Byte Magazine Volume 09 Number 05 - Computers and the Professions

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Introducing Macintosh. What mates it tick. And talk.

Well, to begin with, 110 volts of alternating current.

Secondly some of the hottest hardware to come down the pike in the last 3 vears.

Thegarden variefy

16W8088

microprocessor.

Macintosh's 32 bit MC68000 microprocessor.

Some hard facts may be in order at this point:

Macintosh's brain is the same blindingly-fast 32-bit microprocessor we gave our other brainchild, the Lisa™ Personal Computer. Far more powerful than the 16-bit 8088 found in current generation computers.

Its heart is the same Lisa Technology of windows, pull-down menus, mouse commands and icons. All of which make that 32-bit power far more useful by making the MacintosfT'Personal j| Computer far easier to use than current generation computers. In fact, if you can point without hurting yourself, you can use it.

Now for some small talk.

Thanks to its size, if you can't bring the problem to a Macintosh, you can always

bring a Macintosh to the problem. (It weighs 9 pounds less than the most popular' 'portable!')

Another miracle of miniaturization is Macintosh's built-in W drive. Its disks store 400K—more than conventional %" floppies. So while they're big enough to hold a desk full of work, they're small enough to fit in a shirt pocket. And, they're totally encased in a rigid plastic so they're totally protected.

And talk about programming.

There are already plenty of programs to keep a Macintosh busy Like MacPaint,™

And with Macintosh BASIC, Macintosh Pascal and our Macintosh Toolbox for writing your own mouse-driven programs, you, too, could make big bucks in your spare time.

You can even program Macintosh to talk in other languages, like Yiddish or Serbo-Croation, because it has a builtin polyphonic sound generator capable of producing

high qualitV Speech,-. '""" The Mouse itself nrmnsir ' /? Replaces typed in

computer commands with a form of communication you already understand — pointing

a program that, for the first time, lets a personal computer produce virtually any image the human hand can create. There's more software on the way from developers like Microsoft*1 Lotus™and Software Publishing Corp., to mention a few

Macintosh automatically makes room MacPaint produce: virtually any image Microsoft's MuWplan for Macintosh for your illustrations in the text. tlx human band can create.

The inside stmy —a rotating ball and optical sensors translate movements oj tlx mouse to Macintosh's screen pointer u ill) pin point accuracy:

All the right connections.

On the back of the machine, you'll find built-in RS232 and RS422 AppleBus serial communication ports. Which means you can connect printers, modems and other peripherals without adding $150 cards. It also means that Macintosh is read}' to hook in to a local area network. (With AppleBus, you will be able to interconnect up to 16 different Apple computers and peripherals.)

Should you wish to double Macintosh's storage with an external disk

9" high resolution 512 x 342 pixel bit-mapped display.

Ultra compact, switching-type power supply and high resolution video circuitry.

Batter)! for Macintosh's built-in clock calendar.

Built-in Ixindlefor getting carried away.

Macintosh is a trademark licensed to Apple Computer, Inc. Apple, Ibe/ppte logo, MacPaint and Lisa are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc Microsoft is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation. Lotus is a trademark of Lotus Development Corporation. For an authorized Apple dealer nearyou call (800) 538-9696. In Canada, call (800) 268-7796 or (800)268-7637.

Thanks to clever venting, Macintosh requires no intemalfan.

RS232, RS422 AppleBus serial communications ports for printers, modems and other

Mouse connector.

External disk drive connector.

Polyphonic sound port.

Brightness control.

Keyboard connector — a telephone-type jack you

already know Imv to use.

drive, you can do so without paying for a disk controller card—that connector's built-in, too.

There's also a built-in connector for Macintosh's mouse, a feature that costs up to $300 on computers that can't even run mouse-controlled software.

One last pointer.

Now that youVe seen some of the logic, the technology, the engineering genius and the software wizardry that separates

32-bit Motorola MC68000 miavprocessor.

Macintosh from conventional computers, we'd like to point you in the direction of your nearest authorized Apple dealer. Over 1500 of them are eagerly waiting to put a mouse in your hand. As one point-and-click makes perfectly clear, the real genius of Macintosh isn't

Macintosh's digital board— the processing power of an entire 32-bit digital graphics computer in 80 square indies.

its 32-bit Lisa Technology, or its 3$" floppy disks, or its serial ports, or its software, or its polyphonic sound generator.

The real genius is that you don't have to be a genius to use a Macintosh.

You just have to be smart enough to buy one.

Soon there'll be just two kinds of people Those who use computers. And

those who use Apples. Wk

In The Queue

BOTE

Volume 9, Number 5

Page 40

Columns

40 Trump Card, Part 1: Hardware by Steve Ciarcia / Speed up your IBM PC with 16-bit coprocessing power.

59 User's Column: Chaos Manor's Hard-Disk System by Jerry

Pournelle / Dirty filters, 8/16-land, views of the future, and inevitably more.

88 BYTE West Coast: Bulletin Boards in Space by John Markoff /

Amateur radio pioneering promises low-cost global communications.

Themes

98 Professional Computing by Stanley J. Wszola / This month's theme articles explore how microcomputers can take on part of the burden of running many types of professional offices.

101 A Professional's Perspective on User-Friendliness by William

J. Raduchel / New systems are described as user-friendly, but what does that mean?

108 A Computer in the Doctor's Waiting Room by George

Zucconi / By handling patients' preliminary queries on a particular medical problem, the program described can save a doctor's time for answering more complicated questions.

122 The Microcomputer as a Decision-Making Aid by Peter

Callamaras / A computer can help you make work decisions, but only if you know what to expect.

127 Benchmarking Business-Modeling Software by William Hession and Malcolm Rubel / The guidelines presented can help you compare the functions and speed of business-modeling software.

137 Expert Systems for Personal Computers by Milos Konopasek and Sundaresan Jayaraman / The TKISolver approach.

160 How Lawyers Can Use Microcomputers by Robert P. Wilkins /

Small systems can help cut costs while upgrading legal service.

171 Computerizing a Medical Office by Jonathan Javitt / A physician's advice can be useful for other professionals needing tailored applications.

Reviews

187 Reviewer's Notebook by Rich Malloy / BYTE's product-review editor comments briefly on Multiplan, PFS.Write, Infoscope, and more.

189 Thinktank by William R. Hershey / Billed as an "idea processor," Thinktank is an outlining and organizing tool.

196 The QDP-300 Computer by Edward Joyce / A high-priced but speedy Z80 system.

206 The Kaypro 10 by Steve McMahon / This hard-disk CP/M portable has a large software bundle and a small price.

225 Converting the TRS-80 Model III for CP/M by Mark E. Renne /

The author compares Mapper III, Shuffleboard III, and Vid-80.

Page 98

BYTE is published monthly by McGraw-Hill Inc Founder: James H. McGraw (1860-1948). Executive, editorial, circulation, and advertising offices: 70 Main St., Peterborough, NH 03458. phone [603) 924-9281 Office hours: Mon—Thur 8:30 AM — 4:30 PM. Friday 8:30 AM — 1:00 PM, Eastern Time. Address subscriptions to BYTE Subscriptions, POB 590, Martinsville. NJ 08836. Postmaster: send address changes, USPS Form 3579. undeliverable copies, and fulfillment questions to BYTE Subscriptions. POB596, Martinsville, NJ 08836. Second-class postage paid at Peterborough. NH 03458 and additional mailing offices USPS Publication No. 528890 (ISSN 0360-5280J. Postage paid at Winnipeg. Manitoba. Registration number 9321. Subscriptions ate S21 for one year. S38 for two years, and S55 for three years in the USA and its possessions. In Canada and Mexico, S23 for one year. S42 for two years. S61 for three years. S53 for one year air delivery to Europe. 17.100 yen for one year surface delivery to Japan. S37 surface delivery elsewhere. Air delivery to selected areas at additional rates upon request. Single copy price is S3.50 in the USA and its possessions. S3.95 in Canada and Mexico. S4.50 in Europe, and S5 elsewhere. Foreign subscriptions and sales should be remitted in United States funds drawn on a U.S. bank. Please allow six to eight weeks for delivery of first issue. Printed in the United States of America.

May 1984

236 Renographies CAD-1 by Rik Jadrnicek / Convert an Apple computer into a drafting system.

246 Two More Versions of C for CP/M by David D. Clark / A benchmark comparison of Q/C and Eco-C.

258 LNW-80 by Mahlon G. Kelly / A user reports favorably on this Z80-based, 8-bit TRS-80 work-alike.

Features

275 This Month's Features by G. Michael Vose / BYTE's features editor gives an overview of the issue's feature articles.

276 The Apple He Personal Computer by John Markoff / Apple introduces a portable lie compatible that runs ProDOS.

288 Inside the Model 100's ROM by Brian Cameron / Explore the built-in software of the TRS-80 Model 100.

307 Maximizing Hard-Disk Performance by Roy Chaney and Brian

Johnson / How cache memory can dramatically affect transfer rates.

339 Update on Apple Macintosh and Lisa 2 by Gregg Williams /

The Macintosh turns out to be more expensive than expected.

340 Fitting Curves to Data by Marco S. Caceci and William P.

Cacheris / The Simplex algorithm is the answer.

366 Laboratory Data Collection with an IBM PC by Stephen C.

Gates / A versatile hardware/software combination.

382 Putting the Apple II Work, Part 2: The Software by Richard

C. Hallgren / A high-speed system for the acquisition and analysis of data.

400 ISIM: A Continuous-System Simulation Language by Roy E.

Crosbie / The structure and features of a simulation language designed to run under CP/M are discussed.

406 Indexing Open-Ended Tree Structures by John Snyder / How

to "walk" through a "grove" of A-trees in search of hierarchical nodes.

415 Using Comments to Aid Program Maintenance by Richard A.

Thomas / Complex software can be maintained more easily by the judicious use of remarks embedded in the program code.

Books Received Software Received Ask BYTE What's New? Unclassified Ads BYTE's Ongoing Monitor Box and BOMB Results Reader Service

Nucleus

4 Editorial: The BYTE

481

Reader: Who You Are

488

9 MICROBYTES

495

14 Letters

499

426 BYTE's User to User

573

444 Event Queue

574

468, 474 Book Reviews

478 Clubs and Newsletters

575

Cover painting by Robert Tinney

Address an editorial correspondence to the Editor. BYTE. POB 372. Hancock. NH 03449 Unacceptable manuscripts will be returned if accompanied by sufficient first-class postage Not responsible for lost manuscripts or photos Opinions expressed by tne authors are not necessarily those of BYTE

Copyright © 1984 by McGraw-Hill inc All rights reserved Trademark registered in the Unted States Patent and Trademark Office Where necessary, permission is granted Dy the copyright owner for libraries and others registered with the Copyright Clearance Center (CCC| to photocopy any article herein for the tun fee of SI 50 per copy of the article or any pan thereof Correspondence and payment should be sent directly to the CCC. 29 Congress St,, Salem. MA 01970 Specify ISSN 036O5280/83 51 50 Copying done (or other than personal or internal reference use without the permission of McGraw-Hill Inc. is prohibited Requests for special permission or bulk orders should be addressed to the publisher BYTE is available in microform from University Microfilms International. 100 North Zeeb Rd , Dept PR. Ann Arbor. Ml 48106 or 18 Bedford Row. Dept. PR. London WCIR 4EJ England.

Subscription questions or problems should be addressed to: BYTE Subscriber Service, POB 32B, Hancock, NH 03449

Page 196

Page 206

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Page 276

BITE

the small systems journal

Edltor-ln-Chlef: Philip Lemmons

Managing Editor: Gene Smarte

Senior Technical Editors: Gregg Williams;

Richard Malloy, Reviews; G. Michael Vose,

Features

Technical Editors: Richard S. Shuford, Arthur A.

Little, Stanley Wszola, Bruce Roberts, Richard

Krajewski, Jane Morrill Tazelaar, Glenn Hartwig,

Ken Sheldon; Alan Easton, Drafting

Consulting Editors: Steve Ciarcia, Jerry Pournelle

West Coast Editors: Ezra Shapiro, Technical

Editor; Donna Osgood, Associate Editor.

McGraw-Hill, 425 Battery Street, San Francisco,

CA 94111, [415) 362-4600. John Markoff, Senior

Technical Editor. McGraw-Hill, 1000 Elwell Court,

Palo Alto, CA 94303, (415) 964-0624

Managing Editor, User News: George Bond

User News Editors: Anthony J. Lockwood,

What's New?; Mark Welch, MICROBYTES

Copy Editors: Elizabeth R. Cooper, Chief; Warren

Williamson, Nancy Hayes, Joan V. Roy,

Dennis E. Barker, Anne L Fischer, Bucl Sadler,

Margaret Cook, Paula Noonan

Assistants: Faith Kluntz, Beverly Jackson, Lisa Jo

Steiner, Peggy Dunham

Production: David R. Anderson, Associate Director; Virginia Reardon, Production Manager; Jan Muller, Michael J. Lonsky; Sherry McCarthy, Chief Typographer; Donna Sweeney, Valerie Horn, Len Lorette, Nan Fornal Advertising: Deborah Porter, Supervisor; Marion Carlson, Rod Hannings, Cathy A. R. Drew, Lisa Wozmak, Jeanne Cilley, Jeanna Reenstierna; Wai Chiu Li, Quality Control Manager; Linda J. Sweeney, Advertising/Production Coordinator; Julie Nelson

Advertising Sales: J. Peter Huestis, Sales Manager; Sandra Foster, Administrative Assistant Circulation: Gregory Spitzfaden, Director; Andrew Jackson, Subscriptions Manager; Barbara Varnum, Assistant Manager; Agnes E. Perry, Louise Menegus, Jennifer Price, Jane Varnum, Phil Dechert, Mary Emerson; James Bingham, Single-Copy Sales Manager; Linda Turner, Assistant Manager; Carol Aho, Edson Ware, Claudette Carswell

Marketing Communications: Horace T. Howland, Director; Doug Webster, Director of Public Relations; Vicki Reynolds, Marketing Associate; Nancy Giacalone, Assistant; Stephanie Warnesky, Graphic Arts/Production Supervisor; Sharon Price, Graphic Arts Designer; Michele P. Verville, Research Manager; Patricia Akerley, Market Research Analyst; Cynthia Damato, Reader Service Coordinator

Business Manager: Daniel Rodrigues

Controller's Office: Kenneth A. King, Assistant

Controller, Mary E. Fluhr, Accounting & D/P

Manager; Karen Burgess, Linda Short, Vicki

Weston, Vern Rockwell, Lyda Clark, JoAnn

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Traffic: N. Scott Gagnon, Manager; Brian

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Receptionist: L. Ryan McCombs

Personnel/Office Manager: Cheryl A. Hurd

Associate Publisher/Production Director: John

E. Hayes

Publisher: Gene W. Simpson;

Doris R. Gamble, Publisher's Assistant

Editorial and Business Office: 70 Main Street,

Peterborough, New Hampshire 03458,

(603) 924-9281

Officers of McGraw-Hill Publications Company: President: John G Wrede. Executive Vice Presidents: Paul F. McPherson, Operations; Walter D. Serwatka, Finance & Services. Senior Vice President-Editorial: Ralph R. Schulz. Senior Vice President Publishers: Harry L. Brown, David J. McGrath, James R. Pierce, Gene W. Simpson, John E. Slater. Vice President Publishers: Charlton H. Calhoun III, Richard H. Larsen, John W. Patten. Vice Presidents: Kemp Anderson, Business Systems Development; Shel F. Asen, Manufacturing; John A. Bunyan, Electronic Information Services; George R. Elsinger, Circulation; Michael K. Hehir, Controller; Eric B. Herr, Planning and Development; H. John Sweger, Jr., Marketing, Virginia L. Williamson, Business Development.

Officers of the Corporation: Harold W. McGraw, Jr., Chairman; Joseph L. Dionne, President and Chief Executive Officer; Robert N. Landes, Senior Vice President and Secretary; Ralph J. Webb, Treasurer.

Editorial

The BYTE Reader: Who You Are

We do a lot of research about our readers and your interests, and we thought you might enjoy knowing more about the group you join when you subscribe to BYTE.

You are very well educated. More than 93 percent have gone beyond high school, with about 78 percent completing college, 23.5 percent holding master's degrees, 10 percent holding Ph.D.s, and 2.8 percent holding professional degrees. In all, about 40 percent have some graduate education.

Your fields of study in college are varied. Almost 25 percent of BYTE subscribers majored in electrical engineering, 5.2 percent in mechanical engineering, and 7.8 percent in other engineering specialties. Another 15 percent majored in sciences, 7.8 percent in computer science, and 6.8 percent in social sciences.

Of those BYTE subscribers who did graduate work, 14.8 percent studied business administration, 10.7 percent pursued electrical engineering, and 13.8 percent explored other areas of engineering, while 9.2 percent studied computer science, 13.3 percent physics or chemistry, 7.7 percent mathematics, 4.6 percent social sciences, and 9.2 percent other sciences.

Your occupations reflect your high levels of education and skills. About 15 percent of you are engineers in computers or electronics, 17 percent are engineers in other fields, 5.5 percent are computer scientists, 8 percent are in other fields of science, 13 percent are computer analysts or programmers, 11 percent are managers or administrators, 4.5 percent are students (though this number is growing fast), 4.5 percent are self-employed, and 6 percent are educators.

Some 47.3 percent of you have responsibilities including management and administration, 39 percent have responsibilities in product design and development, 37 percent in research and development, 37 percent in data processing, 14 percent in purchasing.

You use computers in many ways. About 75 percent of you use computers for personal, nonbusiness purposes, and 83.5 percent use microcomputers for business. As to your primary involvements with computers, some 23 percent cite involvement in hardware or software technology, while 20 percent cite use of computers as a management tool or in business applications. Half of you plan to buy a personal computer for nonbusiness purposes in the next year. In personal, nonbusiness use, the leading applications are programming (72 percent), word processing (70 percent), designing hardware or software (68 percent), followed by games, databases, personal finance, and spreadsheets (43 percent). In business, some 80 percent of you or your businesses use microcomputers for word processing, 63 percent for engineering or scientific applications, 63 percent for accounting, 38 percent for industrial control and processing, 37 percent for sales and marketing, 34 percent for electronic mail, 30 percent for investment management, and 28 percent for tax management.

Your favorite articles are about new technology, new hardware, new software, software applications, new peripherals, programming languages, operating systems, telecommunications, and computer graphics. You are also fond of hardware and software reviews.

4 BYTE May 1984

Justtell

68000-based systems to fit your

Right from the pages of our catalog, we can deliver 68000-based supermicro systems to match virtually any application.

Including yours.

Here's how.

Built on the IEEE-696 (S-100) bus, Cromemco systems offer up to 21 board slots. And a family of 35 boards — CPU, memory and specialized I/O—to fill the slots any way you choose.

At the heart of each system is our 68000/Z-80 dual processor. Backed by as much as 16 Mb of error-correcting RAM. Full multi-tasking capability. I/O to handle up to 16 terminals.

3

*

And that's just the beginning.

You can select single or dual floppies, 5Kt" or 8'.' A 21 Mb 5,H" Winchester hard disk. And a ninetrack tape drive.

We can accommodate your taste for the exotic, too. With boards like our SMD interface that supports up to 1200 Mb of disk storage. An NTSC standard color graphics interface. A TV camera digitizer. A/D and D/A converters. An IEEE-488 bus interface. Communications. And more.

Then, if you're designing a distributed processing system, you'll want to take a look at our C-10 personal computer. The Z-80-based C-10 can serve our 68000-based systems

as a powerful intelligent workstation in a distributed processing mode. Or as an independent personal computer with its own floppy storage.

iMi(HkU!(tiUSM

and

That brings us to software. It starts with CROMDCour UNIX'"-like operating system that you're free to tailor to your application.

CROMIX can execute both 68000- and Z-80-based programs. So right along with your 68000-based packages, your system will accommodate a wide selection of CP/M* software written for the Z-80.

And our high-level language support is second to none. From a 68000 Macro Assembler. To 68000 FORTRAN 77, PASCAL, GSA-certified high-level COBOL, C and BASIC.

means business. Your business.

You see, when we say, "Just tell us what you need!' we're not kidding.

You won't find another family of 68000-based microcomputers that can fit your needs as exactly as ours.

So if you're in the business of providing specialized computing solutions, you really should be doing business with Cromemco.

For a copy of our Systems Catalog, contact:Cromemco, Inc., 280 Bernardo Avenue, P.O. Box 7400, Mountain View, CA 94039. (415) 964-7400.

In Europe: Cromemco/GmbH, 6236 Eschborne 1, Frankfurter Str. 33-35,

P.O. 5267, Frankfurt Main, Germany or Cromemco Ltd., The Cambridge House,

178-182 Upper Richmond Rd., Putney, London SW15 England.

®

Cromemco

"■Cromemco and CROMIX are registered trademarks of Cromemco, Inc. ™UN1X is a trademark of Bell Laboratories. WCP/M is a registered trademark of Digital Research. ©1983, Cromemco, Inc.

Circle 117 on inquiry card.

Editorial i

Not surprisingly, you know a great deal about computers and have valuable information to share (if you want to share your knowledge by writing for BYTE, see the text box below). Almost 50 percent of you describe your skills in personal computing as advanced, and another 40 percent call your skills intermediate; the remaining 10 percent are college students and other bright novices who want to learn a lot fast.

You cite the comprehensiveness and depth of BYTE's coverage of personal computing as distinguishing it from other magazines. We consider that the supreme compliment.

We do research in order to make sure that BYTE continues to focus on your interests and needs. Since our staff shares your interests and matches your profile, we hope not only to do a good job, but also to enjoy it.

A Note on the BYTE Computer Shows

The first BYTE Computer Show takes place May 10 through 12 (Thursday through Sunday) at McCormick Place in Chicago, with the second to follow on June 14 through 17 (Thursday through Saturday) in Los Angeles. BYTE shows won't be industry exhibitions where manufacturers and distributors make deals, but regional gatherings for users of personal computers, and especially for BYTE subscribers (who get an all-day pass to all exhibits and conferences for $7.50, as opposed to $15 for nonsubscribers).

At the BYTE Shows, you will have the chance to meet Steve Ciarcia, Jerry Pournelle, Gregg Williams, Rich Malloy, Mike Vose, Richard Krajewski, and other BYTE editors. You can attend conferences on subjects of greatest interest to personal computer users, such as 32-bit microprocessors, languages, graphics, programming environments, personal robots, notebook computers, idea processing, AI gateways to natural languages, and voice recognition. You can share information with other subscribers (users' report on low-cost 1200-bps

modems, languages forum, homebrew databases, etc.) and get more involved in BYTE by participating in meetings on reviewing and writing for BYTE.

Equally important, the BYTE Shows are not just tempting "don't touch" exhibitions; they are fairs at which you can buy products from exhibitors if you find the machine of your dreams or the board, peripheral, or program you've been living without for too long.

We think the separate elements assembled under one roof—the conferences, the equipment and software on exhibit, the chance to meet fellow subscribers, and the opportunity to shop for a variety of personal computer products—will combine to make the BYTE Shows enjoyable for all BYTE subscribers and others who find personal computers as fascinating as we do.

See you at the Shows.

—Phil Lemmons, Editor-in-Chief

Writing For BYTE

BYTE continues to solicit and publish articles and reviews that keep you informed about what's new and important in microprocessor-based technology, and many of our articles are still written by you, the people directly involved with the field we report on. Details on querying us about article, product-review, and book-review ideas are listed below. We also welcome submissions (typed and double-spaced, please) to our Letters to the Editor column. Please contact us, via the appropriate department at:

BYTE FOB 372

Hancock, NH 03449 (603) 924-9281

You may also want to call or write us (send a stamped, self-addressed business envelope) for our current author guidelines.

Articles

Because our editorial needs are very specific and subject to change, we prefer receiving query letters instead of completed articles. A query letter should contain one or two pages explaining the subject to be covered, its importance to the BYTE reader, and the focus of the proposed article; it should also contain a one- or two-page outline and a tentative first two pages of the proposed article. Query letters should be addressed to the features editor.

If you send us a completed article, we need double-spaced printed versions of the main text (up to 25 numbered pages) and all listings, figures, and tables; please label all items and place all captions on a separate page. Photos should be 35 mm (or larger) transparencies or 5- by 7-inch (or larger) prints. If possible, we would also like to receive magnetic copies of the text, listings, and tables on Apple DOS, IBM PC, Kaypro, or 8-inch CP/M disks; we will pay an additional $20 for this. The files should be standard ASCII text files and should not contain any nonprintable characters; we prefer files that use carriage returns only at the end of each paragraph. You should also include a stamped, self-addressed return envelope of the appropriate size. Address these to the features editor.

Product Reviews

We frequently need good product reviewers and sometimes accept unsolicited reviews. BYTE product reviews must be fair, accurate, and comprehensive. Reviewers must have considerable experience in the microcomputer field. Writing experience is preferred but not required, and reviewers must have no financial connection to the company whose products are being reviewed. If you are interested in becoming a BYTE reviewer, send a letter to our product-review editor stating what computer products you own, what products you are interested in, and what writing experience you have.

Book Reviews

BYTE is always looking for qualified book reviewers. Submit queries and proposals accompanied by a resume, writing samples, or a list of computer-related interests and expertise to the book-review editor. Unsolicited book reviews also will be considered.

We pay competitive rates for articles and reviews and offer you the chance to share your expertise with hundreds of thousands of BYTE readers. Your comments and submissions are always welcome. ■

BYTE May 1984

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Printegrated*

Now, translate your integrated software into integrated hard copy, with the TI OMNI 800™ Model 855 printer. So versatile, it combines letter-quality print, draft-quality print and graphics as no other printer can. It prints letter-quality twice as fast as comparably priced daisy wheel printers, yet gives you characters just as sharp, just as clear. It prints rough drafts ten times faster than daisy wheel printers... faster than most any other dot matrix printer. Only the TI 855 has snap-in font modules. Just touch a button; change your typestyle. The 855 gives you more typestyles to choose from than ordinary dot matrix printers. It makes them quicker, cleaner, easier

to access than any other dot matrix

or daisy wheel printer.

The 855's pie charts are rounder...

all its graphics are sharper than on other dot matrix printers, because the TI 855 prints more dots per inch. As for daisy wheel printers... no graphics.

TheTI 855 Printer

The printer for all major PC's

For under $1,000 you get twice the performance of typical dot matrix printers. Or all the performance of a daisy wheel printer, and then some, for half the price. So get the best of all printers, and get optimum results from your integrated software. With the TI 855. See it at your nearest authorized TI dealer. Or call toll-free: 1-800-527-3500. Or write Texas Instruments Incorporated, P.O. Box 402430, Dept. DPF-182BY, Dallas, Texas 75240. ■ .

Texas ^V Instruments

Creating useful products and services for you.

OMNI 800 is a trademark of Texas Instruments Incorporated

Copyright © 1984 Texas Instruments Incorporated. 2763-36

WORD STAB® AND SUPER CALC 3™ FREE WHEN YOU BUY THE CHAMELEON THROUGH JUNE, 1984.

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PRESENTING THE IBM COMPATIBLE CHAMELEON FOR JUST »I995.

The Chameleon by Seequa lets you run popular IBM software like Lotus® 1-2-3™ and dBASE II.® It gives you a keyboard just like the IBM. A disk drive like the IBM. And a bright 80x25 character screen just like you know who. And it all comes complete at a price that isn't at all like an IBM.

But the Chameleon's $1995 price tag isn't its only advantage over its famous competitor. The Chameleon also has an 8 bit microprocessor that lets you run any of the thousands of CP/M-80® programs

available. It comes complete with two of the best programs around, Perfect Writer™ and Perfect Calc.™ It's portable. And you can plug it in and begin computing the moment you unwrap it.

So before you spend all your money on an IBM, consider the IBM compatible Chameleon by Seequa.

It's a tool for modern times that won't set you back a fortune.

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To learn more about Seequa or for the location of the Seequa dealer

nearest you, call (800) 638-6066 or (301) 672-3600.

1 he Lbamc

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8 BYTE May 1984

Circle 343 on inquiry card.

MICROBYTES

Staff-written highlights of late developments in the microcomputer industry.

AT&T UNVEILS COMPUTERS

AT&T announced a line of computers in late March, ranging from a $9950 multiuser microcomputer to a $340,000 supermini. The computers use the UNIX System V operating system.

The 3B2/300 microcomputer uses Western Electric's WE 32000 CMOS microprocessor and includes one 720K-byte 51/4-inch floppy-disk drive, a 10-megabyte hard-disk drive, 512K bytes of RAM, four expansion slots, and ports for two users. Optionally, the computer can be expanded to 2 megabytes of RAM and a 32-megabyte hard disk. AT&T's optional I/O expansion card includes a parallel port and four RS-232C serial ports (which use an 8-wire modular jack), so that up to 18 terminals and four printers can be attached. While the base price of $9950 doesn't include a terminal, AT&T will sell its 5410 "dumb" terminal for about $600. AT&T's $6100 5620 terminal, which allows up to six windows to operate concurrently, can also be used, though a maximum of three can access a single 3B2. The 3B2 does not support color graphics.

AT&T also announced a PC interface, allowing the IBM PC to act as a workstation for the 3B2 using RS-232C, Omninet, or Ethernet communications. It also announced that its 3B Net will be available for any of its computers.

While some details and pricing were uncertain at the time of the announcement, AT&T said it would publish the bus and interface information for its computers and would encourage third-party hardware and software development.

AT&T also introduced larger computers. The 3B5 Models 100 and 200 include four to eight WE 32000 microprocessors and are priced from $57,000 to $73,000. The 3B20A, 3B20S, and 3B20D superminicomputers, priced from $230,000 to $340,000, use a real-time version of UNIX and have microprogrammed CPUs, using WE 32000s only for I/O and memory management.

ASHTONTATE ANNOUNCES INTEGRATED SOFTWARE

AshtonTate, manufacturer of dBASE II, has unveiled an integrated software package called Framework. Using an outline structure with multiple frames (windows), the program allows elements of the outline to be spreadsheets, graphs, databases, text, or other outlines. Numerous functions are available throughout Framework. Print enhancements such as boldface and italic can be used in the spreadsheet or database as well as the word processor. Because the program includes its own programming language, programmers can develop specific applications using Framework. The program was developed by Forefront Corp., but Framework will be distributed by AshtonTate, beginning in July, for $695.

OLIVETTI, SORD INTRODUCE NOTEBOOK-SIZE COMPUTERS

• Olivetti Corp. will begin selling its M-10 notebook-size computer in the U.S. With 8K bytes of RAM, a built-in 300-bps modem, and an 8-line by 24-column LCD that tilts for easy viewing, the M-10 will sell for $799; a 24K-byte version will cost $999. This computer is made in Japan by Kyocera, which also builds the Radio Shack Model 100 and the NEC 8201. Previously, the M-10 had been available only in Europe, due to a patent dispute among Olivetti, Kyocera, and Radio Shack.

Sord Computer also introduced a notebook-size computer, the IS-11 Consultant, which includes 32K bytes of RAM (expandable to 64K), a CMOS Z80A processor, and an 8-line by 40-character display. Integrated software for word processing, spreadsheets, graphics, communications, and window-management features is included on a 64K-byte ROM chip. The IS-11 will be available this month for $995; a version with a built-in 300-bps modem will cost $1095 later this year. Sord plans to offer 64K-byte ROM-pack-based applications software later as well as external monitor and disk-drive options.

TWO COMPANIES SEEK TO SELL AI-BASED SOFTWARE TOOLS

Texas Instruments announced it will license the NaturalLink Software Technology it used to develop software to access Dow Jones News/Retrieval, using plain English instead of complex codes. Tl hopes software developers will pay $8000 to use the natural-language software technology to develop programs for the Tl Professional Computer.

Expert Systems Inc., New York, and Jeffrey Perrone & Associates, San Francisco, are selling ExpertEase, an expert systems generator. After information is entered into the system, the program makes decisions based on that information, ideally simulating the thought process of the "expert" who entered the information. Expert-Ease sells for about $2000.

BYTE May 1984 9

MICROBYTES.

PLASMA DISPLAY UNVEILED BY FORMER BURROUGHS DIVISION

Plasma Graphics Corp., Warren, NJ, a joint venture of Burroughs Corp. and Telex Computer Products, has introduced an 80-character by 25-line plasma display. The 3-pound unit has a 7.2- by 3.7-inch display, the equivalent of a CRT display with an 8.1-inch diagonal measure. Plasma Graphics says the display's current $1795 evaluation price should drop to a volume price of $300 to $400 in a few years.

CORVUS, AST ANNOUNCE CHANGES TO THEIR LOCAL-AREA NETWORKS

Corvus Systems Inc. announced Omnishare, a program allowing computers networked with Corvus Omninet to share the hard disk on an IBM PC XT. Previously, Omninet required a separate Corvus harddisk file server. Corvus also introduced its new OmniDrive line of hard-disk drives with a built-in Omninet connection. Prices range from $1995 for a 5.5-megabyte drive to $4995 for 45.1 megabytes, plus $495 for Corvus Constellation II network software.

AST Research introduced PC-Net II. The twisted-pair network can use an XT or Tallgrass hard disk for shared files and includes a print-spooler feature. A starter kit, with manuals, cables, and two cards for the IBM PC, costs $1290; additional PC-Net II cards are $595.

Microsoft is also reportedly developing a new version of its MS-DOS operating system with multiuser/ networking features.

BASIS GETS NEW DISTRIBUTOR, INTRODUCES LOWCOST VERSION OF 108

Basis is introducing a lower-cost version of the Basis 108 (reviewed in the January 1984 BYTE). The computer will include 128K bytes of RAM, Z80 and 6502 processors, and two 5%-inch disk drives for about $1500. Basis is also preparing a hard-disk version of the Basis 108 as well as 16- and 32-bit systems. (Communical Inc. [1400 Grant Ave., Novato, CA 94948, (800) 421-6594 or (408) 892-7139] is now the U.S. representative for Basis.)

NANOBYTES

IBM announced Displaywrite , a word-processing program for the IBM Personal Computer. An abridged version is available for $95, or all features are included for $299. IBM also announced a $13,000 lowend version of its System 36 computer with a 30-megabyte hard disk.... Both IBM and Commodore have been licensed to produce Intel's 8088 processor. . . .International Data Services Inc., San Jose, CA, has announced Unx-ll, a $900 version of UNIX System III for the IBM PC. . . .Uniform Software Systems Inc. plans to introduce a version of the UNIX operating system that can run MS-DOS and UNIX software concurrently. . . Zilog has licensed NEC Corp. to produce Zilog's Z80000 microprocessor. . . .IBM has made a grant to University of New Hampshire professor James Weiner to convert a Prolog interpreter developed at UNH to run on the IBM PC. Weiner predicts the interpreter will be available by August through UNH for less than $300. . . .Macrotech International Corp., North Hollywood, CA, introduced a $1395 S-100 processor board using Intel's iAPX286 and Zilog's Z80B. . . .Casheab, San Francisco, CA, introduced a music-synthesizer board for the IBM PC. The board will sell for $795 in late summer. . . .Daisy Systems Holland, Torrance, CA, introduced the QuietWrite printer, which it says

is quieter than other daisy-wheel printers Capitol Data Systems, a division of Capitol Records, has

entered the premium-quality disk business with a line of 5%-inch floppy disks. Capitol plans to add 3 Mi-inch disks soon. . . . Synetix Inc., Seattle, WA, announced the PC-Handler, an expansion card for the IBM PC, allowing up to four IBM PC or Apple II computers to share files and peripherals. A Z80 processor, two serial ports, four parallel ports, and 64K bytes of RAM are included for $795. . . . Information Appliance, a Palo Alto firm headed by Jef Raskin—originator of Apple's Macintosh —is developing a new product of its own .... Borland International, Scotts Valley, CA, has introduced a version of its $49.95 Turbo Pascal compiler for the IBM PCjr. . . .Atari has dropped its Atari Program Exchange, through which it sold third-party software. . . .Apple Computer will rely on third-party vendors to introduce peripherals for its Applebus low-cost local-area network for the Macintosh and Lisa 2. While Apple plans to introduce shared hard disks and laser printers, it does not presently plan to introduce additional low-cost Applebus peripherals.... A number of colleges are now offering course credit for TeleLearning's "electronic university" courses, which download and upload course materials, exams, and teacher-student messages. . . .Workman and Associates is finally shipping WRITE for CP/M-86. . . . Creative Solutions Inc., Rockville, MD, has announced MacForth for Apple's Macintosh. MacForth Level 1 costs $149; Level 2, with an assembler and additional functions, is $249.

10 BYTE May 1984

GetAHeadStart

OnThe Other Guys.

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ttfeight: 25 lbs.

Processors: Z80A (8 bit) and 8086 (16 bii).

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Disk Storage: 500K to 1MB [unformatted) on a 3S4"

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Display: 12" (diagonal) P31 phosphor, non-glare screen. 25 lines x 80 or K12 columns. Keyboard: [X'tachable with 105 total keys. An optional portable version snaps onto the front screen area for easy transportability. Disk Operating Software: 'CP/M 80 for 8 bit "MS DOS for 16 bit IAN DOS for multi-user 8 or 16 bit operation.

Networking: tip to 255 HeadStart VPtis may be connected via coaxial interface into one of 2 optional data storage systems.

Interfaces: One RS449/RS232 compatible serial port One Centronics compatible parallel printer port External data bus. Coaxial communications interface. External disk I/O interface.

Optional Data Storage Systems: 2 models available. A 10MB. 5V system is expandable to 20MB. A50MB. 8" system (25MB fixed. 25MB removable) is expandable to 200MB.

"CP/M is a registered trademark of Digital Research. "MS 1X)S is a refiistereeUriitlemarkof Microsoft.

Intertec's HeadStart is the smallest, smartest, fastest, most powerful business computer money can buy.

And the most expandable (it's networkable up to 255 user stations).

Great Ideas Come In Small Packages.

Instead of three bulky components, HeadStart needs only two—the keyboard and CRT. There's no need for a cumbersome disk and processor cabinet. With HeadStart, it's all in the CRT enclosure.

HeadStart's small but powerful ZW disk drive offers as much storage as larger 5lA"disks. Its 8 and 16 bit processors make software availability no problem.

And HeadStart's small size permits easy transportability with no sacrifice in performance. Each Video Processing Unit (VPU) comes with its

own easy-carrying handle. A portable keyboard option is also available.

How Fast Is Fast?

HeadStart's RAM Disk an electronic emulation of the typical second drive, responds up to fifty . times faster than conventional microcomputers.

Depress a key and you get a response within a split second. Literally before your finger leaves the key.

And HeadStart is incredibly powerful, too. Up to one megabyte of internal memory can tackle even the most sophisticated applications.

Some Ideas Are Bigger Than Others.

Because HeadStart is designed to be both a single and multi-user computer, you buy only as much computer as you need today.

But as your business grows, it grows with you.

Each HeadStart Video Processing Unit comes with its own memory, processors, disk and multi-user interfaces.

Just add a 10 or 50 megabyte Data Storage System and up to 255 users can snare a common data base in an incredibly powerful, multiuser network

HeadStart is available in three different models. All offer full performance, transportability, and are easily expandable.

Unlike conventional, single-useronly computers, HeadStart is here today with the designed-in technology to be here tomorrow.

So get a HeadStart on the other guys. For more information, call (803) 798-9100 or write: Intertec, 2300 Broad River Road, Columbia,SC 29210.

11 H Js&^fetfH wf^^^lv

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BYTE May 1984 11

A picture worth $111,000,000.

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A lot of companies were already making personal computers, but they thought theirs just might work better.

The next year, they sold $111 million worth of their new computers, the COMPAQ* Portable and the COMPAQ

PLUS™. No company in America had ever grown that fast. Why?

Simply because they offer, in a rugged, portable package, more capability than most other PCs. They're truly IBM"-compatible, so all the most productive software runs as is. They display high-resolution text and graphics on the same screen. And they grow. Expansion slots take IBM-compatible boards, and a kit converts the COMPAQ

Portable into the COMPAQ PLUS with its integrated ten-megabyte disk drive.

How does the future look? We look at it this way: If we came this far on the back of a place mat, just think of what we can do now.

For the location of your nearest Authorized Dealer, call 1-800-231-0900.

f 1964 COMPAQ Computer Corporation. COMPAQ1 is a Registered Trademark and COMPAQ PLUS" is a Trademark of COMPAQ Computer Corporation. IBM1 is a Registered Trademark of International Business Machines Corporation.

comma

It simply works better.

BYTE May 1984 13

Letters

A User Looks at Mac

As an old-school microcomputer person (my first experience with a micro was in December 1977 on a Commodore Pet 2001), I'd like to give a more jaded view of the Apple Macintosh computer.

First, the Mac is an IBM PCjr competitor, not a PC competitor, as Gregg Williams states in "The Apple Macintosh Computer" (February, page 30). Compare both machines' capabilities. The Macintosh has a maximum of 128K bytes of memory, one internal minifloppy drive, and a monitor. It is lightweight and portable, has no hardware expandability, and its software is upwardly compatible to the Lisa 2. The PCjr also has a maximum of 128K bytes of memory and one internal floppy drive. It too is lightweight and portable, has minimal hardware expandability, and its software is upwardly compatible to the PC.

On the other hand, the IBM PC (and variants) have 64K to 128K bytes of memory (expandable to 640K bytes), massive hardware expandability, and multiple floppy and hard disks.

Second, anyone who has worked seriously with computers knows that if speed is the top priority, then tight assembly language is required—but you pay for that speed by having code that is virtually incomprehensible to anyone who did not write it. Forcing software developers to write tight assemblylanguage code (just to fit memory limitations) will slow the amount of software reaching the market—and raise its price. As Steve Jobs points out ("An Interview: The Macintosh Design Team," February, page 58), once software is developed, it is paid for. So, if Apple plans to sell 10 million Macintosh computers, it obviously expects to sell 10 million copies of Mac BASIC, Mac Paint, and Mac Write. If Apple makes $50 profit a shot, then the company makes at least an extra $500 million. (Who said there's no attention paid to quarterly profits at Apple?)

My third complaint is that the Mac is not expandable. What do I do when I outgrow my machine? I would have no choice but to scrap the $2500 machine and buy a $3500 system. However, Apple will point out that you get to keep your software.

I know everybody will complain that I am ignoring the wonderful software that

makes Mac the machine it is. But how much are you willing to pay for that software? The Mac is potentially more powerful than the PC, but Apple has so hobbled it that it is not much more powerful than the PCjr.

For the record, I think Mac and Lisa 2 have some wonderful software; but if you really want the software, buy the Lisa 2. At $3495, it is probably the best massproduced high-end computer on the market today. For only $1000 more than you would pay for Mac, you get the expandability that was cut out of Mac (such as large memories and hard disks). In addition, you get another 384K bytes of memory thrown in (the price differential is only what IBM would charge for 384K bytes in chips). As a final bonus, you can get either Mac's or Lisa's operating system. However, you should buy a Lisa 2 quick, because once the differences become evident, Apple will probably raise the Lisa 2's price because of the skyrocketing demand.

George Snoga 1910 Harpers Ferry San Antonio, TX 78245

Gregg Williams replies:

Your points about the Macintosh's similarities to the IBM PCjr are well taken; however, I am puzzled by your insistence that the Macintosh is not expandable. My article speaks of the "virtual slot" scheme that makes future peripherals possible and announces the availability of a keypad, a second disk drive (soon), and a 512K-byte memory update (by the end of the year). These alone make the Macintosh more similar to an IBM PC than a PCjr. At the Macintosh announcement date, about 30 third-party vendors announced dozens of software and hardware packages, including two hard disks, tivo telephone/modems, a printer buffer, and numerous software packages; other vendors have joined since, and some products are already available. Once the Macintosh has 512K bytes of RAM, the powerful operation set of the 68000 and the 128K-byte "toolbox" of routines make it possible to argue that the Macintosh is computationally superior to an IBM PC with 640K bytes of RAM.

1 agree with you, though, that I'd rather have a Lisa 2 than a Macintosh for my office. Whatever expansion the Mac has, the Lisa 2 will have more, and its ability to run all Macintosh software ensures its vitality.

More Mac Reactions

After interminable months of speculation and rumor, the Macintosh has arrived. Apple's "secret weapon" has been released with a flurry of expensive primetime advertising touting the Macintosh's icon-oriented, mouse-implemented user interface. With the introduction of the Mac has come a plethora of new terminology to be added to the already burgeoning inventory of high-tech buzzwords. In the wake of Macintosh, words such as "icon," "desktop metaphor," and "pull-down windows" are becoming ever more common.

As is to be expected with any new product, especially one that promises to turn the increasingly staid world of personal computing on its ear, the Macintosh has not been uniformly well received. One prominent and oft-repeated criticism is the Macintosh's lack of "compatiblity." This indictment, of course, refers to Apple's deliberate choice not to give the Macintosh the capability to run software that is currently in vogue. Several reviewers, most notably Peter McWilliams, have cited this "problem" and stated that the Macintosh is doomed to failure because of it. To dismiss Macintosh for this reason is to sacrifice utility at the altar of uniformity.

It cannot be denied that CP/M and its progeny have carved out a substantial following. Likewise, no one can question that the IBM Personal Computer has become the de facto standard by which all other hardware is measured. Assuming all of this, one nagging question remains: why have these products become so prominent? The answer lies in the meaning of the phrase "de facto." CP/M and the IBM PC have literally stepped into the breach. They have created a standard through blood, sweat, and tears. Quality and performance have been cast aside in the search for conformity. The fear of being different has seized the personal computer industry and has transformed innovators into imitators.

Instead of being ostracized, the Macintosh should be welcomed as a breath of a fresh air in an atmosphere that has become cloistered and stagnant. Were it not for the people involved in developing the Macintosh, personal computer users would still be mired in a swamp of incomprehensible keyboard sequences

14 BYTE May 1984

Circle 4 on inquiry card.

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Introducing... SixPakPlus^" the refreshing new 384KB multifunction card! In response to the changing needs of the IBM PC and PC-XT marketplace, AST Research, Inc. is proud to announce the latest addition to our line of multifunction enhancement products, the SixPakPlus! This new product is the result of extensive marketing research into the needs of IBM PC users whether they have the original 64K system board, the newer 256K system board, or the PC-XT The SixPakPlus has been engineered to meet these needs at a competitive price while main

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The SixPak, as we like to call it, could have been named for the six banks of RAM on it. However, we like to think that it was named for the six functions of the card. The features of the SixPak include:

1. RAM memory starting at 64K, user-expandable in 64K

increments to 384K. This makes the SixPak ideal for

the PC or PC-XT with a 256K system board; 384K on

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640K, the maximum addressable user memory in

these systems.

2. One Serial (async) communications port, configurable as either COM1 or COM2, for use with serial printers, modems, a "mouse',' and other serial devices. The serial port has on-board jumpers for easy management of the RS-232C lines, simplifying the wiring of cables in many installations.

SERIAL PORT GAME ADAPTER PORT PARALLEL PORT

64K-384K MEMORY

3. One Parallel (printer) port, configurable as LPT1 or LPT2 (LPT2 or LPT3 when the IBM monochrome card is installed), for use with the IBM/Epson and other compatible printers. The port is compatible with IBM diagnostics.

4. A Clock-Calendar with battery backup, featuring an easily replaceable Lithium battery and a

quartz-controlled timebase for a high degree of accuracy.

5. An optional IBM-compatible Game Adapter port, for use with an IBM-type joystick. In conjunction with application programming, this game port may be used for cursor control, in generating graphics or for playing games at the end of your work day!

6. Every SixPak comes with an AST SuperPak utility diskette which includes SuperDrive and SuperSpool, the most powerful disk emulator and print spooler software you can get. These programs will greatly enhance the

throughput of your PC or PC-XT by emulating disk drive and printer access at RAM speeds rather than the normal slower speed of mechanical devices. SuperPak is the first of such software to be compatible with both DOS 1.1 and DOS 2.0.

Most important of all, the SixPak comes with the AST "Plus;' AST's unsurpassed reputation for quality, reliability, afterthe-sale support, and overall design excellence that gives our products the best price/performance ratio in the industry! Hence the name, SixPakPlus!

AST products are available from Computerland, Entre', ComputerMart, and selected dealers worldwide. Call factory if your dealer does not have the AST products you want.

® IBM is the registered trademark of International Business Machines

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R€S€flRCH INC.

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Letters.

and unintelligible system commands. "Point and click" has become the means by which everyone can enjoy the versatility and power of state-of-the art microprocessor technology.

Ideally hardware manufacturers and software developers should be oriented toward a common goal. The goal is simple: to put the greatest amount of information-processing power in the hands of the greatest number of people. This objective will not be achieved without a drastic restructuring of the status quo. To the vast majority of this country's population, personal computing remains a dark art. Perpetuating the existence of this arcane science will only benefit those who seek to monopolize and, therefore, control the flow of information in our society.

When Apple first began to advertise the Macintosh, they used a "1984" theme, with Big Brother obviously being played by IBM. In fact, the theme that was used might not be too far from the truth. With the follow-the-leader approach that is being taken by nearly everyone in the personal computing industry, there is a very real chance that the vitality and creativity of that endeavor may be extinguished.

This cannot be allowed to happen.

Instead of being criticized for refusing to follow the crowd, Apple Computer and the developers of Macintosh should be commended for their efforts. People can only remain a slave to their machines for so long.

J. Edward Chor 1307 W. Addison St. Chicago, IL 60613

The Apple Macintosh, previewed in February, looks like a fine computer with its powerful 68000 microprocessor and sophisticated system software.

However, I think the Macintosh development team committed a fundamental design error when, having exhausted ROM space, they placed their floating-point software in RAM. Software running out of RAM executes approximately 25 percent more slowly on the Macintosh than does software running out of ROM.

It would have been more appropriate for them to have moved some of their user-interface or I/O software to RAM instead. Software that deals with mice,

keyboards, and printers can run more slowly than 6 MHz (the effective RAMbased clock rate) before there is any perceptible loss in speed of a program running on a single-user system.

Obvious as this mistake is, it is also easily corrected. I hope that Apple moves to correct it before the company floods the market with its current system. I discussed this matter over the phone with one of Apple's technical-support people, but I am not certain I got my point across. Your publishing this letter might alert potential users to the problem. The Macintosh, with its excellent graphics and high-speed peripheral interface, looks like it would be a good machine for engineering and scientific applications, as well as for personal and business use. It is a shame to see its computational speed unnecessarily diminished.

As for the floating-point software itself, I inquired whether Apple had implemented the complete IEEE doubleprecision package. The answer I got— after cross-country phone calls to five different offices—was to send $150 for a draft copy of Apple's manual Inside Macintosh, plus another $100 for the first bound edi

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The new 384K Quadboard by Quadram is the most comprehensive board you can buy for the IBM PC or XT. Now with added hardware features and advanced software. But at a very low price.

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Quadboard now delivers 9 of the most needed PC functions/ features. To let you get the most out of you r Personal Computer. And help ^-"^ you work better and \ £• faster. \ y

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a Serial Port, too. Fully programmable, use it to connect to plotters, modems, and other serial devices. Chronograph: And Quadboard's Chronograph (Real-time clock/ calendar) keeps your system's clock up-to-date. • Game Port: The new Quadboard has an IBM

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The now Quadboard is expandable in 64K increments for up to 384K additional RAM. With full parity checking standard. With the new Quadboard and a fully populated system board, you can take your' PC's memory up to the 640K limit. • QuadRAM Drive: Plus, with Quadboard you get advanced QuadMaster Software. Including the QuadRAM Drive program. Use it to set up multiple RAM Drives in Quadboard memory. Solid state drives that let you store and retrieve data guickly and easily. Or take advantage of QuadMaster disk caching. To access frequently

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• MasterSpool: QuadMastei Software also includes

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• Qswap: Another feature of QuadMaster Software is Qswap. With Qswap change line printers 1 and 2 back and forth, with just a few keystrokes, as often as you like.

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Features/ Functions

Quadboard

SixPakPlus |

Memory Available

0-384K

0-384K

Parallel & Serial Port

Yes

Yes

Clock/ Calendar

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Yes

I/O Bracket

Standard

Optional

Game Port

Standard

Optional

Diagnostic Testing

Yes

Yes

Advanced Spooler

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No

Simple Menu Setup

Yes

No

Disk Cache

Yes

No

SixPakPlus is a trademark of AST Research Inc.

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"= Copyright 1983 Quadram Corporation All rights reserved

IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Machines.

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Letters,

135 South Springfield St. St. Paris, Ohio 43072

100 BY

tion (publication date uncertain), plus another $50 for updates.

Apple is promoting the Macintosh as an "open" system (the meaning of this term seems to be deteriorating with time), but it sure is charging a lot for the key.

Robert Lurie 8 Tingley Rd. Morristown, NJ 07960

I found Mr. Williams's article on Apple's Macintosh disturbing because of the unfettered and naive enthusiasm displayed toward the product and, for that matter, the manufacturer. This material would be expected from a manufacturer or his representative but not from a member of your editorial staff. Journalism of this type severely reduces the credibility of your magazine in presenting unbiased and knowledgeable reviews of new products.

I have 25 years of professional experience as an end user of computer equipment, and I arrived at a considerably different picture of the Macintosh than the one described in your article. Some of the Macintosh's features are more in Apple's corporate self-interest than the user's. Others represent questionable design criteria, and some are just plain "gee-whiz" features with no more substance than tail fins and chrome. Obviously, if I had written the article, a somewhat different story would have been printed.

My negative opinion of the Macintosh may be as unfair as Mr. Williams's positive appraisal. The microcomputer marketplace is a jungle with many pitfalls for both neophytes and pros. It behooves any widely circulated publication like BYTE to make every effort to provide balanced and objective reviews of new products. Your less-sophisticated readers need all the help they can get!

Gerald I. Evenden

POB 1027

N. Falmouth, MA 02556

Gregg Williams replies:

Permit me to add some perspective to your evaluation of my article. In many ways, I have an enviable job in that I have been able to review some of the best products our industry has produced. Because of this, they get largely positive reviews (less worthy products would not deserve to be on the cover of BYTE and other magazines). Still, I did point out a number of important areas of dissent: the

single built-in disk drive, the unbundling of Macintosh prices, and the "hyping [of] a machine that easily stands on its own merits" in calling the Macintosh a 32-bit machine. In addition, the article took over six weeks to research and write and contains much technical information and commentary that has not been included in any other Macintosh article. For further perspective on the Macintosh, see my article, "Update on Apple Macintosh and Lisa 2," on page 339.

I was disappointed that your industryleading magazine missed what nontechnical magazines such as Time and Rolling Stone reported about the origins of the Macintosh computer. As they pointed out, the Macintosh concept—a low-cost, monochromatic bit-mapped, small, and extremely friendly computer—was my creation.

The original team that I put together to build it included Burrell Smith, hardware designer, Bud Tribble, software designer, and Brian Howard, an unsung hero of the project who contributed to the concept, software and hardware design, and the overall feel of the project. Brian (who, for some reason, was not mentioned in your article) and Burrell are still with Mac, but Bud went back to school and got his M.D. I became C.E.O. of Information Appliance Inc.

I also gave the Macintosh its name. The change in spelling was not an error as you reported, but done deliberately to avoid potential conflict with the electronics manufacturer named "Mcintosh."

Interestingly enough, Steve Jobs actively opposed the project at its inception, and only after we had proved the concept did he become the Macbooster that he now is. Reading the BYTE article one might get a very different impression and would not give credit where it is due.

Jef Raskin

Information Appliance Inc. 530 University Ave. Palo Alto, CA 94301

Bus Widths

I am writing in regard to "The Apple Macintosh Computer" by Gregg Williams (February, page 30). In his article, Mr. Williams points out that although Apple refers to the MC68000 as a 32-bit processor, he believes that it is generally regarded as a 16-bit processor.

Although no one has been able to come

■ Circle 278 on inquiry card.

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Letters ________

up with a concrete way to determine the bit size of any given processor, there are two commonly used methods. The first is to rate the processor by the width of the external data bus, and the second is to rate it by the width of the internal data bus. Mr. Williams makes the assertion that the correct way to determine size is to rate the processor by the maximum size of a multiplicand in arithmetic operations. Let me address each of these methods individually.

Determining the size by examination of the external data bus was, until IBM entered the microcomputer marketplace, the most commonly accepted method of rating processor size. It is still probably the best way because most microprocessor systems' speed is limited by the data bus bandwidth (memory accesses per second times size of data bus).

IBM, through its PC advertising, has endorsed rating the processor size by using the internal data bus size. This allows them to call the 8088, which has an 8-bit external data bus, a 16-bit processor. It is interesting to note that Intel, the designer and manufacturer of the 8088, refers to this processor as an 8-bit unit (source: 1982 IC Master, page 1083).

Mr. Williams's contention that the size is determined by the maximum multiplicand size is absurd. Rating a processor by this method results in both the 8080A and 6502 processors being 0-bit micros, which I am sure even Mr. Williams will admit is untrue.

Comparing the sizes of some common microprocessors using the above criteria brings about the results shown below.

Int Width/

Multiplies

Processor

Ext Width

Width

8080A

8/8

0

6800

8/8

0

6502

8/8

0

8088

16/8

16

8086

16/16

16

68000

32/16

16

As I stated, I believe that the measure of the external data bus is the most valid method of determining processor size. Using the width of the internal bus results in the 8088 and 8086 being the same size, which, although true from a software point of view, is not true for the hardware. Because most people use the processor size as a relative indicator of computational speed, the external data bus width is the measure that has the most bearing.

Unfortunately, IBM has set the (de

22 BYTE May 1984

Circle 249 on inquiry card.

What Business Can Afford To Use Fuzzy Information?

In this age of information processing, perhaps the most important information processing occurs between your eyes and your monitor screen. An unclear on-screen image can visually distort the most accurate information, leaving valuable information lost somewhere between the lines.

You won't take that chance with a monitor from Roland DC. For us, clarity is not just a good feature, it's our most important feature.

We designed the Roland DG monitors as if a sharp image was all that mattered. Then we start adding on the extras—like easy plug-compatibility, non-glare screen and other features. Then we styled them so that they look sharp from any angle—not just the front.

Roland DG makes a broad range of monitors, to suit any personal computer and to please any computer's person. From high resolution RGB and Composite Color monitors to Monochrome Composite or TTL signal (IBM-PC) in either Amber or Green.

If accuracy is important to you, you shouldn't settle for anything less than a Roland DG monitor—the clear choice. Because the most important information processor is you.

Roland monitors are available at fine computer dealers everywhere. Roland Digital Group, 7200 Dominion Circle, Los Angeles, CA 90040 (213) 685-5141.

Circle 68 on inquiry card.

M O [) E L CC141

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BYTE May 1984 23

Today, you have to live in two different worlds. One belonging to IBM. The other to everyone else.

With that in mind, companies have come along with a variety of

products that attempt

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The AVATAR PA1000 also connects to the DEC VT100 * IBM 3101, LSI ADM5,

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The PA1000 connects coaxially to an IBM V 3274/3276 cluster controller, so whatever personal computer or terminal you use will perform all the functions of an IBM 3278-2. The coaxial connection also means you won't be in for a future shock: ever-changing IBM protocols will be no problem.

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24 BYTE May 1984

•

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determines the baud rate of the attached device and is ready to go. In just five minutes (no kidding) # you can install the AVATAR PA1000. And you don't need to be a computer operator. The

AVATAR * PA1000 even gives you a file transfer option that lets you transfer information back and forth between your personal computer and an IBM mainframe. What will AVATAR think of next? The latest news is our

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Circle 50 on inquiry card.

BYTE May 1984 25

Letters.

facto) standard for measuring size and has elected to use the internal data bus size for its measurements. Because it would be unfair to measure the Apple by any other criterion, Mr. Williams must concede that the Macintosh is a 32-bit machine.

Mike Sauve

1024 52nd Street, SE

Kentwood, MI 49508

Gregg Williams replies:

Thank you for your letter. It summarizes discussions that have gone on here at BYTE since I wrote the Macintosh article. We have decided that the situation is too complex to be accurately specified by one descriptor: the multiplicand does not describe the Intel 8080 well, nor does the internal-bus descriptor describe the 8088 (which runs 10 to 40 percent slower than an equivalent 8086—see my article, "Benchmarking the Intel 8086 and 8088," July 1983, page 147) well. In addition, even the external-bus descriptor falls short. Consider the National Semiconductor NS16008; even though it has an 8-bit external data bus, it is a 32-bit architecture internally, including a 32-bit by 32-bit multiply instruction. Surely, this kind of power puts the NS16008 in a different class from, say, the 8080.

Another descriptor that I have just discovered is that of the bus width of the arithmetic logic unit (ALU), that area of the microprocessor chip that performs all the arithmetic and logic functions that the chip allows. The ALU bus width feels intuitively right—it is the ultimate measure of how much

data the microprocessor works on at a time. Does this help us? Hardly, because once we get to this level of detail, the philosophies of chip design muddy the water. The NS16000 family has 32-bit ALU buses. The Motorola family is more complex: the 68000 (16-bit external bus), 68008 (8-bit), and 68010 (16-bit) have three 16-bit ALUs, while the 68032 (with a 32-bit external data bus) has three 32-bit ALUs.

Finally, to complicate the issue even more, let me relate another possible descriptor mentioned by our editor in chief, Phil Lemmons. Things change if you look at the problem of describing the "power" of a computer from a user's point of view. A user doesn't care what operating system is running or whether the microprocessor has an 8- or a 16-bit data bus—this person just wants to know, "Will it run fast enough so I don't have to wait too long?" and "What softivare does it run?" Computation speed can often be improved by using a chip with a higher clock frequency, but software complexity is determined by the address space of the microprocessor—a feature that is usually fixed, especially on 8-bit chips that are not part of a family of similar products. (We are assuming that software is easier to use if it has Help screens, a sophisticated user interface, and other features that make programs more complex and, therefore, larger.) From this reasoning, we can argue that the address bus, which measures the total amount of memory that a microprocessor can address, is a good descriptor of a microprocessor's power. Many popular programs need more than 64K bytes to run in (the limit of traditional 8-bit microprocessors). As memory gets cheaper and we find ways to fill it up, there may be a very

real difference between microprocessors that can address 1 megabyte of memory (20-bit address bus) and 16 megabytes of memory (24-bit address bus). In addition, if a microcomputer has been designed to use less memory than the microprocessor itself allows, we should make note of that fact as well.

As a result, in BYTE we will state both bus widths—for example, we will describe the 8088 as a "16/8-bit microprocessor (16-bit internal data bus, 8-bit external)" and the 68000 as a "32/16-bit microprocessor." In recognizing that the value of a commercial product is determined by more than just these descriptors, we will try to give all the information that presents a product in the most accurate way. In the "At a Glance" text boxes that accompany our reviews, we will place more emphasis on the internal and external data paths and the maximum amount of memory the computer can address.

Clock-Time Benchmarks

I generally enjoy benchmark articles and thus found the February BYTE full of interesting comparisons. I feel compelled to comment on one aspect of Avram Tetewsky's article, "Benchmarking FORTRAN Compilers" (page 218). The author goes to great lengths to obtain "true" results for the larger multiuser systems in the comparisons, the VAX 11/780 and the IBM 3081D. Thus, Tetewsky reports only CPU time, runs benchmarks in the early morning hours so there won't be other tasks slowing the system, and

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Circle 65 on inquiry card.

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Circle 46 on inquiry card.

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BYTE May 1984 27

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28 BYTE May WK4

Circle 29 on inquiry card.

Letters

even removes the I/O time of a slow terminal.

I wish to question the fairness of comparisons in which one class of computers is judged by clock time and another is judged by some mythical "true" time. As a computer user I go by clock time to measure job turnaround. If multiuser systems have a large overhead in dealing with multiple tasks, why shouldn't that be reflected in the benchmark times?

I have a number of Pascal programs that

I run on both an IBM 3033 and an Apple

II using the UCSD p-System. I typically get results from my Apple 5 to 30 minutes faster than from the IBM. Admittedly, the IBM 3033 runs the programs in several hundredths of a second, but one can spend a long time in both the exec and printer queues.

I suggest that all future benchmark articles that refer to both microcomputers and mainframe systems use the same standard for judging both, namely clock time.

Philip B. Ender, Ph.D.

UCLA

Graduate School of Education

Los Angeles, CA 90024

Thinktank

I wish to thank Mr. Lemmons for bringing Thinktank to the attention of your readers in "Beyond the Word Processor" (January, page 53).

I used an early version of Thinktank on the Apple II, running under Apple Pascal. FYI, as it was called then, quickly became my most important program (after my word processor and spelling checker). I used it as a reminder program, an outline maker for reports and stories, and as a general aid to thinking. For people who think in headlines and fill in the spaces afterward, it is an idea database without equal. I highly recommend it if you have an Apple, a Macintosh, or an IBM PC.

My only regret is that Living Videotext chose to expand in the direction of MSDOS, rather than modifying Thinktank to work under UCSD Pascal IV. I miss the program and wish it would run on my Sage II.

Gerald Perkins 643 Channing Ave. Palo Alto, CA 94301

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1983 RanaSystems

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Letters.

Phil Lemmons's essay "Beyond the Word Processor" (January, page 53) is an excellent piece of writing/thinking. The comparison to spreadsheets was a crisp and striking illustration of his idea. He targeted the most crucial and relevant limitation and challenge for current textediting software. What was exciting and valuable about word processing for the writer was the way in which it rendered manageable the physicality of the textit transformed the "hard" actuality of written work into a "soft" virtual existence and thereby eliminated much of the busywork involved in preparing a text. But current software is geared to the product rather than the process of writing. The word processor is the writer's secretary. It is interesting to reflect on how the writing process itself is being transformed by what the computer makes possible.

Mr. Lemmons's call for writers to express their needs and dreams is an invitation to experiment with the very process of writing/thinking. Good article!

John Glazer 616 Pearl St. Ypsilanti, MI 48197

George Orwell and 1984

I am at a loss to understand why, in an otherwise balanced and penetrating article, G. Michael Vose would choose to "rewrite" the history of George Orwell and his most famous work ("1984 and Beyond," January, page 100). His description of Orwell (Blair) as a fanatic anticommunist conjures up a caricature, a halfmad mixture of Joe McCarthy and Doctor Strangelove. Mr. Vose then limits Orwell's portrait of a dismal future to one dominated by "fascists." All of this implies that Orwell was an unbalanced individual, describing a threat from only one source.

Yet Orwell and his book were no such thing. He was anticommunist certainly, but also an idealist, humanist, and passionate socialist, and one who in no way considered himself part of the "right," fanatical or not. Neither did he take the easy way out in constructing the government of the future, one that would have conveniently ignored the tyranny growing beyond the Elbe. Orwell was opposed to any system that enslaved both the individual and society and labeled such

systems with the more useful and inclusive term totalitarianism.

As Mr. Vose correctly notes, the personal computer may prove an aid in preventing such a future. You can bet computers won't be a mass-consumer item in any totalitarian society, fascist or communist.

John C. Ruane

USS Wabash AOR-5

FPO San Francisco, CA 96683

Penny-Wise

In the February BYTE, Jerry Pournelle's User's Column (page 113) addressed the use of the "Disk Doubler" to enable the use of the back side of disks on singlesided drives. I was glad to see that he recommended against using this tactic, but I feel that he left out the most important reason for not using it.

The inside of a disk jacket is lined with a porous material that both lubricates and cleans the disk as it rotates in the jacket. Many small particles are trapped by this material and held out of the way so the

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Circle 161 on inquiry card.

Circle 373 on inquiry card.

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Letters.

disk will not be harmed. However, when the "Disk Doubler" is used and the disk is inserted in the drive upside down to use the back side, the disk rotates in the reverse direction. Thus, any and all particles that were trapped during the original rotation can be released back onto the disk. Premature failure of the disk, or at least loss of data, is virtually guaranteed. I have long recommended that this is not a worthwhile savings tactic; the potential of lost data far outweighs the small dollar savings in disks.

Larry C. Hansford

Creative Computer Consultants Inc.

POB 66

New Carlisle, OH 45344

"In Defense of Luddism"

I was disappointed to find that you felt the editorial urge to reprint the narrowminded and reactionary opinion of the Wall Street Journal article, "The Luddite Answer to Unemployment," by Bruce Bartlett, in your Editorial on page 4 of the January issue. Mr. Bartlett may be an

economist with impressive credentials, but he is no historian, and he seems to be a poor social analyst as well.

It is a historical cliche, and an inaccurate one, that the Luddites of early 19th century England broke machines because they were "afraid" of technology, or even that they hoped to save jobs of workers. The true mission of the Luddites was pointed out clearly by MIT historian David Noble in a series of articles entitled, "In Defense of Luddism," that appeared in the most recent three issues of the political journal Democracy. Noble shows that the Luddites were primarily concerned with the control of the workplace at the point of production. These skilled English craftsmen were resisting the introduction of machine technology that made their skills obsolete, and which forevermore turned over the control of the production of their product to a capitalist owner. The Luddites correctly perceived that the industrial revolution was generating a two-class system of owners of machines and laborers on machines, a system that placed little value in skill or in the relationship between a producer and his product. Noble also pointed out

that the Luddites were not simpleminded "machine-smashers" who bashed looms and other devices out of some irrational, primitive anger. On the contrary, the Luddites chose their targets carefully after some rather sophisticated analysis on the social effects of machine technology.

The issue that the Luddites truly addressed (not what Bartlett would have us believe they represented) is still with us today. The important issue that traces its roots to the Luddites is not fear of technology, but the pressing question of who controls the workplace. Are we to have an economy that persistently excuses its abuses of humans by saying that "technology is neutral" and "we can't stand in the way of Progress"? What is progress if it does not serve human needs? And human needs are not entirely encompassed by employment. The Luddites understood that the battle for control of the workplace necessarily includes a battle for dignity, political rights, equality, and freedom. And they were right—they lost the battle, and the next hundred years of the western world we remember chiefly through the dark writings of

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34 BYTE May 1984

Circle 226 on inquiry card.

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Buy it because it's the best buy.

At under $500 per node, OMNINET has the lowest cost per station of any local area network.

Because an OMNINET Network uses simple, twisted pair wire. Which means that cabling costs one fifth of the coaxial alternatives, with none of the installation headaches.

Result? OMNINET is both easier and less expensive to install. Or expand.

Buy the system

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From Apples to Zeniths, OMNINET handles more types of micros than any other network. So keep the DEC's in Data Processing and the PC's in Purchasing; OMNINET makes for great working relationships. And starting with

options like electroJBmail, your pe< )ple can choose IRn over 500 different programs according to their needs. Not their network's limitations.

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Whether you have 2 computers or 2,000, OMNINET can get the most out of them.

Buy us for our experience.

We pioneered local area networking for micros. And we're constantly working on better ways to give you the system you need, with the ss versatility you ff want, at a price ^ 59% that makes sense.

With the result thaf 3 out of every 5 locally-networked micros in the world are connected to a CORVUS network*

Give us a call at 800-4-CORVUS to find out more.

Because when it's all said and done, one of the best arguments for going with an OMNINET Network is really very simple.

Buy it for your peace of mind.

Gorvus

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* $9% of all local ly-nerworked micros operate in a CORVUS network, according to InfoCorp COKVUS,THE NETWORKING COMPANY, OMNiNETand OMNISHARE are trademarks of CORVUS SYSTEMS INC IBM PC and PC XT are trademarks of International Business Machines. APPLE is a trademark of APPLE COMPUTER INC dec is a trademark of DIGITAL equipment corporation. Zenith is a trademark of Zenith Corporation. TI is a trademark of Texas Instruments.

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Letters .

Dickens and the solemn warnings oi Marx.

There are no intellectuals or pundits who are "creating unnecessary fears and anguish among workers," as Bartlett writes, as if workers were frightened children. Workers have legitimate grievances and demands of the system they have built, and they will deal with them as they see fit. They may be, and in some cases are, following the lead of the Luddites by smashing machinery. But this is no more an irrational response to technology than is putting millions out of work without knowing what to do with them. There has been and may always be an overtly political battle over the nature of work and its rewards. The Luddites were the opening volley of this battle in our time, and it may be time to listen to what they were really saying.

Gary Chapman

Department of Political Science Stanford University Stanford, CA 94305

X-raying Disks

I am currently part of a team working on a large application project to run on an IBM PC. We have had to do a lot of traveling by air and, consequently, our disks have been sporadically "zapped."

Based on my limited memory of high school physics, I do not think that X rays could have damaged the disks. I believe that the magnetic fields of the X-ray equipment power supplies are the culprits. Although we remove the disks from our carry-on luggage prior to entering the X-ray machines, we still sustain occasional damage. I believe this happens at the entry point to the machines where we stop to unload the disks. That is, the magnetic fields extend a significant distance around the equipment.

Now my tactics are as follows: (1) I put each box of disks in a lead-foil film pouch (although I doubt that this really offers protection against magnetic fields). (2) I carry backup sets of disks. This has allowed me to recover on all occasions.

I would be interested to know how the hard disk will react to airport X-ray systems, and I would appreciate any information on this subject.

Steven A. Green

2393 Traymore Rd.

University Heights, OH 44118 ■

36 BYTE May 1984

Circle 351 on inquiry card.

1948

1984

One of the first Zenith television receivers.

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enith introduced its first television receiver to a delighted America in 1948. It had single-knob tuning and an 11-inch porthole screen.

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Zenith continues this tradition of video excellence with its extensive line of monitors. Monitors that will first dazzle you with their graphic display, then earn your admiration over time with their reliability. And surprise you with their very competitive prices.

There's a Zenith monitor for just about any personal computer, including IBM and Apple, with seven models offering everything from monochrome green or amber to high-resolution color. And some models can also be used with VCR or video disc systems.

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Circle 412 on inquiry card.

ZVM-123A: Nonglare green screen. Composite video input.

ZVM-124: Super resolution for IBM PC with monochrome adapter.

ZVM-131: 40 column display. Audio amplifier. Ideal for IBM PC Jr. or Adam.

ZVM-133:80 column display. Ideal for IBM PC and compatibles.

© 1984, Zenith Data Systems

BYTE May 1984 37

We wrote the

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So rest assured. Whether you design applications at a major corporation, plan to become a major corporation or just qualify as a hobbyist, you only have to write it once.

Simply pick the Digital Research language that's right for you. From Personal BASIC™ to Digital Research FORTRAN-77™ The newest member of our remarkable family.

lb complement languages, we offer a complete workshop of development tools. Our Display Manager™and Access Manager™ simplify the design of screen displays and data bases. So you spend less time and effort.

If you write in COBOL, our Animator™source level debugger will get your software running in record time.

And for programmers skilled with IBM mainframe SPF, we offer micro/SPF.™ An editor that helps turn your invaluable experience into valuable new software applications.

At Digital Research, we work as hard for you after the sale as we do to get the sale. With backup like quality documentation, software updates and a phone line to our technical support team.

With so much productivity and service to draw on, it's small wonder IBM chose our languages for its IBrvfPC, XT and the new IBM 3270/PC.

For more information, call your IBM representative. Or, for the Digital Research retailer nearest you, call 800-227-1617, ext. 400. In California, 800-772-3545, ext. 400.

micro/SPF is a trademark of Phaser Systems, Inc. Animator and Level II COBOL are trademarks of Micro Focus. Ltd. IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation The Digital Research logo and products are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Digital Research Inc. ©1984 Digital Research Inc. All rights reserved.

[ioj DIGITAL RESEARCH

We make computers work™

Circle 133 on inquiry card.

BYTE May 1984 39

Ciarcia's Circuit Cellar

Trump Card

Part 1: Hardware

Speed up your IBM PC with 16-bit coprocessing power

When asked what computer language I prefer, I generally reply, "Solder." This response is not an effort to be cute but rather to express a preference for dealing in the terms I know best. I don't avoid software. I just try to minimize my involvement.

When it is necessary to write simulation and test programs, I bite

Copyright © 1984 Steven A. Garcia. All rights reserved.

Steve Ciarcia Consulting Editor

the bullet. Unless the function is time-critical, I most often choose BASIC because it comes closest to being a universal programming language. Virtually all personal and business computers support it, and if I confine my command choices to the more common instructions, the demonstration programs that I compose on an IBM PC should also run on your Cromemco Z2.

With few exceptions, you can compute your accounts receivable or type

in and play a game equally well with an Apple or IBM PC using BASIC. The fact that one has a 6502 microprocessor and the other uses an 8088 is irrelevant. The output will be the same.

The value of high-level languages is that they isolate the user from microprocessor peculiarities and facilitate transportable software. Unfortunately, the average ROM (readonly memory)-resident BASIC interpreter was never written with perfor

Photo 1: The wire-wrapped prototype of the Trump Card, shown from the front. The left side of the board contains 512K bytes of type-4164 dynamic RAM; the right side contains the Zilog Z8001 and an interface to the IBM PC I/O-expansion bus.

40 BYTE May 1984

mance in mind. Usually taking 5 to 10 milliseconds (ms) to execute an individual instruction, it can seem like forever when running long programs.

As a writer, I have grown to appreciate the universality of BASIC, even with its shortcomings. By treating the computer as a black box with I/O (input/output) ports and BASIC, I have been able to provide projects that can be implemented on most systems directly. As an engineer/designer, however, I am aggravated by its slowness and feel no animosity toward critics who have converted to languages such as Pascal or C to gain processing speed.

Rather than make further excuses, I decided to solve the problem in classic Circuit Cellar tradition— simply build a black box that improves system throughput and runs BASIC programs faster.

Processors and Performance

Generally speaking, most people confuse microprocessor benchmarks with system throughput. The comparison of microprocessor-instruction execution speeds is not really indicative of a computer's capabilities. Performance is more often governed by the operating system and magnitude of the application program. It is a false assumption that all software written for a 16-bit microprocessor

will necessarily run faster than on an (3a)

Photo 2: The rear of the Trump Card prototype. To save time, the memory section was laid out as a printed-circuit board, with wire-wrapping saved for the processor side. As shown here, the Trump Card is installed for testing in an MPX-16 computer, which has I/O slots compatible with the IBM PC.

run

1 iteration

U31 .Tirffi

3TET1

4<73Jai -.-223S 'HSE 'iLM ^USS "I3

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8-bit microprocessor. Machinelanguage fast Fourier transforms (FFT) run quickly on a 6502, but an accounting package that has to constantly interleave a program into and out of disk may be encumbered by 64K bytes of operational memory in the Apple. In all likelihood, large spreadsheets and accounting programs will run more efficiently in the larger memory space provided on an 8088 system such as the IBM PC.

Raising the performance of a high(3b)

level language such as BASIC takes more than raising a microprocessor's clock rate. Instead, it involves a combination of decisions that can ultimately affect the entire system throughput. We can expand the memory available to application programs in an effort to limit repeated disk accesses and configure a portion of memory as a RAM (random-access read/write memory) disk drive to expedite disk operations when they are required. We can optimize the effi

Photo 3: Execution-time visual comparison. (3a) Without Trump Card—a two-second exposure of the display while running the BAS1CA program in listing 1. The program has executed the PRINT statement and still is dimensioning the arrays. (3b) With Trump Card—the same two-second exposure of the program execution (with PRINT statement added) shows the arrays have been dimensioned and the prime numbers are being overprinted so fast that they blur.

BYTE May 1984 41

Apple

224

Apple i

222

TRS-80 Model

189

IBM PC IBM PC (with Trump Card)

190

2.4

Table 1: A comparison of execution times (in seconds) of the benchmark program in listing 1.

ciency of the high-level language by operating it in a compiled mode rather than as a repeatedly interpreted task. Finally, if the functional throughput of a particular application becomes dependent upon direct microprocessor intervention, for those tasks, substitute a faster microprocessor or help it with a coprocessor.

A Black Box Called Trump Card

This article is not about building a classic speed-up board for the IBM PC. The word "speed-up" implies replacing the 8088 with an 8086 or 80186. Instead, visualize your PC as a black box with an input, output, and crank. Rather than simply turning the crank faster, think of adding another black box, in the same path between input and output, that performs selective tasks more efficiently and faster than the 8088 alone. To increase the relative throughput of the system, I have designated an alternate path for specific program functions.

I've named this separate box Trump Card. It is a functionally independent 10-MHz Zilog Z8001based computer with its own 512K bytes of memory. Designed specifically as a compiled high-levellanguage computer, Trump Card is addressed as an I/O device that communicates through the expansion bus (see photos 1 and 2).

Among the specific functions that Trump Card supports are BASIC, C, CP/M-80, text editing, Z8000 assembly-language programming, and a RAM disk. It does not directly execute programs written in 8088 assembly code, such as Lotus 1-2-3. It instead executes programs written in high-level languages such as BASIC or C (a Pascal compiler and 8088-to-Z8000 translator are in the

works). Alternatively, it can enhance the function of programs such as 1-2-3 by expanding available memory and speeding disk functions. The ultimate purpose of Trump Card is to improve system throughput.

This month, I will outline the basic functions of Trump Card and describe its hardware in detail. This is, of course, a Circuit Cellar construction project, and you are encouraged to build your own Trump Card. More on that later. Next month, I'll describe some of the software in detail and do a little benchmarking.

First, a little about Trump Card and the Z8001.

Trump Card

Trump Card is a peripheral board that plugs into any expansion slot on an IBM PC or PC-compatible computer. It contains a 10-MHz Z8001 and up to 512K bytes of memory. To use it, you simply load a BASIC, CP/M-80, or C program from PCDOS and type "RUN." Its memory can also be used as a RAM disk.

Trump Card comes with software that translates existing BASIC and other high-level-language programs to run with reduced overhead. To speed the execution of BASICA, Trump Card compiles the code with a special version of BASIC called TBASIC. Unlike other compilers, this has no separate compiled-code disk files (unless you specifically want them) and no long delays. TBASIC instantly compiles the program in a few tenths of a second when you load the file into Trump Card. In appearance, it looks like any old, slow interpreted BASIC, but it runs with the speed of a compiler.

TBASIC is PC BASICA-compatible. You can use either the Trump Card screen editor or BASICAs editor to

Listing 1: Sieve of Eratosthenes primenumber-generator program.

5 DEFINT A-Z

10 SIZE = 8190

20 DIM FLAGS(8191)

30 PRINT "Only 1 iteration"

50 COUNT =. 0

60 FOR I = 0 TO SIZE

70 FLAGS(I) = 1

80 NEXT I

90 FOR I = 0 TO SIZE

100 IF FLAGS(I) = 0 THEN 180

110 PRIME = I + I +3

120 K = I + PRIME

130 IF K> SIZE THEN 170

140 FLAGS(K) = 0

150 K = K + PRIME

160 GOTO 130

170 COUNT = COUNT + 1

180 NEXT I

190 PRINT COUNT, " PRIMES"

write your programs. Then run the same program using either Trump Card or BASICA. Depending upon the instructions you use, Trump Card provides a tenfold to hundredfold increase in program performance (see photo 3). Table 1 shows typical results of what Trump Card can do with the prime-number Sieve of Eratosthenes program (September 1981 BYTE, page 180) frequently used to benchmark computer systems (see listing

Though I conceived of Trump Card initially as a BASICA enhancement, it didn't take me long to realize that a Z8001 with 5T2K bytes of memory has some real computing power and deserves proper support. For that reason, the software supplied with this project is much more extensive than usual. With the utilities and languages included, you should have little trouble using the vast software base of Z80 and Z8000 programs.

Trump Card includes the following software:

BASIC Compiler-TBASIC is PC BASICA-compatible. The differences between the BASICA interpreter and the TBASIC compiler are minimal. Most instructions are implemented without modification.

CP/M-80 Emulator—Trump Card can run your CP/M-80 Z80 assembly

42 BYTE May 1984

language programs directly without special disk headers or translation programs. Simply download your Z80 programs and run them.

C-Compiler—Trump Card includes the industry standard version of C that is described in The C Programming Language by Kernighan and Ritchie.

Debugger—Intended to aid in program development. With it, you can examine and replace memory and register contents, set breakpoints, or single-step through programs.

Screen Editor—Incorporating many of the features included in word processors, the editor enables you to write or examine ASCII text files for either the PC or Trump Card's use.

Multilevel Language Compiler—This is a structured assembler that allows Pascal-like control and data types, arithmetic expressions with automatic or specified allocations of registers, and procedure calls with parameter passing.

RAM Disk—Trump Card can allocate 128K to 387K bytes of its on-board memory to function as an intelligent RAM disk (DOS 2.0 only). This memory is separate from and in addition to any already existing on the PC bus. Trump Card's other functions can run concurrently.

The Z8000 Microprocessor

A block diagram of the Z8000's internal structure appears here as figure 1. As the programmer sees it, the Z8000 contains sixteen 16-bit general-purpose registers (for addresses or data) that may also be used in groups to form as many as eight 32-bit registers or four 64-bit registers. The low-order halves of the registers may be used for byte operations, thus the Z8000 is able to manipulate data in 8-, 16-, 32-, and 64-bit pieces.

The eight addressing modes are register, indirect-register, direct-address, indexed, immediate, base-address, base-indexed, and relative-address. The instruction set utilizes data types ranging from single bits to a 32-bit-long word. The processor executes 110 distinct instruction types

~l

GENERAL PURPOSE REGISTERS

7*>

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o

ARITHMETIC

LOGIC

UNIT

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REFRESH CONTROL

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l_b

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J

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EXECUTION

CONTROL

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STATUS

REGISTERS

_PC_ FCW

7*>

<*>.

Z-BUS INTERFACE

EXCEPTION

HANDLING

CONTROL

I Z8000 CPU

Z8000 CPU FUNCTIONAL BLOCK DIAGRAM

Figure 1: Block diagram of the internal structure of the Zilog Z8000 family of microprocessors.

that, when permuted by all the addressing modes and data types, create a set of more than 400 instructions.

The Z8000 has two different modes of operation: system and normal. Which mode of operation is in effect is controlled by a bit in the flag-andcontrol word (FCW). The main dif

ference between the operating modes is that some of the control/interrupt and I/O instructions work only in the system mode. To simplify the design of the Trump Card, I chose to use only the system mode.

The Z8001 (see photo 4) is the memory-segmented version of Zilog's chip; it comes in a 48-pin DIP (dual

Photo 4: The 48-pin dual-inline package that houses the Zilog Z8001 microprocessor, the heart of the Trump Card.

BYTE May 1984 43

BUS TIMING

STATUS <

CPU CONTROL

BUS f

CONTROL ^ .,

INTERRUPTS

MULTI-MICRO

CONTROL \ <_

AS

DS MREQ

Z8001 CPU

READ/WRITE

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ST,

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WAIT STOP

RESET

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SEGT

TTT

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Z8001 CPU PIN FUNCTIONS

> ADDRESS/ / DATA BUS

SEGMENT NUMBER

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AD0C

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47

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3

46

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43

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7

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39

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11

38

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21

28

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22

27

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23

26

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25

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Z8001 PIN ASSIGNMENTS

Figure 2: Pinout arrangement of the Z8001 memory-segmented version.

inline package), the pinouts of which are shown in figure 2. (The nonsegmented 40-pin version is called the Z8002.) By memory segmentation, the directly addressable 8-megabyte memory space is divided into as many as one hundred twenty-eight 64K-byte regions. Seven segmentselection lines coming out of the Z8001 control the high-order memory addressing. When the Z8001 is reset, the segment addressing automatically reverts to segment 0, the lowest 64K-byte block of memory. Transfer of control between segments is done by jumps, calls, and returns.

Inside the Trump Card

The schematic diagram of figure 3 shows the Trump Card's circuitry. It can be plugged into any expansion slot of an IBM PC or into any other computer with compatible I/O slots and operating system.

Five of the Z800Ts seven segmentselection lines, SN0 through SN4, are used in the Trump Card to decode

44 BYTE May 1984

addresses for up to 1 megabyte of RAM (512K bytes fit on the board) and 4K bytes of ROM (read-only memory). Segment line 4 selects between the ROM, mapped into segments 0 through 15, and the RAM, residing in segments 16 through 31. The states of the segment lines are latched by IC3; segment line 4 is named RAM/PROM.

Address/Data Bus

The address/data lines coming from the Z8001 (ADO through AD15) are a time-multiplexed address and data bus, which can address a range of 65,536 (64K) bytes of memory or a like number of I/O addresses. Since the Z8001 can form addresses at either word or byte boundaries, the least significant bit ADO is used in byte operations to determine if the upper or lower byte is to be operated upon. The address on the AD lines becomes valid when the Z8001 asserts the AS (address strobeactive low) line; it remains that way

for a short hold time after AS returns to its idle high state. The address from the Z8001 is latched by two type-74LS373 transparent latches, IC5 and IC6, that are always enabled. The use of transparent latches allows for maximum address-setup time to the memories.

The latched addresses (LAO through LA15) come out of the 74LS373s with LAO combined with the signal B/W (byte or word address) to form the EVEN or ODD byte-bankselect signal for memory. When B/W is low, it signifies that a 16-bit memory word is being referenced; this causes the outputs of the two AND gates at IC8 pin 3 and IC8 pin 6 to be active irrespective of the state of LAO. By doing byte operations in this manner, it is possible for the Z8001 to do single-byte memory writes without first reading an entire word location.

The Trump Card contains a pair of type-2716 EPROMs (erasable programmable read-only memories), Text continued on page 50

I o

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Figure 3 continued on page 46

Figure 3: Schematic diagram of the Trump Card. Support is provided for 512K bytes of dynamic RAM in the form of type-4164 chips. If a 6-MHz Z8001A is used, the crystal frequency must be reduced to 12 MHz.

BYTE May 1984 45

Figure 3 continued:

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IC33 74LS00

Figure 3 continued on page 47

46 BYTE Mav 1984

Figure 3 continued:

NOTE: IC's IN THIS SECTION ARE CONSECUTIVELY NUMBERED FROM IC36 UPPER LEFT CORNER TO IC99 LOWER RIGHT CORNER. IC's ARE ALL 4164' s.

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BYTE May 1984 47

Figure 3 continued:

LAI LA2 LA3 LA4 LA5 LA6 LA7 LAB LA9 LA10 LA11

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LAI (1 )

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Figure 3 continued on page 49

48 BYTE May 1984

Figure 3 continued:

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BYTE May 1984 49

Number

Type

+ 5 V

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IC1

Z8001B

11

36

IC2

Z8581

5

14

IC3

74LS373

20

10

IC4

74S138

16

8

IC5

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IC6

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IC7

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7

IC8

74LS08

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IC9

74LS02

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IC10

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14

7

IC11

74LS32

14

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IC12

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IC13

74LS02

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IC14

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16

8

IC15

74LS138

16

8

IC16

74LS138

16

8

IC17

74157

16

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IC18

74157

16

8

IC19

74S74

14

7

IC20

74LS08

14

7

IC21

2716

24

12

IC22

2716

24

12

IC23

74LS245

20

10

IC24

6116-3

24

12

IC25

74LS393

14

7

IC26

74LS245

20

10

IC27

74LS74

14

7

IC28

74LS133

16

8

IC29

74LS04

14

7

IC30

74LS32

14

7

IC31

74LS51

14

7

IC32

74LS51

14

7

IC33

74LS00

14

7

IC34

74LS74

14

7

IC35

74LS74

14

7

IC36

4164-15 (150 ns)

16

8

IC99

4164-15

16

8

Power wiring

table for figure

3.

Text continued from page 44: which contain a bootstrap loader for cold-start-up and system-diagnostic routines. Address lines LAI through LAU are connected to the EPROMs, IC22 (even byte) and IC23 (odd byte). There is no need to use the ODD

or EVEN bank-select lines since no data is ever written into the EPROMs. The signal RAM/PROM is connected to the CS~ pin on the 2716s. The MREQ (memory request) signal from the Z8001 is also connected to pin 18 (OE or output enable) of the 2716s, to inhibit the possibility of bus contention during I/O cycles.

Status Signals

Various status signals tell the rest of the system about the processor's condition and the type of information that is appearing on the address/data bus. The status signals are as follows:

PC Address

03EE

Trump Card Port

03 EC

03 E8

Function

A "write" to this port by the processor that has current use of the bucket will cause the 8-bit address counter, IC25, to be reset to 0. It will also release the bucket for use by the other processor. If bit 0 of the data bus is set to a 0 when this write is performed by the 8088 processor, a nonmaskable interrupt (NMI) is also issued to the Z8001. Reading this port allows either processor to see data at the current address of the counter without incrementing the counter. If the bucket is not available, a read operation to this port will return an FF.

A read operation to this port by the processor that has the bucket reserved will return the data at the current address of the counter and increment the counter at the end of the read operation. A read by the processor that does not have the bucket will return a value of hexadecimal FF and will not increment the counter. A write to this port by the processor that has reserved the bucket will enter data at the current address of the counter and increment the counter at the end of the operation. A write by the processor that does not have the bucket will not enter data and the counter will not be incremented.

This port is not used for data transfer by the Z8001. A write to this port by the 8088 will issue a reset to the Trump Card.

Table 2: Communication between the Z8001 and the 8088 is through the "bucket," a FIFO buffer made from a type-6116 static-memory chip and support components. Shown here are the three basic bucket functions and the addresses and codes for each.

Read/Write: The R/Wsignal is used to indicate the direction of the current bus transaction. When high, the direction of data is toward the Z8001. Data is clocked into the processor at the occurrence of a positive-going pulse on DS (data strobe). When DS is low, data flows from the processor outward.

Normal/System: The N/5" signal indicates whether the processor is operating in the system (supervisory) mode or normal (user) mode of operation. This control line is used when there is a multitasking and/or multiuser type of environment to segregate system functions and memory. The line is unused in the Trump Card.

Byte/Word: The B/W line is provided to enable the Z8001 to perform byte operations on memory. When high, it indicates that a byte operation is to take place; a low state indicates word operations. This signal is also used in the ODD or EVEN memory-select logic.

Status Lines: Lines STO through ST3 are utilized to define the exact type of transaction occurring on the bus. Only 4 of the 16 possible codes are

required for operation of the Trump Card. The first status code, 0000 (Internal Operation), is decoded but unused. The second operation code, 0001 (Memory Refresh), is output by the internal Z8001 memory-refresh timer and is used in refreshing the on-board dynamic RAM. (This signal is ANDed with MREQ and is used as one of the two select signals in the row-address-strobe generation logic.) The third operation, 0010 (Standard I/O Reference), is used in the process of communicating with the host 8088 processor. The fourth operation code, 0011 (Special I/O), denotes I/O associated with the signal SPIO and is reserved for future expansion.

Clock Generation

The basic clock rate for the Z8001 on the Trump Card is provided by IC2, a Zilog Z8581 clock generator and controller (CGC). The Z800Ts clock-input maximum voltage must come within a certain range of the power-supply potential (precisely VCc - 0.4 V) and have a maximum rise and fall time of 10 nanoseconds (ns). Such requirements are difficult to meet with standard oscillators and

50 BYTE May 1984

Photo 5: A typical display on the Tektronix 1240 logic analyzer: the column-address-strobe/row-address-strobe timing of the Trump Card.

Photo 6: To aid in my initial development, a Zscan-8000 emulator is plugged by a ribbon cable into the Z8001 socket on the Trump Card. In emulation mode, the Zscan-8000 can run diagnostic programs and exercise all functions of the Trump Card at 4 MHz. Hardware debugging is greatly simplified because all sections of the hardware need not be working to use the emulator.

TTL (transistor-transistor logic), but they are easily met by the CGC. The Z8581 also provides an easy and effective means of adjusting the processor's bus cycles to the speed of available memory devices.

The CGC is used on the Trump Card to stretch specific bus cycles. As used on the Trump Card, the Z8001 does three different basic categories of operations: internal operations, memory access, and input/output operations. The timing of the ZCLK signal emitted by the CGC depends on which of these bus activities is taking place. The Z8581 can be configured to add wait states that enable the use of 150- and 200-ns RAM chips.

Trump Card/Host Communication

The "bucket" is the communications interface between the PC and Trump Card. This FIFO (first-in/firstout)-type dual-port memory configuration consists of a 6116 static memory (IC24), an 8-bit address counter (IC25), two data-bus buffers (ICs 23 and 26), and the necessary control logic to arbitrate access. Programs and instructions are passed between the two computers via this FIFO circuitry. As far as the PC is concerned, the bucket appears as two I/O port addresses. A system of soft

ware handshaking between the computers determines which has reserved and is using the bucket. Table 2 shows the port addresses and their functions.

It is not possible for both processors to have use of the bucket at the same time. With the processors running asynchronously, arbitration is necessary. It is provided by four Dtype flip-flops: two for access requests and two for access reservations. The two access-request flipflops are clocked by the transition of an access-request signal from either processor (lOROT for the Z8001 and PCSEL for the 8088). The preset inputs of these flip-flops are connected to the HOLD signal, which is active whenever one of the processors has succeeded in reserving the use of the bucket. When HOLD is active, it prevents the other processor from gaining access.

The Z8001 communicates through the bucket for all its normal I/O by activating the IORQ line. The 8088 selects the bucket when it performs either an IOW (I/O write) or IOR (I/O read) in the range of the IBM's regular memory-address space from hexadecimal 03E8 to 03EE. Accesses to these addresses are decoded by IC28 to generate the Trump Card's PCSEL signal.

The two access-reserve flip-flops

sample the output of the request flipflops 180 degrees out of phase with each other. This is done to prohibit simultaneous requests from being honored. These flip-flops are cleared by a reset command issued from the reserving processor.

The Q outputs from these flip-flops are combined by a logical AND function with the processor request to form the active select states used by the bucket: Z ANDed with D~5 for the Z8001 and PC for the 8088. Whenever either request flip-flop is active, the HOLD signal is active and is used as the chip-select input on the 6116 memory. The FIFO memory, however, is written to by the Z8001 only when a "write bucket with increment" command is used.

The WE signal, connected to the write-enable input of the 6116 memory, is active during either a Z8001 I/O request (with R/W low and DS active) or an 8088-generated write to the bucket (with PC and INC active and BIOR inactive). The INC signal is active whenever the processor that has control of the bucket sets bit 1 of the address low. The CLEAR signal is active when bit 1 of the address generated by the selected processor is high and a write operation is occurring.

A nonmaskable interrupt to the Z8001 is generated when the 8088

BYTE May 1984 51

Listing 2: Bootstrap initialization program for the Trump Card written in Z8000 assembly language.

0000

00

DM

DO00

02

DM

oooo

04

DM

0OO8

06

DM

2100 9E01

OB

LD R0,#7.9E01

1404 0003 0001

OC

LDL RR4, #7.000 3 0001

7D0B

12

LDCTL REFRESH,RO

3E40

14

OUTB @R4,R'H0

3C40

16

INB RH0,@R4

A800

18

INCB RH0,#1

E6FC

1A

JR 0 EQ, 7.0014

3C40

1C

INB RH0,@R4

BABO

IE

CPB RHO.RLO

EFF9

20

JR NC UGE, 7.0014

CB03

22

LDB RL0,#7.03

3E5B

24

DUTB @R5,RL0

B400

26

ORB RHO,RHO

E6F5

28

JR Z ED, 7.0014

3C52

2A

INB RH2,@R5

3C53

2C

INB RH3,@R5

3C5B

2E

INB RL3,@R5

3C51

30

INB RH1,@R5

3C59

32

INB RL1,@R5

3A50 0120

34

INIRB @RR2,@R5 Rl

F013

38

DBZNZ RHO

3E40

3A

OUTB @R4,RH0

AB35

3C

DEC R3,#6

1E2B

3E

JP @RR2

performs a write operation to the bucket with address bit 1 and data bit 0 both low. This interrupt is latched in a D-type flip-flop and is not cleared until the Z8001 issues a Nonmaskable-Interrupt Acknowledge (status decode 5) or until the host computer resets the Trump Card. (See table 2 for more detail.)

Booting Trump Card

When you plug the Trump Card into a slot in the IBM PC and turn on the computer, the Trump Card automatically executes the bootstraploader routine contained on board in EPROM. The loader routine is only 31 words (62 bytes) long; its assembly code is shown in listing 2.

I used two 2716 EPROMs instead of bipolar PROMs to store the bootstrap loader because they are both costeffective and easier to program than bipolar PROMs. Two byte-wide memory devices are required because the Z8001 is a processor with a 16-bit word length. Each machine-language instruction (expressed as four hexadecimal digits) is separated into highand low-order bytes (or "even" and "odd," if you prefer); the high and low bytes are stored in separate EPROMs. When you examine a particular 16-bit memory location, you are actually viewing the information provided from two 8-bit sources.

Reserved control word

Flag and control word

Segment Register

Segment Offset

Set re-fresh freq and enable

Set port addresses

Load re-fresh value

Set R4 as reset—bucket port

Read bucket without increment

Increment input value

Repeat i-f equal to 0

Read bucket

Compare bucket value to 01

Do again i-f not > 01

Load RO with bucket available #

Load bucket with RO

Set zero flag if RHO is O

Restart boot, else continue

Read bucket and save in register

Read bucket and save in register

Read bucket and save in register

Read bucket and save in register

Read bucket and save in register

Read bucket into memory

Deer RHO and at 0 goto 0014

Reset bucket

Decrement value in R3 six times

to set' up first addr Df code

Jump to 1oc defined in RR2

Using Trump Card

Trump Card is transparent to normal PC operation. To start Trump Card, you run a program stored under PC-DOS called LDZSYS. This is the Trump Card communications software that runs on the 8088. If you always want Trump Card features available, you can add this program to your regular AUTOEXEC batch file. When LDZSYS has completed initialization, it returns to the PCDOS A> prompt to wait further instructions.

At this point, I generally configure part of Trump Card's memory as a RAM disk, using a program called SETRMDSK. This is done as follows:

A> SETRMDSK 4 A>

SETRMDSK configures the additional C drive to your existing system under DOS 2.0. The number following SETRMDSK determines how many 64K-byte blocks you wish to reserve as a RAM disk. In this case, I set up a 256K-byte drive. The RAMdisk size can be 128K to 387K bytes, depending upon the amount of memory on the Trump Card board. (While you can set a 128K-byte RAM disk in a 256K-byte board, you might have problems running large BASIC or C programs concurrently.)

The memory that I've set as a RAM disk is completely separate and in addition to the regular IBM PC memory. Even if you have a 640Kbyte PC, up to 387K bytes of Trump Card's memory would be available as additional RAM-disk configured storage space.

I used the RAM disk to speed up the process of writing these articles. Many word processors, like the Volkswriter I use, make extensive calls to the disk for help files and command-execution files. After a while, the noise and delay get aggravating. To remedy this situation, I run the SETRMDSK 4 sequence just described to create the 256K-byte RAM drive C and then add the following:

A> COPY A> C: C>VW

C:

This copies the entire contents of the Volkswriter distribution disk to the RAM disk, sets it as the default drive (C), and starts the word processor. When I now press a function key the action is instant and silent. To guard against power interruptions, drive B is designated as the hardstorage location and periodically I store the article file to it.

Trump Card's other features are equally simple to use. BASIC, C, Z80, and editing files can be stored on the same disk and executed with similar ease. While I'll explain it in greater detail next month, a possible sequence of Trump Card operations is shown in table 3.

Rewarding Diligence

I've been having a lot of fun with Trump Card. I haven't done much assembly-language or C programming yet, but it has renewed my faith in BASIC.

Trump Card is not an easy project to build. Compared to other Circuit Cellar projects, however, it's manageable. I was surprised at the number of readers who hand-wired the 121-chip MPX-16 PC-compatible computer that I presented last year. Their letters suggested that the motive was neither money nor masochism. In

52 BYTE May 1984

Circle 376 on inquiry card.

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A> LDZSYS

A>

A>G

: EE filename

(initialize Trump Card)

(return to PC-DOS or use Trump Card)

(turn over PC operation to Trump Card)

(Trump Card prompt)

(edit a file)

:Z80EM filename

(emulate CP/M-80 and run Z80 programs)

: C filename

(compile and run a C program)

: Y filename

(compile and run Z8000 assembly language)

: BASIC ff/ename(compile and run BASICA programs)

: // (return to PC-DOS)

A>

Table 3: A Trump Card operating sequence.

stead, building these projects enabled them to experiment with digital circuitry yet be secure in the knowledge that their project would work. I hope this project elicits a similar response, and I'd like to reward such enthusiasm in advance.

Esoteric peripherals such as Trump Card depend a great deal on sophisticated software to fully exercise their capabilities. Unfortunately, when experimenters build rather than purchase boards, they often have to use great ingenuity to obtain software.

More than five man-years of development effort went into the present support packages for Trump Card.

Some, like TBASIC and the RAM disk, were contracted by me, while others, like the C compiler and Y (a Z8000 assembler), were written by Zilog. Combined with the CP/M-80 emulator, Z8000 operating system, and telephone-book-size documentation, it is a formidable package that is difficult to independently price.

I want to encourage you to build your own Trump Card if that is your choice. If you send me a picture of the completed unit, I will send you a copy of the complete software and the documentation (provided it is for personal, noncommercial use) for the cost of duplication and shipping

The following items are available from

Sweet Micro Systems Inc. 50 Freeway Dr. Cranston, RI 02910 (800) 341-8001 for orders (401) 461-0530 for information

1. Trump Card, including 1C sockets, assembled and tested with 256K bytes of the 512K-byte RAM space populated. Includes TBASIC compiler, C compiler, Z8000 Y assembler, CP/M-80 emulator, RAM-disk driver, and documentation. Software supplied on a PC-DOS 2.0 disk unless otherwise specified.

256PCB $995

2. Trump Card, assembled and tested with 512K bytes of dynamic RAM installed. Includes support software

described above and documentation. Software supplied on a PC-DOS 2.0 disk unless otherwise specified. 512PCC $1325

3. Partial kit for Trump Card. Includes fully socketed wave-soldered printedcircuit board, bootstrap EPROMs, 10-MHz Z8001, and Z8581. Includes software and documentation described above. Other integrated circuits not included. Software supplied on a PCDOS 2.0 disk unless otherwise specified. OKPCA $525

Please add $10 for shipping and handling in the continental United States. Please add $20 for shipping to other locations. Rhode Island residents please add 6 percent sales tax.

54 BYTE May 1984

($30). The software houses and other parties in this project have waived all royalties as a gesture of support for the Circuit Cellar.

Next Month:

In June's article, I'll describe the software in detail and do a little benchmarking. ■

Diagrams pertaining to the Z8000 are reprinted by permission of Zilog Corporation. Z8000 and Z80 are trademarks of Zilog.

Steve Garcia (pronounced "see-ARE-see-ah") is an electronics engineer and computer consultant with experience in process control, digital design, nuclear instrumentation, and product development. In addition to writing for BYTE, he has published several books. He can be contacted at FOB 582, Glastonbury, CT 06033.

Editor's Note: Steve often refers to previous Circuit Cellar articles. Most of these past articles are available in reprint books from BYTE Books, McGraw-Hill Book Company, POB 400, Hightstown, NJ 08250.

Ciarcia's Circuit Cellar, Volume I covers articles that appeared in BYTE from September 1977 through November 1978. Ciarcia's Circuit Cellar, Volume II contains articles from December 1978 through June 1980. Ciarcia's Circuit Cellar, Volume III contains articles from July 1980 through December 1981. Ciarcia's Circuit Cellar, Volume IV, soon to appear, will contain articles from January 1982 through June 1983.

References

1. Ciarcia, Steve. "Build the Circuit Cellar MPX-16 Computer System." Part 1, BYTE, November 1982, page 78. Part 2, BYTE, December 1982, page 42. Part 3, BYTE, January 1983, page 54.

2. Majundar, S., K. Kumar, and K. S. Raghunathan. "Interface Unites Z8000 with Other Families of Peripheral Devices." Electronics, July 28, 1981, page 156.

3. Rampil, Ira. "Preview of the Z8000." BYTE, March 1979, page 80.

4. Simington, R. B. 'The Intel 8087 Numerics Processor Extension." BYTE, April 1983, page 154.

5. Shima, Masatoshi. "Genealogy of the Z8000." Electronics, December 21, 1978, page 83.

6. Williams, Gregg. "Benchmarking the Intel 8086 and 8088." BYTE, July 1983, page 147

7 Zingale, Tony. "Intel's 80186: A 16-Bit Computer on a Chip." BYTE, April 1983, page 132.

To receive a complete list of Ciarcia s Circuit Cellar project kits, circle 100 on the reader service inquiry card at the back of the magazine.

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BYTE May 1984 55

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User's Column

Chaos Manor's Hard-Disk System

Dirty filters, 8/16-land, views of the future, and inevitably more

At Chaos Manor everything happens at once. I have 10 pounds of mail set aside because the letters raise questions better answered in this column than in BYTE's User to User; from where I sit I can see a raft of new books; we're getting to know and love the Diser machine; I've heard from the Modula Research Institute; and I've just returned from the Sage Faire, where I learned that the Motorola 68000 chip is alive and well and hiding in Reno, Nevada. Meanwhile, I'm working with the new Compupro 40-megabyte disk and 8/16 operating system, and I have word that Jim Hudson has his 8087 math-chip board for the Z-100. Clearly, the Intel 8086 and follow-ons are as healthy as the 68000 products.

So just where are we going? What will the supermicros look like when they arrive, and how can users be sure they won't invest in dead-end equipment and software? Is it to be the 8086 or the 68000?

I'll get back to that after we look at the latest hardware in Chaos Manor.

Compupro Hard Disk

For years I've resisted hard disks. Although faster than floppies, they just didn't seem worth the effort. I've heard too many horror stories of how bad software managed to blow a hard

Jerry Pournelle Consulting Editor

disk's directory, or how a sudden power failure brought on disaster. There seemed to be considerable risk, and the rewards just weren't that great—until recently, hard disks didn't hold that much more than my 1.1-megabyte 8-inch floppies, while RAM (random-access read/write memory) disk drives were faster.

From time to time I'd hear about a new hard-disk system and wonder if I ought to install one, but there was always some problem sufficient to keep me away.

That all changed a couple of weeks ago when the Compupro hard disk arrived. I love it, but Chaos Manor has been even more chaotic ever

since.

First was the problem of where to put the new disk. The Compupro 40-megabyte system is physically the same size as the Compupro "boatanchor" system: not small. One natural place to put it is to stack it with the main computer box, and most people will do that. Compupro normally packages an 8-inch doublesided double-density disk in with the hard-disk drive; this provides both backup and a way to get programs into the computer. However, I insist on keeping both of my 8-inch drives, so my hard disk arrived with a blank piece of metal instead of a floppy

drive. Taped to the blank spot was a card that read "Five-inch drive goes here ..."

A story goes with that. Compupro has the 5V4-inch drives, a controller to run them, and software to drive the controller; what it doesn't have just at the moment is the black metal cutout to hold 5V4-inch drives in place. There are plenty of bezels for 8-inch drives, and by the time you read this I should have the 5V4-inch drive running; but for the moment that's in the Real Soon Now category.

There was only one catch to the hard disk: Chaos Manor has become a test site for the new 8/16 software that drives it. Of course, that wasn't supposed to be any real hardship. Tony Pietsch had been running the new software with his hard disk for weeks. I was only supposed to be a sort of final test site, in case there were any minor bugs left.

It's as well that Compupro is thorough. I do a lot of things that Tony doesn't. There definitely were bugs. Some weren't so minor, either; there was a time there when I was muttering that hard disks should be confined to hackers, who undoubtedly deserved them; they weren't for ordinary users. However, as each bug showed up, Tony dug into the BIOS (basic input/output system) and other

BYTE May 1984 59

esoterica, and pretty soon, Lo!, the system began to work quite well.

There are still some annoyances. Some are fixable, others probably are not. No matter: already the advantages outweigh the disadvantages by a lot.

I now keep my accounting system, editors, address book, mail lists, disk catalog, utility programs, CB-80 compiler, RMAC macro assembler, lots of program sources, spelling checker and dictionaries, and the entire text of the new Niven and Pournelle novel Footfall in various places on that hard disk. No more getting up to find the right floppy disk. It's all here. Sure, I have to find the right floppy to put safety copies onto—I don't feel my work is safe until I have a copy in a nonmagnetic box in the other roombut I can do that while The Word Plus is checking spelling or the compiler is compiling.

I find that I get a lot more done now. Example: I thought of a fast modification to the accounting program. Normally I wouldn't bother, at least not until I had the program sources out. With the source, text editor, and compiler already on line, it took only a few minutes to make the needed changes.

For the first time I find having an on-line address book worth bothering with. Oh, sure: I have always kept mailing lists and stuff like that on disks. Every now and then I get ambitions for new name and address software, and there's a new flurry of activity; but, I blush to say, I've always gone back to a battered green address book held together largely with Sno-Pake and tape. The address book took less time than loading in the data-retrieval program, finding the data disk, and searching for the data. (Larry Niven stores his addresses and phone numbers in a text file and uses the Search function in WRITE; that works, but somehow I never got in the habit of it.) With data and the retrieval program all on hard disk, computer retrieval is faster than searching for the address book among the litter on my desk and credenza.

This gives me an idea for a new program: one that searches through

all my electronic-mail files, extracts the names and addresses, and inserts them into a database. The only difficulty would be teaching the machine to recognize what a valid name and address look like. This would be no problem for letter files; now all I have to do is figure out how to tell the machine which files really contain letters and which are something else hiding on the letters' disks.

I may or may not get around to such a program. The point is that the program would be valuable now, and it wouldn't have been without the hard disk.

Want to Bet?

When Tony installed the new Compupro hard disk and Disk Three controller, my 8085/8088 Dual Processor ceased to work. This caused considerable consternation.

The first supposition was that the disk itself had been damaged in shipment, and examination of the shipping box showed that it had indeed been dropped; some of the tape seams had split. However, it hadn't been damaged. Not only does Compupro lock the disk head in place, but on power-down it's retracted to a dedicated "landing zone" first. Those Quantum disks are rugged.

"We've overloaded the bus," Tony decided. We did, after all, have all 20 slots filled in my Compupro boatanchor box. In addition, we have Jim Hudson's 8087 math-chip board piggyback on the 8085/8088 Dual Processor's processor board—and that's no ordinary 8087, it's an 8-MHz chip, which gets hot enough to fry eggs on.

Certainly the box was full. There were old memory boards, three different interface boards, and a mess of other stuff; although the Dual Processor has become the main computing machine here, it still retains some residual equipment from the days when it was an experimental system.

Tony removed a number of superfluous boards. A few minutes later Bill Godbout called about something else.

"We finally managed to overload the bus on a boat anchor," I said.

"Nope. Don't believe you," said Dr.

Godbout.

"Eh? Tony says-"

"Tell him I'll bet him the value of his house," Bill said. "And 111 buy the system from you."

"But-"

"Have you looked at the fan filter?"

Sure enough, the filter was clogged with dust. I cleaned it. Just to see, I put all the extra boards back in: no problems.

"We've tried to overload the bus," Dr. Godbout explained. "I suppose you could do it, but the problem is usually the fan filter. Once we had a system failure just before tax time. There was a panic, but it was the filter."

Actually, I expect he doesn't have as much dust, now that Compupro has moved to modern headquarters in Hayward; but when the company was in the old WW II "temporary" buildings at Oakland Airport, I well imagine dust would frequently clog the filters.

We even speculated about modifying the operating system so that on the second Wednesday of each month the system would display a "CLEAN THE FILTER" message, then cease to work for five minutes. After all, there is a real-time clock/calendar on the System Support Board.

I doubt it will ever come to that, but do clean your air filters regularly.

System 8/16

One of the nice things about the new hard-disk system is CP/M-8/16. My Dual Processor now runs both 8-bit and 16-bit programs. Both varieties are present on the hard disk, and I don't have to worry about which ones are which; I just run the program I want, same as I always did. The computer figures out whether it's supposed to run this as 16-bit software under CP/M-86 or as an 8-bit program under CP/M 2.2, in which case it gets assistance in disk operations from the 16-bit 8088 chip.

There's a large bonus for 8-bit programs. Disk operations are handled by the 8088 chip, leaving a great deal more free memory. In our case, the Temporary Program Area (TEA—the practical workspace for the program)

60 BYTE May 1984

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BYTE May 1984 61

has increased by 25 to 30 percent. Floppy-disk operations are much faster, too. Meanwhile, hard-disk loads and saves are so fast that although I have a full 2 megabytes of RAM disk, I find that I hardly ever bother to use it. The hard disk is not much slower.

I don't entirely trust the hard disk: every now and then I transfer all the new work to a floppy, and if the work is important enough, I do that again onto a different floppy at the end of the work session. So far I have not

needed those backups, but I'm a firm believer in saving early and often.

Annoyances

Clearly, I like CP/M-8/16, and I can enthusiastically recommend the new Compupro hard disk and 8/16 operating system. However, it's not all smooth sailing.

Some difficulties are inherent in CP/M. User numbers are vital: without them, you'd never be able to partition a big hard disk into useful areas. That was the trouble with PC

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DOS 1.1 on the Eagle 1620: no directory structure, so that everything was in one interminable directory listing. PC-DOS 2.0 fixed that for the Eagle. CP/M-8/16 doesn't have a tree structure. You have to rely on user numbers, which are vital; but they're not really very convenient.

User numbers control user areas on both floppy and hard disks. Each user area has its own directory. When you first log onto CP/M, the user number is 0, and if you ask for a directory, you'll get the directory for User 0 and no other. Each user area acts as a separate "logical disk," so that disk drive A: can be divided into "drive" AO:, Al:, A2:, etc., up to A15:.

In addition, my hard disk is partitioned into five "logical" disk drives. That is, there's only one actual hard disk, but it acts exactly as if there are five, four of 10 megabytes each and a fifth of something less than 4 megabytes. These are designated drives A:, B:, C:, D:, and E:. Drive M: is the RAM disk. Drives F: and G: will be 5V4-inch floppies, and drives I: and J: are 8-inch double-sided doubledensity 1.1-megabyte floppies. Thus, I could have programs at, say, C12: and B9: in addition to AO:, etc.

Keeping track of just which programs are in which disk area is no easy task, since under CP/M there's no global directory command. That is, if you have files on disk D: under User 13, you'll never be able to list them unless you specifically ask for the D13: directory, and even then you may miss it if you've designated those files as System or "hidden."

When we first installed the harddisk system, we did a lot of tests, including exercising the random-access capabilities. One program that does very complicated random-access disk I/O is my accounting system, so we went to unused user areas and did a lot of journalizing and posting. When I was done, I had no idea of where we'd put those no longer wanted account files. I was prepared to log onto each logical disk and patiently go from User 0 to User 15 looking for directories, but that seemed a bit tedious. Better, perhaps, to read the instructions.

Alas, the Digital Research CP/M

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manuals say very little about user areas. There's no discussion, and what information that does exist is scattered through the USER, PIP, and S1AT command explanations. The USER command discussion tells you that command STAT USR: will tell you which user numbers have files on a particular disk. Of course, since this is Digital Research documentation, the little CP/M-86 Command Summary book doesn't mention USR: in the USER command section, so I'd missed it. It was only when I sat down to write this that I discovered that the full DR CP/M-86 User's Guide does mention a command STAT USR:. It would have saved me considerable time if it had been in the Command Summary book.

That command is fine, except that apparently you have to log onto each disk in turn to find out which user areas have files. This isn't very convenient. In fact, it's even worse than you think.

CP/M-8/16 has one great feature. Command files that are stored on as System files on disk drive A: under User 0 are accessible to all disk drives and all user numbers. Thus, I can put XD.COM, WRITE. COM, and other programs I use all the time onto the A: drive, and even though I'm now working with data on the C: drive under User 3, I have immediate access to the AO command programs.

Alas, the version of CP/M-8/16 that I have has one lousy feature: the "A: User 0" access feature works only with COM, i.e., 8-bit command files. If I want to use a CMD (16-bit) command file, it must be present in user area 0 on the disk I'm logged onto. In particular, STAT.CMD must be present on disks B:, C:, D:, and E: if I want to log onto one of those disks and find out which user areas have files stored in them. Moreover, if PIP.CMD isn't on each logical disk, I have to go back to logical disk A: to transfer files from one place to another.

It's no good using PIP.COM and STAT.COM either. They get confused easily in a 16-bit environment. It's best simply to erase them, because you should use PIP.CMD and STAT.CMD.

Sigh. I carefully transferred STAT.CMD to each of the logical disks, then logged onto each in turn and did STAT USR:, which worked fine, although it wasn't very convenient. Then I had an idea. There was no entry under USR: in the index, but careful reading of Digital Research's User's Guide entries for STAT turned up the command syntax STAT {d: }USR:. Although there was no example, and I thought B:USR: a very strange command form indeed, when I tried it, I found it worked. Now I have a SUBMIT file called STATUSE.SUB that does STAT USR: for all the logical areas of my hard disk. Wheee!

If I seem a bit sarcastic, BYTE's managing editor has just received a very biting letter from the manager of the Digital Research documentation shop, who says I'll have nothing to write about if I stop unjustly accusing DR of bad documentation. He invites BYTE to require me to look at the Digital Research CP/M-86 documents as a prime example of the new excellent documentation DR now produces. I have just spent several hours experimenting with ways of using PIP with user numbers. Although this is vital to hard-disk management, there are precisely three examples of user-number options with PIP, and one of them contains an unexplained * in the command option. There is no example of how to transfer files from one disk to another while changing user numbers when you're logged onto yet a third disk under yet a third user number. It turns out that can be done; but I've wasted hours trying to discover what DR could have told me. in 10 lines of text, and after that letter it sent, I'm not in a charitable mood.

Aside, for the record: as I've said more than once, Digital Research's documents have shown remarkable improvement. There's room for more. Some of the improvement is said to be due to my flaying of both its old documents and its rather horrible intermediate "improvements" by a group of technical writers. I'm aware DR has put a lot of effort into document improvement, and the com

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pany has made great strides. I also realize that documentation is tough, and it's particularly difficult if you're writing for naive users about complex products like operating systems and compilers.

I've also said, repeatedly to the point of nausea, that examples and indexes will cover a myriad of sins. If USR: had been an index entry, I might have had a chance. If there had been more examples of how to use PIP with changing user numbers, I'd have saved time. Please, Digital Research: you're much improved since the CP/M 2.2 manuals, but you have not reached perfection yet.

Back to hard disks and 8/16: I'm hooked. There are too many advantages to having that much data on line.

Alas, I don't yet have one of the advantages. That is, I've been using Ward Christensen's wonderful diskcatalog program to keep track of the myriad floppies I've collected since 1976. It's possible to use that program to locate particular files and particular disks, but the catalog-library file the program must search is very large, and on floppies it was just too slow. I wrote a program that prints out the master catalog on paper. (My printer program, Christensen's publicdomain catalog program, and a bunch of other useful stuff are available from Workman and Associates as one utility disk.) Christensen unfortunately wrote his catalog program long enough ago that there was no possibility of disks beyond H:. Consequently, I can't catalog floppy disks with it unless I boot up the system under the old CP/M 2.2 BIOS.

However: I can do that. The hard disk is no longer available when I do that, but so what? I can catalog floppies, and when that's all done, reboot under CP/M-8/16, use PIP to put the master catalog onto the hard disk, and keep it on line. The catalog program will search the master file all right; it's only the disk-map utility that won't run.

The bottom line on hard disks and 8/16 is that there may be aggravations, but the advantages are high. After all, this is a test setup, and I did volunteer to be a guinea pig. By the Text continued on page 70

66 BYTE May 1984

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Circle 150 on inquiry card.

BYTE May 1984 67

"Number oi Pins ol «ich IX. | lor eaiy Socket pureluit

MICROPROCESSOR COMPONENTS

Digitalker

Pari Ho. "Pini Prlca

sN«um m a

SN74Q1N 14 25

SN7402N 14 25

SN74H3N 14 25

SM7404N 14 25

SN7405N 14 25

SN7406U 14 45

SN7407N 14 29

SN7408N 14 25

SN74Q9N 14 25

SM7410N 14 2a

SN74I1N 14 25

SN74I2H 14 49

STJ7413M 14 39

SN7414N 14 49

SN7416N 14 25

SN7417N 14 25

SN742QN 14 19

SN742IN 14 49

SN7422N 14 49

SN7423N IS 59

SN7425N 14 29

SN7426H 14 29

SN7427N 14 25

SN742BN 14 .59

SN7430N 14 25

SN7432N 14 29

SN7J37N 14 25

SN7438N 14 29

SN7439N 14 59

SN7440N 14 19

SN7441N IB 89

SN7442N IE 45

SN7443N 16 I 25

SN7444N 1G 1 25

SN7445N 16 69

SN7446K 16 69

SN7447N IB 69

SN7448N 16 69

SN745DN 14 19

SN7451N 14 19

SN7453N 14 19

SN7454N 14 19

SN7459N 14 25

SNM60N 14 39

SK7470N 14 29

74LS00 74LS01 74LS02 74LS03 74LSG4 74LS05 74LS08 74LS09 74LS1Q 74LS11 74L512 74LSI3 741S14 74LS15 74LS20 7JLS21 74LS22 7JLS26 741S27 74LS2B 74LS30 74LS32 74LS33 74LS37 74LS38 74LS40 74LS42 741S47 74LS4B 74LS49 74LS51 74LS54 74LS55 74LS73 74LS74 74LS75 74LS76 MLS78 74LS63 74LS85 74LSBB 74LS9D

74SO0 74S02 74S03 74S04 74S05 74S08 74S09 MS TO 74SM 74S15 74S20 74S22 74S30 74S32 74S38 74S4D 74S51 74S64 74S65 74S74 745B5 74SB6 74S112 MSI 13

14

CD400Q CD40D1 CD4002 CD4O06 CD4007 CD4009 CD4010 CD401T CU4012 C04013 CD4014 CD4015 CD4016 CD4017 CD401B CD4019 C04D2C CD4021 CD4022 C04023 CD4024 CDJ025 CD4026 CD4027 C04028 CD4Q29 CO4O30 CD4034 C04035 ^ |More Ir

14

CA3010H

CA3039H

CA3046N 14

CA3059N 14

CA3G60N IB

CA3065E 14

CA308OE B

PjflNo. *■

Plni M

Price 29

Part No. ■

Pta

Price

S#747!ft

SN74156N

16

59

SN7473N

14

35

SN74157N

16

.89

SN7474N

14

35

SN74160W

16

B9

SN74 75N

16

45

SN7416IN

IR

B9

SN7476N

16

35

SN74152N

16

69

SN7479N

14

4 95

SM74163N

16

69

SN7480N

14

89

SN74I64N

14

69

SW7482N

14

1.49

SN74166N

16

69

SN74B3N

16

59

SN74166H

16

B9

SN7J85N

16

59

SN74167N

16

2 95

SN7486N

14

35

SW74170N

16

1 29

SN7489N

16

2 25

SN74172N

24

4 95

SN7490N

14

39

SN74173N

16

69

SN7491N

14

79

SN74174N

16

59

SN7492N

14

39

SM74175N

16

69

SN7493N

14

39

SN74I76N

14

69

SN7494N

14

89

SN74177N

14

69

SN7495N

14

49

SN74I79N

IB

1 49

SN7496N

IB

49

SH74180N

14

69

SIW97N

16

3.25

SN 741 SIN

24

1 95

SH7410QN

24

1 95

SN74I82N

16

1 19

SN74104N

14

i 19

SN74184N

16

2 49

SH74105IJ

14

1 19

SN74185N

16

2 49

SH74107N

14

.29

SN74190N

16

69

SN74109N

16

.39

SN74191N

16

.69

SN7411BN

24

1 49

SN74192N

16

69

SN7412TN

14

39

SN74I93N

16

B9

SN74122N

14

59

SN74194N

16

69

SN74123N

16

49

SN74195N

16

69

SN74125N

14

45

SN7419lirJ

14

,69

SW74126N

14

45

SN74197N

14

89

SN74132N

14

49

SN74198N

24

1 19

SN7413BN

14

69

SN74l99t|

24

1 19

SN74141N

16

89

SN7422IN

16

1 19

SN74142N

IB

3.95

SN74251N

16

79

SN74143N

24

3 95

SN74276N

70

2 49

SN74144N

24

3.95

SN74279N

16

79

SN74I45N

IE

59

SN742B3N

16

1.49

SN74147N

16

1 49

SN742B4N

IB

2 95

SN74148N

16

1 19

SN74285N

16

2 95

SH74150H

24

1 19

SN74365N

IB

55

SN74151N

16

59

SN743firifJ

16

55

SN74152M

14

.59

SN7-13B7N

16

55

SN74153N

16

59

SM7436BN

IB

55

SN74154N

24

l 25

SN74390N

16

1 49

SN74I55N

IS

59

SN74393N

14

1 49

74LS92 74LS93 74LS95 741S96 74LS107 74LS1D9 74LS112 74LS113 74LSH4 74LS122 74LS123 74LS125 74LS126 74LS132 74LSI3J 74LS136 74LS138 74LS139 74LS151 74LS153 74LS154 74LS1S5 74LS15G 74LS157 74LS15B 74LS160 74LS161 74LSJ62 74LS163 74LS164 74LS165 74 LSI 68 74LS169 74LS170 74LS173 74LS174 74LS175 74LS18I 74LS190 74L5191

m\h.w\'M

74LSI92 16

74LS193 16

74LS194 16

74LS195 16

74LS197 14

74LS22I IB

74LS24D 20

74LS241 20

74LS242 14

74LS243 14

74LS244 20

74LS245 20

74LS247 16

74LS248 16

74LS249 16

74LS251 16

741S253 16

74LS257 16

74LS258 16

74LS260 14

74LS266 14

74LS273 20

74LS27Q 16

74LS2B3 IB

74LS290 14

74LS393 14

74LS298 16

74LS352 16

74LS353 16

74LS365 16

74LS366 16

74LS367 16

74LS368 16

74LS373 20

74LS374 20

74LS375 16

74LS3B6 14

74LS393 14

74LS399 IB

74LS67Q IB

81LS96 20

81LS97 20

74SH4 74S133 74S134 74S135 74S136 MSI 38 74S139 74S140 74S151 74S153 74S157 74S158 74S160 74SI74 74S175 74S188* 74S194 74S195 74S196 74S240 74S241 74S242

74S243 74S244 74S251 74S253 745257 74S25B 74S260 74S2BO 74S287' 74S288* 74S373 74S374 74S387* 74S471' 74S47274S473* 74S474* 74S47574S570* 74S571' 74S572' 74S573' 74S940 74S941

CA3081N CA3082N CA30B3N CA3086N CA30B9N CA3096N

23

CD4040

CD404 1

CD4042 CD4043

C04044

CD4046 C04047 CD4048 C04049 CO405O CD4051 C04052 C04053 C0405G CD4059 CD40DD CD4066 C0406B C04069 C04070 C04071 C04072 CD4073 CD4075 CD4Q76 CD407H CD40B1 CD40a? CD4093

CA3I30E CA3140E CA3160H CA3161E CA3162E CA3189E CA3401K

CD40SS

C04506

C04507

C0450B

CD4510

CD4511

CD4512

C045I4

C04515

CD45I6

CD4518

CD4519

CD4520

CD4526

CD4528

CD4529

CH4543

CD4552

CD45GG

CD4583

CD4584

CD4 723

CD4724

MCI 4409

MCI 4410

MC14

MCI44I2 16

MC14419 1G

MC14433 24

MC1453S 16

MC145.1I 14

24

CDP1802 2650

MCS(3M2

Mi;Sf')Wi:->u

6809

6809E

INS8035N-6

INSB039N

INS8040N-6

INS8070N

INSB073N

P8085A

40 CPU

40 MPU (2MHd

40 MPUw/Clock

40 MPUw/CIOtkat3MHz

40 CPU-BM (imeinai Deck 11MHz

40 CPU—B-UH lE>!einal Dock! IMH/

40 HPU-B-WfflHrW . .

40 CPU-Sql clitpB-M|12aiils Ham)

40 CPJI?MiGylosRAM)

40 CPU (64 byles RAM)

40 CPU w/Ba«c Mice- Inleipfeier

40 CPU

zao-cTc

Z80DART

ZBODMA

Z60-P10

Z80-S10/0

7B0S10/1

zeosio/2

ZB0-S10/9

Z80A

Z80A-CTC

Z80A-DAR1

Z60A-DMA

ZB0A-P10

Z8GA-S1O/0

/iil)A-Sl()/l

.->--rj.-i.-siu-':'

2B0AS1D/9

Z80B

Z80Q-CTC

Z80B-DAR1

ZB0BP1O

ZB001

ZB002

ZB030

Z8036

CPU 16-b.l5MH/

40 CPU8/1GM

40 HMOS RAM I/O Pofl-Timer

48 HMDS EPSOM MPU Z80, Z8DA, 280B. Z8000 SEfllES

4D CPU(MK3UB0N)(780C)?Mll7

2B Couniet Timef Circuit

40 Dual AsyncHiDfious Rec /Trans

4fl Direci Mflrory Access Cretin

4D Parallel I/O Interlace Conlmiier

40 Serial I/O ITxCB and RiCB Bondedl

40 Serial I/O (Lacks UTfffil

40 Senai i.'O (Lacks SYKCB}

40 Serial I/O

40 CPUlMK3880N-4)l7B0C-l)4MHi

2B Counter Timer Circutl

40 Dual Asynchronous Rec /Trans

40 QfKl Memory Access Circuit

40 Parallel I/O Iniertace Controller

40 Serial I/O |i.Nil .iiuiiuciiiioiKiiMj

40 Serial I/O (Lacks DTRB)

40 SeriaH/0(l.acksSVNCB|

40 Serial I/O

40 CPU(MKifl80N-6)6MH7

2fl Counter Timer Circuit

40 DualAsyiicli Receiver/1r.insmitler

40 Parallel I/O Interlace Controller

4B CPU Segmented

40 CPU Hon- Segmented

40 Serial Comm Controller

40 Counter/Timer & Parallel I/O Unit

44 95 34.95 44 95

-6500

MC652Q 411

MC6B0D 40

MCGH02CP 40

MC6809E 40

MCB821 40

MCB828 24

MC6830L8 24

MCG850 24

MC6S52 24

MC68G0 24

MC68000L8 64

MC68488P 40

MC6B652P2 40

MC68661PB Z8

MCM6B764 Z4

SV6522 40

TMS5501 INS8080A INSB154

DP8216 DP8224 0P8226 DP6228 0P8238 INS8243 INS8Z4S INS8246 INSB247 INS8248

OP825I DP8253 DP8255 DP8257 DP8259 DP8275 DPB279

/6800/680DG SERIES — MPU wild clock and RAM <2MH/| Peripliiir.il idler Adapter MPU

MPU wild clock and HAM CPU llMm] External (Locking) Penptici.il Inter Adapt IMC6820) PriDrrly inlorrupl Controller 1024«B-bii ROM IMCGBA30-8I Async tiro nous Comm Adapter Synclironous Serial Data Adapter 0-WODns Digital MODEM MPU 1G Bi1(6MH;| General Purpose inl Adapter Mulli Protocol Comm Controller Enhanced Prog Comm Int ri4k I.F'IKIM (450ns) Peripderal Inter Adaplet

-B0BOA SERIES

ID Svru.li'! I'.l'uKl i:l.-1„i:i!/L:.lllCl

40 CPU

40 128 Bylc-RAM 16-&I I/O

40 RAM Mid I/O Pan and Timer

20 Ocialtl flip Hop Tri-SlatL'|74C374)

24 8b<llnpul/Oulpui(74S412)

24 Priority Interrupt Control

16 Bi-DirecIwnai Bus Driver

16 Clock Generator /Driver

16 Bus Driver

28 System Con! /Bus Driver (74S42B]

28 System Conlroller(74S438)

24 I 0£.runoer!-ir 48 Series

18 ir. 1 , ' .: :■ l.rif'IC'J^'l

28

i Elen

INS1771-1

FD1791

FD1793

FD1795

FD1797

Asyn Corr

28 Prog Comm l/D(USART)

24 Prog Interval Timer

40 Proq Penplierall/0<PPI|

40 Piog DMAConlrol

28 Prog Inlerrupi Conuol

40 Prog CRT Controller

■111 i'v.l -■■,'.■■;-:■..■;:!, ill'.:.-:,-.::

20 B-BH Tri.S» B-Directranal Irans

20 a-(ii[ Fli-Di-pctianai Receiver

20 a-cjJl Hi-nirectionai Receiver

20 8-uit 01'Directional Receiver

20 Octal Lnlched Pemilieral Driver

40 B-BitUiiiv I'nripheral interface

40 16KEPR0M with I/O

— DISK CONTROLLERS

40 Single Density

40 Single/Dual Density (Inv }

40 Singie/Douoie Density (True)

40 Dual Density/Side Select (Inv 1

40 Dual Density/Side Select True

16.96 29 95 29 95 29 95 29 95

OS0025CN

DS0026CN

INS2G51

MC3470P

MM5B167AN

MMS8174AN

C0P402N

C0P402MN

COP470N

W':3e.5A; i.

MM5369ES1

— SPECIAL FUNCTION

8 Dual MOS Clock Driver (5MZ)

8 Dual MOS Clock Driver (5M2)

28 Corr m urn canon Chip

18 Ffoppy OtSk flBad Ainp System

24 Microprocessor Heal lime Clock

16 Micro Compatible Time Clock

40 Microcontroller w/64-digit RAM

and Direct LED Drive

40 Microprocessor w/G4-digi1 RAM

& Diilt.i LED Drive w/N Buss Inl

20 32-segVACFIuor L>vr |20<pinpkg |

8 Proa (hcillator/Divider <GOM;i

8 Prog Osallator/Drvider(IOOHi|

"Plni

DYNAMIC RAMS

1103 4027

411GN-2

4II6N-3

411BN-4

416411150

41G4II-20D

MM5261

MM5262

MM5270

MM52B0

MM5290 2

MM5290-3

MMf.290-4

MM5298-3

IB 1024.1 (300ns)

1G 4096x1 (250ns) . .

1G 16.384»t (150ns)

16 16.384*1 |2D0ns)

16 16,384*1(250ns]

16 65.536*1 (150ns)

16 65.536x1 (200ns)

18 1024<i 300ns)

22 2048x1 (365ns)

18 4096*1 |250ns| MK4096

22 4096x1 1200ns)2107

IB 16 384.1 1150(151

16 16.384»1 (200ns)

16 16.384x1 (250ns)

16 8192x1 (200nsl

STATIC RAMS

16 256x1 |650nsl

460(181 B101 (350:

2.49

1 89 8/14 95 1 69-8/12 95 1 49-8/10 95 6 95-8/49 95 5 95-8/44 95 49-8/1 95 10

22 256x4

16 1024x1

16 1024k1

IB 256*4

16 256x4

21 ML 2114-2 21141-2 2M7

5101 MM5257

IIMG1I6P-3

IIMI.HI>!'.!

IIM61161.IM

HM6264P-15

27LS0O

7489

74C920

74C92I

74C929

74C93D

74S189

74S2O0

74S206

74S2B9

82S10

H2S25

I702A 2708 2708-5

rMsaste

1MS2532

1MS2664

1MS27I6

2716

2716-1

27160-5

2732

2732A-3

2732A-4

27320-4

2758Q-A

2764-4

2764-3

MM5204O

i.ii;Muii/t!.i

27128

74S188

74S287

74S268

74S387

74S47I

74S472

74S473

74S474

74S475

74S476

74S478

74S570

74S571

74S572

74S573

82S23

82S115

82S123

82S126

82S129

82S130

82SI85

82S190

82SI91

HMH7:-il.H(!ll

lir.'::/':iiHN DM87S184N DM87S185N

jiMe.-.i! >i...f. OMB7S191N

450(18 L P 1450ns)Bl11

(450ns| MOS IB 1024x4 (450ns) IB 1024x4 (450ns)L P IB 1024x4 (200ns| IB 1024x4 f200ns)L P IB 4096H (70ns) 18 1024x4 (70n$) 18 1024x4 (45<Jns) . .

20 1024x4 (450ns) 22 256*4 (450ns) CMOS IB 4096x1 (45Dnsj4U44 24 2048x8 |150ns)CMOS 24 2U4BX8 200ns CMOS 24 .m-lit.H (?|]()m-,)l. IV CMOS " 8192.8 1150ns) CMOS |80n5iL P (50ns)310l i^DBxi (250ns| 256x4 |250ns)CMOS 1024*1 (250nsiCMOS(6501) 1024.1 |250ns)CMOS[651B) 16*4 |35ns)93405 256x1 |80ns)934l0 256.1 (60ns)9341i 16.4 (35ns)3101

(50ns)0 C (93415) (50ns)0 C (74S289) — PROMS/EPROMS

24 256x8 (lus)

24 1024.B (450ns)

24 1024.B (550nsiSM00246

24 204B.B |430ns)2716

24 4O06X8 (4501151NMC2532

28 8192xB (450ns)

24 204fl«8 (45Dnsi 3 voltage

24 2048x8 (450ns)

24 204B.B (350ns)

16 256.1

I0?4xl

I 49 - 8/9 95 1 95-8/13 95

1 75-B/11 95

2 25-8/14 95

39 95 9 95

2 25 395

3 95 3 95 3 95

1 95 3 95 3 95

2 25

(550ns)

(450ns)

I300nsj

|450ns|2lV

(550i)S)

24 2048x8

24 4096.8

24 4096*8

24 4096x8

24 4096x8

24 m?4.fl (450ns)

28 8192*8 (450ns)

26 6192*8 |300ns)

24 5l2<8|1us|

24 Sl92xB (450ns)

" 16.3B4.B|45l)nr,| I2BKEPR0M

16 32xE

16 250*4

16 32x8

IB 256.4

20 266.8

20 512*8

20 512.8

24 512.B

16 512.4

16 512.4

1B 1024.4

18 1024x4

IE 32x8

24 512x8

16 32x8

IB 256.4

16 256.4

16

12x4

PROM 0 C (6330

PROMT S (6301-n

PRDM I S (6331.1)

PRDMOC 16300-1)

PROM t S (6309-I)

PROM I S (6349-11

PROMO C (63461

PROM I S iDMH/ii^JiiUj

PRDM U C (6040) PROM T S PROM T S

PROMOC (6305)

PROMT S (6306)

PROMOC (6352)

PROMT S (82S137|

PROMOC (27S1B)

PROM I S I27S15)

PROMT S I27S19)

PROMOC (27S20)

PR0M1 S 127521)

PROM 0 C (27S12I

PRDM I S ITBP24SB1)

2048*4

24 2048*8 180ns)

24 2048x8 (60ns)

24 lOL'.l.D PROMO C (B.'SKii.n

24 1024*8 PROM 1 !i (Ui'SlHii

IB 2O40..1 PRUMl.1 l." (SL'SlHJi

IB 2048*4 PROMT S (82S185)

24 2048x4 PROMOC (82S190)

24 2048*8 PROM1 S (82S191}

— DATA ACQUISITION

LOW PROFILE

(TIN) SOCKETS

1-9 10-99

DC10 Mustek DC/DCConverl +5Vlo 9V 2.95

MC3470P IB Floppy disk Read AMP System 4 95

MCI408L7 16 7-DilD/A Converter (OAC0807LCN) I 49

;.'. :;..:■;■■ lb ■■:;:■■

.■.['(.■.ilS'fi':if .': 20 8-Pil /./liCniiviTtRit !,-?LSBl 4 95

AIJC0804 ZD8-LM A, U Converter (1LS8I 3 49

0AC0806 IB 8-tnl D/A Convener (0 78% Lin | 1 95

A0C08O9 288-IjiI A/OCunveilur [H-Ch Mulli.) 4 49

ADC0817 4DB-HII A.'li(;iinvi:>:cr ill) f,h Mulli ) 9 96

DACIOOD 24 Kl-Mll'/ACfjiiv Micro Comp (D D5%) 7 95

DAC1008 20 10-tiil D/AConv Micro Comn (0 20%) 6 95

DACI020 16 tOtiilDMConv (OOb^Lin) 7 95

DAC1022 16 tOtiilO/AConv (0 20W Lin | 5 95

DAC1222 18 t2lnl O/AConv (0 20% Lin | 6 95

LM3342 Constani Currom Source I 19

LM3352 Temper.ilure Transducer I 40

LM399H Temp Comp Prec Ret | 5ppm/C") 5 00

Spin LP 14 pin LP 16 pin LP

18(1

LP

20 pin LP 22 pin LP 24 pin LP

28 pin LP 36 pin LP 40 pin LP

SOLDERTAIL(GOLD) STANDARD

14 pin SG 16 pin SG 18 pin SG ct pin SG 2B pin SG 3B pin SG 4Q pin SG

ST

WW

SOLDERTAIL STANDARD (TIN)

WIRE WRAP SOCKETS (GOLD) LEVEL #3

1-9 10-99 100-up

8 pin U 10 pin V, 14 pin W 16 pin V,

WW

S10.00 Minimum Order — U.S. Funds Only California Residents Add 6V*% Sales Tax Shipping — Add 5% plus $1.50 Insurance Send S.A.S.E. tor Monthly Sales Flyer!

Spec Sheets — 30e each Send S1.00 Postage for your FREE 19B4 JAMECO CATALOG Prices Subject to Change

IWIHMBW

ameco

1355 SHOREWAY ROAD, BELMONT, CA 94002 5/84 PHONE ORDERS WELCOME — (475) 592-8097 Telex: 176043

DT1050 — Applications: Teaching aids, appliances, clocks, automotive, telecommunications, language translations, etc.

The DT1050 Is a standard DIGITALKER kit encoded with 137 separate and usetul words, 2 tones, and 5 dillorenl silence durations. The words and (ones have been assigned discrete addresses, making It possible to output single words or words concatenated into phrases or even sentences. The "voice" output of the DT1050 is a highly Intelligible male voice. Female and children's voices can be synthesized. The vocabulary Is chosen so that it is applicable to many pro

JlJC!:,

The DT1050 consists ol a Speech Processor Chip. MM54104 (40-pin) and two (2) Speech ROMs MM52164S5R1 and MM52164SSR2 (24 pin) along wllh a Master Word list and a recommended schematic diagram on the application sheet.

DT1050 Digitalker™ $34.95 ea.

MM541D4 Processor Chip 514.95 ea.

DT1057-Expands the DT1050 vocabulary Irom 137 to over 260

words. Includes 2 ROMs and specs.

Pari No. OT1057 S24,95ea,

MniU^DG,

Vtt.tit

Pan No

"Pins Function

70451 PI

7Q45EV/KU'

7106CPL

F£0?03D

7106EV/KH

7107CPL

7107EV/KH'

71I6CPL

7201IUS

7205IPG

7205EV/KH

7206CJPE

72Q6CEV/K.II

7207AIPI)

7207AEWKH"

72151 PC.

7215EV/KM'

7216AIJI

72I6CI.II

72I6DIPI

7217IJ1

7217AIPI

7224IPI

7226AI.IL

7226AEWKH*

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29 95 24 95 19 95 10 95 11% 10 95 29 95

130009 1983 INTERSIL Data Book (i3«P i $9~95l

74HC High Speed CMOS

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74C95 74C107 74C151 74CI54 74C157 74C160

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76477 28 MQHE AVAILABLE

30003 1982Nai.LinearDataBookr

i2pgs )

68 BYTE May 1984

Circle 214 on inquiry card.

HOME COMPUTER ACCESSORIES KEYBOARDS — POWER SUPPLIES disk drives and supplies

VOICE SYNTHESIZER FOR APPLE AND COMMODORE

JE520AP

JE520CM

* Over 25Q word vocabulary-affixes allow the formation of more than 500 words • Built-in amplifier, speaker, volume control, and audio jack • Recreates a clear, natural male voice • Plug-in user ready with documentation and sample software • Case size: Vk"l x 3'/«"W x 1-3/B"H ^___

APPLICATIONS: • Security Warning • Telecommunication • Teaching • Handicap Aid

■ Instrumentation • Games The JE520 VOICE SYNTHESIZER will plug right into your computer and allow you to enhance almost any application. Utilizing National Semiconductor's DIGITALKER'" Speech Processor IC (with four custom memory chips), the JE520 compresses natural speech into digital memory, including the original inflections and emphases. The result is an extremely clear, natural vocalization.

Pari No. Descripllon^ Price

JE520CM For Commodore 64 & VIC-20 $114.95

JE520AP For Apple II. II+. and lie $149.95

JE664 EPROM PROGRAMMER 8K to 64K EPROMS - 24 & 28 Pin Packages

Completely Self-Contained - Requires No Additional Systems lor Openlion

■ Programs and validates EPROMs ■ Checks tor properly erased EPROMs • Emulates PROMs or EPROMs ■ P.S232C Computer interface lor editing and program leading - Loads data into RAM by keyboard ■ Changes data in RAM Py keyboard - Loads RAM from an EPROM ■ Compares EPROMs lor contenl differences ■ Copies EPROMs ■ Power Input: 115VAC, 60Hz less than 10W power consumption ■ Enclosure: Color-coordinated, lighl Ian panels with molded end pieces in mocha brown ■ Size: 15 VL x 824'Dx3VH ■ Weight: 51-. lbs

The JEG01EFROM Programme! emulates ami programs vafJOOS 8-DH V/cmt EPROMs Irom 8K U

Wfcffl memory capacity, Oaia can tw entered into to JEWS internal bk i B-fjn RAN in Utree

ways: |t] Iron a ROM or EPROM. (21 Irom an externa! computer via Itieoptinnal JEG65 HS232C BUS; r.'ii IJWl R9 panel keyboard The JE664's RAMs may be accessed tor emulation purposes Irom DM panel's test socket ID an eternal micro processor. In programming, and emulation, the JE664 allows (or examination change and vaNdalion ol program content. Hie JE664'S RAMs can be programmed quickly lo ail "1"s lor any value), allowing unused addresses in Ihe EPROM lo Do programmed later without necessity ot "UV" erasing. The JE6&1 displays DATA and ADDRESS in ton Yemeni tii:«a decimal (alphanumeric) formal. A "DISPLAY EPROM DATA" Uutlon changes Ihe DATA readout from RAM word to EPROM word and is displayed in both hexadecimal and binary code The Itoot pan-j! [i:,!Vjre;accn,,5rvi':itepe,:itin;ir,iiide IheJE66-] Programmer includes one JMI6A Jumper Module (as listed below).

JE664-A EPROM Programmer $995.00

Assembled 5 Tesled (Includes JM16A Module)

JE665 - R5232C INTERFACE OPTION - The RS232C Interface Orjiion implements computer access to Ihe JE664's RAM This allows Ihe computer 10 manipulate, store anil transfer EPROM data to and Irom lite JEG64 A sample program listing issupplied in MIIAS1C Ira CWM compulfrs Documentation is provided lo adapt Ihe software Id o:her computers wilh an RS232 port 9)00 liaud. 8-bil word, odd parily and 2 stop Bits

FOR A LIMITED TIME A SAMPLE OF SOFTWARE WRITTEN IN BASIC FOR THE TRS-80' MODEL I. LEVEL II COMPUTER WILL ALSO SE PROVIDED.

JE664-ARS EPROM Prog w/JE665 Option $1195.00

Assembled & Tesled (Includes JM16A Module)

EPROM JUMPER MODULES- lhe.lUi>d\.Hi.Vi!HiMii[.Ui: I rivi- iMvUikMdi i'. i

plug-in Module lhal pre-sels Ihe JE66rt tor Ihe proper programming puses to Ihe EPROM and configures the EPROM socket connections loi that particular EPROM.

jaw met*

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MM

4-Digii Fluorescent Alarm Clock Kit

V Iran

The JE750 Clock Kit is a versatile 12-hour digital clock with 24-hour alarm. The clock has a bright 0.5" high blue-green fluorescent display. The display will automatically dim with changing light conditions. The 24-hour alarm allows the user to disable the alarm and immediately re-enable the alarm to activate 24 hours later. The kit ncludes all documentation, components, case and wall transformer. Size: 6VLx3H"Wx 1VD.

JE750 Alarm Clock Kit $29.95

WJJJX

*&

M.!U.WHU

MM fcj »

13,3"Lx4V'Wx VH

18"Lx 7WVx 1VH

2Ka"Lx9.8"Wx3,V'H

Mitsumi 54-Key Unencoded Matrix Alt-Purpose Keyboard

- SPST keyswitches ■ 20 pin ribbon cable conneclion • Low profile keys ■ Features: cursor controls, control, caps {took), function, enter and shift keys • Color (keycaps): grey ■ Weight: 1 lb.

KB54 $14.95

71-Key ASCII Cherry Keyboard

- 7 bit parallel ASCII with strobe ■ 11 key numeric keypad • SPST mechanical keyswitches ■ 15/30 card-edge connector ■ Features: escape, control, cursor conlrols, plus 10 add'l. special function keys ■ Color: white ■ Weight: 2 lbs. • Spec, included

KB1801 $29.95

106-Key 8-Bit Serial ASCII Keyboard

• Numeric and cursor keypad -10 user definable keys • 7 LED function displays • Security lock • N-key rollover • Uses Intel 8048/8748 - Color: white w/black panel • Documentation included ■ Weight: 6V2 lbs. KB139 $59.95

Power/Mate Corp. REGULATED POWER SUPPLY

■ Input: 105-125/210-250 VAC at 47-63 Hz- Line regulation: ±0.05% -Three mounting surfaces • Overvoltage protection ■ UL recognized • CSA certified Part No. Output Size Weight Price

EMA5/6B 5V@3A/6V@2.5A EMA5/6C 5V@6A/6V@5A

5VL :

4'W x 2V 4VWx2:

2 lbs. $29.95 4 lbs. $39.95

POWER SUPPLY +5VDC fi 7.6 AMP. 12VDC @ 1.5 AMP SWITCHING ■ Input 115VAC. 50-60Hz @ 3 amp/230VAC. 50Hz @ 1.6 amp. ■ Fan volt./powar supply Beiect switches (11S/230VAC) ■ Output 5VDC 07.6 amp, 12VDC© 1 5 amp- 8 tool black power cord ■ Size: IIVWx 13'."D x 3VH ■ Weight: 6 lbs

PS94VOS $39.95

KEPCO/TDK 4-OUTPUT SWITCHING POWER SUPPLY

• Ideal for disk drive needs of CRT terminals, microcomputers and video games • Input: 115/230VAC, 50/60Hz • Output: +5V @ 5 Amp, +12V @ 1 8 Amp +12V @ 2 Amp, -12V @ 0.5 Amp ■ UL recognized -CSA certified •Size: 7VLx 6-3/16"Wx 1VH -Weight: 2 lbs.

MRM 174KF $59.95

4-CHANNEL SWITCHING POWER SUPPLY

■ Microprocessor, mini-computer, terminal, medical equipment and process conlrol applications ■ Input: 90-130VAC, 47-440Hz • Output: +5VDC @ 5A, -5VDC S 1 A; +12VDC @ 1 A, -12VDC @ 1A • Line regulations: "0.2% - Ripple: 30mV p-p ■ Load regulation: ^1% • Overcurrent protection ■ Adj: 5V main output ' 10% ■ Size: 6¥Lx 1VW x 4-15/16"H -Weight: 1% lbs.

FCS-604A $69.95 each

Switching Power Supply for APPLE II, 11+ & //e,M

■ Can drive four floppy disk drives and up to eight expansion cards

■ Short circuit and overload protection • Fits inside Apple computer

■ Fully regulated +5V @ 5A, +12V @ 3A. -5V @ .5A. -12V @ .5A • Direct plug-in power cord included ■ Size: 9VL x 3'£"W X'2W"H

■ Weight: 2 lbs.

KHP4007 $79.95

DISKETTES AND ACCESSORIES

MINI FtEXIBLE DfWS

5V«" and 8" Diskettes

ll Dinillv DSOD - Double) 510*0 Doubla D llngli Slifad Quad Donslly DSOD = Doul>ln SldoO Quntl Of

ULTRA MAGNETICS - 5'/." DISKETTES

.' DSOD Soil Sector 96TPI [Buikj

100

2M»S

SK (ESKEI) — 5Vi " DISKETTES

. " SSDD S^r, Sec,n. *th HUD Rino Ur>D En.aldo.

10

20. BS

. ' DS00 Sotl Sncloi w in Hutj Rinn nnd EnvolORB ." DSDD Sotl Seclo. w in HuD Ring IBulKI

10 100

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ULTRA MAGNETICS — 8" DISKETTES

5SSD IBMCompalitilodJB ms. 26 Soclorst and Enmope

10

3* .S 5

81' FLOPPY DISK DRIVE

• Single-Sided

• 77 Tracks

• 400/800K Bytes Capacity

• Industry Standard

The FDD100-8 8" Floppy Disk Drive (Induslry Standard) features single or double density Recording mode: FM single, MFM double density, Transler rate: 250K bilsJsec. single density; 500K bits/sec. double density. The FD010O-8 Is designed lo work wilh the singlesided soft sectored IBM Diskette I, or eq. disk cartridge. Power: 115VAC a 50-60H;, +24VDC ffl T.7 amps max.. +5VDC Si 1.2 amps max, Unil as pictured above (does not include case, power supply, or cables). Size: 8.55"W x 14"L x t.5"H. Weighs 12 lbs. Incl. 96-pg.

FDD100-8 ..$169.95ea.

51/4" APPLE™

Direct Plug-In

Compatible Disk Drive

• Uses Shugart SA390 mocnanlct • 143K lormstled storage • 35 tracks — compatible with Applo controller • Complete with connector and cable — just plug Into your disk controller card • Size: G"L x 3V>"W x B-9/lB"0 • Weight: 474 tbs.

ADD-514.. .$195.95

+5VDC @ 6 Amps +12VDC@4Amps -12VDC® 0.5 Amps

Microcomputer

Power Inc.

Regulated

Power Supply

• Perfect for computer or disk drive systems • Supply has AMP connectors for direct connection to two 5'/4" disk drives

• Cooling fan ■ Input: 100/115/ 200/230VAC, 47-63HZ • Output (above) • Weight: 9 lbs.

CP167 $59.95

*»«SIS —

13lV'Lx6l-V'Wx5"H

EJ,^

1&*

TniEs Protect Yourself... DATASHIELD Surge Protector

■ Eliminates voltage spikes and EMI-RF1 noise before it can damage your equipment or cause data loss • 6 month warranty • Fbwer dissipation (100 microseconds): 1,000,000 watts • 6 sockets ■ 6 loot power cord ■ Normal line voltage indicator light ■ Brown out/black out reset switch ■ Weight: 2 lbs.

Model 100 $69.95

DATASHIELD

Back-Up Power Source

»»

DISKETTE ACCESSORIES

Disk Minder

MP5201

10White5

A "Envelopes .

10 lor S 1.49

MPS201-100

100 While

'■•" Envelopes

.100lorS10.95

MP82CH

to White 8

. .10forS IS)',

MPa201-IOO

10Q While

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.100lorSt7.9S

Vinyl Pages

For suing Binders

■ Atlraclive. functional disk storage sysiem ■ 50(8 )5'/<") disk storage capacity • Easy tiling, ami retrlev * Protects disk Irom dusl conlaminahon • Molded 1r durable smoked plastic Willi front carrying handle • S 7-Wx6'/i-H y, 9 WD • Weight. 2 lbs.

p.,1 No Oticilpllon '

ties . $19.95 01

. 10 (5'..

PCD01

2 Pockel 5

a "Vinyl Page .

10lorS7.9S

PC001-2

J Pockel 5

.10 for $8.95

PC0J4

1 Pocket a

Vinyl Page.

10lor$7.95

PC014-2

2 Pocket 8

Vinyl Page..

. . tOlor$8.95

Mail Pak"

Provides up to 30 minutes of continuous 120 VAC 60Hz power to your computer system (load dependent) when you have a black out or voltage sag ■ Output rating: 200 watts ■ Six month warranty • Weight: 19 lbs.

Model 200 (PC200) $349.95

IBM MEMORY EXPANSION KIT COMPAQ COMPATIBILITY

SAVE HUNDREDS OF $$$ BY UPGRADING MEMORY BOARDS YOURSELF!

Most of the popular memory boards allow you lo add an additional 64K, 128K, 192K, or 25GK. The I8M64K Kit will populate these boards in 64K byte Incremenls. The kit Is simple to install — jutsl Insert the nine E4K RAM chips In the provided sockets and set Ihe two groups ol switches. Directions are included.

IBM64K (Nine 200ns 64K RAMs) $49.95

l \ TRS-80 MEMORY EXPANSION KIT

TRS-80 to 16K, 32K, or 48K

"Model 1 = From 4K to 16K Requires (1) One Kit Model 3 b From 4K to 48K Requires |3| Three Kits Color = From 4K to 16K Requires (1) One Kit

"Modsl 1 BQUippad with Expantlon Board up lo *BK Two Kits ROQulred - Ona Kit Raqulrod for aach iliK ot Expaosioo

TRS-16K3 *Z00ns for Color & Model III $12.95

TRS-16K4*Z50ns lor Model I $10.95

TRS-80 Color 32K or 64K Conversion Kit

Easy to install kits comes complete wilh 8 ea. 4164-2 (200ns) 64K dynamic RAMs and conversion documentation. Converts TRS-80 color computers with D, E, ET, F and NC circuit boards to 32K. Also converts TRS-80 color computer II to 64K. Flex DOS or OS-9 required to utilize lull 64K RAM on all computers. TRS-64K2 $44.95

$10.00 Minimum Order — U.S. Funds Only Spec Sheets — 30c each

California Residents Add 6% % Sales Tax Send $1.00 Postage for your

Shipping — Add 5% plus $1.50 Insurance FREE 1984 JAMECO CATALOG

Send S.A.S.E. for Monthly Sales Fiyer! Prices Subject to Change

ameco

ELECTRONICS

1355 SHOREWAY ROAD, BELMONT, CA 94002 5/84 PHONE ORDERS WELCOME — (415) 592-8097 Telex: 176043

UV-EPROM Eraser

B Chips — 51 Minutes |

[ 1 Chip — 37 Minutes"

Erases 2708, 2716, 2732. 2764. 2516, 2532, 2564. Erases up lo 8 chips within 51 minutes (1 chip In 37 minutes). Maintains constant exposure distance of one inch. Special conductive loam liner eliminates stat'c build-up. Built-in safety lock to prevent UV exposure. Compact — only 9.00" x 3.70" x 2.60". Complete with holding tray for 8 chips.

DE-4 UV-EPROM Eraser ...S79.95

UVS-11EL Replacement Bulb ..$16.95 J

Circle 214 on inquiry card.

BYTE May 1984 69

Circle 69 on inquiry card.

IBM-PC/XT or PC compatible IEEE-488 INTERFACE BOARD

IEEE-488

.* Implements the entire IEEE-488

standard - transfer commands and data, perform serial and parallel polling.

p

• A resident firmware interpreter

simplifies programming and

accepts any ASCII string or code . including Tektronix Standard Codes and Formats and IEEE-488 command mnemonics. Interpreter routines support BASIC, PASCAL, C and other languages.

• Supports the PrtSc (print screen) key, and all BASIC print statements for IEEE-488 printers and devices.

• Small size-see BYTE 11/83, p. 314

• Accepts a standard IEEE-488 cable.

• Uses only 16 bytes of RAM andf no I/O ports. <•

• A 116 page Reference Manual

provides a tutorial and programming examples for digitizing, interactive bus control, bus diagnostics, and many other„applications.

• $395 complete. There are no extra software or cabling charges.

CAPITAL EQUIPMENT CORP

10 Evergreen Avenue

Burlington, MA. 01803

(617)273-1818

Text continued from page 66: time you see this, much of what annoys me will be taken care of. Even if there were to be no more changes, I'd stay with it. There are enough advantages already.

Sage Faire

The Sage Computer Faire was held in Reno in early February at the MGM Grand Hotel, where they stage the San Francisco earthquake twice nightly. The MGM dinner show is the most spectacular live stage presentation I've ever seen.

That's not why I went. In the past two years, Sage Computer has taken the same commanding position with development systems based on the Motorola 68000 chip that Compupro holds with respect to the S-100 bus and systems based around the Intel 8086 and follow-ons. Apple will sell a lot more Macintosh 68000 systems, but the Sage is faster, more versatile, and has more software, including advanced languages, now. Moreover, I have it on good authority that there's more than one Sage being used to develop Macintosh software.

For those who don't know, we've had a Sage II since the very early days of that machine. It was the Sage and Volition Systems Modula-2 that got me interested in that language. We've never had a glitch with it, and our Sage II is even now being used by Dr. Michael Hyson to develop illustrative programs for the introductory Modula-2 book we are writing.

This year the company brought out the Sage IV, which is faster, has more memory, and has a hard disk. We'll be getting one this month. One reason I went to the Sage Faire was to look at software I might want for the IV.

I saw a lot of it.

Fewer than a thousand people attended the Sage Faire. It reminded me of some of the early micro conventions, the fun ones before they got so large. There was a difference, though: although there were enough hobbyists and hackers to make the conversations interesting, there were also a number of industry heavyweights to make it likely that what was said would have an effect. All told, I don't think I've more enjoyed

a convention since the West Coast Faire in Los Angeles where Carl Helmers, my late mad friend Dan MacLean, and I invented this column.

There's now plenty of software for the Sage: decent text editors, FORTH corresponding pretty well to what's described in Leo Brodie's Starting FORTH, what looks like an excellent LISP, and an impressive micro APL (you have to buy a special terminal in order to handle APL's screwy squiggles); there's UCSD Pascal; and of course there's Modula-2 from Volition Systems, with the full Modula-2 compiler and operating system to be available from Modula Research Institute very soon.

There's a small but strong market in add-on packages, such as modems for communications and a rumor of an Omninet retrofix for both lis and IVs.

There are also application packages: business software that works. In as small a show as the Sage Faire, it's possible to look at everything in some detail. I liked most of what I saw. I was also able to talk to a number of publishers and their programmers, pointing out features I'd like to see and things I didn't care for. Some promised to make changes. We'll see.

I've purposely avoided specifics in the above, because I don't like commenting on things we haven't been able to run here at the Manor. Next month we'll have the Sage IV and whatever software I've been able to collect.

What's important is that the Sage looks to be here to stay. The factory in Reno is quite real, large enough for considerable expansion if the company needs it, and not so expensive that it will go bankrupt paying for it. There's an enthusiastic work force and a lot of in-house use of Sage computers.

I've long thought Sage had the best 68000-based computers on the market. Now I'm certain of it.

Two Views of the Future

Dr. William Godbout of Compupro and Rod Coleman of Sage are, in my judgment, two of a very small num

70 BYTE May 1984

m

GET YOUR MESSAGE THROUGH.

EVEN WHEN YOUR MODEM SENDS IT BY WAY OF THE OICEFENOKEE SWAMR

When you send data by telephone through nasty environments like this, it can run into problems tougher than just alligators. Problems like impulse noise. Chatter from the switchgear. Static from the atmosphere or bad weather. Distortion due to crosstalk or just plain white noise.

To get your message through, your IBM PC or XT needs the advanced performance features of the PC:lntelliModem™ It's got the best receive sensitivity available today — actually down below -50 dBm. So now you can achieve a high level of data transmission integrity. Even with bad connections.

Get patented modem technology.

The PC:lntelliModem is elegantly simple. Its patented design does it all on a single microprocessor chip, with just one crystal. Other modems take

Bizcomp: A history of innovation.

1980 Invented first command-driven modem

1981 Introduced proprietary linestatus monitoring

1983 Designed first single-yuP 212Acompatible modem

1983 Introduced first integrated

voice/data modem for IBM PC

1983 Granted patent on commanddriven modem

two, four or more jjPs (and even more oscillators), and still accomplish less.

How do we do this? By creating architectural innovations in firmware, and by pushing the chip to its limit, close to 12 MHz. Since it uses fewer parts, the PC:lntelliModem's no-compromise design offers higher reliability, a more compact form factor, and lower costs

This design elegance leads naturally to more elegant performance. Take line status detection, for example. The PC:lntelliModem's adaptive, decisiondirected logic monitors line status more closely than other modems. Even at weak or degraded signal levels. So it can make connections with less chance of error, by detecting signals for dial tone, remote ringback, busy and voicesome of which other modems ignore.

Plan ahead with integrated voice and data.

For opening up a whole new world of integrated voice and data applications, there's nothing like the PC:lntelliModem. Literally. Its easy-to-use software package -PC:lntelliCom™- lets you switch repeatedly between talking or listening and sending or receiving data. All at

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the touch of a single function key. That means now both you and your computer can talk on the same line. Without having to hang up, re-dial or plug and unplug a lot of cables.

So if you're designing microcomputer datacomm products-or just looking for a PC/XT modem for yourself, check out the PCilntelliModem at your local dealer. You'll get the message. And so will they. Or contact: Bizcomp, 532 Weddell Drive, Sunnyvale, CA 94089; 408/745-1616.

We've got people talking.

Circle 61 on inquiry card.

BYTE May 1984 71

Circle 379 on inquiry card.

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ber of key people in microcomputer development. Both sell topflight development equipment. Both have similar ideas about the future of computers. Godbout and Coleman are both after the business market, because that's where the high-volume sales are; but that's marketing strategy, not love.

Their hearts are with the development of high technology, largely for its own sake. Each foresees dramatic increases in computing power per dollar, and each is obsessed with building machines that access huge amounts of memory and work at the fastest possible speeds. The similarity ends there.

Bill Godbout

Although Godbout's Compupro company makes a 68000 microprocessor for its S-100 development system, there's little support for the board, and if there are any plans for follow-on developments, such as adding the National Semiconductor 16081 floating-point math chip, it's Compupro's best-kept secret. Dr. Godbout is betting heavily that the future of the micro lies with the Intel iAPX286 and its follow-ons. In addition, he's made some hefty investments in technology based on the National Semiconductor 16032; there's already a Compupro 16032 microprocessor board for the S-100 bus. You might be able to buy one about the time this is in print; about the same time you can probably buy a 286 system, but you'll pay a stiff price for it.

Within a year, though, prices will fall. They always do, and you'll be able to buy working machines with incredible power at reasonable prices. The trend toward more bang for the buck will continue; meanwhile, if you want to develop software for future computers, you can get a machine to develop it on now.

Godbout's development systems are based on the S-100 bus, which he figures will last a few more years before technology irrevocably passes it by. Meanwhile, you can buy a complete development system, with fast memory, disk drives, system support, input/output, etc., and change

microprocessor boards as they arrive; and you can have confidence that Godbout will do his best not to leave his customers hung out to dry.

Dr. Godbout likes to talk about future computer technology. So do I, which is a good thing, since when we get together even on thoroughly social occasions the conversation is likely to get technical, to the extreme boredom of the other guests. I have notebooks full of his speculations about the 16032, memory management, math chips, and the future of operating systems. In brief, he thinks supermicros in the future will be built around either the Intel 286 and follow-ons or the National Semiconductor 16032 and its upgrades; and that the operating system of the future will be multiuser multitasking Concurrent CP/M—which will be compatible with, possibly based on, and look an awful lot like Unix.

Secrets ...

Like Bill Godbout, Rod Coleman likes to talk technology, and until very recently his Sage Computer was one of the most open companies going. Almost anyone could call him and get him into a conversation on his view of the future.

Lately, though, his marketing and public-relations people have advised him to be a lot more careful, and he's reluctantly taking that advice: for example, everything said about future Sage products at Sage Faire was not only off the record, but preceded by a formal nondisclosure agreement. Unlike Compupro, Sage doesn't have multiple product lines. The Sage is a great 68000-based development system, but it also has to be Sage's business system; and although the Sage has been profitable from the first month it began shipping computers, the company is critically dependent on shipping machines to maintain its cash flow. There's no big wad of venture capital behind Sage; 90 percent is owned by the three original founders.

Thus, Sage is subject to the "Osborne phenomenon": announcements of future machines killing sales of present ones. I think the company worries too much: the present Sage

72 BYTE May 1984

Circle 31 on inquiry card.

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II and Sage IV are proven systems, with new software coming out every week, which is what business customers want. It's one of Pournelle's rules for users: the best computer to buy is a development system after it has been around a couple of years. You get state of the art with the bugs out.

I didn't really need a confidential briefing to know that Coleman is not standing still, and he was speaking on the record when he said that "the 68000 is a generation ahead of anything Intel is building." Obviously, Sage is going to track new 68000 and follow-on technology, and I must have a dozen letters from readers telling me the virtues of the 68010 and 68020 chips. It's also obvious that any dramatic improvement in 68000 speeds will require some kind of floating-point math chip. In answer to an audience question, Coleman said he expects 256K-bit RAM chips to be available at reasonable prices late in 1984; and everyone knows that really big hard disks are just now coming onto the market.

Put all that together, and lay a french curve through the speed, memory, disk capacity, and price of the Sage II and Sage IV plotted against their date of introduction.

Thus, the only real secrets Sage has are when it will bring out the new stuff and how much it will charge for it: and Coleman gave a clue to that when he said, in a nonrestricted speech, that he doesn't consider a new chip a real part until its price has fallen to 50 percent of the introductory price. "By then it's not only cheaper, it's more reliable. The bugs are shaken out, there's probably been a new mask, and usually there's a second source," Coleman said.

It doesn't take a very large computer to predict what Sage is doing. On the other hand, it doesn't take a market survey to know that business customers aren't interested in state of the art: they're interested in software, service, and reliability. Sage's business sales aren't going to depend on the ability of Coleman's marketing people to shut him up about new Sage products: they're going to de

pend on Sage's ability to market what I'm now willing to say is the best 68000 computer available.

Rod Coleman

Coleman believes in the 68000 chip as strongly as Bill Godbout believes in the Intel family. Where Godbout says that "unless you know what you're doing, don't fool around with 68000 machines," Coleman believes the 68000s are the real beginning of the supermicro.

Coleman spends more time worrying about software than Godbout does. Unlike Dr. Godbout—and many 68000 enthusiasts—Coleman rejects Unix as too big, too slow, and too incomprehensible. "Just how different is Unix from Adventure?" he asks. "You get to wander around in the Unix command structure and try to find out if you can make it do anything useful. Once in a while you get hints, like 'Volume not on line.' At least UCSD p-System puts seven words across the top of the screen. That's more than Unix—or CP/M for that matter—ever did."

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Circle 267 on inquiry card.

He also points out that CP/M was designed to work with a Teletype (TTY), a device that couldn't transfer information with any speed at all. Now we have hardware that can store a lot of information and tell it to us quickly; why are we stuck with operating systems based on obsolete technology?

He also sees the future belonging to multitasking—and to integrated software, huge software projects that tie together spreadsheets, databases, word processors, accounting systems, calendars and all the other tasks we now ask computers to do one at a time. In Coleman's view, future operating systems will do much of the work for the programmer. That means they'll be big, a full megabyte and more—which in turn means that the micro will have to work fast to make use of all that code.

Huge software projects are beyond human capability. Adding more people to the job eventually brings a point of not merely diminishing, but negative return; adding another person to the job requires enough man

agement and training that the expanded team produces less than it did before the new people were put on the job. Since we will need huge integrated software packages, the only answer is modular software— which is what both Modula-2 and Ada were designed to accomplish.

Coleman's only comment about Ada was that it was designed by a committee. Modula-2, on the other hand, was guided by a single (and brilliant) mind. It can, perhaps, serve as a software bus, with new software making use of previous modules— but only if there's some kind of standardization of the Modula-2 library.

At the founding meeting held in Zurich last March of the Modula-2 Users Association, all the major U.S. and European Modula-2 publishers agreed to work together in standardizing the Modula-2 library. Niklaus Wirth, Modula-2's inventor, pronounced himself very pleased with the meeting.

One thing Coleman is certain of: the future doesn't belong to obscurantists, but to people who can design

systems—hardware and softwareaccessible to a lot of people. "It has to be simple, like a doorknob," he's fond of saying.

His picture of the future has many of the elements that Larry Niven and I put into the society of The Mote in God's Eye. In our novel, everyone carries a pocket computer, which is used by asking questions in ordinary English. (Well, in our novel it's Anglic, since we set this rather far into the future.) The pocket computers are tied into enormous databases; anyone can get the answer to almost any question simply by asking.

In my speech at NCC last year, I said that by the turn of the century, anyone in Western civilization who seriously wants to will be able to get the answer to any question whose answer is either known or calculable. I see no reason to change that prediction. Neither does Rod Coleman.

So What's Coming?

If you take what Coleman and Godbout say and cancel out their dis

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BYTE May 1984 75

{PiHmioA &rv tAm Id jv^yrv J^iHrnA^r

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agreements, you still get a comprehensive picture of the new supermicro. It will have a bit-mapped screen and be able to do high-resolution graphics. There will be a good programming language integrated into the operating system, which will be enormous, Unix-sized even if it's not Unix. The machines will be fast. They'll have several megabytes of memory. They'll do coprocessing, which is to say they'll do several things at once. They'll have access to really large data storage, probably hard disks with 100 megabytes. They'll be able to talk to other machines and do it transparently so the user doesn't really have to know the difference between accessing his own hard disk and accessing one on the other side of the continent.

The operating system will be largely menu driven, and comprehensible to ordinary people. Both Godbout and Coleman have plenty of contacts within the software-development community; Bill Godbout often talks with Digital Research's Gary Kildall, while Rod Coleman's people work closely with Softech, Volition, and the Modula Research Institute. Compupro and Sage are in a position to have major influence over software development.

However, their interests differ. Coleman worries about software development a lot more than Bill Godbout does. Although Compupro is a much larger company than Sage, Sage has more software people and works harder at integrating outside software into its bundle. Compupro tends to have software development done through outside consultants.

Both companies work at the frontiers of microcomputer development—and despite their different approaches, both seem to be headed toward the same place, the world of supermicros.

To Unix or Not to Unix?

On Mondays and Wednesdays I'm sure Unix is the wave of the future. After all, IBM says Unix. AT&T says Unix. Digital Research is moving in the general direction of Unix and also getting closer to IT&T There are indications that Microsoft is getting

76 BYTE May 1984

for cp/m: top quality bottom price.

Nevada makes it easy and economical to get the software you want and need. Need a better BASIC? We've got it. Is BASIC not solving your business or engineering problems? Nevada COBOL or FORTRAN will. The media praises Nevada, and it's priced right: just $39.95-about 1/10 what comparable quality costs. For about half the price of one competitive package, you can own the entire Nevada Software library! So don't wait; order one or two or all of our bargains-today.

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jJt>&.M 4 Finally, a better BASIC. This straight

a.^S^^'SB^^ \ forward language lets beginners write Y^^i^^^jN^o^ useful programs without limiting them to ^o* 06 simple programs. New Nevada BASIC'S ' ^e^ interpreter has Prof. Starkweather's great built-in full-screen text editor. You can define o,p'XjO>'*"eev' single- and multi-line functions. Plus there are Lf jj^* full-matrix operations, Random Access and Sequene tial files, program execution with a simple command, BCD Math-no round-off errors. With Nevada BASIC, micros can run like minis costing thousands more.

Whether you do business computing or learn computing for business, COBOL is the language; more business application software is in COBOL than in all other languages combined. Based on ANSI-74 &* standards, Nevada COBOL offers many advanced features: Random Access ' <(° and Sequential files, debugging capability, COPY statement, character string, 16 bit binary and decimal data types. Colleges use the fine documentation as classroom texts. It's fieldproven by 10,000+ worldwide business, government and education users. Join them.

COBOL Application Package-Book I. Superior user documentation that saves even experienced programmers many hours.

"If you want to learn or teach someone FORTRAN, this is the package to buy." ACCESS, March/April 1983. For earning and teaching, for scientists and engineers, Nevada is the perfect FORTRAN. Based on *°x ANSI-66 standards (FORTRAN IV), its advanced features include IF..THEN...ELSE constructs, COPY statement, CHAINing with COMMON, TRACE style debugging, and 150 verbal error messages. And you can intermix in-line FORTRAN and Assembly Language statements for special micro needs. Requires 48K RAM. If you're shopping for FORTRAN, look no further.

Perfect for training, testing, virtually all programmed instruction, and word puzzles. It's the ideal companion language for BASIC, COBOL, and FORTRAN application packages, "•5>v\o^ because it so quickly solves training and j!?, 6> documentation problems. Nevada PILOT meets all <yf> ^o piLOT-73 standards and has many new features including a built-in full-screen text editor. Prof. Starkweather's documentation is exceptional;

the manual comes with 10 free programs. See MICROCOMPUTING review, January 1983, and you'll be convinced.

"A well-thought-out product with excellent documentation and an astoundingly low price." MICRO

May 1983.

«*

^^ COMPUTING, ,^NC Now, high-quality text editing for micros. A character-oriented full-screen display editor, Nevada EDIT is great for program editing as it's specifically designed to create COBOL, BASIC, and FORTRAN programs. Simple to-configure, you customize tab stops, default file type, keyboard layout, and CRT by menu selection. Nevada EDIT may pay off better than any software purchase you've made.

ELLIS COMPUTING, INC.

3917 Noriega Street

San Francisco, CA 94122 Phone 415/753-0186

Please send me: Software Packages □ BASIC 3 COBOL n FORTRAN n PILOT O EDIT Disk Format

□ 8" SSSD (Standard CP/M IBM 3740)

(Vector Graphic)

5W Diskette for:

□ Access

□ Apple CP/M

□ DEC VT 180 D Epson QX-10

□ Heath Hard Sector (Z-89) n Heath Soft Sector (Z-90)

n IBM-PC (Baby blue or big blue card)

□ Kaypro Double Density

[ I Micropolis Mod I

□ NEC PC 8001

n Northstar Double Density I i Northstar Single Density

] Osborne (Single Density Disk) ! I Sanyo

D Superbrain DD, DOS 3.X (512 byte sec) [ ] Televideo IT TRS-80 Model I (Relocated to 4200 hex)

□ Xerox 820 (Single Density)

Money back guarantee: you must be completely satisfied, or return the packages(s)-in good condition ^ with the sealed diskette(s) unopened-within 30 days, and we'll gladly refund your money.

CP'M Is a registered trademark of Digital Research. Inc. TRS-80 is a registered trademark ot Tandy Corp. Apple II is a trademark of Apple Computer Inc. Osborne is a registered trademark of Osborne Computer Corp. Xerox 820 is a trademark of Xerox Corp. Kaypro is a trademark of Non-linear Sys. Heath Zenith is a trademark of Heath Corp. IBM is a trademark of International Business Machines, Corp. Nevada BASIC. Nevada COBOL. Nevada FORTRAN, Nevada PILOT Nevada EDIT and Ellis Computing are trademarks of Ellis Computing, Inc. © 1983 Ellis Computing. Inc.

Send my order for packages u< $39.95 each Total .

COBOL Application package (u $9.95 each Total.

Sales Tax . Shipping .

n Check enclosed n Mastercard □ VISA TOTAL . Card # Exp. Date

California residents add 6l'2% Sales Tax. Outside North America, add S6 per package lor shipping (Postage paid within North America.) Checks must be in U.S dollars and drawn on a U.S. bank.

Signature

Ship to: Name_ Street

City/State/Zip _

The CPU operating system, an 8080. 8085. or Z-80 microprocessor, and 32K RAM are reguired Note: Double Density drives can read Single Density diskettes.

Circle 159 on inquiry card.

BYTE May 1984 77

Less for Hour Money

If you do word processing on your personal computer, you probably know that there are many programs for sale to help you with your spelling. But the biggest spelling error you'll ever make is paying too much for your spelling correction software. The Random House ProofReader gives you less for your money less trouble, that is, and fewer spelling errors. The Random House ProofReader is based on the world famous Random House Dictionary. It contains up to 80,000 words, depending on your disk capacity. You can add new words with the touch of a key. It shows you the error and the sentence it's in. It instantly suggests corrections. It even rechecks your corrections. And it costs half as much as other programs with far less power. The Random House ProofReader is compatible with all CP/M 2.2®, MS-DOS® and IBM Personal Computer® systems.

Random

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f

Random

House

ProofReader

For orders or information, see your local dealer or call 505-281-3371. Master card and VISA accepted. Or write Wang Electronic Publishing, One Industrial Ave., Lowell, MA 01851. Please enclose $50 and specify your computer model, disk size and memory.

Random House and the House design are registered trademarks of Random House, Inc. CP/M is a registered trademark of Digital Research, Inc. IBM and IBM Personal Computer are registered trademarks of International Business Machines, Inc. MS-DOS is a registered trademark of Microsoft, Inc.

78 BYTE Mav 1984

heavily into the Unix game. Thus, the Intel chip family seems headed toward Unix.

Meanwhile, a good part of the 68000 chip community (with the notable exception of Sage's Rod Coleman) believes in Unix and thinks the 68000 has a better architecture for doing Unix-like things than the 8086 family does. It's even possible that Unix will bring about some convergence of software written for the 8086 and 68000 series; at least the source codes in higher-level languages ought to be transportable. It's vital to the micro community that we have as large a software market base as possible, so Unix may be a real boon to us all by allowing software developed on one kind of system to tap another kind of system's market, thus encouraging investment in really elegant programs. By Wednesday evening I can convince myself that Unix is a friend to all.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays I'm certain Unix is dead. It's enormous; Unix for the IBM PC comes on 15 floppy disks. You must have a hard disk before Unix even begins to make sense.

Unix is slow. It's designed for a multiuser situation, which violates the first principle of the micro world: One User, One Computer. I fervently believe in that principle, and thus I'm much more partial to communications and networking than to multiuser concepts.

Unix is incomprehensible. It tells you almost nothing and lets you guess what you did wrong. It can be modified, but I haven't yet seen one of those "easily constructed" userfriendly Unix shells that will be out Real Soon Now. By Thursday night I can convince myself that Unix is an enemy of the micro revolution.

The rest of the week I refuse to think about it.

usus

If we ever do develop truly modular software, some of the credit should go to outfits like USUS, the UCSD Pascal Users Society. USUS membership costs $25 a year, and if you've any interest at all in the future of modular languages, you should

join if only to support the outfit.

At the Sage Faire, a number of USUS committees met continuaUy. There was some nattering about USUS business, but most of the discussion was about standards. Since representatives of Apple and Softech, the two largest vendors of Pascal pcode, were present throughout the three days of meetings, there was at least a chance of accomplishing something useful.

A typical problem considered at the USUS meetings was version control for separate compilation.

Separate compilation means that you write and compile your program in little chunks that never have to be recompiled. It saves a lot of time and work.

If we ever develop

truly modular

software, some of the

credit should go to

outfits like USUS.

Pascal was never designed for separate compilation. Indeed, it wasn't originally designed to be compiled at all; it was intended as a teaching language. After Pascal caught on as a production language, some compiler writers added a kind of separate compilation capability to the language.

Alas, that has its drawbacks. In particular, the "modular" capability additions to Pascal have no provision for version control. This means that you can play holy hell with programs if you make certain kinds of changes and someone else comes along and writes procedures that depend on your not having made your changes. It happens more often than you think.

There was a lengthy USUS discussion on how to modify UCSD Pascal to give it version control. Modula-2 has rigid version controls, and Pascal needs them. Implementation would be simple. There are at least a dozen ways to do it—which, of course, is the problem. When I left there'd been no resolution, but they're trying, and that can benefit us all.

You can reach USUS at POB 1148,

La Jolla, CA 92038, and you ought to.

Text continued on page 82

Circle 223 on inquiry card. >

n9

■^^l^^^uQ^^^^^^^^^^^I

Ehrf

r Pre '

■HH^f^ .$**%T''

m

eDelirx IBM* PC

Get the most from your IBM* PC or XT computer system with Key Tronic's new KB 5151 low-profile, plug compatible keyboard . . . and get the "SHIFT" and "RETURN" keys in their proper place.

The KB 5151 offers separate cursor keys, top-row function keys with removable template, and a handy pencil and book holder ridge.

The KB 5151 features familiar typewriter key placement, Key Tronic's reliable, solid-state switch technology, LED status indicators and positive tactile feedback.

If you're purchasing a new IBM* PC, you can get it without their keyboard, and buy a Key Tronic Deluxe KB 5151 to enhance your system.

Suggested Retail Price: $255.00.

For the retailer closest to you or information on Model KB 5151, call Toll Free 1-800-262-6006, (7 am - 3 pm Pacific Time). Warranty information may be obtained by writing to the address below.

8, 4850

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s

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In the wor] of business so: ware, there's oi one number one 1-2-3™ from Lo

And it's been that way almost from day one. Since January of 1983, 1-2-3 has consistently been at the top of the software best sellers lists?

And it's the best selling PC software in the world, for one very good reason. It's the very best PC software.

The PC software that simply does more for you.

1-2-3 gives you the most powerful productivity software available today. An analytical tool that combines spreadsheet, graphics and information management into one incredibly fast, easy-touse package.

With 1-2-3, you can analyze, interpret and report information in seconds with just the touch of a key.

And because it's all one program, you not only work faster and smoother, you work smarter.

But don't just take our word for it.

Take the word of the experts. The New York Times heralded 1-2-3 as "the wave of the future in business software."

1. 1.

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And recently they wrote, "In scarcely a year, the Lotus Development Corporation has done for the world of personal computer software what International Business Machines has done for personal computers: it has created a product so wildly successful that scores of other companies are scrambling to imitate or improve on it." Software News said, "1-2-3 has more capabilities than any other program in its class."

"It is the one product that without doubt has single-handedly changed the face and direction of the personalcomputer-software industry," was the way Info-Wor Id put it.

Softalk simply wrote, "Lotus's 1-2-3 is so dominant, it doesn't seem as though there's room for other software." And in 1983, 1-2-3 from Lotus was good enough to be named a "Product of the Year" by both Fortune and Info-World.

It's the difference

between getting by

and getting ahead.

What can 1-2-3 do for you?

What it's already done for hundreds of thousands of PC users. Give you a proven business software that can dramatically increase productivity for you and everyone in your company.

After all, when it comes to looking out for number one, going

1.

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with number one is the only way to go. To find out what l 1-2-3 from Lotus can do for you just visit your local computer store, or call 1-800343-5414. (In Massachusetts call 617492-7870.)

1-2-J and Lotus are trademarks of Lotus Development Corporation. 'Based on Softsel, Softalk Best Selling Software Lists, 1983.

80 BYTE May 1984

■P Lotus

The hardest working software in the world.

Circle 241 on inquiry card.

e 1-2-3

from Lotus.

Maybe the best

waytolook out for number

one is to

go with

number one.

Text continued from page 78:

Borland Turbo

I have nearly a dozen letters from satisfied users of Borland's Turbo Pascal—and not one complaint. I also know three people who bought Turbo by mail and received it much sooner than they thought they had any right to expect; the evidence is that Borland really does ship on the same day it gets the order.

Our own experiences have also been positive. Borland's Pascal certainly rivals Digital Research's Pascal MT + in speed, compactness of code, and ease of use—and it sure costs a

lot less. It's almost certainly better than IBM's Pascal for the PC.

It's also the only Pascal, including IBM's, that runs on the PCjr—and its built-in editor is nearly as powerful as IBM's Homeword.

Recommended.

Games ...

I always look forward to Avalon Hill computer games, largely because I've liked its board games for so many years. I'm also particularly interested in classical war games (I've got several banda of super-heavy cataphract

What do you get when you cross 1200 baud, free on-line time, and extra features at a price Hayes can't match?

Data Rate?

The MultiModem gives you a choice— either 1200 or 300 bits per second. So you can go on-line with the information utilities. Check out bulletin boards. Dial into corporate mainframes. Swap files with friends.

On-Line Time?

With the MultiModem you get CompuServe's DemoPak, a free twohour demonstration of their service, and up to seven more free hours if you subscribe. You also get a $50 credit towards NewsNet's business newsletter service.

Features & Price?

Of course, the MultiModem gives you automatic dial, answer, and disconnect. Gives you the Hayescompatibility you need to support popular communications software programs like Crosstalk, Data Capture, our own MultiCom PC, and dozens of others. Gives you a two-year warranty, tops in the industry.

Trademarks—MultiModem MuitiCom

PC Multi-Tech Systems, Inc —CompuServe CompuServe Information Services anH&R Block company—NewsNel NewsNel. Inc.— Crosstalk Microstul. Inc —Data Capluie Southeastern Software—Smartmodem Hayes Microcomputer Products. Inc

MultiModem.

But Better?

Yes. The MultiModem gives you features the Hayes Smartmodem 1200'" can't match. Features like dial-tone and busysignal detection for more accurate dialing and redialing. Like a battery-backed memory for six phone numbers. All at a retail price of just $549—compared to $699 for the Smartmodem.

What do you get? The new MultiModem, from Multi-Tech Systems. Isn't this the answer you've been looking for?

For the name of your local distributor, write Multi-Tech Systems, Inc., 82 Second Avenue S.E., New Brighton, MN55112. Or call us at (612)631-3550.

Multi m

Systems ^55r The right answer every time.

Circle 283 on inquiry card.

miniatures). Thus, I was eager to get Avalon Hill's Legionnaire.

We received it with two other games; one would not work with Rana drives and Avalon Hill's copyprotection system. However, A-H will honor its lifetime disk guarantee, so if you get a game that won't work on your system, write the company. It will make the game work or give you your money back.

Another, Parthian Kings, has been really popular with the boys. It appears to be a form of chess, with "Hammurabi" economics, combat, and magic thrown in. I haven't had time to play it, but I note that the boys have spent a good bit of time playing, both against each other and against the machine. I expect I'll like it; I know they do.

Legionnaire gets mixed reviews. I hated it. It appears to be a game of strategy, but it takes place in real time, which in practice means that it's an arcade game masquerading as a game of strategy. You're supposed to give orders to your various Roman combat units, in much the same way that you might issue written orders to units in a miniatures game. It takes time for the units to get the orders, and meanwhile something may have happened to make the orders obsolete.

A miniatures game has rules concerning just how you might be able to cancel inappropriate orders and send in new ones and how much initiative the units are allowed to take. In Legionnaire, you have to move the cursor to the unit using a terrible control system if you have the Apple version; there's an Atari version that's said to use the joystick, which might not be quite so bad. Once you have the cursor over the unit, it no longer carries out orders, but you can cancel old ones and give new ones. About the time you do that, something has happened on the other side of the board, and you must race the cursor over there, at which point another unit is in trouble, and so forth. There's no time for strategy and not much time for tactical decisions.

I suppose this is intended to produce some kind of realistic "fog of war" effect, but it doesn't, because it

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happens too darned fast. In the real world it takes minutes, not seconds, for a legion to turn and march. If you were to try to match actual real time, the game would take too long; but speeding it up the way the company has doesn't work either. Alas, there's no provision for changing the timescale factor.

In addition, for reasons I don't understand, all the action takes place on a very small part of the screen. You see only a portion of the screen and have to scroll the map up and down and sideways in order to see

the entire playing area.

The graphics are lousy, too. All the units look alike; the only way you can figure out which ones are which is to put the cursor over one, at which point the unit is "frozen" in movement and combat, but you can read its designation and strength until you take the cursor away.

Legionnaire has neither history nor realism nor playability to recommend it. Oddly enough, though, Phillip, who wants to be a navy jet pilot and has the family record for arcade game scores, likes it, largely because of its

Items Reviewed

Compupro Hard Disk CP/M-8/16 and BIOS

Compupro

3506 Breakwater Court Hayward, CA 94545 (415) 786-0909

$5495 $250

CP/M Utilities

Workman and Associates 112 Marion Ave. Pasadena, CA 91106 (818) 796-4401

$32.50

CP/M-86

Digital Research POB 579

Pacific Grove, CA 93950 (408) 649-3896

$250

Legionnaire Parthian Kings

Avalon Hill Game Corporation 4517 Harford Rd. Baltimore, MD 21214 (301) 254-5300

$35 cassette, $40 disk $25

Modula-2 Operating System

Modula Research Institute 950 North University Ave. Provo, UT 84604 (801) 375-7402

$40 $2.50 handling

Sage II Sage IV

Sage Computer 4905 Energy Way Reno, NV 89502 (702) 322-6868

$3900 $7300

Turbo Pascal

Borland International 4807 Scotts Valley Dr. Scotts Valley, CA 95066 (408) 438-8400

$49.95

8087 Math Board

James Hudson Associates POB 2957

Santa Clara, CA 95055-2957 (408) 554-1316

without memory $595

just memory $595

with memory $995

defects: it's really difficult to win, because not only must you be a good arcade game player, but also a good strategist. I notice, though, that he's taken to Parthian Kings again, and Legionnaire sits in its box.

Hide That BYTE

I have written a long piece of advice for minicomputer establishment managers who want to get along with micros. Alas, there's no room this month, but it's at the top of my notes.

However, I can't resist telling this story.

It seems that the manager of the electronic data processing (EDP) shop of a Fortune 500 company decided to buy a bunch of micros. (Smart move; micros can do things that minicomputers can't, not because the micro is more powerful, but because there's better software due to the larger micro customer base.) He made his choice and put in an order for about a hundred machines.

Naturally the supplier asked why he'd chosen its product.

"Read about it. Guy named Pournelle, writes in one of the computer magazines."

"Oh, you read it in BYTE."

There was a stunned silence from the EDP man. Then he said, "Uh, look, uh, no, I didn't see it there—"

It turns out there's considerable prejudice against BYTE in certain circles. This chap was supposed to be reading Datamation or some other "professional computer" magazine, not BYTE for corn's sake ...

I expect there's a moral to that story, but I'll leave it as an exercise for the reader. ■

Jerry Pournelle is a former aerospace engineer and current science-fiction writer who loves to play with computers.

Jerry Pournelle welcomes readers' comments and opinions. Send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Jerry Pournelle, do BYTE Publications, POB 372, Hancock, NH 03449. Please put your address on the letter as well as on the envelope. Due to the high volume of letters, Jerry cannot guarantee a personal reply.

84 BYTE May 1984

Circle 347 on inquiry card.

ARP INTRODUCES

•

With Sharp's PC-5000 you can take your entire office with you, wherever you go. Do word processing on the train, order entry from a customer's office or spread sheet analysis in your hotel room. It goes anywhere.

It's small.

It weighs under 10 lbs* and fits in a standard briefcase.

It prints. Quietly, with an optional correspondencequality printer. ,/A

It comes with software. Word processing and communications. Also available are spread sheeting, 'Jm executive planning and scheduling.

It remembers over 80 (128K) typewritten pages. / And can be expanded to handle over 500 (896K).

It's compatible with a wide array of /

16-bit IBM® software. j

It communicates with'other computers and databases.

It's AC/DC with rechargeable 6-hour batteries. *

It all means travel time and -~

commuter time no longer have to be downtimes.

For more information call toll-free now 1-800-BE SHARP or send in the - * coupon.

*Without optional printer and modem.

IBM" is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation.

Sharp Electronics Corp., Paramus, NJ 07652

1/

IHARR

FROM SHARP MINDS COME SHARP PRODUCTS

Sharp Electronics Corp., 1909 E. Cornell, Peoria, IL 61614

□ Please send me more information aboui Sharp's PC-5000. D Please set up a demonstration.

Name Tide

Company Street

State

Phone i

J_

. City_Hp_

Dept. S-B-5-7-4

Epson For those who need it, simplicity

One computer.

Two points of view.

The Epson QX-10 personal computer.

To many, the Epson represents the ultimate in simplicity.

Just press a single key for the function you require: word processing, scheduling, business graphics, address book or file management. One keystroke produces your program. There are no rigamaroles to remember. No disks to change.

The result: you start to work immediately. And you start being productive, immediately. With step-bystep prompts. In plain English, not computerese.

Simplicity itself.

Or is it ?

The plain fact is that the ease of operation the Epson offers today is accomplished with a degree of technological sophistication most other computers can only promise for tomorrow—specifically, fully integrated software, operating in an interactive environment.

The few other computers offering such "simplicity" cost $5,000 to $15,000 more. And most other computers can't offer it at any price. Which makes one wonder exactly what they do offer, in terms of either simplicity, or performance.

HOW MUCH CAN YOU DO

ON THE EPSON? HOW MUCH

ARE YOU READY TO DO?

The Epson's ease of operation may spoil you, but it certainly won't limit you.

Case in point: every Epson comes complete with an integrated software system — Valdocs® — to effortlessly provide the basic functions for which most people buy computers. The Epson also comes with CP/M®-80 2.2, so you can choose from the hundreds of programs in the CP/M library. Aid only Epson offers an exciting new collection of seven best-selling programs now specially enhanced to give you every powerful feature, plus Epson one-button simplicity Included are

86 BYTE May 1984

dBase II,® Friday!™ Microplanf Grapbplan™ WordStar,® SpellStar,® and MailMerge® And the Epson also allows you to add MS™ -DOS compatibility, so you have access to bestsellers like Lotus® 1-2-3®

Best of all, you will run the software of your choice on the computer of choice. The high-performance Epson. With 256K RAM. 128K dedicated video memory. The breathtakingly sensible HASCr keyboard. Dual 380K double density disk drives.

2+2=

Grapl

capabilities unequalled in its price range. A high resolution monitor, 640 by 400 pixels, for clarity few computers in any price range can offer. Plus, an RS-232C interface, a parallel printer interface, and internal space for up to five peripheral cards so you can expand your Epson as your needs require.

One further point: all these features, and quite a few more, are included in the Epson's $2,995 price. Some com

Epson For those who can handle it, performance.

puter companies ask you to pay extra for features like these. Most can not offer them at any price.

That, too, is performance. The kind of performance that can make choosing a personal computer very simple, indeed.

EPSON QUALITY OR, WHY

WONDER WHAT TERRIBLE

KLUDGES LURK IN WHICH

SLEEK BOXES.

If you know computers, you know Epson. Epson printers set the industry standard for quality, reliability and value. Rest assured, the same can be said for the Epson personal computer. The satisfying silence of the slim, Epsondesigned diskdrives is one way for you to judge or, for an inside-out perspective, here is an excerpt from a review by Jim Hanson in the April, 1983 issue of Microcomputing?

"The Epson QX-10 is soundly designed and executed. I looked hard and found no evidence of kludging or shorting otit anything in the name of economy All the connectors have gold on them and are of quality manufacture. The printed circuit boards are heavy, with soldermarks on both sides of double-sided boards. The circuit boards are completely silkscreened with component labels, and the layout is as professional and clean as you will find anywhere."

Isn't this what you expect? After all, it's an Epson.

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For technical specifications, and the complete, 3-part Microcomputing review, along with the name of your nearby Epson dealer, call tollfree (800) 421-5426. California residents, call (213) 539-9140.

"Excerpt reprinted by permission of Microcomputing Magazine

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CP/M, dBase 11, Microplan, WordStar, SpellSiar, Mai [Merge, Lotus, 1-2-3 are registered trademarks of Digital Research, AshtonTate, Chang Labs, MicroPro (3), and Lotus Development (2). Valdocs, Graphplan, MS, and HASC1 are trademarks of Rising Star. Chang Libs, Microsoft, and Rising Star, respectively.

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BYTE May 1984 87

BYTE West Coast

Bulletin Boards in Space

Amateur radio pioneering promises low-cost global communications

The recent explosion of interest in personal computer communications using electronic bulletin-board systems (BBS) has been paralleled by a rise in interest in data communications among radio amateurs. Unlike their earthbound personal computer counterparts, hams are now raising the data communications ante both literally and figuratively.

Amateurs are seeking approval to be on board a space-shuttle mission to be launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in Southern California sometime in 1986. If all goes well, the shuttle will carry an experimental amateur satellite system called PACSAT (packet radio satellite) into a lowearth polar orbit. Midway through the mission, a shuttle astronaut will push a series of switches ejecting PACSAT through the open shuttle payload bay.

PACSAT will be placed into orbit at the bargain-basement price of $10,000 as part of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) "Get-Away Special." This program was devised by NASA to interest organizations that might not otherwise be able to participate in the space program. PACSAT will be contained in a 5-cubic-foot package weighing no more than 200 pounds.

When it reaches orbit, PACSAT will be the world's first space-based multiuser BBS. With several CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor) Z80-based (NSC800) microcomputers and 4 megabytes of RAM (random-access read/write

John Markoff BYTE Senior Technical Editor

memory) disk storage on board, PACSAT will herald the arrival of a new era of global data communications.

PACSAT will allow licensed radio amateurs anywhere to transmit packet-switched digital messages at 9600 bps (bits per second) for delivery within a 12-hour time period. As the satellite circles the globe at an altitude of 250 miles, inexpensive earth-based gateway communications stations will be able to transmit electronic messages on several ham-band uplink communications channels. These messages will be stored for later retransmission by PACSAT to other hams around the world.

The architecture of the PACSAT communications network looks much like baseband LANs (local-area networks) that use a carrier-sensing, multiple-access (CSMA) scheme to share a single wire in an office setting. However, in this case, digitaldata packet communications will share a part of the RF (radio frequency) spectrum using a set of packet-switching protocols that are, in effect, an extension of the X.25 protocols used in commercial packetswitching computer networks.

To make the PACSAT network more efficient, the satellite will communicate directly with network nodes rather than with all amateurs.

"The ultimate goal is for you to be able to connect your packet-radio (printed-circuit) board to a localnetwork node," says Harold Price, NK6K, an amateur-radio operator

with a computer-science background who is serving as PACSAT's full-time project manager.

"You could probably build messages off line," he adds. "You could use Wordstar to build your message and then tell your computer which amateur to send it to. What will actually happen is that your computer will connect up to the local network, put that message on there and say 'forward this,' and the network itself will take care of routing the message the best way. If the person the message is intended for happens to be local, it will keep it locally until there is a check-in. Or it will be sent by satellite if the person is located farther away."

Price admits, however, that the amateurs still have several years of development work before such a sophisticated network is in place.

Two aspects of the project will be of great interest to personal computer users interested in data communications. First, the PACSAT project will offer the first truly low cost globalcommunications network. PACSAT will be visible to every portion of the globe each six hours, meaning that it will function as an electronic-mail carrier in the sky, taking data up on one side of the earth and transmitting it down to another point during a subsequent orbit.

The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT) is now designing PACSAT earth stations that will cost less than $700. The stations will consist of a simple digital transceiver de

88 BYTE May 1984

POWER SYSTEMS

COMMAND RECEIVER

SPACECRAFT

HOUSEKEEPING

COMPUTER

ATTITUDE

AND

STABILIZATION

ENGINEERING BEACON

PACSAT EXPERIMENT PROCESSOR #1

MODEMS

APPLICATIONS

PROCESSING

UNIT

RAMUNIT

2 MEGABYTES

CHANNEL CONTROL UNIT

PEP #2

UPLINK CHANNELS

DOWNLINK CHANNELS

Figure 1: PACSAT system architecture.

signed to operate at the 70-centimeter (435-MHz) and 2-meter (146-MHz) amateur-radio frequencies, a terminal node controller (TNC) used to convert an asynchronous data-communication stream into synchronous digital packets, and a quarter-wave ground-plane antenna. These stations can be connected to virtually any personal computer.

"The antenna is extremely simple," says Price. "In my case, it is simply two bent coat hangers located in a high place out of the way of trees and other objects."

The second aspect is that the work radio amateurs are doing in satellite and packet-radio communications areas may ultimately find application in earthbound data-communications networks. Hams have begun implementation of several levels of the International Organization for Stan

dardization's (ISO) open system interconnection model designed to standardize communications systems.

PACSAT is a joint project of AMSAT and Volunteers in Technical Assistance (VITA), a nonprofit organization spreading science and technology to poor countries. Inquiries have been received in most scientific areas. VITA will be the second PACSAT user, greatly accelerating the speed of communications between its projects around the world.

PACSAT will, in fact, have two separate BBSes, each with a series of data uplink and downlink channels that will be able to handle communications with multiple earth stations. AMSAT and VITA will each use a separate communication computer, known as a PEP (for PACSAT experiment processor), on board the

spacecraft (see figure 1).

Each PEP consists of an applications processing unit (APU), a channel control unit (CCU), and 2 megabytes of system RAM, accessed by a bank-switching scheme, that will function as an electronic massstorage system. A serial connection exists between the two PEPs to provide redundancy and to permit AMSAT to reconfigure the experiment if one unit fails.

The APU provides microprocessorbased control for the PEP. It is based on an NSC800 (a version of the Z80 microprocessor implemented in low power consumption CMOS) running at 4 MHz. This processor controls the BBS software and handles I/O (input/output) between two CCUs, each containing the modem hardware required to move data between the RF links and APU. Each CCU is also controlled by an NSC800 and supports two uplink and one downlink communications channels. The CCUs function independently and each contains its own programs in 2K bytes of PROM (programmable readonly memory) and 2K bytes of RAM. This is done to keep the communications channels as separate as possible and to avoid having large numbers of data and address lines being strung throughout the satellite.

"What we'll have up there is a multitasking, multiprogrammed operating system," notes Price. "There will be many earth stations connected to PACSAT simultaneously, and PACSAT will have to keep track of multiple users."

To conserve processing power aboard PACSAT, ground stations will be able to request a file directory from the PEP on board the spacecraft and then search the directory for files on earth. Once a file is located, it can be requested and sent to the ground station at the same time new messages are being uploaded.

The spacecraft itself will be controlled by a microcomputer called the integrated housekeeping unit (IHU), which will keep the spacecraft healthy by handling navigation and attitude control, monitoring the solar cells, and collecting telemetry and sending it to the ground control sta

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tion. On other amateur satellites, this function has been performed by a military-grade RCA 1802 microprocessor using a special Sandia CMOS radiation hardening process that is very rare and expensive.

Price notes that the PACSAT designers will confront special problems outside the earth's atmosphere. Little hard information is available on how the system will fare in a highradiation environment. Low power consumption semiconductors are relatively susceptible to radiationinduced errors. To work around this problem, instead of using heavy, expensive shielding systems or less vulnerable high-power semiconductors, each PEP will contain softwarebased error-checking algorithms that will protect the contents of the RAM. Special error-checking hardware circuitry will protect program and operating-system software held in a separate 48K-byte section of memory in each PEP.

Weight and power constraints are also forcing PACSAT's designers to create an extremely low power consumption hardware architecture for the spacecraft. The entire PACSAT spacecraft will run on less than 35 watts of power. On UOSAT B, launched in March, a smaller experimental communications processor that served as a prototype for the PACSAT PEP experiment used 0.75 watt.

"They said they could give us 1 watt," says Price. "They said that if we used a watt they would have to turn us off every once in a while. So we fought to keep the power real small so they would leave us on all the time." For reference, he points out that a standard non-CMOS Z80 microprocessor draws 150 milliamperes at 2 MHz. This is roughly equivalent to the power consumption of an entire PEP on board PACSAT.

The ground-station component of the PACSAT network is built around a simple TNC controller created by a group called Tucson Amateur Packet Radio (TAPR). The group has designed and made available in kit form a TNC that has software and hardware architecture organized in accordance with the ISO layered

network communication model. The TAPR TNC currently implements the first two layers of the ISO model: the physical layer and the data-link layer. The TAPR TNC, which is based on the 6809 microprocessor, can hold a total of 48K bytes of RAM and ROM on the printed-circuit board. It uses the Western Digital 1933 HDLC (highlevel data-link control) chip (an LSI [large-scale integration] device that implements much of the ISO level-two standard in hardware) and has both serial and parallel ports. The TAPR TNC is a second-generation design that is an outgrowth of an earlier board built by a group of hams in Vancouver, British Columbia. (For more information on the TNC kit, available for $240, contact Tucson Amateur Packet Radio, POB 22888, Tucson, AZ 85734.)

Amateur packet radio is just beginning to come into its own in the United States. The first digital packetradio repeater (called digipeaters by the Canadians) was established at the end of 1980 by Dr. Hank Magnuski, KA6M, a data-communications professional and amateur-radio operator in the San Francisco area. Since that time, communities of interest have sprung up around the country as more radio amateurs begin experimenting with radio and personal computers. Currently, several amateurs are experimenting with packet radio in California.

Digital repeaters enable amateurs to send information over a wide geographic region. Several amateurs have set up repeater-based CP/M systems hooked into the network that function as packet-radio bulletinboard systems and permit file transfers as well. In this case, according to Harold Price, no error-checking software (such as the Christensen Protocol) is used at the personal computer level because that function is handled by the TNC.

"When a frame comes in, the TNC board error-checks it; if it doesn't pass, then the frame doesn't get acknowledged," Price says. "The sending station times out and then resends the packet. For file transfer, you do not need a higher-level errorchecking protocol like Modem7 be

90 BYTE May 1984

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OSCAR: The Amateur-Radio Satellite Tradition

PACSAT isn't the first amateur-radio satellite to be launched into space. Since T961, OSCARs (orbiting satellites carrying amateur radio) have been hitchhiking into space aboard rocket boosters carrying commercial satellites.

On December 12, 1961, OSCAR 1 was launched and operated for 18 days. Its communications system was simple. A beacon continually transmitted the message "Hi" in Morse code. The number of "Hi's" transmitted within a 10-second interval was a function of the internal spacecraft temperature.

Since then, nine other satellites carrying communications and other scientific experiments have been launched by amateurs based in different countries. One recent OSCAR included a video camera intended to beam television pictures of earth back to amateurs with special television reception equipment.

Like their commercial counterparts, radio amateurs also have occasionally been plagued with errant satellites. OSCAR 4, launched on December 21, 1965, was the amateurs' first failure. It was supposed to attain a sun-synchronous orbit, but the third stage failed to ignite, leaving it in a highly elliptical orbit instead.

In recent years, OSCARs have been the

product of international cooperation among radio amateurs. AMSAT-OSCAR 8, launched as a passenger on a LANDSAT C booster on March 5, 1978, was a joint project of amateurs in the U.S., japan, and West Germany.

In June of 1983, AMSAT-OSCAR 10 was sent into orbit by the European Space Agency. It was a combined effort by volunteers in the U.S., West Germany, Hungary, Argentina, Japan, Canada, and New Zealand. This satellite, which is in an orbit that opens a window of communications between amateurs in North America and Europe, is powered by solar panels that generate 40 watts of power.

The next amateur launch, known as UOSAT-B, occurred in March. Designed as a small prototype of PACSAT, it carried scientific experiments on radio propagation and the magnetic and radiation environment in low-earth orbit. The satellite was constructed by scientists at the University of Surrey in England. It carried a "Digital Communications Experiment" that is a precursor of the PACSAT system. It will permit ground stations around the world to gain experience with an orbiting digital store-and-forward device. The UOSAT-B orbiting BBS included 196K bytes of storage and a single 2400-bps path.

cause the ACK function is taken care of at a lower level. I just spew data out. If my system doesn't get an acknowledgment to the packet, the system determines that either the packet didn't get through or there must have been a collision. One way or another, it retransmits the packet after waiting a random period of time for the channel to clear again."

Amateur operators already have begun experimenting with linking ground-based packet-radio networks via satellite. Recently, a data file was sent from Washington, DC, to Los Angeles via the OSCAR 10 satellite. OSCAR 10 (see the "OSCAR: The Amateur-Radio Satellite Tradition" text box) is a voice and data repeater in high-earth orbit. Shortly, Price and Dr. Tom Clark, W3IWI, an amateur in Washington, DC, and president of AMSAT, plan to see if Clark is able to log onto a CP/M system in California routing via OSCAR 10 and digi

tal-repeater stations. Several stations in North America and a station in New Zealand already have exchanged data files.

To implement level two of the ISO model on board the TNC, amateur packet communications utilize a protocol known as AX.25. This protocol, agreed on at an AMSAT national meeting in 1982, is a variant of the X.25 packet-switching standard. AX.25 differs from X.25 principally in the structure and size of its address field. The AX.25 protocol includes both source and destination addresses while X.25 contains only a single address. This results in optimizing the protocol for "many-tomany" data communications, which is characteristic of amateur-radio digital networks. The selection of the format of the address under AX.25 is simple. Each amateur's packet address is his or her unique ham call sign.

92 BYTE May 1984

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A single keypress can dial a stored number, send the log-on sequence on the host computer, and return terminal control to the user. Password protection prevents unauthorized access to designated numbers. APT can also be used as an autodialer for voice communications.

OTHER FEATURES RS232C port for direct computer connections at data rates to 9600 baud, or for connecting high speed modems and other accessories. Parallel printer port for hard copy. Numeric keypad, can dial phone numbers not in terminal directory. Built-in speaker with adjustable volume control for audio monitoring of phone line. Smooth scroll display. Automatic screen blanking to reduce possibility of burn. Briefcase size: 17" x 7" x 2". Weight: under 4 lbs.

Quite simply, matching features with price, there is no other professional quality terminal available today that can do as much at such low cost.

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BYTE May 1984 93

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94 BYTE May 1984

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Telephone

According to Price, AMSAT members also are working on an inexpensive transceiver that will transmit in the 70-centimeter range and receive on 2 meters as well as contain high-speed modem circuitry capable of exchanging data at 9600 bps. The receiver will be designed to handle only data communications by converting RF frequencies to the intermediate-frequency (IF) stage of 10 MHz.

"We are planning to build a receiver with just the RF and IF stages and no bells and whistles for less than $100," says Price. "We are going to come up with plans for a kit. You'll feed RF into it from an antenna, and you'll get a digital stream out. Data will never get translated to audio frequencies."

VITA is also considering its own low-cost, portable earth stations, currently planning between 6 and 20 of them. These stations will be fully portable and able to operate from solar power.

Today, low-cost satellite-communications technology is still in its infancy, yet the radio amateurs are exploring frontiers that may one day fundamentally change the basis of our communications practices.

"It's very significant," says Dr. Magnuski. "Here are individuals who now have their own satellitecommunications ground stations. In the past, these have cost a minimum of $70,000 to $80,000.

"Now for the first time you have the potential for global person-toperson communication not based on commercial offerings. It's a tremendous equalizer. A person who lives in the mountains in the most remote area of the country has, in principle, as much access to information as someone like myself living in the heart of Silicon Valley." ■

Author's Note: for more information on PACSAT, send a stamped, self-addressed envelope to the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation, POB 27, Washington, DC 20044.

John Markoffis a senior technical editor at BYTE's West Coast bureau. He can be reached at McGrawHill, WOO Elwell Court, Palo Alto, CA 94303.

Circle 294 on inquiry card.

Score another

first forACE. Am

A lot of people who've never w heard of ACE's impressive record ^^** of firsts in multiprocessing are about to sit up and take notice. Why?

It's our latest wonder: Multiprocessor CP/M Plus?

ACE has developed a linkup between its powerful multiuser microcomputer, the Discovery, and the fastest and most powerful version of CP/M* ever marketed.

The result is a multiprocessor that does more than just emulate CP/M or rely on a lesser operating system that's "CP/M compatible." It actually delivers pure CP/M (either CP/M-86* or CP/M Plus) to any of Discovery's up to 16 on-line users.

With easy command line editing, quick file accessing through userdefined automatic search paths and comprehensive "help menus," CP/M Plus is as friendly as they come — and with big performance extras.

Like large files, directory hashing, data buffering, time and date stamping, and an extensive utility set that can accept English words.

All of which means that ACE's linkup with CP/M Plus will continue to give Discovery owners access to the largest selection of applications software in the world for years to come.

That's something to think about. Because who wants a multiuser system that's friendly and powerful today but unfriendly tomorrow when new software using CP/M

Multiprocessor CP/M Plus:

Plus features hits the scene?

Our latest triumph is just one of a line of firsts.

ACE pioneered multiprocessing for microcomputers back in 1979 when we introduced a Discovery featuring what was then the revolutionary concept of dedicating a CPU to each on-line user.

Two years later, we moved further ahead of the pack with our next singular feat: the first userprocessor on a single board, the dpc-180* Everything was there: memory, CPU, serial I/O.

Nice.

Which made our 1982 breakthrough — the amazing 16-bit dpc-186* mated with CP/M-86 — seem like business-as-usual to us even though it caught the competition flat-footed.

With room to grow from 128K to 1MB of expansion memory, and designed for systems also using our 8-bit board, this breakthrough let individual users tap into either 8- or 16-bit computing power with one

central Discovery unit.

