensus system. It has ways of examining a series of decisions to deter- mine bias or inconsistency. As far as I know, these capabilities are unique to Expert87. When, donkey's years ago, I learned 84 BYTE • JANUARY 1991 Circle 228 on Reader Service Card Pocket Power iHNHNHPi The world's fastest 3.5 inch, Erasable Optical Drive. 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Call today for the name of your nearest authorized dealer. ©(800)553-7070 Pinnacle /^ icro 152fc5 Alton Parkway • Irvine, CA 92718 • In CA (714) 727-3300 • FAX (714) 727-1913 Circle 252 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 253} THE OPTICAL STORAGE COMPANY Circle 55 on Reader Service Card CHAOS MANOR PS/21-MEMOIW /RAU8 MCMFWWI © Itlt J Introducing OS/RAM8' v* 8 Mbytes of memory + 2 serial ports. ^ Extended and expanded memory. LIM 4.0. ^ Works with all of your programs. ^ Run DOS or OS/2 effortlessly. ^ Fast and simple switchless installation. J> Auto-configuration for all operating systems. v* Works in all Micro Channel™ computers. W Expanded memory 10 times faster than Intel. J** Risk free guarantee. Two year warranty. ^ IBM approved ID. Best price. Fast delivery. Call today 617-273-1818 or 1-800-234-4CEC Capital Equipment Corp. Burlington, MA. 01803 PS/2 and Micro Channel are trademarks of IBM operations research and systems analy- sis, I was taught that the major value of these disciplines was to make decision factors explicit: not just which airplane to send on what mission, but why this one was better than that one, or at least why we thought so. That led to some hairy fights in evaluation board meetings. I'd have much liked to have had this program available to help get out in the open pre- cisely what each member thought was important and why. It's a little hard to say just who needs this program. In a sense, no one does. On theotherhand, anyone who's curious about the decision process, or who has to make a lot of decisions and doesn't al- ways know why some are made the way they are, or who wants to try to build an expert system and hasn't the foggiest no- tion of how it's done, probably does need this. Expert87 is unlike any other program that I've seen. Provided that you invest enough time in it to see what it's doing, and how, the payoff in your increased un- derstanding of the decision process is likely to be worth the time and money; and you may use it to build a useful ex- pert system to help make decisions. Carpenter's Dream Every so often I get a program that isn't fancy. Often the packaging is downright hokey. Most such programs are worth- less, but I do try to look at them, because once in a while I find one that is so good, and so useful, that I can't quite believe it. This is one of them. It sure isn't fancy; but it sure does do what it says it will, and there's no trick to learning it, either. Carpenter's Dream— for classroom use, there is also an expanded version called Remodeler's Dream— simply and efficiently makes all those pesky calcu- lations that drive you nuts when you're trying to cut wood to fit a complex space. Want to put in stairs? Add a roof? Hip roof? Gables? Get this program, spend a few minutes thinking about it, and start plugging in numbers. The result will be a table of materials to buy (e.g., 21.5 sheets of plywood or 80 rafters at 16 feet each). Another part of the program cal- culates the sizes to cut to, exact sizes, to Vie inch. Remodeler's Dream also estimates how much paint you need for a room of a given size and a bunch of other stuff. Either of these programs will save a great deal of time and energy, not to mention wasted materials. If you're go- ing to do construction or remodeling, get one. You won't be sorry. Recommended. RollerMouse For some reason, this seems to be the month for hardware. The odd thing is that a whole bunch of machines arrived in a series of decreasing sizes. First was the Arche Legacy 386/33, very much a high-endmachine. Ours has an 80387 math chip, 8 MB of fast mem- ory, a 300-MB hard disk drive, both 5^- and 3 1 /2-inch floppy disk drives, a 100- MB tape cartridge drive for backup, hardware disk caching, and a partridge in a pear tree. We set it up with the Pio- neer DRM-600 and the Sound Blaster audio board. When it came time to add a mouse— I confess that we always install a mouse now— I found we were out of mice, but there was a large trackball affair called a RollerMouse on the table, so Alex used that. I'm not precisely sure why, but I didn't expect to like it; and I was wrong. I like it quite a bit. Indeed, if it would fit on my under-desk typing shelf, I'd consider in- stalling it on my main machine. The RollerMouse is Microsoft-com- patible, meaning that it's a two-button mouse. In fact, it has four buttons: two big ones, which correspond to the usual mouse buttons, and two smaller ones, which activate click and drag mode, so you don't have to hold down a button to do drag operations. It takes just a bit of getting used to, but it's surprising how fast you not only learn to use this, but find it becoming natural; or at least both Alex and I found this to be true. Naturally, Alex decided to do some extensive testing of RollerMouse com- patibility, meaning that he put up Rail- road Tycoon and built a big Western U.S. railroad empire. Actually, games are no bad test of mouse compatibilities; anyway, we've had this in use for a few weeks now and haven't found any prob- lems, and we both still like it. If you're weary of rodents but need a pointing de- vice, look into RollerMouse. Anyway, the Arche Legacy 386/33 was the first and largest of the machines we've set up recently. Except for the Cheetah Gold 486, the Legacy is the fast- est machine in the house; it's a lot faster than the Cheetah 386/25. This is a well- made, tough, sturdy, and powerful ma- chine. You will definitely be hearing more about the Arche Legacy. The Arche Legacy is a big machine, big enough to cover a desk. I gather it can be had in a tower configuration, and that might well be preferable for a machine of this size. It's a Brick The Ergo Brick is a computer you have to see to believe— indeed, some of the Citi- zens Advisory Council people didn't be- 86 BYTE- JANUARY 1991 Circle 56 on Reader Service Card CHAOS MANOR lieve it when they saw it. The Brick mea- sures just 8 by 1 1 by 3 inches high; it will literally sit on a piece of letter-size paper. Inside it is a full 386SX computer, with 1 to 8 MB of memory in standard single in-line packages (Ergo sells them for $200 per megabyte, or you can shop around for a better price), a 44-MB hard disk drive (you can get larger ones, up to 212 MB), an optional math chip, a 2400- bps modem, an EGA /VGA port, two serial ports, an external bus port, an ex- ternal power supply , and a whole mess of software all tuned up to run with the sys- tem. Ergo Computing believes in Desq- view, and they have that all set up when you buy the machine: just turn it on. The result is a machine you can carry around in a briefcase, which is what this was designed to do. Tom Spalding, Er- go's president, has a study that shows that most people use a laptop in only two or three places, and hardly ever use one while traveling. The Brick is intended to go home with you from work; to save car- rying weight, you can keep a keyboard, monitor, and power supply in each loca- tion. In addition, by the time you read this, they'll have an LCD screen about the size of the computer. The Brick looks like a toy, but it's a powerful machine, not quite the equal of the Arche Legacy or the Cheetah 386/25 I'm writing this on, but more than a match for any 286 and most 386SX ma- chines. At 8 pounds, it's a lot less weight to carry than my Zenith SupersPort SX laptop, although that 8 pounds doesn't include keyboard and monitor. You can buy a stripped-down Brick, but if you buy a fully loaded machine, Ergo will bundle it with a lot of software: QEMM-386 and Desqview, askSam, Borland's Sprint word processor, and the Quattro spreadsheet. It also comes with a mouse. I'm not fond of the keyboard, which has the Caps Lock next to the A, but we