955 lines
42 KiB
Plaintext
955 lines
42 KiB
Plaintext
![]() |
Volume 3, Number 27 14 July 1986
|
|||
|
+---------------------------------------------------------------+
|
|||
|
| _ |
|
|||
|
| / \ |
|
|||
|
| - FidoNews - /|oo \ |
|
|||
|
| (_| /_) |
|
|||
|
| Fido and FidoNet _`@/_ \ _ |
|
|||
|
| Users Group | | \ \\ |
|
|||
|
| Newsletter | (*) | \ )) |
|
|||
|
| ______ |__U__| / \// |
|
|||
|
| / FIDO \ _//|| _\ / |
|
|||
|
| (C) Copyright 1986 by IFNA (________) (_/(_|(____/ |
|
|||
|
| (jm) |
|
|||
|
+---------------------------------------------------------------+
|
|||
|
Editor in Chief: Thom Henderson
|
|||
|
Chief Procrastinator Emeritus: Tom Jennings
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
FidoNews is the official newsletter of the International FidoNet
|
|||
|
Association, and is published weekly by SEAdog Leader, node 1/1.
|
|||
|
You are encouraged to submit articles for publication in
|
|||
|
FidoNews. Article submission standards are contained in the file
|
|||
|
FNEWSART.DOC, available from node 1/1.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The contents of the articles contained here are not our
|
|||
|
responsibility, nor do we necessarily agree with them.
|
|||
|
Everything here is subject to debate.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Table of Contents
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
1. EDITORIAL
|
|||
|
Insider's Joke
|
|||
|
2. ARTICLES
|
|||
|
Silicon Mountain Fido Conference
|
|||
|
War in the Falklands
|
|||
|
Mail Order Problems
|
|||
|
Review of the MultiTech MultiModem 223
|
|||
|
Rovermsg update
|
|||
|
3. COLUMNS
|
|||
|
Hard Disk Usage and Management Tips, Part 3
|
|||
|
Computer Industry Spotlight
|
|||
|
Job Market Research Part II
|
|||
|
4. FOR SALE
|
|||
|
Entertainment Software for your PC!
|
|||
|
Public Domain Software Library Sale!!
|
|||
|
5. NOTICES
|
|||
|
The Interrupt Stack
|
|||
|
CARTOON: Gruesome George, by Bruce White
|
|||
|
Net 105 & 146 merged!!
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Fidonews Page 2 14 Jul 1986
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
=================================================================
|
|||
|
EDITORIAL
|
|||
|
=================================================================
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
This page intentionally left blank.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Fidonews Page 3 14 Jul 1986
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
=================================================================
|
|||
|
ARTICLES
|
|||
|
=================================================================
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Silicon Mountain Fido Conference
|
|||
|
Sponsored by
|
|||
|
The Colorado Springs PC Users Group
|
|||
|
and
|
|||
|
The International Fido Net Association
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
to be held from
|
|||
|
August 14 to 17, 1986
|
|||
|
in Colorado Springs, Colorado
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The Silicon Mountain Fido Conference will take place from August
|
|||
|
14 through August 17, 1986, in Colorado Springs, Colorado, at the
|
|||
|
Colorado Springs Hilton Inn. Register as soon as possible for
|
|||
|
the conference, by mailing in the registration form and by making
|
|||
|
room reservations at the Hilton Inn. Registration may be made on
|
|||
|
line at any of the Fido Conference Coordinator BBS numbers:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
303-578-0860 (1/10 outgoing)
|
|||
|
303-596-6232 (1/10 Incoming)
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Information will also be available at the COSUG BBS:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
303-635-5468 (128/13)
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The registration form will be circulated in a couple of days.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
To register through FidoMail, please send a message to us at
|
|||
|
1/10, and follow up by sending a hard copy of the registration
|
|||
|
form by mail or send a file with the extension ".REG". Please
|
|||
|
put a variation of your name on the file and tell us the name you
|
|||
|
have given your registration form in your message. If we get
|
|||
|
multiple files with the same name, it could a problem for us.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Please follow up by making a guaranteed reservation at the Hilton
|
|||
|
Inn. To guarantee your room for late arrival, the Hilton
|
|||
|
requires a credit card number (Master Card, Visa, American
|
|||
|
Express, Carte Blanche, Diners Club and Discover are accepted) or
|
|||
|
a deposit. Without a guarantee, they will not hold it past
|
|||
|
6:00 PM of the arrival date. When you call in your reservation,
|
|||
|
be sure to tell the person taking it that you are with the
|
|||
|
"Silicon Mountain Fido Conference" or the "Fido Conference" or
|
|||
|
"International Fido Sysops" to be sure that your reservation is
|
|||
|
at the group rate.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The room rates are as follows:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Single or Double (one bed or two) $60.00 per night
|
|||
|
Triple occupancy $75.00 per night
|
|||
|
Quad occupancy $90.00 per night
|
|||
|
Parlor $120.00 per night
|
|||
|
Fidonews Page 4 14 Jul 1986
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Because the Hilton does not care how you share your accomo-
|
|||
|
dations, some of you may wish to double up and split the room
|
|||
|
charges. You may be able to find someone in your local net who
|
|||
|
also wishes to share. Or send a message around FidoNet for
|
|||
|
someone to share with.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The address and telephone number of the Hilton Inn is:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
505 Popes Bluff Trail
|
|||
|
Colorado Springs, CO.