And because each Discovery system is controlled by our own dpc/os* tried and proven in more than 10,000 Discovery and OEM installations around the world, any user on line can take advantage of interprocessor communication, file and record locking, fully managed multiple printers, private directories, plus many other features.

So what little wonder does ACE have up its sleeve now? Stay tuned. Because soon you'll hear the news about our Concurrent CP/M-86* which will give the owners of our Discovery all the benefits of 16-bit computing power, CP/M's comprehensive software selection, and efficient multi-tasking capabilities. So each user can get several projects underway with a few quick taps on the keyboard.

Meanwhile, it'll be business as usual for ACE, keeping ahead of the crowd while turning out the best multiuser multiprocessor micro on the market, backed by one of the best nationwide service networks you could hope for.

So if you're a computer dealer, distributor, or systems house who wants to join the group that scores high with a multitude of users, just give us a call at (800) 821-6596. (In California, it's (213) 351-5451.) And do us a small favor. Tell us you've heard of us.

ACTIONCOMPUTERHH^

The Multiprocessing Company.

Action Computer Enterprise, Inc. (Corporate Headquarters): 430 No. Halstead St., Pasadena, CA 91107. TWX 910-588-1201 ACTION PSD

ACE/Europe: Boschdijk 189, Box 1275, 5602 BG, Eindhoven, Netherlands, Tel. 040-452658, Telex 51767 ACE E NL ACE/Asia, G/Floor Lee Wah Mansion, 171-177 Hollywood Rd, Hong Kong,

Tel. 5-441692 or 5-442310, Telex 75332 PACIC HX Canada: Future Electronics. Inc., 237 Hymus Blvd., Pt. Claire, Quebec H9R5C7, Canada, Tel. (514) 694-7710, Telex 05-823554.

"CP/M Plus. CP/M, CP/M-86, and Concurrent CP/M-86 are either trademarks or registered trademarks ol Digital Research, Inc. / "dpc-180 and dpc / os are registered trademarks ot Action Computer Enterprise, Inc.

Serviced nationwide by Bell & Howell Company

Circle 15 for Dealer inquiries. Circle 16 for End-User inquiries.

BYTE May 1984 95

Now A 16-Bit

Microcomputer

Designed To

Expand Your

Knowledge.

22 '* A5

V^ 5ft rt*

Here's How You Can Learn 16-Bit Technology. And Graduate To One Of Today's Most Powerful And Advanced Microcomputers.

Now you can master 16-bit technology with an all-new Advanced Microprocessor course. And build hands-on experience with the only 16-bit microcomputer specifically designed for the hobbyist, working engineer and student.

Advanced Microprocessor Course

This all-new self-study course (EE-8088) provides indepth coverage of 16-bit, state-of-the-art technology.

You will gain a thorough understanding of microprocessors from this 1200 page course. In 10 easy-tounderstand units, starting with microcomputer basics, you'll cover all phases of 16-bit microprocessing. Assembly language. Program writing. Addressing modes. Dynamic and static RAM. And hardware interfacing.

And by using your 16-bit Trainer/Learning Computer for hands-on experiments (over 60 included), you'll gain actual circuit interface and soft-■' ware programming experience with an 8088 microprocessor system.

Trainer/Learning Computer

A unique combination of design features makes this versatile microprocessor system much more than a "teaching machine." Use it as a trainer with the Advanced Microprocessor course. Use it as an experimental design computer. And use it to run a wide variety of M 16-bit software-including Z-Dos, Multiplan, Z-Basic, Condor File Manager, and much more.

In its most basic form, the Trainer/ ^J Learning

Computer is a 16-bit, cassette-based microcomputer. Its unique design features access ports and solderless breadboards to allow you to build interfaces, design and modify circuits, or simply experiment with the inner workings of the microprocessor system.

The basic system has an 8088 processor, 32K ROM (including assembler, editor and debugger) and 16K RAM.

Heathkit

The unit also features a serial I/O printer port, cassette interface and a detached 95-key keyboard (including 16 function keys and a numeric keypad) which generates a full ASCII character set. It's available either in kit form or factory assembled.

And you can take advantage of the system's H/Z-100 computer design heritage by easily upgrading it to a disk-based, 16-bit microcomputer that will run H/Z-100

series software

and many other

forthcoming

programs.

Fully Upgradeable

The powerful upgrade package and variety of accessories allow you to make the basic 16-bit system more powerful and versatile. You can add 128K or 192K bytes

of RAM. Floppy disk controller. 48TPI double-sided, double-density, single or dual floppy disk drive. Bitmapped video graphics or full-color graphics. Two RS-232 ports. Programmable timer. And a Centronicscompatible printer port.

Learn on it. Design with it. Use it as a 16-bit computer.

It's the only 16-bit microprocessor system specifically designed to integrate theory with a hands-on understanding of how 16-bit computers work. And it's from Heathkit/Zenith Educational Systems, the world-leader in problem-solving courses, trainers and accessories to help you learn state-of-the-art technology.

Circle 195 on inquiry card.

A subsidiary of Zenith Radio Corporation

Get more information in the

HEATHKIT CATALOG

Mail to: Heath Company, Dept. 334-174 Benton Harbor, Ml 49022

Professional Computing

n a future scenario, you might walk into a doctor's office, explain your medical problems to a computer, and get a diagnosis. The state of the art in microcomputers hasn't reached that level yet. But microcomputers are starting to take on part of the burden of running many types of professional offices.

Yet integrating a microcomputer into a professional work environment can be a particularly frustrating experience. Potential users raise questions concerning the dependability of software and hardware, the usefulness of available software, and how to select the best software to serve their needs. Our theme for this issue, Professional Computing, examines the problems and offers some solutions for introducing a microcomputer into a critical and demanding office setting.

Two articles cover the use of microcomputers in legal and medical practices. Robert P. Wilkins, a practicing attorney, discusses the advantages of using a microcomputer in a legal office and how to select available software to handle an attorney's particular needs. Dr. Jonathan Javitt tackles the herculean task of how to computerize a typical medical office. His article helps the medical practitioner define his or her needs to make selection of the best hardware and software a less risky proposition.

William Hession and Malcolm Rubel describe a benchmarking approach to quantifying the performance of business-modeling software. The authors present an objective method for evaluating software. Peter Callamaras offers his ideas on how a businessperson can develop a decision-support system for assistance in making critical decisions.

William J. Raduchel strips away some of the confusion about the term "user-friendly" and explains what it really means for the purchaser of business software. Milos Konopasek and Sundaresan Jayaraman explain how the TKISolver program can be used to develop the framework for an expert system for use in business and engineering.

Rounding out the theme is Dr. George Zucconi's description of how he installed a microcomputer in his waiting room. This is his practical response to providing medical information to his patients. —Stanley J. Wszola, Technical Editor

101 A Professional's Perspective on User-Friendliness by

William J. Raduchel

108 A Computer in the Doctor's Waiting Room by George Zucconi, M.D.

122 The Microcomputer as a

Decision-Making Aid by Peter Callamaras

127 Benchmarking BusinessModeling Software by

William Hession and Malcolm Rubel

137 Expert Systems for Personal Computers by Milos Konopasek and Sundaresan Jayaraman

160 How Lawyers Can Use

Microcomputers by Robert P. Wilkins, J.D.

171 Computerizing a Medical Office by Jonathan Javitt, M.D.

Illustration by Robert Tinney

BYTE May 1984 99

SYSTEMS OR BOARDS, YOU CHOOSE!

The S100-PC is a cost effective high performance floppy based system ideally suited to business and scientific applications.

The S100-PC by LOMAS DATA PRODUCTS: Offering high performance at a "low" price . . and it's IBM-PC compatible.

E2E*

The system offers the following standard features:

■ 8 MHz 8086 CPU (8087 optional)

■ 128K byte RAM (expandable to 1 megabyte)

■ 2 RS232 serial ports and 2 parallel ports

■ Battery protected clock calendar

■ CONCURRENT CP/M-86* version 3.1, PERSONAL BASIC, CP/M 2.2 emulator and communications program.

■ 2 double sided 5 1/4" floppy drives (720K bytes)

■ Attractive 15 slot desktop enclosure

In addition to the above standard features many options are available: Winchester disk drives 10 to 40 Mbyte, 80286 microprocessor, and IBM-PC compatible graphics support (JUN84). If you're using an IBM-PC or other compatible and you want to improve the performance of your software, LOMAS DATA PRODUCTS is the solution.

S100 BUS boards products & support for the system integrator

■ LIGHTNING ONE *** 8086/8088 CPU

8086 or 8088, with 8087 and 8089 coprocessors. Up to 10 MHZ operation PRICES start at $425.00

■ HAZITALL SYSTEM SUPPORT BOARD

2 serial, 2 parallel ports, battery protected clock calendar, Hard disk controller host interface PRICE $325.00

■ LDP I28/256K DYNAMIC RAM

Advanced dynamic RAM with LSI controller for failsafe operation, parity PRICE 128K-$495.00, 256K-$795.00

■ RAM67 HIGH PERFORMANCE STATIC RAM

High speed (100ns) low power CMOS static RAM. 128K bytes, extended addressing PRICE $995.00

■ LDP72 FLOPPY DISK CONTROLLER

Single/double density, single/double sided disks, both 8" and 5 1/4" inch drives simultaneously PRICE $275.00

LDP88 8088 SINGLE BOARD COMPUTER

8088 CPU, IK RAM, 8 K EPROM, Monitor RS232 serial port, 8 vectored interrupts PRICE $349.00

■ LIGHTNING 286—80286 CPU BOARD

Offers 4 times the performance of a 5MHZ 8086 CPU while maintaining software compatibility. PRICE $1395.00

■ OCTAPORT 8 PORT SERIAL BOARD

8 serial ports 0 to 19200 baud operation real time clock interrupt. Ideal for multi-user systems such as MP/M-86.* . . .

PRICE $395.00

*CP/M-8S, MP/M-86 and CONCURRENT CP/M-86 are trademarks of Digital Research.

**MS-DOS is trademark of Microsoft

**'KLightmng One is trademark of Lomas Data Products, inc.

THUNDER 186

THUNDER 186 is the only complete S100 BUS, 16 bit single board computer available today. This board comes complete and ready to plug into an enclosure and run. It comes with the most advanced microprocessor operating system CONCURRENT CP/M-86, which in addition to running CP/M-86 programs also runs MS-DOS programs. This board offers the perfect combination of performance and cost. Price with 2S6K bytes of RAM only $1595.00

All of LDP boards are fully tested to exacting standards and carry a one year warranty. We specialize in 16-bit products & support the four major operating systems for 16-bit processors: CP/M-86*, MP/M-86, CONCURRENT CP/M-86*, and MS-DOS (PC-DOS). Dealer inquiries invited.

LDP

100 BYTE May 1984

LOMAS DATA PRODUCTS, INC. □ 66 Hopkinton Road, Westboro, MA 01581 □ (617) 366-6434 D Telex: 4996272

Circle 240 on inquiry card.

A Professional's Perspective on User-Friendliness

New systems are described as user-friendly— but what does that mean?

Computer software, to be commercially viable, must be user-friendly. And yet nobody can define what user-friendly means, although many claim to know it when they see it. One prominent software developer noted that since every piece of software is presumably friendly to its author, every piece of software can be described as user-friendly. It is primarily a problem of defining the user.

Is "user-friendly," therefore, a tautology? At the other end of the logical spectrum, is it another equally useless "I don't know how to define it but I know it when I see it" phenomenon? I would like to bring more rigor to this problem by offering a tentative definition of user-friendliness and then considering its implications for software development.

The Problem

Computers have a dramatic impact on the way we work and live. Raising the productivity of service industries and white-collar professionals is the management challenge of the 1980s. Personal computers and office automation are widely seen as the means of achieving this. For productivity to rise, millions of workers must accept computers as an integral part of their daily routine. Computers affect jobs in three primary ways.

First, they perform the often tedious and detailed text and data

William J. Raduchel McGraw-Hill Inc.

manipulations vital to modern business. Consider for a moment a world without computers. The airline and financial-services industries as we know them would not exist. Multinational corporations and large organizations would have to survive with primitive information systems covering only the most aggregate of concepts. Many routine transactions would cost significantly more than they do today.

Second, because they work rapidly and accurately, computers permit the use of new algorithms to solve problems. Trend forecasting with statistics has been understood for decades, but until computers became commonplace, these techniques were impractical and generally infeasible. Controlled-capacity airline seating is but one example of computers creating new commodities from old. And now, world weather models await even larger and faster computers.

Third, computers represent a watershed event that has irrevocably altered expectations. Computers can provide precise answers where before there was only vagueness, so precision becomes the norm whether or not each question actually deserves such careful consideration. (I have termed this Gresham's Law of Answers; see "Economic Policy in a Media Age," Journal of Business and Economics 13 (1982): 1-14.)

Personal computers are important because their low price permits computerization of tasks that are too small to be done on a mainframe but are tedious and time-consuming nevertheless. Because they can be tailored to individual needs and are priced low, personal computers are justifiable on a presumption of increased productivity.

Microcomputers have made significant changes in three areas. First, they can handle such tedious work as recalculating spreadsheets. Second, they permit broader use of such esoteric tools as graphics. Third, they have permanently altered our ideas on managing information. Timesharing had the same kind of impact when it made computers more accessible in the 1970s.

Mainframe computers have had massive influence despite the fact that only a fraction of workers understand them. But for microcomputers to have the same effect, at least half of all white-collar workers will eventually have to become familiar with them. The personal computer and office-automation industries are staking their futures on making this happen.

The ostensible issue is price: costs have fallen and will continue to fall. Nevertheless, personal computers involve much more than microelectronics, and many of their components are not dropping in cost. The

BYTE May 1984 101

Quantifying "User-Friendly"

We can quantify a definition of user-friendly as follows. Define F(j,k) as the probability that a user of group;' can solve problem k of n problems in the set Q(j) in one execution of the set of steps S(j,k) = afi'M, i'=l to n(j,k). The probability that the user can perform steps s,(/,fc) successfully is p(j,k). This probability refers to logical steps rather than keystrokes and includes the user correcting input on the basis of system feedback (error messages). Finally, define p0(j,k) as the probability that the user can specify S(j,k) accurately. (A more general model would recognize that most problems have multiple solutions, and we should average over these. However, little but complexity seems to be gained by explicitly incorporating this now.) Obviously, as n(j,k) increases, p0(j,k) decreases. Then, F(j,k) m P0(j,k) px(\,k). • •Pn(y,«(/,W

For simplicity and with little loss of generality, let's assume that

Pi(j,k)=p2(j,k)=... =p„(j,k)=p(j,k) so that F(j,k) - P0(j,k)(p(j,k))n(i'k>

Furthermore, we generally will not need the (j,k), so we can use F=P0p".

Now, define F0(j,k) as the probability that a user in group ;' can solve problem k using the best alternative system in terms of elapsed time and cost. Then, the system is userfriendly for group ; if and only if

F(j,k)>F0(j,k), iot a\\ k

for some prespecified set of F0(j,k). The value of each F0(j,k) depends on the frequency and complexity of the problem. Each F0(j,k) reflects expectations; for each generation of system, each F0(j,k) must be at least as large as in the prior

Standard PC

Script

Lisa

Po =

= 0.9

Po= 1-0

P0 = 0.95

Task

Pi

Task p,

Task

Pi

1. "term"

0.995

1. Select item 0.995

1.

Select Pro File

0.995

2. 1 (CR)

0.995

2. Restore form 0.995

2.

Open

0.995

3. 0 (CR)

0.995

3.

Select Lisa Term

0.995

4. 5 (CR)

0.995

4.

Tear Off

0.995

5. F1

0.99

5.

Open

0.995

6. 4

0.995

6.

"Assumed"

0.995

7. 2

0.995

7.

Range

0.995

8. Stocks, txt

(CR)

0.99

8.

Cut

0.995

9. E

0.99

9.

Set Aside

0.995

10. F5

0.98

10.

Select Lisa Calc

0.995

11. I

0.98

11.

Tear Off

0.995

12. F1

0.99

12.

Open

0.995

13. 0

0.995

13.

Range

0.995

14. Y

0.995

14.

Paste

0.995

15. "convert"

0.995

15.

Calculate

0.995

16. ISP (CR)

0.995

16.

Range

0.995

17. Load

0.98

17.

Cut

0.995

18. Retrieve

0.98

18.

Set Aside

0.995

19. Recalculate

i

0.995

19.

Select Lisa Graph

0.995

20. Graph

0.995

20.

Tear Off

0.995

21. Exit

0.995

21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30.

Open

Range

Paste

Set Aside

Select Lisa Term

Erase

Select Lisa Calc

Erase

Select Lisa Graph

Erase

0.995 0.995 0.995 0.995 0.995 0.995 0.995 0.995 0.995 0.995

P, =

0.856

Pi = 0.990

p, = 0.860

F =

0.770

F = 0.990

F = 0.817

Table 1: Once created, the script approach yields the highest probability of a user completing a task successfully. However, script creation is complex and illustrates the difference between systems that are easy to use and those that are easy to learn, (CR), in the Standard PC column, designates a carriage return.

102 BYTE May 1984

generation. Finally, each F0(j,k) reflects the reliability, time, and cost of alternative solutions. Thus, the range of F0(j,k) is probably between, say, 0.2 and 0.99, but users will surely be interested in replacement systems as long as F0(j,k) is below 0.9.

We can now assess whether or not a system is userfriendly with the following six steps:

1. Define the target user group /,

2. Define the set of n problems k to be solved for that group.

3. For each problem, define the solution S(j,k) to be supplied by the system.

4. For each problem, assess the appropriate F0(j,k) given its complexity and frequency relative to the alternative solutions.

5. For each s{(j,k), assess the probability pt(j,k).

6. Evaluate the set of F(j,k).

In principle, this methodology can be made operational in a controlled experiment. The table on the preceding page is an illustration of a standard personal computer application: connect to a remote database, retrieve stock prices for a fixed portfolio, insert into a spreadsheet to evaluate the portfolio values, and then graph the results in a pie chart. The user is assumed to be inexperienced and the application is assumed to be the product of a skilled programmer. Three cases are presented.

Standard PC employs a terminal package with autodial, automatic log-on and macros, and an integrated spreadsheet and graphics package (ISP) with a previously created spreadsheet. One specially created software package

(Convert) is assumed to make the necessary format and file conversions.

Script employs a fully integrated software package with a macro capability so all the user has to do is specify the task and, from a file, restore the specifications of the portfolio.

Lisa employs a variant of the Apple Lisa with three stationary pads for terminal, spreadsheet, and graphics invocation. One extra step is assumed to make the format conversions; in practice, this is not easy.

I have made certain assumptions to simplify the process. An upper bound of 0.995 for any p, is assumed, and the other values reflect the subjective assessment of difficulty. Two commonly claimed attributes of a Lisa-type environment are accepted in setting P0 to 0.95 and all p, to 0.995. The results are instructive, in any case.

Once created, nothing can claim to be more user-friendly than a properly completed exhaustive script. Some of the benefits of the Lisa environment are lost because of the multiplicity of steps, but with the numbers assumed, it receives a slightly higher F score. Slightly clearer prompting in the Standard PC approach would eliminate this edge, however.

These examples are intended to help make explicit how sensitive user-friendliness is to the application. For a onetime task to be done by an experienced user, the script approach is unassailable, and the Lisa environment has many strengths. The most important point is that no single approach dominates.

price of power supplies, electric motors, and precision machine parts is partially responsible, but personnel—as represented by software, documentation, training, and support—is the major inflationary cost component.

For the personal computer and office-automation industries to achieve their goals, systems must be not only affordable but also sufficiently userfriendly. This is the real challenge, as is shown by all the press attention to the Apple Lisa, Visicorp Visi On, and Microsoft Windows. These products attempt to introduce the "desktop" metaphor to replace the "spreadsheet" metaphor that has propelled the industry to this point. Both Apple and Visicorp pose an implicit definition of user-friendly: 30 minutes (or less) of training is required for the software to be usefully applied.

A Paradigm

Pure technology is abstract and sterile. It is of no value until it helps solve problems. Users employ word

processors to communicate, not to ogle technology. This suggests the following definition of a user-friendly system: A user-friendly system helps produce accurate solutions in less time and at less expense than alternative systems.

Three important implications of this definition need special emphasis:

•the interface for the nontechnical user is only one factor in user-friendliness

•user-friendliness is relative to both the group of users and to the alternative methods; no software can be user-friendly across the board •user-friendly relates to solutions, not to tools

Together, these three points imply that no system can be user-friendly except in the context of specific problems for specific users.

Another implication is less apparent. A system that is easy to learn may not be easy to use; every user

friendly system faces a trade-off between these two goals. Visicalc is easy to use but not particularly easy to learn. After an application becomes routine, ease of use becomes more important than ease of learning. Thus, user-friendliness in one case may not be user-friendliness in another.

The text box entitled "Quantifying User-Friendly' " (beginning on the preceding page) presents an illustrated definition of user-friendliness, but I'll summarize the formal logic here. A system is user-friendly if it solves problems reliably. (This is an admittedly less comprehensive definition than the earlier one.) The probability of the solution, F, is above some (high) threshold. F can be the result of three factors:

P0 — the probability that the user will find the set of steps to solve the problem

p — the probability that the user can successfully ex

BYTE May 1984 103

Circle 132 on inquiry card.

Make your spooling network sing in six-port harmony.

AddMultiSpool-the

hardware spooler

that's truly flexible. ^ -A

Now, thanks to MultiSpool, ^ there's no more need to buy individual spoolers, no more wasted computer time or memory. With its enormous memorysharing power, this dynamic six-port switching device not only lets you network any combination of computers and printers; it also provides the spooling function within that network.

With its 60K of buffer memory, controlled by 4K of memory management firmware, MultiSpool can orches trate up to five computers or

five printers simultaneously. Only this degree of flexibility can meet the ever-changing port-expansion needs of today's multiuser environment. Note, too, that MultiSpool mixes four serial and two Centronicscompatible ports. It also handles X-on, X-off protocols and DTR. So, with the unit's dipswitch, you can configure each port to accommodate either a computer or printer; and you can define the discipline of that port. Best of all, MultiSpool sells for just $995.00-even less if you don't need all six ports. And that, we're sure, is music to your ears.

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ecute each step n — the minimum possible number of steps in the solution

Formally, F = P0x p". The requirement of being user-friendly is that F be at or above some threshold probability value F0, determined by the characteristics of the alternative systems.

The Implications

The preceding definition has implications for software developers. Userfriendliness becomes a function of PQ, p, and n. The ideal system has both P0 and p as close to 1.0 as possible, with n as small as possible (at a lower bound of 1.0 step). Unfortunately, software developers cannot freely choose these values.

Why not? Because P0 has to fall as n increases, while p generally increases as each step is made smaller. The classic easy-to-learn system guides the user through hierarchical menus. As long as the user can easily identify where to begin, F will be very high for problems solved by that system. Such a system is inherently limited to the problems selected by the menu builders. Other types of problems may be solved by the system, but if they are not enumerated in the menus, their "F score" is likely to be very low.

The cost of increasing the number of steps is very high, even if p is 0.995 (an error only once in every 200 attempts). For example, p" would be 0.975 for 5 steps, 0.951 for 10 steps, 0.905 for 20 steps, and 0.818 for 40 steps. This is where ease of use and ease of learning conflict. The user progresses from one level of ability to another through training and experience, and the steps can then be reduced but made more complex with little decrease in p. A user eventually will consider a system with fewer, but natively more complex, steps to be more user-friendly.

The problems a user has change from day to day, and a user-friendly system must be able to easily accommodate this change. Therefore, the fundamental tools must be strong.

Because people make mistakes, p

104 BYTE May 1984

Circle 66 on inquiry card.

When you visit your dealer and compare the Princeton IBM-compatible hx-1 2 slde-by-slde with the IBM color monitor, your eyes will see the difference.

The HX-12 gives you higher resolution and finer dot pitch (.31mm) than the IBM 5153's medium resolution (.43mm) for a cleaner, sharper Image.

Compare our full range of colors and our crisp whites without red bleed. You'll also see a difference in

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•_ • \

has an upper limit regardless of the computer skills of the user group (probably not far above the 0.995 used in the preceding example). Although their computer skills cannot raise p much beyond a certain level, more training may help a user group to execute substantially more complex steps with the same p.

This is a critical point. Any system designed for a mass market can be user-friendly only for relatively simple problems. If the problems to be solved are not simple, it is unlikely that any general, mass-market system can be user-friendly. Resolving this dilemma involves reeducating the user group. With better training and documentation, software vendors can increase the computer sophistication of their users (i.e., raise p and lower n). In so doing, they also can increase the scope and complexity of problems for which their systems are user-friendly. Alternatively, by customizing the software to fit specific needs, software vendors can build user-friendly systems for users who have little computer sophistication.

Are integrated systems userfriendly? The answer is clearly "sometimes." Let's consider four major limitations:

1. There are limits to spoon-feeding. Lisa and Visi On succeed exceptionally well in packaging their capabilities in easily recognized, highly robust capsules. The effect of this is to raise both p and n by requiring many steps to do anything. These systems are user

friendly in much the same way as Tinkertoys. They provide easy-touse building blocks, but you cannot create large, stable applications with them. This is fine because the goal of these systems is to let more people use personal computers and not necessarily to expand the scope of problems that can be solved with personal computers.

2. Current technology does a poor job of telling the user what to do as opposed to how to do it. Lisa and Visi On make spreadsheets, graphics, word processors, and similar tools easier to use. Unfortunately, they also assume that the user knows what data to obtain and from where, what transformations should be made, what other processing is required, and which report format or graphics should be used. In the real world, the user may need more help making these choices than using the software. This is the problem "expert systems" and artificial intelligence seek to address.

3. Much of the day is spent doing routine tasks, but it's not necessarily these tasks that are simplified by using integrated systems. Lisa and Visi On may simplify each step of a task, but the user still has to remember, and then execute, each step individually. The user would much rather select one choice, supply the parameters, and then let the computer step through the various tasks. The popularity of keyboard macro packages, such as Pro Key, derives from the fact that they let users

store their most common keystroke sequences. 4. Any integrated computer system is still but a component of a total business system. Merging integrated applications with existing applications likely will prove more difficult than many people expect because the businessperson's tasks are so varied and the tools are so diverse. Meetings, telephone conversations, correspondence, publications, memoranda, calculation and dictation machines, as well as pencil and paper, are used every day; not all work can be done at a workstation. Moreover, professionals travel and go home—and they take their work with them. Integrated workstations can create as many problems as they solve by providing the user with so much power in an isolated environment. Lap-sized computers will help reduce this isolation, however.

To achieve their stated market goals, integrated systems must be perceived as user-friendly and costeffective. Without question they achieve their integration at double or triple the cost of component-oriented alternatives, so the burden on userfriendliness is extreme. The challenge is great. Training, in-person support, and customization seem essential, yet their price may make these systems no longer cost-effective. ■

William J. Raduchel is vice-president of product development support at McGraw-Hill Inc. (1221 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020).

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106 BYTE May 1984

Circle 179 on inquiry card.

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UNIX is a trademark of Bell Laboratories; PDP-11, P/OS, RSX-llM, RT-11, VAX, VMS are trademarks of Digital Equipment Corporation; CP/M is a trademark of Digital Research Co.;

MC68000 and VERSAdos are trademarks of Motorola Inc.; IBM, PCjr, MVS, VM/CMS and PCDOS are registered trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation;

MS is a trademark of Microsoft; UNIPLUS + is a trademark of Unisoft Systems of Berkeley; ldris is a trademark of Whitesmiths, Ltd.

A Computer in the Doctor's Waiting Room

An Atari program that offers some of the capabilities of an "expert

system" for one physician's patients

For the past year I've kept an inexpensive computer in my office waiting room for my patients to use. The computer, an Atari 400, runs programs that impart medical information to the user. Instructions appear on the screen so that anyone can use the system without any aid from the office staff. The three programs I have developed answer the medical questions most frequently asked by the patients in my obstetrical-gynecological practice.

One program elicits information concerning symptoms of abnormal uterine bleeding. According to the user responses, it will diagnose the seriousness of the condition and will recommend what course of action the patient should take.

The other two programs are somewhat different in nature. One contains information about birth control methods, including the effectiveness, advantages, disadvantages, and risks of each. The remaining program, Drugs in Pregnancy, presented in this article, outlines 15 classifications of commonly available drugs and their effects on the various stages of pregnancy.

Though not meant as a substitute for doctor-patient interaction, the pa

108 BYTE May 1984

George Zucconi, M.D. Private Practice

tients' use of these programs saves time for more complicated questions by eliminating basic preliminary queries. My patients take readily to the computer and have found the programs to be helpful. For one thing, using the computer avoids any feelings of embarrassment when inquiring about intimate matters. Furthermore, the computer is tireless and never scoffs at seemingly dumb questions. Even computerphobes overcome their hesitancy after watching someone else use the machine. In fact, it's unusual to see the computer sitting idly when anyone is in the waiting room.

The Genie in the Lamp

The educational use of computers promises to open up the possibilities for conveying information to others. With the proliferation of small, inexpensive computers, many more people will be able to afford these instruments and experiment with devising new applications for them. No longer the exclusive tool of the few, the power of the computer has been released like the genie from the lamp, waiting to grant us whatever wishes we command. In order to effectively develop the powers of the

microcomputer "genie," a concerted effort and sharing of knowledge are necessary.

The beauty of putting so many people in touch with computers is that by merely increasing the number of users, we will attain a "critical mass" wherein a breakthrough in learning is inevitable. Each new kernel of knowledge leads to another, building on the impetus of the previous one, all multiplying exponentially and cascading in a chain reaction.

This concept has long been the tradition in the medical profession. Scientific progress would be nonexistent without the dissemination of discoveries and information. Following in this tradition, I would like to share some efforts I have made toward devising medical applications for this versatile tool. I've provided the BASIC listing of the Drugs in Pregnancy program so that interested readers can use it or learn from its construction (see listing 1).

When the Doctor's Not In

You may not be anxious to expose a valuable computer to inexperienced hands or to children's sticky fingers. However, even if you do not give

Text continued on page 116

Listing 1: The source code for Drugs in Pregnancy, a program written in Atari BASIC that explains the effects of various types of commonly available drugs on pregnancy.

1008

1910 1820 18 25 1838 1848 1058

1060

1878

18 88

1898

1108

1185

1118

1120

1130

1 140

1145

1150

1152

1 154

1168

1 170

2080

2120

2122

2123

2130

2140

2158

2168

2170

2172

2188

2220

INT

2238

INT

2240

INT

2250

INT

2280

2298

2292

2294

2308

2328

2330

2348

2345

2358

2368

2378

3808

38 10

30 28

3038

30 32 3834 3836 3038 3898 3108

31 18 3120 3130 3131 3132 3133 3134

? K6:? #6 ? «6:? #6 ? *»6:? #6 ? »6:? M ? H6:? »6

REM INTRODUCTION CLR :DIM K*<1) GRAPHICS 2+16:P0KE 77,0 SETCOLOR 2,4,0:SETCOLOR 4,7,0 p 1 ease -feel free " to come over" and see what" this compu ter" can do"

FOR J=l TO 1000:IF PEEK<53279>=6 THEN 3000 NEXT J GRAPHICS 2 SETCOLOR 4 ? #6 ; " ? »6:? ? t»6s? ? tt6:? ? #6:? PRINT PRINT PRINT

7,0:SETCOLOR 2,3,2 YOU CAN ASK"

1*6 j" THE COMPUTER"

»6;" ABOUT THE"

#65" EFFECTS OF DRUGS"

«6;" IN PREGNANCY" PRESS YELLOW <START> PANEL BELOW"

RED LIGHT ON RIGHT SIDE OF KEYBOARD" TO ASK ABOUT DRUGS AND PREGNANCY FOR J=l TO 2880:IF PEEK<53279)=6 THEN 3000 NEXT J:GOTO 1018 REM SUBROUTINES PRINT :PRINT

PRINT " ENTER NUMBER OF TOPIC" PRINT " Your Choi ce is";

FOR J=l TO 3080

IF PEEK<764)=31 THEN POKE 764,255:K*="1" IF PEEK(764)=30 THEN POKE 764,255:K*="2" IF PEEK(764)=26 THEN POKE 764,255:K*="3" IF PEEK<764>=24 THEN POKE 764,255:K*="4" IF PEEK<764>=29 THEN POKE 764,255:K*="5" NEXT J:GOTO 1818 IF (ASC<K*)<49) OR <ASC<K*>>58>

PRINT K*:RETURN PRINT K*:RETURN PRINT K*:RETURN PRINT K*:RETURN PRINT K*:RETURN

THEN PRINT

USE NUMBERS 1 TO 2

:K*="N":PR

OR <ASC<K*>>51> THEN PRINT

OR (ASCCK*)>52) THEN PRINT

OR <ASC(K*)>53) THEN PRINT

RETURN

IF <ASC<K*)<49)

RETURN

IF (ASC(K*)<49)

RETURN

IF (ASC(K*)<49)

RETURN

RETURN

PRINT

PRINT

PRINT

PRINT

FOR J'

IF PEEK<764>=40 THEN POKE 764,255:K*="R

IF PEEK(764)=18 THEN POKE 764,255:K*="C

IF PEEK<764)=37 THEN POKE 764,255:K*

USE NUMBERS 1 TO 3 ":K*="N":PR

USE NUMBERS 1 TO 4 ":K*="N":PR

USE NUMBERS 1 TO 5

:K*="N":PR

:PRINT :PR I NT " ENTER C TO MAKE A CHOICE" " ENTER R TO RETURN TO THE PREVIOUS" LIST TO MAKE ANOTHER CHOICE" ENTER Q TO QUIT "; 1 TO 3080

: " M "

:PRINT K*:PRINT :RETURN : PRINT K*:RETURN :PRINT K*:RETURN

1983 G.R.Zucconi M.D.":PRINT

IF PEEK<764)=47 THEN POKE 764,255:G0T0 1010 NEXT J GOTO 10 10 REM DRUG LIST " GRAPHICS 0:SETCOLOR 2,9,4 PRINT :PRINT " Copyright PRINT " ANY DRUG SHOULD BE AVOIDED" PRINT " DURING PREGNANCY UNLESS ABSOLUTE-" PRINT " LY NECESSARY. YOU CAN SEE WHAT" PRINT " EFFECT EACH DRUG HAS BY CHOOSING" PRINT " ONE FROM THE LIST.":PRINT PRINT " 1. ALCOHOL"

PRINT " 2. EPILEPTIC OR SEIZURE DRUGS" PRINT " 3. BLOOD THINNERS" PRINT " 4. LITHIUM"

PRINT " 5. HORMONES AND BC PILLSPRINT : PRINT " FOR MORE DRUGS, ENTER M" GOSUB 2290:IF K*="R" THEN 3080 IF K*="M" THEN 3160 GOSUB 2120:GOSUB 2258

Listing 1 continued on page 110

BYTE May 1984

109

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- © Copyright 1984 Westico. Inc. WES-37. 110 BYTE May 1984

Listing

3148 3159 3160 3179 3189 3199 3298 3219 3229 3239 3249 3259 3260 3270 3275 3280 3290 3389 339 2 3304 3310 3320 3330 3335 3349 3350 3360 3370 3375 3330 3399 3499 3419 3420 34 38 3448 3450 3460 3470 3480 3499 3508 3519 3528 3530 3548 3558 3560 3578 3588 3598 3680 3610 3628 3638 3640 3650 3660 3670 3680 3690 3700 3710 3720 3730 3740 3750 3760 3778 3780 3798 3800

1 continued:

IF K*=UN" THEN 3009

ON VAL(K*> GOSUB 3390,3500,3640,3740,3840

PRINT "}":PRINT :SETC0L0R 2,3,2:SETC0L0R 4,11,4

PRINT " DRUG LIST CONTINUED":PRINT

PRINT " 1. ANTIBIOTICS"

PRINT " 2. ANESTHETICS"

PRINT " 3. DRUGS FOR NAUSEA"

PRINT ' 4. TRANQUILIZERS, SEDATIVES"

PRINT " 5. ASPIRIN"

PRINT :PRINT " FOR MORE DRUGS, ENTER M"

GOSUB 2290:IF K*="R" THEN 3000

IF K*="M" THEN 3280

GOSUB 2120:GOSUB 2250

IF K*="N" THEN 3160

ON VAL(K*> GOSUB 3968,4080,4190,4330,4440

PRINT PRINT PRINT PRINT PRINT PRINT PRINT PRINT PRINT PRINT

PRINT PRINT PRINT PRINT PRINT PRINT PRINT PRINT PRINT PRINT

PRINT PRINT PRINT PRINT PRINT PRINT PRINT PRINT PRINT PRINT PRINT PRINT

PRINT PRINT PRINT PRINT PRINT PRINT PRINT PRINT

PRINT PRINT PRINT PRINT PRINT PRINT

>":PRINT :SETC0L0R 2,6,2:SETCOLOR 4,15,6 DRUG LIST CONTINUED":PRINT

1. DRUGS TO BE AVOIDED NEAR" THE END OF PREGNANCY"

2. SMOKING"

3. X-RAYS"

4. FACTORS KNOWN TO CAUSE" DEFORMITIES IN THE FETUS"

5. STREET DRUGS" PRINT " THIS IS THE END OF THE DRUG LIST"

GOSUB 2290:IF K*="R" THEN 3169

GOSUB 2120: GOSUB 2250

IF K*="N" THEN 3289

ON UAL(K*> GOSUB 4590,4699,4820,4960,5159

REM

>" :PR I NT

ALCOHOL ":PRINT :PRINT RISK OF MALFORMATION INCREASES" WITH THE AVERAGE DAILY INTAKE.":PRINT sPRINT THERE IS ONE CHANCE IN TEN OF A" DEFORMITY IF YOU HABITUALLY HAVE" MORE THAN ONE OR TWO DRINKS PER" DAY FOR MOST OF THE PREGNANCY.":PRINT :PRINT HEAVY DRINKERS HAVE ONE CHANCE IN" FOUR OF HAVING A DEFORMED BABY."

GOSUB 2290:IF K*="R" THEN 3000

PRINT ">":PRINT

EPILEPTIC OR SEIZURE DRUGS ":PRINT THERE ISA 2 TO 3 PER CENT RISK" OF MALFORMATION IN WOMEN TAKING" THESE DRUGS.":PRINT

PHEN0BARBITAL,AND BARBITURATES IN" GENERAL,HAVE BEEN USED FOR A LONG" TIME, AND IT SEEMS UNLIKELY THAT" THEY HAVE ANY IMPORTANT EFFECT." .-PRINT DILANTIN HAS A LOWER RISK THAN" TRIDIONE AND PARADIONE.":PRINT THE RISKS OF THE NEWER DRUGS LIKE" TEGRETOL AND DEPAKENE ARE UNKNOWN."

GOSUB 2290:IF K*="R" THEN 3000

PRINT ")":PRINT

BLOOD THINNERS ":PRINT COUMARIN SHOULD NOT BE USED IN" PREGNANCY. IT CAN CAUSE FETAL AB-" NORMALITIES EVEN LATE IN THE PRE-" GNANCY. IT CAN ALSO CAUSE BLEED-" ING IN THE FETUS AND THE NEWBORN.":PRINT IF AN ANTICOAGULANT IS NEEDED,THE" DRUG OF CHOICE IS HEPARIN."

GOSUB 2290:IF K*="R" THEN 3000

PRINT "> ".-PRINT

LITHIUM " :PRINT :PRINT THE EVIDENCE CURRENTLY AVAILABLE" SUGGESTS THAT LITHIUM IS PROBABLY" A CAUSE FOR MALFORMATIONS.":PRINT THE EVIDENCE IS SUFFICIENT TO" JUSTIFY AVOIDING LITHIUM DURING"

Listing 1 continued on page 113

r-X&m

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Adam B. Green, Chairman, SoftwareBanc.

;a

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661 Massachusetts Avenue, Arlington, MA 02174

Circle 353 on inquiry card.

(800)451-2502

(617) 641-1241 in MA

BYTE May 1984 111

'""iff"" "lllff!" Your computer's telephone.

f"%g"""f

S

W//////////////L

What are the adverse effects of this compound?

Gary: The pedigrees for next week's auction are as follows...

Sold 1000 shares at J J for net profit of 6000. Richard.

Wouldn't it be great if you could use your IBM* PC to tap into vast resource libraries across the country? To transfer files to your partner, upstate? Or from your broker, down the street?

It's possible. All you need is a modem, to connect your computer to others. Down the hall. Or thousands of miles awav

Hayes Smartmodem. Think of it as your computer's telephone. Hayes Smartmodem 300™ and the faster Smartmodem 1200™ allbw you to communicate over ordinary phone lines.

But any modem will send and receive data. Hayes Smartmodems

112 BYTE May 1984

also dial, answer and disconnect calls. Automatically. And without going through the telephone receiver, making them far superior to acoustic coupler modems.

Choose your speed; choose your price. The lower-priced Smartmodem 300 is ideal for local data swaps and communicates at 300 bps. For longer distance and larger volumes, Smartmodem 1200 operates at baud rates of 300 or 1200, with a built-in selector that automatically detects transmission speeds.

Both work with rotary dials, Touch-Tone® and key-set systems; connect to most timesharing systems-, and feature an audio speaker.

Smartmodem 1200B™ is also available as a plug-in board. Developed specifically for the PC, it comes packaged with Hayes own communications software, Smartcom II™

Smartcom II. We spent a lot of time developing it, so you can spend less time using it Smartcom II prompts you in the

simple steps required to create, send, receive, display, list, name and rename files. It even receives data completely unattended—especially helpful when you're sending work from home to the office, or vice versa.

If you need it, there's always "help!' This feature explains prompts, messages, etc. to make communicating extra easy.

With Smartcom II, it is. Case in point. Before you communicate with another system, you need to "set up" your computer to match the way the remote system transmits data. With Smartcom II, you do this only once. After that, parameters for 25 different remote systems are stored in a directory on Smartcom II.

Calling or answering a system listed in the directory requires just a few quick keystrokes. You can store lengthy log-on sequences the same way. Press one key, and Smartcom II automatically connects you to a utility or information service.

mqui Hayes

Smartmodem 300.1200. and I200B are FCC approved in the U.S. and DOC approved in Canada.

Smartmodem I200B. (Includes telephone cable. No serial card or separate power source is needed

Smartcom II communications software

NOTE: Smartmodem 1200B may also be installed in the IBM Personal Computer XT or the Expansion Unit. In those units, another board installed in the slot to the immediate right of the Smartmodem 1200B may not clear the modem; also, the brackets may not fit properly. If this occurs, the slot to the right of the modem should be left empty.

And, in addition to the IBM PC. Smartcom II is also available for the IBM Personal Computer XT, COMPAQ Portable, Corona Portable PC, Columbia MPC, DEC Rainbow 100, Xerox 820-11, and Kaypro II personal computers*

Backed by the experience and reputation of Hayes. A solid leader in the microcomputer industry, Hayes provides excellent documentation for all products, A limited two-year warranty on all hardware. And full support from us to your dealer

So see him today. Break out of isolation. Get a telephone for your Personal Computer. From Hayes.

Hayes Microcomputer Products. Inc., 5923 Peachtree Industrial Blvd., Norcross, GA 30092.404/441-1617.

Smartmodem 300. Smartmodem 1200. Smartmodem 1200B and Smartcom II are trademarks of Hayes Microcomputer Products. Inc. •Trademarks of International Business Machines Corpoiation. Compaq Computer Corporation. Corona Data Systems. Columbia Data Products. Inc., Digital Equipment Corporation. Xerox Corporation, and Kaypro Corporation.Touch-Tone is a registered service mark of American Telephone and Telegraph. ©1984 Hayes " niputer Products. Inc.

Circle 192 on inquiry card.

Listing

2 continued:

3810

PRINT

" THE FIRST THREE MONTHS OF THE"

I

3820

PRINT

" PREGNANCY."

3830

GOSUB

2298:IF K*="R" THEN 3808

3840

PRINT

»>"

3850

PRINT

HORMONES AND BC PILLS ":PRINT :PRINT

3860

PRINT

" THE SMALL AMOUNTS OF PROGESTOGEN"

3870

PRINT

" IN BIRTH CONTROL PILLS ARE NOT"

3880

PRINT

" LIKELY TO CAUSE MALFORMATI0NS.":PRINT

3890

PRINT

" STUDIES HAVE BEEN CONTRADICTORY"

3900

PRINT

" AND CONFUSING,BUT IF THERE IS ANY"

3910

PRINT

" RISK, IT MUST BE SMALL.":PRINT

3920

PRINT

" EXPOSURE TO DIETHYLSTILBESTEROL"

3930

PRINT

" CAN CAUSE CANCER OF THE VAGINA IN"

3940

PRINT

" FEMALE OFFSPRING."

3950

GOSUB

2290:IF K*="R" THEN 3000

3960

PRINT

">"

3970

PRINT

ANTIBIOTICS ":PRINT

3980

PRINT

" ALMOST ALL DRUGS USED TO TREAT"

3990

PRINT

" INFECTIONS ARE SAFE IN PREGNANCY.":PRINT

4000 4010

PRINT PRINT

" DRUGS CONTAINING TRIMETHOPRIM AND" " PYRIMETHAMINE MAY CAUSE MALF0RMA-"

4820

PRINT

" TIONS.BRAND NAMES FOR THESE DRUGS"

4030

PRINT

" ARE: BACTRIM, SEPTRA, PROLOPRIM,"

4040

PRINT

" TRIMPLEX AND DARAPRIM.":PRINT

4050

PRINT

" TETRACYCLINE CAN CAUSE STAINING"

4060

PRINT

" OF TEETH, AND SHOULD BE AVOIDED."

40 70

GOSUB

2290: IF K*="R" THEN 3160

4080

PRINT

n \ ii

4090

PRINT

ANESTHETICS ":PRINT :PRINT

4108

PRINT

" ANESTHETICS FOR SURGERY OR DENTAL"

41 10

PRINT

" WORK DO NOT INCREASE THE RISK FOR"

4120

PRINT

" HAVING A DEFORMED INFANT.":PRINT

4130

PRINT

" WOMEN WHO WORK IN THE OPERATING"

4140

PRINT

" ROOM OR ARE EXPOSED TO GAS ANES-"

4150

PRINT

" THETICS,ESPECIALLY NITROUS OXIDE,"

4160

PRINT

" OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME, ARE"

4178

PRINT

" AT INCREASED RISK FOR ABORTION."

4180

GOSUB

2290:IF K*="R" THEN 3168

4190

PRINT

II \ II

4200

PRINT

DRUGS FOR NAUSEA ":PRINT

4210

PRINT

" MANY STUDIES INVOLVING MANY HUN-"

4220

PRINT

" DREDS OF WOMEN HAVE FAILED TO"

4230

PRINT

" SHOW AN INCREASED INCIDENCE OF"

4240

PRINT

" MALFORMATIONS.":PRINT

4250

PRINT

" IN SPITE OF OVERWHELMING SCIENTI-"

4260

PRINT

" FIC EVIDENCE AND 27 YEARS OF USE,"

4270

PRINT

" A RECENT COURT JUDGEMENT HAS CAU-"

4280

PRINT

" SED PUBLIC ALARM OVER THE SAFETY"

4290

PRINT

" OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE OF THESE"

4300

PRINT

° DRUGS IN PREGNANCY, BENDECTIN,"

4310

PRINT

" AND ITS MANUFACTURE HAS BEEN"

4315

PRINT

" DISCONTINUED."

4320

GOSUB

2290:IF K*="R" THEN 3168

4330

PRINT

">"

4340

PRINT

TRANQUILIZERS, SEDATIVES ":PRINT sPRINT

4350

PRINT

" TWO MAIN STUDIES HAVE PRODUCED"

4360

PRINT

" CONFLICTING RESULTS, BUT RISK, IF"

4378

PRINT

" IT EXISTS, IS SMALL.":PRINT

4380

PRINT

" THE SAME THING CAN BE SAID ABOUT"

4390

PRINT

" MOOD ELEVATORS OR ANTIDEPRESSANTS,"

4395

PRINT

" WITH THE EXCEPTION OF LITHIUM."iPRINT

4480

PRINT

" BARBITURATES HAVE BEEN IN USE FOR"

4410

PRINT

" A LONG TIME AND ARE CONSIDERED"

4420

PRINT

" SAFE DURING PREGNANCY."

4438

GOSUB

2298:IF K*="R" THEN 3160

4448

PRINT

II \ II

4458

PRINT

ASPIRIN ":PRINT

4460

PRINT

" THERE IS NO ASSOCIATION BETWEEN"

4470

PRINT

" ASPIRIN AND MALFORMATIONS.":PRINT

4480

PRINT

" HOWEVER,ASPIRIN SHOULD BE AVOIDED"

4490

PRINT

" AFTER THE FIRST THREE MONTHS OF"

4500

PRINT

" PREGNANCY BECAUSE IT CAN CAUSE"

4518

PRINT

* THE PREGNANCY TO BE PROLONGED IF"

Listing 1 continued on page

BYTE May 1984

224 113

The p-System Improvement You've Been Waiting For...

A Lower Price!

Compatible with the IBM PC, XT, Corona, Columbia, Compaq, Colby, Eagle, Hyperion and Texas Instruments' Professional

We've taken $245 off the price of the NCI pSystem, the newest, fastest and most complete p-System for the IBM PC and compatibles. For only $595 the NCI p-System offers far more features than the comparably-priced version marketed by IBM. It uses the latest implementation and has been recognized by major software developers and reviewers as being the best version available. *

The NCI p-System runs up to five times faster than IBM's and is the only p-System that lets you move files from PC DOS to the p-System and vice versa. You also get many exclusive utilities and the widest range of hardware support and compatibility. Only the NCI pSystem includes technical support and new, easy-to-reference documentation.

Special discounts are available for users who have already purchased the IBM version and want to upgrade to the NCI p-System. For full details clip this coupon and send it to:

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0 I want to know more about NCI's p-System

D I own an IBM version

□ Please send me dealer information

Name. Title _

Company. Address _

State.

-Zip.

'Endorsements and reviews available from NCI. The p-System is a trademark ol SotlTech Microsystems, Inc. IBM PC and XT are trademarks ol International Business Machines Corporation.

Listing 4520 4530 4540 4550 4560 4570 4590 4600 4610 4620 4630 4640 4650 4660 4670 4675 4680 4690 4700 4710 4720 4730 4740 4750 4760 4770 4780 4790 4800 4810 4820 4830 4840 4850 4860 4870 4890 4900 4910 4920 4930 4940 4950 4960 4970 4980 4990

5000

5010 5020 5030 5040 5050 5060 5070 5080 5090 5100 5140 5150 5160 5170 5180 5190 5200 5210 5220 5230 5240 5250 5260 5276 5280 5290 5308

1 continued:

PRINT " TAKEN IN HIGH DOSES.":PRINT

ASPIRIN MAY ALSO PROLONG LABOR,* AND IF TAKEN WITHIN ONE WEEK OF" DELIVERY, CAN CAUSE BLEEDING PROB-" LEMS IN THE MOTHER AND INFANT." IF K*="R" THEN 3160

PRINT

PRINT

PRINT

PRINT

GOSUB 2298

PRINT ">"

PRINT "

PRINT "

PRINT

PRINT

PRINT

PRINT

PRINT

PRINT

PRINT

DRUGS TO BE AVOIDED NEAR THE END OF PREGNANCY "i SULFA DRUGS AND ASPIRIN CAN LEAD" TO JAUNDICE IN THE NEWBORN.":PRINT THE FOLLOWING DRUGS CAN LEAD TO" RUPTURE OF THE BABY'S RED BLOOD" CELLS CAUSING ANEMIA: DRUGS FOR" MALARIA, PHENACETIN (APC), SULFA" AND NITROFURANTOIN."

GOSUB 2290:IF K*="R" THEN 3280

PRINT " }"

SMOKING ":PRINT SMOKING IS KNOWN TO BE A POSSIBLE" CAUSE OF PREMATURITY, AND IT MAY" ALSO INCREASE THE RISK OF SPONTA-" NEOUS ABORTION.":PRI NT CHEWING TOBACCO AND NICOTINE CHEW-' ING GUM SHOULD NOT BE USED DURING" PREGNANCY.":PR INT

CUTTING BACK ON THE NUMBER OF CI-" GARETTES SMOKED WILL HELP, IF YOU" CANNOT STOP ALTOGETHER." IF K*="R" THEN 3288

PRINT -.PRINT

PRINT

PRINT

PRINT

PRINT

PRINT

PRINT

PRINT

PRINT

PRINT

PRINT

PRINT

GOSUB 2298

PRINT ">"

PRINT "

PRINT

PRINT

PRINT

PRINT

PRINT

PRINT

PRINT

PRINT

PRINT

PRINT

X-RAYS ":PRINT :PRINT THE AMOUNT OF RADIATION ABSORBED" FROM CHEST OR DENTAL X-RAYS IS" TOO SMALL TO HAVE ANY EFFECT ON" FETAL DEVELOPMENT. EVEN X-RAYS TO" THE PELVIS IN EARLY PREGNANCY DO" NOT PRODUCE ENOUGH RADIATION TO" CAUSE ANY MALFORMATION.":PRINT DURING PREGNANCY, HOWEVER, A LEAD" SHIELD OR APRON SHOULD BE USED AS" A PRECAUTION." GOSUB 2290:IF K*="R" THEN 3288 PRINT ">"

FACTORS KNOWN TO CAUSE " DEFORMITIES IN THE FETUS ":PRINT " MORE THAN 65X OF MALFORMATIONS" " HAVE UNKNOWN CAUSES, BUT PROBABLY" " MOST HAVE MULTIPLE CAUSES, ONLY" " 10X OF WHICH MAY BE ATTRIBUTED TO" " DRUGS. THE OTHER 25X ARE DUE TO" " CHROMOSOME OR GENETIC PROBLEMS.":PRINT " EVEN THALIDOMIDE PRODUCES DEFECTS" " IN LESS THAN 25* OF EXPOSED OFF-" " SPRING.":PRINT

" CYTOTOXIC DRUGS USED FOR CANCER" " TREATMENT ARE THE OTHER CLASS OF" " DRUGS THAT CAUSE MALFORMATIONS." 2290:IF Kt="R" THEN 3280

PRINT PRINT PRINT PRINT PRINT PRINT PRINT PRINT PRINT PRINT PRINT PRINT PRINT PRINT GOSUB PRINT PRINT PRINT PRINT PRINT PRINT PRINT PRINT PRINT PRINT PRINT

STREET DRUGS ":PRINT PREMATURITY AND LOW BIRTH WEIGHT" ARE COMMON AND INFANT MORTALTIY" IS INCREASED WITH USE OF HEROIN.":PRINT WITHDRAWAL EFFECTS AFTER DELIVERY" OR EVEN WHILE IN UTERO CAN CAUSE" FETAL DISTRESS AND DEATH.":PRINT NONE OF THE COMMON STREET DRUGS," INCLUDING MARIJUANA, ARE KOWN TO" CAUSE ANY FETAL MALFORMATIONS."

GOSUB 2290:IF K*="R" THEN 3280

PRINT :PR INT " YOU HAVE REACHED THE END "

PRINT " OF THE PROGRAM "

GOSUB 2298:IF K*="R" THEN 3280

GOTO 1010

114 BYTE May 1984

A TIMELY ANNOUNCEMENT

FORProDOS USERS:

TM

Congratulations! You not only have a powerful new operating system in Apple's* ProDOS, you can now get an incredibly versatile Clock/Calendar card to use with it. PROCLOCK™

PROCLOCK is the first Clock/Calendar designed for ProDOS-based systems as well as other Apples running DOS 3.3, CP/M**, Pascal, Applesoft*, and BASIC.

What's more, PROCLOCK fully emulates Superclock II, Thunderclock Plus and Apple Clock*. So programs written for these products can be used without any modification.

Of course, PROCLOCK will timeand date-coding files. And consider how much money you could save by timing your modem to transmit when the phone rates are cheapest. You can even use PROCLOCK as part of an automatic appliance control system.

Plus, PROCLOCK's powerful interrupt capabilities are invaluable to programmers working with timesensitive routines and multi-tasking. It can generate interrupts at intervals of 1 millisecond, 1 second, 1

minute, 1 hour, or any combination of those. And all interrupts are software-controlled and handled through PROCLOCK's on-board PIA.

Speaking of software, you also get a diskette full of sample programs, utilities and applications like our Time-Clock II job/time logging program.

PROCLOCK even includes one feature we don't expect anyone to take advantage of—a 10-year lithium battery that keeps the clock running even if your computer is left off for long periods of time.

But just try to keep away from your Apple long enough to put that to the test! With PROCLOCK, you'll have a whole new world of applications to explore. And plenty of time to explore it. Because PROCLOCK is a reliable, well-built piece of hardware. So well-built, it's backed by a five-year warranty.

Ask your dealer about PROCLOCK. It's perfect timing for ProDOS users!

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Circle 314 on inquiry card.

BYTE May 1984 115

Text continued from page 108:

your patients access to the computer, you may find this type of program useful in another way; it can be used by your staff to answer questions posed by patients.

Letting a nurse or receptionist handle simple medical questions is a common practice, but the aptness and correctness of the response may vary considerably depending on the training and experience of the person answering the questions. A program such as listing 1, used by the office staff to answer patient queries, can, in effect, make use of the expert knowledge and judgment of a physician, even in his or her absence.

In essence, the program and not the staff person supplies the answers. Through the program, the logic and rules of the expert applied to the base of medical knowledge control the response to the questions. The patients receive the answers you would have given, just as if you were speaking to them directly. Full diagnostic programs for large computers are already in operation in some medical centers. These programs, known as "expert" systems, function in much the same way. By interrogating for signs and symptoms and acting on these with rules devised by professionals, the systems arrive at the most likely diagnoses.

Adaptability to Other Computers

The Drugs in Pregnancy program was written in Atari BASIC and requires less than 13K bytes of memory. I chose the Atari because of its inexpensive price and rugged construction, and because it could be used without difficulty by anyone in the waiting room. The program can be easily rewritten in versions of BASIC for other computers. Instructions helpful for such conversions are given in the next section of this article.

The program structure is not limited to any particular field or topic. By changing the wording of the choices and the responses, you can change the topic to heart disease, exercise physiology, or any other area. By retaining its structure, the program will continue to operate as before, adapted to the new subject.

Converting an Atari Program

If you are converting this program for use on a computer other than the Atari, you need to change or eliminate some of the Atari-specific statements and commands. These are mostly graphic commands and symbols that differ from those of other computers. In the program listed, they serve to change the colors of the background and the borders of the screen display. You could delete all the graphic statement lines in the pro gram, and it would still convey the information.

I chose the Atari

because of its

inexpensive price and

rugged construction.

In designing this program, I devoted particular attention to making it user-proof. Envisioning the user as someone with no previous experience in operating a computer, and considering the environment for the program's intended use, I attempted to make it as difficult as possible to crash the program. The program had to continue operation, or right itself, if the user committed a mistake. This goal was achieved to a point.

Practically all the keys are rendered inoperable except the few that are needed for the user to make choices in the program. Because the office computer does not operate with a disk system, I found no practical way to disable the Break or the System Reset keys other than to cover them with the message, "Do NOT press this key." All responses to the user choices are segregated into timed loops so that if a preset time limit is exceeded, the program will automatically restart at the beginning. This prevents the program from freezing at a particular place if the user abandons it before its conclusion.

Most of the PEEK and POKE statements are used to carry out the foolproofing. Since the PEEKs and POKEs are peculiar to the Atari, if you need this kind of crash prevention, you will have to devise methods

for your own computer. The following Atari commands and functions are explained in detail so that you can convert them to the equivalent functions on your computer.

The SETCOLOR statement chooses a particular hue and luminance. The question mark (?) is an abbreviated form of the PRINT statement. PRINT #6 is a graphic statement that produces enlarged characters on the screen. The GRAPHICS command selects one of various graphic modes. Since the Atari GRAPHICS command also clears the screen, wherever you see this command in the program you should substitute your computer's command to clear the screen. Another Atari command also clears the screen: a PRINT statement followed by an arrow between double quotes. However, since most printers cannot print this arrow character, another symbol for the clearscreen command appears in the printout of the program listing. That symbol is "}" (right brace). Wherever you come across PRINT "}" in program listing 1, you should also substitute your computer's clear-screen code.

Explanation of the Program

Atari BASIC requires dimensioning all string variables for the maximum length of the string. The DIM statement, line 1010 CLR :DIM K$(l), reserves a certain number of memory locations for the string variable K$. Each character in a string requires 1 byte in memory. CLR clears the memory of all previously dimensioned strings, arrays, and matrices.

Ordinarily, luminescence is reduced and the colors are rotated to protect the screen if no one accesses the keyboard after nine minutes. The POKE command, line 1020 POKE 77,0, disables this function since the keyboard frequently goes unused for this period of time. Instead, the program changes screens automatically every 15 to 20 seconds while unattended, so this protection feature is not needed.

Line 1080 sets up a loop to keep the display on the screen for 15 seconds and allows the user to break out of the loop to start the main program by

116 BYTE May 1984

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Compote this system to any offered by any manufacturer, ony dealer. A 16-bit. 128K 8088 MS-DOS system (which by happy coincidence runs some IBM PC-DOS programs); The PC DeluxeTM includes the Sanyo MDC-555 computer with dual disk drives. MS-DOS. Sanyo Color Graphics Dosic, Wordstar, Colcstor, Moilmerge, Spellstar, Infosror, PC Filer, a 12" green phospher Sanyo display with a 640x200 resolution, a printer cable, and your choice of oMonnesmann Tolly Spirit 80, Gemini 1 OX, orScottsdale Systems' new LTR-1 letter quality printer. All for $1575.

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r

pressing the Start key. The PEEK command in this line monitors the Atari console switches. When the Start key is pressed, the program branches to line 3000. If the Start key is not activated within 15 seconds, the loop terminates and the program goes on to the next statement.

Line 1160 performs the same function for the second screen display, and line 1170 returns to the first screen if the Start key is not activated.

Lines 2000 to 2370 are subroutines and will be discussed in the sections of the program that call them.

Line 3000 is the beginning of the main program. A brief explanatory message is displayed on the screen followed by a menu of five drugs and an option to go on to a list of additional drugs.

Line 3132 calls subroutine 2290. (This input subroutine ends at 2370 unless an exit is made at one of the earlier lines.) The subroutine displays a menu of choices. A timing loop is set up as before, while the PEEK 764 statements read the value of the last key pressed. This function is similar to that of the INKEY statement in other versions of BASIC. The computer responds when the key is pressed; the user need not hit the Return or Enter key. The POKE statement restores the PEEK location to its normal value of 255, and the character entered is stored in the string

variable K$. If the character "C" is entered, indicating that the user wishes to choose one of the drugs listed, the program returns to line 3132 and falls through the next two statements to line 3134, where the program control shifts to the subroutine starting on line 2120.

The subroutine at line 2120 prompts the user to enter a number and sets up another timed loop. The PEEK 764 statements that follow again scan the keyboard for the numbers 1 through 5, store the chosen number in the string variable K$, and then return the program to line 3134. Lines 2140 to 2172 will not respond to any entry except the numbers 1 through 5. This is a further safeguard against the program's being crashed by an incorrect keystroke. Line 2180 restarts the program if keys 1 through 5 are not pressed within 15 seconds.

The second statement on line 3134 calls the subroutine at line 2250. This subroutine checks to see if the keyboard entry was a number from 1 to 5. If not, line 2250 displays an error message and sets an error flag in variable K$; this returns the user to the menu again for another input in line 3140.

If all has gone well up to this point, K$ contains the number associated with the drug of choice. The conversion of this string value to a numerical value with the VAL function in

line 3150 causes the program to branch to the appropriate routine with the ON GOSUB statement. If "R" was entered as a choice, the program will return to the previous menu. If "M" was the choice, the program will display the names of more drugs by branching to the next list of drugs.

The many subroutines, nested several layers deep, may make following the logic of the program difficult. However, the memory stack keeps track of all the subroutine calls and returns each one to the proper address. The advantage of such a method is that the user can move from the beginning of the program to the end in sequence, or jump back and forth anywhere in between, without being restricted to a one-way path.

The remainder of the program contains the text for the choices available to the user and further information on the topic chosen. By changing the textual content but retaining the form, structure, and logic of the program, you can rewrite the contents to deal with any topic that lends itself to a list of choices with a response for each one.H

George Zucconi, M.D., has a private OB/GYN practice in San Diego, California. He has written numerous articles and delivered lectures on the topic of computers and medicine. He can be reached at 7808 El Cafon Blvd., La Mesa, CA 92041.

a message to our subscribers

From time to time we make the BYTE subscriber list available to other companies who wish to send our subscribers material about their products. We take great care to screen these companies, choosing only those who are reputable, and whose products, services, or information we feel would be of interest to you. Direct mail is an efficient medium for presenting the latest personal computer goods and services to our subscribers.

Many BYTE subscribers appreciate this controlled use of our mailing list, and look forward to finding information of interest to them in the mail. Used are our subscribers' names and addresses only (no other information we may have is ever given).

While we believe the distribution of this information is of benefit to our subscribers, we firmly respect the wishes of any subscriber who does not want to receive such promotional literature. Should you wish to restrict the use of your name, simply send your request to the following address.

BYTE Publications Inc

Attn: Circulation Department

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03458

118 BYTE May 1984

Circle 284 for Dealer inquiries. Circle 285 for End-User inquiries.

THE SMALL BUSINESS MAINFRAME MuSYS NET/work 8816

<h$^Z0&

m-iWSMw

Large Multi-user Capability \

The NET/work 8816 is an 8/16 bit Multi-user, Multi-pVocessor small business computer system that affords "Mainframe Power at a Micro Price". The major features of tha system are: \

■ Expandable from 2 to 8 users, with 18 to 242 formatted Megabytes of reliable high speed storage. Eapb-ti^eT has their own computer with a minimum-of 128K RAM and access to a common database of information.

■ Runs over 3,000 CP/M and MP/M software packages. The NET/work 8816 operates under an enhanced version of the TurboDOS operating system, providing each user with one of the industry's largest TPAs (minimum 63 KB).

1 You won't outgrow this system! Room for growth without costly changes. Networking via ETHERNET links up to 16

NET/work is a trademark of MuSYS Corporation. TurboDOS is a trademark of Software 2000, Inc. CP/M is a trademark of Digital Research. Inc. Ethernet is a trademark of Xerox Corporation.

systems to accommodate 2§6-useTs with 3.8 GIGABYTES of high-speed onlirje-dtstCstorage.

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THE ESSENTIALS

The CompuPro H40 Disk Subsystem

When it comes to answering your data storage needs, CompuPro has the essential components. Like our H40 Hard Disk Subsystem with Disk 3M controller and our Disk 1 A'M controller. They're the IEEE 696/S-100 products that will keep you and your system on the cutting edge of computing for years to come. Each reflects the most advanced technology available. And that's what you've come to expect from CompuPro. Because we've built our reputation on quality components like these for more than a decade.

f^ICI^" fl ZI[M" Our high-performance floppy disk controller handles any combination of up to l^ljIX. I #\ ■ four 8" or 5'A" drives. The Disk 1A is perfectly suited for the highest level single or multi-user microcomputer system. It features state-of-the-art LSI architecture, high-speed DMA interface, and complete compatibility with CP/M-80™, CP/M-86?CP/M-68K™, CP/M®8-16™, MP/M™8-16™, and Concurrent CP/M™8-16™ operating systems.

r\|C'|Vr *3™i Our hard disk controller, which supports as many as four 5'A" Winchester drives, L/l«3lX 3 ■ achieves new levels of performance for multi-tasking systems. The Disk 3's many features include transfer of each disk sector using high speed "burst mode" DMA, and a channel processor for independent seeking, reading and writing, as well as the capability to transfer large blocks of data between disk and memory with a single command. Compatible with the same operating systems as Disk 1A.

OF DATA STORAGE

HARD DISK SUBSYSTEM:

Here's the essential peripheral for your microcomputer. The H40 has a single 8" floppy drive —a Qume Trak 842™ that's double-sided doubledensity with 1.2 Mbytes of formatted capacity—and a Quantum Q540™ 5'A" hard disk with 40 Mbytes of unformatted storage, allowing both floppy disk and hard disk operation in a single unit. Assembled in our famous disk enclosure, the H40 is compatible with the IEEE 696 standard.

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The Essential Computer

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CP/M and CP/M-86 are registered trademarks and CP/M-80 and CPIM-68K are trademarks of Digital Research Inc. CP/M 8-I6, MP/M 8-16 and Concurrent CP/M 8-16 are compound trademarks of Digital Research Inc. and CompuPro. Disk 1 A, Disk 3 and The Essential Computer are trademarks of CompuPro. Qume Trak 842 is a trademark of Qume Corporation. Quantum Q540 is a trademark of Quantum Corporation. Prices and specifications subject to change without notice. ©1984 CompuPro

Circle 90 on inquiry card. For Dealer locations, see pg. 435

The Microcomputer as a Decision-Making Aid

A computer can help you make decisions at work, but only if you

know what to expect

The phrase "decisions, decisions, decisions," used either in jest or in response to real frustrations, bears special significance. It has come to be a common, sometimes satiric, way of identifying one source of our problems. In this case, the source of irritation is the fact that the decisions we have to make have a way of piling up, demanding our time and attention, and seemingly never becoming manageable. The average person takes for granted the ability to make complex decisions. From the time we get up (what to wear today?), through the morning (which route to work?), afternoon (what's for lunch?), and evening (more dessert?), we are presented with choices, and we constantly make decisions. Throughout the day we make simple decisions about our personal well-being, even while we are engaged in professional activities. At some point this constant decision making can cause "decision overload." We get tired, our concentration suffers, and we start making mistakes.

The Problems

The combination of being overburdened with decisions and making a series of bad choices will frustrate most of us. More important, when we're at work this problem can have consequences far beyond its effect on

Peter Callamaras U.S. Air Force

our emotional state. A classic example of decision overload and its possible dangers is a doctor's misdiagnosis.

A second problem related to decision making is the amount of time it takes. Assimilating all the information relevant to a decision can slow the whole process. Add to that the fact that the volume of information keeps growing. In fact, things change too quickly for many of us to keep up, especially in a busy work environment.

With the need to make more and better decisions, and because of the time involved in wading through so much data, we obviously need some way to reduce the burdens of professional decision making. Microcomputers provide a means of satisfying these needs.

Microcomputers can simplify decision making, speed up the process of choosing between alternatives, and help ensure the accuracy of each decision.

Levels of Decision Making

There are three levels of decision making: operational, managerial, and strategic. Microcomputers can be of great value at all three levels.

Most operational-level decisions involve the specific needs of the decision maker. These decisions make up

the majority of our routine choices. They usually are standardized in our daily activities. Operational-level decisions require detailed information, but the data is readily available and its conversion into decisionmaking information is often subconscious. We have a set of "canned" responses for these decisions and we often can delegate their execution. The typical advice to a cold sufferer, "take aspirin and drink plenty of liquids," is a delegated canned decision.

Managerial-level decisions require a broader base of information. The decision maker must rely on his prior experience, training, and instincts. Managerial-level decisions cannot be delegated, but they can be substantially speeded up. For instance, a lawyer about to accept a new case may have a general idea of what it concerns. However, the lawyer can't give his client any legal advice until all the data concerning the case is in. The client can help the lawyer by giving him detailed and specific information.

Strategic-level decisions require a wide range of information. These decisions usually are made after long periods of thought and planning and they often require the generation of completely new data. For example, the chief space-shuttle program

122 BYTE May 1984

engineer probably had to "imagineer" some of its aspects from technology that was either immature or still speculative when the program began. Thus, the majority of strategic decisions are heuristic (trial and error) and cannot be standardized, canned, or delegated. (For a more detailed discussion of the three levels of decision making, see Information Processing Systems for Management, Chapter 20, by D. Hussain and K. Hussain, Homewood, IL: Richard D. Irwin Inc., 1981.)

Time and the Microcomputer

Work time is one of our most precious resources and also one of the most difficult to conserve. Microcomputers can help us reduce the time we have to spend on the decision-making process by gathering data and converting it into usable information. Once we have all the information we need, we can concentrate on our most prudent course of action.

Computers can bound a problem and ensure that we have the information we need to make a decision at our fingertips. If the decision is routine, computers can provide a canned response and you can get on with more important matters. However, it will take time to integrate a computer into your professional life.

First, you have to decide whether you really want to add a computer to your set of professional tools. Then you have to decide what to buy.

Next, you have to learn how to operate the hardware and interact with the software. Current literature, particularly advertisements, can lead you to believe that you can become proficient at operating a microcomputer in a few hours. This is not so. While you can learn to manipulate the keyboard and turn out some useful products in short order, you will not get the full benefit of the microcomputer until operating it becomes second nature to you. Compare this to oil painting. Until you master the basic techniques of applying the paint to the canvas, shading, mixing, etc., you will not have complete freedom of creativity. The same holds true for a computer system.

It also takes time to enter necessary background information into your computer. Many ads for financialmanagement programs, for example, only describe the output you can generate and don't dwell on the time it takes to input the information you need to get those impressive printouts. If it took you an entire year to spend the money you are now trying to account for, you can expect that it will take a great deal of time and effort to put your spending history into the computer.

Some Helpful Solutions

In the past, two data-processing disciplines aimed at satisfying the needs of decision makers have been

Any professional who

has to work with

finances and is not

using a computer

system is wasting

valuable time.

management information systems (MIS) and decision support systems (DSS). An MIS is a large data-gathering system. You define your data needs and set up a method of gathering it. The DSS is a refinement of the MIS applied to an individual's decision-making needs. An analogy can be found to a microcomputer if you imagine starting with a database management system (MIS) and then designing a set of tailored reports (DSS) based on the MIS data.

For another example, look at your annual tax return and your checkbook as an MIS and a DSS, respectively. Your tax return should contain all your financial data in one handy form. You can use it to gauge your financial health and make plans for the coming year. You use this MIS to create budget categories for the following year (checkbook/DSS). You then use these budget categories for specific financial decisions. Balancing your checkbook at the end of the month tells you how much you spent in relation to how much you had. You can then break out the totals for each budget category and take a detailed

look at your spending for the month. Then, if necessary, you can make adjustments for the next month.

In the past, both MIS and DSS systems had to be implemented on large computers. Today most professionals can obtain the benefits of an MIS/ DSS with a good microcomputer system.

How the Microcomputer Helps

Any professional who has to work on finances and is not using a computer system is wasting valuable time. This applies particularly to professionals in business for themselves. When reviewing financial activities, the computer makes it easy to compare the money that is coming in with the money that is owed. If there are discrepancies, a computerized financial-management system allows you to go back and locate the source of the problems. If things are going well, you can use a spreadsheet program to speculate on possible future directions. A microcomputer also can make tax planning an easy, ongoing exercise that maximizes income and minimizes payments.

A computerized inventory system can also be of help to the professional. For example, you can establish a set of routine procedures for ordering supplies. If it takes a week to receive a high-consumption item, you can use the computer to determine when to place the order. One way this can be done is through the application of the economic order quantity (EOQ) method. With EOQ you create a model of your consumption patterns and compare them with your ordering/receiving patterns. The result is an indication of the best time to place orders. Accurate and timely order placement ensures that a minimum amount of inventory will be on hand to satisfy operating needs and that you will never run out of something. The stock stays fresh and storage costs decline. This also turns inventory control into a set of operational-level decisions that then can be delegated to a subordinate.

Microcomputers can perform complex statistical analyses. Engineers routinely perform statistical analyses of the failure rates of materials or

BYTE May 1984 123

components they want to use. The results allow them to accept or reject the materials. Once the acceptance/ rejection criteria are determined, materials selection can be reduced to a canned routine.

For professionals who travel a great deal, trip planning can be made easier with a transportation model (TM). The TM can also determine the most economical route for product deliveries. For those whose business it is to move people or things around the country, the decision again can be converted into a set of canned control types and delegated.

Another type of software can aid planning and scheduling by providing a pictorial representation of the task at hand. Once the necessary events are determined, the computer generates a graph of the events along a time line. As time passes, the completion of a specific task can be tracked against the graph and corrective action can be taken as needed. One of the better known of these time-line graph programs is the critical-path method (CPM).

Teleprocessing through the phone system opens a whole new world to the microcomputerized decision maker. For those who need a great deal of information, the growing number of on-line data services can be a godsend. An on-line data service can be viewed as a specialized library in a computer. There are several medical libraries, for example, that allow doctors to make more accurate diagnoses or prescribe more effective medication.

On-line data services for lawyers, such as Westlaw, contain a vast body of judicial decisions. These services can reduce the drudgery of wading through all the material that is potentially applicable to a legal question. The search capability allows a lawyer to put in a set of key words and anything relating to those words is returned.

Conclusion

The more decisions you reduce, standardize, and delegate, the less time decision making will take. The more data you gather, the more in

formation you will have available to make the best possible decisions. The microcomputer's ability to play "what if" gives you trial-and-error results without forcing you to live with the consequences of poor decisions.

The cost of microcomputers now is generally low enough to be affordable to most professionals. Learning to use one properly takes time, but it is worth the investment. The documentation that accompanies most hardware and software is getting better. With clearer instructions, it takes less time to get "up to speed." There is plenty of software available to support decision making, and there are more decision-making packages coming out all the time. The key question is, Can you afford not to start using a computer to aid in your decision making? ■

Peter Callamaras, an Air Force officer, can be reached at AFCC/EPPB Scott AFB, IL 62225. He recently received his master's degree in systems management. He has been interested in computers since 1966 and was the service-department manager of a computer store.

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Benchmarking Business-Modeling Software

These guidelines will help you compare the functions and speed of business-modeling software

William Hession and Malcolm Rubel Performance Dynamics Associates

When you want to fasten two boards together, you usually use a nail. To drive the nail through the boards you need a tool—preferably a hammer. The heel of a shoe might sometimes work, but it is hardly satisfactory where many nails are involved. You use a hammer because it is the best tool to perform the required tasks.

The process of selecting computer software, specifically businessmodeling software (such as spreadsheet programs), can be likened to the hammer and nail problem. The software is your tool, but you need to have the right program to suit your modeling needs. Business-modeling software is a general-purpose tool; the added features of a specific program make it either more or less suited to different modeling tasks. Selecting business-modeling software is therefore complicated and prone to error. Benchmarks, or standard references, can simplify your evaluation of individual programs.

Alternative Selection Procedures

There are four distinct approaches to selecting software; each has its own strengths and weaknesses.

1, The "Dealer Demonstration" Approach. This involves going to a dealer for product demonstrations. While you can view excellent demonstra

tions at reputable dealers, you will be exposed only to the programs the dealer stocks and sells. These demonstrations will not necessarily be specific to your individual needs. When you go to a demonstration it is essential that you have a clear and concise idea of your needs, so that you can ask the salesperson to show you products that can meet your requirements.

One drawback to this approach is that the salesperson may be unfamiliar with all but one or two products. Thus the salesperson may try to "force fit" your needs to the products he is familiar with. If the salesperson can't tell you about alternative products, you may make a poor purchase decision.

You also should not be afraid to ask the salesperson questions. Although you may think your questions are unimportant, they can be vital. Unasked, they go unanswered.

2. The "Talk to a Friend" Approach. Probably the most common way to choose software is on a friend's recommendation. Usually the person making the recommendation has no incentive to sell you something but is well versed in the uses of the product and can recommend it with authority. If you are lucky enough to know someone with the same software needs as you, this approach can

be of some value. Problems arise if the person recommending the product did not make an optimal purchase decision or has task requirements that are substantially different from yours.

3. The "Read the Reviews" Approach. Many people evaluate businessmodeling software by reading reviews on the different programs available. Most reviewers spend a considerable amount of time using the program they are reviewing and are truly knowledgeable about the type of software involved. However, the writer cannot help bringing personal bias into the review.

Each reviewer has preconceived ideas about what a specific type of software should include, and has his own approach to reviewing a product. A reviewer also has a set of problems that he wants the product to solve. Consequently, it is difficult to get an unbiased and comparable set of evaluations by reading a series of reviews by different authors.

One factor that reviewers tend to overemphasize is a product's "userfriendliness." To one person, "friendliness" could mean that the program prompts the operator at every command and asks for confirmation on every move. To another, this same "friendliness" could mean hours of tedium and frustration. "User

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friendly" is not an absolute term; it is relative to the user's experience, temperament, and environment.

The first three approaches to selecting software draw your attention to the product's capabilities, simplicity of operation, utilities, special features, and the number of tasks it can perform. Unfortunately, they do not take into consideration the tasks you need to perform and whether the product can accomplish them.

The fourth method of product evaluation and selection, benchmarking, enables you to consider your needs first.

The Benchmark Approach

To use the benchmark approach to choose your business-modeling software, start by defining the jobs you want done and then describe what you need in a product to perform these tasks. Once your needs are defined and you develop a suitable set of benchmarks, you can compare products based on your own specifications.

We use the term "benchmark" when evaluating software with a defined standard against which each software package is compared. Our benchmark is also split into two separate sections: functional comparisons and speed comparisons.

Functional comparisons, by far the most important, deal with the capabilities of a specific program to perform a specific task. Speed comparisons deal only with the individual program's speed and efficiency in performing a defined operational task. Speed comparisons are important only if the tasks defined involve massive data manipulations, substantial internal calculations, and/or many iterations. In general, this criterion becomes inconsequential when compared to the program's functional benchmarks and its simplicity of operation.

It is important to differentiate benchmarking from more traditional product-review techniques. Conventional reviews are characterized by implicit, rather than explicit, standards. You may not know why a reviewer gave a high or low mark to a specific capability of a program, you

just know that he did. You are left to rely on the reviewer's judgment.

Conventional reviews traditionally cover only one product and, if any comparisons are made, they are usually ad hoc and do not have a valid foundation. Also, although reviewers' biases do exist, they are not annotated in the review.

Because different reviews are done by different people, it is virtually impossible to make comparisons of the products.

Benchmarking, on the other hand, is characterized by explicit standards. You may or may not be interested in the tasks being benchmarked, but you can at least see what the tasks do and weigh their importance.

Benchmarks make it easy to compare products and evaluate their differences in functionality and speed. Biases in a benchmark (which are certain to exist because the benchmark represents only one perception of what is important) are evident in the required modeling task. If the problem set does not adequately represent your individual needs you are free to ignore the comparisons.

Benchmarks are goal oriented. They are set up to determine whether a product can perform a predefined series of tasks. They are not set up to find out everything a product can do. As such, they are limited, but they are comprehensive within their own problem set.

To benchmark business-modeling software you must develop the benchmark and apply it to a specific product.

Benchmark Development and Use

You should begin your benchmark development process with a thorough examination of the broad spectrum of business-modeling software. Pay attention not only to what is being modeled but also to how it is being modeled; also note who created the software and for what purpose.

Business modeling can be broken into several different categories. These categories represent the different tools, or capabilities, the software makes available to you. To select software properly you have to be able to define the tasks to be performed.

The software must be able to perform those that are required.

A business-modeling tool kit comprises several groups of tools: simple models, advanced simulation models, statistical tools for analysis and forecasting, special mathematical and business functions for modeling and analysis, and a generalized programming capability for user-developed functions and applications.

Elementary applications using ledger-sheet formats for the analysis of business performance require basic spreadsheet-modeling capabilities. The spreadsheet model, with its row/column modeling and basic arithmetic functions, provides the tool for the "quick and dirty" analyses so often required in business. When combined with an ability to link or consolidate sheets, this tool proves useful in report and simple accounting consolidations.

More sophisticated applications, based on large, complex equation systems, require modeling tools explicitly designed for developing and solving these types of problems. Modeling software for these tasks should include the capability to automatically order equations for a solution and the ability to solve both recursive and more complex circular or simultaneous model relationships. In addition, "what-if?" and "goalseeking" features should be supported to aid model analysis. A sensitivity analysis (what-if?) feature allows you to vary assumptions and provides the means to examine the model's reactions to alternative assumptions. Goal seeking, also called backward solution, lets you determine what actions are necessary to achieve specified model outcomes.

To analyze past business patterns and to forecast future results, a basic statistical ability is required in modeling software. Minimum features should include basic statistics for analysis—mean, variance, standard deviation, simple correlation, forecasting tools such as linear regression, and simple time-series analysis functions such as moving averages or exponential smoothing routines.

Applications in business or financial analysis—for example, invest

ment evaluation, capital budgeting, or profitability studies—are facilitated by special business mathematics functions. The calculation of net present values, internal rates of return, and depreciation and amortization schedules are a few of the more important business and financial functions. These functions may be tested directly in the problem set but must also be covered completely in a benchmark's questionnaire section to ensure that they are properly highlighted.

Developing custom business models and modeling applications sometimes requires the use of special formulas and procedures not always available in business-modeling packages. To meet this need, modeling software often provides a high-level programming capability. The modeling language should provide a full range of conditional functions and the usual programming constructs. Features permitting user-definable functions and subprograms are helpful for the larger tasks.

If it is to be useful, the benchmark problem set must address all different types of modeling applications. Simplify the models you are testing to their bare minimum to ensure that you test only the program's ability to perform a specific function, not its ability to perform a big job. If you keep the program simple you will also be able to apply it to your own needs more easily. The text box, "A Simple Financial Modeling Problem," on page 130, shows an example of one problem from the benchmark problem set designed simply to test a program's abilities.

From the range of business-modeling software that is available you can select those tools that are of primary importance to your work. From this list, you also can determine if there are other modeling tools you would like to have, given their availability. You can then go through the list of products available to you and discard those that do not meet your criteria. This reduces the list of possible purchases to a reasonable length.

At this point, you can examine each program's support of its tools. The benchmark problem set and ques

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A Simple Financial Modeling Problem

The Universal Products Corp. wishes to develop a simple financial model of a pro forma income statement. The model will be simulated for five periods.

Exercise A

Develop and run the model, generating the pro forma income statement shown below. Please attempt to replicate the report format as closely as possible. Save the report to disk and print it. Save the command file to disk and print it. Label the model and printed output EXA.l. Label the command file and output EXA.2.

UNIVERSAL PRODUCTS INC. Projected Income Statement

1984 Revenue

1985 Revenue

1986 Revenue

1987 Revenue

1988 Revenue

Operating and other revenue

120,000

144,000

172,800

207,360

248,832

Cost of goods sold

96,000 24,000

115,200

138,240 34,560

165,888

199,066

Earnings before interest and taxes

28,800

41,488

49,766

Interest expense

30,000

10,000 18,800

10,000 24,560

10,000

10,000

Earnings before taxes

(6,000)

31,488

39,766

Taxes

0

9,400 9,400

12,280 12,280

15,744 15,744

19,883

Net income

(6,000)

19,883

The relationships on which the model is based are given below:

REV = 12 x lagged REV

CGS = 0.8 x REV

EBIT = REV - CGS

INT = $30,000 in period #2, $10,000 thereafter

EBT = EBIT - INT

TAX = 0.5 x EBT if EBT is > 0, otherwise TAX = 0

NET = EBT - TAX Notes: Period 0 is 1983, period 1 is 1984 and so on. All lags are one-period lags. Initial revenue is assumed throughout the exercise to be $100,000. That is, REV for Period 0 = $100,000.

Exercise B

Assume now that revenue growth is 30 percent in years 1984, 1985, and 1986 and 50 percent in 1987 and 1988. Retrieve the model from disk, run it, and generate a new income statement in the same report format. Save the new report to disk and print it. Label this EXB.l. Save the command file to disk and then print it. Label these EXB.2.

Exercise C

Assume now that interest expenses are $20,000 per year for 1984-1988. Alter the model to reflect this new assumption (while maintaining the assumptions of exercise B). Run the model and generate an income statement similar to the one above. Save the report to disk and output it to the printer. Label these files EXC.l. Save the command file to disk and print it. Label these files EXC.2.

Exercise D

This question tests your product's ability to perform goal seeking, or the backward solution of the model. Use the model saved in exercise A. Find out what revenue would have to have been in 1984 if the net income will be $25,000 in 1985. Run the report, save it to disk, and print it. Label these files EXD.l. Save the command file to disk and print it. Label these files EXD.2.

tionnaire should address a series of questions on how well each program works to support its problem-solving abilities.

You should design the benchmark's questionnaire to answer these important questions: who is doing the modeling, and for what purpose? You must ask questions about the documentation and output presentation. If you want the product to be a personal productivity tool, you will not ask the same benchmark questions as you would if the product is to be used by several people of differing skill levels. Your questionnaire should consider the following:

•Documentation—Is it complete, easy to read, and indexed? Does it give operator instructions for novices? Is there a tutorial or a reference card? Does it offer on-screen help? •Data Input—Can data input into a model be simplified so that it can be done by a third party? Can forms be designed for input on screen? What is data editing like? •Data Management—Can specific information be changed, modified, or copied? How? Is information easily retrieved? Can models easily access data?

•Functions and Utilities—What tools, both arithmetic and statistical, are available to assist you in developing and running your models? Some programs provide many specific functions such as net present value or variance. Others may require the operator to define the functions with many lines of code. •Report Writing—What capabilities does the program have to output the finished report?

•Graphics—Does the program have the ability to present your information graphically? If so, in how many ways? What output devices are supported? Can you do color work?

An example of part of a function questionnaire is given in table 1. The set of questions that you ask should be comprehensive. The more points of differentiation between the varying programs, the easier it will be to reduce the set of possible choices to a final few.

130 BYTE May 1984

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ADIT gives you many extras. It allows you to upgrade to a multi-user system and expand as your needs grow—without performance degradation. The on-board 6MHZ Z80B supports DMA operations to

P off-load the host CPU. Multi-tasking firmware supports

UNIX, MP/M and AMOS operating systems. It complies fully with IEEE 696.

There's much more to tell you about ADIT than space allows. And it is only one of Macrotech's products designed to maximize the performance of your S-100 system. The MAX Dynamic Memory, for instance, gives you up to 1 Mbyte of memory for all your system memory and virtual disk applications—again from a single slot. And our newly developed dual-processor, CPU board. It uses a 16-bit 80286 and an 8-bit Z80B to provide

unprecedented speed and power from a single slot. ^^. J^m Macrotech

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Dealer/Distributors: Priority One Electronics, (800) 423-5922. (213) 709-5111 /John D. Owens Assoc, (212) 448-6298 In England: Fulcrum (Europe) (0621)828-763

I NIX is a registered trademark of Bell Laboratories,Inc / MP/M is a registered trademark of Digital Research / AMOS Is a registered trademark of Alpha Microsystems

|L_J i •* LS.—J i|_ ~* iL. .i,.J «1 i

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Narrowing the Field

Once you have discarded programs that do not meet basic tool and function criteria, you must subject the remaining programs to "test drives." At this point, you can profitably consult a dealer or friend who has the program.

When consulting a dealer about a targeted product, it is important that you ask specific questions about it and that you set up and solve specific problems. If the salesperson is reluctant to do this, ask if you can conduct your own demonstration. At this point, you should determine how well the programs you have selected work for you. Get as much hands-on experience as you can before making a purchase.

It may seem like we have made the process of selecting a business

modeling program overly complicated, but when you consider your investment in a program, not only in actual but also in implied dollars (learning the program, setting up data files and models, and getting used to working with the program), your time and effort spent researching and selecting it is insignificant. The benchmark process can help you compare programs objectively and arrive at the proper purchase de

cision.

Malcolm Rubel is president and William Hession is executive vice-president of Performance Dynamics Associates (305 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10165), a marketing-consulting firm specializing in software marketing. They are also the authors of The Performance Guides to Business Software, a series of books benchmarking luord-processing, business-modeling, and database-management software. The books will be published by McGraw-Hill in 1984.

Sample Product Function Questions

Does the product have any of these Boolean and control functions:

EQUALS ( = )?

GREATER THAN (>)?

LESS THAN (<)?

GREATER THAN OR EQUAL TO (>)?

LESS THAN OR EQUAL TO (<)?

NOT EQUAL TO (#)?

AND?

OR?

NOT?

IF . . . THEN . . . ELSE?

NESTED IF . . . THEN?

TRUE?

FALSE?

Does the product have any of the following business functions:

NET PRESENT VALUE?

FUTURE VALUE?

INTERNAL RATE OF RETURN?

PAYBACK PERIOD?

AMORTIZATION?

DEPRECIATION:

STRAIGHT LINE?

DOUBLE DECLINING BALANCE?

SUM OF THE YEARS DIGITS?

Does the product have any of the following statistical functions:

MAXIMUM?

MINIMUM?

MEAN?

MODE?

MEDIAN?

VARIANCE?

STANDARD DEVIATION?

CORRELATION COEFFICIENTS?

SIMPLE LINEAR REGRESSION?

MULTIPLE LINEAR REGRESSION?

MOVING AVERAGE?

EXPONENTIAL SMOOTHING?

RANDOM-NUMBER GENERATOR?

Indicate any additional functions that are included in the product.

Table 1: Part of a questionnaire for evaluating business-modeling software.

132 BYTE May 1984

Enter CompuServe's Electronic Mall and shop at your convenience in these exciting departments.

The Micro Mart The Department Stores The Travel Agent The Book Bazaar The Record Emporium The Photo Booth The Software Shop The Financial Market The Magazine Kiosk The Gardening Shed The Newsstand

A sample of the companies participating in CompuServe's Electronic Mall "includes:

Amdek

American Airlines

American Express

AST Research

Bantam

CBS Publishing

CDEX

Colonial Penn

Commodore

Computer World

Digital Equipment

dilithium Press

800 Software

Heath

Hertz

E.F Hutton

Inmac

Innovative Software

Magazine Supply House

Manufacturer's Hanover Trust

McGraw-Hill

Metropolitan Life

Microsoft

Miracle Computing

Misco

Newsnet

Official Airline Guide

Pan American Electronics

Peachtree Software

Practical Peripherals

Program Store

Professional Color Labs

RCA Record Clubs

Record World

Sears

Select Information Exchange

Sim Computer Products

Software Advisor

Stark Brothers

Supersoft

MaxUle

Vanguard

VisiCorp

Ziff-Davis

Merchants and manufacturers who want to participate in the Electronic Mall" may contact: Stephen A. Swanson, L.M. Berry & Co., P.O. Box 6000, Dayton, OH 45401, (513)296-2015.

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___ jar2000,theworld _ _ly Catch Up With The Way CompuServe's new Electronic Lets You Shop today.

Introducing the first computer shopping service that brings you convenience, savings and enjoyment

Here's your chance to expand the practical uses of your personal computer.

Sign up for CompuServe and shop in our new Electronic Mall It's easy to use. It tells you more about the products you're buying It lets you order faster. And if s totally unique

CompuServe's new Electronic Mall" offers you all these shopping innovations.

- If s enormous! So it gives you in-depth information on thousands of goods and services, and lets you buy even hard-to-find merchandise - Its unique "Feedback" service lets you ask the merchants themselves specific questions. - It's incredibly efficient in ordering the products and services you want

- Its special discount opportunities make it economical, purchase after purchase. - And its name-brand merchants assure you of top-quality merchandise.

Make the CompuServe Electronic Mall 15-Minute Comparison Test

What you can do in 15 minutes shopping the Electronic Mall way.

• Call up on your computer screen full descriptions of the latest in computer printers, for instance.

• Pick one and enter the order command.

• Check complete descriptions of places to stay on your next vacation.

• Pick several and request travel brochures.

• Access a department store catalog and pick out a wine rack, tools, toys... any thing!

• Place your order.

What you can do in 15 minutes shopping the old way.

• Round up the family and get in the car.

The Electronic Mall, a valuable addition to the vast world of CompuServe.

CompuServe's Consumer Information Service brings you shopping information, entertainment, personal communications and more

You can access CompuServe with almost any computer and modem, terminal or communicating word processor.

To receive your illustrated guide to CompuServe and learn how to subscribe, call or contact...

CompuServe

Consumer Information Service P.O. Box 20212 5000 Arlington Centre Blvd. Columbus, OH 43220

800-848-8199

The Electronic Mall" is a cooperative venture between CompuServe Inc., and L.M. Berry & Company.

In Ohio call 614-457-0802

An H & R Block Company

Circle 91 on inquiry card.

Microsoft BASIC on Apple's new Macintosh

Appleknew baby has

Its called Macintosh And it has our brains and a lot of our personality

Were called Microsoft! And our part of Macintosh is five new programs that are bright, intuitive, outgoing, understanding and born to perform.

Our pride, your joy* Taking advantage of Macintosh's mouse and rich graphics, we ve designed software that works like you, even thinks like you. All our programs share the same plain English Microsoft Muwpian

commands. So what once took days to learn, now takes hours or minutes to learn with Macintosh.

Meet the family

Our financial whiz is MUDTPLAN® an electronic spreadsheet that actually remembers how you work. Even offers suggestions on spreadsheet set-up.

When it comes to writing, nothing travels faster

Microsoft Chart

Microsoft and Multiplnn are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Apple is a registered trademark and Macintosh is a trademark licensed to Apple Computer. Inc

our best features.

than our WORD. Using the mouse, it lets you select commands faster than you can say "cheese!'

Our most artistic child is CHART It gives you 40 presentation-quality chart and graphic styles to choose from.

FILE is our most manageable child, an advanced personal record management program. MJCR©SOFI And BASIC, the language spoken by nine out of ten microcomputers worldwide, is the granddaddy of them all. Now enhanced to take advantage of the

Macintosh mouse, windows and graphics. Well be adding more to the family soon. So call 800-426-9400 (in Washington State call 206-828-8088) for the name of your nearest Microsoft dealer.

Microsoft Word

Microsoft File

Now... Draw On Your Imagination

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Introducing The Gibson Light Pen System."

The link between mind and machine has arrived. Suddenly you're free.. .free to translate your every thought into professional quality computer graphics... just by touching your screen.

The Gibson Light Pen System software features icon menus that offer easy access to powerful graphics tools such as symbol libraries, geometric shapes, mirror-imaging, magnification and complete color and pattern editing. Even if you're not a graphic artist, you can design, diagram and draw with precision at high-speed, in high-resolution, and in full-color... right on your screen.

COMPLETE WITH FIVE SOFTWARE SYSTEMS TO MAXIMIZE YOUR CREATIVE OPTIONS.

The Gibson Light Pen System comes complete with all you need to draw, paint, design, score music and learn animation.

DRAW FREEHAND WITH PENPAINTER:"

A full range of drawing tools, shapes, patterns and colors to draw or paint

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DESIGN PRECISION DIAGRAMS WITH PENDESIGNER; Turn your computer into your own graphic design studio. A complete selection of templates make perfect business and architectural diagrams, technical drawings and engineering schematics a snap.

CREATE COMPUTERIZED ANIMATION WITH PENANIMATORr

All that you need to learn the basics of animation. Develop your own animation

sequences, and bring your screen to life.

COMPOSE MUSIC WITH PENMUSICIANr

Score computerized melodies with incredible ease at the touch of your pen.

CREATE YOUR OWN LIGHT PEN APPLICATIONS WITH THE PENTRAK

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Take advantage of the software features, and customize your own light pen

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Expert Systems for Personal Computers

The TKISolver Approach

Milos

Although some question the possibility of implementing expert systems on today's personal computers, the authors of this article wish to present a counterexample. This article will show that many characteristics of expert systems are present in TKISolver and will describe a framework for building a variety of expert systems with quantifiable knowledge bases.

Historical Note

Early research in artificial intelligence (AI) was aimed at producing domain-independent reasoning techniques. General Problem Solver (GPS), a classic example, could prove theorems and solve a variety of problems and puzzles; however, it was inadequate for larger real-world problems. By the mid-1960s research efforts had shifted to the building of expert systems with large stores of domain-specific knowledge, such as Dendral at Stanford University and Macsyma at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. This marked the beginning of increased research in the development of applied AI systems and into the philosophy behind them (the bibliography on page 154 refers you to publications concerning artificial intelligence and its history).

The fundamental issue of problem representation became more important in the context of these expert systems. Efforts were directed at determining the proper structures to efficiently represent the knowledge applicable to the problem domain, with

Konopasek and Sundaresan Jayaraman Software Arts Products Corp.

the difficulty increasing as the domain broadened. These efforts represented a paradigm shift in AI during the 1970s.

The knowledge bases for the expert systems were hand-assembled—requiring many man-years of effort and mediation of a knowledge specialist. Some observers felt that this was the principal bottleneck in the development of expert systems (see reference 4), and that Tieresias was the first step toward the elimination of this bottleneck (see reference 2). Although it was limited to helping debug and fill out the knowledge base of Mycin, Tieresias separated the two basic components of an expert system—the knowledge base and the problem-solving or inference part. This also was a step toward domain independence, i.e., realization of the idea of removing the current knowledge base and "plugging in" a different one.

More recently, with expert systems development and experimentation costs increasing, a trend toward developing design tools to build expert systems is emerging. These tools also are designed to facilitate easy modifications of and experimentation with expert systems. Emycin, Ops, Age, Expert, and Hearsay III are some examples of this trend. TKISolver is another.

TKISolver is aimed at realizing many concepts expounded in AI research, human-computer interface design, and human problem solving. It has no built-in knowledge of any particular discipline, but it provides

a framework to make it easier for the user with such knowledge to construct expert systems. The knowledge engineer—the bottleneck we mentioned earlier—is eliminated.

There are strong links between the prehistory of TKISolver and developments in AI. Before detailing these links we have to mention the efforts outside the mainstream of AI aimed at creating special-purpose languages/frameworks for computerassisted problem solving in specific areas. Ices, for civil engineering, SPSS, a statistical package, and GPSS, a simulation package, are typical examples. These programs lacked "knowledge" in the AI sense but they simplified the noncomputer professional's use of computers. They reflected the then state of the art in commercial hardware and software. Yet a large amount of domain-specific and mathematical knowledge went into the design of constituent subprograms and command structures. Running these programs was equivalent to accessing the embedded knowledge and using it for solving a variety of problems.

The development of these and scores of similar packages (for computer-aided design (CA.D), operations research, forecasting, etc.) was facilitated by the application programmer's grasp of particular fields of expertise coupled with the expert's grasp of programming in high-level languages. The utility of these packages, their complexity, and their relative efficiency still present a challenge to mainstream AI tech

Circle 225 on inquiry card.

BYTE May 1984 137

USER

SHEETS

EXPERT SYSTEM

KNOWLEDGE BASE

RULES

UNIT CONVERSIONS USER FUNCTIONS BUILT-IN FUNCTIONS

PROBLEM-SOLVING MECHANISM

DIRECT SOLVER ITERATIVE SOLVER

Figure 1: A functional diagram of the TK'.Solver user interface. The arrows indicate the predominant flow of information but all links are bidirectional.

RULE SHEET

S Rule

I = V / R

" Ohm's Law

1*2 = P / R

" Joule's Law

P = V * I

U = P » t

rho = fun(MC)

R / rho = L / A

A = pi()/4 * D"2

Figure 2: The "laws of electricity" knowledge base: rule sheet.

Figure 3: The R-graph for the equations in figure 2.

niques and to the methodology of expert-system design.

In the late 1960s, one of the authors of this article (Milos Konopasek, then at the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology) was assigned the task of developing what in present terminology would be equivalent to an expert system for textile engineers. The knowledge base for this system included (but

was not limited to) components from mechanical, industrial, and chemical engineering. He faced a dilemma: on one hand, the nature of the knowledge base did not justify or require the Ices/GPSS/SPSS approach; on the other hand, the AI approach looked promising but was unlikely to yield quick results because of the lack of practical tools at that time. Most of the knowledge under con

sideration dealt with relationships that could be described in terms of algebraic equations and empiric functions. This fact, and the desire to quantitatively and qualitatively increase the computer's share in the problem-solving process, led to the idea of making the user communicate with the computer at the level of relationships (represented by equations), rather than at the level of sequential programs and assignment statements. In 1972 a GPS, limited in scope but suitable for solving a large variety of real-world problems inexpensively, was developed. It was called "Question Answering System on mathematical models and related databases," or QAS. It was implemented first on PDP-10 and some other mainframe time-sharing systems and much later on microcomputers.

In QAS the expert sets up (types in or loads) the domain-specific knowledge as a "model" consisting of a set of relationships in the form of equalities

< expression > = < expression >

and empiric functions defined by lists of pairs

(< argument value >, < function value >)

The expert then assigns the values of any combination of variables as input and lets the computer find a way to solve for the unknowns using either the consecutive-substitution procedure or iteration.

Interestingly enough, the intended role of QAS as an expert system brought about the separation of the knowledge base and control strategy—a key factor in the design of expert systems.

QAS's strong points were its fast response to any question, high power/ resources ratio, and knowledgecarrying potential. Its weak point, especially in light of recent developments in human-computer interface, was the line-oriented dialogue.

TK! Solver is essentially an enhanced implementation of the QAS system. Its development was made

138 BYTE May 1984

More For Your Micro

Qubie' offers a few select products at low prices, with service and support not available elsewhere.

1. Digital Signal Processing Modems

The Quble' modems provide a high level of performance and quality at a price unmatched by competing modems. This is made possible by four microprocessors which measure the tones being transmitted digitally, eliminating the need for expensive analog filtering devices. Both modems are Bell 212A compatible, and are capable of transmitting and receiving at 300 and 1200 baud. These auto-dial and auto-answer modems recognize the Hayes software commands. If you already are using a software package written for Hayes modems, like CROSSTALK or even Hayes' SMARTCOM, you can use it on the Qubie' modems.

New from c^QSOT

PC212A/1200 Internal Modem

for IBM PC®

and XT®

Includes: internal modem, modular phone cable, card edge guide, instruction manual, and the highly rated PCTALK III communications software. Its low profile design allows it to fit in just one slot, even on an XT. For just S20 we can add an external serial port connector. This lets you use the serial port circuitry on the modem card to address external serial devices when you are not using your modem. PC212A/1200 $299.

The 212A 1200E Standalone Modem.

The most economical way to get high speed data communications for any personal computer with a serial port. It supports all Hayes commands and can use any Hayes compatible software package. It comes standard with its own cable to connect it to your computer, a modular phone cable, and manual. S329.

© Copyright Quble' 1984

Circle 327 on inquiry card.

RCSCRRCH INC.

2. More Than Just Graphics on a Monochrome Monitor

Now you can get graphics on an IBM PC monochrome monitor along with parallel port, serial port, and battery powered clock/calendar. It is the ideal solution for those who wish to do graphics using Lotus l-2-3VThe 720X348 Hercules compatible resolution of the MonoGraphPlus eliminates the eyestrain caused by the IBM graphics adapter with its lower 640x200 resolution.

Graphics is just the beginning. We have added some popular features from the AST® family of multifunction boards. Standard features include a parallel printer port, and a battery powered clock/calendar for automatic loading of the time and date. You can even order an optional serial port for a serial printer, plotter mouse, or modem. All functions are 100% IBM compatible. And of course there is a one year factory warranty from AST Research and the Qubie' Acid Test backing it all up. MonoGraphPlus S449. Optional serial port, S35.

3. 30 Minutes of Standby Power, with Surge and EMI Protection Too!

Have you ever had the misfortune to have the power fail or the lights blink right in the middle of doing something really important? You could have missed out on the frustration of losing all that work if your micro had a Quble' SB200 Standby Power Supply. It is ready on just 1 / 100th of a second notice to run your PC for up to 30 minutes after a power failure. It will also go into action should the power dip below the minimum required (a "brown-out"). An audible alarm warns you to save your work to a disk and shutdown in an orderly manner. The SB200 also provides filtering of Electromagnetic Interference (EMI), and surge protection which can reek havoc on your PC's internals or your data without you even noticing. SB200 200 watt standby power, S329.

IBM. IBM PC and XT are registered trademarks of IBM Corp

Qubie' G5| Bracket

The Acid Test. If within 30 days of purchase you are not completely satisfied with our products you may return them for a complete refund including freight to ship it back. Each product is warranted for one year parts and labor. Should service be required during this period our inhouse service department will fix the problem within 48 hours or we replace the item.

Order Today!

All prices include UPS surface freight and insurance. Add $5 for two day air on 1 modems and AST, S15 on SB200. For J fastest delivery send certified check or credit card. Personal checks take 18 days

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AST Is a registered trademark of AST Research

BYTE May 1984 139

i

From

=========== UNIT SHEET ============

To Multiply By Add Offset

hour

min

60

min

sec

60

kW

W

1000

J

cal

.239

W

cal/sec

.239

kWh

J

3600000

hp

W

746

m

cm

100

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cm"2

10000

gure 4:

The "laws of electricity" knov

knowledge base: unit sheet.

Comment: Domain List: Mapping: Range List: Element Domain

===== USER FUNCTION: fun ========

Electrical Properties of Matter material Table

resistivity Range

1 2 3 4 5 6

Figure 5: subsheet.

'aluminum

'copper

'gold

'iron

'platinum

'silver

.0000000263

.0000000162

.0000000222

.00000011

.000000111

.000000016

The "laws of electricity" knowledge base: user function

possible by the rapid proliferation of inexpensive microcomputers with direct memory to screen mapping that facilitated screen-oriented dialogues and resulted in an improved human-computer interface. We view TK! Solver as an attempt to create ex' pert systems to fit the mass-produced professional-class personal puters.

corn

Overview

Figure 1 shows the architecture of TKlSolver. The domain-specific knowledge responsible for system performance is contained in the knowledge base. The problem-solving tools that contain the control strategy—the Direct and Iterative Solvers—use the knowledge base when solving particular problems. For interaction (or I/O (input/output)) TKlSolver provides "sheets" displayed through one or two windows on the screen.

The explicit division between the

knowledge base and the control strategy is this architecture's main feature. Consequently the expert/user deals only with issues of domain-specific knowledge and is insulated from the details of control-strategy implementation.

In the following paragraphs we will describe the four components of the knowledge base, the characteristics of a mode, and the problem-solving mechanism. We will try to illustrate these concepts with examples from a knowledge base of basic information about Ohm's law, Joule's law, and resistivities of materials. Obviously, the kind of interaction shown here is not restricted to this particular knowledge base.

Rules

Rules are the basic component of domain-specific knowledge. They express mathematical relationships in terms of the equality between lefthand and right-hand expressions.

St Input

Name

- VHtUHDLt

Output

DHLC-l —:

Unit

Comment

4

I

amp

current

110

V

volt

voltage

R

27.5

ohm

resistance

P

440

W

power

U

3168000

J

energy

2

t MC

hour

time

material of conductor

rho

ohm-m

resistivity of material

L

m

length of conductor

D

m

diameter of conductor

A

m"2

cross-sectional area

Figure 6: A variable sheet with a list of variables used in the rules in figure 2. It shows the solution of a problem concerning the energy supplied to a motor drawing 4 A (ampere) from a 110-V (volt) line over two hours.

140 BYTE May 1984

Equations, constraints, or definitions can all be represented as rules. Figure 2 shows the rule sheet for our sample knowledge base. The set of rules can be represented as a network of relationships called the R-graph (for relationships graph) as shown in figure 3. A variable is represented as a node and each polygon-shaped subgraph represents a rule.

Unit Conversions

Units of measurement are associated with most measurable quantities. Conversions between them are frequently encountered in problem solving and have to be defined in the knowledge base. Figure 4 shows the unit sheet with the unit conversions in our example's knowledge base.

Function Definitions

Empiric relationships between sets of values are expressed as (userdefined) functions and make up the third component of the knowledge base. Figure 5 shows the user function subsheet, with materials and their resistivities, in our sample knowledge base.

Built-in Knowledge

Irrespective of the domain-specific knowledge, TKlSolver is designed to solve problems involving basic arithmetic operations and built-in mathematical functions. Standard varieties of those are supplemented by special ones such as "element" (for retrieving list components) and "apply" (for associating empiric functions with arguments). TKlSolver may, for example, associate the function definText continued on page 144

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Introducin

theMTX5l2

AWorld Apart from the Ordinary

It begins with the sense of touch.

With the sleek black metal housing. Cool to the touch. Cool to the advanced circuitry and components contained within.

And the solid feel of people-sized keys set up in a field that gives you room to work and space in which to think.

But the difference only begins with what you see and feel. Where it ends...well, that's really up to you.

In a very practical sense, the only limits you'll experience with the MTX512 are those you choose to accept.

64K To 512K RAM - A Look On The Inside

Take a close look at the MTX512.

We could tell you it offers the greatest performance and versatility of any micro in its price range, but we think you're smart enough to draw your own conclusions.

The design is elegant in its simplicity. Remarkable for the power and complexity it represents. 64K RAM built in, with total expansion to 512K. And that doesn't include 16K of video RAM controlled by its own processor.

Speaking of video, keep in mind this is no ordinary monochromatic, single screen system. The MTX starts off where other micros end up. Delivering vivid screen capabilities with 256 x 192 pixels that crisply define interference-free high resolution graphics. 16 brilliant colors that can be displayed simultaneously. In a format powered by 32 easily movable, user-defined graphics characters. Graphics capabilities you'd find impressive in a system that gives you a single screen to work in. With the MTX, you have eight.

Yes, eight.

Eight definable windows to operate independently or in tandem. And still maintain full screen capabilities. Thus, you can manipulate spread sheets on the MTX and see the impact of changing variables in graphics at the same time. Eight separate windows on the world. We call them Virtual Screens. You'll call them extraordinary.

Far from ordinary as well are the built-in system outputs that come standard on the MTX. The Centronics parallel printer port. The two industry-standard joystick ports. The uncommitted parallel I/O port. The Cassette port with 2400 baud. Separate TV and Video Monitor Ports. The 4-channel sound hifi output. We've even installed a ROM cartridge port for word processing and other dedicated programs.

Interactive Languages And Routines — A Look At The Way All Micros Will One Day Perform

Forget the way all other micros perform. This is the way they should.

Interactively.

With the MTX, you can create and manipulate programs using four different languages in dynamic interaction, all coordinated through the FRONT PANEL DISPLAY. Interweaving elements as you would in creating a symphony.

And take a serious look at the languages housed in the MTX's 24K ROM. MTX BASIC, a more powerful form of BASIC that allows you to use all standard BASIC programs. MTX GRAPHICS, with straight forward commands, eliminates the tedium and difficulty of creating complex graphics programs. NODDY, an 11command "easy learn" language that can transform real world programming into a child-friendly activity. And MTX ASSEMBLER, which enables sophisticated programming in assembly language. Something else the advanced programmer will appreciate is our ASSEMBLER/DISASSEMBLER, tied to BASIC, which provides unprecedented display and keyboard access to Z80 CPU storage locations, memory and program.

If you're hungry for more, PASCAL and FORTH are also available as add-on ROM packs.

On the keyboard side of things, you'll find a number of operatororiented features that speed up and ease up the operation of the MTX. The separate numeric pad with quadri-directional cursor control and full editing functions. The eight dual function keys.

142 BYTE May 1984

The auto repeat function on all alpha-numeric keys. Add to this such programmer-saving features as the use of abbreviated BASIC commands, a built-in syntax verifier, automatic cursor-honing to errors, auto-line numbering and automatic scrolling, and you begin to see the MTX not only opens a lot of doors that other micros leave closed, but speeds you through them as well.

The 160 Megabyte Connection - A Look At The System

To build a good system, quality must be designed in at every level.

We designed the MTX and its complete line of system peripherals using proven, standard components. Striking a strategic balance between power, versatility and dependability. Our Z80A processor, running at 4MHz, gave us the high performance characteristics we were striving for, plus the ability to expand into the MTX Hard Disc, MTX Silicon and Floppy Disc CP/M operated systems. Systems that could provide up to 160 megabyte storage capacity. More power than you'll probably ever need, unless you take full advantage of the MTX's impressive system capabilities.

Systems hookup is as simple as every other MTX procedure. By merely plugging in the twin RS232C Serial interfaces and the Node software, sold optionally, you're ready to create a disc-driven interactive communications network (OXFORD RING®) that can link up to 255 units.

Software? You'll never worry about software availability with the MTX. Dozens of MTX-dedicated programs have already been created, supplementing the vast landscape of CP/M applications software currently available. And advance word of the MTX's technical capabilities has precipitated an MTX software "push" on the part of many leading software manufacturers.

Word Processing For $999 - A Look At A Great Deal

Look first at the capabilities, then at the price.

This is word processing the way it should be. Quick. Easy. Professional. A package that includes the MTX512; the powerful New Word™ word processing ROM cartridge; and the Memotech DMX80 correspondence quality printer* An exceptional value!

And that brings us to the bottom line.

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BYTE May 1984

143

St Input

Name

Output

4

I

110

V

R

27.5

>

P

440

> 1.25

U

> 2

t

S Rule

I =

V / R

1*2

= P / R

P =

V * I

>

U =

P * t

*

rho

= fun(MC)

*

R /

rho = L /

*

A =

pi()/4 * :

D~2

(3s) Status: > Inconsistent Problem-Solving Mechanism

The Direct Solver is the workhorse

VARIABLE SHEET === of the problem-solving mechanism.

Unit It manipulates equations depending

"" on the problem's formulation and

amp r

v0lt solves for unknowns. The solution

ohm process goes through the R-graph

W and "fires" all polygons with only

kWn one unknown node. It continues

our until as many unknowns as possible

RULE SHEET are evaruated- This "propagation of

solution" strategy simulates the consecutive-substitution procedure. If an inconsistency error or an illegal operation is detected, the solution process is terminated and the rule causing the problem is flagged with the appropriate error message. Because a problem's formulation dictates the solution path, the control strategy Figure 7: What must have been the current if, in the example in figure 6, the energy supplied may be regarded as forward chaining was 1.25 kWh? (See text for the explanation of the inconsistency.) The solution, after remov- or data-driven. ing the value of I from input, is 1=5.68 A, R=19.36 Q (ohms) and P=625 W (watts). Whenever the Direct Solver cannot

match the nature and complexity of a given problem, the Iterative Solver :======================== can be used. The heart of the Iterative

Comment Solver is a modified Newton-Raph

son procedure that handles sets of

current simultaneous linear and nonlinear

. ? equations. It either can be invoked

resistance ,. ., . „ „ ,

power explicitly or automatically called

energy when the Direct Solver fails to protime duce a solution. material of conductor resistivity of material Examples

length of conductor r. f ., , 0 , . ,,

,. . „ j , Figures 6 through 8 show variable

diameter of conductor ° b

cross-sectional area sheets Wlth formulations and solu

tions for a few problems concerning our sample knowledge base. The "calculation units" (i.e., units implied in figure 2's rules) are specified and used in figure 6 for all variables except t. In the next two figures the units for U, D, and A were changed respectively to kWh, cm, and cm2, and the values were changed accordingly.

In figure 7 the user overconstrained the model by assigning U = 1.25 without releasing I from the set of input variables. The partial view of the variable and rule sheets shows the offending rule and related variables marked by >. Bringing the cursor over the > mark in the rule sheet causes the error message "Inconsistent" to be displayed in the status line.

The asterisk (*) in front of the last three rules in figure 7 indicates that

==================== VARIABLE SHEET

St Input Name Output Unit

I 10 amp

V 1.5 volt

.15 R ohm

15 P W

U .0075 kWh

30 t min

'copper MC

rho 1.62E-8 ohm-m

L 7.2722052 m

.1 D cm

A .00785398 cnT2

Figure 8: The variable sheet with the solution of the following problem: What would be the current and the voltage across a 0.15 Q copper resistor producing 15 W of heat? What is the energy supplied in 30 minutes if the wire diameter is 0.1 cm (centimeter)?

Text continued from page 140: ing the stored load-deformation characteristics with a given type of material.

Model

The model encompasses the first three components of the knowledge base in figure 1 (rules, unit conversions, user functions) as contained in the rule, variable, unit, and user function sheets. It can be viewed as a compact, high-level representation of domain-knowledge structure, organization, and content. The model's content and structure allow for a control strategy that we feel is both sim

ple and powerful. The model is also intended to serve as a user-friendly guide during problem solving.

The model usually reflects a specific part of a particular discipline's knowledge base. Different models may be merged later by loading some or all of their components into TKISolver, thereby creating larger models capable of addressing more complicated problems. There are commercial versions of model sets, called TKlSolverPacks, for such disciplines as mechanical engineering, financial analysis, and building design.

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BYTE May 1984 145

St Input

3 4 5

======== VARIABLE SHEET

Name Output Unit

alpha

beta

gamma

a

b

c

P

A

36.869898 deg 53.130102 deg 90 deg

12

6

RULE SHEET

Comment

angle opposite to side a

angle opposite to side b

angle opposite to side c

side a

side b

side c

perimeter

area

S Rule

* alpha + beta + gamma = pi()

* a~2 = b"2 + c"2 - 2*b*c*cos(alpha)

* a / sin(alpha) = b / sin(beta) *P = a+b + c

* A = a * b * sin(gamma)/2

" sum of angles equals pi " cosine theorem " sine theorem " perimeter " area

Figure 9: The variable and rule sheets for the triangle model showing the solution of a rightangle triangle with sides 3, 4, and 5.

those rules were not used in the attempted solution. The solution to the problem in figure 8 involved all the rules, the function relating the type of material and resistivity, and the unit conversions.

The procedure for changing the knowledge base is demonstrated in figure 9. To solve problems concerning the elements of a triangle (after finishing with electrical properties of matter), the user types /RA (for Reset All) and loads the "Triangle" model.

Somewhat more complicated situations are, exemplified in figures 10 through 13. The results (in figures 11 and 13) had to be arrived at using the Iterative Solver. Figure 12 shows an impromptu modification of the knowledge base: the desire to solve for an isosceles triangle is expressed simply by adding the rule a = b to the rule sheet.

In figure 14 the knowledge base is changed again to deal with simple projectile problems.

In short, we feel that TK! Solver's power comes from the ease with which a particular knowledge base may be set up or selected, problems formulated, assumptions varied, and results generated.

TK! Solver and Expert Systems

TKISolver was designed to be an expert system primarily in the area of numerical problem solving. As such it

(1) parses entered algebraic equations and generates a list of variables

(2) solves sets of equations using the consecutive-substitution procedure (Direct Solver)

(3) solves sets of simultaneous algebraic equations by a modified

Newton-Raphson iterative procedure when the consecutive-substitution procedure fails (Iterative Solver)

(4) searches through tables of data and evaluates either unknown function values or arguments when required in the process of (2) or (3)

(5) performs unit conversions

(6) detects inconsistencies in problem formulation and domain errors

(7) generates a series of solutions for lists of input data and outputs results in tabular and graphic forms

However, we also consider TKISolver to be a general framework for setting up expert systems in a whole class of disciplines. A class is defined by the heavy dependence of human experts on the use of mathematical and logical skills. See the text box 'Attributes of Expert Systems" on page 152 for a comparison cf TKISolver and the typical characteristics of an expert system.

We experimented with TKISolver by using it to build expert systems in a variety of disciplines. For example, we were able to set up models and use them for solving whole sets of problems in Schaum's Outline Series books on physics, chemistry, finance, etc.

We also feel that the TKISolver concept is useful in covering well-structured knowledge as embodied, for example, in The Engineer's Manual (see reference 5) consisting of 1029 "chunks" of knowledge and 30 accompanying tables of empiric relationships, functions, constants, unit conversion factors, etc. (with the exclusion of about 10 percent of the text

Text continued on page 152

==================== VARIABLE SHEET

St Input Name Output Unit

alpha deg

55 beta deg

gamma deg

G 3 a G 4 b 5 c P 7 A

St Input

Name

= VARIABLE SHEET Output Unit

alpha

42.652161 deg

55

beta

deg

gamma

82.347839 deg

a

3.4181688

b

4.1325618

5

G

P

12.550731

7

A

Figure 10: What luould be the elements of a triangle given angle beta = 55 degrees, sidec = 5, and area A = 7? Direct Solver failed. This partial variable sheet shows a and b set as guesses for Iterative Solver.

Figure 11: The solution to the problem in figure 10.

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)1984, Helix Laboratories, Inc.

BYTE May 1984 147

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==================== VARIABLE SHEET

St Input Name Output Unit

alpha 42.652161 deg beta deg

gamma 82.347839 deg G 3.7753653 a

b 4.1325618 5 c

P 12.550731 7 A ==================== RULE SHEET ===

S Rule

alpha + beta + gamma = pi()

a~2 = b~2 + c~2 - 2*b*c*cos(alpha)

a / sin(alpha) = b / sin(beta)

P = a + b + c

A = a * b * sin(gamma)/2

* a = b

Figure 12: What are the elements of an isosceles triangle if side c and area A are the same as in figure 11 and no angle is given? Constraint a = b is added to the rule sheet. Guess the value for a arrived at by typing in (a + b)ll (rationale: the expected value must lie between previous values of a and b). Values in output field left from previous solutions don't count.

St Input

Name

VARIABLE SHEET Output Unit

alpha

beta

gamma

a

b

48.239700 deg 48.239700 deg

83.520599 deg

3.7536649

3-7536649

P A

12.507330

Figure 13: The solution to the problem in figure 12.

St Input

Name

Output Unit

Comment

100

30

32

VO

alpha

a

time

maxht

range

m/sec

deg ft/sec~2

10.252625 sec

128.15781 m

887.90334 m

: RULE SHEET ========

initial velocity angle of departure accln. due to gravity time taken

maximum height reached horiz. dist. travelled

S Rule

maxht = V0"2 * sin(alpha)"2 / (2 * a) range = V0"2 * sin(2*alpha) / a time = sqrt(8 * maxht / a) (range/time)~2 = V0"2 - 2*maxht*a

Figure 14: The variable and rule sheets for the projectile model with the solution of the following problem: A baseball is thrown with an initial velocity of 100 mis (meters per second) at an angle of 30 degrees. How far does it travel and how long does it take before it hits the ground?

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Text continued from page 146: dealing with concepts beyond the scope of the control strategy of the current version of TK!Solver). This experience compares favorably with the domain limitations of systems like Mecho or Newton; the latter also faced difficulties in interfacing the quantitative knowledge with the mathematical expertise provided by Macsyma.

Further Developments

TK! Solver in its present form provides a general framework for building expert systems in scientific, engineering, and other disciplines. In this sense it falls in the category of knowledge-representation languages like KRL, NETL, Klone, or Prolog.

It may be argued, however, that TKJSolver falls short of learning capabilities, analogical reasoning, reasoning under conditions of uncertainty, and some other features stipulated by the theoreticians of expert systems or proclaimed for the Japanese fifthgeneration computers. There are also other AI "standards" for the design of expert systems that TK! Solver seems to ignore: natural-language interface, restriction to problems that are "not algorithmic or totally understood" (see reference 3), and "representation of symbolic knowledge for use in machine inference" (see reference 4). Finally, there is the implicit notion of the need to use a list-processing language for AI work (incidentally TK! Solver is implemented in a LISP-like language).

Although in fact all these advanced attributes are present in TK! Solver to

Attributes of Expert Systems

Readers are invited to test TKISolver against each of the expert system characteristics listed here.

•The expert system has separate domain-specific knowledge and problem-solving methodology and includes the concepts of the Knowledge Base and the Inference Engine. 'The expert system should think the way the human expert does. •An expert system tells the computer "what" the problem is rather than "how" to solve it. •Its dynamic knowledge base should be expandable, modifiable, and facilitate "plugging in" different knowledge modules.

•The interactive knowledge transfer should minimize the time needed to transfer the expert's knowledge to the knowledge base.

•Addition of a new rule should result in a new competency for the system, and conversely, the absence of the rule should mark the absence of the related ability. •The expert system should interact in the language "natural" to the domain expert; it should allow the user to think in problem-oriented terms. The system should adapt to the user and not the other way around. The user should be insulated from the details of the implementation.

•The principal bottleneck in the transfer of expertise—the knowledge engineer—should be eliminated.

•The control strategy should be simple and user-transparent, the user should be able to understand and predict the effect of adding new items to the knowledge base. At the same time it should be powerful enough to solve complex problems.

•Expert systems should be computationally fast and not demanding of resources, avoiding situations where interactive intelligent systems suffer from a basic conflict between their computationally intensive nature and the need for responsiveness to a user. •There should be an inexpensive framework for building and experimenting with expert systems.

•Human engineering aspects are important for making the system understandable and for keeping experts interested and making users feel comfortable. •The expert system should have provision for help and English-language dialogue. •The system should have a display-oriented interface.

•It should be able to reason under conditions of uncertainty and insufficient information, and should be capable of probabilistic reasoning.

•An expert system should be able to explain "why" a fact is needed to complete the line of reasoning and "how" a conclusion was arrived at.

•Pragmatic systems are needed; they should be robust, general, and efficient for routine use. •The expert system should be available to users in properly sized, properly packaged combinations of hardware and software; chronic absence of cumulation of AI techniques in the form of software packages that can achieve wide use; proliferation should lead to expert systems at everyone's disposal.

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a small or embryonic extent, it would serve no purpose to argue to what extent they have to be present in order to classify the system one way or another. We would rather point to what TK! Solver can do in its present form and stress the fact that it provides a basis for implementing additional features and capabilities as the hardware permits and as the mass user requires.

In its future development TK!Solver should look two ways: first, at concepts and tools emerging from research in AI, and second, at the time-proven "nbn-AI" program packages that have become a part of human experts' lives. ■

References

1. Buchanan, B.G. "New Research on Expert Systems." Machine Intelligence, volume 10, 1982, pages 269-299.

2. Davis, R. Applications of Meta-Level Knowledge to the Construction, Maintenance, and Use

of Large Knowledge Bases (Ph.D. thesis). Stanford, CA: Stanford University, 1976.

3. Davis, R., and D.B. Lenat. Knowledge-Based Systems in Artificial Intelligence: Two Case Studies. Hightstown, NJ: McGraw-Hill Inc., 1982.

4. Feigenbaum, E.A. 'The Art of Artificial Intelligence: Themes and Case Studies of Knowledge Engineering." Proceedings IJCAI-77, pages 1014-1029.

5. Hudson, R.G. The Engineers' Manual, 2nd ed. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1917.

6. Konopasek, M., and S. Jayaraman. The TKISolver Book: A Guide to Problem-Solving in Science, Engineering, Business, and Education. Berkeley: Osborne/McGraw-Hill, 1984.

7. Ross, S.S. McGraw-Hill's TKISolverPack to Accompany Hicks: Standard Handbook of Engineering Calculations. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1984.

Milos Konopasek holds a Ph.D. from the University of Manchester, Manchester, England. Sundaresan Jayaraman is completing a Ph.D. program at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina. Both authors currently work at Software Arts Inc., 27 Mica Lane, Wellesley, MA. Konopasek is senior scientist and Jayaraman is a product manager.

Bibliography

l.Amarel, S. "On Representation of Problems of Reasoning about Actions." Machine Intelligence, volume 3. 1968, pages 131-171.

l.Amarel, S., B. G. Buchanan, C. Kulikowski, and H. Pople. "Reports of Panel on Applications of Artificial Intelligence." Proceedings IJCAI-77, pages 994-1006.

3.Balzer, R., L. Erman, P. London, C. Williams. "Hearsay-Ill: A Domain-Independent Framework for Expert Systems." Proceedings of 1980 AAAI Conference.

4.Barr, A., and E. A. Feigenbaum. The Handbook of Artificial Intelligence, volume 2. Los Altos, CA: William Kaufmann Inc., 1982.

5.Bobmw, D. G., and T. Winograd. "An Overview of KRL, a Knowledge Representation Language." Cognitive Science, volume 1, 1976, pages 3-46.

6. Brachman, R. J. "On the Epistemological Status of Semantic Networks." Associative Networks: Representation and Use of Knowledge by Computer (N. V. Fihdler, ed.), New York: Academic Press, 1979, pages 3-50.

7. Brachman, R. J. and H. ]. Levesque. "Competence in Knowledge Representation." Proceedings of 1982 AAAI Conference, pages 189-192.

8.Bundy, A., L. Byrd, G. Luger, C. Mellish, and M. Palmer. "Solving Mechanics Problems Using Meta-Level Inference." Proceedings IJCAI-77, pages 1017-1027.

9.Clark, K. L., andF. G. McCabe. "Prolog: A Language for Implementing Expert Systems." Machine Intelligence, volume 10. 1982, pages 455-470.

10. Carbonell, J. R., and A. M. Collins. "Natural Semantics in Artificial Intelligence." Proceedings of 3rd IJCAI, 1983, pages 344-351.

11. Davis, R. "Interactive Transfer of Expertise: Acquisition of New Inference Rules." Proceedings IJCAI-77, pages 321-328.

12. de Kleer, J. "Multiple Representations of Knowledge in a Mechanics ProblemSolver." Proceedings IJCAI-77, pages 299-304.

13. Duda, R. O., J. G. Gaschnig, P. E. Hart, K. Konolige, R. Reboh, P. Barrett, and]. Slocum. "Development of the Prospector Consultation System for Mineral Exploration" (final report). SRI Projects 5821 and 6415, Artificial Intelligence Center, SRI International, Menlo Park, CA, 1978.

14. Duda, R. O. and J. G. Gaschnig. "Knowledge-based Expert Systems Come of Age." BYTE, September 1981, pages 238-281.

Bibliography continued on page 156

154 BYTE May 1984

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Bibliography continued from page 154:

15. Fahlman, S. E, NETL: A System for Representing and Understanding Real-World Knowledge. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 1979.

16. Feigenbaum, E. A. "Artificial Intelligence Research: What Is It? What Has It Achieved? Where Is It Going?" Invited paper, Symposium on Artificial Intelligence, Canberra, Australia, 1974.

17. Forgy, C, and J. McDermott. "Ops, A Domain-Independent Production System Language." Proceedings IJCAI-77, pages 933-939.

18. Gerring, P. E., E. H. Shortliffe, and W. van Melle. "The Interviewer/ Reasoner Model: An Approach to Improving System Responsiveness in Interactive AI Systems." The AI Magazine, Fall 1982, pages 24-27.

19. Goldstein, I., and S. Papert. "Artificial Intelligence, Language and the Study of Knowledge." Cognitive Science, volume 1, 1977.

20. Gordon, G. System Simulation. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1969.

21 Hammond, P. "Appendix to Prolog: A Language for Implementing Expert Systems." Machine Intelligence, volume 10, 1982, pages 471-475.

22.Konopasek, M. "An Advanced Question-Answering System on Sets of Algebraic Equations." Proceedings of the European Conference on Interactive Systems (D. Lewin, ed.). Uxbridge, England: Online Publications, 1975.

23.Konopasek, M., and M. Kazmierczak. "A Question Answering System on Mathematical Models in Microcomputer Environments." Proceedings of The First West Coast Computer Faire Conference, 2977, pages 182-186.

24.Konopasek, M., and C. Papaconstadopoulos. "The Question Answering System on Mathematical Models (QAS): Description of the Language." Computer Languages, volume 3, 1978, pages 145-155.

25.Luger, G. F. "Mathematical Model Building in the Solution of Mechanics Problems: Human Protocol and the Mecho Trace." Cognitive Science, volume 5, 1981, pages 55-77.

26. Mark, W. S. "The Reformulation Approach to Building Expert Systems." Proceedings IJCAI-77, pages 329-335.

27 Michalski, R. S., J. G. Carbonell, and T. M. Mitchell. Machine Learning:

An Artificial Intelligence Approach. Palo Alto, CA: Tioga Publishing Company, 1983.

28.Nau, D. S. "Expert Computer Systems." Computer, February 1983, pages 63-85.

29.Newell, A., andH. A. Simon. "GPS, A Program that Simulates Human Thought." Computers and Thought (E. A. Feigenbaum and J. A. Feldman, ed.), Hightstown, Nf: McGraw-Hill, 1963.

30.Newell, A., and H. A. Simon. Human Problem Solving. Englewood Cliffs, Nf: Prentice-Hall, 1972.

31.Nie, N. H., C. H. Hull, J. G. Jenkins, K. Steinbrenner, and D. H. Bent. Statistical Package for Social Sciences. Hightstown, NJ: McGrawHill, 1975.

32.NH, H. P., and N. Aiello. "Age (Attempt to Generalize): A KnowledgeBased Program for Building Knowledge-Based Programs." Proceedings IJCAI-79, pages 645-655.

33.Novak, G. S. "Representations of Knowledge in a Problem for Solving Physics Problems." Proceedings IJCAI-77, pages 286-291.

34.Pople, H. £., "The Formation of Composite Hypotheses in Diagnostic Problem Solving and Exercise in Synthetic Reasoning." Proceedings IJCAI-77, pages 1030-1037.

35. Ross, D. Ices Systems Design. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 1967.

36. Shortliffe, E. H. Computer-Based Medical Consultations: Mycin. New York: American Elsevier, 1976.

37. Stefik, M., J. Aikin, R. Balzar, J. Benoit, L. Bimbaum, F. Hayes-Roth, and E. Sacerdoti. "The Organization of Expert Systems: A Tutorial." Artificial Intelligence, volume 18, 1982, pages 135-173.

38.Tesler, L. "The Smalltalk Environment," BYTE, August 1981, pages 90-147.

39.Treleaven, P. C, and 1:G. Lima. "Japan's Fifth-Generation Computer Systems." Computer, August 1982, pages 79-88.

40. van Melle, W., A Domain-Independent System that Aids in Constructing Knowledge-based Consultation Programs (Ph.D. thesis). Stanford, CA: Stanford University, 1980.

41. Weiss, S., and C. Kulikowski. "Expert: A System for Developing Consultation Models." Proceedings IJCAI-79, pages 942-947.

156 BYTE May 1984

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How Lawyers Can Use Microcomputers

Cutting costs while upgrading legal service with the aid of

microcomputers

Microcomputers are a mystery to many lawyers because, too often, they try to learn about them in terms of BASIC programming, RAM (random-access, read/write memory), ROM (read-only memory), bps (bits per second), and other foreign, often unnecessary technical terms. All lawyers need to know is how computers can improve the efficiency of a legal practice.

Reviewing the firm's needs is the first step in this analysis. Work in law offices is generally divided between administrative and substantive tasks—those relating to the actual practice of law.

Administrative tasks in the law office are similar to those in any other small buiness: bookkeeping, bank account reconciliation, payroll, calendar control, file management, information retrieval. One legal administrative task uncommon to most small businesses is timekeeping and billing. Most lawyers keep time records and either submit bills based on them or use them in determining what they will bill. This may be the most important administrative reason to acquire a computer.

Generally, legal services can be divided into broad categories. Lawyers prepare letters, opinion let

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ters, memoranda of law, briefs, deeds, wills, agreements, and other documents. When everything else fails, they may go to court on the client's behalf. Before going to court, pleadings must be prepared, witnesses interviewed, depositions taken, and the paper associated with the lawsuit managed. In addition, there are some critical courtproceedings deadlines that must be followed and observed. In complex litigation many exhibits must be tracked.

Although some lawyers spend the majority of their time in court, most usually spend it in the office. Lawyers research and analyze problems, give advice, prepare documents, make mathematical projections, prepare tax returns, gather data, and analyze the information gathered. The practice of law involves much paperwork and includes a substantial amount of document preparation. Because of this, many lawyers have become interested in the use of computers. For the most part, however, lawyers have been slow to take advantage of new technology. Most lawyers in America practice in small firms; 70 percent practice in firms of five or fewer lawyers. Until recently, word

processing was relatively expensive, and many small-firm lawyers did not feel they could afford it. The cost of a single, dedicated word-processing system dropped from the $12,000 to $20,000 range. Today, the cost can be as low as $2100. A very powerful microcomputer with letter-quality word-processing capability can be purchased for between $2100 and $7000. As a result, many lawyers are now using microcomputers, not for computing, but for low-cost word processing. Once they acquire the computer for word processing, they realize the tremendous potential of the computer to help in other ways.

It is interesting to note that the smaller firms have seemed to lead the way in the microcomputer explosion. Initially, many large firms with minicomputers and mainframes turned up their noses at microcomputers. Now, large firms are waking up to the potential of microcomputers, and many are now buying them for their individual lawyers. The computers are usually used both as freestanding units and as terminals into the mainframe.

For the lawyer who has a microcomputer for word processing or one who is considering a first purchase, it is important to understand what a

160 BYTE May 1984

computer does. Generally speaking, a computer can be used for: word processing; number crunching (including bookkeeping, payroll, tax projections); information or data management; communications; electronic spreadsheets; and specialized tasks to help in specific areas of the law. Let's look at each category and explore it as it relates to the practice of law.

Word Processing

The practice of law is ideally suited for word-processing equipment, and without a doubt, word processing is the legal profession's most common use of the microcomputer. The use of the word processor in the law office can be broken down into three major categories:

• routine daily correspondence

• long documents that require extensive editing

•repetitive documents

It is important to understand that most lawyers are under pressure to cut costs and to price services reasonably. Because labor can be the highest single cost in a law office, efficiency is important. In the first two categories listed above the benefit of word processing is largely that it improves staff efficiency. The long documents may include agreements, briefs, and memoranda of law. In almost every case a draft of the document is prepared and input is received from other lawyers and the client. In some cases, such as a negotiated contract, input will also be received from the opposing lawyer and that lawyer's client. By using a word processor you will benefit by quick document turnaround after editing or preparation.

In the third category, where repetitive documents can be recalled from magnetic media and modified to meet a particular client's needs, a major benefit is the time saved. Examples of these documents are: wills and trust agreements; property settlements; pleadings in court cases; pension and profit-sharing plans; and leases. These do not have to be prepared from scratch and since the new draft of the document requires

a minimum of keyboarding, another major benefit is increased productivity.

Merging variables and assembling separate paragraphs into one document are capabilities that make word processors especially useful in the legal profession. The footnote capability is especially helpful to lawyers who file a large number of briefs.

Number Crunching

I first began using word-processing equipment in 1964 when I bought a paper-tape Royal Typer, which used folded paper tape punched much like the scrolls of music for a player piano. Since that time, I have used word processors employing cassettes and disks, and I presently use a CPT 8000.

Next to word

processing,

timekeeping and billing

software probably

represents the most

common reason a

lawyer might want a

computer.

Having thus taken a personal interest in electronics technology, when I acquired my first full-capability computer I intended to learn all I could about it.

The first software I used was a general ledger package. All of my bookkeeping had previously been done by hand, and the final numbers often were not put together until well after the end of the year. I almost never had the luxury of a monthly financial statement.

With my general ledger package, which was relatively inexpensive ($199), I was able to set up account numbers for my income and expense items and key in my checks and deposits once a month. The computer automatically produced: a list of all posted documents; a ledger of these entries sorted by account number; a trial balance; an income statement for the month showing percentages and year-to-date balances; and a balance sheet for the month show

ing percentages and year-to-date balances. When the December entries were posted, I immediately had a printout of my year-end financial information and could complete my tax return on time.

The second software program I added was payroll. Year-end W-2 preparation had generally been completed amid turmoil on or near January 31. With the payroll package, which cost about $499, I only had to input the employee information once. Thereafter, checks for salaried employees and quarterly returns could be produced. The process for hourly employees only required keyboarding of each employee's hours for a particular pay period.

Next to word processing, the need for timekeeping and billing software is probably the most common reason a lawyer might want a computer. There are more than 120 companies offering software for timekeeping and billing, and this large number creates more of a problem than it solves. (For a list of them, see the March 1, 1984 issue of The Lawyer's PC, or contact POB 1108, Lexington, SC 29072, (803) 359-9941.)

Lawyers do not all keep time the same way, nor do we render statements the same way. There are many variations of timekeeping and billing techniques, as well as many differences between software packages and what they accomplish. Trying to match the two is a problem of some magnitude.

Before acquiring a timekeeping and billing package, it is extremely important to see the program up and running. It can be helpful to talk with a peer at a comparably sized firm who bills in a similar fashion and is using the program. Timekeeping and billing programs range in price from about $500 to $5000. The difference in quality is not necessarily represented by the difference in price. The size of the firm in many cases will be the determining factor. Packages designed for use by five or fewer lawyers probably will not work effectively for larger firms, and those designed for 15 lawyers may not be what the smaller firm needs.

Although we are discussing time

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keeping and billing systems as they apply to number crunching, a lawyer familiar with database managers can design a very simple timekeeping and billing system for a small firm. In the number-crunching category, a system is also needed for keeping track of other people's money held in a trust. Under the Code of Professional Responsibility, a client's funds cannot be commingled with the law firm's, and the firm must be able to account for any client's funds held in a trust account. Software packages to handle trust accounts can be purchased or designed to include such features as: the ability to enter checks and deposits at random with an item description and an account number for the client; the ability to receive a printout at least monthly of the transactions in the entire bank account, with a total balance, together with an individual printout of each client's transactions and a balance of the client's account; and the ability to confirm that all clients' accounts equal the total amount in the bank account. This seems to be a relatively simple accounting procedure, but it is amazing how little software is available to accomplish it.

Information Management

Another category of computer use that is tremendously beneficial to people in the legal profession is information management. Database management programs fall into this category, as do a number of specialized information programs.

Information management, as I use the term, means the ability to keyboard certain information once and then sort, select, and use it effectively without having to rekeyboard. The most common uses of this technique are: maintaining client records, keeping a calendar and docket control system, file management, and litigation support.

There are many other informationmanagement needs specific to a law firm's practice. Any of these can be handled with a database manager. For lawyers who use the IBM Personal Computer (PC) or compatibles, dBASE II is popular. For lawyers who use Radio Shack computers, Profile

162

If) 11 M,iv ll'S4

Circle 293 on inquiry card.

Plus is probably the most commonly used.

With a program of this type, you can visualize how it works by imagining a page organized in vertical columns of information with horizontal lines representing a particular file. The vertical columns are called fields. Each field contains the same kind of information for every client. For example, last names would be in the same field for every client.

The horizontal lines that represent one client's information are called records. Once the information has been keyboarded, it can be massaged in many different ways without having to be keyed again. For example, if the client record consists of a name, address, telephone number, court in which the action is pending, and lawyer responsible, then by using the sort and select technique of the database manager the lawyer can print an alphabetical list of all clients by last name. It is also possible to sort, select, and print a sublist that, instead of including all clients, will only include those for a particular lawyer in a particular court.

The information in the database can be merged with form letters so that, for example, you can use the will-retrieval database to select the names and addresses, salutation, and date of the last will executed by the client. This information can be merged into a letter to the client indicating that the will needs review. These letters can then be printed automatically on continuous-run paper.

In larger firms, database managers can be used to manage records that only need to be keyboarded once and then accessed by using sort and select techniques. For example, the client database can be searched as each new client is accepted to make certain there is no conflict if a suit is begun against some other person. Firms with many clients and several lawyers must take this precaution to avoid suing one of their own clients.

"Where is it? Why can't we find it?" is a familiar cry in the law office. Lawyers manage a lot of paper and, therefore, filing is frequently a problem. The filing problem relates not

only to where a particular document might be but, more importantly, where to find research information. We almost always can find material in a client's file. The question is, in which case did we last handle a matter involving a similar dispute, e.g., the eviction of a tenant for damage to the premises?

Softshell (POB 18522, Baltimore, MD 21237, (301) 686-1213) offers a program called Mindex and Search that costs $25 and will solve most information-retrieval problems. Under the Mindex and Search program, entries of 255 characters are possible (about three typewritten lines). Each of these entries is considered a separate record. The 255 characters, of course, must contain the location of the basic information and the keywords to let you find it. In the previous matter, we would enter "eviction of tenant for damage or destruction of the premises" and the name or number of the file in which the research data and pleadings for that particular matter are located. We might (since we have not used the entire three lines) want

to include the kind of research material to be found in that file. We can make thousands of entries of this type at random and then, using the Search program, search for any three characters in a row. In most cases, we use the actual keyword; we might choose "eviction" or we might choose "tenant". If we have a large number of eviction and tenant cases, we might want to search a combination of words connected by "and," e.g., "eviction and destruction." We can also search by using "or" as the connector, which will result in the program finding all records containing either word.

Communications

A lawyer can use the computer for electronic mail, bulletin-board reading, and access to on-line databases.

When lawyers think about on-line databases, the first that come to mind are Westlaw and Lexis. These two legal-research databases have been available for many years. Only recently, however, could we access them via microcomputers. Westlaw

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TM

MVP-FORTH

Stable - Transportable - Public Domain - Tools You need two primary features in a software development package a stable operating system and the ability to move programs easily and quickly to a variety of computers. MVP-FORTH gives you both these features and many extras. This public domain product includes an editor, FORTH assembler, tools, utilities and the vocabulary for the best selling book "Starting FORTH". The Programmer's Kit provides a complete FORTH for a number of computers. Other MVP-FORTH products will simplify the development of your applications.

MVP Books - A Series

□ Volume 1, All about FORTH by Haydon. MVP-FORTH

glossary with cross references to fig-FORTH, Starting FORTH

and FORTH-79 Standard. 2nd Ed.

$25

«0

D Volume 2, MVP-FORTH Assembly Source Code. Includes CP/M® , IBM-PC® , and APPLE® listing for kernel $20

$10

$25

jje* □ Volume 3, Floating Point Glossary by Springer

,-t» □ Volume 4, Expert System with source code by Park

0

d □ Volume 5, File Management System with interrupt security by

Moreton

$25

MVP-FORTH Software - A Transportable FORTH

□ MVP-FORTH Programmer's Kit including disk, documentation, Volumes 1 & 2 of MVP-FORTH Series (All About FORTH, 2nd Ed. & Assembly Source Code), and Starting FORTH. Specify D CP/M, □ CP/M 86, D CP/M + , □ APPLE,

□ IBM PC. D MS-DOS, D Osborne, D Kaypro, □ H89/Z89,

□ Z100. □ TI-PC, □ MicroDecisions, □ Northstar,

^ D Compupro, □ Cromenco, □ DEC Rainbow, □ NEC 8201,

□ TRS-80/100

$150

D MVP-FORTH Cross Compiler for CP/M Programmer's Kit. Generates headerless code for ROM or target CPU $300

□ MVP-FORTH Meta Compiler for CP/M Programmer's kit. Use for applicatons on CP/M based computer. Includes public domain source $150

D MVP-FORTH Fast Floating Point Includes 9511 math chip on board with disks, documentation and enhanced virtual MVPFORTH for Apple II, II +, and He. $450

□ MVP-FORTH Programming Aids for CP/M, IBM or APPLE Programmer's Kit. Extremely useful tool for decompiling, callfinding, and translating. $150

□ MVP-FORTH PADS (Professional Application Development System) for IBM. or APPLE. An integrated development system with complete documentation for PC, XT or PCjr and Apple II, II + and lie. Will run on most IBM and Apple lookalikes. $500

^e* □ MVP-FORTH Floating Point & Matrix Math for IBM or

Apple $85

4*1

*€* □ MVP-FORTH Graphics Extension for IBM or Apple

$65

^

^ □ MVP-FORTH MS-DOS file interface for IBM PC PADS

[J MVP-FORTH Expert System for development of knowledgebased programs for Apple, IBM, or CP/M. $100

FORTH COMPUTER D Jupiter Ace

D 16K RAM Pack □ 48K RAM Pack

$150

$50

$125

FORTH CROSS COMPILERS Allow extending, modifying and compiling for speed and memory savings, can also produce ROMable code. •Requires FORTH disk.

□ CP/M $300 D IBM* $300

□ 8086* $300 □ Z80« $300 D 68000 $300 D Apple II/II+ $300

Ordering Information: Check. Money Order (payable to MOUNTAIN VIEW PRESS, INC.), VISA, MasterCard, American Express. COD'S $5 extra. Minimum order $15. No billing or unpaid PO's. California residents add sales tax. Shipping costs in US included in price Foreign orders, pay in US funds on US bank, include for handling and shipping by Air: $5 for each item under $25. $10 tor each item between $25 and $99 and $20 for each item over $100. All prices and products subject lo change or withdrawal without notice Single system and/or single user license agreement required on some products.

FORTH DISKS

FORTH with editor, assembler, and manual.

DAPPLE by MM $100 D Z80 by LM $100

□ APPLE by Kuntze $90 □ 8086/88 by LM $100 D ATARI® valFORTH $60 □ 68000 by LM $250

□ CP/M® by MM $100 □ VIC FORTH by HES, VIC20

□ HP-85 by Lange $90 cartridge $50

□ HP-75 by Cassady $150 □ C64 by HES Commodore 64

□ IBM-PC® by LM $100 cartridge $60

D NOVA by CCI 8" DS/DD$175 D Timex bY HW $25

Enhanced FORTH with: F-Floating Point, G-Graphics, T-Tutorial, S-Stand Alone, M-Math Chip Support, MT-Multi-Tasking, X-Other Extras, 79-FORTH-79, 83-FORTH-83.

□ APPLE by MM, p Extensions for LM Specify F. G. &83 5160 IBM, Z80, or 8086

□ ATARI by PNS, F,G, & X. $90 □ Software Floating

O CP/M by MM, F & 83 $160 Point $100

□ Multi-Tasking FORTH by SL, p( g51, Suppor,

CP/M, X& 79 $395 (Z80 or 8086) $100

□ TRS-80/I or III by MMS □ Color Graphics

F, X, &79 $130 (IBM-PC) $100

□ Timex by FD, tape G,X, □ Data Base

& 79 $45 Management $200

P Victor 9000 by DE.G.X $150 Requires LM FORTH disk.

□ llg-FORTH Programming Aids for decompiling, callfinding,

and translating. CP/M, IBM-PC, Z80. or Apple $150

FORTH MANUALS, GUIDES & DOCUMENTS

D ALL ABOUT FORTH by □ 1980 FORML Proc. $25

Haydon. See above. $25 p 1981 FORML Proc 2 Vol $40

□ FORTH Encyclopedia by D 1982 FORML Proc. $25 Derick & Baker $25

^ □ The Complete FORTH by

Winfield $16

P Understanding FORTH by

Reymann $3

D FORTH Fundamentals, <^ Vol. I by McCabe $16

^$ D FORTH Fundamentals,

Vol. II by McCabe $13 D Tne journal of FORTH

j* D FORTH Tools, Vol.1 by Application & Research

Anderson & Tracy $20 Vol. I, No. 1 $20

^e* □ Beginning FORTH by P Threaded Interpretive

Chirlian $17 Languages $23

P FORTH Encyclopedia D METAFORTH by

Pocket Guide $7 Cassady $30 P And So FORTH by Huang. A P Systems Guide to figcollege level text. $25 FORTH $25 P FORTH Programming by P Invitation to FORTH $20 Scanlon $17 P PDP-11 User Man. $20 P FORTH on the ATARI by E. p FORTH-83 Standard $15

Fl0e9el $8 P FORTH-79 Standard

D Starting FORTH by Brodie. Q FORTH_79 standar(,

Best instructional manual „ , available, (soft cover) $18

P 1981 Rochester FORTH

Proc. $25

P 1982 Rochester FORTH

Proc. $25

!*P 1983 Rochester FORTH

Proc. $25

P A Bibliography of FORTH

References, 1st. Ed. $15

$15

$10

P Starting FORTH (hard

P Tiny Pascal fig-FORTH $10

$23 □ NOVA fig-FORTH by CCI

Source Listing $25

_ assembler $25 □ NOVA by CCI User's

£ll □ Jupiter ACE Manual by Manual $25

Vickers $15

cover) jg* P 68000 fig-Forth with

P Installation Manual for fig-FORTH,

$15

Source Listings of fig-FORTH, for specific CPU's and computers. The Installation Manual is required for implementation. Each $1 5

P 1802 P 6502 P 6800 P AlphaMicro

P 8080 P 8086/88 P 9900 P APPLE II

P PACE P 6809 P NOVA P PDP-11/LSI-11

P 68000 D Eclipse P VAX P Z80

MOUNTAIN VIEW PRESS, INC.

PO BOX 4656

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA 94040

(415)961-4103

164 BYTE May 1984

Circle 281 on inquiry card.

can be accessed by almost any microcomputer. At this writing, Lexis can only be accessed by the IBM PC. These database services are relatively expensive, but accessing them through your own microcomputer gives you greater control over the costs.

There are a number of other on-line databases of possible interest to lawyers. The American Bar Association recently announced ABA/net. Using this service, electronic mail and bulletin boards can be accessed, in addition to the UPI news wire, the Official Airline Guide, and financial news from Unistox, for as little as $12 per hour. The American Bar Association publication and information database, Ambar, will go on line with ABA/net in the near future and will cost $32 per hour in prime time and $22 per hour in nonprime time. (For details on ABA/net write: ITT Dialcorn, 1109 Spring St., Silver Spring, MD 20910 or call (800) 323-1717 and ask for operator 129. In Illinois, call operator 129 at (800) 942-8211.)

Dialog is probably the largest nonlegal database of interest to lawyers. It actually consists of more than 200 databases. The most common is the Legal Resources Index, which contains more than 660 legal periodicals, newspapers, and magazines published since January 1980. Other databases on Dialog include the Federal Register and a number of technical databases involved with medicine and other technical subjects. (For information write: Dialog Information Services, 3460 Hillview Ave., Palo Alto, CA, or call (800) 227-1927. In California, call (800) 982-5838.)

The General Electric database contains tax projection and other business accounting projection programs. Some of these programs were prepared by Arthur Andersen & Company, some by J. H. Cohn & Company, and some by Coopers & Lybrand. (For details write: General Electric Information Services Company, 401 N. Washington St., Rockville, MD 20850, or call (800) 638-8730. In Maryland, call (800) 492-8470.)

In time, the most frequent use of the microcomputer's communications feature may be electronic mail.

By using electronic mail, you can transmit a document to another lawyer's computer for almost instant review and input. The document can then be retransmitted to you with changes. If acceptable, it can be printed out in final form at both locations. A third lawyer can review the document, since either office can send it anywhere over the telephone network. All the traveling lawyer needs is a portable computer (such as the Radio Shack Model 100) with a modem. This lawyer can make changes and send the document back to either office.

Communications make it possible for a branch office to function with limited support staff. Much of the heavy document preparation can take place at the home office and then be transmitted to and printed out at the branch.

Bulletin boards are available for almost any subject. ABA/net is expected to provide bulletin boards of specific interest. With a bulletin board, you can call the number and, by keyboarding instructions, select a

substantive area to review. For example, you can call a bulletin board and review the particular substantive area on medical malpractice. If you see any information or inquiries of interest, you can write a response on the bulletin board or communicate directly to the other lawyer if a telephone number or address has been left.

Messages can also be left for others who read the bulletin board. For example, a lawyer can ask for information from other lawyers with experience in specific fields.

The introduction of ABA/net may have more influence on the use of databases by lawyers than any other event of recent years. The American Bar Association plans to actively solicit lawyers to join ABA/net. Since this database is relatively inexpensive, it gives lawyers a chance to overcome fears or hesitations at a low cost and for a useful purpose.

Many law book publishers are exploring the possible use of on-line databases to furnish their services. Looking far into the future, it is quite

Dyi

;san

X

DYSAN

protects disks in sleeves of

TYVEK.

Here's why.

Quality disks deserve a quality sleeve. Sleeves of TYVEK" spunbonded olefin provide unsurpassed data protection because

1. TYVEK is strong—won't tear like paper.

2. TYVEK does not lint.

3. TYVEK is smooth, non-abrasive.

4. TYVEK is chemically clean, has a neutral pH.

5. TYVEK reduces static problems.

6. TYVEK is unaffected by water. Take the first step to maximum disk data protection. Call 800-44 TYVEK for the names of manufacturers who rely on sleeves of TYVEK.

■TYVEK is DuPont's trademark for

spunbonded olefin. DuPont makes TYVEK, not sleeves.

Dysan is a registered trademark of Dysan Corporation

;o

Circle 145 on inquiry card.

BYTE May 1984 165

It's perfect because you can change it.

Which is one thing you can't do with canned accounting programs. Instead, you're stuck doing bookkeeping their way.

Well, rather than let your accounting software run your business, we suggest you run our business accounting software: Sensible Solution Management.

Straight out of the box, it's ready to get down to business with single-entry general ledger,

accounts payable and receivable, payroll, inventory control and order entry.

Canned Accounting vs.

The Sensible Solution

The Typical

Sensible

Accounting

Solution

Package

Management

Can the program be changed

to suit special needs?

No

Yes

Can you use your business's

existing forms?

No

Yes

Is source code included

in the program's price?

No

Yes

Can you easily transfer your data

when you buy a new computer? No

Yes

But instead of locking you in to our way of accounting, we also supply you with source code and The Sensible Solution

Language so you can modify

the program to take into account

your needs.

You can change it to use your business forms and checks. Work in your company's commission rates. Add space for your product codes. Or do just about anything else your way.

So if you've got accounting software

you can't change, change to the

Sensible Solution.

And kick the canned

forever.

The Sensible Solution"

The Sensible Solution Programming Language for most single and multi-user operating systems is $695 (single-user) or $995 (multi-user) with

Accounting Modules at $250 each. For more information, write or call: O'Hanlon Computer Systems, 11058 Main Street, Bellevue.WA 98004.

Phone (206) 454-2261. Telex 152974. Dealer and distributor inquiries welcome.

166 BYTE May 1984

Circle 297 on inquiry card.

possible that most legal-research needs will be met by on-line databases. Competitive pricing may speed this occurrence.

Electronic Spreadsheets

Use of electronic spreadsheets will depend on the kind of law practiced by the firm. Electronic spreadsheets allow mathematical projections to be made and manipulated. They can be useful in preparing budgets and cash-flow projections. They can be used to project earnings in damage cases, to perform a blood alcohol analysis in drunk driving cases, and many other tasks requiring mathematical projections and "what if" calculations. (For a template of the blood alcohol analysis program, see The Lawyer's PC, November 1, 1983, page 4, or write POB 1108, Lexington, SC 29072.)

Many publishers are producing inexpensive electronic spreadsheet templates that take much of the drudgery out of using these powerful programs. Quite a number of these templates can be useful to lawyers, since they deal with business calculations.

Specialized Software Packages

There are several specialized software packages that lawyers should know about. These software packages can be purchased and run immediately to accomplish specific tasks. For example: a long-distance analyzer is designed to allow the development of a directory of calls, date called, and amount of call, so this out-of-pocket expense can be charged to clients (Long Distance Analyzer, $195, Golden Braid Software, 1450Ranchero Dr., Sarasota, FL 33582, (813) 371-0388).

Estate tax projections are designed to allow lawyers to enter details about the client and get projections of different estate plans. Two common ones are: Estate Tax Plan, $750, Aardvark/McGraw-Hill, 1020 N. Broadway, Milwaukee, WI 53202, (414) 225-7500; and ESTAX, $295, Professional Data Corp., 6449 Goldbranch Rd., Columbia, SC 29202.

Real estate closing packages are designed to allow for the input of the

basic information. The program then produces all the documents necessary for a HUD real estate closing (RESPA Resolver, $250, Electronic Law Publishing Company, POB 1027, Buies Creek, NC 27506).

Programs for the preparation of immigration and naturalization forms are designed to allow keyboarding of the basic information and have the program prepare the necessary forms (Immigration Program, $350, Hudson Computer Bureau Inc., 6135 Bergenline Ave., West New York, NJ 07093, (201) 868-6134).

Income tax projections allow for the input of information about the client's tax circumstances to make "what if" calculations. An example of this type program is Cal-Q-Tax (CalQ-Tax, $595, Tax Management, a subsidiary of Bureau of National Affairs Inc., 1231 25th St. NW, Washington, DC 20037).

There are numerous other income tax preparation packages. A list and analysis of them appeared in The Journal of Taxation, A Guide to the Practitioner's Selection of Tax Soft

ware for the Microcomputer, December 1983. The November 1983 issue contained a comparison of software vendors. For information, write The journal of Taxation, 1633 Broadway, New York, NY 10019. The list is growing every day as new programs for lawyers are developed.

The computer is going to make the most significant change in the way law is practiced since the invention of the telephone and the typewriter. There is resistance, but strange as it may seem, there was also resistance to the telephone and typewriter.

In the long run, economic issues will prevail. There is no question that those of us who use the computer efficiently can practice law more effectively and, therefore, can provide legal services to the client at reasonable cost. That is the name of the game.B

Robert P. Wilkins (POB 729, Lexington, SC 29072) is a lawyer and the editor of The Lawyer's PC and The Lawyer's Microcomputer newsletters for lawyers using the IBM PC and compatibles and Radio Shack computers, respectively.

3M

protects disks

in sleeves of

TYVEK.

Here's why.

Quality disks deserve a quality sleeve. Sleeves of TYVEK* spunbonded olefin provide unsurpassed data protection because

1. TYVEK is strong—won't tear like paper.

2. TYVEK does not lint.

3. TYVEK is smooth, non-abrasive.

4. TYVEK is chemically clean, has a neutral pH.

5. TYVEK reduces static problems.

6. TYVEK is unaffected by water. Take the first step to maximum disk data protection. Call 800-44 TYVEK for the names of manufacturers who rely on sleeves of TYVEK.

•TYVEK is Du Pont's trademark for spunbonded olefin. DuPont makes TYVEK, not sleeves.

Circle 146 on inquiry card.

BYTE May 19M 167

Features*

Advantages*

Benefits*

Unlimited number of tables open at a given time

No need to open and close tables repeatedly

Speedier answers to your queries 1

Up to 255 fields per record

Greater descriptive capacity

Lowers frustration of having to deal with multiple tables for a single topic

Passwords, read/write access, data encryption

Access to data is individualized

Unauthorized use of data prevented

Query multiple tables with a single command

Retrieves data without unnecessary Intermediate steps

Users get information more efficiently

Query syntax like IBM's SQL/DS

English-like commands

Users not required to learn a new language

Dynamic sorting and grouping of query output

Control of output format

Data can be customized to users needs

Spreadsheet cells may be defined in terms of

• formulas

• data table values

• programs

Cell can automatically retrieve information from tables and can perform intricate mathematical operations on that information

No need to rekey information or perform calculations separately

Forms creation for screen and printer using 8 colors, blinking, bell, prompts, reverse video, etc.

Greater versatility in screen and printed output

Screens and forms are easy to understand and use

Statistics (e.g., min, max, average, sum, standard deviation, variance, etc.) automatically generated

Provides more complete analytical description of data

Improved decision-making capabilities

High resolution color graphics: pie charts, bar charts, area curves, scatter diagrams, etc.

Numerical data from spreadsheets and tables can be pictorialized

Patterns and trends easier to spot

'Partial List

Whether your needs are simple..

We help a lot of different people solve a lot of different problems:

from the simplest to the most complex. . .from mailing lists to integrated accounting, from preparing tax returns to order entry. Whether you need help saving money or making it, the Knowledge Manager can help you manage your information better than any other micro software package.

Quality Software for Quality Results

You can start just as simply as you want and grow just as fast as you like. The Knowledge Manager's powerful commands are always ready when you are. You get quick results, improved productivity, accurate information, custom tailored to meet your needs. The Knowledge Manager lets you use your information, when you want it and in the way you want it.

le who just cant get enough of a good thin

intricate.. .or somewhere in between

Reliable and Comprehensive

The Knowledge Manager is built to last. You can start with the Beginner's Guide, or run right through the instruction manual to advanced data management commands.

Chances are you won't find a job the Knowledge Manager can't do.

Dealer inquiries invited.

KNOWLEDGE

man

KnowledgeMan is a trademark of Micro Data Base Systems, Inc.; SQL/DS of IBM.

Circle 263 on inquiry card.

Please send me:

□ Free feature-by-feature comparison

□ Forms painter and graphics information and pricing*

□ Run-time package information and pricing*

*Forms painter, graphics and runtime package are available as optional components.

□ Please accept my order for

the Knowledge Manager $500.00

□ Shipping and Handlingf 10.00 (Indiana residents must add

5% sales tax—$25.00)

Machine:

Operating Svstems:

□ PCDOS □ MSDOS □ CP/M-86

Disk Format:

□ 8" IBM-3740 SS/SD

□ 5%" IBM PC SS

□ 5%" Victor/Sirius

□ 5V4" DEC Rainbow

fAdd $20.00 if outside U.S., Canada or Mexico

I92K RAM required, 500K. mass storage suggested.

□ Check or money order enclosed (must be drawn from U.S. bank in U.S. currency)

MasterCard No.

VISA No.

American Express No.

Expiration Date

Bank No. (if M.C.)

Signature

VISA, MasterCard and American Express orders may be placed by phone (317)463-2581.

Name. Title _

Company.

Phone (

Address

City

State

Zip.

Send To:

MDBS/Consumer Products

P.O. Box 248 Lafayette, IN 47902 Phone: (317)463-2581 Telex: 209147 1SE UR

Or Contact Your Local Dealer.

PRICKS SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE

Current release is 1.06 as of 4/1/84.

TEK

2213 A/2215A

60 MHZ OSCILLOSCOPES

THE PERFORMANCE/ PRICE STANDARD

Tek's best-selling

60 MHz scopes:

Now 25 ways better for

not a penny more!

Now Tek has improved its 2213/2215 scopes with brighter displays. Greater accuracy. And more sensitive triggering. At no increase in price.

The 60 MHz 2213 and dual time base 2215 have been the most popular scopes in Tektronix history. Now, Tek introduces an "A" Series update with more than 25 spec fication and feature enhancements— things you have asked for such as single sweep—all included at no added cost.

A brighter display and new', vertical amplifier design provides sharp, crisp traces. That makes the 2213A/ 2215A a prime candidate for tasks like TV troubleshooting and testing, where fast sweeps are typical.

New features include 10 MHz bandwidth limit switch, separate A/B dual intensity controls (2215A only), and poweron light: additions custom ers have suggested for

Specification enhancement

2213/2215 "A" Series 2213/2215

CRT brightness

14 kv accel. potential 10 kv accel. potential

Vertical accuracy

3%. 0° to 50"C

3%, + 20° to 30°C

Chop rate

500 kHz

250 kHz

Input capacitance

20 pF

30 pF

CMRFi

10 to 1 at 25 MHz

10 to 1 at 10 MHz

Channel isolation

100:1 at 25 MHz

Not specified

A Trigger sensitivity (int) 0.3 div at 5 Mhlz

0.4 div at 2 MHz

TV triggering

1.0 div compos, sync 2.0 div compos, sync

Sweep accuracy (in 10X) 4%. 15°to35°C

5%. 200to30°C

Delay jitter

20.000 to 1 (2215A) 10,000 to 1 (2213A)

10.000 to 1 (2215) 5,000 to 1 (2213)

Holdoff Range

10:1

4:1

giving these scopes the final measure of convenience.

Triggering, sweep accuracy, CMRR and many more major specifications are better than ever. Check the performance chart: not bad for scopes already considered the leaders in their class!

The price: still $1200* for the 2213A, $1450* for the 2215A. Or, step up to the 100 MHz 2235 for just $1650*! You can order, obtain literature, or get expert technical advice, through Tek's National Marketing Center. Direct orders include operator manuals, two 10X probes, 15-day return policy, world-wide service backup and comprehensive 3-year warranty.

Talk to our technical experts.

Call toll-free: 1-800-426-2200 Ext. 157.

In Oregon call collect: (503) 627-9000 Ext. 157.

'Price FOB. Beaverlon. OR. All scopes are UL Listed and CSA approved. 3-year warranty includes CRT and applies to 2000 family oscilloscopes purchased after 1/1/83

Tfektronix

COMMITTCO TO EXCELLENCE

Copyright f1984, Tektronix, Inc. All rights reserved. TTA-438

Computerizing a Medical Office

A physician's advice can be handy for other professionals needing

tailored applications

Jonathan Javitt, M.D. Computer Consultant for Medical Applications

As of July 1983, only 5 percent of the physicians in the United States owned microcomputers. Nevertheless, I believe physicians will no longer be able to maintain an uncomputerized office. Perhaps by the end of the decade all medical practices will have a computer. [Editor's Note: The trend may extend to other professional offices with an extensive but specific clientele. The following advice for physicians may well apply to any professional needing a tailored computer system.]

Why Computerize?

As medical practice costs rise and the supply of physicians increases, practices will need to pay increasing attention to economics and marketing. Most good office-management programs can generate productivity reports by practitioner, by procedure, or even by piece of equipment. Determining whether the practice is running a piece of diagnostic equipment at a profit or a loss then becomes a simple matter.

One of the most difficult aspects of practice management is patient follow-up and recall. With a computerized record-keeping system, however, mailing one or more reminder letters

to patients and tracking those who don't respond can be done with ease. Such a system might also allow you to generate patient newsletters and health alerts. This contact can make a significant difference in a patient's satisfaction with your service.

A computer in a medical office can also be an instant link to a world of information, from the hospital records of one's patients to the extensive database of the National Library of Medicine. Up-to-the-second conferences on a variety of topics are available to anyone with a computer and a telephone. Within the next few years, electronic mail will be the most efficient way for physicians to share information about patients. Ordinary mail will then be as useful as bloodletting.

How to Computerize Successfully

The selection of a computer system for a medical office need not be painful, protracted, or even inordinately expensive. When done logically and systematically, it may even be enjoyable and informative. If at all possible, find a consultant who is experienced in medical office systems. I believe that the cost of mistakes in

system selection is far more expensive than any consultant's fee.

By a consultant I mean someone who is familiar with the medicalmanagement programs on the market and with the computer systems needed to run those programs, rather than a programmer who offers to write a program for running your office. Custom software is not an ideal solution to medical-management needs because if you have a problem with the software, you have only the original programmer to rely on. If he or she is no longer available, then you're stuck, with no one else able to help you. With commercial software, however, you will have the support of a large company and access to successive revisions.

Seven steps for selecting a computer system for a medical office are listed below:

1. needs assessment

2. system specification

3. software survey and selection

4. hardware survey and selection

5. vendor selection

6. office task assignment

7. software support

While these stages may seem obvious

BYTE May 1984 171

at first, each one is crucial, and bypassing any of them is an invitation to disaster. If at all possible, do not change their order. Especially try to avoid allowing the vendor to be the determining force in system selection; the vendor's priorities are clearly different from yours.

Needs Assessment

Involving all office staff in needs assessment from the outset is imperative. A computer system is only as capable as those who use it. If the staff is unenthusiastic about the system, the chances of a successful transition are minimal. All too frequently, the office staff first encounters a computer system when it shows up in boxes. The other side of this caveat is equally important. Often the office staff knows far more about work flow than the physicians in the practice and will be able to spot inadequacies in a system while they can still be corrected with an eraser and notepaper. "If only I'd known . . ." is an expensive utterance when it comes to computerizing a medical office.

System Specification

What jobs do you expect the computer to do? Your answer should state exactly what information the system will be expected to store on any given patient, which report functions the software must be able to write, and so on. With this information, you will be able to choose software that will do the job that you want done.

How expandable should the system be? If the system cannot grow, then you will have to stunt your practice or get a new computer system—a costly way to do business.

How will the flow of information in and out of the computer be managed, and how many users will be on the system at once? These factors will determine the hardware that you'll need.

How much can you afford? The only intelligent approach to budgeting for this project is to sit down with the practice's financial advisers and determine the monthly cost of the system versus the projected return. In all likelihood, the calculations will justify a system large enough to han

dle the office's needs. Once all the above questions are answered, you can start choosing the software.

Software Survey and Selection

Currently, there are no microcomputer-based office-management programs that can store detailed clinical information for each patient. While the concept of a paperless office with all patient data stored electronically is highly attractive, it is not yet practical on microcomputer-based systems. At present, that level of data management is available only on minicomputers.

The reason for this situation is twofold. First, software development is driven by market demand. At this time, relatively few medical offices have state-of-the-art microcomputers, so why would programmers bother writing a complex clinical information-management system for such a small market? Second, the nature and structure of clinical information vary greatly from one medical specialty to the next. It is simply not possible to design a clinical database

8087 SUPPORT and FORTRAN for your PC

87FORTRAN/RTOS" our adaptation of the Intel Fortran-86 Compiler generates in line 8087 code using all 8087 data types including 80-bit reals and 64-bit intergers. The compiler uses the Intel large memory model, allowing code/data structures of a full megabyte, and supports overlays. Includes RTOS and support for one year $1 350

87 PASCAL/RTOS" is inters ISO

Standard Pascal with 8087-8088 exceptions. These make it possible to use a II the 8087 data types directly, while generating modules in one of the three Intel Memory Models. Includes RTOS and support for one year $1 350

RTOSDEVELOPMENT PACKAGE

includes 87FORTRAN. 87PASCAL, PL/M-86, Utilities.TXScreen Editor and RTOS... $2500

RTOS

REAL TIME MULTI-TASKING/

MULTI-USER EXECUTIVE

RTOS is a Micro Ware configured version of iRMX-86. Includes ASM-86, LINK-86, LOC-86, LIB-86, and the ROM Hex Loader $600

OBJ~*ASM™ - a multipass object module translator and disassembler. Produces assembly language listings which include public symbols, external symbols, and labels commented with cross references. Ideal for understanding and patching object modules for which source is unavailable $200

Micro Ware

P.O. Box 79 Kingston, MA 02364 (617)746-7341

PC TECH JOURNAL REVIEW:

"The Micro Ware package is preferable ... it executes the basic operations more rapidly and Micro Ware provides a free update service."

87BASIC " includes patches to the IBM Basic Compiler and both runtime libraries for USER TRANSPARENT and COMPLETE 8087 support. Provides super fast performance for all numeric operations including trigonometries, transcendentals, addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division $150

87MACRO" -'our complete 8087 software development package. It contains a "Pre-processor," source code for a set of 8087 macros, and a library of numeric functions including transcendentals, trigonometries, hyperbolics, encoding, decoding and conversions... $1 50

87DEBUG" - a professional debugger with 8087 support, a sophisticated screen-oriented macro command processor, and trace features which include the ability to skip tracing through branches to calls and software and hardware interrupts. Breakpoints can be set in code or on guarded addresses in RAM $150

FOR-^BAS" - a library of interface routines which allow MS Fortran programs to call the IBM Basic Compiler library and access features such as the RANDOM NUMBER GENERATOR, SOUND, PLAY, DRAW and SCREEN commands $150

You Can TalkToUs!

8087-3 CHIP $175

- with 1 80-day warranty and 8088 exchange.

64K RAM Upgrade $50

87/88GUIDE - an excellent tutorial on writing 8087 code and interfacing it with compilers. Full of code that runs! $30

MATRIXPAK" manages a MEGABYTE!

Written in assembly language, our runtime package accurately manipulates large matrices at very fast speeds. Includes matrix inversion and the solution of simultaneous linear equations. Callable from MS Fortran 3.2, MS Pascal 3.2, and Micro Ware 87MACRO 87BASIC, and RTOS compilers each $1 50

MICROSOFT FORTRAN 3.2

MICROSOFT PASCAL 3.2 These new IEEE compatible compilers support both double precision and the 8087... each $259

MICROSOFT C COMPILER includes

Lattice C and the MS Librarian $350

XENIX CALL

LOGITECH Modula-2/86 $445

FLOAT87 for MS C Compiler 125

Multitool Word 269

SuperSoft Fortran 66 299

SSS 8087 Support 50

Computer Innovations C86 V 2.04 345

STSC APL*PLUS/PC 545

87BASIC+ 75

HALO Graphics 125

GRAPH MATIC 1 25

ENERGRAPHICS 295

Professional BASIC 295

Kidger Optical Design Program 3000

COSMOS REVELATION CALL

dBASE II CALL

SuperCalc III CALL

MAYNARD Electronics Boards CALL

172 BYTE May 1984

Circle 277 on inquiry card.

computers wholesale

315-472-3055

Box 150 Brewerton, N.Y. 13029

Circle 104 on inquiry card.

-PRIIMTERS

IANADEX

DP-9501B $1049

DP-9620B 1099

DP-9625B 1199

DP-6500 2399

WP-6000 2159

TEXAS INSTRUMENTS

Tl 850 Par. 499

TI855 Call

C ITOH

| Prowriter8510APar $345

Prowriter8510ASer 499

ProwriterllPar. 565

ProwriterllSer 699

EPSON

RX-80 Call

RX-80FT Call

FX-80 Call

FX-100 Call

GEMINI

10X $295

15X 435

MANNESMAN TALLEY

MT-1601 $529

MT-160L 579

MT-180L 859

DIABLO

620RO25CPS $919

630R0 40CPS 1769

OKIDATA

ML-82A Call

ML-83A Call

ML-92Par Call

ML-92Ser Call

ML-93Par Call

Pacemark 2350 Call

Pacemark2410 Call

PANASONIC

KX-P1090 $319

NEC /VEWNEC2050 979

3510...$1399 3530...$1490

3550 1849 7710 1899

715. . . .1949 8023 399

IQUME

I Sprint 11/40 $1299

Sprint 11/55 1499

RITEMAN Inforunner $299

SILVER REED

EXP 500 Par. $459

I EXP 550 Par 529

| EXP 770 Par 939

Advertised prices reflect a cash discount on prepaid orders only- Most items are in stock for immediate delivery in factory sealed cartons with full factory warrantees.

-MONITORS

AMDEK

Colorl $275

Colorl+ 319

Color II irgbi 399

Color III [RGB] 349

300Gl12"greenl 135

300 A II2" amber] 145

310AIIBMPCI 169

BMC

12AUl12"greenl $79

NEC

JB-1201 |12" green) $155

JB-1205l12"ambBrl 155

JC-1212112" color, 339

JC-1216|12"RGB> 439

PANASONIC

12" Green Monochrome $169

12" Amber Monochrome 179

13" RGB 389

SAKATA

SG-1000 12-Green $99

SC-100 13" Color 269

SC-200 13" rgb 499

SC-300 13" RGB 659

TAXAN

KG 12N 112" green) $129

210113" color) 299

400ll3"RGBcolorl 299

410113" RGBcolorl 379

ZENITH

Z-122 112" amber) $139

Z-123 112" green) 109

-HARD DISKS

CORVUS

Omninet6 $1695

Mirror Back-up 670

Print Server 839

TALLGRASS TECHNOLOGIES

20MB Hardfile Disk

for IBM-PC 2695

70MB Hardfile Disk

for IBM-PC Call

-DISKETTESMaxell

6W1 MD1 $22.95

5V4" MD2 32.95

3M/Scotch

6V4" SSDD $21.95

51/4" DSDD 30.95

Educator

Lifetime Warranty

5V4" SSDD $16.95

5V4" DSDD 21.95

Flip V File/hoids50Disks 17.95

-BOARDSIBM PC BOARDS

Amdek MAI Graphics Board . .$479

AST Sixpak plus 64k 299

AST Megaplus 256k 569

CCS 132 Column Board 589

Microsoft 256k RAM Board . . .299 Plantronics Color + Board . . . .399

Quadram New Quadboard Call

Quadram Quadlink Board Call

Tecmar 1st MATE Board 229

Tecmar Graphics Master Board .569 PC Peacock Graphics Board . . .299 64k Chip Kit (9 Chips) Call

-SYSTEMSCOLUMBIA

VP Portable Call

MPC 1600-1 Call

MPC 1600-4 Call

CROMEMCO

CS-1 3195

CS-2 3755

CS-3 5595

64FDC 475

TUART 255

EAGLE

ME Series IIE-1 HE-2

II E-3 II E-4

1600 Series 1620 1630

PC Series

PC-2 PC-1 +

PC-2+ PC-XL +

SPIRIT

Portable

— CaW us today for the best prices—

BMCIf800 1395

COMPLETE BUSINESS SYSTEM!

MORROW

New Portable w/2 Drives & Software . .Call MD11 w/H Disc& Software Call

NEC

PC-8201 Portable Call

PC-8800 Small Business System . . .1669

PC-8800 16 Bit System 1999

PC-8800 System w/8-in. Drives. . . .2299

NORTHSTAR

Advantage

Call

SANYO

MBC1200 1299

MBC550 Call

MBC555 Call

CRT-36 159

TELEVIDEO

TS-803 $1989

Portable Call

ZENITH

151-22w/2Drives $2495

151-22 w/Hard Disk 3995

161-22 Portable Call

: Mt :

-TERMINALS

ESPRITSYSTEMS

Esprit $489

Esprit II 499

Esprit III 649

Exec. 10/102 799

Exec. 10/102G 1249

New!

Televideo Personal Terminal

Personal Terminal $399

Personal Terminal 529

w/300 band modem

Personal Terminal 849

w/1200bandmodem

TELEVIDEO

910

914

924

925

950

.$439 . .579 . .695 . .699 . .865

970/50 949

QUME

102 .. . 108 .. .

.$569 . .715

WYSE

50 Call

75 color Call

ZENITH

Z-29 $659

ZTX-10 319

ZTX-11 389

-MODEMSHAYES

Smartmodem 300 199

Smartmodem 1200 498

Smartmodem 1200B Call

NOVATION

D-Cat $149

J-Cat 99

Apple Cat II 269

103 Smart Cat 179

103/212SmartCat 399

212AutoCat 549

Access 1-2-3 449

SIGNALMAN

MkIL $75

MkXIl 279 Volks

MkVII . . . .$95 modem ... .59

U.S. ROBOTICS

300 Baud Password $149

1200 Baud Password 339

PC 1200 Baud Modem 329

S 100 1200 Baud Modem 329

N.Y. residents, add appropriate sales tax. We accept VISA and Master Card. Personal and company checks, allow 2 weeks to clear. C.O.D.'s require a 25% deposit. All prices and offers may be withdrawn without notice.

Circle 338 on inquiry card.

What to do with your Apple ll/lle® after you're through playing games —

Machine Tools with 2 or More Axes of Positioning Controls Robotic Development • Laboratory Experiments Machinery Controls • Process Controls

16 OPTO-ISOLATED I/O <t07n

PLUG-IN BOARD (A16 I/O) *«'U

• Individually configurable I/O

• Compatible with solid state relay

• Interrupt inputs

• Software

2 AXIS STEPPER MOTOR DRIVER INTERFACE BOARD (A6 T/D) ^

• Compatible with translators •p^lo

• Accepts encoder pulse inputs

• Positioning software with ramping 2 AXIS (35 oz. in.) PRIME *oec MOVER SYSTEM (PMS 23) $365

• R2D23 dual axis stepper driver

• (2) size 23 stepper motors

• A6 T/D plug-in interface board

• Software, cable

y iWftV-/

ALSO AVAILABLE — APPLE COMPATIBLE

• Half height direct drive disc drive

• 9" or 12" metal case monitors, green or amber

• Bubble memory board 128K - Helix ABM with software

32 opto-isolated I/O board (A32 I/O) Power suply for PMS 23 system 12/24V-2A/5V-1A reg. (PS 23) 2 axis (220 oz. in.) prime mover system (PMS 34)

ROGERS LABS (714) 751-0442

2710 SO. CRODDY WAY, SANTA ANA, CA 92704

I

BASIC Discovers Shorthand.

Programming in BASIC just got smarter, easier, faster . . . and five great reviews. Before you write another program in BASIC, you might be wise to start with a little reading.

Five major computer publications have something good to tell you. About the BASIC Development System (BDS). And about making your programming in BASIC more efficient than you ever dreamed.

BDS is a powerful, integrated set of software tools that quickly gets you beyond the BASIC basics. It gives you everything from Cross-Referencing to Scrolling Keys that let you scroll by page or line. It gives you Compress and Uncompress commands, Variable Dump, Single Step Trace and more.

BDS also gives you something else. A 30-day money back guarantee.

Finally, BDS gives you great references. From reviewers who've lived with it and loved it. For example: "/ wonder how I ever got along without it. "John M. Woram, PC Magazine, September 1983.

We'll send you the reviews just for writing RtrraTriru Svctkuc

us. Or, for only $79, we'll send you BDS Dtl

itself. And a 30-day money back guarantee.

m

BDS is available for IBM PC and COMPAQ computers. VISA/MC accepted. Please add $3 for shipping.

8972 E Hampden Ave • Suite 179 Denver. Cnluradn 80231 • (303)793-0145

that is generic enough to be useful to a large segment of the market and yet specific enough to be perfect for the specialist.

However, packages have been created that accommodate specific items of clinical information. These programs allow a practice to designate 10 or 20 items that must be recorded for each patient and to configure data fields to store those items. Similarly, the programs enable a practice to store lists of diagnoses, medications, and allergies for each patient. Some packages allow visit notes to be entered as free text in addition to the structured data. In the long run, what is needed is a relational database that is able to track clinical parameters over time and correlate them with other parameters. This level of sophistication has not been developed under current microcomputer operating systems and is currently available only under Unix. As the base of computer users within the medical world enlarges and more powerful operating systems become available on microcomputers, undoubtedly specialty-specific clinical databases will be designed to run on microcomputers.

Even today, a microcomputer can do a vast amount of work in a medical practice. For instance, any good management program can maintain a general ledger for each patient. (But be sure that the program you select lets you perform a complete audit trail for each account.) By storing the insurance carriers for each patient, one or more carriers can be automatically billed for each account payable. Another major way the computer will rapidly earn its keep is by its ability to track and age accounts receivable. Further, by billing on a staggered basis rather than monthly, a practice can maintain a smoother cash flow. The availability of this ledger information makes it simple to develop management reports to determine the economics of the practice's fee structure, particular pieces of equipment, or procedures. Look for a software package that not only offers these reports, but will allow you to devise your own reports as you go along.

174 BYTE May 1984

Circle 57 on inquiry card.

People are

Friday! liket tomorrow

'sno

Friday! is the new electronic file handling system that has become an instant best-seller because it's so revolutionary.

Within two weeks, it broke into the Top 20 on the sales chart of Softsel, one of the country's leading computer software distributors.

And it's now well on its way to the top.

The Friday! phenomenon is simple.

Friday! uses simple menus and talks to you in plain English, so almost anybody can use it.

It's great for sales and commissions, clients and portfolios, mailing lists and labels, invoices, inventories, paychecks, reports and more. And it works with other microcomputer software like 1-2-3™ and dBASE II® (our own advanced database management system).

It comes with a complete, step-by-step tutorial, but you can set up an "electronic file" without even looking at the manual, then use it at the touch of a few keys.

Friday! finds any filed information in seconds. Computes totals, subtotals, commissions, etc. Prints form letters and mailing labels. Gives you quick reports from all or part of a file with a few keystrokes. Or if you need a special report for

your bank or board of directors, just "paint" the format on your screen, then have Friday! do all the work.

And while Friday! does more than file handling systems selling for as much as $495, it's yours for just $295 (suggested retail price)!

For more information, contact Ashton-Tate, 10150 West Jefferson Boulevard, Culver City, CA 90230. (800) 437-4329 ext. 202. In Colorado, (303) 799-4900. In the U.K., call (0908)568866.

Or for the name of your nearest dealer, just call 1-800-4-FRIDAY, ext. 202.

/SHTON -WE

^'Asruori-Tate 1983. Friday! is a trademark and dBASE II is a registered trademark of Ashton-Tate. 1-2-3 is a trademark of Lotus Development Corp.

Circle 47 on inquiry card.

BYTE May 1984 175

Veil-designed software can be an enormous asset in enhancing communication with patients. By combining scheduling functions with automatic patient recall, systematically sending reminder notices to patients before an appointed visit, test, or procedure is possible. This application makes it much easier to periodically recall patients with chronic conditions, such as hypertension or diabetes, for the appropriate clinical tests. This type of follow-up is nearly impossible using manual methods. The mail-merge functions of these packages also make it simple to generate a patient newsletter to report new services offered, important medical news, or other information of interest.

The program you consider should contain a good word processor or interface with one. If it doesn't, changing a form letter or recall notice will be difficult.

A major consideration in choosing software packages is that they be easy to use. Unfortunately, many packages on the market are adaptations of hospital mainframe computer packages. The mainframe programs usually run in batch mode, which means they are designed to run one function at a time on a large group of data, such as generating bills for all of your patients. This system doesn't work well if you want to run several functions on just a handful of data, such as entering a patient's account, posting a single charge, and generating one bill. Select a package that is primarily record oriented so that you are not constantly switching from one batch program to another.

On the other hand, batch mode is excellent for certain tasks. To be able to post the hospital charges for an entire hospitalization in one step or the charges for one day's rounds with a single command can be extremely useful. Similarly, printing all outstanding insurance forms at once is important. Therefore, look for a software package that can also operate in batch mode.

In evaluating software, pay little or no attention to the advertising for the product—the only valid data is provided by current users. Many soft

ware packages have attractive demonstration programs that dealers are only too happy to show. These demo programs accommodate a small number of patients, run fast, and never lose data. The story may be quite different when the software is loaded with information on 2000 to 5000 patients. Any reputable company should be willing to provide you with the names of colleagues who are successfully using its software. If it is not willing to do this, look elsewhere.

Installation of medical-management packages is time-consuming, and the length of time can vary greatly from one package to another. In the initial phase, the personal data on

When buying a

microcomputer, do not

be concerned about

whether it will ever

break. I promise that

sooner or later it will.

each physician in the practice must be entered as well as the particulars of each insurance carrier with which the practice deals. A complete list of diagnoses and procedures used in the practice must then be entered along with the appropriate procedure charges and standard diagnostic codes. The most painless way to do this part of the installation is to maintain a list of all diagnoses and procedures encountered during the month prior to installation. Try to find a program that can learn new diagnostic codes and procedures as it cpmes across them.

Instead of spending a lot of time designing billing forms and insurance forms, look for a program that has predesigned forms. Even better, choose a program that comes with the paper on which those forms must be printed. Predesigned forms can save 20 hours of installation time in a busy practice.

One misleading feature of several packages is that of electronic claims submission, that is, submission of claims via modem. Since insurance carriers have no standard electronic

communications system, it isn't likely that your package will be able to communicate with all of the different carriers. As electronic claims submission becomes a reality, the big software publishers will update their packages to include this feature. In other words, when shopping for software, do not be influenced by bells and whistles that you cannot use today. If the product is stable, these features will be added as they become practical.

Hardware Survey and Selection

Only after the software has been chosen is it reasonable to consider hardware. In a single-station, singleuser system running under CP/M or MS-DOS, hardware selection is straightforward. More likely, however, a system will have several workstations—the issue then becomes complicated. The problem centers around the lack of standardization in multiuser or network operating systems. Software designers are struggling to keep their products compatible with these continually evolving operating systems.

Although I prefer not to make strong hardware recommendations in a topical essay, I have observed that medical-management software is currently easier to marry to network systems than to true multiuser systems. The distinction I am drawing is between a system in which each user is connected to a separate, dedicated microprocessor, sharing only mass storage, versus a system in which all users share time on one microprocessor. Examples of the first approach range from freestanding microcomputers linked together in a network to a micro/mini arrangement in which all microprocessors are housed in one box and each is connected to a dedicated remote terminal. Standard CP/M software tends to run exceptionally well in the micro/mini type of system but none as yet run MS-DOS. If you are committed to MS-DOS software and want to support several users, the only alternative is networked MSDOS-based personal computers with a common file server. Be sure that the software publisher will support this

176 BYTE May 1984

Circle 131 on inquiry card.

Changing our ribbon is a snap.

Most printers make you fool with a messy ribbon. But with Digital's Letterprinter 100, all you have to do is snap in one of our replacement cartridges.

You'll instantly get at least 5 million more characters'worth of ink. Easy, isn't it?

The fact is, everything about the Letterprinter 100 is easy. For example, with just a flick of a finger you can select up to five different typefaces. Or let your computer do it for you, automatically. If you can't find a typeface you like, we'll customize one for you. Now why would the world's second largest computer company go to such lengths to make the Letterprinter 100 so accommodating? Simply so it can spend more time doing what you bought it to do in the first place. And that's printing crisp, clear manuscripts and graphics. From letterquality like you see here for word processing, to high speed printing so you can get a draft page in only 10 seconds. The Letterprinter 100 works with any of

Digital's personal computers or video terminals. And it's a snap to use. See the whole family of Digital's Printers, including the daisy-wheel LQP02 and the low cost Personal Printer, the LA50. For the distributor nearest you, call 1-800-DIOITAL.extension 700. Or write Digital Equipment Corporation, Terminals Product Group, 2 Mt. Royal Avenue, UP01-5, Marlboro, MA 01752.;

Jg^*^|^^^0||

II •'** >tv''

network system before you make the commitment. A little bit of checking will tell you that the micro/mini approach is far cheaper than linking freestanding personal computers.

Before you buy a computer, you should determine the quantity of information to be stored on it. You can do this by multiplying the number of patients by the amount of information you need to store on each one. A practice that fills up its mass storage in two years and is then faced with a major financial expenditure for more disk space has clearly made some mistakes at an early stage of the selection process. The only intelligent solution is to determine the actual number of bytes needed per record stored and to multiply that by the projected number of patients over the next five years. One of the advantages of micro/mini computers is that they tend to support much larger hard disks than linked personal computers.

The companion question to how much mass storage is needed is how will it be backed up. The cost to a

medical office of an unprotected harddisk crash is incalculable. Discipline is required on the part of the office staff. Murphy's law guarantees that when backup is not performed the disk will crash. The only safety lies in iron-clad rules about daily backup, preferably with a tape streamer. Similarly, invest in a backup power supply in case the failure is on the part of the local electric company. In this environment the investment in security is well worth it.

In evaluating hardware, be somewhat conservative. The tested product is generally a safer bet than the newer release with that added feature. No shortage exists of maturing products that will provide all the power any office needs. Only through a year or two of experience in field situations can a manufacturer work out the final bugs that develop under the pressure of daily use.

Don't fall short when you choose the simplest and cheapest hardware device—the printer. Dot-matrix printers are getting less expensive and more reliable by the day. A

medical practice needs to print on several types of paper, including insurance forms, demand statements, and letterhead or bond paper. A sensible approach is to purchase enough printers so that the office staff is not continually installing and aligning different types of forms in one overworked printer. The equipment cost is rapidly offset by the savings in staff time.

Vendor Selection

Although most vendors are honest and have good intentions, vast discrepancies appear in their abilities to follow through on promises regarding installation, training, and support. Because of the high cost of inventory in computer dealerships, cash-flow problems can be fatal, as is demonstrated by the rate of dealership failures. Carefully evaluate the business record of the dealer with whom you plan to undertake the project. Ask for bank references and for the names of satisfied customers. By all means, call the manufacturer's sales division and say that you are

Modula-2.

Simply

Better.

More and more software developers are finding a new language simply better i C or Pascal. They're finding Modula-2, by Niklaus Wirth, the creator of , For professional programmers, it's simply a better language.

Modula-2. Simple like Pascal (if you know Pascal, you can be writing Modula programs in hours) but with much more power and flexibility. Power to handle any professional application, so there's no need for extensions.

Modula-2. Better than C because it gives you strong typing and superior separate compilation facilities. That means you write cleaner programs, faster.

Only LOGITECH'S Modula-2/86 system translates directly into high-speed native code for PC-DOS'", MS-DOS'" and CP/M-86".

PC-DOS is a TM ol ISM. MS-DOS is a TM 01 Microsoft. CP/M-B6 is a TM ol Digital Research. VAX/VMS is a TM of Digital Equipment Corp.

No other system speeds your Modula programs along faster than our native code compiler. And our high-level, symbolic debugger ensures your programs arrive in flawless running condition.

Multi-level overlays, 8087 support, ROMable code, and a full library of standard modules make Modula-2/86 the perfect system for every professional application.

We also offer the only VAX/VMS'" resident and cross compiler for the 8086.

For VAX mainframes to PCs, look to LOGITECH'S Modula-2 software development systems. For professional programmers, it's simply a better choice.

m LOGITECH

805 Veterans Blvd., Redwood City, CA 94063

415-365-9852

LOGITECH SA (in Europe), CH-1143 Apples, Switzeriand

LOGITECH Sri., Corso Nigra 60,10015 IVREA TO, Italy

178 BYTE May 1984

Circle 239 on inquiry card.

BYTE WORLD

WE WILL BEAT ANY ADVERTISED PRICE

IBM® AND IBM® PC-COMPATIBLE PRODUCTS

IBM PERSONAL COMPUTER

64K w/1 Drive $ call

64K w/2 Drive $ call

128K PC-XT $ call

IBM PC COMPATIBLE

Sanyo MBC 550 $ call

Sanyo MBC 555 $ call

Chameleon w/2 Drives $ call

DISK DRIVES

Tandon 100-2 $210

Control Data DS/DD $215

Slimline DS/DD $185

Davong 10mb $1675

10 MB Subsystem $995

A

PERIPHERALS AND ACCESSORIES

IBM Monochrome Monitor $325 IBM Monochrome $295

Adapter Card

IBM Color Monitor $620

IBM Color Card $220

IBM Parallel Card $140

IBM DOS 2.0 $55

64K Upgrade Kits (set of 9) .. $55

Parallel Cable IBM $39.95

Serial Cable IBM $39.95

DC Hayes Smart $450

Modem 1200B

\ PC PEACOCK

r-i\ ^^^ Color Graphics Adapter a-^^\j* • Medium and High Resolution

*OV • Parallel Printer Port • 2 year warranty

" $295

IBM SOFTWARE

Wordstar Pro. PAC $378

Wordstar $238

Multiplan MS-DOS $158

Home Acct. + $83.95

Lotus 1-2-3 $315

PC Tudor $40

DBASE II $375

Supercalc 2 $158

Crosstalk $108

Volkswriter $112

COLOR CARDS

Plantronics Color Plus ... $369.50 Quadram Color Plus I $225

PPLE ® PRODUCTS FOR ALL COMPUTERS

APPLE Me

COMPUTER

STARTER KIT

- SPECIAL^

^ PRICE S

'//1 nwwwO

APPLE PERIPHERALS

fayes Smart Modem 1200 $469

vST 6 PAL + W/64K $269

*ST I/O w/Game Port ... $169

vpple Disk Drive $285

*pple Compatible D/D ... $160 'G Joystick lie $35.25

Circle 254 on inquiry card.

OMNIGRAPH

Intelligent Graphics Printer Adapter

Prints pictures, designs, graphs on all popular dot-matrix printers

Versatile selection of dazzling effects — zoom graphics, inverse graphics, 90° picture rotation, hi-res screen reproduction and many more!

Monitor: Green & Amber

Hi Res 20 MHz

USI Lookalike

ONLY $99

$79.00

APPLE SOFTWARE

Wordstar Pro. PAC $388

Home Acct $44.95

Apple Quick File $85

Apple Writer lie $150

Bankstreet Writer $46

Visicalc lie $168

PRINTERS

Epson RX-80 $call

Epson FX-80 $525

Epson FX-100 $679

Tractor Feed/FX-80 $50

Okidata 92-P $420

Tractor 82/92 $55

Okidata 93-P $700

Okidata 84-P $968

DISKETTES

Verbatim 5'/i SS/DD . (10) $22.90 (100) $220

Verbatim 5% DS/DD . (10) $34.00 (100) $330

Syncom 5% SS/DD . (10) $15.50 (100) $150

MONITORS

Amdek Color 11+ $425

Amdek 310-A $165

Princeton HX-12 $465

1. All items subject to availability.

2. All prices subject to change.

3. Software sales are final.

4. Shipping: min. $4.00 shipping charge.

074 Crosswind Court, San Jose, CA 95126 (408) 263-1515, (408) 263-1516

5. We accept VISA, MC, Am. Exp. = 3%. Personal and company checks, allow 2 weeks to clear. California residents add 6'/2% sales tax.

Customers must call for RMA# before returning any merchandise. Any goods returned for restocking are subject to 15% restocking fee at our discretion. Cancelled orders are subject to 20% charge at our discretion.

m. WILL BEAT ANY ADVERTISED PRICE

Circle 153 on inquiry card.

Lower Price!

We make C easy

... and work!

Whether you're a seasoned pro or just getting started with C, our Eco-C C compliler has everything you need.

• A full C compiler, including long, float and double.

• A library of more than 100 functions for faster program development.

• The compiler generates assembler output (Zilog mnemonics) for processing with Microsoft's MACRO 80 assembler and linker, both of which are included in the price.

• Extremely efficient code (e.g., Knuth's "seive" executes in 15.8 seconds).

• For a limited time, we include a copy of the C Programming Guide. The Guide and the Eco-C compiler provide an excellent environment for learning C.

Perhaps the best news is that we've lowered the price of Eco-C to $250.00 and it includes a user's manual, the Guide and MACRO 80. Eco-C requires a Z80 CPU and CP/M (an 8088 version in the 2nd quarter). To order, call or write:

6413 N. College Ave. Indianapolis, IN 46220 (317) 255-6476

Trademarks: Eco-C (Ecosoft), MACRO 80 (Microsoft), CP/M (Digital Research), Z80 IZiloR)

60% & MORE

"BYTE" FOR FULL LISTING OF OUR PRODUCTS

FREE MONITOR NEC-8800 at unheard of prices! Buy these

quality systems at fraction of original cost, and receive a NEC green monitor [1410 or 1201) FREEI

NEC-8800 w/ 2 5W drives, incl. CP/M. Basic. WordStar. MultiPlan $1,299

lor 8" drives in place of 5 V drives add $ 299

(or 16-bit board (8086!) w/128K RAM & 16-bit Basic MS/DOS add $ 349

full NEC warranty and support!

Sold last year for SZ.495

Z0RBA Portable Computer $995

Most sophisticated B-bit CP/M portable ever made!

64K RAM. 2 drives d.s.d.d. 800 KB. read/wrile IBM-PC. Xerox 820. KayPro. Osborne. DEC Formatsl (And with CO-POWER 88 you can even execute PC sottware!) Standard Interfaces, serial, parallel. IEEE-488! Software included CP/M 2.2.CBasic, WordStar. MailMerge. CalcStar. New in factory carton, full factory warranty & nationwide service. INTERNATIONAL ORDERS WELCOMEI Shipped immediately airfreight Collect! SWP CO-PROCESSOR W7256K RAM-DISK RUN IBM SOFTWARE ON ZORBA $499

NEW HEWLETT-PACKARD INK JET PRINTER

160 cps approaching laser-printer quality! Limited supply List $499

HURRYI

QUANTITIES VERY

LIMITED!

SCALL

TAVA Fully IBM-compatible, incl. video card (specify whether color of hi-resolution gi 700

monochrome)

NASHUA

FLOPPY

DISKETTES

5%" s.s.d.d. $1.49

SOFTWARE SPECIALS

LOTUS 1-2-3 $339

WordStar Propak (W/S. SpoIIStar.

MailMerge. Starlndex) $429

Condor III w/ReportWriter 5299

ROMAR-II the ONLY APPLE compatible computer approved by US-Customs $3gg

ZENITH Z-132 1 floppy and

internal 10 MB hard disk

$3,995

(800)

NEVADA INFORMATION LINE: |70Z| 45 P.O. BOX 50029. HENDERSON, HP 89016 ORDER STATUS; (702] 451-1361

Mon.-Frl. 7:00 AM 5.30 PM PST

considering buying the company's product through a specific dealer. Often, you will get a between-thelines impression of the dealer's reputation and stability.

Any promises regarding installation, staff training, and support must be included as part of the initial sales contract. Installation work and staff training to be provided must be specified in terms of both hours and personnel. If service is furnished by the dealership, find out if the technicians are employed full-time or if service is being subcontracted.

When buying a microcomputer, do not be concerned about whether it will ever break. I promise that sooner or later it will. The essential question is how fast will it be fixed and by whom. Repair turnaround must be promised to you in terms of working hours, not days. An obvious point is not to consider operating without a service contract with a firm willing to make this commitment.

All your hardware should be serviced under the same contract. You do not want to find yourself in the position of having the computer serviced by one party and the printer by another. They will quickly start to argue about whose equipment is causing any problem, leaving you in the middle.

Office Task Assignment

All too often, office personnel come in one morning to be confronted with a stack of ominous-looking boxes filled with equipment that they are told to learn how to use. Effectively integrating a computer system will take some time, and provisions should be made for staff overtime and a temporarily reduced workload.

One person in the office must take overall responsibility for system installation, training, and maintenance, ideally, someone who is enthusiastic about the project in the first place and is likely to remain on the staff for some time. Installation planned for in advance will be a smooth process.

Software Support

Determine ahead of time who, if not the dealer, is going to support the software and to what extent. It is

180 BYTE May 1984

Circle 58 on inquiry card.

THIS MONTH'S

SPECIALS

BROTHER/DYNAX HR-25 $749

CJTOH Prowriter 1 8510AP $369

C-ITOH Prowriter 21550P $659

NEC Spinwriter 2030 (Centronics) $869

U.S. ROBOTICS Password

Modem (1200 Baud) $359

TAXAN KG-12N (12" Green Monitor).... $125 BASIS 108 (128K, 2 Drives, CP/M 3.0). $1695 TANDON Drive (IBM Compatible, 320K). $239 FOURTH DIMENSION Super Drive (Apple) $219 GREAT LAKES 10 MB IBM Internal.... $1075

QCS 10 MB External $1975

TALLGRASS TECHNOLOGIES

12 MB Hard Disk $2249

20 MB Hard Disk $Call

RANA ELITE I (Apple Compatible, 163K). $245

RANA 1000 (For ATARI) $319

MICROSOFT Multiplan (Apple II) $139

HERCULES Graphics Board For IBM-PC. $369

MA SYSTEMS PC Peacock $309

ORCHID PC Network Kit $Call

Color Graphics Board $Call

PLANTRONICS ColorPlus $419

TECMAR 1st Mate Board For IBM (No RAM).. $239

Graphics Master $549

ORANGE MICRO

Buffered Grappler+ 16K/64K . $179/$239 Grappler CD (Commodore) $Call

GenTech

COMPUTERS

ALTOS

586-10 Bus (8086), 512K. 5 Jsers, XENIX/RT. 12 MB Hard Disk &

1 Floppy) $Call

986-40 Bus (9 Users, 42 MB) SCall

COLUMBIA

1600-1 (12BK, 2 Drives) $Call

1600-4 (10 MB Hard Disk) $Call

1600-VP (Portable) SCall

COMPUPRO All Models SCall

CORONA

Desktop & Portable PC's SCall

EAGLE

PC-2/PC-XL/Spirit-XL SCall

HE Series All Models SCall

FRANKLIN

ACE 1000 w/ Color $799

ACE PRO PLUS System SCall

ACE 1000 PLUS FAMILY PAK SCall

ACE 1200 (B502/Z80B) $1399

ACE OMS (2 Drives) SCall

INTEBTEC

Head Start, CompuStar SCall

MORROW DESIGNS

MD2 (64K, 2 SSDD Drives, WordStar,

Correct-It, LogiCalc, etc.) SCall

MD3 (Same as Above except w/ 2 DSDD

Drives & QUEST Accting) SCall

MD11 (128K, 111 MB Hard Disk & 1 DSDD Drive, Same Software as MD3).... SCall

MD11 w/ MDT-60 Terminal $2549

Multi-User DECISION Series SCall

NEC PC-B201A (w/ 16K RAM) SCall

SANYO

MBC 550. (IBM-Compatible, 8088.128K,

1 SSDD Drive, WordStar, CalcStar,

EasyWriter) $799

MBC 555 (550 Plus 1 Add. Drive, MailMerge.SpellStar, InfoStar). . . . SCall

SWP Micro Computer Products For Kaypro

Co-Power-88 Board For Kaypro II & IV (8088 w/ 128K OR 256K) SCall

TELEVIDEO

1605 (IBM Compatible, 80B6,12BK,

2 Drives, MS-DOS 2.0) SCall

TPC-II (Portable Version of Above). . SCall Multi-User Systems SCall

CUSTOMER SERVICE & TECH. SUPPORT I FOR IBM PC

401-273-2420

ORDERS ONLY

800-843-4302

150 Broadway, Suite 2212, N.Y. NY 10038

Money Order, Cashier's Ck. Personal Ck (3 Weeks To Clear).

Add 3% MC/VISA. 5% AMEX Charge Add 2% On COO Orders

APO Orders Add 6% Add 3% For Net Terms.

All Returned Non-Oefective Merchandise Are Subject To 20%

Restocking Charge

GenTech Reserves the Right to Change Advertised Prices.

(MoitwCard)

AST RESEARCH INC.

MEGA PLUS II (64K, Ser & Clk). . .

MEGAPAK 256K Module

SIX PACK PLUS (64K, Ser/Par), Clk) COMBO PLUS (64K, Ser/Par, Clk). .

I/O PLUS II (Serial Port, Clock/Cal)

S295 $299 $295 $295 $129

"OPTIONS"

Each 64K Increment For Expandable AST

Boards Are $65.

Serial Port. . . $45 Parallel Port. . $45

Game Port. . . $45

OUADRAM

QUARDBOARD (Serial/Parallel. Clock/Cal) 64K $279 256K $419

QUAD 512+ (Serial Port, Maximum 512K) 128K $299 256K $399

QUADCOLOR I (Video Board) $239

QUADLINK (6502 w/ 64K) $489

MICROFAZER

Parallel/ Parallel

8K . . $125 16K . $139 64K . $199

128K. $289 256K. $589 512K. $899

Serial/Serial, Serial/Parl, Parl/Serial

8K . . S145 16K . $159 64K . $219

STB SYSTEMS Graphix Plus $379

CCS Supervision (132 Column) .... $599

KEYTRONIC IBM Keyboard (5150). . $199 MA SYSTEMS PC Peacock (RGB &

Composite, Parallel Port) $309

" SPECIAL PRICES ON HERCULES, "

" TECMAR, MICROLOG (GABY BLUE) *'

& PLANTRONICS PRODUCTS

FOR APPLE ll/lle, Franklin Ace

ALSCP/MCard $299

Smarterm II (80 Column Card) .... $145

Printer Mate (Printer Card) $59

EPD Surge Protectors SCall

FOURTH DIMENSION 16K RAM Card. . $49 80 Column Card w/ 64K (lie Only) . . $189 INTERACT. STRU. PKASO Universal . $125

Shuffle Buffer (32K) S229

KOALA TECH. Koala Pad $95

MICROSOFT Premium Softcard (He). $299

MICROTEK Dumpling-16 $159

ORANGE MICRO Grappler* $119

PROMETHEUS Graphitti $89

COMREX ComFiler

(FOR QX-10,10MB) $1995

CORVUS DAVONG

6 MB ... $1695 10 MB .. . $1645

11 MB. . . $2350 15MB. . . $2095

20MB. . . $3150 21MB. . . $2495

CT111 MB Internal Hard Disk w/ 64K For DEC Rainbow S1995

PEGASUS (GREAT LAKES)

10 MB Internal For IBM $1075

23 MB External (w/ Controller). . . $1845

TECMAR Removable Cartridge Winchester in PC (5 MB) $1495

CALL FOR PRICES ON CAMEO, OSS, FOURTH DIMENSION, FRANKLIN, CORONA, DCS, OUADRAM, SANTA CLARA, TALLGRASS & XCOMP

DOT MATRIX PRINTERS

ANADEXDP9625B(60CPSNLQ). . $1199

EPSON

FX-80 .... $499 FX-100. . . . $709

RX-80. . . . $299 RX-80F/T. . $379

RX-100. . . . $529 LQ-1500 . . . SCall

MANNESMANN TALLY

MT160L. . . $599 MT1B0L. . . $839

Spirit-80. . . $329 1602 SCall

OKIDATA

ML 92. . . . $439 ML 93 . . . . $729 ML 84(P) . . $979 ML 84(S) . $1079

STAR MICRONICS

Delta 10 . . . $469 Radix 10. . . $659

DATASOUTH All Models $Call

PANASONIC KX-P1090 $319

TOSHIBA P1340/1350 S819/S1579

TRANSTART315 Color Printer .... $469

BROTHER/DYNAX

DX-15 (13 CPS. Diablo Compat.). . . . SCall

HR-25 (23 CPS, 3K Buffer) $749

DAISYWRITER

2000 EXP (25 CPS. 48K Buffer). . . . $999

DIABLO 630 ECS/IBM SCall

JUKI 6100 (17 CPS. Diablo Compat.) . SCall

NEC All Spinwriter Models SCall

OLYMPIA Compact II (Typewriter) . . SCall

LETTER-QUALITY PRINTERS

QUME Sprint 1140 $1345

Sprint 1155 SCall

SILVER-REED

EXP 550(P) . S569 EXP 770(P) . $899 EXP 500(P) . $419 EXP 500(S) . $459

TRANSTAR 7120, T130 & T140 .... $Call

AMDEK DXY-100, Amplot II SCall

ENTER COMPUTERS Sweet-P .... SCall HOUSTON INSTRUMENTS

DMP 40 $B39

DMP 29 (8 COLOR 11x17 PAPER) . . $1945 DMP 41 (SINGLE PEN 22x17 INCH). $2495 MANNESMANN TALLY Pixy-3 .... $645 ROLAND, STROBE SCall

MONITORS

AMDEK

Video 300/300A/310A .... $139/149/169 Color l+. . . SCall Color Ik . . $449

COMREX Color, Green, Amber .... SCall

GENTECH 9'712" Green $99/$109

PRINCETON GRAPHICS HX-12 .... $469

RGB Interface For Apple lie S159

SR-12, MAX-12 (Newl) SCall

ROLAND, SAKATA All Models SCall

TAXAN

RGBvision 210 (380x262) $299

RGBvision 420 (640x262) $499

LIBERTY Freedom 100/200 SCall

QUME 102/102A $559/$579

103/108 $879/$729

TELEVIDEO All Models SCall

Personal Terminal (All Models).... SCall

VISUAL All Models $Ca/l

WYSE WY-75 (VT-100 Compat). . . . $639

l!!lM,'U

ANCHOR

Mark VI (IBM) $1B9

MarkXIl $279

HAYES

Micromodem He (w/SmartCom I). . . $249

Smartmodem 300 SCall

Smartmodem 1200 SCall

Smartmodem 1200B (IBM) $439

NOVATION

Access 1-2-3 SCall

J-Cat (Auto Orig/Answer. 300 Baud). $109

Apple Cat II (300 Baud) $259

212 Apple Cat II (1200 Baud) $575

103 Smart Cat (300 Baud) $175

103/212 Smart Cat (1200 Baud) .... $409

TRANSEND (Formerly SSM)

Modemcard w/Source (For Apple) . $239

PC Modem Card 300 (For IBM).... $2B9

U.S. ROBOTICS

Password (1200 Baud) $359

VEN-TEL MD212-3E (1200 Baud) . . . $399

H'llMl

LOTUS 1-2-3 $349

MBSI, STAR Accounting Software . . SCall

MICROPRO WordStar (IBM, CP/M) . $319

WordStar w/Applicard (For Apple). . $349

PSWordPlus-PCw/ BOSS 5349

SOFTWORD SYSTEMS Multimate . $319

SORCIM SuperCalc 3 S269

Circle 181 on inquiry card.

IBM PC & XT Computers -Call

QUADRAM

GUADMASTER II - 9-Function! memory expansion card for IBM PC !

• Upto384K •Qswap directs out- |

• Garneiicirt put to LPT-1,2or3 j

• Cluonoyraph • QuadRAM drive |

• Parallel port • Matter spool

OK 64K 128K 192K 256K 320K 384K S235 S275 $325 S375 S425 S475 S535

Id-'.NVI

■AmUMrliAUmiAlS

Home Accountant Plus. Peach Pak Series 4 (A/R Peach Text 5000 . . . .

PFS: File

PFS: Report

PFS: Graph

PFS: Write

SuparCalc II

SuperCalc Ml

TK1 Solver

Vorsaiorm

Wordstar Professional. .

S165 !

£389 j

SCALL !

S99 !

A/P, G/LI.S239 i 5237 |

. S95

■■■VAB^ RIO PLUS " i memory expansion card for \

ajj ^^ IBM PC/XT. 64K-384K parity checked memory. Com- ■ ^_ ^^^_ . with parallel port. RS-232C serial port, game port, ■

" ^^^^ clock/calendar, prim buffer/disk emulator software.

memory installed 64K I28K 192K 256K 320K 384K

S289 S339 S389 S439 S489 S539

JRAM BOARD by-Tall Tree Systems

The JHAM board provides usable memory above Hie G40K boundary

with its

unique software controlled hardware pager. Add 4 JRAM boardsand inc

ease the

memory capacity to 2 MB. 512K JRAM board yv/sofiwarc

. .S699

. .S1G5 ]

. .S259 j

. 5219 '

. .S249 |

. S395 ]

. 5345 !

