************ Topic 3 Tue Jan 24, 1989 C128.CPM [Bill] (Forwarded) Sub: Another 8 bit Rumor.......... In Jan/Feb's INFO issue, page 34, The Rumor Mill says that Commodore might be discussing the possibility of a new 8 bit computer. Anyone hear, or know about this??? 14 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 2, Topic 3 Message 14 Mon May 29, 1989 E.PIECEWICZ [Ed] at 13:18 EDT What I heard recently, is NOT rumor, it is FACT. And this came directly from Commodore. Commodore tells me that at this time, they have NO PLANS to discontinue the 64 or 128. (Besides, having sold 10,000,000 sets since 1982 [both 64 and 128 combined], why do away with a winner!) ------------ ************ Topic 8 Mon Apr 03, 1989 HORO [-SysOp-] (Forwarded) Sub: GEnie's new rates GEnie has introduced a new rate structure, effective 5/1/89 (see 'New on GEnie' at the TOP (page 1) menu for details) ... your comments are welcome. 7 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 2, Topic 8 Message 6 Sun May 28, 1989 E.PIECEWICZ [Ed] at 15:13 EDT Deb (and others): I have been a GEnie user for almost 1 year now, and have been very pleased with this service provided by GE-Information Services!! It was a good move on GE's part to lower the Prime rates to $18.00/hour from its old rate of $35.00. Since I first heard of a competing service, (it starts with a C), I have not heard a single good thing about that other service, and nothing but excellent words about GEnie, that's why I first signed up! I'm getting a lot of usage out of GEnie, especially with this Commodore RT and it's libraries!! I predict that GEnie will become not necessarliy the biggest, but the VERY BEST ONLINE SERVICE AVAILABLE TODAY!! From a VERY satisfied user, THANK YOU!! Ed ------------ Category 2, Topic 8 Message 7 Sun May 28, 1989 HORO [] at 19:15 EDT (We're blushing!) Thanks! ------------ ************ Topic 9 Sun Nov 08, 1987 GRAFIX.M [GFX *SysOp*] (Forwarded) Sub: FreeWare*ShareWare*PD*Copyrighted There are a whole SLEW of tags that people are hanging on software they have done. What EXACTLY does each mean? 10 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 2, Topic 9 Message 10 Mon May 29, 1989 E.PIECEWICZ [Ed] at 13:30 EDT Another word for cripple freeware is CRIPPLEWARE. If the author cannot get the program to work and work right the first time, then don't bother to release it into the "public domain." I have seen more and more excellent programs out there that are designated as SHAREWARE, if you like the program, make a donation to the author. This seems like a very reasonable request. Unfortunately, there ARE people out there who DO like a program, use it quite OFTEN, and do NOT send in a donation to the author. They think "He'll never know." or "How is he or she going to find out?" How, you ask? Simple, check out the number of accesses to a particular program. If an author releases SHAREWARE, requesting a donation if the user likes the program, gets only a handful of donations, and sees over 300 downloads for the program, it sends a message to the author. One such author, came out with a fine terminal program for the 128. I did my part, sent in a donation as I liked the program very much, but turns out that he only got a few donations, and decided not to put out improved versions of the program. Can you blame him for his decision? I don't! ------------ ************ Topic 14 Mon May 15, 1989 S.LEWIT [Sam] at 00:57 PDT Sub: World of C= in L.A. Does anyone have or know any details about the "World of C=" show this coming weekend in Los Angeles? Does anyone know where I might call, or get more details? From what I understand, its from May 19-21. Thanks 1 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 2, Topic 14 Message 1 Mon May 29, 1989 QBB.B [QBB.BARB] at 00:29 EDT Hi Sam, It's a little late to help out with details that would get you to the show, but I thought you might like to know that you were right about the dates. The "World of C=" was held in downtown LA on May 19, and, all things considered, it wasn't a bad show. Not an awful lot of 8 bit support, but what there was got a lot of attention. The Write Stuff, Quick Brown Box, SSI with "Maverick" etc., Free Spirit with a bunch of new stuff, and a number of others made it worthwhile for the C64/C128 crowd. Everyone seemed to have a pretty good time. ------------ ************ Topic 5 Sun Mar 05, 1989 S.WOOD3 at 01:37 PST Sub: CS-DOS Is CS alive and well? 4 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 3, Topic 5 Message 3 Mon May 29, 1989 QBB.B [QBB.BARB] at 00:48 EDT How big is CS DOS? If it can load into a 64K Quick Brown Box it should be pretty much like having it in a ROM. I'd like to see it. Ed Parry of "NERD" fame, not to mention EBBS, seems to like CS DOS, too Barb ------------ Category 3, Topic 5 Message 4 Mon May 29, 1989 HORO [] at 08:25 EDT I love CS-DOS too, and would love to see it replace the existing operating system in the machine. ------------ ************ Topic 2 Tue May 30, 1989 K.KRELOVE at 22:09 EDT Sub: music printing software to print music 1 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 