1321 lines
48 KiB
Plaintext
1321 lines
48 KiB
Plaintext
Volume 3, Number 9 3 March 1986
|
|
+---------------------------------------------------------------+
|
|
| _ |
|
|
| / \ |
|
|
| - Fidonews - /|oo \ |
|
|
| (_| /_) |
|
|
| Fido and FidoNet _`@/_ \ _ |
|
|
| Users Group | | \ \\ |
|
|
| Newsletter | (*) | \ )) |
|
|
| ______ |__U__| / \// |
|
|
| / FIDO \ _//|| _\ / |
|
|
| (________) (_/(_|(____/ |
|
|
| (jm) |
|
|
+---------------------------------------------------------------+
|
|
Editor in Chief: Thom Henderson
|
|
Chief Procrastinator Emeritus: Tom Jennings
|
|
|
|
Fidonews 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.
|
|
|
|
Disclaimer or don't-blame-us:
|
|
|
|
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
|
|
What's Going On Here?
|
|
2. ARTICLES
|
|
Software Support
|
|
Downloadable Software Demos on Fido
|
|
Demo Version of the Generic Adventure Game System
|
|
New NODELIST Distribution
|
|
3. COLUMNS
|
|
Notes from the UK
|
|
Two Utilities for reducing Disk Access Time
|
|
4. FOR SALE
|
|
Entertainment Software for your PC!
|
|
MACRO - A powerful front-end for any language
|
|
Public Domain Software Library Sale!!
|
|
5. NOTICES
|
|
The Interrupt Stack
|
|
DBase III For Sale
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
=================================================================
|
|
EDITORIAL
|
|
=================================================================
|
|
|
|
What's Going On Here?
|
|
|
|
|
|
It's probably about time I explained how I do this again, since
|
|
I've made some changes. Nothing sudden, just a slow evolution.
|
|
|
|
Some of you may have noticed (I wonder how many?) that we tucked
|
|
in an extra file last week, FNEWSART.DOC. It's an updated
|
|
description of the technical specs. If you're a sysop, please
|
|
post it on your board. If you plan to write an article (which I
|
|
hope you are), then please at least scan it briefly. You'll make
|
|
my job whole bunches easier.
|
|
|
|
The most noticeable change is that we widened the margins a bit,
|
|
and cut down the left margin. (The left margin has been
|
|
"creeping" for awhile, but you probably didn't notice.) After ten
|
|
months of reformatting articles, I decided that sixty columns
|
|
wasn't really a good number. It seemed just a tiny bit too
|
|
short, so I widened it to sixty five columns. I'd played around
|
|
with that awhile before actually doing it. It's amazing how
|
|
often those extra five columns make all the difference.
|
|
|
|
But the biggest change, and one that only authors of articles
|
|
have noticed, is that we've introduced a delay into how long it
|
|
takes for an article to appear. (To an extent, in fact, this
|
|
editorial is something of an apology to those of you who have
|
|
sent articles.) When I first started doing this, everything was
|
|
published practically the moment it was received.
|
|
|
|
In those days I was desperate for anything at all, and I
|
|
typically sent out a newsletter wondering where in the world I'd
|
|
find anything to put in the next one. That's not such a problem
|
|
anymore, but we still seem to get articles in "spurts". I'll get
|
|
two articles one week, and then a dozen the next. I somehow
|
|
doubt you'd like getting a five page newsletter this week,
|
|
followed by a fifty page newsletter next week. Hence the delay.
|
|
|
|
Everything here is still automated up the kazoo. I could drop
|
|
dead tomorrow, and the newsletter would continue to go out for as
|
|
long as my machine keeps running. But the built-in delay now
|
|
gives me a chance to even things out a bit. So if I get a ton of
|
|
stuff one week and nothing the next, I can push some things back
|
|
to even it out a bit.
|
|
|
|
I guess this is really just a long-winded way of telling you that
|
|
if I don't publish your article right away, it's not because I
|
|
canned it. I feel that if you took the trouble to write some-
|
|
thing, the least I owe you is an explanation if it doesn't go in
|
|
(very rare, we really DO publish almost anything).
|
|
|
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fidonews Page 2 3 Mar 1986
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
=================================================================
|
|
ARTICLES
|
|
=================================================================
|
|
|
|
Neal Curtin
|
|
Fido 138/14
|
|
|
|
Software Support
|
|
or the lack of it
|
|
|
|
|
|
I had a very bitter experience with a software house the other
|
|
day that I want to relate to you. I went out on Saturday and
|
|
purchased DoubleDos from SoftLogic of New Hampshire. As I knew
|
|
of several other sysops who used it I, thought it should not be
|
|
any problem to install on my Tandy 1200. This it turned out not
|
|
to be the case. I had thought that I had found that .01 per cent
|
|
piece that would not run, so I decided to call up the help line
|
|
that SoftLogic had to see what I would need to do.