|
|||
|
303-598-7656
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The Hilton Inn is located at Exit 146 (Garden of the Gods Road)
|
|||
|
off of I-25 in northern Colorado Springs.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Other motels in the immediate vicinity (within walking distance)
|
|||
|
include "Howard Johnson's", "Ramada Inn", and "Econolodge."
|
|||
|
Within a short driving distance, there are many other motels,
|
|||
|
which may be cheaper than these. Because we are getting a
|
|||
|
special rate, you cannot expect to save much by staying at a
|
|||
|
place other than the Hilton, unless you have your own trans-
|
|||
|
portation.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
To be sure that a room is reserved for you, we need a message
|
|||
|
from you that you are coming as soon as possible. A large block
|
|||
|
of rooms has been reserved for us, but unless we have your
|
|||
|
reservation by August 1 at the latest, we can not guarantee you a
|
|||
|
room at the conference rate. Because it is the height of the
|
|||
|
tourist season, you will have to compete with the tourists for a
|
|||
|
motel room. I have to give the Hilton an estimate of the number
|
|||
|
of rooms we need by July 1, and a room list is due August 1 at
|
|||
|
the latest. Although you can probably still find lodging after
|
|||
|
August 1, it may not be at the Hilton.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The deadline for reservations for the banquets and other group
|
|||
|
meals is 48 hours in advance. All parties and receptions will be
|
|||
|
cash bar.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
We have set a conference fee of $60.00 for the full conference.
|
|||
|
If you wish to attend Saturday only, the conference fee would be
|
|||
|
$30.00. The rate for full time students is $35.00 and $20.00,
|
|||
|
respectively. Registration after August 1 will be an additional
|
|||
|
$10.00. In addition you will want to attend the banquet on
|
|||
|
Friday night, which will be an additional $15.00 per plate, and
|
|||
|
the luncheon on Saturday, which will be $7.50 per plate. The
|
|||
|
cost of the Saturday dinner at the Flying W Ranch will be
|
|||
|
announced later. It will include transportation by bus to and
|
|||
|
from the Hilton Inn.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
We are working on a special trip up Pikes Peak by cog wheel
|
|||
|
railway at a cost to be announced later. The stated meal prices
|
|||
|
include taxes and service charges. The amount of the conference
|
|||
|
fee is based on what is needed to recover the conference
|
|||
|
expenses. In addition we hope you will see fit to send a
|
|||
|
voluntary donation to IFNA, which is cosponsoring the conference
|
|||
|
and which will be the primary beneficiary of the conference.
|
|||
|
Fidonews Page 5 14 Jul 1986
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The address to send your registrations to is:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Silicon Mountain Fido Conference
|
|||
|
Attn: George Wing
|
|||
|
507 Mining Exchange Building
|
|||
|
8 South Nevada Avenue
|
|||
|
Colorado Springs, CO 80903
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Voice: 303-635-4716 (weekdays)
|
|||
|
FidoNet 1/10
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Please pay your conference fees by check or money order to
|
|||
|
"Silicon Mountain Fido Conference." By July we will be able to
|
|||
|
accept MasterCard and Visa over the phone. Please do not send
|
|||
|
credit card numbers through FidoMail.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
We are trying to work out having computers with modems and phone
|
|||
|
lines available for you to call your board and check to see what
|
|||
|
E.T. did to you when he used your board to phone home while you
|
|||
|
were in Colorado Springs. Suggestions on how to handle the
|
|||
|
billing for telephone calls are needed.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Please check for the best deals on air fare. We have a
|
|||
|
conference discount arranged through Continental Air Lines, which
|
|||
|
feeds through Denver. Jack Armit of Globe Travel in Colorado
|
|||
|
Springs (303-473-4151) can help you with travel arrangements.
|
|||
|
Call him if you are flying on Continental. Call him anyway.
|
|||
|
Other carriers feed direct into Colorado Springs without
|
|||
|
requiring a plane change in Denver as does Continental in many
|
|||
|
cases. Fares to Denver are about the same as to Colorado. Check
|
|||
|
it out and let me know what kind of deals you are getting, so I
|
|||
|
can pass the information on. The sooner you make your
|
|||
|
reservation, the better the deal you will get.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
We are looking for persons to help with the discussions of
|
|||
|
DoubleDOS, EchoMail, and various other topics. Suggestions are
|
|||
|
welcome. We thank those persons who have already volunteered
|
|||
|
their time. Ken Kaplan will have the final say on panel members
|
|||
|
and speakers. Send us a message at 1/10 with a copy to Ken 1/0.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
See you in Colorado Springs in August!