had no trouble installing a North- gate OmniKey keyboard on it. I have had the Brick for only a few weeks, but everyone who sees it falls in love with it. We've got it set up with a Princeton Graphic Systems Ultra-14 monitor, and it fascinates visitors. The Brick isn't cheap, but if you have a kid going off to college, you might contem- plate getting one of these; the 386SX will be current for another few years. Ergo has tuned up the Brick and its bundled software to be easy to use and understand (askSam will actually talk to you for a tu- torial); and because the Brick is small and easily carried, it won't be any prob- lem to move from place to place, and it Introducing OS/RAM32'* II 11111 11 II 111 \* 8 Mbytes of fast 32 bit memory. \* Works in all Micro Channel™ computers. \* Fast LIM 4.0 driver included. ^ Provides extended and expanded memory. \* Easy switchless installation. V Automatic configuration for DOS, OS/2 or UNIX. \^ Risk free guarantee. Two year warranty. ^ Accepted under IBM service contracts. W From $299 to $998 with 8 Megabytes. v* "Best price performance", says PC Week . Call today 617-273-1818 or 1-800-234-4CEC Capital Equipment Corp. Burlington, MA. 01803 PS/2 and Micro Channel are trademarks of IBM can even be carried home for the holi- days. Recommended. MathCAD I don't have space to do this program jus- tice, but I wanted to mention it as a com- plement to the Brick: if you have a stu- dent going off to engineering school, run, don't walk, to your software dealer, get a copy of this program, and get that future engineer accustomed to using it. Engineering school math is tough, and while MathCAD can't do everything, it's amazing what it can do: not just in solv- ing problems, but in helping you under- stand what you're doing. There's a sense, though, in which lib- eral arts students need MathCAD even more than science majors: playing with this program is a sure cure for innumer- acy, and the program is easy enough to use that if you get in the MathCAD habit, you may well find yourself playing with numbers. The program takes all the sting out of that. Mathematica is more sophisticated and has better graphics capabilities, but for all-around usefulness, you simply cannot beat MathCAD. Highly recom- mended. Winding Down I'm coming to the end of this column, and I haven't got started on the piles of stuff lying around here. While we had the Arche Legacy open to receive the DRM-600 interface board, we put in a Sound Blaster board as well. This bills itself as the ultimate sound board for your PC, and for once that's not all hype. This interface board not only plays stereo sounds such as are increasingly provided with games, but it comes with highly sophisticated software that will let you program in sound. You can make the program read ASCII files to you, for in- stance, and while you may have to fiddle with the spelling on complicated words, it's surprising how good you can make that text sound. The Sound Blaster normally plays through a Radio Shack speaker pair— the ones we use are their $29.95 amplified speakers (Radio Shack part 40-1267) that run off four C batteries. I presume I could take the audio output of the DRM- 600 and feed it into the Sound Blaster, and let that board run the speakers, but I haven't done that yet. You can also play sounds into the board. It will digitize them. Then you can call those sounds back up. Have your computer talk to people in your own voice. There's a lot more, and I hope to get to it next month; meanwhile, if you're look- ing at high-end sound boards for your JANUARY 1991 -BYTE 87 CHAOS MANOR ITEMS DISCUSSED Arche Legacy 386/33 ....$5625 Expert87 ..$495 RollerMouse Arche Technologies, Inc. Magic 7 Software IBM XT, AT,andPS/2s.. ...$129.95 48881 Kato Rd. Fremont, CA 94539 101 First St., Suite 237 Los Altos, C A 94022 IBMPCbus ...$149.95 Apple II and Mac ...$119.95 (800) 422-4674 (415) 941-2616 CH Products (415) 623-8100 Inquiry 1155. 970 Park Center Dr. Inquiry 1151. > Vista, CA 92083 Mass-Store Copy ...$95 (619)598-2518 Carpenter's Dream 3.0 ...$49.50 Informative Technologies 1718 M St. NW, Suite 292 Inquiry 1159. Remodeler's Dream $99 Workhorses, Inc. Washington, DC 20036 Sound Blaster ...$239.95 805-B14thSt. (202) 675-4528 MIDI Connector Box ....$79.95 Golden, CO 80401 Inquiry 1156. Voyetra Sequencer MIDI (800) 777-2477 Software ...$129.95 Inquiry 1152. MathCAD ..$495 Brown- Wagh Publishing Applications Packs ...$99 130-D Knowles Dr. The CD-ROM Chronicles . . . ...$18.95 MathSof t, Inc. Los Gatos, CA 95030 Meridian Data, Inc. One Kendall Sq. (800)451-0900 5615 Scotts Valley Dr. Cambridge, MA 02139 (408) 378-3838 Scotts Valley, C A 95066 (800) 628-4223 Inquiry 1160. (408)438-3100 (617) 577-1017 Inquiry 1161. Inquiry 1157. United States History CD-ROM $395 DRM-600 ....$1495 OfficeStar ..$199 Bureau of Electronic Publishing Pioneer Electronic Corp. Traveling Software, Inc. 141 New Rd. 1058 East 230th St. 18702 North Creek Pkwy. Parsippany,NJ07054 Carson, CA 90745 Bothell,WA 98011 (201) 808-2700 (213)513-1016 (800) 343-8080 Inquiry 1162. Inquiry 1153. (206) 483-8088 Inquiry 1158. Ergo Brick ....$2495 Ergo Computing, Inc. One Intercontinental Way Peabody, MA 01960 (508) 535-7510 Inquiry 1154. PC, think hard about Sound Blaster. There's Office Star, the small-office connectivity system from Traveling Soft- ware: it's a means for connecting Lap- Link or DeskLink to several computers at once, giving file transfer and printer- sharing capability up to 100 feet between machines. It works through serial ports, it's easy to set up, and, like everything else Traveling puts out, it works about the way you expect without your having to dig through manuals. More on this one next month. Finally, there's Mass-Store Copy, a program to make copies of WORM and other optical cartridges even though you have only one WORM drive. You'll wear your arm out swapping disks to copy a really big one, of course. This program desperately needs an EXCLUDE command; that is, copy all EXCEPT *.BAK AND FOO. *, as an ex- ample, because backup WORM drives tend to be cluttered up with files you don't really want to copy onto the new WORM. We have two WORMs, on two separate machines, and use LapLink or Office Star to link them and copy from one to the other. If you don't have two WORM drives, you likely need to have this program. The game of the Month is Centurion from Electronic Arts: you won't play it as long as you play Railroad Tycoon, but it's still fun and the graphics are great. The sound is awful, but so what. I won't call it the book of the month, but Falkenberg 's Legion by Jerry Pour- nelle is now out in paperback from Baen Books; this includes my CoDominium stories, the ones about the unlikely end of the Cold War and an uneasy alliance be- tween the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. ... The real book of the month is George Gilder ' s Microscosm: The Quantum Revolution in Economics and Technology (Simon & Schuster, 1989). Gilder was a bit late dis- covering the electronic revolution, and much of what he says won't be at all new to BYTE readers, but he does put it all down in one place, and some of his argu- ments are interesting. (For a review of Microcosm, see the February 1990 Print Queue.) Now it's 3:00 a.m., and Niven is due here at 11:00; we'll take a hike in the Hollywood Hills and talk over what we're doing, and we should have 4000 words done by dinnertime. The Moat Around Murcheson 's Eye is moving . And I'm dancing as fast as I can. . . . ■ 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. Jerry welcomes readers' comments and opinions. Send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Jerry Pournelle, do BYTE, One Phoenix Mill Lane, Peterborough, NH 03458. Please put your address on the letter as well as on the envelope. Due to the high volume of letters, Jerry cannot guarantee a personal reply. You can also contact him on BIX as "jerry p. " 88 BYTE • JANUARY 1991 It Has Been Brought To Our Attention That Not Everyone Believes Portable PCs Can Be As Functional As Desktop PCs. This Should TOSHIBA I PORTABLE I