6, Topic 2 Message 1 Tue May 30, 1989 K.KRELOVE at 22:16 EDT Can anyone tell me how to get hold of a copy of The Music Shop by Broderbund. Broderbund tells me it's been discontinued. Another that might do is MUSICALC 2. I'm looking for a program that will allow me to input music in standard notation (or with a MIDI keyboard), edit it if necessary, and print it out in clear, reasonably professional looking script on an Epson 1000. I teach music and must write out a great many parts for my elementary school students. I own MUSICALC 1, which is the sequencer portion of the set. I also own Bank Street Music Writer, but the print routine has too many drawbacks:print area is too narrow, stems are too short, always prints two staves, one treble clef, one bass clef.... Any info on suppliers, prices, and titles would be appreciated. ------------ ************ Topic 25 Fri Jan 06, 1989 B.BALETKA at 21:23 CST Sub: MAC de-coding Does anyone out there have any information on how to de-code MAC picture files? (In other words.. if I have a .MAC file, and I want to know what it means.. like 6 pixels on, 3 off, 7 on, etc-- how do I determine 24 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 7, Topic 25 Message 18 Sun May 28, 1989 EMJAY at 01:27 EDT There is a program in one of the Commodore sections of CIS called "GETPIT.ARK", I believe. It is an adaption of a UNIX program for CP/M. It runs under CP/M and decodes the .PIT files. In addition, there is one or more "readers" which operate under CP/M to view .MAC files. The readers can be found in the CP/M section. The docs say that it works with non-password protected Packit III files, does not work with stuffed files - .SIT. Hope this helps. ------------ Category 7, Topic 25 Message 19 Sun May 28, 1989 B.BALETKA at 14:04 CDT Well, this is basically to Grafix.M, but anyone else can jump in if they have any info/ideas.. I've taken a MAC file which is -not- .SIT or .PIT, but -does- have MacBinary header on it, so I've ignored the first 600 bytes. So far so good... Now, when I start with byte #601, and use the technique that has been described (back in message #12), I end up with instructions that start by telling me that the first 58 bytes are CHR$(0), the -next- 58 bytes are CHR$(0), the -next- 58 bytes are CHR$(0), and so forth for the first eight lines. Then it starts giving me individual bytes, which I assume I am to group together on my own, then further down the line I come accross some lines that say that the next 120+ bytes are xxx,.. Do you see where the problem is starting to develop? Each line is supposed to be a group of 72 bytes. If each of the first 8 lines is only 58 bytes, what do you do?? And more than that, what do you do when it tells you that you have a group of bytes that is bigger than 72?? ------------ Category 7, Topic 25 Message 20 Sun May 28, 1989 B.BALETKA at 14:18 CDT Well, I just downloaded another file here from GEnie which was described as not being compressed in any way. I haven't had time to evaluate it off-line, but as I watched the download, I saw the same pattern that I described earlier, which is CHR$(185) followed by CHR$(0), repeated several times, which decodes into "58 CHR$(0)'s".. and when this is repeated several times, I don't see any way of putting it into groups of 72 bytes.. ------------ Category 7, Topic 25 Message 21 Sun May 28, 1989 GRAFIX.M at 18:54 EDT I need a bit more info to go on. Exactly what was the file name and/or number (in the Mac RT?) What were the 2 groups of 4 letters near the beginning of the files? These are both clues as to what the problem may be. ------------ Category 7, Topic 25 Message 22 Mon May 29, 1989 B.BALETKA at 11:33 CDT Well, the letters in the first part of the file (within the first 75 chars.) are "PNTGMPNT". Another file I have says "PNTGPANT". None say SIT or PIT. As for where the file came from, it was in the ST R/T, named TIGER.MAC, and the R/T description states that no compression routines existed in that file. I've U/L'd that file directly to you (GRAFIX.M) so you don't have to go rooting around in the ST R/T... (Oh yes, the only other letters that appear in the file which are legible are the third thru seventh, which say "Tiger.") ------------ Category 7, Topic 25 Message 23 Mon May 29, 1989 GRAFIX.M at 13:40 EDT OK, lets go through the MacPaint file and decode a row of data. It is a bit more complicated than originally indicated, but fairly easy to decode once you do a little bit. I'll be using a HEX dump of the file for the examples. It is a little easier to do a lot of this in HEX. First off, the file is MacBinary II so we skip the first 640 bytes. (128 bytes for the MacBinary header and 512 bytes for the MacPaint header.) Here is the first row of data in HEX: ADDRESS DATA 0280: 15DBB6DB 6DBBB5AD B6D6B5AD ADB6B76B 0290: 6EDBFFFB FDBDDBF3 550656FE EDFFFEDA 02A0: D5FD5510 5AADB5B5 AD6B5AD6 B6DB6EDB 02B0: 6DB6DEEF 77F90015 6CDB6DB6 CCCE6A6B The first byte is $15 which means "read the next 22 bytes as uncompressed pixel data." (Note that $15 is 21 decimal. Start counting from 0 and you get 22 bytes). Count off 22 