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
George Wing, Coordinator
|
|||
|
Silicon Mountain Fido Conference Coordinator
|
|||
|
1/10
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Ken Kaplan and Ben Baker
|
|||
|
The International FidoNet Administrators
|
|||
|
1/0
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Fidonews Page 6 14 Jul 1986
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Charles Grisamore
|
|||
|
Memphis Tennessee
|
|||
|
Fido 123/7
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
War in the Falklands
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
While scanning the files on a long distance board I
|
|||
|
sometimes call, I spotted a program called FALKLANDS.BAS. After
|
|||
|
downloading, I found it was a sophisticated war game involving
|
|||
|
ship and troop deployment as well as air cover and even ship
|
|||
|
based artillery. The only problem was that there weren't any
|
|||
|
instructions!
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The commands are pretty obvious (they are for the most part
|
|||
|
always visible on the screen and make extensive use of the
|
|||
|
function keys) however when entering ship and troop movements you
|
|||
|
must enter the sector number to move into. Without some sort of
|
|||
|
sector map it's impossible to ascertain your position relative to
|
|||
|
the Falklands or anything else. Has anybody got a DOC file for
|
|||
|
this program?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Another issue; is this program user supported? The startup
|
|||
|
screen identifies it as "War in the Falklands (C) 1983 by Robert
|
|||
|
Alter version 1.5". The copyright notice doesn't by itself mean
|
|||
|
much. Most programmers I know put such a message on EVERY
|
|||
|
program. However the absence of a Freeware/User supported
|
|||
|
message makes me wonder about this program. I've seen it on a
|
|||
|
number of bulletin boards around the country (but then so are a
|
|||
|
LOT of pirated programs).
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
I'd like to know something about this particular game. I
|
|||
|
either need the instructions or that it's pirated and I need to
|
|||
|
get rid of it. Please answer via FidoMail to node 123/7.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Fidonews Page 7 14 Jul 1986
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
David Kaplan, 142/0
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Mail Order Problems
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
I would like to advise all FidoNews readers of a complaint that I
|
|||
|
have registered with the Illinois Department of Consumer
|
|||
|
Protection, Office of the Attorney General, against the PC
|
|||
|
Network, of 320 West Ohio St., Chicago, Il. 60610.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
On April 22, 1986, I ordered a copy of R:Base 5000, in order to
|
|||
|
take advantage of Microrim's 2 for 1 sale if registered by June
|
|||
|
30, 1986. My package did not arrive until May 14, and then it was
|
|||
|
used, with handwritten notes in the box, and the diskette seal
|
|||
|
broken.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
I immediately returned the merchandise for a "priority"
|
|||
|
replacement, which did not arrive until June 23.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
They have refused several requests to reimburse me telephone and
|
|||
|
return postage costs of $14.39 for the first package.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
With Microrim's deadline for registration at hand I cannot return
|
|||
|
my used copy of R:Base, and thus am forced to retain used
|
|||
|
merchandise, as well as the additional telephone and return
|
|||
|
postage costs.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
I most certainly will not do business with them in the future.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Fidonews Page 8 14 Jul 1986
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Tim Rand, 100/255
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
MultiTech MultiModem 223
|
|||
|
Review
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
I have been running my Fido (AmCross Central - 100/255) off of a
|
|||
|
MultiTech MultiModem 224 for about the last month. This modem is
|
|||
|
a 300/1200/2400 baud device that emulates the Hayes 1200 baud
|
|||
|
modem with 2400 baud extensions.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Here are the pertinent setup items for Fido use:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
1. If you run out of a PBX or use a long-distance service and
|
|||
|
need to dial with pause codes, open the cover and set switch
|
|||
|
2-3 to UP. This sets Wait-for-dial-tone dialing. This may be
|
|||
|
important to those of you who dial out through MCI, Sprint or
|
|||
|
other non-1-plus type services. Replace the cover.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
2. Set the switches on switch 1 as viewed through the bottom of
|
|||
|
the modem (really nice feature - no cover to remove for most
|
|||
|
users) to:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
1-1 UP DTR Normal
|
|||
|
1-2 UP Verbose (word) responses **
|
|||
|
1-3 DOWN Enable command responses
|
|||
|
1-4 UP Enable command character echo **
|
|||
|
1-5 DOWN Disable auto answer **
|
|||
|
1-6 UP Carrier Detect and Data Set Ready normal
|
|||
|
1-7 UP RJ11 (if running in an office set DOWN)
|
|||
|
1-8 DOWN Enable command mode
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
** Fido overides these items anyway. I set them this
|
|||
|
way so my modem doesn't get answered when Fido is not
|
|||
|
up! and so things work better for most comm programs.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
3. Fido takes care of the rest except for one thing. Create
|
|||
|
yourself a FIDOMDM.BBS file with this one command in it:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
AT&Q1
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
This command tells the MultiModem to select the Hayes 2400
|
|||
|
response codes. This is important because Fido doesn't know
|
|||
|
how to handle the 6 or "DIAL TONE" response that the 224
|
|||
|
usually gives.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
4. Your RUNBBS.BAT command to run Fido should not specify any
|
|||
|
modem type (ie default to 1/J). I guess others might work (eg
|
|||
|
a 5/J or 11/J) but why screw with it.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The MultiModem supports a command mode setting to change the
|
|||
|
option set in switch #2-3 above. That is the ATB command. One
|
|||
|
item that is NOT documented in the manual is that the newer Hayes
|
|||
|
command ATX4 which sets both Wait-for-dial-tone and extended
|
|||
|
results IS supported and does work. The modem also supports the
|
|||
|
Fidonews Page 9 14 Jul 1986
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
"W" in the ATD dial command so you can do an ATDT 9W999-9999.