■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■a ■

ll

COMPAQj

mm

Multi-Functi Cards for IBM PC and XT1

(Each card nov SuperDrive & SuperSpool)

Memory installed on card with paralte, serial ports & ubove plus game

64K 128K 192K 256K

lock S227 S267 S317 S3G7 S417

:S262 $3025352 S402 S452

Compaq 128K. 1 dfl

. . SCALL

Compaq 256K, 2 rjn

. . SCALL

CompaqPlus, 12BK. disk ....

1 driv

s. 10MB hard . .SCALL

CompaqPlus, 2G6K,

drivi

. 10 MB hard

disk

..SCALL

r-^-irr^

320K 384 K S467 S517 S502 S552

Amount of memory installed on board — None 64K 128K

w/serial port No. 1 & clock - S226 S266 $316

w/either parallel or serial port No. 2 S274 S314 S364

w/both parallels serial port No. 2 S309 S349 $399

MegaPak - expands a fully populated MegaPlus card(256K] ti Optional Game Port

I92K 256K $366 $416 S414 S464 S449 S499 512K S299 .. add|S50

COLUMBIA COMPUTERS

(IBM-PC COMPATIBLE SYSTEMS) Modal 1600*1, Two drive system Call Model 1600 4, One drive Si one 12MB

harddrtt lyitem Call

Model 1G00VP Portable unit with two

HERCULES GRAPHICS CARDS - Creates hi-resolu- J

lion graphics on the IBM monochrome. . . . S349 ■

Xmilck MAI Board - lot both monochrome & color ■

monitor plus 96K user memory expansion . .$499 ■

rsal Research Color Card - loi both color and J

monochrome displays, w/ parallel port S399 ■

isla Disk Master - Disk controller card for both 5Vi" ■

s. IBM-PC/XT compatible S169 1

l PLANTRONIC ColorPlus -Offers more colors in h. resolutionplus parallel port S379 a | TECMAR GRAPHIC MASTER - Mult.-function graphics hoard for both RGB color ■

I or monochrome displays and can do graphics on both CALL 2

I STB Color Graphics Board - The newest entry from STB. Operates RGB color or ■ j monochrome monitor. It can also do graphics on (hemonochrome display . SCALL ■ ' QUADL1NK- An Apple emulator card enables the IBM i'C tn run Apple II software. J ! No diskette reformatting necessary S4B9J

!■■■■*■■■■■■»■■ ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■ ■■■»■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

FX-80, 160CPS. 80 Col., friction &

tractor feed, parallel Call

FX-100, 160 CPS, 132 Col., friction & tractor feed, parallel Call

MX-80F/T, 80 CDS, 80 col., tractor and

friction (eed, parallel CALL

MX-100F/T, 100 cps, 136 col,, tractor/

friction Iced, parallel CALL

RX-80, 120 cps, 80 col., tractor feed

only,parallel CALL

RX-80F/T, same as RX-80 bill includes

friction feed CALL

BBBBSI

8510AP Prowritnr, 120 cps. 80 col..

graphics, parallel ...... S335

8510-SP, above but 180 cps SCALL 8510-SCP, above but w/3 color ribbon

(red, yellow, blue), also capable of

doing orange, green, purple, tilk Call 1550 Prowritor-ll, 120 cps, 136 col.,

2K buffer, graphics, parallel. $569 15GD-SP, above but 180 cps . SCALL 1550-SCP. similar to 8510-SCI1 but w/

15" carriage SCALL

nr.i.i-Hniui

| Gemini-10X, 120CPS, 80 Col., fnc] tion & tractor feed, (parallel) SCall i Gomini-15X,above w/15" platen,Call ! Doltn 10, 160cps.80col., parallel . Call ! Delia-15, above but 15" carriage . Call i PoworTypo, 18 cps daisywheel . , CALL ] Radox-10, 200 cps, 80 col, parallel CALL

Qnecial Purpose Umr,

120 CPS. 9x9 matrix, tractor/friction feed, compact size: only 2-7/8" ht. Fits in briefcase, (parallel) S289

MUiMM

0,200 cps. I

ir/fnt n80C. ■n 132.

olumes, parallel ii 132C,aboi

E3E3

4-color .SI.259

S 1.395 jiS 1.495

SANYO

DESK TOP BUSINESS COMPUTERS

MBC-550. I28K. Idrwe.plusWordstar,

Easywr.ter. Calcstar $829

MBC-555. 128K, 2 drives. Wordstar, Easvwriti-r. Calcstar. Mailmorge, Spensiar. Infostar , . SI,075

Optional serial interface S75

Sanyo green monitor S179

■■■■■■«■«■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

MONITOR SALE

FREE interface cable included!

mm ■■■■ m.ti

ML-82A, 120 CPS, friction feed, serial & parall ML-83A, 120 CPS, 136 col & friction feed, parallel/ser ML-84P, 200 CPS, 136 col & Iractor leed, (parallel) . ML-84S, above but serial. ML-92P, 160 CPS, 80 col., & tractor feed, (parallel) .' ML-92S, above but serial. ML-93P, 160 CPS, 136 col a friction feed, (parallel). ML-93S, above but serial. ,

(I .$319 . tractor Si S595 friction . .$989 $1,059 'riction . $499 . .3599

., tractor

Tandon TM-100-1 S.n.jle-sided. double

density, 160K formatted. . . S159

Tandon TM-100-2 doubie-s.ded.double

dens.ty.320K formatted. . . $219

i Tandon TM-too-4 double-tided, quad

density S335

i Control Data, double-Sided double ! density, 320K formatted. , , S235

ty

. Available fi

i motor Easy install

] Diablo 020<G30. C. Itoh F-10. Brother | HR-1.Dniivwrti.ar 2000, Silver Reed 5S0, I NEC 3550 (please specify] S475

{■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■]

■•flit-lilJH

40 CPS daisy wheel (parallel) S995 55 CPS daisy wheel (parallel) $1,349 Tractor for F-10 $225

j Super dot-matrix printer w/24-pin J J hi-resolution head. 192 CPS draft, ■ S 100 CPS letter-quality ! P1351 132columniparallell. $l,60Bl

■ P1340 Simllai to 1351 but smaller Call ■

... S229 i nve. double- ■ 320K. S1B9 S

"■■■■■■■■■■■■>■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

BZ

J"T

TH3

E23

Amdck RGB Color ll Plus. 640-ilot hi j

reinlution 16 colots S459 I

mum i

ELKA Green Monitor. 12". 1,000 dot I

high resolution. 20 MH/ . . , S119 |

Dynax GM-120, 12" green, high resolu- j

tion 600-dot. 20 MH/ . .$129 J

Roland DG MIM22G. 12" green, 18 j

MHX '"'"solution 720x350 dots, \

fully compatible with IBM mono- j

chrome display card SCall t

USI PI-2. 12" green. 1000-dot high j

resolution, 20 MH/ S129 J

Taxan KG-12N. 12" green, BOO-dol hi |

resolution S149 j

ammmmm \

ELKA Arnbi'i Monitor. 12'", 1,000 dot | high resolution, 20 MH* S125

Dynax AM-121, 12" umber. 600-dot hi resolution, 20MHz $139

Taxan KA12N. 12" amber. BQO-dOt hi resolut.on SI 25

USI PI-3. 12" amber. 1000-dot hi resolution, 20MH/ S145

Amdek 310A. 12" amber. 900-dot hi resolution, designed to run an IBM monochrome display card , . $165

EDM/ONGI Systems, Inc. |

Hard Disks: 10. 15, 21,32 MB . SCALL j

Tape Backup Systems SCALL I

Networking Systems SCALL j

fjj Hayes

Smart Model

300 S199

1200 S485

1200B—$429

DYNAMIC ■ ffffffl^RAM CHIPS ■

■4116 I16K) 200 ns . ■ 4164 IG4KI 200 n "4164 (64K) 150n

, S1.50ca.9/S12 ■ , S5.95oa.g/S50* ! . $5.95 ea. 9/SG0 J

!■■■■»■■■■■.■■■■■■■

Highest Quality Shielded Cables]

CH3

3550 Bplnwriter, aso wpm, 203 col., 8

auto propo'tionat space, justifies- ■

lion, in directional, parallel. S1,675. ■

2050 Spmwr.ter. simllot to above but ■

200 words per minuw . .SCALL 1

CutSheet Fender loi 3550 . SCALL ■

7730 Spmwr.ter. 55 CPS. IBM compati- ■

bl8. .SCALL ■

jEMBsannm

23 CPS daisywheol printer w/ 2 color printing, 3K buffer, proportional spacing, etc. Parallel. CALL Tractor lor HR-25 . . ,S119

Cut Sheet Feeder for HR-25 .S199

EEHaaanag

H5 CPS daisywheel i>r inter, In-directional uses standard typewriter rrbbons, 16»' man, paper width . Svpei special S549

Esraraa

New! Letter quality daisywheel printer wiih 2-color printing. Logic seeking, bi-tiirectional, proportional spacing, graphic St bold printing, direct printing, super/sub script, auto double strike 6c underline. 3 K buffer. Parallel SCALL

wsmm

WnMUMSS^E.

mm

Roland DXY-800 Plotter

ISOmm/sec. IBM-PC con 17" paper si/e. Hortzor operation. Dual speed 5 and serial interfaces. . .

EHHB3 TTx-1014

■ NEW! 12 CPS daisywheel printer W/ ■ S built-in tractor adjustable 2U-14!4". ■ 1 Paralltrl & serial interfaces. Wordstar J

■ compatible. Programmable pitch & ■

■ line spacing. Compact size.. . . $499 S

_ ..Itefligent letter-quality printer w/48K built-in buffer memory, 17 CPS, bi-directional, auto margin jusplication, universal interfaces Si,059

WH'IJ:l:HJ<l-»l>ra

16 CPS daisywheel printer, bi-directional printing, proportional and incremental spacing. Parallel . $599

BmaaEsg

Letter quality daisywheel printer. 16 CPS, bi-directional, proportional spacing, super/subscript, underline, bold face. Parallel SCALL

All merchandise is brand new & fully guaranteed. All prices rolloct 3% cash discount tor full payment by cash, cashier's check or money order. Personal or company check requires 2-3 weeks to clear. Visa. Master. American Express cards & PO's accepted from qualified customers. COD's accented with 20'.; paid deposit plus S3 COD fee (by UPS only). No COD's to Canada or FPO/APO. Shipping/insuranco/handling charges: 3% of total order value by UPS Surface, 5;:. by UPS Air & Parcel Post IMin. $31. Calif. residents add sales tax. No sales tax on out-of-state orders. Prices & availability subject to chanijn without notice.

EASTERN ENTERPRISES, INC.

Mass Merchandising Since 1969 2937S. VAIL AVE., LOS ANGELES, CALIF. 90040

LeJ TOLL-FREE —j (ORDERS ONLY)

Calif., Alaska, Hawaii & all info

(800)392-7081

ii 8t all info Call (213)725-3080

unrealistic to expect a dealer to know as much about a package as the company that developed it. Similarly, if the dealer does not sell more than a few copies of a product, he or she cannot afford the time to learn it inside and out, and your problems ^an further be compounded by the tendency of dealers to reorganize, restructure, and go out of business. Therefore, unless the product is directly and completely supported by the publisher, that software is a risky investment. Regardless, the dealer should know the software well enough to install it competently and train your staff to use it. Ask him or her to supply you with the names of people to whom this particular product has been sold and make sure to call those people.

To expect full software support for free would be unreasonable; no company can afford to provide it. A company that guarantees to keep your software running, even if it has to put a support person on an airplane to do it, is entitled to charge a monthly fee. Any company that provides this level of service without charge is trying to finance the support out of future sales and is likely to be headed for serious financial trouble. More often, however, the company simply does not provide the support staffing that is promised. Full software support and revision is worth the price. Too many users have learned that lesson the hard way.

Conclusion

Although some warnings are expressed in this article, the process of office computerization is ultimately worthwhile and likely to be highly successful. If the above guidelines are followed, the chance of untoward surprises will be minimized and the most probable question to arise will be "Why did we wait so long to do this?"B

Jonathan Javitt, M.D., M.P.H., is a Kellogg Fellow in Health Management at the Harvard School of Public Health. He has been a consultant in medical microcomputer and information systems for the past raw years. He can be readied at 207 Park Drive, Boston, MA 02215. In July, Dr. Javitt will be joining the staff of Wills Eye Hospital, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

182 IIVTC May 1984

Circle 152 on inquiry card.

• ■

Compatible

■ U

CompaHNe

111

compafiHe

• DOT MATRIX PRINTERS •

Okidata

ML-80 Call

ML-82A Call

ML-83A Call

ML-84 Par Call

ML-92Par Call

ML-93Par Call

NEW! Rlteman

Inforunner $319

NEW! Panasonic KX-P1090 $339

Anadex

DP9620B $1195

DP9625B 1295

WP6000 2195

DP6500 2495

CITOH

8510AP $399

1550P 719

CX-4800 (color) .. .579

Epson

RX-80 Call

RX-80F/T Call

MX-100 Call

FX-80 Call

FX-100 Call

StarMicronlcs

Gemini 10X $299

Gemini 15X 499

Delta 10 Call

Radix 10 Call

Mannesman Tally

1601 $579

160L 639

180L 849

Spirit 339

Texas Instruments

850 $499

855 Call

Font Modules 35

• DAISYWHEEL PRINTERS • NEC Diablo

2010 (Ser) $879 620 $998

3510(Ser) 1499 630R-155 1899

7710 (Ser) Call 630 ECS/IBM ... .2195

Olympla

Glume

Compact RO $479 11/40 $1399

Compact II 449 11/55 1599

CITOH

Silver Reed

Starwriter $1219 Exp 550 $569

Printmaster 1569 Exp 770 Call

We have cables, printwheels, ribbons, paper surge protectors, and other accessories for your printer in stock at outstanding prices.

• MONITORS •

Amdek Zenith

300G12"Gr $139

300A 12" Amber ..159 310A12" Amber ..169

Color 1 299

Color II + 449

Color III 385

Panasonic

12" Green $169

12" Amber 189

13" RGB 399

Taxan

210(13" Color) . .$299 415(13" RGB) Call

12312"Gr $118

122 12" Amber 145

131 Med. Res. RGB 319 135 High Res. RGB 549

BMC 12AU12"Gr $79

Nec

JB1201 $159

JB1205 169

JC1216 469

Sflkdts SA-1000 Amber) .$119 SC-100 (13" Color) 269

• MODEMS • D.C. Hayes Novation

Smartmodems

300 Baud $219

1200 Baud 529

1200B (IBM-PC)... 499

Micromodem II .. .269

Signalman

MKVII Call

Volksmodem .. .59.95

D-Cat $155

J-Cat 110.00

Apple Cat II 279

212 Smartest 429

Access 1-2-3 Call

U.S. Robotics Password 300 .. .$169 300/1200 349

• TERMINALS •

TeleVldeo Esprit Systems

910 $499 Esprit $499

914 619 Esprit II 549

924 739 Esprit III 669

925 749 Esprit III (color) .. .Call

950 945 Exec 10/102 Call

970 1099 Exec 10/25 Call

TeleVldeo Personal Terminal

Personal Terminal $439

Personal Terminal

w/300 baud Modem 559

Personal Terminal

w/1200 baud Modem 899

Zenith z-:

:-29

.$699

ZTX-10 $339 ZTX-11 $399

Qume Wyse

102 $595 WY-50 $569

102A 610 WY-60 675

103 Call WY-75 679

108 .

.759 WY-100 845

•CROMEMCO •

Introducing the C-10MP Package. This new system couples the popular C-10 hardware and software developed by Cromemco with the most popular software offered by MicroPro. Word Star - Info Star - Calc Star

Mall Merge List Price $2195 Our Low Price — Call

— Other Cromemco Systems from Mini Micro Mart —

C-t0Super Pack $1599

CS-1 with Z-80A, 64KZ, 2DS/DD 5'h Drives3389 CS-1 with DPU, 256KZ, 2DS/DD 5V4 Drives 4239 CS-1 HD with DPU, 256KZ, 21 MB hard disc 6789 We also carry the entire Cromemco line of S-100 board level products and software Cromix $499 CDOS $79

• EAGLE PC •

Simply, a better PCI 128k RAM (expandable to 512 on the main CPU board), DS/DD 320k disc drives, serial ports, 1 parallel port, MS-DOS, Eagle Calc and Eagle writer included. The EAGLE SPIRIT portable w/10 MB hard disk is now available.

• COLUMBIA VP PORTABLE •

Featuring IBM-PC compatibility teamed with the most comprehensive software package in the industry. Includes 128k RAM, 2 5V<t, 320k drives, and a 9 inch 80x25 display.

• SANYO MBC550 •

Not only is the Sanyo MBC550 priced less than one-third that of a comparably equipped IBMPC It is also less expensive than most 8 bit computer packages. Includes a 160k drive, 128k RAM, M5-DOS, Word Star and Calc Star.

• IBM-PC BOARDS •

Amdek MAI Graphics Board $499

AST Research Six Pak Plus 64k 299

AST Research Mega Plus 289

AST Research Extender Card 55

Hercules Graphics Card 369

IRMA 3278/79 Terminal Emulator 995

Microsoft 256k RAM Board 299

Microsoft 64k System Board 275

Plantronics Color Plus Call

Quad Ram Quadboard 239

QuadRam Quadvue card 289

Qubie 1200 baud modem card 299

Tecmar 1st MATE Board 249

Tecmar Graphics Master 589

64K Memory Chip Kit (9chips. 150NS) Call

Color Graphics Special

PC-Peacock color graphics board + 4-Point Graphics CAD Software

BOTH FOR $449.95 • DISKETTES •

IBM

5V4" SSDD...$29.95 5V4" DSDD.. .$36.95

8" DSDD $47.95

3M/Scotch 51/4" SSDD...$20.95 5V4" DSDD. . .$27.95 8'SSSD $23.95

Maxell

5V4" MD1 $23.95

5V4" MD2.... $33.95

8" SSDD $36.95

Best Buy

51/4" SSDD 48TPI Brand of our choice

$16.95

Save an extra 10% when you buy 10 boxes

• DISC DRIVES •

Tandon 100-2 DSDD 5.25"

Tandon 848-2 8" DSDD

Mitsubishi 8" DSDD

Mitsushita 5.25 '/? height DSDD

.$249 . .Call . .Call ..175

• HARD DISC SYSTEMS •

Tallgrass Technologies

GMB Hardfile Disk for IBM-PC $1895

20MB Hardfile Disk for IBM-PC 2795

70MB Hardfile Disk and Tape Backup Call

Corvus Omnlnet

An easy, low cost way to make personal computers part of a powerful information management network.

Corvus Omninet Disc Server $829

Corvus GMB Hard Disc 1695

Mirror Card Backup for IBM-PCXT 412

Corvus Print Server 839

The Bank 200MB Tape Drive 1895

All pricBS. FOB shipping point, subject to change All offers subject to wlthdrawl without notice Advei tised prices reflect B 2% cesh discount (order prepaid prior to shipmentl COD credit CBrd orders 2% higher

IJ

U

iJij

i

943 W. Genesee St. Box 2991 Syracuse, N.Y. 13220 (315)422-4467 TWX-710-541 -0431

Circle 280 on inquiry card.

4inch computing is ready when you are.

Media, drives, software. Everything you need is here now.

Dysan 31/*" Flex Diskettes.u Reliability refined. Personal comput ing is getting more personal. Smaller, lighter, more portable.

How small will it get? Frankly, we don't know. But we're confident that 31/4" is the next step on the way down.

Why?

Because everything you need to get the most out of 3V4" computing is here now. In spades.

The story starts with our 3V4" one megabyte Flex Diskettes. They're built on the same reliable technology as the larger Dysan diskettes you use today. But with some very interesting innovations.

Like a durable metal hub that provides long-term read/write stability and accuracy.

A flexible combination of media and ■ jacket, free from rigid metal shutters and fragile plastic parts. So both diskette and data will survive the bending that comes with normal handling.

And our 3V4" Flex Diskettes are packaged with hard plastic carrying pouches that hold and secure as many as five diskettes. So you can carry your work home. Or mail it across the country. Safely.

And, of course, all the quality you expect from Dysan has come down to 3V4" too. Like our jacket liner material that cleans the diskette surface. Our

superior magnetic coating. And our advanced burnishing techniques. What does all this add up to?

Reliability. Dysan 31/4" Flex Diskettes are guaranteed to be 100% bit error-free. And durability. They're backed by a five-year limited warranty.

y-k" Floppy Drives. Plug in a smaller size. 3V4" floppy drives offer all the reliability you've come to expect from 5V4" drives. Simply put, they're 5V4" drives refined. And cut down to size.

They're generally Va the size and Vi the weight of 5V4" drives. And they use less than half the power.

Yet the 3V4" drives plug right into today's personal computers. All that's required is less space.

Dysan Series Software."" Bestselling programs in 3*A" There's just one last thing necessary to turn 3V4"

diskettes and drives into 3V4" computing.

Software.

And Dysan has solved that problem by licensing and converting scores of best-selling programs to 3lA". Programs from DRI, Microsoft, Sorcim, Peachtree, Pearlsoft, ADS, ADI America and more.

We call it Dysan Series Software. And it's here right now.

It's where personal computing is going. We'd be remiss if we didn't point out that 3V4" computing isn't just Dysan's good idea.

3XA" diskettes are being manufactured by several suppliers. So you're always assured of an abundant supply of quality media for your personal computer.

3V4" floppy drives are being built by a number of leading manufacturers. Including Tabor, Seikosha, MPI and, soon, Seagate.

To ensure the serviceability of 3 W computing, Dysan has developed simple, portable tools to test and align 3V4" drives.

And we provide a duplication service to convert software from other formats to 3V4'.'

That's the 3V4" story. Quality diskettes, reliable drives and a great selection of software.

It's where personal computing is going.

And it's ready when you are.

Call Toil-Free (800) 551-9000 for complete information about 3*/4" computing.

Dysan Corporation 5201 Patrick Henry Drive Santa Clara, CA 95050 (408) 988-3472

Dysan is a registered trademark, flex Diskette and Dysan Series Software

are trademarks of Dysan Corporation.

Copyright 19B4, Dysan Corporation.

Circle 149 on inquiry card.

Dysan:

I/O PROCESSOR

Takes Your IBM PC AStep Beyond By Adding a New Dimension of

Productivity and Convenience

I c) I'Rc)(:i;SSi )R increases your productivity by Increasing your PC's capabilities, And I O PROCESSOR offers you the convenience "^ other expansion board <:an.

I t) PR< X IESSOR is;i multifunction board offering I parallel ports, 1 serial port, a 64K printer buffet and ;i. hronograph. The key to I -'O PRO( lESSOR's unique abilities Is its on-board Z-80 computer.

INCREASED PRODUCTIVITY

I i)1MU x ;ESS< )R's 64K buffer eliminates wasted hours of waiting for your printer to finish printing before you i an use your computer, The buffer frees the computer for your use while the printer continues printing, You nave iinic Mini increase productivity,

You can even use the buffer for TWO printers. Simply initiate printing instructions and I O PRO( ^ESSOR'e

ADDED CONVENIENCE

With other buffer boards (spoolers), you must tediously enter programs or load disks to activate the printe buffer. Not only is this a time consuming hassle, but it also ties up your PC's processor.

I/O PROCESSOR eliminates this inconvenience. The on-board computer handles the complete operation i the buffer. And you can use the buffer with all of your PC software — it's fully compatible. No special prograr disks or modifications required.

And I/O PROCESSOR'S buffer doesn't tie up your PC's processor. It works independently, using the on-board computer, to increase computing speed and provide full software compatibility.

I/O PROCESSOR will provide you with years of reliable performance and is backed with an exceplj TWO YEAR warranty.

i I/O PROCESSOR make your computing more productive and convenient. Isn't that why yot

. user in the first place?

ROCESSOR is available now at your local computer dealer.

U ! <ll

fflfl svsTcms

I N C 0 R

Circle 246 on Inquiry c Avenue, San

P 0 R A T E D

■ ; iconi Company

ilU (408) 943-0596

Reviewer's Notebook

Last month I mentioned the Panasonic Sr. Partner, a good, new IBM PC compatible. Since then, however, the prices I quoted have been changed. The two-drive version with 128K bytes of memory, a printer, and a good software bundle (Wordstar, Visicalc, PFS:File, Graph, and Report) now costs $2945. This is still a fairly good price, but it's not as great as the original one.

Multiplan and PFS:Write

There are a number of good products out there that somehow take a long time to get reviewed in this magazine. Two of the best in this category are Multiplan, a spreadsheet program from Microsoft, and PFS:Write, a word processor from Software Publishing Corp.

Multiplan is very easy to use, fairly powerful, available for many systems, and reasonably priced ($195). It will probably replace Visicalc as the standard to which other spreadsheets are compared.

PFS Write is also very easy to use and fairly dependable. It lacks some fancy features, but it has all of the essentials. And although the program is copy protected, it costs only $150. PFS Write is currently at the top of my list of recommended word processors.

The Leading Edge Word Processor

One of the programs just behind PFS Write on my list is the one by Leading Edge. It's very easy to use and loaded with features. One of the nicest of these is the ability to "undelete" material, a feature that comes in very handy when, thanks to the IBM's keyboard buffer, you delete more than you intended to. The program is a bit expensive ($295), but it's a lot cheaper than Wordstar, and it's not copy protected.

Rich Malloy BYTE Senior Technical Editor

Unfortunately, the Leading Edge word processor has a peculiar way of storing files on disk. Every file, no matter how small, uses up at least 6K bytes of disk space (12K if you don't turn off the backup provision). You can eat up a lot of disk space very fast. Also, files are stored in a very unusual format. An "end of text" character appears in the beginning of the files, which makes it impossible to get the operating system to TYPE out a file. And the filenames look like this: "F01D0002." If you accidentally alter one of this program's directory files, vast quantities of text may become relatively inaccessible. There is a way to access these lost files, but you'll have to call Leading Edge to find out.

Infoscope

The folks at Microstuf, who brought us the Crosstalk communications program, have recently come out with an impressive database manager for the IBM PC called Infoscope. For $225, this program has a lot of very novel features. First, it has the fastest sort capability I have seen. Second, it's one of the few programs that make full use of the IBM PC's memory. Third, it has its own windows. Fourth, it has a powerful "focus" command to focus in on data records that fit particular conditions. And Infoscope has a spelling checker that tries to guess what command you would have typed if you hadn't made a typing mistake.

Infoscope is not going to replace dBASE II or Microrim, but it is going to fill a big niche in the software market. A review of the program should appear in these pages very soon.

PC-Talk

The best communication programs are also usually the cheapest. For

example, the series of MODEM programs originated by Ward Christensen for CP/M systems has set the standard for data transfer. Best of all, MODEM7 and XMODEM are available for free from several bulletin boards around the country.

For the IBM PC, a BASIC program called PC-Talk is available from a company called Freeware. Users are encouraged to copy the program and pass it on to their friends. There is no charge, but Freeware encourages customers to contribute $35 to the company.

PC-Talk version 3 is one of the best programs I have seen for any price. Some very good communication programs for the IBM PC cost much more and have more features. But for general-purpose communication, PC-Talk is hard to beat.

This Month

This month we're reviewing two Z80 machines. The first is the Kaypro 10, the economical Z80 machine with a 10-megabyte hard disk. Another Z80 machine with a hard disk, the QDP 300, is a high-priced, highperformance machine with a 192Kbyte disk cache.

Last August we reviewed a group of compilers for the C programming language. This month we take a look at two more C compilers for Z80 systems.

We also review a computer-aided design system called CAD-1 from Robographics.

For TRS-80 Model III enthusiasts, we take a look at three CP/M boards and the LNW-80 microcomputer system. And for the IBM we have a review of Thinktank, a program that's supposed to help people write more clearly and coherently. ■

Rich Malloy is BYTE's product-review editor. He can be reached at POB 372, Hancock, NH 03449.

BYT!-: May 1984

187

Have we got an ear-full for you.

Votrox voice synthesizers let your computer talk to you in a world of sound.

Now your ears are as important as your eyes when working with your computer. With a Votrox voice synthesizer your computer talks, and it talks to you in a world of sound you never thought possible.

Votrox was one of the first pioneers in the field. The Votrox SC-01A speech chip is state of the art, the one many other manufacturers use in the/r own equipment.

What it means to you is unparalleled speech capability. Votrox voice synthesizers pronounce words by using their basic building blocks rather than utilizing a vocabulary of a few hundred words. It assures you of an unlimited vocabulary. And an unlimited range of sounds: from jet planes to an advanced musical range.

Best of all, Votrox speech synthesizers are "smart," requiring no computer memory for operation. Your computing capacity stays free for other tasks. Small in size yet surprisingly economical, Votrox voice synthesizers ore sophisticated pieces of equipment that hook-up in seconds.

Mix speech or sound, program sound frequencies or amplitude levels, or compose your own music with either the Votrox Type "N Talk tm or Personal Speech System.

ideal for business, school, handicapped use or the home, Votrox voice synthesizers put a world of sound in your computer.

See your local computer retailer or call toll free for more product, warranty or ordering information: 1 -800-521 -1350 (in Michigan coll 313-588-0341). Dealer inquiries welcome.

10OPEN 1,2,0. CHRS(6) 20 INPUT AS 30 PRINT #1, AS 40GOTO20

10 01

20;1NPUTA$ SO PRINT

INC.

1094 Rankin • Troy, Michigan • 48083-4074 Circle 399 on inquiry card.

Software Review

Thinktank

An outlining and organizing tool

William R. Hershey MITRE Corporation

In the same way that Pascal and other structured programming languages encourage a top-down approach to programming, outlining encourages a top-down approach to writing. The benefits are the same. The investment of a little time planning and organizing saves time in the long run and results in a more efficient final product. It's not surprising, therefore, that a couple of Pascal programmers, David Winer and Jonathan Llewellyn, have come up with a clever program for outlining: Thinktank, billed as the first "idea processor."

In the first part of this review, I'll discuss Thinktank's capabilities, its similarity to word processors, and some of its unique features. Many of Thinktank's commands are, after all, word-processing commands: INSERT, DELETE, COPY, MOVE, XCHANGE, etc. In the second part, I'll describe what it's like to use Thinktank. Learning and using the program is generally very easy. The documentation is top-quality but the program has some shortcomings. Thinktank also has several potential applications beyond organizing and writing text.

What Is an Idea Processor?

My first big question about Thinktank was, "What does this program do that a good word processor doesn't?" Thinktank's advantage is in its ability to display an outline at different levels of detail without modifying the contents. You can display the level of detail you need with two commands, COLLAPSE and EXPAND. These commands help you visualize how your writing fits together. You can see relationships you might have missed if you tried to absorb all the headings in a long outline.

Thinktank also lets you alphabetize the subheadings beneath a given heading at any level, which is very handy for certain file-management tasks. And it offers the options of generating section numbers and tables of contents with page numbers.

The Thinktank Environment

Thinktank reserves the bottom four lines of the screen tor menus, prompts, and error messages. The top 20

lines constitute a text area that serves as a window into your outline. Headlines appear in the text area with pluses or minuses preceding them. A plus means additional subordinate headlines exist at deeper levels, and a minus means the headline has no subheadings. Thinktank automatically generates the pluses and minuses and indents the headlines appropriately on the screen. A headline can also have an optional block of text, called a paragraph, of up to 2048 characters in any format. The paragraph follows the headline in the outline; any subheadings follow the paragraph.

A bar cursor highlights an entire headline at a time. Move it up and down through your outline with the arrow keys; the location of the cursor determines where a command is to take effect.

The manipulation of headlines and paragraphs is similar to the manipulation of text with a wordprocessing program. Because headlines follow a structure, however, the commands are probably slightly more complex than the ones in a word processor. When you want to create or edit material, you have to specify whether you want to edit a headline or a paragraph. When creating a new headline, you need to indicate if it's to be positioned directly above the one highlighted, directly beneath it, beneath it at a higher level (to the left), or beneath it at a lower level (to the right). Similarly, moving a headline from one place to another in an outline can be an involved process, sometimes requiring multiple steps with several level changes. The DELETE command also operates in several different ways. You can delete a single character, an entire headline or paragraph, or a selected portion of a paragraph. You can also restore a previously deleted block of text.

In Edit mode, the bar cursor disappears, and a blinking character cursor indicates where the action is. To edit headlines, which is more limited than editing paragraphs, you enter Insert mode; the left arrow functions as a destructive backspace, and Ctrl-D deletes the character under the cursor. Paragraph editing includes automatic word wraparound, a Typeover mode, the capability to exchange one pattern for another, a FIND corn

BYTE Mav 1184

189

At a Glance

Name

Thinktank

Type

Idea processor

Manufacturer

Living Videotex:. Inc. 1000 Elwell Court Palo Alto, CA 94303 (415) 964-6300

Price

S150

Computer

64K-byte Apple II, II Plus, or lie; 96K-byte Apple III, IBM Personal Computer; Apple Macintosh version slated for the second quarter of 1984

Language

Pascal and Assembly

Format

Apple II, II Plus, and lie: two 5 A-inch floppy disks (p-System); Apple III: three 514-inch floppy disks (p-System); Apple Macintosh: one 3'/2-inch disk; IBM Personal Computer: one 5 A -inch floppy disk (PC-DOS)

Documentation

Users manual (228 pages, spiral-bound) with tutorial and reference guide; reference card; data disk to accompany tutorialtechnical notes available separately for $5 each

Audience

Writers and others who need to organize their thoughts

mand, and SELECT, which highlights a section of text that you may then copy or delete.

Depending on the capacity of your disk (hard or floppy), you can create up to 10,000 levels of headlines with Thinktank. This permits a fairly robust outline. Each level is indented to the right of the next higher level, and the display automatically scrolls left and right to let you see all 80 characters in a headline.

If you don't want to see all the deeper levels in an outline, you can make them disappear by issuing the COLLAPSE command. EXPAND brings them back to any level you wish. The < and > keys represent EXPAND and COLLAPSE, respectively; the shapes of these symbols suggest the operations invoked. In their simplest form of usage, these two commands apply to both the paragraph and the subheadings beneath the highlighted headline; however, you can COLLAPSE or EXPAND just the paragraph or just the subheadings.

These two commands make Thinktank unique and give it capabilities not available in word-processing programs. You can experiment with how your ideas relate and test how each detail contributes to the whole. I like to COLLAPSE an outline so that just the highest-level headings show, then step down the subheadings and EXPAND each one to see how it relates to the whole piece. I can determine if a subheading really belongs where I put it and then COLLAPSE it again before proceeding to the next one.

The COLLAPSE and EXPAND commands may seem

insignificant at first, but I recently found them invaluable in writing about a mazy systems-engineering problem. I ended up rearranging that outline many times.

Other Handy Features

Alphabetizing a list can be a tedious chore even with a word processor, but if your program has sorting capability, it's a snap. Fortunately, Thinktank can sort. When you issue the ALPHA command, the program arranges all the subheadings beneath the bar cursor in alphabetical order. You can also sort a list of numbers or numbered headlines or alphabetize the subheadings at any level. You can manage a simple database, like an address file, with the ALPHA command.

The PORT command directs Thinktank's output to a printer or to text files. Sixteen format settings offer lots of flexibility for printed listings. In addition to the usual capabilities for specifying line spacing, margins, page length, headers, footers, number of copies, and printer control codes, you can have Thinktank assign section numbers to your headlines (see figure 1).

You can also control indentation and the level to which headlines and paragraphs are printed, which enables you to generate one listing of just your outline (with the paragraphs suppressed) and another that shows only the major headings with all paragraphs. (Figures 2 and 3 illustrate these alternatives.)

Thinktank can be used to generate a final written product. If you need a table of contents, Thinktank will generate it, automatically inserting the proper page number for each headline. However, if you would rather use a word-processing program to polish up your final version, you can PORT the document to a Pascal text file and read it from there into your word processor. It is preferable if your word processor reads Pascal text files, but the utilities to translate them to text files for other operating systems are available from Living Videotext.

Learning Thinktank

Thinktank is easy to learn and use. A slash (/) produces a main command menu at the bottom of the screen, which is very helpful while learning the program. But after you learn the commands, you can optionally evoke each one with a single keystroke (M moves a headline, for example) without pressing / first. A hierarchy of menus leads you through all the choices, and the Escape key consistently operates as an exit from all menus. (If you are distracted by the clicking and squirting sounds, simply turn them off with Ctrl-Q.)

The 228-page manual, by John Unger Zussman, is well written and well constructed. The book starts with an introduction that describes Thinktank's philosophy and then covers the differences between the versions available for various Apple computers—the 64K-byte Apple II, II Plus, or He, or 96K-byte Apple III. (Your system must have two disk drives because Thinktank accesses program segments periodically from one disk while updating the outline file on a different drive.) Other chapters in part I deal with how to start using the

190 BYTE May 1984

NEC

t

i

1

You come first

With NEC's PC-8800 personal computer, you don't have to ask yourself which comes first, the hardware or the software.

It's designed to be uncompromising in both areas. So you come first. In the office or at home.

The hardware lets you select from NEC's state-of-the-art processors, disk drives, printers, and monitors.

For S 1,599 you get an 8-bit processor, 5V2" dual disk drive, an NEC high-quality monitor and lots of free CP/M software.

You come first again with NEC's highquality graphics and ultra-high reliability.

The PC-8800 from NEC Home Electronics. It puts you first. So you can break out of your shell and grow.

Also available:

• 16-bit processor with MSOOS operating system

• 8" dual disk drive

• High-speed dot matrix or letter-quality printer

Free software with complete system:

• WordStar® word processing

• MallMerge®

• Multfplan™ spread sheet

• BASIC (two versions)

• CP/M®

NEC

NEC Home Electronics |U.S.A|, Personal Computer Division

1401 Estes Avenue

Elk Grove village, IL 60007

NEC Corporation, Tokyo, Japan Circle 290 on Inquiry card.

1:

1.1: 1.2: 1.2.1

1.2.2

2:

3:

3.1:

3.1.1

3.1.2

3.2:

3.2.1

3.3:

3.3.1

1:

the screen

command area text area

headlines

paragraphs bar cursor

manipulating headlines and paragraphs creating and editing

apply to headline or paragraph?

where? moving

involved process deleting

several forms edit mode

blinking character cursor

headline and paragraph editing different

some commands

insert

delete character

typeover

find

exchange

select

copy

delete select

Figure 1: A Thinktank outline with automatically generated section numbers. You can specify the number of levels to print and the amount of indentation.

the screen

command area text area

headlines

paragraphs bar cursor

manipulating headlines and paragraphs creating and editing

apply to headline or paragraph?

where? moving

involved process deleting

several forms edit mode

blinking character cursor

headline and paragraph editing different

some commands

insert

delete character

typeover

find

exchange

select

copy

delete select

Figure 2: A Thinktank outline with the headlines only. This is helpful in organizing your thoughts when you're just getting started.

the screen

Thinktank reserves the bottom four lines of the screen for menus, prompts, and error messages. The other 20 lines form a text area that is a window into your outline. Headlines appear . . .

bar cursor

A bar cursor highlights an entire headline at a time. Move it up and down through your outline with the arrow keys. The position of the bar cursor determines where commands will take effect.

manipulating headlines and paragraphs

The manipulation of headlines and paragraphs is similar to the manipulation of text with a word-processing program. Because headlines follow a structure, however, the commands are probably slightly more complex than the ones in a word processor. When you want to . . .

edit mode

In edit mode the bar cursor disappears, and a blinking character cursor determines where the action is. Editing headlines is more limited than editing paragraphs. With headlines . . .

Figure 3: A Thinktank outline with major headlines and paragraphs. In this mode, the final product starts to emerge. You can insert a paragraph beneath a headline at any level.

program. A tutorial uses a sample outline supplied on a separate disk. A chapter entitled "Notes and Suggestions" offers shortcuts; a glossary defines all the terms used in the manual; and appendixes cover an introduction to the Pascal operating system, disk management, and other technical information.

Part II contains a reference guide with all the commands listed in alphabetical order. A section on error messages describes where an error may occur, the possible causes, and some suggested solutions. There's an extensive index at the end of the manual.

Technical notes describing how to link Pascal programs to Thinktank are available from Living Videotext for $5 each. Telephone support is excellent. When I called with questions, I received very helpful advice from one of the program's authors. Also, Thinktank's lack of copy protection makes it easy to create backups.

Annoyances

Some of my complaints relate to command logic and are unique to the type of program Thinktank is. The MOVE command needs improvement. You can't move groups of headlines without moving the higher-level headline and all the subheadings under it. If, for example, you want to move 5 out of 10 subheadings to a different headline, you must move them one at a time. If you want to move a subheading so it falls under a different headline, you can't simply move it up or down: you have to move it left, then up or down, then right to get it back to the proper level. It is also difficult to move a piece of a paragraph so it falls under a different headline.

The COPY command is similarly limited. You can copy only one headline at a time, and the copy goes directly beneath the original. You then have to move the copy to where you want it.

Certain keystrokes should work at different menu levels, not just at the main menu. These keystrokes that are restricted include the up and down arrows for moving the bar cursor (Ctrl-O and Ctrl-K on the Apple II and the Apple II Plus) and the < and > keys when used for the EXPAND and COLLAPSE commands. It would be very helpful to have these operations available in the New, Edit, and Move modes. Such improvements would save many keystrokes and unnecessary menu changes.

Differences in the sequence of commands for creating and editing paragraphs is bothersome. Within the same paragraph, the New mode, for example, requires a different set of cursor moves than the Edit mode (which you can use after entering the text for the new paragraph). And why does SAVE require an extra step? Elsewhere, the program saves headlines automatically. After a save, you must answer the question, "Are you finished editing this paragraph?" Since the limit on paragraphs is only 2048 characters, repeated paragraph saves are a waste of time.

I originally intended to write this review entirely with Thinktank. But the editing routine for Thinktank paragraphs is so cumbersome that I decided to use the Word

192 BYTE May 1984

Circle 320 on inquiry card.

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Compare the $495 PRO-MODEM 1200 with any other modem on the market. For example, you'd have to buy both the Hayes Smartmodem 1200 plus their Chronograph for about $950 to get a modem with time base.

PRO-MODEM 1200 is easy to use. A convenient "Help" command displays the Menu of operating command choices for quick reference whenever there's a question about what to do next. Extensive internal and remote self-diagnostics assure that the system is operating properly. Some of the other standard features include Auto Answer, Touch Tone and Pulse Dialing, and Programmable Intelligent Dialing.

PRO-MODEM does more. It lets you build a full telecommunications system with features like Auto Dialer, Incoming and Outgoing Message Buffering, Business/Personal Phone Directory, Programmable Operating Instructions, a 12-Character Alpha-Numeric Time and Message Display, and versatile PRO-COM Software. PRO-MODEM commands are Hayes compatible so you can use most existing telecommunications software without modification.

There's much more to the PRO-MODEM story. See your local dealer for complete details. He'll show you how to save time. And money.

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Juggler program from Quark (2525 West Evans, Suite 220, Denver, CO 80219, (303) 934-2211), which now has me spoiled. I still believe, however, in the value of Thinktank for organizing information and writing outlines.

My remaining complaints have to do with Thinktank's implementation on the Apple III. Despite the 256K bytes of memory available, you must wait interminably for disk accesses—both for program segments and for data— because the program is really designed for a 64K-byte machine. It takes 5 to 10 seconds for most disk accesses, but I timed one at 25 seconds—25 seconds to delete just one headline.

You can redefine edit keystrokes with Thinktank, so I tried to make them the same as the Word Juggler commands, which are input with the Apple Ill's numeric keypad. Unfortunately, I found that the program did not have the logic to distinguish between the keypad keys and their main-keyboard counterparts.

Databases and Trees

Thinktank has database-management capabilities, thanks to the ALPHA command, and the ability to hide what you don't need to see. The manual has an extensive list of applications, including "to do" lists, telephone directories, and catalogs of collections. I've used the program to keep a list of publications that I need to refer to in my work. The table of contents lists the names of the publications (sorted alphabetically, of course) and their page numbers. The actual listing page contains a

brief description of the publication, the author, and the date.

A topologist will tell you that Thinktank's data structure is called a tree, a convenient device for lots of mathematical endeavors. Computers use trees all the time in their internal workings. Users, however, are seldom aware of them because programs reveal only the forest. Sorting and other database-management operations, for example, use trees extensively. With Thinktank's tree structure out in the open, we can expect to see some very interesting uses made of this program (genealogy is one), and we can hope for improvements that will enhance its mathematical potential.

Conclusion

Thinktank is a refreshing new program, friendly to use and well documented. Because it is very important to organize ideas before writing, an idea processor can be as useful as a word processor. With a few improvements, Thinktank could be a total word processor that integrates the process of organizing thoughts with the art of writing. ■

William R. Hershey (MITRE Corp., 1820 Dolley Madison Blvd., McLean, VA 22102) is a systems engineer with a B.S. in engineering from Princeton and an M.A. in computer and communication sciences from the University of Michigan. He is chairman of an Apple III users group in the Washington, DC, area and an instructor in computer literacy at the University of Maryland's University College.

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Hardware Review

The QDP-300 Computer

A speedy Z80 at a premium price

Edward Joyce Free-lance Writer

Line end to end all the Z80 systems on the market and you could almost circle the earth. From this conglomeration, eliminate the ones that run at less than 6 MHz and you narrow the field considerably. Of this group, isolate the systems costing more than $6000 and youll probably

end up with one machine—the QDP-300 from Quasar Data Products (QDP).

The speed and price of the QDP-300 distinguish it from most Z80 systems. The microprocessor hums at 6 MHz, compared with to 2 to 4 MHz for most Z80s. The price

Photo 1: The QDP-300 with a 10-megabyte hard-disk drive and one 8-inch floppy-disk drive.

196 BYTE May 1984

Photo 2: The bncfc 0/ the QDP-300. Two RS-232C serial ports and two Centronics-compatible parallel ports come standard with the system.

of $6395 buys 192K bytes of memory, including cache. Take away 64K bytes and replace the hard disk with a floppy disk and you're looking at QDP's least expensive system—$3995. The QDP is intended for business users who can afford to pay a premium for more horsepower to crank through packages like Wordstar, Multiplan, dBASE II, and other software heavyweights of the CP/M-80 environment.

Photo 1 shows the $6395 hardware package. The top cover of the cabinet is attached to the body at the two strips of real wood that run the length of the chassis. Besides adding an aesthetic touch to the package, the wood slats provide a convenient handhold.

The single floppy-disk drive accepts 1.2-megabyte, double-sided, double-density, 8-inch disks. The drive also reads and writes single-sided, single-density disks.

Photo 2 shows the back panel. Serial ports A and B, which are driven by a Z80 SIO (serial input/output) device, connect to the system terminal and printer. A Z80 PIO (parallel input/output) device handles the bitbanging on the two Centronics-compatible parallel ports. The other seven ports are inactive stubs. Serial ports C, D, E, and F are for attaching terminals in an MP/M multi-user environment. (This article reviews the singleuser version only.) The auxiliary ports, labeled "Aux. A and B," are available for user devices that may be plugged into the two open slots on the S-100 bus. Finally, the port labeled "Aux. Disk" seems to be designed to enable daisy-chaining of disk drives; however, QDP offers no hardware configurations other than the one-cabinet unit.

On the left side of the back panel is the fan. There must be an axiom in the computer-design cookbook that says "cool a powerful computer with a powerful fan." The QDP rivals the Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) Rainbow as a candidate for generating jet streams in the wind tunnels of General Motors research laboratories. Any hard-working machine needs protection from overheating, but a system that generates the exhaust sound and thrust of a small turbine engine won't find widespread acceptance as a desktop computer. A smaller fan should be able to handle the cooling load at a fraction of the noise.

While I'm offering free advice to the designers on the physical aspects of the computer, I'll put in my two cents regarding the power switch. As seen in photo 1, the switch protrudes prominently from the left side of the front panel, a little too prominently for my liking. Every time I saunter past the machine, I worry about accidentally bumping the switch and possibly flushing a 180-cell spreadsheet down the tubes. To avoid electronic disaster, I've unconsciously developed the habit of executing a quick side step when I pass the computer. My choreography would make Michael Jackson jealous. The designers wisely recessed the reset switch; why they left the power switch sticking out like a sore thumb is anyone's guess.

The inside of the cabinet is shown in photo 3. Most of the system logic fits neatly on one board. For instance, a Z80 DMA (direct memory access) chip, which manages disk-data transfers and memory-to-memory block moves, is on this board. Additional circuits and memory

BYTE May 1984 197

Benchmark

Pascal Sieve (with cache)

Pascal Sieve (without cache)

M BASIC Sieve

Execution Time

16

16

1197

Compilation and Link

Time

25

36

Compilation

and Link

Time with

List Option on

27 38

Table 1: Sieve of Eratosthenes benchmarks were executed on the QDP-300 using Pascal/MT+ version 5.5 and Microsoft BASIC version 5.2. All times are in seconds. The Pascal compilations were executed with and without the 128K-byte cache buffer to demonstrate its effect on system throughput. Both compilations were performed on the 10-megabyte hard disk.

At a Glance

Name

QDP-300 Model 300F1H10

Manufacturer

Quasar Data Products 10330 Brecksville Rd. Cleveland, OH 44141 (216) 526-0838

Dimensions

19.5 by 18 by 8.25 inches; 50 pounds

Computer

Zilog Z80B microprocessor. 6-MHz clock; I92K bytes of RAM; three-slot S-100 bus |two expansion slots); two RS-232C serial ports; two Centronics-compatible parallel ports; real-time CMOS clock with battery backup

Disk storage

One 10-megabyte fixed hard disk; one 1.2-megabyte, double-sided, double-density, 8-inch floppy-disk drive

Software Included

CP/M-80 version 2.2 |uses 128K bytes for disk buffering). Perfect Writer, Perfect Speller, Perfect Filer, Perfect Calc

Hardware options

256K-byte RAM disk (S995), 512K-byte RAM disk (S1395)

Documentation

200-page Users Manual and Osborne CP/M User Guide by Thorn Hogan

Prices

Dual floppy, 128K-byte RAM system S3995

Single floppy, 10-megabyte hard disk, 192K-byte RAM system S6395

Single floppy, 15-megabyte hard disk, 192K-byte RAM system $6895

Dual floppy, 10-megabyte hard disk, l92K-byte RAM system S7145

Dual floppy, 15-megabyte hard disk, l92K-byte RAM system S7645

can be placed in the two empty slots of the three-slot S-100-bus motherboard, which is shown toward the back in photo 3.

At the very bottom of photo 3, barely visible, is the top of a 10-megabyte hard-disk drive manufactured by Miniscribe Corporation. The drive interfaces to the computer through a Western Digital WD1000 controller. The

floppy-disk drive is just above the hard-disk drive; a NEC D765AC chip controls the floppy-disk drive.

A battery keeps the CMOS (complementary metaloxide semiconductor) MM58167 real-time clock ticking when the power is turned off. It was a nice feeling to have the QDP-300 greet me with the correct time and date when I unpacked it and typed in the CLOCK command. A voltage selector lets you choose between a 115-volt or 220-volt power source.

QDP provides a 12-month, on-site warranty, managed by General Electric Apparatus and Engineering Services, which has 50 service locations in the U.S.

Software

The QDP-300 first awakes under the control of an 8Kbyte ROM (read-only memory) monitor. The monitor provides the lowest level of housekeeping, including booting, system routines, and debugging support. The boot logic loads CP/M-80 version 2.2 from either the hard or the floppy disk.

Although the CP/M implemented is version 2.2, QDFs programmers have incorporated several features of CP/M Plus (or CP/M 3.0). The most outstanding feature, a cache BIOS (basic input/output system), divides the 192K bytes of total memory into a 128K-byte cache region and a 64Kbyte CP/M region. The cache region contains much of the BIOS, a fresh copy of the CCP (console command processor) and the BDOS (basic disk operating system) for quick warm booting, and a cache or LRU (least recently used) buffer for disk sectors. The cache buffer stores disk sectors in memory as they are read. When an applications program requests a sector, the BIOS checks the cache first. If the sector is in memory, that is, in the cache, it is transferred to the applications program without performing a disk read. Transferring a sector from memory versus reading it from disk is like delivering a transcontinental message over the telephone versus sending it by horse. Programs running in a cache environment can increase throughput significantly.

With much of the BIOS residing in the cache region, CP/M's transient program area (TPA) weighs in at a healthy 55K bytes without overlaying the CCP, a generous allotment that few CP/M 2.2 systems can match. Another CP/M Plus feature inherent in QDP's enhanced CP/M is the ability to search for command files on other than the current drive. If a command file is not found on the current drive, the operating system automatically searches drive A for the command. This obviates the need to place copies of commonly used utility programs on each drive.

QDP supplements CP/M's standard repertoire with several utility programs, the most notable of which are HELP, MENU, HCONFIG, FORMAT, SECURE, HARDBACK, and RESTORE. HELP adds a little hand-holding to CP/M's terse command structure. It supplies on-line assistance for the utilities. HCONFIG provides the tool for fine-tuning the system. It configures logical drive assignments, protocol for the I/O (input/output) ports, and the cold-boot auto-load command.

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Photo 3: The inside of the QDP-300. The hard-disk drive is on the right. Two S-100 bus connectors are in the left rear.

At first glance, FORMAT appears to be a typical program that writes track and sector-header information to a floppy disk in single- or double-density mode. You can select 128-, 256-, 512-, or 1024-byte sectors. QDP apparently believes that the variety of options enables customization of disk formats for optimal performance. I think that providing anything more than the usual single and double density (128- and 256-byte sectors) is overkill, but the flexibility might suit some discerning users.

SECURE wins the Strange Program of the Month award. According to the documentation, SECURE directs the Winchester hard-disk read/write heads to a safe "landing zone" and "should always be run before powering down the computer." As sure as the sun rises in the east, there will be times when either operator forgetfulness or an act of nature will cause the voltage to drop to zero before SECURE is executed. QDP claims that failing to run SECURE at power-down will probably result in loss of data on the hard disk. This is the first I've heard of such a limitation with a Winchester. Certainly there's a risk of data destruction if power is lost during a read or write operation; however, while the disk is idle, the heads shouldn't go diddling-bopping on the platter when the current is turned off. It sounds fishy; SECURE makes me feel insecure.

The HARDBACK and RESTORE utilities enable the hard disk to be conveniently backed up on eight doublesided, double-density disks.

QDP has added several systems features that make its CP/M more than just another plain implementation. All serial I/O ports are buffered up to 128 bytes. With a buffer that size, exceeding the type-ahead capacity of the keyboard is virtually impossible. System software automatically logs hard and soft disk errors. A utility program called SYSTAT can be used to display error counts. This feature is invaluable for earmarking marginal media or drives. Worn or deteriorating disks, for example, would post an inordinate number of errors.

Benchmarks

Now that I've whetted your appetite with an overview of the QDP's innards, I'd like to discuss its most impressive feature—speed. Table 1 lists the results of the traditional Sieve benchmark (see "Eratosthenes Revisited: Once More through the Sieve," by Jim Gilbreath and Gary Gilbreath, January 1983 BYTE, page 283). The QDP clocks in at 16 seconds in Pascal/MT+, about 16 percent faster than the fastest Z80 Pascal listed in the aforementioned article. In Microsoft BASIC, the QDP-300 runs the benchmark about 19 percent faster than a Z80 machine running at 4 MHz.

Table 1 also shows the increased throughput attributable to the system's cache buffer. With the cache buffer enabled, the Pascal compilation and link run about 30 percent faster than without the cache.

To determine how the QDP-300 fares in word processing, I fed a 3600-word document into the Oasis Systems Word Plus spelling checker. Then, for a gross comparison, I ran the same document through Word Plus on a 2.5-MHz Z80 system with 64K bytes and dual, single-sided, single-density 8-inch disk drives. The QDP knocked the socks off the disk-based system, processing the document in 30 seconds, one-tenth the time of the slower, albeit older and less expensive, computer.

Although benchmarks provide salient statistics, true appreciation of the QDP's speed comes only when you sit down at the terminal with your favorite software. Programs execute swiftly. On my old computer, I typically fill up the keyboard type-ahead buffer, then daydream while the processor catches up. But on the QDP-300, there's nary a moment between pressing the Return key and seeing the cursor flashing on the screen, awaiting your next command. Adjusting to the speed of the QDP-300 is a pleasurable experience. It's like flying to a distant city instead of taking the bus. You get to read fewer magazines, but you arrive at your destination faster.

Documentation

The QDP-300's greatest weakness surfaces in its documentation. The 200-page users manual describes the hardware and software poorly. It chalks up demerits for its lack of organization, clarity, and comprehensiveness. The critical procedure of running the SECURE program before powering down mysteriously pops up on page 38 in a subsection describing the MENU utility. The text of the manual betrays its Wordstar origins in sentences like this: "Taking good care of your disks is essential, and you will be rewarded with minimum problems. .PA." A word such as "optionnumber8willnotappear" indicates that several pages were treated with something bigger than a fine-tooth comb.

The most annoying attribute of the users manual is its self-congratulatory, backslapping tone. For example, the section entitled "Computer Error Messages" starts out saying, "One of the most important features of the QDP-300 is its unique error handling, both human and computer types. QDP was the first microcomputer com

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pany to introduce this feature." The manual goes on to describe how the BIOS traps disk errors and enables the operator to retry, ignore, or reboot instead of just returning to BDOS. "In our nasty scenario above things were looking pretty bleak," the text continues, "but now comes QDP to the rescue!!!" Yuk.

The description of the configuration program, HCONFIG, begins in a similar vein. "QDP has instituted a revolutionary utility program that changes the way our microcomputer operating system can be modified by end users." Come on, QDP. Any decent implementation of CP/M offers disk error trapping in the BIOS and a configuration program for modification of system parameters. Does the company really believe that its system, which was first sold in 1983, inaugurated these "revolutionary" features? Statements such as these remind me of Detroit's annual claims of revolutionary new automobiles.

To its credit, QDP supplements the documentation with a copy of Osborne CP/M User Guide by Thorn Hogan. Jerry Pournelle recommends Hogan's guide as a "good introduction" to CP/M. It's definitely better than the standard documents distributed by Digital Research.

Conclusions

If asked to summarize the QDP-300 in one sentence, I would paraphrase a statement from Peter McWilliams's The Personal Computer Book: "All things considered, I'd rather have a good computer with poor documentation than good documentation with a poor computer." In my experience, this hardware breaks all speed records for CP/M-80 programs. And the extra utilities and betterthan-average BIOS earn the software a gold star.

The documentation falls short by any measure, but QDP's customer representative patiently guided me through the gray areas. The information he supplied over the phone, coupled with addendums sent a week later, filled many gaps in the original users manual.

Some people may be concerned about investing their computing future in a five-year-old company that, quite frankly, holds less than the lion's share of the market. This risk applies to many technological ventures, but on the brighter side, QDP has not retired its development staff after one system. The company recently announced the QDP-400, a six-slot, S-100 bus, Z80B system that includes the TurboDOS operating system from System 2000. A 16-bit coprocessor, which will open a path to the world of MS-DOS software, is in the works.

The complexity of the QDP-300 extends far beyond the needs of casual and first-time users. The computer's largest audience will be shops that employ professional programmers and systems houses that specialize in packaging hardware and software for small businesses. These sophisticated users should have no difficulty justifying the top-dollar price tag of this Z80 screamer. ■

CP/M user Edward Joyce (Rt. 9, Box 149, Charlottesville, VA 22901) received his baptism in microcomputers at the Department of Computing and Information Sciences at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas.

202 BYTE May 1984

Circle 287 on inquiry card.

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Circle 252 on inquiry card. "IBM is a trademark of the International Business Machines Corporation. "COMPAQ is a trademark of the COMPAQ Computer Corporation.

On IBM PC compatibility, the portable computer, and yoil

What is IBM PC compatibility and why is it important in a personal computer?

IBM PC compatibility refers to a computer's ability to perform like

an IBM Personal Computer. Its importance can be explained in one word:

software. You see, the overwhelming success of the IBM PC has created

a booming IBM compatible software industry. As a result, some of the most

advanced and innovative software packages available today have been written

specifically for the IBM PC. So no matter what your business problem, it is most likely that

the software to solve it already exists. But only a truly IBM PC compatible computer can take immediate

advantage of these hundreds of state-of-the-art programs. As well as future IBM PC software breakthroughs

Why are some computers more compatible than others?

IBM PC compatibility can be a very relative term.

For example, a computer featuring the same 8088 microprocessor as the IBM PC, but without the necessary compatible disk operating system is not IBM PC compatible. Nor are computers advertised as IBM compatible that use 3 V2" floppy disks (the IBM PC's are 5V4") or magnetic bubble memories. While these computers claim IBM PC compatibility, they will not run software written for the IBM PC without modification.

To make certain ofa system's IBM PC compatibility, seeifitcan run popular software written for the IBM PC: Business programs like Lotus 1-2-3'" VisiCalc™ or WordStar.™ Games like Flight Simulator.™ Oreducational software from Spinnaker.™

For true compatibility, you need a computer that can run all this IBM PC software right off the shelf. A computer like the Visual Commuter. ™

VISUAL

Visual Computer Incorporated

^.'ii'

T/]e V/si/a/ Commuter: think of it as an IBM PC to go.

CommuteroffersyoualeveloflBM PC compatibility unsurpassed in a portable or desktop computer. With the MS-DOS™operating system. GW Basic.™ A full 83 key IBM PC identical keyboard. And unlike many so-called IBM PC compatibles, Commuter can run virtually all of the software written specifically for the IBM PC. Commuter's 5 W floppy disks are interchangeable with the IBM PC. It also features IBM compatible color graphics and monochrome support. There's even a portfor the IBM expansion chassis built right in.

16 pounds of power at a very compatible price: $1995.

If you've ever lugged around a 35 pound computer with a handle, you'll appreciate the beauty of Commuter's design. At only 16 pounds (about half the weight of other portables in its class), Commuter has solved the weight problem that has plagued other full-function portables. Whether at work, home, or on a business trip, with Commuter you're travelling light. And at only 3 V2"x 18" x 15" with built-in handle and carrying case, you can take it anywhere you can take a briefcase. Commuter. With desk-top computer power including a 16 bit 8088 processor, 128K of memory (expandable to 512K), and a full 16 line by 80 column optional flat panel display. And built-in expansion capabilities for printers, hard disk, communications, and external monitors, including yourtelevision set.

Best of all, Commuter is priced at only $1995. Now what could be more compatible than that?

For more information, call 1-800-847-8252 (in MA call 1-800-462-5554), or write Visual Computer Incorporated, 135 Maple Street, Marlboro, MA 01752. Or visityour local Commuter dealer today.

Commuter. It can take your business places its never been.

Visual Computer Incorporated is a wholly owned subsidiary of Visual Technology Incorporated. COMMUTER is a trademarkof Visual Computer Incorporated. IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation. MS-DOS, CW Basic, and Flight Simulator are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Lotus and 1 -2-3 are registered trademarks of Lotus Development Corporation. VisiCalc is a trademark ol VisiCorp. WordStar is a trademark of MicroPro International Corporation. Spinnaker is a trademark of Spinnaker Software Corporation.

Circle 396 on inquiry card.

THE PDRTRBLE CDITIPUTER

ITM

Hardware Review

The Kaypro 10

A hard-disk CP/M portable with a large software bundle

and a small price

Steve McMahon Independent Software Developer

Kaypro's hard-disk portable computer, the Kaypro 10, like its siblings, the Kaypro II and 4, is not a technologically innovative machine. Kaypro has taken existing single-board computer and Winchester hard-disk technology, combined with a monitor, keyboard, and floppydisk drive and wrapped it all up in a simple bent-metal case.

On another score, though, the Kaypro 10 is very innovative. The equipment and power delivered for the price are outstanding. At $2795 the Kaypro 10 costs less than many stand-alone hard-disk drives. And along with its 10-megabyte hard-disk drive comes a sturdy and serviceable CP/M microcomputer, a high-quality, built-in terminal, and an astonishingly large software bundle (see photo 1).

So, while the Kaypro 10 may have little to teach us about electrical engineering or systems programming, and nothing to teach about aesthetics or ergonomics, it offers many lessons about what kind of value is available for a limited budget.

Hard Disk or 16 Bits?

The appearance of this hard-disk computer with software for under $3000 will present many computer buyers with a dilemma: will they get better performance from an 8-bit machine with a hard-disk drive or a comparably priced 16-bit machine with floppy disks?

The answer, of course, will depend on the principal purposes for which the computer will be used. Large

spreadsheet applications, graphics work, high-precision computation, and heavy statistical analysis will likely be served better by the expandable RAM (random-access read/write memory) resources of a 16-bit machine.

But if you're doing a lot of word processing or database management, you'll probably find that the 8-bit machine with the hard disk is faster and more convenient than the 16-bit machine with only floppy disks.

A reliable hard-disk computer system like the Kaypro 10 is a joy to work on if you're used to floppy-disk-only systems. The advantages are speed and capacity. The Kaypro 10 reads and writes material to and from the hard disk at a rate two to four times faster than the floppy disk. Programs run faster and records are found more quickly (see table 1).

The difference in capacity adds up principally to great advantages in convenience. Working with the 10,1 found I could keep all my current projects on the hard disk along with all the tools I needed to do the work, such as word processors, spelling checkers, compilers, and database programs. I could switch easily and quickly among projects and tools. Floppy-disk handling, and the subsequent likelihood of damaging disks, was cut to a small fraction of what it was on a floppy-disk-only system. I got a lot more done in the same time because I spent less time with the logistics of getting the right files onto the right floppy disks at the right moment.

For people doing a lot of database-management work, the added capacity of the hard disk may be not only con

206 BYTE May 1984

Photo 1: The Kaypro 10 and its documentation. Even glancing through all the documentation for the extensive software bundle is a major chore.

venient but necessary. It enables rapid access by more than one index to records that previously had to be stored on separate disks.

The Winchester

A Winchester-type fixed hard disk is what makes all of this possible in an inexpensive portable. The twoplatter, 10-megabyte drive manufactured by Tandon is sealed in its own container and double shock-mounted inside the 10. The sealing of the drive protects it from a possibly dusty or moist environment. Because there is only one drive, which cannot practically be removed, the drive must be backed up by copying its contents to floppy disks. The floppy disks can then be removed and protected.

Safety

Included with the Kaypro 10 is a safety program that is an important part of the portability of the machine. The safety program must be run before the 10 is turned off. The program causes the hard-disk read/write heads to be withdrawn to a data-free "landing zone" where the heads can do no damage if they accidentally strike the disk surface during movement of the computer.

The 10 also automatically deselects the hard disk whenever it is not in use for more than a few seconds. While this probably slows the 10 down some on harddisk access, it cuts the chances of damage to the disk if power is interrupted.

Time pro 10

(S«

jconds) IBM PC XT

65

15

29

8

17 9

23 8

BASIC Benchmarks

Disk Write (64K bytes)

Floppy Disk

Winchester Disk Read (64K bytes)

Floppy Disk

Winchester

Table 1: Disk read and write speed comparisons of the Kaypro 10 and the much more expensive IBM PC XT. The comparison mainly serves to highlight the slow speed of the Kaypro's floppyand hard-disk write routines. The Kaypro test was made with Microsoft's BASIC-80, which is included with the 10. BYTE's benchmarks are listed in the January 1982 BYTE, page 54.

Transporting the 10

Calling the 10 a portable is pushing the definition of portable. At 30 pounds, it's a hefty burden to carry for more than a block or so. Anyone doing that will also discover that the carrying handle is quite uncomfortable.

Nonetheless, the 10 folds up into a neat package that can be carried easily to a car parked nearby, or it can be moved from room to room. The 10 fits under most major-airliner seats—a popular benchmark for portability—as long as you avoid the window seats. You won't have any leg room left over, but it's much preferable to

BYTE May 1984 207

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Photo 2: T/ze complete character set of the Kaypro 10. The 10 includes a good collection of graphics characters.

Photo 3: A close up of the Kaypro 10's display. Note the very high resolution and the fact that character spacing is a hit uneven.

checking the computer as luggage (a Kaypro technicalsupport hotline employee told me this would constitute abuse of the computer).

If you carry the Kaypro around much you should definitely get a cover of some sort for it. Even folded up for transport, all the Kaypro 10's ventilation slots are completely open to dust and moisture.

The 10 I tested survived my carrying it around from day to day with no difficulty at all. While I didn't deliberately drop it, I did bump it around some, and nothing went wrong. The machine also survived being shipped across the country twice without accumulating any bad spots on the hard disk in the process.

By this measure, Kaypro's shock-mounting system for the Winchester seems to be a success. Despite this, I have

one complaint: the Kaypro 10 User's Guide offers no guidelines at all on how to transport the machine safely or what kind of shocks it can be expected to survive. Presuming that the hard disk is vulnerable, I found this to be a distressing omission.

The Display

The folks at Kaypro have certainly packed a beautiful monitor into this metal box. The 9-inch non-glare screen holds a full 25 rows (only 24 easily available to the user) and 80 columns of very clear green-phosphor characters. The characters are composed of 14 dots vertically by 7 horizontally, with 3 of the 14 vertical dots used as true descenders (see photo 2). The screen's resolution is much better than the Kaypro II's and the characters are a lot

At a Glance

Name

Kaypro 10

Manufacturer

Kaypro Inc. (formerly Non-Linear Systems) 533 Stevens Ave. Solana Beach, CA 92075 |6I9) 755-1134

Dimensions

19 by 17 by 9 inches (when closed for transport); pounds

30

Components

Processor: 4-MHz Z80; Memory: 64K bytes RAM; Display: builtin, high-resolution 9-inch green-phosphor; 80 by 25 display with underline, reverse-video, half-intensity, blinking, or in combination. Graphics Format: 160- by 100-pixel graphics-pluscharacter graphics. Keyboard: 75 full-ASCII keys in Selectric-style layout; 14-key numeric keypad and 4-key cursor vector pad double as user-definable function keys

Mass storage

1 shock-mounted 10-megabyte (8944K bytes available) fixed harddisk drive subdivided into two logical drives; 1 half-height doublesided, double-density 390K-byte floppy-disk drive

Interfaces

1 Centronics-type parallel printer port; light-pen port

2 RS-232C serial ports; I

Software

CP/M version 2.2 with enhancements for easier employment of user areas. Word Processors: Wordstar version 3.3, Perfect Writer version 1.20. Spreadsheets: Perfect Calc version 1.10, Chang Lab's Microplan. Spelling Checkers: The Word Plus, Perfect Speller. Database: Perfect Filer. Programming Languages: Microsoft BASIC, CBASIC, and Topaz Programming's S-BASIC. Communications: Superterm, a smart-terminal program with XMODEM protocol option. MUFBAR disk-backup system. Assorted games

Options

Kaylink mainframe-to-microcomputer synchronous communications package. Kaynet networking system. Contact Kaypro for prices and availability

Documentation

Kaypro 10 User's Guide, approximately 150 pages, from Kaypro. Manuals for all software items (except games). Reference cards for Wordstar and all the Perfect Software. A current copy of Kaypro's magazine Profiles

Price

S2795

208 BYTE May 1984

A printer should complement your computer,

not compromise it.

\s»«y*

It's a simple fact that your small computer can compute a lot faster than your printer can print. A problem that becomes even more frustrating in business, when your computer is tied up with your printer while you're ready to move on to other work.

Of course, the only thing more frustrating than waiting on a slow printer is waiting on a printer that's down. And unfortunately, chances are the initial printer you purchased with your computer system just isn't designed to work on continuous cycle high volume printing.

More than likely, you've already experienced one, if not both of these frustrations. But now, you can turn printer frustration into printing satisfaction with the new Genicom 3014,3024,3304 or 3404. Professional printers for personal computers...price/performance matched.

Designed and built to increase productivity and maximize the value of your personal computer, the range of 3000 PC printers offers 160-400 cps draft, 80-200 cps memo, and 32-100 cps NLQ printing...performance for both high productivity and high quality printing.

The 3014/3024 models print 132 columns, while the 3304/3404 models give you a full 136 column width. The 3304 and 3404 models even offer color printing.

Each printer is easy to use, lightweight, functionally styled and attractive. And you can choose options from pedestals and paper racks to document inserters, sheet feeders and 8K character buffer expansion, plus more.

Genicom 3000 PC printers feature switch selectable hardware, dual connectors and dual parallel or serial interfaces, plus software emulations for Graftrax Plus and Okidata Microline 84 Step II. So your current system is most likely already capable of working with these Genicom printers without modification.

Most important, the Genicom 3000 PC printers are quality-built, highly durable printers designed for rapid, continuous duty cycle printing.

So why wait? And wait. And wait. Get a Genicom 3000 PC printer now.

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more readable than the II's (see photo 3).

I don't think most people will have any problems reading this display, despite its relatively small size. It was quite readable under a variety of lighting conditions and at distances from very close to 5 feet away. In fact, I found this screen to be a lot more comfortable to work with for extended periods than many 12-inch monitors on nonportable computers.

The only advantage these larger, separate monitors have over the Kaypro's is that some may be easily adjusted for height and angle. Adjusting the Kaypro's monitor position or angle involves moving the whole machine laterally and propping things under it. It would have been nice if Kaypro had provided an adjustable stand to compensate for users' preferences and working conditions.

The 10's monitor is versatile as well as readable. It offers reverse video, half-intensity, underlining, blinking, and any combination of these video effects. Most of the 10's users won't see much of this versatility, though; only a small number of the programs included with the 10 make use of even the reverse video.

The reverse-video effect was very irritating to my eyes when it occupied more than a tiny portion of the screen. Unfortunately, Kaypro chose to make Wordstar's menus and status line appear in reverse video. The result is a glaring screen that makes it hard to concentrate on the text at hand. I was able to solve this problem by patching Wordstar to use half-intensity type rather than reverse video for its menus. Users who don't know how to patch Wordstar and don't have a sympathetic dealer won't be so lucky.

There shouldn't be any trouble getting applications software that will operate acceptably on the 10's screen because Kaypro imitated the popular Lear-Siegler ADM-3A methods for clearing the screen and addressing the cursor. Getting commercial software to use the previously mentioned video effects, though, will require some extra work on either the user's or the software vendor's part, because Kaypro went its own way in determining the codes to invoke these features.

Graphics

Ultrahigh resolution for text does not mean high resolution for graphics. The 10 offers bit-mapped pixel (picture element) graphics, but the resolution is only 160 by 100 pixels. These plump pixels can be used for bar charts if there aren't too many bars and there certainly will be a few games written to make use of them. But my guess is that there won't be a whole lot of use made of the 10's pixel graphics by applications programmers. If you're thinking of purchasing the 10 rather than another computer because of the 10's graphics, you should think again unless you're only after a taste of graphics programming.

The 10 also offers a good set of graphics characters that should prove marvelous for drawing up sharp menus or such. The graphics characters aren't documented in the manual, but Kaypro includes the source code for the

210 BYTE May 1984

Circle 368 on inquiry card.

THE BUFFER DID IT.

Who Stole The 1500 Letters From The Computer?

Let's just say you've got to send a letter to 1500 different people. Would you like to spend 22.5 hours* or 60 seconds of

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With a gardenvariety buffer, the computer has to mix, merge and send 1500

addresses and 1500 letters to the buffer. Trouble is, most buffers only store about 32 letters. So after 32 letters, the computer's down until the printer's done. Altogether,

you're talking 22.5 hours.

In the case of our new (not to mention amazing)

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Just give ShuffleBuffer one form letter and your address list, and it takes care of the mixing, the merging, and the printing. But that's not all ShuffleBuffer's stolen from the computer. Oh, no.

Who Changed and Rearranged The Facts?

Again, ShuffleBuffer's the culprit. You want to move paragraph #1 down where #3 is? Want to add a chart or picture? No

problem. No mystery, either. Any buffer can give you FIFO, basic first-in, first-out printing. And some

vw°

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buffers offer By-Pass; the ability to interrupt long jobs for short ones. But only ShuffleBuffer has what we call Random Access Printing — the brains to move stored information around on its way to the printer. Something only a computer could do before. Comes in especially handy if you do lots of printing. Or lengthy manuscripts. Or voluminous green and white spread iVS sheets. And by the way, ShuffleBuffer vV«* does store up to 128K of information and gives you a By-Pass mode, too.

And Who Spilled The Beans 239 Times?

Most buffers can't tell the printer to duplicate. If they can, they only offer a start/stop switch, which means you're the one who has to count to 239. Turn your back on your buffer, and your printer might shoot out a room full of copies. ShuffleBuffer, however, does control quantity. Tell it the amount, and it counts the copies. By itself.

So, What's The Catch?

There isn't any. Sleuth around. You won't find another buffer that's as slick a character as this one. You also won't find one that's friendly with any parallel or serial computer/printer combination. This is the world's only universal buffer. With a brain.

Who Wants You To Catch A ShuffleBuffer In Action?

You guessed it. We do. Just go to your local computer dealer and ask him to show you a ShuffleBuffer at work. Or, you can call us at (215) 667-1713, and

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The Buffer with a Brain

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10's menus, all of which make use of the special characters. (You'll have to hunt for these, though, as the User's Guide doesn't tell you where to look.)

The Keyboard

The 10 s detached keyboard covers the monitor and floppy-disk-drive opening when the machine is packaged for travel. In use, the keyboard is connected to the back of the computer by a curly cord similar to the one that connects most telephones with their handsets (in fact, the modular jacks and connectors are exactly the same). The cord allows you about 3 feet of play without stretching it too far, so I had no trouble finding a comfortable place to put it for typing.

The touch of the keyboard is smooth and consistent, but extremely light. Even though I am accustomed to light keyboards (I use a Kaypro II), I still make a lot more errors than usual when working with the 10. Presumably, if you type only on this keyboard you'll get used to the light feel, but it might be difficult to switch back and forth between the 10 and other keyboards.

The keys themselves are well designed and conveniently arranged; for instance, the Return and Shift keys are large and placed where most touch-typists expect them. The keyboard makes a noise that sounds like a cross between a squeak and a click when keys are pressed or when they repeat. The sound is not adjustable, but the manual does tell you how to turn it off.

All the keys repeat when held down for more than a fraction of a second—unless you are holding down the Control key at the same time. Control characters don't repeat. I found that to be quite a problem, particularly when using Wordstar and Perfect Writer, until I learned how to use the function-key facility to put frequently used control characters on the numeric keypad, where they can repeat. This worked well, but it would have been better if the control characters repeated when used normally.

The function-key facility is one of the nicest but also most poorly documented of the 10's facilities. Each of the 14 keys on the numeric keypad and the four additional cursor-control keys can be redefined to produce the equivalent of up to four keystrokes when pressed. A program, Config.com, included to accomplish this redefinition is well designed and also lets you change the default printer port and the data-transmission rates of both serial ports. The problem is that there is only a brief and very incomplete mention of this important program in the User's Guide. Many users will never discover that they have function keys.

The Operating System

When using nearly 10 megabytes of storage, it's critically important to be able to subdivide the directory so that the whole multiscreen mess doesn't appear every time you ask for a directory. CP/M versions 2.0 and later (the Kaypro's is 2.2) solve this problem by allowing each drive to be logically broken into as many as 16 user areas. Each of these user areas is invisible to each other area, even

212 BYTE May 1984

Circle 321 on inquiry card.

INTERFACE IT..... PUT IT IN PRINT

THE >^

LETTER QUALITY

DAISYWHEEL

PRINTER HAS PC

COMPATIBILITY

If word processing has become increasingly important in considering the growth of your personal computer system, then your choice in selecting a printer should be a major decision, not a major investment. If PERFORMANCE, COMPATIBILITY and PRICE are significant factors in determining your decision, then the Juki Model 6100 Letter Quality, Daisywheel Printer will benefit you. Here's whv...

PERFORMANCE

jrecision performance, the Juki Model 6100 has been field tested and proven for accuracy, reliability and versatility. It prints bi-directionally at 18 cps, has proportional spacing, 10/12/15 pitch and performs the latest word processing functions including superscript, subscript, bold/shadow printing, double strike, underlining and graphics. It houses over 40 built-in control commands, has a buffer memory expandable to 8k, and operates on a linear induction motor ensuring accurate positioning. Also, the Juki Printer is lightweight and conventional in design, has a low noise level and is available with a Tractor Feed. Tractor Feed optional.

Interface it... the Juki Letter Quality, Daisywheel Printer is compatible with all major personal computers and is equipped with Centronics Parallel interface as standard equipment and is available with the RS-232C Serial connection as well. It conveniently uses IBM Selectric™ ribbons and 100 character Royal/Adler™ daisywheels with a variety of type styles to choose from.

With all the advanced features of a higher priced unit combined with convenience and dependability, the low cost of the Juki Model 6100 adds up to one thing... hard copy at a soft price.

At $599.00 the Juki Model 6100 Letter Quality, Daisywheel Printer will complement your personal computer system with a minimum investment.

Contact your local Juki Distributor for further details.

UKI

ACORN DATA PRODUCTS 7304-L South Alton Way Inglewood. CO 80112 303/779-8644 Serving: MT,WY.CO,UT,NM

BUTLER ASSOCIATES.INC I COMPUTER SERVICES

82A Winchester Street Newton. MA 02161 617/964-5270 Serving: ME.NH.VT.CT.RI.MA

INTERNATIONAL CORP. 560 Sylvan Avenue EnglewoodClifts.N.J. 07632 201/569-6300 Serving: METRONY.E.PA.NI

GENTRY ASSOCIATE 7665 Currency Drive Orlando. FL 32809 305/859-7450 Serving: TN.NC.SC.MS.LA.AL.GA.fl

IMATI0N SYSTEMS. INC. 2420 E. Oakton Street, Unit K Arlington Heights. IL 6D005 312/228-5480 Serving:

WI.II.MN.IA.MO.NE.ND.KS.SD

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

SYSTEMS CENTER

7023 Little River Turnpike

Annandale, VA 22003

703/750-3885

Serving:MD,DE.0C.VA

OSSMANN COMPUTER TECHNOLOGIES, INC. 6666 Old Collamer Road E. Syracuse, NY 13057 315/437-6666 Serving; UPSTATE NY

SIGMA DISTRIBUTING 2110 116th Ave.N.E. Bellevue, WA 98005 206/454-6307 Serving: WA.OR.IO.AK

SOUTHERN MICRO

STAR-TRONIC

TECHNOLOGY MARKETING CORP

VITEK

WESTERN MICRO

NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS:

WEST COAST:

DISTRIBUTORS

DISTRIBUTOR CO.

2300 Valley View lane

930-G Boardwalk Avenue

TECHNOLOGY

IUKI INDUSTRIES Of AMERICA. INC

IUKI INDUSTRIES OF AMERICA, INC.

8708 Royal Lane

23976 Freeway Park Drive

Suite 109

San Marcos, CA 92069

10040 Bubli Road

DA DIVISION

CALIFORNIA DIVISION

Irving, TX 75063 214/258-6636

Farrnmgten Hills. Ml 48024 313/477-7566

Dallas. TX 75234

619/744-6305

Cupertino, CA 95014 408/725-1660

299 Market Street

3555 Lomita Boulevard

214/243-7094

Serving:

Saddle Brook, Nl 07662

Torrance, CA 90505

Serving: TX, OK, AR, LA

Serving:MI.IN,0H,KY,W.PA,WV

Serving: TX, OK, AR, LA

S.CA

Serving:N.CA.NV.A2

201/368-3666

213/325-3003

Circle 219 on inquiry card.

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though they take up space on the same disk. Size of user areas is flexible; each could potentially contain nothing or utilize the entire disk.

Kaypro made a couple of modifications to the CP/M's CCP (console command processor) that make a world of difference in the usefulness of the user-area feature. The modified CCP displays the current user area along with the current drive letter whenever it prompts the user for a command line. So the usual CP/M A > prompt is replaced with A0>, Al>, ..., A15>, depending on which user area you're logged to. Also, whenever a command file is asked for that can't be found in the current user area, the CCP searches user area zero for the program. This means you can place most of your utilities in user area zero and they'll be available no matter what area you're logged to. (Unfortunately, programs like Wordstar can't find their overlays in different user areas, so there are still problems.) These little changes save a lot of time and trouble in day-to-day work.

Hard-disk Backup

Hard-disk backup should be easy and reliable. Winchester drives may be more reliable than floppy disks, but they still make errors. With the capacity of a hard disk, a directory error or a hard-disk failure can make a real mess.

Fortunately, Kaypro has included a quite workable hard-disk backup system with the 10. The MUFBAR (multi-floppy backup and recovery) system will back up anything, from an entire user area to individual files, from the hard disk onto floppy disks.

MUFBAR will automatically break up very large files onto multiple floppy disks if necessary. This capacity is an important one if you're thinking of keeping a large database on the 10. This backup program also gives you the ability to "stamp" backup disks with a note about the time and contents of the backup.

What the program won't do is tell you which files need backing up. As provided by Kaypro, CP/M offers no facility for marking files that have been changed so that

just the changed files may be backed up. This means that either you'll have to keep a list of what files have been altered since the last backup or you'll have to back up all the files every time. Because the hard disk contains the equivalent of about 23 floppy disks, the latter would be a burdensome task.

In an environment where several people use the machine and each can't be disciplined to keep records of files changed, a floppy-disk backup system could mean courting disaster, no matter how convenient the backup program is. Such users would be well advised to look for a hard-disk computer with a better backup system, even though it is likely to be a far more expensive system than the 10.

Menus

The Kaypro 10 includes a set of menus extensive enough that many users may be able to completely avoid learning CP/M if they wish.

The master menu (see photo 4), which automatically runs when the 10 is turned on (this auto-load feature may be turned off easily by running a program called Nomenu.com), enables you to run any of the major programs provided with the Kaypro. All you have to do is move the cursor to the program desired and press the Return key. Brief explanations of what each program can do are provided in an information area on the right side of the menu. The explanations change depending on where you have positioned the cursor.

The main menu chains into a set of subsidiary menus in cases where there are more decisions to be made. These special-purpose menus follow exactly the format of the main menu. All are quick to use and intelligible.

I liked these menus a lot better than any of the other menu systems I've seen on inexpensive microcomputers. The reason the Kaypro menus worked, though, didn't have as much to do with the menu design as with the hard disk. Most microcomputer menu systems break down because all the applications you might want to run are not available on the same disk. Thus, the menus lead you through disk changes in a way that necessarily leaves room for errors the menu system can't deal with well. This problem goes away when the menu can immediately run the desired application.

The hard disk also eases up the space constraints that hinder the designers of a menu system. The 100 or so kilobytes an adequate menu system might require is a big sacrifice on smaller-capacity, floppy-disk-only computers.

The 10's menus, though generally very useful, do have some annoying flaws: chief among these is that there are some important omissions from the menus. For example, the hard-disk backup system is completely menudriven, except for the fact that you can't format a floppy disk from the menu. So backing up disks requires you to leave the menu system. Anything that makes the backing-up process harder or more confusing is a real problem.

Also, there is no easy way for you to customize the

214 BYTE May 1984

NOVATION

OUTSMARTS HAYES

Take a look at both and you'll du cover the Novation Smart-Cat'" modems give you everything you get with the Hayes Smartmodem—plus some extras.

Off-the-shelf software

It's a draw. There's a lot of software for both.

For the Smart-Cats, there's ASCII Express "The Pro,"IM Crosstalk XVIIM Transend™ and more that let you do virtually anything you'd like. No compromises.

Only on the Cats:

Instant status report

Place a call and your Smart-Cat knows what's going on every microsecond. Fail to get a dial tone? Your Smart-Cat tells you right now. With Hayes, you can wait through an entire callanswer cycle—then wonder what went wrong.

Dial tone detect on long distance

With special long distance telephone services, you must wait for dial tone part way through a long dialing sequence. The Hayes modem relies on a pause—which works if things go just right. Smart-Cat waits, detects the tone, then completes dialing. It always works.

True, automatic "redialing"

The Hayes modem gives you a simple Repeat of the last command. Enter another command since you last dialed and you've lost the number.

Smart-Cats give you both Redial and Retry Redial calls the last number dialed no matter what has happened in between.

Retry keeps retrying on a busy signal. A handy time-saver.

Easy on-line commands

With Hayes, you need escape and re-entry codes when on-line. With the Cats, just enter a single command— or even string a bunch together. Smart-Cats follow them,

then go back on-line. No lost contacts. No lost data. Test everything

The Hayes modem has only internal self-testing. But the Cats do more. They also test the rest of the communications loop. At 1200 baud, the Cats can automatically run data over the line, through the other modem and back. You know if your modem is right. You know if the rest of the loop is right, too. Novation LSI vs. Hayes discrete components Large Scale Integrated (LSI) circuits—more and more logic on a smaller and smaller chip—is today's technology. It's the breakthrough that has made personal computers possible. It eliminates all kinds of parts and adds all kinds of logic. Our LSI does something else extremely logical. It cuts costs.

$595* (Novation) vs. $695* (Hayes) The Smart-Cat 1200 is $100 less than the Hayes Smartmodem 1200. Now that's a lot smarter.

Lower price, LSI technology, lots of software—and no waiting. You can see them now at your computer store and let your computer out tonight.

Novation, Inc., 20409 Prairie Street, Box2875 Chatswmh, CA 91311 ■ (800) 423-5419 In California: (818) 996-5060

NOVATION

ASCII Express "The Pro" is a trademark of Southwestern Data Systems- Crosstalk XVI is a trademark of Microsluf Inc. -Transend is a trademark of SSM Mcrocomputer Products, Inc. Smart-Cat is a trademark of Novation • Hayes is a tradename of Hayes Microcomputer Products, Inc 'Suggested retail prices

Circle 296 on inquiry card.

BYTE May 1984 215

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It is no longer enough to be IBM compatible. Not even for IBM.

It was the personal computer circus.

And it had gone on too long.

The crowd grew restless as each new act continued to perform varying degrees of IBM compatibility.

Suddenly, the crowd gasped. It was the unexpected finale —the arrival of Sperry, with a performance no one could have imagined possible.

Ladies and gentlemen, it was the Sperry PC. It ran IBM compatible software.

But that wasn't the show stopper.

Because it soon became quite clear the Sperry PC didn't just run the IBM programs, it ran them better.

Better because it ran them faster— up to 50% faster.

It ran them with breathtaking

graphics, far more dramatic than the IBM PC could provide.

And it ran them from a keyboard that drew roars of approval, for it was not only easier to operate, but far more comfortable than IBM's.

And as the crowd cried out for more, that's just what Sperry gave them: the ability to plug right into a company's main computer, whether that system was IBM or Sperry. Or both.

As the crowd sat stunned by this final flourish, Sperry left all with a most provocative question. Was it possible that the Sperry PC could do all of this and yet cost less?

Again, the crowd gasped.

Could it be?

Come see for yourself. Hands-on, side-by-side. Call 800-547-8362, toll-free. Or write us. Sperry Corporation, Computer Systems, Department 100, P.O. Box 500, Blue Bell, PA 19424.

JL<=o

^SPERW

The Sperry PC. What the personal computer should have been in the first place.

Circle 360 on inquiry card.

menus. Kaypro provides the S-BASIC source code for the menus, but this isn't enough. Customization should be possible without having to program. It certainly shouldn't require having to program in an unusual hybrid language available only with the Kaypro 10.

Documentation

It's helpful that the menu programs that Kaypro provides to move you around the hard disk are so good, because the Kaypro 10 User's Guide provided with the machine is a positive hindrance.

This manual must be rated unacceptable for several reasons. Its description of the organization of the 10's software bundle is not only incomplete, but very often incorrect. Vital information on system software utilities is missing or also incomplete. Very important documentation, such as the description of the hard-disk backup utility, is stuck in the back, without so much as a note at the beginning of the manual to indicate it's there. There is no index.

The information presented in the manual also fluctuates between user-friendly and cryptic. The first few pages of the manual constitute a very gentle "shake hands with your Kaypro 10" introduction, complete with simple illustrations. They are followed by explanations of a few important CP/M utilities rendered in such a way that only someone already familiar with CP/M stands much chance of understanding them. This sudden change in tone is characteristic of the manual as a whole. The Kaypro 10 User's Guide will satisfy neither new nor accomplished users.

The User's Guide is only one of a small shelf's worth of manuals that come with the 10. Most of the other manuals are for one or more of the many programs bundled with the machine. All of these manuals (even Digital Research's improved CP/M manuals) are much better than the Kaypro manual.

One very welcome piece of documentation included with the 10 I reviewed was the second issue of Profiles, a slick magazine published by Kaypro for Kaypro owners (Profiles, POB N, Del Mar, CA 92014). Many outfits offering software and hardware add-ons specifically designed for the Kaypro have ads in Profiles that are enlightening.

Software

One of the advantages occasionally touted for the practice of bundling software with a computer is that it eliminates the problem of choice for the buyer new to the computer world. The manufacturer makes the software choices for the average user by making appropriate software part of the bundle purchased. Because the computer manufacturer usually has great buying and bargaining power, bundling also often provides a software package that would add up to more than the price of the computer system if each software item were purchased separately.

Kaypro apparently has tremendous buying and bargaining power. But while the company may have used

218 BYTE May 1984

Circle 232 on inquiry card.

Circle 323 on inquiry card.

\A

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t£*

X

New Qantex 7020. It speaks their language.

If you buy any printer without considering the Qantex 7020, you could make a serious mistake. This multimode workhorse is compatible with nearly all of today's PCs and software. So no matter which programs or PCs you use now or in the future, the 7020 can handle them. Lotus" 1-2-3."'" VisiCalc." Wordstar." dBASEII.'" BPS" Business Graphics."-' Perfect Writer."-' Apple." IBM." Epson." DEC" -you name it.

As a high density graphics printer, the 7020 is fully dot addressable with resolution to 144 x 144 dots per inch and handles your most

complex applications, Quickly and quietly

As a single pass NLQ word processor (75cps), the 7020 gives you a choice of fonts along with proportional spacing, justification, auto underline, bold and more. Data processing is a breeze with bidirectional printing at 180 or 150 cps. User defined formats and 6-part forms capability are both standard.

It even provides built-in variable bar code capability and an operator-initiated test mode. And with industrial auality construction and a 500-million-character printhead

life, the 7020 will be around for years of hard use.

The 7020 costs just $1,495 and is backed by the most comprehensive support in the industry. Find out how compatible it can be with your business. Contact Qantex for details or a demo, 60 Plant Avenue, Hauppauge, NY 11788. Call toll-free 800-645-5292; in New York State 516-582-6060.

^ north ntliintic

Qantex

this power to provide great value, it hasn't exactly eased the novice's burden of choice.

Indeed, the Kaypro 10 comes bundled with an astounding quantity of software. Unfortunately, many a novice user will prefer to substitute the adjective "stupefying" for "astounding." There is far more software included with the 10 than anyone is likely to find useful.

Experienced computer users will likely be happy to make the appropriate choices between two word processors, two spelling checkers, two spreadsheets, two communication programs, and three versions of BASIC. But without guidance from a friend or dealer, people new to word processing will likely flounder trying to choose whether first to learn Wordstar or Perfect Writer. It would be very difficult to learn both at the same time. The same will hold for spreadsheet-users-to-be faced with both Perfect Calc and Chang Lab's Microplan or novice programmers confronted with M, C, and S BASIC.

To the well-guided user, though, the only problem with this over-bundling will be the embarrassment of riches. There are several first-rate, tremendously useful programs in the Kaypro's bundle.

While I can't possibly describe all the software in this review (most of it has been extensively reviewed on its own previously), a few items deserve particular note.

Word Processing

Micropro's Wordstar version 3.3 is a fine enhancement of an already excellent product. While users of version 3.0 will not notice any particular changes in Wordstar itself, the manual and installation program have been markedly improved. Wordstar's manual is no longer scandalously difficult to read and there is even a good tutorial booklet included. I wish that Wordstar had accomplished this without inserting so many self-congratulatory cartoons and text passages in the process, but the new manual still makes me feel much better about recommending Wordstar to new users.

The installation program can now be used to easily change such variables as the justification method and the degree of help displayed when the editor is first entered. Previously, only persons able to use the difficult patching facility were able to customize these features. (Yes, the patching facility still exists and is also much improved.)

If you've given up on Wordstar as slow and awkward, you may be in for a pleasant surprise when you try it on the 10. First, the inherent speed of the hard disk allows it to run a lot more smoothly and quickly. There are no more agonizing pauses while program overlays or the next page of text loads from disk into memory. Second, Kaypro has implemented a function-key system that makes use of the redefinable numeric keypad keys to trim down several multikeystroke Wordstar commands to single keystrokes.

Perfect Writer provides an interesting and useful contrast to Wordstar. This Perfect Software product is not nearly the text-formatting tool that Wordstar is, but it is

a far better writing tool. Anyone who does (or wishes to do) a lot of actual writing at the keyboard should take a careful look at Perfect Writer.

Perfect Writer's principal advantage for writing is its ability to split the screen into two text windows. This feature allows me to work on one portion of text while having another portion in view (that portion may even be in another file). It often saves me from having to print out a draft just to be able to look at a piece of text while writing a reference to it. All this is great for writing and nearly indispensable for programming. Imagine being able to look at a function declaration while writing the function call.

Add to the split screen a very fast block-move feature, a deletion "undo" command, the capacity to have up to seven files open for editing (and passing text back and forth among them), and a good search-and-replace facility, and you have a very good editor.

What you don't have, though, is a very workable text formatter. Perfect Writer is not a "what you see is what you get" editor. This is not necessarily bad. When working on a long manuscript, I'd rather not do my formatting while I do my writing. Instead, I'd like to pass it through a formatting program, one that would do the hard work for me, when I finish. This is what Perfect Writer attempts to provide, but the program fails to allow even adequate formatting control. Only through a very awkward process of multiple formattings is it possible to avoid such formatting disasters as section headings alone at the bottom of pages. Getting a good format of a long (75 double-spaced pages) academic manuscript took me a good part of a day.

Spelling Checkers

Kaypro has provided what is, in my opinion, the creme de la creme of 8-bit spelling checkers: Oasis Software's The Word Plus. The Word Plus not only checks spelling against a 50,000 word dictionary, but shows suspected errors in context and suggests alternative spellings. The dictionary can be easily updated, and special-purpose supplementary dictionaries can be assembled. Best of all, though, The Word Plus consistently identifies fewer correctly spelled words as potentially misspelled than other checkers I've tried. This may, of course, just mean that the folks at Oasis Software and I share about the same vocabulary.

Perfect Speller runs a good bit faster than The Word Plus, but I found that it frequently missed my typographical errors. This spelling program is one of those that tries to make a small dictionary file seem big by using prefix/ suffix rules to expand on it. If you don't mind having words like "whyed" and "whileor" in your correspondence, this might not bother you as much as it did me.

Spreadsheet Programs

One strong point in favor of the Perfect Software is that once you've learned one of the programs, the others are a lot easier to learn. This is because each member program of the Perfect series shares a similar command

220 BYTE May 1984

Prentice-Hall

speaks a language other

publishers have forgotten.

English.

VBSUg£

-SjiBW*"-

£s**^

ittBBM*0**

IBM PC BASIC PROGRAMMING by Richard Haskell and Glenn A. Jackson A see-as-you-do approach lo beginning programming. Loaded with step-by-step screen illustrations and fascinating graphics examples $13.95

SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS FOR THE IBM PC: A Practical Guide to dBase II. Lotus 1-2-3, VisiCalc, Wordstar, and More by Thomas H. Willmott. Uncomplicated answers to a common question What can a microcomputer software system do for my business. and how to I get started?" $14.95

THE IBM PC/XT GRAPHICS BOOK by John Fowler, Ph.D. An example-packed IBM BASIC graphics tutorial. Covers both simple and advanced concepts for business and pleasure. $16.95

TELECOMMUNICATIONS FOR THE IBM PCjr by

David W. Carroll. How to use the new IBM PCjr as a home communications terminal for gaining access lo data-bases, sending and receiving electronic mail, and communicating with other computers all over the world. $15.95

LSF: THE LEAST SQUARES CURVE FITTER: A Problem Solving Aid for the IBM PC by The Sumar Corporation, A software package that explains what Least Curve Fitting is and how engineers, social scientists, and data analysts can use it to solve problems on the IBM-PC. $39.95

GETTING THE MOST FROM WORDSTAR" AND MAILMERGE Things Micropro Never Told You

by M. David Stone. Exciting new ways to take full advantage of these two highly popular word-processing programs. $14.95

PRENTICE-HALL/THE LEADER IN COMPUTER PUBLISHING

For more information about our computer books and software, write to us at the address below. Dealer inquiries welcome. Prentice-Hall, General Publishing Division, Englewood Cliffs, N.J. 07632

'We guarantee thai all our guides are easy lo read and simple lo apply without the aid ot a reference library, a computer salesperson, or a niece who just graduated from M.I.T

Circle 316 on inquiry card. byte May 1984 221

Circle 329 on inquiry card.

QUELO 68000 Assembler Package

New 5.0 Release

680,00

First Commercial Release • January, 1983

The Quelo portable 68000 assembler conforms to the Motorola resident assembler, publication M68KMASM[D4].

Quelo 68000 Assembler Package Features:

Input file concatenation, include function, macros, global parameter substitution from command line, listing date-time stamp, up to 31 character symbols, conditional assembly, structured programming directives, instruction optimization, 68010 instructions, relocation and linking, complex expression linking (all operators), DB-DW-DL directives for Z80 byte order data generation, object library utility, software configuration tracking, conditional linking, options for assembler and linker to write complete symbol table to a file, detailed symbol table listings, assembler symbol cross-reference, linker global symbol symbol crossreference, object library symbol cross-reference, superb linker load map, various HEX load formats produced by linker, error messages in English (not meaningless numbers), extensive typeset manual with index, readily transported to any system with a C compiler and "UNIX like" system interface for command line and file access.

Ready to run in various disk formats for CP/M-80, CP/M-86, CP/M-68K, MS-DOS and PC-DOS

$300 early bird price, good

until June 30, 1984. $595 after June 30.

Portable version with detailed installation and testing instructions.

$750 and license agreement.

For more information or to order write or call:

COD, Visa, MasterCard.

Adams Custom Software

2464 33rd Ave. W., Suite #173

Seattle, WA 98199

(206) 285-2528

CP/M-80, CP/M-86, CP/M-68K TM DRI,. Microsoft. PC-DOS TM IBM.

UNIX TM Bell Labs. MS-DOS TM

v

^

4&

A Software Implementation within Your Product Hardware

If you manufacture a computer system or a computer based product, allow it to EMULATE COMMUNICATE by installing one or more of Systems Strategies "C" Language based communication packages.

• 3270 SNA SDLC Emulation

• 3270 BSC Emulation

• 2780 3780 HASP Emulation

• X.25 Levels 1, 2, 3 Communication

You can purchase these "C" Language packages with source code and license to distribute in your hardware product. Each package is available either "Port it Yourself" with instruction manual and training or ported to your hardware by Systems Strategies' communications staff.

Systems Strategies/Advanced Technology Division Specialists in Data Communications Software

Systems Strategies Inc.

225 West 34th Street

New York, New York 10001

(212) 279-8400

1

structure. Typing Control-X 2 splits the screen in Perfect Calc as well as Perfect Writer. Such small advantages are not to be scoffed at when trying to find your way through a software bundle as extensive as the Kaypro 10's.

Perfect Calc was a lot easier to learn after learning Perfect Writer. It is a complicated spreadsheet program with a thick manual and a nearly useless Help function. It is also a very powerful spreadsheet, and the thick manual is a good one with lots of tutorial lessons.

Like Perfect Writer, Perfect Calc enables you to edit multiple files with free interchange of information between them (two of these spreadsheet files may even be on the screen at the same time). Perfect Calc also enables you to construct some very large spreadsheets because it uses the disk as a buffer to expand available memory. This works only poorly on a floppy-disk system: large spreadsheets become horribly slow spreadsheets. It works better on the 10, so much better that it seems to take spreadsheets right to the limit of what's possible on an 8-bit 64K-byte computer. Perhaps it takes them past the limit: Perfect Calc lost information more than once on large spreadsheets I built.

Microplan, also included with the 10, is Perfect Calc's opposite: it is simple to use, but not particularly sophisticated. Unfortunately, Microplan's manual is also the opposite of Perfect Calc's: instead of making a difficult program simpler, the Microplan manual makes a simple program more difficult.

Database

Anyone interested in keeping databases with the 10 should know that Perfect Filer may not meet your needs. While the program's preconfigured mailing-list databases worked very well and were easy to use, Perfect Filer proved aggravating when I tried to do much more.

The Perfect Filer manual provided with the 10 was noticeably the weakest of the Perfect series. After warmly greeting me with easy tutorials when I wanted to do easy things, it coldly abandoned me the moment I wanted to do something other than create a sample database of current members of Congress. The problem was that I tended to make mistakes. Apparently the authors of the tutorials were not so error-prone, because an explanation of how to make corrections was not included.

Perfect Filer was just as poor on error handling. Its response to that likely database error, filling the disk, was to let me go on merrily making entries. (I tried this on a floppy disk, as I didn't have the time nor the patience to fill the hard disk with a mailing list.) The manual didn't explain error messages and the program's on-screen messages were cryptic at best, particularly when it didn't like my attempts at form-letter generation.

Floppy-disk Translation

While reviewing the 10, I had the opportunity to try out a wonderful $49.95 disk-format translation program from Micro Solutions.

Uniform, which is available in different forms for the Kaypro II, 4, and 10, enables you to read, write, and for

222 BYTE May 1984

Circle 371 on inquiry card.

Circle 262 on inquiry card.

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mat 5V4-inch disks for a variety of different microcomputers. The version of Uniform for the Kaypro II can, of course, only translate single-sided disk formats; the versions for the 4 and the 10 can handle most of the major double-sided formats as well. Televideo, NEC, Osborne, Xerox, Epson, Otrona, Cromemco, HewlettPackard, Zenith, Morrow, and Radio Shack CP/M microcomputers are just a few of the many different machines listed on Uniform's easy to use menus.

Most impressive of all, Uniform on the 4 and 10 also provides a facility for translating CP/M and PC-DOS directory formats. This enables you to transfer data files between PC DOS 1.0 (160K bytes) and 1.1 (320K bytes) disk formats. I was able to use this feature to move a friend's Wordstar-format text files from NEC 8001 format disks to disks for use on an IBM PC in only a few quick steps.

Having Uniform on the 10 gives you a hard-disk computer that is data-compatible with the IBM for under half the price of the IBM PC XT. As PC format disks become the de facto standard for disk information exchange between microcomputers, this data compatibility will be very important. Some writers already are offered incentives by their publishers to furnish their prose on a PCreadable disk.

Revisions

The Kaypro 10 had been on the market about five months when I wrote this review. The machine I re

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viewed (a late November 1983 model) was very different in both the software bundle and implementation of the operating system from what Kaypro was shipping in July of 1983. The software bundle had gone through several major changes, the BIOS (basic input/output system) was in revision "¥," and the monitor EPROM (erasable programmable read-only memory) and the hard-disk interface board had each been changed. Several system utilities for use with the hard disk had been revised to work with the new EPROM and interface.

The BIOS, EPROM, interface board, and utility changes were necessitated, a Kaypro spokesperson said, to rectify a problem that only a few machines might have: incorrectly reporting hard-disk errors. In addition to preventing inaccurate reports of read faults, the changes also appeared designed to prevent a possible hard-disk reset error, an independent comparison of the old and new interface card suggested.

Kaypro is shipping kits to all its dealers that are necessary to fix any 10s already sold that might have the hard-disk difficulties, and no charge will be made for the repairs whether in or out of warranty, the Kaypro spokesperson said.

Conclusion

The drawbacks of the Kaypro 10 are definitely overshadowed by its many advantages; for instance, the 9-inch, high-resolution, non-glare screen has the problem of inflexibility yet is much more readable than the 12-inch (and larger) screens of many desktop computers. In addition, the software varies in quality—but there is a lot of it bundled with the system. And while the User's Manual is poorly organized and incomplete, the menu system and enhancements to CP/M will aid both novice and experienced CP/M users in mastering the tremendous storage capacity of the hard-disk drive. Furthermore, the floppy-disk backup may not meet the needs of all users, but on the other hand, the system's harddisk drive has advantages in speed and convenience over comparably-priced, floppy-disk-only computers. Overall, the machine reviewed was reliable and fairly easy to transport. Despite a few rough spots, the Kaypro 10's many advantages make it an exceptional value for the money. It should be considered by anyone interested in hard-disk capacity or performance at an excellent price.!

Author's note:

/ would like to thank the staff of Technika Computer Center in Berkeley, California, for their assistance in preparing this article.

Steve McMahon (2208 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, #6, Berkeley, CA 94704) is an independent software developer working particularly on small newspaper business systems. He is also a graduate student in sociology at the University of California at Berkeley.

224 BYTE May 1984

Circle 101 on inquiry card.

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Hardware Review

Converting the TRS-80 Model III

for CP/M

Comparing Mapper III, Shuffleboard 111, and Vid-80

Mark E. Renne Free-lance Writer

When Radio Shack announced CP/M compatibility for the Model 4, it became another of the many manufacturers to make the CP/M operating system available for its computers. But should Model III owners rush down to their Radio Shack stores and shell out $799 for a Model 4 upgrade kit, or should they look into the many CP/M conversions available for the Model III? This article will briefly explain some of the basics of CP/M and then examine three different conversions that are available.

The so-called control program for microcomputers (CP/M) designed by Digital Research of Pacific Grove, California, has become the standard operating system for 8-bit microcomputers. It is used by more manufacturers than any other system. Some people would like to have you believe that CP/M is the answer to all your problems, but it has a few bugs of its own.

Myths about CP/M

Either on purpose or by ignorance, many salespeople insist that CP/M allows programs to be used on any other computer as long as it uses CP/M. Although there is some truth to this, CP/M is not as transportable as many people think. In fact, for a program to be transported from one brand of computer to another, several things have to be true depending on the program. For example, if it's a machine-language program, the computers must have the same central processing unit. CP/M Apple Visicalc will not work on a TRS-80 under CP/M.

For other programs, the same language—including version—must be available on both computers. Also, the same version of CP/M usually will be required on both computers. TRS-80 users are familiar with this from Radio Shack's upgrade of TRSDOS from 1.1 to 1.3. In this article we will talk primarily about CP/M version 2.2. Note, however, that some new programs for CP/M version 3.0 may not run on CP/M 2.2.

Another problem is screen compatibility. Most people write CP/M programs with an 80-character by 24-line screen in mind; the Model III has a 64 by 16 screen. Some CP/M conversions for the Model III also change the format of the Ill's screen, but that increases cost. Because most microcomputers at one time had 64 by 16 screens, many programs work well in this mode. Other programs work on different brands and have an Install program that allows the user to adjust screen size.

Also, each computer formats the disks used in its system differently. The 8-inch, single-density format is standard, but 5V4-inch disk formats are chaotic. Don't be misled into believing you can simply take a disk from your neighbor's North Star and insert it in your TRS-80 because they both use CP/M. (Actually, you could insert it—it just wouldn't work!) Some CP/M systems, however, do allow this type of interchangeability, and I'll discuss that later.

For a program to be totally transportable, then, even under CP/M, it must be written for the same processor,

BYTE May 1984 225

At a Glance

Name

Mapper III

Use

To convert the Radio Shack TRS-80 Model III to operate under the CP/M operating system as well as TRSDOS

Manufacturer

Omikron 1127 Hearst St. Berkeley, CA 94702 (415) 845-8013

Size

6 by 31/2 by Vi inches

Weight

4 ounces

Features

I6K bytes of RAM; Omikron utilities and enhancements available

Hardware required

Radio Shack TRS-80 Model III, 48K bytes of RAM, disk

Software supplied

CP/M 2.2, MBASIC

Documentation

8/2- by 11-inch, three-hole punched, 6-page installation manual, 15-page users manual, 150-page MBASIC manual, and 249-page

CP/M manual

Price

S199

use the same language (including version), be set up for the same screen size, and be formatted in a way that can be read by the conversion.

The Advantages of CP/M

Why then, would you convert to CP/M? The principal advantage for users is the great number of programs available that run under CP/M. There are also a great number of users groups that support CP/M, providing public-domain software and also assistance for modifying CP/M for different machines.

The greatest advantage of CP/M for manufacturers is that it is hardware independent. In other words, only a small part of CP/M—specifically, the BIOS (basic input/output system)—has to be changed to work on different computers. This flexibility enables manufacturers to include an operating system for their computers with relatively little effort. It also makes it possible for programs written on one computer to be used on other computers because they have an operating system in common.

The Disadvantages of CP/M

Because of its flexibility, CP/M doesn't take advantage of any of the special features of a particular machine. For example, there's no way to access the graphics capabilities of the TRS-80. Also, CP/M works with only one drive at a time. If you want to execute a program, you

Photo 1: Mapper III from Omikron.'

must be "logged on" the correct drive; it does not search all drives for the program as TRSDOS does. There is no password protection on any files, but because any password eventually can be broken, maybe that isn't a drawback. Also, to copy a disk you must use three separate programs. The last problem with CP/M is the quality of error messages—there are only a few, and all are nondescriptive. It's hard to believe, but this operating system reports more cryptic messages than TRSDOS.

Converting the TRS-80 to CP/M

Let's look at some CP/M conversions available for the TRS-80 Model III. First, this machine requires a hardware conversion rather than just software because the Model III uses the first 14K bytes of memory for ROM (read-only memory) BASIC, while CP/M expects that memory to be empty and available for operating system use. This conflict can be resolved only by a hardware modification. Of course, all modifications still allow you to use TRSDOS for your existing software.

The conversion procedure is similar in all cases. Remove the cover of the TRS-80 as well as the heat shield covering the central processing board. Remove the Z80 chip and replace it with a circuit board that plugs into the Z80 socket. Then plug the Z80 chip into the circuit board. Some modifications also require a RAM (randomaccess read/write memory) chip to be removed and replaced by a plug connected to the CP/M board. The en

226 BYTE May 1984

As your terminal needs accelerate, move to Ann Arbor. We make the CRTs used by harddriving professionals from M.l.T. to Stanford.

Take our Ann Arbor Ambassador, for instance. Nothing about it slows you down. The editing commands use line pointers to virtually eliminate the need for pad characters. The ANSI coding lets you put parameters in your commands to speed up execution.

And that's just for starters. The Ambassador does what no

other alphanumeric terminal can: it gives you a 60-line display with zoom. You choose the format best suited to your software and your comfort—24 lines, 30 lines, 48 lines. Whatever. Then instantly zoom up to 60 to see what a printout will look like. Recapture something that scrolled by too fast. Or simply check for context.

Like all Ann Arbor products, the Ambassador uses a large, easy-to-read screen—either portrait or landscape. The case can

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be tilt/swivel or rack mounted. And the detached keyboard provides dozens of programmable keys to save you time.

Of course, starting at $1595, the Ambassador isn't for everyone. Just for the thousands of professionals who really want to move.

For more information, call 313/663-8000. Or write us at Ann Arbor Terminals Inc., 6175 Jackson Road, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48103. But don't wait too long—the Ambassadors are going fast!

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Photo 2: Shuffleboard 111 from Memory Merchant.

At a Glance

Name

Shuffleboard III

Use

To convert the Radio Shack Model III to operate under the CP/M operating system as well as TRSDOS

Manufacturer

Memory Merchant 14666 Doolittle Dr. San Leandro, CA 94577 (415) 483-1008

Size

8 by 3Vt by lA inches

Weight

4'/2 ounces

Features

High-density disk format, I6K bytes of RAM. direct cursor addressing, virtual-drive concept, 15-day free trial

Hardware required

Radio Shack TRS-80 Model i

Software supplied

CP/M 2.2. MBASIC

48K bytes of RAM, disk

Documentation

7- by 9-inch perfect-bound 77-page users and installation manual, 184-page MBASIC manual, and 214-page Digital Research manual

Price

S299

tire procedure takes about a half-hour and is easy even for those who have had only a casual acquaintance with electronics.

Because the Model III lacks a number of ASCII (American National Standard Code for Information Interchange) characters on the keyboard (braces, brackets, control key, etc.), CP/M modifications must also reconfigure the keyboard to generate all the ASCII characters. Usually this involves a combination of keys, such as the Up-Arrow and another key. I'll discuss each modifica

Photo 3: Vid-80 from Holmes Engineering.

At a Glance

Name

Vid-80

Use

To convert the Radio Shack TRS-80 Model III to operate under the CP/M operating system as well as TRSDOS. Also, converts screen to 80 by 24 under both operating systems.

Manufacturer

Holmes Engineering Inc. 5175 Green Pine Dr. Salt Lake City, UT 84107 (801) 261-5652

Size

9'/2 by 9 by <A inches

Weight

14 ounces

Features

I6K bytes of RAM, 80-character by 24-line board included

Hardware required

Radio Shack TRS-80 Model III, 48K bytes of RAM. disk

Software supplied

CP/M 2.2, utilities

Documentation

8/2- by 11-inch 30-page users and installation manual; 320-page CP/M Handbook (with MP/M) by Rodnay Zaks

Price

S399

228 BYTE May W84

Name Control Key Software Included Disk Formats

Mapper III Down-Arrow CP/M 2.2 MBASIC See text

Shuffleboard III Up-Arrow CP/M 2.2 MBASIC Osborne, Xerox, IBM

Vid-80 Clear CP/M 2.2 Kaypro, Xerox

*optional at extra cost

Table 1: A comparison of the CP/M conversion boards.

Price Able to use CP/M 3.0 Auto Repeat $199 no yes

$299 no no

$399 yes* yes

tion separately, but I've also summarized conversion features in table 1.

Mapper III

The least expensive board evaluated was the Mapper III from Omikron. Although the board lists for $199, it functions well and most of its limitations should be eliminated by the time you read this.

The board I evaluated was an early prototype board that Omikron was shipping to its customers. This board is single-density uppercase only. The manufacturer indicated that double-density should be available very soon, which would be a must for any serious user of CP/M. Omikron indicated that this will be a free upgrade for its customers and will contain a number of enhancements I'll cover later.

The Mapper III uses the Down-Arrow key for the Control key and Shift-Break for escape. It emulates the SOROC IQ120 terminal for video addressing and screen display. Installation is easy and requires the removal of only one chip, the Z80. The board contains all chips in sockets for easy repair and upgrade. It's also the smallest board that was tested.

The Mapper III that I tested could read only disks formatted for the Mapper III. Omikron indicated that the production board will read a number of formats with the previously mentioned software upgrade.

Omikron also expects to release a number of very useful utilities that will be standard with the production of the Mapper III, or free to owners of earlier Mapper Ills, in the near future. These include programs to check memory, check disk condition, emulate a dumb terminal, and transfer programs from TRSDOS to CP/M. The last program will be most useful for long BASIC programs that you don't want to retype. Programs written under TRSDOS probably won't run under CP/M without modification.

For another $199, Omikron offers an additional software package to go with the Mapper III. The package, which includes CBASIC-II, Wordstar, and Microproof, represents a substantial savings over retail prices of these packages and gives you a good start on CP/M software. Omikron also has a special user's purchase group, Cougar, that enables owners to buy additional software at greatly reduced prices.

The installation instructions are well written and I encountered no problems with the board. Also, Omikron offers a lifetime warranty on the Mapper III. Although the software for the version I tested was not as sophisticated as the other boards, even in its preliminary form, the Mapper III offers a good value for those interested in CP/M. You should check with Omikron, however, to verify current capabilities for a particular application.

Shuffleboard III

The Shuffleboard III from Memory Merchant is a moderately priced ($299) yet excellent conversion that contains an additional 16K bytes of memory, for a total of 64K under CP/M with a 48K-byte Model III. It includes both CP/M 2.2 and MBASIC, Microsoft's BASIC interpreter for CP/M, similar to the TRS-80 standard BASIC. A 77-page users manual and 398 pages of Digital Research documentation for MBASIC and CP/M 2.2 provide necessary documentation.

This conversion features an "auto-sense" boot that automatically determines what type of operating system is contained on the disk in drive zero. In other words, once installed, the conversion boots in the proper mode automatically; you can disable this feature if desired. The system normally boots from drive zero, but this also can be disabled, allowing you to boot from any drive for CP/M. (TRSDOS, of course, always boots from drive zero.)

The Up-Arrow key functions as a control key, and all other ASCII characters may be generated from the keyboard. The cursor may be set for either blinking or nonblinking, and linefeeds for the printer may be disabled or enabled easily to accommodate different printers.

A special function allows a remote terminal to be hooked up to the RS-232C port to allow for graphics, an 80 by 24 display, or any other special function. A SETCOM command, similar to that found in TRSDOS, is used to set the data rate, parity, character length, and stop bits. Direct cursor addressing is implemented, and console control characters are equivalent to a Lear-Siegler ADM-3A control set.

Perhaps one of the most unique features of the Shuffleboard III is its virtual drive function. Although difficult to explain in this limited space, virtual drive means that it may appear to the system that you have more drives

BYTE May 1984 229

ANNOUNCING

EMACS

UniPress Product UPDATE

FOR THE IBM PC

UniPress is pleased to announce the availability of MS-DOS EMACS to supplement our existing UNIX and VMS versions. MS-DOS EMACS is full-function Gosling EMACS, including compiled MLISP, macros, command undo and much more.

UniPress Gosling EMACS: The famous multi-window full-screen editor. Edit several files at once. Interprocess communication on UNIX and VMS. Extensible via macros and the built-in compiled MLISP language. UniPress Gosling EMACS: The ultimate programmer's tool: C, Pascal and MLISP language assist. EMACS manages execution of Unix makefiles, and automatically points to lines containing errors in the source code. Keys can be bound as desired, macros can be named, customized MLISP routines can supplement the many included packages, and much more!

UniPress Gosling EMACS: use EMACS as your session manager — Divide your screen into a "shell window" to run commands, and one or more source file windows.

ALSO NEW! MINIMACS _ Special efficiency conscious EMACS. Faster and smaller; includes all standard editing features, keybinding, and multiple windows.

PRICES: UNIX: $395/Binary; $995/Source VMS: $2500/Binary; $7000/Source MS-DOS: $375/Binary; $995/Source (Requires at least 384K)

UNIPRESS OFFERS A FULL LINE OF SOFTWARE FOR UNIX, VMS AND MS-DOS.

Lattice® C compilers to the 8086-family; both native and cross. Write programs on your mainframe for execution on the IBM-PC, etc. (Cross compilers for UNIX and VMS.)

Q-CALC — extraordinary UNIX spreadsheet.

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Call or write for more information.

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Unix is a trademark ol Bell Laboratories • VMS is a Irademark of Digital

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than you actually do. For example, the operating system may believe that you have two double-density and two single-density drives even though you have only two double-density configurations. This makes some difficult operations easy. A high-density format routine also increases disk capacity by about 11K bytes.

I strongly believe that any good conversion should include the ability to read many disk formats because very little CP/M software comes in the TRS-80 format. The Shuffleboard HI will read and format Osborne, IBM, and Xerox disks. Superbrain, Kaypro, and Televideo should be ready soon. Of course, IBM programs won't run on the TRS-80 because IBM uses different central processors, but this conversion does make data transfer possible. Please note that I said Shuffleboard III would also format these disks. This enables you to prepare a disk directly on your computer for a friend who owns a different computer, a very nice feature that is well implemented on the Shuffleboard III.

The warranty is good for one year, and Memory Merchant offers a 15-day trial period. Installation instructions are well written and clear. I installed the board quickly and without board or documentation problems. The Shuffleboard III offers a conversion with the features most users require for a reasonable price.

Vid-80

The $399 Vid-80 by Holmes Engineering is the one board that not only converts the TRS-80 to CP/M but also converts the screen to 80 by 24. As mentioned earlier, most software is formatted for an 80 by 24 screen, and this conversion makes the Model III compatible with almost all CP/M software. For video and screen formatting, the Vid-80 emulates the Lear-Siegler ADM-3A terminal.

The conversion for 80 by 24 also works in TRSDOS with some limitations. Software, especially machine language, will not work without conversion in the 80 by 24 mode. The board also redefines graphics from 127 by 47 to 159 by 71, slightly improving resolution. Locations for the PRINT® command are also redefined from 0 through 1024 and 0 through 1919. It would take a separate review to evaluate the board for its use in TRSDOS, but it does function under both operating systems.

The latest version of the board has the ability to read and write several 5V4-inch disk formats, including those of the IBM PC, Kaypro II, Xerox 820 (single- and doubledensity), Osborne-I, Zenith Z-100, Freedom Tech, and Morrow Micro Decision. Maximum storage using the Kaypro standard is 191K bytes. Considering that CP/M uses quite a bit of disk overhead, this is amazing. You end up with more storage capability than TRSDOS.

After the board is installed, the Model III automatically recognizes which operating system is on the disk and boots up in the 80-character mode. If you want a 64-character mode, you hold down a "6" during booting. Installation requires the removal of two integrated circuits and their replacement on the Vid-80 board. Two solderless jumper cords and two power cords must be at

230 BYTE May 1984

Circle 391 on inquiry card.

The all new Freedom™ 110 VDT has just two things going for it.

The price, $595. The new

Freedom 110 Video Display Terminal is without question the price leader of all low-end smart terminals. And it doesn't stop there. In fact, the price is only the beginning.

The performance. It starts with distinctive styling, including a tilt and swivel screen, and a sculptured, detached European DIN-standard keyboard. We paid a little extra for the green phosphor (amber optional) non-glare high resolution screen so you get the best in crisp, easy to read characters. We've packed the ergonomic Freedom 110 with a long list of user-relevant features, too.

□ 24 x 80 display with user-accessible 25th status line.

□ 10 programmable non-volatile function keys (20 with shift) and 20 pre-programmed codes.

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D 15 thin-line graphic characters.

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□ 9 cursor control and 8 editing keys.

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□ 8 standard foreign character sets.

□ Self-test mode.

□ TeleVideo 910, ADDS Regent 25, Lear Siegler ADM 3A/5 and Hazeltine 1420 emulation.

HI Chassis-mounted PC board for the same easy serviceability and add-on board capability as the advanced Freedom™ 200 VDT.

You get all this, plus our industry leading six-month warranty and comprehensive third-party service. To find out more about what price and performance leadership really means, contact your nearest Liberty dealer or distributor. Or call Liberty direct at (415) 543-7000.

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Circle 231 on inquiry card.

LIBERTY

***v

© 1984 Liberty Electronics.

TeleVideo 910 is a trademark of TeleVideo Systems, Inc. Regent 25 is a trademark of Applied Digital Data Systems, Inc. ADM 3A/5 is a trademark of Lear Siegler, Inc. WordStar, MailMergc and SpellStar are trademarks of MicroPro International Corp.

tached. All this is done without any soldering or permanent change to your TRS-80.

In addition to the CP/M operating system and its utilities, two other programs are included. A Sap utility sorts and packs the directory to conserve space and alphabetize. An Unerase utility lets you restore files that may have been accidentally erased. Auto-repeat capabilities for each key are also standard with the Vid-80.

The Vid-80 RAM can be increased through expansion modules to nearly 1 megabyte. A CP/M 3.0 version should be available by now for Holmes's 64K-byte memory option (112K bytes total), which sells for $524.

For technical assistance and updates, Holmes maintains both a phone number and a computer bulletin board. This bulletin board, Connection-80, enables Holmes to pass on patches and other technical information and allows the user to leave questions about Vid-80 for Holmes. When I contacted Holmes with technical questions, both as a reviewer and customer, the company was courteous, quick, and correct each time.

Both Omikron and Memory Merchant indicated that they will be marketing an 80 by 24 conversion for their CP/M boards in the future. The Vid-80 already has this feature, which makes the Model III very competitive with the Model 4. The Vid-80 is a complete CP/M conversion and enables you to enter the world of CP/M without reservation.

What about the Model 4?

What advantages does the Model 4 have over the Model III? Well, the most significant are a higher speed processor, an 80 by 24 screen, ASCII character generation, a new (TRSDOS 6.0) operating system, and CP/M compatibility. If you're only interested in CP/M, you should consider one of these boards for your Model III. Holmes also sells a speed-up kit for the Model III for about $100. Converting this way allows you to add one piece at a time, instead of all in one big costly chunk.

Conclusions

Each of the conversions is targeted at different users. You should decide which you need for your individual

use. All the conversions worked without major problems and are easy to install following the instructions included with each.

The Omikron Mapper III is aimed at the low-budget user who intends to purchase his software from Omikron. Omikron's Cougar club allows owners to purchase major programs at very low cost. The company has a track record with the Model I Mapper and should have several enhancements included in the future.

The Memory Merchant Shuffleboard III is a full-featured CP/M conversion that meets the needs of most users. It reads three disk formats, and three more will be ready soon. The virtual-drive idea is exciting and very useful to two-drive owners. I was most impressed with this board and its implementation. I have used this board for several months without a single bug.

The Vid-80 from Holmes Engineering is the only conversion I tried that also converts the screen to 80 by 24. Sooner or later all computer users will want this size screen for some application, and Holmes solved that problem. I give Holmes four stars for this conversion. I know that $400 is quite a bit to spend, but that's a very low price for CP/M, an 80 by 24 display, and accommodation of a wide variety of disk formats. Holmes has been in the TRS-80 business for many years and has a good record with the dealers with whom I spoke. If you can afford to do the conversion all at once, the Holmes board is a good choice.

All in all, the TRS-80 user has a number of conversions from which to choose. With Radio Shack turning to CP/M, it may not be many years before TRSDOS is gone forever. I think all serious users should start looking into CP/M and what it has to offer. ■

Author's Note:

I'd like to thank all the manufacturers for their cooperation and answers to my questions. I'd also like to thank Bob Byars at Mountain Data in Havre, Montana, for the use of his equipment and time.

Mark E. Renne (53 Glacier Ct., Bozeman, MT 59715) is a free-lance writer and full-time student at Montana State University in Bozeman.

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Information from other programs, spreadsheets, word processing or accounting files, virtually any data in the system can be assimilated by DayFlo. And once the information is at hand, DayFlo lets you manipulate it at will to produce letters, memos, reports and much more. You can work at your computer the same way you work at your desk, even switching quickly from task to task, without ever losing your place.

DayFlo's concept is as simple as it is revolutionary. You no longer have to think for the computer. Instead, it can help you think better for yourself. Which 1"^ AX/TT /~\ leads, inevitably to a brand-new version f*Jy\| I I f •J of computing's fundamental law. A 5^/xoore

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DayFlo and Fluid Formal are trademarks of DayFlo, Inc. © 1984 DayFlo, Inc. Circle 126 for Dealer inquiries. Circle 127 for End-User inquiries. BYTE May 1984 235

NOTES: i a

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Software Review

Robographics CAD-1

Convert an off-the-shelf Apple into a drafting system

Rik Jadrnicek Micro Flow Company

There are more and more CAD (computer-aided design) packages coming out all the time. In fact, trying to keep up with them becomes a job in itself. Out of necessity, I find myself picking one or two outstanding characteristics from each to separate it from the rest. Robographics CAD-1 stands out for its use of libraries— the way it enables you to assemble large drawings with complete disregard for the amount of available RAM (random-access read/ write memory)—and for its zooming abilities—the way it allows you to draw in much greater detail than the graphics monitor can show.

CAD-1 is a computeraided design software package for the Apple II and Apple He computers. Using CAD-1, you can draw a wide variety of pictures with great accuracy and plot the image precisely on various output devices. For example, you may draw simple block diagrams, flowcharts, or a more complex schematic; you may design a personal computer circuit board or do some mechanical drawing on a valve; or you may do some space planning or architectural design. Photo 1: An Apple lie displaying a

How well a CAD system performs these tasks depends on software quality, the central processor, the graphics processor and monitor, and the hard-copy output device. Within the limitations of Apple's 6502 processor and graphics resolution, CAD-1 performs very nicely. Written in assembly language with high-precision floatingpoint math, the program is lightning fast and seems to implement fully the processing power available.

Hardware

With this software, you can convert an off-the-shelf Apple computer into a drafting system. You need the CAD-1 software, the joystick supplied with the software, an Apple II or He with 64K bytes of RAM, a suitable video display, and two Apple II DOS 3.3 disk drives with controller cards.

CAD-1, with its special input device (a hardware box with three buttons, a rotating dial, and a joystick) retails for $1095. With it you can make the most of the entries necessary to run the program. You can draw accurately with the joystick and rotate and scale objects with the dial. More on this device later.

typical CAD-1-created drawing.

BYTE May 1984 237

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J3 CONFEKEHCE HOOn

la

~1 n p o a a

l^ffl^^mH^nM3Bi!

Figure 1: A sample floor plan prepared with CAD-1. This drawing is made easy by manipulating different user-defined library drawings of standard office furnishings.

0 ©

Figure 2: A mechanical drawing created with CAD-1 showing the potential accuracy of the software and the use of line types, arc, circles, and crosshatching.

Optionally, CAD-1 also supports the Robographics and Apple Graphics 11 by 11 digitizing tablets to make drawing easier. These devices simulate a drafting table and come in all sizes. You can trace existing drawings or simply draw from scratch on the digitizer surface. A stylus or cursor (sometimes called a puck) serves as an electronic pencil for entering data points at the press of a button.

To produce low-resolution, hard-copy plots of your drawings, you can use a dot-matrix printer. The software supports a variety of interface cards and you can configure the software yourself if a particular card is not directly supported. You can use a variety of quality plotters capable of producing A to D size plots (USA) or Al to A4 size plots (Europe). These currently include Bausch & Lomb (Houston Instrument DMP 40 through 42), Calcomp (models 81, 84), Gould Bryans Colorwriter, Hewlett-Packard (7470A, 7580A/B, 7585A) and Watanabe Digiplot (all B or A3 sizes).

Monitor Drawing Resolution

A variety of graphics monitor options are available in addition to the standard Apple graphics capability. Herein lies the major limitation of most CAD systems including CAD-1. The software is capable of producing a large drawing (e.g., 24 by 36 inches) in detail, and a large format plotter is fully capable of plotting the same detail. However, the graphics display device can't accurately represent the image you see while you are creating and editing your drawing.

The resolution of the graphics processor and monitor determines the accuracy with which a display can represent an image. These devices have only a certain number of pixels (picture elements) with which to describe an image. The lower the number of pixels available, the lower the resolution and the more jagged the image.

For example, the resolution of the Apple is 280 horizontal pixels by 192 vertical pixels. The Robographics CAD-1 system uses the rightmost 24 columns of pixels

for on-screen menus (see photo 1), leaving a workspace of 256 by 192 pixels. This area is used to represent your image no matter how large it is. It stands to reason that a 24- by 36-inch drawing appears very crude.

On the other hand, the actual drawing database is very accurate. The output device resolution provides the only limitation on the quality and resolution of the hard-copy output. For example, a dot-matrix graphics printer produces a low-resolution image while a high-resolution plotter reproduces the drawing accurately. These differences in actual, display, database, and output resolution are important to understand when configuring CAD systems.

Let's Draw

To begin drawing with CAD-1, you hook up the input device to your Apple, insert the program disk in the drive, and load the program. Then you insert a library disk in drive A and a buffer disk in drive B. There is a lot of disk swapping with CAD-1. When you use a plotter, an additional disk must be swapped. The system really needs a hard-disk version developed for serious applications.

Once the proper disks are in place and the system is loaded, the system presents you with a clear screen to draw on—clear except for a menu area down the righthand side of the screen and a function area at the bottom. Using the joystick on the input device, you move a small cursor (an "x" on the screen) around the drawing area and place it on menu choices. Pressing a combination of the device's three buttons, you choose commands and functions from the menu and create drawings on the monitor screen. For example, if you move the cursor to the function area at the bottom of the screen, you can choose a primitive type (e.g., line, arc, circle, etc.), a color, and a line type (e.g., dotted). Then if you choose DRAW on the monitor menu, you can draw images on the screen with the joystick (or digitizer) and the buttons. You can freehand sketch, trace lines of

238 BYTE May 1984

Photo 2: The Robographics CAD-1 specially designed input device, consisting of a hardware box with three buttons for selecting and deselecting points and menu options, a joystick for positioning the cursor on the display screen, and a rotating dial for controlling such things as the radius length of a circle, or an arc, or the rotation of objects on the screen.

different widths, fill areas temporarily or permanently, insert text, erase objects, zoom, and pan (scroll from one area to another). See figures 1 and 2.

Since the program is written in assembly language, the cursor movements and placement of lines and shapes are instantaneous. You can freely manipulate lines, arcs, and circles while you watch them stretch and shrink on the screen before you. You can turn on a grid system and lock your drawing to the grid points (your drawing points snap to the nearest grid point—standard or user-defined) to produce precision drawing. You can have different x- and y-axis values and you can rotate the grid if you want to work on isometric images.

Commands

Several cursor lock modes are available for drawing precision. You can lock the cursor to move in only two fixed directions from its current position. The axes of these two directions can be set at different angles providing tremendous help in constructing isometric images. A NORMAL-TANGENT lock mode automatically senses the slope of the last line drawn then sets an orthogonal axis (at right angles) lock at the end of the line. I find this helps to create a smooth continuation of a previous line with an arc—a good way to construct a fillet (the concave transition surface between two other

wise intersecting surfaces).

You can determine the location of a specific point with the FIND command, snap the current grid to that point with SHIFT-GRID, and rotate the grid using NORMALTANGENT. You can even skew the grid for more variety. These are very powerful features for precision work. You can draw isometric projections in true scale or, if this is too confusing, call up two preset standard grids to restore your sanity.

The scale of the CAD-1 system is metric but the database units could just as well be feet or inches with decimal fractions. By the time you read this, CAD-1 expects to have automatic dimensioning with feet and inches (requiring a Saturn RAM expansion board to boost the Apple to 192K bytes of RAM), but currently dimensioning must be done manually.

With the NIB command you can determine the spacing between, and the direction of, the fill elements. This allows you to shade objects, giving dimension to your drawings.

There are some software limitations in CAD-1. I did not see a provision for entering data-point coordinates manually from the keyboard, either relative to the origin (0,0), relative to the current point, or using polar coordinates (angle and distance from a point). The ability to draw on layers, turning them on and off to display dif

BYTE May 1984 239

a

u

II

I t

PS

better than one

Is your Apple's 6502 processor chip a little overworked lately? Have you been eyeing one of those new, 16-bit systems? But you don't want to give up all your Apple programs ...

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Trademarks: "Apple": Apple Computer, "CP/M": Digital Research, "MS-DOS": Microsoft.

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At a Glance

Name

Robographics CAD-l

Type

Computer-aided design |CAD) software

Manufacturer

Chessell-Robocom Corporation 111 Pheasant Run, Suite 2B Newtown, PA I8940 Mr. Peter Kendall (215) 968-4422

Format

Apple DOS 3.3 5'/4-inch floppy disks

Language

Assembler

Computer

Apple II or Apple lie

Software required

None other than the program

Documentation

167-page, 6- by 9-inch manual

Price

S1095 including hardware input device

Comments

CAD-l provides fast, powerful, and easy-to-use computer-aided design capability on an Apple II or Apple He

ferent elements of your drawing, is also missing. In addition, only one text font is provided and it is only adequately attractive.

Zooming

CAD-l's ability to zoom into an area of the drawing helps to overcome the display monitor's limitations. For example, when you zoom into (or window) a particular room of a floor plan you are drawing, that room will fill the entire monitor screen. You can see more detail and you can draw with greater precision. The width of the screen could represent, for example, 1 inch, 1 foot, or 1 mile.

The concept of zooming is important to understand. CAD-l provides a window into your drawing. Consider a 24- by 36-inch drawing. With CAD-l, you can see as much of that area as you want at a time. You can draw a border on the drawing and then zoom in to a 9- by 12-inch area to do some detailed work. You can zoom in further to a 1-inch square and draw at 0.001-inch precision. In effect, you are scrolling a window (often called a viewport) over the surface of a larger drawing. Zooming back to the full-size drawing condenses all that detail into a relatively small area on the screen. This doesn't have any effect on the final plot, however; the full 24by 36-inch image is plotted to scale depending on output device capability.

240 BYTE May 1984

MOST ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE TURNS WORK STATIONS INTO BATTLE STATIONS.

When you have Champion Accounting Software, your personnel can leave the combat zone. Because Champion* gives you the performance you need, without a fight.

Champion is written in dBASE II** on one convenient disk. And its features make conventional accounting software obsolete.

YOU CAN SEE.

Other software dealers will tell you what they

think their product will do. Only Champion

dealers will show you how the software

performs:

• Help function provides users with clear,

concise, on-line answers to questions about

Champion.

Unparalleled recovery program automatically puts the user's books back in balance in the event of a crash. 1 Real time updating. All filesare simultaneously updated when data is entered.

PRAISED BY EXPERTS.

"It performs extremely well... If you are looking for a good, competitively priced, fully integrated accounting package... take a close look at this one."

Amanda Hixson

INFOWORLD. 9.83

"... users will find this to be a very comprehensive software package with several attractive features that make it superior to its competition."

Carl Heinz, CPA

INTERFACE AGE, 8 83

For more about Champion performance, see the Champion dealer nearest you. And get the accounting software system that lets you work in peace.

Champion is a registered trademark ol Champion Soltware Corpoiatlon ' dBASE II is a registered trademark ol Ashlon-Tate.

Champion Software Corporation

Formerly:

Data Base Research Corporation

66 South Van Gordon, Suite 155

Lakewood, CO 80228, (303) 987-2588

BUSINESS ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE

Circle 497 for Dealer Inquiries. Circle 498 for End-User Inquiries.

;X

CALL (303) 987-1588 F

JaS'vJM' ■■&'/■':^.*&■■'■?■'■'' " .,';-:«::'

FREE DEMONSTRATION

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Drawing Size

Each drawing holds up to 3000 bytes of information. For example, a line takes 10 bytes, an arc 15, a circle 8, a nib fill pattern 18, text 10 (plus 1 byte per letter). When the workspace fills up, the system notifies you with a beep. This is where CAD-1 gets creative. It is obvious that 3000 bytes is not much room for a detailed drawing. CAD-1 lets you store the work you have done in a library on disk. Within one library file you are allowed three pages of drawings. The number of drawings you can keep on each page varies from 4 to 64. Put simple images like letters on the 64-division page and more complex drawings on the 4-division page where you can save more detail.

Once you store your drawing in a library slot, you can return to the drawing editor, clear the screen, and draw another 3000-byte image. You can also store this drawing in a library and return to do another and so on until the memory is used up. Then you can copy back the stored library images to your current drawing. As the images come in, you can freely scale them by x and y and rotate them in increments of 5 degrees (by turning the rotating dial on the input device). Once copied, they are treated as one entity and occupy only 20 bytes in your current drawing. You can assemble about 150 of these drawings within the new drawing and then save that drawing as a library image. When copied into another drawing, this image also takes only 20 bytes of memory. This procedure can go on until the disk space is used up.

Developing large drawings with CAD-1 is a process of assembling smaller drawings that have been stored in the library. A certain amount of preorganization is, therefore, required to do complex drawings. You can even copy library items from different library disks into your current drawing. When the current screen is full, simply save the increasingly complex image to an available library slot and continue, incorporating it in another drawing. Animation effects can be developed by creatively interacting with the library images and the drawingregeneration process.

There are some limitations associated with using library images that ought to be mentioned. When you copy a complex drawing in from the library, you can't edit it in detail. However, you can edit the original library image after which all references to it reflect the revisions. You can also print/plot your library pages for reference in assembling your drawings. Needless to say, this is a clever way of overcoming the RAM limitations of the Apple. The real drawing size limitation becomes the available disk space.

Since the regeneration of your drawing slows down in proportion to the drawing size, it makes more sense to assemble large drawings by overlaying a series of smaller drawings onto your plotter rather than by trying to fit everything into one drawing. Nevertheless, significant capability is available and one Apple disk will store several 24- by 36-inch plots with an average amount of detail.

Packaging

CAD-1 documentation consists of one 6- by 9-inch manual with typeset pages printed on one side. The manual contains three sections, Getting Started, Basic Drawing, and Precision Drawing, and eight appendixes covering subjects like library archives, constructing lines with a given angle and length, creating symmetrical drawings with the mirroring function, discussion of the plotting utility and the options available, and others. The manual is well illustrated with a good tutorial. It needs double-sided pages and a good section on CAD basics, though.

The package includes an intelligent plot utility on a separate disk with a variety of options. You can search the library pages for the image you want to plot and window the appropriate area. You can change line types or colors, choose predefined zoom and plot scales, and plot with dimensions in metric or English units (in decimals). The program automatically selects different pens on multipen plotters, and you can stop or pause the plot at any time—very handy if you need to change a pen.

The software is copy protected with one backup of the program disk supplied. There is a 90-day warranty against defects in material and workmanship after which disk replacement costs $10. Enhanced versions seem to be on the horizon, so check the company's update policy.

Conclusions

CAD-1 makes good use of the Apple computer. I am amazed at how much is possible with the processing power of the 8-bit 6502 chip. The accompanying hardware input device provides a very friendly interface; however, it is nice to see that a selection of digitizer devices and plotters is also supported.

CAD-1 is written in fast assembly language and uses floating-point math for very high precision capability. The drawing library is a very strong feature. The ability to copy library drawings into the current drawing with minimal RAM overhead makes large drawings possible within the limitations of addressable RAM. Automatic dimensioning in feet and inches will be a welcome addition.

Like all CAD systems, this package needs a graphics processor/monitor combination with higher resolution to take full advantage of its capabilities. Running the program requires too much disk-shuffling, especially for more complex drawings. A hard-disk version is needed along with more addressable RAM and an MS-DOS version. Currently the program runs on the IBM PC with a Quadlink card installed. A true MS-DOS version is planned for release in 1984.

This software appears as somewhat of a sleeper, like a Ferrari engine in a Volkswagen. It is worth checking out, especially if you plan some serious drawing with an Apple computer. ■

Rik Jadrnicek is president of Micro Flow (FOB 1147, Mill Valley, CA 94942), a microcomputer consulting firm. When he isn't writing or playing with microcomputers, Rik likes sailing and traveling.

242 BYTF. May 1984

Star Polish

TM

Polished WordStar® is a Sight to Behold

StarNiish™ On-screen attributes include;

UHt

italics uMejiliBi

mbscpjpts 1«»,tf scripts and MJia^jflS

Technical Character's:

* X**Mif#VEcf3V*f rut *a/t|s#tds* to&0

What You See is What You Get...and MORE

On-Screen Enhancements:

With Color Adaptor and Monitor:

Bold, underline, sub and superscript, italic,

and technical With Monochrome Adaptor:

Bold and underline. Others indicated on status line Custom Level 3 Help Screen

Replaces need for keyboard template for

keystroke savings

WordStar Compatibility - No Retraining

Keystrokes

User has option of keystroke saving techniques Files

Old WordStar files accessible

Polished WordStar files accessible by

standard WordStar Utilities

Use of MailMerge®, SpellStar®, Starlndex® is

not affected

Printer Support Enhanced Too!

Get the most from your dot matrix or ink jet printer without worrying about an assembly language patch. A menu of popular printers gives you automatic installation of all features. A custom installation question/answer session is available for printers not on the menu.

Versions Now Available For:

IBM PC® and PC-XT® PC Compatibles Victor 9000®

$125.00

Md. Customers add 5% Sales Tax

ffl . ffl

visa:

We've made WordStar a lot more likeable!

StarPolish is a trademark of TDI Systems, Inc.

WordStar, MailMerge, SpellStar, Starlndex are registered trademarks of

MicroPro International Corp. IBM PC and PC-XT are registered trademarks of International Business

Machines, Corp. Victor 9000 is a registered trademark of Victor Technologies. Inc.

Circle 437 on inquiry card.

<&

TDI SYSTEMS, INC.

620 HungerforrJ Drive Suite 33

Rockville. Maryland 20850 1301) 340-8700

BYTE Mav 1984

243

lllll:

OUR AD

#B4

ALL MAIL: Conroy-LaPointe, Inc. 12060Garden Place, Portland, OR 97223 SHOWROOMSAT: PORTLAND, OR or SEATTLE, WA - BOTH OPEN M-SAT 10-6

HARDWARE for

APPLE II+IIe

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UMITED WARRANTY is 100% Kite S Lata for 90days by us

DISK DRIVES

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i 479 J 229

$ 100 J 79

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S 599 $299

$ 100 $ 79

1/2 HIGH ALPS, A40. Be« Drive, 163K $ 299 J199

noil/ft: TEAC, T40 Direct Drive, 163R $349 $239

umvco TEAC, T80 Double Sded.326K$ 449 $329

Controller Card by ComX $110 $ 59

Rana Elite I. 163K. 40 Track

_— Elite 2, 326K, 80 Track

mS Elite I, 652K 160 Track

■■» Elite Controller

$ 379 $259

S 649 $429

$ 849 $539

S 145 $ 89

RAM EXPANSION

* ALS. ADD Ram (11+) 16K J 100 $ 49

* ComX.80co! +64K RAM.Ior lie, 1 Yr.Wty J 199 $ 99

* RAM Card, 1 Yr.Wty, (11+] 16K $179 $39

* Microsoft. RAM Cirri (11+) 16K S 100 $ 69 » Titan/Saturn RAM Card (11+) 32K $249 $169

RAM Card (11+) 64K $425 $299

RAM Card |ll+| 128K i 599 $399

VIDEO CARDS

■ ALS. Smarterm ll(+oie) SPECIAL $ 179

i ComX. 80 col +64K RAM(lle) 1 yr. wty. $ 199

+ Vfdex, Video Term 80 col.

* UltraTerm (+ or e)

Soft Video Switch (11+) Enhancer II (11+) Function Strip (11+)

We Have Full Mldex Line. Call.

ore)

$279 $379 $ 35 $149 $ 39

MISCELLANEOUS

ALS, The CP/MCard V3.0I+ore) $399

Z-Card|+ore) $169

ASTAR. RF Modulator, to use TV $ 35

* CCS, Serial Interlace 7710 (Set BAUD) $ 150 Chalkboard, Power Pad $100 EasUide. Wild Caid (copier. 11+ only) $ 110

Wild Caid 2 (copier, + or e) $ 140

Kensington. System Saver $ 90

Key Tronic, KB200keyboard |ll+) $298

Koala, Touch Tablet w /Micro Illustrator $ 125

Kraft Joystick (Ap 11/11+) $ 65

Paddle(Ap 11/11+) $ 50

M&ftSup R Ian |+ or e) $ 50

* Microsoft, Z80 Softcard (+ or e) $ 345

* Z80Softcard Plus (+ ore) $465

* Z80SoHcardPremium|ll+) $695

* Z80SoftcardPremmm|lle) $495 MicroTek, Dumpling 64, Buffer $ 349

* Orange Micro, Grappler Plus (e or +) $ 175

I6K Buffer Board lor Grappler Plus S 175

Buffered Grappler Plus, 16K $ 245

Paymar, Lower Case Chip, Rev, 7(11+) $ 50

+ PCPI, Applicant. 14 leatures 6Mfiz $ 375

RH Electronics, Super Fan II $ 75

* Titan/Saturn, Accelerator II $ 599 Transend/SSM. AI0II, Serial/Para l/F $ 225 TG Products, Game Paddles (11+) $ 40

Joystick (11+) $ 60

Videx, PSI0 l/F Card $229

WICO, Mouse, Complete $179

$129 $ 99 $189 $279 $ 25 $ 99 $ 29

$279 $109

$ 65

$219 $ 85 $ 49 $ 39 $ 39 $345 $465 $479 $339 $269 $119 $119 $179 $ 39 $275 % 59 $449 $169 $ 29 $ 45 $169 $119

SOFTWARE for APPLE II+IIe

BUSINESS

* Applied Soft Tech., VersaForm $ 389 $ 259 Artsci. Magic Wndow II $ 150 $ 99

Magic Combo(Wind,MailSWords) $225 $149

* Ashton-Tate, dBase II (Req CP/M 80) $ 700 $ 385

Friday (Requires CP/M 80 $295 $199

BPI Systems, GLAR,AP,PR or INV.each $ 395 $ 269

* Broderbund, Bank St. Wntei or Spell.es. $ 70 $ 45 Continental, GLAR.AP or PR each $ 250 $ 165

+ Home Accountant $ 75 $ 49

Tax Advantage $ 70 $ 47

Dow Jones, Market Analyzer $ 350 $ 275

Market Manager $300 $235

Market Microscope $ 700 $ 525

Fox & Geller, Qoickcode or dGraph, ea. $ 295 $ 185

dutilrty (lor dBase II) $ 99 $ 66

Hayden, Re Writer (Specify 80 col bd) $150 $ 99

* Howard Soft. Tax Preparer, 1984 $250 $185 UK, Letter Perfect w/Mail Merge $150 $ 99 Micro Pro, (all require Z80-CP/M Card)

* WordStar w/apphcard SCP/M SPECIAL $ 495 $295 InloStarw/applicard&CP/M SPECIAL $495 $295 WordStar'" + Training Manual SPECIAL $ 495 $239 SpellStar'"orMailMerge'-,ea. SPECIAL $ 250 $129

* WordStar Professional. 4 Pak SPECIAL $ 895 $ 395 Options Pak. SS/MM/SI $295 $175

Microsoft, Multi-F1an|CP/M or Apple DOS) $250 $169

* Osborne/ComX, (Disk and Book) (Stat., Bus. S Math) " $ 49

$ 49

$239 $249 $149 $499 $195 $139 $ 85

Some Common Basic Programs(75 ea.) $ 100

Practical Basic Programs(40ea.) $100 Peachtree, Requires CP/M & MBasic. 64K

Series 40GL&AR SAP, all 3 $395

PerfectPerlect Writer /Speller-2 pak $ 399

Perfect Filer or Perfect Calc. each $ 249

Perfect Writer/Spel/Filer/Calc(4) $969

Pearlsoft, Personal Pearl $ 295

Quark, Word Juggler & Lexicheck (He) $ 189

Sensible, Sen, Speller or Bookends, ea. $ 125

Sierra/On-line, Screenwriter Pro, 2 Pak $200 $135

Screenwriter II $130

The Dictionary NEW! $ 100

$ 89 $ 69

Gen Manager ll-NEWI $ 230 $ 155

Homeword $ 50 $ 34

* Silicon Valley. Word Handler $ 60 $ 39

* list Handler $ 50 $ 35

* Handler Pak (Word. List & Spell) $130 $ 89 Software Publishing. PFS: File $ 125 $ 84 (specify + or e| PFS: Report $125 $ 84

PFS: Graph $ 125 $ 84

PFS: Write (lie) $125 $ 84

Stoneware, DB Master Version 4.0 $350 $229

DB Utility I or II $ 129 $ 87

Advanced DB Master $595 $495

VisiCorp. Visicalc 3.3(11+}

$250

$169

Visicalc Enhanced (lie)

$250

$179

Visicalc Advanced (lie)

$295

$210

Visilile 01 VisiDrx. each

j 250

$ 179

UTILITY & SYSTEM

BeagJe, Apple Mechanic or Diskqmk, ea

$ 30

$ 22

Doubl?-Taheor GPLE. each

$ 35

$ 25

Typefaces (Req. Ap. Mechanic)

$ 20

$ 15

DOSS Boss of Utility City, each

$ 30

$ 22

Tip Disk HI

$ 20

$ 15

Pronto DOSS

$ 30

$ 20

Alpha Plot

$ 40

$ 27

Central Point, Filer, DOS S3 & Util.

$ 20

$ 15

> Copy 11 Plus (bit copier)

$ 40

$ 30

Einstein, Compiler -Applesoft BASIC

$ 129

$ 85

Epson, Graphics Dump

$ 15

$ 9

Hayes, Terminal Prog.(SM or MM.ea.)

$100

$ 65

r Insoft, GraFORTH by Paul Lulus

$ '5

$ 59

Microsoft, A.LD.S

$ 125

$ 85

Fortran 80

$195

$135

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$ 100

$ 75

Penguin, Complete Graphics System II

$ 70

$ 53

Graphics Magician

$ 60

S 41

Phoenix, Zoom Grafix

$ 40

$ 34

Quality, Bag of Tricks

$ 40

$ 29

Terrapin, Logo

$150

$ 99

LHilico, Essential Data Duplicator III $ 80 $ 49

Atari. Centipede, PacMan or Donkey K.,ea

$ 35

$ 28

Beagle Bros., Beagle Bag

$ 30

$ 22

Bluechip. Millionaire

$ 60

$ 40

Broderbund, ChopJrtter or Lode Runnecea

$ 35

$ 25

Arcade Machine

$ 60

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Apple Pane

$ 30

$ 21

BudgeCo.. Prnba'i Constr. Set

$ 40

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Continental. Home Accoontant

$ '5

$ 49

Datasoft, Aztec or Zaxxon, each

$ 40

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Davidson, Math Blaster!

$ 50

$ 34

Edu-Waro. (large Inventory)

Call

Hayden, Sargon II (Chess)

$ 35

$ 29

Sargon III (Chess)

$ 50

$ 34

Infooom, Zork 1,11,111. or Starcross, each

$ 40

$ 27

Koala, Full line in stock. CALL

Call

Learning Co., (large Inventory)

Call

Micro Lab, Miner 2049er

$ 40

$ 2/

Microsoft, Typing Tutor

$ 25

$ 17

Monogram, Dollars and Cents

$100

$ 69

Origin, Ultima III

$ 60

$ 40

Scarborough/Lightning. Mastertype

$ 40

$ 27

Sierra/On-Line, Ultima II

$ 60

$ 40

Sir-Tech, Wizardry

$ 50

$ 39

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$ 30

$ 20

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$ 50

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OKIDATA ML80

80cps, Pin feed, 80 col., 132 col. conden. 96ASCII, Graphics, Parallel List Price $299 COMBO A $549 save $450

ML80 + dBase II (Apple or IBM) COMBO B $494 save $500

ML80 + WordStar + Mail Merge + SpellS1ar+ Star Inde* (Apple or IBM)

COMBO C $474 save $520

ML80 + Applicard (CP/M + 13 Features) + WordStar or InloStar (Apple II +/e)

COMBO D $397 save $550

ML80 ♦ 50Generik'"DS/DD diskettes * Bank Street Writer Home Accountant Plus + 3 Insoft Trrx educational games. (IBM-PC)

COMBO E $291 save $420

M180 + 50Generik-SS/SD diskettes + Bank Street Writer + Insoft 3 game pak + Home Accountant (Apple II +/e)

NEC PC-8201A $649

Includes word processing and 13 other programs; 32K ROM & 16K RAM both expandable to 64K; RS232. Disk, Printer, Cassette and Bar Code interfaces built-in; AC or DC. Complete line in stock. Computer, PC820LA, 16K164K $ 800 $649 Data Recorder, PC8281A $115 $ 99

Printer,PC8221ATherrnal,40cot $ 170 $ 149

SEC

• MEANS A BEST BUY

DISKETTES

CDC. lOOea SS/DD. 40T (Apple, IBM) lOea SS/DD. 40T (Apple. IBM) lOOeaDS/DD, 40T(IBM, H/P) lOeaDS/DD. 40T (IBM. H/P) DYSAN, lOeaSS/SD (Apple, etc.)

10eaDS/TJD48T(IBM,H/P,etc) MAXELL lOeach.MDl. SS/DD 10 each. MD2 DS/DD VERBATIM, lOea MD525-01. SS/DD 10eaMD34,DS/DD

LIST PRICE

$550 $ 55 $750 $ 75 $ 69 $ 89 $ 55 $ 75 $ 49 $ 84

$239 $ 26 $295 $ 35 $ 39 $ 49 % 29 $ 39 $ 25 $ 35

GENERIK'" DISKETTES-AS LOW AS $1

W/Jackers, no labels, top quality 90 day limited warranty by us

10 eaSS/SD, 35 Track (Apple, Atari) $ 42 $ 17

100 ea SS/SD, 35 Track (Apple, Atari) $415 $130

lOOOeaSS/SD, 35Track (Apple,Atarr) $4150 $995

lOeaDS/DD, 48TPI (IBM, H/P) $ 63 $ 25

lOOeaDS/DD.48TPI (IBM.H/P) $626 S 170

lOOOea DS/DD. 48TPI (IBM. H/P) $6260 $1400

NO HASSLE MONEY BACK GUARANTEE ON GENERIK S

MODEMS aND

ACCESSORIES

LIST PRICE

OUR

PRICE

ANCHOR. Signalman MKI (RS232)

Signalman Mark XII HAVES. IBM-PC Smartmodem 1200B IBM-PC Smartcom II Software Stack Chronograph (RS-232) Stack Smartmodem 300(RS-232) $289 $225 Smartmodem 1200 (RS-232) Micromodem lOO(S-lOObus) Micromodem lie w/Smartcom IBM PC to Modem Cable NOVATION

IBM-PC Access 1-2-3 Package Apple Cat II Modem, 300 BAUD 212 Apple Cat 1200 BAUD Cat J-Cat

212 Auto Cat Smart Cat 103/212 TRANSEND/SSM. Transend 1 for Apple II ModemCard for the Apple II Transmodem 1200

$ 75

$399 $269

$599 $439

$ 149 $ 109

$249 $189

— $225 $535

$399 $275

$329 $239

$ 39 $ 29

$595 $445

$389 $269

$725 $559

$189 $139

$149 $104

$695 $579

$595 $415

$ 89 $ 69

$299 $259

$695 $559 SOFTWARE-SEE APPLE OR IBM UTILITY SOFTWARE SECTIONS

GENERIK™ DISKETTES

Each at lOOOquantity.

SSSD $1.00 Each DSDD $1.40 Each

A

(or the ATARI

RANA 1000 Drive. 320K $449 $369 KOALA. Pad w/Micro lllus. $ 100 $ 75

MONITORC TERMINALSAND IVIUrXI lUnO ACCESSORIES

I AMDEK. 12"Green, #3003 12" Amber. K300A 12"Amber, »310Afor IBM-PC ■ 13" Color I, Composite 13" Color II, RGB, Hi Res DVM, Color II or III to Apple II l/F 13", Color IV, RGB, 720Hx400V NEC, 12" Green, Model 1260MA 12" Green, Model 1201MA 12" Amber, Model 1205MA 12"Color,RGB.1216FA(lBM8NEC-PC) $599 12" Color, Composite, 1215A(Apple) $ 399 PRINCETON, RGB Hi Res, HX-12 RGBHiRes.SR-12 Ambei, MAX- 12(Mono Brd.) QUADRAM, Quadchrome 12" RGBColor Quadscreen 17" 968x512 ZENITH, 12" Green. Mdl. ZVM123 NEW! $ 200 12" Amber. ZVM124 (IBM-PC) $200

$200 $210 $230 $379 $529 $199

$150 $199 $210

$795 $799 $249 $695 $1995

$135 $149 $169 $289 $439 $175 Call $109 $149 $159 $449 $299 $499 Call Call $495 $1495 $ 99 $115

PRINTERS £%

DOT MATRIX:

LIST PRICE

$ 399 $ 699 $ 895 $ 995 $ 15 $ 798 $1098 $ 399 $ 599 $ 895 $ 50 $ 349 $ 749 $ 599 $ 999 $2695 $2995

EPSON, RX80, 100 cps FX80, 160cps FX100. 160cps

MX100F/T. 80cps,w/Graftrax + Apple II Graphics Dump MANNESMANN 16(1. 80 col 16Lcps TALLY. 180L132COI. 160cps

Spirit 80 col 80cps NEC. PC-8023A FT, 120cps. BOcol. para PC-8025, 120cps, 136col. para Cable, 8023/8025 to IBM-PC OKIDATA. 82A, 80 col, 120 cps, para. 83A, 132 col. 120 cps, para. 92 80 col, 160 cps. para. 9a 136 col, 160 cps, para. 2350P,Pacemark,350cps,para 2410P,Pacemark. 350cps,para. ORANGE MICRO.Grappler+. for Apple PRACTICAL, Mraobufl In-Line 64K,Para.

Mcrobull In-line 64K.Ser

QUADRAM. Quadtel Jet Color Printer

. STAR MIC, Gemini 10"X,120cps,23K

Gemini 15TU20cps,2.3K

LETTER QUALITY:

NEC. 15LQ, 14cps, Para,w/TF. lOlcol 35LQ, 31cps, Para,w/TF, 132col * TTX, 1014, 13cps, Para.SSer, Pin&Fric.

INTERFACES:

IBM-PC tp Epson or Star Micro. Cable Apple I /F & Cable lor Epson or Gemini Microfazer. w/copy, PP. BK, lfMP8w/PS Microfazer, w/copy, PP, 64K, »MP64 w/T>S $ 319 $ 219 Microfazer. w/copy. PP, 128K, w/PS $ 465 $ 295

Microfazer, Snap-on. 8K, PP, Epson w/PS $ 179 $ 145 Microfazer, Snap-on. 64K. PP, Epson w/PS $ 319 $235 All Mjcrofazers are expandable (w/copy to 512K) (Snap-on to 64K) SUPPLIES: Tractor Feed Paper. Ribbons, Daisy Wheels.

0U> PRICE

$ 299

$ 549

$ 739

$ 545

$ 9

$ 568

$ 778

$ 299

$ 439

$ 775

$ 40

Call

Call

Call

Call

Call

Call

$ 119

$ 259

$ 259

Call

$ 289

$ 439

$ 695 $1335 $ 649

$ 60 $ 95 $ 189

$ 525 $ 995 $ 459

$ 35 $ 59 $ 129

fVl

41CX Calculator NEW! $325 $275 41C, Calculator $ 195 $ 149

43CV. Calculator W/22K $ 275 $ 219

HYPERION .Portable Computer (3690 $2990

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244 BYTE May 1984

Forney Computer Exchange

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$ 60

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Micro Lab. Miner 2049er

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Microsoft, Typing Tutor

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Origin, Ultima III

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BYTE May 1984 245

Software Review

Two More Versions of C for CP/M

A benchmark comparison of Q/C and Eco-C

David D. Clark Pennsylvania State University

In recent years the C programming language has generated a great deal of interest. Small, concise, fast, powerful, and offering many operators, it provides both systems-implementation and applications-programming capabilities. C compilers for microcomputers have virtually exploded onto the marketplace in the past two years. I reviewed two of the newer releases: Q/C, written by Jim Colvin and distributed by The Code Works, and Eco-C from Ecosoft.

Q/C Version 3.0

Q/C is a fairly complete implementation of the C compiler unless you require floating-point capabilities. It comes in two basic forms: 8080, which requires either Digital Research's RMAC assembly language or Microsoft's M80 assembly language, and Z80, which works only with the M80 assembly language. It is a single-pass, recursive-descent compiler that takes its input from a file, passes it through a "window," and produces an assembly-language file.

Originally derived from Ron Cain's small-c compiler (see reference 1) and tremendously increased in power through several major revisions, Q/C 3.0 is now a subset of the Unix Version 7 C compiler from Bell Laboratories. It lacks:

•variable types•bit fields •casts •sizeof •typedef

-long, float, and double

•local declarations in compound statements •parameterized #define statements •type specifiers on function declarators (all functions return integers)

The Z80 package includes an excellent paperback user's manual and a disk containing an executable version of the compiler, a program to change the defaults, a relocatable version of the function library, and the source text for the compiler and the library. You must buy the M80 (or the RMAC) assembly language separately.

The manual first explains how to compile, assemble, and link a small program. Then it goes into more detail, explaining the command-line options (see table 1), redirection, assembly-language interfacing, the standard library, and the internal workings of the compiler itself. The manual is readable and complete.

Eco-C Version 1.52

Eco-C from Ecosoft has a three-pass compiler. First, the preprocessor accepts a C program as input and writes an intermediate token file to disk; then the C parser program writes an intermediate code file; finally, the code-generation pass reads the intermediate code file and generates an assembly-language output file. If the parser pass detects a bug, it calls an error-handling program to print a message telling where the error occurred and to abort the compilation.

The Eco-C compiler attempts to adhere strictly to standard C's syntactic and semantic rules. It is a very complete implementation lacking only:

246 BYTE May 1984

At a Glance

Name

Q/C C compiler

Version

3.0

Manufacturer

The Code Works POB 6905

Santa Barbara, CA 93160 |805) 683-1585

Price

595

Computer needed

8080- or Z80-based CP/M with at least 56K bytes of memory and at least one disk with a capacity of 240K bytes (two are recommended)

Documentation

136-page paperback manual

Audience

Systems and application-software developers, hobbyists

At a Glance

Name

Eco-C C compiler (including M80 assembly language)

Version

1.52

Manufacturer

Ecosoft Inc.

POB 68602

Indianapolis, IN 46268-0602

(317) 255-6476

Price

S350

Computer needed

Z80-based CP/M or MP/M 2.0 or later versions, with at least 56K bytes of memory and at least one disk with a capacity of 240K bytes (two are recommended)

Documentation

61-page loose-leaf manual: a 186-page loose-leaf manual also is included describing Microsoft's Utility Software Package, included with the compiler

Audience

Systems and application-software developers

•bit fields •initializers

•parameterized #define statements •the #line preprocessor directive

•macro expansion in a compound expression following an #if preprocessor directive

•redirection of standard I/O (input/output) (This is the responsibility of the operating system, not the compiler. However, many versions of C for CP/M provide the function in a library routine.)

-a Generate an assembly-language file for Digital

Research's RMAC assembly language. This option is not available with the Z80 version.

-c Generate a commented assembly-language file.

-d Send output to the console rather than a disk file.

This is useful for debugging.

-i Toggle initialization of large arrays. When turned off,

arrays larger than 128 bytes will not be initialized to zeros.

-I Do a library generation. Each function encountered

will be written to a separate file.

-m Generate an assembly-language file for Microsoft's

M80 assembly language. This option is not available with the Z80 version.

-o Specify a name for the output file.

-r Toggle the inclusion of redirection capability into the

compiled program. When turned on, a larger version of the run-time initialization routine is included that allows redirection of standard I/O from the command line.

-s Generate ROMable code with an optional specifica

tion of the stack starting address.

-t Generate trace messages in the compiled program.

When turned on, code is generated to print a message of the form ">function-name" on entry to each function and "< function-name" on exit.

-v Toggle the compiler between verbose and terse

mode. In verbose mode, the compiler displays progress messages as it proceeds.

Table 1: The Q/C compiler command-line options.

The Ecosoft package consists of a loose-leaf user's manual and a disk containing the software. Microsoft's Utility Software Package, a standard software component, is included. It contains the M80 relocating macro assembly language, L80 linking loader, LIB80 librarymanagement program and CREF80 cross-reference utility. Because the M80 assembly language comes with the compiler, you don't need any additional software to use the system.

The manual for Eco-C contains instructions on how to get started, command-line options (see table 2), some programming hints, a description of the standard library, and various details on how to work with the system. Some packages also come with a copy of the C Programming Guide, an easy-to-understand introduction to Cby Jack Purdum, Ecosoft's president.

Benchmarks

To compare the relative performances of various implementations of the C programming language, I ran benchmarks on a "generic" CP/M-based system consisting of a Teletek Systemaster with a 4-MHz Z80A, a Heath H19A terminal, and two 8-inch, double-density doublesided Mitsubishi disk drives. The CP/M 2.2 operating

BYTE May 1984

247

-0

-snnn

-unnn

-ns or -nu

Turns off most of the progress messages normally displayed by the compiler during its operation.

Uses the library in which getcharf) and putchar() do direct BDOS calls to CP/M for console I/O rather than passing through getcf) and putc(). The code generated is slightly smaller.

Tells the compiler to use the version of printff) for integers. If the program does not need to print floating-point numbers, this option should be used.

Specify a name for the output file.

Select the system libraries nnn at link time. There are 10 reserved system libraries. The only one implemented at the time of this writing is SLIBO, which contains the transcendental library.

Select the user libraries nnn at link time. This option is similar to the -s option. User libraries may contain whatever the user wishes.

Variations of the last two options. These options allow selection of a range of libraries. For example, -5u would search from ULIB5 down to ULIBO.

Table 2: The Eco-C compiler command-line options.

system had a 56K-byte TPA (transient program area) and the BIOS (basic input/output system) used 256-byte disk buffers.

I am including the BDS C compiler in some of the benchmark results to allow you to indirectly compare Q/C and Eco-C with other C compilers previously benchmarked against the BDS compiler. (The BDS compiler is one of the most popular and intensively examined versions of C for microcomputers.) (See reference 2.)

To measure the speed of compilation, assembly, and linkage, timing started when the Carriage Return was tapped at the end of the command line and stopped when the CP/M prompt line reappeared on the screen. Because of this, the times listed include the time required to load the compiler, assembly language, or linker and the time required to warm-boot CP/M (a total of 4 to 12 seconds depending on the program). To measure execution speeds, timing started when the first program message line appeared on the screen and stopped with the display of the program termination message. All timing, reported to the nearest half-second, was done on a handheld stopwatch.

The Q/C programs were compiled with the -i option, which directs the compiler not to initialize large arrays to zero. This results in a tremendous reduction in the size of some assembly-language files and the time required to assemble them. When you invoke this option, the system uses a DS (define space) assembly-language directive to allocate array space rather than a series of DB 0 (define byte 0) directives. If you don't require zero initialization, this option makes a great deal of sense.

With the exception of the floating-point benchmark, the Eco-C programs were compiled with the -i and -c options. The -i option says to use a version of the printfQ

function that doesn't format real numbers, resulting in smaller code size and slightly greater speed. The floating-point benchmark needs to perform output of real numbers so the -i option is inappropriate. The -c option tells the compiler to use the direct console I/O procedure in the CP/M BDOS (basic disk operating system) instead of passing console I/O characters through the file handlers. .Because Ecosoft doesn't supply the source of the printfO function, it is impossible to know how it handles character I/O.

The BDS versions were compiled with the -o and -e options. The -o option optimizes speed for some processes while it sacrifices space. The -e option gives the compiler the address where "external" variables should start. This allows direct reference to the variables (rather than indirect through a table), saving time and space. The BDS versions used the L2 linker from Mark of the Unicorn (222 Third St., Cambridge, MA 02142), which offers some advantages over the standard linker, CLINK (such as linking very large files by swapping part of the linkage tables to disk and replacing indirect table references with direct references, eliminating the tables, reducing code size, and moderately increasing speed). The L2 linker is included with the BDS compiler.

The Sieve of Eratosthenes

One of the most difficult parts of benchmarking is selecting the programs to use in the tests. Jim and Gary Gilbreath proposed what has since become a standard for comparing microcomputer compilers and interpreters—the "sieve" program (see reference 3). Listing 1 shows the standard version of the sieve program.

The benchmark used a variety of different compiler options to check how small variations in the code would affect program performance. Figures 1 and 2 and table 3 present the results of the sieve program.

The BDS C compiler doesn't support register or static allocation; therefore, those results are missing from the table. In the setmem examples, in addition to making the variables external, a call to the library routines to fill the array with the value TRUE replaces the following statement:

for (i = 0; i = SIZE; i++) flagsp] = TRUE;

This saves a substantial amount of time. So does the improved algorithm program supplied with Eco-C—proof that an intelligent programmer can usually create a quicker program than an intelligent compiler can.

The Eco-C and Q/C compilers require larger file sizes to hold their code because they include data space in the code files (see figure 3). The BDS C compiler places a pointer to the external variables' location in the code file and calls a runtime routine to initialize the external variables to zero when the program executes. Thus, the code file doesn't store the sieve program's flags array so the code size is about 8K bytes smaller for the BDS C compiler, which, therefore, doesn't support initializers.

248 BYTE May 1984

StorageMaster Fixed Disk builds stronger PCs three ways.

If you own an IBM PC, the new StorageMaster 500 Series Fixed Drives from Control Data give you three great advantages. • Larger capacity than IBM's fixed disk drive The StorageMaster 518 offers up to 18 megabytes of storage; the StorageMaster 530 capacity of 30 megabytes is the equivalent of 15,000

double-spaced typewritten pages.

• \bu can boot* (start up) from StorageMaster 500 Drives—no need to boot up from a flexible disk as with other drives.

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CONTRpL DATA

Listing 1: The sieve prime-number generator benchmark program. This is the same program as originally presented in "Eratosthenes Revisited" (see reference 3). This version is slightly different from the version presented in Christopher Kern's comparison of five versions of C for CP/M (see reference 2) in that there is no preprocessor directive to include the header file "stdio.h."

I* Eratosthenes Sieve Prine Nuaber Program in C */ •define TRUE 1 •define FALSE 0 •define SIZE 8190

char flagsCSIZE+l];

«ain{)

{

int i, prime, k, count, iter;

printfCIO iterations. \n ■) ; for (iter = lj iter <* 10; iter++) { count - 0; for (i = 0; i <= SI ZE; i++)

flagstil = TRUEj for (i * 0; i <= SIZE; i++) { if (flagsCill <

priie = i + i + 3;

for (k = i + priie; k <= SIZE; k += priie)

flagsm = FALSE) count++; ) ) ) printfCXd Xd\nu, priie, count);

VANILLA EXECUTION TIMES

1771 Q/C

BENCHMARK K3 ECO-C

U77X BDS

Figure 2: Comparative execution times for the various benchmarks.

AMOUNT OE CODE GENERATED

260

240 220 200

1B0

160

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

0

SIEVE BENCHMARK

CAL TIME

ggggg

WMM

Q/C

1771 COMPILE

ECO-C

C COMPILER [XS ASSEMBLE

vm LINK

Figure 1: A comparison of the cumulative program CAL (compile, assemble, and link) times for the sieve benchmark. (All figures were drawn with a Hewlett-Packard 7475A plotter.)

The long assembly and link times for Eco-C are the result of its method of initializing external arrays. The definition of C says that all external variables not initialized explicitly will be set to zero (see reference 4); therefore, the sieve program must initialize the external array flags to zeros before the program starts. In Eco-C the assembly language expands a macro containing the statement "DB 0" the required number of times, resulting in fairly small assembly-language files but very slow assembly.

FIBONACCI

SIEVE

1771 Q/C

Figure 3: Comparative code sizes for the various benchmarks.

BENCHMARK E3 ECO-C EZ3 BDS

Fibonacci Numbers

Another important measure of performance of any block-structured language is the speed at which it performs function calls. The calculation of Fibonacci numbers (1,1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13 ...) is naturally recursive (obtainable by a finite number of computations), and thus provides an excellent way to examine the speed of function calls. Christopher Kern presented a benchmark program (see reference 2), shown in listing 2, that calculates Fibonacci numbers recursively. Because Q/C doesn't allow type declarators on functions, I modified the program slightly to do that compilation.

Figures 2 and 4 present the results from the Fibonacci number benchmark program. There is a wide variation in execution speed for this program—a factor of three.

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251

Compiler Execution Times (in seconds)

vanilla Q/C 42 Eco-C 31 BDS 23

register 26 31

static 26 22

Improved external setmem algorithm

26 22

15

17 13

vanilla — the program compiled exactly as shown in the article

"Eratosthenes Revisited" register — the auto variables declared as register integers static — the auto variables declared as static integers external — the auto variables moved outside the main() function setmem — the library routines used to fill large blocks of memory

with a specified value improved algorithm — the improved version of the published

algorithm used

Table 3: The results of running the sieve benchmark program with various options and definitions of those options.

FIBONACCI NUMBER

BENCHMARK CAL TIME

Listing 2: The Fibonacci number-generator benchmark. This is the same program that originally appeared in Christopher Kern's article (see reference 2).

#include <stdio.h>

((define NTIMES 10 /* number of tines to compute Fibonacci value */ •define NUMBER 24 It biggest one He can compute with 16 bits • /

mai n()

(

int i;

unsigned value, fibO;

/* compute Fibonacci value */

print-f I'Xi iterations: ", NTIMES) |

for (i = 1; l <= NTIMES; i+t) value = fib(NUMBER);

printf ("Fibonacci (7.d) = 7.u.\n", NUMBER, value); exit(01;

unsigned fib(x) /* compute Fibonacci number recursively */

int x j

C

if <x > 21

return (fib(x - 1) + fib(x - 2) ) ; el se

return (1) ; >

Eco-C has a tortuous function-calling protocol. My opinion on this is based on the assembly-language interface description and the file produced. The compiler puts all sorts of stuff in the code file and on the stack and then calls a library routine to perform the function call. When control returns from the function, Eco-C calls another library routine to put the returned values in the right places—not an efficient way to do things. Eco-C is the most costly of the three in execution time while Q/C is intermediate between BDS C and Eco-C.

The similarity of the code-file sizes in this benchmark is interesting. The Fibonacci program doesn't contain a large array like the sieve program does; therefore, the program sizes for Q/C and Eco-C are comparable to BDS C's (see figure 3).

C COMPILER K3 ASSEMBLE

Figure 4: A comparison of the cumulative program CAL times for the Fibonacci benchmark.

Pointer Dereferencing

Because most sizable C programs make extensive use of pointers, a good compiler should generate efficient code for dereferencing them. The program in listing 3 attempts to test the capabilities of Q/C and Eco-C in this area. It declares a "structure" containing a single member with 20 levels of indirection (indirect addressing). The main program then declares a pointer to the structure through an additional 20 levels and repeatedly references the character located through these 40 levels of indirection. To compile this program with Q/C, you must increase the size of the compiler's "type table" from 35 to 50 entries using the included QRESET program.

Figures 2 and 5 show the results of the pointer-dereferencing program. BDS C can't parse the structure declaration and, therefore, is omitted from the results. Here Eco-C shines, producing a smaller, faster program (see figure 3).

It was more difficult than expected to create this benchmark. My first attempts produced programs that executed too quickly to be accurately measured. The program shown in the listing executes two million dereferencing operations and both compilers are fairly good at it.

Floating-Point Calculations

One nice feature of Eco-C is that it includes floatingpoint variables. The matrix-multiplication program presented by Jerry Pournelle (see reference 5) was rewritten in C to test floating-point speed. Listing 4 shows the resulting program. Because all arrays in C start with an index of 0, some changes occur in the for loops, the final answer changes to 383740.00000, and the implicit data type conversions in Dr. Pournelle's program become explicit with the use of casts. Because C does all its floatingpoint calculations in double-precision, the matrices are

252 BYTE May 1984

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BYTE May 1984 253

Listing 3: The pointer-dereferencing program. This program declares a fairly simple structure with 20 levels of indirection then a variable that is a pointer to that structure through 20 additional levels of indirection. The program repeatedly references the character pointed to through the 40 levels of indirection.

»* deref.c — benchmark prograa to exaaine the efficiency ** of pointer dereferencing

•define LOOPS 50000 /* how nany loops »/ •define BELL 7 /* ASCII bell character */

struct cptrl (

char ************t#####*#****ptrl;

);

nain()

(

unsigned i;

char yekdorb;

struct cptrl «»«»t*«*»*t««»t««««»pointerj

printfflu loops\n", LOOPS);

for (i = 0; i <= LOOPS; i++)

yekdorb = »*##**####***##*****

(*#tf*###*t##*#*#*#t*pDinter).ptrl;

printf(*Zcfinished\n-, BELL); exit(O);

POINTER DEREFERENCING

BENCHMARK CAL TIME

C COMPILER E3 ASSEMBLE

Figure 5: A comparison of the cumulative program CAL times for the pointer dereferencing benchmark.

declared double, rather than float, which incurs the time necessary for repeated conversions. When the 22K-byte compiled program ran, it required 48 seconds to execute using 8-byte floating-point numbers.

Pros ...

Both Q/C and Eco-C have some nice attributes.

QC is a large subset of Unix Version 7 C for nonnumerical applications. It has an excellent manual and it includes the compiler's source code as well as the library's. Q/C is a modular compiler that doesn't seem difficult to modify if you want to produce code for a dif

ferent processor. The Code Works provides good support—I have received two updates at low cost. Overall, it is a reasonably quick compiler that produces fairly good code.

Eco-C also provides fairly good support with free updates for one year. When the first copy of my compiler had a problem, I found that Ecosoft already knew about the error and had shipped the corrected version. Eco-C also features strict adherence to standard syntax and semantics, making it easier to write portable programs. It has good numerical capabilities including an excellent transcendental-function library, and the LL(1) parsing strategy finds errors at the earliest possible point of detection (some other types of parsers scan past the error before detecting it and their error messages are confusing).

... and Cons

Q/C and Eco-C have one problem in common. The Microsoft M80 assembly language (as well as Digital Research's RMAC) only allows six significant letters in identifiers. The L80 linker and format for relocatable files allows up to seven, but this too is inadequate. This limitation often requires more foresight and care in naming variables than it really should. It would be nice to have a relocating macro assembly language that allowed at least eight significant characters in identifiers. (The relocating macro assembly languages supplied with the UCSD p-System do. Unfortunately, they are not available for CP/M.)

Q/C has no real problems. It runs well, produces acceptable code, is cheap, and is an incredible learning tool. However, sizeof and type specifiers on function declarators would be helpful. It looks like typedefs would be easy to add.

The Eco-C compiler is a disappointment after reading Ecosoft's glowing advertisements and paying its high price. When I bought this compiler, the ads proclaimed Eco-C as a full C compiler with no mention of any restrictions. A typical compile and link supposedly took only a minute or two. Since then, these claims have disappeared from the ads. Now the ads say that the package includes most of the library source code. My copy came with only one small runtime-initialization program in assembly language. Questions to the company about these problems received no response. (See the text box "Xtra, Xtra. . ." on page 256 for an update on these problems.)

One of the most annoying things about the Eco-C compiler is that it aborts compilation after detecting an error. It is impossible to continue scanning for additional syntax errors after finding one. If there are several trivial errors like missing semicolons, it takes a long time to compile a large program even though the LL(1) parsing scheme used by Eco-C is good at error recovery.

Eco-C generates lots of slow code for some applications. When BDS C or Q/C compiles a test program that involves filling the CRT (cathode-ray tube)screen with characters one at a time using cursor addressing, the

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Listing 4: A C-language version of the matrix-multiplication benchmark originally proposed by ]erry Pournelle (see reference 5).

• « aatault.c — a benchmark based upon the •atrix aultiplication

»« prograa given by Jerry Pournelle in Byte October 1982 p. 254.

it

•« Type conversions have been aade explicit Hith casts. Array

»* and loop indices now start at 0.

*l

•define H •define N •define BELL

20 20

7

char gup;

double suae, iIKHNl, bCNHA], cCHHNli

aain() {

suaa ■ 0.0;

print*("Hit any character to start\n")|

gup a getcharO;

filial);

printf("\nA filled\n");

fillb()|

printf("\nB filled\n">;

filled;

printf("\nC filled\n");

aataultd;

printf("\nMultiplied\n")j

suaaitO ;

printfCThe sua is: J20f\n", suaa)| putcharlBELL);

filial)

{

int i, j;

for (i a 0; i < M; i++)

for (j a 0; j < N; j++)

atiltjl - (double) i ♦ j;

fillbll

(

int i, j;

for (i • 0| i < N| i++)

for (j = 0; j < H| j+t)

bCiHj]■■ (double) (int) (li ♦ j)/j)|

filled

(

int i, j;

for (i = 0; i < H; i++)

for (j « 0; j < H| j++) etilljJ = (double) 0;

aataultd

{

int i, j, k;

for (i ■ 0; i < M| i++>

for (j - 0; j < N| j++)

for (k • 0; k < N| k++)

ctilljl ■ cClKj] ♦ aCillkltblkKjl;

suaait()

(

int i, j;

Xtra, Xtra ...

Since this article was written, some changes have been made to QIC and Eco-C. I have not, however, received review copies of the revisions.

Eco-C has a new version that supports initializers and parameterized macros that allow it to handle most programs written for Unix Version 7. Ecosoft also answered some of my questions concerning the source code for library functions. It seems that the source was distributed for a while but some bugs that were eventually traced to modified versions of the library were reported. Because of this, Ecosoft stopped distributing the source with the system. Advertising copy has presumably been changed but publishing lead times dictate that some of the old copy is still appearing in some magazines. Those who bought the compiler expecting the source code can get it by requesting it from Ecosoft. They must, however, state in their request letter that they understand no support for the library, therefore, will be offered by Ecosoft.

A new version of Q/C has also been announced by The Code Works. The new version (3.1) includes typedef, sizeof, type casts, function typing, and library functions to support large file buffers. These features should make Q/C one of the most complete C compilers available for nonnumerical applications.

for (i ■ 0; i < N; i++)

for (j = 0; j < H; j++) suaa » suaa + c[il[j]|

screen fills as fast as the terminal can accept characters. Eco-C takes twice as long and generates twice as much code as Q/C. This is apparently the result of the slow procedure-calling process.

Summary

As you may have guessed, I like Q/C and have mixed feelings about Eco-C.

Q/C, a large subset of the standard language and a good introduction to it, has a portable library and produces good code quickly. If you want to learn compiler construction techniques or modify the standard language, Q/C is the obvious choice.

Eco-C does everything claimed in its manual. It has the long, float, and double variable types required for many calculation-intensive programs—possibly the purpose behind its development. Eco-C also includes Microsoft's M80 assembly language—a nice extra for use with other packages. ■

References

1. Cain, R. "A Small-C Compiler for the 8080s." Dr. Dobb's Journal, May 1980, page 5.

2. Kern, C. O. "Five C Compilers for CP/M-80." BYTE, August 1983, page 110.

3. Gilbreath, J., and G. Gilbreath. "Eratosthenes Revisited: Once More through the Sieve." BYTE, January 1983, page 283.

4. Kernighan, B. W., and D. M. Ritchie. The C Programming Language. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall Inc., 1978, page 198.

5. Pournelle, J. "A BASIC and Pascal Benchmark, Elegance, Apologies, and FORTH." BYTE, October 1982, page 254.

Dr. David D. Clark (246 South Fraser St., 02, State College, PA 16801) is a post-doctoral research scholar in the department of chemistry at Pennsylvania State University. He has a B.A. in chemistry from Indiana Central University and a Ph.D. in biological chemistry from the University of Nebraska.

256 BYTE May 1984

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Circle 178 on inquiry card. BYTe May 1984 257

Hardware Review

Photo 1: The LNW-80 Model II microcomputer.

LNW-80

One user's glowing report

Mahlon G. Kelly University of Virginia

The LNW-80 Model II is a Z80-based, 8-bit microcomputer that evolved gradually from the old TRS-80 Model I. It is capable of running virtually all software and operating systems for the TRS-80 Models I, III, and 4 better than the TRS-80s do and of supporting a fullfeatured CP/M with 96K bytes of RAM (random-access read/write memory). Please note that this is not an objective review. I happen to believe that the LNW is the best 8-bit microcomputer you can buy. I'll try to tell you why.

While I'm an avid admirer of the TRS-80 Model I's basic design, the machine itself had a lot of faults. The Model III solved many of the severe problems but it didn't go far enough—no high resolution or color and only a 16 by 64 screen, for example. The Model 4 is better but it still doesn't provide color, Model I and III programs won't run in Model 4 mode, there's little flexibility in the types of disk drives supported, and CP/M and high-resolution graphics cost extra.

The LNW-80 Model II (see photo 1) lacks the limita

258 BYTE May 1984

tions of the TRS-80 Model 4. It has the excellent basic design of the TRS-80 Model I, none of its hardware problems, all the important features of the Model 4, and more. Like the Model 4, it has an 80 by 24 screen, highspeed operation (4 megahertz), and compatibility with CP/M.

But unlike the Model 4, it has high-resolution graphics, excellent color capabilities, and good compatibility with Model I, III, and 4 software, including all of the popular operating systems. It can also use almost any disk-drive configuration (including 8-inch and hard disks); its CP/M can read the most popular disk formats including IBM PC (Personal Computer), Osborne, Kaypro, Xerox, and industry standard 8-inch; and it's built better than any microcomputer I have seen.

In addition, the LNW comes with an incredible array of software, including several integrated small-business programs, a spreadsheet program, a word processor, a smart-terminal program, a TRS-80-compatible operating system, and a well-tailored version of CP/M. The software also includes an enhanced BASIC that supports the color and high-resolution features. The software alone, if purchased separately, would cost nearly the price of the whole package. While Osborne and Kaypro have been praised for their software, the LNW provides much more. LNW Research, the manufacturer, is planning an add-on board to provide software and hardware compatibility with the IBM PC. (They already produce addon boards for the IBM.)

The Company

The LNW-80 started life as a series of kits: the first one was for an improved TRS-80 expansion interface; the second, for a group of improvements over the TRS-80; and the third, an assembled board allowing double-density operation of both 5- and 8-inch disk drives. (The kits have been severely criticized for being complex and hard to build. If you're thinking of building the kit, buy the documentation and look it over first.) Eventually, these kits were combined in an assembled package that was completely compatible with TRS-80 hardware and software. The LNW Model I was similar to the TRS-80 Model I without its hardware problems and with high-resolution graphics, an 80 by 24 screen, color displays, upperand lowercase, and flexible support for different disk drives.

The Model II introduced CP/M compatibility, 96K bytes of bank-selected RAM, an improved BASIC, and a number of other features. It also included an internal loudspeaker, the use of gray tones to represent colors on a black-and-white monitor, and joystick ports. With the IBM compatibility will come even more flexibility and performance. Even with all these changes and additions, the LNW is extremely well integrated and as reliable as any microcomputer I have used.

LNW Research provides inexpensive upgrades to the owners of earlier models. For example, I recently paid $299.50 to add CP/M to my LNW Model I. The upgrade included the hardware installed by the factory and the

At a Glance

Name

LNW-80 Model II

Type

8-bit microcomputer supporting nearly all TRS-80 Models I, III, and 4 software and CP/M; color display, high-resolution graphics, 96K RAM, and 16K ROM with paging

Manufacturer

LNW Research Inc. 2620 Walnut St. Tustin, CA 92680

Price

SI 195

Supplied Software

DOSPLUS, CP/M 2.2, LNWBASIC (enhanced BASIC with graphics support and more), Electric Pencil, Electric Spreadsheet, Microterm |smart-terminal program), Chartex (business-oriented plotting program), Microsoft (Level II) BASIC, integrated smallbusiness package with general ledger, accounts receivable, accounts payable, payroll, and more

Hardware

Z80 microprocessor, RS-232C, parallel printer, joystick, tape recorder, bus and disk drive ports, full keyboard, internal speaker

Disk-Drive Support

Radio Shack and nearly all CP/M formats; both 5'/4-inch and 8-inch single- and double-density; Radio Shack and Apparat hard disks

Documentation

Large, easy-to-use operations and technical manuals and manuals for all software supplied with the computer; more than 9 inches in thickness; oriented to beginners, technical users, and programmers

Audience

Anyone looking for a top-of-the-line microcomputer with great flexibility and continued upgrades

CP/M software with LNW additions. Future upgrades are promised at very small prices.

The company also provides excellent software support. When LNW began including a lot of free software with the Model II, the company made it available to previous owners for only $299—almost a thousand dollars worth of software.

Although it's not available as I write this, the upgrade from CP/M 2.2 to CP/M Plus (a costly upgrade on most machines) is expected to cost $25. LDOS, giving TRS-80 Model III compatibility, is planned soon, and a version of DOSPLUS, for compatibility with the TRS-80 Model 4, is in the works. The IBM and 16-bit add-ons, which will plug into the bus and provide slots for a number of IBM cards, are also expected at a very reasonable price.

Physical Description

The LNW-80 measures 16.5 inches wide by 3.5 inches high and 22 inches deep (see photo 1). It weighs 26 pounds, most of it in the attractive 16-gauge steel case, a symbol of LNW Research's commitment to physical quality. A friend of mine who designs electronic equip

BYTE May 1984 259

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merit for the Navy looked over the machine's components and said it could survive on a battleship during combat. All edge connectors are gold-plated, all components are first quality, and most are soldered to the boards. (There are few loose connections with soldered joints.) There's a very quiet cooling fan and all connections (printer, disks, modem, etc.) are on the back of the case, which is open to provide easy access to the printedcircuit boards.

As a result the LNW is extremely reliable. It has an excellent power supply that seems to be immune to power fluctuations. Turned on almost continuously for 3 months, the only failures were due to a complete loss of power, and it can operate with line voltages from 90 to 130 volts.

The keyboard is excellent. It is mechanically like that of a Model I and thus needs software debounce (a timing loop that solves the problem of extra characters on the screen), but all operating systems now provide that. It has a numerical keypad like the Models I, III, and 4 with several additional keys for a total of 74. One is a control key for Electric Pencil or for Newscript that acts like a true control key when used with CP/M. Others are Caps Lock (which puts the computer into uppercase-only mode), Shift (which acts as if the Shift key were pressed), and High/Low (which chooses 1.7- or 4.0-megahertz operation). The four arrow keys are in a logically arranged cluster on the right-hand side of the keyboard, and there are three function keys that are LNWBASIC programmable. You may redefine nearly all of the keys using the CP/M mode or LNWBASIC. Finally, two widely separated reset keys reboot the machine when you press them simultaneously. Their placement keeps you from accidentally rebooting the system but may be a problem for some handicapped users.

The LNW has a Z80 processor and 96K bytes of RAM. In TRS-80 mode 48K is directly addressable by the user; the rest may be bank-selected. In CP/M mode the user, has almost 61K of RAM available; various drivers use the rest. I believe 61K is more RAM than any other 8-bit CP/M-compatible machine provides. You may add another six 4164-byte memory chips to give you three more screens of graphics display.

There are four boards in the case: the keyboard substrate, the main processor board, an expansion board analogous to the TRS-80's expansion interface, and a disk controller board. There's also a small loudspeaker and a joystick port that is hardware-compatible with Apple joysticks. A small muffin fan cools the machine, but the case becomes perceptibly warm after about an hour's use.

Graphics Features

The LNW has excellent color and high-resolution graphics. There are four modes: 0 is like the TRS-80; 1 provides high-resolution black and white (480 by 192 points) and an 80 by 24 character screen (if you use the proper software drivers); 2 gives you 8-color graphics with 160 by 192 resolution (much more than is available

260 BYTE May 1984

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BYTE May 1984 261

BUNK - switch blinking cursor on and off

memory to the video display

CALL address - execute a machine language program

PAINT

- fill in a bounded graphics space with color

CIRCLE - produce a circle, ellipse, or arc

PCLS

- clear the graphics memory or fill it with a specified

COLOR - specify the color of the next graphics command

color or value

CONV - convert between various hexadecimal and decimal

PGET

- save a part of the video display to an array

expressions

PLOAD

- load the graphics memory from a disk file

DEFKEY - define a string assigned to a key

PLOT

- specify dot and dash patterns in a plotted line

DESPOOL - send the contents of a file to a printer while

POFF

- turn off the echo from video to printer

continuing computation

POINT

- test a graphics point for color

DISKEY - show the defined keys

PON

- turn on the echo from video to printer

DLOAD filespec - load a machine-language program

PPUT

- put array specifications on the video screen

DO. . .UNTIL - do a loop until a condition is met

PRESET

- erase a specified pixel or point

DRAW string - draw a figure specified by "string"

PSET

- turn on a specified pixel or point

DRUN - exit LNWBASIC and run a command-level program

PSAVE filespec - save the hi-res memory to a disk file

FLS - fill the screen with a character or color

QUICKEY

- switch the abbreviated key entry on and off

GSUB name - go to a named or numbered subroutine

REPEAT

- switch the keyboard repeat and beep oh and off

GTO - branch to a named or numbered routine

REST

- restore a data pointer to the start of a line

HIMEM - set the high memory limit

RS232

- initialize the RS-232C interface

JOY - support use of joysticks

RSIN

- turn on (or off) input from the RS-232C interface

LABEL - name a line for a branch by name

RSOUT

- turn on (or off) output from the RS-232C interface

LCASE - switch lowercase on or off

SAVEKEY filespec - save defined keys to a disk file

LINE - draw a line between specified points

SOUND

- produce a tone of specified pitch, character, and

LOADKEY - load a file of defined keys

duration

LOC - locate a string in the program text

SPOOLOFF

- turn off spooling of printer output

MODE - set the graphics mode (see text)

SPOOLON

- turn on spooling of printer output

MOVE - move a block of memory

XSTRS(string) - execute a string as a BASIC statement (see

NTROFF - turn off the new trace facility

text)

NTRON - turn on the trace facility

ZGET

- similar to PGET but faster

PAGE - bank-select graphics displays from extended

ZPUT

- similar to PPUT but faster

Table 1: A summary of LNWBASIC commands and statements.

in the normal black-and-white TRS-80); and 3 is a colorgraphics mode providing the same resolution as Mode 1 but in eight colors without alphanumerics (an RGB monitor is needed). The graphics in Mode 1 are in 12K bytes of RAM that is bank-selected into lower memory; while graphics changes are made you can overlay them on the screen with a normal alphanumeric display you can independently erase either the graphics or the alphanumeric overlay and you can call graphics pages via LNWBASIC. This allows an unusual combination of graphics and printed output. If you use the color modes with a monochrome monitor, the colors appear as different intensities of gray. You may easily use all of the graphics modes with LNWBASIC; it has a syntax similar to the Radio Shack Color Computer's but it's much more powerful.

Software

I believe the LNW-80 comes with more software than any other microcomputer. The two operating systems available are DOSPLUS (TRS-80 Model I compatible) and CP/M 2.2. By the time you read this, a version of LDOS to work with Model III disks, CP/M Plus, and a version of DOSPLUS to make the LNW act like a TRS-80 Model 4 should be available. Electric Pencil (a good wordprocessing program), Electric Spreadsheet (a Visicalc clone), Microterm (a smart-terminal program including 80-character lines for the LNW), and Chartex (a plotting program for bar graphs, etc.) all come free with the machine. An integrated small-business accounting system that includes general ledger, accounts receivable, ac

counts payable, and payroll is also provided. All of that software (except Chartex and the small-business programs) has been widely reviewed and is first quality. (The business software is an extensive, complete system that comes on six double-density disks with a manual almost two inches thick.) The most important piece of software, however, is LNWBASIC, which supports the LNW's advanced features, particularly color, graphics, and the additional memory.

Some Features of LNWBASIC

The LNWBASIC commands are summarized in table 1. The graphics commands are similar to those for the TRS-80 Color Computer, but are more extensive. They include: DRAW, which produces a shape defined by a string and gives you a variety of options on how to present it on the screen; CIRCLE, which draws circles and ellipses or arcs; and LINE, which draws a line between two points on the screen. PAINT fills a bounded figure with a specified color, while PLOT specifies dot-dash patterns for all of the graphics commands. Once you have produced a plot, PSAVE saves it to disk and PLOAD recalls it to the screen. PGET and ZGET save the graphics within a specified rectangle to an array, and PPUT and ZPUT retrieve them. You can erase graphics and alphanumeric displays separately, allowing flexible plot labeling. Other commands, like PCLS, FLS, COLOR, and so on, support the machine's color abilities.

The graphics software is extremely flexible. It's at least as good as many packages I have seen on mainframe computers. Listing 1 gives you a very short program

262 BYTE May 1984

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Adot matrix printer

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And with all that it has going for it, just maybe the best dot matrix printer on the market.

Take legibility, for instance.

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The Imagewriter cruises at an unbelievable 120 characters per second. And that's just in the text mode. It's even faster printing graphics. 180 characters per second, to be exact.

What's more, the graphics dump is up to 60% faster than other comparably priced dot matrix printers. Ana that makes the Imagewriter fast enough to handle the Lisa™

Yet it's just as at home with an Apple III or Apple lie. Thanks to Apple software experts who designed the control electronics to give the Imagewriter perfect compatibility. Not to mention some special capabilities

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The Imagewriter even has quiet good looks, since we designed it to look like the rest of the Apple Family. Yet even with all its improvements, the Imagewriter is a better deal than any other dot matrix printer with comparable performance. And you can print that.

■

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Giveyour floppy disks the boot.

We call it the'' floppy disk shuffle.'' It happens when you have two or more software programs on floppies and you need to work with both. What do you do? You put one disk in, boot it, do your work, take it out, put the other disk in, boot it, do your work — you get the idea.

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Almost anything written for the Apple III including copy-protected programs likeVisiCalc® Quick File™ anaApple Writer HI. Or languages like Rascal, BASIC, or COBOL.

And once you've loaded these programs into your ProFile, the only diskette you may ever need is the Catalyst.

So if you have an Apple IE and a ProFile and more floppies than you care to flip through, get yourself a Catalyst. And boot those disks for good.

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VisiCiilc is a trademark of VisiCorp, Inc. Catalyst is a trademark of Quark, Inc. Apple, the Apple logo, Quick File and ProFile are trademarks of Apple Computer Inc

Figure 1: The image produced by listing 1 as sent to a Centronics 739 printer.

Listing 1: The program that produces the image shown in figure 1.

io cls; pcls: mode i

20 J=0

30 FOR 1=5 TO 90 STEP 5

'10 CI ROLE J+30+1,10 0,30,1

50 NEXT I

6 0 J=10 0+J

7 0 IF J>30 0 GOTO 7 0 80 GOTO 3 0

whose result is shown in figure 1. (The figure is actually the image as sent to a Centronics 739 printer and is nearly identical to the screen image.)

LNWBASIC has many abilities that are only indirectly related to the LNW. You can redefine various keys (including but not restricted to the programmable keys) to produce a string; for example, "Shift-®" could produce "CMD"DIR:0 or perhaps a string of graphics characters (in Mode 0). You can enter BASIC commands with a single keystroke using QUICKEY For example, "G" produces GO SUB—and there's an excellent trace and debugging facility. You can send screen output simultaneously to a printer and disk file. (A spooler sends printer output to a disk file and prints from the disk file while the machine does other things.) You can exchange input and output with the RS-232C port (and the printer and disk), creating the possibility of writing specialized smart-terminal programs in BASIC. Perhaps the most remarkable command is XSTR$(string) where "string" could be a function like A = SIN(B); you can enter this function from the keyboard or the disk and execute it as if it were a statement written from the program.

LNWBASIC resides in low memory. It doesn't compete with any high memory routines you may want to use, and it's compatible with many existing programs that live in upper RAM. It pushes your programs and data higher up and doesn't leave much room. To get around the memory problem there's a program called CREATOR that lets you assemble customized versions of BASIC with only the necessary functions. LNWBASIC is better than any of the enhanced BASIC packages I have seen for TRS-80 compatible machines.

The compiler, ACCEL3, can compile most LNWBASIC

programs and is particularly compatible with LNW software; the few things that are not compatible are found only by trial and error. ACCEL3 can also compile HIRES graphics (see below) and is a particularly important piece of LNW software.

There is other software available and more is being developed all the time by the manufacturer, users groups, and independent programmers. For example, LNW Research sells a program called CHARM that allows a user to define an independent character set. Another program called AUTOPLOT plots data on the screen in a versatile set of formats and can send the output to various printers. HIRES is a BASIC-compatible graphics driver that's much faster than LNWBASIC but not as extensive. (It's sold by E&H Software, 11814 Coursey Blvd., Suite 249, Baton Rouge, LA 70816.) A graphics printer driver (sold by Excellonix, 637 No. Bristol St., Santa Ana, CA 92703) will send a high-resolution plot from the screen to various dot-addressable printers, and a variety of drivers for different alphanumeric screen displays are available from LNW Research. A Tektronix emulator, a perspective plotting routine, and other packages are public-domain software and are available from two LNWoriented bulletin boards (see text box at end).

CP/M for the LNW

Using the LNW with CP/M is like having a second computer. By the time you read this, CP/M Plus should also be available, but I've not seen it so my comments are on CP/M 2.2. Be aware that I strongly dislike CP/M: it's slow, cumbersome, difficult to use, not suited to graphics, and has few features of the more advanced TRS-80-compatible operating systems. It seems ironic that many people consider CP/M to be the professional's operating system while it is really the kludged outgrowth of a hobbyist's product; most TRS-80 operating systems were written by professionals and are of much better quality. In my opinion the only reason to use CP/M on the LNW is to read disks written on another machine or to run a CP/M program; however, I have yet to find a program I needed that was unavailable in a TRS-80 version.

The LNW version of CP/M is excellent, having all of the features of the normal 2.2 version with some important enhancements. It provides a full 80 by 16 or 80 by 24 screen, the control key is a true control key and it follows the protocols of the ADM 3A terminal (in setting up word-processing programs, for example).

Two programs are particularly important: LNW.COM and SET.COM. LNW.COM lets you set disk-drive configurations to almost any standard—5 lk -inch or 8-inch, 40-track, 80-track, double-sided, and so on. You can set up drives to read and write the 5Vi-inch disks compatible with several other machines, including the Kaypro, Osborne, IBM PC, and Xerox 820. The program SET.COM allows even more specialized disk configurations. You can set the various parameters, such as skew tables, sector length, and so on, to custom-configure drives so they work with the disk format from almost

266 BYTE May 1984

■

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j Checks allow 20 days to clear. No C.O.D. Prices reject 3% cash discount so ADO 3% to above prices for VISA or MC. For U.S. Mainland, add 3% lor shipping, insurance and handing (SI&H) by UPS with $5 minimum lor SI&H. UPS ground is standard so add 3% more lor UPS Blue with $10 minimum lor SI&H. Add 12% total lor SI&H lor US Postal, APO or FPO with $15 minimum lor SI&H. For Hawaii, Alaska and Canada, UPS Is in some areas only, all others are Postal so call, write or specify Postal. Foreign orders except Canada for SI&H add 18% or $25 minimum for SI&H ex

i cept for monitors add 30% or $50 minimum for SI&H. Prices subject to chanae and typo errors, so call to verity.

any machine. I have, for example, read Superbrain disks on the LNW.

One utility that I would like to see is missing: the ability to transfer ASCII (American National Standard Code for Information Interchange) files from CP/M disks to TRSDOS-compatible disks.

When the LNW uses CP/M, it bank-selects out the normal TRS-80-compatible ROM (read-only memory). In addition it places several drivers in the bank-selected extra RAM giving the user nearly 61K bytes of directly addressable RAM space. I believe that's more than any other 8-bit machine provides. If you need CP/M, the LNW version is as good as you'll find anywhere.

Documentation

The manuals now provided with the LNW-80 are excellent; yet LNW's most criticized feature has been its documentation. The kits and the early machines were shipped with very inadequate instructions. It is surprising that the early kit customers managed to build working machines. Most of the LNW's published reviews and word-of-mouth information came from kit builders; luckily, those who bought the assembled machine had a much different experience.

LNW Research is very aware of its documentation problem, and now there's an excellent user's manual (called an "operations manual") and an equally good technical manual. There are also manuals for DOSPLUS, Level II BASIC, and LNWBASIC; all three are excellent. You must use the user's manual (116 pages) with the BASIC, LNWBASIC, and operating system manuals, but it is usable by both the expert and the complete novice. It may be necessary to shift between several different books, but learning to use the LNW is made easy by the many examples and cross-references.

The technical manual (179 pages) is also excellent and contains complete circuit diagrams. It should enable anyone experienced with hardware to repair and modify the LNW. The CP/M documentation is a thin but clear summary of the CP/M procedures and the LNW enhancements. That manual is not enough for a programmer, however, and if you intend to use the product, you should buy one of the more detailed descriptions of CP/M available. Very complete documentation for the rest of the software (Electric Pencil, and so on) is also included.

My greatest criticism of the documentation is that the user's manual and technical manuals were written for the Model I and only a barely adequate addendum is provided for the Model II. This addendum would make a high school English teacher cringe and a high school typing teacher ill. What is worse, the obscure descriptions of some features are so difficult to understand, even an expert will have problems. It's a good thing you can effectively use the LNW without reading the addendum.

Service

There are relatively few LNW dealers at this time and local service is usually impossible. Therefore, there are

IBM Compatible

\

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i iMwii J fl Ki EA iT* i V-% 1

computer resources with its HiNet™ Local Area Network in 1980. Now, 3000 HiNet LAN systems later, comes the DMS-816, the cost-effective solution to the need for multiple IBM-compatible PCs. Up to63 DMS-816 work stations can be interconnected

4

without the expense of purchasing added memory. Your network is controlled by an extremely fast and reliable master station. And your communication pathways are unlimited—HiNet gateways let you talk to mainframes and public data networks.

mi

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f stand-alone PCs. yown IBM ect them to H with low cost HiNet/PC Adapter cards. Conserve your investment while expanding the utility o yoursystem. With the DMS-816 you take advantage of the wealth of PC-DOS'u e, as well as existing CP/M-80W and CP/M-o

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international commun 11 ^—Digital Microsys for everything d on your HiNet rge hard disk , network softjbling and con.. j, intelligent work tions, optional local rage.This translates ) easy installation,

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r

r had before, call or

Business Machines. PC-DOS

HiNefre a trademark ofybigital Microsystems. Inc. IBM PC is a trademarkjof International

CP/M-80 and CP/M-86/are trademarks df Digital Research. Inc. Corporatje Offices: U.S. 1^40 Embarcad'ero, Oakland, C,

U.K/Tel (0734) 793131, Telex 851849925. Hong Kong: Tel. 3-7237962.Telex 78041153. fiermany:Tel.6«0234036/7/8.

New York: (516) 829-4772. Texas: (214V234-4940. Washington D.C.: (301) 837-6700,

International Distributors: Australia, D£ro Systems, (023 699-3877 • Benelux, Digital Sysjems. (2) 384-8$-62 • Denmark

a trademark oftlnternational Business Machines 94606. Tel. (419) 261-1034, TWX 910-366-7310. S. Sales Offices: California: (4151261-1034.

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182 • Spain, MDS. (3) 239 3604\- Sweden, Macrdtek. (8) 870190

Circle 433 an inquiry carp

only two recourses for a user with hardware problems: find a competent local technician or send it back to LNW Research. The technical documentation is good enough that a competent technician should be able to work on the machine. If you must send it back, LNW Research has excellent support. It can usually repair a machine and have it back in the owner's hands within three weeks—a better response time than many local dealers. LNW Research also has a very knowledgeable technical support staff that can and will gladly answer most questions. My problems have always been solved by phone. If you buy an LNW, you have the particular advantage of working with a small company—personal and friendly service.

Problems

I have few criticisms of the LNW-80. Mine didn't work when it first arrived, but that was due to UPS, not LNW Research, which helped me fix it quickly.

For several reasons I don't find it easy to use the 80 by 24 screen with the various drivers available. The drivers need upper memory that I want to use for other purposes; they slow up screen scrolling; and they're not compatible with my two most frequently used programs: a text editor (Newscript) and a smart-terminal package (ST80-III).

I would prefer a small separate keyboard—the LNW's design should allow this. The case soils easily, and the paint wore off the corners of mine after about 3 months.

However, the worst problem is that LNW Research's high standards for documentation fell again with the Model II. Its initial product documentation does not match the quality for subsequent releases. Let's hope that the company follows its own lead and publishes a high quality second release of Model II documentation.

Overall

The LNW's greatest advantage is its compatibility with other machines—much of the TRS-80 line and most CP/M-compatible products. Second is its graphics capability followed by its use of 96K bytes of memory. The manufacturer's upgrade policy is equally important. I

expect IBM-compatible hardware and software to be coming soon. The LNW's price is comparable to or better than its competition's, and its quality of construction is outstanding. Then too, it comes with as much or more software than any other 8-bit computer I know of.... It's hard to choose which one of the LNW's advantages is most important.

Yet the LNW is not very popular. Why? For one thing, large firms like Apple, Radio Shack, and IBM can afford large advertising budgets, while LNW Research cannot. But LNW Research faces a special public relations problem: it is known as a kit manufacturer. LNW is just not commonly known. Whenever I tell someone I own one, I have to explain what it is and then defend it against the "Trash-80" reputation. I don't know what LNW should do to improve its image, but for the sake of anyone who wants to buy an outstanding computer, I hope that it succeeds. In my opinion the LNW is the best 8-bit microcomputer available.■

For More Information

Newsletters

LNW News 244 Mill Rd.

Yaphank, NY 11980 contains a lot of advertisements but useful material as well

The LNW USER Group 4345 Manchester Rd. Grand Island, NB 68801

Newsletter

mostly for kit builders and those with hardware experience, but something for everyone

Bulletin Boards

(516)924-8115 Yaphank, NY

run by Inflo Inc.; lots of free software and help

(504)291-8115 Baton Rouge, LA

run by E&H Software; also has lots of free software and help; especially graphics programs supporting HIRES

Mahlon G. Kelly (268 Turkey Ridge Rd., Charlottesville, VA 22901), an associate professor of environmental sciences at the University of Virginia, is involved in research into the character of lakes.

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270 BYTE May 1984

Circle 67 on inquiry card.

Self-dFENSE

The micro invasion has begun. And, chances are, you've now got a lot of different people in a lot of different departments using a lot of different micros.

Now there's a way for you to control and maximize the benefits of all the different micros in your domain.

Fight back with dBASE II.®

dBASE II is the relational database management system from AshtonTate that enables you to manage your microbased corporate data resources with the high level of consistency and sophistication you've enjoyed with mainframe and minicomputer systems.

Armed with dBASE II and the dBASE II RunTime™ program development module, you can write programs which will enable micro users in each department to "do their own thing" while creating complete database consistency throughout the company.

dBASE II is a powerful, flexible way for you to effectively manage the micro proliferation.

Circle 48 on inquiry card.

Help is here.

If you'd like to know more about how dBASE II and RunTime can help you win the micro management battle, contact AshtonTate today. 10150 West Jefferson Boulevard, Culver City, CA 90230. (800) 437-4329, ext. 212. In Colorado (303) 799-4900. In the U.K. (0908) 568866.

ASHTON -TATE

dBASE II is a registered trademark and RunTime is a trademark of AshtonTate.

Suggested retail price for dBASE II is S700. ©Ashlon-Tate 1984

BYTE May 1984 271

Era one

Era two.

:ra One saw he personal co )uter increase the )roductivity of the >usiness executive Iramatically. Yet for all their tower, personal computers lave not fulfilled their poten al. Because the different lakes have been unable to? ommunicate reliably with one nother and with the various public ata networks.

But now, Microcom moves the ersonal computer into a new era of communiations compatibility with Era 2-the first Personal '.omputer Communications System with the idustry-standard communications protocol 1NR Era 2 finally enables dissimilar personal Dtnputers to communicate with one another pliably and cost effectively. It also allows the ersonal computer to access public data etworks easily and error-free. closer look at Era 2.

Era 2 with MNP is a 1200 baud Communiitions System (software and inboard modem) esigned to operate with the IBM PC, PC XT, 3mpatibles and PCjr; Apple lie, Apple II Plus id Apple II. Its features include IBM 3101, Digital T-100 and VT-52 terminal emulations. Era 2 exejtes multiple functions with a single keystroke. :ores a virtually unlimited number of telephone jmbers - each one up to 31 digits. Era 2 is Bell 2A compatible, works with Pulse or Touchme™ dialing. Its speaker alerts you to busy gnals, wrong numbers, etc. Era 2 gives your ersonal computer error-free compatibility ith other personal computers, data bases, ainframes, almost any information source^ latcan be reached by telephone line.

zrocom, Era 2 and MNP are trademarks of Microcom, Inc. Apple is a trademark \pple Computer Inc. Digital is a trademark of Digital Equipment Corporation. 1 is a'lrademark of International Business Machines Corporation.

new era in dependability.

Era 2's electronics are so well put together • we're able to offer a four-year warrantytwice the term of projection you get from yesterday's products. On top of that our product support I outstanding. Our 800 number operates 9AM to 8PM (EST), Mondays through Fridays, 9AM to 5PM Saturdays with experts available to solve any problem or answer any question. The state of the price of the state of the art.