bytes, then we have $F355. This is a compressed data group. The key to the compression is the byte $F3. Since it is over $80, it is compressed. Figuring the compression is a bit unusual, and I'm sure that there are some slick, easy ways to do this in machine language but for illustration we'll convert to decimal and figure it out by hand. $F3 = 243 decimal. Subtracting from 256 decimal ($FF) leaves us with 13 bytes ($0D). And starting our count from 0 means we have 14 bytes! SO, we repeat the pixel data $55, 14 times. The next byte in the file is $06. This means the next 7 bytes (starting our count from 0) is raw, uncompressed pixel data. Count off 7 bytes and we have $FD55....again, compressed data. $FF minus $FD = $03 so we repeat the pixel data $55, 4 times (again, counting from 0.) That brings us to the byte $10. Again, uncompressed data for the next 17 bytes. Then to $F900 which means compressed data, so repeat the pixel data $00, 8 times. And that brings us to 72 bytes, which is the end of the line! Lets recap the data we have for the line: Byte Count # Bytes Type of data ---------- ------- ------------ 22 22 Raw data 36 14 Compressed (repeat $55) 43 7 Raw data 47 4 Compressed (repeat $55) 64 17 Raw data 72 8 Compressed (repeat $00) You should be able to write a nice conversion routine to fully uncompress the MacPaint file and put it into most any format you need to now. For other files, remember that you should first try looking 640 bytes in. Most files that you come across will have the MacBinary header, and ALL MacPaint files will have a 512 byte MacPaint header. Always look for the letters "PNTGMPNT" near the beginning of the file. It indicates 2 things: 1) that you do have a MacBinary header on the file and 2) the file really IS a MacPaint file. There are other Mac programs that can produce a MacPaint compatable file but they will not have the PNTGMPNT in the header. (By the way, PNTGMPNT means: PNTG=PaiNTinG and MPNT=MacPaiNT) If you find SIT!SIT! there, you cannot decode the file at all. Hope this gets you going! Give a shout if you still have trouble. \\GFX// ------------ Category 7, Topic 25 Message 24 Mon May 29, 1989 B.BALETKA at 13:13 CDT Thanx alot for the help! I will let you know how things are going! ------------ ************ Topic 18 Sun Dec 21, 1986 H.MILLER at 13:45 EST Sub: Computer to Computer Transfers COMMON SENSE to COMMON SENSE. 12 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 8, Topic 18 Message 11 Sat May 27, 1989 S.KNUDDE1 at 12:30 EDT I'm trying to transfer ASCII files from a c64 to an IBM PS Model 30, using Common Sense and Procomm 2.4 (can also use Crosstalk)...Is it more proactical to use modem to modem transfer or use a serial null modem ble (assuming a 6 to 25-pin cable exisis).. The Common Sense manual doesn't mention much about null transfers.. ------------ Category 8, Topic 18 Message 12 Sun May 28, 1989 C128-BILL [Phoenix] at 11:07 EDT S.K. when I X-fer files from my 128 to the laptop (or visa versa) I have found that the Null-Modem works better than using my internal/external modems. This will give me a better rate of transfer (up to 4800B) with very little trouble. Common Sense highest xfer rate (reliable) is 1200B. If you use a nul modem thru an RS-232 interface, you might have to 'tweak' the 64 by slowing down C.S. by using the commodore U and commodore D keys. This adjustment is the character delay. You also might have to adjust the baud rate by using the commodore M keys. When Xfering files, just remember that you might have to manually prompt the 'Host' computer to start the Xfer. Another way to do this is to X-Modem the file to yourself in GEmail on one 'puter, and then download it from GEnie with the other. ------------ ************ Topic 14 Mon Mar 30, 1987 C.G.WAITE (Forwarded) Sub: HELP WITH SOME C-64 HARDWARE PROBLEMS This topic is started with the intention of helping anyone with hardware problems. 32 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 11, Topic 14 Message 32 Sat May 27, 1989 HORO [] at 23:46 EDT (Doc's messages, re-posted to correct formatting problems): Category 11, Topic 14 Message 35 Sat May 27, 1989 DIGITAL.DOC [Digital Doc] at 17:20 PDT Bill Here's the first installment. Sorry it took me so long to get back. I've been REALLY busy lately! Start by having the computer open, and power it up. Without doing anything else, read the signals present on the two chips shown below and send me the readings. Start with chip U17 (the PLA): ---.--- 01: :28 02: :27 03: :26 04: :25 05: :24 06: :23 07: :22 08: :21 09: :20 10: :19 11: :18 12: :17 13: :16 14: :15 ------- Next, chip U19 (the VIC): ---.