DESKTOP This may be hard f^" ,. to believe, but f ^ 3i there really is such a thing as a portable PC that can do everything a conven- jSJJ tional desktop can. In fact, there's not just one, but an entire line of them. They're called Toshiba Portable Desktops^' and they'll forever change the way your company looks at power and productivity. Some people can't imagine squeezing a 40,100 or even a 200MB hard disk into a portable PC. But when they take advantage of all that storage capacity they find it hard to imagine life without it. To get more information or a free Portable Desktop productivity survey call 1-800-477-1616. True, some business people may have trouble grasping the notion of desktop power in a portable, but when you give it some thought, it's the next logical step in computers. With 386™ and 386™SX mi- croprocessors, our Portable Desk- There once was a day when microprocessors this powerful were unheard of in a port- able. Luckily for people who crave raw power and computing speed, that day is over: For those who think a PC just isn't fully functional without a color display we developed our second-generation LCD color screen. For those who think basic is better, our VGA gas plasma systems have the perfect displays. Remove All Doubt. To anybody who doesn't expect a portable PC to have IBM'-compatible expansion slots, we have just one thing to say Raise your expectations. tops run all of the same applications as your com- pany's conventional PCs. With hard disk drives from 40 to 200MB, you have all the flex- ibility to configure a system the way you want it. %£*" insis,s po,table rc users are d00med ,0 With the connectivity of our multiple ex- undersized keyboards hasn't gotten their hands on a Toshiba. We use standard-size keys and standardized key spacing so your hands will feel right at home. pansion slots and ports, our Portable Desktops fit right in with your existing system and grow as your company grows. And to remove the last possible barrier between your needs and our portables, we've With an expansion slot for a LAN card, you get complete networking freedom without giving up all your other expansion slots. jt looks |ike " the v" were wron 9 ^^- In other words, it really is possible to have all the capabilities of a conventional desktop in a portable. All you have to do is try one. And believe. [ 3 •ji ■■■ 'L m J^J~" ; «■— ~\ n 1^,-5. $M ■SOB — : C3jjij.uu.in mi- T5200. 386 microprocessor; 40, 100 or 200MB HDD, 2 to 14MB RAM, 2 IBM-compatible expansion slots (in addition to dedicated memory slots),VGA plasma display. -I UJJIIIHIHT1* T5200C. 386 microprocessor, 200MB HDD, 2 to 14MB RAM, 2 IBM-compatible expansion slots (in addition to dedicated memory slots), VGA passive matrix color LCD display. .■uiuuiL-i|||irft T3200SX. 386SX microprocessor; 40 or 120MB HDD, 1 to 13MB RAM, 2 IBM-compatible expansion slots (in addition to dedicated modem and memory slots), VGA plasma display. Now That You're Convinced, TOSHIBA PORTABLE DESKTOP y/r Okay, let's suppose you ,. suddenly discover your company filled with powerful Toshiba Portable Desktops. Now what? First of all, your people can do everything around the office they've been doing with their desktop computers. Then your key employ- ees can turn after-hours time into productive time, since their dining room tables and break- fast nooks can serve as off- I site workstations. m Your top people Giving your people instant access to vital information can keep them doing what they do best. Working smart. can add impact to their . Employees can even improve their productivity in the familiar surroundings of their own office. Only pr6S6ntatl0nS With a now they'll have more desk space to work with. To get more information or a free Portable Desktop productivity survey, call 1-800-477-1616. wealth of information and computing power at their fingertips. And the story can repeat itself— with equally impressive results— everywhere from an office 3,000 miles away to a conference room that's a mere 30 feet down the hall ■till 1 1 1 1 I >Miiiiiiii llmi ri Where Do You Go From Here? Giving your key employeesa Portable Desktop means they'll have the flexibility to work when they need to, where they want to. And yes, all that pro- ductivity can even take place within the confines of your own office desk (while using up con- siderably less of your desk space, we might add) All of which leads us to one very powerful observation. Now all of your best people can be doing a better job than they ever could when they were chained to conventional desktop PCs. Better yet, they can do it without sacrificing power, func- tionability or expandability. Or anything else, for that matter. When people have access to computing power outsidetheir office, presentations are more powerful and groups are more productive. Three Powerful Arguments Why Your Next I TOSHIBA I PORTABLE I DESKTOP . PCs People said it was just a matter of time before someone built a line of port- ,. able PCs this powerful. They just didn't know it would happen so soon. With our Portable Desktops, we've successfully combined the power and functionality of desktop PCs into slim, T5200 18.7 pounds, 20MHz 80386 with 80387-20 coprocessor socket, 2 internal IBM-compatible expansion slots, 40MB hard disk with 25msec access or 100MB hard disk with 25msec access or 200MB hard disk with 16msec access, 2MB RAM expandable to 14MB, gas plasma VGA display with 1 6 gray scales, 1.44MB 3!4>" diskette drive. portable packages that give you every- thing you need to get ahead in business. T5200C 18.9 pounds, 20MHz, 80386 with 80387-20 coprocessor socket 2 internal IBM-compatible expansion slots, 200MB hard disk with 16msec access, 2MB RAM expandable to 14MB, passive matrix VGA full-colorscreen, 1.44MB 3te" diskette drive. Desktop PC Shouldn't Be A Desktop PC. So you get the same power. The same functionality. And the same expandability it takes to keep pace with your company's needs. The big difference is that with a Toshiba Portable Desktop, you can easily turn all that power into increased productivity. All thanks to something no desktop PC could ever hope to offer. The freedom to take it with To get more information or a free Portable Desktop productivity survey, call 1-800-477-1616. T3200SX 17.0 pounds, 16MHz 80386SX with 80387SX-16 coprocessor socket 2 internal IBM-compatible expansion slots, 1 dedicated modem slot, 5 built-in ports, 40MB hard disk with 25msec access or 120MB hard disk with 19msec access, 1MB RAM expandable to 13MB, gas plasma VGA display with 16 gray scales, 1 .44MB 3W diskette drive. DontTake Our Word For It. Get A Second Opinion. I I TOSHIBA I PORTABLE I DESKTOP yr_ — i What do other companies know about our Portable Desktop PCs ... that you don't? If you had a copy of our free productivity survey, youd know. For example, you'd know that 93 percent of portable users said that they'd never go back to using a conventional desktop. You'd know they've reported sub- stantial increases in productivity. And you'd know why they place so much value on the flex- ibility and freedom their portables have to offer. Toshiba Portable Desktops. They're no longer a matter To get more information or a free Portable Desktop productivity survey, call 1-800-477-1616. of convenience, they're a matter of survival. p^:> """te-s St "-Vo fffc^* -^5 ' In Touch with Tomorrow TOSHIBA Toshiba America Information Systems Inc., Computer Systems Division. EXPERT ADVICE DOWN TO BUSINESS Wayne Rash Jr. ♦ The Power Man Cometh Do you need an on-line or off-line UPS to protect your LAN? There's no question that Virginia Power knows when I ' m on dead- line. Once before, the electric utility that serves Northern Vir- ginia had frustrated delivery of Down to Business by parking down the street and killing the power each time I got about two-thirds of the way through my col- umn. That was the day I discovered tape backup units. This time, though, I was ready for it. Once again, I was well along in a proj- ect when the familiar orange truck drove up, the same crews opened access covers in the street, and the power