We're able to offer Era 2 for an amazing $429. By any standard the price/value ratio of Era 2 is outstanding.

Move your personal computer forward into a new era of communications. Visit your Era 2 dealer soon. Call 800-322-ERA2 (in MA, 617-762-9310) for the name of one nearest you. Or write us, Microcom, lnc.,1400A Providence Highway, Norwood, MA 02062. We'll send you a brochure with complete information on Era 2. Only from Microcom: The Personal Computer Communications System with MNP.

Circle 261 on inquiry card.

EQUATIONS PROCESSED

NO PENCIL NO PAPER. NO MANUAL LABOR.

The TKISolver® program will take on your toughest problemslinear, quadratic, simultaneous equations, whatever. Then stand back. Because TKISolver turns your personal computer into a simple, yet powerful, desktop equation processor.

Whether your problem is a simple formula or a model consisting of many equations, TKISolver can help improve your productivity. Once the equations are written, enter the known values, press the ! key, and TKISolver gives you the answer.

Engineers, scientists, architects, financia analysts and planners, educators, researchers, and other professionals who use equations and mathematical models can work more creatively with TKISolver.

TKISOLVER GIVES YOU: BACKSOLVING

If the programs you use now require you to rewrite the same equation to solve for different unknowns, TKISolver can dramatically improve your productivity. Enter your problem once and then solve for the unknowns no matter where they are in your equation.

ITERATIVE SOLVING

If TKISolver can't solve an equation directly, take an educated guess at the answer. Type the I key and the TKISolver program starts with your guess and performs repeated approximations to converge on the answer.

LIST SOLVING

Given a list of input values, TKISolver automatically calculates the equation for every value in

your list. For example, if you want to know how different interest rates will affect monthly loan payments, enter a list of interest rates and let TKISolver calculate the payment amount for each value.

UNIT CONVERSIONS

Any type of unit conversionFahrenheit to Celsius, meters to feet, dollars to deutschemarks, newtons to dynes—can be made without altering your equations. Just define the numerical relationship between two units of measurement and the TKISolver program automatically converts the variable value to the unit you specify.

TABLES AND PLOTS

Quickly generate tables and plots of your results on your screen or printer.

AVAILABLE NOW

You can run the TKISolver program on the IBM" PC and XT and compatible machines, the Digital™ Professional™ 350, the Digital™ Rainbow™ 100, the Wang Professional Computer, Apple® lie, and on the following personal computers using MS™-DOS: Tl Professional Computer, GRiD Compass Computer,™ Canon AS-100, Eagle® 1600, Toshiba T300, and the Zenith Z-100™

SEE IT TODAY

There's more. Lot's more. But you'll have to see it to believe it. And that's easy. Bring your own equations into your nearest computer retailer and . ask to see the TKISolver program in action. The world's first equation processor for personal computers.

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By Software Arts" creators of VisiCalc®

27 Mica Lane, Wellesley, Massachusetts 02181 617-237-4000

Copyright © 1984 Software Arts, Inc. All rights reserved.

274 BYTE May 1984

Circle 352 on inquiry card.

This Month's Features

A sneak preview of Apple's newest computer, the Apple lie, is the highlight of this month's features. The new lie is examined by West Coast Senior Technical Editor John Markoff and he reports that, with the icon character generator in ROM and a disk drive running under ProDOS, this lightweight, Apple liecompatible, transportable computer delivers a lot of bang at a price less spectacular than expected. Nevertheless, Cupertino's grown-up garage operation continues to be fruitful.

Like those classic science-fiction journeys into the human body, Brian Cameron tours the lap-portable TRS-80 Model 100's ROM. You can access ROM routines that'll make your Model 100 programs shorter and more efficient, using the information you'll gather from this excursion. Cameron, who has written a lot about his findings from mucking about inside Radio Shack computers, has once again proven that there are rewards for those willing to dig a little.

Speed and efficiency are key concerns of Drs. Roy Chaney and Brian Johnson. Here they explore a technique for realizing the true performance potential of Winchester disk drives. Memory caches and some sophisticated algorithms for prefetching data allow hard disks to move data at the megabit (and higher) speeds they were designed for.

Gregg Williams updates the Macintosh/Lisa story that appeared in February's BYTE with new information on models and prices. Authors Caceci and Cacheris explore the subject of fitting curves to data.

Following on the heels of April's Real-World Interfacing theme, Stephen Gates takes us into the laboratory to put an IBM to work collecting data, while Richard Hallgren offers up the software portion of his two-part series on using an Apple II for data acquisition.

Next, Roy Crosbie offers an explanation of ISIM, a language designed for writing computer simulations. As Crosbie reveals, a continuous-system simulation language running on micros under CP/M can add a new dimension to computer modeling. For those of us trying to glimpse the forest through a tangle of branches, John Snyder offers assistance with an article on a method for indexing open-ended trees. Finally, Richard Thomas illuminates the gains to be made in program maintainability by using intraprogram remarks to document software.

— G. Michael Vose, Senior Technical Editor

276 The Apple lie Personal

Computer by John Markoff

288 Inside the Model 100's ROM

by Brian Cameron

307 Maximizing Hard-Disk

Performance by Roy Chaney and Brian Johnson

339 Update on Apple Macintosh and Lisa 2 by Gregg Williams

340 Fitting Curves to Data by

Marco S. Caceci and William P. Cacheris

366 Laboratory Data Collection with an IBM PC by Stephen C. Gates

382 Putting the Apple II Work, Part 2: The Software by

Richard C. Hallgren

400 ISIM: A Continuous-System Simulation Language by Roy

E. Crosbie

406 Indexing Open-Ended Tree Structures by John Snyder

415 Using Comments to Aid Program Maintenance by

Richard A. Thomas

BYTE May 1984 275

Product Preview

The Apple lie Personal Computer

A portable lie compatible that runs ProDOS

In an industry that sees dozens and dozens of personal computers introduced each year, and despite the fact that the venerable Apple II is rooted in seven-year-old technology it's remarkable that Apple Computer has succeeded in keeping its II product line alive and even thriving. Now, in the face of stiff competition from both foreign and U.S. manufacturers and in the wake of its own introduction of two significantly more powerful desktop computers (Lisa and Macintosh), Apple Computer has introduced the fourth version of the Apple II product line, the Apple lie (see photo 1).

Evolving Apple II Technology

While the Ik will remain highly compatible with the Apple II product line from a software perspective, it is clearly not just "old wine in new bottles."

The Ik is what Apple Computer refers to as a "focused product." It is designed to fit into a market niche that places it in head-to-head competition with the IBM PCjr at the high end of the home market for personal computers. However, a great deal of flexibility is evident in both the lie software and hardware architecture and peripherals. As such, you can expect to see the lie appearing in a variety of other markets, including business and educational applications.

The lie represents an evolution of Apple II hardware and software tech

John Markoff BYTE Senior Technical Editor

nology in a number of areas. First, it is truly portable. The system unit weighs just 7% pounds and occupies a space of approximately IIV2 by 12 by 2V4 inches. Its carrying handle folds into the backplane. A built-in half-height 5 % -inch disk-drive unit is accessed from the right-hand side of the case. The He and its optional 9-inch monochrome monitor are shown in photo 2.

Later this year, Apple intends to enhance the portability of the lie when it introduces a full-screen, high-resolution flat-panel display (see photo 3). I'll discuss the flatpanel display later. Although a battery pack will not be available upon introduction, the lie runs on virtually any 12-volt (V) power supply. The AC-to-DC converter has been isolated from the system, and, because the Ik has no slots, the power-supply capacity has been reduced from 45 to 35 watts. A small briefcase-size carrying case is available to hold the computer, flat-panel display, and other peripherals.

The lie is based on the 65C02, a new CMOS (complementary metaloxide semiconductor) implementation of the 6502 microprocessor. The 65C02 is an extension of the 6502's instruction set (with 27 new instructions) and offers faster graphics and arithmetic operations. The 65C02 runs virtually all existing Apple II software; however, software written to take advantage of the new instruction set will not be compatible with

the He and II Plus. The new microprocessor has a clock speed of 1.023 MHz and will perform up to 500,000 eight-bit operations per second, performance figures that match the 6502's.

The lie extends the use of customdesigned ICs (integrated circuits) beyond what was used in the original He design. In addition to the input/ output unit (IOU) and memory-management unit (MMU), the lie contains a custom timing-generator (TMG) chip that generates several time and control signals, a general logic unit (GLU) that provides miscellaneous logic control required by the system, and the disk-controller unit, which is referred to as the IWM (Integrated Woz Machine). The IWM is also used as a disk controller on the Macintosh. It is a one-chip LSI (largescale integration) of the disk controller originally designed by Steve Wozniak for the Apple II.

The increased use of custom LSI ICs has permitted Apple to further lower the chip count of the lie (see photo 4). In addition to its sixteen 64K-bit RAM (random-access read/ write memory) chips (the computer comes with a standard 128K bytes of RAM), the Ik has only 21 chips. This is particularly striking when you consider that this is three chips fewer than the number of non-RAM ICs in the He, despite the fact that many functions performed by additional cards (disk controller, two serial interfaces, 80-column video circuitry)

276 BYTE May 1984

are now integrated into the Ik design.

Finally, the design of the lie is based on a closed-hardware architecture giving the user no direct access to the system bus. However, in return for taking away the II's expandability, Apple included many of the features that have in the past required slots.

A quick look at the back of the lie reveals connectors for two RS-232C serial ports, two video ports, an external disk-drive port, and a combination mouse/joystick port (see photo 5). Thus, in the slotless version of the lie, users will have access to the functions that traditionally have taken as many as five of the computer's seven slots. While the Macintosh's relatively closed hardware architecture has created some controversy, the decision to restrict hardware expansion appears to be more clear-cut in the case of the lie.

Portability and ease of use have clearly been gained at the expense of expandability. Apple has decided to market the lie to a novice computer user who, it is argued, will have no desire to get inside the hardware, but instead will be interested in a computer that can be set up and run as simply as a stereo system. Toward that end Apple has separated the documentation into a setup guide and reference manual.

The software evolution of the He is more subtle, yet it may prove to have far-reaching consequences. The lie will come with Apple's recently released ProDOS operating system, which offers a significant increase in performance over DOS 3.3. ProDOS includes Unix-like hierarchical file structures that are compatible with the Apple III SOS operating system.

Although the Apple He ROM (read-only memory) will appear very similar to the He ROM to programmers, it actually was redone almost completely. The ROM went through a dramatic "code crunch" according to Peter Quinn, manager of the lie design team. Additionally, several bugs in the He ROM were removed and other features added, including improved interrupt-handling capability a built-in windowing function, and a series of 32 graphics characters

I

Ik

7 11,

II

—

Photo 1: A top view of the Apple lie. It has a lower profile (2 lA inches) and weighs less (7% pounds) than the Apple lie computer. The keyboard is the same in size and functional layout but is designed around a low-cost key switch that provides tactile and auditory feedback. The Reset key has been moved from one side of the keyboard to the other, and switches for 40/80-column mode and Dvorak and QWERTY keyboard arrangements have been added.

Photo 2: An optional 9-inch monochrome monitor is available for the lie. When separated from the monitor, the system can be carried in a briefcase-size carrying case that includes room for the flat-panel display.

BYTE May 1984 277

At a Glance

Name

The Apple lie Computer

Manufacturer

Apple Computer Inc. 20525 Mariani Ave. Cupertino, CA 95014 (408) 996-1010

Dimensions

Width: IP/2 inches; depth: 12 inches; height: 2'A inches

Weight

VA lbs.

Power Requirements

9 to 20 volts DC, 35 watts

Processor

1-MHz 65C02 8-bit CMOS microprocessor

Memory

128K bytes of RAM; 16K bytes of monitor in ROM (includes self-test, Applesoft BASIC, 80-column routines, Mousetext icons, and interrupt-handling routines)

Keyboard

63 keys capable of generating the 128 ASCII characters; features auto-repeat and two-key rollover

Mass Storage

Built-in Alps half-height 5 'A -inch disk drive that is fully compatible with the Apple Disk II: single-sided, 35-track, 16-sector disks

Video Display

Optional 9-inch monochrome monitor; flat-panel LCD will be introduced before the end of the year. RGB adapter to be offered at an unspecified future date. Video-display modes: 40-column text; 80-column text; low-resolution color graphics (40 horizontal by 48 vertical, 16 color); high-resolution color graphics (280 horizontal by 192 vertical, 6 color); doublehigh-resolution color graphics (560 horizontal by 192 vertical, 16 color). Text capacity: 24 lines by 80 columns. Character set: 96 ASCII (uppercase and lowercase). Display formats: Normal, Inverse, Flashing, Mousetext

Other Features

RF modulator; external AC-to-DC power converter; two RS-232C serial ports; video expansion port; external disk port

Hardware Options

Second disk drive; mouse; joystick; flat-panel LCD, carrying case

Operating System

ProDOS: single-user, single-task operating system; includes hierarchical directory structures, predefined and user-definable file types, file sizes up to 16 megabytes; compatible with DOS 3.3

Available Software

Includes almost all existing Apple II software. Specially designed packages from Apple: App/eworks integrated database management, word processing, and spreadsheet analysis; Access II communications program; Apple Logo II (requires 128K bytes of RAM); Apple Education Classics

Prices

Basic system unit: under $1300; other prices to be announced

found in the character-generator ROM. These characters, called Mousetext by Apple, are a series of icons designed to offer programmers access to a user interface that appears similar to that found on the Lisa and the Macintosh. They can be called

directly and thus moved around on the screen faster than bit-mapped characters.

At the time of this writing, Apple was planning to price the Ik at "less than $1300." While this price is higher than some expected, Apple clearly

has decided to go after the same market that IBM is trying to reach with the PCjr and has priced the Ik accordingly. Still, given equivalent features with the He, the He represents some price savings. But the trade-off for that price saving is the He's lack of an expansion slot. The amount of the price saving may determine the Ik's ultimate importance.

A Computer for the Home

Apple has styled the Ik to reach a group of potential buyers that heretofore have been afraid or uninterested in personal computers. The Ik is, according to senior product designer Rob Gemmell Jr., "the cuddliest computer we have ever designed."

This is reflected in the Ik's case, which has a significantly lower profile than that of the lie. Apple also has chosen a lighter, white color called "Apple Fog" for the case. The new color scheme is part of a general redesign effort that will affect all new Apple products. Originally codenamed Snow White, the project led to a worldwide search for a design consultant. Ultimately, Apple settled on German designer Hartmut Esslinger, the designer of the Sony Walkman portable stereo. Esslinger set down the aesthetic design guidelines for the Ik and has since been retained by Apple to consult on future products.

The back panel of the case also reflects Apple's attempt to simplify system installation. Connectors are labeled with icons that represent modem, printer, and other ports. Frequently used interface cables make use of easy-to-fasten connectors. For example, Apple has chosen to use standard DIN 5-pin connectors to fasten the serial cables to the Ik.

Other external design features include a new door design for the internal disk drive (see photo 6), a miniphono headphone jack and volume-control knob that are recessed on the left side of the computer, and two switches set just behind the keyboard that control 40/80-column display and selection of a Sholes or Dvorak keyboard layout. The Dvorak option was available on the lie, but it had to be accessed with

278 BYTE May 1984

jumpers and printed-circuit board trace cuts. The technical reference manual points out that you can change the key caps yourself, but it warns that if you break the switch stems you will void your warranty.

The Ik keyboard itself is functionally a duplicate of the He keyboard; it has 63 keys capable of generating the 128 ASCII (American National Standard Code for Information Interchange) characters. The actual mechanical design of the keyboard, however, is significantly different from keyboards on other Apple products. The lie keyboard is laid out in a flatter fashion, in part because the lie is designed to be used tilted up at a slight angle while resting on the handle, which folds down to serve as a stand. Although the keyboard is physically the same size as that of the lie, the keys themselves are based on a new low-cost key switch that Apple has developed. The switch is not "full travel" (i.e., the keys don't depress deeply), but instead offers what Apple claims is improved tactile and auditory response.

It seems that no new version of the Apple II would be complete without altering the placement of the Reset key. This time it is placed just above and to the rear of the keyboard on top of the system case. As with the He, there are two levels of Reset. Holding down the Control key and the Reset key will cause a warm-start procedure with some programs. This leaves the resident program intact. Simultaneously holding down the open-apple key (to the left of the space bar) with the Control and Reset keys forces a cold start, which has the same effect as turning the power off and back on again.

Display Options

Although the video output of the lie is similar to that of the He, Apple has attempted to generalize the output options of the lie as much as possible. The back panel offers two connectors: a standard RCA pin-plug jack for a video monitor and a 15-pin D-type connector for video expansion. The latter interface is designed to support a number of display options, including RGB (red-green

Photo 3: Apple has announced that a full-screen (560- by 192-pixel) flat-panel LCD will be available for the Ik before the end of 1984. The flat-panel display will support all the lie's text and graphics modes and draw its power from the video expansion port.

Photo 4: The main circuit board of the Apple lie. The IC count is now down to 21 (excluding RAM), including two serial ports, video circuitry, and a disk controller. By comparison, the IBM PCjr has more than 90 ICs.

BYTE May 1984 279

Photo 5: The rear panel of the He. The panel consists of seven connectors and a main power switch. From left to right: a 9-pin D-type miniature connector for hand controls or a mouse; a 5-pin DIN (Deutsche Industrie Norm) connector for serial I/O (input I output) (port 2, normally for a modem); a 15-pin D-type connector for video expansion; an RCA pin-plug jack for a video monitor; a 19-pin Dtype connector for linking a second disk drive; another 5-pin DIN connector for serial I/O (port 1, normally for a printer or plotter); a special 7-pin DIN connector for 9-15-volt DC power input; and the main power switch.

Photo 6: View of the He's internal 5lk-inch disk drive. The drive was initially designed to face backward but in the final design faces the side of the case. The drive is heavily shielded and ventilated.

blue) displays, the forthcoming flatpanel display, and a variety of European display standards. All 15 pins are used and signals include a videotex signal from the GLU, a 1-V sound signal to permit television speaker sound, a power source, a composite NTSC (National Television System Committee) video signal from the VID (video interface device) hybrid IC, a color-reference signal, and others. The intent is to let designers easily access all the hooks for both serial and composite data.

The basic system unit comes with a standard RF modulator designed to connect to the video expansion port, and an optional 9-inch monitor is available. An RGB adapter still is necessary, and Apple plans to have one available in the future.

Like the He, the lie can produce both 40- and 80-column text displays. However, if you use an ordinary color or black-and-white television set, 80-column text will be too blurry to read. For a clear 80-column display, you must use a high-resolution video monitor with a bandwidth of 14 MHz or greater.

In addition to text-display modes, the He also has three graphics modes: low-resolution (40 horizontal by 48 vertical), 16 color; high-resolution (280 horizontal by 192 vertical), 6 color; and double-high-resolution

(560 horizontal by 192 vertical), 16 color.

The double-high-resolution mode is achieved by bit-mapping the lowerorder 7 bits of the bytes in the two high-resolution graphics pages. These bytes in the two graphics pages are interleaved to provide 560 dots per line.

When the flat-panel LCD (liquidcrystal display) is available later this year, it will support all three graphics modes.

Compatibility

As it did during the transition from the II Plus to the He, Apple has made a significant effort to ensure software compatibility. Although it has switched to a half-height drive, Apple has continued to employ the 5% -inch disk size for the II product line. The He also will continue to use 140K-byte single-sided drives.

In recent months, Apple has undertaken a major program of testing Apple II software on the lie and informing software publishers if changes are needed to make their software compatible. Currently, Apple believes that the lie is 90 to 95 percent compatible with the Apple II.

Compatibility problems, where they arise, may come from the ROM, the 65C02 microprocessor, unorthodox protection schemes, or illegal

memory addresses. For example, programs that enter the monitor ROM at unpublished locations will not work. A more intriguing but apparently rare problem emerges from the fact that some programmers have discovered and used undocumented instructions for the 6502 microprocessor. These instructions no longer exist in the 65C02.

Software

Apple has made the decision to endorse selected third-party software that has been specially designed for the lie. Of the 21 products that Apple is introducing with the lie, 17 are published by independent software publishers. The programs fall into the broad categories of education, entertainment, and productivity and come from such publishers as Microsoft, Software Publishing, The Learning Company, and Br0derbund Software. Apple itself is offering Appleworks, an integrated database-management, word-processing, and spreadsheet program; Apple Logo (see photo 7), redesigned to take advantage of the 128K bytes of RAM available in the He; Apple Education Classics; and the Apple Access II communication program.

Apple's endorsement is not an exclusive one. More than 100 other companies also are developing their

280 BYTE May 1984

ill

1

WITH THE PASSWORD MODEM AND

TELPAC BEN FRANKLIN COULD HAVE

PUBLISHED THE FRIDAY EVENING POST.

ihe

Lhe Password'" modem and Telpac'" software deliver text fast, far, cheap, and letter-perfect. Fast? Ten times faster than an expert typist (and four times faster than most other modems). Far? Crosstown or crosscountry. Letter perfect? Multiple accuracy checks of your text are just one editorial benefit. Cheap? Thousands of words by phone lines, for less than express mail And if the text is to be typeset,

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the cost will be half or less - the proofreading zero!

Password is USR's virtually automatic modem: 300/1200 baud, auto dial/answer, auto mode/speed select, two-year warranty. $449* Telpac, the USR friendly telecommunications software package, $79. Write or call for complete JM descriptions-both Telpac and Password do far more than this!

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'r Password complete iter, phone cable,

ft y-..'

'•

;,and USRlogoare S. Robotics" Inc.

Photo 7: Part of the Apple Logo tutorial. Apple has limited the amount of printed documentation and increased the interactive on-line tutorials available with the lie. The basic system comes with four disks of tutorials designed to offer 10 to 12 hours of instruction.

software for the lie. A software developers toolkit and a technical reference manual will be available to software publishers.

Peripherals

Several peripherals designed to work with the lie represent significant technological advances.

Apple has gone to the Japanese manufacturer Sharp for a full-screen flat-panel display that Apple hopes to have ready for introduction later this year. Several Japanese LCD manufacturers now are on the verge of introducing 80-character by 24-line flat-panel displays. Significantly, most of them will have an aspect ratio of 640 by 200 (width to height), corresponding to the IBM monochrome display. However, Apple has persuaded Sharp to manufacture a display for the lie with an aspect ratio of 560 by 192. Apple currently has several working prototypes of the display. Recently, BYTE was shown a demonstration of one of these prototypes. The display differs from a CRT (cathode-ray tube) in appearance because of the square shape of individual pixels. (Individual pixels on an Apple monitor are twice as high as they are wide.) This makes

characters on the display appear somewhat flattened;, however, characters in 80-column display mode appeared quite crisp, and the display also produced remarkable highresolution graphics.

The Scribe printer, which is being announced simultaneously with the lie, is an impressive plain-paper thermal-transfer printer with color capabilities. Although the final price of the Scribe has not been set, it is likely to be in the $300 range. Apple is taking some pains to separate the Scribe thermal-printing technology from other thermal-printing techniques that require specially sensitized or coated papers. By contrast, the Scribe will print on virtually any paper surface, ranging from Xerox copier paper to continuous form-feed paper. The Scribe also will print on projection transparencies.

Although the Scribe is being announced with the Ik, it is designed as a printer to function with the entire Apple product line, including the Macintosh and the Lisa. BYTE was shown printing samples of graphics screen dumps from the Macintosh that appeared to exceed the Imagewriter in quality. The Scribe has two resolution modes and can operate at

either 80 cps (characters per second) in draft mode or 50 cps in letter mode.

Scribe technology is based on a proprietary print head that consists of 24 resistance elements that are arrayed in a vertical column. While printing, the head is pressed against a ribbon that consists of a polyester backing and a carbon-filled paraffin ink. The resistance elements are pulsed briefly, heating them and melting the ink to deposit it on paper.

The design of the print head permits a resistance element to rise to a temperature above 300 °F and then drop to below 95 °F (below the melting point of the wax in the ribbon) within the space of several hundred microseconds. The dot resolution of the Scribe can range as high as 160 horizontal by 144 vertical dots per inch in letter mode.

Color printing can be achieved by inserting a color ribbon that has different colors laid out in serial bands; the Scribe skips intermediate colors when printing in a particular color.

While the Scribe is a low-cost printer to purchase, the cost of printing will be high. Ribbon cost for an 80,000-character black ribbon will be in the neighborhood of $5, and color ribbons may cost as much as $8. Apple claims that the Scribe will be most compatible with "low duty cycle" applications such as those associated with students, homes, or executive workstations.

Questions and Comments

Now that we've seen what the Apple lie has going for it, what does it lack? First, there are the obvious shortcomings, such as its inability to run CP/M software. This is not an insubstantial omission, since Z80 cards are one of the most common additions to the Apple II beyond 80column cards, serial cards, and disk controllers.

Second, Apple has chosen not to include a built-in modem. It seems reasonable to expect that a modem should be an integral part of any computer that is designed to be readily transportable. Apple's response is that it decided to leave the modem out for reasons of time, cost,

282 BYTE May 1984

It's Fast In Any Language.

When it comes to software development, the difference between a Sage IV computer and other micros is like day and night.

With the Sage Computer it'll take you fewer days and nights to finish your program.

Speed is the reason. Speed resulting from the fast MC68000 microprocessor, fast architecture, fast operating systems, and blinding transfer rates.

The fact is, even we are surprised by the amount of software that's developed on Sage Computers.

So if you're a programmer, maybe you should spend some time learning how much time you could save using a Sage IV.

The Hottest Languages And Operating Systems.

Programs in nearly all of the important languages can be written on the Sage computer.

Included in the price is the p-SYSTEM operating system which supports Pascal, BASIC, and FORTRAN.

Other operating systems are optional. For UNIX fans there's IDRIS, which runs up to twice as fast (even without a Sage computer). IDRIS conforms to /usr/Group Standards Committee

standards and programs written under it are highly portable to other micros. CP/M advocates please note that Digital Research has developed CP/M68K for Sage hardware, providing a truly complete software development environment. Versions of Pascal, BASIC, C-BASIC, C, and FORTRAN 77, as well as a very fast APL, may be used under this operating system. The Sage IV is also blindingly fast when

running hyperFORTH with its extended programmer and user interfaces.

Besides IDRIS, other Multi-User operating systems that run on the Sage Computer are PDOS, MBOS, and MIRAGE.

A lot of excitement has been brewing in the Pascal World over Niklaus Wirth's new MODULA 2—and it's available for Sage computers. So is ADA, for the record.

If you found your language here, you just found your computer. The 16-bit, 2-million operation/sec Sage IV micro with up to one MByte RAM and 18-MByte internal hard disk.

For more information and the name of your nearest SAGE dealer, call us today. And be sure to ask about our new software catalog describing over 200 application programs for Sage computers.

Sage Computer Corporate Office, 4905 Energy Way, Reno, Nevada 89502. Phone (702) 322-6868 TWX: 910-395-6073/SAGE RNO

Eastern United States

Sage Computer 15 New England Executive Park Suite 120, Burlington, MA 01803(617)229-6868

© 1983 Sage Computer Technology all rights reserved Sage & Sage IV are trademarks of Sage Computer Technology

Liz

^pjFortran^

IDRIS

p-SY!

CP/M

: :

Circle 342 on inquiry card.

Circle 211 on inquiry card.

THE SMART WAY TO

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and space. However, since lap-size computers selling for as little as $700 now include integral 300-bps modems, this may be the He's most significant design flaw.

Less obvious, perhaps, are problems associated with the decision to maintain media compatibility between the lie and earlier versions of the Apple II. Certainly Apple is the only company that can get away with introducing a personal computer with just one 140K-byte single-sided drive.

Even in its half-height form, it seems that the 5V4-inch disk standard is not an ideal one for a truly portable computer. The drive adds considerably to the weight and size of the computer and, in fact, the Apple design team admitted that the internal drive created major headaches in terms of cooling the lie. (The critical element in the cooling equation is the jacket of the 5V4-inch disk.)

The obvious alternative would have been to switch to the Sony 3V2-inch disk drive used by the Macintosh. That drive is lighter and more compact and has more than twice the storage capacity in its single-sided version. The problem of transferring software from one medium to another doesn't seem insurmountable, particularly because Apple seems intent on marketing the lie to first-time computer users.

Also less clear is the question of open- versus closed-hardware architecture. It seems obvious that, in the case of the lie, expandability had to be sacrificed to achieve a genuinely portable computer. Peter Quinn, the director of engineering for the lie, insists that, while Apple's two most recently released products have been slotless, the company has not backed away from its commitment to the principle of open architectures: "I think that within this division we're still very sold on open architecture, open slots, and I think any of our new products will ultimately reflect this, once we evolve into a new architecture," he says.B

John Markoffis a senior technical editor at BYTE. He can be contacted at 1000 Elwell Court, Suite 225, Palo Alto, CA 94303, (415) 964-0624.

284 BYTE May 1984

Circle 76 on inquiry card.

3

THE WY-50.

A NEW GENERATION OF

'-COST TERMINALS FROM WYSE.

/

Never before has anyone put so much into something so small. The WY-50 gives you big terminal features without occupying your entire work-space. This took revolutionary design. Design a lot of people couldn't accomplish for the price. But we did.

In fact, the WY-50 introduces a new standard for low-cost terminals. You get a compact, full-featured design that meets the most advanced European ergonomic standards. 30% more viewing area than standard screens. And a price tag as small as they come.

The WY-50 sells for only $695.00.

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For more information on the revolutionary design, outstanding features and unique good looks of the new WY-50,

contact WYSE and we'll send you a brochure filled with everything you need to know. The WY-50. The fullfeatured terminal with the small price.

WYSE

Circle 409 on inquiry card.

I I I I Make the Wyse Decision.

WYSE TECHNOLOGY 3040 N. FirstSt., Sartjose, CA 95134,408/946-3075, TLX910-338-2251, Outside CA call toll-free, 800/421-1058, in So. CA 213/340-2013.

>>

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The Texas Instruments makes the best software

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SuperCalc

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These best-sellers are among the most popular business software programs for microcomputers as reported in Inc. magazine, September, 1983.

Professional Computer perform even better.

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You can put three times the graphic information on screen-in both color and monochrome-so you'll be able to take even greater advantage of the best graphics programs. For best-selling word processing packages like WordStar,™ TI's comfortable, typewriter-style keyboard is a natural.Anyone familiar with a standard typewriter keyboard can start to work immediately, without re-learning key positions.

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you need now, and the ones you'll want tomorrow. Thirty to forty programs each month are being developed by over 200 software manufacturers. You'll find them among hundreds of other software packages listed in the TI Software Journal.

So get more from your software with the best hardware, the Texas Instruments Professional Computer. For more information, call 1-800-527-3500. Or visit the dealer nearest you.

Texas Instruments

Creating useful products and services for you.

1-2-3 is a trademark of Lotus Corporation. WordStar is a trademark of MicroPro International Corp. Copyright © 1984 Texas Instruments

2773-04 SW-R2

^

Inside the Model 100's ROM

Explore the built-in software in the TRS-80 Model 100

The TRS-80 Model 100 is still a relatively new machine with not much software or information available for it yet. This probably will change, as it did for the original TRS-80 Model I and other early microcomputer systems. I hope to shorten the time it takes you to get information contained within the Model 100 by taking you on a walk through its ROM (read-only memory) chips, stopping at addresses you may find useful in your own BASIC or machine-language programs. I will show you the locations of the systems directory and your files and explain their formats. Finally, I will describe a program I wrote called DIR.CO. This program addresses a shortcoming of the Model 100 in that it shows the location and size of the files in the machine. DIR.CO will list each directory entry, even if the file has been erased, and give the starting address and length of each file. In some cases DIR.CO will provide even more information, such as the execution and entry addresses of a command file.

The Directory

The file directory starts at hexadecimal location F962. Each directory entry is 11 bytes long. The first byte is a flag byte that describes the status of the file. The bits defined in the status byte are:

7—tells that the file really exists

Brian Cameron Free-lance Writer

6—identifies the file as a text (.DO) file

5—identifies the file as a command (.CO) file

4—shows that the program is in ROM if this bit is on

3—shows that the program is invisible if this bit is on

2—not used

1—not used

0—not used

The status byte is followed by a 2-byte starting address for the program and an 8-byte address containing the filename. The directory starts with the system entries. These are what the user is accustomed to seeing displayed in the main menu. The familiar system files are BASIC, TEXT, TELCOM, ADDRSS, and SCHEDL. Each of these files contains a status-flag byte of hexadecimal B0. The status-byte list, above, shows that this means the files are command type and that they are resident in ROM. The next two directory entries refer to programs called SUZUKI and HAYASHI. Both these filenames are preceded by a zero. The status flags for SUZUKI and HAYASHI are hexadecimal 88 and C8, respectively. In each case the invisible bit is on for these files. The user directory entries start at hexadecimal address F9AF.

About Erased Files

An erased file has a status-flag byte

of zero. All other files have the highorder bit of the status byte turned on. If you accidentally erase a file, you may be able to recover it. Start at the beginning of the user directory and move through it 11 bytes at a time until you come to the file you erased. Store a hexadecimal 80 in the first byte of the directory entry and the file will reappear. This, however, does not ensure that the file will be restored; to be recoverable it must have been the last file stored. The Model 100 ROM routine not only changes the flag to 00 when a file is erased, but it also closes any holes in the file structure. For example, if three files exist, Fl.DO, F2.DO, and FIDO, and you erase F2.DO, file F3.DO will close the gap that F2.DO left. This can be demonstrated with the DIR.CO program. Create several files and display their start and end addresses, then erase one of the files and invoke the DIR.CO program again. As long as the program erased was not the last directory entry, you will notice that the file previously listed after the erased file will now begin at a new address. Because of this file movement you cannot be assured that a file can be restored after a KILL command has been entered. It is unfortunate that the authors of the Model 100 ROM routines did not choose to simply mark a file as erased and then clean up any missing gaps at the next file save. Be careful if you attempt to recover a lost

288 BYTE May 1984

Compute and print client tax returns -J in minutes a

•*«••■*

!&o «S*£-;

on your microcomputer with

MICRO-TAX

t's right, in just minutes you can have a client's completed tax return in your hand. Think about it.. .you increase client volume, you increase Plus, you save the cost of your computer service bureau—and you have complete client security.

FEDERAL AND STATE PACKAGES TO MEET EVERY NEED. MICRO-TAX* offers four Federal tax packages and 25 state packages (fully integrated with the Level II Program), so you can select the programs that best meet your needs:

Level I—Federal Individual Package: for individuals preparing their own taxes Level II—Federal Professional Individual Package: for accountants, registered agents, tax attorneys, and other tax professionals. Level III—Federal Partnership/Corporate Package: for those who prepare Federal Partnership, Corporate, and Subchapter S returns. Level IV—Overseas Tax Package: addresses the unique tax situations of United States Expatriates.

Levels II, III, and IV have a depreciation module and automatically compute underpayment penalties and minimum tax. In addition, Levels II and III automatically compute self-employment taxes, and Level II computes income averaging.

FLEXIBLE DATA ENTRY. With MICRO-TAX* you can organize data entry in a sequence similar to that of manual tax preparation, or you can choose another sequence. The menu driven system makes data entry simple.

MULTIPLE PRINTING OPTIONS. You can input client tax information at the time of interview and produce forms immediately, or enter data during the day and batch print returns at night. MICRO-TAX* prints your returns on IRS forms, IRS approved substitute forms, or with transparent overlays.

TAXNET*—TELETEXT SUPPORT NETWORK. MICRO-TAX* customers can now have access to an electronic mailbox and instantaneous memoboard through the TAXNET*

teletext support network. With TAXNET,* you can send information, ask questions, get answers and updates—directly through your computer and a modem.

TAX ORGANIZER. Now MICRO-TAX*offers a Tax Organizer. You get both the software and the forms, so each year, you can send your clients an organizer with the prior year's client data printed on it.

HARDWARE COMPATIBILITY. MICRO-TAX* is compatible with your IBM PC/XT,* DEC Rainbow,* Radio Shack,* or any other personal computer with CP/M-80,* PC DOS,* or MS DOS*—from Apple* to Zenith.*

So, take the tedium out of tax preparation—save time and money— Call Micro-Tax* for complete details, ^_

or call your local dealer.

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6203 Variel Avenue, Suite A Woodland Hills, CA 91367, Dept. 1B Phone (213) 704-7800 (Area code changes to (818). effective January 1984)

Circle 270 on inquiry card.

Internal

ROM

Internal

ROM

BASIC

Code

Entry Address

BASIC

Code

Entry Address

Command

(all hexadecimal)

(all hexadecimal)

Command

(all hexadecimal)

(all hexadecimal)

ABS

E1

33F2

LET

87

09C3

ASC

F9

294F

LINE

92

0C45

ATN

ED

2F71

LIST

A5

1140

BEEP

B1

4229

LLIST

A7

113B

CALL

B9

1DFA

LOAD

9B

4D70

CDBL

F4

35BA

LOG

E8

3FCF

CINT

F2

3501

LPOS

E4

10C8

CLEAR

A7

40F9

LPRINT

A0

0B4E

CLOAD

A8

2377

MAX

B7

1D9B

CLOAD?

(same as CLOAD)

2456

MENU

BA

5797

CLOADM

(same as CLOAD)

24A7

MERGE

9C

4D71

CLOSE

9A

4E28

MOTOR

B6

1DEC

CLS

BO

4231

NAME

BC

2037

COM

AD

1A9E

NEW

BF

20FE

CONT

A4

40DA

NEXT

82

4174

COS

EA

2EEF

ON

97

0A2F

CSAVE

A9

2280

OPEN

99

4CCB

CSAVEM

(same as CSAVE)

22DD

OUT

96

110C

CSNG

F3

352A

PEEK

EE

1284

CSRLIN

CA

1D90

POKE

A2

128B

DATA

83

099E

POS

E5

10CE

DATE

AB

1924

POWER

B8

1419

DAY

AC

1955

PRESET

B5

1C66

DEF

A1

0872

PRINT

A3

0B56

DIM

85

478B

PSET

B4

1C57

DSKI

C8

5073

READ

86

0CD9

DSKO

98

5071

REM

8E

09A0

EDIT

93

5E51

RESTORE

8B

407F

END

80

409F

RESUME

95

OABO

EOF

EF

1889

RND

E7

313E

ERROR

94

0B0F

RUN

89

090F

EXP

E9

30A4

SAVE

9E

4DCF

FILES

9D

1F3A

SAVEM

(same as SAVE)

22CC

FIX

F5

3645

SCREEN

BE

1E22

FOR

81

0726

SGN

DF

3407

FRE

E2

2B4C

SIN

EB

2F09

GOSUB

8C

091E

SOUND

B2

1DC5

GOTO

88

0936

SPACE

FB

298E

HIMEM

CC

1DB9

SQR

E6

305A

IF

8A

0B1A

STOP

8F

409A

IN KEYS

C9

4BEA

STR

F7

273A

INP

E3

1100

STRING

C6

296D

INPUT

84

0CA3

TAB(

CO

0C01

INPUT*

(same as INPUT)

0C99

TAN

EC

2F58

INT

EO

3654

TIME

AA

1904

IPL

BB

1A78

USING

C2

4991

KEY

AF

1BB8

VAL

F8

2A07

KILL

BD

1F91

VARPTR

C3

0F7E

LCOPY

B3

1E5E

WIDTH

90

1DC3

LEN

F6

2943

Table Is The BASIC command entry points

and internal codes.

For an explanation

of the abbreviations,

see September 1983 BYTE,

page 154.

file—if the files have been shifted after the erase command the results may be unpredictable.

File Formats

Three types of files can exist on the Model 100: BASIC files (.BA), command files (.CO), and document files (.DO). A BASIC file starts at the address specified in the directory and continues through memory until

three zeros are encountered. A document file also starts at the address specified in the directory, but it continues until a Control-Z hexadecimal 1A is encountered. A command file is a little more complicated because it must provide such information as the start address and the length of the program. At the address specified in the directory, you will find where the command file is stored. This is

not where it is executed. The program, when invoked from the main menu, will be moved to its execution address and control will then be passed to it. The first two bytes of the file contain the start address, or the address where the file will be moved to in memory. The next two bytes contain the length of the program. This is the program proper and does not include the start-address bytes,

290 BYTE May 1984

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BYTE May 1984 291

Circle 59 on inquiry card.

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length bytes, or the entry bytes in its calculated length. The two bytes following the length contain the entry address of the program. This is where the program will start executing from, once control is passed to it. The entry address is not necessarily the same as the start address, but they can be the same if the program is to start at the first byte specified in the start address.

ROM Routines

By understanding parts of the Model 100 ROM routines you will be able to shorten your programs and use the 32K bytes of ROM space that would normally be useless to your program. For example, there is no point in writing the code to clear the screen or home the cursor if these routines already exist in the machine. Because the Model 100 clears the screen when it leaves the menu, you should be able to use this function, as well as other routines (providing you can find them in ROM) and understand what each routine requires. To prove this capability, enter the BASIC command CALL 16945. This is the entry point for the BASIC CLS command. After you enter this command your screen will be blank. Table 1 gives a list of BASIC command entry points, as well as their internal representation.

Many other useful ROM routines are available in the Model 100. Table 2 is a list and description of addresses I discovered in the ROMs using a disassembler on an IBM 4341. You can easily incorporate these routines into your machine-language programs.

The DIR.CO Program

The DIR.CO program in listing 1 is an extended version of the BASIC FILES command, but it provides much more information than just the names of the current files. If a directory entry exists for an erased file, its name will also appear in the list of files, with the comment *ERASED* beside it. Each file appears by itself on the screen. Pertinent information also appears with the filename. You move through the system files by pressing the Enter key, at which point the screen is cleared and the next file

292 BYTE May 1984

Circle 203 on inquiry card.

Text continued on page 303

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12CB — Get a Character from Keyboard .

This routine will wait for a character from the keyboard and return it in the A register. The carry flag will be set if it is a special character.

13DB — Check Keyboard

This routine checks to see if any characters are pending from the keyboard. The zero flag is set if no character is found. The zero flag is reset

if there are keys waiting.

1470 — Print a Character

The character in the A register will be printed when this routine is called.

14A8 — Turn On Cassette

This routine will turn on the cassette motor.

14AA — Turn Off Cassette

This routine will turn off the cassette motor.

HBO — Get a Character from the Cassette

A character is read from the cassette and returned in the A register. Upon entry to this routine, the C register must contain the current checksum. Upon exit, the C register will contain the updated checksum.

14C1 — Write a Character to the Cassette

This routine is similar to the cassette-read routine. The character to be written to the cassette must be in the A register, and the checksum must be in the C register. Upon return, the C register will contain the updated checksum.

190F — Get Time

Upon entry, the HL register pair must point to an 8-byte data area that will receive the system time. The format of the time returned is HH:MM:SS.

192F — Get Date

Upon entry, the HL register pair must contain the address of an 8-byte data area to receive the system date. The format of the date returned is MM/DD/YY.

1962 — Get Day

A call to this routine will return a 3-byte representation of the day of the week. Upon entry, the HL register pair must contain the address of the 3-byte area to receive the day.

1BE0 — Display Printable Characters

This routine displays the characters pointed to by the HL register pair, for the length contained in the B register. Only printable characters are displayed. If the value is greater than 7F or less than 20, then a blank is displayed in place of the character.

1E5E — Print LCD [liquid-crystal display] Screen

This routine will print the contents of the screen on the printer. This is the same entry point for the BASIC LCOPY command.

1FBE — Erase a .DO File

A call to this address will result in erasing a text file from the system. The HL register must contain the address of the files directory entry. The

DE register pair must point to the start of the file. The start of file can be obtained from a call to 5AE3.

220F —Save a .DO File

This routine will create a directory entry for a text file. The filename must have previously been stored in RAM (random-access read/write memory) at location FC93.

2542 — Move from Address in HL to Address in DE

The data pointed to in the HL register is moved to the address specified in the DE register, for a length contained in the B register. This is a forward movement of data because HL and DE are both incremented.

27B1 — Display a String

This routine will display, on the LCD screen, the characters pointed to in the HL register. The display of characters is terminated when a zero is discovered in the string.

290C — Move from Address in BC to Address in DE

The data pointed to in the BC register is moved to the address specified in the DE register, for a length contained in the L register. This is a forward movement of data.

2EE6 — Move from Address in HL to Address in DE

The data pointed to in the HL register is moved to the address specified in the DE register, for a length contained in the C register. This is a backward movement of data because the HL and DE registers are decremented before each character moved.

3469 — Move from Address in DE to Address in HL

The data pointed to in the DE register is moved to the address specified in the HL register, for a length contained in the B register. This is a forward movement of data.

3472 — Move from Address in DE to Address in HL

Same as the call to address 3469 except that this is a backward movement of data.

39D4 — Convert and Display

The hexadecimal value in the HL register pair will be converted to a decimal number and will then be displayed at the current cursor position. (See the DIR.CO program listing for an example.)

Table 2: The ROM routines. (All numerical values are in hexadecimal notation.)

Table 2 continued on page 296

294 BYTE May 1984

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Table 2 continued:

40F1 — Check HL for Character

The byte at the address pointed to by the HL register is checked to see if it is a valid uppercase letter. If it is not valid then the carry flag is set.

40F2 — Check A for Character

This is similar to the call to address 40F1, except that the A register is checked for a valid uppercase letter A-Z.

4222 — Display CR LF

Calling this address results in a carriage return and a line feed being displayed on the screen. The A register is destroyed.

4229 — Beep

This routine gives a short beep on the speaker. The A register is destroyed.

422D — Home Cursor

This routine does the same as the call to address 5D6A, except that the HL register is not touched. This probably is a better choice.

4231 — Clear Screen

This routine is also the same as the BASIC command CLS. The A register is destroyed.

4235 — Protect the Bottom Line

After calling this routine you are unable to write into line eight. The system uses this to protect the function-key displays.

423A — Unprotect the Bottom Line

This routine undoes a call to address 4235.

423F — Scroll Lock

After a call to this routine the screen will be locked. A line feed cannot cause the top line to disappear or a fresh line to appear on the bottom.

4244 — Scroll Unlock

This routine reverses the effect of a call to 423F, allowing a line-feed character to move lines of data, off the top of the screen.

4249 — Turn Cursor On

This routine causes the familiar block cursor to appear at the current cursor position.

424E — Turn Cursor Off

This routine will cause the block cursor to disappear.

4253 — Erase Line

This routine will erase the entire contents of the current screen line.

4258 — Insert Line

This routine will insert a blank line on the screen below the current cursor position.

425D — Erase to End of Line

This routine will clear the current line starting from the cursor position.

4269 — Reverse Video

After a call to this routine, characters typed on the screen will appear white with black backgrounds.

426E — Normal Video

This routine restores normal black characters on a white background.

4270 — Send Escape Code

Upon entry, the A register contains the escape code.

427C — Move Cursor to (row, col)

This routine can be used to position the cursor anywhere on the screen. Upon entry, the HL register points to the destination of the cursor

H = ROW L = COLUMN

The A register is destroyed.

428A — Erase Function Display

This routine will remove the function-key display from the bottom of the screen.

42A5 — Set (and display) Function Keys

This routine will set the function keys according to the table pointed to by the HL register and display them. This routine is the same as a call to address 5A7C to set the keys, followed by a call to address 42A8 to display the setting.

42A8 — Display Function Keys

As stated in the routine above, this routine will display the settings.

4644 — Get a Line from Keyboard

This routine will get a line of input from the keyboard and exit back to the calling routine when the Enter key is pressed. The data can be found in the keyboard input buffer, located at address F685.

4B44 — Display a Character

The character in the A register is displayed on the LCD screen.

Table 2 continued on page 298

296 BYTE May 1984

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Table 2 continued:

4B55 — Print a Character (expand tabs)

This routine will print the character that is in the A register, unless it happens to be a tab character, in which case the tab is expanded out two spaces.

52BB — Drop Phone Line

This routine will terminate the phone connection.

52D0 — Connect Phone Line

532D — Dial a Number

This routine will dial the specified phone number pointed to by the HL register.

5791 — Display Message on New Line

This routine will display a message pointed to by the HL register. The message must be terminated with a zero. If the cursor is not at the beginning of the line then a carriage return is done before the message is displayed.

5797 — Main Menu

This is the address of the main-menu routine.

5970 — List Files

This routine is called from the main menu to display the files on the LCD screen.

59AD — Display Filename

This routine is called to build a filename. The DE registers must point to a string of characters containing the filename. The HL registers must contain the address of a work area large enough to contain the filename, file type, the period separator, and a trailing zero. After the call the HL register no longer points to the start of the string so it is advised to PUSH the HL register before the call, and then POP the register before calling off to the routine to display the filename. For an example, see the routine called PUTFN in the DIR.CO program listing.

5A58 — Display String of Characters

Upon entry to this routine, the HL register must contain the address of a string of characters to be displayed on the screen. The string must be terminated with a 00. The A register is destroyed and HL points to the end of the string.

5A79 — Clear Function Keys

This routine clears the function-key table.

5A7C — Copy Function Keys

The HL register must contain the address of the function table that will be copied into the system function-key settings.

5A9E — Display the Function Table

5AA9 — Find a Directory Entry

The DE register pair must point to the address of the file you wish to search for. A zero must terminate the name. Upon exit, the HL register contains the start address of the file. If the file is not found, the zero flag will be set.

5AE3 — Get Start of File

Upon entry, the HL register must contain the address of the directory entry. Upon exit, the HL register will contain the start address of the file.

5D6A — Home Cursor

This routine will move the cursor to upper left corner of the screen. Registers A and HL are destroyed. (Also see address 422D.)

5F2F — Wait for Space Bar

This routine waits until the space bar is pressed, then returns.

6CD6 — Cold Start Address 6CE0 — Warm Start Address

6D3F — Print a Character

The character in the A register will be sent to the printer. The carry flag will be set if the print operation is canceled by break.

6D6D — Return Number of Characters on RS-232C

This routine will return the number of characters pending on the RS-232C queue. The results are returned in the A register If there are no characters pending, the zero flag will be set.

6D7E — Get Character from RS-232C

Upon return, the A register will contain a character from the RS-232C queue. The zero flag will be set if all is OK. The carry flag will be set if the Break key was pressed.

6E0B — Send XON

This routine will send an XON character (Control-Q) across the communication line. This character resets the XOFF code to stop the flow of data.

6E1E — Send XOFF

This routine will transmit an XOFF character (Control-S) across the communication line. This code is used to stop the flow of data to the Model 100. Data flow will resume only when you send an XON.

6E32 — Send Character to RS-232C

The character in the A register is sent to the RS-232C.

Table 2 continued on page 300 298 BYTE May 1984

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BYTE May 1984 299

Table 2 continued:

6E75 — Set RS-232C bps [bits per second] The H register contains the code from 1 to 9.

1 = 75 bps

2 = 110 bps

3 = 300 bps

4 = 600 bps

5 = 1200 bps

6 = 2400 bps

7 = 4800 bps

8 = 9600 bps

9 = 19200 bps

6EA6 — Initialize RS-232C or Modem

This routine will initialize the RS-232C port or the modem, depending on the setting of the carry flag. If it is set then the RS-232C is initialized. If it is reset the modem is initialized. The H register setting is the same as the address 6E75 call (see above). The L register contains the settings for the remaining UART parameters. Bit 0 of the L register specifies the number of stop bits. If this bit is off then one stop bit is set. If the bit is on then two stop bits are set. Bits 1 and 2 are used to specify the parity setting. A 00 means no parity. A setting of 01 means even parity. A setting of 10 means odd parity. Bits 3 and 4 are used to specify the word length. A 00 means a 6-bit word length. A 01 means a 7-bit word length. A 10 means an 8-bit word length.

6ECB — Deactivate the RS-232C Port

6EEF — Check for Carrier

This routine will return a 00 in the A register, as well as the zero flag being set, if the carrier is detected. If there is no carrier the A register will contain an FF and the zero flag will be reset.

6F46 — Write Header to Cassette

Writes the header and sync byte to the cassette.

6F5B — Write to Cassette

This routine writes the character contained in the A register to the cassette. This routine differs from the cassette-write routine at address 14C1

in that it does not perform a checksum.

6F85 — Read Header from Cassette

Reads the header and sync byte from the cassette.

702A — Read from Cassette

This routine reads a character from the cassette. No checksum is performed, The character is returned in the D register.

7242 — Scan Keyboard

This routine checks the keyboard for a character and returns with the status set. The A register contains the character, if one was found. The zero flag will be set if no character was found. The carry flag will also be set if the character found is not a normal character, for example, a function key. In the case of a special key being pressed, the A register will contain the following HEX code to represent the key pressed:

0 = function key 1

1 = function key 2

2 = function key 3

3 = function key 4

4 = function key 5

5 = function key 6

6 = function key 7

7 = function key 8

8 = Label key

9 = Print key

A = Shift-Print key B = Paste key

7270 — Check for Character or Break

The zero flag will be set if no characters are waiting. The carry flag will be set if Break has been pressed.

7283 — Check for Break or Pause

The carry flag is set if Break or Pause has been pressed.

72C5 — Play Tone on Speaker

This routine will sound a tone on the speaker. The DE register must contain the frequency, while the B register must contain the duration.

744C — Turn LCD Pixel On

This routine will turn on a screen pixel at the location specified in the DE register pair. Register D must contain the X coordinate, and register E must contain the Y coordinate.

744D — Turn LCD Pixel Off

Similar requirements to the call at address 744C except the pixel will be turned off.

7EAC — Display Memory Free

This routine calculates the amount of free memory and displays it on the screen, along with the message "BYTES FREE." This familiar message appears in the main menu and at the startup of BASIC.

300 BYTE May 1984

Circle 99 on inquiry card.

Listing 1: The DIR.CO directory program.

8085 MACRO ASSEMBLER, VER 2.0 ERRORS = 0 PAGE 1

E000 12CB 4222 4B44

ORG HAITCR EQU PUTCR EQU PUTC EQU

0E0OOH 12CBH 4222H 4B44H

WRITTEN BY BRIAN CAMERON

A PROGRAM TO DISPLAY ALL TRS100 FILES (EVEN ERASED FILES) AND SHOW SUCH ATTRIBUTES AS THE FILE LOCATION, SIZE, EXECUTION ADDRESS AND ENTRY ADDRESS, WHERE APPROPRIATE

E000

DIR

EQU

s

E000

L1BAF9

LXI

D,0F9BAH

POINT TO USER DIR

E003

TOPDIR

EQU

s

E003

CD3142

CALL

4231H

CLEAR SCREEN

E006

CD2242

CALL

PUTCR

GET TO NEXT LINE

E009

1A

LDAX

D

GET CODE INTO A

E00A

FEOO

CPI

0

IS FILE ERASED?

E00C

CA4 3E0

JZ

ERASED

YES

E00F

13

I NX

D

POINT TO ADDR

E010

D5

PUSH

D

SAVE FOR LATER

E011

D5

PUSH

D

AND AGAIN

E012

1A

LDAX

D

GET FIRST BYTE OF ADDR

E013

FEOO

CPI

0

POSSIBLY END OF DIR?

E015

C21EE0

JNZ

NOTEOD

NO

E018

13

I NX

D

POINT TO SECOND BYTE OF ADDR

E019

1A

LDAX

D

GET IT

E01A

IB

DCX

D

POINT BACK ONE

E01B

FEOO

CPI

0

IS IT END OF DIR?

E01D

C8

RZ

YES

E01E

NOTEOD

EQU

s.

E01E

13

I NX

D

POINT TO SECOND BYTE OF ADDR

E01F

13

I NX

D

POINT TO THE FN FT

E020

CD5BE1

CALL

PUTFN

DISPLAY IT

E023

Dl

POP

D

GET BACK ADDR

E024

7B

MOV

A,E

MOVE FOR ADD

E025

C608

ADI

8

ADD FT OFFSET

E027

5F

MOV

E,A

MOVE IT BACK

E028

3E20

MVI

A, ' '

LOAD A BLANK

E02A

CD444B

CALL

PUTC

SHOOT IT

E02D

1A

LDAX

D

GET FT CHAR

E02E

FE4 2

CPI

'B'

IS IT BASIC?

E030

CA66E0

JZ

BASIC

YES

E033

FE4 3

CPI

■c

IS IT CODE?

E035

CAB4E0

JZ

CODE

YES

E038

FE4 4

CPI

'D'

IS IT A DOC FILE?

85 MACRO ASSEMBLER, VER 2.0

ERRORS = 0 PAGE

2

E03A

CAFBEO

JZ

DOC

YES

E03D

El

POP

H

CLEAR THE STACK

E03E

13

I NX

D

POINT TO ...

E03F

13

I NX

D

THE NEXT DIR ENTRY

E040

F239E1

JP

MORE

CARRY ON

WE GET HERE AFTER IT IS DETERMINED THAT THE FILE WE ARE LOOKING AT HAS BEEN ERASED WE MAKE A SECOND CHECK FOR A ZERO BYTE IN THE ADDRESS FIELD TO MAKE SURE WE ARE NOT AT THE END OF THE DIRECTORY

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• A rich set of libraries includes source for K&R functions, string handling, graphics, sorting, floating point (8087 and 8086/8088), "Large" model (1.000K RAM), "Small" memory model, MS-DOS 1.1, 1.25, 2.0, 2.+ +.

•Support for numerous add-on libraries including: HALO Graphics, C Tools, PHACT for ISAM.

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Technical support: 11(7^« Suite J-504

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C86 is a trademark of Computer Innovations. Inc. CPM-86 is a registered trademark of Digital Research. MS-DOS is a trademark of Microsoft. PC-DOS is a trademark of International Business Machines.

E043

ERASED EQU

S

E043

D5

PUSH

D

SAVE FLAG BYTE ADDR

E044

13

I MX

D

POINT TO ADDR

E045

IA

LDAX

D

LOAD IT

E046

FEOO

CPI

0

END OF DIR?

E048

13

I NX

D

POINT TO PART 2

E049

C254E0

JNZ

NOEOD2

NO

E04C

IA

LDAX

D

LOAD IT

E04D

FEOO

CPI

0

END OF DIR?

E04F

C254E0

JNZ

NOEOD2

NO

E052

Dl

POP

D

RESTORE STACK

E053

C9

RET

YOU GUESSED IT -- RETURN

E054

NOEOD2 EQU

5

E054

13

I NX

D

POINT TO FN

E055

CD5BE1

CALL

PUTFN

SHOW IT

E058

21A5E1

LXI

H,EMSG

POINT TO NSG

E05B

CD585A

CALL

5A58H

SHOW IT

E05E

Dl

POP

D

POINT TO FLAG BYTE

E05F

7B

MOV

A,E

GET ADDR

E060

C60B

ADI

11

OFFSET TO NEXT DIR ENTRY

E062

5F

MOV

E,A

SAVE IT BACK

E063

C339E1

JMP

MORE

CARRY ON

WE ENTER HERE WHEN WE DETERMINE THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT A 3ASIC FILE. WE DISPLAY THE ADDRESS THAT THE FILE IS STORED AT FOLLOWED BY THE SIZE OF THE FILE. THE END OF FILE IS MARKED BY THREE ZERO BYTES IN A ROW

E066

BASIC

EQU

s

E066

DL

POP

D

POINT TO ADDR

E067

2LB0EL

LXI

H,STOMSG

POINT TO STORED MSG

E06A

CD585A

CALL

5A58H

SHOW IT

E06D

CD48E1

CALL

PTFL

POINT TO FILE

E070

CD6BE1

CALL

CONVD

DISPLAY ADDR

E073

CD75E1

CALL

PUT8

GET TO NEXT LINE

85 MACRO ASSEMBLER,

VER 2.0

ERRORS ■ 0 PAGE

3

E076

21DAE1

LXI

H,ENDADR

END ADDRESS MSG

E079

CD585A

CALL

5A58H

SHOW IT

E07C

2600

MVI

H,0

CLEAR HL ...

E07E

2E00

MVI

L,0

FOR SIZE COUNT

E080

BALOOP

EQU

5

E080

IA

LDAX

D

GET A CHAR

E081

FEOO

CPI

0

END OF FILE?

SUPPLIES

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• send today for your FREE catalog

Please rush my FREE NEBS Computer Forms Catalog.

(

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Street Address

City, State and Zip

Use computer for; (Check as many as apply)

□ Home □ Business Q Word Processing □ Accounting

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□ Apple n TRS-80

□ IBM PC p Other

□ Plan to purchase Q Have a within printer?

Listing 1 continued on page 302

■ Computer Forms

I— — — 12 South Street, Tov

Townsend, MA. 01469 __ .

A division of New England Business Service. Inc. Circle 289 on inquiry card. byte May 1984

301

"Looking for bus compatible data acquisition boards? You Ve come to the right guy.

Left to right, Fred Molinari, President

j» 1

«»»"!-™

C* ■

Hj^tti^

^^S*X \

Er*i^^

v^v^^^^B

]^^^B

1 r^JI

1; %1 j

Thisisn'tjustaline.

Data Translation offers the most complete line of analog I/O boards available. Anywhere.

We have LSI-11™ Bus, MULTIBUS,™ UNIBUS,™ IBM PC™ Bus, STD Bus, and Apple™ Bus. You'll never have to change buses to get the analog compatibility you need.

And you won't be left stranded for help... our user manuals and thorough diagnostics guide you through any technical road blocks. All for the same low fare.

So whether you're in scientific research or industrial control, call us.

We're the world's leading supplier of analog I/O boards, systems and software.

We'll have you up, and on line, in no time. Call (617) 481-3700.

DATA TRANSLATION

World Headquarters: Data Translation, Inc., 100 Locke Dr., Marlboro, MA 01752 (617) 481-3700 Tlx 951 646. European Headquarters: Data Translation. Ltd.. 430 Balh Ret., Slough. Berkshire SL1 6BB England (06286) 3412 Tlx 849862. In Canada: (416) 625-1907.

LSI-U and UNIBUS are registered trademarks of Digital Equipment Corp. MULTIBUS is a registered trademark ol

Intel Corp. IBM PC is a registered trademark of IBM.

302 Circle 436 on inquiry card.

[f

f

32

mm

HKpif

&-9L kI"3"><w

!^*£SP1 \

T^"*c

'. ™.

Data Translation is the leading supplier of microcomputer compatible analog I/O boards.

DATA ACQUISITION BOARDS

BUS

A/D

D/A

DIGITAL I/O

REAL TIME CLOCK

STD

MULTIBUS UNIBUS LSI-11 IBM PC APPLE II

X

X X X X X

X

X X X X

X X

X X

Listing 1 continued:

E083

CA8BE0

JZ

BASEND

YES

E086

BALP2 EQU

S

E086

13

I NX

D

POINT TO NEXT CHAR

E087

23

I NX

H

ADD 1 TO COUNT

E088

C38OE0

JMP

BALOOP

DO IT AGAIN

E08B

BASEND EQU

S

E08B

CDAAEO

CALL

CKEOF

IN ORDER TO SHOW ...

E08E

CDAAEO

CALL

CKEOF

ITS END OF FILE

E091

E5

PUSH

H

SAVE IT FOR LATER

E092

D5

PUSH

D

MOVE ADDR TO

E093

El

POP

H

HL REGISTER

E094

CD6BE1

CALL

CONVD

CONVERT AND SHOW IT

E097

CD75E1

CALL

PUTS

MOVE OVER ROVER

E09A

21C9E1

LXI

H,LENMSG

POINT TO LENGTH MSG

E09D

CD585A

CALL

5A58H

SHOW IT

EOAO

El

POP

H

RESTORE THE COUNT

E0A1

CD6BE1

CALL

CONVD

CONVERT AND DISPLAY

E0A4

CD53E1

CALL

POPDR

RESTORE DIR POINTER

E0A7

C339E1

JMP

MORE

GET NEXT FILE

EOAA

CKEOF EQU

$

EOAA

13

I NX

D

POINT TO THE NEXT BYTE

EOAB

23

I NX

H

ADD ONE TO THE COUNT

EOAC

1A

LDAX

D

GET THE CHAR WHERE WE CAN

LO

EOAD

FEOO

CPI

0

POSSIBLE EOF?

EOAF

C8

RZ

LOOKS GOOD

EOBO

CI

POP

B

CLEAR THE STACK

E0B1

C386E0

JMP

BALP2

CARRY ON

WE ENTER HERE WHEN WE HAVE FOUND A .CO FILE THE FILE ITSELF CONTAINS THE INFORMATION THAT DESCRIBES THE LOAD ADDRESS, SIZE OF FILE AND ENTRY ADDRESS

E0B4

CODE

EQU

S

E0B4

Dl

POP

D

POINT TO ADDR

E0B5

21B0E1

LXI

H,STOMSG

POINT TO STORED MSG

E0B8

CD585A

CALL

5A58H

SHOW IT

EOBB

CD48E1

CALL

PTFL

POINT TO THE FILE

EOBE

CD6BE1

CALL

CONVD

CONVERT AND SHOW IT

85 MACRO ASSEMBLER,

VER 2.0

ERRORS = 0 PAGE

4

E0C1

CD75E1

CALL

PUTS

GET TO NEXT LINE

E0C4

21BCE1

LXI

H,STMSG

POINT TO START MSG

E0C7

CD585A

CALL

5A58H

SHOW IT

EOCA

CD48E1

CALL

PTFL

POINT TO START OF FILE

EOCD

CD6BE1

CALL

CONVD

CONVERT AND DISPLAY

EODO

Dl

POP

D

RESTORE FILE POINTER

E0D1

CD75E1

CALL

PUTS

GET TO NEXT LINE

E0D4

21C9E1

LXI

H.LENMSG

POINT TO LENGTH MSG

E0D7

CD585A

CALL

5A58H ,

SHOW IT

EODA

13

I NX

D

POINT TO ...

EODB

13

I NX

D

LENGTH

EODC

CD48E1

CALL

PTFL

GET THE LENGTH

EODF

CD6BE1

CALL

CONVD

CONVERT AND DISPLAY

E0E2

Dl

POP

D

RESTORE FILE POINTER

E0E3

CD75E1

CALL

PUTS

GET TO NEXT LINE

E0E6

21D2E1

LXI

H,ENMSG

ENTRY MSG

E0E9

CD585A

CALL

5A58H

SHOW IT

EOEC

13

I NX

D

POINT TO THE ENTRY

EOED

13

I NX

D

ENTRY

EOEE

CD48E1

CALL

PTFL

GET THE ENTRY

EOFl

CD6BE1

CALL

CONVD

CONVERT AND DISPLAY

E0F4

Dl

POP

D

RESTORE FILE POINTER

E0F5

CD53E1

CALL

POPDR

E0F8

C339E1

JMP

MORE

DO NEXT FILE

WE ENTER HERE WHEN WE DETERMINE THAT WE HAVE FOUND A .DO FILE. WE DISPLAY THE STARTING LOCATION OF THE FILE AND THEN DETERMINE THE LENGTH BY SEARCHING FOR A CONTROL Z (1A)

EOFB

DOC

EQU

S

EOFB

Dl

POP

D

POINT TO ADDR

EOFC

21B0E1

LXI

H, STOMSG

POINT TO STORED MSG

EOFF

CD585A

CALL

5A58H

SHOW IT

E102

CD48E1

CALL

PTFL

POINT TO FILE

E105

CD6BE1

CALL

CONVD

CONVERT AND DISPLAY

E108

CD75E1

CALL

PUTS

GET TO NEXT LINE

E10B

21DAE1

LXI

H, ENDADR

END ADDRESS MSG

E10E

CD585A

CALL

5A58H

SHOW IT

Bill

2600

MVI

H,0

CLEAR HL FOR ...

E113

2E00

MVI

L,0

SIZE COUNT

8115

DOLOOP

EQU

s

E115

1A

LDAX

D

GET A CHAR

E116

FE1A

CPI

1AH

IS IT CNTRL Z?

E118

CA20E1

JZ

DOCDSP

YES

E11B

13

I NX

D

POINT TO NEXT CHAR

sue

23

I NX

H .

ADD 1 TO COUNT

E11D

C315E1

JMP

DOLOOP

GET MORE CHARACTERS

85 MACRO ASSEMBLER, VER 2.0

ERRORS = 0 PAGE

5

E120

DOCDSP

EQU

S

E120

E5

PUSH

H

SAVE

E121

D5

PUSH

D

MOVE ADDR TO

E122

El

POP

H

HL REGISTER

E123

CD6BE1

CALL

CONVD

CONVERT AND DISPLAY

E126

CD75E1

CALL

PUTS

GET TO NEXT LINE

E129

21C9E1

LXI

H.LENMSG

POINT TO THE LENGTH MSG

E12C

CD585A

CALL

5A58H

SHOW IT

E12F

El

POP

H

RESTORE COUNT

E130

CD6BE1

CALL

CONVD

CONVERT AND SHOW

E133

CD53E1

CALL

POPDR

RESTORE DIR POINTER

E136

C339E1

JMP

MORE

DO NEXT FILE

E139

MORE

EQU

s

E139

CD2242

CALL

PUTCR

E13C

218AE1

LXI

H,MOREMSG

POINT TO MSG

E13F

CD585A

CALL

5A58H

SHOW IT

E142

CDCB12

CALL

WAITCR

WAIT FOR A CHAR

E145

C303E0

JMP

TOPDIR

RESET AND CARRY ON

E148

PTFL

EQU

5

Listing J continued on page 303 BYTE May 1984

Listing

1 continued:

£148

El

POP

H

E149

D5

PUSH

D

E14A

E5

PUSH

H

E14B

1A

LDAX

D

E14C

6F

MOV

L,A

E14D

13

I NX

D

E14E

1A

LDAX

D

E14F

67

MOV

H,A

E150

E5

PUSH

H

E151

Dl

POP

D

E152

C9

RET

E153

POPDR

EQU

s

E153

El

POP

H

E154

Dl

POP

D

E155

E5

PUSH

H

E156

7B

MOV

A,E

E157

C60A

ADI

10

E159

5F

MOV

E,A

E15A

C9

RET

E15B

PUTFN

EQU

S

E15B

D5

PUSH

D

E15C

E5

PUSH

H

E15D

21E8E1

LX1

H.FNBUF

E160

E5

PUSH

H

E161

CDAD59

CALL

59ADH

E164

El

POP

H

E165

CD585A

CALL

5A58H

E168

El

POP

H

8085 MACRO ASSEMBLER, VER 2.0 ERRORS

GET RETURN

E179

2181E1

LXI

H.BLKS

SAVE

E17C

CD585A

CALL

5A58H

SAVE RETURN ADDR

E17F

El

POP

H

E180

C9

RET

SAVE TOP PART OF ADDR

;

POINT TO NEXT BYTE

E181

20202020

BLKS: DB

' '

GET SECOND PART OF ADDR

E185

20202020

SAVE BOTTOM PART OF ADDR

E189

00

DB

0

MOVE FILE START ...

EISA

50524553

MOREMSG: DB

'PRESS ENTER

TO DE REG

E18E E192 E196 E19A

5320454E 54455220

544F2043 4F4E5449

GET RETURN ADDR

E19E

4E55452E

RESTORE DIR POINTER

E1A2

2E2E

RESTORE RETURN ADDR

E1A4

00

DB

0

GET CURRENT POINTER

E1A5

202A4552

EMSG: DB

1 *ERASED* '

POINT TO NEXT ENTRY

E1A9

41534544

RESTORE IT

E1AD

2A20

E1AF

00

DB

0

E1B0

2053544F

STOMSG: DB

1 STORED AT '

E1B4

52454420

E1B8

415420

E1BB

00

DB

0

POINT TO WORK BUFFER

E1BC

20535441

STMSG: DB

' START ADDR '

SAVE START POINTER

E1C0

52542041

BUILD THE FN. FT

E1C4

44445220

POINT BACK TO START OF BUFF

E1C8

00

DB

0

DISPLAY FN.FT

E1C9 E1CD

204C454E 47544820

LENMSG: DB

' LENGTH '

E1D1

00

DB

0

E1D2

20454E54

ENMSG: DB

' ENTRY '

E1D6

525920

0 PAGE

6

E1D9

00

DB

0

E1DA

20454E44

ENDADR: DB

' END ADDRESS

E169

Dl

POP

D

E16A

C9

RET

E16B

CONVD

EQU

S

E16B

C5

PUSH

B

E16C

D5

PUSH

D

E16D

E5

PUSH

H

E16E

CDD439

CALL

39D4H

E171

El

POP

H

E172

Dl

POP

D

E173

CI

POP

B

E174

C9

RET

E175

PUTS

EQU

S

E175

E5

PUSH

H

E176

CD2242

CALL

PUTCR

8085 MACRO ASSEMBLER, VER 2.0 ERRORS = 0 PAGE 7

;CONVERT AND DISPLAY

E1DE

20414444

E1E2

52455353

E1ES

20

E1E7

00

DB

E1E8

20202020

FNBUF:

DB '

E1EC

20202020

E1F0

20202020

E1F4

00

1

DB 0

END

NO PROGRAM ERRORS

Text continued from page 292: appears. A BASIC or document file shows its start address and length. A command file shows the address where it is stored in the file system, followed by its start address at execution time. The length and entry address are also provided for a command file.

To get the program into your machine, you can enter DIR .CO into the TEXT program and then run it through a resident assembly language. This can present problems, however, because there are not many assembly languages available for the Model 100 yet. Even Radio Shack has not addressed this problem.

I took another approach. I entered the program on a system that supports an 8080 or 8085 cross-assembly language and then loaded the machine code generated by the crossassembly language into the Model 100. You could even use a Z80 crossassembly language if you keep in mind that all instructions must be of the 8080 subset. The language that I used was on an IBM mainframe. Most large timesharing systems sup

port a library of cross-development software and this approach may be an alternative to a resident assembly language.

Another possibility is to enter the hexadecimal codes at the side of the DIR .CO program listing via the BASIC POKE command, although this is probably the most error-prone method.

To run the program, move the block cursor over the DIR.CO entry and press the Enter key, as you normally would to run a program. The system will make an obnoxious "beep" sound and return to the main menu because it thinks that the DIR.CO program is going to tread on unused memory. To run this program (or any other command-type program), you must move the highmemory pointer down to an address below the one in which the program is going to execute. You can enter BASIC and issue the command: CLEAR 512,57340, after which the DIR.CO program will execute properly, at least until another BASIC program resets the high-memory

pointer. Another way to run this program from the main menu is to create a three-line BASIC program called DIR.BA, which will reset the highmemory pointer and run the DIR.CO program. This program looks like this:

10 CLEAR 512,57340

20 RUNM "RAM:DIR.CO"

30 MENU

Line 30 will return you to the main menu rather than leave you in BASIC. You could run this program instead of the DIR.CO program. The DIR.CO program incorporates several of the ROM routines that are found in table 2.

Conclusion

The Model 100 is full of interesting little secrets. It will only be a matter of time until more is revealed about this versatile machine. ■

Brian Cameron (Box 37, Ste. 2, RR 1, Elora, Ontario, Canada NOB ISO) is a systems programmer at the University of Waterloo.

BYTE May 1984 303

ARCHITECTURE.

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"Just beautiful." That's what Bill Coleman of VisiCorp* calls our iAPX 86 architecture. He should know He and his staff of over 50 people spent three years with it. Writing VisiOnf the application software destined to become a multitasking

a Edit

industry standard.

The key to creating Vision was memory management. Allowing Coleman and his team to create an efficient concurrent processing environment, where different processes are active all at once.

As Bill puts it, "The real beauty of this architecture is that you don't have to keep an entire program in memory at any one time. Just the active segments of code actually being run."

In the 8086 architecture, those memory segments are variably-sized and mapped as needed. So loading is very fast. And the resulting performance is very high, because you can load the exact memory you need. Which then gives you the highest performance from any given memory size.

That means some significant runtime advantages. Like faster switching from task to task and window to window While keeping your mice from running wild.

Another advantage of the 8086 is its extended family, the members of which are perfectly compatible. So your product, and your investment, are protected longer.

The 8087 coprocessor, for example. It adds float

William T. Coleman, VisiCorp's Director of Product Development

ing point power, with calculations running up to 100 times faster than normal.

Or the new iAPX 286 microprocessor. In Coleman's words, "an optimal VisiOn machine."

The 286 handles some of VisiOris multitasking chores in hardware, setting the software free for more powerful functions. Plus, it has on-chip memory management which protects one task from another and even helps prevent system crashes.

Best of all, you can experience all this for yourself. Because VisiOn is an open applications system. And VisiCorp is sharing information to encourage independent software development. Which means you've got a wonderful opportunity to share in the forthcoming wealth.

But before you start building, study a little architecture. Call (800) 538-1876. In California, (800) 672-1833-Or write Intel, Lit. Dept. F-7,3065 Bowers Ave., Santa Clara, CA 95051.

Who knows? You might find yourself looking at your own work in a whole new way

inU

•VisiOn unci VisiCorp are registered trademarks of VisiCorp, © 1984 Intel Corporation

;••-,> I I .

BYTE May 1984 305

My Datec B&.L has a lot of pals.

A' 1

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I've made a lot of new friends through my Datec PAL Plus Modem. Now I have friends who can deliver mail immediately. Confirm my reservationa Quote stock prices. Research my reports. Entertain me. Even keep me up-to-date on the latest scores.

With my PAL Plus Modem, I just call a friend whenever I need a favor. After all, what else are friends for?

306 BYTE May 1984

To learn more about our friendly Personal Access Link modems, or for the name of your nearest Datec dealer, call 919-929-2135.

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Datec, Datec PAL and Your Best Connection ' Datec. Inc. IBM s International Business Machines Corporation CROSSTALK XVI « Microstuf, Inc.

Circle 128 on inquiry card.

Maximizing Hard-Disk Performance

How cache memory can dramatically affect transfer rate

Roy Chaney

University of Texas at Dallas

and

Brian Johnson

Percom Data Corporation

Many personal computer users are looking for ways to increase both the disk-storage capacity and the performance of their computers. One popular approach is through the use of a Winchester hard-disk drive. Although this is a valid approach for increasing disk-storage capacity, the performance may not necessarily meet all of your expectations. At first glance, the performance specifications of typical Winchester disk drives give the impression that there will be a large performance increase, relative to floppy-disk drives. In fact, this is often only partially true. In this article, we'll try to explain why this is so, what memory caching is, and why it can help provide the high performance that most personal computer users desire.

Three main parameters affect the speed performance of any disk drive. The first is the instantaneous data rate while actually reading or writing disk data. The second is the rotational latency, or the time required for the disk to rotate into the correct position to begin transferring the desired data. The third parameter is the seek time, the time required to move the disk head into the proper position on the disk.

The tracks on a disk are concentric circular paths around the recording

surface of the disk, similar to the grooves on an audio record except that they are not in a spiral form. To provide access to the desired data, the heads on the drive must be moved to the track where the data is to be found. On most floppy-disk drives, and on many Winchester drives, this technique of moving the heads from track to track is implemented by the use of a stepping motor. Both the rotational latency and the seek time are determined by electromechanical factors in the physical design of the disk drive and tend to be very expensive to improve. Each track on a disk surface is broken up into smaller units of information, sometimes called sectors, but we'll refer to them as blocks. These blocks are the smallest units of information that can be read or written on a disk. This terminology is compatible with that of PC-DOS 2.0 as used with the IBM Personal Computer (PC). For the IBM PC, one disk block corresponds to 512 bytes of data.

A manufacturer's performance specifications for a typical Winchester disk drive might report a disk transfer rate of about 490K bytes per second. This can be compared with a transfer rate of about 23K bytes per second for a 5V4-inch double-density floppy-disk drive like that used in the IBM PC.

On the basis of this data, you might expect that the purchase of a Winchester disk drive would not only increase the disk capacity of the computer system but also would speed up the file transfers by as much as a factor of 21. These estimates, however, are not realized in practice. One reason for this is that the data is transferred from the drive faster than the computer can receive it. Few personal computers can accept a sustained data-transfer rate this high for very long. As a result, the data must be buffered in the disk controller, and the disk must be read only intermittently so that the average data-transfer rate between the disk and the computer is acceptable. The blocks in a disk track are frequently interleaved, or placed in a particular nonsequential order to match the average disk transfer rate to the speed of the computer. A typical interleave factor for a Winchester disk drive is 5. This means that when reading two logically sequential blocks, four blocks are skipped in between. Under these circumstances, the effective speed advantage for a typical Winchester disk system is frequently of the order of 3 or 4 over that of a 5V4-inch floppydisk drive, providing transfer rates in the range of 60K to 90K bytes per second. Floppy-disk drives are also fre

BYTE May 1984 307

quently interleaved, but not for the IBM PC.

At the same time, there are systems for the IBM PC that use excess computer RAM (random-access read/write memory), usually 64K to 320K bytes. These RAM-disk systems usually are pure software products that store disk data by simulating a disk drive, and they typically have a transfer rate of about 350K bytes per second. This rate is determined primarily by the processor speed and the bandwidth of the computer bus; having no electromechanical factors involved is an indication of the maximum possible data-transfer rate of the computer. This number is thus the approximate maximum transfer rate achievable on any disk subsystem attached to the IBM PC. The best you can hope for under any condition is a speed advantage of about 15 times over the floppy-disk drive. But this is still considerably higher than the advantage usually achieved with a real disk drive, so our first task is to understand why this is so.

So far, we have discussed what the data-transfer rate would be when the disk head was already at the correct position on the disk and the disk had already rotated into the correct position for the desired data. Our model gets more complex when the mechanical factors are included. For a real disk system (not a RAM disk), there always is a delay between the time when a data-transfer request is made and the time when the transfer actually starts. This delay is termed the access time and is the sum of two delays: rotational latency and seek time. Neither of these times is a fixed value; they are instead statistically derived times that are averaged over a range of common circumstances. Normally, 5V4-inch floppy-disk drives rotate at 300 rpm (revolutions per minute), or 5 revolutions per second. On the average, one-half of the revolution, or 100 ms (milliseconds), is required to get to the appropriate position to transfer the desired data. For a Winchester disk rotating at 3600 rpm, the corresponding time for one-half of a revolution is 8.3 ms. This time, normally referred to as the average rotational

latency of a disk, indicates the average delay time that is encountered between the time of a request for a data transfer and the time the transfer actually begins, assuming that the head is already correctly positioned on the desired track.

The other mechanically determined delay is the seek time, the time required for the stepping motor to move the heads from the current track to the desired track; this is always a major portion of the access time. This time obviously depends on the distance between the respective tracks and the speed with which the heads can be moved. A disk manufacturer typically publishes an average seek time for a given drive, which is based on a track-to-track movement of an average distance. For statistical reasons, this average distance usually is taken to be onethird of the distance between the innermost and outermost tracks. For most floppy-disk drives, the head moves at a constant speed; therefore, the seek time is approximately proportional to the seek distance. For many Winchester drives, the head moves at a higher velocity for longer movements than for shorter movements. For a typical 5-inch Winchester disk drive, this average seek time is approximately 70 ms; for the IBM PC floppy-disk drive, it is approximately 125 ms.

As mentioned previously, the access time for a disk transaction is the sum of the rotational latency and the seek time. These figures are approximately 80 ms for a Winchester disk and approximately 225 ms for a floppy disk. These numbers are, of course, averages based on a completely random pattern of data requests, with all blocks on the disk considered equally likely to be accessed. This situation is not really typical of normal use, but the fact that the ratio of the access times is only about a factor of 3 in favor of the Winchester disk turns out to be remarkably indicative of the actual typical performance.

Now consider the impact of these numbers on the actual data-transfer rate to be expected. If we assume an average access time for each disk

transfer, and if we assume that a typical disk transfer corresponds to 512 bytes of data, the transfer rate of the Winchester would be 6.4K bytes per second, and that of the floppy would be 2.3K bytes per second. Moving large contiguous blocks of data increases both of these numbers, but they illustrate why the actual average data-transfer rate is well below the peak rate for real disks. The reason behind this is that for both types of real disks, the access time dominates the data-transfer time. RAM disks, on the other hand, have no mechanical components and have essentially zero access time. The average data-transfer rate of 350K bytes per second is the same as the peak data-transfer rate, independent of the sequence or size of requested data transfers. This explains the enormous popularity of the RAM-disk concept today

In actuality, the use of the average times previously calculated generally reflects pessimism about the time required for head movement between disk transfers. This is a result of the fact that the operating system (OS) usually does its best to try to keep the disk data blocks for a given file on the same or adjacent tracks. By doing this, head movement is minimized; when a single sequential file is being read or written, the real access time is much smaller than the average time specified by the disk-drive manufacturer. The OS, however, can do little to benefit certain types of programs that have several large files all opened simultaneously for random access. Thus you might see a transfer rate similar to the average one just described for a database-management system that transfers data to or from several large disk files, or for a compiler reading a large source file while generating both an object file and a listing file.

Multitasking also has a significant degrading effect on disk performance because there is no reason why files being accessed by different tasks would be near each other on the disk. In these cases, it is much more difficult for the OS to reduce the amount of head movement. It is common in multitasking systems to see

308 BYTE May 1984

...Complete..'.'

Oh, mentor of highest wisdom, help all mystified first-time buyers discover the ultimate truth about personal business computers.

Tell them that, unlike other computer companies, Kaypro does not advertise a low "starter system" price, then charge extra for so-called "options" like a monitor, software, disk drives or peripheral interfaces.

Tell them that Kaypro 2 has become the fourth largest-selling personal business computer because we sell it complete. For $1295.

Tell them that Kaypro 2 comes with a highly readable, 9" greenscreen monitor. A 64K RAM, Z-80 microprocessor. Two built-in disk drives with a 400K capacity. A more complete keyboard than Apple He. Interfaces for both a printer and a telecommunications modem. And a full complement of CP/M software to handle the overwhelming majority of Word Processing, Data Base Management and Financial Spreadsheeting needs, with top quality programs such as Wordstar.

All for $1295.

Then, tell them to call 800447-4700 for their nearest dealer, or call Kaypro at 619-481-4318.

\ The $1595 computer that now sells for $1295.

-—C-^ji

Circle 221 on inquiry card.

Registered Trademarks: Z-80, Zilog; Apple, Apple Computer Corp.; CP/M, Digital Research. Inc.; Wordstar, Micro Pro. © 1984 Kaypro.

BYTE May 1984 309

disk heads executing continual large seeks as the various tasks make data requests from files located at divers places on the disk. In this case, the average access time can be much longer than that indicated by the average times presented earlier. File servers for a LAN (local-area network) are an extreme case of the same problem.

Caching

The technique of caching is often the solution to this problem. The objective of caching is to economically provide both the high performance of a fast, small, expensive memory (such as a RAM disk) and the large capacity of a large, slow, cheap memory (such as a Winchester disk). The technique of caching has been used successfully in memory systems for many large mainframe computers and minicomputers for several years. Examples include the IBM 370, the Data General (DG) Eclipse, the Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) PDP-11/70, and many others. Let us discuss the use of caching in computer memories first, then we will generalize it to disk applications. For the moment, we will consider only "read" accesses to the memory, that is, those accesses that require data to be moved from memory to processor.

The word cache in French means "to hide" or "hidden," thus it is used in the context of computers to refer to a transparent memory. In the computers just mentioned, there are two types of memory. One is a small amount of high-speed, very expensive (cache) memory; the other is a large amount of slower, less expensive (main) memory. Copies of data located in certain parts of main memory are stored in cache memory. Whenever data accessed by the processor can be found in cache memory, it can be read at the fast speed; otherwise, it is read at the usual slower speed of the main memory. When the processor is successful in accessing data from the cache memory, it is referred to as a hit; otherwise, it is called a miss. If the fraction of the time that memory access results in a hit is high, the average time required to access data from

310 BYTE May 1984

memory is reduced, and the average performance is enhanced. All caching schemes depend on this one fundamental concept.

In the design of a cache-memory scheme, there are two technical problems that must be solved before you can effectively use this fast memory. The first is how to quickly determine whether the fast memory contains the information required by the processor. This problem is a serious one for memory caching primarily because the time for making this decision is very small (much less than 1 microsecond) in order to gain any advantage from the cache. This fast timing restriction does not affect disk caching. The more critical problem is determining the best algorithms to use to maximize the chances that the information required by the process will be available in fast memory. It is not, in general, possible to do this perfectly because it would be necessary to predict all future memory accesses. In effect, you would have to look into a crystal ball and predict what data the processor would need to access next so that the data could be moved from slow memory into fast memory before it was requested. If this could be done perfectly, all accesses would be fastmemory accesses.

Basically, two classes of algorithms attempt to provide an optimum choice of what data to keep in cache memory and when to move it there from slow memory. These algorithms attempt to partially predict future data accesses, given some information about current and past accesses, under the assumption that the future is likely to be an extrapolation of the past and the present.

One class of algorithm is called a prefetch algorithm. This type is based on the assumption that much data access is sequential in nature, and that access of some particular piece of data implies a strong likelihood that the next piece of data sequentially following the first will soon be wanted.

The second class of algorithm is called a replacement algorithm. This type is based on the premise that any data brought into the fast memory

must displace data that is already there. The key here is to displace that data judged least likely to be needed again in the near future, based on some assumptions about the relationship between past usage and future usage of a particular piece of data. In effect, prefetch algorithms try to determine what data to bring into the cache before it is requested, and replacement algorithms try to determine what data to keep in the cache once it has been brought there. Of course, these two algorithms interact with each other because bringing in new data always requires the displacement of old data previously in the cache. A great deal of time and effort has been spent by computer manufacturers to determine effective prefetch and replacement algorithms. We will discuss details of these algorithms later.

Another important decision that must be made in the design of any cache-memory scheme is a choice of the amount of cache memory to be provided, relative to the size of the main memory that is to be cached. It also is frequently desirable to perform caching on blocks of data that are larger than the elementary units of information (bytes, for instance) because then the overhead of cache decision-making can be amortized over larger amounts of data, and the decisions do not need to be made as frequently. This unit of caching is frequently referred to as a page or a cluster.

Disk Caching

We now turn from caching in general to the specific case of diskperformance enhancement through the use of the caching technique. Let's begin with a brief discussion of disk-file access. This discussion somewhat favors PC-DOS 2.0—that was the target OS that motivated most of our work.

When an application program requests transfer of data to or from a disk file, a series of operations that is essentially invisible to the user must be performed by the OS. That is, the user program does not know how they happen. These operations, however, do have a significant effect Text continued on page 314

Something no modem has ever said before.

J L

If you're looking for a premium modem without a premium price, here's a word of advice: Apple.

Introducing the Apple* Modem 300. And, to keep up with the business world, our faster Apple Modem 1200. Inside, they're packed with all the technical wizardry you would want in an intelligent modem. k Auto-dial. Auto-answer.

As )vu'U notice, Ibe Apple Modem is hardly r. .1, . 1. - ,.

■ noseMuXadskphcme. ' Built-in error diagnostics. And compatibility with all the latest advanced communications software.

But the real message is located outside, due north of the little green light.

That one familiar symbol tells you as much as a gigabyte of specs. It says Apple quality. Apple technology And in the unlikely event you should need it, Apple service.

It also means total compatibility with whatever Apple you own. Particularly since we include the right accessory kit to get any system in our line on line. Immediately

We even give you a subscription offer to THE SOURCE" and a free demonstration of CompuServe.' Together, they let you access almost any subject known to mainframes.

News reports. Dow Jones averages. Sports scores. Closing prices on pork bellies..

You can send electronic mail. Play games. Bank at home. Make friends. Influence people. Find the lowest air fares for business trips. Or do almost anything else you like.

And since the computer age happens to coincide with the plastic age, you can charge your Apple Modem with an Apple Credit Card.

Which, along with the low price, makes buying an Apple Modem as much fun as using one. That's something no modem has been able to say before, i■ ^. either.

TIk cable, plume cord and ptmvr supply me till included. And ue offer 11 serial interface card fir llx Apple He nl tin unusually reasonable price.

Soon there'll be just two kinds of people. Those who use computers. And those who use Apples.

For an authorized Apple dealer nearest you call(800) 538-9696. In Canada, call (800) 268-7796 or (800) 268-7637. ©1984 Apple Computer, Inc. Apple and the Apple logo are registered trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. CompuServe is a registered trademark of CompuServe Corp. THE SOURCE is a servicemark of Source Telecomputing Corporation, a subsidiary of The Reader's Digest Association, Inc.

\bu're t

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Only one disk guarantees safe passage through the torrid zone of drive heat.

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A lifetime warranty. And manufacturing standards that make it almost unnecessary. Today and in the long run, you'll be glad you chose Maxell.

Consider this: Every time you take your disk for a little spin, you expose it to hazardous drive conditions. Temperature build-up can sidetrack data. Worse, take it to the point of no return. Maxell's unique jacket construction defies heat of 140°E And keeps your information on track.

And Maxell runs clean. A unique process impregnates lubricants throughout the oxide layer. Extending media and head life. How good is Gold? Maxell's the disk that many drive manufacturers trust to put new equipment through its paces. It's that bug-free.

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Circle 251 on inquiry card.

Text continued from page 310: on the implementation of caching algorithms and need to be discussed in that context.

First, let us describe what happens when an application program needs to read information from a file on the disk. The program requests that the OS open the file on the disk. The part of the OS that receives and dispatches all requests then forwards that request to a set of routines collectively called the file manager, which then goes to work to perform this operation. The file manager first looks into a special file (commonly called the directory) that contains the names of all of the files currently stored on the disk to see if the requested file is contained on the disk.

Assuming that the file is there, the file manager then looks into another section of the disk (commonly called the file-allocation table) to determine where the various parts of that particular file are physically stored on the disk. Some information is then returned to the application program that will be used when actually reading data from this file. In subse

quent calls to the file manager, the program requests the actual transfer of data from the file now open, and it eventually makes a final call to the file manager to close the file.

The sequence of actions for a write operation is similar unless the file manager does not find the file already present; in this case, it updates the directory to contain the name of the new file and looks into the fileallocation table to find locations on the disk in which no data is currently stored, so that it can write the data onto empty portions of the disk. The important point in this discussion is that there is little, if any, direct relationship between the location of a logical block of data required by the program and the physical location of that data on the disk. The file-manager component of the OS is responsible for keeping track of the logical/physical relationship in a way that is invisible to the user.

The actual operations of reading and writing physical blocks of data to or from disk involves another component of the OS called the disk

driver. The file manager tells the disk driver which physical blocks are required to be transferred, and the disk driver performs the actual data transfer. Done in this way, the disk driver does not need any knowledge of the nature or structure of files on the disk. This hierarchical relationship among the various components of the OS is very common; one {He manager can work with multiple different disk drivers, and each disk driver need not duplicate the filemanagement function. As far as disk caching is concerned, the particular caching algorithms used will be very different depending on whether the caching is done at the level of the file manager (see figure la) or at the level of the disk driver (see figure lb). The reason for this is that the file manager has a great deal more information about the organization of the files on the disk than does the disk driver. For example, it is easy for the file manager to know which blocks of data on the disk correspond to logically sequential data in a particular file, or part of the directory, or

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Circle 137 on inquiry card.

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M '

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_

MicroAge franchise owners G. Michael Gunason and D. Susan Wisely seen with a COMPAQ Computer.

Circle 260 on inquiry card.

(la)

USER PROGRAM

OPERATING SYSTEM

(lb)

USER PROGRAM

REQUEST DISPATCHER

FILE MANAGER

CACHE

DISK DRIVER

I

OPERATING SYSTEM

REQUEST DISPATCHER

FILE MANAGER

CACHE SK DRIVEI

I

DISK

DISK

Figure 1: A block diagram of the structure of a typical operating system and its interaction between a user program and the disk. Figure la shows the operation when the cache is implemented as part of the file manager; lb shows the operation when the cache is implemented as part of the disk driver.

part of the allocation tables. As a result, the file manager can make better guesses as to what to keep and what to displace in the cache. Disk caching at the file-manager level can therefore lead to somewhat more efficient cache algorithms because they are based on more knowledge of the structure of the files on the disk. The problem we face with the implementation of caching at the file-manager level is that the file manager is an integral part of the OS, and any disk caching at this level must be done by extensive modification to the OS. On the other hand, disk drivers are more loosely connected to the OS and frequently can be modified or replaced without direct changes to the system itself. In some cases, as in PC-DOS 2.0, disk drivers can be loaded separately from the OS when the system is booted. Now let us discuss how memory

caching techniques can provide faster apparent data-transfer rates for Winchester disk drives. If we substitute references to the disk drive for all references to the slow main memory and references to main memory for references to the fast memory in the previous discussion on caching, then we can consider the disk to be the large slow memory and (part of) the computer main memory to be the cache memory. For a specific example, let us assume that we have a small amount (perhaps 256K bytes) of main memory that we would like to use as a cache for a Winchester disk with a capacity of 10 megabytes. Now, it is impossible for all of the data on the disk to be simultaneously stored into the cache because the disk is 40 times as large as the cache. However, if the amount of data actually needed from the disk is a small fraction of its total capacity (over

some reasonable period of time), then it could be made to appear to a user's program that all of the data needed was available from the Winchester disk. We would like for that information already to be contained in the cache so that we will have a hit on the cache memory. Whenever we have a hit, we expect to achieve a data-transfer rate close to that of a RAM disk (350K bytes per second), because a cache is very similar to a RAM disk in its internal construction. A convenient way to understand the effect of cache memory on the disk drive is to plot the effective transfer rate of the disk versus the ratio of hits to misses on the cache memory. This plot is given in figure 2 for various values of disk-access times, assuming 1024-byte transfers and a cache-memory transfer rate of 350K bytes per second. It is clear from the plot that it is impossible to achieve the max

316 BYTE May 1984

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54

TRANSFER RATE VERSUS HIT/MISS RATIO

350

100

HIT/MISS RATIO

Figure 2: A plot of the improvement in the transfer rate for a Winchester disk drive as a function of the hit/miss ratio for the cache memory. The upper curve is the case where the head is already positioned on the proper track, and the only delay is rotational latency. The lower curve is the average access time, including the average time needed for a seek.

imum transfer rate of 350K bytes per second. However, for hit/miss ratios of 10 and greater, it is possible to achieve a significant improvement in the transfer rate over that of the disk without caching.

The improved-performance factor is plotted versus the hit/miss ratio in figure 3, which shows that it is possible to achieve an improvement of 3 by using a disk cache, relative to a disk operating at its maximum transfer rate (head always near the desired track). The improvement might be around 8 over a disk that is performing operations requiring a great deal of head movement. And all this can be done with a hit/miss ratio of 10. The design goal for a disk-cache scheme is to use some of the extra addressable memory available in 16-bit processors (typically of the order of 64K to 320K bytes) as cache space for the Winchester disk. By utilizing pre

fetch and replacement algorithms for transferring data into and out of the cache memory to maximize the number of hits, you can hope to achieve a hit/miss ratio of at least 10. Of course, the size of the cache memory also is an important parameter, and enlarging the size of the cache always increases the hit/miss ratio but adds extra cost.

Let us examine specific techniques that might be used to implement the prefetch and replacement algorithms to achieve the desired hit/miss ratio. There are two quite distinct approaches to the design of caching algorithms for disks. The choice between these two approaches is not simple, and it depends on how much the cache system knows about the file system. If the cache is implemented as part of the operating-system file manager, then the cache can make decisions based on knowledge of

which files are open and of the relationships between physical disk locations and logical file structure. Frequently, caching at the file-manager level enables the cache to make special arrangements about caching the disk directory, the file-allocation table, and other frequently accessed global disk-data structures, and to attempt to decide what other data should be cached, based on educated guesses about the probable usage. If the cache is implemented as part of the disk driver, then the cache must make all decisions without any knowledge of file structure or logical data structures. The first approach can deliver higher performance at the cost of higher complexity; the second approach is always simpler but may require more care in the choice of the algorithm details because of its poorer knowledge base. Either approach is capable of delivering good performance, and some caching systems use both, providing directory caching in the file manager but doing most of the high-volume data caching at the driver level.

Now we will discuss prefetch algorithms in these two cases. As stated before, the prefetch methods are developed to anticipate the data needs of the processor and to attempt to place the data into the cache memory before it is actually requested by the processor. In the case of disk caching, it is much easier to anticipate the requirements of the processor than it is in the case of memory caching. The reason for this is that so many disk files are processed partially or wholly in a sequential manner. By assuming that the processor is soon going to need data in the region on the disk corresponding to data immediately following previously requested data, it is possible to predict with a high percentage of accuracy what data to prefetch in order to anticipate further requests from the processor.

There is one problem with this scheme: in most operating systems, sequential files are not placed on the disk in contiguous sequential locations. When a sequential file is written to the disk, the OS writes the information in clusters. Typically, these

318 BYTE May 1984

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IMPROVEMENT VERSUS HIT/MISS RATIO

tr o

H O <

UJ

o

z <

5 cr o u.

cc

UJ

CL

100

HIT/MISS RATIO

Figure 3: A p/of o/ f/ie raffo of the effective transfer rate of the Winchester drive with the cache versus the uncached drive as a function of the hit/miss ratio. As in figure 2, the upper curve corresponds to rotational latency only, and the lower corresponds to average access time with a seek.

clusters are composed of one or more contiguous disk blocks. The information is contiguous within a cluster. However, logically sequential clusters that correspond to sequential data in a file may not be physically contiguous, and physically contiguous clusters may not even correspond to the same file. For a freshly initialized disk (containing no files) onto which all of the files have just been copied, the file manager usually makes sure that the clusters for the files are physically contiguous and in sequential order. But after the disk has been used for a while and many files have been added, deleted, or modified, the disk becomes somewhat fragmented and adjacent clusters no longer necessarily correspond to adjacent data in a file. This fragmentation effect must be considered in the evaluation of the prefetch algorithm. One of two similar prefetch algo

rithms is commonly used, depending on the implementation level of the cache. If the cache is part of the file manager, the prefetch algorithm is usually designed so that whenever some data is accessed from a particular file, the next cluster of the file is to be placed into the cache if it is not already there. This is done regardless of whether the access request is a hit or a miss. This algorithm is intended to ensure that after an initial miss on the first access to the file, the rest of the file accesses will have hit access to the cache.

The second algorithm is simpler and is usually used when the cache is part of the disk driver. Whenever a cache miss occurs, the required block, plus several other blocks occupying physically adjacent positions on the disk, are read from the disk under the assumption that physically contiguous data is likely to

be logically contiguous data, i.e., the fragmentation is fairly low. In the first case, it is necessary for the cache system to know the physical arrangement of particular files on the disk. In the second case, that knowledge is unnecessary, and caching can be performed more mechanically, usually as part of the disk-driver software. The cache system need not be part of the OS or know anything about the nature of file storage. In this simpler driver-based case, fragments will occasionally be fetched from other, notneeded files unnecessarily if the tead prefetch cluster is different from the OS cluster used to store the files. This is especially true if the disk is highly fragmented.

One standard version of the second algorithm always reads an entire track from the disk whenever any part of that track is accessed. It is possible to improve on that by not reading the part of the track preceding the requested block. Another version might use a cluster size that corresponds to those used by the OS. All of these algorithms are ultimately based on the notion that once the time has been spent to move the head into position to read some requested data, it is beneficial to read as much data from that area as seems likely to be wanted later.

Replacement algorithms are concerned with the decision of what data to displace from the cache when a data request requires new data to be cached. Three techniques that have been examined for use in mainframe memory caching are random replacement, first-in/first-out (FIFO), and least recently used (LRU). The names of these techniques give a strong indication of their operation.

The random-replacement technique picks the data to be displaced in a random manner without regard to any knowledge about the likely usefulness of that data. The FIFO method keeps a counter to indicate the order in which data has been brought into the cache and always displaces the oldest data that is in the cache. The LRU algorithm is a variation of the FIFO, but it remembers the order in which the cached data has been used by the processor.

320 BYTE May 1984

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IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation. Lotus and 1-2-3 are trademarks of Lotus Development Corporation. Multiplan is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation. Apple is a registered trademark of Apple Computer Inc. VisiCalc is a registered trademark of VisiCorp, Inc. Accelerator PC is a trademark of Titan Technologies, Inc.

Circle 383 on inquiry card.

BYTE May 1984 321

Using the LRU method, data that has been unused the longest is displaced. The LRU method depends on the premise that data used frequently by the processor should remain in cache and should displace data used infrequently.

Some evidence from research conducted by mainframe manufacturers indicates that for the case of memoryto-memory caching, performance is not strongly dependent on which replacement algorithm is chosen. The manufacturers, therefore, sometimes choose random replacement as being the easiest to implement. We felt, however, that for memory caching of disks, the LRU algorithm would be the most effective. Certain areas of the disk, such as the directory and the file-allocation table, are used extensively and frequently by the processor. Thus, it is particularly important to ensure that these areas are in the cache memory at all times. The fact that they are used frequently causes the LRU algorithm to make sure they remain in cache memory, making the LRU the most efficient replacement algorithm. If the cache is implemented within the file manager of the OS, such frequently used disk-d&ta areas often are given special treatment so they are always in memory and not at the mercy of the replacement algorithm.

So far, we have been talking only about the use of the cache to enhance the transfer rate of the read operations from the disk. We also must consider how the cache is affected by writes from processor to disk. We should consider if the cache should even be involved in write operations. The answer is that the cache must at least be involved to the extent that it faithfully represents the data on the disk. If new data were written to a location on the disk that had previously been read to the cache, and this was not known to the cache, then the next read access to that data would be from the cache and the processor would receive old (erroneous) data.

One of the absolute requirements of any cache scheme is that it must be an exact duplicate of that part of the disk it represents. If data on the

disk is modified by writing to the disk, then it is necessary to check whether that part of the disk also is in the cache. If the written part also is cached, there are two options. One option is to declare the part of the disk just written no longer in the cache, which prevents the processor from getting a hit on the old erroneous data; the second option is to update the cache copy of the data to reflect the modifications produced by the write onto the disk. One of these two options must be chosen to ensure that the processor receives the updated version of the data during a subsequent read operation.

An absolute requirement

of any cache scheme is

that it must be an exact

duplicate of that part of

the disk it represents.

Another question that should be asked is whether there is any advantage in caching write operations in a manner similar to that of read operations, or whether data should be transferred first from processor to cache and then from cache to disk. In fact, the answer is yes.

Now let us see how caching can be used to greatly enhance the effective transfer rate on write operations. We have shown that the cache must be involved in the write operation to disk, at least to the extent that it makes sure all data in the cache agrees exactly with the data on the disk. Let us look at one way this could be performed.

Suppose that when the processor needs to write information onto the disk, it writes the information into the cache and then immediately requests the transfer of that part of the cache memory to the disk. This algorithm is known as write-through. Assuming we are using an interruptdriven disk driver, once the transfer is started, the processor does not need to be held up waiting for the write operation to complete and can proceed doing other useful work. Because the write operation is interrupt-driven, it can proceed independently of user tasks to perform

the write to disk. This implementation on a user task makes the effective write performance of the disk essentially the same as for a RAM disk (350K bytes per second) because the user task is held up only for the length of time needed to transfer the data into the cache memory, after which regular processing may be resumed.

One minor penalty is paid for this greatly enhanced write throughput: a short duration of time during which the user task thinks that the data has been written successfully to the disk, but in fact the transfer has not actually taken place. Prior to the completion of the write operation, the cache memory and the disk do not contain identical copies of the data. This is not a problem for future read requests because the cache responds to all processor read requests for this data with the updated result. The problem could occur if the computer were turned off very quickly after the completion of a program, resulting in the cache not having time to flush its contents to disk.

Another difficulty that is more of a nuisance than a serious problem is that the transfer from cache to disk occurs after the user task thinks it has successfully completed its write to disk. Any disk errors detected during the transfer from cache to disk must therefore be handled in the cache or in the OS because the user task thinks it already has completed a successful write to disk before the disk error occurs. This might be a serious problem for disks with high error rates. However, our experience has been that the reliability of a Winchester disk drive is much higher than that of a floppy-disk drive, and that the only error you might get with any frequency from a Winchester disk drive occurs when the drive is not turned on. The improvement obtained by the RAM-disk equivalent performance on disk-write operations greatly outweighs the minor inconveniences of handling disk-write errors.

A second feature that can be implemented in the cache software with essentially no loss in transfer rate is performing automatic verify on write. Again, because the write operation

322 BYTE May 1984

Circle 384 on inquiry card.

into cache is complete and the user task has resumed, verification of the integrity of the disk-data write can be done essentially independently, in parallel with the user task, and does not adversely affect the transfer rate of the write requests. The user task still loses the time required to transfer the data, but the disk-access time is not lost because the access overhead is concurrent with execution of the user task. There also is a cluster effect in writing; it is more efficient to write large contiguous groups of blocks than it is to write widely separated single blocks. However, writing is determined by the user task, so there is not a great deal you can do in this area to improve efficiency other than to choose an optimum sequence for writing the blocks to disk. The average access time for writes can be reduced by choosing a sequence that minimizes the average head motion required.

At this point, let us note that when this form of write caching has been adopted, there is a choice of the timing of the actual cache-to-disk transfers. In some cases, particularly in transaction processing for databasemanagement systems, there may be a tendency for a particular piece of data to be written several times in a short time span. In this case, it is wasteful to repeatedly update the disk copy of the data. It would be more efficient to wait until all writes were finished, then update the disk copy. This is usually accomplished by adopting what is called a write-back algorithm.

When write-back is used, the cache is not copied to disk until the replacement algorithm determines that the data should be displaced, because that part of the cache is needed for other data. Usually a dirty flag is kept for each cluster of the cache, which indicates that the data has been modified but not copied to disk. If the replacement algorithm decides to displace the data, and if the dirty flag is set, the data is "written back" to the disk. Frequently, a timer also is used, so that after some interval of time, while the disk is not too busy, that data is written back anyway. If this were not done, it would be

necessary to do something special to flush the cache before powering down the computer; otherwise, the system would lose the updated contents of the cache. A long interval between writing the cache and updating the disk also makes the system more vulnerable to data loss in case of a system crash, unless the system crashes gracefully enough to remember to finish the update first. This grace is rare in small computers.

Experimental Results

In order to determine experimentally the actual performance potential of a Winchester disk cache as a function of the various parameters discussed, we developed a cache driver for a Percom PHD-10 Winchester disk drive with 10-megabyte capacity, operating on an IBM PC with PCDOS 2.0. Because PC-DOS 2.0 can use boot-time loading of disk drivers, it was particularly convenient to design the cache as part of the disk driver and not as part of the operating-system file manager. We used the write-through algorithm for all write operations to disk. The prefetch algorithm that we used is the cluster method but uses much larger clusters than the 2 to 4 blocks that are typical cluster sizes in PC-DOS 2.0. We used a cluster size equal to one track of the disk drive (16 blocks). Our choice was based on the hardware performance characteristics of the Winchester drive and its controller.

The data is organized on the disk, by interleaving, to optimize the transfer of an entire track of data. For this reason, we decided to transfer an entire track of data into the cache whenever a miss occurred. This may not be the optimal value for the cluster size because it is larger than the file-system cluster size, but we felt that this large cluster size would result in better overall performance for the cache-disk subsystem. This algorithm performs very well on relatively unfragmented disks.

The driver was constructed so that it would keep count of the number of read hits and misses on the cache memory. But first we must spend a little time quantifying what we mean

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BYTE May 1984 323

EFFECT OF CACHE SIZE

12

10

< K

</> 6

pi I I I I I I I I

0 50 100 150

I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 200 250 300 350

CACHE SIZE IN KILOBYTES

Figure 4: A plot of the effect on the hit/miss ratio of changing the amount of computer memory allocated to caching. This plot corresponds to a mix of programs with little repetitive usage of the same files.

by a hit and a miss.

Suppose the processor makes a read request for four blocks of data from the cache driver. We assume here that all four of the blocks either are contained in cache memory or are not (they are not part in and part out). We also will assume that all four blocks are located on the same track

of the disk. These are not the assumptions made in the actual implementation of the hit/miss computation algorithms, but they make the algorithms easier to describe.

If the four blocks are contained in the cache, the hit count is incremented by 4 to indicate that we had a hit of four blocks. If they are

not contained in cache, the first impression is that you should increment the miss count by 4 to indicate that we had a miss of four blocks. The problem with doing this is that the access time for the first missed block is much slower than the access time for the next three blocks, once the first block has been read.

In order to transfer the first block of data, the heads must move to the correct position on the disk. This, according to the drive manufacturer, requires an average of 80 ms. However, once the head is at the correct position on the track, the transfer of a single block requires only about 5.2 ms. Therefore, blocks 2, 3, and 4 can be transferred with a much smaller time penalty than that of the first block (this is the same premise on which the prefetch algorithm is based).

In order to take this effect into account fairly, we constructed the driver so it kept two miss counters. The first counter is called the hardmiss counter and is incremented by 1 for this example. The second is called the soft-miss counter and is incremented by 3 for this example. In the computation of the hit/miss ratios, the soft-miss count was multiplied by 0.065 (5.2 / 80.0) and added to the hard-miss count to get the effective miss count. This data then was used to directly compute the hit/miss ratio as a figure of merit of the efficiency of various cache sizes and replacement algorithms. We considered only the hit/miss ratio for reads because a user task is held up waiting for the transfer to take place

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BYTE May 1984

325

REPLACEMENT ALGORITHMS

10

CO CO

= 4

LEAST

RECENTLY

USED

FIRST-IN/ FIRST-OUT

RANDOM REPLACEMENT

ALGORITHM

Figure 5: A bar chart of the effect of the hit/miss ratio of using different replacement algorithms to determine which part of the cache to discard.

only in the case of a read. All writes are automatically hits by this definition.

The hit/miss ratio depends very strongly on the I/O (input/output) characteristics of the particular tasks using the disk. To see why this is the case, imagine that we are repetitively performing operations that involve disk transfers totally contained in the

cache memory. The hit/miss ratio continues to increase as we repeat operations on the same disk data.

You might ask, however, what conditions would correspond to repeated operations on the same files. Examples of this include running the same program several times (for instance, in a spreadsheet or a BASIC program), repeated editing or word

processing of the same text file, or repeated editing and compiling using a language processor.

Our first choice for the mix of tasks was selected as a worst-case test of the advantages of caching. We picked a class of jobs that would use the disk extensively and would have the minimal repetitive usage of the same files. Our mix of tasks consisted of a C compilation of a medium-size program (350 lines) followed by a Pascal compilation of a long program (1000 lines). The compiled Pascal program was then linked to form an executable load module. The total number of blocks requested to be read by the processor was about 2000. We ran this same sequence of programs for each of the tests so that the effect of the mix of programs would not bias the conclusions for the relative efficiency of the various algorithms. In each case, the cache started empty.

Figure 4 shows the hit/miss ratio as a function of the cache size for the LRU replacement algorithm and a prefetch value of 16 blocks (whenever a miss occurs, one full track of data is prefetched). Notice that even for this worst-case mix of programs, the effective hit/miss ratio is almost 10 by the time you get to 256K bytes of caching memory and becomes greater than 10 for 320K bytes of caching memory. We may expect to achieve our goal of a hit/miss ratio of 10 using 256K bytes of dedicated caching memory for a better mix of programs.

We'll now look at the effect of various cache replacement algorithms on the hit/miss ratio. To do Text continued on page 330

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328 BYTE May 1984

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BYTE May 1984 329

TEST OF MULTIPLE READS

50

40

o 30

<

- 20

10

0 12 3 4 5

NUMBER OF TIMES

Figure 6: A plot of the change in the hit/miss ratio produced by multiple I/O operations on the same set of files. This plot is for repetitive word processing on part of the text for this article, and it is typical of fully cached operation.

Text continued from page 326:

this, the disk driver was modified to let us use any of the three algorithms in the cache module. Figure 5 shows the measured hit/miss ratios of the three different replacement algorithms. This data was collected using a cache memory allocation of 256K bytes. Notice that, as predicted, the LRU algorithm produces a slightly higher hit/miss ratio than either the FIFO or the random-replacement algorithms. Although the effect is not too large (10 to 20 percent), we thought it significant enough to justify the use of this algorithm even though it is somewhat more complex to implement.

To show how the caching driver might achieve an even greater hit/ miss ratio for a more fortunate mix of programs, for our next example we took the text editing of this article, and we plotted the hit/miss ratio as a function of the number of times the word processor was executed for the purpose of writing part of this text.

These results, also corresponding to a cache size of 256K bytes, are plotted in figure 6.

Programs that are heavy on file access can show

large improvement

factors with the use of

caching.

The large increase in the hit/miss ratio from 7 to almost 50 when the word processor is used on the text file needs some explanation. When the word processor is first run, the files containing both it and the text file are loaded into the cache memory, then passed through to the processor. Unless they were previously in the cache, this results in a certain miss count that depends on the size of the word processor and the size of the text file. When the editing of the file is completed, the updated file is written out to the cache and then auto

matically transferred to the disk, but if the cache memory is sufficiently large, both the word processor and the updated text file also will remain in the cache. When the word processor is again used to edit the same text file, the cache will contain both. The second and all subsequent modifications to the file result in nothing but hits on the cache memory. In this case, which is referred to as being fully cached, you can therefore expect the hit/miss ratio to continue upward in a manner proportional to the number of times the word processor is used on the same file. Because word processing and computer programming frequently entail this sort of cyclic use of a small set of files, the benefits from disk caching for this type of computer usage are obvious from the plot. Of course, this speedup effect does not mean that all processing is speeded up; it only applies to time that would otherwise be lost during inefficient disk transfers. If a program is computation intensive, with little file access, its execution speed is largely unaffected. Programs that are heavy on file access can show large improvement factors.

In general, "tuning" the cache memory allocation consists primarily of trying to get the cache size large enough to hold virtually all of the files in use over some reasonable period of time. This situation may be compared with a RAM disk where the size choice is made in much the same way.

In some systems, attempts have been made to use small caches of 64K bytes or less. Our experience is that attempting to use too small a cache frequently degrades performance rather than enhances it, so it is important to accurately assess the needs and provide adequate memory for this purpose. At the same time, using a larger cache size than is needed for the normal mix of tasks done is simply wasteful and expensive. A larger than average utilization of disk data would necessitate a larger disk cache; a frugal user of disk data might get by with less.

It is useful to compare the cache concept with that of the RAM disk. The big advantage of disk caching

330 BYTE May 1984

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id Copyright 1983. SPSS Inc.

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BYTE May 1984 331

TIME FOR FILE TRANSFER

60

50

40

</)

a z o o

Ul

30

20

10

1 2 3

CASE

Figure 7: A bar plot of the time required for a program to read a file of 100K bytes, perform minor processing on the data, and write the file back to disk. Bar 1 ivas obtained using a driver with no caching. Bar 2 was obtained using caching, but with the cache initially empty so that file and program data had to be read into the cache. Bar 3 was obtained under the fully cached condition where all of the required disk data ivas already contained in the cache.

over a RAM disk is that the selection of which files are to be placed into the "fast disk" is completely automatic rather than manual, and the cache approach provides automatic, readverified backup to the nonvolatile physical disk; consequently, it is unnecessary to remember to write the files back manually, and the risk of data loss due to power failure is minimized. The adverse effect of disk fragmentation can be overcome by occasionally performing a full backup and restore of all files on the disk. Doing this results in a completely compacted disk with all files completely contiguous. Thereafter, only those files that are modified will become fragmented, and the average fragmentation will be small. Besides the value of performing regular backup, this practice is beneficial even without caching.

Finally, to demonstrate that caching does produce a substantial improvement in overall system speed, we ran timing tests on two typical programs.

The time spent in

caching algorithms was

insignificant compared

with the time spent

performing the actual

data transfer.

The first task is a file copy. This program reads a file one block at a time, performs some processing on the data, and writes the resulting data back to the disk into a different file. The two files were moderately far apart on the disk. Figure 7 shows the time required to carry out this task in three cases. In the first case, no

caching was used. In the second case, caching was used, but the program and files were not already in the cache. The third was the fully cached case, with the program and files already in the cache from the second test. By using the caching driver, this test exhibits improvement, by more than a factor of four, in the total execution time for this program.

Figure 8 shows the time required to compile and link the program used to collect the data presented in figure 7. The improvement is not as dramatic in this example because these tasks are more computation intensive, with less time spent in disk operations. Nevertheless, there is a decrease of 30 percent in total execution time.

You might well ask whether you should consider the degradation in the transfer rate produced by using the more complex algorithms in the cache system. That is, are we slowing down the transfer rate by spending too much time in determining if the data is in cache memory, or in sophisticated prefetch and replacement algorithms? We found, at least in the case of PC-DOS 2.0, that the time spent in the various caching algorithms was insignificant in comparison with the time spent performing the actual data transfer. It therefore turns out that the cache memory has a transfer rate almost equal to a RAM-disk system whenever it contains the requested data. We have, of course, implicitly assumed this fact in our previous plots of transfer rate versus hit/miss ratio. In this regard, disk caching has an advantage over memory caching. In disk caching, the various algorithms are executed once, at most, for every block that is transferred; in memory caching, some of the algorithms are executed once for each byte or word that is transferred.

Conclusion

We have determined that you can utilize the added addressable memory afforded by 16-bit processors in a very useful way to improve the overall effective transfer rate of Winchester systems and to provide apparent, sometimes dramatic, performance increases. For the case of cach

332 BYTE May 1984

\__t?*t*

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TIME FOR COMPILE AND LINK

35r

30

25

CO

o

o 20

o

UJ

CO

UJ 15

2

10

2 CASE

Figure 8: A bar plot of the time required to compile and link a C program. As in figure 7, bar 1 was obtained with no caching, bar 2 was obtained with an empty cache, and bar 3 was obtained with fully cached operation.

ing within the disk driver, the cluster prefetch method does a good job. We chose the cluster size based on characteristics of the disk hardware.

It appears that the LRU replacement algorithm delivers the best hit/ miss ratio and should be used because the time spent in the actual transfer dominates the computation overhead. We also found that the complexity of the various algorithms had a negligible effect on the transfer rate.

On the basis of the example of the extremes between little repetitive usage and significant repetitive usage, we feel that the average singleuser system can expect an overall hit/ miss ratio greater than 10 for a cache size of 256K bytes. We generally attain hit/miss ratios of 20 to 50. These high ratios lead to an overall improvement in the disk transfer rate of 5 to 15, depending on the amount of head movement that occurs in the un

cached disk. The effect of caching for the case where all of the files accessed are fully cached is that the transfer rate after the files first have been brought into cache is equal to that of a RAM disk. The improvement produced by utilizing a disk cache is significant for the case of single-tasking operating systems. It should be almost indispensable for a multitasking system, or for a Winchester disk drive used as a file server by several computers in a local-area network. ■

Roy C. Chaney holds a Ph.D. in solid-state physics and is an associate professor of physics at the University of Texas at Dallas.

Brian W. Johnson holds a Ph.D. in electrical engineering. He is on leave from the University of Texas at Dallas, where he is an associate professor of physics and computer science. Johnson xoas a vicepresident of research at Percom Data Corporation when this article was written.

The authors can be reached at the Department of Physics, FOB 688, University of Texas, Dallas, TX 75080.

334 BYTE May 1984

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VERSA PAYROLL™ is a powerful and sophisticated, but easy to use payroll system that keeps track of all government-required payroll information. Complete employee records are maintained, and all necessary payroll calculations are performed automatically, with totals displayed on screen for operator approval, A payroll can be run totally, automatically, or the operator can intervene to prevent a check from being printed, or to alter information on it. If desired, totals may be posted to the VERSALEDGER IT" system.

VERSAINVENTORY™ $99.95

VERSAINVENTORY" is a complete inventory control system that gives you instant access to data on any item. Versa Inventory7" keeps track of all information related to what items are in stock, out of stock, on backorder, etc., stores sales and pricing data, alerts you when an item falls below a preset reorder point, and allows you to enter and print invoices directly or to link with the VERSA RECEIVABLES™ system. VERSA INVENTOR Y™ prints all needed inventory listings, reports of items below reorder point, inventory value reports, period and year-to-date sales reports, price lists, inventory checklists, etc.

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VersaLedger IP comes with a professionally-written 160 page manual designed for first-time users. The VersaLedger IP manual will help you become quickly familiar with VersaLedger IP, using complete sample data files supplied on diskette and more than 50 pages of sample printouts.

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* TRS-80 is a trademark ol the Radio Shack Division of Tandy Corp. - "APPLE is a trademark of Apple Corp. - "IBM is a trademark of IBM Corp.

"CP'M is a trademark of Digital Research ■ "XEROX is a trademark of Xerox Corp.

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We've got speed, performance and 3,000 new applications to satisfy that appetite.

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336 BYTE May 1984

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Circle 134 on inquiry card.

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1983 Fox & Geller

Update on Apple Macintosh

and Lisa 2

The Macintosh and Lisa 2 are out, although a few unpleasant surprises occurred between the deadline for my articles appearing in the February BYTE (pages 30 and 84, respectively) and Apple's formal announcement on January 24. In a word, the Macintosh (or Mac) is more expensive than we thought it would be. At one time, Apple had decided on a $1995 price for the basic Macintosh, but the company changed this to $2495. Other changes include: Imagewriter (reported at $495), $495 if bought with a Mac, $595 otherwise; numeric keypad, $129 (up from $99); second disk drive, $495 (up from $395). Apple also announced a 300-bps (bits per second) modem for $225 and a 1200-bps modem for $495.

Apple has also formed the Apple University Consortium (AUC) to "further the use of computers in higher education" by making "commitments to supply large numbers of its new Macintosh personal computers to 24 leading universities," including Yale, Stanford, Dartmouth, Brown, and the University of Michigan. Apple requires member universities to create courseware and meet regularly together. Faculty and students will be able to buy Macintoshes at reduced rates; a source close to the University of Utah, an AUC member, said that the prices were $1200 for students and $900 for faculty.

Apple also announced three members of the Lisa 2 family: the Lisa 2, at $3495; the Lisa 2/5, at $4495; and

Gregg Williams BYTE Senior Technical Editor

the Lisa 2/10, at $5495. All units have 512K bytes of memory and one 3V2-inch microfloppy-disk drive. The Lisa 2/5 adds an external 5-megabyte Profile hard disk, and the Lisa 2/10 adds an internal 10-megabyte hard disk. Lisa 1 owners can upgrade to a Lisa 2/5 for free until June 1, $595 afterward, or to a Lisa 2/10 for $2495. A 512K-byte memory upgrade is $1495. The Macintosh operating system (needed for a Lisa computer to run Macintosh software) comes free with the Lisa 2 computer and is available at extra cost for buyers of the Lisa 2/5 and 2/10. Apple also announced Apple Bus, a low-cost local network that will allow Macintoshes, Lisas, and (later) Apple Il-family computers to share common peripherals.

Commentary

Initial reaction to the Macintosh has been strongly, but not overpoweringly, favorable. A few traditional computer users see the mouse, the windows, and the desktop metaphor as silly useless frills, and others are outraged at the lack of color graphics, but most users are impressed by the machine and its capabilities. Still, some people have expressed concern about the relatively small 128K-byte RAM (randomaccess read/write memory) size, the lack of any computer language sent as part of the basic unit, and the inconvenience of the single disk drive. Although Apple has said nothing officially, it is widely be

lieved that Apple will offer a 512Kbyte Macintosh upgrade by the end of 1984; since the Macintosh memory chips are soldered onto the printedcircuit board, this will not be a simple upgrade that most users will want to do at home. The Macintosh is largely a computer of unparalleled vision on Apple's part; however, that vision failed when the Mac was limited to 128K bytes of memory. It took no vision to see the need for a larger memory: much existing software (for the IBM PC, for example) already makes use of 256K- and 512Kbyte memory spaces.

At the current prices, a usable system (Macintosh with one language, Mac Paint/Mac Write, Imagewriter printer, and second disk drive) will now cost $3879 ($100 less if you buy the Imagewriter with the system). This is considerably more than the $2984 possible package price quoted in my February article. Marketing decisions have compromised Steve Jobs's vision of "something really inexpensive so that everyone can afford it." Also, the higher price will probably decrease the influence of the machine on the market; this may make the difference between the Macintosh being just another successful computer rather than being the computer that is popular enough to be a surviving alternative to the looming IBM monopoly. ■

Gregg Williams is a senior technical editor at BYTE. He can be reached at POB 372, Hancock, NH 03449.

Circle 310 on inquiry card.

BYTE May 1984 339

Fitting Curves to Data

The Simplex algorithm is the answer

Marco S. Caceci and William P. Cacheris Florida State University

Fitting functions to data is a frequent task in science and wherever you need to superimpose complex mathematical models on data. Most curve-fitting programs presently running on microcomputers are either locally written, brute-force stepping procedures, or Newton-Ralphson algorithms in BASIC and FORTRAN that have passed hands dozens of times. The Simplex algorithm we use is relatively recent (1965) and has been applied to curve-fitting problems only in the past few years, mostly in academic circles.

Consider a set of number pairs, xlr y-ti x2, y2; • ■ •; x„, y„. It is easy to implement a linear fit, computing the parameters a and b of the "best" straight line, y = a + bx, passing through the points. Some pocket calculators have the necessary routines in firmware. And there are programs available that can fit any set of points to a polynomial or some "wellbehaved" function. It would be convenient, however, to be able to fit sets of data points to more complicated

functions, or, for that matter, to find an algorithm capable of fitting a set of data points to any function, no matter how complex.

Within the speed and memory limitations of the computer on which it runs, the program Simp is capable of computing the parameter values that best fit a particular set of data points given an analytical function with any number of variables and parameters. The program utilizes the Simplex algorithm and is written in Pascal/Z version 4.0.

Problem Definition

It is easier to understand curve fitting if you start with an example. As a typical case of experimental data that provides useful information through a complex function, consider the Michaelis-Menten kinetic theory of enzyme action. The MichaelisMenten equation has the form y = a x x I (b + x). Experimentally, you measure the initial reaction rates: y, for different substrate concentrations; x, in order to determine the value of

constants; a and b. The a represents the maximum initial reaction rate and b the enzyme's affinity for the substrate. The problem lies in determining the best values of a and b for a given set of x and y data.

Figure 1 represents a set of six experimental data points, xu y,, and the curve described by the MichaelisMenten function that best fits them. The points do not fall exactly on the curve because they are affected by experimental error, and they are redundant. Two would be enough to define the curve, but by providing a larger number, the errors tend to cancel and possibly can be estimated. A further assumption that simplifies the mathematics (and is usually true) is that the x values are virtually error free; the only significant errors are in the experimental determination of the. y values.

In the equation y = a x x I (b + x), constants a and b do not vary within a set. Variables x and y do. The experimenter varies x, the independent variable, freely during the experi

340 BYTE May 1984

ment; y, the dependent variable, is measured by the experiment, and its value (hopefully) depends on x. The Michaelis-Menten equation forms a model when applied to an experiment, and the constants in the equation become the model's parameters. This model has, therefore, one independent variable and one dependent variable and it is described by an equation with two parameters. To fit the curve you must estimate the "best" values for these parameters.

You can use two strategies to obtain a fit: linear and nonlinear parametric fit. If the model contains only linear equations (integral powers of the variables), you can use a linear algorithm. The great advantage of linear methods is that the solution is often immediate, i.e., they don't require an indefinite number of iterations. The main disadvantage is that many functions are not, and cannot be reduced to, linear equations.

The Michaelis-Menten equation in the example is not a linear equation, although you can manipulate it into a linear form. It is easy to prove that if you plot lly versus llx, the result is a straight line whose slope is b/a, whose intercept is lla, and whose equation is lly = lla + bla x llx. You can find good values for a and b by drawing or computing the "best" straight line through the "manipulated" experimental points according to the least-squares criterion.

You can extend this approach by properly using matrix algebra to handle more than two parameters and/or polynomial expressions. It is generally not a good practice to transform nonlinear systems into linear ones even when it is possible. Not only is it somewhat cumbersome, since you must handle each different function in a different way, but the error distribution and the statistical weight of the data points change after such transformations. If you don't deal with this properly, it can result in substantial inaccuracies.

In general, to handle nonlinear functions you need nonlinear parametric fits. Unfortunately, all generalpurpose, non-linear, curve-fitting algorithms developed to date have one annoying feature—namely, they

0.5h"

0.4

0.3

0.2

0.1

0

ax x + b

0

10

15

20

25

30

Figure 1: Plot of experimental data: initial reaction rates (y) versus substrate concentration (x). The data obeys the Michaelis-Menten equation: y = a x x/(b + x). Note: the best-fit curve is also drawn.

are recursive. You must adjust the parameters in an iterative way with no idea of how many repetitions you will need to achieve convergence or even, for that matter, if you can. Nonlinear parametric fits also require initial estimates of the values sought.

The Response Surface

Getting back to the example, you need a method for finding the best values of a and b for a set of x and y data using a nonlinear approach. And you must be able to generalize this method for any kind of function.

First, you need a new representation of the data. If you choose arbitrary values for a and b, you can determine the corresponding values of y for each experimental x from the equation. Good values for a and b can adequately predict y values that are close to those experimentally measured.

Quantitatively, if you have n data points, label each value of the independent variable as xlf x2, ■ ■ ■, x„

and each value of the dependent variable as yv y2, ..., y„. Also, label your n predicted values (as calculated by the equation using certain values for a and b) for the dependent variable y\, y'2/ . ■., y'n. Any pair of a and b values thus produces a set of y\ predicted values corresponding to the experimental x, set.

The sum (yt - y\)2 + (y2 - y'2)2 + ... + (y„ - y'J1 is called the sum of the squared residuals (SSR) and can be written E,(y, - y-)2. The lower this sum is, the better the curve fits. This is called the least-squares criterion. For random errors randomly distributed (usually a reasonable assumption), this is the best criterion of all.

If the error distribution is not random but known, you can usually assign a statistical weight w{ to each data point. The least-squares criterion will then minimize the sum: SSR =

E,My< -yd1.

Thus, the problem of finding the best values for a function's unknown

BYTE May 1984 341

ss,

Figure 2: Representation of the response surface, SSR versus a and b. The best values for a and b are those where the SSR value is the lowest. If you have poor a and b values, you will get large values for SSR.

parameters becomes the problem of finding the minimum of a new function, SSR. In this example, we can picture a and b as the independent variables and SSR as the dependent one (figure 2). In general, if you have a function with n parameters to be optimized, SSR describes an (n+1)dimensional surface, called the response surface. If you have very bad parameter values, the surface point values are high. As you move toward better values, the response surface dips toward a minimum.

Searching for the Minimum

The best values of a and b lie at the minimum of the function SSR = £,- Wj fy, - y'j)2, and you need to find this minimum. Before discussing the Simplex algorithm, let's consider the most common alternatives.

The stepwise descent strategy consists of adjusting one parameter at a time, sequentially, until you find a minimum along that parameter, and then repeating the process until all values are stable. This algorithm is relatively easy to program and will converge virtually all the time, but it can be extremely slow to run, especially if there is a large number of

parameters or any appreciable correlation between them.

Steepest descent methods adjust the parameter values along the direction of the response surface's fastest decrease. They involve fewer iterations, but they require knowledge or computation (by numerical differentiation) of SS/s first derivatives.

A simplex is a

geometric figure that

has one more vertex

than the space in

which it is defined has

dimensions.

The Newton-Ralphson algorithm (and its many descendants) is the most popular nonlinear, least-squares fitting algorithm today. Although it is mathematically complex and always prone to divergence, it is fast (especially where the hardware supports matrix and floating-point operations), and speed is the most important consideration with computer time as expensive as it is.

Basically, the algorithm varies the parameters until the partial deriva

tives of SSR are all sufficiently close to zero. At each iteration, it computes the amount by which the parameters are changed, creating a square matrix that contains all the second derivatives of SSR, then inverting this matrix and multiplying the result by the previous values of the first derivatives.

This approach often gives rapid convergence, but it also suffers substantial drawbacks. The program can diverge if it starts from inaccurate initial guesses. Considerable truncation errors can occur in the partial derivatives' calculations and in the matrix inversions, particularly when the installation does not support double-precision formats. Also, the numerical calculation of all the partial derivatives at each repetition requires massive amounts of computations.

The Marquardt algorithm and other more recent methods are mathematically equivalent to a mixture of the Newton-Ralphson and the steepest descent algorithms. It avoids the divergence problems of NewtonRalphson without the unacceptable losses in speed. The amount and complexity of code generated in this way can, however, become substantial.

The Simplex method is relatively new; it was first proposed by J. A. Nedler and R. Mead in 1965. They used it to find mathematical function minimums. Since then, various applications to fitting problems have been developed.

A simplex is a geometric figure that has one more vertex than the space in which it is defined has dimensions. For example, a simplex on a plane (a two-dimensional space) is a triangle; a simplex in three-dimensional space is a tetrahedron, and so on.

The basic idea in the Simplex method is to build a simplex in the M+1-dimensional space described by the parameters you want to fit. For example, in the MichaelisMenten equation above, there are two parameters, a and b. You can consider them as axes in a plane on which we create a simplex (a triangle). Each vertex is then character

342 BYTE May 1984

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Circle 344 on Inquiry card.

[ NO WAITING 1

H^^HMH^H^BH

B,

w,

0

Figure 3: Two-dimensional simplex BWO illustrating the four mechanisms of movement: reflection, expansion, contraction, shrinkage. B = vertex, W = worst vertex, R = reflected vertex, E = expanded vertex, C = contracted vertex, and S = shrunken vertexes.

ized by three values: a, b, and the response SSR.

To reach the lowest value of SSR, the program moves the simplex "downhill", accelerating and slowing down as needed. It follows the rule: find which vertex has the highest (worst) response and which has the lowest (best), then reject the highest and substitute another one for it. The program computes the new vertex according to one of these mechanisms: reflection, expansion, contraction, and shrinkage.

If you want to create a reflected vertex, call d the distance from the worst vertex to M, the midpoint of all the other vertexes. For the triangle this is the distance from the vertex to the center of the line that connects the other two vertexes. The reflected vertex is located at a distance d from M on the line continuation that joins the rejected vertex to M.

If the response of the reflected vertex is neither worse than the rejected one nor better than the best one in the simplex, then the program accepts it. If the reflected vertex has a lower (better) response than the previous best, the program tests an expansion by reflecting twice the distance d. The expanded vertex is accepted if it has a lower response than the rejected one; otherwise, the program accepts the reflected one.

If the reflected vertex has a higher (worse) response than the rejected

344 BYTE May 1984

vertex, the program tests a contraction by moving the rejected one a distance of one-half d toward the midpoint. This contracted vertex is accepted if it produces a better (lower) response than the rejected one; otherwise, a shrinkage occurs and all vertexes, except the best one, move directly toward it by half of their original distance from it.

Figure 3 illustrates these four mechanisms and figure 4 gives the rules of simplex movement in flowchart form. Figure 5 shows an example of a simplex moving on SSR's contour plot for a two-parameter fit.

It is possible to make various modifications to the present algorithm. One common variant substitutes the shrinkage with a contraction beyond point M. And you can change the coefficients for the reflection, expansion, and contraction within certain limits.

The rules given above show clearly the advantages of the Simplex strategy:

•Divergence is impossible. •You need to compute the response value only once or at most a few times for each iteration. •You don't need any knowledge of derivatives or numerical differentiation. This avoids rounding-off errors and allows the handling of noncontinuous functions. •No matrix operation is involved.

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©1984 Toshiba America, Inc.

Circle 386 on inquiry card.

BYTE May 1984 345

f Start J

Read data from input (lie

Create N vertexes

3

Rank vertexes

according to

response and value

of each parameter

Find reflected vertex

Find expanded

Is

ye3 y responses

at reflected

vertex < =

best?

Find contracted vertex

Accept expanded

vertex and reject

worst vertex

yes

Accept reflected

vertex and reject

worst vertex

Accept contracted

vertex and reject

worst vertex

Contract all but

best vertex towards

best vertex

"" * Has termination ' criteria been

Report values of

the parameters

and the quality

of the fit

(stop)

Figure 4: Flowchart of the Simplex algorithm.

Every function that you can write as computer code, you can optimize with the Simplex algorithm. In particular, to implement contour conditions, such as "parameter r must be positive, parameter s must be between one and ten, etc.," you assign very high values to SSR points corresponding to out-of-boundary parameter values to prevent the simplex from ever entering these regions.

Program Description

Simp (listing 1) is written in Pascal/Z (Ithaca Intersystems) version 4.0 to run under the CP/M-80 operating system. This example contains about 200 statements and compiles into 19K bytes. Despite the care taken to try to avoid any nonstandard (Jensen and Wirth) expressions, some I/O (input/output) expressions are not standard, and you should be

cautious about transporting Simp to other compilers. A version running on a Control Data Cyber-76 mainframe (Pascal 6000.3.4.0 compiler) is also presently available, and a BASIC translation for the Atari microcomputer is coming soon. To date, Simp has been used to fit functions with up to nine adjustable parameters, up to 200 data points, and two independent variables. The speed and memory limitations of the machine on which the program runs define the upper limit on these numbers.

To operate the program, you need only modify the function declaration and, in some cases, the constants' assignments and the I/O procedures. The only constants you must modify to accommodate different models are: m, the number of parameters to be fit; possibly nvpp, the total number of variables per data point; and mnp, the maximum number of data points. In the present example, nvpp is 2 (1 independent variable, x, and 1 dependent one, y) and mnp is 200.

The program input is in a disk file whose name is appended to the CP/M command. Procedure enter reads the input file. Simp directs enter to produce a screen output. If any error exists in the input file, you can easily detect it at this stage. If there are no errors, Simp redirects the output to the printer and invokes enter again. If you need additional data input or preprocessing of the data, you must modify procedure enter accordingly.

Next, Simp computes the starting simplex values, represented as a square matrix n x n, where n is the number of parameters you want to fit plus one. Each matrix row is a different vertex, for which the first n-1 columns are the individual parameter values, and the nth column stores the response value to be rrunimized from the procedure sum_of_residuals.

Procedure sum_of_residuals receives a set of parameter values, and from these, combined with the experimental data, computes the response surface value at the corresponding point. That is, it computes the sum of the squares of the differences between individual experimental dependent variable values and those

346 BYTE May 1984

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a

Figure 5: An example of the simplex moving on the response surface's contour plot.

calculated for the same independent variable values using the parameters being tested.

In this example, procedure sum_of_residuals gives identical statistical weight to all data points. In circumstances where the data points' statistical weight is not constant, you should modify the procedure.

Function / computes a single dependent variable value, y', from the parameters and a given independent variable value. The program spends most of its time in this function, and you should be extremely careful to optimize its speed.

Simp calls procedure order to identify the highest and lowest values of the parameters and the response surface from among all the vertexes. It uses this information to compute the errors and make the decisions for the simplex's next movement. After Simp computes the vertexes of the first simplex from your initial guesses and their increments, procedure first outputs the values to the printer and then to the screen, as directed by the main part of the program.

348 BYTE May 1984

The main program loop moves the simplex according to the rules previously given. Procedure new_ vertex substitutes the rejected vertex with a new one. Simp exits the loop when the error (the percent difference between the extreme values) for all parameters falls below the necessary limits or reaches the maximum number of iterations. At each repetition new_vertex displays the new accepted vertex's values on the screen.

Once the program exits the main loop, procedure report directs the results to the screen and the printer. It also creates two files on the default disk drive, FIT.DAT and ERR.DAT. FIT. DAT contains the fitted points, that is, the (x{, y\) data points, where Simp copies the input x{ values and computes their corresponding y\ s using a and b's estimated values. ERR.DAT contains the (xit dy{) data points, where the x,s are from the input and the dy\ s are from the computed residuals (the quantities y, - y\). Both files begin with a series of six separated ones

followed by the number of data points and then the data points themselves. If you need to postprocess the data or if you change nvpp, procedure report will require modifications.

Program Operation

You must create an executable file, SIMP.COM, from the source file, SIMP.PAS. In Pascal/Z, this is done by executing:

A>pascal56 simp

This creates SIMP. SRC. A>pasopt simp

Optional optimizer. It saves a few bytes. A>asmbl main, simp/rel

Creates SIMP.REL relocatable file. A>link simpln-.simple

Creates SIMP.COM object code file.

The command A > simp <infile> invokes the program where < infile > is a valid CP/M filename. The disk input file, < infile >, is organized as follows:

•the maximum number of iterations (integer). Zero gives an infinite loop. Very generally speaking, the program usually converges in less than 20 x m2 repetitions.

•your initial parameter guesses (m floating points). • your initial parameter increments (m floating points). 0.0 blocks the corresponding parameter. The recommended values are one-tenth to one-half of your initial guesses, •the maximum errors allowed (m + 1 floating points—one for each parameter and one for the sum of the squares of the residuals). The recommended values are IE - 4 to IE - 6. •the data (x,„ y„; x„, y„; ...; x„,

The program tolerates different input formats and any separator (space, tab, carriage return, line feed) should work. It is essential, though, to terminate the input file without any Text continued on page 360

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BYTE May 1984 349

Listing 1:

Compiled listing

system.

Line S

tmt Level

1

1 0

2

1 0

1 0

4

1 0

5

1 0

6

1 0

7

1 0

B

1 0

9

1 0

10

1 0

11

1 0

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

49

50

51

52

53

54

55

56

57

'■■y -i

58

•~y ■]

59

*"y A

60

'".■> 1

61

*"J A

62

*P 1

63

"~y "?

350 BYTI

. May 1984

of the program, Simp. It is written in Pascal/Z (Ithaca Intersystems) version 4.0 to run under the CP/M operating

program simp; (curve -fitting with the simplex algorithm} {this example -fits data to a Michael is—Hen ten function}

{by Marco Caceci, with help from William Caceris. 1983} CChem. Dept. Florida State University Tallahassee FL323063{no copy-right. SSSD floppy disk copies on request}

{see Nelder J.A. & R. Mead, Computer J. 7, 308 (1965) and } a.A. Yarbro & S.N. Deming,Anal. Chim. Acta 74, 391 (1974)3

const date = memo =

* fit of a Michael

m

nvpp n mnp

5/22/B3' ;

-Menten function

v=ax / (b+x ) * ;

type

a 1 f a beta gamma

lw

page

root2

vector

datarow

i nde>:

done

i , j

h, 1

np,

max i ter,

n:i ter

next,

center,

b y a mean, max err,

p.q.

step si mp data f name di n,dout

2; {number of parameters to fit J

2; {total number of vara per data point} m + 1;{some compilers don't like this}

200; {maximum number of data points'.}

1.0J {reflection coefficient, >03

0.5; {contraction coefficient, 0to 12

2.0; {expansion coefficient, >1}

=>$

{width of line? in data fields+1!

1.414214; arrayC1„. arrayC1.. 0..255; boolean; i ndex; array II1. .

s integer

11 vertexes error,

vector; array El,. arrayL1.. arrayC1.. text;

n1 of real; nvpp1 of real;

{convergence}

n D of i ndex ; {number high/low pararnts} {number of data points} {max number iterations} {number of iterations } {new vertex to be tested} {center of hyperplane described of the simplex excluding the worst}

{maximum error accepted} {to compute first simplex} {input starting steps} n3 of vector; {the siimple:

mnp] of datarow; {the data} 143 of char; {filename}

{input, output}

*1\**W*W *w*

.. /\.- 'W *N* *WV\# 'W'W 'W. *V

function f (x : vectors d:: datarow) : real;

{x(l..m) the parameters, d has the data} begi n

f := xtlll * dC13 / <xC23 + dC13) end;

procedure sum of_residuals (var x : vector);

{computes the sum of the squares of the residuals;} {x(l..m) passes parameters. Result returned in x(n).} var i : index;

begi n

Listing 1 continued on page 354

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Byre 5/64

BYTE May 1984 353

Listing 1 continued:

64 2 2 xHnl s = 0.0;

65 3 2 -for i := 1 to np do

66 4 3 begin

67 5 4 xCnll ;= xHnll + sqr (f (>:, dataL i 1) dataCi»23)

68 6 4 end £loopJ

69 6 3 end; {sum of residual si

70 6 1

1 6 1 i J

72 6 1

73 6 1

74 6 1 procedure enter; Centers data from disk -file fname

75 6 1 file must terminate with EOF

76 6 1 immediately after last number.

77 6 1 data in the order:

78 6 1 -maximum number iterations,

79 6 1 —starting point, coordinates

80 6 1 -starting increments

81 6 1 —maximum errors

82 6 1 -data} S3 6 1

84 6 1 begin -Center?.

85 6 2 write(dout,' SIMPLEX optimisation version ');

86 7 2 write(dout,date);

87 8 2 writeln (dout, ' 3) MC/BC FSU* > J

88 9 2 writeln(dout,memo);

89 10 2 writeln (dout, ' accessing -file ' ,-fname) j

90 11 2 read(din,max i ter) ;

91 12 2 writelntdout, ' max number o-f iterations is : =: ' ,ma>ti ter: 5);

92 13 2? write (dout, ;' start coord. : " ) jj

93 14 2 for i := 1 to m do

94 15 3 begin

95 16 4 read(din,simp[1,i1);

96 17 4 if (i mod Iw) = 0 then writeln(dout);

97 19 4 write(dout,simpt1,i1)

98 20 4 end;

99 20 2 wr iteln(dout);

100 21 2 write (dout, :' start steps: ' );

101 22 2 for i s= 1 to m do

102 23 3 begin

103 24 4 read(din,step Li J);

104 25 4 if (i mod Iw) = 0 then writeln(dout);

105 27 4 write(dout,stepCi3)

106 28 4 end;

107 28 2 writeln(dout);

108 29 2 write(dout,' max. errors: ')5

109 30 2 for i' s= 1 to n do

110 31 3 begin

1 1 1 32 4 read(din,maxsrrC i1) ;

112 33 4 if <i mod Iw) = 0 then writeln(dout);

113 35 4 write(dout,max errCi])

114 36 4 end;

115 36 2 writel n(dout) ;

116 37 2 writelntdout,'' data,-7);

117 38 2 writelntdout,' >:' : 14, 'y' : 14) ;

118 39 2 np := 0;

119 40 2 while not eof(din) do

120 41 3 begin

121 42 4 np := succ(np);

122 43 4 write(dout,' #',np:3);

123 44 4 for j s= 1 to nvpp do

124 45 5 begin

125 46 6 read(din,dataEnp,j1);

126 47 6 write(dout,dataCnp,j3)

127 48 6 end;

128 48 4 writeln(dout);

129 49 4 end -Cwhile>

Listittg 1 continued on page 355

354 BYTE May 1984

Listing 1 continued:

130

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cr en

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nrer

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99

3 end; {enter} 1

■j f" »V 'V **w *V 'Vf «!/ fV *V '\/ *V 'V t\? *V "\/ '\j *\j f\r *\s f\j- 'V *V 'V 'V ^^■^'V^'\,'V'\j',u'V'\/'\/'\;',H'\f'\/'V'V'V'\/'\/'\i'V'\,'V',w'\.-<Vi'\/'V'\;'\j'\;'^1

J. V j

1

1 procedure report;

1 var y, dy,

2 si gma s real;

2 dl, d2 ! text; {disk out ■files}

2 begin

2 rewrite ("FIT.DAT' ,dl> ; {fitted y's}

2 rewriteCERR.DAT' , d2> ; {residuals }

2 writeln<dl,' 11111 i',np>j {dummy arguments}

2 writeln (d2, ' 11111 l',np); {-for PLOT program}

2 writeln (dout., * program exited af ter :' , ni ter : 5, ' iterations ')

2 writeln (dout, * the -final simplex is7);

2 for j »= 1 to n da

3 begin

4 -For i ;-- 1 to n do

5 begin

6 if (i mod lw) = 0 then writeln (dout) ; 6 write(dout,simp Cj , i 3 s 10)

6 end;

4 wri teln(dout)

4 end; Cdo j}

2 writeln(dout, ' the mean is');

2 -for i s=l to n do

3 begin

4 i-f (i mod lw) = 0 then wri tel n (dout) ; 4 wri te (dout, meant i 1')

4 end;

2 writeln(dout)5

2 wr i teln (dout, ' the estimated -fractional error is');

2 for 1 8= 1 to n do

3 begin

4 i-f (i mod lw) = 0 then wr i tel n (dout) ; 4 wr i t e(d out,error C i 3)

4 end;

2 writeln(dout);

2 writeln (dout, ' #' ; 4 , ' x ' : 10, ' y' : 1 5, ' y " ' ; 1 5, ' dy' s 1 5) ;

2 sigma := 0.0;

2 -for i ; - 1 to np do

3 begin

4 y 8= f (mean,dataEi ]) ; 4 dy;= dataHi,21 - y;

4 sigma := sigma + sqr(dy);

4 wri tel n (dout, i : 4, dataC i ., 13a 15, data Hi ,21:, 15, y: 15, dy: 15) ;

4 wr i tel n (d 1 , dataC i , 1 ] , y) ||

4 writeln(d2,dataCi,11,dy)

4 end;

2 sigma : = sqrt(sigma / np);

2 writeln(dout,' the standard deviation is',sigma);

2 sigma : = sigma / sqrt (rip — m);

2 write(dout,' the estimated error o-f the');

2 wri tel n (dout,, ' function is',sigma);

2 end; {report}

1

■I r *V "v/ «u- >\f 'V 'V *V *V /V *\j *V "u r\j r\j *\j *\j 'V' *\t 'V '"u r\j '\i '1/ "« r-w t\j f\, /\, >\i 'V f\v ^i/ *V 'V ^- f^ '\/ <^/ ^j ^- ^_- ^.- 'V ^- pw ^u "v 'V ^w ^\* *V 'V <"w »V fV 'V- 'V "1.

1

1 procedure first;

1 begin

2 writeln(dout,' starting simplex');

2 for .j := 1 to n do Cvertexes}

3 begin

4 wr i te(dout,' si mp C' ,j : 1,'3' ) ;

4 f or i ;~ 1 to n do

5 begin {dimensions}

Listing 1 continued on page 356

BYTE May 1984 355

Listing 1 continued:

196 100 6 i -f < i mod lw) » 0 then wr i tcel n (dout) ;

6 wr i t e (dout.,, si mp C j , i 3)

6 end; { d i men s i on s }

4 wr i teln(dout)

4 end; {vertexes}

2 wri teln(dout>

2 end; {first}

1

1

1 procedure new_.vertex; {next in place of the worst verte;

1 begin

2 write(dout, ' 'fniter:4);

2 -for i :== 1 to n do

3 begin

4 si mp C h [ n 3 , i 3 ; = next. L" i 3 ; 4 write(newtCi13 4 end; 2 wri teln(dout) 2 end; (new vertex}

197

102

198

1 03

199

103

200

104

201

104

202

105

203

105

204

105

205

105

206

105

207

105

208

105

209

106

210

107

2.11

108

109

213

110

214

110

215

111

216

111

217

1 11

218

111

219

111

220

111

221

111

'~> *P *~>

1 11

^^"T

1 11

224

111

rT, *"J CT

1 12

226

113

r-yryj

114

228

115

229

117

230

119

231

119

232

119

2 o< 3

1 19

234

1 19

235

1 19

236

1 19

237

1.19

238

120

239

121

240

1 r?r?

241

123

242

124

243

125

244

126

245

126

246

127

247

127

248

128

249

129

250

130

251

131

*T»*Bj.*"!3i

131

253

131

254

132

'—tt^Tzr

jC l—1 \~}

133

256

135

257

136

258

137

259

137

260

137

261

138

156 BYTE May 1984

1

1 procedure order; Cgives high/low in each) parameter!} 1 Gin simp, caution snot, initialized}

1 var i, j ; i ndex; '">

2 begin

2 for j := 1 to n do Call dimensions}

3 begin

4 -for i 5—1 to n do Cof all vertexesJ

5 begin {-find best and worst.}

6 if simp[i,j] < simpClCj2,j3 then 1 E j 3 : = i; 6 if simpCi,j3 > si mp Eh C j 3 , j 3 then hCj3 := i 6 end f.i loop}

5 end {.j lopp}

3 end; {order}

1

1

1 begin {simplex}

1 read (fname) ; {input file in CP/M command line}

1 reset (f name, din) ; Cfname is on disk}

1 rewrite('cons"»dout)5 {output goes to consolleJ

1 enter; Cget the data}

1 reset (-f name, di n ) ; {reset in file}

1 rewrite('1st:',dout); {output goes to printer}

1 enter;

1

1 sum__of _resi dual s (simpE 1 3 ) ; {first vertex}

1

1 for i ".- 1 to m do {compute offset of the vertexes}

2 begin {of the starting simplex}

3 p[i] ;= step Hi 3 * (sqrt(n) + m -- 1) / <m * root.2); 3 qC:L3 : ~ stepEi3 * (sqrt(n) - 1) / Cm * root.2)

3 end; 1

1 for i := 2 to n do -Call vertexes of the}

2 begin {starting simplex}

3 for j s= 1 to m do simpEi,j3 i— simp E 1,, j 3 + qEj3; 3 simpEi,i - 13 s~ simp[1,1 -- 13 + pEi - 13:;

3 sum_ofresiduals(simpEi3) Cand their residuals}

3 end;

1

1 for i s= 1 to n do {preset}

2 begin

Listing 1 continued on page 357

Listing

1 continued:

262

139

3

263

141

/.-»

264

141

1

265

142

1

266

142

1

267

143

1

268

144

1

269

145

1

270

145

1

271

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1

272

146

1

273

147

O

274

148

2

275

149

2

276

149

•~\

277

151

2

278

152

X

279

153

~r

280

154

4

281

155

o

282

155

2

283

156

3

284

1 57

4

285

158

4

286

159

4

287

159

4

288

159

4

289

159

*"3

290

160

*"3

291

160

"~y

292

161

'">

293

162

3

294

163

Cs>

295

164

4

296

165

4

297

165

7-i

298

1 66

,\

299

168

3

300

168

**3

301

168

2

302

168

o

303

169

7\

304

170

3

305

171

7!

306

171

sl*l

307

172

4

308

173

tj

309

174

5

310

174

4

31 1

175

4

312

176

4

313

177

4

314

177

4

315

178

5

316

179

6

317

180

7

318

181

8

319

182

8

320

182

7

321

183

7

183

6

TOT

183

4

324

183

3

-T'yKr

1B3

o

326

183

*"3

327

184

*5

1 C i 1 :=■ 1; h C i 3 «» 1 end; order;

first;

rewrite('con:',dout); [and} fi rst;

niter := 0j

repeat

done := trues

niter := eucc(niter);

■[before calling}

{pass to printer)

■tto screen}

■Cno iterations yet}

•[keep iterating} Cwi sh i t were...}

■for i := 1 to n do centerCi3 -for i := 1 to n do if i <> hCn3 then

for j :- 1 to m do

centerCj: := centerCj] ■+• simpCi,j35

= 0.0;

[compute centroid}

[excluding the worst}

-For i s = 1 to n do [first attempt to re-flect}

begi n

centerCi 1 := centerEil / m; ne>: tti 1 t —

(1.0 + alfa! # centerCi3 - alfa * si mp Ch Cn 3 , i 1 •(.'next vertex is the specular reflection of the worst.} end; sum_ of_resi dual s (nex t) ;

if nextL'n] <= si mp t 1 Cn 1., n 3 then

begin [better than the best. ?}

new vertex; [accepted ! 3

for i := 1 to m do [and expanded} next.Ci.3 : =

gamma * si mp Ch C n 3,. i 3 + (1.0 - gamma) $ centerEi 3; Bu m o f residual s (n ex t.) ; ■[ s till b e tter ? .)• if next.Cn3 <= si mp C 1 Cn 3 ,, n 3 then new vertex end ■[ ex pansi on accep t ed ":>■

else [if not better than the best.)

begi n

if n e x t C n 3 < = s i m p C h C n 3 , n 3 111 e n

new_vertex -[better than worst.}

a 1se [worse t han worst}

begin Cthens contract.}

for i := 1 to m do next C i 3 : =

beta * simpChCn3 ,, i 3 + (1„0 - beta) * centerti]; sum__of resi dual s (next.) ; if next.Cnl < = simpChCn3,n3 then

new vertex [contraction accepted}

else [if still bad}

begin -[shrink all bad vertexes}

for i :'--■ 1 to n do begi n

for j : = .1 to m do si mp C i,j 3 : =

(simpCi,j3 +■ si mp C 1 Cn 3 ,, j 3 ) # beta; sum__of r esi dual s < si mp C i 3 ) end [i loop}

end -Celse}

end [else}

end 5 ^el se}

order; for j

1 to n do

■[check for convergence}

Listing 1 continued on page 358

BYTE May 1984 357

Jsting

1 continued:

328

185

7;

329

186

4

330

187

4

331

187

4

332

188

4

3 3 3

189

4

334

190

4

335

190

—

336

190

"3;

337

190

1

338

190

1

339

191

2

340

192

■j

341

193

"5

342

194

4

343

195

3

344

196

.ji

345

196

i

346

196

i

347

197

i

34 B

198

i

349

199

i

350

200

i

351

200

i

begi n

error C j1 : =

( si mp C h II j ."J t j 3 i -f done then

if errorC.j 3 > manerr[j] then done := -f al se

si mp [ 1 II j .1 ,, j J )

si mpCh II j 3 , j3 :

end until (done or (niter = 1 to n do

f or i begi n

mean C i3 := 0.0;

for j := 1 ton do

meant ill := mean II i U mean II iH := mean till / n end;

report;

rewr i te (' 1 st: *., dout) ; report;

wr i t e 1 n (d oli t, c h r (page) ) end

ma:-: i ter ) ) ;

{average each parameter}

+ simp C j,i 3 5

■tto consol 1 e> {and do it again} ■Cto the printer}

•Co-f simplex}

A>

Listing 2: An example of a Simp input file. This file contains experimental data obeying the Michaelis-Menten equation.

100

0. 2 3 0.. 1 1

le-4 ie-4 Ie-4 1.68 0.172 3.33 0.250 5.00 0.286 6.67 0.303 10.0 0„334 20.0 0.384

Listing 3: An example of the printer output from Simp for the Michaelis-Menten example. The computed values of a and b are given in "the mean is ..." line. The a = 4.238157E-01 and b = 2.451927E+00. The equation is y = 0.4238157 x x / (x + 2.451927).

SIMPLEX optimisation version 5/22/83 S> MC/BC FSU ■fit o-f a Michaelis-Menten -function : y=a>; / (b+>!) accessing -file MM

may. number of start coord.: start steps: max. errors: data:

x

i terati ons i s 1.999999E-01 9., 999999E-02 9.999998E-05

: = 100 3. 0 0 0 0 0 0 E+0 0 1.000000E+00 9.99999BE-05

9.999998E-0S

1.679999E+00 3.329999E+00 5.000000E+O0 6.669999E+00 1.000000E+01 2.000000E+01 starting simplex simpClJ 1.999999E-01 simp 112 3 2.965924E-01 simpr.3 3 2.25881BE-01

358 BYTE May 1984

1.719999E-01 2.500000E-01 2.859999E-01 3.029999E-01 3.339999E-01 3.839999E-01

'. O00000E+00 5.25881BE+00

5. 965925E+00

1-607578E-01 6.597012E-02

1.520970E-01

Listing 3 continued on page 360

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Listing 3 continued:

program exited

after 43 iterations

the -final simp

1 ex i s

4.23814.1E-01

2. 451970E+00 1. 67571 9E--04

4.238193E-01

2.451966E+00 1.675727E-04

4.23B136E-01

2.451845E+00 1.675722E-04

the mean is

4.238157E-01

2. 451 927E+00 .1. „ 675723E-04

the estimated

■fractional error is

1.3219B7E-05

5.095140E-05 5.036683E-06

# >;

y y"

dy

1 .1 . 679999E+00 1.719999E-01 1.723191E

-01

-- 3

191828:

-04

2 3.329999E+00 2.500000E-01 2.440892E

-01

, ji i

,910

783E

-03

3 5.000000E+00 2„859999E-01 2.843664E

-01

1.

633

465E

-03

4 6.669999E+00 3.029999E--01 3.098962E

-01

-6.

,896

257E

-03

5 1.000000E+01 3.339999E-01 3.403615E

-01

-6.

361

544E

-03

6 2„OOOOOOE+O1 3.839999E-01 3.775317E

-01

6.

,468

236E

-03

the standard d

eviation is 5.284775E-03

the estimated

error of the function is 2.642"

387E

-03

Text continued from page 348: character between the last digit and the EOF (end of file) mark to avoid a "read beyond EOF" error.

Listing 2 gives the input for this example. If you use a dedicated program to write <infile>, you can avoid many problems with inexperienced operators.

The printer output (listing 3) consists of the input data followed by:

• the number of iterations •the values of the parameters and SSR at the vertexes of the last simplex

•the final mean values of the parameters and SSR

•the estimated errors on those mean values

•for each data point: the experimental and the computed dependent variable values and the difference between the experimental and calculated values

•the standard deviation of the experimental points from the fitted function

•the estimated standard deviation of the "true" function points from the fitted ones

Problems

Simp never diverges but this does not guarantee that no problems will develop. Programming or input errors are easily corrected while others are not.

Failure to converge and premature conclusion are usually the result of using the wrong input parameters along with truncation/round-off

errors in the machine's arithmetics. Very large initial guesses and/or very small initial increments create a starting simplex with virtually identical responses at the vertexes. In cases like this, the program often ends prematurely.

If the acceptable errors are exceedingly large, the program may emerge while the simplex is still far from the minimum response, possibly along a saddle. If the acceptable errors are too small, on the other hand, the simplex can keep bouncing around the minimum until the maximum number of iterations is completed. This is due to the simplex's inability to contract further because of "quantum" round-off errors in the machine's arithmetics.

In many instances the results are largely insensitive to one or more of the fitted parameters. In these cases, the simplex travels great distances along these coordinates before coming to rest. When you know that a parameter is of only marginal significance in the fit (i.e., its value scarcely affects the results), it is a good idea to give it a large acceptable error. If you don't, Simp keeps changing that parameter, without noticing any effects on the response surface.

Last, sometimes the program gives results far from the expected, but the fitted curve matches the experimental data excellently. This happens when a particular function can be equally satisfied with more than one set of parameters (the response surface has more minima). When you suspect more than one solution

exists, good starting guesses and small increments usually help. It is always a good practice to verify the uniqueness and precision of your results by running the program with different starting guesses.

Simp does not provide an estimate of the computed parameter errors. A good way to evaluate them is with the following Monte Carlo or sensitivity analysis:

•from the parameters a, b, etc., produced by Simp, compute the set, xv y'\, xi, y'2; etc., consisting of the independent variable's experimental values and the dependent variable's "expected" values. (Simp writes these points in FIT.DAT.) •to this set, add random numbers with a Gaussian distribution mean = 0 and a standard deviation equal to the experimental data's computed by Simp to create a sufficiently large number, m, of simulated experimental point sets:

xi/ y i/ x2> y it ■ ■ ■ / xn> y n

x\i y v x2> y 2/

x\i y i/ xii y 2/

' i xnf y n

y„

•run Simp on each of these simulated experimental sets. • the new computed parameter values should approach the experimental data's. Their standard deviation is a reasonable estimate of the error in the computed parameters. A statistically significant difference between the mean value of the simu

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lated data's parameters and the real data's is a strong indication that the function being fitted is not an adequate model of the system, or at least, that systematic errors are present in the data.

Conclusion

Curve fitting is a very frequent task, at least in the scientific environment. The big advantages of the Simplex algorithm are not only its remarkable speed and the fact that the program can never diverge, but also the compact and elegant flowchart, which makes it ideal for didactics and for Pascal implementations. Simp uses no matrix operation and no knowledge of calculus is necessary to understand the purely geometrical description of the simplex movements given.

The program Simp provides a curve-fitting algorithm capable of handling virtually any function, no matter how complex, with any number of variables and parameters. It is a very handy tool for scientists and statisticians because of its remarkable speed, simplicity, and reliability. ■

References

1. Adby, P. R., and M. A. H. Dempster. Introduction to Optimization Methods. London: Chapman and Hall, 1974

2. Box, G. P., J. Hunter, and W. Hunter. Statistics for Experiments. New York: John Wiley and Sons, 1978.

3. Marquardt, D. W. "An Algorithm for LeastSquares Estimation of Non-Linear Parameters". Journal of the Society of Industrial and Applied Mathematics, 11, 431, 1963.

4. Nedler, J. A., and R. Mead. "A Simplex Method for Function Minimization" Computer Journal, 7, 308, 1965.

Authors' note: We would like to thank the Office of Basic Energy Sciences of the United States Department of Energy, which supported our work.

Marco S. Caceci (1322 N. Bronough St., Tallahassee, FL 32304) is a research associate in the Department of Chemistry at Florida State University in Tallahassee. His interests range from photography and reading to swimming, skiing, and scuba diving.

William P. Cacheris (2616 Mission Rd., Apt. 175, Tallahassee, FL 32306) is a research assistant in the Department of Chemistry at Florida State and is currently seeking his doctorate in the same department. He enjoys sports, playing the piano, and exploring the capabilities of home computers.

362 BYTE May 1984

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Laboratory Data Collection with an IBM PC

A versatile hardware/software combination

You have a new IBM Personal Computer (PC) and you want to use it in the laboratory to collect data from a scientific instrument. How do you do that with a small investment of time on your part and still get a product that is a powerful, useful tool in the laboratory?

I faced that same problem almost two years ago when our chemistry department received its first IBM PC, and I wanted to interface it to a variety of chemical laboratory instruments. We had only one of each type of instrument, so I was faced with the possibility of designing a custom interface for each of 10 or more instruments.

Fortunately, I had interfaced single instruments to a DEC LSI 11/23 and to an Apple, so I knew from my own previous mistakes that a little advanced planning would make this a much simpler project. Specifically, I realized that interfacing can be made much easier by using two simple concepts: first, buy commercially available hardware where possible, and, second, develop general-purpose software that can be used for almost any instrument.

By utilizing these two concepts, I found that even undergraduate chem

Stephen C. Gates Illinois State University

istry students with little previous computer experience can produce research-quality interfaces, with complete software, in less than one week. If you follow the suggestions provided here, you should be able to design and implement an interface to the instrument of your choice in less time. All you need to do is be able to program in BASIC, FORTRAN, or some other language that allows the use of assembly-language subroutines.

The essential elements of this system are a commercially available data-collection board that fits in one of the slots of the IBM PC, a preamplifier and filter for conditioning the signal from the instrument, and a set of BASIC and assembly-language routines to perform tasks common to all of the instruments to be interfaced.

The utility of this approach arose fairly naturally from some initial design decisions. My major criteria for selection of equipment and software were ease of development and ease of use. Therefore, I judged it to be not cost-effective to spend time developing special-purpose A/D (analog-to-digital) converters, timers, or other equipment. Similarly, I

chose to use BASIC for all purposes except the data-collection process itself because of the ease of programming, even for novices; when the programs are completely tested, they are converted to compiled BASIC to greatly increase their execution speed.

In order to encourage a variety of users, I put the (now several) IBM PCs on carts so that the computers can be wheeled from experiment to experiment. Each cart contains a 64Kor 128K-byte IBM PC with a colorgraphics monitor adapter and green monitor; dual 320K-byte disk drives; a combination board containing an A/D converter, D/A (digital-to-analog) converter and programmable clock; and a preamplifier and filter combination. A typical system in use is shown in photo 1.

Each of the components on the cart is designed to accommodate interfaces to a variety of instruments. If you are attempting to develop a similar system, it may help to have a description of why I selected each component.

Data-Acquisition Board

Several different manufacturers now market general-purpose data

366 BYTE May 1984

Photo 1: The general-purpose laboratory interface station can be moved easily from instrument to instrument because it is on a laboratory cart. The IBM PC contains a color/graphics monitor board and a Tecmar Lab Master interface board. The preamplifier box is perched on top of the larger control device for the polarograph, in the center. The electrodes for the polarograph are at the right side of the photo.

acquisition boards (see reference 4). These usually include a multichannel A/D converter, one or more D/A converters, and a programmable clock as standard features, with options such as programmable gain, higher acquisition rates, and DMA (direct memory access). For most scientific applications, a 12-bit A/D conversion is necessary; 8-bit A/D converters simply do not provide adequate resolution.

In addition, most laboratories now use nonintegrating A/D converters rather than integrating types because of the slow speed of the latter. The primary advantage of the integrating A/D converter is the reduction of noise; however, this can be accomplished instead through appropriate software used with the nonintegrating type. The A/D converters on almost all of the general-purpose data-collection boards now available are of the nonintegrating type.

While not essential, a programmable clock is highly recommended. Although timing can be controlled by carefully timed program loops, usually in assembly language, it is much more easily and accurately achieved in hardware.

For these reasons, I chose to use a Tecmar (6225 Cochran Rd., Cleveland, OH 44139, (216) 349-0600) PCMate Lab Master board with a 16channel, 12-bit nonintegrating A/D converter with no programmable gain and a general-purpose clock/ timer. The board also contains two D/A converters and a digital I/O (input/output) section that I do not routinely use, but which you may need if you plan to control the operation of your instrument as well as collect data from it.

Connecting the Interface

In order to use the hardware interface in your lab, you must first con

nect the interface to the instrument. If the instrument has a recorder output, this is very easy to do; simply connect the A/D converter input to the recorder output wires. For signals below 1 volt maximum, the preamplifier should be interposed between the A/D converter and the instrument.

Often, particularly on more recently designed instruments, both a recorder output and a BCD (binarycoded decimal) or other computercompatible output exist. If there is a computer output, no A/D converter is needed; instead, a digital I/O board, serial interface, or other hardware is required. Unfortunately, I found that the documentation provided by Tecmar on the digital I/O section of the interface board is almost no help to those who are not already familiar with this type of hardware.

Alternatively, if no suitable output

BYTE May 1984 367

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is provided, it may be necessary for someone with knowledge of the electronics of the instrument to locate for you the portion of the circuitry needed to provide a suitable voltage output to the A/D converter. Where possible, this voltage should be in the volt range, rather than in millivolts (mV) or microvolts (/iV). Fortunately, most instruments have recorder outputs and consequently are very easy to interface.

Preamplifier

Depending upon the instrument being interfaced and the A/D board being used, varying amounts of preamplification are needed. I designed our system to accommodate a wide variety of possible inputs; hence, a simple amplifier circuit was included to permit five different gains between 1 and 1000. The amplifier schematic is shown in figure 1,

Alternatively, a programmable-gain A/D board may be desirable, al

though that option is usually much more expensive than a separate amplifier. There is another reason for separate preamplifiers, however. Instruments with full-scale outputs of under 10 mV are common in scientific laboratories because of the widespread availability of 10-mV stripchart recorders. For these instruments, your best alternative is to build the preamplifier into the instrument itself, or at least to connect it so that it is as near as possible to the instrument. This reduces the amount of noise picked up by the low-level signal lines that, in effect, act as antennas to the various sources of electronic noise in the environment. In general, the shorter the distance between the instrument and the A/D board, the better the signal-to-noise ratio will be in the final data.

Filter

The most general solution to noisy signals is software filtering, because

the filter can be varied to best match the noise level. However, particularly for low-level signals and low datacollection rates, e.g., 1-mV signals at 60 Hz (hertz), I have found it useful to have a hardware filter because of the large amount of computation time required for extensive softwarebased filtering. For such instruments, I use the simple, passive, low-pass filter included in figure 1. This filter has a cutoff frequency of approximately 0.5 Hz, which is adequate for filtering out the most common noise signals that are 60 Hz or higher in frequency. More expensive filters, including active and notch filters, may be desirable for specific applications. Almost any "electronics for scientists" text can be consulted for more details.

Data Collection

One aspect of interfacing that texts often neglect is the need for generalpurpose programs to collect, plot, and process the instrumented data.

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However, by having a suitable library of general-purpose routines, you can shorten the development time for your specific interface considerably By using the general-purpose datacollection, smoothing, and display routines described here, you can concentrate all of your efforts on developing the device-specific portion of the software and end up with a higher quality product in a much shorter time than if you "reinvent the chip" for each new interfacing project.

In order to provide high datacollection rates and a real-time plot, I wrote a data-acquisition routine in assembly language. The routine illustrated in listing 1 provides rates up to 2400 Hz with a real-time plot, and up to 20 kHz without plotting. Even faster rates are possible with special hardware settings of the standard Tecmar board, and rates up to 125 kHz are available as an optional feature. However, very few instruments will require higher rates than 20 kHz.

The routine in listing 1 assumes the use of the Tecmar Lab Master dataacquisition board, so that some of the code is device-specific and would need to be modified for use on other systems.

Although the listing is fully documented, several comments are required. First, using the excellent procedure suggested by Rollins (see reference 2), the routine begins with a header section to enable it to be converted by EXE2BIN to a binary file that can be loaded into memory with a BASIC BLOAD command. Second, high-resolution plotting is done using the BIOS VIDEO_JO routine, which is invoked with interrupt 16 (10 hexadecimal).

Three different clock rates are used, depending upon the desired datacollection rate. This is done to achieve maximum precision. For high data rates, the 1 MHz clock in the Tecmar board is used directly. For rates below 31 Hz, a 10-kHz subfrequency of the clock is used; to use the 1-MHz clock directly would require chaining several of the counters together. Rates of less than 1 Hz are counted with a 100-Hz subfrequency.

At very high data rates, it is possible that a conversion may take place

370 BYTE May 1984

Listing 1: An assembly-language data-collection routine for use with the IBM PC and the Tecmar Lab Master board.

TITLE TIMER S.C. GATES DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY, ILLINOIS STATE

UNIVERSITY, NORMAL, IL 61761 SUBROUTINE TO DO TIMED DATA COLLECTION FROM TECMAR BOARD CALL FROM BASIC WITH CALL OF FORM:

CALL TIMER (A%(1),F%,P%,N%,C%,S%) WHERE A* IS ARRAY WHERE DATA ARE TO BE STORED

F'S IS OVERRUN FLAG—SET TO ZERO UPON NORMAL EXIT OTHERWISE SET TO VALUE OF CX REGISTER TO GIVE NUMBER OF POINTS NOT COLLECTED P% IS 0 TO OMIT REAL-TIME PLOT, OTHER TO PLOT N% IS NUMBER OF POINTS TO BE COLLECTED C% IS CHANNEL NUMBER OF A/D S% IS NUMBER OF DATA POINTS PER SECOND S% MUST BE <= SPEED OF A/D IF S* '0 THEN MEANS WANT THAT MANY SEC/POINT

SEGMENT

ASSUME CS:CSEG,

TEMP PLOT

DB

DW DW DW DW DW

0FDH

0

0

RTN_LEN

TEMPS I DW OVRUN DW (DEFINITIONS:

ADD0 ADD4 ADD5 ADD6 ADD8 ADD9

= 1808

=ADD0+4

=ADD0+5

=ADD0+6

=ADD0+8

=ADD0+9

DS:NOTHING

;CODE FOR BLOAD FILE

;TEMP. STORAGE

;PLOT FLAG

;TEMP STORAGE FOR SI REGISTER

; OVERRUN OF A/D FLAG

;BASE OF TECMAR BOAED A/D CONTROL BYTE A/D CHANNEL NUMBER A/D START CLOCK DATA PORT CLOCK CONTROL PORT

TIMER PROC PUSH MOV MOV MOV MOV MOV MOV MOV OUT MOV MOV MOV MOV MOV MOV MOV OUT MOV MOV MOV INT KOV IN MOV MOV OUT MOV KOV OUT MOV OUT MOV MOV OUT MOV MOV OUT CMP JGE CMP JG ; BRANCH TO ; ONE POINT SLOW: MOV OUT NEG MOV MOV MUL JMP ; BRANCH TO FAST: MOV OUT MOV MOV MUL DIV

FAR

BP

BP.SP

DI,[BPJ+6

AX,[DI]

BX,AX

DI, [BP]+8

AX, | DI]

DX,ADD5

DX.AL

DI,[BPJ+10

CX,|DI]

DI,[BP]+12

AX,[DI]

PLOT,AX

AL,128

DX,ADD4

DX.AL

AX,0

TEMPS I,AX

AX, 6

10H

DX,ADD6

AL,DX

DX,ADD9

AL,23

DX,AL

DX,ADD8

AL,0

DX,AL

AL,128

DX,AL

DX,ADD9

AL,5

DX,AL

DX,ADD8

AL,33

DX , AL

BX,31

FAS!

BX,0

MED HERE IF POINTS/SEC /SEC.

AL,15

DX,AL

BX

AX,BX

Dl,100

DI

GO ERE FOR 31 TO 20,00

AL,11

DX, AL

AX,10000

DI,100

DI

BX

SAVE BP

SET BASE PARAMETER LIST GET DATA POINTS/SEC INTO BX REGISTER

GET CHANNEL NUMBER AND STORE AS AX AND OUTPUT TO A/D (USE ONLY LOWER BYTE) GET NUMBER OF DATA POINTS

STORE IN CX REGISTER GET PLOT FLAG

STORE IN MEMORY

SELECT A/D MODE (DISABLE AUTOINCREMENT,

EXTERN. START CONVERSION, ALL INTERRUPTS GAIN=1)

SI IS X-VALUE OF POINT TO BE PLOTTED--SAVE FOR LATER

SET UP HIGH-RES GRAPHICS MODE

RESET DONE FLIP-FLOP Of A/D

SET DATA POINTER TO MASTER MODE REGISTER

SET MASTER MODE REG I SIER FOR SCALER CONTROL' BCD DIVISION, ENABLE INCREMENT, 6-EI1 BIS, FOUT ON, DIVIDE BY 16, SOURCE=Fl, COMPARATORS DISABLED, TOD DISABLED

SET DATA POINTER TO COUNTER MODE OF REGISTER 5

SET COUNTER 5 FOR COUNT REPETITIVELY,

BINARY COUNT,COUNT DOWN, ACTIVE HIGH

TC, DISABLE SFECIAL GATE, RELOAD FROM LOAD,

CHECK IF >= 31 POINTS/SEC

IF SO, JUMP TO FAST

CHECK IF > 0 POINTS/SEC

IF SO, JUMP

< 0, MEANS THAT WANT LESS THAN

SET TO 100 HZ (NO GATE, RISING EDGE

OF F5) GET ABSOLUTE VALUE OF BX AND MULTIFLY BY 100 TO GE1 COUNT

0 POINTS/SEC—USE 1 MHZ CLOCK ;COUNT AT 1 MHZ (NO GATE, RISING

EDGE OF Fl) ;DIVIDE 1,000,000 BY PTS/SEC BY ; GETTING 10E6 INTO DX+AX

;BX=PTS/SEC; RESULT IN DX+AX, BUT ; IGNORE DX, SINCE DX=0

Listing 1 continued on page 371

Listing 1 continued:

CMP AX,200

JG FAST2

CLI FAST2: JNP GO ;BRANCH TO HERE FOR 1 TO 3C

MED: MOV OUT MOV CWD DIV ;START CLOCK GO: MOV DEC OUT MOV OUT MOV MOV MOV MOV MOV MOV OUT MOV MOV OUT

AL,13 DX,AL AX,10000

BX

TICKING AT DESIRED RATE

;DISABLE INTERRUPTS IF POINTS/SEC

POINTS/SEC—USE 10 KHZ CLOCK

COUNT AT 10 KHZ (NO GATE, RISING

EDGE OF F3) CALCULATE NUMBER OF TICKS OF 10,000 HZ CLOCK

PER DATA POINT By DIVIDING

10,000 BY POINTS/SEC

DX,ADD6

AX

DX,AL

AL, AH

DX.AL

DI,(BPJ+14

WORD PTR [DI) ,

OVRUN,DI

DI,[BPJ+16

DX,ADD9

AL,112

DX,AL

DX,ADD4

AL,132

DX.AL

AND LOAD COUNTER 5 WITH TICKS (COUNT TO ZERO, SO DECREMENT AX FOR CORRECT COUNT)

8 BITS AT A TIME GET OVERRUN FLAG ADDRESS

;ZERO THE FLAG AND STORE THE FLAG ADDRESS GET ADDRESS OF DATA ARRAY LOAD COUNTER 5 FROM LOAD REGISTER

AND ARM (START COUNTING)

;ENABLE EXTERNAL START (PINS 3 + 4 OF ; CONNECTOR J2 MUST BE CONNECTED)

;BEGIN DATA COLLECTION;

DONE: MOV IN CMP JB TEST JNE MOV IN MOV INC KOV IN MOV INC CMP JZ

DX,ADD4 AL,DX AL, 128 DONE AL,64 ERRMESS DX,ADD5 AL,DX

1DI),AL DI

DX,ADD6 AL,DX

[DI],AL DI

PLOT,0 NOPLOT

COLLECT UPON EXTERNAL START TRIGGER ;CHECK IF DATA READY

;BY CHECKING READY BIT (BIT 7)

;LOOP UNTIL READY

;SEE IF DATA OVERRUN FLAG SET

;IF SO, NOTIFY BASIC PROGRAM AND EXIT

;YES, DONE, SO GET LOW BYTE OF DATUM

AND STORE IT

GO TO NEXT LOCATION IN ARRAY (1 BYTE LATER)

GET HIGH BYTE AND STORE IT

;PLOT ROUTINE STARTS HERE

MOV MOV MOV ADD CWD MOV DIV MOV NEG ADD MOV INC CMP JL MOV MOV MOV MOV INT MOV NOPLOT: LOOP

Ml:

TEMP,CX AH,AL AL,IDI-2] AX,2047

BX.21

BX

DX,AX

DX

DX,199

SI,TEMPSI

SI

SI,640

Ml

SI,0

CX,SI

TEMPSI,SI

AX,3073

10H

CX,TEMP

DONE

;DON'T PLOT IF PLOT FLAG=0

SAVE CX FIRST

GET HIGH BYTE JUST TAKEN

AND LOW BYTE FROM STORAGE SO AX=DATUM

CALCULATE Y-VALUE TO PLOT ■

199-((DATUM+2047)/21) DIVIDE BY 21—QUOTIENT IN AX

;RESULT INTO DX

;NEGATE AND ADD TO 199

GET X-VALUE OF LAST POINT ON SCREEN GO TO NEXT LOCATION ON SCREEN TEST IF AT RIGHT EDGE OF 640 X 200

SCREEN IF SO, GO TO LEFT EDGE TO PLOT GET X-VALUE INTO CX SAVE X VALUE

AH=12,AL=1 TO WRITE DOT TO SCREEN PLOT POINT RESTORE CX DECREMENT CX AND LOOP IF >0

;BRANCH TO HERE UPON FINISH OR OVERRUN

NOGO: MOV MOV OUT STI POP RET

ERRMESS: MOV MOV JMP

TIMER ENDP

RTN_LEN

CSEG ENDS END

DX,ADD4

AL,0

DX,AL

BP

12

DI,OVRUN

WORD PTR

NOGO

;TURN OFF A/D

RESTORE INTERRUPT SERVICE RESTORE BP

6 ARGUMENTS IN CALL X 2=12 SET OVERRUN FLAG SINCE A/D GOING [DI],CX ;TOO FAST

EQU

HEADER

S-TEMP ;LENGTH OF ROUTINE FOR HEADER

;NEEDED FOR A .BIN FILE CONVERSION

before the previous data point has been read from the A/D converter. This is referred to as an overrun. Thus the program must check for the occurrence of an overrun. Upon finding one, the assembly routine sets a flag that can be read by the BASIC program once the data collection is finished.

At very high data-collection rates, interrupt-driven processes occurring in the computer, such as interrupts by the system clock, may interfere with data collection. Indeed, initially this program was limited to 6 kHz until I realized that the interrupts from the system clock were taking too much time. For this reason, at rates above 5 kHz, the subroutine turns off interrupts with a CLI (clear interrupt flag) instruction; when data collection is completed, the interrupts are again enabled by using an STI (set interrupt flag) instruction.

At low-to-moderate data-collection rates, it is useful to have a real-time plot. This is done for each data point collected by loading the low and high bytes of the data point into a register and converting it so that the screen displays a -10-volt A/D reading at the bottom and a + 10-volt reading at the top—i.e., so that the full screen is used for the display.

When this assembly-language routine is linked to a higher level program, such as a compiled BASIC or FORTRAN program, only minor changes are required. The Header section must be removed, so that the code starts at Temp. The Timer procedure must be made Public, and the last line of the routine must include an End statement instead of an EndHeader statement. After assembly, the subroutine is linked to the calling program using Link in the normal fashion; EXE2BIN does not need to be run in that case.

Listing 2: General-purpose data-collection, graphing, and smoothing program in IBM PC BASIC (DOS 1.10).

10 REM GENERAL PURPOSE DATA COLLECTION PROGRAM

20 REM S. GATES, DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY, ILLINOIS STATE UNIVERSITY, NORMAL, IL

30 REM

40 REM Some FOR...NEXT loops are compressed to speed execution

50 CLEAR,31000: BLOAD "TIMER.BIN",31000: TIMER=31000 'Get timer routine

60 DIM A*(1000),B(1000),SG%(9)

70 WIDTH 80:CLS

80 INPUT " Do you wisn to process data that have already been collected?";Y5

90 IF YS="y" OR YS="Y" THEN Y=4: GOTO 300

100 INPUT "Enter your name, please"; NAMS

110 DSOATES: TS=TIMES: INPUT "Enter the sample identification, please."; SS

Listing 2 continued on page 372

Sample BASIC Program

A short interpreter BASIC program for the IBM PC that uses the assembly-language routine is shown in listing 2. The program sets aside a region of memory for the routine; the location chosen in line 30 may vary depending upon the amount of memory available in the system. The

BYTE May 1984 371

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After the data has been collected, the overrun flag is checked, and the data is displayed in the high-resolution graphics mode. The data is

Listing 2 continued:

120

130 140 150 160 170 180 190 200

210 220 230

240 250 26 0 270 280 290

300 310 320 330 340 350 360 370 380 390 400 410 420 430

440

460 470 480 490

500 510

520 530 540 550 560 570 580 590 600 610 620 630 640 650 660 670 680 690 700 710 720 730 740 750 760 770 780 790 800 810 820 830 840 850 860 870 880

e90

scaled to fill the entire screen.

Once the data has been collected and displayed, you usually will need to remove high-frequency noise. A simple method for doing this in software is shown in listing 2. It uses a

including"

..'EXT J: -ounts

be EGER!

PRINT "Please enter 3 lines of experimental description, PRINT "Sample preparation, instrument settings, etc." FOR 1=1 TO 3: LINE INPUT L.$(I): NEXT I INPUT "Enter the channel number (0 to 15)"; C% INPUT "Enter the number of data points to collect.";N% INPUT "Enter the number of data points/second desired. "; S S%=S: IF S' 1 THEN S%=-l!/S 'Convert to proper format for timer rout PRINT "Type any key to start count-down for data collection." I$=INKEYS:IF 1.5="" THEM 190

CLS: FOR 1=10 TO 0 STEP -1: LOCATE 12,40 : PRINT I: FOR J = l TO 500:1 NEXT I 'Count down; J loop is delay between

F^=0 'Initialize overrun flag

P%»1:IF S% > 2000 THEN P% = 0 'Plot if < 2000 pts/sec CALL TIMER(AMI) , Fi , P% , N% ,C% , S%) 'Collect data; all variables MUST

I NT EC IF F%<> 0 THEN PRINT "Warning—data taken too fast": N%=N%-F% FOR 1=1 TO N%

IF AMI) > 32767 THEN A% (I) =A% (I)-6 5535 !

AS(I)=A«(I)/.2047: 'Store input as mV, assuming -10 to 10V rar NEXT I

CLS: PRINT " Enter a 1 to plot data on the screen":

PRINT " A 2 to store tne data in a file.": PRINT " A 3 to smooth the c PRINT " A 4 to get another file":PRINT " A 5 to exit": INPUT Y OH Y GOSUB 340,510,670,770,890 GOTO 29 0

'******* SUBROUTINES ********* REM Screen plotting routine SCREEN 2 :KEY OFF

DEF FNSCALE(Z%)=19 0-19 0*(Z%-YMIN)/(YHAX-YMIN) INPUT "Enter the label for the graph",LAB$ CLS:YNAX=A», (1) : YMIN=A%(1) FOR 1=1 TO N%

IF A%(I)<YMIN THEN YMIN=A%(I) ELSE IF A%(I)> YMAX THEN YMAX=A%(I) NEXT I

YPLOT=FNSCALE(A%(1))

PSET (60,YPLOT),0 'Go to first point

FOR 1=2 TO N%: XPLOT=60+579*(1-1)/(N%-1): YPLOT=FNSCALE(A%(I)): LIME -(XPLOT.YPLOT): NEXT I LOCATE 25,40 : PRINT LAB$;: LOCATE 1,1 and box plot

LOCATE 25,8 : PRINT "1";: LOCATE 25,75 PRINT YHAX;: LOCATE 24,1 : PRINT YMIN; LOCATE 6,1: PRINT "Type any key to continue"; Y$=INKEYS:IF YS="" THEN 470 RETURN

REN ********

REN Subroutine to store data in a file INPUT "Enter the name of the file in which the data are to be stored.";FILN$

LINE (60,0)-(639,190),,B 'label

PRINT N%;: LOCATE 1,1 'Label axes

OPEN F WRITE WRITE FOR I WRITE FOR I CLOSE REN * REM Su REM

REM It REM REM

REM It REM

DATA RESTOR FOR 1 = FOR 1 = B( NEXT J FOR 1 = RETURN REM ** REM Su INPUT OPEN F INPUT INPUT FOR I INPUT PRINT PRINT FOR 1 = CLOSE YS=INK RETURN END

ILNS FOR OUTPUT AS S2

#2,NAHS,D?,T? 'Save name, date, time

£2, S3 'Save sample description

1 TO 3: WRITE »2,LS(I): NEXT I ' and conditions

#2,N%,S'« 'number of points, sampling rate

1 TO N%: WRITE «2,A%(I): NEXT I

«2: RETURN

******

broutine to compute second-order 9-point Savitzky-Golay smooth including smooths at both beginning and end of data computes a "smoothed" value for each point by adding together the 4 points on either side of it, plus itself, each multiplied tiroes the corresponding coefficient. then computes the "smoothed" value for each successive point using the original data array. 21,14,39,54,59,54,39,14,-21: 'Savitzky-Golay coefficients E

1 TO 9:READ SG% (I) : NEXT I 'Get coefficients

1 TO N%: B(I)=0:DF%=0: FOR J=-4 TO +4: IF I+J< 1 OR I+J>N% THEN 720 I)=B(I)+A*(I+J)*SG%(J+5):DF%=DF%+SG%(J+5)

:B(I)=B(I)/DFI:NEXT I 'Divide by sum of coefficients used 1 TO N%: AMI)=B(I): NEXT I 'Store back in original array

Droutine to read previously collected data from disk file

"Enter the name of the file to be processed. " ; FILN$

ILNS FOR INPUT AS a 2

#2, NAMS.DS, T?

»2,S$

1 TO 3: LINE INPUT #2,L$(I): NEXT I

#2,Ni,S%

NAMS,DS,TS: PRINT S$: FOR 1=1 TO 3: PRINT LS(I): NEXT I

"Number of points" "; N%, "Points/sec= "; S

1 TO N%: INPUT #2,A%(I): NEXT I

#2: PRINT "Type any key to continue"

EYS: IF YS="" THEN 870

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(2a)

(2b)

Figure 2: The effect of filtering on noise levels can be very significant. Figure 2a shows 200 data points taken from an instrument over a period of 20 seconds. Ideally, the signal should be a straight line, but instead shows both long-term and short-term noise. In figure 2b, data from the same instrument is passed through a digital (software) filter once; in figure 2c, it is passed through the filter twice. In figure 2d, data from the same detector is passed through a hardware low-pass filter.

"Savitzky-Golay" type smoothing algorithm (see reference 3), which is a rapid, easily implemented smoothing technique that is equivalent to fitting a least-squares line through the data. The order of the fit and the number of points included in the fit can be modified to provide varying amounts of smoothing. A second-order, 9point smooth is the one most often used in my lab. In picking which software filter to use, you may find an article by Cram et al. quite useful (see reference 1). For severe noise problems, other techniques such as ensemble averaging or filtering using fast Fourier transforms may prove useful.

The usefulness of the filtering process is illustrated in figure 2. Figure 2a shows data collected from the detector of a high-performance liquid chromatograph, without filtering. In figure 2d, data was collected from the same detector, but with the low-pass

hardware filter being used. In figure 2b, the data is exactly the same as the unfiltered data (figure 2a), except that it has been passed through the Savitzky-Golay second-order, 9-point filter contained in listing 2. In figure 2c, the data from figure 2a has been passed through the Savitzky-Golay filter twice; the reduction in the noise is striking. I often use a combination of hardware and software filtering for optimum results.

Examples of Use

I offer a four-week course to science students that teaches them to interface to a variety of scientific instruments using the techniques described in this article. Students spend one week learning BASIC, two weeks learning the concepts of interfacing and writing simple programs, and one week interfacing the computer to a specific chemical laboratory instrument.

Although the students learn to write data-collection and display routines in BASIC, for their final project they use the Timer routine in listing 1. Using the standardized interfacing system, in one week's time they have written complete data-collection and analysis programs for a number of different instruments, including a pH meter, a UV (ultraviolet)-visible spectrophotometer, a differential scanning calorimeter, a high-performance liquid chromatograph (HPLC), and a polarograph. Even though these programs were written in one week's time, each of these programs is now in routine use in our teaching or research laboratories.

I'll use two examples to show how quickly and easily instruments can be interfaced using this approach.

One student interfaced an IBM PC to a polarograph, using the circuitry shown in figure 1. The polarograph already has a sophisticated preampli

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Using the Tecmar A/D Board

The Tecmar board can be given instructions, and have information read from it, in one of two ways; either the I/O (input/ output) mode or the memory-mapped mode can be used. In the I/O mode, various functions of the board are accessed through ports, which are addressed with INP and OUT instructions in BASIC, or IN and OUT instructions in assembly language. In the memory-mapped mode, the functions are accessed at a series of consecutive memory locations; this requires PEEK and POKE instructions in BASIC, or any memory-addressing instruction in assembly language, such as MOV or TEST.

The choice between these two modes is largely a matter of personal preference. The memory-mapped mode is slightly faster but the board is configured at the factory pr the I/O mode, which is probably the simpler mode to program. In either mode, you must select the base address, which is the first of 16 consecutive addresses used to communicate with the various functions on the board. The base I/O address set at the factory is 1808. However, other base addresses, as well as the memory-mapped mode, may be selected using the appropriate jumpers or switches.

Other options available on the board include auto-incrementing of the A/D (analog-to-digital) converter (automatically switching the channel from which data is being taken), and the range of the signals coming from or going to the instrument. In addition, three types of inputs to the AID converter are selectable by appropriate jumper settings: single-ended, pseudodifferential, and true differential. The single-ended setting is normally used, but the differential modes are particularly useful with lew-level signals in environments with large amounts of electromagnetic noise. It is also possible to use interrupts to signal the computer when the AID board has data ready for storage.

The system described in the text uses a

-10-V to +10-V bipolar range for the AID board, clock triggering of the AID board, and a single-ended input. Only one instrument is normally connected, so the auto-incrementing feature is disabled, as are interrupts. Timer 5 is used to trigger the AID board.

The clock portion of the Tecmar board provides a general-purpose mechanism for timing various events or pr providing timed pulses pr triggering various events. At least 18 different modes of operation are possible, each with several options. To the average user, this number of possibilities can prove highly confusing at best.

For triggering the AID board at specific intervals, however, the process is fairly straightprward. The clock circuitry contains a 1-MHz clock, which is further subdivided either by powers of 10 (BCD scaling) or by powers of 16 (binary scaling), depending upon the option selected. Any one of five counters can be loaded with a count, which is then either incremented or decremented every time the clock "ticks."

For example, with a BCD scaling of divide-by-100, the clock provides a 10-kHz output. Assuming the count is in a downward direction, then the 16-bit counter can be loaded with a value of 99 to provide an output pulse to the AID board every 0.01 second (i.e., 10 kHz -s- 100 = 100 Hz). Note that the counter provides an output to the AID board when it attempts to go below zero (called the "terminal count"); hence, the counter is set to 99 rather than to 100.

To connect the counter pulses to the AID converter, the output from the specific counter must be directed to the trigger input of the AID converter. Because of the pin placement on the Tecmar board, the easiest method pr doing this is to connect the output of counter 5 to the AID converter by jumpering pins 3 and 4 of connector J2.

All of the functions of the clock are con

trolled using two IIO ports accessible to any program. Although these ports are termed control port and data port, both ports are needed to set up the correct timing sequence. In a typical use of the timer, the control port is first directed to point to an internal register called the master mode register. You then select the various control options by loading a 16-bit word into the master-mode register via the data port; this selects options such as whether an 8or 16-bit IIO bus is being used, what is to be used as a source of the clock frequency, and so forth.

Most of the inprmation, however, is loaded into another internal register, the "counter-mode register." There is one such register pr each of the five counters. Hence, the program uses the control port to select which counter-mode register is to be used; in this case, the one pr register 5 is selected. The counter-mode register is then loaded, through the data port, with the various options selected for that register. Options include whether to count up or down, whether to count in binary or BCD, and which subfrequency of the clock is to be used. Special options are available if the counters are to be used as a time-of-day clock.

When the program is ready to begin collecting data, the appropriate counter must be loaded with the correct count and "armed," i.e., started counting. Assuming that the AID converter has been set to recognize the signal from the clock as a trigger by enabling the external start bit, the AID converter will automatically initiate a conversion (data collection) every time the counter register goes to zero. Hence, the program only needs to wait until the AID converter signals that it has completed a conversion and then store the data; no timing loops need to be written. The A/D converter will continue to be triggered by the clock until the clock output is turned off by the program.

fier system, so a 10-volt signal could be readily obtained. Hence, the student set the preamplifier on the interface cart to a gain of 1, attached it to the recorder output of the polarograph, used no filtering, and set the Timer routine to collect data for a period of time determined by the potential range scanned.

The major task of the student, then, was to understand the theoret

ical basis of the instrument readings and to design a program in BASIC to analyze the data. In order to accomplish this, the student had to fit a least-squares line to a sawtooth wave function, determine the inflection point in the curve, and calculate the distance between the two leastsquares lines at the inflection point. The A/D readings were then converted to current values in micro

amperes and the time scale was converted into the applied potential in millivolts.

Students in the analytical chemistry class now use data collected with this system from a series of standard lead samples to calculate the amount of lead in leaded gasoline. Photo 2 shows data collected by a group of students for a standard sample of lead.

376 BYTE May 1984

Your Apple's telephone.

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A complete plug-in communications system for Apple "computers. From Hayes, the established telecomputing leader: the simple but sophisticated Micromodem He® plug-in board modem and its companion software. Smartcom I.™ Everything you need to expand the world of your Apple II, He, II Plus and Apple III. In one, convenient communications package.

With Micromodem He and Smartcom you can access data bases, bulletin boards, and the varied resources of information services. Plan your travel itinerary via computer, including flight numbers, hotel and rental car reservations. Retrieve and analyze daily stock and options prices Work at home and send reports to your office. You can even do your gift shopping by computer!

Micromodem He. Think of it as your Apple's telephone. It allows your computer to communicate with any Bell-103 type modem over ordinary telephone lines, at 110 or 300 bits per second. Micromodem lie installs easily in an expansion slot, and requires no outside power source. It connects directly to either a single or multiline modular phone jack, to perform both Touch-Tone"" and pulse dialing.

Micromodem He dials, answers and disconnects calls automatically. And, unlike some modems, it operates in full or half duplex, for compatibility with most timesharing systems.

A built-in speaker lets you monitor your

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Discover how Micromodem He can help maximize the capabilities of your Apple. While Smartcom I software will minimize your efforts.

Smartcom I companion software For effortless communications. Whether you're a newcomer to personal computing or a seasoned professional, you'll appreciate the ease and speed with which you can perform any communications function. Thanks to Smartcom I!

Let Smartcom I guide you through a few easy-to-answer questions to tailor the program to your particular needs. Then you're ready to go!

Make a selection from the Smartcom I menu to manage your communications, files or printer. Program prompts guide you along the way. And menu selections let

"Attn. Prod., Sales, Purch.: Recommend 50% blue, 30% red screen for closest match'.'

you easily make a call, end a call, or answer a call. When you're on the receiving end, your Micromodem He answers automatically, even if you're not there!

Convenient! And so is the Smartcom I memory for phone numbers. Smartcom I stores three of your most frequently called telephone numbers and one prefix. Plus, it also remembers the last number dialed.

Smartcom I also provides a directory of the files stored on your disk. And lets you create, list, name, send, receive, print or erase files right from its menu.

Smartcom I is as versatile as you need it to be. It accepts DOS 3.3, Pascal, CP/M™ 3.0 or CP/M Plus™ operating systems. And accommodates up to six disk drives and several printer interface cards. Like all our products, Smartcom I and

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FCC approved in USA Micromodem lie is a registered trademark of Hayes Microcomputer Products. Inc Smartcom I is a trademark of Hayes Microcomputer Products. Inc. Apple is a registered trademark of Apple Computer. Inc. Touch-Tone is a registered service m3rk of American Telephone and Telegraph. CP'M is a trademark of Digital Research. Inc. CP'M Plus is a trademark of Advanced Logic Systems. ©195) Hayes Microcomputer Products, Inc.

Circle 194 on inquiry card.

BYTE May 1984 377

POLAROGRAM OF lead.4nM

IL = +2.94 uAMPS 1 IR = +9.72 uAMP

IfiTa, :2-2?47rpSuiiis

Type any key to continue

KIM IF'

liilil'i! 1

- -70&

Photo 2: Students taking our analytical chemistry laboratory course analyze the amount of lead in gasoline using the interface described in the text. The diffusion current (ID on the display) is proportional to the concentration of the lead in the sample.

(.n.«»wj

Figure 3: A common problem in chemical laboratory work is to measure the areas of peaks. Each peak in this figure is integrated by the computer program; the peaks of interest are peaks 1 and 2, which are caffeine and benzyl alcohol, respectively. The benzyl alcohol peak serves as an internal standard for measuring the caffeine. The straight lines under each peak are the baselines determined by the computer during the integration process. The large initial peak is a group of unidentified substances. The sample is a cup of instant coffee.

A second example of an instrument that students have interfaced is a high-performance liquid chromatograph. The normal output of the HPLC is a 10-mV signal displayed on a strip-chart recorder; hence, the preamplifier was set to a gain of 1000 to provide a 10-volt signal to the A/D converter.

The student writing the program divided it into two sections: a datacollection portion and a data-analysis portion. In the data-collection portion, all of the parameters of the instrument and the sample to be analyzed are recorded, thus providing a permanent record of the conditions of the analysis. The program also asks for the names of the substances being analyzed, if known, and whether an internal standard is being used.

The data collection is done using the assembly-language routine, with a real-time plot of the data. If more than a predefined number of points are collected, the data is "bunched," or averaged, together. The SavitzkyGolay smooth is then performed, and the smoothed data and identifying information are stored in a disk file.

In the second section of the program, the peaks in the data are in

tegrated, and the area of each peak is compared to that of an internal standard. Proper integration involves deciding where each peak starts and stops and then selecting the appropriate baseline to be subtracted from each peak. The results of this process are shown in figure 3. Again, the program is used routinely in our analytical laboratory course; figure 3 shows an analysis of caffeine in coffee performed by a group of students in that course.

Conclusions

One of the many advantages of the revolution in "home" computers is that powerful but inexpensive computers can be used in scientific or industrial laboratories, even by those with relatively limited computer skills. Utilizing off-the-shelf components and simple programming languages, extremely sophisticated data-collection and data-processing systems can be developed very rapidly.

The system described here represents a hardware and software solution to the problem of data collection and analysis in a wide variety of commonly encountered laboratory situations. By making only minor modifications, you should be able to adapt

it to other types of hardware and to other types of instrumentation with an extremely wide range of applications, not only in chemistry, but in other scientific and industrial areas as well.B

References

1. Cram, Stuart P., S.N. Chesler, and A. C. Brown III. "Effects of Digital Filters on Chromatographic Signals." Journal of Chromatography, volume 126, Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company Inc., 1976, page 279.

2. Rollins, Dan. 'The 8088 Connection." BYTE, July 1983, page 398.

3. Savitzky, Abraham and Marcel J. E. Golay. "Smoothing and Differentiation of Data by Simplified Least Squares Procedures." Analytical Chemistry, volume 36, Washington, DC: American Chemical Society, 1964, page 1627. Minor corrections were also published in Analytical Chemistry, volume 44, 1972, page 1906.

4. Welch, Mark J. "Expanding on the PC." BYTE, November 1983, page 168.

Stephen C. Gates, Ph.D. (Department of Chemistry, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61761), is assistant professor of biochemistry. He teaches a course in computer interfacing and does research on computerized chemical analysis of biological samples.

Program Available: A disk with copies of the programs described in the article is available. Write to the author for information.

378 BYTE May 1984

Data Spectrum"

Bringing Information tolighV

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All menu driven. All built in. With special features like "RAPID TRANSIT": A new file management approach that processes smaller files at blinding speed and automatically switches to "LARGER FILE ORIENTATION" to handle larger files.

Destined to set a new standard in the industry, Data Spectrum's on-screen tutorial blends text,

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On-screen tutorial and powerful program functions make Data Spectrum the universal information management system and problem solver. And a work of art. Our program up-date service and information "Hot-Line" will keep it that way.

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Apple is a registered trademark oi Apple Computer inc.

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BYTE May 1984 379

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Putting the Apple II Work

Part 2: The Software

A high-speed system for the acquisition and analysis of data

Richard C. Hallgren Michigan State University

Last month, I described the overall system approach and provided you with construction details and preliminary testing. In this concluding part, I'll discuss the software I've developed that makes the system operational.

System Software

The software that enables the computer to collect and display the data can best be visualized by breaking down the total program set into a number of subroutines:

1. A main routine written in Applesoft BASIC is responsible for calling all machine-language subroutines, displaying the data on the high-resolution graphics screen, and storing the data on disk.

2. A machine-language routine that controls the digital section of the analog-to-digital (A/D) converter and provides high-speed transfer of the binary data into the Apple II.

3. A machine-language routine that scrolls the displayed data horizontally across the video display.

4. A machine-language routine that enables you to mix text with the data displayed on the high-resolution graphics screen.

The Applesoft program expects the

machine-language routines to be stored on disk drive 1 and to have the following names:

A/D — routine that controls the digital section of the A/D converter Shift — routine that scrolls the data Hires — routine that writes text onto the high-resolution graphics screen Table — graphics character look-up table

After you have loaded these programs and stored them onto a disk initialized with the Hello routine, execute the Applesoft routine. If the program jumps to the A/D routine but never returns, you probably have one of two problems:

1. The program did not enter the A/D routine correctly. Usually, you will get strange characters appearing on the screen, and/or the keyboard will not respond without turning the power off and then back on.

2. Absolutely nothing happens. Make sure that the IRQ signal is getting to pin 30 on the interface connector.

Once you get the program to go to the A/D routine and to return, the end is in sight. If the data does not plot correctly, check the section in

the Applesoft routine that supports this. For example, if you try to scroll the data and the computer does strange things, take a close look for mistakes in the scroll subroutines.

Applesoft Routine

Listing 1 gives the program with comments. This BASIC routine first loads all the machine-language routines and then loops until the operator is ready to digitize data. Once the operator indicates that data is to be taken, the program jumps to the machine-language A/D routine that proceeds to digitize and store a predetermined quantity of data. Program control then returns to the Applesoft routine. The data is then plotted on the high-resolution graphics screen, and text is added to the plots. You then have the option of reviewing the data by scrolling it back and forth across the video display. If the data is "good," you can store the data on disk. If the data is not good, you can initiate the acquisition of a new block of data.

A/D Machine-Language Routine

The machine-language A/D converter subroutine is called from the BASIC program by executing CALL - 28656. This forces the computer to execute the subroutine stored at memory location 9010 hexadecimal.

382 BYTE May 1984

(Unless otherwise indicated, all addresses are hexadecimal.) Listing 2 gives the program with comments. Upon entering this subroutine, the contents of the accumulator, the contents of the X and Y registers, and the processor status are saved. The subroutine then clears the Y register and loads the X register with the 8 most significant bits (MSBs) of the memory address defining the upper limit of the block of memory reserved for data storage. The memory address for the lower limit of the block reserved for data storage is loaded into memory locations OA (least significant bits or LSBs) and OB (MSBs). These two memory locations serve as a pointer to the current location in memory in which a byte of data is to be stored.

The system interrupt logic is disabled while the 8 MSBs of the current data-storage address (the contents of memory location OB) are compared with the 8 MSBs of the maximum allowable address (the contents of the X register). If the maximum limit has not been reached, the program jumps to memory location 9038. If the maximum limit has been reached, the subroutine restores the contents of the accumulator, the contents of the X and Y registers, and the processor status. After that, the return from subroutine (RTS) command forces the computer to return to the BASIC calling routine.

At memory location 9038, the subroutine enables the system interrupt logic and waits a few machine cycles to see if it is time to take another sample. The sampling rate is determined by connecting the output of the crystal-controlled oscillator and frequency-divider logic to the interrupt request line (IRQ) going to the 6502. If it is not time to take another sample, the subroutine returns to memory location 9026, where the interrupt logic is disabled. If it is time to take another sample, the interrupt logic forces the computer to jump to memory location 9040. This address was determined by the Hello program, which was executed when the DOS (disk operating system) was initially booted.

At memory location 9040, the three

Listing 1: AID converter main routine written in Applesoft BASIC.

18 REM HIGH SPEED (VQ CONUERTER

26 D* = ""

22 PRINT D*i"BI_0flD IVD,D1"

24 PRINT D$i"BLOOD HIRES,D1"

25 PRINT D*;"BL00D T0BLE,01" 2G PRINT D$i"BLOOD SHIFT,Dl"

32 UTOB 10: PRINT "PRESS THE SPOCE BOR WHEN YOU ORE": PRINT "REODV TO DIB

ITI2E DflTO." 40 SET K*

42 IF K$ < > CHR$ <32> THEN GOTO 40 44 GOTO 2100

100 REN SCROLL DflTO TO THE LEFT 162 IF Kl > 28B00 THEN RETURN 112 POKE - 30375,238: POKE - 30389,227: POKE - 38751,0: POKE - 30744,

232: POKE - 30742,28: POKE - 30865,26: COLL - 30976 130 HC0L0R= 1: FOR I = 1 TO 14 132 V = C PEEK <K1 + DI * I)) / 1.5 134 HPLOT 195 + 1,175 - V: NEXT I 136 Kl = Kl + 01 * 14 140 HC0L0R= 2: FOR I =1 TO 14 144 V = < PEEK CK2 + DI * I ;0 / 1.5 146 HPLOT 195 + 1,175 - V: NEXT I 148 K2 = K2 + DI * 14 150 HC0L0R= 3: FOR I = 1 TO 14 154 V = C PEEK CK3 + DI * I )) .- 1.5 156 HPLOT 135 + 1,175 - V: NEXT I 158 K3 = K3 + DI * 14: SL = 1

199 RETURN

200 REN SCROLL DflTO TO THE RIGHT 202 IF Kl < 25230 THEN RETURN

212 POKE - 30875,227: POKE - 30369,230: POKE - 30751,27: POKE - 30744 ,202: POKE - 30742,255: POKE - 30365,254: COLL - 38976

221 IF SL = 0 THEN GOTO 230

222 K4 = Kl - 210 * DI:K5 = K2 - 210 * DI:K6 = K3 - 210 * DI 230 HC0L0R= 1: FOR I = 14 TO 1 STEP - i

234 V = ( PEEK iYA - DI * IY> / 1.5

235 HPLOT 14 - 1,175 - V: NEXT I

233 K4 = K4 -'DI * 14:K1 = K4 + 210 * DI

240 HC0L0R= 2: FOR I = 14 TO 1 STEP - 1

244 V = < PEEK CK5 - DI * I » /1.5

246 HPLOT 14 - 1,175 - V: NEXT I

248 K5 = K5 - DI * 14:K2 = K5 + 210 * DI

250 HC0L0R= 3: FOR I = 14 TO 1 STEP - 1

254 V = C PEEK <K6 - DI * I >> / 1.5

256 HPLOT 14 - 1,175 - V: NEXT I

258 K6 = Kb - DI * 14:K3 = KG + 210 * DI

29S RETURN 2100 REN DIGITIZE DflTO

2102 H0HE : TEXT : UTOB 10! PRINT "DfiTfl IS BEING DIGITIZED." 2132 POKE - 28643,112: POKE - 16143,0: COLL - 28656 2200 Kl = 24576:K2 = 24577:K3 = 24573:DI = 3: GOSUB 3000: G0SUB 10000 2250 GET K$

2254 IF K$ = CHR* (8) THEN GOSUB 100

2255 IF K* = CHR$ (21) THEN GOSUB 200 2258 IF K$ = CHR$ (32) THEN GOTO 2100 226S IF K$ = CHR* (27; THEN GOTO 4000 2299 GOTO 2250

3000 REH PLOT DflTO

3010 HC0L0R= Is H6R2

3030 FOR I = O TO 203: V = < PEEK <K1 + DI * I>> ■■' 1.5

3032 HPLOT 1,175 - V: NEXT I 3034 K4 = K1:K1 = Kl + 210 * DI 3036 HC0L0R= 2

3033 FOR I = 0 TO 209:V = ( PEEK <K2 + DI * l~» / 1.5

3040 HPLOT 1,175 - V: NEXT I

3041 K5 = K2:K2 = K2 + 210 * DI

3042 HC0L0R= 3

3044 FOR I = 0 TO 209: V = < PEEK < K3 + DI * I 5) /' 1.5 3046 HPLOT 1,175 - V: NEXT I

3048 Kb = K3:K3 = K3 +■ 210 * DI

3049 RETURN

4O08 REN ESCAPE SUBROUTINE

4002 TEXT : HOME

4010 UTOB 4: PRINT "PRESS THE KEY CORRESPONDING TO YOUR"; PRINT "CHOICE:"

4014 UTOB 10: PRINT "R TO RETURN TO CURRENT DflTfi"

4016 UTOB 12: PRINT "S TO SOUE CURRENT DOTfl ON DISK"

4018 UTOB 14: PRINT "D TO DIGITIZE NEW DflTO"

4019 UTflB 16: PRINT "H TO STOP"

4020 UTOB 20: GET K$

4022 IF K$ = "D" THEN GOTO 2100

4023 IF Kt = "R" THEN POKE - 18304,0: POKE - 16299,8: POKE - 16297,0: GOTO 2250

4024 IF K* = "R" THEN POKE - 16304,0: POKE - 16293,8: POKE - 16297,0: GOTO 2250

4826 IF Kf = "H" THEN END 4828 IF K* = "S" THEN GOTO 4050 4023 GOTO 4020 4050 HOME

Listing 1 continued on page 384

BYTE May 1984 383

AD7570 A/D converters are simultaneously instructed to begin the conversion of their respective input signals. The subroutine then loops until all three units have finished their conversion cycles. The subroutine then proceeds to load the digitized signal from the first AD7570 into the accumulator. The contents of the accumulator are then transferred into the memory location determined by the contents of memory locations OA (containing the 8 LSBs) and OB (containing the 8 MSBs) and the contents of register Y (which are added to the contents of memory location OA).

After the data has been stored, the Y register is incremented. The subroutine tests the Y register to see if the increment caused the register to be equal to zero (a transition from # FF to #00). Such a transition indicates that memory location OB then needs to be incremented. The subroutine then proceeds to load and store data into successive memory locations until all three converters have been serviced. A return from interrupt (RTI) command then forces the computer to return to the point in the program where the interrupt request was detected. The subroutine ultimately ends up back at memory location 9026, where the interrupt logic is again disabled and a test is made to see if the maximum allocated datastorage address has been exceeded.