--- - 1-: :-40- - 2-: :-39- - 3-: :-38- - 4-: :-37- - 5-: :-36- - 6-: :-35- - 7-: :-34- - 8-: :-33- - 9-: :-32- -10-: :-31- -11-: :-30- -12-: :-29- -13-: :-28- -14-: :-27- -15-: :-26- -16-: :-25- -17-: :-24- -18-: :-23- -19-: :-22- -20-: :-21- ------- All pin numbers are as viewed from the top of the chip. Use the voltmeter, dc, function of your VOM, if you haven't got a logic probe. With the exception of pins 13,14,15 on the U19 chip, set the scale to the lowest value above +5 volts that you have available. On pins 13, 14, 15 of the U19, set the scale to the lowest value that will accommodate +12. Connect the ground lead of the VOM to pin 3 of CR4 or the - side of C91. WARNING: Use EXTREME caution when taking the readings to prevent shorting two pins together! Shorting two pins together will, at the very least, inject an unwanted signal which will invalidate the test. If this happens you MUST turn off the power and start over. At the worst, shorting two pins together may smoke one of the components. Send me a list of the signals you record here on the BBS, please. Others are watching. ------------ Category 11, Topic 14 Message 36 Sat May 27, 1989 DIGITAL.DOC [Digital Doc] at 17:25 PDT Bill, Just reread the last message and realized the chip drawings lost something in the BBS translation! When looking down on each chip from the top, with the dot (or cutout) away from you, the pins start with number 1 on the left side nearest the dot or cutout. They are counted sequentially down the left side, around the bottom and up the right side. Be watching for your reply! :) ------------ ------------ No messages found in category #12 ************ Topic 2 Mon May 08, 1989 C128-BILL [Phoenix] at 17:06 EDT Sub: 1750 RUE Availability Found a short time source for 1750 REU's: 3 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 14, Topic 2 Message 2 Mon May 29, 1989 T.A.JACKSON at 13:24 EDT I just recieved a 1750 from Softech and so far the only programs that will work with it are the test/demo prog's that came with it. Been trying to run sparkle with no luck at all. Also have been trying to use it with Timeworks' "Sylvia Porter's Personal Finance" that is supposed to support an REU. This also does not work. Does anyone have any suggestions? Maybe it's old ROMs in the 128? ------------ Category 14, Topic 2 Message 3 Mon May 29, 1989 C128-BILL [Phoenix] at 23:45 EDT T.A.J. - while I'm not familiar with TimeWork's S.P. Personal Finance, I would assume that it boots (like most commercial programs) from device 8. Take a look at RAMDOSV4-4.SDA that is in the Library (file #6960) and RAMTOOLS.SDA (file #6961). RAMDOS allows you to make the REU act as a device number, and also has a file copier. When a commercial program claims that it supports the REU, it generaly means that it is used for a storage device for temporary data, or for disk intensive files (like a Spell-Checker). S.P.P.F. might really be using the REU, without making it obvious to the user. Does the manual say how it uses the REU? ------------ ************ Topic 3 Sun Apr 23, 1989 EMJAY at 01:27 EDT Sub: Desterm128 - GEnie problems Need help on setting of Desterm128 for GEnie. 12 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 15, Topic 3 Message 6 Sun May 28, 1989 E.PIECEWICZ at 14:38 EDT Greetings fellow Commodore 128'ers!!! In simple English, Desterm (Commonly known as Destroyterm up here in New England), DOES NOT WORK, PERIOD!!! I have tried everything to get this thing to work, especially the no text in column 1 and garbage in column 80. I would not waste time downloading Desterm, when it will not work in the first place. I obtained the program from 2 sources, GEnie, and a local BBS, and I had the exact same problem. If the author can't get the program to work properly to begin with, he or she should not have put it in the public domain at all. Ed ------------ Category 15, Topic 3 Message 7 Sun May 28, 1989 HORO [] at 19:21 EDT I use Desterm every day. I have done massive Ymodem downloads, played PhraseMania with its VT100 emulation, read and responded to the Bulletin Board here, etc. It works fine (although the Ymodem aborts early every now and again). I dare say you may not have the program set up correctly. (It is a little tricky). While I have a few gripes about the menu structure, and the inability to permanently store a preference for Disk Drive 9, it has become an important tool for me. I have an Avatex hc (Hayes compatible) modem and two 1571 drives (I've use it with my '81 for downloading, also). If your setup is similar, I'll Email you my DES.SETUP file and you can try again. Let me know, either here or in Email, if you're interested. ------------ Category 15, Topic 3 Message 8 Sun May 28, 1989 E.PIECEWICZ [Ed] at 20:20 EDT The problem I have is junk appears all the way down the screen for the last column on the right, and no text appears on the first column on the left. There is obviously a program with Desterm somewhere. ------------ Category 15, Topic 3 Message 9 Mon May 29, 1989 HORO [] at 08:26 EDT Is it possible you have a hardware problem? I haven't seen anything like that on mine, ever,. ------------ Category 15, Topic 3 Message 10 Mon May 29, 1989 E.PIECEWICZ [Ed] at 09:33 EDT Supposedly a new version of Desterm was sent up to a local BBS. I'll try that one out and see what happens. ------------ Category 15, Topic 3 Message 11 Mon May 29, 1989 HORO [] at 10:34 EDT If it corrects the problems you're having, upload it here and we'll delete the old one :) ------------ Category 15, Topic 3 Message 12 Mon May 29, 1989 E.PIECEWICZ [Ed] at 13:33 EDT Nope, same problem with that version. Another example of CRIPPLEWARE! (See my message in the Soapbox, topic 9) Ed ------------ ************ Topic 26 Tue Jul 21, 1987 MICHAEL.M [-:SysOp:-] at 20:59 EDT Sub: Pro-128 Term 10+ Problems, questions, hints, or tips concerning Pro-128 Term 10+. 