|
|
|
|
The person who answered the phone seemed to know exactly what I
|
|
needed to do to get up and running. He said I would need to
|
|
download a file from their BBS in the evening, copy it to the
|
|
root directory under a different name, and all would be fine.
|
|
This encouraged me as I am really beginning to enjoy cruising
|
|
when ever I get the chance. So that evening I call up the board,
|
|
log in and proceed to the files section. There it is, the
|
|
package that I am supposed to get. I ask for download and the
|
|
system comes back and asks for the password. As I had gotten it
|
|
that morning I confidently entered the password and hit enter.
|
|
What is this? "SYSOP must authorize"! Maybe this board needs
|
|
upper case. Type type enter. Once again that dratted message.
|
|
Back to the message file. Enter a complaint. Back to the files.
|
|
Try again. Oh oh, lockout and log off.
|
|
|
|
So I try the next night. This time the board will not answer
|
|
the phone. I try calling the next morning and get someone else.
|
|
He explains to me that the system crashed the night before but he
|
|
will give me the password for that night. I call back and find
|
|
out that this time I can't get in as my privilege level is 0. I
|
|
can't do anything. I log off, call back under my middle name and
|
|
find out all is well. I leave a message for the sysop, go to the
|
|
files, and try to download the needed file. Once again I find
|
|
out that the password I have is no good. At this point I am out
|
|
four phone calls to New Hampshire and gotten nothing but
|
|
frustration. I leave a long and pointed message on the board
|
|
hoping that someone there has enough sense to realize that
|
|
something is wrong. I very carefully leave some secret numbers
|
|
that if decode by means of a modem will call up my bulletin board
|
|
and let them call me.
|
|
|
|
As they have not bothered to call me, I figure that they do not
|
|
need the business. Then today in talking to one of the people
|
|
that I know in the software world, he said something that rang a
|
|
bell. I came home and did some modifications to my DOS and then
|
|
tried this errant product. This time it worked.
|
|
|
|
The purpose of all this is to alert some of these software
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fidonews Page 3 3 Mar 1986
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
houses that sysops are what might be called people of influence.
|
|
It is not a good idea to give a bad impression to them as they
|
|
may not give a recommendation to your product. As it is, there
|
|
is no way that I could give a recommendation to this product. It
|
|
works, but not because of the manufacturer, but because I had the
|
|
good fortune to know someone that had the same problem. Also it
|
|
is pass along the word to those who read this, ask questions
|
|
first, then make sure it will work on your machine, then try it
|
|
on your machine. If it doesn't work, walk away. If it was from
|
|
SoftLogic, don't expect any support. Their system is not capable
|
|
of providing it.
|
|
|
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fidonews Page 4 3 Mar 1986
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Since setting up our Fido board many months ago I have been on
|
|
the lookout for a way to create a community service. It first
|
|
started with a kids-world area for teenagers and youngsters to
|
|
have an area of their own. Then I created an island-guide area
|
|
for people to discuss various things about the community,
|
|
restaurant menus etc. Even a high tech area. I did not want the
|
|
computer station's Fido to be just a file dumping area. I
|
|
encouraged users to help each other with their computer problems.
|
|
I constantly kept looking for ideas .
|
|
|
|
In November of 1986 I had to leave Hawaii to go to COMDEX, always
|
|
a hectic task for me. At COMDEX I was deluged by vendors wanting
|
|
me to buy there software to try or demo. A few years ago I had
|
|
made a policy not to buy any new software until I either had a
|
|
demo of it to try first or had a working package to use for a
|
|
period of time. I became overwhelmed with software.
|
|
|
|
After COMDEX I decided I would ask the manufacturers for
|
|
permission to mount their self running or crippled demo software
|
|
on the computer station's Fido board. I explained to them that
|
|
this would allow a number of my users to play around with and try
|
|
the software. Not only does this allow a number of people access
|
|
to programs where they would not normally have even known that
|
|
the demos exist, it also hopefully would discourage piracy of the
|
|
software as most people do it just to try out the program.
|
|
|
|
So as of Dec 1, 1985 Fido 113/436, The Computer Station has a new
|
|
area called EVAL. I have received permission from such
|
|
manufacturers as Ashton Tate to mount their Framework II sampler,
|
|
Borland to mount their Sidekick demo, and more. I have also
|
|
talked some of my users into creating an evaluation form to
|
|
follow and encouraged them to "check out" different software with
|
|
the understanding that they cannot copy it, and to write
|
|
independent evaluations following the set guidelines that they
|
|
had drawn up.