went off. This time, though, I kept right on work- ing. The Samsung/Novell 386AE file server kept right on running. The Gate- way 2000 386/25 and the Zenith Z- 386/33 kept on running, as well. Even the Telebit T2500 modem stayed con- nected to BIX. When the power returned 20 minutes later, I was still working, my productivity and my data unaffected. In my office, I have the file server and the Gateway 2000 attached to a Para Sys- tems Minuteman 1200SS uninterruptible power supply. The Zenith and the mo- dem receive their power from a Viteq 386/LAN on-line UPS. During the time I've looked at these devices, both UPSes have supported the file server, as well as my other office equipment. This collec- tion of devices has included the tele- phones, the fax machine, and (inadver- tently) a laser printer. Once upon a time, a UPS was consid- ered an exotic piece of equipment. Main- frames used them, often in the form of a diesel generator out back, with a motor generator that used stored mechanical energy to smooth out any brief power losses. Smaller installations used batter- ies and inverters, but all these devices were considered too expensive to be used with personal computers. That concept was fine, of course, until businesses dis- covered that they depended on personal computers as much as, or more than, they did on their mainframes. Now, some (but not most) businesses are using UPSes to protect some of their personal computers. Now that many of these same businesses are installing LANs, the need has become greater, and the risk that businesses run by not using UPSes has likewise become greater. A network file server is more vulnerable to power loss than is an individual work- station. Server Vulnerability Most network file servers are simply per- sonal computers that have been loaded with file server software and modified by the addition of large hard disks and some extra memory. It's not their design that makes them more vulnerable to power loss, but rather their use. Because they support many users, file servers access their hard disks much more often than do individual personal computers. Thus, when the power goes out, there is a greater likelihood that the file server will be involved with writing information to the hard disk, or that the disk cache will contain information that needs to be written to disk. There are times when a power loss during a disk write can trash the file server fairly effectively. Depending on the design details of the computer being used as the server, a very brief interrup- tion may or may not be serious. Some computers can tolerate a brief flicker in the power supply; others are sensitive to any irregularity. Peripheral equipment, such as modems, are much more affected by power fluctuations. It's not unusual to see a modem go off-line due to a power ILLUSTRATION: ELIZABETH STUBBS © 1991 JANUARY 1991 -BYTE 89 DOWN TO BUSINESS )!SCUSSEC Minuteman 1200SS $ 1 500 Para Systems, Inc. 1455 LeMay Dr. Carrollton, TX 75007 (214)446-7363 Fax (214) 446-901 1 Inquiry 1221. 386/LAN Viteq Corp. 10000 Aerospace Rd. Lanham, MD 20706 (301) 731-0400 Fax (301) 731-5995 Inquiry 1222. .$1895 change— a situation that a computer will ignore completely. Of f-Line? On-Line? An intense and ongoing controversy con- cerns whether engineers should design off-line or on-line UPSes. They design an off-line UPS for times when the power is interrupted and the switch to batteries needs to take place very quickly. The idea is that if the changeover is fast enough, the equipment attached to it will never balk at the interruption. Engineers design an on-line UPS for situations in which the battery will al- ways supply the power. The power from the electric company simply charges the battery. When the power goes out, the battery charging stops, but you don't have to switch power supplies. In theory, if your equipment is very sensitive to power fluctuations, then an on-line UPS is more likely to keep you operating smoothly. Most personal com- puters seem to be able to tolerate the brief fluctuations caused by the changeover to off-line battery power. Other devices with less hefty power supplies might have a problem, though. In practice, however, I haven't noticed any difference between the way equip- ment functions on the off-line Para Sys- tems Minuteman and the way it functions on the on-line Viteq. Despite the best that Virginia Power could do, both UPSes kept all the equipment attached to them up and running without a glitch. This might be partly due to the Minuteman's 1 -millisecond switchover time. Most equipment can't spot a power interrup- tion that brief. Incidentally, I was able to sustain a connection to BIX during the times when the power was off. This is a good indica- tion that the transfer was a smooth one, because, in the past, I've found that even the smallest problem with power was suf- ficient to abort a modem connection. Amazing Grace Of course, in a network environment, there's more to a UPS than good batteries and a smooth transfer of power. A UPS just provides power for a relatively brief time during an interruption of electricity from the utility company. Eventually, the batteries run down and the file server is still left without power. You can extend the time that the UPS provides power by buying a larger one, but you must also spend a lot more money. Fortunately, most network operating systems support monitoring the state of the UPS. Thus, when the power company disconnects you, the UPS will signal the network operating system, which will then signal the users and the network administrator. continued ABC Flowcharter for Windows "Simply the easiest way to document procedures!' ABC Flowcharter™ makes drawing and editing flowcharts easier than ever. It's loaded with features that help you make and edit charts in a fraction of the time needed with other flowcharting or drawing programs. ABC Flowcharter's advanced link feature lets you break complicated procedures into smaller, more manageable steps. Just click on a shape to display a sub-chart or procedure. It's that easy. Ask your dealer for a demonstration or call 1-800-227-0847 for more information. See for yourself why ABC Flowcharter is quickly becoming the standard flowcharting tool for the Fortune 1000. Retail price $295. Roykore 2215 Filbert St. San Francisco, CA 94123 415-563-9175 90 BYTE* JANUARY 1991 Circle 281 o n Reader Service Card One Word About Your Hard Disk Controller SLOW One Word About the PSI hyperSTORE Controllers Intelligent Mass Storage Controllers Virtually all applications are disk bound. Today's PCs have over 60 times the power of their ancestors of just ten years ago, while hard disk performance has only just tripled. This makes mass storage the PC's worst bottleneck. PSI has eliminated this bottleneck with the hyperSTORE Caching Disk Controller, a sort of mass storage co-processor. The hyperSTORE does for disk-intensive programs what a math co-processor does for number-crunching software. Databases, f ileservers, multiuser systems, and other disk-hungry applications start screaming . . . frustrated users stop screaming! Call (800H86-FAST now to find out more about PSI's line of intelligent controllers. All you have to gain is time. hyperSTORE FEATURE HIGHLIGHTS ■ Data access in 0,28ms or less at 3-4MB/sec ■ Works in any 286, 386, or i486 system ■ Simultaneously control any drive interface: MFM, RLL, ESDI, SCSI, or AT/IDE - Controls up to 28 physical disk drives ■ 0KB to 20MB of SIMM-based cache memory ■ Supports all PC-based operating systems: DOS, Windows, UNIX/Xenix, Netware, etc, • Data mirroring option for fault tolerance • NO DEVICE DRIVERS REQUIRED Perceptive Solutions, Inc. 2700 Flora Street - Dallas, Texas 75201 800-486-FAST • 214-954-1774 • Fax: 953-1774 European Inquiries; 415-284-9505 ©1990 by PSI. All rights reserved. hyperSTORE and Ihe PSI logo are trademarks of Perceptive Solutions, Inc. Other brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Specifications are subject to change. ■ Ad Code: BY1090. "Normally, it's a bit hard to pick the most impressive item at Comdex [Spring 1990], . . . This time it was easy, . . . the hyperSTORE/ 1600." -Jerry Pournelle, Byte Magazine, September 1990 "PSI has created the power user's ultimate Lego set for disk controllers: the hyperSTORE/ 1600" -Alfred Poor, PC Magazine, June 12, 1990 "The real- world result will be blazing record handling from within a data file as well as unstoppably fast program loads." -Bill O'Brien, PC Magazine, February 13, 1990 RapidFACTS™ 1 -900-776-3344 • Doc#81 04 Detailed specifications faxed directly to you 24 hours/day ■ $4.95 billed to your phone Circle 238 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 239) DOWN TO BUSINESS Normally, this signal from the UPS also tells the network server to begin shutting itself down as gracefully as pos- sible. The disk cache will be written to disk, open files will be closed, and pro- cessing will stop. You can then turn off the file server safely, or let it run down when the UPS batteries finally fade. Monitoring is usually performed by a special card that you can install in the file server. Some Novell NetWare serv- ers, however, can monitor the UPS through a plug in their disk coprocessor board. In the case of the Minuteman, Para Systems provides special software that lets you connect the UPS to a serial port on the file server. The server and the UPS can communicate through the serial connection. In other words, once the file server has been shut down, the UPS can also shut itself down. Thus, it can preserve some of its power in case there's another power interruption be- fore you can charge the UPS completely. Instant Embedded Controller . . . Just Add Software High-level integration makes the MicroFrarne 386S the perfect embedded controller. All you have to do is add software and expansion boards specific to your application. All basic system components and peripheral controllers are already on-board: • 80386SX processor • 80387SXmath coprocessor socket • Super VGA controller • IDE hard disk interface • Dual floppy disk controller • Two serial ports • One parallel port • PS/2 compatible mouse port •512KB to 4MB of RAM • Four AT expansion slots Building with the MicroFrarne 386S greatly reduces your design time. We've engineer- ed in compatibility and reliability using industry-accepted standards. You can concentrate your develop- ment efforts on software. Down time is reduced, too. Time-consuming trouble- shooting is eliminated. One spare is all you need. Backed by a five-year limited warranty, and Made in America, the MicroFrarne 386S is in control. Call or write today! 1-800-525-7661 Monolithic 7y/tem/ corp. Monolithic Systems Corp. 7050 South Tucson Way, Englewood, CO 80112. (303) 790-7400 Getting Charged Most people who have LANs know that UPSes exist. Why, then, do so few pro- tect their LANs properly? The reason, of course, is that many LAN users haven't figured out the true value of their net- work and the information it contains. In fact, the true value of your LAN may total almost as much as the entire value of your business. When you figure the value of your LAN, you have to consider more than just the utility it provides. While the communications support is important, remember that after the LAN has been in use for a while, it begins to be the reposi- tory for the information your company needs to operate. Think where you'd be without your accounts receivable, your customer list, or your employee records. Spending less than two grand to protect these assets is cheap insurance. So Long, but Not Goodbye This is the next-to-last installment of Down to Business, which I've been writ- ing for nearly three years. Don't get too excited; you're not getting rid of me that easily. Starting in March, Down to Busi- ness will be replaced by a new column called The Business Connection. I'll also be writing the new column. This change is due to the interest you have shown in the business-related cover- age in Down to Business. My new col- umn will continue this tradition, but it will do so with an expanded format, giv- ing you more information, more depth of coverage, and more business computing news, as well as opinions about what's happening in this environment. One of the most exciting changes will be an expanded emphasis on the use of networks in business, especially in the rapidly growing field of enterprise com- puting. I hope that you will find these changes as exciting as I do. The years till now have been wonderful, and I'm look- ing forward to bringing you even more valuable information as BYTE's business coverage continues. ■ 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. < * — Circle 203 on Reader Service Card Witness IieDawn QfIe 9ms Era. £K£ta*j ~y*f $f , Ht d The NewHardcardIIXL. More speed, more room, more power, less price. We developed a drive that delivers truly remarkable perfor- mance for 286/386 systems. With a price competitive to your typical, standard, everyday 28ms disk drive. More speed. Hardcard II XL's" 9ms effective access time 1 and 1.4 MB per second sustained transfer rate 2 mean your system runs 8 or 9 times faster than one with the typical 28ms drive. More room. 50 and 105 MB capacity. More power to take Windows™ 3.0 and OS/2® to new performance heights. More power. You'll literally feel the difference in your system. Its more of everything. Except price. For more information on your nearest dealer, call 800-624-5545 in the U.S. «■ % and Canada. PlUS ^ "' / TV TRO D UC/ NO _ HARDCARD // XL m Circle 254 on Reader Service Card BIG IS OUT SMALL IS IN. d ^'--i IN mm 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. It 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-compatible, 16-bit expansion slots. It runs DOS™ 4.0, UNIX™ OS/2" and Microsoft* 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, youll 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 C 1990 falco Data Products, inc. 440 Potrero Avenue, Sunnyvale, CA 94086-4117 Circle 110 on Reader Service Card AU trademarks arc registered to their respective owners. EXPERT ADVICE BEYOND DOS: WINDOWS AND OS/2 Mark J. Minasi Embarrassment of Riches Living with Windows 3.0 and OS/2 2.0 This is a report from the future. By the middle of this year, peo- ple will be using both OS/2 2.0 and Windows 3.0. Since Win- dows 3. on a 3 86 and OS/2 2. both pro- vide fairly stable platforms for DOS multitasking, as well as sporting a graph- ical user interface (GUI), there will be an obvious question of which to use. The PC trade magazines will all have cover sto- ries about which is better. You don't see this happening now be- cause OS/2 2.0 is still in beta testing; 99 percent of the current (September 1990) version 2.0 users are programmers. I'm not sure why Microsoft is being so reticent about releasing OS/2 2.0— it's as stable as, if not more stable than, a good number of commercial products. In fact, I use it every day as my DOS launching pad. It's neat in that it not only lets me run my day-to-day OS/2 applications (WingZ and PageMaker, which is better under OS/2 than it is under Windows), but I can also run my DOS applications (e.g., the Q editor), either in a Presenta- tion Manager (PM) window or a fully concurrent full screen. 