19 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 15, Topic 26 Message 9 Sun May 28, 1989 E.PIECEWICZ [Ed] at 14:48 EDT Well, since this is the first message to be posted here in a long time, I hope Deb or Mike can help me out on this one. I have version 16.1 of Pro 128, and I am having REAL trouble with this version, especially when it comes to using it with GEnie. Because of the recent change in rates GEnie imposed, I have decided that for the time being to use GEnie at 300 baud, temporarily. When using Pro 128, I type in the C= @ to change the baud rate from 1200 to 300, the terminal's status line shows "300 SA", the dialing info shows 300, but when it dials, I get CONNECT 1200!! I would type in ATZ and do it again, but I still get a 1200 prompt. Any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks... Ed ------------ Category 15, Topic 26 Message 10 Sun May 28, 1989 HORO [] at 19:26 EDT You need to set your MODEM for 300 baud! If you have a 1200 baud modem with lights on it, the "HS" light should be off. There is probably a dipswitch setting for this, or you should check your modem manual for a software command (probably involving an 'S' register). ------------ Category 15, Topic 26 Message 11 Sun May 28, 1989 E.PIECEWICZ [Ed] at 20:26 EDT The Commodore 1670 modem is 100% Hayes-compatible. It is 300 and 1200 baud. Checking in the manual, I find there are 4 DIP switches, none of which control the baud rate. The modem came with a terminal program, which using this particular program, you can switch the baud rate through the terminal program. I did exactly this with Pro 128, but no luck. ------------ Category 15, Topic 26 Message 12 Mon May 29, 1989 HORO [] at 08:27 EDT I only wish it were 100% Hayes compatible. ------------ Category 15, Topic 26 Message 13 Mon May 29, 1989 E.PIECEWICZ [Ed] at 09:34 EDT Pro128 Term IS supposed to be Hayes-compatible 100%. ------------ Category 15, Topic 26 Message 14 Mon May 29, 1989 HORO [] at 10:35 EDT The program is ... the 1670 modem is not 100% true Hayes compat. ------------ Category 15, Topic 26 Message 15 Mon May 29, 1989 E.PIECEWICZ [Ed] at 13:34 EDT The DIP switches do not affect the baud rate, and there is no Hayes command to change the baud rate from 300 to 1200 and vice versa. ------------ Category 15, Topic 26 Message 16 Tue May 30, 1989 H.HERMAN1 at 04:31 EDT Ed, S23 will set the Hayes compatable modem baud rate. 0=300 baud, 4=1200 baud, and 6=2400 baud. So, ATS23=4 will set the modem for 1200 baud. Howie ------------ Category 15, Topic 26 Message 17 Tue May 30, 1989 C128-BILL [Phoenix] at 07:57 EDT ...and ATS23? will read and display your current setting in terminal mode, for confirmation. ------------ Category 15, Topic 26 Message 18 Thu Jun 01, 1989 E.PIECEWICZ [Ed] at 18:37 EDT BILL AND HOWIE: I have the modem manual in front of me. I do NOT see S23 listed, it only goes high as S16 which is a modem self-test. All it lists is: S0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12, and 16. The terminal program Common Sense that came with the modem will set the baud rate, but I don't use CS as I prefer 80 columns over 40. I have the Commodore 1670 modem. I will try this 23 out and see how it does. Thanks! Ed ------------ Category 15, Topic 26 Message 19 Thu Jun 01, 1989 E.PIECEWICZ [Ed] at 18:51 EDT Bill and Howie: I typed in that command ATS23=0 and I saw CONNECT 1200. After I typed in that command, it said "OK", so it "accepted" the command but would not execute it. So this particular model is NOT 100% Hayes-compatible, then. Ed ------------ ************ Topic 52 Mon Nov 21, 1988 J.MCGEE2 at 22:23 CST Sub: EBBSSTERM Q/A Having probs downloading with EBBS in Ymodem Batch 37 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 15, Topic 52 Message 37 Sun May 28, 1989 E.PIECEWICZ [Ed] at 14:57 EDT Ed's program is the only one I've used that does what I want it to do! Thanks Ed! Ed ------------ ************ Topic 3 Fri May 23, 1986 S.LEWIS (Forwarded) Sub: Here and There CP/M Questions... Not for biggie troubles, but for those tiny little lingering questions. 