|
|||
|
This also is not documented.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
At $389 this modem is an excellent value. The modem lists for
|
|||
|
more, but most dealers are selling it for about $400. If you
|
|||
|
have trouble getting it for less than $400, send me a FidoNet
|
|||
|
message and I'll be glad to provide the name of the dealer that I
|
|||
|
use. It has front panel switches to use a desk phone to dial out
|
|||
|
or manual answer at either 300/1200/2400, the speaker has a pot
|
|||
|
(screwdriver adjust-BOOOH) to set the volume, and it has the
|
|||
|
right amount of lights on the front. The modem has been rock
|
|||
|
steady and does what it should. I have run with a number of
|
|||
|
different comm programs in addition to Fido and had no problem at
|
|||
|
all.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The modem has a number of neat features that are NOT Hayes
|
|||
|
compatible. The first of these is the ability to store 9 phone
|
|||
|
numbers and redial them with a short-hand dial command ATD Nx,
|
|||
|
which would dial number x in the list. ATL lists them. This IS
|
|||
|
in conflict with the newer Hayes 1200s which use ATL for loudness
|
|||
|
of the speaker. ATL5 is a neat command. It lists the current
|
|||
|
settings of the E, Q, V, and some of the & commands. This is
|
|||
|
nice to see what a program does when it sets modem parameters.
|
|||
|
The last real feature of this modem is the A: command. This
|
|||
|
command is a "Demon Dialer" type command that will re-dial until
|
|||
|
a connect.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The modem is built as is typical for other modems in this class,
|
|||
|
that is with an external transformer pack-type three prong plug,
|
|||
|
and a fairly lightweight plastic case. This model has a large
|
|||
|
heat-sink on the bottom that gets moderately warm, but in general
|
|||
|
the box runs very cool. One item of note is that option switches
|
|||
|
peek through the bottom of the case. This is a very nice
|
|||
|
convenience item, because it makes it very easy to check or
|
|||
|
change the switches. I do wish it had the AA (autoanswer) light
|
|||
|
on the front that my Hayes 1200 has, but that is really not a big
|
|||
|
deal.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
As to support, I did call MultiTech about the above noted
|
|||
|
documentation omissions, and they responded that they were sorry.
|
|||
|
These features had been added after the doc was printed. I also
|
|||
|
had a problem with infant mortality on one of the two units I
|
|||
|
bought. A new one was back to me within the week including
|
|||
|
shipping time. We also have a MultiTech 1200 modem which has
|
|||
|
provided us with excellent service and is really very Hayes
|
|||
|
compatible. Very nice service. The folks on the phone were
|
|||
|
knowledgeable and courteous. I would recommend a MultiTech to
|
|||
|
anyone.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Fidonews Page 10 14 Jul 1986
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
ROVERMSG Update
|
|||
|
by
|
|||
|
Bob Hartman
|
|||
|
Sysop Fido 132/101
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
For those of you that have been waiting a long time for the next
|
|||
|
release of ROVERMSG, your wait is over! I have just released
|
|||
|
revision 2.17 of ROVERMSG. This new version has the following
|
|||
|
nasty little bugs fixed:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
1. Using Rovermsg on a Rainbow with the '-c 2' switch really
|
|||
|
works now.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
2. A person with SYSOP privilege does not have to have credit to
|
|||
|
send FidoNet mail.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
3. A change made in SEAdog caused Rovermsg to not print the first
|
|||
|
character following a soft carriage return. This is now
|
|||
|
fixed.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
This version also does not create its own ROVERLST.SYS file
|
|||
|
unless there is not a NODELIST.SYS file of revision 5 (which I
|
|||
|
believe is only in Fido 11w, but it might be in 11v also). This
|
|||
|
change will save approximately 100K in disk space.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Finally, the most important announcement of all -SOURCE CODE is
|
|||
|
available! If you register your copy of Rovermsg for $15, you
|
|||
|
are entitled to free FidoNet support (answering questions, etc.).