721K-byte Free Space in DOS But that's not all, not by a long shot. lean actually tell version 2.0 to emulate CGA video, giving my Q editor DOS session 72 IK bytes of memory. That means that once the Q editor is loaded, it shows me 647K bytes of free space— and recall, this is a simple DOS application that is not aware of OS/2. Yes, yes, I know that any native OS/2 application could easily address mega- bytes and megabytes. But native OS/2 applications are still a mite scarce, and ILLUSTRATION: MICHAEL MCLAUGHLIN© 199 1 besides, I already own my DOS applica- tions. If OS/2 2.0 can let me stretch their useful lives out a bit, that's fine; it gives me a little more time while I'm waiting for the flood of OS/2 programs. OS/2 2.0 lets you do more than tag on more conventional memory. It will limu- late, attaching as much expanded mem- ory to your session as you'd like. (I've seen an Extended Memory Specification emulator demonstrated, but it's not in- cluded in the beta version yet.) You can optionally copy ROMs to RAM for more speed. You can control idle detection, a feature whereby OS/2 puts inactive pro- grams to sleep, saving CPU cycles. These are just a few of the options, and it's not finished yet. The most amazing thing I have seen under version 2.0 is how it handles video games. Really. One sure way to find the soft parts in most multitaskers is to run highly graphical games or communica- tions; they can stop the system dead. J'm looking at a game called Star Con- trol running in CGA mode as a window of about 3 by 4 inches. I can see the entire game screen, albeit reduced in size, in the window. When windowed, a graphi- cal program does not run. But flip the program to a background full screen, and while I write this, computer-con- trolled armies wipe each other out. Try this with just about any other multi- tasker: instant lockup. So Why Do I Still Run Windows? Like many of you, I hated Windows 1.0 and 2.0. I rely heavily on Micrografx Designer, however, and Designer does not run without Windows, so up to now I just grinned and bore it. But Windows 3.0, well, that's another story. You know something's different when it first comes up. Heck, I didn't even know my VGA could make that shade of blue! It's more than just silliness, however— the thing really is easy to look at. continued JANUARY 1991 'BYTE 95 BEYOND DOS The ease of changing and storing color schemes is convenient. I use it all the time when I change to monochrome to capture Windows screens. In contrast, OS/2 just makes things harder than ever. Once you find a color scheme, you back it up by making a copy of OS2.INI, the configuration file that stores that kind of information. The OS2.INI file is kept open, however, and the file system won't even let you back it up: You've got to re- boot under DOS to copy the file. That's my first reason for still using Windows: better aesthetics than OS/2 has. Again, the final version of 2.0 hasn't appeared yet, so I can hope that it will look as pretty as Windows. Boy, would I be annoyed if I were an OS/2 developer! Pay all that money to develop for OS/2 and then have Micro- soft drop a nicer-looking, cheaper GUI on the market. "Just trust us," Microsoft said to developers. I still use Designer under Windows be- PCT E X Makes Your Best Work Look Its Best. .ror professional publishing and the power to produce high-quality technical documents, scientific notation, mathematical formulas, and tables, rely on PCTeX to make your work look its best. And with Personal TgX's Fontware Interface package, you have access to the complete library of Bitstream Fontware, for type selection and quality previously available only to professional typographers. The next step beyond standard desktop publishing, PCTgX is the difference between average and expert. With PC TgX you'll get professional typesetting at amateur Name Definition Gamma poo Jo Sine f \ *■ t ix —ix\ sm(a;)=— (e -e ) Error erf(z) = — — / e~ z dz Bessel i r J (z) = — / cos(zsm6)d9 71 Jo Zeta oo C(s) = £>- S (88s >i) fc-1 PC MAGAZINE wrote: "(With PC T^} formatting text, especially mathematical < INFO WORLD said: ". . . No non-T E X4 enormously flexible. . . " New PC TeX 3.0, with double the pag< capacity, is now available. For 386 com PC T E X/386 and Big PC T E X/386. For a product catalog and free demo d 415/388-8853. See the best for yoi PCTeX is a registered TM of Personal Tr£X, Inc. TgX are trademarks of Bitstream Inc. Site licenses available ad was typeset using PCTgX and Bitstream fonts. (). . . you can achieve incredible precision in expressions. " yased program has such typographical aesthetics. . . PERSONAL -building ^ \ ± skette, call t XT r^ irself. 12 Madrona Avenue Mill Valley, CA 94941 is an American Mathematical Society TM. Bitstream and Fontware to qualified organizations. Inquire about PTI distributorships. This cause, sadly, Designer's OS/2 version stinks. It's slow and lacks features such as auto-trace— an ideal application for memory-rich OS/2. The Windows ver- sion, on the other hand, is quick (as long as you avoid outline fonts and don't mind the bugs in the LaserJet font handling) and makes full use of the Windows 3.0 DOS extender. It can import 500K bytes of AutoCAD DXF files, although large imports are time-consuming. Here's a case where it's a real shame that I've got to stay in Windows. Once the "importing ..." box comes up, De- signer is useless until the import is over. A hypothetical Designer under OS/2 could be designed to be multithreaded- one thread could handle the import while another could continue to accept and pro- cess user commands. That's the big difference between the versions of PageMaker for Windows and OS/2. When they're run on the same ma- chine, you end up spending more time looking at the hourglass when running the Windows version than you do under the OS/2 version. OS/2's multithreading capabilities in tandem with good OS/2 programming on Aldus's part makes the OS/2 PageMaker preferable. Sadly, the vast majority of OS/2 programs don't ex- ploit this feature yet. Discussion of PageMaker brings up the main sticking point for both Win- dows and OS/2: printing. Print a simple LaserJet graphic, and the print manager goes out to lunch. I dread printing large documents under either system, and I can't afford to outfit all my laser printers with PostScript to speed up the process. The other reason I run Windows is memory. One of the machines on my desk has 4 MB of RAM, not enough to run the OS/2 2.0 beta version (it needs 6 MB— fear not, it's only temporary in the beta version). Under Windows, 4 MB gives me enough cushion for a 1.5-MB cache and plenty of memory left over for applications. This isn't as much of an ob- stacle as some writers make it out to be, however. With memory at about $80 per megabyte, it's only laziness that keeps me from putting in another 4MB. Perhaps the most compelling current reason for Windows over OS/2 is its rela- tive richness of applications. Again, both Windows 3.0 on a 386 and OS/2 2.0 will multitask normal DOS programs, but what about programs that exploit the GUI environment itself? I end up using Crosstalk for Windows, because it's easy and I have used Cross- talk for years. It lets me do downloads while drawing with Designer, and when minimized, the Crosstalk icon even 96 BYTE • JANUARY 1991 Circle 250 on Reader Service Card Times Change. The Need To Protect Doesn't. SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS How To Manage Your LAN Site Licenses. Every Day. Every Time. Licensing 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. » * i z ^ *H 3 — i ml m '--2'. Site License Revenue Protection For LAN today for more details. Applications. With Rainbow's NetSentinel, your software need never again be a part of the "free distribution network." Rfl 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 274 on Reader Service Card (RESELLERS: 275) M Color is Just One of Our Strengths. BEYOND DOS Th e 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. w ©Cijinjli IS!! Hcidlc: [tiriierlictiilin lie. S?l filler Siren. Serlilej. U 94710. Hwilei ui Hmiles Griiki Sunn til m iriJiiutj i! Hemlei U»fi\u liciiiinj Ik All liter ju/yci ma lit liii'iurk: il lieu resjitine mut ill ire lit iWititi mtl Heresies Circle 132 on Reader Service Card reports on download status. I can scan an image into PC Paint- brush, Scanning Gallery, or a host of other programs under Windows, while there still isn't an OS/2 driver for my ScanJet Plus yet. And, yes, it seems a minor point, but when I'm waiting for something to finish under Windows, I'm now able to pull up Reversi and get shel- lacked again. I'm now putting some of my seminar presentations in ToolBook, and I plan to show them as VGA screens projected from a laptop. I sure wish there were a ToolBook for OS/2. OS/2 should come with as many good- ies as Windows does. Windows Write hasn't cost Microsoft one single Word for Windows sale— why not port Write to OS/2 and give it away with PM? Ditto Paint, Cardfile, Calculator, Terminal, and, yes, the games, too. Remember, OS/2 costs almost 10 times as much as Windows. If Microsoft is not going broke selling Windows, it certainly can bundle a few accessories with PM. Giving away a BASIC interpreter with DOS 1 .0 didn't eliminate the market for compiler prod- ucts—it created one by giving people a taste of what they could do on their PC. Thus, I'm still between worlds. Ulti- mately, I'll spend more and more time in OS/2 2.0 rather than Windows. The 32- bit flat-memory structure (not available to Windows programmers) will swing the balance of program speed in its favor. Programmers will finally figure out how to write multithreaded OS/2 code ("stamp out hourglasses in our time!"), and we will read about developers jeal- ously speculating about the possibilities of threads for Windows 11.0. OS/2's na- tive support of Bezier curves will mean a simpler life for those of us who are tired of having to generate (and store) mega- bytes of downloadable fonts. You get used to being able to name files BYTE. september.column. version. 