7 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 16, Topic 3 Message 7 Sun May 28, 1989 E.PIECEWICZ [Ed] at 15:05 EDT To: C128.CPM Bill: Thought I'd let you know that I FINALLY got that IMP.DOC file to print out. I uncovered a disk that I had not used in quite a while, in which I had no instructions on how to use it. It prints out to the screen or to the printer, the contents of a sequential text file. After figuring out how to turn the ASCII on and off, I "turned" it on, and printed out the file, & PRESTO! it worked!! In the event you see this message sometime today, I will try to attend tonights conference, if I can stay awake!! Ed ------------ ************ Topic 1 Fri Jun 02, 1989 DEB [ *SBD* ] at 16:33 EDT Sub: Software & Hardware Support ...Direct from the people that MAKE it! 1 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 18, Topic 1 Message 1 Fri Jun 02, 1989 DEB [ *SBD* ] at 16:34 EDT Give a rousing *FlagShip* welcome to the companies that will be joining you here to answer your questions! ------------ ************ Topic 2 Fri Jun 02, 1989 C128-BILL [Phoenix] at 17:46 EDT Sub: QBB: General Discussion General Discussion of the Quick Brown box by Brown Boxes, Inc. 1 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 18, Topic 2 Message 1 Fri Jun 02, 1989 C128-BILL [Phoenix] at 17:47 EDT Please welcome Barb Mintz and Brown Pulliam of Brown Boxes Inc. into the FalgShip Product Support area. ------------ ************ Topic 2 Sat May 27, 1989 WC.COLEMAN [GeoOp] at 17:33 EDT Sub: Converting Geos Files. This topic is for instructions/problems/hints/suggestions regarding the various Geos Convert utilities. 1 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 19, Topic 2 Message 1 Sat May 27, 1989 WC.COLEMAN [GeoOp] at 17:43 EDT The two most recent Convert Utilities are: Convert V2.5 - file #6697 Convert V2.5da - file #6957 The 'da' version is a Desk Accessory, the former is an application. Other then that they both work identically. Both are designed to auto-convert themselves. Simply load them in like a Basic program (64 or 128 mode) by using ,8 NOT ,8,1. They RUN them. The Geos file will be written to drive #8. Make sure this drive is a '41 or '71. DO NOT USE A 1581 - it won't work. To use them simply click on them from the deskTop (or open the DA from within another application). You will see a filebox come up with a list of the first 255 (32 with the DA) files on the disk. If you needs to switch disks/drives click the appropriate icon. Note that if you are running V2.0 then all three drives (if you have that many defined) will be available. Now simply click on the file(s) you wish to convert and click the CNVRT icon. Convert can tell by looking at the file whether it should be converted or de- converted. The two small PRG/SEQ boxes are used when converting files to commie format - they select the resulting filetype. BTW both version will run on all versions of Geos - 64 or 128, 40 or 80 columns. -WC ------------ ************ Topic 3 Sun Jan 15, 1989 R.SMITH71 at 04:28 PST Sub: geoTerm v2 Info concerning v2 24 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 19, Topic 3 Message 22 Fri May 26, 1989 WC.COLEMAN [GeoOp] at 03:47 EDT The duplex selection won't make a difference -- that's handled in the term code, it's completely ignored in the protocols. If you are not getting GOO's then of course it won't start -- that's what it's waiting for! Try telling the remote to start and then after a few seconds hit RETURN a couple of times. If you don't see GOO's don't bother starting your end, it won't work. -WC ------------ Category 19, Topic 3 Message 23 Fri May 26, 1989 R.BONDS7 at 06:01 EDT I did get it to say goo goo goo a couple to times and still it would not download..You see X-modem works perfectly..I can download with no problem..I can even upload with punter with no problem...so why in the world am I having problems with punter?? Cant I send the geotermv2 to you so you can check it..and hopefully tell me on way or another?? since uploads are screened I cant see anything wrong with this.. My friend is also bugged with this problem too...maybe you could write a patch for it and correct the bug.. Robert ------------ Category 19, Topic 3 Message 24 Sat May 27, 1989 WC.COLEMAN [GeoOp] at 17:02 EDT The problem is that it won't do it on my computer! I might think it was the software but you said that you had sent it back for another one. Usually I use XModem but lately I've been using Punter to see if I could duplicate your problem. No luck I'm afraid. Tell you what, let me know which one you are having problems with (64 or 128) and I'll EMail you another copy and we'll see what happens. -WC ------------ ************ Topic 7 Sat May 27, 1989 RANDYPAD at 17:08 CDT Sub: Word Writer 4 with GEOS For those who have used WW4 with GEOS fonts and/or geoWrite data files. 1 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 19, Topic 7 Message 1 Sat May 27, 1989 RANDYPAD at 17:10 CDT I notice Word Writer 4 now imports and exports geoWrite data files and also works with GEOS-based fonts. I do understand, however, that the maximum document size is a little more than three pages due to memory (it doesn't use the disk like standard GEOS). Who has used this program (I've not yet had the chance), and do you think it enhances or detracts from (or, for that matter, has no effect upon) the GEOS environment? If you've used it on your own, how's it stack up to geoWrite 2.1? -- Randy :) ------------ ************ Topic 8 Sat Mar 18, 1989 JPSTEWART at 14:34 EST Sub: GEOS Convert and Shadowed Drive Problem A discussion of Convert V2.5 problems when used with shadowed drives. 13 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 19, Topic 8 Message 13 Fri May 26, 1989 WC.COLEMAN [GeoOp] at 03:48 EDT How long does it take???? I can convert 10 or 15 files in less then a minute! - WC ------------ ************ Topic 11 Sat Apr 01, 1989 RANDYPAD at 13:25 CST Sub: BSW NEW CUST SERVICE Summary of new Berkeley Softworks customer service, including direct phone numbers. 