|
|||
|
For $25 additional (total of $40), I will send you all of the
|
|||
|
source code for Rovermsg. The code is written for the MANX Aztec
|
|||
|
C compiler, but if you have another compiler the changes should
|
|||
|
not be too bad to make.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
As always, the latest version of Rovermsg can be downloaded from
|
|||
|
Fido 132/101. I am now running SEAdog, so if you want to request
|
|||
|
it via SEAdog mail, let me know and I will set you up to have the
|
|||
|
file held for you to poll.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Bob Hartman
|
|||
|
Sysop Fido 132/101
|
|||
|
The UN*X Gateway
|
|||
|
and Home of Rovermsg
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Fidonews Page 11 14 Jul 1986
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
=================================================================
|
|||
|
COLUMNS
|
|||
|
=================================================================
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Taking Advantage of Your PC's Hard Disk:
|
|||
|
Part III, CONFIG.SYS and the Virtual Disk
|
|||
|
Barry Gordon
|
|||
|
New York Personal Computer, Inc.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
There are some simple things you can do to enhance the
|
|||
|
performance of your hard drive. Creating a CONFIG.SYS file and a
|
|||
|
virtual disk can give you added power and speed in working on
|
|||
|
your PC by reconfiguring your operating system and Random Access
|
|||
|
Memory (RAM).
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The CONFIG.SYS File
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Another file that is useful in the root directory is the
|
|||
|
CONFIG.SYS file. It's a collection of miscellany to modify the
|
|||
|
way the PC system works. You may want to try a CONFIG.SYS file
|
|||
|
consisting of three lines:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
BREAK=ON
|
|||
|
FILES=16
|
|||
|
BUFFERS=8
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The BREAK command allows you to interrupt the system more easily
|
|||
|
should you wish to terminate the execution of a program.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The FILES command allows DOS to juggle more than the default of
|
|||
|
eight active files simultaneously. This is important, because
|
|||
|
DOS loads five files of its own, leaving you with only three.
|
|||
|
Sixteen should give you enough to handle most any situation.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The BUFFERS command can speed up certain kinds of disk
|
|||
|
operations. You may want to try as many as 16 or even 32 for a
|
|||
|
20MB hard disk.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The Virtual Disk
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
A large internal RAM not only allows manipulation of larger files
|
|||
|
when necessary, but gives the user access to the speed of
|
|||
|
internal memory for processing data. Just as the hard disk
|
|||
|
increases computing speed over the diskette drive, so internal
|
|||
|
memory, if utilized, increases computing speed over the hard
|
|||
|
drive. To tap the speed and power of the internal memory, you
|
|||
|
might consider setting up a virtual disk. However, to attempt to
|
|||
|
set up a virtual disk, you should have more than 256KB of memory
|
|||
|
in your PC, preferably, 512KB or larger.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The virtual disk is a portion of RAM set aside to simulate a
|
|||
|
disk. The virtual disk is referred to by the drive designation
|
|||
|
letter following that of the system's last hard disk. Assuming a
|
|||
|
single hard disk C:, our virtual disk becomes D:. The virtual
|
|||
|
disk is created at startup by a program such as the VDISK command
|
|||
|
that comes with DOS 3.0., working together with a command you
|
|||
|
Fidonews Page 12 14 Jul 1986
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
save in your CONFIG.SYS file.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
With 512KB of RAM, a reasonable virtual disk size to try is 64KB.
|
|||
|
If you have a 640KB system, you may want to set up a virtual disk
|
|||
|
of 192KB. I suggest leaving about 448KB of available, active RAM
|
|||
|
to have ample memory for DOS to do its work.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
A virtual disk of even 64KB can do wonders. It can also be
|
|||
|
effectively larger by specifying the smallest possible sector
|
|||
|
size -- e.g., 128 bytes -- for the greatest possible data packing
|
|||
|
density. Assuming VDISK.COM and 640KB of RAM, the virtual disk
|
|||
|
specification in your CONFIG.SYS might look like this:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
DEVICE=C:\VDISK
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The entire CONFIG.SYS file would look like this:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
BREAK=ON
|
|||
|
FILES=16
|
|||
|
BUFFERS=8
|
|||
|
DEVICE=C:\VDISK.SYS 192 128 64
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The SETPATH.BAT and AUTOEXEC.BAT Files Revised
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
What do you do with this virtual disk D: now that it is set up?
|
|||
|
First, you can begin to take full advantage of your virtual
|
|||
|
disk's speed by adding a statement to AUTOEXEC.BAT to transfer
|
|||
|
the sub-directory of your most-used files to the virtual disk D:.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Your AUTOEXEC.BAT file now contains the following:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
DATE
|
|||
|
TIME
|
|||
|
PROMPT $P$G
|
|||
|
COPY \anyname1\*.* D:
|
|||
|
D:SETPATH
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Note that the SETPATH command must remain the last one in the
|
|||
|
file. Next, modify the PATH command (in SETPATH.BAT) to PATH
|
|||
|
D:\;C:\anyname2;C:\any3;C:\any4 replacing the c:\anyname1 you
|
|||
|
formerly had in SETPATH.BAT with the root directory of your
|
|||
|
virtual drive D:\. (Again, note that you specify complete paths,
|
|||
|
including all drive designations, to keep the command totally
|
|||
|
independent of what the default drive might happen to be.)