2, instead of BT0990V2.TXT; the High Performance File System is nice. It looks more and more likely that ver- sion 2.0 will directly execute Windows 3.0 programs; that would be the best of both worlds. But for now, either Win- dows 3.0 or OS/2 2.0 is a whole lot better than what I had last year. ■ Mark J. Minasi is a managing partner at Moulton, Minasi & Company, a Colum- bia, Maryland, firm specializing in tech- nical seminars. He can be reached on BIX as "mjminasi." Your questions and comments are wel- come. Write to: Editor, BYTE, One Phoenix Mill Lane, Peterborough, NH 03458. THE 9600 BBS V.32/V.42bis Believe it. A true full duplex 9600 bps, CCITT V.32, V.42, V.42bis error correcting, data compressing modem for just $699! The PM9600SA™ V.32/V.42bis supports high speed full duplex data transmission at 9600 bps data over common phone lines. Combined with V.42 and MNP/4 error detection and correction, V.42bis and MNP/5 data compression protocols deliver more effective throughput. In fact, automatic speed buffering allows data to flow from computer-to-modem at throughput rates up to 38,400 bps. And the PM9600SA V.32/V.42bis is compatible with the Hayes Ultra Smartmodem 9600. At just $699, the PM9600SA just may be the most Practical buy in the industry.. .and it's backed by the Practical Peripherals 5 year guarantee: the PM9600SA performs for 5 years or we'll repair or replace it. FREE! It's that simple. That Practical. 1 a PRACTICAL PERIPHERALS 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. Circle 257 on Reader Service Card System V ^Release 4.0 NNsJ mivq System Sy a I Ready to move up to UNIX System V Release 4.0 on your 386 1 or 486 IM computer, but you've already spent a bundle on some other UNIX system? UHC has the answer — a "4.0 Migration Package." Trade in the original diskettes for your current UNIX system and it's yours for only $395! UHC's 4.0 Migration Package consists of the UHC UNIX System V Release 4.0 Foundation Set, a two-user system license, on-line manual pages and a hard copy of the Installation Guide. Included in the software are the Base Operating System and 17 add-on packages, including BSD Compatibility, FMLI, FACE, Remote Terminal Utilities and XENIX® Compatibility. The 4.0 Migration Package can be supplied on 3.5-inch or 5.25-inch floppy diskettes or 150 MB quarter-inch streaming tape. GENERAL MEMBER mc 3600 South Gessner Houston, Texas 77063 (713)782-2700 FAX (713) 782-3377 UNIX is a registered trademark ol'UNIX System Laboratories. Inc. COMPAQ is a registered tnisemark of Compaq Computer Corporation. ESIX System V is a trademark of ESIX Computer, Inc. IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation. SCO and the SCO logo are a trademark of The Santa Cruz •pcration, Inc. XENIX is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation. 386 and 486 are trademarks of Intel Corporation. 386/ix is a trademark of INTERACTIVE Systems Corporation. UHC is a trademark of U.H. Corporation. Circle 344 on Reader Service Card EXPERT ADVICE THE UNIX /bin ■ David Fiedler SCO HOT Using PCs as X terminals, and the latest from SCO Last month's prediction about in- expensive PC-based worksta- tions is already starting to come true, and you probably have most of the hardware right on your desk. This month I'll also take a brief hands-on look at the new and much-improved SCO Unix and a somewhat longer look at how VP/ix can keep DOS on your desk when you take the plunge into Unix. SCO Unix Update Last January, I recommended SCO Xenix as a good platform for 386-based systems that didn't need true AT&T Unix compatibility because it was "extremely fast and stable." I still think that Xenix is a good, mature product that has benefit- ed from numerous refinements over the years. But I didn't wax enthusiastic about SCO's Unix 386 product, because my ex- periences with it have been less than heartwarming. However, virtually all the problems I had had with it, and some I hadn't even found yet, were solved last week when I received the latest update for SCO Unix. Officially called SCO Unix System V/ 386 3.2.2, it took a full year for SCO to write and test. It was worth the wait. The new version is not only quite a bit faster than the pre- vious version, it is almost as fast as Xenix, which is a much smaller operat- ing system. The kinds of improvements I found show that someone has been doing a lot of work on speeding up the internals of the kernel, since things like system calls, memory access, and disk throughput have improved markedly. The new ver- sion even supports SCSI CD-ROMs in both High Sierra and ISO 9660 formats. They also give you more of an opportuni- ty to relax some of the C2 security re- strictions than before. (For more infor- mation on C2 security, see "Safe and Secure?" in the May 1989 BYTE.) Fi- nally, release 3.2.2 comes with the Korn shell, a significant improvement over the regular Unix shell, which I am starting to really appreciate. While I obviously haven't had the new Unix long enough to see whether it will stay up for a solid month without crash- ing, as Xenix does, it appears to be quite stable. I've been working with it careful- ly in an attempt to find unfixed or new bugs. What I've found instead are many small, subtle (and unheralded) improve- ments. For example, there are more identical files that are delivered as links to each other, rather than copies. Also, shared libraries were used to rebuild the sys- tem's executable commands. Both of these factors indicate a high degree of care in building the system for distribu- tion (and, incidentally, save a great deal of disk space). It's the equivalent of a me- chanic looking inside a car engine and finding stainless-steel Allen bolts in- stead of cadmium-plated hardware. The only problem I have now is trying to figure out why I can no longer talk to my Telebit modem at 19,200 bps. DOS Good, Too Some DOS and even Unix users might not realize it, but there is a way to move up to Unix and keep all your investments in DOS training, programs, and proce- dures. VP/ix, from Interactive Systems, runs on the company's 386/ix, as well as SCO Unix and Xenix. It uses the 386's built-in "virtual 8086" facility to emu- late the complete IBM PC environment, including DOS 3.3. You can simply type vpix at the Unix prompt to get the familiar DOS C> ILLUSTRATION: LES KANTUREK © 1991 JANUARY 1991 -BYTE 101 THE UNIX /bin ITEMS DISCUSSED DOS/Merge VP/ix Locus Computing Corp. Interactive Systems Corp. 9800 La Cienega Blvd. 2401 Colorado Ave. Inglewood, CA90301 Santa Monica, CA 90404 (213)337-5226 (213)453-8649 Inquiry 1004. Inquiry 1006. SCO Unix X-Pac SCO Xenix Integrated Inference Machines The Santa Cruz Operation, Inc. 1468 East Katella Ave. 400EncinalSt. Anaheim, CA 92805 P.O. Box 1900 (714) 978-6776 Santa Cruz, CA 95061 Inquiry 1007. (408) 425-7222 Inquiry 1005. prompt. Thereafter, for all intents and purposes, you are running DOS. You have all the commands normally deliv- ered with DOS, including BASIC. You can also execute any Unix command from the DOS