|
|
|
|
It is interesting that a number of manufacturers have not thought
|
|
of this before and all the sudden they are becoming very
|
|
enthusiastic about the idea. If other Fido boards are interested
|
|
in offering this type of service in various areas I recommend
|
|
that they contact me and I will try to arrange to get the demo
|
|
files to you. You can contact me at Fido 113/436, MCI Mail
|
|
256-1444, The Source bkp893, or Compuserve 70406,1662.
|
|
|
|
Ron Skates, sysop 113/436, Hawaii
|
|
|
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fidonews Page 5 3 Mar 1986
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date: 2-12-86
|
|
To: Fido Sysops
|
|
From: Mark Welch (Sysop of Fido 125/459)
|
|
Re: Demo Version of the Generic Adventure Game System
|
|
|
|
A lot of sysops weren't happy that I added two editors and
|
|
some extra documentation to the newest version of the Generic
|
|
Adventure Game System, since the new GAGS106A.ARC file now takes
|
|
up over 280K, which represents about one hour at 1200 bps. After
|
|
some careful thought, I decided to release a "demo version" of
|
|
GAGS to reduce some of the problem.
|
|
|
|
GAGSDEMO.ARC contains the same GAGS "engine" and sample game
|
|
as the full system in one 89K ARC file, but doesn't include the
|
|
two editors or the full documentation. All the rest of the files
|
|
are bundled into GAGS-ETC.ARC, which weighs in at just over 200K.
|
|
|
|
Please note that this new packaging does NOT change my
|
|
distribution policy: GAGS is still release as "Shareware" and can
|
|
be freely copied or downloaded in its entirety. The full set of
|
|
files are also available in the file GAGS106A.ARC from my BBS and
|
|
others.
|
|
|
|
It does maintain my insistance that GAGS only be distributed
|
|
the way I provide it, so that no one will be upset (at me)
|
|
because they downloaded the COM file without the overlays, or the
|
|
executable files without the documentation. In other words:
|
|
please don't repackage GAGS when you post it on your BBS, since
|
|
this will create support problems for me. (Remember, my voice
|
|
phone number is listed in every file!)
|
|
|
|
If you feel a 280K download is too large, please consider
|
|
posting GAGSDEMO.ARC on your board. Not only is it a complete
|
|
adventure game exercising most of the features available in GAGS,
|
|
but it allows users to spend less time downloading the file
|
|
before deciding if it's something they're interested in.
|
|
|
|
By the way, there are now five more sample games for GAGS,
|
|
written by Ev Cheney (sysop of Fido 125/3) and Stan Heller.
|
|
They're combined in a file SAMPLES.ARC on my board.
|
|
|
|
(For those who didn't see earlier FidoNews articles: the
|
|
Generic Adventure Game System is is a text adventure-game
|
|
development system for MS-DOS computers with 256K. It runs on
|
|
the IBM PC, DEC Rainbow, Sanyo 550/555, TI Professional, and, so
|
|
far, every 256K MS-DOS computer it's been tested on. It's
|
|
released as Shareware: if you like it, please register by sending
|
|
me $15. The Turbo Pascal source code is available to registered
|
|
users for $25 more.)
|
|
|
|
THREE OFFERS:
|
|
|
|
1) I will send a copy of GAGSDEMO.ARC via FidoMail to any
|
|
U.S. Fido sysop who requests it with a Fido message to
|
|
Fido 125/459. Please, only one such per net: I'll refer
|
|
subsequent nodes in the net to the first system.
|
|
|
|
2) BBS Sysops can get a copy of GAGS by sending me a disk
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fidonews Page 6 3 Mar 1986
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
and a self-addressed, post-paid disk mailer (specify if
|
|
you want the one 280K file or the DEMO and ETC files.
|
|
Include 2 disks and I'll put both versions in, or if you
|
|
want I can give you the sample game ARC file).
|
|
|
|
3) As always, the current version of GAGS is available to
|
|
anyone for $10, (includes disk, mailer, and postage).
|
|
|
|
|
|
The complete GAGS directory (from WelchNet):
|
|
|
|
GAGS.TXT 4493 Press release announcing GAGS
|
|
GAGS106A.ARC 281439 The complete system (w/1 sample game)
|
|
GAGSDEMO.ARC 88763 The minimal system
|
|
GAGS-ETC.ARC 200419 (GAGS106A - GAGSDEMO)
|
|
GAGS_106.DOC 2587 Changes from GAGS 1.05 to 1.06a
|
|
SAMPLES.ARC 90964 Five sample games for GAGS
|
|
INSTALL.BAT 5846 Unpacks GAGS106A.ARC onto 2 disks.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mark J. Welch (P.O. Box 2409, San Francisco, CA 94126-2409)
|
|
(415) 564-1066 (voice) or WelchNet: (415) 664-2811 (modem)
|
|
Fido 125/459
|
|
|
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fidonews Page 7 3 Mar 1986
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
New NODELIST Distribution Method
|
|
by Ben Baker, Fido 100/76
|
|
|
|
Maybe you haven't noticed, but the nodelist is becoming
|
|
quite large. If there is no satellite link, it takes about four
|
|
and a half minutes to transmit NODELIST.A59 at 2400 baud, and
|
|
nearly eight minutes at 1200 baud. It took OVER eight minutes at
|
|
2400 baud to send it via satellite to Hawaii!