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Finally, move the SETPATH.BAT file out of the root directory and
|
|||
|
into the \anyname1 directory for automatic transfer to D:. This
|
|||
|
allows you to execute the SETPATH command from any directory,
|
|||
|
entering it as simply SETPATH or D:SETPATH if necessary.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The root directory on your hard drive now contains the following
|
|||
|
files:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
<IBMBIO.COM>
|
|||
|
<IBMDOS.COM>
|
|||
|
COMMAND.COM
|
|||
|
Fidonews Page 13 14 Jul 1986
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
AUTOEXEC.BAT
|
|||
|
Sub-directory Names
|
|||
|
CONFIG.SYS
|
|||
|
VDISK.COM (or equivalent)
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Tips Concerning The Virtual Drive
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Now that your PC has the virtual disk D:, you will want to keep
|
|||
|
only your most-used files in your C:\anyname1 directory. I would
|
|||
|
suggest you put in some DOS external command files, plus regulars
|
|||
|
like BASIC.COM, or perhaps a few of your personal favorites, such
|
|||
|
as PE.EXE or your word processing program. Depending on the size
|
|||
|
of your virtual disk, you might even wish to add some non-
|
|||
|
executable, but nonetheless frequently used, files that you would
|
|||
|
like to have accessible from any sub-directory.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
All of these would presumably reside permanently in your
|
|||
|
C:\anyname1 directory so that they transfer automatically to D:
|
|||
|
at system startup. The one thing you must not forget is that
|
|||
|
your virtual disk D: actually resides in RAM and not on a real
|
|||
|
disk drive. I suggest you do not store anything in your virtual
|
|||
|
drive that is not stored in a file on your hard disk or on a
|
|||
|
diskette, because whenever you turn your PC off or whenever the
|
|||
|
power fails, everything in your virtual disk is cleared.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Summary
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
A brief summary of what the various files might look like is
|
|||
|
given below:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The Root Directory
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
<IBMBIO.COM>
|
|||
|
<IBMDOS.COM>
|
|||
|
COMMAND.COM
|
|||
|
AUTOEXEC.BAT
|
|||
|
Sub-directory Names
|
|||
|
CONFIG.SYS
|
|||
|
VDISK.COM (or equivalent)
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
CONFIG.SYS File
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
BREAK=ON
|
|||
|
FILES=16
|
|||
|
BUFFERS=8
|
|||
|
DEVICE=C:\VDISK.SYS 192 128 64
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The numercial values in the DEVICE command will vary depending on
|
|||
|
the size you wish your virtual disk to be.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
AUTOEXEC.BAT File
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
DATE
|
|||
|
TIME
|
|||
|
COPY C:\anyname 1\*.* D:
|
|||
|
PROMPT $P$G
|
|||
|
Fidonews Page 14 14 Jul 1986
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
D:SETPATH
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The D: shown above presumes that you don't have a second hard
|
|||
|
disk attached to your PC. With two hard disks, the virtual disk
|
|||
|
would be E:.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
SETPATH.BAT File
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
PATH D:\;C:\any1;C:\any2\;C:any3;...
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
That's it. My experience shows that a hard disk with large
|
|||
|
internal RAM, set up more or less as recommended here, can be a
|
|||
|
real pleasure to operate.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Fidonews Page 15 14 Jul 1986
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
William/Eunhee Hunter
|
|||
|
Fido 109/626
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Computer Industry Spotlight on:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
AUTO-TROL TECHNOLOGY CORP. -- Organized in 1962, Auto-Trol
|
|||
|
manufactures and integrates CAD/CAM computer equipment. Openings
|
|||
|
exist in engineering, sales, data processing, and finance. New
|
|||
|
employees undergo classroom instruction, as well as on-the-job
|
|||
|
training. Employees can also take advantage of special skills
|
|||
|
courses.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Contact: Jim Wilkes, Director, Human Resources, Auto-Trol
|
|||
|
Technology Corp., 12500 N. Washington, Denver, CO 80233.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Fidonews Page 16 14 Jul 1986
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
William/Eunhee Hunter
|
|||
|
Fido 109/626
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
THE FIRST STEP -- CHOOSING AN INDUSTRY
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
As your no doubt aware -- particularly if you're an
|
|||
|
individual who has already been employed several years or more --
|
|||
|
the U.S. job market is really many job markets, in fact thousands
|
|||
|
of them. But for purposes of job hunting, it makes sense to
|
|||
|
think of "job market" and "industry" as roughly synonymous.