prompt, and even pipe the output of a Unix command into a DOS command (or vice versa). If you have installed Unix properly on a system that was already running DOS, you can switch to drive D and find that all your previous DOS files, applica- tions, and directories are still there! Using the DOS ASSIGN command can fix even this small difference, mapping your DOS hard disk files to the familiar C drive. Then you can execute any of your commands in the normal manner, without even caring that you are running Unix. I have nicknamed vpix to the name dos, so I can type either one of these commands. Apart from bringing up the DOS prompt, which might be most comfort- able for inveterate DOS users, you can also type something like vpix -c 123 from the Unix command prompt. This gets VP/ix to load your DOS Lotus 1-2-3 executable immediately, so that you are literally running a DOS program from the Unix prompt. I go a step further on my system, by writing little six-line Unix shell scripts that do some housekeeping on the way in and out of DOS. Here's an example: VPIXCNF= " / ips / vp ix / 123 - cnf ' export VPIXCNF mesg n disable oki >/dev/null 2>&1 /usr/bin/vpix -c E:/l23-bat enable oki >/dev/null 2>&1 The first two lines set up a configuration file for VP/ix, telling it what devices will be needed by the DOS session and how to find them in the Unix file system. While it's unnecessary to create one for every application, I find it useful because I can Miide-Ctate Our Hostess multiuser serial controllers are an excellent choice for up to eight occasional users. The Hostess 550 provides buffering for even higher peiformance. And for truly high perfor- mance, choose the Ultra 8. 102 BYTE* JANUARY 1991 Expand up to 16 users with the Ultra 16 high performance intelligent serial controller. But if your multiuser requirements are more modest a 1 6 poit Hostess 550 controller makes an equally intelligent choice. Our Ultra Cluster gives you the flexibility and power for virtually limitless growth. Stalling with an Ultra 8 base board, you can expand 16 users at a time, while maintaining current levels of performance eveiy step of the way. Multiply Your Choices At Comtrol we pioneered multiuser technology. And we know that there are no single solutions to multiuser en- vironments. That'swhywe offer more choices than any other company... from text to graph- ics. . . for modest users to over 64 users supported by a single PC. And we've notonly multiplied y ourchoices, we've multiplied performance, allowing you to expand without the high cost of adding computers. Multiplied Performance No company offers you more perfor- mance than Comtrol. In fact, our new DT Express driver transforms our Ultra Series into the high- est performing con- trollers available today. DT Ex/yvss dramatically reduces host utilization and significantly in- creases throughput by managing all data transmission and data transform functions on the con- troller. So now as you add users, no one gets caught in a wait state. B Performance remains high as you add users. MultiVision. For Choices Beyond Words When graphics enter the equation, MultiVision enters the picture. A fully functional multiuser system for up to 16 users, MultiVision speeds images to the screen at a blistering 100 megabits per second. As a result, you'll experience near instantaneous trans- mission of your graphics. 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 suppoit, 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.MuhiVisum See us at UniForum January 22-24, 1991 Infomart Booth #3733 Dallas, Texas Options Our products offer serial port and memory options that are field upgradable; compatibility with ISA (AT), MicroChannel and EISA buses; RS232, 422, 485 andCurrentLoop interfaces and DB 9, DB 25 and RJ 45 connectors. Graphics Comtrol When your needsmovebeyond 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. A Control Systems Company Multiply your choices. Call Comtrol today. 1-800-926-6876 Comtrol Corp, 2675Patton Road, P.O. Box 64750 St. Paul, MN 55164 ©1990 COMTROL CORPORATION. All rights reserved. All other brand names and product names are trademark:! or registered trademarks of their respective holders. Circle 69 on Reader Service Card THE UNIX /bin assign specific devices, such as laser printers, for specific purposes. The mesg n prevents other users from sending real-time Unix messages to my screen while I'm running a DOS applica- tion, which might confuse matters. Dis- abling and reenabling the particular printer-spooling device, as I do in lines 4 and 6, aren't necessary either, because you can use the Unix printer spooler as your DOS printer. Only line 5 is really required. The beauty of this approach is the name of the shell file, in this case /usr/ local/ 123- I merely have to type 123 from the Unix prompt, and I'm in the spreadsheet, without having to even know I'm working with DOS. And what about drive E? That's an- other of my improvements. Drive E to DOS is mapped to /ips/vpix, and it's literally a directory in my Unix file sys- tem. Some versions of DOS might be limited to 32 megabytes, but drive E can be the size of my hard disk. Since all the files reside under the Unix file system, they can be backed up on tape as part of my regular backup procedure. Even better, DOS applications benefit from the memory caching and structure of the Unix file system: Most run faster (especially file-oriented applications) and more stably than on native DOS. I've had VP/ix running for years with major applications such as Ventura Publisher (yes, even the new version with a bus mouse and extended memory), Quicken, and ArcList, a professional mailing package with 50,000 names and address- es on-line. VP/ix isn't the only DOS solution on the market. There's a similar product called DOS/Merge from Locus Comput- ing, which runs on other 386-based Unix systems, as well as SCO's Open Desk- top. DOS/Merge 's main claim to fame is that it's supposed to work as is with "for- eign" devices, such as scanners: no de- vice drivers needed. PCs as X Terminals OK, I swear I didn't know about this when I wrote last month's column. I pre- dicted we'd see inexpensive PC-based workstations that could just plug into an Ethernet line and run X Window System software. So, this month I found out about X-Pac from Integrated Inference Machines. The X-Pac is a single board that turns your normal PC (AT or higher, with EGA graphics or better) into an X termi- nal. The package includes a serial mouse, a serial port, 2 to 16 MB of ex- tended memory, and an Ethernet port (both thick and thin cable). You also get a TCP/IP kernel, an Ethernet driver, an X server, and a copy of Check-It software to help set up the system. It sounds like a lot of things to deal with, but they tell me it's been designed as a drop-in solution to the obvious prob- lem of, "Now that we're using Unix and workstations, what do we do with all these PCs?" It works as a Windows ap- plication with Microsoft Windows 2. 1 or higher, and you can set it up so that you just click on an icon, and— poof!— you're running an X terminal to Unix in a win- dow. And, in case it's not obvious, you still retain all the utility and software of your good old PC. Don't Call Me, Call Them It's been brought to my attention that some readers have been calling UUNET Communications Services for more in- formation after reading last July's col- umn. The only trouble is, they've been calling UUNET's voice line using their modems. If you want to speak to someone at UUNET, call (703) 876-5050. To use the anonymous UUCP connection, you have to set your Unix system (in the /usr/ lib /uucp/ Systems or L.sys file) to call the organization at (900) 468-7727 with the log-in name of "uucp" (no pass- word) and execute the following com- mand on your system: $ uucp uunet!/help /usr/ spool/ uucppublic This will get you all the information you need. It should work at any data transfer rate, and will cost you 40 cents per min- ute. If you just want UUNET's fax, try calling (703) 876-5059. ■ 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