Once the data has been digitized and stored, program control returns to the BASIC routine. The first 209 data samples from each input channel are displayed on the high-resolution graphics screen. Differentiation of the data is achieved by using a unique color for each input channel. The full width of the graphics display is not utilized for data so that reference text can be added on the right-hand side of the screen.

High-Resolution Text Generator

The text-generator software is used to write textual information on the high-resolution graphics screen. This capability lets you identify data points and display the magnitude of selected data points along with the data. The character set for the graphics generator was purposely limited

Listing 1 continued:

4060 UTfiB 10: PRINT "ENTER THE NAME OF THE DflTfi FILE"

4064 UTfiB 14: INPUT KS

4y70 D* = ""

4072 PRINT D*i"BSRUE ";K*»",fi*6000,L*10i30,Dl"

4099 BOTO 4000

10000 REM IDENTIFV PLOTS RND HDD TEXT

10002 POKE 54,0: POKE 55,143: POKE - 16239.0

10010 UTfiB 23: HTfiB 1: PRINT "PRESS <— OR —> TO SCROLL THE DATA."

16050 UTfiB 24: HTfiB 1: PRINT "PRESS SPACE 6RR TO DIGITIZE MORE DHTH."

10052 UTfiB 14: HTfiB 32: PRINT "PRESS ESC"

10654 UTflB 15: HTfiB 32: PRINT "TO EXIT."

10080 HC0L0R= 1

10062 HPLOT 215,12 TO 213.12: HPLOT 215,20 TO 213,20: HPLOT 217,12 TO 217

,20: HPLOT 223,20 TO 223,12 TO 227,20 TO 227,12: HPLOT 231,20 TO 231,

12 TO 235,12 TO 235,18 TO 231,16 18064 HPLOT 239,12 TO 233,20 TO 243,20 TO 243,12: HPLOT 249,20 TO 249,12 TO

247,12 TO 251,12 1O066 HPLOT 257,20 TO 261,20 TO 259,20 TO 259.12 TO 257,14 10070 HC0L0R= 2 10072 HPLOT 216,32 TO 220,32: HPLOT 216,40 TO 220,40: HPLOT 213,32 TO 218

,40: HPLOT 224,40 TO 224,32 TO 228,40 TO 228,32: HPLOT 232,40 TO 232,

32 TU 236,32 TO 238,36 TO 232,36 10074 HPLOT 240,32 TO 240,40 TO 244,40 TO 244,32: HPLOT 250,40 TO 250,32 TO

248,32 TO 252,32 10076 HPLOT 258,32 TO 262,32 TO 262,36 TO 253,36 TO 253.46 TO 262,40 10080 HC0LUF:= 3 10082 HPLOT 216,52 TO 220,52: HPLOT 216,60 TO 220,60: HPLOT 218,52 TO 218

,60: HPLOT 224,60 TO 224,52 TO 228,60 TO 228,52: HPLOT 232,60 TO 232,

52 TO 236,52 TU 236,56 TO 232,56 H3084 HPLOT 240,52 TO 240,60 TO 244,60 TO 244,52: HPLOT 250,60 TO 250,52 TO

248,52 TO 252,52 10086 HPLOT 258,52 TO 262,52 TO 262,56 TO 258,56 TO 262,56 TO 262,60 TO 2

58,60 10099 RETURN

Listing 2: This routine provides high-speed data transfer from the AID converter to the Apple II.

9010

8D

00

90

STA

$9000

9013

8E

01

90

STX

$9001

9016

8C

02

90

STY

$9002

9019

08

PHP

901A

A0

00

LDY

#$00

901C

A2

63

LDX

#$70

901E

A9

00

LDA

#$00

9020

85

0A

STA

$0A

9022

A9

60

LDA

#$60

9024

85

0B

STA

SOB

9026

78

SEI

9027

E4

0B

CPX

$0B

9029

DO

OD

BNE

$9038

902B

AD

00

90

LDA

$9000

902E

AE

01

90

LDX

$9001

9031

AC

02

90

LDY

$9002

9034

28

PLP

9035

60

RTS

9036

EA

NOP

9037

EA

NOP

9038

58

CLI

9039

EA

NOP

903A

4C

26

90

JMP

$9026

903D

00

BRK

903E

00

BRK

903F

00

BRK

9040

A9

01

LDA

#$01

9042

8D

F0

CO

STA

$C0F0

9045

A9

00

LDA

#$00

9047

8D

F0

CO

STA

$C0F0

904A

AD

61

CO

LDA

$C061

904D

2A

ROL

904E

B0

FA

BCS

9050

AD

Fl

CO

LDA

$C0F1

9053

91

0A

STA

($0A),Y

9055

C8

INY

9056

DO

02

BNE

$905A

9058

E6

0B

INC

$0B

905A

AD

F2

CO

LDA

$C0F2

905D

91

0A

STA

($0A),Y

905F

C8

INY

9060

DO

02

BNE

$9064

9062

E6

0B

INC

$0B

Save accumulator Save X register Save Y register Save processor status

Load X register with maximum data storage address

Memory locations $0A and $0B

contain the start address for

data storage

Disable interrupt

Compare current data storage

address with maximum address

Restore accumulator

Restore X register

Restore Y register

Restore processor status

Return to calling routine

Enable interrupt

Start A/D conversion

Check and see if all conversions are complete

Load data from input #1

Store data

Increment LSD of data storage

address

Branch on result not zero

Increment MSD of data storage

address

Load data from input #2

Store data

Increment LSD

Branch on result not zero

Increment MSD

Listing 2 continued on page 386

384 BYTE May 1984

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BYTE May 1984 385

to numbers and uppercase letters to conserve memory. Listing 3 gives the high-resolution graphics, text-generator program, and table 1 is the graphics character look-up table. The program takes the textual character that is to be displayed on the graphics screen and matches it to a corresponding graphics character contained in the look-up table. This graphics character is then displayed on the screen by loading it into the correct memory location in page 2 of the high-resolution-graphics memory block. By using this subroutine, you avoid having to "draw" text on the graphics screen using the PLOT commands. The routine is initialized by using POKEs to insert the subroutine entry address into memory locations (decimal) 54 and 55. Any PRINT statements that follow will force the text that was to be printed to be displayed on the graphics screen.

Data-Scroll Routine

The information that is routed to the video display when the Apple is in the high-resolution-graphics mode comes from an 8192-byte block of memory that is defined (for the secondary picture-page buffer) between memory locations 4000 and 5FFF (see figure 1). The rationale that determines the relationship between a dot's position on the screen and the dot's position in the picture-page buffer is not all that obvious to me. The best that I have been able to do is to map out the relationship between a dot's position on the screen and a memory-address location in the picture-page buffer.

Seven of the 8 bits in each byte contained in the picture-page buffer are displayed as dots; the eighth bit determines the color of the other 7 dots. A total of 40 bytes is displayed on each horizontal line of the video display. The LSB of the first byte in a line is displayed on the left-hand edge of the screen, followed by the second bit, the third bit, etc. A total of 280 dots (40 bytes x 7 dots) is displayed on each of the 192 lines (24 lines x 8 dots) that can be displayed on the screen.

In order to help myself understand

the picture-page memory map, I con

Text continued on page 395

386 BYTE May 1984

Listing

2 continued;

9064

AD F3

CO

LDA

$C0F3

9067

91 0A

STA

($0A),Y

9069

C8

INY

906A

DO 0 2

BNE

$906E

906C

E6 0B

INC

$0B

906E

40

RTI

Load data from input #3

Store data

Increment LSD

Branch on result not zero

Increment MSD

Return from interrupt

Listing 3: High-resolution text-generator routine.

8F00

08

PHP

8F01

48

PHA

8F02

84

4E

STY

$4E

8F04

C9

8D

CMP

#$8D

8F06

F0

07

BEQ

$8F0F

8F08

C9

8C

CMP

#$8C

8F0A

DO

05

BNE

$8F11

8F0C

18

CLC

8F0D

90

5C

BCC

$8F6B

8F0F

F0

5C

BEQ

$8F6D

8F11

A5

25

LDA

$25

8F13

4A

LSR

8F14

29

03

AND

#$03

8F16

09

40

ORA

#$40

8F18

85

2B

STA

$2B

8F1A

A5

25

LDA

$25

8F1C

6A

ROR

8F1D

08

PHP

8F1E

0A

ASL

8F1F

29

18

AND

#$18

8F21

85

2A

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$2A

8F23

0A

ASL

8F24

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8F25

05

2A

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$2A

8F27

0A

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8F28

28

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8F29

6A

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8F2A

18

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8F2B

65

24

ADC

$24

8F2D

85

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$2A

8F2F

68

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8F30

29

7F

AND

#$7F

8F32

48

PHA

8F33

A9

88

LDA

#$88

8F35

4A

LSR

8F36

4A

LSR

8F37

4A

LSR

8F38

85

27

STA

$27

8F3A

68

PLA

8F3B

48

PHA

8F3C

2A

ROL

8F3D

26

27

ROL

$27

8F3F

2A

ROL

8F40

26

27

ROL

$27

8F42

2A

ROL

8F43

26

27

ROL

$27

8F45

29

F8

AND

#$F8

8F47

85

26

STA

$26

8F49

A0

00

LDY

#$00

8F4B

Bl

26

LDA

($26),Y

8F4D

84

4F

STY

$4F

8F4F

A0

00

LDY

#$00

8F51

48

PHA

8F52

68

PLA

8F53

51

2A

EOR

($2A),Y

8F55

91

2A

STA

($2A),Y

8F57

A4

4F

LDY

$4F

8F59

A5

2B

LDA

$2B

8F5B

18

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8F5C

69

04

ADC

#$04

8F5E

85

2B

STA

$2B

8F60

C8

INY

8F61

CO

08

CPY

#$08

8F63

DO

E6

BNE

$8F4B

8F65

E6

24

INC

$24

8F67

A5

24

LDA

$24

8F69

C5

21

CMP

$21

8F6B

90

10

BCC

$8F7D

Save processor status

Save contents of accumulator

Save contents of Y register

Test for carriage return

Test for line feed

Relate cursor position to HGR2 screen position

Define HGR page #2

MSB of graphics character look-up table

Match text character to graphics character position in look-up table

Get first row of graphics design from look-up table

Store graphics design in screen memory block

Jump if all rows not finished Increment LSD of cursor position

Listing 3 continued on page 388

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388 BYTE May 1984

Ming 3 <

8F6D

ontin A5

ued: 20

LDA

$20

8F6F

85

24

STA

$24

8F71

E6

25

INC

$25

8F73

A5

25

LDA

$25

8F75

C5

23

CMP

$23

8F77

90

04

BCC

$8F7D

8F79

A5

22

LDA

$22

8F7B

85

25

STA

$25

8F7D

A4

4E

LDlf

$4E

8F7F

68

PLA

8F80

28

PLP

8F81

60

RTS

Increment MSD of cursor position

Restore Y register Restore accumulator Restore processor status Return to calling routine

8900

00

00

00

00

00

00

00

00

Space

8908

10

10

10

10

00

00

10

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1

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*

8958

00

10

10

7C

10

10

00

00

+

8960

00

00

00

00

00

18

18

OC

1

8968

00

00

00

7E

00

00

00

00

8970

00

00

00

00

00

18

18

00

.

8978

00

40

20

10

08

04

02

00

/

8980

3C

42

62

5A

46

42

3C

00

0

8988

10

18

14

10

10

10

7C

00

1

8990

3C

42

40

30

OC

02

7E

00

2

8998

3C

42

40

38

40

42

3C

00

3

89A0

20

30

28

24

7E

20

20

00

4

89A8

7E

02

IE

20

40

22

1C

00

5

89B0

38

04

02

3E

42

42

3C

00

6

89B8

7E

42

20

10

08

08

08

00

7

89C0

3C

42

42

3C

42

42

3C

00

8

89C8

3C

42

42

7C

40

20

1C

00

9

89D0

00

00

18

18

00

18

18

00

:

89D8

00

00

18

18

00

18

18

OC

7

89E0

20

10

08

04

08

10

20

00

<

89E8

00

00

3E

00

3E

00

00

00

=

89F0

04

08

10

20

10

08

04

00

>

89F8

3C

42

40

30

08

00

08

00

?

8A00

38

44

52

6A

32

04

78

00

8A08

18

24

42

7E

42

42

42

00

A

8A10

3E

44

44

3C

44

44

3E

00

B

8A18

3C

42

02

02

02

42

3C

00

C

8A20

3E

44

44

44

44

44

3E

00

D

8A28

7E

02

02

IE

02

02

7E

00

E

8A30

7E

02

02

IE

02

02

02

00

F

8A38

3C

42

02

72

42

42

3C

00

G

8A40

42

42

42

7E

42

42

42

00

H

8A48

38

10

10

10

10

10

38

00

I

8A50

70

20

20

20

20

22

1C

00

J

8A58

42

22

12

OE

12

22

42

00

K

8A60

02

02

02

02

02

02

7E

00

L

8A68

42

66

5A

5A

42

42

42

00

M

8A70

42

46

4A

52

62

42

42

00

N

8A78

3C

42

42

42

42

42

3C

00

0

8A80

3E

42

42

3E

02

02

02

00

P

8A88

3C

42

42

42

52

22

5C

00

Q

8A90

3E

42

42

3E

12

22

42

00

R

Table 1:

Graphics

character look-up table.

Table 1 continued on page 390

raaramgoEft

THE INSIDER!

A 10 Mega-byte Internal Hard Disk Drive System..

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Expand your PC to perform like

Micro Design International, Inc. announces 10-Megabytes of formatted capacity with complete internal installation, all for $895.00. Now you can expand your IBM*PC to a XT. By equipping it with the MDI Hard Disk save up to $2,000 over the cost of a XT. This system also works with most PC look alikes, and is D0S 2.0 and 2.1 compatible.

Unlike other internal drives which require an external power supply, The Insider uses available power. In fact, it uses only 0.9A of current thereby eliminating overheating, a problem which has plagued other drives. Our drive and electronics are so good that we carry a full one year warranty.

The MDI System includes, complete software, cables, simple installation instructions and is available in the following configurations:

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1503 Insider Winchester Syste w/RAM

Memory. Card that will hold up 256K RAM 0 RAM . . .$1,295.00

1504 Expansion Memory Module for Model IS03 to allow 320K additional RAM for a total of 576K 0 RAM $129.00

1505 64K of RAM for IS03 and

IS04 $ 75.00

1506 Multifunction Card .... $ 88.00 MODULES FOR USE WITH IS01 AND

1506 ABOVE

1507 Parallel Port Module (Centronics) $ 59.00

1508 Serial Port Module

(RS232) $ 95.00

1509 Clock Calendar Module w/battery $ 65.OO

1510 Game Adaptor Module . . $ 55.00

1511 Hard Disk Controller . . . $395.00 IS 12 Hard Disk Boot ROM ... $ 48.00

To expand your It lo ilie performance ol a XT il a fraction orTtwi-oat CAU. TODAY. Maftp rtitri Visa are arrejileif; or send rheik or money order to Micro i)i-sinn International, Iik

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Circle 401 on Inquiry card.

Everyone from Commodore to IBM User Will Want This Remarkable Guide to Creating User-Oriented Software

Elements , Friendly Software

Design

mVLliECKEL

Paul Heckel feels that to be "friend^' software should be visual, interactive, and above all, communicative. He first summons up the techniques of the great masters of communication in film, and of painters like Pablo Picasso and writers like Mark Twain. He then adds techniques of his own developed through years of successful software design, including programs for the Craig Language Translator and the all-new Viewdex™ system for the Epson HMO. The result is a free-wheeling guide that is as delightful and surprising to read as it is easy and practical to use. The Elements of Friendly Software Design explains:

• The thirty principles of friendly software design

• How filmmakers'communication techniques can be used to make software design "friendly"

• Visual thinking as a key to design

• Planing for prototyping and revision

• Factors that determine user acceptance

• Examples of excellence—why VisiCalc is so successful

• Seven traps that snag even the most experienced designers

"Unique and indispensable; by far the most important and practical book on the subject"

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WXRNER SOFTWARE WARNER BOOKS

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To order, send check or money order for $10.20 in U.S.A. or $12.00 in Canada (includes postage and handling) to Dept.PAA-X38-040,BY Warner Books, 666 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10103. Please allow four to six weeks for delivery. 390 BYTE May 1984

Table 1 continued:

8A98

3C

42

02

3C

40

42

3C

00

s

8AA0

7C

10

10

10

10

10

10

00

T

8AA8

42

42

42

42

42

42

3C

00

u

8AB0

42

42

42

24

24

18

18

00

V

8AB8

42

42

42

5A

5A

66

42

00

w

8AC0

42

42

24

18

24

42

42

00

X

8AC8

44

44

44

38

10

10

10

00

Y

8AD0

7E

40

20

18

04

02

7E

00

z

Listing 4: Right-to-left scroll routine.

8700

A9

00

LDA

#$00

Initialize base address

8702

8D

FE

87

STA

$87FE

8705

A9

40

LDA

#$40

8707

8D

FF

87

STA

$87FF

870A

A9

02

LDA

#$02

Initialize block counter

870C

8D

FD

87

STA

$87FD

870F

A0

08

LDA

#$08

Initialize box counter

8711

8D

F7

87

STA

$87F7

8714

20

50

87

JSR

$8750

Jump to main routine

8717

18

CLC

8718

A9

28

LDA

#$28

Set up for second block

871A

6D

FE

87

ADC

$87FE

871D

8D

FE

87

STA

$87FE

8720

CE

FD

87

DEC

$87FD

8723

DO

EA

BNE

$870F

Jump if second block not complete

8725

A9

06

LDA

#$06

Number of boxes remaining (two boxes reserved for text)

8727

8D

F7

87

STA

$87F7

872A

20

50

87

JSR

$8750

Jump to main routine

872D

60

RTS

Return to calling routine

8750

AD

FE

87

LDA

$87FE

Save base address

8753

8D

FB

87

STA

$87FB

8756

AD

FF

87

LDA

$87FF

8759

8D

FC

87

STA

$87FC

875C

A9

08

LDA

#$08

Initialize row counter

875E

8D

FA

87

STA

S87FA

8761

AD

FB

87

LDA

$87FB

Set up LSB of left hand side of screen

8764

8D

E6

87

STA

$87E6

8767

18

CLC

8768

69

02

ADC

#$02

Set up shift distance

876A

8D

E3

87

STA

$87E3

876D

18

CLC

876E

69

1A

ADC

#$1A

8770

8D

F0

87

STA

S87F0

Set up LSB of right hand side of screen

8773

8D

F3

87

STA

$87F3

8776

EE

F3

87

INC

$87F3

Next byte

8779

AD

FC

87

LDA

$67FC

Set up MSB of

877C

8D

E4

87

STA

$87E4

left hand side of screen

877F

8D

E7

87

STA

$87E7

8782

8D

Fl

87

STA

$87F1

right hand side of screen

8785

8D

F4

87

STA

$87F4

8788

20

E0

87

JSR

S87E0

Jump to shift routine

878B

18

CLC

878C

A9

04

LDA

#$04

Add 4 to MSB of

878E

6D

E4

87

ADC

$87E4

8791

8D

E4

87

STA

$87E4

left hand side of screen

8794

8D

E7

87

STA

$87E7

8797

8D

Fl

87

STA

$87F1

right hand side of screen

879A

8D

F4

87

STA

$87F4

879D

CE

FA

87

DEC

$87FA

Decrement row counter

87A0

DO

E6

BNE

$8788

Jump if box not complete

87A2

18

CLC

87A3

A9

80

LDA

#$80

Set up next box address

87A5

6D

FB

87

ADC

$87FB

87A8

8D

FB

87

STA

$87FB

87 AB

A9

00

LDA

#$00

87AD

6D

FC

87

ADC

$87FC

87B0

8D

FC

87

STA

$87FC

87B3

CE

F7

87

DEC

$87F7

Decrement box counter

87B6

DO

A4

BNE

$875C

Jump if block not complete

87B8

60

RTS

Return to calling routine

Listing 4 continued on page 391

Listing 4 continued:

87E0 87E2 87E5 87E8 87E9 87EB 87 ED 87EF 87F2 87F5

40 40

A2 00 BD 0 2 9D 00 E8

EO 1C DO F5 A9 00 8D 1C 40 8D ID 40 60

LDX LDA STA INX CPX BNE LDA STA STA RTS

#$00 $4002,X $4000,X

#$1C

$87E2

#$00

$401C

$401D

Set up byte counter

Shift 2 bytes (14 points) left

Increment counter

Jumo if shift not complete Clear right most 14 points

Return to calling routine

o^rs)(^rru^^r^<iio^<muQiafciOrH(NroTrunvr>r--aDo>.<aacjQUCiio^(Nf^Trin^Dr5?9 90000000000000^^^^^^^^^rH.^,H,--l--lr-i,HCNrsirNirNi(NicNirNr\i

OrHMrnTTKiuJMO(jioHCMcnrijni)MoijioHMn<jirni)MO(ji OH(Nmvunor--<Bo\HHHHHHrHHHH(NfMM(NMCMfMMM«nMnnnnmnnn

$4000 $4080 $4100 $4180 $4200 $4280 $4300 $4380 $4028 $40A8 $4128 $41A8 $4228 $42A8 $4328 $43A8 $4050 $40D0 $4150 $41D0 $4250 $42D0 $4350 $43D0

16384

16512

16640

16768

16896

17024

17152

17280

16424

—

16552

16680

16808

16936

17064

17192

17320

16464

16592

16720

16848

16967

17104

17232

17360

Each box: is formed by eight rows

r

0

$0000

1024

$0400

2048

$0800

3072

$0C00

4096

$1000

5120

$1400

6144

$1800

7168

$1C00

Figure 1: A map of the Apple II's high-resolution graphics screen.

BYTE May 1984 391

Box 1

Box 2

Box 3

Block 1 Box 4

Box 5

Box 6

Box 7

Box 8

Row 1

$4000

Row 2

$4400

Row 3

$4800

Row 4

$4C00

Row 5

$5000

Row 6

$5400

Row 7

$5800

Row 8

$5C00

Row 1

$4080

Row 2

$4480

Row 3

$4880

Row 4

$4C80

Row 5

$5080

Row 6

$5480

Row 7

$5880

Row 8

$5C80

Row 1

$4100

Row 2

$4500

Row 3

$4900

Row 4

$4D0O

Row 5

$5100

Row 6

$5500

Row 7

$5900

Row 8

$5D00

Row 1

$4180

Row 2

$4580

Row 3

$4980

Row 4

$4D80

Row 5

$5180

Row 6

$5580

Row 7

$5980

Row 8

$5D80

Row 1

$4200

Row 2

$4600

Row 3

S4A00

Row 4

$4E00

Row 5

$5200

Row 6

$5600

Row 7

$5A00

Row 8

$5E00

Row 1

$4280

Row 2

$4680

Row 3

$4A80

Row 4

$4E80

Row 5

$5280

Row 6

$5680

Row 7

$5A80

Row 8

$5E80

Row 1

$4300

Row 2

$4700

Row 3

$4B00

Row 4

$4F00

Row 5

$5300

Row 6

$5700

Row 7

$5B00

Row 8

$5F00

Row 1

$4380

Row 2

$4780

Row 3

$4B80

Row 4

$4F80

Row 5

$5380

Row 6

$5780

Row 7

$5B80

Row 8

$5F80

Box 1

Box 2

Box 3

Block 2 Box 4

Box 5

Box 6

Box 7

Box 8

Row 1

$4028

Row 2

$4428

Row 3

$4828

Row 4

$4C28

Row 5

$5028

Row 6

$5428

Row 7

$5828

Row 8

$5C28

Row 1

$40A8

Row 2

$44A8

Row 3

$48A8

Row 4

$4CA8

Row 5

$50A8

Row 6

$54A8

Row 7

$58A8

Row 8

$5CA8

Row 1

$4128

Row 2

$4528

Row 3

$4928

Row 4

$4D28

Row 5

$5128

Row 6

$5528

Row 7

$5928

Row 8

$5D28

Row 1

$41A8

Row 2

$45A8

Row 3

$49A8

Row 4

$4DA8

Row 5

$51A8

Row 6

$55A8

Row 7

$59A8

Row 8

$5DA8

Row 1

$4228

Row 2

$4628

Row 3

$4A28

Row 4

$4E28

Row 5

$5228

Row 6

$5628

Row 7

$5A28

Row 8

$5E28

Row 1

$42A8

Row 2

$46A8

Row 3

$4AA8

Row 4

$4EA8

Row 5

$52A8

Row 6

$56A8

Row 7

$5AA8

Row 8

$5EA8

Row 1

$4328

Row 2

$4728

Row 3

$4B28

Row 4

$4F28

Row 5

$5328

Row 6

$5728

Row 7

$5B28

Row 8

$5F28

Row 1

$43A8

Row 2

$47A8

Row 3

$4BA8

Row 4

$4FA8

Row 5

$53A8

Row 6

$57A8

Row 7

$5BA8

Row 8

$5FA8

Box 1

Box 2

Box 3

Block 3 Box 4

Box 5

Box 6

Box 7

Box 8

Row 1 Row 2 Row 3 Row 4 Row 5 Row 6 Row 7 Row 8

Row 1 Row 2 Row 3 Row 4 Row 5 Row 6 Row 7 Row 8

Row 1 Row 2 Row 3 Row 4 Row 5 Row 6 Row 7 Row 8

Row 1 Row 2 Row 3 Row 4 Row 5 Row 6 Row 7 Row 8

Row 1 Row 2 Row 3 Row 4 Row 5 Row 6 Row 7 Row 8

Row 1 Row 2 Row 3 Row 4 Row 5 Row 6 Row 7 Row 8

Row 1 Row 2 Row 3 Row 4 Row 5 Row 6 Row 7 Row 8

Row 1 Row 2 Row 3 Row 4 Row 5 Row 6 Row 7 Row 8

$4050 $4450 $4850 $4C50 $5050 $5450 $5850 $5C50

$40D0 S44D0 $48D0 $4CD0 $50D0 $54D0 $58D0 S5CD0

$4150 $4550 $4950 $4D50 $5150 $5550 $5950 $5D50

$41 DO $45D0 $49D0 $4DD0 $51 DO $55D0 $59D0 $5DD0

$4250 $4650 $4A50 $4E50 $5250 $5650 $5A50 $5E50

$42D0 $46D0 $4AD0 $4ED0 $52D0 $56D0 $5AD0 $5ED0

$4350 $4750 $4B50 $4F50 $5350 $5750 $5B50 $5F50

$43 DO $47D0 $4BD0 $4FD0 S53D0 $57D0 $5BD0 $5FD0

Table 2: Picture-page buffer/memory-address organization as discussed in the text.

392 BYTE May 1984

WE ALL AGREE

Auto Cut Sheet Feed (option)

We can't think of anyone who isn't better off with A DX-15 DAISY WHEEL PRINTER.

Dynax's DX-15. And if you want the kind of printer that lives in the fast lane, the DX-15 is your printer. It does it all, certainly all that far more expensive models can do. The DX15 offers you some important options like Keyboard, Tractor Feed and Auto Cut Sheet Feed. Mot only that, the DX-15 is a very durable unit, be it for business, home or word processing applications. And who says a great printer has to be expensive? Not us! What we say is you'll be dumbfounded when your dealer tells you just how inexpensive the DX-15 happens to be. Give him a call or drop by. Dynax's DX-15 says it ALL. (213)260-7121

Dynax, Inc.

Keyboard (option)

Circle 148 on Inquiry card.

Offices: (NJ) 201-471-0100 / (TX) 214-257-1700 / (ID 312-981-5633 / (MA) 617-933-8162 / (N.CA) 408-730-1712.

o "Thoughtware, 0\HowGoo°d© • A Manager Am I?"

'K«

■

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©

;

Thoughtware is new, easy-to-use software that

will help you see and understand how to become a better manager.

It's a unique series of personal,

computer-based management diagnostic and training programs.

) Thoughtware is a registered trademark of the Institute for Management Improvement.

How good a manager are you? Thoughtware Module 1.1 "Assessing Personal Management Skills" will tell you. This program is a three-part, comprehensive self-assessment of your personal attitudes, behavior and understanding as they relate to your effectiveness as a manager.

Unit 1 assesses your leadership style by examining the degree to which you are task- or people-oriented and how you use communication, teamwork, participation, initiative and support to get results. It also assesses your understanding of what motivates employees, promotes teamwork, and the extent to which you provide feedback.

Unit 2 assesses your attitudes about setting goals and objectives, clarifying roles and responsibilities, and delegating. It also assesses the methods you use to improve employee performance and the ways you conduct performance evaluations.

Unit 3 assesses your personal effectiveness by looking at how you manage time and stress, how you conduct meetings and solve problems. The programs conclude with specific recommendations designed to address the weaknesses identified.

Expanding The Universe Of Learning.

To introduce you to Thoughtware, we'll send you "Assessing Personal Management Skills" (which normally sells for $350), for only $150. (See adjacent column for details.) Offer expires May 31, 1984.

Thoughtware programs run on the following: IBM® PC, PC XT, PCjr and compatible PC's. Apple® II Plus and He.

394 BYTE May 1984

Thoughtware Is The Future.

It's a new way to learn, a logical and innovative approach to management training. It will revolutionize management training now, and in the future. Thoughtware utilizes the latest research in management development from leaders in the field, and has been tested nationally.

For individuals, and their organizations, the educational, economic and operational benefits of Thoughtware's computerbased learning programs are enormous. But Thoughtware isn't just the future.

Thoughtware Is The Present.

Some of the largest and most prestigious corporations and organizations in the world have purchased Thoughtware's assessing Personal Management Skills Program.

American Express American Mgt. Assoc. Apple Computer AT&T Avon

Bankers LifeBlue Cross & Blue Shield Bank of Boston Bureau of the Census Chevron USA Ciba-Geigy Citibank City of Dallas Crown Zellerbaeh Dow Jones Dun & Bradstreet DuPont

Ernst & Whinney Exxon

Federal Reserve Bank Fireman's Fund General Electric General Foods Georgia-Pacific Gov't of Canada Gulf Oil Corporation Hewlett Packard Morn & Hardart Hughes Aircraft Co. Husky Oil IBM

Ingersoll-Rand

IRS

Johns Hopkins Univ.

Levi Strauss

Marriott

Marsh & McLennan

Mass. Mutual

McGraw-Hill

MCI

U.S. Navy

NCR

NYU

Owens-Illinois

Owens-Corning

Fibcrglas Royal Cup Coffee Sentry Insurance Singapore Embassy Stone & Webster St. Regis Paper Tampax The Nestle Co. The Rouse Co. 3M Corporation TRW

Univ. of Illinois United Parcel Service United Way Univ. of Mass. Westmoreland Coal Westinghouse Corp. Xerox

And hundreds more. What they've learned, you can now discover.

You can reap the benefits of Thoughtware by visiting your local computer dealer, or call us at our toll-free number 1-800-THT-WARE, or write:

Thoughtware Inc. Suite S, 2699 So. Bayshore Dr. Coconut Grove, Florida 33133.

Thoughtware Programs include:

1.3 Understanding Personal Interaction

Styles ($350) 2.1 Leading Effectively ($450) 2.3 Defining Goals And Objectives ($450)

Listing 5: Left-to-right scroll routine.

8700

A9

00

LDA

#$00

8702

8D

FE

87

STA

$87FE

8705

A9

40

LDA

#$40

8707

8D

FF

87

STA

$87FF

870A

A9

02

LDA

#$02

870C

8D

FD

87

STA

$87FD

870F

A0

08

LDA

#$08

8711

8D

F7

87

STA

$87F7

8714

20

50

87

JSR

$8750

8717

18

CLC

8718

A9

28

LDA

#$28

871A

6D

FE

87

ADC

$87FE

871D

8D

FE

87

STA

$87FE

8720

CE

FD

87

DEC

$87FD

8723

DO

EA

BNE

$870F

8725

A9

06

LDA

#$06

8727

8D

F7

87

STA

$87F7

872A

20

50

87

JSR

$8750

872D

60

RTS

8750

AD

FE

87

LDA

$87FE

8753

8D

FB

87

STA

$87FB

8756

AD

FF

87

LDA

$87FF

8759

8D

FC

87

STA

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Text continued from page 386: sider the total display to be made up of three blocks; each block is made up of eight boxes; each box is made up of eight rows. Table 2 shows a break

initialize base address

Initialize block counter Initialize box counter Jump to main routine Set up for second block

Jump if second block not

complete Number of boxes remaining (two

boxes reserved for text)

Jump to main routine Return to calling routine Save base address

Initialize row counter

Set up L5B of right hand side of screen

Set up shift distance

Set up LSB of left hand side of screen

Next byte Set up MSB of

right hand side of screen

left hand side of screen

Jump to shift routine

Add 4 to MSB of

right hand side of screen

left hand side of screen

Decrement row counter Jump if box not complete

Set up next box address

Decrement box counter

Jump if block not complete

Return to calling routine

Set up byte counter

Shift 2 bytes (14 points) right

Decrement counter

Jump if shift not complete Clear left most 14 points

Return to calling routine

down of the picture buffer organized so that each row has a memory address associated with it that defines the leftmost 7 dots (plus the associ

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Figure 2: A representation of how the scrolling-window software described in the text relates to the data displayed on the video monitor.

ated color bit) for each horizontal line displayed on the screen. Notice that the memory address for each horizontal line on the display is not in sequential order with respect to magnitude, but that there is a repeating pattern.

The data-scroll routines let you control a window that permits examination of blocks of 209 adjacent samples of data. The position of this window is controlled by the left and right arrow keys (see figure 2). The data-scroll routines are broken up into two machine-language programs. Listing 4 gives the machine-language program that shifts data from right to left across the screen; listing 5 gives the routine that shifts data from left to right.

Without going into exhaustive detail, these routines move the contents of the picture-buffer memory so that the displayed data shifts either 14 data points to the left or the right on the screen. The rightmost (or leftmost) 14 data points are cleared so that new data can then be shifted in. The subroutines have to take into consideration the picture-buffer structure shown in table 2 (it would have been a lot easier if the picture buffer had been organized in a sim

ple sequential manner). The shifting effect results in a window that can move back and forth across the memory block containing the digitized data.

Conclusion

I encourage those of you with modest data-acquisition and dataanalysis requirements to consider the use of a system similar to the one described here. In our laboratory, we have found it to be a relatively inexpensive way to pursue research interests and have no doubt that it will continue to be a valued part of our laboratory in the years to come. The only items required are an Apple II and the circuitry and listings presented here.H

Richard C. Hallgren is an associate professor in the Department of Biomechanics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Ml 48824. He works on applications of microprocessor-based systems to scientific research.

Author's Note: If you do not have either the time or capability to construct such a project, please write to me and I will direct you to a source for the hardware and the system software.

396 BYTE May 1984

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ISIM

A Continuous-System Simulation Language

The structure and features of a simulation language designed to run under CP/M

Roy E. Crosbie California State University

The key to effective simulation is the availability of a mathematical model of the relationships between the system variables including accurate data. When this model is accurately programmed and validated, useful simulations can be performed. This programming usually involves the use of advanced techniques such as the solution of differential equations, random-number generation, graphics, and statistical analysis. Many simulation models involve thousands of relationships between variables.

It is hardly surprising that simulation, which is widely used by many who are not expert programmers, should have stimulated the development of special software aids including special simulation languages.

Discrete and Continuous Languages

There are two groups of simulation languages that have a sufficiently wide area of application to warrant the title "general purpose." These are the discrete and the continuous simulation languages. Discrete simulation languages are applied mainly to problems arising in management sciences and operational research studies, particularly queuing systems. These systems remain in a particular state until an event occurs that

causes a change in the state of the system.

This article, however, is mainly concerned with the second group, continuous-system simulation languages (CSSLs). A continuous system, as its name suggests, is one whose state changes continuously. The mathematical description of a continuous system is based on differential equations. A differential equation can be regarded as a relationship between a quantity and its rate of change.

For example, consider a piece of metal at a temperature of x degrees F (Fahrenheit) cooling in an ambient temperature of 70 °F. The rate of cooling is approximately proportional to the temperature difference

Rate of cooling = k(x-70)

Mathematical notation uses the dx/dt to represent the rate of change of the quantity x with time t. The notation x' is also used—in the example, x' is the rate of cooling of the metal object in °F/second.

The differential equation x' = k(x-70) describes a continuous system in which the temperature x is changing continuously as time passes. Simple models of this kind can be solved easily, but computer simulation comes into its own when more complex systems are involved

with more complex differential equations.

In many practical applications it may be necessary to solve dozens or even hundreds of equations simultaneously. One of the main advantages of using a CSSL is that the numerical techniques necessary for solving these equations are built into the language. It is only necessary to specify the differential equation in a natural notation and the language does all the work.

Of the several CSSLs presently available for microcomputers, we should mention micro-DYNAMO from Addison-Wesley and TUTSIM from Twente University (Netherlands). Within this article, I shall focus on ISIM, a language developed for the CP/M environment. We will explore the syntax and capabilities of ISIM by creating a simulation of a rocket launch.

ISIM—A CSSL for Microcomputers

ISIM is a development of the ISIS language (see text box), modified to run under the CP/M operating system. Even so, ISIM retains most of the notable features of its parent, several of which are unique to CSSLs on any kind of computer.

We start our description of the language with the way of defining differential equations. We have already

400 BYTE May 1984

CSSLs Before the Micro

To appreciate current developments, we should know something about the history of CSSLs. The very first simulation languages for continuous systems date back to the mid-1960s when even general-purpose programming languages were still in their infancy. These early languages often required that the system be represented by a block diagram with function blocks representing operations such as integration, addition, multiplication, etc. The simulation program was prepared in the form of a table of connections of the inputs and outputs of the function blocks, one line per block. These languages are called blockstructured and were popular because of the similarity of the block diagrams to analog computer flow diagrams. At that time, analog computers were widely used for continuous system simulation because of the limited power and speed of the avail

able digital computers and block-structured languages were often used to check analog computer solutions.

As digital computers increased in power, they came to be used more for simulation in their own right, and the limitations of block-structured languages led to the development of statement-structured languages that bore a closer resemblance to general-purpose languages such as FORTRAN and Algol. These new languages featured a structure that simplifies simulation programming as well as special builtin functions to make system description easier. However, such languages were heavy users of computing resources, especially memory, so their use was confined to large mainframe systems. Perhaps the best known and most widely used CSSL of this vintage was the IBM product for the System 360: CSMP (ContinuousSystem Modeling Program). This type of CSSL is widely used for large-scale simula

tion of mainframes and the more powerful minicomputers.

In the 1970s, a number of simulation languages with rather different characteristics were developed. This was a period that saw a rapid expansion in the use of inexpensive minicomputers that were incapable of supporting full-scale CSSLs. Instead, CSSLs were developed specifically to exploit the advantages of minicomputers, particularly their ability to provide handson, interactive computing. These languages included ISIS, developed at the University ofSalford (England) by Dr. John Hay and the author, and the DARE series of languages developed by Korn and Wait at the University of Arizona.

ISIS was an interpreter language written in FORTRAN (initially for the DEC PDP-8). It provided the basis for the ISIM language.

seen one example; another is listed below:

VEL' = G * (THRUST - DRAG)

IW - G

Readers familiar with FORTRAN or BASIC should be reasonably comfortable with this example. The only unusual feature is the use of a prime (') to represent differentiation. We would use a second derivative (e.g., VOUT") to define a second-order differential equation.

A complete model of a system will often contain a mixture of differential and algebraic equations. For example:

DYNAMIC W = 3000 - 40 * r DRAG = K * Y' * * 2 Y " = G * (THRUST - DRAG)

M - G

These equations are a very simplified model of the launch phase of a rocket. The first statement uses the key word DYNAMIC to introduce the equations. W is the weight of the rocket plus fuel that is initially 3000 pounds, but is falling at the rate of 40 pounds per second. DRAG is the

drag force that is proportional to velocity squared. The final statement relates the acceleration of the rocket Y" to the THRUST of the rocket motors, the DRAG, the weight W, and the gravitational acceleration G. THRUST is treated as a constant in this case and is set elsewhere in the program.

The part of the program depicted above is called the DYNAMIC region. It specifies the differential and related equations to be solved between an initial time (usually zero) and a userspecified final time. The solution proceeds in a step-by-step manner using a time increment that is also set by the user.

Before the DYNAMIC region can be processed, a certain amount of initialization of the model is needed. Time T must be set to zero and the initial values of Y, Y', and THRUST (all zero) must also be set. These operations need only be performed once and this occurs in the INITIAL region that precedes the DYNAMIC region as follows:

ISIM, along with most other CSSLs, also has a TERMINAL region for any calculations or output to be made after the completion of a run.

To be of any utility, a simulation needs output statements. Because CSSLs are concerned with time histories, the most useful types of output are tabulated numerical output or graph plots. These can be easily provided by ISFM statements of the form:

OUTPUT T, Y, V for a table of values of T, Y, and Y' and

PLOT T, Y, 0, TFIN, 0, 50,000 for a graph of Y against T.

The OUTPUT statement automatically prints headings, selects number formats, and prints one line of output at regular intervals controlled by the user by setting the value of system variable CINT (communication interval). A sample of the output produced is shown below:

T

Y

Y'

INITIAL

1.0000

0.0000

0.0000

Y - 0; Y'

= 0; T

■ 0

2.0000

21.659

43.319

THRUST

= 7000

3.0000

86.984

BYTE

87.330

May 1984 '

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The PLOT statement produces a graph plot of Y against T on a graphics terminal. The additional parameters specify that T will be plotted between zero and its maximum value TFIN (time final), another system variable set by the user. Y will be plotted from zero to 50,000 (the estimated maximum altitude of the rocket for this run).

Encore Presentations

So far, our program is concerned with describing the system that is to be simulated and the form of output. All CSSLs also provide facilities for controlling a sequence of simulation runs, since it is rarely sufficient to simply make one run of the simulation with fixed parameters. Multiple runs may be made for several reasons: to observe the behavior of the system with different values of key parameters or initial conditions; or to run the same case with a different step-length for the numerical integration routine, to check on accuracy; or to run it with different OUTPUT or PLOT statements, and so on. (In simulation terminology, we are performing an experiment on the model.)

ISIM provides a slightly unusual but very flexible approach to defining the experiment compared to most other CSSLs. The conventional approach is to use RUN-control commands that change values and output requirements, and call for a single run. Setting up a sequence of runs using this approach can involve long lists of commands specifying each change with a RUN command for each run. The ISIM method is to incorporate the definition of the experiment into the program in a control section of code that appears before the model definition. This section of code can be written using looping and branching statements based on FORTRAN DO and IF statements. A run of the model is called using a SIM statement. This structure sees the experiment as a main program and the model as a subroutine. As an example, an experiment that calls for three runs with THRUST set to 6500, 7000, and 7500 pounds, and uses a time step (CINT) of 1 second to a final time (TFIN) of 50 seconds, can be

programmed as follows:

: ROCKET PROBLEM

CINT = 1.0; TFIN = 50

DO 10 THRUST=6500,7000,7500

RESET; SIM 10 CONTINUE

The colon (:) signifies a comment line. The DO statement is like a FORTRAN DO. The 10 is a label that defines the range of the DO loop. CONTINUE is a do-nothing statement that simply provides a convenient place to terminate the DO. RESET initializes the model to the state it had before its last run and SIM calls for the simulation to be run. In the example, three simulation runs will be made with THRUST set to 6500, 7000, and 7500 pounds.

Our complete program is shown in listing 1.

ISIM has a number of other features, including functions and subroutines and special simulation functions. A feature common to most CSSLs is the PREPARE statement. The keyword PREPARE is followed by a list of variables. Rather than being tabulated or plotted, the value of the variables are stored in a disk file at each time step. They are then available at the end of a series of runs to be plotted in a variety of ways, the user having the choice of which variables and which runs are to be plotted. These graphs can be produced on a graphics terminal or as character plots on a video display terminal or printing terminal.

Interactive Features

The full power of ISIM cannot be appreciated without some reference to its command structure, for it is through ISIM's commands that the interactive power of the language is made available. The ISIM system is always in one of two modes, command mode or program mode. In command mode the system prompt is "$" and in program mode it is "?".

When in program mode, ISIM statements are entered from the keyboard. The ISIM processor checks each line for syntax errors as it is input and generates an immediate er

ror message when a fault is detected. Correct lines are translated to an intermediate code that is interpreted at run time (similar to the Pascal p-system).

To switch to command mode, type "$" followed by an ISIM command. Commands are available to list all or part of the current program ($LIST), to change, delete, or insert lines in the program ($CHANGE, $DELETE, or $INSERT), and to execute the program ($START). Alternatively, the program can be saved to a CP/M file ($SAVE), the program buffer can be cleared ($KILL), or a new program can be read from a file ($READ).

After a program has been executed, further commands can be used. The final value of any variable can be requested by using the command $VAL followed by the variable name. If the program contains a PREPARE statement, the $GRAPH or $TGRAPH command will produce graphs on a graphics terminal or alphanumeric terminal respectively.

Nor is this type of interaction confined to the end of a program run. Execution of the program can be interrupted and temporarily suspended in one of two ways: either at a predetermined point by inserting an INTERACT statement in the program at the point of interruption, or by simply pressing any key on the keyboard during program execution.

Once the program is suspended it is possible to request values of variables or change them, using the $VAL command. It is even possible to change the time step or the method of solving the differential equations for the remainder of the run. One can also change the output specification: the $OUTPUT or $PLOT commands override the effect of existing program statements, if any, and $XOUT or $XPLOT reverts to the programmed situation.

When these features are taken as a whole, they provide the ISIM user with the ability to interact with the computer in the development, execution, and evaluation of simulation models. The single-user environment of most microcomputers lends itself particularly well to this type of operation. Larger mainframes and multi

Listing 1: 77ris rocket simulation model is run with three different values of thrust.

: ROCKET PROBLEM

CINT=1.0;TFIN = 50

DO 10 THRUST = 6500,7000,7500

RESET;SIM 10 CONTINUE INITIAL

Y = 0;Y'=0;T = 0 : THRUST IS NOW SET IN EXPERIMENT DYNAMIC

W = 3000-40*T

DRAG = K*Y'**2

Y" = G*(THRUST - DRAG)/W - G

OUTPUT T,Y,Y'

PLOT T,Y,0,TFIN,0,50000

user minicomputers, though capable of handling larger programs, are often unable to support this degree of interaction. In many ways the microcomputer provides an ideal basis for interactive simulation, especially the more powerful 16-bit systems that can address more memory than the 8-bit systems.

Where Do We Go from Here?

Shortage of memory restricts the power of the simulation system in two ways. One is that provision of a full range of facilities such as are present in ISIM takes a lot of code, more than can be handled at one time in 64K bytes of memory. Disk overlays are necessary, although no disk swapping occurs during actual execution of a simulation run. ISIM uses nine overlays. Second, the amount of memory that can be allocated for the user program is also restricted. The much larger available memory space of the 16-bit systems will largely eliminate these problems and an IBM PC (Personal Computer) version of ISIM is due to be released early in 1984. ■

Roy E. Crosbie is a professor of computer science at California State University (Chico, CA 95926). He has a B. Eng. and a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Liverpool University in England.

Software Information

To obtain software mentioned in article contact Crosbie, Hay, and Associates, FOB 943, Chico, CA 95927.

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SuperS ft

Language Library

For PC DOS: MS DOS, CP/M-86, and others

A programmer's most important software tool is the language compiler or interpreter he uses. He has to depend on it to work and work well.

At SuperSoft, we believe it. That's why we offer three fine compilers: SuperSoft FORTRAN, SuperSoft BASIC, and SuperSoft C, that answer the programmer's need for rock solid, dependable performance on 16 bit systems.

BASIC

COMPILER

Compatible with Microsoft BASIC

The SuperSoft BASIC compiler, available under CP/M-86 and MS DOS, is compatible with Microsoft* BASIC and follows the ANSI standard.

Greater accuracy with BCD math routines

If you have used other languages without BCD math, you know how disconcerting decimal round off errors can be. For example:

With IBM PC*

With SuperSoft

BASIC

BASIC with

BCD math

10 A=99

10 A=99

20 PRINT A

20 PRINT A

30 END

30 END

Output: .9899999

Output: .99

As you can see, SuperSoft BASIC with BCD provides greater assurance in applications where accuracy is critical.

SuperSoft's BASIC is a true native code compiler, not an intermediate code interpreter. It is a superset of standard BASIC, supporting numerous extensions to the language. Important features include:

■ Four variable types: Integer, String, and Single and Double Precision Floating Point (13 digit)

■ Full PRINT USING for formatted output

■ Long variable names

■ Error trapping

■ Matrices with up to 32 dimensions

■ Boolean operators OR, AND, NOT, XOR, EQV, IMP

■ Supports random and sequential disk files with a complete set of file manipulation statements

■ IEEE floating point available soon as an option

■ No run time license fee

Requires: 128K memory

BASIC compiler: $300.00

For CP/M-86: MS DOS, and PC DOS

*SuperSoft BASIC is compatible with Microsoft BASIC interpreter and IBM PC BASIC. Due to version differences and inherent differences in compilers and interpreters some minor variations may be found. Machine dependent commands may not be supported. The vast majority of programs will run with no changes.

FORTRAN

SuperSoft FORTRAN is the answer to the growing need for a high quality FORTRAN compiler running under CP/M-86 and IBM PC DOS. It has major advantages over other FORTRAN compilers for the 8086. For example, consider the benchmark program used to test the IBM FORTRAN in InfoWorld, p. 44, Oct. 25, 1982. (While the differential listed will not be the same for all benchmark programs, we feel it is a good indication of the quality of our compiler.) Results are as follows:

IBM FORTRAN: SuperSoft FORTRAN

38.0 Seconds 2.8 Seconds

In its first release SuperSoft FORTRAN offers the following outstanding features:

1. Full ANSI 66 standard FORTRAN with important extensions

2. Standard data types, double precision, varying string length, complex numbers

3. Free format input and free format string output

4. Compact object code and run time support

5. Special functions include string functions, dynamic allocation, time/date, and video access

6. Debug support: subscript checking, good runtime messages

7. Full IEEE floating point

8. Full 8087 support available as option ($50.00).

9. Ratfor preprocessor available as option ($100.00).

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In conjunction with SuperSoft, SuperSoft FORTRAN

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Japanese Distributor:

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C Compiler

j

In 1982 SuperSoft helped C programmers around the world move their applications from 8 to 16 bit operating systems with the first C compiler under CP/M-86:8 PC DOS, and MS DOS.

Today there are several C compilers on the market, and you can look at them all. But if you want a C that's fully portable, syntactically compatible with UNIX version 7 C, rigorously tested, fast in both compilation and execution, packed with more library functions than any other, and produces a very highly optimized assembly code...then you'll find only one. The SuperSoft C compiler.

Professional Quality

SuperSoft started working on C over three years ago, and the work has never stopped. While others were struggling to put in features, SuperSoft was refining and polishing...adding the quality professionals depend on.

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Thorough User Manual

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Indexing Open-Ended Tree

Structures

How to "walk" through a "grove" of A-trees in search of hierarchical nodes

One challenge to software designers is the problem of how to keep track of the elements within a hierarchy. For example, in a multilevel, menu-driven system, users always start with a main menu that lists the major functions. They select a major function, which may result in another menu of subfunctions. If it does, they then select a subfunction, which may result in still another menu of sub-subfunctions. When a function is completed, there should

John Snyder Disc Inc.

be a flexible, automatic selection of another function (e.g., return to the main menu or go directly to another subfunction menu).

Another example of a hierarchical structure is an assembly process, where, instead of a main menu, there is an assembled part and, instead of subfunctions, subparts.

Both examples represent openended tree structures. That is, each node may be a terminus, or it may be the origin of any number of subnodes.

ROOT LEVEL

Figure 1: In this sample A-tree, each box denotes a node. Each node is identified by two numbers: its subscript node number and, in parentheses, its element number. The subscript levels are depicted to the right of the tree.

Problems with Open-Ended Trees

For the purpose of menu (or similar selection-driven) processing, subscripts are the easiest index to use. For example, if we start each subscript with zero, then the main menu is 0, 0, 0, . . ., and the 7th selection from the main menu is I, 0, 0, . . ., and so on.

Assuming that the depth of the tree is the longest chain of nodes, the tree can be structured as an array with its dimension equal to the depth, and it can be indexed by conventional subscripts (I, J, K, . . .). Actual entries in this multidimensional array may be record numbers, function codes, or whatever the application dictates. However, such an array will be lightly filled and subject to the restriction that entry I, }, K can exist only if entry I, J exists.

What is needed is a structure for looking up entry values that are indexed by subscripts without the prohibitive overhead of this potentially huge array.

The A-Tree Solution

Instead of using a single multidimensional array, two one-dimensional arrays are used to effect a solution. The first array describes the tree structure and is called an A-tree ("A" for awkward). This array has one element for each node of the tree. By "walking" through the tree from top to bottom and from left to right, you

406 BYTE May 1984

can discover the relationship between the nodes of the tree and the array elements.

Figure 1 illustrates a sample A-tree. Each node is marked with its subscript reference number and with its A-tree element number in parentheses. The absence of unused lowerlevel subscripts emphasizes the open-ended depth of the tree. The values of the A-tree array describe the tree structure. Each element contains the number of subnodes originating from the node to which the element corresponds. The first three columns of table 1 list the A-tree array that corresponds to the sample tree in figure 1.

Clearly, the array uniquely defines the tree structure. Now, once you locate an entry in the A-tree array, the corresponding entry in the second array will contain the data needed for processing. Thus, the second array is a parallel reference array for the Atree array.

The A-Tree Searching Method

The definition is simple enough, and the structure is certainly space efficient, but now that you have it, what do you do with it? Obviously, the A-tree cannot be interrogated by any conventional search method. You certainly do not want to do a "tree walk" to look up an entry every time.

It turns out there is a fairly effective—if not simple—method of scanning the A-tree array through the use of a difference table. This difference table is developed as follows: if N is an A-tree element number, and A(N) is its corresponding A-tree element value, first define the sum (S) for this element as S(0) = 0 and S(N) = S(N - 1) + A(N - V for N greater than 0. Then define the difference (D) for this element as D(N) = S(N) - N.

The last two columns of table 1 list the sums and differences for our sample tree in figure 1. You can now use the A-tree array and its associated difference values to find any subscripted reference. (The sums are only intermediate calculation figures; they are not actually used in the search.)

The basic algorithm is as follows: if N is an A-tree element number that

Subscript

A-Tree

A-Tree

Element A-Tree

Node

Element

Element

Value Difference

Number(s)

Number

Value

Sum Value

(1, J, K, ...)

(N)

(A)

(S) (D)

Root

0

3

0 0

1

1

3

3 2

1,1

2

1

6 4

1,1, 1

3

3

7 4

1,1,1,1

4

0

10 6

1, 1, 1, 2

5

0

10 5

1,1,1,3

6

0

10 4

1,2

7

0

10 3

1,3

8

1

10 2

1,3,1

9

1

11 2

1, 3, 1, 1

10

0

12 2

2

11

2

12 1

2,1

12

1

14 2

2,1,1

13

0

15 2

2, 2

14

2

15 1

2,2,1

15

1

17 2

2,2,1,1

16

0

18 2

2,2,2

17

0

18 1

3

18

2

18 0

3,1

19

0

20 1

3,2

20

1

20 0

3,2,1

21

2

21 0

3, 2, 1, 1

22

0

23 1

3,2,1,2

23

0

23 0

Table 1: A tabular representation of

the sample A-tree.

The first two columns contain

the data from

figure

1. Column 3 holds A(N), the element value that corresponds to

N. Column 4 shows each node's sum,

a number used to calculate its difference, which

i's shown in

zolumn

5.

corresponds to a given node, and you wish to find the element number corresponding to the fth subnode originating from the given node, then, first, check A(N) to make sure it exists, i.e., A(N) cannot be less than I; then calculate V = D(N) + A(N) I; finally, scan for the first occurrence of V = D(M) with M greater than N. Such an occurrence is guaranteed, and M will correspond to the desired node.

Since the root is always element zero (0), and since the algorithm can be repeated for as many subscript levels as are necessary, you can find the element number of any combination of subscripts through successive scans.

For example, suppose you wish to find the A-tree element corresponding to subscripts 3, 2, 1 in the sample tree. Using table 1, start at the root and look for 3. Since A(0) = 3, you know 3 exists. Then, calculate

V = D(0) + A(0) - 3

= 0 + 3-3 = 0

So, starting with element number 1, scan the differences for the first 0, located at element number 18. Looking now for 3, 2 (3, 2 exists because A(18) = 2), calculate

V = D(18) + A(18) - 2 = 0 + 2-2

= 0

Scanning from element number 19, you will find the first difference of 0 at element 20. Finally (3, 2, 1 exists because A(20) = 1), calculate

V = D(20) + A(20) - 1 = 0 + 1-1

= 0

Scanning from element number 21, you will find the first difference of 0

BYTE May 1984 407

at element 21 and that completes your search. (This method can be mathematically proven by induction through the subscript levels.)

Programming this is much easier than it sounds at first, and it can be quite fast when you use string scan instructions. You can speed it up even more by saving the subscripts of the last node found and the pointers to each of its upward chain nodes. This enables you to start the next search with the lowest common node to the last node.

Updating the A-Tree

Adding entries to or deleting entries from an existing A-tree is slightly tedious and involves shifting portions of the array. To add a new node, first check that a back chain, or entry for the next highest subscript value, exists. Then add 1 to the element value of the next highest subscript. Finally, insert a 0 in the appropriate location (a difference table search can be used to find this location), and shift all remaining entries up by one position.

To delete a node, reverse this procedure. First, check that no forward chain exists, that is, that the A-tree entry for the element to be deleted has a value of 0. Then, subtract 1 from the element value of the next higher subscript. Finally, delete the entry by shifting all remaining entries down by one position.

These procedures assume that you can insert or delete a middle node for a given subscript level. For example, you can add an entry between 2, 3 and 2, 4 as a new 2, 4, making the existing 2, 4 now 2, 5, and so on down the line. If doing this causes problems, you can modify these procedures to only allow adding or deleting the last entry at a subscript level.

Comments on Applications

In actual use of an A-tree, you must determine the maximum number of nodes allowed in the tree and the maximum number of subscripts to be allowed for reference. If the A-tree reference array is being used for a limited resource, such as record numbers, it may be useful to keep

408 BYTE May 1984

deleted reference entries at the end of the reference array for reuse when new entries are added.

Note that each entry of the A-tree is the start of another complete A-tree. That is, every A-tree consists of a "nest" of A-trees. In the part assembly example, it may be useful to have a separate index on the A-tree array by part number. Such an index provides direct reference to each nested A-tree subpart. To demonstrate the handiness of the A-tree, imagine that you wish to find all of the unassembled subparts that constitute a given part. To do so, you need only search for all of the A-tree entry values of 0 between the given subpart and the next subpart at the same subscript level.

The reference array entries need not be unique. In fact, the same item may appear any number of times in a given tree. If such duplication is extensive and includes not only individual nodes but all subordinate subnodes, you can use reference "pointer" nodes. That is, after the first occurrence of a subtree, any other occurrences of the same sub

tree are represented by terminus nodes that point to the subtree's starting node.

You can even make "reentrant" references, pointing from one node to a node linked above it. Pointer nodes allow cross-branching and make the connectedness (and hierarchy) of the tree unlimited.

Sample Programs

To illustrate the structure of A-trees, I have included listings 1, 2, and 3, functions written in C that perform the A-tree search algorithm. Routines Searcher and Findindx are openended (they do not know the overall length of the A-tree or the number of subscript levels it contains). As long as the lowest subscript value passed is 0, they will terminate properly. To accomplish this, it is necessary to define several work arrays (used exclusively by these functions) as arguments. ■

John Snyder is a vice-president responsible for technical support for Disc Inc. (3837 Naylors Lane, Baltimore, MD 21208). He has been a software consultant for 17 years.

Listing 1: Routine Calcdiff, written in C, determines the A-tree's difference values. /tttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt

tt *t t* tt tt «f tt tt tt tt tt tt tt tt tt tt tt tt

naie

synopsis

description

calcdiff — Calculate the difference table for an A-Tree

calcdiff(atree, adiff, size); int *atree> Pointer to input A-Tree int tadiff; Pointer to output difference table int size; Nmber of entries in atreeU

and adiffU

If N is an A-Tree eleient nmber and A(N) is its corresponding A-Tree eleient value, first define the "sut" for this elenent as

S(0) = 0 and

SIN) = S(N-l) + A(N-l) for N>0. Then define the "difference" for this eleient as

DIN) = SIN) - N.

tt tt tt tt tt tt tt tt tt tt tt tt tt tt tt tt tt

H

ttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttfttttttttttftttttttttfttttttttttttttttttttttttti/

calcdiff(atree, adiff, size) int tatree, tadiff, size; {

int sua = 0, count = 0; do {

Listing 1 continued on page 410

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Listing 1 continued:

tadiff++ = sui - count; sui += tatree++5 } while (++count < size); return; }

Listing 2: This routine, Searcher, finds the lowest common node between the previous and current sets of subscripts. This information is used to search in routine Findindx.

/tttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttftittittttttttt*tttttttttt*tttttttt

tt ft tf H H it tt tt tt tt tt tt tf tt tt tt tt tt tt it tt tt tt tt tt tt tt tt tt tt tt

naie

synopsis

searcher — Optimizer "front end" for findindx function.

index = searcher(atree, adiff, subs, last, inds);

int index;

int tatree; int tadiff;

int *subs;

int tiast;

int tinds;

Output index to atreef] corresponding to input subscript values. Set to -1 if entry does not exist. Pointer to input ft-Tree Pointer to input difference table Pointer to input subscript array, i.e., subsCOl = I, subsHl = J, etc. Pointer to array containing saved values of last subs array (saved by findindx)

Pointer to array containing saved values of index corresponding to each lastU value, i.e., inds[0] is

index for last[01,0,0 indstll

is index for last[01,lasttl],0,...

description

tt tt tt tt tt tt tt tt tt tt tt tt tt tt tt tt

it H tt tt tt tt tt tt

searcher locates the lowest couon node between the current set of subscripts and the last set of subscripts, adjusts pointers accordingly, and calls findindx to coiplete the search. Note subs and last *t ■ust be long enough to always allow an extra (zero) tt subscript at the end. (Also, adiff, last, and inds could be local to calcdiff, searcher, and findindx. However, this would not allow thei to be of arbitrary length.)

tt tt tt tt tt

ftttttiiifttttfftiftttttttttttittitttttiittttttttlitmttttttttttttttitttttttt/

searcher(atree, adiff, subs, last, inds) int tatree, *adiff, *subs, *last, *inds," {

int index = 0;

while (tsubs && *last && tsubs « tlast) ( index = tinds++; subs++i last++; }

atree += index; adiff += index;

index = findindx(atree, adiff, subs, last, inds, index); return I index);

410 BYTE May 1984

Circle 28 on inquiry card.

Listing 3: The Findindx routine performs the actual search within the A-tree algorithm. /********************************************************* ******* **************

naie

synopsis

findindx

index

Search A-Tree for entry corresponding to a given set of subscripts and return the index.

findindx(atree, adiff, subs, last, inds, index);

int index! Output index to atreeU corres

ponding to input subscript values. Set to -1 if entry does not exist.

int *atree, *adiff, *subs, *last, *indsj

See function searcher for definitions

int index,' Input starting index value set by searcher

description

** ** *t ** ** ** ** ** ** « ** *t t* ** ** ** ** ** **

it

** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** t* ** 1* **************************************♦*********»*******»**»****«***********/

findindx (atree, adiff, subs, last, inds, index) int *atree, *adiff, *subs, *last, *inds, index; {

int value;

if (*subs == 0) {

♦last = Oi

return(index); } if (*atree < «subs) {

♦last = o;

index = -1;

return(index); }

value = *adiff + *atree - *subs; do (

index++;

atree++; } Nhile (value != *++adiff); *inds++ = index; *last++ = «5ubs++;

index = findindx(atree, adiff, subs, last, ihds, index); return(index);

If N is an A-Tree eleeent nuiber corresponding to a given node, and we Hish to find the ele»ent nu»ber ** corresponding to the Ith sub-node originating froa ** the given node:

(1) First, check A(N) to sake sure it exists, i.e., AIN) cannot be less than I

(2) Calculate V = D(N) + A(N) - I

(3) Scan for the first occurrence of V ■ DIM) with H>N

Such an occurrence is guaranteed, and M will correspond to the desired node, findindx performs this ** algorithi recursively until a zero value subscript « is encountered. **

**

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BYTE May 1984 411

IBM PC Software: the value of choosing

Shoes. If they don't fit, they're not worth wearing.

Software programs. If they don't fit, they're not worth using.

That's why it's altogether fitting that IBM Personal Computer Software offers you a choice.

Size up the selection.

\du'11 find many types of programs in the IBM software library. They'll help keep you on your toes in the office, at home or in school.

There are, in fact, seven different categories of IBM programs called "families." A family of software tor business, productivity,! education, entertainment, lifestyle, communications or programming.

Of course, every program in every family is tested and approved by IBM. And IBM Personal Computer Software is made to be compatible with IBM Personal Computer hardware.

412 BYTE May 1984

programs that fit.

Puttingyour best foot forward.

Although every person isn't on equal footing when it comes to using personal computer software, there's something for almost everyone in the IBM software library.

For example, you may be on a shoestring budget and want a big selection of programs with small price tags.

You may be introducing students to computing and want programs that are simple to use and simple to learn.

\bu may run a business requiring sophisticated inventory and payroll programs. Or you may run a business requiring a single accounting program.

\bu may write interoffice memos and want a streamlined word processing program. Or you may be a novelist looking for a program with features worth writing home about.

Now you can find IBM Personal Computer Software that fits — to help you accomplish specific tasks and reach individual goals.

Stroll into a store today.

What's the next step?

Visit an authorized IBM Personal Computer dealer or IBM Product Center near you. lb find out exactly where, call 800-447-4700. In Alaska or Hawaii, 800-447-0890.

Ask your dealer to demonstrate your choice of programs. Then get comfortable. Sit down at the keyboard and try IBM software on for size.

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BYTE May 1984 413

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414 BYTE May 1984

Circle 42 on inquiry card.

Using Comments to Aid Program Maintenance

Complex software can be maintained more easily by the judicious use of remarks embedded within program code

DOCUMENTATION-noun (Latin documentum, "warning") 1. The promised literature that fails to arrive with the supporting hardware; 2. A single, illegible, photocopied page of proprietary caveats and suggested infractions; 3. The detailed, unindexed description of a superseded package.

—From The Devil's DP Dictionary

by Stan Kelly-Bootle

Real-life documentation comes disturbingly close to Kelly-Bootle's comic assessment, a fact bemoaned by programmers who have to set up, modify, or maintain software. Documentation is a critical part of program maintenance, and maintaining programs has been estimated to consume up to 50 percent or more of the average electronic-data-processing budget in a company.

Programming "comments" are a more important aspect of documentation than is generally recognized. Often these comments, written into the program code, are the only form of documentation a maintenance programmer uses when trying to navigate an unfamiliar program. In

Richard A. Thomas Engineering and Mining Journal

theory they are the programmer's guide to how a program works.

Comments are part of the "internal" documentation written for the programmer, as differentiated from the end-user's manual. But the industry is, as yet, without a standard for such comments or a widely accepted format for their placement. As many companies have found, rarely does this internal documentation— which includes flowcharts, pseudocode, and the listing itself, as well as the comments—contain all the information necessary for maintaining a program.

What internal documentation is present, according to Robert Glass and Ronald Noiseux in their Software Maintenance Guidebook, "is frequently out of date and thus, unreliable." Of the different types of often unreliable internal documentation, comments are perhaps the worst offenders. These remarks turn out to be inadequate, misleading, or dead wrong as much as half the time. And for better or worse, they tend to be the most long-lived documentation because they are embedded in the code itself.

Problems with Comments

Comments are intended for people, not compilers. As such, they are most often set off by delimiters, the first of which signals the compiler to ignore the material that follows until it sees some terminating delimiter. Assembly language and all higherlevel languages have some notation for setting off program comments. In assembly language, an asterisk or semicolon in column 1 identifies the line as a comment; in COBOL, an asterisk appears in column 7; in FORTRAN, a "C" is used in column 1; in RPG, an asterisk appears in column 7; and in APL, a special "jot" symbol is used.

According to one computer-industry study done in England, 10 generations of maintenance programmers maintain an average program before it is discarded and rewritten. If the intra-program documentation in this average program is up to date and explicit, many man-hours of code deciphering will be saved over the life of the program. If the comments are redundant, out of date, or otherwise misleading, maintaining the program will consume many

BYTE May 1984 415

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budget dollars, frequently more than if the code had been completely uncommented.

Hence, comments sometimes are not only useless but also result in substantial hidden costs that pad the data-processing maintenance department's time sheets.

Why do comments so often fail to lower maintenance costs, and in some cases actually increase them? Problems with comments in listings appear to fall into one of five general categories:

1. Comments are present but not useful in understanding the code, usually because they are redundant, self-indulgent, or vague.

2. Comments are incorrect translations of the associated code.

3. Too many comments exist, causing distraction.

Often these comments are the only form of

documentation a

programmer uses to

navigate an unfamiliar

program.

4. Comments are absent altogether, leaving the maintenance programmer to guess at code meanings.

5. Comments are outdated, not having been maintained along with the code.

The first problem is the most common. Comments frequently echo the code, with no added value accruing to the reader. Redundancy is often the result of adhering to an arbitrary standard that specifies x number of comments for y number of coded lines. The programmer may find nothing much to say about the last three lines of code that the code does not say itself. The result is a trivial comment like "Multiply M by N and add result to total."

Redundancy also occurs because a programmer does not understand the meaning behind the program's application. For example, the programmer may insert comments like "Multiple price by quantity" or "Sub

tract Velocityl from Velocity^ and divide result by Time" that echo the code, unaware that, in fact, "Revenue" and "Acceleration," respectively, are being calculated.

A programmer's egoism may also contribute to the lack of usefulness of the comments. Ed Yourdon, in his book Techniques of Program Structure and Design, writes, "Many programmers seem to write comments as personal messages to themselves, that is, to remind themselves of the purpose of the particular instruction or program statement they used. The personal note, though, may be completely indecipherable to anyone else."

Often a programmer's comments are vague and imprecise, seemingly written with the unconscious assumption that the maintenance programmer is a part-time telepath who can divine meanings from the ether. Some authors feel this supports the widespread belief that programmers hate to document and are notoriously bad writers. Yourdon further suggests that some software creators strike the superior attitude: "Any decent programmer ought to be able to understand this."

The second category, comments that don't even remotely agree with the associated code, is particularly costly. The maintenance programmer looking at such comments is, in a sense, starting from below zero on the understanding scale, not even knowing that the comment has actually said nothing related to the code. The maintenance programmer then falls victim to what Gerald Weinberg calls the "psychological set."

Loosely defined, the psychological set is a blind spot caused by what you believe to be true. If, as a programmer, you read an erroneous comment and then delve into the code, you will be hindered by what you "know." Yourdon and Weinberg both cite experiments indicating that maintenance programmers might at times be better off stripping all comments from the code before trying to debug or modify a listing. With some experienced programmers, this is already standard operating procedure.

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The third category, too many comments, may come as a surprise to new programmers operating under the general academic edict that "more is better." The problem most often springs from arbitrary decrees concerning code/comment ratios (discussed earlier), from programmers not having enough to do, or from abortive attempts to document a particularly tricky or obscure piece of logic.

Since a maintenance programmer working in a high-level language is required to remember a wide range of variables, many of which are irrelevant to the present assignment, the addition of a barrage of unnecessary comments compounds the problem by distracting or misleading the programmer and thus reducing the readability of the code.

The fourth category, uncommented programs, resides at the opposite end of the spectrum. Yourdon does not mince words about the importance of comments in listings:

In my opinion, there is nothing in the programming field more despicable than an uncommented program. A programmer can be forgiven many sins and flights of fancy ... however, no programmer, no matter how wise, no matter how experienced, no matter how hard-pressed for time, no matter how well-intentioned, should be forgiven an uncommented program.

Reasons for not commenting a program vary considerably, but the result is usually the same—maintenance programmers wandering around for hours, chewing up pencils and scratching their heads, trying to puzzle out what 10 lines of code do in a 20-page listing.

Here are some reasons why code goes urtcommented: (1) documentation gets skipped on "rush" projects;

(2) the programmer believes the program is only going to be used once;

(3) the programmer mistakenly thinks comments will take up too much space (a consideration only in very small microsystems); (4) the programmer believes the program will

418 BYTE May 1984

Circle 438 on inquiry card.

run substantially faster without comments; (5) the program is simple, and the programmer feels no one could misunderstand it; (6) the programmer is lazy.

The final category of problems, outdated comments, is only a subset of a larger problem, namely, outdated documentation. As I mentioned earlier, programs are around a long time before being put to pasture. The accompanying documentation, both internal and external, frequently becomes marginal or useless after a few changes are made in the software.

Many programmers simply do not bother to change comments to reflect their modifications. Usually, no review is made to discover whether comments have also been updated during maintenance. Getting the program back up and running is a company's only concern. Often when updates or refinements are made in the code, the maintenance programmer will document these changes at the top of the module or program, leaving a host of now-irrelevant comments in the body of the listing, to be tripped over by the next generation.

Historical Treatment in Literature

After examining a sizable portion of the available information on program comments in both books and magazines, I can offer a few short generalizations.

First, most books on electronic data processing treat the subject superficially or not at all. This is especially true of journals, which, paradoxically, run a fair share of articles on documentation but seem unaware that this includes comments. On the other hand, those books that do treat the subject in some depth are very new (late 1970s through the early 1980s); hence, the ideas embodied in them are not yet widely disseminated. And, finally, much of the available literature is divergent, strongly opinionated, and somewhat dogmatic.

Regarding this last point, the most evident debate centers on how many comments are appropriate. Several authors advise liberal use of com

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BYTE May 1984 419

merits; some even presume to offer a numerical guideline (surprisingly, Yourdon recommends an average of one comment for every two to three lines of code). Other sources caution that the programmer be stingy with comments, using them only where absolutely necessary. Still others suggest that the question of how many comments misses the point—it is quality that counts.

Another debate concerns standards. Should they be applied to program comments, or will suggested guidelines suffice? Standards are accused of stifling creativity in some literature, while elsewhere they are lauded as the only means for controlling output.

A third controversy revolves around where important internal documentation should be physically located. While most internal documentation currently resides in manuals and other media separate from the actual code, several theorists believe the main documentation should be embedded within the code itself. Glass and Noiseux's text on

maintenance ".. . recommends the 'heresy' that the listing be the place where most software documentation is placed. Nearly every requirement for documentation describing a program can be met and, in fact, probably exceeded by requiring the same information in the listing."

Combating the Problem

Given the existence of high program-maintenance costs in the electronic-data-processing industry and the importance of comments to the maintenance programmer, what seems to be needed is a more structured approach to the use of comments. This means more extensive treatment in universities and colleges, specifically in programming and design classes, and the development within industry of more effective standards and other means for controlling how comments are used.

The suggestion that educators play a larger role in developing standards may raise the ire of instructors who feel they have treated the area sufficiently. What I suggest is a more for

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mal approach to the use of programming comments with emphasis on (1) debunking the "many-comments" myth; (2) determining when to add comments in a program's development cycle; (3) deciding what to comment; (4) establishing where the comments are best placed, assuming options exist; and (5) working toward the "egoless programming" model, all detailed below.

Perhaps the dogma about the positive value of many comments should be de-emphasized and replaced by a better understanding of how and why comments should be used. Comments are a form of "defensive code" that should protect a maintenance programmer, much like "idiotproofing" a program protects the data-entry clerk or the user.

The brief survey that accompanies this article (see the text box on page 421) is my own invention. Not meant to be a scientific sampling, the responses are from 100 people who work in the data-processing field, teach, or edit computer journals. The survey points out that many dataprocessing professionals append comments after they are finished coding, a practice that goes relatively undisputed (and largely unaddressed) in the classroom. However, several writers suggest that this temporal separation is far from optimal.

According to Eric Weiss in Computer Usage—Fundamentals, "Too often, programmers wait until they have finished their programs before turning to documentation. THIS IS A SERIOUS MISTAKE. The programmer can save effort and time, and make his documentation much better, simply by documenting his program as he prepares it." Yourdon reinforces this: "Documentation can be just as useful during the design and implementation of a program as it is afterward. The very act of writing documentation usually forces the programmer to reexamine the basic workings of his programs."

Authors' opinions vary on which specific elements of a program require comments. However, a few generalizations are available to guide the new programmer. Among the most important of these is Weinberg's

420 BYTE May 1984

Comments on Comments

The survey results below represent a

Yes: 23

Average = 341 points divided'by100

sampling of 100 data-processing executives,

No: 15

respondents = 3.41

teachers, and computer-magazine editors,

I don't know: 29

all of whom have had experience with pro

5. When maintaining/modifying someone

gram analysis. Participants were not

3. When do you insert or attach comments

else's code, do you change old comments

selected by means of any statistical pattern,

to programs that you are creating?

to reflect your updates?

and their responses are meant only as a

(N = 100)

straw poll on the subject of programming

Rarely: 24

comments.

Before: 8

Usually: 28

During: 73

Frequently: 11

1. Does your organization use any project

After: 35

Always: 37

documentation standard? (sample size

(N) = 100 respondents; average num

(11 people checked more than one

6. How successful were the creators of

ber of years experience = 8)

answer: 5 checked all three, 6 checked

COBOL in their attempt to make a lan

During and After coding)

guage "self-documenting"?

Yes: 67

No: 33

4. How useful are other people's comments

Unsuccessful: 21

in helping you to understand, modify,

Somewhat successful: 65

2. If your answer to question 1 is Yes, does

and/or maintain their programs?

Very successful: 14

the standard contain any rules or

(where 1 = very useful, 5 = no value,

guidelines concerning the use of com

and 10 = harmful)

ments in program listings? (sample sub

set = 67)

reminder that the whole idea of a comment is to prepare the mind of the reader for a proper interpretation of the instruction to which it is appended. A brief sampling of authors' suggestions on what should be commented includes the following recommendations:

•Comment all data, since understanding data is often the key to understanding the program. •Distinguish between true constants and initialized variables via comments.

•Introduce all modules with comments—a practice that often helps the programmer recognize that a module is not functionally cohesive. (Some authors even suggest putting the pseudocode at the top of each module.)

• Comment all "tricky" or obscure logic; however, it is better to make such logic "untricky." As a rule it is better to rewrite such code.

Most authors agree that comments should be physically offset from the associated code. Weiss suggests that comments can be handled more easi

ly as insertions between instructions than as attachments to the instructions themselves; the comments can then be changed readily without having to retype or repunch any instruction, which may allow new errors to creep in.

In other scenarios, comments can be consistently indented or even highlighted with underlines or boldface. Glenford Myers suggests in his book Software Reliability: Principles and Practices that comments be offset to the extreme right of a listing, permitting a programmer to examine the code without interruption. In his words, comments "should be analogous to footnotes in a book."

A programmer should view the code as a part of the entire project rather than his or her personal, fragile baby. With regard to comments, this means recognizing that a given piece of code does not rise and set by its creator's word. Other people will rework it, probably many times over. Ego pursuit can even blind the programmer to the fact that a module may have unintended interactions with other modules, a problem for which the art of com

ment writing has few remedies.

Classroom discussions on the five concepts above cannot singlehandedly combat the future drain on financial resources caused by poor commenting. The electronic-dataprocessing industry must also establish and support more explicit standards or guidelines for using comments.

"Programs written to standards, whatever else may be said about them, are usually more predictable and therefore often easier to get aboard more quickly. That, in turn, contributes to preventing maintenance," say Glass and Noiseux, who express a preference for general guidelines over less flexible standards. They further call for an audit to see that comments are inserted properly.

Unfortunately, the industry appears remiss in driving these points home. An unexpectedly high percentage of the data-processing professionals surveyed have no projectdocumentation standard in their companies (see survey question 1).

Two other points about standards for comments are worth mentioning.

BYTE May 1984 421

First, their quality must be highclear, concise, well-written—or they will simply be ignored. Second, as William McGee emphasizes in Effective Program Development—The Choices, supervisors' reinforcement must be positive and regular, with support from all levels of management. Standards alone will not produce highquality documentation.

The Future

Comments are necessary because programs are cryptic. In this writer's

opinion, it is a safe bet that compilers of the future will support more selfdocumenting, more English-like programming languages, thereby reducing the need for comments.

However, current efforts at making languages self-documenting have met with only limited success. The industry's greatest attempt to create a self-documenting languageCOBOL—was only partly successful (see the final survey question).

Until self-documenting languages achieve better results, industry will

operate on a "show-me" basis. Companies are slow to incorporate new approaches without concrete cost/ benefit data. And no panaceas will permanently roll back maintenance costs into insignificance. Glass and Noiseux conclude: "No matter how well the preventive maintenance task is performed, we must face the onerous fact that the majority of the effort will be simply hard work. Only by thorough, painstaking attention to the detail of the program can some problems be resolved."■

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References

1. Computer Usage Co. Inc. Eric A. Weiss, ed.

Computer Usage—Fundamentals, 2nd ed.

New York: McGraw-Hill, 1975. 2.Glass, Robert L, and Ronald A. Noiseux.

Software Maintenance Guidebook. Engle

wood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1981.

3. Jordain, Philip B., and Michael Breslau, eds. Condensed Computer Encyclopedia. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1969.

4. Kelly-Bootle, Stan. The Devil's DP Dictionary. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1981.

5. Kernighan, Brian W., and P J. Plauger. The Elements ol Programming Style, 2nd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1978.

6. Kreitzberg, Charles B., and Ben Shneiderman. The Elements of FORTRAN Style: Techniques for Effective Programming. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1972.

7. McGee, William C. Effective Program Development—The Choices. Los Angeles: Data Processing Digest, 1969.

8. Myers, Glenford J. Software Reliability: Principles and Practices. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1975.

9. Needham, R. M., and J. D. Aron. "Software Engineering and Computer Science." In Software Engineering: Concepts and Techniques. P. Naur, B. Randell, and J. N. Buxton, eds. London: Mason-Charter Publishers, 1976.

10. Sammet, Jean E. Programming Languages: History and Fundamentals. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1969.

11. Weinberg, Gerald M. The Psychology of Computer Programming. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1971.

12.Yourdon, Edward. Techniques of Program Structure and Design. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1975.

Richard A. Thomas is a senior editor o/Engineering and Mining Journal, a McGraw-Hill technical publication (1221 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020). He is a regular consultant on computerized typesetting systems used by the company. Mr. Thomas holds an M.B.A. in computer systems and finance from Rice University, and he is a microcomputer hobbyist.

422

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elcome to t... computer shows designed specifically for BYTE subscribers. . .the BYTE Computer Shows. The first will be in Chicago's McCormick Place on May 10-12, but you don't have to travel cross-country to get there—others will be held this year in San Francisco, Boston and Los Angeles.

The BYTE Shows will be "selling" shows— where you can buy, not just look. BYTE subscribers will enjoy special reduced admission prices to all BYTE shows, and conference seminars, "hose seminars will be targeted to the interests of BYTE subscribers, and led by such BYTE favorites as

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sionally produced by The Interface Group—the same pros who bring you the Comdex Shows. Their show know-how, combined with BYTE's editorial expertise, will make the BYTE Shows ideal information centers and shopping marts for BYTE subscribers.

IVJLore details on BYTE subscriber benefits will be coming to you by mail. But plan now to be ir Chicago May 10-12, or at the BYT Show nearest you!

BYTE's User to User

Conducted by Jerry Pournelle

Heathkit Happiness

Dear Jerry,

I was very disappointed with the "Heathkit Horror" letter written to you by Mr. Richard J. Townsend (January, page 452). I feel very strongly that Mr. townsend didn't convey the whole story of his experience with his H-100 kit.

Building a Heathkit is not an electronic experience; it is an experience in following a long, detailed checklist. My wife knows very little about electronics but has successfully completed several Heathkits. She uses her skills as a seamstress (which includes following instructions) to complete the kits.

My rampant curiosity over Mr. Townsend's letter led me to call a Heath store with the same, but hypothetical, problem. We worked with the assumption that the board was ruined when it was half completed. I was offered several options. I could buy a blank board for $25 and start over again. I could then finish the new board with the unused components. I might have to buy replacement parts for the ones I couldn't salvage from the ruined board. If the parts were not on hand, they could be ordered to arrive in 5 to 10 days. This option would cost between $40 and $75, a cheap lesson in carefulness.

If I were really in a hurry, and free with my money, I could buy the entire diskcontroller kit (H-207) for about $395 and start fresh. Again, if not on hand, the delay would be no more than 5 to 10 days.

This consultation was conducted over the telephone, free of charge and mine for the asking. Mr. Townsend probably could have had this information had he asked for it.

Digging a little deeper, I figured that the "local Heath store" for Orinda, California, was probably the El Cerrito store. I gave the "We Won't Let You Fail" folks there a call to find out how Mr. Townsend's problem could fall through the cracks. When I called, the problem had been long solved. The end of the story for Mr. Townsend was a brand-new, fully assembled, functionally checked, disk-controller board.

According to the Heath folks, this is the current policy for customers that fry that particular board during construction.

That is part of the attitude that makes me a loyal Heath/Zenith customer. It would be a cold day in a fiery place before I would expect Radio Shack or IBM to. serve their customers out of pocket like that. Daniel J. Epright Murfreesboro, TN

Thanks for tracking down the end of the story. I know the Zenith folks were pretty upset when they saw Townsend's letter, but it arrived there during a blizzard in Illinois, and I missed the rest.

I agree that assembly of Heathkits is in large part an exercise in carefully following instructions. I know five or six people who've built their own Z-lOOs, and they're all happy with them. They also understand their computers better. If you have the time, it's not a bad way to get into the computer revolution. . . Jerry

In Defense of CB-80

Dear Jerry,

I've noticed Modula-2 growing on you over the last several months. I don't want to start a contest between it and CB-80 but merely address an issue you raised in your January User's Column on page 80.

To me, it was good news, not bad news, to discover that CB-80 does no range checking on array indices. It seems to me that wherever an index could get out of range, the program has to check it anyway so as not to crash, even if there is an error message. Much array work is controlled by loops. In those situations, the speed gained by skipping the range check may be valuable. In other words, automatic, low-level range checking would be, in any actual case, either unnecessary or inadequate at run time. True, its absence can put a burden on the programmer—one more possible mystery to debug—but I think it's worth the burden. Of course, the new structure certainly ought to have been documented.

CB-80's not checking ranges and not insisting on a DIM statement (being satisfied with a declaration) are the very things that provide a way to write functions that operate on arrays. The installment of my series in the February Lifelines offers the idea in the course of a discus

sion of array structure. In particular, you can write function KILARY%, which recovers the space of an array as you suggest. It is a bit cumbersome, I admit, and you need one for each dimensionality. And it sure would be nice if we could pass arrays to functions more easily. Still, it does the job; to me, the overall speed and simplicity are worth the effort in the relatively few cases where they're needed. One other point. As I understand it, the unassigned value of a string is not exactly a default, but no value at all. The compiler allocates a word of space to each string mentioned in the source; the value of that word is zero until the string is assigned, at which time the value becomes a pointer (SADD) to the string. The assignment NULL$ ="" compiles a constant consisting of a length word of zero and, at run time, copies that constant to a new place whose address is placed in the allocation for NULL$. The address of the allocation, of course, is VARPTR(NULL$). John S. Coggeshall Philadelphia, PA

Of course, one person's bug is another's feature; my problem with CB-80 is that it's all too easy (for me, anyway) to write code that can sometimes let a subscript exceed its intended range; the resulting crash gives no indication whatever that this is the problem.

The original CB-80 really was Compiled CBASIC; that meant you could compile your program under CBASIC, which, being only pseudocompiled and then interpreted, was very slow but had range and dimension checking. This made it simple to test programs, and when they ran properly under CBASIC, you could compile them for speed.

Alas, the last versions of CB-80 have nifty features that were not added to CBASIC.

Programming "philosophy" varies with the programmer. Those who spend a lot of time writing programs will generally prefer speed of execution to programmer convenience. In my case, though, programming is something I do along with many other things, and 1 need all the help the computer can give me. One of the values of Pascal is that once you get a program past the compiler, the program generally does what you wanted it to do. CBASIC used to work that way; CB-80 doesn't. I hate to think like a computer: I want the compiler to catch my mistakes.

426 BYTE May 1984

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BYTE's User to User.

Incidentally, Digital Research tellsme it's looking at a number of possible upgrades to CB-80, including having a special compiler that would do range checking and other debugging assistance. That should be good news to CB-80 enthusiasts. . . Jerry

Jerry Quixote

Dear Jerry,

Yesterday I opened my latest purchase of software for my IBM PC. It's a 6805

cross-assembler by Avocet Systems of Dover, Delaware. I am aware of your software disclaimer crusade and I thought that you should see what I found in my licensing agreement.

Sit down.

The manufacturer actually guarantees the software will work or it will fix it; if the company can't fix it, it will give my money back.

I have included a copy of that section of the disclaimer where Avocet doesn't disclaim anything.

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Don't get cocky, but I think you may have knocked over a small windmill. Thomas Quinn Blue Bell, PA

I saw the Avocet people at CP/M East, just after my tirade about the company's previous disclaimer appeared in print. They were very polite and said they intended to make real changes in the licensing agreement. Hoxvever, I never received the update. Thanks. It's quite reasonable. That's an agreeable surprise.

Now for the larger ivindmills. . . Jerry

Almost Persuaded

Dear Jerry,

A couple of comments concerning FORTH: first, Leo Brodie, who wrote Starting FORTH, has completed a sequel, Thinking FORTH, to be published this spring by Prentice-Hall. I have read the manuscript and it is excellent. The first part of the book, in which he discusses general precepts of programming, will be of interest even to non-FORTH programmers. I hope that you will have an opportunity to read the book.

FORTH, unlike most computer languages, was developed and refined "in the field" by practicing programmers who faced real-world tasks and demands. Its structure and methods stem directly from the need to get the job done with minimum use of critical resources: computer memory, computer power, and programmer time. FORTH was thus designed so that programs written in it would be easy to write, modify, and maintain.

FORTH, like Modula-2 and Pascal, is compiled, but in FORTH compilation is immediate upon the definition of a word, and the new word is called merely by invoking its name. This frees the programmer from various intermediary complexities (separate compilation, linking, etc.). More important, it allows for immediate, on-the-spot testing and use of each small unit, which permits the programmer a natural and iterative process of development.

The immediacy of the compilation, and the brevity of definition that allows, enables the programmer to interact with the program as it is written. In situations in which the feedback from one's actions is immediate, one can achieve a state of mind in which one's efforts and effects each shape the other and consciousness merges with the process so that one

428 byi

May W84

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BYTE May 1984 429

REPORT ON NEW PERIPHERAL HARDWARE

CHOOSING A

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The "Second Serial Hardware Decision"...

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430 BYTE M.iy 1984

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BYTE's User to User.

becomes "lost" in the work—a maximally productive state of mind. This state of mind is familiar to most artists. In their work with brush, pencil, or clay, they are in immediate contact with their medium —they can try something, see what it does, and let that result shape their next step. It is familiar to actors, to athletes, and to all who get immediate feedback as they work.

It is unfamiliar to most programmers simply because most programming languages are structured and implemented in a way that presents a barrier to immediate feedback, that erects a wall of time and procedures between idea and result, and that discourages impromptu casual experimentation that leads to serious experimentation that leads to this creative state of mind.

Although a computer program is purely a work of the mind, few programming languages pay attention to how the mind works: the way people deal with "chunks" of information, the relatively small number of "chunks" that can be active at any one time, the importance of names for these chunks, the processes of analysis—dividing large tasks into small tasks—and synthesis—combining these pieces synergistically into a whole—and the importance of immediate, interactive feedback, as described above. The programmers who created FORTH perhaps did better than they realized, because FORTH's structure matches in all important ways the processes by which people create expressions of their ideas.

Moreover, FORTH's internal structure and mechanisms are so few and so simple that the programmer can look inside it and understand exactly how it works; such an understanding is also a key component of a good tool, because the programmer gains from it a strong sense of control and confidence that enables him or her not only to get the most from the FORTH as he or she received it, but also to extend the language to address novel situations and unique problems.

That is why FORTH programmers become so devoted to this language: like any good tool, it fits. It is shaped to match the user, and thus feels like a natural extension of the user's own capabilities. It doesn't get in the way but allows the user to focus on the problem at hand. And because FORTH so well matches the way we work, it even helps in solving the problem. Who could ask for more? Michael Ham Iowa City, IA

You make such a good case for FORTH that I'm tempted to try it. Alas, I don't seem to have any good current implementation for any of the machines I have, and I suspect that by the time I get one, I'll have lost the impulse; but perhaps not.

I know something of the creative mood you speak of; indeed, I'm reminded of some of my best programming efforts, which were done in BASIC, when I first started playing with these machines. Those programs have long since been converted to more efficient languages, but their concepts remain pretty good.

Certainly FORTH produces devoted and enthusiastic followers! . . .Jerry

More on Modula-2

Dear Jerry,

I am following with great interest your comments on the fascinating language Modula-2. I have two questions: Are there any publications, in addition to Dr. Wirth's book? What is the address of the

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BYTE May 1984 431

Why are there so many ads

in BYTE f

BYTE carries more pages of advertising than any other computer magazine in the world, because:

1. BYTE is the only high-tech magazine serving the entire microcomputer field. Our editorial covers all hardware, all software, all peripherals. Therefore, every computerrelated product belongs in BYTE.

2. Do you know any sophisticated computer user who doesn't know BYTE? Over 400,000 pay to read BYTE every month because it is the authority, the international standard by which all other computer magazines are measured. Including pass-along, BYTE's high-tech readership totals nearly 850,000. It's an audience every advertiser wants.

3. Do BYTE readers like all those ads? They'll send over 6 million "more-information" inquiries to our advertisers this year. No other magazine comes close. Whether in the front, middle or back of the magazine, ad pages in BYTE average over 1,000 inquiries. Some back-of-book advertisers have pulled over 2,000 with a single ad!

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n

Time (seconds)

Result*

30

2.2

2.48199 x 106

40

4.9

8.1533 x 106

50

9.2

2.053552 x 107

60

15.6

4.369284 x 107

70

24.5

8.272824 x 107

80

36.3

1.4384182 x 108

90

51.5

2.3429192 x 108

100

70.4

3.6250627 x 10B

•Computed to

sing

le precision (24-bit mantissa),

so trailing digits may be nonsense

Table 1: NS16032

timing

results.

n

Time (seconds)

Result*

30

246.45

2.48199 x 106

40

584.04

8.1533 x 106

50

1107.93

2.05355 x 10'

60

1899.90

4.36928 x 107

"Computed to single precision (24-bit mantissa), so trailing digits may be nonsense

Table 2: Timing results of largest cases that fit into the Olivetti M20 (in BASIC).

Modula Research Institute? I thank you in advance for the information. A. Vargas New York, NY

The documents that come with Volition Systems Modula-2 are about the best introduction to the language I know of. I know of no other Modula-2 introduction in print except for Wirth's book, which some claim to be a sure cure for insomnia. Dr. Michael Hyson and I are writing a tutorial and introduction that ought to be in print next fall.

A lot of Modula-2 software is in the public domain and can be obtained from Modula Research Institute, 950 North University Ave., Provo, UT 84604. . . Jerry

Timing the NS16032

Dear Jerry,

Seeing your reminder in the December 1983 User's Column (Kazango!, page 92) galvanized me into—well, reduced sloth. Table 1 shows the n x n time results for an NS16032 CPU with NS16081 FPU running at 10 MHz and no wait states. The program is the Pascal version. Table 2 illustrates the results from my Olivetti M20. Richard Mateosian Berkeley, CA

That 16032 is fast! The chip looks awfully good; a lot of minicomputers can't do what the 16032 can do. Now all we have to do is get systems using it . . .

Bill Godbout tells me he'll have an S-100 version running fairly well late this spring, but it will be for development work only; users will have to wait a year or so. . . .Jerry

QX-IO CP/M Utilities

Dear Jerry,

You've mentioned that Barry Workman is putting a number of CP/M utilities into Epson QX-10 format, available for a reasonable charge. What are they, and how can they be gotten hold of? I love the machine, but as you know, obtaining formatted software is a royal pain in the neck. Naively I contacted my dealer, expecting her to access some programs. She referred me to an "Epson Hot Line," which turned out to be a wholesale distributor of Epson programs in California. The only way that software could be obtained, however, would be by having my dealer contract to buy programs from them. Help! Irene Matiatos Jackson Heights, NY

Barry has a number of CP/M geueralpurpose utilities, such as disk catalogs, directory handlers, erased-file recovery programs, etc., which he sells at reasonable prices. Recently he put a number of them over onto the Epson QX-10.

I have an experimental copy of Wordstar for the Epson; it seems to work fine.

For the utilities, you need to talk to Barry Workman at (818) 796-4401. For Epson Wordstar, you'll need to write Micropro; it should have it commercially available by now. . . .Jerry

Another Valdocs User

Dear Jerry,

I couldn't disagree more strongly with your distaste for the Epson QX-10. I've had mine for a year, am a beta site for Valdocs, and have been through nearly every version of that marvelous piece of software.

Is the QX-10 slow? Absolutely not. I touch-type at a fairly high speed and have no problems whatsoever. Disk operations can be somewhat less speedy than I'd like—block moves, for instance, are definitely tedious—but on balance, I see little difference between my QX-10 with Valdocs and an IBM PC running Wordstar. (Timing differences, that is. For ease of use, keyboard excellence, and onscreen display, the QX-10 cannot be beaten.) I did add the Comrex hard disk, which significantly improves speed and flexibility.

I use the QX-10 daily, have written many hundreds of thousands of words on it, and am totally satisfied. As West Coast Editor for Popular Science, I use the QX-10 to transmit my copy to New York and to receive proof copies back. I get electronicmail news releases from JPL and a Los Angeles PR agency, both of which have installed QX-lOs and are happy. I expect to receive considerably more electronic mail as the Valdocs program improves.

I am frequently asked for computer recommendations, as you are. The only machines I recommend to writers are the QX-10, for those who can afford it, and the Kaypro, for those who can't. In any office setting, where word processing is important, the QX-10 is a superb machine and Valdocs is the only way to go. I'll stand by that until I see something better.

By the way, the new Titan board, which converts the QX-10 into an IBM PC lookalike and which serves as a 256K-byte RAM disk for Valdocs, should make the

434 BYTE May 1984

for Performance, Quality and Reliability

Anyone can sell you a box full of hardware. But is it too much computer? Too little? Will it run the appropriate software? What about service? If you need the right answers both before and after the sale, call your nearest Full Service CompuPro System Center. For product information, see pgs. 120-1

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BYTE's User to User.

machine even more attractive. 1 hope to have one installed in my QX-10 within a few weeks.

This letter was written on my QX-10 and printed out on my antique MX-80. Valdocs lets the MX-80 produce fairly sharp type, which I frequently use for correspondence. From starting to write to completing the printing, this letter took 16:02 (timed with the Valdocs timer, by the way). James L. Schefter Playa del Rey, CA

I'm glad you like your QX-10.

Epson continues to improve the machine, and I'm told there will be a really wonderful new Valdocs Real Soon Now. I've always thought Valdocs was great in conception but too complex for a Z80; when 16-bit conversions for the QX-10 are available, maybe the execution will be up to the concept.

Meanwhile, it takes nearly a full minute simply to erase a single file under Valdocs, and if it took us 16 minutes to produce each letter, we'd be further behind than we are. . . Jerry

Detecting Errors

Dear Jerry,

In the January User's Column on page 68 you said, "Eagle tells me it did a lot of work on parity checking and found that it decreases the overall reliability by 15 percent." Did you really think about this before you committed it to print?

Some companies realize that memory chips have higher error rates than most other computer circuits and have designed appropriate error-detection schemes, such as parity, into their computers. For Eagle to produce a computer that will let these errors go undetected and tell us this is better upsets me.

Perhaps the problem is the definition of reliability. Apparently some people feel that a computer is reliable if it will always do something without regard for the validity of the result. I view reliability as being able to trust what the computer tells me. Detecting errors with parity and similar techniques increases reliability.

If you need your computer "right now," you might be upset when your machine stops running because of a small error. Alternately, undetected errors can result in misleading responses when you ask "What if. . ." What if you make an important business decision based on erroneous answers? Wouldn't you rather

436 BYTE May 1984

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BYTE's User to User.

know that your computer is having problems so you can ask another machine for a second opinion? Paul Crumley Monroeville, PA

J didn't say 1 agreed with Eagle's position; I reported what its vice-president for development told me. Dr. Godbout tends to your view: he doesn't trust dynamic-memory chips operated at high speeds and wants parity checking.

On the other hand, present parity-checking

software doesn't restore your data; it merely dumps your job if it finds an error—which could be caused by a genuine memory error or (about a 15 percent chance) by an error in the chip that stores the parity bits.

Eagle lets you test memory on start-up; if it detects a faulty memory chip, it gives you the choice of running the system or not. The IBM simply won't work if it finds a memory error, even if the error is in high memory you'll not use for most of your programs, lean certainly think of times when I want the machine, and don't care if there's a minor

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memory error. Other times, though, I'd completely agree with you. I guess there ain't no justice. . . .Jerry

Televideo 950 and Palantir

Dear Jerry,

On your Televideo 950 (if you haven't gotten rid of it): it's easier to cut traces and disable keys than it is to insert the PROM, and you can always solder back over them if you have to. I've disabled 925 and 950 break keys more than once (they reset the OSM Zeus, among other machines, and are in a position that's even more dangerous than the Back Tab).

There is a program that enables you to use the arrow keys, the home keys, the Back Tab (it's used for decimal tab, I believe), and most of the function keys and special keys to do word processing in what appears to be a dedicated wordprocessing environment. It's Palantir Word Processing, and it's just the ticket for a lot of people. It's easy to use and conceptually easier to understand for a lot of people who are not computer literate. Unfortunately, Palantir supplies little labels (which come off and get lost) instead of key-caps, but its program is good, and its mail-merge-Iike utility is built in and included in the price (and more like a language than simply a "mail-merge"). It's a good product. Jeff Lasman Simi Valley, CA

I've reviewed Palantir; it was written by the original author of Magic Wand (a.k.a. Peachtext), and it incorporates a fair number of features I like.

For the record: feff Lasman is the editor of the newsletter of the Valley Computer Club, 1409 Kuehner Dr. Suite S-80, Simi Valley, CA 93063; dues are $10 a year, and well worth it for anyone in that area interested in computers. One of its previous speakers was Tony Pietsch, and it has good meetings.

While I'm on that subject, I can also recommend the Connecticut Micro Decision Users Group, 773 Dixwell Ave., Box #5, Neiv Haven, CT 06511. The current issue of its newsletter has a long piece on public-domain softivare. . . Jerry

More on Superfile

Dear Jerry, I would like to respond to the letter you

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BYTE's User to User.

printed in your December 1983 column from Alan Beagley in Australia ("For Your Information/' page 508). Obviously, Mr. Beagley's friend is a novice user of the Superfile utility program since neither he nor Mr. Beagley realized that the power of the rename facility lies in its being able to rename any filename to any other filename, even ones that are illegal in CP/M. Therefore, the file he accidentally renamed to MAIL LIS could have easily been renamed again using the Superfile utility program. You don't need DU, Spat,

or some other program to do this.

FYI Inc. (the maker of Superfile) gives the utility program away with Superfile. When I asked the company why it went to the trouble to write the utilities, FYI said that it wrote it for its own use and decided to include it with Superfile for customers who needed its capabilities.

It is also obvious from your comments last June and your comments after Mr. Beagley's letter that you have not taken the time to learn what Superfile really does. But I'll bet even you will be as

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founded by FYI's newest product called FYI 3000 (available on the IBM PC). I recently used one and could hardly believe my eyes. This program takes standard text files from my word processor and cross-indexes all the paragraphs in the files, using every word as a keyword. FYI says that it will handle 65,000 keywords and 65,000 paragraphs (with 500 words each) in a single filing system. One more amazing feature of FYI 3000: it gives me a count of each word in my text so I can analyze my word usage.

If you call FYI, I'll bet it will send you a review copy of FYI 3000 if you promise to give it a closer look than you did Superfile. Please try to reorient your thinking from the fixed-field approach to the more natural free-format approach used by Superfile and FYI 3000.

I read your column and appreciate your frank approach. However, I do wish you would be a little more careful in your research so that you don't give your readers erroneous advice. John Shine

You may recall that FYI's silly licensing agreement was so terrible that I couldn't legally run its software, since 1 have to use more than one machine. I understand it has changed that and made other changes as well. Apparently I had an early copy of the program; in any event, I haven't seen the updated version you describe.

Although I do sometimes solicit review software, for awhile there was such a long queue of good stuff that I hesitated to add to it. Now that we've added to the permanent staff, things are a little better here at Chaos Manor. A little better. . . Jerry

Jerry Pournelle welcomes readers' comments and opinions. Send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to ferry Pournelle, do BYTE Publications, POB 372, Hancock, NH 03449. Please put your address on the letter as well as on the envelope. Due to the high volume of letters, Jerry cannot guarantee a personal reply.

jerry Pournelle is a former aerospace engineer and current science-fiction writer who loves to play with computers.

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4966 II (amino Real, Suile IOI Los Alios, CA 94022 (415) 949-0141 TI.X 171854 1BC

Circle 256 on inquiry card.

Circle 82 on inquiry card.

Circle 199 on inquiry card.

Let your fingers do the shopping in the

"Electronic Mall"

For all of your Radio Shack

and TRS-80™ Needs

Save Time - Save Money!

GO PE-1

Now on CompuServe

Pan American Electronics

(BOO) 531-7466/(512) 581-2766

Telex 767339

1117 Conway Ave.

Mission, Texas 78572

(6502 & Z-80 dual processor) 64K COMPUTERS (Apple compatible) in super modern styles. US$420

^^

**""""" US$425 IBM pc compatible, parts,

■(Above prices exclude drives, monitor) case, CPU, etc. ■Add 5% as shipping charge SCALL

(Detail brochure forwarded on request) •We also sell cases, keyboards, power supplies,

motherboards, components separately and interfaces. ■ Full repair & guarantee available

•Assembled in Canada with C.S.A. (Shipment from VW., U.&A.) ABC COMPUTERS LTD. (6 stores in B.C. Canada) 683 E. HASTING ST., VANCOUVER, &C CANADA VGA 2Z8 PH: (604) 254-2834 & 254-1062 Dealer inquiries welcome

Apple Is a registered trademark ol Apple Computer Inc.

AFFORDABLE

M 68000

COMPUTER SYSTEM

M68KCPU 6-10 MHz CPU, 20K static RAM,

an 16K EPROM, on board monitor,

two RS-232 serial ports, 16-bit

parallel port, 5 timer/counters

expansion bus.

Bare board 9 99.95

Complete Kit 8615.00

MDS12K 128-512K static RAM.floppy disk controller & hard disk interface

Bare board $99.95

Complete Kit (128K)... 8725.00 M68KE Enclosure with power supply, fan, filter, 4 slot card cage

$249.00

M60KASM M68000 Macro Cross Assembler for CP/M80, IBM PC, TRS-80 and Apple II computers

8149.00

UPS shipping & handling * 4.00

COD orders add 8 3.00

Foreign orders add 820.00

California residents add 6.5% tax

CTIt/f C Educational

dl»lC3Microcomputer (714)553-0133

P.O. Box 16115 • Irvine, CA 92713

Circle 306 on inquiry card.

Circle 12 on inquiry card.

Circle 154 on inquiry card.

DATA ACQUISITION

and control for ANY computer

The Model 8232 communicates via RS-232, and has 8 analog inputs (0-5 VDC; 8 bits), 8 digital inputs and outputs, and a 2000 point buffer. Suitable for field data logging or lab use, the 8232 costs only $540. Direct bus-connect unit for TRS80/III & 4 is $295. Detailed manual, $6. Phone our applications engineer or write:

+ ,a STARBUCK + +

M « DATA COMPANY « w

POBox24^ewton^A02162(617^37^695

INDUSTRIAL CONTROL MICROCOMPUTERS

We have six single board computers, two video boards and 20 other control products. You can use our products for security systems, heat control, light control, automated slide show, traffic lights, irrigation systems, home computer systems, automated process control, and robot control just to name a few. OEM prices available. For catalog call or write to:

JOHN BELL ENGINEERING, INC.

1014 CENTER STREET

SAN CARLOS, CA. 94070

(415)592-8411

HARD DISK DRIVE SURPLUS SALE!

$350 ea.

*Sayyou're a BYTE reader to get this special price — normally $380!

High reliability 8" Shugart SA 1002 5.33 Mbyte drives for $350. ea., unused in their original factory packed cartons. 1000's of pleased customers. Also available: new Western Digital controller card ($350.); interfaces for IBM, Apple, S-100, STD, Heath/Zenith, SS-50, SS-30. Shipping for drive, $12. Call before they're gone — LIQUIDATORS, 803-877-9828, or send check or money order to 105 S. Main St., Greer, S.C. 29651.

Circle 364 on inquiry card.

Circle 56 on inquiry card.

Circle 235 on inquiry card.

ST^

4

7~"7

EPSON LQ-ISOQ

vi3U

or miracle.

Or how Epson got two

astonishing printers to

occupy the same space.

The new LO-1500:

You've never seen anything quite like the new Epson LQ-1500 Business Printer. It switches effortlessly back and forth between draft and letter-quality printing, on fanfold* or single sheet paper. And it does it at a price every office can afford.

Two for one.

With the LQ-1500 in draft mode, you can race through a report at 200 characters per second. Then switch over to letter quality and polish off a pile of correspondence four times faster than the average daisy wheel.

Need graphics? The LQ-1500 gives you business charts with a crispness and definition you wouldn't think possible in a dot matrix. And with the LQ-1500's 15.5-inch carriage, your spreadsheets and ledgers can take on a distinction they've never had before. The secret.

The Epson LQ-1500 is the logical extension of Epson's outstanding dot matrix printers. Instead of nine "wires" forming each letter, however, the LQ-1500 has 24. So you get letter-quality characters to rival fine office typewriters. In proportional. Italic. And condensed, expanded, subscript, superscript and over 200 other different typefaces. All without changing a print wheel. With the LQ-1500, you can even create 128 characters or symbols of your own and add them to the printer's internal memory. String of miracles.

For Epson, the LQ-1500 is just one more in a long line of miracles, many of which are also on display at your neighborhood computer dealer.

And like all products in the Epson line, the LQ-1500 is now backed by a one-year warranty on parts and labor, ready to go to work with just about any personal computer made, and available in more places than any other brand. But that's not really miraculous. That's just Epson.

The way the LQ-1500 goes from high-speed draft. . .to letter qualityj printing is a positive miracle!

Actual LQ-1500 print sample.

Number one. And built like it. Ell O V/IN

EPSON AMERICA, INC.

3415 Kashiwa Street, Torrance, California 90505 Call (800) 421-5426 for the Epson dealer in your area. In California call (213) 539-9140.

Epson is a registered trademark and LQ-1500 is a trademark of Epson America. Inc. *With optional tractor unit

Circle 168 on inquiry card.

Event Queue

May 1984

May-June

Computer Showcase Expos,

various sites throughout the U.S. National and local vendors exhibit a broad range of small systems, peripherals, software, services, and supplies. For a show schedule, contact the Interface Group Inc., 300 First Ave., Needham, MA 02194, (800) 3253330; in Massachusetts, (617) 449-6600.

May-June

Courses from QED Information Sciences, various sites throughout the U.S. and Canada. A few of the courses to be held are "Project Management," "Systems Design," and "Structured Programming." For a complete list of titles, contact Priscilla Goudreault, QED Information Sciences Inc., QED Plaza, 170 Linden St., POB 181, Wellesley, MA 02181, (800) 343-4848; in Massachusetts, (617) 2375656.

May-June

National Educational Computer Library Conferences,

various sites throughout the U.S. The National Educational Computer & Technology Conference and the Eastern and Southern Educational Computer Conferences are on the agenda this spring. For details, contact National Educational Computer Library, POB 792, Torrington, CT 06790, (203) 489-2728.

May-June

Productivity '84, various sites throughout the U.S. This series of two-day programs serves as a showcase of Hewlett-Packard products. Seminars are available, and more than 25 products are to be demonstrated, including the HP 150 personal computer and laser printers. Ad

mission is free. For more information, contact HewlettPackard, Public Relations Department, 3000 Hanover St., Palo Alto, CA 94304, (800) 554-4466.

May-June

Seminars from the Continuing Education Institute, various sites throughout the U.S. Among the seminars offered are "Database Machines: An Overview," "Modern Techniques in Digital Signal Processing and Spectral Estimation," and "Peripheral Array Processors." For complete information, contact Continuing Education Institute, Oliver's Carriage House, 5410 Leaf Treader Way, Columbia, MD 21044, (301) 596-0111; in California, (213) 824-9545.

May-June

Seminars from Datapro Research Corporation, various sites throughout the U.S. Subject areas include data communications, microcomputers, and information systems. In-house presentations of technical programs can be arranged. For a 40-page catalog of seminars, contact Datapro Research Corp., 1805 Underwood Blvd., Delran, NJ 08075, (800) 257-9406; in New Jersey, (609) 764-0100.

May-June

Seminars from Technology Transfer Institute, various sites throughout the U.S. The Technology Transfer Institute sponsors the James Martin Seminar and a one-day executive-only seminar called "The End-User Revolution." The programs explore such topics as evolving to electronic banking, relational database, and executive strategies for the information age. Full details on the seminars, registration, and meeting locations are available from the Technology Transfer Institute, 741 10th St., Santa

Monica, CA 90402, (213) 3948305.

May-June

Understanding Microprocessor-based Equipment and Troubleshooting, Chicago, IL, Detroit, MI, and Minneapolis, MN. This comprehensive four-day seminar provides a background in microprocessor fundamentals and troubleshooting techniques for technicians and engineers. Equipment familiarization and hands-on experimentation are emphasized. On-site presentations can be arranged. For information, contact the Registrar, Micro Systems Institute, Garnett, KS 66032, (913) 8986152.

May-July

Courses from Integrated Computer Systems, various sites throughout the U.S. Among the courses to be presented are "Designing with 16-bit Micros," "Programming in C: A Hands-on Workshop," and "Hands-on Unix Workshop." The fee for each course is $895. Enrollment details are available from Ruth Dordick, Integrated Computer Systems, 6305 Arizona Place, POB 45405, Los Angeles, CA 90045, (213) 417-8888.

May-July

Reliability and Maintainability Engineering Institutes and Short Courses, various sites throughout the U.S. A couple of the programs to be offered are "Reliability Engineering, Testing, and Maintainability Engineering" and "Mechanical Reliability and Probabilistic Design for Reliability—The Stress/Strength Interference Approach to Designing a Desired Reliability into Components and Equipment." For a complete schedule, contact Dr. Dimitri Kececioglu, Col

lege of Engineering, Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, (602) 621-2495.

May-August

Compuworkshops Computer Seminars for Educators,

various locations throughout California. Among the seminars offered are "Authoring Tools and Word Processing for Educators," "BASIC Programming for Educators," "Designing Educational Courseware," "Computer Literacy for Educators," and "How to Set up a Computerbased Education Program in Your School or District." The fee is $50 per course. For details, contact Compukids of Seal Beach, Rossmoor Shopping Center, 12385 Seal Beach Blvd., Seal Beach, CA 90740, (213) 430-7226; West Los Angeles, (213) 473-8002; Tarzana, (213) 343-4008; Rancho Bernardo/San Diego, (619) 451-1742.

May-August

Conferences and Expositions from the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, various sites throughout the U.S. and around the world. More than 25 conferences and expositions are scheduled. For a calendar, contact the Public Relations Department, Society of Manufacturing Engineers, One SME Dr., POB 930, Dearborn, MI 48121, (313) 271-0777.

May-August

Courses in C Language and Unix, Concord, MA, Somers Point, NJ, and College Park, MD. Three five-day courses are offered: "C Programming Workshop," "Advanced C Topics Seminar," and "Unix Workshop." For complete details, contact Joan Hall, Plum Hall Inc., 1 Spruce Ave., Cardiff, NJ 08232, (609) 927-3770.

444 BYTE May 1984

IBM PC/XT COMPATIBLE

10MB and 20MB WINCHESTER

256KB to 512KB MEMORY

' w""*^

Chrislin's 10MB & 20MB Hard Disks come with host interface adapter, controller, Winchester drive, power supply and cable.

Enhance your

system with a

CHRISLIN HARD

DISK SUBSYSTEM

and

MEMORY

iiiiimiiiitiiii. | iiiiliiimiimiil iimiiiiiiiiiliiij iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

Each Chrislin memory comes with an RS232C (serial) port, RAM disk emulator and 256KB-512 KB of parity memory.

"DEALER INQUIRIES INVITED"

DECLSI-11 COMPATIBLE

10MB to 140MB jm ^ 256KB to 4MB

Q-BUS WINCHESTER ^j |^ Q-BUS MEMORIES

Each Winchester comes with 2MB .,„ .,.,-. «.-D mtAn

... , ,, , ,„,„ „ ^na^BBHa^^MiM UP IO 4MB QUAD

dual drive, double density (8 ) floppy m '

■ , ... , , . .. U ■ • Control status reqister

backup. All systems include controller ~ , , .. 3

.... • On board parity

and cablinS- • Block mode DMA

EMULATION RL02 ^^^^^^^B SINGLE QTY. PRICE: 1MB $1975

10MB Winchester/Floppy (8") $4495 UP TO 2MB QUAD EDC

20MB Winchester/Floppy (8") $4995 ra^i >7t< 'rVi.n jm^ti • Error detecting & correcting

40MB Winchester/Floppy (8") $5995 • Block mode DMA

rMMiAT.nWB™MDi/m IwL,--..-.- -~---itafl • Battery back-up mode

EMULATION RK06/RK07 l"":".:..!.IS. - ~ .iff, SINGLE QTY. PRICE: 512K $1495

42MB Winchester/Floppy (8") $6995 >WJ,>ww>^»»%tife UP TO 1MB DUAL

70MB Winchester/Floppy (8") $7195 *" TOtjlSiW • Control Status Register (CSR)

140MB Winchester/Floppy (8") $8195 y '■ ' " -■ F^K • On board parity generator checker

Call for pricing on RM02 emulation J - - -" -"-- : ~ ~-firH'.-£z • Battery back-up mode

and / or tape backup. JJjJti S^UJSIISE S,NGLE QTY PRICE: 256KB $525

MICRO COMPUTER CI-MICRO-11 SYSTEM FEATURES

• 11/23 PLUS CPU board which includes two serial lines • RD51, 10MB, 20MB or 40MB 5W (13.3cm) mini diagnostics and boot or 11/73 CPU Winchester disk or a subsystem from 10-140MB

• 22 bit addressing backplane and power supply • RX50 1.6 MB5W (13.3cm) dual mini-floppy disk or2 MB

• 256KB - 4MB of parity memory (Block Move, CSR) BX02 floPPV

• An eight slot quad LSI-11 BUS backplane

STANDARD CONFIGURATION

LSI 11/23 CPU, 256KB memory, 20MB Winchester, 800KB dual floppy, 2 serial I/O, bootstrap, power supply, 4x8 backplane all in a rack mountable chassis. $6850

"OFFERING QUALITY WITH AFFORRDABLE PRICING"

See us al NCC '84. Booths D3530 and D3532

Chrislin Industries, Inc.

J 31352 Via Colinas • Westlake Village, CA91362

/ Telephone: 818-991-2254 • TWX 910-494-1253 CHRISLIN WKVG

RL02, RK06, RK07, QBUS, LSI, DEC are Trademarks of Digital Equipment Corporation. IBM Is a Trademark of International Business Machines.

Circle 78 on inquiry card.

BYTE May 1984 445

Event Queue.

May-August

Digital Consulting Associates' Classes and Seminars,

various sites throughout the U.S. For descriptions of seminars and classes on dBASE II, Lotus 1-2-3, database administration, and other microcomputer-related topics, contact Digital Consulting Associates Inc., 339 Salem St., Wakefield, MA 01880, (617) 246-4850.

May-August

Software Banc Seminars,

various sites in the U.S. and Canada. Such seminars as "Problem Solving with 1-2-3," "dBASE II," and "Exploring Unix" are planned. For information and registration, contact Software Banc Inc., 661 Massachusetts Ave., Arlington, MA 02174, (800) 4512502; in Massachusetts, (617) 641-1241.

May-September

Computer Competence Seminars, Boston University Metropolitan College, Boston, MA. This series of hands-on presentations is tailored for managers who know little or nothing about computers and for those who wish to sharpen their computing skills. Some of the seminars on the docket are "PCs for Improving Financial Analysis and Decision Support" and "Personal Computers for Sales and Marketing Professionals." Fees range from

$225 to $595. In-house programs can be organized. For details, contact Joan Merrick, University Seminar Center, Suite 415, 850 Boylston St., Chestnut Hill, MA 02167, (617) 738-5020.

May-September

Technical and Management

Seminars for Professionals,

various sites throughout the U.S. Subject areas encompass system-performance management, networking, personal computing, applications design and programming, real-time applications design, management development, and other issues relating to computers. On-site seminars can be arranged. For a brochure, contact Digital Equipment Corp., Educational Services, Seminar Programs BUO/E58, 12 Crosby Dr., Bedford, MA 01730, (617) 276-4949.

May-October

Tutorial Short Courses from Hellman Associates, various sites throughout the U.S. Among the courses offered are "VLSI Design," "Digital Control," and "Error Correction." Fees are generally $895. For a descriptive brochure, contact Hellman Associates Inc., Suite 300, 299 California Ave., Palo Alto, CA 94306, (415) 328-4091.

May-December

Seminars from the Institute

for Professional Education,

various sites throughout the U.S. Programs in statistics, management, simulation and modeling, personal computers, and computer science are offered. For an explanatory pamphlet, contact the Institute for Professional Education, POB 756, Arlington, VA 22216, (703) 527-8700.

May 10-12

BYTE Computer Show, Mc

Cormick Place, Chicago, IL. Seminars, product displays, and conference sessions are some of the highlights of this show sponsored by BYTE and Popular Computing magazines. For complete details, contact the Interface Group, 300 First Ave., Needham, MA 02194, (800) 3253330; in Massachusetts, (617) 449-6600.

May 11

Writing Efficient Programs,

Mathematics and Science Building, Room W-117, Montclair State College, Upper Montclair, NJ. Dr. Jon Bentley from Bell Laboratories will speak on writing machine-independent code. He will present a general set of rules for using this tool and show how those rules can speed up a program. A subtheme will address the problem of converting programming tricks into engineering techniques. For information, contact Gideon Nettler, Department

of Mathematics and Computer Science, Montclair State College, Upper Montclair, NJ 07043, (201) 893-4294.

May 13-17

Computer Graphics '84, Convention Center, Anaheim, CA. Panel discussions on specific standards, technical sessions exploring the application of standards in a working environment, and tutorials explaining standards will be complemented by an exposition. For details, contact the National Computer Graphics Association, Department ZF, Suite 601, 8401 Arlington Blvd., Fairfax, VA 22031, (703) 698-9600.

May 14-17

The Twenty-fifth International Conference of the Association for the Development of Computer-based Instructional Systems, Hyatt Regency Hotel, Columbus, OH. Guest speakers will focus on the problem of exchanging courseware between computer systems. The use of computers, education for the disabled, and computer-based instruction in home economics and music are other topics of interest. Hardware, software, and courseware will be demonstrated. Program particulars can be obtained from the Association for the Development of Computer-based Instructional Systems, 409

PC-MATE SWITCH. $9950!

Time-saving. Space-saving. Money-saving.

Our versatile push button PC Mate Switch series lets you connect two printers to one computer... or eliminate forms loading/unloading by keeping two dot matrix printers stocked...or pair one dot matrix printer with a slower Daisy wheel printer for finished letters.

Each PC Mate comes with one input panel connector, 2 output connectors on 6' ribbon cables. And for $99.50, they're the best bargains around. Specify model. Serial: RS-232/D-25, 20 leads switched. Parallel: Centronics 36 pin/20 leads switched.

For more information, write or call: Hadax Electronics, 79 Hazel Street, Glen Cove, NY 11542 (516) 676-7950.

mtM ZD ^^M^^fcJ^^-^^L. The widest switch line in the industry. And growing. V\3 ELECTRONICS

446 BYTE Mav H84

Circle 189 on inquiry card.

See WhatYoull Be Gettinglnto!

To find the right place to stay at the right price, pick up your free copy of our full-color 300-page Travel Guide at any Best Western.* It's loaded with maps, photos and details about 3,000 delightful Best Westerns in 2,100 cities worldwide.

*or send $2 (mailing cost) to Travel Guide, P.O. Box 10203, Dept. PM, Phoenix, AZ 85064. v\ Allow 8 weeks.

s

"SlO

# ; - A

WS&££>j

'Oft

W. s>^5®*

Instant Reservations

Make reservations at any

Best Western, contact your

travel agent or call toll-free

1-800-528-1234.

h/

Andorra, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Barbados, Belgium,Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Great Britain, Guadeloupe, Holland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Mexico, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Sweden, Switzerland, United States, Virgin Islands. West Germany

Circle 81 on inquiry card.

Some of the

World's Largest

computer companies

Call Us

TRS-80

for medical systems on their machines.

Why don't you...

The reason is simple. We do a better job and have more features than our competitors.

Below are just a handful of our special features.

• AMA Claim Form • Multiple Providers • Daily Journal

• Productivity Report • Superbill • Referral Letters

• RVS/ICDA Codes • Patient Recall • Financial Histories • Hotline Service • Word Processing • Appt. Reminder

• Collection Report • Private A/R Aged

• Manual & Training System Available • 100,000 Patients

• 22,000 Patient Appointment System

Call your dealer for a FREE demonstration

or call CMA about our low cost

"See It in Your office"

training units.

mis

MICRO COMPUTER DIVISION

55722 Santa Fe Trail

Yucca Valley, California 92284

(619) 365-9718

e

*

In CA (818) 701-6951

800-645-3006 You may order

the products advertised in this and

following issues at our Toll Free Order

desk.

No shipping charges — Freight Free

Catalogs on request. /fr

Toll Free Line compliments of v

Event Queue.

Miller Hall, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225.

May li-18

Auditing in the Contemporary Computer Environment,

Honolulu, HI. Participants will learn a comprehensive audit approach for computer-based systems. Topics include how to evaluate controls, how to prepare an audit report, and how to design a program of tests using questionnaires, checklists, software tools, and flowcharts. Contact Beth Ann Musto, EDP Auditors Foundation, 373 South Schmale Rd., Carol Stream, IL 60187, (312) 682-1200.

May 15

Breakthroughs in Artificial Intelligence, Worcester Polytechnic Institute Campus, Worcester, MA. This executive briefing explores the impact of artificial intelligence on corporate strategy. Sessions are limited. To reserve a space, contact Kathy Shaw, Office of Continuing Education, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA 01609, (617) 793-5517.

May 15-76

Factory Systems Summit Conference, Chicago, IL. Factory-automation experts will discuss total systems integration and how to implement them, new developments in technology, and how to plan for the future. For details, contact Lisa Caruso, the Yankee Group, 89 Broad St., Boston, MA 02110, (617) 542-0100.

May 15-17

Criminal Justice Systems Conference, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA. Presentations and panel discussions on recent developments in criminal justice applications of computer technology are planned. Additional sessions

will address the uses of microcomputers in law enforcement. The fee is $20. Information is available from Ben Wood, Department of Criminal Justice Services, 805 East Broad St., Richmond, VA 23219, (804) 786-4000.

May 15-17

Electro/84 and Mini/Micro Northeast/84, Boston, MA. Conference sessions will address a broad range of topics, including artificial intelligence, communications and networks, distributed systems, microprocessor technology, and robotics. For details, contact Electronic Conventions Inc., 8110 Airport Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90045, (213) 772-2965.

May 15-17

Micro City '84, Exhibition Complex, Bristol, England. More than 100 companies will exhibit computers, business systems, and communications equipment. For complete details, contact Tomorrow's World Exhibitions Ltd., 9 Park Place, Clifton, Bristol BS8 1JP, UK; tel: (0272) 292156/7.

May 15-18

Computacion '84, U.S. Trade Center, Mexico City, Mexico. Computer equipment, peripherals, services, and software for business will be exhibited. For complete details, contact the United States Trade Center, Centro de Comercio Estadounidense, Liverpool 31, 06600 Mexico City, Mexico; tel: (905) 591-0155; Telex: 1773471 USTCME.

May 16-18

Data Communications, Cincinnati, OH. Eighteen major topics, including concepts and definitions, types of data-communications equipment, modems, satellite communications, and protocols, will be addressed. Registration is $695; multiple dis

448

BYTE Mav 1984

Circle 121 on inquiry card.

Byte Book Club"

POWERFUL TOOLS! POWERFUL SAVINGS!

iKmNCOCK-MOWISKMigg

THE C PRIMER

SWfe

iMTRODua^ y

Take any 3 books

for $af Moo

on'y Beach

nfajues up to $79.50)

If you join now for a trial period and agree to purchase three more books—at handsome discounts—during your first year of membership. (Publishers' prices shown)

SOFTWARE ENGINEERING: A Practitioner's Approach By R.

S. Pressman

507/813B $34.95

(Counts as 2 of your 3 books)

INTERACTIVE PROGRAMMING ENVIRONMENTS By D.

R. Barstow

038/856B S34.95

(Counts as 2 of your 3 books)

GUIDE TO THE IBM PERSONAL COMPUTER By W. Si

konowiz

574/847 $19.95

PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES: Design and Implementation, 2/e By T. W. Pratt 582879-0B $29.95

(Counts as 2 of your 3 books)

THE CP/M BIBLE: The Authoritative Reference Guide to CP/M By M. Waite 582917-7B $29.95

(Counts as 2 of your 3 books)

AN INTRODUCTION TO V1SICALC MATR1XING FOR APPLE AND IBM By H. Anbarlian 016/054 $22.95

APPLE PASCAL By P. Luehrmann 491/712 $20.00

BUILD YOUR OWN Z-80 COMPUTER—-and—ISO USERS MANUAL By S. Ciarcia &J. Carr 582337-3B $29.90

(Counts as 2 of your 3 books)

MICROCOMPUTER OPERATING SYSTEMS By M. Dahmke

150/710 $16.95

THE MCGRAW-HILL COMPUTER HANDBOOK By H.

Helms

279/721A $79.50

(Counts as 3 of your 3 books)

SYSTEMS PROGRAMMING FOR SMALL COMPUTERS By

D. H. Marcellus

582937-1B $26.95

(Counts as 2 of your 3 books)

MICROCOMPUTER GRAPHICS AND PROGRAMMING TECHNIQUES By H. Katzan, Jr. 582576-7 $22.50

BASIC: GETTING STARTED By

W. S. Davis

582355-1 $6.95

PRINCIPLES OF INTERACTIVE COMPUTER GRAPHICS, 2/e By

W. M. Newman & R. F. Sproull 463/387B $36.95

(Counts as 2 of your 3 books)

THE SMALL COMPUTER CONNECTION By N. L. Shapiro 564/124 $15.95

COMPUTER PROGRAMMING FOR GRAPHICAL DISPLAYS

By D. Ryan

582931-2B $26.95

(Counts as 2 of your 3 books)

CIARCIA'S CIRCUIT CELLAR,

Volume 3 By S. Ciarcia

109/656 $15.95

A PROGRAMMER'S VIEW OF INTEL 432 By E. Organick 477/191B $29.95

(Counts as 2 of your 3 books)

DATABASE DESIGN 2/E By

G. Wiederhold

701/326B $33.00

(Counts as 2 of your 3 books)

CONVERSION OF COMPUTER SOFTWARE By J. R. Wolberg 582588-0 $19.95

THE C PRIMER By L. Hancock &

M. Krieger

259/81X $16.95

INTRODUCING THE UNIX

SYSTEM By H. McGilton & R.

Morgan

450/013 $18.95

BOWKER/BANTAM 1984 COMPLETE SOURCEBOOK OF PERSONAL COMPUTING By R.

R. Bowker

582915-0 $24.95

Why YOU should join the Byte Book Club now!

Best and newest books from ALL publishers! Books are selected from a wide range of publishers by expert editors and consultants to give you continuing access to the best and latest books in your field.

Big savings! Build your library and save money too! Savings range up to 30% or more off publishers' list prices—usually 20% to 25%.

Bonus books! You will immediately begin to participate in our Bonus Book Plan that allows you savings up to 70% off the publishers' prices of many professional and general interest books!

Convenience! 14-16 times a year (about once every 3-4 weeks) you receive the Club Bulletin FREE. It fully describes the Main Selection

and alternate selections. A dated Reply Card is included. If you want the Main Selection, you simply do nothing—it will be shipped automatically. If you want an alternate selection—or no book at all—you simply indicate it on the Reply Card and return it by the date specified. You will have at least 10 days to decide. If, because of late delivery of the Bulletin you receive a Main Selection you do not want, you may return it for credit at the Club's expense.

As a Club member you agree only to the purchase of three additional books during your first year of membership. Membership may be discontinued by either you or the Club at any time after you have purchased the three additional books.

%h'd) Fill out the card and mail today! If the card is missing, write to:

rifll BYTE BOOK CLUB, P.O. Box 582, Hightstown, New Jersey 08520

BYTE May 1984 449

Event Queue.

counts are available. For complete details and registration forms, contact Data-Tech Institute, 386 Franklin Ave., POB 569, Nutley, NJ 07110, (201) 661-2300.

May 16-18

Teaching Math with Microcomputers, Marriott Hotel, Miami, FL. This program, sponsored by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), is designed to inform elementary, intermediate, and secondary school mathematics teachers how to effectively use the microcomputer as a classroom tool. For further information, contact NCTM, 1906 Association Dr., Reston, VA 22091, (703) 620-9840.

May 19

The Seventh Annual Show & Tell Microcomputer Conference, University of Oklahoma Mathematics and Physical Science Complex, Norman. Computer hobbyists are invited to speak briefly, demonstrate an example of their presentation, and answer questions. For details, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Show & Tell, Dr. Richard Andree, University of Oklahoma, Mathematics Department, 601 Elm St., Norman, OK 73019.

May 20-23

The Fourth Annual Conference of the Association of Human Resource Systems Professionals, Hyatt Regency, Fort Worth, TX. Roundtable discussions will address topics related to the theme "People, Data, and Systems . . . Putting It All Together." Embracing crossdisciplinary concerns and emphasizing the practical requirements of successful human-resource information-system development, discussions will explore networking, vendor evaluation, and time management. For

complete details, contact HRSP Inc., 3051 Adeline St., Berkeley, CA 94703, (415) 548-1364.

May 20-23

Personnel Data Systems' 1984 Annual Users Conference, Fairmont Hotel, Dallas, TX. On-line software demonstrations and sessions on Personnel Data Systems' products highlight this convocation. Contact Personnel Data Systems Inc., 15 East Ridge Pike, Conshohocken, PA 19428, (215) 828-4294.

May 20-23

The Thirteenth Mid-Year Meeting of the American Society for Information Science, Indiana University, Bloomington. The theme for this meeting is "The Micro Revolution: Implications for the Information Age." Joseph Weizenbaum, author of Computer Poiver and Human Reason and a professor of computer science at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, will speak. For more information, contact Stephen Harter, School of Library and Information Science, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, (812) 335-5113.

May 20-25

The Fourth Jerusalem Conference on Information Technology—JOT, Jerusalem, Israel. Papers, panel discussions, workshops, and exhibits will. emphasize software engineering and manufacturing related to the theme of this international event, the "Next Decade in Information Technology." The fee is $225. Isratech '84, the national exhibition of high technology, runs concurrently with JCIT For information on Isratech '84, contact the Government of Israel Trade Center, 350 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10118, (212) 560-0660. For details on JCIT, contact the Fourth Jerusalem Conference on Information

Technology, POB 29313, 61292 Tel Aviv, Israel; tel: (03) 258-535.

May 21-22

Evaluating Decision Support Software: Personal Computer, Mainframe, and Distributed Applications—A Managerial Perspective, New York Hilton, Rockefeller Center, New York City. This conference will explore the influence of new developments in end-user computing, software design, distributed decision support, localarea networks, microcomputer technology, fourth-generation languages, and artificial intelligence. Further information is available from the DSS Conference, 215 First St., Cambridge, MA 02142, (617) 547-5061.

May 21-23

AAMSI Congress 1984—The Third Spring Joint National Congress, Hilton Hotel, San Francisco, CA. Invited and contributed papers, special sessions, tutorials, reviews, panel discussions, and demonstrations will focus on the applications of computers and information technology and systems to all fields of medicine. Program sponsors include a dozen professional organizations that have joined the American Association for Medical Systems and Informatics (AAMSI) in producing this three-day program. For particulars, contact AAMSI, Suite 402, 4405 EastWest Highway, Bethesda, MD 20814, (301) 657-4142.

May 21-23

Data Processing for the NonData Processing Executive, Part 2, Miyako Hotel, San Francisco, CA. This is the second part of a program that addresses microprocessor and database technology, packaged software, and data communications. It's designed for people with a basic understanding of elec

tronic data processing. Inhouse presentations are available. Register with the American Management Associations, POB 319, Saranac Lake, NY 12983, (518) 8910065.

May 22-24

Softwest '84, Denver Merchandise Mart, Denver, CO. This conference and exhibition features educational seminars, lectures, and panel discussions on software, equipment, and peripherals for Apple and IBM computers. For information, contact the Colorado Conference Group, Suite C, 3312 Cripple Creek, Boulder, CO 80303, (303) 499-1034.

May 22-25

COMDEX Spring, Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta. For details, contact the Interface Group, 300 First Ave., Needham, MA 02194, (800) 325-3330; in Massachusetts, (617) 449-6600.

May 22-26

Micro Expo '84, Palais des Congres, Paris, France. Manufacturers and vendors of hardware, software, peripherals, and accessories for the microcomputer market will attend this conference and exposition. For details, contact Sybex France, Centre Paris Daumesnil, 4 Place Felix Eboue, 75583 Paris Cedex 12, France. In the U.S., contact the International Show Coordinator, Sybex Inc., 2344 Sixth St., Berkeley, CA 94710, (415) 848-8233.

May 22-26

Oficomp Korea 84—The International Korean Office and Information Management Exhibition and Conference, Korea Exhibition Center, Seoul, South Korea. Exhibits will include demonstrations of computers, communications equipment, and business machines. Contact Clapp & Poliak International,

450 BYTE May 1984

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Event Queue.

POB 70007, Washington, DC 20088, (301) 657-3090.

May 23

Breakthroughs in Artificial Intelligence, Loew's Summit, New York City. For details, see May 15.

May 23-24

Automach-Australia '84, Royal Hall of Industries, Showground, Sydney. This trade show serves to update Australian manufacturing industries on automated, integrated factory systems incorporating numerically controlled machinery, CAD/ CAM, and robotics. For details, contact Mr. Greco, Howard Rotavator Pty, POB 82, Parramatta 2150, New South Wales, Australia; tel: 630-1231; Telex: AA21328. In the U.S., contact SME World Headquarters, One SME Dr., POB 930, Dearborn, MI 48121, (313) 271-1500.

May 23-24

Distribution/Computer Expo

'84, Hyatt Regency, Chicago, IL. This is said to be the largest exhibit of computer systems and services for the transportation, distribution, logistics, and warehousing industries. Entrance fee per person is $35. Registration brochures are available from CS Report Inc., POB 453, Exton, PA 19341, (215) 363-7156.

May 23-24

The 1984 Trends and Applications Conference, National Bureau of Standards, Gaithersburg, MD. Presentations will address current systems and applications as well as research into advanced concepts relating to the theme, "Making Database Work." Information can be obtained from Trends and Applications 84, POB 639, Silver Spring, MD 20901, (301) 921-3491.

May 23-25

Data Communications, Fort Lauderdale, FL. For details, see May 16-18.

May 23-25

The Eighth Conference on Computer Applications in Radiology, Stouffer's Riverfront Towers, St. Louis, MO. Patient information systems, personal computers and computers for the private office, teleradiology computerassisted instruction, and artificial intelligence are a few of the topics to be covered. Exhibits are included. The fee is $350. For details, contact American College of Radiology, 20 North Wacker Dr., Chicago, IL 60606, (800) 227-5463; in Illinois, (312) 236-4963.

May 23-25

The Third Annual European Semiconductor Industry Conference, Hotel Kempin

ski, Berlin, West Germany. International industry leaders will discuss issues facing the semiconductor industry. Contact Barbara Chupp, Dataquest Inc., 1290 Ridder Park Dr., San Jose, CA 95131, (408) 971-9000.

May 24

The Selection, Care, and Feeding of Consultants,

College of Management, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta. This course teaches business people with limited time and resources how to define problems and how to locate the trained consultant for the job. Office automation and productivity are a few of the problem areas to be considered. The course fee is $175. Contact Elaine Hadden Nicholas, Department of Continuing Education, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332-0385, (404) 894-2547.

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452 BYTE May 1984

Circle 229 on inquiry card.

"95% of

all PC information

management needs

can be handled

by DAmEASE."

Ira Krakow, Independent Consultant; Business Computer Systems Reviewer

DATAEA5E — The totally integrated information management system that delivers ease-of-use without compromising power. Join the corporate clients that are turning to DATAEA5E to get their information filed, sorted, analyzed and reported.

•AT&T

• Prudential Life

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•Stanford

• Exxon

University

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•Touche Ross

•IBM

•United

• Proctor & Gamble

Technologies

If you car

i read,

you can build a powerful application with

DATAEA5E

For a free demonstration diskette, call: 800-243-5123

TM

Software Solutions, Inc., Milford, CT 06460 • Telex 703972

See us at COMDEX Booth 4710

Circle 357 on inquiry card.

BYTE May 1984 453

Circle 311 on inquiry card.

MICRO CONTROLLED DIGITAL DATA RECORDER

FEATURES:

Microprocessor controlled

data buffering • Buffers

data in RAM • Data

comes in at any standard

baud rate, plays back at

any baud rate (switchable)

• Tape runs only during

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NON BUFFERED VERSION - MODEL PD-1 $335.00

TO ORDER, DIAL: (201) 356-9200

DATA SYSTEMS

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Event Queue i

BEFORE YOU BUY CABLE ASSEMBLIES,

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DATA SPEC" cable assemblies are the very best. Each cable is fully shielded to exceed FCC EMI/RFI emission requirements. Furthermore, the unique P.D.T. technique is employed beneath the hood shield for maximum integrity under the most adverse conditions. DATA SPEC,m was the first to use the P.D.T. process, and cable assemblies constructed with P.D.T. carry a lifetime warranty. DATA SPECtm has interface cables for all your requirements: Modems, Monitors, Disk Drives, and much more. Insist on DATA SPEC11" cables in the bright orange package. Available at better computer dealers everywhere. For more information, call or write:

[MOraemCE™.

A Dhrtikm of Alliance Ruurch Corporation

18215 Parthenia Street, Northridge, CA 91325 (818) 701-5853

May 26-27

The Third Annual Toronto PET User's Group (TPUG) Conference, Constellation Hotel, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. This program consists of formal speeches, product exhibits, and a trader's corner for used computer equipment. For information, contact Chris Bennett, TPUG Business Office, 1912A Avenue Rd., Toronto, Ontario M5M 4A1, Canada, (416) 782-9252.

May 29-31

Gulf Coast Computer and Office Show, New Orleans, LA. Speakers, technical sessions, and product displays will highlight this exhibition. For full details, contact Gulf Coast Computer and Office Show, 119 Avant Garde Circle, Kenner, LA 70062, (504) 467-9949.

May 29-June 1

The Technical Manager in a Dynamic Environment, San

Francisco, CA. The fee for this short course is $875. Advanced registration is required. For information, contact Continuing Education in Engineering, University of California Extension, 2223 Fulton St., Berkeley, CA 94720, (415) 642-4151.

May 31-June 2

Personal Computer and STD Computer Interfacing for Scientific Instrument Automation, Blacksburg, VA. This workshop provides hands-on experience in wiring and testing interfaces. The fee is $395. For more information, contact Dr. Linda Leffel, C.E.C., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, (703) 9614848.

June 1984

June

Continuing Engineering Education Courses from

George Washington University, Washington, DC. Courses include "Improved CAD/CAM Utilization," "Systems Analysis Techniques for Information Managers," and "Algorithm Design for Managers and Entrylevel Programmers." Tuition ranges from $625 to $795. For complete course outlines, contact George Harrison, Continuing Engineering Education, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, (800) 424-9773; in the District of Columbia, (202) 676-6106.

June-August

Engineering Summer Conferences, Chrysler Center, North Campus, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Topics include aerospace, chemical, computer, information, control, electrical, nuclear, marine, metallurgical, mechanical/ automotive, and industrial engineering. Courses will also be offered in written communications and optical technology. A continuing education unit is awarded for every ten hours of attendance and students are awarded certificates indicating the number of units earned. Lecture notes are provided. Fees range from $450 to $1000, depending upon course length. Room and board are additional. For more information, contact Engineering Summer Conferences, 200 Chrysler Center—North Campus, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, (313) 764-8490.

June 1-3

The First Annual Computer Country Fair & Exposition,

New Hampshire Voc-Tech College, Stratham. Demonstrations and displays of computer hardware and software for home, personal, and business uses will be featured. Adult admission is $2.50. For more information, contact Julianne Cooper,

454 BYTE May 1984

Circle 122 for Dealer inquiries. Circle 123 for End-User inquiries.

Professional

Software

for the

Software

Professional

DMA products operate on

the full range of

Z80, 8086, 8088 processors,

including the IBM-PC

Here's what you can do!

Application Creation

FORMULA ll™

The Application Creator

The first and only Application Creator—a do-it-yourself concept for office automation. FORMULA II lets you define your files, forms, menus, and reports—FORMULA II then creates your program. FORMULA II includes a Database manager with an English Query language and a Form/Report Creator with word processing features.

Communications

ASCOM™

ASCOM™ is the most versatile asynchronous communication package for microcomputers on the market. It features interactive, menu-driven, and batch operations; supports auto-answer and auto-dial modems; includes most popular protocols; provides network simulation; and many other options.Xerox Corporation, NCR, Monroe Systems for Business, and the big 8 accounting firms use ASCOM™.

oYNC^fJOMjM.—a bisynchronous communication package that will De configurable for a variety of systems and includes a flexible interface to the operating system. 2780/3780/3270 protocols available on microcomputers with appropriate hardware.

TERMCOM™—A configurable terminal emulator allowing any personal computer to emulate most conversational and selected block mode terminals with asynchronous communications. Available December 1983.

Utilities

EM80/86™

This software emulator lets you use eight bit software on sixteen bit microcomputers without hardware modifications.

The 8086 O.S. Converter™

CP to MS—Permits execution of Digital Research's CP/M-86 programs under Microsoft's MSDOS (or PCDOS).

MS to CP—Permits execution of MSDOS programs under CP/M-86. UT-86™

This package of user-friendly utilities for the IBM Personal Computer and similar systems includes copying, directory sorting, patching, and a general purpose file print utility

Coming Soon

DMA."C"™—A "C" language compiler which will generate either Z80 or 8086 assembly language code. Due to a unique optimization routine which is based upon a functional "P-code" model, the efficiency of DMA."C" will far exceed that of existing compilers.

WE SPEAK YOUR LANGUAGE WE SPEAK YOUR LANGUAGE WE SPEAK YOUR LANGUAGE

DYNAMIC MICROPROCESSOR ASSOCIATES, INC. I 545 FIFTH AVENUE, NY, NY 10017 Dealer Inquiries only • (212) 687-7115

Circle 141 on inquiry card.

BYTE May 1984 455

Event Queue.

Cooper/GK, 41 Front St., Exeter, NH 03833, (603) 778-0344.

June 2-3

The Ninth NJ-NY-CT Microcomputer Show & Flea Market, Meadowlands Hilton Hotel, Secaucus, NJ. More than 250 vendors will display computer equipment, parts, supplies, software, and accessories. Admission is $6. Contact Ken Gordon Productions, POB 13, Franklin Park, NJ 08823, (201) 297-2526.

June 4-5

Electronic Motion Control Association Seminar, Chicago, 1L. This educational program combines tutorial sessions with technical paper presentations. Devices and systems will be displayed. For details, contact the Electronic Motion Control Association, Suite 1200, 230 North Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60601, (312) 372-9800.

June 4-6

Advanced Project Management, Berkeley, CA. The fee for this short course is $645. Advanced registration is required. Contact Continuing Education in Engineering, University of California Extension, 2223 Fulton St., Berkeley, CA 94720, (415) 642-4351.

June 4-7

Electronics in Oil and Gas/ U.S., Convention Center, Dallas, TX. This exhibition will focus on electronics technology as it applies to processing, production, supervision, data control, communications, navigation, maintenance, testing, instrumentation, exploration, and safety. The conference program, held concurrently with the World Oil and Gas Show and Conference, will cover telemetry, sensing, computers, simulation, and automation. Complete par

ticulars are available from Martin C. Dwyer International, 1350 East Touhy Ave., Des Plaines, IL 60018, (312) 299-9311.

June 4-7

Robots 8, Cobo Hall, Detroit, MI. More than 80 industry experts will expound upon the latest aspects of robot implementation, applications, and research. Nearly 250 builders and suppliers of industrial robots, related services, and components will exhibit their wares. For more information, contact RI/SME, POB 930, Dearborn, MI 48121, (313) 271-0023.

June 4-8

The Thirteenth Annual Meeting of the MUMPS Users Group, Adam's Mark Hotel, Philadelphia, PA. Introductory and advanced tutorials on MUMPS programming and applications, workshops, round-table discussions, site visits, and formal presentations will be offered. In addition, hardware, software, and systems will be demonstrated. Contact the MUMPS Users Group, Suite 308, 4321 Hartwick Rd., College Park, MD 20740, (301) 779-6555.

June 6-8

Introduction to the Design of Fault-Tolerant Microcomputer Systems, San Francisco, CA. This course serves as an introduction to such major topics in fault-tolerant computing as microprocessor testing, redundancy techniques, error correction and detection, and fault classification, detection, diagnosis, and recovery. The fee is $650. For information, contact William C. Dries, Engineering and Applied Science, University of WisconsinExtension, 432 North Lake St., Madison, WI53706, (800) 362-3020; in Wisconsin, (608) 262-2061.

June 6-8

ACM SIGCOMM '84 Symposium on Communications Architectures and Protocols,

Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Address inquiries to Rebecca Hutchings, Honeywell/FSD, 7900 Westpark Dr., McLean, VA 22102, (703) 827-3982.

June 6-9

The 1984 Rochester FORTH Applications Conference,

University of Rochester, NY. An international conference now in its fourth year, this convocation is appropriate for both experienced users and newcomers to the FORTH language. Invited speakers will discuss realtime systems and FORTH applications and techniques. Contact Diane Ranocchia, Institute for Applied FORTH Research Inc., 70 Elmwood Ave., Rochester, NY 14611, (716) 235-0168.

June 11-13

Data Processing for the NonData Processing Executive, Part 2, New York City. For details, see May 21-23.

June 11-15

Auditing in the Contemporary Computer Environment, New York City. For details, see May 14-18.

June 11-15

Fiber and Integrated Optics,

Teaneck, NJ. This short course explores such fiberoptic components as singleand multimode fiber cabling, photo detectors, receiver and repeater technology, and optical-fiber sensors. The fee is $875. For details, contact Continuing Engineering Education, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, (800) 424-9773; in the District of Columbia, (202) 676-6106.

June 11-15

Managing the Audit Computer-based Bank Systems,

Chicago, IL. A course provid

ing a comprehensive audit approach for evaluating and testing controls in computer-based bank systems. Information is available from Darlene Floading, Bank Administration Institute, 60 Gould Center, Rolling Meadows, IL 60008, (312) 228-6200.

June 11-30

Faculty Development Institute: Retraining in Computer Science, Wheaton College, Norton, MA. The Faculty Development Institute, made up of introductory and intermediate courses, is designed to increase educators' capacity to teach computer science at the college level. The tuition is approximately $1000, with additional expenses for room and board. For further information, contact Nercomp Inc., 439 Washington St., Braintree, MA 02184, (617) 848-6494.

June 12-14

Advanced Manufacturing Systems Exposition & Conference—AMS 84, McCormick Place, Chicago, IL. The theme for this event is "The Computer: Mind of the Factory of the Future." Demonstrations of information and automated production systems directed at the needs of manufacturing companies, more than 50 conference sessions, workshops, and short courses will be featured. Some topics of interest include planning for closedloop systems, software selection and systems integration, systems implementation, artificial intelligence, and robotics. AMS runs concurrently with Info/Software (see below). For details on AMS 84, contact Clapp & Poliak, 708 Third Ave., New York, NY 10017, (212) 370-1100 or 661-8410.

June 12-14

Info/Software, McCormick Place, Chicago, IL. An exposition and conference de

456 BYTE May 1984

We Made It Powerful. But We Kept It Simple.

When you're cooking up a unique software product, it's not enough to think of all the right ingredients. You also have to mix them very carefully Especially when you're serving the wide variety of people who use the IBM personal computer today.

Until now, if you wanted to use your IBM PC to turn data into meaningful information, you had to make an unappetizing choice between two kinds of data base management systems: Multifile systems so powerful they're difficult to use. Or single file systems so simple they can't be used to do much.

Until Power-base™

Power-base is the only multifile data base manager powerful enough to get the job done, yet simple enough to be mastered in one sitting. Even if you've never used a computer.

There are no languages to learn, no commands to memorize.To tell Power-base what you want, simply keep choosing from the menu which never goes away, yet never gets in the way. Even making a selection is simple. You use the same three keys every time. To make a change, you simply make another choice.

And the unique DataZOOM™ gives you the power to move rapidly from file to file, right to the piece of information you need.

It's hard to make a simpler choice than Power-base. Especially with a price so easy to digest: $395.

Get a taste of Power-base for yourself. For a demonstration copy send us $10. It's refundable when you purchase Power-base at your local participating Computerland or other authorized dealer.

Power-base Systems, Inc. 12 West 37th Street, New York, NY 10018. (212) 947-3590.

with datazapm"

/f"6/?<

Requires256K tor cither IBM PC with 2 drives or XTand compatibles.

IBM Personal Computer and IBM PC are registered trademarks of the IBM Corporation

Circle 185 on inquiry card.

Power-base and DataZOOM arc trademarks or Power-base Systems, Inc.

BYTE May 1984 457

Circle 25 on inquiry card.

QUALITY PARTS AT DISCOUNT PRICES!

SUB-MINIATURE DTYPE CONNECTOR

SOLDER TYPE SUB-MINIATURE CONNECTORS USED FOR COMPUTER HOOK UPS DB-15 PLUG $2.75

DB-15 SOCKET $4.00 DB-15H00D $1.50

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Event Queue.

voted exclusively to demonstrations of applications and systems software. Mainframe, minicomputer, and microcomputer software will be featured. Info/Software runs concurrently with AMS 84 (see above). Further information is available from Clapp & Poliak, 708 Third Ave., New York, NY 10017, (212) 370-1100 and (212) 661-8410.

June 12-14

Update '84, Hyatt O'Hare Hotel, Chicago, IL. This forum is targeted at the information-management and micrographics industry. Trends in office automation technologies and their relevance to imaging and imagetransmission capabilities will be considered along with the opportunities and competitive pressures that these technologies represent. For details, write to IMC Update '84, POB 34404, Bethesda, MD 20817.

June 13-15

Clinical Laboratory Computers Symposium 1984,

Towsley Center, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor. Contact the Office of Continuing Medical Education, Towsley Center Box 057, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, (313) 7631400.

June 13-15

The Sixth Annual National Educational Computing Conference—NECC '84, University of Dayton, OH. Papers, workshops, and exhibits are designed to promote a higher quality of classroom instruction in educational computing. Complete details on NECC '84 are available from Lawrence A. Jehn, Computer Science Department, University of Dayton, Dayton, OH 45469, (513) 229-3831.

June 13-15

PC-World Exposition, Mc

Cormick Place West, Chicago, IL. Further information can be obtained from Mitch Hall Associates, POB 860, Westwood, MA 02090, (617) 329-8090.

June 14-17

BYTE Computer Show, Convention Center, Los Angeles, CA. For details, see May 10-12.

June 14-17

International Computer Show, Cologne, West Germany. Seminars, workshops, and hardware and software exhibits will highlight this international event. The focus is on informing users on buying-decision criteria, how to scrutinize software, and how to solve user's needs such as customer service, advice, and spare parts. Contact Messe- und AusstellungsGes.m.b.H Koln, Messeplatz, Postfach 210760, D-5000 Cologne 21, West Germany; tel: (0221) 821-1; Telex: 8873 426 a mua d.

June 16

Writing for the Computer Industry, Plymouth State College, Plymouth, NH. Topics to be addressed include how to write computer-related text for an international audience, electronic documentation, training and linguistic style, and how to integrate text and graphics. Contact Dr. Sally Boland, 5 Reed House, Plymouth State College, Plymouth, NH 03264, (603) 5361550.

June 17-20

The Seventeenth Annual Association for Small Computers Users in Education Conference, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green. This conference will focus on academic computing, robotics, computer applications in libraries, and the effective use and control of institutional word processing. Demonstrations and a

458 BYTE May 1984

Circle 345 for Dealer inquiries. Circle 346 for End-User inquiries.

PC212A $499.

PC212A WITH

ASYNCH PORT $539.

The Rixon PC212A... The Perfect Modem For Your IBM* PC ...Only *499

The Rixon® PC212A offers you the only 300/1200 BPS full duplex card'* modem with auto dial and auto answer that plugs directly into any of the IBM PC® * card slots. Because the Rixon PC212A was designed M specifically for the IBM PC, it is loaded with user benefits.

The PC212A eliminates the need for an asynchronous communications adapter card and external modem cable, this alone saves you approximately $190. The PC212A provides an extra 25 pin EI A RS232 interface connector, a telephone jack for alternate voice operation, and a telephone line jack for connection to the dial network. Without question, the PC212A is the most user friendly, most reliable, and best performing modem for your IBM PC. An internal microprocessor allows total control, operation, and optioning of the PC212A from the keyboard. A user friendly HELP list of all interactive commands is stored in modem memory for instant screen display. Just a few of the internal features are auto/manual dialing from the keyboard, auto dial the next number if the first number is busy and instant redial once or until answered. In the event of power disruption a battery back-up protects all memory in the PC212A. In addition, the PC212A is compatible with all of the communication programs written for the Hayes Smartmodem™**such as CROSSTALK.™+Also available for use with the PC212A is the

Rixon PC COM I,™ # a communications software program (Diskette) and instruction manual to enhance the capabilities of the PC212A and the IBM PC. PC COM I operates with or replaces the need for the IBM Asynchronous Communications Support Program. The program is very user friendly and provides single key stroke control of auto log on to multiple database services (such as The SourceSM&), as well as log to printer, log to file transfer and flow control (automatic inband or manual control). PC COM I is only $49.00 if purchased at the same time as the PC212A. The PC212A comes with a 2 year warranty. For more information contact your nearest computer store or Rixon direct at 800-368-2773 and ask for Jon Wilson at Ext. 472.

SANQAMO WESTON I — — —

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2120 Industrial Pky., Silver Spring, Md. 20904 301-622-2121 TWX 710-825-0071 TLX 89-8347

See us Spring Comdex Booth 2740

The Rixon PC212A Card Modem

Another Modem Good Enough lb Be Called RIXON

Circle 336 on inquiry card.

Event Queue.

site tour are on the docket. Contact Dr. Dudley Bryant, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY 42101, (502) 745-0111.

June 17-21

International Banking Conference on Computer Networks, Hilton, Tel Aviv, Israel. This educational program for bankers, corporate executives, government representatives, and electronics manufacturers will center around the theme, "Bank Transfers Via Computer Networks." Security and fraud concerns will also be discussed. The program will be complemented by speakers and an exhibition of computer products that support networking. For details, contact Nancy Italia, UMB/PSI Conference Coordinator, Suite 350, 2700 Cumberland Parkway, Atlanta, GA 30339, (404) 432-2892; Telex: 80-4294.

June 18-21

People, Computers, and

FORTH Programming,

Humboldt State University, Areata, CA. This is a handson, introductory course for individuals wanting to gain an understanding of the internal workings of FORTH and enough knowledge to write applications programs. Prior experience using a computer language is advised. The fee is $125 or $175 with three quarter hours academic

credit. Register with Claire Duffey, Office of Continuing Education, Humboldt State University, Areata, CA 95521, or call (707) 826-3731.

June 18-22

The Fourth Annual Notre Dame Short Course Series: Computers in Biology, University of Nevada-Reno. Three concurrent short courses on Computers in Biology will be offered: "Computers in Bioeducation," "Microcomputers in Classroom and Laboratory," and "Computerized Data Analysis in Biological Research." A computer background is not required. Most days will include lectures and hands-on sessions. Tuition is $450. Contact Professor Theodore J. Crovello, Biocomputing Short Course Coordinator, Department of Biology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, (219) 239-7496.

June 18-22

Office Information System Software, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA. This course provides a systematic treatment of the concepts behind the design of multifunction office workstations, including technologies, human factors, software, and applications generators. Further information is available from the Director of the Summer Session,

Room E19-356, MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139.

]une 18-]uly 27

Experimental Music Studio,

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge. Two complementary sessions, "Techniques of Digital Audio Processing" and "Workshop in Computer Music Composition," make up this program. The former, which runs from June 18-29, provides a technical background as well as practical experience in digital sound-synthesis methods. The latter, which begins July 2, gives composers the opportunity to experiment with the computer as a musical instrument. Both workshops involve lectures, tutoring, and handson experience. No special technical knowledge is required. Application information is available from the Director of the Summer Session, Room E19-356, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139.

June 19-21

Computerized Office Equipment Expo/Office Information Systems Conference— COEE/OIS, O'Hare Exposition Center, Rosemont, IL. For information, contact COEE/OIS Program Coordinator, Cahners Exposition Group, Cahners Plaza, 1350 East Touhy Ave., POB 5060,

Des Plaines, IL 60018, (312) 299-9311.

June 19-22

Percom '84—The Second International Exhibition and Conference on Business and Personal Computers, Jade Ballroom, Hotel Furama Intercontinental, Hong Kong. Exhibits at this show cover a wide spectrum of mini- and microcomputers, hardware, software, peripherals, accessories, components, and publications. The emphasis is on products for the commercial, manufacturing, and education industries. Contact Adsale Exhibition Services, 20/R, Tung Sun Commercial Centre, 194-200 Lockhart Rd., Wanchai, Hong Kong; Telex: 63109 ADSAP HX.

June 20

How to Document a Computer System, Sheraton Commander Hotel, Cambridge, MA. This seminar presents a series of procedures that covers the system-development process, including project initiation, study, design, programming, implementation, and maintenance. The fee is $155. Contact Technical Communications Associates, Suite 210, 1250 Oakmead Parkway, Sunnyvale, CA 94086, (800) 227-3800, ext. 977; in California, (408) 737-2665.

THE

$2395 DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM

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ORION Universal Development Laboratory

Instruments ...

8/16 BIT IN-CIRCUIT EMUUV

JPROM'EEPROM PROGRAMMER"

Up to 12BK bytes of ROM EMULATION (8K standard) allows you to make program patches Instantly. Since the target ROM socket connects data and address lines to both the analyzer and the emulator, no expensive adaptors or personality modules are needed.

The powerful BUS STATE ANALYZER features four-step sequential triggering, selective trace, and pass and delay counters. $99 symbolic trace disassemblers are available for Z-80,8048,6500, 6800, 8031, 8085, 3870, Z-8, 1802, 8088, & 8086.

unuiiiiim

The PROM PROQRAMMER also doubles as a STIMULUS GENERATOR.

For a brochure and list of cross assemblers call or write:

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460 BYTE May 1984

Circle 302 on inquiry card.

John Fairchild likes our style

DHL/1 Worldwide Courier Express, now makes time-critical deliveries overnight throughout the U.S.

1

To cover the volatile, everchanging world of fashion, "It's not enough to be fast," says John Fairchild, Chairman, Fairchild Publications. "You must be accurate and reliable."

That is what has made his Women's Wear Daily and W the leading barometers of the American fashion industry.

That same speed and reliability have made John Fairchild a steady client of DHL.

"For overnight delivery," says

Fairchild, "DHL is the next best thing to taking it there yourself."

From samples to sketches, from photos to contracts, DHL delivers all kinds of time-critical documents and packages overnight across the country.

30,000 locations.

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more places around the world than any other express courier.

Servicing 97% of the "Fortune 500."

DHL's state-of-the-art delivery system encompasses 727s, Learjets, helicopters and fleets of trucks to speed things on their way.

As John Fairchild says, "I like their style."

For information, call your local office of DHL Worldwide Courier Express.

NEXT BEST TH/NG TO TAKINGftTHEREYOURSEUt

) 1983 DHL Airways Inc.

Circle 129 on inquiry card.

amM

BYTE May 1984 461

Event Queue.

June 20-22

The First International Conference on Computers and Applications, Fragrant Hill Hotel, Peking, People's Republic of China. More than 100 technical papers on parallel processing, database systems, local-area networks, and distributed processing will be delivered at this joint technical program sponsored by the Chinese Institute of Electronics (CIE) and the IEEE Computer Society. Conference details can be obtained from the IEEE Computer Society, POB 639, Silver Spring, MD 20901, (301) 589-8142.

June 21-23

The Great Southern Computer Show, Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Jacksonville, FL. Hardware, software, peripherals, accessories, and word- and data-processing exhibits will be featured.

Workshops and seminars complement the displays. For registration information, contact Great Southern Computer Shows, POB 655, Jacksonville, FL 32201, (904) 356-1044.

June 22

How to Document a Computer System, Empire Hotel, New York City. For details, see June 20.

June 25

How to Document a Computer System, University Inn, Pittsburgh, PA. For details, see June 20.

June 26-28

PCExpo, Coliseum, New York City. This show is dedicated to the IBM Personal Computer market. Exhibits by manufacturers, software producers, and vendors will be complemented by a daily seminar program. Contact

PCExpo, 333 Sylvan Ave., Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632, (201) 569-8542.

June 26-29

Logo '84 Conference, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge. Four main themes, Logo Learning, Learning Environments, Technical Forecasts, and Images of Future Work, constitute the main program. Product exhibits will correspond with the discussions. Contact the Special Events Office, Room 7-111, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139.

June 26-29

Using FORTH Effectively,

Humboldt State University, Areata, CA. This is a handson advanced course on the generation and internal operations of a FORTH system. A mastery of an introductory FORTH course or

minimum of six months using FORTH, knowledge of assembly language, and operating-system principles are prerequisites. The fee is $150 or $200 with three quarter hours academic credit. Registration information is available from Claire Duffey, Office of Continuing Education, Humboldt State University, Areata, CA 95521, (707) 826-3731.

June 27-29

Introduction to the Design of Fault-Tolerant Microcomputer Systems, Boston, MA. For details, see June 6-8.

July 1984

July 2-6

Contemporary Computer

Auditing: Integrity Controls,

New York City. This program is designed to provide an

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Many terminals, printers, and software packages available. All prices and specifications subject to change without notice. Availability subject to stock on hand. Compupro Is a Godbout Company, Compupro Is a registered trademark of Godbout Electronics. CP/M, MP/M, ccp/m are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Digital Research. Thunder 106, Lightning 1, and Lightning 286 are trademarks of LDP Inc. MP/M 8-16, CP/M 8-16, CCP/M 8-16, CPU Z, Interfacer 4, Interfacer 3, CPU 8086, CPU 68K, CPU 286, System Support 1, Disk 1, Disk 1A, RAM 21, RAM 22, RAM 17, RAM 16 are trademarks of Compupro and Godbout Electronics. MSDOS is a trademark of Microsoft.

THE

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462 BYTE May 1984

Circle 87 on inquiry card.

Circle 332 on inquiry card.

THE AT&T INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS NETWORK:

IT COSTS LESS TO SEND YOUR FACTS BY FAX.

SAN FRANCISCO

signed contracts almost anywhere in the world.

This unique ability makes fax one of the most exciting electronic mail technologies available today.

All you need is a telephone and a facsimile machine.

And in as little as 25 seconds, an exact duplicate arrives at its destination.

With fax, faster is cheaper.

And different machines have different capabilities, different speeds.

With the AT&T Network, you can transmit up to 400 words on a 1-minute call.

Most telex machines transmit at a standard 66 words per minute.

Any fax machine can match that rate. And most beat it easily.

In fact, you can save as much as $8.00 per page with AT&T's An exact copy of the original, lowest rates compared. That's fax. And fax is the with sending the same1

only system that can transmit page via telex. With blueprints, legal documents, and some fax machines, you

don't even have to be there.

They can be programmed to transmit during Discount and Economy periods. Telex has no daily reduced rate periods.

Since fax is a copy of the original, you don't need a typist. No special operators.

And since there's no retyping, no redoing of any kind, fax is free of transcription errors.

So if your international customer or business associate needs a document, a blueprint, or a signed contract in a hurry, you can fax it on the spot.

Transmitting facts with fax.

Another cost-effective service for your business from the AT&T International Business Network.

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I 1 « A Jl - i A- A"- A*»

■■■

AT&T

^j^

Event Queue.

overview of the complete computer-auditing environment, its controls, and the interrelationships. Full details are available from Beth Ann Musto, EDP Auditors Foundation, 373 Schmale Rd., Carol Stream, IL 60187, (312) 682-1200.

July 8

The Third Annual National Conference of the Association for Women in Computing, Holiday Inn Center Strip, Las Vegas, NV. The conference theme, "Choice or Chance in Computing Careers," will be the starting point for sessions about women entrepreneurs, technologies in the forefront of the eighties, and career development. Registration and additional information can be obtained from Patricia Timpanaro, AWCC '84 Registration, 40 Main St. #206, Stoneham, MA 02180.

July 9-12

The 1984 National Computer Conference—NCC, Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV. One of the most prestigious computer shows, the NCC will provide professionaldevelopment seminars, more than 650 exhibits, and nearly 100 technical sessions in ten program tracks. Contact the American Federation of Information Processing Societies Inc., 1899 Preston White Dr., Reston, VA 22091, (703) 620-8926.

July 9-13

Fiber and Integrated Optics,

San Diego, CA. For details, see June 11-15.

July 10-12

Computer-Security Technology, University of California, Berkeley. This short course looks into protective technologies in three general categories: procedural, hardware, and software. A module evaluating a computer-security program will be included.

Registration costs $595, which includes all materials. For details, call or write Continuing Education in Engineering, University of California Extension, 2223 Fulton St., Berkeley, CA 94720, (415) 642-4151.

July 23-25

Summer Computer Simulation Conference—SCSC '84, Copley Plaza Hotel, Boston, MA. Technical sessions made up of plenaries, papers, panel discussions, and a variety of tutorials will be featured. Highlights include displays of simulation computers, simulators, auxiliary devices, and software. Special sessions will also be held on artificial intelligence. Contact Charles Pratt, Simulation Councils Inc., POB 2228, La Jolla, CA 92038, (619) 4593888.

July 23-27

ACM SIGGRAPH '84, Minneapolis, MN. This is the eleventh annual ACM conference on computer graphics and interactive techniques. Refereed technical paper presentations, panel discussions, a design show, film and video presentations, and nearly 30 courses are some of the features of this event. Course offerings will be divided into four categories: CAD/CAM/CAE, animation/image synthesis, graphics, and general topics. What is said to be the first totally computer-generated Omnimax film will be shown. For details, contact SIGGRAPH '84 Conference Office, 111 East Wacker Dr., Chicago, IL 60601, (312) 644-6610.

July 23-27

Advanced Technology: Its Impact on International Business, Economics, Finance, and Trade, Miramar Sheraton Hotel, Santa Monica, CA. Speakers at this symposium will explore the need for cooperation and

competition with Pacific Rim countries in the building of supercomputers. Program details and registration information are available from Charles Partington, West Coast University, 440 Shatto Place, Los Angeles, CA 90020, (213) 487-4433.

July 27-29

International Heath/Zenith

Users' Group Conference,

Pheasant Run Resort, St. Charles, IL. For details, call or write the Heath Users' Group, Hilltop Rd., St. Joseph, MI 49085, (616) 982-3463.

July 30-August 3

Robot Manipulators, Computer Vision, and Automated Assembly, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge. This short course will emphasize ways of developing strategies for solving problems in robotic sensing, spatial reasoning, and manipulation. Also covered is the use of existing industrial robots and binary vision systems. Contact the Director of the Summer Session, Room E19-356, MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139. ■

In order to gain optimal coverage of your organization's computer conferences, seminars, workshops, courses, etc., notice should reach our office at least three months in advance of the date of the event. Entries should be sent to: Event Queue, BYTE Publications, POB 372, Hancock, l\IH 03449. Each month we publish the current contents of the queue for the month of the cover date and the two following calendar months. Thus a given event may appear as many as three times in this section if it is sent to us far enough in advance.

BYTE's Bits

Database Aids Cancer Treatment

The National Cancer Institute's PDQ database provides physicians with up-to-date information on the prognosis and accepted treatment options for specific cancers. PDQ, designed for use with office or personal computers, offers several files of information, such as treatment statements for each type and stage of cancer and data on active cancer-treatment research protocols that are open to patient accrual. A list of physicians who are members of organizations that have a special interest in cancer-patient care is another feature of PDQ.

Currently, physicians have access to PDQ through more than 2000 National Library of

Medicine MEDLARS centers. During the course of this year, the Institute plans to make an expanded version of PDQ more widely available through the cooperation of commercial vendors. Those vendors willing to participate will receive monthly updates from the Institute in machine-readable form. The Institute will promote PDQ among physicians and encourage vendors to conduct their own promotional efforts. If you're willing to help bring this vital service to community-based physicians, write to NCI PDQ Room 11A49, Building 31, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20205, for more information. ■

464 BYTE May 1984

Circle 300 on inquiry card.

■ ■

The V6 diesel

4 million miles of testin made it right.

Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera makes it great!

In the lab and & A\±s* on the road-the pu most thoroughly M tested engine ever >> ^ , offered by Olds- WM N^Jr mobile. V6 engines v \ "/\0\ were run non-stop... 24 venturi-shaped hours a day... six days pre-cambustion

a week... for nearly chamber for effi

... .. J emit, precise

two months. In all, over combustion.

1,000 hours of dynamometer testing of the V6 diesel. Additionally, six fleets of over 150 diesel V6 vehicles were tested over a 3-year period... on the road... coast to coast. In all, over 4.1 million miles of testing.

Impressive performance and \U diesel efficiency through pre-wQja cision engineering. The in

/c5T\\ herent advantages of a diesel '/\o4s\ were teamed with the v^PY balance and smoothness \fpj of the V-type engine ' /^\ configuration. The . (< ^ results: remarkable ^—

seconds and 0 to 50 in 11.7 seconds — in a V6 diesel Cutlass Ciera, according to test track data.

The fuel economy? Equally impressive at—43 estimated highway and 28 EPA estimated mpg*

Conclusion: with a high technology diesel Oldsmobile, you get both spirited performance and moneysaving economy.

Additional savings with Olds Diesel Traveling Package. Now you

can save S300 compared to the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price of the same options purchased separately, on V6 Diesel Traveling Package equipped Olds Cutlass Ciera models with: AM/FM Stereo Radio, Wire Wheel Discs, Power Door Locks and Cruise Control or Rear Window Defogger. See your dealer for details.

3-year/50,000-Mile Protection.

Another plus in the diesel Oldsmobile. As part of the Olds new

^ J car limited warranty

—^ C the diesel engine W is covered for

' (it* 3 years or W 50,000 miles, whichever Rotary fuel injection comes first. Sub

pump precisely measures ject to a deductfuel for each cylinder. ., , ... .. r.

lble after the first

12 months-12,000 miles.

Test-drive a V6 diesel Cutlass

Ciera for 1984 at your Oldsmobile

dealer. The way you'll feel behind

the wheel will be the final and

most convincing test of all.

There is a special feel in a diesel ^n j%

Roller hydraulic

lifters help quiet operation.

-0 to 30 in 5.2

:'Use the estimated mpg for comparison. Your mileage may differ depending on speed, distance, weather. Actual highway mileage lower. Estimates lower in California. Some Oldsmobiles are equipped with engines produced by other GM divisions, subsidiaries or affiliated companies worldwide. See your dealer for details.

SECONDS

COMPUTER MAIL ORD

\ NEC PRINTERS

NEC 2050 "999.00

NEC 3550 "1679.00

PERCOM/TANDOM DISK DRIVES

514" 320K Floppy "229.00

5 Meg Hard w/Controller CALL

10 Meg Hard w/Controller CALL

15 Meg Hard w/Controller CALL

20 Meg Hard w/Controller CALL

AMDEK

310A Amber Monitor "169.00

DXY 100 Potter "599.00

Color II "399.00

AST RESEARCH

Sx Pak Plus...from "279.00

Combo Plus II...from "279.00

Mega Plus, .from "309.00

I/O Rus...from "139,00

QUADRAM

Quedlmk "479.00

Quadboard...as low as "2B9.00

Quad 512 Plus, .as low as "249.00

Quadcolor,..as low as "219.00

Chronograph "99.00

Parallel Interface Board "89.00

64K RAM Chips Kit "59 00

MICROPRO

VvtordStar/MaJIMerge "349.00

InfoStar "299.00

SpellStar '159.00

CalcStar "99.00

MICROSTUF

Crosstalk '105.00

MICROSOFT

Multiplan "159.00

ASHTONTATE

dEASE II "389.00

^ay! "185.00

IUS

EasyWnter II "249.00

EasySpeller "119.00

Easyfiler "229 00

CONTINENTAL SOFTWARE

1st Class Mail/Form Letter "79,00

Home Accountant Plus "88,00

IBM

VISICORP

IBM

APPLE

VisiCalc

■159.00

VisiCalc 4

■15900

VisiCalc Advanced

■269.00

VisiWord/Spell

"249.00

Visitrend/Plot

■199.00

•199.00

VisiUnk

'169.00

V.siFile

■199.00

•16900

VisiSchadule

•199.00

•199.00

Visidex

•159.00

VisiPlot

•135.00

VisiTerm

■75.00

Desktop Ran

•199.00

'169.00

Bus.Forecast Model

'75.00

■75.00

StretchCalc

■75.00

■75.00

VisiTutor Calc

•59.00

■59.00

Visi Tutor Advanced

•75.00

■75.00

VisiTutor Word

■259.00

■59.00

Visi—On Calc

•289 00

Visi—On Graph

'179.00

Visi-On Word

■275 00

Visi—On Mouse

•159.00

Visi -On Host

■319 00

pfs

IBM

APPLE

Write

'89.00

'79.00

Graph

'89.00

•79,00

Report

•79.00

•79.00

File

■89.00

'79.00

Solutions': as low as

■16.00

'1600

•Coll On Titles

MONOGRAM

Dollars and Sense..

■109 00

LOTUS

-2-3

.■399.00

PROFESSIONAL SOFTWARE

PC Plus/The Boss '349 00

SYNAPSE

file Manager '89.00

SOFTWARE ARTS

TK Solver '189.00

PRINTERS

AXIOM

AT-100 Atari Interface "239.00

GP-100 Parallel Interface "199.00

AT-B46 Interface "89 00

BMC

401 Letter Quality '589.00

BX-80 Dot Matrix "269 00

CENTRONICS

122 Parallel '299 00

739-1 Parallel '199.00

739-3 Serial '249 00

C.ITOH

Gorilla Banana '209.00

Pnowriter 8510P *379!oo

Prcwntar 1550P "599 00

A10 (1B cps) '569.00

8600 P '929,00

F10-40 '999.00

F10-55 '1499.00

COMREX

ComWriter II Latter Quality "499 CO

DIABLO

620 Letter Quality "949,00

630 Letter Quality "1749 00

DAISYWRITER

20DD '999.00

Tractor Feed '109 00

EPSON

MX-80FT. MX-100. HX-80, RX-BOFT FX-80. FX-100 CALL

IDS

Prism 80...For Configurations CALL

Pnsm 32...For Configurations . CALL

MANNESMAN TALLY

^OL '589.00

1B0L '79900

Spirit 80 '309.00

NEC

2010/2030 '899.00

B023 Dot Matrix '379.00

8025 Dot Matrix '669.00

3510 Serial/Letter Quality '144900

3530 Parallel/Letter Quality '1499.00

7710/7730 Serial/Parallel '194900

OKIDATA

B2. 83. 84. 92, 93. 2350. 2410 CALL

SMITH CORONA

Tp-2 '399.00

Tractor Feed '119 00

SILVER REED

500 Letter Quality "469,00

550 Letter Quality "699 00

STAR

Gemini 1DX '299,00

Gemini P15X "399.00

Delta 10 '559.00

Serial Board »75 00

TOSHIBA

1350 '1699.00

TRANSTAR

120P '499.00

130P "6B9.00

315 Color '499.00

APPLE INTERFACE CARDS & BUFFERS Choose from PKASO. Orange Micro, MFC, MicroMax, Tymac, Quadram & Practical Peripherals PRINTER CABLES are available for most all computers on the market. We supply all your computer needs.

PAPER SUPPLIES

1000 shts. 8^x11 Tractor Paper ■19"»

1000 shts. 14Vix11 Tractor Paper »24"

1 or 2" Address Labels «)••

MBC-550 CALL

MBC-555 CALL

MBC 1100 '1499.00

FDD 3200-320K Drive '3B9.00

MBC 1150 "1899.00

MBC 1200 '1B49.00

FDD 64O0-640K Drive '469.00

MBC 1250 '2099.00

PR 5500 Printer '599.00

^SANYO

APPLE/FRANKLIN

DISK DRIVES

MICRO-SCI

A2 '219.00

A40 '299,00

A70 '319.00

C2 Controller '79.00

C47 Controller »B9.00

RANA

Bite 1 "279.00

Bite 2 '3B9.00

Bite 3 '569.00

APPLE lie STARTER PACK

64K Apple lie, Disk Drive & Controller, SO Column

Card. Monitor II & DOS 3.3 COMPLETE CALL

p FRANKLIN

ACE 1000 Color Computer.7_-* CALL

ACE Family Pack System CALL

ACE PRO PLUS System CALL

ACE 1200 Office Mgmt. System CALL

"Not lie Expensive"

TERMINALS

914 '569.00

824 '689.00

925 '739.00

950 '929.00

970 '1039.00

COMPUTERS

Teleport Portable CALL

800A '1099.00

802 '2699.00

803 "1949.00

B02H '4695.00

806/20 '4999.00

815/40 "9199.00

1802 "3399.00

1603 CALL

©Tel^ideo

ANCHOR

Volksmodem '59.00

Mark IL '79.00

Mark VII (Auto Ans./Autu Dial) '119.00

Mark XII [1200 Baud] "299.00

TRS-BO Color Computer "99,00

9 Volt Power Supply "9 00

HAYES

Smartmodem 300 '209.00

Smartmodem 1200 "499.00

Smartmodem 1200B "449.00

Micromodem lie "269.00

Micromodem 100 '299.00

Smart Com II "B9.00

Chronograph "199.00

MODEMS

NOVATION

J-Cat '99.99

SmartCat 103 '179^00

SmartCat 103/212 '399.00

AutoCat '219.00

212 AutoCat '549.00

Apple Cat II '249.00

212 Apple Cat '569.00

Apple Cat 212 Upgrade '309.00

Oat '139.99

ZENITH

ZT"1 '339.00

ZT-10 '309.00

ZT-11 "369.00

AMOEK MONITORS

300 Green '149.00

300 Amber '159.00

310 Amber '169.00

Color 1 "279.00

Color 1 Plus "299.00

Color 2 "399.00

Color 2 Plus '419.00

Color 3 '349.00

Color 4 '699.00

BMC

12" Green '88.99

12" Green Hi-Res '119.99

9191- 13" Color '24900

GORILLA

12" Green "SB.99

12" Amber "95.99

NEC

JB 1260 Green "109.00

JB 1201 Green '149.99

JB 1205 Amber ^!'15g!g9

JC 1215 Color '269.00

JC 1216 RGB ........M29.0G

JC 1460 Color ™!™1,-35b1o0

east if 800-233-8950

Y In PA call [717J327 9575,Dept. 40501 V< * Order Status Number: 327-9576

Fr-THf L'Ki',

477 E. 3rd St., Williamsport, PA 17701

Canada

Ontario/Quebec

800-268-3974

Other Provinces800-268-4559

In Toronto call (116)828-0866,Dopt. 40501

Order Statua Number: 828-0866

2505 Dunwwin Drive, Unit 3B

MiBGiasuuga, Ontario, Canada L5L1T1

PRINCETON GRAPHICS

HX-12 RGB '519 00

SAKATA

100 '269.00

TAXAN

210 Color RGB '299.00

400 Med-Res RGB '319.00

415 Hi-Res RGB '439 DO

420 Hi-Res RGB [IBM] '489.00

100 12" Green "125 00

105 12" Amber '135.00

USI

Pi 1. 9" Green '99 99

Pi 2. 12" Green "119,99

Pi 3, 12" Amber "149.99

Pi 4. 9" Amber "139,99

1400 Color "26999

QUADRAM

Ouadchrome B400 "549 OD

ZENITH

ZVM 122 Amber "109.00

ZVM 123 Green "89 99

ZVM 135 Color/RGB "469.99

jMxiiii.J Bi wmwmm

west 800-648-3311

In NV call (702)588-5654, Oapt. 40501

Order Status Number: 588-S6S4

P.O.Box 6689

Stateline, NV 89449

■ r-TTWTHLkl

price change. Call today for our catalog.

NV and PA residents add sales tax. All items subject to availability and

C0MrUYER/«^IL0?\B

Koala

T«c*motog*w Corporation

KOALA PADS

Atari [Disk) "75 00

Atari [ROM) "82 00

C-64 (Disk] "75.00

C-64 (ROM) "82 00

IBM '95 00

Apple/Franklin "85 00

KOALA SOFTWARE CALL

£s commodore

CBM 8032 '599

CBM 4032 "599

MSD SD1 Disk Drive

MSD S02 Disk Drive

CBM B096

CBM 9000

B12B-B0

8032 to 9000 Upgrade

2031 LP Disk Dnve

8050 Disk Dnve

B250 Disk Drive '1

4023 Printer

B023 Printer

6400 Printer

Z-RAM

Silicon Office

The Manager

SoftROM

VistCalc

PROFESSIONAL SOFTWARE

vVord Pro 2 PKJ6

Word Pro 3 Plus

Word Pro 4 Plus/5 Plus each

InfoPro

Administrator

Power

'349.00 '599.00 'B69.00 '999.00 '769.00 '269.00 '299.00 '949.00 199.00 379 00 569.00 399.00 499.00 699.00 199.00 '125.00 159.00

159.00 189.00 279.00 179.00 399.00 .•79.00

SX-64

PORTABLE

*839

VIC 20 CALL

CBM 64 '199

C1541 Disk Drive '249,00

C153D Datasettfl "69 00

C1520 Color Printer/Rotter '129.00

M-801 Dot Matrix Printer '219.00

C1526 Dot Matrix/Senal '299 00

C1702 Color Monitor "249.00

C1311 Joystick '4.99

C1312 Paddles '11.99

C1600 VIC Modem '59.00

CI 650 Auto Modem '89.00

Logo 64 '49 00

Riot 64 '39.00

Word Pro 64 Plus '59.00

Parallel Printer Interface '49 00

Calc Result 64 '65.00

Calc Result Easy "39.00

Codewriter 64 '75.00

Quick Brown Fox '49.00

MCS 801 Color Printer '499 DO

DPS 1101 Daisy Printer '459.00

Magic Voice Speech Module '54 00

DBSk Organizer Lock '49 00

Vidtex Telecommunications '34.95

We stock a full inventory of software for Commodore, such as: Artworx, Broderbund, Commercial Data, Creative Software, EPYX, HES, MicroSpec, Nufekop, Romox, Sirius, Synapse, Thorn EMI, Tronix, UMI, Victory, Spinnaker, Rainbow S, Timeworks!

INFOCOM

Zork 1.2.3 [AT/AP/CBM/IBM] '29.00

Deadline (AT/AP/CBM/IBM) '32.95

Enchanter (AT/AP/CBM/IBM) '32.95

Ranetfall (AT/AP/CBM/IBM) '32.95

Witness (AT/AP/CBM/IBM) "32.95

Starcross (AT/AP/CBM/IBM) "39 00

PacMan Centipede Dig Dug Donkey Kong Defender Robotron Star Gate

ATARISOFT

IBM/AP "29 99 ■29.99 "2999 •29.99 ■2999 ■29.99 •2999

C64/VIC •37.99 •37 99 ■37 99 ■37 99 •3799 •37 99 ■37 99

CMO'S PORTABLE CORNER

41CV "I99"

41CX *2«"

HP 10C "51-99

HP 11C "69.99

HP 120 "88.99

HP 150 '8899

HP 16C "8899

HP 75C "749.99

HPIL Module '98.99

HPIL Cassette or Printer "359.99

Card Reeder "143.99

Extended Function Module '63.99

Time Module "63.99

TIMEX/SINCLAIR

Timex/Sinclair 1000 CALL

Timex/Sinclair 2086 CALL

16K Memory "25 00

2040 Printer "99.99

VuCalc "17.99

Mmdware PrmtBr "99.99

NEC

PC-B221A Thermal Printer "149 99

PC-B2B1A Data Recorder "99 00

PC-8201-06 8K RAM Chips "105.00

PC-S206A 32K RAM Cartridge '329.00

PC-1500A...

PC-1250A...

.»165" ...•88"

CE-125 Pnnter/Cassette '128.99

CE-150 Color Printer/Cassette '171.99

CE-155 8K RAM "93 99

CE-161 16K RAM -134 99

CE-500 ROM Library '29 99

ATARI

HOME COMPUTERS

WHILE SUPPLIES LAST!

ATARI 600XL

s149

1D10 Recorder '74.00

1020 Color PrintBr '249.00

1025 Dot Matrix Printer '349,00

1027 Letter Quality '309 00

1030 Direct Connect Modem '119.00

1050 Disk Dnve '339.00

CX30 Paddle '12.00

CX40 Joystick...each 'B.DO

CX77 Touch Tablet '64.00

CX80 Trek Ball "48.00

CX85 Keypad '105.00

4BB Communicator II '229.00

4003 Assorted Education '47.00

4011 Star Raiders '33.00

4012 Missile Command '29.00

4013 Asteroids "29.00

5049 VisiCalc '159.00

7079 Logo '79.00

7101 Entertainer '69 00

7102 Arcade Champ "75.00

B02B Dig Dug '33.00

8030 E.T. Phone Home "33.00

B031 Donkey Kong '39.00

8033 Robotron '35.00

8034 Pole Position '39.00

8036 Atari Wnter '79.00

8040 Donkey Kong. Jr '39 00

8043 Ms Pacman '39.00

8044 Joust '39.00

DISKETTES

MAXELL

SS4" MD-1 "2900

5'/." MD-2 "3900

8" FO-1 (SS/DD) '39 00

8" FD-2 (DS/DD) '49.00

VERBATIM

SK" SS/DD "26.99

5'/«" OS/DD '36.99

ELEPHANT

5*4" SS/SD '18 49

5'/." SS/DD "2899

5'/-" DS/DD "2899

HEAD

5%" Disk Head Cleaner '14,99

DISK HOLDERS

INNOVATIVE CONCEPTS

Rip-n-File 10 "3-99

Rip-n-File 50 -17,99

Rip-n-File (400/B00 ROMJHolder '17.99

LJK

Atan Letter Perfect Disk(40/80) '79.99

Atari Letter Perfect Ft0M(40 col) '79.99

Atan Letter Perlect ROMJBO col] "79.99

Atari Data Perfect RDM (80 col] '79.99

Atari Spell Perfect Disk "59.99

Atari Utilrty/MalMerge '21 00

Apple Letter Perfect '99.00

Apple Data Perfect '75 00

Apple LJK Utility '21.00

Apple Lower Case Generator '19.00

800XL.... 1200XL.. 1400XL..

.'2S9 .CALL .CALL

PEFGOM

AT S8S1 '36900

AT BB-A1 '259.00

AT 8B-S1 PD '449 00

AT 88-DDA '119 00

RFD 40-S1 "449 00

RFD 4D-A1 '269.00

RFD 40-S2 '699 00

RFD 44-S1 '539.DO

RFD 44-S2 'B69.00

TEXAS INSTRUMENTS TX 99-S1 '279.00

RANA

1000 '329 00

TRAK

AT-D2 '38900

INDUS

GT-Dnve '379 00

MEMORY BOARDS

Axlon 32K '59.00

Axlon 48K '99.00

Axlon 12BK '299.00

Intec 32K '59 00

Intec 4BK '84 00

Intec 64K '99 00

Intec Real Time Clock '29.00

ALIEN VOICE BOX

Atan '119.00

Apple '14900

CONTROLLERS & JOYSTICKS

unco

Joystick "2199

3-way Joystick.. "22.99

Famous Red Ball '23.99

Power Grip '21.99

BOSS Joystick '17.99

ATARI/VIC Trak Ball '34.99

Apple Trak Ball '54.99

Apple Adapter '15.99

Apple Analog '37.99

KRAFT

Atari Single Fire '12.99

Atan Switch Hitter '15.99

Apple Paddles "34.99

IBM Paddles '34.99

IBM Joystick '46.99

AMIGA

3100 Single "13.99

3101 Pair '19 99

Joyboard '37.99

TG

Atari Trak Ball '47 99

Apple Joystick "47.99

Apple Trak Ball '47 ,F~

63SU Ontario/Quebec

nnn P13-8950 800-268-3974 801

DUU-COO O*'*'1' Other Province880O-268^559 In NV c;

In PA call [717)327-9575,Dept. 40501 |n TorontD can (416)828 aB66,o0pt. 40501 0rde|

Order Status Number: 327-9576 Order Status Number: 828 0866

Customer Service Number: 327-1450 2505 Dunwin Driva, Unit 3B

477 E. 3rd St., Williamsport, PA 17701 Miasisaauga, Ontario, Canada L5L1T

INTERNATIONAL ORDERS: All shipments outside the miiivuiiuiwi -...«=- — i- - . • —

EDUCA^ONALdDBCOUNTS: Additional discounts are available to qualified Educational Institutions. APO & FPO: Add 3% [minimum "5] shipping and handling.

west \ 800-648-3311

In NV call (702)588 5654,Dept. 40501 Order Status Number: 588-5654 P.O.Box 6689 r*

Stateline, NV 89449 '

Circle 420 on Inquiry card.

Book Reviews

Using Computers In Clinical Practice

Marc D. Schwartz,

M.D., ed.

The Haworth Press,

New York, 1984,

510 pages, hardcover,

S34.95

Reviewed by Evie Wilson

Are you a mental health professional unwilling to accept the thought of using computers to do the sensitive, sometimes intuitive, work of psychotherapy? At the same time, if your sense of futuristic mental health practices intrigues you, then you would be interested in reading Using Computers in Clinical Practice. Without resorting to a hard-sell approach, the 66 contributors will lead you objectively through various steps of getting acquainted with the possibilities computers offer. In what is a surprisingly readable format, even humorous at times, this book presents selected, relatively brief articles by experienced mental health professionals who use computers in varying degrees in their practices.

The articles in this book are grouped under 14 topics and, fortunately, they do not always agree with each other. The reader is thus exposed to various pro and con points of view. Nevertheless, the main goal of the editor, Dr. Marc D. Schwartz, is not to cause readers to choose an all-ornothing stance, but to present in an unbiased manner the experiences, successes, and difficulties encountered by the pioneers currently introducing computers to the field of psychology. Because these people are mental health professionals first and com

CBnfc»l*"f"

puter specialists second, they tend to discuss the issues pertinent to clinical psychology using the language of the profession even though their prime focus, in this book, is on technology and computerization. This helps the more therapeutically oriented reader like myself become more involved, even absorbed, in the discussions.

Some of the articles listed in the table of contents that immediately piqued my interest were reviews on "A Probabilistic System for Identifying Suicide Attemptors," a "Computerized Analysis of Verbal Behavior in Schizophrenia," and on a "Direct Assessment of Depression by Microcomputer," the latter being one of several articles contributed by the editor of this volume.

This is actually a handbook that provides an overview of the multiple uses of computer hardware and software

as they currently apply to mental health. For example, it includes discussions of the time-saving advantages of word processing and how to preprogram the routine phrases or diagnostic definitions necessary for repetitive report writing. It covers extensive considerations of the value, drawbacks, and unknowns related to computerized assessment, diagnosis, and testing procedures that have heretofore been tedious pencil-and-paper methods.

Seeing the World

Not all is portrayed as rosy, however. The authors raise substantive legal, ethical, and humanistic questions. For instance, how will a depressed, depersonalized client react to being assessed by a machine rather than a caring human being? Will computer-using professionals begin to treat their microcomputers and

software as authorities or become reluctant to introduce innovation into stable programs that have taken years to perfect? What happens to worker satisfaction when human interaction is exchanged for a full day of computer interaction?

On a more optimistic note, how about computerized fantasy games in child therapy? Or educational systems for cognitive rehabilitation in neuropsychology? Self-help via bulk mail? Or just plain old improvements in billing procedures and cash flow for the psychotherapist as a small-business owner?

Keeping in Mind

Considerations are many in this relatively unexplored area; that is why this book is essential. It invites you to be aware of various options and warnings that you may not even have begun to imagine. In addition to words of caution, the contributors also include helpful suggestions. It seems that the editor wants to make certain that once you invest in a computer, you will be able to take full advantage of it and not relegate it, unused, to a dusty corner due to unanticipated frustrations. This is reason enough to read this book, since your investment can range from $2000 to $20,000.

What are some of those suggestions? Consider, for example, Parts I and II entitled "An Overview" and "Dealing With People," respectively. Once you have decided to go ahead and merge technology with the humanities, apparently the first roadblock is likely to come from other office personnel and colleagues who may feel professionally threatened. The authors offer insight into this fairly com

468 BYTE May 1984

The Micromint Collection

Micromint. Supporting the varied projects that appear in Steve Ciarcia's monthly article in BYTE Magazine, "Ciarcia's Circuit Cellar." Offering a wide range of computers and peripherals designed to meet the exacting demands of the hobbyist as well as worldwide corporate clients.

TERM-MITE ST

SMART TERMINAL BOARD

As read/red in Ciarcia's Circuit Cellar BYTE Magazine, January t February 1984

All you need lo build a Smart Video Terminal equivalent lo the types advertised lor 51.000.00 or more is a Term-Mite ST circuit board, scanned or parallel keyboard, video monitor and power supply

• Uses brand new Natl Semi NS455A Terminal Processor

• 24 lines by 80 characters, 25th reverse-video status.

• Upper & lowercase. Line (block) graphics.

• Selectable data rate, parity & display options.

• Reverse video, half intensity, double height & width, underlined, blinking and/or blank character.

• Separate sync or composite video output. Selt Test. Term-Mite ST Video Display Terminal Board

BCC22 Assembled & Tested $284.

BCC23 Complete Kit 244.

MPX-16 MICROCOMPUTER IBM PC COMPATIBLE

Z8 BASIC SYSTEM CONTROLLER NEW!!!

As lealured on Hie cover otBYTE Magazine. Also leatuied in Ciarcia's Circuit Cellar November, December 1982 S January 1983

The Computer With A Split Personality. —Use it as an IBM PC look alike that directly boots PC DOS 11 and accepts all expansion boards designed lor the IBM PC. —Use it as a powerful 8088 single board computer for all your OEM applications. Just add serial terminal, disk drive and power supply. Directly boots CP/M-86. Buy the MPX-16 in the lorm that best meets your needs or budget. As a bare board, as a wave soldered board that contains all components less ICs, as an assembled and tested circuit board or as a complete system.

• Directly boots PC DOS 1.1 and CP/M-86.

• Most IBM PC software executes with no modifications.

• IBM PC bus compatible + 9 expansion slots.

• Intel 808816-bit microprocessor.

• Optional Intel 8087 math coprocessor

• 256K bytes on board memory.

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• Up to 64K bytes of system ROM/EPROM.

• 2 RS-232C Serial & 3 Parallel I/O ports.

• Disk controller for 5V4" or 8" drives.

• Sixteen levels of vectored interrupts. MPX-16 Circuit Board Assembled

W/S4KRAM $1,200.

OEM 100 quantity price 900.

MPX-16 Circuit Board Asembled

W/256KRAM 1,400.

MPX-16 Semi-Kit (wave soldered circuit

board w/all components) Less ICs 695.

Complete Kit ol ICs W/256K RAM 595.

MPX-1S Unpopulated (bare) PC Board .... 300. CP/M-B6 Operating System + Manuals... BO.

MPX-16 Switching Power Supply 300.

MPX-16 Technical Relerence Manual SO.

MPX-16 Metal Enclosure with Pan 300.

Tandon TM100-2 Double Sided/Density

Drive 300.

IBM PC Keyboard Interlace Adapter 100.

Snipping t handling additional on all

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IBM PC is a trademark of International Business Machines Inc. CP'M-86 is a trademark of Digital Research Inc. Z8 is a trademark ol Zilog Inc

Circle 289 on inquiry card

As featured in Ciarcia's Circuit Cellar. BYTE Magazine, July & August 1981

The Z8 Basic System Controller is an updated version of our popular BCC01 The price has been reduced and features added. The entire computer is 4" by W and includes a tiny BASIC interpreter, up to 6K bytes of RAM and EPROM. one RS-232C serial port with switchable baud rates and two parallel ports BASIC or machine language programming is accomplished simply by connecting a CRT terminal. Programs can be transferred to 2732 EPROMs with an optional EPROM programmer for auto start applications. Additional Z8 peripheral boards include memory expansion, serial and parallel I/O. real time clock, an A/D Converter and an EPROM programmer.

• Uses Zilog Z8 single chip microprocessor,

• Data and address buses available for 124K memory

• Can be battery operated

• Cross assemblers for various computers

DCC11 Assembled & Tested S149.

New Low Price

Z8 MEMORY. I/O EXPANSION. CASSETTE INTERFACE

• 8K bytes of additional RAM or EPROM

• Three additional 8 bit parallel ports.

• Cassette interface—300 baud K C. Standard.

• Software real time clock.

BCC03 W/4K RAM Assembled & Tested S150.

BCCD4 w/8K RAM Assembled & Tested 160.

Z8 EPROM PROGRAMMER

• Transfer BASIC or Assembly Language application programs from RAM to 2716 or 2732 EPROM.

• Comes with programming & utility routines on EPROM.

• Requires 8CC03 Z8 Expansion Board lor operation BCC07 Assembled & Tested S145.

Z8 ANALOG TO DIGITAL CONVERTER

• Uses Analog Devices 7581 IC. 8-channel 8-bit,

• Adds process control capability to the Z8 system

• Over 1,000 conversions per channel per second.

• Monitors 8 analog signals in one of two 10v ranges. BCC13 Assembled & Tested $140.

Z8 SERIAL EXPANSION BOARD

• Adds additional RS-232C and opto-isolated 20 ma. current loop serial port to the Z8 System

• Runs at 75 to 19.200 baud in all protocols

• Comes with listings of sample serial I/O routines. BCC08 Assembled 4 Tested S160.

Z816K MEMORY EXPANSION BOARD

• Add up to 16K of additional memory, RAM or EPROM, to your Z8 System Controller in any multiple.

• Accepts 2016. 6116, 2716, or 2732 memory types,

• Four 16K cards may be installed on the Z8 System bringing the total memory to 64K.

BCC14 Assembled & Tested w (IK RAM $120.

BCC16 Assembled & Tested w 1GK RAM 155.

COMING SOON! MICRO D-CAM

FORTH LANGUAGE VERSION DIGITAL TV CAMERA OF THE Z8

With Ihe new Z8 with on board 4K FORTH you can

program high speed control functions in a few simple

high level language commands Perfect for data

reduction, process control and high speed control

applications.

BCC20 Z8F FORTH Microprocessor chip .... J150.

BCC21 ZBF FORTH System Controller

(This board is a BCC11 with a BCC20

installed)

Assembled & Tested 280.

Z8 CROSS ASSEMBLERS

From Micro Resources

IBM PC, APPLE, 6502 Systems 5W",

CPM2.2 8" S 75.

From Allen Ashley

TRS-80 Model I, III, Northstar 5W 75.

CP/M2.28" 150.

Z8 FIVE SLOT MOTHER BOARD

• Expand your Z8 BASIC System with minimum effort.

• Contains five slots complete w/44 pin connectors. MB02 Assembled & Tested $69.

TRIPLE VOLTAGE POWER SUPPLIES

+5V @ 300 ma. + / - 12V @ 25 ma.

UPS01 Assembled & Tested 535.

UPS02 Complete Kit 27.

+5V@1Amp. + 12V@.5Amp. -12V@50ma.

UPS03 Assembled & Tested 60.

UPS04 Complete Kit 50.

SPEECH SYNTHESIZERS

MICROVOX TEXT-TO-SPEECH SYNTHESIZER

As featured in Ciarcia s Circuit Cellar B YTE Magazine September, October 1982.

Microvox is a second generation professional voice quality text-to-speech synthesizer that is easily interfaced to any computer, modern. RS-232C serial or parallel output device and provides speech of unbelievable clarity

• Unlimited vocabulary

• 64 programmable inflection levels

• 6K text-to-speech algorithm.

• Full ASCII character set recognition and echo

• RS232C and parallel output.

• 1000 character buffer. 3000 optional. » Adiuslable baud rates (75-9600).

• Spelling output mode.

• 7 octave music and sound effects.

• On board audio amplifier & power supply.

• X-On/X-Otf handshaking

MV01 Assembled with 1K butler S299.

MV02 Complete Kit with 1K buffer 219.

Add $15.00 for 3K buffer option.

VOTRAX SC-01A PHONETIC SPEECH SYNTHESIZER IC

The SC-01A Speech Synthesizer is a completely selfcontained solid state device that phonetically synthesizes continuous speech of unlimited vocabulary. Used in our Microvox and Sweet-Talker. SCtrtA Quantity 1-99 S44. ea.

10D+ 32. ea.

1000+ 24. ea.

As featured in Ciarcia s Circuit Cellar BYTE Magazine, September & October 1983

GIVE YOUR COMPUTER THE DIMENSION OF SIGHT

• Interprets, enhances and stores images.

• 256 v 128 digital image sensor

• Plug-in boards for the IBM-PC. APPLE II + or e

• Software includes utilities for auto exposure, multi-level greyscale, screen dump and image enhancement

• Includes interface card. 4 foot extension cable, camera assembly, manual, and software on diskette

DC01 IBM PC Assembled & Tested $299.

DC02 IBM PC Complete Kit 264.

DC03 APPLE II Assembled & Tested 299.

DC04 APPLE II Complete Kit 264.

300 BAUD ANSWER/ ORIGINATE MODEM KIT

As featured in Ciarcia s Circuit Cellar BYTE Magazine, March 1983

Micromints latest 300 Baud Modem Kit is crystal controlled, uses the Tl TMS99532 IC, contains just 25 parts and requires no calibration or adjustments Use with acoustic coupler or in direct connect mode.

MD04 Complete Kit as shown $60.

MD05 Transformer for Direct Connect Mode .. 9. AC01 Acoustic Coupler Kit 20.

E-Z COLOR GRAPHIC INTERFACE WITH SPRITES

APPUIIE-Z Color plug-in board with Graphics Editor on 3.3 disk

EZ01 Assembled S Tested $150.

EZ02 Complete Kit 125.

APPUII E-Z Color Plus

• Allows the use of a single monitor or TV set.

EZ11 Assembled & Tested w Graphics Editor . $200. KRELL LOGO lor EI Color and E-Z Color Plus Supports Sprite Graphics. EZ21 Krell LOGO w lull documentation $89.

Animation Software tor E-Z Color Plus

• Draw with Sprites using Joystick or Koala Pad.

• Animate Sprites trom your own BASIC program. EZ21 Animation Software $49.

S100 E-Z Color Graphics Board

• With sound generator & joystick interface

• MBASIC Graphics Editor on 8" diskette

EZ04 Assembled & Tested $289.

MICROMINT INC. 561 Willow Avenue, Cedarhurst, NY 11516 To Order: Call Toll Free 1-800-645-3479 For Information Call: 1-516-374-6793 Call: Monday-Friday, 9-5 PM

Book Reviews

mon reaction and suggest ways of introducing your new ideas in stages that are easier to accept.

In addition, precautions are raised in Parts I and II regarding facets of professional computerization that have apparently thwarted more than a few enthusiastic, though uninformed, potential computer users. First, although computers have the capacity to capitalize tremendously on the power of information, they can be subject to inconvenient programming limitations. Second, you may need to learn how to program your own software, because ready-made software is not always available or appropriate to specific needs. Finally, you are made aware that contracting a programmer to develop an operational program is very different financially from receiving a functional program. The former means simply that the program runs. The latter means the programmer stays on the job long enough to work out unforeseen bugs in the system. A misunderstanding of this contractual wording can result in a $40per-hour charge for program modification costs until all the data is printing the way you want it.

For those readers who are employed by larger operations than private practice, such as hospitals, community-planning agencies, or mental health centers, this book contains valuable advice from those with previous experience. The authors emphasize that clinicians must be quite familiar with the computer systems in their agencies in order to adequately input their programming needs. Otherwise, programmers and administrators could set up programs that are not relevant to clinicians' information needs or are not sensitive to the human elements in thera

peutic work. Then the result is potentially more, meaningless paperwork for the clinician, or you are stuck with a system that is woefully underused by the agency. The writers of the "Administrative and Clinical Information Management" chapters are both helping other professionals in the field to avoid the pitfalls they have experienced and expressing satisfaction with their accomplishments.

Selected articles in "Choosing a Computer" continue in the effort to offer guidance. Although the language in this article includes more technical terms than in any

empathic, reflective-listening statements from the computer. Did you know a Lithium Information Center exists? Or that computers are beginning to read minds by decoding brain-wave patterns that are produced by merely thinking of a word? You say, shades of 1984? Perhaps—but what about disabled people whose perfectly good minds are trapped in bodies that cannot move well enough to speak or write? A final chapter under "Other Issues" discusses tax tips for computer owners—another reason to invest in this book before computerizing your profession.

Contracting a programmer

to develop an operational

program can result in a

misunderstanding that is

largely financial.

other portion of the book, it should not deter you. Yet this is the next to last of the 14 sections, so if you have read thus far and are ready to choose your computer, you need to know, in spite of technical terms, such considerations as how an Apple II compares with a Vector 2600.

Broadening Horizons

I recommend reading this book candy-box style. Pick out intriguing articles for the pure enjoyment of learning more about some fascinating applications of computers in mental health. Did you know, for instance, that computers can be programmed to respond as Rogerians, or Gestalt or Rational Emotive therapists? To date, these artificialintelligence therapists are not the real thing, though. A set of repetitive Yes statements by a human tester elicits a series of hilarious, though

Few Criticisms

As I read, I carefully watched for drawbacks in Using Computers in Clinical Practice, though, I must admit, I really couldn't find many. It seems to contain something for everyone ranging from the uninitiated to those with serious purchasing intentions. If anything could have been expanded, however, I would have liked to have read more about client reactions, e.g., case studies, articles by clients, and quotes. I found one of the most engaging articles to be "A Computer Assisted Therapy Game for Adolescents: Initial Development and Comments" because it did briefly cover clients' behaviors and attitudes. Other articles that brought in clients' reactions to some extent were those on self-help sex therapy and a review of "Talking to a Computer About Emotional Problems." I had hoped the chap

ter "Eliza and Her Offspring" might satisfy my desire to hear from clients, but as I read on I discovered Eliza is herself (itself?) an artificialintelligence psychology program.

In sum, this book is outstanding and timely. It is a thorough overview that is both easy and enjoyable to read. It is well bound and clearly printed on nonglossy pages. It contains references at the end of many chapters as well as an extensive, categorized bibliography. Because of the overall writing style, the novice as well as an experienced user can learn a wealth of information almost effortlessly.

According to one article, it seems that during the 1970s panels designed to discuss computer use by the American Psychological Association were not very well attended. In 1980, however, these panels drew huge crowds of new computer owners who, having purchased the hardware, needed someone to show them what to do with it. Conclusion: computers are a growing facet of the mental health practice. If you are a clinician, it is time to find out what you may not already know, and Using Computers in Clinical Practice is an excellent first step. ■

Bate Wilson (FOB 258, Gilsum, NH 03448) is a psychotherapist, a clinician at a mental health service, and a professor of psychology at Hawthorne College in Antrim, New Hampshire.

BYTE is always looking for qualified book reviewers. Submit queries and proposals accompanied by a resume, writing samples, or a list of computer-related interests and expertise to BYTE's Book Review Editor, POB 372, Hancock, NH 03449.

470 BYTE May 1984

Collector TLdition

BYTE COVERS

The Byte covers shown below are available as beautiful Collector Edition Prints. Each full color print is 11 in. x 14 in., including a 11/2 in. border, and is part of an edition strictly limited to 500 prints. Each print is faithfully reproduced from the original painting on museum quality acid-free paper, and is personally inspected, signed and numbered by the artist, Robert Tinney. A Certificate of Authenticity accompanies each print attesting to its quality and limited number.

Collector Edition Prints are carefully packaged flat to avoid bending, and are shipped first class. The price of each print is $25, plus $3 per shipment for postage and handling ($8 overseas). The prints are also available as 4-print sets: Set 9-12, Set 13-16, and Set 17-20. Each set costs $80, plus postage and handling.

To order your own favorite Byte cover as a beautiful Collector Edition Print, use the convenient coupon below. Visa or MasterCard orders may call 1-504-272-7266.

tj

1

i

L

mer

j

fr ""%

#17 Winter Computing $25 # 18 Seventeen Seventy-Six $25 #19 Crystal Ball $25 #20 Digital Arts $25

#13 Future Computers? $25

"***^ ■' j!ip5f*

a^m ! (IT 1

#

14 Smalltalk

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$25

#15 Software

#16 Chip Building $25

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#11

Please send me the following Prints ($25), or Sets ($80). □ I have enclosed check or money order.

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§r^

e

Check Oryx's New Ad Listings!

APPLE/

*

FRANKLIN

ASHTON-TATE

dBase II $

Ca

1

ASPEN/WANG SOFTWARE

Grammatik $ 60

BEAGLE BROS.

Apple Mechanic $

DOS Boss

Utility City

22 17 22

BRODERBUND

Bank Street Writer ... $ General Ledger w/AP. Payroll

45 305 275

CO EX

Visicolc Training $

45

CENTRAL POINT

Copy II + $

34

CONTINENTAL SOFTWARE

Home Accountant .... $ 49

DIGITAL RESEARCH

$9 Excellent selection on current and the exciting new products $

Call

DOW JONES

Market Manager

Microscope

245 219 525

LIVING VIDEOTEXT

£9 Think Tank $

9

9

f

\

d-BASE II

CORNER

Anderson-Bell

Abstal $

Call

Ash ton-Tate

dBase II $

389

FPL

410

Friday

179

Fox & Geller

Quick Code $

175

D Util

58

Human Soft

d-Base Plus $

90

Sensible

g?D-Programmer ...$

Call

Software Banc

dBase II

User's Guide:

w/ d-Base II

Purchase $

15

w/o d-Base II

Purchase

20

Tylog Systems

d-Base Window .. $

159

d-Base Door $

Call

'Ail above available

on PC-DOS

\

J

<&» ORYX SFSTEMS

QUALITY DISCOUNTS

Circle 428 for Hardware/Peripherals. Circle 429 for Software. Circle 430 for May Specials on Networking.

LOGO CORNER

Krell Logo $ 75

Terrapin $ Call

MICROPRO

Wordstar (Special

w/ CP/M Card,

70 col. & 64K) $ Call

Infostar (Includes

CP/M, 70 col., 64K)..$ Call Pro Pak

(WS/MM/SS/lndex) . . 399

MICROSOFT

Cobol-80 $ 499

Fortran-80 145

TASC Compiler 119

A.L.D.S 79

Multiplan (DOS) 165

OMEGA

Locksmith $ 79

PEACHTREE $ Call

PENGUIN SOFTWARE

Complete Graphics... $ 50

Graphics Magician ... 39 Complete Graphics/

Apple Tablet 86

SIERRA ON-LINE

Homeword $ Call

SOFTECH

Basic Compilers

Runtime S 169

Softeach 94

UCSD P-system Set ... 469

SOFTWARE PUBLISHING

PFS: File, Gr, Rep . ea.$ 79

SUPERSOFT

Basic Tutor $ 79

Fortran 299

All Others $ Call

SYSTEMS PLUS

Landlord

$ 375

VISICORP

Visicolc (II or HE) $ 165

Visischedule 195

CP/M SOFTWARE

FORMATS AVAILABLE

All prices below are for 8" standard. Other formats are available. Some formats subject to "Download" fee and require minimum 2 weeks for delivery. Please inquire.

COMPUVIEW

•V-Edit 8080 Z80,

IBM/PC $ 130

•V-Edit CP/M 86,

MS DOS 160

0 Systran 99

DIGITAL RESEARCH

•Pascal MT + W/SPP . . $ 389

DR Assembler 8. Tools. 149

CP/M 2.2 125

C Basic 2 95

PL/1-80 375

DIGITAL RESEARCH (Cont'd)

Personal Basic

120

CP/M Plus 3.0

262

CP/M Gold Card $

Call

Access or Display Mgr.

299

C Language/compiler

260

Concurrent CP/M 2.0 .

Call

All 8" - 86 Version

of Above $

Call

NFOCOM

•Deadline $

49

'Starcross

39

'Suspended

39

"Zork, 1, II, III (each) ...

39

MARK OF THE UNICORN

•Final Word S

199

=,-c>s

f^ I

ii PEACHTREE 1

B™ CORNER

PeachPok 4

(GL, AP, AR) $

215

Series 8 (GL, AP, AR,

Sales Inv., Inv., Control,

Job Cost, Client Post.

& Acct. . each mod. $

389

V

J

REVASCO

Z80 Disassembler .... $ 85

SPI

33 Open Access $ Call

SORCIM

•Supercalc II $ Call

Superwriter

(w/Speller & Mailer) . $ 169

SELECT

Select Word

Processor % 249

STAR SOFTWARE SYSTEMS

•Legal Time, Billing.... 787

Property Mgmt 787

SUPERSOFT

•Diagnostic II $ 89

Disk Doctor 74

•Fortran 4 299

Basic-8086 225

C Cross Assembler .. . 400

•ScrotchPad 187

T MAKER III $ 215

IBM/PC

MICROPRO

•WordStar $ Call

•InfoStar $ Call

•Pro-Pack

(WS/MM/SS Index) .. $ Call

All others $^ Call

MICROSOFT

Basic 80 $ 239

Basic Compiler 249

Fortran 80 330

Cobol 80 449

Macro 80 130

MuMath/MuSimp 179

'Multiplan 165

Please see CP/M listing. All products with an * in front are also made for PC/DOS and are priced the same unless otherwise specified.