8 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 19, Topic 11 Message 5 Fri May 26, 1989 N.L.WILLIAMS [Cpt Nathan] at 20:46 CDT Is Berkley Softworks turning its corporate back on CBM? Are we on our own??? The rumors do not look good: 1. BSW dropped the phone lines for customer support by there own addmission (GeoWorld#19 page 11) totally because of the costs. Shortly after that rumors about BSW health began circulating. And the lines were restored. Coincidence??? I think not... 2. Certain changes in BSW staff have occured resently. At least that is the rumor. Programmers who's abilities were CBM only got axed. As BSW is trying to get into the Apple and IBM market this by itself is no worry. Taken with the others.... 3. All current CBM products in development have been shelved. This is fact!(GEOBASIC, GEOPROGRAMER 2.0 & The revised prg. guide) However some argue that no only have then been shelved but they have been dropped all together. 4. There are some claims by people that certain high ups in BSW state that BSW has no plans for new products "at this time". 5. BSW has Twice in one year had buy one get one free sales. Is this just clever advertising or they clearing house of dead products... 6. Apple GEOS sales have been bad. So now it no longer has C.P. and it sports a lower price. 7. After YEARS of bitching for it. BSW finially has GEOREPS helping out. Is it to ease them out the CBM door or a legit attempt to improve poor customer service. Or is it both??? I fear that no new products are going to be made for CBM and as the computer fades so will BSW. Cpt Nathan ------------ Category 19, Topic 11 Message 6 Sat May 27, 1989 WC.COLEMAN [GeoOp] at 17:07 EDT AppleGeos sales aren't bad they're virtually non-existant! This caused a money crunch as you might expect. There commie stuff isn't selling all that great either. That's why they are trying IBM. If they can make some $$$ with it you might see more commie stuff. If not I guess it's about over. :( GeoProgrammer, GeoBasic, and the new reference Guide were cancelled because they did not think they would make any money on them and they can't afford to fool around like that right now. Let's face it - geoProgrammer didn't sell all that great. -WC ------------ Category 19, Topic 11 Message 7 Sat May 27, 1989 RANDYPAD at 17:03 CDT Whew... Bill is right. When you're right, you're right. The story isn't all that happy, as Bill states; but it's not the deliberate and evil plot that Cpt Nathan seems to believe :) ...Let's all wish PC-GEOS well. --Randy ------------ Category 19, Topic 11 Message 8 Mon May 29, 1989 N.L.WILLIAMS [Cpt Nathan] at 22:01 CDT I not saying that it is an evil plot just a sad story. GEOS is dead. At least for the CBM line. And it will never get off the ground on any other computer. With Appleworks and GEM who the hell is gonna buy GEOS??? No slam on GEOS here but lets get real for a second here. Cpt Nathan ------------ ************ Topic 13 Sat May 27, 1989 RANDYPAD [GeoRep RP] at 17:16 CDT Sub: Public Domain Stuff I'd Like To See I dunno... I'd like to see a few dumb items... ;D 3 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 19, Topic 13 Message 1 Sat May 27, 1989 RANDYPAD [GeoRep RP] at 17:25 CDT Remember the old Apple // artificial intelligence program called "Animal"? There may be one for the Commodore, but I don't remember. Anyway, it was a little bitty thing. Microscopically, it's purpose was to guess animals. MACROSCOPICALLY (the important "big picture" ::grin::), it's purpose was to -- to put it simply-- LEARN. It was a primitive artificial intelligence expert system. It started out by saying, "Think of an animal." Then it would give you a second; then you'd press the space bar when ready; and it would guess, ""Are you thinking of a dog?" You'd press no (if it wasn't a dog) and it would ask, "What was the animal then?" You might type "cat." It would then ask, "Type in a question that would differentiate dog from cat." You'd type in your question along with the proper "yes" or "no" that would be true for cat. Then the computer was ready to guess again. It would ask your question, and based upon your question, it would then answer "dog" or "cat" as appropriate. If it was a new animal, it would request the information again. Experiments with classrooms of children playing with this program for hours showed after a short period of time, the computer program had learned to differentiate MANY, MANY animals. Put in a college- level biology lab, the program became an invaluable A.I. expert system resource. This would be an easy program to do in GEOS, and I can imagine many applications that would grow from it-- medical databases, legal expert systems, hobby stuff, whatever. The data fiThe data file generated would grow, of course, with the modified and growing data. ...How 'bout it, guys and gals? geoExpert ... (Please dedicate it to your good old pal, GeoRep RP / Randy Padawer...) ::grin