|
|
|
|
We now have about eight hundred nodes in the nodelist. If
|
|
we assume an average of six minutes transmission time per node,
|
|
that's about eighty hours a week to distribute a new nodelist to
|
|
everybody! If only ten per cent is long distance, that's still a
|
|
non-trivial sum we're giving Ma Bell each week! In order to
|
|
reduce the overhead of nodelist distribution, we are making a
|
|
change to the distribution format.
|
|
|
|
NODELIST.A73 will be a particularly fat nodelist archive
|
|
file. It will contain some extra files which are very important
|
|
to you. The complete contents of the file are as follows:
|
|
|
|
COORD.073
|
|
NODELIST.073
|
|
NODEDIFF.073
|
|
EDITNL.ARC consisting of
|
|
EDITNL.COM
|
|
EDITNL.DOC
|
|
|
|
NODEDIFF.073 will be a file which represents the differences
|
|
between NODELIST.066 and NODELIST.073 in a rather simplistic edit
|
|
command format. EDITNL is the program which can construct
|
|
NODELIST.073 from NODELIST.066 and NODEDIFF.073. It will be
|
|
instructive to compare the sizes of the NODELIST and NODEDIFF
|
|
files.
|
|
|
|
DO NOT ALLOW YOUR BATCH FILE TO THROW AWAY NODELIST.066 ON
|
|
YOU! You will only have one week to familiarize yourself with
|
|
EDITNL and its use, and you will need NODELIST.066 to do that.
|
|
NODELIST.A80 will contain only COORD.080 and NODEDIFF.080, and
|
|
you will have to construct NODELIST.080 using EDITNL.
|
|
|
|
Since EDITNL will be an "essential" program, those of you
|
|
making the Fido system available for download are asked to offer
|
|
EDITNL.ARC in the same file area.
|
|
|
|
Oh yes, please don't come looking for EDITNL before the
|
|
release of NODELIST.073. There will be no pre-release
|
|
distribution.
|
|
|
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fidonews Page 8 3 Mar 1986
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
=================================================================
|
|
COLUMNS
|
|
=================================================================
|
|
|
|
NOTES FROM THE UK
|
|
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
|
Frank Thornley - UK Fido Coordinator
|
|
|
|
After several months of circulating the net it appears that
|
|
several copies of the ill fated European FidoNews have
|
|
materialized on the crowded desktop of Thom Henderson. Most of
|
|
the articles have appeared without any reference to myself and
|
|
also contain references to issues and persona known only in the
|
|
UK. I apologize if this has caused any confusion but we didn't
|
|
really expect our newsletter to cross the pond.
|
|
|
|
You will note that I have referred to the 'Ex' nature of the
|
|
European FidoNews. Unfortunately there wasn't enough input to
|
|
make production worthwhile and therefore most of the editorial
|
|
came from me. I don't mind sounding off about this and that but
|
|
I disliked being the main contributor as my opinions may have
|
|
been construed as being somewhat dictatorial.
|
|
|
|
We have sorted out our distribution problems for the US FidoNews,
|
|
world nodelist, and Fido updates so Europe specific issues can be
|
|
put in the US FidoNews with reasonable certainty of reaching the
|
|
parts other newsletters cannot reach <Anglophile Humor>.
|
|
|
|
The time has come to unleash my manifold opinions on the
|
|
unsuspecting world - Robert Maxwell <UK counterpart of T.Boone
|
|
Pickens> watch out!
|
|
|
|
With reference to my earlier articles you can refer all comments
|
|
etc to Frank Thornley - Compulink, 503/1. The articles in
|
|
question concern - Exchange of public domain software, Compulink
|
|
in general, and fitting a hard disk to a Compaq Portable.
|
|
|
|
Since the aforementioned articles things have been a movin'.
|
|
Compulink is basically a user group for IBM-PC's and compatibles.
|
|
The user group is doing pretty well in the UK and Europe and
|
|
provides enough income to pay for a small office with a full time
|
|
staff of two (myself and Sylvia - my spouse), and a cluster of
|
|
PC's and AT's which form the basis of the Compulink Bulletin
|
|
Board System.