ALPHA SOFTWARE

Data Base Mgr. II .... $ 179

Executive Pkg 105

Apple-IBM Connection $ Call

AMERICAN

INT'L COMMUNICATIONS

0 Tlx-A-Syst $ 199

ss Gram-A-Syst 199

STAR SOFTWARE SYSTEMS ACCOUNTING PARTNER

Easy to use menu-driven programs for the beginner that can be linked with a sophisticated system as needed.

Your "Partner" includes: general ledger, accounts receivable, accounts payable and payroll. Also included for a nominal fee is an "800" number for access to the Star Question Center Back-Up Support Unit. ORYX PRICE $ 279

MICROSTUF

•Crosstalk $ 109

NORTHWEST ANALYTICAL

•Statpak $ 365

OASIS

The Word Plus J Call

Punctuation and Style $ Call

ORGANIC SOFTWARE

•Datebook $ 229

•Milestone 229

PICKLES & TROUT

CP/M for TRS $ 180

PRO/TEM SOFTWARE

"Footnote J 105

AUTODESK

Autocad $ Call

B&L

9 Multi-Job (runs nine

programs at once)... $ 145

BULLISH INVESTMENT

Net Worth $ Call

jpPlease call us regarding products for Macintosh and IBM PC Jr.

CENTRAL POINT

Copy II PC $ 34

CONTINENTAL

Home Accountant .... $ 89

Computer Systems for Medical Dental, Insurance, Law and other professional groups. Call Oryx.

CTek

PC Calculator $ 29

Prog. PC Calculator .. 49

Prog. PC Calculator

w/ Fin. Mod 55

DIGITAL RESEARCH Concurrent CP/M 86..$ Call Pascal MT + 86

CP/M 86 w/SPP 375

Pascal MT+ (PC/DOS) 385 DR Logo $ Call

DOW JONES

Market Analyzer $ 245

Market Manager 219

© Connector 39

ECO-SOFT

Microslat $ Call

ENERTRONICS

8 Energraphics $ Call

FINANCIER

Tax Series 105

Financier II $ 119

FOX t GELLER

S Grafox $ 199

FYI

Superfile $ 139

FYI 3000 287

GRAPHIC SOFTWARE

Super Chortman II .... $ 299 Super Chartmon IV .. . 199

HERITAGE

J3 Smart Key $ 75

0 Smart Print 39

b Smart Key/Print 105

LIFETREE

Volkswriter Deluxe ... $ 179 LIVING VIDEOTEXT

3 Think Tank (256K) .... $ 139

MICROPRO

8 Starburst $ Call

MICRORIM R-base $ Call

NORELL DATA SYSTEMS

ffl Systems Backup $ 42

PEACHTREE

See CP/M lilting.

PeachText 5000 $ Call

PEARLSOFT

Pearl Acct'g 2 (16 bit) (GL, AP, AR, P, INV.) . $ 650 Personal Pearl 209

SCIENTIFIC MARKETING

ffi Market Fax $ 349

SORCIM

65 Supercalc ill $ 249

472 BYTE May 1984

SUPERSOFT

C Compiler - 8086 ... $ 350

Star Edit 180

Disk Edit 75 .

Basic Compiler 225

8087 Support 40

SYSTEMS PLUS

Landlord (prop mgmt) I 375 Runtime Basic {req'd for above) .... 45

VISICORP

«J VisiOn Line $ Call

■. ■ and many more!

APPLE/

FRANKLIN

BOARDS

ALS CP/M Cord $ 299

gALS Smarterm II 145

ALSZ-Cardll 115

ABT Keyboard 99

Axlon Ramdisk 128K .. 299

Bit 3 Dual Comm-plus . 209

CCS 7710 Asynch Serial 119

Central Point Alaska .. Call Eait Side

9 Wild Card II $ Call

9 Wild Card Plus $ Call

Microsoft 16K Ramcard 69

Microtoft Sof tcord .... 219

Microsoft Sof tcord+. . 419 Microtoft Premium

Softcard (HE) 335

Microtek Printer l/F .. . 75

Microtek Dumplmg-16 195

Microtek Dumpling-GX 11 9

Mountain A-D/D-A ...S Call Mountain Music

System w/Software ... $ Call PCP 4 MHZ

Appli-Card + 88 Card 509 PCP 88 Card

16BM + 64K 425

SSM ASIO Serial l/F

w/coble 129

SSM AIO-2 Serial/

Parallel 179

Tymac Parallel l/F

w/cable 79

Videx Display

Enhancer 99

Videx Display

Enhancer II 109

Videx Func. Strip 59

Videx Videoterm

VT-600 189

Videx Ultraterm 249

Weiper 16K Ram Card 69

IBM/PC BOARDS

AST RESEARCH

ComboPlus 64K (Cl/Cal

Ser S. Par. l/F,

256K capacity) $ 279

MegaPlus 64K, (Cl/Cal,

Ser Port, 512K capacity

w/Megapak) $ 269

Extra ports available

for Megaplus and I/O

Plus II (Game, P/S)....$ 40 Megapak 256K upgrade

for Megaplus $ Call

I/O Plus II Cl/Cal

and Ser Port 115

MAYNARD ELECTRONICS

Floppy Drive Cntrlr... $ 160

w/ Par Port 209

w/Ser Port 219

Sandstar Floppy Drive Cntrlr $ 194

Sandstar Mem Card - 3 modules cap. ... 145

Sandstar Multifunction Card-6 modules cap. 71

Sandstar Modules .... $ Call

(

DISPLAY CARL

CORNER

Hercule* Gr Bd ...

.$ 359

Orchid

Monochrome

Gr Adapter

.$ Coll

Ptantronics

Colorplus

.$ Call

Paradiie/USI

Display Card (colo

1

monochrome} ....

.$ Call

Amdek MAI Card.

.$ Coll

Teernar

Graphic Master ..

.$ Call

V

QUADRAM

Quadboard 64K,

(Clk/Cal, Ser 8. Par

Ports, Software) $ 279

Microfazer Stack Printer

Buffer (exp. to 512K)

► Parallel/Parallel 8K .. 132

► Parallel/Parallel 64K 188

► Serial/Parallel 8K ... 170

► Serial/Serial 8K 170

Quadlink 64K Mem

(allows Apple SW to

run on IBM/PC) $ Call

Other Quadram Prods $ Call

Below are several of the terminals available at ORYX.

Adds - Qume - Televideo - Liberty - Teletex - Wyse

For technical assistance call (715) 848-1374

To order, use our toll free line.

TECMAR Products .... $ Call XEDEX/MICROLOG

Baby Blue $ Call

Baby Blue II $ Call

MONITORS

Amdek 300A Am ... Amdek Color II + ... NEC JB1201 - 12" Gr NEC JB1260 - 12" Gr NEC JC1216 RGB .... PGS HX12RGBCIr.. Panasonic CT160

10" comp

sQuadram

Quadchrome

Sanyo 8112 12" HR Gr

.$ 149 435

. $ Call

. $ 119 435

.$ Call

$ Call

. $ Call $ Call

/

SONY

Profeel 12"

Profeel 19"

Profeel 25"

J Call $ Call $ Call

Taxan

KG12N-UY 12" HR Am KG12N 12" HR Gr.... RGB Vision-1

12" LR Clr

RGB Vision-3

12" HRCIr

USI 1200A 12" HRAm .

$ 139 132

$ Call

$ 459

$ 159

MODEMS

Hayes 300 $ 205

Hayes 1200 495

Hayes 1200B (Int) 449

Hayes Chronograph .. 189 Novation

Apple-Cat II $ 259

PC Cat w/ Crosstalk

(a/so known as

Access 1-2-3 1200B) ... $ Call

212 Smart Cat $ 409

US Robotics

Auto-Dial 300/1200 ... $ 459

Auto-Link 300/1200 .. . 410

B S-100 Modem 345

Password $ Call

Zoom Telephonies

B Networker $ 109

NETWORKING

by ORCHID

or SANTA CLARA

Starter Kit —

Special Price $1,245

Add'l Adapter Cards & Cabling Available. For Pricing $ Call

DISK DRIVES

CDC 1800 $ Call

Corona

5 MB Hord w/cntrlr... 1,395 10 MB Hard w/cntrlr.. 1,795

Corvus $ Call

Davong 10/15/20 MB . S Call

Santa Clara $ Call

Tandon TM-100-2 239

HALF HIGHS

Matsushita $ 249

Panasonic 205

Shugart 229

Super S (Apple) 229

Teac w/brackets 259

PRINTERS

Anadex $ Call

C. Itoh Starwriter $ 1,049

C. Itoh Prowriter 8510P $ Coll

C. Itoh Prowriter 1550P $ 599

gsDiablo 630 ECS $ Call

gDiablo 630 API $ Call

Epson $ Call

IDS/Data Products Prism 80 w/4 options . . 1,399 Prism 132 w/4 options 1,547

Microprism $ Call

Mannesman Tally

MT180L Call

MT160L 585

Spirit $ Call

NEC 3550 $ Call

NEC8023A 389

NEC 2031 $ Call

Okidata 82-93........ $ Call

Quadram Quadjet ... $ Call Siemens

Ink Jet Printers $ Call

Silver-Reed

Daisy Wheel $ Call

Star Micronics

Gemini 10X 299

Gemini 15X $ Call

Radix 10/15 $ Call

Delta $ Call

Teletex T1014 $ Coll

Tranttar

T-130PAS 665

T-315 P-Dot Matrix .. 510

T-120P&S 475

... and much more.

DISKETTES

3M 5" DS, DD, Box ... $ 40

CDC $ Call

Acutrack $ Coll

Maxell 5" DS, DD,

MD2, Box $ 40

Verbatim 5"

DS, DD, Box $ 35

Ultra Magnetics 5"

DS, DD, Bonus Box

(12 Diskettes) $ 35

(3 Soxes Diskettes Minimum)

PLOTTERS

Enter P100 Sweet P

Apple/Franklin,

IBM/PC $ Call

Strobe M100 Plotter

w/ l/F Apple/Franklin $ 499 Strobe M100 Plotter

(RS 232) $ 499

Panasonic

Digital Plotter $ Call

MISC.

Alpha-Delta MACC

Surge Protector $ 69

Chalkboard $ Call

Curtis PC Products .... $ Call

ssEDP Surge Protectors . . $ Call Keytronic

Keyboard 5150 $ Call

s WP KB5151 I Call

is WP KB5151 Dvorak. ,. $ Call Koala Technologies

Graphic Tablet $ Call

Orange Micro

s Grappler Plus $ 117

S3 Grappler Plus w/Buffer $ 115

PROMETHEUS

Applesurance .... $ 99

Pro Modem 449

Versacard 159

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Echo Speech Synth IBM $ 179

Echo II Speech Synth . . 129

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Light Pen IBM/PC $ 140

Light Pen Apple/FRK .. 200

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Joystick Apple/FRK ... 46

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Apple Adapter 18

IBM/PC l/F Card $ Call

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We offer the following complete systems w/ full support on our technical line*

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BYTE May 1984 473

Book Reviews

The Power Of: SuperCalc, 2nd ed.

Robert E. Williams and Bruce J. Taylor Management Information Source Inc. Portland, OR, 1983, 232 pages, softcover, SI4.95

Reviewed by Jack Bishop

The idea of a book designed to teach you how to make user-friendly software work really boggles the mind. Philosophical questions aside, a book is an old, familiar, and reliable companion, whereas the computer sometimes requires two microcomputers, side by side, to present a computerized tutorial.

Expectations

A user's manual is expected to focus on the commands of the program. In any handbook on computer software, I look to the author to either provide an introduction that explains the workings of the software in a unique way or to develop special and powerful insights (tricks of the trade) that go beyond the scope of the user's manual. The Power Of: SuperCalc seems to sit astride these two poles but leans toward the former, a beginner's manual. The introduction clearly states that the goal of this updated edition is to demonstrate Supercalc functions, rather than to illustrate specific problemsolving methods. And it uses a dozen exercises to do so.

A Misnomer

The Power Of: SuperCalc is thus misnamed by my standards. Based on its contents, A Simple Tour of Supercalc would be a more accurate description. Such a simple tour

Area

Supercalc

Power

Math Functions

7

6

Boolean Expressions

4

3

Trigonometric Functions

9

3

Miscellaneous Functions

4

2

Commands

12

5

Calculation

4

—

Display

16

11

Table 1: The coverage complete but ignores a LOG).

of The Power Of: SuperCalc is fairly few key commands (such as NPV, LN,

is not intended to be derogatory, for simple tours are worth a great deal. But to earn its name, I expected this handbook to take me more deeply into applications of Supercalc (see table 1). When I see the word "power," I also expect to be led through an appreciation of the limitations of a program. I can imagine any user trying to expand any one of the exercises to a business use, only to find that limitations of the calc structure lead him or her into a dead end, and often when it is least convenient.

Exercises

The Accounts Receivable Ageing Report is an exercise that develops a simple report with columns for several categories: Current Billing, Over 30 Days, Over 60 Days, Over 90 Days, and Total Due. The report is clean and fits on the 80-column screen or printer without a fuss. The use of the Execute file to update the report each month will pay for the cost of the book in one update session. The addition of titling and multipages could give you a no-frills report for about 150 customers.

Invoicing from Inventory uses a multiple-table look-up to find pricing for 16 products as well as volume discounts.

Cost Recovery for an

equipment-rental company provides an example of recording "...a declining balance as entries accumulate against the fixed value." Rents received are used to offset the purchase price of each piece of equipment, the profit margin reflecting the difference between rents and initial cost. The use of the Execute command to update the worksheet is a good example of the power of Supercalc.

Production Scheduling extends the concept of comparing a value to a fixed base (as in the previous example) and to a variable base, in the scheduling of operations for a manufacturer of stained glass lamps. The Supercalc worksheet is set up to allow customer orders to be shifted from week to week to evaluate the effect on the schedule.

The Estimating exercise on machining and cost estimating for a small shop provides an example of using the calculation sequence in Supercalc. The example calculates values for a table, uses the table for reference, and finally selects values from the table for further calculations. The cleverness of the example is hidden in the excellence of the worksheet's layout.

Checkbook Ledger is a simple ledger, illustrating

posting and maintaining a balance.

Engineering Formula uses a simple vector calculation to illustrate the ability to calculate mathematical formulas easily. While using only the cosine, square root, and exponentiation functions, engineers should have no trouble generalizing (if they needed the example in the first place!).

Payroll Reporting illustrates the updating, storage, retrieval, and use of multiple worksheets.

Monthly Sales Reporting is the vehicle to illustrate the development of multiple reports on one worksheet.

Daily Inventory extends the ability of Supercalc to develop a daily report, then update totals and clear the report for the next day. The use of a logic command (IF) provides the key for reordering the product.

Financial Forecasting and Accounts Payable exercises provide further examples of functions already illustrated.

Insights

The most powerful feature of the examples is the experience with the Execute file to update, reorganize, and clear a worksheet. Beginning calc users will not appreciate the power of this ability for a while, but the multiple examples should give everyone a feeling of confidence in this capability of Supercalc.

The Power Of: SuperCalc provides three insights I believe will prove valuable to many readers. First, the lookup table is a very powerful and, I suspect, underused aspect of the various calc spreadsheets. The several illustrations of its applications should provide the background to increase its use. Putting a zero at the beginning and end of the table is

474 BYTE May 1984

the sort of trick of the trade I look for in a book of this sort.

Second, the calendar feature, while not a specific function of Supercalc, is a simple way to ensure that the end of-the-month change is handled smoothly and effortlessly. It is well described and laid out in this book.

Finally, the power of the example, discount taken versus the cost of borrowed money, is the simple idea of comparing the discount to the cost of borrowing the money, and using the Supercalc to lay out the results simply, easily, and clearly. Format

The Power Of: SuperCalc is laid out with commands on the left, explanations on the right. The commands are spelled out, as is the word Return.. More than one reader will issue oaths when

discovering that typing the letters r-e-t-u-r-n is not what the author intended. (Ever wonder why we have carriage returns on the keyboard? That's another story!) I would've gladly paid more for this book to cover

manual contains a Repeat Text command that appeared unworkable. Then I realized the squiggle at the other side of the page was an apostrophe, not a comma, and the mystery was solved. All in all, the book is well

With some modification, these

worksheets will provide greater

individual productivity as well as

the opportunity to learn several

aspects of the language of

Supercalc.

the costs of highlighting the commands in color and for necessary typesetting improvements. The commas and colons tend to get lost unless your eyes are very young and the light is good and your arms are short and.... For example, the

worth the price. While The Power Of: SuperCalc provides a good short tour, the real power of Supercalc lies beyond the horizon for selfdiscovery. For a few, the payoff of The Power Of: SuperCalc will come in just having spent a few dollars to have a

security blanket on the shelf. For others, the author's slightly different approach to the material in the Supercalc user's manual will be sufficient. Teachers will benefit from accompanying overhead-projection transparencies ($49.95) and a floppy disk ($64.95). A final group will find one or more of the 12 exercises applicable to their special needs. With some modification, these worksheets will provide greater individual productivity as well as the opportunity to learn several aspects of the language of Supercalc. For the price, you are getting honest examples carefully done.B

Dr. Jack Bishop (Bishop Associates, 2000 Sherman Ave., POB 311, Evanston, IL 60201) is a management consultant specializing in corporate planning and economics.

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• Comprehensive 48 page manual includes easy installation and operating instructions, and configurations for over 25 different printers.

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UniPrint... A simple solution to your printer interfacing needs!

UniPrint is easy to install and use. And Videx' customer support lets you buy UniPrint with confidence! We've taken the guessing out of shopping for a full featured card.

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BYTE May 1984 475

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lowadays, technology is advancing so rapidly that today's latest breakthrough may be replaced as soon as tomorrow by something even more revolutionary.

PEACE OF MIND A NEW DIMENSION.

To the rapidly-changing world of high technology, Esprit—the company with more experience in terminal technology than any other—would like to introduce a new and un-changing dimension: peace of mind.

Designed right into every terminal in Esprit's complete line are the features, the functions and the flexibility that make it not only user-friendly but systems-friendly. In other words, the kind of comfort, quality and trouble-free technology that can provide real peace of mind.

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NAME

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ADDRESSCITY

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*(TclcVidca 925/910 Plus is the registered trademark of TeleVideo Systems, Inc. Regent 2y Viewpoint is the registered trademark of Applied Digital Data Systems, In

ADM3A is the registered trademark of Lear Siegler, Inc.)

Circle 169 on Inquiry card.

BYTE May 1984 477

Clubs and Newsletters

Opportunity for Kids

The San Pablo Computer Club, formed by the San Pablo Institute, a nonprofit public-service organization, is devoted to making computer education available to economically disadvantaged young people. The club offers programming instruction and an environment in which youngsters can meet and share ideas. Because it does not charge membership dues, the club relies on donated computer equipment, peripherals, and software. For information, write to the San Pablo Institute, 234 Mullen St., San Francisco, CA 94110.

Tipping the TIP.C User

TIP.C, a group of Texas Instruments Professional Computer users, meets every month in Houston, Texas. Group members wish to contact TI PC users nationwide to share software and hardware information, develop a software library, and assist in the publication of a newsletter. For further details, contact Stephen Gay, TIP.C, 1608 Elmen, Houston, TX 77019, (713) 520-6990.

Participate Locally

Computer Users is a quarterly newsletter produced in cooperation with the Computer Users Federation (CUF) of Southeast Wisconsin. Participation in local events is facilitated due to the newsletter's listings of a regional club and group directory and computer-related activities. An area calendar of classes, seminars, shows, and meetings is posted on a telecommunications system made up of two local bulletin boards.

Subscriptions to the newsletter are available for $3 a year; the newsletter is free to any club upon submittal of its mailing list. To send or receive information, contact CUF, POB 23483, Milwaukee, WI 53223.

Sooners Form Commodore Clubs

The Greater Oklahoma Commodore Club comprises three chapters: Oklahoma City, Midwest City, and Edmond. More chapters may be added later. A newsletter, OKCommodore Connection, is produced. For further information, contact Randy Hill, Greater Oklahoma Commodore Club, 1401 North Rockwell, Oklahoma City, OK 73127, (405) 789-3229.

Serving the Victor

SIVic-9000, a newsletter for Victor-9000 users, has reports on new software and hardware releases, user critiques, a technical question-andanswer column, gameware, and personal-use software reviews. Interviews and feature articles of interest to Victor-9000 users are included. A charter subscription is $24 a year. For details, contact Michael McNeilley, SIVic-9000, Suite 456, 3277 Roswell Rd. NE, Atlanta, GA 30326.

Hoosier Computerists Meet in High Land

The Terre Haute PC Users Group (THPCUG) is for users of the IBM PC and compatible computers and everyone else interested in small computers. Meetings are held at 7 p.m. on the first Monday of the month in the Terre Haute area of Indiana.

A $10 annual membership fee includes group-purchase discounts and a subscription to the THPCUG monthly newsletter. A monthly disk produced by the club is available for a minimal copying charge. For further information, contact the Terre Haute PC Users Group, POB 3174, Terre Haute, IN 47803.

Unlr Project Is for Unix Users

Membership in the Unir Project, a user group for people interested in the Unix operating system and in the C programming language, is open to anyone fascinated by interactive computer systems. A $25 membership fee entitles you to receive a copy of the current quarterly newsletter and a certified UNID (a Unirversal Numeric Identifier) used to order reports and software from the Unir Project and to access the members' database. Subscriptions to the newsletter alone are $24. To become a member, send your name, address, and phone number plus a brief description of your interests to Unir Corp., Suite 106, 5987 East 71 St., Indianapolis, IN 46220, or call (317) 842-7014.

Pick Ideas and Tools

Logto Zircon, a monthly newsletter for Pick users, provides a source for ideas and tools to improve the performances of operating systems. Each issue explores such themes as security, offers creative programs, or reports on design improvements. In addition, each issue contains programming tools. An annual subscription is $59.95. For further information, contact Catherine Hill, Zircon Co. Inc., 215 Salem

St., Woburn, MA 01801, (617) 935-6901.

Computerists Meet In the Granite State

The New Hampshire Atari Computer Club (NACC) meets on the first Tuesday of the month in Nashua, New Hampshire. For details, contact Scott Mitchell, NACC, 346 South Taylor St., Manchester, NH 03103, or call (603) 624-0089.

Micro Library Up and Running

The Library Micro Clearinghouse is a national nonprofit endeavor to promote library management through the exchange of libraryapplication templates for use with public-domain software. Librarians are encouraged to duplicate the templates they receive, adapt the programs to meet their needs, and share them with other libraries. Templates come in single- and doubledisk versions for $5 and $7.50, respectively. To donate applications templates for public-domain distribution or for further information, contact Eric Anderson, Micro Computer Libraries, 145 Marcia Dr., Freeport, IL 61032.

Stamp Out

Sour Computer

Experiences

The Lemon Byte Society assists personal computer users by combating some of the shortcomings of the computer industry. Aimed at users who are stymied by severe deficiencies encountered in using software or hardware, the professionals who comprise the Society act as go-betweens

478 BYTE May 1984

for the user and supplier. They document the problem, contact the parties responsible for the defect, and print their findings and results in a monthly bulletin available to all members. Annual membership is $32, which entitles you to all the Society's services. For further details, contact The Lemon Byte Society, POB 558250, Miami, FL 33155, (305) 386-3479.

WUE Has Recipe for Success

The World Users Exchange (WUE) assists user groups in their efforts to promote computer knowledge. As a result of a recently conducted survey, WUE found that several user groups needed help in improving their programs and in planning services to members. One way WUE

helps user groups is by offering possible solutions to organizational snafus in each issue of its newsletter, The Exchange. User groups are encouraged to share their solutions to problems so that they may be avoided by newer organizations. For details, write the World Users Exchange, POB 12132, Roanoke, VA 24022.

Health-care

Applications

Supported

The Micro MD Journal is a monthly newsletter for novice and experienced computer users in the health-care field. It focuses on applications for clinical and diagnostic areas, office management, and personal-investment fields. A catalog listing medical and dental software, hardware, and accessories is

provided and purchase discounts are offered. A charter subscription is $36 annually; $60 for two years. Send inquiries to Micro MD Publishers, POB 2500, Chesapeake, VA 23320.

Users Converge in Toms River

The Computer Club of Ocean County (CCOC) New Jersey welcomes users of any personal computer to attend its meetings. Held at 7:30 p.m. on the first Friday of each month in the Ocean County Municipal Building in Toms River, CCOC meetings include speakers, presentations, and magazine swaps. The club produces a quarterly newsletter and an annual membership directory. An electronic bulletin board, (201) 244-2259, is open to the public from 4 p.m. to

7 a.m. weekdays and 24 hours a day on weekends. It supports 300- and 1200-bps (212A) operation and offers special privileges to club members. Downloading and uploading of text or programs and general-message storage/retrieval are supported and running on a Heath Z-89. For further details, contact Stuart MacDonald, CCOC, 6 Whitaker Dr., Toms River, NJ 08753, (201) 240-9323.

Meet with Fellow HP 80 Users

All users of the HewlettPackard Series 80 personal computer in Orange County, California, are welcome to attend meetings offered by the HP Club 80. Members meet on the first Wednesday of the month in the Irvine area. There are no dues. For details

DEVELOPMENT HARDWARE/SOFTWARE HIGH PERFORMANCE/ cost ratio

jnc (601)467-8048

EPROM PROGRAMMER

Compatible w/all Rs 232 serial interface port • Auto select baud rate * With or without handshaking • Bidirectional Xon/Xoff and CTS/DTR supported * Read pin compatible ROMS * No personalitv modules • Intel, Motorola. MCS86, Hex formats * Split facility for 16 bit data paths * Read, program, formatted list commands • Interrupt driven, program and verify real time while sending data • Program single bvte, block, or whole EPROM • Intelligent diagnostics discern bad and erasable EPROM • Verify erasure and compare commands • Busy light • Complete w/Textool zero insertion force socket and integral 120 VAC power (240 VAC/50Hz available)

S879 stand alone MODEL 7956

Model 7128-LI.L2.L2A . $239 .00

Model 7128-24 $329.00

DR8 or DR5 $ 30.00

DR8PGX or DRSPGX ..$ 75.00

Cross Assemblers $200.00

XASM (for VSDOS) . . $250.00

U/V Eraser [>E-4 $ 78.00

RS232 Cable; $ 30.00

8751 adapter $174.00

8755 adapter S135.00

48 Family ad; pter .... % 98.00

$549 MODEL

7228

Intelligent algorithm, copies eight EPROMS With RS-232 option $1099.

DR Utility Package allows communication with 7128, 7228. and 7956 programmers from the CP/M command line. Source Code is provided. PGX utility package allows the same thing, but will also allow you to specify a range of addresses to send to the programmer, Verify, set the Eprom type.

MODEL 7316 PAL PROGRAMMER

Programs all series 20 PALS. Software included for compiling PAL source codes.

Software Available for CPM. ISIS, TRSDOS3MSDOS4

1. TM of Digital Research Corp.

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Post Office Box 289

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[6011-467-8048

Avocet Cross Assemblers are available to handle 8748, 8751 Z8, 6502, 680X. etc. Available for CP/M and MSDOS computers. Order b processor type and specif> kind of computer.

Model DE-4 U/V Products hold 8. 28 pin parts. High quality professional construction.

MODEL 7324 PAL PROGRAMMER

Programs all series 20 & 24 PALS. Operates stand alone or via RS232.

8748

8748H

8749H

8741

8742H

8741H

8751

Circle 188 on inquiry card.

BYTE May 1984 479

Clubs and Newsletters.

or to get on the mailing list, contact Milt Beychok, 63 Oak Tree Lane, Irvine, CA 92715, (714) 786-0837.

Volunteers Host 64 Users

The E T 64 Users Group is a club in Tennessee dedicated to learning about using the Commodore 64 computer. For further details, contact Walt Turner, E T 64 Users Group, POB 495, Knoxville, TN 37901, or call (615) 966-8478.

Garden of Software Created for Adam

Sage Enterprises has created a public-domain software library and exchange for owners of Coleco's Adam personal computer. In addition, Sage Enterprises will offer a bimonthly newsletter of information about the public-domain software, user groups, and new products. For further information, contact Sage Enterprises, Route 2, Box 211, Russellville, MO 65074.

Mlcrocomputerfsts Gather In Memphis

The Memphis Area IBM PC Users Group meets on the fourth Wednesday of the

month in room 233 of the Dunn Building on the campus of Memphis State University in Tennessee. Address further inquiries to Peter Vermilye, Memphis Area IBM PC Users Group, POB 241756, Memphis, TN 381241756, or call (901) 345-8760.

Commodores at Golden Gate

The San Francisco Commodore Users Group provides beginners with an introduction to programming skills, hardware modifications, and software for the Commodore 64 and VIC-20. For details, contact Roger Tierce, San Francisco Commodore Users Group, 278 27th Ave. #103, San Francisco, CA 94121, or call (415) 387-0225.

Sanyo Strong In Boston

The Sanyo Users Group/ USA (SUG/USA), located in Boston, Massachusetts, gives support to Sanyo computer owners via a bimonthly newsletter and distribution of public-domain software. Sanyo products are reviewed, and software patches, articles from users about various applications, lists of publicdomain software, and book

reviews are included in the newsletter. Future plans call for access via CompuServe and a computerized bulletinboard service. SUG/USA will act as a referral service to help Sanyo users form local chapters. Contributions of articles and public-domain software are welcome. The membership fee is $15 annually. Write to the Sanyo Users Group/USA, POB 8069, Boston, MA 021148069.

Sanyo Group Seeks Your Input

The Sanyo PC users group collects and welcomes information from business and personal users of the Sanyo 550 or 555 PC. A newsletter is planned. Send inquiries to Roger Wilcox, 425 Woodlawn Ave., Zanesville, OH 43701.

MS-DOS Users Rally In Zurich

The PC-Club Zurich was started for users of IBM, Columbia, Corona, and other MS-DOS-based systems. For more information, contact Kurt Fiirer, PC-Club Zurich, Kuenzlistrasse 38, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland.

Texans Form TRS-80 Club

The TRS-80 Club meets at 7 p.m. once a month at the McLennan County Library in Waco, Texas. The H.O.T. TRS-80 Club Monthly Newsletter contains meeting dates, articles, editorials, and advertisements for purchase discounts available only to members. For further details, write to The TRS-80 Club, POB 1923, Waco, TX 76703. ■

If you would like BYTE readers to know about your club or newsletter send the details accompanied by no more than one newsletter to Clubs and Newsletters, BYTE Publications, POB 372, Hancock, l\IH 03449. Overseas groups are encouraged to participate. Please allow at least three months for your announcement to appear.

IJWI A Public Service of This Magazine Cwkii & The Advertising Council

Give Blood. Give Life

Giving blood is everyone's business. After all, company blood drives provide a vital part of our nation's blood supply.

They benefit everyone. Your community gets much needed blood. Your employees get a lift when they give blood. And your company gets the good will.

So please have your firm start planning for a blood drive, today. And you can help save many lives tomorrow.

American Red Cross

We'll Help.Will^bu?

480 BYTE May 1984

Books Received

The ABZ's of Word Processing for Executives and Professionals, Robert M. Segal and Susan B. Kelley. New York: Stravon Educational Press, 1983; 64 pages, 21.5 by 28 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-87396-097-1, $10.95.

Abstraction Mechanisms and Language Design, Paul N. Hilfinger. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press, 1983; 192 pages, 18 by 23.5 cm, hardcover, ISBN 0-262-08134-2, $27.50.

Advanced Programming Techniques for Your Atari Including Graphics & Voice Programs, Linda M. Schreiber. Blue Ridge Summit, PA: Tab Books, 1983; 224 pages, 19.5 by 23.5 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-8306-1545-8, $14.50.

Adventures with the Atari, Jack B. Hardy. Reston, VA: Reston Publishing Co., 1984; 368 pages, 17.5 by 23.5 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-8359-0172-6, $14.95.

Affordable Word Processing, Richard A. McGrath. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: PrenticeHall, 1983; 160 pages, 15.3 by 22.8 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-13018259-1, $10.95.

Algorithmic Program Debugging, Ehud Y. Shapiro. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press, 1983; 248 pages, 18 by 23.7 cm, hardcover, ISBN 0-26219218-7, $30.

Apple Assembly Language, W. Douglas Maurer. Rockville, MD: Computer Science Press, 1984; 432 pages, 15.3 by 23.8 cm, softcover, ISBN 0914894-82-X, $17.95.

Apple II Applications, Marvin L. De Jong. Indianapolis, IN: Howard W. Sams & Co., 1983; 240 pages, 13.5 by 22.8 cm, softcover, ISBN 0672-22035-0, $13.95.

Apple II User's Guide, 2nd ed., Lon Pool. Berkeley, CA: Osborne/McGraw-Hill, 1983; 496 pages, 16.3 by 23.5 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-88134-104-5, $17.95.

Area-Efficient VLSI Computa

tion, Charles E. Leiserson. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press, 1983; 152 pages, 18.3 by 23.8 cm, hardcover, ISBN 0262-12102-6, $22.50.

Assembly Language Programming for the IBM Personal Computer, David J. Bradley. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1984; 352 pages, 18.5 by 24 cm, hardcover, ISBN 0-13-049189-6, $19.95.

Automating Your Financial Portfolio, Donald Woodwell. Homewood, IL: Dow Jones— Irwin, 1983; 270 pages, 15.5 by 23.5 cm, hardcover, ISBN 0-87094-399-5, $19.95.

Basic Disk I/O Faster and Better & Other Mysteries, Lewis Rosenfelder. Upland, CA: IJG Inc., 1983; 432 pages, 21.3 by 27.8 cm, softcover, ISBN 0936200-25-1, $29.95.

Basic Fun with Graphics the Apple Computer Way, Margaret Ann Zuanich and Susan Drake Lipscomb. New York: Avon Camelot Books, 1983; 128 pages, 13 by 19 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-380-850435, $3.95.'

Basic Fun with Graphics the Atari Computer Way, Margaret Ann Zuanich and Susan Drake Lipscomb. New York: Avon Camelot Books, 1983; 128 pages, 13 by 19 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-85050-8, $3.95.

Basic Fun with Graphics the IBM/PC Computer Way, Margaret Ann Zuanich and Susan Drake Lipscomb. New York: Avon Camelot Books, 1983; 160 pages, 13 by 19 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-380-850680, $3.95.

BASIC II Advanced, William C. Conley. New York: Petrocelli Books, 1983; 208 pages, 13.8 by 21 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-89433-202-3, $10.95.

The Birds of Babel, Satellites for the Human World, Hal Glatzer. Indianapolis, IN: Howard W. Sams & Co., 1983; 240 pages, 23 by 23.5 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-67222033-4, $12.95.

Bowker/Bantam 1984 Com

plete Sourcebook of Personal Computing. New York: R. R. Bowker Co. and Bantam Books, 1983; 650 pages, 16 by 23.5 cm, hardcover, ISBN 08352-1767-1, $24.95.

Business-Office Computers, Gary Gagliardi. New York: Bantam Books, 1983; 64 pages, 13 by 19.5 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-553-34079-4, $2.95.

Choose Your Own Computer, Peter Rodwell, ed. Woodbury, NY: Barron's Educational Series Inc., 1983; 176 pages, 9.5 by 19 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-8120-2706-X, $4.95.

Commodore 64 Computing, Ian Sinclair. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1983; 144 pages, 15.3 by 22.8 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-13152306-6, $12.95.

The Commodore 64 Music Book, James Vogel and Nevin B. Scrimshaw. Cambridge, MA: Birkhauser Boston Inc., 1983; 144 pages, 15.3 by 23.5 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-81763158-5, $14.95.

The Complete Buyer's Guide to Personal Computers, Tim Hartnell and Stan Veit. New York: Bantam Books, 1983; 400 pages, 10.5 by 17.5 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-553-238736, $4.95.

Complexity Issues in VLSI, Frank Thomson Leighton. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press, 1983; 146 pages, 18 by 23.5 cm, hardcover, ISBN 0262-12104-2, $19.95.

Computational Aspects of VLSI, Jeffrey D. Ullman. Rockville, MD: Computer Science Press, 1984; 514 pages, 23.5 by 15.5 cm, hardcover, ISBN 0-914894-95-1, $32.95.

Computational Methods in Bifurcation Theory and Dissipative Structures, M. Kubicek and M. Marek. New York: Springer-Verlag, 1983; 256 pages, 24.3 by 15.5 cm, hardcover, ISBN 0-387-12070-X, $42.

Computer-Assisted Instruc

tion, Jack A. Chambers and Jerry W. Sprecher. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: PrenticeHall, 1983; 240 pages, 17 by 23.5 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-13164376-2, $12.95.

Computer Confidence, A Woman's Guide, Dorothy Heller and June Bower. Washington, DC: Acropolis Books Ltd., 1983; 264 pages, 21 by 24 cm, hardcover, ISBN 087491-555-4, $16.95.

Computer Dictionary for Beginners, Arthur Naiman. New York: Ballantine Books, 1983; 160 pages, 13.5 by 21 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-34531223-6, $6.95.

The Computer Phone Book, Mike Cane. New York: New American Library, 1983; 480 pages, 13.5 by 20 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-452-25446-9, $9.95.

Computer Wimp, John Bear. Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press, 1983; 296 pages, 18.5 by 23.5 cm, softcover, ISBN 089815-101-5, $9.95.

Contemporary Business Letters with WordStar, Jane E. Robbins and Dennis P. Curtin. Somerville, MA: Curtin & London, 1983; 240 pages, 21.5 by 27.8 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-930764-63-3, $15.50.

Cosmic Games for the Commodore VIC 20, Hal Renko and Sam Edwards. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, 1983; 142 pages, 15.3 by 15.3 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-201-16476-0, $5.95.

Creating Computer Programs for Learning, Gary W Orwig. Reston, VA: Reston Publishing Co., 1983; 192 pages, 17.3 by 23.3 cm, softcover, ISBN 08359-1168-3, $14.95.

dBASE II Progmmmer's Notebook, Steven G. Meyerson. Poquoson, VA: Computech, 1983; 50 pages, 21.5 by 28 cm, spiral-bound, ISBN-none, $12.95.

Database Machines, H. O. Leilich and M. Missikoff, eds. New York: Springer-Verlag, 1983; 356 pages, 16.5 by

BYTE May 1984 481

Books Received

24.5 cm, softcover, ISBN 0387-12959-6, $23.

The Design of Interpreters, Compilers, and Editors for Augmented Transition Networks, Leonard Bole, ed. New York: Springer-Verlag, 1983; 228 pages, 17 by 25 cm, hardcover, ISBN 0-387-12789-5, $29.

The Directory of Software Publishers, Eric Balkan, ed. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1983; 320 pages, 22 by 29 cm, hardcover, ISBN 0442-21429-4, $25.50.

Discover Your V1C-20, Donald Kahn Jr. and Nevin B. Scrimshaw. Cambridge, MA: Birkhauser Boston Inc., 1983; 112 pages, 16 by 23.5 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-81763160-7, $10.95.

Discovering Apple Logo, David D. Thornburg. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, 1983; 158 pages, 18.7 by 23.5 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-20107769-8, $14.95.

Discrete Optimization Algorithms with Pascal Programs, Maciej M. Syslo, Narsingh Deo, and Janusz S. Kowalik. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1983; 560 pages,

18.5 by 24.3 cm, hardcover, ISBN 0-13-215509-5, $37.50.

Electronic Life, Michael Crichton. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1983; 224 pages,

14.6 by 22 cm, hardcover, ISBN 394-53406-9, $12.95.

Executive VisiCalc for the Apple Computer, Roger E. Clark. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, 1983; 144 pages, 18.8 by 23.3 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-201-10242-0, $14.95.

Executive VisiCalc for the IBM Personal Computer, Roger E. Clark. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, 1983; 260 pages, 18.5 by 23.5 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-201-10243-9, $12.95.

Experiments in Four Dimensions, David L. Heiserman. Blue Ridge Summit, PA: Tab

Books, 1983; 512 pages, 19.5 by 23.5 cm, softcover, ISBN 08306-1541-5, $17.50.

54 SuperCalc Models, Robert H. Flast. Berkeley, CA: Osborne/McGraw-Hill, 1983; 256 pages, 21 by 27.5 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-88134-118-5, $15.95.

Formal Specification of Interactive Graphics Programming Languages, William R. Mallgren. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press, 1983; 290 pages, 18 by 23.8 cm, hardcover, ISBN 0-262-13191-9, $35.

Fundamentals of Data Structures in Pascal, Ellis Horowitz and Sartaj Sahni. Rockville, MD: Computer Science Press, 1984; 560 pages, 15.5 by 23.8 cm, hardcover, ISBN 0-914894-94-3, $26.95.

Funny Things, Computers, Trevor Hutchings. Toronto, Canada: James Lorimer & Company Publishers, 1983; 66 pages, 13.5 by 19.5 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-88862-678

9, $6.95.

Games for Your Atari Computer, Paul Bunn. New York: Dell Publishing Co., 1983; 128 pages, 14.5 by 25 cm, spiralbound, ISBN 0-440-52800-3, $5.95.

Games for Your TimexISinclair 1000, Mark Charlton. New York: Dell Publishing Co., 1983; 128 pages, 14.5 by 25 cm, spiral-bound, ISBN 0440-52785-6, $5.95.

Games for Your Timex/Sinclair 2000, Peter Shaw. New York: Dell Publishing Co., 1983; 128 pages, 14.5 by 25 cm, spiral-bound, ISBN 0440-52794-5, $5.95.

Games for Your VIC-20, Alastair Gourlay. New York: Dell Publishing Co., 1983; 128 pages, 14.5 by 25 cm, spiralbound, ISBN 0-440-52789-9, $5.95.

Graphics Primer for the IBM PC, Mitchell Waite and Christopher Morgan. Berkeley, CA: Osborne/McGraw

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482 BYTE May 1984

Hill, 1983; 448 pages, 18 by 23.3 cm, softcover, ISBN 0931988-99-3, $21.95.

Graphics Programs for the IBM PC, Robert J. Traister. Blue Ridge Summit, PA: Tab Books, 1983; 256 pages, 19.8 by 23.5 cm, softcover, ISBN 08306-1556-3, $15.50.

Graphiques de Gestion, Denis Charpentier. Paris, France: Masson, 1983; 176 pages, 16 by 24 cm, softcover, ISBN 2-225-80110-X, 150 francs.

Home-Family Computers, Gary Gagliardi. New York: Bantam Books, 1983; 64 pages, 13 by 19.5 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-533-34077-8, $2.95.

How To Do It on the TRS-80, William Barden Jr. Upland, CA: IJG Inc., 1983; 200 pages, 21 by 27.5 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-936200-08-1, $29.95.

How to Find and Buy Good Software, Jess W. Curry Jr. and David M. Bonner. Engle

wood Cliffs, NJ: PrenticeHall, 1983; 176 pages, 17.5 by 23.3 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-13406652-9, $8.95.

How to Microcomputerize Your Business, Jules A. Cohen with Catherine Scott McKinney and the staff of Orbis. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1983; 192 pages, 17.3 by 23.3 cm, softcover, ISBN 013-423889-3, $9.95.

IBM Personal Computer & XT, Gerald VanDiver. Prior Lake, MN: Micro Information Publishing, 1983; 1024 pages, 21 by 27.8 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-912603-00-3, $24.95.

Introducing LOGO for the Apple II Computer, Texas Instruments 99/4A, and Tandy Color Computer, Peter Ross. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, 1983; 260 pages, 15.5 by 23.5 cm, softcover, ISBN 0201-14652-5, $12.95.

Introduction to Ada, David Price. Englewood Cliffs, NJ:

Prentice-Hall, 1984; 160 pages, 15.5 by 23.5 cm, hardcover, ISBN 0-13-477653-4, $22.95.

An Introduction to the Commodore 64, Nevin B. Scrimshaw and James Vogel. Cambridge, MA: Birkhauser Boston Inc., 1983; 144 pages,

16 by 23.5 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-8176-3161-5, $11.95.

Introduction to DECSYSTEM-20 Assembly Programming, Stephen A. Longo. Monterey, CA: Brooks/Cole Publishing Co., 1984; 208 pages, 18.5 by 23.5 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-534-02942-6, $17.95.

An Introduction to Vu-Calc Spreadsheeting for the Timexl Sinclair 2000 and the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, Harry Anbarlian. New York: McGrawHill, 1984; 448 pages, 23.5 by

17 cm, spiral-bound, ISBN007-001698-4, $22.95.

Instructional Computing with the TRS-80, Herbert L.

Nickles and George H. Culp. Monterey, CA: Brooks/Cole Publishing Co., 1984; 240 pages, 18.5 by 23.5 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-534-02966-3, $15.95.

Invitation to COBOL for the TRS-80, Lawrence L. McNitt. New York: Petrocelli Books, 1983; 304 pages, 15.5 by 23.5 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-89433209-0, $15.

Low-Cost Word Processing, Laurence Press. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, 1983; 240 pages, 18 by 23.5 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-201-05735-2, $10.95.

Management Information Systems, 3rd ed., Jerome Kanter. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1984; 464 pages, 18.3 by 24.3 cm, hardcover, ISBN 0-13-549543-1, $27.95.

The McWilliams II Word Processor Instruction Manual, Peter A. McWilliams. West Hollywood, CA: Prelude

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Circle 35 on inquiry card.

BYTE May 1984 483

Books Received

Press, 1983; 144 pages, 13.3 by 21 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-67150433-9, $3.95.

Microcomputer Software Design, Sally Campbell. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1984; 240 pages, 17.5 by 23.3 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-13-580621-6, $12.95.

The Minute Manual for Apple Writer lie, Jim Pirisino. Columbia, MD: Minuteware, 1983; 140 pages, 13.5 by 22.8 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-91313101-6, $7.95.

Multidimensional Digital Signal Processing, Dan E. Dudgeon and Russell M. Mersereau. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1984; 416 pages, 18 by 24.3 cm, hardcover, ISBN 0-13604959-1, $36.95.

The New American Computer Dictionary, Kent Porter. New York: New American Library, 1983; 320 pages, 10.5 by 17.8 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-45112578-9, $3.50.

Office Automation & Word Processing Buyer's Guide, Tony Webster. New York: McGrawHill, 1984; 352 pages, 28 by 21.5 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-07068962-8, $19.95.

PATCA Directory of Consultants, 1983-1984, Professional & Technical Consultants Association. San Jose, CA: PATCA, 1983; 140 pages, 21 by 13.5 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-939840-02-2, $7.95.

Pascal for BASIC Programmers, Charles Seiter and Robert Weiss. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, 1983; 256 pages, 18.7 by 23.7 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-201-06577-0, $10.95.

Pascal for FORTRAN Programmers, Ronald H. Perrott and Donald C. S. Allison. Rockville, MD: Computer Science Press, 1984; 352 pages, 15 by 23 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-914894-09-9, $18.95.

Pascal Programs for Games & Graphics, Tom Swan.

Rochelle Park, NJ: Hayden Book Co., 1983; 224 pages, 18 by 23.5 cm, softcover, ISBN 08104-6271-0, $15.95.

Personal Computer Buyers Guide, Dennis J. Grimes and Brian W. Kelly. Cambridge, MA: Ballinger Publishing Co., 1983; 300 pages, 22.8 by 27.8 cm, softcover, ISBN 088410-917-8, $16.95.

The Personal Computer Handbook, Peter Rodwell. Woodbury, NY: Barron's Educational Series Inc., 1983; 208 pages, 21.5 by 28 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-8120-2704-3, $14.95.

Personal Computing: BASIC Programming on the TRS-80, Robert R. Hare Jr. Monterey, CA: Brooks/Cole Publishing Co., 1984; 352 pages, 21.3 by 27.8 cm, softcover, ISBN 0534-02768-7, $19.95.

Practical WordStar Uses, Julie Anne Area. Berkeley, CA: Sybex, 1983; 336 pages, 17.8 by 23 cm, softcover, ISBN 0

89588-107-1, $16.95.

Professional-Personal Computers, Gary Gagliardi. New York: Bantam Books, 1983; 64 pages, 13 by 19.5 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-533-34078-6, $2.95.

A Programmer's View of the Intel 432 System, Elliot I. Organick. New York: McGrawHill, 1983; 432 pages, 16 by 23.5 cm, hardcover, ISBN 007-047719-1, $29.95.

Programming the 8086/8088, James W. Coffron. Berkeley, CA: Sybex, 1983; 336 pages, 14.8 by 23 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-89588-120-9, $15.95.

Programming Projects for Your Timex I Sinclair 1000, Frank Wattenberg. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: PrenticeHall, 1983; 112 pages, 17.5 by 23.5 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-13729673-8, $8.95.

Programming the M68000, Tim King and Brian Knight. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, 1983; 160 pages, 15.5 by

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'Eagle, IBM, Apple, Apple I IE, and Commodore are all registered trade marks of Eagle, IBM, Apple and Commodore corporations.

484 BYTE May 1984

Circle 120 on inquiry card.

Books Received i

23.5 cm, softcover, ISBN 0201-11730-4, $12.95.

Programs for the TI Home Computer, Steve Davis. Englewoocl Cliffs, NJ: PrenticeHall, 1983; 126 pages, 21.5 by 28 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-13729534-0, $14.95.

Real-Time Software, Robert L. Glass. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1983; 464 pages, 15.8 by 23.5 cm, hardcover, ISBN 0-13-767103-2, $24.95.

Science and Engineering Programs for the IBM PC, Cass Lewart. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1983; 144 pages, 15 by 23 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-13-794934-0, $12.95.

Semiconductor Memories, Betty Prince and Gunnar Due-Gundersen. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1983; 216 pages, 15.5 by 23.5 cm, hardcover, ISBN 0-471-90146-6, $21.95.

Simple Interfacing Projects, Owen Bishop. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1983; 176 pages, 23 by 15.3 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-13811083-2, $10.95.

Spreadsheeting on the TRS-80 Color Computer, Harry Anbarlian. New York: McGrawHill, 1983; 320 pages, 17 by 23.5 cm, spiral-bound, ISBN 0-07-001595-3, $39.95. Includes a cassette.

The Software Sifter, Philip Frankel and Ann Gras. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1983; 271 pages, 21.3 by 28 cm, spiral-bound, ISBN 002-949330-7, $24.95.

Survival on Planet X with the Atari Home Computer, Michael Orkin and Ed Bogas. Reston, VA: Reston Publishing Co., 1984; 161 pages, 17.5 by 23.5 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-83597412-X, $12.95.

Thtilling Games for the Tandy Color Computer, Hal Renko and Sam Edwards. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, 1983; 156 pages, 15.3 by 15.3 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-201-16481-7, $5.95.

Through the MicroMaze: A Visual Guide, Wayne Creek

more. Culver City, CA: Ashton-Tate, 1983; 64 pages, 21.5 by 25.3 cm, softcover, ISBN 912677-02-3, $9.95.

The Timex/Sinclair 1000 Basic Handbook, Douglas Hergert. Berkeley, CA: Sybex, 1983; 192 pages, 14 by 21 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-89588-113-6, $7.95.

20 Programs for the ZX Spectrum & 16K ZX81, S. Daly. London, England: Bernard Babani Ltd., 1983; 128 pages, 11.3 by 18 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-85934-103-8, £1.95.

Using the Commodore 64 in the Home, Hank Librach and Bill L. Behrendt. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1983; 110 pages, 14.8 by 23 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-13940072-9, $10.95.

VIC-20: The Affordable Learning Tool for the Mature Adult, John A. Heil and Jack Martin. Wayne, PA: Banbury Books, 1983; 206 pages, 18 by 23.5 cm, spiral-bound, ISBN 0-88693-001-4, $14.95.

Word Processing on the IBM, Peter A. McWilliams. Los Angeles, CA: Prelude Press, 1983; 288 pages, 15 by 23 cm, softcover, ISBN 345-31530-8, $9.95.

The WordStar Handbook, Dennis P. Curtin. Somerville, MA: Curtin & London, 1983; 176 pages, 28 by 21.5 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-930764-64-1, $16.50.

Xanadu, Roy Mason with Lane Jennings and Robert Evans. Washington, DC: Acropolis Books Ltd., 1983; 262 pages, 21 by 23.5 cm, hardcover, ISBN 87491-701-8, $18.95.

Your Commodore 64, John Heilborn and Ran Talbott. Berkeley, CA: Osborne/ McGraw-Hill, 1983; 464 pages, 16.8 by 23.5 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-88134-114-2, $14.95.

Your First Microprocessor, James W Coffron. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: PrenticeHall, 1984; 352 pages, 17.5 by 23.5 cm, softcover, ISBN 0-13978446-2, $14.95. ■

64K S100 STATIC RAM

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ASSEMBLED AND TESTED ADD $50

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• Uses new 2K « 8 (TMM 2016 or HM 6116) RAMI.

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Requires only 4 Dip Switch Selectable I/O Ports. Runs on 8080 or Z80 S100 machines. Up to 8 LS-100 boards can be run together for 2 Meg. ot On Line Solid Stale Disk Storage. Provisions for Battery back-up. Software to mate the LS-100 to your CP/M* 2.2 DOS Is supplied. The LS-100 provides an increase in speed of up to 7 to 10 times on Disk Intensive Software. Compare our price! You could pay up to 3 times as much for similar boards.

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A LOW COST Z-80 BASED SINGLE BOARD THAT ONLY NEEDS AN ASCII KEYBOARD, POWER SUPPLY, AND VIDEOMONITOR TO MAKE A COMPLETE CRT TERMINAL. USE AS A COMPUTER CONSOLE, OR WITH A MODEM FOR USE WITH ANY OFTHE PHONE-LINE COMPUTER SERVICES. FEATURES:

* Uses a Z80A and 6845 CRT Controller tor powerful video capabilities.

* RS232 at 16 BAUD Rates Irom 75 10 19,200.

* 24 x 80 standard format (60 Hz).

* Optional formats from 24 x 80 (50 Hz) to 64 lines x 96 characters (60 Hz).

* Higher density formats require up to 3 additional 2K x 8 6116 RAMS.

* Uses N.S. INS B250 BAUD Rate Gen. and USART combo IC.

* 3 Terminal Emulation Modes which are Dip Switch selectable. These Include the LSI-ADM3A. the Heath H-19. and the Beehive. Composite or Split Video.

* Any polarity of video or sync.

* Inverse Video Capability.

* Small Size: 6.5 x 9 Inches.

* Upper & lower case with descenders.

* 7 x 9 Character Matrix.

* Requires Par. ASCII keyboard.

WITH 8 IN.

SOURCE DISKI

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Digital Research Computers

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TERMS: Add $3.00 postage. We pay balance. Orders under $15 add 755; handling. No C.O.D. We accept Visa and MasterCard. Texas Res. add 5% Tax. Foreign orders (except Canada) add 20% P & H. Orders over $50 add 85$ for insurance.

BYTE May 1984 485

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Software Received

Apple

Apple Logo, an interactive computer language. This program is an introduction to programming using turtle graphics. When you see the shapes you create, you learn what steps are involved in programming technique. Suitable for children or adults. For II, II Plus, and lie; floppy disk, $175. Logo Computer Systems Inc., 9960 Cote de Liesse, Lachine, Quebec H8T 1A1, Canada.

Appleworks, an integrated software package for use in business and at home. This program combines word processing, database managing, and financial modeling into a single program. You can write and edit letters and documents, make financial calculations on spreadsheets, and keep important information on disk. For the He; floppy disk, $250. Apple Computer Inc., 20525 Mariani Ave., Cupertino, CA 95014.

Basic Accounting, a financial-management system for use in business and at home. You can keep track of checkbooks, charge cards, savings books, cash accounts, and business accounts. Update, search, edit, print, and even secure your system using a secret password. For II, II Plus, and He; floppy disk, $89. Practical Software Inc., 31245 La Baya Dr., Westlake Village, CA 91362.

Beat the Street, a stock-market technical-analysis training simulator. Beginning or experienced investors can practice playing the market without real capital losses on poor investments. Learn point and figure charting and interpret the price pattern as it unfolds based on actual price his

tories of over 175 stocks on the big board. Simulation can take the place of years of experience in trading stocks. For II and He; floppy disk, $49.95. MEA Software Associates, POB 2385, Littleton, CO 80161.

The Bilestoad, a strategic adventure game. In a futuristic setting of 39 levels and 44 combat fields, your job is to help mankind survive in a violent world. Barbaric battles are fought man to man or man against robot. For the II; floppy disk, $39.95. Datamost, 8943 Fullbright Ave., Chatsworth, CA 91311-2750.

Calculus, an educational program for use in both schools and business to solve calculus problems. This second edition program contains 22 user-friendly and self-contained working programs in BASIC. For II Plus and lie; floppy disk, $39.95. Sasoco, 5004 Glen Forest Dr., Raleigh, NC 27612.

Caverns of Callisto, an arcade-type game. Save your space station from aliens who are attacking you and running off with your ship's panels and the ion drive. Try to retrieve your ship parts and fight off the aliens so you can repair your ship. For II, II Plus, and He; floppy disk, $34.95. Origin Systems Inc., 1545 Osgood St. #7, POB 99, North Andover, MA 01845.

Compu Ped, a database program for dog breeders. You can keep track of three to five generations of pedigree dogs even if you are a computer novice. Log in the dog's name, birthdate, AKC number, sex, and the dog's parents' names. For II Plus and He; floppy disk, $37.50. B & L Mac, 132 Patton, Richland, WA 99352.

Da Poma GB, a gradebookemulation program. A teacher's tool that keeps track of up to 50 students' grades and averages for the academic year. Each student's record has 42 individual scores that are divided into three categories that include test and exams, homework, and any other items you need to consider. For II Plus and He; floppy disk, $49. Da Poma Inc., POB 23192, Honolulu, HI 96822-0910.

Exodus: Ultima III, the third in a series of role-playing adventure games. You are sent out to conquer treacherous foes in the realm of Sosaria. With new powers, you must create characters from a variety of attributes, form and disband an adventure party, and restore peace. For II, II Plus, and lie; floppy disk, $59.95. Origin Systems Inc. (see address above).

Flight Simulator II, a flyingsimulation package. Once you've learned to maneuver a Piper during day or dusk, land in various cities, and perform aerobatics, you can test your skills in a World War I aerial-battle simulation. For II, II Plus, and lie; floppy disk, $49.95. Sublogic Corp., 713 Edgebrook Dr., Champaign, IL 61820.

Flow Charting, a business package for use in diagramming an operation's work flow. Produce flowcharts in rapid succession for presentations or distribution by a trial-and-error method. For the II, II Plus, He, and III; floppy disk, $138. Patton & Patton, 340 Lassenpark Circle, San Jose, CA 95136.

Forecaster-Buy II, an inventory-control package for business use. This program lets you monitor inventory order

ing to reduce overstocking for faster turnover and cash flow. Features include printout of data-entry worksheets, updating, and monthly forecast reports of parts or material that consider reorder lead time. For II, II Plus, and lie; floppy disk, $800. Alessi Data Technology, POB 4, Needham Heights, MA 02194.

Mastering the SAT, a selfpaced preparation course for the Scholastic Aptitude Tests in verbal, math, and standard written English skills. Endorsed by the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), this program analyzes students' answers and provides study and practice in skills covered on the SAT. For II Plus and He; floppy disks, $150. CBS Software, One Fawcett Place, Greenwich, CT 06836.

Micro-Dynamo, a systemdynamics modeling language. This program lets you build a mathematical model of a hypothetical situation and simulate its behavior on a computer. When the simulation is complete, the program outputs the results in tabular or graphic form on the screen or printer. For the II; floppy disk, $245. Addison-Wesley, 6 Jacob Way, Reading, MA 01867.

One-on-One, a basketballsimulation game. Choose from four levels of play: park and recreation, varsity, college, and professional basketball. Test your scoring skills against another player or against the computer. Action is sparked by comments from Julius Erving and Larry Bird from the game-development sessions. For II and lie; floppy disk, $40. Electronic Arts, 2755 Campus Dr., San Mateo, CA 94403.

488 BYTE May 1984

Pasdos, a utility program written in Pascal and assembly language to allow transfers of files between DOS 3.3 and UCSD Pascal. Features include automatic display of either directory, automatic text-file formatting, code-file generation, and high-resolution picture transfer between printer and computer. Builtin demonstrations and documentation enable smooth conversions. For the II; floppy disk, $39.95. Linnton Systems, POB 17612, Portland, OR 97217.

Scientific Plotter, Version II, a graphing program for plotting scientific, engineering, and business data. Superimpose more than one data set on the same graph easily with 20 plotting symbols. You control axis position, grid size, and scaling intervals. A stand-alone utility program prints labels on any high-resolution picture. For II, II Plus and lie; floppy disk, $50. Interactive Microware Inc., POB 771, State College, PA 16801.

Talking Blissapple, a trimodal program written in a combination of machine language and FORTH that is designed for communicatively disabled children. It functions by interfacing with custom keyboards to act as a communication/writing aid. These children can write with Blissymbols and have their messages and stories displayed on a terminal, spoken, or printed on the printer. For II and II Plus; floppy disk, $35. Trace Research and Development Center, 314 Waisman Center, 1500 Highland Ave., Madison, WI 53706.

Time is Money, a personal accounting package that can double for a small-business financial-management system. You can balance your checkbook, calculate and

monitor budgets, discern net worth, and record tax-deductible expenses without bookkeeping or accounting skills. You can track up to 240 income types, 240 income sources, 240 expenses, and 240 assets and liabilities. Full report generation and graphics capabilities are a few of the instructions that require a single keystroke. For II, II Plus, and He; floppy disk, $100. Turning Point Software, 11A Main St., Watertown, MA 02172.

Tom Thumb, a reading program for preschoolers and first graders. This adaptation of the fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm improves reading, vocabulary, and comprehension skills. Features include self-paced reading levels, multiple vocabulary levels, easy-to-use software, color graphics, and special character sets. For II Plus and lie; floppy disk, $29.95. International Software Systems, POB 5427, Richmond, VA 23220.

Trompers, an arcade-type game. Due to a skip in Arnold Strump's shortwave radio, too many little creatures from the planet Tromp are falling from the sky into his domain. You have five levels in which to help old Arn catch them all and score the most points you can. For II, II Plus, and He; floppy disk, $29.95. Avant-Garde Creations Inc., POB 30160, Eugene, OR 97403.

Unprintable Physics, an educational program for science and engineering students. You can use up to 32 simulations, demonstrations, examples, and quizzes of mathematical methods, mechanics, thermodynamics, electromagnetism, and wave phenomena. Learn modern physics in ways it cannot be taught by books. For II, II Plus, and He; floppy disk,

$29.95. Prentice-Hall, Rt. 9W, Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632.

Atari

Gridrunner, an arcade-type game. As a pilot of an air-battleship, you try to stop the droids from attacking the orbiting solar-power station. Destroy pods, droid segments or leaders, and avoid the releases of plasma and ever-increasing attack waves. Requires a joystick. For the 400/800; cartridge, $29.95. Human Engineered Software, 150 North Hill Dr., Brisbane, CA 94005.

Omnitrend's Universe, a

three-dimensional tactical strategy game. You are a starship captain in search of the lost hyperspace booster. Save the civilization, become a hero, and win a fortune if you succeed. For 400/800 and 1200; floppy disks, $89.95. Omnitrend Software, 8 Huckleberry Lane, West Simsbury, CT 06092.

CP/M

Compas Pascal, a Pascal compiler. This superset of standard Pascal is a one-pass compiler that generates machine code quickly. The interactive editor is command compatible with Wordstar. It includes such features as overlays, dynamic strings, random-access files, and more. Hoppy disk, $440. K. J. Computer Services, POB 66, Mentone, Victoria 3194, Australia.

FORTRAN Relabel, a labelrenumbering program. All the numeric labels in FORTRAN programs containing statements and line references can be renumbered

using this program. Subroutines, function programs, and Microsoft EDIT80 line numbers, if present, are processed automatically. You specify the ASCII filename, the desired new label beginning, and increment. Hoppy disk, $29.95. Cleydale Engineering, POB 784, Dahlgren, VA 22448. (This program's description was listed incorrectly in the March "Software Received," page 463. We regret any inconveniences this may have caused.)

ICAMS, an integrated condominium- and apartmentmanagement system. You can perform property-management calculations with features that include semiautomatic billing and payment receipts, account updates, and 18 current reports. It can search for specific word clues and customization is an option. Hoppy disk, $1195. Advanced Management Approach Inc., POB 8576, Calabasas, CA 91302.

LeBug, a Z80-based assemblylevel debugging tool. With this program, breakpoints do not need to be removed to resume execution because they are already transparent. You can manipulate arithmetic and symbolic expressions, address expressions using register contents, and benefit from nondestructive memory tests, error codes, and builtin disk protection from overwriting. Floppy disk, $80. Lehey Microcomputer Systems, Postfach 145, 6365 Rosbach 1, Germany.

Mailer, Version 1.2, a mailing-list management package running on the CP/M 2.2 operating system. This program can read in address files created by word-processing and mailing programs to create new files. A screen form simplifies data entry and updating, delimit

BYTE May 1984 489

Software Received'

ing the entry fields and catching common entry errors. Floppy disk, $150. Maurizi Associates, 1344 Fitch Way, Sacramento, CA 95825.

Propstar, a typeset-quality printing program. Print Wordstar document files via your proportional space printer to achieve true proportional spacing. This program supports boldface, doublestrike, strikeout, underscore, formatting, and subscripts and superscripts. Floppy disk, $49.95. Civil Computing Corp., Suite 1, 2111 Research Dr., Livermore, CA 94550.

Tarbell Database System, an

interactive database system whose programs use a common file format. It includes ASCII files with fixed- and variable-length records. You can make changes in the way the files are accessed without changing the files. It is also possible to change the structure of a file without changing the way that your file is accessed. Floppy disk, $249. Tarbell Electronics, Suite B, 950 Dovlen Place, Carson, CA 90746.

Commodore

Attack of the Mutant Camels,

an arcade-type game. As the pilot of a combat ship, you must destroy enemy droids, deadly pods, and 20 attack waves of Cosmic Cameloids. You win an extra ship for every wave of challenges you encounter. Be prepared for the enemies' bizarre psychological disorientation tactics. Requires a joystick. For the VIC-20; cartridge, $29.95. Human Engineered Software, 150 North Hill Dr., Brisbane, CA 94005.

Commodore 64 BASIC Programs, an introductory programming package. Complemented by a seven-chapter book, this package includes 30 programs that demonstrate the intricacies of the computer. You are encouraged to make modifications to improve program development and learn its techniques. For the 64; cassette, $16.95. Howard W. Sams & Co., 4300 West 62nd St., Indianapolis, IN 46268.

The Disk Librarian, a utility program designed to keep

track of disk directories. You can search easily for a given directory attribute, catalog up to 150 disks, and easily back up the disks with a trilogy program. You can choose from nine facilities on the menu, including read and catalog, edit, display, print, comment line, and print disk labels. For the 4000/8000 Series; floppy disk, $49.95. Computer Field Service, 660 Longview Lane, Palatine, IL 60067.

Kindercomp, a collection of six learning games to encourage computer skills in children between the ages of 3 and 8. As they create colorful pictures or find letters or numbers on the keyboard that match those on the screen, children are improving their reading readiness and counting skills. Pictures and sounds promptly reward each successfully matched shape or completed number sequence. For the VIC-20; cartridge, $34.95. Human Engineered Software (see address above).

Lazer Zone, an arcade-type game. You try to control two lasers against encroaching aliens. After you learn firing

technique and movement, try to score as high as you can in 31 levels of increasing challenge. Requires a joystick. For the VIC-20; cartridge, $29.95. Human Engineered Software (see address above).

MusiCalc 1 Synthesizer and Sequencer, a music-creation program. With or without a musical background, you can learn, play, compose, and understand music, rhythms, and sound produced by a synthesizer. You can use this program as an instrument, a songwriting or compositional aid, a music-theory tool, a sound-effects generator, and more. For the 64; floppy disk, $74.95. Waveform Corp., 1912 Benita Ave., Berkeley, CA 94704.

Synthesound 64, a musicsynthesizer program. Create music or special sound effects that include bagpipes, outer-space panic, footsteps, or chirping birds. You play keys on one of two keyboards: solo or accompaniment. Features include highresolution piano-keyboard display, real-time clock, voices and filter modes, and storage of 256 patches. For

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the 64; floppy disk, $34.95. Human Engineered Software (see address above).

Time Money Manager, a

dual financial- and timemanagement program. In Finance 64, you can make informed decisions on buy versus lease options, payback analysis, profit margin, and future of present values. In Schedule 64, plan days or years in advance, get daily or weekly scans, or zoom in for detailed views. For the 64; floppy disk, $69.95. Human Engineered Software (see address above).

VIC-20: 50 Easy-to-Run Computer Games, a collection of educational games. Each one of these 50 easily entered programs contains less than 30 statements and offers games that help you explore many facets of programming and debugging your computer. Choose from Hurray, Beethoven!, Bird Watching, and the Backward Test, to name a few. For the VIC-20; cassette, $12.95. Howard W. Sams & Co. (see address above).

IBM

Personal Computer

Autosort 86M, a sort/merge/ select utility program that places no limit on file size. Designed for large files with fixed-length fields within fixed-length records, this program can be used as a stand-alone sort routine with options that include nine modes of sort/select. Multiusers can sort simultaneously as long as they use different identification numbers. Hoppy disk, $150. Computer Control Systems Inc., 298 21st Terrace SE, Largo, FL 33541.

Catalog-Master, a disk-management system. You can

create and maintain a masterfile directory of your disks to locate a desired file when you need it. The directory can include file descriptions, sort alphabetically by filename, and you can select only certain groups of files to output by using a file-selection template. Hoppy disk, $29.95. Generic Software, POB 790, Marquette, MI 49855.

Certified Accounting Systems, a group of five accounting packages for use in businesses. The packages consist of the Systems Guide to format the software for your requirements: Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, General Ledger, Inventory, and Payroll. Floppy disk, Systems Guide, $45; with automatic update, $295 each; without update, $195 each. Certified Software Inc., 9900 SW Wilshire St., POB 25585, Portland, OR 97225.

Data Evaluation System, a

data-evaluation utility package. A series of three routines that plot and fit data into a variety of mathematical models by nonlinear least squares. The results can be printed in full color. The menu and special-function keys are combined to easily select designed routines and also various options within each routine. You can also manipulate data. Floppy disk, $250. R & L Software, 1299 Beacon St., Newton, MA 02168.

Decision Maker, a logicalanalysis program. Make informed decisions by seeing graphs to help you determine the most logical choice. Input alternatives and factors, and the computer shows you the best decision in detail, summary, or graphic form. Floppy disk, $12.95. HCS, 3616 Dannys Lane, Alexandria, VA 22311.

Encore, a financial-modeling,

spreadsheet-analysis, and decision-support system. Features include color graphics, plotting, printing, slide shows, and a graphics editor. Generate a formal report with one function key. The eight sections include an editor, spreadsheet, English modeling language, function library, an exec progranrming language, a report writer, a graphics system, and computation and analysis. Floppy disk, $695. Ferox Microsystems Inc., Suite 611, 1701 North Fort Myer Dr., Arlington, VA 22209.

Exec-I, a database-management system for professionals, executives, and people in business. Includes mailing list, check management, appointment keeper, stock security, personal inventory, personal finances, and memo writing. Compatible with a word-processing program and other officeintegration software. Floppy disk, $198. Micro Architect Inc., 6 Great Pine Ave., Burlington, MA 01803.

Executive Assistant, an office-management record-keeping system. By accessing the flexibility of Lotus 1-2-3, this information-management system is ready for you to run without previous programming experience. It can store information on five files, including people, to do, calendar, events, and projects. Floppy disk, $100. Reston Publishing Co., 11480 Sunset Hills Rd., Reston, VA 22090.

Exette, a data-retrieval system. You can restore up to 18 sectors on single- or doublesided disks that have been lost due to media wear, scratching, or other errors. The three functions include encode, verify, and restore. Data recovery transfers all information to a new disk containing corrections. Floppy disk, $80. Errex Inc., 5 Re

search Dr., Ann Arbor, MI 48013.

FABS/PC, an assembly-language subroutine program. With Fast Access Btree Structure (FABS) you can access large data files containing up to 65K records in one second or less. The speed of execution is due to balanced key structure where keys do not need resequencing. A few of the commands include create, open, close, search, insert, delete, replace, build file, and more. Floppy disk, $150. Computer Control Systems (see address above).

Frieze Graphics, a printing and storing graphics-utility program. Without generating graphics, Frieze will produce a variety of screen dumps from an existing graphics display or save and retrieve pictures while a program is in progress. This program will work with nine assorted printers, producing up to 16 shading patterns on blackand-white printers and 256 colors on color printers. Hoppy disk, $55. ZSoft Corporation, 370 Hermitage Court SW, Marietta, GA 30064.

Frustration, a learning game of memory and skill. Try to guess the secret alphabetical sequence as you practice typing letters in ascending order. Improves memory and typing skills simultaneously as you try to light up 25 little boxes. Floppy disk, $29.95. Asmara Productions, POB 1199, Noble, OK 73068.

Incunabula, a strategy game set in an ancient civilization. As your civilization advances and establishes arts and technologies, it develops from a tribe to a clan, a nation, and finally an empire. Disasters along the way reduce the population as you fend off enemies. In the struggle toward civilization, only the selection of wise laws will

BYTE May 1984 491

Software Received <

determine the success of your civilization. Floppy disk, $39. Expert Systems Inc., POB 9, Redmond, WA 98052.

InteCalc, an electronicspreadsheet program. With three-dimensional, splitscreen capability, you can custom-program or sort sample worksheets. Additional features include formula analysis by rows, columns, and pages; four numeric types; commas and floating dollar signs; and adjustable column widths for clarity. Floppy disk, $295. Schuchardt Software Systems, 515 Northgate Dr., San Rafael, CA 94903.

MicroPlan, a financial-forecasting package for business professionals. Plan cash flow, prepare budgets, report variances, and analyze product pricing in simple steps with on-screen prompts. Build a financial model cell by cell. Specialized what-if capabilities available by the touch of a few keys provide quick solutions to puzzling forecasting problems. Floppy disk, $495. Digital Research, 160 Central Ave., POB 579, Pacific Grove, CA 93950.

Move-It, a communications program for use in transferring data between computers. Move important documents between locations via modem regardless of hardware. The low error rate is due to error checking, auto-dial support, unattended operation, and online helps. The directory display ensures disk integrity. Combines with Speedstart, a load-and-go system. Floppy disk, $150. Digital Research (see address above).

The Organizer, a file-link utility system for use with Lotus 1-2-3. Create a branching-tree file-selection menu system to organize and in

stantly access files. An easyto-edit menu board with handy commands. With push-button menu selections on a file-link master menu, you can access up to six files that provide access to an additional six files. Floppy disk, $89. The Whiterock Alternative, 8255 15th Ave. NE, Seattle, WA 98115.

Oubliette, a fantasy-adventure game. This role-playing game uses text and graphics in ten dungeon levels of increasing challenges. You control six adventurers in their quest for gold and glory. But when you enter the dungeon there is one escape and occasional encounters with monsters. Floppy disk, $39.95. Human Engineered Software (see address above).

PlanStar, a financial-planning and reporting package. Functioning like a visible calculator, this program stores data or arithmetic relationships at each spreadsheet position for financial modeling. It separates data from calculation rules allowing for sequential logic. You can specify calculations in English rather than matrix notation. Reports and graph formatting do not take up unnecessary spreadsheet space. Floppy disk, $595. Micropro International Corp., 33 San Pablo Ave., San Rafael, CA 94903.

Reportmaker, a business tool for use in writing and presenting reports. The main menu offers several commands: a pie-chart generation program that can be cancelled without destroying data, the graph generator that is for bar charts with various shading methods, and a heading generator that lets you format. You can also design logos on the grid. Floppy disk, $130. Krepec Software Inc., Suite 208, 5460

Royalmount, Montreal, Quebec H4P 1H8, Canada.

RL-1 Relational Database Management System, an integrated operational datastorage package. An interactive English-type language is used for the manipulation of data. A relational editor inputs and updates records into database. The report generator creates customized reports. And the program interface enables applications to be written in any highlevel language. Floppy disk, $495. ABW Corp., POB M1047, Ann Arbor, MI 48106.

RXSet, a printer-interface program. You set format and printer-control codes through interactive screens. In turn, receive a status report and access help screens to print numerous text files requiring different printing parameters. This program does not include graphics capabilities. Floppy disk, $15.25. On-Disk Software, POB 382, Lincoln, MA 01773.

The Sales Edge, a businessstrategy success program. You can evaluate the human factors affecting your sales performance by learning customer buying styles, being aware of your own behavioral techniques, and preparing customer-specific strategies for opening, presenting, and closing of sales negotiations. Floppy disk, $250. Human Edge Software Corp., 2445 Faber Place, Palo Alto, CA 94303.

Silver Software Series, four business-applications programs. Silverwriter is the word processor for editing, creating and merging a mailing list, and printing. Silverbudget is the accounting and budgeting program. Silvercalendar is a multidimensional scheduling section. And Silverfolio is the personal inventory section. The

portfolio also offers financial functions such as net-worth statement, lists of property, and amortization schedules. Hoppy disk, $399. Douthett Enterprises Inc., 200 West Douglas, Wichita, KS 67202.

Softplot/BGL, a graphics library for Microsoft BASIC. Enhance systems with graphics displays and add hardcopy graphics capability to any system with a dot-matrix printer or plotter. Improve technical, business, educational, or other applications with a set of high-level commands to build graphics programs. Floppy disk, $99. Graphic Software Inc., POB 367, Kenmore Station, Boston, MA 02215.

SuperCalc 2, an electronicspreadsheet package. Without typing in commands, you can format and make backup copies of your disks, rename and erase data files you create and display them on the screen, and find out how much workspace is left. You can also set up what-if modeling spreadsheets. Floppy disk, $295. Digital Research (see address above).

Target Financial Modeling with Speedstart, an electronic spreadsheet for financial modeling in accounting, marketing, finance, and banking. Features include forward referencing, conditional logic, column referencing, communication, data and statement consolidation, a report generator, and prewritten financial models. Floppy disk, $325. Digital Research (see address above).

Ten Key, a concurrent calculator program. Integrated inside your computer, this calculating program lets you interrupt any application by pressing a command key. Press the key again, and the

492 BYTE May 1984

former application is restored. It also has the ability to transport final totals back to the original application. Floppy disk, $48.50. Photon Software, POB 1408, Bellevue, WA 98009.

TMP/Free Form, an information storage and retrieval system for management planning. Regardless of the drive you entered on the command line, you can specify what drive you want to access for storing, listing, and deleting files without losing your program. Because the program will use the drive you specify, you can use any number of drives. Floppy disk, $225. United Software Co., 2431 East Douglas, Wichita, KS 67211.

TMP/Manager I, a structured database-management system. Two master disks contain the following program tools or functions: dictionary, edit, select and sort, transfer, report maintenance, report writer, catalog and label writer, and a database directory. Using tags instead of index files, you can speed up the process by selecting and sorting only a portion of your database. Floppy disk, $595. United Software Co. (see address above).

l/nder-Control, a file-management system. Automatically generate data-entry screens, sort, write reports, select records, and total them up. Allows for customizing and defining new fields such as legal-time accounting and billing applications. Floppy disks, $125. A+ Software Inc., 16 Academy St., Skaneateles, NY 13152.

Wordstar Professional, a collection of three word-processing packages that integrate with Wordstar. Mailmerge lets you combine information from various sources to produce letters,

documents, and files. With Spellstar, your spelling errors are located and checked against the 20,000-word American Heritage Dictionaries. With Starindex, you can create reference aids to help readers locate information in a report, contract, manual, or any document you prepare. Floppy disk, $345. Micropro International Corp. (see address above).

Word-X, a word-processing package. Features include full-screen editor, word wrap, print text formatter, merge facility, function keys, help command, global changes, and the ability to obtain multiple copies. This program is compatible with other office-integration systems such as the database manager and executive information systems. Floppy disk, $98. Micro Architect Inc. (see address above).

WSSORT, an interactive program. Select, merge, and sort sequential files, manage a database, or select up to 20 specifications and 20 levels of sorting simultaneously. The amount of information processed is disk based, and is thus not limited by memory. Floppy disk, $69.95. Nugget Software Inc., POB 440979, Aurora, CO 80044.

/^-Series Assemblers, Linker, and Librarian, cross-assembler programs for program development. Several relocating macroassemblers and a few compilers are supported by a single universal linker named XLINK. A special symbolic format exists that contains module names, globals, and locals to use with external emulators and debuggers. XLIB, a universal librarian, is included to create and maintain object-code libraries. Floppy disks, price not available. IAR Systems AB, POB 23051, S-750 23 Uppsala, Sweden.

TRS-80

Accounts Payable, a businessaccounting program. This can handle four standard general-ledger accounts plus an additional 14 expense accounts that you define. It can contain up to 1100 transactions on file, 75 vendors, and an unlimited number of invoices per check. It automatically calculates due dates, discount dates, and can print in several formats. For the Model 4; floppy disks, $199.95. Radio Shack, 1400 One Tandy Center, Fort Worth, TX 76102.

AgDisk (Crop Management), a financial agricultural program. Designed to be used with Visicalc spreadsheets, this program helps in informed decision making of business crops. A few of the 11 templates include grain marketing, corn yield, gross margin, growing days, field calculations, pivot application, and fertilizer needs and costs. Combined with a calculator program with a grid 63 columns by 254 rows, you can construct formulas that ensure success. For the Model III; floppy disk, $69.95. Radio Shack (see address above).

AgDisk (Feedlot Cattle Management), an agricultural management program. Templates on the feedlot cattle management disk include cattle feeder, steer marketing, carcass evaluation, protein supplement, and ration formulation. Combined with Visicalc spreadsheets, you can keep up with changes and evaluate data for future reference. For the Model III; floppy disk, $69.95. Radio Shack (see address above).

Assembly Language Development System, a tool for developing Z80 programs. The five systems this program

contains are a text editor, an assembler that converts source programs to Z80 object code, a linker, a debugger, and a file-transfer system. Previous knowledge of assembly language suggested. For Models III and 4; floppy disks, $149. Radio Shack (see address above).

Business Graphics Analysis Pak, a colorful graphics package for business presentations. Enter data, select a chart type, format to your specifications, and print the screen. Choose from four types: line charts, bar charts, pie charts, and scatter charts. Select variations such as automatic scaling, formatting, labeling, chart width, straight or curved lines, solid or dotted lines, shading, frames, and numeric scale labels. You can also manipulate data. For Models II and 12; floppy disk, $249. Radio Shack (see address above).

Executive Calendar, a timemanagement program. Plan your daily and weekly schedules or display and print any month of the year. The dates of 17 holidays are programmed in the calendar section, and the calculation ability lets you figure the number of days needed to complete a specific project. For the Model 100; cassette, $19.95. Radio Shack (see address above).

Graphicom, a graphicsdesign program. You can create, edit, and transmit pictures and text. Written in FORTH and designed for the novice user, you let the graphics guide you through the program. This program can even facilitate communication between people of different languages. For the Color Computer; floppy disk, $24.95. Spectrum Projects, 93-15 86th Dr., Woodhaven, NY 11421.

BYTE May 1984 493

Software Received

Payroll, a payroll system for small businesses that tracks earnings, deductions, and taxes for each employee. You can customize your system to meet local, state, and federal tax laws. It keeps historical records by current period, quarter, and year for all employee earning and deductions, plus all employer liabilities. It lets you design reports or print reports for audit trails. For the Model 4; floppy disk, $199.95. Radio Shack (see address above).

Spectaculator, a calculator program. Your screen becomes a worksheet with rows and columns. You can budget and forecast, do statistics, and even do math homework. Prepare a table format with formulas for easy recalculation to avoid retyping. It can print any or all of a document. For Models I and III;

cassette, $34.95. Radio Shack (see address above).

Starblaze 100, a space-arcade game. With one of your three ships, you must move from planet to planet. You can fire up to three missiles at a time with the space bar. Be certain not to move when you are in the transporter or your ship will be destroyed. For the Model 100; cassette, $19.95. Radio Shack (see address above).

Videotex Plus, a communications package. You can communicate with a variety of information services and host computer systems. The three modules include an interactive terminal and data communications program, a specialized program for use with store and forward information services, and a program to prepare autp-log

FREE?

You know nothing's free and we're not giving anything away. What we're doing is offering you a unique opportunity to save hundreds or even thousands of $ dollars $ on computer hardware, software, video and videotape products.

We're angry about the high price of these products. We have spent over a year researching ways to save and have come up with a solution that delighted us and we believe will delight you. This research cost us a lot of time and money. The results can be yours for just $ 10. No rip off. No catch. Just cold hard facts on how to save. A fee so small—probably retrievable on the purchase of 1 box of disks.

We are enthusiasts, just as you are, trying to provide a way to make financially feasible what we consider the most wholesome, educational, entertaining pastime America has ever known. If you can believe in us. If you can envision buying at or below wholesale and save more than you thought possible. Please send ten dollars to:

High Tech Friends Dept. BM RD#3 Evans City, PA 16033

on/auto-dial procedures. You can print hard copies with a printer-control feature. For the Model 4; floppy disk, $49.95. Radio Shack (see address above).

Other Computers

Graphics Subroutine, a

graphics programming aid. Move small and large drawings smoothly around the screen one pixel at a time. Keep a drawing stationary to draw or color in your own animations or cartoons. For the Spectrum; cassette, £10. Fowler Software, Hendon Mill, Nelson, Lancashire BB9 8AD, England.

MorseKey, a Morse code to ASCII converter. Written for disabled children, this program is valuable for anyone wishing to use a computer as a communications device. For the Epson Notebook

Computer; microcassette, $45. Blue Heron Software, POB 91927, West Vancouver, British Columbia V7V 4S4, Canada.

Nest Egg II, a strategic financial-planning program. Calculate retirement finances, your children's education, vacation plans, and trust funds. Test several assumptions and calculate alternative futures. For the Timex/Sinclair 1000/ZX81; cassette, $19.95. Computer Ware Publishing, 3rd Floor, 234 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10001.

PID.COM, a program that provides graphic, programmable, programmed instruction with phased experiments in closed-loop control. No previous mathematics required. For the Heath/Zenith H-/Z-89; floppy disk, $26. Friendliware, POB 21206, Lansing, MI 48909. ■

This is the final "Software Received" section in BYTE. It will be replaced by expanded coverage of software in our "What's New?" section beginning in June. This expansion will include color pictures in "What's New?" and the relocation of the beginning of this section to the front of the magazine. Color transparencies (slides), 35mm or larger, stand a better chance of being used than color prints. Publishers who

want their software to be considered for inclusion in "What's New?" should send information or products to New Products Editor, BYTE, 70 Main St., Peterborough, NH 03458. Of course, we will continue to do full reviews of software also. Publishers who want their programs to be considered for a full review should send a copy of their product to the Product Review Editor at the same address.

BYTE's Bits

Used Equipment Repository

The Harvester is a nonprofit organization that places used computers in service with other nonprofit associations requiring computers but unable to afford them. Donations are tax deductible, and reimbursements for shipping fees are available.

The Harvester accepts pocket, mini-, and microcomputers as well as peripherals, software, and supplies. For information, call or write Ed Simpson, The Harvester, POB 931, Columbia, MD 21044, (301) 997-4992. ■

494 BYTE May 1984

Ask BYTE

Conducted by Steve Ciarcia

Kaypro Composite Video

Dear Steve,

I would like to know how to connect a Kaypro II to a monitor that accepts 1-volt composite video. I have not been able to obtain schematics. Is there any way around this? Thanks. Henri J. Poche New Orleans, LA

The Kaypro II video output cannot be sent directly to a composite-video monitor. You will have to combine the Kaypro's horizontal sync, vertical sync, and video signals into a composite-video signal first.

The separate video signals are available at the following pins of connector Jl:

Pin 1 horizontal sync

Pin 2 (key)

Pin 3 video

Pin 4 vertical sync

An example of a good videocombiner circuit can be found in an Intel application note titled "A Low Cost CRT Terminal Using the 8275." The number of the application note is AP-62, and it can be obtained from Intel Corporation, 3065 Bowers Ave., Santa Clara, CA 95051.

Kaypro schematics and a manual on the theory of the Kaypro's operation can be obtained from Micro Cornucopia, POB 223, Bend, OR 97709.... Steve

80 by 24 on an H-19A

Dear Steve,

After reading "Build the Micro D-Cam Solid-State Video Camera" in the September 1983 BYTE, I realized that my system was deficient because I had no high-resolution graphics. My

system consists of a Heath H-19A terminal, Heath H-8 computer with 60K bytes of RAM, and a disk system. My terminal is connected to the computer via RS-232C.

What determines the 80column by 24-line format in the display? And if I want high-resolution graphics, what modifications can I make to accomplish this? Will I be able to retain an 80 by 24 display with these modifications? Any help will be appreciated. John Loong Oak Park, IL

Mosf computer terminals have a similar set of components that allows characters to be displayed on a video-display screen. The components generally consist of

1. A keyboard controller that converts key closures into ASCII (American National Standard Code for Information Interchange) code.

2. A memory system to store the input data.

3. A video-display controller to access the data and properly position it on the video display using timing circuitry.

4. A character generator that converts the data into readable characters on the video display.

5. A UART (universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter) to send the input data to the computer.

When a character is entered at the keyboard and converted to ASCII code, it is simultaneously sent through the UART to the computer and to the internal memory in the terminal. If the terminal displays 24 lines of 80 characters, the size of the memory system is usually 2K bytes (24x80=1920 bytes—it's rounded up to an integer power

of 2). The video-display controller then continuously accesses data from the memory system and sends it to the character generator for display on the video display.

Each line of characters on the screen is composed of a number of "scan lines." Typically, several hundred scan lines are presented on the screen in a fraction of a second, which makes the display look like it is being presented all at once. These scan lines are composed of a number of dots that represent one slice of each character on the display line being presented. For example, depending on the character generator, the letter "T" might have five dots in the first scan line and a single dot in the next six scan lines, using a 5-by 7-dot character generator.

Terminals constructed in this manner cannot be used for highresolution graphics unless significant modifications are made to the circuitry. One reason is that the amount of memory needed in a stand-alone terminal would have to be much larger than the 2K bytes built into the terminal. This doesn't mean it cannot be done. A good reference on the subject is a book written by Donald E. Lancaster, Son of Cheap Video, which can be obtained from Priority One Electronics or other advertisers in BYTE. An article in Microcomputing magazine shows how to use the TVT 6 5/8 terminal discussed in Don Lancaster's book with the Heath H-8 computer system (see "Cheap Video for Your Heathkit H-8," Microcomputing, March 1979, page 24).

Also, Heathkit is now offering a color graphics board for the H-8 computer that has three color display modes and 256- by 192-pixel resolution. This board is for use with a video device that accepts NTSC (National Television System Committee) composite video. . . . Steve

A Faster Z-89

Dear Steve,

How much would it entail to upgrade a Z-89 to operate at 4 or 6 MHz using a new crystal and a Z80A or Z80B in place of the original Z80? What else would have to be done? Fred Ernst Skokie, IL

Some care must be exercised whenever a piece of commercial equipment is modified to increase its speed. In some cases, it may be as easy as replacing the crystal and upgrading the processor. However, in most cases, the memory chips also must be replaced to be compatible with the new memory access times derived by the processor. Depending on the new processor clock rate, chips with access times of 150 to 200 nanoseconds will be needed. The existing chips should be checked to verify if their access time is compatible with the new clock rate. This also includes any ROM (readonly memory) chips in the circuit.

The schematics of the device also should be checked to verify that the new crystal is used only by the processor and not by other circuitry such as the video controller and disk drives. In many cases, all clock frequencies in a device are derived from the same master oscillator.... Steve

A 2716/2732 Programmer

Dear Steve,

I have finally realized that, for me, the era of the 2716 EPROM (erasable programmable read-only memory) is about over. Having stocked up on some 2732s and still having only a 2716 programmer, I'm looking for an easy method or an adapter that

BYTE May 1984 495

Ask BYTE

25V i—i

Vpp

2716

EPROM

SOCKET

CE/PGM

OE/Vpp

2732

EPROM SOCKET

Figure 1: Programming the 2732 as two separate 2K-byte segments.

can be used to program 2732s on a 2716 programmer. What I have in mind is something that can plug into the existing socket on the 2716 programmer. Thank you. Michael Graham Cameron Park, CA

There is no direct method of converting a 2716 EPROM programmer into a 2732 programmer by using the existing 2716 socket. Another address line, which does not appear on the 2716 socket, is needed for the 2732 (All).

Figure 1 is a circuit diagram that shows how to get around this problem if you are willing to program the 2732 as two separate 2K-byte segments. The circuit assumes that you have a standard 2716 programmer and are going to convert it to program Intel-type 2732 EPROMs. To make the conversion, the functions of pins 18, 20, and 22 of the 2716 must be modified before they are sent to the 2732

programming socket. The following table shows the functions of these pins for the two EPROMs:

Pin 2716 2732

18 CE/PGM CE

20 OE OE/Vpp

21 Vw All

As shown in figure 1, AH is produced at the 2732 socket by a switch that selects either the upper 2K bytes or the lower 2K bytes of the 2732. This is not a terrible inconvenience because the 2716 programmer works with a maximum 2K-byte block of data.

Vpp now must be routed from pin 21 on the 2716 socket to pin 20 on the 2732 socket. The problem is that the Impulse for the 2716 varies from +5 volts (V) to +25 V, and the voltage levels for OE/Vpp on the 2732 vary from 0 V to 25 V. The transistor shown in the circuit performs this voltage translation. If you intend to use 2732As in the circuit instead of the standard 2732, the

2716

2732

Mode

CE/PGM

OE

CE

Read

low

low

low

Standby

high

—

high

Program

pulse

high

low

Verify

low

low

low

Inhibit

low

low

high

Table 1: A truth table.

maximum voltage must be reduced from +25Vto +21 Vat pin 20 of the 2732 socket.

To produce a proper signal at the CE pin of the 2732, the truth table (see table 1) must be used.

The 4016 CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor) transmission gates and the 4049 CMOS inverters shown in figure 1 perform this translation. CMOS chips were selected to keep the power consumption from the 2716 programmer low, but equivalent TTL (transistor-transistor logic)

or LS (low-power Schottky) chips can be substituted.

All other lines from the 2716 socket should be routed directly to the 2732 socket Steve

Starting Points

Dear Steve,

I want to buy test equipment so that I can start building computer kits and learning about digital electronics, but I don't know which instruments I really need and

496 BYTE May 1984

how much performance they should have.

My main fears are that I will buy an instrument that I won't use a great deal and that I will buy an instrument that is not capable of the performance necessary for computer circuitry. I want to be able to work with processor clock speeds to 6 MHz.

I know I'll need a quality VOM (volt-ohm meter). Please help me choose other instruments that will get me started. Thanks. Tony L. Essman Bartlesville, OK

As you start building and learning about digital and analog circuitry, you will find that your VOM will be the first piece of equipment you reach for when something doesn't work. It will be used to determine if your power-supply wiring is correct and if your voltage levels are proper. Your decision to obtain a quality VOM is thus an excellent one.

A logic probe will also be important when analyzing digital circuits. You can obtain a good logic probe and pulse catcher combination from Priority One Electronics (see its ad in BYTE). The model number of the probe is 07GSCLP1, and the price is around $45. This probe will respond to a pulse train of 10 MHz and to a single pulse as short as 50 nanoseconds. The probe has pulse- or transition-level storage capability.

A good oscilloscope is expensive, but if you are serious about learning more electronics it will be a valuable item. Priority One Electronics also has a scope that will fill your needs. The model number is 07BKP1522, and the price is about $595 for a 20-MHz dual-trace scope. If you are interested in building a scope kit, you should look at Heathkit's IO-4550 dual-trace 10-MHz scope, which is advertised for about $470 in its 1983 catalog. . . . Steve

Dear Steve,

I am a fairly new subscriber to BYTE who has been intrigued by your Circuit Cellar projects. But while I have a good understanding of computers, I have virtually no knowledge of electronics. Can you suggest any books or materials that would help me get started? Also, which of your projects would you recommend for a beginner? I am interested in computer peripheral devices. Any information or advice would be truly appreciated. Jeffery S. Bond Thousand Oaks, CA

Many good books are available to assist you in getting a better understanding of electronics. If you scan the advertising pages in BYTE, you will find just about everything you need, or you can obtain many of these books at a Radio Shack store.

If you have never worked with electronics, you could start with material that covers DC and AC circuit theory, then advance to books on digital electronics and linear circuits. However, a mix of reading and hands-on experience is probably the most enjoyable way to get started. A good book called Getting Started in Electronics by Forrest Mims uses this approach.

As you begin building circuits, you also may need technical data manuals that describe the functions of the devices you are using. Most chip manufacturers publish data manuals that cover TTL (transistor-transistor logic), CMOS (complementary metaloxide semiconductor), and linear devices.

You also will need some tools of the trade when you actually start building and checking out your circuit. To get started, you should have at a minimum a good VOM, a soldering iron, some wire-wrap equipment, and a lot of patience.

As a first project, don't pick the MPX-16. Choose a simple circuit like the ECM-103 modem

in the March 1983 BYTE or one of my other circuits with a low component count. You also can pick up a compilation of other Circuit Cellar projects in the volumes of Ciarcia's Circuit Cellar sold through the BYTE Book Club. . .. Steve

Dear Steve,

I have three questions that 1 hope you will answer. First, what is virtual memory? Second, what is a memory cache? Finally, what are the pros and cons of the new 32-bit microprocessors? Thank you. Sanjoy Mahajan Pittsburgh, PA

Virtual memory is a concept, as opposed to a physical entity. The concept allows running very large programs in a relatively small physical-memory space. It works by bringing small segments of a program into main memory from disk or drum storage and running those segments of the program. When these program segments have been run, new segments are brought into the same memory space and overlay those previously run. In this manner, virtually any size program can be run in a limited memory space.

Cache memory is a relatively small but fast RAM buffer physically located in the processor of a system. Portions of the relatively slow main RAM are brought into the cache memory where they are executed at high speeds. For example, a large main memory could consist of MOS (metal-oxide semiconductor) RAM chips with access times of 150-200 nanoseconds (ns), while the cache RAM could be ECL (emitter-coupled logic) chips operating with 45-ns access times. By running program segments in cache, a large increase in performance can be obtained.

The pros and cons of 32-bit microprocessors are numerous. I will touch on a few. The obvious advantage is that wider data

buses offer an increase in speed because more bits can be manipulated with the same number of machine cycles. More powerful 32-bit instructions also make number crunching and string handling much more efficient. A disadvantage is that wider data buses and address buses mean carrying a lot more wires around the system. Another disadvantage, in the short term, is that software for the 32-bit microprocessors is not as available as it is for the smaller ones.... Steve

The ECM-103 Modem Revisited

Dear Steve,

I have your ECM-103 modem kit ("Build the ECM-103, an Originate/ Answer Modem," March 1983 BYTE, page 26) and was wondering about the possibility of adding an autodial/auto-answer feature. Do you have any suggestions on how to accomplish this? I've seen inexpensive Touch-Tone chips advertised. How does the auto-answer mechanism work, and how could I go about integrating them? Thanks. Ian Cassell Philadelphia, PA

Implementing auto-answer/ auto-dial features in a modem can be quite complicated if the full power of these features is to be used. For example, a full-featured auto-dial modem resolves all the call-failure conditions that normally exist when making a call, such as busy signals and no-answer conditions.

Simplified versions of these features can, however, be implemented with some available chips. Radio Shack is offering a set of telephony chips that can be used in these applications. They are the TCM1512A Ring Detector and the TCM5089 Tone-Dialing Encoder.

The TMS99532 modem chip

BYTE May 1984 497

Ask BYTE

used in the ECM-103 has a pin that can be used for Touch-Tone dialing purposes. An analog signal present on the EXI (external input, pin 17) pin of the modem is passed through to the telephone line. You can make a simplified version of an auto-dial function by using this pin and the tone encoder. The EXI input is enabled when ATE is high, ALB is low, and SQT is high. For the ECM-103, these conditions are met when the originate/answer switch is in the originate mode prior to a valid carrier-detect signal.

The ring detector can be used to connect the output of the ECM-103 to the phone lines when a ring signal is detected. The ECM-103 also should be switched to the answer mode by this signal if it is not already in this mode. Circuitry also can be introduced that causes the modem to automatically hang up if a valid carrier-detect signal is not received in a preset time period.... Steve

Dear Steve,

Two of us bought your ECM-103 modem. My friend connected one to his Drake Theta 9000E terminal for amateur radio use, and I connected mine to my Kaypro II. We have had some success, but not in the normal manner. When I use the Term program from Kaypro that converts my computer into a dumb terminal, I can receive the signals originating from my friend but not my own ASCII characters.

I can send files through CP/M using PIP, transferring from the file in disk, to TTY: or PUN:, and using the echo feature I am able to see what I send. But I am able to do this only if I put the modem in the originate mode and connect the "mysterious jumper" between pins 5 and 6. Although we can communicate, we had not anticipated that the conversations would be only "one way."

Here are my questions: What does the jumper do? Must one of us stay in the answer mode? We are using only the acoustic enclosures. Should we change to transformer coupling? Thank you. Mario Handler Caracas, Venezuela

First of all, let me clear up the question about the "mysterious jumper." When a modem and computer are linked together, they must have some method of telling each other what they are doing and what they want to do next. These signals that are passed back and forth are generally termed handshaking signals. Pins 4, 5, and 6 of the RS-232C cable are handshaking lines and are generally called RTS (request to send), CTS (clear to send), and DSR (data set ready).

DSR in the ECM-103 is always set to a high level, telling the computer that the data set is ready (the modem is connected in this case). Normally, the computer sends a signal back through the DTR (data terminal ready) line to tell the modem that it is there. Both devices now know that the other exists. Note that the ECM-103 does not look for the DTR signal on pin 20 because it is assumed that a terminal exists. When you want to send data from the computer to the modem, the computer sends out an RTS signal to the modem. If the modem is ready to accept the data, it sends back a CTS signal, and the computer or terminal then sends the data to the modem.

If the RTS and CTS lines in the ECM-103 are jumpered together, as soon as the computer asks permission to send data by setting RTS, it gets an immediate "yes you can" signal from the CTS line. This should satisfy most applications. The other way this can be handled is to set the CTS line to a state where it is always telling the computer that it is ready. This is done by placing the jumper between pins 5 and 6. One of these two con

figurations will handle most cases where the terminal software needs a handshaking signal.

The ECM-103 was designed to be used in either the answer or originate mode depending on how the modem on the other end of the line was set. Both modems cannot be set to the same mode or you will not be able to communicate properly. In general, the caller is set in the originate mode and the modem that is called is set to the answer mode.

You should not have to go to transformer coupling to get proper response from the ECM-103. However, if the room noise is high on either end, direct connections would be helpful. . . .Steve

Cable Computing

Dear Steve,

I have been wondering if anyone has invented a modem for cable TV. Because the idea of tying up the phone for local communications or paying for my own phone line doesn't excite me, I would welcome the development of such a device. I also would be interested to know if a device like this could have channels, not only so that you could switch to an empty channel, but so that different makes of computers could have designated channels.

Currently, our local cable company is letting a corporation and a community college use its cable as a highspeed link. I think it would make sense to make use of these frequencies. Joel Stevey Nyack, NY

Taking advantage of the cable TV frequencies for computer communication is going to be one of the next big areas in home-computer technology. In fact, it has already begun, as you mentioned, with cable stations

being used for high-speed links. Teletext services also are being offered by networks and independent stations that send information in the vertical interval of regular TV broadcasts. However, decoders for this information are still very expensive, with prices ranging around $2000.

The home computerist may soon see systems from Matsushita Electric that will include a combination teletext decoder and personal computer for communication over cable TV stations. This equipment would be rented by the cable company for use on its channels carrying this type of information service. Standards for this type of service are still being worked out, and the system may use the full TV channel rather than the vertical interval.

Full communication between computer users over cable networks will probably be next with all this activity in the area. A good source for keeping up with this type of technology is the Video Electronics column of Radio-Electronics magazine, where new developments in this area are periodically discussed. . . . Steve!

In "Ask BYTE," Steve Garcia answers questions on any area of microcomputing. The most representative questions received each month will be answered and published. Do you have a nagging problem? Send your inquiry to:

Ask BYTE

c/o Steve Ciarcia

POB 582

Glastonbury, CT

06033 Due to the high volume of inquiries, personal replies cannot be given. All letters and photographs become the property of Steve Ciarcia and cannot be returned. Be sure to include "Ask BYTE" in the address.

498 BYTE May 1984

What's New?

SOFTWARE

Music-Writer Scores with Apples

Passport Designs is marketing Polywriter, a music-writing program for Apple II series computers. Polywriter generates and outputs to a printer musical scores of whatever is played on a Soundchaser keyboard. Diverse score formats can be printed: single treble line, single bass line, piano score, choral score, treble clef with piano, bass clef with piano, and full orchestral score.

Polywriter prints standard music notation. It handles note divisions, seconds, accidentals, ties, up or down octave adjustments, flags and beams, split stemming, triplet brackets, rests, any key signature, transposition up or down nine halfsteps, and up to 15 time signatures, including complex and asymmetrical. Its full-scale editor can manage lyric and chord symbols.

Minimum system elements

are a Soundchaser Basic System, a floppy-disk drive, monitor, Grappler printer interface card, a dot-matrix printer with graphics capabilities, and an Apple II, II+, or He or equivalent compatible. The suggested list price is S595. Passport Designs Inc. is located at Suite 103, 625 Miramontes St., Half Moon Bay. CA 94019. (415) 7260280. Circle 554 on inquiry card.

File Sort for Vlsicalc

A machine-language Visicalc file-sorting utility is available from Keene Computing Services Company. XVCSort lets you sort any block of data made up of either strings or numeric constants. Sorts can be performed in ascending or descending rows or columns and with any number of col

umns or rows setting the sortcomparison order. This utility's only requirement is that the model's data be saved in a /DIF file.

XVCSort is compatible with systems running LDOS 5.1.x or TRSDOS/LDOS version 6. The suggested price is S25.00. When ordering, specify DOS and computer. Contact Keene Computing Services Co., Suite 43, 407 Nagle St., College Station, TX 77840, (409) 8464426. Circle 562 on inquiry card.

Church Management Programs Available

ACTS church financial and information management packages are available from Burr Computer Consultants. The financial programs are designed to handle all general and special income and expenses. They include provisions for checkbook accounts, payroll, and donation accounting. They also include five monthly financial statements.

ACTS information management programs provide utilities to maintain member profiles, directory listings, visitor followup, attendance tracking, and shepherding programs. They offer profile-search functions as well as the ability to generate mailing lists and interface with word-processing programs.

Distributed in dBASE II source code, ACTS' minimum requirements are two doublesided, double-density 48-tpi disk drives. Programs are available in most CP/M, MS-DOS, and PC-DOS formats. Churches with memberships in excess of 500 require larger disk capacities. The programs are S300 each, or both can be purchased for $500. Manuals alone are $30. Contact Burr Computer Consultants, 6402 Thoreau's Way, San Antonio, TX 78239, (512) 650-4342. Circle 569 on inquiry card.

Program Orders Disk Files

Catalog-Master organizes and maintains a master file directory of your floppy disks. It composes directory reports sorted in alphabetic order by filename. Individual file descriptions can be merged with master directory reports.

Catalog-Master will index any disk volume supported by CP/M-80 version II. An 80-column by 24-line display and 48K bytes of memory are needed. Disk formats are available for Epson QX-I0, Heath/ Zenith Z90, Kaypro 11/4, and other CP/M-80-based computers. Catalog-Master is $29.95. For full particulars, contact Generic Software, Department 14P, 190 Timber, Marquette, Ml 49855, (906) 2499801. Circle 557 on inquiry card.

Peachpak 4 for 16-Bit Computers

Peachtree Software is distributing an updated version of its Peachpak 4 accounting package that's fashioned to run on 16-bit microcomputers. Comprising general ledger, accounts receivable, and accounts payable modules, Peachpak has been enhanced with expand and compress abilities that let you adjust your work for 80-column printing without exiting to DOS. In addition, the operators manual has been rewritten.

Peachpak 4 will run on the following 16-bit microcomputers: Compaq, Eagle PC, IBM PC, Texas Instruments Professional Computer, and Zenith Z-100. It lists for $395. For more information, contact Peachtree Software Inc., 8th Floor, 3445 Peachtree Rd. NE, Atlanta, GA 30326, (800) 247-3224; in Georgia, (404) 239-3000. Circle 550 on inquiry card.

BYTE May 1984 499

What's New?

Statistical Simulators Released

Actuarial Micro Software has released two general-purpose statistical simulators for Apple II and IBM PC computers: Gass and Monte Carlo Simulations. Gass simulates as many as 10 variables simultaneously and combines them into a single user-defined algorithm. Variables can be either random. Boolean, functional, or compound. Random variables can be any of 13 different probability distributions, including empirical tables. Gass also features on-line documentation and the ability to produce reports that summarize final results, display intermediate values, and present histograms.

Monte Carlo Simulations can perform statistical analyses and construct models. It employs the chi-square goodness-of-fit test to match a set of raw data to a standard probability distribution. It features high-resolution graphics, color, and audio enhancements. Results of individual simulations can be incorporated into a spreadsheet to produce complex models.

Gass lists for S450. Monte Carlo Simulations is S60. For more information, contact Actuarial Micro Software, 3915 A Valley Court, WinstonSalem, NC 27106, (919) 7655588. Circle 573 on inquiry card.

Rainbow Graphs Suitable for Presentation

Infograph 100 is a presentation-quality graphics system for novice and knowledgeable DEC Rainbow 100/100+ users. This menu-driven package has integral decision rules that help you make consistent and accurate graphs. Data may be entered directly from a spreadsheet program or manually by responding to a series of prompts.

Infograph 100 uses Digital

Research's GSX graphics extension of CP/M, which provides access to most standard graphics printers and plotters. It requires CP/M. This system costs $395, including GSX. For the name of the Infograph dealer nearest you, contact GMS Software, 113 East Savarona Way, Carson, CA 90746, (213) 217-0161. Circle 553 on inquiry card.

HP/IBM

PCCOM from DWJ Associates provides the IBM PC with Hewlett-Packard terminal emulation and communications capabilities. Operating modes and terminal- and printer-control functions are selected through a 13-menu function-key hierarchy. PCCOM generates a 48-line display memory with a 23-line by 80-character screen window. Terminal configuration is performed through keyboard entries that can be saved to disk for automatic power-on terminal configuration. Its fullscreen editing capabilities include line and page insert, delete, and clear. Video attributes such as inverse video, blinking, high intensity, and underline are supplied.

Among its print features are adjustable margins and character, line, or block operation in forms and nonforms modes. Fifteen transmission rates.

PC Link

ranging from 50 to 9600 bps, and even, odd, zero, mark, or no parity transmissions are provided. Eight user-programmable function keys with up to 16 character labels and 80 character-string definitions are available. Also offered are serial-port capture into or transmission from user-specified data files, and carriage return/line feed, ENQ-ACK. and XON/XOFF pacing.

PCCOM is compatible with PC-DOS versions 1.0, 1.1, 2.0, and 2.1. It will emulate HP2622 and HP2624B terminals with the exception of their graphics modes and alternate character sets. It costs $450. The manual alone is $20. For more information, contact DWJ Associates Inc., One Robinson Lane, Ridgewood, NJ 07450, (800) 922-0090; in New Jersey [201] 445-1711. Circle 567 on inquiry card.

Cross-Assembler for MS 16000 Announced

Program Concepts has announced a cross-assembler development system for National Semiconductor's 32-bit NS16000 microprocessor. Designed for use with the IBM Personal Computer, this package comprises four utility programs: cross-assembler, crosslink, debugger, and librarian. Program features include macro instructions, floatingpoint mathematics, a memory-management unit, and

MMU support.

Basic requirements are PCDOS 2.0, 192K bytes of RAM, and dual 320K-byte floppy-disk drives. It costs $595. A manual is supplied. A C language source and a multitasking operating system for the NS16000 will be available soon. Contact Program Concepts Inc., POB 8164, Charlottesville, VA 22901, (804) 978-1850. Circle 559 on inquiry card.

500 BYTE May 19

What's New?

Tektronix Compatibility for Lisa

A Tektronix-compatible applications program, Mesa Graphics' Tekalike operates on the Apple Lisa. Tekalike is a graphics terminal communications package that supports communications to remote computers as an ASCII terminal. It maintains the Tektronix 4010 family's graphics protocols for graphics terminal I/O and is said to be compatible with most mainframe graphics software that works with the 4010 terminals, including Issco, Megatek, and SPSS/Graph. Tekalike also provides local facilities for zooming and plotting pictures. No modifications to the Lisa are required.

Tekalike is tailored for the Lisa, Lisa 2/5, and 2/10 with a hard-disk drive and 1 megabyte of RAM. It costs $350 and is available from Mesa Graphics, POB 506, Los Alamos, NM 87544, (505) 672-1998. Circle 555 on inquiry card.

Background Processing for IBM PC

The DoubleDOS operating system enhancer from Softlogic Solutions lets the IBM PC or PC XT run two tasks simultaneously. Acting as an extension to PC-DOS 1.1 or 2.0, DoubleDOS divides the PC's memory into two areas, one for each program running. Programs can be loaded into either memory area, where they are allowed to operate without requiring keyboard interaction. Program displays are trapped by DoubleDOS. When the background program screen is called up, any processing that occurred during operation is reflected.

DoubleDOS supports either monochrome or color display monitors. On PCs with both displays, it provides the option

of using either one for background or normal applications. DoubleDOS also provides two 80-character type-ahead buffers.

DoubleDOS does not require software modifications or additional hardware. It can work with 128K-byte systems, but 192K bytes of RAM are recommended. The suggested price is S299. For more information, contact Softlogic Solutions, 530 Chestnut St., Manchester, NH 03101, [800) 2729900; in New Hampshire, (603) 627-9900. Circle 568 on inquiry card.

Scribe Works with Notebook Computers

The Scribe word processor works with the NEC PC-8201 notebook computer's built-in Text program. Scribe features menu control, message prompting with defaults, automatic paging and numbering, text indentation, headers, insert, double-width characters, margin resets, rightjustification on/off, and the ability to stamp each page with filename, date, and time. Print attributes such as user-selectable tractor-feed or single-sheet paper and the ability to print documents of any length from a combination of RAM or tape files are standard. A typical unjustified text can be printed at about 25 to 50 cps.

Scribe uses only 2.3K bytes of memory. It requires approximately 3.5K bytes to load and run. Scribe cannot underline or create superscripts or subscripts. It costs S29.50, plus $2 for shipping and handling. A version for the Radio Shack Model 100 can be ordered. Contact Chattanooga Systems Associates, POB 22261, Chattanooga, TN 37422, (615) 8922339. Circle 566 on inquiry card.

Turtle Logo Paks in Two Sizes

The Krell Turtle Logo Pak for the Apple II is available in two sizes: 20 and 40 disks. Each Turtle Pak contains "Alice in Logoland" disks and primer and utility disks with a host of MIT's Logo programs: Dynatrack, Shape Editor, Music Editor, and Sprite Drivers. In addition, the Pak has Logo command wallcharts, Dan Watt's Learning with Logo, and the MIT technical manual, Logo for the Apple II.

The 20-disk version of Turtle Pak lists for $499.95. The 40-disk version is $899.95. For details, contact Krell Software Corp., 1320 Stony Brook Rd„ Stony Brook, NY 11790, (516) 751-5139. Circle 564 on inquiry card.

Doodle with Graphics on Your Z-100

The Doodler Graphics Package for Heath/Zenith Z-100 computers works with color or monochrome displays. Doodler draws lines, boxes, circles, ovals, and mirror images and lets you move, copy, or erase portions of the screen. Text can be of variable width and proportionally spaced or scaled. Characters can be displayed in italics or with a back-slant, and Doodler's font editor lets you

build custom characters. The two-dimensional drawings created with Doodler can be saved to disk for later playback, editing, or merging with other programs.

Doodler is menu-driven, using single-keystroke commands. It comes with drivers for Gemini, Epson, C. Itoh, and similar dot-matrix printers. It costs $79.95. Contact Paul F. Herman, Data Systems Consultant, POB 535, St. James City, FL 33956, (813) 283-2227.

Passive and Active Circuit Analyzer

ACNAP is a general-purpose electronic circuit analysis program from BV Engineering. It analyzes passive and active circuits consisting of resistors, capacitors, inductors, controlled current sources, operational amplifiers, transistors, FETs, and so forth. It will analyze the response of any linear network consisting of up to 21 nodes and 60 components.

ACNAP works with component tolerances to provide worst-case and Monte Carlo analysis. It can calculate minimum, maximum, mean, and three sigma points of a circuit's gain/phase response to any frequency input. Linear and logarithmic frequency sweeps can be specified. Additional calculations include the sensitivity of the gain/response to components at a frequency or range of frequencies. Calculation of any circuit's noise equivalent bandwidth is automatic.

Every ACNAP command is either menu-driven or program-prompted. Circuit data is stored to disk; both ASCII and binary file structures are supported. Calculating the re

BYTE May 1984 501

What's New?

sponse of a typical five-node circuit takes approximately 0.4 second.

This program is available in 514- and 8-inch CP/M formats for such systems as the Apple II Plus, IBM PC, Victor 9000, and Radio Shack TRS-80 Models I, III, and 4. It costs S49.95, plus S3 handling. For $59.95 and shipping, 8087 coprocessor versions for the IBM PC and Victor 9000 can be obtained. Contact BV Engineering, POB 3351, Riverside, CA 92519, (714) 781-0252. Circle 572 on inquiry card.

Rainbow and Tl

Professional Business

Software

State of the Art's FM Series of small-business accounting and word-processing programs are available for the Texas Instruments Professional Computer and the DEC Rainbow and Rainbow Plus. The FM Series is made up of general ledger (with bar-chart graphics), budget and financial reporting, accounts payable, accounts receivable, sales invoicing, inventory control, payroll, word processing, and professional time and billing modules.

These programs can serve as stand-alone modules or, for a complete accounting system, they can be integrated with each other. They can be customized to meet your organization's specific needs. Program highlights include information windows and on-screen prompts. For future expansion, all modules are designed to be easily expandable from a floppy-disk- to a hard-diskbased MS-DOS system.

Individual FM Series packages range in price from S495 to $795. A hard-disk installation kit is $95. Versions of FM Series are also available for the IBM PC, PC XT, Corona, Com

pag, and Columbia. For further information, contact State of the Art Inc., 3183-A Airway Ave., Costa Mesa, CA 926264618, (714) 850-0111. Circle 565 on inquiry card.

Function Key Program for Kaypro

Xtrakey from Xpert Software lets you redefine any key on your Kaypro's keyboard with character strings. It has a builtin screen dump that lets you produce hard-copy outputs of the current screen display while running another program. Xtrakey also provides variable-length strings (i.e., pausing), as well as clearscreen and two additional screen-dump functions. It comes with predefined keystring sets for a variety of programs and an editor for devising custom key strings. Xtrakey can also redefine cursor and numeric keypad keys.

With documentation, Xtrakey costs $39.95. Add $2 postage and handling when ordering factory-direct from Xpert Software, 8865 Polland Ave., San Diego, CA 92123, (619) 268-0112. Circle 560 on inquiry card.

Generate Fonts with Plotters

Centerpoint's Sign-Plot program lets you produce six different typset-quality letter fonts for use with pen plotters from such manufacturers as Hewlett-Packard, Houston Instrument, and Enter. Uppercase, lowercase, punctuation, and numbers are part of this menudriven program. Any character can be slanted for an italic effect, and letter sizes are variable. Characters may be positioned vertically and horizontally in fractional inch in

crements. Additional fonts and symbols can be created.

Sign-Plot works with 128Kbyte IBM Personal Computers with two disk drives and CP/M80-compatible systems. It also works with Amdek, Apple, Calcomp, Mannesmann Tally, and Strobe plotters. SignPlot costs $149. For more information, contact Centerpoint Computer Applications, 500 North Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60611, (312) 467-0333. Circle 570 on inquiry card.

Protact Processing and Control for DEC

Protact, a transaction processing and control system for DEC Professional computers, gives you terminal, file, and network management capabilities and lets one or two users access applications on a remote or local Professional, PDP-11, or VAX. Its terminal management presents a form to be completed by the user and verifies user-specified primary edit checks as each field is entered. Form definition is kept separate from the program. A dispatching system provides a hierarchical menu structure. Protact can route items to another computer for processing. This is said to be transparent to the user and applications programmer. Security is definable at both the local and remote level.

Protact's file manager uses DEC's Record Management Services as its file-access method. Transparent remote file access is supported, and file definition is maintained outside the referencing program. A restart/recovery system with start- and commit-transaction logic is supplied.

Protact comes in three versions. The Developer's Kit, priced at $2500, has the necessary components to write and carry out applications on

the Professional. (Applications are written in any language that supports CALL statements.) The Protact run-time system is made up of components used while an application is executing. A license is $395. The Terminal Server, intended for Professional computers linked into an Ethernet network, has terminal- and network-management facilities. It costs $595.

P/OS VI.5 and VI.7 are required. Multiple processor and educational institution discounts are available. Contact Advanced Systems Concepts Inc., 22 Hudson St., Hoboken, NJ 07030, (201) 798-6400. Circle 558 on inquiry card.

Spreadsheet Link for IBM PCs

Spreadsheet Link lets you download data from the Dow Jones News/Retrieval database into Lotus 1-2-3, Visicalc. Multiplan, and other spreadsheet programs running on an IBM PC. This program works with the IBM PC, PC XT, and 3270 PC. Minimum memory requirements are I28K bytes; your spreadsheet may require more memory. With Visicalc, Spreadsheet Link only needs a single double-sided drive; Multiplan and Lotus require two. A monitor, acoustic coupler or 300/1200-bps modem, and a parallel or serial printer with an asynchronous communications adapter are requisite. The following modems are supported: Radio Shack TRS-80 Modem II, Hayes Smartmodem, and the Novation 103/212 Smart-Cat. The suggested retail price is $249. For further information, contact Dow Jones & Co. Inc., POB 300, Princeton, NJ 08540, (800) 257-5114; in New Jersey, (609) 452-1511. Circle 563 on inquiry card.

502 BYTE May 1984

What's New?

MASS STORAGE

60K RAM for Portable Computers

Portapac 100 from Cryptronics expands a portable computer's memory by serving as a RAM disk. It comes with its own operating system and communicates with CP/Mand MS-DOS-based computers through its RS-232C serial port. It can access up to 32 separate files in a 60K-byte RAM, which is expandable to 252K. It can operate continuously for three hours and store data for two days before recharging the battery.

Portapac 100 is S395. It's available from Cryptronics Inc., Suite 7, 11711 Coley River Circle, Fountain Valley, CA 92708, (714) 540-1174. Circle 574 on inquiry card.

Apple Disk Drive

and Controller Card

Marketed

Concorde Peripheral Systems markets a single-sided 163K-byte floppy-disk drive and a disk controller card for Apple computers. The Concorde Model C-lll disk drive has the following technical specifications: 35- or 40-track capabilities; track density: 48 tpi; data transfer rate: 250K bits per second; rotation speed: 300 rpm; recording frequency: 250 kHz. This single-head drive measures 6 by 3% by 9 inches and weighs 4 pounds. It plugs directly into the Apple II Controller Card.

The C-130 Disk Controller Card can accommodate four single- or double-sided Concorde or Apple-compatible drives. Its supplied software allows Apple DOS 3.3 to function with Concorde's line of double-sided disk drives. The C-130 operates with DOS 3.3,

DOS 3.2, CP/M 2.2, and Pascal 1.1. One Apple slot is used.

The C-lll lists for S249. The C-130 is S89. Concorde Peripheral Systems Inc. is located at 23152 Verdugo Dr., Laguna Hills, CA 92653, (714) 859-2850. Circle 575 on inquiry card.

33-Megabyte Winchester for PC

Interface Inc's Disksystem provides the IBM PC with 33.3 megabytes of formatted disk storage. This 5/4-inch Winchester hard-disk drive records at 640 tpi and offers an average access time of 40 milliseconds. System features include a 512-byte buffer, an architecture built around a microprocessor, a double shock isolation system, and error checking and corrections of 32 bits. Its physical dimensions are 53/4 by 8/4 by 15/4 inches.

Disksystem requires PC-DOS 2.0. It comes with its own power supply, cable, connector, and I/O adapter. The suggested list price is $2795. For more information, contact Interface Inc. 7630 Alabama Ave., Canoga Park, CA 91304, (818) 341-7914. Circle 577 on inquiry card.

Line of Hard Disks Can Be Daisy-Chained

Diskitjr from Systems Peripherals Consultants is a lowprofile line of hard-disk drives for IBM PCjrs. Sanyo 550s, and PC-compatible portables. Diskitjr's interconnect cables can be removed or daisychained up to four drives. The basic system chassis measures 2/4 by 6 by 12 inches.

Diskitjr's formatted storage capacities are 10.8, 22.2, and 34 megabytes of fixed storage

and 5 or 10 megabytes of removable-cartridge storage. With the addition of an 8-bit controller, Diskitjrs will work with such Z80-based systems as the Kaypro, North Star, and Televideo.

The 10-megabyte drive costs S1495. The 22.2- and 34megabyte units are $2695 and $3495, respectively. The 5megabyte removable-cartridge Diskitjr is $1695; pricing for the

10-megabyte version, which will be available later this month, was not established at the time this was written. When drives are daisychained, additional controllers are not required, reducing the per-unit price. For details, contact Systems Peripherals Consultants, 9747 Business Park Ave., San Diego, CA 92131, (619) 693-8611. Circle 576 on inquiry card.

SYSTEMS

Transportable PC-Compatible

The Colby PC-3 stand-alone portable computer is compatible with the IBM Personal Computer. A 26-pound unit, the PC-3 measures 8V2 by 16 by I6/2 inches. Its 9-inch amber monitor has an 80-column by 25-line display format and IBM PC graphics capabilities. Standard are 128K bytes of RAM, a real-time clock, serial and parallel ports, and a SASI hard-disk interface. Dual 360Kbyte double-sided, doubledensity floppy-disk drives pro

vide mass storage. A carrying handle eases transportation and serves as a tilt stand. Up to 1 megabyte of RAM and 3'/2 internal slots constitute this computer's expansion possibilities.

The Colby PC-3 lists for $2795. For complete information, contact Colby Computer, 849 Independence Ave., Mountain View, CA 94043, (415) 968-1410. Circle 584 on inquiry card.

BYTE May 1984 503

What's New?

Z-100

Zenith Data Systems' Z-100 PC series microcomputers are compatible with IBM Personal Computer expansion boards and software. The Z-100 PC line consists of three desktop computers and two portables. All are based on the 8088 microprocessor and contain 128K bytes of RAM, dual RS-232C serial ports, a single Centronics-type parallel interface port, RGB color output, an IBM expansion bus, and a de

PC Series

tached keyboard. The Z-100 PCs come with power-up diagnostics, three scrolling modes, and high-speed text and graphics displays. System software includes MS-DOS and a ROM-based BIOS. Mass-storage capacities range from 320K to 360K bytes per drive, depending on recording format. RAM is expandable to 640K bytes. When fully configured, the Z-lOOs have four expansion slots remaining for

future accessories.

The desktop Z-100 PCs are available with a single 554Inch floppy-disk drive, dual floppy-disk drives, or with a floppy-disk and 10.6-megabyte Winchester hard-disk drive. Prices are S2699, S3099, and S4799, respectively. Each desktop unit provides gray-scale monochrome output. Monitors are extra.

The portable systems are equipped with 9-inch amber monitors. They measure 19.5 by 8.38 by 19.13 inches and weigh approximately 33 pounds. They're offered in single and dual floppy-disk drive configurations. The prices are S2799 for the former and S3199 for the latter. For full details on these products, contact Zenith Data Systems, 1000 Milwaukee Ave., Glenview, IL 60025, (312) 391-8744. Circle 585 on inquiry card.

AKA PC Offers IBM Compatibility

The AKA Personal Computer is a 16-bit, 8088-based microcomputer that's compatible with IBM PC hardware and software. Equipped with 128K bytes of RAM, the AKA carries a pair of half-height, doublesided, double-density floppydisk drives; five expansion slots; one parallel and two serial ports; and a low-profile detachable keyboard. A choice of monochrome or color-graphics display boards is offered. Its cabinet has room for four additional expansion slots and two disk drives. User memory can be increased to 256K bytes.

The AKA Personal Computer runs under MS-DOS. The AKA Plus, a version outfitted with a 10-megabyte hard-disk drive, is available. The AKA PC lists for S3295. The AKA Plus

has a suggested retail price of S4795. For further information, contact AKA Computers Inc., POB 36247, Charlotte, NC 28236, (704) 334-2504. Circle 579 on inquiry card.

Portable PC and PC Cluster Unveiled

IBM recently unveiled a portable computer and a PC Cluster program for connecting up to 64 IBM PCs, PC XTs, Portable PCs, and PCjrs. The Portable PC uses the 16-bit 8088 microprocessor and comes with 256K bytes of RAM, color/ graphics monitor adapter, a single 360K-byte slimline floppy-disk drive, and a universal power supply. It sports a built-in, 9-inch amber monitor; the display format is 80 characters by 25 lines. An optional slimline floppy-disk drive can use one of the Portable PC's five slots. IBM DOS 2.1 provides compatibility with most of the software available for the fullsized IBM PC. This 30-pound unit measures 20 by 17 by 8 inches. It lists for S2797, including a carrying bag.

The IBM Personal Computer Cluster program lets you send, exchange, and share messages and information among IBM PC workstations. Workstations can share information and storage space on a fixed-disk drive at one machine in the Cluster. An interconnecting cable is required. A number of support options for connecting different IBM PCs are available: an adapter board, a PCjr Cluster attachment, and a Computer Cluster Cable Kit, which contains the cables and connectors for hooking together a pair of PCs.

A program license, priced at $92, is required for each system in the Cluster. The Cluster adapter is S340, and the Cluster Cable Kit lists for $110. The

504 BYTE May 1984

What's New?

PCjr Cluster attachment costs $400. Contact your local IBM Products dealer, or write to IBM Entry Systems Division, POB 2989, Delray Beach, FL 33444. Circle 578 on inquiry card.

Havac Is an Apple Work-alike

Microsci Corporation recently introduced an Apple II workalike computer called Havac. This transportable computer, constructed around the 6502 microprocessor and a 164Kbyte 5 'A -inch floppy-disk drive, offers 64K bytes of RAM. 8K bytes of ROM, a 62-key detached keyboard supporting uppercase and lowercase characters, four cursor keys, highresolution color graphics, video connections, and printer, serial, and game ports. Among the supplied software are DOS, a card filer, calculator, BASIC, and a variety of utilities. The manufacturer asserts that more than 1000 Apple II programs have been successfully run on the Havac.

A stand-alone floppy-disk drive is offered as an option. The suggested list price is S850 and includes all the features outlined above. For further details, contact Microsci Corp., 2158 South Hathaway St., Santa Ana, CA 92705, (714) 241-5600. Circle 583 on inquiry card.

CP/M Computer Is Apple-Compatible

The Intertek System IV is a dual-processor, CP/M-based computer offering compatibility with Apple hardware and software. The System IV runs Microsoft CP/M 2.20B on its Z80A microprocessor while in the Apple mode; operations

are handled by a 6502 chip. The system features 64K bytes of RAM, high- and low-resolution graphics capabilities, a built-in RF modulator, six free peripheral connectors, speaker, game paddle/joystick ports, uppercase and lowercase characters, cassette interface, and diagnostics. It offers 16 colors and Integer BASIC. A QWERTY keyboard is augmented with a numeric pad, function keys, and automatic repeat.

A variety of peripherals are available: 12-inch green or amber monochrome monitors, 13-inch RGB or compositevideo monitors, 5 'A -inch halfand full-sized floppy-disk drives and controllers, serial or parallel 13-cps letter-quality printers, and joysticks. The suggested retail price of the base System IV is S849. For details, contact Intertek Systems Inc., 1210 West Collins Ave., Orange, CA 92667, (714) 633-3591. Circle 582 on inquiry card.

S-100 Bus Systems for Industry

Industrial-grade mainframe computers engineered around 8- or 16-slot IEEE-696 S-100 motherboards are marketed by Futech International Corporation. The Futech 2000 Series provides up to 25 rear-panel DB25 connectors, front bezels to accommodate up to six floppy- or Winchester-disk drives, and switchable heavyduty 100, 120, 220, and 240 V AC 50/60 Hz power supplies.

The 2000 Series' multiuser, multiprocessor CP/M-compatible operating system supports concurrent hard disk and 8and 51/4-inch floppy disks. Batch processing, record and file locking, multilevel security, and automatic log are provided. It supports high-performance spooling of up to 16

concurrent printers and 16 print queues.

The 2000 Series can handle both 8- and 16-bit slave processors in the same enclosure. Each slave has a dedicated microprocessor, RAM memory, and I/O ports. Other standard features include on-board LED warning indicators, gold-plated 100-pin edge connectors, builtin EMI/RFI filter, line surge/spike suppression, and two filtered fans.

The 2000 Series can incorporate a front-panel LED that displays time, date, and inter

nal and ambient temperatures. Additional options include auxiliary connectors for floppyand hard-disk drives, a synthesized warning voice, and backup power supply. A variety of applications packages and operating systems are available. The base price is $730, quantity one. For complete specifications, contact Futech International Corp., Suite 1807, 2100 North Highway 360, Grand Prairie, TX 75050, (214) 660-1955. Circle 581 on inquiry card.

ET Desktop with Software

The ET-2010 desktop computer comes with a software bundle comprising an enhanced DOS that's compatible with CP/M 2.2, Business BASIC, and word processing, spreadsheet, general ledger, accounts receivable, accounts payable, and payroll with job costing packages. The ET-2010, a 64K-byte machine assembled around a 4-MHz Z80A microprocessor, has parallel Centronics and serial interface ports and a 76-key QWERTY keyboard plus a numeric pad. Its built-in 9-inch high-resolution green screen has an 80-character by 24-line display and strike

through, blink, blank, reverse, and underline attributes.

Optional system hardware includes 9511 and 9512 arithmetic coprocessors, DMA controller, the 6-MHz Z80B, and a 10-megabyte hard-disk unit. A multiuser, multitasking operating system and networking capabilities are also offered. A two-disk system costs $1349, including software, monitor, and keyboard. With a single disk drive, it's $1225. Options range from $25 to $1100. Contact ET Computer Systems, 8161 Broadway, Lemon Grove, CA 92045, (619) 466-1671. Circle 580 on inquiry card.

BYTE May 1984 505

What's New?

PERIPHERALS

Dedicated Control Boards

Adaptive Micro Systems' AMS-1000 series of singleboard computers is intended for dedicated control applications in which the board serves as the development and target application system. Standard are an RS-232C port, dual 8-bit parallel TTL I/O ports, a pair of 16-bit counter/timers with interrupt, 2K or 8K bytes of batterybacked CMOS RAM, and a 44pin expansion bus. An extra socket is available for 2K- or 8K-byte EPROMs or EEPROMs. Programs can be automatically booted on power-up, and a wake-up feature for multidis

tributed process-control applications is provided. The fully socketed board measures 4/2 by 4!/2 inches.

The basic board comes with a 6502 microprocessor and an extended version of fig-FORTH and a 6502 assembler in firmware. The 2K-byte AMS-1000 is S299. The 8K-byte version is $399. Documentation and FORTH tutorials are supplied. Further details can be obtained by contacting Adaptive Micro Systems, POB 965, Sandy, UT 84091. Circle 595 on inquiry card.

Apple Given

Digital Research has announced the CP/M Gold Card for Apple II series microcomputers. The Gold Card combines a 6-MHz Z80B microprocessor, up to 192K bytes of memory, disk cache, and CP/M Plus on a single plug-in card. Standard are CBASIC, menudriven utilities, 80-column display capacity, hash directory, time and date stamp facility, automatic loading, and console I/O redirection.

Gold Card

It comes with 64K bytes of memory, software application-development tools, and assembly-language utilities. The price is $495. An add-on disk cache advances the Gold Card's memory to 128K bytes. It's $325. A complete Gold Card package with cache is available for $775. For a full account, contact Digital Research Inc., POB 579, Pacific Grove, CA 93950. Circle 588 on inquiry card.

8-MHz 80186 Heart of SBC

The Super 186, a highspeed, 16-bit single-board S-100 computer, is built around Intel's 8-MHz 80186 microprocessor. Manufactured by Advanced Digital Corporation, Super 186 is cable of addressing up to 1 megabyte of RAM without requiring banking techniques. It is supplied with 256K bytes of on-board RAM with parity, four serial RS-232C ports, two parallel ports, a two-channel DMA controller, three uncommitted counter/timers, and a floppy-disk controller that lets you operate 514- and 8-inch drives simultaneously. It can be equipped with 64K bytes of monitor EPROM. Bus master or slave/temporary master capability and compatibility with CP/M-86, TurboDOS, and MS-DOS are standard.

Optional hardware available includes a clock/calendar, battery backup, dual-ported memory, and mathematics coprocessors. Super 186 is $1995. For more information, contact Advanced Digital Corp., 5432 Production Dr., Huntington Beach, CA 92649, (714) 891-4004. Circle 589 on inquiry card.

Versatile Graphics Board for PC

Profit Systems' Multigraph single-board graphics adapter for the IBM Personal Computer lets you select either color or monochrome monitors. The basic board offers highresolution 720- by 350-pixel monochrome graphics and the ability to run standard software for the IBM color board. In either color or monochrome, Multigraph gives you 32K bytes of on-board memory, flicker-free scrolling, and 32-bit internal architecture for in

creased operating speed. The basic color resolution is 160 by 100, 320 by 200 or 640 by 200, using sixteen, four, or two colors, respectively. Alphanumeric displays of 80 by 40 can be achieved in the monochrome mode.

Expansion options include a parallel printer port, soft scrolling, and a 128K-byte display buffer. In color, resolution can be upgraded to 640 by 200 or 400 pixels with 16 colors. In monochrome, graphics can be upgraded to 720 by 700 resolution with 132 columns. The base price is $499, complete with documentation. Dealer and OEM inquiries are invited. Full details can be requested from Profit Systems Inc., POB 1039, Berkley, Ml 48072, (313) 559-0444. Circle 608 on inquiry card.

Abort Printing Without Reloads

The Passport Printer Emulator lets you quickly abort an ongoing print operation, preventing potential time and data losses. Passport has two operating modes: Print PassThrough and Print Bypass. If you wish to cease printing or if you inadvertently invoke a printer operation, such as print screen. Passport's Print Bypass mode lets you terminate the printing without locking your keyboard or requiring a reload. Print Pass-Through permits normal operations.

Passport functions as a standard printer device. It emulates most parallel printers that connect with an IBM PC or PCcompatible cable. Passport costs $29.95, plus $2 handling. It's available from Micro Computer Components, 8660-D Miramar Rd., POB 195, San Diego, CA 92126, (619) 453-3367. Circle 597 on inquiry card.

506 BYTE May 1984

What's New?

24 by 80

The LCT-100 terminal from Data Terminal Service produces 24-line by 80-character screen displays in a 9- by 12-dot grid. It generates 129 uppercase and lowercase ASCII characters and offers 12 video attributes, including blink, half-intensity, reverse, and underline. Miscellaneous features consist of a 58-key typewriter-format keyboard, 80 graphics characters, the ability to display control characters on screen, status displays of configuration switches and RS-232C interface settings, switchable automatic

Terminal

line feed upon receipt of a carriage return, and an RS-170-like composite-video interface. The RS-232C interface has 16 switch-selectable transmission rates and 7 data bits/words with I or 2 stop formats. Fullduplex or local-echo protocols are provided.

The LCT-100 costs less than $400. With an optional monitor, it's less than $500. For complete details, contact Data Terminal Service Inc., 715 Rankin Rd., Albuquerque, NM 87192, (505) 345-1611. Circle 602 on inquiry card.

16-Blt CPU Board for S-100 Systems

Seattle Computer's 8086 CPU board is purported to deliver true 16-bit high-speed performance to S-100 busbased computers. It comes in 8- and 10-MHz versions. As a result of its 16-bit architecture and increased clock speeds, the CPU board can be used for enhancing the throughput capabilities of 8088-based systems, such as the IBM PC. It can operate with older 8- or 16-bit peripherals, including disk controllers and video units. The memory address range of the CPU board can be expanded up to 16 megabytes.

The board can be used as a stand-alone unit or as part of a three-card support/MMU set. Software support includes MS-DOS and Xenix. The 8MHz board is designed for use with the 8087 numeric processor. The 10-MHz board is $795, and the 8-MHz board costs S695. Both prices include a support board. Dealer and OEM inquiries are invited. For complete specifications, contact Seattle Computer Products Inc., 1114 Industry Dr., Seattle, WA 98188, (800) 426-8936; in Washington, (206) 575-1830. Circle 607 on inquiry card.

New Life for

A memory upgrade for older IBM PCs carrying the 16K- by 64K-byte CPU is obtainable from Add-Mem. With this upgrade, the PC's memory can be jacked up to 256K bytes without using an expansion slot. Upgrades of 128K, 192K, or 256K bytes are offered.

Add-Mem can install 256K bytes of RAM in your PC for $335, or you can order a doit-yourself kit. The kit, made up of DIP sockets, capacitors, wires, documentation, and instructions, involves assembling

Older PCs

and installing a small printedcircuit board and the soldering of nine jump wires. The basic kit is $69.95. With an assembled board, it's $99.95. For $5.85 each, you can order RAM chips. A protective, antistatic carton with board removal and shipping instructions costs $5. Call or write Add-Mem, 22151 Redwood Rd., Castro Valley, CA 94546, (415) 886-5443, for more information. Circle 593 on inquiry card.

Legacy Created for PCjr

Legacy Technologies is shipping an expansion box for the IBM PCjr called the Legacy. This modular unit is engineered around a power supply capable of accommodating either a floppy- or hard-disk drive, up to 512K bytes of RAM, and a four-slot, 80-pin bus for a variety of add-ons. Sixty of the bus pins are identical to the PCjr's; the rest are prepared to provide hookups for interrupt capabilities, control and synchronization signals for coprocessors, or specialized I/O functions.

The basic Legacy, priced at S395, comprises the power supply, an LED status panel, the expansion bus, and a cabinet. Options offered are a half-height disk drive, a 64Kbyte RAM card that's expandable to 256K bytes in 64K-byte increments, a 10-megabyte hard-disk subsystem, and

printer spooler board with a clock/calendar and parallel port. For hobbyists, a $199 LBus Developer's Kit with power supply, two wire-wrap cards, and manual are available.

With a half-height 320Kbyte floppy-disk drive and controller (required), Legacy is $795. The 10-megabyte harddisk version is $1595. The disk controller, floppy-disk drive, and the half-height hard-disk drive may be purchased separately for $189, $279, and $995, respectively. The RAM card is $299, with the 64K increments going for approximately $100. The clock/calendar card costs $159. Order directly from Legacy Technologies Ltd., Suite 100, 1414 O St., Lincoln, NE 68508, (800) 288-7257; in Nebraska, (402) 475-7257. Circle 591 on inquiry card.

BYTE May 1984 507

What's New?

Image Converter Serves

as Camera/Computer

Interface

The Model 450C image-processing scan converter serves as an interface between a video camera and a computer. The Model 450C has three video memories, any one of which can accept black-andwhite images; all three are employed for a single color image. A total of 4096 separate hues can be simultaneously displayed in the color mode.

Computer access is accomplished through a bidirectional interface using a pair of independent 8-bit parallel ports. Individual pixels can be ran

domly accessed for image enhancement, graphics generation, storage, and recall. Control over system operations is via a command set. An internal slow-scan video modem will transmit video images over voice-grade communications links.

The Model 450C has a suggested retail price of $895. For technical specifications and ordering procedures, contact Robot Research Inc., 7591 Convoy Court, San Diego, CA 92111, (619) 279-9430. Circle 596 on inquiry card.

68000 SBC with

PSCE's X-tended 68000 single-board computer is compatible with the S-100 bus. The X-tended 68000 comes with an 8-MHz 68000 microprocessor, 16 megabytes of memory address space, 64K bytes of I/O address space, and 4K bytes of EPROM. Suitable for multiuser systems, X-tended's I/O controls include two RS-232C synchronous/asynchronous ports, both of which offer programmable data rates up to 9600 bps. One RS-232C port provides full modem controls. A Centronics-type parallel interface is standard.

For mass storage, X-tended's floppy-disk controller can handle a mix of four 8-, 5]A-, or 3/2-inch single- or doublesided, single- or double-density drives. Its software-programmable floppy-disk write pre

Compatlble S-100

compensation can select one of six values for drive compatibility, and it can be optimized for the track being accessed. Also furnished are a DMA controller and two general-purpose undedicated 16-bit timers. Nonmaskable interrupts and three types of vectored interrupts are supported. X-tended 68000 can work with a mix of 8- and 16-bit memory boards. Ajumper option for generating the S-100 Mwrite signal and CP/M-68K with optimized BIOS, an editor, assembler, debugger, linker, librarian, and a C compiler with a full library are available. RAM is additional. The base price is S850. For more information, contact PSCE Inc., POB 8, Port Jefferson, NY 11777. Circle 603 on inquiry card.

Inforlte Recognizes

Handwritten

Characters

Inforite is a handwrittencharacter-recognition terminal. Incorporating dynamic character recognition, mark/sense recognition, and graphics capabilities, Inforite is suitable for applications that require direct computer entry of data from handwritten forms. It's based on the 4-MHz Z80A microprocessor and contains 64K bytes of RAM, 56K of ROM, and 48K bytes of battery-backed CMOS RAM.

Inforite can store almost 50 pages of data for more than three days. It transmits data to a local or remote computer through an RS-232C serial interface. Switch-selectable data rates range from 110 to 19,200 bps. DSR/DTR and XON/XOFF controls are supported. Standard features include a 2-line by 32-character LCD display that identifies the field and the data, error messages, and a programmable calculator function that computes extensions, subtotals, totals, tax calculations, and percentages as a form is being completed. It operates with a ballpoint pen and accommodates three-part forms.

A forms-definition package that lets you create forms tailored to your business is available as a $450 option. In

forite is $2000. OEM prices quoted on request. Contact Inforite Corp., Suite 201, 1670 South Amphlett Blvd., San Mateo, CA 94402, (415) 571-8766. Circle 605 on inquiry card.

}

OX I 'ECHO'

SOUND PROCESSING PROCIJAM i

■ >v ■

Sound Processing System Polishes Apples

Decillionix's DX-I lets you record, process, and play back ordinary sounds with Apple II series computers. Sounds can be entered through a microphone or other source and saved, manipulated, sequenced, and modified in any way you choose. Pitch, volume, direction, and sequence are software-programmable, and real-time sound can be played through the Apple's keyboard.

Major system components are a printed-circuit board, a high-fidelity pre-amp circuit, a connecting cable, and software. Key features include 8-bit

508 BYTE May 1984

What's New?

sample record/playback techniques, variable sound rates ranging from 0.78 kHz to 30 kHz. variable play times from 0.8 to 10 seconds, the ability to play continuous sound sequences, and independently variable record and playback rates. The system software disk comes with 22 prerecorded sounds.

Echo, an optional software package with more than 40 key-selectable routines, adds echoing, reverb, and real-time

sound processing. Direct control of all parameters byjoystick is provided. Echo costs S149. A four-volume set of prerecorded sounds can be purchased for S79.

DX-1 requires a 48K-byte Apple II or He with DOS 3.3 and Applesoft BASIC. List price is S239. For further information, contact Decillionix, POB 70985, Sunnyvale, CA 94086, (408) 732-7758. Circle 592 on inquiry card.

FOREIGN

Gang-of-Elght Programs EPROMs

The Gang-of-Eight EPROM Programmer from Dataman Designs can simultaneously program eight devices using manufacturers' recommended fast-programming algorithms. The programming time for a batch of 2764s reportedly averages 1.5 minutes. No special modules are required. The Gang-of-Eight has a simple switch setting that handles single-rail 24- or 28-pin devices, including the 27256. Programming voltage has fixed levels of 21 and 25 volts, a user-settable level, and a factory preset level of 12.5 volts, which is required by the newer, larger EPROMs.

For normal operations, the Gang-of-Eight has a single operating key. This device has a built-in intelligence feature that traps operator errors and an emergency Reset key for escaping those situations. Other features include an audible alarm and blank-check, pretest, and verify functions.

The Gang-of-Eight EPROM Programmer costs £395, including VAT (value-added tax). It's available from Dataman Designs, Lombard House, Cornwall Rd., Dorchester, DTI IRX, England; tel: Dorchester (0305) 68066. Circle 613 on inquiry card.

RAM Disk Emulator for CDOS Systems

Tesco's TDrive RAM disk I/O emulator works with Cromemco computers. It serves as a single logical CDOS disk drive, providing access to up to 224K bytes of memory. Memory is partitioned into seven banks of 32K bytes (2K bytes are reserved for directory entries). It's compatible with 5'/4-inch floppy-disk drives, and all CDOS software reportedly can be used on TDrive, including KSAM files under SBASIC.

TDrive works with systems that use bank-switched memory boards. It comes as a .COM object file on either 5 'Aor 8-inch CDOS floppy disks. TDrive installs directly under CDOS and makes all required patches within CDOS. All boards with a bank-switch feature, such as the Cromemco 64 KZ. are supported.

Tesco's TDrive RAM disk I/O emulator is available in the United States for S98 from Albion Industries, POB 7, Millersville, MD 21108. It's produced and manufactured by Tesco, POB 10, 8714 Wiesentheid, West Germany; tel: 09383/1237. Circle 609 on inquiry card.

Structure-Analysis

Program Aids Civil

Engineers

AMP80-REV8340 is a structure-analysis program for civil engineers. When given the general configuration of a structure, the geometrical properties of its proposed sections, and its loads, this FORTRAN program produces such design stresses and forces as shearing, compression, and bending moments, each in two or more elements. It lets you enter shearing walls and several kinds of materials in the same frame, and it will accept load groups, sinking supports, earthquake forces, tilted loads, and so forth. Combinations of loads can be requested in the same run, and AMP80RVC8340 can give you analyses of trusses. For producing direct design values, it lets you introduce load factors into a run. Results provide displacements and turns in every joint of the structure or at any intermediate point.

AMP80-REV8340 works with any 64K-byte machine with a FORTRAN compiler.

such as the Apple // Plus and the Franklin. It comes on two floppy disks and with instructions and examples. The price is SIO0O. Order from Antoniano, Gonzalez Davila, Medina Mora, S.A. de C.V., Nuevo Leon 209-601, Mexico 11, D.F., Mexico; tel; 516-0293.

Educational Robot

Package for School

and Industry

The Scorbot-ER III robot from Eshed Robotec Ltd. comes with a package of educational materials intended for technical schools, research laboratories, and industry. The complete system comprises the robot, textbooks, laboratory experiments, software, videotapes, slides, and overhead transparencies. The educational modules, which provide practical experiments, guide students from the principles of robotics through to state-ofthe-art concepts.

Scorbot features an openarm construction that lets students observe the operation mechanism. Its DC servomotors with closed-loop control are under the direction of an eight-axis controller that's capable of exercising simultaneous control on all eight axes. The controller has provisions for eight inputs and eight outputs. Scorbot connects to a host computer through an RS232C serial interface. The rotation specifications for the working envelope are as follows: 360°. body joint; +150°, elbow joint; ±90°, pitch joint; 360° roll joint.

Software to run Scorbot is available for a variety of microcomputers. For full details, contact Eshed Robotec Ltd., POB 28346, Tel Aviv 61 282, Israel; tel: (03) 340860; Telex: 361131 ESHED IL. Circle 610 on inquiry card.

BYTE May 1984 509

What's New?

aHI Sv.! ™ HD'' OB

SBC Mix

Brick from Dysys Inc. is a single-board computer suitable for sophisticated applications. Its 48K-byte memory space handles a mix of 2K-, 4K-, and 8K-byte RAMs, EPROMs, and EEPROMs. The Hitachi 6303 microprocessor, 33 I/O lines, a 16-bit timer/counter, an onboard UART for normal and multidrop communications, an asynchronous serial I/O line with selectable data rates, three LED indicators, and a power indicator are all standard.

Brick is marketed in four versions. Brick-1 is a development system offering a bus interface, voltage regulator, and a wirewrap area for twenty 16-pin integrated circuits. Brick-2 is a plug-in board for OEM production. STD bus-compatible, Brick-3 is suitable for development and production of large systems. Brick-4 can be integrated into an OEM's circuit board at the drafting stage. Board dimensions vary.

Handles of Chips

A choice of Pascal or FORTH is available. Pascal provides an editor, interpreter, compiler, and run-time support. FORTH offers a screen editor, interpreter, and compiler directories. BASIC is optional.

Contact the manufacturer for pricing information on Brick-4. In lots of 10, prices for the other versions begin at S560. Further information is available from Dysys Inc., Suite 206, 961 South Bland St., Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 2S6, Canada, (902) 423-5308. Circle 612 on inquiry card.

8088 Processor

Card Incorporates

80130 RMX

DY-4 Systems Inc. has announced the availability of the DSTD-187 processor card to its line of products for the STD bus. The DSTD-187, an 8088

based card, incorporates the 80130 RMX processor and two RS-232C serial channels. A single 28-pin byte-wide socket for a RAM, EPROM, or ROM is provided. Its on-board memory can be disabled under software control. The contents of dynamic RAM will be preserved during reset. Full 1-megabyte memory addressing is supported, and the DSTD-187 provides transparent dynamic RAM refresh, which permits the use of high-density quarter-megabyte memory cards. Other features include Z80 and 8088 bus architecture support and compatibility with other DY-4 DSTD series cards.

An 8087 mathematics coprocessor is optional, and 8-MHz versions of the card can be obtained. The single-unit price is S584. Contact DY-4 Systems Inc., Marketing Department, 888 Lady Ellen Place, Ottawa, Ontario K1Z 5M1, Canada, (613) 728-3711. Circle 615 on inquiry card.

Easy-to-Use Mailing System

Orion Systems of Concord, Ontario, markets a computerized mailing system for users of the IBM Personal Computer. With Oscims, your client file can be added to, deleted from, and modified easily. This program has flexible facilities that let you print addresses on any type or size of label or flyer. Menu-driven, Oscims has the ability to print customer information and lets you select different customer types. A name-search option is included.

With user manual and distribution disk, Oscims costs S59.95. Write to Orion Systems, 110 Riviera Dr., Concord, Ontario L4K 1A9, Canada. Circle 611 on inquiry card.

PUBLICATIONS

Products for Disabled Outlined In Catalog

A catalog of technical aids and systems for disabled individuals is available from Tash Inc. This 37-page brochure outlines ability switches, computer aids, environmental controls, communications and educational aids, and mobility and living aids. A price list is provided. For a copy, contact Tash Inc.. Unit 1, 70 Gibson Dr., Markham, Ontario L3R 2Z3, Canada, (416) 475-2212. Circle 628 on inquiry card.

Guide Probes Mlcropro Software

Jane Davis's Prostar Training Guide explains how to use a wide spectrum of Micropro office software. Programs covered are Wordstar, Spellstar, Datastar, Calcstar, Supersort, and Mailmerge. This 248-page book begins with an introduction to the computer, covering such topics as operating systems, floppy disks, and keyboards. Using step-by-step examples, Ms. Davis shows you how to type a letter in Wordstar, design a form and enter names and addresses in Datastar, alphabetically sort names and addresses with Supersort, and merge the letter and data file to produce form letters and envelopes using Mailmerge. Individual programs are then explored in greater detail, and advanced programming techniques are elucidated. Readers are also shown how to link the packages together.

The Prostar Training Guide is available for S45, postage paid, from Jane Davis Publications, POB 717, Richboro, PA 18954. Circle 618 on inquiry card.

510 BYTE May 1984

What's New?

S1.96

V£wwmmmm\\\

8830 N. Milwaukee » Niles, IL 60648 » (312) 297-4200

Computer and

Electronics Data

Handbook

Joseph Electronics has released the second edition of its Computer and Electronics Data Handbook. This 32-page booklet contains glossaries of computer, electronic, fiber optic, and cable terminology. In addition, the most

commonly referred to electronic tables, formulas, and symbols are provided. Individual copies are SI.95. Contact Joseph Electronics, 8830 North Milwaukee, Niles, IL 60648, (3I2) 297-4200. Circle 623 on inquiry card.

Guide to Micro Periodicals

A 16-page guide with information on more than 100 microcomputer periodicals has been published. Fifty of the periodicals are profiled, while the remainder are organized according to the hardware, software, or topic they serve. Subscription prices and pertinent information are given for all the periodicals.

The guide is S2.50. Order it from Microguide, POB 4363, Chicago, IL 60680, (3I2) 986-1536. Circle 624 on inquiry card.

Catalog Outlines MallOrder Software

A catalog outlining brandname software available through mail order can be obtained from 800-Software. This company markets packages from nearly 30 major software houses, including Ashton-Tate, Continental Software, Digital Research, Fox & Geller, Micropro, Microstuf, Pickles & Trout, and Visicorp. Computers from such manufacturers as Apple, Cromemco, Dynabyte, Heath/ Zenith, Intertec, Micropolis, North Star, Televideo, Xerox, and others are supported. Both

5'A- and 8-inch formats are offered, and most programs are sold at less than list price. The catalog also contains comparison charts of database, spreadsheet, and word-processing programs.

Customer backing includes a support department that answers technical questions and a customer service department to handle program updates, exchanges, and returns. Both telephone and mail orders are accepted. For your catalog, contact 800-Software Inc., Suite 14, 940 Dwight Way Berkeley CA 94710, (800) 227-4587; in California, (800) 622-0678 or (415) 644-3611. Circle 617 on inquiry card.

IC Master Lists 38,000 ICs

The 1984 edition of IC Master has been released by Hearst Business Communications. This two-volume, 3300page reference book lists key specifications for more than 38,000 integrated circuits, microcomputer boards, microprocessor development systems, PROM programmers, and custom and semicustom integrated circuits from over 200 manufacturers. Only products currently offered are described in the data tables; however, an alternate-source directory covers both new and discontinued devices, provides

information on replacement parts, and lists approximately 60,000 IC substitutes.

IC Master is divided into 20 sections, such as microprocessors, memories, and linear integrated circuits, and each product group is organized by key specifications. Eleven technical-data sections, including military, digital, and interface, are arranged by function and parameters. An advertisers' product index, part-number index, and a manufacturer and distributor directory are among this set's eight supporting sections.

IC Master costs S95. It can be ordered directly from IC Master, Hearst Business Communications Inc., 645 Stewart Ave., Garden City. NY 11530. Circle 619 on inquiry card.

Information Resource

The Whole Computer Catalog, an illustrated guide to professional consultants, manufacturers, and associations, assists people seeking information on computers. Among the topics covered in this book are hardware in an evolving marketplace, available software, on-line information sources, computer careers, computer stores, the sociological impact of computers, magazines and newsletters, government publications, books, schools that specialize in computer science, and user groups. Each section begins with a discussion clarifying the scope of the topic presented.

The Whole Computer Catalog, edited by Narda Lacey Schwartz, is more than 400 pages long. It's available in softcover for $35 from Designs III Publishers, 515 West Commonwealth Ave., Fullerton, CA 92632, (714) 871-9100. Circle 620 on inquiry card.

BYTE May 1984 511

What's New?

MISCELLANEOUS

Disks Meet ANSI Standards

Antistatic

Staticide Wipes are individually wrapped towelettes saturated with an antistatic solution that can reduce static buildup on terminal screens, computer housings, and peripheral cabinets. These low-lint, disposable towelettes can be used on any surface not adversely affected by water or alcohol. Static protection is provided at humidities as low as 15 percent. The saturating fluid

Wipes

contains a topical antistat concentrate, deionized water, and isopropyl alcohol.

Each 5/2- by 8-inch Staticide towelette is packed in a small foil package. The suggested price for a box of 24 is S4.98. For a sample and more information, contact ACL Inc., I960 East Devon Ave., Elk Grove Village, IL 60007, (312) 9819212. Circle 632 on inquiry card.

Solderless Prototyping Board for Micros

The EZ Board from Sabadia Export Corporation is a solderless breadboard system for building experimental add-ons for microcomputers. EZ Board's breadboarding area consists of 1460 tie points capable of holding sixteen 14-pin DIPs. Components with lead diameters of up to 0.032 inch can be plugged in and connected with ordinary hookup wire.

This glass/epoxy printedcircuit board has four distribution buses, each with 50 tie points. The distribution buses can be used for power, ground, clock lines, and reset commands. A four-position DIP switch is mounted onboard, and each DIP position

corresponds to a set of tiepoint-block sockets. For rapid identification, EZ Board has an easily accessible array of tiepoint blocks from which each pin of the computer's I/O channels is labeled.

EZ Board is available for Apple, Commodore, and IBM PC systems, and their respective compatibles. Models for other computers are in the works. Including cable and connectors, EZ Board is S174.95. Add S5 shipping when ordering from Sabadia Export Corp., POB 1132, Yorba Linda, CA 92686, (714) 6309335. Circle 633 on inquiry card.

Beck Manufacturing offers a line of single- and double-sided 5/4 -inch floppy disks. Beck disks meet ANSI standards and are backed with a seven-year warranty. A 25-pack of singlesided disks costs $54.75 ($2.19 each); double-sided disks are $69.75 ($2.79 each). The Beck 25-packs come with hub-rein

forcing rings, envelopes, colorcoded labels, and nonmetallic protect tabs. To order, call (800) 232-5634 or write to Beck Manufacturing, Box 111, Main St., West Peterborough, NH 03468; in New Hampshire, call (603) 924-3821. Circle 629 on inquiry card.

fiJifLlMMMMM'-l tp-Bg

Keyboard

Replacement Has 90

Preset Functions

A detached extension 87-key keyboard, the Data Spec comes with 90 preprogrammed Apple 11/11 Plus functions and commands. By depressing the function key and a preprogrammed key, operating commands, programming key words, and operating-system commands are automatically entered into the Apple. Among the operating commands are BOOT, CATALOG, and INIT; programming keywords include FOR, NEXT, PRINT. Some of the operating

system commands are DIR, Pip TYPE, and STAT. Dat Spec has a 10-key numeric pad, and a full ASCII character set with uppercase and lowercase. Overall dimensions are IV2 by 17% by Vfr inches.

The Data Spec Keyboard is supplied with a 10-foot coiled cable and a three-position tilt. The suggested price is $299.95. It's available from Alliance Research Corp., 18215 Parthenia St., Northridge, CA 91325, (818) 701-5848. Circle 634 on inquiry card.

QX-10 Support Packages Unveiled

Micronova recently unveiled two software packages for the Epson QX-10 microcomputer: MicroRAM and QXKeys. MicroRAM gives CP/M users access to 167K bytes of unused QX-10 memory by providing RAM disk emulation. QXKeys lets you reconfigure the QX-10 keyboard to your liking.

MicroRAM is $80. QXKeys is $25, including source code. Add $2 postage to each order. You can purchase both packages factory-direct from Micronova, RR 5, Canning, Nova Scotia BOP 1H0, Canada, (902) 582-7016. Circle 614 on inquiry card.

512 BYTE May 1984

What's New?

Financial Analysis for Professionals

CRT Associates' MIFPADS (Microcomputer Interactive Financial Planning and Development System) is a financialanalysis package for professional users of Radio Shack's TRS-80 Models II, 12, 16, and 16B. It's suitable for such functions as amortization, trade credit decisions, economic order quantity, capital budgeting, time value of money, current portion of long-term debt, and interest rate calculations. MIFPADS can perform the following analyses: risk, statistics, ratios, and bonds. Hard copy can be generated. Previous programming experience is not required.

MIFPADS is available in both single- and multiuser versions. Apple He and IBM PC configurations are in the works. The price is S595. Contact CRT Associates, POB 372, Dollar Bay, Ml 49922, (906) 482-1339. Circle 556 on inquiry card.

PCjr Word Processor Has Full-Screen Editing

Full-screen editing on the IBM PCjr is possible with CMA Micro Computer's Docuwriter jr word processor. Some of its editing commands are block move, deletion, insertion, copy, and search and replace. Docuwriter jr lets you create reports as large as 130 columns. Wordwrap and justification are also available.

Standard PC-DOS spelling checkers can work with Docuwriter jr files. In addition, Docuwriter jr disk-file outputs are compatible with such word processors as Wordstar. All the PCjr's keyboard editing-key operations, including cursor control, are retained. IBM graphics and thermal printers are also supported, although they are not mandatory.

Docuwriter jr requires 128K bytes of RAM and a single disk drive. The retail price is S 79.95. More information can be obtained from CMA Micro Computer, 55722 Santa Fe Trail, Yucca Valley, CA 92284, (619) 365-9718. Circle 551 on inquiry card.

Display and Print Scientific Graphs

Graphic from Scientific Endeavors displays and prints scientific graphs calculated on the Corona or IBM PC. Written in C and assembly language. Graphic provides 40 graphics routines that can be called upon to plot data or make text slides. Plots are created and stored in a 4096- by 3120-pixel Tektronix format. It has a zoom mode that can replay, shrink, enlarge, or shift a picture. Magnifications from 0.25 to 4.0 are available. Other features include five line types, eight curve markers, two fonts, and linear, logarithmic, and contour plots.

Tektronix-formatted plots from other computers can be replayed by Graphic under certain conditions, and Graphic files are compatible with mainframes that support Tektronix terminals. It operates with such dot-matrix printers as Epson FX/RX, C. Itoh Prowriter, and Okidata 91 and 93.

Presently, Graphic works with the C-Ware DeSmet C compiler. It requires a minimum of 192K bytes of memory. Although it can function on a single disk drive system, two double-sided, double-density disk drives are preferred. Graphic costs SI50 and is available directly from Scientific Endeavors, Route 4, Box 79, Kingston, TN 37763. Circle 571 on inquiry card.

Apple ROMdlsk Card

ROMdisk lets Apple II users store a full floppy disk of program files in EPROM. It can be used in on-line systems and permits Apple II computers to be used as workstations. ROMdisk comes with a menu-builder program that lets you select program files to be loaded and has the ability to automatically boot the menu or a desired program. Up to four ROMdisks can be used in a single Apple. Power is derived from the computer.

ROMdisk works with AppleDOS 3.3 or the ProDOS operating system. It costs $499. Further details are available from Curtis Inc., 22 Red Fox Rd., St. Paul, MN 55110, (612) 484-9183. Circle 604 on inquiry card.

Statistical Package

for Mainframes

Ported to PC

SPSS/PC is a menu-format IBM PC version of SPSS-X, a mainframe statistical-analysis and data-management package. SPSS/PC gives you univariate statistics, cross tabulations, correlations, multiple regressions, nonparametric tests, log linear, and contour and scatter plot procedures. You can analyze factors and variance and generate tables and graphs, which can then be reformatted for display or presentation-quality hard copy. SPSS/PC can handle missing values, sort cases, and compute new variables. Up to 150 variables can be drawn upon. Cases are limited only by disk space. Help commands, an integrated report-writing facility, and an on-line tutorial are supplied.

An IBM PC or PC XT with 320K bytes of RAM, a harddisk drive, 8087 coprocessor, and PC-DOS are necessary.

(Note that SPSS/PC will use approximately 1 megabyte of hard-disk storage.) With documentation and demonstration disk, SPSyPC costs $795. A version for DEC Professional Series computers is available. For more information, contact SPSS Inc., Marketing Department, Suite 3000, 444 North Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60611, (312) 329-2400. Circle 552 on inquiry card.

CP/M Computer

Mounts on

Floppy Drive

The Little Board, a singleboard CP/M computer from Ampro, can be screwed directly onto the mounting holes of a 5/4-inch floppy-disk drive. Outfitted with a 4-MHz Z80A central processor, 64K bytes of RAM, a boot EPROM, floppydisk controller, terminal and modem ports, and a Centronics-type parallel port, Little Board can support four singleor double-density, single- or double-sided, 48- or 96-tpi disk drives. Through software, one of its serial RS-232C ports can put forth data at 75 to 38,400 bps, while the other administers rates ranging from 75 to 9600 bps.

The Little Board runs under CP/M 2.2. A set of utility programs for formatting and copying data is furnished. A disktranslation utility lets Little Board read, write, and execute programs and data from Kaypro, Morrow Designs, IBM PC, and other computers.

Power requirements are +5 VDCat 750 mA and +12 V DC at 50 mA. Little Board lists for $349. CP/M BIOS source code is $49. Contact Ampro, 67 East Evelyn Ave., POB 390427, Mountain View, CA 94039, (415) 962-0230. Circle 594 on inquiry card.

BYTE May 1984 513

What's New?

68000 Coprocessor Speeds Apple Programs

Saybrook II, a 16-/32-bit 68000 coprocessor board, is said to execute Apple Pascal, FORTRAN, and BASIC programs 10 to 30 times faster than normal. The base system comprises 128K bytes of RAM, UCSD p-System Run-time Unit version IV.13, Applesoft-compatible 68000 BASIC, turtle graphics, a 24-hour time-ofday clock, and five programmable timers. It's available in 8-, 12.5-, and 14-MHz versions for $895, $1195, and $1395, respectively.

An advanced model of Saybrook II is also available. This system has all the features of the base unit plus a screen editor, graphics package, crossassembler, and either a FORTRAN-77, Pascal, or BASIC compiler. Depending on the clock rate, the Saybrook II advanced model costs $995, $1295, or $1495.

Options include compilers, CP/M-68K, Unix with C, and a !28K-byte RAM card that's expandable to 2 megabytes. The additional compilers cost $95 each. Inquire about RAM card pricing. Produced and manufactured by Analytical Engines Inc., Suite 305, 3415 Greystone, Austin, TX 78731, (512) 346-8430. Circle 599 on inquiry card.

68008 STD Board

Peopleware Systems has brought out a 68008-based STD bus microprocessor board. The 68008, a 16-/32-bit processor running at 8 MHz, has approximately 60 percent of the throughput of an equivalent 68000 microprocessor. This board has buffered data and control signals for expansion and three 28-pin JEDEC sock

ets for 32K bytes of memory; one of the sockets is configured for 2764- or 27128-type EPROMs. Off-board memory access is facilitated by a oneof-eight decoder/driver that selects memory cards via a front connector; up to 1 megabyte of memory can be addressed. Two RS-232C ports with RTS and CTS signals are supported; the transmit and receive data rates can be individually set. All address, data, and control signals are TTLcompatible.

Prices begin at $595. For a complete description, contact Peopleware Systems Inc., 5190 West 76th St., Minneapolis, MN 55435, (612) 831-0827. Circle 590 on inquiry card.

Terminal PlugCompatible with VT100

Tandberg Data's Series TDV 2200S editing/display terminal is plug-compatible with DEC VT100, Data General 6053, and other terminals. The basic TDV features an 8.75-MHz 8085/2 processor, a 70-Hz refresh rate, 8K bytes of dedicated RAM, 512 bytes of nonvolatile memory, 16 soft switches under user or software control, tilt-and-swivel pedestal, height adjustment, 121-key (maximum) detachable keyboard, and a 15-inch screen. Characters are greenon-green; black-on-white is optional. The set-up menu is written in plain English.

The TDV can be equipped with up to 56K bytes of memory; some versions can store up to eight pages of data. An add-on controller enables the TDV to communicate through packet-switched networks using X.25 protocols. The TDV can transmit by character, page, block, or line/field. An

optional plug-in card produces bit-mapped raster-screen displays with a resolution of 684 by 384 pixels. In addition, this arrangement emulates Tektronix 4010/4014 vector drawing, point plotting, and graphics-input modes. The TDV character generator can handle 1024 characters. Latin, Cyrillic, and Greek alphabets are available, and mathematics and semigraphics symbols can be obtained. Characters can be double height and width. Other options include a 2Kbyte print buffer and communications protocols. The Series TDV 2200S begins at $1875. For full specifications, contact Tandberg Data Inc., POB 99, Labriola Court, Armonk, NY 10504, (914) 273-6400. Circle 587 on inquiry card.

Development System for Adams

Frobco is marketing a software-development system for formatting 32K-byte Adam/ Colecovision cartridges. This package contains a 32K-byte interface unit that plugs into the Coleco's expansion slot, an interface board for Apple slot number two, and a EPROM cartridge adapter board that

connects with the Coleco's cartridge slot. Any program in the interface unit can be read, modified, and run through the Adam. Programs in the interface RAM can be stored on an Apple disk.

Frobco's system development software lets you transfer programs from the Apple disk or Coleco cartridge to the interface unit, access the Adam/Colecovision's memory space and I/O channels, set breakpoints in code for initiating or halting graphics motion in real time, and observe and modify a cartridge's contents. A built-in Z80 disassembler lets you review a cartridge's object code.

With the EPROM cartridge adapter, you can create and run a prototype program. It has four 8K-byte 2764-type EPROM sockets. Detailed information on the Adam's operating system, memory map, display processor, and sound generator are supplied.

Minimum hardware requirements consist of an Apple II Plus or He, a floppy-disk drive, Microsoft-compatible Z80 card, monitor, and an Adam/Colecovision console. The list price is $1995. For more information, contact Frobco, Tri-Comp Polytechnical Inc., 603 Mission St., Santa Cruz, CA 95060, (408) 429-1551. Circle 600 on inquiry card.

Where Do Mew Products Items Come From? The information printed in the new products pages of BYTE is obtained from "new product" or "press release" copy sent by the promoters of new products. If in our judgment the information might be of interest to the personal computing experimenters and homebrewers who read BYTE, we print it in some form. We openly solicit releases and photos from manufacturers and suppliers to this marketplace. The information is printed more or less as a first-in first-out queue, subjecttto occasional priority modifications. While we would not knowingly print untrue or inaccurate data, or data from unreliable companies, our capacity to evaluate the products and companies appearing in the "What's New?" feature is necessarily limited. We therefore cannot be responsible for product quality or company performance.

514

BYTE May 1984

More Computer for Your Calculating Dollar

Try the New

$$

OT„

xma

Introductory Offer

(Offer expires May 31,1984)

; i ■ 1

v'V

,-■■ \

i i

Standard Features.

•PC-DOS™ Operating System Vers. 2.1

•64K of parity checked RAM, expandable

on-board to 256K •8088 16-bit CPU •5 IBM compatible expansion slots •4 DMA and 3 Timer channels •Up to 32K of EPROM (supplied with full 8K) •DOS BIOS on EPROM •Full size capacitance touch keyboard with

10 function keys and calculator type

numeric keypad •8087 Math Co-Processor ready

•110-220 VAC, 50-60 Hz

■High resolution, 12" Monitor with Green

Screen and 18MHz bandwidth. •Two Slimline 5 % " DS/DD 48 TPI Floppys

@ 360K storage each. •Floppy Disk Controller expansion card,

runs up to four SS or DD Floppys 'ALSO supports MS-DOS'" and

CP/M-86® Operating Systems •Power Supply is Hard Disk ready, no need

to add-on additional power •Full One Year Parts and Labor Warranty

on all XDS Manufacturing products!

SYS-8100-00

"Need a 16-bit IBM-PCm to process your data?"

The first IBM™ compatible that IS compatible! A complete system including the PC-DOS™ operating system from IBM™. Two thinline doublesided 5Vi " Disk Drives hold 360K of formatted storage each, the other drive opening is fitted with a close-out plate. Removal of the plate will allow room for a Winchester Hard Disk. The Power Supply is like that of an IBMPC XT™..Hard Disk ready! How compatible is the XPC-XT? It will run 1-2-3™, Flight Simulator™, dBASE II™, WordStar™, SuperCalc™, VisiCalc® and hundreds of others, The system will also support MSDOS™ 1.1 and 2.1, PC-DOS™ 2.2, CP/M-86™ and Unix Operating Systems. Add-on an additional 192K of RAM for a full 256K of on-board Memory for only $195.00. This computer comes standard with 2 Serial and 1 parallel ports (IBM™ COM1 and COM2). No need to purchase Add-On cards.

BASIC XPC SYSTEM

If that incredibly /.0IVTotal System price doesn't suit you, try this "Do II Yourself System" and take your pick of the wide range of options listed below. The Features: »64K RAM 'Expandable to 256K •4 DMA channels »5 Expansion Slots •Runs MS/DOS™ and CP/M-86™ (not Included) •Multi-function Keyboard and Cable _ . •Hard Disk Ready Power Supply Vflfjf

•2 Serial and one Parallel Port rf* Q Q C •and MORE! •SYS-8000-00 yOww

The following are registered Trademarks and their Companys: 1-2-3-Lotus Development Company; MS-DDS, PC-DOS. Flight Simulator-MicroSoft; dBase ll-Ashton-Tate; WordStar-MicroPro International Corp.; SuperCalcSorclm, Inc.; VisiCalc-VlslCorp, Inc.; CP/M-86-Dlgltal Research Inc.; IBM, IBM-PC, IBM-PC XT-International Business Machines.

fefftf

Call or Write for Nearest Dealer and Full Catalog

■4 I. i

Hllli

FLOPPY INTERFACE

This is the standard Floppy Interface Card supplied In all systems not using Tape Back-up. It can access up to four drives in 48 or 96 TPI formats. The same high quality data separator as used in IBM™ counterparts, insures data integrity. BOA-6OO1-00 $255.00

EXPANSION MEMORY

This super reliable, four layer design Memory Card can be expanded from 64K to 576K in 64K Increments (at $75.00 ea.). We've tested them all and can recommend this one with confidence. The price below is with 64K and Includes Spooler and RAMDISK software. BOA-6650-00 $255.00

CALENDAR CLOCK

This simple but effective Card should be ordered with every system. Battery Back-up (naturally) keeps your Disk Log right up to date. Saves typing in the date everytime you "boot up" the system. BOA-8700-00..$149.00

300/1200 BAUD MODEM

If this is your first computer, you will soon want It to Communicate. CompuServe and The Source are on your screen minutes after you plug-In this Custom Made Unit. Supplied with cable to plug Into any wall outlet. Auto-Dial Software "remembers" phone numbers and log-In sequences to ease operation. Software included for each operating system. B0A-8725-00 $295.00

SUPER 12 PAK MULTI-FUNCTION

Now we need a full page to describe this fantastic Card! Since we only have a little room, here are the features: IBM™ compatible Joystick Port (2), Real-Time Chronograph (Battery Back-up), Parallel Port, Serial Port, 64K to 384K of Parity Memory, Print Spooler and RAMDISK software, and supplied with OK of Memory. BOA-8680-00 $345.00

MANUFACTURING

MONOCHROME ADAPTOR

I If you are Impressed with all the rave reviews that the

J%» Hercules Graphics Card gets, you will love ours!

Made expressly for the XPC-XT by Hercules

themselves, it runs everything the Hercules Card does

(1-2-3™, dBase II, etc.). BOA-8500-00.. $395.00

HARD DISK ADD-ON

Complete Packages

Includes BIOS Software, 5%" Winchester Hard Disk, mounting hardware, Interface P.C.B. for expansion slot, and all the necessary power and data cables (the Power Supply in the XPC-XT is Hard Disk ready).

65 Megabyte

$2495

105 Megabyte

$3295

140 Megabyte

$4195

Archive Tape Back-up unit shown above is of 20 and 40 megabyte capacity. Memtek unit will soon be available at 10 megabyte capacity at approximately One-Half the cost! Circle 410 on inquiry card.

10 Megabyte

$995

20 Megabyte

$1295

40 Megabyte

$1795

COLOR ADAPTOR

Color and monochrome combinations, can be run simultaneously. Flight Simulator™, 1-2-3™ all perform without modifications. NO FLICKER! Besides performing perfectly, included are: Light Pen Interface, Print Spooler, and RAM Disk options! BOA-8400-00 $495.00

COLOR MONOCHROME

MON-1500-00 $345.00 MON-1000-00 $125.00 |

M Three models of Color to choose from, each with higher and higher resolution. Price from $345.00 to $750.00. Monochrome Unit is outstandingly clear and easy on the eyes. In Green or Amber screens.

HARD DISK ONLY INTERFACE

A simple, quick solution to adding a Hard Disk to your XPC. All you need is this card, a Cable, and the Drive. Handles from 5 to 140 megabytes with minimum software configuration. Order with your System now or order later. Compatible with all the operating systems. BOA-8050-00 $375.00

H.D./TAPE CONTROLLER

This package consists of a combination Interface Adaptor having SCSI H.D./TAPE Connector as well as the Floppy Controller. Two additional 5" form factor Boards are included and mount over the Tape Drive and Hard Disk. 10, 20, & 40 megabytes of Back-up Is added to your Hard Disk. BOA-8675-00 $750.00

DS Manufacturing ■ 5791 Machine Drive ■ Huntington Beach, CA 92649 ■ 714/898-0336

Circle 365 on inquiry card.

CHECK SUNTRONICS NEW LOW PRICES

IBM Compatible Products Annie Compatible Products General Products- cont.

O.UADRAM-2 (2) Ser. Ports W/64K. $355.00 QUADBOARD (1 ea)Par/Ser. W/64K. .355.00

QUAD 512+ W/64K 305.00

QUAD 512+ W/512K 665.00

CLOCK/CALENDAR BOARD 105.00

MODEM Signalman Mark 5 215.00

ADD-ON Hard Disk Drive System 6Mb w/Power Supply & Cabinet .1799.00 Controller for above Hard Drive.. .279.00

PC 1600-1 Call

COLUMBIA VP (Portable) Call

EAGLE COMPUTER PC-2 Cell

AST SIXPACK CARD Six-function card with 64K-348K RAM Memory, Parallel Port, Serial Port, Clock Calendar, Super Drive

and Super Spool only 291.00

MSI DUAL I/O (2 ea) Ser/Par. & Clk .175.00 MSI 256K RAM Board

256K RAM Board with 64K 199.00

256K RAM Board with 256K Call

MSI 256K w/Parallel or Serial Port

256K w/Parallel Port and 64K 259.00

256K w/Parallel Port and 256K Coll

256K w/Serial Port and 64K 259.00

256K w/Serial Port and 256K Call

VISTA DISKMASTER DMA Diskmaster interfaces Sub 4", 5W, 8" &

V1200 6Mb Hard Disk 225.00

IBM TEAC Disk Drive DSHD,

40 Track Slimline 215.00

APPRATE IBM PROM Blaster 129.00

CABLE Parallel for IBM,

Eagle & Columbia 29.95

IBM Prototype Board SUN-208 double sided glass with gold plated terminals ... 29.50

AFDC-1 Floppy Disk Drive $CC95

Controller vw

Runs DOS 3.3 with any standard Shugart compatible 5%" disk drive. (2 drives each card}. Does not read Vi track.

Apprate PROM Blaster 119.00

"ALS" 80 Column Card 159.00

"ALS" Z-CARD (Z80 CPU| 149.00

API Apple Parallel Printer Interface card.

Centronics Compatible (39.00

Apple Compatible Drives (40

Track, 163K) 195.00

SUN-Z-80 CARD (Softcard

Compatible! 55.00

SUN-80 COLUMN CARD 97.00

POWER SUPPLY (5 amp) 59.95

COOLING FAN 42.00

Software

Formats for Following Software Include:

IBM, MS DOS, Apple CPM, 8" CPM 2.2

WORD PROCESSOR (Benchmark). $299.00

MAILING LIST (Benchmark) 140.00

SPELLING CHECKER (Benchmark) .. 105.00

TELECOM (Benchmark) 85.00

CDEX IBM Training 52.00

PEARL Data Manager. See reviews ... Easy-To-Use ... Powerful 199.00

General Products

5W Diskettes

SS/DD (100% certified) DS/DD (100% certified)

10 up 100 up 1.75 1.55

2.50 2.30

MODEM Novation 103 Smart-Cat . .$210.00 MODEM Signalman Mark 7 (RS232). 115.00

NEW MODEL SAMWOO DISPLAY

HI-RESOLUTION

VIDEO MONITORS

Features: -Anti glare screen • Attractive case • Std composite video input, also output for second monitor -22 MHz video bandwidth • High resolution; 1,000 lines or 132 characters across ■ Adjustable contrast, brightness, V/H-hold, V-size, H-center • Input impedance: high or 75 ohm* Passes FCC test for computer equipment ■ UL approved

Compatible With: IBM, IBM PCjr. Apple II, Apple lie, Commodore, Columbia MPC, Eagle, Radio Shack, Sinclair/Timex, and more.

Each 3-up

DM-216 12" Green $135.00 Call

DM-216 12" Orange $139.00 Call

DEALER INQUIRY INVITED

MX COMPATIBLE BMC PRINTER

BX-80 dot matrix printer 259.00

.. Call

RAM & ROM IN STOCK

Mother Boards & Card Cages

SLOTS Bare Bd KIT A & T w.'CAGE 6 $19.00 $44.00 $59.00 $84.00 8 24.00 56.00 81.00 116.00 12 29.00 75.00 110.00 150.00

10MHz, No termination. Includes power indicator and wiring for muffin fan. Uses OK connector for solderless installation and removal of power & reset lines.

„ 1-800-421-5775 « and nil Into Call 213-644-1148

S-100 Products

siccoo

64KSM A&T without RAM ... 193 64KSM A8iTw/64k RAM (32-6116'sl.339.00 S-100 Board Uses 6MHz 6116's. Vi Amp max. power, BankSelect plus Extended Addressing allows for multi-memory board set-up. 4independant 16K Blocks make easy use with multi-user systems. Any 2K RAM may be replaced by a 2716 EPROM.

SBC-880 Z80A CPU, A&T $149.00

SBC-880 Z80A CPU, Kit 129.00

4MHz Z80A CPU boards with RAM, ROM & Serial/Parallel Ports.

UFDC-1 Floppy Controller, A&T 245.00

UFDC-1 Floppy Controller, Kit 225.00

The UFDC-1 Floppy Controller uses the

WD1795 chip which runs either

and/or 8"/5'/4" Disk Drives.

CLOCK CALENDAR A&T 115.00

CLOCK CALENDAR Kit 95.00

This S-100 Clock Calendar Board has 4 interrupts. Time, Day of Week

and Battery Backup. Call for S-100 Quantity Discounts

Special Sale Items

SUN-721 S-100 Prototype Board 9.95

SUN-722 Apple Prototype Board 5.95

See our January 1964 BYTE Ad for abova itam descriptions. Quantities are limitad.

m SUNTRONICS C0.f inc.

^-7^i~ 12621 Crenshaw Blvd., Hawthorne, CA 90250

STORE HOURS: MON.-FRI. 9:00am to 6:00pm SATURDAY 10:00am to 5:00pm

Mail Order—Min. Order $10. Visa or MasterCard (please i first 3 pounds plus .50 for each additional pound to yoi

;lude expiration date). / order. CA residents add Calif.

YOUR LOW PRICED ANSWER...

DISPLAY MONITORS

usi

PI2(12"Green) $ 129

PI3(12" Amber) 135

GORILLA

Hi-Res. 12" Green $ 85

Hi-Res. 12" Amber 95

AMDEK

V300G $ 135

V300A 145

V310AforlBMPC 165

Colorl,13"ColorComposile 289

Color II, RGB 409

BMC

12UW(12"Green) $ 89

9191 Color Composite 229

12EUN20MHz(Hi-Res) 125

NEC

JB 1260,12" Green $ 109

JB1201M,80col 155

JB1205M(A)w/audio 165

JC1203Hi-ResColorlBMcomp. . . . 465

TAX AN

12N(12" Green) $ 129

12NUY02" Amber) 139

PERSONAL SYSTEMS

DISK DRIVES

FRANKLIN

Ace 1000 w/color

Ace I200w/drive

1200OMSstraight fromlhe factory. Ace 1000 Pro Pak, drive. 80 col, sltwr

.$ 799

. 1399

. 1689

1169

SIEMENS

FD 100-8 S 154

TANDON

TM100-2 lor IBMPC S 219

TEAC

KAYPRO

Kayproll w/soltware

APPLE

Apple HE Starter System ....

.$1445 .$1395

Double Sided 320K for Sanyo $ 189

Driues For Apple & Franklin MICRO-SCI

A2 $209

IBM

IBMPC64K.1 Drive

IBMPC64K, 2 Drives

SANYO

MBC550

MBC555

.$1995 . 2245

$ 795 ..1179

QUENTIN RESEARCH

Apple Male $ 199

RANA SYSTEMS

Elitel $229

Elite II 349

Elite III 429

IBM/APPLE ACCESS.

AST RESEARCH

Six Pak Plus $ 279

Mega Plus II 279

Combo Plus 269

lo Plus II 129

64K MEMORY UPGRADE

64K,9chips $ 55

MICROMAX

Viewmax 80E, 128K 80 col. card

for ApplallE $ 129

for Applell &II + 139

MODEMS

HAYES MICRO

300 Baud Smart Modem $ 205

1200 Baud Smart Modem 499

1200BforlBMPC 409

MicroModemllEw/Term.pkg 259

NOVATION

J Cat 300 Baud $ 119

AppleCatll 269

PRINTER ACCESSORIES

ORANGE MICRO

Grappler + $ 119

BufferedGrappler +,16Kexp.64K . 179

WESPER

Wizard Personal Card & Cable $ 89

FOURTH DIMENSION

Par, Card & Cable lor Apple $ 49

TRACTORS

Okidatalor82A&92 $ 49

Juki Bi-Directional 129

Toshiba Bi-Directional 199

MICROTEK

Dumpling GX Graphic Interface .... $ 99

DumplingGXw/16K 149

DumplingGXw/32K 165

Additional Buffering, 16K 16

CABLES

Any Computer to Parallel Printer... $ 29

PRINTERS

C. ITOH

Prowriter8510AP, 120cps $ 339

ProwriterH1550AP, 15"120cps ... 545

StarwriterF10-40PU,40cps 989

PrintmasterF10-55PU,55cps 1345

EPSON

RX80FT, 120cps $ 409

FX80,10"160cps 520

FX100,15"160cps 729

OKIDATA

ML82A, 10" carriage $ 299

ML83A, 15" carriage 559

ML92P, 160cps 429

ML93P, 160cps 709

STAR MICRONICS

Gemini 10X, 10", 120cps $ 278

Gemini 15X, 15", 120cps 409

Delta10,10",160cps 469

JUKI

6100LQ15". 18cpsw/propor.spac..$ 469

TOSHIBA

P1350(1) Dot Matrix, L.Q., graphics . $1695

IF YOU SEE IT ADVERTISED

FOR LESS, CALL US FIRST

FOR LOWEST QUOTE!

MAIL ORDER:

12841 S. Hawthorne Blvd., No. 585

Hawthorne, California 90250

^fORDER DESK:;

VjS^ [213] 514-9019

Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Saturday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

We accept VISA. MasierCarcl. COD (w/deposstl. Cerut«<l Checks OP Wii'u Transfers Suinu tarns -Jjbiect Ui bach order CA Acs addB1/". la. Pnces 5*fc)0CL La choice

516 BYTE May 1984

Circle 96 on inquiry card.

Corporate & Institutional Buyers Welcome

We accept purchase orders from well qualified corporations & institutions. Place us on your bid list. Call for our Buyer's Guide.

SERVICE • SELECTION • SATISFACTION • SAVINGS

Those are four very important words. To you as a customer and to us as a business. If you're just shopping price you' II find dozens of outlets to buy from. But if you're shopping value you'll search for a supplier with those four words to offer, not just one! We've been in business longer than 90% of our competition. Wonder why? We practice those four words; we offer a wider more popular collection of hardware and software, we have one of the best satisfaction guarantees, and of course our prices are very competitive. Go ahead . . . shop around. When you want more than just a price, shop with us.

TOLL-FREE FOR CREDIT CARD ORDERS Only

If you have a major credit card, call our Credit Card Order Department, Toll-Free, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. During the hours of 7:30 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. PST (Mon-Fri) an operator will take your order; other hours, just give your order to our automatic ordering service. In most cases, we'll process and ship that same day. This Toil-Free number connects to the order desk only. For other business, inquiries, or technical information please call our Customer Service Department, weekdays, 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. PST: (619) 460-6502.

800-854-6654

IN CALIFORNIA, ALASKA & HAWAII

call 619-460-6502

Circle 1 on inquiry card.

IBM ADDONS

AST Research

Ail AST Boar lis come with StiperDrive, SuperSpool.

and one year warranty,

SixPakPlus 64K upgradable lo 384K. with clock

calendar, serial and parallel ports

(game por; optional) 265

MegaHus H 64K upgradable lo 256k (or more with

MegaPak) with clock calendar and serial port

(parallel, game, or second serial port optional) 265

MegaPak )28K (not upgradable) 225

MegaPak 256K , ___ 275

!/Q. Ptus 11 with clock calendar and serial port (panllel. game, or second serial port optional) 115 Parallel. Game, or second Serial Port for any AST □oardf specify board) 4Qea

64K Memory upgrade increments lor any AST

BOea

15

boaiO(that is upgradable} Connectall connecter bracket

Amdek

MAI Board 459

Hercules Computer Hercules Graphics Card

(with parallel port) 339

Graph-X Sottware 45

Keytronics

Typewriter style keyboard(KB5150) call

Deluxe keyboard call

Koala Touch Tablet w/soltware 95

(Connects to game port) Maynard Electronics

Floppy Disk Controller 175

Floppy Disk Controller

(with parallel port) 229

Paradise Systems

MultiDisplay Card (color & mono) 389

Persyst

Color Graphics Board 229

SB64 64K Multifunction Card 339

Plantronics/Frederick

C0L0RPLUS (with Color Magic) 389

Quadram

We are a lull line Quadram Dealer New Expanded Quaddoard 64K expandable !o 384K. with clock calendar, parallel, serial & game port. 1/0 bracket, and Quadmasle' software 259

64K Memory upgrade increments tor Quadram boards and buffers 60ea

Micrntazer Printer Buffer (par ) w/copy MP 64 (64K) upgradable to 512K 229

Quadcolor I color graphics card 210

Quadcolor II (add-on to Quadcolor 1) 205

Quadlink—Newest Version (allows your IBM-PC to run most Apple II programs) 489

Quadisk (various sue to 72 meg) call

STB

RlOPIus 64K (upgradable to 384K) with PC accelerator, clock calendar, serial and parallel port, and "Connectall" type bracket (game cable optional) 259

Graphix Plus (color & monochrome) 349

Call lor prices on other STB products Tacmar Graphics Master 539

CALL FOR OUR DISK DRIVE PRICES.

SURGE PROTECTORS

Lemon wall unit with 6 receptacles 45

Lime power cord with 6 receptacles 59

Peach wall unit, line tiller & 6 receptacles 69

Orange power cord, line filter & 6 receptacles 99

PRINTERS

Unless otherwise noted, all nl the printers lisled have parallel interfaces

Dot Matrix

C. Iloti

8510P 120 cps 10" erg

1550P 120 cps 15" erg

Epson

All Epson primers include GRAFTRAX-PLUS

RX-80 100 cps 10 erg

RX-80F/T 10Dcps 10" erg

FX-80 160 cps 10" erg

FX 100 160 cps 15" erg

Trader lor FX-80

Epson to IBM Parallel Cable Okldala

Microlme82A 120cps10"crg

Microlme92 160cps 10 erg

Microline83A 120 cps 15" erg

Microline 93 160 cps 15" erg

Microline 8-1AP 200 cps 15 erg

Quadram

Ouadjel 40 cps 8 5" erg color

Slar Micronics

Gemini 10X 120 cps 10' erg

Gemini 15X 120 cps 15" erg

Delta 10 160 cps 10" erg

Delia 15 160 cps 15" erg

Toshiba

1340P 160 cps 10" erg

1350P 160 cps 15" erg

Transtar

31550 cps 10" erg color SPECIAL

We also carry Mannesman Tally and NEC.

Letter Quality

C. Itort

Slarwriter <10cps 15" erg

Pnntmaster 55 cps 15" erg

Oaisywriter 2000 40 cps IG'crg

Dynax

HR-15 13 cps 13" erg

HR-25 23cps 15 ' erg

Juki 6100 18cps 13 " erg

Silver Reed

EXP500 I6cps 10 erg

EXP 550 20 cps 17" erg

Transtar

120P 14cps 12" erg

130P 18cps 17" erg

We also carry NEC & Diablo.

369 639

call call call 30 30

call call call call call

299 399 449 629

769 1529

999 1245 995

459 725

455

439

569

call call

MONITORS

Notations suggesting monitors for IBM are compatible with IBM" PC compatible systems

Amdek

300G 12" Green monochrome 149

300A 12" Amber monochrome 159

310A 12" Amber or green nono (IBM) 169

Color I Plus 12" composite color 299

Color II Plus 12" RGB 419

Comrex

5(300 12" Amber or green mono (IBM) 149

Princeton Graphics

HX-]2 12" RGB(690x240) 469

SR-12 12"RGB(690x450, call

MAX-12 12" Amber monochrome(to IBM) 189

Quadram Quadchrome RGB (690 x 240) call

USI

PI-3 12" Amber or green mono (IBM) 155

Taxan

12" Amber or green monochrome 145

Vision 111 12" hi-'resRGB 449

RGB 420 Super hi-resolution RGB 479

Wi; also carry NEC. BMC. and ZENITH.

COMPUTERS

IBM

PCwith256KorXT call

Columbia

1600-1 or 1600-4 lOmb w/so(tware , call

Columbia VP complete portable call

Compaq or Compaq plus portable call

Eagle

PC-2 PC + . &PC+ w/tOmn can

Franklin Apple compatible systems call

NEC

APC color & monochrome syslems call

NEC 8201 portable computer 599

Tava ?c compatible system can

IBM SOFTWARE

American Training lull

Applications software training packages specify the

application each only 55

Alpha Soltware

Database Manager II 199

Apple-IBM Connection 169

Ashton Tate

dBase II 385

Friday' 199

BPI General Accounting 139

Continental

Home Accountan! Plus 109

KM (First Class Mail) 99

UUwFOef hie-'report/graph) 129

The Tax Advantage 49

Lotus 1-2-3 339

MicroPro Inlernational

WordStar Professional 449

WordStar 329

InfoStar 329

Microrim R: Base 4000 329

Microsoft

Mul'i-tool Word with Mouse 319

Mulli-tool Word 249

Microstul Crosstalk 139

Norton Utilities 59

Prokey by Rosesoft 59

Sottware Products Intl

Open Access 389

Sottware Publishing

pis Write 99

pfs File . 99

pfs Reporl 99

pfs Sraph 99

Peachtree Peachtext 5000 249

We have many more software packages available for

the IBM PC. Send for our 1984 Buyer's Guide.

APPLE ADDONS

ALS

Dispalcher serial HS-232 card . 85

CP/M Card Plus (Z-Cartfw/CP/M 3.0) 319

Z-Card II . . .119

Darkstar Snapshot II copy card 65 Microsoft

Sollcardw/ CP/M 249

Sollcard Plus w/80 col card, w/0 16K . 449

Premium Syslem w/80 col card & 16K . 489 Orange Micro

Grappler Plus 135

Bullered Grappler . 189

Buller Board lor use Willi Grappler 129

Videx

Videoterm 80 column w/soll switch 229

Ullralerm 132 column card 269

Wa also carry many popular software packages tor

the Apple.

MODEMS

Anchor Aulomation

Mark VII 300 baud

115

Mark XII 1200 baud

2/5

Hayes

Smartmodem 300

210

Smarlmodem 1200

4/9

Smartmodem 12008 IIBM

internal

model

Willi

Smarlcom It sollwarel

419

Smarlcom II software

lb

Smartmodem to IBM cable

2b

Micrnmodem lie

23b

Novation

Access 1-2-3 (IBM internal model with Crosstalk

software)

39o

Smarlcat 103 300 baud

1/5

Smarlcat 103/212 1200 baud

415

Applecat II

249

Prometheus

Promodem 1200

369

SSM

Transmodem 1200

499

DISKETTES

Scotch 3M

Sgl Sided- Dbl Density 5 '/<" Box of 10 20

Dbl Sided - Dbl Density 5 V." Sox ol to 35

Verbatim DS/DD 5 V<"8ojcoMO 35

Elephant DS/DD5V Box ol 10 32 SK Cerlilied & lesled with Lifetime Warranty

Bono! 10 DS/DD Super Special only 26

INFORMATION

FREE! Buyer's Guide

Our Buyer's Guide has all of our current products and all of our too low to advertise prices and some handy comparison charts. To receive your free copy, please write us with your name, address and type of computer you own or plan to buy, or call (619) 460-6502. NOTE: Operators cannot accept requests for the Buyer's Guide on our toll-free order line. Thank You.

SATISFACTION GUARANTEE

', We guarantee every item in this i advertisement lor 30 days. It, for ' any reason whatsoever, you are not satisfied with any merchandise purchased from us, we want you to return it to us. We will exchange it for exactly what you want, or wilt refund your money. Defective software may only be . \ exchanged for replacement due to < ! copyright laws. For a full ' disclosure of our policies and ' rms of sales please write or c (619)460-6502.

TERMS: All prices lisled reflect a 5% cash discount for prepaid (non-credit related) cash orders. i"o' tastest service, send a money order, cashiers or certified check. Personal checks allow 3 weeks to clear. We accept VISA. MasterCard. American Express. Diner's Club and Carte Blanche (add 3%). Purchase orders from well qualified corporations and institutions are accepted; it not prepaid with PO add S":- to ad prices, terms are 2% 10. Net 30. Shipping, handling & insurance charges add 3% of merchandise total (min. S5.00). California destinations add 6% sales tax. Foreign customers please call or write. Returns must include all original materials and be in new and resaleable condition for lull refund. All equipment is new. complete, and warranted by the manufacturer. Prices and availability subject to change without notice. We are not responsible for typographical errors or ommissions.

NATIONAL COMPUTER PRODUCTS

A division of Synectics Corporation 8338 Center Drive • La Mesa, CA 92041-3791 (619) 460-6502

Circle 1 on inquiry card.

IDM PC 256K

2X 320 KB DS/DD DISK DRIVES

FLOPPY DISK CONTROLLER, COLOR CARD

ALL FOR S2599

IBM MULTIFUNCTION BOARD

Quadboard 64K $289.00

Expandable to 384K

Parallel, Serial Port

Game Port, I/O Bracket Quadboard II 64K $289.00

Memory expansion

2 Serial ports

Profit Systems $ CALL

Run 9 programs simultaneously. Serial, Port Expandable to 512K ALSO AVAILABLE Excellent prices on

STB, AST, MAYNARD

MONITORS

Amdek 300G $144.50

Amdek 300A $155.00

Amdek 310A $CALL

Amdek Color II + $385.00

PGS HX-12 $495.00

PGS MAX 12 Amber $179.00

Quadchrome $549.00

ALSO AVAILABLE

w/10 MB INTERNAL HARD DISK

$3,599.00

IBM PORTABLE (Available)

$ CALL

(Call for other configurations)

SPECIAL

*"99 44/100% SYSTEM COMPATIBLE"

P.C. World April 84

TAVA PC

SYSTEM I

SYSTEM II

128K

2 DS/DD Disk Drives Color Graphic Board Printer Port 2 Serial Ports Keyboard Amdek Monitor DOS 2.1

$1,995.00

256K

1 DS/DD Disk Drive Color Graphic Board Printer Port

2 Serial Ports Keyboard Amdek Monitor DOS 2.1

10 MB HARD DISK $2,995.00

RBASE iCALL

SOFTWARE

IUS

MICROPRO

MICROSOFT

CONTINENTAL

PEACHTREE

PERFECT

SORCIM

VISICORP

We carry over 100 different lines of APPLE & IBM Software 10%-45% below retail.

CALIFORNIA

22110 Clarendon Street

Woodland Hills, CA 91367

(818)999-1183

VISA

ALL PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE

SUPPORT SELECTION SAVINGS

TO THE MAX...

compumox

MISSISSIPPI

175 East Capitol

Landmark Center

Jackson, MS 39201

(601) 355-8204

Our specialty: 68000, DEC, graphic, database, communication, export

Come visit us in our New York City Showroom "IBM COMPATIBLE

PRINTER MICRO- 110 cps, 84x84, graphic. .379

PRISM RS-232/parallel, pin & friction

EPSON FX-80, FX-100 CALL

BANANA 50 cps . .195

OKIDATA Full Line CALL

PRISM 132 200 cps, 132 col 1,100

TOSHIBA 160 cps 24-wire 1,425

DEC LA50 599

GEMINI Delta 10 525

DIABLO P11 100 cps, 80 col 488

P38 400 cps, 132 col. . .1,795

M.T. Spirit 80 cps 350

'Letter Quality* NEC 2050 20 cps for IBM 965

3550 35 cps for IBM . . . .1,775

7710 55 cps for serial. . .2,150 DYNAX HR25 23 cps parallel 799

DX15 13 cps 475

COMREX Comwriter II 475

C.ITOH F-10 40 cps Excellent 930

A-10 18 cps 530

DIABLO 630 API w/interface .... 1,735

QUME 11+ 40 cps 1,350

50 cps 1,550

STAR 18 cps 399

TRANSTAR 315 graphic 479

MODEMS HAYES Smartmodem 300/1200 bps 499

Micromodem II w/software . . 270 NOVATION Smartmodem 300/1200 bps 415

PC cat 300/1200 bps 450

LEXICON 300 bps acoustic coupler. . . 125 USR Password 1200/300 339

KEYBOARD WITH MODEM Zenith ZT-1, ZT-11 CALL

COMPUTER

ZENITH

Z-150-PC

IBM

Best computer

Compati

blc 128K RAM, two floppy

LEADING 128K RAM, two drives

EDGE software

COLUMBIA • 128K RAM, two floppies,

monitor keyboard, softwares EAGLE ' 128K RAM, two floppies,

software monitor SANYO MBC 550, 555

TELEVIDEO 1605 256K RAM CORONA * 128K RAM, two drives, EPSON 256K RAM, monitor,

QX-10 keyboard, two floppies

(Local) printer, CP/M, Valdocs

NEW IBM compatible option

AST, PERSYST, PLANTRONIC TECMAR, QUADRAM, HERCULES

Cromemco* C-10 64K RAM, monitor, Z-80

CPU keyboard, software DEC 64K RAM, Z-80 & 8088 CPU,

RAINBOW monitor, CP/M keyboard NEC APC Color APC 128K RAM Dual 8" drives ALTOS, NORTHSTAR, OSM

POWERFUL 68000 CPU Cromemco 68000/Z80 CPU,

Fast Floating Point Processor 68000 CPU, 80MB SMD hard disk, intelligent I/O, UNIX, Database 1 to 12 users, 68000 CPU, 256K to 4.5MB RAM, 10MB to 474MB hard disk, graphic

option DUAL

WICAT

PLOTTER/DIGITIZER

HOUSTON INSTRUMENT DMP 29 CALL

DMP 40 795

DMP 41, DMP 42 CALL

HIPAD digitizer 725

AMDEK XY plotter 1 pen 665

6 pens 1,095

MT PLOTTER PIXY-3 3 pens 650

TERMINAL/MONITOR ZENITH Z-29 smart terminal. BEST PRICE ZVM 135 *RGB color/green monitor. . .475

ZVM 123 *green monitor 87

124 22 MHZ, for IBM CALL

Amber Monitor: Panasonic, Comrex HAZELTINE Esprit II 540

Esprit III 625

WYSE 50 545

VISUAL 55 725

VT-100A/T-102 compatible . .895 QUME 102 548

103 132 col 835

PORTABLE ON-THE-GO

Columbia, Corona, Eagle Televideo (8-bit, 16 bit! NEC PC 8021, ZENITH

Prices subject to change. American Express, Visa/ Mastercard add 3%. F.O.B. point of shipment. 20% restocking fee for returned merchandise. Personal checks take 3 weeks to clear. COD on certified check only. NY. residents add sales tax. Manufacturers' warranty only. International customers, please confirm price before order. Accept P.O. from Fortune 500, schools and gov't.

Computer Channel TELEX:

21-55 44th Road 429418

Long Island City, NY 11101 CSTNY

For information CALL (212) 937-6363 To order CALL 1-800-331-3343

518 BYTE May 1984

May Specials

"Most Of Our Business Is By Referral From

Satisfied Customers.

Find Out Why."

IBM-PC Systems

Daisywheel Printers

#1 SYSTEM: 2-360K Drives, 64K, Graphics Video Card

#2 SYSTEM: 2-360K Drives, 64K, IBM Monochrome Card & CRT

#3 SYSTEM: 2-360K Drives, 64K, Graphics w/ Printer Port

$ 2600

$ 2925

Diablo 620 $ 950

Diablo 630-RI55 $ 1850

Diablo 630-E104 (IBM) $ 2150

Dynav DX-15 (15 CPS) $ 465

Brother HR-1 (19 CPS) $ 630

2745 Brother HR-25 (25 CPS) $ 795

If you specify thesb options at time of order, we will instal f-10 Starwriter (40 CPS) $ 1050

AND TEST AT NO EXTRA CHARGE- F-10 PrintmaSTER (55 CPS) $ 1400

OftionA: RAM Sets, 64KBytes PerSet, NEC 3530 $ 1689

Maximum Of 3 Sets $59 per Set NEC 3550 $ 1844

Option B; 10M Byte Hard Disk-Internal $ 1150 NEC 7710 .. $ 1995

Option C: 8087 Co-Processor w/Software Patches $ 265 qume 1140 $ 1360

OptionD:2Tiiinline360KDrives***SWAP*** ... $ 120

IBM-XT List $4995 $ 4300

Call the EXPERT

(213) 344-6063 (800) 528-9537

PC Accessories

Keytronics Keyboard $ 185

quadlink ibm to apple converter $ 495

10 Megabyte Hard Disk $ 1575

64K RAM Expansion Set $ 59

Rana 2.5MB Floppy $ CALL'

Qume 1155.

Tandon TM100-2 DSDD Drive

AST RESEARCH Expansion Cards:

I/O Plus

Combo Plus

SixPAK

Mega Plus

Mega Pak

MA Peacock Video w/Parallel

Planatronics ColorPlus

Call the EXPERT

(213) 344-6063 (800) 528-9537

softwabb for lbm

Lotus 1-2-3 $

dBase II > $

Flight Simulator $

Megawritek (Word Processor for PC/Apple) ... $

Megaspeller $

Mail Merge $

Fridays $

Catalist (Universal "Mail Merge") $

Call the EXPERT

(213) 344-6063 (800) 528-9537

Video Monitors

'"•Monthly Special"" JCS-RGB 13"

for PC $

Princeton Graphics HX-12 $

BMC RGB $

Amdek Amber 300A $

Amdek Green 300 $

Dynax Amber 20MHz $

Dynav Green $

MB122g Green 12" (PC Monochrome) *

MB122a Amber 12"-by Roland $

NEC JB1260-M Green $

Sakata SC-200 RGB w/Cable ■ $

Call the EXPERT

(213)344-6063 (800)528-9537

Diskettes

237

Call the EXPERT

(218) 344-6063 (800) 528-9537

Dot Matrix Pblntees

Epson FX-80 $

Okidata 92_ $

92-Tractor $

92-Pluo-n-Play $

Okidata 93 $

93-Plug-n-Play $

120 257

Okidata 84 Prowriter 8510... Prowriter-II 1550 . Gemini IOx

* 270 Gemini 15x

I $

305 Mannesmann-Tally 160L $

275 ids Prism-80 Color $

374 Riteman Portable Printer $

440 Super 5 CP-80 w/Carbon Ink $

Call the EXPERT

(213) 344-6063 (800) 528-9537

Modems

335 Anchor Automation "Signalman" 425 Mark II (Atari)

40 Mark III (TI)

90 Mark IV (Commodore Pet-CBM) . Mark V(Osborne)

1600

550 440 46 45 720 45 1050 360 650 279 415 699 1150 385 265

Verbatim Verex SSDD

DATALIFE SSDD

DATALIFE DSDD

Head Cleaner Kit

Flipit (use back side of disks)

Diskette Hamper

Library Case-holds 10 disks .

260 170

390 475 445 160 140 140 129 200 210 122 455

17 25 33 8 17 24 2.25

Mark XII (1200 Baud Smartmodem) The Nbtworker for Apple w/Softwabb

The Networker-no Software

Hay-es Smartmodem 300

Hayes Smartmodem 1200

Hayes Micromodem II-jb

Novation Access 1-2-3

t

89

$

110

$

120

$

100

t

345

$

159

$

110

$

215

$

505

$

295

$

445

Call the EXPERT

(213) 344-6063 (800) 528-9537

Other Computers

Columbia 1600-1 Desktop w/Software $ 2750

Columbia Portable VP $ 2599

Columbia Hard Disk Desktop $ 3900

Corona Desktop-2 Drives $ 2475

Corona Portable-2 Drives $ 2375

Eagle PC-2 $ 2750

PC-2 Color $ 2500

SpiritXL $ 3900

Color Graphics Board $ 240

SASI Interface $ 110

Monochrome Adaptor $ 240

Monochrome Monitor $ 280

|F FRANKLIN

Franklin Family Pak $ 1045

Pro Plus $ 1267

Ace 1000 $ 795

Ace Pro ...: $ 1137

Ace 1200-1 Drive $ 1399

Ace 1200 OMS $ 1595

NEC

NEC's Advanced Personal Computer Now has Bundled Software - No Extra Charge

NEC APC-1 Drive, Green #H01 $ 2095

NEC APC-2 Drives, Green #H02 $ 2550

NEC APC-2 Drives, Color #H03 $ 3150

NEC APC-1 Drive, Color #H04 $ 2575

Epson QX-10 $ 2195

Apple II-e Starter System $ 1375

fg SANYO

Sanyo MBC550 $ 795

MBC550 w/Added 360K 2nd Drive $ 1055

MBC555 $ 1195

Sanyo Explanation: The standard MBC550 has one single sided drive and 3 pieces of software. the standard mbc555 has two single sided drives and 6 pieces of software. the enhanced mbc550 has one single sided drive, one double sided drive, and 3 pieces of software.

Sanyo: We Bid on Large Quantities and Accept Corporate and School P.O.'s. We Offer Extensive Options, Including Hard Disk and Networks.

TAVA

Call the EXPERT

(213) 344-6063 (800) 528-9537

Apple Accessories

ALS CP/M Card $ 285

ALS Smarterm II (80 Column Card) $ 145

Indus GT Drive w/ 3 Softwares $ 250

Rana Elite I $ 265

Rana Elite II $ 435

Rana Elite III $ 555

Microtek Dumpling- 16K $ 160

Grappler + $ 125

Prometheus 16K RAM Card $ 60

Super 5 Thin Drive $ 190

NB1 Word Processor for PC

This Combination of Hardware and Software Makes the IBMPC Into a Dedicated Word Processor. PC Magazine Reviewed This Extensively in the Feb. 7, 1984 Issue.

NBI Package List $695 $ 545

Additional RAM Sets (64K Per Set) $ 55

Call the EXPERT (213) 344-6063 (800) 528-9537

Tava PC-2 Drives, 128K, 2 Serial, 1 Parallel,

Graphics Video, Green CRT $ 1865

Tava PC-Same As Above Except IBM-Type

Monochrome Video and CRT $ 1865

EXPERT Computers

21804 Roscoe Blvd., Suite 18 Canoba Park, CA 91304 (213) 344-6063 (800) 528-9537

ADD 2% FOR VISA/MASTERCAKD. 20% PREPAID DEPOSIT REQUIRED ON COD ORDERS. CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS ADD SALES TAX. PRICES MAY CHANGE - CALL TO VERIFY PRICES AND DELIVERY.

"When you know enough to buy mail order, you're wise enough to buy from an expert."

Circle 171 on inquiry card.

BYTEMayl984 519

Super

Computer

SUPER XT/SUPER PC

FEATURES:

*8088 16 Bit Micro Processor W/8087 Co-processor

*256K on board dynamic RAM with parity

*4 CHANNEL DMA

*8 CHANNEL INTERRUPT

*8 I/O SLOT FOR SUPER XT 5(7) I/O SLOT FOR SUPER PC

*Same power connector as IBM PC™

SUPER PC/SUPER XT BARE BOARD W/ MANUAL

LOADED BOARD W/128K RAM W/0 ROM

EASY BOARD

MANUAL ONLY

8K BIOS

LIMITED TIME OFFER COMPLETE SYSTEM:

2-360K DRIVE W/ COLOR BOARD AND DYNAX

MONITOR

$100.00 $526.00 $225.00 $ 25.00 $ 25.00

$1995.00

SUPER XT/ SUPER PC COMPUTER CASE (METAL) $150.00

rs

\

\mmmiK

IBM™ COMPATIBLE 83key Keyboard $200.00

COMPATIBLE TO IBM PC/XT POWER SUPPLY 65 W POWER SUPPLY $170.00 100W POWER SUPPLY $200.00 130W POWER SUPPLY $220.00

,TM

*PCjr JOYSTICK $35.00 GAME CARTRIDGE

BARE PCB $8.00

GAME CARTRIDGE

BOX $8.00

ATTENTION: SOFTWARE HOUSE, CARTRIDGE PRODUCTION AND MASK ROM SERVICE AVAILABLE

IBM PC/XT, SUPER XT/PC COMPATIBLE ADD ON

H33EEEBH3JS

•DISK PLUS I/O: DISK CONTROLLER W/SERIAL &

PARALLEL "MONOCHROME GRAPHIC BOARD: HI-RES.

MONOCHROME W/720x348 GRAPHICS &

PRINTER PORT •SUPER COLOR I: COLOR GRAPHICS BOARD •ASYNC & BLASTER PROGRAM UP TO 128K

EPROMS •PARALLEL PRINTER BOARD •EXTENSION BOARD •PROTO-TYPE BOARD

S60.00 S60.00

$75.00 S70.00

$40.00 $25.00 $25.00

$240.00 S245.00

$100.00 $ 35.00

EIEH33

•INTERNAL HARD DISK 10MB W/PS

•EXTERNAL WINCHESTER 10MB W/PS

•MOUSE SYSTEM W/SOFTWARE

•HAYES 1200B MODEM

•QUADLINK-RUN APPLE PROGRAM!