again:: Really, I would like to see this. --Randy :) ------------ Category 19, Topic 13 Message 2 Sat May 27, 1989 HORO [] at 23:23 EDT Hehe ... that was no Apple thing. I was playing that game on a DEC PDP-8 in the early '70s, before Apple was even a gleam in Steve Job's pre-adolescent eye. The "8" is for 8k, and our whole school district shared one. Booting was accomplished by entering a program via dipswitches on the front panel of the machine, and we stored our stuff on punched paper tape that was fed into the teletypes we used. Big news was a dumb video terminal we got in about 1976. ------------ Category 19, Topic 13 Message 3 Mon May 29, 1989 WC.COLEMAN [GeoOp] at 00:01 EDT Ah yes, the 'good ol' days! :) ------------ ************ Topic 14 Sun May 28, 1989 G.WARREN3 at 22:11 CDT Sub: More help needed for CONVERT! Help needed bigtime to use CONVERT2.1 to change GEOWRITE files to ASCII/CBMSCII! 4 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 19, Topic 14 Message 1 Sun May 28, 1989 G.WARREN3 at 22:14 CDT I downloaded an hour ago CONVERT2.1 and tried to change my GEOWRITE version of a bookreview into an ASCII file. However, my 128 term program (I used it-- MICRO VT128--to try to read the resulting sequential file) could not find it, even after I renamed the file. Also, the CONVERT made my original 12 block GEOfile into a 2 block sequential one. Is there something I'm not doing, or not? ------------ Category 19, Topic 14 Message 2 Mon May 29, 1989 WC.COLEMAN [GeoOp] at 00:04 EDT Your using the wrong program I'm afraid. CONVERT is used to change Geos files into a format that can be uploaded/download. A geoWrite file will still be a geoWrite file - just smushed up. What you are looking for is called WRONG IS RIGHT by Joe Buckley. Hmmm I'll look and see if I can find it in the libraries. -WC ------------ Category 19, Topic 14 Message 3 Mon May 29, 1989 G.WARREN3 at 21:58 CDT Oh, ok, just let ,me know. Thanks! glw ------------ Category 19, Topic 14 Message 4 Tue May 30, 1989 G.WARREN3 at 21:50 CDT Well, tonight I searched through the GEOS WORKSHOP library and never found Write is Wrong. However, I stumbled upon a copy I got from a Certain Information Service (::ahem::) and tried it, without success. Here are the steps I went through: 1. The disk it was on was not a GEOS disk, so I converted the disk, using the CONVERT control on my GEOS 2.0 System disk. 2. I then copied the WIW program itself --and one of its docs-- to my workdisk. 3. Using the workdisk's copy of the OTHER Convert program (to change nonGEOS files TO GEOSfiles, I changed the WIW file to a GEOS one. 4. With the joystick pointer, I clicked on the CONVERTed WIW file. 5. When I found with the program's file selection which one I wanted to change to an ascii or petascii file, I clicked it on part of my newsletter (a review) that I did with GEOwrite 2.0; thus, the source was a 2.0 file, and the conversion was to be a petascii file. 6. When it supposedly converted it, the icon's name label was in lower case, with a "+" at the end of it, such as "page one+". 7. I rebooted my 128mode VT100-128, so I could read the resulting seq. file. 8. When I tried to read the file, the term couldn't find it, in whatever form I typed the file name in. The system itself couldn't find it when I tried to SCRATCH the file. 9. Also, as before, the second conversion seemed to change the 12-block GEOS file into a two-block sequential file. PLEASE help!! :'( glw ------------ ************ Topic 29 Sat Dec 26, 1987 HORO at 16:29 EST Sub: GEOS128-questions,comments,problems Questions, comments and problems with GEOS 128 and the new products that are being released for use with it. 28 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 19, Topic 29 Message 28 Sat May 27, 1989 K.DANIELSON [GrinNidiot] at 11:02 PDT Help! I just got the 1581 and found that GEOS does not work "normal" with it! If I do a RESET at anypoint after Configuring the 81 on, it locks up the whole system! Anyone else have this problem? ------------ ************ Topic 6 Tue Apr 25, 1989 HORO at 22:18 EDT Sub: General Discussion: Lt. Kernal General discussion of the Lt. Kernal hard disk drive for the C64/128, designed by Fiscal Information, Inc. and marketed by Xetec 16 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 20, Topic 6 Message 16 Wed May 31, 1989 LT.KERNAL at 15:18 EDT Checking in..... Hello? Hmmmmm! Echos! ------------ ************ Topic 2 Tue Apr 25, 1989 HORO [-SysOp-] (Forwarded) Sub: General Discussion: Superbase 128 General discussion of the Superbase 128 database system by Precision Software, Ltd. 2 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 21, Topic 2 Message 2 Sat May 27, 1989 K.DANIELSON [GrinNidiot] at 10:49 PDT Before I go any further, someone assure me that the newest version of SB128 WILL setup a real database (with 15 files and everything) on aa 1581. I just got the 1581 and don't want to make the age old mistake of updating anything to find out it doesn't do what I think it was going to do, or should do. WHILE WE BE TALKING: Why is the basic command "PLAY" not allowed, but "Sound" is? FINI