|
|
|
|
I started Compulink in late 1984 after living in Florida for a
|
|
few months I became involved with user groups and bulletin boards
|
|
while I was over there <here> and when I was finally forced to
|
|
leave through lack of funds I decided to start a similar user
|
|
group in the UK. Since then we have run several bulletin boards
|
|
and amassed a large collection of public domain software. In
|
|
user group fashion we distribute the software in the UK for a
|
|
token fee and also provide the services of our BBS.
|
|
|
|
We have lots of other activities, meetings, workshops etc, but
|
|
most of my time goes into running the BBS. We used to run the
|
|
board from the spare room, but subscribers used to complain that
|
|
they could never get online as the BBS was so busy. We were
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fidonews Page 9 3 Mar 1986
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
forced to turn our voice line over to the BBS as the phone
|
|
company (British Telecom) couldn't get any more lines down our
|
|
street. Thus we were forced to take office premises. Not
|
|
wishing to be constrained through lack of lines we installed six.
|
|
|
|
Now we had the lines and the office, but only one computer.....
|
|
Using the Multilink software we could run two Fido's but how do
|
|
we run more than two? The obvious answer was to buy more PC's,
|
|
this we did but then came across another problem - resource
|
|
sharing. The only way was to install a LAN. As we were already
|
|
using Multilink we decided to give Lanlink a try. After several
|
|
weeks of experimenting we came up with a workable system. Right
|
|
now the Compulink BBS is rum from a PC-AT which acts as a server,
|
|
and two PC's which are satellites. The resource sharing works OK
|
|
and I can recommend the Multilink/Lanlink combo very highly.
|
|
There are some problems but we are working on it.
|
|
|
|
If anyone is considering trying this out themselves I would be
|
|
glad to advise, call our office +44 483 65895. Prior to
|
|
installing the AT we tried to use a PC with the PC-ElevATor card
|
|
from Applied Reasoning. This combination didnt work with Lanlink
|
|
because Lanlink uses baud rates up to 256K baud, which the
|
|
ElevATor cant handle. We tried slowing Lanlink down to 9600
|
|
which the ElevATor can handle but it was too slow. Another
|
|
problem was the PC's limit of two com ports. Multilink can use
|
|
special cards which support up to eight com ports but these cards
|
|
were in my opinion unnecessarily expensive. I found a company
|
|
selling a similar card (made in Taiwan) and as this cost just
|
|
$130, (4 com ports).
|
|
|
|
I suggest if you are thinking of using this setup that you try to
|
|
find a supplier for this 'Eastern Alternative'. The multi-com
|
|
card is not strictly necessary for a Multilink only setup, but as
|
|
Lanlink uses one com port for the serial link to the satellite
|
|
computer more com ports are necessary. At the moment we have the
|
|
standard two com ports on the AT plus the multi-com card
|
|
providing an extra four com ports. We currently run three
|
|
multilink partitions - two for our first two Fido's, and one for
|
|
the Lanlink Server program. The AT appears perfectly capable of
|
|
handling three partitions with no noticeable delays to the
|
|
callers on Fido. The satellites run Multilink too - again using
|
|
the multi-com card but speed degradation is a problem at 1200
|
|
baud.
|
|
|
|
We maintain the BBS remotely through remote terminals and once
|
|
the hardware was running properly we didn't even have to take the
|
|
system off-line to do sysop maintenance or updating files areas.
|
|
|
|
All in all we are delighted with the setup and intend further
|
|
expansion when necessary. Its a good feeling to see more than
|
|
one caller online, but the callers can't contact each other
|
|
directly. The next thing I'd like to see in Fido is a multiple
|
|
input stream, and more support for multi-user systems - Not that
|
|
I'm complaining though. We have got scope for 'lateral
|
|
expansion' thanks to the new 'O' -outside command. We're
|
|
currently running the 'Common Ground' conferencing software
|
|
outside Fido and I'll write a report on this soon.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fidonews Page 10 3 Mar 1986
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Finally I'd like to offer an invitation to all Fido Fans that are
|
|
visiting the UK in the future. Let us know and we'll help in any
|
|
way we can. Every time I hear about a Fido sysop visiting the UK
|
|
I try to make contact. I located Andy Kanter from Beyond War on
|
|
his last day in the UK and know of several others I have missed.
|
|
You can crash out at our house for a while if you like, ask Tom
|
|
Jennings - he stayed for a few days in November, we'd love to see
|
|
you !!
|
|
|
|
Frank Thornley, Compulink 503/0, 503/1, 503/2.