•AST 6 PACK PLUS W/64K

•TEAC SLIM DRIVE 360K

•PANASONIC 320K SLIM DRIVE

*MPI 320K FULL SIZE

•AMDEK310A

•PRINCETON PGS RGB

•NEC RGB 1216

•62 PIN CONNECTOR

•QUAD RAM COLOR BOARD

•QUAD BOARD W/O

•QUAD DENSITY V, HEIGH DRIVE FOR

$1395.00 $1495.00 $ 249.00 S 429.00 $ 449.00 $ 299.00 S 225.00 S 199.00 $ 199.00 $ 179.00 $ 499.00 $ 499.00 $ 4.00 $ 240.00 $ 249.00 BM PC$ 299.00

SUPER 2000

FEATURES:

*128K RAM ON BOARD *Z-80/6502 DUAL CPU •RGB OUTPUT *DETACKABLE KEYBOARD *CPM/APPLE COMPATIBLE

1. 64K RAM COMPUTER 2. DRIVE SYSTEM I 64K COMPUTER

$675.00 $945.00 $1150.00

3. DRIVES SYSTEM II 64K COMPUTER

4. DRIVES SYSTEM III 64K COMPUTER

W/80 COLUMN & MONITOR 64K COMPUTER $1375.00

CAN-80 Z-80 CPU WITH EP EPRON P MANUAL CAN-88 8088 CPL

mEMEMMSB

8 BIT Z-80 CPU MICROPROCESSOR BASE WITH EPROM PROGRAMER $375.00 ADD ON: X-PR INTER CARD $95.00 8K RAM CARD S95.00 SOUND CARD $85.00 MANUAL ONLY $25.00

EEEmnMEnn

16 BIT 8088 CPU MICROPROCESSOR BASE $450 •25% OFF FOR STUDENT (WITH PROVEI ■40% OFF FOR 10 OR MORE EDUCATIONAL GROUP PURCHASE DISCOUNTS FOR TRAINING KITS ONLY

$249.00

$ 79.00 $ 25.00

$350.00

/

N

COMPUTER CASE (METAL) $99.00

SUPER 5 35/40T $195.00 Teac Drive 35/40T $225.00

h

in

KEYBOARD $150.00

Monitor Stand $32 00

APPLE COMPATIBLE ADD ON

128K RAM CARD 16K RAM CARD 80 Column Card Auto Term Disk Controller Parallel Graphic Card Messager (RS-232) Z-80 Card EPROM Programer I.C. TESTER

BnaHa

Joy Stick

RF Modulator

Cooling Fan

Koala Pad

Power Supply (5A)

Micromodem He

Shugart Drive Super 5 35/40T Teac Drive 35/40T

BBBBEB

Dynax Amber Dynax Green

BUILD YOUR OWN COMPUTER SUPER 2000

$199.00 S 39.00 $ 69.00 $ 99.00 $ 45.00 $ 69.00 S 85.00 S 59.00 $ 79.00 $1 50.00

$ 29.00 $ 15.00 $ 39.00 $ 89.00 $ 69.00 $269.00

$185.00 $199.00 $225.00

$139.00 $129.00

'Cast?

'Keyboard

'Case/KB

'Case/KB/PS

S 99.00 $150.00 S240.00 S309.00

hM:l=|:!.M:10

'128K RAM Card S 25.00 'Mother Board (DUAL CFUl

S 75.00 •Other Interface Cards $18.00

Gemini 10X S279.00 R.teman (120CPS) S275.00 EPSON FX-80 $525 00 EPSON FX-100 S750.00 Juk.-6100 S499.00 Brother DX-15 S4S9.00 Brother HR-25 $749.00

li'iM»Mi<il

Hayes 300 (Baud! S199.00 Haves 1200 (Baud! S499.00 U.S. Pobutic Password (12001

fcWH*fcM:ll*l

Monitor Stand Diskette Box 50-Pin Connector 40'80 Column Switch

$399.00 S 38.00 S 23.95 S 2.50 S 10.00

SEND $2.00 FOR FULL PRODUCTS CATALOG

SUPER COMPUTER, INC.

1101 S. GRAND AVE. STE J SANTA ANA CA92705 Dealer & OEM Inquiries Invited: (714) 543-2927 Mail Order: (714) 543-2901 Circle 366 on inquiry card.

TERMS: CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS ADD 6% TAX ADD $5 FOR PACKING & SHIPPING IN NORTH AMERICA COMPUTER, PRINTER, AND MONITER ADD $5 EXTRA EACH.

IBM & PC., IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF I.B.M. CPM IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF DIGITAL RESEARCH APPLE ISA REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF APPLE COMPUTER

MEM

<>»

Ideal for

• COMPUTERISTS

• OEM MANUFACTURERS

• DEVELOPMENT LABS

• UNIVERSITIES

• INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS

THE ULTIMATE OEM/PC

COMPATIBLE SINGLE

BOARD COMPUTER

FULL IBM - PC* COMPATIBILITY!

DEALERS AND OEM MANUFACTURERS QUANTITY DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE

Standard Keyboard Interface

(Full PC compatible)

Eight Compatible I/O Interface Connectors

(Full PC compatible) (compatible with all IBM-PC* plug-in cards)

Special J1 Interface

(Allows horizontal mounting of compatible expansion cards for easy bus expansion and custom configuring) (Board has 62 pin gold plated compatible connector)

Extended ROM Capability

(Runs all compatible PC ROMS) (Jumper programmable to accommodate all popular 8K, 16K, 32K and 64K ROM chips and NEW EE ROMS! VPP power pin available for EP ROM burning!) (External VPP voltage required)

Board Size

10.5 inch X 13.5 inch

Hardware Reset

(Overcomes reset flaw in PC)

Power Connector

(Full IBM* pinout compatible)

8088 Processor

(Same as PC)

8087 Numeric Processor

(Same as PC)

Peripheral Support Circuits

(Same as PC)

Configuration Switches

(Same as PC)

Speaker/Audio Port

(Same as PC)

Wire Wrap Area

To facilitate special custom applications!

ORDER NOW!!!

Full Mega-Byte Ram Capacity! On board!

(With parity)

□ 256K Bytes using 64K chips

□ 1 Mega Bytes using 256K chips

Evaluation Board Kit!

(Blank board with full assembly instructions and parts list.)

Includes highest quality PC board with gold plating, silk screen, solder mask

D MEGA-BOARD™ with full assembly instructions $99.95

D USERS MAN UAL with theory of operation,

schematics, block diagram, application notes $19.95

DMEGA-BIOS™fully compatiblei MS-DOS/PC-DOS BIOS $29.95|

ORDER NOW!!!

SATISFACTION GUARANTEED! 110-day money back guarantee if not completely satisfied

TM

^TYs-VVr^7DISPLAY M , ; ; TELECOMMUNICATIONS y—'y W X V mRPnRATIDN

4100 SPRING VALLEY ROAD SUITE 400 DALLAS, TX 75234 (214) 991-1644

TERMS: Shipment made 2 to 5 weeks from receipt of order. VISA, MC, money order, company check accepted. COD'S require $25 deposit. Balance UPS COD. Please add $2.00 shipping and handling per order.

*IBM and IBM PC are trademarks of International Business Machines Circle 140 on inquiry card.

©1983 Display Telecommunications Corporation

BYTE May 1984 521

Circle 84 on inquiry card.

fTlEGfi-BVTES FDR FTUCRD-BUDGETS

eHpand your system...shrink your cost.

Why pay more for top quality peripherals and accessories when our prices are consistently among the lowest anywhere?

We invite you to compare prices, then call us.

MICROSOFT. SALE PRICE

MULTIPLAN $176.00

MULTIWORD WITH MOUSE 339.63

MULTITOOL FINANCIAL STATEMENT 70.49

MULTITOOL BUDGET 104.96

SOFTCARD SYSTEM CARDS CALL

VIDEX SALE PRICE

UL-00 ULTRATERM $270.00

VT-600 VIDEOTERM 60 Hz 197.50

VT-601 VIDEOTERM 60 Hz SOFTSWITCH 218.71

VT-602 VIDEOTERM 60 Hz SOFTSWITCH INVER 225.80

PS-000 PSIO 162.10

ENH-FS-001 ENHANCER II, FUNCTION STRIP 126.70

MISC. ITEMS PRICE

92P OKIDATA PRINTER.. $485.10 NEC JB1260 MONITOR .... 112.50 FX 80 EPSON PRINTER ... .535.00

KOALA PAD 92.00

AMDEK COLOR II MONITOR

HAYES SMARTMODEM 1200B (IBM PC) HAYES SMARTMODEM 1200 (HS 232).

IBM PC 256K, 2 FLOPPY DRIVES

BAUSCH & LOMB DMP-29 PLOTTER...

MISC. ITEMS

93P OKIDATA PRINTER .. NEC JB1205 MONITOR .. FX 100 EPSON PRINTER . PENCEPT INC PENPAD 320

PRICE .812.70 . 177.50 .689.00 .850.00 .466.50 .425.00 .499.00 ..CALL 1,885.00

LEADING EDGE Personal Computer $2895.00 complete

• 50% Faster than IBM PC! • 256K • Clock

•2 Floppy Disk Drives • 12' Hi-resolution Monitor

• DOS, BASIC and Word Processing Software Included!

DYSAN DISKETTES (Boxes of 10 each) SALE PRICE

104/1 5Vi" SINGLE SIDE, SINGLE DENSITY $31.20

104/1D 5'/." SINGLE SIDE, DOUBLE DENSITY 32.98

104/2D 5'/." DOUBLE SIDE, DOUBLE DENSITY 38.99

3740/1 8" SINGLE SIDE, SINGLE DENSITY 32.39

3740/1D 8" SINGLE SIDE, DOUBLE DENSITY 40.19

3740/2 8" DOUBLE SIDE, SINGLE DENSITY 40.19

3740/2D 8" DOUBLE SIDE, DOUBLE DENSITY 46.89

GREAT LAKES (PEGASUS) HARD DISK SYSTEMS SALE PRICE

10 MEGABYTE INTERNAL $1149.00

10 MEGABYTE EXTERNAL 1295.00

23 MEGABYTE EXTERNAL 1895.00

40 MEGABYTE EXTERNAL 2449.00

65 MEGABYTE EXTERNAL 3249.00

140 MEGABYTE EXTERNAL 4995.00

TAPE DRIVE 23 MEGABYTE INTERNAL 950.00

TAPE DRIVE 23 MEGABYTE STAND ALONE 1249.00

ORDERS ONL Y 800-858-4810 IN CALIF. 800-821-6662

COMMERCIAL BUSINESS SYSTEMS

2858S. ROBERTSON BLVD., LOS ANGELES,CA 90034

INFORMATION (213) 559-0596

Phone orders accepted on Visa and Mastercard only. California residents add 6.5% sales tax. No C.O.D. Actual shipping and handling charge added to all orders. Prepaid orders as follows: Money orders or cashier's check-merchandise shipped upon receipt. Personal checks must clear before shipping. 20% restocking fee.

Prices and availability subject to change. $100 minimum order.

THE LITTLE BOARD®

OEM — INDUSTRIAL — SCIENTIFIC

SECOND GENERATION SINGLE BOARD COMPUTER KIT!

4 MHZ Z80* CPU! 64K RAM! DOUBLE DENSITY!

FREE CP/M* 2.2!!! A $139 VALUE! A FREE

5-1/4 IN. CP/M 2.2

DISKETTE IS INCLUDED

WITH EACH KIT.

A. & T. UNITS $349

^

$09500

(COMPLETE KIT)

MINI-SIZE:

ONLY

5-3/4 x 7-3/4 INCHES

FULLY SOCKETED! PERFECT MATE TO OUR ZRT-80 TERMINAL BOARD. THROUGH SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT WITH AMPRO COMPUTERS, WE ARE PLEASED TO OFFER THEIR LITTLE BOARD® IN KIT FORM.

FEATURES:

4 MHZ Z80 CPU!

DOUBLE DENSITY (5-1/4 IN.) FLOPPY CONTROLLER

64K DYNAMIC RAM!

CENTRONICS STYLE PARALLEL PRINTER PORT

USES +5VDC @ .75 A. AND +12VDC @ 50MA

TWO RS232 SERIAL PORTS

SAME SIZE AS A MINI FLOPPY

2732 BOOT EPROM

Digital Research Computers

"" (OF TEXAS)

P.O. BOX 461565 • GARLAND, TEXAS 75046 • (214)271-3538

TERMS: Shipments will be made approximately 3 to 5 weeks after we receive your order. VISA, MC, cash accepted. We will accept COD's with a $75 deposit. Balance UPS COD. Add $4.00 shipping. USA AND CANADA ONLY

LITTLE BOARD® — AMPRO Z80T" — ZILOG CP/M'" DIGITAL RESEARCH (CA.)

522 BYTE May 1984

EZS W61 fan aiAa

•pjBO Aimbui uo ZIV W.O

"WE TURN AROUND FOR YOU

1 -800-528-8960

»

CUSTOMER SERVICE (602) 861-1141

10439 N. CAVE CREEK RD., #111

PHOENIX, AZ 85020

All prices are for cash, cashiers check or money order. Allow 3 weeks bank clearance for personal checks. C.O.D.'s, Visa/MC, and P.O.'s accepted at additional charge. Prices subject to change.

Returns must have authorization number Icall 602-861-1141), and are subject to a restocking charge.

TERMINALS

Adds

A-1 Green

A-2 Green

Viewpoint 60

Hazeltine

Espirit I

Espirit II

Espirit III

Qume

QVT 102 Green

QVT 102 Amber

QVT 103 Green

QVT 103 Amber Televideo

910 +

925

950

970

Wyse

Wyse100

Wyse 300

Expirit III

Visual

Visual 50 Green

Visual 55 Green . Zenith

Z-29

$485 .490 .619

485 540 735

535 550 840 850

549 699 899 975

.. 680 1020 .735

599 720

635

COMPUTERS

Altos

580-10

586-10

586-14

8600-12

Columbia

Eagle

Franklin

Pied Piper

NEC Portable

Northstar

Advantage

Advantage w/5MB ..

Advantage W/15MB Televideo Systems

802H

803

1603

806/20

800 A (user station)

Teleport

Zenith

3550 6598 7680 8399 . Call . Call Call . Call . Call

2160 3345 4315

4210 1815 2150 4775 .. 999 . Call . Call

MONITORS

Amdek

Video 300 GREEN

Video 300 AMBER

Color 1 Plus

Color II Plus

BMC

12" Green

12" Color

NEC

JB 1201

JB 1260

Taxan

12" Amber

Zenith

12" Green Screen ..

12" Amber Screen .

129 145 275 425

.89 219

155 115

125

.. 95 120

FOR IBM PC

IBM PC Call Save $

AST Research

Six Pak Plus—from $279

Combo Plus II—from 279

Mega Plus—from 309

I/O Plus—from 139

Quadram

Quadlink 489

Quadboard 289

Quad 512 Plus 249

Quadcolor 229

SOFTWARE

Lotus

1-2-3 $319

Micropro

WordSlar/MailMerge 349

InfoStar 299

SpellStar 159

CalcStar 99

Microstuf Crosstalk 105

Microsoft Multiplan 159

Ashton Tate

dBASE II 389

Friday! 185

Ram Memory 4164-150 59/9 per set

*6300

Transient Protection With A Solid Reputation™

Sar^iL general

K Sf- Semiconductor •^ * Industries, Inc. <-^*

MODEMS

Anchor

Mark I (RS-232)

Mark II (Atari)

Mark III (TI-99)

Mark IV (CBM/PET)

Mark V (Osborne)

Mark VI (IBM-PC)

Mark VII (Auto Ans./Auto Dial)

Mark XII (1200 Baud)

TRS-80 Color Computer

9 Volt Power Supply

Hayes

Smartmodem 300

Smartmodem 1200

Smartmodem 1200B

Micromodem II

Micromodem II Plus

Micromodem ME

Micromodem 100

Smart Com II

Chronograph

Novation

J-Cat

SmartCat 103

SmartCat 103/212

AutoCat

212 AutoCat

Apple Cat II

212 Apple Cat

Apple Cat 212 Upgrade

Cat

D-Cat

PC-Cat

U.S. Robotics

212A Auto Dial

Password

t 79

79

... 109 ... 125

95

... 169 ...119 ... 299

99

9

. 219

. 509 459 265

. 299 269 299

... 89 199

...99

.179

.399

. 219

.549

.249

569

309

. 139

149

.339

469 .375

ACCESSORIES

Verbatim

5VVSS/DD

SW DS/DD

Elephant

5V SS/SD

5'A" SS/DD

5'/4" DS/DD

Head

5V4" Disk Head Cleaner . Koala Pad

Atari

Apple

IBM

CBM 64

Kraft

Joystick

Atari Single Fire

Atari Switch Hitter

Apple Paddles

IBM Paddles

IBM Joystick

TG

Atari Trak Ball

Apple Joystick

Apple Trak Ball

$26 36

DISK DRIVES

CDC

5V4" 9409-DS/DD

Tandon

51/4" TM 100-1-SS/DD 160K

51/4" TM 100-2A DS/DD 320K

TM101-4(96 TPI Quad Den)

8" TM848-2(DS/DD) 1.2 MG

5V4" FD200-5 (160K SS/DD 40TR) .

51/4" FD250-5 (320 K DS/DD 40TR) . Micro-Sci

A-2(35TR)

A-40 (40TR)

A-70(Quad)

Rana

Elite I

Elite II

Elite III

1000

150 225 339 400

139 195

225 269 329

249 399 509 319

II"

STRONG ENOUGH TO STAND ON'

LOCKING FILE CASE

Can Stack,

Hang on Wall, and

Has Carrying Handle.

SPECIAL

$|Q90

PRINTERS

Comrex

Com Writer II

Letter Quality $469

C. Itoh Pro-writer I

(8510A) Par 339

Pro-writer

(8510A) Serial 439

1550 Parallel 529

1550 BCD SERIAL 589

F-10 40CPS 949

F-10 55CPS 1269

Daisywriter

Daisywriter 2000 999

Daisywriter Cable 40

Datasouth

DS120 595

DS180 1155

DS220 1590

Diablo

620 (25CPS/Serial) 875

630 (40CPS/Multi-F) ... 1710

Juki

6100-18

Mannesman-Tally

160L

180L

469

589 829

NEC

3550 (For IBM PC) 1589

3510 1365

7710 1890

Qume

1140 W/IBM Interface . 1359 1155 W/IBM Interface . 1489

Star Micronics

Gemini 10X Call

Gemini 15X Call

Gemini 15 370

Silver Reed

EXP550P 575

Transtar

120 P 499

315 Color Printer 499

Sheet Feeders & Tractors Call

NEW LINES

IDS Save $

Comerex 359

Riteman

Portable 299

SPECIAL PRICES

Okidata Save $

Epson $ave $

Toshiba (1351) Save $

JTHORIZED DISTRIBUTORS • AUTHORIZED DISTRIBUTORS • AUTHORIZED DISTRIBUTORS • AUTHORIZED DISTRIBUTORS

electronic components

AUTHORIZED DISTRIBUTORS

ALABAMA

Birmingham American Electronic Supply

Birmingham J.LS. Electronics

Birmingham Long's Electronics

Birmingham Micrologic, Inc.

Florence Fuller Distributing

Huntsville Induslrial Electronic Supply

Hunlswille W&W Electronics

Mobile Forbes Electronics

Montgomery Handey's Electronic Center

Opelika Southern Electronic Corp.

Tuscaloosa Radio Parts Inc.

ALASKA

Anchorage Electronic Supply Center

Anchorage Trie Electronic Company

Anchorage Wapatco

ARIZONA

Lake Havasu City. Electronics 4-U

Sierra Vista B&S Electronics

Tucson Electronic City

Tucson Heathkil Electronic Center

Yuma Yuma Electronics

ARKANSAS Little Rock Southern Electronics

CALIFORNIA

Anaheim Heathkil Electronic Center

Anaheim R.F. Electronics

Antioch Goodrich Electronics

Bakerslield Jay Kern Electronics

Berkeley Al Usher's Electronics

Boena Park. Ford Eieclronics

Campbell Healhkit Electronic Center

Chico. Payless Wholesale

Chula Vista Lion Electronics

Chula Vista Sago Electronics

Clearlake Clearlake Electronics

Concord Pacific Radio Supply

Corning Nor-Cal Electronics

Costa Mesa Mar-Vac Electronics

Covina G&H/AMCO Elect. Supply

Cucamonga Ablelronics

Cypress S.C.R. Electronics

Davis Paradyme Consumer Elect.

El Cajon Radio Shack

Eureka Redwood Eieclronics

Fontana Fontana Electronics

Fresno National Computer

Fresno Sparky Electronics

Fresno Whitcomm Electronics

Fullerton Induslrial Electronics

Glendale Eagle Electronics

Goleta Bill's Stereo

Hall Moon Bay. ... Strawflower Elec/Radio Snack

Harbor City Blulf Electronics

Hawaiian Gardens Carson Electronics

Hollywood Pacilic Radio Exchange

Inglewood Radioland/lnglewood Elect.

La Habra A.B.C. Electronics

La Mesa. Heathkil Electronic Center

Lancaster. Consumer Electronics

Los Angeles Heathkil Electronic Center

Mission Viejo Healhkit Electronic Center

Modesto Inland Electronics

Modesto Pacitic Radio

Monterey Zackit

Morro Bay Coast Electronics

National City Willy's Electronics

Oakland Cass Electronics

Oceanside Calco Digital

Oceanside Electronic Center

Oroville Radio Mart

Palo Alto U.S. Electronics

Palo Alio Zack Electronics

Pasadena , Dow Radio

Paso Robles Mission Electronics

Pomona Heathkil Electronic Center

Redding Radio Mart

Sacramento Cal Radio S TV

Sacramento The Radio Race

Sacramento. Zackit

Salinas. Salinas Radio

San Bruno Bruce Electronics

San Carlos J&H Outlet

San Diego Radio Shack/Mira Mesa

San Fernando San Fernando Electronics

San Francisco Zack Electronics

San Jose Peninsula Elect. Supply

San Jose United Radio and TV

San Luis Obispo Mid State Electronics

San Ralael Electronics Plus

Santa Clara. Digital Pacific

Santa Cruz. ....... . Santa Ctui Electronics

Santa Maria......... Caps Communications

Santa Maria ...... Electronic Parts Supermart

Son:- Lake Tahoe.... ... Caip:ne Electronics

Sunnyvale... ....... Sunnyvale Electronics

Torrance. Signal Electronics

Torrance...... . . . Torrance Electronics

Tustin ABC. Electronic Supply

Vallejo Zackit

Van Nuys Thrifty Electronics

Westminster JK Electronics

Whittier Whittier Electronics

Woodland Hills Heatfikrt Electronic Center

Yuba &ty Electronic World

COLORADO

Boulder Hapco

Colorado Springs Calco Digital Equip.

Colorado Springs Centennial Electronics

Denver Fistell's Electronics

COLORADO (Continued)

Denver Fistell's Microelectronics

Denver. Mountain Coin Machine

Lakewood D.H. Crump Co.

CONNECTICUT

Avon Healhkit Electronic Center

New Haven Customized Computer Center

Wallingford Tron Town USA

Westport Computer Works

DELAWARE

Newark, Computeiland

New Castle Delaware Amateur Supply

Wilmington Laraco/Lafayette Radio

Wilmington Micro Products

Wilmington Wholesale Eieclronics

FLORIDA

Coral Gables Olson Electronics

Clearwater Amateur Electronic Supply

Fort Lauderdale Tecktron Enterprises

Gainesville Skipper Electronics

Hialeah Heathkil Electronic Center

Hollywood Ernco Inc.

Jacksonville. . . . Healhkit Electronic Center

Miami Olson Electronics

Orlando. CiS Electronics

Odando Lafayette Stereo & Elect

Oakland Park. Lalayette Radio

Panama City Bay-Mar Electronics

Pensacola Forbes Electronics

Pensacoia . . Pensacola Electronics

Pensacola Quad Electronics

Plantation Heathkil Electronic Center

Tampa Heathkil Electronic Center

GEORGIA

Atlanta ACM, Compulet Mart

AHanla Healhkit Electronic Center

Dalton A CM. Computer Mart

La Grange Electronic Supply

Slone Mountain. Coleman's Electiomcs

Warner Robbins C&L Eieclronics

HAWAII

Hilo. . Al's Electronics

Honolulu Industrial Electronics

Honolulu Intcgraled Circuit Supply

Pearl Dty. Healhkit Electronic Center

IDAHO

Boise. Kimball Electronics

Boise. RJ.M Electronics

Caldwell A-Gem Supply

Pocatello Kimball Electronics

Twin Falls Central Electronics

ILLINOIS

Addison Digital World. Inc.

Berwyn B B.&W Electronics

Carbondale Pick's Electronics

Chicago Healhkit Electronic Center

Chicago Howard Electronic Sales

Chicago Olson Electronics

Chicago. ...... University ol Illinois Bookstore

Decatur Main Street Computer

Downers Grove .... Heathkit Electronic Center

Groveland Moyei Electronics

Harvey George Electronics

Melrose Park. Olson Electronics

Mount Prospect Tn-Siale Electronic Corp

Niles. Compuleriand ol Niles

Niles Joseph Electronic

Peoria Compuleriand

Peoria Warien Radio Co.

Rocktord . - . Computer Store ol Rockford

Rock Island Team Eieclronics

Skokie. Lillipute Computer

South Holland ... Union Electronic Dist

INDIANA

Angola .. . Lakeland Eieclronics

Bedford Elex Marl

Bioommglon Stansiter Radio

Chesterton .... Cheslerton Eieclronics

Evansville Hutch & Son

Gary. Calumet Electronics

Indianapolis Heathkil Electronic Center

Indianapolis. Warren Radio Co

Lalayette Von's Electronics

Muncie. Pierce Eieclronics

South Bend Genesis Electronics

South Bend TV Supply Co

Terre Haule . industrial Fiectronics

IOWA

Ames Electronic Supply, Inc

Burlington , . Union Supply Co

Clinton RJ.S. Electronics

Davenport Warren Radio Co.

Des Moines Gilford Brown Inc.

Des Moines Radio Trade Supply

KANSAS

Hutchinson Hutchinson Electronics

Kansas City Electronic Surplus Sales

Mission Healhkit Electronic Center

Salina Electronics Inc.

Shawnee Mission Burstein 8. Assoc.

Topeka Carroll Radio & TV Supply

Wichita Amateur Radio Equipment

Wichita Lloyd's Radio & Elex

Wichita R.S.C. Supply

KENTUCKY

Lexington Radio Electronic Equip. Co.

Louisville Heathkil Electronic Center

Louisville Peertess Electronic Equip. Co.

Paducah Warren Radio Co.

LOUISIANA

Baton Rouge Davis Electronic Supply

Baton Rouge Industrial Elect. Supply

Baton Rouge Menard Eieclronics

Covington Electronic Mart

Gretna Pelican Electronics

Houma Pelican Electronics

Kenner Heathkit Electronic Center

Lake Charles W.R.E. Inc.

Metairie Pelican Electronic Supply

Meridian Hooper Electronic Supply

New Orleans Wm. B. Allen Supply Co.

Shreveport Electronic Supply ol Shreveport

Shreveport. industrial Electronic Supply

Shreveport Southern Electronics

Slidell. Electronic Mai

MARYLAND

Aberdeen Haico Electronics

Annapolis Computers. Etc.

Baltimore Heathkil Electronic Cenler

Beltsville Mark Electronics

College Park ... Electronics Plus

Damascus Damascus C B.

Glen Burme Revacio ol Maryland

Laurel The Comm Cenler

Lavale . . J&M Electronics

Rockville . Heathkil Electronic Center

Rockville. Revacto Electronics

Severna Park. Futronics Inc.

Suitland . . Suburban Wholesalers

Towson. Baynesviile Electiomcs

Towson Computers Unlimited

MASSACHUSETTS

Danvers. Computer Electronic Consultants

Littleton. Tel-Corn Inc.

Peabody Heathkil Electronic Center

Pittsfield Pittslield Radio Equipment

Wallham Computer Mart Inc.

Weliesley... ..... Heathkit Electronic Center

MICHIGAN

Adrian E&B Eieclronics

Alien Park Olson Electronics

Ann Arbor Wedemeyei Elect Supply

Battle Creek. Warien Radio

Bay City ... Kinde Distributing

Canton The Electronic Connection

Dearborn Weslside Radio

Detioit A.F Electronic Pans

Detroit Electronic Parts Co.

Detroit Healhkil Electronic Center

Detroit S&S Electronics

Easl Detroit Healhkit Electronic Center

Fenton Tn-County Electronics

RinL Shand Electronics

Grand Haven K.S Electronics

Grand Rapids Micro World Inc.

Grand Rapids Radio Parts Inc.

G'and Rayids T&W Electronics

Grand Rapids Warien Radio

Holland flils & Bytes

Houghton,. TecliKonics

Jackson Fulton Radio Supply

Kalamazoo Warren Radio

Lansing. Fulton Radio Supply

Lansing Wedemeyer Elect. Supply

Livonia Norwesl Electronics

Madison Heights Olson Electronics

Madison Heights Warien Radio

Midland Computronix

Mount Clemens Olson Electronics

Muskegon H&R Electronics

Niles Niles Radio Supply

Owosso Warren Radio

Port Huron . Mam TV Radio Electee

Saginaw. Elecironic Mart

Sami Clair Shores Bell Electronics Co.

Sterling Heights Electronic Supermarket

Taylor Electronic World

Taylor Tel Van Electronic Supply

traverse City . Traverse City Elect Supply Weslland Olson Electronics

MINNESOTA

Bemidji. Bemidji Electronics

Duluth Northwest Radio ol Dulclti

Hopkins. Healhkit Electronic Cenler

Minneapolis Acme Electronics

Saint Paul Heathkil Electronic Cenler

Winona Hiawatha Electronics

MISSISSIPPI

Biloxi Hooper Electronic Supply

Jackson Ellington Elecironic Supply

Oxford. .... Oxford Softwaie

Pascagoula Hooper Electronic Supply

MISSOURI

Bridgeton Heathkil Electtonic Center

Columbia. Show Me Electronics

Kansas City Burstein & Associates

Kansas City. ....... Elecironic Supply Co. Inc.

MISSOURI (Continued)

Kansas City Walters Radio

Rolla Show Me Electronics

Sedalia Show Me Electronics

Springfield Show Me Electronics

MONTANA

Billings Conley Radio Supply

Bozeman Electronic Service & Dist

Gieal Falls Art's Eieclronics

Great Falls Electric City Radio

NEBRASKA

Gtand Island G.I.EIectionics

Lincoln Computer Systems Inc.

Lincoln Scott Electronic Supply

Norfolk. Caauwes Gun & Hobby Shop

Omaha Healhkit Electronic Center

Omaha Scott Electronics

NEVADA Las Vegas Century 23

NEW JERSEY

Ediscn W.iiiam Elecironic Supply

Fairlawn Heathkil Elecironic Center

Mantua Electronic World

Ocean. Heathkil Electronic Center

Trenton Lafayette Radio Supply

Vineland LaracoA/ineland

NEW MEXICO

Alamagordo Basm Electronics

NEW YORK

Albany. Gieylock Electronics

Amherst Heathkit Electronic Center

Buffalo- Olson Electronics

Buifaio Radio Equipment Corp.

Commack. Spartan Electronics

Hornell Hornell Electronics

llhaca Rad-Tronics

Jamestown Warren Radio

Jericho Healhkil Electronic Center

Johnson Dty Unicorn Electronics

Kingston. Greylock Electronics

Midd'eton Greylock Electronics

Newburgh Action Audio Inc.

New York Manhattan Electronics

New York Tail Electronics

Poughkeeps;e Greylock Electronics

Renssiaei Electronic Sixkroom

Rochester Heathkit Electronic Cenler

Seneca Olson Electronics

Troy. Trojan Electronic Supply

Utica Central Electronics

White Piams Computer Corner

While Plains Healhkil Electronic Center

NORTH CAROLINA

Greensboro Heathkit Elecironic Center

Winslon-Salem......... Trayer-Yetverton Inc.

NORTH DAKOTA

Farga Radio & TV Equipment

Fargo. S/S Electronics

OHIO

Akron Akron Electronic Supply

Akron Warren Radio

Bucyrus. Mead Electronics

Canton Electronic Center Inc.

Cincinnati Hcathku Electronic Center

Cleveland Heathk-t Electronic Center

Columbus Heathkit Electronic Center

Columbus . Olson Electronics

Dover TV. Specialties

Lima Warren Radio

Massilion M. H. Martin Co.

Mogadore Olson Electronics

Parma Supenor Electronics

Reynoldsburq Universal Amateur Radio

Toledo . Healhkil Electronic Center

Toledo Wairen Radio

Youngstown Olson Electronics

Youngstown Ross Radio Co.

OKLAHOMA

Oklahoma City Tnce Wholesale Electronics

OREGON

Albany. . Oregon Ham Sales

Beaverton Norvac Eieclronics

Corvallis Electronic Super Store

Corvallis. Norvac Electronics

■ ■ ■ i Norvac Electronics

Portland. Portland Radio Supply

Roseourg . . Roseburg '.' ■ ■ instrument

Salem Computer Specialties

Salem Norvac Electronics

PENNSYLVANIA

Braddock . Left Electronics

Butler. Computer Center

Chambeisburg Sunrise Electronic DisL

Drexel Hill Kass Elecironic Disl.

Erie. Warren Radio

Fairview. ............... Bell Electronics

Frazer. Heathkil Electronic Center

McKeesport Barno Radio

Komstown ............. Compulei Corner

Philadelphia Healhkit Electronic Center

Philadelphia . Speclrum Electronics

Phoemxville Stevens TV & Electric

Pittsburgh Healhkit Electronic Cenler

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Computer Store

Pittsburgh South Hills Electronics

Pittsburgh The Computer House

York. G.Y.C. Co.

RHODE ISLAND

Cranston Jabbour Eieclronics

Pawtucket Jabbour Electronics

Providence Hope Eieclronics

Warwick. Heathkit Electronic Center

TENNESSEE

Bristol Shields Electronics

Concord National Electronics

Cookcviile Wagnon's Stereo Center

Dyersburg Warren Radio

Knoxville Shield's Electronic Supply

Memphis Bluff City Electronics

Memphis Memphis Amateur Electronics

Memphis Wairen Radio

Murfreesboro Murtreesboro Radio & Elect

Murtreesboro Standard Auto Parts

Nashville Eddie Warners Parts Co.

Nashville Eleclra Dist. Co.

Dak Ridge Mr. Radio

Oak Ridge National Electronics

Smyrna Delker Electronics

Tullahoma H&H Electronics

TEXAS

Brownsville George's Electronic Mart

Dallas Healhkit Electronic Center

Enid Trice Eieclronics

Fort Worth Heathkit Elecironic Cenler

Harligen George's Electronic Mart

Houston Healhkit Electronic Cenler

Lubbock. Tnce Electiomcs

McAllen Carlos Franco Electronics

McAllen George's Elecironic Mart

Richardson Martin Wholesale Eieclronics

Richardson Trice Electronics

San Antonio C&K Electronics

San Antonio Healhkil Electronic Center

Waco L&M Wholesale

UTAH

Midvale Heathkit Electronic Cenler

Ogden Carter Supply Co.

Provo Alpine Electronic Supply

Salt Lake City Best Distributing

Salt Lake City Kimball Electronics

Sail Lake City Mouniain Coin Distributing

Salt Lake City RA-ELCO Inc.

VERMONT

Burlington Greylock Electronics

Essex Junction I.E.S. Lafayette Radio

VIRGINIA

Alexandria Healhkil Electronic Center

Annandale Arcade Eieclronics

Arlington Arlington Electronic Wholesalers

Blacksburg Scotty's Radio & TV

Charlottesville Graves Electronics

Falls Church Crossroad Elect Wholesalers

Harrisonburg Electrical Wholesalers

Hopewell B&G Electronics

Lynchburg Electronic Service Co.

Norfolk. Avec Eieclronics

Norfolk. Cain Electronics

Norfolk. Priest Electronics

Richmond Avec Electronics

Roanoke Avec Electronics

Vienna Elecironic Equipment Bank

Virginia Beach Healhkit Electronic Cenler

Woodbridge E.G.E.

WASHINGTON

Bellevue A.B.C. Communications

Bcllingham Cascade Electronics

Everett A.B.C. Communications

Hoquaim Harbor Eieclronics

Kennewick C&J Electronic

KenL Electronic Superman

Moses Lake Ron's Electronics

Olympia The Elecironic Shop

Pasco Radio Shack

Pullman H&O Electronics

Richland Radio Shack

Seattle A.B.C. Communications

Seattle Amateur Radio Supply

Seattle. Electronic Supply Co.

Seattle. Heathkit Electronic Cenler

Spokane DSC. Sales

Spokane. Personal Computer

Tacoma C&G Electronics

Tukwila Heathkit Electronic Cenler

Vancouver. ....... Healhkil Electronic Cenler

WEST VIRGINIA

Elkins Williams Electronics

FairmonL T.P.S. Electronics

Morganlown Computer Corner

Morganlown Electro Dist. Co.

Morganlown Stale Electronics

Wheeling Industronics

WISCONSIN

Kenosha Chester Electronic Supply

Milwaukee Amateur Elecironic Supply

Milwaukee Heathkit Electronic Center

Milwaukee Olson Eieclronics

WYOMING

Rock Springs D.C. Electronics

FOREIGN

Guam: Agana Marianas Electronics

Guatemala Electronica Pan Amencana

Panama Sonitel SA

Panama Tropelco SA

Puerto Rico: Rio Pedras Microcomputer Store

Puerto Rico: Rio Pedras Radio Shack

Singapore Applied Digital Systems

West Indies: Trinidad. ... The Hobby Centre

For Distributor Information, write or phone JIM-PAK, 1355 Shoreway Road, Belmont, CA 94002 [415] 595-5936

AUTHORIZED DISTRIBUTORS • AUTHORIZED DISTRIBUTORS • AUTHORIZED DISTRIBUTORS • AUTHORIZED DISTRIBUTORS

524 BYTE May 1984

Circle 446 on Inquiry card.

Jim-pak One-Stop Component Center Mlill.UMMMJliAlM Quality Components Over 680 Items Available From Our 600 k

1355 SHOREWAY ROAD BELMONT, CA 94002

O Competitive Prices O Distributors Welcome

Authorized JIM-PAK Distributors *i

O For information call (415) 595-5936 Telex #176043

CONNECTORS AND ACCESSORIES

DOUBLE-ROW MALE HEADERS

• Solder to PC boards for instant plug-in access ■ .025" square posts on a .10" x .10" matrix

Part No. Description

923862R 20 post double row male

923863R 26 post double row male

923864R 34 post double row male

923865R 40 post double row male

923866R 50 post double row male

GENDER CHANGERS

Used to connect 2 cables which have the same gender.

Part No. Description

JRSM-M Connects 2 male (DB25P)

cables JRSF-F Connects 2 female (DB25S)

cables

D-SUB CONNECTORS

SOLDER-TYPE CONTACTS

Part No. Description

DE9P 9 Pin Plug

DE9S 9 Pin Socket

DE9H Hood for DE9 Series Connectors

DA15P 15 Pin Plug

DA15S 15 Pin Socket

DA15H Hood for DA15 Series Connectors

DB25P 25 Pin Plug (Meets RS232)

DB25S 25 Pin Socket (Meets RS232)

DB25H Hood for DB25 Series Connectors

DC37P 37 Pin Plug

DC37S 37 Pin Socket

DC37H Hood for DC37 Series Connectors

DD50P 50 Pin Plug

DD50S 50 Pin Socket

DD50H Hood for DD50 Series Connectors

MICRO CHARTS

0H

Instant Data on the Most Popular Computer and Microprocessor Parts

• Fully decoded data

• Compact B%" x 11" size

• Durable credit card plastic

■ Clear and concise two-sided tables for: Full instruction set, disassembly, ASCII, base conversion, pinout & much more...

Part No. Description

MLZ80 Z80 CPU

ML6502 6502 (65XX)

ML7400 5400/7400 TTL Pinouts

ML8080A 8080A/8085A

JE750 4-Digit Fluorescent Alarm Clock Kit

The JE750 Alarm Clock Kit is a versatile 12hour digital clock with 24-hour alarm. The clock has a bright 0.5" high blue-green fluorescent display. The display will automatically dim with changing light conditions. The 24-hour alarm allows the user to disable the alarm and immediately reenable the alarm to activate 24 hours later. The kit includes all documentation, case and wall transformer. Other features: flashing colon, alarm tone 500Hz once per sec, 10 minute snooze alarm, am/pm indicator. Size: 65/s"L x 31A'H x 1%'D.

Part No. JE750 Kit

Insulation Displacement Connectors

Dip Plug Connectors

Part No. Description

609-14 14 Contact Dip Plug Connector 609-16 16 Contact Dip Plug Connector 609-24 24 Contact Dip Plug Connector 609-40 40 Contact Dip Plug Connector

Socket Connectors

Mates 2 rows of .025" sq. patterns of .100" centers.

Part No. Description

dia. posts on

S20 20 Contact Socket Connector

S26 26 Contact Socket Connector

S34 34 Contact Socket Connector

S40 40 Contact Socket Connector

S50 50 Contact Socket Connector

Card-Edge Connectors

Mates with double-sided 1/16" PC board with contact fingers on .100" centers.

Part No. Description

C20 20 Contact Card-Edge Connector

C26 26 Contact Card-Edge Connector

C34 34 Contact Card-Edge Connector

C40 40 Contact Card-Edge Connector

C50 50 Contact Card-Edge Connector

D-Sub Connectors

Part No.

Description FLAT CABLE CONTACTS

CDE9P

CDE9S

CDA15P

CDA15S

CDB25P

CDB25S

CDC37P

CDC37S

9 Contact Plug 9 Contact Socket 15 Contact Plug 15 Contact Socket 25 Contact Plug 25 Contact Socket 37 Contact Plug 37 Contact Socket

DATA BOOKS

Part No.

Description

210830 Intel Memory

210844 Intel Microprocessor

30001 National CMOS

30003 National Linear

30005 National TTL Logic

30009 Intersil Data

30013 Zilog Microprocessor

SPEAKER

1-3/16" Square • 5/32" Thick 8 Ohm • .40 Watt

Stainless steel diaphragm • Ultra Slim • For alarms, music sounds, telephone equipment, computers, speech aids, etc.

Part No. TS30S

#

JOYSTICKS

Description

la

JS100K 100K Linear Taper Pots (with knob) JS150K 150K Linear Taper Pots (with knob) JVC-40 40K Video Controller in case (w/knob)

DIODES

CRYSTALS

TRANSISTORS

SOCKETS

KITS SWITCHES RESISTORS

LEDS HEAT SINKS KEYBOARDS

WIRE

SPEAKERS

TOOLS

CORDS

SOLDER

IC'S BOOKS CAPACITORS and more...

Part No.

CENTRONICS

4=> Solder Type Insulation Displacement Type

Description

CEN36M 36 Contact Male-Insulation Displace.

CEN36F 36 Contact Female-Insulation Displace.

57-30360 36 Contact Male - Solder

57-60360 36 Contact Female - Solder

'4

INSULATION DISPLACEMENT CABLE ASSEMBLIES

Part No.

Description

S20-36

S26-36

S34-36

S40-36

S50-36

S20-6-S

S20-18-S

S26-18-S

S50-18-S

DB25P-10-P

DB25P-10-S

CEN36M-5

CEN36M-5-F

CEN36M-5-M

20-pin 36" Single-End Socket 26-pin 36" Single-End Socket 34-pin 36" Single-End Socket 40-pin 36" Single-End Socket 50-pin 36" Single-End Socket 20-pin 6" Double-Ended Socket 20-pin 18" Double-Ended Socket 26-pin 18" Double-Ended Socket 50-pin 18" Double-Ended Socket 25-pin male 10' Double-Ended Plug 25-pin male 10' 25-pin female 36-pin Centronics 5' male 36-pin Centronics 5' male to female 36-pin Centronics 5' male to male

Circle 446 on Inquiry card.

BYTE May 1984 525

—MODEMS—

*Signalman MARK XII $249.95

1200/300 Baud Auto Dial/Ans

Hayes™ Compatible

*VOSKMODEM 300 Baud$59.95 Limited Offer/FREE Source Memb.

*The Computer Phone Book$9.95

*The Complete Handbook of Personal Computer Comm.S 12.95

—COMPUTER—

Sanyo MBC-550 S845

Order: (800) 235-6646 OP 555 Calif. (800) 235-6617 OP 555

VISA/MC ACOM Electronics

Add 3% Dept. 120

Shipping 4151 Middlefield Rd.

Add 2% Palo Alto, CA 94303

HH,TH Heath Users

Double Your 51//' disk storage capacity without adding a drive.

Get twice as much from your H88 or H89 microcomputer. Our FDC-880H floppy disk controller, in conjunction with your 51/," drives, for example, expands memory capacity from 256 bytes to 512 bytes per sector.

And it handles single and doublesided, single and double-density, 8" and 5'/i" drives — simultaneously.

m

C.D.R. Systems Inc. Controlled Data Recording Systems Inc. 7210 Clairmont Mesa Blvd., San Diego, CA 92111

(619) 560-1272

APPLE COMPATIBLE

Disk Drive $150.oo ea.

Controller Card $35.oo ea.

Computer Case $55.00 ea.

Keyboard $70.00 ea.

(Numeric and Function Keys) Switching Power Supply. .$49.50 ea. Joystick (Heavy Duty) . . . .$17.50 ea. Slim Fan $25.00 ea.

Prices for dealers in quantities of 25 or more. End Users Inquiries welcomed.

ELECTRADE CO. (408) 946-2541

780 Trimble Rd. Suite 605 San lose, CA 95131

Circle 14 on inquiry card.

Circle 71 on inquiry card.

Circle 156 on inquiry card.

12 Bit A/D Convenor

FOR YOUR APPLE1"'

AD1GB 16 CHANNEL $29995

* IRQ OR IMMI INTERRUPT

* EXTERNAL START CONVERT

* HIGH SPEED - 25,000 COIW./SEC

* 7 VOLTAGE RANGES

* PRECISION SAMPLE & HOLD

Bolt On Signal Conditioning

FITS INSIDE APPLE"

A16G $7995

* 16 OP AMPS- EACH WITH SEPARATE GAIN & FILTERING

from $14995

A8D

* TRUE DIFFERENTIAL INPUTS

* 2 to 8 CHANNELS

* SEPARATE GAIN EACH CHANNEL

Hollywood Hardware 1818) 989-1204

6812 Valjean Ave. -APPLE Is a registered

Van Nuys. CA 91406

trademark of APPLE Computers, Inc.

COMPUTER PRODUCTS-GUARANTEED SAVE UP TO 50%

'COMPUTERS

Zenith Z100 {2 Drives 640K) $2799.00

- Columbia, Eagle, North Star, Sanyo and more Call

•PRINTERS.

Brolher HR-15 (Letter Quality)

Brother HR-25 (Letter Quality)

•MONITOR _

$485.00 $765.00

Taxan Green Taxan Amber

Zenith ZVM122A-Non-Glare Screen, Amber Zenith ZVM123A-Non-Glare Screen, Green Zenith ZVMI35 RGB Hi Res. Color •ACCESSORIES.

$125.00 $129.00 $119.00 $119.00 $499.00

Printer Stand 5'A x 21V. x 13 $30.00, 5'A x 15 x 13 $25.00 Roll-Top Diskettes File (holds 100) $34,95

Multicolor Quality Diskettes, SSDD $22.00, DSDD $29.00

3M, Verbatim and more (5V<" S 8") Call

•SOFTWARE

PeachleitSOOO (W/P, Spell, Proofread, List Mngr, Sprdst) $249.00 Peachpak (GL, AR, API $235.00

Peachuee Accounling-OL, AR, AP, Inventory Control, Payroll, Job Costing $399.00/ea.

•TRAINING COURSE AND HANDBOOK

Lotus 1-2-3, dBASE II, Wordstar, Accounting and others S65.00/ea. Everyman's Database Primer (Book) $14.95

and many more

MANY OTHERS, AT LOWEST PRICE, PHONE OR WRITE

Mail or Phone Your Order:

LF COMPUTER PRODUCTS

B660-D Miramar Rd. Suite 265, San Diego, CA 92126

(619) 566-6623 — Phone order full rebate

MaslercaidA/ISA add 3%, Shipping & Handling $3.95. Calil. Res. add

6% Sales Tax. All Product! Minulicturar GutrintMd.

Programmable Communications Translator

The PCT-100 is a configurable in-line rs-232 protocol and data translator, the pct-100 can provide:

* Terminal or printer emulation

* dec or ibm system compatibility

* Macro-function keys

* "Type-ahead" and data buffering

* baud rate conversion

* Handshake protocol translation (E.G. CTS/RTS. XON/X0FF)

the pct-100 is configured using a built-in Communications Translation Language. Programs can be easily entered s edited from any ascii device.

PCT-100-PCB (PCB ONLY) $ 289

PCT-100-ASH (PCB W/ CASE)..! 339 PCT-512-MCO (power supply).$ 59

EB

J\KSO

VISA

Method Systems Incorporated

19751 South Lakeshore Boulevard

Euclid, Ohio ¥tl19

(216) 531-0514

Circle 201 on inquiry card.

Circle 227 on inquiry card.

Circle 258 on inquiry card.

Scotch'

DISKETTES

Call Toil-Free 1-800-328-3472 for prices and information. Dealer inquiries invited. C.O.D. and charge cards accepted. All order* shipped from itoclt. within 24 hour*. Call toll FREE

M

North Hills Corporation

3564 Rolling View Dr.

White Bear Lake, MN 55110

1-800-328-3472

MNCall Collect 1-612-770-0485

BASIC*—Extended BASIC for Apple Users

A powerful extension of Applesoft BASIC for engineers, scientists and students. Some of the BASIC* features are:

• BUILT-IN COMPLEX ARITHMETIC

Replaces Applesoft integer variables with complex variables for built-in complex arithmetic capabilities,

• BUILT-IN COMPLEX FUNCTIONS

Useful functions for complex arithmetic like CSQRT, CEXP, CABS and CLOG are available. Several complex/real and real/complex functions are standard.

• POWERFUL EXTENDED HI-RES COMMANDS Area oriented byte graphic capabilities for pixel manipulation, image magnification, inter-screen and intra-screen image translation, and semen/memory data movement. Commands for screen switching and displays, and clearing screens to different background colors.

• PROGRAMMABLE CHARACTER SETS

Instead of the standard text screen, hi-res screens can be used for upper/lower cases and for mixed graphic modes. Programmable character sets for foreign language alphabets, variable fonts and animation applications.

• VARIABLE PITCH SCREEN PRINTING

Variable pitch printing capabilities permit printing 40 to 70 characters per line.

Several application programs (like FFT, EQUATION SOLVER) are contained in the BASIC* diskette to illustrate the powerful features of the language.

Requires APPLE II/II Plus with a I6K memory card or APPLE HE and one disk drive.

Price; S60 + %2 shipping and handling + 6% tax for California residents. We accept checks, Visa or Master Card.

Contact S.S. ReddU Softesmythe Software,

PO Box 17043

Irvine, CA 927/3

Phone: 714-540-1644 or 714-660-0167

MEMORY CORP Flexible Diskettes

Life Tim* Warranty- 1 oo% Certified

33% Stronger Jacket Longer Life

High Density Oxide Better Performance

FREE CASE Protective Storage

Low Cost More Diskettes For Your Money

51A" $160

single s;oe T | each

SINGLE DENSITY .16 TPi W/HUB RING

Paced io oei Sail Pact

51A" $189

SSfi.'viKf,.... ■ each

5V4" $047

noijm i side Tfcparr

DOUBLE DENSITY ^cao1 48 TPt W/HUB RING

Pjcmd W par Soli Poc.

BULK SSSD

I each

BULK SSDD

™ I eacl

BULK DSDD

DELIVERED PRICES

Free shipping in continental USA Call tor

quantity discounts. We accept money orders,

certified checks, VISA and MasterCard. Personal

checks accepted, but take two weeks to clear

bank N.D. add4%

Software Services'"

1326-25th St. S.. Suite H Fargo. ND 58103

1-800-634-2248

Circle 350 on Inquiry card.

Circle 356 on Inquiry card.

74LS00

74S00

74LS00

.60

74LS166

2.50

74LS01

.60

74LS168

135

74LS02

.60

74LS169

1.35

74LS03

60

74LS170

2.50

74LS04

75

74LS173

150

74LS05

.75

74LS174

1 50

74LS08

75

74LS175

ISO

74LS09

75

74LS181

2.50

74LS10

65

74LS190

1.45

74LS11

.75

74LS191

1.45

74LS12

.75

74LS192

1.35

74LS13

.95

74LS193

1.35

74LS14

1 25

74LS194

145

74LS15

.75

74LS195

1.35

74LS20

.60

74LS196

1.35

74LS21

75

74LS197

1 35

74LS22

75

74LS221

1.35

74LS26

75

74LS240

1.85

74LS27

.75

74LS242

1.85

74LS28

75

74LS243

1.85

74LS40

75

74LS244

2.25

74LS42

95

74LS245

3.95

74LS48

.95

74LS247

1.65

74LS51

60

74LS248

1.65

74LS54

60

74LS249

1.65

74LS55

.60

74LS251

1.75

74LS73

.95

74LS253

1.75

74LS74

1 42

74LS258

1.50

74LS75

.95

74LS259

2.95

74LS76

.95

74LS260

1.15

74LS78

95

74LS261

3.75

74LS83A

1 15

74LS266

1.35

74LS85

1 25

74LS273

1.75

74LS86

75

74LS275

4.95

74LS90

95

74LS279

.95

74LS92

.95

74LS283

1.25

74LS93

95

74LS290

1.25

74LS95

.95

74LS293

1.25

74LS96

1.25

74LS295

1.65

74LS107

.75

74LS298

1.65

74LS109

.75

74LS323

4.95

74LS113

.95

74LS324

2.15

74LS114

.95

74LS347

2.55

74LS122

1.05

74LS348

2.55

74LS123

135

74LS352

1.65

74LS124

1.35

74LS353

1.95

74LS125

95

74LS363

1.95

74LS126

95

74LS365

1.25

74LS132

1.35

74LS366

1.25

74LS133

95

74LS367

.95

74LS136

95

74LS368

.95

74LS138

1.10

74LS373

2.50

74LS139

1 10

74LS374

4.95

74LS145

1.75

74LS375

1.25

74LS148

1 75

74LS377

1.95

74LS151

1.25

74LS378

2.55

74LS153

1.25

74LS385

1.95

74LS154

1 70

74LS379

2.55

74LS155

1.25

74LS386

1.25

74LS156

1 35

74LS381

3.95

74LS157

1 25

74LS390

2.55

74LS158

1.25

74LS393

2.55

74LS160

1 25

74LS395

2.55

74LS161

1.25

74LS424

3.95

74LS162

1 25

74LS640

3.95

74LS163

1 25

74LS668

2.75

74LS164

1.65

74LS645

4.95

74LS165

1.25

74LS670

2.50

74LS690

2.50

7400 SERIES CALL FOR PRICE

RESISTORS

V. WATT S'.o CARBON FILM FROM 1 OHM TO 10M OHM

50 pes l 25 0 025 ea

100 pes 2 00 0 020ea

1000 pes 15 00 0 015ea

5000 pes 50 00 OOlOea

5% CARBON FILM

2 50 0 050 ea

4 00 0 040 ea

30 00 0 030 ea

100 00 0 020ea

RIBBON CABLE

GENERAL PURPOSE BOARDS BLANK BOARD — HOLES ON 100" GRID, No ETCHED CIRCUIT EXCEPT CONTACT FINGER

No Contacts Size

Contact Centers

Price

P 441-1 P 442-1 P 721-1 P 722-1

22.44 22/44 36/72 36/72

9 95 1095

9 95 10 95

D- SUBMINIATURE CONNECTORS

Descnplion

Solder Cup

Right Angle PC Mounting j Hood

MODEMS

3.20 540

Grey

Black

SIGNALMAN

MARK I MARK VI

MARK VII MARK XII

ADAPTER

RS 232C. 300 BAUD, DIR CONN IBM COMPATIBLE 300 BAUD DIR CONN . AUTO ANS/DIAL RS 232C. 300 BAUD. DIR CONN AUTO ANS/DIAL RS 232C, 300/1200 BAUD. DIR CONN , AUTO ANS/DIAL 115VAC to9V DC

IBM PC SMARTMODEM 1200B. Plug-in SMARTCOM II COMMUNICATIONS SOFTWARE SMARTMODEM 300, AUTO ANS/DIAL. 300 BAUD. RS232 SMARTMODEM 1200. AUTO ANS/DIAL, 1200 BAUD, RS232 SMARTMODEL lie. 300 BAUD AUTO ANS/DIAL, Plug-m SMARTCOM I COMMUNICATIONS SOFTWARE

89 00 199 00

139.00

359 00

9 00

449 00 99 00 199 00 475 00 279 00 79 00

BARE BOARDS

P 25x45 2 5,'x4 5" 2 50

P 45x65 4.5" X 6.5" 4 95

P 45 x B5 4 5" x 8 5" 6 50

P 45 x 170 4 5" x 17 0" 11 95

P 85 x 170 8 5" x 17 0" 1995

S - 100 BOARD 153" x 10"! HOLES ON 100" GRID

P 100-1 P 100-2 P 100-3

Blank Board Horizontal Busses Vertical Busses

15 95 22 95 2295

EDGE CARD CONNECTORS

PIN PIN PIN PIN

WW ST WW ST

4.95 2.95 5.95 6.95

WIRE WRAP WIRE

WIRE KIT 01 S9.95

200/3", 250/3.5". 100/4", 4.5". 5". 6' WIRE KIT »2 $24.95

250/2 5". 4.5". 5". 500/3". 3 5". 4"

100/5 5". 6". 6 5". 7"

SPOOLS AVAILABLE IN RED. BLUE, VELLOW AND BLACK

IC SOCKETS

WIRE WRAP 1 - 99

8 PIN WW 14 PIN WW 16 PIN WW 18 PIN WW 20 PIN WW 22 PIN WW 24 PIN WW 28 PIN WW 40 PIN WW LP =

8 PIN LP 14 PIN LP 16 PIN LP 18 PIN LP 20 PIN LP 22 PIN LP 24 PIN LP 28 PIN LP 40 PIN LP 64 PIN LP

Tel: 1-(800)-821-3628

D- SUBMINIATURE CONNECTOR JUMPERS

36 36" Single Male 12 00

36 36" Single Female 12 80

36DP 36" Male to Male 18 95

60DP 60" Male to Male 19 95

36DS 36" Female to Female 18 95

BODS 60" Female to Female 19 95

36DS 36" Male 10 Female 18 95

BODS 60" Male to Female 19 95

FOR IBM PC

Shugart

Panasonics

Toshiba

Tandon

TM100-2A FOR APPLE II AND lie

FLOPPY DISK DRIVES

320 KB 'v High

320KB

320KB

320KB

Handwell Handwell

HD-40 HSD-80

Full High v.. High

209 00 209 00 209 00 209 00

175 00 185 00

green amber

color monitor color monitor

JOYSTICK

FOR

APPLE II

$32

00

COLOR CODED

5 50

6 50 6 30

CENTRONlC PRINTER CABLE

FOR APPLE II & lie

16K RAM CARD

Compatible with DOS 3 3 CP/M Visicalc, PASCAL 1 YR WARRANTY

$39.'

Apple ll/lle Compatible Disk Drive

S175.00

CONTROLLER CARD $49«

Speedy EPROM

Programmer

for Apple II

$149.00

Programming 2716, 2732.

2732A, 2764, 27128.

2516, 2532. 2564

in 30 seconds, sottware

control programming,

no additional

hardware required.

U/V EPROM ERASER

General Industries

S37.50

SUPER COOLING

FANS For APPLE

WITH SURG

$39.5

FOR IBM P/C

MULTIFUNCTION BOARD WITH

128K. 2 Serial Port.

1 Parallel Port.

Real Time Clock

S399.00

Color Graphic Display Card

$270.°°

64K MEMORY

EXPANSION KIT

lor IBM/PC

S52.95

Joy Stick for IBM P/C

S35.'

8087

MATHEMATICS

CO-PROCESSOR

S199.00

VISA , f^ffl^ffi

TERMS. For shipping include $2.00 for UPS Ground or S3 00 (or UPS Blue Label Air Items over 4 lbs require additional shipping charges $10.00 minimum order.

IBM is a trade mark of International Business Machines Corporation Apple is a trade mark of Apple Computer

Price is subject to change without notice

12 Hand well

I 4962 EL CAMINO REAL • LOS ALTOS. CA 94022 • (415) 962-9265

1-(800) 821-3628

TXL 171947 HANDWELL LTOS

corp

Circle 190 on inquiry card.

BYTE May 1984 527

Electronic

Circuit

Analysis

• AC and DC analysis

• Very fast, optimized machine language

• Worst case, sensitivity analysis

• Sweep component values

• 64 Nodes

• Compare circuits

• Log or linear sweep

• Full file handling

• Full editing, error trapping

• Frequency response, magnitude and phase

• Complete manual with examples

• Transmission lines

• Complex y parameters

• Available for CP/M, MSDOS, TRSDOS

• Price - $150.00

Tatum Labs

P.O. Box 698

Sandy Hook, CT 06482

(203) 426-2184

6800 Family Cross-Software

&r

Circle 374 on inquiry card.

6800/01/05/09 microprocessor software development tools tor PDP-11, VAX, IBM or other mainframes: CrossAssemblers, High-level language PL/W Compilers, Linker, and Simulators.

IWInlek Corp. 1601 Soulh Sir, Lolayette. IW4...

Circle 406 on inquiry card.

The Statistician

CPM IBM-PC TRS-DOS XENIX

Multiple Regression

Stepwise

Ridge

All Subsets

Backward Elimination Time Series Analysis Descriptive Statistics Transformations

* Survey Research ' Nonparametncs

* X-Y Plots

■ ANOVA

* Random Samples

* Data Base

■ Search & sort

* Hypothesis tests

Please call TOLL FREE 1-800-334-0854 (Ext. 814)

Q

for more information

or write:

Quant Systems

Box 628

Charleston, SC 29402

VISA-MiC Accepted

Circle 325 on inquiry card.

FREE SOFTWARE

RENT THE PUBLIC DOMAINI

User Group Software isn't copyrighted, so no fees to payl lOOO's of CP/M and IBM software programs in .COM and source code to copy yourself! Games, business, utilitiesl All FREEI

CP/M USERS GROUP LIBRARY

Volumes 1-92, 46 disks rental -$45

SIG/M USERS GROUP LIBRARY

Volumes 1-90, 46 disks rental-$40

Volumes 91-154, 30 disks rental-$40

SPECIAL! Rent all SIG/M volumes for $75

IBM PC-SIG (PC-DOS) LIBRARY

Volumes 1-100, 5'/." disks $99.50 MOST FORMATS AVAILABLEI SPECIFY.

Public Domain User Group Catalog Disk $5 pp.

(payment in advance, please) Rental is for 7 days after receipt, 3 days grace to return. Use credit card, no disk deposit.

Shipping, handling & insurance —$7.50 per library.

(6191 941-092S Information,

(6191 727-1016 anytime order machine

Have your credit card readyl Public Domain Software Center

P.J.S. Co. AMEX

993 S. Sante Fe "C" "Ggf* Vista, CA 92083 mlSm

" BASF

DISKETTES

BASF Diskettes at competitive price. Call TOLL FREE (800) 235-4137 for prices and information. Visa and Master Card accepted.

PACIFIC EXCHANGES

100 Foothill Blvd San Luis Obispo CA 93401 llnCal call (805)543-10371

Circle 313 on inquiry card.

Circle 305 on inquiry card.

BDysan

^CORPORATION

SPECIAL DISKETTE OFFER

The Dysan quality difference is yours to try with advanced production techniques that assure every diskette to be 100% error-free. PLUS! If you call, write, or utilize reader sen/ice in response to this ad—we'll send you our full-range catalog of computer supplies with Special Offers good for further savings on Dysan diskettes and many other quality products.

LYBEN COMPUTER SYSTEMS

1250-E Rankin Dr., Troy, Ml 48083 Phone: (313) 589-3440

Simply #1 in Service & Reliability

DISCOVER THE DYSAN DIFFERENCE

Circle 243 on inquiry card.

Serial 4 ■ I HUH I ^ Parallel

Convert What You Have To What You Want!

• RS232 Serial " Centronics Parallel

- q Baud Rates ' Handshake Signals

" Latched Outputs * Compact 3% x 4% x

No longer will your peripheral choices be limited by the type ol port you have available! Our new High Performance 700 Series Converters provide Ihe missing link. Based on the latest in CMOS technology these units (Balure full baud rale selection to 19.2K, with handshake signals to maximize transfer efficiency. Detailed documentation allows simplified installation. Order the Model 770 (SerlPar) or Model 775 (Par/Ser) Today!

liatrtranics

J Mtwuitt

nly*89

95

1501B Pino Strut

Posi Office Box 2133

Oinird. Cilifomi. 33030

Conneclor Option J10 00 CA ResiCrsnis 6% tu

UPS snipping S3 00

CALL (805) 487-1665 or 487-1666 mm For FAST Delivery \

Circle 162 on inquiry card.

C LANGUAGE PROGRAMMERS

c-systems C COMPILER c-window™

The complete c language source level

program testing and debugging tool.

• Single step by c source line.

• Set breakpoints at line numbers.

• Display and alter variables by symbol name, using c expression syntax.

• No more printf or assembler level debugging!

c-window™ is a support package for the c-systams C COMPILER tor

8O86/8O88 based systems.

Contact c-nystems P.O. Box 3253

TM c-systems

Fuller-ton, CA 92634 714-637-5362

CONVERSES COMPUTER

rjmal ELIZA program is

CrS&tfid ."it MIT in 1966, ELIZA has become the world's must celebrated nrlilinial intelligence demonstration program ELIZA is a non-directive psychotherapist who analyzes each stalement as you type it in and thou responds with her own comment or question—and her remarks are ollen amazingly appropriate1

Designed lo run on a large mainframe. ELIZA has never betore been available to personal computer users except in greatly stripped down versions lacking Ihe sophistication which made Ihe original program so fascinating

Now. our new microcomputer version possessing the FULL power and range o' expression □( the original is being otlered at the introductory price ol only S25 And if you want to tind out how she does it lor teach her lo do more), we will include the complete SOUHCE PROGRAM tor only S20 additional

Order your copy of ELIZA today and you II never again wonder how to respond when you hear someone say. ' Okay, lei s see what this computer ol yours can actually do!

ELIZA IS AVAILABLE IN THE FOLLOWING FORMATS:

o all orders

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE RESEARCH GROUP

^^^^_, 921 North La Jolla Avenue, Depl E ^^^5^^™ Los Angeles. CA 90046

^^^_ 1213)656-7368 (213) 654-2214 i^^^^^ft MC. VISA and checks accepted

Circle 45 on inquiry card.

Apple Country Ltd. has your Number for

ROCK BOTTOM PRICES

I) 1-800-222-2602

MONITORS

AMDEK COLOR I PLUS AMDEK COLOR II PLUS AMDEK COLOR IV AMDEK VIDEO 300 (GREEN) AMDEK VIDEO 300 (AMBER) AMDEK VIDEO 3 10 (AMBER) BMC 12" GREEN

BMC 13" COLOR

BMC 13" RGB AP2 COLOR

BMC 13" RGB IBM

COMREX 9" HI-RES AMBER COMREX 13" COLOR W/SOUND COMREX 12" HI-RES AMBER COMREX 12" HI-RES GREEN COMREX 12" HI-RES LT GRN COMREX 13" RGB COLOR GORILLA 12" AMBER GORILLA 12" GREEN

NEC 12" NEC 12"

HI-RES GREEN ECONO GREEN NEC 12" LO-RES COLOR NEC 12" AMBER SCREEN NEC 12" COLOR - IBM PRINCETON GRAPHICS HX-12 SAKATA 13" COLOR SAKATA 13" RGB COLOR SAKATA SUPER RGB SAKATA 12" GREEN SANYO CTR-70 HIRES COLOR SANYO AUM-255 25" RGB SANYO DMC-6500 13" RGB TAXAN 12" GREEN TAXAN 12" AMBER TAXAN RGB VISION I TAXAN RGB VISION III TAXAN RGB 420 IBM ZENITH 12" AMBER ZENITH 12" GREEN ZENITH RGB ZVM-135 COLOR USI 9" AMBER PI-4 USI 9" GREEN PI-1 USI 12" AMBER PI-3 USI 12" GREEN PI-2 USI 14" LO-RES COLOR

ANCHOR MARK I (RS-232) ANCHOR MARK II (ATARI) ANCHOR MARK VII (RS-232) ANCHOR MARK XII (RS-232) ANCHOR VOLKSMODEM HES MODEM VIC-C64 NOVATION J-CAT NOVATION 212 AUTO CAT RIXON R212A 1200 BAUD SMARTCAT 103/212 SMARTCAT 103 SMARTMODEM 300 BAUD SMARTMODEM 1200 BAUD SMARTMODEM 1200B - IBM US ROBOTICS AUTODIAL 212 US ROBOTICS PASSWORD

309.95 454.95 819.95 139.95 154.95 174.95

89.95 249.95 379.95 449.95 119.95 289.95 139.95 134.95 134.95 274.95

99.95

89.95 154.95 109.95 294.95 164.95 439.95 519.95 294.95 549.95 749.95 119.95 629.95 799.95 419.95 129.95 139.95 329.95 464.95 549.95 119.95

99.95 524.95 129.95 119.95 144.95 129.95 309.95

84.95 84.95 119.95 289.95 64.95 54.95 119.95 624.95 429.95 429.95 199.95 219.95 484.95 449.95 499.95 379.95

PRINTERS

ANADEX DP-9501B 1099.95

ANADEX DP-9625B 1299.95

ANADEX DP-9620B 1179.95

ANADEX WP-6000 2299.95

ANADEX DP-6500TR 500CPS 2529.95

APPLE IMAGEWRITER LOW1I

CENTRONICS 352 DP 2229.95

C.ITOH A10 DAISY WHEEL 569.95

C.ITOH 8510SP 499.95

C.ITOH B600BP 949.95

C.ITOH 8510 SCP COLOR 579.95 COMREX CR-II DAISY WHEEL 499.95

DAISYWRITER 2000 48K 1129.95

DELTA-10 539.95

DELTA-15 669.95

EPSON FX-80 W/TRACTOR 529.95

EPSON FX-100 F/T 719.95

EPSON MX-100 F/T 489.95

EPSON RX-80 324.95

EPSON RX-80 F/T 389.95

GEMINI 10X 299.95

GEMINI 15X 439.95

GORILLA BANANNA 189.95

IDS MICROPRISM 480 429.95

IDS PRISM 132 1459.95

JUKI 6100 PRINTER (P) 464.95

MANNESMANN TALLY MT160L 639.95

MANNESMANN TALLY MT180L 879.95

MANNESMANN TALLY SPIRIT 349.95

NEC 3550 SPINWRITER-IBM 1999.95

OKIDATA MICROLINE 80 279.95

OKIDATA PACEMARK 2350S 2329.95

OKIDATA PACEMARK 2410P 2569.95

OKIDATA PACEMARK 2410S 2639.95

OKIDATA 82A W/OKIGRAPH 379.95

OKIDATA 8 3A W/OKIGRAPH 664.95

OKIDATA 84P 1099.95

OKIDATA 84S 1199.95

OKIDATA 92P 484.95

OKIDATA 93P 799.95

OKIDATA 93S 894.95

PANASONIC P1090 334.95

PANASONIC P1091 394.95

PRINTMASTER (DAISY) 1439.95

PROWRITER I (8510P) 364.95

PROWRITER II (1550P) 599.95

QUME SPRINT 11/40+ 1439.95 SANYO PR5500 DAISY WHEEL 719.95

SILVER-REED 550 DAISY 749.95

STAR POWER-TYPE DAISY 409.95

STARWRITER DAISY WHEEL 1139.95

TOSHIBA P-1350 LP 1749.95

TRANSTAR 315 COLOR 499.95

TRANSTAR 120P 14CPS 464.95

TRANSTAR 130P 18CPS 679.95

TRANSTAR 140P 40CPS 1329.95 MICROBUFFER(EPSON RS232) 129.95

GRAFITTI CARD (APPLE) 89.95

GRAPPLER + (APPLE) 119.95 MICROBUFFERII 16K(APPLE) 154.95 PKASO PRINTER I/F(APPLE) 139.95

WIZARD BPO 16K (APPLE) 139.95

WIZARD SOB 16K (APPLE) 199.95

OTHER PRINTERS AVAILABLE

COMPUTERS

APPLE He STARTER SYSTEM LOW I 1 APPLE MACINTOSH COMPUTER LOW!I

COMMODORE 64 COMPUTER LOWI1 COMMODORE 1541 DISK DRIVE LOW!! COLUMBIA VP PORTABLE 2599.95 COLUMBIA 1600-1 COMPUTER2949.95

IBM-PC COMPATIBLE SYSTEM 128K, 2-DS/DD DRIVES, KEYBOARD WITH COMPLETE SOFTWARE PACKAGE

EAGLE PC PLUS-2 SYSTEM 3399.95 128K, 2-DS/DD DRIVES, MONITOR, EAGLEWRITER, MS-DOS, EAGLECALC, & CP/M-86 EAGLE SPIRIT-II 2799.95

EAGLE SPIRIT-XL 3999.95

PORTABLE 128K EXPANDABLE TO 640K ON BOARD, 1 320K FLOPPY,

10 MEGABYTE HARD DISK, IBM COMPATABLE KEYBOARD, 2 SERIAL

1 PARALLEL PORT, MS-DOS 2.0, MONOCHROME MONITOR, CP/M 86

NEC APC-H0 1 2239.95

NEC APC-H02 2799.95

NEC 8201 COMPUTER 649.95

SANYO 550 COMPUTER 819.95

SANYO 555 COMPUTER 1124.95

ZENITH IBM COMPATABLE 2649.95 ZENITH W/10 MEG DSK 3999.95

WILDCAT STARTER SYSTEM 1349.95

APPLE II COMPATABLE SYSTEM

64K, DETACHABLE KEYBOARD,

2 APPLE COMPATABLE DISK DRIVES,

HI-RES 12" AMBER MONITOR,

RBG & COMPOSITE COLOR OUTPUT,

2 CPU'S (Z-80 A s, 6502) ,

80-COLUMN CARD S JOYSTICK

ZORBA PORTABLE COMPUTER 999.95 BUILT IN 7" GREEN SCREEN,

2 DS/DD DISK DRIVES, RS-232, PARALLEL, IEEE488 BUS, KEYBOARD

EMULATION MODE FOR OSBORNE I,

KAYPRO II,XEROX 820,DEC VT-180,

CROMEMCO 520, TELEVIDEO 802

AND MANY MORE!

WORDSTAR,MAILMERGE,CALCSTAR>

C-BASIC, CPM 2.2, M-80

ATARI HARDWARE

ALIEN VOICE BOX 99.95

KOALA PAD TOUCH TABLET 77.95

RANA 1000 SS/DD W/SFTW 369.95 TRAK AT-D2 SS/DD + TURBO 419.95

DISKETTES

SS/SD ELEPHANT 16.95 OPUS 17.95 SS/DD ELEPHANT 19.95 OPUS 20.95 DS/DD ELEPHANT 25.95 OPUS 26.95

APPLE HARDWARE & SOFTWARE

4TH DIMENSION DRIVE-ONLY 214.95

4TH DIMENSION DRIVE+CTRL 299.95

ALS CP/M CARD 334.95

APPLE-CAT II MODEM 284.95

BANK STREET WRITER 49.95

BUFFERED GRAPPLER+ 199.95

d-BASE II (REQ Z-80) 499.95

HAYES MICROMODEM He 234.95

MACH II JOYSTICK He 34.95

MACH III JOYSTICK He 4 1.95

MASTERTYPE 29.95

MICROBUFFER 11+ 16K (P) 199.95

PFS:FILE 89.95

PKASO/U PRINTER I/F 139.95

PREMIUM SOFTCARD He 384.95

QUADRAM 64K80COL CRD He 124.95

VIDEX VIDEOTERM W/SFTSW 239.95

VIDEX ULTRATERM 294.95

IBM

HERCULES GRAPHICS CARD 389.95 KOALA PAD TOUCH TABLET 119.95 KRAFT JOYSTICK 49.95

MICROPRO PRO PACK 419.95 MICROSOFT SYSTEMCRD 256K 479.95 MICROSOFT MOUSE 139.95

MOUSE SYSTEMS PC MOUSE 219.95 QUADCHROME MONITOR 589.95 QUADLINK APPLE EMULATOR 519.95 QUADRAM QUADBOARD I 64K 299.95 QUADRAM QUADCOLOR I 229.95 RANA DS/DD DISK DRIVE 274.95 STB SUPER I/O MULTIFUNCT 184.95 TG JOYSTICK W/TOGGLE 44.95 TRANSEND P.C. MODEM 1200 439.95 VERSAWRITER GRAPH TABLET 249.95 WIZARD SPOOLER P/S 16K 249.95

COMMODORE 64

CARDBOARD/5 5 SLOT EXPAN. 64.95

CARD? GRAPHICS INTERFACE 69.95

DATA20 Z-80 VIDEOPAK 229.95

DELPHI'S ORACLE DATA BASE 89.95

DISKEY 34.95

DONKEY KONG 34.95

EASY SCRIPT64 34.95

EASY SPELL 64 34.95

FLIGHT SIMULATOR II 39.95

HOME ACCOUNTANT 54.95

HOMEWORD WORD PROCESSOR 49.95

JOUST 35.95

KOALA PAD TOUCH TABLET 79.95

MERLIN 64 ASSEMBLER 35.95

MSD-SD1 DISK DRIVE 399.95

MULTIPLAN

OMNI-CALC

PAPER CLIP W/P

PAC-MAN

POPEYE

R080TR0N

S.A.M.

SARGON II

VOICE BOX

We will try to meet or beat any advertised price! CALL US... WE CAN HELP! 1-800-222-2602

For technical assistance, order status and California calls (619) 765-0239

Apple Country. Ltd., P.O. Box 1099, 2602 Washington St., Julian, Calif. 92036 ^

Terms: We accept American Express. No extra charge for Visa /MasterCard, Cashier's Check, S/- "<•

personal check (allow 2 weeks to clear) Shipping & Handling: 5% ($5 min.); APO FPO Alaska f/.'/l''.'.

Hawaii & Monitors 5% ($10 min.) Foreign orders 15% ($15 min.) All items are new with //'''•*''••

manufacturer's warranty. Prices are subject to availability & change without notice. Purchase order I v-*!^-" must include check. California residents add 6% sales tax. Send $1 (good toward first purchase) for ^- —+ new fall catalog.

Apple Country. Ltd. is a DISCOUNT MAIL ORDER HOUSE for the micro computer industry

and is a California corporation not affiliated with Apple Computer Inc. Apple is a trademark of Apple Computer Inc.

Circle 39 on Inquiry card.

IBM PC/XT COMPATIBLE

Computer Case $140.00

Keytronic Style Keyboard $160.00

PC 65 Watt Power Supply $150.00

XT 100 Watt Power Supply $190.00

PC/XT Bare Board $ 90.00

Shugart SA455 320KB Floppy Disk ... .$185.00

Shugart SA712 10MB Hard Disk $675.00

Shugart SA606 10MB Hard Disk $475.00

Hard Disk Controller $350.00

Floppy Disk Controller w/Serial,

Parallel, Game Porta $250.00

Color Graphic Card $210.00

Monochrome Card $225.00

OEM/DEALER INQUIRIES WELCOME

ELECTRADE CO. (408) 946-2541

780 Trimble Rd., Suite 605

San Jose, CA 95131

U Dysan

^/corporation

Solve your dbc problem, buy 100% surface tested Dyaan dMnMrai All ordara eMpoed (ram etock, wttfun 24 houra. CaB toO FREE (800) 235-4137 for price* and airuunaUuii. Vita and Master Card accepted

PACIFIC

EXCHANGES

100 Foothill Blvd. San Luis Obispo. CA 93401. (InCal. call (805)543-1037.)

Circle 118 on inquiry card.

Circle 157 on inquiry card.

Circle 305 on inquiry card.

*V3M SPECIAL

We're bringing in the New Year with specials on quality 3M information processing products, including:

• DISKETTES • MAC . TAPE • DATA CARTRIDGES PLUS! Specials on many other products in our full-range discount catalog of computer supplies. Call, write, or utilize reader service to obtain your FREE catalog of 1984 3M Specials.

LYBEN COMPUTER SYSTEMS

1250-E Rankin Dr., Troy, Ml 48083 Phone: (313) 589-3440

simply #1 in Service & Reliability

Authorized Distributor Information Processing Products

Stepping-Motor Driver Box with on board BASIC in ROM

Controls Motion from any CRT or Computer

Process Control 3-D X.Y.Z Motion

HOOKUP AND GO! Provides all required power

Drives 4 motors at up to 5 amps per winding while sensing 8 limit switches

STEPPING-MOTOR TIPS COOKBOOK: $8

with 3-D software & schematic BIG STEPPER:

Parallel Version S495/card only $195

Smart Version (RS232) $850/wrth BASIC $985 Centre Computer Consultants, (814) 237-4535

P.O. Box 739, State College, PA 16804

THE OFFICIAL NUMBER TO CALL

TO FIND OUT

M0REAB0UT THE UNOFFICIAL

APPLE LOGO:

617-492-8816

* Terrapin"

The Logo People

Terrapin, Inc., 380 Green Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, (617)492-8816

Circle 244 on inquiry card.

Circle 72 on inquiry card.

Circle 378 on Inquiry card.

A word for this Punch/Reader Combo is

Speed! Model 510 punches paper lape al 1 lOcps reads al 150cps. This rugged machine is compuler compatible oflering RS232C. current loop, parallel inputs The ASCII-to-Baudot code conversion permits direct keyboard entrv (or Telex/TWX transmission. Plus: 256 character storage. 75-9600 Baud rale. 5-8 level lape. stock. ADDMASTER CORP. 416 Junipeto Serra Dr.. San Gabriel. CA 91776 * 213/ 285-1121.

ILrisSI B COMPILER for 8080/8085/Z80

ic object code Is COMPACT i FASTEST in lurrwn C mmpfh

Our "Sii'vc" .nrour.im runs in

tilmI 6.2 vmnrk (nptimi/rd) (Src l.nui.uy 14m I1YII, i)i) 283-326

for pamphlet write: P.O.Box 508 STA. CRUZ CA. USA 95062 few further information ctmtact:

LSI JAPAN CO., LTD.

2-24-9 YOYOCI SHIBUYAKU TOKYO (151) JAPAN PHONt(03)J79-2-I27

Boolu • Software • Hardware Add-Onj • tor your ATARI 600X1/ 800 XL. Commodorc-64. VIC 20, Sinclair, Timex. Apple ll.Otborne+OSI

BLIZTEXT - Mnrt than mi

■ *orJ

Wordprooateor for all ATARI compueari

pfocMior tor lh« C-641 Mori

No one can praoda better peifoimence

command i. it'mMiiunmi. in*

t*f. t if mini 1 nttwart included lor

ATEXT-1

electronic mail and networking

The bail

wotdOfoontof lor ihtCM

Order-No 4MS

189.00

adiling, iciollmg, uring march leven

MACROFIRE - Editor/A rear. theC-64

Mar for

Over 30 eornrnandi Teal can be lawd on

Or oar-No 4963

■B9.0O

Order No 7210 ceuatta IMHb Order No 7116 diak S34.K

Orda. No 7217 c*-ir.<to. 169 00

Program! (rum Ihii book on rata*

119.95

BASIC and one ljm.,1 GUNFIGHT in

Tip*, tricks, ttrnti, my imoo

ant tub

Order-No. 163 n 95

Order-No. 1BJ

«9.«

Programi liom ihii book on d<*

619.9$

Machine language

Ho*, to program in 6502

Language an youi C-64 Orda. No 1IM

Mactime

BASIC programmer

Ordar-No. 169 (9.95

FORTH on Ine ATARI - Learning by

Of ilar-No. 165

Introduction, programi. application!

Small Uu un*u Program, for the C-64 Order-No 1S6 612.95

O.d.. No 170 67.95

HARDWARE *f)D ON. fat you Parallel pnmor interface, KIT Ordar-No. 4MQ

C-64 619.95

Order-No. 7319 612.00 onlyl HACKERBOOK for your Atari computer in 6502 machine language How lo matt

Uniwarial Eipwimanter Board

19.95

bootable caiianei. diiki. and LPROMi

Eapenuon Board KIT - Hold

Complete conttfucnan article and toll

ELCOMP PUBLISHING. INC.

Circle 18 on inquiry card.

Circle 242 on inquiry card.

Circle 155 on Inquiry card.

TM

(ompuPro

A GODSOurCOMPANr SYSTEM 816/A A&T SYSTEM 816/B A81T SYSTEM 816/C" A81T SYSTEM 816/ D" A&T {80861 SYSTEM 816/E- A8>T (68000) TO ADD 40 Mb H.D. TO SYSTEM 816

83.999 $4,999 86.399 89.899 86.399 82.475

S-100 5 40Mb HARD DISK SUBSYSTEM W/DISK 3 81 CP/M 80 & 86

82,895

100 HOUR SYSTEM "BURN-IN" •XEROX ON-SITE SERVICE WHERE AVAILABLE

CPU Z 6MHz A&T 8229

CPU 8086/88 A&T 8349

CPU 8086 10MHz A&T 8569

CPU 86/87 5MHz A&T 8739

CPU 68K W/MMU OPTION A&T 8629

CPU 68K 10MHz CSC 8600

RAM 17 64K STATIC A&T 8349

RAM 16 64K STATIC 8&16 A&T 8389

RAM 21 128K STATIC 8&16 A&T 8699 RAM 22 266K STATIC 8& 16 A&T 81.229

M DRIVE/ H 512K RAM-DISK 8895

INTERFACER 3-8 SERIAL A&T 8489

INTERFACER 4-3 SERIAL/2 PARALLEL 8319

SYSTEM SUPPORT 1 A&T 8319

DISK 1 A&T 8349

DISK 2 A&T 8" H.D. CNTRL 8559

DISK 3 W/CP/M 80&86 8559 6 SLOT MOTHERBOARD W/TERMINATION 899

MORROW

MD2 SYSTEM W/MDT60 TERMINAL

AND TALLY SPIRIT PRINTER 81.699

MD3 AS EQUIP. ABOVE 81.999

MD3—MDCP88-256 SYS. AS EQUIP. ABOVE W/

8088 CO-PROC. & 256K RAM UPGD. 82.399

MD11 SYSTEM AS EQUIP. ABOVE W/CP/M 3.0.

128K RAM. DSDD FLPY AND 11Mb H.D. 82,745 MDP-3 PORT. SAME AS MD-3 W/5X7 SCREEN

& DETACH KB. & TALLY SPIRIT PRINT. 81.999

A uhulc cnmpuler svstenij 2 MODEMS, MX80 PRINTER, 2-SSDD 5" DRVS.. CP/M. FANCY FONT, MONEY MAESTRO, CBASIC. MBASIC. PERFECT FILER. SPELLER, WRITER. CALC CALL

ALSO W/DUAL 5" DSDD DRIVES CALL

ALSO W/8088 CPU. 320K RAM. MS-DOS CALL

COLUMBIA

PORTABLE 1600-VP W/ALL SOFTWARE 82,495 DESK TOP 1600-1 W/KEYTRONICS 6160 KB.

& CRT CONTR. (MON. NOT INCLD.) 82.695

KEYTRONICS 5150 KEYBOARD. IBM PC 8189

EH

Litton

JEFFERSONELECTRIC

TRUE SINE WAVE. 100% BATTERY OPER. W/NO SWITCH-OVER. BYPASS STATIC SWITCH 760 WATTS @ 15 MIN. #370-811-100 81,675

' 1 HR. W/AUXILIARY BATTERY 8149

TRIPP LITE

400 WATT W/LVC I STAND-BY POWER MORE THAN 1 HR. 8400

Circle 340 on inquiry card.

s-mo

ESTABLISHED 1977

SALES 800-528-3138

TECHNICAL 602-991-7870 MODEM ORDERS 602-948-1387 TELEX: 16 5026 FTCC SEC PHX.

JEESE3 FOR IBM-PC

TIMEMASTER WITH BATTERY BACK-UP DYNAMIC MEMORY 266K 1st MATE 266K. SERIAL. PARA. CLOCK CAPTAIN SAME AS lit MATE W/384K GRAPHICS MASTER HI-RES RGB IEEE 488 BOARD W/SOFTWARE 6Mb H.D. CARTRIDGE INSTALLS IN P.C. 33Mb FIXED H.D. W/6Mb REMOVABLE

CART. IN AN EXPANSION CHASSIS LAB MASTER W/MANY OPTIONS AVAIL.

Cromemco

DPU W/68000 AND Z80 CPU'S 256KZ DYNAMIC MEMORY BOARD D+7A DIGITAL/ANALOG INTERFACE SCC Z 80 SINGLE CARD COMPUTER 8PIO 8 PORT PARALLEL INTERFACE 64 FDC FLPY CNTLR. /TANDON DRVS. C-10MP PERS. COMP. W/MICROPRO

8101 8342 8412 8667 8621 8367 81,496

84.121 8746

8692 81.127 8267 8431 8257 8518 82.084

«557

EP128 128K EPROM BOARD 8237

VB3A 80x24 DISPLAY VIDEO BOARD 8424

VB3A 80x50 DISPLAY VIDEO BOARD 8467

VB3A-S CP/M COMPATIBLE 8" DISK 848

KB1 PROTOTYPING BOARD 836

I/04 2-SERIAL/2 PARALLEL I/O BOARD 8247

I/08 8-SERIAL I/O BOARD 8469

lEIectraloaicsl

QUASI-DISK RAM-DISK W/612K. ON BD LED'S

FOR DRIVE STATUS. 8" SSSD INSTALL S.W.

SAMPLE BIOS FOR ANY CP/M SYSTEM, LOGIC

WRITE PROTECT. DMA COMPATIBLE 8896

512K EXPANSION MODULE 8695

BATTERY BACK-UP W/PWR. SUPPLY 8169

64K CMOS STATIC RAM BOARD

2K WINDOW SELECT.. 160 n ■ RAM. MWRITE. BANK SELECT. EXTENDED ADDRESSING. SOCKETED. JUMPERABLE PHANTOM, CAN USE 2716 EPROMS 8409

MFIO ALL-IN-ONE I/O BOARD

IEEE 696/S 100 STD., 8 ASYNCH. SERIAL.

INTERNAL BAUD RATE GENERATOR. 2 PARALL.,

REAL TIME CLOCK W/BATT.. PROGRAMMABLE:

8 LEVEL PRIORITY INTERRUPT, WAIT

STATES, ALARM 8469

SERIAL OPTION BOARD 825

CENTRONICS OPTION BOARD 839

STD. PARALLEL OPTION BOARD 825

maxell

ITS WORTH IT

FD-18"SSDD 835 FD-2 8" DSDD

MD-1 5" SSDD 823 MD-2 5" DSDD

MD-200 (96 TPI) 5" DSQD

General Semiconductor Industries,

5PUHHE TJ CDMPHNY TRANSIENT VOLTAGE/NOISE PROTECTOR rtj[) 6 FT. CORD, 6 OUTLETS. CIRCUIT BREAKER, ILLUMIN. ON/OFF SWITCH #120 6K6 875

839 835 842

nc.

PMIN'II-UK

DAISYWRITER 2000 W/48K

8998

OKIDATA 92

8439

OKIDATA 93

8729

EPSON MX, RX. & FX IN STOCK

CALL

TALLY MT160L

8596

BROTHER HR-15 SERIAL

8509

BROTHER HR 26 SERIAL

8819

TALLY MT1 SOL

8819

TALLY 'SPIRIT N.L.Q. @ 80 C.P.S.

8299

: terminals: :& monitors:

FREEDOM 100 TERMINAL CALL FREEDOM 200 TERMINAL

(EMUL TELEVIDEO 960 & ADM 311 CALL

TAXAN RGB 420 (IBM LOOK-ALIKE) 8495

USI AMBER 12" HI-RES MONITOR (20MHz) 8119

QUME QVT102G 8629

QUMEQVT102A 8646 WYSE-50 14". 132 COL., EMULATES TVI 910.

920. 926. ADDS-VP & HAZELTINE 1600 8626

PRINCETON GRAPHICS HX12 HI-RES RGB 8496

ZENITH ZVM-136. 13 INCH. HI-RES RGB 8606

ZENITH Z29 8696

COMREX CR5600-Y, HI-RES. P-39 8126

disk drives:

S-IOO'S DMA 6Mb REMOV. CART. W/6 Mb FIXED WINCH. H.D. W/CABINET. P/S. ALL CABLES. CNTLR.. & OPER. SYS. DRIVERS 82.396

DMA SUBSYSTEM SAME AS ABOVE

FOR IBM-PC 82,396

S-IOO'S DUAL QUME 242 QUANTUM 40Mb H.D.

SUBSYS. W/DISK 1&3 & CP/M80&86 83.999

QUANTUM 40Mb WINCHESTER 81.896

Qurne

270 DAY WARRANTY 142 DSDD 5'/« "-'/j HI 242 DSDD 8"-</i HI 842 DSDD 8"-STD HI

8179 8395 8466

I andon

100-2A 5V." DSDD 8206

^INDUSTRIAL QUALITY Z HARINFTS

DUAL V4 HI HORIZONTAL 5'/." 875

SINGLE STD HI HORIZONTAL 5V4" 869

DUAL <A HI VERTICAL 8" 8195

SINGLE STD HI VERTICAL 8" 8195

WINCH. 6V«" H.D. (1 STD OR 2 Vi HI. DRVS.) 8219

software:

BDS "C " COMPILER 899 COMPUTER INNOVATIONS

"C" COMPILER 8299

COMPUVIEW VEDIT-80 8136

COMPUVIEW VEDIT 86/MS DOS »186

PERSONAL PEARL DATA BASE MGR. 8216

ACCOUNTING PEARL FOR IBM-PC 8636

FOX & GELLER dUTIL 869

FOX & GELLER QUICKCODE 8205

MICROPRO'S PRO PAK 8436

KNOWLEDGEMAN 8086 DATA BASE MGR. 8346

MIDROSOFTS BASIC COMPILER 8292

SORCIM SUPERCALC CP/M 2.2 8 INCH 8121

SORCIM SUPERCALC-3/IBM-PC 8246

ASHTON-TATE dBASE-2 CP/M-86 8 INCH 8449

IS DIGITAL RESEARCH

CONCURRENT CP/M-86 MP/M-B6

"C" COMPILER/IBM-PC DR. LOGO/IBM-PC CBASIC COMPILER 80 PL/1-86

DR ASSEMBLER PLUS TOOLS PASCAL MT+ DISPLAY MANAGER-80 ACCESS MANAGER 80 PC ACCOUNTING PACK SELECT (WORD PROC.) MSDOS

8210 8390 8210 860 8300 8460 8120 8210 8240 8180 8597 8299

S-100 DIV./696 CORP.

14425 North 79th Street

Scottsdale, Arizona 85260

FULL DEALER SUPPORT VISIT OUR SHOWROOM Hrs. 9:00AM - 5:30PM M F

Subject to Available Quantities

Prices Quoted Include

Cash Discounts

Shipping & Insurance Extra

maxell

Floppy Discs

CALL NOW-TOLL FREE

1-800-328-3472

Dealer inquiries invited. C.O.D.'s and charge cards accepted. All orders shipped from stock, within 24 hours. Call toll FREE.

iM^'Jt.V.'J.I:lJ:IWaa

m

Ak\

North Hills Corporation

3564 Rolling View Dr.

While Bear Lake. MN 55110

1-800 328-3472

MNCall Collect 1 -61 2-770-0485

[appleware.imc

fc The Apple Users Group' Software Library

For the first tme enioy your Apple to its fuHest capacity, usng speoaly packed deks with over 50 outstanding programs each (not available from any other source] Each packed disk includes an n»U;nsive vanety of interesting, useful BFtd entertaining programs "dispensable to all com putensts1 Mixed category packed disks include BUSINESS • EDUCATIONAL • DATA BASE • GAMES • UTILITIES • SCIENCE • MUSIC • GRAPHICS • FINANCE Library Disks I. II and III are mixed cateqones Single category disks are GAMES • UTILITIES • GRAPHICS • INTEGER • SCIENCE ■ TECH • MUSIC fi AUOIO Individual Disks available at 159 95 each

Order direct from this ad and Save up to $150 Buy Library Disks I. II and III and get B special bor.us disk FREE DVBT 260 programs lor $1 79 95 ♦ $4 shpang, BUT for the Best Value, receive any 9 drsks featuring over 600 □! our best programs tor onfy 65c each for a package pnee of $389 Certrfed Postage plus riandhng pari' *S«nd one-time membership foe of S15. [no fea charged to institutions] for 1000 + program catalog and gain access to a library of over 10,000 programs at a special 15% discount [Foreign memberships S28. U.S.)

For Orders Only Call now

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Florida: 1-305-987-8865

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SMAL/80

• SMAL/80 Assembler : ; HL=M(PTR); LHLD PTR • ; DE=9; LXI D,9 •

• HL=HL+DE; DAD D • '• IF A-L EQUAL CHP L '■ '• THEN JNZ LI '■ I A-A-14 SUI 14 :

ELSE JMP L2 : I A=L; LI:NOV A,L \ ; M(BC)=A; L2:STAX B

1

New! Z-80 version (runs on 8080's): $175. 8080 version only: $150. Macroprocessor only: $75. Available on CP/M disks. Add $4 for shipping. Complete tutorial text: "Structured Microprocessor Programming" (Publ; Yourdon Press) $20 plus $2 shipping. Send for ycur free button and literature or try the Ultimate Demo: SMAL/80 is Guaranteed!

Chromod Associates,

030 Park Ave., Hoboken, N. J. 07030 Telephone: (201) 653-7615

Circle 40 on inquiry card.

Circle 79 on inquiry card.

CHIPS* „ &DALE C2

THE INFLATION FIGHTERS!

4116

200ns

8/S 12.00

4116

150ns

8/S 13.74

2114L

300ns

8/S 12.00

2114L

200ns

8/S13.00

4164

200ns

S5.50 each

4164

150ns

S5.95 each

616

150ns

S7.50 each

6116

200ns

$5.40 each

6116LP

150ns

SB.97 each

1791

Disk Controller

$20.00 each

1771

Disk Controller

SI9.50 each

Z80A, 280ACTC

' S3:50 each

Z80A P10

S4.00 each

B251A

SI0.20 each

8255

$9.39 each

2716-1

5V 350 ns

$5.35 each

27 16

$3.80 each

2732

5V 450 ns

$5.09 each

2532

$5.10 each

2764

5V 300ns 28 pi

i $8.25 each

2564

5V

CALL

8087

CALL

Allow up to 3 wks

for personal checks to clear. Please

include phone n

umber. Prices

jubject to change

without notice. Sri

ipping & Handli

ng for Chips $3.50.

FOB Bellevue, WA. lor all else.

Washington state

residents add 7.9% Sales Tax.

CHIPS & DALE

1

•206-451-9770

10655 N.E. 4th St., Suite 400

Bellevue, WA 9B004

Circle 77 on Inquiry card.

FLOPPY

DISK-DRIVE

REPAIR

Command Services

exclusively repairs

Tandon and Shugart

disk drives. We are

affordable, fast and experienced.

For service, call toll free:

M-F, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., 7-9 p.m.

1-800-782-5500

In New York State call:

1-800-328-1800

Command Services Corporation

7143 Henry Clay Blvd. Liverpool, New York 13088 315-457-1432

Circle 83 on inquiry card.

S-100 COLOR GRAPHICS!

Kia<2S@S(?QQffS

THE ORIGINAL TMS9918A GRAPHICS BOARD

• Field-proven board meets IEEE-696 standard fully socketed with solder masks silkscieen and gold contact fingers

• Prioritized display with oackdrop and pattern planes plus 32 spine planes each pixel in a plane can lie colored 01 transparent

• Three graphics and one lext display mpde maximum graphics lesekJtmn is 256H x 192V in 16 colprs

• Composite video output

• On-ooard 16K RAM is separate Irom system memory

• Vertical retrace mteirupt (or real lime clock capability

• 0-4 wan stales lor use with fasi MRUs

• All board options are DIP switch selectable

• Professional quality documentation with BASIC demonsliation programs and Tl s TMS9918A manual

• Exclusive Graphics Editor available on 8" SSSD

CP'M-compatiDle diskette $189.95 *

tlicroDunomics

Corporation

6363 Poplar Ave • Suite 105 Memphis IN 38119

(AST)

ORDER DESK

1 800 237-8400 exl 440

Technical Inquiries

■901-682-4054

'Price includes MICROSPRITE with documentalion Graphics Editor diskoile — S9 95 Manual - SI9 95 Bare beard - S59 95 OPS ground-S2 00 UPSau-5400 COD-SI 50 Foreign add S1500 VISA 8 MC welcome IN add 6\

DEALER AND OEM INQUIRIES INVITED

Circle 271 on inquiry card.

SYMBOLIC DEBUGGING

for

IBM PC-DOS

The Mylstar Symbolic Debugging Program enhances your IBM PC-DOS Debug Program to make your work easier and simpler: Employing the same command structure, the Mylstar Program lets you use:

'Symbol Names

"Mathematic Expressions

'Batch Files

*On-Line Help

*Multi-Command Macros

*Loop Structures Shorten your debugging process and work time. Designed for PC-DOS 1.1, 128K RAM minimum. Send $125 check or money order to: Dept. 115B Mylstar Electronics. K^Tr« MYLSTAR W • ELECTRONICS

M

165 West Lafcr Street | NoMhlake, llllnoii 6016-1 I T«l (312)562-7400 I THe* 72-8463

Dealer

Inquiries

Invited

LOWEST PRICES

APPLE®Compatiblo Computers from $439

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COMPUTERS

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AMERICAN <^> COMPUTERS

4167 Kivetl Dr., Jamestown, Notth Cainlinj 2728? Tel.: [919)883-1105 (919)8894577

PRINTERS Smith-Corona TP-1

S246 Okidata - NEC - Epson

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wabash

When it comes to

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MasterCard. Visa Accepted. Call Free: (800) 235-4137

PACIFIC EXCHANGES

100 Foothill Blvd San Luis Obispo. CA 93401 (In Cal call (805)543-1037)

Circle 286 on inquiry card.

Circle 33 on inquiry card.

Circle 305 on inquiry card.

■VII

THE PC SYSTEM SPECIALIST

PRICES AND AVAILABILITY SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT-NOTICE

SPECIAL OF THE MONTH!

TAVAPC

A Superior quality IBM PC Compatible Personal Computer. Runs DOS 1.1, 2.0, 2.1, CP/M86® UCSD p-System? Runs Lotus 1-2-3® Multiplan? Word Star? PFS? dBASEU? and many more! Hardware includes 128K CPU, Floppy Controller, Two DS/DD Disk Drives, Video Monitor, Video Adaptor, Parallel & Serial Ports.

CALL FOR LOW PRICE

Suggested List 52395.00

am&wsm

PERSONAL COMPUTER

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IBM PC'COMPLETE LINE

COMPLETE SYSTEM VERY SPECIAL PRICE

64K, Two Disk Drives, Floppy Disk Controller, Video Card and High Res

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FDC, Video Monitor & Adaptor 10MB

Hard Disk Sub-System. CQQQQ

HARD DISKS FOR IBM PC®

10 MB Hard Disk Sub-System by TAVA CORP. includes Software, Cables, etc. Internal. $1295

SLIMLINE DISK DRIVE FOR IBM PC

DS/DD 320KB By tava corp $190

ADD-ON Disk Drive for IBM PCjr® .... CALL

MEMORY BOARDS

CONOGRAPHIC

High Res. Color Graphics Card $995

QUADRAM

Quad Card. Fully pop. 256K $450

QUADLINK CALL

AST SIXPAK 384K CALL

HERCULES Graphics Card $490

PRINTERS

DAISYWRITER 2000 CALL

OKIDATA

82A

83A

93A

$425 $650

84A 92A

BROTHER

HR-25

DX-1S

$975 $525 $850

$795 $450

APPLE He

Computer System, Controller, Two Disk Drives,

Monitor

$1590

MONITORS

AMDEK

300A

300G

310A

$190.00 $160.00 $190.00

// . III.

DISK DRIVE FOR APPLE

Slimline, or Standard $190

NEC TANDON TAVA IBM APPLE QCS MAYNARD

PRINCETON GRAPHICS SYSTEMS

Hi-Res Color

$340.00 $690.00 $390.00

$490

LNW ROMAR TOSHIBA PRODUCTS AVAILABLE

631 E. First St., Tustin, CA 92680

(714) 838-9100

'IBM PC is a registered trademark of IBM Corp

*dBASE II is a registered trademark of ASHTONTATE, Inc

LOTUS 1-2-3 is a registered trademark of Lotus Development

Wordstar. Speltstar. Mailmerge are registered trademarks of Micropro International

Vtsicalc is a registered trademark of Visicorp

Multiplan :s a registered trademark of Microsoft Corp. PFS is a registered trademark of Software Publishing Co. CP/M86 is a registered trademark of Digital Research, Inc. MS-DOS is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corp. UCSDp is a registered trademark of Softech Microsystems

Circle 273 on inquiry card.

BYTE May 1984 533

DISK DRIVES

(For PC, Mod I, III & IV)

Qume 142A $209

Teac FD55B $209

Tandon tmioo-2 $225

Tandon TM101-4 $315

CDC 9409 $235

Case and PS $ 45

PC EXPANSIONS

Maynard Disk Controller $159

Sandslar Series Scall

Internall0MB HDsystemsIrom. . $959

Quadboard (64K) $265

Quadcolor I $199

AST SixpackPlus (64K) $265

MegaPlus 164 K) $265

I/O Plus $114

2nd SP, PP or Game $ 35

HERCULES graphics board.. ..$349

HAYES Modems Scall

Set ol 9 chips (64 K) $ 55

VLM Computer Electronics

10 Park Place • Mornslown. NJ 07960 (201) 267-3268 Visa, MC, Check or COD.

NOW YOU CAN

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Okidata 80/82/83/92/93 2,';

Ship & Hand in Cont U.S 3

Others Diablo. Qume, Nee. Dec, T.I elc

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10

OPUS (3M Media) SS/DD 18"

OPUS (3M Media) DS/DD 23 ul

Ship & Hand in Cont. U.S, 2""/l0

Max ell and Verbatim

Diskelle Tray W/KeyLock Holds 70 Diskette

Free . CALL

19"/10

4.™/100

.... CALL

_ Order Toll Free 1-(800) 821-5339 r^^

2£ or Call 1-(801) 298-0872 H

or Rush Check or Money Order To:

C. R. E. Wholesale Products

P. O. Box 361 North Salt Lake, Ut. 84054

WE'LL HELP YOU

Communicate with the World!

MEEEm

U.S. Robotics 300/1200 Baud

PASSWORD only $339.'

IBM P.C. Card only $339:

Anchor 300/1200 Baud (HaysMCompalible)

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VOLKSMODEM only $69.'

VOLKSMODEM Cable s9.95

Free Shipping & Handling in Cont. U.S. Shipped Direct from Stock!

Call for Excellent Quanity Discounts!

_ Order Toll Free 1-(800) 821-5339 __

SC or Call 1-(801) 298-0872 39

or Rush Check or Money Order To:

C. R. E. Wholesale Products

P. O. Box 361 North Salt Lake, Ut. 84054

Circle 114 on inquiry card.

Circle 115 on inquiry card.

\ferbatim

flexible disks

Call Free (800) 235-4137 for

prices and information. Dealer inquiries invited. C.O.D. and charge cards accepted.

VISA'

PACIFIC EXCHANGES

100 Foothill Blvd. San Luis Obispo, CA 93401. In Cal. call (800) 592-5935 or (805) 543-1037.

fi times faster

^■^B Super Fast Z80 Assembly ^^^B Language Development Packnge

Z80ASM

• Over 6000 line/minute

• Generates COM, HEX, or REL files

• Cross-Reference

• Zilog mnemonics

• Time and Date in listing

• Long labels

SLUNK

• One or two pass operation

• Cross-reference

• COM or HEX output

• Flexible address control

Most tormals available lor ZB0 CP<'M, COOS, and TURBODOS

s199.95

For more Information or lo order, call:

1-800-833-3061 in Pa., (412) 282-0864

1622 Norlh Main Slreel, Butler. PA 16001

VISA or Mastercard

Circle 200 on inquiry card.

Circle 305 on inquiry card.

Circle 349 on inquiry card.

Your own representation in Diisseldorf City

West Germany

Ideal set up for those starting a new business or needing part-time use of office and representation facilities.

Exclusively furnished executive offices gnd conference rooms for 10 to 30 persons - individual rent periods. Multilingual secretariate. Telephone service. Telex - mail service - word processing. Rooms for video/film/ overhead facilities. Reception lounge (100 rn2) with bar. For brochure:

Office + Service-Center

INTERIM-BOROS GMBH

RofislraRe 166 • D-4000 Dusseldorf 30 Tel. 0211/45 0959 ■ Telex 8 588 321 osc d

SOFTWARE REPRESENTATIVES

LIBRA Programming. Inc.. a major supplier of business software and IBM authorized Value-Added dealer is looking for sales representatives for selected U.S. Markets. LIBRA, an INC. Magazine "500" company for 1983. represents an outstanding opportunity for an independent, motivated, high-earning person. Should have experience selling software for small business.

Send resume or call

Lynn C. Alder,

National Sales Manager

1954 East 700 South

Salt Lake City. Utah 84121 -3094

1-800-453-3827

PRDGimrniTiiricinc.

PRINTER RIBBONS

PRICE

PER

PER

RIBBON

DOZEN

ANADEX 9500

. 13.50

147.00

APPLE DMP

.. 5.95

68.40

CENTRONICS 150/152

.. 7.00

81.00

C. IT0H PROWRITER

.. 5.95

68.40

COMMODORE PET 8023P

.. 7.00

81.00

EPSON MX-FX 70/80

.. 5.25

60.00

EPSON MX-FX 100

9.95

108.00

GEMINI - 10

.. 2.50

27.00

IBM HARMONICA W

. 6.75

78.00

IBM HARMONICA W

7.95 6.00

92.40 69.00

IDS MICR0PRISM - 480

IDS PAPER TIGER 460/560

.. 6.75

78.00

IDS PRISM

7.95 6.95

92.40 80.40

NEC - 3500 M/S S/S/C

NEC - 3500 NYLON

.. 9.75

114.00

NEC - PC 8023A

.. 5.95

68.40

0KIDATA 80/82/83/92

,. 2.50

27.00

OKI DATA - 84

. 5.00 .. 6.75

57.00 78.00

RADIO SHACK D.W. II NYLON

RADIO SHACK DMP - 2100 ....

.. 7.50

87.00

RADIO SHACK LP VI & VIII

.. 6.00

69.00

SILVER REED EX55 S/S

.. 5.00

57.00

SILVER REED EX55 - NYLON .

. 9.00

105.00

TOSHIBA - 1350

.. 7.50

87.00

XEROX 610/620 M/S

.. 7.75

84.00

Add $2.00 Shipping — To Order Call

(313) 569-3218 or Write for

our Catalog

DWIGHT COMPANY, INC.

15565 Northland Drive - West Towe

r

Southfield, Michigan 48075-6496

Circle 298 on inquiry card.

Circle 233 on inquiry card.

Circle 147 on inquiry card.

COMPUTER DISCOUNT PRODUCTS — SINCE 1977 —

HUGE Inventories of APPLE & IBM Products IN STOCK • ASK ABOUT OUR FAIR PRICE POLICY - IT'S GUARANTEED! *

3*2

0

#L

V

i*.°°N

fc*'^

CDP SPECIALS

16K RAM CARD 39.991

POWER STRIP w/Surge 17.99 I

APPLE FAN w/Surge. 2 Oullels 39.99 I

PAR PRINTER CARD & CABLE 39.99 I

16K UPGRADE 4116 200 NS (Sel/8) 9.99 I

64K UPGRADE 4164 200 NS (Set/9) 79.99 |

VCR TRAINING TAPES $CALL[

■

»_.

'■'■ '■-.■

DISKETTES

| DYSAN 5" SS/00 (10)

31.99 |

1 DYSAN 5- SS/DD (100)

299.99 |

I DYSAN 5'DS'DD (10)

38.99 |

I DYSAN 5-DS/DD (100)

369.99 |

MAXELL 5- SS'DD (10)

27.99 |

MAXELL 5" SS/DD (100)

259.99 |

MAXELL 5-DS/DD (10)

37.99 |

MAXELL 5-DS/DD (100)

359.99 1

VERBATIM 5-SS/DD (10)

24.99 |

VERBATIM 5'SS/DD (100)

229.99 1

VERBATIM 5-DS/DD (10)

36.99 1

VERBATIM 5'DS/DD (100)

349.99 1

_<L A ppi F

SP/MMA/ifR =| SOFTWARE ACCESSORIES

\LPHABET ZOO 1ELTA DRAWING :ACEMAKER PACTION FEVER €Y DIDDLE IINDERCOMP MST AMAZING THING tHYME S RIDDLE ■NOOPER TROOPS I S II TORY MACHINE

19.99 32.99 21.99 21.99 19.99 19.99 26.99 19.99 27.99 21.99

| ALL OF ABOVE 226.99 |

ontinental

■PPLE GRAPHICS BOOK 14.9

'.PA (GL AP. AR. PAY) e«149.9S

CM/FL 151 CLASS MAIL (AP) 61.99

'CM/FL Isl CLASS MAIL (IBM] 71.99

I0ME ACCOUNTANT t (IBM) 84.99

KM ACCNT + (KAYPR0. 0SB) 59.99

I0ME ACCNT +(TI PRO) 119.99

'ROPERTY MANAGEMENT 295.99

'AX ADVANTAGE (Ap) 39.99

ULTRAFILE(IBM) 155.99 HOME ACCNT (AP) 44.99

KENSINGTON s^MICROWARE

SYSTEM SAVER

BPI (GL, AP, AR, PAY, INV) ' 81274.99

BRODERBUND Arcade Machine 39.99

Bank Slreel Writer 44.99

Oral 24.99

Loderunner 24.99

CENTRAL POINT Copy II + 25.99

DATAMOST Azlec 26.99

DATASOFT Zaxxon 24.99

OLM Alien Addition Sch ■ 37.99, H • 27.99

Alligator Mix Sch ■ 37.99, H - 27.99

Derralilion Division Sch - 37.99, H • 27.99

Dragon Mix Sch • 37.99, H • 27.99

Meleor Multiplication Sch • 37.99, H • 27.99

Minus Mission Sch • 37.99, H • 27.99

Verb Viper/Word Invasion ea37.99

Wore ManAVord Master ei37.99

Wore Radar/Spelling Wiz ea37.99

EDUWARE Algebra l-lll 31.99

Counting Bee 23.99

Decimals 3 0 39.99

Fractions 3.0 39.99

Hands on Basic 61,99

PSAT Word Attack 39.99

SAT Word Attack 39.99

HAYDEN Piewriler 94.99

Sargon II 24.99

INCREDIBLE JACK 129.99

Jack Report 74.99

KENSINGTON Format II 126.99

L&S Crossword Magic 39.99

LEARNING CO Bumble Games 26.99

Bumble Plot/Magic Spell e«26.99

Gertrudes Puzzle/Secrel ea29.99

Juggles Rainbow 19.99

Moplown Parade/Holel ea26.99

Rooky's Boots 34.99

MASTERTYPE 29.99

MICROLAB Miner 20-49er 27.99

MICROSOFT A L D S 75.99

Muliplan 165.99

Multilool Budget 109.00

Mullilool Financial Stmt, 69.99

0DESTA Chess 45.99

Odin 37.99

PENGUIN Graphics Magician 38.99

inFoconx

Surge Suppression

DEADLINE 32.99 ENCHANTER 32.99

Fits Apple Stand

PLANETFALL 32.99

Dual Outlet

SUSPENDED 32.99 WITNESS 32.99

U.L Listed CC

Great Gift $ DO

STARCROSS

ZORK 1, II, II ea 24.99

FLIP'N FILE (original) 17.99

FLIP'N FILE w/Locklray (25) 17.99

FLIP'N FILE w/Locklray (50) 27.99

HAYES 300 Baud Smanmodem 199.99

1200 Baud Smanmodem 474.99

LIBRARY CASE 1.99

KENSINGTON PC Saver 29.99

NOVATION 103 Smart Cal 169.99

103-212 Aulo Cal 399.99

J Cat 99.99

Access 123 469.99

Cal Modem 135.99

Expansion Modem 29.99

PRINTERS C-ITOH 379.99

Epson FX80 549.99

Epson RXBO 349.99

Okidala 82-93 SCALL

PRINTER STAND Sm. (plxgls) 24.99

PRINTER STAND Lg (plxgls) 29.99

RIBBONS-Brolher SCall

MX & FX 80 4.99

MX S FX 100 7,99

OKI 82, 83, 92. 93 S Gemini 34.99

FINGERPRINT Epson Upgrade

RX, FX, MX 44.99

^APPLE

== HARDWARE

AUTO REPEAT KEY 19.99

BASIS 108 SCALL

DAN PAYMAR Lower Case 1 (rev I -6) 25.99

Lower Case 2 (rev 7) 19.99

DARK STAR Snapshot II 65.99

EASTSIDE Wildcard II 109.99

FOURTH DIMENSION Drive 219.99

HAYES Miciomodem lie SCALL

KOALA PAD 85.99

KRAFT Joystick 39.99

Paddles 31.99

LEGEND 128K Ram 359.99

MICRO-SCIA-2 Drive 219.99

MOUNTAIN CPS Card 159.99

Ramplus + 32K 159.99

NOVATION Applecal II 249.99

Applecal Upgrade 1200 Baud 309.99

ORANGE MICRO Grappler 4 114.99

Bullerboard 119.99

Bullered Grappler + 179.99

PADDLE ADAPPLE 24.99

SATURN 128K Ram 379.99

Acceptor II 444.99

Neplune 64K 199.99

ALS CP/M 3.0 259.99

EDUCATIONAL SOFTWARE SPECIAL

Additional 10% OFF with order of any 5 educational programs from DLM, EDUWARE LEARNING COMPANY and SPINNAKER.

Vi Height DS/DD Drive ALPHA Typefaces ASHTON TATE dBase II

Friday

Encyclopedia AST Combo Plus

Six Pack Plus BRODERBUND Serpenline

Lode Runner CAI Masters Sublets CENTRAL POINT Copy II PC EDUWARE Algebra I HAYDEN Piewriter HAYES 1200B Modem KRAFT Joystick LIFETREE Volkswrler MASTERTYPE LOTUS 1-2-3

MICROLAB Miner 20-49er MICROSOFT Mouse

Mulliplan

Mullilool Budg,

Mullilool Financial Stmt

.Word

Word w/Mouse NORTON Utilities PC CRAYON PC TUTOR PFS Write

File

Report

Graph POOL 1.5

SIERRA ON-LINE Frogger SIR-TECH Wizardry SUBLOGIC Pinball TG Joystick TITAN 64K BOARD VISICORP. Visicalc or Visidex

visilile, Schedule, Trend/Plot

Visilink

Visispell

Visiword

PLANTRONICS ColorPlus

239.99 79.99 429.99 184.99 59.99 309.99 299.99 26.99 24.99 aa31.99 ea16.99 25.99 29.99 129.99 439.99 44.99 119.99 26.99 349.99 27.99 129.99 165.99 109.99 69.99 289.99 319.99 59.99 49.99 47.99 109.99 109.99 109.99 109.99 27.99 26.99 44.99 29.99 44.99 499.99 164.99

ea199.99 SCALL 179.99 269.99

375.99

MLIXEI

FROGGER (Ap) GENERAL MANAGER HOME WORD SCREENWRITER II ULTIMA II

BC QUEST FOR TIRES OILS WELL

81.99

36.99

NEW!

SMLL

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VFPLE MECHANIC BEAGLE BASIC DOS BOSS DOUBLE TAKE FLEX TEXT FRAME-UP PRONTO DOS TIP DISK #1 TYPEFACES UTLITY CITY

24.99

19.99 '

24.99

15.99

24.99

19.99

16.99

19.99 I

14.99

14.99

19.99 I

ALL OF ABOVE 211.99

QUADRAM!

APIC (APPLE /// PARALLEL) eRAM 80 column 64K HE MICROFAZER 8K Parallel MICROFAZER 8K Serial 0UADBOARD I or II (64K) QUADCOLORI QUADCOLOR II 0UA0 512+(64K)

129.99 SCALL 139.99 159.99 269.99 219.99 209.99 219.99

eFAZER SCALL

ridex

CHARACTER ROMS

ENHANCER II

FUNCTION STRIP

HARDSWITCH

MICROMODEM CHIP

PSI0

PRE-BOOTS Apple Writer

Apple Writer lot Ullralerm

Visicalc

Visicalc/Memory Expansion

Visicalc lor Ullralerm SOFTSWITCH ULTRACALC VIDEOTERM w/SS + INV

24.99 99.9! 34.99 | 16.99 24.99

169.99 14.99 23.99 39.99 71.99 54.99 25.99

SCALL

219.99

ULTRATERM 249.99

MicroPro.

MAILMERGE SPELLSTAR WORDSTAR PRO

NFOSTAR&

WORDSTAR

139.99 139.99 389.99

ea. 259.99

MONITORS

[ APPLE II 12- Green

159.99 1

PRINCETON RGB HX-12

485.99 1

TAXAN 12'Amber 18 mh

129.99 1

TAXAN 12" Green 18 mh

119.99 1

USI Pi 1 9 ' Green 20 mh

99.99 1

USI Pi 2 12"Green 20 mh

129.99 1

USI Pi 3 12' Amber 20 mh

139.99 1

USI Pi a 9' Amber 20 mh

109.99 1

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288.99 1

TAXAN 420 RGB

499.99 |

lEJins

380 Z

LETTER QUALITY

DAISY WHEEL PRINTER

• 48K Butter

• 32 CPS QQQ99 .Graphics v%,,/ » 10, 12,15 Pitch

• Proportional Spacing

Sheet Feeder 599.99 Tractors 129.99

Cable (Please Specify) NEW! Stylewriter

49.99 699.99

MAIL & PHONE ORDERS:

J60 S. Winchester Blvd.

San Jose, CA 95128

(408) 985-0400

COMPUTER DISCOUNT PRODUCTS

SAN FRANCISCO

1230 Market St. San Francisco. CA 94102

SAN JOSE

860 S. Winchester Blvd. San Jose, CA 95128

SAN MATEO

4228 Olympic Ave. San Mateo, CA 94403

(415)626-2244 (408)985-0401 (415)571-1658

MON-FRI 10AM-7PM • SAT-SUN-HOL 10AM-5PM • San Jose Store Open Daily At 8AM

No Charge For Credit Cards Prices Subject To Change Software Sales Are Final International Orders Welcome Mln. UPS Chg. $4 + Ins. Min. US Postal Chg. $10 P.O's Welcome-Call First

CP/M CROSS

SOFTWARE

for the NS16000

INCLUDES:

* Cross Assembler * • Cross Linker *

* Debugger *

* N.S. ISE Support *

* Librarian * * Pascal Cross Compiler *

U.S. Prices start at $500 for Assembler only

SOLUTIONWARE

1283 Mt. View-Alviso Rd.

Suite B

Sunnyvale, CA 94089

408/745-7818 • TLX 4994264

Come to us for your state-of-the-art FORTH needs! Announcing the latest additions to the UNIFORTH family:

16-bit Z8000, 68000, 16032 32-bit 80186, 68000, 16032

Obtain these stock items captured under traditional operating systems, or try our DB16000, Slicer and CompuPro stand-alone versions. Complete compatibility is retained throughout the UNIFORTH product line (from the Commodore 64 to the VAX).

Features include software floating point, video editor, full macro assembler, debugger, decompiler, top-notch documentation, etc. Prices start at $175. Call or write for our free brochure.

Unified Software Systems

P.O Box 2644. New Carrolllon. MD 207B4. 301/552-9590

DEC VAX POP RT-i 1 RSXi i |TM) Digital Eau.O'nent Carp CP/M ITM) Digital Research MSDOS |1*M| Microsoft VIC-20 ITM) Commoduie

The IDEAL PERIPHERAL SWITCH should be Simple. Unobtrusive, Reliable and Inexpensive.

AP-Series ABC peripheral switches are that and morel Simple: To select your peripheral, simply slide the selector lever to the the desired position. Unobtrusive: Measures only 9" wide by 3 V*" deep by 1 1/8" high. It can be mounted on the side, behind, or underneath your desk, computer, or a peripheral, it can be placed to use no desk space, yet be instantly available. It is supplied with easy mounting tabs for any location. Reliable: You will use this switch for many years. Your computer may wear out first. Inexpensive: Where else can you buy a 3 to 1 full 24 line, RS-232 peripheral switch of this quality for less than $100.00?

AP-Switch 3S Only $97.95 plus S3.00 shir

female DB-25 connectors)

AP-Switch 3P Only $117.95 plus $3.00 sr

i with Pins 1 18. 31 36 switch — s:

lata $24.95 plus $2.00 shi C> rt. ueninmcs male/male $24.95 plus $2.00 10 Day Money Back Guarante* - 1 Year Wan Send Check or M.O to. APROPOS TECHNOLOGY 1071-A Avenida Acaso • Camarilla, CA 93010 or Call 1-800962 5800 USA or 1 800 962 3800 California 8:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m. weekdays. Pacific Time - Orders Only CA. Res. Add 6% Sales Tax - Listed are cash prices. Visa or MC add 3% Technical Into. Call B05 482-3604

Circle 358 on inquiry card.

Circle 390 on inquiry card.

Circle 43 on inquiry card.

Mfi\§tl Software, Inc.

Software tools for Architects and Consulting Engineers

Structural Analysis

finite element w/plates, frames, & out of core solver

Concrete Steel Design

columns, beams, & slabs

Project Scheduling (PERT Method)

w/ cost analysis

2-D Drafting System (high performance)

Coded Pressure Vessel Design

Commercial Air Conditioning

Piping Design

HASH Software, Inc.

2B9 1 LIVDNIA CENTER RDAD

LIMA. NEW YORK 144B5

17 1 6) 346-2D22

ffifjifrL

Best Prices On TRS-80 Computers

Our 7th year of discounts

Ed or Joe McManus

Fgt. Prepaid. Save Tax.

Toll Free 800-231-3680

Marymac Industries, Inc.

22511 Kary Fwy., Katy

(Houston) Tx 77450

1-713-392-0747

Telex 774132

S« us in the Wall Street Journal every Tues. and Thurs.

\c

Powerlan

Powerlan is a local area network that uses existing AC wiring tor plug-in data collection and control of devices in the lab. Consisting of up to32powercomsand64 powersats, it connects to any micro thru an RS232 interface. Powercom and Powersat both have digital I/O and analog inputs. Powercom is $200andpowersat$100.

Powerlan 128 Willow St. Acton, MA 01720

Circle 151 on inquiry card.

Circle 250 on inquiry card.

Circle 310 on inquiry card.

FLEXIBLE DISCS

WE WILL NOT BE UNDERSOLD!! Call Free (800)235-4137

for prices and information. Dealer inquiries invited and C.O.D's accepted.

VISA

■MB

PACIFIC EXCHANGES

100 Foothill Blvd. San Luis Obispo, CA 93401. In Cal. call (800)592-5935 or (805)543-1037

'IBM PC Compatible

pcpipeunej

E PROMS ■ CALL1 towesl Puces Anywhere

M164-150P $520

•4164-200/250 505/469

4116-200 149

•4164-120 549

6116-P3 499

Disk Drives: [FO.B.Tampal

•TM-100-2 $ 21924

-4 29983

*TM- 55-2 22386

*10mbWin 1,38547

IMS/DOS 2 (l/IBM plug in & go) Add $2.95 shipping. All prices include 2.6% cash discount.

OEM • Quantity discounts available • P.O.s

on approval • C.O.D. OK • FL residents add

5% tax • All new, no surplus, no seconds.

IPnces subiect lo change I

4920 Cypress St.. Tampa. FL 33607

In FL, and for info., call 813-875-0299

FOR ORDERS ONLY, 800-237-8910

8AM-8PMEST

SAVE MORE

THAN EVER ON

/ 3M Scotch

~y DISKETTES

LIFETIME WARRANTY!

$185"fr:$?35

I Qty. 20 |7,15,~~ Bmm Qty. 20

5WSSQD—96TPI(746) 5'/4"DSOD—96TPI(747) 8" SSSD (740) 8'SSDD(741) 8- DSDD (743)

$2.60 ea $3.25 ea $2.05 ea $2.50 ea $3.10 ea

Shipping: 5'/«" DISKETTES—Add $3.00 per 100 or fraction thereof. 8" DISKETTES—Add $4.00 per 100 or fraction thereof. OTHER ITEMS: Shipping charges as shown in addition to diskette shipping charges. Payment: VISA or MasterCard COD orders only, add S3 00 Taxes: Illinois customers, please add 8%.

Hours: 9 AM-5 PM Central Time

For faat service call

Nationwide: 1-800-621-6827

In Illinois: 312-944-2788

DISK WORLD!

Suite 4806 • 30 East Huron Street * Chicago. Illinois 60611

Authorized Distributor Information Processing Products

Circle 305 on inquiry card.

Circle 309 on inquiry card.

Circle 136 on inquiry card.

SPECIALS on INTEGRATED CIRCUITS

6502 9 4.90 6520 @ 4.00 6522 (s> 5.00 4116 <S> 1.85 2532 <g> 5.90 2716 9 4.45 6116 9 6.45 4164 9

Anchor Automation Signalman MODEMS

FREE SOURCE MEMBERSHIP WITH SIGNALMAN

All Signalman Modems are Direct Connect, and provide the

best price-performance values. Dealer anil OEM inquiries

Invited

Volksmodem with computer cable 68

Mark VII Auto Dial/Auto Answer 99

Mark XII Smart Model 1200/300 279

DC HAVES Smartmodem

DC Hayes Smartmodem 1200/300

219

519

130 Call 95 29

129 20 64 56

79 48 22 32 49

570 50 75

179

79

6

24 14

PROM QUEEN for C64 or VIC

Apple Emulator for Commodore 64 STAT Statistics Package for C64 Solid Oak 2 Level Stand for C64 or VIC

C64/VIC Switch (networking) BACKUP V1.0 tape copier for C64 or VIC CARDBOARD/6 Motherboard - VIC CARDBOARD/5 Motherboard • C64 CARD PRINT G Printer Int. with Graphics CARD PRINT B Printer Interface— C64/VIC CARDB0ARD/3S Motherboard - VIC CARDCO C64/VIC Calculator Keypad CARDRAM/16 RAM Expansion - VIC Complete CARDCO Line in stock CIE and VIE IEEE Interfaces in stock MSD Dual SuperDisk for C64 or IEEE MAE Assembler for C64 Koala Pad Touch Tablet—C64 or VIC CBC 4/12 Analog to Digital 4 chan/12 bit MULTIPLAN for C64 Dust Cover for C64 or VIC Grand Master Chess for C64 COMAL Language for C64

with sprites, color graphics, sound, turtle graphics. BusCard II from Batteries Included 159

ULTRA BASIC-64 with Turtle Graphics 37

Super Disk Utility - C64 - includes backup 19

MicroChess - C64 - 8 levels of play 17

HES MODEM with software for C64 45

Commodore 64 Programmers Reference Guide 16

WordPro 3 4-/64 with Spellright 85

VlController (also C64) - BSR Controller 50

COM VOICE Synthesizer for C64 or VIC 139

VIC products in stock - call for extra discounts. Victory Software for VIC and C64 in stock.

APPLE—FRANKLIN ITEMS

FRANKLIN—complete line in stock

QUENTIN Drives for Apple/Franklin 189

Swapper Stopper 26

automatic switch between paddles and joystick

KRAFT Apple Joystick 40

Kraft Apple Paddle Pair 30

Koala Pad Touch Tablet-Apple/Franklin 90 SPINNAKER Software in stock Broderhund Software In stock

16K RAM Card for Apple 59

Multiplan— Microsoft 185

Solid Oak 2 Level Stand for Apple 29

Serial Card for Apple 89

MFC RAM/80 column card for lie (AP/TXT) 139

Z80 Softcard and CP/M (Microsoft) 235

RANA Elite I with Controller 389

Parallel Printer Interface/Cable 69 Microtek and MPC Interfaces in stock

Grappler + Interface 135

DC Hayes Micromodem II, lie with Smartcom 245

PFS: File or PFS: Report or PFS: Graph 95

Videx 80 Column Card 209

Apple Blue Book 19

H commodore

See us for Personal, Business, and Educational requirements. Educational Discounts available.

PETSCAN I $245 base price

Allows you to connect up to 30 CBM/PET Computers to shared disk drives and printers. Completely transparent to the user. Perfect for schools or multiple word processing configurations. Base configuration supports 2 computers. Additional computer hookups $100 each.

COMPACK/STCP

$115

Intelligent Terminal Package for PET, CBM, C64

Includes ACIA Hardware / STCP Software

MSD Dual Super Disk for IEEE or C64

replaces 4040 drive

570

SCREENMAKER 80 Column Adapter forC64 139

Provide big screen capability for business applications. Copy-Writer Word Processor for C64 49

Full-featured package with 800 lines of text in memory. Includes double column printing, graphic capability, full printer support.

Special Screenmaker/Copy-Writer Combo 179

VICTORY Software (or VIC and C64

Metamorphosis

16

Creator's Revenge

16

Labyrinth of Creator

16

Galactic Conquest

16

Kongo Kong

16

Annihilate*

16

ChDmper Man

16

Grave Robbers

13

Bounty Hunter

16

Adventure Pack I or II

16

PAPER CLIP Word Processor-CBM/C64 60

ORACLE Data Base from Batteries Included 89 SPINNAKER Software C64. Apple. IBM. Atari

Computers First Book of PET/CBM 11

POWER ROM Utilities for PET/CBM 78

WordPro 4+ - 8032, disk, printer 285

VISICALC for PET, ATARI, or Apple 189

Compute's First Book of 64 Sound & Graphics 11

SM-KIT enhanced PET/CBM ROM Utilities 40

PET Spacemaker II ROM Switch 36

Compute's First Book of Games 11

Dust Cover for PET, CBM, 4040, or 8050 8

CmC interfaces (ADA 1800, ADAI450, SADI in stock)

Computers Reference Guide to 64 Graphics 11

Computers Machine Language for Beginners 11 HES Software and Hardware in stock

FlexFile for PET/CBM/C64

$59

DataBase, Report Writer with calculations, Mailing Lists. Easy to use, and can be modified. RBHTH for PET/CB4 full RG model - Cargile/Riley 50 includes all FORTH 79 Standard extensions, structured 6502 assembler with nested decision macros, standard 16x64 screens, ability to read/write BASIC sequential files, sample programs, introductory + reference manual. Metacompiler for FORTH for independent object code 30 Floating Point tor FORTH 20

KMMM PASCAL IV for PEf/CBM/C64 99

Virtually full Jensen-Wirth implementation is now suitable for advanced placement courses.

EARL for PET/CBM Disk-based ASSEMBLER 65

SuperGraphics - BASIC Language Extensions 45

Fast graphics, sound, turtle graphics routines for PET/CBM. RAM/ROM for PET/CBM 4K $75 8K $90

COMAL Linguaga for C64. CBM, PET _J*4

CBM Public Domain Software - C64 27 disks 75

STAT for PET/CBM/C64 and Apple 95

Comprehensive Statistical Analysis Routines Includes complete file handling capabilities, summary statistics, confidence intervals, hypothesis tests, exponential mean tests, multiple and power series regression, analysis of variance, histograms, and non-parametric tests. PageMafe 60 Command Word Processor 20

Full-featured package for all Commodore computers. Full screen editing, and supports disk, tape, and all printers.

DISK SPECIALS

Scotch (3M) 5" ss/dd Scotch (3M) 5" ds/dd Scotch (3M) 8" ss/sd Scotch (3M) 8" ss/dd

10/2.10 50/1.90 100/1.86 10/2.65 50/2.45 100/2.40 10/2.20 50/2.00 100/1.98 10/2.80 50/2.50 100/2.47

We stock VERBATIM DISKS

Write for Dealer and OEM prices.

Sentinal 5" ss/dd Sentinal 5" ds/dd

10/1.80 50/1.75 100/1.65 10/2.40 50/2.35 100/2.25

We stock Dysan disks

Wabash 5" ss/sd Wabash 5" ss/dd Wabash 5" ds/dd

10/1.50 50/1.45 100/1.40 10/1.80 50/1.75 100/1.65 10/2.50 50/2.45 100/2.35

We stock MAXELL DISKS

Write for dealer and OEM prices.

Disk Storage Pages 10 for $4 Hub Rings 50 for $6 Disk Library Cases 8"—3.00 5"—2.25 Head Disk Cleaning Kits 12 AMARAY Disk Storage Systems in stock. Innovative Concepts FLIP 'N' FILES in stock.

CASSETTE TAPES—AGFA PE-611 PREMIDM

C-10 10/.61 50/.58 100/.50

C-30 10/.85 50/.82 100/.70

TgMtTH I data

I systems

ZVM-122A 99 ZVM-123G 89

ZVM-131 300 ZVM-135 490

Zl 00 16-bit/S-bit System CALL

Z29 Terminal (DEC and ADM compatible) 680

Z-150 IBM PC COMPATIBLE CALL

Z-160 PORTABLE PC CALL

We stock entire Zenith line.

USI Video Monitors - Green or AMBER 20 MHz hi-res Dealer and OEM inquiries invited

WRITE FOR IBM PC COMPATIBLE PRICES

MultlPlan—IBM or Apple 179

Quadboard for IBM available

KOALA PAD Touch Tablets—Apple, Atari, IBM, CBM

Peachtext 5000 Software Package 199

PFS Software for IBM and Apple in stock

SPINNAKER Software C64/VIC. Apple, IBM, Atari

VOTRAX Personal Speech System 269

BMC 9191 Color Monitor 229

BMC 12A 12" Green Monitor 79

Dynax (Brother) DX-15 Daisy Wheel Printer 469

Brother IIR-25 Daisy Wheel Printer (25 cpsj 749

Itoh Prowriter Parallel Printer 379

Panasonic 1090 Printer with Correspondence Mode 279

Gemini 10X 289

EPSON, Okidata, Star Mlcronics printers in stock

USI CompuMOD 4 R F Modulator 29

We Stock AMDEK Monitors

A P Products 15% OFF

COMPUTER COVERUPS IN STOCK

BBOOKS 6 Outlet Surge Suppressor/Noise Filter 54

Surge Suppressor-6 outlet 29

Electrohome 1302-2 13" Hi-res RGB Monitor 335

Panasonic 12" Monitor (20 MHz) with audio 135

Synertek SYM-1 Microcomputer 189

Hewlett Packard

Write or call for prices.

DATASHIELD BACKUP POWER SOURCE $265

Battery back up Uninterruptible Power Supply with surge and noise filtering. The answer to your power problems.

ATARI - WE STOCKEWREUNE

SPINNAKER and Broderbund Software in stock.

E9

215-822-7727

252 Bethlehem Pike Colmar, PA 18915

A B Computers

WRITE FOR CATALOG. Add $1.50 per order for United Parcel. We pay balance of UPS surface shipping charges on all prepaid orders (add extra for mail, APO/FPO, air). Prices include cash discount. Regular prices sl.ghtly higher. Prices subject to change.

Circle 11 on inquiry card.

BYTE May 1984 537

HALF HEIGHT DRIVES

SHUGART: SA 455 1tnnn

Double Sided, 40 TRK/Side *209

CDC: 9428

Double Sided. 40 TRK/Side '199

PANASONIC: 551-2

Double Sided. 40 TRK/Side 5189

• 720 Day Warranty f^Sl

• Free Shipping UPgJ

• No Charge For Credit Cards |^jy|

• Order Toll Free IsfBBl

1-800-531-5475 (Outside Of Texas) (512) 250-1489 (In Texas)

Texas Reaidents Add 5% Sales Tax.

jCompufldd cop

13010 Research Blvd., Suite 101 Austin, Texas 78750

&TDK

flexible disks

Call Free (800)235-4137

for prices and information. Dealer inquiries invited. C.O.D. and charge cards accepted.

VISA'

PACIFIC EXCHANGES

100 Footh.ll Blvd San Luis Obispo. CA 93401 (In Cal call (805) 543-1037)

***NEW LOW PRICES***

jMlfi MEDIA

KST CONVERSION

We Put Your Data Where

YOU Want It!

Your data can be copied from and/or

to any of the following: V?" mag tape,

8" Diskette, 5%" Diskette.

• 14 Inch Magnetic Reel Tape: 800/ 1600 B.P.I.

ASCII / EBCDIC

• 8 Inch Diskette:

CP/M, IBM 3740, DEC RT-11

• 5% Inch Diskette:

Apple II—DOX, CP/M, Pascal

IBM PC/XT — MS-DOS, CP/M

••♦PLUS***

Virtually ALL Soft-sectored Formats

PROFESSIONAL DATA SERVICES

385 Woodley Road

Santa Barbara, CA 93106

805/969-6993 9:00-5:30 PST

***NEW FORMATS AVAILABLE***

Circle 88 on inquiry card.

Circle 305 on Inquiry card.

Circle 319 on inquiry card.

QUASI-DISK, an S-100 RAM-Disk $915. with .5 Mbyte of 64K DRAM

QUASI-DISK is an S-100 bus memory card with 64 sockets loi Dynamic RAM The capacity is 5 Mbyte using 64K D-RAMs or 2.0 Mbytes with 256K D-RAMs Combinations of 64K and 256K D-RAMs may be used. QUASI-DISK is supplied with CP M 80 software, including source code on an 8" diskette to allow the board to emulate a disk drive This is a high quality six layer printed circuit board Documentation includes professional schematics, however, two PAL ICs are undocumented

Because RAM can be accessed approximately 1.000-told faster than either a floppy diskette or a hard disk you will enjoy overall response times perhaps 35x faster than your current disk drive. Programming becomes more of a pleasure because your time is more productive

OPTION: 64 socket piggy back expansion board Supplied with 5 Mbyte ot 64K DRAMs in S684 Capacity is expandable to 2 0 Mbyte using 256K RAMs

OPTION: A battery back-up board. MICROPROCESSORS UNLIMITED

Beggs Oklahoma (918) 267-4961

Circle 274 on inquiry card.

EPROM

PROGRAMMER

- - ONLY

.._:.::::',*it*Ji«a«*. $295 95

COMPLETE WITH

PERSONALITY

MODULE

110V AC POWER-RS232 3 WIRE

-6 BAUD RATES

ALLOWS READ, WRITE & VERIFY

Comes complete with BASIC Driver Program Listing for most small micros (or easily adapted)

Full 1 Year Warranty

Programs the following: 5 Volt 24 or 28 pin devices: 2716, 2732, 2732A, 2764, 27128, 27256, 25xx series, 68766 plus others. Specify Personality Module desired with order. Additional Personality Modules only $19.95 ea.

CALL OR WRITE FOR DETAILS

APROPOS TECHNOLOGY

1071-A AVENIDA ACASO Add

CAMARILLO, CA 93010 **M Shipping

(805) 482-3604 VISA or Mc Add 3%

Circle 44 on inquiry card.

Disks 'n Things

5505 Softwind Way Agoura Hills. CA 91301

Price List Available

Circle 136 on inquiry card.

BREADBOARD ON THE BUS

For IBM, Apple b Commodore

Duild your developmentol circuit quickly ond easily. eZ Doord is o developmentol breadboard which plugs into your computer's expansion slot through an integral 16-inch cable. eZ Doord makes your system bus easily accessible at the solderless breadboard at points clearly marked to match the bus designations of your computer.

Plug-in up to 16 fourteen-pin DIPs plus discrete components, interconnect with ordinary hookup wire. No solder, no wire-wrop.

Complete system with idea booklet only f>174.95 plus $5.00 S&H Optional buffer/ decoder ond expansion breadboards avoifoble.

S.E. Corporation

P.O. Dox 1132. Yorba Linda. CA 92686 Phone: (714) 630-9035 Telex: 756-582

8051-Based Single-Board Computer with Monitor/Debugger

■ 4 28-pin byte-wide

sockets: monitor will program EEPR0MS.

■ Perfect for System Development and Educational Applications

»

Binary Technology

PO BOX A-59 • HANOVER NH 03755 • 603 643-2881

MAKE YOUR COMPUTER TALK

Best buy in speech synthesis!!

Plug in PROTALKER by Speech, Ltd. & your computer could be talking today. PROTALKER uses superior technology to provide high fidelity reproduction of any speaker's voice & intonation. Record & play messages in any language. PROTALKER comes with ready-to-use software for: easy preparation of speech tiles; playing messages from BASIC; and source assembly language drivers. You choose the best storage/quality trade-off with switch selectable digitizing rates of 2,3, or 4 KB/sec. Use PROTALKER to insert voice instructions in all your programs. PROTALKER provides the best quality speech synthesis available for your micro. PROTALKER is simple enough for the first-time user but powerful enough for the most advanced programmer.

Free Software for ordering nowl! PROTALKER & manual $325. Manual only $20. Specify S-100 or IBM PC board; CPM, CPM-86 or MS-DOS; 8" IBM SS-SD or SV«" IBM PC disk format. M/C & VISA, include your card number & expiration date. CA residents add 6.5% sales tax.

SPEECH, LTD.

3790 El Camino Real, Suite 213 Palo Alto, CA 94306 415-941-2490

Circle 341 on inquiry card.

Circle 60 on inquiry card.

Circle 248 on inquiry card.

^Nfjfc FORMULA INTERNATIONAL INC,

•^^ -^N 12603 Crenshaw Blvd., Dept. B, Hawthorne, CA 90250

For information (213) 973-1921 • Orders Only (outside Calif.) (800) 672-8758

«*s *» ^ « **— " Pioneer of Low Cost pitiecom flpp|e* compatible Computer

.-^

j#=

No Copyright Problems! Compare These Features with Our Competitors:

• Powerful Utility Program (100% Apple Compatible)

• 68-Key Upper & Lower Case Keyboard with Numeric Keypad

• 25 Pre-programmed Function Keys

• 2 Speed Auto Repeat Funtion

• 64K User Memory—expandable to 192K

• 5A Switching Power Supply (110/220VAC)

• All ICs Are Socketed for Easy Service

• Nation-wide Dealer Network for Convenient Technical Support

And best of all, the price Assembled and Tested is just.

S"

m

Now

with New

Improved

Keyboard

r* 64K RAM

00

499

TM

pine com dp-64

Dual Processor (6502 and Z80A)

Detached Keyboard

64K RAM Expandable to 192K

25 Function Key Keyboard

Auto Repeat Keys w/Upper/lower Case

2 Slim Disk Drives (optional)

100% Apple II Compatible

40/80 Column Display (optional)

Runs Both Apple Soft and CP/M Software

Model DP-64 Fully Assembled

$

650

AP-II COMPUTER A&T

Apple Look Alike

48K User Memory

Supports Upper & Lower Case

100% Apple II* Compatible

6455'

MKRO-II COMPUTER

100% Apple Compatible • No Copyright Problems!

Model I 48K RAM .

Model II 64K RAM . .

AP-II MOTHERBOARD

Apple II+ * Compatible

48K Memory Space

8 Expansion Slots

Bare Board $69.95 ea.

Assembled & Tested ... .$295.00 ea.

PRINTER by Super-5

Parallel Interface (Centronics

Compatible) Standard Microprocessor Electronics 80cps Bidirectional with Logic Seeking 96 Character ASCII Adjustable Sprocket and Friction Feed

$26500

Model CP-80.

SEND ONE DOLLAR Shipping & Handling Charges

FOR OUR DETAIL CATALOG Under $50.00 Over S50.00

Purchase Purchase

iside California 10% 5%

utside Calif, (incl. Mexico & Canada) 15% 10%

verseas 25% 20%

ircle 175 for Dealer inquiries. Circle 176 for End-User inquiries.

$47500

$515oo

scccoo

Model III 64K RAM w/Dual CPU.. JJJ (6502 for Applesoft & Z80A for CP/M)

Case and Keyboard Only $159.95

All above models are standard with Numeric Keypad, Function Keys, Auto Repeat Keys, Upper/lower Case Function, Fully Assembled and Tested.

PERIPHERALS

Autoterm 80-Col. w/Sottswitch $99.95

80-Column Card 99.95

80-Column for Apple lie" 49.95

Z80 CP/M Card (no software) 99.95

16K RAM Card w/Cable 47.50

Parallel Printer Interface 85.00

Buffer for Printer Interface (16-64K) 85.00

Serial Printer Interface Card w/Ad|. Baud . 85.00

Disk Controller 65.00

Disk Controller DOS 3.2/3.3 Auto Select.. 75.00 EPROM Writer Card (2716/2732/2764)... 75.00

3M

DISKETTES

SALE

Single Sided / Double Density Soft Sector

10 for

$245°

Inside California

Outside Calif, (incl. Mexico & Canada)

Minimum Order SlO.OO/Calif. Residents add 6.5% Sales Tax. Phone Orders Accepted on VISA or MC ONLY. NO CO. D.'s. Prices subject to change without notice. >

STORE HOURS

MON-FRI-10-7

SAT—10-6

•Apple and Apple II are the trademark of APPLE COMPUTERS, INC.

EPROM PROGRAMMER KIT - MODEL 1409

• Programs, lists, reads and verifies 2508, 2516, 2532, 2564, 2758, 2716, 2732,A, 2764, 27128, 68732,68764, 68766,8741, 8748,H,9,H

• US 232 interface, supports XON-XOFF and/or hardware handshaking (RTS, CTS, DTR)

•Auto baud rate select (300-9600baud)

•Accepts keyboard entry with line editing capability, ASCII,

INTEL, MOTOROLA, or HEX files

•User friendy monitor for easy I/O debugging

•On board power supply

• 1409 i-PC board, Xformer, software(4KEPROM) &

documentation: $89.50

•1409-2:14091 + fullset of parts: $ 199.50

•1409-3:Assembled and tested unit: $ 299.50

•Communication software for IBMPC, APPLE,CPM.TRS80:.$35.00

B&C MICROSYSTEMS

63SS Mojave Dr., San Jose, CA951SO lbM40S) B9T7GS5,Tx.4SB53E3

Circle 52 on inquiry card.

GREAT DISKETTES

Super low prices SYNCOM

The low priced, high quality diskette with a LIFETIME WARRANTY Packed in polybags ol 10 with Tyvek envelopes, labels and reinforced hubs. ^^^^^^^^^

One ol the best buys we ve seen UJj^XHHJiiiiJ

$139

• QTY 21

QTY 20

«ea. 5'/4"SSOD 51/4" DSDD ea.

$185

1 OTY 2

QTY 20

DISKETTE 70—Holds 70 514" diskettes in dust tree safety $14.95 ea. t $3.00 Shpng.

DISK CADDIES—Flip up style holds 10 5'/<" diskettes $1.65 ea. + .20 Shpng.

Shipping: 5'/«" DISKETTES—Add $3.00 per 100 or fraction thereof. OTHER ITEMS Shipping charges as shown in addition to diskette shipping charges Payment: VISA or MC. COD orders only, add $3.00. Taxes: Illinois customers, please add 8%.

Nationwide: 1-800-621-6827 In Illinois: 1-312-944-2788

Minimum Order S3500

WE WILL BEAT ANY NATIONALLY ADVERTISED PRICE!

DISK WORLD!

Suite 4806 • 30 East Huron Street • Chicago. Illinois 60611

SYNCOM

O Dysan

mS DISKETTE!

5V

Specify Soil. 10 or 16 Sectors

104-1D SSDD

104-20 DSDD

204-10 SSQD

204-2D DSQD

8

53

3740-1 SSSD

3740-1D SSDD 3740-2D DSDD

$10 $50 $100

29.00 142.50 280.00

40.00 197.50 390.00

40.00 197.50 39000

48.50 240.00 475.00

$10 $50 $100

34.00 167.50 330.00

42.50 210.00 415.00

50.00 247.50 490.00

CALLTOLL FREE 800-824-7888

OPERATOR 90S

(VISA, NIC. COD.

ORDERS ONLY)

7Doys a Week, 24Hours a Day

fteativitu

• Add S2.00 Stopping Per Ordei

• CA Residents Add Sales Tax

(408) 252-4210

M-F,8:00 AM-5:00 PM

FOR NEXT DAY

SHIPMENT

Inquiries Also

Unlimited

1741 Saratoga Avenue. Suite rlOO San Jose. California 95129

Send forOur Free Catalogue* Dealer Inquiries Invited

Circle 139 on inquiry card.

Circle 116 on inquiry card.

8K

Memory Module

Radio Shack Model 100 NEC PC-8201

* Suggested List $120.00.

Purple price $O9i90 ' Low power CMOS design. ^^™^^^^™

* Simple installation instructions included.

* 30 day satisfaction guarantee or your money back.

* 1 Year warranty.

* Next day shipment via UPS included in price.

* Optional Memory Test program 115. (Cassette)

No Iritis direct connect Modem Cable - $9.95

Shipping: From stock. Free UPS surlace Cont. USA-Add S4.00 for UPS 2 day Air-Add $7.00 lor Canada-Payment: VISA or M/C. Checks held 14 days.-Tax: 6% (Calif, only).

PURPLE COMPUTING CALL NOVV 2068 Ventura Blvd. SpT»

Camarilla, Ca. 93010

(805) 987-4788

IBM-PC

64K 2 DS/OD DRIVES

$ 2350

TAVA PC $1950

SANYO MBC-555..$1119 EAGLE PC 2 Plus..$1995 COLUMBIA 1600-1. .$2695 DYNAX DX15lqp..$ 435 JUKI 6100 lqp....$ 435 Okidata 92 Pdmp $ call Taxan 210col.mon.$ 330 FOR Computers, Printers & more Call:THE COMPUTER CLUB Inc!!

;7Days(619)578-5654 gg

IC

PROMPT DELIVERY!!! |

S SAME DAY SHIPPING (USUALLY)

DYNAMIC RAM

256K

200 ns

$59.90

64K

200 ns

5.87

64K

150 ns

5.99

64K

120 ns

7.50

16K

200 ns EPROM

1.15

27128

300 ns

$22.50

2764

250 ns

9.25

2732

450 ns

8.50

2716

450 ns

3.60

2532

450 ns STATIC RAM

4.75

6264P-15 150 ns

$42.00

6264LP-15 150 ns

44.00

6116P-3 150 ns

6.56 I

MasierCard VISA o< UPS CASH COD

Factory New, Prime Parts JiPoo

MICROPROCESSORS UNLIMITED

24 000 Soulri Peocia Ave /ftHO\ a£7 a net BEGGS OK 74421 (3'°) ^D/-4S*01

ancus sriown SmnJi ureters <ecen

:es suDiecl ID change Please o

'Mil'/'; Si'ipfnnq ami Insurants cl By 6 PM CST can usually Do

Circle 322 on inquiry card.

Circle 95 on inquiry card.

Circle 275 on inquiry card.

51/4" DISK DRIVES

TANDON: TM 100-2

Double Sided. 40 THK/Side *229

TANDON: TM 100-1 a<_n

Single Sided, 40 TRK s179

CDC: 9409 .„_

Double Sided, 40 TRK/Side '229

• 120 Day Warranty litHMM - Free Shipping l^WJf [

• No Charge For Credit Cards FSPJ " Order Toll Free !■■■—'I

1 -800-531-5475 (Outside Of Texas)

(512) 250-1489 (In Texas) Texas Residents Add 5% Sales Tax.

ICompufldd cp

13010 Research Blvd., Suite 101 Austin, Texas 78750

MEMOREX

FLEXIBLE DISCS

WE WILL NOT BE UNDERSOLD!! Call Free (800)235-4137

for prices and information. Dealer inquiries invited and CO.D.'s accepted.

VI

PACIFIC EXCHANGES

100 Foothill Blvd. San Luis Obispo. CA 93401. InCal. call (800)592-5935 or (805)543-1037

10M-BYTE DRIVES

WINCHESTER TANDON TM502

LIMITED SUPPLY

$600

NEW • TESTED

ASK FOR SALES DEPARTMENT

/S^I

4700 SAN PABLO AVENUE

EMERYVILLE, CA 94608

(415) 652-1805

Circle 89 on inquiry card.

Circle 305 on inquiry card.

Lyco Computer Marketing & Consultants

TO ORDER

CALL US

TOLL free 800-233-8760

In PA 1 717-327-1824

PRINTER INTERFACING

PRINTER PAPER AVAILABLE

■Available lor IBM PC. Apple, Atari, Vic 20 & Vic 64

EPSON

SAVE -PRINTERS

OKI DATA

LETTER QUALITY

SMITH CORONATP2... $449.00

DIABLO 630 ..$1719.00

ALPAHCOM 42 $89.00

ALPHACOM 81 $129.00

NECB023 $389.00

NEC 8025 $699.00

NEC PC-8200 COMPUTER $CALL

RX-80 SSAVEJ

RX-80FT ON

FX-80 In-Stock

FX-100 EPSON

MX-80FT PRINTERS

MX-100 $$CALL$$

MANNESMANN TALLY

SPIRIT 80 $CALL

MT180L $CALL

80 $SAVE$

82A CALL (Of

83A LOWEST

84 PRICES

92 on thase

93 In-Stock

PACEMARK 2350... PRINTERS

ATARI 850

REPLACEMENTS

IN-STOCK

CITOH

GORILLA GX1O0 $179.00

PROWRITER 8510 .. .$339.00

PROWRITERII $659.00

8600 $1025.00

STARWRITER $1099.00

PRINTMASTER $1499.00

STAR MICRONTICS

GEMINI 10X $269.00

GEMINI 15X $CALL

DELTA 10 $479.00

MODEMS

ANCHOR MARK I ANCHOR MARK HAYES SMART .. HAYES MICRO II Micro Bit

rfPP-IOOO

NOVATION

I CAT

D-CAT

J-CAT

APPLE CAT II .... 212 APPLE CAT .

S79.00

I..S79.00

S-239.00

S309.00

$129.75

S144.00 $155.00 S1 15.00 S279.00 $589.00

MONITORS

Sakata Color $229.00

Amdek Color I $275.00

Amdek 300 Green $149.00

Amdek 300 Amber $149.00

Gorilla Green $99.00

CARDCO

Cardprinter / LQ1 $499.00

Cardprint DM1 $109 00

5 Slot Expanaion 64 $54.00

64 Write NOW $39 00

64 Mail NOW $29 qq

2 j Write NOW $29 00

M *«yp»d $29.00

Universal Ca»s. Int $29.75

Printer Utility $19.75

6 Slot Expansion $79.95

3 Slot Expansion $24 g5

PRINTER INTERFACE $39 75

PRINTER INTERFACE with

lull graphics $65 75

LIGHT PEN $2975

HES 64

Sound Box $9.95

64Forth $55.75

Hesmon $25.75

Turtle Graphics $37.75

Heswrlter $28.75

Grldrunner $19.75

SPINNAKER 64

Kindercomp $21.75

Story Machine $23.75

Face Maker $23.75

Snooper Trooper $29.75

Delta Drawing $34.75

Sham us II c/d $24.95

Pinhead c/d $22.95

DUST COVERS

800 S3.99

4O0 $3.99

1200 $3.99

410 $3.99

810 $3.99

105O $5.99

PROWRITER $5.99

GEMINI 10X $5.99

PERCOM DISK $5.99

jnppkz

SSI

Battle of Shilo '... $26.75

Tigers in the Snow $26.75

Cosmic Balance $26.75

APPLE nUMPl INC. GX S99 75

APPLE DUMPUNG 64 116 Bu(1er|S1 79 75

INFOCOM

Zork I. II. or III $26.75

Deadline $33.75

synapse 64 C O m m O d O Pe

ZEPPELIN C/D $24.75

BLUE MAX C/D $24.75

DIMENSION XC/O ....$24.75 EPYX 64

ASPHIR $28.75

JUMPMAN JR R $28.75

PITSTOPR $2B.75

ATARI' 8o2xl.:

Computers for people." O

Voice Box 2 . $99.75

1400XL 1450 ...

1050 DISK DRIVE 1010 RECORDER

$CALL ....for Lowest Prices

...SSAVES $74.75

MARKER BROTHERS

Tutankhem R $33.75

Super Cobra R ....$33.75

Astro Chase R $33.75

Frogger R $33.75

QBertR $33.75

Popeye R $33.75

BR0DERBUND64 BANK STREET

WRITER $49.75

CHOPLIFTER $24.75

LODE RUNNER $24.75

DROL $24.75

J<OALATOUCHTAB^^i$69175

Monkey Wrench 2 $52.75

SPINNAKER Story Machine R ..$26.75 I

Face Maker R $24.75

Kinderomp R $20.75

Fraction Fever R ..$24.75 Delta Drawing R. ..$26.75 ]

BLANK DISKETTES ELEPHANT

Single Side 3D (10) $17.75

Single Side DD(10) $11.75

Double Side DD (10) $26.75

MAXELL

MD l (10)

MO II (10)

$28.75

$38.75

CERTRON CASSETTES

CC-10 12 (or $15.99

CC-20 12 lor $17.99

INNOVATIVE CONCEPTS

Disk Storage (holds 10)....$4.95 Disk Storege (holds 1 5).... $9.95 Disk Storage (holds 50).... $26.95

TRAK DISK DRIVES

AT-01 $379.00

AT-D2 $399.00

PRINTER CABLE $22.95

Software for ATD-2 ....$22.95

RAN A DISK DRIVE

COMPUTER CARE

BIB

SV« DISK DRIVE

CLEANER $12.75

COMPUTER CARE

KIT $19.75

HARD DISK DRIVES for

APPLE IBM-PC

5MEG $1349.00

10MEG ...$1599.00 15MEG ...$1999.00 20MEG ...$2359.00

■Add S in IM1 '<" IRS (Id I). v.-s

TEXAS INSTRUMENT

Disk Drive...$245.00

FOR ATARI COMPUTERS

AT88S1 ..,

AT88S2 ..,

AT"S1PD.

RFD40S1.,

RFD40S2.

RFD44S1..

.$299.00 .$535.00 .$439.00 .$399.00 .$675.00 .$449.00

AT88 doubler

^f^ev (JBHesS Circle 245 on inquiry card

Q9 T0 ORDER ^^p

CALL TOLL FREE or send order to

800-233-8760 pTsSSST

Customer Service 1-717-327-1825 Jersey Shore. PA 1 774C

POLICY

In-stock items shipped within 24 hours of order. Personal checks require four weeks clearance before shipping. No deposit on CO.D. orders. Free shipping on prepaid cash orders within the continental U.S. PA residents add sales tax. All products subject to availability and price change. Advertised prices show 4% discount offered for cash, add 4% for Master Card or Visa. DEAi f R INQUIRIES INVITED.

Maxell Floppy Disks

The Mini-Disks with maximum quality.

Dealer inquiries invited. C.O.D's accepted. Call FREE (800) 235-4137.

PACIFIC EXCHANGES

100 Foothill Blvd.. San Luis San Luis Obispo. CA 93401. In Catcall (800) 592-5935 or (805)543-1037.

$9100

Single Board Computer

6800 MPU, serial I/O, parallel I/O. RAM, EPROM, 44-pln 4.5" » 6.5" PCB EXPANSION MODULES: RAM, EPROM, CMOS RAM/battery, analog I/O, serial I/O, parallel I/O, counter/timer, IEEE-488, EPROM programmer, floppy disks, cassette, breadboard, keyboard/display. — WlnlekCotp

1801 South !

Lalavetlo, IN 4790,

Lafayette, IN 47904 317-742-8428

GET ORGANIZED

WITH OUR NEW LINE OF QUALITY PRODUCTS

The "Get Organized"

ergonomic

chair.

Features pneumatic

lift and adjustable

backrest.

Comes in a

choice of six

colors — blue,

red, camel,

brown, light

grey and

charcoal grey.

To place your order today call anytime!

1-800-328-2977

g^~^ We accept Visa and Mastercard, ^gf

tOO1 Add S2.S0 for shipping. wmttm

Mid America Wholesalers, Inc. Computer Accessories 8135 215 th St., Ukeville, MN 55044 Minnesota Residents Call Collect.

(612) 469-4666

Dealer inquiries invited.

Circle 305 on inquiry card.

Circle 434 on inquiry card.

NEW! FORTH COMPUTER

The AMS-I000 series development/target single board computers for dedicated control applications include: Extended FORTH and 6502 assembler in I IK of firmware, RS-232 port, Two 8-bit TTL I/O ports, Two 16-bit counter/timers with interrupt, 2K or 8K of battery backed CMOS RAM, Extra socket will program 2K or 8K E or E'PROMS, Extensive documentation and large tutorial type manual on the FORTH language. Autostart your program on power-up and there is a wake-up feature for multi-distributed process control. You supply CRT & 5v only @ 200ma. The board has a 44 pin bus and Is 4.5"x4.5". OEM qty. and pricing available. 2K-J299 8K-S399 single qty. For order or info write to:

ADAPTIVE MICRO SYSTEMS

P.O. BOX 965

SANDY, UTAH 9409I

MC/VISA orders only call: I-800-227-I6I7 ext. I25 I-800-772-3545 in Calif.

NEW!

.safeStenL

KEYBOARD PROTECTOR

Remains in place during keyboard use. Prevents damage from liquid spills, dust, ashes, etc. Fits like a second skin, excellent feel. Homerou/ and numeric locators. Available for: IBM-PC, Apple He. Send $29.95, check or M.O., Visa & MC include exp. date and signature. Specify computer type. Dealer Inquiries invited. Free brochure available.

MERRITT Computer Products, Inc.

2925 LBJ, #180 / Dallas, Texas 75234

(214)942-1142

300 BAUD

MODEMS

1200 BAUD

SIGNALMAN. .

MARK 12.. .300/1200 AUTO $279

MARK 10.. .300 AUTO $169

VOLKSMODEM & cable $79

US ROBOTICS -Hayes Compatible'

'PASSWORD' 300/1200 baud $339

'SlOC card 300/1200 $339

'AUTO 212' dlxe. 300/1200 $419

DOT DDTMTCDC LETTER

MATRIX PRINTERS QUALITY

CABLES 6 feet IBM CP/M $ 22

GEMINI 10X 120 cps graphics $279

PROWRTTER 120 cps hi density... .$344 DAISYWRTTER fast! 40 cps 48K. $CALL!

ibm HARD DISKS cp/m

Complete Systems... .controller & drive & software

10 Mbyte half height $1295

23 Mbyte ... $2195 40 Mbyte $2795

IMAGE COMPUTERS

P.O. Box 1164, Cardiff, CA 92007

DEALER

(619)942-7373 —1— B| INQUIRIES (619) 270-3600 mSm H INVITED

Circle 17 on Inquiry card.

Circle 255 on inquiry card.

Circle 206 on Inquiry card.

GILTR0NIX SWITCHES ARE THE BEST CHOICE.

.. and here are 10 good reasons i

IBM PC

1. Serial (RS232) or Parallel (Centronics)

2. PrompI Deliveries

3. Nationally Advertised Products

4. Broad Product Line

5. Over 30,000 Units Sold to Date

6. Sates and Technical Support

i. Mam

and

a

Manual Units—2 to f Automatic Units—3 to

Automatic Units 9. Highest Quality PC Board Switch Technology 10. Buy Direct From Giltronix, or From Any Authorized Distributor

i Ports 15 Ports

rvj COGillronix

cXi

ORDER HOTLINE: 1-800-531-1300 (Outside of Calito

NEW! BREAKOUT-BOX

Tests, Monitors, Re-wires RS-232 Interfaces *

Opens signal lines, rewires or monitors in one unit. Nine two-color LED's monitor 7 lines plus two

spares. Wires included. 24 switches open any RS-232 line except pin 1. Requires no battery. Order Direct! Only $149.95. Add $1.75 postage & handling. IL res. add 6% sales tax. MC, VISA accepted. Free! New illustrated catalog of RS-232 interface and testing equipment.

Phone: B15-539-5827

B&H electronics ■■■ MANUFACTURING COMPANY

Box 68B, MEND0TA, IL 61342

COMPUTER BRIEFCASES

* * * Lightweight, tough, molded ABS case ' " " Aluminum closure, cast chrome locks ' * ' Customized foam padding on all sides

EXECUTIVE LINE (w. shoulder strap) E-1 IBM PC, keyboard, cables

PRESTIGE LINE (add $15 for shoulder strap) P-1 Transtar 120 (Silver Reed 500) P-2 TRS-80 Model 100, Transtar 120 P-3 Epson MX-BO (IBM Printer) P-4 TRS-80 Model 100, Epson MX-80 P-5 Epson MX-80 F/T P-6 TRS-80 Model 100, CCR-81

CarryCase SK

$89 $119

$89 $119 $105

$99

Circle 184 on inquiry card.

Circle 53 on inquiry card.

Circle 70 on inquiry card.

PPTCUSTOM COMPUTER OU I TECHNOLOGY

1 CRAFTSMAN COURT - BOX 4160 - SEDONA, ARIZONA 86340

Purchase your Hardware and Software directly from an OEM / Systems Integrator. Take advantage of our buying power! We stock a full line of Board Level Components, Software and Peripherals. Call for your needs. We'll give you the Lowest Prices, and the Technical Support and Know-How we are quickly becoming well-known for. Satisfied Customers Nationwide. The Nation's Custom Systems House for Business, Education and Science. Call for a system quote.

• FOREMOST QUALITY • ADVANCED SUPPORT • REASONABLE COST •

TOLL-FREE

ORDERING:

800-222-8686

FOR TECHNICAL SUPPORT/

SERVICE / IN ARIZONA:

602-282-6299

■ IS

LIBERAL DEALER PRICING ON ALL CCT PRODUCTS.

CCT

Pro

THE CCT EXCLUSIVE WARRANTY

With any system we build, we provide, in writing, an unconditional 12 month direct warranty on the entire system, including mainframe, boards, drives, power supplies, cabling and peripherals! We offer guaranteed 24-hour in-house repair and/or replacement with just a tech-line phone call. We can offer this, since we are so sure of our level of quality and reliability. It's greatto know that in the event of a problem, you're not out of business waiting on service turnaround. We deliver!

Our various OEM contracts with all the manufacturers of the components we integrate, allow us this unprecedented flexibility. No factory O.K.'s necessary—just get it running - NOW!

• 8" CP/M SOFTWARE SPECIALS •

dBASE II - Latest Version 2.4 $349

Supercalc86-forCP/M86&MP/M .. $ 99

Wordstar $299 Pro-Pak $429

Microsoft BASIC .. $299 Compiler .. $339 Supersoft FORTRAN IV $339CComp $399 Peachtree Series 8 Modules each $599

• TOP SELLING PERIPHERALS •

CCT-90K Parallel S-100

Amber Screen - 90K Baud $749

Wyse 100-14" Green $699

Wordstar Prom Option $ 75

Wyse 50 $529 75 $609

200/300 $1069

Visual 50 ... $599 Televideo 925 ... $749

950 $950 970 $1099

Liberty Freedom 100-$479 200-$679 Okidata82-$349 83-$619 84-$1029

92 $459 93 $779

NEC 7710 $2150 7730 $2150

Diablo 620 $969 630 $1899

INDUSTRIAL GRADE SUPERIOR QUALITY

CCT DISK DRIVE SYSTEMS

S-100 HARD DISK SUBSYSTEMS

ROLLS ROYCES OF THE INDUSTRY

Professionally engineered ST-506 type systems for the business market S-100 Computer user. Includes industry top quality drives, CompuPro Disk 3 DMA controller, all cabling, A&T, formatted, bumed-in. Provisions for up to two hard disks in each system. We include operating system update. CP/M 80, CP/M 86, CP/M 8-16, MP/M 8-16, CP/M 68K. Soon to be supported- MS-DOS. (/1 Systems are CCT innovated hard/floppy combinations, with Mitsubishi DSDD 8" drive.)

CCT-10(11 + MEG) $2349 CCT-10/1 $2849

CCT-20(22+ MEG) $2749 CCT-20/1 $3249

CCT^0(36+ MEG) $3349 CCT-40/1 $3849

Drive capacities shown are after formatting! We are working on tape cartridge back-up units.

n„„ " 10)>nonn FLOPPY SYSTEMS CCT-2.4 • Dual 8" DSDD

Mitusbishi 2.4 Megabyte in Extra Heavy horizontal enclosure, removeable filterair system, all cabling, A&T, Burned in. The

fastest system available: $1199

with (2) half-height - CCT-2.4S $1229

Special configurations available — Call!

CCT-5«51/4"DSDD

IBM Compatible Tandon 320K. Extra Heavy Cabinet accommodates two drives, hard orfloppy. All cabling, A&T, Burned-in. Perfect for our MS-DOS Package .... $369

with Hard Disk Power Supply $389

Two Drive Unit (720K) CCT-5/2 $649

• SUPER PRICES • COMPUPRO COMPONENTS • IN STOCK •

SYSTEM SPECIAL-ALL CCT A&T, BURNED IN: 816A- $4299 816B - $4999 816C-$6499

CCT-2-$6799 • CCT-3-$6699 • Disk 1 w/CP/M - $469 • CPU 8086/87 - $819 • M-Drive/H-$1099

CPU 8085/88 - $329 • CPU 8086 - $559/10Mhz - $599 • CPU 68K - $519/10Mhz - $639

CPU-Z-$249 • Disk 1-$369 • Disk 2-$579 • Disk 3-$539 • RAM 16 (12Mhz) - $369 • RAM 21 (128K) - $779

RAM 22 (256K) - $1359 • Interfacer 3 - $459 • Interfacer 4 - $349 • System Support 1 - $329

Enclosure 2 Desk-$599/Rack-$649 • CP/M 80 (CCTHMX) - $125 • CP/M 86 (CCTTMX) - $175

CP/M 8-16 (CCTTMX)- $199 • MP/M 8-16 (CCTSX)-$499 • CP/M 68K(CCTCX)-$279

CP/M 86 Upgrade Kit: CP/M 86, RAM 16, Sys. Supt. 1, Cable - $829

Call for CSC Boards — New Releases — CCT Mods Updates - S30/O.S.

CCT-1 - ENTRY LEVEL S-100 BUSINESS SYSTEM

• Enclosure 2-Desk-20 Slot Mainframe • ■ CPU 8085/88 - 6Mhz 8085/8Mhz 8088 •

• Disk 1 - DMA Floppy Disk Controller •

• RAM 16 - 64K Static RAM - 12Mhz •

• Interfacer 4 -3 Serial/2 Parallel I/O •

• CCT-2.4-Dual 8" Mitsubishi DSDD Drive System - 2.4 Megabytes •

• CP/M 80-2.2 HMX - CCT Modified •

• All Cabling, Complete CCT Assembly, Testing, and Minimum 20 Hour Burn-in •

SPECIAL PRICE

$3,449

RUNS ALL STANDARD 8" CP/M SOFTWARE - INCLUDES OUR EXCLUSIVE 12 MONTH DIRECT WARRANTY

OPERATING SYSTEM NOTE: Latest CP/M, CP/M 86, MP/M 8-16, CP/M 68K, have each been restructured and optimized by CCT, for utmost flexibility, power and speed.

MS-DOS FOR COMPUPRO - IBM COMPATIBLE CCT MODIFIED SYSTEM

For any CP/M 86 CompuPro System — Includes MS-DOS Version 2.0 and 5V4" DMA Disk Controller, All Manuals - $699

Prices & availability subject to change. All products new, and carry full manufacturer's warranties. Call for catalog. Free technical help to anyone. All products we well are CCT individually tested and set up for your system - Plug-In & Go! Arizona residents add sales tax CCT© Trademark — Custom Computer Technology; MS-DOS© Trademark — Microsoft; IBM© Trademark - International Business Machines; CompuPro© Trademark — W.J. Godbout; CP/M© MP/M© Trademarks - Digital Research

Circle 119 on inquiry card.

BYTE May 1984 543

The "Gel Organized" copy holder is made oi bronze

acrylic and features copy clip, swing arm and sturdy base. Works with any system.

GET ORGANIZED

WITH OUR NEW UNE OF QUAUTY PRODUCTS

Sturdy V>" bronze acrylic printer stand. Featuring bottom feed slot and padded rubber feet to protect surfaces and reduce noise. Available in two sizes.

6<13>4 fill 80 column primers.

$29.95

1x13x4 liii target primer*.

$39.95

To place your order today call anytime!

1-800-328-2977

We accept Visa and Mastercard. S2JS|

Add J2.50 for (hipping.

Mid America Wholesalers, Inc. Computer Accessories 8135 215 th St., Lakeville, MN 55044 Minnesota Residents Call Collect.

(612) 469-4666

Dealer inquiries invited.

PAL EPROIifl

& UV ERASERS from $49.95

LOGICAL DEVICES INC.

Wh&ie- RekcJdliLf, and ti, Of QubnoAt 9 mp&danae,

SEE OUR AD ON PAGE 62

Q00DQQQ

ORDER TOLL FREE

1-800-EE1-PROM

(1-800-331-7766)

5 VOLT EPROM PROGRAMMER

*%i

IDEALLY SUITED TO PROTOTYPES, FIELD SERVICE OR EDUCATION - FOR ENGINEER, TECHNICIAN, STUDENT OR HOBBYIST.

* MICROPROCESSOR CON TROLLED, MENU DRIV EN SOFTWARE

* COMPLETE - NO PERSONALITY MODULES

* ONE YEAR WARRANTY

* 2500, 2700 SERIES, IK THRU L6K <BYTE) EPROMS

* CONNECT TO RS-232 INTERFACE, COMPUTER OR TERMINAL - SELECTABLE BAUD RATES, 300 THRU 19.2K

* SECURITY CODE PROTECTION

* ERASE, READ, VERIFY 6 PROGRAM MODES SUPPORTED

* PROGRAM AN ENTIRE EPROM, A SELECTED PORTION OR BYTE-AT-A-TIME

* OBTAIN PROGRAM DATA FROM ANOTHER EPROM, COMPUTER MEMORY OR DIRECT FROM TERMINAL

* CP/M COMPATIBLE SOFTWARE SUPPLIED ON 6" SSSD DISKETTE ALONG WITH FULL DOCUMENTATION

$290

tARC MODEL 305B - ENHANCED VERSION, 16K * OJ (BYTE) DATA BUFFER WITH EDITOR - NO COMPUTER IS REQUIRED BUT ALLOWS

GREATER FLEXIBILITY IF AVAILABLE

COD'S WELCOME. DEALER INQUIRIES INVITED. (305) 334-3511

EPIC ELECTRONICS

1074 NE COMMERCIAL ST. JENSEN BEACH, FL 33457

CP/M 13 a trademark of DICITAL RESEARCH

Circle 238 on inquiry card.

Circle 164 on inquiry card.

Scotch Diskettes

Rely on Scotch* diskettes to keep your valuable data safe. Dependable Scotch diskettes are tested and guaranteed error-free. The low abrasivity saves your read/write heads. They're compatible with most diskette drives

(800)235-4137

Dealer Inquiries

Invited

APPLE COMPATIBLE HARDWARE

INTERFACE FOR TYPEWRITER,

CENTRONICS AND WORDSTAR

COMPATIBLE

Model « Price

Tl Olivetti Praxis 30. 35. 40 $99

T2 Olivetti Praxis 41

T3 Silver Reed Ex 42, 43, 44 + Penman

T4 Adler Satellite 11 and Alpha Royal 2001

T5 Olympia Compact and Swintec 1146 CM

INFRARED INTERFACE FOR REMOTE OPERATION WITHOUT CABLES

IRR Board, Receiver station $99

for use with one or all:

IRN Numerical Pad VisiCal compatible $49

IRK Full keyboard with lower case $129

IRC Four direction cursor control $29

^7-Jfcto. TO ORDER CALL (408) 734-4631

rite

INTERFACE

Advanced Transducer Devices., Inc. 1287 Lawrence Sia. Rd., Sunnyvale, CA 94039

Additional $2.50 per order lor shipping Calif, residents add 6':"■> tax

NORTHWEST MICROCHIPS DISTRIBUTORS

(206) 876-6298

DYNAMIC RAM 4116 200ns

4164 150ns

STATIC RAM

6116P-3

150ns

6116LP-3

150ns

2128P-4

200ns

58725

150ns

6264LP-15

150ns

EPROM

zm

450ns

2716

450ns

2716-1

350ns

2732

350ns

2764

300ns

Z80 FAMILY

Z8QA CPU, CTC, PI0

DART

DMA

Z80B

CPU

SPECIALI 4164 200ns

(limited quantity)

6730 VIEW DRIVE S.E. PORT ORCHARD WA 98366

Ail prices subject to change.

Quantity discounts available.

we ship UPS-COD or prepaid.

Shipping and insurance are extra.

Washington residents sdd 7.8% seles tax.

CALL US ANYTIME!

$1.50 5.50

5.80 6.70 4.20 4.65 CALL

4.10 350 4.25 4.75 7.75

320 6.10

750 795

5.00

Circle 305 on inquiry card.

Circle 23 on inquiry card.

Circle 295 on inquiry card.

8051 CROSS ASSEMBLER FOR THE APPLE II

• Supports all 8051 family members: 8031, 8051, 8751, 80C31, 80C51, 8032, 8052, 8044, 8344, 8744.

• Written in machine language with no overlays for extremely fast execution.

• Mnemonics, syntax, directives and controls same as Intel's.

• Generates standard Intel Hex format file for easy PROM programming.

. Can be run on an Apple lie or , Apple 11 Plus.

Price $145.00 MelaLink Corp.

P.O. BOX 126

CHANDLER, AZ. 85224

(602) 899-4592

PRICE WAR

" 'ce and Prompt Deli1

IBM PC

• 64K, 2-320K drive and FDC $2269

• 64K, 1-320K drive, color & FDC

card with green monitor $2389

• IBM XT, IBM PC jr $CAU

• Compaq & Compaq Plus $CALL

• Columbia PC & Columbia VP $CAU

• Eagle PC & Corona PC (all others) $CALL

• 64 KB RAM chips (tested) $55

• Tandon 100-2, CDC 9409 drives $229

• TEAC FD-55B slim line drive $190

■ Pegasus, Davong, Maynard and

Tall Crass hard disks $CALL

• AST Products: 64K SPC & S/W Six Pack Plus,

MEGA Plus, Combo Plus $279

ALL OTHERS CALL

• STBR10 Plus, Plantronics C+, Hercules and Quadboards $CALL

• Paradise Mullt Display Card $395

■ AMDEK Monitors 300A $149

310A $169 Color II Plus $439

• Princeton Graphic HX-12 $469

• PGS MAX-12 and SR-12 $CALL

• EPSON FX-80 $539 FX-100 $CALL

• NEC 3550 $1695 Okidata 9293 $CALL

» Printer Cable $32

» IBM Software $CALL

■ Hayes Modems (all models) .$CALL

FOR OUR TERMS

P.O./MC/VISA ACCEPTED, COD 20% DEPOSIT

PC COMPONENTS

17842 Irvine Blvd., Suite 110

Tustin, CA 92680

(714) 669-0774 (714) 786-1897

WE PAY LONG DISTANCE PHONE ORDER H Dealers Inquiries Welcome l^

IBM pc 2499 c?B'iJ

CALL FOR IBM-XT

COLUMBIA

2 Drs, Graphic Adapt.. 64 K, Keyboard

CORONA 128K, 2 Drs, software, monitor. 2395

SANYO 550, 128K, 1 Dr, software 799

SANYO 555, 12BK, 2 Drs, software 1099

FRANKLIN 1000 PRO+ 1129

FRANKLIN 1200 OMS+ 1399

Call for plotter and items not listed

OKI 92 . . OKI 84 . . RX80FT FX 80 . . . FX 100. . Delta 10.

449 948 369 499 739 399

Gemini 10X 289

TP I 259

TP II 299

Brother 15 . 429 Brother HRI 499 Silver R 550599 Prowriter I . 359 Prowriter II. 599

MICROLAND

Price for prepaid 2% C.O.D.

5223 Beechnut

Houston, TX 77096

(713) 668-4695

Circle 257 on inquiry card.

Circle 308 on inquiry card.

Circle 272 on inquiry card.

U.S. MANUFACTURER ONE YEAR WARRANTY!

10 MEGABYTE HARD

DISK FOR IBM PC! 599500

10 MEGABYTE HARD DISK FOR IBM PC

Plug-n-Run. ready to go • complete with controller card, data cable, and mounting hardware • totally PC/XT compatible • 3 times faster than XT • handles 4 different operating systems • streamer tape back-up available

10 mbyte internal

10 mbyte external

15 mbyte internal

15 mbyte external _

26 mbyte internal

26 mbyte external

Tape Back-up option

YOUR PRICE S7 795 $995.00 $1195.00 $1395.00 $1595.00 $1995.00 $2249.00 $795.00

$2095 S1995 $2295 S2495 $2795 - $995

HI-RES MONITORS

YOUR PRICE

AMDEK 310A

AMDEK 300G

AMDEK 300A

AMDEKCOLOR I AMDEK COLOR II AMDEK COLOR IV

PGS • MAX-12

PGS • HX-12

PGS SR-12

QUADCHROME _ COMREX CR6800

S230 $179 $199 $379 $559 $995 $269 $699 $799 $795 $649

$169.95 $129.95 $149.95 $259.95 $419.95 $774.95 $199.95 $469.95 $649.95 S499.95 $499.95

KEYTRONICS KEYBOARDS

YOUR PRICE

5150 5151

$269 $299

$189.95 $239.95

STB BOARDS FOR IBM PC

YOUR PRICE

GRAPHICS PLUS RIO PLUS 128K RIO PLUS 256K _ RIO PLUS 384K _ SUPER RIO 64K _ SUPER RIO 128K SUPER RIO 256K SUPER 10

$495 S495 $595 $795 $419 $519 $619 $229

$379.95 $349.95 $449.95 $549.95 $329.95 $379.95 $479.95 $179.95

SOFTWARE FOR IBM PC

I OTIIR 1 ?.1 SYMPHONY riRASF II

rrarf 4nnn SMART KEY MDVF-IT

YO

$495 $695 $700 $495 $89 $125

JR PRICE

$329.95

$549.95

$429.95

$319.95

$69.95

$89.95

$169.95

$249.95

$129.95

$54.95

$299.95

$249.95

S139.95

Mill TIPI AN

ACCOUNTING PARTNER . CROSSTALK

$250

_ S3 95

$195

PRDKFY

$75

MULTIMATE SUPERCALC III TRANSEND PC

$495 $395 $189

MICROSOFT FOR IBM PC

MOUSE

SYSTEM CARD 64K _ SYSTEM CARD 256K

YOUR PRICE

$199 $129.95 $395 $279.95 $625 $429.95

320K DISK DRIVES

DOUBLE-SIDED, DOUBLE-DENSITY FOR IBM PC

$19995

CHOICE OF

Tandon Tec

Teac Epson

Panasonic Shugart

DISKETTES For IBM PC

High quality douDle-sided, double-density diskettes, certified to be absolutely error free. Box of ten. warranteed for one year Box of 10 w/FREE plastic case _ $39 $19.95

HIGH SPEED 8087 APU

Math co-processor chip List Price $295

SALE PRICE $99.95

PLACE ORDERS TOLL FREE

Continental USA (800)421-5500

Inside California (800)262-1710

QUADRAM FOR IBM PC

YOUR PRICE

QUADBOARD No RAM

QUADBOARD 64K

QUADBOARD 128K

QUADBOARD 256K

QUADBOARD 384K

QUADLINK

QUAD 512 PLUS64K QUAD 512 PLUS 256K QUAD 512 PLUS 512K

QUAD COLOR I

QUAD COLOR II

S295 S3 95 S495 S595 S795 S680 $325 $550 $895 $295 $275

S214.95 $275.95 S339.95 S399.95 $595.95 $449.95 $219.95 $389.95 $549.95 $209.95 $199.95

IBM VIDEO BOARDS

HERCULES GRAPHIC

PLANTRONICS COLOR

STB GRAPHICS+

QUADCOLORI

AMDEK MAI

YOUR PRICE

$499 $339.95

$549 $379.95

S495 $379.95

S295 $209.95

S649 $495.95

64K RAM UPGRADE FOR IBM PC

High speed RAM upgrade kit with FREE! parity (error detection) and one year warranty

YOUR PRICE

64K KIT For IBM PC

128K KIT For IBM PC

192K KIT For IBM PC

256K KIT For IBM PC __ 384K KIT For IBM PC _

$90 $180 S270 S360 $540

$49.95

S95.95

$143.95

$199.95

S289.95

AST FOR IBM PC

SIX PAK PLUS 64K _ SIX PAK PLUS 256K SIX PAK PLUS 384K

MEGA PLUS 64K

MEGA PLUS256K _ MEGA PLUS 512K _

I/O PLUS

MP 64K _ MP 128K MP 192K MP 256K

YOUR PRICE

. S395 $269.95

. S695 $489.95

_ 5945 $569.95

_ S395 $269.95

_ S665 $429.95

S7095 $799.95

_ $165 $119.95

_ S295 $199.95

_ S395 $249.95

_ S495 $299.95

_ S595 $349.95

Los Angeles Area (213)973-7707

We accept cash, checks, credit cards, or purchase orders from qualified firms and institutions. Minimum prepaid order $15.00 California residents add 6y2% tax. Export customers outside the US or Canada please add 10% to all prices. Prices and availibilily subject to change without notice. Shipping and handling charges via UPS Ground 50C/lb. UPS Air $1 00/lb. minimum charge $3.00 Prices quoted are for pre-paid orders only

Circle 212 on inquiry card.

BYTE May 1984 545

Computer Products

APPLE ACCESSORIES ON QAI cf

SUPER DISKETTE SPECIAL!

We bought out a major manufacturer's overstock and we are passing the savings on to you! Single-sided, double-density package of ten with FREE! plastic case Box of 10 w/FREE! case $34 S18.95

SMARTMODEM Hayes

Sophisticated direct-connect auto-answer/auto dial modem, touch tone or pulse dialing. RS232C interface programmable

YOUR PRICE

Smartmodem 1200 $699 $475.00

1200B for IBM PC $599 $399.95

Smartmodem 300 $289 $199.00

Hayes Cronograph $249 $199.95

Micromodem 100 $399 $299.95

Micromodem lie $299 $239.95

1200 Baud

SMART CAT—Novation

103/212 Smart Cat and 103 Smart Cat, 1200 and 300 baud, built-in dialer, auto re-dial if busy, auto answer/disconnect, direct connect. LED readout displays mode analog/digital loopback self tests, usable with multi-line phones

YOUR PRICE

300 Baud 103 Smart Cat $249 $199.95

1200 Baud 212/103 Smart Cat $595 S449.95

J-CAT MODEM

1/5 the size of ordinary modems, Bell 103, manual or, auto-answer. Automatic answer/ originate, direct connect, built-in self-test, two LEDs and audio beeps provide status information

YOUR PRICE Novation J-Cat $149 $114.95

THE BUS PROBE

Best selling inexpensive S-100 diagnostic analyzer

YOUR PRICE

Bare board $89 $59.95

Kit $249 $179.95

AST $299 $199.95

VERSAFLOPPY II SD Systems

Double density disk controller for 51/„" and 8"

YOUR PRICE

Versafloppy II with PROM $400 $344.95

Versafloppy II/696 A & T $400 $349.95

CP/M 3.0 with VF-II $200 $80.00

64 STATIC RAM-Jade 51/4 inch DISK DRIVES

Uses new 2K x 8 static RAMs, fully supports IEEE 696

YOUR PRICE

Bare board _ Kit less RAM

32K kit

56K kit

64K kit

Assembled & Tested

_ $69 $49.95 — $149 $89.95 _ $229 $169.95 _ $299 $225.95 _ $399 $265.95 $50 add $30.00

EXPANDORAM III

High density memory board, 64K, 128K, or256K

YOUR PRICE

64K 128K 192K 256K

$475 $398.95

$595 $464.95

$709 $524.95

$825 $589.95

ULTRA-VIOLET EPROM ERASERS

Inexpensive erasers for industry or home

YOUR PRICE

Spectronics w/o timer $99 $69.95

Spectronics with timer $139 $94.95

Logical Devices $89 $49.95

ISOBAR

The ISOBAR looks like a standard multi outlet power strip but contains surge suppression circuitry and built-in noise filters, plus 15amp circuit breaker your price

4 receptacle $89 $59.95

8 receptacle $99 $69.95

APPLE ACCESSORIES

Full Height Disk Drive Half-Height Disk Drive Controller

8 inch 2 Meg. system 20 Megbyte Hard disk

CP/M 3.0 Card

Z-Card with CP/M

16K RAM Card

Best 80 Column Card

64K lie 80 Column

Fan w/surge protect _

Koala Pad

Grappler Plus

64K Grappler W/16K 64K Grappler W/64K

_ $299 _ $249

$100

$2495

$2495

_ $399

_ $169

$99

_ $279 _ $799

$99

$725

_ $7 75 _ $245 _ $345

$189.95 $184.95

$59.95

$1395.00

$1999.95

$259.95

$139.95

$39.95 $139.95 $129.95

$59.95

$89.95 $119.95 $175.95 $239.95

PLACE ORDERS TOLL FREE!

Continental USA Inside California Los Angeles Area

(800)421-5500 (800)262-1710 (213)973-7707

TANDON TM 100-1 SS/DD 48 TPI

List $349 $225.00 ea 2 for $195.00 ea

SHUGART SA 400L SS/DD 48 TPI

List $299 $209.00 ea 2 for $199.95 ea

TANDON TM 100-2 DS/DD 48 TPI

List $399 $229.00 ea 2 for $225.00 ea

5'/.i" Cabinets/Power Supply

Single cab w/power supply $99 $69.95

Dual cab w/power supply $729 $85.00

8 inch DISK DRIVES

SIEMENS FDD 100-8 SS/DD

List $399 $179.00 ea 2 for $175.00 ea

SHUGART SA 801R SS/DD

List $502 $355.00 ea 2 for $349.00 ea

SHUGART SA-851R DS/DD

List $605 5459.00 ea 2 for $455.00 ea

QUME DT-8 DS/DD

List $599 $479.00 ea 2 for $459.00 ea

TANDON TM 848-1 SS/DD thin-line

List $499 $369.00 ea 2 for $359.00 ea

TANDON TM 848-2 DS/DD thin-line

List $599 $439.00 ea 2 for $435.00 ea

NEC FD1165 DS DD thin-line

List $599 $450.00 ea 2 for $440.00 ea

NEC FD1164 SS/DD thin-line

List $499 $360.00 ea 2 for 5350.00 ea

DISK SUB-SYSTEMS

Handsome metal cabinet with proportionally balanced air flow system, rugged dual drive power supply, cble kit, power switch, line cord, fuse holder, cooling fan, nevermar rubber feet. All necessary hardware to mount two 8" disk drives, power supply, and fan. Does not include signal cable Dual 8" Sub-Assembly Cabinet

Bare cabinet $75 $49.95

Cabinet kit $299 $199.95

A & T $349 $249.95

8" Sub-System—Single sided, Double density

Kit w/2 Siemens FD100-8Ds $950 $579.00

A & T w/2 Siemens FD100-8Ds $995 $595.00

Kit w/2 Shugart SA-801Rs $7 795 $939.00

A & T w/2 Shugart SA-801RS $7295 $969.00 5" Sub-Systems—Double sided, Double density Kit w/2 Qume DT-8s _ _ $7495 51229.00

A & T w/2 Qume DT-8s $7595 $1249.00

Kit w/2 Shugart SA-851Rs_ $7495 $1199.00 A & T w/2 Shugart SA-851RS $7595 $1219.00

DUAL SLIMLINE SUB-SYSTEMS

Dual 8" Slimline Cabinet

. $75 $59.95 $249 $164.95

Bare cabinet

A & T w/o drives

Dual 8" Slimline Sub-Systems

Kit w/2 SS/DD drives _ _ $7295 $879.00

Kit w/2 DS/DD drives $7395 $1060.00

A & T w/2 DS/DD drives $7495 $1099.00

Circle 213 on inquiry card.

SUPER PRICES ON PRINTERS!

High Performance, New Lower Price! DTC-380Z

True letter quality Daisywheel printer up to 32 CPS, with a built-in 48K buffer. The380Z comes with RS232 serial, parallel Centronics, and IEEE-488 interfaces built-in Full one-year factory warranty! YOUR PRICE

DTC-380Z $1495 $999.95

Sheet feeder $895 S579.95

Forms Tractor $195 $129.95

Cable (specify) $85 $49.95

CALL US FOR OUR BEST PRICE!

EPSON RX-80 100 CPS w/tractor. graphics

CALL FOR OUR BEST PRICE

EPSON RX-80FT 100 CPS w/FREE! graphics

Friction & tractor feed SAVE $150.00

EPSON MX-80FT 80 CPS w/FREE graphics

Friction & tractor feed SAVE $150.00

EPSON FX-80 160 CPS w/FREE graphics

Friction & tractor teed SAVE $50.00

EPSON FX-100 160 CPS 15" platten

Friction & tractor feed SAVE $150.00

PRICES TOO LOW TO PUBLISH! OKIDATA 92 & 93

160 CPS, true correspondence quality printing, full graphics, IBM PC compatible (optional), handles single sheet as well as fan-fold paper, professional design construction and quality

Oki 92 parallel $599 $429.95

Oki 93 parallel $995 $699.95

2K serial board $150 $120.00

IBM PC ROMs for 92 $59 $49.95

IBM PC ROMs for 93 $59 $59.95

Extra Ribbon (2) $19 $9.95

Tractor lor Oki 92 $89 $54.95

MICROLINE 82, 83, 84

120 CPS (82. 83) 200 CPS (84), industry standard printers, serial and parallel interfaces, true lower case descenders, handles singlesheet as well as fan fold

Oki 82 $499 Now on SALE for $349.95

Oki 83 w/FREE tractor $775 $569.95

Oki 84 parallel $1395 $1095.00

Oki 84 serial $1495 $1195.00

2K serial board $120 $99.95

Extra Ribbons 82/92, 83/93 $19 $9.95

Tractor for Oki 82 Ribbons for 84

IBM PC ROMs for 82 or 83 IBM PC for 84

Commodore Interface & Cable

$89 $54.95 _$79 $9.95

$39.95

$89.95

$59.95

MANNESMAN-TALLY

Spirit. 80 CPS 10 inch parallel $399 $329.00

160L, 160 CPS 10 inch $798 $588.00

180L, 160 CPS 15 inch $1098 $828.00

OPEN SATURDAYS 10:OOam—4:00pm PST

OKIDATA PRINTER

(One hundred ninty-nine dollars and ninty-five cents) THIS IS NOT A MISPRINT!

►80 cps <e - f>A95

► Friction & pin feed ™ || *J *J

► Standard Centronics parallel

► 80 or 132 columns

► Full ASCII character set

► Block mode graphics

We bought several truck loads of these printers at a one time special price. Hurry and place your order. We've got lots now butthe demand will far exceed the limited supply. Includes full manufacturer warranty

GEMINI 1QX & 15X

120 CPS. full graphics, friction & tractor. Epson FX-80 compatible

Gemini 10X _ CALL FOR OUR BEST PRICE! Gemini 15X _ CALL FOR OUR BEST PRICE!

Serial I/O Card $69 $54.95

Serial I/O Card w/4K buffer $99.95

Commodore Interface & Cable $59.95

DELTA 10 & 15

160 CPS. full graphics, 8K buffer, serial & parallel, Epson FX-80 compatible

Delta 10 SAVE AT LEAST $150.00

Delta 15 SAVE AT LEAST $150.00

RADIX 10 & 15

200 CPS. full graphics. 16K buffer, serial & parallel, semi-auto sheet feeder

RADIX 10 SAVE AT LEAST $200.00

RADIX 15 SAVE AT LEAST $200.00

COMREX CR-II

Best buy in letter quality printers. NEW! from Comrex! full featured letter quality printer. FREE 5K buffer, logic seeking bi-directional printing boldface proportional spacing, double-strike backspace, underline, super-script and subscript, drop-in daisy wheel cartridge

CR-II parallel $599 $495.00

CR-II serial $644 $589.95

Tractor option $720 $99.95

Cut sheet feeder $259 $199.95

Keyboard option $199 $179.95

POWER TYPE

18 CPS daisywheel printer, parallel and serial, four print sizes. Qume wheels and ribbons Power Type _ $499 CALL for discount price!

SPECIAL SALE PRICE!

EPSON MX-100FT FREE Graftrax-Plus

With FREE! GRAFTRAX-PLUS

100 CPS, friction and tractor feed, 15 inch

platten. one year warranty

List Price $749.00 .

SALE PRICED AT

$48995

MICROFAZER

Quadram

The microfazer stand-alone printer buffers are available in any configuration of serial or parallel input, with serial output. All are expandable up to 64K of memory (about 30 pages of 8'/2 x 11 text). The parallel-to-parallel version is expandable to 512K copy and pause feature included

Paraffef/Paraffef

8K $169 $139.95

32K S225 $164.95

128K $445 $269.95

Serial/Parallel

YOUR PRICE

8K

32K

Parallel/Serial

8K

32K

Serial/Serial

8K

32K

$199 $169.95

$260 $199.95

$199 $169.95

$260 $199.95

$199 $169.95

$260 $199.95

MICROBUFFER Practical Peripherals

Stand-alone Microbutfers

Parallel, 32K _

Parallel, 64K

Serial, 32K

Serial, 64K

64K add-on board

Microbutfers for Apple II

Parallel, 16K _

Parallel, 32K

Serial, 16K

Serial, 32K

$299 $229.95

$349 $269.95

$299 $229.95

$349 $269.95

$7 79 $149.00

$259 $189.95

$299 $229.95

$259 $189.95

$299 $229.95

Microbutfers for Epson Printers

Parallel, 16K $759 $129.95

Serial, 8K $759 $129.95

STARWRITER F10

40 CPS, F10 parallel 55 CPS, F10 parallel

_ $7895 $999.95 $7995 $1299.95

Computer Products

Circle 213 on inquiry card.

4901 West Rosecrans Ave. Hawthorne, California 90250

v-ZlAEAANCED

Y Z^^COMPUTER

fPRCH>UCTS

64K RAMS

Set of 9 $50.00

COMPATIBLE

DISK CONTROLLER

o„.»$4995

IBM PC MULTICARD ™

"MULTICARD" multifunction card for the IBM PC & XT expandable to 256K, Thousands of this popular card have already been shipped by ACP.

• 64-256K • Disk Emulator Software

• Parallel Port • Printer Spooler Software Serial Port • Clock/Calendar

• 1 Year Warranty • Clock Software

$229°° w/64K $229°°

S-100 64KCMosRAMCARD

_^^^^^^k Unbelievable gpjMflS H Price!

MpPI $29900

PPI^^ Assembled and Tested

• ACP has sold over 1000 of these IEEE compatible, low-priced, high-reliability 64K Static RAM Cards.

Single 5-Volt operation.

SIEMEN'S SALE

You can now purchase Shugart compatible 8" Disk Drives below your

existing factory direct pricing These Prices are the lowest ever published Piemen's SSDD FDD100-8.. $169.00

Also, with purchase ol Disk Drives

you can buy the Vista V-1000 Dual Case

with Power Supply and Cable

for only $375.00 Hegular Price $495.00

Offer Limited! Factory Warranty 90 Oays! Shipped Immediately from Stock! 'OEM Quanlilies

DOT MATRIX PRINTER

C0EX 80-FT

v 9x7 Dot Malrix,80 CPS, Bi-Directional

Printing f 2K Buflered Memory

80. 96. 132 Columns. Graphics and

Block Printing * Selectable Char Pilch. Line Spacing

and Feed COEX Interface Card to Apple $49.95

ACP HAS DISK DRIVES

APPLE II™ COMPATIBLE

APPLE COMPATIBLE DISK DRIVES

Thin

Line

Drive

s-iggoo

VISTA Solo Sttr* Std $199.00

CUMANA 5V«~ Std 219.00

RANA Elite 1 249.00

Elite 2 399.00

Elite 3 499.00

Elite Controller 82.00

SUPER 5 Alps A40 Thinelino 199.00

TEAC T40 Thinelino 239.00

TEAC T80 Doublesidod 329.00

Controller 58.00

TANDON 100-2

PC Compatible • Double Sided

4$ $22900

*>V? TM100-1 $179.00

TOSHIBA Half-High

PC Compatible • Double Sided

$17goo

OTHER DRIVES WE STOCK

TANDON 648-2 Thinllne $479.OD

TEACFD55B 199.00

SEAGATE 10Mb Hard Disk 699.00

MPI B52 239.00

BUSINESS

ACP PRICE

APPLIED SOFTWARE Versalorm $299.00

Versaform Hard Disk 399.00

ARTSCI Magic Window II 95.00

Magic Combo 149.00

ASHTON-TATE dBASE II (CP.-M) 3B5.00

Friday (CPiM) 198.00

BPI (GL, AR, AP, Pay. Inv) Ofl. 299.00

BRODERBUND Bank Street Writer 49.00

BUSINESS SOLUTIONS The Incred Jack 149.00 CONTINENTAL (GL, AR, AP. Pay) ... . ea. 189.00

Home Accountant 49.00

DATAMOST Real Estate Inv 99.00

DOW JONES Market Manager 249.00

Market Analyzer 289.00

Market Microscope 549.00

EAGLE Money Decisions 149.00

FOX & GELLER Qickcode 199.00

d Utility 69.00

d Graph 199.00

HAYDEN Pie Writer 99.00

Compiler Plus 79.00

Basic Compiler 45.95

HOWARDSOFT Tax Preparer 149.00

Real Estate Analyzer 139.00

KENSINGTON Format II 99.00

LIGHTNING Maslertype 35.00

UVING VIDEOTEXT Think Tank 135.00

MICROPRO Wordstar 249.00

Mailmerge or Spellstar 139.00

Wordstar Prot. 4 Pak 449.00

Inlo Pak or InloStar Call

MICROSOFT Mulliplan 179.00

Multitool Financial 79.00

Mullilool Budget 119.00

MEGAHAUS Megawriter 49.00

PEACHTREE Series 40 (GL, AR, AP) 379.00

Series 9 (Text. Spell. Wail) 399.00

PERFECT SOFTWARE Call

QUARK Word Juggler (lie) 199.00

Lexicheck (lie) 99.00

Call for Apple III SIERRA ON-LINE

Screenwriter II 99.00

Screenwriter Professional 149.00

General Manager II 169.00

Dictionary 79.00

SOFTWARE PUBLISHING PFS/File 89.00

PFS.Graph or PFS.'Roporl - 89.00

STATE OF THE ART Call

STONEWARE DB Master 4.0 249.00

BB Utility 1 or 2 79,00

SYSTEMS PLUS Ace! Plus (GL AP. AR) Sot 599.00

VISICORP Visicalc 3.3 179.00

Visicalc Enhanced 199.00

Visilile or Visidex 179.00

HOME & EDUCATION

BRODERBUND Choplifter $28.00

Drol or Loderunner 28.00

Arcade Machine . 44.00

Apple Panic 24.00

BUDGECO Raster Blaster 24,00

Pinball Construction Set 29.00

COUNTERPOINT SOFTWARE

Easy Games for Young Children 26.00

DATAMOST Aztec 29.00

Pig Pen or Shark Attack 23.00

DATASOFT Zaxxon 31.00

EDU-WARE Compumalh 37.00

Algebra I. II or III 30.00

Compuread or Compuspell. 23.00

EINSTEIN Memory Trainer 73.00

ELECT. ARTS Music Construction Call

HARCOURT Computer SAT Call

HAYDEN Sargon II 29.00

INFOCOM Zork I, II or III 29.00

Deadline 36.00

KOALA Modules (8 available) Call

LEARNING COMPANY

Juggles Rainbow . 36.00

Bumble Games 48.00

Gertrude's Secrets 59.00

L & S Crossword Magic 41.00

MICROFUN Miner 2049er Call

MICROLAB Call

MICROSOFT Decathlon 25.00

Typing Tutor II 19.00

MONOGRAM Dollars & Sonse 74.95

ORIGIN Exodus; Ultima III 41.95

PENQUIN The Quest 16.00

SENSIBLE Sensible Speller 99.00

SIERRA/ON-LINE Frogger 28.00

SIRTECH Legacy ol Llylgamya 29.00

Knight of Diamonds 29.00

SOUTHEASTERN Data Capture 4 0 54.95

SPINNAKER Alphabet Zoo 20.00

Delta Drawing 35.00

Fraction Fever 23.00

Kindorcomp 21.00

Facemaker 2B.00

SUBLOG1C Flight Simulator or Pinball 26.00

SUNDEX-No. i Rated Home Finance

CPA Personal Accountant 74.95

CPA Personal Investor 74.95

Personal Payables 42.95

TERRAPIN Logo , $99.00

TRANSEND Transend I 75.00

VIRTUAL Micro Cookbook 29.00

UTILITIES/SYSTEM

BEAGLE Apple Mechanic S23.00

Apple Plol or Pronto DOS 26.00

Beagle Basic 26,00

DOS Boss 17.00

Double Tako or Utility City 26.00

CENTRAL POINT Filer 16.00

Copy II Plus 31.00

LOCKSMITH 79.00

MICROSOFT A.L.D.S 85.00

CoboiaO 575.00

Fortran BO 155.00

PENQUIN CGS System 79.00

PHOENIX Zoom Graphix 31.00

SOUTHWEST Meriin 49.95

Send lor Complete Catalog ol Software

Apple Compatible

Printer Interface S4Q95

w/Apple to Epson Cable ^5J

Apple Me Compatible

80 Column $QQ95

Card w/64K «I«J

APPLE COOLING FAN

Mappki computer

wW* Authorized Dealer

Complete Apple Support Facility Complete Apple Service Center / We service most *>*i^^_ Floppy Disk Drives "^m^T — f ACP

PRICE

Apple lie W/128K. 80 columns $1195.00

Apple lie Starter System 1395.00

Includes: Apple lie w 64K, 80 Column Card. Monitor II & Disk II w.Controller

Disk II w/Controller 399.00

Disk II 329.00

Monitor II Green tilt 179.00

Super Serial Card 189.00

80 Column Text Card W/64K 169.00

Imagewriier Dot Matrix Printer ., 549.00

"Apple Products Available in-store Only"

VISTA "SOLO"

Apple II lie Compatible Disk Drive

Totally compatible to Apple Drives.

0n.y$19995

Controller $49.95

Just plug in and run.

Apple II16K RAM CARD

Compatible with 280 Sottcard . PASCAL CP M

Full 1 year Warranty. Top Quality by COEX

s.

49

95

NEW LOW ACP PRICE Also from COEX, NEW EPSON Parallel Interface for Apple. With cable $49.95

VISTA A800

8" Disk Controller

$2gg95

for Apple

VISTA "DISKMASTER"

IBM Compatible

*16995

3", 5", 8" and V1200 Compatible

MONITORS

TAX/AIM

MODEL ACP PRICE

210 RGB Composite, Sound (Apple) $329.00

400 RGB Vision I Med. res. (Apple. IBM, etc| 329.00

410 RGB Med res. (Avail. Mar.) 429.00

415 RGB Vision III Hi Res (Apple w.'l/O. IBM) 559.00 420 RGB III Hi Res. (IBM Cabinet) 559.00

121 TTL Green 12" (IBM Cabinet) 179.00

122 TTL Amber 12" (IBM Cabinet) 189.00

100/105 Green/Amber 139.00/149.00

CLEARANCE SALE

(Quantities Limited) QTY LIST ACP

120 Apple III Switching Power Supplies S59.95

13 ZenilhZ89X Computer 2199 1149.00

26 Zenith Z90-0 Computer 2499 1299.00

22 Zenith Z37 Disk Drive 1699 B99.00

12 Zenith ZB7 Disk Drive 999 549.00

1 Zenith Z67 Hard Disk 5995 3199.00 •All Zenith New In original boxes with 90 day Factory Warranty from nearest dealer.

2 Tl 840R0 w/friction 995 579.00

4 Tl 640RO w/tractor 1045 599.00

2 Tl B40R0 Package Opt/friction 1265 699.00

5 Tl 840R0 Package Opl'tractor 1315 749.00 7 Tl 850 Serial Printer 449.00 7 Tl Protessional Mulliplan 350 179.00

20 Tl Prol 64K exp to 192K Ramcard 149.00

1 Fortune System 10 7995 2995.00

1 Fortune System 20 10990 3995.00

3 Fortune 256K Ramcard 1095 599.00 35 Olivetti M20 Computer 2495 995.00

200 General Terminals CTC RS232 269.00

40 Zentec 8003.9003 Terminals ' 249.00

SHUGART 801R $399,001

QUME Datalrack B 449.0ol

CDC 1800 DS (320K) 249.01)1

SEAGATE ST506 (6MB Win.) ... 499.00"

800-854-8230

TWX

910-595-1565

Aoole Comoatible Hardware

LIST

ACP

ALS CP'M 3.0 Plus Card

$399.00

S299.00

COMPUTER ACCESSORIES

Power Control Center P12

99.00

COEX 16K Ram Card

99.00

49.95

Parallel Pnntercard w/Cable 99.00

49.95

Apple II Prototype Card

29.00

20.00

Apple 1 Extender Card

29.00

20.00

64K Extended 80 Column

199.00

99.95

CORVUS. Hard Disk Omnmet

Call

EASTSIDE Wildcard (11 + w/64)

89.00

Wildcard 2 (lie)

119.00

Wildcard Plus (64K ir

10 sec)

149.00

FINGERPRINT Epson Enhancer

49.00

GIBSON Light Pen

24900

IS PKASO Interlace (ll'lie)

199.00

139.00

PKASO Interface (III)

199.00

159.00

KENSINGTON System Saver

B9.95

69.95

PC Saver

49.95

39.95

KEYTRONICS KB200 II + Keybd 298.00

225.00

KOALA Graphics Pad

125.00

95.00

KRAFT Joystick

65.00

48.00

Game Paddles

50.00

39.00

MCT Speed Demon

295.00

249.00

MPC 128K Bubble Memory

875 00

699.00

M&R Sup'r Mod II RF Modulator

69.00

49.00

Sup'r Fan

50.00

38.00

MICROPRO 6MHz Applicard t Word

Call

MICROSOFT Z-80 Soflcard

39500

249.00

Z-80 Soflcard Plus

645.00

479.00

Sotlcard Premium Pak (II \)

695 00

499.00

Soflcard Premium Pak (lie)

495.00

395.00

MOUNTAIN COMPUTER

CPS Multifunction

239.00

169.00

Music System

395.00

335.00

AID Plus D.-A

350.00

299.00

MICROTEK Dumpling Bui. w 64K 349.00

265.00

ORANGE MICRO

Grappler Plus

175,00

129.00

16K Bufferboard

175.00

129.00

Grappler Buffered w'16K

245.00

199.00

PCPI Applicard W/12BK. 6MHz

595.00

499.00

8088 Coprocessor

595.00

499.00

Applicard W/12BK. 4MHz

495.00

429.00

PERISOFT (All w1 Year Warranty)

Prinlerlink Inloll. Printer I/O

99.00

79.00

Messenger Univ. Senal 1.0

13500

109.00

Timelmk Realtime Clock

110.00

89.00

Grallink Graphics l/o

175.00

139.00

Bulferlink w'16K Buller

189.00

159.00

PRACTICAL PERIPHERALS

Microbulfer 16K (Epson Parallel) 159.00

Call

Microbuffer 32K (Epson Parallel) 199.00

Call

Microbuffer 16K (Epson Senal)

179.00

Call

Microbuffer 32K (Epson Senal)

219 00

Call

Microbufler In-line 64K (Parallel) 349.00

279.00

Microbulfer in-line 64K (Serial)

349.00

279.00

PROMETHEUS Versacard 4 in 1

199.00

166.00

QUADRAM Quadlink

680.00

499.00

Microfazer 16K (Parallel)

189 00

169.00

Microfazer 16K (Serial)

220.00

195.00

Microfazer 32K (Parallel)

22500

199.00

SATURN/TITAN

32K Ramcard

219.00

189.00

64K Ramcard

349 00

289.00

I28K Ramcard

499.00

399.00

Accelerator 11 Card

599.00

449.00

Neptune S4K + 80

199.00

Neplune 528K ♦ 80

299.00

Neplune 192K -t 80

389.00

STREET Echo II (Apple)

149.00

99.00

Echo It Serial (In-line)

24900

199.00

SYNETIX Sprite 1

14900

129.00

Sprtle II

249.00

224.00

Super sprite

395.00

359.00

Flashcard 144K

449.00

389.00

Flashcard 288K

629.00

549.00

TG PRODUCTS

Joystick

59.95

49.95

Select-a-port

59.95

49.95

Trackball

64.95

54.95

Joystick w/Toggte lie

6495

54.95

VIDEX Videoterm (80)

34500

199.00

Ultraterm (132)

379.00

2?9.00

Enhancer II

149.00

99.00

VISTA COMPUTER

A800 8" Disk Controller

379 00

299.00

A500 5%' Disk Controller

99 00

49.95

V1200 Amlyn 6.2Mb

1549.00

099.00

-ajBBBBBBBBh'.IM^-H

ANDROBOT UST

Topo w.'Speech $1595 00

And ro wagon 95.00

Toposoflfll. lie) 100.00

Topoleach (II, lie) 159.00

Topologo

F.R.E.D. (Educational Robot) 349.00

F.R.E.D. Solt (II. lie) 79.00

RB5X

RB5X Robot w/8K 1795 00

16K Memory Add-in 125.00

Robot Arm Option 895 00

Voice Option 195 00

Power Pack 94.00 Robot Control Language (II. lie) 395.00

ZENITH HERO I 2495.00

Call Call

Call

Call Call

Call Call

Apple*" Apple Trademark ol Apple Computer IBM " IBM Trademark ol International Business Machines

Mail Order: P.O. Box 17329 Inline, CA 92713

Retail: 1310B E. Edinger, Santa Ana, CA 92703

(714) 558-8813

542 w. Trimble, San Jose, CA 95131

(408) 946-7010

TERMS; We accept VISA. MC, M0. Cashiers arxl Personal checks Scum! and Company PO's We do not charge your raid until we ship Personal ctietts require dwers license and credit caid » Ho Surehtrgt Added on VISA or MC COD s over SSOO ieuuire20% deposit with order Add 3% shipping and handling lor UPS We otter sanmJay shipment Pnccs subject lo cfiange wflhoul noiiee We reserve ine ngrrt to subsIjiuil' manufacturer We are nol responsible for typographical errors Refill Sale Pricei May Vary

548 BYTE May 1984

Circle 20 on inquiry card.

ADW\NCED

"" -COMPUTER

PRODUCTS

Serving Computer Professionals Since 1976

HARDWARE

AST Sixpakplus w/OKISPC] $229.00

Megapius II wOK(SC) 229.00

I/O Plus II (CS) 115.00

Game/Serial/Parallel Options 35.00

64K Memory Upgrade 50.00

CHALKBOARD Call

COEX IBM PC Extender Card 29.00

IBM PC Prototype Card 36.00

DAVONG Hard D.sk Drives Call

KENSINGTON PC Saver 39.00

KEYBOARD IBM PC Compatible 149.00

KEYTRONICS WP Keyboard KB5150 . .199.00

KOALA 99.00

KRAFT or TG

IBM PC Joystick 49.00

Game Paddles 39.00

MICROSOFT Mouse 169.00

M&R PC/XT Exp Chassis (6 slots) 439.00

MOUSE SYS Mouse lor PC 239.00

PERSYST Time Spectrum W/64K 289.00

PTI Back-up Power 200/400W Call

QUADRAM Quadboard II WOK 229.00

Quadlink (Apple Prog.) 499.00

Quaddisk (up to 72Mb) Call

Microlazer MP64 w/64K.... 199.00

VISTA Turbocard WOK Call

Maxicard W/64K (up lo 576K)... .229.00

PC Master (10 I/O) 329.00

Diskmaster (Floppy Com.) 169.00

Dynaframe Hard Disk Call

PC Clock I/O 129.00

PRINTERS/MONITORS

BROTHER HR-25 (23cps daisy) HR-1A (16cps daisy)

Call

Call

$199.00

529.00

1049.00

. 299.00

Call

1875.00

0/619.00

0/989.00

0/595.00

0/899.00

649.00

309.00

429.00

Call

529.00

699.00

519.00

0/155.00

159.00

299.00

. 329.00

449.00

479.00

399.00

. 779.00

FX-B0FX100

Model 84P84S 919.C Model 92P/92S 495.C Model 93P/93S 769.C SILVER REED EXP550 (I7cps)

Delia 10t5(160cps)

TRANSTAR 130P (16cps daisy)

315 Color Printing

Video 310A amber (IBM)

Color 1 Plus (earphn/nonglare Color 11 RGB (IBM) analog

Color IV RGB (IBM) analog. .