|
|||
|
Given this definition, your initial problem is to decide which
|
|||
|
industry (i.e., job market) best suits your qualifications and
|
|||
|
needs. Obviously, having a degree in, say, business
|
|||
|
administration or a computer specialization, qualifies you for
|
|||
|
positions in many industries -- and yet, your work experience,
|
|||
|
career path, and life style will depend greatly on which industry
|
|||
|
you accept employment with, and hence become part of. An
|
|||
|
accounting position in the telephone industry, for example, will
|
|||
|
probably lead you in a much different direction than one in the
|
|||
|
insurance industry, consulting, or federal government. Thus you
|
|||
|
should consider that, in accepting a job, you're also accepting,
|
|||
|
and becoming part of an industry. The chances are good that
|
|||
|
you'll remain with that industry in come capacity throughout your
|
|||
|
working life.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Even so, are you really familiar with the many industries
|
|||
|
which compromise the U.S. economy? Are you familiar with the
|
|||
|
many occupations within those industries which your education or
|
|||
|
experience may qualify you for? If not -- as is the case with
|
|||
|
most people -- then your job hunting effort must start with
|
|||
|
INDUSTRY RESEARCH. You need to gain a reasonably clear
|
|||
|
perspective on contemporary events and conditions in each of the
|
|||
|
industries which may hold opportunities for you. Without this
|
|||
|
basic understanding, you simply have no idea where to focus your
|
|||
|
job hunting effort.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The following reference materials (among others) will help
|
|||
|
you locate current articles and books on any industry you care to
|
|||
|
research:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
ACCESS: THE SUPPLEMENTARY GUIDE TO PERIODICALS. Syracuse,
|
|||
|
New York: Gaylord Bros.,Inc., 1975 to date.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
READERS GUIDE TO PERIODICAL LITERATURE. New York: The H. W.
|
|||
|
Wilson Co., 1905 to date.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
BUSINESS PERIODICALS INDEX. New York: The H. W. Wilson Co.,
|
|||
|
1958 to date.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
PUBLIC AFFAIRS INFORMATION SERVICE BULLETIN. New York
|
|||
|
Public Affairs Information Service. 1915 to date.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
GUIDE TO AMERICAN DIRECTORIES. Detroit, Michigan: Gale
|
|||
|
Research Company. (Note: This is the most comprehensive
|
|||
|
key to the existence of directories covering business,
|
|||
|
Fidonews Page 17 14 Jul 1986
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
industrial, professional, and commercial fields. It
|
|||
|
will lead you to an unbelievable range of indispensible
|
|||
|
information.)
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Winchell, Constance, M., GUIDE TO REFERENCE BOOKS. Chicago:
|
|||
|
American Library Association. (Note: When you don't
|
|||
|
know where to look or have exhausted other resources,
|
|||
|
"Winchell" is the place to try.)
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Next article will present THE NEXT STEP - RESEARCHING
|
|||
|
SELECTED COMPANIES.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Distributed via FidoNet BBS by NOVA_WEG Fido 109/626, W.E.G.
|
|||
|
Systems, P.O. Box 5072, Springfield, VA 22150. Permission is
|
|||
|
hereby given to reprint the contents of this article providing
|
|||
|
the contents remain unchanged.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Fidonews Page 18 14 Jul 1986
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
=================================================================
|
|||
|
FOR SALE
|
|||
|
=================================================================
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
ENTERTAINMENT SOFTWARE FOR YOUR PC!
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
SUPERDOTS! KALAH!
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Professional quality games include PASCAL source! From the
|
|||
|
author of KALAH Version 1.6, SuperDots, a variation of the
|
|||
|
popular pencil/paper DOTS game, has MAGIC and HIDDEN DOT
|
|||
|
options. KALAH 1.7 is an African strategy game requiring
|
|||
|
skill to manipulate pegs around a playing board. Both games
|
|||
|
use the ANSI Escape sequences provided with the ANSI.SYS
|
|||
|
device driver for the IBM-PC, or built into the firmware on
|
|||
|
the DEC Rainbow. Only $19.95 each or $39.95 for both
|
|||
|
exciting games! Please specify version and disk format.
|
|||
|
These games have been written in standard TURBO-PASCAL and
|
|||
|
run on the IBM-PC, DEC Rainbow 100 (MSDOS and CPM), CPM/80,
|
|||
|
CPM/86, and PDP-11. Other disk formats are available, but
|
|||
|
minor customization may be required.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
BSS Software
|
|||
|
P.O. Box 3827
|
|||
|
Cherry Hill, NJ 08034
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
For every order placed, a donation will be made to the Fido
|
|||
|
coordinators! Also, if you have a previous version of KALAH
|
|||
|
and send me a donation, a portion of that donation will also
|
|||
|
be sent to the coordinators. When you place an order, BE
|
|||
|
CERTAIN TO MENTION WHERE YOU SAW THE AD since it also
|
|||
|
appears in PC Magazine and Digital Review.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Questions and comments can be sent to:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Brian Sietz at Fido 107/17
|
|||
|
(609) 429-6630 300/1200/2400 baud
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Fidonews Page 19 14 Jul 1986
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Now available from Micro Consulting Associates!!