|
|
|
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fidonews Page 11 3 Mar 1986
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gee M Wong
|
|
Fido 107/312
|
|
|
|
Two Utilities for reducing Disk Access Time
|
|
|
|
|
|
No matter what type of PC, XT, AT, or clone you own, most of you
|
|
will have somehow managed by now to push your machine to its
|
|
limits, and are looking for something to make your programs run
|
|
faster. In today's market, there are a variety of products which
|
|
may be used to increase the throughput of your machine, either by
|
|
making it process instructions faster, or by reducing the amount
|
|
of time spent accessing data.
|
|
|
|
For this review, I will cover two software products which may be
|
|
used to provide greater throughput on your machine by reducing
|
|
the disk access time require to load data from your hard drive
|
|
(or floppy) into memory. The two products are Disk Optimizer
|
|
(version 1.2) by Soft Logic Solutions, and Lighting (version
|
|
3.06) by Personal Computer Support Group.
|
|
|
|
These two products attempt to reduce the disk access time
|
|
required to load data into memory using two completely different
|
|
approaches. Both products may be used on DOS 2.0 or higher, both
|
|
are successful in their goal to reduce disk access time, and both
|
|
are relatively inexpensive. However, the product that you may
|
|
want to use will depend upon the type of processing you use your
|
|
machine for, and the amount of memory you are willing to
|
|
sacrifice (or purchase) for reduced access time.
|
|
|
|
The first product, Disk Optimizer, is a directory and file sector
|
|
reorganizer. It reduces the access time required to process data
|
|
by reducing the amount of time required to physically access the
|
|
data. This utility (1) reorganizes all your directories by
|
|
removing all deleted file entries from them and releasing all
|
|
unused clusters, and (2) defragmentize all files so that all of
|
|
each file's data is localized in one contiguous area on the disk.
|
|
This utility is typically used to process your hard disk on a
|
|
periodic basis, such as once per week, or you may use their Disk
|
|
Analyzer program to determine when you want to reorganize your
|
|
hard drive with Disk Optimizer.
|
|
|
|
Typically, a 10 Meg XT hard drive will take anywhere from 5 to 30
|
|
minutes to process the first time with Disk Optimizer, since the
|
|
hard drive is expected to be badly fragmented the first time you
|
|
run Disk Optimizer against it. Subsequent processing with Disk
|
|
Optimizer will usually take about 5 minutes. This may be too
|
|
much time for some people to spend reorganizing their hard drives
|
|
when the applications which they are using may not be I/O
|
|
intensive enough to make the gains of reduced physical access
|
|
time significant.
|
|
|
|
The second product, Lighting, is a configurable disk caching
|
|
utility which is installed as a resident program; you have the
|
|
option of specifying what drives you want the disk caching
|
|
utility to process and the amount of memory you wish to use for a
|
|
disk cache. Lighting reduces the amount of time required to
|
|
process frequently accessed data by maintaining a copy of the
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fidonews Page 12 3 Mar 1986
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
data in a cache, so that physical disk access may be eliminated
|
|
or reduced. Lighting is also capable of using as much as 1.5 Meg
|
|
of Lotus/Intel/Microsoft expanded memory; so if you have expanded
|
|
memory or if you thinking about buying expanded memory, you can
|
|
dedicate as much as 1.5 Meg toward a disk cache.
|
|
|
|
Lighting can only be successful in reducing disk access time for
|
|
you if it can maintain your frequently accessed data in its
|
|
cache; otherwise it will have to constantly perform a disk access
|
|
to bring your data into the cache and to load it into memory.
|
|
The typical solution to this problem (cache swapping) is to
|
|
increase the size of the cache (if you have the memory), or to
|
|
use both a cache and a RAM disk and have your frequently
|
|
processed READ ONLY files on the RAM disk.
|
|
|
|
The following test results were obtained on an IBM XT with a 10
|
|
Meg hard drive, and a Fountain XT with a 30 Meg hard drive. Both
|
|
systems were using PC-DOS 3.1 with BUFFERS=20 and FILES=20
|
|
defined in CONFIG.SYS, and identical results were obtained from
|
|
both systems.
|
|
|
|
For the first test, the IBM Personal Editor II (88 K) and a large
|
|
file (107 K) were used to determine how Disk Optimizer and
|
|
Lighting (with 350 K cache) affect the initial load time of the
|
|
editor and its data. This test is designed to be representative
|
|
of a user running a typical application which requires the
|
|
loading of a fairly large program with overlays or tables and the
|
|
initial processing of user information, such as WordStar, Lotus
|
|
1-2-3, Symphony, or Framework.