499.00 99.00 399.00

ZENITH ZVM-121 12' green

ZVM-134 12" RGB color

DISKETTES

DYSAN 5V«" SS DD

0/S55

S36

DYSAN 5VV DS DD

10/65

46

IBM 814" SS DD

10/60

43

IBM BVS" DS DD

10/65

47

VERBATIM 525-01 SS DD

10/45

23

VERBATIM 550-01 DS DD

10.55

34

MAXELL MD1 SS DD

10/50

29

MAXELL MD2 DS DD

10/60

39

Flip Storage Box 5'V (80 disks)

19

BULK SPECIAL SS

10/25

19

With Sleeve and Box 100/195

149

IBM ACCESSORIES

MODEMS

SOFTWARE

dBASE ll/Friday

$389°7$17900 Condor

*38900

SuperCalc I II III

$79°7$159°7S24900 Multiplan Vers. 1.1

*17900

Microsoft Mouse/Word

*36900

Wordstar 3.3

$26900

Micropro Pro Pak

$37900

Rbase II $32900

COMPUCARLE

Computer keyboard vinyl cover

9.00

PGS Adapter

11.00

Mono Extension Cable Keyboard Ext Cable (3-S EDP PROTECTION DEVICES

) 35.00

43.00/68.00 122.00/76.00

The Orange'Lime

GILTHONIX SWITCH BOXES

RIBBONS

Each Dozen 5.75 59.00

10.95 120.00 2.50 26.00 3.95 44.00 4.95 55.00

11.95 135.00

T. K. Solver!

*31900

PFS File/Graph

$95°7$9500

Context MBA

Call!

Lotus 1-2-3 Vers. 1A

Call!

Copy ll/PC

Sideways

Volkswriter

Home Account Peachtree Crosstalk

Digital Research

Send for Free

Catalog

96 Pages of

Selected Values

TOLL FREE

800-854-8230

• COLOR SPECIAL •

THE COLOR GRAPHICS CARD

(same designer as Colorplus Card)

$OCQ00 BREAKTHRU! $OfiQ00

taV\7 1 year Warranty fc-\Jx7

I00

WIULTI CARD II ™ ( ok^pk )s199

(INTRODUCTORY OFFER) 1 I

Advanced Computer Product's best selling multifunction card for the IBM PC & XT (plus compatibles) now has been improved with expansion capability to a full 384K and at no charge an additional game port. You also get Print Spooler and Disk Emulation Software plus a full year SWAP-OUT Warranty at no extra charge. Why pay more when you can get the same function and performance as Quadboard II™ and AST Sixpak Plus'" for substantially less money. You compare! Try it at no obligation. 10 day no questions asked return privilege.

FUNCTION

Multicard II

Quadboard II

Sixpak Plus

Memory

0 to 384K

0 to 384K

0 to 384 K

Parallel/Serial

Yes

Yes

Yes

Clock/Calendar

Yes

Yes

Yes

Game Port

Yes

Yes

No ($50 list Opt.)

Software

Yea

Yes

Yes

Warranty

1 Year

1 Year

1 Year

ACP Price

with OK

199.00

229.00

229.00

EXPANSION MEMORY

• 64K Upgrade (Set of 9 64K rams) .. $5000

• 256K RAM's (256K x 1) TOSS

• 16K RAM's (16K x 1) lO/^99

• 8087 CPU (Arithmetic Processor) s19900

IU/ AI (Serial, Parallel, Clock/Calendar)... s12900

The most popular expansion card for the short slot ol your IBM XT. All these functions on one card optimized to fit in one slot. 1 year warranty.

COLOR/GRAPHICS/COLOR/GRAPHICS

> Ptantronics COLORPLUS'" !429" • Amdek MAI M79,a

i Hercules GRAPHICS CARD '375M • Paradise MULTIDISPLAY 'Mi"

i Ouadram QUADC0L0R l&ll Call • C0N0GRAPHIC CARD !B9S™

i Scanoptik C0L0RGRAPHICS >26S°° • MA Sys PEACOCK '349™

IBM PC COMPATIBLE DISK DRIVES

Tandon TM-100-1 Single Sided (160K) ...

s179°°

Tandon TM-100-2 Double Sided (320K).... 229' Control Data 9409 Double Sided (320K) TEAC- 55B V:, high Double Sided (320K) .

Toshiba* >h high Double Sided O20K)

•IBM PC Mounting Hardware for Vz highs... Vista "Diskmaster" 5'/i" & 8" Diskcontroller.

25900

19900

17900 495

16900

B1ZCOMP Model 2120 (Internal) Call

HAYES Smartmodem 1200 S475.00

Smartmodem 1200B

{w.Smartcom II) 445.00

Smartmodem 300 199/00

Smartmodem II 99.00

Smartmodem/IBM Cable 25.00

NOVATION Access 1-2-3 Call

Circle 20 on inquiry card.

TERMS: We accept VISA. MC, M0. Cashes and Personal checks. School and Company PO's We do not charge your card until we snip Personal checks require drivers license and credit :ard * No Surcharge Added on VISA or MC COD's over S500 require 20'= depasil with order Add 3% snipping and handling lor UPS We otter sameday shipment Pnces subject lo change without notice We reserve the right to substitute manufacturer We are nol responsible lor typographical errors Retail Sale Prices May Vary. IBM '" trademark ut International Business Machines Quadboard II " trademark ol Ouadram Corp Sixpak Plus" Irademark ol AST Research Inc

800-854-8230

TWX

910-595-1565

WE STOCK CABLES • RIBBONS • DISKETTES • SPARE PARTS

MAIL ORDER: P.O. Box 17329 Irvine, CA 92713

Retail: 1310 E. Edinger, Santa Ana, CA 92705 (714) 558-8813

542 W. Trimble, San Jose, CA 95131 (408) 946-7010

Lotus software

• LOtUS123

• THE Spread Sheet

$329

USI Monitor

• PI3,12" Amber • Non-Clare Screen

• Hi-Res. 20MHz

$100

Coding Fan

• Apple II & he compatible • w/Surge Protector

Sanyo computer

• MBC 550 • 1, 160K Drive Bundled Software & MS Dos operating System

$789

Apple starter

• 1 Apple Disk II

• Apple ll Monitor

• Apple CPU

$1326

Franklin Ace 1000

• Ace 1000

• 64K, Numeric Keypad

• Fully Apple Compatible

$789

Orange Micro

• Crappler +

• Full Graphics for your Ap

ple

• Parallel interface w/Cable

$114

64K upgrade

• 64 Expansion w/Parity - 1 Year Guarantee

$49 a set

Hi-Res. Monitor

• Hi-Res. Green screen

• 80 x 24

• BMC 12 auw

IBM PC system Complete

• PCW/256K • 2, 360K Drives

• Green Monitor & interface

Card

• Gemini 10X Printer, Cable

& Interface

$3395

Televideo Terminal

• TVC-950C • w/Detachable Keyboard

$899

Franklin Ace 1200 oms

• 2 Disk Drives

• Monitor • 128K

• Software

$1589

Dynax Printer

• DX15

• I5cps, Letter Quality

$449

Diskettes

• SWSgl. Side/Dbl. Density

• Reinforced Hub

• 5 Year Warranty

10 for 100 for\

$160

Circle 85 on inquiry card.

Components

I I I ■ in n *-|--ri- «J

A California Corporation

800-847-1718

OUTSIDE CALIFORNIA

RETAIL STORE:

11976 Aviation Blvd. Inglewood, CA 90304

MAIL ORDER:

P.O. BOX 1936

Hawthorne, CA 90250

This Ad Supersedes All others (213)643-5188

All merchandise new. We accept MC, visa, Wire Transfer. COD Call, Certified Check. P.O.'s from qualified firms, apo accepted. Shipping: Minimum S4.50 first 5 pounds. Tax: California Res, Only add 6V?% sales tax.

prices Subject to Change

~ Mon.—Fri: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. ■ Sat. & Sun. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

THIS MONTHS DISCOUNTS FOR ALL BYTE READERS

from ecu.. .The world's Largest Single Computer Outlet!

Siemens 8" Drive

• FDD100-8

• Sgl. Side/Dbl. Density

As low as

$130

Chinon 5Vn" Slimline

• 1 Disk Drive

• 160K

• Sanyo & IBM Compatible

BONANZA SPECIALS

Dealer & OEM inquiries invited

Apple compatible Slimline

• FD 525-A

• 90 Day Guarantee

• Fully Compatible

Quentin Research

• 300% Track to Track Faster

• Fully compatible

• 1 Year warranty

as low as

$175

as low as

$130

As low as

$130

Apple compatible Drives

QUANTITY

1 2 10

Micro Sci

A-2,35Track $200 $190 $180

Controller 80 70 65

Quentin Research

AppleMate $195 $185 $175

Controller 65 55 45

Rana Systems

Elitel $240 $235 $225

Elite II, Dbl. Head 35 345 335

Elite ill, Quad Density 455 445 435

ControllerControls4Drives. .. . 90 80 75

Half Height

FD525A Fully Apple com $150 $140 $130

5Va" Disk Drives All Applications

QUANTITY

1 2 10

Teac

FD55A,160K $160 $150 $140

FD55B, 360K 180 170 160

FD55F, Quad Density 200 190 180

All Teac's are Half Heights

Tandon

TM100-1,160K $200 $190 $180

TM100-2,360K 220 210 200

TM101-4, Quad Density 280 270 260

TM55-2,360KV2 Height 220 210 200

MPI

B-52.360K PC Compatible $200 $190 $180

Shugart

SA400,160K $200 $190 $180

SA455,360KV2 Height 220 210 200

SA465, Quad Den. V2 Height 230 220 210

Mitsubishi

4851, Vi Height $250 $240 $230

4853, Quad Den. y2 Height 320 310 300

PC Products Cabinet

• Single 5VV' Floppy • Power Supply & AC Connectors -■

As low as

Control Data Corp.

CDC9409,360K $230 $220 $210

CDC 9409T, Quad Density 300 250 200

Panasonic

JA-155 $200 $190 $180

Chinon

FD55A(sameasTeac)l60K .. $150 $140 $130

8" Disk Drives All Applications

QUANTITY 1 2 10

Siemens

FDD-100-8 $150 $140 $130

FDD-200-8 300 290 280

Shugart

801R, Sgl./Dbl $360 $350 $340

851R, Dbl./Dbl 470 460 450

Tandon

TM848-1,Sgl./Dbl.V2Ht $350 $340 $330

TM848-2,Dbl./Dbl.y2Ht 400 390 380

Mitsubishi

M2894-63, Dbl./Dbl $420 $410 $400

M2896-63,Dbl./Dbl.1/2Ht 420 410 400

Qume

DT8, DatatrakS $450 $440 $430

5V4" & 8"

Power Supply & cabinets

QUANTITY 1 2 10

PC Products 51/4"

Single Cabinet w/pwr $ 70 $ 60 $ 50

DualThinlineCabw/pwr 80 70 60

Dual Cabinet & Power 80 70 60

All have 6 month Warranty

PC Products 8"

Sgl.Cabinetw/pwr&fan $220 $210 $200

Dualw/pwrfor2thinlines 220 210 200

Dual w/pwr& fan 270 260 250

THE COMPANY THAT OFFERS

MONITORS

Amdek

colon + Composite video S 289

Coloril + RGBVideo 419

300G, 12" Green 139

300A, 12" Amber 149

310A, Monochrome Amber 179

BMC

12AUW,80COlumn S 79

12 EUN Hi-Res Green 109

9191 Color New Version 239

IBM

Monochrome Hi Res Green S 319

RGBColor 699

Princton Graphics

PCS HX12, IBM COPY S 469

PGSSR-12, Hi-Rescolor 649

PGSMAX-12,12" Monochrome 199

USI

pi 1,9".Green, Hi Res, 20MHz S 100

Pl2,l2"Green,HiRes,20MHz 100

Pl3,l2"Amber,HiRes,20MHz 100

PI 4,9" Amber, Hi Rex, 20MHz 100

zenith

ZVMl22,Hi-ResGreen S 109

ZVM123, Hi-ResAmber 109

Dynax

DXl5,LetterQuality S 449

DX25 729

Epson

RX-80(120cps) S 319

RX-80FT (120 cps) Friction & Tractor . 419

FX-80I160CPS) 519

FX-l00d60cps) 15"carriage 729

NEC

8023A-C New version (120 cps) S 399

8025 (15" Carriage) 699

Okidata

82A(120cps) Par &Ser inter S 299

83A(l5"Carriage) 569

84P (200 cps) Friction & Tractor .... 999

New series Okidata

92PI160CPS) S 429

93P(i5"Carriage) 739

Star Micronics

Gemini 10X(120cps) S 279

Geminil5X(l20cps)l5"Carriage... 399 Power type (18 cps) Ltr. qual 479

5V/T DISKETTES

COMPUTER SYSTEMS

Apple

HE Starter System S1326

CPU Only 999

Mcintosh 2295

Compaq

Portable(PCCompatible) $1895

Franklin

Ace 1000,64K. . . : S 789

Ace1200OMS 1589

Kaypro

Kayproii S1149

Kaypro4+ 1695

Kaypro 10 2495

IBM

PC64K,2-Drives S2250

XT Hard Disk Drive, 128K 4695

SANYO

MBC-550 PC compatible S 789

MBC-555 2-Drives, more software .. 1199

ecu

Sgl/Dbl reinforced hub $17

100 for 150

Dbl/Dbl reinforced hub 22

100 for 200 Not Bulk Packed

Dysan

Sgl/Dbl S33

100 for 300

Dbl/Dbl 39

100 for 370

Maxell

MD1 Sgl/Dbl $25

100 for 235

MD2Dbl/Dbl 38

100 for 360

Memorex

Sgl/Dbl S26

100 for 230

Dbl/Dbl 35

100 for 320

verbatim

Sgl/Dbl $26

100 for 240

Dbl/Dbl 36

100 for 340

Wabash

Sgl/Dbl $22

100 for 200

Dbl/Dbl 29

100 for 270

8" DISKETTES

Dysan

Sgl/Sgl S34

100 for 320

Dbl/Dbl 53

100 for 480

Maxell

Sgl/Dbl $44

100 for 380

Dbl/Dbl 50

100 for 469

Memorex

Sgl/Sgl S27

100 for 250

Dbl/Dbl 38

100 for 350

verbatim

Sgl/Sgl $30

100 for 280

Dbl/Dbl 40

100 for 360

Wabash

Sgl/Sgl $24

100 for 220

Dbl/Dbl 34

100 for 320

verbatim

8" or 51/4" Head Cleaning Kit $ 9

Flip Tub

5V«" Holds 50 disks, plexiglass 17

5V«" Holds70disks, plexiglass. .• 21

Apple

Disk2 $ 299

Disk2controllerw/DOS3.3 89

Micro Sci

A-2 Fully compatible $ 200

Controller w/diagnostics 80

Quentin Research

Applemate $ 195

Controller 65

Rana Systems

Elite I $ 240

ElitellDblSided 355

Elite III Quad Density 455

Controller, controls4 90

Super 5

Slimline $ 189

Controller 75

DISK ACCESSORIES

APPLE DRIVES

For the WIDEST VARIETY of peripherals and the lowest prices in this Magazine

CALL 800-847-1718 s

• no Surcharge on Credit Cards • Accepts

COD'S and P.O.'s • Sells Nothing at List Price

• And is the world's Largest Single

Computer Outlet

DISK DRIVE CABINETS

51/." Cabinets

SingleCab.w/powersupply S 70

Dual Cab. w/powersupply 80

Dual Thinline Cab. w/pwr. sup 80

8" Cabinets

SingleCab.w/fan&powersupply . .S 220

Dual Cab. w/fan & powersupply ... 270

%

\0@^

5%" DISK DRIVES

CDC

9409dbl/dbl S 230

9409T Quad Density 300

Panasonic

Slimline 320K PC comp S 200

Tandon

TM100-1.160K S 200

TM100-2.320K 220

TMlO"l-4Quad Density 220

Mitsubishi

2894Dbl/Dbl S 420

Oil me

DT8Dbl/Dbl S 450

Shugart

801RSgl/Dbl S 360

851RDbl/Dbl 470

Siemans

FDD100-8Sgl/Dbl S 150

Tandon

TM848-lSgl/DblThinline S 350

TM848-2Dbl/DblThinline 400

PRINTER INTERFACES

Cables

IBM to Printer S 29

Kaypro to Printer 29

RS232 cables 29

Fourth Dimension

Card&Cable S 49

Microtek

DumplingCX(CrapplerCompatible) S 89

Dumpling CXexpto64K 149

DumplingGX16Kw/16Kexpto64K . 169

foreachadditional 16K 15

Okidata Options

Tractor for 82 8,92 S 59

Serial Interface 99

Orange Micro

Crappler + S 114

Crappler + W/16K 169

Star or Epson

Epson Serial interface S 119

Starserial interface 59

wesper Micro

wizard Full Graphics Interface S 89

MODEMS

Anchor

Mark VII300 Baud S 119

MarkxiM200Baud 279

Hayes Micro Computer

SmartModem300Baud S 199

SmartModeml200Baud 489

Smart Modem 1200B for PC 389

Micro Modem he 239

Novation

J-Cat S 119

Applecatn 259

V^ II fj U I X? I Circle 86 on inquiry c

Components Unlimited

A California Corporation

RETAIL STORE:

11976 Aviation Blvd. inglewood, CA 90304

MAIL ORDER:

P.O. BOX 1936 Hawthorne, CA 90250

Mon.—Fri. 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Sat. & Sun. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. This Ad Supersedes All others no Surcharge for Credit Cards

APPLE ADD ON'S

ALS

zcard S 119

CPM3.0Card 269

Apple

Disk II S 299

Monitorll 99

Astar

RFModulator S 15

Fanw/Surge 29

Kensington

System Saver S 69

Koala

Graphics Tablet S 89

Kraft

Joystick S 49

Micro Max

Viewmax80,80col.card S 139

Viewmax80E(FforllE)64K 129

Micro Soft

l6KCard S 69

PremiumSoftcardllE 369

Multiplan 189

SoftCard(Z80) 239

Micro Tek

Baml6,l6K Memory S 59

Serial interface 89

TC

Joystick S 44

Select-A-Port 31

Paddles 34

IBM ADD ON'S

Ast Research

Six Pack + S 269

Mega + 269

IBM

Monochrome Adapter S 319

Colorcard 275

Plantronics

PC + w/software S 389

Quadram

QuadColorCard S 219

Quad Link 479

64K upgrade

64K of Memory S 49

USI Research

Paradise Systems multi-display card S 399

Sales Desk

(800) 847-1718 (213) 643-5188

Outside California inside California

Customer Service & Technical

(213)643-5191

All merchandise new. We accept MC. Visa, Wire Transfer, COD Call, Certified Check, P.O.s from . qualified firms, AP0 accepted, snipping: Minimum S4.50 first 5 pounds. Tax: California Res. Only add 6Vi% sales tax.

prices Subject to Change

CaMFornja DiqiTAl

Post Office Box 3097 B • Torrance, California 90503

FREE

Plastic library case supplied with all diskettes I purchased from .California Digital

DISKETTES * '16.S0

Switching Supply

*49

FIVE INCH SINGLE SIDED DOUBLE DENSITY

Tensed* Each box 10 Boxes 100

ical digitalJH:

SCOTCH

VERBATIM

MEMOREX

MAXELL

DYSAN

MMM-744S0 MMM-744/' VRB-525(01 VRB.S25M0 VHB-S2SMG MRX-34B1 MRX-3403 MUX 34B5

19.95

i! 26.50

26.50

26.50

MXL-MHU

OYS-104MD

DYS-107MD

18.50 16

24.50 25.25 22.25 24.50 33.00

21 23 18 23 30

35.00

SIDED DOUBLE DENSITY

20

CAL DIGITAL

SCOTCH

VERBATIM

MEMOREX

MAXELL

MMM745.0 MMM745MC MMM-745MC

Villi 550/01 VRB-5SOM0 VRB-550H6

MRX-3491 MRX-3493 MRX-3495

24.95 39.95 39.95 35.00

MXL-M02M6

MXL MD2/3G

| MAXELL / 96 KS 45.00

DYS-104J2D nVQAKI DVS.107/2D

I U T OAN DYS-105/2D

DYS-204/2D

DYSAN/96

22.75 37.95 37.95 31.25 37.95 43.00 40.50

49.95 47.95 45

31 32 26 34 41 35

Boxes

50 75 50 .75 .25 .50

50 .25 .75 .25

75 .25

50

75

EIGHT INCH SINGLE SIDED SINGLE DENSITY

SCOTCH mmm-740/o 29.50

MEMOREX mrx3062 27.75

VERBATIM vhb-34/9000 31.50

DYSAN dvs-3740/1 35.75

27.50 26.60 29.50 32.75

23.80 22.25 25.60 29.75

EIGHT INCH SINGLE SIDED DOUBLE DENSITY

SCOTCH mmm-741/o 37.75 MEMOREX MRX3090 35.50 VERBATIM vrb-34/booo 35.25 DYSAN Dvs-374o/iD 40.75 MAXELL mxlfdi 45.50

35.15 33.50 33.25 38.75 39.75

29.15 27.15 28.75 32.25 35.15

EIGHT INCH DOUBLE SIDED DOUBLE DENSITY

SCOTCH MMM-743/0 47.50

MEMOREX MRX3102 39.25 VERBATIM vrb 344001 41.75

DYSAN DYS3740/2D 54.65

MAXELL mxlfd2 52.50

44.25 36.75 37.50 49.75 48.75

37.50 31.50 32.25 40.50 40.45

New location

California Digital has just purchased a new distribution center six times the size of our existing facility- The new warehouse and retail store is in the city of Carson at 17700 Figueroa Street. We are located just off the San Diego Freeway near the Goodyear Blimp. Please stop by and visit our retail store when in the Los ' Angeles area. Store hours are 10 AM lo 5 PM Monday through Saturday.

Power your single board system with one supply! This Kepro switcher power supply outputs (-5 volts at 5 amps, -12 volts at 1.8 amps. 2.8 amps surge, 12voltsat0.5amps. and a second -12 volts at 2.0 amp output. It is jumper selectable tor both 120 volt and 220 volt operation. Units measures approximately 6" by 8". This board is capable of supplying power for two 5V&" Winchesters, a single board computer along with a hard disk controller. Also suitable for use with all IBM look-a-likes. Priced at only $49.95 this power supply offers excellent value along with high reliability. Please phone for volume pricing. KPT-512

MEMORY. .

16K DYNAMIC

1.95

4116 150ns.

2764 EPROM

6.95

350ns.

2732 EPROM

4.95

450ns.

16K STATIC

4.95

6116 200ns

\ -.,;fi£t

4164 WfSSf150ns

'5.95

DYNAMIC MEMORY

4027 4K dynamic 250ns.

1116 150ns. 16K

■1U6200ns.16K

4164 150ns. 64K 128 refresh

■11256 150ns. 256K

DPB409 dynamic controller

2708 450ns. IKiB 271fi 450ns. 2KiB 2716TMS 450ns. Tri-w 2732 450ns. 4K i 8 2732350ns. 4K i 8 2532 J50ns. 4K* 8 JIM 350ns. 8K (3 271211350ns. IGK i 8

ICH-4027250 ICM-4II6150 ICM-4 II6200 ICM-416-1150 ICM-41256150 ICT-84OT

EPROMS

ICE-270B

ICE-2716

ICE-271GTM5

ICE-2732

ICE-2732350

ICE-2532

ICE-276J

ICE-2712H

3500 29.00

STATIC MEMORY

21LO2 2(J0ns. 1K 21L02450ns. IK 2112450ns. 2Ks 2114300ns. IK i

ICM-21L02200 ICM21L02450 ICM-2112450 ICM-2114300

ICM-4044450

3.49

3.25

2.99

ICM-5257300

2.50

225

1.99

61l6P4 200ns.2Kx8

ICM-6116200

4.85

4.65

4.50

6116 P3 150ns. 2K IB

1CM-6HG1S0

5.25

4.0S

6167/2167 100ns. 16K x

ia

p«

ICM.C187I00

9.95

9.50

CONNECTORS

DB25P

juimimi

S-100Gold

GOLD 5-100 EDGE CARD CONNECTORS

catalog each 10-99 100 +

Imsais/I PSO CNE-IMS POS 2 50 2 19

Su .Hi'Hcl CNE-HlOQ '119 3 115 3-17

S HroWir.r W CNL;-WI0 30!i 3 50 3 1Q Allan 140 s/l CNE-IOOA 4 15 4 50 4 19 .156" CENTEHEDGE CARD CONNECTORS 22/44 Eyfita CNE-44E 2 50 2 15 t 95 ■13:7?t-'.n:,- ;. t CNE-72S (J SO 6 15 5 75 36/72D/Gs/1 CNE-72S 5 95 5 50 5 19 Olher coimti::tuis ,v,-.i.Uhl>' ujmn roques!

DEQSPfnoui DB.TjLVIc^.,,1.

-17-.30.ir,O!nr)l

20 pin edge

20pmsoctir;1 2G pin (Kfgu 26 pin socket 34 pin edge 34 pin socKel

50 (>IM GliCje

50 pin socl<t>i

CONNECTORS

CNDr25P 5 65 5 25 i

CND-I25S i95 5 59 ■

CUC-r3GP 7 95 S 75 !

Cf,'C-f3tS 7'J5 6 75 !

CNI-DE20 4 35 3 30 I

CKI-DS20 2 75 I 85

CN1-DE2G 4 95 3 50 I

CMI-DSiu 3 50 2 40 J

CN1-DE34 4 95 4 50 I

CJNI-DS34 4 50 3<J5 '

CNI-DE50 5 95 5 60

CNI DS50 4 95 4 60 (

I) TYPE catalog each 10-99 100

DEBP malfl CND-9P i !>□ l -10 13 DEBSiomaio CND-as 225 200 13

DEIloutl CND-9H 1.50 I 35 1 2

DAISPmaln CND-1DP 2 35 P 10 19

LlA13S!ern,ilij CND-155

DAI 5 hood CND-15H

MBSPmate CND-25P

DH:::>Slcni;iii.' CND-L'i.S PBi'fthuod CKD25H ncj'Pn,.-,!,; CND-37P [JC37S1uftin>e CND-37S DC37 flood CNO-37H DDMiPiimlt! CMD-50P DD50 hood CND SOU H.naw.ire 2/SOt CND-2HS

AMPHENOL I CENTRONICS TYPE 'jM0360 36'P CNC-36P 795 6 35 3 IEEG48B CdorCND-24p 7 95 6 35 5 DISK DRIVE POWER CONNECTORS B 6pmDC CNP-6DC 195 129 II 3 AC Gal G CNP-3SS » HACDbt'S CNP-3DS b'i J pin DC CNP-IUC 3Dii.DINri'Cpl CNPD3P

160 135 130

1 95 1 75 1 35

2 95 2 55 1 65

1 35 1 15 77 -1 20 3 95 3 65 5 95 5 75 5 50

2 25 I 95 1 65 9 50 5 10 -1.75 ? 60 2 40 2 10

1 69 1 09

Telex 753607

Shipping: First five pounds $3.00, each additional pound $.50. Foreign orders: 10% shipping, excess will be refunded. California residents add 6'/z% sales tax. • COD'S discouraged. Open accounts extended to state supported educational institutions and companies with a strong "Dun & Bradstreet" rating. Retail location: 17700 Figueroa Street, Carson CA. 90248.

BLOWOUT

SALE UIH

*t69 m

Calilornia Digital lias rGcenlly participated in-1

Hie purchase of several thousand Siemens8

FDD 100-8 Itoppy disk drives. These units are electronically and physically

simihar to thai ol the Shugart 80tR All units are new and shipped in taclory

soaled boxes. Manual and power connectors supplied Ireo upon request Your

choice 115 Volt 60 Hz or 230 Voll. 50Hz.

NOTE! European customers, we have a large quantity oi 230 vtiil 50 Hi umls *aiehou!.ml tn

Fi.inhfon Germany AtranqempniscanbeniiOeioniiir.-in 'nese ttnvSS «l quantities of 50(M nxiio

tn FranMon icducng iinporl duty and Iroghi charges

REMEXDSE*ilP

Calilornia Digital lias lust purchased a large quantity of Bemex RFD-4000 Eight inch double sided disk drives Remex ts ihe only double sided disk drive that lias an double gimba! mounled head assembly that guaranties lower head tracking This drive is mechanically solid Remex has always been known tor producing premiere products lor the floppy disk market The Remex company is a subsidiary of the Ex-cello Corporation, a Fortune 500 Company

Eight Inch Single Sided Drives

One Two Ten

SHUGART 801R 385 375 365

SIEMENS FDD 100-8 169 169 159

TANDON 848E-1 Half Height 369 359 349

Eight Inch Double Sided Drives

SHUGART SA851R QUME842"QUMETRACK8" TANDON 848E-2 Half Height REMEX RFD-4000 MITSUBISHI M2894-63 MITSUBISHI M2896-63 Half HI.

495 485 475

459 459 449

459 447 435

219 219 209

447 439 433

459 449 409

Five Inch Single Sided Drives TEACFD-55A half height 179 169 165

SHUGART SA400L SHUGART SA410 96TPI/80 Trk SHUGART SA200% Height TANDON TM100-1

235 229 225

129 129 119

159 149 139

189 179 175

Five Inch Double Sided Drives

TEAC FD55B half height 219 209 199

CONTROL DATA 9409 IBM/PC 259 249 239

REMEX RFD480 IBM/PC 199 189 175

SHUGART SA450 319 309 299

SHUGART SA455 Hall Height 259 249 239

SHUGART SA465 Half Ht. 96TPI 289 279 269

TANDON TM50-2 Half Height 215 209 199

TANDON TM55-4 half Ht. 96TPI 329 319 309

TANDON 100-2 279 269 259

TANDON 101-4 96TPI 80 Track 369 355 350

MITSUBISHI 4851 Half Height 259 249 245

MITSUBISHI 4853 V2 HI. 96TPI 339 329 319

MITSUBISHI 4854 Vz Ht, 8" elec. 465 449 439

QUME 142 Hall Height 239 229 219

Three Inch Disk Drives

SHUGART SA300 with diskette 229 219 209

Five Inch Winchester Hard Disk Drives

SHUGART 612 13 M/Bytes 895 865 825

SHUGART706 6 M/Byte, Half Ht 795 775 755

SHUGART712 13 M/Byte, VaHt. 895 865 825

TANDON 503 19 M/Byte 895 875 855

Upon request, all drives are supplied with power connectors and manual

ENCLOSURES

California Digital manufactures an asortmeni of stock and custom disk drive enclosures II llw? volume isjusliliwd we will custom design .in enclosure leu your application The following stock dtsk drive enclosures are available All include power supplied the 8 enclosures are supplied with exhaust fans

Horizontal mount two 8 height drives S279 00

Vertical mount Iwo full height disk drives. S299.00

lull

Horizontal mount one full height ot two halt height 8 disk drives S239 00

Vertical mount two full height 5 disk drives S139.00

TOLL FREE ORDER LINE

(800) 421-5041

TECHNICAL & CALIFORNIA

(213) 217-0500

CaHFornia DiqiTAl

Post Office Box 3097 B • Torrance. California 90503

ORAGON

The world famous Dragon computer is now available in Ihe United States. Manufactured by the Tano Corporation under license of the British Broadcasting Company. The Dragon comes complete with 64K Byte of memory, serial modem port along with a Centronics printer interface. This unique microcomputer features Motorola's advanced 6809E microprocessor and comes standard with Microsoft Color Basic, data base manager, spread sheet, and a complete word processing package. Thccomputor outputs color composite video along with R.F. video that allows the unit to be used in conjunction with any color television. This is the Ideal low cost computer to be used with any dial up information system such as the Source, Western Union's EasyLink or any other time share service.

California Digital has agreed lo act as exclusive agent for North America in an effort to assist The Tano Corporation in reducing their overstock. For a limited time California Digital can offer the Dragon computer for only S139.

FREE

Your Choice

Second Drive or Monitor.;

SANYO

IBM COMPATIBLE

'995

Sanyo Electronics has just released the lor i awaited IBM/PC look-a-like, the MBC-550. This is a complete microcomputer that includes 128K/byte of memory, a 5' W 160K/byte disk drive upgradeable to 320K/byte drives. Also includes both color composite and RGB graphics interface, low profile keyboard, and parallel printer port. Extensive software such as Sanyo Basic, disk utilities. Wordstar word processing software. Calcstar spread sheet & Easy Writer I MS-DOS is supplied with the Sanyo computer Most programs written for the IBM/PC will operate on the MBC-550.

Along with all this California Digital offers FREE your choice of either a second disk drive, or a high resolution green or amber screen monitor. All at the super low price of only S995.

We are currently experiencing an initial shortage of this computer. Please place your orders early. The MBC-550 will be shipped on a first ordered basis.

PRINTERS

Star Gemini

MATRIX PRINTERS

StarGettwi lOX tTOcrw'sec

Si wGeowi ■ > ■- '.v ■ . pap

Star Gc"ni OflM 10 I60CI i- sac

SUr Coi'i BOFT IncMn a tr.icW

TcyntM P'.VjO t92cfta»/«c iMtemuaa

. ■ .-., ..'.■ ,i\ y..v..mi" . ;:.ij.i!t

0Wdaia92A parallel interface. ifiOch-■■■

i papt-r

I .

NEC6V"'-: :-;■■;■ ipftKS

Ar-aiie* 950iAi>gn speed Aim (jra^ics Ah.iOi.-i 9620* ilJo tM,ir. sec par i& ficnai i;,,.,.-... 'OSOceresponrJrjnceguaMy 'BOcnar's

. - • il n.iir . i i...:i-i

p(Qihi-ie<aijiOti-i'o|ivi-v. prtpti P'OAt.ic M p.vj4> 'i paper v '■

■ - .-.■■:■ ■ '■ '■'

Prniironii P ■■' ■-:; I rttar .00 lines per-■

PntHronn PiiOfi ultra "'Q" ss.**o 600 lines [*' mil Ti.iFiM.ir i30P(Jari BWiTCceoipaiibK

STR-cmx

STHGI5X

STH-DTD

VST-C8DFT

TOS-1350

GKI-62A

0KI-S3A

OK1-83A

OK I-8-1A

OKI-2350

EP3-FXHD

EPS-MXIOO

NEC-8023A

ADX-E501A

ADX-iKOA

QIX-7030

PHO-7500

PRO-8510P

PRO-2P

i.f'i [■>.. ■

PTX-F3O0

PIX-FGCX1

r«s- nop

WORD PROCESSING PRINTERS

NEC771D atiuurseooM .-.■- ilmwtaa NEC-77irj

NEC7730 55r.ii.tr sec. pa: t nterlKti

I it-(:.;'..■.(:■ ;■ |: ,.ir;'.r-,<.,r<:e;..(ir..--!f-!rrr,...ltM <'< NliJJUMi ,\,-,:r,n,:lU,- IBM.Pi .'Orti.ir.sec pari

Silver ReedEXP-.TO I4«har/sec pat ' interface Silver Reed EXP->t.o iTChatrsecpai Uweriace

ll..iL-r)r)iO.HlUi.l' :.<-■:-. 5er,al

".von laii ?Ocp:

fix.,

I para ■■ inierlaca

NEC-7730

NEC-3550

NEC-205O

SRDEXP500

SF1D-EXP550

DBL-630

DBL-620

JUK-6100

FlTH-H^lP

BTH-HF11S

PRO-FI OS

f'RO-FKJP

CRx-cnis CRx-c=);;p

■119 DO 495 00

1-105 00 379 00 J 79 00 61900

|.)|:.T.

t*J9S<>0 529 00 589 00 389 00

M )■■!),.

1199 00 159f. 00

6935 00 4250 00 5795 00 629 00

t:j7Socp

t 799 00 995 00 46900 659 00

1765 00

MONITORS

15MHz

BMC 12 • inn ... uteri 20MH;

Zcthfft ZVhli?? Amber PTwaphor I? ■

ZBnitflZVM123s'i>enptiDspb» 12 4i

P.l.j!,

penifBfT«>requiro&ho«sync andpowei Cor.rac9 open frame requires hot* ,- I -. . ■,,;■,

COLOR BM< Mi II ■•ui'.jiui compos.1 wdeo *i!fisoufiil

!•(.!(. y!'..i,MM(ilii!(."J.rfnodf.j' i.:.'.' M" IH>; IBM i ..r-ij^ili;

NE) H... i'M RGScotomomiw f JEC JC1201 oitat composil

.'.".>■: r-CB color sun JUL- for IBM PC

'i mposi

3MC-I2A

BMCM2EN

ZTMI22

zm-zizt

NEC-J012GI

NECJBT2M) USI-12A

mot-uw:;3 MOT-BW12 CGNBW9

BMC-9191 b\-~ H'MM NEC-1203 NEC JC 1201 ZTHZ134 COM-6500

159 00 69 00 59 00

245 00 493 00 •199 00 339 00 379.00 329 00

MODEMS

DIRECT CONNECT

$75

Hayes Sm.m Moourn 1200 Baud, auto answer aulo Ui Hayci I200H \a> a:,- «itn tho IBM PC 1200 baud Hayes SniaiIn wrnii 300 baud only, auro answer, aul Hayes Micionwdem II 103 Apple rtirecl cunneel Hayes Mitro"H»i«m 100 S-100 aulo ar

■:.<:■■■■:

,:-.:; ' '

j floDoiics2i2A3O0/i2O0baiMJ autodias/aiswi i RoboncsPassi*ord300/I200baud rmlSOOi (200autodratflutotog

ersalDaU 1C31.P Nrc-priwer .insweiS origin an

full duploi only 121.P. lull 1200 baud duplex, ItflBpo

rtirecl conneci. aulo answer

k No.ahonCal accusneconnec!

" rianCali03.au!oanswe( autodial NovairortSnvinCai !03-'2t2 I200tjau0aulodi, necl wilh termini

HYS-212AD

HYSI200B

HYS-I03AD

HYS-MM3

HYS-100

HYS-CHR232

USR-212A

USR-PW212

PEM-12AD

UDS-1031.P

UDS-10.1IFU

UDS-202LP

UDS-2I2LP

NOV-JCAT

NOV-CAI

NOV-SC103

NOV-SC2I2

SGL-MKl

.I'.i-.OO

449 00

:>:"_■ oo

279 00 3I9 00 199 00 439 00 3S9 00 B95O0

169 00

■ MitC'll

:.'ifM!0 :t:.'..i 00 115 00 159 00 219 00 529 00 75 00

TERMINALS

Perkin Elmer 550i

California Digital has recently purchased an OEM liquidation, of new Perkin-Elmer Bantam 550S terminals. These units feature direct cursor addressing, numeric cluster, conversational or block mode transmission and RS-232 printer pod. Self diagnostics and (unction keys make £ this terminal an excellent value at only T S339.00 PRK-550S

PennrvSmer Model S50S Bantam I a)

Freedom 100 spli! lOvi'si CeMICvi! ■ •■-,:■ ■■-■ Qume 10? atom [rfiOipW lerrmnul

Vr.ual50G..-.-ir...r

256 KILOBYTE

MEMORY BOARD

■: b« ■.-.iSOf) ■-...Oil

',:--. oo

-■19 00 ;■: '. .'95 u:; 1 =>:* oci

'53 OC

■'■-.' c, WhnCO

7US00

APPLE

Apple ll/e. 6-1K computer only

Apple !l/e staner kit, moniior, disk. 80 co! caid

Advanced Busness Tecti 1^ Key Pad

Call) Computer 7710A Async Serial Interlace

Calil Compuler "«7l OB same but for modem

Calif Computer 7l MA 12K PROM module

Call) Computer 7720A parallel interface

Calil Computer 772AACalandar/ciockmottual

Cafif Computer 7729A Centronics mleriace Calil Compuler 77-10A programmable timer California Digital t6K caid lor standard Apple II Hayes Micromodem II lor Apple II Kensington Micro. System saver (an Microsoft Sottcard with CP'M, 2-80 Mountain Compiler The Clock Mountain Computet AD. DA IS input. 8bil Mountain ComputOl ROM Plus with keybd filter Mountain Compiler ROM .vnter-sockel socket Orange Micro GRAPPLER parallel interface Sorrento Valley 8 controller double side D.'D TEAC 5' ■-. disk drr/e for Apple II Vista Vision 90.80 column caid lor std Apple II Vista 8 disk controller double side D/D

APL-2E APL-2ESK

ABT-13B

CCS-7710

CCS-7710B

CCS-711-1

CCS-7720

CCS-772-t

CCS-7729

CCS-7740

CAL-A16

HYS-MM?

KEiNSFi

MSF-SFTCD

MTN-TCLK

MTN-ADDA

MTN-RMF

MTIN-ROMW

OMS-G?

SVA223

TEA-A2

VSA-VIS80

VSA-A800

ASCII KEYBOARD

"ffiffif

49

•31 nai ouicnasM

»r 3000 Of triose M^ruswilC"

n ine Genera' D>njm^s Corpo'al.L-i

■«oniy5J9 MIC 93GO •> tn,

ivj.MD'e.1 matchingOeneral DynartwcBBlofflllWB uannl 510

'49$

• 256 kiloliyleSDl memory using 64K dynamic RAM

• Over one mcgabylc ot memory usmq Ihe new 256K dynamic RAM cttips.

• Eiioi detection nap capability

• Individual 16K block can tje relocated lo any boundry wilhin ,1 niegabyle ol RAM

• ?i bit aJdrcssmi) and pnantom mode capability

eCaiilofniflDnji

h. RAM 1,1

-1 .in !;■■ 1.j 11 ■ [ ■ i-11 'ii la any ol m.- inti-if:t[)i linei. ,1 .:.,:i... ;,.-r! tflFlOFi 11 [i 1:1 lt[ 1 i.'hi 'f liFiOR bjyn.H ,'■! 1. 1" r-i!

ising '.viiii momorji managetneol

..,...■ operalii-id Willi iron! panel ixiu.pju'.l r.vil.'M'. fiMA rtjsk .^uirr.ilcc, ,inu l£F_l:. li'fli Temporary Buss M.istfi'S ,1: :..u,n1 .'.■.lli.irn.iilFi.'laj.iraM: ■ m ni.t n, ,r!,.- ci,.,.-,..-, ..■:,... •,;■•■, ■„■ . ;.' ,. ■;;■;-, 1 ■ . •■■■-,... .,'■,..,,..... , .

' J operating temperature range

., . J Nalional" SemffiOOdgCtO* DP HJI]9 RAM ConlrOOet chip Split IBfriwiabon address lino;. CASI-nc. and RAS lines elminjim, in., Usl jratfj c! rir.i|.fiy The Uo.irdn-.i-. !v.

is Idi firupi.'i t)[*-r,'ili0"ii'.

■.ri'.i

irr.i1, '■ ,: ;. : ; ■.-.■ '

julaior

On.-!•>! in-PHAM-, .1

I ■'

imly ol

SO 00 BOARDS

16 BIT MICROPROCESSORS

.1 . WHS /HO & coHitoiii-i OCI 08780 :% un

■■■!-- ..ui, ii,t>-i i.'ii ?.■?: :■!■ :«>

■ ■ v...-(JW^flOae H 16 liin-BSM JWOO

SINGLE BOARD COMPUTERS

3 BIT MICROPROCESSORS

FLOPPY DISK CONTROLLERS

319 00

jmioo

??i00

CPM OPERATING SYSTEM

i.;ii.ii:li-itJtthCP.II

laiTOOut CPM 2 ? ti. r l)jsk 1 ,:«lt...;,iCPfJlHlir(irHCfiB.i.<j .,.!...!? .-1-on.tsCPM??

, ■■■ 1 j■:■:.

..- .:■.•IARCdNV?

:■-. ' 1 ■

HARD DISK CONTROLLERS

EPROM BOARDS

,l UI-..:- |!ii n-oojams3?i?a IAC-P!.

STATIC MEMORY BOARDS Godooul flam IB 6JK IfittUWilrJi i.Hi-iir, li^oo | GoctJOulMir-. ■: li-lsr:-'. : ■ ■■- .-,: .;i ,v

1 ■•-..- t;9t.n.2i aw 00 1

DYNAMIC MEMORY BOARDS

INTERFACE BOARDS

.•.'■■■ V Ml

SPECIAL FUNCTION BOARDS

i.'-i«i

1<9 00 I

MAINFRAMES & MOTHER BOARDS

CP/M SOFTWARE

AdaSoflCP/M ADA-445C 395.00

D-Basell

Wordstar

Mailmerge

Spellstar

Mulliplan

Macro SO

ASH-OISC 429.00 MPR-187C 30900 MPR-392C 169.00 MPR-429C 169.00 MSF-483C 189.00 MSF-187C 139.00

Supersolt MAC CP/M 3.0 Despool Pascal Plus CP/M 86 MP/MII

MPR DGR DGR DGR DGR DGR DGR

-309C 14900 -401C 85 00 -410C 249.00 -367C 45 00 -004C 429 00 -186C 239.00 -208C 379.00

Additional Software available for Apple, IBM/PC and Atari. Please telephone for price and availability.

Tolow 7K1HI\7 1

V/SA

HTg

1

L~ ^

Shipping: First five pounds S3.00, each additional pound S.50. Foreign orders: 10% shipping, excess will be refunded. California residents add 6V2% sales tax. • COD's discouraged. Open accounts extended to state supported educational institutions and companies with a strong "Dun & Bradstreet" rating. Retail location: 17700 Figueroa Street, Carson CA. 90248.

TOLL FREE ORDER LINE

(800)421-5041

TECHNICAL & CALIFORNIA

(213)217-0500

DoKa

COMPUTER PRODUCTS,

ORDER TOLL FREE

(800) 538-8800

(CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS)

(800) 848-8008

VISA

[MasterCard

TERMS: Minimum order $10.00. For shipping and handling, include $2.50 for UPS ground or $3.50 for UPS Blue (air). For each additional air pound, add $1 for UPS Blue shipping and handling. California residents must include 6% sales tax; Bay area and LA residents include 61/2% sales tax. Prices are subject to change without notice. We are not responsible for typographical errors. We reserve the right to limit quantities and to substitute manufacturers. All merchandise subject to prior sale.

HOURS: Mon. - Fri. 7:30 to 5:00 Saturdays 10:00 to 3:00

VISIT OUR RETAIL STORE

2100 De La Cruz Blvd.

Santa Clara, CA 95050

(408) 988-0697

ALL MERCHANDISE IS

100% GUARANTEED

DoKa

STATIC RAMS

210]

256

4 1150ml

1.90

5101

256

4 [450ml (cmoil

3.90

2102-1

1024

1 |450ll|

88

21021-4

1024

1 |450m| ilP|

.98

21021-2

1024

1 |250m| (LP)

1 45

2111

256

4 |450nsl

2.45

2112

256

4 (450mI

2.95

2114

1024

4 |450ml

8/7.95

2114-25

1024

4 |250mI

8/8 95

21141-4

1024

4 |450m| lll'l

8/9 95

2II4L-3

1024

4 |300ml II PI

8/10.95

21141-2

1024

4 1200ml lll'l

8/11 95

2147

4096

1 155ml

4.90

TMS4044-4

4096

1 |450ml

345

TMS4044-3

4096

1 |300ml

3.95

TMS4044-2

4096

1 1200ns)

4 45

MK4II8

1024

8 |2b0ml

9.90

TMM20IG-200

204B

8 1200m]

4 10

TMM20I6-I50

2048

S II 50m]

4.90

TMM2DI6-I00

2048

8 1100ml

6.10

HM6II6-4

2048

8 1200ml Icmoil

4.70

HM6I16-3

2048

8 |l50m| [cmos]

4.90

IIM611B-2

2048

8 [120m] (cmoil

8.90

HMGII6LP-4

2048

8 12110ml cm.HI i'l

590

HM61I61P-3

2048

8 Ili'Jmi kniiliin

6.90

HM6II6LP-2

204B

8 |120nil IcnmllLPl

9 95

2-6132

4096

8 1300ml lOilill

33.95

LP = low Paver Oitil = Ouisl-Slillc

DYNAMIC RAMS

TMS4027

4096 ■

I |250ni]

1.95

1IP0I11

4096 i

I 1300ml

2.95

MM5280

4096 i

1 1300ml

2.95

MK4I08

BI92 i

1 |200ll]

1.90

MM529B

8I92 ■

1 [250ml

1.80

4116-250

I 6384 I

1 [250m]

.49

4116-200

16384 i

1 [200ml

.89

4116-150

16384 I

1 1150m

120

2119

16384 I

1 II 50ml [ill

4.90

4164-250

65536 i

1 1250ml

4 45

4164-200

65536 I

1 [200ml |5,l

5.45

4164-150

65536 I

1 llbOmllb.l

6.45

5V =

Single 5 Veil Supplf

EPROMS

1702

256 i

a nuii

4.45

2708

1024 i

8 |450m|

2.49

275B

1024 I

8 1450ml

2.49

275!

1024 I

8 |450m| 15.]

5.90

2716

204B I

8 [450m| [5i|

2.95

2716-1

2048 I

8 1350ml [5.1

5.90

TMS25I6

2048 i

8 |450m] |5.l

5.45

TM527I6

2048 i

1 |450m]

790

TMS2532

4096 >

! 1450m] [5<|

5.90

2732

4096 i

II 1450ml [5>|

3.95

2732-250

4096 ■

B |250ml [5.1

8.90

2732-200

4096 i

B {200111 [511

10 95

2764

SI92 ■

B 1450m] |5.)

5.95

2764-250

8192 i

B |250ni| 15.)

13.95

2764-200

8192 I

1 [200m] |5.|

23.95

TMS2564

8192 •

B 1150ml li.l

16.95

MC6B764

8192 i

B |450m) |5i) |24 pie)

38.95

2712B

16384 i

8 Cell

19.95

5. = Single 5 Volt Supply

74LS00

74LS00

.23

74LS92

.54

74LS01

.24

74LS93

.54

74LS02

.24

74LS95

.74

74LS03

.24

74LS96

.88

74LS04

.23

74LS107

.38

74LS05

.24

74LS109

.38

74LS0B

.27

74LS112

.38

74LS09

.28

74LS113

.38

74LS10

.24

74LS114

.38

74LS11

.34

74LS122

.44

74LS12

.34

74LS123

.78

74LS13

.44

74LS124

2.85

74LS14

.58

74LS125

.48

74LS15

.34

74LS126

.48

74LS20

.24

74LS132

.58

74L.S21

.28

74LS133

.58

74LS22

.24

74LS136

.38

74LS26

.28

74LS137

.98

74LS27

.28

74LS138

.54

74LS28

.34

74LS139

.54

74LS30

.24

74LS145

1.15

74LS32

.28

74LS147

2.45

74LS33

.54

74LS148

1.30

74LS37

.34

74LS151

.54

74LS38

.34

74LS153

.54

74LS40

.24

74IS154

1.85

74LS42

.48

74LS155

.68

74LS47

.74

74LS156

.68

74LS48

.74

74LS157

.64

74LS49

.74

74LS158

.58

74LS51

.24

74L.S160

.68

74LS54

.28

74LS161

.64

74LS55

.28

74LS162

.68

74LS63

1.20

74LS163

.64

74LS73

.38

74LS164

.68

74LS74

.34

74LS16S

.94

74LS75

.38

74LS166

1.90

74LS76

.38

74LS168

1.70

74LS78

.48

74LS169

1.70

74LS83

.59

74LS170

1.45

74LS85

.68

74LS173

.68

74LS86

.38

74LS174

.54

74LS90

.54

74LS175

.54

74LS91

.88

74LS181

2.10

74LS189 8.90 74LS363 1.30

74LS190 .88 74LS364 1.90

74LS191 .88 74LS365 .48

74LS192 .78 74LS366 .48

74LS193 .78 74LS367 .44

74LS194 .68 74LS368 .44

74LS195 .68 74LS373 1.35

74LS196 .78 74LS374 1.35

74LS197 .78 74LS377 1.35

74LS221 .88 74LS378 1.13

74LS240 .94 74LS379 1.30

74LS241 .98 74LS385 1.85

74LS242 .98 74LS386 .44

74LS243 .98 74LS390 1.15

74LS244 1.25 74LS393 1.15

74LS245 1.45 74LS395 1.15

74LS247 .74 74LS399 1.45

74LS248 .98 74LS424 2.90

74LS249 .98 74LS447 .36

74LS2S1 .58 74LS490 1.90

74LS253 .58 74LS624 3.95

74LS257 .58 74LS640 2.15

74LS258 .58 74LS645 2.15

74LS259 2.70 74LS668 1.65

74LS260 .58 74LS669 1.85

74LS266 .54 74LS670 1.45

74LS273 1.45 74LS674 9.60

74LS275 3.30 74LS682 3.15

74LS279 .48 74LS683 3.15

74LS280 1.95 74LS684 3.15

74LS283 .68 74LS685 3.15

74LS290 .88 74LS688 2.35

74LS293 .88 74LS689 3.15

74LS295 .98 74LS783 23.95

74LS298 .88 81LS95 1.45

74LS299 1.70 81LS96 1.45

74LS323 3.45 81LS97 1.45

74LS324 1.70 81LS98 1.45

74LS352 1.25 25LS2521 2.75

74LS353 1.25 25LS2569 4.20

6500

1 MHZ

6502 4.90

8504 B.90

6505 8.90

6507 9.90

6520 4.30

6522 6.90

6532 9.90

6545 21.50

6551 10.85

2 MHZ

6502A 6.90

6522A 9.90

6532A 10.95

6545A 26.95

6551A 10.95

3 MHZ

6502B 9.90

6800

68000 59.95

6800 3.90

6802 7.90

6808 12.90

6809E 18.95

6809 10.95

6810 2.90

6820 4.30

6821 3.20

6828 13.95

6840 11.95

6843 33.95

6844 24.95

6845 13.95

6847 10.95

6850 3.20

6852 15.70

6860 9.90

6862 10.95

6875 6.90

6880 2.20

6883 21.95

68047 23.95

68488 18.95

6800 1MHZ

68B00 9.95

68B02 21.25

68B09E 28.95

68B09 28.95

68B10 6.90

68B21 6.90

68B45 18.95

68B50 5.90

APPLE ACCESSORIES

80 Column Apple. 11 + 80 Column Apple HE

Z80 Apple 11+

Z80 Apple 11+ Kit ...

Z80 Apple HE

ZBO Apple HE Kit ...

16KCard

16K Bare Board

Cooling Fan

Power Supply

Joyetlck

RF Modulator

Dlek Drive

Controller Card

556 BYTE May 1984

Circle 142 on inquiry card.

The Flip Sort PLUS"

The Flip Sort Plus" adds new dim'ensions to storage. Designed with similar elegant lines as the original Flip Sort" in a transparent smoked acrylic. Holds over 100 diskettes and has all the outstanding features you have come to expect from the Flip Sort Family.

$24.95

*>^

The FLIP SORT"

The new Flip Sort" has all the fine qualities of the original Flip Sort", with some added benefits. Along with a new design, capacity has been increased 50% to hold 75 diskettes and the price is more reasonable than ever - $19.95

Z-80

2.5 MHZ

Z80-CPU 3.90

2BO-CTC 3.95

Z80-OART 10.95

Z80-DMA 1 3.95

Z80-PIO 3.95

Z8O-SIO/0 11.95

Z80-SI0/1 11.95

Z8O-SI0/2 11.95

Z80-SIO/9 1 1.95

4.0 MHZ

Z80A-CPU 4.29

Z80ACTC 4.90

Z80A-DART 9.95

Z80ADMA 1 2.95

Z80API0 4.29

Z80A-SI0/0 12.95

Z80A-SIO/1 1 2.95

Z80A-SIO/2 1 2.95

Z80A-SI0/9 1 2.95

6.0 MHZ

Z80B CPU 9.95

Z80BCTC 1 2.95

Z80BPIO 12.95

Z80BDART 1 2.95

ZILOG

Z6132 33.95

Z8671 :.... 38.95

DISC CONTROLLERS

1771 15.95

1791 23.95

1793 25.95

1795 48.95

1797 48.95

2791 53.95

2793 53.95

2795 58.95

2797 58.95

6843 33.95

8272 38.95

UPD765 38.95

MB8876 28.95

M88877 33.95

1691 16.95

2143 17.95

UARTS

AY3-1014 6.90

AY5-1013 3.90

AY3-1015 6.90

PT-1472 9.90

TR1602 3.90

2350 9.90

2651 8.90

TMS6011 5.90

IM6402 7.90

IM6403 8.90

INS8250 9.95

INTERFACE

8T26 1.54

8T26 1.84

8T95 B8

8T96 88

8T97 88

8T98 88

DM8131 2.90

DP8304 2.24

DS8835 1.94

DS8836 98

1

VOLTAGE REGULATORS

7805T .74 7905T .84

78M05C .34 7908T .84

7808T .74 7912T .84

7812T .74 7915T .84

7815T .74 7924T .84

782"T 74 7905K 1.44

7B05K 1.34 7912K 1.44

7812K 1.34 7915K 1.44

7815K 1.34 7924K 1.44

7624K 1.34 79L05 76

78L05 .68 79L12 .78

78L12 .66 79L15 .78

78L15 .68 LM323K 4.90

78H05K 9.90 UA78S40 1.90

78H12K 9.90

C.T = TO-220 K ■ TO-3 L = T0-92

DIP SWITCHES

4 POSITION 84

5 POSITION 69

6 POSITION 89

7 POSITION 94

8 POSITION 94

IC SOCKETS

1-99 100

8 pin ST !l2 .10

14 pin ST .14 .11

16 pin ST .16 .12

18 pin ST .19 .17

20 pin ST .28 .26

22 pin ST .29 .26

24 pin ST .29 .26

2BpinST .39 .31

40 pin ST .48 .38

64 pin ST 4.20 call ST . SOLDERTAIL

8 pin WW .58 .48

14 pin WW .68 .51

16 pin WW .68 .57

18 pin WW .98 .89

20 pin WW 1.04 .97

22 pin WW 1.34 1.23

24 pin WW 1.44 1.30

28 pin WW 1.64 1.44

40 pin WW 1.94 175

WW = WIREWRAP

16 pin ZIF 5.90

24 pin ZIF 7.90

28 pin ZIF 8.90

ZIF = TEXTOOL (Zero Insertion Force)

CRYSTALS

32.768khz 1.69

1.0 mhz 3.69

1.8432 3.69

2.0 2.69

2.097152 2.69

2.4576 2.69

3.2768 2.69

3.579535 2.69

4.0 2.69

5.0 2.69

5.0688 2.69

5.185 2.69

5.7143 2.69

6.0 2.69

6.144 2.69

6.5536 2.69

8.0 2.69

10.0 2.69

10.738635 2.69

14.31818 2.69

15.0 269

16.0 2.69

17.430 269

1 8.0 2.69

18.432 2.69

20.0 2.69

22.1184 2.69

32.0 2.69

RESISTORS

'/. WATT5% CARBON FILM, ALL STANDARD VALUES FROM 1 OHM TO 10 MEQ OHM

50 pes 1.25

100 DCS 2.00

1000 pes 1 5.00

5V4" DISKETTES ATHANA

SSSD 18.95

SSDD 22.95

DSDD 27.95

BULK DISKETTES

5V4" DISKETTES

NO LABEL

SINGLE SIDED DOUBLE DENSITY (WITH JACKETS AND HUB RING)

Pack of Ten S 16.95

Pack of 100 $149.00

SPRING SPECIALS

4116 4116

2708 2716 2732 2764 27128

4164 4164 4164

2114

250ns 49$/ea 200ns 89$/ea

2.49 2.95 3.95 5.95

128KEPROMS 19.95

8KEPROMS 16KEPROMS 32KEPROMS 64KEPROMS

64K DYNAMIC A A C

250ns *+.*+vJ'

64K DYNAMIC C A C

200ns »J . *T*J

64K DYNAMIC 150ns

6.45

450ns 8/7.95

QUV-T8/1 EPROM Eraser

$57.95

QUV-T8/1 Economy Model: This is ;i low cost EPROM Eraser housed in a plastic enclosure The UV element and components are installed in the top lid and you place the EPROMS in the bottom hall No timer or switch option is included

• Erases up to 8 EPROMS in 15 to 20 minutes.

• 12,000 u Watts at 1" distance.

• 90-Day Warranty

DoKo

2100 De La Cruz Blvd. Santa Clara, CA 95050

Circle 142 on inquiry card.

BYTE May 1984 557

TOLL FREE

Mail Order Hours:

Sat. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

1-800-545-2633

Monday - Friday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

(Sometimes much later)

SHUGART

5V4" SA400 (35 TR) 160K 169.00

514" SA400L(40 TR) 190K 189.00

SW" SA455L (40 TR) 320K '/2 HGT 200.00

8" SA801 R(SS/DD) 600K 355.00

QUME

51*" 142 (40 TR) 320K <A HGT 200.00

8" DT8 (842) 490.00

MITSUBISHI 8" M-2896-63 Thinline 8" DS/DD 1.2 MG 419.00 8" M-2894-63 (110V) Standard 8"

DS/DD 1.2 MG 419.00

CDC

SW 9409-DS/DD 225.00

TANDON

514" TM100-1 SS/DD 160K 150.00

5V4" TM100-2A DS/DD (320K)

FOR IBM-PC 209.00

TM101-4 (96 TPI Quad Den) 339.00

8" TM848-2 (DS/DD) 1.2 MG 400.00

TM 100-4 (96 TPI Quad Den) 299.00

SIEMAN'S

8" FD100-8 (SS/DD) 110V/ 801 R \ 169.00

8" FD100-8 (SS/DD) 220VV Compatible ) 199.00

MPI

5VS" B-51 40TR SS/DD 180K 169.00

5W B-52 40TR DS/DD 320K

(FOR IBM PC) 180.00

8" CABINETS

8" DDC88V28 w/PS vertical (or

2-8" drives 269.00

8" DDC88T-1 w/PS vertical-for 2 or 4-8"

thinline drives 269.00

8" DDC88T-2 W/PS vertical tor 2-8"

thinline drives 155.00

8" DDC8V w/PS vertical for 1-8" drive .. 249.00 8" DDC88H w/PS horizontal for

2-8" drives 269.00

5%" CABINETS 514" DDC5H w/PS horizontal-for

1 -SW drive 55.00

SW-OOCSV w/PS vertical-tor 1 ea. 5W drive

....;, L. ;- 60.00

5%" DDC55V w/PSvertical-for2-5'/." drives (NEW)

85.00

NEW "SLIMLINE" DRIVE CABINET 514" DDC55H'/2 w/PS horizontal for 2 ea.

5V4" drive — Specify DRIVE 75.00

All Cabinets Available with Extender Connector Add s10.00 ea.

5RW LIBRARY rCAS-5'/i (Holds 10 ea. SW Disks)

CAS-8 (Holds 10 ea. 8" Disks) 2.80 ea.

Color Burst Packs (5 colors of CAS-5) 10.95 ea. Color Burst Pack 8 (5 colors of CAS-8) ... 12.50

OUR BEST BUY

OUR BEST QUALITY DISKETTE STORAGE

Holds 75 Disks — Heavy Duty w/Lock & Key vk -^ Available in Red. Clear '>; L A

& Smoke

RING KING MO-70 . . 19.00\|i

DSC 88-2SKT-for 2-8" drvs w/skt. conn. 20.00 5'/," DSC55-2SKT-lor 1-5VV drvs

w/ skt. conn 20.00

RS232MM-5' (male to male) 19.00

IBM lo PAR or COLUMBIA to PAR 26.00

Osborne to PAR 26.00

Kaypro to PAR 26.00

Many Others Available

w/ ski. conn : RS232MM-!

■kta^JBM lo Ik Osl

775.00 495.00

BROTHER

HR-25 25 CPS Daisywheel

HR-1A 17 CPS Daisywheel 3K Buff

DATA-SOUTH DS 180 180CPS/Serial or Par/Tractor 1,400.00

DAISYWRITER Darsywriter 2000-48K Buffer/20TO40CPS Lelter Quality Par or Serial 1,095.00

DIABLO

620 (25CPS/Serial) 920.00

630 (40CPS/Multi-IF) 1,719.00

030 ECS/IBM 2,100.00

DYNAX Dynax-15 Par-13CPS Daisywheel

2 color PTG-3K buff 469.00

Dynax 15 Serial-13CPS Daisywheel 525.00

EPSON

FX80 (160 CPS-Par 10") CALL

FX100(160 CPS-Par 15") CALL

C. ITOH

Pro-writer I (8510A) Par 120 CPS 359.00

Pro-writer I (8510A) Serial 120 CPS 529.00

F-10 40CPS/Diablo/Par or Serial 1,125.00

F-10 55CPS/Diablo/Par or Serial 1,425.00

F10 Tractor 469.00

JUKI 6100-18CPS/Diablo Compatible Par/Daisywheel 569.00

MANNESMAN-TALLY

Spirit 80CPS Par 10" 330.00

160L (160CPS-40CPS Letter Quality 10") 599.00

180L (160CPS-40CPS Letter Quality 15") 839.00

NEC

NEC2010 20CPS Serial Daisywheel 950.00

NEC2050 20CPS lor IBM Daisywheel . 1,050.00

NEC3550 35CPS for IBM 1,850.00

NEC7710 55CPS Serial Daisywheel ... 1,995.00

NEC7715 55CPS Diablo Compatible

Daisywheel 1,995.00

OUR BEST BUY

R1TEMAN — Briefcase Size - 120 CPS

Par Port - Epson Compatible 289.00

1 Year Warranty

OKI-DATA

Microline 82A (SER & PAR-120CPS 10") . CALL Microline 83A (SER & PAR-120CPS 15") . CALL Microline 92 (PAR-160CPS-LTR-10") .... CALL

Microline 93 (PAR-160CPS-LTR-15") CALL

Microline 84P (PAR-200CPS-LTR-15") .. . CALL Microline 84S (SER-200CPS-LTR-15") ... CALL

STAR MICRONICS Gemini 10X NEW VERSION

(PAR-120CPS-10") CALL

Gemini 15X (PAR-120CPS-15") CALL

Gemini Delta 10 (Par-160CPS-10"

8K buffer serial) CALL

Star Radix 10 (Coming Soon) CALL

SILVER REED

EXP 550P-17CPS Daisywheel-PAR 650.00

EXP 550S-17CPS Daisywheel-Serial 680.00

TOSHIBA P1340 - Smaller version of 1350 / 10" Carriage / 112 CPS Draft Mode / 54 CPS Ltr Quality CALL (List Price $1395) P-1350 — 192 CPS Draft Mode / 120 CPS

Ltr Quality / Specify Par or Serial CALL

P-1351 /1360 — Same as 1350 and has "Downloadable Font" CALL

Minimum Shipping $3.00

TOLL FREE 1-800-545-2633

in the Continental U.S.A.

Prices subject lo change without notice

BROTHER

HRIA Tractor 110.00

HR25 110.00

HR25 Cut SHT FDR 195.00

DAISYWRITER

Bi-Di Tractor CALL

Uni-Di Tractor 159.00

Porlrait SHT FDR 600.00

Landscape SHT FDR 895.00

DIABLO

Diablo 620-Uni-Direct Tractor 110.00

Diablo 630-Bi-Direct Tractor 275.00

Diablo 630-DBL Sheet Feeder 1,395.00

DYNAX

Tractor 95.00

Cut SHT FDR 195.00

Keyboard 175.00

JUKI-6100

RS232 Interface 60.00

Uni-Di Tractor 100.00

Bi-Di Tractor 145.00

NEC

Vertical Tractor 219.00

Bi-Dir. Tractor 330.00

Cut Sheet Feeder 1,100.00

OKI-DATA

82/92 Tractor 55.00

Serial Intl. w/2K Buffer (For 92 & 93) .... 110.00

Okigraph I 82A or 83A Graphics ROM 50.00

Okigraph II 82A or 83A Disk lor Apple 60.00

STAR-MICRONICS

Serial Intf. Bd 70.00

Serial Intf. Bd w/4K Buffer 120.00

TOSHIBA

P-1350 Cut Sheet Feeder 800.00

P-1350 Bi-Dir Tractor 210.00

ALL RIBBONS AVAILABLE

APPLE, ETC.

514" Soft Sector SS/DD 17.00/10

For IBM PC 8, PARTNERS

514" Soft Sector DS/DD 22.00/10

• Lifetime Warranty

• All have Hub Rings and PLASTIC CASE

Color code your files: 5 colors in each pkg. (Red, Yellow, Blue, Green, Brown)

5V«" Sgl side/dW den—Rainbow Pak . 23.00/10 5V«" Dbl side/dbl den—Rainbow Pak . 30.00/10

5V«" 10 sector—Rainbow Pak 24,00/10

5'A" 16 sector—Rainbow Pak 24.00/10

8" Sgl side/dbl den—Rainbow Pak . ..30.00/10 8" Dbl side/dbl den—Rainbow Pak ... 40.00/10

• Lifetime Warranty • Hub Rings < in Solid Color Specify Color

Also Available

OUR BEST BUY

MAXELL

Sgl. side/dbl. den SW\ 48 TPI 24.00

Dbl. side/dbl. den 5W*. 48 TPI 36.00

Obi. side/quad, den SW*, 96 TP! 45.00

Apple'" Apple Trademark o! Apple Computet iBM"IOM Trademark ol inter nanonai Business Msetw nan> or Goaooul Etecin

CompuPio

•»»«•'<

Q®

»5!<!i55

fegjj^

Circle 186 on inquiry card

1780 West 2300 South Salt Lake City, Utah 84119

SYSTEMS

CUSTOMER SERVICE

CALL DAVID 1-801-972-2739

AND RETURNS

Prices subject to change without notice

COLUMBIA (1600-1) 16 bit, 128K RAM 2 ea. 320K Disk Drive-2 SER. 1 PAR, Key Bd. 8 slots

Display Cd., bundled software CALL

COLUMBIA 1600-4 Same as 1600-1 except has

12MB Hard Disk & only 1 F.D CALL

COLUMBIA MPC-VP Portable 16/BIT 128K RAM 2 each 320K. drives SER & PAR Port, 9" monitor, bundled software CALL

Service — Bell & Howell Co. Nationwide

IBM PC-1—Includes 64K RAM, 1 ea. 320K Disk

Drive 1,995.00

IBM PC-2—Includes 64 RAM, 2 ea, 320K Disk

Drive 2,250.00

IBM PC-3—Includes 256K RAM, 2 ea. 320K Disk Drive, IBM Mono Adapter. IBM Mono

Display 2,999.00

IBM PC-4—Includes 256K RAM, 2 ea, 320K Disk Drive, Peacock Color Card, Princeton HX 12 Display 3,395.00

IBM-XT

• 128K RAM • 1 ea 320K F.D. • 1 ea.

10MG Hard Disk 4,695.00

8087 CPU 198.00

PC-2000 — Basic Mainframe 995.00

FEATURES • 5 Slol Mother Bd W/64K (Expands to 256K)

• Power Supply w/Fan

• Lo-Prolile Keybd - 96 Key

• 2 ea Serial • 1 ea PAR

• Space for 4 ea. V4 HGT Drives or 2 Full Size.

• Will run PC/DOS or MS/DOS

• Will run all MS/DOS Compatible Software

PC-2001 — Includes 64K RAM, 1 ea.

320K F.D 1,395.00

PC-2002 — Includes 64K RAM, 2 ea.

320K F.D 1,650.00

PC-2003 — Includes 256K RAM. 2 ea. 320K F.D..

Video CD, 12" 310A Mono Display 1,995.00

PC-2004 — Includes 256K RAM, 2 ea. 320K F.D.. Color Cd, Princeton Color Monitor .... 2,499.00

PC8201A-Portable 2.4 MHZ CPU 16K Ram/ Expands to 64K-32K RAM LCD Display—Keybd (67 key-5 function) Modem, Serial and Par Port-FD and Cassette Interface—Uses 4AA

Batt—bundled software 660.00

8201-06 Ram Chip - (8k) modi 105.00

8206-A 32k Ram Cartridge - modi 329.00

8221-A Thermal Printer - prnt 149.00

8271-02 AC Adapt/Print & Rec. - aces ... 15.00

8271-A AC Adaptor - aces 17.00

8281-A Cassette Recorder - aces 105.00

8201A-90 Nicad Battery Pak - aces 16.00

Modem Communication Cable - aces .... 25.00

Thermal paper for 8221 -A - aces

(5 rolls per pack) 13.00

isiS!

PC-2 —'The ORIGINAL Version"

Features 128K RAM • 2 ea. 320K F.D. • Serial

• Parallel • MS/DOS • 12" Grn Monitor

• Bundled Software 2,595.00

PC+2 — "The NEW Version" • Same as PC-2 except has no Monitor or Mono Adapter • Software consists of GW Basic, MS/DOS & CPM 86 2,295.00

APPLE HE Starter—Includes CPU 1 F.D. Monitor

and Stand 1,325.00

FRANKLIN ACE 1000 w/color 799.00

FRANKLIN ACE 1200 OMS includes CPU-2 F.D. and bundled software 1,699.00

M

MBC-550 - 128K. 1 FD w/Word Star. Easywriter.

Calcstar 849.00

MBC-555 — 128K. 2 FD. w/Word Star. Easywriter,

Calcstar. Mailmerge, Spellstar.

Infostar 1,149.00

k

Circle 186 on inquiry card.

"ASTON-TATE — D-Base II 389.00

CONTINENTAL — Home Accountant 89.00

MICRO-PRO — Mail Merge 129.00

MICRO-PRO — Spell Star 129.00

MICRO-PRO — Word Star 279.00

MICRO-PRO — Calc Star 119.00

MICROSOFT — Word with Mouse 329.00

Multi-Plan 175.00

Multi-Plan Financial 69.00

T-MAKER — T-Maker 3 169.00

S.S.I. — Word Perfect 349.00

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

FOR MODEM SOFTWARE

UNITED SOFTWARE — ASC II Express . . 99.00

MICRO-STUFF — Cross-Talk 139.00

LOTUS 1 -2-3 339.00

APPLE — Apple Writer 2 79.00

ASHTON-TATE — D-Base II 409.00

MICRO PRO — Word Star 249.00

MICROSOFT—Macintosh Basic 125.00

MICROSOFT—Multi-Plan (Specify) 175.00

MICROSOFT — Multi-Tool Financial 75.00

MICROSOFT — Typing Tutor II 17.95

SILICON VALLEY — "The Handlers" (3 pkg) 39.00

SILICON VALLEY — List Handler 35.00

SILICON VALLEY — Spell Handler 50.00

SILICON VALLEY — Word Handler 39.00

SILICON VALLEY — Easy Learner 11.95

SILICON VALLEY — Rapid Reader 11.95

SILICON VALLEY — Toddler's Tutor 11.95

SILICON VALLEY — Turbo Charger 11.95

SILICON VALLEY — The Collector 11.95

SILICON VALLEY — Lancaster (Shoot Game)9.95

T-MAKER (Needs CPM Card) 149.95

VISICORP

Visicalc (Specify 2 or E) 179.95

Visidex (Specify 2 or E) 179.95

Visitrend/Plot (Specify 2 or E) .. 229.00,

7 780 West 2300 South Salt Lake City, Utah 84119

ft

TOLL FREE

CUSTOMER SERVICE

1 -800-545-2633

AND RETURNS

QT 8" THINLINE MAINFRAME

• Provisions (or 2 ea 8" Ihinline drives* 6 ea DB 25 cutout»2 ea 50 pin«2 ea 34 pin«1 ea Centronic •EMI filter (fused)»2 AC outlets«Power supply (+8V16A/ -5V/+24V6A+5V6A) QTC-IMF +DD6F (6 slot MB) 350.00

QT 5%" MAINFRAME

•Provisions for any 2-5'/4" drives

QTC-MF + MD12 (12 slot MB) 560.00

QT 8" MAINFRAME

•Provision for any 2-8" drives (hard or floppy) Desk Top Version

OTC-MF + DD6 (6 Slot MB) 575.00

QTC-MF + DD8 (8 Slot MB) 625.00

QTC-MF + DD12 (12 Slot MB) 675.00

All mainframes have EMI filter, 2 AC outlets; 15 ea. DB25, 2aa. 50 pin. 2 ea. 34 pin, 1 ea. Centronic cutouts, power supply for 8" MF (-5V1A/+5V5A/ +8V14A/+16V3A/+24V5A)

QT STANDARD MAINFRAME

•Provisions for any 2-5%" drives«15 ea DB25 cutou •2 ea 50 pin»2 ea 34 pin«1 ea Centronic»EMI filter (fused)«2 AC outlets«Avbl with 6-8-12-18 or 22 slot MB«Power supply (+8V16A-16V3A) Desk Top Version

7014/QTC-MF + 12 . . . •. 499.00

7016/OTC-MF + 18 525.00

7015/QTC-MF + 22 550.00

CARD CAGES/MOTHERBOARDS

*IEEE-696-No termination required

w/card bare card Slots Bare Bd A + T cage cage

4 20.00 45.00 65.00 20.00

6 25.00 53.00 75.00 22.00

8 30.00 74.00 105.00 31.00

12 35.00 104.00 145.00 41.00

18 50.00 155.00 205.00 50.00

22 65.00 190.00 — 75.00

All card cages will acommodate a 4" fan Add S20.00 lor 1 fan-Add $30.00 for 2 fans

CLOCK/CALENDAR

S-100»Time in hrs, min, sec.»AM/PM or Military FormaUDate in Mo., Day, Yr., Day of Week & Leap Year recognitions hard interrupts (1024 Hz. 1 Hz 1 min. 1 hr)«On board battery (will last 14 mos. w/no power on)

QTC-CCS-BB (S-100) 45.00

OTC-CCS-A (A+T) for S-100 105.00

QT/COMPUTIME BOARD SET

Best Bare Board Set Available

OTC-SBC 2/4 CPU (SBC 880)

QTC-EXP + III 256K (CT256) Memory bd./

Expandable to 1 MG

OTC-FDC 5/8 Floppy disk controller

Bare Board Set 165.00

1) Includes manuals & assembly instructions

2) Parts available 3) Monitor & B10S available

CPU MEMORY BOARDS

QTC-SBC 2/4 BB (SBC880) 50.00

QTC-SBC 2/4 A A+T (SBC880) 265.00

DYNAMIC (64K/256K or 1 MEG)

QTC-EXP + III Bare Bd. (CT256) 75.00

.QTC-EXP + III 64K A + T (CT256) 375.00

^QTC-EXP

Minimum Shipping $3.00 in the Continental U.S.A.

SYSTEMS

System 816A 4,395.00

System 816A with RAM 21 4,569.00

System 816A - H40 7,169.00

System 816B 5,595.00

System 816B - H40 8,349.00

System 816C 7,150.00

System 816C - H40 9,999.00

System 816D 11,099.00

System 816D - H40 13,995.00

System 816E (68K) 7,150.00

System 816E - H40 9,999.00

System 816Z 3,999.00

System 816Z - H40 6,725.00

CPU BOARDS

CPU Z 6 MHz 245.00

CPU 8085/88 - 6/8 MHz 369.00

CPU 8086 - 8 MHz 650.00

CPU 8086 - 10 MHz 750.00

CPU 68K - 8 MHz 575.00

SPUZ (March '84) 575.00

MEMORY BOARDS

RAM 16 475.00

RAM 17-64 369.00

RAM 21 839.00

RAM 22 1,475.00

M-DRIVE H 1,199.00

INTERFACE BOARDS

Interlacer 1 220.00

Interlacer 2 245.00

Interfacer 3 575.00

Interfacer 4 349.00

DISK CONTROLLERS

Disk 1 399.00

Disk 1A 575.00

Disk 2 (In 1. CP/M 80) 750.00

Disk 3 750.00

DISK DRIVE SUBSYSTEMS

8" Floppy/H-40 4,595.00

8" Dual H-40 w/encl 6,000.00

Dual Floppy Subsystem 2,695.00

MOTHERBOARDS AND COMPUTER ENCLOSURES

6 Slot Motherboard 129.00

12 Slot Motherboard 149.00

20 Slot Motherboard 220.00

Enclosure 2-D 739.00

Enclosure 2-R 795.00

MISCELLANEOUS BOARDS/CONTROLLERS

Memory Manager 75.00

System Support 1 349.00

MPX 1 495.00

Active Terminator 60.00

8087 Support Board for 8085/88 379.00

WARRANTY: 1 year from date of purchase by end user.

OPERATING SYSTEMS

CP/M 2.2 (Disk 1) 150.00

CP/M 86 (Disk 1 8085/88) 199.00

MP/M 8-16 (For 8085/88) 495.00

MAP FORTH OS 169.00

CP/M 68K 269.00

SIERRA DATA S-100 BOARDS

SDS-SBC-100-Z80 (4mhz) master 2 serial

2 par/floppy controller/64k ram 655.00

SDS-SBC-100S4m!is slave/2 serial

2 par/64k ram 565.00

SDS-ZSIO/4-4 serial port I/O bd 250.00

SDS-MUX-RS232 multiplexer bd 235.00

SDS-HDI-M-Hard disk bd lor micropolis . 129.00 SDS-CPM/B105-cp/m for SBC 100

w/BIOS 150.00

SDS-Turbodos-Multi-user for master

slaves 645.00

E-PROM ERASERS

QUV-T8/1H (hobby) QUV-T8/2 I (Industrial version) QUV-T8/2P (w/timer & safety switch)

Anchor Volkmodem — 300 Baud Orig/Answer

Direct Connect 69.00

Cable for Above 9.95

Hayes 300 219.00

Hayes 1200 499.00

Novation D-CAT 159.00

Novation J-CAT 109.00

US. Robotics "Password" — 300/1200 . 375.00

OUR BEST BUY

ANCHOR MARK XII

300/1200 Band Auto Answer/Auto Dial Direct Connect Intelligent Modem w/RS 232 Cable Included 2 Telephone Jacks, Low Power (60 MA) Dial Tone Detect 279.00

GREEN

BMC 12AU(15MHZ) 80 Col/12" . 80 00

USI PI-1 (20 MHZ) Hi-Res/9" ' ' 11900

USIPI-2 (20 MHZ) Hi-Res/12" ......... 129.00

AMBER USI PI-4 (20 MHZ) Hi-Res/80-Col/9" 125 00

USI PI-3 (20 MHZ) Hi-Res/80 Col/12" .. 119^00

COLOR

Amdek 1-12" Composite (For Apple) 259.00

Amdek I + Composite w/audio 275.00

Amdek ll-12"-RGB (For IBM-PC) w/audio 419.00

OUR BEST BUY

OUR BEST BUY FOR APPLE SAKATA SC-100 Best Composite Video for Apple According to Creative Computing Analysis 275.00 OUR BEST BUY FOR IBM

Princeton HX-12-RGB (For IBM-PC) .... 469.00

ADDS

iewpoint-A1 (White) 509.00"

Viewpoint-A2 (Green) 539.00

Viewpoint-3A + (Green) 509.00

Viewpoint 60-Same as Televideo 925 ... 715.00 QUME

QVT-102 80 Col. Green (910 comp) 549.00

QVT-102 80 Col. Amber 560.00

QVT-103 80/132 Col. Green 865.00

QVT-103 80/132 Col. Amber 895.00

QVT-108 80/132 Col. Amber (925 comp) 715.00 TELEVIDEO

TV910 529.00

TV910+ 565.00

TV925 715.00

TV950 925.00

TV970 1,019.00

2nd Page Memory ADD 25.00

RG 1000/TV60 Graphics Upgrade

for 925/950 1,100.00

Lemon (6AC outlets-3 prong) 44.00

Lime (5'-3 prong pwr cord w/on-off switch) 69.00 Orange-AC surge + EMI filter (6 outlets) .. 95.00

Peach (3 outlets) AC surge/EMI filter 69.00

Grizzly (200W) uninterruptible power system

+ surge protection 799.00

Grizzly (500W) uninterruptible power system

+ surge protection 1850.00

RELAX TECHNOLOGY Both in Metal Enclosures

POWER CONTROL 1 59.95

• Master Control. Switch. 3 PWR Switch. AC Surge Protect. 6 ft. cord, 4 PWR Outlets Metal Enc

POWER CONTROL 2 79

Same except has RFI Noise Suppresso Circle 187 on inquiry card

AC SURGE ELIMINATORS

1780 West 2300 South Salt Lake Citv, Utah 84119

8 YEARS (1976)

COMPUTER MAIL

EXPERIENCE IN

ORDER BUSINESS

AST PRODUCTS

Combo Plus (Serial/Par/CLK 64 to 256K) 259.00

OUR BEST BUY

Six Pak Plus (Serlal/Par/CLK/64K

Expands to 384K) ... 279 00

Six Pak Plus <Serial/Pai7CLK/384K):.... 569.00

Meg-A-Plus (Serial/CLK/64K

Expands to 256K) 270.00

Meg-A-Pak (Expands Meg-A-Plus

to 512K) 270.00

AST-5251 (Allows connection of IBM PC

to System 340038) 749.00

Game Port Kit (Specify Board) 45.00

Par Port Kit (Specify Board) 45.00

Serial Port Kit (Specify Board) 45.00

COMPUSERVE D.C. HAYES

Smartmodem 1200B-Smartcom 2

w/software 429.00

Smartcom II 79.00

KEYTRONICS Enhance your PC-with a superior

keyboard 210.00

MAYNARD

Floppy Controller 160.00

Floppy Controller (Serial) 230.00

Floppy Controller (PAR) 210.00

Sandslar MOD-FDC MODULAR (for 5V4" or 8" drives) 205.00

ADD-ONS FOR Parallel MOD 60.00

SANDSTAR Serial-MOD 79.00

MOD-FDC Clock Calendar MOD 69.00 Game Adapter MOD . 49.00 Sandstar Multi-Function Bd (Holds up lo

6 modular add-ons 82.00

NEW — 10 MG Hard Disk (Internal) w/Controller 1,195.00

P.C. PRODUCTS CORP

Rainbow Color Card 375.00

• 4 Times Better Than IBM Color

• Expands to 128K RAM. • PAR Port

• Serial Port • Game Adapter • Light Pen Intl.

• Mono Output • Composite Output T

PLANTRONICS COLOR PLUS

Color ♦ Color Display Card (16 colors) .. 379.00

PRINCETON GRAPHICS NEW PGS HX12-Hi-Res Color, The Best 469.00

PGS-SR-12 .... NEW CALL

PGS-MAX 12 .... NEW CALL

QUADRAM Quadlink—Allows Apple Software to be used in IBM PC HAS 64K Ram-Game Port Display

Gen-Disk Intf. w/soltware 450.00

Ouadcolor 219.00

Quadboard I W/64K CALL

Ouadboard llw/64K^ ................... CALL

VISTA Diskmaster (controls 5" & 8") drives Software included 169.00

Amdek MAI 495.00

PC Peacock 299.00

IBM COLOR CARDS

OUR BEST BUY

IBM UP-GRADE KIT

INCLUDES 9 EA. 4164-200NS FOR EXPANSION

ON ALL IBM PRODUCTS WITH PARITY

$52.00/per set

S KITS $48.00/per set

10 KITS 46.00/per set

APPLE

Disk II 269.00

Monitor II 99.00

ALS

CPM 3.0 Card 269.00

Z-Card II 119.00

Smarterm 2 139.00

ASTAR

RF Modulator 18.00

COMPUSERVE

Beginner's Kit (5 hrs. time) 32.00

Videotex Software for HE 59.00

COOL TIME

Fan, Surge Protection, Real Time Clock 2 Outlets lor Printer & Monitor 85.00

GENERIC

80 Col. Video (Videx Compatible) 99.00

Joy Stick 20.00

Keyboard 175.00

Parallel Interface 49.00

RF Modulator 15.00

16K RAM Add-on 40.00

HAYES JOYSTICKS

Mach II (For II & HE) 33.95

Mach III (with firing button) 42.95

HAYES MODEM

Micro-Modem HE 259.00

Micro-Model HE w/terminal package .... 279.00

KENSINGTON

System Saver/Fan & Surge Protection ... 75.00

KOALA

Graphics Tablet 89.00

KRAFT Joystick for HE 44.00

k

1-801-972-2717

Circle 187 on inquiry card.

MICRO-MAX

View Max 80 (80 Col for II +) 149.00

View Max 80E (80 Col W/64K Memory

Expands to 128K) 139.00

MICRO-SOFT

Premium Soft Card HE 379.00

Multi-Plan 175.00

Softcard (Z80) 239.00

MICROTEK

Dumpling O (Expands to 64K) 139.00

Dumpling 64K/lnterface and Graphics

64K Buffer 235.00

Dumpling GX-P/Par Interface Card

and Cable 99.00

Parallel Interface Board (RV611C) 61.00

BAM 16 (16K Add-on Memory) 55.00

Serial Interface 99.00

NOVATION

Apple Cat II w/soflware 269.00

ORANGE MICRO

Parallel Interface (No Graphics) 61.00

Grappler + (Graphics Interface) 119.00

Grappler + 16K (Buffer and 5 to 64K) 175.00

Buffer Board 135.00

TG PRODUCTS

Joy Stick—For Apple II + 38.00

Paddles 29.00

Selecta Port 38.00

VIDEX

Ultraterm 279.00

Videterm 179.00

VISTA A800 Floppy Controller lor 8" Drives .. . 300.00 A-800-1 Cable 27.00

WESPEfl WI2ARD BPO (Same as Grappler + 16K

Specify Printer) 149.00

WIZARD IPI (Same as Grappler

Specify Printer) ,. 79.00

WIZARD EBO (Internal Buffer for Epson) 109.00

OUR BEST BUY

CDC

CDC 5%" 9409 DS/DD 320K Quiest Drive 225.00

OUME

SW #142 - (40 TR) 320K Vl HGT Belt Drive

w/ Brackets 200.00

PANASONIC — BEST BUY IN V, HGT 5V4" JA-155 (40 TR) 320K 8 HGT Direct Dirve

w/ Brackets 199.00 ea.

2 for 385.00 TEAC 5V4" F-55B (40TR) 320K Vt HGT Direct Drive

(For Sanyo & IBM) w/Brackets 199.00 ea.

2 lor 385.00 SHUGART DISK DRIVES SA455L-1/2 HGT 320K DS/DD

w/BRACKETS 200.00 ea.

2 lor 385.00 TANDON DISK DRIVES

TM 100-2A 320K DS/DD 209.00

TM55-2 1/2 HGT 320K DS/DD 249 00 ea

w/BRACKETS 440.00 lor 2

ua I

B-52 (DS/DD) 320K (Saves'Disk's & Disk Head) Standard Size 180.00

TRADE YOUR5V4" DRIVE STANDARD SIZE

SGL SIDE/DBL DEN FOR DBL SIDE/DBL DEN

DRIVE S75.00 ALLOWANCE

STANDARD SIZE

DBL SIDE/DBL DEN FOR V, HGT DRIVES

(Your choice)

$140.00 ALLOWANCE

OUR BEST BUY

STANDARD SIZE

Micro Sci A-2 (35TR) 199.00

Micro-Sci XL I35TR) ^e^ ■! 179.00

Same as A-2 Except Plastic Case

Vi SIZE

Super 5" "Green" Thiniine 163K 40TR

Belt Drive 189.00

Super 5 "Blue" Thiniine 163K 40TR

Direct Drive 199.00

Super 5 "Red" Thiniine 163K 40TR

Teac Drive 225.00

RANA

RANA 1 245.00

RANA 2 Dbl Sided 359.00

RANA 3 Quad Density 469.00

ALL DRIVES 1 YR. WARRANTY

APPLE DISK CONTROLLERS

Micro-Sci (35TR) 60 00

Generic (35TR) 50 00

Micro-Sci (40TR) 89.00

RANA 85.00

MAIL ORDER TOLL FREE 1-800-545-2633

TERMS Open account to state supported universities & companies with high Dun & Bradstreet rating. 3% surcharge on American Express only. Visa, MC, Check or Money Order U.S. funds only. Minimum order s15.00.

1780 West 2300 South Salt Lake Citv. Utah 84119

iniy.

^3

LOWER PRICES-BETTER SERVICE

ompuPro

20 Slot IEEE

696/S-100

Mainframe with Constant Voltage Transformer

During their recent move, CompuPro discovered a tew pallets of their 1983 model mainframes. They do not include most ot the current cosmetic features such as shrouded/protected reset switch, or multiple rectangular cutouts on the rear panel tor hard disks. As last year's model, we can otter these mainframes at tremendous savings!

• Power supply: 8V @ 25A, ±16V @ 3A

• Forced Air Cooled with Filter

• AC Line Filter and Convenience Outlets

• Rear Panel Punched tor Multiple "D" Connectors

• Lighted Reset Switch

• 90 Day Warranty

Desk Top Rack Mount

List Price: $925.00 List Price: $975.00

$595 $649

BESPP04

(Sh. Wt 55 lbs.)

BESPP04RM

(Sh. WL 55 lbs.)

Dual QUME 8" Floppy

Drive Subsystem With

51OO DMA Controller

and CP/M 816™!!!

2.4 Mbytes of On Line Storage!

Sale Price

$1495.

SAVE OVER $1500.

BESPP02 (shipping weight: 55lbs.)

m

U.S. ROBOTICS

Auto Dial/

Answer

1200

Baud

Modem

PASSWORD

BEUSRPASSWORD List Price: $449.00

SALE PRICE

(Sh Wt 3 lbs)

DUY From The WORLDS LARGEST SUPPLIER of S-100 Boards!!

SDSystems

CPU DOARDS

BESBT51068 0EGDT5I568 BEGBT51086

BE6BT51586 BE6BT5I067 BEBBT5IS67 BE6BT51080 BEGBT515S0 BESBT5IO80 BE6BT5I580

CPU 68K A&T 8MHz CPU68KCSC 10MHz Co-Processor w/8086 only Co-Processor w/8086 only CPU 8086/8087 A&T CPU 8086/8087 CSC CPU 8085/88 A&T CPU 8085/88 CSC 3/6MHZ CPU-Z A&T 3/6MHZ CPU-Z CSC .

$ 695.00 $ 488.95 S 850.00 S 765.00 A&TS 750.00 $ 494.95 CSM 850.00$ 098.95 51050 00$ 939.00 $1150.00 $1065.00 $ 495.00 $ 348.95 $ 595 00 $ 497.87 $ 325.00 $ 228.95 $ 425.00$ 347.B7

DISK CONTROLLER BOARDS

BAPQBI7IACPM DISK 1 (A&T) w/CP/M" 2.2 $670.00 When purchased with two 0" disk drives:

BE6BT54018

BEGBT4I000

BE6BT54030

BEBBT56010

DISK 1 Floppy controller (A&T) $495.00

CP/NT 2.2 for Z80/8085

w/manuals&BI0S.8"S/DDisk

CP/M-86« for CPU 8085/88

& CPU 8086/87 CPUs

w/manuals, BIOS 8" S/D Disk

DISK 2 8" hard disk controller $795.00

W/CP/M* 2.2 (A&T)

DISK 3 ST-506 type 514" hard $795.00

disk controller w/CP/M-80® &

CP/M-86* (A&T)

$489.00 $450.00 $425.00

$148.95

$249.00

$558.95 $558.95

I/O BOARDS

System Support 1 Multifunction $450.00 $316.95

I/O (A&T)

BEBB756010/56531 SS1 w/8231 Math Chip A&T $645.00 $570.00

8E6BTM0I0/56320 SS1 w/8232 Math Chip A&T $645.00 $570.00

BE6BT53030 Interfacer 3 - 8 port serial (A&T) $699.00 $488.95

BE0BT53O40 Interfaced - 3 Serial, 1 Centron- $450.00 $316.05

ics Parallel 1 Parallel (A&T)

8/16 BIT MEMORY BOARDS

BEBBT520I6 BAM16 12MHz32KStaticA8.TS 550.00$ 456.05

BE6BT5202I RAM21 12 MHz 128K Static A&TS 995.00$ 695.00

BEBBT52022 RAM 22 12MHz 256K Static A&TS1750.00 $1226.05

BE6BT5201Z M-Drive/H»512KRAMDiskA&T$1475.00 $ 804.25

MAINFRAMES

BEBBT5I200 20 Slot Desk Top (A&T) $925.00 $674.05

BEGBT51250 20 Slot Rack Mount (A&T) $975.00 $794.95

For more CompuPro Specification: "//, sec pages 2 • 33 of our New Catalog i Manulactutti by Vector Electronic Co. under license from CompuPro

BEVCTBI00GFB Interfacer 1, 2-Serial (A&T) $295.00 $219.00

BEICTB800GF2B lnterfacer2,3-Par.,1-Ser.(A&T) $325.00 $236.00

6E(C1t8006R17B RAM 17 64K 10MHz $450.00 $389.00

Static RAM (A&T)

CompuPro is a registered trademark of CompuPro

Uit Price SALE Price

BESDS38095 BES0S38D92 BESDS3B007 BESOS3808B BESDS38089

SBD-300 4MHzZ80ACPUA&T$ 741.00$ 611.00 SBD-300 6MHz Z80B CPU A&T$ 825.00$ 660.00 S 450.00 $ 369.00 $1145.00$ 975.00 $1990.00 $1675.00

Z80 Starter System A&T

ExpandoRAM IV 256 K A&T

ExpandoRAM IV256K

w/EDC A&T BES0S38067 ExpandoRAM 111/696 256K BES0S38O76 PHOM-100 w/soltware A&T BESBS38082 RAM Disk 256K A&T 0ES0S38081 ROM Disc 128K A&T BES0S38096 i/O-8 4-Port Async Ser. A&T BESBS380B3 i/0-8 8-Port Async Ser A&T BESBS38094 i/0-8 4 Sync, 4 Async, 8-Port $ 795.00 $ 699.00

Serial I/O A&T BESDS3BO00 Versalloppy III Floppy & ST-506 S 895.00 $ 756.00

Hard Disk Controller BEP0BW339145* W/5W unbanked CP/M' 3.0 BEP0BHF339146* w/8" unbanked CP/M* 3.0 BEPDBKF33B147* w/5'/«" banked CP/M"> 3.0 BEPDBVF339I4S* w/8" banked CP/M* 3.0 BES0S3809B Versalloppy 11/696 (A&T) BEPDBIF239I41- w/5'/i" unbanked CP/M" 3.0 BEP0BVF239142" w/8" unbanked CP/M" 3.0 BEP0BVF239143* w/5'/«" tjanked CP/M" 3.0 BEP0BKF239144* w/8" banked CP/M" 3.0

"CP/M-PIUS" (3.0) configured lor the SBC-300 See Complete Specifications on Pages 12-25 Of Our '83/'84 Engineering Selection Guide

(^octagon

BOARD LEVEL PRODUCT

S 825.00 $ 749.00

S 285.00 $ 219.00

$ 875.00 $ 775.00

$ 350.00$ 319.00

$ 600.00 $ 549.00

S 695 00 $ 589.00

S1083.00S 888.00

$1083.00$ 886.00

$1083.00$ 888.00

$1083.00$ 866.00

$ 400.00 $ 344.06

$ 588.00 $ 424.06

$ 588.00 $ 424.00

$ 588.00 $ 424.00

$ 588.00 $ 424.00

I <& ADVANCED DIGITAL

It CORPORATION

Z80 SINGLE BOARD COMPUTERS

Description

List Price SALE Price

BEADCSUP6128

BEA0CSPRSLV6128

BEA0CSBC15

BEADCSBCI6

Super Six 6MHz 128K Master $995 00$849.00 w/1 ADC PS1 RS232 Serial Adapter Super Slave 6MHz 128K S695.00 $595.00 SuperQuadfor5'A"drives 5750.00 $695.00 Super Quad lor 8" drives $750.00 $695.00

SOFTWARE & I/O PORT ADAPTERS

BEADCPSI PS/NeM HS232 Serial Adapter $ 35.00

BEAOCCPSP Centronics Parallel Port Adapter $ 35.00

GEABCCPM22U Advanced Digital CP/M" 2 2 S150.00

8EADCCPM30*t Advanced Digital CP/M Plus" (3 0) $350.00

BEA0CT00S40M TurboDos' 1, 2, or 4 Multi-user $550.00 *Replace * with Q to specify Super Quad; S for Super Six t Replace t withS lor 8" IBM" 3740 format. 48 loi 5%" 48 TPI formal or 98 lor 5'A" 96 TPI format

ST506/SA1000 HARD DISK CONTROLLER

BEADCHDC10015 ST506 5'A" Winchester Cont. S500.00S395.00

BEABCHBC10018 8" Winchester Cont. $500.00 $395.00

BEADCHOCIHSTL Install program for use with non-ADC $10.00

CPU board (Supplied on 8" CP/M"

compatible disk)

See Complete Specifications on Pages 14 - 27

of our '83/'B4 Engineering Selection Guide

BE0CTB087N0P 8087 tor CPU 8/16

BE0CTCPM6B CP/M-86*

BEDGTCOKCMIU Concurrent CP/M-86"

BE0CTMPM86

BE0CTHDC

BE0CTHDS061B

BE6CTS256T0D

BE6CT05I2K

$ 300.00 $ 150.00 $ 195.00 MP/M-86® $ 465.00

ST-506 Hard Disc Controller S 595.00 $ 474.65 19.2Mb Hard Disc Subsystem $2295.00 $1005.00 256K Static RAM (A&T) $1850.00 $1710.00

512K Dynamic RAM (A&T) $1450.00 $1345.00 See Specifications on Pages 12-27 Of Our '83/'B4 Engineering Selection Quids

COMPLETE OCTAGON 8/16 " SYSTEMS

BEDCT816SMPMW/256K Sialic RAM & MP/M-86™ $7350.00

BEOCTBieiCCPK W/256K Static RAM & Concurrent CP/M-86 $7350.00 BE0CTS1BDMPMw/512K Dynamic RAM & MP/M-86 $7350.00

6E0CTIIIDCCPM W/512K Dynamic RAM & Concurrent $7350.00 CP/M-86 See Complete Specifications on Page 5 Ot Our New 'B3/'84 Engineering Selection Oulde

MAX: 1 S-100 SLOT 1 MEGABYTE

The MACR0TECH MAX is a 256K to 1 Megabyte S-100 IEEE/696 dynamic memory board That's right up to 1 Megabyte on a single standard size S-100 board. The first 384 K is on the Host card that plugs into your motherboard. The remaining 640K is located on a unique "piggyback" card that attaches to the host The MAX family is ideally suited to applications where density, speed, and software flexibility are essential. See Page 16 Of Our New ,83/'84 Engineering Selection Guide for Complete

Specifications Ordering information: The 256K and 364K versions include the fully socketed Host card. The 512K and larger versions also include the fully socketed "piggy-back" card. Uit Price SALE Print

BEMACMAX25B 256K Dynamic RAM (A&T) $1125.00 $1105.00

BEMACMAX3M 384 Dynamic RAM (A&T) $1467.00 $1305.00

BEMACMAX512 512K Dynamic RAM (A&T) $1880.00 $1705.00

BEMACMAXM 1 MEGDynamicRAM(A&T) $?449.00 $2M5.00

BEMACM3 Memory Mapping Option $ 01.00

Attention CompuPro CPU 8085/88 Uieri: You must order the CPU modification hardware to insure complete compatibility

BEMACBBTMOD Hardware, modification for CompuPro CPU BUBS/88

$ 10.00

ORDER TOLL FREE (800) 420-5922 - CA. AK. HI CALL (016) 709-5111

PRINTERS

L . nisk for IBM PC

15M Byte Hartf ■^*» Th „ The KT"I

50% Wore Ca'ac:L^SLa!

©ESS- — 'ESH-k»«

Pirt Number Description

List Price Our Price I

BESTRGEMTOX 120 cps. 80 col. (20 lbs.) $399.00 $31

BESTRGEMI5X 120 cps, 132 col. (26 lbs.) $649.00 $39

BESTHSEMNTX Sciai Interface lor 10X and 15X S 5

BESTRSERINTX4K Same as above with 4K Buffer $11

BESTRDELTftIO 160 cps. 80 col. (20 lbs.) $64900 $40

BESTR0ELTJ15 160 cps. 132 col. (20 lbs.) $799.00 $61

EESTRPOWERTYPE 18 cps Letter Quality (25 lbs.) $44

•MANNESMAN-TALLY

Letter Quality Dot Matrix Printers

BETAUIT100L 160 cps, 80 col (21 lbs.) $5

BETALMTIBOL 160 cps. 132 col (28 lbs.) $7

BETALHTRIBIOO Replacement Ribbon (or MT160L $11

BETALMTRIBIBO Replacement Ribbon tor MT180L $1

PRINTER CABLES

BEPGC3BCP72CP Centronics Male lo Male 6' 82'

8EPBC250P72CP IBM PC" lo Centronics Parallel 6' S3

BEPBC25IP6P 6'9 conductor shielded RS-232 811

mm PRACTICAL mPERIPHERALS

MICRODUFFER

PRINTER DUFFERS

Stand Alone Duffer

BEPRPHB1S64 64 K Serial $349.00 8289.00

BEPRPMB1PM 64K Parallel $349.00 $269.00

BEPRPHEMM 64 K Expansion Module $179.00 $145.00

MICRODUFFER 11+ For Apple ll/lle

16K, Expandable to 64K. Extensive Graphics.

Serial & Parallel Ports,

BEPBPMB2PIUSIBS w/Serial Calbe $259.00 $189.00

BEPRPMB2PLUS1BP w/Parallel Cable $259.00 $180.00

BEPRPGRAPHICARO Graphics Only Card $ 99.00 $ B5.00

BEPRPPRINTERFACE Centronics Paralle 1/0 Card $ 75.00 8 50.00

DUFFERS FOR EPSON PRINTERS

Compatible with EPSON MX, FX, RX Series' and IBM Printers

BEPRPMB58

BEPRPMBP16

Serial 8K butler Parallel 16K buffer

$159.00 $120.00 $159.00 $129.00

VIDEO MONITORS

SANYO 12" 80x24 18MHz

Pert Number

Description

Llit Price Sele Price

BESY0OM8OI2CX Black 8 White Display $240.00 $149.00

BESY0DB9012CX BESY0DH0112CX BE$r0DM9112CX BEXT0DM8712CX BEST0DM92I2CX

B5W w/Audio Green P31 Display Green P31 w/Audio Amber Display Amber w/Audio

$260.00 $105.00

S240.00 $140.00

$260.00 $165.00

S240.00 $149.00

$260.00 $105.00

13" RGD COLOR w/AUDIO

BESTODRH5O0 Medium Res. 350x350 lines $495.00 $340.00

BESV0DM75O0 lliqhRes H480xU24(ldots $725.00 $400.00

BESrODM85a0 Ultra High H690 x V240 dots $1085.00 $790.00

(Shipping Weights on above monitors 12": 24 lbs. ea /13" color 30 lbs. ea)

12'

TAXAN 80x24 18MHz

BETAXKGI2NUI Amber Display BETAXKSI2H Green Display

$189.00 $120.00 $179.00 $119.00

12" RGD COLOR

BETAXRBBI Medium Res 3I0 lines $39900 $349.00

SETAIR0B3 Super High Hi's 630 Inws $699 00 $449.00

BEtAXHUB420 IIIM I ink Allkn 6311 lull's $699 00 $408.00

■:sgSSar-«

l2fSea*glda.3«3ns,.r,e3.imes -aster

"iNTERNftL 10W Byte HaKSwft Controller

$995 $1395

EXTERNAL 15M Byte

S^^Sr^ohsarethe same. ^m

$1595

,SS°'»'~S"[!1

dbotics - MODEiMS

1 200 Doud, Auto Dlol/Auto Answer

Pert Humbir Deicrtpttoe U«1 Price Our Price

BEUSRA0IAL2I2A 1200 baud with LEDs $599.00 $450.05

BEOSR8IO0 1200 Baud S-100 Card $449.00 $305.00

TELPAC COMMUNICATIONS SOFTWARE

BEU$RTELPAC5A Software on Apple 5%" Format BE0SRIIIPAC8 Software on 8" SSSD CP/M* Disk

$ 79.00 $ 70.00

D.C HAYES

BEDCN0400P BEDCHO2O0P

BEOCH0300P BEDCH0100P BEDCHO0D0P BEDCH12D0B

1200 Baud Smartmodem 300 Baud Smartmodem Chronograph MicroModem 100 MicroModem II IBM-PC™ Modern Card with Software included

$695.00 $279.00 $249.00 $399.00 $379.00

$479.05 $229.00 $199.00 $208.00 $209.00

$695.00 $470.1

RIXON

1200 Baud Direct Connect w/10 Number Memory

BERIXR212A 1200 Baud Stand-Alone Unit $495.00 $399.00

DERIXPC212A 1200IBMPC" Modem(2 lbs.) $495.00 $399.00

BERIXPCCOMT IBM PC" Modem Software (1 lb.) $ 00.00

BEPDBRIIIBM IBM Modem & Software Together (3 lbs.) $449.00

MURA

BEMURMMT00 300 Baud Modem (2 lbs)

FLIP 'NT FILE 50 Capacity

Stores 50 S'A" Diskettes (Stt Wt 9 lbs.)

BEINC0351313B

$29.95

5Va" Double Density Soft Sector, 40 Track

Use with IBM, Sanyo, Apple and Most Personal Computers.

Pert Number Manolicbjrar SUes

PRICE I Box 2 or Mori Boxes

BE0LT5I401 BEULT52401

ULTRA ULTRA

$19.95 818.95 832.00 $30.00

BEMUMDIM MAXELL BEMLXMB2DM MAXELL

826.00 824.00 839.00 837.00

BEDSN1041D DYSAN

834.00 832.00 841.00 839.00

$99.95 870.00

PRIORITY

9161 Deering Ave

BEDSNID420 DYSAN 2

CALL FOR HARD SECTOR > 77 TRACK DISKS NOT LISTED HERE

6" Double Density, Soft Sector

BEMXLFD1120M1200 MAXELL 1 844.00 838.00 BERMLFD2X0M1200 MAXELL 2 $51.00 847.00

ELECTRONICS

Chatsworth, CA 91311-5887

ORDER TOLL FREE CSOO) 420-5922 - CA, AK, HI CALL C818) 709-5111

Terms U S VISA MC BAC, Chech. Money Order, U.S. Funds Only. CA residents add 6Vz% Sales Tax. MINIMUM PREPAID 0RDERS15.00. Include MINIMUM SHIPPINGS HANDLING of $3 00 lor the lirst 3 lbs. plus 40 e lor each additional pound. Ofders over 70 lbs. sent freight collect Just in case, include your phone number. Prices siiLVi-t to i-h.vioe without notice. We will do our besitomaintain pr ices through May. 1984. Credit card orders will bechargedappropriatetfeight. We are not responsible ivi tuv»r.mh.iMi twwa s.«e prices for prepaid orders only Circle 318 on inquiry card.

ORDER TOLL FREE (800) 420-5922 - CA, AK, HI CALL (81©) 709-5111

MS-DOS™ Computer with Monitor, Printer, and Software

SANYO

Hardware

SANYO MDC555

16 Bit 8088 CPU

Socketed (or Optional 8087 MPU

128K of RAM expandable to 256K

Centronics Printer Port

2 Single Sided Disk Drives

(160K Bytes Each)

10 Programmable Function Keys

Speaker and Joystick Port

Video and printer cables included

Software

• MS-DOS™ Operating system

• SANYO BASIC

MicroPro Software:

• WordStar® • ReportStai*

• SpellStar* • InfoStar®

• CalcStar* • MailMerge®

• DataStar®

AMBER or GREEN Screen Monitor GEMINI 10X Dot Matrix Printer

List Price: $2034.00

(Shipping weights on above items: 3 boxes:

Runs Many Off-The-Shelf Programs for IBM-PC"

BEPDB555SP1 w/Green Screen BEPDB555SP3 w/Amber Screen

lbs., 30 lbs., and 20 lbs.

RGB Color Monitors and Letter Quality Printers may be substituted at additional cost

UNINTERRUPTABLE POWER SYSTEM!

• All -The Features as a Minicomputer Regulator! • AC Power Delivered When Power Fails!

VA Riling

SALE PRICE

BESU2600S0750300 BESLA26005040030I

750VA/ 10 min 400VA / 20 min.

95 lbs. 125 lbs.

$1862.00 $1665.00

$1497.00 $1406.00

THE CLEAN POWER SOLUTION!

3 F a E f\J E B A L BIO

N A L O

Short-Circuit SOLA's PriceIncrease!

WE MAINTAIN OUR LOW PRICES THROUGH SOLAS PRICE INCREASE!

SOLA

MINICOMPUTER REGULATORS

• Constant Voltage • EMI/RFI Filtering • Total AC Isolation • Better Than Dedicated AC Power!

Part Number

VA Riling

Uil Price

SALE PRICE

BESLA6313070 BESLA6313I14 BESLA6313125 BESLAB313150 8ESLA6313175 BESLAB313210 BESLAB313220

10 lbs. 18 lbs. 31 lbs. 47 lbs. 60 lbs. 75 lbs. 108 lbs.

70 VA 140 VA 250 VA 500 VA 750 VA 1000 VA 2000 VA

$ 169.40 $ 259.44 $ 309.18 $ 428.84 $ 546.08 $ 632.56 $ 1075.54

$149.00 $219.00 $261.00 $362.00 $461.00 $534.00 $895.00

The Best Sellers At The Best Prices!

Part Number

lDM

PC/MS™

DOS™ 5Va"

FORMAT

Description

SALE PRICE

Part Number

Description

SALE PRICE

BEASTDBIM BEMPBPR0PAKI

BE MSFMLTPLNI

BESWSMMATEI

BEASTFRIDAVI

BEOASIIWDI

BESDRSC3I

ASHTON-TATE - dBASE II MICRO-PRO - WordStar professional, includes WordStar, MailMerge, SpellStar & Star Index MICROSOFT- Multiplan SOFTWORD SYS. - Mullimate ASHTON-TATE - Friday! LIFETREE - Volkswriter Deluxe SORCIM - SuperCalc III

8389.O0

S42S.00

$169.00 8299.00 8189.00 $189.00 $249.00

BEMCRRBASEI MICRORIM - R:Base 8319.00

BE STSSTARPARI STAR SOFTWARE - Star Partner S249.00

BEWLFMOVI WOOLF SOFTWARE - Move-It 8 89.00

BEHARPJMGRI HARVARD SOFTWARE - Harvard 8249.00

Protect Manager

BESWPCPENAI SOFTWARE PRODUCTS, INT. - 8389.00

Open Access

BEMSFBAUBI MICROSOFT - MBASIC 8219.00

CP/M-80™

8 DIT

8" SSSD

FORMAT

BEDIRCBBB BELEXSPLBND BES0RSC280 BEMPRPR0PAK

FCMCSCRSTLK

DIGITAL RESEARCH - CBASiC 80 LEXISOFT - Spellbinder SORCIM - SuperCalc II MICROPRO - WordStar Professional (Includes WordStar, SpellStar, MailMerge, and Star Index) MICROSTUFF - Crosstalk

8 99. OO 82S9.O0 $ 179.00 $399.00

$119.00

BEMSFBASB0 MICROSOFT - MBASIC $219.00

BE FXG0C8O FOX & GELLER - Quickcode 81 79.00

BESTSSTABPARBO STAR SOFTWARE SYST. - Star Partner 8249.00

BEASTDBBO ASHTONTATE - dBASE II 8389.00

BEASTFRIBAVB ASHTON-TATE - Friday! 8189.00

BEMSFMLTPLN MICROSOFT - Multiplan 8189.00

APPLE CP/M* O

DOS™ FORMAT

BEASTDBBDA BEMPRWDSTRZA

BEMSFMLTPLNA BEMSF3577B0

8ELEXSPLBNDA

ASHTON-TATE - dBASE II MICROPRO - WordStar 3.3 w/oMHz Z80 Caid. 64K RAM, 8< CP/M 2.2« MICROSOFT • Multiplan MICROSOFT - Softcard Premium lie (Z80A. 64K, & CP/M", MBASIC) LEXISOFT - Spellbinder

$389.00 8299.00

$189.00 $299.00

$229.00

BE DASWDPLUSA OASIS - Word PLUS BEMPBPBDPAKOPA MICROPRO - Prof. Optional Pack

(includes MailMerge. SpellStar,

and Star Index) BEWLFMOVA WOOLF SOFTWARE - Move-It

BEBBDBNKWRA BRODERBUND - Bank Street Writer

$ 99.00 8188.00

889.00 8 49.00

ORDER TOLL FREE (800) 423-5922 - CA, AK, HI CALL (816) 709-5111

DRIVES & ENCLOSURES

5V4" FLOPPY DISK DRIVES

BEMPI51'

MPI Full Height SS 48TPI (5 lbs.)

$200.00

BEMPI52'

MPI Full Height DS 48TPI (5 lbs.)

$270.00

BEMPItt*

MPI Full Height SS 96TPI (5 lbs.)

$275.00

BEMPI92'

MPI Full Height DS 96TPI (5 lbs.)

$400.00

BEMPI501

MPI 'A-Height SS 48TPI (4 lbs.)

$260.00

BEMPI502

MPI 'A-Height DS 48TPI (4 lbs.)

$300.00

BETNDTM1001

Tandon Full Height SS 48TPI

$170.00

BETMTHIOOt

Tandon Full Height DS 48TPI

$210.00

BETNDTMIOM

Tandon Full Height DS 96TPI

$329.00

•Replace wi

h M lor MPI Door, or S tor Shugart SA400 Type Door

514" Disk Drive Cabinet*

BEJMBIC5

Single Drive Cabinet (5 lbs.)

$ 70.00

BEJMR2CS

Dual Drive Cabinet (9 lbs.)

$ 0B.00

BEJMB2C3C

Dual w/lnternal Data Cable (9 lbs.)

$110.00

e

" Floppy Disk Drives

BESHUBOlfl

Shugart Full Height SS (18 lbs.)

$340.00

BESHU8SIB

Shugart Full Height DS (18 lbs.)

$470.00

BESIEFOD1008

Siemens Full Height SS (18 lbs.)

$120.00

BEDMETRAKS42

Qume Full Height DS (18 lbs.)

$450.00

BEMITM2I94B3B

Mitsubishi Full Height DS (18 lbs.)

$375.00

BEMPI41S

MPI Full Height SS (11 lbs.)

$380.00

BEMPM2S

MPI Full Height DS (11 lbs.)

$460.00

BEMPI4ID

MPI Dual 'A-Height SS (22 lbs.)

$760.00

BEMHttH

MPI Dual 'A-Height DS (22 lbs.)

$830.00

BEMPI41M

MPI 'A-Height SS (9 lbs.)

$380.00

BEMPI42M

MPI 'A-Height OS (9 lbs.)

$460.00

BETKDTMB4B1

Tandon 'A-Height SS (9 lbs)

$325.00

6ETNBTMB4B2

Tandon 'A-Height DS (9 lbs.)

$390.00

Dual 8" Disk Enclosures

All o! these rugged enclosures feature forced, filtered air cooling, hefty power supply, with the heat producing elements mounted to outside for cool, reliable operation. The rear panels are puncheo for the appropriate data cables.

FOE002. Economical design for two standard size 8" floppies. Hinged lid lor easy drive access Power supply: 5V@4A, -5V@.8A. +24@3A. DTL002. Cabmei for two 'A-height 8" drives or 1 full height 8" floppy or Winchester Includes Shugart type AC power cable.

Part Nurnbir DMCriptlon Lilt Price SALE Price

BEIIIFDE002 FDE002 Dual Enc. (35 lbs.) $359.95 $325.00

BEIIIDTL002SHI DTL002 Dual Thin Line (12 lbs.) $225.00 $175.00

BEIIIDTLMPIKIT MPI 'A-Height DTL adapter kit $ 24.95

BEIIICBLS0N3O4FM Shugart to Qume AC Cable $ 4.95

BUY CABINETS WITH BRIVES AND $AVE! Combinations with FDE002

BEPD0IIIFDE2S2 w/2 SHU801R Drives $900.00

DEPD0IIIFDE2M2 w/2 MFM289463BS Drives $1049.00

BEPDBIIIFDE2Q2 w/2 QMETRAK842 Drives $1199.00

BEP0BIIIFDE2I51 w/2 SHU851R Drives $1239.00

BEPDBIIISIE W/2FDD1008 Drives $ 499.00

Combinations with DTL002

BEPD8IIITND1

w/2 TNDTM8481 Drives

$ 879.00

BEPDSIIITND2

w/2 TNDTM8482 Drives

$1030.00

OEP0DIIIMPI1

w/2 MPI41M Drives

$ 870.00

BEPD0IIIMPI2

w/2 MPI42M Drives

5Va" Hard Bisk

$1030.00

OETNOTM501 Tandon 6 Mb (9 lbs.) BETHDTM502 Tandon 12 Mb (9 lbs.) BETH0TM503 Tandon 19 Mb (9 lbs.)

$ 690.00 $ 795.00 $ 895.00

DUAL 5'A" HARD BISK DRIVE CABINET

All of the necessary power for two TANDON TM500 series or equivalent hard disk drives. Just imagine, you can have 10OMbytes of storage using two of the Micropolis 5'/4" Winchester disk drives and this cabinet! Power supply: +5V@ 6A and +12V@ 6A The rear panel is punched for two 20, two 34, and one 50 pin header connector. Fan cooled. BEIIIHD5002 Dual Hard Disk Enclosure (Sh. Wt 20 lbs) $309.00 BEIIIHD500I Single hard disk enclosure (SfiWt15lbs.) $249.00

BUY CABINET WITH DRIVES AND $AVEI

BEPDB501H06 w/2 TM501 Drives $1599.00

BEPDB502HD5 w/2 TM502 Drives $1800.00

BEPDB503HD5 w/2 TM503 Drives $2140.00

Disk drives will bo shipped separately from cabinets. Don't forget to Include shipping for each disk drive cabinet.

BUY DRIVE AND CABINET TOGETHER AND SA VEU

DUAL SIEMENS

FDD1008's with

IIIFDE002 Cabinet

$499.00

SAVE $84.00

BEPDBIIISIE

(Drives are shipped separate from cabinet. Package shipped in 3 containers)

ADD ON DRIVE FOR IBM PC™

landan

JHI

TM1002-1 Full

Height 5'A" 40 Track

48 TPI Drive

$219

FETNDTM1002

(Sh. Wt 4 lbs.)

5'A" Floppy Cabinet

Holds 2 Half or 1 Full

Height drive with

Power Supply

$69

BEJMR2SV5

(Sh. Wt 7 lbs.)

SIEMENS

FDD1008 8" Drive Single Sided Double Density

$129.00

each

BESIEFDD1 ODD (be sure to include $7.00 per drive for shipping)

NOW! The Affordable UPS For Your Personal Computerl e™ — $359.00

200 Watts For 5 Minutes of Uninterruptible Power With AC Surge and EMI/RFI Filtering Bullt-lnl

Perfect for Morrow Micro Decision, IBM PC", Apple lie, and many, many more!

BEPTIPC200 (Sh. Wt 21 lbs.) $359.00

HITACHI

Hitachi Denshi. Ltd.

DELAYED SWEEP

w/TRJGGER VIEW

100MHz 60MHz

3rd & 4th TRACE 3rd TRACE

BEMTV1050F BEHITVB50F

NEW! LOW PROFILE

DUAL CHANNEL

40MHz 20MHz

DUAL TRACE DUAL TRACE

BEHITV422

BEHITV222

$1295 $995 $695 $549

List $1595.00 (31 lbs.)

tist $1195.00(31 lbs.)

List: $895.00 (17 lbs.)

tist $695.00(17 lbs.)

PRIORITY

9161 Deering Ave

Circle 318 on inquiry card.

ELECTRONICS

Chatsworth, CA 91311-5887

ORDER TOLL FREE (800) 420-5922 - CA, AK, HI CALL (018) 709-5111

Terms. U.S. VISA MC. BAC. Check, Money Order, U.S. funds Only. CA residents add 6'/;% Sales Tax. MINIMUM PREPAID ORDERSlTOO. Include MINIMUM SHIPPINGS HANDLING of S3 00 for [he first 3 lbs. plus40C lor each additional pound. Orders over 70 lbs. sent freight collect Just in case, include your phone number. Prices subject to change without notice We will do our best to maintain prices through May, 1984. Credit card orders will be charged appropriate freight. We are not responsible lor typographical errors. Sale prices for prepaid orders only.

ORDER TOLL FREE (800) 420-5922 - CA AK, HI CALL (618) 709-5111

Computer Components Unlimited may be the Kins of Computer Peripherals — but ♦ ♦.

PIPELINE will be the KING of all IBM Products ♦. ♦

The Source!

QUADRAM QUADLINK

• Runs Apple Softwave

• Turn your PC to Apple * Special Liquidation Price

This Month Only

List $595

$399

CPS COLOR CARD

• RGB & Composite Video

• Same as IBM's Card

• w/ Par. & Ser. Port

List $495

$349

SANYO T MBC 555

COMPUTER

* 16 Bit 8088 CPU • Exp. to 256K

* MS Dos Operatins System

* 2,160K Disk Drives

* Centronics Printer Port

List $1399

$1099

PIPELINE

COLOR

CARD

• Identical to PC's

performance

* Runs All Software Graphics

List $299

$199

ANCHOR MODEM

* PC Compatible

• 300 Baud Direct Connect

* No Port Needed

List $199

$94

8087 CO PROCESSOR

KEYTRONICS KEYBOARD

HERCULES GRAPHIC % CARD

• The Math Chip List $399 $ 1 79

• Quality Keyboard for PC List $299 $ 1 79

• Compatible w/Lotus &

All Majors

• Includes Par. Printer Port

List $499

$339

MAXIMIZER

MULTIFUNCTION * CARD

• 64K exp. to 384k

* Part Ser. Port

• Optional Ser. & Game Port

* Software Included

IBMPC SYSTEM

TEAC DISK DRIVE

64K

MEMORY

EXPANSION

* 64k exp. to 256k

• 2, 360k Disk Drives

• Or. Graphics Interfcace Card

* 80 x 24 Hi-Res Gr. Monitor

* FD55B

• 360K Slimline

* PC Compatible

* 90 Day Warranty

List $395

$239

List $3098

$2469

List $299

$169

* 1 yr. Warranty * 9 to A Set

List $89

The Source!

CALL TOLL-FREE (800) 841 -0905

For Lowest Prices & Fast Delivei

IBM COMPATIBLE

MONITORS

DISK DRIVES

un

AMDEK

TANDON

300G, 12" Green $ 129

TM-55-2,% Height (360K)

.$ 209

300A, 12" Amber 139

TM-100-2(360K)

.$ 209

310A, 12" Amber Monochrome . . 169 Color I + Color Composite 299

TEAC

Color II + RGBw/Cable 409

;D55ASgl.Head(160K)

FD55BDbl.Head(360K)

.$ 149 .$ 169

PRINCETON GRAPHICS

HX12, RGB PC Copy $ 479

PANASONIC — SHUGAR1

SA455-Panasonic

.$ 169

•

CDC

9409 Dbl. Head (360K)

.$ 229

DISKETTES

PRINTERS

^^^1

PIPELINE

OKIDATA

>

• Dbl./Dbl. Reinforced Hub 1 year

ML82A(120cps)

.$ 319

warranty $ 19

ML92A(160cps)

. 429

Flip File Holds 70 (smk. plexiglass) 16

ML93A(160cps) 15"carriage. . .

. 729

82 & 92 Tractor Option

59

92&93 Plug&Play

49

C. ITOH

IBM & COMPATIBLE

8510APProwriter

.$ 339

F10-40Starwriter

F-10-55Printmaster

. 979 . 1319

COMPUTERS

JUKI

6100,18cpsltr.qual S 449

TractorFeed 129

MODEMS

HAYES MICRO INC.

Smart Modem 300

Smart Modem 1200

Internal 1200B

ANCHOR

Mark VII300 Baud

Mark XI11200 Baud

PROMETHEUS

ProCom1200

RIXON

PC212A, 1200 Baud Stand Alone. P212A,1200IBMPC

U.S. ROBTICS

Password, 1200 Baud

NOVATION

Access 123'

IBM

PCw/64K,1 Drive (128K) S1975

PCw/64K,2Drives 2195

PC XT, 128K10 Meg Disk 4495

PCJr 1199

COMPAQ

Compaq 128K, 1 Drive $1895

Optional Drive ' 229

EAGLE

PC-2,128K, 2 -320K Drives $2550

PC-2 + 2250

COLUMBIA

1600-1,2-Drives(360K) $2595

1600-4,12MB Hard Disk 3875

MPC-XP Portable 2395

SANYO

MBC 550,1-Drive, software $ 789

MBC 555,2-Drives, more software . 1099 Optional Serial Port 99

TAVA

2-Drives, 128K, 2 Ser. 1 Par. Port, Color Graphics Card & Hi-Res. Green Monitor $1895

INTERFACE CARDS FOR IBM & COMPATIBLES

AST RESEARCH

SixPac + 64K Par. & Ser. Software . $ 269 Mega + 64K exp. to 512K Ser. Port 269 MegaPack 256K option for Mega . . 279 l/o + Ser. & Optional Par. Game . . 149 Additional Ports ^

QUADRAM

Colorl $ 219

Colorll 229

Quadlink List $680, Regular $449

Special 479

Quad Board 1 269

Quad Board II 269

HERCULES

Color Graphics Card $ 339

PLANTRONICS

Color + $ 379

IBM

Dos 1.1 !

Dos2.1

Monochrome Monitor or Adaptor 309

FLOPPY DISK CONTROLLERS

Maynard .$ 169

Maynard w/Ser. Port 229

Maynard w/Par. Port 229

Sigma Controller 159

Vista 159

PC PRODUCTS

Rainbow Color Card $ 369

AMDEK

MAI Card $ 489

DUST COVER

Covers Monitor, Mainframe & Keyboard $ 19

MORE ACCESSORIES

Koala Graphics Tablet $ 89

8087 Co-Processor 179

Kraft Joystick , ■"*

Par. Printer Cable

The Source!

Circle 312 on inquiry card.

•RDER DESK: 213)970-0177 800) 841-0905 OUTSIDE CALIFORNIA)

MAIL ORDER:

1142 Manhattan Avenue, CP21 Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

CUSTOMER SERVICE:

(213)970-0177

Mon.-Fri. 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

64K DYNAMIC 200 NS

$5» TMIYI2016

2KX8 STATIC 200 NS

2101

5101

2102-1

2102L-4

2102L-2

2111

2112

2114

2114-25

2114L-4

2114L-3

2114L-2

TC5514

TC5516

2147

TMS4044-4

TMS4044-3

TMS4044-2

MK4118

TMM2016-200

TMM2016-150

TMM2016-100

HM6116-4

HM6116-3

HM6116-2

HM6116LP-4

HM6116LP-3

HM6116LP-2

Z-6132

HM6264

STATIC RAMS

256 x4 256 x 4 1024 x 1 1024 x 1 1024 x 1 256x4 256 x 4 1024 x 4 1024x4 1024x4 1024 14 1024 x 4 1024 x 4 2048 x 8 4096 x 1 4096 x 1 4096 x 1 4096 x 1 1024 x S 2048 x 8 2048 x 8 2048 x 8 2048 x 8 2048 x 8 2048 x 8 2048 x 8 2048 x 8 2048 x 8 4096 x 8 8192x8

EPROMS

LP - Low Power

(450ns) (450ns) (450ns) (450ns) (250ns) (450ns) (450ns) (450ns) (250ns) (450ns) (300ns) (200ns) (650ns) (250ns) (55ns) (450ns) (300ns) (200ns) (250ns) (200ns) (150ns) (100ns) (200ns) (150ns) (120ns) (200ns) (150ns) (120ns) (300ns) (150ns) Qslal

(cmos)

(LP) (LP)

(LP)

(LP)

(LP)

(cmos)

(cmos)

(cmos)

(cmos)

(cmos)

(cmos)(LP)

(cmos)(LP)

(cmos)(LP)

(Qslal)

(cmos)

Quasi-Static

1.95 I 3.95 ( .89 1 .99 I 1.49 I 2.49 I 2.99 I 8/9.95 8/10.95 I 8/12.95 8/13.45 8/13.95 2.49 9.95 4.95 3.49 3.99 4.49 9.95 4.15 4.95 6.15 4.75 4.95 6.95 5.95 6.95 10.95 34.95 49.95

1702

2708

2758

2716

2716-1

TMS2516

TMS2716

TMS2532

2732

2732-250

2732-200

2732A-4

2732A

2732A-2

2764

2764-250

2764-200

TMS2564

MCM68764

MCM68766

27128

256 x 8 1024 x 8 1024 x 6 2048 x 8 2048 x 8 2048 x 8 2048 x 8 4096 x 8 4096 x 8 4096 x 8 4096 x 8 4096 x 8 4096 x 8 4096 x 8 8192 x 8 8192 x 8 8192 x 8 8192x8 8192 x 8 8192x8 16384 xB

(Ins (450ns (450ns (450ns (350ns (450ns (450ns (450ns (450ns (250ns (200ns (450ns (250ns (200ns (450ns (250ns (200ns (450ns (450ns (350ns (300ns

5v)

5v) 5v) 5v)

5v)

5v)

5v)

5v)

5v)(21vPGM)

5»)(21vPGM)

5v)(21vPGM)

5v)

5v)

5v)

5v)

5v)(24 pin)

5v) (24 pin)(pwr

5v)

4.50 1 3.95 1 5.95 3.95 5.95 5.50 7.95 5.95 4.95 I 8.95 I 11.95 I 6.95 9.95 13.95 6.95 7.95 19.95 14.95 39.95 dn.) 42.95 29.95

L5v Single 5 Voll Supply

21vPGM Program at 21 Volls J

r* * * *HIGHTECH* HM6264

DYNAMIC RAMS

TMS4027 UPD411 MM5280 MK4108 UM5298 4116-300 4116-250 4116-200 4116-150 4116-120 2118 MK4332 14164-200 4164-150 MCM6665 TMS4164-15

4096 x 1

4096 x 1

4096 x 1

8192 x 1

8192 x 1

16384 x 1

16384x1

16384x1

16384 x1

16384 x1

16384x 1

32768 x1

65536 x 1

65536 x1

65536 x 1

65536 x1

(250ns)

(300ns)

(300ns)

(200ns)

(250ns)

(300ns)

(250ns)

(200ns)

(150ns)

(120ns)

(150ns) (5v)

(200ns)

(200ns) (5v)

(150ns) (5v)

(200ns) (5v)

(150ns) (5v)

1.99 3.00 3.00 1.95 1.85 8/11.75 8/7.95 8/12.95 8/14.95 8/29.95 4.95 I 9.95 I 5.95 I 6.95 I 8.95 I 8.95 I

5V = single 5 voll supply

HITACHI

8K x 8 STATIC RAM

•Fast—150ns • +5V Supply

• 28 Pin—Compatible w/2764 EPROM

• Low Power CMOS (TTL Compatible) 200 mW Operation/.01 mW Standby (LP)

HM6264P-15 $39.95 HM6264LP-15 $49.95

L* * * * SPOTLIGHT * * • *J

• Computer managed inuentorv — virtually no bacK orders!

* uery competltlue prices!

* Friendly staff!

• Fast serulce - most orders shipped within 24 hours!

6800

6500

8000

8200

68000 6800 I 6802 6803 6808 6809E 6809 6810 6820 6821 6828 6840 6843 6844 6845 6847 6650 6852 6860 6875 6880 6883 68047

49.95 I 2.95 7.95 I 19.95 I 13.90 I 14.95 11.95 2.95 I 4.35 I 2.95 I 14.95 I 12.95 I 34.95 25.95 14.95 1 11-95 I 3.25 5.75 1 7.95 I 6.95 I 2.25 I 22.95 24.95 I 19.95 | 1MHZ

6502

4.95

6504

6.95

6505

8.95

6507

9.95

6520

4.35

6522

6.95

6532

9.95

6545

22.50

6551

11.85

2 MHZ

6502A

6.95

6522A

9.95

6532A

11.95

6545 A

27.95

6551A

11.95

DISC I CONTROLLERS I

8035 8039 INS-8060 INS-8073 8080 8085 8085A-2 8086 8087 8088 8089 8155 8155-2 8156 8185 8185-2 8741 8748 L.8755

5.95

5.95

17.95

49.95

3.95

4.95

11.95

24.95

CALL

29.95

89.95

6.95

7.95 I

6.95 I

29.95 I

39.95 I

29.95 I

24.95 I

24.95J

68B00

10.95

68B02

22.25

68B09E

29.95

68B09

29.95

68B10

6.95

68B21

6.95

68B40

19.95

68B45

19.95

68B50

5.95

l 68B00

2 MHZ .

1771

1791 I 1793

1795

1797

2791

2793

2795

2797

6843

8272

UPD765

MB8876

MB8877

1691 L2143

16.95 24.95 I 26.95 I 29.95 I 49.95 54.95 I 54.95 I 59.95 I 59 95 I 34.95 39.95 39.95 I 29.95 I 34.95 I 17.95 1 18.95 J

CRT I CONTROLLERS I

6845

14.95

68B45

19.95

HD46505SP

15.95

6847

11.95

MC1372

6.95

68047

24.95

8275

29.95

7220

99.95

CRT5027

19.95

CRT5037

24.95

TMS9918A

39.95

.DP83S0

49.95.

8202

24.95

8203

39.95

8205

3.50

8212

1.80

8214

3.85

8216

1.75

8224

2.25

8226

1.80

8228

3.49

B237

19.95

8237-5

21.95

8238

4.49

8243

4.45

8250

10.95

8251

4.49

8253

6.95

8253-5

7.95

8255

4.49

8255-5

5.25

B257

7.95

8257-5

8.95

8259

6.90

8259-5

7.50

8271

79.95

8272

39.95

8275

29.95

8279

8.95

8279-5

10.00

8282

6.50

8283

6.50

8284

5.50

8286

6.50

8287

6.50

8288

25.00

.8289

49.95.

Z-80

2.5 Mhz

zeo-cpu

z8o-ctc

Z80-DART

zbo-dma

zso-pio

zso-sio/o

zso-sio/i

Z80-S10/2

ZB0-SIO/9

3.95 3.95 10.95 14.95 3.95 11.95 I 11.95 I 11.95 I 11.95 |

4.0 Mhz

Z80A-CPU zooa-ctc zsoa-dart

Z80A-DMA

Z80A-PIO

Z80A-SIO/0

Z80A-SIO/1

Z80A-SIO/2

Z80A-SIO/9

4.49 I 4.95 I 9.95 1 12.95 I 4.49 I 12.95 12.95 I 12.95 I 12.95

6.0 Mhz

ZBOB-cpu

zbob-ctc

zbob-pio

z8ob-dart

zsoB-sio/2

ZILOG

Z6132 34.95 I Z8671 39.95J

9.95 12.95 12.95 19.95 I 39.95 I

CRYSTALS

32.768 khz

1.95

1.0 mhz

3.95

1.8432

3.95

2.0

2.95

2.097152

2.95

2.4576

2.95

3.2768

2.95

3.579545

2.95

4.0

2.95

5.0

2.95

5.0688

2.95

5.185

2.95

5.7143

2.95

6.0

2.95

6.144

2.95

6.5536

2.95

8.0

2.95

10.0

2.95

10.738635

2.95

14.31818

2.95

15.0

2.95

16.0

2.95

17.430

2.95

18.0

2.95

18.432

2.95

20.0

2.95

22.1184

2.95

^2.0

2.95

CMOS

UARTS

AY3-1014

6.95

AY5-1013

3.95

AY3-1015

6.95

PT1472

9.95

TR1602

3.95

2350

9.95

2651

8.95

IM6402

7.95

IM6403

8.95

INS8250

10.95

GENERATORS

BIT-RATE

MC14411

11.95

BR1941

11.95

4702

12.95

COM5016

16.95

COM8116

10.95

MM5307

10.95

FUNCTION

MC4024

3.95

LM566

1.49

XR2206

3.75

,8038

3.95

MISC

UPD7201

29.95

TMS99532

29.95

ULN2003

2.49

3242

7.95

3341

4.95

MC3470

4.95

MC3480

9.00

11C90

13.95

95H90

7.95

2513-001 UP

9.95

,2513-002 LOW

9.95,

r CLOCK

CIRCUITS

MM5314 MM5369 MM5375 MM58167 MM58174 L.MSM5832

4.95 I

3.95 1

4.95 I

12.95 I

11.95 I 3.95J

KEYBOARD CHIPS

I AY5-2376 11.95 1

AY5-3600 11.951

LAY5-3600 PRO II.95J

4000

4001

4002

4006

4007

4008

4009

4010

4011

4012

4013

4014

4015

4016

4017

4018

4019

4020

4021

4022

4023

4024

4025

4026

4027

4028

4029

4030

4034

4035

4040

4041

4042

4043

4044

4046

4047

4049

4050

4051

4053

4060

4066

4068

4069

4070

4071

4072

4073

4075

4076

4078

4081

4082

4085

4086

4093

4098

4099

14409

14410

14411

14412

14419

14433

4502

4503

4508

4510

4511

4512

4514

4515

4516

4518

4519

4520

4522

4526

4527

.29

.25

.25

.89

.29

.95

.39

.45

.25

.25

.38

.79

.39

.39

.69

.79

.39

.75

.79

.79

.29

.65

.29

1.65

.45

.69

.79

.39

1.95

.85

.75

.75

.69

.85

.79

.85

.95

.35

.35

.79

.79

.89

.39

.39

.29

.35

.29

.29

.29

.29

.79

.29

.29

.29

.95

.95

.49

2.49

1.95

12.95

12.95

11.95

12.95

7.95

14.95

.95

.65

1.95

.85

.85

.85

1.25

1.79

1.55

.89

.39

.79

1.25

1.25

1.95

4528

4531

4532

4538

4539

4541

4543

4553

4555

4556

4581

4582

4584

4585

4702

74 COO

74C02

74C04

74C08

74C10

74C14

74C20

74C30

74C32

74C42

74C48

74C73

74C74

74C76

74C83

74C85

74C86

74C89

74C90

74C93

74C95

74C107

74C150

74C151

74C154

74C157

74C160

74C161

74C162

74C163

74C164

74C165

74C173

74C174

74C175

74C192

74C193

74C195

74C200

74C221

74C244

74C373

74C374

74C901

74C902

74C903

74C905

74C906

74C907

74C908

74C909

74C910

74C911

74C912

74C914

74C915

74C918

74C920

74C921

74C922

74C923

74C925

74C926

74C928

74C929

1.191 .95 I 1.95 I 1.95 I 1.95 I 2.64 1 1.19 I 5.79 .95 I .95 I 1.95 I 1.95 I .75 .75 12.95 I .35 I .35 1 .35 I .35 I .35 I .59 I .35 I .35 I .39 I 1.29 I 1.99 I .65 I .65 I .80 1.95 I 1.95 .39 I 4.50 I 1.19 I 1.75 .99 I .89 I 5 75 2.25 3.25 1.75 I 1.19 I 1.19 I 1.19 I 1.19 I 1.39 I 2.00 .79 1.19 I 1.19 I 1.49 I 1.49 I 1.39 5.75 1.75 2.25 2.45 2.45 .39 85 .85 10.95 .95 1.00 2.00 2.75 9.95 8.95 8.95 1.95 1.19 2.75 17.95 15.95 4.49 4.95 5.95 7.95 I 7.95 I 19.95J

*JDR Microdevices 1224 S. Bascom Avenue, San Jose, CA 95128 800-538-5000 • 800-662-6279 (CA) (408) 995-5430 • Telex 171-110

© Copyright 1984 JDR Mlcrodev

VISIT OUR RETAIL STORE

HOURS: M-W-F, 9-5 T-Th., 9-9 Sat. 10-3

PLEASE USE YOUR CUSTOMER NUMBER WHEN ORDERING

TERMS: Minimum order $10. For shipping and handling include $2.50 for UPS Ground and $3.50 lor UPS Air. Orders over 1 lb. and foreign orders may require additional shipping charges — please contact our sales department for the amount. CA residents must Include 6% sales tax, Bay Area and LA residents Include 67>°/i. Prices subject to change without notice. We are not responsible for typographical errors. We reserve the right to limit quantifies and lo substitute manufacturer. All merchandise subject to prior sale.

568 BYTE May 1984

Circle 215 on inquiry card.

2iia<,Ns8/$9K 211 a

250 NS

74LS00

74S00

74LS00

74LS01

74LS02

74LS03

74LS04

74LS0S

74LS08

74LS09

74LS10

74LS11

74LS12

74LS13

74LS14

74LS15

74LS20

74LS21

74LS22

74LS26

74LS27

74LS2B

74LS30

74LS32

74LS33

74LS37

74LS38

74LS40

74LS42

74LS47

74LS48

74LS49

74LS51

74LS54

74LS55

74LS63

74LS73

74LS74

74LS75

74LS76

74LS78

74LS83

74LS85

74LS86

74LS90

74LS91

74LS92

74LS93

74LS95

74LS96

74LS107

74LS109

74LS112

74LS113

74LS114

74LS122

74LS123

74LS124

74LS125

74LS126

74LS132

74LS133

74LS136

74LS137

74LS138

74LS139

74LS145

74LS147

74LS148

74LS151

74LS153

74LS154

74LS155

74LS156

74LS157

74LS158

74LS160

74LS161

74LS162

74LS163

74LS164

74LS165

74LS166

74LS168

74LS169

74LS170

.24

.25 .25 .25 .24 .25 .28 .29 .25 .35 .35 .45 .59 .35 .25 .29 .25 .29 .29 .35 .25 .29 .55 .35 .35 .25 .49 .75 .75 .75 .25 .29 .29 1.25 .39 .35 .39 .39 .49 .60 .69 .39 .55 .89 .55 .55 .75 .89 .39 .39 .39 .39 .39 .45 .79 2.90 .49 .49 .59 .59 .39 .99 .55 .55 1.20 2.49 1.35 .55 .55 1.90 .69 .69 .65 .59 .69 .65 .69 .65 .69 .95 1.95 1.75 1.75 1.49

74LS173

74LS174

74LS175

74LS181

74LS189

74LS190

74LS191

74LS192

74LS193

74LS194

74LS195

74LS196

74LS197

74LS221

74LS240

74LS241

74LS242

74LS243

74LS244

74LS245

74LS247

74LS248

74LS249

74LS251

74LS253

74LS257

74LS258

74LS259

74LS260

74LS266

74LS273

74LS275

74LS279

74LS280

74LS283

74LS290

74LS293

74LS295

74LS298

74LS299

74LS323

74LS324

74LS352

74LS353

74LS363

74LS364

74LS365

74LS366

74LS367

74LS368

74LS373

74LS374

74LS375

74LS377

74LS378

74LS379

74LS385

74LS386

74LS390

74LS393

74LS395

74LS399

74LS424

74LS447

74LS490

74LS624

74LS640

74LS645

74LS668

74LS669

74LS670

74LS674

74LS682

74LS683

74LS684

74LS685

74LS688

74LS689

81LS95

81LS96

81LS97

81LS98

25LS2521

25LS2S69

.69

.55

.55

2.15

8.95

.89

.89

.79

.79

.69

.69

.79

.79

.89

.95

.99

.99

.99

1.29

1.49

.75

.99

.99

.59

.59

.59

.59

2.75

.59

.55

1.49

3.35

.49

1.96

.69

.89

.99

.99

.89

1.75

3.50

1.75

1.29

1.29

1.35

1.95

.49

.49

.45

.45

1.39

1.39

.95

1.39

1.18

1.35

3.90

.45

1.19

1.19

1.19

1.49

2.95

.95

1.95

3.99

2.20

2.20

1.69

1.89

1.49

14.95

3.20

3.20

3.20

3.20

2.40

3.20

1.49

1.49

1.49

1.49

2.80

4.25

74S00 74S02 74S03 ■74S04 74S05 74S08 74S09 74S10 74S11 74S15 74S20 74S22 74S30 74S32 74S37 74S38 74S40 74S51 74S64 74S65 74S74 74S85 74S86 74S112 74S113 74S114 74S124

.32 .35 .35 .35 .35 .35 .40 .35 .35 .35 .35 .35 .35 .40 .88 .85 .35 .35 .40 .40 .50

1.99 .50 .50 .50 .55

2.75

74S132 74S133 74S134 74S135 74S138 74S139 74S140 74S151 74S153 74S157 74S158 74S161 74S162 74S163 74S168 74S169 74S174 74S175 74S181 74S182 74S188 74S189 74S194 74S195 74S196 74S197 74S201

1.24

.45

.50

.89

.85

.85

.55

.95

.95

.95

.95

1.95

1.95

1.95

3.95

3.95

.95

.95

3.95

2.95

1.95

6.95

1.49

1.49

1.49

1.49

6.95

74S225 74S240 74S241 74S244 74S251 74S253 74S257 74S258 74S260 74S273 74S274 74S275 74S280 74S287 74S288 74S289 74S301 74S373 74S374 74S381 74S387 74S412 74S471 74S472 74S474 74S482 74S570 74S571

7.95 2.20 2.20 2.20

.95

.95

.95

.95

.79

2.45

19.95

19.95

1.95

1.90

1.90

6.89

6.95

2.45

2.45

7.95

1.95

2.98

4.95

4.95

4.95

15.25

2.95

2.95 ,

VOLTAGE REGULATORS

7400

7805T

.75

78M05C

.35

7808T

.75

7812T

.75

7815T

.75

7824T

.75

7805K 7812K 7815K 7824K

1.39 1.39 1.39 1.39

78L12

.69

78L15

.69

78H05K |78H12K

C, T ■

9.95 9.95

TO-220 K ■

L = TO-92

7905T 7908T 7912T 7915T 7924T

7905K 7912K 7915K 7924 K

79L05 79L12 79L15

LM323K UA78S40

.85 .85 .85 .85 .85 I

1.49 I 1.49 I

1.49 I 1.49 I

.79 I

.79 I .79 1

4.95 I 1.95 I

SOUND CHIPS

| 76477 3.95 AY3-8910 12.95 I

76488 5.95 AY3-8912 12.95

L/6489 8.95 MC3340 1.49J

BYPASS CAPS

.01 UF DISC

.01 UF MONOLITHIC

.1 UFDISC

^1 UF MONOLITHIC

riNTERFACEl

100/6.00 100/12.00

100/8.00 100/15.OoJ

EPROM ERASERS

QSPECTRONICS CORPORATION

Capacity Intensity

BT26

[8T28 8T95 8T96 8T97 8T98 DM8131 DP8304 DS8833 DS8835 DS8836 DS8837

IOS8838

1.59 1.89

.89

.89 I

.89

.89 2.95 2.29 2.25 1.99

.99 1.65 I 1.30J

Chip

9

9 12 30 25 42

(uW/Cm1) 8,000 8,000 9,600 9,600 17,000 17,000

r * ^

MasterCard]

h - -d

DATA ACQUISITION

ADC0800 ADC0804 ADC0809 ADC0817 DAC0800

15.55 3.49 4.49 9.95 4.95

DAC0808

DAC1020

DAC1022

MC1408L6

MC1408L8

83.00 119.00 175.00 I 255.00 I 349.001 595.00J

2.95 8.25 5.95 1.95 2.95.

7400

.19

74123

.49

7401

.19

74125

.45

7402

.19

74126

.45

7403

.19

74132

.45

7404

.19

74136

.50

7405

.25

74143

4.95

7406

.29

74145

.60

7407

.29

74147

1.75

7408

.24

74148

1.20

7409

.19

74150

1.35

7410

.19

74151

.55

7411

.25

74153

.55

7413

.35

74154

1.25

7414

.49

74155

.75

7416

.25

74157

.55

7417

.25

74159

1.65

7420

.19

74160

.85

7421

.35

74161

.69

7425

.29

74163

.69

7427

.29

74164

.85

7430

.19

74165

.85

7432

.29

74166

1.00

7437

.29

74167

2.95

7438

.29

74170

1.65

7442

.49

74173

.75

7445

.69

74174

.89

7446

.69

74175

.89

7447

.69

74177

.75

7448

.69

741B1

2.25

7451

.23

74184

2.00

7473

.34

74185

2.00

7474

.33

74191

1.15

7475

.45

74192

.79

7476

.35

74193

.79

7482

.95

74194

.85

7483

.50

74195

.85

7485

.59

74197

.75

7486

.35

74198

1.35

7489

2.15

74221

1.35

7490

.35

74246

1.35

7492

.50

74247

1.25

7493

.35

74259

2.25

7495

.55

74273

1.95

7497

2.75

74276

1.25

74100

1.75

74279

.75

74107

.30

74366

.65

74109

.45

74367

.65

74116

1.55

74368

.65

74121

.29

74393

1.35

k74122

.45

CONNECTORS

RS232 Male

2.50

HS232 Femal

: 3.25

RS232 Hood

1.25

^-100 ST

3.95,

EXAR

XR 2206

3.75

XR 2207

3.75

XR 2206

3.75

XR 2211

5.25

jm 2240

3.25.

rINTERSIL^

ICL7106

9.95

ICL7107

12.95

ICL7660

2.95

ICL8038

3.95

ICM7207A

5.59

JCM7208

15.95,

LINEAR

RCA

9000

9316 9334 9368 9401 9601 9602 L.96S02

1.00 2.50 3.95 9.95 I .75 I 1.50 1.95J

LM301

LM301H

LM307

LM30B

LM308H

LM309H

LM309K

LM310

LM311

LM311H

LM312H

LM317K

LM317T

LM318

LM318H

LM319H

LM319

LM320(se

LM322

LM323K

LM324

LM329

LM331

LM334

LM335

LM336

LM337K

LM337T

LM338K

LM339

.34 .79 .45 .69 1.15 1.95 1.25 1.75 .64 .89 1.75 3.95 1.19 1.49 1.59 1.90 1.25 7900) 1.65 4.95 .59 .65 3.95 1.19 1.40 1.75 3.95 1.95 6.95 .99

LM340(see

LM348

LM350K

LM350T

LM358

LM359

LM376

LM377

LM378

LM379

LM380

LM380N-8

LM381

LM382

LM383

LM384

LM386

LM387

LM389

LM390

LM392

LM393

LM394H

LM399H

NE531

NE555

NE556

NE558

NE561

NE564

7800)

.99 4.95 4.60

.69 1.79 3.75 1.95 2.50 4.50

.89 1.10 1.60 1.60 1.95 1.95

.89 1.40 1.35 1.95

.69 1.29 4.60 5.00 2.95

.34

.65

1.50

24.95

2.95

LM565

LM566

LM567

NE570

NE571

NE590

NE592

LM709

LM710

LM711

LM723

LM723H

LM733

LM741

LM741N

LM741H

LM747

LM748

LM1014

LM1303

LM1310

MC1330

MC1349

MC1350

MC1358

MC1372

LM1414

LM1458

LM1488

LM1489

LM1496

.99

1.49

.89

3.95

2.95

2.50

2.75

.59

.75

.79

.49

.55

.98

.35

I .35

.40

.69

.59

1.19

1.95

1.49

1.69

1.89

1.19

1.69

6.95

1.59

.59

.69

.69

.85

LM1558H

LM1800

LM1812

LM1830

LM1871

LM1872

LM1877

LM1889

LM1896

ULN2003

LM2877

LM2878

LM2900

LM2901

LM3900

LM3905

LM3909

LM3911

LM3914

LM3915

LM3916

MC4024

MC4044

RC4136

RC4151

LM4250

LM4500

RC4558

LM13080

LM13600

LM13700

3.10 2.37 8.25 3.50 5.49 5.49 3.25 1.95 1.75 2.49 2.05 2.25

.85 1.00

.59 1.25

.98 2.25 3.95 3.95 3.95 3.95 4.50 1.25 3.95 1.75 3.25

.69 1.29 1.49 1.49

CA 3023 CA 3039 CA 3046 CA 3059 CA 3060 CA 3065 CA 3080 CA3081

2.75 1.29 1.25 2.90 2.90 1.75 1.10 1.65

CA 3082 CA 3083 CA3086 CA3089 CA 3096 CA 3130 CA3140 CA3146 1.19

Tl

TL494 TL496 TL497 75107 75110 75150 75154 75188 75189

TL071 TL072 TL074 TL081 TL082 TL083

4.20 1.65 3.25 1.49 1.95 1.95 1.95 1.25 1.25 75494

75365 75450 75451 75452 75453 75454 75491 75492 75493 .89

Bl FET

.79

1.19 2.19 .79 1.19 1.19 LF357

TL084 LF347 LF351 LF353 LF355 LF356 1.40

1.65 1.55 .80 2.99 3.49 1.30 I 1.15 1.85

1.95 .59 .39 .39 .39 .39 .79 .79 I .89

2.19 I 2.19 I

.60 1.00 1.10 1.10

.... It is a pleasure to deal with a firm that operates as you

do. You are a rare gem!

I tell all my computer owning friends about the "good

guys" at J DR.

Your service is appreciated, and I am sure, pays off in the

l°nfl run. v ,,,_,

Your customer, Evan H. Foreman

miCRODEUIGES AT miCROPRICES

© Copyright 1984 JDR Microdevlces

Circle 215 on inquiry card.

BYTE May 1984 569

16KEPR0MS

4116 ^onsB/^

BARGAIN HUNTERS CORNER

D-SUBMINIATURE CONNECTORS

DB25P 25PINMALE 10/19.95 DB25S 25PINFEMALE 10/24.95 HOOD25 grey hood 10/9.95

CENTRONICS CONNECTORS

CEN36 36 PIN MALE 5.95

IC SOCKETS

14 PIN ST LOW PROFILE 100/7.95 16 PIN ST LOW PROFILE 100/7.95

SPECIALS END 5/31/84

RF MODULATOR

(ASTEC UM1082) QUANTITIES LIMITED

• PRESET TO CHANNEL 3 NOW

• USE TO BUILD ONLY TV-COMPUTER INTERFACE

• +5 VOLT OPERATION

CAPACITORS

TANTALUM

$695

6V

10V

15V

20V

25V

35V

.22ul

.40

.27

.40

.33

.40

.47

.35

.50

.68

.45

1.0

.40

.40

.45

.45

1.5

.45

.50

1.8

.75

2.2

.35

.40

.45

.65

2.7

.40

.45

.90

3.3

.45

.50

.55

.60

.65

3.9

.45

4.7

.45

.55

.60

.65

.85

6.8

.70

.75

8.2

1.00

10

.55

.65

.80

.85

.90

1.00

12

.65

.85

.90

15

.75

.85

.90

18

1.25

22

1.00

1.35

27

2.25

39

1.50

47

1.35

56

1.75

100

3.25

270

3.75

DISC

10pl

22

25

27

33

47

56

68

82

100

220

330

50V .05 470

50V 50V 50V 50V 50V 50V 50V 50V 50V 50V 50V

.05 .05 .05 .05 .05 .05 .05 .05 .05 .05 .05

560 680 820

.001 ul

.0015

.0022

.005

.01

.02

.05

.1

.A

50V 50V 50V 50V 50V 50V

.05 .05 .05 .05 .05 .05

50V .05 50V .07

50V 50V 12V

50V

MONOLITHIC

.1uf-mono 50V .18 .047uf-mono50V .15

ELECTROLYTIC

.47uf-mono 50V .25 .01ul-mono 50V .14

.47ul

1

2.2

4.7

10

47

100

220

470

2200

RADIAL 50V 25V 35V 50V 50V 35V 16V 35V 25V 16V

.14 .14 .15 .15 .15 .18 .18 .20 .30 .60

COMPUTER GRADE

26,000ul 30V 3.95

1ul

4.7

10

10

22

47

100

100

150

220

330

500

1000

1500

6000

AXIAL 50V 16V 16V 50V 16V 50 V 15V 35V 25V 25V 16V 16V 16V 16V 16V

.14 .14 .14 .16 .14 .20 .20 .25 .25 .30 .40 .42 .60 .70 .85

OPTO-ISOLATORS

4N26 4N27 4N28 4N33 4N35 4N37 MCT-;

1N751 1N759 1N4148 1N4004 KBP02 KBP04 LVM48

1.00 1.10 .69 1.75 1.25 1.25 1.00 1.50

MCA-7

MCA-255

IL-1

ILA-30

ILQ-74

H11C5

TIL-111

TIL-113

4.25 1.75 1.25 1.25 2.75 1.25 1.00 1.75 J

DIODES

5.1 volt zener 12.0 volt zener (1N914) switching 400PIV rectifier 200PIV 1.5amp bridge 400PIV 1.5amp bridge Dip-Bridge

.25 .25 25/1.00 10/1.00 .45 .55 ,35i

NEW UN-USED MUFFIN FANS

I 4.68" Square | 3.125" Square

HEAT SINKS

|TO-3style | TO-220 style

SWITCHES

I SPDT mini-toggle I DPDT mini-toggle

LsPST mini-pushbutton

.95 .35

1.251

1.50 I

.39j

VISA

MasterCard

WE HAUE THE COMPLETE LINE OF

DISC. TANTALUM AND ELECTROLYTIC

CAPACITORS IN STOCK!

IC SOCKETS

TRANSISTORS

2N918 MPS918 2N2102 2N2218 2N2218A 2N2219 2N2219A 2N2222 PN2222 MPS2369 2N2484 2N2905 2N2907 PN2907 2N3055 3055T 2N3393 2N3414 2N3563 I 2N3565 PN3565 MPS3638 MPS3640 PN3643 PN3644 MPS3704

.50

.25

.75

.50

.50

.50

.50

.25

.10

.25

.25

.50

.25

.125

.79

.69

.30

.25

.40

.40

.25

.25

.25

.25

.25

.15

MPS3706

2N3772

2N3903

2N3904

2N3906

2N4122

2N4123

2N4249

2N4304

2N4401

2N4402

2N4403

2N4857

PN4916

2N5086

PN5129

PN5139

2N5209

2N6028

2N6043

2N6045

MPS-A05

MPS-A06

MPS-A55

TIP29

TIP31

TIP32

.15

1.85

.25

.10

.10

.25

.25

.25

.75

.25

.25

.25 1.00

.25

.25

.25

.25

.25

.35 1.75 1.75

.25

.25

.25

.65

.75

.79 j

LED DISPLAYS

HP 5082-7760

MAN 72

MAN 74 I FND-357(359)

FND-500(503)

FND-507 (510) ItIL-311 4x7

.43"

.3"

.3"

.375"

.5"

.5"

.270" HEX W/LOGIC 9.95 1

cc

1.29

CA

.99

CC

.99

CC

1.25

CC

1.49

CA

1.49

LED LAMPS

JUMBO RED JUMBO GREEN JUMBO YELLOW LlED MOUNTING HARDWARE

1-99 .10 .18 .18 .10

100-up .09 .15 .15 .09

RESISTORS

V* WATT 5% CARBON FILM ALL

STANDARD VALUES FROM 1 OHM TO 10 MEG OHM

50 PCS. SAME VALUE .025 |

100 PCS. SAME VALUE .02

L.1000 PCS. SAME VALUE .015 1

100

.11

.12 .13 .18 .27 .27 .27 .32 .39 call

ST = SOLDERTAIL 8 pin WW .59 .49

8 pin ST 14 pin ST 16 pin ST 18 pin ST 20 pin ST 22 pin ST 24 pin ST 28 pin ST 40 pin ST 64 pin ST

1-99 .13 .15 .17 .20 .29 .30 .30 .40 .49

4.25

14 pin WW 16 pin WW 18 pin WW 20 pin WW 22 pin WW 24 pin WW 28 pin WW 40 pin WW

.69 .69 .99 1.09 1.39 1.49 1.69 1.99

.52

.58

.90

.98

1.28

1.35

1.49

1.80

WW = WIREWRAP 16pinZIF 5.95 call 24 pin ZIF 7.95 call 28 pin ZIF 8.95 call

ZIF = TEXTOOL (Zero Insertion Force)

DIP SWITCHES

.85 .90 .90 .95 .95 ,

4 POSITION

5 POSITION | 6 POSITION

7 POSITION 18 POSITION

JDR Microdevices

1224 S. Bascom Avenue, San Jose, CA 95128 800-538-5000 • 800-662-6279 (CA)

(408) 995-5430 • Telex 171-110

■ ■

VISIT OUR RETAIL STORE

HOURS: M-W-F, 9-5 T-Th., 9-9 Sat. 10-3

PLEASE USE YOUR CUSTOMER NUMBER WHEN ORDERING

TERMS: Minimum order $10. For shipping and handling include $2.50 lor UPS Ground and $3.50 lor UPS Air. Orders over 1 lb. and loreign orders may require additional shipping charges — please contact our sales department tor the amount. CA residents must Include 6% sates tax, Bay Area and LA residents include 6'/:%. Prices subject to change without notice. We are not responsible lor typographical errors. We reserve the right to limit quantities and to substitute manufacturer. All merchandise subject to prior sale.

© Copyright 1984 JDR Microdevices

570 BYTE May 1984

Circle 216 on inquiry card.

2732

32K EPROM

276a

64K EPROM

MICROCOMPUTER HARDWARE HANDBOOK

FROM ELCOMP — $14.95 Over 800 pages of manufacturers data sheets on most commonly used IC's. Includes:

*TTL — 74/74LS and 74F + CMOS

* Voltage Regulators

* Memory — RAM, ROM, EPROM

* CPU's — 6800, 6500. Z80, 8080, 8085, 8086/8

* MPU support & interface — 6800. 6500, Z80. 8200, etc.

BEST SELLING BOOKS

OSBORNE/MC GRAW-HILL

Apple II Users Guide 16.95

CRT Controller's Handbook 9.95

68000 Assembly Language

Programming 16.99

CBASIC User Guide 15.00

SYBEX

Your First Computer 8.95

The CP/M Handbook 14.95

The PASCAL Handbook 18.95 |

Microprocessor Inlertacing Techniques 17.95J

TRANSFORMERS FRAME STYLE

12.6VAC 2amp 4.95

12.6VAC CT 2amp 5.95 I

12.6VAC CT 4amp 7.95

12.6VAC CT 8amp 10.95

25.2VAC CT 2amp 7.95 |

PLUG CASE STYLE

12VAC 250ma 3.95

12VAC 500ma 4.95

12VAC lamp 5.95

12VAC 2amp 6.95

DC ADAPATER

6,9,12 VDC selectable with universal adapter 8.95

NOTE: Please include sufficient amount for | shipping on above items.

DISK DRIVES

TANDON

TM100-1 5. (FOR IBM) SS/DD TM100-2 5V (FOR IBM) DS/DD

SHUGART

I SA 400L 5%" (40 TRACK) SS/DD | SA 400 5 V (35 TRACK) SS/DD

PERTEC IFD-200 5v ss/dd lFD-250 5vds/dd

MPI

MP-52

5VS

229.00 259.00

199.95 189.95

179.95 199.95

249.00

s^gjgjP

1

TO

mm

Ij

I

**^s

_

FD 100-8

SHUGART 801 EQUIV. SS/DD — 10/$175EA.

8-INCH

DISK DRIVE

SALE

FD 200-8

SHUGART 851 EQUIV. DS/DD — 10/S220EA.

(FOR IBM) DS/DD NOTE: Please include sufficient amount (or shipping on above items.

$18900 $23900

EDGE-CARD

CONNECTORS

S-100 ST

3.95

S-100 WW

4.95

72 pin ST

6.95

72 pin WW

7.95

50 pin ST

4.95

44 pin ST

2.95

£4 pin WW

4.95.

MasterCard

CABINETS FOR CABINET #1 $29.95

I* DIMENSIONS 8% X515/i6x315/i6' • COLOR MATCHES APPLE I • FITS STANDARD 5'A" DRIVES INCL. SHUGART INCLUDES MOUNTING HARDWARE AND FEET

NOTE: Please include sufficient amount for I shipping on above items.

51A" DISK DRIVES

CABINET #2 $79.00

• COMPLETE WITH POWER SUPPLY, SWITCH, LINE CORD, FUSE & STANDARD POWER CONNECTOR

• DIMENSIONS: 11%x5%x3W

• +5V@1 AMP,+12V@1.5AMP|

• FITS STANDARD 5Va" DRIVES |

• PLEASE SPECIFY GRAY OR TAN

VISIT DURING

OUR EXPANDED

RETAIL STORE HOURS

SATURDAY 10 to 3

CENTRONICS

| IDCEN36 Ribbon Cable 36 Pin Male 6.95

IDCEN36/F Ribbon Cable 36 Pin Female 8.95

LCEN36 Solder Cup 36 Pin Male 7.95

DIP CONNECTORS

DESCRIPTION

HIGH RELIABILITY

TOOLED ST IC

SOCKETS

COMPONENT

CARRIERS (DIP HEADERS)

RIBBON

CABLE

DIP PLUGS (IDC)

ORDER BY

AUGATxx-ST

ICCxx

IDPxx

CONTACTS B 14 16 18 20 22 24 28 40

For order

.99

.99

.99 1.69 1.89 1.89 1.99 2.49 2.99

instructions see

.65

.75

.85 1 00 1.25 1 25 1.35 1.50 2.10

"IDC Connecto

1.45 1.65

2.50

4.15 s" below.

RIBBON CABLE

SINGLE COLOR

COLOR CODED

V

10'

r

10'

10

.50

4.40

.83

7.30

16

.55

4.80

1.00

8.80

20

.65

5.70

1.25

11.00

25

.75

6.60

1.32

11.60

26

.75

6.60

1.32

11.60

34

.98

8.60

1.65

14.50

40

1.32

11.60

1.92

16.80

50

1.38

12.10

2.50

22.00

D-SUBMINIATURE

DESCRIPTION

SOLDER CUP

RIGHT ANGLE PC SOLDER

IDC RIBBON CABLE

HOODS

MALE

FEMALE

MALE

FEMALE

MALE

FEMALE

BLACK

GREY

ORDER BY

DBxxP

DBxxS

DBxxPR

DBxxSR

IDBxxP

IDBxxS

HOOD-B

HOOD

CONTACTS 9 15 25 37 50

2.08 2.69 2.50 4.80 6.06

2.66 3.63 3.25

7.11 9.24

1.65 2.20 3.00 4.83

2.18 3.03 4.42 6.19

3.37 4.70 6.23 9.22

3.69

5.13

6.84

10.08

1.25

1.60 1.60 1.25 2.95 3.50

For order instructions see "IDC Connectors" below.

MOUNTING HARDWARE 1.00

IDC CONNECTORS

DESCRIPTION

SOLDER HEADER

RIGHT ANGLE SOLDER HEADER

WW HEADER

RIGHT ANGLE WW HEADER

RIBBON HEADER SOCKET

RIBBON HEADER

RIBBON EDGE CARD

ORDER BY

IDHxxS

IDHxxSR

IDHxxW

IDHxxWR

IDSxx

IDMxx

IDExx

CONTACTS 10 20 26 34 40 50

.82 1.29 1.68 2.20 2.58 3.24

.85 1.35 1.76 2.31 2.72 3.39

1.86 2.98 3.84 4.50 5.28 6.63

2.05 3.28 4.22 4.45 4.80 7.30

1.15 1.86 2.43 3.15 3.73 4.65

5.50 6.25 7.00 7.50 8.50

2.25 2.36 2.65 3.25 3.80 4.74

ORDERING INSTRUCTIONS: Insert the number of contacts in the position marked "xx" of the "order by" part number listed. Example: A10 pin right angle solder style header would be IDH10SR.

© Copyright 1984 JDR Mlcrodevlces

Circle 216 on Inquiry card.

BYTE May 1984 571

FOR APPLE COMPUTER USERS

#

JDR Microdevices

THOUSftWOS SOLDI

JDR 16K RAM CARD FOR APPLE II+

Use

| • Expand your 48K Apple to 64K

Fully compatible with Apple Language System in place of Apple Language card |* Highest quality card features: gold edge connector, |

sockets for all IC's. |+ 2 YEAR WARRANTY

Kit with Instructions $40.95 I

Bare PC Card $14.95

$4495

GET SLIM IN 1984!

JDR HALF-HEIGHT DISK DRIVE

I * 35 Track if used with

Apple Controller • 40 Track Controller and DOS

Available (Call for Price)

$20995 hr*=f^

MA SVSTCMS

lFD-35 DISK DRIVE I

>"" /

y^ '

Pj

lramiK3

_

1°

m

$199

95

* Shugart Mechanism — Made in U.S.A.

| * Direct Replacement for

Apple Disk II | * Compatible with Apple

Controller or other Apple I

compatible controllers | * Specially designed

electronics with low power |

consumption I* DOS 3.3and 3.2 compatible |

* One Year Warranty

| CONTROLLER CARL $69.95

MasterCard

[APPLE COfflPATIBLE] POWER SUPPLY

I* Use To Power AppleType Systems

|*+5V@5A +12V@3A -5V@.5A -12V@.5A * Instructions Included

$7995

BfflG BMX-80 PRINTER

I * 80 CPS Dot Matrix Printer I * Prints Bi-Directional in 40, 80,1 71 or 142 Columns in Normal, Double Width or Compressed Text.

Print Superscript As Well As Superb Graphics in Character | or Bit Image

$279 m

VIEWMAX-80 NOW ONLY *15995|

I* 80 Column Card for Apple ll+1

• Video Softswitch

* Inverse Video |* 2 Year Warranty

VIEWMAX-80e NEW *12995

I* 80 Column Card for Apple Mel

• 64K RAM Expandable to 128K 164K RAM Upgrade $4760

GRAPHMAX $12995|

I* Hi Resolution Graphics

* Printer Card I* Centronics Parallel Interface I

| Graphmax with Color

& Zoom Options... $14995J

NASHUA DISKETTES

SV," WITH HUB RING

I MD1 SOFT SECTOR, SS/SD 19.95 I

MD1D SOFT SECTOR, SS/DD 26.25

MD2D SOFT SECTOR, DS/DD 30.75

MD2F SOFT SECTOR, DS/QUAD DENSITY 45.00

MD110 10 SECTOR HARD, SS/SD 19.95

| MD210D 10 SECTOR HARD, DS/DD 30.75 |

8" WITHOUT HUB RING

I FD1 SOFT SECTOR, SS/SD 24.75 I

FD1D SOFT SECTOR, SS/DD 30.00

L.FD2D SOFT SECTOR. DS/DD 36.75J

UERBATINI

DATALIFE DISKETTES

SS/DD SOFT SECTOR

$29.95

SS/DD 10 HARD SECTOR

$29.95

[51/4" DISKETTE] FILE

| * ATTRACTIVE, FUNCTIONAL | DISK STORAGE SYSTEM

| * 75 DISK STORAGE CAPACITY

|* MOLDED FROM'DURABLE | SMOKED PLASTIC WITH FRONT CARRY- <-« *~gg I

ING HANDLE

$169

OTHER ACCESSORIES FOR APPLE II

ITHUNDERCLOCK $129.95|

• Real-Time Clock Calendar

• Software Included

• Mountain Software Compatible

• BSR Control Options Available

[KRAFT JOYSTICK $39.95l

MONITORS

BMC MONITOR STAND MODEL PA-900 Your Display Will . ■

Tilt & Swivel S29.95

MONOCHROME

BMC BM 12AUW GREEN 12" $89.95

BMC BM 12EUY 18 MHZ AMBER $1 39.95 I

BMC BM12EUN 18 MHZ HIGH RES GREEN $1 15.00

NEC JB1201M- 20 MHZ GREEN S1 69.00 I

|ZENITHZVM-121- 15 MHZ GREEN S99.00|

COLOR

| BMC BM-AU9191U COMPOSITE 13" $279.00 |

NO C.O.D. ORDERS PLEASE

JDR Microdevices

1224 S. Bascom Avenue, San Jose, CA 95128

800-538-5000 • 800-662-6279 (CA)

(408) 995-5430 • Telex 171-110

Apple is a trademark of Apple Computer Corporation

VISIT OUR RETAIL STORE

HOURS: M-W-F, 9-5 T-Th., 9-9 Sat. 10-3

PLEASE USE YOUR CUSTOMER NUMBER WHEN ORDERING

TERMS: Minimum order $10. For shipping and handling include $2.50 tor UPS Ground and $3.50 for UPS Air. Orders over 1 lb. and foreign orders may require additional shipping charges — please contact our sales department for the amount. CA residents must include 6% sales tax. Bay Area and LA residents include 6Vi%. Prices subject to change without notice. We are not responsible for typographical errors. We reserve the right to limit quantities and to substitute manufacturer. All merchandise subject to prior sale. <cj Copyright 1984 JDR Microdevices

572 BYTE May 1984

Circle 217 on inquiry card.

Unclassified Ads

NEEDED: The Center for Third World Organizing (CTWO), a progressive nonprofit minority organization, seeks tax-exempt donation of computer with word-processing and database management software. Computer will be used in legislative analysis and statistical projections, and editing newsletter and publications for Black. Latino. Native American, and Asian communities. Contact Margaret Shockley. CTWO. 4228 Telegraph Ave.. Oakland. CA 94609. (415) 654-9601.

WANTED: Tax-deductible donations of computers, peripherals, and software for use by a public charity organization to teach computer skills to economically disadvantaged young people. San Pablo Institute. 234 Mullen St.. San Francisco. CA 94110. NEEDED: Information sought by United Nations computer novice (IBM-PC) from other microcomputer-equipped workers offering assistance to developing countries. This includes frequent field missions with portable computers for report generation, project evaluation, and on-site work that calls for communication via computer to other headquarters in industrialized countries. Correspondence with others interested in similar human applications of computerization welcome. Harumi Sakaguchi. 24 Chemm Briquet. Petit-Saconnex 1209. Geneva. Switzerland. WANTED: Native American tax-exempt nonprofit organization seeks donation of Apple computer system, digitizer, plotter, dotmatrix printer, and 5-10 megabyte hard disk to improve management of resource information presently done by hand. Also seeking information on genealogical record keeping on microcomputers. Haunam Apoliona. Alu Like Inc. O'ahu Island Center. 1316-A Kaumualn St.. Honolulu. HI 96817, (808) 845-1486. NEEDED: A nonprofit community mental health center seeks any standard personal computer with disk drive, printer, and monitor for public relations, research, and evaluation. Will accept donation of any or all components and word-processing software. David S. weed, Director of Consultation and Education, c/o Dr. John C. Comgan, Mental Health Center, 49 Hillside St., Fall River. MA 02720, |6!7| 678-2901.

WANTED: Tax-deductible donation of microcomputer, disk drive, monitor, printer, and analog-to-d;gital converter for psychophysiology laboratory. Use includes digitization and storage of data from a Narco Bio-Systems 6-channel physigraph for subsequent analysis. David S. Holmes. Psychology Department. Kansas University. Lawrence. KS 66045, |913) 864-4131. NEEDED: Mission seeks computer system as donation for educational programs and in conducting church business. Donations are tax deductible. Luis Vega. Trinity Episcopal Church. 423 East Spring St.. Kingman. AZ 86401.

WANTED: Tax-deductible donation of IBM PC, Victor 9000. or Sanyo 550/555 for financial reporting, catalog files, mailing and donor list files sought by nonprofit Christian organization that freely distributes prerecorded audio-cassette tapes and Bible literature. Also, host for local bulferin board for Bible research and Christian activities. Other systems considered if software is available. Ministry of Love. 404 Laurel Hill, San Marcos. TX 78666. WANTED: Tax-exempt nonprofit science museum seeks Apple Us. IBM PC, VIC-20s or Texas Instruments for teaching computer basics and programming. Also, printers, monitors, disk drives, educational and accounting software, furniture and memory expansions are needed for a computer exhibit, membership drives, and financial reports, we'll give receipt and pay shipping, D. Costello, 5020 John R. Detroit. Ml 48202. (3I3J 577-8415. WANTED: Aspen School District needs an experienced director/teacher to help us establish a summer computer workshop for students ages 5 to 18. Workshop will be held in Aspen on July 9 through July 20. 1984. Computer Educator. Aspen School District. POB 300. Aspen. CO 81612.

WANTED: Information on how to get an RS-232C parallel port put in a Xerox 615 Memorywriter John C. Toth. 411 Queen Margaret Lane. Jackson. MS 39209.

WANTED: Step-by-step instructions about how to duplicate the "S" SEQ file from one disk onto another on the Commodore 64. David Alexander. 1667 Midland Dr., East Meadow. NY 11554. WANTED: A computer science student with experience in BASIC, FORTRAN, COBOL, Pascal, and assembly language for the 8085 seeks a computer-related job or interested people to offer accommodations in England or France from July through September 1984. Also has experience in software projects, teaching computer programming, and technical writing in computer magazines. Tareef Alattar. POB 1429, Safat. Kuwait.

NEEDED: Repairs for iCOM SI00 controller card (200062-100(7)). runs FD2411 5 'A -inch drives. Will pay reasonable repair costs. Larry Sheingorn. MD, 139 Lamont Lane. Gaithersburg. MD 20878. ,301) 977-5450.

WANTED: IMSAl 8080 computer (unassembled kit). May consider completed unit if mint condition with full documentation Also, want accessory boards and IMSAl peripherals. W. R. Coe, 11-B East Pointe Dr. Oswego. NY 13126. WANTED: I would like to receive and/or trade any TRS-80 Color Computer software (games, business, or utilities in BASIC or Machine Language; cassettes, disks, or cartridges). Also, memory maps, hardware schematics. ROM disassemblies. BASIC or Machine Language programming techniques, or any TRS-80 Color Computer or Dragon-80 information. Jim Kalac. 193 Bond St. #5. Astoria. OR 97103.

FOR SALE: Used Hazeltme MOD I terminal: S375. Used DEC LA-36 DECwriter 11 terminal: S500. New California Computer Systems 2810 S-100 bus 280 CPU card and used 2422 S-100 bus floppy-disk controller card: S425 for both. Used CONRAC CNB-8 black-and-white monitor- S25. Buyer pays shipping. Charles B. Wall. 533 Stratford Way. Clarksville. TN 37043. (615) 552-2199. FOR SALE: Compucolor II Color Computer I6K. Software includes editor/assembler, utilities, and games. Also, back issues of C::,(-■'.-;.;!.- and other user groups letters: $800. Ohio Scientific C1P 28K with software and manuals: S275. Intel 8748 Single Chip Micro (12 total): S25 each or S225 for the lot. David Ross, POB 12278. Hamtramck. Ml 48212, (313) 892-5960. WANTED: Apple user who would like to exchange programs, especially games and utilities. Please send a list of your collection, and you'll receive mine Jason Cheek. 1034 South Catalma. Los Angeles. CA 90006

WANTED: Correspondent with interest in the design and assembling of microcomputers and peripherals, preferably the Z80. Ronald Bastien, 2927 Baldwin, Montreal. Quebec H1L 5B6, Canada.

FOR SALE: Early issues of BYTE- first issue through Vol. 4 #9 (September 1979) plus one each extra copies of issues #1 and #2. 50 magazines in all: S110 includes shipping. Ed Appleyard. (616) 637-1714.

NEEDED: 4040 disk drive for the Commodore. Will pay 33 percent of retail plus shipping or will trade approximately S2000 of good software on 100 disks (with documentation). Also, will exchange software. Charles Strusz. 714 West Elm, Carbondale. IL 62901.

FOR SALE: Electronic surplus assortment: transformers, video IC. analog modem. RF modulator, many small components: S40. Also. VCR commercial killer that will automatically edit out commercials on any black and white program when recording on VHS recorder with remote-pause jack: S45. Mark Mitckes. 138 Lake Hills Dr.. Oak Ridge, TN 37830.

WANTED: Copy of BYTE vol. I, no. 3. November 1975. Also, have one copy of BYTE vol. I. no. 11. July 1976 for sale or trade. Dave Lambarth, Old Amherst Rd„ Mont Vernon, NH 030S7, (603) 884-6177 days; (603) 673-3566 evenings and weekends. WANTED: Any information concerning availability of software that will allow a Kaypro 2 (CP/M 2.2] to emulate a Lear-Siegler ADM-ll terminal (using a Hayes Smartmodem 300). Also, any information concerning software to fill out preprinted forms using boilerplate responses (also for use on a Kaypro 2). Ken Rossman, 7 Manner Circle. West (slip. NY 11795. |516) 587-2589 evenings. WANTED: Texas Instruments information on where to obtain their equipment. Also I want to join a club. Will buy or trade floppy disks for TI-99/4A disk drive. Norman Guertin, (617) 798-3517. FOR SALE: Heathkit Hero One robot, completely assembled, includes arm. voice, and robotics course. New: S2500, will sell for S1450. Jim Schieder. 53 East Washington St., Hornell. NY 14843. (607) 324-0344.

WANTED: An August 1980 issue of BYTE. Scott Sewall. 2004 Randolph. St. Paul. MN 55105.

FOR SALE: 12-slot S-100 mainframe (9 slots installed) with 25A power supply: S200. Two Qume DT8 disk drives (DSDD) with cabinet and power supply |new): S1000. Godbout Disk I DMA disk controller with CPM 2.2 (new): S350. Signalman I 300-bps direct-connect modem: S75. 15-MHz green-phosphor 12-inch monitor: S90. Jade Big Z CPU board (without UART): S90. BYTE 2/78 through 6/83: S100. Mark Derthick, 871 Mirror St.. Pittsburgh, PA 15217.

UNCLASSIFIED POLICY: Readers who have computer equipment to buy, sell, or trade or who are requesting or giving advice may send a notice to BYTE for inclusion in the Unclassified Ads section. To be considered for publication, an advertisement must be noncommercial (individuals or bona fide computer clubs only|, typed double-spaced on plain white paper, contain 75 words or less, and include complete name and address. This service is free of charge; notices are printed once only as space permits. Your confirmation of placement is appearance in an issue of BYTE as we engage in no correspondence. Please allow at least three months for your ad to appear. Send your notices to Unclassified Ads, BYTE/McGraw-Hill, POB 372, Hancock, l\IH 03449.

FOR TRADE: Want to trade software with other TRS-80 Model III users. Send a disk or list of your best software and I will do the same. Also interested in an external disk drive (DSDD). Buc Burgess. 433 Oak Haven Dr.. Altamonte Springs. FL 32701 FOR SALE: Complete set of BYTE in mint condition from issue #1 to present; sold only as complete set: S500 firm. Dan Goldish. POB 778, Sudbury MA 01776. (617) 734-3744 nights. WANTED: High school student would appreciate donated S-100 computer equipment to program and experiment with. I will pay postage. Nick Shue, 13910 Hough Rd.. Berville, Ml 48002. FOR TRADE: Items for Spectrum Microdrive and interface. Most in like-new condition. Also, software. John Brown. 1405 Van Ness #603. San Francisco. CA 94109. FOR SALE: Commodore 64 with 64K. 320 by 200 highresolution color graphics, etc. Has 10 hours of use. complete with power supply cables, etc. in original box. Also, have Cardco cassette-interface adapter new in box. Panda Electronics EMI surge protector and programmer's reference guide: all for S225 or best offer. Joseph Cross. POB 3633. Langley Park. MD 20787. FOR SALE: BYTE January 1977 through April 1981 and Kilobaud Microcomputing January 1977 through April 1982 at S30 per complete year. Some issues of Interface Age from 1977. 1978. and 1979 for S2 an issue. Also, some issues of Dr Dobb's Journal. Jerry Chandik. 3407 Cannon Pass Court. Sugar Land, TX 77478, (713) 980-9071.

WANTED: To trade all kinds of programs for the Apple II. Sanjay V. Deshmukh, 521 South Gunderson. Oak Park. IL 60304. FOR SALE: S-100 boards: two Ithaca Audio 8K memory, S55 each. Morrow cassette interface with parallel port and RS-232C: $50. Vector Graphic I6K memory kit, all parts less 4114 RAMs: S45. SSM VB-1B 64 by 16 memory-mapped video: S45. Data Vector 16K EPROM including 12 2708s: S60. All boards working (except kit), in excellent condition with original documentation. Bill Eisinger. 11510 Alejandro. Boise. ID 83709. (208) 376-2378. WANTED: Apple II Plus programs to trade with my large selection of games, utilities, etc. Send a list of your programs and I'll do the same. Bill Vargas. Box 239 Sunlea Village, Peru. NY 12972. FOR TRADE: Apple II Plus and lie programs: games, utilities, business, etc. Send your list or disk of your best programs, with your name and address and I will return it with the best of mine. Lance Stewart. 101 4th Ave. NE. Clarion. IA 50525. FOR SALE: BYTE issue #2, October 1975 through (and including) issue #16, December 1976. Some doubles. In addition. February, March, June. July, August, November, and December of 1977. Bernard Greenblott. POB 1328. Boca Raton, FL 33432. FOR SALE: Hewlett-Packard HP-87A with I60K bytes of RAM. I/O ROM. Plotter ROM. 82902M 5%-inch single-disk drive. HPIB cable, carrying case, and dust cover. Visicalc Plus. Wbrd/80. File/80. Statistics Pac. and FORTH operating system included. Everything in excellent condition; best offer over S2I50. Steve Rodia. 1734 Plateau Dr.. Jackson, Ml 49203. (517) 784-3255. FOR SALE: Blue case Osborne computer; factory modified for double density; 54, 80. or 104 columns; Smart Modem. Amdek high-resolution green-screen monitor, with software in both single and double density. Manuals and many disks included. Original cost. S3027; asking S1850 or best offer. E. J. Gentsch. 5060Falcon Ridge Rd.. Roanoke. VA 24014.

FOR SALE: WH11A Heath/Zenith Data Systems computer in excellent condition with: LSI11 CPU with 64KB memory, WH27 floppy-disk-drive sysytem with two drives of 250KB capacity each, two WHAI1-5 serial-interface modules. Software includes HT1I operating system BASIC interpreter, editor, disk utilities, and all manuals: S1895. Carl E. Smith, 8200 Snowville Rd., Cleveland. OH 44141, (216) 526-4386.

FOR SALE: Vecror Graphic System B. a word processing and small-business system. Memorite III word processor with Mailing List System, Execuplan spreadsheet. COMMX Comm-Pac communications software, CP/M 2.2, Raid debugger, Scope editor, MBASIC 5.2. S-100 (18-slot), Z80, 56K, dual 3I5K Micropolis drives. 12-inch black and white terminal, three serial and two parallel ports. Everything in excellent condition. Cost over S6000. asking S1950. Jack W Long, 2518 East 54th, Tulsa, OK 74105. (918) 749-6393.

FOR SALE: Problem Solver Systems mainframe 12-slot S-IOO bus. Solid State Music VB1B Video Interface Board. Microdaysys MD-690 6800-based microprocessor board. Memory Merchant MM16KI4 16K static RAM board. All barely used with documentation: S300 or S75 each. J. Reina. 39 Thomas St., Staten Island, NY 10306. (212) 979-1547.

WANTED: College engineering student needs any used or surplus computer and electronics equipment in any condition. Vance Morgan. 8422 Beverly Shawnee Mission. KS 66207. WANTED: Documentation for the following S-100 boards: Franklin Electric I/O Interface—it has three RS-232C ports (board has P/N 48005A) and Vector Graphic Z-80 (rev 3). Will pay postage and copying costs. Jim Wolfe. POB 6601. Torrance, CA 90504. (213) 376-2931.

WANTED: Software for Victor 9000. All kinds needed, games and functional purpose, in MS-DOS or CP/M. Using up to 896K of RAM. (prefer to use 128K) twin disk, single-sided at 6l2K-bytes each. Also, need memory boards and battery-based clock. Mike Carpenter. Suite 8. 1930 South Wtstwood Dr.. Mesa. AZ 85202 WANTED: Apple II owners for software exchange. Send your list of programs. B. Olsen, Oterstien 1, N-1487 Toyenhaugen, Norway.

BYTE May 1984 573

Unclassified Ads

FOR SALE: Two Tandon TM 100-1 48-tpi 5'A-inch disk drives without enclosure. SSDD I60K, includes manual. Will sell for SI70 each or both for S325. UPS COD. Marty Brewster, S740 Greens Dr. Wescosville. PA 18106. 12151 395-0195. WANTED: Am rebuilding a Basic/Four BB-2 unit. Still need memory boards and a terminal controller. If you have parts or are stripping a similar unit let me know. Rande Hansen, 8371 Manson Dr.. Burnaby, British Columbia V5A-2C1, Canada. FOR TRADE: Please send a list of IBM PC software. S. Sudhir, POB 6074, Arlington, VA 22206.

FOR TRADE: Apple II programs, games, utilities, and their documentations. Send listing with your name and address. Paty Phillips. #275 Country Lane. Mobile. AL 36608, [205] 460-0816. FOR SALE: IBM PC power for the Apple II with the 8088 MetaCard from Metamorphic Systems. Includes 5-MHz 8088 CPU. I28K RAM, real-time clock. MS-DOS. CP/M-86. UCSD p-System and four disks of public-domain software. Excellent condition with complete original documentation: S850. Bill Giffen, 1205 Delmonte Circle, Piano. TX 75075. [214] 423-6287. FOR SALE: Radio Shack TRS-80 Model 100 |24K) in excellent condition and in original carton: S750 or best offer. Mark A. Corson, 9374 Roosevelt St., Crown Point. IN 46307.

WANTED: High school student seeks donation of a computer system, disks, books, software, and a printer for experimentation and programming John White Water, Apt I, 1133 North 'A" St, Toledo, OR 97391.

FOR SALE: Amdek Colot I Plus composite monitor: S260. Atari 850 serial/parallel interface [missing data cable): S100. 830 acoustic modem (requires 850 interface): S100 850 to Epson printer cable: S20. Cartridges Telink I: SI5. Assembler/editor: S25. Disk Microsoft BASIC and DOSII: S65. Commodore 20/64 interface/cable to Epson printer: S45. Joe Gunter, Lot 125, RR2. Box 823, Pompano Beach. FL 33067, 1305] 421-6301.

FOR TRADE: I will trade more than 25 games for the Apple II Plus, VIC-20, and Atari. Paul Lo, 519 Maple, Yankton, SD 57078, (605| 665-4378.

WANTED: High school student would like donated Apple computer equipment and peripherals for programming and experimentation purposes. Will pay all postage Bobby Roberts, 330 Green Meadows Dr., Wilmington, NC 28405. (919) 799-1514. WANTED: Information exchange with PDT-II/I50 owners and users. Hardware modification and expansion and software exchange. D. S. Tong. 1310 Maple Ave., Evanston, IL 60201, |3I2| 864-7549, preferably evenings and weekends.

FOR SALE: Hewlett-Packard computer peripherals, software, and interfaces Series 80, [for 85, 86, 87| 82909 RS-232C interface: S300, IDS 560G 200-cps printer: S850. 9130A 5'A-mch disk drive [for 86A|: S580 For 86. 87: 85-13058 Statistics Pac: S170. Write/Idea word processor: S120.85-13044 Data-Comm Pac: SI50. dBASE II: S360. Also, want used Hewlett-Packard HP-86A computer with built-in parallel interface Randy Webb. 622 East llth St.. Bloomington, IN 47401, [812| 335-1858 or (812| 339-7661 after 5 p.m.

FOR TRADE: Expansion interface for TRS-80 Model I, Level II. Can be Radio Shack. LNW. Micromint. or Lobo. Any amount of memory OK. Prefer working, but will consider any condition. Please state make, asking price, and condition. James Nolt. POB 24985, Omaha, NE 68124.

FOR SALE: Tarbell cassette-interface board with Tarbell Basic: SI25. SSM VB-1B board: S10O. SSM 1/0-2 board: S75. SSM 1/0-4 board: S150. Ithaca Audio Z-80A board with monitor: S100. Cherry Pro keyboard: SI00. EconoRAM 4 16K: S75. Econoram 14 I6K: SI25 SSM T-l Active Terminator board: S50. Electronic Systems TVT board: S150. Electronic Systems cassette DMA interface: S75. Integrand S-100 enclosure: S275. Will accept any reasonable offer, M. Mecord, POB 371, Moorestown, NJ 08057, (609) 778-3460.

BOMB

B

YTE's Ongoing Monitor Box

ARTICLE ,

1 2

3

4 5 6

7

9 10 I I 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

21 22

23 24 25 26

27

PAGE

40 59

88 101 108 122 127

137

160 171 189 196 206 225 236 246 258 276 288 307

339 340

366 382 400 406 415

ARTICLE

Trump Card, Part I: Hardware

User's Column:

Chaos Manor's Hard-Disk System

BYTE West Coast: Bulletin Boards in Space

A Professional's Perspective on User-Friendliness .

A Computer In the Doctor's Waiting Room

The Microcomputer as a Decision-Making Aid

Benchmarking Business-Modeling Software

Expert Systems for Personal Computers _

How Lawyers Can Use Microcomputers

Computerizing a Medical Office

Thinktank

The QDP-300 Computer. The Kaypro 10

Converting the TRS-80 Model Robographics CAD-1 .

for CP/M .

Two More Versions of C for CP/M. LNW-80

The Apple He Personal Computer. Inside the Model 100s ROM

Maximizing Hard-Disk Performance .

Update on Apple Macintosh and Lisa 2 . Fitting Curves To Data

Laboratory Data Collection with an IBM PC

Putting the Apple II Work, Part 2: The Software _ ISIM: A Continuous-System Simulation Language _ Indexing Open-Ended Tree Structures .

Using Comments to Aid Program Maintenance _

AUTHOR(S)

. Ciarcia

. Poumelle _ Markoff _ Raduche! . Zucconi _ Callamaras . Hession.

Rubel . Konopasek,

layaraman . Wilkins . lavitt _ Hershey .loyce . McMahon _ Renne _ Jadrnicek .Clark . Kelley _ Markoff . Cameron . Chaney.

lohnson .Williams . Caceci,

Cacheris _ Gates _Hallgren . Crosbie _ Snyder . Thomas

THE CHAMPIONS OF FEBRUARY

Readers selected February's two cover stories for top billing this month: Gregg Williams's expose on "The Apple Macintosh Computer" won first place, and second-place winner was "An Interview: The Macintosh Design Team," written by Phil Lemmons. Because both authors are on BYTE's staff, they will forgo the prizes. Third place was scooped up by Jerry Pournelle's User's Column, "Chaos Manor Gets Its Long-awaited IBM PC," A feature written by Gregg Williams about the new Lisa's compatibility with the Macintosh, entitled "Apple Announces the Lisa 2," placed a close fourth. And in fifth place was Steve Ciarcia's "Build the Circuit Cellar Term-Mite ST Smart Terminal, Part 2: Programming and Use." Congratulations to these authors.

CORRESPONDENCE

Address all editorial correspondence to the editor at BYTE. POB 372. Hancock. NH 03449. Unacceptable manuscripts will be returned if accompanied by sufficient first-class postage. Not responsible for lost manuscripts or photos. Opinions expressed by the authors are not necessarily those of BYTE. Copyright © 1984 by McGraw-Hill Inc. All rights reserved. Trademark registered in the Unites States Patent and Trade Office. Where necessary, permission is granted by the copyright owner for libraries and others registered with the Copyright Clearance Center (CCC) to photocopy any article herein for the flat fee of SI.50 per copy of the article or any part thereof. Correspondence and payment should be sent directly to the CCC. 21 Congress St.. Salem. MA 01970. Specify ISSN 03605280/83. SI.50. Copying done for other than persona] or interna] reference use without the permission of McGraw-Hill is prohibited. Requests for special permission or bulk orders should be addressed to the publisher. BYTE® is available in microform from University Microfilms International. 300 North Zeeb Rd.. Dept. PR. Ann Arbor. Ml 48106 USA or 18 Bedford Row. Dept. PR. London WC1R 4EJ, England.

574 BYTE M.iy 1984

Reader Service

Inquiry No.

Page No.

1 1ST NATIONAL COMPUTER 517

2 1ST PLACE SYSTEMS 92

3 800 SOFTWARE 91

4 A.S.T. RESEARCH 15

11 AB COMPUTERS 537

12 ABC COMPUTERS LTD 441

13 ABC DATA PRODUCTS 334

14 ACOM ELECTRONICS 526

15 ACTION COMPUTER 95

16 ACTION COMPUTER 95

17 ADAPTIVE MICRO SYS. 542

18 ADDMASTER CORP. 530

19 ADV.BUSN.COMPUTERS 379

20 ADV.COMP.PROD. 548, 549 421 ADV.DIGITAL CORP. 319

22 ADV.SYS.CONCEPTS 212

23 ADV TRANSDUCER DEVICES 544

■ ALF PRODUCTS, INC 240

25 ALL ELECTRONICS CORP. 458

26 ALLOY COMP.PROD. 429

27 ALPHA NUMERIC INT'L. 410

28 ALPHA NUMERIC INT'L. 411

29 ALPHA OMEGA COMPUTER 28

30 AMARAY CORP. 387

31 AMDEK CORP. 73

440 AMERICAN COMP.SYS. 402

33 AMER.SQUARE COMP. 532

34 AMPRO COMPUTERS INC. 260

35 ANDERSON JACOBSON 483

37 ANN ARBOR TERMINALS 227

38 ANTEX DATA SYS. 419 426 APPARAT 423

■ APPLE COMPUTER INC. CM, 1

• APPLE COMPUTER INC. 264, 265

• APPLE COMPUTER INC. 311

39 APPLE COUNTRY LTD. 529

40 APPLEWARE, INC. 532

424 APPLICATION EXEC. CORP. 299

42 APPLIED DIGITAL DATA SYS. 414

43 APROPOS TECHNOLOGY 536

44 APROPOS TECHNOLOGY 538

45 ARTIFICIAL INT'L. RESEARCH 528

46 ASHTON-TATE 27

47 ASHTON-TATE 175

48 ASHTON-TATE 271

425 ASHTON-TATE 363

• AT & T LONG LINES 463

49 ATARI SOFT 373

50 AVATAR TECH. INC. 24, 25

51 AVOCET 333

52 B & C MICRO SYSTEMS 540

53 B&B ELECTRONICS 542

54 BASF SYSTEMS 327

55 BAY TECHNICAL ASSOC. 372

56 BELL, JOHN ENGR. 441 431 BERING 490

• BEST WESTERN INT'L. INC. 447

57 BETATOOL SYSTEMS 174

58 BHRT 180

59 BIBLE RESEARCH SYS. 292

60 BINARY TECHNOLOGY 538

61 BIZCOMP 71

• BORLAND INT'L. 30, 31

63 BUSINESS SOFTWARE 267

64 BUSINESS SOFTWARE 267

• BYTE ADVERTISING SALE 432, 433

• BYTE BACK ISSUE 482

' BYTE COMPUTER SHOW 424, 425

• BYTE SUBSCRIBER MESSAGE 118

65 BYTEK COMP. SYS. CORP. 26

66 BYTEWRITER 104

• C WARE 388

■ C-SYSTEMS 528

67 C.S.D. INC. 270

445 CABLES BY WORSWICK 403

■ CALIF. DIGITAL 554, 555

• CALIF. MICRO COMP. 324

69 CAPITAL EQUIPMENT 70

70 CARRY CASE 542

71 CDR SYSTEMS 526

423 CENTENNIAL COMP.PROD. 83

72 CENTRE COMP. CONSULT. 530

497 CHAMPION SOFTWARE 241

498 CHAMPION SOFTWARE 241

76 CHECK-MATE 284

77 CHIPS 8 DALE 532

78 CHRISLIN IND. INC. 445

79 CHROMOD ASSOC. 532

80 CLEVELAND CODONICS 440

81 CMA MICRO COMP. DIV. 448

62 COGITATE 441

83 COMMAND SERVICES CORP. 532

84 COMMERCIAL BUSINESS SYS. 522

85 COMP C0MPNTS. UNLTD. 550, 551

Inquiry No.

Page No.

86 COMP. COMPNTS. UNLTD. 552. 553

• COMPAQ COMPUTER CORP. 12, 13

87 COMPETITIVE EDGE 462

88 COMPUADD 538

89 COMPUADD 540

• COMPUMAX 518

90 COMPUPRO 120, 121

• COMPUPRO 435

91 COMPUSERVE 132, 133 93 COMPUSHACK 451

372 COMP. BOOK CLUB, THE 385

• COMPUTER CHANNEL 518

95 COMPUTER CLUB INC. 540

96 COMPUTER CONNECTION INC. 516

97 COMPUTER DISCOUNT PROD. 535

98 COMPUTER HUT OF N.E. 317

99 COMPUTER INNOVATION 301 420 COMPUTER MAIL ORDER 466, 467

101 COMPUTER PRICE CLUB 224

• COMPUTER WAREHOUSE 325

102 COMPUTERLINE-A 380, 381

103 COMPUTERS AND MORE 251

104 COMPUTERS WHOLESALE 173

105 CONROY-LAPOINTE 244, 245

106 CONROY-LAPOINTE 244, 245

107 CONROY-LAPOINTE 244, 245

108 CONSOLINK 128

109 CONSOLINK 129

110 CONTROL DATA 249

111 CORONA DATA SYS. 58

112 CORVUS SYS INC 35

113 COSMOS 397

114 CRE WHOLESALE PROD. 534

115 CRE WHOLESALE PROD. 534

116 CREATIVITY UNLTD. 540

117 CROMEMCO INC. 5

118 CUESTA SYSTEMS 530

119 CUSTOM COMP.TECH. 543

120 DANA COMPUTER DISCOUNT 484

121 DATA LINK 448

122 DATA SPEC 454

123 DATA SPEC 454

436 DATA TRANSLATION INC. 302

124 DATASHIELD/PTI IND. 255

125 DATASOUTH COMP.CORP. 61

128 DATEC INC. 306

126 DAYFLO 234

127 DAYFLO 235

129 DHL WORLDWIDE COURIER 461

130 DIGISOFT COMP. INC. 439

131 DIGITAL EQUIPMENT CORP. 177

132 DIGITAL LABORATORIES 104 433 DIGITAL MICROSYSTEMS 269

133 DIGITAL RESEARCH 38, 39

134 DIGITAL RESEARCH 336. 337

• DIGITAL RESEARCH COMP. 485 ' DIGITAL RESEARCH COMP. 522

• DIRECT SOFTWARE 427

135 DISCOUNT SOFTWARE 162

• DISKETTE CONNECTION 210

136 DISKS 'N THINGS 538

137 DISKWORLD INC. 314

138 DISKWORLD INC. 536

139 DISKWORLD INC. 540

140 DISPLAY TELECOMMNCTNS. 521

141 DMA 455

142 DOKAY COMP.PROD.INC. 556, 557

• DOW JONES 66

• DOW JONES SOFTWARE 224 A-F

143 DUAL SYSTEMS CORP. 291

144 DUPONT COMPANY 163

145 DUPONT COMPANY 165

146 DUPONT COMPANY 167

147 DWIGHTCO., INC. 534

148 DYNAX, INC. 393

149 DYSAN CORP. 184, 185

150 E. T. I. 67

151 EASI SOFTWARE 536

152 EASTERN ENTERPRISES 182

153 ECOSOFT 180

443 EDGE MICROSYS. 403

154 EDUCATIONAL MICROCOMP, 441

155 ELCOMP 530

156 ELECTRADE CO. 526

157 ELECTRADE CO. 530 438 ELEK-TEK418

159 ELLIS COMPUTING INC. 77

160 EMERALD COMPUTER 431

• EMPIRICAL RESEARCH GROUP 90

161 ENERCOMP 32

164 EPIC ELECTRONICS 544

427 EPOCH 268

• EPSON AMERICA 86, 87 168 EPSON AMERICA 442, 443

Inquiry No.

Page No.

169 ESPRIT SYSTEMS INC. 476, 477

170 EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT SYS. 375

171 EXPERT COMPUTERS 519

172 EXPOTEK523

432 EXTERNAL AFFAIRS 199

173 EXXON OFFICE SYS. 145

175 FORMULA INT'L. 539

176 FORMULA INT'L. 539 310 FOX & GELLER INC. 338

178 FUJITSU PROFESS.MICROSYS. 257

179 FUTECH INT'L. CORP. 106

181 GENERAL TECHNOLOGY 181

182 GENICOM 209

183 GIFFORD COMP.SYS. 65

184 GILTRONIX, INC. 542

186 GREAT SALT LAKE COMP. 558, 559

187 GREAT SALT LAKE COMP. 560, 561

188 GTEK INC. 479

189 HADAX ELECTRONICS 446

190 HANDWELL CORP. 527

191 HAUPPAUGE COMP. WORKS 422

192 HAYES MICROCOMP.PROD. 112, 113

194 HAYES MICROCOMP.PROD. 377

195 HEATH COMPANY 96, 97

• H & E COMPUTRONICS 335

196 HELIX SYS.&DEV.CORP. 147

197 HEWLETT-PACKARD 253

• HIGH TECH FRIENDS 494

199 HITECH INT'L. INC. 441

200 HOFFMAN COMP.PROD. 534

201 HOLLYWOOD HARDWARE 526

202 HOUSTON INSTR/BAUCH&LOMB 233

203 I.B.S. CORP. 292

204 IBM CORP. 158, 159

205 IBM CORP. 412. 413

206 IMAGE COMP.PROD. 542

• INMAC 417

207 INTEGRAND 194

• INTEL CORP. 304, 305

208 INTERACTIVE MICROWARE 202

209 INTERACTIVE STRUCT. 211

210 INTERTEC DATA SYS. 11

211 IQ TECHNOLOGIES 284

212 JADE COMP.PROD. 545

213 JADE COMP.PROD. 546, 547

214 JAMECO ELECTR. 68, 69

215 JDR MICRODEVICES INC. 568, 569

216 JDR MICRODEVICES INC. 570, 571

217 JDR MICRODEVICES INC. 572 446 JIM-PAK 524, 525

219 JUKI INDUSTRY OF AMERICA 213

220 KADAK PRODUCTS 362

221 KAYPRO 309

222 KERN PUBLICATIONS 326

223 KEYTRONICS CORP. 79

224 KNOWLEDGE SYS. 293

225 KOALA TECHNOLOGIES 136

• KORSMEYER ELECTRONICS 16

226 L.E.J. INC. 34

227 L.F. COMPUTER PRODUCTS 526

228 LABORATORY MICROSYS. 362

229 LASER MICRO 452

230 LEADING EDGE PROD. Clll

231 LIBERTY ELECTRONICS 231

232 LIBERTY GROUP INC. 218

233 LIBRA PROGRAMMING 534

234 LIFEBOAT ASSOC. 409

235 LIQUIDATORS COMPANY 441

236 LOCKHEED-GETEX 437

237 LOGICAL DEVICES 62

238 LOGICAL DEVICES 544

239 LOGITECH INC. 178

240 LOMAS DATA PRODUCTS 100

241 LOTUS DEVELOPMENT 80, 81

242 LSI JAPAN 530

243 LYBEN COMP.SYS. 528

244 LYBEN COMP.SYS. 530

245 LYCO COMPUTER 541

• M-H RECRUITMENT 436

246 MA SYSTEMS 186

• MACMILLAN BOOK CLUBS 352, 353

247 MACROTECH INT'L. 131 444 MANDINGO COMP 403

249 MANX SOFTWARE SYS. 22

250 MARYMAC INDUSTRIES 536

251 MAXELL DATA PROD. 312, 313

252 MAYNARD ELECTRONICS 203

253 MC-P APPLICATIONS 347

■ MCGRAW-HILL BOOK CO. 449

254 MEDIANICS BYTEWORLD 179

• MEMOTECH 141, 142, 143

255 MERRITT COMP. PROD. 542

256 MET-CHEM INT'L. CORP. 441

257 METALINK CORP. 544

To get further information on the products advertised in BYTE, fill out the reader service card with your name and address. Then circle the appropriate numbers for the advertisers you select from the list. Add a 20-cent stamp to the card, then drop it in the mail. Not only do you gain information, but our advertisers are encouraged to use the marketplace provided by BYTE. This helps us bring you a bigger BYTE. The index is provided as an additional service by the publisher, who assumes no liability for errors or omissions. "Correspond directly with company.

Inquiry No.

Page Wo.

258 METHOD SYS. INC. 526

259 MFJ ENTERPRISES, INC. 396

260 MICRO AGE COMP.STORES 315

261 MICRO COM 272, 273

262 MICRO CRAFT CORP 223

263 MICRO DATA BASE 168, 169

264 MICRO DESIGN INT'L. 389

265 MICRO FOCUS 359

266 MICRO MANAGEMENT SYS. 232

267 MICRO MART INC. 74

268 MICRO MART INC. 75

269 MICRO MINT 469

270 MICRO-TAX 289

271 MICRODYNAMICS 532

272 MICROLAND 544

273 MICROMAIL 533

274 MICROPROCESSORS UNLTD. 538

275 MICROPROCESSORS UNLTD. 540

• MICROSOFT CORP. 134, 135

• MICROSOFT CORP.-BUSN. BASIC 153

• MICROSOFT CORP.—COBOL 155

■ MICROSOFT CORP.—PASCAL 157

• MICROSOFT CORP. 364, 365

276 MICROTECH EXPORTS 152

277 MICROWARE 172

■ MID-AMERICA WHOLESALERS 542, 544

278 MIDWEST-MICRO PERIPH. 20

279 MILLER MICROCOMP. SRV 156

280 MINI MICRO MART 183

281 MOUNTAIN VIEW PRESS 164

282 MPI 17

283 MULTI-TECH SYSTEMS 82

284 MUSYS CORP. 119

285 MUSYS CORP. 119

286 MYLSTAR ELECTRONICS 532

287 NATIONAL COMPUTER LTD. 202

288 NATIONAL INSTRUMENT 64

289 NEBS COMPUTER FORMS 301

290 NEC HOME ELECTR.USA 191

291 NEC INFORMATION SYS. 295

292 NEC INFORMATION SYS. 398, 399

• NETWORK CONSULTING INC. 114

293 NICOLET PARATRONICS 162

• NORTH HILLS CORP. 526, 532

294 NORTHWEST DIG'TAL SYS. 94

295 NORTHWEST MICROCHIPS DIST 544

296 NOVATION, INC. 215

297 O'HANLON COMP. SYS. 166

298 OFFICE & SERV. CTR. 534

299 OKIDATA21

300 OLDSMOBILE DIVISION 465 302 ORION INSTRUMENTS 460

428 ORYX SYSTEMS 472, 473

429 ORYX SYSTEMS 472, 473

430 ORYX SYSTEMS 472. 473 441 P.C. HORIZONS 416

304 P.C. NETWORK 349

305 PACIFIC EXCHANGES 528, 530, 532, 534, 536, 538, 540, 542, 544

306 PAN AMERICAN ELEC. INC. 441

308 PC COMPONENTS 544

309 PC PIPELINE 536

311 PEGASUS DATA SYS 454

312 PIPELINE COMPUTER 566, 567

313 PJS 528

185 POWER BASE SYS. INC. 457

310 POWERLAN 536

314 PRACTICAL PERIPH. 115

315 PRACTICAL PERIPH. 430

316 PRENTICE HALL INC. 221

317 PRINCETON GRAPHIC SYS. 105

318 PRIORITY ONE 562, 563, 564, 565

319 PROFESSIONAL DATA SERV 538

320 PROMETHEUS PRODUCTS 193

321 PURCHASING AGENT, THE 212

322 PURPLE COMPUTING 540

323 QANTEX DIV. 219

324 QUADRAM CORP. 18, 19

325 QUANT SYSTEMS 528

326 QUARK INCORPORATED 369

327 QUBIE DISTRIBUTING 139 32B QUCES 55

329 QUELO 222

330 RADIO SHACK CIV

331 RANA SYSTEMS 29

332 RANDOM HOUSE 462

334 RCA 93

335 RELMS 154

336 RIXON 459

338 ROGERS LABS 174 68 ROLAND CORP. 23

339 RUTISHAUSER OF AMERICA 361

340 S-100 DIV. 696 CORP. 531

341 SABADIA EXPORT CORP. 538

• SAFEWARE 420

342 SAGE COMP. TECH. 283

• SBE INC. 540

• SCOTTSDALE SYSTEMS 117

343 SEEQUA COMP.CORP. 8

344 SEMI DISK SYSTEM 343

345 SERVICES SQUARED 458

346 SERVICES SQUARED 45B

347 SHARP ELECTRONICS 85

• SILICON SPECIALTIES 124

348 SLICER COMPUTERS 428

349 SLR SYSTEMS 534

• SOFTCRAFT 76

BYTE May 1984 575

Reader Service —

Inquiry No. Page No.

350 SOFTESMYTHE SOFTWARE 526

351 SOFTLINE CORP. 36

352 SOFTWARE ARTS 274

353 SOFTWARE BANC 111

355 SOFTWARE PRODUCTS INTL. 328, 329

356 SOFTWARE SERVICES 526

357 SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS, INC. 453

358 SOLUTIONWARE CORP. 536 248 SPEECH, LTD. 538

360 SPERRY COMP. SYS. 216, 217

361 SPRUCE TECHNOLOGY CORP. 150

362 SPSS 331

• SRI DATA SYS. 416

364 STARBUCK DATA CO. 441

365 SUNTRONICS 516

366 SUPER COMP.INC. 520

367 SUPERSOFT 404, 405

368 SUPERTRON ELEC.CO.LTD. 210

369 SYSGEN INC. 297

370 SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT ASSOC. 236

Inquiry No.

Page No.

371 SYSTEMS STRATEGIES 222

373 TALLGRASS TECH. 33

374 TATUM LABS 528

375 TAVA CORP. 263

387 TAXAN 195

388 TAXAN 195

• TEKTRONIX, INC. 170 ■ TECH STAR LAB 416

376 TELETEK ENTERPRISES, INC. 53

377 TELEVIDEO SYSTEMS 56. 57

378 TERRAPIN INC. 530

379 TEXAS COMPUTER SYS. 72

• TEXAS INSTRUMENTS 7

• TEXAS INSTRUMENTS 286, 287

380 THOUGHTWARE INC. 394, 395 437 TIMESHARING DEV. INC. 243 162 TIGERTRONICS 528

382 TINNEY, ROBERT GRAPHICS 438, 471

383 TITAN TECHNOLOGY 321

384 TITAN TECHNOLOGY 323

385 TOSHIBA AMERICA, INC. 344

Inquiry No.

Page No.

386 TOSHIBA AMERICA, INC. 345

389 U.S. ROBOTICS 281

390 UNIFIED SOFTWARE SYS. 536

391 UNIPRESS SOFTWARE, INC. 230

392 UNISOURCE 63

439 USED PERSONAL COMP. BKG. 402

393 VEN-TEL INC. 261

394 VICTORY COMP. SYS. 148, 149

395 VIDEX 475

396 VISUAL COMPUTER 204, 205

397 VISUAL TECH, INC. 151

398 VISUAL TECH, INC. 351

• VLM COMPUTER ELECTR. 534

399 VOTRAX 188

400 WANG ELECTR.PUB.INC. 78

• WANG LABS INC. 126

■ WAREHOUSE SOFTWARE 54

401 WARNER BOOKS 390

402 WASHINGTON COMP.SYS. 260

403 WESTERN UNION 486, 487 422 WESTICO 110

Inquiry No.

Page No.

• WHITESMITHS LTD 107

405 WILLIAMS, MARK CO. 125

406 WINTEK CORP. 528 434 WINTEK CORP. 542

407 WORLDWIDE COMP. SUPPLIES 402

409 WYSE TECHNOLOGY 2B5

410 X.D.S. 515

411 XOR CORP. 201

412 ZENITH DATA SYS. 37

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