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Public Domain collection - 550+ "ARC" archives - 20+ megs of
|
|||
|
software and other goodies, and that's "archived" size! When
|
|||
|
unpacked, you get approximately 28 megabytes worth of all kinds
|
|||
|
of software, from text editors to games to unprotection schemes
|
|||
|
to communications programs, compilers, interpreters, etc... Over
|
|||
|
55 DS/DD diskettes!!
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
This collection is the result of more than 15 months of intensive
|
|||
|
downloads from just about 150 or more BBS's and other sources,
|
|||
|
all of which have been examined, indexed and archived for your
|
|||
|
convenience. Starting a Bulletin Board System? Want to add on
|
|||
|
to your software base without spending thousands of dollars? This
|
|||
|
is the answer!!!
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
To order the library, send $100 (personal or company check,
|
|||
|
postal money order or company purchase order) to:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Micro Consulting Associates, Fido 103/511
|
|||
|
Post Office Box 4296
|
|||
|
200-1/2 E. Balboa Boulevard
|
|||
|
Balboa, Ca. 92661-4296
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Please allow 3 weeks for delivery of your order.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Note: No profit is made from the sale of the Public Domain
|
|||
|
software in this collection. The price is applied entirely to
|
|||
|
the cost of downloading the software over the phone lines,
|
|||
|
running a BBS to receive file submissions, and inspecting,
|
|||
|
cataloguing, archiving and maintaining the files. Obtaining this
|
|||
|
software yourself through the use of a computer with a modem
|
|||
|
using commercial phone access would cost you much more than what
|
|||
|
we charge for the service...
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Please specify what type of format you would like the disks to be
|
|||
|
prepared on. The following choices are available:
|
|||
|
- IBM PC-DOS Backup utility
|
|||
|
- Zenith MS-DOS 2.11 Backup Utility
|
|||
|
- DSBackup
|
|||
|
- Fastback
|
|||
|
- ACS INTRCPT 720k format
|
|||
|
- Plain ol' files (add $50)
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Add $30 if you want the library on 1.2 meg AT disks (more
|
|||
|
expensive disks). There are no shipping or handling charges.
|
|||
|
California residents add 6% tax.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
For each sale, $10 will go to the FidoNet Administrators.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Fidonews Page 20 14 Jul 1986
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
=================================================================
|
|||
|
NOTICES
|
|||
|
=================================================================
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The Interrupt Stack
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
20 Jul 1986
|
|||
|
St. Louis Area Sysops Meeting, to be held at Baker's Acre.
|
|||
|
Net 100 sysops please contact Ben Baker at 100/76 for details
|
|||
|
and directions.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
14 Aug 1986
|
|||
|
Start of the International FidoNet Conference, Colorado
|
|||
|
Springs, Colorado. Contact George Wing at node 1/10 for
|
|||
|
details. Get your reservations in NOW! We'll see you there!
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
24 Aug 1989
|
|||
|
Voyager 2 passes Neptune.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
If you have something which you would like to see on this
|
|||
|
calendar, please send a message to FidoNet node 1/1.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Gruesome George by Bruce White, 109/612
|
|||
|
+-------------------------------------------------+
|
|||
|
| Super--with this new |
|
|||
|
| multitasking program |
|
|||
|
| the computer can do |
|
|||
|
|\ three things at once! |
|
|||
|
| \ / |
|
|||
|
| Very nice, dear. Now / ____\__ |
|
|||
|
| how about your doing / |_| \ |
|
|||
|
| some multitasking _____ |\ |
|
|||
|
| around the house. | _ | | |
|
|||
|
| ______ | |_| | | |
|
|||
|
| __(______)_|_____|___ | |
|
|||
|
| ||-----------------|| | |
|
|||
|
| ______ || || | |
|
|||
|
| \ {} / || || | |
|
|||
|
|(c) 1986 bw \__/ ||-----------------||__|__|
|
|||
|
+-------------------------------------------------+
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Justin Norman
|
|||
|
Northwest Super Fido (#105/2)
|
|||
|
Formerly 146/0,1
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
For quite a while now many people have been talking about
|
|||
|
merging networks 105 (Portland area) and 146 (LNA Net) into one.
|
|||
|
So at the local area system operators meeting held last week we
|
|||
|
went ahead and combined. Not a large task indeed, in fact, the
|
|||
|
whole process took about 3 minutes from the time of the decision
|
|||
|
Fidonews Page 21 14 Jul 1986
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
to the assignment of new node numbers. But here is what's new:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
New Number Board Name Old Number
|
|||
|
------------ ------------------------- ------------
|
|||
|
105/2 Northwest Super Fido 146/0,1
|
|||
|
105/3 Dim Sum 146/5
|
|||
|
105/9 S.I.M. NoChange (MO:) 146/6
|
|||
|
-- Engineers 1 (Down) 146/2
|
|||
|
105/098 Private 146/098
|
|||
|
105/099 Private 146/099
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The Engineers 1 was taken down for reconstruction. This
|
|||
|
shouldn't be too confusing at all. The changes listed here will
|
|||
|
be effective immediatly.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|