|
|
|
|
A freshly formatted hard drive was used to create the data for
|
|
the first test. The editor and its files were copied onto the
|
|
hard drive with a scrambler program to create randomly fragmented
|
|
files, and Disk Optimizer was used to defragment the files. The
|
|
initial loading time of the fragmented files and the defragmented
|
|
files, accessed through DOS (normal access) and through Lighting,
|
|
are shown in Table A.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Table A
|
|
-------
|
|
|
|
Initial Load Time in seconds
|
|
--------------------------------------
|
|
Fragmented 34 | 35 28
|
|
Defragmented 31 | 32 27
|
|
--------------------------------------
|
|
normal | 1st time Nth time
|
|
DOS access | accessed using Lighting
|
|
with 350 K cache
|
|
|
|
|
|
The results in Table A show that Disk Optimizer does reduce the
|
|
access time required to load both the editor and its data into
|
|
memory, and this reduced access time is apparent regardless of
|
|
whether the editor and its data are accessed through BIOS (normal
|
|
DOS access) or through Lighting. Also shown in Table A, is that
|
|
Lighting has made a dramatically greater improvement in the
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fidonews Page 13 3 Mar 1986
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
editor test than Disk Optimizer has. This is shown in the third
|
|
column of Table A which represent the loading time for the editor
|
|
and its data after all the accessed information has been loaded
|
|
into a cache; the second column represents the initial loading
|
|
time which is slightly longer because the data has to be read
|
|
from the hard drive and loaded into the cache. Thus it seems
|
|
that Lighting is a clear choice if you have memory to spare for a
|
|
disk cache, and if you have a set of files which you intend to
|
|
access frequently. However, if you access too many files or if
|
|
your files are larger than the cache, then you may actually get
|
|
degraded results with Lighting. Using the same test as before
|
|
with a 175 K cache, the following results (Table B) were
|
|
obtained.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Table B
|
|
-------
|
|
|
|
Initial Load Time in seconds
|
|
--------------------------------------
|
|
Fragmented 34 | 35 35
|
|
Defragmented 31 | 32 32
|
|
--------------------------------------
|
|
normal | 1st time Nth time
|
|
DOS access | accessed using Lighting
|
|
with 175 K cache
|
|
|
|
|
|
As you can see, when the size of the cache is too small for the
|
|
data being processed, the cache will not be useful in reducing
|
|
the disk access time in the editor test.
|
|
|
|
And for the last test, System Enhancement Associates' ARC (33 K)
|
|
and a large ARC file (170 K) were used. The test was to
|
|
determine the effect of Disk Optimizer and Lighting on the
|
|
command: "ARC t arcfile", which is representative of processes
|
|
which perform both a large amount of I/O and CPU in tandem. The
|
|
following results (Table C) were obtained.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Table C
|
|
-------
|
|
|
|
Initial Load Time in seconds
|
|
--------------------------------------
|
|
Fragmented 137 | 137 137
|
|
Defragmented 137 | 137 137
|
|
--------------------------------------
|
|
normal | 1st time Nth time
|
|
DOS access | accessed using Lighting
|
|
with 350 K cache
|
|
|
|
|
|
Here is an obvious example of where neither Disk Optimizer or
|
|
Lighting will have any effect on the process involved, because
|
|
the bottle neck in this process is CPU and not I/O.
|
|
|
|
So here you have it, a comparison of both Disk Optimizer and
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fidonews Page 14 3 Mar 1986
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lighting, and how these two products may be used to decrease disk
|
|
access time, and examples of situations where these programs will
|
|
and will not be a benefit to you.
|
|
|
|
The two products covered in this review are:
|
|
|
|
Disk Optimizer
|
|
SoftLogic Solutions
|
|
530 Chestnut Street
|
|
Manchester, NH 03101
|
|
603-644-5555
|
|
Cost: $49.95 for copy protected version
|
|
Non-copy protected version available
|
|
|
|
Lighting
|
|
Personal Computer Support Group
|
|
11035 Harry Hines Blvd. #206
|
|
Dallas, TX 75229
|
|
214-351-0564
|
|
Cost: $49.95 for copy protected version
|
|
$89.95 for non-copy protected version
|
|
|
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fidonews Page 15 3 Mar 1986
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
=================================================================
|
|
FOR SALE
|
|
=================================================================
|
|
|
|
Com-Tricks 102/601
|
|
*Great Prices for Compact Disc's through your MODEM!!
|
|
|
|
We specialize in computer & mail order Compact
|
|
Discs, and offer a large selection of accessories. We
|
|
are committed to provide you with the fastest,
|
|
friendliest service at the best prices possible.
|
|
Personal attention is given to every order we fill. Our
|
|
large catalog is the most current publication available.
|
|
We will make every effort to find a new or hard to find
|
|
release for you. It is as simple as that.
|
|
We have three convenient ways for you to order
|
|
Compact Discs and accessories. By Modem (805) 522-4211 (24
|
|
hours a day, 7 days a week 2400-1200-300 baud). By Mail:
|
|
PO Box 1385, Simi Valley, Ca. 93062-1385; By Voice
|
|
phone: (805) 527-4918 (9:00am - 6:00pm Pacific Time).
|
|
We would like to hear from you! We have gone to the
|
|
very bottom line to get your business - THE PRICE. We have
|
|
made record store sale prices our everyday low prices.
|
|
Yet, we know that in order to totally satisfy a
|
|
customer, we must be responsive and friendly. We firmly
|
|
believe that if you are a satisfied customer, you will
|
|
become a repeat customer. We would be happy to answer any
|
|
questions that you might have - please NET a message or
|
|
call.
|
|
We look forward to serving all of your Compact Disc
|
|
and accessory needs in the years to come. Thank you for
|
|
your support.
|
|
-=>>$$PRICES$$<<=-
|
|
|
|
MOST: ROCK, POP, JAZZ, COUNTRY & OLDIES are just $11.99 ea.
|
|
CLASSICAL TITLES start at just $12.99 ea.
|
|
IMPORT CD's start at $14.99 ea.
|
|
-=> Prices subject to change without notice.
|
|
-=> Double (or more) CD's slightly higher.
|
|
For a list of the most current releases available on Compact
|
|
Disc from the D I S C o n n e c t i o n (tm.)
|
|
NET a message to COM-TRICKS (102/601) and we will be more
|
|
than happy to net you a FREE CATALOG AND INFO back.
|
|
|
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fidonews Page 16 3 Mar 1986
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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 17 3 Mar 1986
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We have a confession to make. We've been holding out on you.
|
|
For several years now we've been using a program called MACRO to
|
|
boost our productivity. But we've been keeping it a closely
|
|
guarded secret. Even our most intimate clients have been unaware
|
|
of it's existence. Now, however, we've decided to release it to
|
|
the PC user community.
|
|
|
|
If you have ever used a macro assembler, then you already know
|
|
how useful macros can be. For the rest of you, well, a good
|
|
macro processor can do half of your work for you. MACRO works
|
|
with any normal text file, and hence can be used as a powerful
|
|
front-end to almost any language. Here's a sample of what MACRO
|
|
can do for you:
|
|
|
|
1. Put parameters in your programs, allowing you to easily change
|
|
table sizes, ranges of values, and so forth.
|
|
|
|
2. Put conditional code in your programs, allowing you to write
|
|
one program, and then "switch" parts on and off easily for
|
|
different customers and applications.
|
|
|
|
3. Perform integer arithmetic and string manipulation before your
|
|
program is compiled, saving run time.
|
|
|
|
4. Write programs that customize themselves when you compile
|
|
them, based on commands given and questions answered during
|
|
the macro scan.
|
|
|
|
|
|
MACRO is available for only $95 from
|
|
|
|
System Enhancement Associates
|
|
21 New Street, Wayne NJ 07470
|
|
|
|
Or call our convenient order line at (201) 473-5153 (VISA and
|
|
MasterCard accepted).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mention that you saw this ad, and we'll donate $10 to the
|
|
national FidoNet coordinators when you order.
|
|
|
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fidonews Page 18 3 Mar 1986
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Now available from Micro Consulting Associates!!
|
|
|
|
Public Domain collection - 300+ "ARC" archives - 10 megs of
|
|
software and other goodies, and that's "archived" size! When
|
|
unpacked, you get approximately 17 megabytes worth of all kinds
|
|
of software, from text editors to games to unprotection schemes
|
|
to communications programs, compilers, interpreters, etc...
|
|
|
|
This collection is the result of more than 10 months of intensive
|
|
downloads from just about 100 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
|
|
Plain ol' files (add $50, though, it's a lot of
|
|
work and takes more diskettes...)
|
|
|
|
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 19 3 Mar 1986
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
=================================================================
|
|
NOTICES
|
|
=================================================================
|
|
|
|
The Interrupt Stack
|
|
|
|
|
|
11 Apr 1986
|
|
Halley's Comet reaches perigee.
|
|
|
|
19 May 1986
|
|
Steve Lemke's next birthday.
|
|
|
|
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 Fido 1/1.
|
|
|
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
|
|
David Dodell
|
|
Fido 114/15
|
|
|
|
|
|
--- Dbase III ---
|
|
Brand New! Never Used! copy of DBase III For Sale !
|
|
Cost $295.00
|
|
Contact David Dodell at Fido 114/15 by FidoNetMail
|
|
|
|
|
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Anyone running Fido on an Otrona, or who knows how to run Fido on
|
|
an Otrona, please contact 107/8 as soon as possible.
|
|
|
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fidonews Page 20 3 Mar 1986
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|